八月十四日

因你耶和華藉著你的作爲叫我高興。（詩92：4）

你信你的罪已經蒙赦，幷得了基督完全的替贖嗎？那末你應當是多麽快樂的一位基督徒呀！你應當怎樣地不介意這世上的灾難和困苦呀！既然罪已得赦，那末苦難還算什麽呢？路得說：“打吧，主啊！你打吧，因爲我的罪已經得了赦免；若你已經赦免了我，那末照你的旨意重重地打我吧！”你也應當用這種精神說：“按著你的旨意使病痛、貧窮、失敗、十架、逼迫、臨到我吧！你已經赦免了我，我的心便有喜樂。”基督徒呀！你若已得救，有快樂，就當存著感激和愛神的心。靠近挪去你罪的十架；服侍那服侍你的主。“我以神的慈悲勸你們，將身體獻上，當作活祭，是聖潔的，是神所喜悅的，你們如此侍奉，乃是理所當然的。”不要使沸騰的歌聲一點一點地把你的熱心蒸發沒有了，要熱烈地表現出你愛的記號來。要愛那愛你之主的衆弟兄。

無論在什麽地方若有一個跛足或瘸腿的米非波設就當爲約拿單的緣故幫助他。若是有一位可憐的受苦的信徒，要與他同哭，要爲那爲你哀哭幷擔負你罪的主的緣故背負他的十字架。你既被基督白白地赦免，就當去把這快樂的赦罪之恩的消息告訴別人，不要把這末大的福分據爲已有，秘而不宣，乃要把十字架的福音傳揚開來。歡樂幷大膽地傳揚主的聖名必使你成爲一個有能力的傳道人，全世界都可作你傳福音的講臺。“歡喜快樂地過著聖潔的生活”是最有力量的講道，但必須主與你同在，聖靈在你裏面才行。今晨在未出外之前應當先尋求這快樂。當我們高興從事神的工作時，我們就勿須怕太快樂了。

August 14

"Thou, Lord, hast made me glad through Thy work." -- Psalm 92:4

Do you believe that your sins are forgiven, and that Christ has made a full atonement for them? Then what a joyful Christian you ought to be! How you should live above the common trials and troubles of the world! Since sin is forgiven, can it matter what happens to you now? Luther said, "Smite, Lord, smite, for my sin is forgiven; if Thou hast but forgiven me, smite as hard as Thou wilt"; and in a similar spirit you may say, "Send sickness, poverty, losses, crosses, persecution, what Thou wilt, Thou hast forgiven me, and my soul is glad." Christian, if thou art thus saved, whilst thou art glad, be grateful and loving. Cling to that cross which took thy sin away; serve thou Him who served thee. "I beseech you therefore, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." Let not your zeal evaporate in some little ebullition of song. Show your love in expressive tokens. Love the brethren of Him who loved you. If there be a Mephibosheth anywhere who is lame or halt, help him for Jonathan's sake. If there be a poor tried believer, weep with him, and bear his cross for the sake of Him who wept for thee and carried thy sins. Since thou art thus forgiven freely for Christ's sake, go and tell to others the joyful news of pardoning mercy. Be not contented with this unspeakable blessing for thyself alone, but publish abroad the story of the cross. Holy gladness and holy boldness will make you a good preacher, and all the world will be a pulpit for you to preach in. Cheerful holiness is the most forcible of sermons, but the Lord must give it you. Seek it this morning before you go into the world. When it is the Lord's work in which we rejoice, we need not be afraid of being too glad.