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To Connect with Your Audience You Need To…

2024-07-11 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Acts 2:29-36.  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 2:29-33 (NIV)
29  “Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day.
30  But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.
31  Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay.
32  God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.
33  Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.

On verses 29-33:  Peter connects the Scripture passages he quoted before (Joel 2 and Psalm 16) with what his audience is seeing in front of them to deliver one coherent message:  that Jesus Christ, who lived, died, and rose again is now the one at the Father’s right hand pouring out the Holy Spirit on His church.
 

獻上自己當活祭

2024-07-11 in , /by

哥林多前書 3:16-17  豈不知你們是神的殿，神的靈住在你們裡頭嗎？ 17 若有人毀壞神的殿，神必要毀壞那人；因為神的殿是聖的，這殿就是你們。

羅馬書 12:1  所以弟兄們，我以神的慈悲勸你們，將身體獻上，當做活祭，是聖潔的，是神所喜悅的，你們如此侍奉乃是理所當然的。

提摩太後書 2:21  人若自潔，脫離卑賤的事，就必做貴重的器皿，成為聖潔，合乎主用，預備行各樣的善事。

當保守我們的心勝過一切，自潔獻上自己當活祭，成為合乎主用的器皿，因為我們是神的殿，神的靈住在我們裡面。

豈不知你們是神的殿，神的靈住在你們裡頭嗎？若有人毀壞神的殿，神必要毀壞那人；因為神的殿是聖的，這殿就是你們。（林前3:16-17）

所以，弟兄們，我以神的慈悲勸你們，將身體獻上，當作活祭，是聖潔的，是神所喜悅的；你們如此事奉乃是理所當然的。（羅12:1）

渴慕成為神的殿

2024-07-10 in , /by

馬太福音 5:17-18  「莫想我來要廢掉律法和先知，我來不是要廢掉，乃是要成全。 18 我實在告訴你們：就是到天地都廢去了，律法的一點一畫也不能廢去，都要成全。

詩篇 119:45  我要自由而行，因我素來考究祢的訓詞。

約翰福音 8:32  你們必曉得真理，真理必叫你們得以自由。

世人追求自由，視律法為窠臼規範，試圖脫離，破壞律法反被罪挾制。

我們尋求真理，在基督裡罪得赦免，脫離挾制，得以自由的行出律法。

耶穌說：莫想我來要廢掉律法和先知。我來不是要廢掉，乃是要成全。我實在告訴你們，就是到天地都廢去了，律法的一點一畫也不能廢去，都要成全。（太5:17-18）

我要自由而行（或譯：我要行在寬闊之地），因我素來考究祢的訓詞。（詩119:45）

主的靈在我身上，因為祂用膏膏我，叫我傳福音給貧窮的人；差遣我報告：被擄的得釋放，瞎眼的得看見，叫那受壓制的得自由。（路4:18）

Death Couldn’t Hold Him Down

2024-07-10 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Acts 2:22-28.  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 2:22-23 (NIV)
22  “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.
23  This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.

On verses 22-23:  After explaining in Acts 2:14-21 where this outpouring of the Holy Spirit was coming from, Peter transitions into talking about Jesus.  He begins by describing Jesus as a man accredited by God and through whom God did many miracles, wonders and signs (v22).  He then speaks of how, in accordance with God’s plan, Jesus was handed over and put to death on the cross, saying to his audience that “you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death” (v23).  

因著耶穌，我們得以自由地行出律法

2024-07-09 in , /by

馬太福音 5:17-18  「莫想我來要廢掉律法和先知，我來不是要廢掉，乃是要成全。 18 我實在告訴你們：就是到天地都廢去了，律法的一點一畫也不能廢去，都要成全。

詩篇 119:45  我要自由而行，因我素來考究祢的訓詞。

約翰福音 8:32  你們必曉得真理，真理必叫你們得以自由。

世人追求自由，視律法為窠臼規範，試圖脫離，破壞律法反被罪挾制。

我們尋求真理，在基督裡罪得赦免，脫離挾制，得以自由的行出律法。

耶穌說：莫想我來要廢掉律法和先知。我來不是要廢掉，乃是要成全。我實在告訴你們，就是到天地都廢去了，律法的一點一畫也不能廢去，都要成全。（太5:17-18）

我要自由而行（或譯：我要行在寬闊之地），因我素來考究祢的訓詞。（詩119:45）

主的靈在我身上，因為祂用膏膏我，叫我傳福音給貧窮的人；差遣我報告：被擄的得釋放，瞎眼的得看見，叫那受壓制的得自由。（路4:18）

The Fulfillment of Prophecy

2024-07-09 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Acts 2:14-21.  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!

