Category: Daily Devotionals – Smith Wigglesworth

January 21

As it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations.” — Romans 4:17

Scripture reading: Genesis 15:3–6; 18:9–15

Here are Sarah—her body is almost dead—and Abraham—his body is almost dead. “Now,” says Abraham, “God has made me a father of many nations, and there is no hope of a son according to the natural law, no hope whatever.” Here God says, “I have made you a father of many nations,” yet Abraham has no son. During the past twenty years of waiting, conditions had grown more and more hopeless, yet the promise had been made.

How long have you believed and still suffered from some disease? How long have you been waiting for the promise, and it has not come? Did you need to wait? Look here! I want to tell you that all the people who are saved are blessed with faithful Abraham (Galatians 3:9). Abraham is the great substance of the whole keynote of Scripture; he is a man who dared for twenty-five years to believe God when everything got worse every day. I do not know anything in the Scriptures as marvelous, as far-reaching, and as full of the substance of living reality to change us if we will believe God. He will make us so different. This is a blessed incarnation of living faith that changes us and makes us know that “[God] is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). God is a reality. God is true, and in Him there is no lie or “shadow of turning” (James 1:17). Oh, it is good! I do love to think about such truths as these.

No subject in the whole Bible makes my body aflame with passion after God and His righteousness as this one does. I see that He never fails. He wants man to believe, and then man will never fail. Oh, the loveliness of the character of God!

“A father of many nations.” You talk about your infirmities—look at this! I have never felt I have had an infirmity since I understood this chapter. My cup runs over as I see the magnitude of this living God.

It is almost as if Abraham had said, “I won‘t look at my body. I won‘t look at my infirmities. I believe God will make the whole thing right.” Some of us can say, “What does it matter if I have not heard for over twenty years? I believe my ears will be perfect.” God is reality and wants us to know that if we will believe, it will be perfect. “God…gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did” (Romans 4:17).

Then God tested Abraham and Sarah still further than that. Oh, it is blessed to know you are tested. It is the greatest thing in the world to be tested. Some people say, “Oh, I don‘t know why my lot is such a heavy one,” and God puts them into the fire again. He knows how to do it. I can tell you, He is a blessed God. There is no such thing as a groan when God gets hold of you. There is no such thing as lack to those who trust the Lord. When we really get in the will of God, He can make our enemies to be at peace with us (Proverbs 16:7). It is wonderful.

I wonder if you really believe that God can quicken what is dead. I have seen it many times. The more there was no hope, Abraham believed in hope. Sometimes Satan will cloud your mind and interfere with your perception so that the obscure condition is brought right in between you and God, but God is able to change the whole position if you will let Him have a chance. Turn your back on every sense of unbelief, and believe God. There are some who would like to feel the presence of the touch of God; God will bring it to you. I wish people could come to this place.

Abraham had a good time. The more he was squeezed, the more he rejoiced:

And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God. (Romans 4:19–20)

God knows. He has a plan; He has a way. Do you dare trust Him?

Thought for today: You never know what you are made of until you are tested.

敢于相信

1月21日

正如经上所记：“我已使你成为多国的父。” — 罗马书 4:17

经文阅读：创世记 15:3–6；18:9–15

这是莎拉——她的身体几乎已经死了——还有亚伯拉罕——他的身体几乎已经死了。亚伯拉罕说：“现在，上帝已使我成为多国之父，按自然法则是不可能得儿子的，根本没有希望。”上帝在这里说：“我已使你成为多国之父，”然而亚伯拉罕没有儿子。在过去二十年的等待中，情况越来越无望，然而这个应许已经给出。

你相信并仍然受某种疾病折磨多久了？你等候那应许多久了，却还没有临到？你还需要等待吗？看这里！我想告诉你，所有得救的人都与信实的亚伯拉罕一同蒙福（加拉太书 3:9）。亚伯拉罕是整部圣经主旨的伟大实质；他是一个二十五年来在一切情况越来越糟的日子里仍敢相信神的人。我在圣经中没有看到什么比这更奇妙、更深远、更充满活生生的现实内容，如果我们相信神，它能改变我们。它会使我们完全不同。这是活信心的蒙福化身，它改变我们，使我们知道“神是存在的，并且赏赐那些恒切寻求他的人”（希伯来书 11:6）。神是真实的。神是真实的，他里面没有谎言，也没有“变动的影儿”（雅各书 1:17）。哦，这真好！我确实喜欢思考这样的真理。

在整本圣经中，没有任何主题像这一主题一样让我的身体因对上帝和他公义的热爱而燃烧。我看到他从不失败。他希望人相信，然后人就永远不会失败。啊，上帝品格的可爱啊！

“多国之父。” 你谈论你的虚弱——看看这个！自从我理解了这一章以来，我从未觉得自己有过虚弱。当我看到这位永生上帝的伟大时，我的心充满喜乐。

几乎就好像亚伯拉罕说过：‘我不会看我的身体。我不会看我的疾病。我相信上帝会使一切都正确。’ 我们中的一些人可以说：‘如果我二十多年没能听到，那又有什么关系呢？我相信我的耳朵会完美无缺。’ 上帝是真实的，并希望我们知道，如果我们愿意相信，它将是完美的。‘上帝…使死人复活，也呼求那些本不存在之物，如同它们存在一样。’（罗马书 4:17）

然后上帝进一步考验了亚伯拉罕和撒拉。哦，知道自己被考验是多么幸福啊。被考验是世界上最伟大的事情。有些人说：“哦，我不知道为什么我的命运如此沉重，”上帝便再一次把他们放入火中。他知道如何去做。我可以告诉你，他是多么有福的神。当上帝抓住你时，没有什么可叹息的。那些信靠主的人不会缺乏。当我们真正进入上帝的旨意时，他能够使我们的敌人与我们和睦相处（箴言16:7）。这真是太奇妙了。

我想知道你是否真的相信上帝能够使死物复生。我已经见过很多次。希望越渺茫，亚伯拉罕就越相信希望。有时撒旦会蒙蔽你的心思，干扰你的感知，使模糊的状况直接摆在你和上帝之间，但上帝能够改变整个局面，只要你给祂一个机会。背弃一切不信的感觉，相信上帝。有些人希望感受到上帝的触摸；上帝会把它带给你。我希望人们能来到这个地方。

亚伯拉罕过得很愉快。他受的挤压越多，他就越欢喜：

并且没有在信心上软弱，他没有考虑自己已经死亡的身体（因为他大约一百岁了），也没有考虑撒拉子宫的死亡。他没有因不信而动摇上帝的应许，而是在信心上坚固，将荣耀归给上帝。（罗马书 4:19–20）

上帝知道。他有计划；他有办法。你敢信任他吗？

今日的思考：你永远不知道自己由什么组成，直到你受到考验。

January 20

As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God…born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. — John 1:12–13

Scripture reading: Romans 4:8–5:2

I see before me faces I know, and I can tell that these people are born of God (John 1:13). Sometimes I see that this power of God within us is greater when we are weak than when we are strong, just as this power in Abraham grew stronger as his body grew weaker.

