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Give God All Your Mistakes

2026-03-19 in /by

God not only wants the mistakes we’ve made—He wants the ones we’re making. Are you drinking too much? Are you cheating at work or cheating at marriage? Mismanaging your life?

Don’t pretend nothing’s wrong. The first step after a stumble must be in the direction of the cross. 1 John 1:9 promises, “If we confess our sins to God, He can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away.”

Start with your bad moments. And while you’re there, give God your “mad” moments. There’s a story about a man bitten by a dog. When he learned the dog had rabies, he began a list. The doctor said, “There’s no need for you to make a will—you’ll be fine.” “Oh, I’m not making a will” he said, “I’m making a list of all the people I want to bite!” God wants that list! He wants you to leave it at the cross.

耶和華以勒

2026-03-18 in , /by

創世記 22章14節  亞伯拉罕給那地方起名叫耶和華以勒，直到今日人還說：「在耶和華的山上必有預備。」

聖經裡給我們看到的亞伯拉罕，並不是像一般人想的，一直都是信心滿溢。相反地，亞伯拉罕之所以成為信心之父，是經過了許多的考驗和失敗。神讓我們看到亞伯拉罕跟隨祂的點點滴滴，讓我們明白，祂知道我們不過是人，祂知道我們的軟弱和不足，即使我們失敗，祂仍然願意陪伴我們，等待我們，牽著我們的手一直到永恒。所以，明白這事之後，我們若再看到有人沒有信心的表現，也就不用太憤怒了，這就是人的本相，神允許我們慢慢成長，我們也要容忍別人的不足，讓他們慢慢成長。

在神和亞伯拉罕討論過所多瑪和蛾摩拉的存亡之後，你可能會想，有過與神面對面的經歷，這個人應該不會再犯錯了。你一定沒想到，他真的又說謊了。當他們搬到非利士地的基拉耳時，他又騙人說撒拉是他的妹妹。結果基拉耳王亞比米勒來把撒拉取去，結果全家遭天譴，婦女都不能生育了。亞比米勒知錯後向亞伯拉罕道歉，又賠他一筆錢，亞伯拉罕又賺了。神真的很憐憫恩待亞伯拉罕。

We Have a Sin Problem

2026-03-18 in /by

Can you live without sin for one day? No. How about one hour? Can you do it? No…nor can I. And if we can’t live without sin, we have a problem. Proverbs 10:16 says, we’re evil and “evil people are paid with punishment.” What can we do?

Well, observe what Jesus does with our filth. He carries it to the Cross. God speaks to Isaiah in chapter 50:6, “I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.” You see, mingled with his blood and sweat was the essence of our sin. Angels were a prayer away. Couldn’t they have taken the spittle away? They could have, but Jesus never commanded them to. Why? The sinless One took on the face of a sinner, so that we sinners could take on the face of a saint.

Unwrap the Gifts of Grace

2026-03-17 in /by

Much has been said about Jesus’ “gift of the Cross.” But what of the other gifts? What of the nails, the crown of thorns? The garments taken by the soldiers? Have you taken time to open these gifts? He didn’t have to give us these gifts, you know. The only required act for our salvation was the shedding of blood, yet He did much more. So much more.

Search the scene of the Cross and what do you find? A wine-soaked sponge. Two crosses beside Christ. Divine gifts intended to stir that moment, that split second when your face will brighten, your eyes will widen, and God will hear you whisper, “You did this for ME?” Let’s unwrap these gifts of grace…as if for the first time. Pause and listen. Perchance you will hear Him whisper, “I did it just for you!”

耶和華豈有難成的事嗎？

2026-03-17 in , /by

創世記21章6-7節     撒拉說：「神使我喜笑，凡聽見的必與我一同喜笑。」又說：「誰能預先對亞伯拉罕說撒拉要乳養嬰孩呢？因為在他年老的時候，我給他生了一個兒子。」

神跟亞伯拉罕預言了他必有後裔至少有六次，從大約75歲到100歲，這預言終於應驗了。亞伯拉罕和撒拉等了足足25年。我有朋友為信佛的父母禱告，有的長達30幾年，當然還有更長的。在每一個禱告應驗時，這句話總會不期然地躍上腦海：「耶和華豈有難成的事嗎？」

我記得小時候，父親跟我訂了《少年良友雜誌》，那時我非常仰慕滌然師母，非常喜歡讀她的文章。那時她住在美國紐約，我住在台灣台南，我心想什麼時候才有可能飛到紐約去看她呢？後來我自己都忘記了這個念頭。直到我真的住到紐約，參加了滌然師母和她丈夫史祈生牧師主辦的中宣會後。有一天，聖靈讓我想起我曾經有這樣的想法。那時我感動得不得了，神竟然如此無微不至，連一個小女孩的心願，祂都記念。我們在紐約的四年，正好是史祈生牧師伉儷在中宣會的最後四年，後來他們退休，我們也離開紐約，回到加拿大。神的時間是如此地精準。

所多瑪和蛾摩拉

2026-03-16 in , /by

創世記18章20-21節   耶和華說：「所多瑪和蛾摩拉的罪惡甚重，聲聞於我。我現在要下去，察看他們所行的，果然盡像那達到我耳中的聲音一樣嗎？若是不然，我也必知道。」

