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记念你和神的关系

2021-03-10 in , /by

〈申命记 〉26: 18 耶和华今日照祂所应许你的，也认你为祂的子民，使你谨守祂的一切诫命。

阅读经文：〈申命记〉 26:1-19

在印度有一句哲谚：“If you walk fast, walk alone ; If you walk far, walk together.”意谓一个人如果想走得快，只图眼前近利，大可一个人独来独往或单打独斗；若想走得远，走得稳，最好要有团队（Team work）观念，重视团队精神，找一些志同道合的伙伴长期合作。如此，无论是个人事业或企业经营，皆能长久。 职场上也流行一句话：「二十岁到三十岁，靠专业、靠体力；三十岁到四十岁，靠朋友、靠关系；四十岁到五十岁，只能靠钱了。」这些都讲到人与人之间的关系何等重要。

华人对「关系」的概念更不模糊，最明白：「有关系，就没关系；没关系，就有关系了！」这句话也只有华人才听得懂。在这一章里，神提到的就是祂和以色列人的关系，以色列人和以色列人之间的关系。神提醒在以色列人进入迦南地之后，必有收成之时，一旦有了收成时，要立刻把初熟之物拿到祭司那里，宣告自己已经进了神的应许之地。随后祭司要把这初熟之物放在神的坛前，献物的人要在神的面前陈明自己和神有什么关系。〈箴言〉 27章10节说：「你的朋友和父亲的朋友，你都不可离弃。」在那时，谁是以色列人父亲亚伯拉罕的朋友呢？就是耶和华神了(赛41:8)。

当我们来到神的面前奉献时，我们要怎样陈明自己和神的关系呢？神要以色列人明白为何要奉献，神也要我们知道自己为何要奉献。不是马马虎虎的奉献，不是潦潦草草的奉献，也不是糊里糊涂、随随便便的奉献。就好像我们不会拿着最好的东西满街随便送，总是有原因才会去送最好的礼物。当我们把自己预备好去服事神时，当我们把钱放进奉献袋时，要明白不是教会在向你捐钱，更不是在向你要钱。而是我们来到神的面前把自己的一点心意献给神，所以假如我们不明白自己和神的关系，那个礼物就献得不明不白了。

What opportunity do you have today that you won’t have tomorrow?

2021-03-10 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 12:1-11.  Let’s go!

John 12:1-3 (NIV) 
1  Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 
2  Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 
3  Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

On verses 1-3:  At Bethany, a small village just outside of Jerusalem to the southeast, Jesus is at a dinner given in his honor less than a week before Passover.  At the dinner, Lazarus reclines, Martha serves, and Mary worships.  To me this is a good picture of the church.  It’s a place where you can rest like Lazarus, serve like Martha and worship like Mary.

Also, notice what happens when Mary pours the perfume on Jesus’ feet and wipes his feet with her hair: the fragrance of the perfume fills the whole house.  

凡事敬畏神

2021-03-09 in , /by

〈申命记〉 25:3 只可打他四十下，不可过数。若过数，便是轻贱你的弟兄了。

阅读经文：〈申命记〉 25:1-19

在这一章里，有的经文在新约里引用过，有的在旧约里引用过，您可记得？所以我们不要以为摩西讲了这么多，谁记得住啊？以色列人不仅把它们都记住了，而且一直传到如今。以色列人从小就背摩西五经，背得以色列人都很聪明，拿下世界上最多诺贝尔奖。现代有许多最先进的发明也都是从以色列出来的。神的律法好像政府建造公路，若在公路上开车就安全，若要自作聪明去走自己的路，就要绕许多弯路，甚至碰到许多危险。

在神的规定下，有诉讼时，作恶的人要受惩时，不可超过四十下。原因是，若打超过四十下，就是轻贱弟兄。轻贱就是侮辱。在这里神让我们看到，惩罚里应该有分寸，也应该有节制。惩罚是为了管教，不是泄忿。保罗在〈哥林多后书〉十一章里说，他曾被犹太人鞭打五次，每次四十减去一下，就是每次被打卅九下。这是按著律法的规定。而主耶稣当年是被彼拉多手下的罗马兵丁鞭打，罗马人没有这个律法，主耶稣被交在外邦人的手中，所以所受的必然超过四十下以上的鞭打。换言之，耶稣为了人类的罪而遭受到不人道的侮辱，被轻贱了。

其次，保罗在〈提摩太前书〉五章和〈哥林多前书〉九章里，都曾经引用这句话：「牛在场上踹谷的时候，不可笼住牠的嘴。」来说明工人得工价是应当的，所以传福音的人得收入或教会的供应也是应当的。其实这就好像旧约的祭司无产无业，也是靠着众人的奉献维生。他们是神的仆人，为众人服侍神，所以神要会众负起供应他们的责任。

Let Jesus Take Your Place

2021-03-09 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 11:45-57.  Let’s go!

