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詩篇六十三篇

2019-10-08 in /by

大衛在猶大曠野的時候，作了這詩。

1 神啊，祢是我的神，我要切切地尋求祢！在乾旱疲乏無水之地，我渴想祢，我的心切慕祢。
2 我在聖所中曾如此瞻仰祢，為要見祢的能力和祢的榮耀。
3 因祢的慈愛比生命更好，我的嘴唇要頌讚祢。
4 我還活的時候要這樣稱頌祢，我要奉祢的名舉手。
5 我在床上記念祢，在夜更的時候思想祢，我的心就像飽足了骨髓肥油，
6 我也要以歡樂的嘴唇讚美祢。
7 因為祢曾幫助我，我就在祢翅膀的蔭下歡呼。
8 我心緊緊地跟隨祢，祢的右手扶持我。
9 但那些尋索要滅我命的人，必往地底下去。
10 他們必被刀劍所殺，被野狗所吃。
11 但是王必因神歡喜，凡指著祂發誓的，必要誇口，因為說謊之人的口必被塞住。

有一個人求上帝祝福他，給他蒙福的七天。上帝說：好，你可以選擇七天，我賜福 給你！那人說：星期天、星期一、星期二……這七天裡你都賜福給我。上帝說：你很取巧，給你四天就算了。那人說：四天就四天吧；春天、夏天、秋天、冬天。上 帝說：那不是一樣的嗎？減你一天，祇給你三天。那人說：好，三天就三天；我要昨天、今天、明天。上帝見這人很懂說話，心忖，給你一天，看你又如何。那人 說：一天都行，一天裡面有白天和黑天，不論是白天和黑天，上帝你都要祝福我。

Fix Your Thoughts on Jesus and Experience His Peace

2019-10-08 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Hebrews 3:1-6.  Let’s go!

Hebrews 3:1 (NIV) 
1  Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.

On verse 1:  Could you use more joy, peace, hope, love or perseverance?  Then do what verse 1 tells us to do: fix your thoughts on Jesus.  Don’t just think about Jesus occasionally, but focus your attention on Him.  Fix your gaze on Him.   As the writer of Hebrews will later write: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).  When we spend long extended times looking at and thinking about Jesus, we gain joy, peace, hope, love and perseverance that the world cannot give.

Hebrews 3:3 (NIV) 
3  Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 

On verses 2-6:   In chapters 1 and 2 we are shown how Jesus is greater than the angels.  Now in the first part of chapter 3 we are shown how Jesus is greater than Moses.  When it comes to great leaders in the Bible, you will be hard pressed to find anyone who played a more significant role in building God’s house, or who served God and His people more faithfully, than Moses. 

詩篇六十二篇

2019-10-07 in /by

大衛的詩，照耶杜頓的做法，交於伶長。

1 我的心默默無聲，專等候神，我的救恩是從祂而來。
2 唯獨祂是我的磐石、我的拯救，祂是我的高臺，我必不很動搖。
3 你們大家攻擊一人，把他毀壞，如同毀壞歪斜的牆、將倒的壁，要到幾時呢？
4 他們彼此商議，專要從他的尊位上把他推下。他們喜愛謊話，口雖祝福，心卻咒詛。（細拉）
5 我的心哪，你當默默無聲，專等候神，因為我的盼望是從祂而來。
6 唯獨祂是我的磐石、我的拯救，祂是我的高臺，我必不動搖。
7 我的拯救，我的榮耀，都在乎神；我力量的磐石，我的避難所，都在乎神。
8 你們眾民當時時倚靠祂，在祂面前傾心吐意，神是我們的避難所。（細拉）
9 下流人真是虛空，上流人也是虛假，放在天平裡就必浮起，他們一共比空氣還輕。
10 不要仗勢欺人，也不要因搶奪而驕傲，若財寶加增，不要放在心上。
11 神說了一次兩次，我都聽見，就是能力都屬乎神。
12 主啊，慈愛也是屬乎祢，因為祢照著各人所行的報應他。

“我的心哪，你當默默無聲，因為我的盼望是從祂而來。”是這詩篇的主題，說明了大衛心裡是何等地翻滾，因此他要他的心安靜，再安靜，等候神。

等候神是基督要學的一個比較困難的功課，因為我們屬乎血氣。一看到有什麼不公義的事，聽到不公平的作法，或是有什麼問題發生了，我們的第一個念頭就是怎麼辦？然後很快就想辦法衝出去。

Two Reasons Jesus Became Like You

2019-10-07 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Hebrews 2:11-18.  Let’s go!

Hebrews 2:11 (NIV) 
11  Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.
 
On verse 11:  Who is “the one who makes men holy”?  Jesus.  Who is “those who are made holy”? You, me and everyone else who is currently living on earth and trusting in Jesus Christ as Saviour.  We are being made holy by Jesus, the holy one who makes others holy.  And yet even though Jesus is holy and we are only in the process of being made holy, Jesus humbly still puts himself in the same boat as us, not ashamed to call us his family, his brothers and sisters.  This shows us the amazing humility and love of Jesus for us.
 
Hebrews 2:12-13 (NIV) 
12  He says, “I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises.” 
13  And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again he says, “Here am I, and the children God has given me.”

詩篇六十一篇

2019-10-06 in /by

大衛的詩，交於伶長。用絲弦的樂器。

1 神啊，求祢聽我的呼求，側耳聽我的禱告。
2 我心裡發昏的時候，我要從地極求告祢，求祢領我到那比我更高的磐石。
3 因為祢做過我的避難所，做過我的堅固臺，脫離仇敵。
4 我要永遠住在祢的帳幕裡，我要投靠在祢翅膀下的隱密處。（細拉）
5 神啊，祢原是聽了我所許的願；祢將產業賜給敬畏祢名的人。
6 祢要加添王的壽數，他的年歲必存到世世。
7 他必永遠坐在神面前，願祢預備慈愛和誠實保佑他。
8 這樣，我要歌頌祢的名直到永遠，好天天還我所許的願。

讀〈詩篇〉時，我有一個很深的感想。以色列人最偉大的君王大衛，留給世人的詩歌裡，幾乎全是他倚靠神的經歷。在每一篇詩歌裡，都是他仰望神的見證。那麼平凡如我們，為什麼要覺得倚靠神是一件羞恥的事呢？為什麼要說，信仰是老人、病人或窮途末路之人的拐杖呢？大衛的生平讓我們看見，神不是軟弱者的拐杖；相反地，祂是每一個願意倚靠祂之人的力量。

大衛之所以成功，就是因為他知道自己不過是人。他很英勇，在看羊時碰到獅子或熊都可以打贏牠們；聽到巨人歌利亞咒罵以色列人的神，他也奮不顧身地站出去迎戰。但是他肯面對自己的軟弱，這才是一個真正的強者之所以剛強的原因。好幾年前，我兒子去參加醫學院的口試後，他說有一道題，口試官問他有沒有什麼弱點？假如是你，你想讓口試官有好印象，會怎樣回答呢？兒子回答，他有一些弱點，並解釋了他的弱勢之處。後來他被錄取了。敢承認自己有弱點的人，才知道自己應該在哪些方面加倍小心；倘若一個人覺得自己什麼弱點都沒有，很可能會承受不了突如其來的打擊。

Jesus the Greatest Human and the Author of My Salvation

2019-10-06 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Hebrews 2:1-10.  Let’s go!

Hebrews 2:1-4 (NIV) 
1  We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 
2  For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 
3  how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 
4  God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

On verses 1-4:   Here the writer of Hebrews starts to compare two messages.  The first message is the message of the Old Covenant, a message that was “spoken by angels” (v2; see also Galatians 3:19) to Moses.  The message of the Old Covenant is all about God’s law.  The essence of this first message is: “Obey God’s law and be blessed.  Disobey God’s law and die.”   This first message was binding on the Israelites.  Those who disobeyed the law of Moses were punished.

詩篇六十篇

2019-10-04 in /by

大衛與兩河間的亞蘭並瑣巴的亞蘭爭戰的時候，約押轉回，在鹽谷攻擊以東，殺了一萬二千人。那時，大衛作這金詩叫人學習，交於伶長。調用為證的百合花。

1 神啊，祢丟棄了我們，使我們破敗，祢向我們發怒，求祢使我們復興。
2 祢使地震動，而且崩裂，求祢將裂口醫好，因為地搖動。
3 祢叫祢的民遇見艱難，祢叫我們喝那使人東倒西歪的酒。
4 祢把旌旗賜給敬畏祢的人，可以為真理揚起來。（細拉）

5 求祢應允我們，用右手拯救我們，好叫祢所親愛的人得救。

6 神已經指著他的聖潔說：「我要歡樂，我要分開示劍，丈量疏割谷。
7 基列是我的，瑪拿西也是我的。以法蓮是護衛我頭的，猶大是我的杖。
8 摩押是我的沐浴盆，我要向以東拋鞋。非利士啊，你還能因我歡呼嗎？」
9 誰能領我進堅固城？誰能引我到以東地？
10 神啊，祢不是丟棄了我們嗎？神啊，祢不和我們的軍兵同去嗎？
11 求祢幫助我們攻擊敵人，因為人的幫助是枉然的。
12 我們倚靠神才得施展大能，因為踐踏我們敵人的就是祂。

這篇金詩和其他金詩不同之處，在於其他的金詩都是大衛還沒有做王之時寫的，只有這一篇是做王之後寫的。不管是做王之前或之後，都有金子的本意在其中，也就是在火煉的試驗中所產生的作品。話說大衛做了全以色列人的王之後，神大大地祝福他，使他攻無不克，戰無不利。他打敗了非利士人，從他們手下奪取了京城的權柄；又打敗了摩押王，讓他們年年進貢。那跟亞蘭有何關係呢？

Jesus Is…

2019-10-04 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today we begin the book of Hebrews.  It contains one of the Bible’s most beautiful, thoughtful and thorough presentations of who Jesus is and what He has done.   Here is some background on the book of Hebrews that you may find helpful:

– The book of Hebrews is known as the only truly anonymous book in the New Testament, as the author does not reveal his identity.  Some have suggested that the apostle Paul wrote this book, although many scholars agree that this is unlikely.  For reasons that we won’t get into now, it seems that a strong argument can be made that Luke, the one who wrote both the Gospel of Luke and Acts, was the one who authored this book.  Whoever the author was, it is clear that the author knew Paul’s disciple Timothy well (see 13:22).   

– Many scholars agree that Hebrews was written in approximately 69 AD before the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed (otherwise, the author would likely have mentioned this event when talking about how the old sacrificial system of the Jews had been replaced by a new system ushered by the blood of Jesus).  

Jesus Our Saving King

2019-10-03 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Chronicles 36:1-23.  Let’s go!

On verses 1-19:  These verses describe the four kings who rule the nation of Judah after King Josiah: Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah.  Notice that while each of these kings of Judah were in power, they were controlled by, opposed by and at the whim of a stronger foreign king.  Jehoahaz was controlled by Neco king of Egypt.  The other three kings were controlled by  Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.   As a result, these kings never really had full authority to rule over the people of Judah, and the people of Judah would not thrive but lived under great fear and oppression.   During this time, God sends prophet after prophet to turn the people back to the Lord, but instead of listening and repenting the people of Judah mock the prophets God sends.  Their persistent rebellion against God ultimately results in the destruction of all of Jerusalem (including the temple and the royal palace) and Judah’s exile to Babylon.  The Promised Land is destroyed and Judah is ousted.

What can we learn from this?  The biggest reason for all of this taking place was the persistent sin of the people of Judah.  This was God on one hand disciplining the people of Judah for their persistent sin against Him, and at the same time fulfilling his promise in 2 Chronicles 34:28 not to bring about disaster to the people of Judah until after Josiah had died.  

詩篇五十九篇

2019-10-03 in /by

掃羅打發人窺探大衛的房屋，要殺他。那時，大衛作這金詩，交於伶長。調用休要毀壞。

1 我的神啊，求祢救我脫離仇敵，把我安置在高處，得脫那些起來攻擊我的人。
2 求祢救我脫離作孽的人，和喜愛流人血的人。
3 因為他們埋伏要害我的命，有能力的人聚集來攻擊我。耶和華啊，這不是為我的過犯，也不是為我的罪愆。
4 我雖然無過，他們預備整齊，跑來攻擊我。求祢興起，鑒察、幫助我！
5 萬軍之神耶和華，以色列的神啊，求祢興起，懲治萬邦，不要憐憫行詭詐的惡人。（細拉）
6 他們晚上轉回，叫號如狗，圍城繞行。
7 他們口中噴吐惡言，嘴裡有刀，他們說：「有誰聽見？」
8 但祢耶和華必笑話他們，祢要嗤笑萬邦。
9 我的力量啊，我必仰望祢，因為神是我的高臺。
10 我的神要以慈愛迎接我，神要叫我看見我仇敵遭報。……

這詩篇的背景是一個很美的愛情故事。在大衛打敗歌利亞之前，掃羅已經有三次得罪神，以致神厭惡掃羅，差遣撒母耳去膏大衛做王。那時大衛只是個很會彈琴的小牧童，有時會去為掃羅彈琴，使掃羅的心情轉好一點。當非利士人再次來和以色列人爭戰時，耶西派幼子大衛去前線探望他的哥哥們。大衛到了以色列的軍營，聽到歌利亞怒罵以色列人和耶和華神，以色列人中卻沒有一個人攻出去應戰。那時掃羅懸賞：“若有能殺他的，王必賞賜他大財，將自己的女兒給他為妻，並在以色列人中免他父家納糧當差。”