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Just Take the Next Step + God Provides in the Mourning

2021-06-02 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 24:52-67.  Let’s go!

Genesis 24:52-61 (NIV)
52  When Abraham’s servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD.
53  Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother.
54  Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there. When they got up the next morning, he said, “Send me on my way to my master.”……

On verses 52-61:  Willingly Rebekah leaves her home and goes back with Abraham’s servant to become Isaac’s wife.  To leave her family, friends and homeland and to move to a new land to marry a stranger was no easy task.  Earlier in Genesis 24 we learned that Rebekah had the heart of an excellent and humble servant.  Here in these verses we see that Rebekah was also brave.  It’s no wonder God used Rebekah to help accomplish God’s plan of building a family of nations through Abraham, a family which would ultimately include you and me and everyone else who places their trust in Jesus Christ.  Nothing in Genesis so far seems to suggests that Rebekah had any idea of God’s bigger plan to use her life in this way.  Most likely, Rebekah was just faithfully taking the next step that she believed God was showing her and had no idea how much God would end up using her decision to become Isaac’s wife.

但族遣人觅地

2021-06-01 in , /by

〈士师记〉  18:31 神的殿在示罗多少日子，但人为自己设立米迦所雕刻的像也在但多少日子。

阅读经文：〈士师记〉  18:1-31

「那时以色列中没有王」，这句话在〈士师记〉中一共出现了四次（17:6/18:1/19:1/21:25），表示作者在写此书时，以色列中已经有王治理。所以他认为，以色列人的问题，是因为以色列中没有王的原因。其实「王」只是领导者的代名词，但是以色列人想的并不是这样，他们渴望的是像外邦人一样有个耀武扬威的王，使人产生敬畏的王。因为摩西、约书亚和一些士师，其实都起了很好的带领作用，使他们远离偶像，敬拜耶和华，在许多方面蒙福。因此我们可以看到，以色列人一直没有找出他们得罪神和失败的根源。

在约书亚为以色列人分地时，但支派似乎没有像其他支派那样，得到又大又美的地界。他们分到了十七个城邑，散住在迦南各地（地图上有红点的便是但人原分得的城）。在〈士师记〉第一章34 节说：「亚摩利人强逼但人住在山地，不容他们下到平原」，加上在参孙做士师前后受到非利士人的压迫，所以但支派的人一直在为寻找一个可以定居的地方而努力。从约书亚死后到参孙做士师的时期结束，可以算出的大约是410年，当然其中有一些年数是我们无法统计的，因为作者没有把它们列出来。但支派找到拉亿定居是否是在参孙死后，因为无法抵抗非利士人，所以更积极地寻找长久的定居之地呢？因为参孙被耶和华的灵感动时，但的军营或者说但的营地，尚在玛哈尼但，琐拉和以实陶之间。

Made to Love and Be Loved

2021-06-01 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 24:15-33.  Let’s go!

Genesis 24:15-17 (NIV)
15  Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor.
16  The girl was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever lain with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.
17  The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”

On verses 15-17:  Just as God brought Rebekah to Abraham’s servant even before Abraham’s servant finished praying, God knows your need even before you express it.  So why ask God if He already knows what we need?  Even though He already knows what we need, we ask God because asking is part of growing in our relationship with God, learning to rely on Him and experiencing the power of faith.  Faith is like a muscle that grows with use.  So use your faith muscles and ask God for what you need.

米迦造偶像

2021-05-31 in , /by

〈士师记〉   17:6  那时以色列中没有王，各人任意而行。

阅读经文：〈士师记〉  17:1-13

虽然〈士师记〉  里参孙是最后一个士师，但是真正最后的一个士师是撒母耳。在〈士师记〉  里最后几章都是描写以色列中没有王，各人任意而行的几个例子，让我们明白在一个心中没有王的社会里，会产生的奇怪现象和许多悲剧。

第一个例子说到有一个叫做米迦的人的家中所发生的事情。有一天，米迦的母亲丢了一千一百舍客勒银子，米母（简称）非常生气，可能大骂小偷无耻无道，又咒诅他绝子绝孙的。假如你丢了那么多钱，你会怎样骂小偷，你想得到的，她可能都骂出来了。

