双语灵修（葛培理牧师）：4月24日 主是盼望

4月24日

主是盼望

“耶和华却要作他百姓的避难所，作以色列人的保障。”

约珥书3:16

已故英国历史学家阿诺德·汤因比（Arnold Toynbee）向世界喊出他的口号，“坚持，希望”。换言之，他说，世界正处于风雨飘摇之中，多年前我们所持守的理念已经土崩瓦解。但是，他建议人类仍要坚守并满怀希望。

然而，有成千上万的人，每天靠着对永生神活泼的信心，找到了人生风暴的避难所。在世界历史上，在这样的时刻，仰望上帝绝不是逃避现实。无数智者以自己的亲身经历见证与基督的重要关系才是世界上最令人满意的经历。他们发现，在基督里的信心，足以应对当时的压力。

美国东部一个州长在一个八千人的集会上说，在基督里的信心给了他真正的平安、稳妥和喜乐。基督在这个州长身上所成就的，同样也会在你的身上成就，只要你降服于他。

可是，一些读过这些文字的人却被罪牢牢地辖制住了。你的灵魂在孤独的绝望中，此时此刻你会问：“人生还值得活下去吗？”

每周很多人写信到我的明尼阿波利斯办公室，他们觉得人生不值得再过下去。我要告诉他们所有人一个好消息。神创造了我们，不是让我们生来就失败、气馁，灰心丧志，带着漂泊迷茫的心，成为无处安放的灵魂。神对我们有更大的计划。这个问题的答案无论多么远大，它就近在咫尺，就在圣经里，它如此简单，像小学一年级的算术；而又那么真实，如同你的心跳。

圣经说：“然而，靠着爱我们的主，在这一切的事上已经得胜有余了。”（罗马书8:37）

圣经又教导我们，“因为凡从神生的，就胜过世界；使我们胜了世界的，就是我们的信心。”（约翰一书5:4）

以神的话语的权威，我可以宣告，基督是人类一切问题的答案。在基督里，我们可以找到关怀护理的良方、治疗丧亲之痛的良药，医治我们的伤痛，弥补我们的缺乏。

今日祷告：

天父，您给了我们盼望。在基督里，祢弥补了我们的缺乏，祢治愈了我们的伤痛。主啊，我们感谢你，求你用圣灵充满我们，引领我们；奉耶稣的名，阿门。

April 24

HE IS OUR HOPE

…The Lord will be the hope of his people,and the strength of the children of Israel.Joel 3:16

A late British historian,Arnold Toynbee,gave his slogan to the world when he said,“Cling,and hope.”In other words,he says the storm is raging;all the ideals that we held a few years ago are crumbling;but he advised the human race to cling and hope.

However,there are thousands of people who day by day find refuge from the storms of life by their living faith in a living God!

To turn to God in an hour such as this in the history of the world is much more than a form of escapism.Multiplied thousands of normal,intelligent people have tried and proved that a vital relationship with Christ is the most satisfying experience in all the world.They have found that faith in Christ is more than adequate for the pressures of this hour.

The governor of an eastern state told eight thousand people at a conference how faith in Christ had given him peace,security,and happiness.What Christ had done for this governor,Christ can do for you,if you surrender your will to Him.

Yet some who read these lines are held in the viselike grip of sin’s confusion.The despair of loneliness has settled down upon your soul,and at this very moment you are asking the question,“Is life worth living?”

To scores of people who write every week to our office in Minneapolis,life has ceased to be worth living.For all of them I have good news.God did not create us to be defeated,discouraged,frustrated wandering souls,seeking in vain for peace of heart and peace of mind.He has bigger plans for us.The answer to our problem,however great,is as near as the Bible,as simple as first-grade arithmetic,and as real as one’s heartbeat.

The Bible says,“In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us”(Romans 8:37).

The Bible teaches that“Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world:and this is the victory that overcometh the world,even our faith”(1 John 5:4).

Upon the authority of God’s Word,I declare that Christ is the answer to every baffling perplexity which plagues mankind.In Him is found the cure for care,a balm for bereavement,a healing for our hurts,and a sufficiency for our insufficiency.

Pray for the Day:

Father,You have given us hope.In Christ we have the sufficiency for our insufficiency,the balm to heal our wounds.We thank You Lord,and we pray that You will fill us with Your Holy Spirit and lead us;in Jesus’Name,Amen.