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雅各的天梯

2020-10-05 in /by

創世記28章13-15節    耶和華站在梯子以上，說：「我是耶和華你祖亞伯拉罕的神，也是以撒的神，我要將你現在所躺臥之地賜給你和你的後裔。你的後裔必像地上的塵沙那樣多，必向東西南北開展。地上萬族必因你和你的後裔得福。  我也與你同在，你無論往哪裡去，我必保佑你，領你歸回這地，總不離棄你，直到我成全了向你所應許的。」

利百加聳動雅各去騙取以撒的祝福，因為她也像當年的撒萊，要用自己的方法去解決神的問題。撒萊叫亞伯蘭和婢女同房，搞得後來世界大亂；利百加叫雅各去欺騙自己的父親，最後也是落得一家人分散，從此與愛子天人永隔。但是以掃也是她的孩子，她斷然不願見兩個兒子自相殘殺，因此心生一計，要把雅各送走。

最好的理由就是以掃娶了兩個赫人的女子為妻，這赫人媳婦和希伯來婆婆的生活習慣，文化背景都很不一樣，因此以撒也同意了。叫雅各去利百加的娘家找個媳婦回來。以掃直到此時才明白父母親不喜歡他的赫人媳婦，因此立刻去娶了以實瑪利的女兒瑪哈拉，他的堂妹。所以我們可以看到，以掃也很想得到父母的歡心，只是他行事實在太衝動了。

於是雅各踏上了往巴旦亞蘭的行程。巴旦亞蘭，是指亞蘭平原。巴旦，是田地的意思。巴旦亞蘭就是指亞蘭的田地。那裡就是聖經所說的：兩河之間的亞蘭，在幼發拉底河和其支流哈博河以西，區內還有R.Balih河流經其間，因此土壤肥沃，出產豐富，是一交通要道和戰略重地，當時重要的城鎮有哈蘭、歌散、拿鶴等。哈蘭是亞伯拉罕和其父他拉第一次離開吾珥時駐腳之處，拿鶴城則是利百加當年的老家所在。從別是巴到哈蘭大約有五百英哩的路程，從別是巴到伯特利約60英哩的路程。

Will Jesus Know You In The End?

2020-10-05 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 13:22-35.  Let’s go!

Luke 13:22-24 (NIV) 
22  Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. 
23  Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, 
24  “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.

On verses 22-24:  What is this narrow door that Jesus is talking about?  The narrow door is trusting in Jesus Christ.  It is “narrow” in that not as many people go through it.  As Jesus says in verse 24, instead of trusting in Jesus, many people unsuccessfully try to be saved by their own good works (“many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to”).   When Jesus says, “make every effort to enter through the narrow door”, don’t misunderstand this to mean that somehow we must by our own effort and strength reach God on our own; rather, we must make every effort to hang onto faith in Jesus, rather than slipping into the trap of trusting in ourselves.  Jesus says something similar in Matthew 7:13-14.

以掃和雅各

2020-10-04 in /by

創世記25章23節    耶和華對她說：「兩國在你腹內，兩族要從你身上出來，這族必強於那族，將來大的要服侍小的。」

這是舊約裡第一對雙胞胎兄弟的故事，它給了我們很多遐想的空間。第一，當夫妻遇到不孕之事時，要互相代禱，而不是指責。因為以撒禱告，所以利百加懷孕，而且懷了雙胞胎。我有時想，倘若以撒沒有為利百加代禱，利百加真的就不會懷孕嗎？那麼神對亞伯拉罕和以撒的應許怎能應驗？你認為呢？不過不管怎樣，以撒為所有的丈夫立了一個很好的榜樣。

雖然我們也知道，利百加的懷孕是遲早的事，因為這是神的命定，神的應許；但並不是所有不孕的人只要禱告就會有孩子。有的人禱告，神應允；但有的人禱告多年，神還是不給。我們不知道這其中的原因，但是相信以後見了主，一切就都明白了。我們還是要凡事禱告，神喜歡我們凡事仰望祂，但是生育的主權還是在神的手裡。

以撒因他妻子不生育，就為她祈求耶和華。耶和華應允他的祈求，他的妻子利百加就懷了孕。孩子們在她腹中彼此相爭，她就說：「若是這樣，我為什麼活著呢？」她就去求問耶和華。耶和華對她說：「兩國在你腹內，兩族要從你身上出來，這族必強於那族，將來大的要服侍小的。」生產的日子到了，腹中果然是雙子。先產的身體發紅，渾身有毛，如同皮衣，他們就給他起名叫以掃 。隨後又生了以掃的兄弟，手抓住以掃的腳跟，因此給他起名叫雅各。利百加生下兩個兒子的時候，以撒年正六十歲。(創25:21-26)

第二，孩子在母腹中時，神早己知道他們的未來。當雙胞胎在腹中相爭讓利百加感到非常辛苦時，她就去求問神。在這時這一對夫妻都有很美好的信仰，不會去找人算命或求神問卜，都把困難帶到神的面前。神就指示利百加，兩個孩子的將來，讓她有勇氣承擔暫時的辛苦。懷胎時己經很辛苦，加上是雙胞胎，好像兩個大球在肚子不停地滾動，觸動五臟六腑，拉心撞肺，只有經歷過的人才知道其滋味。

第三，此時雙胞胎只是胎兒，從人的看法，都不知道自己在幹什麼。但是他們好像己有靈性，雅各的手竟抓住以掃的腳跟出來，好像兩人在搶著做哥哥，以掃贏了。

When Truth Sets You Free

2020-10-04 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 13:10-21.  Let’s go!

