Author: Billy Conrad

October 23

Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. — James 1:4

Scripture reading: Matthew 27:27–54

Is it possible for patience to make us “perfect and complete”? Certainly, it is possible. Who was speaking in this verse? It was the breath of the Spirit; it was also the hidden man of the heart who had a heart like his Brother. This was James, the Lord‘s brother, who was speaking. He spoke very much like his Brother. When we read these wonderful words, we might very likely be encountering a true kindred spirit with Christ.

James had to learn patience. It was not an easy thing for him to understand how his Brother could be the Son of God and be in the same family as he, Judas, and the other brothers. (See Matthew 13:55.) It was not an easy thing for him, and he had to learn to be patient to see how it worked out.

There are many things in your life that you cannot understand, but be patient. When the hand of God is upon something, it may grind very slowly, but it will form the finest thing possible if you dare to wait until it is completed. Do not kick until you have gone through the process—and when you are dead enough to yourself, you will never kick at all. It is a death we die so that we might be alive unto God. It is only by the deaths we die that we are able to be still before God.

Jesus said, “The cross? I can endure the cross. The shame? I can despise it.” (See Hebrews 12:2.) He withstood the bitter language spoken to Him at the cross: “If You are the Christ, come down, and we will believe.” (See Matthew 27:40, 42.) They struck Him, but He “did not revile in return” (1 Peter 2:23). He is the picture for us.

You cannot tell what God has in mind for you. As you are still before God—pliable in His hands—He will be working out a greater vessel than you could ever imagine in all your life.

Thought for today: Jesus knew that when He came to the end of the Cross, He would forever save all those who would believe.

10月23日

让耐心发挥它的完美作用，这样你们就能完全成熟，什么都不缺。——雅各书 1:4

经文阅读：马太福音 27:27–54

耐心真的能让我们“完全且完整”吗？当然有可能。是谁在这节经文中说话呢？是圣灵的气息，也是内心深处那位拥有像他兄弟一样心的隐秘之人。这位说话的人是雅各，主的兄弟。他讲话的方式非常像他的兄弟。当我们读到这些美妙的话语时，我们很可能正在遇见一个与基督真心相通的灵魂。

詹姆斯必须学会耐心。对于他来说，要理解他的兄弟怎么可能是上帝的儿子，同时又和他、犹大以及其他兄弟在同一个家庭里，这不是一件容易的事。（见马太福音 13:55）这对他来说不容易，他必须学会耐心，看看事情是如何发展的。

你生活中有很多事情你无法理解，但要耐心。当上帝的手在某件事上时，它可能进展得很慢，但如果你敢于等待它完成，它将形成最完美的东西。在经历这个过程之前不要抱怨——当你对自己足够放下时，你就不会再抱怨了。这是一种我们为能活在上帝面前而经历的死亡。只有通过我们经历的这些死亡，我们才能在上帝面前保持宁静。

耶稣说：“十字架？我能忍受十字架。羞辱？我能蔑视它。”（参见希伯来书 12:2。）他承受了在十字架上对他所说的恶言：“如果你是基督，就下来吧，我们就信你。”（参见马太福音 27:40, 42。）他们打他，但他“却不以恶言回嘴”（彼得前书 2:23）。他是我们的榜样。

你无法知道上帝为你计划了什么。当你仍然站在上帝面前——在他手中任他塑造——他正在创造一个比你一生中所能想象的更伟大的器皿。

今日的思考：耶稣知道，当他走到十字架的尽头时，他将永远拯救所有相信他的人。

October 22

Count it all joy. — James 1:2

Scripture reading: Job 2:1–10

The verse does not mean “Count a bit of it as joy” but “count it all joy.” It doesn‘t matter from what source the trial comes, whether it is your business or your home or what. “Count it all joy.” Why? Because “we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

That is a great Scripture. It means that you have a special position. God is electrifying the very position that you hold so that the Devil will see that you have a godly character, and God can say about you what he said about Job. (See Job 1:8.)

Recall the scene. God asked, “Satan, what is your opinion about Job?” Then the Lord went on and said, “Don‘t you think he is wonderful? Don‘t you think he is the most excellent man in all the earth?”

Satan replied, “Yes, but You know, You are keeping him.”

Praise the Lord! I am glad the Devil has to tell the truth. And don‘t you know that God can keep you, also?

“If You touch everything he has,” the Devil said, “he will curse You to Your face.”

God answered, “You can touch all he has, but you cannot touch him.” (See Job 1:8–12.)

The Scripture says that Jesus was dead but is alive again and has power over death and hell. To this, the Scripture adds a big “Amen” (Revelation 1:18). The Devil cannot take your life unless the Lord allows it. “You cannot touch Job‘s life,” God told Satan. (See Job 2:6.)

Satan thought he could destroy Job, and you know the calamity that befell this righteous man. But Job said, “Naked I came from my mother‟s womb, and naked shall I return there.…Blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21). Oh, it is lovely! The Lord can give us that kind of language. It is not the language of the head. This is divine language; this is heart acquaintance.

I want you to know that we can have heart acquaintance. I learned a long time ago that libraries often create swelled heads, but nothing except the Library, the Bible, can make swelled hearts. You are to have swelled hearts because out of the heart full of the fragrance of the love of God, the living life of the Lord flows.

You must cease to be. That is a difficult thing—for both you and me—but it is no trouble at all when you are in the hands of the Potter. You are only wrong when you are kicking. You are all right when you are still and He is forming you afresh. So let Him form you afresh today into a new vessel so that you will stand the stress.

Thought for today: It is far more to speak out of the abundance of your heart than the abundance of your head.

