It’s All In His Hands

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Job 12:1-12.  Let’s go!
 
Job 12:1-3 (NIV) 
1  Then Job replied: 
2  “Doubtless you are the people, and wisdom will die with you! 
3  But I have a mind as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know all these things?
 
On verses 1-3:  By not hesitating to judge Job and rebuke Job based on false assumptions, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar came across as arrogant, condescending know-it-alls. What can we learn from this?  When you don’t take the time to understand the person and their situation before you rebuke them, you just end up hurting them and yourself.  You put the other person on the defensive rather than making them feel like you are on their side.
 
Job 12:4-6 (NIV) 
4  “I have become a laughingstock to my friends, though I called upon God and he answered– a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless! 

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诗篇一百卅一篇

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大卫上行之诗。

1 耶和华啊，我的心不狂傲，我的眼不高大，重大和测不透的事，我也不敢行。
2 我的心平稳安静，好像断过奶的孩子在他母亲的怀中，我的心在我里面真像断过奶的孩子。
3 以色列啊，你当仰望耶和华，从今时直到永远。

现代中文译本

131:1     上主啊，我不敢再狂傲，也不敢再妄自尊大。我不敢再有大企图，也不敢再做力所不及的事。
131:2     我安适满足。像断奶的婴儿倚偎在母亲怀里，我的心宁静。
131:3     以色列啊，要信靠上主，从现在直到永远。

诗篇131篇是一首很短的诗篇，因为它很短，若是能背下来，又变成你的宝藏之一了。这首诗篇一开始，是诗人对上帝的祈祷，并且是认罪的祈祷。有一些版本的译文没有将诗人的心境很清楚的表达出来，若我们看现代中文译本的翻译，就能够比较清楚的体会诗人的心境。多一个“再”字让诗人的意思更清楚。

他说：「上主啊，我不敢再狂傲，也不敢再妄自尊大。我不敢再有大企图，也不敢再做艰难的事。」（诗131：1）在《圣经》里并不是只有做错事才是罪或得罪神，有时人以为正面的事，在神的眼中也是罪。例如当大卫迎约柜回耶路撒冷时，米甲因为大卫跳舞露出下体而看轻大卫。对米甲而言，她是一个公主，对皇家礼仪甚为重视，她认为大卫做王也该有同样的认知，在神眼中却完全相反，她对皇室礼仪的看重只是出于心里骄傲或优越感，而大卫忘记身份的举止却蒙神悦纳。

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诗篇一百卅篇

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上行之诗。

1 耶和华啊，我从深处向祢求告。
2 主啊，求祢听我的声音！愿祢侧耳听我恳求的声音！
3 主耶和华啊，祢若究察罪孽，谁能站得住呢？
4 但在祢有赦免之恩，要叫人敬畏祢。
5 我等候耶和华，我的心等候，我也仰望祂的话。
6 我的心等候主，胜于守夜的等候天亮，胜于守夜的等候天亮。
7 以色列啊，你当仰望耶和华，因祂有慈爱，有丰盛的救恩。
8 祂必救赎以色列脱离一切的罪孽。

诗人从深处向神求告，深处是指什么或是哪里？你可曾在深处向神求告过？深处让我想到旧约里的先知约拿在鱼腹中的处境，当约拿被鱼吞进肚子时，他的处境十分危险。人的胃里有胃酸，胃酸是一种强酸，通常情况下对人体不会造成伤害，因为胃内的表面的黏液细胞可以分泌一种黏液，使其成为弱酸性；但若是分泌过多就会将粘膜或肌肉“烧破”，以致伤到胃壁、十二指肠，等等。约拿若是到了大鱼的胃里，鱼的胃酸足以把他腐蚀致死，实在惊险万分。

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T.H.I.N.K. before you speak

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Job 11:13-20.  Let’s go!

Job 11:14-15 (NIV) 
14  if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent,
15  then you will lift up your face without shame; you will stand firm and without fear.

