Tag: 《静夜亮光》

一月十七日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/01/0117.mp3″]

经文: 一日太阳平西，大卫从床上起来，在王宫的平顶上游行。（撒母耳记下十一：2）

在那时刻，大卫看到了拔示巴。试探总是寻找机会来抓住我们。无论在家或在外，我们常处于遇见罪恶诱惑的危险中。早晨始于危险，黄昏的黑阴仍使我们处于危险中。蒙上帝保守的人有平安，但是那些投入世界中的人，即使只在自己家中行走却不戒备的仍是有祸的。自以为完全的人较其他人更容易暴露在危险中。大卫应该在前线为上帝争战，却流连于耶路撒冷，贪恋奢华中的安歇，直至太平西才起床。慵懒和奢华是魔鬼的走狗，它们为它提供许多掠食之对象。啊，但愿耶稣约束的爱保守我们勤奋工作！当我看到以色列的王在傍晚才怠惰地离开他的寝塌，即立刻堕入了试探，我心立即儆醒。我要提醒自己儆醒把守门户。国王上了屋顶，是否是为了安息和祈祷？若是，我们应当何等小心，知道不论多么隐密，没有一处是远离罪恶的圣所！我们的心如同点着的火，充满火花。我们必须随时努力避免烈火燃起。撒但可以爬上屋顶，也能进入内室。即使能拒绝邪恶的恶魔于门外，自己的腐败也足以摧毁我们，除非是上帝的恩典制止我们。要谨防黄昏的试探。太阳下山了，罪恶升起了。我们需要一位夜间的守望者，如同白天需要一位保守者一样。赐福的圣灵阿，求祢今晚保守我们脱离各种罪恶！

Evening, January 17

Scripture: “And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house.”(2 Samuel 11:2)

At that hour David saw Bathsheba. We are never out of the reach of temptation. Both at home and abroad we are liable to meet with allurements to evil; the morning opens with peril, and the shades of evening find us still in jeopardy. They are well kept whom God keeps, but woe unto those who go forth into the world, or even dare to walk their own house unarmed. Those who think themselves secure are more exposed to danger than any others. The armour-bearer of Sin is Self-confidence.
David should have been engaged in fighting the Lord’s battles, instead of which he tarried at Jerusalem, and gave himself up to luxurious repose, for he arose from his bed at eventide. Idleness and luxury are the devil’s jackals, and find him abundant prey. In stagnant waters noxious creatures swarm, and neglected soil soon yields a dense tangle of weeds and briars. Oh for the constraining love of Jesus to keep us active and useful! When I see the King of Israel sluggishly leaving his couch at the close of the day, and falling at once into temptation, let me take warning, and set holy watchfulness to guard the door.
Is it possible that the king had mounted his housetop for retirement and devotion? If so, what a caution is given us to count no place, however secret, a sanctuary from sin! While our hearts are so like a tinder-box, and sparks so plentiful, we had need use all diligence in all places to prevent a blaze. Satan can climb housetops, and enter closets, and even if we could shut out that foul fiend, our own corruptions are enough to work our ruin unless grace prevent. Reader, beware of evening temptations. Be not secure. The sun is down but sin is up. We need a watchman for the night as well as a guardian for the day. O blessed Spirit, keep us from all evil this night. Amen.

一月十六日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/01/0116.mp3″]

