Entries by

The Activating Power of Faith + Your Inside Man

2021-07-19 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 46:1-34.  Let’s go!

Genesis 46:1-4 (NIV)
1  So Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
2  And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, “Jacob! Jacob!” “Here I am,” he replied.
3  “I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.
4  I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.”

On verses 1-4:  Notice this: Did God speak to Jacob before or after Jacob went in faith and headed for Egypt (Hint: see Genesis 45:48)?  Did God speak to Jacob before or after Jacob offered sacrifices to God (see verses 1-2)?  In both cases, the answer is: after. 

What can we learn from this?  Sometimes people will refuse to move forward unless God first gives them some incredible sign or wonder.  I believe that is a recipe for a stagnant, immature, irresponsible faith.  While it is important to make time and room for God to speak into your life every day, don’t place the burden on God to have to give you sign after sign before you will move forward in faith, especially when God has already given you everything you need to take that next step.  When you know the next step God wants you to take, take it without delay and without making any more excuses.  After you take it, that’s when God will speak to you.  That’s the activating power of faith.

大卫救基伊拉

2021-07-18 in , /by

〈撒母耳记〉上 23: 12 大卫又说：「基伊拉人将我和跟随我的人交在扫罗手里不交？」耶和华说：「必交出来。」

阅读经文：〈撒母耳记〉上 23:1-29 

基伊拉位在犹大的高原上，其中有一座坚固的城。它在亚杜兰南方约五公里之处，离非利士人的迦特大约廿公里。它附近的土地十分肥沃，农产十分丰富；那时正是初夏收割农作物的时候，所以非利士人乘机前来抢夺。禾场是一个空旷地方，农夫将收成的禾榖曝晒及打果实之处；非利士人垂涎这些粮食，想要不劳而获。这城自古以来就是犹大山地和非利士人的兵家必争之地，在约书亚时已经划给犹大支派，但犹大族尚未能制服此地的外邦人。当时基伊拉的居民并非以色列人。

大卫本来偏安在亚杜兰洞，因为跟随他的人越来越多，先知迦得劝他回到犹大地，犹大地指的是耶路撒冷以南那片广大的地区。大卫若在那里从事活动，可以建立根基，赢得民心，作为他将来的王国基地。所以大卫就带着跟随他的人进入犹大地的哈列树林里。当有人向大卫报告了非利士人攻击基伊拉一事，大卫不是立刻做决定。虽然他有“路见不平，拔刀相助”的英雄气概，但是他和扫罗很大的不同，在于他敬畏耶和华神。他的心里有事，就立刻去求问耶和华神。他把寻求神的心意作为每一件事的首项要务。不是先和众人讨论，不是自己先定方向，而是先求问神的心意：“可以不可以？”

求问神需要等待神的回应。求问神不是祷告完就算报备了，神就会帮助我了，那叫一厢情愿。大卫需要去找祭司，祭司需要洁净自己，求问神之后，等待神的答复。有了答案，再去告诉大卫。我们求问神，当然要等候神的回应，神会用各种方法来回应我们，有时借着环境，有时借着《圣经》的话语，有时用别人的口，有很多种方法，所以在神还没有答复之前，不可采取行动。

The Best Version of You

2021-07-18 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 45:14-28.  Let’s go!

Genesis 45:14-21 (NIV)
14  Then he threw his arms around his brother Benjamin and wept, and Benjamin embraced him, weeping.
15  And he kissed all his brothers and wept over them. Afterward his brothers talked with him.
16  When the news reached Pharaoh’s palace that Joseph’s brothers had come, Pharaoh and all his officials were pleased.
17  Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Tell your brothers, ‘Do this: Load your animals and return to the land of Canaan,
18  and bring your father and your families back to me. I will give you the best of the land of Egypt and you can enjoy the fat of the land.’
19  “You are also directed to tell them, ‘Do this: Take some carts from Egypt for your children and your wives, and get your father and come.
20  Never mind about your belongings, because the best of all Egypt will be yours.'”
21  So the sons of Israel did this. Joseph gave them carts, as Pharaoh had commanded, and he also gave them provisions for their journey.

On verses 14-21:  Because Joseph served faithfully in Pharaoh’s court, all of Egypt was opened up to Joseph’s family and, in a way, the kingdom of God, represented by Joseph’s entire family, was given room to grow in Egypt.  I believe that is the way God wants us His church to be in this world: that we would serve so well and so faithfully in the world that the people of the world welcome us with their best and are open to the God that we worship.  In your workplace, in your school, in your community, may you serve so faithfully and in such outstanding ways that the people where you serve become open to God’s kingdom and offer their best to bless God’s people.

Sent Ahead for the Saving of Many Lives

2021-07-16 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 45:1-13.  Let’s go!

Genesis 45:1-8 (NIV)
1  Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Have everyone leave my presence!” So there was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers.
2  And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household heard about it.
3  Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still living?” But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.
4  Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt!……

On verses 1-8:  Touched by Judah offering himself as a slave in place of Benjamin, Joseph can hold his secret in no longer.  With everyone else outside the room, Joseph reveals his true identity to his brothers.  Joseph tells his brothers not to be distressed or angry with themselves for selling him here.  The reason is because God had a bigger purpose in allowing it to happen: it was so that Joseph could be sent ahead to save many lives, including his own family.  Notice that three times Joseph says that God has “sent” him ahead (v5, 7, 8).

第七封信：给老底嘉教会 (下)

2021-07-16 in , /by

(续) 2.主第二次责备他们：17节「你说，我是富足，已经发了财，一样都不缺。却不知你是那困苦、可怜、贫穷、瞎眼、赤身的。」老底嘉教会看自己是甚么？他们看高了自己，以为富足，一样都不缺。他说我是富足，已经发了财，一样都不缺。老底嘉教会是怎样情形呢，教堂建筑华丽，教友多。自夸教秩序好，合主心意。自夸教友多，自夸歌诗班好，所唱的诗好听。自夸牧师传道够资格，教友地位高，有学问，有财富。各位，但主不喜欢人自夸。团体自夸，个人自夸主都不欢喜。如〈路加福音〉18章所记载那法利赛人，说到自己如何好，不像别人勒索不义，奸淫，也不像这个税吏。把自己提得何等高。不知这是中了魔鬼的诡计。你们想想撒但的结局何等可悲。

从前有一个南方人，很羡慕学说北方话，所以他到了北方学说官话，因为记忆力不好，学来学去，只学了六个字，就是「是我」「不错」「好的。」他认为很满意，就大摇大摆的回来。来到他的家门前，敲门，他的妻子认不出是谁，不敢开门。就门内问：「谁呀？他用官话回答：「是我。」他的妻子听了吓了一跳，以为北洋军来惧怕得很。但他走是在门外用官话大声说：「是我，是我，是我……」后来他妻子留心听，才认出是自己的丈夫，于是快快的开门，把他接入来，知道他学懂了说官话，更欢喜。于是遇见人就说自己的丈夫学懂了说官话。因此周围的人知道他会说官话。有一天，发生了案，有人被谋杀。官府就来调查，但这官府是北方人，那地方的人于是请他出来代回答官府的问话。官长问他：「谁杀死这个人。」他说：「是我。」又问：「真的是你？」他答：「不错。」官长说：「你杀死人就要偿命。」他说：「好的。」他因此被判了死刑。各位，把自己提得太高，就会有大危险。主怎样批评他们呢？主说：「却不知你是那困苦、可怜、贫穷、瞎眼、赤身的。」在主的眼睛看来，他们是何等困苦、可怜、贫穷、瞎眼赤身的。

三、主对他们的劝勉──18至20节「我劝你向我买火炼的金子，叫你富足。又买白衣穿上，叫你赤身的羞耻不露出来，又买眼药擦你的眼睛，使你能看见。凡我所疼爱的，我就责备管教他，所以你要发热心，也要悔改。看哪，我站在门外叩门，若有听见我声音就开门的，我要进到他那里去，我与他，他与我一同坐席。」这三节经文里面，给我们见到主对老底嘉教会的劝勉，主对他们有三样劝勉：

You’re Not Bound By Your Past Mistakes

2021-07-15 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 44:18-34.  Let’s go!

Genesis 44:18-34 (NIV)
18  Then Judah went up to him and said: “Please, my lord, let your servant speak a word to my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, though you are equal to Pharaoh himself.
19  My lord asked his servants, ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’
20  And we answered, ‘We have an aged father, and there is a young son born to him in his old age. His brother is dead, and he is the only one of his mother’s sons left, and his father loves him.’
21  “Then you said to your servants, ‘Bring him down to me so I can see him for myself.’……

In fact you could argue that there is no one in the book of Genesis who is recorded as making more mistakes than Judah.  Yet here in this passage Judah does something noble, loving and sacrificial.  With Benjamin on the verge of being taken as a slave, Judah recounts to the Egyptian authority how Judah promised his father that he would make sure nothing bad happened to his brother Benjamin.  He offers to serve as a slave for the rest of his life in place of Benjamin so that Benjamin can go free.

