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Give God All Your Mistakes

2026-03-19 in /by

God not only wants the mistakes we’ve made—He wants the ones we’re making. Are you drinking too much? Are you cheating at work or cheating at marriage? Mismanaging your life?

Don’t pretend nothing’s wrong. The first step after a stumble must be in the direction of the cross. 1 John 1:9 promises, “If we confess our sins to God, He can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away.”

Start with your bad moments. And while you’re there, give God your “mad” moments. There’s a story about a man bitten by a dog. When he learned the dog had rabies, he began a list. The doctor said, “There’s no need for you to make a will—you’ll be fine.” “Oh, I’m not making a will” he said, “I’m making a list of all the people I want to bite!” God wants that list! He wants you to leave it at the cross.

耶和华以勒

2026-03-18 in , /by

创世记 22章14节  亚伯拉罕给那地方起名叫耶和华以勒，直到今日人还说：「在耶和华的山上必有预备。」

圣经里给我们看到的亚伯拉罕，并不是像一般人想的，一直都是信心满溢。相反地，亚伯拉罕之所以成为信心之父，是经过了许多的考验和失败。神让我们看到亚伯拉罕跟随祂的点点滴滴，让我们明白，祂知道我们不过是人，祂知道我们的软弱和不足，即使我们失败，祂仍然愿意陪伴我们，等待我们，牵着我们的手一直到永恒。所以，明白这事之后，我们若再看到有人没有信心的表现，也就不用太愤怒了，这就是人的本相，神允许我们慢慢成长，我们也要容忍别人的不足，让他们慢慢成长。

在神和亚伯拉罕讨论过所多玛和蛾摩拉的存亡之后，你可能会想，有过与神面对面的经历，这个人应该不会再犯错了。你一定没想到，他真的又说谎了。当他们搬到非利士地的基拉耳时，他又骗人说撒拉是他的妹妹。结果基拉耳王亚比米勒来把撒拉取去，结果全家遭天谴，妇女都不能生育了。亚比米勒知错后向亚伯拉罕道歉，又赔他一笔钱，亚伯拉罕又赚了。神真的很怜悯恩待亚伯拉罕。

We Have a Sin Problem

2026-03-18 in /by

Can you live without sin for one day? No. How about one hour? Can you do it? No…nor can I. And if we can’t live without sin, we have a problem. Proverbs 10:16 says, we’re evil and “evil people are paid with punishment.” What can we do?

Well, observe what Jesus does with our filth. He carries it to the Cross. God speaks to Isaiah in chapter 50:6, “I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.” You see, mingled with his blood and sweat was the essence of our sin. Angels were a prayer away. Couldn’t they have taken the spittle away? They could have, but Jesus never commanded them to. Why? The sinless One took on the face of a sinner, so that we sinners could take on the face of a saint.

Unwrap the Gifts of Grace

2026-03-17 in /by

Much has been said about Jesus’ “gift of the Cross.” But what of the other gifts? What of the nails, the crown of thorns? The garments taken by the soldiers? Have you taken time to open these gifts? He didn’t have to give us these gifts, you know. The only required act for our salvation was the shedding of blood, yet He did much more. So much more.

Search the scene of the Cross and what do you find? A wine-soaked sponge. Two crosses beside Christ. Divine gifts intended to stir that moment, that split second when your face will brighten, your eyes will widen, and God will hear you whisper, “You did this for ME?” Let’s unwrap these gifts of grace…as if for the first time. Pause and listen. Perchance you will hear Him whisper, “I did it just for you!”

耶和华岂有难成的事吗？

2026-03-17 in , /by

创世记21章6-7节     撒拉说：「神使我喜笑，凡听见的必与我一同喜笑。」又说：「谁能预先对亚伯拉罕说撒拉要乳养婴孩呢？因为在他年老的时候，我给他生了一个儿子。」

神跟亚伯拉罕预言了他必有后裔至少有六次，从大约75岁到100岁，这预言终于应验了。亚伯拉罕和撒拉等了足足25年。我有朋友为信佛的父母祷告，有的长达30几年，当然还有更长的。在每一个祷告应验时，这句话总会不期然地跃上脑海：「耶和华岂有难成的事吗？」

我记得小时候，父亲跟我订了《少年良友杂志》，那时我非常仰慕涤然师母，非常喜欢读她的文章。那时她住在美国纽约，我住在台湾台南，我心想什么时候才有可能飞到纽约去看她呢？后来我自己都忘记了这个念头。直到我真的住到纽约，参加了涤然师母和她丈夫史祈生牧师主办的中宣会后。有一天，圣灵让我想起我曾经有这样的想法。那时我感动得不得了，神竟然如此无微不至，连一个小女孩的心愿，祂都记念。我们在纽约的四年，正好是史祈生牧师伉俪在中宣会的最后四年，后来他们退休，我们也离开纽约，回到加拿大。神的时间是如此地精准。

所多玛和蛾摩拉

2026-03-16 in , /by

创世记18章20-21节   耶和华说：「所多玛和蛾摩拉的罪恶甚重，声闻于我。我现在要下去，察看他们所行的，果然尽像那达到我耳中的声音一样吗？若是不然，我也必知道。」

