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【坐在车上背蕃薯】多人已经相信耶稣的宝血．可是尚未觉得安息，到底是为什幺缘故？从前有个乡下老人背负一大口袋蕃薯，遇见另一个人赶一马车对面走来，喊道：『劳苦负重的老人，上车来罢！我可帮你的忙。』老人非常喜欢，立刻上车。赶车的赶了几里，还听他在后面，哼哼不已，回头一看，口袋尚在老人肩膀上面。赶车的问他何不放下他的担子，答道：『我的好朋友阿！老汉身量够重，你的牲口已经累的不得了，若再加上我的担子，更对不起你了！」赶车的人觉得老人是个傻子，大笑说道：『你这个傻老头！担子在你肩上，不能减我牲口一分重量，放在车上也不能加它一分重量，这个道理你也不知道幺？』

【涨潮拔起沉船】某河在入海处沉下一只船，必须把它挪去，才可在这河面建桥。工程师派潜水的人把铁链栓在沉船上，尽力把拽，都归徒然。有位少年工程师设计，在退潮时把沉船拴在几只平底的小船上，潮一涨时，小船齐高，立刻就把沉船找了起来。基督徒遇见难处，不是靠自己挣扎努力来克服；乃是靠神恩典来胜过。

【把问题交给神来处理】有一个妇人去见牧师，请教她所面临的婚姻危机。经过分析后，牧师告诉她：『现在你有两个选择。一个是你自己来处理，事情很快的解决，但结果是造成家庭破碎，没有挽救的余地；另一个选择是把这个棘手的问题交给神，耐心等候祂来解决，可能你得花一点时间来等候，不过婚姻大挽回的希望。』她接受了牧师的建议，把问题交给神，不但信心获得增加，同时也看到神开始一步步解决她的难题。

【只能收拾到这地步】在英国有一位传道人，好发脾气，自己常为这事难过；虽然多次为此祷告，甚至流泪，但是总胜不过。一日祷告认罪，以为这次可以不发脾气了，没有想到回来之时，又发脾气，使他灰心意冷，失望之至，就很忧伤的倒在书房里睡着了。梦中看见外面来了一位客人，极其尊贵。向着他的书房走来。他一看自己书房之内，尘土满地，东西乱七八糟，就极力的打扫收拾。这时客人叩门，他更着急，越急越乱；叩门之声不绝于耳。当时他就知道是主耶稣基督在外面等候，实在无法，就开门让客道﹕“我的主！我只能收拾到这个地步。若你不嫌，就请进来吧。”主一进来，很奇怪，尘土没有了，乱七八糟也不见了，并且充满了光明喜乐。他费尽平生之力不能办到的事，主一来就办成了。他高兴得醒过来。借着这梦，他才清楚，靠自己的力量不能对付脾气，乃是与主交通，活在他里面，靠他胜过一切。

【婴孩、羊、病人】一位认识交通的信徒，说出一些亲近神的态度﹕一、当看自己不过是一个软弱的婴孩，因为屡次的失败、受伤、无力、无法洁凈自己，你就要在卑微和混乱中，将你的悲惨情形呈诉在父的面前，用爱心叹息出几句话，将愁情吐露出来。然后在默祷中要荣耀的王在那里面作王掌权。二、有时当将自己如羊一般，放在牧人面前，仰望他赐给食粮。三、有时可以看他象医生，自己象病人，将病放在他面前就医，切不要自寻烦恼，只要安静的将自己交托神。

【要将你手所作的交给主】这是著名的画家赫干拿(Herkoner)说的故事：他生在乡下，他的父亲没有学问，不过是一个砍柴的人。当赫干拿在伦敦成了名家的时候，就在伦敦设立了画室。他因为很孝顺，所以把他父亲搬到城市里，安享他的晚年。他的父亲最喜欢用泥土作出种种的器具和别的东西。过了很多的年数，他父亲的手已不如前时灵便，所作的东西连自己也不满意，所以天天为着这个愁闷，天天晚上为他衰老而忧愁。赫干拿因非常关心父亲，所以很快的发现了这个原因。就每晚趁父亲睡着的时候，到楼下去把父亲白天用泥所作的东西，尽力给他修正，直到十分完全为止。第二天这位老年人起来，看见他昨天所作的东西，并不像他所想的那样坏，且是更好，他就快乐了。这岂不是全能的神要为你作的么？只要你完全交在祂的手里，祂要用祂两只被钉过的手，替你再造。

