You Can Reach People Who Are New To Church

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Hi GAMErs!

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

Colossians 4:1 (NIV)
1 Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

On verse 1: If you’re a boss who employs others, verse 1 applies to you. Provide your employees with what is right and fair. Don’t take advantage of your employees by low-balling them. Pay them a good, right and fair wage. And why? It’s not just for their good. Even more, it’s because we all have a Master, a boss in heaven who is committed to taking good care of us and who expects us to do the same with those we employ.

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繩索與軛的比喻

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耶利米書 26:16b  這人是不該死的，因為他是奉耶和華我們神的名向我們說話。

閱讀經文:  26:1-24

1 猶大王約西亞的兒子約雅敬登基的時候，有這話從耶和華臨到耶利米說： 2 「耶和華如此說：你站在耶和華殿的院內，對猶大眾城邑的人，就是到耶和華殿來禮拜的，說我所吩咐你的一切話，一字不可刪減。 3 或者他們肯聽從，各人回頭離開惡道，使我後悔，不將我因他們所行的惡想要施行的災禍降於他們。

在約雅敬登基之際，遙遠的巴比倫也有了新王，那就是尼布甲尼撒。此時的猶大被埃及緊緊控制住，埃及法老尼哥廢了猶大人立的新王約哈斯，另立約西亞的二子以利亞敬為王，給他改名約雅敬。在這種奇妙的關係裡，耶利米出現了，他有祭司的身份，進耶和華殿的院內毫無問題。他向所有到聖殿來的人開講，叫他們悔改，遠離惡道，神就不降災禍。

這件事很有意思，耶利米是向來聖殿敬拜的人發言，不是在聖殿之外發言。我們可能都會認為，有去聖殿敬拜的，不該都是敬畏神的人嗎？那時候去聖殿要獻贖罪祭、贖愆祭、燔祭，等等。而且祭司在為眾人獻祭之前，不是要先為自己獻祭贖罪嗎？為何神說這些人不聽從祂，不遵行神的律法呢？這些原本是百姓中被神揀選出來服事神的人，神要叫他們回頭離開惡道？

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耶利米該不該死

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耶利米書 26:16b  這人是不該死的，因為他是奉耶和華我們神的名向我們說話。

閱讀經文:  26:1-24

1 猶大王約西亞的兒子約雅敬登基的時候，有這話從耶和華臨到耶利米說： 2 「耶和華如此說：你站在耶和華殿的院內，對猶大眾城邑的人，就是到耶和華殿來禮拜的，說我所吩咐你的一切話，一字不可刪減。 3 或者他們肯聽從，各人回頭離開惡道，使我後悔，不將我因他們所行的惡想要施行的災禍降於他們。

在約雅敬登基之際，遙遠的巴比倫也有了新王，那就是尼布甲尼撒。此時的猶大被埃及緊緊控制住，埃及法老尼哥廢了猶大人立的新王約哈斯，另立約西亞的二子以利亞敬為王，給他改名約雅敬。在這種奇妙的關係裡，耶利米出現了，他有祭司的身份，進耶和華殿的院內毫無問題。他向所有到聖殿來的人開講，叫他們悔改，遠離惡道，神就不降災禍。

這件事很有意思，耶利米是向來聖殿敬拜的人發言，不是在聖殿之外發言。我們可能都會認為，有去聖殿敬拜的，不該都是敬畏神的人嗎？那時候去聖殿要獻贖罪祭、贖愆祭、燔祭，等等。而且祭司在為眾人獻祭之前，不是要先為自己獻祭贖罪嗎？為何神說這些人不聽從祂，不遵行神的律法呢？這些原本是百姓中被神揀選出來服事神的人，神要叫他們回頭離開惡道？

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Worshiping God in My Home, My Work and My Studies

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Colossians 3:18-25.

