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永远的彩虹之约

2020-09-10 in /by

创世记九章12-16节   神说：「我与你们并你们这里的各样活物所立的永约，是有记号的。我把虹放在云彩中，这就可做我与地立约的记号了。我使云彩盖地的时候，必有虹现在云彩中，我便记念我与你们和各样有血肉的活物所立的约，水就再不泛滥，毁坏一切有血肉的物了。虹必现在云彩中，我看见，就要记念我与地上各样有血肉的活物所立的永约。」

因为神看世界败坏了，人思想的尽都是恶，地上满了强暴，所以祂决定除灭祂造的各种活物，只留下挪亚一家和有限的活物。经过四十昼夜的大雨，大渊的泉源都裂开了，天上的窗户也敞开了，在山上盖的方舟也飘浮起来。人以为不可能的事终于发生了，大水淹没了世界上最高的山，人想要进方舟逃难，方舟的门却己经被神关闭，连挪亚也打不开。

灭世洪水水势浩大，在地上共150天。今年长江流域洪水肆虐，也有几个月的时间，加上暴雨，在两个月里淹没了庄稼和众多社区，中国防汛抗旱总指挥部秘书长周学文说，至少有6300万人受到影响，5.4万座房屋被毁。他说至少有219人死亡或失踪。最近美国西岸大面积森林惨遭焦烧，以加州为主的沿岸城市，多日来被数百公里之外飘来的大火烟雾笼罩，导至数千人疏散。即使这些天灾人祸十分惨烈，也不及当时灭世洪水的几分，因为人无处可躲，无地可逃。

Listening to God’s Word Means

2020-09-10 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 8:16-25.  Let’s go!
 
Luke 8:16-18 (NIV) 
16  “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. 
17  For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. 
18  Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.”

On verses 16-18:  After telling a parable about the importance of having a hungry, humble heart when listening to God’s word (verses 1-15), what is Jesus talking about in verses 16-18?  When Jesus says in verse 18, “Thereforeconsider carefully how you listen”, this suggests to me that verses 16, 17 and 18 are also talking about how to listen to God’s word.
 

为祢癫狂

2020-09-09 in /by

创世记6章14-16/22节    神就对挪亚说：「你要用歌斐木造一只方舟，分一间一间地造，里外抹上松香。 方舟的造法乃是这样：要长三百肘，宽五十肘，高三十肘。方舟上边要留透光处，高一肘。方舟的门要开在旁边。方舟要分上、中、下三层。」 挪亚就这样行。凡神所吩咐的，他都照样行了。

最近有人在脸书上分享，他的牧师叫他们要为主癫狂。当然这主要的意思是要他们去传福音，可是我发现为主癫狂的最佳例子是挪亚。因为神要他做的事，当代人一定都觉得这人真的是癫狂了，大晴天在高山上建方舟，逢人就说有灭世的大洪水要来。大家都活得好好地，又娶又嫁，日子过得好紧凑，只有他不干正事，去盖什么方舟？盖了方舟卖给谁？有钱赚吗？一点钱途也没有，尽干儍事!

但是挪亚排除众议，开始按著神的吩咐去搜集歌斐木和松香，然后像现代人盖房子一样，根据神给的蓝图，一层层一间间地建。在大阳光下，挪亚带着三个儿子搬著一棵棵的大树，削掉树皮，抹上松香，不停地忙碌。

张文亮教授说，根据《圣经》的记载，有一些专家认为歌斐木应该是大树，是在当地森林里常见的树种，且材质坚硬，又能够自树中提取松香油；并且古人早己知道，树干底部的黑色胶油，涂在木头表面，是防水与防腐的上好材料，这些胶油与近代的沥青相似，皆称为松香类。

张教授也指出，方舟尺寸的长宽比是6:1，长高比为10:1，是船只在水中稳定航行的最佳比例，表示方舟的重心较低，乘客较为舒服。方舟分上、中、下三层，可能使较重的生物住在下层，体重中等的在中层，体重较轻的大概住上层，这可以增加方舟的稳定度。

Jesus and Women ( 4 Heart Conditions)

2020-09-09 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 8:1-15.  Let’s go!

Luke 8:1-3 (NIV) 
1  After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 
2  and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 
3  Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.
 
