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No Curse Can Touch You Because of Jesus

2022-08-01 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 28:15-29.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 28:15-29 (NIV)
15  However, if you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:
16  You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country.
17  Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed.
18  The fruit of your womb will be cursed, and the crops of your land, and the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.
19  You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out.
20  The LORD will send on you curses, confusion and rebuke in everything you put your hand to, until you are destroyed and come to sudden ruin because of the evil you have done in forsaking him.

On verses 15-29:  Whenever you read the Old Testament, it’s important to read it with New Testament eyes. That’s because the Old Testament is not complete without the New Testament. So whenever you see something in the Old Testament, don’t stop there. Instead ask yourself: how does this play out in the New Testament? How does Jesus affect what I’m reading in the Old Testament? When you read the Old Testament with New Testament eyes, God’s Word comes to life like never before.

祂是我們的平安

2022-08-01 in , /by

箴言 20:21  起初速得的產業，終久卻不為福。

閱讀經文：箴言20:20-22

20咒罵父母的，他的燈必滅，變為漆黑的黑暗。21起初速得的產業，終久卻不為福。22你不要說「我要以惡報惡」，要等候耶和華，祂必拯救你。

第20節：咒罵父母的，他的燈必滅，變為漆黑的黑暗。Anyone who curses father and mother  extinguishes light and exists benighted.《The Message》

有很多人誤解福音，以為父母死後，人不供奉就是不孝。其實在聖經裡有多處教導我們孝順父母，若不孝順，那個懲罰可大了。人死後什麼都不知道，供奉何益，真正的孝順還是要在父母還活著時，使他們高興，那才是孝順。

在以色列人領受律法時，“咒罵父母的，必要把他治死”（出21:17）。有一個主日，我們停車後走向教堂時，前面有一個老婦人突然停住腳。在她旁邊的男人大聲叫：“你不可以邊走邊擤鼻涕嗎？非得停下來不可嗎？”他突然驚覺我們可能聽到了，很快不再大聲，轉為小聲跟老婦人說笑。因為他也是去教堂，他知道聖經的教導。其實他應該擔心的是那有眼能看，有耳能聽的耶和華神，而不是我們這兩個與他無相干的外人。

父母年記大了，動作難免緩慢，有的人就覺得父母很難侍候。但是在我們年幼無知時，父母也是這樣等待我們。在十誡的第五誡裡說：“當孝敬父母，使你的日子在耶和華你神所賜你的地上得以長久。”所以孝敬父母，生命得以蒙福；相反地，咒罵父母的，他的燈必滅，沒有指望的意思。他的人生會變為漆黑的黑暗，因為神不祝福他了，沒有光的生命，走在黑暗中的生命。

You are 100% Blessed Because of Jesus

2022-07-31 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 28:1-14.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 28:1-14 (NIV)
1  If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.
2  All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God:
3  You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.
4  The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock–the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.
5  Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.

On verses 1-14, Moses tells the Israelites about the kinds of blessings God will pour out on His people if they obey His commands:

– He will bless them no matter where they are (Verse 3: “You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.”)
– He will bless not just them but the generations after them (Verse 4a: “The fruit of your womb will be blessed…”)
– He will bless their finances, businesses, professions and careers (Verse 4b: “…and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock–the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.”)
– He will bless their food and supplies (Verse 5: “Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.”)

靈巧如蛇，馴良如鴿

2022-07-31 in , /by

箴言 20:18  計謀都憑籌算立定，打仗要憑智謀。

閱讀經文：箴言20:17-19

17以虛謊而得的食物人覺甘甜，但後來他的口必充滿塵沙。18計謀都憑籌算立定，打仗要憑智謀。19往來傳舌的洩漏密事，大張嘴的不可與他結交。

第17節：以虛謊而得的食物人覺甘甜，但後來他的口必充滿塵沙。Stolen bread tastes sweet, but soon your mouth is full of gravel.《The Message》

