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Worship is a Team Sport

2019-12-04 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Nehemiah 12:1-47.  Let’s go!

On verses 1-23:  These verses list by name the priests and Levites who led the Israelites in worshiping the Lord.  What can we learn from this?  God sees, remembers and honours those who lead others to worship Jesus.  You were made to lead others in worship too.  You don’t have to be a good singer, musician or speaker to lead others in worship.  Worship is so much more than music and speaking.  Worship is living your life to give God glory in whatever you do or wherever you are.  When you live your life to worship Jesus, you will naturally influence others to worship Jesus too.  Like the people listed in verses 1 to 26, may you be counted among those who led others to worship Jesus.

Nehemiah 12:24-26 (NIV) 
24  And the leaders of the Levites were Hashabiah, Sherebiah, Jeshua son of Kadmiel, and their associates, who stood opposite them to give praise and thanksgiving, one section responding to the other, as prescribed by David the man of God.

诗篇一百十一篇

2019-12-03 in /by

1你们要赞美耶和华！我要在正直人的大会中，并公会中，一心称谢耶和华。
2 耶和华的作为本为大，凡喜爱的都必考察。
3 祂所行的是尊荣和威严，祂的公义存到永远。
4 祂行了奇事，使人记念，耶和华有恩惠，有怜悯。
5 祂赐粮食给敬畏祂的人，祂必永远记念祂的约。
6 祂向百姓显出大能的作为，把外邦的地赐给他们为业。
7 祂手所行的是诚实、公平，祂的训词都是确实的，
8 是永永远远坚定的，是按诚实、正直设立的。
9 祂向百姓施行救赎，命定祂的约直到永远，祂的名圣而可畏。
10 敬畏耶和华是智慧的开端，凡遵行祂命令的是聪明人。耶和华是永远当赞美的！

这篇诗没有注明作者，但与112篇却是并合的，两篇都是拆句式的希伯来文的体裁，又称为离合体或字母篇。它每句的头一个字母都是依著希伯来字母的次序排列。这些资料对一般人而言虽然是隔鞋搔痒，没有感觉，但说不定哪天您学了希伯来文，就会恍然大悟了。

A New City Awaits You

2019-12-03 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Nehemiah 11:1-36.  Let’s go!

Nehemiah 11:1-2 (NIV) 
1  Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns.
2  The people commended all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.

On verses 1-36:  Jerusalem was underpopulated and underdeveloped, with most Jews preferring to live in the neighbouring towns.  Through a system of casting lots, 1 out of every 10 were to live in Jerusalem, while the other 9 could stay in their own towns.  Anyone who volunteered to live in Jerusalem was commended.   This final chapter of Nehemiah lists various Israelites who moved to Jerusalem.

诗篇一百一十篇

2019-12-02 in /by

大卫的诗。

1 耶和华对我主说：「祢坐在我的右边，等我使你仇敌做祢的脚凳。」
2 耶和华必使祢从锡安伸出能力的杖来，祢要在你仇敌中掌权。
3 当祢掌权的日子，祢的民要以圣洁的装饰为衣，甘心牺牲自己，祢的民多如清晨的甘露。
4 耶和华起了誓，决不后悔，说：「祢是照着麦基洗德的等次永远为祭司。」
5 在祢右边的主，当祂发怒的日子，必打伤列王。
6 祂要在列邦中刑罚恶人，尸首就遍满各处；祂要在许多国中打破仇敌的头。
7 祂要喝路旁的河水，因此必抬起头来。

这是一篇完全在讲弥赛亚的“弥赛亚诗篇”(Messianic Psalms)，其中论到弥赛亚为君王亦为祭司，在新约里更引述此诗篇的内容多达14次。写这诗的是大卫，主耶稣说大卫被圣灵感动，称他的后裔(耶稣)为主。法利赛人听了也无法反驳。

在这诗篇里，大卫形容弥赛亚是被耶和华神高举的主。神学家赖希(Max Isaac Reich)在他的著作中说：“诗篇第110篇是历史的钥匙。 这位唯一能纠正地上错谬、止息暴风、砍断锁链、医治伤痛、矫正弯曲、驱除黑暗的主，是隐藏在天上的， 因地上没有地方为祂存留，祂坐在神的右边，这正是祂身为儿子和后嗣独有的特权。祂忍耐等候， 直至神亲自干预地上的事，那时(在千禧年时)仇敌要成为祂的脚凳。”

We Will Not Neglect God’s House

2019-12-02 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Nehemiah 10:1-27.  There are so many important lessons we can learn from this passage.  Let’s go!

