Jesus Kingdom@Jessie

Why Believe In Jesus?  Has anyone ever called you crazy for believing in Jesus Christ? “Wait, you actually believe that God was born from a virgin, died on a cross, and then came back from the dead? Seriously?”  If so, check out how the apostle Paul defended his faith in front of two skeptical politicians during his trial in Caesarea: “Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. ‘You are out of your mind, Paul!’ he shouted. ‘Your great learning is driving you insane.’ ‘I am not insane, most excellent Festus,’ Paul replied. ‘What I am saying is true and reasonable. The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner’” (Acts 26:24-26 NIV). 保羅這樣分訴，非斯都大聲說：「保羅，你癲狂了吧。你的學問太大，反叫你癲狂了！」 保羅說：「非斯都大人，我不是癲狂，我說的乃是真實明白話。 王也曉得這些事，所以我向王放膽直言，我深信這些事沒有一件向王隱藏的，因都不是在背地裏做的。 (使徒行傳 26:24-26 和合本) I love that logic. Paul pointed out that Christianity didn’t happen in a corner. There were real witnesses of the re

Why Believe The Bible?  “Why do you believe the Bible?” the skeptic asks. “Because it’s God’s Word,” the Christian replies. “Says who?” the skeptic responds. “Says the Bible,” the Christian answers. Hmm . . . You can see why the logic that Christians love might not persuade a skeptical friend. The reasoning seems as unpersuasive as the parent who responds to their kid’s question with, “Because I said so!” Thankfully, there are powerful arguments to back up our belief in the Bible. One of my favorites is how the Old Testament prophets knew what the New Testament apostles saw. Take Isaiah, for example. Isaiah knew that God’s chosen Messiah would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7). He knew that the Christ would come from the family of King David (Isaiah 11). He knew that the Savior would be pierced for sins, suffer silently, be buried with the rich, and see the light of life again (Isaiah 53). How in the world did Isaiah, living seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus, know all that? Th

  活水 順從是學不完的課程，當順從主的命令，記載於聖經之中，當順從主的命定，安置在環境之中；在神的命令中喜樂，在神的命定中喜樂。為什麼要順從神，神會給我們說明當順從的理由，雖然在我們像是無理由的順從神，神卻是有正當的理由叫我們順從祂。 神說：「惡人當離棄自己的道路；不義的人當除掉自己的意念，……我的意念，非同你們的意念，我的道路，非同你們的道路。天怎樣高過地，照樣我的道路，高過你們的道路，我的意念，高過你們的意念。」（賽五十五7至9）神的計畫太奇妙，神的作為太奧秘，有許多事是我們今日所測不透的，只要我們大起膽量來順從，後來必要明白神的智慧、神的能力和神的作為。 約瑟實在是順從神的命令、又順從神的命定的人；他不敢犯罪得罪神，他在苦難的環境中也不發一句怨言，他不恨他弟兄賣了他，他也不恨波提乏的婦人侮辱他，他不恨波提乏冤屈他，他也不恨酒政忘記他，他一件事都不為自己分訴。他認定了自己的遭遇是出於神，只有默然不語，所以當他的弟兄向他認罪求赦免的時候，他說：「不要害怕，我豈能代替神呢？從前你們的意思是要害我，但神的意思原是好的，要保全許多人的性命，成就今日的光景。」（創五十19至20）約瑟等到神旨意明顯的時候，他真知道神的意念高過人的意念，神的道路高過人的道路。 我們聽見聖經中的話，我們知道這是神的命令，我們不敢違背；但是在我們的環境中，我人前許多事不肯順服，總以為是從人來的，從撒但來的；如果我們看見這是神的命定，是神作的，就能默然不語了。   Obedience is an inexhaustible course. One should obey the Lord's command and be recorded in the Bible. One should obey the Lord's ordination and be placed in the environment; rejoice in God's command and rejoice in God's ordination. Why should we obey God? God will give us reasons why we should obey. Although we obey God for no reason, God has legitimate