John 11:45-48 (NIV) 
45  Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him. 
46  But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 
47  Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many miraculous signs. 
48  If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

On verses 45-48:  The Sanhedrin, being the ruling council of the Jewish people, meet to discuss what to do about the popular, miracle performing Jesus.  The chief priests and Pharisees were concerned that the kind of following Jesus was getting would get the entire Jewish people in trouble with the Roman government and cause them in particular to lose their place of power.

将心比心

2021-03-08 in , /by

〈申命记〉 24:22  你也要记念你在埃及地做过奴仆，所以我吩咐你这样行。

阅读经文：〈申命记〉 24:10-22

神对穷人的眷顾，为何不是赐给他们钱财或好运，让他们都能脱离窘境，反而是希望别人在他们有需要时去帮助他人呢？神不是没有能力，为何不让世界变成一个均富的世界呢？假如这个世界里，大家拥有的都一样多，那么会不会减少很多问题？神起初造伊甸园时，祂的用意是想让人都能享受祂的创造，但是一旦罪进入世界，人的贪念和罪性就颠覆了神原先的理想。神没有立刻挪去人的贪念和罪性，但是祂却让人在这个充满贪念和私欲的世界里学习彼此相爱，从他人的需要里看到自己的责任，让人明白若不按神的教导度日，人终会自己灭了自己。

我想，神要我们明白，人若不彼此帮助，就没有希望。所以祂允许贫穷的存在。贫穷代表了人的软弱，人的有限；某些人的贫穷反映出某些人的贪婪和榨取。所以要使人回复正常心，就必须让人学习付出，活出神的形像。当我们来到神面前时，祂总是怜悯帮助；因此当有人需要我们的帮助时，我们也必须用神的爱去爱他们。

在上一章里，神说若是取人当头，不可拿人家的上下磨石，因为那是他们维生的工具。若是没了磨石，他们连吃饭的工具都没有了，从何有力气去赚钱来还你呢？因此怜悯别人，就是帮助自己。你想拿回人家借去的钱，那么你就帮助他们有赚钱谋生的机会，他们有钱不就可以还你了吗？岂不皆大欢喜。你若苛扣别人，让别人谋生不易，那么你就不要存著拿回钱的希望。因为你阻挡了人家的生路，就是阻挡了自己的生路。这就是神要让我们明白的，帮助别人就是帮助自己。

Real Emotion, Real Power at Jesus’ feet

2021-03-08 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 11:32-44.  Let’s go!

John 11:32 (NIV) 
32  When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

On verse 32:  In the Gospels you will often find Mary at Jesus’ feet.  In Luke 10, we see Mary, in an act of spiritual hunger and teachability, sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening attentively to what he was saying. In John 12:3 and also John 11:2, we see Mary, in an act of worship and gratitude, anointing Jesus’ feet with perfume.  Here in verse 32 of John 11, we see Mary, in an act of mourning, weeping at Jesus’ feet.

What can we learn from this?  Whether you’re hungry to learn, eager to worship, or struggling to hope, humble yourself at the feet of Jesus.  You’ll find what you need at Jesus’ feet.

Jesus Wants Your Personal Trust, Not Just Your Intellectual Assent

2021-03-07 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 11:17-31.  Let’s go!

John 11:17-22 (NIV) 
17  On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 
18  Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 
19  and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 
20  When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. 
21  “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 
22  But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

On verses 17-22:  Martha was probably disappointed that Jesus did not arrive before her brother Lazarus passed away.  But when Jesus arrived on the scene, even then she still had hope in Jesus: “I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask” (v22).  What can we learn from this?  When you have Jesus in your life, you have hope that is even greater than death and disappointment. 

