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How God Fulfilled His Promises

2022-04-13 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 13:26-41.  Let’s go!

Acts 13:26-31 (NIV)
26  “Brothers, children of Abraham, and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent.
27  The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.
28  Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed.
29  When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.
30  But God raised him from the dead,
31  and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.
 
On verses 26-31:  Here Paul continues his sermon to the Jews at the synagogue in Pisidian Antoich.  Paul points out a number of ironies relating to the way Jesus was treated by the people of Jerusalem:
–             Although the people of Jerusalem would read the words of the prophets every Sabbath, they did not recognize who Jesus is (v27).
–             Although the people of Jerusalem did not see that Jesus was the one the prophets prophesied about, they unwittingly fulfilled the prophets’ prophecies about the Messiah by condemning him to death (v27, 29a).

啟示性的聰明

2022-04-13 in , /by

〈箴言〉2:2側耳聽智慧，專心求聰明。

閱讀經文：2:1-4  我兒，你若領受我的言語，存記我的命令， 2 側耳聽智慧，專心求聰明， 3 呼求明哲，揚聲求聰明， 4 尋找她如尋找銀子，搜求她如搜求隱藏的珍寶。

《啟示性的聰明》

「專心求聰明。」(箴言2:2) 聰明經常是天生的智商，後天的教育，與工作的學習。還有一種聰明，來自上帝的啟示，使我們在凡事上認識祂。

這是世界上最期待的聰明，許多企業、組織、團體都在等待，這種天啟式的聰明。因為來自上帝的聰明，是世界不俱有。解決世界上關鍵的問題，需要這種來自造物者的聰明。

上帝將這種聰明，給專心求的人。在牛頓、波義耳、法拉第、馬克士威爾、焦耳、刻普勒等人的身上，都可以看到這種啟示性的聰明。他們長期的留在一個領域，讓啟示性的聰明愈照愈明，照亮人類一大片無知的夜空。

上帝也將啟示性的聰明，給許多小人物，讓他們在小小的角落，為主發光。上帝給的前提是要我們專一、用心地向祂求。祂必給我們，讓我們將啟示的亮光，照在周遭，讓人蒙恩。

飛鳥的網羅

2022-04-12 in , /by

〈箴言〉1:33  唯有聽從我的，必安然居住，得享安靜，不怕災禍。

閱讀經文：〈箴言〉1章:15-33節

神給人最大的禮物就是有選擇的自由。神從來不強迫我們，但是祂把智慧和愚昧，生與死的道路放在我們前面，讓我們做選擇。敬畏耶和華和不敬畏耶和華，就是一個選擇。為何要敬畏神？為何不肯敬畏神？這其中的心理和情緒，很值得我們去探討。敬畏神，是因為我們知道宇宙不是憑空而來，生命也不是從虛幻中產生；萬物都有個主，生命也有來源。所以我們尊重那賜予生命者，以及萬物的創造主。相信造物的比起被造的更有智慧，承認自己受造可畏，因而尊重自己，也尊重那賜生命者。

反之，不敬畏神，是因為以為會被束縛，自己想要凌駕一切的驕傲。這樣的人，所羅門形容他們是：愚昧、褻慢、愚頑，拒絕神的靈之澆灌。神的靈澆灌是為了給人智慧、知識、能力和聰明，拒絕神的靈之人，以為自己可以與神同等，但是他們很快就會發現自己的錯誤，被煩惱和憂慮所纏繞。但願我們都趁著可以尋求神時，快快尋求祂。享有聽從神，必安然居住，得享安靜，不怕災禍之福。

………………………………………………………………………….

《飛鳥的網羅》

「因為他們的腳奔跑行惡，他們急速流人的血。好像飛鳥，網羅設在眼前仍不躲避。」(箴言1:16/17)

上帝提醒我們，犯法的人會明知違法，而挺身試險。行惡的人會知牢獄之災，而仍行惡。這是為惡的慾望太強烈，自己剎不住；犯罪的好處太美妙，自己管不了自己。有些人會貪污、出軌、做壞事，難道他們事先不知道不對嗎？不，他們事先大都知道，而是自己給魔鬼留地步。

It All Points to Jesus in the End

2022-04-12 in /by

Hi GAMErs! 

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

Acts 13:13-15 (NIV)
13  From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem.
14  From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down.
15  After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak.”

On verses 13-15:  Here John Mark decides to leave Paul and Barnabas and go back to Jerusalem, while Paul, Barnabas and the rest of their team continue a physically challenging and dangerous journey to Pisidian Antioch.  You can’t tell from Acts 13:13 that John’s decision to leave bothered Paul, but it did.  In fact, John’s decision to leave would become a point of contention between Barnabas and Paul later on (see Acts 15:37-38).

