Category: 《静夜亮光》

九月二十六日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/09/0926.mp3″]
经文: 松树阿，应当哀号，因为香柏树倾倒。（撒迦利亚书十一：2）

在森林中若听到橡树倒下的声音，就是伐木者正在工作的讯号。附近的每一棵树都在战栗，因为明日锋利的斧头可能临到它身上。我们都像树木被斧头选中。一棵树倒下，提醒我们，无论高大如香柏树，或谦卑如松树，指定的时刻将快速来临。我们不应为了随时有死亡发生而对死亡无动于衷，反之，应当视它为最沉重的事件，对它的临近也应保持冷静清醒。倘若我们的永恒目标已是岌岌可危，而仍然嬉戏作乐，那是何等愚蠢啊！剑已出鞘、刀刃锋利，切勿玩弄它。不作好准备面对死亡的人，不只是愚蠢的，乃是近乎疯癫。基督的仆人哪，随时准备，不敬虔的世人极不盼望祂再来，而祂会突然降临！留意，你必须在祂的事工中尽忠，否则坟墓是为你挖掘的。为人父母者当留神，鉴察自己曾否教导儿女敬畏上帝，因为他们总有一日成为孤儿。商人啊，也当留意，注意自是否循规蹈矩，并以全心事奉上帝。你在地上事奉的日子瞬间即逝，你将向主陈述所作的一切，无论是善是恶。但愿我们各人皆准备面对伟大君王之审判，并得祂恩典赞许之赏赐；“好，你这又良善又忠心的仆人”！（太二十五：21）
 

Evening, September 26
Scripture: “Howl, fir tree, for the cedar is fallen.”(Zechariah 11:2)

When in the forest there is heard the crash of a falling oak, it is a sign that the woodman is abroad, and every tree in the whole company may tremble lest to-morrow the sharp edge of the axe should find it out. We are all like trees marked for the axe, and the fall of one should remind us that for every one, whether great as the cedar, or humble as the fir, the appointed hour is stealing on apace. I trust we do not, by often hearing of death, become callous to it. May we never be like the birds in the steeple, which build their nests when the bells are tolling, and sleep quietly when the solemn funeral peals are startling the air. May we regard death as the most weighty of all events, and be sobered by its approach. It ill behoves us to sport while our eternal destiny hangs on a thread. The sword is out of its scabbard－let us not trifle; it is furbished, and the edge is sharp－let us not play with it. He who does not prepare for death is more than an ordinary fool, he is a madman. When the voice of God is heard among the trees of the garden, let fig tree and sycamore, and elm and cedar, alike hear the sound thereof.
Be ready, servant of Christ, for thy Master comes on a sudden, when an ungodly world least expects him. See to it that thou be faithful in his work, for the grave shall soon be digged for thee. Be ready, parents, see that your children are brought up in the fear of God, for they must soon be orphans; be ready, men of business, take care that your affairs are correct, and that you serve God with all your hearts, for the days of your terrestrial service will soon be ended, and you will be called to give account for the deeds done in the body, whether they be good or whether they be evil. May we all prepare for the tribunal of the great King with a care which shall be rewarded with the gracious commendation, “Well done, good and faithful servant”

九月二十五日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/09/0925.mp3″]
经文: 上帝又使祂成为我们的智慧。（哥林多前书一：30）

人凭着聪明要探求安息，但是按照本性，人所探索的是偏离主耶稣基督的。即使已经信主的知识分子也常常缺乏尊崇和挚爱的心，小看基督的十字架。有精密思想并受高等教育的人常被诱惑以致偏离基督受死的简单真理，去创造一套更理智的教义。这种作法导致早期的基督教会走上诺斯底主义（该主义自夸可以获得一种特别的内在知识，远于单纯的“信靠”。──译者注，参阅天道“大众圣经百科全书”），以各种异端邪说混淆信徒。这也是萌生许多新哲学思想之根源，这些新哲学思想广传流行，迷惑了大群信徒。无论你是谁，无论你所受的教育为何，你若真正属主，将无法哲学化的神学中寻得安息。你可能从一位伟人的思想家得到一些教条，从另外一位深奥的推理学者得到一些梦想。但是他们的思想言论与上帝的真纯语话相比，不过是糠秕之于麦子。基督耶稣里面蕴藏了一切智慧和知识（参阅西二：3），基督徒满足于接受假教义的宗教体系所作的一切企图必将失败，因为那些假教义的宗教体系所作一切企图必将失败，因为那些假教义否认了耶稣基督的神性。天国的真正继承者必须回到完全、简单的真理，就是“基督耶稣降世为要拯救罪人”（提前一：15）。耶稣能满足最高阶层的知识份子，倘若他以信心接受祂；反之，偏离了耶稣，哲学家无法得到安息。“敬畏耶和华是知识的开端”（箴一：7）。“凡遵行祂命令的，是聪明人”（诗一一一：10）
 

