God’s Values vs. The World’s Values

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 12:1-12.  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 12:1-11 (NIV)
1  He then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey.
2  At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard.

On verses 1-11:  Being the master communicator, Jesus shares a simple, powerful, and arresting story that gives people a fresh understanding of a famous phrase in Scripture: “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone” (from Psalm 118:22-23).  At the same time, he uses this story to hint strongly at the tremendous evil that the chief priests, teachers of the law and elders were wanting to do to him.

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与祢有约

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希伯来书13:20-21 但愿赐平安的神，就是那凭永约之血、使群羊的大牧人─我主耶稣从死里复活的神，在各样善事上成全你们，叫你们遵行祂的旨意；又借着耶稣基督在你们心里行祂所喜悦的事。愿荣耀归给祂，直到永永远远。阿们！

人与人相处，结交朋友，可以意气相投，也可以道不同不相为谋，分道扬镳。然而，生命中的婚姻和受洗却截然不同，婚姻是夫妻间的立约，受洗则是与主立约，两者的生活及生命旅程建基于盟约关系，其实有着相似的成长轨迹。

第一步，是「得着」我喜欢的。婚姻的开始，源于彼此吸引，因为看见对方的可爱与美好。同样地，人在决志受洗时，往往是被主的爱吸引，得着赦免、平安、喜乐、盼望，这些是我们「喜欢」并渴慕的。婚姻和受洗的第一步总是美好，但好景总是短暂，人称其为「蜜月」，一个月或许会延续久些，就要面对现实。

第二步，是「面对」我不喜欢的。婚姻进入现实后，差异与冲突必然浮现，我们开始学习包容与接纳。跟随基督也意味着要面对挑战，悔改、被管教、舍己、十字架，这些不一定「讨喜」，甚至「不喜欢」，却是成长与真实的印记。这个阶段也不会太长，在衡量得失后，我们必须选择「坚持」或「放弃」。

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爱神、跟主、助人、尽己

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路加福音22:42 说：「父啊！祢若愿意，就把这杯撤去！然而，不要成就我的意思，只要成就祢的意思。」

哥林多后书1:24 我们并不是辖管你们的信心，乃是帮助你们的快乐，因为你们凭信才站立得住。

在生命与信仰的旅程中，我们常渴望爱神、跟随主、帮助人，也愿意尽己摆上。然而，稍不留心，这些美好的追求也可能失去焦点，落入自己的捆绑或骄傲中。

「爱神而不失神」：爱神是对焦于神，不仅是火热的感动、虔诚的外表、实际的服事，也需要在生活中实质的「与神同在」。若爱神变成了「爱感觉多于爱真理」、「爱事工多于爱神」，忽略了祷告、聆听、与神亲近，就可能「失焦于神」。真正的爱神，是在每一个时刻与祂同在。

「跟主而不自主」：跟随主是主权交托，跟随主的引导，不是高喊主名，却是坚持己意、偏行己路。若口里说跟随，内心仍抓紧自己的欲望与计画，就变成「挂名跟随，实则自主」。

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Unbelief vs. Honest Questions

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 11:27-33.  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 11:27-33 (NIV)
27  They arrived again in Jerusalem, and while Jesus was walking in the temple courts, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders came to him.
28  “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?”

On verses 27-33:  At one time Jesus’ critics claimed that it was by the prince of demons that Jesus drove out demons, basically attributing Jesus’ power to Satan.  But Jesus put that argument to rest (Mark 3:22-30).  Still, Jesus’ critics couldn’t figure out where Jesus’ power came from and they were also unwilling to acknowledge that God was behind Jesus’ ministry.  So they ask Jesus, “Who gave you the authority to do what you’re doing?” (v28)

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祂留意

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彼得前书1:7 叫你们的信心既被试验，就比那被火试验仍然能坏的金子更显宝贵，可以在耶稣基督显现的时候得著称赞、荣耀、尊贵。

