太不聽話囉！

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耶利米書7:23   我只吩咐他們這一件，說：『你們當聽從我的話，我就做你們的神，你們也做我的子民。你們行我所吩咐的一切道，就可以得福。』

閱讀經文:  7:21-34

21 萬軍之耶和華以色列的神如此說：「你們將燔祭加在平安祭上，吃肉吧！ 22 因為我將你們列祖從埃及地領出來的那日，燔祭平安祭的事我並沒有提說，也沒有吩咐他們。 23 我只吩咐他們這一件，說：『你們當聽從我的話，我就做你們的神，你們也做我的子民。你們行我所吩咐的一切道，就可以得福。』

在什麼時刻，你會亮出自己嚇人的招牌呢？在教會裡有很多弟兄姐妹行事為人都很低調，雖然是出名的鋼琴家或什麼主任的，也都平易近人。但是一旦到了社會上，你可能會發現，亮出招牌，有時會有意想不到的效果，辦事會容易一點。因為大多數人都是只敬羅裳不敬人，或只看職位不認人。所以你若是醫生或律師或校長，一亮出招牌，立刻就會感受到對方態度的改變。今天你會發現，神也拿出了一面招牌：萬軍之耶和華以色列的神。

萬軍之耶和華是指God-of-the-Angel-Armies（天使天軍之神）。假如今天加拿大或美國的三軍統帥來跟你說話，你聽不聽呢？平常看到警察就嚇得魂不附體的小民，一旦看到滿身勳章的大老爺，豈能不恭敬地相迎，每一句話都至少記上三遍，哪敢掉以輕心？所以這意思是，假如你害怕人間的執掌權柄的人，那就更要小心，那執掌天上地下權勢的，萬軍之耶和華。

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3 Steps to a Brand New Life

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Ephesians 4:17-24.  Let’s go!

Ephesians 4:17-24 (NIV)
17  So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.
18  They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.
19  Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.
20  You, however, did not come to know Christ that way.

On verses 17-24:  Paul tells all the Christians in his church that they must no longer live as the non-believing world around them does (v17).  He describes the thinking of non-believing Gentiles as “futile” (v17), “darkened” (v18) and “separated from the life of God” (v18).  He attributes their darkened thinking to the hardening of their hearts (“having lost all sensitivity” – v19).  When the heart gets hardened, the mind gets darkened.  That’s what sin does: it starts in the heart, then affects the person’s thoughts, and eventually it takes over their body, until they “give themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity” (v19).

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3 Keys to Deeper, Stronger Relationships in the Church

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Ephesians 4:7-16.  Let’s go!

Ephesians 4:7-8 (NIV)
7  But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.
8  This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.”

On verses 7-8:  Even though God has called all of us to the same hope, the same body, the same Saviour in Jesus, the same faith, the same baptism and the same God (v6), each of us has also been given different and unique gifts, “as Christ apportioned it” (v7).  There is both unity and diversity in the body of Christ.  To support this idea of Christ giving different gifts to His people, Paul does something puzzling.  He seems to be quoting or paraphrasing Psalm 68:18, although when you read Psalm 68:18 and compare it to Ephesians 4:8, there are obvious differences.  Why is that?  We don’t know for sure.

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神的應許

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耶利米書7:3  萬軍之耶和華以色列的神如此說：你們改正行動作為，我就使你們在這地方仍然居住。

閱讀經文:  7:1-20

1 耶和華的話臨到耶利米說： 2 「你當站在耶和華殿的門口，在那裡宣傳這話說：『你們進這些門敬拜耶和華的一切猶大人，當聽耶和華的話！ 3 萬軍之耶和華以色列的神如此說：你們改正行動作為，我就使你們在這地方仍然居住。 4 你們不要倚靠虛謊的話說：「這些是耶和華的殿，是耶和華的殿，是耶和華的殿。」 5 你們若實在改正行動作為，在人和鄰舍中間誠然施行公平， 6 不欺壓寄居的和孤兒寡婦，在這地方不流無辜人的血，也不隨從別神陷害自己， 7 我就使你們在這地方仍然居住，就是我古時所賜給你們列祖的地，直到永遠。

