You Can Reach People Who Are New To Church

/in /by

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.

Read more

绳索与轭的比喻

/in , /by

耶利米书 26:16b  这人是不该死的，因为他是奉耶和华我们神的名向我们说话。

阅读经文:  26:1-24

1 犹大王约西亚的儿子约雅敬登基的时候，有这话从耶和华临到耶利米说： 2 「耶和华如此说：你站在耶和华殿的院内，对犹大众城邑的人，就是到耶和华殿来礼拜的，说我所吩咐你的一切话，一字不可删减。 3 或者他们肯听从，各人回头离开恶道，使我后悔，不将我因他们所行的恶想要施行的灾祸降于他们。

在约雅敬登基之际，遥远的巴比伦也有了新王，那就是尼布甲尼撒。此时的犹大被埃及紧紧控制住，埃及法老尼哥废了犹大人立的新王约哈斯，另立约西亚的二子以利亚敬为王，给他改名约雅敬。在这种奇妙的关系里，耶利米出现了，他有祭司的身份，进耶和华殿的院内毫无问题。他向所有到圣殿来的人开讲，叫他们悔改，远离恶道，神就不降灾祸。

这件事很有意思，耶利米是向来圣殿敬拜的人发言，不是在圣殿之外发言。我们可能都会认为，有去圣殿敬拜的，不该都是敬畏神的人吗？那时候去圣殿要献赎罪祭、赎愆祭、燔祭，等等。而且祭司在为众人献祭之前，不是要先为自己献祭赎罪吗？为何神说这些人不听从祂，不遵行神的律法呢？这些原本是百姓中被神拣选出来服事神的人，神要叫他们回头离开恶道？

Read more

耶利米该不该死

/in , /by

耶利米书 26:16b  这人是不该死的，因为他是奉耶和华我们神的名向我们说话。

阅读经文:  26:1-24

1 犹大王约西亚的儿子约雅敬登基的时候，有这话从耶和华临到耶利米说： 2 「耶和华如此说：你站在耶和华殿的院内，对犹大众城邑的人，就是到耶和华殿来礼拜的，说我所吩咐你的一切话，一字不可删减。 3 或者他们肯听从，各人回头离开恶道，使我后悔，不将我因他们所行的恶想要施行的灾祸降于他们。

在约雅敬登基之际，遥远的巴比伦也有了新王，那就是尼布甲尼撒。此时的犹大被埃及紧紧控制住，埃及法老尼哥废了犹大人立的新王约哈斯，另立约西亚的二子以利亚敬为王，给他改名约雅敬。在这种奇妙的关系里，耶利米出现了，他有祭司的身份，进耶和华殿的院内毫无问题。他向所有到圣殿来的人开讲，叫他们悔改，远离恶道，神就不降灾祸。

这件事很有意思，耶利米是向来圣殿敬拜的人发言，不是在圣殿之外发言。我们可能都会认为，有去圣殿敬拜的，不该都是敬畏神的人吗？那时候去圣殿要献赎罪祭、赎愆祭、燔祭，等等。而且祭司在为众人献祭之前，不是要先为自己献祭赎罪吗？为何神说这些人不听从祂，不遵行神的律法呢？这些原本是百姓中被神拣选出来服事神的人，神要叫他们回头离开恶道？

Read more

Worshiping God in My Home, My Work and My Studies

/in /by

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.

Read more

Do You Have a Life Verse?

/in /by

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.

Read more

一杯愤怒的酒

/in , /by

耶利米书  25:36  听啊，有牧人呼喊，有群众头目哀号的声音，因为耶和华使他们的草场变为荒场。

阅读经文:  25:15-38

15 耶和华以色列的神对我如此说：「你从我手中接这杯愤怒的酒，使我所差遣你去的各国的民喝。 16 他们喝了就要东倒西歪，并要发狂，因我使刀剑临到他们中间。」 17 我就从耶和华的手中接了这杯，给耶和华所差遣我去的各国的民喝， 18 就是耶路撒冷和犹大的城邑并耶路撒冷的君王与首领，使这城邑荒凉，令人惊骇、嗤笑、咒诅，正如今日一样。

这一段文里谈到神对列邦的审判，原来神不是只审判以色列家，因为神的权柄遍及全地。这不禁使我想到神第一次审判全世界时，让挪亚在众人眼前建方舟。那时候挪亚虽然尽力劝众人悔改，却只有他一家得救。耶利米极力地传达神的信息，但是耶路撒冷和犹大全地还是因为不肯悔改而灭亡了。其他的列邦列国，有谁会把神的话语听进耳里，像约拿时代的尼尼微城那样悔改？所以我们努力传福音是尽本分，但是别人能不能听进去，我们不要太在意。人的心顽梗至极，若非圣灵动工，谁能得救？

犹大不是唯一喝到神的这杯愤怒之酒的国家，神预言有许多国家相继会遭到巴比伦的攻击和蹂躏，到最后巴比伦也要喝这杯来自神的愤怒之酒。示沙克是巴比伦的另一个名字。神掌权，神命定。所以他们应当顺服，向巴比伦王投降，等日子满足，神自然会向巴比伦讨罪。这些国和民若肯听从神的话，便可免于战争带来的杀戳。这样的信息，自然没人肯领受，谁肯在没有反抗，战至最后一兵一卒之前就投降呢？神看众人的性命为宝贵，众人看自己的性命为草稭。

Read more

How to Put a Bad Habit to Death

/in /by

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. 

Read more

七十年的预言

/in , /by

耶利米书24:2  一筐是极好的无花果，好像是初熟的；一筐是极坏的无花果，坏得不可吃。

阅读经文:  24:1-10

1巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒将犹大王约雅敬的儿子耶哥尼雅和犹大的首领，并工匠、铁匠从耶路撒冷掳去，带到巴比伦。这事以后，耶和华指给我看，有两筐无花果放在耶和华的殿前： 2 一筐是极好的无花果，好像是初熟的；一筐是极坏的无花果，坏得不可吃。 3 于是耶和华问我说：「耶利米你看见什么？」我说：「我看见无花果，好的极好，坏的极坏，坏得不可吃。」

以色列的夏天相当炎热，五月份的气温都可能超过摄氏40度！走在日头曝晒的旷野，在脑袋发昏之前，若找到能遮荫的树，是何等美好的事！在神为以色列人预备的迦南地，就有不少挺适合乘凉的树，无花果树就是其中的一种。无花果是神赐给以色列地的，极有营养又好吃的一种水果，但是若变坏了，就只能做肥料或丢掉。神以常见的好的无花果和坏的无花果来比喻犹大人的选择会带来的后果。

对犹大人而言，跟着约雅斤王被掳去巴比伦实在很不得已，并不是出于他们的选择。但是在这样的苦难中，神却以好的无花果来安慰他们，必得好处。战败被掳，实在凄凉，但是神要他们不看表面，反而要在苦难中看见神的恩典。

Read more

无花果的比喻

/in , /by

耶利米书24:2  一筐是极好的无花果，好像是初熟的；一筐是极坏的无花果，坏得不可吃。

阅读经文:  24:1-10

1巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒将犹大王约雅敬的儿子耶哥尼雅和犹大的首领，并工匠、铁匠从耶路撒冷掳去，带到巴比伦。这事以后，耶和华指给我看，有两筐无花果放在耶和华的殿前： 2 一筐是极好的无花果，好像是初熟的；一筐是极坏的无花果，坏得不可吃。 3 于是耶和华问我说：「耶利米你看见什么？」我说：「我看见无花果，好的极好，坏的极坏，坏得不可吃。」

以色列的夏天相当炎热，五月份的气温都可能超过摄氏40度！走在日头曝晒的旷野，在脑袋发昏之前，若找到能遮荫的树，是何等美好的事！在神为以色列人预备的迦南地，就有不少挺适合乘凉的树，无花果树就是其中的一种。无花果是神赐给以色列地的，极有营养又好吃的一种水果，但是若变坏了，就只能做肥料或丢掉。神以常见的好的无花果和坏的无花果来比喻犹大人的选择会带来的后果。

对犹大人而言，跟着约雅斤王被掳去巴比伦实在很不得已，并不是出于他们的选择。但是在这样的苦难中，神却以好的无花果来安慰他们，必得好处。战败被掳，实在凄凉，但是神要他们不看表面，反而要在苦难中看见神的恩典。

Read more

Trust in Jesus, Not in Your Own Effort or Experience

/in /by

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.

Read more