Coming Home Can Be Hard

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 6:1-6. 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 6:1-6 (NIV)
1  Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples.
2  When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles!
3  Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
4  Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor.”
5  He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.
6  And he was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village.
 
On verses 1-6:  Normally when a celebrity returns to their hometown, they receive an especially warm and passionate welcome.  But not in Jesus’ case.  Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth, and rather than being hailed as a hero people respond to Jesus with contempt and unbelief. 
 

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我喜欢

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哥林多前书2:9   神为爱祂的人所预备的是眼睛未曾看见，耳朵未曾听见，人心也未曾想到的。

听一群孩子唱「我喜欢」，心中有莫名的感动，唤醒了年少岁月的欢乐记忆…；在歌声中重温旧梦，想起神在我们四周环绕的预备，祂为我们彩绘自然美景、温炖亲情时光、弹奏高低音符、点缀生活零碎、编织成长场景、铺排生命历程…。

这一切的预备并不偶然，因着神的爱，祂为我预备，祂让我享有，祂让「我喜欢」；我知道「神为爱祂的人所预备的是眼睛未曾看见，耳朵未曾听见，人心也未曾想到的。」（哥林多前书2:9）

我感谢神为我预备新的一天！让我享有！也让我喜欢！

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Who Will You Listen To and Who Will You Ignore?

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 5:35-43. 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 5:35 (NIV)
35  While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher any more?”
 
On verse 35:  For everyone else in Jairus’ home, death meant the end, nothing more that could be done.  But for Jesus, when someone dies, that’s when his work is only just beginning.

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训词正直，快活人心

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诗篇19:8    耶和华的训词正直，能快活人的心。

诗篇91:5-7  圣经都是神所默示的，于教训、督责、使人归正、教导人学义都是有益的，叫属神的人得以完全，预备行各样的善事。

「耶和华的训词正直，能快活人的心(The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart)。」（诗篇19:8）训词的原文是פִּקּוּדִים (piqqudim)，关乎指引行为的准则，强调神在实际生活中的指导与细节命令。

使徒保罗强调神的训词「正直」所带来的影响力：对人有益，使人完全，能行善事。「圣经都是神所默示的，于教训、督责、使人归正、教导人学义都是有益的，叫属神的人得以完全，预备行各样的善事。」（提摩太后书3:16-17）

「训词」看似「限制」，实则「保护」，让我们远离罪的引诱和恶者的攻击，我们的心自然满足、快活(rejoicing)；诚如大卫的赞美诗提到：「你必不怕黑夜的惊骇，或是白日飞的箭，也不怕黑夜行的瘟疫，或是午间灭人的毒病。虽有千人仆倒在你旁边，万人仆倒在你右边，这灾却不得临近你。」（诗篇91:5-7）

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Fall at Jesus’ Feet and Experience His Power

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 5:21-34. 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 5:21-23 (NIV)
21  When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake.
22  Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet
23  and pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.”

On verses 21-23:  Had the people living in the region of the Garasenes welcomed Jesus to stay, Jesus may not have crossed over to the other side of the lake and met Jairus and his dying daughter so soon. 

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Don’t Entertain Evil Spirits, but Welcome Jesus

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 5:11-20. 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 5:11-13 (NIV)
11  A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside.
12  The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.”
13  He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.
 
On verses 11-13:  Notice a couple things here.  First, notice the authority of Jesus.  When Jesus confronted the demons, the demons could only beg for mercy and plead that they take refuge in the pigs instead of the man they had possessed. 

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法度确定，人得智慧

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诗篇8:3-4    我观看祢指头所造的天，并祢所陈设的月亮星宿，便说：「人算什么，祢竟顾念他？世人算什么，祢竟眷顾他？

「耶和华的法度确定，能使愚人有智慧(The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple)。」（诗篇19:7）法度的原文是עֵדוּת (‘edut)，指神为自己作的见证，用来表明神的诫命是真实可信的，见证祂的属性与作为。

「愚人」指的是单纯、天真、容易受引诱的一般人，也就是「我们」。「神的法度确定，让愚人得智慧」，亦即「神的作为明确，让我们得智慧」。

现今世代知识泛滥，智慧似乎唾手可得，但真正的智慧并非只是资讯的堆叠，而是源自对神的认识，明白神的作为。这段经文谈的「法度」是神作为的见证，诚如诗篇19篇前面1-6节（现代中文译本2019版）所描述：

「诸天宣布神的荣耀；穹苍传扬祂的作为。
日日述说，夜夜传播；无言无语，无音无响。
然而，它们的音讯传遍人间；它们的言语远达天涯。

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Jesus is Greater Any Legion of Doom

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 5:1-10. 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 5:1-5 (NIV)
1  They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.
2  When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him.
3  This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him any more, not even with a chain.
4  For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him.
5  Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
 
On verses 1-5:  Notice what happened when Satan got a hold of this man’s life: the man had unusual strength (v4) and yet he spent his days among dead people, living in the tombs (v3), cutting himself with stones (v5) and desperate for help. 

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律法全备，苏醒人心

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诗篇19:7 耶和华的律法全备，能苏醒人心。耶和华的法度确定，能使愚人有智慧。

「耶和华的律法全备，能苏醒人心(The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul)。」（诗篇19:7）律法的原文是תּוֹרָה (torah)，原意为「教导、指引」，犹太人通常指其为摩西五经，是神整体启示的总称，不仅是法律，也包含生命的方向与智慧之道。

这句话简单却深刻地揭示了神话语的力量：不是知识上的增加，也不是道德上的提升，而是心灵的苏醒。当人陷入疲惫、困惑、甚至灵魂沉睡的状态时，唯有神全备的话语能唤醒里面那个真正的自己，让人重新得力。

查克·寇尔森(Chuck Colson)曾是美国前总统尼克森的特别顾问，1972年卷入轰动一时的水门案，因违法蒐集总统大选情资而于1974年入狱服刑。

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光明中，或是黑暗里

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「人若说自己在光明中，却恨他的弟兄，他到如今还是在黑暗里。爱弟兄的，就是住在光明中，在他并没有绊跌的缘由。惟独恨弟兄的，是在黑暗里，且在黑暗里行，也不知道往哪里去，因为黑暗叫他眼睛瞎了。」（约翰壹书2:9-11）

使徒约翰谈到「恨」让人眼睛瞎了，活在黑暗里，在黑暗里行，不知往哪里去。比较、论断、批评、怨恨很容易贬低别人，抬高自己，就犹如在舞台上当灯光聚焦自己时，我们所看到舞台下的群众是乌黑一片，我们以为自己在光明中，其实看不见四周环境，我们是在黑暗里，眼睛瞎了！

1994年，卢安达发生种族大屠杀，占85%人口的胡图族(Hutu)人，声称要杀光占14%的图西族人，100天内夺走至少80万条生命。当时伊玛奇蕾．伊莉芭吉札(Immaculee Ilibagiza)还是大学生，她被一位胡图族牧师藏匿在一间小厕所中，与7位妇女一起蜷缩躲藏了91天，体重从51公斤掉到21公斤。

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