A GOSPEL HONG BAO

 

A happy Lunar New Year to one and all. As you make your rounds visiting loved   ones, relatives and friends  with your red packets (hong bao) expressing gratitude, goodwill and friendship, do not forget to share the good news of salvation in Christ. One way is to give a gospel CD containing the salvation story entitled, “The Reason Why.”

“The Reason Why” is a captivating gospel exposition written by Robert A Laidlaw—a New Zealand businessman—out of concern for the salvation of his staff. Laidlaw’s evangelistic booklet has since helped unnumbered thousands find salvation in Jesus Christ and changed the lives of many. Over 30 million copies have been printed in more than 30 languages since it was first released about 60 years ago. The gospel exposition can now be heard through an audio CD produced by Calvary Pandan and Calvary Tengah.

 

There is also a Chinese version. Take one and prayerfully give it to someone who needs it—the best “hong bao” you can give.

简介

《为何我信》 (The Reason Why) ——是一篇福音信息，它曾经帮助许许多多人认识主耶稣基督，并接受祂作为个人的救主。
作者罗伯特 · 莱德劳 (Robert A Laidlaw) 是新西兰农户贸易公司 (Farmer’s Trading Company) 的创办人。他是当地众所周知、备受尊敬的成功商人。他于 1885 年在苏格 兰出世，一岁时跟随父母移民到新西兰， 23 岁时在奥克兰开始经营邮购生意，并将之发展成一个拥有两千七百名员工的零售集团。
莱德劳关心员工的救恩，并且撰写了《为何我信》这本小册子，来见证他的基督教信仰。早在 1969 年之前，这本小
册子已经被翻译成 30 多种语言，并且发行量超过了一千六百万本。其福音信息改变了千千万万人的生命。莱德劳是个充满活力的讲员，也是个激励人心的领袖，被认为是“世界伟大的平信徒”之一

 

CHINA IN THE BIBLE

 

 

“Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim” (Isa 49:12). “Sinim” is China and not Aswan. Please read A Theology for Every Christian: Knowing God and His Word by Timothy Tow and Jeffrey Khoo, pp 82-85 for an exposition of the term “Sinim”. Download freely from http://www.febc.edu.sg/press.htm. Have a blessed Chinese New Year.

“Thank you for your excellent explanation on the term “Sinim” in Isaiah 49:12 and the sources that you quoted were very helpful; how we need in our day good biblical scholarship in these matters, keep up the good work! God bless! Ray Tomkins” (Email, 31 January 2013).

福杯满溢
新年到了，恭喜！恭喜！我们华人在本国虽然生活紧张忙碌。但过新年的习

俗，无论环境如何变迁，都不会忘记。中国人过年的习俗，是多采多姿，又饶富意义的。
举例说，过年前，家家户户都要把家里打扫干净，除旧佈新一番，新年新气象。小孩们更兴奋的三五成群放爆仗，火花和爆响令孩子们著迷得又怕又爱。其实在未有炮仗之前，人们过年是烧竹的。烧到竹节时，便爆响一声，叫人惊奇也给人惊喜，认为能把恶魔，祸患吓走，更添热闹气氛。
红包也叫压岁钱，通常是长辈给晚辈，给他们一个惊喜，也象徴来年有意外的好运。除夕时，在外地工作的人，都要回家团圆，全家人围炉吃年夜饭，谈谈过往一年发生的事，有所警惕和学习，希望明年改进得更好。
饭后又一起守岁，什么是守岁？就是守住最后一晚，不要让它那么快过去，意思是要珍惜光阴。为何不称守年，而称守岁呢？原来「年」称呼是从周朝开始，周朝之前是夏朝，那时称年为「岁」。故除夕守完岁之后，年关也就过了，所谓「过新年迎新岁」，年初一清晨，就要打开大门「迎春接福」了!
然而福从何来呢！福字左边是个
「示」字旁，代表神，意思是「福从神来」，所谓「天官赐福」也。古时皇帝带他的群臣祭天，求天赐福，祈求在新的一年，国泰民安，风调雨顺。其他官臣也在各地，领导当地的百姓祈求神降福。

如何才能得著上帝赐的福呢？圣经中的诗篇称「有福的人」是：「得赦其过，遮盖其罪，这人是有福的。」因为我们有罪时，良心受责备，心中没有平安。但如果求上帝赦免，祂饶恕了我们，就会无罪一身轻。上帝也必按我们的需要，不论是生活，婚姻，学业或工作，为我们预备福份。更时时与我们同在，安慰鼓励，赐出人意外的平安喜乐给相信祂的人。
朋友，我希望这位耶和华神，也能成为你的牧者，引领你一生，安慰你，赐福给你，只要你肯来到祂的面前，向祂诚心祷告：「亲爱的主耶稣：谢谢你为我的罪而死。请饶恕我的众罪并进入我的心。我现在接受耶稣作我个人的救主。谢谢父神赐我永生并在基督里丰盛的生命。奉耶稣的名祈求，阿们。」
祝您新年快乐、身体健康、主恩无
尽。

 

CHINESE NEW YEAR

Happy Chinese New Year. Congratulations! For the Chinese who live in this country, we may live busy lives, but the traditional method of celebrating the Chinese New Year is not forgotten. The Chinese way of celebration is both ancient and full of meaning.

For instance, before the New Year, the house is swept clean. Cleanliness represents a new atmosphere. Children are most joyful setting off firecrackers. The sparks and sudden explosions make them both fearful and fun. Actually, before firecrackers was invented, the Chinese had used bamboos, which gave a sudden burst when burned to its end. This symbolized driving away bad fortune.

After the banquet meal is the so-called “watch-age” time. Its meaning is to extend the fleeting year and thus treasure and preserve time. Why call it “watch-age” and not “watch- year”? The Chinese character for “year” was first invented during Chow dynasty. The preceding Hsia dynastic has used the word “age.” This came the Chinese slogan of “bypassing the new year and welcoming the new age.” At the early morning of the New Year, the house’s big door is sprung open to welcome the blessings of the new year.

However, WHERE does blessing really come from? Even in the Chinese character for “blessing” （福），this is explained. The character’s left strokes is the symbol for “God”(礻 ).  In ancient China, the emperor would worship annually at Beijing’s Tien-Than the one- god, soliciting heaven’s protection, prosperity, and peace for the entire nation. This was similarly done by lesser officers in ancient China.

But how may we really receive “Blessings” from the One True God? The Bible’s Book of Psalms says: “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” (Psalm 32:1). This is because when we have sin, our conscience will bother us, and we will have no peace of mind. But when we ask God to forgive us, He will forgive us, and save us from our sin through Jesus Christ the Saviour. As a result, we will be “justified” and have peace. God will always give us blessings—whether in our lives, marriage, school, or work. He will be with us, comfort and encourage us, and give the everlasting peace.

Dear friend, I hope this True God will become your Saviour to guide and bless you … if only you are willing to come to Him. You may pray this prayer of salvation: “Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for dying for my sin. Please forgive my sin and enter into my heart. I now receive Jesus Christ into my heart to be my personal Saviour. Thank you for giving me eternal life and abundant life in Christ. In Jesus Name, AMEN.”

—Paul Lee Tan (trans.)