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Jesus, Your Alpha and Omega

2024-02-19 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today we begin the book of Revelation.  It is easily one of the most intriguing, mysterious, powerful and controversial books in all the Bible.   Revelation was written by the apostle John in approximately 95 A.D. while he was in exile on the island of Patmos for preaching about Jesus.  While on Patmos, John receives multiple visions which he understands to be from Jesus Christ and is told to write them down.  The result is the book of Revelation, a highly significant book that describes what will happen before, during and after the return (second coming) of Jesus Christ.  This book also shows how many Old Testament prophecies will be fulfilled.

Today’s passage is Revelation 1:1-8.  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 1:1-2 (NIV) 
1  The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 
2  who testifies to everything he saw–that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 

Jesus Makes the Ordinary Extraordinary

2024-02-18 in /by

Today’s passage is Zechariah 14:12-21.  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!

Zechariah 14:12-13 (NIV) 
12 This is the plague with which the LORD will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths.
13 On that day men will be stricken by the LORD with great panic. Each man will seize the hand of another, and they will attack each other.
 
On verses 12-13:  Here Zechariah continues to describe what the end times will look like when Jesus the Messiah comes again.  What will happen “on that day” (a phrase repeated 15 times in chapters 12-14)?  In verses 1-11, Zechariah described how the city of Jerusalem will be rescued and transformed.  Now in these verses Zechariah describes what will happen to the nations who tried to attack Jerusalem.  He says their flesh, their eyes and their tongues will rot (v12).  In addition, there will be great panic, and they will seize each other by the hand and attack one another (v13). 

上行之詩系列–詩篇第130篇

2024-02-18 in , /by

詩篇130:4 但在祢有赦免之恩，要叫人敬畏祢。

閱讀經文: 詩篇130篇–踏上第十級台階-等候救贖

130:1 （上行之詩。）耶和華啊，我從深處向祢求告！

130:2 主啊，求祢聽我的聲音！願祢側耳聽我懇求的聲音！

130:3 主─耶和華啊，祢若究察罪孽，誰能站得住呢？

這首詩是七首懺悔詩之一（6，32，38，51，102，130，143篇）。詩人謙卑地承認遭受痛苦的原因在於他犯了罪，並懇求神赦免他。此處的罪孽意味著整個以色列對神的不順服與叛逆，而不只是指個人的罪過。這首詩始於詩人對救恩的迫切懇求，將焦點集中在全然信靠神的憐恤上（5, 6節），最後以根據神豐盛慈愛而確信赦罪與恢復的信仰告白（7, 8節）來結束。

