SECTION A
甲部

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

2. We welcome you to this broadcast.
欢迎收听今天的节目。

3. We are in the midst of a series of messages about the abounding grace of God.
我们已进入到讲述神丰盛恩典的这个系列信息的中间部分。

4. We are calling it, “Portrait of Grace.”
我们称之为“恩典的描绘”。

5. Today, we are going to be looking at Genesis, Chapter 30, verses 25 to 43;
今天，我们要一起来看创世记30章25到43节；

6. and I want to begin by telling you about a biblical fact of history.
在开始的时候，我要告诉你一个圣经上的历史事实。

7. Every time in history, when God prospers His people, it is because He wants them to use their prosperity to serve His purpose.
历史上，每一次当神让祂的百姓繁荣的时候，那是因为神希望他们能用自己的兴旺来服事祂。

8. When the people of God fled slavery, God caused their former masters to be good to them and give them silver and gold and other things.
当神的百姓离开为奴之地的时候，神让他们从前的主人善待他们，并送给他们金银物品。

9. Why?
为什么呢？

10. So that they will be able to build the tabernacle of God.
这样他们就能够建立神的帐幕。

11. Under the leadership of King David, God prospered His people like never before or since.
在戴维王的领导下，神赐给祂的百姓从未有过的繁荣。

12. Why?
为什么呢？

13. So that Solomon may build the Lord’s Temple.
这样所罗门就可以建造主的圣殿。

14. David alone gave millions of pounds of gold out of his own treasury for that purpose;
戴维王为建圣殿从私人的库存中拿出了上百万磅的金子；

15. and, if you look around you today, you will see that God has prospered many of His people.
今天，回顾四周，你会看到神兴旺了许多祂的百姓。

16. Why?
为什么呢？

17. God is not interested in physical temples or tabernacles anymore;
神所关注的已不再是有形的会幕或圣殿了。

18. but, today, God is prospering His people because He wants them to use their prosperity to prepare for His ultimate dwelling place.
今天，神兴旺祂的百姓，是因为祂希望他们使用自己的繁荣来为祂永久的居所预备。

19. You say, “Where is that?”
你会问：“那祂永久的居所是哪儿？”

20. It is in the souls of men and women around the world.
就在世人的心里。

21. If you miss that point, you’ll miss God’s purpose for us.
如果你没有理解这一点，你就无法明白神为我们预备的计划。

22. Today, I want to share with you three rules about biblical prosperity, as they are exhibited in the life of Jacob.
今天，我想与你分享，在雅各的生命中所表现出来的，关于繁荣的三个圣经原则。

23. These are not the rules that will get you rich quick.
这些不是让你快速致富的原则。

24. These are God’s rules.
这些是神的原则。

25. Number one, do not let prosperity be your all-consuming focus.
第一，不要让致富繁荣成为你全部的焦点。

26. Number two, let hard work be your all-enduring quality.
第二，让勤奋成为你一生的品格。

27. Number three, let your trust in God’s provision be your all-abiding confidence.
第三，信任神的供应成为你恒久的信心。

28. Let’s look at number one.
先让我们来看第一点。

29. Do not let prosperity, in itself, be your all-consuming purpose.
不要让繁荣本身成为你全部的目的。

30. Jacob was not trying to be wealthy, but he became prosperous.
雅各并没想要富裕，他却变得非常富足。

31. Look at verses 25 and 26 of Genesis, Chapter 30.
请看创世记30章25到26节。

32. He said to his father-in-law, “Give me my wives and children, for I now need to return home.”
他对自己的岳父说：“请你把我的妻子和儿女给我，我要回到我本乡本土去。”

33. After 14 years of faithful service, he asked for nothing that did not belong to him.
在14年忠心的服事之后，他所要的只不过是他份内该有的。

34. He could have said to his father-in-law, “Look, I made you a rich man.
他完全可以对岳父说：“瞧，我让你成了富人，

35. God blessed you because of me...”
神因为我的缘故而赐福于你……”

36. but Jacob was not covetous of Laban’s wealth.
但雅各并没有贪图拉班的财富。

37. I think, had Jacob done something for himself along the way, none of us would have blamed him;
我想，假如雅各在这当中为自己谋点利益，没人会责备他。

38. but, no, he wanted to be faithful in his trust
但是他没有，他要信守自己的承诺。

39. to God in Bethel, “Whatever You give me, I will give You ten percent back.”
在伯特利他对神许诺：“凡你所赐给我的，我必将十分之一献给你。”

40. He knew that God was the One who would bless him, not his uncle.
他知道神才是赐福给他的那一位，而不是他的舅舅。

41. Jacob consciously devoted himself to God.
雅各定意将自己奉献给神。

42. Jacob believed that he was serving God by serving Laban.
雅各相信服事拉班就是在服事神。

43. There is no denial that his Uncle Laban was mean and tight-fisted.
无可否认，他的舅舅拉班是一个吝啬刻薄之人。

44. His uncle was a cheat—manipulative, godless, and greedy -
他的舅舅是一个狡诈、不敬畏神和贪婪的人……

45. and Jacob could have justified gouging this kind of a person;
雅各若以其人之道还治其人也不为过；

