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約伯自述苦況

2022-02-25 in , /by

〈約伯記〉6:14 那將要灰心，離棄全能者，不敬畏神的人，他的朋友當以慈愛待他。

閱讀經文：〈約伯記〉6 章

有一部〈失孤〉的影片，形容一個兒子被拐走的農民父親，除了春播秋收的時間之外，用了十五年的時間在中國大陸各地尋找他的兒子。其中還包括另外兩個例子，一個被拐走的女兒後來獲救，但她的母親卻因為傷心到絕望而在找到女兒之前自殺了；另一個小時候被拐走後，被轉賣兩次的小伙子十分幸運，在農民父親和一位志工的幫助下，終於找回親生父母，回到自己的家。這個農民父親說他很怕一個人回家，因為家人都在期待他把兒子帶回來。劉德華飾演那位農民父親，把失去兒子的傷痛表達得很感人。

約伯說：“我一切的災害放在天平裡！現今都比海沙更重”。假如失去一個兒子都可以讓人花十五年或更多的時間去尋找，失去一個女兒的悲哀會逼人走上自殺的絕路，那麼約伯失去七個兒子三個女兒，那種痛苦又豈是我們可以想像的？我有時覺得神允許約伯有這個經歷，是為了幫助我們面對人生的苦難。當我們看到約伯的失去，再比較自己的苦難，感覺上就好多了。至少上帝沒有允許撒旦像對待約伯那樣對待我們。

我們也因可明白：“各樣美善的恩賜和各樣全備的賞賜都是從上頭來的，從眾光之父那裡降下來的，在祂並沒有改變，也沒有轉動的影兒。（雅1:17）”而各種災難若不是出於人本身的罪惡所遭致，便是撒旦在使壞。但是神依然在掌權。神允許我們落在百般的試煉中，但提醒我們要倚靠祂，因為神可以使萬事互相效力，叫愛神的人得益處。

The Furniture That Looks Like You

2022-02-25 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 37:1-29.  When you begin to understand God’s calling on your life, you’ll find that you actually resemble the furniture that Bezalel and his team made for the tabernacle.  How so?  Let’s find out.

Exodus 37:1-9 (NIV)
1  Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood–two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.
2  He overlaid it with pure gold, both inside and out, and made a gold molding around it.
3  He cast four gold rings for it and fastened them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other.
4  Then he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.
5  And he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it.
6  He made the atonement cover of pure gold–two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.
7  Then he made two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover.
8  He made one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; at the two ends he made them of one piece with the cover.
9  The cherubim had their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the cover.

On verses 1-9:  Here Bezalel makes the ark.  Notice the parallels between the ark and our lives today:
–        Like the ark which was wooden but covered in gold, we’re wooden, fragile and breakable, but we are covered in something extremely precious, in fact more precious than gold; we’re covered with the blood of Jesus.

Figuring Out Your Purpose and Appreciating Your Value

2022-02-24 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 36:8-38.  Let’s go!

Exodus 36:8-38 (NIV)
8  All the skilled men among the workmen made the tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim worked into them by a skilled craftsman.
9  All the curtains were the same size–twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide.
10  They joined five of the curtains together and did the same with the other five.
11  Then they made loops of blue material along the edge of the end curtain in one set, and the same was done with the end curtain in the other set.
12  They also made fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the other set, with the loops opposite each other……

On verses 8-38:  When I read these verses I’m once again struck by how intricate, intentional and detailed was the work that went into the tabernacle.  God’s original designs for the tabernacle were full of intricate details, and He entrusted those designs into the “expert hands” (v8) of Bezalel, Oholiab and the skilled craftspeople they worked with (v1, 8).

