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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? 

我必賜福於你們

2024-01-10 in , /by

哈該書2: 19  倉裡有穀種嗎？葡萄樹、無花果樹、石榴樹、橄欖樹都沒有結果子。從今日起，我必賜福於你們。

閱讀經文: 哈該書 2:10-23

10 大流士王第二年九月二十四日，耶和華的話臨到先知哈該說： 11 「萬軍之耶和華如此說：你要向祭司問律法， 12 若有人用衣襟兜聖肉，這衣襟挨著餅或湯，或酒，或油，或別的食物，便算為聖嗎？」祭司說：「不算為聖。」 13 哈該又說：「若有人因摸死屍染了汙穢，然後挨著這些物的哪一樣，這物算汙穢嗎？」祭司說：「必算汙穢。」 14 於是哈該說：「耶和華說：這民這國在我面前也是如此，他們手下的各樣工作都是如此，他們在壇上所獻的也是如此。

有一個六歲的小男孩過生日前，他的父母親問他還需要什麼？他說：“我不要需要的，我要我想要的東西”（ I don’t want to need, I want to want.）。一語中的，正是大多數人的想法。在你的生活裡，你想要有什麼呢？有個古老的故事告訴我們，許願前要小心思考。曾經有一位國王許願，希望他碰到的每件事物都化為金子，結果他碰到的每盤食物都變為金子，當他要抱他的小女兒時，小公主也變為金子。他做了一個何等懊悔的選擇。

但是神給人的福氣是真實的福氣，當人有了神所賜的福氣時，就有了一切！不管你是富有或貧窮，只要你擁有了神賜給你的福氣，世上便沒有人能夠把它奪走。也會因而感到滿足，真正的滿足；反之，你若沒有得到從神來的福氣，你的心就永遠不會滿足，永遠在尋求，永遠在追求。

在這地方我必賜平安

2024-01-09 in , /by

哈該書2: 9  這殿後來的榮耀必大過先前的榮耀，在這地方我必賜平安。這是萬軍之耶和華說的。

閱讀經文: 哈該書 2:1-9

1七月二十一日，耶和華的話臨到先知哈該說： 2 「你要曉諭猶大省長撒拉鐵的兒子所羅巴伯和約薩答的兒子大祭司約書亞，並剩下的百姓，說： 3 『你們中間存留的，有誰見過這殿從前的榮耀呢？現在你們看著如何？豈不在眼中看如無有嗎？

這是神給哈該的第二個信息：這殿後來的榮耀必大過先前的榮耀，所以你們都當剛強！因為我與你們同在。

他們在六月廿四日開工，七月廿一日就有神的話語臨到哈該。原來神的同在是那樣的確實。有一些從巴比倫回來的老人，曾經看過所羅門王建的聖殿之威榮，所以對於目前重建的工作感到沮喪和失望。因為在他們眼中，現在的聖殿即使修建好了，也萬萬不及當年的聖殿（看如無有）。這些話神都聽到了。百姓也聽到了，這樣的話令人失去鬥志，不想再努力下去。既然沒辦法恢復當年的榮耀，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…

我與你們同在

2024-01-08 in , /by

西番雅書3:17  耶和華你的神是施行拯救、大有能力的主，祂在你中間必因你歡欣喜樂，默然愛你，且因你喜樂而歡呼。

閱讀經文: 哈該書 1:1-15

1大流士王第二年六月初一日，耶和華的話藉先知哈該，向猶大省長撒拉鐵的兒子所羅巴伯和約薩答的兒子大祭司約書亞說： 2 「萬軍之耶和華如此說：這百姓說，建造耶和華殿的時候尚未來到。」 3 那時耶和華的話臨到先知哈該說： 4 「這殿仍然荒涼，你們自己還住天花板的房屋嗎？ 5 現在萬軍之耶和華如此說：你們要省察自己的行為。

時間一跳，這本書記錄的事已經是在波斯和瑪代滅了巴比倫，波斯又從瑪代奪得了政權之後所發生的事情。主前607年，巴比倫攻破耶路撒冷，猶大國亡，百姓被擄，聖殿被毀，耶路撒冷成為荒涼。主前539年，波斯和瑪代聯軍滅了巴比倫。神藉先知所說的預言逐一應驗。

