September 7

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Ps. 46:1).

The question often comes, "Why didn't He help me sooner?" It is not His order. He must first adjust you to the trouble and cause you to learn your lesson from it. His promise is, "I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him." He must be with you in the trouble first all day and all night. Then He will take you out of it. This will not come till you have stopped being restless and fretful about it and become calm and quiet. Then He will say, "It is enough."(2 Sam.24:16)

God uses trouble to teach His children precious lessons. They are intended to educate us. When their good work is done, a glorious recompense will come to us through them. There is a sweet joy and a real value in them. He does not regard them as difficulties but as opportunities. --Selected

Not always OUT of our troublous times,

And the struggles fierce and grim,

But IN-deeper IN-to our one sure rest,

The place of our peace, in Him.

-Annie Johnson Flint

We once heard a simple old colored man say something that we have never forgotten: "When God tests you, it is a good time for you to test Him by putting His promises to the proof, and claiming from Him just as much as your trials have rendered necessary."

There are two ways of getting out of a trial. One is to simply try to get rid of the trial, and be thankful when it is over. The other is to recognize the trial as a challenge from God to claim a larger blessing¹ than we have ever had, and to hail it with delight as an opportunity of obtaining a larger measure of Divine grace. Thus even the adversary² becomes an auxiliary³, and the things that seem to be against us turn out to be for the furtherance of our way. Surely, this is to be more than conquerors⁴ through Him who loved us.

--A. B. Simpson

九月七日

「神是我们的避难所，是我们的力量，是我们在患难中随时的帮助。」（诗四十六1）

　常有人问：「神为甚么不早一点帮助我？」我们的回答乃是：这不是神的次序。神要你先在患难中学习功课。神的应许是：「他在急难中，我要与他同在，我要搭救他，使他尊贵。」（诗九十一15）神必须先和你同在急难中，然后再救你从其中出来。甚么时候纔救你出来呢？乃是在你不再好动，不再烦躁，完全镇定、安静的时候。那时候神要说：「够了」（撒下廿四16）

神常常借着患难给我们宝贵的功课。目的为要教导我们。当神的目的达到了之后，我们就要得着荣耀的报偿。所以患难里面蕴藏着的，乃是甘甜的喜乐和眞实的价值。这样看来，神给我们的，不是患难，乃是机会。－－选

我记得有一次有一位年老的弟兄对我说：「当神试验你的时候，正是你试验神的好机会－－你可以把祂的应许拿来放在祂面前，尽量向祂索取你在试炼中所需用的一切」

要脱离试炼，有两种方法。一种是直接求神救你脱离试炼；当试炼过去的时候，就当感谢。另一种是承认试炼是从神来的一个挑战，你应当抓住这个机会，向神索取更大的祝福。这样，连仇敌也被我们利用了；反对我们的，成了我们的帮助。这就是靠着爱我们的主已得胜有余了。－－宣信

1 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。

2 adversary   

adj.敌手，对手

参考例句：

• He saw her as his main adversary within the company.他将她视为公司中主要的对手。
• They will do anything to undermine their adversary's reputation.他们会不择手段地去损害对手的名誉。

3 auxiliary   

adj.辅助的，备用的

参考例句：

• I work in an auxiliary unit.我在一家附属单位工作。
• The hospital has an auxiliary power system in case of blackout.这家医院装有备用发电系统以防灯火管制。

4 conquerors   

征服者，占领者( conqueror的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Danes had selfconfidence of conquerors, and their security precautions were casual. 这些丹麦人具有征服者的自信，而且他们的安全防卫也是漫不经心的。
• The conquerors believed in crushing the defeated people into submission, knowing that they could not win their loyalty by the victory. 征服者们知道他们的胜利并不能赢得失败者的忠心，于是就认为只有通过武力才能将他们压服。