Jesus Is Praying For You

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 9:13-29.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 9:13-29 (NIV)
13  And the LORD said to me, “I have seen this people, and they are a stiff-necked people indeed!
14  Let me alone, so that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven. And I will make you into a nation stronger and more numerous than they.”
15  So I turned and went down from the mountain while it was ablaze with fire. And the two tablets of the covenant were in my hands.
16  When I looked, I saw that you had sinned against the LORD your God; you had made for yourselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. You had turned aside quickly from the way that the LORD had commanded you…….

On verses 13-29:  In Deuteronomy 9:13-29, Moses describes two recurring patterns in Israel’s history so far.  First, the Israelites kept rebelling against God.  As Moses says in verse 24: “You have been rebellious against the Lord ever since I have known you.”

But second, each time the Israelites rebelled against God, Moses was there to stand in the gap, to intercede and pray for his fellow Israelites.  God responded to Moses’ prayers and showed mercy to the Israelites.

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尊荣与谦卑

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〈箴言〉15:33 敬畏耶和华是智慧的训诲，尊荣以前必有谦卑。

阅读经文：箴言15:24-33

24 智慧人从生命的道上升，使他远离在下的阴间。 25 耶和华必拆毁骄傲人的家，却要立定寡妇的地界。 26 恶谋为耶和华所憎恶，良言乃为纯净。 27 贪恋财利的扰害己家，恨恶贿赂的必得存活。 28 义人的心思量如何回答，恶人的口吐出恶言。 29 耶和华远离恶人，却听义人的祷告。 30 眼有光使心喜乐，好信息使骨滋润。 31 听从生命责备的，必常在智慧人中。 32 弃绝管教的，轻看自己的生命；听从责备的，却得智慧。 33 敬畏耶和华是智慧的训诲，尊荣以前必有谦卑。

谁是智慧人，可以从生命的道上升，远离在下的阴间呢？我有一些朋友，不相信自己有灵魂，也不思想身后事，认为人死一了百了。假如人死了一了百了，又何来那么多的灵异故事呢？读者文摘曾经登过一些故事，有的人在亲人死后，感觉到亲人留下的痕迹和信号。也有一些人在濒临死亡时，灵魂出窍，看到医护人员在手术房里的急救，看见亲友在不同地方为他（她）祷告，醒来之后，细细道来，仿佛历历在目，令人惊讶不已。

宁可相信自己有灵魂，为灵魂预备去的地方，也好过不相信自己有灵魂，以后惶惶然下阴间。你相信，有预备，那么你死了对你不会有损失；但是你若没有预备，而确实有灵魂，你的损失可就惨重了。所以接受在人的一生中，最大的成就便是找到生命之道，脱离死亡的辖制，便是智慧了。所罗门王说：“神造万物，各按其时成为美好，又将永生安置在世人心里”（传3:11）。人若是正视自己的需要，便会发现自己的灵魂无时无刻不在寻找永生的家，也就是灵魂的归宿，一旦找到，心里便有平安和喜乐，因为回家了，回到那赐给我们灵魂和生命的神那里。

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止息纷争

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〈箴言〉15:18    暴怒的人挑起争端，忍怒的人止息纷争。 

阅读经文：箴言15:18-23

18 暴怒的人挑起争端，忍怒的人止息纷争。 19 懒惰人的道像荆棘的篱笆，正直人的路是平坦的大道。 20 智慧子使父亲喜乐，愚昧人藐视母亲。 21 无知的人以愚妄为乐，聪明的人按正直而行。 22 不先商议，所谋无效；谋士众多，所谋乃成。 23 口善应对，自觉喜乐；话合其时，何等美好。

18节 ：暴怒的人挑起争端，忍怒的人止息纷争。

我相信许多人对这节经文一定是深有同感，只是苦于无法控制自己的脾气。就因为吞不下一口气，为了争一口气：表示我比你正确，我懂得比你多，我比较厉害，所以无法忍怒。事实上，吃亏就是占便宜也就是针对这种情形而说的。

有一位脱口秀演员谈到他曾被邀请去参加一些辩论的节目，在节目里他滔滔不绝的口才折服不少人。没想到回家后也把这气势运用到和妻子的谈话里。妻子提醒他，在家里是讲情的，不是讲理的。他却不以为然。他说，他终于辩赢了，但是他的婚姻也宣告结束。妻子坚决跟他离婚。真是退一步海濶天空，忍一口天长地久。

挑起争端，都是遍体鳞伤。

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God’s Grace and Faithfulness Toward You

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Hi GAMErs! 

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 9:1-12.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 9:1-3 (NIV)
1  Hear, O Israel. You are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities that have walls up to the sky.
2  The people are strong and tall–Anakites! You know about them and have heard it said: “Who can stand up against the Anakites?”
3  But be assured today that the LORD your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the LORD has promised you.
 
On verses 1-3:  Moses acknowledged that as part of conquering the promised land the Israelites would need to face a strong and tall people called the Anakites.  Yet Moses reminds the Israelites that the Lord will go ahead of them like a devouring fire and help the Israelites to overcome them quickly.
 
Here we see that recurring theme in Deuteronomy again:  with God there may be seemingly gigantic challenges in front of you, but God goes ahead of you so you don’t need to be afraid.  With God, you can conquer the giants in front of you.

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Keys to a Happy Heart

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Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 8:10-20, in which we learn a number of keys to a happy heart.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 8:10 (NIV)
10  When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.
 
On verse 10:  A lot of us out of habit pray before we eat, which is good.  How about try praying after we eat!  That is, when you’ve received something good, even what might seem ordinary or small, praise the Lord for it, for every good gift comes from God.  What is something “ordinary” or “small” you received today that you can thank God for?

Deuteronomy 8:11-14 (NIV)
11  Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.
12  Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down,
13  and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied,
14  then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

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喜乐之源

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〈箴言〉15:13  心中喜乐，面带笑容；心里忧愁，灵被损伤。

阅读经文：箴言15:13-17

13心中喜乐，面带笑容；心里忧愁，灵被损伤。14聪明人心求知识，愚昧人口吃愚昧。15困苦人的日子都是愁苦，心中欢畅的常享丰筵。16少有财宝敬畏耶和华，强如多有财宝烦乱不安。17吃素菜彼此相爱，强如吃肥牛彼此相恨。

著名的文学家托尔斯泰(Tolstoy)在人生困难时，有一次在森林中遇到一个农夫。他坐在树下吃黑面包，那是穷人的食物，但他吃得津津有味，看起来很喜乐。托尔斯泰问他从哪里得着喜乐？农夫回答说：“神！”从那天开始，托尔斯泰就告诉自己要信靠神。即使只有黑面包，只要有从神来的喜乐，就像在享受丰盛的筵席。

有一个信耶稣的工人，工作很辛苦，但时常面带笑容。他的主人不解，以为给工人的工作太轻松，于是就加给他更多的工作，但是工人依然十分喜乐，常常一边工作，一边唱歌。主人忍不住问他：“你为什么这样快乐呢？你难道不觉得辛苦吗？”他回答：“我是信耶稣的，耶稣已经拯救我，祂时常与我同在，让我满心喜乐。”主人说：“假如我破产了，你没有工作，怎么办？你有三个孩子，假如没有钱供他们去读大学，怎么办？假如你工作时发生意外，没有人焄顾你的家人，怎么办？”工人说：“主人啊，我看你是个好人，就是心里有太多的假如了。假如你先信耶稣，就明白在祂的爱里没有假如，你只要全心倚靠祂就好了。”

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Who is the Lord?

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Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 8:1-9.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 8:1 (NIV)
1  Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land that the LORD promised on oath to your forefathers.
 
On verse 1:  Whenever you read the Bible, a helpful question to ask yourself is, “What does this passage teach me about who God is?”  Each of the verses here in this passage teaches us something about God.
 
