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經文：「讓我將羊毛再試一次，但願羊毛是乾的，別的地方都有露水。」（士6:39） 基督徒的信心可以分成三個時期： 第一個時期；我們對於一件事，如果沒有看見徵兆或者明顯的感覺，就不容易相信。就像是基甸，一定要先摸摸羊毛，確定羊毛是乾的，才願意相信。這樣的信心也許是眞實的，不過並不完全。因為需要在神的話語以外，另外尋求感覺或證據。 第二個時期；我們對於一件事，就算沒有感覺也能夠相信；這就表示我們的信心有了明顯的進步。 第三個時期；和基甸的信心完全相反。如果第一個時期是依靠感覺來相信的；第二個時期是不依靠感覺也可以相信；第三個時期是在環境、感覺、表象、他人、理智，都促使你向反方向去做的時候，你還是持守著神的話語。 保羅在使徒行傳二十七章中運用的就是這樣的信心；「太陽和星辰多日不顯露，又有狂風大浪催逼，我們得救的指望就都絕了。」（徒27:20）雖然這樣，他卻說：「所以眾位可以放心，我信神祂怎樣對我說，事情也要怎樣成就。」（徒27:25）。 願神賜給我們這樣的信心，使我們不看環境只有全然信靠祂的話語。-- C.H.P. 新譯｜荒漠甘泉讀書會
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Scripture: "Let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece" (Judges 6:39). There are degrees to faith. At one stage of Christian experience we cannot believe unless we have some sign or some great manifestation of feeling. We feel our fleece, like Gideon, and if it is wet we are willing to trust God. This may be true faith, but it is imperfect. It always looks for feeling or some token besides the Word of God. It marks quite an advance in faith when we trust God without feelings. It is blessed to believe without having any emotion. There is a third stage of faith which even transcends that of Gideon and his fleece. The first phase of faith believes when there are favorable emotions, the second believes when there is the absence of feeling, but this third form of faith believes God and His Word when circumstances, emotions, appearances, people, and human reason all urge to the contrary. Paul exercised this faith in Acts 27:20, 25, "And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away." Notwithstanding all this Paul said, "Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer; for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me." May God give us faith to fully trust His Word though everything else witness the other way. --C. H. P. ｜ Mrs. Charles Cowman
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