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Praise God BEFORE the Miracle Happens

2022-04-24 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 16:25-40.  Let’s go!

Acts 16:25-36 (NIV)
25  About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
26  Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose.
27  The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped.
28  But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”
29  The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas.
30  He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31  They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved–you and your household.”
32  Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.
33  At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized.
34  The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God–he and his whole family.
35  When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.”
36  The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.”

On verses 25-36:  Here we see why God allowed Paul and Silas to be flogged and imprisoned. It wasn’t because God was cruel, distant or indifferent. Rather God allowed this painful situation so that Paul, Silas and everyone in the prison with them could witness God’s incredible saving power. Not only did God save his servants from prison, but even more God used the situation so that a jailer and his family could receive Jesus and be saved from hell.  (By the way, notice also that the jailer and his family got baptized immediately after they placed their faith in Jesus. They didn’t wait or delay to obey Jesus’ command to get baptized. Have you gotten baptized in obedience to God’s command?)

智慧人必承受尊荣

2022-04-24 in , /by

〈箴言〉3:35  智慧人必承受尊荣，愚昧人高升也成为羞辱。

阅读经文：〈箴言〉3:30-35

30人未曾加害于你，不可无故与他相争。31不可嫉妒强暴的人，也不可选择他所行的路。32因为乖僻人为耶和华所憎恶，正直人为他所亲密。33耶和华咒诅恶人的家庭，赐福于义人的居所。34他讥诮那好讥诮的人，赐恩给谦卑的人。35智慧人必承受尊荣，愚昧人高升也成为羞辱。

所罗门王说：“人未曾加害于你，不可无故与他相争”。毕德生牧师在The Message里的译文是：Don’t walk around with a chip on your shoulder,  always spoiling for a fight.　意思是不要老是脸长长的，好像有人对不起你，跟你过不去，或是欠了你好多钱，动不动就生气的意思。我们虽然不可能见人就笑，但是也不要常常给人看脸色。学习和颜悦色的方法，最好是每天早上洗脸时，对着镜中人说：“耶稣爱你，我也爱你”。连说三次，你的表情就会松弛下来，不再那么紧张，甚至笑得出来了。说话的声音调低一点，非必要时，不要大声叫。这样对你的血压有好处，也比较不会喉咙痛。可以在说话前先深呼吸再讲，慢慢就会习惯了。

“不可嫉妒强暴的人，也不可选择他所行的路” 。Don’t try to be like those who shoulder their way through life.   Why be a bully? 可能很多人说他不会做这样的傻事，强暴的人值得嫉妒吗？实际上，对于那些比我们强，不断被老师欣赏或升职的同事，经常有人在背后说他们的坏话，很少人他们是凭本事，反而更多人会说那些人会旁门走道，以致得到师长或上司的青睐。毕德生牧师认为那是一种霸凌的现象，借着自己的力气或强势或财富，夺走原不属于他的。这样的人，虽然大家口头上诋毁，但也有人会非常羡慕，进而嫉妒，以致学习。以为世间就是这样，不横行霸道，就得不到想要的。所以有人说，要先学做人，才能把事情做得好。因为不懂怎样做人，只想借着一些方法或势力拿到自己所要的，却往往会失去更多。