【小孩与大书】我喜欢想：基督是一位重担的背负者。

有一个传道人，有一天要把他的图书室搬到楼上去。当他拿着一堆书要走上去时，他的小女儿看到了，很想帮父亲的忙，父亲就叫她自己去抱些书，搬到楼上去。当父亲回来的时候，却看到这小家伙正上到一半，手里吃力地抱着一本图书室中最大的书，她没有办法再往上去，那书太大了，所以她只好坐下哭起来了。

父亲看她这样，就把她抱了起来，连人带书带到楼上去。所以，只要你肯，基督会背负你和你一切的重担。

【主负我们的重担】有一个人背负一沉重的篮子，他的小儿子要帮忙，父亲拿一根棍来抬，但把短的一边放在自己的肩上，把三、四倍长的那边给儿子，于是把篮子抬起来了，儿子只觉得工作很轻松，不知重头放在父亲肩上。我们的主基督也是如此，祂让我们担负容易的一端，而祂自己负起沉重的另一头！

【坐在火车上挑番薯担】抗战数年后，有一条火车轨从广西宜山伸展到贵州独山。于举行通车典礼那天，任人免费乘坐。一位老乡也挑着一担番薯爬上火车，尝试坐火车的滋味。火车开了，那位老乡仍然挑着他那担番薯站着。别人叫他坐下，他回答说：「今天我不必走路去卖番薯，坐这火车已经不花钱了，怎么好意思把番薯放下来。」许多基督徒祈祷说，要凡事交托与主，但仍然在父神免费的火车上挑着重担。

【顺风车】经文：「应当一无挂虑，只要凡事借着祷告、祈求，和感谢，将你们所要的告诉神」(腓四6)。
　　 从前有一个人，他要返乡下，于是担住一担重物，走在路上，边行边走又边叫着：「唏呵！唏呵！」，刚巧有一驾货车经过，司机见到这个人如此辛苦就动了慈心，于是停了车，叫那人上车尾，要送他一程，那人上了车，于是司机就开车，但当车子行了不久，司机听到后面传来一些声响，他仔细听清楚一点，听到车后面传来「唏呵！唏呵！」声，司机觉得奇怪，就停了车看个究竟，原来那个人无错是上了车，但他却没有把在肩上的重担放下来，他仍然是站在车尾担着他的重担，很多时候，我们基督徒也像这个人，把重担带到神面前，祈祷以后，但没有放下重担，然后又把重担担回去，并没有真正的交托。

【重担与担子】重担与担子，并不相同。神吩咐祂儿女「要把重担卸给神」(诗五十五22)，因祂「天天背负我们的重担」(诗六十八19)；在另一处祂却清楚地指出：「各人必担当自己的担子」(加六5)。

重担与担子怎样分别呢？凡超过我们力量所能承担的，就是重担；反之，凡我们力量所能背负的，就是担子。就如有人为着明天的难处豫先忧虑，其实明天还没有来到；神所分派给我们的，乃是今天，今天是我们当负的「担子」，若再放进明天的一担，就超过我们的能力，因此，明天在我们身上就成为「重担」。神的儿女应当背起今天的「担子」，而把明天的「重担」全卸给神，让神为我们安排、背负。─ 吴恩溥《恩声集》

【信上签名的人是我全然不认识的】施达德(Studd)出身英国一富有之家，他变卖了父亲给他的产业奉献给主，凭信心加入了中国内地会，在中国内地作开荒的工作。当他和司徒华特小姐结婚那天，他们属世的财产只有五个银元和一些被褥。虽然谁也不知道当时他们的需要，但神供给他们的需要，在中国的内地如同在伦敦中心一样的方便。

他在英国的亲人仅仅知道他在中国的内地而已，对于他所处的环境却一无所知。一次，他的最后的供给已经结束了，任何一种从人而来的供应源头也无明确的指望。那里的信件是半月送来一次，捎信的人刚在当天下午出发，再过两周之后纔能带来回程的信。若是那时没有得到接济的信，他们就要挨饿了。于是他们夫妻二人，那晚把孩子放在床上，就跪下来祷告，把所需要的告诉神。祷告之后，他们得到了安慰，他们相信祂已听了他们的祷告，知道了他们的处境极端的困难；他们也相信神的儿子所说的话是有分量的，主耶稣曾对门徒说过：「...你们没有祈求以先，你们所需用的，你们的父早已知道了」(太六8)；他们也相信神自己在经上所说的：「他们尚未求告，我就应允；正说话的时候，我就垂听」(赛六十五24)。

