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你可曾从树枝上摘下果子?

约翰福音15:2  凡属我不结果子的枝子,祂就剪去;凡结果子的,祂就修理干净,使枝子结果子更多。

路加福音6:43-45    因为没有好树结坏果子,也没有坏树结好果子。 44 凡树木看果子就可以认出它来。人不是从荆棘上摘无花果,也不是从蒺藜里摘葡萄。 45 善人从他心里所存的善就发出善来,恶人从他心里所存的恶就发出恶来;因为心里所充满的,口里就说出来。

儿少时家中小康,但孩子们却觉得富裕,因为我们日式房舍前有个七八十坪的庭园;大门进来沿着左手边绕一圈,一棵不大结果的柚子树,两三棵木瓜树,绕到右边的杨桃树是庭园中的主角,枝叶茂盛、结果累累,也是孩子们攀爬戏耍的园地,接下来是释迦树和阿嬷最喜欢的玉兰花树。在庭园里爬树、摘果,树荫下乘凉、读书,当然还有浇水、松土、扫落叶…皆是无法抹灭的甜美回忆。

The Truly Great One Among Us

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 9:33-41.  With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Mark 9:33-34 (NIV)
33  They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?”
34  But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

On verses 33-34:  How silly it was for the disciples to be arguing about who among them was the greatest, when in fact the greatest one by far was with them but not part of the conversation.  It’s like if Wayne Gretzky were to play with a bunch of grade school children and find them arguing about who is the greatest player among them, all the while forgetting that the greatest of all time was in their midst.

默想神

创世记24:62-63    那时,以撒住在南地,刚从庇耳拉海莱回来。 63 天将晚,以撒出来在田间默想,举目一看,见来了些骆驼。

有段日子(一直到现在),我喜欢在忙碌的工作中,抽空到外地参与审查案件,案件跟自己无关,打个分数、做个评比,没有压力又不用费心;重点是,在往返交通时刻,我可以在区间车、高铁上观看车窗外掠过的树木、田野、蓝天…,这些是我平常在办公室未曾思想、未曾留意的情景。看着,看着,心中涌起一种满足感,我感谢祂!

台风过后隔天前往云林出差,我提早一个多小时到高铁站,静坐等候,默然想起一段经文:「那时,以撒住在南地,刚从庇耳拉海莱回来。天将晚,以撒出来在田间默想,举目一看,见来了些骆驼。」(创世记24:62-63)

「庇耳拉海莱」的字义是「那看顾我的永活者之井」,是往书珥旷野路上的水泉,夏甲被驱逐时在此处遇见神(创世记16:1-14)。亚伯拉罕死后,以撒从南地迁往靠近庇耳拉海莱居住(创世记25:11)。

创世记24:62-63描述以撒从庇耳拉海莱回到当时住处南地,「天将晚,以撒出来在田间默想(Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide)」。也许是经过一段艰辛取水的旅程,一天将尽,傍晚时分,以撒默想一天神的带领。接着,圣经很特别的给了一个转折,以撒举目一看,见来了些骆驼,还有从美索不达米亚千里迢迢迎回的妻子利百加(创世记24:64-67)。

盐与光的生命

马太福音 19:26  耶稣看着他们说:「在人这是不能的,在神凡事都能。」

马太福音5:13   你们是世上的盐。盐若失了味,怎能叫它再咸呢?

「你们是世上的盐。盐若失了味,怎能叫它再咸呢?」(马太福音5:13)

徐宾诺护理师(Alfhild J. Gislefoss)和纪欧惠医师(Bjarne Gislefoss)是埔里人最感念的阿公、阿妈。1950年代,这两位来自挪威的医师夫妇,离开安稳的欧洲生活,来到缺乏医疗、物资匮乏、疾病肆虐的台湾埔里山区。他们没有带来富裕的资金或豪华的设备,带来的是一种「盐」的力量,真诚的爱与医治的心。

徐宾诺从小立志成为宣教士,他选择成为一名护理师。1943年,进入奥斯陆护理学校学习,毕业后立刻献身于医疗宣教的事工。1952年,他受挪威协力差会差派,坐了三个月的船来到台湾,先到马偕医院,再到新庄痲疯病院,最后在埔里基督教医院(简称「埔基」)落脚,并加入由美籍宣教士孙理莲与谢纬医师所创办的「基督教山地中心诊所」,开始异乡医疗的传道生涯。

纪欧惠生于丹麦哥本哈根,在挪威长大,1939年就读奥斯陆医学院,取得医师执照后,赴美国研习麻醉医学成为麻醉专科医师。1960年代台湾流行小儿麻痺,许多肢体残障患者需要矫正手术,她受邀来台湾指导麻醉技术。1963年,她被挪威路加信义会指派到埔基为偏远山区作医疗工作。

With Prayer Comes THIS

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 9:24-32.  With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!
 
