Author Archive for: meiling

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Haggai 2:1-9. As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself and see what you can glean from it with the help of the Holy Spirit.  Then read this GAME sharing below. 
 
Haggai 2:1-5 (NIV) 
1 On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: 
2 “Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people. Ask them, 
3 ‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? 
4 But now be strong, O Zerubbabel,’ declares the LORD. ‘Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the LORD, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the LORD Almighty. 
5 ‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’

On verses 1-5:  Over a month has passed since Haggai gave the Jews his first message found in chapter 1.  Now the Jews are a month into their mission of rebuilding the house of God in Jerusalem and are experiencing some challenges.  Haggai comes to them again with a word from God.  First Haggai acknowledges that the problem before their eyes seems great: after so many years God’s house does not seem to be anything compared to its former glory (v3).

Hi GAMErs!

Today we begin the book of Haggai.  Despite being the second shortest book in the Old Testament, the book of Haggai is packed with powerful lessons.  
 
Here is some historical background that will help you understand what’s going on in the book of Haggai:
 
–  In approximately 612 B.C. Babylon became the pre-eminent power in the world after defeating Assyria and later Egypt in 605 B.C.  Babylon would invade Judah 3 times over the next 20 years and each time they would take Jewish captives with them back to Babylon.
 
–  In approximately 586 B.C. the Babylonians destroyed Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem where the Jews worshiped and took back with them to Babylon most of the Jews living in Jerusalem.  For the next several decades, the Jews would live as exiles in Babylon.
 
–  In approximately 539 B.C. the Persians defeated the Babylonians and allowed the Jews living in Babylon to return to Judah under the leadership of Zerubabbel as governor and Joshua as high priest.  The Persians gave the Jews permission to re-build the temple that the Babylonians destroyed.  However, after 6 years of trying to rebuild the temple (from 536 BC to 530 BC), the Jews gave up working on it and apathy set in.  

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 2 Peter 3:10-18.  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. 
 

2 Peter 3:10-14 (NIV) 
10  But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. 
11  Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 
12  as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 
13  But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
14  So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.

On verses 10-14:  In these verses Peter is talking about “the day of the Lord” (v1)?  The “day of the Lord” is a term found in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.  It refers to the end times, or more specifically as we see in the New Testament, the time when Jesus will return to earth, physically raise Christians who have died back to life, gather His people, establish His kingdom and issue His final judgment on those who have rejected Him.  For this reason the New Testament writers sometimes refer to the day of the Lord as the day of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:8; 2 Corinthians 1:14; Philippians 1;6, 10; 2:16).

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 2 Peter 3:1-9.  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. 

2 Peter 3:1 (NIV) 
1  Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking.
 
On verse 1:  As an ongoing theme in 2 Peter, we see that successful Christian living is not just about constantly learning new things; it’s just as much about reminding ourselves of the truths of God’s Word that we often forget or take for granted.  How well you recall and rely on the promises of God’s Word will determine how well you live and deal with life’s challenges.