July 20

"Seeing then that we have a great high priest...Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fas our profession. Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."(Heb. 4:14,16.)

OUR great Helper in prayer is the Lord Jesus Christ, our Advocate with the Father, our Great High Priest, whose chief ministry¹ for us these centuries has been intercession and prayer. He it is who takes our imperfect petitions from our hands, cleanses² then from their defects, corrects their faults, and then claims their answer from His Father on His own account and through His all-atoning merits and righteousness.

Brother, are you fainting in prayer? Look up. Your blessed Advocate has already claimed your answer, and you would grieve and disappoint Him if you were to give up the conflict in the very moment when victory is on its way to meet you. He has gone in for you into the inner chamber³, and already holds up your name upon the palms of His hands; and the messenger, which is to bring you your blessing⁴, is now on his way, and the Spirit is only waiting your trust to whisper in your heart the echo of the answer from the throne, "It is done." --- A. B. Simpson.

The Spirit has much to do with acceptable prayer, and His work in prayer is too much neglected. He enlightens the mind to see its wants, softens⁵ the heart to feel them, quickens our desires after suitable supplies, gives clear views of God's power, wisdom, and grace to relieve us, and stirs up that confidence in His truth which excludes all wavering. Prayer is, therefore, a wonderful thing. In every acceptable prayer the whole Trinity is concerned. --- J. Angell James.

七月二十日

「我们既然有一位....大祭司，就是神的儿子耶稣，便当持定所承认的道。....我们只管坦然无惧，来到施恩的宝座前，为要得怜恤，蒙恩惠作随时的帮助。」（来四: 14、16）

　　我们祷告上最大的帮手就是主耶稣基督，祂是我们在父那里的中保、我们的大祭司，祂现在主要的职务，就是替我们在父前说情、代求。祂从我们手里把我们不完全的祈祷接过去，将其中的污秽洁净了，错误更正了，然后用自己的名义，藉赎罪的功绩和正直到父前去索取答应。

弟兄姊妹，你对于祷告已经灰心了吗？决不要这样。你的中保已经替你索到答应了，胜利已经在路上了。如果祂看见你放弃了祈求， 这要使祂多么忧愁多么失望呢！祂已经为你进到神的内室，已经将你的名字用两手递了上去；报好信息的使者也在路上了，圣灵只在等待━要在你信靠的时候，将宝座前答应的回声━「已成了」━轻声报在你心里。── 信宣

　　在每一个蒙答应的祷告上，圣灵都曾花了极大的力量来帮助我们，可惜我们常常将祂的工作忽略了。祂启发我们的意志，叫我们看见祷告的需要； 祂软化我们的心来同意；祂催促我们的愿望；祂叫我们清楚看见神的能力、智慧和恩典来享受慰藉；祂鼓励我们倚靠主的信实来排斥一切的疑惧。 所以在每一个蒙答应的祷告上，父、子、灵，都占了极重要的地位。── 安格雅各布

1 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

2 cleanses   

弄干净，清洗( cleanse的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Prayer cleanses the soul, but pain cleanses the body. 祈祷净化灵魂，而痛苦则净化身体。
• With water and iodine from the closet, he cleanses my lip. 用温水和碘从壁橱里，他洗净我的嘴唇。

3 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

4 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

5 softens   

（使）变软( soften的第三人称单数 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰

参考例句：

• Iron softens with heat. 铁受热就软化。
• Moonlight softens our faults; all shabbiness dissolves into shadow. 月光淡化了我们的各种缺点，所有的卑微都化解为依稀朦胧的阴影。 来自名作英译部分