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「有捆鎖與患難等待我。我卻不以……為念。」（聖經使徒行傳二十章 23/24 節）
我們在撒母耳記裡面看見：當大衛在希伯崙受膏作王的時候，「非利士眾人就上來尋索大衛」（聖經撒母耳記下五章 17 節）。照樣，我們在神前受寵蒙愛的時候，仇敵撒但不甘心，就上來尋索我們，前來攔阻我們，和我們搗亂。
患難是勝利的捷徑。山路之後，就是大路。一切偉大的事業上面，都有患難的印跡的。發光的金鍊，必須經過爐火的燒錘。沒有一個人配算為得勝者，除非他經歷苦楚。
額上有刺痕的「憂患之子」，說：「在世上你們有苦難」── 可是在這傷心的一句之後，就來了一句應允：「但你們可以放心，我已經勝了世界」（聖經約翰福音十六章33節）。
主在世上留下的腳蹤，原是叫我們跟隨祂的。那帶血的腳步，是引領我們上寶座的。傷斑是鐵杖的代價，我們的冠冕必須花力爭奪的，這些都是公開的祕密。
每一本偉大的著作都是作者血的結晶。誰是希臘的大詩人？荷馬（Homer），他是一個盲人；誰是寫那部不朽之作「天路歷程」的？是一個穿紫袍，享受安樂的王子嗎？不是！乃是培德福（Bedford）牢獄中的一個囚犯本仁約翰（John Bunyan）。 ── 選
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“None of these things move me.” (Acts 20:24.)
We read in the book of Samuel that the moment that David was crowned at Hebron, “all the Philistines came up to seek David.” And the moment we get anything from the Lord worth contending for, then the devil comes to seek us.
Tribulation is the way to triumph. The valley-way opens into the highway. Tribulation’s imprint is on all great things. Crowns are cast in crucibles. Chains of character that wind about the feet of God are forged in earthly flames. No man is greatest victor till he has trodden the winepress of woe.
With seams of anguish deep in His brow, the “Man of Sorrows” said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation” – but after this sob comes the psalm of promise, “Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
The footprints are traceable everywhere. Blood-marks stain the steps that lead to thrones. Scars are the price of scepters. Our crowns will be wrested from the giants we conquer. Grief has always been the lot of greatness. It is an open secret.
Every great book has been written with the author’s blood. “These are they that have come out of great tribulation.” Who was the peerless poet of the Greeks? Homer. But that illustrious singer was blind. Who wrote the fadeless dream of “Pilgrim’s Progress”? A prince in royal purple upon a couch of ease? Nay! The trailing splendor of that vision gilded the ding walls of old Bedford jail while John Bunyan, a princely prisoner, a glorious genius, made a faithful transcript of the scene.
Great is the facile conqueror; Yet haply, he, who, wounded sore, Breathless, all covered o’er with blood and sweat, Sinks fainting, but fighting evermore-- --- Selected.
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