The Testing Before The Blessing

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 44:1-17.  Let’s go!

Genesis 44:1-17 (NIV)
1  Now Joseph gave these instructions to the steward of his house: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack.
2  Then put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” And he did as Joseph said.
3  As morning dawned, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys.
4  They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to his steward, “Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?……

On verses 1-17:  Here Joseph plants his own silver cup into his brother Benjamin’s sack without Benjamin knowing.  Then after sending the brothers off, Joseph gets his men to chase after the brothers, alleging that one of them had stolen his silver cup.  It turns out that Joseph, a son of Jacob the original trickster, has a trick up his own sleeve.  Yet we will see that Joseph ultimately had a good intention by playing this trick on his brothers.

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God Sees Right Through

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 42:1-20.  Let’s go!

Genesis 42:1-2 (NIV)
1  When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you just keep looking at each other?”
2  He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.”

On verses 1-2:  Jacob by this point was old, but his penchant for wanting to get things done and finding that the people around him were too slow was alive and well.

Genesis 42:3-20 (NIV)
3  Then ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.
4  But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him.
5  So Israel’s sons were among those who went to buy grain, for the famine was in the land of Canaan also.
6  Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the one who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.

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約拿單與大衛結盟

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〈撒母耳記〉上 20:42   願耶和華在你我中間，並你我後裔中間為證，直到永遠！

閱讀經文：〈撒母耳記〉上 20:1-42 

約拿單和大衛的友誼是神很奇妙的安排。因為一般而言，要做朋友大多是年齡相當，背景類似，才容易談得來。但是約拿單是王子，大衛是平民，而且是個放羊的，兩人的地位甚為懸殊；年齡上約拿單也比大衛大許多，約拿單是掃羅的長子，大衛是耶西的么兒。當約拿單已經是個奔馳於彊場的勇士時，大衛還只是個放羊的小孩。但是大衛對神的信心吸引了約拿單，使他們一見如故，其實說是約拿單特別疼愛大衛，也不為過。因為大衛在一開始很可能不敢高攀，是約拿單的誠意使大衛可以放心跟他做朋友。

約拿單是敬畏神的人，因此他在靈裡的感覺也很敏銳。他說的每一句話都好像在交代遺囑，雖然他自己不知道將會發生何事。我們教會裡有一位老媽媽在過世之前的主日，不知為何，就站在教會門口跟每一個人打招呼。等她過世後，大家猛一回想，才覺得那天早上她的行為很特別，彷彿是在向大家告別。雖然她自己也不知道那週之間她會返回天家。約拿單和大衛結盟的內容是：“你要照耶和華的慈愛恩待我，不但我活著的時候免我死亡，就是我死後，耶和華從地上剪除你仇敵的時候，你也永不可向我家絕了恩惠。”他是王子，為何需要大衛免他死亡？他彷彿在預言，有一天大衛的權位會比他高，可以有生殺之權。倘若他死了，也不可向他家絕了恩惠。彷彿他已經知道，有一天他的家會需要大衛的保護。

當約拿單明白他的父親非殺大衛不可的決心後，他更加求大衛記念他們之間的約，“願耶和華在你我中間，並你我後裔中間為證，直到永遠！”所以約拿單顯然已經查覺，耶和華神已經不再與他的父親同在，因為他說：“願耶和華與你同在，如同從前與我父親同在一樣”。他很清楚，神與大衛同在，神已經不再和他父親同在。

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God Prepares Before He Promotes

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 41:37-57.  Let’s go!

Genesis 41:37-44 (NIV)
37  The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials.
38  So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?”
39  Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you.
40  You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”
41  So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.”
42  Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck.
43  He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and men shouted before him, “Make way!” Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.
44  Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.”

On verses 37-44:  Joseph goes from a prisoner to being put in charge of the whole land of Egypt.  For the first time since he was a child, Joseph is even given a robe that speaks of his favoured status (v42).  What a promotion.  You could make the argument that God was preparing Joseph for a role like this his whole life, whether Joseph knew it or not.  Before God promotes a person, He prepares them.  

