November 15

“Pressed out of measure” (2 Cor.1:8)

“That the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Cor.12:9)

God allowed the crisis to close around Jacob on the night when he bowed at Peniel in supplication¹, to bring him to the place where he could take hold of God as he never would have done; and from that narrow pass of peril², Jacob became enlarged in his faith and knowledge of God, and in the power of a new and victorious³ life.

God had to compel David, by a long and painful discipline of years, to learn the almighty⁴ power and faithfulness of his God, and grow up into the established principles of faith and godliness, which were indispensable for his glorious career as the king of Israel

Nothing but the extremities⁵ in which Paul was constantly placed could ever have taught him, and taught the Church through him, the full meaning of the great promise he so learned to claim, "My grace is sufficient for thee."

And nothing but our trials and perils⁶ would ever have led some of us to know Him as we do, to trust Him as we have, and to draw from Him the measures of grace which our very extremities made indispensable.

Difficulties and obstacles are God's challenges to faith. When hindrances⁷ confront us in the path of duty, we are to recognize them as vessels⁸ for faith to fill with the fullness and all-sufficiency of Jesus; and as we go forward, simply and fully⁹ trusting Him, we may be tested, we may have to wait and let patience have her perfect work; but we shall surely find at last the stone rolled away, and the Lord waiting to render unto us double for our time of testing. ━A. B. Simpson

十一月十五日

「被压太重，力不能胜。」 （林后一:8）

「好叫基督的能力覆庇我。」 （林后十二:9）

雅各在毘努依勒，初次经历了一个从未经历的秘诀━抓住神；从那一次以后，雅各的信心有了长进，他对神有了更深的认识，他的生活也有新的得胜能力了。

对待大卫，神必须让他经过长期痛苦的训练，叫他知道神的全能与信实好使他的信心和敬畏的心得以增长，因为这些美德对于他将来作王是极其紧要的。

没有别的，只有保罗所不断经历的困难、痛苦、危险，能叫保罗学到，能叫全教会学到，「我的恩典够你用的」（林后十二9）这伟大应许的完全意义。

今天能带我们认识主、信靠主、向主支取无限恩典的，不是别的，乃是我们的试炼和危险。

神给我们困难和障碍，为的是要对付我们的信心。我们在日常的道路上，如果遭遇甚么障碍，我们就该认识它们是装信心的器皿，立刻拿主的丰富和「够用」去装满它们；当我们前进，简简单单、完完全全信靠的时候，我们也许还会受到试验，我们也许还需要忍耐等候；但是无论如何，到了最后，我们一定会看见石头辊开，主耶稣等着赐恩给我们的。━宣信

1 supplication   

n.恳求，祈愿，哀求

参考例句：

• She knelt in supplication. 她跪地祷求。
• The supplication touched him home. 这个请求深深地打动了他。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

2 peril   

n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物

参考例句：

• The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。
• The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。

3 victorious   

adj.胜利的，得胜的

参考例句：

• We are certain to be victorious.我们定会胜利。
• The victorious army returned in triumph.获胜的部队凯旋而归。

4 almighty   

adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的

参考例句：

• Those rebels did not really challenge Gods almighty power.这些叛徒没有对上帝的全能力量表示怀疑。
• It's almighty cold outside.外面冷得要命。

5 extremities   

n.端点( extremity的名词复数 )；尽头；手和足；极窘迫的境地

参考例句：

• She was most noticeable, I thought, in respect of her extremities. 我觉得她那副穷极可怜的样子实在太惹人注目。 来自辞典例句
• Winters may be quite cool at the northwestern extremities. 西北边区的冬天也可能会相当凉。 来自辞典例句

6 perils   

极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境）

参考例句：

• The commander bade his men be undaunted in the face of perils. 指挥员命令他的战士要临危不惧。
• With how many more perils and disasters would he load himself? 他还要再冒多少风险和遭受多少灾难？

7 hindrances   

阻碍者( hindrance的名词复数 )； 障碍物； 受到妨碍的状态

参考例句：

• She also speaks out against the traditional hindrances to freedom. 她甚至大声疾呼，反对那些阻挡自由的、统礼教的绊脚石。
• When this stage is reached then the hindrances and karma are overcome. 唯此状态达到后，则超越阻碍和因果。

8 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。