詩篇 29:10 洪水氾濫之時，耶和華坐著為王；耶和華坐著為王，直到永遠。
2009年8月，台東縣太麻里嘉蘭部落有五十一戶民宅在莫拉克風災中遭洪水沖走，但其中也發生了一件上帝拯救王雲凡一家人的故事。
颱風來襲前後，連續下了兩天大雨，八月八日早上河堤崩潰，立時危及附近三十幾戶民宅。這時王雲凡一家五口都爬上木梯，站上屋頂去求援，然而對岸達旺浸信會的劉正宏牧師卻只能在岸上禱告，毫無辦法，因為洪水太大了，根本無法涉水過去幫助他們脫困。
手機還可通時，王雲凡的母親就一直打電話問牧師：「直昇機為何未到、為何還未到？」此時水勢凶猛，眼見滾滾洪水持續高漲，一棟棟民宅都在他們眼前淹沒了。這時教會的同工們有很多都不敢看下一幕，因為洪水快要把王雲凡一家人沖走。但劉牧師心中想著：「洪水泛濫之時，耶和華坐著為王；耶和華坐著為王，直到永遠。」他也想到摩西如何為以色列人禱告，當他手下垂時，以色列就打輸了；當他的手舉起來時，以色列就打贏了；所以劉牧師的手一直不敢放下來，除非看到上帝拯救他們。
As you discover your place in God’s plan, you make this wonderful discovery: you will graduate from this life into heaven. Jesus’ plan is to “gather together in one all things in Christ.” “All things” includes your body (Ephesians 1:10).
God will reunite your body with your soul and create something unlike anything you have seen. An eternal body. You will finally be healthy. You never have been. Even on the days you felt fine, you weren’t. You were a sitting duck for disease. And what about you on your worst days? Don’t you hate disease. I’m sick of it. So is Christ.
When Christ appears, Scripture tells us, “we shall be like him (1 John 3:2). You’ll have a spiritual body, with all members cooperating toward one end. So we’re not giving up. How could we? As God’s story becomes our story, the best is yet to be.
羅馬書 3:19 我們曉得律法上的話都是對律法以下之人說的，好塞住各人的口，叫普世的人都伏在神審判之下。
以弗所書 2:1 你們死在過犯罪惡之中，他叫你們活過來。
阿達生長在一個相當閉塞的鄉村，自小好武，喜歡舞棍弄棒，專好打抱不平，在純樸的鄉民眼中，阿達一直是眾人心目中的英雄好漢。
鄉村中的生活一向平淡無奇，日復一日，總歸是太陽升起又落下，月亮落下又升起，似乎年年月月、日日時時都是如此，沒有什麼變化遷移。
直到有一天，皇帝下令甄選衛隊勇士，要求的條件是射箭好手，必須百步穿楊、箭箭中的才能入選。
阿達和村民們聽到這個消息，也不禁沸騰了起來，經過村民集議，大家一致同意推舉阿達代表全村逐鹿群雄，為鄉爭光，報效皇帝。
There are so many things we don’t know. We don’t know if the economy will dip or if our team will win. We don’t know what our spouse is thinking or how our kids will turn out. And Scripture reminds us we don’t even know “what we ought to pray for” (Romans 8:26).
But according to Paul’s words in Romans 8:28, we can be absolutely certain about four things: We know God works. He is ceaseless and tireless. God works for our ultimate good. God works for the good of those who love him. And God works in all things. Not a few things, in all things!
Puppet in the hands of fortune or fate? Not you. You are in the hands of a living, loving God. Your life a crafted narrative written by a good God who’s working for your supreme good.
You don’t have to hurry or scurry. The Spirit-led life does not panic; it trusts.
In Ephesians 1:19-20 (NCV) the apostle Paul reminds us that, “God’s power is very great for us who believe. That power is the same as the great strength God used to raise Christ from the dead and put him at his right side in the heavenly world.” The same hand that pushed the rock from the tomb can shove away your doubt. The same power that stirred the still heart of Christ can stir your flagging faith. The same strength that put Satan on his heels can, and will, defeat Satan in your life.
Just keep the power supply open. Who knows, you may soon hear people asking, “What’s gotten into you?” You see, as God’s story becomes our story, his power becomes our power.
