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Be Careful With Your Words

2020-08-21 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 35:10-15.  Let’s go!
 
Ezekiel 35:10-12 (NIV) 
10  “‘Because you have said, “These two nations and countries will be ours and we will take possession of them,” even though I the LORD was there, 
11  therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will treat you in accordance with the anger and jealousy you showed in your hatred of them and I will make myself known among them when I judge you. 
12  Then you will know that I the LORD have heard all the contemptible things you have said against the mountains of Israel. You said, “They have been laid waste and have been given over to us to devour.”

On verses 10-12:  The “two nations and countries” being referred to in verse 10 are the southern kingdom of Judah and the northern kingdom of Israel.  The Edomites boasted that they would one day take possession of Judah and Israel (v10), especially given that Judah and Israel were in a weakened state (v12b –“They have been laid waste and have been given over to us to devour”). 
Apparently the Edomites spoke these boastful words out of anger, envy and hatred toward the Israelites (v11).  Thus God promises to treat the Edomites with the same anger, envy and hatred with which the Edomites treated the Israelites (v11b-11). 

Let Go Of That Grudge

2020-08-20 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 35:1-9.  Let’s go!

On verses 1-9:  In these verses the Lord gives Ezekiel a message for the nation of Edom, whose nickname is “Mount Seir”.  The message is that because the nation of Edom, who “harboured an ancient hostility” (v5) against the Israelites.  What ancient hostility is the Lord referring to here?  Keep in mind that the founding father of Edom was Esau while the founding father of the nation of Israel was Jacob, Esau’s twin brother.  Esau and Jacob had one of the most infamously hostile sibling rivalries in the Bible.  This hostility would be passed down from generation to generation after Esau and Jacob, leading to a bitter rivalry between two nations, the Edomites and the Israelites.  Because of the grudge that the Edomites harboured toward the Israelites, the Edomites “delivered the Israelites over to the sword at the time of their calamity” (v5).  In response to harbouring this grudge, God would give the nation of Edom over to bloodshed as well (v6), turning Edom into a desolate waste (v7), not to be inhabited again (v9).

What can we learn from this?  Do you hold “an ancient hostility” or a grudge against someone? 

耶穌旳門徒多馬(低土馬)

2020-08-20 in /by

約翰福音20章25節  多馬卻對他們說：「除非我看見祂手上的釘痕，用我的指頭探入那釘痕，用我的手探入祂的肋旁，我絕不信。」

28節：多馬回答，對祂說：「我的主！我的　神！」

多馬，幾乎是每一個信徒的縮影，只是有的表現出來，有的把他隱藏在心裡。當耶穌復活後，在門徒中間顯現時，他們都以為是耶穌的靈魂顯現。耶穌對他們說：「你們為甚麼驚恐不安？為甚麼心裏起疑惑呢？你們看我的手和我的腳，就知道實在是我了。摸摸我，看，因為魂無骨無肉，你們看，我是有的。」說了這話，他就把手和腳給他們看。他們還在又驚又喜、不敢相信的時候，耶穌對他們說：「你們這裏有甚麼吃的沒有？」他們給了祂一片烤魚，祂接過來，在他們面前吃了。(路24:38-43)

門徒們都不敢相信，只是不敢像多馬講得那麼斬釘截鐵。但是耶穌明白，一眼就看穿他們，把他們的疑惑全部拆穿。所以我們在耶穌面前不要有面子問題，你相不相信，耶穌都知道。寧可像多馬一樣，直接了當地說出來，反而更可以真正地認識耶穌。

多馬是亞蘭文的音譯，意思是「雙生的」，他有可能是雙胞始之一；他的希臘名是低土馬（Didumos，即「雙生的」）。他的性情比較實事求是，非有證據就不接受。我們當中有很多人都是這樣的性情，尤其是在這騙子充斥的時代裡，有時看到證據還是信不進去。謹慎小心可以保身，但是若錯過了認識彌賽亞的機會，與永恒擦身而過，就未免太可惜了。多馬多疑，但是多馬的三問對後世的人卻有極大的幫助。

耶穌的門徒 達 太

2020-08-19 in /by

約翰福音14章22-24節   猶大（又名達 太，不是加略人猶大）問耶穌：「主啊，為甚麼親自向我們顯現，而不向世人顯現呢？」耶穌回答他說：「凡愛我的人就會遵守我的道，我父也會愛他，並且我們要到他那裏去，與他同住。 不愛我的人就不遵守我的道。你們所聽見的道不是我的，而是差我來之父的。」

