Entries by

Can People Still Receive Salvation After They Die?

2024-01-16 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 1 Peter 4:1-11.  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 4:1-3 (NIV) 
1  Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin.
2  As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.
3  For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do–living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 

On verses 1-3:  What does Peter mean in verse 1 when he writes, “because whoever suffers in his body is done with sin”?  For us Christians, the moment we die physically is the moment we go to heaven and are done with sin and its ill effects.  Here Peter is saying: live that way now.  Think of your old life – the life you lived in the past before coming to Christ (v3) – as having died already.  Now you are living a new life that is controlled by Christ, not by sin, a life lived for the will of God, not for our own selfish desires (v2).

金灯台和橄榄树

2024-01-16 in , /by

撒迦利亚书4:6b  万军之耶和华说：不是倚靠势力，不是倚靠才能，乃是倚靠我的灵方能成事。

阅读经文: 撒迦利亚书 4:1-14

1 那与我说话的天使又来叫醒我，好像人睡觉被唤醒一样。 2 他问我说：「你看见了什么？」我说：「我看见了一个纯金的灯台，顶上有灯盏，灯台上有七盏灯，每盏有七个管子。 3 旁边有两棵橄榄树，一棵在灯盏的右边，一棵在灯盏的左边。」

先知在异象中也会睡着，可见人的灵多么容易疲倦。就好像主耶稣带门徒到客西马尼园时，主耶稣祷告到汗珠如大血点滴在地上，但是门徒通通睡着了。主把他们叫醒，再去祷告，他们又睡着了。直到犹大领兵丁前来捉耶稣，他们才大梦初醒。神怜悯我们，我们的灵常常会睡着，但是圣灵会叫醒我们。

在这章里，撒迦利亚看到了第五个异象，而这个异象是给所罗巴伯的。异象里的金灯台和圣殿里的金灯台有点不一样。异象中的金灯台多了三种东西：1.顶上有盛油的贮器（灯盏）;2.有管子盛灯芯；3.有两个金嘴输送灯油，每金嘴旁有一棵橄榄树。灯可以发亮是因为有油，使灯发亮的油是清橄榄油。在以色列，圣殿的金灯台也是使用清橄榄油。当时的清橄榄油要把橄榄压榨再炼净，杂质越少，油就越纯净，灯就可以更明亮。但是在撒迦利亚的异象中，金灯台可以直接用管子连在橄榄树上，源源不绝地吸收橄榄树里的油。这是什么意思呢？

How To Always Be Ready To Share Jesus With Others

2024-01-15 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 1 Peter 3:13-22.  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 3:13-15 (NIV)
13  Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?
14  But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.”
15  But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.

On verses 13-15a:  Don’t misunderstand Peter in verse 13.  Peter is not naively saying that no one will want to harm you if you are eager to do good.  Peter himself witnessed the greatest doer of good in history, Jesus Christ, being repeatedly criticized and ultimately crucified by people intent on harming him. But what Peter is saying to his Christian readers is: remember that the Greatest One is on your side.  He will be there to protect you and to keep you from any ultimate harm.  So do not be afraid of those who want to harm you while you live out your faith and calling.  

恢复圣殿的事奉

2024-01-15 in , /by

撒迦利亚书 3:7  万军之耶和华如此说：你若遵行我的道，谨守我的命令，你就可以管理我的家，看守我的院宇。我也要使你在这些站立的人中间来往。

阅读经文: 撒迦利亚书3:1-10

1 天使又指给我看，大祭司约书亚站在耶和华的使者面前，撒旦也站在约书亚的右边，与他作对。 2 耶和华向撒旦说：「撒旦哪，耶和华责备你，就是拣选耶路撒冷的耶和华责备你！这不是从火中抽出来的一根柴吗？」 3 约书亚穿着污秽的衣服，站在使者面前。

撒迦利亚书第3章的异象是复兴的异象，也是全书的第四个异象，大祭司的职份将要被恢复过来，耶路撒冷恢复敬拜事奉。

一、大祭司职事恢复 (3:1-5)

当耶路撒的复兴工程一切预备好了，人和牲畜都繁盛起来，城墙和边界都被量度了，然而祭司在哪？祭司必须侍立在神面前，在圣殿里事奉。

「天使（原文是他）又指给我看：大祭司约书亚站在耶和华的使者面前；撒但也站在约书亚的右边，与他作对。（3:1）」

那时的巴比伦城遍地是行邪术污秽的地方。大祭司约书亚「穿着污秽衣服」站在使者的面前，没有能力为神事奉。撒但仇敌站在他的右边与他作对。一人都是右手拿剑，左手拿盾牌。倘若你到以色列地古城参观，在进城右边有刺枪从你右边刺出；当敌人要攻进城的时候，一不小心，往往就会倒在枪下。撒但站在你的右边，意思说你是「输家」。当撒但在大祭司约书亚的右边，不住地控告他，让他自我责备，感到羞愧，没有能力事奉。

准绳的异象

2024-01-14 in , /by

撒迦利亚书 2: 13  凡有血气的，都当在耶和华面前静默无声！因为祂兴起，从圣所出来了！

阅读经文: 撒迦利亚书2:1-13

1 我又举目观看，见一人手拿准绳。 2 我说：「你往哪里去？」他对我说：「要去量耶路撒冷，看有多宽多长。」 3 与我说话的天使去的时候，又有一位天使迎着他来， 4 对他说：「你跑去告诉那少年人说：『耶路撒冷必有人居住，好像无城墙的乡村，因为人民和牲畜甚多。 5 耶和华说：我要做耶路撒冷四围的火城(a wall of fire)，并要做其中的荣耀。

这一章记载先知所见的第三个异象，就是一个人手拿准绳的异象。这异象不单给当时的人，也给今天的犹太人，与我们也息息相关。这个异象传递了三个信息，所以全章分为三段，第一段是1-5节，其中1-3节是异象，4-5节是第一个信息；6-9节是第二个信息；10-12节是第三个信息，13节是总结，也回应第一个异象的最后一句话，即1章17节的「耶和华必再安慰锡安，拣选耶路撒冷」。

第1-3节是异象。我们一般以为第1节的「一人」是天使，也以为他就是与先知说话的天使；又以为第4节的「那少年人」就是撒迦利亚先知。今天我不再这样以为，因为这样以为，就会失去很多异象里的意义。所以，「我又举目观看」的「我」就是先知撒迦利亚，「一人」就是那少年人；「与我说话的天使去的时候」(2:3a) 的「天使」就是第1章里「与我说话的天使」(参1:9,13,14,19)，就是向先知解释四马、四角、四匠人的异象的天使；「又有一位天使迎着他来」(2:3b) 是另一位天使。

How Wives and Husbands Ought to Treat One Another

2024-01-14 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 1 Peter 3:1-12.  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 3:1-2 (NIV) 
1  Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, 
2  when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.

On verses 1-2:  Continuing his theme of submission, a theme which Peter introduced in chapter 2, Peter addresses married women and tells them to be submissive to their husbands.  What is the reason Peter gives for why married women should submit to their husbands?  For Peter it’s about evangelism.  It’s about leading the husband to Jesus – “so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behaviour of their wives when they see the purity and reverence of your lives”.    Here again we see Peter’s ongoing emphasis on how a Christian’s actions should speak well of Jesus.   

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.