The King Who Understands You

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Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 26:1-18.  Let’s go!

Acts 26:1-13 (NIV)
1  Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defense:
2  “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews,
3  and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4  “The Jews all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. ……

On verses 1-13:  Paul considered it a blessing that he could tell his side of the story to King Agrippa, a Jewish ruler who understood the customs, controversies, culture and religious thinking of the Jews, instead of just to Governor Festus, who knew very little about these matters and was already secretly siding with Paul’s opponents.  Paul had confidence that King Agrippa could understand where Paul was coming from, and thus he felt free to approach him and plead his case.

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生命樹

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〈箴言〉11:30   義人所結的果子就是生命樹；有智慧的，必能得人。

閱讀經文：箴言11:29-31  

29 擾害己家的必承受清風，愚昧人必做慧心人的僕人。 30 義人所結的果子就是生命樹，有智慧的必能得人。 31 看哪，義人在世尚且受報，何況惡人和罪人呢？

29節：擾害己家的，必承受清風；愚昧人必作慧心人的僕人。

《現代中文譯本》譯為：帶災難進家門的，終必傾家蕩產；愚拙人必作明智人的奴僕。
《TheMessage》譯為：Exploit or abuse your family, and end up with a fistful of air;  common sense tells you it’s a stupid way to live.

你有沒有聽過這句話：“我們最大的錯就是把最差的脾氣和最糟糕的一面都給了最親近的人，卻把耐心和寬容給了陌生人。”出名的台灣鷹爸徐柏岳，曾經是戰鬥機飛行員，有兩個兒子後，發現他們種種脫線的行為，被氣到七竅生煙。他說自己一開始只是小小麻雀爸，不懂該怎麼教養孩子，所以總是以自己被教育的方式教孩子。直到看見了因為他發怒大吼後驚嚇的孩子，才開始意識到，這樣下去真的不行！在沉澱和思考後，他發現必須先找到完整的自己，才有可能成為最好的爸爸，進而變成孩子最堅強的後盾。

大多數人像麻雀爸，總是用發怒大吼去處理事情，使家庭成為極不快樂的地方，甚至是充滿衝突的地方。我們要承認自己的有限，沒有人一生下來就當丈夫或妻子或父親或母親，但我們都可以從錯誤中學習，使自己的家庭變得快樂溫馨。任憑自己的情緒不受控制，對家庭是致命的傷害。我們要學習愛和善待自己的家人。第一件事就是把講話的聲調降低五度，有事不要吼，好好地溝通。家破再來就是人亡，所以要好好愛你的家人。

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生存之道

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〈箴言〉11:28 倚仗自己財物的，必跌倒；義人必發旺，如青葉。

《現代中文譯本》譯為：倚靠財富，像秋天落葉；義人繁茂，如夏季的綠葉。
《新譯本》譯為：倚賴自己財富的，必然衰落；義人卻必繁茂，好像綠葉。

《The Message》譯為：A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump;  a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree.

在這一章裡所羅門王提供了很多理財的概念，而第28節是個總結：錢財雖然重要，卻不是人應當倚靠的對象。錢財買得了藥品，買不了健康；買得到陪伴，買不到真心的愛；買得到舒服的棉被和枕頭，買不到睡眠；買得到最貴的山珍海味，買不到胃口和食慾，還需要說下去嗎？每一次股票漲落時，總有人跳樓自殺，因為在他們的心中，錢就是一切，沒有錢，什麼都完了。

真的沒有錢，人就完了嗎？主耶穌告訴我們，“人活著不是單靠食物，而是靠神口裡所出的每一句話（太4:4）” 。有錢，是為了購買食物，但是神的話比食物更重要。鄭果牧師在蒙神呼召後，心裡感到猶豫。因為他上有老母，下有五個年幼的孩子，妻子沒有工作，全家靠他賺錢生活，他若去讀神學，誰來供養一家人？

但是主耶穌以〈馬太福音〉第六章裡的一段話回應他的憂慮：“不要為生命憂慮吃什麼，喝什麼，為身體憂慮穿什麼。生命不勝於飲食嗎？身體不勝於衣裳嗎？你們看那天上的飛鳥，也不種也不收，也不積蓄在倉裡，你們的天父 尚且養活它，你們不比飛鳥貴重得多嗎？你們哪一個能用思慮使壽數多加一刻呢？何必為衣裳憂慮呢？

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Get Agrippa on Yourself

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Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 25:13-27.  Let’s go!