究竟祂真的成就了祂的话，捎信的人在豫期的时刻回来了。他们快快地把邮袋打开，飞眼一瞟，没有看到他们的信，失望之余，他们面面相覤。施达德再走向那邮袋，提着袋角，袋口向下抖了一抖，掉出来了另一封信。他们看了信上写字的笔法完全陌生，也就再次感到失望。施达德拆开那封信来读，首先所看的，就是那信签名的人竟然完全是他所不认识的人。但他读完那信之后，他里面的心情全然改观了，而失望变为感赞。信上这样说：「我为了不详的理由，接受了神的命令，必须送给你一张一百镑的支票。我从未会过你，仅仅偶然听说过你。可是今晚神用这项命令阻我入睡。祂为甚么要吩咐我送这款给你，我不明白，但你一定知道比我更清楚。无论如何，这就是那笔款子，我也盼望它对你必有益处。」他们彼此并不认识，也没通过信。神的作为真是奇妙！

【神的手最安全可靠】一个父亲带他的小儿子出游，来到一条狭长的独木桥。桥下急流汹涌，深不可测。儿子害怕，畏缩不前。父亲说：「儿啊，你在背后拉着我，一会儿就走过去，别怕！」儿子却说：「父亲啊，我拉着你，可能半途会因恐惧而松了手。我把手交给爸爸，爸爸一定不放松我的！」是的，在父亲的手里最安全，最可靠。

一般人若要离家远行，往往把家中重要或贵重东西交托最信得过的亲友保管。灵魂比世上任何东西宝贵万倍，所以我们要像主耶稣临死前，把祂的灵魂交在最亲密可靠的圣父手中(路廿三46)一样，把我们的生命、金钱、学问、工作以及所拥有的一切，都交在神的手中。

【把一切交给主必不会错】若是我的女儿来对我说：「爸爸，从今天起我要把我的生命放在你手中，你可以负我完全的责任，你要向我作甚么你只管作。」我岂能马上去找她的母亲，打听她所最不喜欢的是甚么？她最不喜欢的是甚么样的人？...我知道我一定不能那样作。我一定告诉我的妻子：「我们的孩子要顺服了，你知道有甚么是有损于她的？」神也必这样作，祂只把那些能伤害你的东西取去；但是，以后，祂必一直不停的给！给！给！

【稳固之地】当我刚开始用两条绳索由陡峭的绝壁下降时，还不敢完全信赖这绳索，直到我耗尽了力气，知道自己无法作任何事，我纔学会完全信靠。人们教我靠紧在绳索上，让绳索把我垂下去，可是我信不过。我觉得相信自己的力量会比相信绳索更少危险，所以我尽力靠自己要下到安全之处，却发现力不从心。最后到我精疲力尽了，终于发现这绳索真的能承载我的重量。

许多人就像我这样，要一直到自己属灵及情感力量与资源的尽头时，纔学会必须紧紧倚靠耶稣，相信祂的应许并安息于其中。当我们如此行，祂就要赐下祂的平安，使我们的脚站在稳固之地，又叫我们面对属灵的争战得以站立得稳。

【为甚么他免于一死】有两个美国人坐船横渡大西洋。有一个星期日晚上，他们在船舱内唱圣诗。当他们唱「耶稣，我魂避难所」时，其中一位听到在他后面有一个人的声音特别纯厚、美丽。他向四周看了看，虽然他不认得对方的脸，但是他认得这声音。当音乐停止后，他转过身来问那人，是否参加过南北战争？那人说他曾经当过南军。

「你在某天的晚上是否在某一个地方？」第一个人向他说。

那人说：「是的，而且这首诗歌使我想起，那天晚上发生的一件奇异的事情。那晚，我在一个树林角落当哨兵。那是一个很黑、很冷的晚上，因为听说敌人离我们很近，所以我有一点害怕。我很想家，而且有一种悲戚的感觉。快到午夜，当一切都非常安静时，我开始觉得很疲倦，所以就想用祷告或唱一首诗歌鼓舞自己。我记得我那时候唱这一首诗：『我心惟有主可恃，我力全由主所赐；可怜我身无荫庇，求主在上常覆翼。」当我唱完这首诗时，一种奇妙的平安临到我，然后在后来的整个长夜中，我不再觉得害怕。』

