2017-05-24 Two kinds of faith 两种信心

Today, we’re gonna to talk about faith and what kind of faith really pleases God.  Since we became Christians, what is the greatest challenge to our faith? What kinds of things can hinder you to trust God completely? 今天我们要来讲讲信心，哪种信心可以讨神的喜悦？成为基督徒后，对我们的信心最大的挑战是什么？什么东西会阻挡我们完全信靠神？

Recently, I have dealt with a case, and through it God answered my questions about why. Because I had too much why that I didn’t comprehend, since I have been here, 最近我一直在帮一个人处理些事，神借此回答了我好多“为什么”的问题。其实，自从我被带到新西兰，我有很多“为什么”不能明白，“why was it God’s purpose for me to develop an international ministry but He hasn’t given me time to study the language? 神为什么定意让我开展国际事工，却不给我时间学习语言？

Why didn’t God place English people around me when I came here but He has called me to do the international ministry? “ “为什么神呼召我开展国际事工，当在我来这里时，却没有把讲英文人士放在我身边？”Why has God blocked the easy way so that I could do it easily, but led me into a hard way where I didn’t even know how to develop a deep conversation with the people who needed to be ministered to, when I came here.为什么神把容易走的路堵上了，让我走难走的路，那时刚来这里，我看见有人需要服事，可我却连和人有深入交谈的能力都没有？

why doesn’t God allow me to prepare sermons in my own language so that I can save more time to do other things…too much why, for which I didn’t get any answers from the Lord, the only thing I can do is to surrender and to obey…It seemed that His way was unreasonable and hard to understand sometimes.” “神为什么不让我用母语准备讲道，好多点时间做其他事情呢？” 这很多很多的为什么，上帝却不回答我, 我唯一能做的，就是降服和顺服。有时看起来，祂的道路太不合理、太难懂了。

But if we really trust God, although we don’t understand why, if we believe that His way is higher than ours, and if we pray with an attitude of dying to ourselves, and hold on to his truth, He eventually will let us know in His timing, this is what I learnt from the uncertainty last three years. 然而，如果我们真的信靠神，即便头脑不明白，仍然相信祂的道路超过我们的道路，如果我们带着向己死的心向祂祷告，持守祂的真理，最终在祂的时间到了的时候会让我们知道。这是我从 前3年中的不能明白的事上，学会的信心的功课。

So, during my prayers for that case, the unknown became known. I immediately realised that because of the difficulties, which have gone far beyond what I could handle, I had no choice but rely on God’s grace only to move forward each step, and that is His salvation for my soul. 所以，当我在为那个事件祷告时，这不明白的事却向我开启了。我一下子明白了，原来这些远远超过我能力所能解决的困难，使我没有任何别的办法，每向前一步都必须紧紧倚靠神，祂就成了我灵魂的拯救。                                                                   

Because it kept me from walking in my strength and relying on my own experience, and taking any pride in my own ability. 因为这样，反而就阻挡了我走自己的路、靠不了自己的经验， 也就不能因自己的能力而自高了。God’s way is not our way, sometimes we can’t understand and we suffer, as our understanding of knowing the infinite God is so limited. 神的道路不是我们的道路，有时我们不明白也为此而痛苦，都因我们对无限的上帝 认识的太有限了。Some people may lose their faith due to a sense of disappointment with God, that God doesn’t act the way they expect Him to. 有些人也许会对神失望，因神没有照他们所期望的那样去做。

I remember when my daughter was a teenager, she said to me, “Mom, I know God will do it, but He takes too long ” This is a teenage girl’s understanding of how God works.  记得我女儿十几岁时，她对我说：“妈妈，我知道神会做成这事，但祂太慢了，”这是个十几岁孩子对神做事法则的认识。On our journey of faith, we may be disappointed by God or get angry with Him. Don’t be surprised, as Jesus has foretold us:

“Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.” (Luke 7:23)  在我们的信心旅途中，我们或许因神失望、甚至发怒，这一点也不稀奇，耶稣这样说过：凡不因我跌倒的，就有福了！路７:２３God is a gracious and compassionate God, but why would His people would take offense at Him? Why? 上帝是有恩典和怜悯的神，为什么祂的百姓会被祂冒犯而生气，为什么？

