With Prayer Comes THIS

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 9:24-32.  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 9:24 (NIV)
24  Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” 

On verse 24:  After realizing that the size of his own faith mattered, the boy’s father declares his faith in Jesus and asks Jesus to help him overcome his unbelief.  That is a legitimate prayer and request you can make to God: “help me overcome my unbelief”.  When you pray that way, you’re coming to God honestly, humbly and with an open mind.  God loves to give grace to those who come before Him with honesty, humility and an open mind.

微光中的盼望

馬太福音 19:26  耶穌看著他們說:「在人這是不能的,在神凡事都能。」

馬太福音5:14 你們是世上的光。城造在山上,是不能隱藏的。

張進益牧師1972年生於台灣台中市,家中有六姊一兄,小時候因為爸爸生意不順而搬到台中漁村生活。他於高中輟學後跟隨其兄加入黑社會,成為率眾吸毒、鬥毆及勒索的黑幫分子。他的人生就像深夜中一艘沒有燈塔引導的船,不斷被暗礁擊碎。兩度入獄的他,甚至一度覺得自己的人生「沒有翻身的可能」。

他因重度毒癮造成身體嚴重創傷,在苗栗「仰望之家」的幫助下,他遇見了神的光。這光不僅照亮了他的罪,也溫暖了他冰冷的心。他開始戒毒、悔改,接受裝備,成為少年事工的牧者。

2001年,張進益攜手妻子楊淑慧及更生團契台灣總會成立「更生團契桃園少年之家」,2010年取「上帝大大改變我們」之意創立「大改樂團」,2017年1月,成立「榮益教會」,並擔任該教會牧師。

The Size of Your Faith Matters

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 9:14-23.  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 9:14-23 (NIV)
14  When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them.
15  As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him.
16  “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked.

On verses 14-23:  At first in verse 19 it seems that Jesus is rebuking his disciples for their lack of faith.  But in verse 23, Jesus turns his attention to the father’s apparent lack of faith (v23).  The father’s words “If you can” suggest that the father’s faith was not strong that Jesus could help his demon-possessed son.  So when Jesus says in verse 19 “O unbelieving generation”, perhaps Jesus is not just referring to his disciples but also to those who would come to Jesus for help.

All (o) in God is good

哥林多後書1:20  神的應許不論有多少,在基督都是是的,所以藉著祂也都是實在的,叫神因我們得榮耀。

雅各書 1:17  各樣美善的恩賜和各樣全備的賞賜都是從上頭來的,從眾光之父那裡降下來的,在祂並沒有改變,也沒有轉動的影兒。

在主日早晨的崇拜中,腦海裡浮出一個感動:在G-o-d中多加一個 “o”,你就會得到G-o-o-d,從英文字面上呈現「All (o) in God is good(一切在神裡面都是好的)」(Put an extra “o” into G-o-d and you get G-o-o-d. So literally, all (o) in God is good.)。

創世記第一章描述神的創造:神說話,於是光、天空(空氣)、陸地、海洋、植物、日月星辰、空中與水中動物、地上動物和人類,就逐日出現。每一日創造之後,都有一句重複的宣告:「神看著是好的」(創世記1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25)。

到第六日結束時,更進一步說:「神看著一切所造的都甚好。」(創世記1:31)。

Understanding the Transfiguration of Jesus

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 9:1-13.  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 9:1-2 (NIV)
1  And he said to them, “I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.”
2  After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them.
 
On verses 1-2:  It’s not too much of a stretch to say that when Jesus lived on earth, His glory was under cover, veiled by human flesh.  For while Jesus came to the world revealing God’s glory, in some ways by being limited to a human form Jesus was also concealing God’s glory. 

生生不息

「凡信耶穌是基督的,都是從神而生,凡愛生他之神的,也必愛從神生的。我們若愛神,又遵守祂的誡命,從此就知道我們愛神的兒女。我們遵守神的誡命,這就是愛祂了,並且祂的誡命不是難守的。因為凡從神生的,就勝過世界;使我們勝了世界的,就是我們的信心。」(約翰壹書5:1-4)

願台灣的風聲、雨聲、虛聲、怨聲、怒聲…,聲聲止息!
願台灣從神而生,因愛、因信、因盼望而生,生生不息!

