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Serve with Your Gifts, Love with Your Heart Copy

2021-07-30 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Corinthians 12:28-13:3. Let’s go!

1 Corinthians 12:28 (NIV)
28  And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.

On 12:28:  Here Paul lists a number of roles and spiritual gifts that God has given various individuals in His Church.  Looking at the first three that Paul mentions, an apostle is someone who is gifted and commissioned to start new churches and ventures and oversee their development.  A prophet is someone who senses when the Holy Spirit is giving a message to strengthen, encourage or comfort other people and communicates that message effectively to the people.  A teacher is someone who teaches God’s people by interpreting, explaining and applying the Bible in a way that causes them to learn.  The teaching role can also involve the ability to equip and train other believers to serve God effectively.  Truly it takes different types of individuals and different abilities and gifts to build God’s church.

扫罗及三子阵亡

2021-07-29 in , /by

〈撒母耳记〉上 31:13 将他们骸骨葬在雅比的垂丝柳树下，就禁食七日。

阅读经文:〈撒母耳记〉上 31:1-13         〈历代志〉上10章

以前看电视连续剧〈雍正王朝〉，它的主题曲写得实在好，让我在想到扫罗的结局时不禁想引用几句：“数英雄论成败 / 古今谁能说明白 / 千秋功罪任凭说 / 海云天风独往来 / 一心要江山图治垂青史 / 也难说身后骂名滚滚来 / 有道是人间万苦人最苦 / 终不悔九死落尘埃”。你觉得跟扫罗有没有一点贴近的感觉？扫罗翻滚了一生，东征西讨一心要江山图治垂青史，可惜因为离开神，对大卫嫉恨交加，终于落个‘九死落尘埃’，更‘身后骂名滚滚来’。若给他再活一次，他会有不同的选择吗？若是神再给你一次重来的机会，你的人生会有何不同的选择？

这一场以色列人和非利士人的战役甚为壮烈，扫罗和他的三个儿子和跟随扫罗的人，都战死了。没有神的恩典，以色列人在非利士人面前实在是不堪一击。那时以色列人还不会制造铁器，他们要兵器没有兵器，要装备没有装备，要战士没有战士。有许多勇士，包括扫罗自己本族便雅悯的勇士，有些都投靠了大卫。因为扫罗的作为太失人心了。所以这场战役对扫罗而言，是天不时、地不利、人不和，非败不可。神给他的时间已经到头了。

在撒母耳警告扫罗之后，神还给了扫罗机会和一段不算短的时间，希望他能悔改认罪。可惜扫罗一心想的只是神要把王位给大卫，所以非除掉大卫不可。人若不认清自己的责任，一心数算他人的错，那么自己就会越来越接近灭亡。大卫不杀他，他自己也会被灭亡。扫罗因着自己的骄傲自大，始终不肯悔改归向神。他把王位看得太重，忘记那是出于神的恩典，而不是因着他自己的能力或作为。

Depending Not On Human Wisdom But On God’s Power

2021-07-29 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Corinthians 2:1-9.  Let’s go!

1 Corinthians 2:1-9 (NIV)
1  When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.
2  For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
3  I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.
4  My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power,……

On verses 1-9:  Every day you need to make a choice: will you listen to and depend on worldly wisdom, or on God’s wisdom?

As we learned in 1 Corinthians 1:18-31, God’s plan to save us was not built on human wisdom, but on God’s higher wisdom.  In all our own human wisdom we would have never chosen to be saved the way God chose to save us — by sending Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins.  If it was up to us, we would probably come up with some kind of performance-based system where you need to earn your way to heaven (which by the way is what every religion, faith and new age philosophy other than Christianity teaches!)  But in His far better wisdom, God chose a far better way to save us.

The Foolishness of God

2021-07-28 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Corinthians 1:18-31.  Let’s go!

1 Corinthians 1:18-31 (NIV)
18  For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19  For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
20  Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
21  For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe…….

