1. Hello, listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好，

2. We are thrilled to be able to bring you this series of messages from the Epistle of James.
很高兴，能把雅各书的系列信息带给你。

3. We are coming very close toward the end now;
我们这个系列已接近尾声了；

4. so, I hope you remember all of the ten steps of the past,
盼望你能够记得已经讲过的，生命成长的前10个步骤，

5. because, today, I want to talk about waiting upon the Lord.
今天，我要谈“等候主”。

6. What would your advice be to someone who’s going through suffering?
通常，对那些在患难中的人，你有些什么劝告呢？

7. James’ advice is be patient.
雅各的劝告是：要忍耐。

8. In his first step toward spiritual growth, James said, “Count it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter trying times.”
在谈到生命成长第一个步骤时，雅各说：“我的弟兄们，你们落在百般试炼中，都要以为大喜乐。”

9. Here, as he begins to close his book, he goes back to the theme of being patient,
到了他这封信结尾的部份，雅各再次谈到“忍耐”这个主题，

10. because he wants to tell us that God is not going to fix everything until Jesus comes back.
因为，他想让我们知道，在主耶稣回来之前，世界不会变得完美。

11. One day, God is going to right all the wrongs;
要到末日的时候，神才会更正所有的错误；

12. therefore, look forward to that day.
因此，期盼这一天的来临吧。

13. Let the expectation of that day be the source of your patience
你能忍耐，就是因为有这盼望。

14. Let the thought of that day be the source of your power,
对那一天的盼望，将成为你的能力之源，

15. because that’s how you can persevere.
这样，你就能够坚忍不屈。

16. Three times, James reminds us of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in a very short passage of Chapter 5.
雅各在第五章里，曾三次提醒我们，主来的日子近了。

17. It is found in verse 7, verse 8, and verse 9.
这些经文分别记在第七、第八和第九节。
（请读圣经，雅5:7-9。）

18. “In this world,” Jesus said, “you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer.”
耶稣说：“在世上，你们有苦难，但你们可以放心。”

19. Why?
为什么呢？

20. “Because I have overcome the world.”
“因为我已经胜了世界。”

21. The Greek word, here, translated "patience" literally means "to stay put and to stand fast when you would like to cut and run."
这里，在希腊原文中，“忍耐”的意思就是：越是你想弃而逃之的时候，你越发要坚持下去。”

22. Your job is difficult and your employer is being unreasonable and you want to quit and go away,
当你的工作遇到艰难，你的老板又蛮不讲理时，你就想要逃之夭夭，

23. but God put you there for a purpose.
但神把你放在那里是有原因的。

24. Stay put until He tells you otherwise.
在神没让你离开之前，你不能离开。

25. Your marriage is falling apart and you feel that your spouse has not been fair to you and the devil is telling you that you deserve better,
当你的婚姻出现危机，你的配偶没有善待你，魔鬼就来挑唆你，说：他根本配不上你，

26. but God put you there for a purpose. Don’t cut and run.
但是，神刻意把你放在那里。你不能弃而逃之。

27. In your business, you have tried everything and the money is not coming in and you have even despaired of life itself and say, “What’s the use?”
虽然，你已经尽力工作，但你的事业仍旧不见起色。你因此对生活失去信心，说“哎，活着有什么意思呢？”

28. Stay there, because God is trying to teach you some lessons.
要坚守岗位，因为神正在培训你。

29. Instead of trying to jump ship, ask the question, “What does the Lord want me to learn?”
在你决定半途而废之前，要思考一个问题：“到底神要我学习什么功课呢？”

30. The questions that are plaguing a person who’s going through trying times are these:
在受试炼的时候，我们往往为着以下这些难题感到泄气：

31. How in the world can I be patient?
我到底怎样才能忍下去呢？

32. How long shall I wait?
我还要忍耐多久呢？

33. Why should I be patient?
我为什么要忍耐呢？

34. James gives us three encouraging examples of patience and endurance;
雅各告诉我们三个恒久忍耐的榜样；

35. then, he teaches us the secret of patience and waiting upon the Lord.
然后，他教导我们忍耐等候主的秘诀。

36. First,
第一，

37. every Christian must learn to develop a farmer’s temperament.
每一位基督徒都要学习农夫的耐性。

38. I have yet to see a farmer who sows the seed and, then, the next morning goes out and looks for fruit.
我还没见过有哪个农夫，今天把种子种在地里头，明天就出去收成的。

39. Many farmers plow and sow during the autumn months,
有些农夫是在秋天耕地，并把种子种下去，

40. because the early rain would soften the soil and the latter rain in the spring would help mature the harvest.
因为，秋雨可以滋润土壤，而春雨则会促使庄稼成熟。

