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The Blessing That Comes From Respecting Authority

2020-09-04 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 7:1-10.  Let’s go!

Luke 7:1-10 (NIV) 
1  When Jesus had finished saying all this in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 
2  There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. 
3  The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. 
4  When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, 
5  because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” 
6  So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. …

On verses 1-10:  I find interesting the words of the elders who spoke on the Roman centurion’s behalf.  They said to Jesus, “This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” (v4-5)  It raises the question: can we be so good and do so much good that we actually deserve for God to do something for us?  The answer is no.  We don’t deserve anything from God.  Every good thing God does is a gift of His grace that we didn’t deserve.

蛇引誘我

2020-09-03 in /by

創世記二章16-17節  耶和華神吩咐他說：「園中各樣樹上的果子，你可以隨意吃；只是分別善惡樹上的果子，你不可吃，因為你吃的日子必定死。」

這是一個耳熟能詳的故事，蛇引誘夏娃吃善惡果，夏娃雖然記得神說不可吃，也不可摸，不然必死；但是當蛇說：「你們不一定死！因為神知道你們吃的日子眼睛就明亮了，你們便如神能知道善惡。」不一定會死，不一定會被發現，說不定吃了就會變得更聰明，如神一般，能知善惡。當夏娃想到「不一定」時，她就想試試神的底線，她把神說的「必定死」換成「不一定」，很顯然的，這就是罪的開始。

當我們把人的話取代神的話時，那就是罪了。因為不信神的話就是渺視神了。神對祂的話是非常看重的，創造宇宙的神所說的每一句話，都不徒然返回，總要成就(賽55:11)。當我們經歷天道循環，四季輪換，晝夜不息時，就可以體會祂是一個非常信實，從不誤時的神。祂不容許人對祂的懷疑，因為天地要廢去，祂的話卻絕不廢去(太24:35)。偉大如摩西，與神如此貼近的摩西，也只因為一次沒有完全聽神的話，以擊打代替吩咐磐石出水，便得罪神，而不得進迦南地。一次! 所以假如你說你相信神，那就最好相信到底，不要腳踏兩條船，又要信又要懷疑，這兩者本不相容。

你還記得在神創造的六天裡，哪一天沒有說「神看是好的」？就是第二天，當神把深淵的水分開，穹蒼出現時。因為那時被囚禁在水中的惡魔也被釋放出來，成為空中掌權者的首領，就是現今在悖逆之子心中運行的邪靈(弗2:2)。而伊甸園裡引誘夏娃的古蛇是誰呢？就是〈啟示錄〉20章2節說的：「他(天使)捉住那龍，就是古蛇，又叫魔鬼，也叫撒旦」。為何神容許牠的存在，而且讓牠當空中掌權者？

Are You “Judgment-Happy”?

2020-09-03 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 6:37-49.  Let’s go!

Luke 6:37-42 (NIV) 
37  “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
38  Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
39  He also told them this parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?
40  A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.
41  “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
42  How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

On verses 37-42:  These verses warn us against being “judgment-happy” people (i.e. people who are quick to judge others without giving it much thought).  Notice how Jesus connects being judgment-happy with lacking vision.  Judgment-happy people tend not to have a clear or accurate view of others or themselves. 

Pray Through Your People Decisions Copy

2020-09-03 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 6:12-26.  Let’s go!

Luke 6:12-16 (NIV) 
12  One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.
13  When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:
14  Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,
15  Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot,
16  Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

On verses 12-16:  Notice that Jesus spent quality time in prayer before he chose his disciples and called them his authorized representatives (“apostles”).  What can we learn from this?  Before you ask someone to be in a significant relationship with you (whether it’s business-wise, romantically or otherwise), make sure you pray about it and seek God’s guidance.  Like Jesus, pray through your most important people decisions.

神照著自己的形象造人

2020-09-02 in /by

創世記一章26節    神說：「我們要照著我們的形象，按著我們的樣式造人，使他們管理海裡的魚、空中的鳥、地上的牲畜和全地，並地上所爬的一切昆蟲。」

在創造的第六天，神造了許多動物。你覺得那時的動物會不會動，有沒有生命的跡象呢？在〈創世記〉第二章19節，神說：「耶和華上帝用土所造成的野地各樣走獸和空中各樣飛鳥都帶到那人面前，看他叫甚麼。那人怎樣叫各樣的活物，那就是牠的名字。」所以我們知道，神用土造成各樣的活物。

神造出野獸，各從其類；牲畜，各從其類；地上一切昆蟲，各從其類。神看著是好的。現在這個世界看起來很圓滿了，有穹蒼大海，有陸地和各樣樹木菜蔬，有晝夜，有日夜星辰，有沉魚飛雁，還需要什麼呢？假如你把嬰兒房都預備好了，你覺得還需要什麼？是的，需要一個可愛的嬰兒來享受這一切的精心預備。

神造大地豈是沒有目的嗎？在〈啟示錄〉第四章第11節裡，寶座周圍的24位長老俯伏在坐寶座的面前，敬拜那活到永永遠遠的，又把他們的冠冕放在寶座前，說： 「我們的主，我們的神，祢是配得榮耀、尊貴、權柄的，因為祢創造了萬物，並且萬物是因祢的旨意被創造而有的。」萬物是因神的旨意被創造而有的，包括人。所以我們不是隨意被造的，我們是神精心的創造。神預定我們來享受祂所創造的一切，身為人，我們必須知道，神造萬物都是為了我們。

唐崇榮牧師說：「在〈創世記〉第一章裡面，希伯來原文有三個不同的字，都被翻譯為『造』字。第一個是 bara 這個字。第一節提到『上帝創造天地』的時候，用的是 bara 這個字。到了26、27節時說到：『我們要按照自己的形像樣式造人』的時候，用的也是 bara 這個字。 bara 這個字是什麼意思呢？它有雙重的意思。第一個的意思是： 本來沒有的現在有了，這是神旨意中的一種特殊行動 — 創造之工。第二個意思是：人本來是沒有的，從這一刻開始，人才被造出來。

You Can Never Out-Give or Out-Forgive God

2020-09-02 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 6:27-36.  Let’s go!

Luke 6:27-36 (NIV) 
27  “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
28  bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
29  If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic.
30  Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.
31  Do to others as you would have them do to you…….

As you read these words from Jesus, keep in mind the following:

Everything Jesus told his followers to do here Jesus modeled for us first and did so perfectly at the cross.  Jesus always leads us not just with his words but with his example as well.
God wants us to be people of grace who love our enemies, do good to them, lend without expecting to be repaid in full, and forgive them when they hurt us.  When we do this, we’re following in God’s example, store up treasure in heaven and show ourselves to be “children of the Most High”.
You will never give to anyone more than God has already given you.  You will never have to forgive anyone more than God has already forgiven you.  You can never outgive or outforgive God.

生命之物各從其類

2020-09-01 in /by

創世記一章24節    神說：「地要生出有生命之物，各從其類，就是牲畜、爬行動物、地上的走獸，各從其類。」事就這樣成了。

昨天的新聞報導，因為新冠肺炎疫情的關係，溫哥華的水族館在9月4日又要暫時關閉了。今年三月中也因為新冠疫情，水族館關閉了，大家都很擔心館內約七萬隻動物不知如何處理。還後後來有募款，終於可以再開，但是現在疫情一上，就又不得不關閉了，有兩百多人即將失業。

我們都很愛喜歡這間水族館，帶著小孩來，一家都開心，因為可以欣賞神奇妙的創造。動物園也是一樣，我比較喜歡野生動物園，雖然有的動物還是被局限在特定範圍裡活動，但總是好過被關在籠子裡好。我們喜歡觀看不同的動物，欣賞牠們不同的生活方式，去感覺造物的奇妙。

但是我很難想像，一隻恐龍進化成雞的樣子。多年前有人爭議先有雞還是先有蛋的謎題時，竟有人認為是恐龍的蛋進化成雞而產出雞來，所以說先有蛋後有雞。當然，這是非常牽強的說法，誰見過恐龍的蛋進化成雞蛋？那是一種沒有事實根據的推測。

幸好英國科學家發現，蛋殼的構成仰賴一種僅能在雞的卵巢中找到的蛋白質，換言之，必須先有雞，蛋才可能存在。ovocledidin-17（OC-17）的蛋白質是作為加速蛋殼發展的催化劑，硬殼保護蛋黃與蛋白，讓雞胚胎得以發育。所以在雞蛋形成前，必須先有OC-17，而OC-17只能在雞的卵巢中發現。長久以來學界料想是蛋先於雞，然而現在有科學證據，證明事實上是先有雞才能有蛋。

Pray Through Your People Decisions

2020-09-01 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 6:12-26.  Let’s go!

Luke 6:12-16 (NIV) 
12  One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.
13  When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:
14  Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,
15  Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot,
16  Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

On verses 12-16:  Notice that Jesus spent quality time in prayer before he chose his disciples and called them his authorized representatives (“apostles”).  What can we learn from this?  Before you ask someone to be in a significant relationship with you (whether it’s business-wise, romantically or otherwise), make sure you pray about it and seek God’s guidance.  Like Jesus, pray through your most important people decisions.

飛鳥與魚的出現

2020-08-31 in /by

創世記一章20節    神說：「水要滋生眾多有生命之物；要有鳥飛在地面以上，天空之中。」

根據地質生物學家的說法：在距離大約六億年前的寒武紀之前，沒有發現任何生物的化石，但是一到了寒武紀，大量海洋動物門類同時突然出現，顯示出地球生命大暴發的突變，而在此前卻無任何痕跡可尋。也就是所謂的「寒武紀地球生命大暴發」。科學家們說：「寒武紀地球生命大暴發」是地球生命演化史上突發性的重大事件，現代生命多樣性起於此。科學家誠證說，面對這「寒武紀生命大暴發」，人們不禁會問：「是什麼神奇力量使生物多樣化、大型化如此突然暴發的呢？為什麼門類繁多的生物會如此整齊地出現在同一起跑線上呢？究竟是什麼神奇的力量從簡單的海藻之類微生物突變出現在地球上幾乎所有生物門類的原始物種的呢？」對此，信仰真神的人只有一個回答：此乃出於真神大能的創造。

神在創造天地時，希伯來文是bara（巴拉），指從無生有；在這裡用的「造」字，希伯來文是「asah（阿撒）」，是指用已經有的材料，塵土，做成的。神造的大魚有好幾種譯法，有的說是the great sea-monsters/ great sea creatures/ great whales/ magnificent marine creature，不管是大海怪、鯨魚、大魚，都給我們一個清楚的認知，就是水裡的生物不論大小都是神所造的。在前四天的創造裡，都是神的器皿，植物或礦物只有體而沒有生命，從水裡的生物和空中的飛鳥才開始具有生命。

當摩西和法老的術士在法老面前各行神蹟和法術，從杖變蛇、水變血、使青蛙跳上埃及地，這些事情埃及的術士都沒有問題。但是當摩西擊打塵土變成蝨子時，行法術的就對法老說：「這是神的手段。」唯有神，才能使塵土變成蝨子，使生命進入塵土之中。所以當神說：「水要多多滋生有生命的物」時，並不是水有滋生生命的能力，而是神賜下生命進入水中。這裡的「水」，從英文可以看出它是複數「waters」 ，意為諸水，包括江河、湖沼、海洋等等。

Don’t Be So Caught Up In Man-Made Rules That You Miss God’s Heart

2020-08-31 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 5:27-39.  Let’s go!

Luke 6:1-2 (NIV) 
1  One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grain fields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels.
2  Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

On verses 1-2:  People living in Israel were allowed to walk through a fellow Israelite’s grain field and pick kernels with their hand to eat, just as Jesus’ disciples were doing here.  This was specifically allowed in Deuteronomy 23:24-25 as a way for Jewish landowners to show grace and mercy to the poor.  However, because Jesus’ disciples were doing this on a Sabbath day, the Pharisees were offended, for the Pharisees taught that picking heads of grain and eating it on a Sabbath day was “work” which violated God’s command that His people rest and not work on a Sabbath day.  The Pharisees had misapplied God’s command to rest on the Sabbath day to an absurd, ridiculous and unhelpful extreme.  As a result, laws that were meant to encourage grace, mercy and rest for people were replaced with a strict kind of legalism that just placed more burdens on everyone.