双语灵修（葛培理牧师）：10月9日 （与祂）一同受苦

10月9日

（与祂）一同受苦

……我以认识我主基督耶稣为至宝。我为祂已经丢弃万事，看作粪土，为要得着基督；并且得以在祂里面，不是有自己因律法而得的义，乃是有信基督的义，就是因信神而来的义；使我认识基督，晓得祂复活的大能，并且晓得和祂一同受苦，效法祂的死。

腓立比书3:8-10

圣经从未教导基督徒可以免受世上的苦难和灾害。基督徒可以用一种超自然的能力去面对磨难、危机、灾害和个人痛苦，而这是不在基督里的人无法得到的。中国江苏省前省长的女儿蔡苏娟是一名基督徒，她写道：“在我患病的53年里，我从不敢问神为什么让我这么长时间受苦，我只问祂想要我做什么。”圣奥古斯丁写道：“忍受不幸强于作恶寻欢。”

鹰是唯一一种能让翅膀静止等候合适风向的鸟类。它等候气流上升，从不扇动翅膀，只是翱翔。因此，当我们等候神时，祂会利用逆境和强风来帮助我们。圣经说：“等候耶和华的……必如鹰展翅上腾”（以赛亚书40:31）。

基督徒在逼迫中仍可喜乐，因为他们注目于永恒的价值。当面临压力时，他们会超越目前的困境，仰望天上的荣耀。想到未来的生命中所拥有的特权和喜乐，现在的试炼就显得至暂至轻了。“……因为天国是他们的。”

今日祷告：

天父，我感谢祢，在苦难中我们得到喜乐，因为在我们生命里有主同在；奉耶稣的名，阿们。

October 9

THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERINGS

…I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord:for whom I have suffered the loss of all things,and do count them but dung,that I may win Christ,and be found in him,not having mine own righteousness,which is of the law,but that which is through the faith of Christ,the righteousness which is of God by faith:that I may know him,and the power of his resurrection,and the fellowship of his sufferings,being made conformable unto his death.Philippians 3:8-10

Nowhere does the Bible teach that Christians are to be exempt from the tribulations and natural disasters that come upon the world.It does teach that the Christian can fathom tribulation,crisis,calamity,and personal suffering with a supernatural power that is not available to the person outside of Christ.Christiana Tsai,the Christian daughter of a former governor of Kiangsu Province in China,wrote,“Throughout my many years of illness[53],I have never dared to ask God why He allowed me to suffer so long.I only ask what He wants me to do.”St.Augustine wrote,“Better is he that suffereth evil than the jollity of him that doeth evil.”

The eagle is the only bird that can lock its wings and wait for the right wind.He waits for the updraft and never has to flap his wings,just soar.So as we wait on God He will help us use the adversities and strong winds to benefit us!The Bible says,“They that wait upon the Lord…shall mount up with wings as eagles”(Isaiah 40:31).

Christians can rejoice in the midst of persecution because they have eternity’s values in view.When the pressures are on,they look beyond their present predicament to the glories of heaven.The thought of the future life with its prerogatives and joys helps to make the trials of the present seem light and transient.”…For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Pray for the Day:

Father,I thank You that through suffering we find joy because we have the presence of Jesus in our lives;in Jesus’Name,Amen