"……Stablish, strengthen, settle you."(1 Peter 5:10)
In taking Christ in any new relationship, we must first have sufficient intellectual light to satisfy our mind that we are entitled to stand in this relationship. The shadow of a question here will wreck our confidence. Then, having seen this, we must make the venture, the committal, the choice, and take the place just as definitely as the tree is planted in the soil, or the bride gives herself away at the marriage altar. It must be once for all, without reserve, without recall.
Then there is a season of establishing, settling and testing, during which we must "stay put" until the new relationship gets so fixed as to become a permanent habit. It is just the same as when the surgeon sets the broken arm. He puts it in splints to keep it from vibration. So God has His spiritual splints that He wants to put upon His children and keep them quiet and unmoved until they pass the first stage of faith. It is not always easy work for us, "but the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Jesus Christ, after that ye have suffered awhile, stablish, strengthen, settle you." ━A.B. Simpson.
There is a natural law in sin and sickness; and if we just let ourselves go and sink into the trend of circumstances, we shall go down and sink under the power of the tempter. But there is another law of spiritual life and of physical life in Christ Jesus to which we can rise, and through which we can counterpoise and overcome the other law that bears us down.
But to do this requires real spiritual energy and fixed purpose and a settled posture and habit of faith. It is just the same as when we use the power in our factory. We must turn on the belt and keep it on. The power is there, but we must keep the connection; and while we do so, the higher power will work and all the machinery will be in operation.
There is a spiritual law of choosing, believing, abiding, and holding steady in our walk with God, which is essential to the working of the Holy Ghost either in our sanctification or healing. ━Days of Heaven upon Earth.
一月二十七日
“那赐诸般恩典的神，曾在基督里召你们，得享祂永远的荣耀，等你们暂受苦难之后，必要亲自成全你们，坚固你们，赐力量给你们。” （彼前五：10）
当我们和基督结合进入新的关系之时，我们首先要有足够的智慧使自己认识，我们应该始终保持这个关系。在这开头，任何疑问的阴影，都会破坏我们的亲密。看清了这一点之后，我们必须大胆作承担的抉择，就象树木种在泥土中，或新娘在礼坛前许配终身一样，确定自己的地位。必须永远不渝，既无保留，亦无反悔的余地。
然后，要经过一段试炼和培植的时期，在这个期间，我们必须坚毅稳定，直到新的关系变为根深蒂固的常规。臂膊折了骨，使它避免任何震动。神也要给祂的子女按上了精神的夹板，使他们安定不动，直到他们通过信心的第一阶段。对于我们，这不一定是容易的，“但赐我们以一切恩典的神，曾在基督里召你们，得享祂永远的荣耀，等你们暂受苦难之后，必要亲自成全你们，坚固你们，赐力量给你们”。━辛浦生
罪恶和病患，都有一条相通的自然律；如果我们让自己去陷入它们的不良趋势之中，我们就会沉沦下去，落入魔鬼的掌握。但在耶稣基督里，另有一条关于精神生活和肉体生活的定律，可使我们超升，藉此抵制或克服那另一条使我们沉沦的自然律。
但要达到此目的，必须具有真正的精神力量，坚决的志愿，安定的情绪，和恒常的信心。这就象我们在工厂里运用动力一样。我们必须使轮机继续运转。因为动力是存在的，但我们必须保持联系，有了这个联系之后，动力发生了作用，整个机器也就开动了。
有一条精神生活的定律，要我们在和神同行时，有选择的决断，有信仰的恒心，和坚固的执着，圣灵之使我们神圣化和救治我们，这条定律是整个紧要的关键。━地上属天生活