When we make sin our choice, we cross the line

Hebrews 10:26-31
26 If we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins … 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has spurned the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

26 因為我們得知真道以後、若故意犯罪、贖罪的祭就再沒有了…29何況人踐踏神的兒子、將那使他成聖之約的血當作平常、又褻慢施恩的聖靈、你們想、他要受的刑罰該怎樣加重呢。30因為我們知道誰說、『伸冤在我、我必報應。』又說、『主要審判他的百姓。』31落在永生神的手裡、真是可怕的。

• 究竟「故意犯罪sinning deliberately」是甚麼呢？很喜歡這句說話：「When I could choose to do right and I choose to do wrong instead」，這就是故意犯罪了。這亦代表了故意犯「大」罪和故意犯「小」罪是一樣的，我們可能很多時不會故意犯很大的罪，但知道要靈修，祈禱而不做；知道要事奉而用諸多藉口推躺，知道要關心人但說這不是我的恩賜，知道要傳福音卻說自己不夠訓練等等…都是故意犯罪，神啊，求祢鑒察我，知道我的心思，試驗我，知道我的意念，看在我裡面有甚麼惡行沒有，引導我走永生的道路。
• 在經文提及故意犯罪是：「人踐踏神的兒子，將那使祂成聖之約的血當作平常，又褻慢施恩的聖靈。」這是何等重的說話！不要看輕犯罪，更不要明知故犯，亦不可當神冇到，更不可認為神的恩典永遠會寬恕你。其實當我們犯罪不但傷了神的心，而是踐踏主耶穌基督，當祂是地底泥，這是我最不想發生的。況且我們都知道有些罪是會慣性的，最後已經麻木，不當是一回事。神啊，求祢鑒察我，知道我的心思，試驗我，知道我的意念，看在我裡面有甚麼惡行沒有，引導我走永生的道路。

If God uses you, it’s still all about Him

1 Samuel 17:32-37
32 David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” 33 And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth.” 34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. 36 Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” 37 And David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”

32大衛對掃羅說、人都不必因那非利士人膽怯．你的僕人要去與那非利士人戰鬥。33掃羅對大衛說、你不能去與那非利士人戰鬥．因為你年紀太輕、他自幼就作戰士。34大衛對掃羅說、你僕人為父親放羊．有時來了獅子、有時來了熊、從群中啣一隻羊羔去。35我就追趕他、擊打他、將羊羔從他口中救出來．他起來要害我、我就揪著他的鬍子、將他打死。36你僕人曾打死獅子和熊．這未受割禮的非利士人向永生神的軍隊罵陣、也必像獅子和熊一般。37大衛又說、耶和華救我脫離獅子和熊的爪、也必救我脫離這非利士人的手。掃羅對大衛說、你可以去罷．耶和華必與你同在。

• 看見掃羅與大衛的分別就再次提醒我，今天我是掃羅抑或是大衛？大衛對神的信心是單純simple，充份信賴trustworthy，但掃羅卻畏首畏尾，要想過度過才做。我的生命是否這樣，我的抉擇，我的事奉，是否都是用自己意思想過度過，然後才做，抑或倚靠神的帶領供應，深信祂做事的pattern永不改變，祂如何在以前帶領我，引導我，現在難道不會一樣嗎？
• 看見大衛對神的信心，真是非常羡慕，那像小孩子的信心亦是神最想看到的。我們可能會問，他曾打死獅子和熊又如何，現在是要打非利士人，不是隻動物，非利士人善戰，好勇鬥狠，可能又有很厲害的武器，怎能與野獸比呢？大衛不是naive，而是他堅信神在他身上的作為從來不變，神昔日保守，難道今天不會一樣嗎？更可況他對付的是「未受割禮，向永生神的軍隊罵陣」的非利士人呢？求神藉大衛提醒我今天對神的信心，若昔日神在某小事上帶領保守，難道今天我將要經歷的大事，神不保守引領嗎？
• 大衛及聖經的偉人是否和平常人不同？如果不是為甚麼有這麼多不平凡的事發生在他們身上呢？今天我這個平凡人就不能像他們一樣了？但想深一層，他們是這樣不平凡嗎？不是，他們每一個都與我們一樣，是個平凡人，是因為不平凡的神在一個平凡人身上作工，他就變為不平凡了。Ordinary People with Extraordinary God。讓我這個平凡人的平凡生命能經歷神的不平凡。

Jesus died to make His enemies His friends

Romans 5:6-11
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him! 10 For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