據說在毛主席去世後，有不少人把他的小雕像當成護身符來使用，有的掛在車上，有的戴在胸前。就好像人拜關公一樣，這些名人死了，什麼都不知道了，也化為塵土了，但是活著的人卻希望他們的靈魂能回來護庇他們。又好像有人把聖經這本書或十字架拿來當護身符一樣，把希望寄託在這些物質之上。這些雕像或書籍的成分都是經由人手所做，難道因為給了個名字，就會產生巨大的能力嗎？那麼我們只要把身邊的東西都取個特別的名字，不就等於有千軍萬馬的保護了嗎？富人或政客何必要請保鑣呢？若不是人太自大，以為有權柄可以動用死人的靈魂，就是人太愚蠢，把自己的希望寄放在沒有生命的物質之上。

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You Have A Calling From God

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Ephesians 4:1-6.  Let’s go!

Ephesians 4:1 (NIV) 
1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

On verse 1:  God has a calling on your life.  A calling is an invitation from God to live your life for a purpose bigger than yourself, for God’s purposes.  In individualistic Western society, we must be careful not to forget that the “you” Paul speaks of here is not to one individual person, but to a community of believers.  So not only do you as an individual have a calling from God, but you and your brothers and sisters at church have a calling together as a spiritual family.  At Thrive, we speak of that calling in terms of 5 words: Alive, Expectant, Involved, Outloud and United.  Together as a church family we are called to worship Jesus (“Alive”), grow more like Jesus (“Expectant”), serve Jesus with our talents (“Involved”), lead others to Jesus (“Outloud”) and love Jesus’ family (“United”).  You have a calling from God!

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訪問古道

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耶利米書6:16 耶和華如此說：「你們當站在路上察看，訪問古道，哪是善道，便行在其間，這樣你們心裡必得安息。他們卻說：『我們不行在其間。』 。

閱讀經文:  6:16-30

 16 耶和華如此說：「你們當站在路上察看，訪問古道，哪是善道，便行在其間，這樣你們心裡必得安息。他們卻說：『我們不行在其間。』 17 我設立守望的人照管你們，說：『要聽角聲。』他們卻說：『我們不聽。』 18 列國啊，因此你們當聽！會眾啊，要知道他們必遭遇的事！ 19 地啊，當聽！我必使災禍臨到這百姓，就是他們意念所結的果子。因為他們不聽從我的言語，至於我的訓誨，他們也厭棄了。 20 從示巴出的乳香，從遠方出的菖蒲，奉來給我有何益呢？你們的燔祭不蒙悅納，你們的平安祭我也不喜悅。」 21 所以耶和華如此說：「我要將絆腳石放在這百姓前面，父親和兒子要一同跌在其上，鄰舍與朋友也都滅亡。」

畢德生牧師的翻譯是這樣的–神說：你們去站在十字路口，看看四週，去問問古道的方向指向哪裡。這古道是古人試過，確定是真實的道路，因而選擇走在其上。所以，為你們的靈魂選擇正確的道路吧！但是他們卻說：不要，我們不要走那條古道。這古道便是老祖宗們的信仰。

神說，我為他們設立了守望者去警告他們，希望他們有所警覺。但他們卻說，那是危言聳聽，那些警告跟我們沒關係。因此，我要呼喚列國來作見證，看看將有何事發生在他們身上。我必使災禍臨到這百姓，這是他們和我作對（玩遊戲）的後果。這遊戲指什麼呢？就是他們充耳不聞神的話語，鄙視神的教誨。

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Experiencing God’s Power in Your Life

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Ephesians 3:14-21.  Let’s go!

Ephesians 3:14 (NIV) 
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father,

On verse 14:  Paul got on his knees when he prayed to God.  Likewise, sometimes when you’re praying, especially when you’re by yourself, try physically kneeling if you can.  When I get on my knees in prayer, it’s a reminder to humble myself before God.  Kneeling reminds me of how small I am before God and how much I need God in my life.

Ephesians 3:15 (NIV) 
15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.

