1. Hello listening friends, we are glad you’ve joined us one more time.
亲爱的朋友你好，很高兴你再次收听这个节目。
2. And those of you who have been listening to this program, you know that we are in the midst of a series entitled “How God Works”.
一直在收听这节目的朋友都知道，现在我们正在进行「上帝的方法」这系列的信息，
3. We will continue our look at the life of Elijah.
我们要继续查考以利亚的生平。
4. Last time we have learned that Elijah left a great victory and began what I call, post-victory doldrums.
上次我们看见以利亚在一场伟大的胜利之后，陷入所谓的“胜利后忧郁症”中。
5. Elijah made his first mistake when he was fearful and took action by running away.
以利亚的第一个错误就是，他一害怕就逃跑，
6. And he ran away without checking to see what the Lord wants him to do.
匆匆逃亡却没有询问神的旨意。
7. And we learned the first principle in the very last message you remember.
还记得上次信息所讲的第一个功课是什么吗？
8. And it is this.
那就是，
9. Do not make a major decision without a word from the Lord.
在作重大决定时，不能没有神话语的指引，
10. Particularly after a great spiritual victory.
尤其在一场伟大的属灵胜利之后。
11. The second principle is this,
第二个原则是，
12. Elijah left himself alone at a time when he least needed to be alone.
以利亚在最不该离群独处时，却孤零零一个人。
13. He left his servant at Beersheba and went on for a day’s journey.
他把仆人留在别是巴，然后独自走了一天的路程，
14. And there he sat under a tree.
他坐在一棵树下，
15. Putting his head between his knees and said, God, kill me and kill me now.
他把头埋在两膝之间说：神啊！现在就杀了我吧！
16. As I told you before, when you are down, you are lonely.
我说过，当你沮丧时会感到孤单，
17. And when you are lonely, you are also down.
你孤单时也会感到沮丧。
18. Some of you may say well, wait a minute, wait a minute.
有些人会说，慢着，
19. Didn’t our Lord go away alone to be with the Father.
主耶稣不也是离开人群单独到天父面前吗？
20. Yes.
是的。
21. There are times when you must surely be alone with God in prayer.
有时候你必须独自向神祷告，
22. This is vitally important.
这是十分重要的，
23. But this is not one of these times in the life of Elijah.
但此时以利亚并非处于这种情况。
24. In times when you move from great victory to sudden defeat, these are not the times to be alone.
当你从伟大的胜利突然跌落失败的低谷中，就不应该孤单一人。
25. Can you imagine with me.
让我们想想看，
26. If Elijah's servant was indeed the son of the widow of Zaraphath.
假如以利亚的仆人真是撒勒法寡妇的儿子，
27. Can you imagine what he would have said to Elijah?
你能不能想象他会对以利亚说什么？
28. If he had been there and heard Elijah asking God to kill him, probably he would have said the following.
如果他在那儿听见以利亚向神求死，他可能会说，
29. Oh, no Elijah, don’t you remember what God did for us in Zaraphath?
使不得，以利亚，难道你忘了神在撒勒法时怎样对待我们吗？
30. He would have said to him, don’t you remember the cruth of oil and the jar of flour?
他可能会说，难道你忘了我们的油瓶和面坛了吗？
31. Don’t you remember that I was dead and you stretched yourself over me and God brought me to life again?
难道你忘了，我曾死去，你伏在我身上祷告，神就让我从死里复活吗？
32. No Elijah.
别这样，以利亚，
33. There is hope in God.
对神要有盼望。
34. Don’t you remember how you sent me out toward the sea 7 times to look for rain after 3 ½ years of drought?
还记得经过三年半旱灾之后，你七次差我向海观看是否会下雨吗？
35. Remember all those times I kept going back and you never distrusted God.
别忘了我一次一次来回跑，你都没有失去对神的信靠，
36. You have never doubted God.
你从没有怀疑神。
37. God answered your prayer and rain came Elijah.
以利亚，神答应你的祷告降下雨来。，
38. Have you forgotten the fire from heaven that licked everything in sight including the water?
难道你忘了，天火烧尽所有的祭物和沟里的水吗？
39. No, God’s still in the miracle business.
别忘了神至今仍然行神迹。
40. You see, Elijah did not need to be alone at this point in his life.
你明白吗？此时此刻以利亚不应该孤零零一个人的，
41. And this is why each of you must belong to a church or a group of people to minister to you.