On verses 1-27:  Here is a list of the priests, Levites and other leaders, along with Nehemiah, who represented the people in signing a written agreement to say, on behalf of the Israelites, that they would obey the Lord and be faithful to Him.  To evidence how serious their commitment was, they put their own names on the line and sealed the document with their personal seals.

What can we learn from this?  I respect the guts of those who were willing to put their names on the line and sign an agreement to say that they will follow all of God’s commands.  Every family, every church, every city, every school, every company and every nation needs people who are willing to stick their neck out on behalf of the people and lead by example in following the Lord.

诗篇一百零九篇

2019-12-01 in /by

大卫的诗，交于伶长。

1 我所赞美的神啊，求祢不要闭口不言！
2 因为恶人的嘴和诡诈人的口已经张开攻击我，他们用撒谎的舌头对我说话。
3 他们围绕我说怨恨的话，又无故地攻打我。
4 他们与我为敌以报我爱，但我专心祈祷。
5 他们向我以恶报善，以恨报爱。
6 愿祢派一个恶人辖制他，派一个对头站在他右边。
7 他受审判的时候，愿他出来担当罪名，愿他的祈祷反成为罪。
8 愿他的年日短少，愿别人得他的职分。
9 愿他的儿女为孤儿，他的妻子为寡妇。
10 愿他的儿女漂流讨饭，从他们荒凉之处出来求食。……

根据拉比·萨姆森·拉斐尔·赫希（Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch）的解释，这首诗最有可能是在大卫逃避押沙龙时所写的。尽管大卫原谅了押沙龙杀死长子暗嫩，又让他回到京城， 但是后者却以恶报善，想要掠夺他的王权。在他出城的路上，便雅悯人示每咒诅大卫，更不断向大卫和从人丢石头。

大卫遭受到内外敌人的攻击，心里的沉痛无以复加，因而求神展现祂的公义和审判。示每指责大卫流扫罗全家的血，然后接续他做王，让大卫觉得不甚委屈。因为他一直敬重扫罗是神的受膏者，即使机会来到面前，也不肯加害扫罗，而今却被如此误会中伤，不免心神俱痛。尤其是在亲子叛变之时，不免有全世界都向他压过来般地恐怖。

My Failure, God’s Faithfulness

2019-12-01 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Nehemiah 9:16-38.  Let’s go!

Nehemiah 9:33 (NIV) 
33  In all that has happened to us, you have been just; you have acted faithfully, while we did wrong.

On verses 16-37:  Here the Levites recount how faithful and good God has been to the Israelites throughout their history, and how despite God’s faithfulness, the Israelites persisted in sin and rebellion.  It’s a picture of the constant faithfulness of God juxtaposed against the ongoing failure of the people He loves.  The fact that God never gave up on the Israelites despite how much they grieved Him with their persistent sin shows us how amazing, steadfast, humble, unconditional and faithful is the love of God.

Thank You, Lord, for using this passage to remind me that even though I fail You time and time again, You never fail me.  You are always faithful.  Even in my failure I can always fall back on Your mercy and faithfulness.  Thank You for never giving up on me despite all the times that I have grieved You with my wrong choices.  You deliver me “time after time” (v28).  How amazing is Your faithful love for me! 

