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4 Ways We May Unintentionally Look Down on God’s Name

2024-03-21 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today we begin our look at the book of Malachi.  Here is some background on the book of Malachi that you may find helpful:

1.  The book of Malachi was most likely written in the 5th century B.C.  (around the same time as, or maybe slightly before or slightly after, the events described in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah).  It is the last of the Old Testament prophetic books to be written.

2. During the time that Malachi was written, the Jews were under Persian rule.  Jewish governor Zerubabbel and prophets Haggai and Zechariah had already successfully led the Jews in rebuilding the temple by 515 B.C.  Still the Jewish people had become cold spiritually and were struggling financially.  Doubt about God’s promises and spiritual apathy had set in, resulting in many Jews marrying non-believers and refusing to tithe or to be accountable to their spiritual community. It is in this context that God sends several hard-hitting messages to the people through the book of Malachi.  Let’s go!

爱在桑树下

2024-03-21 in , /by

路加福音19:1-10

1耶稣进了耶利哥，正经过的时候， 2 有一个人名叫撒该，做税吏长，是个财主， 3 他要看看耶稣是怎样的人。只因人多，他的身量又矮，所以不得看见。 4 就跑到前头，爬上桑树，要看耶稣，因为耶稣必从那里经过。 5 耶稣到了那里，抬头一看，对他说：「撒该，快下来！今天我必住在你家里。」 6 他就急忙下来，欢欢喜喜地接待耶稣。 7 众人看见，都私下议论说：「他竟到罪人家里去住宿！」 8 撒该站着对主说：「主啊，我把所有的一半给穷人，我若讹诈了谁，就还他四倍。」 9 耶稣说：「今天救恩到了这家，因为他也是亚伯拉罕的子孙。 10 人子来，为要寻找、拯救失丧的人。」

爱在桑树下：因着爱，祂住宿撒该家说：今天救恩到了这家，因为他也是亚伯拉罕的子孙。（路19:1-10）

路加福音记载耶稣荣耀进耶路撒冷前，经过耶利哥，出现一位人物撒该，他和使徒马太（利未）跟随主以前的职分同样是税吏，但是他是税吏长，且是个财主；看来犹太人对他的敌视应该是加倍的，也许他也因中饱私囊而成为财主。

What Heaven Is Like (Part 2)

2024-03-20 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Revelation 22:1-21.  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!

Revelation 22:1-2 (NIV) 
1  Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 
2  down the middle of the great street of the city…

On verse 1-2a:  In Psalm 46:4 we read that “[t]here is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.”  Here in Revelation 22, John gets to see that river.  According to John’s description, heaven is such a beautiful city that there is a river of living water, clear as crystal, that flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the main street of heaven.

爱在拿因城

2024-03-20 in , /by

路加福音 7:11-17

11 过了不多时[a]，耶稣往一座城去，这城名叫拿因，他的门徒和极多的人与他同行。 12 将近城门，有一个死人被抬出来。这人是他母亲独生的儿子，他母亲又是寡妇。有城里的许多人同著寡妇送殡。 13 主看见那寡妇，就怜悯她，对她说：「不要哭！」 14 于是进前按著杠，抬的人就站住了。耶稣说：「少年人，我吩咐你，起来！」 15 那死人就坐起，并且说话。耶稣便把他交给他母亲。 16 众人都惊奇，归荣耀于神，说：「有大先知在我们中间兴起来了！」又说：「神眷顾了他的百姓！」 17 他这事的风声就传遍了犹太和周围地方。

爱在拿因城：因着爱，祂怜悯寡妇，对她说不要哭，且吩咐死去的少年人起来。（路7:11-17）

拿因城是耶稣时代的一个小村庄，位于拿撒勒东南约十公里，在耶斯列山谷东侧小黑门的北侧山脚。「拿因」的字义是「美丽」，描述著使人愉快的绿茵之地，和该地区怡人的景色十分贴切。

福音书记载耶稣叫三个死人复活的事蹟：管会堂睚鲁的女儿（太9:18-19, 23-26；可5:22-24, 35-43；路8:41-42, 49-56）、拿因城寡妇的独生子、以及马大与马利亚的弟弟拉撒路（约11:1-46）；这些家人分别是来求耶稣的、耶稣路过遇见的、以及耶稣认识且素来所爱的；他们所失去的亲人分别是刚死的、正在出殡、以及在坟墓里已经四天。

爱在拆了屋顶的房子里

2024-03-19 in , /by

马太福音 9:1-8

耶稣上了船，渡过海，来到自己的城里。 2 有人用褥子抬着一个瘫子到耶稣跟前来。耶稣见他们的信心，就对瘫子说：「小子，放心吧，你的罪赦了！」 3 有几个文士心里说：「这个人说僭妄的话了！」 4 耶稣知道他们的心意，就说：「你们为什么心里怀着恶念呢？ 5 或说『你的罪赦了』，或说『你起来行走』，哪一样容易呢？ 6 但要叫你们知道，人子在地上有赦罪的权柄。」就对瘫子说：「起来，拿你的褥子回家去吧！」 7 那人就起来，回家去了。 8 众人看见都惊奇，就归荣耀于神，因为他将这样的权柄赐给人。

爱在拆了屋顶的房子里：因着爱，借着一群人的信心，祂赦了瘫子的罪，叫他起来拿褥子行走。（太9:1-8，可2:1-12，路5:17-26）

瘫子得医治被记载在马太、马可和路加三卷福音书，描述著同样的场景：四个人用褥子抬着一个瘫子来见耶稣，因人多不得近前，就拆了房顶，从瓦间把他连褥子缒到耶稣面前。耶稣见他们的信心，就对瘫子说：「小子，你的罪赦了。」又说：「我吩咐你，起来，拿你的褥子回家去吧！」那人立刻就起来，拿着褥子当众人面前出去了，众人都惊奇归荣耀与神，说：「我们从来没有见过这样的事！」

What Heaven Is Like (Part 1)

2024-03-19 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Revelation 21:1-27.  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!

