(Matt 8:23-27)(太8:23-27)
We are entering the season of Lent with our Baptist family. 我们正进入浸信大家庭的斋期。Lent starts forty days before Easter and ends on Holy Sunday. 从复活节前四十天开始,到复活节前一个星期天结束。The forty days reminds us of when Jesus endured the temptation by Satan in the wilderness and overcame it to begin his ministry. 这四十天提醒我们耶稣在旷野受试探,并得胜开始他的事工。Lent for us is a time of repentance, fasting, and a time of self-examination and reflection, and preparation for the coming of Easter. 我们借此禁食、悔改、反思,准备复活节来临。
Our expectation from doing this is that we may be renewed to follow Jesus more closely,我们期望,借此可以被更新,更紧密地跟随耶稣,by practicing serving others, or seeking good for others, or giving our money away, or whatever God calls us to do in this season. 去操练服侍他人,求他人的益处,奉献金钱,和做神在这季节里叫我们做的一切。Also, it may become a spiritual habit to us. 同时,它也可能成为我们的一种属灵习惯。
Last Sunday上主日, we looked at the cost of following Jesus,我们分享了跟随耶稣的代价, today今天, we will continue to discover what happened to those disciples who said “yes” to Jesus .我们继续来看 当那些门徒跟随了耶稣后,发生了什么。And what we can learn from their stories我们从中能学什么, to strengthen our faith in our own circumstances因此在我们的环境里信心可以得坚固。 Let’s read Matt 8: 23-27(马太福音 8:23-27), 23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 耶稣上了船,门徒跟着他。 24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 海里忽然起了暴风,甚至船被波浪掩盖;耶稣却睡着了。 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 门徒来叫醒了他,说:「主啊,救我们,我们丧命啦!」 26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. 耶稣说:「你们这小信的人哪,为什么胆怯呢?」于是起来,斥责风和海,风和海就大大地平静了。 27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” 众人希奇,说:「这是怎样的人?连风和海也听从他了!」
I love this passage!我喜欢这话。Following Jesus is not boring! 跟随耶稣不是无聊的。“Reading the bible?读经 -bored!无聊?Praying about the bible祷告?bored!无聊?Going to church? 去教会?Bored无聊?” No! 不是!If you are following Jesus by the leading of the Spirit of the truth, 若你被圣灵引导跟随耶稣,you will never get bored,你绝不会无聊,but will be thrilled (excited)! 反而会很兴奋!Your life journey will be more exciting than riding a roller coaster.你的日子会比坐过山车还兴奋。
For the bible says,因经上说 “let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy.凡投靠你的,愿他们喜乐,时常欢呼,因为你护庇他们;Psa 5:11(诗篇 5:11 )The word “ever” means “all the time, “ever”的意思是每时 or always”或时常。Does anybody always sing for joy in this lifetime? 谁能时常都欢呼喜乐?No, it’s not possible. 不可能。But the one who takes refuge in Jesus will be glad!但谁投靠耶稣就会喜乐 !If he always takes refuge in Jesus若他时常投靠他,he will always sing for joy to Him!就时常欢呼喜乐 !
