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惊动被风吹的叶子

2022-03-06 in , /by

〈约伯记〉13:25 你要惊动被风吹的叶子吗？要追赶枯干的碎秸吗？

阅读经文：〈约伯记〉13 章

约伯在说完世人的成功是由神来决定之后，来了一个高潮：“我真要对全能者说话，我愿与神理论”。因为他的眼都见过，耳都听过。现在有几个人敢这样说，我不晓得，但是由于资讯的泛滥及广濶，实在很难什么都见过，什么都听过。因为人生有限，面对浩瀚的宇宙和地球悠久的历史，我们所见所闻都只是冰山一角，都只是传媒送到我们眼前的资料而已。约伯是在跟他的朋友们做比较，免得朋友以为他什么都不知道。有这个前题，所以他知道他们的建议对他而言都像是无用的医生。他的问题只有神才能解决。

所以他不管三七廿一，即使神要杀他，他也要和神把话讲清楚，才能死得明白。他相信，只有跟神把话说清楚了，他才有得到拯救的可能，因为神是掌管他生命的神。假如朋友要再和他辩论，像是为神遮掩、为神说好话，他就宁愿缄默不言，气绝而亡。所以他要弄清楚，他究竟犯了何罪，以致于落到这样的境地。所以在约伯心中，也是有同样的思路，灾难是出于神的审判而来。但是他究竟有多少罪孽和罪过，是否连幼年的罪孽也都被数算了？

在苦难中，约伯依然求神不要缩回祂的手，也就是不要不与约伯同在，不要远离约伯，但不要惊他。约伯说神使他有如被风惊动的叶子，叶子不是一天到晚被风吹着吗？让我们来看看张文亮教授写的，一片叶子写给约伯的信。

When Making Tough Decisions

2022-03-06 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 1:12-26.  Let’s go! 

Acts 1:12-14 (NIV)
12  Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city.
13  When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.
14  They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

On verses 12-14:  After spending time with Jesus post-resurrection and witnessing His ascension into heaven, the disciples, including Jesus’ female followers, Jesus’ mother Mary and Jesus’ brothers, would return to the place where they were staying and join together constantly in prayer.  It was their closest, most natural and most direct way of keeping in contact with their Lord Jesus.  They would pray together, knowing that Jesus heard them.  It was all coming together for them that Jesus truly is all-seeing, all-knowing, all-powerful God.  What can we learn from this?

1.     According to Mark 6:3, while Jesus lived on this earth Jesus had four brothers called James, Joseph, Judas and Simon.  They were his half-brothers in that they were the natural sons of Jesus’ parents Joseph and Mary.  These brothers did not believe that Jesus was who he claimed to be: the Son of God.  That is, until the resurrection.  Jesus’ resurrection was that pivotal moment when his half-brothers who doubted Him started to believe in Him.  James would even become the leader of the church in Jerusalem.   Again, if you want to know if Christianity is valid and worth believing in, start with the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus.

约伯自言己智不亚于友

2022-03-04 in , /by

〈约伯记〉12:5 安逸的人心里藐视灾祸，这灾祸常常等待滑脚的人。

阅读经文：〈约伯记〉12 章

当琐法讲得如此精彩，约伯大概无法可说吧。不！约伯回答的更多，并且更精彩。这种高潮迭起的应对，使约伯记像是章回体裁，在每段的末了，总留伏笔，要知后果如何，请看下回分解，琐法的伏笔，在第三段有着美好的安慰以后，以「但恶人的眼目必要失明。他们无路可逃，他们的指望就是气绝。」（约伯记11:20），仿佛是一首交响曲，到了终了战鼓声又再催扬。

人性的关怀

老将，约伯，只好上场再度应战，他也将对方来将痛骂一阵：「你们真是子民哪，你们死亡，智慧也就灭没了。」（约伯记12:2），又说：「但我也有聪明，与你们一样，并非不及你们。你们所说的，谁不知道呢？」（约伯记12:3），圣经记录这么多人在苦难不得安慰时的情绪之言，证明上帝看重「人性」的软弱，而且上帝的恩惠与救赎是能透过人性的软弱来彰显。软弱的竹子与坚强的钢结构可以合搭一座桥吗？伟大的上帝，正在这里搭建一个极巧妙的艺术工作。