Mark 9:24 (NIV)
24  Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” 

On verse 24:  After realizing that the size of his own faith mattered, the boy’s father declares his faith in Jesus and asks Jesus to help him overcome his unbelief.  That is a legitimate prayer and request you can make to God: “help me overcome my unbelief”.  When you pray that way, you’re coming to God honestly, humbly and with an open mind.  God loves to give grace to those who come before Him with honesty, humility and an open mind.

微光中的盼望

马太福音 19:26  耶稣看着他们说:「在人这是不能的,在神凡事都能。」

马太福音5:14 你们是世上的光。城造在山上,是不能隐藏的。

张进益牧师1972年生于台湾台中市,家中有六姊一兄,小时候因为爸爸生意不顺而搬到台中渔村生活。他于高中辍学后跟随其兄加入黑社会,成为率众吸毒、斗殴及勒索的黑帮分子。他的人生就像深夜中一艘没有灯塔引导的船,不断被暗礁击碎。两度入狱的他,甚至一度觉得自己的人生「没有翻身的可能」。

他因重度毒瘾造成身体严重创伤,在苗栗「仰望之家」的帮助下,他遇见了神的光。这光不仅照亮了他的罪,也温暖了他冰冷的心。他开始戒毒、悔改,接受装备,成为少年事工的牧者。

2001年,张进益携手妻子杨淑慧及更生团契台湾总会成立「更生团契桃园少年之家」,2010年取「上帝大大改变我们」之意创立「大改乐团」,2017年1月,成立「荣益教会」,并担任该教会牧师。

The Size of Your Faith Matters

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 9:14-23.  With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Mark 9:14-23 (NIV)
14  When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them.
15  As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.
16  “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.

On verses 14-23:  At first in verse 19 it seems that Jesus is rebuking his disciples for their lack of faith.  But in verse 23, Jesus turns his attention to the father’s apparent lack of faith (v23).  The father’s words “If you can” suggest that the father’s faith was not strong that Jesus could help his demon-possessed son.  So when Jesus says in verse 19 “O unbelieving generation”, perhaps Jesus is not just referring to his disciples but also to those who would come to Jesus for help.

All (o) in God is good

哥林多后书1:20  神的应许不论有多少,在基督都是是的,所以借着祂也都是实在的,叫神因我们得荣耀。

雅各书 1:17  各样美善的恩赐和各样全备的赏赐都是从上头来的,从众光之父那里降下来的,在祂并没有改变,也没有转动的影儿。

在主日早晨的崇拜中,脑海里浮出一个感动:在G-o-d中多加一个 “o”,你就会得到G-o-o-d,从英文字面上呈现「All (o) in God is good(一切在神里面都是好的)」(Put an extra “o” into G-o-d and you get G-o-o-d. So literally, all (o) in God is good.)。

创世记第一章描述神的创造:神说话,于是光、天空(空气)、陆地、海洋、植物、日月星辰、空中与水中动物、地上动物和人类,就逐日出现。每一日创造之后,都有一句重复的宣告:「神看着是好的」(创世记1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25)。

到第六日结束时,更进一步说:「神看着一切所造的都甚好。」(创世记1:31)。

Understanding the Transfiguration of Jesus

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 9:1-13.  With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Mark 9:1-2 (NIV)
1  And he said to them, “I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.”
2  After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them.
 
On verses 1-2:  It’s not too much of a stretch to say that when Jesus lived on earth, His glory was under cover, veiled by human flesh.  For while Jesus came to the world revealing God’s glory, in some ways by being limited to a human form Jesus was also concealing God’s glory. 

生生不息

「凡信耶稣是基督的,都是从神而生,凡爱生他之神的,也必爱从神生的。我们若爱神,又遵守祂的诫命,从此就知道我们爱神的儿女。我们遵守神的诫命,这就是爱祂了,并且祂的诫命不是难守的。因为凡从神生的,就胜过世界;使我们胜了世界的,就是我们的信心。」(约翰壹书5:1-4)

愿台湾的风声、雨声、虚声、怨声、怒声…,声声止息!
愿台湾从神而生,因爱、因信、因盼望而生,生生不息!

伫(在)东方的太平洋,有一个岛屿,伊(她)的名叫做台湾。
青翠山脉,蓝色的海,彼(她)是上帝尚(最)美的恩赐。
感谢上帝,创造天地,赏赐美丽的土地。
勤奋的人民,善良温纯,若像上帝荣耀的日光。
一代传一代,永永世世,阮(我们)欲(要)荣耀上帝的日光。
啦~ 啦~ 阮欲感谢祢,赏赐阮美丽的土地。
啦~ 啦~ 阮欲感谢祢,阮欲荣耀上帝的日光。

早晨到学校的途中看见台南西边一道彩虹,想起神所立的永约: