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When You’re Facing a Wall, Look Up and Look to God

2019-06-06 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 20:1-21.  Let’s go!

2 Kings 20:1-3 (NIV) 
1  In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.” 
2  Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, 
3  “Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

On verses 1-3:  Hezekiah is suffering from a life-threatening illness.  Initially Isaiah brings a message to Hezekiah from the Lord saying that he must get ready to die.  Turning his face to the wall, Hezekiah prays, weeps, and pleads with God for mercy.

What can we learn from this?  Just as Hezekiah turned and faced a wall and then prayed, when you’re facing a wall — no matter how insurmountable it may seem — let your first instinct be to go to God in prayer.  Pour out your heart to God.  

辯駁耶穌的權柄

2019-06-06 in /by

馬太福音21: 23_27_辯駁耶穌的權柄

23 耶穌進了殿，正教訓人的時候，祭司長和民間的長老來，問他說：「你仗著什麼權柄做這些事？給你這權柄的是誰呢？」 24 耶穌回答說：「我也要問你們一句話，你們若告訴我，我就告訴你們我仗著什麼權柄做這些事。 25 約翰的洗禮是從哪裡來的？是從天上來的，是從人間來的呢？」他們彼此商議說：「我們若說從天上來，他必對我們說：『這樣，你們為什麼不信他呢？』 26 若說從人間來，我們又怕百姓，因為他們都以約翰為先知。」 27 於是回答耶穌說：「我們不知道。」耶穌說：「我也不告訴你們我仗著什麼權柄做這些事。」

說實在的，我特別喜歡讀耶穌被法利賽人或文士刁難的事蹟，因為從每次主耶穌的回答裡都可以學到一些智慧。你有沒有被人刁難過，或是碰到很難處理的事情，你都可以從耶穌處理事情的方法上學到一點東西。在這段經文裡，祭司長和長老來挑戰耶穌的權柄。想想看也是，在當時耶穌在眾人眼中不過是個拉比或先知，有什麼權柄來插手聖殿怎樣使用之事？祭司長和民間的長老來興師問罪是理所當然。

那些商人能夠在聖殿的外院裡做生意很顯然是得到了大祭司的同意，因為大祭司是猶太人的最高宗教領袖，聖殿裡要做什麼事情，他說了算！耶穌是誰呢？難道比大祭司還大嗎？大祭司同意的事，誰敢出來反對？他們的意思其實就是在告訴耶穌：你無權過問此事。

無花果樹被咒詛

2019-06-05 in /by

馬太福音21: 18_22_無花果樹被咒詛

18 早晨回城的時候，他餓了。 19 看見路旁有一棵無花果樹，就走到跟前，在樹上找不著什麼，不過有葉子，就對樹說：「從今以後，你永不結果子！」那無花果樹就立刻枯乾了。 20 門徒看見了，便稀奇說：「無花果樹怎麼立刻枯乾了呢？」 21 耶穌回答說：「我實在告訴你們：你們若有信心，不疑惑，不但能行無花果樹上所行的事，就是對這座山說：『你挪開此地，投在海裡！』，也必成就。 22 你們禱告，無論求什麼，只要信，就必得著。」

現在己經是六月，溫哥華一些無花果樹都己經結了好些果子，但是要到八月中才會成熟可以食用。耶穌此時到耶路撒冷是為了過逾越節，也就是三、四月，想當然無花果樹不會有果子，為何主耶穌會咒詛這棵沒有果子的無花果樹，感覺這棵樹很寃枉？

在《聖經》裡無花果樹經常被提及它的用處：在〈創世記〉裡，亞當和夏娃用無花果的葉子作衣服；希西王的病是用無花果餅貼在瘡上，他的病就痊癒了；在耶利米的異象裡有兩筐無花果，一筐是極好的無花果，好像是初熟的；一筐是極壞的無花果，壞得不可吃。代表以色列民順服神和不順服神的後果。

在先知書裡，先知警誡以色列民，若去敬拜事奉別神，在災難的日子裡，「無花果樹上必沒有果子，葉子也必枯乾。（耶8:13；珥1:12）」甚至因敵人一再侵犯，進行徹底的毀壞，而「剝了無花果樹的皮，剝盡而丟棄，使條枝露白。（珥1:7）」表示以色列極度的窮困，連神最基本的祝福都失去了。

It’s God Who Decides

2019-06-05 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 19:20-37. Let’s go!

2 Kings 19:20 (NIV) 
20  Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I have heard your prayer concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria. 

On verses 20-21:  Here God responds to King Hezekiah’s plea for help against King Sennacherib of Assyria.  Through the prophet Isaiah, God sends a reassuring message to Hezekiah.  First, the Lord tells Hezekiah that He has heard Hezekiah’s prayer (v20).  Second, the Lord tells Hezekiah what He has spoken against Sennacherib.  The Lord’s message to Sennacherib begins with the words:  “The Virgin Daughter of Zion despises you and mocks you. The Daughter of Jerusalem tosses her head as you flee.” (v21)X

What can we learn from this?