经文: 受膏者必被剪除，却不是为祂自己。（译者另译）（一无所有。）（但理书九：26）

祂的名当受称颂，祂没有理由死。罪不能损害祂，因此死亡对祂是无权的。无人能以任何理由攫取祂的生命，因为祂没有得罪任何人。甚至无人能藉武力杀戮祂，除非祂自愿将自己交付于死。但是请注意，一人犯罪，他人受苦！我们触犯了公义，却在祂之内到偿还。如河的泪水、如山的献祭，如海的公牛血、成堆的乳香皆不能除去罪。但是耶稣为了我们被剪除，愤怒的缘由立即去除了。罪永远被对付了。爱使拯救者为与祂为敌的人付出了生命！然而，只佩服无罪的代替有罪的流血之奇妙是不够的，我们必须确实明白这事在我们生命中的作用。弥赛亚受死的目的是为了祂的教会之救恩。在那些祂将自己的生命作为赎价救赎回来的人之中，主耶稣是否作了我们的替身？我们曾否因祂的鞭伤得到医治？若我们无份于祂的牺牲，那将是何等可怕的事啊！若真是这样，宁愿我们没有生在此世！对那些相信主耶稣的人，祂是一位现在的救主，与上帝和好的血已经洒在他们身上了。让所有信靠弥赛亚受死功效的人，每当纪念祂时都能喜乐。让向上帝的感恩引导他们向祂献上最丰富的供奉。

Evening, January 16

Scripture: “The Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself.”(Daniel 9:26)

Blessed be his name, there was no cause of death in him. Neither original nor actual sin had defiled him, and therefore death had no claim upon him. No man could have taken his life from him justly, for he had done no man wrong, and no man could even have lain him by force unless he had been pleased to yield himself to die. But lo, one sins and another suffers. Justice was offended by us, but found its satisfaction in him. Rivers of tears, mountains of offerings, seas of the blood of bullocks, and hills of frankincense, could not have availed for the removal of sin; but Jesus was cut off for us, and the cause of wrath was cut off at once, for sin was put away for ever. Herein is wisdom, whereby substitution, the sure and speedy way of atonement, was devised! Herein is condescension, which brought Messiah, the Prince, to wear a crown of thorns, and die upon the cross! Herein is love, which led the Redeemer to lay down his life for his enemies!
It is not enough, however, to admire the spectacle of the innocent bleeding for the guilty, we must make sure of our interest therein. The special object of the Messiah’s death was the salvation of his church; have we a part and a lot among those for whom he gave his life a ransom? Did the Lord Jesus stand as our representative? Are we healed by his stripes? It will be a terrible thing indeed if we should come short of a portion in his sacrifice; it were better for us that we had never been born. Solemn as the question is, it is a joyful circumstance that it is one which may be answered clearly and without mistake. To all who believe on him the Lord Jesus is a present Saviour, and upon them all the blood of reconciliation has been sprinkled. Let all who trust in the merit of Messiah’s death be joyful at every remembrance of him, and let their holy gratitude lead them to the fullest consecration to his cause.

一月十五日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/01/0115.mp3″]

经文: 但我专心祈祷。（诗篇一○九：4）

撒谎者的舌头在忙碌地毁谤大卫的名誉，但是他并未替自己辩护。代之，他将此案陈明在最高法庭中的伟大君王前，向祂恳求。要回答狠毒的话，最安全的方法就是祈祷。诗人并不是以冷淡之心情祈祷，他将自己投入在祷告中。他扯紧每一条肌腱全心全意投入。这是任何人能在施恩座前蒙垂听的唯一方法。人若不能竭力迫切地恳，不能激烈渴望地恳求，他的恳求就完全无效。有一位老圣徒说：“要热切祷告，就好像在天国的大门前放置一尊大炮将大门轰开。”大多数人的共同错误是在祷告中轻易地分散注意力。我们的思想徘徊浮游，不能向着目标前进。我们的思绪常像水银泻地，无法集中，四处滚散。这是何等大的罪孽！这种行为伤害了我们自己，更糟糕的是羞辱了上帝。想一想若有一个人向一位王子陈情时，手中还玩弄着一根羽毛或是一支苍蝇拍子，这是何等不敬！我们的祷告必须是连续、持久的。大卫不只是呼求一声就堕入沉默，他虔诚地不断大声呼求，一直到天上的祝福降下。我们绝不能使祈祷变为只是偶而进行的工作，那必须是我们每日的事务，我们的习惯、甚至是我们的职业。像艺术家一样地投入他们的模型，又像诗人一般地专注于他们的创作，我们也必须让自己沉醉于祷告之中。我们必须沉浸在祷告之中，永不停止祈求。

