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愛恨交織

2022-05-06 in , /by

〈箴言〉10:12    恨能挑起爭端，愛能遮掩一切過錯。

閱讀經文：

11義人的口是生命的泉源，強暴蒙蔽惡人的口。12恨能挑起爭端，愛能遮掩一切過錯。13明哲人嘴裡有智慧，無知人背上受刑杖。14智慧人積存知識，愚妄人的口速致敗壞。15富戶的財物是他的堅城，窮人的貧乏是他的敗壞。16義人的勤勞致生，惡人的進項致死。17謹守訓誨的乃在生命的道上，違棄責備的便失迷了路。18隱藏怨恨的有說謊的嘴，口出讒謗的是愚妄的人。19多言多語難免有過，禁止嘴唇是有智慧。20義人的舌乃似高銀，惡人的心所值無幾。

The Massage（信息聖經）是畢德生牧師Eugene Peterson用了十二年時間，直接從希伯來文和希臘文直接意譯的聖經，從他的譯文裡，有時我們可以得到更清楚的帶領。例如第11節：The mouth of a good person is a deep, life-giving well,    but the mouth of the wicked is a dark cave of abuse.這是有對比的。義人的口是生命的泉源，詭詐人的口則好像是充滿惡虐的黑洞。我們可以想像，從生命的泉源出來的，必使人的生命受到造就，得到鼓勵；但是從黑心的洞出來的，必然是令人痛苦的咒詛和惡毒，使人沮喪痛苦的言語。

這一段經文讓我們明白，心裡有什麼，就會從口裡流露出來。所以我們要留心，自己的意念是善或惡。第12節：Hatred starts fights,    but love pulls a quilt over the bickering.恨是從爭吵開始的，但是愛像一張毯子遮掩所有的爭吵。這句話說得真好，每一個關係的破壞都不是沒有原因的，往往起自於口角，一點小事就可以導致關係的破裂。很多人離婚之後都深深後悔，若當時不意氣用事，可能也不致於一拍兩散。

選擇

2022-05-05 in , /by

〈箴言〉10: 9  行正直路的步步安穩，走彎曲道的必致敗露。

閱讀經文：1智慧之子使父親歡樂，愚昧之子叫母親擔憂。2不義之財毫無益處，唯有公義能救人脫離死亡。3耶和華不使義人受飢餓，惡人所欲的他必推開。4手懶的要受貧窮，手勤的卻要富足。5夏天聚斂的是智慧之子，收割時沉睡的是貽羞之子。6福祉臨到義人的頭，強暴蒙蔽惡人的口。7義人的紀念被稱讚，惡人的名字必朽爛。8心中智慧的必受命令，口裡愚妄的必致傾倒。9行正直路的步步安穩，走彎曲道的必致敗露。10以眼傳神的使人憂患，口裡愚妄的必致傾倒。

人生就是一連串的選擇。從一早醒來，你就要選擇吃不吃早餐？吃什麼樣式的早餐？中午在外面吃或是帶便當，或回家吃。穿什麼衣服出門，穿哪雙鞋，配什麼顏色的襪子？再來就是心情的選擇，要和顏悅色和人說話，或是粗聲惡氣地回答，你可以選擇讓自己和別人都有一個好的開始，也可以有一個憤怒的開始。一天，就在不斷地選擇中開始。

在一天當中，你要做更多的選擇。今天有人送來一個農曆七月諸事不宜，何事要小心的短訊。我可以置之不理，但我選擇提醒他：信耶穌的人不宜和這些事掛鈎。雖然是玩笑性質，但我們最好不要成為撒旦的工具。我們不害怕，但也不必嘲笑害怕的人。在小事上做出選擇，要做神的兒女。箴言第十章看起來好像太多主題，實際上是在告訴我們，我們的選擇決定了我們要成為怎樣的人。

The Best Things In Life Don’t Come Without THIS

2022-05-05 in /by

Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 21:1-14.  Let’s go!

Acts 21:1-6 (NIV)
1  After we had torn ourselves away from them, we put out to sea and sailed straight to Cos. The next day we went to Rhodes and from there to Patara.
2  We found a ship crossing over to Phoenicia, went on board and set sail.
3  After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo.
4  Finding the disciples there, we stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.
5  But when our time was up, we left and continued on our way. All the disciples and their wives and children accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray.
6  After saying good-by to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home.

