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When Someone Lets You Down

2023-09-28 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 2 Timothy 4:9-22.  Let’s go!

2 Timothy 4:9-15 (NIV) 
9 Do your best to come to me quickly, 
10 for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. 
11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry. 
12 I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 
13 When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments. 
14 Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. 
15 You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.

On verses 9-15:  Ministry is about serving God but it’s also about working with people.  Because none of us is perfect, you and those you serve with are bound to encounter tension, disagreement and conflict from time to time.  So what should you do?  From these verses we see how a mature leader in God’s kingdom deals with hurt and conflict with fellow servants of God.  In particular here are 3 things I learn from Paul’s example:

耶和华躬自做牧

2023-09-27 in , /by

以西结书 34:11 主耶和华如此说：看哪，我必亲自寻找我的羊，将他们寻见。

阅读经文：以西结书  34:1-31

1耶和华的话临到我说： 2 「人子啊，你要向以色列的牧人发预言攻击他们，说：『主耶和华如此说：祸哉，以色列的牧人！只知牧养自己。牧人岂不当牧养群羊吗？ 3 你们吃脂油，穿羊毛，宰肥壮的，却不牧养群羊。 4 瘦弱的你们没有养壮，有病的你们没有医治，受伤的你们没有缠裹，被逐的你们没有领回，失丧的你们没有寻找，但用强暴严严地辖制。 5 因无牧人，羊就分散，既分散，便做了一切野兽的食物。 6 我的羊在诸山间、在各高冈上流离，在全地上分散，无人去寻，无人去找。

大家读到这章经文，心里有没有很感动呢？不管我们以前在教会有怎样的经历，天父都知道。教会里有好牧人，也有坏牧人。在这里，神指出坏牧人有几项特点：一，只知道牧养自己，应该说喂养自己更合适吧！因为他们吃脂油，穿羊毛，宰肥壮的，却不牧养群羊。意思便是只顾自己生活得舒服。

其二，“瘦弱的你们没有养壮，有病的你们没有医治，受伤的你们没有缠裹，被逐的你们没有领回，失丧的你们没有寻找，但用强暴严严地辖制。”这里指出，坏牧人根本不理会群羊的需要和疾苦，也不在意群羊的失落。反而用一种强暴的手段去控制群羊，好像自己是君王，主瘴群羊的生死。坏牧人手下掌管的群羊因而在各地流离，在全地分散，甚至成了一切野兽的食物。

At the End of Your Life

2023-09-27 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 2 Timothy 4:1-8.  Let’s go!

2 Timothy 4:1a (NIV)
1  In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead…

On verse 1a:  Jesus is the judge of the living and the dead.  In the end, all of us will give an account to Him.  So let’s fear people and circumstances.  Let’s not be too concerned about how we look in front of others.  Instead, let’s live in the fear of the Lord.  For in the end, it’s Jesus’ opinion of us that matters far more than anyone else’s opinion.

On verses 1b-8:  In a very formal way where he even calls on God the Father and Jesus Christ as his witnesses (v1), Paul charges Timothy to preach the Word (v2) — that is, to preach Jesus.  He tells Timothy to preach the Word in season and out of season.  Just as the Scriptures are useful for teaching, correcting, rebuking, and training people in righteousness (see 3:16), Paul tells Timothy to “correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction” (v2).

守望者

2023-09-26 in , /by

以西结书 33:7  人子啊，我照样立你做以色列家守望的人。所以你要听我口中的话，替我警戒他们。

阅读经文：以西结书33:1-33

1耶和华的话临到我说： 2 「人子啊，你要告诉本国的子民说：我使刀剑临到哪一国，那一国的民从他们中间选立一人为守望的， 3 他见刀剑临到那地，若吹角警戒众民， 4 凡听见角声不受警戒的，刀剑若来除灭了他，他的罪就必归到自己的头上。 5 他听见角声，不受警戒，他的罪必归到自己的身上；他若受警戒，便是救了自己的性命。 6 倘若守望的人见刀剑临到，不吹角，以致民不受警戒，刀剑来杀了他们中间的一个人，他虽然死在罪孽之中，我却要向守望的人讨他丧命的罪。

圣城倾覆一年半之后， 消息传至被掳的人中(参阅一1-3注释) 。自巴比伦第三次攻城之日至今，以西结已经三年保持缄默(24:1/26-27， 33:22) 。

26章至31章关于推罗埃及的预言， 即发生于这三年之中， 不是口说而是以西结用笔写的。接到消息之后， 以西结所发出的第一个信息， 就是那些留在犹大的少数恶人必被除灭(23-29) 。

The Purpose of God’s Word

2023-09-26 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 2 Timothy 3:10-17.  Let’s go!

