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Forgiving Brings New Blessings

2021-06-08 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 26:23-35.  Let’s go!

Genesis 26:23-25 (NIV)
23  From there he went up to Beersheba.
24  That night the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.”
25  Isaac built an altar there and called on the name of the LORD. There he pitched his tent, and there his servants dug a well.

On verses 23-25:  One thing Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, three generations of men, had in common was that after hearing God speak, each of them would build an altar to God and call on His name.  It’s a reminder to me that:

1. God wants to personally speak to people in every generation.  You were made not simply to hear about God from the generation before you.  You were made to personally hear from God yourself and to worship Him. 

2. Just as Isaac pitched his tent and dug a well in the same place where he worshiped God and heard from God, so may you choose to live near God’s presence every day, make worship your priority, and seek to add more blessings and prosperity to the place where you worship and hear from God.    

波阿斯厚待路得

2021-06-08 in , /by

〈路得記〉   2:12   願耶和華照你所行的賞賜你。你來投靠耶和華以色列神的翅膀下，願你滿得祂的賞賜。

閱讀經文：〈路得記〉   2:1-23

路得之所以被世人所稱讚，除了她願意犧牲自己美好的青春年華，去侍候一個年老的婆婆，還有她那善體人意的好心腸。她跟著拿俄米回伯利恒，並不是為了要享福。她很清楚知道自己將要面臨的生活，必須承擔起照顧婆婆的責任。伯利恒對她而言是塊陌生的土地，幸好語言方面並無障礙，她已習慣了和婆婆溝通的方式。回到伯利恒解決了住的問題，其次就是吃的問題。她沒有日坐愁城地等待，而是決定成為一個可以供應家庭的人。

有的人喜歡被人侍候，覺得有人侍候才算是上等人，因此寧可什麼事都不做，找很多的藉口來搪塞。但是神賜給我們的五官四體若是不使用，就會逐漸喪失其功能。最明顯的就是骨折之後的手或腳，因為需要時間使骨骼長成，不能使用，因此肌肉就會慢慢消失，骨骼也會僵硬；要逐漸按摩，適當運動之後，才能恢復其功能。所以我們的身體若是越動就越能動，越不動就真的不動啦！所以工作勤快的人，表面看起來好像吃虧，因為做的事比較多，但實際上神已經祝福他了，因為他的身體各方面都能聯絡得更好。

路得主動提出要去田間拾取麥穗，因為這是最直接可以得到糧食的方法，也是不用錢可以溫飽之道。在山東省有個老太太，從小經歷了好多次的饑荒，對糧食特別愛惜。兒女長大有了好工作，生活富裕之後，她依然去拾取麥穗和稻米。她說，機器收割糧食掉的多，她一季可拾取100多斤麥穗，有時撿回去的稻米，一家人半個月都吃不完。上帝很公平，勤勞的人餓不死，光是用撿的都可以餵飽一家人。

When You Face Problem After Problem

2021-06-07 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 26:12-22.  Let’s go!

Genesis 26:12-22 (NIV)
12  Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the LORD blessed him.
13  The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy.
14  He had so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him.
15  So all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the time of his father Abraham, the Philistines stopped up, filling them with earth…….

On verses 12-22:  God blesses Isaac with great wealth (v12-13), so much so that the Philistines begin to envy him (v14) and stop up the wells that Isaac’s father Abraham had dug (v15).  In fact, despite Isaac trying to cooperate with the government of Gerar (v16-17) and doing what was within his rights (v18), over and over the Philistines cause problems for Isaac, disputing with Isaac over one well after another (v19-21).  Despite encountering problem after problem and dispute after dispute, Isaac refuses to give up.  He persists in his well digging until he can find a well that no one will fight with him over.  When he finally finds it, he calls the well Rehoboth, meaning “room” (v22), believing that now God has given him and his family the room to grow.