佇(在)東方的太平洋,有一個島嶼,伊(她)的名叫做台灣。
青翠山脈,藍色的海,彼(她)是上帝尚(最)美的恩賜。
感謝上帝,創造天地,賞賜美麗的土地。
勤奮的人民,善良溫純,若像上帝榮耀的日光。
一代傳一代,永永世世,阮(我們)欲(要)榮耀上帝的日光。
啦~ 啦~ 阮欲感謝祢,賞賜阮美麗的土地。
啦~ 啦~ 阮欲感謝祢,阮欲榮耀上帝的日光。

早晨到學校的途中看見台南西邊一道彩虹,想起神所立的永約:

Who Are You Living For?

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 8:31-38.  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 8:31-33 (NIV)
31  He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.
32  He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
33  But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
 
On verses 31-33:  Peter rebuked Jesus for talking about how Jesus must suffer many things, be rejected by the religious establishment, be killed and rise again after three days. 

彼面桶的水 / 那一桶的水

約翰福音 13:8 彼得說:「你絕不可洗我的腳,永遠不可!」

耶穌說:「如果我不洗你,你就與我沒有份了。」

《彼面桶水》(台語/ 那一桶水) 由中山大學李忠潘教授思念父親填詞,王明哲作曲,細膩描繪父親的愛。李忠潘有九個兄弟姊妹,他與兄長都是博士,其他姊弟妹也都有成就,惟父母並未受教育,每日辛苦打拼撫養子女,盼子女有成。

父母為省錢,以古井打水,一桶清水先洗小孩的臉,後再洗身體,直到水桶的水黑了。在打水洗澡時光流轉間,小孩隨著時間漸長大,李忠潘細膩描述思念回憶過往家人相處、父母疼愛與至今的感受…。

一面桶的井水,是每日暗頭仔,咱約定的所在。(那一桶井水,是每天黃昏後,我們約定的地方)
彼面桶的水,咱作夥洗面,揉身軀及洗腳;(那一桶水,我們一起臉,擦身體和洗腳)
彼面桶的水,有你操勞的汗,嘛有你對阮的疼。(那一桶水,有你操勞的汗,也有你對我們的愛)

It Takes More Than One Touch

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 8:22-30.  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 8:22-26 (NIV)
22  They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.
23  He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”

On verses 22-26:  I appreciate Mark’s honesty here.  Here we have a case where it took not one but two touches from Jesus for this blind man to be healed.  Some might see this as an embarrassing fact for Jesus.  I don’t.  To me there are some important lessons we can learn from this miracle:

他是我父親 / 他是我孩子

約翰壹書4:7  親愛的弟兄啊,我們應當彼此相愛,因為愛是從神來的。凡有愛心的,都是由神而生,並且認識神。

以賽亞書46:3-4 雅各家,以色列家一切餘剩的,要聽我言!你們自從生下,就蒙我保抱;自從出胎,便蒙我懷揣。4 直到你們年老,我仍這樣;直到你們髮白,我仍懷揣。我已造做,也必保抱;我必懷抱,也必拯救。

一位帶著工程帽、穿著沾滿污漬工作服、皮膚黝黑的父親徘徊在校門口,心裡忐忑不安地想著,下了課的小明今天是否又是衣衫不整、鼻青眼腫,可能還伴隨著老師的告狀:「誰是小明的爸爸?」

一群孩子蜂湧而出校門,宏亮的聲音冒出:「那個沒打領帶、黑黑的,就是我爸爸!」父親望著迎面而來的小明,帽子歪了,鞋帶鬆了,書包沒扣好…,衣衫看來完整,還擠眉弄眼,父親長舒一口氣。跟在後頭的老師,微笑揮手說:「小明的爸爸,明天父親節,歡迎你出席家長座談會。」父親點了個頭,牽著小明的手離開校門口。