没想到偷她钱的小偷听到了，这个小偷天天听她咒诅，越听越不是滋味，更深怕那咒诅在自己身上应验。于是他自首了。迦母没想到偷钱的是自己的儿子，立刻改口：「我儿啊，愿耶和华赐福于你！」那时她多么希望能收回那些咒诅的话啊！怎能让那些咒诅落到至爱的儿子身上呢？只好求神赐福，希望可以盖过那些咒诅。别人偷钱该死，自己儿子偷钱骂两声也够了。这就是人的标准，别人做错事，就要下十八层地狱，若是自己人，陪个不是就可以了。

为了消除自己的咒诅，米母就想为儿子雕个神像，她以为这样可以讨耶和华神的高兴。她虽然知道耶和华神，对于律法却一无所知。以为雕像当作神来拜，就是在敬拜耶和华了，却没想到她的作法正好与神的教导相悖，她做了神最讨厌的事。我们会不会这样呢？有时凭著一股热心，要为神做这个做那个，却没想到反而得罪神。

Serve with Excellence

2021-05-31 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 24:15-33.  Let’s go!

Genesis 24:15-17 (NIV)
15  Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, who was the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor.
16  The girl was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever lain with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.
17  The servant hurried to meet her and said, “Please give me a little water from your jar.”

On verses 15-17:  Just as God brought Rebekah to Abraham’s servant even before Abraham’s servant finished praying, God knows your need even before you express it.  So why ask God if He already knows what we need?  Even though He already knows what we need, we ask God because asking is part of growing in our relationship with God, learning to rely on Him and experiencing the power of faith.  Faith is like a muscle that grows with use.  So use your faith muscles and ask God for what you need.

When Looking For That Special Someone

2021-05-30 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 24:1-14.  Let’s go!

Genesis 24:1-4 (NIV)
1  Abraham was now old and well advanced in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.
2  He said to the chief servant in his household, the one in charge of all that he had, “Put your hand under my thigh.
3  I want you to swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living,
4  but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac.”

On verses 1-4:  Even in Abraham’s old age, Abraham still had goals to accomplish and things he wanted to get done.  A top priority for Abraham was finding a good wife for his son Isaac, as per the traditions of his culture where parents would arrange the marriage for their child.  Since Abraham could not do this himself in his old age, he delegated this responsibility to his chief servant and placed him under a strict oath to go back to Abraham’s home country and find for Isaac a wife that met Abraham’s criteria.

参孙的结局

2021-05-30 in , /by

〈士师记〉 16:28 参孙求告耶和华说：「主耶和华啊，求你眷念我！神啊，求你赐我这一次的力量，使我在非利士人身上报那剜我双眼的仇！」

阅读经文：〈士师记〉 16:1-31

在这一章的经文里，我们看不到「耶和华的灵感动参孙」这句话了。有的人质疑，参孙身为士师，竟然去找妓女，而且爱上妓女，难道也是出于神的旨意吗？〈士师记〉的作者在写书时，一点不含糊，在这些事上，完全没有神的灵在作工的迹象，参孙被情欲所操纵了。参孙出生时的身份是拿细耳人，但是他破坏了所有拿细耳人的规矩，这就是参孙失败的真正原因。

拿细耳人的律例有三个方面：1.禁戒各种酒类，以及酒作的醋、葡萄、葡萄干，乃至葡萄树上结的，自核至皮所作的各种物品。2. 不可剃去头发，任由发绺长长。3.不可靠近人或动物的尸体，甚至是亲人的尸体。这也是为何当参孙拿死狮体内的蜂蜜给父母吃时，不告诉他们是从哪里取得的。因为他的父母一定告诫过他，不可以碰任何死尸。他若说了，父母可能不吃，他还要挨骂。当他在非利士人之地摆设婚宴时，又岂能滴酒不沾？三方面的禁忌，他破了两方面，在最后一项，他能把持得住吗？

失去了妻子的参孙心情上可能十分沮丧，但是他跑去找非利士的妓女时，作者再没有写耶和华的灵感动他。因此，我们知道这是参孙自己的选择，他放纵自己的情欲。可能有的人觉得参孙在出世之前，神已经拣选他，赐恩给他，他就应该是一个循规蹈矩的人。但是出生在教授家庭的孩子就一定知书达礼吗？那也不竟然。只能说，神拣选了参孙，但是神赐给每一个人的自由意志，参孙也有。神拣选人，但是神不强迫人，可是人要为自己的选择负责。神知道一切，祂知道我们做每一个选择的后果会如何。我们不能把什么责任都推给神，正如孩子不能把失败的责任都归咎于父母。

What Death Can’t Separate

2021-05-28 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 23:1-20.  Let’s go!

