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云柱火柱的带领

2020-10-28 in /by

出埃及记13章20-22节   他们从疏割起行，在旷野边的以倘安营。日间耶和华在云柱中领他们的路，夜间在火柱中光照他们，使他们日夜都可以行走。日间云柱，夜间火柱，总不离开百姓的面前。

当以色列人扶老携幼地出埃及时，他们会不会觉得在作梦呢？摩西和亚伦会不会感动到流泪呢？终于告别四百年的奴隶生涯，神的应许是那样的真实。〈希伯来书〉11章1节说：「信就是所望之事的实底，是未见之事的确据。」他们曾经不相信摩西，抱怨生活中的苦楚，没想到原来神的计划是如此美好，早知如此，多挨几鞭又算什么？因为自由在望了。能够凭著信心看到所望之事的实底，见到未见之事的确据，我们就不会常常埋怨了。

但是一个得救的经验之喜乐，能够维持多久呢？逾越节和基督教的受难日很相似，只不过在后者，神以祂的爱子代替了羊羔，亲自死在十字架上，承受了世人的罪。接受了耶稣这救赎之恩的人，就好像得救的以色列人出埃及，不再是撒旦的奴隶，在基督里得到了真正的自由。但是这就够了吗？要到迦南地，神的应许之地，还有一段遥远的路，他们的信心能撑多久？我们的信心又能撑多久？

法老容百姓去的时候，非利士地的道路虽近，神却不领他们从那里走，因为神说：「恐怕百姓遇见打仗后悔，就回埃及去。」所以神领百姓绕道而行，走红海旷野的路。以色列人出埃及地，都带着兵器上去。摩西把约瑟的骸骨一同带去，因为约瑟曾叫以色列人严严地起誓，对他们说：「神必眷顾你们，你们要把我的骸骨从这里一同带上去。」他们从疏割起行，在旷野边的以倘安营。日间耶和华在云柱中领他们的路，夜间在火柱中光照他们，使他们日夜都可以行走。日间云柱，夜间火柱，总不离开百姓的面前。(出13:17-22)

Don’t Live In Fear. Stand Firm Against Your Opposition.

2020-10-28 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 20:1-8.

Luke 20:1-2 (NIV) 
1  One day as he was teaching the people in the temple courts and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him.
2  “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?” 

On verses 1-2: As Jesus is publicly teaching people in the temple courts, Israel’s religious leaders (“the chief priests and the teachers of the law”) and political leaders (“the elders”) confront Jesus and question him as to what authority he had to do “these things”. “These things” most likely refers to Jesus clearing the temple in Luke 19, forgiving people’s sins, healing people on the Sabbath, and other deeds.

What can we learn from this? When you do God’s will over the long haul, you can expect to face opposition, questioning and criticism from time to time. If Jesus was opposed, questioned and criticized, as a servant of Jesus you will be as well. But don’t let opposition, questioning and criticism cause you to throw in the towel and give up. Let the opposition, questioning and criticism you face, whether valid or invalid, justified or unjustified, refine you into the person and leader God made you to be.

耶和华的夜

2020-10-27 in /by

出埃及记11章1-3节   耶和华对摩西说：「我再使一样的灾殃临到法老和埃及，然后他必容你们离开这地。他容你们去的时候，总要催逼你们都从这地出去。你要传于百姓的耳中，叫他们男女各人向邻舍要金器银器。」耶和华叫百姓在埃及人眼前蒙恩，并且摩西在埃及地、法老臣仆和百姓的眼中看为极大。

那是一个奇异的夜晚，在歌珊地的以色列人，家家户户都在烤羊羔。吃晚餐的时候，他们腰间束带，脚上穿鞋，手中拿杖，努力地吃羊羔。空气中弥漫一种诡异的气氛，有的人低声地传着：「我们今晚当真要离开埃及了吗？」有的人点头，有的人微笑，有的人耸肩，没有人真正知道什么，只觉得有大事要发生了。

法老在宫里沉默地坐着，不知在等待什么。他有点担心，有些害怕，可是他不知道该做些什么。突然，好像听到了第一声哀嚎划破寂静的黑夜，第二声紧接着又起，好像在回应似地，忽然之间，埃及充满了哭嚎。仆人匆忙来见法老，不等仆人开口，法老已经心知发生何事。

他的心被一种疼痛抓住，让他无法喘过气来。仆人轻声报告，他的长子，已经咽下最后一口气。法老压抑住也想发出哀嚎的冲动，凝视着极黑的暗夜之空，他的希望，正像一颗流星，迅速地消失了。他输了吗？他的臣仆聚集来见他，个个泪眼迷濛，低声哀求，让他们去吧，不然我们也活不了。每一家的长子都死了，头生的牲畜也都死了。耶和华神的警告一一应验。法老的泪在眼里流动，可是他继续隐忍。他的长子也去了，这该如何是好？让他们走吧。埃及付不起这样沉重的代价。

