1. Hello, listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好，
2. I am glad you tuned in for this second and most important part of the series from the Book of James.
很高兴，你能收听这个节目，今天是雅各书这个系列信息的第二讲，也是这卷书中最重要的部分。
3. We’ve been talking about twelve steps for growing up.
在上次的节目中，我们谈到关于生命成长的十二个步骤。
4. I often talk with Christians who feel that God has abandoned them.
我常常和一些自以为神已经离弃他们的基督徒谈话。
5. Of course, to say that is to deny God’s sovereign power.
他们这么认为，其实是否认了神的主权。
6. To say that is to deny God’s absolute control over our lives and over the world;
他们这么认为，其实是否认了神对这个世界和我们的生活有绝对的控制权。
7. but the question still persists.
但他们坚持问下去，
8. Why does God allow suffering to the believer?
为什么神允许苦难临到信祂的人呢？
9. Could He not stop it?
难道神不能阻止这些苦难吗？
10. Why do bad things happen to good people?
为什么好人不得好报呢？
11. The ultimate answer is that God knows what He’s doing.
答案是，神知道自己的计划。
12. The sovereign God knows what is necessary to bring into our lives to help us grow up in Jesus Christ.
全能的神知道什么才是帮助我们在基督里成长的必要条件。
13. Trials that come outside of our control do not come simply because the Lord is unhappy or mad at us;
当出乎意料的试炼临到我们时，并不表示神不喜悦我们，或对我们发怒；
14. and the moment something happens, we go out crying to God, "God, change things, please," while, in fact, sometimes God wants to change us.
当有事发生时，我们往往向神呼求说：“神啊，改变这件事情吧。”其实，神是要改变我们。
15. You may be asking God to change your spouse, but God wants to change you.
也许，你要求神改变你的配偶，但神的意思是要改变你。
16. You might want God to change your boss or your job, but probably God wants that boss there to help change things in your life.
也许，你要求神改变你的老板或工作，但你有这样的老板，很可能是神要借着他来改变你的生命。
17. You may feel that you are in the wrong school, or you have the wrong teachers, but God wants to change you.
也许，你觉得你的学校不对劲儿，或你的老师有问题，但神的意思是要改变你。
18. God is trying to teach you some lessons in that very experience.
神要通过这些经历，让你学习功课。
19. God wants us to be spiritually mature.
神要我们在灵性上成熟起来。
20. Jesus said, in John 15, that any gardener can tell you that, in order for a branch to bear sufficient fruit, they must be pruned.
在约翰福音15章里，耶稣提到，任何一个园丁都会告诉你：必须修剪果树，才能使枝子结更多果子。
21. When the believer gets his or her branch nipped through trial, it hurts;
信徒就好像枝子那样，在试炼中受到修剪的时候，滋味是不好受的；
22. but it also causes us to bear fruit and have joy in the midst of trial.
然而，试炼却会带给我们真实的喜乐，并且让我们结果子。
23. Why?
为什么呢？
24. Because each trouble—each heartache—comes with the Father’s initiative to prune us.
因为每一次的伤心痛苦，都伴随着天父要修剪我们的苦心。
25. Trials are part of the divine plan for every believer.
神对每一位信徒都有造就的计划，试炼是其中的一部分。
26. Some of you may say, "Well, I have no trials in my life. Everything is moving just fine, thank you very much."
也许你会说：“谢了，不过在我生命中没什么试炼，一切都很顺利。”
27. Well, look out, because you are actually being tested.
你要小心，因为你正在接受试验呢！
28. There are four stages that every believer goes through.
每一位信徒都要经历四个阶段。
29. The first stage is the stage of faith.
第一个阶段是：信心。
30. You trust God and you go along believing in His Word;
你相信神，并且相信神所说的话；
31. then comes the second stage, the stage of obedience.
第二个阶段是：顺服。
32. You obey God and you take His Word seriously and it is the proof of your faith;
认真地思考，并且顺服神所说的话，以此来证明你的信心；
33. then, what happens?
接下来是什么呢？
34. Then comes the third stage of blessing.
跟着，就是第三个阶段：祝福。
35. God blesses your obedience and you are rejoicing and everything is great;
因你的顺服，神赐福给你，你也因此欢喜快乐，凡事顺利；
36. then, comes the next stage.