約翰福音 3:30 祂必興旺，我必衰微。
約翰福音 15:5 我是葡萄樹，你們是枝子。常在我裡面的，我也常在他裡面，這人就多結果子；因為離了我，你們就不能做什麼。
有一個夏令會的晚上，我看見溫偉耀也在操場中踱步，我便過去問他：「你說經歷上帝很真實，是不是？」
「是。」
「為甚麼我不能信得像你們那麼深、那麼多經歷、那麼喜樂？」
「你愈想得自己多，就愈想得神少。」說罷，他就轉身離開。
當頭棒喝。
羅馬書 5:6-8 因我們還軟弱的時候，基督就按所定的日期為罪人死。 為義人死是少有的，為仁人死或者有敢做的；唯有基督在我們還做罪人的時候為我們死，神的愛就在此向我們顯明了。
北京的天壇是明代的建築物，每年皇帝都會在這裡的圜丘壇上獻上燔祭﹝焚燒﹞的牛，而圜丘壇的北方有一座圓錐頂的建築物「皇穹穻」，裏面沒有供奉任何偶像，只在朝北的牆壁上刻了四個大字：「皇天上帝」，顯然上帝就是天壇敬拜的對象，這個充滿了帝王色彩的祭天大典，到了1911年滿清皇朝被推翻後，才停止下來。
天壇的歷史大約600年，在這之前，祭天大典是在國家的邊境﹝山東省的泰山頂﹞舉行，即所謂「郊祀」，而對「郊祀」，最早的文字記載，更可以追溯到公元前2205年前的堯舜二帝，孔子《書經 舜典》篇有舜“肆類於上帝”，記載了舜向上帝獻祭的史實，孔子《中庸》有“郊社之禮，所以事上帝也”。
所以這個孔子非常注重的祭天大典，而歷代君王所不斷執行的，在中國存留了四千多年，到底誰是這位獻祭對象的上帝，和基督教聖經裏神所常用的一個稱號上帝﹝EL SHADDAI – 發音很像上帝﹞是否是一位的神呢？
Wait on the Spirit. If Peter and the apostles needed his help, don’t we? They walked with Jesus for three years, heard his preaching, and saw his miracles. They saw the body of Christ buried in the grave and raised from the dead. They witnessed his upper room appearance and heard his instruction. Had they not received the best possible training? Weren’t they ready? Yet Jesus told them to wait on the Spirit. “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised…the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:4-5).
Learn to wait, to be silent, to listen for his voice. Cherish stillness; sensitize yourself to his touch. And just think—you don’t need a thing, you’ve got it all. All God’s gifts right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene.
To walk in the Spirit, respond to the promptings God gives you. Don’t sense any nudging? Just be patient and wait. Jesus told the disciples, “wait for the gift my Father promised—the Holy Spirit“ (Acts 1:4-5). Abraham waited for the promised son. Moses waited forty years in the wilderness. Jesus waited thirty years before he began his ministry.
God instills seasons of silence in his plan. Winter is needed for the soil to bear fruit. Time is needed for the development of a crop. And disciples wait for the move of God. Wait for him to move, nudge, and direct you. This beautiful promise in Isaiah 30:21 where God says, “This is the way; walk in it.” It’s nice to be led by a master. Won’t you let your Master lead you?
路加福音 15:18-24 我要起來，到我父親那裡去，向他說：「父親，我得罪了天，又得罪了你。 19 從今以後，我不配稱為你的兒子，把我當做一個雇工吧！」』 20 於是起來，往他父親那裡去。相離還遠，他父親看見，就動了慈心，跑去抱著他的頸項，連連與他親嘴。 21 兒子說：『父親，我得罪了天，又得罪了你。從今以後，我不配稱為你的兒子。』 22 父親卻吩咐僕人說：『把那上好的袍子快拿出來給他穿，把戒指戴在他指頭上，把鞋穿在他腳上， 23 把那肥牛犢牽來宰了，我們可以吃喝快樂！ 24 因為我這個兒子是死而復活，失而又得的。』他們就快樂起來。
十八世紀八○年代英國的紐卡素(Newcastle)是一個尚未開發的小市鎮，田疇林木、沼澤泥潭，遍野皆是。居民多半居住在簡陋的小草屋中，他們生活清苦，偶有獵人策馬驅犬，出入其間。但是誰也沒有想到在這個閉塞貧窮的小城鎮中，卻誕生了兩位影響歷史的大人物，其一是發明蒸汽機、製造火車的偉大發明家史蒂文遜(George Stephenson)；另外一位就是第一位進入中國，從事宣教佈道、設立第一所學校──英華書院，創辦中國第一份報紙──察世俗每月統計傳、編印第一本中英文字典──中文法程、翻譯出版第一本《聖經》──新舊約全書、造就訓練第一位中國教師──梁發的馬禮遜牧師(Robert Morrison)。
馬禮遜出生於一七八二年一月五日，他二十歲以前多半在紐卡素度過。馬禮遜在十五歲之前，是一個喜歡浪蕩街頭的孩子。他父親是一名鞋匠，因此馬禮遜自幼必須在父親的店中從事辛苦的勞力工作。但馬禮遜不是一個好的鞋匠，有關操作機器的事，他幾乎都做不好。
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