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Who’s Your Daddy?

2022-09-02 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Romans 4:9-16.  Let’s go!

Romans 4:9-12 (NIV)
9  Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.
10  Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before!
11  And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them.
12  And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
 
Verses 9-12:  To show that righteousness by faith is a gift that God makes available to everyone and not only to Jews, Paul goes back to the example of Abraham.  Paul notes that Abraham received his righteousness by faith before he was circumcised (v10).  In this way, Abraham is a father of faith (that is, a great example and a forerunner of what it looks like to receive righteousness by faith) for all of us who are not circumcised, i.e. who do not come from a Jewish background (v11). 

以智慧建造人生

2022-09-02 in , /by

箴言24:3   房屋因智慧建造，又因聪明立稳。

阅读经文：箴言 24:1-4

1你不要嫉妒恶人，也不要起意与他们相处。2因为他们的心图谋强暴，他们的口谈论奸恶。3房屋因智慧建造，又因聪明立稳，4其中因知识充满各样美好宝贵的财物。

1你不要嫉妒恶人，也不要起意与他们相处。2因为他们的心图谋强暴，他们的口谈论奸恶。Don’t envy bad people; don’t even want to be around them. All they think about is causing a disturbance; all they talk about is making trouble.

什么是恶人呢？就是那些心里图谋强暴，口里谈论奸恶的人。这样的人有什么值得人嫉妒，并且还起意想跟他们相处？你会发现，在日常生活里，有不少人很羡慕这样的恶霸。似乎跟他们在一起，自己也有了存在感。

他们似乎是具有特权的人，因为凶恶，令人害怕，不敢得罪，以致于常常占别人的便宜。大部份人成为被恐吓的对象。也因此，超人电影往往受人喜爱，因为我们常常感到自己的软弱，无法和恶势力对抗。所以恶霸后面总跟着一群人，为了要沾他的光。为了离开自己的软弱，而成为恶人的手下，卑躬屈膝，成为走狗，大有人在。

例如同性婚姻的诉求，同运人士的操作，即使有很多人心里不以为然，表面上却很积极地支持，因为怕被同伴嘲笑落伍，怕被人说有歧视，等等。我们心里害怕被挤出去，不敢说出心里真正的看法。因为忘记了，我们有一位耶和华神，是全能的主宰，是看顾我们的天父。我们总是害怕眼所能见的，不敢相信眼见不到的。我们的信心建立在自我之上，所以不敢过分别为圣的生活。

求天父帮助我们，开我们的眼睛，让我们看到，那与我们同在的，比与他们同在的更多。让我们明白，不要怕那只能伤害身体的，反而要怕那有能力辖制身体和灵魂的。

You Are Righteous Because of Jesus

2022-09-01 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Romans 3:21-31.  Let’s go!

Romans 3:21-24 (NIV)
21  But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
22  This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference,
23  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24  and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
 
On verses 21-24:  In the Bible, to be “righteous” means to be blameless, acceptable and worthy in God’s eyes to be in His presence because we are holy like He is.  In Romans 3:9-20 Paul explained that we could never be righteous by trying to obey God’s laws.  That’s because no matter how hard we try, we will never meet God’s perfect standard.  Because of our sin, we are separated from God’s holy presence.  As Romans 3:23 says, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. 

流连饮酒的后果

2022-09-01 in , /by

箴言23:34   你必像躺在海中，或像卧在桅杆上。

阅读经文：箴言 23:27-35

27妓女是深坑，外女是窄阱。28她埋伏好像强盗，她使人中多有奸诈的。29谁有祸患？谁有忧愁？谁有争斗？谁有哀叹？谁无故受伤？谁眼目红赤？30就是那流连饮酒，常去寻找调和酒的人。31酒发红，在杯中闪烁，你不可观看，虽然下咽舒畅，终久是咬你如蛇，刺你如毒蛇。33你眼必看见异怪的事，你心必发出乖谬的话。34你必像躺在海中，或像卧在桅杆上。35你必说：「人打我我却未受伤，人鞭打我我竟不觉得，我几时清醒，我仍去寻酒！」

根据2016年12月英媒《都市报》报导，波兰一名25岁男子卡密尔（Kamil）日前参加一个狂饮派对，在过程中他喝下大量伏特加酒，当场丧失意识，经送医后宣告不治，被送进太平间停放。然而当晚医院的警卫听到奇怪的声音从停尸间传出，推开门后赫然发现一具冰冷、全裸的「尸体」望着他，并开口要一条毛毯，令警卫吓到直接报警。警方到场后协同院方人员进行身分比对，确定这具复活的「尸体」是已被宣判死亡的卡密尔，在进行一连串健康检查后，医师认为他健康状况良好，随即送他出院。不过，死里逃生的卡密尔出院后目的地竟不是家中，而是另一间酒馆。

将心归我

2022-08-31 in , /by

箴言23:26   我儿，要将你的心归我，你的眼目也要喜悦我的道路。

阅读经文：箴言 23:19-26

19我儿，你当听，当存智慧，好在正道上引导你的心。20好饮酒的，好吃肉的，不要与他们来往。21因为好酒贪食的必致贫穷，好睡觉的必穿破烂衣服。22你要听从生你的父亲，你母亲老了，也不可藐视她。23你当买真理，就是智慧、训诲和聪明也都不可卖。24义人的父亲必大得快乐，人生智慧的儿子，必因他欢喜。25你要使父母欢喜，使生你的快乐。26我儿，要将你的心归我，你的眼目也要喜悦我的道路。

