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「以利亞與我們是一樣性情的人」（雅二：１７）
我們要為此感謝神，以利亞躺在羅藤樹下，訴苦埋怨，疑惑不信，真是我們的寫照。但當以利亞與神交通的時候，情況立刻轉變了。以利亞是與我們一樣性情的人，他卻禱告了又禱告。這是最重要的一點，不僅是懇切禱告，而是「他禱告了又禱告」。繼續不斷的禱告。我們從這一點教訓上應有所得著，因其關鍵所在，乃是必須繼續不斷的禱告。
以利亞上了迦密山頂，他領悟了「信心」和「眼見」之所以不同的偉大啟示。當時所需要的不是降下火來，而是降雨；能命令火的人可用同樣方法命令洪水。聖經告訴我們，他屈身在地，將臉伏在兩膝之中；使自己的視覺和聽覺與外界隔絕，一切不見不聞。
以利亞對他僕人說：「你上去觀看」。他去了回來，很簡單地報告道：「沒有什麼。」
我們若處於這種情形下將如何呢？
我們會說：「這是同我所料想的一樣！」於是放棄了禱告。可是以利亞是這樣嗎？不，他說：「再去看看」。他的僕人回來報告說：「沒有什麼！」再去看。「沒有什麼！」
後來，僕人回來報告道：「有手掌那麼大的一小片雲。」手掌大的一片雲在以利亞祈禱中升起，霎時間降下雨來；亞哈雖有快馬拉車，也來不及趕回撒馬利亞的城門。這是信心之所以與眼見不同之處。信心把本身和外界隔絕，專心注目於上帝；眼見是憑觀察，什麼也看不到；視覺雖帶來毫無希望的消息，信心則繼續堅持，「禱告了又禱告」。如何方能如此禱告而發生效力呢？讓視覺帶來任何失望的報告，都不要加以理會。永生的上帝總是在天上垂聽，即使延遲不答，也是出於他的美意。
下面是三個孩子對信心所下的定義，可以說明信心堅強的程度。第一個孩子說：「信心是去握住基督」；第二個孩子說：「信心是抓牢基督」，第三個孩子說：「信心是絕不放鬆基督」。
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"Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are." (James 5:17..)
THANK God for that! He got under a juniper tree, as you and I have often done; he complained and murmured, as we have often done; was unbelieving, as we have often been. But that was not the case when he really got into touch with God. Though "a man subject to like passions as we are," "earnestly," but "he prayed in prayer." He kept on praying. What is the lesson here? You must keep praying.
Come up on the top of Carmel, and see that remarkable parable of Faith and Sight. It was not the descent of the fire that now was necessary, but the descent of the flood' and the man that can command the fire can command the flood by the same means and methods. We are told that he bowed himself to the ground with his face between his knees; that is, shutting out all sights and sounds. He was putting himself in a position where, beneath his mantle, he could neither see nor hear what was going forward.
He said to his servant, "Go and take an observation." He went and came back, and said─how sublimely brief! one word─"Nothing!"
What do we do under such circumstances?
We say, "It is just as I expected!" and we give up praying. Did Elijah? No, he said, "Go again." His servant again came back and said, "Nothing!" "Go again." "Nothing!"
By and by he came back, and said, "There is a little cloud like a man's hand." A man's hand had been raised in supplication, and presently down came the rain; and Ahab had not time to get back to the gate of Samaria with all his fast steeds. This is a parable of Faith and Sight─faith shutting itself up with God; sight taking observations and seeing nothing; faith going right on, and "praying in prayer," with utterly hopeless reports from sight.
Do you know how to pray that way, how to pray prevailingly? Let sight give as discouraging reports as it may, but pay no attention to these. The living God is still in the heavens and even to delay is part of His goodness. --- Arthur T. Pierson.
Each of three boys gave a definition of faith which is an illustration of the tenacity of faith. The first boy said, "It is taking hold of Christ"; the second, "Keeping hold"; and the third, "Not letting go."
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