6因我們還軟弱的時候、基督就按所定的日期為罪人死。7為義人死、是少有的、為仁人死、或者有敢作的。8惟有基督在我們還作罪人的時候為我們死、神的愛就在此向我們顯明了。9現在我們既靠著他的血稱義、就更要藉著他免去神的忿怒。10因為我們作仇敵的時候、且藉著神兒子的死、得與神和好、既已和好、就更要因他的生得救了。11不但如此、我們既藉著我主耶穌基督、得與神和好、也就藉著他、以神為樂。

• 這是一段很熟識的經文，其中的金句已背誦了很多年，但多少時候我們真是appreciate當中的真義呢？基督是為一個不值得愛的人，與神隔絕的人去死，目的是要我們得生命，祂並不需要這樣做，為甚麼呢？就是因為祂愛我們。
• 許多時這愛對我們已經麻木了，我們很緊要別人的愛和接納，拍拖時對方要百分之百愛我，結婚後丈夫要愛我多過我愛他，為甚麼呢？這無非是自己的私慾，渴求丈夫，家人，朋友要無條件的愛我。但人的愛有限，自己亦不會愛對方多於愛自己，所以每每在當中會痛苦，沮喪，失望，但對基督無私的愛卻那麼不上心，take it for granted。求神讓我多思想神的愛，提醒我要感恩、報恩，因這是我白白得來，我就要白白地給予別人，就好像那首歌一樣：Freely, freely you have received, freely, freely give。

To know God’s will, know Him well

Romans 12:1-6
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing, and perfect will. 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.

1所以弟兄們、我以神的慈悲勸你們、將身體獻上、當作活祭、是聖潔的、是神所喜悅的．你們如此事奉、乃是理所當然的。2不要效法這個世界．只要心意更新而變化、叫你們察驗何為神的善良、純全可喜悅的旨意。3我憑著所賜我的恩、對你們各人說、不要看自己過於所當看的．要照著神所分給各人信心的大小、看得合乎中道。4正如我們一個身子上有好些肢體、肢體也不都是一樣的用處。5我們這許多人、在基督裡成為一身、互相聯絡作肢體、也是如此。6按我們所得的恩賜、各有不同．或說豫言、就當照著信心的程度說豫言．

• 神的旨意是good, pleasing and perfect。這是我所知道的，但當因某事件要尋求神心意時，往往將此拋諸腦後，懼怕神的心意不是我的心意，用己意來成就或促成，讓這金句常在我心裡，在我的生命裡，成為我一生的座佑銘。
• 神的旨意不是要我們要讀甚麼課程，嫁甚麼人，找甚麼工作，祂的旨意在聖經裡是非常簡單的：1)行善以堵住糊塗無知人的口(彼前2:15) ，2)在何環境中都存感恩的心，3)成為聖潔，遠避淫行(帖前4:3)。若我們能遵行這些，相信在任何事上都能明白祂的旨意。
• 英文聖經比較易明：Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind。當被這世界的一切洪流所吞沒時，最緊要知道自己的心思意念仍是更新的，這是說在主裡更新，主的話語，向主的禱告所更新變化的，那麼就不會走向世界，遠離神了。
• 「合乎中道」，這包括看自己和看別人。知道自己的限制，弱點，但又不是貶低自己的價值。對別人要寬容，要求不能過高，但亦要相信他們有與自己一樣或甚至高過自己的能力。

To get rid of a problem, first admit you have it

1 John 1:1-9
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. . . . 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our joy complete. 5 This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1論到從起初原有的生命之道、就是我們所聽見所看見、親眼看過、親手摸過的．（這生命已經顯現出來…）3我們將所看見、所聽見的、傳給你們、使你們與我們相交、我們乃是與父並他兒子耶穌基督相交的．4我們將這些話寫給你們、使你們〔有古卷作我們〕的喜樂充足。5神就是光、在他亳無黑暗．這是我們從主所聽見、又報給你們的信息。6我們若說是與神相交、卻仍在黑暗裡行、就是說謊話、不行真理了．7我們若在光明中行、如同神在光明中、就彼此相交、他兒子耶穌的血也洗淨我們一切的罪。8我們若說自己無罪、便是自欺、真理不在我們心裡了。9我們若認自己的罪、神是信實的、是公義的、必要赦免我們的罪、洗淨我們一切的不義。

