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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约拿单与大卫结盟

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〈撒母耳记〉上 20:42   愿耶和华在你我中间，并你我后裔中间为证，直到永远！

阅读经文：〈撒母耳记〉上 20:1-42 

约拿单和大卫的友谊是神很奇妙的安排。因为一般而言，要做朋友大多是年龄相当，背景类似，才容易谈得来。但是约拿单是王子，大卫是平民，而且是个放羊的，两人的地位甚为悬殊；年龄上约拿单也比大卫大许多，约拿单是扫罗的长子，大卫是耶西的么儿。当约拿单已经是个奔驰于彊场的勇士时，大卫还只是个放羊的小孩。但是大卫对神的信心吸引了约拿单，使他们一见如故，其实说是约拿单特别疼爱大卫，也不为过。因为大卫在一开始很可能不敢高攀，是约拿单的诚意使大卫可以放心跟他做朋友。

约拿单是敬畏神的人，因此他在灵里的感觉也很敏锐。他说的每一句话都好像在交代遗嘱，虽然他自己不知道将会发生何事。我们教会里有一位老妈妈在过世之前的主日，不知为何，就站在教会门口跟每一个人打招呼。等她过世后，大家猛一回想，才觉得那天早上她的行为很特别，仿佛是在向大家告别。虽然她自己也不知道那周之间她会返回天家。约拿单和大卫结盟的内容是：“你要照耶和华的慈爱恩待我，不但我活着的时候免我死亡，就是我死后，耶和华从地上剪除你仇敌的时候，你也永不可向我家绝了恩惠。”他是王子，为何需要大卫免他死亡？他仿佛在预言，有一天大卫的权位会比他高，可以有生杀之权。倘若他死了，也不可向他家绝了恩惠。仿佛他已经知道，有一天他的家会需要大卫的保护。

当约拿单明白他的父亲非杀大卫不可的决心后，他更加求大卫记念他们之间的约，“愿耶和华在你我中间，并你我后裔中间为证，直到永远！”所以约拿单显然已经查觉，耶和华神已经不再与他的父亲同在，因为他说：“愿耶和华与你同在，如同从前与我父亲同在一样”。他很清楚，神与大卫同在，神已经不再和他父亲同在。

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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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大卫逃避扫罗

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〈撒母耳记〉上 19:12    于是米甲将大卫从窗户里缒下去，大卫就逃走，躲避了。

阅读经文: 〈撒母耳记〉上 19:1-24 

扫罗隐藏的杀机终于再也无法隐瞒，他把这个想法公诸于世，向众臣仆和约拿单说他要杀大卫。但是就像约拿单说的，大卫不但没有犯错，反而拚命杀非利士人，他对扫罗是有益、有帮助的，少了一个这样的英雄，以色列人能打得过非利士人吗？除了扫罗，大家都能看得清楚，以色列人需要大卫这样勇敢的战士。我们有时会不会想，神的同在和不同在，于我们有何关系？为何《圣经》常常强调神的同在，好像那是一件很重要的事？

扫罗和大卫是个很好的例子，让我们看到一个人有神同在和没有神同在的光景。扫罗失去了神的同在，虽然位极王尊，却一点安全感也没有，整天活在害怕和恐惧之中。他的表面很风光，有很多人侍候左右，有很多人听从他的调度，他想怎样就怎样，甚至想杀人时就去杀人。他有极大的生杀之权，但是他一点平安也没有。因此恶魔时时来找他，其实更正确的说法是，因为没有神的同在，他无从求告，被自己的愁烦和嫉恨所缠绕，所以自己一个人时，越想越着急，就有精神错乱的现象出现，变成一个失去理智的人，忘恩负义的人。

大卫每遇非利士人来争战，他就出去努力抗敌，扫罗却视他为眼中钉。嫉恨使人失去正确的判断，扫罗不感谢大卫的功劳或苦劳，只是不断地担心自己的声誉下降，大卫的声誉升隆。有时候我们在服侍神时也会碰到这样的情况，害怕别人的表现出色，取代了自己的位置，因而对心里嫉妒的人百般掣肘，甚至不给服侍的机会。扫罗和大卫的事发生在神所拣选的子民国度里，所以在神的家里，人若没有神的同在，就会发生比社会上的人更不公平的现象，使人对神的家灰心失望。

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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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扫罗嫉恨大卫

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〈撒母耳记〉上 18:14   大卫做事无不精明，耶和华也与他同在。

阅读经文:  〈撒母耳记上〉 18:1-30 

当歌利亚向以色列人骂阵时，以色列人没有一个敢出去应战，包括扫罗。扫罗曾经悬赏：“若有能杀他的，王必赏赐他大财，将自己的女儿给他为妻，并在以色列人中免他父家纳粮当差。（撒上17:25）”但是当大卫杀了歌利亚之后，三件事扫罗一件也没有付之实现。本来是可以免当差的，这下却被扫罗扣住了，不容他再回父家。反而是扫罗的儿子约拿单和大卫变成了好朋友。约拿单对大卫的爱，不是指同性恋的爱；这种心的契合，也不是那种情欲之恋，而是一种伯牙和钟子期那种相遇有知音的感受。因为他们对神单纯的信心，使他们能相知相惜，并且建立圣洁的友谊。

