Entries by

種族起源

2020-06-05 in /by

使徒行傳17章26節   祂從一本造出萬族的人，住在全地上，並且預先定準他們的年限和所住的疆界。

最近因為美國黑人弗羅伊德的死亡，再次挑起了美國的種族暴動，抗議的怒火從美國17個大城漫延到加拿大，甚至德國柏林，所以我們應當正視種族問題，並且明白自己的心裡有沒有對任何人種的歧視心態。

聖經告訴我們，起初上帝創造人類時，祂只造出人類的一對始祖，即亞當與夏娃。現代科學也告訴我們，人類只有一個祖系，不同種族的人都由這個祖系繁衍，代代相傳而來。所以，上帝「從一本造出萬族的人……」（徒十七26）與現代科學是互相吻合的。聖經又告訴我們，當挪亞時代，洪水泛濫消滅人類時，惟有挪亞一家八口得救，故此今日的人類又是他們的後裔了。

有些人不瞭解，為甚麼始祖二人會繁衍出今日各不同的種族，各有他們的特徵。例如皮膚色素的深淺，毛髮的顏色及多寡，鼻、嘴與眼臉的形狀，面部與頭臚的比例，四肢長短與軀幹的比例，及血型的特徵等等。從生物學的眼光，這些種族特徵的形成可說由於下列各因素：

（一）地理隔離（Geographic Isolation）自然環境因地區不同而氣候相異。一般而言，地理相距愈遠，種族的特徵也愈相異。挪亞的後裔為要尋找肥沃的土壤及適宜的生活環境，四散各方，因地理環境如高山、沙漠、海洋等自然屏阻隔，彼此沒有通婚的機會，各自成為獨立的基因庫。（基因庫系族群中共同生活各成員體中遺傳基因之總稱。）獨立的基因庫經年累月由下列原因形成各別的特徵。

Hang Onto Jesus No Matter What

2020-06-05 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Revelation 6:1-17. Let’s go!

Revelation 6:1-2 (NIV)
1 I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!”
2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

On verses 1-2: Jesus, referred to here as the Lamb, opens the first of the seven seals, which causes a rider on a white horse holding a bow to appear. While Jesus Himself will later appear on a white horse (Revelation 19:11), according to many scholars, this particular rider on this particular white horse is not Jesus but the anti-Christ, a powerful figure bent on conquering everything he sees.

What can we learn from this? In the end times, an anti-Christ, also known as “the man of lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4), will appear and deceive many into following him. We will discuss the anti-Christ in more detail as we go further along in Revelation.

西乃山之約

2020-06-04 in /by

出埃及記23章20節  看哪，我差遣使者在你前面，在路上保護你，領你到我所預備的地方去。

要建立一個國度容易嗎？現代的年輕人很喜歡自己創業，自己當老板，有的人成功了，有的人輸掉了一切投資。但是創業和建國又有極大的區別，創業成不成只影響到一小群人，但是建國失敗就影響太多人了。

不過我們也可以來玩一下遊戲，擴張我們的想像力，假如你有一個位置，像摩西帶領著幾百萬人出埃及，到了曠野，神說要建國家了，你怎麼辦呢？要從哪裡開始呢？摩西的岳父給他起了個頭，大家一起分工，再來怎麼辦呢？一個國家最重要的是什麼？

現在也流行當直播主，也就是網路紅人，但是當直播主也不容易，有個直播主說工作的細節小至開播準備、合約內容、心理建設、大至擁有正確的價值觀、如何培養觀眾、成為業界的翹楚，每一段都非常重要。一個直播主都要考慮到正確的價值觀和心理建設，等等，那麼建設一個國家要有什麼正確的價觀？

跟人同工自己要傷腦筋，與神同工就可以佔點小便宜，麻煩的事都讓祂去想就好。既然神不會出錯，那我們就可以更放心了。不必等摩西傷腦筋，神就把大綱小綱都計劃好了。一開始就是十誡，神以十誡為這個國家法度的中心。就好像一個十字架，直的部份是神和人的關係，橫的部份是人和人的關係。

The Only Way to Know the Will of God

2020-06-04 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Revelation 5:1-14.  Let’s go!