以色列人已经准备好，在这个时刻，摩西和亚伦吩咐他们向埃及人要金器银器和衣裳。埃及人此时心神俱丧，只想保命，他们要什么就给什么。有谁敢去和这群「瘟神」说三道四，只想躲过一个又一个的飞来横祸。以色列人腰缠万贯地出埃及，他们不再是穷乎乎的奴隶了，儿女子孙也不必再做埃及人的奴隶，他们可以成为有前途有光明有盼望有自由的人了! 

When Jesus Entered Jerusalem

2020-10-27 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 19:28-40 (NIV) 

41  As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it
42  and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace–but now it is hidden from your eyes.
43  The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side.
44  They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

On verses 41-44: Here Jesus weeps for the city of Jerusalem. He weeps because he knows that he is the only one who can bring the city true and lasting peace and yet the people of Jerusalem would fail to recognize it (v42: “If you had only known on this day what would bring you peace – but now it is hidden from your eyes”). The majority of Jews in Jerusalem didn’t feel a need for a Saviour to deliver them from their sins. Rather what many of them were looking for was a military leader who could conquer the Romans by force.

Jesus also weeps as he predicts Jerusalem’s eventual and heartbreaking destruction by the Romans (v43-44), which would happen within 50 years after Jesus gives this prophecy.

What can we learn from this?

我使他的心刚硬

2020-10-27 in /by

出埃及记十章1-2节     耶和华对摩西说：「你进去见法老。我使他和他臣仆的心刚硬，为要在他们中间显我这些神蹟，并要叫你将我向埃及人所做的事，和在他们中间所行的神蹟，传于你儿子和你孙子的耳中，好叫你们知道我是耶和华。」

在神呼召摩西时，神就再三告诉摩西，神要使法老的心刚硬，这样神才能按着祂的计划行许多神蹟，好叫他们知道祂是耶和华。我们经常会觉得神是不是太不公平，祂使法老的心刚硬，又不是法老自己刚硬的。事实上，法老只是一个世人的镜子，法老代表世界上的人，宁可到处乱拜，拜偶像拜假神，信八卦找算命的，就是不懂得要拜真神。所以神使法老的心刚硬，其实是很大的怜悯，神用每一样灾来对应埃及的十个假神，为了唤醒他们的灵，来认识创造宇宙的真神，实在用心良苦。

因此我有时在想，神有时也会如此对待祂的儿女，如同祂也如此对待以色列人。当以色列人转去拜假神时，神也是用灾祸提醒他们，他们所拜的假神一点不能救他们，直到他们悔改，回转归向神，神就安慰他们，拯救他们。我们的心里若有比神重要的偶像，有时我们不知道那就是偶像，但凡是我们看得比神还重要的人事物，那就是有可能被神击打的部份，为了要换醒我们的灵，神会不惜让我们忍受一些世界或身体上的损失，直到我们悔改，回转，归向祂。

God’s Return on Investment

2020-10-26 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 19:11-27. Let’s go!

Luke 19:11 (NIV) 
11  While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once.

On verse 11: Many people expected that when Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem he would immediately establish himself as king over Israel and bring judgment upon those who oppose God. Little do they know that Jesus was entering Jerusalem to be betrayed, arrested and killed by his enemies, and that it would be a long time before Jesus would return as king and establish his kingdom. To help communicate the fact that Jesus would first have to go away for a while before returning as king, Jesus tells this famous parable in the verses that follow.

这是神的手段

2020-10-25 in /by

出埃及记8章18-19节     行法术的也用邪术要生出蝨子来，却是不能。于是在人身上和牲畜身上都有了蝨子。行法术的就对法老说：「这是神的手段。」法老心里刚硬，不肯听摩西、亚伦，正如耶和华所说的。

对法老而言，摩西和亚伦所施的奇事，只是一场又一场的法术比赛，法老的术士们也做得到。但是妥拉坊的钟盐光老师对这些奇事，有一套很好的解说：「每一组灾难都有一个耶和华神要向法老证明的命题。每个命题，在『每一组的第一灾』要发生时就已先预告和布达，并且，这命题的范围会随着法老的心理刚硬而不断加大、其等级也会不断上升。」这是法老所没有想到或预料到的。

