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When You Suffer Unjustly

2024-01-12 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 1 Peter 2:18-25.  Let’s go!  As usual, I recommend that you read the whole passage by yourself first and see what you can glean on your own.  Then take a look at this GAME sharing below.

1 Peter 2:18-25 (NIV) 
18  Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 
19  For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. 
20  But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 

On verses 18-25:  Amazingly, in the face of persecution, Peter tells his people not to complain or fight against those who persecute them, but to bear with the suffering and endure it.  He even says it is “commendable before God” (v19) for one to suffer for doing good and endure it while being “conscious of God” (i.e. with God in mind) (v20).   What is Peter’s reason for saying all this?  It’s because we are following in the footsteps of Jesus when we suffer unjustly for doing good (v21).  Peter goes on to talk about the way Jesus put up with unjust suffering – how “when they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats” (v23) and entrusted himself to God who judges justly (v23). 

神回到耶路撒冷

2024-01-12 in , /by

撒迦利亚书1:16  所以耶和华如此说：现今我回到耶路撒冷，仍施怜悯，我的殿必重建在其中，准绳必拉在耶路撒冷之上。这是万军之耶和华说的。

阅读经文: 撒迦利亚书 1:7-21

7 大流士第二年十一月，就是细罢特月二十四日，耶和华的话临到易多的孙子、比利家的儿子先知撒迦利亚说： 8 我夜间观看，见一人骑着红马，站在洼地番石榴树中间，在他身后又有红马、黄马和白马。 9 我对与我说话的天使说：「主啊，这是什么意思？」他说：「我要指示你这是什么意思。」 10 那站在番石榴树中间的人说：「这是奉耶和华差遣在遍地走来走去的。」

在〈哈该书〉和〈撒迦利亚书〉里所采用的日期都是巴比伦历，比我们现在用的西历慢了三个月，所以在大流士第二年的十一月，其实就是我们现在的二或三月份了。也就是早春的时候，所有的花草树木都刚刚从严冬里慢慢苏醒，有的嫩芽细叶也开始探头出来。细罢特月<犹大历的五月，含有shoot发射的意思，也就是万物萌芽之时。 在〈撒迦利亚书〉里有很多启示性的预言，正如在〈以西结书〉、〈但以理书〉和〈启示录〉里也有很多启示性的预言，启示性的预言大多以图象来表达。而异象和异梦也有一点不同，异象是指人在清醒的状态下看到神向他显现的图象；异梦则是人在作梦时看到的。这里撒迦利亚在夜间观看，是指他在清醒的时候所看到的异象。犹太人以太阳下山后为一天的开始，和我们以太阳下山后为一天的结束，有点不一样，所以夜间并不是指他们睡觉的时候。撒迦利亚一共看到八个异象，这八个异象都是关于选民以色列的预言，初步应验在撒迦利亚的时代，完全的应验还待将来。

你们要转向我

2024-01-11 in , /by

撒迦利亚书1: 3  所以你要对以色列人说：『万军之耶和华如此说：你们要转向我，我就转向你们。这是万军之耶和华说的。

阅读经文: 撒迦利亚书 1:1-6

1大流士王第二年八月，耶和华的话临到易多的孙子、比利家的儿子先知撒迦利亚说： 2 「耶和华曾向你们列祖大大发怒。

撒迦利亚和哈该都是同一时代的先知，但是他们从神领受的信息却有很大的不同。从时间上来看，当哈该在七月和九月宣传神的信息时，撒迦利亚在同一年的八月也传了神给他的信息。哈该的信息都很直接，容易明白，对实际的时势痛下针砭；但是撒迦利亚的信息和异象，多数预言指向未来。有时有天使的解释，有的没有解释。但是很显然的，神预备了撒迦利亚来接下哈该的工作。

在一章1节里提到的：易多的字义是“在指定的时候”；比利家的字义是“耶和华必祝福”；撒迦利亚的字义是“耶和华必记念”。这些家族的名字合起来便是：“在指定的日子，耶和华必祝福，耶和华必记念。” 真的很有意思。神记念以色列人，被掳的犹太人，祂也记得自己的应许。现在被掳的犹太人有一部份已经回到耶路撒冷了。重建圣殿和耶路撒冷是个艰钜的工作，但是神与他们同在，要坚固他们的手。但是在坚固他们的手之前，调整他们的心念更为重要。

Let Your Actions Speak Well of Jesus

2024-01-11 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 1 Peter 2:11-17.  Let’s go!  As usual, I recommend that you read the whole passage by yourself first and see what you can glean on your own.  Then take a look at this GAME sharing below.

