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Your Love for God Is Reflected in THIS

2023-09-14 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 1 Timothy 5:1-8.  Let’s go!

1 Timothy 5:1-2 (NIV) 
1 Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, 
2 older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.

On verses 1-2:  Paul tells Timothy to treat the people in his congregation like family.  These verses remind us that since as Christians we are one family in Christ, we are to treat each other like family as well.

Also, Paul tells Timothy to treat the women in his church with absolute purity. Similarly, men in the church, be careful to treat your sisters in Christ with absolute purity, not lusting after them or leading them on, but serving them, protecting them and reflecting Christ to them.

墮落的姐妹

2023-09-14 in , /by

以西結書 23:49  人必照著你們的淫行報應你們，你們要擔當拜偶像的罪，就知道我是主耶和華。

閱讀經文：以西結書23:1-49

1耶和華的話又臨到我說： 2 「人子啊，有兩個女子，是一母所生。 3 她們在埃及行邪淫，在幼年時行邪淫。她們在那裡做處女的時候，有人擁抱她們的懷，撫摸她們的乳。 4 她們的名字，姐姐名叫阿荷拉，妹妹名叫阿荷利巴。她們都歸於我，生了兒女。論到她們的名字，阿荷拉就是撒馬利亞，阿荷利巴就是耶路撒冷。

本章除了指摘以色列宗教上的墮落外，更指出他們政治聯盟的不當與不信之惡心。阿荷拉是指撒瑪利亞(北國以色列)，阿荷利巴是指耶路撒冷(南國猶大)。二女的惡行是離棄丈夫，與不同的男人行淫；聖經通常都是以婚約來象徵與以色列的約，先知以此諷喻撒瑪利亞及耶路撒冷離棄神、崇拜異國偶像，並且倚賴外邦的力量，與外邦結盟，而不祈求神的援助，是信仰上的不貞與淫亂。

V.5-10責備北國以色列與述結盟，亞述的戰士被描寫為撒瑪利亞為之著迷的威武騎士，以色列尋求與亞述結盟，並因此而拜起亞述的假神來，因此他的結局就是被亞述國所蹂躪。主前722年，亞述攻陷撒瑪利亞，北國從此滅亡。

堵住破口的人

2023-09-13 in , /by

以西結書 22:30  我在他們中間尋找一人重修牆垣，在我面前為這國站在破口防堵，使我不滅絕這國，卻找不著一個。

閱讀經文：以西結書22:1-31

1耶和華的話又臨到我說： 2 「人子啊，你要審問審問這流人血的城嗎？當使她知道她一切可憎的事。 3 你要說：『主耶和華如此說：哎！這城有流人血的事在其中，叫她受報的日期來到；又做偶像玷汙自己，陷害自己。 4 你因流了人的血，就為有罪，你做了偶像，就玷汙自己，使你受報之日臨近，報應之年來到。所以我叫你受列國的凌辱和列邦的譏誚。 5 你這名臭、多亂的城啊，那些離你近、離你遠的都必譏誚你。

本章提出社會中許多的罪惡(V.7-12)如不孝敬父母、欺壓貧窮、不敬畏神、淫亂、賄賂、亂倫、暴力、放高利貣….等，這些罪惡不僅是當年以色列百姓中常犯的罪，就是在當今的社會中，也是司空見慣之事。打開電視、報紙，每天充斥的都是這類的消息。

對於這些我們習以為常的惡事，神卻表達出祂的痛心與忿怒，祂必定會審判刑罰所有作惡的人。因此，我們需要天天到主的面前來察驗，求神光照我們，改變我們的生命，不但不作不討神所喜悅的事，更要成為世界上的鹽和光，帶領百姓離棄罪惡、歸向神。

Lead By Your Words and By Your Example

2023-09-13 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 1 Timothy 4:11-16.  Let’s go!

1 Timothy 4:11-12 (NIV)
11  Command and teach these things.
12  Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

On verses 11-12:  Some commentators speculate that Timothy had a shy and not so aggressive personality and because of that Paul is encouraging Timothy to step into his role as a pastor with confidence.  Whether or not that’s true, verses 11-12 show us that for Paul being an effective pastor and spiritual leader is not just about what you say (v11) but also how you live (v12). Godly leaders don’t just message people about how to follow Christ; they model it for them too.  For those around you, may you set an example of what a Christian should be in the way you speak (speech), the way you live (life), the way you treat others (love), the way you trust and believe God’s Word (faith), and the way you seek to please God with your life (purity).