Revelation 5:1-4 (NIV) 
1  Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 
2  And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 
3  But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 
4  I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 

On verses 1-4:  John’s vision of heaven continues as he sees in the right hand of God a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals (v1).  At first no one is found worthy to open the scroll or even look inside it (v2-3).  This causes John to weep and weep (v4). 

Why would John weep so much because no one could open the scroll?  Part of the reason I believe is because the scroll represents God’s will. 

建立國度

2020-06-03 in /by

創世記19章6節  你們要歸我做祭司的國度，為聖潔的國民。

倘若你曾經跟旅行團去旅行，你覺得當一個導遊容易嗎？在旅行的當地導遊比較容易，只要解說帶一小兩小時即可，但是當從頭帶到結束的導遊就不容易了。因為一個團裡有不同的年齡階層，不同的健康狀況，不同的喜好和習慣，要平安和諧地一起出入，真的要費一番心思。

我有一班朋友曾經一起坐遊輪旅行，其中就有兩人在某一個港口因為顧著買東西忘了時間，等他們趕回碼頭時，船己經開走了。假如你問那些導遊，他們會有說不完的，令人瞠目結舌的故事。現代導遊接的不過就是幾十人的團，想想摩西當年帶著幾百萬人的團，每天都有許多的糾紛，他一個人要處理所有的事情，真的筋疲力竭。

幸好他有一個非常有智慧的岳父，看到女婿這樣忙，便做了一些建議：「要將律例和法度教訓他們，指示他們當行的道、當做的事。  並要從百姓中揀選有才能的人，就是敬畏神、誠實無妄、恨不義之財的人，派他們做千夫長、百夫長、五十夫長、十夫長，管理百姓。 叫他們隨時審判百姓，大事都要呈到你這裡，小事他們自己可以審判。」摩西聽從了岳父的建議，從此以後就有人處理小事，把最難的留給摩西，工作就有效率了。

摩西為我們豎立了一個很好的榜樣，摩西很偉大，凡事可以跟神商量；但是當他的岳父，一個老人家跟他提建議時，他也肯傾聽採納。聖經上說，摩西為人極其謙卑，不是沒有道理的。

Living to Worship Jesus

2020-06-03 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Revelation 4:1-11. Let’s go!

Revelation 4:1 (NIV)
1 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”

On verse 1: After receiving messages from Jesus for seven churches in Asia (chapters 2-3), John, still in a posture of prayer, sees in front of him a door open to heaven. The same trumpet-like voice he heard before – Jesus’ voice – invites him to come up to the door and He will show John “what must take place after this”. In other words, Jesus is about to show John things that will happen in the future.

Revelation 4:2-3 (NIV)
2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.
3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne.

得勝的密訣

2020-06-02 in /by

出埃及記17章11節  摩西何時舉手，以色列人就得勝；何時垂手，亞瑪力人就得勝。

摩西帶著曾為埃及奴隸的數百萬人浩浩蕩蕩地出了埃及，過了紅海，進入曠野。真正的挑戰出現在每一天的生活裡。看著埃及的軍兵被海水淹沒固然興奮，但是沒水少肉的現實，讓以色列人開始不停的抱怨。一有不滿就抱怨，而神認為，這是百姓對祂的試探。因為以色列人從在埃及時就看到一件又一件的神蹟，但是在遇到問題時，他們還是不會交託，不會好好向神說，擺出一付：看你給不給，的姿態。令神厭惡。

我想每個做父母的也是如此，從孩子生下來就照顧得無微不至，而孩子一有問題就抱怨，就說別人的父母比較好，你可能會氣得想把他趕出門。孩子想用抱怨來讓父母覺得虧欠，做得不夠好，試探父母的底線以達到他們的目的，都是惹人厭惡的作法。