骂了之后，约伯就迅速地切入他的第一个论点，他提出上帝的智慧与人的智慧不同，上帝的知识与人的知识有很大的差距。约伯的朋友都提出灾祸是上帝给恶人的审判，富裕是上帝给人的祝福，约伯提出上帝可以用灾祸，也可以用富裕来审判人，灾祸与富裕都可以使人离开上帝，他用一个极具启发性的例子，「上帝……，祂把水留住，水便枯干；祂再发出水来，水就翻地。」（约伯记12:15），这两种极端不同的状况，皆是上帝的审判。水的枯干，如同人逢到苦境，四周遭困；水的发出，如同人的顺利发达，却带来翻地的后果。

God’s Power and Purposes for Your Life

2022-03-04 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today we begin the book of Acts.  Written by Luke in approximately 60 A.D. as a sequel to the Gospel of Luke, Acts is such an important book in that: (1) it gives us a detailed account of what happened to Jesus’ followers after Jesus ascended to heaven; (2) it gives us a historical backdrop for understanding the letters of Paul, which would make up much of the New Testament; (3) it shows us what the early church looked like and the incredible faith, courage and perseverance they displayed in the face of great uncertainty and persecution; and (4) it takes us on a tour from Jerusalem to the various nations where the church spread.  Even more, the book of Acts is filled with powerful lessons for us today. 

Today’s passage is Acts 1:1-11.  Let’s go! 

Acts 1:1 (NIV)
1  In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach
 
On verse 1:  The “former book” Luke is referring to is the Gospel of Luke, which Luke also wrote to Theophilus.  Little is known about Theophilus.  The fact that Luke refers to Theophilus as “most excellent Theophilus” (Luke 1:3) suggests to many scholars that Theophilus may have been a person of wealth and high social status.  The name “Theophilus” literally means “lover of God”, which has led some to believe that “Theophilus” may also have been a code name for addressing Christians or people interested in Jesus generally. 
 
Acts 1:2-4a (NIV)
2  until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.
3  After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
4  On one occasion, while he was eating with them…

Depending on the Presence of God

2022-03-03 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 40:17-38, the final passage of Exodus.  Let’s go! 

Exodus 40:17-35 (NIV)
17  So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month in the second year.
18  When Moses set up the tabernacle, he put the bases in place, erected the frames, inserted the crossbars and set up the posts.
19  Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering over the tent, as the LORD commanded him.
20  He took the Testimony and placed it in the ark, attached the poles to the ark and put the atonement cover over it…….

On verses 17-35:  Notice how over and over the words “as the LORD commanded Moses” get repeated when describing how Moses set up the tabernacle.  When Moses had finished the work, a cloud representing the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.  For me it’s a powerful reminder of two things:

First, full obedience ushers in the presence of God.  Moses carefully set up the tabernacle just as the LORD had commanded, and in a similar way Jesus carefully obeyed His Father completely and it is through His perfect obedience that we now have God’s presence in our lives.  Jesus’ perfect obedience ushered the presence of God into our world.

