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人生的基本手冊

2022-12-27 in , /by

傳道書7:29  我所找到的只有一件，就是神造人原是正直，但他們尋出許多巧計。

閱讀經文：傳道書 7:26-29

26我得知有等婦人比死還苦，她的心是網羅，手是鎖鏈，凡蒙神喜悅的人必能躲避她，有罪的人卻被她纏住了。27傳道者說：看哪，一千男子中，我找到一個正直人，但眾女子中沒有找到一個。我將這事一一比較，要尋求其理，我心仍要尋找，卻未曾找到。29我所找到的只有一件，就是神造人原是正直，但他們尋出許多巧計。

假如你看過《後宮甄嬛傳》，大概可以明白為何所羅門王對女人有這樣的看法。所羅門王有後宮妃七百，都是公主；還有嬪三百，至少有一千個女人。想想看她們為了見所羅門一面，要怎樣使盡功夫，明爭暗鬥，也不一定能達到目的。原都是公主美人，一入了所羅門的後宮，就不見天日了，真是情何以堪？

所以所羅門說：有等婦人比死還苦，她的心是網羅，手是鎖鏈，因為他後宮的每個女人見到他，都巴不得把他緊緊抓住。有他的寵幸，她們的人生才能得到一些尊嚴。她們活在後宮無望地等待所羅門的召見，那種情形真的比死還苦。宮禁森嚴，不能自由出入，活動的地方那麼小，沒有人真心和你交朋友，一抓到把柄就出賣你，下人也因為你不得竉就看輕你，真的就像個死囚。這是所羅門自己製造出來的，豈能怪女人當中沒有正直人？是因為他不把女人當人看，他先不正直，所以能怪女人要在死地中求生存嗎？

Unbelief vs. Honest Questions

2022-12-26 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Mark 11:27-33.  Let’s go!

Mark 11:27-33 (NIV)
27  They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him.
28  “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?”
29  Jesus replied, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things.
30  John’s baptism–was it from heaven, or from men? Tell me!”
31  They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’
32  But if we say, ‘From men’….” (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.)
33  So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

On verses 27-33:  At one time Jesus’ critics claimed that it was by the prince of demons that Jesus drove out demons, basically attributing Jesus’ power to Satan.  But Jesus put that argument to rest (Mark 3:22-30).  Still, Jesus’ critics couldn’t figure out where Jesus’ power came from and they were also unwilling to acknowledge that God was behind Jesus’ ministry.  So they ask Jesus, “Who gave you the authority to do what you’re doing?” (v28)

萬事之理離我甚遠

2022-12-26 in , /by

傳道書7:23 我曾用智慧試驗這一切事，我說要得智慧，智慧卻離我遠。

閱讀經文：傳道書 7:23-25

23我曾用智慧試驗這一切事，我說要得智慧，智慧卻離我遠。24萬事之理離我甚遠，而且最深，誰能測透呢？25我轉念，一心要知道，要考察，要尋求智慧和萬事的理由，又要知道邪惡為愚昧，愚昧為狂妄。

當最有智慧的所羅門王說：“我曾用智慧試驗這一切事，我說要得智慧，智慧卻離我遠。萬事之理離我甚遠，而且最深，誰能測透呢？”神已經賜給所羅門王智慧，但是當他越考察，越想明白這宇宙之間的道理時，才發現原來萬事之理深不可測。你有沒有這樣的感覺呢？你越思想，就越感到人生的虛空。

神既然已經賜給所羅門王智慧，是在他以前沒有像他的，在他以後也沒有像他的；為何所羅門還要得智慧呢？當年所羅門向神求的，是聽訟的智慧。因此有許多關於所羅門王聽訟的故事流傳下來。現在所羅門王尋求的，是人生的智慧，是想對人生有一個更全面的理解。沒想到，他越考察就越想不通，人的一生何其有限，忙忙碌碌，即使享受了一切，到最後又留下了什麼？人生有何意義？我們在世上走一遭，難道只是為了在體驗一下生老病死？

How Should You Dream

2022-12-25 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Mark 11:20-26.  Let’s go!

