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Who is the Lord?

2022-06-15 in /by

Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 8:1-9.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 8:1 (NIV)
1  Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land that the LORD promised on oath to your forefathers.
 
On verse 1:  Whenever you read the Bible, a helpful question to ask yourself is, “What does this passage teach me about who God is?”  Each of the verses here in this passage teaches us something about God.
 
Verse 1 teaches us that God is our King and Commander General.  Just as God commanded the Israelites for their good and their growth, so every one of His commands is for our good and for our growth.

Deuteronomy 8:2 (NIV)
2  Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.
 
Verse 2 teaches us that God is our Teacher who tests us to see what is in our heart.  Just as God led the Israelites for 40 years in the desert to see what is in their heart, so God puts us in situations so that He can see what we will do with the freedom He has given to us.

神所悅納的祭

2022-06-15 in , /by

〈箴言〉15:8  惡人獻祭為耶和華所憎惡，正直人祈禱為祂所喜悅。

閱讀經文：箴言15:8-12

8 惡人獻祭為耶和華所憎惡，正直人祈禱為他所喜悅。 9 惡人的道路為耶和華所憎惡，追求公義的為他所喜愛。 10 捨棄正路的必受嚴刑，恨惡責備的必致死亡。 11 陰間和滅亡尚在耶和華眼前，何況世人的心呢？ 12 褻慢人不愛受責備，他也不就近智慧人。

每次讀畢牧師的翻譯，總會讓我得到許多啟發，並且發出會心的微笑。第二節裡，他的翻譯如下：Knowledge flows like spring water from the wise;  fools are leaky faucets, dripping nonsense.　他的譯文好像描繪出一幅圖畫，智慧人發出的言語好像奔流的水泉四射，使四週的人在盛夏都得到清涼，使其四週的植物也都得到益處，可以成長茂盛；而愚昧人好像一條漏水的水管，到處亂滴，形容其言語的不合適。

智慧人的舌為何可以像水泉般釋放？在這段經文裡有幾個說法：一是指溫良的舌是生命樹Kind words heal and help。

智慧人的言語裡有仁慈，使人得到醫治和幫助。劉曉亭牧師寫過一篇文章，講到怎樣為病人禱告。他說在禱告之前要認清幾件事：1.「把病醫好」是醫生的事。2.「照顧病人」是家屬的事。3.「面對疾病」是病人的事。4.「支持病人」是朋友的事。弄清楚這四件事，我們才知道在探望病人時該說些什麼話，以及怎樣禱告，不會亂開支票。假如我們理清楚這四件事，和朋友或家人說話時，便也知道拿捏說話的分寸。

The Blessing of the “Little By Little”

2022-06-14 in /by

Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 7:12-26.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 7:12-15 (NIV)
12  If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the LORD your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your forefathers.
13  He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land–your grain, new wine and oil–the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land that he swore to your forefathers to give you.
14  You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless, nor any of your livestock without young.
15  The LORD will keep you free from every disease. He will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all who hate you.
 
On verses 12-15: Through verses 13-14 I am reminded that whether it’s family and children, material and financial wealth, or physical health, every good thing we have in life is a blessing from God.  As James 1:17 says, “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father”.  So when we experience any good gift, let’s be sure to thank God.

播揚知識的嘴

2022-06-14 in , /by

〈箴言〉15:4 溫良的舌是生命樹，乖謬的嘴使人心碎。

閱讀經文：箴言15:2-7

2 智慧人的舌善發知識，愚昧人的口吐出愚昧。 3 耶和華的眼目無處不在，惡人善人他都鑒察。 4 溫良的舌是生命樹，乖謬的嘴使人心碎。 5 愚妄人藐視父親的管教，領受責備的得著見識。 6 義人家中多有財寶，惡人得利反受擾害。 7 智慧人的嘴播揚知識，愚昧人的心並不如此。

