Entries by

Slaying the Giants in Your Life

2019-07-22 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Chronicles 20:1-8.  Let’s go!

1 Chronicles 20:1-3 (NIV) 
1  In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, Joab led out the armed forces. He laid waste the land of the Ammonites and went to Rabbah and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem. Joab attacked Rabbah and left it in ruins. 
2  David took the crown from the head of their king–its weight was found to be a talent of gold, and it was set with precious stones–and it was placed on David’s head. He took a great quantity of plunder from the city 
3  and brought out the people who were there, consigning them to labor with saws and with iron picks and axes. David did this to all the Ammonite towns. Then David and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.

On verse 1-3:  Here we see a longtime enemy of Israel, the Ammonites, fighting against King David and his army.  Under the leadership of David’s commander in chief Joab, the armies of Israel defeat the Ammonites soundly and consign them to labor.   In a similar way, the Bible says that for a long time we were enemies of God’s kingdom (Colossians 1:21), constantly fighting against its king – Jesus Christ — until the day we surrendered to Him and allowed Him to take over our lives.  When the kingdom of God took over our lives, we went from being his enemies to becoming his servants.

拉馬撒巴各大尼

2019-07-21 in /by

馬太福音27: 45_50_拉馬撒巴各大尼

45 從午正到申初，遍地都黑暗了。 46 約在申初，耶穌大聲喊著說：「以利！以利！拉馬撒巴各大尼？」就是說：「我的神！我的神！為什麼離棄我？」 47 站在那裡的人，有的聽見就說：「這個人呼叫以利亞呢！」 48 內中有一個人趕緊跑去，拿海絨蘸滿了醋，綁在葦子上，送給他喝。 49 其餘的人說：「且等著，看以利亞來救他不來。」 50 耶穌又大聲喊叫，氣就斷了。

耶穌是早上九時被釘，從午正到申初是指從正午十二時到下午三時，遍地都黑暗了。黑暗，表示連太陽的光也完全被遮住。正午十二時至下午三時，應該是一天中陽光最猛最烈的時刻，為何遍地黑暗？世界本來是黑暗的，沒有希望的，被死亡和罪的權勢所控制的。耶穌來了，祂醫治生病的人，讓瞎眼的看見，把天國的好消息帶給人，賜給人有永生的盼望；可惜光照在黑暗裡，黑暗卻拒絕了光，因此世界又回復了黑暗。

在此時，耶穌經歷了祂一生最大的痛苦。祂不在意降生在卑微的馬槽，與牛羊馬為伍；祂不在意約瑟和馬利亞的貧窮；祂也不在乎沒有枕頭之地的流浪生涯；祂甚至不在意為門徒洗腳，被門徒出賣；祂也不在意十字架上的苦楚。但是當祂發現自己被神離棄時，祂發出了哀號：“以利！以利！拉馬撒巴各大尼？”就是說：“我的神！我的神！為什麼離棄我？”那時的耶穌以人的身份，全心緊緊抓著對神的信靠，卻發現神離開祂了。神為何要離開祂的兒子？因為此時的耶穌背負了全人類的罪債，與聖潔的神無法在一起了。神的聖潔和公義，使祂不能沾染自己，去接近“有罪”的耶穌。

Better to Have Christ as a Friend than an Enemy

2019-07-21 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

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

1 Chronicles 19:6-7 (NIV) 
6  When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench in David’s nostrils, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and charioteers from Aram Naharaim, Aram Maacah and Zobah. 
7  They hired thirty-two thousand chariots and charioteers, as well as the king of Maacah with his troops, who came and camped near Medeba, while the Ammonites were mustered from their towns and moved out for battle.

On verses 1-8, 16-19:  David tries to show kindness and sympathy to Hanun king of the Ammonites after hearing about the death of Hanun’s father Nahash.  But Hanun, influenced by his commanders, is suspicious of David’s act of kindness.  He repays David’s kindness with great disrespect, humiliating the messengers David sent (v4-5).  Knowing he has angered David, Hanun forms an alliance with other kingdoms like Aram, Zobah and Maakah (v6-7).  David sends out his army in full force and scores a decisive victory over Hanun and this newly formed alliance soundly (v8-19). 