Mark 11:20-24 (NIV)
20  In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.
21  Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”
22  “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered.
23  “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.
24  Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
 
On verses 20-24:  Here Jesus shows the power of having faith in God.  As part of this, Jesus here is encouraging his followers to dream big dreams that involve God.  As missionary William Carey is famous for saying, when you’re serving God, expect great things from God, and attempt great things for God.  What is something you dream of doing with God for His glory?

智慧的超越

2022-12-25 in , /by

傳道書7:20 時常行善而不犯罪的義人，世上實在沒有。

閱讀經文：傳道書 7:19-22

19智慧使有智慧的人比城中十個官長更有能力。20時常行善而不犯罪的義人，世上實在沒有。21人所說的一切話，你不要放在心上，恐怕聽見你的僕人咒詛你。22因為你心裡知道，自己也曾屢次咒詛別人。

第19節的經文在呂振中譯本如下：“智慧使智慧人有能力，比城中十個諮議員更有權勢”，“更有能力”的原文還可被譯為“勝了”，“壓制”或“得勝”。“城中十個官長”類指古時候地方處理事務的長老會議，在印度農村也有類似的五人制的村議會，都是治理城巿事務的掌權者。這節經文有一個很重要的意思，掌權者不一定有智慧，而往往真的有智慧者，他們的話比當權者有更大的影響力。

在許多電影或故事裡，掌權者碰到突發事件，往往要靠謀士幫忙，以度難關。在舊約聖經的〈士師記〉裡有一個故事，講到士師基甸有一個兒子叫亞比米勒，為了奪權做王，他殺掉了基甸其他的兒子，只有一個逃跑了。後來亞比米勒和幫助他做王的示劍人反目成仇，兩邊廝殺不已。亞比米勒一路追殺，直取提備斯城，城裡有一棟高樓，所有的城裡人都躲到樓裡，亞比米勒便叫人用火燒樓。事情十分緊急，眾人束手無策，當然那些官長們也不知該如何了，這時有一個婦人把一塊磨石丟到亞比米勒的頭上。她的急智拯救了全城的人，躲過這場殺戮。

Jesus’ Heart for His House

2022-12-23 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Mark 11:12-19.  Let’s go!

Mark 11:12-14 (NIV)
12  The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.
13  Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.
14  Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.
 
On verses 12-14:  We will see the fall out of this in verse 20.  In the meantime, we can learn a few things from these verses:
 
– In the first centuries of the church, history shows that some people had more of an issue with whether Jesus was human than whether Jesus was divine.  The fact that Jesus was hungry in verse 12 shows that Jesus was human.
 
– Was it fair for Jesus to curse the fig tree for not bearing fruit when it was not the season for bearing fruit (v13)?  The fact is: Jesus is sovereign.  He can do whatever he wants.  Perhaps a lesson here is that God always wants us to bear fruit, in any season or circumstance (e.g. see Jeremiah 17:8).  What kind of fruit?  The fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and the fruit of praise (Hebrews 13:15). 
 

行義和行惡

2022-12-23 in , /by

傳道書7:16 不要行義過分，也不要過於自逞智慧，何必自取敗亡呢？

閱讀經文：傳道書 7:15-18

15有義人行義反致滅亡，有惡人行惡倒享長壽，這都是我在虛度之日中所見過的。16不要行義過分，也不要過於自逞智慧，何必自取敗亡呢？17不要行惡過分，也不要為人愚昧，何必不到期而死呢？18你持守這個為美，那個也不要鬆手，因為敬畏神的人必從這兩樣出來。

