Keeping the faith means trusting God to faithfully keep you.

信心就是坚信上帝永远保守你。

Stand firm in the Lord. Philippians 4:1

靠主站立得稳。-腓立比书4章1节

Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie, China, is considered one of the most beautiful mountains in the world. To view its towering cliffs in all their glorious splendor, you must take the Tianmen Shan cable car, which covers a distance of 7,455 meters (4.5 miles). It’s amazing how this cable car can travel such long distances and scale such steep mountains without any motor on the car itself. Yet it moves safely up these spectacular heights by keeping a strong grip on a cable that is moved by a powerful motor.

中国张家界的天门山景色雄伟壮丽，可说是举世闻名。若要一睹那高耸壮观的峭壁，你得搭乘天门山全长7.45公里的缆车。缆车本身并无马达，却能行驶这么长的距离，且能攀升陡峭的山崖，真令人感到惊讶！但缆车之所以能安全地爬升于峻伟的群山之中，完全是因为它紧抓着靠强力马达运转的钢索。

In our journey of faith, how can we finish the race well and “press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called [us] heavenward in Christ Jesus”? (Phil. 3:14). Like the cable car, we keep a strong grip on Christ, which is what Paul meant when he said “stand firm in the Lord” (4:1). We have no resources of our own. We depend fully on Christ to keep us moving forward. He will take us through the greatest challenges and lead us safely home.

这让我联想到，我们如果想要在这信仰的旅程中忠心到底，并且“向着标竿直跑，要得上帝在基督耶稣里从上面召[我们]来得的奖赏”（腓立比书3章14节），那么，我们就必须像缆车一样，紧紧抓住基督，也就是保罗所指的“靠主站立得稳”（4章1节）。我们自身没什么可依靠的，唯有完全倚靠基督向前直奔。祂将会带着我们经过那最大的挑战，领我们安抵天家。

Toward the end of his earthly life, the apostle Paul declared, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7). You can too. Simply keep a strong grip on Christ.

保罗在他最后的年日里，曾经宣告：“那美好的仗我已经打过了；当跑的路我已经跑尽了；所信的道我已经守住了”（提摩太后书4章7节） 。你也可以像保罗如此宣告，只要你紧紧地抓住基督。

We’re grateful, Lord, that while we aim to 

keep a strong grip on You, 

You always keep a strong grip on us! 

You are working in us and giving us what 

we need to continue trusting You on our faith journey.

Keeping the faith means trusting 

God to faithfully keep you.

主啊，我们感谢祢，
我们想紧紧抓住祢，但却是祢时时紧抓着我们！
祢在我们心里动工，帮助我们，
让我们在奔跑这趟信仰之旅中，能持续地信靠祢。

Read:Philippians 3:12-4:1 New International Version (NIV)

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behindand straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Following Paul’s Example

15 All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things.And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

17 Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destinyis destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Closing Appeal for Steadfastness and Unity

4 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for,my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!

腓立比书 3:12-4:1  Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified) (CUVMPS)

12 这不是说我已经得着了，已经完全了，我乃是竭力追求，或者可以得着基督耶稣所以得着我的。

忘记背后努力面前的

13 弟兄们，我不是以为自己已经得着了，我只有一件事，就是忘记背后，努力面前的， 14 向着标竿直跑，要得神在基督耶稣里从上面召我来得的奖赏。 15 所以我们中间凡是完全人，总要存这样的心；若在什么事上存别样的心，神也必以此指示你们。 16 然而我们到了什么地步，就当照着什么地步行。

17 弟兄们，你们要一同效法我，也当留意看那些照我们榜样行的人。 18 因为有许多人行事是基督十字架的仇敌，我屡次告诉你们，现在又流泪地告诉你们。 19 他们的结局就是沉沦，他们的神就是自己的肚腹！他们以自己的羞辱为荣耀，专以地上的事为念。

门徒是天上的国民

20 我们却是天上的国民，并且等候救主，就是主耶稣基督，从天上降临。 21 他要按着那能叫万有归服自己的大能，将我们这卑贱的身体改变形状，和他自己荣耀的身体相似。

4 我所亲爱所想念的弟兄们，你们就是我的喜乐，我的冠冕。我亲爱的弟兄，你们应当靠主站立得稳。

整理：于姊妹