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經文：「亞伯拉罕所信的，是那叫死人復活，使無變有的上帝，他在主面前作我們世人的父。如經上所記，我已經立你作多國的父。」（羅4:17）
亞伯拉罕為何如此信靠神？按照世人的眼光來看，亞伯拉罕的年紀老邁，是沒有希望再做父親；但是神卻在他還沒有任何生子徵兆以前，就叫他「多國之父」；神既這麼說，他就這麼信，而這就是信心。信心就是相信並擁護神所說的；信心就像踏步的時候，彷彿前路全是虛空，但是一踏上去，就發現腳底已有一塊穩固的盤石。神說你有甚麼，你就信自己有甚麼，這樣神必將你所信的賜給你。--碎錦 Crumbs 你應當甘心樂意地過著信心的生活，不要羨慕別的。雖然看見外面的燈光都熄滅，天上的星光也隱藏，四周剩下的只有黑暗和危險，但是仍要歡喜快樂，因為知道神在你的心裡，仍為你留下屬靈的燦爛；一盞用信心點燃的明燈。--阿伯漢 Thomas C. Upham 時候已到，請不要繼續棲息在懷疑上，應該走出自以為安全的巢窩，披戴上信心的翅翼。就像雛鳥必須走出巢窩學習飛翔；試飛時難免害怕自己會墜落，可是不用擔心，因為翅膀已經展開。所以讀者們，只要信靠神，「你必要站住」（羅14:4）。 你也許會說：「像我這樣軟弱的人，可能不會得著能力罷！」，神說：「你會。」；你也許會說：「像我這樣容易被誘惑，容易降服的天性，可能不會得著勝利罷！」，神說：「你會。」；你也許會說：「像我這樣懦弱與膽卻的靈魂，可能不會得著安息罷！」，神還是說：「你會。」；神既然如此說，你總不能懷疑神在說謊！祂所說的，難到會不成就嗎？ --- 所以如果你已經得到神的話語；祂清楚的應許；就應該毫不懷疑地全然信任祂。因為你擁有的不只是一個肯定的承諾，你真正擁有的是那位許下承諾全然信實的主。--費極斯 J. B. Figgis 新譯｜荒漠甘泉讀書會
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Scripture: "God...calleth those things which be not as though they were" (Rom. 4:17). What does that mean? Why Abraham did this thing: he dared to believe God. It seemed an impossibility at his age that Abraham should become the father of a child; it looked incredible; and yet God called him a "father of many nations" before there was a sign of a child; and so Abraham called himself "father" because God called him so. That is faith; it is to believe and assert what God says. "Faith steps on seeming void, and finds the rock beneath." Only say you have what God says you have, and He will make good to you all you believe. Only it must be real faith, all there is in you must go over in that act of faith to God. --Crumbs Be willing to live by believing and neither think nor desire to live in any other way. Be willing to see every outward light extinguished, to see the eclipse of every star in the blue heavens, leaving nothing but darkness and perils around, if God will only leave in thy soul the inner radiance, the pure bright lamp which faith has kindled. --Thomas C. Upham The moment has come when you must get off the perch of distrust, out of the nest of seeming safety, and onto the wings of faith; just such a time as comes to the bird when it must begin to try the air. It may seem as though you must drop to the earth; so it may seem to the fledgling. It, too, may feel very like falling; but it does not fall--it's pinions give it support, or, if they fail, the parent birds sweeps under and bears it upon its wings. Even so will God bear you. Only trust Him; "thou shalt be holden up." "Well, but," you say, "am I to cast myself upon nothing?" That is what the bird seems to have to do; but we know the air is there, and the air is not so unsubstantial as it seems. And you know the promises of God are there, and they are not unsubstantial at all. "But it seems an unlikely thing to come about that my poor weak soul should be girded with such strength." Has God said it shall? "That my tempted, yielding nature shall be victor in the strife." Has God said it shall? "That my timorous, trembling heart shall find peace?" Has God said it shall? for, if He has, you surely do not mean to give Him the lie! Hath he spoken, and shall He not do it? If you have gotten a word --"a sure word" of promise--take it implicitly, trust it absolutely. And this sure word you have; nay, you have more--you have Him who speaks the word confidently. "Yea, I say unto you," trust Him. --J. B. Figgis, M. A. ｜ Mrs. Charles Cowman
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