Experiencing Victory with Every Challenge You Face

2019-07-19 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Chronicles 18:1-17.  Let’s go!

1 Chronicles 18:6 (NIV) 
6  He put garrisons in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to him and brought tribute. The LORD gave David victory everywhere he went.
 
On verses 1-17:  In these verses we see David facing many different enemies (Philistines in verse 1, Moabites in verse 2, Hadadezer of Zobah in verses 3-4, Arameans in verse 5-6, Amalekites in verse 11, Edomites in verses 12-13).  But in each case David overcomes with God’s help.  As verses 6 and 13 say, “The Lord gave David victory wherever he went”.  It’s a reminder that in this world you may face all kinds of trouble, but with the Lord’s help, you can overcome each of them.   For in Christ you are more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37).  Blessed are those who internalize David’s words in Psalm 18:29: “With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall”, which is another way of saying, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

得救的強盜

2019-07-19 in /by

馬太福音27: 38_44_得救的強盜

38 當時，有兩個強盜和他同釘十字架，一個在右邊，一個在左邊。 39 從那裡經過的人譏誚他，搖著頭說： 40 「你這拆毀聖殿、三日又建造起來的，可以救自己吧！你如果是神的兒子，就從十字架上下來吧！」 41 祭司長和文士並長老也是這樣戲弄他說： 42 「他救了別人，不能救自己。他是以色列的王，現在可以從十字架上下來，我們就信他！ 43 他倚靠神，神若喜悅他，現在可以救他！因為他曾說：『我是神的兒子。』」 44 那和他同釘的強盜也是這樣地譏誚他。

你可曾奇怪，為何大衛犯了姦淫和謀殺，神卻說他是合神心意的人？在世人眼中，掃羅犯的罪似乎沒有大衛的那麼糟糕，他只是在著急時想替撒母耳獻祭，他只是在戰勝時留下了一些戰利品，和對方的首領惺惺相惜，捨不得殺他，又在驚慌失措時去找交鬼的婦人，為何神那樣恨惡掃羅？

你覺得彼得和猶大誰犯的錯比較大？為什麼一個回轉，一個自殺？

在耶穌十字架兩邊的強盜似乎給了我們一些線索。他們都是強盜，都是壞人，為何有一個可以跟主到樂園？在〈路加福音〉23章裡記載：

39 那同釘的兩個犯人，有一個譏誚他說：「你不是基督嗎？可以救自己和我們吧！」 40 那一個就應聲責備他說：「你既是一樣受刑的，還不怕神嗎？ 41 我們是應該的，因我們所受的與我們所做的相稱，但這個人沒有做過一件不好的事。」 42 就說：「耶穌啊，你得國降臨的時候，求你記念我！」 43 耶穌對他說：「我實在告訴你：今日你要同我在樂園裡了！」

How to Respond to God’s Word

2019-07-18 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Chronicles 17:16-27.  Let’s go!

1 Chronicles 17:16 (NIV) 
16  Then King David went in and sat before the LORD… 

On verse 16a:   After God spoke amazing promises to David in verses 1-15, notice David’s reaction: first, he sits before the Lord.  Often I find that the most powerful thing I can do is to sit before the Lord, to be still in His presence.  Sitting before the Lord is my power position.  It’s where I most often sense the Holy Spirit speaking to me.  It’s where I process and digest the words He has spoken to me.  It’s where I recalibrate my heart and mind.   When I’m lost, confused, frustrated or hurting, I sit.  It’s where I experience His presence and peace.   Do you want to develop a deeper, closer relationship with the Holy Spirit?  Take the time to sit before the Lord often.

1 Chronicles 17:16 (NIV) 
16  Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 

On verse 16b-22:  The second thing David does in response to God’s Word is he humbles himself before God.  David did not come to God with a sense of entitlement as if God owed him, nor did David well up with pride in himself. Rather, David recognized that the reason he and his nation could receive such amazing promises was all because of God’s undeserved mercy and grace.  Like David, when you hear God’s Word, have a humble attitude.

耶穌被釘十字架

2019-07-18 in /by

馬太福音27: 27_37_耶穌被釘十字架

27 巡撫的兵就把耶穌帶進衙門，叫全營的兵都聚集在他那裡。 28 他們給他脫了衣服，穿上一件朱紅色袍子， 29 用荊棘編做冠冕，戴在他頭上，拿一根葦子放在他右手裡，跪在他面前，戲弄他，說：「恭喜，猶太人的王啊！」 30 又吐唾沫在他臉上，拿葦子打他的頭。 31 戲弄完了，就給他脫了袍子，仍穿上他自己的衣服，帶他出去，要釘十字架。

32 他們出來的時候，遇見一個古利奈人，名叫西門，就勉強他同去，好背著耶穌的十字架。

33 到了一個地方名叫各各他，意思就是「髑髏地」； 34 兵丁拿苦膽調和的酒給耶穌喝。他嘗了，就不肯喝。 35 他們既將他釘在十字架上，就拈鬮分他的衣服， 36 又坐在那裡看守他。 37 在他頭以上安一個牌子，寫著他的罪狀說：「這是猶太人的王耶穌。」

在這段過程裡有許多人做了研究，名之為苦路十四站，也就是耶穌背十字架到髑髏地的這段路。髑髏地的原名是各各他，因為形狀很像髑髏，所以又被稱為髑髏地。今天讓我們來根據聖經考古的路線，與耶穌一起走這苦路。

若按文獻和考古的話，耶穌所行的苦路，應從舊城以西的約帕門以南，現今大衛堡博物館之內的大希律皇宮之處開始。不過，中世紀的苦路歷史悠久，是歷代信徒對耶穌為我們罪人受苦受死而傳留下來的屬靈遺產，它是「信心地理」(geography of faith)。在歷史之中，苦路讓信眾具體地領會神子耶穌為罪人為死所付上的重價。

無罪的基督

2019-07-17 in /by

馬太福音27: 11_26_無罪的基督

11 耶穌站在巡撫面前，巡撫問他說：「你是猶太人的王嗎？」耶穌說：「你說的是。」 12 他被祭司長和長老控告的時候，什麼都不回答。 13 彼拉多就對他說：「他們作見證告你這麼多的事，你沒有聽見嗎？」 14 耶穌仍不回答，連一句話也不說，以致巡撫甚覺稀奇。 

15 巡撫有一個常例，每逢這節期，隨眾人所要的釋放一個囚犯給他們。 16 當時有一個出名的囚犯叫巴拉巴。 17 眾人聚集的時候，彼拉多就對他們說：「你們要我釋放哪一個給你們？是巴拉巴呢，是稱為基督的耶穌呢？」 18 巡撫原知道他們是因為嫉妒才把他解了來。 19 正坐堂的時候，他的夫人打發人來說：「這義人的事你一點不可管，因為我今天在夢中為他受了許多的苦。」 

20 祭司長和長老挑唆眾人，求釋放巴拉巴，除滅耶穌。 21 巡撫對眾人說：「這兩個人，你們要我釋放哪一個給你們呢？」他們說：「巴拉巴！」 22 彼拉多說：「這樣，那稱為基督的耶穌，我怎麼辦他呢？」他們都說：「把他釘十字架！」 23 巡撫說：「為什麼呢？他做了什麼惡事呢？」他們便極力地喊著說：「把他釘十字架！」 24 彼拉多見說也無濟於事，反要生亂，就拿水在眾人面前洗手，說：「流這義人的血，罪不在我，你們承當吧！」 25 眾人都回答說：「他的血歸到我們和我們的子孫身上！」26 於是彼拉多釋放巴拉巴給他們，把耶穌鞭打了，交給人釘十字架。

猶太人沒有定罪定刑的權柄，因此他們把耶穌帶到彼拉多那裡；彼拉多因為希律是負責當地的主管，就把耶穌推到希律那裡；希律找不出耶穌的罪，又不想得罪祭司長等人，所以又把耶穌推給了彼拉多。就在這裡彼拉多宣告耶穌無罪，是個義人的事實。

彼拉多是神擺在這裡的一個重要的棋子，惟有無罪的基督才替眾人贖罪，獻出贖價。這是彼拉多的宣告：「流這義人的血，罪不在我，你們承當吧！」表面上是祭司長和民間的長老把耶穌推上了十字架，看起來是彼拉多讓無辜的耶穌釘上了十字架，但是真正把耶穌釘上十字架的，是你和我的罪，是眾人的罪讓基督不得不上十字架。