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以法蓮要大過瑪拿西

2024-11-26 in , /by

創世記 48:12-20
約瑟把兩個兒子從以色列兩膝中領出來，自己就臉伏於地下拜。 13 隨後，約瑟又拉著他們兩個——以法蓮在他的右手裡，對著以色列的左手，瑪拿西在他的左手裡，對著以色列的右手——領他們到以色列的跟前。 14 以色列伸出右手來，按在以法蓮的頭上，以法蓮乃是次子；又剪搭過左手來，按在瑪拿西的頭上，瑪拿西原是長子。 15 他就給約瑟祝福說：「願我祖亞伯拉罕和我父以撒所侍奉的神，就是一生牧養我直到今日的神， 16 救贖我脫離一切患難的那使者，賜福於這兩個童子。願他們歸在我的名下和我祖亞伯拉罕，我父以撒的名下，又願他們在世界中生養眾多。」

約瑟見埃及王法老的時候年三十歲。他從法老面前出去，遍行埃及全地。…荒年未到以前，…亞西納給約瑟生了兩個兒子。約瑟給長子起名叫瑪拿西（使之忘了），神使我忘了一切的困苦和我父的全家。他給次子起名叫以法蓮（使之昌盛），神使我在受苦的地方昌盛。（創41:46-52）

約瑟17歲被賣，在埃及做了大約十三年的奴隸，現在貴為埃及全地的宰相，他回顧過去滄桑歲月，他將心中深層的感觸投映在兩個兒子身上。約瑟認為神使他忘了過去一切的困苦，以及帶給他傷害的父家；也相信神使他在受苦的埃及地領受祝福、得以昌盛，他認定現在景況就是神的旨意。

約瑟想要忘了父家而在埃及立足，但神的意念豈止如此﹖

God Watches How We Treat Our Leaders

2024-11-26 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 1:1-16.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

2 Samuel 1:1-16 (NIV)
1  After the death of Saul, David returned from defeating the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days.
2  On the third day a man arrived from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and with dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him honor.
3  “Where have you come from?” David asked him. He answered, “I have escaped from the Israelite camp.”

On verses 1 to 16:  A young Amalekite runs to David with news that Israel’s armies have been defeated and that Saul and Jonathan have died.  The Amalekite also brings the crown and royal band of King Saul to David, claiming that he personally handed Saul his final death blow at Saul’s request.  David and his men mourn, weep and fast over the death of Saul and Jonathan, as well as for the defeated armies of Israel.  Then David orders one of his men to strike the Amalekite down, saying, “Your blood be on your own head. Your own mouth testified against you when you said, ‘I killed the LORD’s anointed.'” (v16)

The Effect of Your Actions

2024-11-25 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Samuel 31:1-13.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

1 Samuel 31:1-7 (NIV)
1  Now the Philistines fought against Israel; the Israelites fled before them, and many fell slain on Mount Gilboa.
2  The Philistines pressed hard after Saul and his sons, and they killed his sons Jonathan, Abinadab and Malki-Shua.
3  The fighting grew fierce around Saul, and when the archers overtook him, they wounded him critically.

On verses 1-7:  These verses describe the tragic deaths of Saul and his sons Jonathan, Ahinadab and Malki-Shua at the hands of the Philistines.  Having lost his three sons, having been critically wounded and now fearing what the Philistines would do to him if he were alive, Saul loses all hope of living and takes his own life (v4). His armor bearer does the same (v5). This then leads to all the Israelites who live in the surrounding region to flee and the Philistines take over their towns (v7).

哈利路亞–你們要讚美耶和華

2024-11-25 in , /by

詩篇 111:1      你們要讚美耶和華！我要在正直人的大會中，並公會中，一心稱謝耶和華。
詩篇 112:1     你們要讚美耶和華！敬畏耶和華，甚喜愛祂命令的，這人便為有福！
詩篇 113:1     你們要讚美耶和華！耶和華的僕人哪，你們要讚美，讚美耶和華的名！
詩篇 115:18   但我們要稱頌耶和華，從今時直到永遠。你們要讚美耶和華！

「你們要讚美耶和華」在舊約的希伯來文是由「讚美(hallal)」和「雅威(Jah)」（神的名字）組成，其音譯就是「哈利路亞(Hallelujah)」。耶穌降生以前，散居各地不說希伯來話的猶太人，在他們會堂的禮拜中就使用音譯的「哈利路亞」。

「你們要讚美耶和華」在舊約中出現過24次，皆用於詩篇，首先出現於「願罪人從世上消滅！願惡人歸於無有！我的心哪，要稱頌耶和華！你們要讚美耶和華！」（詩104:35）

詩篇第111、112、113篇都以「你們要讚美耶和華」開頭。第115、116、117篇則以「你們要讚美耶和華」結尾。至於第114篇，有學者認為第113篇結尾的「你們要讚美耶和華」應該是第114篇的開頭。詩篇第118篇的開頭和結尾，則是「你們要稱謝耶和華」。

God’s Grace. Experience It. Share It.

2024-11-24 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Samuel 30:21-31.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 
 
1 Samuel 30:21-25 (NIV)
21  Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him and who were left behind at the Besor Ravine. They came out to meet David and the people with him. As David and his men approached, he greeted them.
22  But all the evil men and troublemakers among David’s followers said, “Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered. However, each man may take his wife and children and go.”

On verses 21-25: The 400 who helped David with the rescue operation didn’t understand why David would allow the 200 who didn’t go with them to share in the plunder. What was going on in David’s mind? David was thinking about grace. Grace is showing people goodness that they don’t deserve. Before when Saul was chasing after David, David would say, “What have I done to deserve this?” He didn’t get why he was treated so badly. But at this moment David is especially aware of his own sinfulness and failures.  David was learning to look at the good things God had done in his life and say, “What have I done to deserve this?”

看見、知道、思想、明白

2024-11-24 in , /by

羅馬書 1:20  自從造天地以來，神的永能和神性是明明可知的，雖是眼不能見，但藉著所造之物就可以曉得，叫人無可推諉。 

以賽亞書 41:18-20  我要在淨光的高處開江河，在谷中開泉源；我要使沙漠變為水池，使乾地變為湧泉。 19 我要在曠野種上香柏樹、皂莢樹、番石榴樹和野橄欖樹，我在沙漠要把松樹、杉樹並黃楊樹一同栽植， 20 好叫人看見、知道、思想、明白這是耶和華的手所做的，是以色列的聖者所造的。

聯合國曾調查近300年間的300位最著名的科學家，是否相信「神」。其中38位因無法查明其信仰而不計，其餘262位科學家中，不信神者僅20人，占總數的7.6%；信神者則有242人，占92.4%，幾乎包括所有曾對科學發展有重大貢獻的科學巨人，如：物理學之父牛頓、發現相對論的愛因斯坦、天文學家哥白尼、伽利略、電報之父莫爾斯、發明無線電通信的馬可尼、量子論創始人普朗克…。

這些科學家認為科學與宗教並不互相排斥，他們一方面探討世界的奧秘，一方面也讚歎神的偉大。牛頓被公認為是人類歷史上最偉大、最有影響力的科學家之一，他畢生主要精力卻用於神學和研究聖經，甚至在晚年寫了長達100萬字的神學著作，見證神的存在。他曾說：「與上帝偉大的創造相比，科學不過如一個孩子在大海邊偶然撿到一片美麗貝殼而已。」又說：「我願以自然哲學的研究來證明上帝，以便更好的事奉上帝。我從聖經中所找到的真理事實，多過任何屬世的史書。」

A Double Portion of God’s Strength in Your Weakness

2024-11-22 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Samuel 29:1-11.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 
 
1 Samuel 29:1-11 (NIV)
1  The Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, and Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel.
2  As the Philistine rulers marched with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish.
3  The commanders of the Philistines asked, “What about these Hebrews?” Achish replied, “Is this not David, who was an officer of Saul king of Israel? He has already been with me for over a year, and from the day he left Saul until now, I have found no fault in him.”

On verses 1-11:  The Philistines and the Israelites are preparing to go to war against one another.  David is still hiding among the Philistines and pretending that he is on the Philistines’ side.   But now he is in the incredibly difficult position of having to actually fight his own people Israel.  While King Achish of the Philistines is happy to have David fighting for them, the Philistine commanders urge Achish to prohibit David from fighting for the Philistines because they do not trust David.  So David and his men are saved from having to fight their own people.

七次可以嗎？

2024-11-22 in , /by

馬太福音 18:23-35

23 天國好像一個王要和他僕人算帳。 24 才算的時候，有人帶了一個欠一千萬銀子的來。 25 因為他沒有什麼償還之物，主人吩咐把他和他妻子兒女並一切所有的都賣了償還。 26 那僕人就俯伏拜他，說：『主啊，寬容我！將來我都要還清。』 27 那僕人的主人就動了慈心，把他釋放了，並且免了他的債。

28 「那僕人出來，遇見他的一個同伴欠他十兩銀子，便揪著他，掐住他的喉嚨，說：『你把所欠的還我！』 29 他的同伴就俯伏央求他，說：『寬容我吧！將來我必還清。』 30 他不肯，竟去把他下在監裡，等他還了所欠的債。

耶穌用牧人尋羊的比喻來闡述祂來是要拯救失喪的人（太18:10-14），接著就談到弟兄得罪你（原文或譯犯了罪）時，當如何行：「倘若你的弟兄得罪你，你就去，趁著只有他和你在一處的時候，指出他的錯來。他若聽你，你便得了你的弟兄；他若不聽…」（太18:15-17）

這裡，耶穌談到迷羊被抱回、失喪的人成為弟兄後，當他們再次犯罪或得罪你時，你該怎麼辦？聰明的彼得一聽就知道他可能面對的難題，我可以饒恕他幾次？到七次夠了嗎？（太18:21）若第八次他還不聽，這時候我就照著耶穌的教導，將他交給兩三個人、教會…，最後就看他像外邦人和稅吏一樣。（太18:15-17）

耶穌看出彼得的迷惑，回答說：「我對你說，不是到七次，乃是到七十個七次。」（太18:22）然後用惡僕逼債的比喻來作對比，欠一千萬銀子的僕人因著主人的慈心，被釋放且債得赦免；但是，他卻因十兩銀子的欠債，揪著他的朋友，掐住喉嚨，將他下在監裡，等他還債（太18:23-35）。

Undeserved Deliverance

2024-11-21 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Samuel 29:1-11.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 
 
1 Samuel 29:1-11 (NIV)
1  The Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, and Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel.
2  As the Philistine rulers marched with their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were marching at the rear with Achish.
3  The commanders of the Philistines asked, “What about these Hebrews?” Achish replied, “Is this not David, who was an officer of Saul king of Israel? He has already been with me for over a year, and from the day he left Saul until now, I have found no fault in him.”

On verses 1-11:  The Philistines and the Israelites are preparing to go to war against one another.  David is still hiding among the Philistines and pretending that he is on the Philistines’ side.   But now he is in the incredibly difficult position of having to actually fight his own people Israel.  While King Achish of the Philistines is happy to have David fighting for them, the Philistine commanders urge Achish to prohibit David from fighting for the Philistines because they do not trust David.  So David and his men are saved from having to fight their own people.

有耳可聽的，就應當聽！

2024-11-21 in , /by

馬太福音 13:3-9

3 他用比喻對他們講許多道理，說：「有一個撒種的出去撒種。 4 撒的時候，有落在路旁的，飛鳥來吃盡了。 5 有落在土淺石頭地上的，土既不深，發苗最快， 6 日頭出來一曬，因為沒有根，就枯乾了。 7 有落在荊棘裡的，荊棘長起來，把它擠住了。 8 又有落在好土裡的，就結實，有一百倍的，有六十倍的，有三十倍的。9 有耳可聽的，就應當聽！」

以賽亞書 6:9-10

9 他說：「你去告訴這百姓說：『你們聽是要聽見，卻不明白；看是要看見，卻不曉得。』 10 要使這百姓心蒙脂油，耳朵發沉，眼睛昏迷，恐怕眼睛看見，耳朵聽見，心裡明白，回轉過來，便得醫治。」

馬太福音第13章記載耶穌坐在船上，對著岸上眾人，傳講撒種的比喻，耶穌用「有耳可聽的，就應當聽！」作為比喻的結尾（太13:3-9）。當無人的時候，跟隨耶穌的人和十二個門徒問他這比喻的意思（可4:10），耶穌用以賽亞的預言（賽6:9-10）回應說：「你們聽是要聽見，卻不明白；看是要看見，卻不曉得；因為這百姓油蒙了心，耳朵發沉，眼睛閉著，恐怕眼睛看見，耳朵聽見，心裡明白，回轉過來，我就醫治他們。」（太13:14-15）接著，耶穌就對門徒講解撒種的比喻。

舊約時代，神差遣以賽亞先知傳講神的話給悖逆的百姓，也預示他們故意不領受，且預知猶大人的結局就是被擄掠，應許之地也隨之荒廢。在耶穌的時代，猶太人大半拒絕接受耶穌的教訓，故意視而不見、聽而不聞，如同他們悖逆的祖先。所以耶穌用比喻講道，讓那些無心聽的人無法瞭解，但對於那些願意尋索真理的人，比喻就成為傳揚神國奧秘的媒介。