所以你应该归属于一间教会，或一个属灵的团体，在其中彼此服事。
42. Some of you are trying to walk alone.
有些人喜欢独来独往，
43. And alone is the last thing you should be doing right now.
然而，现在不是单枪匹马的时候。
44. Some of you right now are trying to grit you teeth and clinch your fist and say well I am one of the tough ones.
可能就在此时，有人咬牙切齿擦拳摩掌地说，我很坚强，没事儿。
45. What you really need to do is surrender your toughness and let God give you a Christian friend to walk with you?
不要硬撑了，你应该让神带领一位基督徒朋友来伴随你。
46. And the third lesson is this.
第三个功课是，
47. When you are down, you lose perspective.
当你垂头丧气时，你失去了洞察力；
48. When you are down you lose objectivity.
当你垂头丧气时，你失去了客观性。
49. And there’s something very interesting here I want you to notice.
请注意这里很有趣的一点，
50. It is in chapter 19 verse 2.
列王纪上19章第2节，
51. Elijah ran away from Jezebel because he did not want her to kill him.
以利亚因为怕耶洗别要杀他而逃跑，
52. And then he goes to God and says, God, kill me.
但却跑到神那里，要神杀他。
53. This is like double talk.
这不是自相矛盾吗？
54. If Elijah wanted to die,
如果以利亚真想死，
55. He couldn’t have found a better killer than Jezebel.
耶洗别是最佳杀手了，
56. She would have killed him with passion.
她巴不得杀了以利亚呢！
57. Why is this double talk?
为什么这么矛盾呢？
58. Because when you are in the bosom of defeat you lose touch with reality.
因为当你陷入失败的愁云惨雾中，你就会脱离现实。
59. Look at what Elijah said.
看看以利亚怎么说，
60. I am not better than my ancestors.
我不胜于我的列祖。
61. What does that mean?
这是什么意思啊？
62. I want to give you an explanation first.
让我先解释解释，
63. It’s like this.
他的意思是这样的，
64. Nobody likes me.
没有人喜欢我，
65. Everybody hates me.
人人都讨厌我，
66. I’m going to eat some worms.
我做什么都没人理，
67. Everything looks futile to me.
什么都没意思！
68. It’s like a funny story that I heard not so long ago.
就像我最近听到的一个笑话，
69. A mother was trying to wake up her son one Sunday morning to wake up and go to church.
星期天早晨，母亲叫儿子起床到教会去，
70. She kept on trying to wake him up saying, wake up.
她不断地喊着，起床啦！起床啦！
71. You need to go to church.
该到教会去了。
72. But he said to her, no, I’m not going to church today.
但儿子说，今天我不去，
73. I’m going to sleep today.
我要睡觉！
74. Finally, he said to her.
最后他对母亲说，
75. I’m not going to that church because people don’t love me there.
我不去教会，因为那儿的人都不喜欢我，
76. They hate me.
他们都恨我。
77. She said no they don’t, you’re just imagining that.
母亲说，别乱说，那儿有这回事？
78. He said, well, give me two good reasons why I should go to church this morning.
儿子说，告诉我两个理由，为什么今天非去教会不可？
79. She said, number one.
母亲说，第一，
80. You are over 40 years of age.
你已经是超过40岁的人了；
81. Number two,
第二，
82. You are the pastor of the church.
你是教会的牧师呀！
83. Well, when Elijah was discouraged.
当以利亚灰心丧志时，
84. He began to think of the thousands of people who lived faithfully for Yahweh.
他想起千千万万忠于耶和华的人，
85. Many of whom died for Yahweh.
许多人甚至为耶和华而死。
86. Those nameless people, those faceless people throughout the generations, all the way back to Moses.
从摩西的时代起，历世历代以来，有许多无名的忠诚信徒。
87. And then he began to t hink of himself.
然后他想到自己，
88. He said I’m not better than they are.
他说，我比不上他们，
89. I want to die right now.
我现在就想死。
90. Elijah did not know that he was going to wind up in this series of messages on “How God works”.
当时以利亚并不知道，今天我们会在“上帝的方法”这系列信息中讲他的事迹；
91. He did not know that he would be mentioned in the book of James.
他也不知道，新约的雅各书会提到他；
92. He did not even know he would be in the Scripture.
甚至他连自己会出现在圣经中都不知道。
93. So anytime you sit down and you start feeling sorry for yourself, remember Elijah.
