Entries by

Work Hard and Play Hard WITH God, not without Him

2023-10-02 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Ecclesiastes 2:1-11.  In case you’re wondering, since I believe that Qohelet, the main speaker  in Ecclesiastes, is best identified as Solomon, I will refer to him interchangeably as Qohelet or Solomon.  Let’s go!

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 (NIV)
1  I thought in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.” But that also proved to be meaningless.
2  “Laughter,” I said, “is foolish. And what does pleasure accomplish?”
3  I tried cheering myself with wine, and embracing folly–my mind still guiding me with wisdom. I wanted to see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.

On verses 1-11:  After focusing so much on gaining and studying wisdom and coming up empty (Ecclesiastes 1:12-18), Solomon shifts his focus to amassing wealth and pursuing pleasure.  Solomon claims that his goal was “to see what was good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.” (v3)  Pastor-author Douglas Sean O’Donnell puts it this way: in Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 Solomon searches for satisfaction in 4 places: the pub, the garden, the treasury, and the bedroom.

两根木杖接连为一

2023-10-02 in , /by

以西结书 37:17  你要使这两根木杖接连为一，在你手中成为一根。

阅读经文：以西结书  37:15-28

15耶和华的话又临到我说： 16 「人子啊，你要取一根木杖，在其上写『为犹大和他的同伴以色列人』。又取一根木杖，在其上写『为约瑟，就是为以法莲，又为他的同伴以色列全家』。 17 你要使这两根木杖接连为一，在你手中成为一根。 18 你本国的子民问你说：『这是什么意思，你不指示我们吗？』 19 你就对他们说：『主耶和华如此说：我要将约瑟和他同伴以色列支派的杖，就是那在以法莲手中的，与犹大的杖一同接连为一，在我手中成为一根。』 20 你所写的那两根杖要在他们眼前拿在手中， 21 要对他们说：『主耶和华如此说：我要将以色列人从他们所到的各国收取，又从四围聚集他们，引导他们归回本地。

在迦巴鲁河边，当犹大被掳到巴比伦的人正在愁眉不展，为故国伤痛不已时，神借着以西结给他们带来了枯骨复生的预言，预言灵性早已死亡的以色列人（包括犹大人），都必在神的恩典里复得新的生命和新的灵。当他们的生命和灵魂都在主里复活时，以色列和犹大的统一就会来临。对神而言，这两个国是一个国，原都是雅各（以色列）的后裔，原是不应分开的。虽然以色列北国是指以色列的十个支派，犹大南国是指以色列的两个支派：犹大和便雅悯。但是它们应该是一个国家，不是两个国家，所以有一天，神要把它们重新整合，恢复大卫王在世的盛况，一个国家，就是以色列。

以西结见枯骨复生

2023-10-01 in , /by

以西结书 37:14a  我必将我的灵放在你们里面，你们就要活了。

阅读经文：以西结书  37:1-14

1耶和华的灵降在我身上，耶和华藉他的灵带我出去，将我放在平原中，这平原遍满骸骨。 2 他使我从骸骨的四围经过，谁知在平原的骸骨甚多，而且极其枯干。 3 他对我说：「人子啊，这些骸骨能复活吗？」我说：「主耶和华啊，你是知道的。」 4 他又对我说：「你向这些骸骨发预言说：『枯干的骸骨啊，要听耶和华的话！ 5 主耶和华对这些骸骨如此说：我必使气息进入你们里面，你们就要活了。 6 我必给你们加上筋，使你们长肉，又将皮遮蔽你们，使气息进入你们里面，你们就要活了，你们便知道我是耶和华。』」

这是以西结书很出名的一个异象。神的灵再次带以西结出去，把他放在一个满是骸骨的平原中。换了是你，会不会觉得很可怕呢？那里的骸骨不仅数目众多，而且极其枯干，表示那些人已经死了一段很长的时间。就好像亚伦用的手杖一样，已经枯干的木头，没有生命力，不可能再长芽了。但是神使亚伦的杖一夜之间，发芽、开花、结果。所以神问以西结，这些枯干的骸骨，有没有复活的可能？在人不可能，但是在神，没有不可能的事情。所以在这里，我们又发现另一个为什么神要人要知道祂是耶和华神的特质，唯有祂能使枯骨复活，重得生命。因为祂就是赐人生命的神。

Can You Find Happiness by Pursuing Knowledge?

2023-10-01 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Ecclesiastes 1:12-18.  Let’s go!

Ecclesiastes 1:12-18 (NIV)
12  I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13  I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men!
14  I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
15  What is twisted cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted.
16  I thought to myself, “Look, I have grown and increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.”
17  Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.
18  For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.
 