Let’s look at v.23,看23节 After Jesus called his disciples to follow Him, 耶稣呼召门徒来跟随后,Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him耶稣上了船,门徒跟着他。What do you expect to happen after you follow Him?你想会发生什么? Good things!好事 !Yes, absolutely, 是 绝对,good things will happen to you!好事会发生 !For Jesus is a good God! 因耶稣是良善!But we need to to see things with God’s eyes但需要我们放下自己的忧虑 by lying down our own worries!来用神的眼睛看事情!For we are called to participate in His divine nature,因祂呼召我们与祂圣洁的性情有份,and to escape from the corrupted self.是脱离世上情欲来的败坏。 Transforming your life demands faith.生命的改变需要信心来配合 。
Let’s see where and why Jesus took them there?让我们来看耶稣带他们去哪里?为什么去那里?V.24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. 海里忽然起了暴风,甚至船被波浪掩盖;Suddenly突然, without warning,没有通知 ,a violent storm came,大暴风来了,Jesus was sleeping, 耶稣在睡觉,the disciples were in extreme panic, 门徒们大受惊吓,“Lord,主啊 wake up, 醒一醒,don’t you know that we are going to die.你不知道我们快要没命了?” “Lord主啊, don’t you know I’m suffering你不知道我在受苦吗?My children are in bondage我的孩子在捆绑中…I’m being bullied我被欺负…I’m in financial difficulties我经济上有困难 I have marital problems我婚姻出问题了…I’m in a health crisis我身体出问题了…Lord主, do you really know I’m in trouble你真知道我在难处中吗…”
In the storms (trials and difficulties) of your life在你生命中的风暴(试炼和困境中), you may question God你或许问神, “Does God really know my situation?神你真知道我的难处吗 ?If so若是, why does He allow me to suffer such threats?为什么你让我承受惊吓?Doesn’t God want me to live peacefully?你不是要我享平安吗?” Yes,是的,God will not take you into something that He can’t take you through.神不会让你去承受不能承受的。I’m not talking about temptation that has been caused by our own sinful desires,我不是在说自己的私欲导致我们进入试探,What I’m talking about is following Jesus obediently,我说的是顺服跟随耶稣,yet encountering storms or difficulties. 却经历风雨困境。Let’s see the principles of following Jesus, 让我们来看看跟随耶稣的属灵原则。
1, Jesus takes us into storms 主带领我们经历风暴
Didn’t Jesus know that a violent storm would come up?主耶稣知道那大暴风要临到门徒吗 ?The answer is “Absolutely yes!”当然 Does Jesus know our troubles? 主知道我们在难处中吗?Of course. 当然。He is the omniscient God.祂是无所不知的神。Jesus sees you in your troubles! 主耶稣看见你的困境中!That makes it more difficult to understand.这让人更难理解了。In v.23, 23节it is Jesus,那是耶稣,who took them into the boat,带领他们进入那船,to experience a storm.去经历暴风雨。Why? Why did He take them into the storm? 为什么祂要带他们进入暴风雨?Why does He bring us into storms?为什么祂引我们进入风暴?In Mark 4:35-41, 可4:35-41 it repeats the same story,重复了这事 ,that Jesus took them into the boat with an instruction, 是主耶稣指示他们进入那船 “let us go over to the other side. 「我们渡到那边去吧。」 V 35b(可4:35下)”
Jesus said主耶稣说, “LET US”! 让我们!No just you! 不单是你!Let us!让我们 !The creator of ALL, 造万物的主,the One who Created the heavens and the earth and everything in them造天地和其中一切的, and our Redeemer says to us,我们的救主对我们说 “Let us go together!” 让我们一起。Jesus didn’t put them through the storm by themselves.主耶稣没有让他们自己去经历风暴。He was with them!祂和他们同在 !Jesus has the power to calm down storms,主有大能平静风浪,for He is the sovereign God.因祂是掌管万有的。When storms come into your life,当你经历生命中的风浪, He will not leave you alone,祂不丢下你一人独自担当。
Jesus says, 主说:“Let us go over to the other side. 「我们渡到那边去吧。」” The storm is for the disciples,这暴风是为门徒而来的,and for you and me to know who Jesus really is!也是为你和我真知道耶稣是谁而来的!And to grow our faith for the future work we might do in His kingdom.更是为我们的信心增长而来的 为预备我们做将来要做的而来的。Image that,试想 ,Where were those people who just made excuses not to follow Jesus? 那些才找了借口不跟随耶稣的人去哪里了?They probably went back home,或许他们在家里,or maybe were in their comfortable beds,或许他们在舒服的床上睡觉,yes, 是的,they didn’t encounter the threat of that storm. 他们没有遇见这风浪。But they also lost the opportunity to witness the breath-taking miracle when Jesus showed His power over storms personally,但当主耶稣显大能平息风暴时,他们却失去了亲眼见证这惊心动魄的神迹的机会,and how secure they would have been with Jesus in the midst of the storm. 和经历有主同在即便在大暴风中也是何等安全。Jesus said 主说, “Peace, I leave with you; my peace I give you. I don’t give to you as the world gives.我留下平安给你们;我将我的平安赐给你们。我所赐的,不像世人所赐的。你们心里不要忧愁,也不要胆怯。John 14:27(约翰福音 14:27) ”, the world gives us peace when everything is going our way,这世界也给我们平安是当我们顺心时,if we have good jobs,若你有好工作,good health, 有健康,good wives or husbands有好老婆,好老公…what if bad things comes our way?但若坏事来了?Or things are not going your way after you’ve prayed about them. 或你祷告后,事情不照你的意愿发生,你会怎样?Your children don’t listen to you;你的孩子也不听你的 ,you’ve lost your job?你失去工作了...”