On verses 1-3:  In addition to Jesus’ 12 disciples, here in verses 2-3 we get our first look at the women who walked alongside Jesus as he ministered from town to town.  These women came from various backgrounds – Mary Magdalene came from a broken past; Joanna was a high ranking administrator who managed King Herod’s household.  However, one thing they all had in common was that they all were impacted by Jesus’ ministry in some way: some had been battling demons which Jesus delivered them from; others had diseases which Jesus healed.  What touches me in verse 3 is that many women supported Jesus’ ministry out of their own means.

耶和华神的后悔

2020-09-09 in /by

创世记六章3节    耶和华说：「人既属乎血气，我的灵就不永远住在他里面，然而他的日子还可到120年。」

现在我的孙女很小，才一岁半，很可爱，整天都想亲她抱她。在散步时看到许多小小孩，也有这样的感觉。有一天看到新闻，说有一个七岁的小男孩因为太调皮，被亲娘送去给一个会功夫的师傅管教。因为小男孩经常说谎，被功夫师傅打得七零八落，被人发现打抱不平而上了新闻。找到亲娘，亲娘竟说记者大惊小怪。这则新闻让我沉思好久。

有谁不爱自己的孩子呢？我是讲一般正常的父母，那些不正常的不在这里讨论了。通常父母一知道怀上孩子，就开心得预备一切来迎接婴儿的来临。婴儿时期的一举一动都是父母眼中喜乐的来源。我有个年轻的朋友生了第一胎，天天把孩子的相片放上脸书，天天几十张。看来看去好像都是一个姿态，但是在她眼里，每一张都有不同的趣味。几个月了，这个小模特儿还是她母亲脸书上的主角。而且不是只有她如此，其他好几对父母也是如此比拼，祖父母或外祖父母也是不停地张贴那些小可爱的一举一动。

但是当孩子再大一点之后，父母对孩子的期望提高了，就不再像孩子小时候那么有耐心。以前是又抱又亲，大一点就是：「你再不乖，我就不爱你了! 」再大一点惹得老师不开心或考试成绩不好：「我怎么会生了你这样的孬种？」「我上辈子一定欠了你的，才会生出你这样的孩子」，很多难听的话不断地轰炸小孩。那个抱着婴儿的慈父爱母好像变脸似地，找不回当初那种爱了。

我有时在想，神的后悔是否也是如此？神后悔造人在地上，心中忧伤，以致于祂决定要将所造的人和走兽并昆虫，以及空中的飞鸟，都从地上除灭。这是一种怎样的后悔呢？有个父母生了个儿子，长大后原本进了牙医学院，相当有前途，可惜后来吸毒贩毒又同性恋，后来也查出患了爱滋病。他贩毒被抓后，他的父母决定让这个儿子留在监牢里，希望他在监牢里有改过的机会。他的母亲不停地为他祷告，最后他在狱中悔改回转，提早获释，成为神学教授和青年人工作者，在世界各地分享从绝境到蒙福的经过。这就是袁幼轩教授的见证。

The Key to Loving Jesus A Lot

2020-09-08 in /by

Hi GAMErs,
 
Today’s passage is Luke 7:24-35.  Let’s go!

Luke 7:36-50 (NIV) 
36  Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 
37  When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 
38  and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. 
39  When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is–that she is a sinner.” 
40  Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. ……

On verses 36-50:  Here we see one of the most beautiful and intimate acts of worship that anyone would show Jesus during his time on earth.  While Jesus is having dinner at the home of a Pharisee called Simon, a woman shows up having come from a notoriously sinful past and brings with her an alabaster jar of expensive perfume.  She wets Jesus’ feet with her tears, wipes them with her hair, kisses them and pours perfume on them.  Simon the Pharisee is appalled by this woman and also by the way Jesus receives her offering.  In response, Jesus tells Simon a parable about forgiving debts and how the more we realize just how much God has forgiven us, the more we will respond to God with humble service and great affection.

都死了？

2020-09-07 in /by

创世记五章28-29节 拉麦活到一百八十二岁，生了一个儿子，给他起名叫挪亚，说：「这个儿子必为我们的操作和手中的劳苦安慰我们，这操作劳苦是因为耶和华咒诅地。」

〈创世记〉第五章的前几节是很有盼望的：「当神造人的日子，是照着自己的样式造的，并且造男造女。在他们被造的日子，神赐福给他们，称他们为人。(创5:2-3)」所以人可以肯定，自己的形象来自神，而不是猿猴。

但是接下去的经文让人看了就很沮丧：亚当共活了930岁就死了。塞特共活了912岁就死了。以挪士共活了905就死了。该南共活了910岁就死了。玛勒列共活了895岁就死了。雅列共活了962岁就死了。以诺共活了365岁。 以诺与神同行，神将他取去，他就不在世了。玛土撒拉共活了969岁就死了。拉麦共活了777岁就死了。

记得在新冠肺炎流行以前，在媒体或网路上经常看到有某人因为长寿而被采访的新闻，那时有一种感觉，只要我们也照着做，说不定可以活得更长。 巿面上也流行养生长寿之道，大家都希望能够一直活下去。目前宣称最长寿的，是一名居于印尼爪哇的老人说自己146岁，是世上最长寿的人。但是他也死了。

但是新冠肺炎一来，再长寿的也死了。有很多经历过第一次和第二次世界大战的老人，也静静地走了。因为一开始最多染病的多在老人院，美国有些老人院的尸体堆到无处可放，那情形十分恐怖。许多地方连尸袋都不够用，焚化炉也日夜不停地烧。那一个时期的新闻真的是惨不忍读。

我们开始明白，生命的主权不在我们手里。吃再多灵芝也会死，经常运动也会死，饮食节制吃七分饱会死，不节制吃十二分饱也会死；放纵会死，不放纵也会死。

Living for Heaven’s Praise

2020-09-07 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 7:24-35.  Let’s go!

Luke 7:24-27 (NIV) 
24  After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind?
25  If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces.
26  But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
27  This is the one about whom it is written: “‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ 

On verses 24-27:  Jesus’ friendship with John was one typified by mutual honour and respect.  Despite both of them being the most prolific preachers Israel had ever seen, there was seemingly no competition between Jesus and John.  Whether in private or in public, Jesus and John honoured one another. We see an example of this here as Jesus backs up his cousin John at a time when John was imprisoned for speaking out against King Herod’s incestuous relationship with Herodias.  Many in the crowd listening to Jesus were likely followers of John who were now following Jesus, just as John encouraged them to do (John 1:35-37).  Listen to what Jesus says of John.

该隐和亚伯

2020-09-07 in /by

创世记四章1-2节    有一日，那人和他妻子夏娃同房，夏娃就怀孕，生了该隐，便说：「耶和华使我得了一个男子。」又生了该隐的兄弟亚伯。亚伯是牧羊的，该隐是种地的。

离开了伊甸园，亚当和夏娃开始用自己的劳力换取食物。他们或许生了很多孩子，只是没有一一记载；在这章里该隐所说的其他人，也有可能是他们的后裔。亚当活了930岁，不可能只生下三个孩子，那时还没有生育计划。其他的孩子可能陆续长大后就出外独立了。在第五章都只用一个儿子作为代表，所以该隐和亚伯算是代表作吧。

该隐是种地的，亚伯是牧羊的。当时神给人类的食物还是以蔬菜水果为主，该隐的工作是为了民生；亚伯牧羊是为了有羊皮给人作衣服，并不是拿来吃的。神看中亚伯的献祭，不看中该隐的献祭，并不是神爱吃荤或素，因为在〈利未记〉里，不管是燔祭，赎罪祭或是素祭都是神圣的祭。

当然，献祭给神不是为了要给神吃，而是为了解决人的罪的问题，好让人依然有机会可以和神沟通。所以〈希伯来书〉九章22 节说：「按著律法，凡物差不多都是用血洁净的，若不流血，罪就不得赦免了。」

〈希伯来书〉11章4 节说：「亚伯因着信献祭于神，比该隐所献的更美，因此便得了称义的见证，就是神指他礼物作的见证。」亚伯为何蒙称赞呢？因为亚伯将他羊群中头生的和羊的脂油献上。他所献的合乎神的教导和神的心意，他特地选了羊群中头生的，还有羊的脂油。

Jesus > Death (Also, How to Handle Your Doubts)

2020-09-06 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 7:11-23.  Let’s go!

Luke 7:11-16 (NIV) 
11  Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him.
12  As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out–the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her.
13  When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”
14  Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!”
15  The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
16  They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.”

On verses 11-16:  So far in Luke’s gospel we have seen Jesus’ supremacy over evil spirits, over sickness, over nature, and over the Sabbath.  Now here we see Jesus’ supremacy over death.