Because a theological understanding of who Jesus is that we learnt is not enough for making our faith complete, but it can help us. Today, we are gonna to read John 11:1-44 因为我们所学的对耶稣认知的神学知识， 对成全我们的信心是不够的， 但这知识可以帮助我们。今天，我们要来看看约翰福音11:1-44This is a story about Jesus raising the dead, a man whose name was Lazarus, who had two sisters, Mary and Martha. 这是在讲耶稣使拉撒路死里复活的事迹。他有两个姐妹，叫玛丽亚和马大。

In Luke 10, we find that Martha had opened their home to host Jesus, and Martha was worried and upset about many things, busy with all the preparations. 在路加福音10章里，我们看到马大在他们家里接待耶稣，但马大忙碌于接待的预备，为许多的事烦忧。And Mary was so quiet, she sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what Jesus said. But they all loved the Lord and His teaching. In John 11, their brother Lazarus was sick, so the sisters sent words to Jesus, “the one you love is sick.”  玛利亚则安静地坐在主的脚前听祂的道。但两姐妹都爱主，也喜爱主的教导。在约翰福音11章里说，他们的兄弟拉撒路病了，姊妹两个就带信给耶稣说“你所爱的人病了。”

If you were one of the sisters what you would have expected on Jesus? We would expect that the one who was able to heal could have come quickly, to show his love for us. Isn’t that true? 如果你是姊妹中的一个，你期望耶稣怎样做？我们都会盼望说，那个能治病的最好快点到，来显明他的爱，是不是这样？But Jesus was so strange in some ways, he stayed there for two more days until Lazarus died, then he said, “Let’s go back to Judea Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe.” 但耶稣有时做事真的很奇怪，他仍然又多住了两天，直到拉撒路死了，他才说：“我们再往犹太去吧。” “拉撒路死了。我没有在那里就欢喜，这是为你们的缘故，好叫你们相信。”

What a strange way to talk? If we had been there, would we think why he was so glad about somebody’s death? And what did he mean that Lazarus had to die so that we might believe? 你说他讲的奇怪不奇怪？如果我们在的话，我们会不会想“别人死，你为啥那么高兴啊？”“拉撒路死了、叫我们才可以信，是啥意思啊？

If Jesus loved the family why he allowed them to suffer the pain of loss and broken hearts…Yes, God’s love is beyond our comprehension. God’s way is much higher than ours.  如果耶稣爱那一家人，为啥还叫他们承受这么大的损失和伤心呢？”是，神的爱超出我们的理解，祂的道路比我们的道路高太多了。

Jesus’ response in hearing about Lazarus is amazing, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it. John 11:4" 耶稣听见对拉撒路死了的回答，让人惊奇：“这病不至于死，乃是为神的荣耀，叫神的儿子因此得荣耀。”约11:4 His proclaiming of “this sickness will not end in death” really highlights the gospel of grace that God didn’t send His Son to condemn the world but to give life to the dead. 他所说“这病不至于死” 实在是表明了神恩典的福音乃是神差爱子降世，不是要定世人的罪，而是赐生命给已死的人。

This story demonstrates the reality of the gospel of Jesus, that we are all dead in transgressions, but it is by His grace that we have been saved. 这故事证明了耶稣基督福音的真谛，就是我们都死在过犯罪恶之中，是因祂的恩典 我们被救赎。Also, we see that Jesus said, that “it’s for God’s glory, which shows that sometimes our sickness has a purpose, and God can use it and turn it into glory for His Son, Jesus Christ. 不但如此，耶稣还说“这是为神的荣耀”，就是说，某些时候，神在我们的疾病后面有个心意，就是使用用它 来荣耀儿子耶稣基督。

God’s purpose and timing are always good. We all know this theology in our heads, but we have to ask the Holy Spirit to make His words alive to us, so that the words can produce faith in our hearts, and we won’t get disappointed when Jesus delays to his answer, or misunderstand that he has failed to hear.  神的计划和时间总是好的，我们头脑里知道这个神学理论还不够，我们要祈求圣灵使祂的话成为活泼的道，神的话就能在我们心里生出信心，在神延迟应许祷告时，我们不至于失望，或许误会祂没有听见。

Instead, we need to believe that He is going to do something amazing like when Jesus deliberately delayed healing Lazarus, knowing that this delay would strengthen their faith as they saw God at work, for nothing is too late for Jesus. 正相反，我们要去相信，神正在做奇妙的事，就象故意延迟医治拉撒路一样，使门徒看到神的工作时，信心就大大加增，因耶稣永不误事。So today I’m gonna to share with you two kinds of faith, fundamental faith and now faith.  今天我会和大家分享两种不同的信心：基要信心和现在的信心。

