四月十八日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/04/0418.mp3″]
经文: 祢曾说，我必定厚待你。（创世记三十二：12）
当雅各尚在雅博溪之另一边，以扫带着武装的人迎向他来时，他迫切地寻求上帝的保护。他恳求：“祢曾说，我必定厚待你。”看他那迫切的恳求！他抓紧上帝的话──“祢曾说”。我们能永远依靠上帝的信实。祂会食言吗？“上帝是真实的，人都是虚谎的。”（罗三：4）从祂口中所出的每字每句都必坚立，都必应验。当圣殿建成时，所罗门也有这带能力的恳求。他恳求上帝纪念祂曾向大卫所说的话赐福那殿。当人拿出一张信用支票时，他是以名誉作担保。他签下名，时间到了就必须支付支票，否则他便失去信用。我们永不会说上帝会不尊重祂的支票。祂十分守时──不会早付，更不会逾期。研究上帝的话，并与祂百姓的经历作比较。你会发现两者自始至终是一致的。约书亚说：“耶和华你们上帝所应许赐福与你们的话，没有一句落空，都应验在你们身上了。”（书二十三：14），这多先祖会同意这话，你若得到上帝的应许，就一定可以兑现。主必使祂的应许实现，不然祂不会应许。当祂说话时，就已决定要成就所说的。
Evening, April 18
Scripture: “And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good.”(Genesis 32:12)
When Jacob was on the other side of the brook Jabbok, and Esau was coming with armed men, he earnestly sought God’s protection, and as a master reason he pleaded, “And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good.” Oh, the force of that plea! He was holding God to his word－“Thou saidst.” The attribute of God’s faithfulness is a splendid horn of the altar to lay hold upon; but the promise, which has in it the attribute and something more, is a yet mightier holdfast－“Thou saidst, I will surely do thee good.” And has he said, and shall he not do it? “Let God be true, and every man a liar.” Shall not he be true? Shall he not keep his word? Shall not every word that cometh out of his lips stand fast and be fulfilled? Solomon, at the opening of the temple, used this same mighty plea. He pleaded with God to remember the word which he had spoken to his father David, and to bless that place. When a man gives a promissory note, his honour is engaged; he signs his hand, and he must discharge it when the due time comes, or else he loses credit. It shall never be said that God dishonours his bills. The credit of the Most High never was impeached, and never shall be. He is punctual to the moment: he never is before his time, but he never is behind it. Search God’s word through, and compare it with the experience of God’s people, and you shall find the two tally from the first to the last. Many a hoary patriarch has said with Joshua, “Not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass.” If you have a divine promise, you need not plead it with an “if,” you may urge it with certainty. The Lord meant to fulfil the promise, or he would not have given it. God does not give his words merely to quiet us, and to keep us hopeful for awhile with the intention of putting us off at last; but when he speaks, it is because he means to do as he has said.
