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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!

许多人以我为怪

2025-12-30 in , /by

诗篇71:7   许多人以我为怪，但祢是我坚固的避难所。

在每天生活的周遭，我们偶会遇见行为超乎寻常的「怪人」，经历过往未曾见过的「怪事」，当然也会出现「怪天气」、听见「怪消息」…；有趣的是，圣经里也有一节怪怪的经文：

「许多人以我为怪，但祢是我坚固的避难所。」（诗篇71:7）

「以我为怪」的希伯来原文「מוֹפֵת」(mo-faith’)指的是「奇蹟」、「记号」、「模范」或「异象」，在某些语境中可以指「令人惊奇的记号」，但也可能带有「异常」、「不寻常」、「怪异」的意思。

诗人在诗篇71篇可能想表达：他的人生经历（如：苦难、年老、病痛）使他成为众人眼中的「异象」或「怪异的存在」，他被视为神蹟般的经历，也可能被人误解、嘲笑或排斥。因此，「以我为怪」在语意上诠释出，诗人在人群中被视为不寻常或特别的存在。

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.”

穿着它，怀念她，感谢祂

2025-12-29 in , /by

以赛亚书46:3-4   你们自从生下，就蒙我保抱，自从出胎，便蒙我怀搋。直到你们年老，我仍这样；直到你们发白，我仍怀搋。我已造作，也必保抱；我必怀抱，也必拯救。

一个月前摄护腺癌手术后，在家休养，复原顺利，但接下来的挑战是要穿上「它」（尿布，比较文雅的字眼是复健裤），学习控制排尿；医生说需要几个月，有可能要达半年。于是，我拿出行事历，取消了会议、出差，乖乖待在家里，跟学生视讯讨论研究进度。

两星期后，开始试着迎接挑战，穿着「它」到学校半天，跟学生、研究员实体讨论，学习与「它」相处，同时适时的更换「它」。

昨天再跨出一大步，搭高铁到台北开会，换装一次、两次…七次，终于回到台南；旅程中，造访了高铁台南站、高铁、会议中心…的洗手间、残障厕所，发现这些未曾去过的地方，好方便，也好干净。

你知道有一个人深爱着你吗？

2025-12-28 in , /by

约翰福音10:11  我是好牧人，好牧人为羊舍命。

在庆祝圣诞节的夜晚，我坐在教会的最后一排椅子上，听见有一个程式设计师分享她的故事，她之前天天提心吊胆，担心衣服穿错颜色，或有些日子不宜做某些事，自己却做了！会有不好事情发生，她越来越不快乐。

直到有一天，她的好朋友对她『情绪勒索』，星期天请她到台南的一间老教堂做礼拜，她听到教会的诗歌就一直感动哭不停，整场礼拜都在哭…。

她接受了耶稣对她的爱，之后，她再也不担心『做错事』，碰到不顺利的事情也不再『责备自己』，身旁的弟兄姊妹每个星期都会一同祈祷，生命完全的不同！

爱就爱了！

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!

圣诞老人

2025-12-26 in , /by

约翰福音20:24-29 

24 那十二个门徒中有称为低土马的多马，耶稣来的时候，他没有和他们同在。 25 那些门徒就对他说：「我们已经看见主了！」多马却说：「我非看见他手上的钉痕，用指头探入那钉痕，又用手探入他的肋旁，我总不信。」26 过了八日，门徒又在屋里，多马也和他们同在。门都关了，耶稣来站在当中说：「愿你们平安！」 27 就对多马说：「伸过你的指头来，摸我的手！伸出你的手来，探入我的肋旁！不要疑惑，总要信！」 28 多马说：「我的主！我的神！」 29 耶稣对他说：「你因看见了我才信，那没有看见就信的有福了！」

踏入十二月除了天气转冷，大家都会感到一份期待，小朋友固然如此，连成人也一样有点轻奋，就算你不是基督徒，没有任何宗教，这个普世欢腾的日子～圣诞节，多少都在影响着你：你会为你的至爱准备一份礼物，烹调一顿丰富晚餐，给自己添件新衣，这些都来得很自然。加上街道、商场的布置，家家户户屋前的灯饰，电视里的广告，圣诞节的气氛实在很浓厚。

笔者这次也应应节，忙碌的工余，在影带店挑选了一部“圣诞”电影，以圣诞节为题材的影片不少，多以温馨为主，《圣诞老人》Santa Clause是其中之一，这部多年前「和路迪士尼」电影，今年又再推出续集（Santa Clause2），由添亚伦Tim Allen主演。

圣诞老人在北美来说，是一个神话，不少小朋友都深信不疑，圣诞老人每年圣诞前夕都会坐鹿车，四出由烟囱而下，送上礼物给小朋友；所以今天还有很多小朋友写信到北极给圣诞老人，告诉他自己的愿望。

祂是我们的和睦

2025-12-25 in , /by

以赛亚书 9:6  因有一婴孩为我们而生，有一子赐给我们，政权必担在祂的肩头上。祂名称为奇妙、策士、全能的神、永在的父、和平的君。

以弗所书 2:14-15  因祂使我们和睦，将两下合而为一，拆毁了中间隔断的墙，而且以自己的身体废掉冤仇，就是那记在律法上的规条，为要将两下借着自己造成一个新人，如此便成就了和睦。

俄乌纷争持续11年，全面战火延烧近三年，以哈冲突也满了400天；在这不平安的日子里，2024年11月9日，德国举行了柏林围墙倒塌35周年的纪念活动。当天在沿着过去柏林围墙的路径上，展出当年抗议行动标语的复制品，途经历史悠久国会大厦以及知名的查理检查站。晚上融合声光秀的「自由派对」在柏林地标布兰登堡大门登场，大门恰位于柏林围墙原址。这一天象征著德国历史上重要的一天，提醒人们不断追求自由和民主。

柏林围墙（德语：Berliner Mauer）是二次世界大战后德国分裂期间，隶属于社会主义国家的德意志民主共和国（东德）政府，修筑环绕西柏林边境的全封闭边防系统，用来阻止东德居民通过西柏林前往西德。它建于1961年8月13日，全长167.8公里，最初以铁丝网和砖石为材料，后期加固为由瞭望塔、混凝土墙、开放地带以及反车辆壕沟组成的边防设施。

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!