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生命之物各從其類

2020-09-01 in /by

創世記一章24節    神說：「地要生出有生命之物，各從其類，就是牲畜、爬行動物、地上的走獸，各從其類。」事就這樣成了。

昨天的新聞報導，因為新冠肺炎疫情的關係，溫哥華的水族館在9月4日又要暫時關閉了。今年三月中也因為新冠疫情，水族館關閉了，大家都很擔心館內約七萬隻動物不知如何處理。還後後來有募款，終於可以再開，但是現在疫情一上，就又不得不關閉了，有兩百多人即將失業。

我們都很愛喜歡這間水族館，帶著小孩來，一家都開心，因為可以欣賞神奇妙的創造。動物園也是一樣，我比較喜歡野生動物園，雖然有的動物還是被局限在特定範圍裡活動，但總是好過被關在籠子裡好。我們喜歡觀看不同的動物，欣賞牠們不同的生活方式，去感覺造物的奇妙。

但是我很難想像，一隻恐龍進化成雞的樣子。多年前有人爭議先有雞還是先有蛋的謎題時，竟有人認為是恐龍的蛋進化成雞而產出雞來，所以說先有蛋後有雞。當然，這是非常牽強的說法，誰見過恐龍的蛋進化成雞蛋？那是一種沒有事實根據的推測。

幸好英國科學家發現，蛋殼的構成仰賴一種僅能在雞的卵巢中找到的蛋白質，換言之，必須先有雞，蛋才可能存在。ovocledidin-17（OC-17）的蛋白質是作為加速蛋殼發展的催化劑，硬殼保護蛋黃與蛋白，讓雞胚胎得以發育。所以在雞蛋形成前，必須先有OC-17，而OC-17只能在雞的卵巢中發現。長久以來學界料想是蛋先於雞，然而現在有科學證據，證明事實上是先有雞才能有蛋。

Pray Through Your People Decisions

2020-09-01 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 6:12-26.  Let’s go!

Luke 6:12-16 (NIV) 
12  One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.
13  When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:
14  Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,
15  Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot,
16  Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

On verses 12-16:  Notice that Jesus spent quality time in prayer before he chose his disciples and called them his authorized representatives (“apostles”).  What can we learn from this?  Before you ask someone to be in a significant relationship with you (whether it’s business-wise, romantically or otherwise), make sure you pray about it and seek God’s guidance.  Like Jesus, pray through your most important people decisions.

飛鳥與魚的出現

2020-08-31 in /by

創世記一章20節    神說：「水要滋生眾多有生命之物；要有鳥飛在地面以上，天空之中。」

根據地質生物學家的說法：在距離大約六億年前的寒武紀之前，沒有發現任何生物的化石，但是一到了寒武紀，大量海洋動物門類同時突然出現，顯示出地球生命大暴發的突變，而在此前卻無任何痕跡可尋。也就是所謂的「寒武紀地球生命大暴發」。科學家們說：「寒武紀地球生命大暴發」是地球生命演化史上突發性的重大事件，現代生命多樣性起於此。科學家誠證說，面對這「寒武紀生命大暴發」，人們不禁會問：「是什麼神奇力量使生物多樣化、大型化如此突然暴發的呢？為什麼門類繁多的生物會如此整齊地出現在同一起跑線上呢？究竟是什麼神奇的力量從簡單的海藻之類微生物突變出現在地球上幾乎所有生物門類的原始物種的呢？」對此，信仰真神的人只有一個回答：此乃出於真神大能的創造。

神在創造天地時，希伯來文是bara（巴拉），指從無生有；在這裡用的「造」字，希伯來文是「asah（阿撒）」，是指用已經有的材料，塵土，做成的。神造的大魚有好幾種譯法，有的說是the great sea-monsters/ great sea creatures/ great whales/ magnificent marine creature，不管是大海怪、鯨魚、大魚，都給我們一個清楚的認知，就是水裡的生物不論大小都是神所造的。在前四天的創造裡，都是神的器皿，植物或礦物只有體而沒有生命，從水裡的生物和空中的飛鳥才開始具有生命。

當摩西和法老的術士在法老面前各行神蹟和法術，從杖變蛇、水變血、使青蛙跳上埃及地，這些事情埃及的術士都沒有問題。但是當摩西擊打塵土變成蝨子時，行法術的就對法老說：「這是神的手段。」唯有神，才能使塵土變成蝨子，使生命進入塵土之中。所以當神說：「水要多多滋生有生命的物」時，並不是水有滋生生命的能力，而是神賜下生命進入水中。這裡的「水」，從英文可以看出它是複數「waters」 ，意為諸水，包括江河、湖沼、海洋等等。

Don’t Be So Caught Up In Man-Made Rules That You Miss God’s Heart

2020-08-31 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 5:27-39.  Let’s go!