On verses 13-20:  When you look at Zophar’s entire speech in chapter 11, a good portion of what Zophar has said is technically correct.  For example, yesterday in our look at verses 1 to 13 we identified numerous points that Zophar correctly made.  Now what was wrong with what Zophar said?  The problem is that Zophar’s guiding assumption was incorrect:  like Eliphaz and Bildad before him, Zophar falsely assumed that Job’s sin was the cause of his suffering (v14).  Thus, no matter how technically true Zophar’s statements were, virtually all of what Zophar had to say was not helpful or relevant for Job to hear.  Zophar was trying to sell something to Job that Job did not need and that would not help Job’s situation.

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The Two Sides of Wisdom

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Job 11:1-12.  Let’s go!
 
Job 11:7 (NIV) 
7  “Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?
 
On verses 1-12:  Here Zophar the Naamathite, Job’s third friend, chimes in.  Like Eliphaz and Bildad before him, Zophar’s first words are heavy in judgment and light on grace.  To paraphrase Zophar’s words to Job, “Will no one rebut your idle talk and rebuke your self-proclaimed innocence (v2-4)?  I wish God would speak right now and shut you up, because the fact is God is punishing you less than you deserve (v5-6).  God is so much bigger than you.  Don’t even try to measure His dimensions (v7-9).  If He tries you in His court, you wouldn’t stand a chance (v10).  He sees right through deceitful men and takes note of what evil people do (v11).  But stupid people will become wise about the same time that donkeys give birth to humans (v12).”

What can we learn from this?  Here we must separate the wheat from the chaff in what Zophar says.

Zophar is correct in saying that:

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诗篇一百廿九篇

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上行之诗。

1 以色列当说：「从我幼年以来，敌人屡次苦害我。
2 从我幼年以来，敌人屡次苦害我，却没有胜了我。
3 如同扶犁的在我背上扶犁而耕，耕的犁沟甚长。」
4 耶和华是公义的，祂砍断了恶人的绳索。
5 愿恨恶锡安的都蒙羞退后！
6 愿他们像房顶上的草，未长成而枯干，
7 收割的不够一把，捆禾的也不满怀，
8 过路的也不说：「愿耶和华所赐的福归于你们，我们奉耶和华的名给你们祝福！」

读了几首上行之诗很有感慨，感受到以色列人去敬拜神的时候，一路仰望着远高处的耶路撒冷，一面思想神的恩典和神的关系。不像我们现在去教会，大多是忙着找停车的位置，忙着和人打招呼，一心都是忙，思想的都不是和神有关的事情。

当以色列人朝拜神时，前尘往事都上心头，一件件在心里涌现，所有的压力和苦情，和天父每一次的拯救，交织成了他们的生命。从历史来看，以色列人从出埃及后就不断面临争战，撒旦借着无数敌人想要消灭神的选民。

当他们倚靠神时，神就成为他们的力量，战无不胜，攻无不克；但是当他们转去拜偶像，情假意地敬拜神时，就失去力量，被敌所制。他们屡次转回，神就拯救他们，因此他们才能说：「敌人屡次苦害我，却没有胜了我」，但是留在他们背上有如犁沟的伤痕，却是他们远离神被敌人苦待的见证。

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It Matters How You Question God

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Job 10:1-22.  Let’s go!
 
Job 10:1-2 (NIV) 
1  “I loathe my very life; therefore I will give free rein to my complaint and speak out in the bitterness of my soul. 
2  I will say to God: Do not condemn me, but tell me what charges you have against me.
 
On verses 1-2:  Because Job hated his life, he had no problems complaining, being bitter and questioning God.  When a person is constantly complaining and bitter, you know there is something unhealthy going on in their heart.  As Jesus says, “out of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34).  What comes out of one’s mouth is a reflection of what’s going on inside their heart.  So if you want to change your speech, it starts with letting God change your heart.
 

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诗篇一百廿八篇

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上行之诗。

1 凡敬畏耶和华、遵行祂道的人便为有福！
2 你要吃劳碌得来的，你要享福，事情顺利。
3 你妻子在你的内室，好像多结果子的葡萄树；你儿女围绕你的桌子，好像橄榄栽子。
4 看哪，敬畏耶和华的人，必要这样蒙福。
5 愿耶和华从锡安赐福给你！愿你一生一世看见耶路撒冷的好处，
6 愿你看见你儿女的儿女！愿平安归于以色列！

2020年的春节快到了，巿面上的〈福〉也大行其道。人人都渴望有福，拜佛的人争着去庙里拿头香，甚至还有人去，帮忙占位卖黄牛票，因为他们相信这头香可以带来一年的好运和平安，这好运主要是指财运。

世人渴求福气，圣经也讲福气。但是真正的福气是什么？人所追求的福气和神所说的福气是否一样？在中国古书上记载了五福：一曰寿、二曰富、三曰康宁、四曰修好德、五曰考的终命（《书经洪范》）。 ‘长寿’是指命不夭折而且福寿绵长；‘富贵’是钱财富足而且地位尊贵；‘康宁’是身体健康而且心灵安宁；‘好德’是生性仁善而且宽厚宁静；‘善终’是能预先知道自己的死期。临命终时，没有遭遇横祸，身体没有病痛，心里没有挂虑和烦恼，安详且自在地离开人间。

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诗篇一百廿七篇

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所罗门上行之诗。

1 若不是耶和华建造房屋，建造的人就枉然劳力；若不是耶和华看守城池，看守的人就枉然警醒。
2 你们清晨早起，夜晚安歇，吃劳碌得来的饭，本是枉然；唯有耶和华所亲爱的，必叫他安然睡觉。
3 儿女是耶和华所赐的产业，所怀的胎是祂所给的赏赐。
4 少年时所生的儿女，好像勇士手中的箭。
5 箭袋充满的人便为有福！他们在城门口和仇敌说话的时候，必不至于羞愧。

记得有人在作见证时，提及在家里做谢饭祷告时，尚未信主的父亲非常生气，为什么他辛苦赚钱养家，孩子有饭吃却在感谢耶稣？也有朋友说，他们一生勤奋，所得财富都是自己一汗一血换来的，为什么要感谢那看也看不见的神？

去年我们家附近兴盖一间老人院，眼看就要建成，突然在一夜之间被烧得精光。温哥华六层楼以下的建筑多是木头，所以一起火便烧得很快。我们看电影时，也经常看到放哨的人被杀掉，因为敌人来得不知不觉。

有很多行业的人在开张或开始时，都要拜拜，他们相信他们的工作和平安都需要鬼神的保护，尤其是电影界的，他们希望不要受到鬼神的打扰，希望一切顺利。假如不信神的人都相信灵界有力量影响他们要做的事情，那么相信有真神的人，岂不更应明白神在我们的工作上之主权和重要性？

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Your Story Spoiler Alert

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Hi GAMErs,

Job 9:25-26 (NIV) 
25  “My days are swifter than a runner; they fly away without a glimpse of joy.
26  They skim past like boats of papyrus, like eagles swooping down on their prey.

On verses 25-26:  For a lot of people, when they are in pain, time moves very slowly – minutes feel like hours, days feel like months, and months feel like years. So why is it that Job, who is in great pain, says, “My days are swifter than a runner; they fly away” (v25).  I believe that is because Job has gone from the prime of his life to nearing his death so quickly.  For Job, it’s as if decades have passed in just a few days.

Job 9:27-28 (NIV) 
27  If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression, and smile,’
28  I still dread all my sufferings, for I know you will not hold me innocent.

On verses 27-28:  For Job, trying to cheer himself up and choosing to be joyful is little use when he believes that in the end, God is going to punish him for his sin (v27-28).

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