進窄門、走小路 (下)

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〈馬太福音〉7章13-14節 你們要進窄門。因為引到滅亡，那門是寬的，路是大的，進去的人也多；引到永生，那門是窄的，路是小的，找著的人也少。

祈求、尋找與尋見

　　門是要進入的，路是要行走的。如果要進寬門、走大路，不用尋找就可進入；但如果要進窄門、走小路，一定要尋找才能進入。進寬門、走大路的人很多，進窄門、走小路的人很少。耶穌的意思是，要進入永生的人，就要尋找那永生的門，走那永生的路，用心追求、辨別，找到之後要走進去。這扇通往永生的窄門要殷切尋找，才能尋到。耶穌說：「你們祈求，就給你們；尋找，就尋見；叩門，就給你們開門」，這祈求與耶穌要人進窄門有關。

耶穌基督：「我就是門，我就是路。」

　　除了耶穌基督，未曾有人說過：「我就是門」這句話。《約翰福音》第十章提到耶穌說：「我就是門」（約10:9），接著《約翰福音》第十四章提到耶穌說：「我就是路」（約14:6）。大凡孔子、釋迦摩尼、穆罕默德、大小先知皆未曾說過「我就是門」這句話，這句話唯有耶穌基督說過，「我就是門；凡從我進來的，必然得救，並且出入得草吃」（約10:9）。耶穌是那獨一的門，人唯有透過基督才能來到上帝面前，從這門找到真正的路。「我是」（I am who I am），這是上帝的自稱，這一位從永恆到永恆的「我是」，就是你所要找的那扇門。耶穌說：「我就『是』道路、真理、生命」，這個「是」是永恆的「是」，這個「是」也是現今的「是」。摩西問上帝：「祢名叫什麼？」上帝回答：「我是自有永有的。」（參：出3:13-14）「我是」是上帝的自稱，沒有任何位格像上帝一樣把自己的存在與自己是誰連在一起講。

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How Do You Know If You’re a True Disciple of Jesus

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 13:31-38.  Let’s go!

John 13:31-32 (NIV) 
31  When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him.
32  If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.

On verses 31-32:  With Judas now on his way to betray Jesus, Jesus sees Judas’ betrayal as triggering the important process by which Jesus will be handed over to the authorities, crucified, killed, buried, and finally resurrected and glorified.  So Jesus is looking past the betrayal to what the betrayal would lead to, ultimately Jesus being glorified.

What can we learn from this?  Instead of focusing only on the current or soon coming pain or problem you are facing, like Jesus, learn to look past that current or soon coming pain and see that the current or soon coming pain is part of something greater that God is doing down the road.  Like Jesus, though your current lot may be pain and trouble, may you have eyes to see that if you persevere through this difficult time, there will soon be glory waiting for you in the end.

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The Disciple Whom Jesus Loves

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 13:21-30.  Let’s go!

John 13:21-22 (NIV) 
21  After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me.” 
22  His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant.

On verses 21-22:  Here we once again see Jesus’ humanity.  Jesus is emotionally impacted – “troubled in spirit” (v21) – by the fact that someone he has loved and invested in for 3 years is going to betray him.  From this I learn that God is not stoic and emotionless.  God is full of emotion and has an emotional response to the things we do and say.

John 13:23 (NIV) 
23  One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him.

On verse 23: “[T]he disciple whom Jesus loved” was John’s way of referring to himself, not to boast of his status as compared to other disciples, but to refer to himself, as if to say, “If I’m anything at all, I’m loved by Jesus”.  Rather than pointing to his accomplishments and what he had done, John pointed to the fact that Jesus loved him. 

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摩西臨終之勸勉

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〈申命記〉 31:8 耶和華必在你前面行，祂必與你同在，必不撇下你，也不丟棄你；不要懼怕，也不要驚惶。

閱讀經文：〈申命記 〉31:1-29 

想像一個120歲的老人，還可以孜孜不倦地訓誨上37天，這需要多大的精力和清醒的頭腦啊！摩西之後，我再也找不到第二個像他那樣蒙神祝福的人了。雖說人越老，耳越聾，因此講話聲音必然變大，但也不可能像摩西那樣有中氣，可以傳令給兩三百萬人。教過書的人都知道，有時講得口乾舌燥，力氣久久不能恢復，聲音都會變得沙啞，甚至咽喉發炎說不出話來。摩西連續講了37天，可見神若呼召人做事，也必然將足夠的能力賜給他。