1. First, we will discuss what fundamental faith is?  首先，什么是基要信心？

When Martha heard that Jesus had arrived in Jerusalem after Lazarus had been dead already for four days, she quickly came to see Jesus, 当马大听到耶稣来到耶路撒冷，那时拉撒路已经死了四天；她快快跑来见耶稣，and said to Jesus in her faith: “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask (John 11:21-22).” 在她的信心里对耶稣说：“主啊，你若早在这里，我兄弟必不死。”

11:21-22From the whole story of Jesus raising the dead man Lazarus, we find that Martha spoke and responded to Jesus 4 times, and Mary only spoke to Jesus once, but they said similar words to Jesus. 在耶稣使拉撒路死里复活的记载里，马大一共和主讲过四句话，玛利亚只和主讲过一句，内容也差不多，when Martha went to Mary, and told her that Jesus was there, Mary quickly went to him, verse 32, she fell at his feet and said: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 当马大找到玛利亚，告诉她主在这里，玛利亚急忙起来，到耶稣那里去，32节说，就俯伏在他脚前，说：“主啊，你若早在这里，我兄弟必不死。”

Martha and Mary both loved and served the Lord, and they believed that the Lord had power to raise their brother up from the sick bed. 马大和玛利亚都爱主侍奉主，都相信主可以医好他们生病的兄弟；This was their faith: “Lord, if you had been here, he would not have died.” They believed that Jesus was a physician or a doctor who can heal the sick. 他们的信心是:主啊，你若早在这里, 我兄弟必不死；他们相信主是个妙手回春的大医生。

But this limited faith is not enough. When I was in China, I heard some people who shared gospel with the sick, said: “Jesus can heal your illness, if you believe in Him, you will get healed” 这样的信心是不够的。过去在中国的时候，我听一些人这样传福音给病人：“耶稣能治病，如果你信耶稣的话，你会病得医治。And then the sick said, “ok, I believe.” But afterwards when the sick weren’t healed, they walked away.”那些病人就会说：“好啊，我信。”但是后来因病 没得着医治，那些人就不信了。

What was their belief? What did they believe? Did they believe that Jesus is like a physician who can heal the physical body only? This belief limits the power of gospel of Jesus. V.23 Jesus said to her: “Your brother will rise again.”  他们的信仰是什么？他们信的是什么？信耶稣只是个医治我们身体的医生？这种信仰大大限制了耶稣基督福音的能力。第23节，耶稣对她说：“你兄弟必然复活。”Jesus declared the resurrection of Lazarus and the purpose He came for giving this eternal hope to the world. We all have the same belief about resurrection, 耶稣宣告拉撒路的复活，宣告他来是要将永生的盼望带给世界。我们都知道复活。

just as what Martha said, “I know we will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”. This is fundamental faith, a basic and essential creed that we believe. 正如马大说的“我知道在末日复活的时候，他必复活”。这就是基要信心，一个基本的信念。For Jesus came to give us life and the life to the full (John 10:10), the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). 因为耶稣基督来是要“让羊得生命并且得的更丰盛“”约10:10，“唯有神的恩赐，在我们的主基督耶稣里，乃是永生”罗6:23。

The gospel brings good news to us that we all will be raised from death on the last day.  Do you believe this truth? How do we know that we are in the faith or not? 你信不信福音的好消息是我们在末日都要从死里复活？那怎么知道我们是信还是不信呢？The bible tells us, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith, test yourselves (2 Cor 13:5a) The testing of our faith is good for us to know ourselves more and good to know more about God’s works, so that we may less trust in ourselves and more trust in God’s word. 圣经告诉我们，你们总要自己省察有信心没有，也要自己试验林后2:13上。这有助于我们认识自己，并认识神的工作，从而转向更少信自己，更多信靠神。

For the purpose of strengthening and developing their faith Jesus delayed coming to Lazarus. V.24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”  为要坚固和增加他们信心的缘故，耶稣延迟来见他们，第24节， 马大说，“我知道在末日复活的时候，他必复活”。Martha declared her fundamental faith and great understanding of the gospel of Jesus that He will rise us up one day. 马大在她的极正确的理解里，宣告了她对耶稣的福音的基要信心，就是：有一天耶稣将会使我们从死里复活。