On verses 12-18:  In verse 12 Qohelet (the Teacher) confirms that he was king of Israel, ruling in Jerusalem.  Then in verses 13-15 Qohelet describes how he pursued wisdom and knowledge, yet it led him nowhere.  Despite trying to wisely explore everything that is done on the earth (v13), he found nothing that was truly meaningful; everything was just “a chasing after the wind” (v14).  Moreover, Qohelet found that there were certain problems that could not be solved (“what is twisted cannot be straightened” – v15) and certain questions where key information was lacking which made finding an answer impossible (“what is lacking cannot be counted” – v15).  Thus he concludes that pursuing wisdom and knowledge this way was “a heavy burden” that God had laid upon people (v13). 
 

When Life Feels Meaningless

2023-09-29 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today we begin the book of Ecclesiastes, often considered one of the most puzzling books in the Bible.  The book of Ecclesiastes is about a person known only as “Qohelet”, a Hebrew word often translated into English as the “Teacher” or the “Preacher”, or “Ecclesiastes” in Greek.  Qohelet looks back on his life and draws a number of conclusions based on his life experiences.  Traditionally Qohelet has been identified with King Solomon for many reasons: he is described as a “son of David” (1:1), was “king over Israel in Jerusalem” (1:12), had more wisdom than anyone who ruled in Jerusalem before him (1:16), undertook huge projects (2:4-6), amassed incredible wealth (2:7-8a), owned a harem (2:8), imparted knowledge to the people (12:9), searched out and arranged many proverbs (12:9) and came up with many of his own wise sayings (12:10).   All that certainly sounds like Solomon, although his name is never mentioned explicitly in the book.   Some scholars question whether the author of Ecclesiastes was actually Solomon.  They instead argue that Ecclesiastes falls within a genre of ancient Near Eastern writing known as a fictional autobiography, where someone adopts the persona of a famous person (in this case, Solomon) in order to communicate their ideas.  Ecclesiastes reads like an old, jaded, disillusioned King Solomon in his later years, expressing what is left of his faith in God after he had married many foreign wives and worshiped many foreign gods.  Whether the writer of Ecclesiastes was actually Solomon or not, there is much we can learn from this book in the Bible. 

神赐新心新灵

2023-09-29 in , /by

以西结书 36:27  我必将我的灵放在你们里面，使你们顺从我的律例，谨守遵行我的典章。

阅读经文：以西结书  36:1-38

1「人子啊，你要对以色列山发预言说：『以色列山哪，要听耶和华的话。 2 主耶和华如此说：因仇敌说「啊哈！这永久的山冈都归我们为业了」， 3 所以要发预言说：「主耶和华如此说：因为敌人使你荒凉，四围吞吃，好叫你归于其余的外邦人为业，并且多嘴多舌的人提起你来，百姓也说你有臭名， 4 故此，以色列山要听主耶和华的话。大山小冈，水沟山谷，荒废之地，被弃之城——为四围其余的外邦人所占据、所讥刺的， 5 主耶和华对你们如此说：我真发愤恨如火，责备那其余的外邦人和以东的众人，他们快乐满怀，心存恨恶，将我的地归自己为业，又看为被弃的掠物。」』

在仇敌的讥笑声中，神站出来了。但是祂也告诉以色列民，祂不是为了他们而争战，而是为了神自己的名而争战。因为耶和华神是至高，宇宙唯一的真神，虽然管教子民，使他们暂时失去地业，成为落魄，但是讥笑神的外邦人，将会担当自己的羞辱。

“他们就知道我是耶和华。”为什么神要我们，要世人认识祂是耶和华呢？在这一章里，我们看到祂是怎样的神呢？

1. 有权柄和能力的神。 四围的外邦人总要担当自己的羞辱。他们怎样占据以色列人的地业，都要归还。因为神要再次帮助以色列，使他们人数增多，又使他们得地为业。是怎样的神才能有权柄和能力，按著自己的心意去运转乾坤呢？借着世局的逆转，神要让人明白唯有祂，是运转乾坤的神。

永怀仇恨的以东

2023-09-28 in , /by

以西结书 35: 8   我必使西珥山满有被杀的人，被刀杀的必倒在你小山和山谷，并一切的溪水中。

阅读经文：以西结书  35:1-15

1耶和华的话又临到我说： 2 「人子啊，你要面向西珥山发预言攻击他， 3 对他说：『主耶和华如此说：西珥山哪，我与你为敌，必向你伸手攻击你，使你荒凉，令人惊骇。 4 我必使你的城邑变为荒场，成为凄凉，你就知道我是耶和华。 5 因为你永怀仇恨，在以色列人遭灾、罪孽到了尽头的时候，将他们交于刀剑， 6 所以主耶和华说：我指着我的永生起誓，我必使你遭遇流血的报应，罪必追赶你。你既不恨恶杀人流血，所以这罪必追赶你。

