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How to Experience More of God’s Love and Peace

2021-09-29 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Corinthians 13:1-14.  Let’s go!

2 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NIV)
1  This will be my third visit to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
2  I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent: On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others,
3  since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me…

On verses 1-3a:  Paul naturally preferred to take a gentle approach with his congregation in person (see for example verse 10).  However, the Christians in the church in Corinth were continuing to engage in the sinful behaviours that Paul had repeatedly warned them about in the past (see 2 Corinthians 12:20-21).  In addition, people in the church in Corinth had been criticizing Paul for being strong and aggressive in his letters but weak and mild in person.  They even questioned whether Christ was really speaking through Paul (v3).  So with all that in mind, Paul says that he now plans to take a stern, disciplinarian approach toward the people in his church, just as he had warned them before on his second visit to them (v2).  In verse 1 Paul quotes Deuteronomy 19:15 as a way to say he is getting ready to exercise some church discipline when he visits them next.

所羅門之富強和智慧

2021-09-29 in , /by

〈列王紀〉上 4:20 猶大人和以色列人如同海邊的沙那樣多，都吃喝快樂。

閱讀經文：〈列王紀 〉上 4:1-34  

神曾經對亞伯蘭說：“從你所在的地方，你舉目向東西南北觀看，凡你所看見的一切地，我都要賜給你和你的後裔，直到永遠。我也要使你的後裔如同地上的塵沙那樣多，人若能數算地上的塵沙，才能數算你的後裔。 你起來，縱橫走遍這地，因為我必把這地賜給你。（創13:14-17）”這些應許到了所羅門的時代，終於應驗了：“猶大人和以色列人如同海邊的沙那樣多，都吃喝快樂”，“所羅門統管諸國，從大河到非利士地，直到埃及的邊界”。神的應許一句也不落空。一千多年，在人看來不可能的事，在神凡事都能。

曾經在埃及做過四百多年奴隸的以色列人，竟然可以建立起一個如此富強的國家。怎樣從四百年已經養成的奴性中，飛躍出剛強壯膽的信念？怎樣從一個希伯來人亞伯蘭的彈丸之地，變成擁有整個迦南地的國家？神的手那樣奇妙而堅定地帶領著祂呼召的人，在祂的旨意裡不斷地向前走，終於走出來了。所以我們倚靠神的人，要看得見、信得過這位耶和華神，因為祂是如此信實，即使在人的絕望中，因為有祂，就必然有希望。

在大衛所立的根基和制度上，所羅門又更新了一些人事，因為以前服侍大衛的人都老了，他需要一批新血。但他不是隨便去找人，都是從可靠的老臣中，提拔他們的子嗣。這是很聰明的作法，一來父親可以教兒子，也可以順便管兒子，讓他們可以忠心職守。例如：撒督的兒子亞撒利雅做祭司，示沙的兩個兒子以利何烈、亞希亞做書記，亞希律的兒子約沙法做史官，耶何耶大的兒子比拿雅做元帥，等等，依此類推。在這裡還載亞比亞他和撒都是祭司長，可能那時還沒有叫亞比亞他歸鄉。

Love, Loyalty and Respect

2021-09-28 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Corinthians 12:11-21.  Let’s go!

2 Corinthians 12:11-19 (NIV)
11  I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.
12  The things that mark an apostle–signs, wonders and miracles–were done among you with great perseverance.
13  How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!
14  Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.
15  So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less?
16  Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery!
17  Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent you?
18  I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not act in the same spirit and follow the same course?
19  Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening.

On verses 11-19:  Paul was hurt that the Christians at the church in Corinth, which he had helped to start, had so quickly shifted their loyalty to this new, heretical group called the “super apostles”.  Under the influence of these “super apostles”, the Christians in Corinth had begun to question Paul’s authority as an apostle, his ability as a leader, his character as a man and his love for them as their pastor and spiritual father.  These were very personal attacks. 