Evening, September 25
Scripture: “Who of God is made unto us wisdom.”(1 Corinthians 1:30)

Man’s intellect seeks after rest, and by nature seeks it apart from the Lord Jesus Christ. Men of education are apt, even when converted, to look upon the simplicities of the cross of Christ with an eye too little reverent and loving. They are snared in the old net in which the Grecians were taken, and have a hankering to mix philosophy with revelation. The temptation with a man of refined thought and high education is to depart from the simple truth of Christ crucified, and to invent, as the term is, a more intellectual doctrine. This led the early Christian churches into Gnosticism, and bewitched them with all sorts of heresies. This is the root of Neology, and the other fine things which in days gone by were so fashionable in Germany, and are now so ensnaring to certain classes of divines. Whoever you are, good reader, and whatever your education may be, if you be the Lord’s, be assured you will find no rest in philosophizing divinity. You may receive this dogma of one great thinker, or that dream of another profound reasoner, but what the chaff is to the wheat, that will these be to the pure word of God. All that reason, when best guided, can find out is but the A B C of truth, and even that lacks certainty, while in Christ Jesus there is treasured up all the fulness of wisdom and knowledge. All attempts on the part of Christians to be content with systems such as Unitarian and Broad-church thinkers would approve of, must fail; true heirs of heaven must come back to the grandly simple reality which makes the ploughboy’s eye flash with joy, and gladens the pious pauper’s heart－“Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.” Jesus satisfies the most elevated intellect when he is believingly received, but apart from him the mind of the regenerate discovers no rest. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” “A good understanding have all they that do his commandments.”

九月二十四日 [mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/09/0924.mp3″]
经文: 我身睡卧，我心却醒。（雅歌五：2）

基督徒的经历中常常充满了矛盾。在今晚我们所思想的经文里，这位新娘虽睡犹醒。唯有那些经历过基督的人才能明白信徒生命中的种种矛盾。今晚我要思想的两点是可悲的沉睡与有盼望的清醒。我身睡卧。因为在我们心中的罪，使我们变得懒散，不愿意花时间与上帝相交，怠惰于祈祷，缺乏属灵的喜乐，一切都是懒惰与散漫。对于有圣灵内住的人来说，这种光景是可耻的。这光景也是极危险的。要脱离怠惰的束缚，现在是时候了。许多信徒在沉睡于属肉体的安逸中失去了能力，如同参孙在沉睡中失去他的发绺。沉沦灭亡的世界围绕着我们，贪睡是残忍无情的行为。永恒已近在咫尺，沉睡是愚蠢的。然而，我们之中没有一人尽本份清醒。几声响雷将于我们有益。除非我们迅速振奋，不然我们将面临争战、瘟疫、和个人的损失。但愿我们永远离开使肉体安逸的床塌，携带点燃的火炬，前去迎接来临的新郎！我心却醒。这是一个快乐的记号。生命虽然仿佛可悲地受窒息，但是并未熄灭。当更新的心灵反抗本性的重荷时，应当感激主的大爱在我们这将灭亡的身体中保守我们的生命。耶稣垂听我们、帮助我们，并造访我们的心。儆醒的心所听到的是我们所爱的主之声音，说道：“求你给我开门。”对主的热情必会将心门打开！
 

Evening, September 24
Scripture: “I sleep, but my heart waketh.”(Song of Solomon 5:2)

Paradoxes abound in Christian experience, and here is one－the spouse was asleep, and yet she was awake. He only can read the believer’s riddle who has ploughed with the heifer of his experience. The two points in this evening’s text are－a mournful sleepiness and a hopeful wakefulness. I sleep. Through sin that dwelleth in us we may become lax in holy duties, slothful in religious exercises, dull in spiritual joys, and altogether supine and careless. This is a shameful state for one in whom the quickening Spirit dwells; and it is dangerous to the highest degree. Even wise virgins sometimes slumber, but it is high time for all to shake off the bands of sloth. It is to be feared that many believers lose their strength as Samson lost his locks, while sleeping on the lap of carnal security. With a perishing world around us, to sleep is cruel; with eternity so near at hand, it is madness. Yet we are none of us so much awake as we should be; a few thunder-claps would do us all good, and it may be, unless we soon bestir ourselves, we shall have them in the form of war, or pestilence, or personal bereavements and losses. O that we may leave for ever the couch of fleshly ease, and go forth with flaming torches to meet the coming Bridegroom! My heart waketh. This is a happy sign. Life is not extinct, though sadly smothered. When our renewed heart struggles against our natural heaviness, we should be grateful to sovereign grace for keeping a little vitality within the body of this death. Jesus will hear our hearts, will help our hearts, will visit our hearts; for the voice of the wakeful heart is really the voice of our Beloved, saying, “Open to me.” Holy zeal will surely unbar the door.

