1. Hello listening friends, we are glad that you’ve joined us one more time.
亲爱的朋友你好，我们很高兴再度与你在这里相聚。
2. And I want to remind you that in our last broadcast we saw that God made a personal and conditional promise to Elijah.
让我们来温习一下，上次节目说到，神给以利亚的应许是具有先决条件，而且是个别性的。
3. And Elijah aligned himself in obedience to God.
以利亚完全顺服了神的计划，
4. That is why God sent the fire to the mountain which supernaturally consumed everything.
因此神奇妙地降下天火，并烧尽了一切；
5. He made a promise to Elijah to send the rain and he kept his promise.
神应许以利亚会降雨，果然应验了。
6. Elijah warned Ahab to return home quickly because it was going to rain.
以利亚事先告诉亚哈王将要下雨，叫他赶快回家。
7. Remember, that this was the rain which would end the drought that they had for the last three years.
别忘了，这场雨将是三年旱灾之后的甘霖，
8. What happened next then?
结果，
9. Ahab went down to eat and drink but Elijah went up to kneel on the promises of God.
亚哈王回去又吃又喝，以利亚却抓住神的应许祷告。
10. Think with me just for a moment.
让我们来思想一下，
11. Both men saw the hand of God working mightily.
他们两个都亲眼看见神行奇迹，
12. Both men saw the power of God manifested.
他们都目睹神彰显大能，
13. Both men experienced the greatest supernatural intervention of God since the Exodus.
他们俩都经历到，自从以色列人出埃及以来最神奇的事件，
14. But one went off in a broodish, animalistic way to eat and drink.
但一个就像畜牲似的只顾吃喝，
15. And the other went up in humility to God, clinging to the promises of God.
另一个却谦卑地来到神面前，抓住神的应许祈求。
16. What should this tell us?
这告诉我们什么？
17. Miracles will not necessarily make people believe.
神迹奇事不见得能使人相信神。
18. Jesus performed many miracles, but many people did not believe.
耶稣行过许多神迹，仍然有人不相信祂。
19. There were miracles right before Ahab’s eyes, but it did not scratch his heart.
神迹就呈现在亚哈眼前，他却毫不动心。
20. The spiritual blindness was there and the miracle made no difference.
属灵的眼瞎了，任何神迹都没有用。
21. There is something else here that I want to tell you about Elijah's prayer.
关于以利亚的祷告，还有一个重点，
22. When Elijah went up to pray, he prayed specifically.
当以利亚祷告时，他是很具体的。
23. Can you see his specific prayer in the text?
你能否从他的祷告中看出具体的地方？
24. Can you find it?
你看得出吗？
25. There is no prayer recorded in this passage.
圣经中没有纪录他的祷告辞，
26. The Holy Spirit who authored the Bible did not record it here in I Kings 18.
圣灵并没有感动列王纪上的作者在18章里记录下来，
27. But he recorded it 800 years later in James 5:17.
却在800年后记在雅各书5：17。
28. Where it says the following,
那里是这样说的：
29. Elijah was a man just like us.
以利亚与我们是一样性情的人，
30. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain and it did not rain.