1 Peter 2:11a (NIV) 
11  Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world…
 
On verse 11a:  Here is the “alien and stranger” theme again from Peter, the idea that as Christians our home is not on earth but in heaven.  So don’t live as if your life on earth is all there is, but every day live with heaven in mind.
 
1 Peter 2:11b (NIV) 
…to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.
 
On verse 11b:  How does sin “war against your soul”?  By trying to get you to buy into the lie that you’ll be happier and better off if you sin.  That is the deceitfulness of sin.  Are you tempted to sin in a certain way today?  The truth is that sin will never lead to happiness but to unhappiness.  Sin will not get you to where you ultimately want to be.  Sin is not a shortcut but a detour.  So for the sake of your own long term happiness, you’re always better off not giving into sinful desires but abstaining from them.

Got Milk?

2024-01-10 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 1 Peter 2:1-10.  Let’s go!  As usual, I recommend that you read the whole passage by yourself first and see what you can glean on your own.  Then take a look at this GAME sharing below.

1 Peter 2:1 (NIV) 
1  Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.
 
On verse 1:  Here’s a Bible reading tip: whenever you see the word “therefore”, look at the verses just before “therefore”.  Then you can better know what the “therefore” is there for.  In this case, just before verse 1, Peter has been telling his readers to “love each other deeply from the heart, since you have been born again by the imperishable word of God” (1 Peter 1:22-25).  So it is with the goal of loving each other deeply that Peter tells his readers to rid themselves of all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 
 
What can we learn from this?  We need to be intentional about getting rid of malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander, for love cannot co-exist with these things.  Think of a relationship in your life today that you wish was in a better place.  Have you allowed malice (mean, judgmental thoughts), deceit (lying or trickery), hypocrisy (saying one thing but doing another), envy (being resentful because someone else has what you don’t have) or slander (speaking ill about that person in front of others) to poison that relationship? 

我必赐福于你们

2024-01-10 in , /by

哈该书2: 19  仓里有谷种吗？葡萄树、无花果树、石榴树、橄榄树都没有结果子。从今日起，我必赐福于你们。

阅读经文: 哈该书 2:10-23

10 大流士王第二年九月二十四日，耶和华的话临到先知哈该说： 11 「万军之耶和华如此说：你要向祭司问律法， 12 若有人用衣襟兜圣肉，这衣襟挨着饼或汤，或酒，或油，或别的食物，便算为圣吗？」祭司说：「不算为圣。」 13 哈该又说：「若有人因摸死尸染了污秽，然后挨着这些物的哪一样，这物算污秽吗？」祭司说：「必算污秽。」 14 于是哈该说：「耶和华说：这民这国在我面前也是如此，他们手下的各样工作都是如此，他们在坛上所献的也是如此。

有一个六岁的小男孩过生日前，他的父母亲问他还需要什么？他说：“我不要需要的，我要我想要的东西”（ I don’t want to need, I want to want.）。一语中的，正是大多数人的想法。在你的生活里，你想要有什么呢？有个古老的故事告诉我们，许愿前要小心思考。曾经有一位国王许愿，希望他碰到的每件事物都化为金子，结果他碰到的每盘食物都变为金子，当他要抱他的小女儿时，小公主也变为金子。他做了一个何等懊悔的选择。

但是神给人的福气是真实的福气，当人有了神所赐的福气时，就有了一切！不管你是富有或贫穷，只要你拥有了神赐给你的福气，世上便没有人能够把它夺走。也会因而感到满足，真正的满足；反之，你若没有得到从神来的福气，你的心就永远不会满足，永远在寻求，永远在追求。

在这地方我必赐平安

2024-01-09 in , /by

哈该书2: 9  这殿后来的荣耀必大过先前的荣耀，在这地方我必赐平安。这是万军之耶和华说的。

阅读经文: 哈该书 2:1-9

1七月二十一日，耶和华的话临到先知哈该说： 2 「你要晓谕犹大省长撒拉铁的儿子所罗巴伯和约萨答的儿子大祭司约书亚，并剩下的百姓，说： 3 『你们中间存留的，有谁见过这殿从前的荣耀呢？现在你们看着如何？岂不在眼中看如无有吗？

