Before You Make That Decision

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Acts 15:1-12.  As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

Acts 15:1-12 (NIV)
1  Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.”
2  This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.

On verses 1-12:  Since the gospel came through the Jews, with so many non-Jewish people (Gentiles) now coming to faith in Jesus, it was only a matter of time before people would ask, “Does a non-Jewish convert to Christianity need to follow the Law of Moses, that is, the laws and regulations found in the first five books of the Bible (also known as the Pentateuch) just like any Jewish person does? 

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Aleph 屬靈的119

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詩篇 119 

1  行為完全，遵行耶和華律法的，這人便為有福！
2 遵守祂的法度，一心尋求祂的，這人便為有福！
3 這人不做非義的事，但遵行祂的道。
4 耶和華啊，祢曾將祢的訓詞吩咐我們，為要我們殷勤遵守。
5 但願我行事堅定，得以遵守祢的律例！
6 我看重祢的一切命令，就不至於羞愧。
7 我學了祢公義的判語，就要以正直的心稱謝祢。
8 我必守祢的律例，求祢總不要丟棄我。

詩篇第119篇的內容關乎耶和華的律法，聚焦在「神的話語」，它是詩篇中最長的一篇，也是整本聖經中最長的一章。全篇分成二十二段，以希伯來文22個字母來押頭韻；每段有八節，而每一節都以相同的字母來開始，總共176節。

本詩篇要傳達的信息是，神的話語包含人需要知道的每一件事。除了第1至3節和115節之外，每一節的對象都是耶和華；總共只有6節沒有提及神的話語：84, 90, 91, 121, 122, 132節。詩人用律法、法度、訓詞、律例、命令、判語、話、應許、典章、道路等詞語來描述上帝的律法。

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父親和兒子（下）

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創世記 37:3  以色列原來愛約瑟過於愛他的眾子，因為約瑟是他年老生的，他給約瑟做了一件彩衣。

創世記 47:9  雅各對法老說：「我寄居在世的年日是一百三十歲。我平生的年日又少又苦，不及我列祖在世寄居的年日。」

以色列（雅各）原來愛約瑟過於愛他的眾子，因為約瑟是他年老生的…（創37:3）。約瑟和哥哥們失和，蒙愛的約瑟被哥哥們賣到埃及。

父親雅各：雅各一生經歷苦難，家庭破口也帶給他許多憂傷，女兒底拿受辱、二子西緬和三子利未藉割禮報復屠城、妻子拉結生便雅憫因難產而死、長子流便與父親的妾行淫亂、四子猶大亂倫兒媳婦…；雅各晚年與兒子們來到埃及投靠約瑟，他對法老說：「我寄居在世的年日是一百三十歲，我平生的年日又少又苦，不及我列祖在世寄居的年日。」（創47:9）

兒子約瑟：約瑟被賣到埃及、因抵擋誘惑而遭陷入監、為獄友解夢解愁卻被遺忘…，然而約瑟謙卑持守，與神同行。廿年滄桑，約瑟成為埃及法老的宰相，他用兒子的名字來表達他的心境，長子叫瑪拿西（使之忘了），神使我忘了一切的困苦和我父的全家，次子叫以法蓮（使之昌盛），神使我在受苦的地方昌盛（創41:50-52）。

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No Risk, No Reward

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Acts 14:13-28.  As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

Acts 14:13-17 (NIV)
13  The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.
14  But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting:
15  “Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them.

On verse 17:  When the people of Lystra try to sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas thinking that they are reincarnations of their gods Hermes and Zeus, Paul and Barnabas tear their clothes to emphasize their humanity and urge them not to worship people but the living God whom they cannot see.  To persuade the crowd about God’s kindness and goodness to them, Paul and Barnabas point to evidence such as the rains that come, the crops they harvest, the food they eat and the joy that they have.

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父親和兒子（上）

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創世記 12:4-7  亞伯蘭就照著耶和華的吩咐去了，羅得也和他同去。亞伯蘭出哈蘭的時候年七十五歲。5 亞伯蘭將他妻子撒萊和侄兒羅得，連他們在哈蘭所積蓄的財物、所得的人口，都帶往迦南地去。他們就到了迦南地。 6 亞伯蘭經過那地，到了示劍地方，摩利橡樹那裡。那時，迦南人住在那地。 7 耶和華向亞伯蘭顯現，說：「我要把這地賜給你的後裔。」亞伯蘭就在那裡為向他顯現的耶和華築了一座壇。

亞伯拉罕75歲初次踏足迦南，在示劍地方、摩利橡樹那裡，神應許將迦南地賜給他的後裔（創12:4-7）；事實上，亞伯拉罕一生沒有擁有任何迦南土地，但他遺留神的應許（創12:1-7，13:14-17，15:1-7，17:1-8，22:16-18）給他的後裔-以色列人。以色列人經過430年在埃及的奴役，和40年在曠野的飄流，六十多萬男丁在曠野死亡，最終得以進入迦南，神將六百多年前的應許（創15:13-21）化成現實。

神對以色列人的應許是跨世代的，他們歷經第一層跨越（渡過伯拉大河），離開本族父家，從舒適安逸、既有滿足的環境中破繭而出；第二層跨越（下海中走乾地），離開為奴之地，神為他們斬斷枷鎖、斷絕綑綁，並以雲柱領路、火柱光照來帶領他們；第三層跨越（渡過約旦河），在曠野中學習讓神帶領生活、塑造生命、指引道路，最後，憑著信心抬著約櫃，與神同行一起渡過約旦河，進入神應許的迦南地。他們從一小群成為一大族，他們祖先亞伯蘭（被高舉的父）成為亞伯拉罕（多國的父）。

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Help For My Disability

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Acts 14:1-12.  As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

Acts 14:1-7 (NIV)
1  At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed.
2  But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.
3  So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders.

On verses 1-7:  Paul and Barnabas travel to Iconium, the capital of ancient Lycaonia, about 90 miles southeast of Antioch.  There, they preach in the synagogue and the people are responding, both positively and negatively.  On one hand, a great number of Jews and Gentiles are coming to faith in Jesus.  On the other hand, some oppose Paul and Barnabas by trying to lure new converts away.  Not wanting their gospel message to be misunderstood, Paul and Barnabas spend considerable time in Iconium, defending the gospel, while God would enable them to do miraculous signs and wonders to confirm the validity of their message.

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跨世代的應許

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創世記 12:4-7  亞伯蘭就照著耶和華的吩咐去了，羅得也和他同去。亞伯蘭出哈蘭的時候年七十五歲。5 亞伯蘭將他妻子撒萊和侄兒羅得，連他們在哈蘭所積蓄的財物、所得的人口，都帶往迦南地去。他們就到了迦南地。 6 亞伯蘭經過那地，到了示劍地方，摩利橡樹那裡。那時，迦南人住在那地。 7 耶和華向亞伯蘭顯現，說：「我要把這地賜給你的後裔。」亞伯蘭就在那裡為向他顯現的耶和華築了一座壇。

亞伯拉罕75歲初次踏足迦南，在示劍地方、摩利橡樹那裡，神應許將迦南地賜給他的後裔（創12:4-7）；事實上，亞伯拉罕一生沒有擁有任何迦南土地，但他遺留神的應許（創12:1-7，13:14-17，15:1-7，17:1-8，22:16-18）給他的後裔-以色列人。以色列人經過430年在埃及的奴役，和40年在曠野的飄流，六十多萬男丁在曠野死亡，最終得以進入迦南，神將六百多年前的應許（創15:13-21）化成現實。

神對以色列人的應許是跨世代的，他們歷經第一層跨越（渡過伯拉大河），離開本族父家，從舒適安逸、既有滿足的環境中破繭而出；第二層跨越（下海中走乾地），離開為奴之地，神為他們斬斷枷鎖、斷絕綑綁，並以雲柱領路、火柱光照來帶領他們；第三層跨越（渡過約旦河），在曠野中學習讓神帶領生活、塑造生命、指引道路，最後，憑著信心抬著約櫃，與神同行一起渡過約旦河，進入神應許的迦南地。他們從一小群成為一大族，他們祖先亞伯蘭（被高舉的父）成為亞伯拉罕（多國的父）。

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Don’t Sulk, But Shake Off The Dust

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Acts 13:42-52.  As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

Acts 13:42-49 (NIV)
42  As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath.
43  When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.
44  On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.

On verses 42-49:  Still in Pisidian Antioch, Paul and Barnabas are invited to come back and speak at the synagogue there.  Practically the entire city shows up the next week to hear Paul and Barnabas preach.  Jealous of all the attention Paul and Barnabas are getting, the Jewish leaders slander Paul and try to oppose the arguments he is making.  In response, quoting from Isaiah 49:6, Paul and Barnabas announce that since the Jews in Pisidian Antioch have rejected their message, Paul and Barnabas will focus on reaching the Gentiles in Pisidian Antioch with the same message. 

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生命的第三層跨越-憑信心進入應許之地

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出埃及記 19:1  以色列人出埃及地以後，滿了三個月的那一天，就來到西奈的曠野。

民數記 13:21-33   他們上去窺探那地，從尋的曠野到利合，直到哈馬口。 22 他們從南地上去，到了希伯崙，在那裡有亞衲族人亞希幔、示篩、撻買。（原來希伯崙城被建造比埃及的鎖安城早七年。） 23 他們到了以實各谷，從那裡砍了葡萄樹的一枝，上頭有一掛葡萄，兩個人用槓抬著，又帶了些石榴和無花果來。 24 因為以色列人從那裡砍來的那掛葡萄，所以那地方叫做以實各谷。

以色列人離開埃及，用了三個月走到西乃曠野（出19:1），在西乃山停留大約十一個月，從神領受律法和製作帳幕，第二年年底，來到迦南地南邊的加低斯。他們差派12個探子打探迦南地，發現那地果然是流奶與蜜之地，但是除了約書亞和迦勒以外的探子回報惡訊：住那地的民強壯高大，城邑也堅固寬大，我們看自己就如蚱蜢一樣（民13:21-33）。全會眾畏懼害怕、喧嚷哭號，向摩西、亞倫發怨言，惹動神的怒氣宣告：按窺探那地的四十日，一年頂一日，以色列人要擔罪，在曠野飄流四十年，直到屍首在曠野消滅（民14:27-35）。

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How God Fulfilled His Promises

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Acts 13:26-41.  As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

Acts 13:26-31 (NIV)
26  “Brothers, children of Abraham, and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent.
27  The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.
28  Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed.
29  When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.
30  But God raised him from the dead,
31  and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.
 
On verses 26-31:  Here Paul continues his sermon to the Jews at the synagogue in Pisidian Antoich.  Paul points out a number of ironies relating to the way Jesus was treated by the people of Jerusalem:

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