他恳切祷告求不要下雨，
31. For three and a half years,
雨就三年零六个月不下在地上，
32. And then again he prayed and the heavens gave rain and the earth produced its crops.
他又祷告，天就降下雨来，地也生出土产。
33. What do you think he was praying about on top of that mountain?
你认为他在山上祷告些什么？
34. Was it just a general prayer, o, Lord, bless everybody everywhere.
是否普通一般的祷告，说：主啊！赐福给世上所有的人。
35. That’s what some Christians do.
有些基督徒是这样祷告的，
36. I am convinced in my heart that he was praying this way.
我相信以利亚的祷告是：
37. Lord, you have promised me that if I stood before Ahab, it would rain.
主，你答应过我，如果我去见亚哈，你就会降雨，
38. I know you are going to fulfill your promise.
我知道你必定实践诺言。
39. I want to ask you a question.
朋友，我想问你，
40. Do you know why prayer is such a burden on so many people?
为什么很多人觉得祷告是个重担？
41. Because of the ambiguity of our prayers.
因为我们祷告得很含糊，
42. We look upon prayer as if it is a task.
我们把祷告看为工作，
43. We feel that the task is too heavy and so we end up with such a prayer, o, God, bless everybody everywhere.
我们觉得工作太繁重，于是我们很笼统的说，神啊，赐福给世上所有的人。
44. Well, I am known to forget a few things on some occasions.
很多人知道有时我很健忘，
45. All my colleagues know that.
我的同工都知道。
46. Sometimes someone will ask me about my phone number.
有人问我的电话号码，
47. And then what would happen if I say to the person, well, it’s 867-96, uh, or something like that.
我经常会说：呃，我的号码是867-96，呃……
48. Just try all the numbers and see if you can get me.
或者我说：你就随便试试什么号码，说不定就可找到我了。
49. Or if you ask for my street address.
如果你问我家的地址，
50. Sometimes I call my secretary and ask, what’s our address.
有时我还要问我的秘书才记得。
51. Sometimes I forget.
有时我忘了，
52. What if I would tell a person, well, my home is on 35, or 95 I’m not really sure, just come anyway.
如果我对人说，我家是35号，也可能是95号，我不确定，你只管来吧！
53. Normal people don’t give information in a vague way like this.
一般人都不会这样模糊不清的。
54. Okay, think spiritually with me for a moment.
好，让我们谈谈属灵方面，
55. I have never seen great prayers in the Bible to be ambiguous prayers.
圣经里从没有一个伟大的祷告是含含糊糊的，
56. These are always prayers that come to God with specific requests.
这些伟大的祷告都是很具体地到神面前祈求。
57. Some people out of a sense of reverence they don’t want to be specific with God.
有些人以为我们要尊重神，所以不该具体地要求神，
58. Let me put an end to that fallacy.
就让我来澄清这误解吧。
59. When Jesus said in Matthew 10:30 that the hairs on your head are counted for.
耶稣在马太福音10：30节说，就是你们的头发也都被数过了。
60. It doesn’t mean that he simply knows how many are there.
他不仅知道你有几根头发，
61. They are numbered.
因为都被数过了，
62. Meaning that he knows which hairs are in the brush this morning.
而且，当你今天早上梳头时掉了几根头发，祂也知道，
63. He has chronological records of every single hair on your head.
你的每根头发祂都按次序记录。
64. If God is that specific and detailed with you, you need to be that specific and detailed with God.
如果神如此细腻地看顾你，你就需要巨细无遗地向祂报告。
65. Elijah prayed specifically.
以利亚很具体地祷告，
66. But he also prayed obediently.
同时，他也存着顺服的心祷告，
67. He prayed clinging to the promises of God.
他紧抓着神的应许祷告，
68. And he also prayed persistently.
他也持久地祷告，
69. Now this part is a challenge for me.
这一点对我来说是个挑战。
70. Jesus often taught that it is not the length of prayer.
耶稣教导我们，祷告不在乎长短；
71. It is not the language of prayer.
祷告不在乎如何遣词用字；
72. It is not the posture of prayer.
祷告不在乎用什么姿势仪态，
73. But it is persistence in prayer.
而在乎是否能坚持下去，
74. And that’s what God desires.
这是神的心意。
75. And I don’t understand everything about persistence in prayer.
我不完全明白什么是持久的祷告，
76. But I know that it is the word of God.
但我知道这是神说的。
77. The greatest challenge to all of us is persistence in prayer.
持续不断的祷告，对我们每个人都是一个挑战。
78. In Luke chapter 18 verses 1 to 5 Jesus said.
路加福音18章1到5节，耶稣说，
79. There was a woman who pestered an ungodly judge and kept beating on his door until the judge answered her.
有一个寡妇，不断缠着一个不义的官来替她伸冤，直到那官答应说，
80. Even though I don’t fear God, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice.
我虽不惧怕神，但因这寡妇烦扰我，我就给她伸冤吧！
81. In Matthew 26:36.
马太福音26：36
82. You find Jesus himself in Gethsemane persistent in prayer about the will of the father.
耶稣在客西马尼园中，不断地求天父的旨意。
83. In Mark 7:24 and 30.
马可福音7章24到30节，
84. The Syro-Pheonician woman who came and sought Jesus on behalf of her daughter stayed until he answered her.
一位腓尼基的妇人，为自己的女儿来求耶稣，她一直恳求直到耶稣答应她。
85. Let me repeat again, that I don’t understand everything about persistence in prayer.
我再说，我不完全明白什么是持久的祷告，
86. But everywhere in the Scripture, you encounter that Biblical teaching about persistence in prayer.
但在圣经中，不断出现持久祷告的实例和教导，
87. Here’s what it says to me.
对我来说，
88. It says to me that there is something about persistence that belongs together with God’s promises.
持久的祷告和神的应许息息相关。
89. Now I’m not talking about personal desires or wants.
我不是指为个人的欲望祈求，
90. I’m talking about God’s promises.
我是说，神的应许。
91. How did Elijah persist in prayer?
以利亚如何坚持地祈求呢？
92. 43 of chapter 18.