Evening, January 15

Scripture: “But I give myself unto prayer.”(Psalm 109:4)

Lying tongues were busy against the reputation of David, but he did not defend himself; he moved the case into a higher court, and pleaded before the great King himself. Prayer is the safest method of replying to words of hatred. The Psalmist prayed in no cold-hearted manner, he gave himself to the exercise－threw his whole soul and heart into it－straining every sinew and muscle, as Jacob did when wrestling with the angel. Thus, and thus only, shall any of us speed at the throne of grace. As a shadow has no power because there is no substance in it, even so that supplication, in which a man’s proper self is not thoroughly present in agonizing earnestness and vehement desire, is utterly ineffectual, for it lacks that which would give it force. “Fervent prayer,” says an old divine, “like a cannon planted at the gates of heaven, makes them fly open.” The common fault with the most of us is our readiness to yield to distractions. Our thoughts go roving hither and thither, and we make little progress towards our desired end. Like quicksilver our mind will not hold together, but rolls off this way and that. How great an evil this is! It injures us, and what is worse, it insults our God. What should we think of a petitioner, if, while having an audience with a prince, he should be playing with a feather or catching a fly?
Continuance and perseverance are intended in the expression of our text. David did not cry once, and then relapse into silence; his holy clamour was continued till it brought down the blessing. Prayer must not be our chance work, but our daily business, our habit and vocation. As artists give themselves to their models, and poets to their classical pursuits, so must we addict ourselves to prayer. We must be immersed in prayer as in our element, and so pray without ceasing. Lord, teach us so to pray that we may be more and more prevalent in supplication.

《静夜亮光》一月十四日 [mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/01/0114.mp3″]

　　经文: 将要沉下去，便喊着说，主阿，救我。（马太福音十四：30）

　　对主的仆人而言，下沉的时刻就是祈求的时候。彼得在开始冒险的行程时，忽略了祈祷。但是当他下沉时，危险使他变成一个恳求者。他的呼求，虽然稍嫌迟了一点，但还不算太迟。我们肉体遭受痛苦、精神遭遇悲痛，自然会驱使我们去祈求，如同浮木藉海浪冲击推向岸边。狐狸会窜入洞穴中寻求保护，小乌会飞入丛木中寻找隐蔽之处。同样的，经历苦难的信徒会急速到施恩座前寻找避难所。天国的大避难港就是祈求。成千饱受风吹雨打的船只在那里觅得了避风港。一旦暴风雨来临，我们必须聪明地以全速驶入。简短的恳求就足够了。彼得急促说出的恳求辞只有四个字，但已经足以达到目的。我们所需的不是祈求的长度而是祈求的力量。需求感会教导我们精简。倘若我们的祷告能减少骄傲的尾巴但增多翅膀就会更好。言词冗赘之于真挚如同糠粃之于麦子。长篇大论的讲章中，真正的祈求可能就像彼得的恳求那么简短。我们的尽头就是主作工的机会。强烈的危险迫使人立即发出急切的呼求，耶稣的耳朵立刻就听到了。祂的耳朵与祂的心是同步的，祂手的行动也不耽延。我们常常在最后关头才向主恳求，但是祂快速的手借着实时有效的行动，弥补了我们的耽延。你是否几乎被苦难的漩涡淹没？将你的灵提升到救主那里，祂必定不会让你灭亡。当你不能作任何事时，耶稣能作一切。

Evening, January 14

Scripture: “Beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.”(Matthew 14:30)