On verse 15:  No matter how different the cultures, backgrounds and countries we come from, all of us who have placed our faith in Jesus Christ belong to the same family and are given the same family name.  That “whole family” includes every believer on earth today and every believer who has already gone to heaven.  The church of Jesus Christ is the largest, most diverse, most multicultural family that ever existed or ever will exist.

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平安了嗎？

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耶利米書6:8 耶路撒冷啊，你當受教，免得我心與你生疏，免得我使你荒涼，成為無人居住之地。

閱讀經文:  6:1-15

1「便雅憫人哪，你們要逃出耶路撒冷！在提哥亞吹角，在伯哈基琳立號旗，因為有災禍與大毀滅從北方張望。 2 那秀美嬌嫩的錫安女子，我必剪除。 3 牧人必引他們的羊群到她那裡，在她周圍支搭帳篷，各在自己所占之地使羊吃草。」

4 「你們要準備攻擊她！」「起來吧，我們可以趁午時上去！哀哉，日已漸斜，晚影拖長了！ 5 起來吧，我們夜間上去，毀壞她的宮殿！」

耶利米先知住在便雅憫的領地裡，所以神叫耶利米呼喚便雅憫的子孫們要急早做準備，趕快逃離耶路撒冷，因為耶路撒冷雖有看似堅固的城牆，便會遭到敵人的困，也必被攻下。當首都遭到攻擊時，很多人都會逃到鄉下，等戰亂過後再回去。

提哥亞城在耶路撒冷以南約十九公里的地方，伯哈基琳在耶路撒冷和伯利恒之間。在提哥亞吹角，在伯哈基琳立號旗（另一翻譯是升起烽煙），都是警戒的作法，表示敵人來攻擊了。第3節的牧人，是指巴比倫軍隊的將領，羊群則是他們的部下。

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百姓四不

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耶利米書5:25  你們的罪孽使這些事轉離你們，你們的罪惡使你們不能得福。

閱讀經文:  5:19-31

19 「百姓若說：『耶和華我們的神為什麼向我們行這一切事呢？』你就對他們說：『你們怎樣離棄耶和華，在你們的地上侍奉外邦神，也必照樣在不屬你們的地上侍奉外邦人。』

20 「當傳揚在雅各家，報告在猶大說： 21 愚昧無知的百姓啊，你們有眼不看，有耳不聽，現在當聽這話！ 22 耶和華說：你們怎麼不懼怕我呢？我以永遠的定例，用沙為海的界限，水不得越過，因此你們在我面前還不戰兢嗎？波浪雖然翻騰，卻不能逾越；雖然砰訇，卻不能過去。

在這段經文裡，神列舉了百姓三不。或這也是我們的三不。神說：你們怎麼不懼怕我呢？你們在我面前還不戰兢嗎？第三個是什麼，你找得到嗎？就是不敬畏神。這三不導至一個後果，就是不能得福。

不管是古時或現代，都有很多人想辦法去捕捉鳥兒，或作食物，或作祭物，或作買賣。但是鳥雀天生警覺性高，容易受驚，很難捕捉。因此想捕捉鳥雀便要先仔細觀察那種鳥的特點和習性，然後巧設圈套去誘捕。神形容猶太人就像捕鳥人一般的狡詐。從另一個角度來看，撒旦也像捕鳥人一樣，觀察我們的特性和習慣，然後從我們的弱點切入，把我們吞食。當撒旦藉著我們的特性和習慣去套牢我們時，這些活在撒旦手中的鳥雀會有什麼表徵呢？就是四不了。

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How Not To Take God’s Grace for Granted

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Ephesians 3:7-13.  Let’s go!

Ephesians 3:7-9 (NIV)
7  I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.
8  Although I am less than the least of all God’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

On verses 7-9:  When Paul says that he is “less than the least of all God’s people” (v8), he is referring to his infamous past when he tried to destroy Christianity and brutally persecuted Christians.  Yet God turned Paul’s life around and made him a messenger of this gospel to the Gentiles.

What can we learn from this?  First, no matter what your past, God can transform you into an instrument for God’s glory, if you are willing.

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