41. Why would the farmer wait patiently between September and April?
农夫为什么要从九月一直等到第二年的四月呢？

42. Because he knows that the harvest is going to be worth waiting for.
因为他明白：要有好的收成，就必须等待。

43. It is going to be a precious day when he gathers his crops.
收割庄稼的日子，就是最宝贵的时刻。

44. Galatians 6:9 tells us that, “in due season, we shall reap if we faint not.”
加拉太书6章9节告诉我们：“若不灰心，到了时候，就要收成。”

45. James is picturing the growing Christian as a spiritual farmer.
雅各把成长中的基督徒比喻为灵性上的农夫。

46. That is why, in verse 8, he said, “Be ye also patient, and stand firm.”
因此他在第8节那里说：“你们也当忍耐，坚固你们的心。”

47. Our hearts are the soil and the seed is the Word of God.
我们的心就是土壤，而神的道就是种子。

48. In fact, you’ll discover that, just as there are seasons for the soil, there are seasons to the spiritual life.
事实上你会发觉，耕种有季节性，我们灵命的成长也有季节的区别。

49. Sometimes, our hearts become wintry and unresponsive, and the Lord has to plow our hearts before He can plant the seeds;
有时候，我们的心像严冬般的冰冷坚硬，主必须先为我们松土，然后才能种下。

50. then, He sends the rain and the sunshine of His goodness to water and warm up our hearts and the seed that He planted;
跟着，祂用美善的阳光和雨水滋润我们的心田，让种子得以生长；

51. but fruit will not show up immediately.
然而，果实不会在一夜之间就长出来。

52. The fruit will come, because these are the principles that God has put in His creation.
果子迟早会出来的，因为在神创造天地的时候，已经有了生长的定律。

53. I’m sure some of you are asking, “How can I endure when I’m going through a tough time?”
我相信有些人会问：“在我艰难的时刻，怎样才能忍受得住呢？”

54. Listening friends, listen carefully to what I’m going to tell you.
亲爱的朋友，请仔细听我说。

55. God is producing a harvest in your life.
神正在预备你生命的丰收。

56. God wants you to bear the fruit of the Spirit in your life.
神盼望你能够结出灵命的果子来。

57. God wants you to be productive in His Kingdom;
神希望你在祂的国度里能结实累累；

58. and the only way He can do it is through trials.
而多结果子的唯一途径，就是让你经历试炼。

59. If you are an impatient farmer and you keep on digging the seed out prematurely, you will cause yourself pain,
如果你是一个没有耐性的农夫，而不断地揠苗助长的话，你就会自讨苦吃。

60. because God will keep on planting that same seed again and again.
因为神要重复地栽种同样的种子。

61. God will keep on plowing your heart and seed it again.
神要继续不断地为你的心田松土。

62. If, through prayer and praise, you wait patiently, God is going to bless you with a bountiful harvest in His own time, not yours;
假如你在祷告和赞美中忍耐等候神，到了神所定的时刻，你就能喜获丰收。

63. and, only then, will you truly enjoy God’s harvest - if you permit Him to establish your heart firmly.
只要你肯让神来坚固你的心，到那时，你会享受到丰收的喜悦。

64. How do you do that?
要怎么做呢？

65. By trusting God.
就是要信赖神。

66. What helps your heart to be firm, or be established, in the Word of God?
是什么能帮助你在神的话语中坚立呢？

67. What does the farmer do while he’s waiting?
通常，农夫在等待收成的时候，做些什么？

68. The farmer is never idle.
农夫永远不会闲着的。

69. He is working on the barn and getting it ready.
他要忙着整理粮仓。

70. He is making plans for the use of the crops.
他要忙着计划怎样使用他的收成。

71. He is always working and fully trusting that God will bless him with a harvest in due course.
他忙着工作，完全信靠神，到了时候，神必定会赐福给他，使他有收成。

72. James never suggested that you go up to the mountain and wait for Jesus’ return and do nothing.
雅各从没有对我们说，不用做事，躲到深山老林里去，等候主再来吧。

73. In fact, listen to what Jesus said, in Luke 12:43:
事实上，请听耶稣在路加福音12章43节里所说的话：

74. “Blessed is the servant whom his Lord, when he comes, shall find him so doing.”
“主人来到，看见仆人这样行，那仆人就有福了。”