Luke 6:1-2 (NIV) 
1  One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grain fields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels.
2  Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

On verses 1-2:  People living in Israel were allowed to walk through a fellow Israelite’s grain field and pick kernels with their hand to eat, just as Jesus’ disciples were doing here.  This was specifically allowed in Deuteronomy 23:24-25 as a way for Jewish landowners to show grace and mercy to the poor.  However, because Jesus’ disciples were doing this on a Sabbath day, the Pharisees were offended, for the Pharisees taught that picking heads of grain and eating it on a Sabbath day was “work” which violated God’s command that His people rest and not work on a Sabbath day.  The Pharisees had misapplied God’s command to rest on the Sabbath day to an absurd, ridiculous and unhelpful extreme.  As a result, laws that were meant to encourage grace, mercy and rest for people were replaced with a strict kind of legalism that just placed more burdens on everyone.

神創造日月星辰

2020-08-30 in /by

創世記一章14-15節    神說：「天上要有光體來分晝夜，讓它們作記號，定季節、日子、年份，它們要在天空發光，照在地上。」事就這樣成了。

在神創造的第一天就有了光，分了晝夜：但是在第四天時，神造了光體，就由這些光體來分晝夜，讓它們作記號，定季節、日子、年份了。根據何仲柯醫生的說法，「發光體」原是器皿而已。就如一個水壺，它自己並不會產生水，但是如果從水源，把水放在它裡面，它就可以供應人的需要，只是它在供應時，它的水量會越來越少。當初在第一天分晝夜的光，如今已經歸到太陽身上；而現在地球上之分晝夜，是因為太陽光照和地球自轉所形成的。

有的人覺得《聖經》很不科學，怎麼可能先有植物再有太陽？怎麼先有晝夜，才有太陽月亮？但事實就是如此。神可以用其他的光去分晝夜，這光也可以使植物行光合作用，又使霧氣升起滋潤萬物。因為祂是神，祂可以用各種方法使造物活下去。假如祂什麼事都要按人的邏輯，那祂就不是神了；就因為祂超乎人的邏輯、智慧和權能，所以祂是神。

根據地球的運轉，月亮和其它星象的變化規律，我們就因此計算出月份（作記號）。根據月亮和其它星際的關係，以及地球在運轉中產生的氣候變化、季節差異，而確定了不同的季節–春、夏、秋、冬（定節令）。又由於地球繞太陽公轉一周所用的時間，我們因此用來確定一年為365天（日子）。也因為地球繞太陽公轉一周所花的時間，我們用它來計算人類的壽數（年歲）。你看，《聖經》很科學吧，從創世到現在，時令節期就這樣傳下來了。

“I Don’t Believe in Christianity Because Some Christians I Know Are Hypocrites.”

2020-08-30 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 5:27-39.  There are so many lessons we can learn from today’s passage.  Let’s go!

Luke 5:27-28 (NIV) 
27  After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, 
28  and Levi got up, left everything and followed him. 

On verses 27-28:  Back in Jesus’ time, tax collectors were despised in Israel.  That is because tax collectors had a reputation for being crooked and money hungry, known for charging Jews more taxes than they actually owed to the Roman government and pocketing the difference.   Jewish tax collectors were seen as traitors, since they were working for the Roman emperor while profiting at the expense of their fellow Jews.  Levi was one such Jewish tax collector.  Notice, however, that Levi’s occupation, background and reputation did not keep Jesus from inviting Levi to follow him.  It also did not keep Levi from leaving everything to follow Jesus.  Levi (also called Matthew) would become one of Jesus’ first disciples and apostles, and would go on to author the gospel of Matthew, the first book in the New Testament.

實用的禱告原則

2020-08-28 in /by

以弗所書 6 章 18-20 節   靠著聖靈，隨時多方禱告祈求；並要在此儆醒不倦，為眾聖徒祈求，也為我祈求，使我得著口才，能以放膽開口講明福音的奧秘，我為這福音的奧秘作了帶鎖鏈的使者，並使我照著當盡的本分放膽講論。

保羅提到禱告的原則：第一，要靠著聖靈。禱告不只是將心中所願帶到神面前，更重要的是要聆聽聖靈的聲音，讓祂引導我們按照神的心意禱告。來到神面前禱告，我們需要先問，“主啊！你要我為哪些事禱告？”然後聆聽，感覺神要我們為某些事禱告時，問第二個問題，“主啊！你要我怎樣為這件事禱告？”有這樣聆聽的態度，禱告才不會淪為一廂情願的想法。只有在聖靈裡的禱告，才能觸摸父神的心意。