10月22日

你们要落在百般试炼中，都要以为喜乐。——雅各书 1:2

经文阅读：约伯记 2:1–10

这节经文的意思不是“把它算作一点喜乐”，而是“都当作喜乐”。无论试炼来自哪里，不管是你的工作、家里还是其他什么，都“都当作喜乐”。为什么？因为“我们知道，上帝所爱的人，就是按他旨意被召的人，凡事都互相效力，叫他们得益处”（罗马书 8:28）。

那是一段很棒的圣经经文。它的意思是你拥有一个特别的位置。上帝正在为你所拥有的位置注入力量，让魔鬼看到你拥有敬虔的品格，上帝也可以像对约伯说的那样评价你。（参见约伯记1:8）

回想一下那个场景。上帝问：“撒旦，你对约伯有什么看法？”然后主接着说：“你不觉得他很了不起吗？你不觉得他是全地上最出色的人吗？”

撒旦回答：“是的，但你知道，你一直在留着他。”

赞美主！我很高兴魔鬼不得不说实话。你难道不知道上帝也能保守你吗？

“如果你碰他所有的东西，”魔鬼说，“他会当着你的面诅咒你。”

上帝回答说：“他所有的你都可以接触，但他本人你不能碰。”（见约伯记 1:8–12）

经文说耶稣曾经死过，但现在活着了，并且对死亡和地狱有权柄。对此，经文还加了一个响亮的“阿门”（启示录 1:18）。除非主允许，魔鬼不能夺走你的生命。上帝对撒旦说：“你不能动约伯的性命。”（见约伯记 2:6）

撒旦以为自己可以毁掉约伯，你也知道降临到这个义人身上的灾难。但约伯说：“我赤身从母腹出来，也必赤身归回……耶和华的名是应当称颂的”（约伯记 1:21）。哦，真是美好！主可以赐给我们这样的语言。这不是头脑的语言。这是神圣的语言；这是心灵的亲密交往。

我希望你知道我们可以有心灵上的相识。我早就明白了，图书馆常常会让人自负，但只有圣经才能让人有谦卑的心。你应该拥有谦卑的心，因为从充满上帝之爱芳香的心中，主的生命会流出来。

你必须停止存在。这对你我来说都是一件困难的事——但当你在陶匠手中时，这一点也不麻烦。只有在你挣扎的时候，你才会出错。当你静下心来，让他重新塑造你时，你就是安好的。所以今天就让他把你重新塑造成一个新器皿，这样你才能承受压力。

今日感悟：用心里的充实来说话，比用头脑里的充实来说话要重要得多。

October 21

That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, — 1 Peter 1:7

Scripture reading: 1 Peter 1

Some of you wonder what is up when you are not healed in a moment. God never breaks His promise. The trial of your faith is “much more precious than gold.”

God wants to destroy the power of the Devil. He wants to move you so that in the face of hardships, you will praise the Lord. “Count it all joy” (James 1:2). You have to take a leap today; you have to leap into the promises. You have to believe that God never fails you; you have to believe it is impossible for God to break His word. He is “from everlasting to everlasting” (Psalm 90:2).

Forever and ever, not for a day,
He keepeth His promise forever;
To all who believe,
To all who obey,
He keepeth His promise forever.

There is no variableness with God, no “shadow of turning” (James 1:17). He is the same. He manifests His divine glory.

Jesus said to Mary and Martha, “If you would believe you would see the glory of God” (John 11:40). We must understand that there will be times of testing, but they are only to make us more like the Master. He was “in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). He endured all things. He is our example.

Oh, that God would place us in an earnest, intent position in which flesh and blood have to yield to the Spirit of God! We will go forward; we will not be moved by our feelings.

Suppose that a man who is prayed for today receives a blessing, but tomorrow he begins murmuring because he does not feel exactly as he wants to feel. What is he doing? He is replacing the Word of God with his feelings. What a disgrace! Let God have His perfect work.

Thought for today: God has you on this earth for the purpose of bringing out His character in you.

10月21日

你们的信心虽比暂时会坏的金子更宝贵，却要经过火的考验，结果可在耶稣基督显现的时候，得着称赞、荣耀和尊贵。——彼得前书1:7

经文阅读：彼得前书 1

你们中有些人会想，当你没有瞬间得医治时，这是怎么回事。上帝从不违背祂的应许。你信心的试炼“远比金子宝贵。”

上帝想要摧毁魔鬼的力量。他想要感动你，让你在面对困难时仍然赞美主。“遇到各种试炼时，都要以为大喜乐”（雅各书 1:2）。你今天必须迈出一步；你必须跳进神的应许里。你必须相信上帝永远不会让你失望；你必须相信上帝不可能违背自己的话。他是“从亘古到永远的”（诗篇 90:2）。

永远永远，不止一天，
他永远遵守他的承诺；
对所有信他的人，
对所有顺从他的人，
他永远遵守他的承诺。

神没有变化，也没有“转动的影子”（雅各书 1:17）。他始终如一，他显明自己的神圣荣耀。

耶稣对马利亚和马大说：“你若信，就必看见神的荣耀”（约翰福音11:40）。我们必须明白，会有试炼的时刻，但它们只是为了让我们更像主。他在各方面都受过试探，与我们一样，只是没有罪（希伯来书4:15）。他忍受了一切。他是我们的榜样。

哦，但愿上帝让我们置身于一个认真的、专注的状态，在那里血肉必须屈服于上帝的灵！我们会向前走；我们的感受不会动摇我们。

假设今天有人为一个人祈祷，他得到了祝福，但明天他开始抱怨，因为他感觉不到自己想要的那种感觉。他在做什么呢？他在用自己的感受代替神的话。真丢脸！让神完成祂完美的工作吧。

今日思考：上帝让你来到这个世界，是为了在你身上显现祂的品格。