Panic!惊恐 Fear!害怕!Getting angry! 生气!and anxiety!焦虑!because we take our eyes off from Jesus 因我们将眼睛从耶稣那里and turn our attention to the storm,转向了暴风雨 and forget the source of All, 我们忘了万物的源头,that Jesus is in control.是主耶稣在掌权。But Jesus says, 但耶稣说“Let us go over to the other side! 「我们渡到那边去吧。」” Yes!是的 !We need to go over to the other side! 我们需要渡到另一边去!To go from fear to peace! 从惧怕渡到安息那边去!To go from panic to peace 从惊恐到平安 and to go from anxieties to peace!从忧虑到安息 !Because Jesus is in our boat!因主耶稣在这船上。 Unless we are taken into the storms with Him,如果我们不被带进风暴中,we won’t know personally how powerful Jesus is! 我们就不能亲身经历主的大能!That he has overcome! 祂的得胜!And that He really is in control! 和祂确实在万物中掌权!
But here Jesus was sleeping! 可是,主竟然睡着了!In that context, 从上下文看到Jesus was very tired that evening after a long day of serving (Mark 4:35).经过一整天的服事,到了晚上,主耶稣已经疲倦极了。(可4:35)Christ was fully man, 耶稣基督是完全的人for he took a human body like us to share in our humanity.他取了与我们一样的肉身,亲身担当我们的软弱。
But He was also fully God. 祂也是完全的神。He has no sin 他没有罪 Even though he was sleeping就算在睡觉,nothing could go out of His control. 仍然掌管万有。In the storms在风浪中, He wants you to arise and pray祂要我们起来祷告。What do you pray in the storms? 你在经历风浪时会祷告什么? “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 「主啊,救我们,我们丧命啦!」 Jesus said to the disciples in Mark 4:40, 在(可4:40),耶稣对门徒说:“why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”「为什么胆怯?你们还没有信心吗?」 The disciples’ prayer was commented on by the Lord as “still having no faith”! 主居然评价门徒的祷告是“还没有信心”!
So why did Jesus take his disciples into a storm? 那么,主耶稣为什么要让门徒经历这场风浪?To build up their faith为要建立他们的信心, although they had followed Jesus, 尽管已经跟随了主,yet they still didn’t have enough faith to cope with difficult situations在困境中仍无信心。Through the storm, God’s intention was to build up their faith for the future tasks神是借着风浪,要建造他们的信心,为将来国度的服侍所用。
The same for us! 对我们也同样!In the storms of your life, 生活中的各种风浪, (like, suddenly you lose your job就如突然失去工作…or you get a bad report from your doctor, like our brother Louie did就如路易那样,医生告诉你得了重病…or anything that is not going your way或者你不期望的事发生了……
You’ll find that your head knowledge of “the teacher Jesus”, 那时你就会发现,whom you learned about at church or at theology class can’t calm your anger or fear down. 你在教会或神学课程中学到的“耶稣老师”的头脑知识,根本不能平息心中的愤怒和恐惧。Your faith needs to be built up!信心需要被建造!
In the storm在风浪中, you’ll come to realise that you need THE LORD JESUS to be the Lord of your life!你才会发现:你需要的是“全能主 耶稣”成为 你生命的主!In the NT在新约里, Peter the apostle tells us使徒彼得说, that we will suffer grief in all kinds of trials我们在百般试炼中暂时忧愁, but after having refined our faith但信心经过试炼后, if our faith is proved genuine若显出是坚固的是真的, we’ll receive praise就在主再来时被主称赞, glory, honour from our Lord Jesus when He comes again (see 1 Peter 1:6-7 ). 得着荣耀、尊贵。(彼得前书 1:6-7)
So by taking you into storms, 因此,借着领你进入风浪,He is gonna show you what an omnipotent God He is so that even the winds and waves listen to Him!祂要向你显明祂是全能者,连风和海也听从祂!By taking you through storms, He is gonna heal you from fear and transform your character into Christ-likeness! 借着领你进入风浪,祂要医治你的惧怕,塑造你成为基督的样式!
