祂的救恩作我們的堅壘

/in , /by

箴言21:22   智慧人爬上勇士的城牆，傾覆他所倚靠的堅壘

閱讀經文：箴言 21:22-23

22智慧人爬上勇士的城牆，傾覆他所倚靠的堅壘。23謹守口與舌的，就保守自己免受災難。

第22節：智慧人爬上勇士的城牆，傾覆他所倚靠的堅壘。One sage entered a whole city of armed soldiers— their trusted defenses fell to pieces!《The Message》

我們不要太自信，以為自己廉潔到可以通過任何金錢的誘惑，聖潔到可以無感於出軌的可能，細心到任何的話語不會出差錯，利害到所有的發表沒瑕疵，冷靜到所有的狀況都可應付。我們能平安度日，自我感覺良好，是考驗不大，未逢高手。人生若閱歷豐富，生命若尚存謙虛，感謝主。

「智慧人爬上勇士的城牆，傾覆他所倚靠的堅壘。」(箴言21:22)這是很好的警告。高的城牆，蜘蛛可爬上；堅固的堡壘，怪手可推倒。強的依靠，大力士可以傾覆。有力的背景，媒體可找到破綻。仔細的作帳，調查局都找得到有瑕疵的發票。社會上有句話：「黑道怕老大，老大怕刑警，刑警怕局長，局長怕市長，市長怕議員，議員怕媒體，媒體怕企業，企業怕大眾，大眾怕黑道。」

至於我們，我們敬畏上帝，以祂的救恩作我們的堅壘。（張文亮教授）

Read more

You’re Blessed with God’s Best

/in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 32:13-25.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 32:13-15 (NIV)
13  He made him ride on the heights of the land and fed him with the fruit of the fields. He nourished him with honey from the rock, and with oil from the flinty crag,
14  with curds and milk from herd and flock and with fattened lambs and goats, with choice rams of Bashan and the finest kernels of wheat. You drank the foaming blood of the grape.
15  Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; filled with food, he became heavy and sleek…

On verses 13-15a:  Verses 13-14 describe how God gave Israel His best provision.  His provision for them was not ordinary, but extraordinary.  Truly God had allowed the Israelites to come into a land of milk (v14) and honey (v13).  In the same way, the Holy Spirit is working in your life when you acknowledge that your heavenly Father’s provision for your life is not ordinary but extraordinary.  That includes every blessing He has given you and most especially His Son Jesus Christ.

Read more

男人需要曠野

/in , /by

箴言21:21   追求公義仁慈的，就尋得生命、公義和尊榮。

閱讀經文：箴言 21:19-22

19 寧可住在曠野，不與爭吵使氣的婦人同住。20智慧人家中積蓄寶物、膏油，愚昧人隨得來隨吞下。21追求公義仁慈的，就尋得生命、公義和尊榮。

第19節：寧可住在曠野，不與爭吵使氣的婦人同住。Better to live in a tent in the wild than with a cross and petulant spouse.《The Message》

很早以前，上帝要該隱去流浪。因此男人的身邊，應該有一片曠野。很可惜，該隱選擇住了下來，從此男人失去曠野。男人要競爭較勝，在商場裡擁擠，在工作中爭 取立足之地，在熱門中打拼，在評估表格裡攀爬等。我們往人多的地方去，在多人看見的地方表演。 連一點點獨處的曠野也糊掉。結果，時代進步，男人退化。

退化的男人，身邊的婦人會愛爭吵；沮喪的男人，同住的婦人易使氣。這是男人失去曠野的反作用力，是太小空間撞擊機率的提昇，爭吵與使氣是人際壓力要尋找外 洩的方式。這時增加人際的距離，到曠野是降壓的好方式。這是熱力學的原理，也是聖經所講的光景：「寧可住在曠野，不與爭吵使氣的婦人同住。」(箴言21:19)（張文亮教授）

婦人愛爭吵，易生氣，要怪女人嗎? 不，這是男人失去曠野的症候群。重回曠野吧。

Read more

You are the Apple of God’s Eye

/in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 32:1-12.  As promised we’ll also look at Deuteronomy 31:30 as well.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 31:30 (NIV)
30  And Moses recited the words of this song from beginning to end in the hearing of the whole assembly of Israel:

On verse 30:  Moses is known more as a lawgiver than a songwriter.  Still, there are two songs that Moses is credited with in the Bible.  One of them is here.  Moses’ purpose in presenting this song is to give praise to God as well as to teach the current generation of Israelites some important truths.  Let’s take a look in the verses that follow.

Deuteronomy 32:1-2 (NIV)
1  Listen, O heavens, and I will speak; hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
2  Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.

Read more

God’s Love For You Is Stronger Than Your Sin Against Him

/in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 31:14-30.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 31:14 (NIV)
14  The LORD said to Moses, “Now the day of your death is near. Call Joshua and present yourselves at the Tent of Meeting, where I will commission him.” So Moses and Joshua came and presented themselves at the Tent of Meeting.

On verse 14:  God had been preparing Joshua to be Moses’ successor for some time already (see Deuteronomy 3:28 and Numbers 27:15-23).  Moses had already publicly commissioned Joshua so that all the people knew who would lead them after Moses died (Deuteronomy 31:7-8).  Now in verse 14, we see God personally and privately commissioning Joshua at the Tent of Meeting in Moses’ presence (v14).  In verse 23, God speaks to Joshua directly and tells him to be strong and courageous.  

Notice that it is God who chose, prepared and raised up the next leader for Israel.  It wasn’t done by a democratic vote by the people.  It was God’s decision, which He communicated to Moses.   

Read more

惡人做了義人的贖價

/in , /by

箴言21:17   愛宴樂的必致窮乏，好酒愛膏油的必不富足。

閱讀經文：箴言 21:16-18

16迷離通達道路的，必住在陰魂的會中。17愛宴樂的必致窮乏，好酒愛膏油的必不富足。18惡人做了義人的贖價，奸詐人代替正直人。

第16節：迷離通達道路的，必住在陰魂的會中。Whoever wanders off the straight and narrow ends up in a congregation of ghosts.《The Message》

這節經文使我想起本仁約翰寫的《天路歷程》。本書講述一個“基督徒”為尋求永生而踏上荊棘遍佈的遙遠之旅。當基督徒離開毀滅城去尋找天國時，一路上遇到了各種陰險人物的誘惑和兇險，經歷了許多考驗，也學會了怎樣抵制誘惑、戰勝困難，終於抵達天國，天門為他而開。

這一路上的陰險人物便是撒旦和邪靈的化身，牠們的目的便是要基督徒離開正道。只要基督徒離開正道，牠們便可以完全控制他，讓他身不由己地做出原本不想做的事情。這也是人生的本相，我們若沒有神的話在心中做指引，便會落入撒旦的誘惑和掌控中，還以為自己很聰明。

Read more

一個半克勞因的故事

/in , /by

箴言21:13  塞耳不聽窮人哀求的，他將來呼籲也不蒙應允。

閱讀經文：箴言21:13-15

13塞耳不聽窮人哀求的，他將來呼籲也不蒙應允。14暗中送的禮物挽回怒氣，懷中揣的賄賂止息暴怒。15秉公行義使義人喜樂，使作孽的人敗壞。

第10節：塞耳不聽窮人哀求的，他將來呼籲也不蒙應允。If you stop your ears to the cries of the poor, your cries will go unheard, unanswered.《The Message》

戴德生在信心的操練方面，有一個著名的小故事。在他到中國之前，他要學一個功課，有需要時，只向神求，絕不向人開口。那時他在哈迪醫生手下當助理，醫生人很好，只是因為太忙，經常忘記準時發薪水。戴德生決定不向他要薪水，只憑信心讓神提醒他。他立志過簡樸生活，把三分之二的錢去濟助窮人。有一次他口袋中剩一個半克勞因half crown的硬幣，約美元六分錢。

那時有個窮人請他去為將死的妻子禱告，戴德生去他家時，看到有四、五個小孩站著，他們雙頰凹陷，是長期饑餓的結果。一位力竭聲嘶、疲憊已極的母親躺在一張破爛的小床上，旁邊還有一個嬰兒。戴德生禱告後，心想若是硬幣可以分為2先令6便士，便可為自己留下一個先令。這時聖靈責備他：“你一面禱告天上的父，一面塞住憐憫之心，將硬幣藏在腰包裡，這是對天父的應許沒有信心。”於是他把僅有的半克勞因給了那家窮人。因為約翰說：“凡有世上財物的，看見弟兄窮乏，卻塞住憐恤的心，愛神的心怎能存在他裡面呢？（約翰一書 3:17）”

Read more

Two Reasons You Can Be Courageous

/in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 31:1-13.  Let’s go!
 
Deuteronomy 31:1-6 (NIV)
1  Then Moses went out and spoke these words to all Israel:
2  “I am now a hundred and twenty years old and I am no longer able to lead you. The LORD has said to me, ‘You shall not cross the Jordan.’
3  The LORD your God himself will cross over ahead of you. He will destroy these nations before you, and you will take possession of their land. Joshua also will cross over ahead of you, as the LORD said.
4  And the LORD will do to them what he did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, whom he destroyed along with their land.
5  The LORD will deliver them to you, and you must do to them all that I have commanded you.
6  Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
 
On verses 1-6:  In Deuteronomy 31, 120 year old Moses knows his time on earth is almost up (v2). He does his best to prepare the Israelites to conquer the land that God promised to them. He reassures them that God will help them succeed (v3-5a) and reminds them to obey God (v5b). He tells them to be strong and courageous and that though he will not always be with them, God will never leave them or forsake them (v6). 

Read more

You Can Always Reach God Because of Jesus

/in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 30:11-20.  Let’s go!
 
Deuteronomy 30:11-14 (NIV)
11  Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach.
12  It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?”
13  Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?”
14  No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.
 
On verses 11-14:  Moses recognized that in each of our hearts is both the ability to obey (v14) as well as the ability to turn away and go astray (v17).  God knew this as well but He went one step further.  Knowing our propensity to turn away and go astray, God sent His Son Jesus Christ to earth to perfectly obey His commandments on our behalf and then die on the cross for our sins.  So whereas we could never reach God on our own, through Jesus, God is now within our reach.
 

Read more

八個不當

/in , /by

箴言21:10   惡人的心樂人受禍，他眼並不憐恤鄰舍。

閱讀經文：箴言21:10-12

10惡人的心樂人受禍，他眼並不憐恤鄰舍。11褻慢的人受刑罰，愚蒙的人就得智慧；智慧人受訓誨，便得知識。12義人思想惡人的家，知道惡人傾倒，必致滅亡。

第10節：惡人的心樂人受禍，他眼並不憐恤鄰舍。Wicked souls love to make trouble; they feel nothing for friends and neighbors.《The Message》

在聖經裡記載著神對某一族人的懲罰，這族人在很高的山上建屋，以為沒有人能上到那樣的高處去打他們。沒想到神說：“你雖如大鷹高飛，在星宿之間搭窩，我必從那裡拉下你來。”後來這個國家真的被滅亡了。那就是以東，以掃的後裔。

為何神的憤怒臨到他們呢？因為神說：“當外人擄掠雅各的財物，外邦人進入他的城門，為耶路撒冷拈鬮的日子，你竟站在一旁，像與他們同夥。你兄弟遭難的日子，你不當瞪眼看著。猶大人被滅的日子，你不當因此歡樂。他們遭難的日子，你不當說狂傲的話。 我民遭災的日子，你不當進他們的城門。他們遭災的日子，你不當瞪眼看著他們受苦。他們遭災的日子，你不當伸手搶他們的財物。你不當站在岔路口，剪除他們中間逃脫的。他們遭難的日子，你不當將他們剩下的人交付仇敵。”一共有八個“不當”。這事記載在〈俄巴底亞書〉裡。

Read more