Yes, we need to have this fundamental faith to kindle our hope that we will be raised again, and that death has lost its power over us, so that we don’t have to fear illness and death, but that is not enough. 是的，我们的确需要有这样的基要信心，去点燃复活的盼望，并相信死亡对我们已经失去权势，我们就不再惧怕疾病死亡。但这还不够，Because Jesus was asking for “right now” faith, it’s not “future” faith or “one day” faith, It’s faith for right now.   因耶稣要我们“现在就信”，不是“将来会怎样的信心”，不是“有一天会怎样的信心”，而是“现在就怎样”的信心。

So Jesus continually declared who He is, and asked Martha, v25. “I’m the resurrection and life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 于是耶稣继续宣告他的身份，第25节，他这样问马大：“复活在我，生命在我。信我的人虽然死了，也必复活；凡活着 信我的人必永远不死。你信这话吗？Jesus knows everything and He also knew what Martha’s faith was at that moment, although her words showed that she was a woman of remarkable faith in believing in the creed, but it was not enough, 耶稣知道一切，也知道马大那时的信心程度，马大是个在基要真理上有很大的信心的妇人，但还是不够。

only the Lord searches our hearts and knows our minds, and He will help us grow up from the fundamental level of what we really believe in. 唯有神鉴察人心，知道我们的意念，祂要使我们在从基础的程度里成长起来。So Jesus stated who He is again: “I am the resurrection and life.” Jesus declares that He does not just give resurrection and life, but also, he himself is the resurrection and the life. 于是主再次宣告“复活在我，生命在我”，祂来不只是赐下复活和生命，还有，祂自己就是复活、就是生命。

What he said is that He is the creator of life, and the source of life, and the power that can give resurrection and life on the Last Day. And now, He is in us, the power of resurrection and life is in us because of the Holy Spirit who has dwelt in all believers, what good news. 祂说的是，祂是生命的创造者，是生命的源头。在末日使人从死里复活的能力就在祂自己里面。今天，祂就在我们里面，这死里复活的能力和生命就在我们里面，因为圣灵就居住在信徒里面，这是何等大的好消息。

Jesus continually declared,  "He who believes in me will live, even though he dies." (v. 25b). Lazarus died, but Jesus was about to do something to prove what he testified in John 5:21, “For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.” 第25节下，耶稣接着宣告：“信我的人虽然死了，也必复活”。拉撒路虽然死了，耶稣接下来要做事证实祂在约5:21所说，”父怎样叫死人起来，使他们活着，子也照样随自己的意思使人活着。”Even if Lazarus died, Jesus would raise him from death. Jesus said, "and whoever lives and believes in me will never die." (v. 26a) 即便拉撒路已经死了，耶稣仍要叫他复活，就说“凡活着信我的人永远不死”26节上。

He is not saying that we believers won’t die physically. God said to Edam and Eve, that if they ate the fruit of the tree of good and evil they would die, but after they had eaten the fruit, their physical bodies still lived for hundreds of years. 主说的不是信徒的身体永远不死，就如神对亚当和夏娃说，吃了分辨善恶树的果子后必定死，但他们吃了后，身体仍然再活了几百年。Likewise, here Jesus is talking about spiritual life, if we believe in His words, and with our actions, which shows what we believe in, we also will never die spiritually, sin and death can’t separate us from our relationship with God and our experience of eternal life.  在这里耶稣同样说的是属灵生命。如果我们信祂的话，且带出信心的行为，来见证我们的信，我们在属灵上就不死，罪和死就不能使我们与神隔绝、与永生隔绝。

Martha replied is in her faith, “Yes, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world. V. 27” Martha fully believed that Jesus is the Christ the Messiah, but it is not enough to believe in a creed only. 马大这时以她的信心回答，27节，说：“是的，我信你是基督，是神的儿子，就是那要临到世界的。”马大完全信耶稣是基督，是弥赛亚，但只停在教义层面的信还不够。Faith must go beyond the creed, because James 2:17, In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, that is dead. 信心必须超过信教义的层面，因雅2:17说，“这样，信心没有行为就是死的。