Genesis 23:1-2 (NIV)
1  Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old.
2  She died at Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her.

On verses 1-2:  For some reason the first time a person in the Bible is recorded as weeping, it’s in a situation where Abraham lost his wife Sarah.  The two had been together for many decades.  Together they had moved to and lived in many different places, experienced so many ups and downs, trusted in God’s promises and saw God work powerfully in their lives.  Other than the presence of God, there was no one whose presence was more constant in Abraham’s life than Sarah’s.  And now Abraham and Sarah were saying goodbye.  No doubt even in their old age, this was a very difficult thing to do.

To me in part it’s a reminder that God sees us as His bride.  Because He never wanted to lose us to death, He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins, so that we could be with Him forever.

第三封信：给别迦摩教会

2021-05-28 in , /by

别迦摩教会，是代表教会第三个时代（311-1590年）。此时代是政教联合时代。在罗马王君士坦丁，教皇贵勾利第一时，教会与世界联合，因此教会一天天的腐败堕落。

名义──「别迦摩」原文是「联婚」之意。教会本来与基督定婚，是已献给基督之童女，等基督来时可结婚，但现在教会在基督再来前已与世界结婚，如一个女人有两个丈夫，这是教会反常之现象，可见教会之罪恶腐败，与世界联合，何等危险。像船是在水上，但船现在却沉下去，教会与世界联合，就是如船沉下去。这证明是撒但之诡计，牠的诡计更加利害，在士每拿教会时，撒但想藉武力，使教会消沉，但逼害之结果，教会反而兴旺。但现在他变更计划，使人喜欢教会。撒但的笑容比怒目更可怕，参孙不怕战场上之战争，只失败在一个女人手中，在一个女人膝上睡觉，结果失败。

「别迦摩」另一名义是「高楼」之意，教会与世界联婚之后，得崇高地位，照人看来，是何等幸福。本来他应与未婚夫耶稣一样被世界厌弃逼迫，但现在竟得崇高地位，叫人羡慕，他们这样颠倒是非。本来学生不能高过先生，现在教会之实况，是学生高过先生，仆人不能高过主人，但他们之实况是仆人高过主人，家人与家主应该一同受辱骂，现在家人倒受称赞。主降生在马槽，死在十架上，现在教会有高地位，与主之情形大不相同，教会与主之目的大不同，实在可惜。

一、主的自称：「两刃利剑。」对别迦摩教会情形很相合。

1.两刃利剑刺开一切隐密处。「神的道是活泼的，是有功效的，比一切两刃的剑更快，甚至魂与灵，骨节与骨髓，都能刺入剖开，连心中的思念和主意，都能辨明。」（来四12）一切都是赤露敞开，从主对别迦摩教会的自称，可知主对他的表示，他们属灵之光景，敞开祂的话如利剑，把他们之原形，完全显出。若明白罗马历史和教会遗传的，都知道自从戴奥革利庭，和加勒利阿死后，君士坦丁、马生特亚，两人争夺王位。

The Lamb Who Suffered For Me

2021-05-27 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 22:13-24.  Let’s go!

Genesis 22:13-14 (NIV)
13  Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.
14  So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”

On verses 13-14: Instead of making Abraham sacrifice his only son Isaac, God provides a substitutionary sacrifice for Isaac.  Just as Abraham predicted in verse 8, God Himself provides a lamb for the offering.  It’s a ram caught by its horns in a thicket, which some scholars say was a thornbush.  Now consider this: a ram is a male adult lamb.  “Horns” in the Bible are often seen as a symbol for one’s destiny.  “Thorns” in the Bible often represent suffering.  Just as God provided an adult male lamb who destiny was to suffer  on a mountain in place of Isaac, so Jesus was the male adult lamb whose destiny was to suffer and die in our place on a hill called Calvary.  On the day Jesus was sacrificed, they even placed a crown of thorns on Jesus’ head so that, like the ram, Jesus’ head is caught in thorns.  I love how the Old Testament points us to Jesus.  Truly the Lord is our provider, as verse 14 says, for on the mountain God provided us with His sacrificial lamb to atone for our sins.