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When Being Hard-Headed Is A Good Thing

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 3:1-15.  Let’s go!

Ezekiel 3:1-3 (NIV) 
1  And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the house of Israel.”
2  So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.
3  Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth. 

On verses 1-3:  Here are just a few lessons we can learn from these verses:

God gave Ezekiel an edible scroll containing His words for Ezekiel to eat.  Likewise, Scripture is food for your soul.  Jesus says, “Man shall not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)  Don’t starve yourself spiritually but eat of God’s Word every day.
Ezekiel was told to eat God’s Word before going to speak to the house of Israel (v1).  Likewise, if we want to have something good to share with those around us, we need to eat God’s Word and fill ourselves with it.

大衛和約拿單

撒母耳記上 18章1節    大衛對掃羅說完了話,約拿單的心與大衛的心深相契合,約拿單愛大衛,如同愛自己的性命。

在大衛的生命中有一些特別重要的人,其中一個是大王子約拿單。因為以一個牧童的出身,大衛斷不敢高攀,與王子為友。但是當約拿單聽完大衛和掃羅的對話後,他的心與大衛的心深相契合。究竟大衛說的哪些話打動了約拿單呢?那時約拿單是掃羅的大兒子,大衛是耶西的么兒,想來約拿單的年記會比大衛要大一些。為何他對大衛的話會產生那樣大的感動呢?

我們來看一下約拿單做過的一件事,就明白為何約拿單和大衛的心會深相契合。在〈撒母耳記上〉14章,在大衛尚未擊殺歌利亞之前,有一日約拿單對拿他兵器的少年人說:「我們不如過到那邊,到非利士人的防營那裡去。」他去那裡做何事呢?

約拿單對拿兵器的少年人說:「我們不如過到未受割禮人的防營那裡去,或者耶和華為我們施展能力。因為耶和華使人得勝,不在乎人多人少。」這句話讓我們知道約拿單想要偷擊非利士人。原來兩軍正堅持不下,掃羅帶了六百人,但是不敢論戰。

約拿單說:「我們要過到那些人那裡去,使他們看見我們。他們若對我們說『你們站住,等我們到你們那裡去』,我們就站住,不上他們那裡去。 他們若說『你們上到我們這裡來』,這話就是我們的證據,我們便上去,因為耶和華將他們交在我們手裡了。」在約拿單行事之前,他先確定一下神是否給他有印證。果然非利士人的防兵看到他們就叫他們上去。他們一上去就開打,一下子就殺了廿幾個人;掃羅他們聽到動靜,也加入戰場,那天以色列人得了大勝。其中有些細節改天再說。但是在這個事情裡,我們看到約拿單是一個心裡尊主為大的人。

Let God’s Word Move You

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 2:1-10.  Let’s go!

Ezekiel 2:1-2 (NIV) 
1  He said to me, “Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.” 
2  As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.

On verses 1-2:  Sometimes God’s Word will bring us to our knees.  Sometimes God’s Word will raise us to our feet.  One way or the other, when your heart is humble and open to God, God’s Word will move you. 

Ezekiel 2:3-7 (NIV) 
3  He said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their fathers have been in revolt against me to this very day. 
4  The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says.’ 
5  And whether they listen or fail to listen–for they are a rebellious house–they will know that a prophet has been among them. 
6  And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house. 

活出敬拜的生命

馬可福音12章30節      你要盡心、盡性、盡意、盡力愛主你的神。

在這個世界,每個人都有他崇拜的一些東西。崇拜與否不是一種選擇,因為每一人都崇拜,唯一你可以選擇的是你所敬拜的對象。

同時,崇拜不是基督徒的專利品,非基督徒也可以崇拜一些東西。最近,有一個名為《美國偶像》(American Idol)的流行節目,這個節目很受歡迎。在基督教圈子之外,「偶像」一詞常常被用作正面術語。我們必須非常小心因著術語的定義被劫持而做出的改變。

此外我們必須認識到在我們的社會中(包括基督徒和非基督徒),有人崇拜金錢,有人崇拜健康,有人崇拜權力,有人崇拜性,有人崇拜資訊等等。而更重要的,是我們必須認識到我們也會被我們敬拜的東西所改變。

