「亞伯拉罕所信的,是那叫死人復活,使無變為有的神,祂在主面前作我們世人的父。如經上所記,我已作多國的父。」 (聖經羅馬書 4 章 17 節)
亞伯拉罕為甚麼這樣信靠神?照世人的眼光看來,亞伯拉罕到了這麼大的年齡,是不能再有作父親的希望了;但是神卻在他還沒有一些生子的兆頭以先,就叫他「多國的父」了;神既這樣說,亞伯拉罕就這樣信。
這就是信心;信心就是相信擁護神所說的。信心舉步的時候,彷彿前面全是空虛;但是腳一踏上去,就立即發見底下有 一塊穩固的磐石了。
神說你有甚麼,你就信你有甚麼;這樣,神必將你所信的給你。── 碎錦(Curmbs)
你應當甘心樂意地過著信心的生活,不要羨慕別的。雖然你看見你外面的燈光都熄滅了,天上的星光也蒙蔽了,四圍剩下的只是黑暗和危險,但是你還該歡喜快樂,因為知道神在你內心仍給你留下屬靈的燦爛 ── 信心點燃的明燈。── 阿伯漢(Thomas C. Upham)
時候已經到了,你不該棲息在懷疑的木竿上了,走出你自以為安全的巢窩來,披上信心的翅翼;小鳥兒必須出來學習飛 了。學習的時候,牠怕自己會跌下去,可是事實上並沒有跌 ── 牠的翅膀支住了牠。
讀者啊!只要信靠神,「你必要站住」(聖經羅馬書 14 章 4 節)。你可能要說:「我這樣軟弱的人,未必會得著能力罷 !」神說:「你會」。你可能要說:「我這易受誘惑、易於降服的天性,未必會得著勝利吧!」神說:「你會」。你可能要說 :「我這怯懦顫抖的心魂,未必會得著安寧罷!」神說:「你會」。
神既這樣說過,你當然不能以神為說謊的!說過了,難道會不去作嗎?所以如果已經得到了神一句話 ── 一個確 實的應許── 你就當絲毫不懷疑完完全全地信任祂,因為你不但有一句確實的話,你更有一位說話信實的主。── 費極斯(J.B.Figgis)
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"God...calleth those things which be not as though they were." (Rom. 4:17.)
WHAT does that mean? Why Abraham did this thing: he dared to believe God. It seemed an impossibility at his age that Abraham should become the father of a child; it looked incredible; and yet God called him a "father of many nations" before there was a sign of a child; and so Abraham called himself "father" because God called him so. That is faith; it is to believe and assert what God says. "Faith steps on seeming void, and finds the rock beneath."
Only say you have what God says you have, and He will make good to you all you believe. Only it must be real faith, all there is in you must go over in that act of faith to God. --- Crumbs.
Be willing to live by believing and neither think nor desire to live in any other way. Be willing to see every outward light extinguished, to see the eclipse of every star in the blue heavens, leaving nothing but darkness and perils around, if God will only leave in thy soul the inner radiance, the pure bright lamp which faith has kindled. --- Thomas C. Upham.
The moment has come when you must get off the perch of distrust, out of the nest of seeming safety, and onto the wings of faith; just such a time as comes to the bird when it must begin to try the air. It may seem as though you must drop to the earth; so it may seem to the fledgling. It, too, may feel very like falling; but it does not fall-it's pinions give it support, or, if they fail, the parent birds sweeps under and bears it upon its wings. Even so will God bear you. Only trust Him; "thou shalt be holden up." "Well, but" you say, "am I to cast myself upon nothing?" That is what the bird seems to have to do; but we know the air is there, and the air is not so unsubstantial as it seems. And you know the promises of God are there, and they are not unsubstantial at all. "But it seems an unlikely thing to come about that my poor weak soul should be girded with such strength." Has God said it shall? "That my tempted, yielding nature shall be victor in the strife." Has God said it shall? "That my timorous, trembling heart shall find peace?" Has God said it shall? for, if He has, you surely do not mean to give Him the lie! Hath he spoken, and shall He not do it? If you have gotten a word- "a sure word" of promise-take it implicitly, trust it absolutely. And this sure word you have; nay, you have more-you have Him who speaks the word confidently. "Yea, I say unto you," trust Him. --- J. B. Figges, M. A.
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