不管是以前或现在，最让父母伤脑筋的孩子，便是身体长大，心却长不大的孩子。好吃好玩，就是不工作。在网路上有个亲子专栏，里面有篇文章的作者认为，要想让一个人殷勤度日而不致于终日闲懒，便要在0-6岁期间帮孩子建立起良好的生活习惯。

在0-6岁期间，一般父母习惯让孩子过著张口就吃，伸手就给的生活，各方面照顾得非常周全，因此养成孩子五体不勤，好吃懒做的习性。加上华人有“万般皆下品，惟有读书高”的偏见，因此一昧把孩子往名校挤，只要孩子成绩好，替孩子拿书包，准备一切，什么都为孩子做。等孩子长大了，还不必交上好饮酒和好吃肉的朋友，自己就已经成为好逸恶劳，贪睡爱享受的一族了。

No One Is Good Except Jesus

2022-08-31 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Romans 3:9-20.  Let’s go!

Romans 3:9a (NIV)
9  What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all!…

On verse 9:  Given Paul’s Jewish heritage and his international upbringing outside of Jerusalem, Paul has the unique ability to relate to and identify with both Jews as well as Gentiles.  So after talking to the Jewish Christians in Rome and warning them not to take their rich spiritual heritage for granted (Romans 2:17-3:8), Paul in verse 9 speaks to the Gentiles and says, “What shall we conclude then?  Are we any better?”  Paul is using his unique shape to serve God (“shape” meaning his Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality and Experiences).

Likewise, you are uniquely shaped to serve God.  There is not a single aspect of your background, your experiences, your gift set or your personality that God accidentally allowed.  Rather you are a custom-made creation built for the glory of God.  God wants to use you just the way that He shaped you to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

杖的管教

2022-08-30 in , /by

箴言23:15  我儿，你心若存智慧，我的心也甚欢喜。

阅读经文：箴言 23:12-18

12你要留心领受训诲，侧耳听从知识的言语。13不可不管教孩童，你用杖打他，他必不至于死。14你要用杖打他，就可以救他的灵魂免下阴间。15我儿，你心若存智慧，我的心也甚欢喜。16你的嘴若说正直话，我的心肠也必快乐。17你心中不要嫉妒罪人，只要终日敬畏耶和华。18因为至终必有善报，你的指望也不致断绝。

有一个小影片录了一个真实故事：有一个小孩在一间杂货店里偷东西，被他的父亲看到了。假如你是他的父亲，你会怎样做呢？会不会赶快叫孩子把偷来的东西放回去就好了？或是给他一巴掌：叫你还敢偷？或是把东西拿去付钱了事？

这个父亲为了让孩子以后永远不再偷东西，他把孩子带到售货员面前，叫孩子亲自把东西交还给售货员，并且向他道歉。小孩被父亲抓着，他感到很羞耻，不好意思正面看售货员。但是他的父亲叫他要正面道歉。

我相信这个孩子永远不会忘记人生的这一课，也会永远记得那一刻的羞耻感。管教孩童，或许不必用打，却要认真地执行。

You’re Entrusted with Treasure

2022-08-30 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Romans 3:1-8.  Let’s go!

Romans 3:1-4 (NIV)
1  What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision?
2  Much in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God.
3  What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God’s faithfulness?
4  Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.”
 
On verses 1-4:  Just prior to this, in Romans 2:25-29, Paul said that a person’s circumcision means very little if that person’s heart is not set on living for God.  But here Paul clarifies that this does not mean that the concept of Jewish circumcision itself has no value, or that being Jewish has no value.  What can we learn from this?

大有能力的救赎主

2022-08-29 in , /by

箴言23:11    因他们的救赎主大有能力，祂必向你为他们辨屈。

阅读经文：箴言 23:9-11

9你不要说话给愚昧人听，因他必藐视你智慧的言语。

Don’t bother talking sense to fools; they’ll only poke fun at your words.

读到这节经文，令我感触良多。因为当台湾的同性恋者在争取结婚平权时，有一些自称是基督教的牧师也去支持，有许多信徒也偏向支持同性恋者可以结婚的看法，以致于有些信徒感到非常迷惘。这件事其实很简单，那些支持者的原因是因为他们很同情同性恋者的痛苦，觉得他们也该有结婚的权利。

问题是，婚姻是谁设立的？假如婚姻是人设立的，要怎样修改都说得过去。但婚姻若是神所订的，谁有权去修改？支持修改的人，是不是打了神一个大大的嘴巴：祢做的不好，所以我要去支持别人，把祢订的改掉？

当年祭司以利因为放纵儿子，因此神对他说：“因为尊重我的，我必重看他；藐视我的，他必被轻视”（撒上2:30）。神为何放弃扫罗？神一再给扫罗机会，最后神说：“我立扫罗为王，我后悔了。因为他转去不跟从我，不遵守我的命令”（撒上15）。耶稣当年都说祂来不是要废弃律法，而是要成全律法。我们有谁可以因为任何原因，超越耶稣的做法？

一个小小的测试，没有横驾在脖子上的刀，就把神的话放进抽屉，把自己的想法摆出来大列列地传讲。这样渺视神话语的人，该怎样形容呢？

It Depends on Your Heart

2022-08-29 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Romans 2:25-29.  Let’s go!
 
Romans 2:25-29 (NIV)
25  Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised.
26  If those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised?
27  The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.
28  A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical.
29  No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God.

On verses 25-29:  Here Paul is speaking to his fellow Jewish Christians in Rome about circumcision.  To those who might take pride in the fact that they were circumcised and who saw their circumcision as evidence of a close relationship with God, Paul clarifies that: