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Standing on Your God-Given Platform

2019-08-18 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Chronicles 6:12-21.  Let’s go!

2 Chronicles 6:12-13 (NIV) 
12  Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. 
13  Now he had made a bronze platform, five cubits long, five cubits wide and three cubits high, and had placed it in the center of the outer court. He stood on the platform and then knelt down before the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven.

On verses 12-13:  Here Solomon has a platform on which he stands and speaks to the people of Israel.  Similarly, if you have trusted Jesus as your Saviour, God has given you a platform on which you can stand and influence others.  A big part of that platform is the set of spiritual gifts God has given you.  For a list of many of the spiritual gifts God makes available to His children, see Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, 28-31; and Ephesians 4:11-13.  What spiritual gifts has God given to you?  Be sure to discover, practice, develop and use your spiritual gifts with love, humility, and in unity with your church so that others can be brought near to God and so that God’s kingdom can expand on earth.  As 1 Peter 4:10 says, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”  

詩篇第十八篇

2019-08-16 in /by

詩篇十八篇

耶和華的僕人大衛的詩，交於伶長。當耶和華救他脫離一切仇敵和掃羅之手的日子，他向耶和華念這詩的話，說：

1 耶和華我的力量啊，我愛祢！
2 耶和華是我的巖石，我的山寨，我的救主，我的神，我的磐石，我所投靠的。祂是我的盾牌，是拯救我的角，是我的高臺。
3 我要求告當讚美的耶和華，這樣我必從仇敵手中被救出來。
4 曾有死亡的繩索纏繞我，匪類的急流使我驚懼，
5 陰間的繩索纏繞我，死亡的網羅臨到我。
6 我在急難中求告耶和華，向我的神呼求。祂從殿中聽了我的聲音，我在祂面前的呼求入了祂的耳中。
7 那時因祂發怒，地就搖撼戰抖，山的根基也震動搖撼。
8 從祂鼻孔冒煙上騰，從祂口中發火焚燒，連炭也著了。
9 祂又使天下垂，親自降臨，有黑雲在祂腳下。
10 祂坐著基路伯飛行，祂藉著風的翅膀快飛。……….

這首詩和〈撒母耳記下〉22章完全一樣，是大衛脫離一切仇敵和掃羅之手後所寫的讚美詩，也是一首感恩詩。

倘若讓你用自己的話來形容神，你會怎樣形容呢？大衛形容神是他的力量，岩石，山寨，盾牌，高台，是他的神，他所投靠的。你有沒有同樣的感受呢？你會不會像大衛一樣，隨時隨地都投靠神呢？

No Other Name

2019-08-16 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Chronicles 6:1-11.  Let’s go!

2 Chronicles 6:1-3 (NIV) 
1  Then Solomon said, “The LORD has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud; 
2  I have built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever.” 
3  While the whole assembly of Israel was standing there, the king turned around and blessed them.
 
On verses 1-2:  Remember that just before Solomon speaks in verse 1, to everyone’s surprise a cloud representing God’s glory has miraculously filled the temple (see 5:13-14).  It’s a glorious, unexpected and possibly scary sight.  As Solomon wants to continue on with the temple dedication service, his segue way is brilliant.  By saying, “The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud” (v1), Solomon reminds the people how in famous times past God also appeared to Moses in a cloud and thick darkness (Exodus 20:21; Psalm 97:2).  In this way, Solomon reassures the people that God is with them.  He helps them to see that the way God is working in their midst right now is consistent with how God has worked in times past.  Solomon also shows the people the significance of this present moment, as they get to dedicate a temple as God’s new dwelling place (v2).

Jesus and the Ark

2019-08-15 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Chronicles 5:1-14. Let’s go!

2 Chronicles 5:1 (NIV) 
1  When all the work Solomon had done for the temple of the LORD was finished, he brought in the things his father David had dedicated–the silver and gold and all the furnishings–and he placed them in the treasuries of God’s temple.

On verse 1:  It took Solomon seven years to build the temple of the Lord.  What can we learn from this?  Good things take time to build.  Little by little, bit by bit, God is building us into the temple He made us to be (1 Peter 2:5).  His building project in us was never meant to be done overnight, but takes a lifetime.  So in case you’re prone to beating yourself up, be patient; God is not finished with you yet!