It means that if we say we believe in God, but we do things according to our own standards, and think about things according to what we consider is right or wrong, or according to the worldly standards, and we don’t seek the word of God and the will of God for our lives, that is death.”这里在说，如果我们说我们信神，却照自己的标准行事，照自己眼中的对错观看待事物，或者照世界的标准思想行事，遇事不去寻求神的话和神的旨意，那信心就是死的。

God knows us much better than we know ourselves. Testing our faith is necessary, in experiencing trials and the testing of our faith, whether we stand or stumble, we will get to know ourselves more, and also get to know God’s grace more. 神远比我们自己更认识我们自己。试验信心是必须的，经过试炼和信心的考试后，不论我们跌倒或站立，我们都会更多认识自己，也更多认识神的恩典。

2, “Now Faith” that is accompanied with deeds. “即时的信心”伴随信心的行为。

Concerning “now faith”, Heb 11:1, now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 关于这“即时的信心”，希11:1说，信是所望之事的实底，未见之事的确据。It means that faith comes before sight, have you noticed? This verse starts by saying “Now faith”, it’s not “future” faith or “one day” faith or “later faith”, but right now. In our Chinese version, “now faith” only was translated to “faith”.  大家有没有留意到，它说的是未见就信？这节经文起头说“now faith”，现在的信，即时的信，不是将来的信、到某一天的信、再后来的信，信心就是现在就信！但中文圣经，“现在的信心” “此刻，即时的信” 只是翻译成了“信心”。

When Lazarus died and his two sisters said to Jesus, “'Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died”, it’s a past-tense faith that they believed Jesus could heal. 但拉撒路死了，他两个姊妹对耶稣说：“主啊，你若早在这里，我兄弟必不死” 这是过去时态的信心，他们信耶稣早点来的话就可治好拉撒路。When Jesus stated to Martha, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will ” it’s a future-tense faith that she believed Jesus would be able to raise the dead. So what does it mean to have “now faith”?  当耶稣对马大宣告：“你兄弟必然复活。”，马大则回答说：“是的，他将会 ”，这是将来时态的信心，她信耶稣将来（某个时间）可使死人复活。那么，“现在就信”是什么意思？

Heb 11:6, says, But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.  希伯来书11:6说，人非有信，就不能得神的喜悦；因为到神面前来的人必须信有神，且信祂赏赐那寻求祂的人。This verse tells us, only presenting our faith to God right now and diligently seeking Him pleases Him. And now faith is simply believing in God and believing that He rewards those who seek Him diligently. It’s taking what He has said right now. 这节经文告诉我们，唯有向神表达即刻的信心，恳切寻求祂，才能讨神的喜悦。现在就信，就是简单地信神，相信他赏赐那恳切寻求祂的人，现在信神说过的话。

Concerning the gospel? Accept it right now! A week before, a girl came to this service and during the night she made a decision to accept Jesus as her personal saviour, now she has gone back her hometown, but when she comes back, she will receive the baptism! 这关福音什么事？现在就接受福音。上个主日有个女孩参加了聚会，当天晚上她就决定接受耶稣基督做她个人的救主；现在她回了老家，等她再回到这里来就马上受洗。

So baptism? Right now! Putting His words into action right now. Despite difficulties, fix your eyes on Jesus right now! In trouble? Feel being rejected? Being less loved? Pray and turn to Him, diligently seek Him right now!  Our action of “right now” indicates what our “now faith” is. Because Jesus is the source of love, wisdom, and everything! 这样就受洗？是的马上受洗，现在就把祂的话行出来。不畏惧困难, 现在就定睛耶稣。有难处？感受拒绝感？被忽视？祷告，转向祂，现在就寻求祂，“立即行动”就表明我们有“现在就信”的信心。因耶稣是爱和智慧，并一切的源头。

Just now, we shared that Jesus the source of the resurrection and the life is in us, 上面我们分享了耶稣，是复活和生命的源头，就在我们里面；if we practice dying to ourselves daily and abiding in Him, we are living in His resurrection and life, this is an action of “now faith”, in doing so we can experience his transforming power of the gospel every day.如果我们每天操练向己死，操练住在祂里面，就住在祂的复活和生命里，这就是“现在就信”带出的行为，信我们这样行，就会每天经历他在福音里更新生命的大能。

V. 38-39  Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”  第38-39节，耶稣又心里悲叹，来到坟墓前；那坟墓是个洞，有一块石头挡着。耶稣说：“你们把石头挪开。”那死人的姊姊马大对祂说：“主啊，他现在必是臭了，因为他死了已经四天了。”