我們曾經說過，主既是從眾人當中藉著禱告選出了十二門徒，無可疑問的，這些被選上的必有神美好的旨意，也必定各有其特出之處。但十二門徒中，有的名揚四海、有的默默無聞，好像達太，除了門徒名單上列的名字外，只說過一句話。除此以外，《聖經》上就再也沒有關於他的記載了。

達太是個言語寡少的人，達太這個名字的意思卻是「智慧者」，正合乎〈箴言〉10章19節：「多言多語難免有過，禁止嘴唇是有智慧。」愛迪生說過：「一位實事求是不講空言的人，一定是沒有許多話要說的人。」蘇格拉底說：「神給我們兩個眼睛兩隻耳朵，卻只給我們一張嘴，無非是叫我們多見多聞而少說話。」保羅勸提摩太：「總要在言語上作信徒的榜樣。」我們正可在這方面學達太，制伏我們的舌頭，做個智慧者。

一、其名達太

馬太馬可記載達太的名字，路加在〈路加福音〉與〈使徒行傳〉卻稱他為雅各的兒子猶大。

How To Use History To Your Advantage

2020-08-19 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 31:1-18.  Let’s go!

Ezekiel 31:1 (NIV) 
1  In the eleventh year, in the third month on the first day, the word of the LORD came to me:

On verse 1:  Scholars say that this date is June 21, 587 B.C.  The prophecy concerns the defeat of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.  Ezekiel receives this prophecy two months after having received a prophecy about Pharaoh’s arms being broken in chapter 30:20-26.

On verses 2-18:  In his pride Pharaoh Hophra of Egypt considered himself to be in a class all by himself, secure in his wealth and military prowess.  To warn Pharaoh not to be so prideful, in this message the Lord reminds Pharaoh of another kingdom that was once extremely powerful: Assyria.  The mention of Assyria would have struck a chord with Pharaoh and Egypt, for less than 50 years prior, Assyria had invaded Egypt in 633 B.C. and laid waste to Egypt’s capital Thebes.  Eventually however, powerful Assyria was eventually brought down by the Babylonians as well.

耶穌的門徒–亞勒腓的兒子雅各

2020-08-18 in /by

馬可3章13-19節    耶穌上了山，把自己所要的人召來，他們就來到他那裏。於是他設立十二個人，又稱他們為使徒，要他們常和自己同在，也要差他們去傳道，並給他們權柄趕鬼。他設立的十二個人，有西門—耶穌又給他起名叫彼得， 還有西庇太的兒子雅各和雅各的弟弟約翰—耶穌又給他們起名叫半尼其，就是雷的兒子—又有安得烈、腓力、巴多羅買、馬太、多馬、亞勒腓的兒子雅各、達太和激進黨的西門，還有出賣耶穌的加略人猶大。

新約中有三個雅各。除了約瑟的兒子，主耶穌的弟弟名雅各外，還有西庇太的兒子雅各和我們現在要講的亞勒腓的兒子雅各。利未馬太的父親也叫亞勒腓，因此有人以為他們是兄弟，但無進一步的考據。俗稱這位雅各為小雅各，以別於亞庇太的兒子雅各。兩個雅各在使徒中很易混淆，也許這位雅年輕些，或身材矮小些，故名之。

一、雅各其人

雅各在《聖經》當中只見其名字列在十二門徒中，沒有記載過他說的一句話，或者做的任何一件事；倒是記載了他母親馬利亞在十字架旁觀看主受難斷氣的景象（可15:40），又在復活節的清晨，買了香膏要去膏主的身體（可16:1）。這位母親也是跟隨主服事主的人，母 子同心同步走天路，多麼幸福！多麼喜悅！

雅各默默無聞，照世俗的眼光看，是個不足輕重的人，極其平凡的人。可是我們知道，主從那麼多跟隨他的人群中選出十二個門徒來，不是輕率的事。主必有他的美意，雅各也必有他的長處。或者雅各的長處就是安靜，默默的服事主，靜靜地聽主的教訓。

How We Respond to God’s Blessings Matters

2020-08-18 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 30:1-26.  Let’s go!

On verses 1-9:  Here the Lord has a message concerning the nation of Egypt, warning that “the day is near” (v3) when “a sword will come against Egypt” (v4) causing widespread destruction there.  Despite “her proud strength” (v6) and her allies supporting her, Egypt would be defeated and made desolate (v7), and her allies would be crushed (v8).

What can we learn from this?  If God is against you, it doesn’t matter who else is for you or on your side.  But the reverse is also true: if God is for you, it doesn’t matter who is against you or who is on your enemy’s side.  As Romans 8:31 says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Praise God.  Because Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, we can know that God is definitely for us and not against us.  That is especially the case if you have responded in faith to what Jesus Christ has done on the cross, for now by faith in Jesus Christ you are God’s child, endowed with God’s Holy Spirit, an heir of His kingdom, a citizen of heaven and a member of God’s team and family on earth.  Because of Jesus Christ, we know that God is for us and not against us.