他一生經歷了如此嚴重的抑鬱症，卻寫下了傳世詩歌《有一活泉》

2024-02-17 in /by

作者：徐彬   區別於過去我寫的的聖詩專欄文章，今天我想以不同尋常的方式，著重通過介紹及評論一個人特殊的患病歷史來認識他的人生及所寫的詩歌代表作。這個人從他22歲起就伴隨著抑鬱症的反復發作，多次試圖自殺，一直到他的晚年。傳記作家稱他的一生“經歷了史詩般的靈魂戰爭”；在他去世後，著名詩人勃朗寧夫人（Elizabeth Barrett Browning）還專門因他的這些特殊經歷而撰寫了一篇感人的長詩。然而，他的人生故事和他所寫的詩歌《有一活泉》（There is a Fountain Filled with Blood/也有譯成“寶血活泉”）卻感動鼓勵了無數同樣身心柔弱的後來人。這個人就是威廉·考伯（William Cowper 1731-1800）。 考伯生於1731年的11月15日。他的家族在那個時代可算得上是令人羡慕的精英階層。祖父斯賓塞·考伯是普通上訴法院的法官；叔祖父威廉.考伯不但做過英國司法部長和首任大法官，而且還被英王冊封成第一代的考伯伯爵（Count Cowper）；父親約翰·考伯擁有劍橋和牛津大學的傲人學位，博士畢業後曾擔任過大伯克漢姆斯特德區的教區長和英王喬治二世的牧師。 然而同樣作為亨利三世和伊莉莎白時代詩人約翰·多恩的後裔，安妮.多恩嫁到考伯家後的命運卻過於悲催。她婚後生了七個孩子，卻只有考伯和他弟弟約翰活了下來，在34歲那年她又因難產而身亡。 母親去世那年考伯才六歲。父親只能將他和弟弟倆人送到一所寄宿學校去就讀。不幸的是一進校門他就受到一位年長同學的肆意欺負，以至於每次遇到那男生他就驚嚇得低下頭，不敢直視對方的眼睛。對此後來他心酸地回憶道，“那時我對那個男生鞋扣的瞭解超過了對他身上的任何部分。” 過早失去母愛和年少遭遇霸凌這兩件痛苦經歷不但成了他少年時代不堪回首的回憶，也給他日後性格的形成帶來了陰影，造成他不自信、渴望被人關愛，以及容易陷入幻想等心理弱點。 10歲那年考伯考上頂尖的著名私校威斯敏斯特公學（Westminster School)。在那裏他最感興趣的是古典文學，並多次因成績優異而獲得了獎學金，並結交了一些志同道合的文友。 1749年考伯如期從威斯敏斯特畢業。早在畢業之前，父親就按家族的願望，為他在著名的“中殿”（The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple）完成了登記註冊。這一機構屬於當時英國三大法律教育、培訓、管理機構之一，其功能相當於後來的律師協會和法學院。同時父親還為他在一家律師事務所安排好了為期三年的見習工作，希望他能夠因此而儘快地熟悉實際業務，成為一名優秀的律師人才。然而儘管如此，考伯的興趣卻一直無法專注在法律上，而是更青睞於他所熱衷的文學。 ▼下圖左是考伯年輕時的畫像；右上是威斯敏斯特公學校舍某處的歷史舊照；右下是現今時期某年該校畢業生的合照 在那段日子裏，唯一讓他感興趣的是每到週末可以到他親叔叔、身為議院大律師的阿什利.考伯（Ashley Cowper）家去消磨時光。但讓人意想不到的是，在那裏他竟和他的堂妹西奧多拉（Theodora […]

What A Difference the Lord Makes

2024-02-16 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Zechariah 14:1-11.  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!

Zechariah 14 has posed quite a challenge for scholars.  For example, Martin Luther once wrote two commentaries on Zechariah.  In the first one, Luther stopped at Zechariah 13 without explaining why.  Then in his second commentary, Luther begins his discussion on Zechariah 14 by saying, “Here, in this chapter, I give up.  For I am not sure what the prophet is talking about.” 1 I love Martin Luther’s honesty! 

So we must approach Zechariah 14 with special care and humility.  It seems quite clear that Zechariah 14 is talking about the end times.  Whereas Zechariah 9 to 11 focus on Jesus’ first appearance on earth, Zechariah 12 to 14 focus on Jesus’ second coming and the establishment of His kingdom.  

At the same time, I believe the Holy Spirit has some powerful lessons to encourage us today from this chapter.  Let’s go!  

上行之詩系列–詩篇第129篇

2024-02-16 in , /by

詩篇129:4 耶和華是公義的；祂砍斷了惡人的繩索。

閱讀經文: 詩篇128篇–踏上第九級台階-尋求公義

129:1 （上行之詩。）以色列當說：從我幼年以來，敵人屢次苦害我，

129:2 從我幼年以來，敵人屢次苦害我，卻沒有勝了我。

129:3 如同扶犁的在我背上扶犁而耕，耕的犁溝甚長。

新欽定版聖經稱其為「戰勝錫安之敵的勝利之歌」，而修訂後的標準版稱其為「為以色列的敵人滅亡而祈禱」。1-4 節是祈求的基礎：選民曾屢受迫害，但都得耶和華救援，再次倚靠神。5-8 節則是祈求的內容：求神對付敵人，使他們像長在屋頂上的野草，枯乾且毫無用處，無法去收割，就算收割，捆起來也不夠一把。

第1, 2節「從我幼年以來」是指以色列人在埃及、出埃及的時候。連續兩次提到「敵人屢次苦害我」，但強調「卻沒有勝了我」；接著，第3節形容以色列人是被鞭笞的人，背上有深深的傷痕。

There’s a Fountain of Forgiveness for You

2024-02-15 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Zechariah 13:1-9.  While not an easy passage, there are some powerful lessons to learn.  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!

Zechariah 13:1 (NIV) 
1 “On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity. 

On verse 1:  In Zechariah 13, Zechariah continues to describe the vision God has given him concerning the end times.  In chapter 12, Zechariah has just finished describing how God will protect Jerusalem and Judah against the attack of other nations (12:1-9), and how God’s people will weep bitterly upon realizing that they had pierced and killed the Messiah (12:10-14). 

上行之詩系列–詩篇第128篇

2024-02-15 in , /by

詩篇128:4 看哪，敬畏耶和華的人必要這樣蒙福！

閱讀經文: 詩篇128篇–踏上第八 級台階-平安蒙福

128:1 （上行之詩。）凡敬畏耶和華、遵行祂道的人便為有福！

128:2 你要吃勞碌得來的；你要享福，事情順利。

詩人在第八級台階上論及「敬畏耶和華、遵行祂道的人」所得到的祝福，不僅是個人蒙福、家庭蒙福、也推至於國家蒙福。

葡萄樹是結果纍纍的植物，無論在開花或結果時都充滿芬芳香氣，所結葡萄果子，可製成葡萄汁，發酵成酒或壓成葡萄乾。橄欖樹充滿生機，樹根周圍長出許多幼苗，是很獨特的栽子樹木，果實能榨油，可作為食料、入藥、抹身、燃燒…多種用途。詩人用這兩種植物形容家室蒙福、興旺的景象，成為葡萄樹和橄欖樹的家庭，是蒙神賜福的家庭。

上行之詩系列–詩篇第127篇

2024-02-14 in , /by

詩篇127:3 兒女是耶和華所賜的產業；所懷的胎是他所給的賞賜。

閱讀經文: 詩篇127篇–踏上第七級台階-安然睡覺

127:1 （所羅門上行之詩。）若不是耶和華建造房屋，建造的人就枉然勞力；若不是耶和華看守城池，看守的人就枉然警醒。

127:2 你們清晨早起，夜晚安歇，吃勞碌得來的飯，本是枉然；惟有耶和華所親愛的，必叫他安然睡覺。

詩人踏上第七級台階，他體認到建造家庭（建造房屋）、護衛社稷（看守城池）、甚至於個人每天的勞碌，若不是神的恩待、賜與，這一切都將是「枉然」。「枉然」的意思是空虛的、虛妄的、無價值的，沒有神參與的建造、看守和勞碌，這一切所得到的結果將是虛空，且毫無價值。

許多時候，我們帶著建造、看守和勞碌所衍生的煩惱和挫折進入我們的休息，沒有神的同工，我們就無法將手上的工作視為「都甚好」，也因此不能得享安息。

根據世界睡眠協會指出，睡眠問題已經構成全球性的流行病，威脅著全世界將近一半人口的健康和生活品質。你知道嗎？

Pierced for Our Transgressions

2024-02-14 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Zechariah 12:1-14.  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!

Zechariah 12:1 (NIV)
1 This is the word of the LORD concerning Israel. The LORD, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the spirit of man within him, declares: 
 
On verse 1:  Here Zechariah writes down a message from the LORD regarding Israel.  Before describing the message, first Zechariah describes the God who gave him the message as “the LORD, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the spirit of man within him”.  In other words, the same God who made the heavens and the earth, as big as they are, also forms the spirit within each person.  You’re not a spiritual being by accident.  It is God who formed the spirit in you so that you would ultimately reach for Him.