Jesus full of compassion and love, was deeply moved, and wept at the people’s unbelief. When he was going to raise the dead, suddenly, Martha’s statement showed her unbelief, “But Lord, by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” 耶稣满有怜悯和慈爱，祂心里悲叹，为人的不信流泪。就在祂快要使死人复活之时，马大的话 居然转为不信的话，“主啊，他现在必是臭了，因为他死了已经四天了。”Yes, the fact is that it was four days later, and there is a bad odor after a dead body has lain there for 4 days. And by sight Martha knew it was four days later, and the body would have decayed. But faith is not by sight.  是的，事实是这样，人已经死了四天，尸体放了四天也发臭了，马大眼见四天过去尸体开始腐烂了，但是，信心不凭眼见。

Too often we base our feelings on what we see and what we hear, instead of what God says in His Word and seeking the will of God diligently in our circumstance, 很多时候，我们把自己的感觉感受放在我们的眼见和耳闻上，并不放在上帝怎么说上？也没有在环境里恒切的去寻求神的旨意，so we may be frustrated or hurt by what we see and what we hear, or we may take offense at what people say and their actions. We may not forgive others or fall into temptation to judge others unjustly. Brothers and sisters, let us be wise.  We live by faith, not by sight (2 Cor 5:7)  所以，我们就被自己眼见耳闻的受挫受伤了，或因被人说什么做什么而被冒犯生气，以至于不饶恕人或受试探。弟兄姊妹，愿我们得智慧！因我们行事为人是凭信心，不是凭着眼见。林后5:7

Just as the story we shared last month, when Paul was troubled by the girl who was following them and shouting, but Paul’s “now faith” showed that it’s not the person that deserved to be disliked or hated, but it was spiritual warfare, that the person needed to be set free. 就像上次我们分享的，当保罗被那个跟着的女孩，在后面喊叫，厌烦的时候，保罗的“即时的信” 显明给我们看见，这不是那个人配得讨厌，而是一个属灵争战，就是那个人需要被释放得自由。In fact, we all need to be set free continually in some ways, if we fix our eyes on Jesus, don’t believe in our sight, we won’t limit the power of the gospel to transform us, so that God can do more things through us.  事实上，我们每一个人都需要继续被主释放得自由，如果我们能定睛耶稣，不信自己眼见的，我们就不会 因我们眼见耳闻 而去限制 这福音改变我们生命的大能，神也能借我们行更多的事。

Martha had a great understanding of the creed but lack of “now faith” at that moment, although she believed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, and was able to raise the dead at the Last Day, she still lacked “now faith” to believe that Jesus could also raise the dead right now, because she believed in what she saw rather than trusting in what the Lord said at that moment. 马大对教义很了解，相信耶稣是基督，是神的儿子，是在末日叫死人复活的那位，在那个时候却没有“现在的，此刻”的信心，没有信耶稣现在就可让死人复活，都因她相信了自己的眼见 过于主在那时所说的话。

When I was studying in a bible college, one day I received a letter that informed me to take IELTS test in two weeks. If I couldn’t pass the test, I would be quitted the course, until I could pass it. 当我读神学院时，一天，我收到一封信，要我在两周后马上去考雅思. 如果我不能考过，将被停学，直到考过。But I didn’t have time to review for that examination, because the course I was taking was completely different to IELTS. 但我没有时间去复习，因为我学的和雅思要考的完全不是一回事。

The only thing I could do was to surrender myself to the Lord…during my prayer, I heard the Lord said to me: “I’ll fight for you, you need only to be still.” 我唯一能做的，就是降服在主前，在我祷告时，我听见主对我说，“我必为你争战，你只管静默。”But by sight, it’s impossible, how God fight for me?  Would He give me wisdom to pass the examination? Actually, I failed the examination. 但凭眼见，这实在不可能，难道祂赐我智慧，考过？实际上，我考砸了。But He is faithful, during that period, the prayers I offered were only for dying to my anxieties and worries, until God’s peace ruled over me so that I could be still and watch what He’s gonna to do. 但祂是信实的，那段时间，我的祷告是单单的对付里面的焦虑和不信，直到神的平安充满我，使我静默观看神的作为。