詩篇第十七 篇

2019-08-15 in /by

詩篇第十七篇

大衛的祈禱。

1 耶和華啊，求祢聽聞公義，側耳聽我的呼籲，求祢留心聽我這不出於詭詐嘴唇的祈禱。
2 願我的判語從你面前發出，願你的眼睛觀看公正。
3 祢已經試驗我的心，祢在夜間鑒察我，祢熬煉我，卻找不著什麼。我立志叫我口中沒有過失。
4 論到人的行為，我藉著祢嘴唇的言語，自己謹守，不行強暴人的道路。
5 我的腳踏定了祢的路徑，我的兩腳未曾滑跌。
6 神啊，我曾求告祢，因為祢必應允我，求祢向我側耳，聽我的言語。
7 求祢顯出祢奇妙的慈愛來，祢是那用右手拯救投靠你的，脫離起來攻擊他們的人。
8 求祢保護我，如同保護眼中的瞳人，將我隱藏在祢翅膀的蔭下，
9 使我脫離那欺壓我的惡人，就是圍困我，要害我命的仇敵。
10 他們的心被脂油包裹，他們用口說驕傲的話。…….

這詩篇是大衛的祈禱，我們可以從大衛的祈禱裡學到什麼功課呢？在第一節裡，你就可以感受到大衛心裡的迫切。他的禱告不是隨隨便便地跟神講話，而是情真意切地祈求：「耶和華阿，求祢聽聞公義，(求祢)側耳聽我的呼籲；求祢留心聽我這不出於詭詐嘴唇的祈禱。」 此節中有三次求神聽他的祈禱。大衛知道他禱告的對象，也向神表明他的公義和誠實。

神不是我們的打手，我們不能在自己心懷不軌時求神幫助，因為神不聽不義之人的祈求。這個特點讓我們看到真神和假神的分別。在台灣有位國寶級的陶藝大師劉銘侮，他曾經四處蓋廟宇、造佛像、念咒、作法樣樣精通。因為蓋廟宇，他了解許多迷惑善男信女的「把戲」，包括如何把手伸進沸騰油鍋卻不受傷，或是把石頭綁起來丟入鍋中炸，讓石頭發出鬼哭神號之泣。

詩篇第十六篇

2019-08-14 in /by

詩篇第十六篇

大衛的金詩。

1 神啊，求祢保佑我，因為我投靠祢。
2 我的心哪，你曾對耶和華說：「祢是我的主，我的好處不在祢以外。」
3 論到世上的聖民，他們又美又善，是我最喜悅的。
4 以別神代替耶和華的，他們的愁苦必加增。他們所澆奠的血我不獻上，我嘴唇也不提別神的名號。
5 耶和華是我的產業，是我杯中的份，我所得的祢為我持守。
6 用繩量給我的地界坐落在佳美之處，我的產業實在美好！
7 我必稱頌那指教我的耶和華，我的心腸在夜間也警戒我。
8 我將耶和華常擺在我面前，因他在我右邊，我便不致搖動。
9 因此我的心歡喜，我的靈快樂，我的肉身也要安然居住。
10 因為祢必不將我的靈魂撇在陰間，也不叫祢的聖者見朽壞。
11 祢必將生命的道路指示我，在祢面前有滿足的喜樂，在祢右手中有永遠的福樂。

這詩篇一般被稱為金詩，是因為詩人在經過熬煉，濾淨雜質，禱告默想之後，有深刻的感概，每句話都像金子刻在心上般地寶貴且永久。又因為是生命的歷練所引出來的話語，又被稱為信心之詩。這樣的金詩一共有六篇，這是第一篇。

以色列人的產業是在約書亞帶領以色列人進迦南後，按著神的吩咐給十二支派拈鬮來決定每個支派的所得之地。每個支派都有他們獨得的地業，人多的就地大，人少的地也小。有些地業連接海洋，可以經營海上的貿易；有的在山上，有的在平原。這樣的拈鬮讓神來決定每個支派應得的土地和產業，各有特色。

Washed in the Sea of God’s Love

2019-08-14 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

2 Chronicles 4:6 (NIV) 
6  He then made ten basins for washing and placed five on the south side and five on the north. In them the things to be used for the burnt offerings were rinsed, but the Sea was to be used by the priests for washing. 

On verses 1-18:  Here the Chronicler describes the equipment that Solomon ordered to be made for the temple, including the altar, the Sea (which was a large bronze pool used for the priests to wash to make themselves ceremonially clean), basins for washing things used for the burnt offerings, lampstands, tables, sprinkling bowls, pots and shovels, among other things.  What can we learn from this?

Most of the equipment we read about here was to facilitate the killing and offering of lambs, bulls and other animals as sacrifices for people’s sins.  I would imagine that the house of God back in Solomon’s time was pretty dirty and probably looked, smelled and felt like your local butchery.   But ever since Jesus Christ sacrificed himself on the cross for our sins, there is no more need to shed the blood of animals.   That’s because Christ our sacrificial lamb gave himself for us.  His shed blood is sufficient to cover all of our failures.  Praise God that we don’t need a Sea or basins anymore because we’ve been washed in the cleansing sea of God’s love, the blood of Jesus.