每次讀畢牧師的翻譯，總會讓我得到許多啟發，並且發出會心的微笑。第二節裡，他的翻譯如下：Knowledge flows like spring water from the wise;  fools are leaky faucets, dripping nonsense.　他的譯文好像描繪出一幅圖畫，智慧人發出的言語好像奔流的水泉四射，使四週的人在盛夏都得到清涼，使其四週的植物也都得到益處，可以成長茂盛；而愚昧人好像一條漏水的水管，到處亂滴，形容其言語的不合適。

智慧人的舌為何可以像水泉般釋放？在這段經文裡有幾個說法：一是指溫良的舌是生命樹Kind words heal and help。

柔和的舌頭

2022-06-13 in , /by

〈箴言〉15:1  回答柔和使怒消退，言語暴戾觸動怒氣。

有一次我去拜訪一位高中同學，他那天要將貨品送到位在貿易中心的客戶那兒，那時正好風雨交加。客戶曾告訴他，可以把車停在大樓的後面卸貨，所以我們就將車停在劃黃線的卸貨區。

此時，一個大樓警衛衝過來大吼說：「你們不准停在這裡！」

我當然不願意在這種天氣中特意把車停在半英哩外，然後費力地運送這堆貨品。所以我立刻想反駁警衛：我們已經得到你的上司的允許了耶！

然而，我的同學的反應卻與我迥然不同。

他立刻放下手中的貨物，搶在我開口之前，以非常誠懇的口氣對那位警衛說：「對不起，你的上司告訴我們說，因為風雨很大，如果我只需要暫停幾分鐘的話，就可以利用這裡卸貨。不過，也可能是我們會錯意了，畢竟這裡是你管理的。所以可不可以請你告訴我現在該怎麼辦，我們一定會照著你的指示。」

他注視著那名警衛的雙眼，並且微笑著等他回應。

You Are God’s Treasured Possession

2022-06-13 in /by

Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 7:1-11.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 7:1-2 (NIV)
1  When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations–the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you–
2  and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy.
 
On verses 1-2:  As a young Christian, I was really impacted by the “can do” attitude that the Bible would teach followers of Jesus to have.  Whenever I would read the Bible in high school, the lesson that would impact me over and over is that no matter how tough the odds and how difficult the challenge, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).   That is no accident, and not simply a function of my own bias or background, for that is truly what the Bible teaches. 
 
We see Moses inculcating that “can do” attitude in the Israelites here.  The Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites were all larger and stronger than the Israelites (v1).  Yet God chose the Israelites and would enable the Israelites to overpower these larger and stronger nations. 

That Will Be Your Righteousness

2022-06-12 in /by

Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 6:14-25.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 6:14-25 (NIV)
14  Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you;
15  for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land.
16  Do not test the LORD your God as you did at Massah.
17  Be sure to keep the commands of the LORD your God and the stipulations and decrees he has given you.
18  Do what is right and good in the LORD’s sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land that the LORD promised on oath to your forefathers,

On verses 14-25:  Whether it’s not following other gods (v14-15), not testing God (v16), keeping all of God’s stipulations and decrees (v17), always doing what is right in God’s sight (v18), or teaching the next generation about God (v20), it is clear here that God’s standards are absolutely perfect.  That’s why God demanded perfect obedience from the Israelites.  Moses sums it up in verse 25 when he says that “if we are careful to obey all of God’s laws, that will be “our righteousness”.  By “righteousness”, Moses means that God will see them as blameless and qualified to be in His presence.

脾氣不好的原因

2022-06-12 in , /by

〈箴言〉14:30  心中安靜是肉體的生命，嫉妒是骨中的朽爛。

閱讀經文：箴言14:30-35

30心中安靜是肉體的生命，嫉妒是骨中的朽爛。31欺壓貧寒的是辱沒造他的主，憐憫窮乏的乃是尊敬主。32惡人在所行的惡上必被推倒，義人臨死有所投靠。33智慧存在聰明人心中，愚昧人心裡所存的顯而易見。34公義使邦國高舉，罪惡是人民的羞辱。35智慧的臣子蒙王恩惠，貽羞的僕人遭其震怒。