46. yet, all he asked for were his wives and his children for whom he faithfully served for 14 years.
但他所要的，只是为此忠心服事了14年的妻子和儿女。

47. He did not make his own prosperity his all-consuming focus;
他没有让发达致富成为他全部的焦点；

48. but he worked hard to enrich his father-in-law;
而是努力的工作让他的岳父富裕起来；

49. and that is why rewarding hard work and faithfulness is a must on the part of any employer.
因此，每一个雇主都有职责奖励那些勤奋和忠心的人。

50. Rewarding and prospering employees can only further prosper the employer.
奖励并让雇员富起来，只会让雇主更加富足。

51. Why do I say this?
为什么我要讲这一点呢？

52. Because, even if the boss is insensitive and blind, God is not.
因为，即使做老板的迟钝和盲目，但神没有。

53. When you don’t let prosperity be your all-consuming focus, God is the One who will prosper you.
如果你没有专注于追求发达致富，神就会让你兴旺。

54. Secondly, let hard work be your all-enduring quality.
第二，让勤奋成为你一生的品格。

55. If anyone had an excuse for not working hard, it would have been Jacob.
如果什么人有理由不努力工作，那就应该是雅各了。

56. He could have said, “I will only work for what I’m paid.”
他可以说：“我得多少酬劳，就尽多少力。”

57. He could have said, “Laban owes me, and he owes me a lot.”
他可以说：“拉班不仅欠我的，而且他欠我很多。”

58. He could have said, “Laban cheated me, and I am going to take it easy now...”
他可以说：“拉班欺骗我，现在我要松懈一会……”

59. but, after 14 years, Jacob tells Laban, “You know how hard I worked for you...”
但14年后，雅各对拉班说：“我怎样服事你，你都知道。”

60. and Laban, who was an idol-worshipper, admitted that truth.
拉班虽然是一个拜偶像的，也承认了这个事实。

61. In verse 27 of Chapter 30, even the demons told Laban that he was blessed because of Jacob.
在30章27节，甚至魔鬼都告诉拉班，他被赐福是因为雅各的缘故。

62. You know, my friend, when you work hard,
亲爱的朋友，你要明白，当你努力工作的时候，

63. when you work diligently and faithfully,
当你勤奋而忠心工作的时候，

64. even pagans will testify to your faithfulness;
甚至不信的人都会为你的忠心做见证；

65. so don’t let prosperity be your all-consuming focus.
因此，不要让追求致富成为你全部的焦点。

66. Let hard work and diligence be your all-enduring quality.
而要让勤奋成为你一生的品格。

67. Thirdly, let your trust in God’s provision be your all-abiding comfort.
第三，信任神的供应成为你恒久的安慰。

68. Jacob trusted God for his prosperity.
雅各相信神会让他兴旺。

69. Back then, there was no government relief organization.
那时候，还没有什么政府的救济部门。

70. There were no private pension funds;
也没有什么民间的养老基金；

71. but Jacob had something much better than all of that.
可雅各有比这些更好的。

72. Jacob had God;
雅各有神；

73. and God does not repay us for our faithfulness with worthless money.
神不是用那些没有价值的钱币来奖赏我们的忠心。

74. God does not bless you based on the state of the economy.
神不是根据你的经济状况来赐福你。

75. God has His own set of criteria by which He blesses you.
神有祂自己赐福的准则。

76. Laban said to Jacob, “Don’t leave. Name your wages.”
拉班对雅各说：“不要走，请你定你的工价。”

77. Jacob said, “I don’t want anything that I did not work for myself...”
雅各说：“我不愿意不劳而获……”

78. and, then, he gave him a plan.
然后，他提出了一个方案。

79. “Keep all the spotted and striped animals and give me all the solid-colored animals to take care of; and, if these solid-colored animals produce spotted or striped offspring, they are mine.”
“你把有斑有点的羊都挑出来带走，只留下纯色的羊让我替你牧养，但如果纯色的羊产下有斑点的羊，那些羊就归我。”

80. Laban thought that Jacob must be stupid.
拉班心想，这个雅各一定是个傻子。

81. Everyone knows that solid-colored animals don’t produce spotted or striped offspring.
人人都知道纯色的羊不会产下有斑的、有点的羊羔。

82. Oh, but Laban did not know God’s program for prospering His children;
可是，拉班却不知道神让祂的儿女兴旺的计划；

83. and so they separated the two sets of animals, setting them fifteen miles apart.
于是，他们把两批羊群分开，中间隔了15英里之远。

84. What did Jacob do?
雅各是如何做的呢？

85. Jacob literally put himself at a disadvantaged position.
雅各有意地把自己放在一个不利的位置。

86. My listening friend, listen carefully.
亲爱的朋友，请仔细听。

87. You don’t have to be a genetic expert to know that solid-colored animals will produce solid-colored offspring;
不必是一个遗传学专家，你都知道纯色的羊会产下纯色的羊羔。