On verses 1-6:  Paul believed that the Holy Spirit was leading him to go to Jerusalem (see Acts 20:22).  Yet in verse 4 we read that “[t]hrough the Spirit” Christians in Tyre “urged Paul not to go to Jerusalem”.  Was the Holy Spirit giving contradictory directions?  I don’t think so.  God is not double-minded, so I think the best way to understand verse 4 is that the Holy Spirit had moved Paul’s heart to go to Jerusalem and at the same time impressed it upon the Christians in Tyre to warn Paul that great hardship lay ahead of him if he were to go. 

敬畏耶和華，是智慧的開端

2022-05-04 in , /by

閱讀經文：9:10  敬畏耶和華是智慧的開端，認識至聖者便是聰明。

The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom.    Proverbs 9:10  

正確的事情，一定有個正確的起頭，所有能夠存在永遠的，一定有個來自永恒的源頭。正如一幢偉大的建築必需立在一塊安放精確的房角石上，作其根源；一條源遠 流長的大河，必定來自一股永不枯竭的水泉；而優秀的學生，最重要的是心中有一個正確與求真的態度。這是怎麼來的？總要有一個開端。

科學與藝術的開端

這種認識開端的學問是怎麼來的？上帝在創造的開始，就放在人的心中，或是腦海的深處。因此物理學家發現只要認識移動物質基本的能量，就能講述天下間各種 光、電、聲、熱等現象；化學家發現只要認識基本粒子間的作用力，就能推展到世界許多生命界與物質界的反應；生物學家只要認識細胞的基本組成與功能，就能了 解許多保護人類生命與管理大自然各樣被造之物的道理。這如同生物化學之父海爾蒙特(Jan Helmont,1580-1644)所說的：「上帝創造生命的法則，仍像是一組隱藏的語言，仍然存在細胞裡。」，偉大的學問，人類文明的精華，總有一個 開端。

不只是科學，藝術也是如此。音樂家只要把幾個音符放在五線譜的正確位置上，人聽了就會感動，就會拍掌，就會起舞；藝術家只要把幾個顏色，正確的塗染在畫布 上，使光線的角度顯出，人看了就會快樂，就得鼓舞，就會成為腦海中一幅美好的印象。音樂之父巴赫(Johann Bach,1685-1750)寫道：「音樂是把人隱藏在深處的感情，用最簡單的方式抒發出來。」不朽的樂曲與畫作，人類藝術的精髓，總有一個開端。

Live with the End in Sight: 5 Characteristics of Someone Who Finishes Well

2022-05-04 in /by

Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 20:25-38.  Let’s go!

Acts 20:25-38 (NIV)
25  “Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again.
26  Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men.
27  For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.
28  Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.
29  I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock……

On verses 25-38:  Here Paul continues his final charge to the elders of the church in Ephesus, knowing that this would be the last time he ever sees them.  From this address in the verses that follow we will learn from Paul some of the characteristics that make an excellent leader and lover of God’s church.  Since you and I were made to be excellent leaders and lovers of God’s church, I pray that you and I would be intentional about displaying these characteristics as well.

光明和陰間之道

2022-05-03 in , /by

〈箴言〉9:10   敬畏耶和華是智慧的開端，認識至聖者便是聰明。

閱讀經文：〈箴言〉9 章 1-18節

在約旦的瓦迪拉姆保護區，靠近沙烏地阿拉伯邊界，有個沙漠景觀被稱為“智慧七柱”，取名於〈箴言〉九章第一節，因為這座山好像是由七根柱子組成。〈箴言〉九章第一節的七根柱子，有人以為是宇宙論的暗喻，指七根柱子代表神創造的七天（包括安息日）；當然也有其他不同的說法。在九章的智慧人格化，呼叫人來領受智慧，表示城中充滿愚蒙、無知、褻慢的惡人。當我們讀每天的新聞時，便會有類似的感受。我們需要智慧來建立自己的人生，不要圍繞著錢轉，不要被錢當杖使，不要變成錢的奴隸，我們要曉得如何掌握自己的生活。

這一章裡有兩種筵席。第一種筵席是智慧建造房屋後，邀請城裡的愚蒙人和無知的人參加，為了使他們捨棄愚蒙，得以存活，走光明的道。第二種筵席是愚蒙的婦人所預備的，她也同樣邀請愚蒙的人和無知的人，但是她所宴請的食物都是偷來的，人去到她那裡，就進入了陰間的深處。今年八月3日（農曆七月）開始，是台灣人說鬼門關大開的日子，因此有許多命理師出來宣揚怎樣才不會得罪鬼魂的方法。有很多人在八月不敢動手術，有很多患者都要求提早或延後開刀，害怕撞到鬼會有閃失。但是有一項追蹤十年的統計，農曆七月開刀的存活率竟高於農曆八月，反而是害怕有閃失而不敢醫治的病人，延後開刀的後果堪虞。這是光明的道和陰間道的極大不同之處。

You Can Be Empowered by This

2022-05-03 in /by

Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 20:13-24.  Let’s go!