On verses 18-31:  This world will try to tell you that “people are essentially good, that if we just believe in ourselves, we can accomplish anything. We don’t need God, and we don’t need a Saviour.  We can be our own saviour.  All we need is ourselves.”  That’s man’s wisdom, the wisdom of this world.  This “wisdom” is what the Corinthians were hearing from the mouths of so-called wise men, scholars and “philosophers of this age” (v20).

亚玛力人焚掠洗革拉

2021-07-28 in , /by

〈撒母耳记〉上 30:24b  上阵的得多少，看守器具的也得多少，应当大家平分。

阅读经文：〈撒母耳记〉上 30:1-31  

大卫离开了非利士人，走了三日，终于回到洗革拉。原以为能见到家人，没想到洗革拉已面目全非。亚玛力人来过了，攻破洗革拉，焚烧了洗革拉，带走城内的妇女和大小人口，却没有杀一个。这是神很大的恩典和保守，身外物可以失去，生命却无法挽回。看似好像很惨，可是我们继续读下去，便会发现，原来这有可能是神要把大卫支开的一个方法。倘若大卫留在洗革拉，必然听到扫罗和非利士人的战情，为了约拿单，为了在神面前的义，也为了以色列人，他不可能干坐在洗革拉，很可能就带人冲上战场了。

但是现在碰上家人都被掳走，大家心急如焚，怎样都要把他们先救回来，大卫也就无法分心再去考虑那么多了。“大卫和跟随他的人放声大哭，直哭得没有气力”。这句话很感人。让我们知道，大卫再怎样厉害，也是一个有情的凡夫俗子，这是人最真实的一面。有人说：“男人有泪不轻弹，只因未到伤心处。”大卫和跟随他的人过著飘泊不定的生涯，最想念的岂不是家的温馨？妻子儿女的笑颜？在被扫罗追杀时，没有人抱怨；在旷野沙漠，顶无片瓦时，也无人感到命苦；但是现在众人为了自己的儿女，都恨不得拿大卫出气，想拿石头打死大卫。问题是，打死大卫也不能把妻儿救回来啊！

在众人悲愤不已时，大卫做了一个最智慧的决定，去求问神。神给了他一个最美，让他最感穴忍的答复：“你可以追，必追得上，都救得回来。”这就是大卫和扫罗的不同，在最紧张的时刻，在众人都要离开他的时候，扫罗就自行想办法要挽回人心；但是大卫反而离开众人去求问神。所以扫罗失败，大卫成功。环境，往往像一杯热水，要呈现里面茶包的真滋味。你要让环境左右你呢？还是让神来主宰环境？“大卫却倚靠耶和华他的神，心里坚固”。大卫相信神能够主宰这个局面，所以他心里不慌乱，可以冷静下来思考。哭可以哭，尽情地哭，但是眼泪擦干之后，要继续寻求神的带领。

Unity Takes Work and Focusing on Jesus

2021-07-27 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Corinthians 1:10-17.  Let’s go!

1 Corinthians 1:10-11 (NIV)
10  I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
11  My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you.

On verses 10-11:  Paul had heard reports that there were factions and cliques within the church. So here Paul appeals to his congregation to agree with one another and to get along with one another, that they may be “perfectly united in mind and thought” (v10).

It reminds me of what Pastor Craig Groeschel says.  There are only two things that happen naturally in any organization that don’t require any work on a leader’s part to create: division and underperformance.  Everything else takes intentionality and work.  Whether it’s in a home, a marriage, a church or an organization, we need to work on being united, on getting along, because it won’t always happen naturally. 

That is why elsewhere Paul would write to the church in Ephesus, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).  Unity takes work!  Just as Jesus went out of His way to love those who are so different from Him, unity for us is about going out of our way to love those who are different from us.