「偷來的水是甜的，在暗中吃的餅是美味的。（箴9:17）」偷來的水是甜的，可能是因為覺得自己佔了便宜，所以覺得特別甜，但是被人抓到的話，打落牙齒和血吞，再被打倒在地，就真的是口裡要充滿塵沙了。

最近聽朋友說起，在超巿看到有三位黑頭髮的女士，把貴的有機雞蛋換到便宜的雞蛋盒裡；還有人很得意地說，把普通菜的價錢貼紙下來，換貼在有機菜的袋子上，說可以省很多錢。這種行為就是以虛謊而得的食物，雖然暫時得意，被發現之後，就是全體買單。因為超巿必然用更多方法來制止這類行為，成本全部回到顧客身上。佔小便宜，將來吃大虧，還壞了華人的名聲。但是最大的後遺症是，自己無法再信任別人，不管買什麼，都會擔心被人動過手腳，買得不安心，吃得也不安心，一輩子疑神疑鬼，都是自己害自己，吃了滿口塵沙。

在惡事上馴良如鴿，便是愛自己了。

買東西的智慧

2022-07-29 in , /by

箴言 20:15  有金子和許多珍珠，唯有知識的嘴乃為貴重的珍寶。

閱讀經文：箴言20:14-16

14買物的說「不好，不好」，及至買去，他便自誇。15有金子和許多珍珠，唯有知識的嘴乃為貴重的珍寶。16誰為生人作保，就拿誰的衣服；誰為外人作保，誰就要承當。

第14節：買物的說「不好，不好」，及至買去，他便自誇。The shopper says, “That’s junk—I’ll take it off your hands,”  then goes off boasting of the bargain.《The Message》

「買物的說不好，不好，及至買去，他便自誇。 (箴言20:14) 」上帝教我們作生意的原則，第一，購買東西時，不要嫌這不好，那不好，這是給賣方基本的尊 重。作生意時要尊重對方，喜歡所買，欣賞所購。如果不喜歡，為什麼還要買呢？不要這不好，那不好，放在嘴上。例如嫌這東西不好，這工作不好，這國家不好， 這時代不好……，為了佔便宜，就故意抱怨，挑剔。其實是人心不好。

第二，作生意時，不要東嫌西嫌來殺價，討折扣，要給賣方有利可賺，不然對方如何生活？如何養家？有時哄抬物價不是賣方，而是買方。買方每次都要殺價，賣方只好一開始就把價格抬高，帶下不好的循環。

第三，買到之後，不是自誇買得真便宜，賺到了。東西要好好地使用，才有真正的價值。（張文亮教授）

Repenting Starts with “Amen” + Jesus Turns Your Curse into a Blessing

2022-07-29 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 27:11-26.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 27:11-26 (NIV)
11  On the same day Moses commanded the people:
12  When you have crossed the Jordan, these tribes shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph and Benjamin.
13  And these tribes shall stand on Mount Ebal to pronounce curses: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan and Naphtali.
14  The Levites shall recite to all the people of Israel in a loud voice:
15  “Cursed is the man who carves an image or casts an idol–a thing detestable to the LORD, the work of the craftsman’s hands–and sets it up in secret.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”

On verses 11-26:  Here Moses tells half the Israelite tribes to stand on Mount Gerizim to pronounce blessings on the people (v12).  He tells the other half of the Israelite tribes to stand on Mount Ebal to pronounce curses on the people (v13).  Then he tells the Levites to pronounce 11 curses and have all the people say “Amen!” after each one (v14-26).
What can we learn from this?

Your ‘Altar’ Ego

2022-07-28 in /by

Hi GAMErs! 

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 27:1-10.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 27:1-10 (NIV)
1  Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: “Keep all these commands that I give you today.
2  When you have crossed the Jordan into the land the LORD your God is giving you, set up some large stones and coat them with plaster.
3  Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.