耶利米书31:28 我先前怎样留意将他们拔出、拆毁、毁坏、倾覆、苦害，也必照样留意将他们建立、栽植。」这是耶和华说的。

七月台风暴雨肆虐过后，走过校园，望着榕园东南角的老榕树，惊喜发现光秃枝干上长出无数的嫩树芽。

早在2015年8月8日，这棵老榕树经历强烈台风摧残而严重受损，榕树东南侧枝完全断裂，西北侧部分断裂，只剩南侧枝大致良好，老榕树呈现目前的倒伏抓地姿态。新闻报导中称老榕树「腹裂肠爆」，景况至为悽惨。十年来，我经常造访倒伏抓地的老榕树，透过几株倒插天空的秃树干望向天空，对照旁边枝叶茂盛的巨大百年榕树，画面显得沧桑凄凉。然而，今天秃树干长满了无数的嫩树芽，生意盎然！

多数人认为灾难带来毁灭，让人失去盼望，甚至于绝望。然而，从森林大火这种毁灭性的灾难中，我们可以看见神在祂创造里的「毁坏与更新」。北美的森林大火清除了积累的枯枝落叶，驱逐了病虫害，让土地重获阳光与空间，为新生的草本植物与灌木创造养分与栖地。

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How Should You Dream

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 11:20-26.  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 11:20-24 (NIV)
20  In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots.
21  Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”
22  “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered.

On verses 20-24:  Here Jesus shows the power of having faith in God.  As part of this, Jesus here is encouraging his followers to dream big dreams that involve God.  As missionary William Carey is famous for saying, when you’re serving God, expect great things from God, and attempt great things for God.

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Jesus’ Heart for His House

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 11:12-19.  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 11:12-14 (NIV)
12  The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.
13  Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs.
14  Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.

On verses 12-14:  We will see the fallout of this in verse 20.  In the meantime, we can learn a few things from these verses:

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恩典才是根源

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以弗所书2:8-9   你们得救是本乎恩，也因着信；这并不是出于自己，乃是神所赐的；也不是出于行为，免得有人自夸。

在人生的信仰旅程中，我们常常以为必须竭尽全力，才能换得神的祝福或奖赏。然而，圣经提醒我们：救恩与恩赐，并不是因为我们多么努力或完美，而是因为神永不改变的恩典与慈爱。

努力并非毫无价值，因为它是我们对恩典的回应；但努力不是根源，恩典才是。保罗曾这样见证：「然而，我今日成了何等人，是蒙神的恩才成的，并且他所赐我的恩不是徒然的。我比众使徒格外劳苦；这原不是我，乃是神的恩与我同在。」（哥林多前书15:10）

这提醒我们，即使有所付出与奔跑，最终的果效仍是出于神。

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亲自体验 (Taste and See)

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诗篇34:8  你们要尝尝主恩的滋味，便知道祂是美善；投靠祂的人有福了！

经文中的「尝尝」在原文是两个字，「טָעַם（品尝、感知）」和「רָאָה（观察、学习）」，英文圣经(KJV, NIV)翻译为「taste and see」，而新译本和现代中文译本皆翻译为「亲自体验」。

人类取得生活所需的方式不断演变，从依赖自然、亲手采集、市集交易，转变为超市与便利商店，一直到现在的线上购物与宅配，随手点击、坐等送达。我们的生活越来越便利，却也离供应我们需要的起始源头，越来越远。

细心呵护孙子的阿嬷准备西瓜切片，总会剔除西瓜内的小黑籽，避免孙子吞食西瓜籽粒。有一天，孙子到朋友家作客吃西瓜，惊讶发问：你们家西瓜有小黑石？

盘子上切片的去芯苹果、超市买回来的洗选苹果、或刚从枝桠采下的带蒂苹果，品尝它们的味道是不一样的；「品尝」不仅是舌头味蕾的感受，也包含着眼的视觉、鼻的嗅觉、手的触觉，甚至是心里的感动。当然，吃一片去芯或去皮苹果，跟咬一口带蒂苹果的感受是截然不同的。

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God Knows The Plans He Has For You

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 11:1-11.  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 11:1-6 (NIV)
1  As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples,
2  saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.

On verses 1-6:  Jesus could have chosen a much more experienced animal as his vehicle into Jerusalem.  Instead, Jesus chose a colt that had never been ridden on.  While this is in part a prophetic fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9, I believe it teaches us another lesson about Jesus:  you don’t need to be old and experienced to be used of God in a great way. 

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