0829 被考验过的信心无比亲密
耶稣说：「我不是对你说过，你若信，就必看见神的荣耀么？」《约翰福音 11:40》
每次你在信心生活中冒险时，你都会发现环境中的某些东西，从常识的角度来看，与你的信仰完全矛盾的。但常识不是信心，信心也不是常识。事实上，它们就像天然生命和属灵生命的不同。你能在常识无法信任耶稣基督的地方，信任祂吗？当你的常识生活的现实继续喊叫「这都是谎言」时，你能勇敢地依靠耶稣基督的话前行吗？当你在山顶时，很容易说：「哦，是的，我相信神能做到这一点。」但你必须从山顶下来，来到被鬼附的人所在的山谷，面对嘲笑你登山变像信仰的事实（见路加福音 9:28-42）。每当我的神学在我脑海中变得清晰时，我就会遇到与之矛盾的东西。一旦我说：「我信『神使[我的]一切所需用的都充足』」，我的信心测试就开始了（腓立比书4:19）。当我的力量枯竭，我的视野变得盲目时，我会胜利地忍受信心的考验？还是会在失败中倒退？
信仰必须经过考验，因为它只能通过冲突才能成为你的亲密产业。现在是什么在挑战你的信心？这考验要么证明你的信心是正确的，要么就杀死它。耶稣说：「凡不因我跌倒的，就有福了。」（马太福音 11:6）。终极之事乃是对耶稣的信心，「我们若将起初确实的信心，坚持到底，就在基督里有分了。」（希伯来书3:14）。要坚定地相信祂，一切挑战你的事都会增强你的信心。在信仰生活中有不断的考验，直到我们的肉体死亡，这是最后的大考验。信心是绝对信任神——这种信任永远无法想象祂会丢弃我们（见希伯来书13:5-6）。
来自章伯斯的智慧
新约根本不容许那些声称他是靠着恩典得救却未生出恩典的好果子的人。耶稣基督以祂的救赎可以使我们的实际生活与我们的宗教信仰相符合。《登山宝训研读》
0829 The Unsurpassed Intimacy of Tested Faith
Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” —John 11:40
Every time you venture out in your life of faith, you will find something in your circumstances that, from a commonsense standpoint, will flatly contradict your faith. But common sense is not faith, and faith is not common sense. In fact, they are as different as the natural life and the spiritual. Can you trust Jesus Christ where your common sense cannot trust Him? Can you venture out with courage on the words of Jesus Christ, while the realities of your commonsense life continue to shout, “It’s all a lie”? When you are on the mountaintop, it’s easy to say, “Oh yes, I believe God can do it,” but you have to come down from the mountain to the demon-possessed valley and face the realities that scoff at your Mount-of-Transfiguration belief (see Luke 9:28-42). Every time my theology becomes clear to my own mind, I encounter something that contradicts it. As soon as I say, “I believe ‘God shall supply all [my] need,’ ” the testing of my faith begins (Philippians 4:19). When my strength runs dry and my vision is blinded, will I endure this trial of my faith victoriously or will I turn back in defeat?
Faith must be tested, because it can only become your intimate possession through conflict. What is challenging your faith right now? The test will either prove your faith right, or it will kill it. Jesus said, “Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me” Matthew 11:6). The ultimate thing is confidence in Jesus. “We have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end…” (Hebrews 3:14). Believe steadfastly on Him and everything that challenges you will strengthen your faith. There is continual testing in the life of faith up to the point of our physical death, which is the last great test. Faith is absolute trust in God— trust that could never imagine that He would forsake us (see Hebrews 13:5-6).
WISDOM FROM OSWALD CHAMBERS
There is no allowance whatever in the New Testament for the man who says he is saved by grace but who does not produce the graceful goods. Jesus Christ by His Redemption can make our actual life in keeping with our religious profession. Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, 1465 R