Entries by

父亲和儿子（上）

2024-08-16 in , /by

创世记 12:4-7  亚伯兰就照着耶和华的吩咐去了，罗得也和他同去。亚伯兰出哈兰的时候年七十五岁。5 亚伯兰将他妻子撒莱和侄儿罗得，连他们在哈兰所积蓄的财物、所得的人口，都带往迦南地去。他们就到了迦南地。 6 亚伯兰经过那地，到了示剑地方，摩利橡树那里。那时，迦南人住在那地。 7 耶和华向亚伯兰显现，说：「我要把这地赐给你的后裔。」亚伯兰就在那里为向他显现的耶和华筑了一座坛。

亚伯拉罕75岁初次踏足迦南，在示剑地方、摩利橡树那里，神应许将迦南地赐给他的后裔（创12:4-7）；事实上，亚伯拉罕一生没有拥有任何迦南土地，但他遗留神的应许（创12:1-7，13:14-17，15:1-7，17:1-8，22:16-18）给他的后裔-以色列人。以色列人经过430年在埃及的奴役，和40年在旷野的飘流，六十多万男丁在旷野死亡，最终得以进入迦南，神将六百多年前的应许（创15:13-21）化成现实。

神对以色列人的应许是跨世代的，他们历经第一层跨越（渡过伯拉大河），离开本族父家，从舒适安逸、既有满足的环境中破茧而出；第二层跨越（下海中走干地），离开为奴之地，神为他们斩断枷锁、断绝綑绑，并以云柱领路、火柱光照来带领他们；第三层跨越（渡过约旦河），在旷野中学习让神带领生活、塑造生命、指引道路，最后，凭著信心抬着约柜，与神同行一起渡过约旦河，进入神应许的迦南地。他们从一小群成为一大族，他们祖先亚伯兰（被高举的父）成为亚伯拉罕（多国的父）。

Help For My Disability

2024-08-16 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Acts 14:1-12.  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! 

Acts 14:1-7 (NIV)
1  At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed.
2  But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.
3  So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders.

On verses 1-7:  Paul and Barnabas travel to Iconium, the capital of ancient Lycaonia, about 90 miles southeast of Antioch.  There, they preach in the synagogue and the people are responding, both positively and negatively.  On one hand, a great number of Jews and Gentiles are coming to faith in Jesus.  On the other hand, some oppose Paul and Barnabas by trying to lure new converts away.  Not wanting their gospel message to be misunderstood, Paul and Barnabas spend considerable time in Iconium, defending the gospel, while God would enable them to do miraculous signs and wonders to confirm the validity of their message.

跨世代的应许

2024-08-15 in , /by

创世记 12:4-7  亚伯兰就照着耶和华的吩咐去了，罗得也和他同去。亚伯兰出哈兰的时候年七十五岁。5 亚伯兰将他妻子撒莱和侄儿罗得，连他们在哈兰所积蓄的财物、所得的人口，都带往迦南地去。他们就到了迦南地。 6 亚伯兰经过那地，到了示剑地方，摩利橡树那里。那时，迦南人住在那地。 7 耶和华向亚伯兰显现，说：「我要把这地赐给你的后裔。」亚伯兰就在那里为向他显现的耶和华筑了一座坛。

亚伯拉罕75岁初次踏足迦南，在示剑地方、摩利橡树那里，神应许将迦南地赐给他的后裔（创12:4-7）；事实上，亚伯拉罕一生没有拥有任何迦南土地，但他遗留神的应许（创12:1-7，13:14-17，15:1-7，17:1-8，22:16-18）给他的后裔-以色列人。以色列人经过430年在埃及的奴役，和40年在旷野的飘流，六十多万男丁在旷野死亡，最终得以进入迦南，神将六百多年前的应许（创15:13-21）化成现实。

神对以色列人的应许是跨世代的，他们历经第一层跨越（渡过伯拉大河），离开本族父家，从舒适安逸、既有满足的环境中破茧而出；第二层跨越（下海中走干地），离开为奴之地，神为他们斩断枷锁、断绝綑绑，并以云柱领路、火柱光照来带领他们；第三层跨越（渡过约旦河），在旷野中学习让神带领生活、塑造生命、指引道路，最后，凭著信心抬着约柜，与神同行一起渡过约旦河，进入神应许的迦南地。他们从一小群成为一大族，他们祖先亚伯兰（被高举的父）成为亚伯拉罕（多国的父）。

Don’t Sulk, But Shake Off The Dust

2024-08-15 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Acts 13:42-52.  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! 