所多玛和蛾摩拉曾经是土壤肥沃，水草丰美，适宜放牧耕作的地区，吸引罗得不停地往她迁移。这两城的地名之意是「淹没」和「废墟」，似乎说明了她们命运的趋势。旧约时期，所多玛、蛾摩拉与押玛、洗扁、琐珥合称为(约但河的)「平原五城」，他们都是挪亚的儿子，含的后裔。就是这五城里的五王组成联盟，反叛米索波大米的四王，后来兵败，被亚伯拉罕救回。根据考古研究，该处确有五座早青铜时代的古城。

〈创世记〉18章里，亚伯拉罕看见有三个人，他就跑去迎接他们，不料却接待了神和祂的使者。这个典故成为以色列人接待陌生人的原由。神和使者(有没有可能，是三位一体的神，就如此三位一起向亚伯拉罕显现？)来拜访亚伯拉罕的原因，是为了让撒拉知道，她明年必生下一子。

这次轮到撒拉偷笑了，「我既已衰败，我主也老迈，岂能有这喜事呢？」这时神说了一句最经典的话：「耶和华岂有难成的事吗？」神对自己的能力有十足的把握，反而是人因为自己的能力有限，所以常常信心不足，怀疑神。

Reconciliation

2026-03-16 in /by

The most notorious road in the world is the Via Dolorosa, “the Way of Sorrows.” According to tradition, it’s the route Jesus took from Pilate’s hall to Calvary. The path is marked by stations frequently used by Christians for their devotions— each one a reminder of the events of Christ’s final journey. No one actually knows the exact route Christ followed that Friday. But we do know where the path began. In heaven.

Jesus began his journey when he left his home in search of us. The Bible has a word for this quest: reconciliation. “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself” (2 Corinthians 5:19). Reconciliation re-stiches the unraveled, reverses the rebellion, and rekindles the cold passion. Reconciliation touches the shoulder of the wayward and woos him homeward. The path to the cross tells us exactly how far God will go to call us back!

亚伯拉罕的代祷

2026-03-15 in , /by

创世记 19章22-25节   二人转身离开那里，向所多玛去，但亚伯拉罕仍旧站在耶和华面前。亚伯拉罕近前来，说：「无论善恶，你都要剿灭吗？ 假若那城里有五十个义人，你还剿灭那地方吗？不为城里这五十个义人饶恕其中的人吗？ 将义人与恶人同杀，将义人与恶人一样看待，这断不是你所行的！审判全地的主，岂不行公义吗？」

在旧约里，犹太人有接待陌生人的习俗，据说就是从亚伯拉罕开始的。因为亚伯拉罕接待三个陌生人，却没想到是接待了神和祂的使者，因为大家都希望也有这样的福气，因此这习俗便流传下来了。

神向亚伯拉罕说明，应许之子要从撒拉出生；这次神再来跟他们确定此事：「到明年这时候，我必要回到你这里，你的妻子撒拉必生一个儿子。」我在想，为何神要三番四次地告诉他们?是否因为亚伯拉罕和撒拉在这事里也有当尽的责任？假如他们都没有同房，神又没有预备让耶稣那时降生，那么神岂不为难？所以神是在暗示明示，你们两个不要拖拖拉拉的。

上次听到这个宣告，亚伯拉罕在心里偷笑；这次听到宣告，撒拉在那人身后的帐篷门口偷笑。因为两人都觉得不可能，不合逻辑。不过，这次他们两个人总算明白了神的暗示明示。当神和使者完成此行的任务要离开时，亚伯拉罕就送他们一程。

割礼之约

2026-03-13 in , /by

创世记17章1-2节 亚伯兰年九十九岁的时候，耶和华向他显现，对他说：「我是全能的神，你当在我面前做完全人。 我就与你立约，使你的后裔极其繁多。」

夏甲生下以实玛利时，亚伯兰86岁。当亚伯兰99岁时，神再度向亚伯兰显现，这当中有多少年神保持沉默？有的人说13年，因为以实玛利那年13岁；有的人说14年，因为从亚伯兰和夏甲同床后，神就静默了。

神为何对亚伯兰保持了13年的沉默呢？你能想像神气到不想跟亚伯兰讲话的样子吗？祂曾经想过，亚伯兰会用自己的方法去生孩子吗？祂知道亚伯兰心里等待的煎熬吗？日子一天天过去，他和撒莱一天天变老，生理上也不再年轻，相信有许多人都感受过亚伯兰在等待中的绝望。

但是神期望亚伯兰对祂是完全的相信，一百分之一百的相信，没有一点点的怀疑。在神再次对亚伯兰说的话里，我们可以感受到神的失望和期待。祂说：「我是全能的神，你当在我面前做完全人。我就与你立约，使你的后裔极其繁多。」意思是，不管你怎样想，要知道世界上没有我做不到的事，因此你要全然信靠我。我不是己经和你立约，我也必使你的后裔极其繁多(所以你不应该自作主张)。

God So Loved the World

2026-03-12 in /by

Can a holy God overlook our mistakes? Should a kind God punish our mistakes? From our perspective there are only two equally unappealing solutions. But from God’s perspective there’s a third. It’s called “the Cross of Christ.”

The cross is where God forgave his children without lowering his standards. How could he do this? In a sentence: God put our sin on his Son and punished it there. “God put on him the wrong who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God” (2 Corinthians 5:21 MSG).

Why did he do it? Because “God so loved the world that he gave his only son” (John 3:16 NLT). Aren’t you glad the verse doesn’t read “For God so loved the rich”? Or “For God so loved the famous”? No. We simply (and happily) read: “For God so loved the world!” And you my friend, are included in that love!