Acts 25:13-27 (NIV)
13  A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.
14  Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. He said: “There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner.
15  When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked that he be condemned.
16  “I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over any man before he has faced his accusers and has had an opportunity to defend himself against their charges.
17  When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in…..

On verses 13-27:  King Agrippa II was a Jewish ruler who came from a long line of kings (including his great grandfather King Herod the Great and his father Herod Agrippa I).  Under Roman supervision, King Agrippa ruled over various territories in the region.  Here we see King Agrippa accompanied by Bernice, who was King Agrippa’s sister and with whom King Agrippa was rumoured to be carrying on an incestuous relationship.  King Agrippa appears here in a visit to Caesarea most likely because he wished to build diplomatic ties with the newly appointed Governor Festus.  Festus had to give Caesar a report on Paul’s case before sending Paul to Caesar. 

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施比受更為有福

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〈箴言〉11:27 懇切求善的，就求得恩惠；唯獨求惡的，惡必臨到他身。

閱讀經文：箴言11:24-27

24有施散的卻更增添，有吝惜過度的反致窮乏。25好施捨的必得豐裕，滋潤人的必得滋潤。26屯糧不賣的，民必咒詛他；情願出賣的，人必為他祝福。27懇切求善的，就求得恩惠；唯獨求惡的，惡必臨到他身。

24-25節：有施散的，卻更增添；有吝惜過度的，反致窮乏。好施捨的，必得豐裕；滋潤人的，必得滋潤。

《現代中文譯本》譯為：慷慨好施，日益富裕；一毛不拔，反更窮困。慷慨好施，更加發達；幫助別人，自己受益。

《The Message》譯為：The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller. 25 The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.

神的數學和人的數學算法是不一樣的。在人的數學裡，若是拿出去了，自己的就減少了；但是在神的數學裡，拿出去了，就有更多空間承受來自上帝的恩典，所以是越拿出去越富足。人總是覺得擁有越多越好，但是神要教導我們，拿出去越多越好，積財在天比屯積在地上的家裡更安全，更有保障。

信心，就是超越人的認知，相信神的應許和擁有；不看自己有多少，而是看天父有多少。施捨或施散都是指幫助缺乏的人，主耶穌說施比受更為有福（使20:35）。敢施捨的人，看的是自己的有，而不是自己的沒有；數算的是神的恩典，而不是難填的慾壑。

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Asking for the Breakthrough You Need

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Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 25:1-12.  Let’s go!

Acts 25:1-9 (NIV)
1  Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem,
2  where the chief priests and Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul.
3  They urgently requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.
4  Festus answered, “Paul is being held at Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon.
5  Let some of your leaders come with me and press charges against the man there, if he has done anything wrong.”
6  After spending eight or ten days with them, he went down to Caesarea, and the next day he convened the court and ordered that Paul be brought before him.
7  When Paul appeared, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges against him, which they could not prove.
8  Then Paul made his defense: “I have done nothing wrong against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.”
9  Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there on these charges?”

On verses 1 to 9:  Originally governor Festus rejected the request of Paul’s opponents to have Paul moved to Jerusalem for the trial (verses 4-5).  So why in verse 9 is Festus now giving into their request and trying to convince Paul to move to Jerusalem?  It’s because of what happened in verse 6: “After spending eight or ten days with them”, Festus was like putty in the hands of Paul’s opponents.

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If You Get Intimidated By People Easily, Knowing THIS Will Ease Your Mind Copy

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Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 26:19-32.  Let’s go!

Acts 26:19-23 (NIV)
19  “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven.
20  First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.
21  That is why the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me.
22  But I have had God’s help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen–
23  that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”
 
On verses 19-23:  Paul continues his defense in the presence of King Agrippa, insisting that the message he has been preaching is nothing beyond what the Jewish Scriptures already said would happen.  In other words, Paul was not starting some new sect or religion that departed from the Jewish faith, but rather was preaching what the Jewish Scriptures themselves speak about: that the Christ (Messiah) would die, rise from death and give light to both Jews and Gentiles alike.

