八月四日
惟独认识神的子民必刚强行事。（但11：32）
每一位信徒都知道认识神是最高尚、最好的一种知识，这一种属灵的知识乃是基督徒力量的源头。它能加强他的信心：圣书中常论到信徒是一些被主所教所化的人，他们乃是“从那圣者受了恩膏”，幷且圣灵的工作就是领他们进入一切真理，这一切都是爲了要加添他们的信心。知识既能加强信心，也能加增爱心：知识开了门，我们便可从门中看到我们的救主，或者再用一个比方，知识爲耶稣画了一幅像，当我们看到那像的时候，我们就爱他，我们若不认识基督就不能爱他，至少爱的程度有差别。
我们若少认识耶稣，他已经爲我们成就的，他现在爲我们所作的，我们就不能多爱他；但若我们多认识他，我们就能多爱他。知识也能加强盼望：我们怎能盼望根本不知道是否存在的一件事呢？盼望是望远镜，但我们若没有相当的知识去运用，那末站在望远镜之前也是徒然，我们什麽也看不见；知识把远处的东西移到我们眼前，当我们看到镜片所显于我们的荣耀时，我们就快乐地确信，幷得到所见的。知识使我们能忍耐：若我们不知道基督体恤我们，不知道天父管教我们是爲了我们的好处，我们怎能忍耐呢？基督徒的一切德行，若没有属灵的知识，就不能得以完全。因此，我们不单要在“德行”——恩典——上有长进，而在主，我们的救主耶稣的“知识”上有长进，也是一件很重要的事。
August
4
“The
people that do know their God shall be strong.” — Daniel 11:32
Every believer understands that to know God is the highest and best form
of knowledge; and this spiritual knowledge is a source of strength to the
Christian. It strengthens his faith. Believers are constantly spoken of in the
Scriptures as being persons who are enlightened and taught of the Lord; they
are said to “have an unction from the Holy One,” and it is the
Spirit’s peculiar office to lead them into all truth, and all this for the
increase and the fostering of their faith. Knowledge strengthens love, as well
as faith. Knowledge opens the door, and then through that door we see our
Saviour. Or, to use another similitude, knowledge paints the portrait of Jesus,
and when we see that portrait then we love Him, we cannot love a Christ whom we
do not know, at least, in some degree. If we know but little of the excellences
of Jesus, what He has done for us, and what He is doing now, we cannot love Him
much; but the more we know Him, the more we shall love Him. Knowledge also
strengthens hope. How can we hope for a thing if we do not know of its
existence? Hope may be the telescope, but till we receive instruction, our
ignorance stands in the front of the glass, and we can see nothing whatever;
knowledge removes the interposing object, and when we look through the bright
optic glass we discern the glory to be revealed, and anticipate it with joyous
confidence. Knowledge supplies us reasons for patience. How shall we have
patience unless we know something of the sympathy of Christ, and understand the
good which is to come out of the correction which our heavenly Father sends us?
Nor is there one single grace of the Christian which, under God, will not be
fostered and brought to perfection by holy knowledge. How important, then, is
it that we should grow not only in grace, but in the “knowledge” of
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