这是神给哈该的第二个信息：这殿后来的荣耀必大过先前的荣耀，所以你们都当刚强！因为我与你们同在。

他们在六月廿四日开工，七月廿一日就有神的话语临到哈该。原来神的同在是那样的确实。有一些从巴比伦回来的老人，曾经看过所罗门王建的圣殿之威荣，所以对于目前重建的工作感到沮丧和失望。因为在他们眼中，现在的圣殿即使修建好了，也万万不及当年的圣殿（看如无有）。这些话神都听到了。百姓也听到了，这样的话令人失去斗志，不想再努力下去。既然没办法恢复当年的荣耀，再做工又有何益？

There’s No Expiry Date on God’s Word or Jesus’ Blood

2024-01-09 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 1 Peter 1:13-25.  Let’s go!
 
1 Peter 1:13 (NIV)

13  Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.
 
On verse 13:   Peter is telling believers everywhere in the Roman empire: don’t place your hope in money, pleasure, people, or anything else you have now.  Instead, place your hope fully on the grace you will be given when Jesus comes again: the grace of being united with Jesus, of knowing Him intimately, of experiencing His presence so closely and without limit, and of being home together with Him and with God’s family in heaven where there is no more death, sickness, suffering or sorrow. 

By the way, given how much Peter writes about having hope in Christ in the midst of suffering and difficulty, it’s no surprise that Peter is sometimes known as the apostle of hope.  Meanwhile Paul is sometimes known as the apostle of faith, since no one’s letters more clearly explain the saving faith we have in Christ than Paul, and John is sometimes known as the apostle of love, since his life and writing reflect God’s love especially.  Faith, hope and love — may you be known for these three things too.

Nothing like the Hope We Have in Jesus

2024-01-08 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today we begin our look at 1 Peter, a letter written by the apostle Peter, one of Jesus’ disciples, probably around 64 A.D. to Christians scattered everywhere throughout five Roman provinces.  When you read this leter, keep in mind the context within which Peter is writing this letter.  In approximately 64 A.D., Christians in the Roman Empire are going through severe persecution.  Emperor Nero has launched, or is just about to launch, a widespread movement to capture and destroy Christians.  He would become famous for setting Christians on fire as human torches for his dinner parties and feeding them to lions in the coliseum.  With this background of great persecution in mind, read 1 Peter and you will find that it comes alive with so much more meaning and relevance.  Likewise, if you have ever been bullied, ostracized, or excluded by others, may you find encouragement from this letter by Peter.  

1 Peter 1:1-2 (NIV) 
1  Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, 
2  who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood…

我与你们同在

2024-01-08 in , /by

西番雅书3:17  耶和华你的神是施行拯救、大有能力的主，祂在你中间必因你欢欣喜乐，默然爱你，且因你喜乐而欢呼。

阅读经文: 哈该书 1:1-15

1大流士王第二年六月初一日，耶和华的话藉先知哈该，向犹大省长撒拉铁的儿子所罗巴伯和约萨答的儿子大祭司约书亚说： 2 「万军之耶和华如此说：这百姓说，建造耶和华殿的时候尚未来到。」 3 那时耶和华的话临到先知哈该说： 4 「这殿仍然荒凉，你们自己还住天花板的房屋吗？ 5 现在万军之耶和华如此说：你们要省察自己的行为。

时间一跳，这本书记录的事已经是在波斯和玛代灭了巴比伦，波斯又从玛代夺得了政权之后所发生的事情。主前607年，巴比伦攻破耶路撒冷，犹大国亡，百姓被掳，圣殿被毁，耶路撒冷成为荒凉。主前539年，波斯和玛代联军灭了巴比伦。神藉先知所说的预言逐一应验。

主前537年，波斯王居鲁士元年（Cyrus II又译为塞鲁士或古列）下诏，准许被掳巴比伦的犹太人回耶路撒冷重建圣殿，又让他们把尼布甲尼撒从圣殿抢来的器皿都一起带回去（拉1）。但是到了主前520年，圣殿的落成仍然遥遥无期。在这段岁月里，因为仇敌撒玛利亚人的反对和阻扰，个人信心上的怀疑和物质主义等等，阻碍了重建圣殿的事工。直到波斯王大流士（又译：大利乌）的第二年。这里说的大流士王是继居鲁士后的第三任波斯王。