• 我們當然知道神就是光，在祂裡頭沒有黑暗。但許多時仍犯罪，行在黑暗中，滿以為所做的一切神不會知道，這是自欺欺人的說話。每天都可帶假面具做人，沒有人能察覺，但神呢？求神用這段經文教導我要時刻行在光明中，對人對神都是無愧。
• 能與人有好的相交，要先與神有相交，這是不可改變的先後次序。行在光明中才能與神相交，有了這相交後才能與人相交。今天，我就算與弟兄姊妹有多親密的關係，若當中沒有神，那麼這關係只維持到世俗的關係，不是靈裡的親密關係，求神讓我追求更多裡的關係。
• 一章九節再次提醒我神的慈愛，就算有多少的罪，只要真心悔改，神必寬恕，神必洗淨，但亦告訴我神的公義，帶罪的心是不能到神面前，他所作的在神眼睛盡都徒然。

We look on the outside—God looks on the heart

1 Samuel 16:1-7
1 The Lord said to Samuel, . . . “I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king. . . . 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for Me the one I indicate.” 4 Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?” 5 Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. 6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
1耶和華對撒母耳說、…我差遣你往伯利恆人耶西那裡去、因為我在他眾子之內、豫定一個作王的。…3你要請耶西來喫祭肉、我就指示你所當行的事、我所指給你的人你要膏他。4撒母耳就照耶和華的話去行．到了伯利恆、那城裡的長老都戰戰兢兢的出來迎接他、問他說、你是為平安來的麼．5他說、為平安來的．我是給耶和華獻祭．你們當自潔、來與我同喫祭肉．撒母耳就使耶西和他眾子自潔、請他們來喫祭肉。6他們來的時候、撒母耳看見以利押、就心裡說、耶和華的受膏者必定在他面前。7耶和華卻對撒母耳說、不要看他的外貌和他身材高大、我不揀選他、因為耶和華不像人看人、人是看外貌、耶和華是看內心。

• 看到撒母耳的舉動，真是會心微笑，原來他和平常人沒兩樣，都是以外表作為判定人的第一印象，他看見利押就以為他必是受膏者。我們何嘗不是這樣，以貎取人，忽略了身邊不起眼的人，他們的需要，他們的努力，可能因我的忽視或莫視而受到傷害，神啊，讓我更多關心那些無言的朋友，就算他們沒有主動親近我，我亦要主動親近他們。
• 當神是看內心，不是看外貎時，更加警愓我所做的每件事不是取悅人，做了基督這麼多年，很容易將「事奉」做得很perfect，得人的稱讚，人們還以為我很多恩賜，多麼屬靈，但自己知自己事，神亦知道我的靈命道行，我的忠心，我擺上的時間，讓我的事奉，我對別人的關心，我帶領的聚會是用「心」去做，不論「表現」如何，而不是用「表現」去做，一點「心」也沒有！

Wisdom always looks ahead

Proverbs 1:20-33
20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; 21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech: 22 “How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? 23 If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you. 24 But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand, 25 since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke, 26 I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you—27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you. . . . 32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; 33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”
20智慧在街市上呼喊、在寬闊處發聲．21在熱鬧街頭喊叫、在城門口、在城中發出言語．22說、你們愚昧人喜愛愚昧、褻慢人喜歡褻慢、愚頑人恨惡知識、要到幾時呢。23你們當因我的責備回轉．我要將我的靈澆灌你們、將我的話指示你們。24我呼喚、你們不肯聽從．我伸手、無人理會．25反輕棄我一切的勸戒、不肯受我的責備。26你們遭災難、我就發笑．驚恐臨到你們、我必嗤笑．27驚恐臨到你們、好像狂風、災難來到、如同暴風．急難痛苦臨到你們身上．...32愚昧人背道、必殺己身．愚頑人安逸、必害己命。33惟有聽從我的、必安然居住、得享安靜、不怕災禍。

• 很多時我不明白神的旨意，試圖用自己的能力去改變一切，或用自己的意思去做事，以致焦頭爛額。就算明知這是神不喜悅，仍照己意而行。但神說(v23)若我們對祂的責備(rebuke)有回應(response)，祂就會pour out His heart to me and made His thoughts known to me，祂會全心全意的讓我知道祂的心思意念。若神願意全心全意，難道我不是更要全心全意pour my heart to Him。願意這是我今天的禱告！
• 在v32的waywardness(背道)及complacency(安逸)都致令人走上滅亡之路。我由如何呢？Waywardness可作「任性」，我任性嗎？在事奉上我體貼自己的心意多於神的心意，一些事工的預備上我用自己的聰明智慧而不是跟從神的指示。我安逸嗎？當然！沒有逼迫，沒有衝擊，沒有難處，沒有經歷，信仰對我是否像白開水一樣淡然無味呢？神啊，求你挪走我的「任性」，拿取我的「安逸」，讓我不要與你的關係越來越遠！