Acts 13:42-49 (NIV)
42  As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people invited them to speak further about these things on the next Sabbath.
43  When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.
44  On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.

On verses 42-49:  Still in Pisidian Antioch, Paul and Barnabas are invited to come back and speak at the synagogue there.  Practically the entire city shows up the next week to hear Paul and Barnabas preach.  Jealous of all the attention Paul and Barnabas are getting, the Jewish leaders slander Paul and try to oppose the arguments he is making.  In response, quoting from Isaiah 49:6, Paul and Barnabas announce that since the Jews in Pisidian Antioch have rejected their message, Paul and Barnabas will focus on reaching the Gentiles in Pisidian Antioch with the same message. 

生命的第三层跨越-凭信心进入应许之地

2024-08-14 in , /by

出埃及记 19:1  以色列人出埃及地以后，满了三个月的那一天，就来到西奈的旷野。

民数记 13:21-33   他们上去窥探那地，从寻的旷野到利合，直到哈马口。 22 他们从南地上去，到了希伯仑，在那里有亚衲族人亚希幔、示筛、挞买。（原来希伯仑城被建造比埃及的锁安城早七年。） 23 他们到了以实各谷，从那里砍了葡萄树的一枝，上头有一挂葡萄，两个人用杠抬着，又带了些石榴和无花果来。 24 因为以色列人从那里砍来的那挂葡萄，所以那地方叫做以实各谷。

以色列人离开埃及，用了三个月走到西乃旷野（出19:1），在西乃山停留大约十一个月，从神领受律法和制作帐幕，第二年年底，来到迦南地南边的加低斯。他们差派12个探子打探迦南地，发现那地果然是流奶与蜜之地，但是除了约书亚和迦勒以外的探子回报恶讯：住那地的民强壮高大，城邑也坚固宽大，我们看自己就如蚱蜢一样（民13:21-33）。全会众畏惧害怕、喧嚷哭号，向摩西、亚伦发怨言，惹动神的怒气宣告：按窥探那地的四十日，一年顶一日，以色列人要担罪，在旷野飘流四十年，直到尸首在旷野消灭（民14:27-35）。

How God Fulfilled His Promises

2024-08-14 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Acts 13:26-41.  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! 

Acts 13:26-31 (NIV)
26  “Brothers, children of Abraham, and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent.
27  The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath.
28  Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed.
29  When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb.
30  But God raised him from the dead,
31  and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.
 
On verses 26-31:  Here Paul continues his sermon to the Jews at the synagogue in Pisidian Antoich.  Paul points out a number of ironies relating to the way Jesus was treated by the people of Jerusalem:

生命的第二层跨越-离开为奴之地

2024-08-13 in , /by

出1:1-14   以色列的众子各带家眷和雅各一同来到埃及，他们的名字记在下面。 2 有鲁本、西缅、利未、犹大、 3 以萨迦、西布伦、便雅悯、 4 但、拿弗他利、迦得、亚设。 5 凡从雅各而生的，共有七十人。约瑟已经在埃及。 6 约瑟和他的弟兄，并那一代的人都死了。 7 以色列人生养众多，并且繁茂，极其强盛，满了那地。

8 有不认识约瑟的新王起来，治理埃及， 9 对他的百姓说：「看哪，这以色列民比我们还多，又比我们强盛。 10 来吧，我们不如用巧计待他们，恐怕他们多起来，日后若遇什么争战的事，就联合我们的仇敌攻击我们，离开这地去了。」 11 于是埃及人派督工的辖制他们，加重担苦害他们。他们为法老建造两座积货城，就是比东和兰塞。 12 只是越发苦害他们，他们越发多起来，越发蔓延，埃及人就因以色列人愁烦。

亚伯拉罕的后裔（雅各家族）因大饥荒，迁徙到埃及歌珊地，投靠时任宰相的约瑟。四百多年来，以色列人生养众多，繁茂且强盛；有不认识约瑟的新王起来治理埃及，畏惧以色列人的强盛，采取高压政策，强制他们做工，加重担苦害他们，甚至要求收生婆杀死初生男婴（出1:1-14）。

神看见以色列人在埃及所受的困苦，听见他们因受督工辖制所发的哀声，祂打发摩西去见法老，将以色列人从埃及领出来，回到美好、宽阔、流奶与蜜的迦南地（出3:7-10）。

神降下灾害在埃及地，迫使法老容许以色列人出埃及。逾越节过后，以色列人带着羊群、牛群，还有向埃及人要的金器、银器、衣裳、财物，从兰塞起行，往疏割去；除了妇人孩子，步行的男人约有六十万。正满了四百三十年的那天，耶和华的军队都从埃及地出来了（出12:31-41）。

It All Points to Jesus in the End

2024-08-13 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Acts 13:13-25.  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! 

Acts 13:13-15 (NIV)
13  From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem.
14  From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch. On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down.
15  After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak.”
 
On verses 13-15:  Here John Mark decides to leave Paul and Barnabas and go back to Jerusalem, while Paul, Barnabas and the rest of their team continue a physically challenging and dangerous journey to Pisidian Antioch.  You can’t tell from Acts 13:13 that John’s decision to leave bothered Paul, but it did.  In fact, John’s decision to leave would become a point of contention between Barnabas and Paul later on (see Acts 15:37-38). 

Greater is He who is in You

2024-08-12 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Acts 13:1-12.  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! 

Acts 13:1 (NIV)
1  In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.
 
On verse 1:  The church at Antioch had a team of prophet-teachers who spoke to the congregation.  Notice the diversity on this teaching team: Barnabas was Jewish but grew up in Greek-influenced Cyprus, likely making him a “Grecian Jew”.   Simeon, scholars say, was probably black.  Lucius was from Cyrene (North Africa).  Manaen grew up with King Herod Antipas the tetrarch, which meant he probably came a very wealthy background and was older.  Saul, of course, was a “Hebrew of Hebrews” (Philippians 3:5) but was also well traveled and from Tarsus (modern day Turkey).   God loves diversity.  In fact Jesus’ Church is the largest and most racially, ethnically and culturally diverse family that has ever existed.  

生命的第一层跨越-离开本族父家

2024-08-12 in , /by

使徒行传 7:2-3   司提反说：「诸位父兄请听！当日我们的祖宗亚伯拉罕在美索不达米亚，还未住哈兰的时候，荣耀的神向他显现，3 对他说：『你要离开本地和亲族，往我所要指示你的地方去。』

创世记 11:31-32  他拉带着他儿子亚伯兰和他孙子哈兰的儿子罗得，并他儿妇亚伯兰的妻子撒莱，出了迦勒底的吾珥，要往迦南地去。他们走到哈兰，就住在那里。 32 他拉共活了二百零五岁，就死在哈兰。

亚伯兰被呼召（徒7:2）。他的父亲他拉带着亚伯兰和妻子撒莱、亚伯兰的侄子罗得，出了迦勒底的吾珥，要往迦南地去；他们沿着美索不达米亚平原的伯拉大河（幼发拉底河）北上走到哈兰，就住在那里，他拉后来死在哈兰（创11:31-32）。

耶和华再呼召亚伯兰离开本地、本族、父家，带着撒莱和罗得，以及在哈兰所积蓄的财物、所得的人口，渡过伯拉大河，进入迦南地（创12:1-5）。

亚伯兰75岁被呼召出哈兰，经历饥荒与异乡的危难（创12:10-20），因财物甚多不能同居而与罗得分手（创13:14-18），从基大老玛和同盟王中拯救罗得后，神与亚伯兰立约（创15:4-21），亚伯兰99岁时，神以改名为亚伯拉罕与割礼为证据，预言生以撒（创17:1-21）。亚伯拉罕年100岁生以撒，以撒生下来第八日，亚伯拉罕照着神所吩咐的，给以撒行了割礼（创21:1-5）。