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以法莲要大过玛拿西

2024-11-26 in , /by

创世记 48:12-20
约瑟把两个儿子从以色列两膝中领出来，自己就脸伏于地下拜。 13 随后，约瑟又拉着他们两个——以法莲在他的右手里，对着以色列的左手，玛拿西在他的左手里，对着以色列的右手——领他们到以色列的跟前。 14 以色列伸出右手来，按在以法莲的头上，以法莲乃是次子；又剪搭过左手来，按在玛拿西的头上，玛拿西原是长子。 15 他就给约瑟祝福说：「愿我祖亚伯拉罕和我父以撒所侍奉的神，就是一生牧养我直到今日的神， 16 救赎我脱离一切患难的那使者，赐福于这两个童子。愿他们归在我的名下和我祖亚伯拉罕，我父以撒的名下，又愿他们在世界中生养众多。」

约瑟见埃及王法老的时候年三十岁。他从法老面前出去，遍行埃及全地。…荒年未到以前，…亚西纳给约瑟生了两个儿子。约瑟给长子起名叫玛拿西（使之忘了），神使我忘了一切的困苦和我父的全家。他给次子起名叫以法莲（使之昌盛），神使我在受苦的地方昌盛。（创41:46-52）

约瑟17岁被卖，在埃及做了大约十三年的奴隶，现在贵为埃及全地的宰相，他回顾过去沧桑岁月，他将心中深层的感触投映在两个儿子身上。约瑟认为神使他忘了过去一切的困苦，以及带给他伤害的父家；也相信神使他在受苦的埃及地领受祝福、得以昌盛，他认定现在景况就是神的旨意。

约瑟想要忘了父家而在埃及立足，但神的意念岂止如此﹖

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).

哈利路亚–你们要赞美耶和华

2024-11-25 in , /by

诗篇 111:1      你们要赞美耶和华！我要在正直人的大会中，并公会中，一心称谢耶和华。
诗篇 112:1     你们要赞美耶和华！敬畏耶和华，甚喜爱祂命令的，这人便为有福！
诗篇 113:1     你们要赞美耶和华！耶和华的仆人哪，你们要赞美，赞美耶和华的名！
诗篇 115:18   但我们要称颂耶和华，从今时直到永远。你们要赞美耶和华！

「你们要赞美耶和华」在旧约的希伯来文是由「赞美(hallal)」和「雅威(Jah)」（神的名字）组成，其音译就是「哈利路亚(Hallelujah)」。耶稣降生以前，散居各地不说希伯来话的犹太人，在他们会堂的礼拜中就使用音译的「哈利路亚」。

「你们要赞美耶和华」在旧约中出现过24次，皆用于诗篇，首先出现于「愿罪人从世上消灭！愿恶人归于无有！我的心哪，要称颂耶和华！你们要赞美耶和华！」（诗104:35）

诗篇第111、112、113篇都以「你们要赞美耶和华」开头。第115、116、117篇则以「你们要赞美耶和华」结尾。至于第114篇，有学者认为第113篇结尾的「你们要赞美耶和华」应该是第114篇的开头。诗篇第118篇的开头和结尾，则是「你们要称谢耶和华」。

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?”

看见、知道、思想、明白

2024-11-24 in , /by

罗马书 1:20  自从造天地以来，神的永能和神性是明明可知的，虽是眼不能见，但借着所造之物就可以晓得，叫人无可推诿。 

以赛亚书 41:18-20  我要在净光的高处开江河，在谷中开泉源；我要使沙漠变为水池，使干地变为涌泉。 19 我要在旷野种上香柏树、皂荚树、番石榴树和野橄榄树，我在沙漠要把松树、杉树并黄杨树一同栽植， 20 好叫人看见、知道、思想、明白这是耶和华的手所做的，是以色列的圣者所造的。

联合国曾调查近300年间的300位最著名的科学家，是否相信「神」。其中38位因无法查明其信仰而不计，其余262位科学家中，不信神者仅20人，占总数的7.6%；信神者则有242人，占92.4%，几乎包括所有曾对科学发展有重大贡献的科学巨人，如：物理学之父牛顿、发现相对论的爱因斯坦、天文学家哥白尼、伽利略、电报之父莫尔斯、发明无线电通信的马可尼、量子论创始人普朗克…。

这些科学家认为科学与宗教并不互相排斥，他们一方面探讨世界的奥秘，一方面也赞叹神的伟大。牛顿被公认为是人类历史上最伟大、最有影响力的科学家之一，他毕生主要精力却用于神学和研究圣经，甚至在晚年写了长达100万字的神学著作，见证神的存在。他曾说：「与上帝伟大的创造相比，科学不过如一个孩子在大海边偶然捡到一片美丽贝壳而已。」又说：「我愿以自然哲学的研究来证明上帝，以便更好的事奉上帝。我从圣经中所找到的真理事实，多过任何属世的史书。」

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.