「现在，请你听我说，」另外一个说：「我是在北军，那晚我和一队侦察兵在那树林中。我看不清楚你的脸，但我看到你站了起来，我的部下举起枪对准了你，只等我下命令向你开枪...但是当你唱出：『可怜我身无荫庇，求主在上常覆翼』时，我对他们说：『伙伴们，把枪放下，我们回去吧！』在那种情形下，我对你下不了手。」

【神有办法改造你】你我绝不能纠正以往的错误；但在主手里，有一部奇妙的机器，能「再造」。如雅各惯于弄手腕，以奸诈欺人；只在雅博渡口遇见主，就被造成了以色列，神的儿子。还有彼得，经过了「再造」，就在五旬节，作出世界惊人的大事。马可约翰起初的意志不坚，稍经苦难就回去了，但经过「再造」，保罗为作见证说：「要把马可带来，因为他在传道的事上与我有益。」─ 迈耳《弃绝》

【神所安排给你的乃是上好的】我愿意你明白，神为着你的生活，已从祂敞着的宝库里，给你挑选了上好的，你当在你的地位上──无论在甚么环境里，明白你所有最广大的可能。不然，神定然不能放你在你现在所处的环境里。你的灵已生在祂的国里，这个就定妥了祂要负起你完全的责任，祂必以最有效的方法养育你。你若让祂作的话，祂必使你得着最美的生活。─ 迈耳《弃绝》

【交托给主最安全】我们不肯把自己宝贵的东西交给主，是因为恐怕不安全；尤其是当我们以所爱的家人、亲友为宝贝时，更是不肯交出来。其实，我们用不着害怕，主来到世上不是要毁坏，乃是要保全。我们所交托给祂的一切，都是顶安全的；反之，凡我们没有交托给祂的，没有一样是安全的。─ 陶恕《渴慕神》

【稳在耶稣之手臂】有一天，姊妹二人正在游戏时，口唱「稳在耶稣之手臂」之诗，姊问妹说，「你何以知道你是安稳的呢？」妹答说，「我手握主手，我知道我是安稳的。」姊说，「假使撒但来抓去你的手离开主的手，你又如何能安稳呢？」妹面顿变苦色，沉思好久方说，「哦！我错了，因我忘记是主的手牵我的手；撒但不能抓去祂的手，所以我是安稳的。」耶稣说，「谁也不能从我手里把他们(信的人)夺去」(约十28)。

【万事互相效力】英国的月(Dr. Moon)博士，当他极活动、极出名的时候，忽然变成一个瞎子。那时他就大大怨神说，「现在我把自己关起来，叫世界与我无分无关了；我所追求的学问，我所学习的技能，等于无用哩！」但有个问题对他说，「到底我能不能帮助瞎眼的人有读圣经的可能呢？」正在他自己眼睛不能看见的时候，他就发明所谓盲人认字法(Moon System)，叫不能看见的人可以读书。现在各国多采用这法子，使世界几百万人能读他们本国语言的圣经。

【生命在神的手中】某军官夫妇都是基督徒，军官更热心虔诚，专心靠主。一日，夫妇同游渡海，途中风涛险恶，小舟上落不定。其妇恐怖万分，看他的丈夫镇定若无其事。问其所以，夫笑取手槍对其妇胸际，问：「妳怕不怕？」妇说：「手槍在你手里，我还怕甚么！」军官说：「是的，我们的生命在主的手中，我也不怕，因为祂是我的救主，我的好朋友！」

【懂得享受基督的信仰】有人问一位修道士：「最近在修道上还用功吗？」修道士回答：「用功！」那人紧接着问：「怎么用功法？」修道士很淡然的说：「饿了就吃饭，困了就睡觉！」那人满脸诧异的问：「一般人都是这样的，跟您没有甚么两样啊！」修道士笑着说：「当然不一样啦，一般人吃饭的时候总是不肯好好的吃，因为心中有一大堆的忧虑、愁烦，睡觉的时候不能好好的睡，因为心中有一大堆愤恨、不平，我就不一样了，所以不同啊。」这一个故事表明信仰是很实际的事。事实上，可以从能吃、能睡、不忧愁、不怀恨，肯积极奋发努力上进，看出你信仰的深浅。基督徒不但要有基督的信仰，更要懂得享受基督的信仰。