在第一组的第一灾：水变血。首要证明的是耶和华神的「存在」。『因此，你必知道我是耶和华。』我耶和华神「是存在的」，你法老无法置之不理，坐视不管 (出7:17) 。接着，神要让法老知道谁掌管生命。

当神吩咐摩西，摩西就告诉亚伦，亚伦就伸杖击打地上的尘土，就在人身上和牲畜身上有了蝨子，埃及遍地的尘土都变成蝨子了。行法术的也用邪术要生出蝨子来，却是不能。于是在人身上和牲畜身上都有了蝨子。行法术的就对法老说：「这是神的手段。」法老心里刚硬，不肯听摩西、亚伦，正如耶和华所说的 (出8:17-19) 。

行法术的明白他们的法术源头，不是神，也不是生命的源头，所以他们无法制造或产生生命。地神(撒拔)就好像华人拜的土地公，它也不是生命的源头。只有耶和华神才能使尘土变出生命体。所以他们认输：因为「这是神的手段。」原来他们拜的神明都是假的。行法术的明白了，法老却不肯认输，因为在埃及，法老也是被当作神来敬拜的。

Blessed are the Proactive

2020-10-25 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 19:1-10. Let’s go!

Luke 19:1-3 (NIV) 
1  Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 
2  A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.
3  He wanted to see who Jesus was…

On verses 1-3: In Jesus’ day, tax collectors had a reputation for being greedy and dishonest. Tax collectors were notorious for trying to collect more taxes from the Jews than they actually owed, pocketing the difference for themselves. As a chief tax collector, Zacchaeus was wealthy and unpopular. Ironically, Zacchaeus’ name means “righteous” or “pure one”, though Zacchaeus probably felt like he was anything but righteous and pure. Despite having much wealth, Zacchaeus’ relationships were a mess. One of the big lessons from Zacchaeus’ story is that you can have great material wealth, but if your relationships with God and with people are broken, you will feel empty, poor and stressed with life. It’s no wonder Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus. Zacchaeus probably thought: “Maybe this guy has something that I’m missing.”

上帝的道与世上的小学

2020-10-23 in /by

上帝的道与世上的小学

在第一天，我提到上帝所创造的浩瀚宇宙有一个中心点，就是渺小的地球；在地球千万的事物中还有一个中心点，就是人；在成千上万的人之中还有一个中心点，就是领受上帝的道、建立信仰的人。第二天，我们思想到另一个题目，就是在人类历史中有上帝的灯台随着上帝子民转移。昔日史上的帝国已经一一被淘汰，唯独遵行上帝旨意的人才能永远常存。启示录告诉我们：「世上的国（将）成了我主和主基督的国；他要作王，直到永永远远。」（启11:15）今天，我要提到上帝的道与世上的小学。

三种知识的层次

对于世上的小学，保罗用一个非常坚定的信仰来看世界最高的哲学思想，特别是希腊的思想，他认为比起上帝永恒的道，希腊的思想没有多高深的学问在其中。上帝的道与世上的小学，一个是永恒的，一个是暂时的，一个是由上帝而来，一个是由人而来。知识分为三大层次：一、上帝启示给人的永生之道；二、人类思想家想出的智慧；三、撒但参杂在其中，用牠邪恶的意念来改变上帝的话，搅乱人类思想的假知识。从这三个层次，你就知道应当持守的是什么——我们应当持守上帝一次交付圣徒的真道（参：犹1:3）。

两种知识的源头

人超越所有被造之物，因为人有永恒的灵。语言是灵的声音。上帝是灵，上帝向人说话；天使是灵，天使有言语；人有灵，就用言语彰显意义。撒但是天使堕落后所成的，牠照样有牠意见的表达。上帝说话、天使说话、人类说话、撒但说话，除此之外，没有任何存在可以说话。

3 Traits That Help You Experience God’s Power

2020-10-23 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 18:31-43. Let’s go!

Luke 18:31-34 (NIV) 
31  Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.
32  He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him.
33  On the third day he will rise again.”
34  The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.

On verses 31-34: According to Jesus himself, the Old Testament (i.e. “the prophets” – v31) predicts that the Messiah (“the Son of Man”) would be handed over to be mocked and killed, but afterwards would rise again.

Notice that Jesus specifically says in verse 32 that he will be handed over to the Gentiles. One of Luke’s big themes is that Jesus came not just to save the Jews but to save the Gentiles (all non-Jewish people) as well. Other places in Scripture focus on how it was the Jews who handed Jesus over to be crucified (e.g. Acts 2:22-23). But here Luke emphasizes that Jesus would be given into the custody of Gentiles who would mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. It is not just Jews but Gentiles too – indeed all of humanity – that is ultimately responsible for Jesus’ death.