Looking at him, Sarah would shake her head and say, “I never saw anybody so thin and weak and helpless in my life. No, Abraham, I have been looking at you, and you seem to be going right down.” But Abraham refused to look at his own body or Sarah‘s; he believed that the promise would happen.

Suppose you come for healing. You know as well as possible that, according to the natural life, there is no virtue in your body to give you that health. You also know that the ailment from which you suffer has drained your life and energy so that there is no help at all in you, but God says that you will be healed if you believe. It makes no difference how your body is. It was exactly the helplessness of Sarah and Abraham that brought the glorious fact that a son was born, and I want you to see what sort of a son he was.

He was the son of Abraham. His seed is the seed of the whole believing church—innumerable as the sands on the seashore. God wants us to know that there is no limitation with Him, and He wants to bring us to a place where there will be no limitation in us. This state would be brought about by the working of the Omnipotent in the human body, working in us continually—the One who is greater than any science or any power in the world—and bringing us into the place to comprehend God and man.

Some of you would like a touch in your bodies; some would like a touch in your spirit; some would like to be baptized in the Holy Spirit; some want to be filled with all God‘s power. It is there for you.

Now come into a position of faith. I want you to see that you can be healed if you will hear the Word. Some people want healing; maybe some need salvation; maybe others want sanctification and the baptism of the Spirit. Romans 5:2 says that it is by faith that we have access into grace. Grace is omnipotence; it is activity, benevolence, and mercy. It is truth, perfection, and God‘s inheritance in the soul that can believe. Grace is God. You open the door by faith, and God comes in with all you need and want. It cannot be otherwise, for it is “of faith that it might be according to grace” (Romans 4:16). It cannot be by grace unless you say it will be so.

This is believing, and most people want healing by feeling. It cannot be. Some even want salvation on the same lines, and they say, “Oh, if only I could feel I was saved!” It will never come that way. So God brings you to hear the Scriptures, which can make you “wise unto salvation” (2 Timothy 3:15), which can open your understanding and make you so that if you will hear the truth, you will go out with what you want. Then you have power to shut the door and power to open the door to healing.

Thought for today: Three things work together. The first is faith. Faith can always bring the second thing—fact—and fact can always bring the third thing—joy.

神所生

1月20日

凡接待他的，就是信他名的人，他就赐他们权柄，作神的儿女；这等人不是从血气生的，不是从情欲生的，也不是从人意生的，乃是从　神生的。——约翰福音 1:12-13

经文阅读：罗马书 4:8–5:2

我看见在我面前的面孔是我认识的，我可以分辨这些人是从神生的（约翰福音 1:13）。有时我看到，我们里面的神的能力在我们软弱的时候比我们强壮时更大，就像亚伯拉罕的这能力随着他身体的虚弱而变得更强一样。

看着他，萨拉会摇摇头说：“我这辈子从没见过有人这么瘦、这么虚弱、这么无助。不，亚伯拉罕，我一直在看着你，你似乎正在一天天好下去。”但是亚伯拉罕拒绝看自己的身体或萨拉的身体；他相信那个应许会实现。

假设你来寻求治愈。你非常清楚，根据自然生命，你的身体没有任何能力给予你健康。你也知道，你所遭受的疾病已经耗尽了你的生命和精力，所以你体内根本没有任何帮助，但上帝说，如果你相信，你将会被治愈。不管你的身体状况如何，这都没有关系。正是撒拉和亚伯拉罕的无助，带来了一个荣耀的事实——一个儿子诞生了，我希望你看到这个儿子是怎样的。

他是亚伯拉罕的儿子。他的后裔是整个信徒教会的后裔——多如海边的沙子。上帝希望我们知道，在他那里没有限制，他也希望把我们带到一个我们内心没有限制的境地。这种状态将通过全能者在人体内的工作实现，持续在我们里面运行——那位比世界上任何科学或力量都伟大的存在——并将我们带到理解神和人的位置。

你们中的一些人希望在身体上得到触碰；一些人希望在灵里得到触碰；一些人希望受圣灵的洗；一些人希望充满神的一切能力。这一切都为你们而准备。

现在进入信心的立场。我希望你明白，如果你听从神的话，你是可以得医治的。有些人想要医治；也许有些人需要得救；也许还有些人想要成圣和受圣灵的洗。罗马书5:2说，我们凭着信可以进入恩典。恩典是全能；它是行动、善意和怜悯。它是真理、完美，是能够信的人灵魂中的神的产业。恩典就是神。你凭信心开启门，神就会带着你所需和所想的一切进来。情况不能反过来，因为‘这乃是按信称义，叫所应许的可以按恩典归于众后嗣’（罗马书4:16）。若你不说愿意这样，就不可能凭恩典成就。

这是信仰，而大多数人希望通过感觉来获得治愈。这是不可能的。有些人甚至希望按照同样的方式获得救赎，他们说：“哦，如果我能感觉到自己得救了就好了！”那种方式永远不会发生。因此，上帝让你去听经文，圣经能使你“在救恩上有智慧”（提摩太后书 3:15），能开启你的理解，使你如果愿意听真理，就可以带着你想要的出去。然后你就有能力关上治愈的门，也有能力打开治愈的门。

今日的思考：三件事情相互作用。第一件是信念。信念总能带来第二件事——事实——而事实总能带来第三件事——喜悦。

January 19

So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him. — Genesis 12:4

Scripture reading: Genesis 12:1–9

For twenty-five years, Abraham believed the promise that God would give him a son. For twenty-five years, he stood face-to-face with God on the promise, every year expecting to have a son. Sarah was becoming weaker, and Abraham‘s own stamina and body were becoming frailer. Natural conditions were changing both Sarah and him so that, as far as they could see, it would be humanly impossible for them to bring forth fruit. But Abraham dared not look either at Sarah or himself in that respect. He had to look at God. You cannot find anywhere that God ever failed. He wants to bring us into that blessed place of faith, changing us into a real substance of faith, until we are so like-minded that whatever we ask, we believe we receive, and our joy becomes full because we believe. I want you to see how God covered Abraham because he believed.

Hear what God said to Abraham, and then see how Abraham acted. He was among his own people and his own kindred, and God said to him, “Come out, Abraham, come out!” And Abraham obeyed and came out, not knowing where he was going. You will never go through with God in any area except by believing Him. It is “Thus says the Lord” every time, and you will see the plan of God come right through when you dare to believe. Abraham left his own country, and God was with him. Because he believed God, God overshadowed him.

When God sets His seal upon you, the Devil will not dare to break it. You know what a seal is, don‘t you? Now, then, when God puts His seal upon you, the Devil has no power there. He will not dare to break that seal and go through, and God puts His seal on the people who believe Him.

There are two kinds of righteousness. There is a righteousness that is according to the law, the keeping of the law, but there is a better righteousness than that. You ask, “What could be better than keeping the law?” The righteousness that sees God and obeys Him in everything is better. The righteousness that believes that every prayer uttered is going to bring the answer from God is better. There is a righteousness that is made known only to the heart that knows God. There is a side to the inner man that God can reveal only to the one who believes Him.

We have many scriptural illustrations as well as personal ones to show us how God works with those who believe Him. One of the greatest examples of all is where God worked in Abraham. There were many good points about Sarah, but she had not reached the place of trusting fully in God. She laughed and then denied having done so (Genesis 18:12, 15). Before that, when they had waited a time and she had seen that their bodies were growing frailer, she had said, “It will be just as good for you to take Hagar for a wife and bring forth a son through her.” (See Genesis 16:1–2.) But that was not the seed of Abraham that God had spoken about, and that caused a great deal of trouble in the house of Abraham.

The one who walks with God can only afford to follow God‘s leadings, and when He leads you, it is direct and clear. The evidence is so real that every day you know that God is with you, unfolding His plan to you. It is lovely to be in the will of God.

There is a higher order than the natural man, and God wants to bring us into this higher order where we will believe Him. In the first place, God promised Abraham a son. Could a child be born into the world, except through the natural law? It was when all natural law was finished and when there was no substance in these two persons, Abraham and Sarah, that the law of the Spirit brought forth a son. It was the law of faith in the God who had promised.

Thought for today: Prayer not only changes things but also changes you. The person of prayer recognizes his great inheritance of faith.

信靠上帝的应许

1月19日

于是亚伯兰就照耶和华所吩咐的离开了他本地。 —— 创世记 12:4

圣经朗读：创世记 12:1–9

二十五年来，亚伯拉罕相信上帝会赐给他一个儿子的应许。二十五年来，他每年都站在上帝面前面对这个应许，期待着有一个儿子。撒拉的身体越来越虚弱，亚伯拉罕自己的体力和身体也日渐衰弱。自然条件正在改变撒拉和他本人，以至于在他们看来，从人类的角度来看，他们几乎不可能生育。但亚伯拉罕不敢在这方面看自己或撒拉。他必须看向上帝。你找不到任何地方说上帝曾经失败过。他希望带领我们进入那蒙福的信心之地，将我们改变为真实的信心实质，直到我们心意一致，无论我们求什么，都相信已经得着，并且因为信而使我们的喜乐充足。我希望你能看到，由于亚伯拉罕的信心，上帝是如何看顾他的。

听神对亚伯拉罕说了什么，然后看看亚伯拉罕是如何行动的。他在自己的民族和亲族中，神对他说：“亚伯拉罕，出来，出来吧！”亚伯拉罕听从了，出来了，却不知道要去往何处。你在任何领域里都不能与神同行，除非你相信祂。每一次都是“主如此说”，当你敢于相信时，你会看到神的计划完全实现。亚伯拉罕离开了自己的本国，神与他同在。因为他相信神，神就荫庇了他。

当上帝在你身上盖上印记时，魔鬼不敢去破坏它。你知道印记是什么，对吧？那么，当上帝在你身上盖上印记时，魔鬼在那里没有权力。他不敢破坏那个印记去侵犯，而上帝把印记盖在那些信靠他的人身上。

有两种义。一种是按律法的义，就是遵守律法，但还有一种比这更好的义。你会问：“比遵守律法更好的是什么呢？”那种看到上帝并在一切事上顺从祂的义更好。那种相信每一声祷告都会得到上帝回应的义更好。有一种义只向认识上帝的心显明。内心深处有一面，只有相信祂的人，上帝才能向他显明。

我们有许多圣经中的例证以及个人的例证来向我们展示神如何与那些信靠祂的人一同工作。最伟大的例子之一是神在亚伯拉罕身上所做的工作。撒拉有许多优点，但她尚未完全信靠神。她笑了，然后又否认自己笑过（创世记 18:12, 15）。在那之前，当他们等待了一段时间并且她看到他们的身体日渐衰弱时，她曾说：“你若与哈拿同房，并且借她生一个儿子，也一样好。”（参见创世记 16:1–2。）但那并非神所说的亚伯拉罕的后裔，这给亚伯拉罕的家带来了很大的麻烦。

与神同行的人只能跟随神的引导，当祂引导你时，这引导是直接而清晰的。证据如此真实，以至于你每天都知道神与你同在，向你展开祂的计划。处在神的旨意中是美好的。

有一种高于自然人的秩序，神希望将我们带入这个更高的秩序，在那里我们会信靠祂。首先，神应许亚伯拉罕一个儿子。除了通过自然律，孩子能降生到世上吗？当所有自然律都达成，并且在这两个人——亚伯拉罕和撒拉——中间没有任何物质之时，灵的律生出了一个儿子。这是信靠应许给我们的神的信心之律。

今日思考：祷告不仅能改变事物，也能改变你自己。祷告的人意识到他伟大的信仰遗产。

January 18

Have faith in God. — Mark 11:22

Scripture reading: Psalm 9

There is a great difference between our faith and the faith of Jesus. Our faith comes to an end. Most people have come to the place where they have said, “Lord, I have gone so far; now I can go no further. I have used all the faith I have, and I just have to stop now and pray for more faith.”

