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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.

Bling Bling for the King

2022-02-28 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 39:1-21.  Let’s go!

Exodus 39:1-21 (NIV)   
1  From the blue, purple and scarlet yarn they made woven garments for ministering in the sanctuary. They also made sacred garments for Aaron, as the LORD commanded Moses.
2  They made the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen.
3  They hammered out thin sheets of gold and cut strands to be worked into the blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen–the work of a skilled craftsman.
4  They made shoulder pieces for the ephod, which were attached to two of its corners, so it could be fastened.
5  Its skillfully woven waistband was like it–of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen, as the LORD commanded Moses……

On verses 1-21:  After describing the building of the tabernacle and all its furniture (Exodus 36-38), Moses goes on to describe in Exodus 39 the making of the clothes for Aaron the high priest and his sons who will all serve as priests.  Exodus 39 is basically the fulfillment of Exodus 28, when the LORD first tells Moses the kind of clothes that the high priest and priests should wear.

Here’s what I notice: notice how blingy the high priest’s clothes are.  Whether it’s the ephod (v2), the waistband (v5), the onyx stones in gold filigree settings (v6), or the breastpiece (v15-21), all of it is decorated with gold.  You only put gold on someone you think is worthy of it.  The fact that God put so much gold on His high priest and saw to it that his clothes were decorated in gold speaks of how valuable the priest was to God.  Likewise, as believers in Jesus Christ, we are priests in God’s kingdom (1 Peter 2:9) and you are precious to God.  God has covered us in something even more precious and, from heaven’s perspective, even blingier than gold; it’s the blood of Jesus.

比勒达言神公义无私

2022-02-28 in , /by

〈约伯记〉8:11 蒲草没有泥，岂能发长？芦荻没有水，岂能生发？

阅读经文：〈约伯记〉8 章

世上许多有钱的人，
在世的时候，总喜欢出版自己的传记，
讲述自己如何成功、赚大钱，
如何当个富爸爸。
约伯是一个富人，
他年轻的时候很有钱，
年老的时候更有钱，
但是约伯的传记──约伯记，
初始的有钱只在第一页，
末时的富有只在最后一页，
中间所有的内容，都是他一无所有的时候，
他与三个朋友的争论，
与上帝给他的回应，
反而成为他一生最值得撰写、
最能帮助人的部分。
这是世界上最独特的富人传记，
你猜，是谁教他这样写的？

约伯向神倾诉

2022-02-27 in , /by

〈约伯记〉7:7 求祢想念我的生命不过是一口气！我的眼睛必不再见福乐。

阅读经文：〈约伯记〉7 章

与其说约伯在回答朋友们，倒不如说，他倾诉的对象其实是神，他一向仰望的神。这是人的本性，有不幸的事发生，总是先叫：“天啊！”有坏人遭报应，也会说：“老天有眼！”没有人教我们，我们就会呼天唤地了。那是不是一种心灵的感应呢？最近有个朋友癌症漫延全身，被送到安宁病房。当她被发现患了癌症时，她非常努力地按著各种自然疗法去帮助自己，吃的全是有机食品，每天按时走路运动、休息。现在她说，什么人为的方法她都不相信了，她只相信只有神能医治她。若神许可，她才能得医治。在人的尽头，人才能明白只有神才有掌管生死的权柄。所以在人的尽头，很多话都只能跟神说了。

约伯的言语其实是一连串诗句组成的，我试着把1-5节译得白话一点：“人生在世岂不是劳劳碌碌，终日烦累？他的日子都像雇工，不断地被催逼作息。就好像一个仆人渴望得到遮荫，又像雇工盼望得到工价，我也是活在无尽的指望里，每晚却疲倦地挣扎。当我躺下时，我就自问：何时才到天亮？黑夜何时结束？因为我辗转反复，直到黎明。我的肉体爬满虫子，且被尘土所覆蓋，我的皮肤一收口就又破裂。”约伯虽然只是坐在炉灰之中，心里却很疲累。白天要刮脓，还要忍受难吃的食物和别人的歧视嘲笑，巴不得夜晚来临可以休息；夜晚来临了，他也睡不着，因为肉体承受着各样的折磨，想睡睡不了，夜晚比白天更难挨，只能期待黎明来临。日复一日，夜复一夜，都是无止尽的痛苦。

有失眠经验的人大约都能体会约伯躺下去后，翻来覆去的无奈。睡不着是一种很难受的经验，所以巿面上有很多种帮助睡眠的药物和方法。有不少人在见证时提到原本失眠很厉害，信耶稣时求主让他一夜好睡，神就应允，让他（她）能得安眠。但是像约伯这样虔诚的人也睡不着，那怎么办？难道神不爱他了吗？信耶稣而睡不着的人也不少，一是觉得问题太小，不用向神求，所以不得医治；二是自己习惯不好，没有调整自己的作息；三是到了某个年龄，身体的内分泌失去平衡；四是心里有事，担心的事太多，没有交托；五呢，身体的疼痛，疾病的影响。当然还有其他原因。不过，假如我们把它当回事，不断在神面前祈求，神总会帮助我们。