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大衛逃避掃羅

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〈撒母耳記〉上 19:12    於是米甲將大衛從窗戶裡縋下去，大衛就逃走，躲避了。

閱讀經文: 〈撒母耳記〉上 19:1-24 

掃羅隱藏的殺機終於再也無法隱瞞，他把這個想法公諸於世，向眾臣僕和約拿單說他要殺大衛。但是就像約拿單說的，大衛不但沒有犯錯，反而拚命殺非利士人，他對掃羅是有益、有幫助的，少了一個這樣的英雄，以色列人能打得過非利士人嗎？除了掃羅，大家都能看得清楚，以色列人需要大衛這樣勇敢的戰士。我們有時會不會想，神的同在和不同在，於我們有何關係？為何《聖經》常常強調神的同在，好像那是一件很重要的事？

掃羅和大衛是個很好的例子，讓我們看到一個人有神同在和沒有神同在的光景。掃羅失去了神的同在，雖然位極王尊，卻一點安全感也沒有，整天活在害怕和恐懼之中。他的表面很風光，有很多人侍候左右，有很多人聽從他的調度，他想怎樣就怎樣，甚至想殺人時就去殺人。他有極大的生殺之權，但是他一點平安也沒有。因此惡魔時時來找他，其實更正確的說法是，因為沒有神的同在，他無從求告，被自己的愁煩和嫉恨所纏繞，所以自己一個人時，越想越著急，就有精神錯亂的現象出現，變成一個失去理智的人，忘恩負義的人。

大衛每遇非利士人來爭戰，他就出去努力抗敵，掃羅卻視他為眼中釘。嫉恨使人失去正確的判斷，掃羅不感謝大衛的功勞或苦勞，只是不斷地擔心自己的聲譽下降，大衛的聲譽升隆。有時候我們在服侍神時也會碰到這樣的情況，害怕別人的表現出色，取代了自己的位置，因而對心裡嫉妒的人百般掣肘，甚至不給服侍的機會。掃羅和大衛的事發生在神所揀選的子民國度裡，所以在神的家裡，人若沒有神的同在，就會發生比社會上的人更不公平的現象，使人對神的家灰心失望。

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Wisdom Is…

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 41:1-36.  Let’s go!

Genesis 41:1-8 (NIV)
1  When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile,
2  when out of the river there came up seven cows, sleek and fat, and they grazed among the reeds.
3  After them, seven other cows, ugly and gaunt, came up out of the Nile and stood beside those on the riverbank.
4  And the cows that were ugly and gaunt ate up the seven sleek, fat cows. Then Pharaoh woke up.
5  He fell asleep again and had a second dream: Seven heads of grain, healthy and good, were growing on a single stalk.
6  After them, seven other heads of grain sprouted–thin and scorched by the east wind.
7  The thin heads of grain swallowed up the seven healthy, full heads. Then Pharaoh woke up; it had been a dream.
8  In the morning his mind was troubled, so he sent for all the magicians and wise men of Egypt. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but no one could interpret them for him.

On verses 1-8:  Here we see that a problem that Pharaoh could not understand and could not solve himself would ultimately lead him to God and give an opportunity for someone from among God’s people to bring a God-inspired solution.  When you face a problem for which you and others don’t have a simple solution, see it as an opportunity for God to use His people to bring the help needed. 

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掃羅嫉恨大衛

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〈撒母耳記〉上 18:14   大衛做事無不精明，耶和華也與他同在。

閱讀經文:  〈撒母耳記上〉 18:1-30 

當歌利亞向以色列人罵陣時，以色列人沒有一個敢出去應戰，包括掃羅。掃羅曾經懸賞：“若有能殺他的，王必賞賜他大財，將自己的女兒給他為妻，並在以色列人中免他父家納糧當差。（撒上17:25）”但是當大衛殺了歌利亞之後，三件事掃羅一件也沒有付之實現。本來是可以免當差的，這下卻被掃羅扣住了，不容他再回父家。反而是掃羅的兒子約拿單和大衛變成了好朋友。約拿單對大衛的愛，不是指同性戀的愛；這種心的契合，也不是那種情慾之戀，而是一種伯牙和鍾子期那種相遇有知音的感受。因為他們對神單純的信心，使他們能相知相惜，並且建立聖潔的友誼。

那時候，以色列營中只有掃羅和約拿單有刀有槍（撒上13:22），追趕非利士人之後，可能會獲得許多戰利品，包括刀槍。但是身上的戰衣、腰帶等等，不是別人有的，因為那些裝備代表了約拿單王子的身份。但是約拿單愛大衛如同愛自己的性命，就把自己最寶貴的外袍、戰衣、刀、弓、腰帶都給了大衛。大衛原是個牧童，一下子穿上約拿單這些裝備，定然判若兩人吧。約拿單又和大衛結盟，表示與大衛共生死。一個當朝的王子，可以說是太子，因此後來掃羅責備約拿單：“耶西的兒子若在世間活著，你和你的國位必站立不住（撒上20:31）”，竟然和一個小牧童結盟，對大衛而言，這是何等的際遇。

雖然撒母耳已經在大衛的家人面前膏大衛為王，但是大衛的心裡一點都不因而感到驕傲。掃羅叫他做什麼，他就做什麼，並且努力去做，因此眾百姓和掃羅的臣僕都喜歡他。但是這樣的謙卑並沒有給他帶來平安，因為他們回城時，眾婦女的讚美還是激怒了掃羅。

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What To Do With Bad News

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 40:1-23.  Let’s go!