Thank God that we have the faith we do, but there is another faith. I remember one day being in northern England and visiting some sick people. I was taken to a house where a young woman was lying on her bed. Her reason had gone, and many things were manifested there that were satanic, and I knew it.

She was only a young woman, a beautiful child. Then the husband, a young man, came in with a baby, and he leaned over to kiss his wife. The moment he did, she threw herself onto the other side of the bed, just as a lunatic would do, with no consciousness of the presence of her husband. That was very heartbreaking. Then he took the baby and pressed the baby‘s lips to the mother. Again, she responded wildly. I said to a sister who was attending her, “Have you had anyone to help?”

“Oh,” she said, “we have had everything.”

But I said, “Have you no spiritual help?”

Her husband stormed out and said, “Help? You think that we believe God after we have had seven weeks of no sleep and of maniac conditions? You are mistaken. You have come to the wrong house.”

That brought me to a place of compassion that something had to be done for this woman. Then with my faith, I began to penetrate the heavens with my prayers. I never saw anyone get anything from God who prayed with an earthly focus. If you receive anything from God, you will have to pray into heaven, for the answers are all there.

As I saw in the presence of God the limitations of my faith, there came another faith, a faith that could not be denied, a faith that took the promise, a faith that believed God‘s Word. And I came from that presence back again to earth, but I was not the same man under the same conditions that had confronted me before. In the name of Jesus, I was a man with a faith that could shake hell.

I said, “Come out of her in the name of Jesus!” She rolled over, fell asleep, and wakened in fourteen hours, perfectly sane and perfectly whole. Oh, there is faith, but Jesus wants to bring us all into a place in line with God where we cease to be, and His faith takes over. God must have the right of way, of thought and of purpose. God must have control.

Thought for today: You cannot know God by nature; you get to know Him by an open door of grace. The way to God is the way of faith; there isn‘t any other way.

神圣的信仰

1月18日

你们要信神。——马可福音 11:22

经文阅读：诗篇 9

我们的信心与耶稣的信心之间有很大的不同。我们的信心是有限的。大多数人已经到了这样的地步，他们会说：‘主啊，我已经走到这一步；现在我无法再前进。我已经用尽了所有的信心，现在我只能停下来祈求更多的信心。’

感谢上帝赐予我们这样的信仰，但还有另一种信仰。我记得有一天在英格兰北部探访一些病人。我被带到一所房子里，一位年轻女子躺在床上。她的理智已经消失，许多事物表现出了邪恶的迹象，我能认出它们是撒旦的。

她只是一个年轻的女人，一个美丽的孩子。然后丈夫，一个年轻人，抱着一个婴儿走进来，他俯身去亲他的妻子。就在他做到的那一刻，她像疯子一样扑到床的另一边，完全没有意识到丈夫的存在。那非常令人心碎。然后他抱起婴儿，把婴儿的嘴贴在母亲的嘴上。她再次疯狂地反应。我对照顾她的一位姐妹说：“你有人来帮忙吗？”

“哦，”她说，“我们什么都有了。”

但我说：“你们没有属灵的帮助吗？”

她的丈夫怒气冲冲地冲了出去，说：“帮助？你以为我们在经历了七周没睡觉和疯狂的状况后会相信上帝？你错了。你来错了地方。”

这让我对这个女人产生了同情，觉得必须为她做些什么。然后，凭着我的信念，我开始用祷告穿透天堂。我从未见过任何人因用世俗的眼光祈祷而从上帝那里得到任何东西。如果你想从上帝那里得到任何东西，你必须向天堂祈祷，因为答案全都在那里。

当我在神的面前看到我信心的局限时，又出现了另一种信心，这是一种无法被否认的信心，一种接受应许的信心，一种相信神话语的信心。我从那圣所回到地上，但我已经不是以前在同样环境中面对挑战的那个人。奉耶稣的名，我成为一个拥有能够震动地狱的信心的人。

我说：“奉耶稣的名，从她里面出来！”她翻了个身，睡着了，十四小时后醒来，完全理智，完全康复。哦，这就是信心，但耶稣想把我们都带到一个与神一致的地方，在那里我们不再存在，而他的信心接管一切。神必须拥有思想和意图的先行权。神必须掌控一切。

今日的思考：你无法凭自然认识神；你是通过恩典的敞开之门认识祂的。通往神的道路是信心之路；没有其他道路。

January 17

Peter…said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.” — Acts 12:11

Scripture reading: Acts 12:1–17

There is a lot in an amen. I find that you can have zeal without faith. The Scripture reading shows the difference between the amen of faith and having zeal without faith.

When Peter was imprisoned by Herod, the church was in constant prayer for his release. They were even praying all night. They had zeal, but they did not have faith. Although there is much that could be commended to us from this passage, one thing is missing: faith. Young Rhoda had more faith than all the rest of them. When the knock came at the door, she ran to answer it. The moment she heard Peter‘s voice, she was so excited to share the good news that she didn‘t even unlock the gate so that Peter could come in. She ran with joy to tell those praying that Peter stood at the gate.

All the people said, “You are mad. It isn‘t so.” She insisted that she had seen Peter, but the people had no faith at all. They said, “Perhaps God has sent an angel.”

But Rhoda said, “It is Peter.” And Peter continued knocking. They went and found him at the door. They had zeal but no faith. God wants to bring us to the place where we will take hold of Him in a living way. We need to rest and always trust the plan of God.

There was such a difference between Zacharias and Mary. Zacharias definitely wanted a son, but even when the angel came and told him that he would be a father, he was full of unbelief. The angel said, “You will be mute and not able to speak…because you did not believe” (Luke 1:20). But when the angel came to Mary, she said, “Let it be to me according to your word” (v. 38). This was the beginning of the amen.

God wants us to have an inward amen, a mighty moving amen. This amen says, “It is,” because God has spoken.

Thought for today: Believe that there can be a real amen in your life.

对耶稣说阿门

1月17日

彼得……说：“现在我确实知道，主差遣了他的使者，把我从希律的手里，以及从全犹太人的期望中救出来了。”——使徒行传 12:11

圣经阅读：使徒行传 12:1–17

阿门里包含了很多。我发现你可以有热情而没有信仰。读经显示了信心的阿门与没有信仰的热情之间的区别。

当彼得被希律囚禁时，教会不断为他的释放祈祷。他们甚至通宵祈祷。他们有热心，但缺乏信心。虽然这段经文中有许多值得我们称赞之处，但有一样东西缺失：信心。年轻的罗大比其他人都有更多的信心。当有人敲门时，她跑去开门。听到彼得的声音的那一刻，她兴奋地想分享这好消息，以至于她甚至没有打开门让彼得进来。她满心喜悦地跑去告诉那些祈祷的人，彼得站在门口。

所有人都说：“你疯了。不可能是这样。”她坚持说她见过彼得，但人们一点也不相信。他们说：“也许是上帝派来的一位天使。”

但是罗大说：“是彼得。”而彼得还在叩门。他们去门口找他。他们有热情，但没有信心。上帝希望把我们带到一个我们能以生命的方式抓住祂的地方。我们需要安息，并且永远信靠上帝的计划。

撒迦利亚和马利亚之间有着如此大的差异。撒迦利亚无疑想要一个儿子，但即使天使来告诉他他将成为父亲时，他仍充满不信。天使说：“因为你不信，你必哑口，不能说话……”（路加福音 1:20）。但当天使来到马利亚时，她说：“愿照你的话成就于我”（v. 38）。这就是‘阿们’的起始。

上帝希望我们有一个内心的阿门，一个强有力的动感阿门。这个阿门说：“就是这样”，因为上帝已经说过了。

今日思考：相信你的生活中可以有真正的阿门。

January 16

As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby. — 1 Peter 2:2

Scripture reading: 1 Peter 1:13–2:5

Beloved, don‘t forget that every day must be a day of advancement. If you have not made any advancement since yesterday, in a measure, you are a backslider. There is only one way for you between Calvary and glory, and it is forward. It is every day forward. It is no day back. It is advancement with God. It is cooperation with Him in the Spirit.

We must see these things, because if we live on the same plane day after day, our vision becomes stale; the principles lose their earnestness. But we must be like those who are catching the vision of the Master day by day. We must make inroads into every passion that would interfere, and we must bring everything to the slaughter that is not holy. For in these days, God wants us to know that He wishes to seat us on high.

Often the most trying times are the most beneficial to our Christian growth. Consider Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Remember Moses and the trials he faced. Beloved, if you read the Scriptures, you will never find anything about the easy times. All the glories came out of hard times.

If you are to be really reconstructed, it will be in a hard time. It won‘t be in a singing meeting, but at a time when you think all things are dried up, when you think there is no hope for you and you have passed up everything. That is the time that God makes the person. And out of the experience, we will have a story to tell about what God has done for us. When the trial is severe; when you think that no one is being tried as much as you; when the trial is so hard that you cannot sleep and you do not know what to do; “count it all joy” (James 1:2). You are in a good place when you do not know what to do; look to God for the answer.

Thought for today: It is when you are tried by fire that God purges you, takes the dross away, and brings forth pure gold.

不断前进

1月16日

你们像刚生的婴儿，要切慕那灵奶，叫你们因他而渐长。——彼得前书 2:2

经文阅读：彼得前书 1:13–2:5

亲爱的，不要忘记，每一天都必须是进步的一天。如果自昨天以来你没有取得任何进步，在某种程度上，你就是退步者。在加略山和荣耀之间，只有一条路，那就是向前。每天都要向前。没有回头的日子。这是与上帝同进步。是与祂在灵里合作。

我们必须看到这些事，因为如果我们日复一日地生活在同一层面上，我们的视野就会变得陈旧；原则也会失去它们的严肃性。但我们必须像那些每天都在捕捉圣者异象的人一样。我们必须打入每一个可能干扰的欲望，并且必须将一切不圣洁的东西带到祭台上。因为在这些日子里，上帝希望我们明白，他希望高高地安置我们。

往往最艰难的时期对我们的基督徒成长最有益。想想但以理、撒得拉、米煞和亚伯尼歌。记住摩西以及他所面临的试炼。亲爱的，如果你阅读圣经，你永远不会找到关于轻松时光的记载。所有的荣耀都是在困难时期显现的。

如果你要真正被重建，那会是在困难时期。那不会是在一个唱歌的聚会上，而是在你认为一切都枯竭的时候，当你觉得对你没有希望，你已经放弃了一切。那就是上帝塑造人的时候。通过这样的经历，我们将有一个关于上帝为我们所做之事的故事可以讲述。当试炼很严峻；当你认为没有人像你一样受到试炼；当试炼如此艰难以至于你无法入睡，不知道该怎么办时；“你们落在百般试炼中，都要以为大喜” (雅各书 1:2)。当你不知道该怎么办时，你正处在一个好地方；向上帝寻求答案吧。

今日的思考：当你经历火的考验时，上帝会净化你，去除杂质，带来纯净的黄金。

January 15

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. — John 1:1–3

Scripture reading: Luke 6:27–49

If we are ever going to make any progress in the divine life, we will have to have a real foundation. There is no foundation except the foundation of faith for us. All our actions and all that ever will come to us that is of any importance will be because we have a Rock. If you are on the Rock, no power can move you. In any area or principle of your faith, you must have something established in you to bring it forth. There is no establishment outside God‘s Word. Everything else is sand. Everything else will break apart. If you build on anything else but the Word of God—on imaginations, sentimentality, or feelings—it will mean nothing without the foundation, and the foundation will have to be in the Word of God.

I was once going on a train to Blackpool. It is a fashionable resort, and many people go there because of the high tides and the wonderful sights they see as the ocean surges up in large, massive mountains of sea. As I traveled, I looked over and said to a builder, “Those men are building houses upon sand.”