你的神就是我的神

2021-06-07 in , /by

〈路得記〉  1:16  路得說：「不要催我回去不跟隨你！你往哪裡去，我也往哪裡去；你在哪裡住宿，我也在哪裡住宿。你的國就是我的國，你的神就是我的神。」

閱讀經文：〈路得記〉 1:1-22 

〈路得記〉是發生在士師秉政時期的一個溫馨感人的故事，也再一次讓我們看到人若有對耶和華神的信心，神的祝福是何等地大。從亞伯拉罕到迦南地開始，我們就不時看到迦南地有饑荒。亞伯拉罕曾因而下埃及、到非利士地去躲避饑荒；以撒也曾經想去埃及，但是神叫他留在基拉耳，非利士人之地。在士師秉政時，迦南地又有饑荒，伯利恒素來稱「為魚米之鄉」，阿拉伯語的意思是「肉籃子」，希伯來文之意是「麵包之家」，麵包是指各樣的糧食，所以又稱「糧倉」，主要都在形容她的富庶。現在她以耶穌誕生的聖地聞名於世，生產以橄欖木和珍珠貝為原料的宗教記念品、刺繡工藝品，也是農產巿場和貿易中心。

這樣一個以生產糧食著稱的地區，竟然發生饑荒，有的人就會想外出找糧食了。但是當拿俄米回去伯利恒時，正是動手割大麥的時候。那麼，以利米勒把全家遷到摩押地，是否是個明智的決定呢？那些沒有遷移的人，留在伯利恒都得到了神的祝福，「因為她在摩押地聽見耶和華眷顧自己的百姓，賜糧食於他們」。假如以利米勒跟其他人留在伯利恒，那麼後果是否會完全不一樣？以利米勒把全家都遷到摩押地，其結果是他和兩個兒子都客死異鄉，留下三個孤苦的女人。這種後果，讓人想到，當我們離開神的應許之地時，那結果必是可悲的吧。亞伯拉罕兩次離開迦南地，都害怕被人所害，因而說謊，置妻子於險地。最後他還是回到迦南地。

為便雅憫人娶妻

2021-06-06 in , /by

〈士師記〉    21:25  那時以色列中沒有王，各人任意而行。

閱讀經文：〈士師記〉   21:1-25

在〈士師記〉   的初期，以色列人還可以為了征討不法之人而同心敵愾；在底波拉時，有的支派各自營生，已經無法同心；到了參孫時，神只能用他單打獨鬥非利士人。在〈士師記〉   裡，以色列人猶如一盤散沙，沒有王，因而各人任意而行。以色列人攻打便雅憫人時，正是亞倫的孫子，以利亞撒的兒子非尼哈做大祭司的時候，所以這場內戰應發生在〈士師記〉   的早期。以色列人在米斯巴集合，如同一人去攻打便雅憫人，但是他們打勝仗之後，卻痛哭不止，為什麼？

打勝仗不是應該歡呼慶祝嗎？以色列人得勝了，但是他們很痛苦，因為這是一場內戰，是他們在懲治自己的弟兄。他們原本以為給他們下馬威，只要他們交出犯罪的人即可。沒想到便雅憫人不肯，因此他們就發動戰爭了。這些作法從人的眼光來看，似乎理所當然，但是我們看到他們對自己處理的後果並不滿意，反而很痛心，因為死傷了太多人，都是自己人，便雅憫人幾乎都被他們殺光了，以色列的十二支派中有一支派被自己人幾乎滅絕了。在人的意氣用事之下，雖然理直氣壯，沒想到後果竟如此嚴重。

這就是人的本相，我們有時看到不法之事就怒氣填胸，立刻用自己的方法去解決，往往兩敗俱傷。但是神的意念高過人的意念，倘若我們可以在生氣時學會禱告，讓神來負責整件事，後果必然完全不一樣。有位姐妹作見證，有次有位同事對她很不客氣，她本想立即反擊。但是她立刻安靜下來，在心裡禱告，聖靈立刻給她一節經文：「要愛你的仇敵」。此時姐妹一抬頭，那位同事正好也在看她，姐妹衝她微微一笑。同事整個人都傻住了。可想而知，這位姐妹不但沒有豎敵，反而多了一個朋友。當我們看不法之事時，都會有意氣之爭。我們很可能有道理，理都在我們這邊，但是我們解決事情的方法是否高明，那就不一定了。

Like Father, Like Son

2021-06-06 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 26:1-11.  Let’s go!

