1. We welcome you, our listening friends, and we’re glad you tuned in.
欢迎你，亲爱的朋友，很高兴你能再次收听这个节目。
2. In the last broadcast, we saw two examples of patience and perseverance in the times of trial.
上一次，我们讲到在试炼中恒久忍耐的两个榜样。
3. One was the example of the farmer who waits for the harvest.
第一个榜样是，等候收成的农夫。
4. The second was the example of the faithful Prophets of God who stood firm in difficult times.
第二个榜样是，在患难里忠贞坚信的先知。
5. Today, we come to the third example of patience and enduring faithfulness in James, Chapter 5, verse 11.
今天，我们要讲第三个忠诚忍耐的榜样，它记在雅各书第五章11节，
6. This name is very familiar to all of us.
我们对他的名字并不陌生。
7. His name is Job.
他就是约伯。
8. Most often, before the Lord uses a man or a woman in a mighty way, he has to break them;
通常，我们的主要重用祂的儿女之前，总是先破碎他们；
9. otherwise, how would they know victory, when they see it, unless they have been through failure and defeat?
否则，不经过失败和挫折的话，我们就不知道什么是胜利。
10. How would they appreciate the peak of the mountaintop unless they have experienced the valleys?
没有走过低洼的山谷，就不能为登上高峰而欢喜。
11. There can be no victories without battles;
没有上阵作战，就不可能取得胜利；
12. and, if you want to enjoy God’s blessings, you must be prepared to fight the battles.
你必须准备作战，才能享受神的赐福。
13. Paul went to the third Heaven and he experienced marvelous things;
保罗曾经到过三层天上，见过奇妙的事情；
14. but, as a direct result, God had to allow a thorn in the flesh to keep him humble.
但神把一根刺放在保罗身上，目的就是要让他谦卑下来。
15. God has to balance the privileges with responsibilities in our lives.
神会平衡祂放在我们生命中的权利和责任。
16. God has to balance the blessings and the burdens or else we become out of balance.
神会权衡我们的福分和担子，否则就会失去平衡。
17. You will become like a small, pampered child, and God cannot use spoiled, pampered Christians.
不经历患难，我们就像一个被宠坏的孩子，而这种基督徒，神是不能使用他的。
18. James is adamant at the fact that we will be blessed after we have endured.
雅各坚信，在忍耐之后，必有祝福。
19. How come?
为什么呢？
20. Well, he said, look at Job.
他说，看看约伯就知道了。
21. The Book of Job is a long and rambling book.
约伯记的故事很漫长。
22. Someone said to me once, “It’s full of speeches...”
其中充满着对话。
23. but the Book of Job is basically divided into three sections.
约伯记大致可分为三个部分。
24. Section one is Chapter 1 to 3, and it describes Job’s distress.
第一部分是第一章到第三章，描述了约伯不幸的遭遇。
25. Section two is Chapters 4 to 37, and it describes Job’s defense.
第二部分是第四章到37章，记载了约伯的自我辩护。
26. Section three is Chapters 38 to 42, and it presents Job’s deliverance.
第三部分是从38章到42章，记述了神拯救约伯的经过。
27. First, God humbles Job, then, He honors him.
首先，神让约伯谦卑下来，然后，神再使他得尊荣。
28. Of course, Job did not understand all that was going on in terms of the spiritual realm.
当然，约伯起初并不明白灵界里发生的事。
29. Job did not comprehend all the spiritual battles between God and His rebellious angel, Satan.
约伯并不理解神与叛徒撒但之间属灵的争战。
30. Job’s friends were against him and accused him of being a hypocrite.
约伯的三个朋友责怪约伯是一个假冒为善的人。
31. Job’s circumstances were against him and he lost everything.
人人都跟约伯作对，他失去了一切。
32. Job’s wife was against him and she told him to curse God and die;
什至，连约伯的妻子也反对他，叫他去死，并咒诅神。
33. and it appeared, on the surface, that God was against Job,
的确，从表面看来，神似乎和约伯作对，
34. for he had cried out to God for answers and there was no reply;
因为他呼求神，神并没有回答他；
35. and, yet, Job endured.
然而，约伯忍受了这一切。
36. Satan was convinced that Job would not only crumble under pressure, but he would abandon the faith altogether.
撒但原以为约伯会在压力下崩溃，并且离弃神。
37. It did not happen.
事实却不是这样。
38. To be sure, he questioned God’s will;
不错，他也曾质问神的旨意；
39. but Job could say, “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him.”
然而，约伯说：“他虽然杀我，我仍对祂有指望。”
40. Job was so sure of God’s perfect justice that he argued with Him;
因为他深信神是完全公义的，所以他和神争辩；
41. but, even when Job did not understand all that God was doing, he trusted Him anyway.
即使约伯不能明白神所做的一切，但他仍然信任神。
42. If you are going through a tough time now and you know that you had no hand in making the bed in which you’re laying,
假如你正经历患难，而你心里明白那不是你的错造成的，
43. you may be questioning God.
也许你会质问神。
44. Your friends, perhaps, have turned against you.
也许你的朋友反对你。
45. Your family does not understand.
你的家人不理解你。
46. Your circumstances are working against you.
你周遭的环境对你很不利。
47. Oh, but remember this:
这个时候，你要记住：
48. God has a higher purpose in your suffering.
神让你受苦，有更重要的目的。
49. God never wastes suffering on His saints.
神从不让他的圣徒白白受苦。
50. Just as Job met God on the other end of his suffering in a new and deeper way, so will God meet with you.
正如约伯在经历了苦难以后亲眼看见了神，神也要让你看见祂。
51. Just as God brought a double blessing on Job, He is preparing a double blessing for you.
正如神加给约伯双倍的福分，神也要加倍地赐福给你。
52. I know what some of you are thinking.
也许有些朋友认为：
53. “But, if God is so merciful, why did He permit Job to go through this?