琐法责约伯自义

2022-03-03 in , /by

〈约伯记〉11:12 空虚的人却毫无知识，人生在世好像野驴的驹子。

阅读经文：〈约伯记〉11 章

有一餐厅，开始摆出来的菜并不好吃，

但是，如果嫌菜难吃，转身离开，就可惜了，

后来端上来的菜，较为可口，原来好吃的在后头。

「嘿，伙计，你们这家餐厅怎么如此上菜？

难吃的摆前面，好吃的放后头。」

「噢，客倌，请不要生气，

我们店里的大厨脾气不好的时候，上菜差，脾气好的时候，上菜好。」

「那他什么时刻，脾气会由不好变成好？」

「当他想到上帝时。」伙计如此答道。

琐法在提到人时，口舌犀利的很，骂人骂的凶。到了第二段，他提到上帝，口气就缓和下来，所讲的内容就很有深度，他说：「你考察就能测透上帝吗？你岂能尽情 测透全能者吗？祂的智慧高于天，你还能做甚么？深于阴间，你还能知道甚么？其量比地长，比海宽。」（约伯记十一：7-9）。琐法这个大厨子，开始在上好菜 了。上帝所在的天有多高？阴间是全然黑暗，毫不透光的所在，那有多深啊？琐法在问「量度」的问题。

约伯求神示以谴责之故

2022-03-02 in , /by

〈约伯记〉10:2 (约伯)对神说：不要定我有罪，要指示我，祢为何与我争辩。

阅读经文：〈约伯记〉10 章

约伯觉得神在欺负他，并且以欺负他为美。他认为他没有罪恶，只是因为他是被造者，所以受苦也没有办法。他在控诉神不公。但最后还是哀求神，至少在他死前，可以宽容他，使他稍得畅快。约伯的子女死了，财产没了，那些都是身外物，但是他的肉体之煎熬，使他厌烦他的性命。你可曾听朋友说：“烦死了，天天吵，不如死了算了，来得清静”。有的说：“活着有什么意思呢？不如死了算了！”这些话都有个前题：只要不吵，我不烦，就可以活得开心；只要活得有意思，还是要活下去。但有的什么都不说，就自杀了，那是真的想不开，而不想活的人。

所以口说烦死了，想要死的人，一般都还要活，只是对目前活的状况不满意；若是环境有改善，他还是要活的。所以约伯对神说，反正我终归要死，你就不能让我在死前快活一下吗？这是他话里的意思。“求祢停手宽容我，叫我在往而不返之先，可以稍得畅快”。因为“那地甚是幽暗，是死荫混沌之地，那里的光好像幽暗”，所以只要神改善一下，他就要继续活，因为死荫混沌之地想起来还挺可怕的。

当我们读著〈约伯记〉时，你会觉得约伯对神没有不敢说的话，这是一种何等信赖的关系。他相信神听得到，他相信他可以控诉神而不得罪神。因为他要求的是公义的审判：“不要定我有罪，要指示我，祢为何与我争辩”。I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me; Show me why You contend with me. Contend在这里用“争辩”似乎有点怪，若是用“斗”，好像比较能表示它的意思。好像神的使者终夜与雅各摔跤，要把雅各打败一样。从约伯的感觉来看，一样接着一样的打击，就仿佛神用各样的方法来打败他这个人似的。当然，我们知道是撒旦，但是约伯那时不知道。就好像有人患上绝症时，会觉得为何神要这样对他？他究竟犯了什么大罪？现在我们晓得，苦难有时不一定是罪的缘故。

It’s All About Jesus

2022-03-02 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 40:1-16.  Let’s go! 

Exodus 40:1-9 (NIV)
1  Then the LORD said to Moses:
2  “Set up the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the first month.
3  Place the ark of the Testimony in it and shield the ark with the curtain.
4  Bring in the table and set out what belongs on it. Then bring in the lampstand and set up its lamps.
5  Place the gold altar of incense in front of the ark of the Testimony and put the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.
6  “Place the altar of burnt offering in front of the entrance to the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting;
7  place the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar and put water in it.
8  Set up the courtyard around it and put the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard.
9  “Take the anointing oil and anoint the tabernacle and everything in it; consecrate it and all its furnishings, and it will be holy.
10  Then anoint the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils; consecrate the altar, and it will be most holy.
11  Anoint the basin and its stand and consecrate them.

On verses 1-11:  This past Sunday at THRIVE Church Online we looked at this passage together.  In a message called “He’s There For You: Finding Jesus in Exodus”, I tried to show you that the seven “I am” statements of Jesus in the Gospel of John are reflected in Exodus 40:4-9 in the exact order that they appear in the Gospel of John.