Genesis 26:1-6 (NIV)
1  Now there was a famine in the land–besides the earlier famine of Abraham’s time–and Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines in Gerar.
2  The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live.
3  Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham.
4  I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed,
5  because Abraham obeyed me and kept my requirements, my commands, my decrees and my laws.”
6  So Isaac stayed in Gerar.

On verses 1-6:  Because of a famine in the land, Isaac moves his family to Gerar where they live among the Philistines and their king Abimelech.  Isaac was thinking about then moving his family to Egypt, but God appears to Isaac and tells him instead to stay in this land because God will be with him, will bless him, and will give him this land and other lands as God promised his father Abraham.  In verse 4 God gives the same promise to Isaac that God gave Abraham in Genesis 22:17-18: “I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed” (v4).  The reason God gives for giving Isaac this promise is “because Abraham obeyed me and kept my requirements…” (v5).  Isaac believes in God’s promises and by faith decides to stay in Gerar.

Don’t Sell Out Your Destiny

2021-06-04 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 25:19-34.  Let’s go!

Genesis 25:19-21 (NIV)
19  This is the account of Abraham’s son Isaac. Abraham became the father of Isaac,
20  and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan Aram and sister of Laban the Aramean.
21  Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. The LORD answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.

On verses 19-21:  Just as Isaac prayed on behalf of his wife Rebekah, so husbands we should pray on behalf of your wives, believing that the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective (James 5:16).  Praying with and for your wife is one of the best and most important ways you can lead your wife and family spiritually.  More generally, for those of you who are not married and not wishing to get married, may this be a reminder that God hears the prayers of His people, so let’s lift one another up in prayer, believing that God hears and God will answer in our time of need. 

第四封信：給推雅推喇教會(上)

2021-06-04 in , /by

推雅推喇又譯非拉鐵非，這名是指兄弟之愛。當初建這座城是為了將希臘文化傳到這地，再傳往亞洲，人稱「通往東方之門」，為宣揚古希臘文化和生活方式。這裡的土壤十分肥沃，適合種葡萄樹，但永遠不知何時會發生地震，居民常必須在地震過後重建，特別重視建築物的品質，因此信中提到門、鑰匙和柱子等有關建築的物品，都是他們熟知的。

非拉鐵非教會很小，他們自卑地努力求生存；充滿活力的撒狄教會就在附近，多半的人都想去撒狄。這個忠心但弱小的教會，信徒對所在的城市顯然沒有太大的影響力，增長的速度也不快。但耶穌卻不用嚴厲的語氣向他們說話，也不想挫敗他們的信心。耶穌在這封信上的自我介紹最長，因為祂似乎想表明，他們在這七個教會中最但最重要；鼓勵他們也許不起眼、沒有影響力，但所需要的一切，都在耶穌裡面。

耶穌提到自己是聖潔、真實，是那位聖者，這是上帝的稱號，在啟示錄中有用相同的稱號，來稱呼上帝和耶穌，表明耶穌就是上帝，如阿拉法、俄梅戛；首先的、末後的，啟示錄一章如此稱呼上帝，最後一章也這樣稱呼耶穌。