大卫匿于亚杜兰洞

2021-07-15 in , /by

〈撒母耳记〉上 22:1    大卫就离开那里，逃到亚杜兰洞。他的弟兄和他父亲的全家听见了，就都下到他那里。

阅读经文：〈撒母耳记〉上 22:1-23 

这章的经文里记述了一个小人物的堀起，和一个大人物的自堀坟墓。从表面上看来，大卫好像是落魄了，但是跟随他的人从各地而来。大卫从一个逃犯变成了一个小头目。扫罗命令人去杀祭司，却没有人肯做，只有以东人多益才敢做如此得罪神的事情。扫罗的作为使他失去人心，使他成为一个残杀子民的王，一个走向末日的王。从来是，得人心者得天下，失人心者失天下。大卫和扫罗的情形正反映了这句话的真实。

大卫欺骗亚希米勒大祭司以求饼，又装疯欺骗非利士王亚吉以求生，当他想得到人的帮助时，他发现除了欺骗没有别的办法。即使如此，欺骗不仅没有为他解决问题，反而让他要面对更大的问题。挪伯一城的血债都由他而起，何等沉重！大卫离开亚吉之后，就逃到亚杜兰洞。他再也无法倚靠任何人。有时候，神会把我们逼到一个地步，让我们只能倚靠祂。反而是当大卫开始倚靠神时，他就成了别人可以倚靠的人。这真是很奇妙的事，当我们什么都没有，只能倚靠神时，神就因而彰显荣耀，让我们可以成为他人的帮助。

亚杜兰在希伯伦西北约16公里，以拉谷的南侧， 介于迦特和伯利恒中间，在犹大高原上，该地区的山中有很多石灰岩洞穴，洞穴彼此互通，可容人居住。最出名的洞穴就是大卫住过的亚杜兰洞。大卫逃到亚杜兰洞时，他的弟兄和父亲的全家都去投靠他，很可能因为扫罗也开始逼迫他们，要他们说出大卫的所在。大卫有三个哥哥都在扫罗的军队里，一旦扫罗以大卫为敌，他的哥哥们在军队里可能也受到莫须有的对待，以致他们宁可叛逃也不要在军队里呆下去；他们一逃，其他的家人岂能不逃？

大卫逃至挪伯和迦特

2021-07-14 in , /by

〈撒母耳记〉上 21:10  那日大卫起来，躲避扫罗，逃到迦特王亚吉那里。

阅读经文：〈撒母耳记〉上 21:1-15 

这是大卫的人生里比较多苦难的一段日子。虽然没有做错什么，虽然全心全意地在为以色列人争战，虽然尽心尽意地服侍扫罗，却换来怀疑、嫉恨和追杀，甚至有家归不得。你说他冤不冤？世界上感到自己很委屈，很冤枉的人到处都是，但是能像大卫在感到委屈和冤枉时仰望神的人就不多了。扫罗坐在王位上，却因为没有神的同在，因而疑神疑鬼；大卫虽在逃亡途中，但因为有神的同在，在苦境中亦可领略到神的恩典。

挪伯是便雅悯地一座祭司居住的小镇，在约柜被非利士人抢走后，会幕就从示罗搬到挪伯，约柜则继续留在基列耶琳。亚希米勒是以利的孙子，有解经家认为他就是十四章第三节里穿着以弗得的亚西亚祭司。在十四章里，亚西亚（即亚希米勒）是跟着扫罗的祭司，换句话说，他是扫罗的“御用”祭司。所对政治也有点敏感度。当他看到大卫独自前来时，就感觉得有点不对劲，因此战战兢兢地出来迎接大卫。

大卫是战士长的身份，理当有人随侍左右，怎么他会独自一人前来？大卫可能为了寻得亚比米勒的帮助，而向他撒谎。经常有人认为撒一下白谎无所谓，又不会害人。为了保护自己，编一下故事又何妨？但是我们若知道亚希米 勒和整个挪伯城都因为大卫的白谎而被扫罗屠城，可能对白谎会有更深的认识。

The Testing Before The Blessing

2021-07-14 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 44:1-17.  Let’s go!

Genesis 44:1-17 (NIV)
1  Now Joseph gave these instructions to the steward of his house: “Fill the men’s sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man’s silver in the mouth of his sack.
2  Then put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one’s sack, along with the silver for his grain.” And he did as Joseph said.
3  As morning dawned, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys.
4  They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to his steward, “Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, ‘Why have you repaid good with evil?……

On verses 1-17:  Here Joseph plants his own silver cup into his brother Benjamin’s sack without Benjamin knowing.  Then after sending the brothers off, Joseph gets his men to chase after the brothers, alleging that one of them had stolen his silver cup.  It turns out that Joseph, a son of Jacob the original trickster, has a trick up his own sleeve.  Yet we will see that Joseph ultimately had a good intention by playing this trick on his brothers.

God Sees Right Through

2021-07-13 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 42:1-20.  Let’s go!

Genesis 42:1-2 (NIV)
1  When Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you just keep looking at each other?”
2  He continued, “I have heard that there is grain in Egypt. Go down there and buy some for us, so that we may live and not die.”

On verses 1-2:  Jacob by this point was old, but his penchant for wanting to get things done and finding that the people around him were too slow was alive and well.

Genesis 42:3-20 (NIV)
3  Then ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain from Egypt.
4  But Jacob did not send Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, with the others, because he was afraid that harm might come to him.
5  So Israel’s sons were among those who went to buy grain, for the famine was in the land of Canaan also.
6  Now Joseph was the governor of the land, the one who sold grain to all its people. So when Joseph’s brothers arrived, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground.