You Can Be Empowered by This

/in /by

Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 20:13-24.  Let’s go!

Acts 20:13-16 (NIV)
13  We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He had made this arrangement because he was going there on foot.
14  When he met us at Assos, we took him aboard and went on to Mitylene.
15  The next day we set sail from there and arrived off Kios. The day after that we crossed over to Samos, and on the following day arrived at Miletus.
16  Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus to avoid spending time in the province of Asia, for he was in a hurry to reach Jerusalem, if possible, by the day of Pentecost.

On verses 13-16:  When I read these verses I get the sense that Paul is engaged in a race against time, as if every second counts and every moment matters.  As he travels from place to place, he doesn’t take the scenic route.  Nor does he stop to veg out.  Instead, Paul goes from Troas on foot to Assos, then takes a ship to Mitylene.  The next day he sails to Kios (v15), the day after to Samos, the following day to Miletus.  He skips past Ephesus so that he can get to Jerusalem as soon as possible.  It’s as if Paul is trying to find the quickest route he can to get to Jerusalem.

Read more

智慧比珍珠更美

/in , /by

〈箴言〉8:11　因为智慧比珍珠更美，一切可喜爱的都不足与比较。

阅读经文：〈箴言〉8 章

智慧是什么？智慧和智力是不一样的。人可以有不同方面的智力，有的人记忆力强，有的人对数理的领悟性高，有的人富感性，有的人对音乐有天份，有的人心灵手巧，学习能力超强，但是这些都在智力的范围。

智慧使人的心里明白，明白正直与邪恶之不同，明白公义和弯曲乖僻并无相通。智慧是一颗明白的心，知道有真理，并且渴求真理和真知识。有的人头脑很灵 活，但是专门喜欢学旁门走道，好像那些做假奶粉、假鸡蛋、假乳鸽的人实在很聪明，他们为了赚钱可以想出很多方法骗人。但是这种人没有智慧，因为他们只看得见钱，他们不追求真理，不知道人死后有审判，不想假如有一天他们自己的孩子吃了他们做的假东西之下场，他们以为只会害到别人。聪明的人不一 定有智慧，有智慧的人必有真正的聪明，晓得选择该走的路。

唯有真智慧可以使领袖的权势稳定，一个只会玩权弄势的领袖，往往很快“玩”完，因为他想愚弄别人，别人也会愚弄他。有智慧的领袖，他的丰富尊荣必定 长久，因为百姓和下属都甘心情愿臣服。因为“公义使邦国高举；罪恶是人民的羞辱” (箴 14:34)，作领袖经常要作判断决策，若是心里没有智慧，作出的决策往往摇摆不定，反复无常。智慧的果实胜过黄金，强如精金；智慧的出产超乎高银。人都 知道智慧重要，但是智慧何处寻？

Read more

Be Quick to Show Compassion

/in /by

Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 20:1-12.  Let’s go!

Acts 20:1 (NIV)
1  When the uproar had ended, Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said good-by and set out for Macedonia.

On verse 1:  When all the chaos and upheaval in Ephesus (see Acts 19) had died down, Paul meets with the Christians in Ephesus (possibly in a secure hiding place) and encourages them before leaving for Macedonia.  This might have been the last time that Paul saw most of the Christians in Ephesus.

What can we learn from this?  Whether it’s your family, your church, or a team that you lead, when the people you are leading have just experienced a traumatic or distressing event, it helps for them to gather together and to hear encouraging words from their leader.

Read more

Overcoming the Power of the Demonic

/in /by

Hi  GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 19:13-27.  Let’s go!

Acts 19:13-17 (NIV)
13  Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.”
14  Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.
15  [One day] the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”
16  Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.
17  When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.

On verses 13-17:  Throughout Acts we see the power of Jesus’ name to heal sickness and to drive out demons. So why in Acts 19:13-16 were the seven sons of Sceva unable to drive out an evil spirit even though they invoked the name of Jesus? Why instead did the evil spirit jump on them and overpower them? It’s because they were not Christians who believed in Jesus personally. Rather, they were exorcists who did not personally believe in Jesus but just tried to use Jesus’ name as if it casting a magic spell. They would say “In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out” (v13) and this shows us that they were quite removed from a personal faith in Jesus Christ.

Read more

好像牛往宰杀之地

/in , /by

〈箴言〉7:2   遵守我的命令就得存活。保守我的法则，好像保守眼中的瞳人。

阅读经文：〈箴言〉7 章

牛的屠宰之地

「淫妇用许多巧言诱他……少年人立刻跟随他，好像牛往宰杀之地。」(箴言七：21、22)

上帝将淫乱的地方，称为「宰杀之地」。将经不起淫乱的引诱者，视为待宰杀的「牛」。原来淫乱是杀戮，淫乱者是被害己命而不自知。

在圣经里，「牛」有一语双关的意思，正面的涵义是有挺得住的坚强，如同城墙屹立不摇。负面的涵义是被套个环，就容易牵走。

其实，男人具有这两面，工作时很有原则，下班后禁不住一点色情诱惑，就立刻被带着走。工作表现人的强项，色情呈现人的弱点，这两者常只有一墙之隔。

我们要小心，不要被色情之环套住，否则公牛、猛牛、蛮牛、凶牛、黑牛、斗牛，都会变成肉牛。我们也要看清楚，情欲的场所，上帝视为杀戮之地，色情的节目，是属灵瘫痪的麻醉品。

Read more