人怎能在神面前称义

2022-03-01 in , /by

〈约伯记〉9:4 他心里有智慧，且大有能力，谁向神刚硬而得亨通呢？

阅读经文：〈约伯记〉9 章

在〈约伯记〉里，我们可以读到很多精采的辩论，这些辩论和论述所使用的文句极为精美，光是约伯用来形容人生在世的短暂就有这样多精采的比喻：我的日子比赛跑的更快，我的日子过去如快船，如急落抓食的鹰，我的生命不过是一口气，我的日子比梭更快。再看约伯对神的形容，足可显出他对神的认识：“但人在神面前怎能成为义呢？若愿意与他争辩，千中之一也不能回答。他心里有智慧，且大有能力，谁向神刚硬而得亨通呢？”很多人在神面前自以为义，但是约伯知道，人在神的面前是无法称义的。

因为人若想与神争辩，千中之一也不能回答。 If one wished to contend with Him, He could not answer Him one time out of a thousand. 千中之一的意思是，即使有人想和神争辩，给他一千个问题，他也回不了一个。这也是在后来发生的事情，神给约伯的每一个问题，约伯都无法回。你若不相信，我就给你一个简单的：“谁为雨水分道？谁为雷电开路？山岩间的野山羊几时生产，你知道吗？母鹿下犊之期，你能察定吗？”约伯一个问题也答不出来。我们自己以为可以滔滔不绝的理，到了神面前，什么也不是。

接下来，约伯的形容你看看最有可能发生在何时？“祂发怒把山翻倒挪移，山并不知觉。祂使地震动离其本位，地的柱子就摇撼。祂吩咐日头不出来，就不出来，又封闭众星。祂独自铺张苍天，步行在海浪之上。祂造北斗、参星、昴星，并南方的密宫。祂行大事不可测度，行奇事不可胜数。”神在何时发怒把山翻倒挪移呢？何时使地震离本位，使地的柱子摇撼？何吩咐日头不出来又封闭众星？何时独自铺张苍天，步行在海浪之上？何时造北斗、参星、昴星，并南方的密宫？这里仿佛给了我们一点〈创世记〉的影子。〈创世记〉第一章第一节第一节说：“起初，神创造天地。”紧接着第二节就是：“ 地是空虚混沌，渊面黑暗，神的灵运行在水面上”。接着，神就造出空气，将空气以下的水、空气以上的水分开了。神称空气为天。然后，神造了两个大光，大的管昼，小的管夜，又造众星。约伯的形容开展了我们的视野，仿佛画出神创造时的精采过程。

You’re Perfectly Blessed Because Jesus Perfectly Obeyed

2022-03-01 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 39:22-43.  Let’s go! 

Exodus 39:22-31 (NIV)
22  They made the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth–the work of a weaver–
23  with an opening in the center of the robe like the opening of a collar, and a band around this opening, so that it would not tear.
24  They made pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen around the hem of the robe.
25  And they made bells of pure gold and attached them around the hem between the pomegranates.
26  The bells and pomegranates alternated around the hem of the robe to be worn for ministering, as the LORD commanded Moses.
27  For Aaron and his sons, they made tunics of fine linen–the work of a weaver–
28  and the turban of fine linen, the linen headbands and the undergarments of finely twisted linen.
29  The sash was of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn–the work of an embroiderer–as the LORD commanded Moses.
30  They made the plate, the sacred diadem, out of pure gold and engraved on it, like an inscription on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD.
31  Then they fastened a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban, as the LORD commanded Moses.

On verses 22-31:  As we saw with so many of the priestly clothes described in verses 1-21, notice that Aaron’s robe, tunic, and turban were made of fine material, done by a craftsman, and adorned with gold.  It all speaks of how highly God valued the office of the priest.  Since as believers in Jesus Christ, we too are priests in God’s kingdom, let it be a reminder not to take our role as priests lightly or for granted.  May we approach our calling as priests with reverence and respect, and give God service that is of high quality and high value too.