兩條路

2023-09-12 in , /by

以西結書 21:5 一切有血氣的就知道，我耶和華已經拔刀出鞘，必不再入鞘。

閱讀經文：以西結書21:1-32

1耶和華的話臨到我說： 2 「人子啊，你要面向耶路撒冷和聖所滴下預言攻擊以色列地， 3 對以色列地說：『耶和華如此說：我與你為敵，並要拔刀出鞘，從你中間將義人和惡人一併剪除。 4 我既要從你中間剪除義人和惡人，所以我的刀要出鞘，自南至北攻擊一切有血氣的。 5 一切有血氣的就知道，我耶和華已經拔刀出鞘，必不再入鞘。』

在第廿章的最後，以西結向神抱怨，因為那些被擄的猶太人無法領會以西結所說的預言，也不相信他的預言，嘲笑他只不過是個說比喻的。因此在這第廿一章的第1-7節裡，神重述那個深奧的比喻，便是刀劍和南方樹林著火的比喻。神要以西結在這章裡有幾個特別的動作。第一個動作便是彎著腰，苦苦地嘆息。因為神所命定的災禍快到了。

神要剪除義人和惡人，這事令人不解。神不是跟耶利米說：“你們在耶路撒冷的街是跑來跑去，在寬闊處尋找，看有一人行公義，求誠實沒有；若有，我就赦免這城。（耶5:1-3）”所以神已經下了定論，耶路撒冷城裡一個義人也沒有，為何在此處說要把義人和惡人一併剪除呢？可以從兩方面來看：一，城裡根本沒有義人，所以這只是神要滅城的一種說法，不管義人惡人都要滅掉；二，當災禍來臨時，義們和惡人都會碰上。但是肉體的結束並不是一切，所以即使義人也一樣被剪除，但是他們在神那裡有永恒的生命。就好像耶利米在其中，他算是義人，雖然後來死在埃及，但我相信，神必然把他的靈魂帶到天上。

The Need to Train Spiritually

2023-09-12 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 1 Timothy 4:1-10.  Let’s go!

1 Timothy 4:1-6 (NIV)
1  The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
2  Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
3  They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.
4  For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
5  because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
6  If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.

On verses 1-6: False teachers were telling people in Timothy’s church that if you really want to be holy and acceptable in God’s sight, you must never marry and you must abstain from eating certain foods (most likely referring to the dietary rules in Leviticus and Numbers of the Old Testament).  In response, Paul says 2 things.  First, Paul says that these false teachings are inspired by demons and deceiving spirits (v1) and the teachers who teach them are hypocritical liars (v2). 

一張滿江紅的成績單

2023-09-11 in , /by

以西結書  20:42   我領你們進入以色列地，就是我起誓應許賜給你們列祖之地，那時你們就知道我是耶和華。

閱讀經文：以西結書20:1-49

1第七年五月初十日，有以色列的幾個長老來求問耶和華，坐在我面前。 2 耶和華的話臨到我說： 3 「人子啊，你要告訴以色列的長老說：『主耶和華如此說：你們來是求問我嗎？主耶和華說：我指著我的永生起誓，我必不被你們求問。』

在這一章裡，有幾個以色列的長老來求問以西結，想知道為何神允許他們落到如此不堪的地步。神列舉了以色列人在三個時期的成績單，從以色列人在埃及地的悖逆（4-9節），到在曠野中的悖逆（10-26節），以及進入迦南地之後的悖逆（27-32節），以色列人真的是拿了個滿江紅（不及格）。

從以色列人悖逆的歷史上來看，我們明白人性的無知和愚蠢。當他們在作奴隸時，神應允要領他們出埃及，他們卻還是不肯拋棄那轄制他們的，埃及之偶像。為何寧可拜使他們為奴的偶像，不肯拜使他們成為自由人的耶和華神？你能說出個緣由嗎？

在曠野裡，神使以色列人從一個民族變成一個國家，為他們建立軍隊，賜給他們律例典章，讓他們成為有尊嚴有氣度的一國之民；他們卻寧可隨從自己的私慾，隨從外邦的偶像，成為被踐踏的賤民。

The Wonder That Is Jesus

2023-09-11 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 1 Timothy 3:8-16.  Let’s go!

1 Timothy 3:8-9 (NIV) 
8 Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 
9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.

On verses 8-9:  In these verses Paul describes the qualifications that deacons must meet.  Deacons were special helpers to the overseer/pastor.  They would assist the overseer/pastor in caring for the flock and possibly also leading certain ministries in the church.

The qualifications of a deacon are similar to those expected of overseers:

– “worthy of respect”:   This is a general term that means carrying yourself in a way that others can admire and look up to.

– “sincere”: To be more specific, it means don’t be a person of “double talk”; that is, don’t be someone who cares for people to their face but then gossips about them behind their back.

– “not indulging in much wine”: This means being someone who is in control of his passions and appetites.

Leadership Begins with Character

2023-09-10 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 1 Timothy 3:1-7.  Let’s go!

1 Timothy 3:1 (NIV) 
1 Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. 

On verse 1:   Paul is about to list the qualifications that a person must meet in order to be an “overseer” or, as other translations put it, a pastor, elder, or bishop in the church.  But before listing those qualifications, Paul first affirms that the work of a overseer/pastor is a noble work.  If you dream of being a leader in God’s kingdom because you want to serve others and use your life for God’s glory, that is definitely a noble dream and a good work.

1 Timothy 3:2-3 (NIV) 
2 Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 
3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.