第35章 开启慈善之泉
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第35章 开启慈善之泉
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Chap. 35 - Releasing the Streams of Benevolence
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作上帝的施赈员——上帝把财产交在人手中，是要让他们学习施怜悯，作祂的施赈人员，以减轻堕落受造生灵的痛苦。—《时兆》1892.6.20. {WM 268.1}[1]
§4
To Be Gods Almoners.--God has placed property in the hands of men in order that they may learn to be merciful, to be His almoners to relieve the suffering of His fallen creatures.--Signs of the Times, June 20, 1892. {WM 268.1}[1]
§5
使人心保持温柔同情——慷慨乐施的行为是上帝计划的，要使人心保持温柔同情，鼓励人效法主，彼此关爱，主为我们的缘故成为贫穷，好使我们因祂的贫穷可以成为富足。——《证言》卷三547页。{WM 268.2}[2]
§6
To Keep Hearts Tender and Sympathetic.--Acts of generosity and benevolence were designed by God to keep the hearts of the children of men tender and sympathetic and to encourage in them an interest and affection for one another in imitation of the Master, who for our sakes became poor, that we through His poverty might be made rich.--Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 547. {WM 268.2}[2]
§7
慈善之泉要不断涌流——慈善的涓涓细流，必须时常保持川流不息的流入库中。上帝的天意高瞻远瞩，遥遥领先，远远超越我们慷慨捐输的速度。—《文稿》1891. 26{WM 268.3}[3]
§8
Streams of Beneficence to Be Kept Flowing.--The small streams of beneficence must be ever kept flowing into the treasury. Gods providence is far ahead, moving onward much faster than our liberalities.-- Manuscript 26, 1891. {WM 268.3}[3]
§9
不断涌流的恩赐——上帝委托给人的钱财应该用来造福人类，救济受苦和赤贫之人的需要。人们在向某些机构或教会赠送了大批礼物之后，不要觉得自己做了一件很了不起的事。在上帝明智的天意安排中，总把需要他们帮助的人带到他们面前。他们要救济受苦的人，给赤身的人衣穿，帮助许多在艰难困苦境遇中的人，他们在竭尽全力苦苦挣扎，免得自己和家人沦为乞丐。—《评论与通讯》1898.1.4.{WM 268.4}[4]
§10
A Constant Flow of Gifts.--The money that God has entrusted to men is to be used in blessing humanity, in relieving the necessities of the suffering and the needy. Men are not to feel that they have done a very wonderful thing when they have endowed certain institutions or churches with large gifts. In the wise providence of God there are constantly presented before them the very ones who need their help. They are to relieve the suffering, clothe the naked, and help many who are in hard and trying circumstances, who are wrestling with all their energies to keep themselves and their families from a paupers home.-- Review and Herald, Jan. 4, 1898. {WM 268.4}[4]
§11
我们为别人祈求——当我们祈求“我们日用的饮食，今日赐给我们”时，我们既是为自己也是为别人祈求。我们承认上帝所赐给我们的，不是单为自己享用。上帝托付给我们，是要我们供应饥饿的人。祂的恩惠是为困苦的人预备的(诗68:10)。祂说：“你摆设午饭或晚饭，不要请你的朋友、弟兄、亲属，和富足的邻舍，……你摆设筵席，倒要请那贫穷的、残废的、瘸腿的、瞎眼的，你就有福了！因为他们没有什么可报答你。到义人复活的时候，你要得着报答”(路14:12-14)。——《福山宝训》111页. {WM 269.1}[5]
§12
We Ask for Others.--When we pray, Give us this day our daily bread, we ask for others as well as ourselves. And we acknowledge that what God gives us is not for ourselves alone. God gives to us in trust, that we may feed the hungry. Of His goodness He has prepared for the poor. And He says, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours. . . . But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: and thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. --Mount of Blessing, pp. 163, 164. {WM 269.1}[5]
§13
每一块钱上都有上帝的名号——我们的才干无论多少，不管是一千、两千还是五千，没有一分钱可以浪费在虚荣、骄傲或自私自利上。我们所积攒的每一块钱都印有上帝的像和号。只要在上帝的世界上有饥饿的人要喂养，赤身的人要穿衣，将亡的灵魂要救恩的饼和水，每一次不必要的放纵，每一点过剩的资金，就在为贫穷的人和赤身的人辩护。—《时兆》1892.6.20. {WM 269.2}[6]
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Gods Superscription on Every Dollar.--Whatever may be the sum of our talents, whether one, two, or five, not a farthing of our money is to be squandered upon vanity, pride, or selfishness. Every dollar of our accumulation is stamped with the image and superscription of God. As long as there are hungry ones in Gods world to be fed, naked ones to be clothed, souls perishing for the bread and water of salvation, every unnecessary indulgence, every overplus of capital, pleads for the poor and the naked.--Signs of the Times, June 20, 1892. {WM 269.2}[6]
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慈善之溪干涸了——人们在服装上花的钱越多，能用来给饥饿的人食物吃给赤身的人衣服穿的钱就越少；应该不断涌流的慈善之溪就干涸了。通过舍弃不必要的装饰而省下来的每一块钱，都可救济贫困的人或放在主的库中以支持福音，派传道士去外国，增加我们的书刊，好把亮光传给处在错谬黑暗中的人。不必要地花费的每一块钱，都使花钱的人丧失了一个行善的宝贵机会。——《证言》卷四 645.，646. {WM 269.3}[7]
§16
Streams of Beneficence Dried Up.--The more means persons expend in dress, the less they can have to feed the hungry and clothe the naked; and the streams of beneficence, which should be constantly flowing, are dried up. Every dollar saved by denying ones self of useless ornaments may be given to the needy or may be placed in the Lords treasury to sustain the gospel, to send missionaries to foreign countries, to multiply publications to carry rays of light to souls in the darkness of error. Every dollar used unnecessarily deprives the spender of a precious opportunity to do good.--Testimonies, vol. 4, pp. 645, 646. {WM 269.3}[7]
§17
上帝要求克己——上帝要求年轻人在不必要的装饰和服装上舍己，即使这些东西花不了多少钱，也要省下来放在慈善箱里。祂还号召成年人在观赏金表或金链，或某件昂贵的家具时止步，并且扪心自问：花这么一大笔钱买我们没有它也行、或若买更便宜的也同样好用的东西合适吗？基督为你们的缘故成为了贫穷，你们若舍己和背起耶稣的十字架，就可在救济我们中间穷人的苦难上大有作为，就会得到祂的嘉许和祝福。——《证言》卷四511页. {WM 270.1}[8]
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God Calls for Self-Denial.--God calls upon the young to deny themselves of needless ornaments and articles of dress, even if they cost but a few dimes, and place the amount in the charity box. He also calls upon those of mature age to stop when they are examining a gold watch or chain or some expensive article of furniture and ask themselves the question: Would it be right to expend so large an amount for that which we could do without or when a cheaper article would serve our purpose just as well? By denying yourselves and lifting the cross for Jesus, who for your sakes became poor, you can do much toward relieving the suffering of the poor among us; and by thus imitating the example of your Lord and Master you will receive His approval and blessing.--Ibid., p. 511. {WM 270.1}[8]
§19
作主的管家不是一件小事——如果他们看到家中昂贵的装饰、图画和家具上写着：“将飘流的穷人接到你家中”（赛58:7），他们该怎么办呢！在珍馐满席的餐厅里，有上帝的手迹写着：“不是要把你的饼分给饥饿的人，将飘流的穷人接到你家中吗”（赛58:7）？{WM 270.2}[9]
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Not a Light Matter to Be the Lords Steward.-- What if they should see inscribed upon their expensive decorations in their homes, the pictures, and furniture, Bring the poor that are cast out to thy house! In the dining room, where the table is laden with abundant food, the finger of God has traced, Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? {WM 270.2}[9]
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但愿众人，无论老少，都要思考作上帝的管家却在天上的册子上被控告为自私地行事不是一件小事。贫苦、被欺压的人被撇弃在困乏之中，而同时主的钱财却被自私地浪费在奢侈豪华的事物上。但愿人人都记着：上帝是不偏待人的！在一位大公无私的上帝面前，作一个诚实忠信的管家的确是一件大事。祂必不原谅祂管家们的任何不公平或任何抢夺祂财物的事。—《文稿》1892. 11. {WM 270.3}[10]
§22
Let all, old and young, consider that it is not a light matter to be the Lords steward and to be charged in the books of heaven with using in a selfish manner. The needy, the oppressed, are left in want, while the Lords money is selfishly squandered in extravagance and luxury. O that all will remember that God is no respecter of persons! It is a great thing to be a steward, faithful and true, before a just impartial God, who will not excuse in any of His stewards any unfairness or any robbery toward Him.--Manuscript 11, 1892. {WM 270.3}[10]
§23
应许奇妙的改革——当基督的恩典藉着信徒的言行表达出来时，就有光照耀在黑暗中的人。因为他们在张口赞美上帝的时候，也会伸手行善，帮助将亡的人。我们读到当五旬节圣灵沛降在众信徒身上时，没有一个人说他的东西有一样是自己的。他们所有的都用来促进奇妙的改革工作。一天之内有数千人悔改。今日若有同样的精神激励信徒，而他们又照同样的慷慨心怀把原属上帝的归还给祂，就必完成广大深远的工作。—《文稿》1907. 95. {WM 271.1}[11]
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A Wonderful Reformation Promised.--When the grace of Christ is expressed in the words and works of the believers, light will shine forth to those who are in darkness; for while the lips are speaking to the praise of God, the hand will be stretched out in beneficence for the help of the perishing. We read that on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples, no man said that aught that he possessed was his own. All they owned was held for the advance of the wonderful reformation. And thousands were converted in a day. When the same spirit actuates believers today, and they give back to God of His own with the same liberality, a wide and far-reaching work will be accomplished.--Manuscript 95, 1907. {WM 271.1}[11]