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實實在在地活

2022-05-23 in , /by

〈箴言〉12:10  義人顧惜他牲畜的命，惡人的憐憫也是殘忍。

閱讀經文：箴言12:9-11

9 被人輕賤卻有僕人，強如自尊缺少食物。 10 義人顧惜他牲畜的命，惡人的憐憫也是殘忍。 11 耕種自己田地的必得飽食，追隨虛浮的卻是無知。

第9節： 被人輕賤卻有僕人，強如自尊缺少食物。

《新譯本》：被人輕看卻有僕人的人，勝過自尊自大卻缺少食物的人。

《呂振中譯本》：地位輕微、而自己有農產物（傳統︰僕人），勝過自尊自大、而缺少食糧。

《The Message》：Better to be ordinary and work for a living  than act important and starve in the process.

這句話很像在形容没落的貴族，假如你喜歡看韓劇的話，裡面有時也有一些沒落的兩班，因為好賭，賭到連自己的家譜都賣掉以維生。當我們這樣對照幾本不同的經文時，立刻有更清徹的明白。中文的翻譯道出現實的殘酷，為何時下有些大學生寧可放下身份去做出賣肉體的生意呢？因為想賺容易錢。因為這個世界笑貧不笑娼。大家都覺得錢很重要，可以讓自己活得有體面。

但是信息聖經，也就是畢德生牧師的英文翻譯有點不一樣，他說，人最好活得平凡，為生活而工作，強如為了擺闊而餓死。這樣我們就非常清楚這句經文的意思了。人要活得實實在在，不要為了面子害死自己。

How to Keep Up Your Courage and Not Lose it

2022-05-23 in /by

Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 27:13-26.  Let’s go!

Acts 27:13-26 (NIV)
13  When a gentle south wind began to blow, they thought they had obtained what they wanted; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete.
14  Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the “northeaster,” swept down from the island.
15  The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along.
16  As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure.
17  When the men had hoisted it aboard, they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Fearing that they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor and let the ship be driven along…..

On verses 13-26:  As Paul and about 270 others sail to Rome, their ship is caught in the middle of a storm of hurricane proportions called a northeaster.  After many days of fearing for their lives, Paul stands up and addresses everyone on the ship, telling them that to keep up their courage, because God spoke to Paul and assured him that he would go to Rome to testify before Caesar and that not one person on this ship would be lost.

何謂乖謬

2022-05-22 in , /by

〈箴言〉12:5  義人的思念是公平，惡人的計謀是詭詐。

閱讀經文：箴言12:5-8

5 義人的思念是公平，惡人的計謀是詭詐。 6 惡人的言論是埋伏流人的血，正直人的口必拯救人。 7 惡人傾覆歸於無有，義人的家必站得住。 8 人必按自己的智慧被稱讚，心中乖謬的必被藐視。

5-6節：義人的思念是公平，惡人的計謀是詭詐。 惡人的言論是埋伏流人的血，正直人的口必拯救人。

《新譯本》：義人的籌算是公平，惡人的計謀卻是詭詐。惡人的言語等著要流人的血，正直人的口能拯救人。

《The Message》：The thinking of principled people makes for justice;  the plots of degenerates corrupt. The words of the wicked kill;  the speech of the upright saves.

這兩句經文點出人心裡的黑暗，有時明明心裡有鬼，表面卻說得冠冕堂堂，頭頭是道。例如買賣房子為何需要律師呢？因為有的人借的房債沒還清，但是不講就把房子賣了。若沒有律師代查，買者很容易被騙。譯經家James Moffatt翻譯得相當清楚：「好人的目標是可尊敬的；壞人的計畫是卑鄙的」。

美國奧運游泳健將Ryan Lochte在巴西比賽後喝醉鬧事，結果謊稱被劫。他鬧事的過程都有攝影為證，最後只好承認自己做了很不成熟的行為。結果所有支持他的一些公司，全都撤消對他的支持。什麼是籌算，何謂計謀？當他想說謊嫁禍於人時，沒想到卻有錄影暴露他的詭詐。這就是在最後的審判時，我們所要面對的情形。

所有的事都要像影片在我們眼前經過，使我們無可推諉。若不是有錄影為證，他的謊言很可能會害到一些無辜的人。因為他的好成績會讓人以為他說的都是真的。不管是詭詐或正直，假如人都能藉著錄影而明辨，那麼，何況神呢？祂豈不明白我們的所作所為嗎？

This is Your Shelter in the Storm

2022-05-22 in /by

Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 27:1-12.  Let’s go!

