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耶利哥的喇合

〈約書亞記〉 2:11  我們一聽見這些事,心就消化了。因你們的緣故,並無一人有膽氣。耶和華─你們的神本是上天下地的神。

閱讀經文:〈約書亞記〉 2:1-24

妓女,是社會上被看不起的女人。有不少學者想美化喇合的職業,更不想讓以色列人的探子去找妓女。但《聖經》的記載總是誠實地報導,連大衛王謀殺烏利亞的手段都詳細地記錄下來。因為神不隱藏人的卑賤,卻讓我們看到再卑賤的人,只要相信祂,都可以成為神要使用的貴重器皿。亞伯拉罕的父親相傳是做偶像生意的,大衛是個牧羊人,約瑟是個奴隸兼囚犯,保羅織帳棚,彼得打漁,你想美化哪一個?從這些被揀選的人身上,我們發現他們都有一個特點,能看見人所看不見的神,他們都有一對超乎常人的眼睛和信心。他們的眼睛不被現世界的情形所迷惑,能透過物質看到永恒的神。因此,他們都成了神手中貴重的器皿。

Divine Boot Camp

God told Elijah to “hide in the Kerith Ravine…I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there” (1 Kings 17:2-4 NIV).

Why would God do this? To protect Elijah from Ahab and Jezebel for one thing. The crown had posted an APB. Search parties were dispatched. What better place for Elijah to hide than in the rugged landscape of his homeland?

And God sent Elijah to Kerith to prepare him for the future. Remember, the world had gone crazy. Abhorrent behavior—child sacrifice, worship of idols, temple prostitution—had been normalized. God needed a steadfast prophet to stand against such a tide.

To prepare Elijah for his assignment, God led him into the wilderness. It was there the prophet learned to radically trust God. Call it divine boot camp. Be patient. God is working on you.

Spiritual Muscle

Spiritual muscle is developed not by sitting but by acting. Not by listening but by doing.

“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like” (James 1:22-24 NLT).

You turn away, pause, and wonder, Did I comb my hair? Such a question would betray one truth, and that is lack of attention. James indicts us for doing the same. We go to church. We hear a message, enjoy a few songs, but are we changed? Do we worry less and pray more? Are we less concerned about our will and more concerned about God’s? Let’s not be lookers. Let’s be doers.

約書亞帶領百姓

〈約書亞記〉 1:17 我們從前在一切事上怎樣聽從摩西,現在也必照樣聽從你。唯願耶和華你的神與你同在,像與摩西同在一樣。

閱讀經文:〈約書亞記〉 1:10-18 

神吩咐約書亞要剛強壯膽之後,約書亞立即有反應。他的反應就是開始行動,這就是信心。所以雅各說,「若有人說自己有信心,卻沒有行為,有什麼益處呢?(雅1:14)」假如你想找一份工作,卻只是坐在家裡什麼也不做,那怎樣證明你真的想去工作?所以我們雖然不是靠行為稱義,但是從一個人的行為卻可以看出他對神有沒有信心。

約書亞不僅自己準備,也要全營的百姓和他一起準備。全營行動時,最主要的便是食物,沒有食物就無法進行其他事工。一般打仗,特別是外出作戰,糧草供應都是重中之重。所以說兵馬未動,糧草先行。倘若沒有糧草,便會軍心渙散。

Strength to Ride the Storm

Do you feel it is you against the world? Not so, my friend. Outnumbered by foes and outdone by fear? Please reconsider. Surrounded by adversity? Perhaps. Yet, you are also encircled by divinity. With God’s help you can ride these raging rapids with unbreakable courage.

Immovable. Determined. Square-jawed and resolved. Like the prophet Elijah who “…went and did according to the word of the Lord…” (1 Kings 17:5 NKJV). Elijah affirms a positive answer to these questions: Can a person maintain faith in a world that has little? When a culture belittles belief, can a believer beget strength? Yes! With God’s help, we will discover strength to ride this storm, an unbreakable courage and steadfast faith.

