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Move Forward with Faith

2024-10-30 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Samuel 17:41-58.  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! 
 
1 Samuel 17:41-43 (NIV)
41  Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David.
42  He looked David over and saw that he was only a boy, ruddy and handsome, and he despised him.
43  He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

On verses 41-43a:  Goliath made fun of the weapons David brought to the battle.  A similar thing happens when people of the world see God’s people praying, reading God’s Word and taking church seriously.  They think, “What good will that do?”  Little do they know that our weapons have power that the things they trust in do not have: power to demolish strongholds, power to bring the most significant changes to people’s lives.  As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10:3-4, “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” 

In Jesus’ Eyes, You Are The Prize

2024-10-29 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Samuel 17:20-40.  As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 
 
1 Samuel 17:20 (NIV) 
20 Early in the morning David left the flock with a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry. 

On verse 20:  David was responsible.  Before leaving for the next mission his father gave him, David found a qualified person to be in charge of his flock.  What can we learn from this?  The way to expand how much territory we manage is through wise delegation, planning and involving others.  There’s only so much you can do by yourself.  Whether it’s in your home, ministry, workplace or elsewhere, is there a role, a responsibility or a skill that you need to start training others to do?

牵我的手

2024-10-29 in , /by

约翰福音 8:11  她说：「主啊，没有。」耶稣说：「我也不定你的罪。去吧，从此不要再犯罪了！」

诗篇 55:22  你要把你的重担卸给耶和华，祂必抚养你，祂永不叫义人动摇。

以赛亚书 40:29-31  疲乏的，祂赐能力；软弱的，祂加力量。 30 就是少年人也要疲乏困倦，强壮的也必全然跌倒， 31 但那等候耶和华的，必重新得力。他们必如鹰展翅上腾，他们奔跑却不困倦，行走却不疲乏。

「艰难的挑战」使我在坡道上气喘吁吁，主牵我的手，鼓励我抬起脚，吸口气向前行，告诉我：「疲乏的，祂赐能力；无力的，祂加力量。就是少年人也要疲乏困倦，年轻人也必力竭跌倒；但那等候耶和华的必重新得力；他们必如鹰展翅上腾；他们奔跑却不困倦，行走却不疲乏。」（赛40:29-31）

「方向的迷失」让我在崎岖路迂回不前，主牵我的手，鼓励我抬起脚，靠信心定方向，告诉我：「主虽然以艰难给你当饼，以困苦给你当水，你的教师却不再隐藏；你眼必看见你的教师。你或向左或向右，你必听见后边有声音说：『这是正路，要行在其间。』」（赛30:20-21）

There’s Bread For You

2024-10-28 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Samuel 17:1-19.  As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

The story of David and Goliath is one of the best known stories in the Bible and shows us that with God nothing is impossible.  But also, when read through a New Testament  lens, this story is also a powerful picture pointing to the day when our Lord Jesus Christ would defeat Satan, our biggest enemy, for us.

1 Samuel 17:1-3 (NIV)
1  Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Socoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah.
2  Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines.
3  The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them.

On verses 1-3:  The Philistines gathered in Judah, a territory belonging to the nation of Israel, God’s chosen nation.  “Judah” literally means “praise”.  What’s the lesson here?  The first place your biggest enemy Satan will try to occupy in your life is the place of praise.

小孩的祷告

2024-10-28 in , /by

马太福音8 :2-3 耶稣便叫一个小孩子来，使他站在他们当中， 3说：「我实在告诉你们：你们若不回转，变成小孩子的样式，断不得进天国。

大学时候的期末考，早上考完热机学后，心里一直有疙瘩，因为有几题不大会写，应该是考砸了！下午继续考另外一门选修课程，进了教室，随意找了个位置坐下来，清清桌面，准备考试。一看桌面，我顿然傻眼，上午答不出来的考题答案竟然工工整整的镌刻在整个桌面，很莫名的，我向神祷告：「有人作弊，不公平，我要向祢申冤！」

我不清楚神做了什么事，远远超出我所能想像，热机学的期末成绩我居然拿了98分，是我学习过程未曾拿过的最高成绩。毕业许久，我未曾忘记这个祷告，芝麻小事一桩，我竟为这事祷告，祂居然也听了。

小小孩需要父母许多的照顾、帮忙，他的呼求不分时候，不管事情的大小，父母的援手总是即刻临到。孩子长大了，许多事情可以自理，不分时候，不管事情的大小，都不再需要向父母呼求。

Serving is Your Path to Greatness

2024-10-27 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Samuel 16:14-23.  As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 
 
1 Samuel 16:14-15 (NIV) 
14 Now the Spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him. 
15 Saul’s attendants said to him, “See, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. 

On verses 14-15:  Yesterday in verse 13 we read about how the Holy Spirit came upon David in power.  Conversely, in verse 14 we see how the Holy Spirit had departed from Saul and now an evil spirit was tormenting him.  Verses 14 and 15 say that this evil spirit was from God. Does God really send evil spirits?  Remember that throughout much of the Old Testament, the mindset was that everything — both good and bad — comes directly from God. 

我不后悔，我很愿意

2024-10-27 in , /by

雅各书 3:6 舌头就是火，在我们百体中舌头是个罪恶的世界，能污秽全身，也能把生命的轮子点起来，并且是从地狱里点着的。

箴言 25:11  一句话说得合宜，就如金苹果在银网子里。

过去，某间问卷调查机构曾做过一项问卷调查，票选孩子最不想听到父母说的一句话，其中票数最高的是：「我为你牺牲了这么多」、「都是你害我沦落到这种地步」。

最近，云林家扶台西希望教室让家扶小朋友来票选「最让我受伤的一句话」，结果前三名依序是「你可不可以像○○一样」、「你笨得像猪一样」、「早知道就不要生下你」。

「我后悔对你的付出…」，「我对你的表现失望…」，可能是我们面对孩子、家人、同事、周遭朋友，不符自己期盼或遭遇沟通挫折时，无意中从口里冒出来的一句话。

说话是经常且自然的事，虽然我们戴着口罩，口罩挡得住病菌，却挡不住话语的影响力。一句发自内心话，温暖人心，给人启发，带出盼望；一句不经意的话，伤透人心，导引歧路，影响终生。

在基督里彼此饶恕

2024-10-25 in , /by

以弗所书 4:32  并要以恩慈相待，存怜悯的心，彼此饶恕，正如神在基督里饶恕了你们一样。

有一天，老师叫班上同学各带个大袋子到学校，还要去杂货店买一袋马铃薯。大家期待着有个新鲜的活动，也许是烤马铃薯，或是雕刻马铃薯…。有人猜对了，老师要大家雕刻马铃薯，为自己不愿意原谅的人选颗马铃薯，再将这人的名字和犯错的日期给刻在上面，再把刻好字的马铃薯放进袋子里。

这一天还蛮好玩的，快放学时，我的袋子里已经有了七颗马铃薯，阿土说我新戴的眼镜很丑，阿牛踢了我的脚，阿水拨水弄湿我的衣服，阿聪不肯让我抄他的作业…每件事都让我欣然地丢个马铃薯到袋子里，还发誓绝不原谅这些对不起我的人。

When Your New King Takes Over

2024-10-25 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Samuel 16:1-13.  As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 
 
1 Samuel 16:1 (NIV) 
1 The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” 

On verse 1:  Samuel was still depressed and in grief regarding what happened with Saul, but God told Samuel that it was time to move on, to fill his horn with old and anoint God’s choice for the next king.  What can we learn from this?  There are two powerful lessons here:

丰盛的应许

2024-10-24 in , /by

希伯来书 11:1  信就是所望之事的实底，是未见之事的确据。

有一个故事：有个小镇很久没有下雨了，当地农作物损失惨重，牧师邀集大家到教堂，准备祈求降雨的祷告会。小镇居民携老带幼都来了，站在讲台上的牧师望着门口匆匆进来的小女孩，注意到小女孩手上的东西，不禁激动地在台上指着她说：「大家看！」众人望向小女孩，看见小女孩手上拿着一把红色的小雨伞，她怯怯的望着大家狐疑的眼光说：「回家会下雨啊！」大家一阵沉寂后，接着是一阵掌声与交织的泪水，大家看到盼望！

没有人带着「失望」求帮助，求雨就要准备雨具，求帮助就要带着「信心」，在信心里能看见「盼望」，盼望里承载着「应许」，应许是用来「实现」的。