而對於基督徒,三一神當然應該就是我們唯一的敬拜對象,因為這是聖經的命令:「你要盡心、盡性、盡意、盡力愛主你的神。」(馬可福音12:30)上帝不是只要你生命的某一部分,祂要你使用你的全心、全性、全意、全力去敬拜祂。如果你對神只有部分時間的順服及三心二意的委身,相信你可能不知道你敬拜的是誰,因為祂只是你生命的一小部分,而不是你完全的擺上。

信徒集合一起敬拜神,有三方面基本的意義:(一)與神對話,正面回應三位一體真神對人的自我啟示。(二)對神表達完全的奉獻。(三)成為神的形象,成為像基督的生命,在思想、感情、意志、行動上讓基督進入自己生命。

Heaven Ain’t No Boring Place (Part 2)

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 1:15-28.  Apparently I ran a little further ahead by writing on yesterday’s passage and today’s passage in my GAME sharing for yesterday.  In case you missed it, below is my GAME sharing concerning Ezekiel 1:15-28.  Let’s go!

Ezekiel 1:15-21 (NIV)
15  As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. 
16  This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like chrysolite, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. 
17  As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not turn about as the creatures went. 
18  Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around. 
19  When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. 
20  Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 

小牧童捲入政治的漩渦

撒母耳記上 18章14節     大衛做事無不精明,耶和華也與他同在。

今天的命題是:小牧童捲入政治的漩渦,受到死亡的威脅。

本來只是奉父命送大餅,沒想到一顆石子取了歌利亞的首級,小牧童立刻成為以色列的大英雄,真可謂少年得志,步步高升,這下子耶西老爺子不能再把他抓回去放羊了。

王子約拿單脫下外袍送給他,連戰衣、刀、弓、腰帶都給了他。在當時,這是王子才獨有的待遇,現在小牧童也得到了王子一般的待遇。王子約拿單有了好朋友,寧可當乞丐王子了,因為他把代表王子的裝飾都給了大衛。

掃羅大王也派小牧童做戰士長,出入都有人跟隨,好不威風。因為大衛做事無不精明,耶和華也與他同在。可是這對小牧童是際遇還是悲劇呢?人生的風雲難測,禍兮福所倚,福兮禍所依。誰知道明天?

以色列人為了為打贏和非利士人的一仗都歡騰不己,打鼓擊磬,歌唱跳舞,竟然還有人作歌編曲:「掃羅殺死千千,大衛殺死萬萬。」原本風風光光的掃羅大王,頓時覺得顏面無光,自己的榮耀都被小牧童奪去了,從此咬牙切齒,懷恨在心。

大人物的恨意是不輕易流露的,為了保持自己的面子,總是暗箭傷人,刀刀伺候要害。因為他不敬畏耶和華神,耶和華神就遠離他了,這就是耶和華神的特性,絕不勉強。神一離開,鬼就來了。鬼有好多種,有大頭鬼,小氣鬼,魔鬼,討厭鬼,愛吃鬼,嫉妒鬼,等等。當各樣的大鬼小鬼都到掃羅大王的心裡開會時,他就開始胡言亂語了。鬼說什麼他就說什麼,忙不過來。

Heaven Ain’t No Boring Place

Hi GAMErs,

Today we start the book of Ezekiel, a book written by the prophet Ezekiel in approximately 593 B.C.  Though written approximately 700 years apart from one another, the book of Ezekiel and the book of Revelation contain some powerful and overlapping images of who God is and what heaven is like.

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 1:1-28.  Let’s go!

Ezekiel 1:1-3 (NIV) 
1  In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. 
2  On the fifth of the month–it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin– 
3  the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians. There the hand of the LORD was upon him.
 
On verses 1-3:  Ezekiel is a priest at a time when the Jewish people have been ousted from their own land by the Babylonians and are living as exiles in Babylon.  It is during this time that Ezekiel begins to hear from God in a prophetic way.  Ezekiel even specifies the day, the month and the year this started happening. 

牧童與巨人之戰

撒母耳記上 17  章47節    耶和華使人得勝不是用刀用槍,因為爭戰的勝敗全在乎耶和華。

這故事的一開始是很簡單的。耶西爸爸的三個兒子被掃羅大王徵召去當兵了。有一天,耶西爸爸想念兒子們了,就叫人做了一些餅,然後叫小兒子大衛把餅送過去,順便向兒子們要封家書。那時候沒有手機也沒有電視,究竟發生什麼事都沒人知道,真令人掛念。

小兒子大衛很快樂地上路了,平常這時候他是必須放羊的;可以不必放羊,去前線看看哥哥們,就好像去郊遊了,而且感到滿刺激的,去前線吔!

果然前線和後方大大不同。大衛到了輜重營,看到以色列人和非利士人都擺列隊伍,彼此相對,呐喊要戰。尤其那個巨人歌利亞的吶喊更讓年輕的大衛氣血翻騰:「你們出來擺列隊伍做什麼呢?我不是非利士人嗎?你們不是掃羅的僕人嗎?可以從你們中間揀選一人,使他下到我這裡來。他若能與我戰鬥,將我殺死,我們就做你們的僕人。我若勝了他,將他殺死,你們就做我們的僕人,服侍我們。(撒上17:8-9)」

大衛以為會有人跳出去和歌利亞對打,相反地,他看到眾人聽到這話就驚惶,極其害怕,有的甚至逃跑了。大衛問站在旁邊的人說:「有人殺這非利士人,除掉以色列人的恥辱,怎樣待他呢?這未受割禮的非利士人是誰呢?竟敢向永生神的軍隊罵陣嗎?(撒上17:26)」

旁邊的人就告訴他:「這上來的人你看見了嗎?他上來是要向以色列人罵陣。若有能殺他的,王必賞賜他大財,將自己的女兒給他為妻,並在以色列人中免他父家納糧當差。(撒上17:25)」有人聽到他到處問,就告訴了掃羅大王。掃羅大王就召他去面試了。

What It’s Like In Heaven (Part 2)

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Revelation 22:1-21.  Let’s go!

Revelation 22:1-2 (NIV) 
1  Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb
2  down the middle of the great street of the city…

On verse 1-2a:  In Psalm 46:4 we read that “[t]here is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.”  Here in Revelation 22, John gets to see that river.  According to John’s description, heaven is such a beautiful city that there is a river of living water, clear as crystal, that flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the main street of heaven.

Revelation 22:2 (NIV) 
2   …On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

On verse 2b:  In Genesis 2:9 we first read about a tree of life in the Garden of Eden, a tree whose fruit somehow enables those who ate it to live forever (Genesis 3:22).  According to John’s vision, in heaven this tree of life stands on each side of the river and bears fruit every month, 12 crops of fruit a year.  Its leaves are “for the healing of the nations” (v2).

合神心意的人

撒母耳記上 13章14節   耶和華已經尋著一個合祂心意的人,立他做百姓的君。

在《聖經》裡,亞伯拉罕是神的朋友,摩西是神與他面對面說話的人,那誰是合神心意的人呢?怎樣才能合神的心意呢?神的標準那樣高,要合神的心意可不容易。

神想要找一個合神心意的人,那是否表示有一個不合神心意的人在高位上呢?在〈 撒母耳記上〉裡因為以色列人想要像外邦人一樣有王,因此要求最後一任的士師兼祭師(也是先知)的撒母耳為他們立一個王。

神先是找了一位又高又大的掃羅,那時的掃羅十分謙卑敬畏神。但是一登上王位之後,就不一樣了。他擅自獻祭,他表面聽從撒母耳,私底下又做另一套,因而神厭棄他。他既然不合神的心意,神就要把他換掉。

神叫撒母耳去一位名叫耶西的人家裡,膏耶西的一個兒子。耶西是路得和波阿斯的孫子,再往上算去就是猶大支派;他一共有八個兒子。但是當撒母耳到他家時,他只叫了七個兒子出來給撒母耳看。這幾個年輕人中有幾個又高又帥,神卻一個也看不上。直到撒母耳再問耶西還有沒有孩子時,耶西才說還有一個在放羊。

這就是大衛登上以色列舞台的開始,神親自把他呼召出來。放羊是容易的工作嗎?假如你有養猫狗的經驗,就知道不僅要照顧牠們的飲食,清潔他們的糞便,還要為牠們預備睡覺的地方;假如牠們有不舒服,牧羊人就要去看看有什麼問題;若有羊走失了,還要上山下水地去尋找。