Entries by

When Things Go From Bad to Worse

2023-12-15 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today we begin the book of Joel.  Not much is known about Joel.  We do know that he was a prophet living in Jerusalem and his name means “Jehovah is his God”.  His dad’s name was Pethuel meaning “vision of God”.  It is not clear when the book of Joel was written.  In fact, there is quite possibly no book in the Bible whose date of composition is more widely debated than the book of Joel, with various scholars proposing dates as early as approximately 900 B.C. to as late as 200 B.C.  As Robert B. Chisholm, Jr. of the Bible Knowledge Commentary writes, given the lack of clear historical clues, “it is impossible to be dogmatic about the date of the writing of Joel”[1].  Though overall preferring a 7th century B.C. date, D.A. Garrett from the New American Commentary also concludes that “[a]ny suggested time frame for the book should be tentative, and the interpretation of the book should not depend upon a hypothetical historical setting.”[2]  That said, Joel is a powerful book with some important lessons for us today. 

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

無法醫治的傷痕

2023-12-15 in , /by

彌迦書  1: 8 先知說：因此我必大聲哀號，赤腳露體而行；又要呼號如野狗，哀鳴如鴕鳥。

讀經文: 彌迦書 1:5-16

5 這都因雅各的罪過，以色列家的罪惡。雅各的罪過在哪裡呢？豈不是在撒馬利亞嗎？猶大的丘壇在哪裡呢？豈不是在耶路撒冷嗎？ 6 「所以，我必使撒馬利亞變為田野的亂堆，又作為種葡萄之處；也必將她的石頭倒在谷中，露出根基來。 7 她一切雕刻的偶像必被打碎，她所得的財物必被火燒，所有的偶像我必毀滅，因為是從妓女雇價所聚來的，後必歸為妓女的雇價。」

神從祂的聖殿見證雅各家的不是，神出了祂的居所，所行過的各處，眾山都消化，諸谷必崩裂，如蠟化在火中，如水沖下山坡。雅各家究竟犯了何罪，讓神如此大作？先知直指罪的根源來自兩國的首府，一是撒瑪利亞，一是耶路撒冷。因為它們是雅各家罪惡的根源，所以有一天，撒瑪利亞要變為田野的亂堆，或種葡萄之處；它那些美麗輝煌的建築必成亂石，露出根基，人再也看不到它的美麗和輝煌。想像現在美麗的東方之珠香港或大蘋果紐約，或台北、北京、上海成為田野的亂堆，倒塌露出根基，是怎樣的情況？紐約的雙子樓在911事件中倒下時，我們都看到了，那是一個很悲慘的狀況。

來自鄉村的先知彌迦

2023-12-14 in , /by

彌迦書  1: 3  看哪，耶和華出了祂的居所，降臨步行地的高處。

讀經文: 彌迦書 1:1-4

1 當猶大王約坦、亞哈斯、希西家在位的時候，摩利沙人彌迦得耶和華的默示，論撒馬利亞和耶路撒冷。

2 萬民哪，你們都要聽！地和其上所有的，也都要側耳而聽！主耶和華從他的聖殿要見證你們的不是。 3 看哪，耶和華出了祂的居所，降臨步行地的高處。 4 眾山在他以下必消化，諸谷必崩裂，如蠟化在火中，如水沖下山坡。

先知彌迦來自一個稱為摩利沙的小鎮，此鎮位於離耶路撒冷約有33公里的肥沃高原地帶，靠近迦特（非利士城鎮），因此又稱為摩利沙迦特；也因為此地位於猶大和非利士的邊境，對兩國均有重大的軍事意義，故猶大王常常來此地巡視，看看此地有沒有受到威脅。也因為猶大王常來巡視，因此地方雖小，卻經常有大人物出入。

彌迦原在猶大的農村工作，蒙召後多半在民間傳揚神的話，被稱為“鄉村的先知”。與他同時代的先知有以賽亞，他是個大學者，和彌迦一起主要向猶大發預言；阿摩司是牧羊人出身，和何西阿（神叫他去娶淫婦）則主要對以色列發預言。彌迦剛奉差遣出來事奉時，北國以色列由耶羅波安二世執政，國勢富強，他的兒子撒迦利雅做王六個月後就被篡位；此後政局非當不穩，國勢一落萬丈。

Live Again Through Jesus

2023-12-14 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Hebrews 13:10-25. Let’s go!

Hebrews 13:10 (NIV) 
10  We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat.

On verse 10:  Who are “those who minister at the tabernacle”?  The writer of Hebrews is referring to priests who served under the old covenant and who would sacrifice bulls and goats according to the law of Moses.  These priests would sacrifice animals at an altar and would in certain circumstances be allowed to eat some of the sacrificed animals.  So what does the writer of Hebrews mean when he says that “we have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat”?   Here the writer of Hebrews is saying that we as believers in Christ living under the new covenant have an altar – that is, a way to worship, connect with God and be in God’s presence – that the old covenant priests could not access by merely sacrificing bulls and goats.  As Hebrews 10:20 says, “a new and living way [to God] opened for us” when Jesus died on the cross for our sins.  Once again it’s the theme that through Jesus Christ we have something incredibly precious and unique that priests under the old covenant did not have.

