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It’s All Through Jesus and For Jesus

2022-08-21 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today we begin our study of the book of Romans.  Romans is a letter written by the apostle Paul in approximately 56 A.D. probably while Paul was on his third missionary journey and probably while he was staying in Corinth, a city in Greece (see Acts 20:2-3).  Because Paul’s goal had always been to preach the Gospel in places where Christ was not yet known (Romans 15:20), Paul had his heart set on going to Spain and saw Rome as a critical stopover on his way to Spain.   So Paul writes this letter to the Christians in Rome, whom he had never met, as a way to introduce himself before he went to visit them personally.  In particular, Paul attempts to give a clear and thorough statement of the gospel as Paul understood it, especially since his message had been misunderstood and misrepresented by some in the past.  Perhaps for this reason Romans is the longest of all of Paul’s letters.

你交了桃花運嗎？

2022-08-21 in , /by

箴言22:13 懶惰人說：「外頭有獅子，我在街上就必被殺！」

閱讀經文：箴言 22:13-15

13 懶惰人說：「外頭有獅子，我在街上就必被殺！」14淫婦的口為深坑，耶和華所憎惡的必陷在其中。15愚蒙迷住孩童的心，用管教的杖可以遠遠趕除。

第13節：懶惰人說：「外頭有獅子，我在街上就必被殺！」

這句經文很幽默：懶惰，不想工作，就說外面有獅子。獅子是困難，是麻煩，是災難，也是藉口。我們換句話來講也是，如果要勤快，是會有獅子、是會有難處，但靠著主，我們可以作一個勤快的人殺掉這獅子，而不是被獅子吃掉。

喜愛清心的人

2022-08-19 in , /by

箴言22:11  喜愛清心的人，因他嘴上的恩言，王必與他為友。

閱讀經文：箴言 22:9-12

9眼目慈善的就必蒙福，因他將食物分給窮人。10趕出褻慢人，爭端就消除，紛爭和羞辱也必止息。11喜愛清心的人，因他嘴上的恩言，王必與他為友。12耶和華的眼目眷顧聰明人，卻傾敗奸詐人的言語。 

第9節：眼目慈善的就必蒙福，因他將食物分給窮人。

我們不是因為要蒙福才把食物分給窮人，最重要的目標：我們求主讓我們有一個慈善的眼目，尤其當我們有錢時；就算沒有錢，我們總要有一個慈善的眼目看到人的需要。這不是作濫好人，而是把最恰當的東西給最需要的人。我始終覺得我們不要作散財童子，但始終要作福音的傳播者、真理的傳播者；這是人最需要的，我們讓人能得到心靈的滿足。

Never Lose Your Vision

2022-08-19 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 34:1-12.  Let’s go!
 
Deuteronomy 34:1-12 (NIV)
1  Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the LORD showed him the whole land–from Gilead to Dan,
2  all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the western sea,
3  the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar.
4  Then the LORD said to him, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.”

On verses 1-12:  In the last chapter of Deuteronomy, God takes Moses up to the top of Mount Nebo to a peak called Pisgah.  There God shows Moses the entire Promised Land (v1-4).  Shortly after, Moses passes away in the country of Moab (v5).

教養孩童的責任

2022-08-18 in , /by

箴言22:6 教養孩童，使他走當行的道，就是到老他也不偏離。 

閱讀經文：箴言 22:6-8

6教養孩童，使他走當行的道，就是到老他也不偏離。7富戶管轄窮人，欠債的是債主的僕人。8撒罪孽的必收災禍，他逞怒的杖也必廢掉。 

第6節：教養孩童，使他走當行的道，就是到老他也不偏離。Point your kids in the right direction— when they’re old they won’t be lost.《The Message》

這段經文並不是說教導了孩童，他就一定不會偏離（很多人偏離），而是說人越小越有可塑性，我們就越早把他教導好。教養是為人父母的責任，雖然兒女可能一生都偏離，很多就回不來了，不，我們總要看到神隨時夠用的恩典；我們到最老、犯最多錯時回頭，回頭也一定是在神的眷顧當中。

You Are Blessed Beyond Compare!

2022-08-18 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 33:13-29.  Let’s go!
 
You may find that Deuteronomy 33 is one of the harder chapters to understand or apply to our lives.  But if you dig deep, I believe you’ll find it’s one of the richest chapters in Deuteronomy. 
 
Deuteronomy 33:13-17 (NIV)
13  About Joseph he said: “May the LORD bless his land with the precious dew from heaven above and with the deep waters that lie below;
14  with the best the sun brings forth and the finest the moon can yield;
15  with the choicest gifts of the ancient mountains and the fruitfulness of the everlasting hills;
16  with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness and the favor of him who dwelt in the burning bush. Let all these rest on the head of Joseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers.
17  In majesty he is like a firstborn bull; his horns are the horns of a wild ox. With them he will gore the nations, even those at the ends of the earth. Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim; such are the thousands of Manasseh.”

Because You Are God’s Beloved

2022-08-17 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 33:1-12.  It’s one of my favourite passages in Deuteronomy.  Let’s go!
 