【我们应当放心让神引导我们】有一位姊妹，因为境遇十分困难，心中非常烦闷。有一位传道人特别来探访她，见她一点笑容都没有，就对她说︰『你会不会让你的孩子，从你的手中往下跌落？』她听见这话觉得希奇，就回答说︰『绝对不会让他往下跌的。』传道人又说︰『你要我付出多少代价，才肯让你的孩子往下跌呢？』她回答说︰『就是给我再多的钞票，我也不会让他从我的手里跌下！』『你真的不让你的小孩跌落吗？』『我绝对不！』『你想你爱你的孩子，更胜过神爱祂的子女吗？』她的脸忽然放光，信心重新被挑旺起来。如果我们肯让神引导我们的未来，如果我们对神有足够的信心，平安喜乐必然充满我们的心。

【Doubt】To believe is to be ‘in one mind’ about accepting something as true; to disbelieve is to be ‘in one mind’ about rejecting it. To doubt is to waver between the two, to believe and disbelieve at once and so be ‘in two minds’.—Os Guinness

【Faith】Faith is the gift of God. So is the air, but you have to breathe it. So is bread, but you have to eat it. So is water, but you have to drink it.

So how do we accept this gift? Not by a feeling, for “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17). It is not for me to sit down and wait for faith to come upon me with a strong feeling of some kind. Rather, faith comes when we take God at his word.

【Childlike Faith】When a father picks up his little daughter and tosses her all around in the air, she laughs and enjoys it, for she trusts—has faith in—her father. Even though she finds herself in unusual situations, like being upside down four feet above the floor with nothing supporting her (normally an uncomfortable circumstance), she does not fear, for she trusts her father. That is the sort of faith we should have toward our heavenly Father, too.

【Childlike Faith】Faith is a little boy who ties a rope swing onto a tiny sapling’s branch. Then, noticing that the seat of the swing rests on the ground, he goes to get the garden hose and begins to water the sapling.

【Childlike Faith】Five-year-old Jessica became a bit frightened as lightning flashed and thunder cracked just as she was stepping out of her evening bath. The lights began flickering as she was getting into her pajamas. She remembered the other times the electricity had gone out and they had lit candles. Now she asked if she could “please sleep in Mommy’s room” because of the storm.

Before kissing her parents good-night, Jessica prayed: “Dear God, I hope it doesn’t thunder and I hope the lights don’t go out.” After a brief pause she continued, “But I thought it over, and you can do what you want. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

What better way to say, “Thy will be done”?

【Content of Faith】It was the great Augustine who said, “If you believe what you like in the gospel and reject what you don’t like; it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.”

【Content of Faith】Many ethnic groups decorate eggs for special events, especially Easter. In some cases the decoration is so much work that to preserve it the egg is first emptied of its contents through small holes in both ends. When you see the eggshell it looks perfectly normal. But, although it is beautiful, it is not a real egg. For what would happen if you tried to make a cake, or cookies, or egg nog with one of those beautiful “eggs”? Of course, it wouldn’t turn out right because the egg was empty of content. Like an egg, the real value of faith is its content.

【Definition of Faith】Suppose there is a fire in the upper section of a house. As the people gather in the street below, a child is seen at the window of a room next to the fire. The fire trucks are at least five minutes away and so will be too late to help. How is the child to escape?

Now suppose that in the neighborhood lives a large man, well known for his strength and athletic ability. He arrives at the scene and shouts to the child, “Drop into my arms. Don’t be afraid. I’ll catch you.”

It is one part of faith for the child to know that the man is there. It is another part of faith to believe that the man is strong and able to catch someone. But the essence of faith lies in his dropping down into the man’s arms.

【Development of Faith】The desert is seemingly void of all life, but given a little rainfall, life springs into existence and beauty. Life is there, but it is dormant. Unbelief is like that. It is the desert of one’s being. But the potential for life is there and needs only to be watered by faith to spring into existence and beauty.

【Development of Faith】George Muller, a great man of faith, once said, “God delights to increase the faith of his children. We ought, instead of wanting no trials before victory, no exercise for patience, to be willing to take them from God’s hand as a means. I say—and say it deliberately—trials, obstacles, difficulties, and sometimes defeats, are the very food of faith.

【Example of Faith】Faith is central to all of life. For example, you go to a doctor whose name you cannot pronounce and whose degrees you have never verified. He gives you a prescription you cannot read. You take it to a pharmacist you have never seen before. He gives you a chemical compound you do not understand. Then you go home and take the pill according to the instructions on the bottle. All in trusting, sincere faith!

