Entries by

雅各的天梯

2020-10-05 in /by

创世记28章13-15节    耶和华站在梯子以上，说：「我是耶和华你祖亚伯拉罕的神，也是以撒的神，我要将你现在所躺卧之地赐给你和你的后裔。你的后裔必像地上的尘沙那样多，必向东西南北开展。地上万族必因你和你的后裔得福。  我也与你同在，你无论往哪里去，我必保佑你，领你归回这地，总不离弃你，直到我成全了向你所应许的。」

利百加耸动雅各去骗取以撒的祝福，因为她也像当年的撒莱，要用自己的方法去解决神的问题。撒莱叫亚伯兰和婢女同房，搞得后来世界大乱；利百加叫雅各去欺骗自己的父亲，最后也是落得一家人分散，从此与爱子天人永隔。但是以扫也是她的孩子，她断然不愿见两个儿子自相残杀，因此心生一计，要把雅各送走。

最好的理由就是以扫娶了两个赫人的女子为妻，这赫人媳妇和希伯来婆婆的生活习惯，文化背景都很不一样，因此以撒也同意了。叫雅各去利百加的娘家找个媳妇回来。以扫直到此时才明白父母亲不喜欢他的赫人媳妇，因此立刻去娶了以实玛利的女儿玛哈拉，他的堂妹。所以我们可以看到，以扫也很想得到父母的欢心，只是他行事实在太冲动了。

于是雅各踏上了往巴旦亚兰的行程。巴旦亚兰，是指亚兰平原。巴旦，是田地的意思。巴旦亚兰就是指亚兰的田地。那里就是圣经所说的：两河之间的亚兰，在幼发拉底河和其支流哈博河以西，区内还有R.Balih河流经其间，因此土壤肥沃，出产丰富，是一交通要道和战略重地，当时重要的城镇有哈兰、歌散、拿鹤等。哈兰是亚伯拉罕和其父他拉第一次离开吾珥时驻脚之处，拿鹤城则是利百加当年的老家所在。从别是巴到哈兰大约有五百英哩的路程，从别是巴到伯特利约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.

以扫和雅各

2020-10-04 in /by

创世记25章23节    耶和华对她说：「两国在你腹内，两族要从你身上出来，这族必强于那族，将来大的要服侍小的。」

这是旧约里第一对双胞胎兄弟的故事，它给了我们很多遐想的空间。第一，当夫妻遇到不孕之事时，要互相代祷，而不是指责。因为以撒祷告，所以利百加怀孕，而且怀了双胞胎。我有时想，倘若以撒没有为利百加代祷，利百加真的就不会怀孕吗？那么神对亚伯拉罕和以撒的应许怎能应验？你认为呢？不过不管怎样，以撒为所有的丈夫立了一个很好的榜样。

虽然我们也知道，利百加的怀孕是迟早的事，因为这是神的命定，神的应许；但并不是所有不孕的人只要祷告就会有孩子。有的人祷告，神应允；但有的人祷告多年，神还是不给。我们不知道这其中的原因，但是相信以后见了主，一切就都明白了。我们还是要凡事祷告，神喜欢我们凡事仰望祂，但是生育的主权还是在神的手里。

以撒因他妻子不生育，就为她祈求耶和华。耶和华应允他的祈求，他的妻子利百加就怀了孕。孩子们在她腹中彼此相争，她就说：「若是这样，我为什么活着呢？」她就去求问耶和华。耶和华对她说：「两国在你腹内，两族要从你身上出来，这族必强于那族，将来大的要服侍小的。」生产的日子到了，腹中果然是双子。先产的身体发红，浑身有毛，如同皮衣，他们就给他起名叫以扫 。随后又生了以扫的兄弟，手抓住以扫的脚跟，因此给他起名叫雅各。利百加生下两个儿子的时候，以撒年正六十岁。(创25:21-26)

第二，孩子在母腹中时，神早己知道他们的未来。当双胞胎在腹中相争让利百加感到非常辛苦时，她就去求问神。在这时这一对夫妻都有很美好的信仰，不会去找人算命或求神问卜，都把困难带到神的面前。神就指示利百加，两个孩子的将来，让她有勇气承担暂时的辛苦。怀胎时己经很辛苦，加上是双胞胎，好像两个大球在肚子不停地滚动，触动五脏六腑，拉心撞肺，只有经历过的人才知道其滋味。

第三，此时双胞胎只是胎儿，从人的看法，都不知道自己在干什么。但是他们好像己有灵性，雅各的手竟抓住以扫的脚跟出来，好像两人在抢著做哥哥，以扫赢了。

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.

学习数算自己的日子

2020-10-02 in /by

诗篇九十篇里说：我们一生的年日是七十岁，若是强壮可到八十岁；但其中所矜夸的不过是劳苦愁烦，转眼成空，我们便如飞而去……求主指教我们怎样数算自己的日子，好叫我们得着智慧的心…

摩西在诗篇九十篇提到人一生的年岁，他要我们数算自己的日子，好得着智慧的心。通常这段话是勉励人要爱惜光阴，可是我们也可以借此思想，在我们一生不同的阶段和际遇中，如何让上帝永恒的心意，成全在我们身上，并且使我们能够返璞归真。历史上有一位哲学家说过：「知道怎么变老，是一个智慧的杰作，也是生活伟大艺术中最艰难的篇章。」一个懂得迈向老年的人，通常日子会过得更美好，因为迈向老年和走向永恒有很大的关联，有些人就算老了，却依旧很「美」，他们的美从脸上移到心里，这是对「美」一种新的定义。