Dealing with the frustration of John Mark leaving in the back of his mind, Paul still gets up to speak a word of encouragement to the people in the synagogue, with the aim of pointing them to Jesus.

箴言之妙用

2022-04-11 in , /by

〈箴言〉1:7 敬畏耶和華是知識的開端，愚妄人藐視智慧和訓誨。

閱讀經文：〈箴言〉1章:1-14節

若說〈詩篇〉多適用於禱告及靈修生活的話，〈箴言〉則較適用於日常生活。〈箴言〉對實際生活提供了可行的建議。這卷書不單是一部悅耳的嘉言薈萃，更包含從經驗所得的屬靈洞見。耶穌的弟弟雅各在他所寫的〈雅各書〉上的第一章第5節就有這樣的建議：“你們中間若有缺少智慧的，應當求那厚賜於眾人也不斥責人的神，主就必賜給他”。

我們都是需要智慧的人，但是在尋求的過程中，卻不一定能找到真智慧。在醫院裡經常會發生一些讓醫生哭笑不得的事。例如，有個病人的腳弄傷了，原本只是小傷，醫生幫他上藥後；沒想到過了幾星期回來，竟然生膿了。在醫生的追問下，病人才說出，是去看了某人，教他用草藥，結果情況變糟了。也有的病人不聽醫生的話，去看了一兩本書就和醫生爭辯，後來才發現寫書的人根本沒讀過醫。在〈以賽亞書〉第44章裡，神形容人用木材生火煮飯，剩下的木材拿來雕像，然後向它求問。所以在我們尋求智慧時，是否要先認清智慧的來源？

在〈以賽亞書〉第45章5-7節裡，神如此介紹祂自己：“我是耶和華，在我以外並沒有別神，除了我以外再沒有神。你雖不認識我，我必給你束腰， 從日出之地到日落之處，使人都知道除了我以外，沒有別神。我是耶和華，在我以外並沒有別神。 我造光，又造暗；我施平安，又降災禍。造做這一切的，是我耶和華。”祂是創造諸天的耶和華，製造、成全大地的神。因此，這世上有誰能超越神的智慧呢？有什麼是祂不知道的？

Greater is He who is in You

2022-04-11 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 13:1-12.  Let’s go!

Acts 13:1 (NIV)
1  In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.
 
On verse 1:  The church at Antioch had a team of prophet-teachers who spoke to the congregation.  Notice the diversity on this teaching team: Barnabas was Jewish but grew up in Greek-influenced Cyprus, likely making him a “Grecian Jew”.   Simeon, scholars say, was probably black.  Lucius was from Cyrene (North Africa).  Manaen grew up with King Herod Antipas the tetrarch, which meant he probably came a very wealthy background and was older.  Saul, of course, was a “Hebrew of Hebrews” (Philippians 3:5) but was also well traveled and from Tarsus (modern day Turkey).   God loves diversity.  In fact Jesus’ Church is the largest and most racially, ethnically and culturally diverse family that has ever existed.  

Acts 13:2 (NIV)
2  While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
 
On verse 2:  It was in an environment of worshiping the Lord and fasting that this team of leaders heard the Holy Spirit tell them to send off Barnabas and Saul for a new assignment.  What can we learn from this?  If you want to hear the Holy Spirit speak, make room for Him through worship and fasting.  When you draw near to God, He will draw near to you.

快樂的結局

2022-04-10 in , /by

〈約伯記〉42:5   我從前風聞有祢，現在親眼看見祢。

閱讀經文：〈約伯記〉42章

你有沒有設想過，有一天神會面對面和你對話？每次想到這個問題時，我的第一個反應就是想到耶穌呼召彼得時，他跪在耶穌面前說：“主啊！離開我，我是個罪人！”但是耶穌不但沒有離開他，反而呼召彼得跟隨祂。2014年10月，在以色列Ashdod城市舉辨的一場福音音樂會，聖靈在其中大大的作工，有525位猶太人站起來決志信主，接受耶穌為彌賽亞。在其他猶太人福音事工中，從來沒有如此大規模的猶太人同時信主。究其原因，是因為有許多人向耶穌禱告後，疾病得到醫治。