Luke 13:10-17 (NIV) 
10  On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues,
11  and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all.
12  When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.”
13  Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.
14  Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.”
15  The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water?
16  Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”
17  When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.

On verses 10-17: God had commanded the Jews to work six days and rest on the seventh (Exodus 20:8-11) so that their strength could be restored and their joy replenished.  But the Pharisees and teachers of the law misinterpreted this command by teaching that even things like praying for a sick person’s healing was considered “work” and could only be done during the first six days but not on the seventh.  Infected by the Pharisees’ teaching, the synagogue ruler publicly rebukes Jesus for healing a woman who was crippled by an evil spirit for 18 years.

學習數算自己的日子

2020-10-02 in /by

詩篇九十篇裡說：我們一生的年日是七十歲，若是強壯可到八十歲；但其中所矜誇的不過是勞苦愁煩，轉眼成空，我們便如飛而去……求主指教我們怎樣數算自己的日子，好叫我們得著智慧的心…

摩西在詩篇九十篇提到人一生的年歲，他要我們數算自己的日子，好得著智慧的心。通常這段話是勉勵人要愛惜光陰，可是我們也可以藉此思想，在我們一生不同的階段和際遇中，如何讓上帝永恆的心意，成全在我們身上，並且使我們能夠返璞歸真。歷史上有一位哲學家說過：「知道怎麼變老，是一個智慧的傑作，也是生活偉大藝術中最艱難的篇章。」一個懂得邁向老年的人，通常日子會過得更美好，因為邁向老年和走向永恆有很大的關聯，有些人就算老了，卻依舊很「美」，他們的美從臉上移到心裡，這是對「美」一種新的定義。

古倫神父在《擁抱老年心生活》一書中提到：「老年就像葡萄樹枝，秋天懸掛在樹枝上的葡萄，不再繼續成長；只是接受太陽的照射，逐漸成熟直到被採收釀酒，成為別人喜樂的泉源。」就好像老年人其實不必再追求成功、績效，也不需要由成果得著別人的肯定與認同。不是因我們做了什麼事，而是我們這個人是怎樣的一個人，那才是更重要的。

葡萄成長通常有三個時期，第一個時期叫做肥大一期，果實變大的速度很快，大到某個程度後就進入肥大二期，成長速度稍微減緩，經過這兩時期葡萄就長成了，接著進入成熟期，葡萄不再變大但還不能吃，需要一段時間成熟，那段時期看起來沒有太多變化，而且過程更緩慢。這段成熟期用來形容人老的時候很合適，不是繼續長大，也沒有什麼特別成就，可是非常重要，因為生命變得更甜美，甚至可以釀出香醇的酒。

God Is Patient But He Won’t Wait Forever

2020-10-02 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 13:1-9.  Let’s go!

Luke 13:1-5 (NIV) 
1  Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 
2  Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 
3  I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 
4  Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them–do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 
5  I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” 

On verses 1-5:  There are a number of powerful lessons we can learn from this passage. I look forward to sharing them with you at a THRIVE service today.  See you there!

Luke 13:6-9 (NIV) 
6  Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any.
7  So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’

和平之子以撒

2020-10-01 in /by

創世記 26章22節    以撒離開那裡，又挖了一口井，他們不為這井爭競了，他就給那井起名叫利河伯。他說：「耶和華現在給我們寬闊之地，我們必在這地昌盛。」

亞伯拉罕在迦南地第一次遇到饑荒時，他立刻就去了埃及。以撒這時也碰到饑荒，神很及時地向以撒顯現，叫他不要下埃及。神說：「你不要下埃及去，要住在我所指示你的地。」換句話說，神要以撒留在神要他住的地方，是哪裡呢？是迦南。環境雖然有問題，但是神沒有問題，神要以撒學習在困難中倚靠神。

以撒對神的信心是從亞伯拉罕而來的，他曾經被作為祭物獻給耶和華，他也曾為利百加禱告求子。這些都是他對神的經歷，但是他和神的距離還是很遠，神是高高在上的神，他父親的神。直到神向他顯現，耶和華才成了以撒的神。所以張文亮老師說：「真實的信仰，不是靈驗，而是個人與主的關係。」

神對以撒強調三點：1.基拉耳是他的寄居之地，不是應許之地。雖然如此，他那裡寄居時，神也要賜福給他，與他同在。這是何等的安慰，以撒和亞伯拉罕不同，他是一個和平之子，他不像亞伯拉罕有那樣的勇氣，一聽到羅得被抓，立刻帶領家丁去救人。他一直生活在父親的蔭庇之下，現在卻不能不應對週圍超強悍的異族人。

2.神要堅定向亞伯拉罕所起的誓，要加增他的後裔，也要把迦南地賜給他的後裔。這表示神的恩典不止與亞伯拉罕同在，也要繼續與以撒同在，藉此堅定以撒對神的信心。

3.地上萬國必因以撒的後裔得福。這是指因信稱義的子民，也就是凡是憑著信心相信神所差來的耶穌基督，並且接受祂贖罪的救恩之人，都必為亞伯拉罕和以撒的後裔。

The Price of Peace

2020-10-01 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 12:49-59.  Let’s go!