詩篇第十五篇

2019-08-13 in /by

詩篇第十五篇

大衛的詩。

1 耶和華啊，誰能寄居你的帳幕？誰能住在你的聖山？
2 就是行為正直，做事公義，心裡說實話的人。
3 他不以舌頭讒謗人，不惡待朋友，也不隨夥毀謗鄰里。
4 他眼中藐視匪類，卻尊重那敬畏耶和華的人。他發了誓，雖然自己吃虧，也不更改。
5 他不放債取利，不受賄賂以害無辜。行這些事的人，必永不動搖。

這是一篇教導的詩篇。以大衛問神，誰能棲身在耶和華的帳幕為主題。和合本翻譯為「寄居」，從希伯來文翻譯為英文是「sojourn棲身」，用「棲身」比較妥切的原因是因為「棲身」含有我不想再離開之意，我就要在這裡住下了。「寄居」則含有暫時之意，以後很可能還要去找別的地方住。

這首詩篇在猶太人稱為「入門禮儀」，崇拜的人詢問進入聖殿敬拜的條件。你有沒有想過，我們要具備怎樣的條件才能進入神的聖所敬拜祂？

我們從來都沒想過我們的「資格」，因為《聖經》告訴我們神的愛是沒有條件的；神接納我們好像耶穌接納那個在十字架上被釘的強盜。按我們的本相接納我們。但是在舊約裡，每一次神的祝福裡都有警戒，人若保守自己在神的律法，敬畏神，就必蒙福；反之，離開神的人必遭到咒詛。所以當我們信主後，要清楚明白，神的特性除了愛之外，還有公義。

Angels At Work In Your Life (Plus, Who Is The Pillar of God’s Temple?)

2019-08-13 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Chronicles 3:1-17. Let’s go!

On verses 1-14:  In approximately 966 B.C., Solomon begins building the temple in Jerusalem.   What strikes me as I read these verses is how much Solomon incorporated designs of cherubim (i.e. angels) into the temple.  Solomon carves cherubim into the walls (v7) and works them into the curtain (v14).   Most obvious and impressive of all, in the inner sanctuary of the temple called the Most Holy Place, Solomon erects a pair of massive cherubim whose wings span the entire Most Holy Place from wall to wall (v10-13).  Later on Solomon will place the ark of God under the wings of the cherubim (see 2 Chronicles 5:7), such that whenever the high priest would inquire of God at the ark in the Most Holy Place, huge angels would tower over him, watching over him.

Why does Solomon incorporate so many different representations of angels into the temple?  It was to remind the people of what the Bible teaches, that the spiritual realm is real and that angels are real.  Angels are described as powerful, ministering spirits sent to serve God’s people (Hebrews 1:14), protect God’s people (Psalm 34:7), deliver special messages from God (e.g. Judges 6:11-12) and administer God’s will (e.g. Exodus 12:23; Daniel 10:10; Acts 12:23).  

詩篇第十四篇

2019-08-12 in /by

詩篇第14篇

大衛的詩，交於伶長。

1 愚頑人心裡說：「沒有神！」他們都是邪惡，行了可憎惡的事，沒有一個人行善。
2 耶和華從天上垂看世人，要看有明白的沒有，有尋求神的沒有。
3 他們都偏離正路，一同變為汙穢；並沒有行善的，連一個也沒有。
4 作孽的都沒有知識嗎？他們吞吃我的百姓，如同吃飯一樣，並不求告耶和華。
5 他們在那裡大大地害怕，因為神在義人的族類中。
6 你們叫困苦人的謀算變為羞辱，然而耶和華是他的避難所。
7 但願以色列的救恩從錫安而出！耶和華救回他被擄的子民，那時雅各要快樂，以色列要歡喜。

網上傳出這樣的一個故事：有一位無神論者有一次搭飛機時，他的旁邊坐了一個小女孩。他對女孩說：「我們來聊天吧，這樣會讓人覺得旅程不會那麼枯燥乏味。」小女孩其實剛剛打開一本書想看，便禮貌地回答：「您想聊什麼呢？」無神論者說：「隨便吧!例如根本沒有神或在人死後有沒有天堂或地獄？」

「好啊，」小女孩說：「這話題很有意思，但是我先問你，你知不知道馬、牛和鹿都是草食動物，為什麼鹿的大便是小顆粒狀，而牛的大便卻是一個大餅似的形狀？馬的則是一團塊的？」無神論者對小女孩的問題很感驚奇，想了一下說：「我也不知道為什麼會這樣。」小女孩回答他：「你連大便都不懂，那你覺得自己有資格去討論有沒有神存在，有沒有天堂和地獄的問題嗎? 」說完就自顧自地看書去了。