“Oh lovely attitude! He stands
With melting heart and laden hands;
My soul forsakes her every sin;
And lets the heavenly stranger in.”

九月二十三日 [mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/09/0923.mp3″]
经文: 耶稣对他说，你若能信。（马可福音九：23）

有一个人，他的儿子被哑吧鬼附着。他见门徒无能力医治他的儿子，因此对基督也没有了信心。耶稣吩咐他把孩子带来时，他对主说：“祢若能作什么，求祢怜悯我们，帮助我们。”（可九：22）这位父亲的问题中有一个若字，只是这可怜、战栗的人将这个若字放错了地方。耶稣的回答似乎是：“关于我的能力和我的意愿，不应该有个若字。你若能信，在信的人，凡事都能！”此人的信心增强了，他谦卑地求主增加他的信心。耶稣斥责污鬼，将它赶了出来，并命令它再不要进入孩子的身体。我们也像这个人一般，常常知道主的应许是带着条件的，但却笨拙地将条件放在错误之处。耶稣若能帮助我，祂若能赐恩于我去胜过试探、祂若能饶恕我、祂若能使我成功。真理却是，你若能信，在祂是既能又愿意。你若能坚定信赖主，于基督凡事都能，于你也能。信心是坚立于上帝的能力中，并披上上帝庄严之外袍。以圣灵的荣耀大能束腰，在上帝的无所不能之中，信心成为敢做、敢想、敢受苦之能力。在信的人，凡事都能，并没有限制。
 

Evening, September 23
Scripture: “Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe.”(Mark 9:23)

A certain man had a demoniac son, who was afflicted with a dumb spirit. The father, having seen the futility of the endeavours of the disciples to heal his child, had little or no faith in Christ, and therefore, when he was bidden to bring his son to him, he said to Jesus, “If thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us.” Now there was an “if” in the question, but the poor trembling father had put the “if” in the wrong place: Jesus Christ, therefore, without commanding him to retract the “if,” kindly puts it in its legitimate position. “Nay, verily,” he seemed to say, “there should be no ‘if’ about my power, nor concerning my willingness, the ‘if’ lies somewhere else.” “If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.” The man’s trust was strengthened, he offered a humble prayer for an increase of faith, and instantly Jesus spoke the word, and the devil was cast out, with an injunction never to return. There is a lesson here which we need to learn. We, like this man, often see that there is an “if” somewhere, but we are perpetually blundering by putting it in the wrong place. “If” Jesus can help me－“if” he can give me grace to overcome temptation－“if” he can give me pardon－“if” he can make me successful? Nay, “if” you can believe, he both can and will. You have misplaced your “if.” If you can confidently trust, even as all things are possible to Christ, so shall all things be possible to you. Faith standeth in God’s power, and is robed in God’s majesty; it weareth the royal apparel, and rideth on the King’s horse, for it is the grace which the King delighteth to honour. Girding itself with the glorious might of the all-working Spirit, it becomes, in the omnipotence of God, mighty to do, to dare, and to suffer. All things, without limit, are possible to him that believeth. My soul, canst thou believe thy Lord to-night?

九月二十二日 [mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/09/0922.mp3″]
经文: 我心里发昏的时候……求祢领我到那比我更高的磐石。（诗篇六十一：2）

大部份人都明了心里发昏的光景为何。倘若上帝容许我们罪恶本性中的深水翻腾，搅起淤泥与污秽，我们就会发现内心的败坏，这就是心里发昏的光景。当绝望与心碎如同怒涛，一波又一波汹涌压顶时，我们就会落入这般的光景，像破裂的贝壳被澎湃拍举之浪花抛掷。赞美上帝，在此刻，我们有一全然充足的安慰。我们的上帝是遭暴风雨击打之船只的避风港，是孤寂无伴之天路客的接待所。祂是高过我们的。祂的怜悯高过我们的众罪、祂的大爱高过我们的思想。想到世人将自己寄托于低于自己的事物，真是可怜。我们的信心建立在我们至高的、荣耀的主身上。祂是永不改变的磐石，祂是居于高位的磐石，因为压倒我们的风暴在祂脚下的低处翻腾。倘若我们在此坚立的磐石下寻得隐蔽之处，就必能公然藐视飓风。在高耸的悬崖之保护而来的“向导”，领我们到这神圣的避难所。主啊，但愿藉着祢的圣灵，教导我自信心的道路，并引领我们进入祢的安息。风将我们吹入海中，驾驶盘不受我们软弱无力的手操纵。唯有你能导引我们避开暗礁，带领我们安全驶入平静的避风港。我们必需依靠祢，求以智慧指导我们，引领我们进入平安稳妥之地。
 

Evening, September 22
Scripture: “When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.”(Psalm 61:2)

Most of us know what it is to be overwhelmed in heart; emptied as when a man wipeth a dish and turneth it upside down; submerged and thrown on our beam ends like a vessel mastered by the storm. Discoveries of inward corruption will do this, if the Lord permits the great deep of our depravity to become troubled and cast up mire and dirt. Disappointments and heart-breaks will do this when billow after billow rolls over us, and we are like a broken shell hurled to and fro by the surf. Blessed be God, at such seasons we are not without an all-sufficient solace, our God is the harbour of weather-beaten sails, the hospice of forlorn pilgrims. Higher than we are is he, his mercy higher than our sins, his love higher than our thoughts. It is pitiful to see men putting their trust in something lower than themselves; but our confidence is fixed upon an exceeding high and glorious Lord. A Rock he is since he changes not, and a high Rock, because the tempests which overwhelm us roll far beneath at his feet; he is not disturbed by them, but rules them at his will. If we get under the shelter of this lofty Rock we may defy the hurricane; all is calm under the lee of that towering cliff. Alas! such is the confusion in which the troubled mind is often cast, that we need piloting to this divine shelter. Hence the prayer of the text. O Lord, our God, by thy Holy Spirit, teach us the way of faith, lead us into thy rest. The wind blows us out to sea, the helm answers not to our puny hand; thou, thou alone canst steer us over the bar between yon sunken rocks, safe into the fair haven. How dependent we are upon thee－we need thee to bring us to thee. To be wisely directed and steered into safety and peace is thy gift, and thine alone. This night be pleased to deal well with thy servants.

九月二十一日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/09/0921.mp3″]
经文: 不要把我的灵魂和罪人一同除掉。（诗篇二十六：9）

恐惧使大卫作出上述之祈祷。他内心有微声说道：“恐怕最后我会同罪人一起被除灭。”那恐惧虽然与不信有关，却是萌发自与过去之罪有关连的神圣之焦虑。即使已蒙饶恕的人可能也会问：“若上帝纪念我的罪，从生命册上除去我的名字，怎么办？”他回想近来没有结果子──极少感恩、极少爱、极少追求圣洁。瞻望将来，他忧虑自己的软弱以及围绕他的种种试探。他害怕自己可能堕落成为敌人的猎物。罪恶感、眼前的恶行、压倒他的败坏逼使他带着恐惧颤惊来祈求：“不要把我的灵魂和罪人一同除掉。”你若能如此祈求，就毋需害怕你将和罪人一同被除掉。你是否具备大卫所有的两样优点──外在的，诚实地与主同行，和内在的，全心信靠主？你是否依赖基督的献祭？你是否能带着谦卑的盼望来就近上帝的祭坛？倘若你能，不必担心，你不可能和罪人一同被除掉。在审判台前只有同类是放在一起的。“先将稗子薅出来，捆成捆，留着烧。惟有麦子，要收在仓里。”（太十三：30）你若像上帝的子民，那么，你会与上帝的子民在一起。上帝如此爱你，不忍将你和堕落的人一同除掉。基督所爱的人会灭亡吗？不可能的！地狱不能抓住你，你是属于天国的！信靠你的救主，不必害怕！
 

Evening, September 21
Scripture: “Gather not my soul with sinners.”(Psalm 26:9)

Fear made David pray thus, for something whispered, “Perhaps, after all, thou mayst be gathered with the wicked.” That fear, although marred by unbelief, springs, in the main, from holy anxiety, arising from the recollection of past sin. Even the pardoned man will enquire, “What if at the end my sins should be remembered, and I should be left out of the catalogue of the saved?” He recollects his present unfruitfulness－so little grace, so little love, so little holiness, and looking forward to the future, he considers his weakness and the many temptations which beset him, and he fears that he may fall, and become a prey to the enemy. A sense of sin and present evil, and his prevailing corruptions, compel him to pray, in fear and trembling, “Gather not my soul with sinners.” Reader, if you have prayed this prayer, and if your character be rightly described in the Psalm from which it is taken, you need not be afraid that you shall be gathered with sinners. Have you the two virtues which David had－the outward walking in integrity, and the inward trusting in the Lord? Are you resting upon Christ’s sacrifice, and can you compass the altar of God with humble hope? If so, rest assured, with the wicked you never shall be gathered, for that calamity is impossible. The gathering at the judgment is like to like. “Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.” If, then, thou art like God’s people, thou shalt be with God’s people. You cannot be gathered with the wicked, for you are too dearly bought. Redeemed by the blood of Christ, you are his for ever, and where he is, there must his people be. You are loved too much to be cast away with reprobates. Shall one dear to Christ perish? Impossible! Hell cannot hold thee! Heaven claims thee! Trust in thy Surety and fear not!