Acts 20:13-16 (NIV)
13  We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot.
14  When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene.
15  The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Kios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus.
16  Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.

On verses 13-16:  When I read these verses I get the sense that Paul is engaged in a race against time, as if every second counts and every moment matters.  As he travels from place to place, he doesn’t take the scenic route.  Nor does he stop to veg out.  Instead, Paul goes from Troas on foot to Assos, then takes a ship to Mitylene.  The next day he sails to Kios (v15), the day after to Samos, the following day to Miletus.  He skips past Ephesus so that he can get to Jerusalem as soon as possible.  It’s as if Paul is trying to find the quickest route he can to get to Jerusalem.

智慧比珍珠更美

2022-05-02 in , /by

〈箴言〉8:11　因為智慧比珍珠更美，一切可喜愛的都不足與比較。

閱讀經文：〈箴言〉8 章

智慧是什麼？智慧和智力是不一樣的。人可以有不同方面的智力，有的人記憶力強，有的人對數理的領悟性高，有的人富感性，有的人對音樂有天份，有的人心靈手巧，學習能力超強，但是這些都在智力的範圍。

智慧使人的心裡明白，明白正直與邪惡之不同，明白公義和彎曲乖僻並無相通。智慧是一顆明白的心，知道有真理，並且渴求真理和真知識。有的人頭腦很靈 活，但是專門喜歡學旁門走道，好像那些做假奶粉、假雞蛋、假乳鴿的人實在很聰明，他們為了賺錢可以想出很多方法騙人。但是這種人沒有智慧，因為他們只看得見錢，他們不追求真理，不知道人死後有審判，不想假如有一天他們自己的孩子吃了他們做的假東西之下場，他們以為只會害到別人。聰明的人不一 定有智慧，有智慧的人必有真正的聰明，曉得選擇該走的路。

唯有真智慧可以使領袖的權勢穩定，一個只會玩權弄勢的領袖，往往很快“玩”完，因為他想愚弄別人，別人也會愚弄他。有智慧的領袖，他的豐富尊榮必定 長久，因為百姓和下屬都甘心情願臣服。因為“公義使邦國高舉；罪惡是人民的羞辱” (箴 14:34)，作領袖經常要作判斷決策，若是心裡沒有智慧，作出的決策往往搖擺不定，反覆無常。智慧的果實勝過黃金，強如精金；智慧的出產超乎高銀。人都 知道智慧重要，但是智慧何處尋？

Be Quick to Show Compassion

2022-05-02 in /by

Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 20:1-12.  Let’s go!

Acts 20:1 (NIV)
1  When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said good-by and set out for Macedonia.

On verse 1:  When all the chaos and upheaval in Ephesus (see Acts 19) had died down, Paul meets with the Christians in Ephesus (possibly in a secure hiding place) and encourages them before leaving for Macedonia.  This might have been the last time that Paul saw most of the Christians in Ephesus.

What can we learn from this?  Whether it’s your family, your church, or a team that you lead, when the people you are leading have just experienced a traumatic or distressing event, it helps for them to gather together and to hear encouraging words from their leader.

Overcoming the Power of the Demonic

2022-05-01 in /by

Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 19:13-27.  Let’s go!

Acts 19:13-17 (NIV)
13  Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.”
14  Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.
15  [One day] the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”
16  Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.
17  When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.

On verses 13-17:  Throughout Acts we see the power of Jesus’ name to heal sickness and to drive out demons. So why in Acts 19:13-16 were the seven sons of Sceva unable to drive out an evil spirit even though they invoked the name of Jesus? Why instead did the evil spirit jump on them and overpower them? It’s because they were not Christians who believed in Jesus personally. Rather, they were exorcists who did not personally believe in Jesus but just tried to use Jesus’ name as if it casting a magic spell. They would say “In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out” (v13) and this shows us that they were quite removed from a personal faith in Jesus Christ.