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5 Ways We Can Box Jesus In

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Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 24:17-27.  Let’s go!

Acts 24:17-21 (NIV)
17  “After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings.
18  I was ceremonially clean when they found me in the temple courts doing this. There was no crowd with me, nor was I involved in any disturbance.
19  But there are some Jews from the province of Asia, who ought to be here before you and bring charges if they have anything against me.
20  Or these who are here should state what crime they found in me when I stood before the Sanhedrin–
21  unless it was this one thing I shouted as I stood in their presence: ‘It is concerning the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.'”
 
On verses 17-21:  Paul continues his defense at his trial before governor Felix in Caesarea.  Paul notes that he did not do anything unlawful or illegal, unless believing in the resurrection of the dead is a crime (v21).  When it came to any possible charges that Paul’s critics would try to lay on Paul, Paul was blameless. 

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神眼中的義和惡

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〈箴言〉11:22 婦女美貌而無見識，如同金環帶在豬鼻上。

閱讀經文：箴言11:21-23

21 惡人雖然連手，必不免受罰，義人的後裔必得拯救。 22 婦女美貌而無見識，如同金環戴在豬鼻上。 23 義人的心願盡得好處，惡人的指望致干憤怒。

21節：惡人雖然連手，必不免受罰；義人的後裔必得拯救。

《現代中文譯本》譯為：邪惡人難逃懲罰；正直人都蒙救援。
《呂振中譯本》譯為：我敢頓手擔保，壞人必難免於受罰；但義人的族類必蒙救拔。《The Message》譯為：Count on this: The wicked won’t get off scot-free, and God’s loyal people will triumph.
原文直譯：惡人雖然手牽手，仍不免受罰；義人的後裔必得拯救。

所羅門王一直試著要把惡人和義人的結局分別出來，因為在神的眼中只有屬神的人和不願屬神的人。所以我們不要用人的眼光來分別善惡，反而要從神的眼光去明辨善惡。

大衛在〈詩篇〉37篇25-26節裡說：「我從前年幼，現在年老，卻未見過義人被棄，也未見過他的後裔討飯。他終日恩待人，借給人；他的後裔也蒙福！」義人是屬神的人，人不能自己稱義，唯有肯信靠神的人，才會被神稱為義。是屬神的義，而不是用自己的力量去行善的義。屬神的人必蒙神眷顧到底；而悖逆神的人不管有多少人連手，成就的事業有多龐大，終必像巴別塔一樣，最後傾倒滅亡。

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真實的工價

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〈箴言〉11:20 心中乖僻的，為耶和華所憎惡；行事完全的，為祂所喜悅。

閱讀經文：箴言11:18-20

18 惡人經營，得虛浮的工價；撒義種的，得實在的果效。 19 恆心為義的必得生命，追求邪惡的必致死亡。 20 心中乖僻的，為耶和華所憎惡；行事完全的，為他所喜悅。

18節：惡人經營，得虛浮的工價；撒義種的，得實在的果效。

《現代中文譯本》譯為：邪惡人徒勞無功；行為正直，必得獎賞。
《The Message》譯為：Bad work gets paid with a bad check;  good work gets solid pay.
《當代聖經》譯為：惡人賺得的，轉眼成空；播種公義所得到的，才是真正的報酬。

這句話裡有種瓜得瓜，種豆得豆的意思。但還有更深一層的解釋，人若不認識神，他所賺的都會成為過眼雲煙。就像主耶穌對門徒說的一個比喻：「神對無知的財主說：『無知的人哪，今夜必要你的靈魂，你所預備的要歸誰呢？』  凡為自己積財，在神面前卻不富足的，也是這樣。（路12:20-21）」

人在神面前若不富足，所預備，所積儹的，連自己都無法享用。人在神面前若不富足，表示他的一生都在為自己鑽營，這樣的一生，在神面前是枉然的，所得的一切都是徒勞。邪惡，不是從人的眼光來定標準，而是神以為惡。正直，也不是由人來決定，而是神來決定。

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