Acts 2:14-15 (NIV)
14  Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.
15  These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!
 
On verses 14-15:  Before a crowd of thousands, Peter stands up and is about to tell them about Jesus. Peter, who used to be ashamed of his faith and denied Jesus in front of a few people, is now speaking to thousands about the difference Jesus has made in his life.  That’s the power of the Holy Spirit working.  The Holy Spirit gives us courage, strength and wisdom to do what we could not do in our own power.

When The Holy Spirit came

2024-07-08 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Acts 2:1-13.  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!

Acts 2:1-11 (NIV)
1  When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
2  Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3  They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
4  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

On verses 1-11:  Pentecost, also known as the Feast of Weeks, was one of the three big festivals in the Jewish calendar (the other two being the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of Tabernacles – see Leviticus 23).  Happening on the 50th day after the Passover Feast (Pentecost in ancient Greek means “Fiftieth”), Pentecost was a time to thank God for the harvest.  It is fitting that God chose Pentecost to be the day when He would fill His church with the Holy Spirit.

聽神的話，沒有違背，也沒有退後

2024-07-08 in , /by

阿摩司書 8:11-12

主耶和華說：「日子將到，我必命饑荒降在地上。人飢餓非因無餅，乾渴非因無水，乃因不聽耶和華的話。 12 他們必漂流，從這海到那海，從北邊到東邊，往來奔跑尋求耶和華的話，卻尋不著。

在疫情蔓延、戰火喧囂、生活困頓、人心浮動的紛擾時刻，求主每早晨開通我的耳朵，叫我能聽神的話，像受教者一樣，沒有違背，也沒有退後。

主耶和華說：日子將到，我必命饑荒降在地上。人飢餓非因無餅，乾渴非因無水，乃因不聽耶和華的話。他們必飄流，從這海到那海，從北邊到東邊，往來奔跑，尋求耶和華的話，卻尋不著。（摩8:11-12）

至於神，祂的道是完全的；耶和華的話是煉淨的。凡投靠祂的，祂便作他們的盾牌。（撒下22:31，詩18:30）

耐心等候，不要讓神撲了個空

2024-07-07 in , /by

以賽亞書 50:2    我來的時候，為何無人等候呢？我呼喚的時候，為何無人答應呢？我的膀臂豈是縮短，不能救贖嗎？我豈無拯救之力嗎？看哪，我一斥責，海就乾了，我使江河變為曠野，其中的魚因無水腥臭，乾渴而死。

以賽亞書 64:4  從古以來，人未曾聽見、未曾耳聞、未曾眼見在祢以外有什麼神為等候祂的人行事。

等候是信心的功課，不要讓神撲了個空（賽50:2），祂為等候祂的人行事（賽64:4），祂為愛祂的人所預備的是眼睛未曾看見，耳朵未曾聽見，人心也未曾想到的。（林前2:9）。

在非利士人強大壓力、百姓惶恐而即將散去的景況下，掃羅未能等候撒母耳，就擅自獻上燔祭；這件糊塗事，使得掃羅的王位不能長久，神已經定意尋著一個合祂心意的人，立他作百姓的王。

掃羅照著撒母耳所定的日期等了七日。撒母耳還沒有來到吉甲，百姓也離開掃羅散去了。掃羅說：「把燔祭和平安祭帶到我這裡來。」掃羅就獻上燔祭。剛獻完燔祭，撒母耳就到了。掃羅出去迎接他，要問他好。撒母耳說：「你做的是甚麼事呢？」

When Making Tough Decisions

2024-07-07 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Acts 1:12-26.  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 1:12-14 (NIV)
12  Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city.
13  When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.
14  They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.

On verses 12-14:  After spending time with the resurrected Jesus and witnessing His ascension into heaven, the disciples, including Jesus’ female followers, Jesus’ mother Mary and Jesus’ brothers, would return to the place where they were staying and join together constantly in prayer.  It was their closest, most natural and most direct way of keeping in contact with their Lord Jesus.  They would pray together, knowing that Jesus heard them.  It was all coming together for them that Jesus truly is all-seeing, all-knowing, all-powerful God.  What can we learn from this?