即使如此，神還是賜下嗎哪，招來鵪鶉，滿足他們生活的必需和慾望。即使如此，神還是帶領他們打敗沙漠之狼的亞瑪力人。為了讓百姓明白信靠順服的重要，神藉著收取嗎哪的規則教他們信心的功課；為了讓以色列人明白唯有倚靠神才能得勝，摩西在約書亞打仗時，雙手舉起不停禱告：「摩西何時舉手，以色列人就得勝；何時垂手，亞瑪力人就得勝。(出17:11)」因此戶珥和亞倫一人一邊，扶住摩西的手。

Salve for Your Eyes

2020-06-02 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Revelation 3:14-22.  Let’s go!

Revelation 3:14 (NIV) 
14  “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.
 
On verse 14:  In His message to the church in Laodicea, we learn 3 things about Jesus:
 
– Jesus is the “Amen”.  What does Jesus mean when He calls Himself “the Amen”?  “Amen” carries the meaning of agreement, affirmation and certainty.  When Jesus calls Himself the “Amen”, it means that everything that Jesus is and everything that Jesus does affirms and agrees with who God is.  Jesus is the One who gives us certainty about who God is and what He is like.  If you want to know who God is and what He is like, look at Jesus.

– Jesus is the faithful and true witness, which we discussed when looking at Revelation 1:5.
 

耶和華必為你們爭戰

2020-06-01 in /by

出埃及記14章14節    耶和華必為你們爭戰，你們只管靜默，不要作聲。

看了昨天鹽光老師講解十災，有沒有覺得收穫不小？我經常在想，假如一個人經歷了十災，還不肯相信神的話，那就像法老一樣，沒救了。而親身參與這十災的摩西，他對神的信心又會如何增長？

災難使人成長，但是你需要在災難中看見神的美意。〈約伯記〉第五章裡，約伯的朋友以利法形容「人生在世必遇患難，如同火星飛騰。(伯5:7)」主耶穌也說：「在世上你們有苦難(約16:33)」在十災裡，每一災都有一個功課，為了要使法老及百姓認識誰是真神。法老的臣僕有一些己經相信摩西所言不假，所以摩西說有雹災時，他們就把奴僕和牲畜叫進家裡；不相信的就把奴僕和牲畜留在田裡。所以神的話不管到哪裡，有耳肯聽的人都是聰明人。

當摩西經歷過十災，帶領百姓走到紅海時，他對神的信心己經和當初蒙召的信心大大不同了。他親身經歷到神說的每句話都應驗了，他也開始明白神的作法，他己經很相信神了。但是碰到紅海，後有法老的追兵時，你覺得摩西可以應付嗎？

當以色列人在紅海邊，看見法老的追兵時，就開始罵摩西：「難道在埃及沒有墳地，你把我們帶來死在曠野嗎？你為什麼這樣待我們，將我們從埃及領出來呢？ 我們在埃及豈沒有對你說過，不要攪擾我們，容我們服侍埃及人嗎？因為服侍埃及人比死在曠野還好。」

How Jesus Loves His Church

2020-06-01 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Revelation 3:7-13.  Let’s go!

On verses 7-13:  The church in Philadelphia was going through a similar trial as the church in Smyrna, which was persecution from a group that claimed to be Jews but were not.  Jesus calls this group of persecutors a bunch of liars (v9) and, as He did in Revelation 2:9, “a synagogue of Satan”.  To the suffering church in Philadelphia, Jesus expresses His love in several different ways:

1. Jesus tells them that “I know your deeds…I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and not denied my name” (v8).  Jesus expresses compassion for His church.

2. Jesus tells them, “See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut” (v8).  In other words, whereas the church in Philadelphia probably experienced many closed doors in the form of trials and persecution, Jesus tells them that He Himself holds a door open for them that no one can shut.