非利士人的首领不信大卫

2021-07-27 in , /by

〈撒母耳记〉上29:2 非利士人的首领各率军队，或百或千，挨次前进，大卫和跟随他的人同著亚吉跟在后边。

阅读经文：〈撒母耳记〉上29:1-11 

当亚吉兴高采烈地叫大卫做他永远的护卫长，让他和跟随的人一起去攻击以色列人时，这时大卫的心里有何打算呢？当非利士人的首领各率军队，挨次前进，有点像在阅兵时，他们发现了走在亚吉后面的大卫和从人。记不记得上次大卫投靠亚吉时，非利士人的首领都怀疑大卫；这次亚吉收容他们，他们没有再出声，因为确实知道扫罗在追杀大卫。但是要让大卫一起出战，大卫对非利士人有那个忠诚度吗？他们恐慌了。他们想得很远，大卫有可能以他们的头作为与扫罗和好的礼物。亚吉无奈，只好叫大卫不要跟着去打仗。

在我的想像里，这是很有可能的。非利士人在前面跟扫罗打仗，大卫在后面帮忙杀非利士人。因为大卫绝不会去杀以色列人。如此一来，前后围攻，非利士人就会被歼灭了。无奈，这不是神的计划。神把大卫和跟随他的人赶出非利士人的阵营。从另一方面而言，当大卫听到这个消息时，心里会高兴或不高兴？至少，不必跟着非利士人去打以色列人，他的马脚就暂时不会露出来了，大概是松了一口气的感觉。不管怎样，他还是对亚吉假惺惺地说：“我做了什么呢？自从仆人到你面前，直到今日，你查出我有什么过错，使我不去攻击主我王的仇敌呢？”自古以来，政治就是这么虚伪啊！

亚弗位于平原与山地的交界，它的地势稍高，附近断崖之麓有丰富的泉水，位于一条约旦河的支流雅孔河（Yarkon River）的源头；它又位于有名的国际干道（the Great Trunk Road）的交通要冲，又在从耶路撒冷通到约帕港的要道上，因此自古以来便是兵家必争之地。约书亚在攻取迦南时，曾经也杀掉一个亚弗王（书12:8），但是不久后亚弗就被非利士人占去了。在以利的最后一场战争里，非利士人也是安营在亚弗，以色列人安营在以便以谢，后来以色列人大败，连约柜也被抢去。在新约时代大希律重建亚弗，改名为安提帕底Antipatris；主后三百多年的一场大地震把亚弗夷为平地，没有再重建，目前已成了废墟。

Jesus, the Lover of Your Soul

2021-07-26 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Corinthians 1:1-9.  Let’s go!

1 Corinthians 1:1a (NIV)
1  Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,…

On verse 1:  Paul begins his letter by introducing himself as someone who is “called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God”.  What is an apostle?  An apostle is someone who is gifted and chosen by God to plant and start churches.  Paul was confident that God had chosen him as part of His will to be an apostle of Christ Jesus.  The fact that Paul believed in his calling was a huge reason for his success.  When you know what God has put you on this earth to do, it gives you purpose, power and perseverance like nothing else can.

Similarly, you too are called by God.  At THRIVE we describe your God-given calling this way: you are called to be alive, which means you’re here to worship Jesus.  You are called to be expectant, which means to grow into a Christ-like disciple.  You are called to be involved, which means you’re here to serve with your talents.  You are called to be out loud, which means you’re here to lead others to Jesus.  You’re called to be united, which means you’re here to love the family that Jesus started called His church.  Alive. Expectant. Involved. Outloud.  United.  AEIOU.  No matter what your personality or your unique set of giftings, no matter where you go or what else you do in life, you are called by God to be an AEIOU leader in God’s kingdom.

扫罗去见隐多珥女巫

2021-07-26 in , /by

〈撒母耳记〉上 28:6  扫罗求问耶和华，耶和华却不藉梦，或乌陵，或先知回答他。

阅读经文：〈撒母耳记〉上 28:1-25   

你可记得“作法自毙”这句成语的由来？当年商鞅为了使秦国变强，推行变法，使人民都不敢犯法。十年之后，秦国路不拾遗、山里没有盗贼，家家户户都丰衣足食。但是重用商鞅的秦孝公死后，太子继位。太子曾因为犯法，他的师傅被割去鼻子，此始开始报仇，说商鞅谋反。商鞅想要逃走，逃到国境关卡，已经天黑。想要投宿，旅舍老板对他说：“商君订立的法令，接纳没有通行证的客人投宿，要受连坐之罪。”不让他投宿。商鞅兴叹：“唉，我立下的法令竟然如此不通人情吗？”这就是“作法自毙”的典故。

在《圣经》里也有一个类似的故事：扫罗起初做王时，很敬畏神，因此下令国中剪除交鬼的和行巫术的。后来扫罗转离神，不再遵守神的道。当非利士人要大举来攻打以色列时，扫罗看到非利士人的阵容非常害怕。他求问神时，神不答复他，因此他得不到任何指引。此时他唯一能想到的就是撒母耳，即使撒母耳已死，他也希望能把他从阴间叫上来。没想到那交鬼的妇人怕触犯了扫罗的法令会受刑，因而不肯为扫罗招死人。

其实不只是古时，到现在也还有人在做这种事。美其名为招灵，实际上有的是在骗钱，预先做了一些手法；也有的是利用邪灵假扮成先人的鬼魂出来迷惑人。不相信神的人，在迷惘时不知去哪里求帮助，很多人选择用这种方式。所以要知道信耶稣的人何等有福气，当我们有困难时，可以借着祷告向真神祈求，不必靠邪灵的帮助。因为倚靠邪灵要付上很大的代价，而且被欺骗了也不晓得，有的人被骗得很惨。但是为何有些自称是基督徒的人也会去做这种事呢？

大卫遁至非利士地

2021-07-25 in , /by

〈撒母耳记〉上 27:6 当日亚吉将洗革拉赐给他。因此洗革拉属犹大王，直到今日。

阅读经文：〈撒母耳记〉上 27:1-12

大卫应不应该离开以色列的国境，跑到非利士地呢？有的人认为这是大卫灵里最软弱的时候，虽然神在屡次危难时都拯救他，保守他十分平安，但是那种惊吓和负荷还是让大卫选择了离开。人实在很有限，不是吗？就好像〈路得记里〉的以利米勒，因为以色列地遭遇饥荒，他就带着妻儿离开伯利恒去摩押地，到最后只剩妻子拿俄米和媳妇路得回到伯利恒。离开神命定的地方，会碰到更多的困难，这是大卫事前没想到的。

大卫第一次到迦特找亚吉时，因为亚吉身边的人记得大卫杀死歌利亚，无法相信大卫。大卫为了保命而不得不装疯，才得以逃离迦特。但是这次来到迦特，亚吉却对他另眼相看，还给了他一座城洗革拉。因为在第一次时，亚吉还不知道大卫被扫罗追杀的实情，有可能认为他是间谍，来打探军情；但是经过了一段时间，扫罗追杀大卫一事已经传遍各地了，大家都知道大卫是扫罗的眼中钉，因此亚吉大喜，他很可能希望把大卫收为自己的仆人。

果然，扫罗听到大卫逃到非利士地，就不再寻索大卫了。大卫在非利士地住了一年零四个月。这是一段不算短的时间。洗革拉原是犹大南部的一座城，后来给了西缅支派，不知何时却落入非利士人手中。亚吉又把它赐给大卫。有人说，就因为如此，大卫终于从非利士人那里得到了冶铁的知识和方法。因为非利士人恐怕希伯来人制造刀枪，所以不肯教以色列人冶铁。以色列人要磨锄、犁、斧、铲，就下到非利士人那里去磨，但有锉可以锉铲、犁、三齿叉、斧子并赶牛锥，所以在争战的日子里，只有扫罗和约拿单有刀有枪（撒上13:19-22）。现在大卫得到了这座非利士城，焉不是神给他的良机吗？