一粒麥子的勇氣

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馬可福音13:7-10

7 你們聽見打仗和打仗的風聲，不要驚慌，這些事是必須有的，只是末期還沒有到。 8 民要攻打民，國要攻打國，多處必有地震、饑荒，這都是災難[a]的起頭。

9 「但你們要謹慎，因為人要把你們交給公會，並且你們在會堂裡要受鞭打，又為我的緣故站在諸侯與君王面前，對他們作見證。 10 然而，福音必須先傳給萬民。

帶著擔憂，我們走入2025年，因為我們親眼看見耶穌的提醒：
「你們聽見打仗和打仗的風聲，不要驚慌。這些事是必須有的，只是末期還沒有到。民要攻打民，國要攻打國；多處必有地震、饑荒。這都是災難的起頭。」（馬可福音13:7-8）

帶著使命，我們走入2025年，因為我們明白領受耶穌的託付：
「但你們要謹慎；因為人要把你們交給公會，並且你們在會堂裡要受鞭打，又為我的緣故站在諸侯與君王面前，對他們作見證。然而，福音必須先傳給萬民。」（馬可福音13:9-10）

帶著信心，我們走入2025年，學習年少的大衛面對挑戰（身高六肘零一虎口的迦特人歌利亞），他宣告：
「你來攻擊我，是靠著刀槍和銅戟；我來攻擊你，是靠著萬軍之耶和華的名…；又使這眾人知道耶和華使人得勝，不是用刀用槍，因為爭戰的勝敗全在乎耶和華。他必將你們交在我們手裡。」（撒母耳記上17:45-47）

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The Edge of Experience

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 18:1-18.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

2 Samuel 18:1-4 (NIV)
1  David mustered the men who were with him and appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.
2  David sent the troops out–a third under the command of Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. The king told the troops, “I myself will surely march out with you.”
3  But the men said, “You must not go out; if we are forced to flee, they won’t care about us. Even if half of us die, they won’t care; but you are worth ten thousand of us. It would be better now for you to give us support from the city.”
4  The king answered, “I will do whatever seems best to you.” So the king stood beside the gate while all the men marched out in units of hundreds and of thousands.

On verses 1-4:  David organizes his troops and volunteers to personally march out with them, but David’s men tell David, “You must not go out…Even if half of us die, they won’t care; but you are worth ten thousand to us.” (v3)  So David stands beside the gate while his troops go out and fight Absalom’s army in the forest, many of them giving their lives for David’s cause (v4-8).  

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與神和好

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哥林多後書5:17-19      所以，若有人在基督裏，他就是新造的人，舊事已過，都變成新的了。 18一切都是出於上帝；他藉著基督使我們與他和好，又將勸人與他和好的使命賜給我們。 19這就是：上帝在基督裏使世人與自己和好，不將他們的過犯歸到他們身上，並且將這和好的信息託付了我們。

一年即將過去，「關係」的變化與抉擇左右了我們大半年的生活步調和情緒起伏，不知你我今年過得好嗎？跟人的關係好嗎？跟神的關係好嗎？

中文「關」字的原意與閉門用的橫木有關。在古代，「關」指的是門閂或門栓，用來把門固定或關閉；「關」用來指守衛處所，如關口和關隘，用於遏止或管理人員與物資的進出，也引申成為「關閉」的意思。另外，因為門閂可以控制門的開關，「關」也引申為控制、影響等意思，如「關鍵」。

「係」當名詞用，是繫物的繩子；若作動詞，可表示「關連、牽涉」，亦可作為書面化的連接詞，表達「是」的意思，例如「確係」、「實係」。將「關」與「係」結合在一起，形成「關係」，表示兩個或多個事物間的聯繫或相互影響。例如，朋友間的關係、工作上的關係等。

「關係」的英文是「relation」，源自於拉丁文「relatio」，意思是「帶回來，恢復」(a bringing back, restoring)。字尾「-lation」被用在多個英文字尾端，如：translation, inflation, calculation…，它表示與前端字根相關的操作或過程，描述了一種狀態、動作或過程。

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God Uses a Team to Save You

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 17:15-29.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

2 Samuel 17:15-22 (NIV)
15  Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, “Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the elders of Israel to do such and such, but I have advised them to do so and so.
16  Now send a message immediately and tell David, ‘Do not spend the night at the fords in the desert; cross over without fail, or the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.'”
17  Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En Rogel. A servant girl was to go and inform them, and they were to go and tell King David, for they could not risk being seen entering the city.

On verses 15-22:  Hushai has a message for King David that will save his life.  But notice how many people were involved in getting this life saving message to King David:

1. Hushai tells the priests Zadok and Abiathar (v15)
2. Zadok and Abiathar tell a servant girl (v17)
3. The servant girl tells Ahimaaz and Jonathan (who were the sons of Zadok and Abiathar respectively) (v17)

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Use Time to Your Advantage

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 17:1-14.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

Are you one who struggles with procrastinating or meeting deadlines?  Today’s passage, 2 Samuel 17:1-14, contains a valuable lesson for you.  Let’s go!

2 Samuel 17:1-14 (NIV)
1  Ahithophel said to Absalom, “I would choose twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David.
2  I would attack him while he is weary and weak. I would strike him with terror, and then all the people with him will flee. I would strike down only the king
3  and bring all the people back to you. The death of the man you seek will mean the return of all; all the people will be unharmed.”
4  This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.

On verses 1-14:  Now that Absalom had taken over the throne in Israel, Absalom’s attention turned to how he should eliminate his father David completely.  Ahithophel advises Absalom to stage an immediate and focused attack against David that same night, using a relatively small force of 12,000 men to pursue and strike down David alone while leaving all of David’s followers unharmed.  Ahithophel’s thought was that Absalom should strike now while David and his men were still weary and weak from fleeing Jerusalem.

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盡力而為，然後休息(Do Your Best, Then Rest)

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詩篇 46:10  你們要休息，要知道我是神！我必在外邦中被尊崇，在遍地上也被尊崇。

約翰福音15: 5  我是葡萄樹，你們是枝子。常在我裡面的，我也常在他裡面，這人就多結果子；因為離了我，你們就不能做什麼。

生活中我們經常認定我們應該努力讓事業成長，讓家庭豐裕，讓孩子做正確的事。我們一直有壓力必須去解決問題、改善現況，因此努力奮鬥，想要做得更好；內心持續爭戰著「沒有休息，沒有平安」。

詩篇46:10說：「你們要休息（原文可譯為安靜、或放輕鬆），要知道我是神！」另一種翻譯是：「停止你的努力，承認我是上帝。」如果我們一直處於自我奮鬥模式，試圖解決一切問題，認為結果的好壞都取決於自己，我們就不會知道祂是神，也無法領受祂的恩惠和良善。

當我們意識到我們沒有責任讓一切事情都順利完成時，我們會感到非常自由。把神放在第一位，祂就會帶給我們所需要的。所有的努力只會讓我們精疲力盡、感到不知所措、徹夜難眠、帶來情緒問題。

卸下壓力！我們無法讓人們做正確的事，讓同事喜歡你，讓財務狀況好轉；我們的工作就是每天做到最好，榮耀上帝，祂會讓夢想成真。

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我父的家、我父的事

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路加福音2:40-52

40孩子漸漸長大，強健起來，充滿智慧，又有神的恩在他身上。

41 每年到逾越節，他父母就上耶路撒冷去。 42 當他十二歲的時候，他們按著節期的規矩上去。 43 守滿了節期，他們回去，孩童耶穌仍舊在耶路撒冷，他的父母並不知道， 44 以為他在同行的人中間。走了一天的路程，就在親族和熟識的人中找他， 45 既找不著，就回耶路撒冷去找他。 46 過了三天，就遇見他在殿裡，坐在教師中間，一面聽一面問。

有別於其他三卷福音書，解經家認為路加福音著重於描述耶穌「完全人」（人子耶穌）的身分，2:40-52單獨記載了耶穌年少的成長：孩子漸漸長大，強健起來，充滿智慧，又有神的恩在祂身上（2:40）。

按照猶太人的律例，男孩在3歲斷奶，穿有繸子的衣服，母親開始教導孩子，5歲學習律法撮要和問答，滿了12歲，就被稱為「律法之子」，開始遵行「律例」。到了第13個生日，就要學習禁食，初次像猶太成人祈禱時一樣，佩帶經文，到了30歲能進會堂念聖經，正式成為會堂成員。

當耶穌12歲時，跟隨父母按著節期規矩上耶路撒冷去。守滿了節期，回程中，父母在親族和熟識的人中找不著耶穌，於是回耶路撒冷找祂，過了三天，在聖殿裡找著正坐在教師中間，邊聽邊問的耶穌。眾人希奇祂的聰明和應對，母親焦急地對祂說：「我兒！…看哪，你父親和我傷心來找你！」（2:42-48）

耶穌回答說：「為甚麼找我呢？豈不知我應當以我父的事為念嗎（或譯：豈不知我應當在我父的家裡嗎）？」（2:49）

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Before You Take Someone’s Advice

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 16:15-23.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

In this passage Absalom talks with two of David’s most trusted royal advisors in Israel: Hushai and Ahithophel.  While deep down Hushai is committed to protecting David, Ahithophel appears bent on destroying David.  

2 Samuel 16:15-19 (NIV) 
15 Meanwhile, Absalom and all the men of Israel came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel was with him. 
16 Then Hushai the Arkite, David’s friend, went to Absalom and said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!” 
17 Absalom asked Hushai, “Is this the love you show your friend? Why didn’t you go with your friend?” 

On verses 15-19:  Hushai, a devoted friend and advisor of David, follows David’s instructions (15:32-37).  He goes to Absalom’s camp pretending to side with Absalom (v15-16).  Absalom is suspicious and questions Hushai (v17). 

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2 Types of People You Meet in Your Tough Times

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 16:1-14.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

2 Samuel 16:1-8 (NIV)
1  When David had gone a short distance beyond the summit, there was Ziba, the steward of Mephibosheth, waiting to meet him. He had a string of donkeys saddled and loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred cakes of raisins, a hundred cakes of figs and a skin of wine.
2  The king asked Ziba, “Why have you brought these?” Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the desert.”

On verses 1-8:  As David continues his journey into exile, David meets Ziba, the servant of Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth.  Ziba brings a surprisingly large supply of donkeys, bread, cakes and wine to help David and his men on their journey.  When David asks Ziba where his crippled master Mephibosheth is, Ziba replies that Mephibosheth didn’t join David because Mephibosheth sees David’s exile as his opportunity to have David’s kingdom transferred back to him and his family (v3). 

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長者得見救恩、傳承盼望

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路加福音2:21-39

滿了八天，就給孩子行割禮，與他起名叫耶穌，這就是沒有成胎以前天使所起的名。

22 按摩西律法滿了潔淨的日子，他們帶著孩子上耶路撒冷去，要把他獻於主， 23 正如主的律法上所記：「凡頭生的男子，必稱聖歸主。」 24 又要照主的律法上所說，「或用一對斑鳩，或用兩隻雛鴿」獻祭。

25 在耶路撒冷有一個人名叫西面，這人又公義又虔誠，素常盼望以色列的安慰者來到，又有聖靈在他身上。 26 他得了聖靈的啟示，知道自己未死以前，必看見主所立的基督。 27 他受了聖靈的感動，進入聖殿，正遇見耶穌的父母抱著孩子進來，要照律法的規矩辦理。 28 西面就用手接過他來，稱頌神，說： 29 「主啊，如今可以照你的話，釋放僕人安然去世！ 30 因為我的眼睛已經看見你的救恩， 31 就是你在萬民面前所預備的， 32 是照亮外邦人的光，又是你民以色列的榮耀。」

路加福音2:21-39記載耶穌出生滿了八天後，領受割禮，並起名叫耶穌（沒有成胎以前，天使所起的名字；馬太福音1:21）；再按照摩西律法，在母親馬利亞滿了潔淨的日子（40天；利未記12:2-8），他們帶著孩子上耶路撒冷去，把祂獻與神（凡頭生的男子必分別為聖歸與神；出埃及記13:2）。

耶穌的父母抱著孩子進入聖殿，遇見一個人名叫西面，他為人又公義又虔誠，素常盼望以色列的安慰者來到，又有聖靈在他身上。西面用手接過孩子，稱頌神說：「主啊！如今可以照祢的話，釋放僕人安然去世；因為我的眼睛已經看見祢的救恩，就是祢在萬民面前所預備的：是照亮外邦人的光，又是祢民以色列的榮耀。」（2:29-32）

西面盼望尋見神，在年老的時候，他親手抱耶穌，親眼得見救恩；於是，欣然求神釋放他安然去世，他知道耶穌為他開啟那條路，那條路能到父那裡去（約翰福音14:6）

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