Then He did amazing and incredible job, that the IELTS test I should have taken was exempted by NZQA. Can you image how shocked I was? Through my troubles He showed me His sovereignty, the heart of the authority is in His hand, and taught me how important it is that I should seek Him diligently in my times of trouble rather than trusting in what I see, which helps me to develop the now faith. 然后，祂做了奇妙和不可思议的事，我本要考的雅思居然被NZQA豁免了。你能想象我的吃惊程度吗？借着困境，神向我彰显祂的至高的权能，君王的心是在祂的手中，并教导我, 殷勤的寻求祂，不信自己的眼见，是何等的重要，这会生出“现在的信心”。

What a significant lesson for us that we have to examine ourselves, do we have “now faith” or do we only have a creed in our heads? 这给我们上了重要的一课，就是我们必须查验自己，我们是“现在就信”？或是头脑里的教义？God is merciful enough, Although Martha and Mary didn’t have “now faith” at that moment, Jesus still raised the dead man Lazarus, and showed His great compassion to the world. 神怜悯人，虽然马大和玛利亚那时没有“现在的，此刻的信心”，耶稣仍然让拉撒路死里复活，向世人展现祂极大的怜悯。

In the same way, we sometimes only have essential creed in heads, and our eyes and ears tell us much more than the creed we once learnt, “Jesus is God…He is able to save…Jesus is God, He is able to heal…He is able to do everything…But not in my case…because my case is too hard to be solved…”,我们也是这样，有时我们只是头脑里信基本的教义，但我们的眼和耳，告诉我们的，比所学的教义多得多，“耶稣是神，祂拯救我们……耶稣是神，祂医治我们……祂凡事都能……但我的事不行……我的情况太难了，解决不了…”Because of lack of “now faith”, we may groan about our problems, and fail to call on Jesus’ name diligently, or our flesh may come out just like Martha, wanting to hinder what the Lord is going to do at the sight of the difficulties. 因为缺乏这“现在的，此刻的信”，我们就在我们的环境中苦恼呻吟，不能恳切求告耶稣的名；我们的肉体就会出来，象马大一样想要阻挡主的工作，因为我们的眼睛看到的全是难处。

God is merciful, whose love never fails.  The way He showed His miracle to Martha and Mary, He also will show His mighty hand to us, so that our faith will be strengthened. 神怜悯人，祂的爱永不止息。祂怎样向马大和玛利亚施行神迹，祂也怎样向我们显露膀臂，使我们的信心得坚固。 After Jesus raised the dead man Lazarus, in John 12, we find that Mary’s faith grew and she showed great faith to the Lord, she poured a pint of an expensive perfume on Jesus’ head and feet, and wiped them with her hair. 耶稣使拉撒路死里复活后，到了约12章，我们看到玛利亚的信心成长了，她向主表达了极大的信心，将一斤极贵重的香膏倒在耶稣头上和脚上，用自己的头发去擦。

Despite criticism from others, she didn’t explain anything or defend herself, but allowed Jesus to defend her. She seemed to know that Jesus was about to go to the cross and she presented a sacrifice to please the Lord.  尽管被人指责，她没有自己辩解什么，却让耶稣为她辩解。她似乎知道耶稣将要走向十字架，就向神表达自己愿意牺牲的信心，来讨主喜悦。

So How important it is that our basic faith can grow into “now faith” to please our Lord, and now faith won’t limit God’s work. “基要信心”成长为“此刻的信”多么重要啊！这样可讨主喜悦。而这样的信心就不会限制神的工作。It is easy, just trust in Him right now, show by our actions that we are diligently seeking Him “right now”, and close our own eyes and ears “right now”, die to ourselves “right now”, but fix our eyes on Him “right now”, live for Him “right now”. 其实很简单，只要现在就信靠祂，现在就带出我们信的行为，来恳切寻求祂，现在就关上我们自己的眼睛耳朵，现在就向我们自己死，现在就定睛于祂，现在就向神活。

Yes, sometimes, our faith is like Martha’s who only have the creed in her head, but God is at work mercifully, if we cry out, “Lord, show Your mighty work to us, help us to take Your words as truth, and trust in You right now help us to live not by sight but by faith!”  当然有些时候，我们的信心就象马大一样，只是头脑里的教义；但神行事如此怜悯，我们呼求“主啊，求你让我看到你的神迹奇事，帮助我把你的话当成真理，帮助我现在就信，帮助我不凭眼见，只凭信心。”