Sinking times are praying times with the Lord’s servants. Peter neglected prayer at starting upon his venturous journey, but when he began to sink his danger made him a suppliant, and his cry though late was not too late. In our hours of bodily pain and mental anguish, we find ourselves as naturally driven to prayer as the wreck is driven upon the shore by the waves. The fox hies to its hole for protection; the bird flies to the wood for shelter; and even so the tried believer hastens to the mercy seat for safety. Heaven’s great harbour of refuge is All-prayer; thousands of weather-beaten vessels have found a haven there, and the moment a storm comes on, it is wise for us to make for it with all sail.         Short prayers are long enough. There were but three words in the petition which Peter gasped out, but they were sufficient for his purpose. Not length but strength is desirable. A sense of need is a mighty teacher of brevity. If our prayers had less of the tail feathers of pride and more wing they would be all the better. Verbiage is to devotion as chaff to the wheat. Precious things lie in small compass, and all that is real prayer in many a long address might have been uttered in a petition as short as that of Peter.         Our extremities are the Lord’s opportunities. Immediately a keen sense of danger forces an anxious cry from us the ear of Jesus hears, and with him ear and heart go together, and the hand does not long linger. At the last moment we appeal to our Master, but his swift hand makes up for our delays by instant and effectual action. Are we nearly engulfed by the boisterous waters of affliction? Let us then lift up our souls unto our Saviour, and we may rest assured that he will not suffer us to perish. When we can do nothing Jesus can do all things; let us enlist his powerful aid upon our side, and all will be well.

《静夜亮光》一月十三日 [mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/01/0113.mp3″]

　　经文: 斧头就漂上来了。（列王纪下六：6）

　　斧头丢失了，几乎是没有希望能寻回。整队先知的名誉被危及了，他们的上帝之名也有被羞辱的危险，因为斧头是借来的。出乎众人所预料的，斧头居然浮上了河面。在人所不能的事，在上帝却能（参阅路十八：27）。我认识一位基督徒，他被召去进行一项远超过他能力的工作。该项工作是那么艰巨，甚至仅仅一试的念头也是荒谬的。然而他是被召了，他就对该项工作生出信心。上帝重视他的信心，在他求助以前，帮助由天而来，斧头漂起来了。在主家中有一弟兄曾经陷入了严重的经济困境中。他若能将产业的一部份出售，或许可以偿还债务且有剩余。可是他被突然临到的压力所控制，求助无门时，信心将他领到永不令人失望的帮助者面前，斧头漂起来了，困难转移了，他的步代也坚定了。第三位所面对的是一严重的邪恶境况。经过教导、遣责、警诫和代祷，皆无成效。这位年轻的基督徒身上的老亚当太顽强了，不愿意放弃固执的心灵。然而一场激烈争战的祷告展开了，不久从天降下福祉。刚硬的人破碎了，斧头漂起来了。你巴望的事项是甚么？今晚在你身上的沈重担子是甚么？带到上帝面前吧！古代先知的上帝仍然活着，为了要帮助祂的众圣徒。祂不会让你缺乏。相信万军之耶和华！你也将见到上帝的手为祂的子民行出奇异的事。凭着信心，让它实现在你的身上。记住，斧头是会漂上来的！

Evening, January 13

Scripture: “The iron did swim.”(2 Kings 6:9)

The axe-head seemed hopelessly lost, and as it was borrowed, the honour of the prophetic band was likely to be imperilled, and so the name of their God to be compromised. Contrary to all expectation, the iron was made to mount from the depth of the stream and to swim; for things impossible with man are possible with God. I knew a man in Christ but a few years ago who was called to undertake a work far exceeding his strength. It appeared so difficult as to involve absurdity in the bare idea of attempting it. Yet he was called thereto, and his faith rose with the occasion; God honoured his faith, unlooked-for aid was sent, and the iron did swim. Another of the Lord’s family was in grievous financial straits, he was able to meet all claims, and much more if he could have realized a certain portion of his estate, but he was overtaken with a sudden pressure; he sought for friends in vain, but faith led him to the unfailing Helper, and lo, the trouble was averted, his footsteps were enlarged, and the iron did swim. A third had a sorrowful case of depravity to deal with. He had taught, reproved, warned, invited, and interceded, but all in vain. Old Adam was too strong for young Melancthon, the stubborn spirit would not relent. Then came an agony of prayer, and before long a blessed answer was sent from heaven. The hard heart was broken, the iron did swim.         Beloved reader, what is thy desperate case? What heavy matter hast thou in hand this evening? Bring it hither. The God of the prophets lives, and lives to help his saints. He will not suffer thee to lack any good thing. Believe thou in the Lord of hosts! Approach him pleading the name of Jesus, and the iron shall swim; thou too shalt see the finger of God working marvels for his people. According to thy faith be it unto thee, and yet again the iron shall swim.