Deuteronomy 33:1 (NIV)
1  This is the blessing that Moses the man of God pronounced on the Israelites before his death.
 
On verse 1:  Moses already knew that he would not be allowed to enter the Promised Land (see chapter 32).  Still, Moses blessed the Israelites as they prepared to enter it, rather than envying them.  From this we see Moses’ humility and his love for the people he led, putting the people before himself.  No wonder he was called “the man of God”.    
 
By the way, the last record of anyone blessing the Israelites tribe by tribe this way was in Genesis 49.  There an elderly Jacob blessed each of his sons before his death.  Now here in Deuteronomy 33, we see Moses, the spiritual father and pastor of the Israelites, giving a fatherly and priestly blessing over the tribes of Israel before his death.

Like Moses, throughout your time on earth and when it is done, may you be known for leaving behind a blessing.
 

真假謙卑

2022-08-17 in , /by

箴言22:4 敬畏耶和華心存謙卑，就得富有、尊榮、生命為賞賜。 

閱讀經文：箴言 22:3-5

3通達人見禍藏躲，愚蒙人前往受害。4敬畏耶和華心存謙卑，就得富有、尊榮、生命為賞賜。5乖僻人的路上有荊棘和網羅，保守自己生命的必要遠離。

第3節：通達人見禍藏躲，愚蒙人前往受害。A prudent person sees trouble coming and ducks;  a simpleton walks in blindly and is clobbered.《The Message》

這也是一個現象，但我們是不是也想想看，為什麼通達人能見禍藏躲？愚蒙人為什麼前往受害？我第一個想到的就是：愚蒙人不覺得那是禍；通達人能看到那是禍。「不要賭！」但有人覺得那不是禍；「不要毒！」但有人覺得那不是禍；「不要情色！」但有人覺得那不是禍反覺得是福。這就叫愚昧人，讓他墮落的肉體欺騙了他，就不斷的前往去受害。

我們也不能說我們能夠把禍通通都消除，在這世上我們不一定有這樣的本領；神給我們能力去消除，但也有很多時候，我們能做得最好的就是藏躲，不要去受到傷害。就是第一個，你知不知道那是禍？相對的就是：通達人可能見福去追尋，愚蒙人剛好相反，見福就躲避：聽到牧師來探訪就躲起來，那是一個福他躲起來；看到聖經就丟開，不知道那是福。

Jesus, Your Ticket to the Promised Land

2022-08-16 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 32:40-52.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 32:40-44 (NIV)
40  I lift my hand to heaven and declare: As surely as I live forever,
41  when I sharpen my flashing sword and my hand grasps it in judgment, I will take vengeance on my adversaries and repay those who hate me.
42  I will make my arrows drunk with blood, while my sword devours flesh: the blood of the slain and the captives, the heads of the enemy leaders.”
43  Rejoice, O nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants; he will take vengeance on his enemies and make atonement for his land and people.
44  Moses came with Joshua son of Nun and spoke all the words of this song in the hearing of the people.

On verses 40-44:  Here Moses finishes his song for the Israelites.  His song ends talking about God’s vengeance against His enemies, how God will avenge the blood of His people (v43), punish all wrongdoing and eliminate His adversaries.  That is what a just God does.  God would not be just if He did not hate evil or punish wrongdoing.  God is a just judge and a mighty warrior who will one day put an end to all evil.  

美名勝過大財

2022-08-16 in , /by

箴言22:1  美名勝過大財，恩寵強如金銀。

閱讀經文：箴言 22:1-2

1美名勝過大財，恩寵強如金銀。2富戶窮人在世相遇，都為耶和華所造。

第1節：美名勝過大財，恩寵強如金銀。A sterling reputation is better than striking it rich;  a gracious spirit is better than money in the bank.《The Message》

這話乍看就是：名比利好（我們中國人就這樣講）。不過我們應該還是可以看得深入一點。「名」怎麼講也是你自己經年累月給人家的一種印象，因此你這名是「美名」，是因為你這個人，使你有一個好的名聲（如果是惡名當然就是不好，我們這裡不談惡名）。

「美名」是經年累月下，一切的美善造成的；是你自己的一個東西。但「大財」不是你自己的東西，不管是不是你賺的，真的都像中國人講的身外之物，會隨時長翅膀、如飛而去。但如果經年累月從你生命裡活出來的，就不會飛掉，所以你真實的生命是屬於你自己的，那比「大財」要好得多。

「恩寵強如金銀」，「恩寵」和「金銀」又都是身外物：「恩寵」是別人對你的好處，不管是上帝或是君王對你的好處。又為什麼強如金銀？如果美名是指你自己一切的生命，恩寵就是指另外一個人的生命，這人的生命他有實權、有實際的能力，他願意對你好，那就比無定的錢財要更好了。

換句話說：「美名和恩寵」都是一個人（或者神）實質所發出來的東西，比「大財和金銀」隨時在轉移、流動，要穩固得多。所以讓我們有一個美好的生命（長期的美好生命等於美名），那比會轉瞬過去的大財好；讓我們有從神自己生命出來的恩寵，那比金銀要好。(康來昌牧師)