七次可以吗？

2024-11-22 in , /by

马太福音 18:23-35

23 天国好像一个王要和他仆人算帐。 24 才算的时候，有人带了一个欠一千万银子的来。 25 因为他没有什么偿还之物，主人吩咐把他和他妻子儿女并一切所有的都卖了偿还。 26 那仆人就俯伏拜他，说：『主啊，宽容我！将来我都要还清。』 27 那仆人的主人就动了慈心，把他释放了，并且免了他的债。

28 「那仆人出来，遇见他的一个同伴欠他十两银子，便揪着他，掐住他的喉咙，说：『你把所欠的还我！』 29 他的同伴就俯伏央求他，说：『宽容我吧！将来我必还清。』 30 他不肯，竟去把他下在监里，等他还了所欠的债。

耶稣用牧人寻羊的比喻来阐述祂来是要拯救失丧的人（太18:10-14），接着就谈到弟兄得罪你（原文或译犯了罪）时，当如何行：「倘若你的弟兄得罪你，你就去，趁著只有他和你在一处的时候，指出他的错来。他若听你，你便得了你的弟兄；他若不听…」（太18:15-17）

这里，耶稣谈到迷羊被抱回、失丧的人成为弟兄后，当他们再次犯罪或得罪你时，你该怎么办？聪明的彼得一听就知道他可能面对的难题，我可以饶恕他几次？到七次够了吗？（太18:21）若第八次他还不听，这时候我就照着耶稣的教导，将他交给两三个人、教会…，最后就看他像外邦人和税吏一样。（太18:15-17）

耶稣看出彼得的迷惑，回答说：「我对你说，不是到七次，乃是到七十个七次。」（太18:22）然后用恶仆逼债的比喻来作对比，欠一千万银子的仆人因着主人的慈心，被释放且债得赦免；但是，他却因十两银子的欠债，揪着他的朋友，掐住喉咙，将他下在监里，等他还债（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.

有耳可听的，就应当听！

2024-11-21 in , /by

马太福音 13:3-9

3 他用比喻对他们讲许多道理，说：「有一个撒种的出去撒种。 4 撒的时候，有落在路旁的，飞鸟来吃尽了。 5 有落在土浅石头地上的，土既不深，发苗最快， 6 日头出来一晒，因为没有根，就枯干了。 7 有落在荆棘里的，荆棘长起来，把它挤住了。 8 又有落在好土里的，就结实，有一百倍的，有六十倍的，有三十倍的。9 有耳可听的，就应当听！」

以赛亚书 6:9-10

9 他说：「你去告诉这百姓说：『你们听是要听见，却不明白；看是要看见，却不晓得。』 10 要使这百姓心蒙脂油，耳朵发沉，眼睛昏迷，恐怕眼睛看见，耳朵听见，心里明白，回转过来，便得医治。」

马太福音第13章记载耶稣坐在船上，对着岸上众人，传讲撒种的比喻，耶稣用「有耳可听的，就应当听！」作为比喻的结尾（太13:3-9）。当无人的时候，跟随耶稣的人和十二个门徒问他这比喻的意思（可4:10），耶稣用以赛亚的预言（赛6:9-10）回应说：「你们听是要听见，却不明白；看是要看见，却不晓得；因为这百姓油蒙了心，耳朵发沉，眼睛闭着，恐怕眼睛看见，耳朵听见，心里明白，回转过来，我就医治他们。」（太13:14-15）接着，耶稣就对门徒讲解撒种的比喻。

旧约时代，神差遣以赛亚先知传讲神的话给悖逆的百姓，也预示他们故意不领受，且预知犹大人的结局就是被掳掠，应许之地也随之荒废。在耶稣的时代，犹太人大半拒绝接受耶稣的教训，故意视而不见、听而不闻，如同他们悖逆的祖先。所以耶稣用比喻讲道，让那些无心听的人无法了解，但对于那些愿意寻索真理的人，比喻就成为传扬神国奥秘的媒介。