〈以賽亞書〉廿二章曾提到掌銀庫的家宰權力最大，有大衛王宮的鑰匙，權力僅次於王。當時家宰舍伯那驕傲，以為自己的地位比王還重要，開始為自己鑿皇家規格的墓穴，後來上帝刻意將此人驅逐出境，他在國外某處死了。以利亞敬取代他的地位，這是個謙卑可靠的人、值得信賴，他開的門無人能關，他關的門無人能開。耶穌在這裡如此說，為了相較這世上的統治者趾高氣揚，為自己蓋巨大的墳墓，耶穌是謙卑可靠掌管王宮的那位。〈啟示錄〉提到舊約聖經約四百多次，若不了解舊約聖經，很難了解〈啟示錄〉。

You Are Set Apart

2021-06-03 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Genesis 25:1-18.  Let’s go!

Genesis 25:12-18 (NIV)
1  Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah.
2  She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah.
3  Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan; the descendants of Dedan were the Asshurites, the Letushites and the Leummites.
4  The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah.
5  Abraham left everything he owned to Isaac.
6  But while he was still living, he gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east.

On verses 1-6:  Here we learn that after Sarah died Abraham took another wife called Keturah who bore children as well.  However, to go in line with God’s words about Isaac and how through Isaac Abraham would become the father of many nations and how his descendants would take over the land of Canaan, Abraham sent away his and Keturah’s children eastward with gifts, so that none of them would compete with Isaac for the land of Canaan.

以色列人攻討基比亞

2021-06-03 in , /by

〈士師記〉   20:46 那日便雅憫死了的共有二萬五千人，都是拿刀的勇士。

閱讀經文：〈士師記〉  20:1-48 

「但」是指但族人定居的拉億。「別是巴」這名字的意思是「七之井」（七是指七隻母羊羔）。亞伯拉罕和以撒都曾居住於此地，亞伯拉罕與基拉耳王亞比米勒曾在別是巴井旁起誓，所以又解作「盟誓的井」（創21:31），位於耶路撒冷的西南邊77公里，是現今以色列南區的行政中心。南地就是指別是巴和其附近的地區。別是巴的居民在波斯時代遷離原址，定居在它東邊之地，開發了另一個別是巴城，就是今日別是巴的所在。教會史之父優西比烏描繪它為一個位於希伯崙南邊40公里的大鄉村。舊約描繪以色列的國界，一般都說「從但到別是巴」，意思即全以色列。「基列地」從廣義來說，可以包括整個（屬以色列）的外約但地區，也就是約但河東的以色列人地區。

米斯巴是便雅憫人的一座城。以色列四十萬拿刀的步兵和領及軍長，都如同一人來到米斯巴，同心一意要求便雅憫人將作惡的基比亞人交出來接受審判，但是便雅憫人不肯。我們不知道為何便雅憫人不肯交出那些作惡的基比亞人，可能他們之間有姻親關係，或是因為基比亞人一直居住在他們中間，已經建立了深厚的感情。但是這次內戰的後果，便雅憫人只剩六百個男人，可見包容罪惡的代價十分慘重。便雅憫人執意不肯交出犯罪的人，可能也是仗著自己有能力吧。他們拿刀的共有二萬六千，基比亞人也有七百精兵；在眾兵之中還有七百精兵，都是用左手的，能用機弦甩石打人，毫髮不差。所以他們絲毫不在乎要打仗，很可能還想藉機會試試身手。

以色列人此時面臨僵局，便雅憫人不肯交出惡人，那他們真的要向自己人開戰嗎？這時他們才想到要求問神。他們不像摩西求問，是把主權交給神，讓神告訴他怎樣做。以色列人是已經自己決定要打仗了，才問神，誰讓先出去打，因為這時誰都不想先出去，所以只好求問神了。我們看到這樣的結局有很大的不同。當神做以色列軍隊的元帥時，神會把作仗的方法告訴約書亞，約書亞就按著神的計劃去做。這裡的以色列人不是，他們並沒有求神作他們的元帥，他們自己做自己的元帥，一出陣就死了二萬二千人。打輸了之後，再去神面前哭號。