古伦神父在《拥抱老年心生活》一书中提到：「老年就像葡萄树枝，秋天悬挂在树枝上的葡萄，不再继续成长；只是接受太阳的照射，逐渐成熟直到被采收酿酒，成为别人喜乐的泉源。」就好像老年人其实不必再追求成功、绩效，也不需要由成果得着别人的肯定与认同。不是因我们做了什么事，而是我们这个人是怎样的一个人，那才是更重要的。

葡萄成长通常有三个时期，第一个时期叫做肥大一期，果实变大的速度很快，大到某个程度后就进入肥大二期，成长速度稍微减缓，经过这两时期葡萄就长成了，接着进入成熟期，葡萄不再变大但还不能吃，需要一段时间成熟，那段时期看起来没有太多变化，而且过程更缓慢。这段成熟期用来形容人老的时候很合适，不是继续长大，也没有什么特别成就，可是非常重要，因为生命变得更甜美，甚至可以酿出香醇的酒。

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

创世记 26章22节    以撒离开那里，又挖了一口井，他们不为这井争竞了，他就给那井起名叫利河伯。他说：「耶和华现在给我们宽阔之地，我们必在这地昌盛。」

亚伯拉罕在迦南地第一次遇到饥荒时，他立刻就去了埃及。以撒这时也碰到饥荒，神很及时地向以撒显现，叫他不要下埃及。神说：「你不要下埃及去，要住在我所指示你的地。」换句话说，神要以撒留在神要他住的地方，是哪里呢？是迦南。环境虽然有问题，但是神没有问题，神要以撒学习在困难中倚靠神。

以撒对神的信心是从亚伯拉罕而来的，他曾经被作为祭物献给耶和华，他也曾为利百加祷告求子。这些都是他对神的经历，但是他和神的距离还是很远，神是高高在上的神，他父亲的神。直到神向他显现，耶和华才成了以撒的神。所以张文亮老师说：「真实的信仰，不是灵验，而是个人与主的关系。」

神对以撒强调三点：1.基拉耳是他的寄居之地，不是应许之地。虽然如此，他那里寄居时，神也要赐福给他，与他同在。这是何等的安慰，以撒和亚伯拉罕不同，他是一个和平之子，他不像亚伯拉罕有那样的勇气，一听到罗得被抓，立刻带领家丁去救人。他一直生活在父亲的荫庇之下，现在却不能不应对周围超强悍的异族人。

2.神要坚定向亚伯拉罕所起的誓，要加增他的后裔，也要把迦南地赐给他的后裔。这表示神的恩典不止与亚伯拉罕同在，也要继续与以撒同在，借此坚定以撒对神的信心。

3.地上万国必因以撒的后裔得福。这是指因信称义的子民，也就是凡是凭著信心相信神所差来的耶稣基督，并且接受祂赎罪的救恩之人，都必为亚伯拉罕和以撒的后裔。

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

创世记 24章63-67节     天将晚，以撒出来在田间默想，举目一看，见来了些骆驼。利百加举目看见以撒，就急忙下了骆驼，问那仆人说：「这田间走来迎接我们的是谁？」仆人说：「是我的主人。」利百加就拿帕子蒙上脸。仆人就将所办的一切事都告诉以撒。以撒便领利百加进了他母亲撒拉的帐篷，娶了她为妻，并且爱她。以撒自从他母亲不在了，这才得了安慰。

在夏天炎炎的大太阳底下，思想亚伯拉罕的老仆人，风尘仆仆地赶到美索不达米亚，毫无线索，不知如何去找到亚伯拉罕的本家本族，不禁令人替他担心。万一他找回去的新娘和以撒合不来，那又怎么办呢？

亚伯拉罕的条件很简单：「你要往我本地本族去，为我的儿子以撒娶一个妻子」。没有说要长多高，要胖的还是瘦的，也没有要他去探听女子的性情如何，会不会煮饭缝衣，会不会挤牛奶或羊奶？只要是他本地本族的一个女子就行。比巴西世界杯还容易，巴西世界杯有人找乌龟，有人找章鱼去神算哪国会赢。结果巴西的大头神龟算错了，巴西没赢，德国队赢。

中国腾讯《竞彩世界杯》节目里，竟有嘉宾解惑：「如果我们知道哪边会赢球，我们就不需要桂孟孟了，我们需要桂孟孟的判断来引导我们的思路。」桂孟孟是节目主持人桂斌老师的巴西龟，据说测中了很多次，可惜究竟还是龟。若是我们要龟来引导思路，后悔的机会就多了。想提前知道谁会赢球要靠龟测，可惜多有不中。那么，想要知道将来的路要怎样走，要跟谁结婚，要靠谁才能测对呢？

亚伯拉罕把找媳妇的事押在耶和华神的带领上，他押中了。大卫鲍森牧师说：「在《圣经》中每四节经文，就有一节是在预言未来，而《圣经》里面一共有735件说到未来将发生的事件，已经有596件事确实发生了，也就是超过八成都已经实现。还没实现的预言，大多跟末日有关。《圣经》上的预言，既然已经应验了八成，那么，另外两成应该也会应验，尤其是关于历史和世界末日的事件，因此，我们可以说，到目前为止，《圣经》预言，是百分之百正确的。」所以相信神的带领还是比较可靠。

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”.