说谎犯罪
亚伯拉罕害怕埃及人杀他，夺他的妻子；他没有向神祷告，反而向妻子恳求说，“求你说，你是我的妹子，使我因你得平安，我的命也因你存活。”（创十二13）。亚伯拉罕准备牺牲妻子救自己的性命。似乎他连道德的标准都没有。你会相信一个蒙神呼召的人，信心之父，会作出这样的事么？从这一点我们看见，亚伯拉罕并不比我们高，最多和我们一样。他为了自己的肚腹，准备出卖妻子，撒拉竟然也服从。撒拉实在是最好的妻子，是所有妻子的模范。她服从亚伯拉罕，接受他的意见，没有责怪他。因着撒拉，法老给了亚伯拉罕许多东西－牛、羊、骆驼和仆婢（创十二16）。亚伯拉罕成了富翁。亚伯拉罕眼看着自己的妻子被取去，怎能安心从法老收下这些东西。但他竟然收下了。
蒙神保守
但神不让亚伯拉罕过去。神来了，不是对付亚伯拉罕，乃是对付法老。创世记十二章十七节说，“耶和华因亚伯兰妻子撒莱的缘故，降大灾与法老和他的全家。”神的手为撒拉的缘故临到法老。祂进来保守了亚伯拉罕和他的妻子。当我们信徒对神有信心的时候，所有周围的人都得到好处。但是如果我们对神没有信心，就要叫周围的人受损。神是主宰一切的，法老因此受了苦。
亚伯拉罕在埃及的时候，经历了神保守的恩典。没有这保守的恩典，谁也不能留在经历的高峰。我们都需要保守的恩典。不要信靠你的经历，要信靠祂保守的恩典。就着神保守的恩典来说，甚至当亚伯拉罕在埃及出卖妻子的时候，他仍然在高峰。不管他是在高处，或是在低处，他一直都在神保守的恩典中。他虽然下了埃及，还是在保守的恩典中。即使你跌倒了，你还是在保守的恩典中，这保守的恩典要把你带回到高峰。保守的恩典可以对亚伯拉罕说，“亚伯拉罕，不要再任性了。你给了我机会向你显示我的主宰，不过你最好还是信靠我。”
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The Trial of the Called Ones – Famine (3) – Gen 12:16-17
Lying and Sinning
Abram was afraid the Egyptians would kill him and take his wife; he did not pray to God, but instead pleaded with his wife, saying, “Please say that you are my sister so that it may go well with me because of you” (Gen. 12:13). Abram was prepared to sacrifice his wife to save his own life. It seems he did not even have moral standards. Would you believe that a man called by God, the father of faith, would do such a thing? From this point, we see that Abram was not higher than us; at most, he was the same as us. For the sake of his own stomach, he was prepared to sell his wife, and Sarah actually obeyed. Sarah was truly the best wife, a model for all wives. She obeyed Abram and accepted his suggestion without blaming him. Because of Sarah, Pharaoh gave Abram many things — oxen, sheep, camels and servants (Gen. 12:16). Abram became a wealthy man. How could Abram have peace of mind receiving these things from Pharaoh while watching his own wife being taken away? Yet, he actually accepted them.
Kept by God
But God did not let Abram go. God came in, not to deal with Abram, but to deal with Pharaoh. Genesis 12:17 says, “And Jehovah struck Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife”. God’s hand reached Pharaoh for Sarah’s sake. He came in to preserve Abram and his wife. When we believers have faith in God, everyone around us receives benefits. But if we have no faith in God, we cause those around us to suffer loss. God is sovereign over all, and Pharaoh suffered because of this.
While in Egypt, Abram experienced the grace of God’s keeping power. Without this preserving grace, no one can remain on the peak of experience. We all need the grace of preservation. Do not trust in your experience; trust in His preserving grace. Regarding God’s preserving grace, even when Abram was selling his wife in Egypt, he was still on the peak. Whether he was high or low, he was always in God’s preserving grace. Although he went down to Egypt, he was still in the grace of preservation. Even if you fall, you are still in the preserving grace, and this preserving grace will bring you back to the peak. The grace of preservation can say to Abram, “Abram, do not be willful anymore. You gave Me an opportunity to show you My sovereignty, but it is best that you trust in Me”.