“Oh,” he said, “you don‘t know. You are not a builder. Don‘t you know that we can pound that sand until it becomes like rock?”

I said, “Nonsense!” I saw the argument was not going to profit, so I dropped it. By and by, we reached Blackpool, where the mountainous waves come over. I saw a row of houses that had fallen flat, and drawing the attention of this man, I said, “Oh, look at those houses. See how flat they are.” He forgot our previous conversation and said, “You know here we have very large tides, and these houses, being on the sand when the floods came, fell.”

Our foundation must be something better than sand, and everything is sand except the Word. There isn‘t anything that will remain. We are told that heaven and earth will be melted with fervent heat (2 Peter 3:10). But we are told that the Word of God will be forever, and not one jot or tittle of the Word of God will fail (Matthew 5:18). If there is anything that satisfies me, it is in knowing that “Your word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89). Another passage in Psalm 138 says, “You have magnified Your word above all Your name” (v. 2). The very establishment for me is the Word of God.

Here we have the foundation of all things, which is the Word. It is a substance; it is a power. It is more than relationship; it is personality. To every soul that enters into this privilege, it is a divine injunction to be born of this Word. What it means to us will be very important. For remember, it is “substance”; it is an “evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). It brings about what you cannot see and brings forth what is not there.

God took the Word and made the world. We live in the world that was made by the Word of God, and it is inhabited by millions of people. You say it is a substance. Jesus, the Word of God, made it with the things that did not appear. And nothing has been made that has not been made by the Word (John 1:3). When we come to the truth of what that Word means, we will be able not only to build, but also to know; not only to know, but also to have. Live and operate in the fact of the Word; rest in the knowledge of the principles of the Most High.

Thought for today: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God” (Luke 4:4). Feast on the Word of God; discover its richness.

信仰的基础

1月15日

太初有道，道与神同在，道就是神。道太初与神同在。万物是借着他造的；凡被造的，没有一样不是借着他造的。——约翰福音 1:1–3

圣经朗读：路加福音 6:27–49

如果我们要在属灵生命中取得任何进展，我们必须有一个真正的基础。对我们来说，除了信心的基础别无他物。我们所有的行动以及将来对我们任何重要的事情，都是因为我们有一块磐石。如果你立在磐石上，没有任何力量能动摇你。在你信心的任何领域或原则上，你必须在自己内心建立某种东西来实现它。在神的话语之外，没有任何确立的基础。其他一切都是沙土，其他一切都会崩裂。如果你建造在除神的话语之外的任何东西——无论是想象、感性，还是情绪——没有基础，它将毫无意义，而基础必须建立在神的话语上。

我曾经乘火车去布莱克浦。那里是一个时尚的度假胜地，许多人去那里是因为高潮时海浪涌起时，他们能看到壮观的景象，如同巨大的海山一样。当我旅行时，我望过去，对一个建筑工人说：“那些人在沙地上盖房子。”

“哦，”他说，“你不知道。你不是一个建造者。你难道不知道我们可以把那沙子捣到像石头一样吗？”

我说：“胡说！”我看到争论没有意义，于是就打住了。过了一会儿，我们到达了布莱克浦，那里的巨浪翻滚而来。我看到一排房屋已经倒塌，我引起这个人的注意，说：“哦，看看那些房子。看看它们倒得多平。”他忘记了我们先前的谈话，说：“你知道，这里的潮水非常大，这些房子建在沙地上，当洪水来的时候就倒了。”

我们的根基必须比沙子更坚固，而除道之外，一切都是沙子。没有什么会永远存在。我们被告知，天地要被炽烈的火融化（彼得后书 3:10）。但我们也被告知，神的话语是永远长存的，神的话语没有一画一点会落空（马太福音 5:18）。如果有什么能让我满足，那就是知道“你的话安定在天”（诗篇 119:89）。诗篇 138 另一处经文说，“你已高举你的话，胜过你一切的名”（第 2 节）。对我来说，真正的根基就是神的话语。

这里我们有万物的基础，那就是道。它是一种实体；它是一种力量。它不仅仅是关系；它是一种个性。对于每一个进入这种特权的灵魂而言，这是一个神圣的命令，要由这道而生。它对我们的意义将非常重要。因为请记住，它是“实体”；它是“所望之事的确据，未见之事的凭据”（希伯来书 11:1）。它能够带来你看不见的东西，并带出尚不存在的事物。

上帝取了道并创造了世界。我们生活在由上帝之道创造的世界中，这里居住着数百万人。你说它是一种物质。上帝之道耶稣，用那些未显现的事物创造了它。凡被造的，没有一样不是藉着道造的（约翰福音 1:3）。当我们理解那道的真正意义时，我们不仅能够建造，也能够认知；不仅能够认知，也能够拥有。在道的事实中生活和运作；在至高者原则的知识中安息。

今日的思考：“人活着，不单靠食物，而是靠神口里的每句话”（路加福音 4:4）。以神的话语为筵席；发掘其丰富内涵。

January 14

This is the victory that has overcome the world; our faith. — 1 John 5:4

Scripture reading: 1 John 5:4–15

When I was ministering to the sick, a man came who was shriveled and weakened; his cheek bones were sticking out, his eyes sunken, and his neck all shriveled. He was just a form of a man. He whispered, for he could only speak with a weak voice, “Can you help me?”

I asked “What is it?” He said that he had had surgery to remove stomach cancer. As a result of the operation, he could not swallow.

He said, “I have tried to take some juice today, but it would not go down.” He whispered, “I have a hole in my stomach. As I pour liquid in through a tube, my stomach receives that. I have been living this way for three months.”

You could call it a shadow of life he was living. Could I help him? Look! This Book can help anybody. This Book is the essence of life. God moves as you believe. This Book is the Word of God. Could I help him? I said, “On the authority of this Word, this night you will have a big supper.”

But he said he could not eat. “Do as I tell you,” I answered.

“How can it be?”

“It is time,” I said, “to go and eat a good supper.” He went home and told his wife.

She could not understand it. She said, “You cannot eat. You
cannot swallow.”