Luke 12:49 (NIV) 
49  “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!

On verse 49:  What fire did Jesus come to bring?  Some scholars think the “fire” here refers to Jesus judging the world one day.  Others think that this fire refers to the Holy Spirit whom God the Father would send upon the church later in Acts 2.  Perhaps it’s both.  In any event, in order for that “fire” to happen, Jesus would first have to go through a “baptism”, described in the next verse.

Luke 12:50 (NIV) 
50  But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!

On verse 50:  Jesus was baptized in Luke 3, so what other “baptism” would Jesus still need to undergo?  The baptism Jesus is referring to here is his coming suffering and death on the cross.  Here we see the humanity of Jesus and “how distressed” he is as he awaits the time of his betrayal, crucifixion and death.  I appreciate how real and transparent Jesus is as a leader about his feelings and his struggles.

利百加和以撒

2020-09-30 in /by

創世記 24章63-67節     天將晚，以撒出來在田間默想，舉目一看，見來了些駱駝。利百加舉目看見以撒，就急忙下了駱駝，問那僕人說：「這田間走來迎接我們的是誰？」僕人說：「是我的主人。」利百加就拿帕子蒙上臉。僕人就將所辦的一切事都告訴以撒。以撒便領利百加進了他母親撒拉的帳篷，娶了她為妻，並且愛她。以撒自從他母親不在了，這才得了安慰。

在夏天炎炎的大太陽底下，思想亞伯拉罕的老僕人，風塵僕僕地趕到美索不達米亞，毫無線索，不知如何去找到亞伯拉罕的本家本族，不禁令人替他擔心。萬一他找回去的新娘和以撒合不來，那又怎麼辦呢？

亞伯拉罕的條件很簡單：「你要往我本地本族去，為我的兒子以撒娶一個妻子」。沒有說要長多高，要胖的還是瘦的，也沒有要他去探聽女子的性情如何，會不會煮飯縫衣，會不會擠牛奶或羊奶？只要是他本地本族的一個女子就行。比巴西世界杯還容易，巴西世界杯有人找烏龜，有人找章魚去神算哪國會贏。結果巴西的大頭神龜算錯了，巴西沒贏，德國隊贏。

中國騰訊《競彩世界杯》節目裡，竟有嘉賓解惑：「如果我們知道哪邊會贏球，我們就不需要桂孟孟了，我們需要桂孟孟的判斷來引導我們的思路。」桂孟孟是節目主持人桂斌老師的巴西龜，據說測中了很多次，可惜究竟還是龜。若是我們要龜來引導思路，後悔的機會就多了。想提前知道誰會贏球要靠龜測，可惜多有不中。那麼，想要知道將來的路要怎樣走，要跟誰結婚，要靠誰才能測對呢？

亞伯拉罕把找媳婦的事押在耶和華神的帶領上，他押中了。大衛鮑森牧師說：「在《聖經》中每四節經文，就有一節是在預言未來，而《聖經》裡面一共有735件說到未來將發生的事件，已經有596件事確實發生了，也就是超過八成都已經實現。還沒實現的預言，大多跟末日有關。《聖經》上的預言，既然已經應驗了八成，那麼，另外兩成應該也會應驗，尤其是關於歷史和世界末日的事件，因此，我們可以說，到目前為止，《聖經》預言，是百分之百正確的。」所以相信神的帶領還是比較可靠。

Ready and Waiting

2020-09-30 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 12:35-48.  Let’s go!

On verses 35-48:  Here Jesus shares a parable (or what some may consider to be two parables) about the kind of servant that pleases God.  How do we apply these parables from Jesus to our lives?  Here are four ways we can do so:

1. See yourself as a servant of God.  Until Jesus comes again you want to have the mindset that “God does not exist to serve me.  I exist to serve God.”  No matter what your current occupation is or what season of life you may be in, think of yourself as serving God when you carry out your responsibilities.  As the apostle Paul would say, carry out your daily responsibilities “as working for the Lord, not for men” (Colossians 3:23).  See yourself as a trustee of the time, the talents, and the resources that God has entrusted to you, knowing that one day you will be accountable to God for what you did with what He gave you (v48).

2. Give your best when you work.  Whether you’re serving at church, or serving at home, or serving at school or work, be known as someone who gives their best.  Don’t be a mediocre servant who gives half-hearted, half-baked service.  Others and God can smell a mediocre effort from far and away whether or not they call you on it. As Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart”.