【Example of Faith】At a burning building in New York City’s Harlem, a blind girl was perched on the fourth-floor window. The firemen had become desperate. They couldn’t fit the ladder truck between the buildings, and they couldn’t get her to jump into a net, which she, of course, couldn’t see.

Finally her father arrived and shouted through the bull horn that there was a net and that she was to jump on his command. The girl jumped and was so completely relaxed that she did not break a bone or even strain a muscle in the four-story fall. Because she trusted her father completely, when she heard her father’s voice she did what he said was best.

【Example of Faith】The story has been told of a man who was crossing a desert in the days of the pioneers. He ran into trouble and was dying of thirst when he spotted a pump near an abandoned shack. He had no water to prime the pump, but he noticed a jug of water near the pump with a note attached. It read: “There is just enough water in this jug to prime the pump, but not if you drink some first. This well has never gone dry, even in the worst of times. Pour the water in the top of the pump and pump the handle quickly. After you have had a drink, refill this jug for the next man who comes along.”

What would the man dying of thirst do? To follow the instructions and prime the pump without first taking a drink would be an exercise of the kind of belief the Bible speaks of. Biblical belief requires that one stake his life on the truth of the promise. If the man follows the instructions, he takes the chance of pouring out all the water and getting none to drink if the pump fails. So he must trust that the message is right. He must act in belief, without first receiving, and must trust in the truth of the promise.

【Example of Faith】Near the end of World War II, members of the Allied forces were often found searching farms and houses for snipers. At one abandoned house, which had been reduced to rubble, searchers found their way into the basement. There, on a crumbling wall, a victim of the Holocaust had scratched a Star of David. Beneath it was written the words, “I believe in the sun, even when it does not shine. I believe in love, even when it is not shown. I believe in God, even when He does not speak.”

【Exercise of Faith】Many years ago it was decided to put a suspension bridge across a wide gorge. How could they build a bridge across such a wide space? In fact, how could they even start? They shot an arrow from one side to the other. The arrow carried across the gulf a tiny thread, and thus the connection was established. By and by the thread was used to draw a piece of twine across; the twine carried after it a small rope; the rope soon carried a cable across—and in good time came the iron chains the bridge was to hang from.

Although often weak in its beginning stage, a seemingly small faith can draw us to a stronger and stronger faith that will accomplish greater and greater things.

【Exercise of Faith】At a circus a huge elephant was tied to an eighteen-inch stake. Could he not easily have pulled it out of the ground and be free? Sure! But he had tried it when he was a baby and was unsuccessful. The elephant had concluded that he could never pull it out of the ground. So there he stood, a massive creature capable of lifting whole trees, yet held captive by a puny stake.

What small stake could faith release you from?

【Exercise of Faith】A student once purchased a new mechanical pencil. After some time he found himself in the middle of an important test, and his pencil ran out of lead! There was a great deal of frustration and anguish as he wasted precious minutes going around to other students trying to borrow another pencil. Later the student found out that his new pencil was designed with a complete supply of extra lead inside that could be dispensed with a mere press of the button.

Christians are often like this student: although they have all of God’s sufficiency available to them, because of lack of knowledge they do not draw on it in their time of need. Faith must be linked to knowledge to be exercised and to grow.

【Exercise of Faith】The physics professor had just finished his lecture about the pendulum, wherein he had shown the mathematical proof that an untouched pendulum will always swing in ever-decreasing arcs.

He then asked for a volunteer to demonstrate this fact by standing against a wall with a pendulum bob against his chin, then releasing the bob and allowing the pendulum to swing naturally through its arc. The professor reminded the class that the bob would return almost to, but not quite touching, the chin. No one volunteered. Although the science students “believed” that this law of physics was true, they were unwilling to put it to the test.

How like many of us in our relationship with God! We know the facts, but are unwilling to risk a step of faith based on them.

【Exercise of Faith】It was a bright, clear morning. A large crowd had gathered at Niagara Falls to see the famous Bondin walk over it on a tightrope. The sun glistened on the cascading torrent as it rushed over the precipice. From below came the ceaseless thunder of the plunging cataract.

The world’s greatest tightrope walker briefly tested the taut strand that reached across to the opposite bank. The he took his long pole and, balancing himself expertly, started across. The crowd followed every movement tensely. Step by step he moved forward. The people on the shore reacted nervously to every sharp motion of the balancing pole. But their fears and forebodings were unnecessary. The great Blondin not only went across safely, but returned as well—to the great relief and admiration of the spectators.

