0829 被考驗過的信心無比親密
耶穌說：「我不是對你說過，你若信，就必看見神的榮耀么？」《約翰福音 11:40》
每次你在信心生活中冒險時，你都會發現環境中的某些東西，從常識的角度來看，與你的信仰完全矛盾的。但常識不是信心，信心也不是常識。事實上，它們就像天然生命和屬靈生命的不同。你能在常識無法信任耶穌基督的地方，信任祂嗎？當你的常識生活的現實繼續喊叫「這都是謊言」時，你能勇敢地依靠耶穌基督的話前行嗎？當你在山頂時，很容易說：「哦，是的，我相信神能做到這一點。」但你必須從山頂下來，來到被鬼附的人所在的山谷，面對嘲笑你登山變像信仰的事實（見路加福音 9:28-42）。每當我的神學在我腦海中變得清晰時，我就會遇到與之矛盾的東西。一旦我說：「我信『神使[我的]一切所需用的都充足』」，我的信心測試就開始了（腓立比書4:19）。當我的力量枯竭，我的視野變得盲目時，我會勝利地忍受信心的考驗？還是會在失敗中倒退？
信仰必須經過考驗，因為它只能通過衝突才能成為你的親密產業。現在是什麼在挑戰你的信心？這考驗要麼證明你的信心是正確的，要麼就殺死它。耶穌說：「凡不因我跌倒的，就有福了。」（馬太福音 11:6）。終極之事乃是對耶穌的信心，「我們若將起初確實的信心，堅持到底，就在基督里有分了。」（希伯來書3:14）。要堅定地相信祂，一切挑戰你的事都會增強你的信心。在信仰生活中有不斷的考驗，直到我們的肉體死亡，這是最後的大考驗。信心是絕對信任神——這種信任永遠無法想象祂會丟棄我們（見希伯來書13:5-6）。
來自章伯斯的智慧
新約根本不容許那些聲稱他是靠着恩典得救卻未生出恩典的好果子的人。耶穌基督以祂的救贖可以使我們的實際生活與我們的宗教信仰相符合。《登山寶訓研讀》
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