那时候，以色列营中只有扫罗和约拿单有刀有枪（撒上13:22），追赶非利士人之后，可能会获得许多战利品，包括刀枪。但是身上的战衣、腰带等等，不是别人有的，因为那些装备代表了约拿单王子的身份。但是约拿单爱大卫如同爱自己的性命，就把自己最宝贵的外袍、战衣、刀、弓、腰带都给了大卫。大卫原是个牧童，一下子穿上约拿单这些装备，定然判若两人吧。约拿单又和大卫结盟，表示与大卫共生死。一个当朝的王子，可以说是太子，因此后来扫罗责备约拿单：“耶西的儿子若在世间活着，你和你的国位必站立不住（撒上20:31）”，竟然和一个小牧童结盟，对大卫而言，这是何等的际遇。

虽然撒母耳已经在大卫的家人面前膏大卫为王，但是大卫的心里一点都不因而感到骄傲。扫罗叫他做什么，他就做什么，并且努力去做，因此众百姓和扫罗的臣仆都喜欢他。但是这样的谦卑并没有给他带来平安，因为他们回城时，众妇女的赞美还是激怒了扫罗。

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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：给老底嘉教会 (上)

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老底嘉教会代表教会第七个时代（主后1900年至主再来）。这末世时代的教会。是最败坏，最被主所厌弃的，所以自始至终，主没有一句称赞的话。请大家留心看，《圣经》所说，主对他们没有一句称赞的话，总是责备的话。为甚么呢？因为老底嘉教会，败坏到这样不堪的地步。他们败坏，有两大原因：

1.从撒但而来，如果谨慎查巧七教会的过程，就可以看见在七教会中，由始至终，都有魔鬼在后面破坏，以弗所教会失去起初大有爱心。士每拿教会，撒但乃变更计划，使患难逼迫临到他们。后来看见患难逼迫不能使教会破坏，就引诱别迦摩教会与世界联婚。到了推雅推喇教会，撒但更变本加厉，使他们管辖世界。撒狄教会，从推雅推喇教会出来。魔鬼又使他们有名无实。非拉铁非很有爱心，但魔鬼就使他变为不冷不热的老底嘉教会。我们知道这七个教会中，最好就是非拉铁非教会，最坏的是老底嘉教会。这样看来，可见魔鬼的工作，实在利害，尽力来破坏教会到不可收拾的地步。最好的教会，也变成最坏的教会。由非拉铁非教会变为老底嘉教会，真是可惜，这都是魔鬼的作为。

2.另一方面是从教会而来的。各位，你知道「老底嘉」的名义吗？「老底嘉」原文由两个字拼成的，就是「老斯」「底细亚」两个字。「老斯」是「平民」之意，「底细亚」是「风俗」或「意见」之意。老底嘉教会是普通人民的风俗，或是普通人的意见，这普通人是指教会里面的人。老底嘉教会是普通人的意思，因为这教会的制度，是由全体负责，不是由少数人负责。他们以为教会是教友的教会，大家事由大家去做。各人的事随着公众的意见去行。一切行政，少数应该服从多数。各位，现在的教会，就是老底嘉教会的情形。

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大卫击杀歌利亚

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〈撒母耳记上〉 17:45 大卫对非利士人说：你来攻击我，是靠着刀枪和铜戟。我来攻击你，是靠着万军之耶和华的名，就是你所怒骂带领以色列军队的神。

〈撒母耳记上〉 17:41-58 

美丽的以拉谷，绿草如茵，却被一群野心勃勃的非利士人给践踏了。因为它起于希伯仑，逐渐向北下落，绵延数十里，至桑特河时与其他山谷汇合，形成宽约 3公里的平坦谷地。正是非利士人最喜欢穿越去攻打以色列人的途径。这一回，扫罗带着以色列人在此安营，抵挡非利士人。非利士人派出一个巨人歌利亚出来向以色列人单挑，面对巨大的歌利亚和他在当时几近完美的装备，以色列人没有一个敢出来应战。

小小的大卫那时有多大呢？连当兵的年纪都不到，只能算是个青少年吧，为了对耶和华神的爱，他公然应战。因为这人竟敢辱骂永生神的军队，却没有人敢去杀他，因此他要去除掉以色列人的耻辱。当歌利亚看到大卫应战时，他可能气疯了，以色列人竟敢戏弄他，派一个乳臭未干的小伙子，来和他这身经百战的大巨人争战。大卫只拿着牧羊的杖，无刀也无枪，歌利亚觉得大卫太瞧不起他了，把他当成狗了？

歌利亚看不起这个年轻，面色光红，容貌俊美的小伙子，但是大卫的回答却落地有声。大卫指出，歌利亚作战靠的是刀枪和铜戟，但是他去攻击歌利亚是靠着万军之耶和华的名。我们碰到事情时，也要学习大卫这样的逻辑思维：刀枪铜戟和万军之耶和华的名，两相比较，哪一个更可靠，更有实力？你可以把你的困难或仇敌的优势放在刀枪铜戟的位置，然后决定要倚靠哪一方去取得最后的胜利。

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