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Want More Peace and Quiet?

2023-09-07 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 1 Timothy 2:1-7.  Let’s go!

1 Timothy 2:1-3 (NIV) 
1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone– 
2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 
3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior,

On verses 1-3:  It is good and pleasing to God when we devote ourselves to prayer. In fact, when you read Paul’s letters, a running theme is his devotion to prayer (see for example Ephesians 6:18-20; Colossians 4:2-4; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2; and Philemon 1:4-6).  These verses are a reminder that we ought to devote ourselves to prayer for everyone including for those in authority.

Notice what Paul describes in verse 2 as the result of praying: “that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (v2).  In other words, when we bring our requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving before God (v1), the result is that we’re more able to live a peaceful, quiet, godly and holy lives (v2).  Ever wished for more peace and quiet in your life?  Pray.  A life of prayer pleases God (v3).

How to Protect Your Faith and Keep a Good Conscience

2023-09-06 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 1 Timothy 1:12-20.  Let’s go!

1 Timothy 1:12-15 (NIV)
12  I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.
13  Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.
14  The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
15  Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners–of whom I am the worst.

On verses 12-15:  No matter how far Paul advanced as a leader in God’s kingdom, Paul never forgot where he came from, how he once was a persecutor of God’s church, “the worst of sinners” he calls himself.  Likewise, may you never forget the depths from which God saved you, so that you will never take for granted His forgiveness, His acceptance, and the opportunities He has given you to serve Him since.

追念與堅定所立之約

2023-09-06 in , /by

以西結書16:5   然而我要追念在你幼年時與你所立的約，也要與你立定永約。

閱讀經文：今天因為經文很長，請大家自行上網取讀。以西結書16章

當你完整章後，對於其中所用的字彙是否覺得很不習慣？因為神把整件事描繪得很“露骨”。我們習慣了包裝、修飾過的形容，盡量讓我們的文字顯得高雅，但是這裡的文字顯露的是一片污俗不堪的情景，就是神的愛和人的悖逆和庸俗。從神的眼光來看以色列人的光景，原來人是如此忘恩負義，不知羞恥，醜陋不堪；也因而當我讀到神還要追念並堅定和以色列人所立的永約時，我的心深受感動。

那是人的本相，不只是以色列人。全世界的人都虧欠了神的榮耀。神把祂的榮耀給了人類，沒有給其他動物；但是有許多人活得比禽獸不如。不僅不記念神的恩典，荒淫無度，放縱自己，彼此欺凌，漠視神所訂的規律，還美其名為人權。

神知道在我們當中所行的那些可恥的事，神知道我們不喜歡跟隨祂的公義度日。神知道人不可愛，但是祂還要愛。神知道人悖逆，但祂還要守約。不僅追念，還要堅定。“我要堅定與你所立的約，你就知道我是耶和華”。這句話倒過來說就是：你們不知道我是耶和華，所以我要繼續堅定與你所立的約，你才會知道我是信實的神。然後呢？神希望我們被祂的信實所吸引。因為這世上多的是背約不守信之人，但是神要讓人看到希望，有一個信實的神，以永遠不變的愛愛我們。所以無論我們落在怎樣的景況裡，都可以回轉歸向祂。

在火中當柴的葡萄樹

2023-09-05 in , /by

以西結書 15:4  看哪，已經拋在火中當做柴燒，火既燒了兩頭，中間也被燒了，還有益於功用嗎？ 

閱讀經文: 以西結書 15:1-8

1 耶和華的話臨到我說： 2 「人子啊，葡萄樹比別樣樹有什麼強處？葡萄枝比眾樹枝有什麼好處？ 3 其上可以取木料做什麼功用？可以取來做釘子掛什麼器皿嗎？ 4 看哪，已經拋在火中當做柴燒，火既燒了兩頭，中間也被燒了，還有益於功用嗎？ 5 完全的時候尚且不合乎什麼功用，何況被火燒壞，還能合乎什麼功用嗎？

