九月三日 [mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/09/0903.mp3″]
经文: 耶和华试验义人。（诗篇十一：5）
所有事情的发生，全能的上帝都看在眼里，所有临到我们的试验，祂全知道。试验是通向一切祝福的门径。人可能在苦难的小河中淹死，也可能在成功的大海中没顶。试探和试炼潜伏在所有路径上。因为这个世界是在撒旦的统治之下，我们受到各种危险的包围。然而，从乌云降下的暴雨是经过上帝的同意，每一滴雨水落到地面以前，都有它的使命。临到我们的试验是为了证明并加强我们的信心。我们可以藉试验来说明上帝恩典的大能，来察验我们美德的真伪，并且增加我们的属灵力量。我们的主以自己无限的智慧和无比丰盛的爱，高估祂子民的信心，因而祂容许他们去经历试验以增强他们的信心。倘若你的信心不经过像火般的试验，你永不可能得到能支持你的宝贵信心。你像一棵树，倘若没有狂风摇动使你紧抓住恩典之约的宝贵真理，你永不能有强劲的根。属世的安逸是信心的大敌。它会使神圣勇气之关节松动，使圣洁胆量之饥腱折断。牵引汽球的线不剪断，气球就不能上升。试验就是对相信的灵魂之尖锐磨练。麦子若安睡在壳内，对人是无用的，必须经过碾压才能显出其价值。试验义人是有益的，因为能使他们在上帝里面成长得更丰富。
Evening, September 3
Scripture: “The Lord trieth the righteous.”(Psalm 11:5)
All events are under the control of Providence; consequently all the trials of our outward life are traceable at once to the great First Cause. Out of the golden gate of God’s ordinance the armies of trial march forth in array, clad in their iron armour, and armed with weapons of war. All providences are doors to trial. Even our mercies, like roses, have their thorns. Men may be drowned in seas of prosperity as well as in rivers of affliction. Our mountains are not too high, and our valleys are not too low for temptations: trials lurk on all roads. Everywhere, above and beneath, we are beset and surrounded with dangers. Yet no shower falls unpermitted from the threatening cloud; every drop has its order ere it hastens to the earth. The trials which come from God are sent to prove and strengthen our graces, and so at once to illustrate the power of divine grace, to test the genuineness of our virtues, and to add to their energy. Our Lord in his infinite wisdom and superabundant love, sets so high a value upon his people’s faith that he will not screen them from those trials by which faith is strengthened. You would never have possessed the precious faith which now supports you if the trial of your faith had not been like unto fire. You are a tree that never would have rooted so well if the wind had not rocked you to and fro, and made you take firm hold upon the precious truths of the covenant grace. Worldly ease is a great foe to faith; it loosens the joints of holy valour, and snaps the sinews of sacred courage. The balloon never rises until the cords are cut; affliction doth this sharp service for believing souls. While the wheat sleeps comfortably in the husk it is useless to man, it must be threshed out of its resting place before its value can be known. Thus it is well that Jehovah trieth the righteous, for it causeth them to grow rich towards God.