Without following Jesus into storms你若没有跟从耶稣进入过风暴, your faith will always be shallow你信心的程度总是很浅, like those crowds whose faith couldn’t please God.就如同那些“跟随的众人”,他们的信心不能讨神的喜悦。
In the storms of our life在经历暴风雨中, we learn how to “be still and know that He is God”,我们学习 “要安静,要知道祂是神” ,for the pride of the self loses its speaking rights 因那时这骄傲的老自己不再能说什么。And we will learn how to pray in the Spirit.我们会渐渐学习在圣灵中祷告。
You will find that if you pray, 你将发现,这样的祷告统统不管用了, “Lord, get me out of this job“主啊,让我换个工作吧…get me out of this marriage让我离开这段婚姻吧…Lord, change my wife (my husband), 主啊,求你改变我妻子(我丈夫), change my children改变我的孩子…get me out of my situation…” It won’t work.让我脱离现在的环境吧……” In the storms of your life,在风浪中,God is waiting for you to pray,神在等候你这样祷告 “Change me改变我…Lord,主啊 tear down my proud thoughts拆毁我的骄傲…destroy the angry, bitter, fearful feelings within me…Create the character of Christ within me…fill me with your love…so that I’ll be able to love my enemy…in Your love there is no fear…”清除我愤怒、苦毒、惧怕的情绪……塑造我里面基督的性情……求你用爱充满我……使我可以爱仇敌……在你的爱中没有惧怕……” Through the storm, God’s intention is to change your focus and transform you character to be more like Him 借着风浪,神的美意是要改变我们所定睛的,塑造我们的性情更像祂。
We see, in the story of the prophet Jonah, God had a job for him to do, but Jonah ran away from the will of God, because he didn’t want his enemies to be saved. 关于先知约拿的记载中说,神吩咐约拿去做一件事,但他因不愿仇敌蒙拯救,就逃避神的旨意。Jonah encountered a violent storm 约拿遇到了一场大风暴and was swallowed by a great fish 并被大鱼吞进肚子里which had been arranged by God.这是神安排的。
But in his distress但他在困苦中, he repented from his self-righteous thoughts, 向全能神悔改,and prayed to the God Almighty, 离弃自义,then, he was delivered by God’s great mercy and witnessed the power of forgiveness in God’s salvation personally. 神就大大怜悯救拔他脱离患难,约拿亲身见证神赦罪之恩。
In Mark 4:39, He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. (可4:39)耶稣醒了,斥责风,向海说:「住了吧!静了吧!」风就止住,大大地平静了。 “Quiet” is translated from the Greek root word “siopao”, which means “peace” or “refraining from speaking”. “Quiet”译自希腊词根“siopao”,是“平静”或“止住不说”的意思。
Jesus got up! Rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Peace! Be still.” For Jesus is the Prince of Peace! 耶稣起来!斥责风和浪,“住了吧!静了吧!”因耶稣是和平之君!To the amazement of the disciples, 这让门徒大为稀奇,the winds and waves were completely calm. 风和浪竟然完全止住了。No more winds!没有风 !No more waves!没有浪!That’s just because of the words Jesus spoke!这是因为耶稣的话!Who was this man 这人到底是谁? Christ Jesus is fully man基督是完全人 but He is fully God also! 又是完全神!In Col 1:16 it tells us《歌罗西书1:16》说Jesus created all things耶稣造万有, whether things in heaven or on earth, 无论是天上的,地上的things that you can see or you can’t see. 能看见的,不能看见的 He is the owner of the universe!万有都属于祂!
Therefore因此, Jesus has authority (dominion) over every creation耶稣掌管所有受造之物。Although the disciples had seen Jesus’ authority over sickness, 尽管门徒见到耶稣拥有掌管疾病,death and life, as well as demons, 生死、污鬼邪灵的权能,yet they still didn’t really know who Jesus was. 但他们还是不明白耶稣是谁。So in the midst of the storm在风浪中, they were still terrified of dying他们被死亡的恐惧所胜。But by the three words Jesus spoke, 但借着耶稣口中的三个字 “Quiet, be still”, 住了吧!静了吧! they personally experienced how powerful Jesus word was! 他们就亲身经历祂话语的大能!Even storms calm down.连大风暴也止住了!
