一粒麦子的勇气

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马可福音13:7-10

7 你们听见打仗和打仗的风声，不要惊慌，这些事是必须有的，只是末期还没有到。 8 民要攻打民，国要攻打国，多处必有地震、饥荒，这都是灾难[a]的起头。

9 「但你们要谨慎，因为人要把你们交给公会，并且你们在会堂里要受鞭打，又为我的缘故站在诸侯与君王面前，对他们作见证。 10 然而，福音必须先传给万民。

带着担忧，我们走入2025年，因为我们亲眼看见耶稣的提醒：
「你们听见打仗和打仗的风声，不要惊慌。这些事是必须有的，只是末期还没有到。民要攻打民，国要攻打国；多处必有地震、饥荒。这都是灾难的起头。」（马可福音13:7-8）

带着使命，我们走入2025年，因为我们明白领受耶稣的托付：
「但你们要谨慎；因为人要把你们交给公会，并且你们在会堂里要受鞭打，又为我的缘故站在诸侯与君王面前，对他们作见证。然而，福音必须先传给万民。」（马可福音13:9-10）

带着信心，我们走入2025年，学习年少的大卫面对挑战（身高六肘零一虎口的迦特人歌利亚），他宣告：
「你来攻击我，是靠着刀枪和铜戟；我来攻击你，是靠着万军之耶和华的名…；又使这众人知道耶和华使人得胜，不是用刀用枪，因为争战的胜败全在乎耶和华。他必将你们交在我们手里。」（撒母耳记上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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与神和好

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哥林多后书5:17-19      所以，若有人在基督里，他就是新造的人，旧事已过，都变成新的了。 18一切都是出于上帝；他借着基督使我们与他和好，又将劝人与他和好的使命赐给我们。 19这就是：上帝在基督里使世人与自己和好，不将他们的过犯归到他们身上，并且将这和好的信息托付了我们。

一年即将过去，「关系」的变化与抉择左右了我们大半年的生活步调和情绪起伏，不知你我今年过得好吗？跟人的关系好吗？跟神的关系好吗？

中文「关」字的原意与闭门用的横木有关。在古代，「关」指的是门闩或门栓，用来把门固定或关闭；「关」用来指守卫处所，如关口和关隘，用于遏止或管理人员与物资的进出，也引申成为「关闭」的意思。另外，因为门闩可以控制门的开关，「关」也引申为控制、影响等意思，如「关键」。

「系」当名词用，是系物的绳子；若作动词，可表示「关连、牵涉」，亦可作为书面化的连接词，表达「是」的意思，例如「确系」、「实系」。将「关」与「系」结合在一起，形成「关系」，表示两个或多个事物间的联系或相互影响。例如，朋友间的关系、工作上的关系等。

「关系」的英文是「relation」，源自于拉丁文「relatio」，意思是「带回来，恢复」(a bringing back, restoring)。字尾「-lation」被用在多个英文字尾端，如：translation, inflation, calculation…，它表示与前端字根相关的操作或过程，描述了一种状态、动作或过程。

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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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尽力而为，然后休息(Do Your Best, Then Rest)

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

约翰福音15: 5  我是葡萄树，你们是枝子。常在我里面的，我也常在他里面，这人就多结果子；因为离了我，你们就不能做什么。

生活中我们经常认定我们应该努力让事业成长，让家庭丰裕，让孩子做正确的事。我们一直有压力必须去解决问题、改善现况，因此努力奋斗，想要做得更好；内心持续争战着「没有休息，没有平安」。

诗篇46:10说：「你们要休息（原文可译为安静、或放轻松），要知道我是神！」另一种翻译是：「停止你的努力，承认我是上帝。」如果我们一直处于自我奋斗模式，试图解决一切问题，认为结果的好坏都取决于自己，我们就不会知道祂是神，也无法领受祂的恩惠和良善。

当我们意识到我们没有责任让一切事情都顺利完成时，我们会感到非常自由。把神放在第一位，祂就会带给我们所需要的。所有的努力只会让我们精疲力尽、感到不知所措、彻夜难眠、带来情绪问题。

卸下压力！我们无法让人们做正确的事，让同事喜欢你，让财务状况好转；我们的工作就是每天做到最好，荣耀上帝，祂会让梦想成真。

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我父的家、我父的事

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路加福音2:40-52

40孩子渐渐长大，强健起来，充满智慧，又有神的恩在他身上。

41 每年到逾越节，他父母就上耶路撒冷去。 42 当他十二岁的时候，他们按着节期的规矩上去。 43 守满了节期，他们回去，孩童耶稣仍旧在耶路撒冷，他的父母并不知道， 44 以为他在同行的人中间。走了一天的路程，就在亲族和熟识的人中找他， 45 既找不着，就回耶路撒冷去找他。 46 过了三天，就遇见他在殿里，坐在教师中间，一面听一面问。

有别于其他三卷福音书，解经家认为路加福音着重于描述耶稣「完全人」（人子耶稣）的身分，2:40-52单独记载了耶稣年少的成长：孩子渐渐长大，强健起来，充满智慧，又有神的恩在祂身上（2:40）。

按照犹太人的律例，男孩在3岁断奶，穿有䍁子的衣服，母亲开始教导孩子，5岁学习律法撮要和问答，满了12岁，就被称为「律法之子」，开始遵行「律例」。到了第13个生日，就要学习禁食，初次像犹太成人祈祷时一样，佩带经文，到了30岁能进会堂念圣经，正式成为会堂成员。

当耶稣12岁时，跟随父母按着节期规矩上耶路撒冷去。守满了节期，回程中，父母在亲族和熟识的人中找不着耶稣，于是回耶路撒冷找祂，过了三天，在圣殿里找著正坐在教师中间，边听边问的耶稣。众人希奇祂的聪明和应对，母亲焦急地对祂说：「我儿！…看哪，你父亲和我伤心来找你！」（2:42-48）

耶稣回答说：「为甚么找我呢？岂不知我应当以我父的事为念吗（或译：岂不知我应当在我父的家里吗）？」（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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长者得见救恩、传承盼望

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路加福音2:21-39

满了八天，就给孩子行割礼，与他起名叫耶稣，这就是没有成胎以前天使所起的名。

22 按摩西律法满了洁净的日子，他们带着孩子上耶路撒冷去，要把他献于主， 23 正如主的律法上所记：「凡头生的男子，必称圣归主。」 24 又要照主的律法上所说，「或用一对斑鸠，或用两只雏鸽」献祭。

25 在耶路撒冷有一个人名叫西面，这人又公义又虔诚，素常盼望以色列的安慰者来到，又有圣灵在他身上。 26 他得了圣灵的启示，知道自己未死以前，必看见主所立的基督。 27 他受了圣灵的感动，进入圣殿，正遇见耶稣的父母抱着孩子进来，要照律法的规矩办理。 28 西面就用手接过他来，称颂神，说： 29 「主啊，如今可以照你的话，释放仆人安然去世！ 30 因为我的眼睛已经看见你的救恩， 31 就是你在万民面前所预备的， 32 是照亮外邦人的光，又是你民以色列的荣耀。」

路加福音2:21-39记载耶稣出生满了八天后，领受割礼，并起名叫耶稣（没有成胎以前，天使所起的名字；马太福音1:21）；再按照摩西律法，在母亲马利亚满了洁净的日子（40天；利未记12:2-8），他们带着孩子上耶路撒冷去，把祂献与神（凡头生的男子必分别为圣归与神；出埃及记13:2）。

耶稣的父母抱着孩子进入圣殿，遇见一个人名叫西面，他为人又公义又虔诚，素常盼望以色列的安慰者来到，又有圣灵在他身上。西面用手接过孩子，称颂神说：「主啊！如今可以照祢的话，释放仆人安然去世；因为我的眼睛已经看见祢的救恩，就是祢在万民面前所预备的：是照亮外邦人的光，又是祢民以色列的荣耀。」（2:29-32）

西面盼望寻见神，在年老的时候，他亲手抱耶稣，亲眼得见救恩；于是，欣然求神释放他安然去世，他知道耶稣为他开启那条路，那条路能到父那里去（约翰福音14:6）

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