Colossians 3:18-21 (NIV)
18  Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19  Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
20  Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
21  Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
 
On verses 18-21:  I love the simplicity of this passage.  Verses 18 to 21 show us that we all have a God-given role to play in making the home we live in a happy, healthy, God-honouring one.

On verses 22-25:  Verses 22-25 are verses I’ve tried to apply to my own life when studying and working, and I have benefited as a result. These verses show us that God cares about how we go about our work, whether it’s work we’re doing for pay, work for our family, our studies, or our volunteer work. Jesus wants to be at the centre of our work.

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Do You Have a Life Verse?

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Colossians 3:12-17. Some passages don’t need much explanation, just memorization!  Colossians 3:12-17 is one of those passages.  An excellent passage to memorize, I challenge you to memorize it!  You’ll be glad that you did.

Colossians 3:12-17 (NIV)
12  Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
13  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
14  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
16  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
17  And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

On verses 12-17:  Each of these verses is beautiful and could be a sermon on its own in terms of learning how to do each one.   If you’re wondering how to clothe yourself with virtues like kindness, humility, and gentleness (v12), check out our Sweeter Than Honey relationship series from 2017.  If you’re wondering how to do what verses 13-16 tell us to do, sign up for the next term of Thrive Discipleship School Level 2: Growing in Your Relationship with God.

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一杯憤怒的酒

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耶利米書  25:36  聽啊，有牧人呼喊，有群眾頭目哀號的聲音，因為耶和華使他們的草場變為荒場。

閱讀經文:  25:15-38

15 耶和華以色列的神對我如此說：「你從我手中接這杯憤怒的酒，使我所差遣你去的各國的民喝。 16 他們喝了就要東倒西歪，並要發狂，因我使刀劍臨到他們中間。」 17 我就從耶和華的手中接了這杯，給耶和華所差遣我去的各國的民喝， 18 就是耶路撒冷和猶大的城邑並耶路撒冷的君王與首領，使這城邑荒涼，令人驚駭、嗤笑、咒詛，正如今日一樣。

這一段文裡談到神對列邦的審判，原來神不是只審判以色列家，因為神的權柄遍及全地。這不禁使我想到神第一次審判全世界時，讓挪亞在眾人眼前建方舟。那時候挪亞雖然盡力勸眾人悔改，卻只有他一家得救。耶利米極力地傳達神的信息，但是耶路撒冷和猶大全地還是因為不肯悔改而滅亡了。其他的列邦列國，有誰會把神的話語聽進耳裡，像約拿時代的尼尼微城那樣悔改？所以我們努力傳福音是盡本分，但是別人能不能聽進去，我們不要太在意。人的心頑梗至極，若非聖靈動工，誰能得救？

猶大不是唯一喝到神的這杯憤怒之酒的國家，神預言有許多國家相繼會遭到巴比倫的攻擊和蹂躪，到最後巴比倫也要喝這杯來自神的憤怒之酒。示沙克是巴比倫的另一個名字。神掌權，神命定。所以他們應當順服，向巴比倫王投降，等日子滿足，神自然會向巴比倫討罪。這些國和民若肯聽從神的話，便可免於戰爭帶來的殺戳。這樣的信息，自然沒人肯領受，誰肯在沒有反抗，戰至最後一兵一卒之前就投降呢？神看眾人的性命為寶貴，眾人看自己的性命為草稭。

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How to Put a Bad Habit to Death

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Colossians 3:1-11.  Let’s go!

Colossians 3:1-10 (NIV)
1  Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
2  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
3  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
4  When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5  Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
6  Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.
7  You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.
8  But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
9  Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices
10  and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

On verses 1-10:  Yesterday we learned from Colossians 2:16-23 that our focus needs to be on Jesus, not on our own effort.  If that’s the case, should we still bother trying to become more holy, or trying to have a GAME time, or trying to go to church or small group? Yes, absolutely.  Paul is not saying “don’t work at all on your relationship with God” or “don’t try to grow spiritually”. He’s saying spend your effort and time on what really matters, which is becoming more like Christ. 