脾氣不好的原因

請不要一直這樣想，你缺那麼一點點，所以不喜樂。你缺某門課，所以裝備不足。你會成了日夜鞭策自己，失去生命的喜樂與平安。

如同那個大兒子，對父親說：「我服事你這多年，從來沒有違背過你的命，你並沒有給我一隻山羊羔，叫我和朋友，一同快樂。」(路加福音15:29) 可憐的 人，他總是缺乏一隻山羊羔。他很用功、很認真、很盡力，像是斯巴達的勇士，為了任務，每天苦待自己，鍛鍊再鍛鍊，到可以以一擋百。但是耶穌沒有要我們那 樣，祂說：「我們理當歡喜快樂。」(路加福音15:32)

「心中安靜，是肉體的生命；嫉妒是骨中的朽爛。」(箴言14:30) 安靜的人有滿足的心，服事有力。妒嫉的人是不滿足，不滿足使他成為自虐的人，不斷自己與別人比較，結果乏力，如同骨質朽爛。

我在美國的老友，在我返台前請我吃頓豐富的早餐，他對我說：「高中畢業後，四十多年來，我看你的優點是一直很認真，缺點是一直太認真。」啊，說的好。過去，我是斯巴達勇士；如今，我求主是裝備。願我們與主同樂，一起去吃肥牛犢。

雷納德的父親

2022-06-10 in , /by

〈箴言〉14:26  敬畏耶和華的大有倚靠，他的兒女也有避難所。

閱讀經文：箴言14:25-29

25作真見證的救人性命，吐出謊言的施行詭詐。26敬畏耶和華的大有倚靠，他的兒女也有避難所。27敬畏耶和華就是生命的泉源，可以使人離開死亡的網羅。28帝王榮耀在乎民多，君王衰敗在乎民少。29不輕易發怒的大有聰明，性情暴躁的大顯愚妄。

在美國司法科學教科書的範本裡記載了一個真實的事例。在1985年，由於某些查案手續的不完整，以致於才22歲的雷納德‧卡騰（Ronald Cotton）被控訴性侵犯案成立。雖然他一再強調自己的無辜，並且真正的作案者也承認了罪行，卻無助於翻案，反而被判更重的刑期。時間在無助和憤怒中緩緩地過去，有天雷納德的母親中風了，再也不能去探監，獄中的雷納德想到自己被誣陷，以致連最親愛的母親需要他時，都不能前去照顧。他的憤怒和怨恨不停地上升。

他偷了一塊鐵器，悄俏把它磨成一把尖銳的利刃，打算為自己報仇，去殺掉那個真正犯案，卻害他坐冤獄的傢伙。他把自己的計劃告來探監的父親。他的父親年輕時脾氣很壞，十分風流，到處留種，雷納德在監獄裡還碰上了幾個同父異母的兄弟。但是此時他父親已經信主悔改，戒了酒，並且十分敬虔，甚至在教會做執事。

他父親對他說：“雷納德，你告訴我，你是無辜的。我相信你。然而，要是你殺了這個人，你就永遠回不了家，一輩子屬於這個地方。”探監時間結束，雷納德思考著父親的話，他想到自己若是謀殺普爾，那與其他犯罪的獄友差別又在哪裡呢？隔天，他就把那把刀丟了。他開始參加監獄裡的詩班和讀聖經。他父親和姊姊鼓勵他，要禱告相信主。父親告訴他：“兒子啊，當沒人幫助你時，主會是你的幫助。當沒人聆聽你時，祂側耳傾聽你。”

Get It On Your Heart

2022-06-10 in /by

Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 6:1-13.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 6:1-3 (NIV)
1  These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess,
2  so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.
3  Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.
 
On verses 1-3:  Why did God direct Moses to teach this current generation of Israelites his commands?  It’s so that they and the generations after them would fear (i.e. reverence, trust, and honour) the Lord (v2) and so that they would enjoy long (i.e. a full) life.  In other words, God’s purpose for teaching His Word is not for entertainment or expanding one’s knowledge.  Rather, God’s purpose for teaching us His Word is to effect life change, that we would know God better and love Him more.