But he whispered, “The man said I had to do it.” He became hungry and ventured, “I will try it.” His wife prepared his supper. He took a mouthful, and it went down just as easy as possible. He went on eating food until he was full. Then he and his wife had one of the best times of their lives. The next morning he was so full of joy because he had eaten again. He looked down out of curiosity to see the hole and found that God had closed it up!

But you ask, Can He do it for me? Yes, if you believe it. Let God have His way. Touch God now. Faith is the victory.

Thought for today: The Word of God is marrow to your bones. It is resurrection from every weakness; it is life from the dead.

信仰就是胜利

1月14日

这就是胜过世界的胜利，就是我们的信心。——约翰一书 5:4

经文阅读：约翰一书 5:4–15

当我在照顾病人时，有一个人走了过来，他瘦弱干瘪，颧骨突出，眼睛凹陷，脖子全都干瘪。他只是一个人的形体。他低声说话，因为他只能用微弱的声音说话：“你能帮我吗？”

我问：“那是什么？”他说他做过手术切除胃癌。由于手术的结果，他无法吞咽。

他说：“我今天尝试喝了一些果汁，但就是下不去。”他低声说：“我的胃上有一个孔。当我通过管子倒液体进去时，我的胃接收这些液体。我已经这样生活了三个月。”

你可以称之为他所过生活的影子。我能帮他吗？看！这本书可以帮助任何人。这本书是生命的精髓。上帝会随着你的信念而行动。这本书是上帝的话语。我能帮他吗？我说：“凭着这话语的权柄，今晚你将享用一顿丰盛的晚餐。”

但是他说他不能吃。“按我说的做，”我回答道。

这怎么可能？

“时间到了，”我说，“该去吃一顿丰盛的晚餐了。”他回家告诉了他的妻子。

她无法理解。她说，”你不能吃。你不能吞咽。”

但他低声说：“那个人说我必须去做。” 他感到饿了，鼓起勇气说：“我会尝试的。” 他的妻子为他准备了晚餐。他吃了一口，这口吃下去非常容易。他继续吃，直到吃饱为止。然后他和妻子度过了他们生命中最美好的时光之一。第二天早晨，他因再次吃到东西而充满喜悦。他出于好奇向下看那个洞，发现上帝已经把它封上了！

但是你问，他能为我做吗？可以的，如果你相信的话。让上帝按照他的方式行事。现在就接触上帝。信心就是胜利。

今日的思考：上帝的话语是你骨髓的养分。它能从每一种软弱中带来复活；它能从死亡中带来生命。

January 13

He…gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry…till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God. — Ephesians 4:11–13

Scripture reading: Ephesians 4:7–5:1

A man traveled with me from Montreal to Vancouver and then on ship to New Zealand. He was a dealer of racehorses. It seemed he could not leave me. He was frivolous and talked about races, but he could not keep up his end of the conversation. I did not struggle to keep my end up because mine is a living power. No person who has Jesus as the inward power of his body needs to tremble when Satan comes around. All he has to do is to “stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD” (Exodus 14:13).

This man entered into a good deal of frivolity and talk of this world. Coming upon a certain island of the Fiji group, we all disembarked, and God gave me wonderful liberty in preaching. The man came back afterwards; he did not go to meet his racing and card-playing chums; instead, He came stealing back to the ship. With tears in his eyes, he said, “I am dying. I have been bitten by a snake.” His skin had turned to a dark green, and his leg was swollen. “Can you help me?” he asked.

If we only knew the power of God! If we are in a place of substance, of reality, of ideal purpose, it is not human; we are dealing with almightiness. I have a present God. I have a living faith, and the living faith is the Word. The Word is life, and the Lord is “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Placing my hands upon the serpent bite, I said, “In the name of Jesus, come out!” He looked at me, and the tears came. The swelling went down before his eyes, and he was perfect in a moment.

Yes, “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Faith is what came into me when I believed. I was born of the incorruptible Word by the living virtue, life, and personality of God. I was instantly changed from nature to grace. I became a servant of God, and I became an enemy of unrighteousness.

The Holy Spirit wants us to clearly understand that we are a million times bigger than we know. Most Christians have no conception of what they are. Oh, that God would bring us into divine attractiveness by His almightiness so that all our bodies would wake up to resurrection force, to the divine, inward flow of eternal power coursing through our human frames.

God took you into His pavilion and began to clothe you and give you the gifts of the Spirit. He did this so that in that ministry, by the power of God, you would bring all the church into the perfect possession of the fullness of Christ. Oh, the wonder of it! Oh, the adaptability of His equipment!

I believe God wants something to be in you that could never be unless you cease to live for yourself. God wants you to live for Him, to live for others. But, oh, to have the touch of God! Beloved, the Holy Spirit is the Comforter. The Holy Spirit did not come to speak of Himself, but He came to unveil Him who said, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29). The Holy Spirit came to thrill you with resurrection power, and He came so that you would be anointed with fresh oil that overflows in the splendor of His almightiness. Then right through you will come forth a river of divine anointing that will sustain you in the bitterest place. It will give life to the deadest formality and say to the weak, “Be strong,” and to them who have no might, “The Lord of Hosts is here to comfort you.” (See Isaiah 40:29; Zechariah 1:17.) Possibility is the greatest thing of your life.

Thought for today: God wants us to be like the rising of the sun, filled with the rays of heaven, all the time beaming forth the gladness of the Spirit of the Almighty.