“如果神是慈爱的，祂为什么允许苦难临到约伯呢？
54. Why did He not just stop it from happening?
神为什么不制止这些事情发生呢？
55. Why did God not say, ‘No’ to Satan?
神为什么不拒绝撒但的无理要求呢？
56. God knew what was going to happen.”
神知道将会发生什么事呀。”
57. The bottom line answer is that my finite mind cannot comprehend or fathom all that God does;
答案是：虽然我们有限的头脑不能理解，也不能想象神的作为；
58. but I know this:
但是，我知道一个事实：
59. God was glorified and Job was purified through the process.
那就是：经过试炼，神的名得到了荣耀，约伯生命里的杂质也得以炼净。
60. The same thing is true in the difficulties that you are facing or going through right now.
你今天所面对或经历的一切也是同样的道理。
61. On the other end of it, God is going to be glorified and you are going to be purified and blessed, if you endure.
当你忍耐着经过试炼以后，神的名会得到荣耀，你也得到洁净并蒙福。
62. When you feel yourself in the fiery furnace, just remember God’s loving hand is on the thermostat.
假如你觉得自己正在炽热的火炉中，不要忘记神慈爱的手掌管一切，祂不会容许火焰伤害你。
63. Job said, in 23:10, “When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”
约伯在23章10节这样说：“祂试炼我之后，我必如精金。”
64. Satan wants you to be impatient with God.
撒但希望你对神不耐烦。
65. Satan wants to use your impatience as a weapon.
撒但想要利用你的不耐烦作为武器。
66. When Satan attacks us, it is to get us to be impatient and go ahead of the Lord and lose God’s blessings in the process;
在攻击我们的时候，撒但叫我们对主不耐烦，且走在主的前头，因而失去神的赐福。
67. but God’s answer is, “My grace is sufficient.”
但神对我们说：“我的恩典是够你用的。”
68. Abraham got impatient and ended up with Ishmael.
亚伯拉罕没有耐心等下去，结果生了以实玛利。
69. Peter’s impatience almost made a murderer out of him.
彼得差点儿在气头上杀了人。
70. “When you are weak, I’m strong in your weakness.”
神说：“我的能力，在你的软弱上显得完全。”
71. God will turn Satan’s weapon into a tool for building up your spiritual life.
神要把撒但的武器变成建立你生命成长的工具。
72. When Satan turns up the heat, run to God and He will immediately refresh you.
虽然撒但引起逼迫，但你要来到神面前，神立刻使你灵魂苏醒。
73. When the plowing gets painful, remind yourself that the Day of the Harvest is coming.
耕作的辛苦更提醒你，收割的日子近了。
74. When you don’t see immediate fruit, remind yourself that God’s timing is perfect.
如果你不能立竿见影地看到果效，你要记住，神的时间表是最恰到好处的。
75. Verse 12 might not seem to be relevant to the subject of endurance and patience, but it is.
从表面上来看，12节似乎与恒久忍耐没有多大关联，但实际上，是相关的。
76. Listen to it.
请听我读。
（请读圣经，雅5:12。）
77. If you are an enduring person whose complete trust is in God, your basic character requires only a few words.
如果你是一个完全信靠神，又忍耐等候神的人，你不需要说很多话来表明你是怎样的人。
78. The person who must use many words, including oaths, is not a person who is fully resting in God;
那些必须用很多话、什至发誓才能让别人相信他的人，其实是最不信靠神的人；
79. nor is he sure of himself, so he swears to make up for his troubled spirit.
他也不相信自己，因此他要发咒起誓，以掩饰他内心的不安。
80. A friend used to say to me, “Let God be your Defender, and He will do a much better job;”
我的一个朋友常常跟我说：“让神为你辩护，因为祂可以做得更好。”
81. and I heed that advice.
我采纳了他的意见。
82. Remember when Peter was taking an oath in the court of Caiaphas in front of a slave girl, denying his Master and his Friend, Jesus?
你还记不记得在该亚法的院子里，彼得在一个使女面前发誓否认主耶稣？
83. He was giving evidence that his character needed some more work.
这就证明了，彼得的品格是有缺陷的。
84. When a person of integrity is confronted about wrong-doing, he or she will admit to it,
一个正直的人在做错事以后，会承认他的错误，
85. and ask for forgiveness and move on.
并请求别人的原谅，且重新振作起来。
86. A man who’s lacking in integrity will lie and swear that he’s telling the truth.
而一个缺德的人，会用谎言，发咒起誓来向人保证他所说的话是真的。
87. My listening friends, let your "yea" be "yea" and your "nay" be "nay,"
我亲爱的朋友，你们的话，“是”就说“是”，“不是”就说“不是”。
88. because everything you suffered will be restored to you in the Day of the Harvest.
因为到末日收割时，你所受的苦都要得到补偿。
89. Your blessings will be multiplied beyond your expectation.
你的赏赐也要远远大于你所期望的。
90. It is my prayer that you will become an enduring believer.
但愿你能成为一个恒久忍耐的信徒。
91. Until next time, we wish you God’s richest blessing.
好，我们下次节目再见。愿神大大地赐福给你。