Verse 1 teaches us that God is our King and Commander General.  Just as God commanded the Israelites for their good and their growth, so every one of His commands is for our good and for our growth.

Deuteronomy 8:2 (NIV)
2  Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.
 
Verse 2 teaches us that God is our Teacher who tests us to see what is in our heart.  Just as God led the Israelites for 40 years in the desert to see what is in their heart, so God puts us in situations so that He can see what we will do with the freedom He has given to us.

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神所悦纳的祭

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〈箴言〉15:8  恶人献祭为耶和华所憎恶，正直人祈祷为祂所喜悦。

阅读经文：箴言15:8-12

8 恶人献祭为耶和华所憎恶，正直人祈祷为他所喜悦。 9 恶人的道路为耶和华所憎恶，追求公义的为他所喜爱。 10 舍弃正路的必受严刑，恨恶责备的必致死亡。 11 阴间和灭亡尚在耶和华眼前，何况世人的心呢？ 12 亵慢人不爱受责备，他也不就近智慧人。

每次读毕牧师的翻译，总会让我得到许多启发，并且发出会心的微笑。第二节里，他的翻译如下：Knowledge flows like spring water from the wise;  fools are leaky faucets, dripping nonsense.　他的译文好像描绘出一幅图画，智慧人发出的言语好像奔流的水泉四射，使四周的人在盛夏都得到清凉，使其四周的植物也都得到益处，可以成长茂盛；而愚昧人好像一条漏水的水管，到处乱滴，形容其言语的不合适。

智慧人的舌为何可以像水泉般释放？在这段经文里有几个说法：一是指温良的舌是生命树Kind words heal and help。

智慧人的言语里有仁慈，使人得到医治和帮助。刘晓亭牧师写过一篇文章，讲到怎样为病人祷告。他说在祷告之前要认清几件事：1.「把病医好」是医生的事。2.「照顾病人」是家属的事。3.「面对疾病」是病人的事。4.「支持病人」是朋友的事。弄清楚这四件事，我们才知道在探望病人时该说些什么话，以及怎样祷告，不会乱开支票。假如我们理清楚这四件事，和朋友或家人说话时，便也知道拿捏说话的分寸。

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The Blessing of the “Little By Little”

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Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 7:12-26.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 7:12-15 (NIV)
12  If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the LORD your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your forefathers.
13  He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land–your grain, new wine and oil–the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land that he swore to your forefathers to give you.
14  You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless, nor any of your livestock without young.
15  The LORD will keep you free from every disease. He will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all who hate you.
 
On verses 12-15: Through verses 13-14 I am reminded that whether it’s family and children, material and financial wealth, or physical health, every good thing we have in life is a blessing from God.  As James 1:17 says, “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father”.  So when we experience any good gift, let’s be sure to thank God.

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播扬知识的嘴

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〈箴言〉15:4 温良的舌是生命树，乖谬的嘴使人心碎。

阅读经文：箴言15:2-7

2 智慧人的舌善发知识，愚昧人的口吐出愚昧。 3 耶和华的眼目无处不在，恶人善人他都鉴察。 4 温良的舌是生命树，乖谬的嘴使人心碎。 5 愚妄人藐视父亲的管教，领受责备的得着见识。 6 义人家中多有财宝，恶人得利反受扰害。 7 智慧人的嘴播扬知识，愚昧人的心并不如此。

每次读毕牧师的翻译，总会让我得到许多启发，并且发出会心的微笑。第二节里，他的翻译如下：Knowledge flows like spring water from the wise;  fools are leaky faucets, dripping nonsense.　他的译文好像描绘出一幅图画，智慧人发出的言语好像奔流的水泉四射，使四周的人在盛夏都得到清凉，使其四周的植物也都得到益处，可以成长茂盛；而愚昧人好像一条漏水的水管，到处乱滴，形容其言语的不合适。

智慧人的舌为何可以像水泉般释放？在这段经文里有几个说法：一是指温良的舌是生命树Kind words heal and help。

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