Do you believe that even now you call on His name and seek Him diligently, and you will be saved? 你信不信现在你只要呼求主名、恳切寻求祂，就必得救？Do you believe that God is much bigger than your troubles, and if you seek Him diligently and seek His help right now, He will help you and guide you to come out of your troubles? 你信不信神比你一切难题都大得多，你只要现在就恳切寻求祂，祂就会帮助你、引导你从困难中出来？

Do you believe that He wants to heal your relationships, if you call on His name, seek Him diligently, to receive His forgiveness that was shown at the cross and to forgive yourselves and others right now, He will heal your relationships?  你信不信祂想修复你的关系，如果你呼求祂的名，恳切寻求祂，接受祂在十字架上的饶恕，现在就饶恕你自己和他人，祂就修复你的关系？Let us fix our eyes not on what we see, but on what we can’t see, so that we may have this “now faith”.让我们不再定睛于所见的，而是定睛于所不见的，使我们可以 有现在的，此刻的信心，“现在就信”。

Pray:

Father, we thank for the words that You’ve given us to help us understand what kind of faith pleases You. 天父，感谢赐我们的话，来帮助我们认识怎样的信心是讨你喜悦的信心。You’ve told us that without faith it is impossible to please You, and You reward those who diligently seek You. 你告诉我们，人非有信不能得你的喜悦，并且你会赏赐那些殷勤寻求你的人，“Diligently seek” and “He rewards”, which are not a past tense, and not a future tense, but a present tense. “殷勤寻求” 和“祂赏赐”， 不是过去式，也不是将来时态，是现在时态。

Father, we thank You for the invitation of “now faith” that You’ve made for us, and that You want to bless us and renew us in every “right now” moment when we offer our “now faith” and be still our hearts to seek You diligently in our times of trouble. 天父，感谢你为我们设定的这样“现在的信心”的邀请，感谢你，在我们遇见苦难时， 当我们向你献上即时的信心，静默我们的心来寻求你，那是你要来赐福我们，和更新我们的每一个“即时信”的时刻。

We confess and ask for forgiveness, when the time You have said: “no” or a door seemed to close to us, we got disappointed and didn’t offer right now faith to seek You diligently.我们承认并祈求赦免，当你说“不”或遇事不通时，我们没有显出即时的信心来殷勤寻求，反而接受失望感， when You delayed answering our questions, we didn’t realize that it was a good time for us to be still and to seek You diligently, and You were about to reward 当你延迟回应祷告时，我们没有意识到这是你让我们静默己心，去殷勤寻求你，并且你就要赏赐。

and when You withheld something from us, we didn’t realise that it was a reminder of what’s the best for us .当你没有给我们所要的，我们没有意识到这是在提醒我们，你知道什么对是我们最好的，Thank You for the blood that is always available for us to wash us clean. 感谢你的宝血时时洗净我们的罪。We declare that You are God who is much bigger than our troubles, and if we seek You diligently right now, You will save us You will restore our relationships, and heal our emotion wounds.我们宣告你是神，你比我们的困难大的多，若我们现在殷勤寻求你， 你会修复我们的人际关系，医治我们的情绪伤害。

So brothers and sisters, right now, if you want to seek His favour to present your right now faith, and call on His name diligently, please open your mouth and pray ,弟兄姊妹，让我们此刻，就来寻求祂的恩，献上此刻的信，请大家开口，来殷勤的祷。Father, we thank You for the prayers that You’ve already heard, and we know that You are at work, and You will reward those who seek You diligently as You are faithful. 感谢天父你已听了我们的祷告，我们知道你在做工，并且因你的信实，你会赏赐殷勤寻求你的人。Lord, continue to show Your mighty works to us. Help us to take Your words as truth and apply them into our daily practice Remind us to live not by sight but by faith! 主啊，求你让我看到你的神迹奇事，帮助我把你的话当成真理，并运用在每天的生活里，帮助我不凭眼见，只凭信心。”  

Please guide us to offer You a “now faith”, when our eyes and ears tell us a negative feedback, which causes us feeling downcast and to lose hope, or trap us to sin against You.当我们的眼睛和耳朵告诉我们负面的信息，使我们感到沮丧和失去盼望,或让我们跌倒犯罪，求你帮助我们向你献上‘此刻的信’  。Thank You Lord, for Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever! In Jesus name  we pray Amen！谢谢主耶稣，因为国度荣耀权柄都是你的，直到永远，奉主的名祷告，阿门！