Entries by

诗篇六十三篇

2019-10-08 in /by

大卫在犹大旷野的时候，作了这诗。

1 神啊，祢是我的神，我要切切地寻求祢！在干旱疲乏无水之地，我渴想祢，我的心切慕祢。
2 我在圣所中曾如此瞻仰祢，为要见祢的能力和祢的荣耀。
3 因祢的慈爱比生命更好，我的嘴唇要颂赞祢。
4 我还活的时候要这样称颂祢，我要奉祢的名举手。
5 我在床上记念祢，在夜更的时候思想祢，我的心就像饱足了骨髓肥油，
6 我也要以欢乐的嘴唇赞美祢。
7 因为祢曾帮助我，我就在祢翅膀的荫下欢呼。
8 我心紧紧地跟随祢，祢的右手扶持我。
9 但那些寻索要灭我命的人，必往地底下去。
10 他们必被刀剑所杀，被野狗所吃。
11 但是王必因神欢喜，凡指着祂发誓的，必要夸口，因为说谎之人的口必被塞住。

有一个人求上帝祝福他，给他蒙福的七天。上帝说：好，你可以选择七天，我赐福 给你！那人说：星期天、星期一、星期二……这七天里你都赐福给我。上帝说：你很取巧，给你四天就算了。那人说：四天就四天吧；春天、夏天、秋天、冬天。上 帝说：那不是一样的吗？减你一天，祇给你三天。那人说：好，三天就三天；我要昨天、今天、明天。上帝见这人很懂说话，心忖，给你一天，看你又如何。那人 说：一天都行，一天里面有白天和黑天，不论是白天和黑天，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. 

诗篇六十二篇

2019-10-07 in /by

大卫的诗，照耶杜顿的做法，交于伶长。

1 我的心默默无声，专等候神，我的救恩是从祂而来。
2 唯独祂是我的磐石、我的拯救，祂是我的高台，我必不很动摇。
3 你们大家攻击一人，把他毁坏，如同毁坏歪斜的墙、将倒的壁，要到几时呢？
4 他们彼此商议，专要从他的尊位上把他推下。他们喜爱谎话，口虽祝福，心却咒诅。（细拉）
5 我的心哪，你当默默无声，专等候神，因为我的盼望是从祂而来。
6 唯独祂是我的磐石、我的拯救，祂是我的高台，我必不动摇。
7 我的拯救，我的荣耀，都在乎神；我力量的磐石，我的避难所，都在乎神。
8 你们众民当时时倚靠祂，在祂面前倾心吐意，神是我们的避难所。（细拉）
9 下流人真是虚空，上流人也是虚假，放在天平里就必浮起，他们一共比空气还轻。
10 不要仗势欺人，也不要因抢夺而骄傲，若财宝加增，不要放在心上。
11 神说了一次两次，我都听见，就是能力都属乎神。
12 主啊，慈爱也是属乎祢，因为祢照着各人所行的报应他。

“我的心哪，你当默默无声，因为我的盼望是从祂而来。”是这诗篇的主题，说明了大卫心里是何等地翻滚，因此他要他的心安静，再安静，等候神。

等候神是基督要学的一个比较困难的功课，因为我们属乎血气。一看到有什么不公义的事，听到不公平的作法，或是有什么问题发生了，我们的第一个念头就是怎么办？然后很快就想办法冲出去。

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.”

诗篇六十一篇

2019-10-06 in /by

大卫的诗，交于伶长。用丝弦的乐器。

1 神啊，求祢听我的呼求，侧耳听我的祷告。
2 我心里发昏的时候，我要从地极求告祢，求祢领我到那比我更高的磐石。
3 因为祢做过我的避难所，做过我的坚固台，脱离仇敌。
4 我要永远住在祢的帐幕里，我要投靠在祢翅膀下的隐密处。（细拉）
5 神啊，祢原是听了我所许的愿；祢将产业赐给敬畏祢名的人。
6 祢要加添王的寿数，他的年岁必存到世世。
7 他必永远坐在神面前，愿祢预备慈爱和诚实保佑他。
8 这样，我要歌颂祢的名直到永远，好天天还我所许的愿。

读〈诗篇〉时，我有一个很深的感想。以色列人最伟大的君王大卫，留给世人的诗歌里，几乎全是他倚靠神的经历。在每一篇诗歌里，都是他仰望神的见证。那么平凡如我们，为什么要觉得倚靠神是一件羞耻的事呢？为什么要说，信仰是老人、病人或穷途末路之人的拐杖呢？大卫的生平让我们看见，神不是软弱者的拐杖；相反地，祂是每一个愿意倚靠祂之人的力量。