信仰在工作中

1月13日

他…所赐的，有使徒的，有先知的，有传福音的，有牧师和教师的，为要成全圣徒，做好事工的工作…直到我们众人在真道上同归于一，认识神的儿子。——以弗所书 4:11–13

经文阅读：以弗所书 4:7–5:1

一个男人和我一起从蒙特利尔旅行到温哥华，然后乘船前往新西兰。他是一名赛马经销商。似乎他无法离开我。他轻浮，总是谈论赛马，但他无法维持对话的节奏。我并不费力去维持我的对话部分，因为我的力量是活生生的。任何一个拥有耶稣作为他体内力量的人，当撒旦出现时都不需要颤抖。他所要做的就是“站住，看耶和华的拯救”（出埃及记 14:13）。

这个人卷入了许多轻浮的行为和世俗的谈话。我们来到斐济群岛的某个岛屿时，大家都下船了，上帝赐给我在传道上的奇妙自由。那个人随后回来了；他没有去见他赛马和打牌的朋友们；相反，他偷偷地回到船上。眼中含着泪水，他说：“我快死了。我被蛇咬了。”他的皮肤已经变成深绿色，腿也肿了。“你能帮我吗？”他问道。

如果我们能知道神的能力！如果我们处在有实质、有现实、有理想目的的地方，那就不是人能做到的；我们正在处理全能。我有一个活生生的神。我有活的信心，而活的信心就是道。道就是生命，主是“昨天今天一直到永远都是一样的”（希伯来书 13:8）。当我把手放在蛇咬的地方时，我说：“奉耶稣的名，出来！”他看着我，眼泪流了下来。肿胀在他眼前消退，他瞬间就康复了。

是的，“信就是所望之事的实底，是未见之事的确据”（希伯来书 11:1）。当我相信时，信进入了我。我是藉着神永生的能力、生命和人格，由不朽的道所生。我瞬间从本性转变为恩典。我成为了神的仆人，也成为了不义的敌人。

圣灵希望我们清楚地明白，我们比自己所知道的要大一百万倍。大多数基督徒根本无法理解他们是什么。哦，但愿神借着祂的全能将我们带入神性的吸引力，使我们所有的身体都觉醒于复活的力量，觉醒于永恒力量的神圣内在流动，在我们的人类身体中奔流。

神把你带进祂的帐篷，开始给你穿上衣服，并赐给你圣灵的恩赐。祂这样做，是为了让你在那项事工中，通过神的能力，使整个教会都能完全拥有基督的丰盛。哦，多么奇妙啊！哦，祂装备的多么灵活啊！

我相信上帝希望在你里面孕育出某种东西，而这种东西只有在你停止为自己而活时才可能出现。上帝希望你为祂而活，为他人而活。但是，啊，能感受到上帝的触摸！亲爱的，圣灵是安慰者。圣灵来的目的不是为自己说话，而是为了显明那位曾说过“你们要背起我的轭，学习我的道，因为我心里柔和谦卑，你们的灵魂必得安息”（马太福音11:29）的人。圣灵降临是为了用复活的大能震撼你，也是为了让你被恩膏，用新油膏抹，溢出祂全能的荣耀。然后，通过你，将涌出一条神圣恩膏的河流，在最苦的境地里支撑你。它会使最死板的形式获得生命，对软弱的人说：“要刚强”，对无力的人说：“万军之耶和华在此安慰你。”（参以赛亚书40:29；撒迦利亚书1:17）可能性是你生命中最伟大的事情。

今日的思考：上帝希望我们像太阳升起一样，充满天国的光辉，时时刻刻散发全能者的灵的喜乐。

January 12

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. — Hebrews 11:1

Scripture reading: Hebrews 11:1–10

We may be in a very low ebb of the tide, but it is good to be in a place where the tide can rise. Everything depends on our being filled with the Holy Spirit. If He can only get us in readiness for His plan to be worked out, it will be wonderful.

Everything depends on our believing God. If we are saved, it is only because God‘s Word says so. We cannot rest upon our feelings. We cannot do anything without a living faith. It is surely God Himself who comes to us in the person of His beloved Son and strengthens us so that we realize that our bodies are surrounded by His power. All things are possible for us in God.

God purposes that we might be on the earth to manifest His glory, that every time satanic power is confronted, God might be able to say of us as He did of Job, “What do you think about him?” (See Job 1:8.) The joy of the Lord can be so clearly evidenced in us that we will be filled with God and able to rebuke the Devil.

God has shown me in the night watches that everything that is not of faith is sin (Romans 14:23). God wants to bring us into harmony with His will so that we will see that if we do not believe all of the Word of God, something in us is not purely sanctified to accept the fullness of His Word. Many people put their human wisdom in the place of God, and God is not able to give the best because the human is confronting God in such a way. God is not able to get the best through us until the human will is dissolved.

People say, “I want things to be tangible. I want something to appeal to my human reasoning.” My response is that everything that you cannot see is eternal. Everything you see now will fade away and will be consumed, but what you cannot see, what is more real than you, is the substance of all things: God in the human soul, mightier than you by a million times.

Thought for today: There is nothing we can come short of if the Holy Spirit is the prime mover in our thoughts and lives, for He has a plan greater than ours.

他话语的丰富

1月12日

信就是所望之事的实底，是未见之事的确据。——希伯来书 11:1

经文阅读：希伯来书 11:1–10

我们可能正处于潮水的低谷，但能处在潮水可以上涨的地方总是好事。一切都取决于我们是否被圣灵充满。如果他只是让我们为他的计划得以实现做好准备，那将是美妙的。

一切都取决于我们是否相信上帝。如果我们得救，那只是因为上帝的话语如此说。我们不能依靠自己的感受。没有活的信心，我们什么也做不了。确实，是上帝自己以他心爱的儿子的身份来到我们面前，赐予我们力量，使我们意识到我们的身体被他的能力所环绕。在上帝里，一切对我们都是可能的。

神的目的在于我们可能在世上彰显祂的荣耀，以便每当遇到撒旦的权势时，神能像对约伯所说的那样对我们说：“你怎么想他？”（见约伯记 1:8）主的喜乐可以在我们身上如此清楚地显明，以至于我们充满神，并能够斥责魔鬼。

神在夜间守望时向我显明，一切不出于信心的都是罪（罗马书 14:23）。神希望将我们带入与他旨意的和谐中，以便我们看到，如果我们不信靠神的话语的全部，那么我们内在就有某部分没有完全圣洁，无法接受他话语的丰盛。许多人把人的智慧放在神的位置上，而神无法赐下最好的，因为人在这种方式上在对抗神。在人的意志还未被消除之前，神无法通过我们获得最好的。

人们说：“我希望事情是具体的。我希望有些东西能够迎合我的人类理性。”我的回应是，你看不到的一切都是永恒的。你现在看到的一切都会消逝并被吞噬，但你看不到的、比你更真实的东西，是万物的本质：存在于人类灵魂中的上帝，比你强大百万倍。

今日思考：如果圣灵是我们思想和生活的主要推动力，那么我们没有什么可以达不到的，因为祂的计划比我们的更伟大。