In the midst of your storms (hardships)在风浪困境中, who do you look for to help? 你会找谁帮助你?Stop complaining about your circumstances, 停止抱怨你的环境, and complaining about people! 也不要抱怨人,That’s just wasting your time!那只是白白浪费时间!Believe that the storm is just for you to know who Jesus really is, 你要信,风暴来临,目的正是让你认识耶稣是谁,and how powerful His words are!并认识祂的话语有何等能力!
So in the midst of your storms,在风暴困境中 ,run to God’s words,转向神的话语, pick up your bible and read拿起你的圣经来读, and ask Him to speak to you, 求神借此向你说话and direct you with His words用祂的话指示你。Let the waves in your heart calm down! 使你心中的巨浪止息!Let the peace of Christ rule in your heart, 让基督的平安在你心中作主, for we are called to peace (see Col 3:15) 我们蒙召正是为此(西3:15)。For 因“in repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.你们得救在乎归回安息; 你们得力在乎平静安稳; Isa 30: 15(以赛亚书 30:15 )” It tells us, 这话告诉我们 ,If you want to gain the strength to overcome in your circumstances你若想得着胜过困境的力量, you are gonna pray for peace and quietness to rule in your heart 你就当祷告让平安和平静掌管你心by casting all your fears祷告除去一切惧怕, worries,忧虑 anger,恼怒 bitterness, 苦毒and unforgiveness out of your heart,和一切不饶恕 and trusting in God’s words 信靠神的话and waiting for Him to fight for you!等候祂为你争战!God works through His words!神借着祂的话行事!
By the word of God, the world was created; 世界藉着神的话被造;By the word of God, Christ Jesus defeated the temptation of the devil in the wilderness! 耶稣基督靠着神的话在旷野受试探并胜过魔鬼!“Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God!” 「人活着,不是单靠食物, 乃是靠 神口里所出的一切话。」(马太福音 4:4)
With a word, 只用一句话 Christ cast out demons and healed the sick;基督赶出污鬼,医治了病人;with a word, 只用一句话,Jesus raised the dead, 耶稣使死人复活!“Lazarus, come out!” 拉撒路,出来! and the dead came to life 死人就复活!With a word只用一句话, Jesus calmed down the wind and storm耶稣平静了风浪。Whom shall we fear? 我们该怕谁?Why do we still fear “bad times” or “bad things” that happen?难道仍然害怕坏事发生?Don’t you know that “In all things God works for the good of those who love Him?” 难道你不知道“万事互相效力,叫爱神的人得益处”吗?If we love Jesus, 如果我们爱耶稣,all things will turn out to the good of building our characters in Christ! 万事都要成为塑造我们像耶稣来效力!Jesus sees you in your storm!耶稣看见你在风浪中!He is the omnipotent God!祂是全能的神!In the storm of your life, 在你生命的风浪中,Jesus is gonna renew your faith!主要更新你的信心!The storm is just for you to build up your faith for further work! 这风浪不过是为建立你的信心,为将来你能完全祂赐你的任务!This is just the time for you to change your heart and transform your character into Jesus’ likeness! 那风浪只为改变你的心,使你的性情象耶稣!
This is just the time for you to pray for your heart to - “be quiet, and be still” 那只是为叫你为你的心祷告“住了吧!静了吧!”from the waves of fear or anger or anxiety,带你从惧怕,恼怒和焦虑的风浪中出来,then you will literally taste the power of Jesus’ great peace which helps you to overcome all difficulties!然后你必真实品尝耶稣让你胜过环境的极大的平安!
This is also just a time for you to seek Jesus’ words 风浪只是为让你寻求主耶稣的话语, then you will know how powerful His words are, 然后你必真知道祂的话语的大能,which break all chains of lies, 可松开一切谎言的锁链,and leads you to living in the power of His light! 并引导你住在祂光的大能中!