在列王纪上18章43节说，
93. Elijah sent his servant to look for clouds 7 times.
以利亚七次差他的仆人去看海上有没有云出现，
94. After the first time, he could have given up.
第一次没发现，他本来可以放弃的；
95. After the second time he could have said, well, God is not going to answer me.
第二次没发现他可以说，神不会回应我了；
96. After the third time he could have said, well, I have had enough victory for one day.
第三次没发现他可以说，好吧，反正今天已经赢够了，改天再看吧；
97. Or after sending him for the fourth time he could have said, oh, I must have misunderstood God’s promises.
第四次再差仆人观望后，他大可以说，我一定是误会了神的应许；
98. And after sending him out the fifth time, he could have begun to doubt God.
仆人第五次回来后，他大可以对神产生怀疑了；
99. Or after the sixth time, he could have been angry with God as some of us do.
第六次之后，他甚至可以像有些人那样对神发脾气，
100. But he was persistent in prayer even to the seventh time.
然而他耐心地祷告第七次。
101. Let’s just recount again.
让我再复述一遍，
102. He prayed specifically.
他具体地祷告；
103. He prayed obediently.
他顺服地祷告；
104. He prayed clinging to the promises of God.
他抓住神的应许祷告；
105. He prayed persistently.
他持久地祷告；
106. But he also prayed expectantly.
同时他也抱着期待祷告，
107. He believed with all of his heart that God was going to keep his word.
他全心全意地相信神必定信守诺言，
108. And that is why he kept on sending his servant until the seventh time.
所以他连续七次差他的仆人去观看。
109. He should have been shocked if God did not keep his word.
如果神不守信用，以利亚一定会很震惊。
110. Do you know how you can tell he was expectant?
我们怎么知道他满怀期待？
111. As soon as the servant came to say that he saw a cloud as small as a man’s hand.
当仆人来报告说，看见一小片云，只有手掌那么大，
112. He immediately believed that the rain is coming.
他立刻相信就要下雨了，
113. That is an expectancy in prayer.
这是带着期盼的祷告。
114. Now if you examine this passage very closely, you’re going to notice that Elijah would have been surprised if God had not answered.