耶穌的門徒馬太

2020-08-17 in /by

馬太福音9章9節：耶穌從那裡往前走，看見一個人名叫馬太，坐在稅關上，就對他說：「你跟從我來！」他就起來，跟從了耶穌。

路加福音章27 -28節   這些事以後，耶穌出去，看見一個稅吏，名叫利未，在稅關坐着，就對他說：「來跟從我！」他就撇下所有的，起來跟從耶穌。

陳希曾牧師論到馬太時說，如果要明白整本〈馬太福音〉，一定要從一個故事開始，那就是馬太的故事。因為是馬太寫了〈馬太福音〉。在〈馬太福音〉，〈馬可福音〉和〈路加福音〉裡，都記載了主第一次遇見馬太的情形。這三本福音裡都說到主耶穌看見一個人。

在〈馬太福音〉裡是「看見一個人」，〈馬可福音〉裡是「看見亞勒腓的兒子利未」，〈路加福音〉裡是「看見一個稅吏，名叫利未」。按中文的意思，看見就是看見，好像沒有很深的印象。但在希臘原文裡面，這個「看見」乃是定晴的看、仔細的看，是帶著透視的眼睛看。所以這裡《聖經》說看見一個稅吏，乃是主耶穌看到一個稅吏的心坎裡去。就是主那一次那樣的看，令馬太完全地轉變過來。那一看，就叫他撇下所有的來跟隨我們的主。

在〈馬太福音〉裡面，馬太最喜歡用一個詞，而那個詞幾乎變成他的口頭禪，或者是他的習慣語。因為那個詞正代表主耶穌那次呼召他的時候，在他身上的一看；那一看，叫他整個人破碎了，完全改變了。為著那一次不平凡的遭遇，你看見馬太最喜歡用的一個詞是「看哪！ 」在〈馬太福音〉裡面，這個詞一共用了多少次呢？

The Dangers of Pride and the Power of Humility

2020-08-17 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Ezekiel 29:1-21.  Let’s go!
 
Ezekiel 29:1 (NIV) 
1  In the tenth year, in the tenth month on the twelfth day, the word of the LORD came to me:
 
On verse 1:  Scholars have calculated this date to be January 5, 587 B.C., about 11 months after Nebuchadnezzar began besieging Jerusalem (see Ezekiel 24:1-2).

Ezekiel 29:2 (NIV)  
 2  “Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt and prophesy against him and against all Egypt.
 
On verse 2:  Here the Lord begins His message to Pharaoh king of Egypt.  According to scholars, that would have been Pharaoh Hophra, who reigned in Egypt from approximately 588 B.C. to 569 B.C. 
 

耶穌的門徒拿但業(巴多羅買)

2020-08-16 in /by

約翰福一章49節  拿但業回答他：「拉比！祢是神的兒子，祢是以色列的王。」

一般認為拿但業就是巴多羅買的另一個名字。《聖經》中凡有「巴」字在名字前的都是什麼人的兒子的意思，「巴多羅買」的意思是「多買之子」，馬太、馬可、路加則稱呼他「巴多羅買」，只有約翰用他的本名稱呼他「拿但業」。在前三本福音書裡，馬太、馬可、路加常提及腓力與巴多羅買；在〈約翰福音〉裡，使徒約翰則提及腓力與拿但業。（太10:3；可3:18；路6:14；約1:45,46）前三本福音書從未提過拿但業，約翰福音也從未提過巴多羅買，可見兩者為一。

拿但業來自加利利的迦拿，大家可能都記得，那是主耶穌行第一個神蹟，以水變酒的地方。所以有的人就猜想，迦拿的婚禮和拿但業是否有關係？所以才會把耶穌和門徒通通邀請去婚禮？也有人說，拿但業就是婚禮的新郎，這些都是後人的猜想，沒有正確答案。那麼，拿但業是怎樣認識耶穌的？

上次我們談到腓力，耶穌找到腓力，叫腓力跟從祂。腓力一跟從耶穌，就立刻去找拿但業，因為：「摩西在律法書上所寫的，和眾先知所記的那一位，我們遇見了，就是約瑟的兒子拿撒勒人耶穌。」腓力相信耶穌就是他們一直在等待的彌賽亞，所以他立刻把耶穌介紹給拿但業。沒想到拿但業一聽到耶穌是拿撒勒人，就很失望，因為拿撒勒實在太落後了，怎麼可能出個彌賽亞？腓力沒有喪志，反而鼓勵他去看看。腓力的心態很值得我們學習，不要因人家一時的拒絕就放棄。