13 years ago, 十三年前,when my husband and I just had become Christians the year before, 陈帅和我刚信主一年 without warning, 在毫无准备的情况下 ,a violent storm came upon us.一场风暴临到我家。
I had a dream in which I was instructed to invest an amount of money in our tenant’s company, 我做了一个梦,梦里指示我去给我们的租客开的的公司投资些钱,who were new converts and facing financial problems.因他们是新基督徒,遇到了财务上的困难。Meanwhile Raymond became the CEO of that company nominally.同时,陈帅成为了那家公司的总裁。Actually, we didn’t participate in the operation of that company, 其实我们并没有参与那家公司的运作,we just wanted to be obedient to God’s instruction and to share His gospel.只是想服从神的指示,向人传福音。
But later on,不久,I found out that they had done wrong and made trouble for the company, 我发现他们做错事,给公司制造麻烦,and God revealed, 并且神告诉我 that they were going to flee他们要逃跑了, and that Raymond was gonna face charges并陈帅将被告上法庭。Raymond was very scared and wanted to leave.陈帅非常害怕,想离开。I enquired of God, “Why?我求问上帝,“为什么?Why did you take us into trouble?为什么要带我们进入麻烦?God gave me His words神赐下祂的话语, I would never forget, that was 我永远不会忘记祂的话说:
Psa 66:10- 12(诗篇 66:10-12), For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver. 神啊,你曾试验我们, 熬炼我们,如熬炼银子一样。11 You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. 你使我们进入网罗, 把重担放在我们的身上。12 You let people ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.你使人坐车轧我们的头; 我们经过水火, 你却使我们到丰富之地。
When I was reading these words, tears started我读到这些话时就哭了,I felt as though God was telling me上帝好像在告诉我 “I’m leading you into troubled times “我要带你进入苦境,when Raymond is going to be put into prison陈帅Raymond会被关进监狱 and you are going to be persecuted, 你会受迫害 ,but I’ll take you through但我会带你安然过去, and then,那时your faith will be built up and my name will spread你的信心会因此被建造,我的名将被传扬。That was an extremely tough time for us.这是非常艰难的时刻。Meanwhile同时, I was ministering to the home church.与此同时,我还在家里教会牧会。
Just as God said正如神所说的, Raymond was put into detention陈帅Raymond被拘留了 I was facing threats我也面临着威胁, bitter judgement 被苦毒地论断 ,misunderstanding被误会… “If you don’t give us money若你不给钱, we will put your husband in jail for ten years我们就关你丈夫十年。” “If you don’t give us money“不给我们钱,we will kill your daughter我们杀了你女儿…” “It’s your greedy that caused this trouble这是你的贪婪造成的” Threats were raised around me everywhere威胁四面围绕我from inside the church to outside the church, 从教会里外 from our family to our friends, 从家人到朋友,they thought that I had gone mad人都认为我疯了。Our family was facing the threat of destruction.我们的家正面临着家破人亡的威胁。And I faced all kinds of unjust judgement each day.并且我每天都要面对各种不公正的论断。
You can’t image how hard it was.你无法想象这有多难。The only thing I could do was to hold on to God’s words, 我唯一能做的就是抓住上帝的话,and pray to make sure I hadn’t got it wrong.并祷告看我有没有弄错。
God gave me great peace in my distress在困苦中神赐给我极大的平安, when there was nobody I could talk to那时找不到任何人可以说 for nobody would believe my crazy words因没有人相信我的“疯话”。
But I decided that even if we died, we died. 但我定意:死就死吧!To cut the story short, 长话短说 ,after 14 days of silence,沉默了14天后, the Lord sent me another dream 神又给了我一个梦to tell me that He would send two people that I didn’t know to take Raymond out梦中说他会派两个我不认识的人把陈帅Raymond带出来… Yes, Jesus did it!是的,耶稣做成了!
That was total 21 days of the testing of our faith,那是总共21天的对我们的信心的考试 in which I felt that one day was like one year那时我感觉一天像一年那样长 and there was full of God’s grace and mercy and His vivid presence.却充满了上帝的恩典、怜悯和他活泼的同在。In the midst of the hardship在艰难困境中, I heard His voice我听见祂的声音, I witnessed His faithfulness我亲身见证祂的信实, I personally experienced that the Most High God was sovereign over the authorities of men亲身经历至高者在人的国中掌权。
And the gospel was spread to the whole police station! 福音传遍整个警署!
That Christmas day那年圣诞节, we received a greeting card from the police station 我们从警署收到一张贺卡 it was written上面写着: “To Raymond and Jane, May the presence of God ever be with you, to spread the gospel all over the world!“至陈帅和叶葱,愿上帝伴您们左右,福音传遍人间!” This is unusual!这是不寻常的!
God will not take you into something that He can’t take you through神不会带你去经历祂无法解决的事!In the midst of your storms, you only need to be still, and know that He is God! 在风暴中,你只要安静,并且知道他是神!In this Lent season, let us go over to the other side with Jesus! 在这斋期期间,让我们和耶稣一起渡去另一边!