所羅門王以智慧斷案

2021-09-28 in , /by

〈列王紀〉上 3:28以色列眾人聽見王這樣判斷，就都敬畏他，因為見他心裡有神的智慧，能以斷案。

閱讀經文：〈列王紀 〉上 3:16-28   

根據猶太人的傳說，所羅門王豋基時才12歲。因此當大衛對會眾訴說為神建殿的心意時，特別提到：“我兒子所羅門是神特選的，還年幼嬌嫩（代上29:1）”。所羅門在向神禱告時也提到：“耶和華我的神啊，如今你使僕人接續我父親大衛做王，但我是幼童，不知道應當怎樣出入。（王上3:7）”當然也有人認為是14 歲或20歲。認為所羅門不可能在12歲做王的人，覺得這個年記的孩子怎麼會懂律法？但是以後我們還會讀到亞哈斯在20歲做王，做了16年；希西家25歲接續他做王，表示亞哈斯在11歲時就生了希西家。所以所羅門有沒有可能在12歲做王呢，是有可能的。

所羅門向神祈求為民判斷的智慧，因為那是王的責任。那時候不像現在有法院，百姓之間如果有了爭論，只能先去找地方官，地方官斷不了的事再去城門那裡求王判斷。記不記得押沙龍要攏絡人心時，他常常早晨起來，站在城門的道旁，凡有爭訟要去求王判斷的，押沙龍就叫他過來，問他說：「你是哪一城的人？」回答說：「僕人是以色列某支派的人。」押沙龍對他說：「你的事有情有理，無奈王沒有委人聽你申訴。」押沙龍又說：「恨不得我做國中的士師！凡有爭訟求審判的到我這裡來，我必秉公判斷。」若有人近前來要拜押沙龍，押沙龍就伸手拉住他，與他親嘴。以色列人中，凡去見王求判斷的，押沙龍都是如此待他們。這樣，押沙龍暗中得了以色列人的心（撒下15:1-6）。押沙龍故意破壞以色列人對大衛王的信任，對百姓說大衛王的壞話，指大衛王不聽申訴，又沒有秉公判斷。所以審判百姓是以色列王一個很重要的工作。

所有最困難、最麻煩的案子都會帶到王面前，讓王判斷。所羅門那麼年輕，怎麼可能擔此重任？他雖然有最忠心的祭司撒都、最勇猛的元帥比拿雅，還有守護他的母親拔示巴，但是在王的職責上，沒人能代替他來執行審判。當那兩個婦人被帶到年輕的所羅門王面前時，大家都睜大眼睛要看所羅門怎樣處理這個棘手的案子。兩個母親和自己的嬰兒在一起睡覺，一個壓死了自己的孩子，不肯認帳，兩個人都要爭取那個活的嬰兒。

How to Face Trouble That Won’t Go Away

2021-09-27 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Corinthians 12:1-10.  Let’s go!

2 Corinthians 12:1-6 (NIV)
1  I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.
2  I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know–God knows.
3  And I know that this man–whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows–
4  was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell.
5  I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.
6  Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say.

On verses 1-6:  Why does Paul go on boasting even though “there is nothing to be gained” (v1) by it?  It’s because the Corinthian Christians have kept on comparing Paul to the “super apostles” who make all sorts of boasts about how spiritual they are and how accomplished they are.  The church in Corinth was starting to lose confidence in Paul and look down on him, since he wasn’t in the habit of flaunting his resume the way the super apostles would.  So to put the matter the rest and to show that Paul is not the least bit “inferior to the ‘super apostles’”, Paul shares about the powerful spiritual experiences he has had with the Lord in the past. 

所羅門求智慧

2021-09-27 in , /by

〈列王紀〉上 3:12 我就應允你所求的，賜你聰明、智慧，甚至在你以前沒有像你的，在你以後也沒有像你的。

閱讀經文：〈列王紀 〉上 3:1-15          〈歷代志〉下 1:1-13

假如神問你：“你願我賜你什麼，你可以求。”你會求什麼？假如你今天有了新的工作，你會向神求什麼？假如你今天剛結婚，成立了新家庭，你要向神求什麼？假如今天是你四十歲的生日，你會向神求什麼？在每一個人生階段，神都願意我們向祂求，好讓我們得著祂的祝福，但是要求什麼，才能討神喜悅呢？

