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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.

你交了桃花运吗？

2022-08-21 in , /by

箴言22:13 懒惰人说：「外头有狮子，我在街上就必被杀！」

阅读经文：箴言 22:13-15

13 懒惰人说：「外头有狮子，我在街上就必被杀！」14淫妇的口为深坑，耶和华所憎恶的必陷在其中。15愚蒙迷住孩童的心，用管教的杖可以远远赶除。

第13节：懒惰人说：「外头有狮子，我在街上就必被杀！」

这句经文很幽默：懒惰，不想工作，就说外面有狮子。狮子是困难，是麻烦，是灾难，也是借口。我们换句话来讲也是，如果要勤快，是会有狮子、是会有难处，但靠着主，我们可以作一个勤快的人杀掉这狮子，而不是被狮子吃掉。

喜爱清心的人

2022-08-19 in , /by

箴言22:11  喜爱清心的人，因他嘴上的恩言，王必与他为友。

阅读经文：箴言 22:9-12

9眼目慈善的就必蒙福，因他将食物分给穷人。10赶出亵慢人，争端就消除，纷争和羞辱也必止息。11喜爱清心的人，因他嘴上的恩言，王必与他为友。12耶和华的眼目眷顾聪明人，却倾败奸诈人的言语。 

第9节：眼目慈善的就必蒙福，因他将食物分给穷人。

我们不是因为要蒙福才把食物分给穷人，最重要的目标：我们求主让我们有一个慈善的眼目，尤其当我们有钱时；就算没有钱，我们总要有一个慈善的眼目看到人的需要。这不是作滥好人，而是把最恰当的东西给最需要的人。我始终觉得我们不要作散财童子，但始终要作福音的传播者、真理的传播者；这是人最需要的，我们让人能得到心灵的满足。

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).

教养孩童的责任

2022-08-18 in , /by

箴言22:6 教养孩童，使他走当行的道，就是到老他也不偏离。 

阅读经文：箴言 22:6-8

6教养孩童，使他走当行的道，就是到老他也不偏离。7富户管辖穷人，欠债的是债主的仆人。8撒罪孽的必收灾祸，他逞怒的杖也必废掉。 

第6节：教养孩童，使他走当行的道，就是到老他也不偏离。Point your kids in the right direction— when they’re old they won’t be lost.《The Message》

这段经文并不是说教导了孩童，他就一定不会偏离（很多人偏离），而是说人越小越有可塑性，我们就越早把他教导好。教养是为人父母的责任，虽然儿女可能一生都偏离，很多就回不来了，不，我们总要看到神随时够用的恩典；我们到最老、犯最多错时回头，回头也一定是在神的眷顾当中。

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.
 

真假谦卑

2022-08-17 in , /by

箴言22:4 敬畏耶和华心存谦卑，就得富有、尊荣、生命为赏赐。 

阅读经文：箴言 22:3-5

3通达人见祸藏躲，愚蒙人前往受害。4敬畏耶和华心存谦卑，就得富有、尊荣、生命为赏赐。5乖僻人的路上有荆棘和网罗，保守自己生命的必要远离。

第3节：通达人见祸藏躲，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》

这也是一个现象，但我们是不是也想想看，为什么通达人能见祸藏躲？愚蒙人为什么前往受害？我第一个想到的就是：愚蒙人不觉得那是祸；通达人能看到那是祸。「不要赌！」但有人觉得那不是祸；「不要毒！」但有人觉得那不是祸；「不要情色！」但有人觉得那不是祸反觉得是福。这就叫愚昧人，让他堕落的肉体欺骗了他，就不断的前往去受害。

我们也不能说我们能够把祸通通都消除，在这世上我们不一定有这样的本领；神给我们能力去消除，但也有很多时候，我们能做得最好的就是藏躲，不要去受到伤害。就是第一个，你知不知道那是祸？相对的就是：通达人可能见福去追寻，愚蒙人刚好相反，见福就躲避：听到牧师来探访就躲起来，那是一个福他躲起来；看到圣经就丢开，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.  

美名胜过大财

2022-08-16 in , /by

箴言22:1  美名胜过大财，恩宠强如金银。

阅读经文：箴言 22:1-2

1美名胜过大财，恩宠强如金银。2富户穷人在世相遇，都为耶和华所造。

第1节：美名胜过大财，恩宠强如金银。A sterling reputation is better than striking it rich;  a gracious spirit is better than money in the bank.《The Message》

这话乍看就是：名比利好（我们中国人就这样讲）。不过我们应该还是可以看得深入一点。「名」怎么讲也是你自己经年累月给人家的一种印象，因此你这名是「美名」，是因为你这个人，使你有一个好的名声（如果是恶名当然就是不好，我们这里不谈恶名）。

「美名」是经年累月下，一切的美善造成的；是你自己的一个东西。但「大财」不是你自己的东西，不管是不是你赚的，真的都像中国人讲的身外之物，会随时长翅膀、如飞而去。但如果经年累月从你生命里活出来的，就不会飞掉，所以你真实的生命是属于你自己的，那比「大财」要好得多。

「恩宠强如金银」，「恩宠」和「金银」又都是身外物：「恩宠」是别人对你的好处，不管是上帝或是君王对你的好处。又为什么强如金银？如果美名是指你自己一切的生命，恩宠就是指另外一个人的生命，这人的生命他有实权、有实际的能力，他愿意对你好，那就比无定的钱财要更好了。

换句话说：「美名和恩宠」都是一个人（或者神）实质所发出来的东西，比「大财和金银」随时在转移、流动，要稳固得多。所以让我们有一个美好的生命（长期的美好生命等于美名），那比会转瞬过去的大财好；让我们有从神自己生命出来的恩宠，那比金银要好。(康来昌牧师)