然后，就是下一个阶段。
37. The fourth stage is the stage of testing.
第四个阶段是：试验。
38. Blessing always leads to testing.
祝福总会导致试验。
39. Faith is tested for at least three reasons.
信心需要考验，至少有三个理由：
40. Number one, to prove whether our faith is real.
证明我们的信心是否是真实的。
41. Second, to help our faith grow.
第二，帮助我们的信心成长。
42. Thirdly, to bring glory to the Lord.
第三，归荣耀给神。
43. With the very blessings that God is giving you, He is testing you.
神赐福给你的时候，祂同时也在测验你。
44. Will you let the blessing lead you to live by sight?
你是不是因为神所赐的福，就单凭眼见而活呢？
45. Will you get busy with the blessing and forget the Blesser?
你是不是只注重福气，而忘记了赐福给你的那一位呢？
46. What is our responsibility in the process of trial and testing?
在试炼和试验中，我们的责任是什么？
47. Verse 4.
第四节：
48. Let’s read it to you.
让我读给你听。（雅各书一章4节）
AT YOUR DISCRETION, PLEASE READ THE REFERENCED BIBLE PASSAGE HERE, IF TIME PERMITS.
49. James is saying, "Don’t rebel against the circumstances.
雅各说：“不要与环境抗争。
50. Allow the testing process to go on to completion so that you may receive maximum benefit of God’s teaching."
要让测试的步骤进行到底，这样，你就可以从神的管教中获取最大的益处。
51. If you constantly rebel against your circumstances and all you want to do is get out of them, you will never become a mature Christian.
如果你总是抗拒你的处境，而且总是想逃避苦难，那么，你永远都不能在基督里长大成人。
52. Is James saying to just grin and bear it?
雅各是不是要我们强装笑颜地来承受呢？
53. No.
不是的。
54. Verse 5 tells us what to do.
在第五节，他告诉我们应该怎样做。（请听我读雅各书一章5节）
55. The believer has a special, secret code to a safe that is full of resources that empowers you and strengthens you beyond your imagination.
基督徒都有一个保险箱的密码，这保险箱里收藏着超乎想象的丰富资源，使我们获得能力，得以坚固。
56. What is it?
那是什么呢？
57. God’s wisdom.
就是属天的智慧。
58. God’s wisdom is perhaps the greatest tool for your spiritual growth.
属天的智慧是你灵命成长最有力的工具。
59. That wisdom enables us to know what God is trying to do in our lives.
这种智慧让我们晓得神在我们身上所要做的是什么。
60. God’s wisdom is the defogger for your fuzzy lenses;
属天的智慧使你模糊的视线得以清晰；
61. and, when you ask the Lord for wisdom, you are opening yourself to learn about God’s overall perspective.
而且，当你向神求智慧，你就能扩展自己来认识神的全盘计划。
62. Many Christians never grow or mature and stay stagnant because they fail to seek God’s big picture.
有许多信徒看不到神伟大的计划，以至于他们的生命停滞不前，无法趋向成熟。
63. They never get past their circumstances and how they can get out of it fast.
他们也就无法超越所处的环境，挣脱出来。
64. Wisdom is God’s wide-angle lens, but you must ask for it.
属天的智慧是神的广角镜，你必须祈求才能得着。
65. How do you ask for wisdom in the midst of your challenging circumstances?
那么，怎样在危难中求智慧呢？
66. Verses 6, 7, and 8 give us the answer
答案在第六、第七、第八节，
67. of James, Chapter 1.
雅各书，第一章6到8节。（请听我读雅各书一章6-8节）
68. You must ask in faith, not doubting that God can and will give it to you.
你要凭着信心求，不要疑惑，要相信神能够、也愿意赏赐给你。
69. Now, the person who comes to God and says to God, “God, give me wisdom,” and, then, he walks out and takes matters into his own hands and leads himself, that person is seeking wisdom and strength on his own terms.
如果一个人来到神面前说：“神啊，给我智慧吧。”随后，他仍旧按照自己的意思和方法来行事，这个人其实是按照自己的条件来求智慧和能力的。
70. According to James, this person is double-minded.
按雅各的话说，这个人是心怀二意的人。
71. This person is vacillating between trusting and trying to go it alone.
在信靠神和靠自己的力量之间摇摆不定。
72. This person is hesitant;
他犹豫不决；
73. and godly wisdom will not come to that person.