Just as the tabernacle was made up of different parts, each with its own purpose and function, so the church today is made of different parts, each with its own purpose and function.  As 1 Corinthians 12 teaches us:

1 Corinthians 12:12 (NIV)
12  The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.

人生在世必遇患難

2022-02-24 in , /by

〈約伯記〉5:7 人生在世必遇患難，如同火星飛騰。

閱讀經文：〈約伯記〉5 章

以利法，這個覺得自己很有智慧的長者，繼續苦口婆心地訴說下去。在這裡他否定了約伯的信仰：“你且呼求，有誰答應你？諸聖者之中，你轉向那一位呢？”他卻高舉自己：“至於我，我必仰望神，把我的事情託付他。”以利法是想幫助約伯的，我們不要忘記，他是約伯的朋友，不是敵人。但是在他的驕傲之中，他的話語變成很不公平的論斷，他卻以為句句在理。這也是一般人的盲點。當別人受禍，而我們平安時，我們就彷彿比別人高一級。覺得是別人不好，有問題，才會遭遇禍患。所以只要像我一樣，你就沒問題啦！這算不算驕傲？

所以他交託神，仰望神，而約伯的呼求就是隨便向諸聖者發出的，所以無神理會約伯，因為諸聖不是神。以利法對約伯發出了如此的審判，然後用愚妄人、痴迷人、狡猾人、狡詐人、罪孽之輩的下場來比喻約伯所受的災難；以利法自喻為好人，所以他必有指望。而約伯的兒女遠離穩妥、無人搭救，莊稼連荊棘都被搶盡，財寶被吞滅，所謀不得成就，白晝遇見黑暗，午間摸索如在夜間，所以塞口無言。欸啊，他自己回頭聽聽自己如此指責約伯，只因為約伯在患難中嗎？

當時的人沒有錄音機，也不可能有人在一邊記錄，摩西怎能知道這些話，且記載得如此詳盡？讀四福音書時，我也會有這樣的迷惑。耶穌升天後，門徒要回想三年來的事情，而且記下耶穌的言行，談何容易？據說馬太寫福音書時，身邊一直有天使在幫助他，所以古人畫馬太寫書時，身邊常有一位天使相伴。保羅也說《聖經》都是神的默示（提後3:16），若非神的默示，有誰能夠知道創世之事，以及相繼發生的一切事情？誰又能那樣清楚知道約伯和朋友之間的對話？並且記下耶穌的言行？遊筆至此，難免不想到，那麼我們的言行必也在神的記錄之中，豈能不更謹慎？

以利法之言

2022-02-23 in , /by

〈約伯記〉4:6 你的倚靠不是在你敬畏神嗎？你的盼望不是在你行事純正嗎？

閱讀經文：〈約伯記〉4 章

假如這個以利法是以掃的妻子亞太所生的兒子（創36:4），他有一妻一妾和七個兒子，其中包括亞瑪力。這七個兒子都各成為一族的族長（創36:15-16）。可見他當時的年記也不小了，七個兒子做族長，可見他的地位和聲望也相當高。就像以前的華人，最老的擁有最高的權威。所以他才會第一個發言。在〈耶利米書〉的第49章7節，神論以東（以掃的後裔）。“萬軍之耶和華如此說：‘提幔中再沒有智慧嗎？明哲人不再有謀略嗎？他們的智慧盡歸無有嗎？’”提幔是以東的一個城巿，素來以智慧著稱，以利法應是住在提幔，因此被稱為提幔人。可以想見，以利法也相當以自己的智慧為傲。

他問約伯：“人若想與你說話，你就厭煩嗎？” 厭煩的英文是weary,有幾種解釋，也可說是疲倦、累、厭倦，等等。真的病得很辛苦時，有時真的不想跟人說話。不是討厭朋友，而是需要精力去支撐自己。數年前我動了個手術，拿掉腹中的一個大水瘤。很多弟兄姐妹和牧者都想來探望，但我一概謝絕。因為我要睡覺，我覺得非常需要睡覺。我沒辦法分出精力去應酬。我想約伯也有那樣的感覺，他病了，病得很苦很累。別人沒辦法體會他的感受。探病的人都想著自己的好心好意應該被人很樂意地接受，卻不想對方是處在一個怎樣的心境之下。所以這句話的本身已經在指責，已經不能設身處地為約伯著想，而是為他自己著想：我要講話，你不聽嗎？