但是摩西的體力也不像往昔，他說他不能照常出入了。以前健步如飛，上山下山有如家常便飯，現在只能拄杖緩緩而行。神告訴摩西，他的死期臨近了。偉大如摩西，也要面對人生肉體的終結。但是當耶穌在變像山上看見摩西和先知以利亞時，我們就記起神說過的，祂是活人的神，不是死人的神。摩西的肉體會結束，化為塵土，但是他的靈在神那裡，永遠活著。並且有一天，神也會賜給他一個復活的身體，就像主耶穌復活的身體一樣，不會朽壞，可以來去自如，穿牆越壁，不再受時空控制的身體。信主的人也有同樣的盼望。

摩西不怕面對死亡，他一步步地把神交給他的工作做好。他召了約書亞，鼓勵他，也在眾人面前鼓勵他：「你們當剛強壯膽，不要害怕，也不要畏懼他們，因為耶和華你的神和你同去，祂必不撇下你，也不丟棄你。」耶穌要面臨十字架的酷刑之前，也告訴門徒：「我留下平安給你們，我將我的平安賜給你們。我所賜的不像世人所賜的，你們心裡不要憂愁，也不要膽怯。（約14:27）」不要畏懼，不要膽怯，要剛強壯膽，因為主必同行。這就是基督徒的人生，雖然有許多挑戰，但是我們必須剛強壯膽地跟隨神。因為神永遠與倚靠祂的人同在，不會丟下屬祂的人，也不會撇下信祂的人。

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揀選生命

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〈申命記〉 30:19  我今日呼天喚地向你作見證；我將生死禍福陳明在你面前，所以你要揀選生命，使你和你的後裔都得存活。

閱讀經文：〈申命記〉 30:1-20

摩西在摩押平原用了37天的時間，把他生平從神得來的律例、典章和教導全部告訴以色列人。雖然知道他們的子孫終有一天會去拜偶像，以致惹動耶和華的怒氣，被神拋到萬國之中，但是他的話語裡依然充滿鼓勵和盼望。即使，當所有的咒詛都臨到他們身上，也不要失了志氣，只要盡心歸向耶和華神，不管他們在哪裡，即使是在天涯海角，神也必將他們從那裡招聚他們回來，再次領他們進入迦南地，並且要善待他們，使他們的人數再次多起來。

摩西讓我們看到神的性情，在管教裡依然有剪不斷的深情。但是神也不允許他們隨隨便便地歸向祂，必須要盡心歸向神，神就重新把他們招聚回來。這點讓我們明白，只是做表面的信徒，是演戲給自己看，對自己的生命一點都沒有幫助。神要的是盡心、盡性歸向祂的子民，盡心和盡性的表現則在於聽從耶和華神的教導，並遵行祂的話。所以人若說自己愛主，相信耶穌，就要看他是口裡說說而已，還是真的在生活中力求按著神的教導去做。我們雖然無法一下子就達到神的要求，但是神看的是我們是否有心去做，做得不好，神總是有耐心等我們的。

例如，神說不要以貌取人，也不受賄賂，那麼若有人想賄賂你時，能不能拒絕？看到人家長得不好看，是否也要給人一個機會？神說，不可雕刻神像，也不可敬拜假神或天象，我們可以做到嗎？不可吃血，奉獻十分之一，守安息日，借給窮人，這些可以做到嗎？所以摩西說：「我今日所吩咐你的誡命不是你難行的，也不是離你遠的。」不是什麼難事，問題是我們願不願意尊重神而已。

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Master and Servant

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 13:12-20.  Let’s go!

John 13:12-15 (NIV) 
12  When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 
13  “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 
14  Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 
15  I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

On verses 12-15:  Usually washing the feet of guests was what the lowest servant or slave in the house was expected to do.  Thus it was inconceivable and shocking for the disciples that Jesus, their Lord and Teacher, would bend down and wash their feet.  What was Jesus teaching his disciples in doing this?  Jesus says it himself: “Now that I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.  I have set an example that you should do as I have done for you.” (v14-15)  Because Jesus, the name above every name and the king above every king, was willing to bend down and take on the role of a servant in the lives of people he loved, so Jesus calls us to do the same.  Humility is putting others ahead of ourselves, all the while being secure in our own worth and value.

