Keep a Soft Heart Toward God

/in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 4:10-20. With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Mark 4:10-12 (NIV)
10  When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables.
11  He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables
12  so that, “‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!'”
 
On verses 10-12:  Yesterday we learned one reason why Jesus taught in parables: to make truth about the kingdom of God easier for his disciples to understand and remember. 

Read more

重新来过—在基督里的新生命

/in , /by

约翰福音3:3  人若不重生，就不能见神的国。

哥林多后书5:17  若有人在基督里，他就是新造的人，旧事已过，都变成新的了。

在人生旅途中，跌倒与失败无可避免。我们往往背负著过去的重担，觉得无法翻转，怀疑是否还有「重新来过」的可能。但使徒保罗告诉我们：「若有人在基督里，他就是新造的人，旧事已过，都变成新的了。」（哥林多后书5:17）

这节经文是神向每一颗愿意悔改的心所发出的应许，在基督里，罪得赦免，我们一直有「重新来过」的机会。当人悔改归向神，不论过去如何，神都能使生命焕然一新。

法利赛人尼哥底母夜里来见耶稣，耶稣对他说：「人若不重生，就不能见神的国。」（约翰福音3:3）重生不是肉体上的重新开始，而是灵里的转变，从神而生，让神掌权，是一个全新的属灵身分。

Read more

Aim to Be a Great Communicator

/in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 4:1-9. With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Mark 4:1 (NIV)
1  Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge.
 
On verse 1:  According to many scholars, Jesus’ voice would project more clearly by sitting in a boat out on a lake than standing on the shore.  This would make a difference especially when speaking to a large crowd, as Jesus often would. 

Read more

勇气是看得见的信心

/in , /by

约书亚记1:9    你当刚强壮胆！不要惧怕，也不要惊惶；因为你无论往哪里去，耶和华你的神必与你同在。

撒迦利亚书4:6  万军之耶和华说：不是倚靠势力，不是倚靠才能，乃是倚靠我的灵方能成事。

在这充满挑战与变化的世代里，勇气是让我们成长与更新的驱动力，勇气不仅是没有惧怕，而是在惧怕中仍然选择相信与前行，勇气是「付诸行动的信心」，是「看得见的信心」。

当摩西死后，神对约书亚说：「你当刚强壮胆！不要惧怕，也不要惊惶；因为你无论往哪里去，耶和华你的神必与你同在。」（约书亚记1:9）这不是空泛的鼓励，而是「神同在」的承诺，这承诺赋予约书亚勇气，他带领以色列人进迦南地。

大卫面对巨人歌利亚时，说：「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…。」（撒母耳记上17:45）勇气是自信，相信自己的倚靠是神，不是倚靠势力，不是倚靠才能，乃是倚靠神的灵方能成事（撒迦利亚书4:6）。

Read more

愿神赐福给你

/in , /by

愿你在这新的一天，领受从神而来丰盛的祝福：
「愿耶和华赐福给你，保护你。愿耶和华使祂的脸光照你，赐恩给你。愿耶和华向你仰脸，赐你平安。」（民数记6:24-26）

亲爱的，你是神所看重的，在这新的一天：
愿你的心充满平安，享有神的同在，不惧外在的纷扰；
愿你的眼定睛仰望，看见神的作为，不为世界所绊跌；
愿你的耳警醒聆听，领受神的导引，不被迷惑所吸引；
愿你的口常说恩言，传讲神的话语，带出鼓励与安慰；
愿你的手殷勤善工，经历与神同工，结满恩典的果实；
愿你的脚稳步前行，倚靠神的大能，行出正直与慈爱；
愿你在人群中活出恩典的见证，成为祝福的管道；
愿你在软弱中得力量，在黑暗中见光明；
愿你今日经历神的同在，知道祂从不离开你。

Read more

Misunderstood By Your Family?

/in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 3:31-35. With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Mark 3:31-35 (NIV)
31  Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him.
32  A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”
33  “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.

On verses 31-35:  Jesus was known for making shocking statements, but what did Jesus mean exactly when he said that “whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother” (v34-35)?  Jesus means that those who believe in Jesus and follow Him are Jesus’ true family.

Read more

起初我坚信是对的

/in , /by

箴言14:12    有一条路，人以为正，至终成为死亡之路。

箴言3:5-6    你要专心仰赖耶和华，不可倚靠自己的聪明；在你一切所行的事上都要认定祂，祂必指引你的路。

在人类历史的洪流中，有些决策起初带着坚定的信念与高尚的动机，却最终引来损失与灾难。

在宗教历史中，十字军东征是一个沉痛的例子。十一世纪，欧洲基督徒怀着「为神而战」的热情，远征中东，企图收复耶路撒冷。他们相信这是捍卫信仰、完成神圣使命的行动。东征过程中，无数无辜生命被屠杀，宗教仇恨加深，基督爱的见证因此蒙羞。正义的旗帜掩盖了血腥的现实，留下历史难以抹去的伤痕。

在科技领域里，DDT的发明最初被用于杀死疟蚊与害虫，特别在二次大战时期保护士兵、防止疟疾与斑疹伤寒蔓延，被视为科技的胜利与人类福音，却忽略了它对生态与人体的长期危害。当鸟类生殖崩溃、生态链断裂，毒性累积在人体与土地中，人们才发现！这项「善意的发明」竟种下环境的恶果。

Read more

You Belong to Someone Stronger

/in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 3:20-30. With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Mark 3:20-22 (NIV)
20  Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat.
21  When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”
22  And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”

On verses 20-22:  In our day a lot of people long to be famous.  But here we learn something about fame from the most famous person of all, Jesus Christ: fame is a double-edged sword.  For example:

Read more

我心紧紧跟随祢

/in , /by

诗篇63:1  神啊，祢是我的神，我要切切寻求祢；在干旱疲乏无水之地，我的心渴想祢，我的肉体切慕祢。

当代著名的敬拜音乐创作者Don Moen，他在一天清晨的灵修读到：「神啊，祢是我的神，我要切切寻求祢；在干旱疲乏无水之地，我的心渴想祢，我的肉体切慕祢。」（诗篇63:1）

神的话触动他的心，他借此段经文创作了《My Soul Follows Hard After Thee（我心紧紧跟随祢）》这首敬拜诗歌。Don Moen曾提到：「这首歌帮助我在旅途中、在压力下，在一早醒来时，重新对焦于神，重新被祂的爱充满。」

我心紧紧跟随祢，清晨我必起身寻求祢；
因祢曾是我随时的帮助，我要在祢翅膀的荫下欢然歌唱。

主啊，我要爱祢、爱祢到永远！(x2)
主啊，我要全心全意地来爱祢！
主啊，我要跟随祢、跟随祢到永远！(x2)
主啊，我要全心全意地来跟随祢！
主啊，我要敬拜祢、敬拜祢到永远！(x2)
主啊，我要全心全意地来敬拜祢！

Read more

Jesus Values Teamwork

/in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 3:7-19. With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!
 
Mark 3:7-19 (NIV)
7  Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed.
8  When they heard all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon.

On verses 7-19:  For those of you who want to make a difference in this world, remember this lesson from Jesus’ life:  It’s not enough to draw a crowd.  You need to raise a team of leaders.

Given his abilities and the crowds he was drawing, Jesus could have chosen to be a one man show.  But wisely, that wasn’t Jesus’ way.  Jesus knew the value of a team. 

Read more