Acts 27:1-12 (NIV)
1  When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius, who belonged to the Imperial Regiment.
2  We boarded a ship from Adramyttium about to sail for ports along the coast of the province of Asia, and we put out to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was with us.
3  The next day we landed at Sidon; and Julius, in kindness to Paul, allowed him to go to his friends so they might provide for his needs.
4  From there we put out to sea again and passed to the lee of Cyprus because the winds were against us.
5  When we had sailed across the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia.
6  There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy and put us on board…..

On verses 1-12:  Paul and other prisoners are heading for Rome and these verses detail the first stages of their voyage.  Notice that when the winds were especially strong, Paul’s ship would head toward the “lee” of a nearby island, in one case the “lee” of Cyprus (v4), in another case the “lee” of Crete (v7).  What is a “lee”?  A “lee” is the sheltered side of something, the side that is away from the wind.  When the winds were strong, Paul’s shipmates would look for a lee and go to it for shelter from the storm.  In fact, we see a contrast here between the lees that provided shelter for Paul’s ship (v4, 7) and a harbor in Crete that was not suitable for Paul’s ship to stay in (v12).

If You Get Intimidated By People Easily, Knowing THIS Will Ease Your Mind

2022-05-20 in /by

Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 26:19-32.  Let’s go!

Acts 26:19-23 (NIV)
19  “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven.
20  First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.
21  That is why the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me.
22  But I have had God’s help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen–
23  that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”
 
On verses 19-23:  Paul continues his defense in the presence of King Agrippa, insisting that the message he has been preaching is nothing beyond what the Jewish Scriptures already said would happen.  In other words, Paul was not starting some new sect or religion that departed from the Jewish faith, but rather was preaching what the Jewish Scriptures themselves speak about: that the Christ (Messiah) would die, rise from death and give light to both Jews and Gentiles alike.

才德的婦人

2022-05-20 in , /by

〈箴言〉12:4  才德的婦人是丈夫的冠冕，貽羞的婦人如同朽爛，在他丈夫的骨中。

閱讀經文：箴言12:1-4

1喜愛管教的就是喜愛知識，恨惡責備的卻是畜類。2善人必蒙耶和華的恩惠，設詭計的人，耶和華必定他的罪。3人靠惡行不能堅立，義人的根必不動搖。4才德的婦人是丈夫的冠冕，貽羞的婦人如同朽爛，在他丈夫的骨中。

1節：喜愛管教的就是喜愛知識，恨惡責備的卻是畜類。

《新譯本》：喜愛教訓的，就是喜愛知識；厭惡責備的，卻是愚頑人。

《TheMessage》：If you love learning, you love the discipline that goes with it— how short sighted to refuse correction!

很少人喜歡被人管，被人教；因為被人管，代表被限制，沒有為所欲為的自由；被人教表示別人比你強。但是畢德生牧師翻譯得很好：假如你喜歡學習，就會喜歡隨之而來的管教。因為不願意被糾正的人的太短視了。

的確，學習的過程裡一定會有犯錯誤的時候，在他人的糾正裡，我們才能調整自己，變得更好更進步。假如在學習的過程中沒有他人的指正，我們就無法有真正的學習。有人說，要好好去聽敵人所說的話，因為敵人的攻擊裡多半是真話。願意講真話的可能不一定是敵人，卻有可能被我們誤以為是敵人。不中聽的話才能幫助我們成長，因為它多半指出事實，我們不願面對的事實。

The King Who Understands You

2022-05-19 in /by

Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 26:1-18.  Let’s go!

Acts 26:1-13 (NIV)
1  Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defense:
2  “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews,
3  and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4  “The Jews all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. ……

On verses 1-13:  Paul considered it a blessing that he could tell his side of the story to King Agrippa, a Jewish ruler who understood the customs, controversies, culture and religious thinking of the Jews, instead of just to Governor Festus, who knew very little about these matters and was already secretly siding with Paul’s opponents.  Paul had confidence that King Agrippa could understand where Paul was coming from, and thus he felt free to approach him and plead his case.

生命樹

2022-05-19 in , /by

〈箴言〉11:30   義人所結的果子就是生命樹；有智慧的，必能得人。

閱讀經文：箴言11:29-31  

29 擾害己家的必承受清風，愚昧人必做慧心人的僕人。 30 義人所結的果子就是生命樹，有智慧的必能得人。 31 看哪，義人在世尚且受報，何況惡人和罪人呢？

29節：擾害己家的，必承受清風；愚昧人必作慧心人的僕人。

《現代中文譯本》譯為：帶災難進家門的，終必傾家蕩產；愚拙人必作明智人的奴僕。
《TheMessage》譯為：Exploit or abuse your family, and end up with a fistful of air;  common sense tells you it’s a stupid way to live.