这种人是得不到属天的智慧的。
74. Godly wisdom will only come when you are fully, genuinely, definitely, completely and seriously trusting in God.
只有当你充份地、真诚地、绝对地、彻底地，并认真地信靠神的时候，你才会得到属天的智慧。
75. God is not honored by half-hearted commitment.
半信半疑的人，不能荣耀神。
76. God is not honored by part-time allegiance.
不能持续的效忠，也不荣耀神。
77. God is not pleased when we trust Him one time and doubt Him the next.
神不喜悦我们对祂半信半疑。
78. James tells us, in verses 9, 10 and 11, that trials are a great leveler.
雅各在第9 、10和11节中告诉我们，试炼就像一座巨大的水平仪，
79. The rich go through it and the poor go through it.
无论贫富都要经过它。
80. Illness shows no partiality.
疾病是没有偏见的，
81. Death does not discriminate.
在死亡面前人人都平等。
82. When the poor Christian suffers, he is to cling to the promises of God.
贫困的基督徒受苦时，他可以抓住神的应许。
83. His pride is the righteousness of God.
他以神的公义为可夸的。
84. His high position in Christ is all that he has.
他以在基督里尊贵的地位为满足。
85. In verse 10, James tells us that often, earthly possessions, for those who have them, cloud the issue.
在第10节，雅各告诉我们：对于今世富足的人来说，财富往往会蒙蔽事情。
86. Earthly possessions interfere with our fellowship with God.
属世的财富往往阻碍我们和神的关系。
87. They demand our attention﹔
它们会转移我们的注意力；
88. They claim our affection;
它们会霸占我们的心思；
89. and, when trials come to those who have great earthly possessions, it makes things more complicated.
而且，当拥有大量财富的人遇到试炼时，情况就会变得更为复杂。
90. We worry about losing the things which we have accumulated.
我们会担心失去那些曾经费力积蓄的财宝。
91. James warns us that, when tough times hit, the wealthy should glory in their humiliation.
雅各警告我们，当困难临到的时候，富足人应该以降卑为荣。
92. They should glory in the fact that they are able to depend on the loving Father.
他们应该为了能够依靠慈爱的天父而感到荣幸。
93. They should be comforted that, no matter what happens to their bank balances, God is there to lean on,
无论他们的财产有何变化，他们应该因着神是他们的依靠而欣慰，
94. because material possessions are all temporal.
因为属物质的财产都是暂时的。
95. The only vital, sustaining relationship that you can really rely on is your relationship with God,
只有你与神之间持久的生命联结，才是你最重要的倚靠，
96. because that is eternal.
因为这才是永恒不变的。
97. The last verse of this passage, verse 12, James tells us that we can truly rejoice in the midst of trial;
在今天信息的最后一节经文，也就是第12节那里，雅各说：在患难中，我们可以有真实的喜乐；
98. that we can have victory because our victory is in Jesus and He has already won the victory.
我们可以大获全胜，因为我们的胜利是在耶稣里的，祂已经得胜了。
99. We can have joy if we understand that God uses difficulties to produce growth.
如果我们明白神使用苦难来促使我们成长的话，我们就能够欢喜快乐。
100. We can praise Him for the tough times because He is working His purposes out in us;
我们可以为着苦难向神发出赞美，因为神正在我们身上实行祂的计划；
101. so, trials can be your teacher through which God helps you grow.
因此，试炼可以成为神帮助你生命成长的老师。
102. The other alternative is, you become bitter and angry and stay stagnant in your walk with God.
如果不明白神的旨意，你会发出苦毒恼恨，以致于生命停滞不前，不能更好地与神同行。
103. It is my prayer that you say, “Yes, Lord Jesus, teach me and help me to grow...”
我为你的祷告就是，你能够向神说：“是的，主耶稣，教导我、帮助我生命得到成长……”
104. for this is the first step in growing up in Christ;
这就是在基督里生命成长的第一步；
105. and I pray that God will use it to enrich you and help you grow in Christ.
盼望神借着它来丰富你的生命，让你的生命在基督里成长。
106. Until next time, I pray for God’s richest blessing.
我们下次节目再见，愿神大大赐福给你。
