九月十七日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/09/0917.mp3″]
经文: 你要勉励他。（申命记一：38）
上帝呼召祂的百姓要彼此勉励。祂并没有对天使说：“加百列，我的仆人约书亚将要领我的百姓进入迦南地。你去，勉励他。”上帝永不行不必要的神迹。倘若祂的目的能藉寻常的方法完成，祂就不用神迹的大能。加百列并不适合担当摩西的工作，即使一半也不行。弟兄的同情比天使的工作更为珍贵。天使从未经历过摩西在旷野中所经历过的，就是走在难行的道上，遇到凶猛之蛇类，或领导硬着脖子的群众。上帝通常藉着另一个人为人类工作，我们应当为此高兴。在人之间可以形成兄弟般的连合，彼此互相依靠，更完全地融合成一个家庭。请以今晚的经文作为上帝给你的信息。努力去帮助别人，特别是要竭力去鼓励他们。愉快地和年轻人和渴慕的发问者谈话。以爱心试着除去他路上的绊脚石。一旦你发现他心中恩典的火花闪耀，就赶紧跪下吹气，使之发生火焰。让年轻的信徒逐步去发现道路上的崎岖，同时却要告诉他在上帝里面的能力、上帝应许的确实、和与基督相交的甜美。安慰忧伤者，鼓励心灵疲乏者是你的目标。以喜乐鼓励那些惧怕继续行走的人。上帝以祂的应许鼓励你。基督已为你赢得天国，祂用手指向天国，以此来鼓励你。圣灵在你心中作工使你遵行祂的旨意，祂以此来鼓励你。效法属天的智慧，去鼓励别人吧!
Evening, September 17
Scripture: “Encourage him.”(Deuteronomy 1:38)
God employs his people to encourage one another. He did not say to an angel, “Gabriel, my servant Joshua is about to lead my people into Canaan－go, encourage him.” God never works needless miracles; if his purposes can be accomplished by ordinary means, he will not use miraculous agency. Gabriel would not have been half so well fitted for the work as Moses. A brother’s sympathy is more precious than an angel’s embassy. The angel, swift of wing, had better known the Master’s bidding than the people’s temper. An angel had never experienced the hardness of the road, nor seen the fiery serpents, nor had he led the stiff-necked multitude in the wilderness as Moses had done. We should be glad that God usually works for man by man. It forms a bond of brotherhood, and being mutually dependent on one another, we are fused more completely into one family. Brethren, take the text as God’s message to you. Labour to help others, and especially strive to encourage them. Talk cheerily to the young and anxious enquirer, lovingly try to remove stumblingblocks out of his way. When you find a spark of grace in the heart, kneel down and blow it into a flame. Leave the young believer to discover the roughness of the road by degrees, but tell him of the strength which dwells in God, of the sureness of the promise, and of the charms of communion with Christ. Aim to comfort the sorrowful, and to animate the desponding. Speak a word in season to him that is weary, and encourage those who are fearful to go on their way with gladness. God encourages you by his promises; Christ encourages you as he points to the heaven he has won for you, and the spirit encourages you as he works in you to will and to do of his own will and pleasure. Imitate divine wisdom, and encourage others, according to the word of this evening.