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奧克蘭教會 沈喜樂（James Shen）
三.我的好處不在神以外
第一個好處：
九年前歸入真教會之後，小弟的慢性鼻竇炎和經常發作的心絞痛，便蒙神醫治。什麼時候被神醫好的，我自己都不清楚。因為剛進入真教會，被真教會的道理所吸引，心裡很火熱，既渴望多聽些真道，又想將這些美好的信息趕快寫信告訴國內的親人，根本沒有想到要向神祈求醫治我的病。
而且這兩種病症已伴隨我多年，對我來講，已經習以為常，就不太在乎了。直到有一天，大約進入真教會後半年的時間，發現從大陸帶來的藥品很久沒有使用了，才驚覺鼻竇炎已經痊癒，而且心絞痛的症狀也很久沒有出現。我深深感謝神，使我親身體會主所賜意外的平安和額外的恩典。
第二個好處：
當我們夫妻移民到紐西蘭的時候，因聽說工作很難找，就讓太太寧芳去奧克蘭大學化學系讀書，自己在家裡非常清閒，因此就專心看《聖經》和讀真教會的書刊。
差不多經過半年，有一天早上，我開始憂愁起來，憂愁自己在紐西蘭不知該做什麼事，讀書？我英文不好，許多書我讀不來；工作？也很難！因為我在國內醫院是從事中醫臨床工作；回國？也要等她畢業才能回去。
那天早上，我越想越憂愁，心想：我今天要好好專心向神祈求，求神開路，指引我該走的方向。感謝神！非常奇妙，當我還在愁苦、思慮的時候，中午就接到一通電話，對方是紐西蘭中醫藥學會的會長，說他在市中心的診所走了一位醫生，急需一位醫生到他的診所工作。
我覺得很奇怪，這位會長是香港人，跟我並不認識，怎麼會找到我呢？原來他是透過病人的處方箋得知我的電話號碼，跟我聯絡的；就這樣，從第二個星期開始，我便到他的診所工作。
這件事，讓我更加敬畏神，也更加感謝神，更體會到我們心裡所想、所需要的，雖然還沒有祈求，但神都知道，而且神會為我們預備一切。
第三個好處：
八年前，寧芳還在讀書，當時弟兄姊妹鼓勵我們要趕快生孩子，父親也為這事責備我們，說她不應該讀博士。我們夫妻也覺得是該考慮這個問題了；但因她是讀化學系的，在做實驗的時候，常常會吸到許多有毒的化學氣體；因此，在她懷孕期間，我們都很擔心，尤其奧大化學系有些教授，就是因為吸入太多化學毒氣而生下畸形弱智的孩子。
所以我們夫妻在禱告中，常常求神保守胎兒平安，在信仰生活中，也慢慢學會懂得倚靠神、交託神。感謝神，雖然寧芳在懷孕期間繼續讀書做實驗，但胎兒蒙神保守，非常平安。1998年5月剖腹產下一個健康、聰明的男孩，現已七歲半，讀小學三年級。
第四個好處：
2001年5月12日，我在餐廳吃了太多海鮮，當晚皮膚就過敏，非常癢，整晚抓來抓去睡不著。第二天早上起床，發現身上從大腿至脖子長滿疹子，又紅又癢；剛開始我不在乎，認為是海鮮過敏造成，就服用五天的中藥，也塗上皮膚外用藥膏「康納樂霜」；但是，不但沒有好轉，皮膚癢得更厲害，身上許多地方都被我抓破。
我開始覺得不妙，趕快改為服用最強的抗過敏西藥，但連續服用五天，也沒有什麼效果。這十天來，皮膚又癢又痛，非常痛苦，而且每晚都要更換床單和睡衣，因都被皮膚流出來的液體弄髒了。
我從大陸帶來的皮膚藥膏一共有50支，在這十天中就塗掉49支，但一點效用都沒有。那時候，因為肉體的痛苦，我心裡很難熬。太太對我說：「既然西藥、中藥、皮膚藥都沒有效果，那就不要再用藥了，要專心向神禱告。」
我也覺得應該這樣，但內心卻很沮喪，因為這十多天來，我都有向神禱告，就是不見好轉。後來我連話也不想講了。
在第十四天的晚上，我深深地反省自己的信仰到底有什麼問題，使我禱告不蒙垂聽，想到自己在神面前的軟弱和虧欠，又想到神揀選我們的福分、神的應許和對我們的愛，並且我們敬拜神，不該是建立在肉體、物質上的好處。
那天晚上，我不斷地向神感謝禱告，對神說：「主啊！雖然沒有馬上醫治好我的皮膚病，但我永遠都要敬拜、稱頌，因為能夠蒙揀選，能夠成為的百姓，就是最大的福氣。」
當天晚上，我睡得特別香甜，那時已經連續兩週沒有好好睡覺了；第二天早上起床，非常奇妙，發現皮膚不痛了，而且皮膚抓破裂開的地方也開始復原，不到兩天就完全痊癒了，感謝主！
第五個好處：
太太讀書期間，我們就曾計畫，等她畢業之後回大陸工作，因為在紐西蘭要找工作很不容易，而且我在診所上班的收入也不高。那時候，我就辭掉工作，自己在家裡帶小孩，料理家務，偶爾也在家中看診。
當時，心裡想：要趁著在紐西蘭有空閒的時候，多聽些道理的錄音帶，好好裝備自己的信仰，恐怕回國之後，信仰會流失掉。我們夫妻也立定心志：無論到哪個地方居住，都要以神為中心、以信仰為重，要倚靠神的能力過虔誠感恩的生活，並持守在真教會所信的真道上。
在經濟運用方面，我們也達到共識：要在神所賜給我們的範圍之內享受生活，不為自己增加任何經濟上的壓力，免得被世上的思慮及各種慾望所控制而影響到信仰生活。
感謝神的看顧，太太畢業後，剛好在家幫忙照顧來這裡生產的小姨子，而小姨子也在這裡信主歸入真教會。那時候想，等到小姨子回廣州之後，我們再回去。
但是人在計畫，卻是神在帶領；太太畢業之後兩個多月，教授打電話來，請她留在大學作博士後研究的工作，年薪五萬紐幣。我們很高興，也非常感謝神。她的同學們非常羨慕，因為只有她有工作，而且不用去找，是工作找上門來，感謝神！因此，我們就在奧克蘭居住下來。
自從進入真教會以後，常常體驗到神對我們的施恩憐憫，使我們的生活不至於憂慮，讓我們走在主的道路上有滿足、有喜樂。
在信仰的追求當中，神也讓我們越來越覺得神賜給我們屬靈福氣的美好和寶貴，使我們屬世的物質慾望越來越少，讓我們深深地體會到在天上、地上，除神以外，沒有可愛慕的（詩七三25）。願一切榮耀頌讚歸給天上的真神！
3.All That Is Good For Me Lies In God
(A)
After I accepted the Lord and entered into True Jesus Church nine years ago, the Lord has healed me of my chronic nasal catarrh and frequent cardiac muscular wrenching pain. On my fresh contact with the church, I was so attracted to the Truth that I was not even aware of Gods treatment.