我們要記得，以利法是善意的，他是約伯的好友之一，而且不是普通的好友，是可以陪約伯一聲不出，坐七天七夜的好友。他的出發點是希望約伯能脫離苦楚，得到神的醫治。因此他提醒約伯：你以前也會用言語幫助將要跌倒的人，又使軟弱的堅固，怎麼你現在有禍患，就不知道怎樣幫助自己了？就好像有人笑醫生，整天醫別人，輪到自己生病時卻醫不好自己。當然這句話不很公平，因為醫生也是人，而且是有限的人；即使像宋尚節博士那麼有醫病恩賜的人，他患肝癌時，神也沒有醫治他。所以我們要明白，我們可能在有能力時幫助過別人，但是當災禍來臨時，自己卻幫不了自己。神要我們明白，我們是有限的。所以我們也不要這樣去安慰人，因為聽在受苦的人耳中，真像是嘲笑。雖然以利法的本意是想鼓勵約伯。所以只有在自己身受過苦難後，才會明白哪些話該講不該講。不然反而使人受傷害更深。

What A Person Needs to Succeed

2022-02-23 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 36:1-7.  Let’s go!

Exodus 36:1-3a (NIV)
1  So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the LORD has commanded.”
2  Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work.
3  They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary…

On verses 1-3a:  Bezalel, Oholiab and their team had all they needed to flourish in their ministry of designing the artwork for the tabernacle.  They had clear instructions and commands from the LORD (v1).  They had the encouragement and support of their leaders (v2 – “Moses summoned” Bezalel, Oholiab and every willing skilled person).  They had the financial resources to do the work from the offerings that the Israelites had brought (v3) and which Moses fully entrusted to them.

What’s the lesson here?  For any person to succeed in an important project (or in their career, business or work), what they need are: (1) a clear mandate and a sense of God’s call; (2) the encouragement and support of their leaders; and (3) the financial resources necessary to get the work done.  You need all three.

約伯自詛其生辰

2022-02-22 in , /by

〈約伯記〉3:23 人的道路既然遮隱，神又把他四面圍困，為何有光賜給他呢？

閱讀經文：〈約伯記〉3 章

已故的喜劇泰斗羅賓威廉斯的遺孀蘇珊施耐德接受訪問，首次提到羅賓曾患有路易氏體型失智症，而抑鬱症只是其中的一個小症狀。路易氏體型失智症會讓患者身體僵硬、走路不穩，導致經常跌倒受傷、手震、焦慮及幻覺等。羅賓雖然努力抵抗病魔，但是難敵病痛，深感絕望，因而選擇自殺。不知道您可曾想過自殺，以這樣的方式來為自己找出路，希望不用再受苦；我曾經在沮喪時也想過自殺。好像不再活下去，就可以了無牽掛，不再被憂慮所困。這是人基本的願望，自由，不管是心智或肉體都希望自由。

因此我們可以稍微去體會約伯當年的沮喪。他覺得喪失了做人的尊嚴，坐在爐灰中刮膿瘡，像一隻人人討厭的癩皮狗。沒有作為，沒有功能，活著的意義和作人的目的盡都喪失，那麼活著還有什麼意思？羅賓在患病時感覺到不再行動自如時，變得非常敏感，覺得不管到哪裡，人人都對他指指點點，好像都在討論他有多糟糕。當然，那是出於他的自我幻覺。但是人在生病中，經常也會變得對他人的舉止更加敏感，好像凡事都是針對自己，給自己更大的壓力。

我想這就是疾病的可怕，撒旦不止讓人的肉體軟弱，也因而使人的精神軟弱。當人失去獨立自主的能力時，恐懼便佔滿了其心靈。害怕不再有人愛他（她），害怕成為別人的負擔，惹人討厭。這時才明白原來人是何等在意被接納被需要，因此覺得不再被接納也不再被需要，會讓人失去活下去的志氣。因此約伯咒詛自己的生日，他希望自己從來沒有活過。你有沒有這樣想過呢？

The Winning Combination

2022-02-22 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 35:20-35.  Let’s go!