所羅門王登基之後不久，就帶著千夫長、百夫長、審判官、首領與族長都到基遍。因為他要在那裡獻祭。他為何不像大衛一樣，在耶路撒冷獻祭即可呢？沒想到這個年輕人還挺念舊的，原來他要到會幕的所在地獻祭。大衛雖然把約櫃從基列耶琳搬到大衛的城裡，但是並沒有把會幕也搬去，只是造了一個帳幕暫時放約櫃。所以摩西做的那個會幕，從示羅被搬到基遍後，就一直在那裡沒動過。從摩西造會幕到所羅門大約有五百年了，所羅門還會想到在會幕那裡獻祭，是他對神的一番心意。

丘壇又是什麼？英文譯為at the high places，就是在高處之意。這種事華人也很清楚，在華山、泰山、山等，反正是大山小丘一定有廟。人有一種想法，神明都是住在高處，所以到越高的地方敬拜，就越顯得虔誠，祈求也容易被接納而得到應驗。奇妙的是，人同此心，心同此理。自古以來，在巴勒斯坦一帶地方的人，也以山頂爲特別合適敬拜神明的所在，用基督徒的說法，就是拜偶像的地方；通常山頂有形狀為平坦的岩石鑿成的平台，有獻祭用的祭壇或處所。所羅門在登上王位之初就先去會幕那裡敬拜神，自然就得到神的祝福。因為神說：“因為尊重我的，我必重看他；藐視我的，他必被輕視。（撒上2:30b）”

所羅門殺約押和示每

2021-09-26 in , /by

〈列王紀〉上 2:35  王就立耶何耶大的兒子比拿雅做元帥，代替約押，又使祭司撒督代替亞比亞他。

閱讀經文：〈列王紀 〉上 2:26-46

雖然所羅門是一個非常有智慧的君王，他所處的時代也是一個太平盛世，但是這個時代以殺戮開始，還是令人感到惋惜，這是個什麼樣的預兆？在大衛的遺命中，亞多尼雅和亞比亞他並不在其中，但是因為亞多尼雅的執迷不悟，以致於使所羅門心生殺機。哥哥比他年記大，排長幼秩序也是亞多尼雅的王位。現在他做王了，亞多尼雅輸了，假如亞多尼雅還在，所羅門能夠安心地做王嗎？亞比亞他曾經選擇亞多尼雅為王，他能夠忠心地尊所羅門為王嗎？不要以為王位很好坐，坐上去了才曉得它是滾燙，讓人坐立不安的一個位置。所以掃羅才要不停地追殺大衛，因為他不安，不安到一個地步，寧可丟下國事去追殺大衛。所以掃羅做王時，對以色列的建設實在屈指難數。

所羅門的不安和掃羅的不安基本上是一樣的，害怕有人爭奪王位。不同的是，所羅門可以快刀斬亂麻，一勞永逸；但是大衛有神的同在，神不讓掃羅追到大衛，掃羅就永遠追不到。所羅門沒有辦法再信任亞比亞他，也只能讓他走。神當年對祭司以利說：“我要為自己立一個忠心的祭司，他必照我的心意而行。我要為他建立堅固的家，他必永遠行在我的受膏者面前。你家所剩下的人都必來叩拜他，求塊銀子，求個餅，說：‘求你賜我祭司的職分，好叫我得點餅吃’。（撒上2:35-36）”神的預言應驗了，以利的子孫亞比亞他不能再做祭司。由撒都代替了他的職位。

撒都是亞倫的兒子以利亞撒，非尼哈的後裔。在〈民數記〉25章11-13節裡，神說：“（非尼哈）以我的忌邪為心，使我不在忌邪中把他們（以色列人）除滅。因此，你（摩西）要說：我（神）將我平安的約賜給他，這約要給他和他的後裔，作為永遠當祭司職任的約。 ”亞比亞他是亞倫另一個兒子以他瑪的後裔，也是以利的後裔，因為以利尊重他的兒子過於尊重神，所以神奪去了他的後裔做祭司的福份，祭司的職份到亞比亞他為止。神的話就這樣應驗了。

It’s Not Easy Being a Shepherd

2021-09-26 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Corinthians 11:16-33.  Let’s go!