約拿發怒

2023-12-13 in , /by

約拿書 4:4 耶和華說：「你這樣發怒合乎理嗎？」

讀經文: 約拿書 4:1-11

1 這事約拿大大不悅，且甚發怒， 2 就禱告耶和華說：「耶和華啊，我在本國的時候，豈不是這樣說嗎？我知道你是有恩典有憐憫的神，不輕易發怒，有豐盛的慈愛，並且後悔不降所說的災，所以我急速逃往他施去。 3 耶和華啊，現在求你取我的命吧！因為我死了比活著還好。」 4 耶和華說：「你這樣發怒合乎理嗎？」 5 於是約拿出城，坐在城的東邊，在那裡為自己搭了一座棚，坐在棚的蔭下，要看看那城究竟如何。

這一章裡的約拿充份反映出人的本性：“我發怒以至於死，都合乎理”。最近在台北，有一個老翁上了巴士，走到博愛座前看到有一位年輕的女人坐著，沒有起來讓位給他。就惡狠狠地罵她，還給了她一巴掌。那位年輕的小姐哭了，因為她那天月事來，肚子疼痛不舒服，才坐到博愛座上，沒想到那個老翁如此無理，還動手打人。可見老翁本身是有力氣站一下的，只是認為博愛座是給老人坐的，別人都不可以坐。老翁覺得他發怒很合理啊，等知道真相時，他豈不感到羞愧？

當人發怒時，其實已經被情緒所制，沒有理智可言了。所以雅各說：“人的怒氣並不成就神的義”（雅1:20）。

7 Practical Ways to Live Out God’s Word

2023-12-13 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Hebrews 13:1-9. Let’s go!

Hebrews 13:1-9 (NIV)
1  Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters.
2  Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
3  Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
4  Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.

On verses 1-9:  While the book of Hebrews contains more doctrine than most other New Testament books, it also contains some of the most important teaching on how to practically live out your life as a Christian.  In these verses, the writer of Hebrews gives us 7 actions he wants his readers to take in light of all that Jesus has done for us:

五個字的佈道

2023-12-12 in , /by

約拿書 3:4 約拿進城走了一日，宣告說：「再等四十日，尼尼微必傾覆了！」

讀經文: 約拿書 3:1-10

1 耶和華的話二次臨到約拿說： 2 「你起來，往尼尼微大城去，向其中的居民宣告我所吩咐你的話。」 3 約拿便照耶和華的話起來，往尼尼微去。這尼尼微是極大的城，有三日的路程。 4 約拿進城走了一日，宣告說：「再等四十日，尼尼微必傾覆了！」

神沒有改變初衷，也沒有改變人選。祂第二次叫約拿去尼尼微大城宣告神吩咐的信息。所以不管約拿經歷了多少的艱難，都是出於他自己的不順服。但是人的不順服只會為自己帶來災難；受苦之後，神的旨意還是要成全。我們若看透這點，就不要和神討價還價，或是做逃避的傻事。順服神的人最有福。

2000年前的希臘歷史家狄奧多羅斯，形容尼尼微是個四角形的城市，四邊共長480斯達地，周長相等於96公里！與聖經約拿書裡的記載完全符合：“這尼尼微是極大的城，有三日的路程(3:3)”。在當時來說，這是一座極大的城，要走三日才能走完，但是約拿只走了一日。佈道只用了一句話，在原文只是五個字：“再等四十日，尼尼微必傾覆了！”

From Old Covenant Fear to New Covenant Joy

2023-12-12 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage, Hebrews 12:12-29, is full of many powerful lessons, so much so that you may want to read my GAME sharing today in parts (read a bit in the morning, another bit in the midday, and finish the rest at night!).  Let’s go!

Hebrews 12:12-13 (NIV) 
12  Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 
13  “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

On verses 12-13:  Continuing with the theme that God is our personal trainer who allows pain and pressure to make us stronger, the writer of Hebrews tells his readers to “strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees” (v12).  When you allow pressure and pain to make you stronger, you “make level paths for your feet”, says the writer of Hebrews quoting Proverbs 4:26.  Even more, God can use you to help others “so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.” (v13)

約拿在魚腹中的禱告

2023-12-11 in , /by

約拿書2:9  但我必用感謝的聲音獻祭於你，我所許的願我必償還。救恩出於耶和華！

讀經文: 約拿書 2:1-10

1 約拿在魚腹中禱告耶和華他的神， 2 說：「我遭遇患難求告耶和華，你就應允我。從陰間的深處呼求，你就俯聽我的聲音。 3 你將我投下深淵，就是海的深處，大水環繞我，你的波浪洪濤都漫過我身。

約拿在魚腹裡的禱告講得很清楚，當他被投到海裡時，他就知道自己大難臨頭了。

當他沉到海的深處時，對約拿而言，已經和到了死人所在的陰間差不多，覺得自己必死無疑。（因為他沒有戴氧氣筒，哈哈）。那時，大水環繞他，波浪洪濤都漫過他身。

在這樣緊急的時刻裡，約拿立刻求告耶和華。雖然不滿意神的差遣，可還是知道只有神可以救他。他的感恩是，當他一求告神時，立刻得到神的應允。就是在此時，神安排大魚把他吞到肚子裡。離開了波浪洪濤，此時約拿才能呼吸到一些空氣吧！

How to Persevere Through a Painful Season

2023-12-11 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Hebrews 12:1-11.  Let’s go!

Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
1  Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
 
On verse 1:  What “great cloud of witnesses” is the writer of Hebrews talking about?  He’s referring to every one of the heroes of faith he mentioned in Hebrews 11 and all of heaven as well, the greatest crowd ever assembled.  Here the writer of Hebrews evokes the image of the Olympic games where people are watching in the stands while the runners run.  I believe that while we are running our race on earth, heaven is watching and cheering us on, encouraging us to keep on going and not give up.  When I know that heaven is watching and cheering me on, it gives me extra fuel to keep on running.