2013-04-20 Devotionals Today

知信行網上團契為各主內肢體提供的每日靈糧，歡迎訂閱，推介及奉獻支持。 《網絡天糧》查詢，請電郵：ccf@ccfellow.org 訂閱天糧 | 轉介天糧 | 修訂訂閱 | 奉獻支持 舊約人物：雅各的謊言 粵語 國語 第20天 讀經：    創世記二十七章1至10節 1以撒年老，眼睛昏花，不能看見，就叫了他大兒子以掃來，說：我兒。以掃說：我在這裡。 2他說：我如今老了，不知道那一天死。 3現在拿你的器械，就是箭囊和弓，往田野去為我打獵， 4照我所愛的做成美味，拿來給我吃，使我在未死之先給你祝福。 5以撒對他兒子以掃說話，利百加也聽見了。以掃往田野去打獵，要得野味帶來。 6利百加就對他兒子雅各說：我聽見你父親對你哥哥以掃說： 7你去把野獸帶來，做成美味給我吃，我好在未死之先，在耶和華面前給你祝福。 8現在，我兒，你要照著我所吩咐你的，聽從我的話。 9你到羊群裡去，給我拿兩隻肥山羊羔來，我便照你父親所愛的給他做成美味。 10你拿到你父親那裡給他吃，使他在未死之先給你祝福。 今天的家庭糾紛，往往是由於利益的紛爭而引致家庭關係頻於破裂。在基督出生前的二千年前，發生在雅各家裡的也是同樣的情形。 以撒的話令禍端始起。神並未命他為任何人祝福，他卻對長子以掃說：「現在是時候讓我給你祝福。」他說：「我將要死了。」但據我們所知，他再多活了八十年。 未得到神的吩咐便去做，與拒絕聽從神的吩咐是一樣的錯。我們也常常這樣的悖逆。 故事接下來，講到以掃按著父親的吩咐出去打獵。而他的母親利百加也在暗中聽見了丈夫的話。她當然不會坐視不理，讓她寵愛的兒子雅各吃虧。 於是醜惡的事情發生了──我們讀到的不是禱告而是人的計謀和操縱，不是誠實而是謊言，不是順服而是狡詐。 次子雅各穿上毛皮，捧著羊肉走進父親的帳棚中。食物是謊言，衣服是謊言，他說的話也是謊言；以撒卻相信了他並為他祝福。 沒有錯，神的心意的確是要雅各得到祝福；但神會如何成就？我們不知道。神卻並不需要利百加的「幫忙」，更不需要雅各的謊話。祂已應許了雅各，只是利百加迫不及待。 等候並不容易。但憑著單純的信心，我們就必看見所應許的成就。沒有神的吩咐，我們不需做甚麼。 經文反思： 「凡等候祂的，都是有福的！」（賽三十18） ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ OLD TESTAMENT HEROES: JACOB Day 20 Bible Reading:    Genesis 27:1-10 1 Now it came to pass, when Isaac was old and his eyes were so dim that he could not see, that he called Esau his older son and said to him, "My son." And he answered him, "Here I am." 2 Then he said, "Behold now, I am old. I do not know the day of my death. 3 Now therefore, please take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me. 4 And make me savory food, such as I love, and bring it to me that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die." 5 Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt game and to bring it. 6 So Rebekah spoke to Jacob her son, saying, "Indeed I heard your father speak to Esau your brother, saying, 7 'Bring me game and make savory food for me, that I may eat it and bless you in the presence of the LORD before my death.' 8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to what I command you. 9 Go now to the flock and bring me from there two choice kids of the goats, and I will make savory food from them for your father, such as he loves. 10 Then you shall take it to your father, that he may eat it, and that he may bless you before his death." Family tensions today often come to a crisis when there is a decision as to 'who gets what'. Here is the same situation, almost 2,000 years before Christ. Father Isaac caused the crisis when he said, 'Esau, it's time for me to bless you.' But there was no word from God to bless anyone. Isaac said, 'I'm going to die soon.' As