其次，要隨時多方禱告。不只在禱告會禱告，也不只在教會禱告，而是隨時禱告；別人有需要時，立刻為他禱告。在教會常聽有人說，“請你為我這件事情禱告。”我們說“好！”回到家就忘了！倒不如對方提出禱告事項時，就說“我現在為你禱告。”有時打電話，聽見對方說“能不能請你為我這件事情禱告？”我們常在掛電話後就忘了，其實可以在電話里馬上為他禱告。此外要多方禱告，就是用各種方式禱告，不只默禱而已。禱告過程中發現默禱好像不能達到神面前，就要開口禱告；感覺開口禱告不是那麼有功效時，就要宣告式的禱告，甚至禁食禱告、通宵禱告。禱告有各樣方式，不要只局限於默禱。

第三，要在此儆醒不倦。禱告要恆切，聖經教導我們要持續、恆切地禱告，儆醒不倦地禱告，直到神成就祂的心意為止。

Jesus Cares for Your Whole Being

2020-08-28 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 5:12-26.  Let’s go!

Luke 5:12-14 (NIV) 
12  While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” 
13  Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him. 
14  Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”
 
On verses 12-14:  This to me is one of the most beautiful scenes in the Bible.  Here you have a man covered with a skin disease which not only affected him physically but socially as well.  According to the Jewish laws, a person with leprosy was not allowed to live among the people but had to live alone outside the city.  They had to cover their face, leave their hair undone, and walk around with torn clothes yelling “Unclean! Unclean!”

地和海

2020-08-27 in /by

創世記一章10 節    神稱乾地為「地」，稱聚集在一起的水為「海」。神看為好的。

當你讀〈創世記〉第一章時，你會有什麼感覺呢？我總是覺得，神好像在預備迎接新生嬰兒的父母，精心地從嬰兒房開始，一樣樣地把東西放進去。所以，最重要的是光，因為沒有光，什麼都看不見；其次是穹蒼，有人譯為空氣，那也實在是人的需要。神把深淵的大水分開，有了穹蒼，天下面的水聚在一起為「海」；水一退，乾地就露出來，稱為「地」，神看為好的。因為有「地」，人才有落足之處，原來神並不打算讓人用飛的。

神如此向約伯形容當時的情景：「海水衝出，如出胎胞，那時誰將它關閉呢？ 是我用雲彩當海的衣服，用幽暗當包裹它的布，為它定界限，又安門和閂，說：「你只可到這裡，不可越過，你狂傲的浪要到此止住。」（伯38:8-11）。讓我們閉起眼睛，想像自己站在沙灘上，海浪不斷地衝上來淹過你的腳，然後退去，又衝上來，又退去。何等美好的感覺!

當你站在沙灘上回頭一望時，往往不遠處就有樹林。無論是太平洋或是大西洋的海岸邊，都有紅樹林，千百年來默默的矗立在海岸，擔任捍衛陸地的第一道保護線。紅樹林是一些滑稽樹種的組合，世界上約有55種。它們喜歡長在海灘與河口的感潮處，那裡有高度的鹽分和強勁的海風，但是它們能緊密地相互依附，成為海濱最好的防風牆。這只是神在地面上種植的奇妙植物之一種。

當神說：「地要長出植物，就是含種子的五穀菜蔬，和會結果子、果子裏有種子的樹，在地上各從其類。」很少人會想到神的大手筆和想像力之豐富。在溫哥華有座原始森林，有許多人每天去那裡運動。每一次在那裡健行，都會因為樹林之美而深深著迷。從冬季的酷寒裡，逐漸看到冒出新芽的枝葉，紅色的小花也代表夏季漿果的成形；夏季裡路邊的野花瘋狂地蔓長，每天熱情相伴；夏季的紅莓果結束了，黑莓的花就開了，

Faith is Spelled R-I-S-K

2020-08-27 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 5:1-11.  Let’s go!

Luke 5:1-2 (NIV) 
1  One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, 
2  he saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.
 
On verses 1-2:  I like this observation by Pastor Jon Courson: he notes that back in Jesus’ day fishermen would regularly wash their nets and stretch them at the end of each work day.  That way the net would not stink or rot and would remain useful for the long-term.  Likewise, if we want to be effective nets that God can use to bring people to Him, we need to be regularly washed with the water of God’s Word and stretched by His Holy Spirit often. 

Luke 5:3-11 (NIV)  
 3  He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 
4  When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” 
5  Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”