诗篇一百零八篇

2019-11-29 in /by

大卫的诗歌。

1 神啊，我心坚定，我口要唱诗歌颂！
2 琴瑟啊，你们当醒起！我自己要极早醒起。
3 耶和华啊，我要在万民中称谢祢，在列邦中歌颂祢。
4 因为祢的慈爱大过诸天，祢的诚实达到穹苍。
5 神啊，愿祢崇高过于诸天，愿祢的荣耀高过全地！
6 求祢应允我们，用右手拯救我们，好叫祢所亲爱的人得救。
7 神已经指着祂的圣洁说：「我要欢乐，我要分开示剑，丈量疏割谷。
8 基列是我的，玛拿西是我的。以法莲是护卫我头的，犹大是我的杖。
9 摩押是我的沐浴盆，我要向以东抛鞋，我必因胜非利士呼喊。」
10 谁能领我进坚固城？谁能引我到以东地？
11 神啊，祢不是丢弃了我们吗？神啊，祢不和我们的军兵同去吗？
12 求祢帮助我们攻击敌人，因为人的帮助是枉然的。
13 我们倚靠神才得施展大能，因为践踏我们敌人的就是祂。

这诗篇有一个特色，是由大卫的两首诗的结尾组成的：前5节引自〈诗篇〉57篇7-11节，后面8节引自〈诗篇〉60篇5-12节。57篇的背景是大卫逃避扫罗的追杀，60篇的背景是大卫王和敌人作战。所以这诗篇的作者必然是大卫王。从这诗篇里，诗人让我们看到，不管大卫是平民或做了王之后，对神的倚靠都没有改变。有许多人在发达之前非常爱主，但是得势之后便逐渐远离主，但是大卫与他们不同，大卫对神的爱始终如一。

When You Pray, Start with Praise

2019-11-29 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Nehemiah 9:1-15.  Let’s go!

Nehemiah 9:1-2 (NIV) 
1  On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and having dust on their heads. 
2  Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the wickedness of their fathers.

On verses 1-2:  Earlier in the month, the Israelites gathered to celebrate, rejoice and hold a feast in accordance with God’s commands (8:13-18).  Now just over two weeks later, the Israelites gather again, this time to fast, confess their sins and draw near to God.

What can we learn from this?  In church, there is a place for rejoicing and celebrating, and there’s also a place for mourning, weeping and confessing sin.   A healthy church is one that does both:  we rejoice and we repent, we celebrate victories and we confess sin, we party and we pray.
 

诗篇一百零七篇

2019-11-28 in /by

1「你们要称谢耶和华，因祂本为善，祂的慈爱永远长存！」
2 愿耶和华的赎民说这话，就是祂从敌人手中所救赎的，
3 从各地，从东从西，从南从北所招聚来的。
4 他们在旷野荒地漂流，寻不见可住的城邑，
5 又饥又渴，心里发昏。
6 于是他们在苦难中哀求耶和华，祂从他们的祸患中搭救他们。
7 又领他们行走直路，使他们往可居住的城邑。
8 但愿人因耶和华的慈爱和他向人所行的奇事都称赞祂！
9 因祂使心里渴慕的人得以知足，使心里饥饿的人得饱美物。
10 那些坐在黑暗中死荫里的人，被困苦和铁链捆锁，……

从诗篇103篇开始，诗人一开始就告诉我们要称谢耶和华。103篇里诗人称谢神，要我们记念神的恩惠，祂用美物使我们知足，又救赎我们脱离过犯；104篇中诗人藉神所造的万物发出感谢；105篇讲到神拣选和带领以色列人的大恩；106篇讲到神对以色列人悖逆的管教之恩；107篇则是针对耶和华从东西南北招来的赎民，那就是我们这些因信耶稣基督而在神的恩典里有份的人。

在这诗篇里，诗人借着历史让我们知道耶和华是一位怎样的神。第一(4-9节)，祂是使漂流者安居的神。当以色列人出埃及后，他们没有国也没有家，面对的只是无垠的旷野和沙漠。但是神一再应允他们，迦南地是神赐给他们的地方。神给他们真实的盼望，也在路上教他们怎样扎营，供应他们一切所需。神也为我们这些必死的人预备了永生和永恒的家乡，使相信祂的人有真正的盼望。