七月三日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/07/0703.mp3″]
经文: 我们若能忍耐，也必和祂一同作王。（提摩太后书二：12）
倘若我们并不在祂里面，就不可能想像自己能为基督受苦和能与基督同受苦难。你是否单单信靠耶稣？若否，在世上无论你在哀痛的是什么，都不是“与基督同受苦难”。这类受苦不能带给你将来在天和祂一同作王的盼望。我们不能下结论，认为基督徒所受的苦难都是与基督一同受苦。他必须是蒙上帝呼召去受苦。我们若轻率、卤莽陷入一些状况，其中并没有为我们预备上帝的保佑和恩典，我们就必须自问是犯罪或是与耶稣相交。我们若让自己的感情代替判断，容许自我意旨代替圣经的权威，就是用魔鬼的武器去为主争战。倘若我们在争战中受伤，那是不必惊讶的。若因犯罪的结果使我们陷入麻烦，不要梦想以为自己是与基督一同同苦。上帝所接纳的受苦最终必须有上帝的荣耀。若为了赢得美名或称赞而受苦，我们所得的赏赐是法利赛人所能得的赏赐。所有忍凡包容的原因必须是出于爱耶稣并且爱我们的兄弟姊妹。我们应当在谦卑、温柔和饶恕上彰显基督的本性。让我们鉴察自己的心，看看是否真正与耶稣一同受苦。我们若与祂一同受苦，所遭遇的轻微苦难比起和祂一同作王，何足挂齿？与基督一同受炉火煎熬是一种福气，与祂一同受讥谨、受辱骂是一种荣耀。即使将来没有赏赐，处在目前的荣耀中我们也已算够幸运了。但是赏赐是无限的、超过我们所能预期的，我们岂不该心甘情愿地背起十字架，欢欢喜喜继续前进？
Evening, July 3
Scripture: “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.”(2 Timothy 2:12)
We must not imagine that we are suffering for Christ, and with Christ, if we are not in Christ. Beloved friend, are you trusting to Jesus only? If not, whatever you may have to mourn over on earth, you are not “suffering with Christ,” and have no hope of reigning with him in heaven. Neither are we to conclude that all a Christian’s sufferings are sufferings with Christ, for it is essential that he be called by God to suffer. If we are rash and imprudent, and run into positions for which neither providence nor grace has fitted us, we ought to question whether we are not rather sinning than communing with Jesus. If we let passion take the place of judgment, and self-will reign instead of Scriptural authority, we shall fight the Lord’s battles with the devil’s weapons, and if we cut our own fingers we must not be surprised. Again, in troubles which come upon us as the result of sin, we must not dream that we are suffering with Christ. When Miriam spoke evil of Moses, and the leprosy polluted her, she was not suffering for God. Moreover, suffering which God accepts must have God’s glory as its end. If I suffer that I may earn a name, or win applause, I shall get no other reward than that of the Pharisee. It is requisite also that love to Jesus, and love to his elect, be ever the mainspring of all our patience. We must manifest the Spirit of Christ in meekness, gentleness, and forgiveness. Let us search and see if we truly suffer with Jesus. And if we do thus suffer, what is our “light affliction” compared with reigning with him? Oh it is so blessed to be in the furnace with Christ, and such an honour to stand in the pillory with him, that if there were no future reward, we might count ourselves happy in present honour; but when the recompense is so eternal, so infinitely more than we had any right to expect, shall we not take up the cross with alacrity, and go on our way rejoicing?