這是個長久以來佔據在人心裡的問題：為什麼有義人行義反致滅亡，有惡人行惡倒享長壽？為什麼？數年前在溫哥華有位年輕的牧師，剛剛被封牧，在回家的途中就出車禍死了。聽到的人都難過不已，神不是要用他嗎？神不是已經呼召他嗎？他那樣愛主事人，為什麼還才踏出第一步就走了？神不是白白浪費了好多時間塑造這個年輕人嗎？生命是一場玩笑嗎？

假如我們記得那些在中國因為義和團事件而死的宣教士，因為文化大革命被逼迫的基督徒，在剛果或非洲某些地方被土人吃掉的宣教士，甚至近幾年來不斷死在伊斯蘭軍ISIS手下的無數基督徒，從大人到小孩，受到令人髮指的苦難和壓迫。你一定會問吧。行義，是指遵行神的旨意；行惡，是指心裡沒有神，任意妄為。那些因為行義的基督徒，為何死得那麼早？那麼慘？

Treat Jesus Like Royalty Every Day

2022-12-22 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Mark 11:1-11.  Let’s go!

Mark 11:1-11 (NIV)
1  As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples,
2  saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.
3  If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.'”
4  They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it,
5  some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?”

On verses 1-11:  Apparently when ancient kings entered a city on a war horse, it signaled that the king had come to bring war.  When ancient kings entered a city on a colt, it signaled that the king had come in peace.  Jesus entered to Jerusalem on a colt to show that Jesus was coming to bring peace to the people of Jerusalem.  Even more, Jesus entering Jerusalem on a colt fulfilled the prophecy about the Messiah in Zechariah 9:9.

智慧和產業

2022-12-22 in , /by

傳道書7:11   智慧和產業並好，而且見天日的人得智慧更為有益。

閱讀經文：傳道書 7:11-14

11智慧和產業並好，而且見天日的人得智慧更為有益。12因為智慧護庇人好像銀錢護庇人一樣，唯獨智慧能保全智慧人的生命，這就是知識的益處。13你要察看神的作為，因神使為曲的，誰能變為直呢？14遇亨通的日子你當喜樂，遭患難的日子你當思想，因為神使這兩樣並列，為的是叫人查不出身後有什麼事。

據說每個猶太家庭的孩子，都要回答這個問題：“如果家裏的房子有一天失火或財產被劫，那麼你在逃命時將會帶走什麼東西？”倘若孩子回答的是錢或者鑽石，父母就會馬上耐心地啟發他：“孩子，有這樣一種寶貝，一沒有形狀，二不見顏色，三無什麼氣味，你知道是什麼嗎？”要是孩子還回答不上來，父母就嚴肅地說：“記住！你要帶走的不是錢，也不是鑽石，而是智慧。智慧像健康一樣，任何人都無法搶走，你將終身擁有。只要活著，智慧將永遠與你結伴而行。”

在以色列人進迦南地時，神讓約書亞給他們按人數抽籤分地，抽到的土地就是他們的產業，也就是他們立足生根的地方。所以產業是非常重要的。在這裡所羅門王把產業和智慧相比較，指出對活人（見天日的人）有智慧比有產業更好。因為人有產業而無智慧，很可能就在不善經營管理下，失去產業，而變得一無所有。但是倘若沒有產業卻有智慧，還可以逐漸去得到更多的產業。猶太人歷經戰亂，又被丟到世界萬國之中，他們知道若不是靠著神給他們的智慧去生存，他們就早已滅亡了。

The Example of Bartimaeus

2022-12-21 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Mark 10:46-52.  Let’s go!

Mark 10:46-52 (NIV)
46  Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging.
47  When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
48  Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49  Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.”
50  Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
51  “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
52  “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
 
On verses 46-52:  Contrast Bartimaeus to the rich young man in verses 17-22:
–  The rich young man hoped he could earn salvation on his own merit (“What was I do to inherit eternal life” – v17).  In contrast, Bartimaeus knew that his only hope was Jesus (“Son of David, have mercy on me!” – v47)