大卫之所以成功，就是因为他知道自己不过是人。他很英勇，在看羊时碰到狮子或熊都可以打赢牠们；听到巨人歌利亚咒骂以色列人的神，他也奋不顾身地站出去迎战。但是他肯面对自己的软弱，这才是一个真正的强者之所以刚强的原因。好几年前，我儿子去参加医学院的口试后，他说有一道题，口试官问他有没有什么弱点？假如是你，你想让口试官有好印象，会怎样回答呢？儿子回答，他有一些弱点，并解释了他的弱势之处。后来他被录取了。敢承认自己有弱点的人，才知道自己应该在哪些方面加倍小心；倘若一个人觉得自己什么弱点都没有，很可能会承受不了突如其来的打击。

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.

诗篇六十篇

2019-10-04 in /by

大卫与两河间的亚兰并琐巴的亚兰争战的时候，约押转回，在盐谷攻击以东，杀了一万二千人。那时，大卫作这金诗叫人学习，交于伶长。调用为证的百合花。

1 神啊，祢丢弃了我们，使我们破败，祢向我们发怒，求祢使我们复兴。
2 祢使地震动，而且崩裂，求祢将裂口医好，因为地摇动。
3 祢叫祢的民遇见艰难，祢叫我们喝那使人东倒西歪的酒。
4 祢把旌旗赐给敬畏祢的人，可以为真理扬起来。（细拉）

5 求祢应允我们，用右手拯救我们，好叫祢所亲爱的人得救。

6 神已经指着他的圣洁说：「我要欢乐，我要分开示剑，丈量疏割谷。
7 基列是我的，玛拿西也是我的。以法莲是护卫我头的，犹大是我的杖。
8 摩押是我的沐浴盆，我要向以东抛鞋。非利士啊，你还能因我欢呼吗？」
9 谁能领我进坚固城？谁能引我到以东地？
10 神啊，祢不是丢弃了我们吗？神啊，祢不和我们的军兵同去吗？
11 求祢帮助我们攻击敌人，因为人的帮助是枉然的。
12 我们倚靠神才得施展大能，因为践踏我们敌人的就是祂。

这篇金诗和其他金诗不同之处，在于其他的金诗都是大卫还没有做王之时写的，只有这一篇是做王之后写的。不管是做王之前或之后，都有金子的本意在其中，也就是在火炼的试验中所产生的作品。话说大卫做了全以色列人的王之后，神大大地祝福他，使他攻无不克，战无不利。他打败了非利士人，从他们手下夺取了京城的权柄；又打败了摩押王，让他们年年进贡。那跟亚兰有何关系呢？

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.  

诗篇五十九篇

2019-10-03 in /by

扫罗打发人窥探大卫的房屋，要杀他。那时，大卫作这金诗，交于伶长。调用休要毁坏。

1 我的神啊，求祢救我脱离仇敌，把我安置在高处，得脱那些起来攻击我的人。
2 求祢救我脱离作孽的人，和喜爱流人血的人。
3 因为他们埋伏要害我的命，有能力的人聚集来攻击我。耶和华啊，这不是为我的过犯，也不是为我的罪愆。
4 我虽然无过，他们预备整齐，跑来攻击我。求祢兴起，鉴察、帮助我！
5 万军之神耶和华，以色列的神啊，求祢兴起，惩治万邦，不要怜悯行诡诈的恶人。（细拉）
6 他们晚上转回，叫号如狗，围城绕行。
7 他们口中喷吐恶言，嘴里有刀，他们说：「有谁听见？」
8 但祢耶和华必笑话他们，祢要嗤笑万邦。
9 我的力量啊，我必仰望祢，因为神是我的高台。
10 我的神要以慈爱迎接我，神要叫我看见我仇敌遭报。……

这诗篇的背景是一个很美的爱情故事。在大卫打败歌利亚之前，扫罗已经有三次得罪神，以致神厌恶扫罗，差遣撒母耳去膏大卫做王。那时大卫只是个很会弹琴的小牧童，有时会去为扫罗弹琴，使扫罗的心情转好一点。当非利士人再次来和以色列人争战时，耶西派幼子大卫去前线探望他的哥哥们。大卫到了以色列的军营，听到歌利亚怒骂以色列人和耶和华神，以色列人中却没有一个人攻出去应战。那时扫罗悬赏：“若有能杀他的，王必赏赐他大财，将自己的女儿给他为妻，并在以色列人中免他父家纳粮当差。”