Turning to the audience, he then made a sensational offer. He would cross the falls again, this time with someone on his back. Who was willing to go? No one rushed forward to accept the offer. Picking out a man at random, Blondin asked, “Do you believe that I am able to carry you across?”

“Yes, sir,” came the unhesitating reply.

“Well, then, let’s go,” Blondin urged.

“Not on your life!”—and the man withdrew into the crowd.

And so it went. One after another expressed great confidence in the tightrope walker, but no one would agree to let Blondin take him across. Finally, a young fellow moved toward the front of the crowd. Blondin repeated his question: “Do you believe I can carry you across safely?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Are you willing to let me?”

“As a matter of fact, I am. The young man climbed onto the expert’s back. Blondin stepped onto the rope, paused momentarily, then moved across the falls without difficulty.

There were many in that crowd who believed that Blondin could do it. But there was only one who was willing to trust him to do it.

【Exercise of Faith】Three men were walking on a wall,

Feeling, Faith, and Fact.

When Feeling got an awful fall,

Then Faith was taken back.

So close was Faith to Feeling,

That he stumbled and fell too.

But Fact remained and pulled Faith back,

And Faith brought Feeling too.

【Lack of Faith】A man was walking along a narrow path, not paying much attention to where he was going. Suddenly he slipped over the edge of a chiff. As he fell, he grabbed a branch growing from the side of the cliff. Realizing that he couldn’t hang on for long, he called for help.

Man: Is anybody up there?

Voice: Yes, I’m here!

Man: Who’s that?

Voice: The Lord.

Man: Lord, help me!

Voice: Do you trust me?

Man: I trust you completely, Lord.

Voice: Good. Let go of the branch.

Man: What???

Voice: I said, “Let go of the branch.”

Man: (After a long pause) Is anybody else up there?

【Law and Faith】Rabbi Shammai, in the third century of the present era, noted that Moses gave us 365 prohibitions and 248 positive commands in the law. David in Psalm 15 reduced them to eleven; Isaiah 33: 14~15 made them six; Micah 6:8 binds them into three; and Habakkuk 2:4 reduces them all to one, namely, “The just shall live by faith.”

【Object of Faith】The degree of faith that one places in a given object is directly proportional to one’s knowledge of the object. For example, consider a man terrified of flying. When he first arrives at an airport he buys insurance at those coin-operated insurance-policy machines. He has his seat belt buckled twenty minutes before take-off and is sure to listen carefully to the routine “Emergency instructions.” He has no faith in the ability of the plane to get him to his destination. But, as the journey progresses, this passenger begins to change. He first unbuckles his seat belt, then has some lunch, and pretty soon is talking to the person next to him and joking. Why the change? What happened? Is there more faith at 36000 feet? Of course not. The more he learned about the object of faith, the plane, the more faith he exercised in that object.

Sot it is with believers. The more we learn of the Lord, the more faith we can place in him.

【Object of Faith】During an earthquake some years ago, the inhabitants of a small village were generally very much alarmed, but they were at the same time surprised at the calmness and apparent joy of an old woman whom they all knew. At length one of them, addressing the old woman, said, “Mother, are you not afraid?”

“No,” said the woman. “I rejoice to know that I have a God who can shake the world.”

【Object of Faith】Faith is only as good as its object. A small boy in England was asked by a scientific team to be lowered down the side of a cliff to recover some important specimens. Though the scientists offered to pay him greatly, the boy said no. They tried to persuade him further and he consented finally, but only on one condition—that his father would be the one to hold the ropes by which he would be lowered.

【Object of Faith】The object of man’s faith is more important than the amount of his faith. For example, you might have a tremendous volume of faith in the ability of a well-known general to fly you across the Atlantic Ocean, even though he has never flown before. Yet—even with all this faith—if you enter the plane and he does the flying, you will probably end up very wet, or even drowned. The problem with you faith was that the object was not reliable in that particular area. Conversely, you might have only the minutest faith in the ability of an unknown twenty-year vet with 29000 hours of flying time, yet he would get you where you wanted to go, because now the object of your faith was reliable in the area of your concern.