对人的体贴和对神的尊重

2021-03-07 in , /by

〈申命记 〉24:6 不可拿人的全盘磨石或是上磨石做当头，因为这是拿人的命做当头。

阅读经文：〈申命记〉 24:1-8

很多人想知道，离婚之后可不可以再婚，基督徒也不例外。摩西的说法，似乎是为人开了方便之门：「妇人离开夫家以后，可以去嫁别人。」但是耶稣说：「凡休妻的，若不是为淫乱的缘故，就是叫她做淫妇了；人若娶这被休的妇人，也是犯奸淫了。（太5:32）」因此法利赛人问耶稣：「这样，摩西为什么吩咐给妻子休书，就可以休她呢？（太19:7）」

在一个男人至上的社会里，妻子似乎变成丈夫的附属，可以呼之即来，挥之即去。丈夫不高兴就可以把妻子休了。一张休书换来多少眼泪。但是主耶稣说，这是不对的，你们把婚姻的关系弄错了，在婚姻里不该如此，「因为那起初造人的，是『造男造女』，并且说：『因此，人要离开父母，与妻子联合，二人成为一体。』既然如此，夫妻不再是两个人，乃是一体的了。所以神配合的，人不可分开（太19:4-6）。」

耶稣指出当初神『造男造女』，都是居于公平的原则，就是男不可无女，女也不可无男。尤其在结婚之后，夫妻就是一体，一个身体的关系，怎么说分开就分开呢？有谁觉得自己的手长得不好看，就把它砍掉吗？有人觉得脚不好看，就把它锯断吗？既然是一个身体，即使有不合理的事或不喜悦的事，就像身体有病，总要想办法去医治，怎样也不会说丢就丢，说锯就锯吧。这就是夫妻的关系，二人成为一体，是无法分割的。

Life Bringer

2021-03-05 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 11:1-16.  Let’s go!

John 11:1-4 (NIV) 
1  Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 
2  This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. 
3  So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” 
4  When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”

On verses 1-4:  Once again we see Jesus’ view on sickness.  Jesus saw sickness as an opportunity for God to display His power and an opportunity for God to be glorified through how people deal with the sickness.  Likewise, when you see problems and challenges in your life, train yourself to see them with the eyes of Jesus.  See them not gravestones marking your death, but stepping stones to something greater.

使人和睦的人有福了！

2021-03-05 in , /by

〈马太福音〉五章9节   使人和睦的人有福了！因为他们必称为　神的儿子。

用仇恨写历史

　　战争、纠纷、不满、抢夺，这些都是和睦的相反词。历史充满战争，人借着仇恨写历史。中国自战国七雄到今天，几乎每个时代，都是以战争开始，以战争结束，人民不满过去的统治者用军事势力，满足个人的贪欲，以不公不义统治百姓，压榨欺侮百姓。人要抢别人的东西时，编造谎言，讲尽好话，做尽坏事，逃避责任，使人对毫不察觉这些话语背后的邪恶动机。历史记载人与人之间的仇恨、嫌隙，记载人类的贪婪、野心。自从亚当犯罪以后，罪使人产生不应该有的贪婪。一个贪婪的人，一定对别人有不义的要求，用各样的理由遮掩自己的动机，用比别人更强的势力来侵犯别人。

　　除了贪婪，妒忌导致仇恨，仇恨导致杀人。圣经告诉我们，妒忌产生仇恨，仇恨产生凶杀。人心里若有妒忌，一定对别人不满，用非法、不当的行为侵占别人所拥有的。「嫉妒是骨中的朽烂」（箴14:30），这是箴言告诉我们一项很重要的法则。我们看不见骨中的朽烂，我们看见的是人的外表、笑容，以为对方对我们很好。许多人笑里藏刀，外表漂亮，内心凶恶，对于这样的人，防不胜防。妒忌的人无法与人和睦。妒忌、仇恨产生争战、凶杀诸如此类的坏事，破坏人际的和睦与社会的安宁，妨碍生命的进展。

忌妒心产生凶杀

　　威尔第（Giuseppe Verdi, 1813–1901）写了著名的歌剧《奥赛罗》（Otello）。主角奥赛罗是威尼斯官员，当奥赛罗被拔擢，许多人替他高兴，但有一个叫依阿戈（Iago）的人打从心底恨奥赛罗，他心里说：「恶魔在我心里，我要陷害奥赛罗，他绝对无法逃脱我的手」。于是，依阿戈在奥赛罗面前装作好人，使奥赛罗误会太太不忠。