Entries by

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?

定睛等候，一句話也不說

2024-07-05 in , /by

創世記 24:21  那人定睛看她，一句話也不說，要曉得耶和華賜他通達的道路沒有。

管理亞伯拉罕全業的老僕人，學得亞伯拉罕的信心，他走遠路回鄉，求神施恩給他主人，讓他遇見好機會，定睛要曉得神賜他通達的道路，他終於找著以撒的妻子利百加，他就低頭下拜感謝神。

求告、等候、得著和感謝是信心的旅程，等候是最難的部分，聖經描述老僕人的等候：…那人定睛看她，一句話也不說，要曉得耶和華賜他通達的道路沒有。

亞伯拉罕對管理他全業最老的僕人說：…你要往我本地本族去，為我的兒子以撒娶一個妻子。…那僕人…起身往美索不達米亞去，到了拿鶴的城。…他說：耶和華─我主人亞伯拉罕的神啊，求你施恩給我主人亞伯拉罕，使我今日遇見好機會。…話還沒有說完，不料，利百加肩頭上扛著水瓶出來。

God’s Power and Purposes for Your Life

2024-07-05 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today we begin the book of Acts.  Written by a Christian physician called Luke in approximately 60-70 A.D. as a sequel to the Gospel of Luke, Acts is such an important book in that: (1) it gives us a detailed account of what happened to Jesus’ followers after Jesus ascended to heaven; (2) it gives us a historical backdrop for understanding the letters of Paul, which would make up much of the New Testament; (3) it shows us what the early church looked like and the incredible faith, courage and perseverance they displayed in the face of great uncertainty and persecution; and (4) it takes us on a tour from Jerusalem to the various nations where the church spread.  Even more, the book of Acts is filled with powerful lessons for us today. 

Today’s passage is Acts 1:1-11.  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 1:1 (NIV)
1  In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach
 

我們等候，為了看見和聽見神

2024-07-04 in , /by

創世記 45:7-8

神差我在你們以先來，為要給你們存留餘種在世上，又要大施拯救，保全你們的生命。 8 這樣看來，差我到這裡來的不是你們，乃是神。祂又使我如法老的父，做他全家的主，並埃及全地的宰相。

我們等候神的目的，不僅在於困難的突破、阻礙的挪開、事情的成就…，更重要的是在我們等候過程中，看見我們的教師，聽見祂的聲音。

約瑟17歲被賣，30歲被法老拔擢治理埃及全地，經過7個豐年，約瑟得兩子；他給長子取名叫瑪拿西，說：「神使我忘了一切的困苦和我父的全家。」他給次子取名叫以法蓮，說：「神使我在受苦的地方昌盛。」

受苦、等候20多年，當荒年時約瑟與兄弟相認時，他終於明白：「神差我在你們以先來，為要給你們存留餘種在世上，又要大施拯救，保全你們的生命。這樣看來，差我到這裡來的不是你們，乃是神。他又使我如法老的父，作他全家的主，並埃及全地的宰相。」（創45:7-8）

The Power of Loving and Being Loved

2024-07-04 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

A NOTE FOR PARENTS AND KIDS:  Given the nature of today’s topic, we would advise parents to review this GAME sharing first before your kids do and then decide whether your kids should see it.  Kids, if you are reading this, please ask your parent or guardian to review this GAME sharing first before you read it and ask your parent or guardian if they think you should read it now or wait until you’re older.

Today’s passage is Song of Songs 8:1-14.  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!
 
Song of Songs 8:1 (NIV) 
1  If only you were to me like a brother, who was nursed at my mother’s breasts! Then, if I found you outside, I would kiss you, and no one would despise me.
2  I would lead you and bring you to my mother’s house– she who has taught me. I would give you spiced wine to drink, the nectar of my pomegranates.
 
On verses 1-2:  Why does the wife wish that her husband was her brother so that “if I found you outside, I would kiss you, and no one would despise me” (v1)?   Keep in mind in the ancient middle east where Song of Songs was written, public displays of affection were frowned upon. 

Growing in Intimacy, Freedom and Security

2024-07-03 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

A NOTE FOR PARENTS AND KIDS:  Given the nature of today’s topic, we would advise parents to review this GAME sharing first before your kids do and then decide whether your kids should see it.  Kids, if you are reading this, please ask your parent or guardian to review this GAME sharing first before you read it and ask your parent or guardian if they think you should read it now or wait until you’re older.
Today’s passage is Song of Songs 7:1-13.  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!
 
Song of Songs 7:1-8 (NIV) 
1  How beautiful your sandaled feet, O prince’s daughter! Your graceful legs are like jewels, the work of a craftsman’s hands. 
2  Your navel is a rounded goblet that never lacks blended wine. Your waist is a mound of wheat encircled by lilies. 
3  Your breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle. 

On verses 1-9:  As you read verses 1-8 you may think that they sound just like the guy’s praise of his wife’s beauty in previous chapters.  However, the difference here is that the guy’s words in verses 1-8 are now even more intimate and direct than his previous praises of his wife.  When the guy says to his wife in verse 2 “your navel is a rounded goblet that never lacks blended wine” and calls her waist “a mount of wheat”, he is basically telling his wife that she is like the most delicious food to him.

神必然等候，為了施恩給我們

2024-07-03 in , /by

以賽亞書 30:15-19

主耶和華以色列的聖者曾如此說：「你們得救在乎歸回安息，你們得力在乎平靜安穩。」你們竟自不肯！ 16 你們卻說：「不然，我們要騎馬奔走。」所以你們必然奔走。又說：「我們要騎飛快的牲口。」所以追趕你們的也必飛快。 17 一人叱喝必令千人逃跑，五人叱喝你們都必逃跑，以致剩下的好像山頂的旗杆，岡上的大旗。

18 耶和華必然等候，要施恩給你們，必然興起，好憐憫你們，因為耶和華是公平的神。凡等候他的，都是有福的！ 19 百姓必在錫安，在耶路撒冷居住，你不再哭泣。主必因你哀求的聲音施恩給你，祂聽見的時候，就必應允你。

我們等候神，是因為我們確信我們等候的對象，祂有憐憫、恩慈，且大有能力，更重要的是祂已經且必然等候我們，為了施恩給我們。

當我們獨自奔走、惶恐掙扎時，我們切切尋求神的拯救，渴慕等候神的帶領；我們要看見，就像回轉歸家、尋求赦免的浪子，他看見的是相離還遠、跑來抱他頸項、連連與他親嘴的慈父。

於是起來，往他父親那裡去。相離還遠，他父親看見，就動了慈心，跑去抱著他的頸項，連連與他親嘴。（路15:20）

主耶和華─以色列的聖者曾如此說：你們得救在乎歸回安息；你們得力在乎平靜安穩；你們竟自不肯。