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七十年的預言

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耶利米書24:2  一筐是極好的無花果，好像是初熟的；一筐是極壞的無花果，壞得不可吃。

閱讀經文:  24:1-10

1巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒將猶大王約雅敬的兒子耶哥尼雅和猶大的首領，並工匠、鐵匠從耶路撒冷擄去，帶到巴比倫。這事以後，耶和華指給我看，有兩筐無花果放在耶和華的殿前： 2 一筐是極好的無花果，好像是初熟的；一筐是極壞的無花果，壞得不可吃。 3 於是耶和華問我說：「耶利米你看見什麼？」我說：「我看見無花果，好的極好，壞的極壞，壞得不可吃。」

以色列的夏天相當炎熱，五月份的氣溫都可能超過攝氏40度！走在日頭曝曬的曠野，在腦袋發昏之前，若找到能遮蔭的樹，是何等美好的事！在神為以色列人預備的迦南地，就有不少挺適合乘涼的樹，無花果樹就是其中的一種。無花果是神賜給以色列地的，極有營養又好吃的一種水果，但是若變壞了，就只能做肥料或丟掉。神以常見的好的無花果和壞的無花果來比喻猶大人的選擇會帶來的後果。

對猶大人而言，跟著約雅斤王被擄去巴比倫實在很不得已，並不是出於他們的選擇。但是在這樣的苦難中，神卻以好的無花果來安慰他們，必得好處。戰敗被擄，實在淒涼，但是神要他們不看表面，反而要在苦難中看見神的恩典。

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無花果的比喻

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耶利米書24:2  一筐是極好的無花果，好像是初熟的；一筐是極壞的無花果，壞得不可吃。

閱讀經文:  24:1-10

1巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒將猶大王約雅敬的兒子耶哥尼雅和猶大的首領，並工匠、鐵匠從耶路撒冷擄去，帶到巴比倫。這事以後，耶和華指給我看，有兩筐無花果放在耶和華的殿前： 2 一筐是極好的無花果，好像是初熟的；一筐是極壞的無花果，壞得不可吃。 3 於是耶和華問我說：「耶利米你看見什麼？」我說：「我看見無花果，好的極好，壞的極壞，壞得不可吃。」

以色列的夏天相當炎熱，五月份的氣溫都可能超過攝氏40度！走在日頭曝曬的曠野，在腦袋發昏之前，若找到能遮蔭的樹，是何等美好的事！在神為以色列人預備的迦南地，就有不少挺適合乘涼的樹，無花果樹就是其中的一種。無花果是神賜給以色列地的，極有營養又好吃的一種水果，但是若變壞了，就只能做肥料或丟掉。神以常見的好的無花果和壞的無花果來比喻猶大人的選擇會帶來的後果。

對猶大人而言，跟著約雅斤王被擄去巴比倫實在很不得已，並不是出於他們的選擇。但是在這樣的苦難中，神卻以好的無花果來安慰他們，必得好處。戰敗被擄，實在淒涼，但是神要他們不看表面，反而要在苦難中看見神的恩典。

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Trust in Jesus, Not in Your Own Effort or Experience

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Hi GAMErs!

The passage for today should be Colossians 2:16-23.  Let’s go!

Colossians 2:16-17 (NIV) 
16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.
17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.

On verses 16-17:  Apparently some members of the church in Colosse were teaching others in the church that they needed to:

– practice the dietary regulations found in the Old Testament and/or refrain from eating food sacrificed to idols; and

– observe the Jewish holidays, whether prescribed by the Jewish law or by tradition.
These “Judaizers” were judging and condemning those in the church who failed to follow those rules.  Paul tells the church not to give in to these legalistic practices, which God had already repudiated earlier.  He says that such legalistic practices were at best “a shadow of the things that were to come” (v17), pointing us toward a greater reality.  Now that that greater reality – Jesus – has come, let our focus be on Him.

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