Revelation 21:1 (NIV) 
1  Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

On verse 1:  To me Revelation 21 is one of the most beautiful passages in all the Bible.  As much as I like the song “What a Wonderful World” made famous by Louis Armstrong, and as beautiful and wonderful as our world is, there is no denying that there is much brokenness and hurt that affects our world as well.  Here we see God, who specializes in making all things new (v5), creating a new heaven and a new earth that are not beset by the problems we have in our world.

爱在西罗亚池畔

2024-03-18 in , /by

约翰福音 9:1-41

耶稣过去的时候，看见一个人生来是瞎眼的。 2 门徒问耶稣说：「拉比，这人生来是瞎眼的，是谁犯了罪？是这人呢，是他父母呢？」 3 耶稣回答说：「也不是这人犯了罪，也不是他父母犯了罪，是要在他身上显出神的作为来。 4 趁着白日，我们必须做那差我来者的工；黑夜将到，就没有人能做工了。 5 我在世上的时候，是世上的光。」 6 耶稣说了这话，就吐唾沫在地上，用唾沫和泥抹在瞎子的眼睛上， 7 对他说：「你往西罗亚池子里去洗。」（「西罗亚」翻出来就是「奉差遣」。）他去一洗，回头就看见了。

爱在西罗亚池畔：因着爱，祂医治生来瞎眼的，让他看见且相信祂是神的儿子。（约9:1-41）

这段在约翰福音的单独记载，描述着生来瞎眼的经历两段曲折的生命历程：先从圣殿到西罗亚（奉差遣）池，他的眼睛得看见（约9:6-7），再从看见（眼睛得医治，约9:7）到明白（与主面对面，约9:38），俯伏下拜信耶稣。

从圣殿到西罗亚池：距离大约是一公里，路径上有明显的高低差，对一个瞎子而言，这是一条曲折且费时费力的历程。约9:7说明了这段历程的结局，他去一洗，回头就看见了（原文可译为：于是他去清洗自己，且能看见地回去）。

Loved For A Thousand Years and More

2024-03-18 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Revelation 20:1-15.  There are so many powerful truths about Jesus that we can learn from this passage.  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!

Revelation 20:1-3 (NIV) 
1  And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain.
2  He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 
3  He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. 

On verses 1-3:  Previously in Revelation 9 we read of “the angel of the Abyss” (9:11) who was also called a “fallen star” and given the key to the Abyss (9:1).  Many commentators believe this angel is Satan himself.  Here in Revelation 20:1 John sees another angel coming down out of heaven possessing the key to the Abyss and holding a great chain.  This angel seizes the red dragon Satan, throws him into the Abyss, locks and seals the Abyss, so that Satan cannot deceive the nations for 1,000 years.  After the 1,000 years are over, verse 3 says that Satan “must be set free for a short time”.

Meet the One Who Wins in the End

2024-03-17 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Revelation 19:11-21.  There are so many powerful truths about Jesus that we can learn from this passage.  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!

Revelation 19:11 (NIV) 
11  I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war.
 
On verse 11:  Here John sees an awesome picture of Jesus.  In the Gospel of John 12:14-15, John described Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey, which is what kings would ride on during peace time.  Now when we see Jesus on a white war horse, it’s because Jesus means war and judges with justice.  The suffering servant who died to bring us peace is now the conquering king who lives to judge with justice and defeat his enemies. 
 

爱在耶路撒冷城边(三)

2024-03-17 in , /by

路加福音 19:41-44

41 耶稣快到耶路撒冷，看见城，就为它哀哭， 42 说：「巴不得你在这日子知道关系你平安的事，无奈这事现在是隐藏的，叫你的眼看不出来。 43 因为日子将到，你的仇敌必筑起土垒，周围环绕你，四面困住你， 44 并要扫灭你和你里头的儿女，连一块石头也不留在石头上，因你不知道眷顾你的时候。」

耶路撒冷依照希伯来文的解释，「耶路」意为「根基」，「撒冷」意即「平安」，「耶路撒冷」便是「以平安为根基的城市」，也就是「和平之城」。因它坐落在锡安山上，又被称为锡安城。

西元前2000年，上帝指示亚伯拉罕到摩利亚地，献以撒为祭（创22:1-14）。亚伯拉罕给那地方起名叫「耶和华以勒」（就是耶和华必预备的意思），直到今日人还说：「在耶和华的山上必有预备（原文有看见、看顾、察觉的含意）。」（创22:14）摩利亚地在耶路撒冷附近，其地近新约所记的加略山，即耶稣钉十字架的地方。

西元前1000年左右，大卫占领耶路撒冷，把此地变成宗教和政治首都，接着，所罗门王在摩利亚山的亚劳拿禾场建圣殿。

西元前705年左右，希西家王向西扩建耶路撒冷（以色列国遭亚述人灭亡）。西元前500年左右，巴比伦人灭亡犹大国，摧毁圣殿，许多人被掳掠。