Genesis 40:1-7 (NIV)
1  Some time later, the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt offended their master, the king of Egypt.
2  Pharaoh was angry with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker,
3  and put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the same prison where Joseph was confined.
4  The captain of the guard assigned them to Joseph, and he attended them. After they had been in custody for some time,
5  each of the two men–the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were being held in prison–had a dream the same night, and each dream had a meaning of its own.
6  When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected.
7  So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why are your faces so sad today?”

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第七封信：給老底嘉教會 (上)

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老底嘉教會代表教會第七個時代（主後1900年至主再來）。這末世時代的教會。是最敗壞，最被主所厭棄的，所以自始至終，主沒有一句稱讚的話。請大家留心看，《聖經》所說，主對他們沒有一句稱讚的話，總是責備的話。為甚麼呢？因為老底嘉教會，敗壞到這樣不堪的地步。他們敗壞，有兩大原因：

1.從撒但而來，如果謹慎查巧七教會的過程，就可以看見在七教會中，由始至終，都有魔鬼在後面破壞，以弗所教會失去起初大有愛心。士每拿教會，撒但乃變更計劃，使患難逼迫臨到他們。後來看見患難逼迫不能使教會破壞，就引誘別迦摩教會與世界聯婚。到了推雅推喇教會，撒但更變本加厲，使他們管轄世界。撒狄教會，從推雅推喇教會出來。魔鬼又使他們有名無實。非拉鐵非很有愛心，但魔鬼就使他變為不冷不熱的老底嘉教會。我們知道這七個教會中，最好就是非拉鐵非教會，最壞的是老底嘉教會。這樣看來，可見魔鬼的工作，實在利害，盡力來破壞教會到不可收拾的地步。最好的教會，也變成最壞的教會。由非拉鐵非教會變為老底嘉教會，真是可惜，這都是魔鬼的作為。

2.另一方面是從教會而來的。各位，你知道「老底嘉」的名義嗎？「老底嘉」原文由兩個字拼成的，就是「老斯」「底細亞」兩個字。「老斯」是「平民」之意，「底細亞」是「風俗」或「意見」之意。老底嘉教會是普通人民的風俗，或是普通人的意見，這普通人是指教會裏面的人。老底嘉教會是普通人的意思，因為這教會的制度，是由全體負責，不是由少數人負責。他們以為教會是教友的教會，大家事由大家去做。各人的事隨著公眾的意見去行。一切行政，少數應該服從多數。各位，現在的教會，就是老底嘉教會的情形。

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大衛擊殺歌利亞

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〈撒母耳記上〉 17:45 大衛對非利士人說：你來攻擊我，是靠著刀槍和銅戟。我來攻擊你，是靠著萬軍之耶和華的名，就是你所怒罵帶領以色列軍隊的神。

〈撒母耳記上〉 17:41-58 

美麗的以拉谷，綠草如茵，卻被一群野心勃勃的非利士人給踐踏了。因為它起於希伯崙，逐漸向北下落，綿延數十裡，至桑特河時與其他山谷匯合，形成寬約 3公里的平坦谷地。正是非利士人最喜歡穿越去攻打以色列人的途徑。這一回，掃羅帶著以色列人在此安營，抵擋非利士人。非利士人派出一個巨人歌利亞出來向以色列人單挑，面對巨大的歌利亞和他在當時幾近完美的裝備，以色列人沒有一個敢出來應戰。

小小的大衛那時有多大呢？連當兵的年紀都不到，只能算是個青少年吧，為了對耶和華神的愛，他公然應戰。因為這人竟敢辱罵永生神的軍隊，卻沒有人敢去殺他，因此他要去除掉以色列人的恥辱。當歌利亞看到大衛應戰時，他可能氣瘋了，以色列人竟敢戲弄他，派一個乳臭未乾的小伙子，來和他這身經百戰的大巨人爭戰。大衛只拿著牧羊的杖，無刀也無槍，歌利亞覺得大衛太瞧不起他了，把他當成狗了？

歌利亞看不起這個年輕，面色光紅，容貌俊美的小伙子，但是大衛的回答卻落地有聲。大衛指出，歌利亞作戰靠的是刀槍和銅戟，但是他去攻擊歌利亞是靠著萬軍之耶和華的名。我們碰到事情時，也要學習大衛這樣的邏輯思維：刀槍銅戟和萬軍之耶和華的名，兩相比較，哪一個更可靠，更有實力？你可以把你的困難或仇敵的優勢放在刀槍銅戟的位置，然後決定要倚靠哪一方去取得最後的勝利。

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