神队友

哥林多后书9:8    神能将各样的恩惠多多地加给你们,使你们凡事常常充足,能多行各样善事。

职场上最怕遇到不愿意好好做事的伙伴,但更怕遇到很努力但却能力不好的伙伴。遇到前者,就是离他远一点就好,尽量不要有业务的重叠;至于后者,就看能多狠心,视若无睹,看着他失败,但通常看不下去,还是会忍不住出手帮忙。

其实,教会中的服事也一样。遇到无法同心的人,会想干脆就各做各的,远远的距离比较容易彼此相爱。遇到做不来的人,就要自己多扛一点责任,要花时间帮对方做。

还好,我们的神,祂不只有「能力」能做任何事,祂也「愿意」为我们做任何事。祂不只有「能力」去爱,祂也「愿意」去爱。我想这是面对同事、同工的福音,也是看到自己软弱时的盼望。人会让我们失望,但我们可以跟神求恩典,把那「愿意的心」给我们,把我们所「需要的能力」给我们。

Gratitude is Food for Your Soul

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 22:17-33. With a humble heart, see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 22:17-25 (NIV)
17  The LORD said to Moses,
18  “Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites and say to them: ‘If any of you–either an Israelite or an alien living in Israel–presents a gift for a burnt offering to the LORD, either to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering,

On verses 17-25:  Once again we see that God’s holiness requires that almost all sacrifices need to be without defects in order to be acceptable in God’s sight.  This reminds me that:

God’s Mercies Are New Every Day

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 22:1-16. With a humble heart, see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 22:1-8 (NIV)
1  The LORD said to Moses,
2  “Tell Aaron and his sons to treat with respect the sacred offerings the Israelites consecrate to me, so they will not profane my holy name. I am the LORD.

On verses 1-8:  In ancient Jewish culture, the Israelites considered each new day to begin in the evening when the sun set, not in the morning when the sun rose.  In current Western culture, when we see the sun rise, we think, “A new day is just about to start”.

约柜被掳去

撒母耳记上 4:5-11  耶和华的约柜到了营中,以色列众人就大声欢呼,地便震动。 6 非利士人听见欢呼的声音,就说:「在希伯来人营里大声欢呼,是什么缘故呢?」随后就知道耶和华的约柜到了营中。 7 非利士人就惧怕起来,说:「有神到了他们营中。」又说:「我们有祸了!向来不曾有这样的事。 8 我们有祸了!谁能救我们脱离这些大能之神的手呢?从前在旷野用各样灾殃击打埃及人的,就是这些神。

「约柜被掳去」史实被记载于撒母耳记上第四章,当时以色列人正处于士师时代后期,「那时,以色列中没有王,各人任意而行。」(士师记21:25)

以色列人与宿敌非利士人交战,四千人倒在敌军手下,在困惑与恐惧中,长老们下了决断,他们寻求将约柜从示罗抬至战场,盼望耶和华的同在能扭转败局。

约柜进入营中,以色列众人欢呼,声震大地。非利士人闻声惊惧,说:「有神到了他们营中!」但恐惧化为愤怒,他们奋力一战,大败以色列人。那日,以色列三万步兵阵亡,约柜被掳,祭司以利的两个儿子何弗尼与非尼哈也战死沙场。

消息传至示罗,九十八岁的以利听闻约柜被掳,儿子双亡,当场仰倒而死。非尼哈的妻子临产早产,在绝命前痛哭说道:「荣耀离开以色列了!」于是,她给儿子取名「以迦伯」(字意是没有荣光)。

Loved Despite the Defects

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 21:1-24. With a humble heart, see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 21:1-4 (NIV)
1  The LORD said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them: ‘A priest must not make himself ceremonially unclean for any of his people who die,
2  except for a close relative, such as his mother or father, his son or daughter, his brother,
3  or an unmarried sister who is dependent on him since she has no husband–for her he may make himself unclean.
4  He must not make himself unclean for people related to him by marriage, and so defile himself.
 
On verses 1-4:  Leviticus 21:1-4 says that a priest could not touch or get near a dead person unless that person was a close relative, lest he become ceremonially unclean himself and unable to approach God. 

为著美丽的地面

以弗所书5:20  凡事要奉我们主耶稣基督的名,常常感谢父神。

前言:求神帮助我们在这混乱不安的世代中,转眼观看祂的丰富创造,领受祂的全然预备,在祂所赐的恩典与祝福里,感谢赞美祂!愿你今天充满喜乐!