【Object of Faith】The power of faith rests in the reliability of its object. After the first cold week of a Northern winter, I might go down to the shores of the nearby lake and with the utmost confidence begin to stride across the newly formed layer of ice. Unfortunately, I would receive only a cold, wet shock for my trouble. As long as the ice was thin, my faith would be meaningless. But let the winter progress and the cold wind do its work, and eventually the ice will become several feet thick. Imagine that I return to the lake. Now, though I may be frightened because of my previous experience, even the smallest, most hesitating step will be rewarded by the solid feel of firmness underfoot. Faith can now accomplish its task, because its object is worthy.

【Object of Faith】Faith is an essential element of life, but the faith must be in God. Sir Donald Malcolm Campbell, the British car-and boat-racer and holder of several world speed records, lost his life while racing a fast boat on one of the lakes of Scotland. The boat exploded and rapidly sank. The only thing that ever surfaced was a toy stuffed animal, Campbell’s “good luck charm.” It was powerless to help him in the final and fatal crisis of his life. Faith is only as good as its object is able.

【Object of Faith】The comic Steve Martin once said, “It’s so hard to believe in anything anymore…I guess I wouldn’t believe in anything if it weren’t for my lucky Astrology Mood Watch.”

No one believes in nothing. Everyone has faith. The only differences are in the object of our faith and its intensity.

【Works and Faith】Faith and works are as inseparable as sun and sunlight. Faith is the sun; good works are its rays.

【Works and Faith】I was hungry, and you formed a humanities club and discussed my hunger.

I was imprisoned, and you crept off quietly to you chapel in the cellar and prayed for my release.

I was naked, and in your mind you debated the morality of my appearance.

I was sick, and you knelt and thanked God for your health.

I was homeless, and you preached to me the spiritual shelter of the love of God.

I was lonely, and you left me alone to pray for me.

You seem so holy, so close to God, but I’m still very hungry, and lonely, and cold.

【Works and Faith】A man who claims to have faith without works is like a man who puts all his effort into building the foundation of a house and never builds anything on it.

A man who displays great works but claims no faith is like a man who builds a house on sand without any foundation.

【Works and Faith】As gloves are to a surgeon’s hands, so are Christians in service for God. It is actually “God’s hand” doing the work. We are but used by him and therefore have nothing to boast of.

【Works and Faith】A minister was talking to a professing Christian and asked him if he was active in a local church. The man responded, “No, but the dying thief wasn’t active in a church and yet he was still accepted.” The minister then asked if he had been baptized. The man responded, “The dying thief was not baptized and he still made it to heaven.” The minister then asked if he had partaken of the Lord’s Table. The man responded, “No, but the dying thief didn’t either, and Christ still received him.”

The minister then commented: “The only difference between you the dying thief is that he was dying in his belief and you are dead in yours.”

【Works and Faith】Doctrine and doing are like the two chemical ingredients of salt, which is composed of two poisons: sodium and chlorine. If we ingested either of the two poisons, we would die. But if we combine them properly, we have sodium chloride, which is the common table salt that gives flavor to our food and indeed life and health to our bodies. So, too, are faith and works inseparable.

【Works and Faith】You’ve probably heard it said, “It doesn’t matter what you believe, it’s how you live that counts.”

A.J. Gordon encountered this philosophy one time as he talked with a fellow passenger on a train. The man believed he could get to heaven by his good works. Pointing to the conductor who was making his way through the coach, Gordon asked his new friend, “Did you ever notice how carefully he always examines the ticket but takes no pains whatever to inspect the passenger?” The man immediately caught the significance of the question. He had just been saying that God was interested only in what we do and not in a “little bit of theological scrip called faith.”

“You see,” continued Gordon, “the passenger and the ticket are accepted together. If he doesn’t have one, or has the wrong one, he will be asked to get off the train—no matter how honest he might appear to be. Just as the ticket stands for the man, faith stands for you.

Note that the “ticket of faith was purchased at a great price, but not by you or me!

【Works and Faith】Martin Luther, who had made himself the apostle and champion of faith alone, wrote the following: “Faith is a living, busy, active, powerful thing; it is impossible for it not to do us good continually. It never asks whether good works are to be done, but has done them before there is time to ask the question, and it is always doing them.

【World’s Definition of Faith】In the classic movie Miracle on 34^th Street, Santa Claus utters what much of the world thinks faith is: “Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to. In other words, faith is irrational, contrary to experience, logic, and knowledge, and is so even at the most common sense level.

Of course, the Bible knows of no “common sense” that is not sensible enough to recognize that God exists and can do anything.