You Are Never Beyond God’s Reach

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 30:1-10.  Let’s go!
 
Deuteronomy 30:1-10 (NIV)
1  When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come upon you and you take them to heart wherever the LORD your God disperses you among the nations,
2  and when you and your children return to the LORD your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today,
3  then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you.
4  Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the LORD your God will gather you and bring you back.

On verses 1-10:  In Deuteronomy 30:1-10 we see God’s heart to restore people who have run away from Him. For those Israelites who had rebelled against God and who were cursed and banished for their disobedience, verses 1 to 3 say that if they will return to the Lord and obey Him once again, then God will restore them and have compassion on them.

清潔的人所行乃正直

箴言21:8負罪之人的路甚是彎曲,至於清潔的人,他所行的乃是正直。

7惡人的強暴必將自己掃除,因他們不肯按公平行事。8負罪之人的路甚是彎曲,至於清潔的人,他所行的乃是正直。9寧可住在房頂的角上,不在寬闊的房屋與爭吵的婦人同住。

第7節:惡人的強暴必將自己掃除,因他們不肯按公平行事。The wicked get buried alive by their loot because they refuse to use it to help others.《The Message》

今天讀到一則真實故事,人的強暴有很多方式,這算不算是一種?有個男孩從小學習都很優秀,因此他的父母寄望他長大後能做醫生。但是孩子對醫學並沒有興趣,跟父母沒法溝通,於是讓自己的成績往下滑。父母緊張了,找了好多人跟孩子談。

金錢如風吹的浮雲

箴言 21:6  用詭詐之舌求財的,就是自己取死,所得之財乃是吹來吹去的浮雲。

閱讀經文:箴言21:4-6

4惡人發達,眼高心傲,這乃是罪。5殷勤籌劃的足致豐裕,行事急躁的都必缺乏。6用詭詐之舌求財的,就是自己取死,所得之財乃是吹來吹去的浮雲。

第4節:惡人發達,眼高心傲,這乃是罪。Arrogance and pride—distinguishing marks in the wicked— are just plain sin.《The Message》

很多人都在問:什麼是罪?罪是指何事?不是指殺人放火,姦淫擄掠嗎?我有什麼罪?我怎麼會是罪人?假如和別人比較,說不定,我還比誰好幾分。老李對他娘不好,王五整天打罵老婆,張三經常說話不算數。只有我,朝九晚五地上班,領了薪水就交給老婆,每週回去探望爹娘,什麼該做的都做了,我怎麼會是罪人?

這裡智者告訴我們,罪是一種從心裡發出的,眼高心傲,覺得自己比人高一等,好一級,就是罪。我們心裡把人比下去,看不起人,這就是罪。Arrogance and pride傲慢和自豪,這就是罪。從心裡發出來的罪。在神面前,自大了。

“人所行的在自己眼中都看為正,唯有耶和華衡量人心”(箴21:2)。耶和華神衡量人心,我們的心思意念,祂都明如指掌。

“Do You Want to Know A Secret?”

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 29:16-29.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 29:16-28 (NIV)
16  You yourselves know how we lived in Egypt and how we passed through the countries on the way here.
17  You saw among them their detestable images and idols of wood and stone, of silver and gold.
18  Make sure there is no man or woman, clan or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the LORD our God to go and worship the gods of those nations; make sure there is no root among you that produces such bitter poison.

On verses 16 to 28:  Deuteronomy 29:16-28 talks about the consequences of living presumptuously and having a hard heart toward God.  In verse 19, Moses describes a hardhearted person who hears God’s Word and presumptuously says, “I will be safe, even though I persist in going my own way.”  Moses warns that when people live with such presumption, what they can expect are disastrous consequences to come upon them: their sins will not be forgiven (v20), God’s wrath will remain on them (v20), and they will be cut off from heaven (v20). 

耶和華衡量人心

箴言21:1 王的心在耶和華手中好像壟溝的水,隨意流轉。

1王的心在耶和華手中好像壟溝的水,隨意流轉。 2 人所行的在自己眼中都看為正,唯有耶和華衡量人心。 3 行仁義、公平比獻祭更蒙耶和華悅納。

第1節:王的心在耶和華手中好像壟溝的水,隨意流轉。Good leadership is a channel of water controlled by GOD; he directs it to whatever ends he chooses.《The Message》

隴溝是田間的小水溝,水自上游送到田間,要隨農田的位置彎曲繞,才能送水到農田。好的管理者貼近所管理,如同隴溝的水,彎曲送達。這也許給人詬病,不夠有擘力,不夠鐵令如山,不夠前後一致,不夠方針固定,怎能隨著所需,流向搖擺?

Don’t Harden Your Heart

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 29:1-15.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 29:1-4 (NIV)
1  These are the terms of the covenant the LORD commanded Moses to make with the Israelites in Moab, in addition to the covenant he had made with them at Horeb.
2  Moses summoned all the Israelites and said to them: Your eyes have seen all that the LORD did in Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his officials and to all his land.
3  With your own eyes you saw those great trials, those miraculous signs and great wonders.
4  But to this day the LORD has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear.