約書亞領命

〈約書亞記〉 1:9  我豈沒有吩咐你嗎?你當剛強壯膽!不要懼怕,也不要驚惶,因為你無論往哪裡去,耶和華你的神必與你同在。

閱讀經文:〈約書亞記〉 1:1-9

死亡,是一個何等令人難以接受的名詞。剛才還在談笑風生的人,忽然之間就不在了。再也不能看到他(她),不能與之交談,沒有反應,他(她)什麼都不知道了。生死之間,令人難以接受這種殘酷的事實。神對約書亞說:「我的僕人摩西死了」。意思就是,你不要再期望摩西可以指導你或幫你了。You are on your own.英文就是這樣說的,你得自行負責了。約書亞的大半輩子都跟跟著摩西,摩西說什麼,他就做什麼,惟摩西是瞻。一下子,摩西走了。他情何以堪?

耶和華面對面所認識的

〈申命記〉 34: 10 以後以色列中再沒有興起先知像摩西的,他是耶和華面對面所認識的。

閱讀經文:〈申命記〉 34:1-12

讀完了摩西五經,你覺得摩西的一生有哪些事最觸動你的心?假如你想效法摩西,你會學習他的哪一方面?

摩西,一個本來註定要死的孩子,在神的恩典裡,竟然成為當代最偉大的,一個不平凡的人。想通了,摩西也是一個平凡的人,但是因著神的揀選和磨鍊,成了前無古人後無來者的一位先知。「以後以色列中再沒有興起先知像摩西的,他是耶和華面對面所認識的」,在摩西之前也沒有一位先知如此蒙神重用。連被稱為神的朋友的亞伯拉罕,也沒有和耶和華「面對面所認識」。神說摩西:「他是在我全家盡忠的。我要與他面對面說話,乃是明說,不用謎語,並且他必見我的形象。」

Enter…Elijah

Ancient Israel had the scruffy hills of Gilead, and somewhere in this rugged land Elijah came to believe in a mighty Yahweh who refused to share his glory with others. He confronted Ahab and Jezebel with a surgical strike. Baal was regarded as the god of fertility, yet Baal’s veil was about to be yanked back. Jehovah has declared a drought.

Does Elijah have some encouragement for our generation? Absolutely! The story of Elijah offers us hope. Elijah shows us that one person following a living God is greater than hundreds of people praying to a lifeless one.

神人的祝福

〈申命記〉 33:27   永生的 神是你的居所;祂永久的膀臂在你以下。祂在你前面攆出仇敵,說:毀滅吧。

閱讀經文:〈申命記〉 33:1-29

這章裡,《聖經》第一次稱摩西為「神人」,英文是the man of God, 可以說是屬神的人,也可以說是奉神差遣的人,或有聖靈的人。他形容神在西奈山與百姓的初見,「西奈山」又譯為何烈山,神的山。因為神在那裡賜下律法。「西珥」的原意是多毛,或長滿粗毛,是以東地的山脈。「巴蘭山」是曠野地的一座山。「萬萬聖者」有的人說可能是指眾多的天使。在這裡唯一的一次,把律法形容為烈火的律法,烈火可以燒盡渣滓,使萬物潔淨;神的律法也有潔淨人心的作用。摩西指出,神把律法傳給百姓,是因為神疼愛他們。

摩西之歌

〈申命記〉 32:29   唯願他們有智慧,能明白這事,肯思念他們的結局!

閱讀經文:〈申命記〉 32:1-52

這一章是摩西之歌,摩西奉神的命令所寫的預言歌。預言以色列人將在神的祝福裡,越行越遠。「耶書崙漸漸肥胖,粗壯,光潤,踢跳奔跑,便離棄造他的神,輕看救他的磐石。 敬拜別神,觸動神的憤恨;行可憎惡的事,惹了他的怒氣。」耶書崙是指神所愛的正直之人,是神為以色列人取的親蜜之名。

有很多人都很喜歡唱詩歌。在每一首歌的背後大多有一個動人的故事,因為感動,而流露出來的心思。特別是經歷過苦難而寫下的詩歌,經常成為多人的幫助。例如:哈瑞修..斯彼福在他的妻女都死於海難,他的財產又付諸大火時,他寫下了〈我心靈得安寧〉。他說,人生「有時享平安,如江河又平穩,有時憂傷來似浪滾,不論何環境,我已蒙主引領,我心靈得安寧,得安寧。」