所多瑪和蛾摩拉曾經是土壤肥沃，水草豐美，適宜放牧耕作的地區，吸引羅得不停地往她遷移。這兩城的地名之意是「淹沒」和「廢墟」，似乎說明了她們命運的趨勢。舊約時期，所多瑪、蛾摩拉與押瑪、洗扁、瑣珥合稱為(約但河的)「平原五城」，他們都是挪亞的兒子，含的後裔。就是這五城裡的五王組成聯盟，反叛米索波大米的四王，後來兵敗，被亞伯拉罕救回。根據考古研究，該處確有五座早青銅時代的古城。

〈創世記〉18章裡，亞伯拉罕看見有三個人，他就跑去迎接他們，不料卻接待了神和祂的使者。這個典故成為以色列人接待陌生人的原由。神和使者(有沒有可能，是三位一體的神，就如此三位一起向亞伯拉罕顯現？)來拜訪亞伯拉罕的原因，是為了讓撒拉知道，她明年必生下一子。

這次輪到撒拉偷笑了，「我既已衰敗，我主也老邁，豈能有這喜事呢？」這時神說了一句最經典的話：「耶和華豈有難成的事嗎？」神對自己的能力有十足的把握，反而是人因為自己的能力有限，所以常常信心不足，懷疑神。

Reconciliation

2026-03-16 in /by

The most notorious road in the world is the Via Dolorosa, “the Way of Sorrows.” According to tradition, it’s the route Jesus took from Pilate’s hall to Calvary. The path is marked by stations frequently used by Christians for their devotions— each one a reminder of the events of Christ’s final journey. No one actually knows the exact route Christ followed that Friday. But we do know where the path began. In heaven.

Jesus began his journey when he left his home in search of us. The Bible has a word for this quest: reconciliation. “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself” (2 Corinthians 5:19). Reconciliation re-stiches the unraveled, reverses the rebellion, and rekindles the cold passion. Reconciliation touches the shoulder of the wayward and woos him homeward. The path to the cross tells us exactly how far God will go to call us back!

亞伯拉罕的代禱

2026-03-15 in , /by

創世記 19章22-25節   二人轉身離開那裡，向所多瑪去，但亞伯拉罕仍舊站在耶和華面前。亞伯拉罕近前來，說：「無論善惡，你都要剿滅嗎？ 假若那城裡有五十個義人，你還剿滅那地方嗎？不為城裡這五十個義人饒恕其中的人嗎？ 將義人與惡人同殺，將義人與惡人一樣看待，這斷不是你所行的！審判全地的主，豈不行公義嗎？」

在舊約裡，猶太人有接待陌生人的習俗，據說就是從亞伯拉罕開始的。因為亞伯拉罕接待三個陌生人，卻沒想到是接待了神和祂的使者，因為大家都希望也有這樣的福氣，因此這習俗便流傳下來了。

神向亞伯拉罕說明，應許之子要從撒拉出生；這次神再來跟他們確定此事：「到明年這時候，我必要回到你這裡，你的妻子撒拉必生一個兒子。」我在想，為何神要三番四次地告訴他們?是否因為亞伯拉罕和撒拉在這事裡也有當盡的責任？假如他們都沒有同房，神又沒有預備讓耶穌那時降生，那麼神豈不為難？所以神是在暗示明示，你們兩個不要拖拖拉拉的。

上次聽到這個宣告，亞伯拉罕在心裡偷笑；這次聽到宣告，撒拉在那人身後的帳篷門口偷笑。因為兩人都覺得不可能，不合邏輯。不過，這次他們兩個人總算明白了神的暗示明示。當神和使者完成此行的任務要離開時，亞伯拉罕就送他們一程。

割禮之約

2026-03-13 in , /by

創世記17章1-2節 亞伯蘭年九十九歲的時候，耶和華向他顯現，對他說：「我是全能的神，你當在我面前做完全人。 我就與你立約，使你的後裔極其繁多。」

夏甲生下以實瑪利時，亞伯蘭86歲。當亞伯蘭99歲時，神再度向亞伯蘭顯現，這當中有多少年神保持沉默？有的人說13年，因為以實瑪利那年13歲；有的人說14年，因為從亞伯蘭和夏甲同床後，神就靜默了。

神為何對亞伯蘭保持了13年的沉默呢？你能想像神氣到不想跟亞伯蘭講話的樣子嗎？祂曾經想過，亞伯蘭會用自己的方法去生孩子嗎？祂知道亞伯蘭心裡等待的煎熬嗎？日子一天天過去，他和撒萊一天天變老，生理上也不再年輕，相信有許多人都感受過亞伯蘭在等待中的絕望。

但是神期望亞伯蘭對祂是完全的相信，一百分之一百的相信，沒有一點點的懷疑。在神再次對亞伯蘭說的話裡，我們可以感受到神的失望和期待。祂說：「我是全能的神，你當在我面前做完全人。我就與你立約，使你的後裔極其繁多。」意思是，不管你怎樣想，要知道世界上沒有我做不到的事，因此你要全然信靠我。我不是己經和你立約，我也必使你的後裔極其繁多(所以你不應該自作主張)。

God So Loved the World

2026-03-12 in /by

Can a holy God overlook our mistakes? Should a kind God punish our mistakes? From our perspective there are only two equally unappealing solutions. But from God’s perspective there’s a third. It’s called “the Cross of Christ.”

The cross is where God forgave his children without lowering his standards. How could he do this? In a sentence: God put our sin on his Son and punished it there. “God put on him the wrong who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God” (2 Corinthians 5:21 MSG).

Why did he do it? Because “God so loved the world that he gave his only son” (John 3:16 NLT). Aren’t you glad the verse doesn’t read “For God so loved the rich”? Or “For God so loved the famous”? No. We simply (and happily) read: “For God so loved the world!” And you my friend, are included in that love!