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隱秘的事屬神

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〈申命記〉 29: 4 但耶和華到今日沒有使你們心能明白，眼能看見，耳能聽見。

閱讀經文：〈申命記〉 29:1-29

我很佩服摩西啊，一百廿歲的老人了，頭腦依舊如此清楚；可見只要神要使用誰，神就能給他有能力完成祂的託咐。但是摩西有一個很深的感嘆：「但耶和華到今日沒有使你們心能明白，眼能看見，耳能聽見。」神在以色列人中四十年的作為，不能使以色列人心裡明白，眼能看見，耳能聽見。不能心裡明白什麼？不能看見、聽見什麼？不能明白耶和華是天上地下唯一的真神，不能看見神作為的奇妙，聽見神話語中的奧妙。所以摩西斷言，有一天他們的子孫依然會去拜偶像和假神，以致受禍。

摩西說：「我領你們在曠野四十年，你們身上的衣服並沒有穿破，腳上的鞋也沒有穿壞。」這是一個很大的神蹟。四十年裡他們在曠野中，不像我們可以隨時去買衣服、買鞋子，但是神保守他們，使他們有穿不破的衣服，穿不壞的鞋子。想想以前的衣服和鞋子真的那麼耐穿嗎？實在是神在他們身上的特殊恩典。可能有人說，他們那時做衣服和鞋子的原料都是動物的皮革，衣服也是沒有基因改造的材料去做的，當然比較好。大家何妨試一試，看看一件皮衣可以穿多少年，但記得要天天穿才行，刮風下雨都要穿。再好的鞋子天天穿著走路，兩年不換，看看如何？

其實看看我們自己，兩個眼睛用了多少年才開始有問題？兩隻腳跑了多少年，又跳又蹦的，什麼時候才出問題？兩隻手做了多少事，有的阿婆從小洗衣服洗到老，雙手依然。所以，神要成就的事，沒有什麼不可能的。但是以色列人進了迦南地之後，嗎哪就停止不降了，鵪鶉也不飛來給他們伸手可抓而不飛走。這些「神蹟」就不再出現，他們的衣服鞋子也都換新的，讓壞該破的都回復自然例了。

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Security that Leads to Serving Others

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 13:1-11.  Let’s go!

John 13:1 (NIV) 
1  It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.

On verse 1:  I like how other translations translate the second sentence: “having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end” (v1).  In other words, Jesus didn’t just love for a little while.  Rather, he loved until the very end.  May the same be said of you and me, not that we loved God and the people around us for a little while, but even when things got hard, that we loved all the way until the very end.

John 13:2-5 (NIV)
2  The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.
3  Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;
4  so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.
5  After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

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避禍秘笈

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〈申命記〉 28:58 這書上所寫律法的一切話，是叫你敬畏耶和華你神可榮可畏的名。

閱讀經文：〈申命記〉 28:15-68

有一則新聞說韓國最有錢的女人，也就是韓航老板的千金，雖然已經四十歲了，但是竟然為了服務員給她的夏威夷豆是裝在袋子裡，而不是裝在盤子上，大發怒火。在2014年的12月5日命令機師一定要飛回機場。結果被判坐牢一年。相片上她淚水滂沱，據說後悔不已。經常會聽到有些人因為有一點錢，就這裡鬧事，那裡擺闊，結果都是自己吃虧。可見有錢不一定是福，倘若有錢令人驕傲，且變得無知，那麼錢就是禍水了。倒不如少一點錢，可以學習謙卑，避過因驕傲自大引起的大禍。

蒙福的原則很簡單，就是順服並遵行神的律法。遭咒詛的原則更簡單，只要不聽話，不順服即可。年過半百有加，我越來越發現神的律法實在太美妙，太完備。人是不怎麼有智慧的，往往被情緒和慾望控制，被個性和背景所影響；倘若不是有聖靈在我們心中，一旦順著情慾行事為人，後果堪虞。不但無法有平安喜樂，後悔和憂慮必然緊緊跟隨。總是要事後才知道說錯話，做錯決定，吃了一蘿筐的後悔藥。

咒詛便是蒙福的反面。不聽從神的話和誡命，會有這樣的後果:

你在城裡必受咒詛，在田間也必受咒詛。你的筐子和你的摶麵盆都必受咒詛。你身所生的，地所產的，以及牛犢、羊羔，都必受咒詛。你出也受咒詛，入也受咒詛。(申28:16-18)

蒙福時，事事有神的祝福；被咒詛時，做什麼事都不順利。好像一天到晚，有人在跟你作對似的。在城裡諸事不順，在家裡孩子跟你對著幹，連出入都不順。神要跟行惡的人作對，行惡的意思是指不聽從神的話。

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Respond with Faith to Jesus

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 12:37-50.  Let’s go!

John 12:37-41 (NIV) 
37  Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.
38  This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
39  For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere:
40  “He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn–and I would heal them.”
41  Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.

On verses 37-41:  John sees the cold-hearted, unbelieving response of many Jews toward Jesus as fulfilling prophecies written by Isaiah about 700 years before.  Quoting Isaiah 53:1 in verse 38 and then Isaiah 6:10 in verse 40, John says that Isaiah spoke wrote these prophecies because he also saw Jesus’ glory.

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