2 Corinthians 11:16-33 (NIV)
16  I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then receive me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting.
17  In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would, but as a fool.
18  Since many are boasting in the way the world does, I too will boast.
19  You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise!
20  In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or pushes himself forward or slaps you in the face.
21  To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that! What anyone else dares to boast about–I am speaking as a fool–I also dare to boast about. ……

On verses 16-33:  In 2 Corinthians 11:16-33, Paul imitates the “super apostles”, boasting of his sufferings – how he has sacrificed himself and risked his life so many times in so many ways for the sake of his churches and for the sake of the gospel.  Paul boasts this way even though he clearly does not want to and feels totally out of his comfort zone doing so (see verses 17 and 23).  But he does it in a desperate attempt to show his church that he truly does love God and loves them.  It’s not easy to be a shepherd.  It reminds me of what Jesus says in John 10:11: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

《聖經中各種審判》3 — 洪水的審判

2021-09-24 in , /by

末日前，歷史上最大的審判—洪水

今天我們要提出歷史上曾有過的最大審判，就是洪水的審判，這是前所未有直到世界末日來臨前最大的審判，這是全地第一次的大審判，表示上帝恨惡罪惡，因為全世界的人終日所想的盡都是惡，上帝的怒氣達到頂峰，這是很可怕的事情。對全地施行審判，這是上帝最大的權威，也是只有上帝能做的工作。創造、救贖、啟示、成全、審判五大工作，只有上帝能做，除了上帝，沒有受造之物有權施行。當上帝的審判臨到全地，沒有人可免去這個審判，這是全能者彰顯權威的時候。創世記第六章記載上帝第一次對全地的大審判，因為上帝的憤怒已經達到忍無可忍的地步，以至於祂不再寬恕。上帝說：「我看地上的人罪大惡極，終日所想的盡都是惡。」上帝從天上降下審判消滅盡乎全地的人，這審判大到一個地步，直到世界末日來臨以前不再有這樣的審判。洪水之後，上帝說祂不再用洪水消滅凡有血氣的，直到最後的審判臨到。洪水的審判是獨有的，表示上帝是憤怒的，憑著祂的公義刑罰世上的罪惡。

創 6:1-6 當人在世上多起來、又生女兒的時候，神的兒子們看見人的女子美貌，就隨意挑選，娶來為妻。耶和華說：「人既屬乎血氣，我的靈就不永遠住在他裡面；然而他的日子還可到一百二十年。」那時候有偉人在地上，後來　神的兒子們和人的女子們交合生子；那就是上古英武有名的人。耶和華見人在地上罪惡很大，終日所思想的盡都是惡，耶和華就後悔造人在地上，心中憂傷。

引發上帝憤怒至極的原因

為什麼人的婚姻會引起上帝這麼大的怒氣？上帝發這麼大的怒氣，說明這罪惡的嚴重程度，可能遠遠超過我們的想像。這一段的經文有二種解釋，雖然我們不一定要接受舊約拉比所採取的解釋，因為第二世紀以後，使徒不再採用這個解釋，但這種解釋法有神學上的意義。創世記第六章記載當神的兒子與人的女子結婚，為什麼會使上帝憤怒到這個地步？為什麼上帝要用這麼大的審判把全人類滅絕？這裡面隱藏的奧祕大的不得了。舊約尚未結束、新約尚未來臨之前，有的解經家認為神的兒子代表那些敬虔的人，人的女子代表那些普通的人，換句話說，有些敬虔人的後代選漂亮的女子為妻，不敬畏上帝，在婚姻的事情上用人的自由代替上帝的旨意。這是一件很壞的事，因為在婚姻上隨便，就產生不好的後代，用自己的自由代替聖靈的引導。每一個基督徒都應該在婚姻的事情上存著敬畏上帝的心，不隨意娶妻，以免產生不敬虔的後代。

Dealing with Criticism

2021-09-24 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Corinthians 11:1-15.  Let’s go!

2 Corinthians 11:1-15 (NIV)
1  I hope you will put up with a little of my foolishness; but you are already doing that.
2  I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.
3  But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
4  For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.
5  But I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.”
6  I may not be a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way.
7  Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge?
8  I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. ……

On verses 1-15:  Here in 2 Corinthians 11:1-15 we see Paul using some strong language to respond to several different attacks and criticisms people were making of him, such as:
– “you’re not a trained speaker, Paul” (v6)
– “you talk a lot of foolishness, Paul” (v1)
– “you can’t be a legit minister because you serve us for free as a volunteer, Paul” (v7-8)
– “your gospel is not as cool sounding as the gospel that the “super apostles” talk about, Paul” (v4)