如果你仔细读这段经文就会注意到，神若不回答他，以利亚会很惊讶；
115. Most of us are surprised when God answers prayer.
一般人在神回应祷告时，才感到惊讶。
116. And that is why 2800 years later, we are reading about Elijah and studying about Elijah.
因此2800年之后的今天，我们要学习并探讨以利亚的事迹。
117. Why?
为什么？
118. Because he persisted in prayer.
因为他坚持地祷告，
119. Because he was not surprised by God’s answer to prayer.
因为当神应允他时，他一点都不惊讶。
120. Finally, when God fulfilled his promise, Elijah stayed humble before God.
最后，当神实现祂的承诺时，以利亚在神面前非常谦卑。
121. Elijah after the victory, he tucked his cloak and he ran before King Ahab.
当以利亚胜利后，他把外衣束在腰上，一路跑在亚哈王前面。
122. Now this is an act of submission and humility.
这是一种谦卑顺服的举动，
123. To run before the king is to subordinate yourself to him as a servant.
侍从仆人才在王的前头奔跑。
124. Elijah didn’t have to do that.
以利亚本来不需要这么作的，
125. He could have said, ah-ha, now I’ve got Ahab exactly where I want him.
他大可以说，这下可好，亚哈该听我的了。
126. Or he could have looked at Ahab and said, Ahab, I am in and you’re out.
或者他可以瞪着亚哈说，我赢了，你输了。
127. But he didn’t.
他没这么作，
128. Why?
为什么？
129. Elijah was adamant that everybody must know that this great act was God’s act.
以利亚打定主意要让人知道，这次伟大的事件是神的作为，
130. Not Elijah’s act.
不是以利亚的作为。
131. I want to ask you this question.
我要问你这个问题，
132. What are you doing with the conditional promises of God?
你如何回应有条件的应许？
133. Are you refusing to keep the condition?
你拒绝履行条件吗？
134. Or are you rationalizing why you don’t have to keep the conditions?
或者你说服自己不需要遵守条件？
135. Or you may have just simply given up?
或者干脆放弃？
136. There are Christians who don’t know how to appropriate the promises of God.
有些基督徒硬是不懂得兑现神的应许。
137. Crowfoot.
乌鸦脚，
138. Crowfoot was a great chief of the Black Foot confederacy in south Canada.
乌鸦脚是南加拿大印地安联盟的酋长，
139. When crowfoot gave the Canadian Pacific Railroad permission to cross their land.
他允许加拿大太平洋铁路公司在他的土地上铺设铁路，
140. They wanted to do something special for him.
公司给他特别优待，
141. In return for his gracious act.
以回报他的善意，
142. So he was given the railway pass that he could use anywhere in Canada for the rest of his life.
就送给他一张火车票，让他一辈子免费搭乘火车。
143. Crowfoot put the railway pass in a leather case and carried it around his neck for the rest of his life.
他一直都把火车票放在皮袋里，挂在脖子上，
144. Yet he never took advantage of this wonderful gift.
但从来没有使用过这份礼物，
145. He never traveled on the railway.
他从未搭乘火车。
146. He had the gift.
他有礼物，
147. But he never used it.
却从不使用，
148. Tragically this is the way Christians treat the promises of God.
可悲的是，基督徒也是这样对待神的应许。
149. They may hang them on the walls.
他们把神的应许挂在墙上，
150. They may believe in them in their heads.
他们只在头脑上相信，
151. But they don’t know how to appropriate it.
但不知道如何兑现。
152. Let me give you and illustration
让我举例说明，
153. If you give me a check,
你若给我一张支票，
154. And I take that check and put it in my pocket.
我把支票放在口袋里，
155. And I would never deposit it in the bank.
却没有存进银行户口，
156. That check is useless, right?
这张支票就毫无用处，是吗？
157. I have never appropriated that gift that you have given me.
我从没有兑现你给我的礼物。
158. Now the Holy Spirit has given gifts to each of us.
圣灵赐礼物给我们每一个人，
159. The Holy Spirit has given us promises.
圣灵给我们应许，
160. And some of you have been given personal promises from the Lord.
你可能得到神给你个别的应许，
161. What do you do with these promises?
你怎样回应这些应许呢？
162. How you appropriate these promises?
你怎样使应许兑现呢？
163. That is dependent on you.
完全在乎你的选择。
164. Do you want to be blessed in any way?
你想在各方面蒙福吗？
165. Do you want to be blessed financially?
你想在钱财上蒙福吗？
166. Well do you give your tithe to the Lord?
你是否奉献十分之一给神？
167. Because the Bible said, give and it will be given back to you.
因为圣经说，你给予就要还给你。
168. Do you want to be blessed spiritually and have victory in certain areas in your life?
你想在属灵方面蒙福得胜吗？
169. Well, examine your calendar, find out how long you spent in studying the word of God and in prayer.
查查你的记事簿，上次你花时间读神的话语和祷告，是什么时候的事？
170. Do you want your family to be blessed?
你想你的家蒙福吗？
171. Then find out how long do you spend in instructing them and teaching them about the word of God and in prayer.
那么，你花了多少时间来教导他们读经祷告呢？
172. God is true to his laws that he has set in motion.
神遵守祂自己定的法则，
173. And he said that when you sow, you will reap.
祂说，你种的是什么，收的也是什么。
174. When you keep the condition of the promise, the fulfillment will take place.
你遵守应许的条件，应许就必实现。
175. Will you renew your commitment to cling to the promises of God tonight,
你愿意再度紧紧抓住神的应许，
176. And remain faithful to the condition s of the promise?
并忠实遵行应许的条件吗？
177. Join us next time when you will learn the surprising emotional turn that can occur after victory,
请继续收听下次的节目，我们要看看胜利之后，在情绪上意外的转折，
178. Until next time, we wish you God’s richest blessing.
愿神大大地赐福给你，下次再会。