葡萄樹代表以色列。葡萄的枝子一點也不起眼，它之所以成為神的葡萄，只是因為神愛它。它被揀選，不是因為它有很好的條件，是神把它栽種在流奶與蜜之地，使它可以發旺。

我們的生命也是這樣，或者說我們的教會也是這樣。我們的生命是神撿回來的，我們跟救恩遇上，神的福音轉化了我們的生命。我們未信耶穌之前，真的不相信人間有情，我們甚至不相信可以有無條件的愛，我們更加不會相信，因為有人會因為愛我們而付上了連我們自己也付不起的代價。基督十架上的愛，就是這樣滋潤我們的生命。神揀選我們，建立我們，我們在人海中被神撿回來，好像以色列民在曠野被神遇上，將他們帶回來。

3 Friends Every Christian Needs

2023-09-05 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today we begin the book of 1 Timothy.  1 Timothy is a letter written by Paul in approximately 63-66 AD to his spiritual son Timothy.  At the time, Timothy was leading a large church that Paul helped to start in the city of Ephesus.  So Paul writes this letter to Timothy to give Timothy some guidance on how to effectively lead the church in Ephesus.  Today’s passage is 1 Timothy 1:1-11.  Let’s go!
 
1 Timothy 1:1-2 (NIV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,
2 To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

On verses 1-2:  In these two verses we see the 3 friends you can’t live without, 3 friends that every Christian needs.  First and foremost, we all need Jesus Christ as “our hope” (v1) and “our Lord” (v2).  Second, we all need a Paul, a pastor and spiritual father in our lives who teaches us God’s Word and models what it means to follow Jesus.  Third, we all need a Timothy, someone younger in the faith than we are and whom we’re leading to Christ and investing in.  Do you have a Timothy in your life?  If not, it’s time to find one to invest in.

沒有第二代的基督徒

2023-09-04 in , /by

以西結書 14:14  其中雖有挪亞、但以理、約伯這三人，他們只能因他們的義救自己的性命。這是主耶和華說的。

閱讀經文: 以西結書 14:1-23

1 有幾個以色列長老到我這裡來，坐在我面前。 2 耶和華的話就臨到我說： 3 「人子啊，這些人已將他們的假神接到心裡，把陷於罪的絆腳石放在面前，我豈能絲毫被他們求問嗎？ 4 所以你要告訴他們：『主耶和華如此說：以色列家的人中，凡將他的假神接到心裡，把陷於罪的絆腳石放在面前，又就了先知來的，我耶和華在他所求的事上，必按他眾多的假神回答他， 5 好在以色列家的心事上捉住他們，因為他們都藉著假神與我生疏。』

神親自在此解答為何禱告不蒙應允的一個緣由。那就是求問的人心裡不專一，帶著懷疑不信的心來向神求問，神不理會這樣的禱告。耶穌說，我們若有芥菜種一樣的信心，就能挪山，沒有一件事情不能做了（太17:20）；反之，我們若藏著芥菜種般的疑惑和不信，神根本不聽我們的禱告。

有時我們向神禱告，但是心裡另有計劃，預備了萬一神不聽禱告或不應允，我們就有計劃B計劃C。那些計劃就是心裡的假神，我們不過是想看看神是否行個方便，不然的話就自己出手。那些計劃就是陷我們於罪的絆腳石。因為我們心裡驕傲，到了神面前，還是不肯放下自己。

Don’t Just Weep and Cry. Repent.

2023-09-04 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Judges 21:1-25.  Let’s go!

Judges 21:1-4 (NIV)
1  The men of Israel had taken an oath at Mizpah: “Not one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite.”
2  The people went to Bethel, where they sat before God until evening, raising their voices and weeping bitterly.
3  “O LORD, the God of Israel,” they cried, “why has this happened to Israel? Why should one tribe be missing from Israel today?”
4  Early the next day the people built an altar and presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.

On verses 1-4:  The Israelites weep bitterly before God when they realize that one tribe of Israel, the Benjamites, is nearly extinct.  In verse 3 they ask, “O LORD, the God of Israel, why has this happened to Israel? Why should one tribe be missing from Israel today?”  According to scholars like Daniel Block from the New American Commentary, the tone of the Israelites’ questioning of God is one of accusation.  In other words, rather than seeing how their actions resulted in this heart-breaking result, they blame God.  Isn’t that so like us humans to do?  We make a mess of our own situation and then we blame God for the mess.

責備假先知

2023-09-03 in , /by

以西結書 13:9  我的手必攻擊那見虛假異象，用謊詐占卜的先知。他們必不列在我百姓的會中，不錄在以色列家的冊上，也不進入以色列地，你們就知道我是主耶和華。

閱讀經文: 以西結書 13:1-23

1 耶和華的話臨到我說： 2 「人子啊，你要說預言攻擊以色列中說預言的先知，對那些本己心發預言的說：『你們當聽耶和華的話！ 3 主耶和華如此說：愚頑的先知有禍了！他們隨從自己的心意，卻一無所見。 4 以色列啊，你的先知好像荒場中的狐狸， 5 沒有上去堵擋破口，也沒有為以色列家重修牆垣，使他們當耶和華的日子在陣上站立得住。 6 這些人所見的是虛假，是謊詐的占卜。他們說「是耶和華說的」，其實耶和華並沒有差遣他們，他們倒使人指望那話必然立定。 7 你們豈不是見了虛假的異象嗎？豈不是說了謊詐的占卜嗎？你們說「這是耶和華說的」，其實我沒有說。

去年十月有一對住在德州的老夫婦想去猶他州包威爾湖旅遊，他們靠著GPS（導航）的指示而行，路越來越難行。妻子勸丈夫不如回頭，丈夫執意繼續開下去，沒想到有個輪胎爆炸。他們只好下車去求援。走了一段路後，76歲的貝勒先生因雙腿疼痛無法繼續。78歲的太太決定繼續往前走找人來幫忙，沒想到走了五天都見不到半個人影。最後有一位牧場主人出門查看放牧的牛時，才在荒野的道路上發現已經嚴重脫水，且意識不清的貝勒太太。幸好這一對老夫婦經過急救後，最後都脫離險境。

Take Care of Home Base

2023-09-03 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Judges 20:33-48.  For context, we’ll start at verse 29.

Judges 20:29-48 (NIV)
29  Then Israel set an ambush around Gibeah.
30  They went up against the Benjamites on the third day and took up positions against Gibeah as they had done before.
31  The Benjamites came out to meet them and were drawn away from the city. They began to inflict casualties on the Israelites as before, so that about thirty men fell in the open field and on the roads–the one leading to Bethel and the other to Gibeah.

On verses 33-48:  The Benjamites made this mistake:  they were so intent on defeating the Israelites that they directed all or most of their soldiers out of their home base of Gibeah and into the open field, leaving their own city of Gibeah vulnerable.  Little did the Benjamites know that the Israelites had other troops waiting for the city of Gibeah to be left alone so that the Israelites could ambush it from different directions.  This would lead to the Benjamites losing both their city as well as the war they were fighting outside of it.

Sometimes You Need to Lose Before You Can Win

2023-09-01 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Judges 20:18-32.  Let’s go!

Judges 20:18-28 (NIV)
18  The Israelites went up to Bethel and inquired of God. They said, “Who of us shall go first to fight against the Benjamites?” The LORD replied, “Judah shall go first.”
19  The next morning the Israelites got up and pitched camp near Gibeah.
20  The men of Israel went out to fight the Benjamites and took up battle positions against them at Gibeah.
21  The Benjamites came out of Gibeah and cut down twenty-two thousand Israelites on the battlefield that day.

On verses 18-28:  There are only a few times in the book of Judges where we see people inquiring of God.  In chapter 1 the Israelites inquire of the LORD after the death of Joshua (1:1).  In chapter 6 Gideon inquires of God with his famous fleece.  In chapter 13, Manoah the father of Samson inquires of the LORD regarding how to honour Him (13:17).  Whenever people in Judges inquired of the LORD, it seemed to be a God-pleasing thing, a move that would be followed immediately by a wise decision or an immediate victory.  Whenever you’re not sure what to do, the best thing you can do is inquire of the LORD.  He will lead the way for you.

But here in Judges 20, even though the Israelites inquire of the LORD repeatedly, notice that the first couple times that they follow the LORD’s directions, they lose, and lose badly.  After the first time that the Israelites inquire of the LORD (v18), God tells the tribe of Judah that they will be the first to go up against the Benjamites, and yet that day 22,000 of them are cut down (v21).