所以，当你开始感到沮丧自怜时，想想以利亚吧！
94. There is something else at work here,
这里还有个关键，
95. Which is the fourth principle.
也就是第四个原则，
96. Elijah was truly exhausted.
以利亚已筋疲力尽了。
97. He was physically exhausted.
他耗尽了体力，
98. He was emotionally exhausted.
他耗尽了心力，
99. He was spiritually exhausted.
他耗尽了灵力。
100. And you can find that in chapter 19 verse 5.
你可以从19章第5节看见，
101. It is really the bottom line of his depression and discouragement.
他已经陷入情绪的最低谷。
102. He fell asleep.
他睡着了，
103. It was a sleep of depression.
这是忧郁的睡眠。
104. Some of you know what I am talking about.
有些人明白我说什么，
105. It is that despondent, depleting type of sleep.
这是山穷水尽绝望中的昏睡，
106. It is the kind of sleep that when you wake up you are more tired than when you went to sleep.
这种睡眠，当睡醒时往往会感到更疲倦。
107. Why was he physically exhausted.
为什么他会筋疲力尽呢？
108. He had just ran 100 miles as fast as he could to get away from Jezebel.
他为了逃避耶洗别，狂奔了100哩路。
109. How was he emotionally and spiritually exhausted?
为什么他心灵的力量也耗尽枯竭呢？
110. Nothing can emotionally and spiritually and psychologically exhaust you like spiritual warfare.
没有比属灵的争战更能消耗我们身心灵的力量的。
111. When you have endured confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel,
当你在迦密山上，竭力对抗巴力的先知们，
112. And then spent time imploring God to fulfill his promises.
又花了不少时间祈求神实现祂的应许，
113. And then confront this wicked witch, Jezebel.
还要面对邪恶的耶洗别，
114. All of that is going to get you emotionally depleted.
这一切都会大量消耗你的精神体力。
115. Now some people don’t understand that ministry takes life out of people.
有些朋友不理解，事奉的工作是会消耗生命的，
116. I want to tell you the best part.
但我要告诉你，从积极来看，
117. The greatest part about this episode is not Elijah’s depression or discouragement or weakness or fear.
以利亚的忧郁、失望、软弱和惧怕，并非他遭遇中最显著的部分，
118. No.
不是！
119. The greatest part of this story is how God restored him.
最值得注意的是，神如何使他重新振作起来。
120. This series is about how God works.
这系列讲的是“上帝的方法”，
121. How God deals with us?
神如何对待我们？
122. And this is it.
就是这个，
123. This is the nugget of all nuggets.
精华中的精华，
124. What do you think the Bible said?
圣经怎么说？
125. Did it say,
是否这样？
126. And the Lord God yelled to Elijah and said to him,
耶和华神斥责以利亚说，
127. You are a weak-willed, vacillating wimp,
你这个软弱无能没主见的懦夫，
128. I gave you an important assignment and you blew it.
我对你负以重任，你却把事情给搞砸了。
129. No, no, no, and a million no.
没有，绝对没有。
130. How does God deal with a depressed and discouraged servant of his?
神如何对待祂垂头丧气的仆人？
131. This is very important.
这点很重要。
132. When Elijah was down,
当以利亚最低落时，
133. God matched his every need at every point.
神在各方面供应他的需要。
134. How?
神怎么做呢？
135. Because Elijah did not wait for a word from the Lord.
因为以利亚没有等候神话语的指示，
136. The Lord gave him a word.
神主动对他说话。
137. Because Elijah refused to have human companion.
因为以利亚拒绝伙伴同行，
138. God provided him with an angel for a companion.
神差派天使和他作伴。
139. Because Elijah needed food and refreshment.
因为以利亚需要饮水和食物，
140. God provided him with some.
上帝就供应给他。
141. God met him at every point of his needs.
神在各方面满足他的需求。
142. When you are down, God doesn’t say to you.
当你情绪低落时，神不会对你说。
143. You miserable person, you have failed you have let me down.
你这个倒霉鬼，真没出息！你让我太失望了！
144. This is not our God.
我们的神不会这样。
145. This is not how our God works with his faithful children when they get blindsided.
当神的儿女失败时，祂非但不会这样对待他们，
146. More than anything else, God knew that Elijah needed some rest and refreshment from the Lord.
反而更关切他们的需要，神很清楚以利亚需要休息和饮食。
147. The angel did not say,
天使没有说，
148. Elijah, get up and ponder the great doctrine of the sovereignty of God.
起来，以利亚你应该思想神的伟大和主权。
149. No.
没有！
150. Not at this time.
这不是时候，
151. Why not?
为什么？
152. At that point in his life Elijah needed food and drink, not doctrine.
以利亚这时需要的是饮食，而不是神学思想。
153. He did not need a book to read or a cassette to listen to.
这时他不需要看书或听磁带，
154. There is a place and time for all of that.
可以用另外的时间场合做这些事，
155. At that point, he needed to eat and to drink and to rest.
但此时此刻，他最需要的就是吃的、喝的和休息。
156. After he ate and drank, he went back to sleep.
当他吃饱喝足了，他又睡着了。
157. Because he was in desperate need of sleep.
他太需要睡眠啦！
158. I remember one time I went for three straight nights without sleep at all.
我记得有一次我三天三夜没睡，
159. I was traveling overseas.
那时我正在海外旅行，
160. And I went for three days and three nights without sleep.
一连三天三夜没法睡觉，
161. And then I collapsed.
结果我累垮了。
162. I was so glad that my companions were taking me around because I did not know where I was.
我人地生疏，幸好有朋友带路，
163. They checked me into the hotel and I went to sleep.
他们让我住进旅馆，我倒头就睡，
164. And then they woke me up when it was time to go.
然后叫醒我，继续上路，
165. And I went to the next place and I went to sleep.
到下一站我再继续睡。
166. And that’s exactly what Elijah needed at this point.
这时候的以利亚也正需要睡眠，
167. After he rested, the angel woke him up because now Elijah was ready to resume his ministry.
当他休息过了，天使来叫醒他，以利亚才可以恢复他的工作，
168. God was ready to talk to him.
神也有话对他说。
169. God talked him through the earthquake.
神在地震中说话，
170. But he did not really speak to him.
其实并没有说什么；
171. He talked him through the fire.
神在火焰中说话，
172. But he didn’t really speak to him.
但也没说什么；
173. He waited until he spoke to him in a gentle whisper.
最后神以微小的声音对他说话。
174. Let me conclude by saying this.
现在我要总结今天所讲的，
175. I really had great hesitation in working on this message.
其实当我预备这篇信息时，觉得很犹豫，
176. And I had some fear.
也有些担心。
177. What fear you may ask?
你问我，你担心什么？
178. What I am saying to you is dangerous?
我担心自己所说的会带来一些危机。
179. I’m going to tell you why.
让我告诉你为什么，
180. It is dangerous because some slothful, lazy people are going to say.
有些懒惰散漫的人可能会说，
181. That’s exactly what I wanted to hear.
这正是我爱听的。
182. My fear when I give you a message like this.
我担心所讲的信息会产生误导，
183. The slothful and the lazy and those who are watching and doing nothing will take it as an excuse.
那些懒惰的、散漫的和游手好闲、袖手旁观的人就有借口了。
184. On the other hand,
但另一方面，
185. Those who are exhausted and frazzled and hard-worked,
那些疲惫不堪尽心竭力的工作者，
186. Are going to take it seriously and work harder.
却可以得到鼓励，更加认真勤奋的工作。
187. So I don’t want you to mix yourselves up.
所以请不要误会其中的意义，
188. This is a word from the Lord.
这是神的话，
189. To those who work hard,
对于勤奋事奉者、
190. And never rest.
从不休息的、
191. Those who give sacrificially,
牺牲付出的、
192. And always ready to do what needs to be done,
看见有需要就去做的、
193. And never rest,
从不停顿的，
194. God wants you to take time for rest.
神要你挪出时间来休息。
195. But to those of you who are spectators and watchers,
然而袖手旁观的，
196. And you only warm the pew when you get to church,
你到教会去只是安坐观众席的，
197. There’s another message for you.
我给你另一篇信息。
198. Get on with serving the Lord.
现在就开始事奉主吧！
199. Do something for God.
为主做些事，
200. Don’t make any excuses for not serving God.
别为自己找借口逃避事奉，
201. I hope that this is going to be your decision today.
我盼望这是你今天的抉择。
202. Until we meet again,
让我们下次节目再会，
203. I wish you God’s richest blessing.
愿神大大的赐福给你。