I longed enthusiastically to hear more about the Truth and could not wait to inform all my relatives back in China about the good tidings. Hence, I had overlooked my illnesses and did not pray to God for help.
It had been a number of years since they accompanied me and we were quite accustomed to each other, I did not give them much thought.
Not until one day, when I found out that the medicines brought from China for my ailments had been left there untouched for some time, did I realise that my nasal catarrh had been healed and the symptoms of my cardiac muscular pain had disappeared.
All these happened about half a year after my entry into True Jesus Church. I am deeply thankful for the bonus of His grace and the transcending peace bestowed on me.
(B)
When both my wife and I migrated here, we heard about the difficulties of job hunting in New Zealand. So, I let my wife continue her studies in the chemistry field in Auckland University.
For about half a year, being alone at home, I would bury myself in the Bible, the church periodicals and publications. But one morning, caught by anxiety, I started to worry about my career in New Zealand.
Because of my poor English skills, I had great difficulty reading and understanding, so I feel no study was suitable for me here.
The thought of looking for a job also baffled me. As a Chinese doctor, I only worked clinically in the hospital in China. My last option would be to move back to homeland, but even so, not until my wife had graduated.
The more I thought of my situation, the deeper I stepped into a quagmire. Out of the blue, I had a resolution: today I am going to plead for Gods help and seek for His guidance. Thank God, something amazing happened while I was still worrying.
I received a call that afternoon from the chairman of the Chinese Medical Association of New Zealand. He said he was desperately looking for a Chinese doctor to fill up a vacated position.
Indeed, this was a surprise to me! How could the Hong Kong born chairman have found me when we had never met each other before? Later, I discovered that he found my telephone number through my patients prescription.
I started working in his clinic the following week. Through this incident, it has dawned on me that our God is omniscient. He knows our thoughts, our needs and provides for us even before we ask of Him. Hence, my reverence and thanks towards Him were increased greatly.
(C)
Eight years ago, when my wife was still studying, many brethren encouraged us to have children. My father even rebuked us on this matter and said that my wife should not go for PhD.