1. God hears the prayers of His people.
2. God is committed to defending His people when they are under attack.

耶穌潔淨聖殿

2019-06-04 in /by

馬太福音21: 12_17_耶穌潔淨聖殿

12 耶穌進了神的殿，趕出殿裡一切做買賣的人，推倒兌換銀錢之人的桌子和賣鴿子之人的凳子， 13 對他們說：「經上記著說：『我的殿必稱為禱告的殿』，你們倒使它成為賊窩了！」 14 在殿裡有瞎子、瘸子到耶穌跟前，他就治好了他們。 15 祭司長和文士看見耶穌所行的奇事，又見小孩子在殿裡喊著說「和散那歸於大衛的子孫」，就甚惱怒， 16 對他說：「這些人所說的，你聽見了嗎？」耶穌說：「是的。經上說『你從嬰孩和吃奶的口中完全了讚美』的話，你們沒有念過嗎？」 17 於是離開他們，出城到伯大尼去，在那裡住宿。

陳終道牧師在《金燈台活頁刊》曾對這段經文有所解釋：主耶穌曾經兩次潔淨聖殿。第一次是祂出來傳道的時候。記載在〈約翰福音〉第二章。其餘三福音所記載的是第二次潔淨聖殿，是祂受死前一週所作的事。為甚麼兩次的事這麼相似﹖那正好證明猶太人並沒有因耶穌第一次潔淨聖殿而悔改。主耶穌拿繩子作鞭子，把賣牛羊鴿子的人都趕出去，推翻兌換銀錢之人的桌子，那些人的情形必然十分狼狽。後來主又得再次潔淨聖殿，因為那些受責備的人依然如故！

人如果受了責備而不肯悔改，必不會因所受的責備難過，反而使他們懷恨在心，設法報復。所以在第一次潔淨聖殿之後，猶太人對耶穌說：“你既作這些事，還顯甚麼神蹟給我們看呢﹖”（約2:18）意思是說，你既這樣沒有愛心對待那些人，叫他們血本無歸，還行甚麼神蹟呢﹖但在主耶穌第二次潔淨聖殿時，猶太人就不單埋怨耶穌沒有愛心，而且商量怎樣去除滅耶穌了！（可11:18）

When You’re Under Pressure

2019-06-04 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 19:1-19.  Let’s go!

2 Kings 19:1-2 (NIV) 
1  When King Hezekiah heard this, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and went into the temple of the LORD. 
2  He sent Eliakim the palace administrator, Shebna the secretary and the leading priests, all wearing sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz.
 
On verses 1-4:   King Hezekiah’s officials deliver Assyria’s intimidating message to Hezekiah.  In response, Hezekiah does a wise thing: (1) he pours his heart out to God, spending time in His presence; and (2) he seeks counsel from the prophet Isaiah.  What can we learn from this?  Whenever you are under great pressure or receive bad news, the best thing you can do is to go to God and spend time in His presence.  If necessary, seek godly counsel too.
 
On verses 5-13:  Isaiah gives Hezekiah an encouraging, reassuring message from the Lord, promising that the Lord will cut down Assyria’s king Sennacherib.  Shortly after that, Hezekiah receives a letter from King Sennacherib trying to shake Hezekiah’s confidence in God’s Word and trying to show that Israel is no different from all the other nations that Assyria has laid to waste. 

耶穌騎驢進耶路撒冷

2019-06-04 in /by

馬太福音21: 1_11_耶穌騎驢進耶路撒冷

1耶穌和門徒將近耶路撒冷，到了伯法其，在橄欖山那裡， 2 耶穌就打發兩個門徒，對他們說：「你們往對面村子裡去，必看見一匹驢拴在那裡，還有驢駒同在一處。你們解開，牽到我這裡來。 3 若有人對你們說什麼，你們就說：『主要用牠。』那人必立時讓你們牽來。」 4 這事成就，是要應驗先知的話說： 5 「要對錫安的居民說：『看哪，你的王來到你這裡，是溫柔的，又騎著驢，就是騎著驢駒子。』」 6 門徒就照耶穌所吩咐的去行， 7 牽了驢和驢駒來，把自己的衣服搭在上面，耶穌就騎上。 8 眾人多半把衣服鋪在路上，還有人砍下樹枝來鋪在路上。 9 前行後隨的眾人喊著說：「和散那歸於大衛的子孫！奉主名來的是應當稱頌的！高高在上和散那！」 10 耶穌既進了耶路撒冷，合城都驚動了，說：「這是誰？」 11 眾人說：「這是加利利拿撒勒的先知耶穌。」

這是耶穌受難週的開始，也是棕樹節的由來。此時耶路撒冷闔城都在準備要過逾越節，前來過節的人數比耶路撒冷平常的人多上好幾倍，羅馬政府為了防止有人藉機作亂，也會派兵駐紥；因此若沒有預先準備，臨時要找落腳的地方很難。所以主耶穌在這之前很可能就己經有預備。

〈馬可福音〉裡記載了主耶穌每個晚上都離開耶路撒冷，往城外的伯大尼住宿。伯法其和伯大尼都是在橄欖山東邊的小村鎮，相距約一公里。伯大尼的地勢較高，可以眺望耶路撒冷。耶穌就在伯法其叫門徒去牽祂所預備好的驢駒。這驢駒沒有人騎過，代表了「初熟之物」是獻給神的:正如後來埋葬耶穌屍身所用的墓穴也是從未使用過的。耶穌想要給耶路撒冷的民眾帶去怎樣的信息呢?

How to Respond to a Trash Talker

2019-06-03 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 18:17-35.  In this passage we read of all the ways Assyria’s field commander tries to intimidate Hezekiah’s Israelite troops.  At the same time I believe through this passage we can learn 6 ways that our enemy, Satan, tries to erode our confidence and soften us up for a defeat.  The quicker you can identify these 6 ways that Satan will try to attack you, the quicker you can defeat him in Jesus’ name.   Let’s go! 

2 Kings 18:20 (NIV) 
20  You say you have strategy and military strength–but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel against me?

On verses 20-21:  The field commander was correct to say that Israel had very little strategy and military strength left (v20).  The field commander was also correct to say that Egypt would not be a reliable partner to depend on (v21).  But contrary to the field commander’s final conclusion, Israel was not without hope.  Israel still had something far more important than strategy and military strength and someone far greater than Egypt: Israel had the Lord.