far as we can tell, he lived about another 80 years! It is as wrong to act without a word from God as it is to refuse to act when He does speak. We ourselves can be guilty of that, can't we? To continue the story: Esau went away to hunt for wild game as his father had asked. But Mother Rebekah had been listening. Her favourite son was not going to miss out, if she could help it. Then follows the sad story - instead of prayer there were planning and manipulating. There was lying instead of honesty, scheming instead of submission. Watch the younger twin go into his father's tent with goat meat dressed up as venison. The food was a lie. His clothes were a lie. His words were lies. But Isaac accepted him and blessed him. Yes, it was God's will that Jacob should receive the blessing. How would God have brought it about? We may never know. But God didn't need Rebekah's help. He didn't need Jacob's lies. He had promised the blessing to Jacob, but Rebekah couldn't wait. Waiting is not easy. But simple faith in the promises of God will always see their fulfillment. God doesn't need our help except when He asks for it. A VERSE FOR TODAY: 'Blessed are those who wait for him.' (Isaiah 30:18) 撒母耳記下廿三至廿四章 重點： 大衛的遺言；大衛的勇士；大衛核民數的罪；三天的災疫；大衛獻祭。 鑰節： 當日，迦得來見大衛，對他說：「你上去，在耶布斯人亞勞拿的禾場上為耶和華築一座壇。」大衛就照著迦得奉耶和華名所說的話上去了。（廿四18-19） 內容：  在大衛統治下，以色列國勢強大。大衛也因此自傲起來，吩咐元帥約押數點民數。約押知道這事不討神喜悅，勸大衛勿妄行，然而大衛欲要顯揚自己，執意而行。 神實在不喜悅大衛所行的，大衛事後也知道犯了罪，求神赦免。神差遣先知宣佈祂的懲罰，讓他三擇其一。大衛願落在神手裡，不願落在人手裡；神就在以色列地施行瘟疫作為懲戒。 大衛願落在神手裡，因為祂知道神在祂的懲戒中有憐憫，有恩典。神實在不忍祂的子民死亡，吩咐先知迦得向大衛宣告蒙拯救、得憐憫之路：在耶布斯人亞勞拿的禾場上為耶和華築一座壇。 大衛立刻買了亞勞拿的禾場，在那裡為耶和華築了一座壇，獻燔祭和平安祭。如此，神垂聽國民所求的，瘟疫在以色列人中就止住了。 罪的工價就是死，這是神公義的審判；但是祂有豐盛的慈愛，指示我們得救之路，甚麼賜下祂獨生愛子，成了壇上的祭牲，使我們可以靠著得救。凡求告主名的，就必得救。 默想： 神已指示我們得救、得恩、得勝的路，就是耶穌基督；祂就是道路、真理、生命。我們是否住在基督裡，一切藉著祂？ 本文資料由福音團契書局提供，謹此致謝。 《讀經日引》每季一本，免費贈閱。請電郵biblepathway@yahoo.com.hk索取。 意見交通，請電郵：biblepathway@yahoo.com.hk 靠主站立得穩   腓立比書 4：1   「……我的喜樂……靠主站立得穩。」 （1節） 鼓勵能增添力量。在整封信中，保羅激勵腓立比教會不要看重環境或自己，而是要聚焦在神身上，因為祂是我們的生命和喜樂的來源。要深信主（1：6）、要靠主喜樂（3：1），還要像這裡所提到的「靠主站立得穩」（1節）。或許是因為腓立比教會覺得在那裡一直被拉扯，團結受到試煉，可能會有灰心喪志的危險，所以保羅勉勵他們要在信心裡站穩並稱他們為「自己的喜樂」。 腓立比教會是保羅的驕傲和令他喜樂，他的感受在以下這節經文中充份地表達：「我聽到我的兒女按真理而行，我的喜樂就沒有比這個大的」（約翰三書4節）。 在我們今天的世界裡，社會要將我們壓進它的模式裡並受其影響，我們很容易就在這場老鼠競賽中被俘虜。我們會發現自己失去了信心，在那裡搖晃不定。如果我們在一艘風暴顛簸的船上時，我們會稍微分開雙腿站立、手握欄杆、並繃緊相應的肌肉來保持身體的平衡，同樣的，當置身在生活風暴裡的時候，我們要保持平衡的唯一方法就是牢牢地站穩在聖經的應許上，遵行耶穌的教導；繃緊我們屬靈的肌肉，並緊緊抓牢我們跟神之間的關係不放開祂的手，不過這往往是知易難行。 我們有多少時候會發現自己「為了想要的」或是「在傳統禮儀裡」站穩，而不是「在神的裡面」站穩？ 你此刻的光景如何？是站穩了嗎？   主啊，求您幫助我在風暴季節裡站穩，使我因能完成您的旨意而成為「您的喜悅」。阿們。

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