《为著美丽的地面》(For the Beauty of the Earth)这首诗歌是英国作曲家卢特(John Rutter)创作的混声四部合唱曲目,歌词取自英国十九世纪诗人皮尔珀因(Folliott S. Pierpoint)创作的同名基督教圣诗,据传是诗人在春天时,受到英国西南部乡间自然景色启发,在满怀喜悦下所写成。

作曲家舍弃十九世纪德国作曲家寇贺(Conrad Kocher)的著名旋律,重新打造上行、富诗意的乐句,呼应诗人在面对自然与大地恩赐时的喜悦。

Giving thanks always for all things unto God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:20)

凡事要奉我们主耶稣基督的名,常常感谢父神。(以弗所书5:20)

Jesus, Fortune Telling and The Dangers of Divination

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 20:1-27. With a humble heart, see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 20:1-5 (NIV)
1  The LORD said to Moses,
2  “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any Israelite or any alien living in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech must be put to death. The people of the community are to stone him.
3  I will set my face against that man and I will cut him off from his people; for by giving his children to Molech, he has defiled my sanctuary and profaned my holy name.
4  If the people of the community close their eyes when that man gives one of his children to Molech and they fail to put him to death,
5  I will set my face against that man and his family and will cut off from their people both him and all who follow him in prostituting themselves to Molech.

On verses 1-5:  Here we see God’s heart for children, how God absolutely abhors the practice of child sacrifice. 

打开窗,让光洒进来

约翰福音1:1-9

太初有道,道与神同在,道就是神。 2 这道太初与神同在。 3 万物是借着他造的;凡被造的,没有一样不是借着他造的。 4 生命在他里头,这生命就是人的光。 5 光照在黑暗里,黑暗却不接受光。 6 有一个人,是从神那里差来的,名叫约翰。 7 这人来,为要作见证,就是为光作见证,叫众人因他可以信。 8 他不是那光,乃是要为光作见证。 9 那光是真光,照亮一切生在世上的人。

今年五月底张家铭医师在网页(https://www.dna.tw/content/cate7-1336.html)发表了一篇文章「光线,是身体的密码开关?最新研究揭露:晒太阳能唤醒免疫系统」,内容主要是摘述了最近一篇发表于Science Immunology期刊的研究发现。

张家铭医师谈到(节录自网页):我们一直以为「晒太阳」只是为了让人看起来有精神,或者补充维他命D,但最新的科学发现,光线不只是自然现象,它像一把钥匙,会打开身体里某些开关,影响我们的免疫力、修复力,甚至情绪与寿命。

研究发现,我们身体里白血球成员中的嗜中性球,这群每天帮我们对抗细菌、清除病毒的免疫前锋,竟然会根据光线而改变工作效率。当早晨的阳光照进来时,细胞内一个叫做「Per2」的基因被活化,启动了一连串的反应,让嗜中性球产生更多的活性氧,大幅提升杀菌能力。

因祢开广了我的生命

默想诗篇119:45:「我要自由而行,因我素来考究祢的训词。」

我们常常以为,只要能够拥有更多、成就更高、被更多人认同,就能活得自由。但人生的经历让我明白,当我们将自己的心交给这世界所定义的价值—名声、成就、财富、或关系—我们其实是将生命的主权交给世界的「王」。这些看似吸引人的事物,很快就会成为我们的主人,管理我们的情绪,牵引我们的选择,甚至决定我们是否配得快乐。

罪与习惯会悄悄缠绕,对爱与肯定的渴望会变成隐性的奴役,不安和忧虑会侵蚀内心,对成功的追求会让人耗尽力气。我发现,一旦生命的中心不是神,其他的事就会霸占那个位置。而那个位置,本该是神坐着为王的宝座。

然而,当我们选择让神掌权,一切都改变了。祂不是一位夺权的暴君,而是那位使人自由的王。当祂进入我们的生命,不是要压迫我们,而是要开广我们的人生—让我们脱离压迫,进入祂为我们预备的宽阔之地。

How Do We Apply These Verses on Hair Cutting?

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 19:23-37. With a humble heart, see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 19:23-25 (NIV)
23  “‘When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden. For three years you are to consider it forbidden; it must not be eaten.
24  In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy, an offering of praise to the LORD.
25  But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way your harvest will be increased. I am the LORD your God.

On verses 23-25:  Why would God forbid the Israelites from eating the fruit from a fruit tree they planted for the first three years?  Isn’t this a waste?  Why is God depriving His own people of food?