15 Jacob left Laban

1. Laban worshiped other gods. After twenty years of hard work, Jacob was finally on the way home. But he didn't know what was waiting for him. What an exciting story! Can't wait to read what's going to happen next.

2. Wow! Lots of golden verses today: “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.", “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.", "God blesses those who do not turn away because of me."

3.  "But I trust in your unfailing love.
     I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
     I will sing to the Lord
     because he is good to me."

4. "Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her"

Today attended a church service. One of old my friends (we met 11 years ago) came all the way from LA to visit and preach. I was totally shocked by his life changing information. Praise the LORD!

[-凡凡-]

每日靈修 -- 01/15
http://blog.wenxuecity.com/blogview.php?date=200709&postID=33089

創世記 31:17-32:12

雅各帶領妻兒和自己的所有物離開拉班逃往老家。因為拉結偷了父親的偶像而被不知情的雅各詛咒。

下麵是靈修版裏一段我不曾注意到卻是非常有現實意義的注釋：
我工作的態度，是殷勤，還是偷懶？
31:38-31:42 雅各習慣做超越分內的工作。他牧放拉班的羊群，羊群被野獸襲擊，他寧願承擔損失，也不用拉班均分負擔。雖然拉班十次改了他的工價，他仍然努力工作。他殷勤工作終於獲得報償，他的羊群漸漸增多。做超出分內的工作，總不會徒勞無益的，因為這樣做：（1）討神喜悅；（2）使我們得到別人的賞識和提拔；（3）提高我們的聲譽；（4）使別人對我們有信心；（5）使我們得到更多的經驗和知識；（6）使我們的靈命成熟。


馬太福音 10:24-11:6

1）“掩蓋的事，沒有不露出來的。隱藏的事，沒有不被人知道的”。---- 事實就是事實，陽光之下，什麽都要顯明。

2) 那殺身體不能殺靈魂的，不要怕他們。惟有能把身體和靈魂都滅在地獄裏的，正要怕他。 ---- 是的，除了上帝值得我們敬畏外，其他的什麽都不必害怕了。我們的神已經勝了這世界，在他的愛裏，我們就沒有懼怕。

3）得著生命的，將要失喪生命。為我失喪生命的，將要得著生命。
--（轉自靈修版）
得”與“失”之間，是一個銀幣的兩麵？有多少距離？
這節經文顯示出真理的兩麵：抓緊生命可能使我們在今生和來生喪失從神而來最好的東西。當我們愈喜愛今生的報酬──享受、權勢、受擁戴、經濟保障，就愈會發現這些東西是何等虛空。因此，享受生命的最佳途徑，就是放棄貪戀世上報酬的心，自由地跟從基督，這樣，我們將會承受永生，並立刻開始經曆跟從他的好處。


4）凡不因我跌倒的，就有福了。 --- 施洗約翰因為肉體的軟弱，靈命上也變得一時的軟弱，他開始懷疑耶穌基督的身份。耶穌的話對我們是個警醒： 不要被眼前的困苦嚇到甚至跌倒，相信耶穌是基督，是拯救全人類脫離罪惡的獨一的真神。


詩篇 13:1-13:6

耶和華我的神阿，求你看顧我，應允我，使我眼目光明，免得我沉睡至死。。。但我倚靠你的慈愛。我的心因你的救恩快樂。 --- 讚歎大衛對神的信靠之堅定，他真的是和神心意的人啊！---神啊，求你賜給我大衛那樣愛慕和信靠你的心，好讓你在我身上的旨意成就，阿門！


箴言 3:16-3:18
由神而來的智慧可以帶來富貴、安樂、平安。

荒漠甘泉 01/15
神的啟示隻臨到靈裏沒有風波的人。以撒在靈的安息裏聽見神的話語。--- 隻有靈裏得到安息，聖靈那微小的聲音我們才能聽見。突然想起，前幾天看到馬太福音6：6裏耶穌對禱告的教導：“要進你的內屋，關上門，禱告你在暗中的父”，即：我們要在心靈裏關閉對外的門窗，不要被外在的煩亂打攪，否則我們禱告時也聽不見密室內神的聲音。心靈安息---是我要學習的重要功課！！

[提摩太]

寒江雪~ :
1. Idols
2. Jacob begged for mercy, I guess :)
3. That means the LORD knows everything about us.

~蓑笠翁:
Nothing you said was wrong. Have a good rest today! :)

[~蓑笠翁]

Baptist John's had witnessed what happened when Jesus got baptized, but now he sent people to ask if Jesus was Messiah. Faith is very important! Agree with Timothy's sharing.

Psalm: David had experienced a lot of tortures. (Can I say this?) He always stated his afflictions first...but good to see he had the faith and worship God. We should do the same when we faced troubles. (too sleepy, don't know if I had said anything wrong:)

[~蓑笠翁]

I was surprised too for Laban and Rechel worshiped other gods. It is nice to see Jacob appreciated God's blessings and I like his prayer to God.

(BTW, this is the first time I read the Genesis in English. I feel I am watching a movie and can't wait to see the next chapter:))

[寒江雪~]

P.s:
Like Gustave Dore's painting/picture "The prayer of Jacob" very much!!! It is so touching!

[寒江雪~]

Genesis 31:17-32:12
Q:Rachel took Laban's "household gods" and told a lie later - Why did she steal those? What were "household gods" used for at that time?
Q:Why did Jacob call himself "servant" of Esau and call Esau "my lord"."I may find favor in your eyes.". It seemed he was so humble. I remembered Jacob got the blessing from Isaac and Esau should be the servant of Jacob. Am I wrong?
Matthew 10:24-11:6
30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. - I heard this sentence many times at different places.Is it a famous or important one to Christian?

Psalm 13
Like today's paslm very much:
"I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation."
Q:Why did it say "How long, O LORD ? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?". I thought the God is always in the Christian's heart!

Proverbs 3:16-18
Very good reading for this proverbs!
"Her ways are pleasant ways,
and all her paths are peace.
She is a tree of life to those who embrace her;
those who lay hold of her will be blessed."

[寒江雪~]

To 提摩太: Could you please share your friend experiences with us? Thank you!!!