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The Joy of God

2025-12-30 in /by

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9 NKJV).

No man had more reason to be miserable than Jesus, yet no one was more joyful. He was ridiculed. Those who didn’t ridicule him wanted favors. Then they wanted to kill him. He was accused of a crime he had never committed. Witnesses were hired to lie. They crucified him. He left as he came—penniless.

He should have been miserable and bitter. But he wasn’t. He was joyful! He possessed a joy that possessed him. I call it a sacred delight. Sacred because it’s not of the earth. Delight because it’s just that: the joy of God. He offers it to you, my friend—a sacred delight!

許多人以我為怪

2025-12-30 in , /by

詩篇71:7   許多人以我為怪，但祢是我堅固的避難所。

在每天生活的周遭，我們偶會遇見行為超乎尋常的「怪人」，經歷過往未曾見過的「怪事」，當然也會出現「怪天氣」、聽見「怪消息」…；有趣的是，聖經裡也有一節怪怪的經文：

「許多人以我為怪，但祢是我堅固的避難所。」（詩篇71:7）

「以我為怪」的希伯來原文「מוֹפֵת」(mo-faith’)指的是「奇蹟」、「記號」、「模範」或「異象」，在某些語境中可以指「令人驚奇的記號」，但也可能帶有「異常」、「不尋常」、「怪異」的意思。

詩人在詩篇71篇可能想表達：他的人生經歷（如：苦難、年老、病痛）使他成為眾人眼中的「異象」或「怪異的存在」，他被視為神蹟般的經歷，也可能被人誤解、嘲笑或排斥。因此，「以我為怪」在語意上詮釋出，詩人在人群中被視為不尋常或特別的存在。

And He Called His Name Jesus

2025-12-29 in /by

“And Joseph took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called his name Jesus” (Matthew 1:24-25).

Joseph was literally willing to tank his reputation. And he did – he traded it in for a pregnant fiancée and an illegitimate son and made the big decision of discipleship. He placed God’s plan ahead of his own. Rather than make a name for himself, he made a home for Christ. And because he did, a great reward came his way.

“And he called his name Jesus!” Of all the saints, sinners, prodigals, and preachers who’ve spoken the name, Joseph—a blue-collar, small-town construction worker—said it first. Joseph cradled the wrinkle-faced prince of heaven, and with an audience of angels and pigs, he whispered, “Jesus, Jesus, you’ll be called Jesus.”

穿著它，懷念她，感謝祂

2025-12-29 in , /by

以賽亞書46:3-4   你們自從生下，就蒙我保抱，自從出胎，便蒙我懷搋。直到你們年老，我仍這樣；直到你們髮白，我仍懷搋。我已造作，也必保抱；我必懷抱，也必拯救。

一個月前攝護腺癌手術後，在家休養，復原順利，但接下來的挑戰是要穿上「它」（尿布，比較文雅的字眼是復健褲），學習控制排尿；醫生說需要幾個月，有可能要達半年。於是，我拿出行事曆，取消了會議、出差，乖乖待在家裡，跟學生視訊討論研究進度。

兩星期後，開始試著迎接挑戰，穿著「它」到學校半天，跟學生、研究員實體討論，學習與「它」相處，同時適時的更換「它」。

昨天再跨出一大步，搭高鐵到台北開會，換裝一次、兩次…七次，終於回到台南；旅程中，造訪了高鐵台南站、高鐵、會議中心…的洗手間、殘障廁所，發現這些未曾去過的地方，好方便，也好乾淨。

你知道有一個人深愛著你嗎？

2025-12-28 in , /by

約翰福音10:11  我是好牧人，好牧人為羊捨命。

在慶祝聖誕節的夜晚，我坐在教會的最後一排椅子上，聽見有一個程式設計師分享她的故事，她之前天天提心吊膽，擔心衣服穿錯顏色，或有些日子不宜做某些事，自己卻做了！會有不好事情發生，她越來越不快樂。

直到有一天，她的好朋友對她『情緒勒索』，星期天請她到台南的一間老教堂做禮拜，她聽到教會的詩歌就一直感動哭不停，整場禮拜都在哭…。

她接受了耶穌對她的愛，之後，她再也不擔心『做錯事』，碰到不順利的事情也不再『責備自己』，身旁的弟兄姊妹每個星期都會一同祈禱，生命完全的不同！

愛就愛了！

The Prince of Peace

2025-12-28 in /by

As Christmas draws near, the words “peace” and “joy” turn up everywhere. Yet it often seems the world is anything but peaceful or full of joy. Tight budgets. Family feuds. Global uncertainty.

Not too unlike the first Christmas two thousand years ago. And yet, God broke through the chaos with a bold proclamation: “Peace! Peace on earth. Good will to men”

This Christmas story reminds us that in the midst of noise, interruptions, too-thin paychecks, and family unrest, God gives us peace. When your world is at war… peace. When the stock market crashes… peace. When a promise is broken… peace.