为何神要对以色列周边的国家也发出预言呢？假如神像其他国家的偶像或假神只管自己的地盘，那么祂就不是宇宙的神了。神要让所有人都知道，祂是掌管天地，宇宙万物的耶和华，好让所有愿意相信祂的人都能得到救恩。这就是神的心，祂何等希望人脱离无知和愚昧的崇拜，认识真神和假神、偶像的区别。

神可以预言以东的未来，表示祂也是掌管以东命运的主宰。在这里，西珥山就是指以东人住的地方。神指出以东的一些短处，这些短处也可能是我们当中有些人的毛病和问题。例如，神讲到以东人对以色列人的“永怀仇恨”。这是一个很可怕的致命伤。我认识一位朋友，因为年轻时被丈夫和夫家伤害得很深，她不原谅，宁可不受洗，也要抱着仇恨去过日子。因为她觉得只要她不原谅，她的丈夫就永远不能释怀，她要以自己的“永怀仇恨”去作为对丈夫的报复。她相信耶稣，却不能把这仇恨交给耶稣，以致因而迟迟不敢受洗。她的一生就在这永怀仇恨的心情中度过。年复一年，她选择活在过去的伤痛和仇恨里，把自己的生命都搭上了，失去了在主里的平安和喜乐。你愿意这样生活吗？

When Someone Lets You Down

2023-09-28 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 2 Timothy 4:9-22.  Let’s go!

2 Timothy 4:9-15 (NIV) 
9 Do your best to come to me quickly, 
10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. 
11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. 
12 I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 
13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments. 
14 Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. 
15 You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.

On verses 9-15:  Ministry is about serving God but it’s also about working with people.  Because none of us is perfect, you and those you serve with are bound to encounter tension, disagreement and conflict from time to time.  So what should you do?  From these verses we see how a mature leader in God’s kingdom deals with hurt and conflict with fellow servants of God.  In particular here are 3 things I learn from Paul’s example:

耶和华躬自做牧

2023-09-27 in , /by

以西结书 34:11 主耶和华如此说：看哪，我必亲自寻找我的羊，将他们寻见。

阅读经文：以西结书  34:1-31

1耶和华的话临到我说： 2 「人子啊，你要向以色列的牧人发预言攻击他们，说：『主耶和华如此说：祸哉，以色列的牧人！只知牧养自己。牧人岂不当牧养群羊吗？ 3 你们吃脂油，穿羊毛，宰肥壮的，却不牧养群羊。 4 瘦弱的你们没有养壮，有病的你们没有医治，受伤的你们没有缠裹，被逐的你们没有领回，失丧的你们没有寻找，但用强暴严严地辖制。 5 因无牧人，羊就分散，既分散，便做了一切野兽的食物。 6 我的羊在诸山间、在各高冈上流离，在全地上分散，无人去寻，无人去找。

大家读到这章经文，心里有没有很感动呢？不管我们以前在教会有怎样的经历，天父都知道。教会里有好牧人，也有坏牧人。在这里，神指出坏牧人有几项特点：一，只知道牧养自己，应该说喂养自己更合适吧！因为他们吃脂油，穿羊毛，宰肥壮的，却不牧养群羊。意思便是只顾自己生活得舒服。

其二，“瘦弱的你们没有养壮，有病的你们没有医治，受伤的你们没有缠裹，被逐的你们没有领回，失丧的你们没有寻找，但用强暴严严地辖制。”这里指出，坏牧人根本不理会群羊的需要和疾苦，也不在意群羊的失落。反而用一种强暴的手段去控制群羊，好像自己是君王，主瘴群羊的生死。坏牧人手下掌管的群羊因而在各地流离，在全地分散，甚至成了一切野兽的食物。

At the End of Your Life

2023-09-27 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 2 Timothy 4:1-8.  Let’s go!

2 Timothy 4:1a (NIV)
1  In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead…

On verse 1a:  Jesus is the judge of the living and the dead.  In the end, all of us will give an account to Him.  So let’s fear people and circumstances.  Let’s not be too concerned about how we look in front of others.  Instead, let’s live in the fear of the Lord.  For in the end, it’s Jesus’ opinion of us that matters far more than anyone else’s opinion.

On verses 1b-8:  In a very formal way where he even calls on God the Father and Jesus Christ as his witnesses (v1), Paul charges Timothy to preach the Word (v2) — that is, to preach Jesus.  He tells Timothy to preach the Word in season and out of season.  Just as the Scriptures are useful for teaching, correcting, rebuking, and training people in righteousness (see 3:16), Paul tells Timothy to “correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction” (v2).