We agreed that it was high time for us to consider this issue without delay. As my wife was a chemistry researcher; she would breathe in a lot of poisonous gases during her experiments.
Consequently, we were very worried when she conceived because there were children born to the professors in the Faculty of Chemistry with deformities or low intellectual faculties. Under suchcircumstances, we had no other way but to seek diligently for Gods protection on the fetus.
In our life of faith, we have learnt to trust in God and to commit to Him our worries. Thank God, in May 1998, my wife gave birth to a healthy and smart baby boy, and although she continued her studies and experiments, the baby was well looked after by God. Now my son, age seven and a half, is a year three student.
(D)
On May 12th of 2001, I had a skin allergy that sent me scratching throughout the night due to an excess intake of seafood at a restaurant. The next morning, I awoke to red and itchy eczema all over my body.
At first, I did not pay much attention to it and thought that it was only an allergy caused by seafood. As remedy, I took Chinese medicine and applied anti-allergy cream for 5 days. However, my condition worsened. There were injuries and fluid all over my body from the scratching.
At this point, I sensed that something was not right. I changed to the strongest Western skin anti-inflammation pills without delay and took it continuously for five days. But this was also to no avail.
I was in great torment during those ten days. I had to change my pyjamas and bed sheets every night because of the fluid from my body. In the course of ten days, I used up 49 out of the 50 tubes of dermal cream which I brought from China and they were also helpless.
The physical torment was unbearably agonizing. At this critical moment, my wife said to me: "Stop using anymore of those treacherous medicines! Seek God and pray to Him with all your heart!"
I agreed with this, but was crestfallen. I had been praying to God all these days and had seen no result but only tortures, which grew even more severely during the last three to four days. Being bound with itch and pain, I even resented speaking.
On the night of the fourteenth day, I made a thorough self-examination of my faith: why did God turn His ears away from my prayers? What happened to my faith? I thought of my indebtedness to God.
I thought of my weaknesses and insignificance. Then I pondered upon the promises God made to us, His love and His election. It also came to my mind that we should not base our religious practice on material and physical benefits. When I returned to my senses, words of gratitude overflowed from within my heart.
To God I prayed: "O Lord, regardless of my skin diseases which remain to be healed, I will praise and revere you till time infinite, because you have given me the greatest blessing in choosing me as one of your people."
For the first time out of the two weeks, I was finally able to sleep well. Miraculously, when I woke up the next morning, the pain was gone; the affected skin began to take shape, and was completely healed within a day or two. Thank God.
(E)
When my wife was still in university, we planned to return to China as searching for a job was not easy for us here, and I only worked on a low income at the clinic.
About that time, I had to quit my job to take care of my son and occasionally I would attend to some patients who came to see me in my house.
Besides this, I intended to make full use of my leisure time to equip myself with the Word; by listening to the sermon tapes and studying more of the biblical truth before I return to my country lest my faith should drift away.
Both my wife and I made a resolution: irrespective of where we dwell, we would regard God and our faith as the core of our life, ever reminding ourselves that we should lead a God-fearing and thanksgiving life by trusting in His power.
We should make every effort to holdfast to the Truth received from True Jesus Church. In addition, we arrived at a common view with regards to financial management.
That is, we ought to enjoy a life within the boundary set by God, and not add any money-related pressures on ourselves, so that we will not be overcome by worries of this world and harmful desires of our flesh, bringing disaster to our faith.
Thank God, with His blessing, my wife finally graduated. The timing was just right for her to help look after her sister who had just given birth here.
We also thank the Lord for His mercy; my wifes sister had also accepted the Truth and entered into Christ here in New Zealand. By then, we already had a scenario in mind, we would also move back to our homeland after my sister-in-law had left for Kwong-Chou.
Although we may have had a plan for our future, it is God who ultimately leads our way. Slightly more than two months after my wifes graduation, a professor from the university asked my wife if she would like to go back to the university to work; a job for a post-graduate doctorate with an annual income of NZ$50,000.
We were overwhelmed with happiness as well as thanks towards God. It was too good to be true. Her classmates could not help but admire her, for she was the only one who got a job without having to look for it - the job came to her. The grace of God allows us to stay in Auckland. Praises be given unto His name.
Ever since we entered True Jesus Church, the compassion and loving kindness of God is not unusual to us. Joy and contentment accompany us as we walk with the Lord who takes away from us worries of this world.
Moreover, as God gradually imparts us the knowledge of the surpassing goodness of His spiritual blessings, our desires for the things of this world gradually decrease.
It is well said in Ps 73:25, "Whom have I in the heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you." This verse portrays the deep feeling within our hearts. May all the glory and praises be given unto God in heaven.
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