Are your nights not-so-silent? Then I encourage you to remember the angel’s words to the startled shepherds: peace. For that night, the Savior of the world was born in Bethlehem. So in the midst of holiday busyness, disturbing news reports, and changing relationships, I hope you’ll take a moment to receive God’s greatest gift. The Prince of Peace: Jesus. When we receive him as our Savior, his peace is born in our hearts.

To Meet Our Greatest Need

2025-12-26 in /by

Christmas cards. Punctuated promises. On this day, can I share words from my favorite Christmas cards?

“He became like us, so we could become like Him.” “Angels still sing and the star still beckons.” And from Isaiah 9:6, “God has given a Son to us. His name will be Wonderful Counselor, Powerful God, and Prince of Peace.”

And my favorite: “If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. But since our greatest need was forgiveness, God sent us a Savior.”

Merry Christmas, everybody!

聖誕老人

2025-12-26 in , /by

約翰福音20:24-29 

24 那十二個門徒中有稱為低土馬的多馬，耶穌來的時候，他沒有和他們同在。 25 那些門徒就對他說：「我們已經看見主了！」多馬卻說：「我非看見他手上的釘痕，用指頭探入那釘痕，又用手探入他的肋旁，我總不信。」26 過了八日，門徒又在屋裡，多馬也和他們同在。門都關了，耶穌來站在當中說：「願你們平安！」 27 就對多馬說：「伸過你的指頭來，摸我的手！伸出你的手來，探入我的肋旁！不要疑惑，總要信！」 28 多馬說：「我的主！我的神！」 29 耶穌對他說：「你因看見了我才信，那沒有看見就信的有福了！」

踏入十二月除了天氣轉冷，大家都會感到一份期待，小朋友固然如此，連成人也一樣有點輕奮，就算你不是基督徒，沒有任何宗教，這個普世歡騰的日子～聖誕節，多少都在影響著你：你會為你的至愛準備一份禮物，烹調一頓豐富晚餐，給自己添件新衣，這些都來得很自然。加上街道、商場的佈置，家家戶戶屋前的燈飾，電視裡的廣告，聖誕節的氣氛實在很濃厚。

筆者這次也應應節，忙碌的工餘，在影帶店挑選了一部“聖誕”電影，以聖誕節為題材的影片不少，多以溫馨為主，《聖誕老人》Santa Clause是其中之一，這部多年前「和路迪士尼」電影，今年又再推出續集（Santa Clause2），由添亞倫Tim Allen主演。

聖誕老人在北美來說，是一個神話，不少小朋友都深信不疑，聖誕老人每年聖誕前夕都會坐鹿車，四出由煙囪而下，送上禮物給小朋友；所以今天還有很多小朋友寫信到北極給聖誕老人，告訴他自己的願望。

祂是我們的和睦

2025-12-25 in , /by

以賽亞書 9:6  因有一嬰孩為我們而生，有一子賜給我們，政權必擔在祂的肩頭上。祂名稱為奇妙、策士、全能的神、永在的父、和平的君。

以弗所書 2:14-15  因祂使我們和睦，將兩下合而為一，拆毀了中間隔斷的牆，而且以自己的身體廢掉冤仇，就是那記在律法上的規條，為要將兩下藉著自己造成一個新人，如此便成就了和睦。

俄烏紛爭持續11年，全面戰火延燒近三年，以哈衝突也滿了400天；在這不平安的日子裡，2024年11月9日，德國舉行了柏林圍牆倒塌35周年的紀念活動。當天在沿著過去柏林圍牆的路徑上，展出當年抗議行動標語的複製品，途經歷史悠久國會大廈以及知名的查理檢查站。晚上融合聲光秀的「自由派對」在柏林地標布蘭登堡大門登場，大門恰位於柏林圍牆原址。這一天象徵著德國歷史上重要的一天，提醒人們不斷追求自由和民主。

柏林圍牆（德語：Berliner Mauer）是二次世界大戰後德國分裂期間，隸屬於社會主義國家的德意志民主共和國（東德）政府，修築環繞西柏林邊境的全封閉邊防系統，用來阻止東德居民通過西柏林前往西德。它建於1961年8月13日，全長167.8公里，最初以鐵絲網和磚石為材料，後期加固為由瞭望塔、混凝土牆、開放地帶以及反車輛壕溝組成的邊防設施。

More Than A Christmas Story

2025-12-25 in /by

The virgin birth is much, much more, than a Christmas story. It’s a story of how close Christ will come to you.

The first stop on his itinerary was a womb. Where will God go to touch the world? Look deep inside Mary for an answer. Better still, look deep within yourself. “Christ in you, the hope of glory,” Scripture says (Colossians 1:27).

Christ grew in Mary until he had to come out. Christ will grow in you until the same occurs. He will come out in your speech, in your actions, in your decisions. Every place you live will be a Bethlehem. Every day you live will be a Christmas. Deliver Christ into the world—your world!