你有沒有聽過這句話：“我們最大的錯就是把最差的脾氣和最糟糕的一面都給了最親近的人，卻把耐心和寬容給了陌生人。”出名的台灣鷹爸徐柏岳，曾經是戰鬥機飛行員，有兩個兒子後，發現他們種種脫線的行為，被氣到七竅生煙。他說自己一開始只是小小麻雀爸，不懂該怎麼教養孩子，所以總是以自己被教育的方式教孩子。直到看見了因為他發怒大吼後驚嚇的孩子，才開始意識到，這樣下去真的不行！在沉澱和思考後，他發現必須先找到完整的自己，才有可能成為最好的爸爸，進而變成孩子最堅強的後盾。

大多數人像麻雀爸，總是用發怒大吼去處理事情，使家庭成為極不快樂的地方，甚至是充滿衝突的地方。我們要承認自己的有限，沒有人一生下來就當丈夫或妻子或父親或母親，但我們都可以從錯誤中學習，使自己的家庭變得快樂溫馨。任憑自己的情緒不受控制，對家庭是致命的傷害。我們要學習愛和善待自己的家人。第一件事就是把講話的聲調降低五度，有事不要吼，好好地溝通。家破再來就是人亡，所以要好好愛你的家人。

生存之道

2022-05-18 in , /by

〈箴言〉11:28 倚仗自己財物的，必跌倒；義人必發旺，如青葉。

《現代中文譯本》譯為：倚靠財富，像秋天落葉；義人繁茂，如夏季的綠葉。
《新譯本》譯為：倚賴自己財富的，必然衰落；義人卻必繁茂，好像綠葉。

《The Message》譯為：A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump;  a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree.

在這一章裡所羅門王提供了很多理財的概念，而第28節是個總結：錢財雖然重要，卻不是人應當倚靠的對象。錢財買得了藥品，買不了健康；買得到陪伴，買不到真心的愛；買得到舒服的棉被和枕頭，買不到睡眠；買得到最貴的山珍海味，買不到胃口和食慾，還需要說下去嗎？每一次股票漲落時，總有人跳樓自殺，因為在他們的心中，錢就是一切，沒有錢，什麼都完了。

真的沒有錢，人就完了嗎？主耶穌告訴我們，“人活著不是單靠食物，而是靠神口裡所出的每一句話（太4:4）” 。有錢，是為了購買食物，但是神的話比食物更重要。鄭果牧師在蒙神呼召後，心裡感到猶豫。因為他上有老母，下有五個年幼的孩子，妻子沒有工作，全家靠他賺錢生活，他若去讀神學，誰來供養一家人？

但是主耶穌以〈馬太福音〉第六章裡的一段話回應他的憂慮：“不要為生命憂慮吃什麼，喝什麼，為身體憂慮穿什麼。生命不勝於飲食嗎？身體不勝於衣裳嗎？你們看那天上的飛鳥，也不種也不收，也不積蓄在倉裡，你們的天父 尚且養活它，你們不比飛鳥貴重得多嗎？你們哪一個能用思慮使壽數多加一刻呢？何必為衣裳憂慮呢？

Get Agrippa on Yourself

2022-05-18 in /by

Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 25:13-27.  Let’s go!

Acts 25:13-27 (NIV)
13  A few days later King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.
14  Since they were spending many days there, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. He said: “There is a man here whom Felix left as a prisoner.
15  When I went to Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews brought charges against him and asked that he be condemned.
16  “I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over any man before he has faced his accusers and has had an opportunity to defend himself against their charges.
17  When they came here with me, I did not delay the case, but convened the court the next day and ordered the man to be brought in…..

On verses 13-27:  King Agrippa II was a Jewish ruler who came from a long line of kings (including his great grandfather King Herod the Great and his father Herod Agrippa I).  Under Roman supervision, King Agrippa ruled over various territories in the region.  Here we see King Agrippa accompanied by Bernice, who was King Agrippa’s sister and with whom King Agrippa was rumoured to be carrying on an incestuous relationship.  King Agrippa appears here in a visit to Caesarea most likely because he wished to build diplomatic ties with the newly appointed Governor Festus.  Festus had to give Caesar a report on Paul’s case before sending Paul to Caesar.