On verses 1-10:  Here Moses tells the Israelites that when they enter the Promised Land, they are to take some large stones (v1), bring them up to Mount Ebal, coat them with plaster (v2, 4) and write on them the words of the law (v3, 8).  There they are also to build an altar of undressed stones to worship the Lord (v5) by offering burnt offerings (v6) and celebrate by offering fellowship offerings (v7).  (Click HERE for what burnt offerings and fellowship offerings are.)

睜開你的眼睛

2022-07-28 in , /by

箴言 20:12  能聽的耳，能看的眼，都是耶和華所造的。

閱讀經文：箴言20:11-13

11孩童的動作是清潔，是正直，都顯明他的本性。12能聽的耳，能看的眼，都是耶和華所造的。13不要貪睡，免致貧窮；眼要睜開，你就吃飽。

第11節：孩童的動作是清潔，是正直，都顯明他的本性。Young people eventually reveal by their actions if their motives are on the up and up.《The Message》

有個人做過一個測驗，要曉得種族歧視是否與生俱來的。於是她把自己的嬰兒帶到超巿，故意去和不同種族的嬰兒或孩子附近。她發現自己的白人嬰兒和黑人嬰兒彼此伸手碰觸，對東方人的孩子也伸手，跟他們咿咿阿阿。於是她得了一個結論，種族歧視是後天形成的。

有個朋友做了祖母，告訴我一個故事：有一次她去兒子家吃飯。兩歲的孫子哭哭啼啼，不肯好好吃飯。於是她說他不乖。沒想到小傢伙把這話記在心裡。飯後她坐在客廳後面，孫子的小姐姐坐在客廳看電視。小孫子拿了一根棍子，走過去打姐姐。姐姐哭起來。他回過頭跟我朋友說：“姐姐不乖。”

孩童很可愛，但有時也會彰顯罪性。神給人的善良和老祖宗遺傳下來的醜惡，往往都會顯露，慢慢表明出他們的性格。你相信教育能改變一個人嗎？這個社會上多的是高級貪官，都是最高學府出來的。但是我相信，神給人的新生命，才能在聖靈的影響下，遠離罪惡。

Because You Are God’s Treasured Possession

2022-07-27 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 26:12-19  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 26:12 (NIV)
12  When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied.
 
On verse 12:  To tithe means to give one tenth of your income to the church.  A “tithe” literally means “one tenth”.  This verse tells us two of God’s purposes for tithing: to supply the needs of those who have dedicated their working careers to serving in the church – “that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied” – and to enable the church to reach people in need – “the alien, the fatherless and the widow”.   There are other good reasons to tithe: tithing is a reminder that every good gift ultimately comes from God, it’s a practical way to put God first, and it’s us giving God room to bless us even more.

正當冰

2022-07-27 in , /by

箴言 20:7   行為純正的義人，他的子孫是有福的！

閱讀經文：箴言20:7-9

7行為純正的義人，他的子孫是有福的！8王坐在審判的位上，以眼目驅散諸惡。9誰能說：「我潔淨了我的心，我脫淨了我的罪」？10兩樣的法碼，兩樣的升斗，都為耶和華所憎惡。

第7節：行為純正的義人，他的子孫是有福的！God-loyal people, living honest lives, make it much easier for their children.《The Message》

信息聖經的譯文：“忠心於神的人，因為行事為人誠實度日，他的兒女們在各方面就比較容易。”我想這主要有兩個原因，因為誠實的人已經建立信用，不僅為兒女設立了榜樣，同時也讓他們容易取信於人。這就是為何坊間的老字號都比較有吸引力，因為大家相信他們已經建立起來的信譽。

好像台灣的“義美”食品就是如此，屢經食安風暴而不受影響，以後的接班人要繼續做也比較容易。在花蓮有一位賣冰人，因為看到一些財團不顧良心，生產3小時不融化的冰淇淋，他放棄百萬年薪的工作，只為了能透過一己之力，宣揚食安理念，讓更多人吃到純天然的食品。所以他的冰叫做“正當冰”。因此，我們生活在世不要只想到自己或眼前利益，要堅持信仰，守住誠實，後人便能因而蒙福了。