主前537年，波斯王居魯士元年（Cyrus II又譯為塞魯士或古列）下詔，准許被擄巴比倫的猶太人回耶路撒冷重建聖殿，又讓他們把尼布甲尼撒從聖殿搶來的器皿都一起帶回去（拉1）。但是到了主前520年，聖殿的落成仍然遙遙無期。在這段歲月裡，因為仇敵撒瑪利亞人的反對和阻擾，個人信心上的懷疑和物質主義等等，阻礙了重建聖殿的事工。直到波斯王大流士（又譯：大利烏）的第二年。這裡說的大流士王是繼居魯士後的第三任波斯王。

耶和華默然愛你

2024-01-07 in , /by

西番雅書3:9  那時，我必使萬民用清潔的言語，好求告我耶和華的名，同心合意地侍奉我。

閱讀經文: 西番雅書3:1-20

1這悖逆、汙穢、欺壓的城有禍了！ 2 她不聽從命令，不領受訓誨，不倚靠耶和華，不親近她的神。 3 她中間的首領是咆哮的獅子，她的審判官是晚上的豺狼，一點食物也不留到早晨。 4 她的先知是虛浮詭詐的人，她的祭司褻瀆聖所，強解律法。 5 耶和華在她中間是公義的，斷不做非義的事，每早晨顯明他的公義，無日不然，只是不義的人不知羞恥。

有時候我們奇怪，為何神那樣生氣猶大人。他們在耶路撒冷從來沒有停止過去聖殿敬拜，也未曾不獻祭，為何神稱自己的子民是“不知羞恥的國民”(2:1)？在這一章裡，神指出他們沒有做的四件事情：一，不聽從神的命令；二，不領受訓誨；三，不倚靠耶和華神；四，不親近耶和華神。

你覺得自己平時會不會有也同樣的問題？除了星期天去教會敬拜，或參加團契、小組，其他時間就與神分別為勝。不是分別為聖，而是把與神分別當作自己的勝利，不讓神管，不親近神，也不倚靠神。神把這些事看得極為重要，因為祂在意我們，要我們行在祂的光明裡。有時候，你會發現平穩時大家都一片詳和，一旦有事情發生，那才能看出你在神的裡面扎根有多深。聖經的知識不能幫助你有成熟的靈命，只有當我們肯親近神，倚靠神，聽從神的命令和訓誨時，我們的靈命才會成長。

God’s Mercy Triumphs Over Judgment

2024-01-07 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Hosea 14:1-9. Let’s go!
 
Hosea 14:1-3 (NIV) 
1 Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God. Your sins have been your downfall!
2 Take words with you and return to the LORD. Say to him: “Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips. 
3  Assyria cannot save us; we will not mount war-horses. We will never again say ‘Our gods’ to what our own hands have made, for in you the fatherless find compassion.”
 
On verses 1-3:  Like a mediator between God and Israel, here Hosea suggests words that Israel can speak to God in repentance.  Repentance means to agree with God that His way was the right way after all.  He urges Israel to plead with God for forgiveness (v2).  He also tells the Israelites to acknowledge that all those idols they had previously worshiped cannot save them (v3).  
 
What can we learn from this?  If we want our relationship with God to be restored, we must repent .  Agree with God that His way was the right way after all.  We must recognize that those idols that we had worshiped cannot save us and only God can save and satisfy us.
 

Stay Humble in Victory and Hopeful in Death

2024-01-05 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Hosea 13:1-16.  Let’s go!
 
Hosea 13:1-16 (NIV)
1  When Ephraim spoke, men trembled; he was exalted in Israel. But he became guilty of Baal worship and died.
2  Now they sin more and more; they make idols for themselves from their silver, cleverly fashioned images, all of them the work of craftsmen. It is said of these people, “They offer human sacrifice and kiss the calf-idols.”

On verses 1-9:  At one time Israel (also called Ephraim) had a close relationship with God and stood strong with Him — so much so that “when Ephraim spoke men trembled” (v1).  But this close relationship with God did not last.  Eventually Israel fell headlong into idol worship, including offering human sacrifices (v1b-2).  Israel’s love for God was like the morning mist (see also Hosea 6:4), here one day and gone the next, and Hosea prophesies that his people will be like the morning mist too, here now but gone soon (v3).  Having brought His people out of Egypt, God wanted the people to acknowledge Him and worship Him for who He is, their own true God and Saviour (v4), the one who cared for them in the desert (v5), the one who fed them so that they were satisfied (v6a).  But in their satisfaction, the people became proud and forgot about God (v6b).