Exodus 35:20-35 (NIV)
20  Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses’ presence,
21  and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the LORD for the work on the Tent of Meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments.
22  All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the LORD…..

On verses 1-35:  As we saw yesterday at THRIVE Church online looking at these verses, God’s house is built on the willingness of God’s people to give what they have.  God doesn’t always use the most talented, the most experienced, or the most qualified, but the most willing.  It all starts with the heart.

But willingness is not the only thing God looks for.  We see from Exodus 35 that God looks for people with skill to do the jobs necessary to build His house (v10), whether it’s the skilled women who spun the linen (v25), or the women skilled in spinning goat hair (v26), or Bezalel the chief artistic designer of the tabernacle (v31) or the craftsmen at his side (v35).  God uses excellent materials and the work of “master craftsmen and designers” (v35) to build His house.  May this encourage us to give our best to the Lord every time we serve Him, not giving Him the scraps, but giving Him our utmost.

Sabbath Regulations

2022-02-21 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 35:1-19.  Let’s go!

1. (vv. 1-3) The command to keep the Sabbath.

Then Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said to them, “These are the words which the LORD has commanded you to do: Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh day shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. You shall kindle no fire throughout your dwellings on the Sabbath day.”

a. Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh day shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of rest to the LORD: In the coming chapters, there was a lot of work for Israel to do. They had to build a complex and exact tabernacle of meeting. Yet before they did anything, they should be reminded to enter into God’s rest and to respect the Sabbath.

i. The same principle holds true for our walk with God. Anything we do for the LORD must grow out of our rest in Him, and rest in His finished work on our behalf.

b. Whoever does any work on it shall be put to death: This was a strict call to obedience. Before they did the work of building the tabernacle, God first called Israel to the work of simple obedience. Basic obedience is a pre-requisite for doing work for the LORD.

約伯全身長毒瘡

2022-02-21 in , /by

〈約伯記〉2:6耶和華對撒旦說：「他在你手中，只要存留他的性命。」

閱讀經文：〈約伯記〉2 章

這章裡撒旦說的話，其實也是對所有信徒的挑戰。“人以皮代皮，情願捨去一切所有的，保全性命。你且伸手傷他的骨頭和他的肉，他必當面棄掉祢”。我們在失去一切，又患重症時，會不會棄掉神？曾經ISIS專門去殺害基督徒，甚至美國Oregon俄勒岡州的校園殺手也專門挑釁基督徒（2015年10月1日），叫他們站起來，再一一槍殺。一槍斃命雖然令人痛惜失去的性命，但比起約伯的苦難，似乎後者更為痛苦。疼痛，是神賜給人的禮物，可以救人也可以使人發瘋。

在《聖經》裡的記載，有一些事很難領會。例如，神的眾子是指誰？撒旦為何也參與其中？神難道不知道撒旦在哪裡，還要問牠？神何必為了撒旦而讓約伯受苦？一般而言，神的眾子也指神創造的天使或使者，或者是那些已經到了天堂的人，例如肉身不死的以諾。撒旦也可以去見神，而且可以到神面前去控訴屬神的人。神允許撒旦的存在，並且利用撒旦，使牠成為神手中的反面器皿。從第一章到第二章，甚至到最後一章，神和撒旦都在約伯的事上角力。

我相信當約伯受苦時，神也心痛，但是祂自始至終在看（顧）著約伯；正如耶穌降世之後，聖靈一直與祂同在。神沒有讓耶穌降生在富人家裡，因此耶穌從一出生就要忍受物質的缺乏，過貧苦的日子，被人恥笑是私生子；被捕後被虐打、釘十字架，一直到復活，都在父神的眼目之中，但是父神必須讓祂走完全程，才能讓罪人因祂得贖。很苦，卻是一個特別的使命。約伯要完成的，也是一個特別的使命，因著他的受苦，許多人在患難中得到安慰和鼓勵，堅守了對神的信心。