父與子

(這是聖經中最為黑暗的故事之一，請兄姊自行斟酌閱讀。)

亞比亞他：被革除的大祭司

以色列聯合王國開國之初，立了便雅憫支派的掃羅作王。掃羅王勵精圖治，除了不斷和外敵非利士人作戰之外，對內也是革除陋習、振新經濟，像是立下嚴令剪除國中交鬼和行邪術的人(撒上28:9)、使人民豐衣足食(撒下1:24)。無怪乎掃羅王死後，除了猶大支派外，其餘百姓均是感念前朝餘恩，擁護掃羅之子伊施波設作王(撒下2:8-10)。

屬靈和物質

科學的基礎假設是唯物主義，天地萬有包含任何生命型態，不論多麼複雜，都是物質的產物。但是物質的來源是什麼？物質來自於能量，由各種粒子的交互作用所決定。但是能量又是怎麼來的？這個問題的答案在億萬年前的宇宙起始，至今無人能夠肯定。

被殺的羔羊 The Lamb who had been slain

我又看見寶座與四活物，並長老之中有羔羊站立，像是被殺過的，有七角七眼，就是神的七靈，奉差遣往普天下去的。啟5:6

And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Rev 5:6

The story of Abraham (6)

Gen 12:14  When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.

Gen 12:15  And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.

Gen 12:16  And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.

Gen 12:17  But the LORD afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.

Gen 12:18  So Pharaoh called Abram and said, "What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?

Gen 12:19  Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her, and go."

Gen 12:20  And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him, and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had.

The story of Abraham (5)

Gen 12:11  When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sarai his wife, "I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance,

Gen 12:12  and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, 'This is his wife.' Then they will kill me, but they will let you live.

Gen 12:13  Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake."

The story of Abraham (4)

Gen 12:10 Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land.

The story of Abraham (3)

Gen 12:8  From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the LORD and called upon the name of the LORD.

The story of Abraham (2)

03.March.2012

For the Europe Prayer Group:

Gen 12:4  So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

Gen 12:5  And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan,

Gen 12:6  Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.

God will not reject those who want to seek him. God didn’t call to Lot, but when Lot went with Abraham, God didn’t say to Abraham:”You cannot take Lot.” God will accept Lot, just as he accepts Abraham. However, it needs a beginning. If there is no Abraham, it was impossible for Lot to depart from his homeland. Today, we are Abraham’s offspring in spirit (Gal.3:7) and we also have this responsibility to invite others. Let people be blessed through us.

Abraham was 75 years old when he decided to leave. He is an old man. We know his whole life is 175 years old. Seventy-five years is about 43% of his whole life. Can you image? After 75 years passed, he still has such kind of brave to change! Abraham is a true hero! His greatness is not because of his wealth or his strength but of his inner charters! He wants to change after God’s calling, and he did it! How about us? After we heard the calling of God, can we also change as our father of faith did?

Abraham took all his possessions, his wife, and his servants to the land of Canaan. From his action we see that he has a determination: Never come back! Usually we will prepare a backup for our plans. Buying insurance is a kind of backup for life. However, Abraham didn’t prepare a backup. He didn’t leave anything in Haran. When facing God’s calling, he did his best without leaving a backup.

Sometimes, we are full of hopes and expecting a bright and successful future when we received the calling of God. After all, he promised to give us blessings. However, the reality may depress us just as Abraham faced when he went to the land. How could it be! There are people who lived there! In other words, no land is free for me! Abram found this truth. He tried hard to pass through the land and want to find a piece of small land for himself and for his family. Then he gave up to search because the Canaanites owned the whole land.

Gen 12:7  Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

At that moment, God showed himself to Abram. “Do not worry about the land.” “Do not doubt my promises.” “I will give this land to your offspring.” Abraham accepted God’s words, which many of us today cannot. “You promised that I will receive your blessings and that’s why I obeyed your words and moved my family to this place!” “You lie to me and keep telling lies!” Many of us then choose to leave the land and move back to our old place. But Abraham accepted! Are we willing to accept God’s comforts when the reality is not like what we thought?

Abraham built an altar to the LORD. Not only he accepts but also shows his thanksgivings. Sometimes, we are reluctant to follow God’s words. “Well, he is God and I fear to be punished.” Abraham is different. He accepts God’s words and truly offers his thanksgivings to God. Remember? “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1The.5:16-18).”

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Index:

The story of Abraham (1)

http://blog.xuite.net/owenchaolin/deutschland/42301666

The story of Abraham (3)

http://blog.xuite.net/owenchaolin/deutschland/212569315

The story of Abraham (4)

http://blog.xuite.net/owenchaolin/deutschland/213807525

The story of Abraham (5)



http://blog.xuite.net/owenchaolin/deutschland/214392582

The story of Abraham (1)

26.Jan.2011

For Europe Prayer Group:

Gen 12:1 Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you.

Gen 12:2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.

Gen 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." 

Here is the beginning of the story of Abraham, our father of faith (Rom.4:11-12). The story begins by God’s calling to Abraham. Just as God always does, he is active and likes to speak to his children. He said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you.” Where should I go, you may ask? “To the land that I will show you.” You don’t have to worry where you go, just do it!

We always worry about our grades, our future, our job…etc. Sometimes we worry about where we go, where we live, where we stay. But God said to Abraham, “to the land that I will show you.” Don’t worry too much, you just go. Once you really have an action, the path will be shown to you. Faith is not the thing just staying and waiting, faith is always presenting by the believers’ actions!

God will give Abraham full blessings: (1) I will make of you a great nation, (2) I will bless you, (3) I will make your name great, (4) You will be a blessing, (5) I will bless those who bless you, (6) I will curse those who dishonors you, (7) In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Seven blessings, complete and full blessings! God is glad to give his children blessings if you follow his words. Abraham will not gain these blessings unless he departed from his land. God also wants to give us blessings, but we have to depart from our old-self.

God’s blessings are things that are somehow difficult to see. People easily tend to believe things which can be seen. However, God wants us to believe those are difficult to see. These blessings of God are sure, but are unseen. Will you try to believe?

Gen 12:4 So Abram went, as the LORD had told him…

Abraham truly believed! Not only believing, but also doing! He went, as the LORD had told him! “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going (Heb 11:8).” Not knowing where he was going, but he went! That is the start of faith!

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