《静夜亮光》一月十二日 [mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/01/0112.mp3″]

　　经文: 我还有话为上帝说。（约伯记三十六：2）

　　我们不应该存心向人显露自己的长处或自己的热诚。但是，常常企图隐藏上帝为了别人的好处所给予我们的，也是一种罪。基督徒不是山谷中的村庄而是建造在山上的城；不是斗底的灯而是灯台上的光，要照亮别人（参阅太五：14～15）。适当的退隐可能是美好的，自我隐藏也是谦虚的表现，但是将我们里面的基督隐藏起来却永远是错误的。珍贵的真理藏守不宣，是得罪了别人，也抵触了上帝。倘若你天生紧张并且个性内向，小心，勿在这恐惧的趋向中陷得太深，免得你对教会失去作用。基督并不以你为耻，你也当因祂的名定意忽视自己的感觉。将基督向你说的话告诉别人。即使你不能如号角般大声宣告，也可以用安静细微的声音述说。即使教会的讲坛不是你发表言论之处，即使报章杂志不会刊登你的文章，你仍然与彼得和约翰共呜，说：「金银我都没有，只把我所有的给你。」（徒三：6）。即使你不能在高处宣讲，也可以在井旁和撒玛利亚的妇人谈道。即使你不能在教堂、在大城市、在大庭广众之中赞美耶稣，仍可以在内室，在乡间、在自己的小家庭内赞美祂。让甜美溪流般的见证，从内心隐藏的泉源涌流，让每一位路过者可以饮取。不要隐藏你的才能。为上帝说话能令我们精神振奋、令众圣徒欢乐，也对于人有益，更能尊崇我们的救主。

Evening, January 12

Scripture: “I have yet to speak on God’s behalf.”(Job 36:2)

We ought not to court publicity for our virtue, or notoriety for our zeal; but, at the same time, it is a sin to be always seeking to hide that which God has bestowed upon us for the good of others. A Christian is not to be a village in a valley, but “a city set upon a hill;” he is not to be a candle under a bushel, but a candle in a candlestick, giving light to all. Retirement may be lovely in its season, and to hide one’s self is doubtless modest, but the hiding of Christ in us can never be justified, and the keeping back of truth which is precious to ourselves is a sin against others and an offence against God. If you are of a nervous temperament and of retiring disposition, take care that you do not too much indulge this trembling propensity, lest you should be useless to the church. Seek in the name of him who was not ashamed of you to do some little violence to your feelings, and tell to others what Christ has told to you. If thou canst not speak with trumpet tongue, use the still small voice. If the pulpit must not be thy tribune, if the press may not carry on its wings thy words, yet say with Peter and John, “Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee.” By Sychar’s well talk to the Samaritan woman, if thou canst not on the mountain preach a sermon; utter the praises of Jesus in the house, if not in the temple; in the field, if not upon the exchange; in the midst of thine own household, if thou canst not in the midst of the great family of man. From the hidden springs within let sweetly flowing rivulets of testimony flow forth, giving drink to every passer-by. Hide not thy talent; trade with it; and thou shalt bring in good interest to thy Lord and Master. To speak for God will be refreshing to ourselves, cheering to saints, useful to sinners, and honouring to the Saviour. Dumb children are an affliction to their parents. Lord, unloose all thy children’s tongue.