April 12

"And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness¹, being forty days tempted² of the devil." (Luke 4:1, 2)

Jesus was full of the Holy Ghost, and yet He was tempted. Temptation often comes upon a man with its strongest power when he is nearest to God. As someone has said, "The devil aims high." He got one apostle to say he did not even know Christ.

Very few men have such conflicts with the devil as Martin Luther had. Why? Because Martin Luther was going to shake the very kingdom of hell. Oh, what conflicts John Bunyan had!

If a man has much of the Spirit of God, he will have great conflicts with the tempter. God permits temptation because it does for us what the storms do for the oaks--it roots us; and what the fire does for the paintings on the porcelain--it makes them permanent.

You never know that you have a grip on Christ, or that He has a grip on you, as well as when the devil is using all his force to attract you from Him; then you feel the pull of Christ's right hand. --Selected.

Extraordinary afflictions are not always the punishment of extraordinary sins, but sometimes the trial of extraordinary graces. God hath many sharp-cutting instruments, and rough files for the polishing of His jewels; and those He especially loves, and means to make the most resplendent, He hath oftenest His tools upon. --Archbishop Leighton.

I bear my willing witness that I owe more to the fire, and the hammer, and the file, than to anything else in my Lord's workshop. I sometimes question whether I have ever learned anything except through the rod. When my schoolroom is darkened, I see most. --C. H. Spurgeon.

　 四月十二日

“耶稣被圣灵充满，从约但河回来，圣灵将他引到旷野，四十天受魔鬼的试探”（路四：1）。

　　耶稣被圣灵充满，但是也被魔鬼试探。魔鬼的试探常带着它全副力量去寻找一个最近神的人。有人说：“魔鬼有大志”，这句话实在不错。他曾抓住一个使徒，叫他说他不认得主。

　　马丁路得（Martin Luther）所受的撒但的攻击比任何人更多。因为马丁路得把地狱的根基摇动。约翰本仁（John Bunyan）也如此。

　　越被圣灵充满的人，越多受到撒但的攻击。神许可试探临到我们，因为试探能叫我们得到益处。正如暴风使橡树扎根更深，烈火使磁上的油彩更为耐久。

　　你从来不知道主怎样护庇你，用手抓住你；直到撒但尽力引诱你离开主的时侯，你才会觉得主全能的手紧紧牵着你。——选

　　特别的苦难不一定是特别的罪恶的刑罚，有时候反是特别的祝福。神有许多锐利的器具，是用以琢磨他心爱的宝石的；凡是他所特别心爱的，他就常常加以琢磨。——雷登

　　我今天愿意在这里作一个见证：我一生的转变，全靠我主工厂里的烈火，钉锤，锉刀，棒杖。——司布真

1 wilderness   

n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

2 tempted   

v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）

参考例句：

• I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
• I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。