有一位猶太媽媽向耶穌禱告說：“如果祂是彌賽亞，請醫治在家臥病不起的小孩”，結果回到家中，她的小孩竟然在廚房做菜，病已經完全好了，她問小孩得痊癒起床的時間，剛好正是她向耶穌禱告的時候，後來她們全家都信主了。有位以色列福音差會的宣教士說，在英國對猶太人宣教十幾年之間，僅1-3個人秘密信主。因此有這樣多人同時決志信耶穌，是一件神蹟。除了疾病得醫治之外，也有很多人在夢裡見到耶穌，因而信主。在回教徒裡也有許多類似的見證。至於你，是怎樣從風聞有神，到親眼看見神？

約伯原就是個敬虔的人，到此時他完全相信他所敬拜的是又真又活的神。我們都像約伯一樣，雖然相信，但究竟會有人的迷惑。我們用各樣的理由讓自己有信心，我們說不憑眼見只憑信心，但是假如沒有與神接觸的親身體會，光是頭腦的相信，是遠遠不夠的。我們都必須從風聞有神，進入親眼看見神，我們的信心才能扎實在耶穌身上，有根有基。

In Case You’re Tested By This

2022-04-10 in /by

Hi GAMErs!
 
Today’s passage is Acts 12:11-25.  Let’s go!

Acts 12:11-12 (NIV)
11  Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were anticipating.”
12  When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying.
 
On verses 11-12:  Peter now realizes that the deliverance from prison he was dreaming about was actually real.  His first instinct is to go to the house of Mary, mother of John-Mark, where many are praying for him.  Peter wants those praying for him to see for themselves the incredible deliverance God made possible for him, knowing how much encouragement that would bring to them. 

Acts 12:13-16 (NIV)
13  Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the door.
14  When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!”
15  “You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”
16  But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.
 

水族之王

2022-04-08 in , /by

〈約伯記〉41:11   誰先給我什麼，使我償還呢？天下萬物都是我的。

閱讀經文：〈約伯記〉41章

在神的形容中，有一些是我們從來沒看過的事，例如“動物的口中發出燒著的火把與飛迸的火星，從牠鼻孔冒出煙來，如燒開的鍋和點著的蘆葦，牠的氣點著煤炭，有火焰從牠口中發出”。這種動物或情景我們在電影的特效中看過，但不曾想到那是真的。但是在〈約伯記〉的最後四章裡，我們知道神描述一些自然界的常見事物，並非象徵性的說法。約伯和他的朋友們都明白神在說些什麼，因此我們可以很大膽地推論，在約伯的時代有一些生物是我們現在看不到的，已經絕種了。

聖經教師傑夫哈理遜指出Leviathan/希臘文drakon/希伯來文稱其為tannin(複數tanninim)。在希伯來文的字根tanan是指這些動物會發出咆哮的聲音，所以是咆哮的野獸。在七十士譯本裡譯為drakon，那就是英文dragon(龍)的字源。若牠是水棲爬行動物時，其希臘名是Keetos，複數是Keetee，指的是一種大型海怪。在早期講希臘語的基督徒認為，那條吞下約拿的keetos便是一種巨大的，類似恐龍的兩棲爬行動物。所以牠可以上到海岸附近，把約拿吐在旱地上。Leviathan在聖經裡也譯為拉哈伯。

根據維基百科：恐龍（Dinosauria）是在1842年由英國古生物學家理查·歐文（Richard Owen）正式提出，歐文把恐龍總目定義為蜥形綱（Sauropsida）的一個獨特部族或亞目，包含當時在英國與世界各地發現的恐龍。Dinosauria這名詞衍化自古希臘文，δεινός/deinos意為「恐怖的」或「極其巨大的」，σαύρα/sauros意為「蜥蜴」。歐文在命名時，考量到牠們的牙齒、利爪、巨大體型、以及其他令人印象深刻的恐怖特徵，因此命名牠們為「恐怖的蜥蜴」。中文的恐龍一詞，源自日本的翻譯「恐龍（恐竜）」，最初由中國地質學家章鴻釗提出，後來在中文地區廣泛使用。

Living the Dream

2022-04-08 in /by

Hi GAMErs!
 
Today’s passage is Acts 12:1-10.  Let’s go!

Acts 12:1-3 (NIV)
1  It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them.
2  He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.
3  When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
 
On verses 1-3:  James, the brother of John and one of the original twelve disciples, is martyred for his faith, put to death with the sword by King Herod.  Seeing how the killing of a Christian leader was seemingly gaining him favour with other people in his kingdom, King Herod decides to seize Peter with plans to put him on trial and to execute Peter just like he did James.  Herod thought that living to please others, even if it meant doing evil and murderous deeds, would benefit him.  Soon, however, we’ll discover that the very tendency in him to want esteem and worship from others would result in his undoing.  Living to please others doesn’t result in life but death.
 
Acts 12:4-5 (NIV)
4  After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.
5  So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.