88. but Jacob trusted in God’s provision, even if the odds were all stacked against him.
但雅各相信神的供应，即使形势对他大为不利。

89. Jacob trusted in God’s prosperity plan, even when the world thought that he was stupid and illogical.
雅各相信神让他兴旺的计划，即使这个世界都认为他愚蠢和不懂逻辑。

90. Some of you may be saying, “What about this crazy scheme of partially peeling branches and placing them in front of the animals in heat?”
有人也许会问：“那个将剥了皮的树枝，插在交配的羊群面前的疯狂计划是怎么回事？”

91. A lot of people have stumbled over this issue.
许多人对这件事感到困惑不解。

92. Some have asked, “Was Jacob superstitious?
有些人问：“雅各迷信吗？

93. Was Jacob cheating?”
雅各作假吗？”

94. Let me give you the bottom-line answer to this.
让我来给你一个彻底的回答。

95. When the people of God were bitten by serpents and were dying from those bites,
当神的百姓被蛇咬，濒临死亡的时候，

96. God said to Moses, “Set up a bronze snake and lift it high in the wilderness;
神对摩西说：“铸一个铜蛇，在旷野里把它举起来；

97. and, when the dying people look at that bronze snake, they will be healed.”
垂死的百姓仰望这个铜蛇，他们就会痊愈。”

98. Let me ask you a question.
我想问你一个问题。

99. Was the healing in the bronze snake?
人们是因为这个铜蛇而被医治的吗？

SECTION B
乙部

1. The answer is, “No.”
回答是：“不是的。”

2. Where was the healing?
那么医治是从何而来呢？

3. In the obedience of the people.
是因为百姓的顺服。

4. In a similar way, in obedience, Jacob placed the peeled branches in front of the solid-colored animals in heat
这里也是类似的情形，因着顺服，雅各把剥了皮的树枝，插在交配的纯色羊群面前。

5. and they produced spotted and striped offspring.
它们就产下了有斑的，有点的羊羔。

6. May I ask you a question?
我想请问你，

7. Was the power of producing genetically altered offspring in the peeling of the branches?
那个改变羊羔基因的能力是来自剥了皮的树枝吗？

8. The answer is, “No.”
回答当然：“不是的。”

9. The power was in Jacob’s obedience,
能力来自于雅各的顺服，

10. because that was going to be God’s supernatural program to prosper His servant.
因为神要用超自然的办法使祂的仆人兴旺。

11. Because Jacob trusted in God’s provision, God provided for him in the most unusual way.
因为雅各相信神的供应，神就用最不寻常的方式来供应他。

12. In Matthew, Chapter 6, Jesus said,
在马太福音第6章，耶稣说：

13. “Doesn’t God feed the birds and clothe the flowers?
难道神没有养活空中的鸟，并为野地的花装饰吗？

14. How much more valuable you are to God than these.”
你们在神眼里不比这些贵重得多么？

15. “Don’t worry about these things,” Jesus is saying.
耶稣说：“所以不要为这些忧虑。”

16. “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and these things will be given to you as well.”
“先求祂的国，和祂的义；这些东西都要加给你们了。”

17. Listen, my listening friends, as we come to conclusion.
亲爱的朋友，在即将结束的时候，请仔细听。

18. God’s grace that saved you from sin,
是神的恩典将你从罪中救拔，

19. God’s grace that supplied all of your past needs,
是神的恩典供应了过去所有的需要，

20. God’s grace that redeemed you from judgment,
是神的恩典将你从审判之下赎回，

21. is that same grace that wants to prosper you in every way.
也是同一个恩典要让你兴旺起来。

22. When you don’t make prosperity to be your all-consuming focus,
当你没有让发达致富成为你全部焦点的时候，

23. when you let hard work be your all-enduring quality,
当你让勤奋成为你一生的品格的时候，

24. when you let your trust in God’s provision become your all-abiding comfort,
当信任神的供应成为你永远的安慰的时候，

25. God’s timing is always perfect.
神的时间总是最恰当的。

26. Even though it may have taken 15 years to bless Jacob, as He promised him back in Bethel, God kept His promise.
虽然等了15年才给雅各带来赐福，神保守了祂的应许，正如祂在伯特利承诺的那样。

27. God always keeps His promises.
神总是持守祂的应许。

28. It may take a whole lot longer than you and I want,
这也许会比你我期望的要等待更长的时间，

29. but He will always, always, always keep His promises.
但神永永远远会持守祂的应许。

30. The question is this:
问题是：

31. are you willing to persevere, or, will you give up too soon?
你是愿意持守下去，还是很快就放弃了呢？

32. It is my prayer that you, like Jacob, will persevere, working hard to serve the Lord so that He might prosper you.
我祈求你能够像雅各那样，持守下去，努力地服事主，祂就会让你兴旺。

33. Until next time, I wish you God’s richest blessing.
愿神大大地赐福给你，下次节目再会！