75. Watching for the Lord should motivate you to work while you are waiting.
守望等候主再来，可以激励你勤奋地工作。

76. One characteristic about farmers is that they are always helpful to one another.
农夫总是互相帮助的，这是他们的特点。

77. They are always obliging to lend a hand;
他们乐意助人；

78. and that is why James said, in verse 9,
这就是为什么雅各在第9节里说，

79. “Do not grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged.”
弟兄们，你们不要彼此埋怨，免得受审判。”

80. Impatience with God often leads to impatience with God’s people;
对神没有耐心，就会对弟兄姐妹不耐烦；

81. and this is a sin that we must avoid.
我们必须要避免去犯这种罪。

82. Someone said, “If we start using the sickles on each other, we will miss the real harvest.”
有人曾说：“如果我们彼此不和睦，就无心收割庄稼了。”

83. The second example that helps our patience in waiting is the life of the Prophets of God.
忍耐等候神的第二个榜样是：属于神的先知。

84. Look at verse 10.
请看第10节。

85. Look at the Prophets who faithfully preached the Word of God. See how they patiently endured:
弟兄们，你们要把那先前奉主名说话的众先知，当作能受苦、能忍耐的榜样。

86. so, when you are in the will of God and yet suffer, you must remember that other godly men and women also suffered for being at the very center of the will of God.
因此，如果你为遵行神的旨意而受苦，要记得，许多神的儿女都曾因着遵行神的旨意而受过苦。

87. Satan tells faithful Christians that their suffering is a result of sin and unfaithfulness.
撒但常常欺骗基督徒说：他们所受的苦是因为犯罪和不忠心造成的。

88. Be careful of this trap.
小心别中它的圈套。

89. If you have been a faithful worker, but you are persecuted,
假如你因为忠心侍奉而受逼迫的话，

90. don’t heap guilt upon yourself, but remember that other faithful people have been persecuted before you.
千万不要罪责自己，要记得，从前许多忠心侍奉神的人都受过逼迫。

91. In 2 Timothy 3:12, it tells us, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
在提摩太后书3章12节那里说：“不但如此，凡立志在基督耶稣里敬虔度日的，也都要受逼迫。”

92. Jesus’ obedience to the Father led Him to the cross.
耶稣因着顺服父神的旨意而走上十字架。

93. When you read the Word of God, you will discover how faithful Prophets were persecuted for their faithfulness;
当你读圣经时，就会发现有许多忠于神的先知，是因着他们的忠诚而受逼迫的。

94. and that will give you courage and stamina to go on and be strong.
他们足可以鼓舞你奋力勇往直前。

95. Elijah was persecuted when he announced to the wicked King Ahab that there would be a drought in the land;
以利亚因宣告将有一场大旱灾，而受到邪恶的亚哈王逼迫。

96. and Elijah, himself, suffered from that drought;
什至以利亚本人也遭受到干旱之苦；

97. but God took care of him.
但神却养活了他。

98. Daniel purposed in his heart to obey God more than men.
但以理下定决心要效忠神，过于效忠人。

99. He ended up in the den of lions, but God watched over him.
结果他被仍到了狮子坑中，但神却保守了他。

100. Joseph chose to obey God’s moral laws more than the easy way of moral compromise.
约瑟选择了顺服神，没有在道德方面向罪恶低头。

101. He ended up in the dungeon, but God took care of him and saved a whole nation.
他因此而被下监，然而，神却救他，幷藉他拯救了整个国家。

102. Why is it that those who are faithful to the Lord and speak God’s Word must endure difficulty and trials?
为什么他们忠心传讲神的话，就要受痛苦的试炼呢？

103. Because the impact of their obedience under suffering will carry much power for God.
因为在受苦的时候，如果他们顺服神，就更彰显出神的大能。

104. Because their patience in the time of trials are eloquent testimonies to the name of Christ.
在试炼中的忍耐，可以更有力地为主名作见证。

105. Romans 15:4 says,
罗马书15章4节说：

106. the better you know and understand God’s Word, the more encouragement God gives you in the difficult times.
叫我们因圣经所生的忍耐和安慰，可以得着盼望。

107. Finally, my friend, let me remind you again.
最后，我要再次提醒你，

108. Like the farmer, keep on working.
要效法农夫，殷勤做工。

109. Like the prophet, keep on witnessing,
要效法先知，守住见证，

110. no matter how trying the circumstances might be.
不论环境多么的恶劣，都要恒久忍耐。

111. In the next broadcast, I will share with you more examples for patience and perseverance from the Epistle of James;
在下次节目中，我会和你分享，雅各书中有关恒久忍耐这方面更多的榜样。

112. and, until then, I pray for God’s power to strengthen you to be patient.
好，我们下次再见，我祈求神，让祂的能力坚固你们的心。