On verses 1-4:  The Israelites had witnessed some of the most incredible miracles ever recorded (v2-3).  Yet after all that God had done for them, Moses says that the Israelites still could not understand, see or hear God in their lives.  Instead, they often fell back in unbelief and rebellion.  Why is that?  It wasn’t a problem with their minds, eyes or ears.  It wasn’t a problem with God.  It was a heart problem.  Their hearts remained hard toward God.   

Is COVID 19 God’s Way of Punishing the World?

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 28:58-68.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 28:58-68 (NIV)
58  If you do not carefully follow all the words of this law, which are written in this book, and do not revere this glorious and awesome name–the LORD your God–
59  the LORD will send fearful plagues on you and your descendants, harsh and prolonged disasters, and severe and lingering illnesses.
60  He will bring upon you all the diseases of Egypt that you dreaded, and they will cling to you.
61  The LORD will also bring on you every kind of sickness and disaster not recorded in this Book of the Law, until you are destroyed.
62  You who were as numerous as the stars in the sky will be left but few in number, because you did not obey the LORD your God.

On verses 58-68:  In Deuteronomy 28:58-67, we read about another problem that the Israelites would face if they did not carefully follow the law of Moses: Moses says that God will send plagues, sicknesses, and diseases on them.  The end result is that the Israelites will be full of anxiety, worry, fear and despair (v65-67) and ultimately give themselves as slaves to a foreign nation (v68).

鞭傷除淨人的罪惡

箴言 20:30    鞭傷除淨人的罪惡,責打能入人的心腹。

閱讀經文:箴言20:29-30

29強壯乃少年人的榮耀,白髮為老年人的尊榮。30鞭傷除淨人的罪惡,責打能入人的心腹。

第29節:強壯乃少年人的榮耀,白髮為老年人的尊榮。Youth may be admired for vigor,  but gray hair gives prestige to old age.《The Message》

人在不同年紀,有不同的美。嬰孩期、青年期、中年期、老年期的美都不相同。不用在中年期,要有青年期的美。老年期,不用有中年期的樣子。上帝讓人在不同年紀,有不同的樣子,是祂的美意。

「白髮為老年人的尊榮」(箴言20:29),黑髮是美,滿頭白髮的人,有另一種美。黑髮對光線的吸收,白髮是對光線的反射,年輕的日子像是黑髮,什麼光都吸收,強壯、活潑、有活力。年老的日子,像是白髮反射,是智慧的給出,經驗的分享,財物的豁達,那是年老的榮耀。不是以得到更多為滿足,而是以分享多多為 知足;不是以較力得勝為成就,而是以分享得宜為尊榮。

為長白髮而難過嗎?為青春漸逝而傷感嗎?不,上帝的美意本是如此,每一根白髮都在提醒上帝昔日的給與,當今應該分享出。(張文亮教授)

The Cost of Not Obeying God

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 28:43-57.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 28:43-52 (NIV)
43  The alien who lives among you will rise above you higher and higher, but you will sink lower and lower.
44  He will lend to you, but you will not lend to him. He will be the head, but you will be the tail.
45  All these curses will come upon you. They will pursue you and overtake you until you are destroyed, because you did not obey the LORD your God and observe the commands and decrees he gave you.

On verses 43 to 52:  Here Moses describes another problem that will come on God’s people if they refuse to obey Him: the land that God had given to them as an inheritance will be taken away from them and given to other nations.  Moses says that if the Israelites do not obey the Lord and observe His commands, they will be pursued by their enemies (v45).  A foreign nation will lay siege to them (v47-52) all “because you did not obey the Lord your God and observe the commands and decrees that he gave you (v45)…[and] because you did not serve the Lord your God joyfully and gladly in the time of prosperity (v47)”.  Because the Israelites would disobey God, they would lose the land that God had originally reserved for them.

人的靈是耶和華的燈

箴言 20:27 人的靈是耶和華的燈,鑒察人的心腹。

閱讀經文:箴言20:27-28

27人的靈是耶和華的燈,鑒察人的心腹。28王因仁慈和誠實得以保全他的國位,也因仁慈立穩。

第27節:人的靈是耶和華的燈,鑒察人的心腹。God is in charge of human life, watching and examining us inside and out.《The Message》

「人的靈是耶和華的燈,鑒察人的心腹。 (箴言20:27) 」 上帝創造人,是按著祂的形象。人墮落之後,這形象仍在心中,稱為「人的靈」。這是人的良心,提醒人要守道德,不要犯罪;要公正,不要欺壓人;要遵行真理,不行錯謬的事;要渴慕永生,不以世事為滿足;要尋求永恆,不以短暫為依歸。

良心是上帝放在人心中的燈,照明黑暗。良心是上帝的燈,不是自己的燈。良心是見證上帝的作為,不是以自己的良心為惟一的標準。良心如同黑夜裡的月亮,反射太陽光。如果要驅除黑暗,則需日光,那是上帝的真光。耶穌的救贖,才能拯救黑暗中的人。

憑良心行事是不夠的,我們需要上帝的真光。自稱擁有真光的人,也要格外小心,不要比不上有良心的人。(張文亮教授)