2 Timothy 3:10 (NIV) 
10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 

On verse 10:  The false teachers disturbing Timothy’s church were known for their immoral character (see verses 1-9).  In contrast, Paul sought to show Timothy what a true man of God and a true leader in God’s kingdom looks like — not just in his teaching, but in his lifestyle (“my way of life”), his character (“my…faith, patience, love, endurance”) and his ambition and his reason for living (“my purposes”).

What can we learn from this?  It’s important to teach the Word of God correctly to those in our care.  But just as important as teaching correctly, we need to model Christ for those around us through our lifestyle, our character and the goals we pursue. 

强权的败亡

2023-09-25 in , /by

以西结书  32:3   主耶和华如此说：我必用多国的人民，将我的网撒在你身上，把你拉上来。

阅读经文：以西结书32:1-32

1十二年十二月初一日，耶和华的话临到我说： 2 「人子啊，你要为埃及王法老作哀歌，说：『从前你在列国中如同少壮狮子，现在你却像海中的大鱼。你冲出江河，用爪搅动诸水，使江河浑浊。 3 主耶和华如此说：我必用多国的人民，将我的网撒在你身上，把你拉上来。 4 我必将你丢在地上，抛在田野，使空中的飞鸟都落在你身上，使遍地的野兽吃你得饱。 5 我必将你的肉丢在山间，用你高大的尸首填满山谷。 6 我又必用你的血浇灌你所游泳之地，漫过山顶，河道都必充满。 7 我将你扑灭的时候，要把天遮蔽，使众星昏暗，以密云遮掩太阳，月亮也不放光。 8 我必使天上的亮光都在你以上变为昏暗，使你的地上黑暗。这是主耶和华说的。

本章先知把埃及比喻为原始的水中怪物，在有生之日祸害人群，而巴比伦则以英勇战神的姿态击灭水怪。强权的背后，是神的手在操纵一切。

V.1-2狮子是百兽之王。法老自认为是世界上最伟大的领袖，像百兽之王狮子那样雄心勃勃，治理列国。他因骄傲，凭著鲁莽的野心，入侵周边列国，使列国的生活陷入惶恐不安中。

法老被比作大鱼(2节)，V.3「网」则比喻联军。预言由多个国家民族组成的巴比伦军队将攻打埃及，神利用残暴的巴比伦军队来惩罚埃及的骄傲。

3 Clues For Recognizing a False Teacher

2023-09-25 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 2 Timothy 2:14-26.  Let’s go!

2 Timothy 2:14-18 (NIV)
14  Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.
15  Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
16  Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.
17  Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,
18  who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.

On verses 14-18:  The background behind these verses is that Timothy is still dealing with the threat of false teaching influencing his church.  Individuals like Hymenaeus and Philetus were teaching that “the resurrection has already taken place” (v18).  In so doing their teaching, like gangrene (v17), had already started to spread and affect some in Timothy’s church, leading them astray (v18b).

成功与灭亡

2023-09-24 in , /by

以西结书  31:18  在这样荣耀威势上，在伊甸园诸树中，谁能与你相比呢？然而你要与伊甸的诸树一同下到阴府，在未受割礼的人中与被杀的人一同躺卧。

阅读经文：以西结书31:1-18

1十一年三月初一日，耶和华的话临到我说： 2 「人子啊，你要向埃及王法老和他的众人说：『在威势上谁能与你相比呢？ 3 亚述王曾如黎巴嫩中的香柏树，枝条荣美，影密如林，极其高大，树尖插入云中。 4 众水使它生长，深水使它长大，所栽之地有江河围流，汊出的水道延到田野诸树。 5 所以它高大超过田野诸树，发旺的时候枝子繁多，因得大水之力枝条长长。 6 空中的飞鸟都在枝子上搭窝，田野的走兽都在枝条下生子，所有大国的人民都在它荫下居住。

本章以亚述的荣耀与没落为喻，借此警告极度骄傲的法老，不可重蹈亚述的覆辙，倘若埃及心骄气傲，也必落到与亚述一样的下场。

先知将亚述比喻为一棵高大的香柏树，受到众水的滋润。如同亚述的首都尼尼微周围的底格里斯河与它的支流，是使亚述繁荣发展的原动力；而埃及同样得着尼罗河的滋润而兴盛。V.5树身高大超过田野诸树，是表明亚述的政治、军事和财富远比其他民族优越。「枝子繁多」则意味着亚述领土的扩张,统治力量与权势也扩大。大树犹如母亲一般，呵护众生，列邦也曾受到强国的保护与管理。因着神的祝福，亚述发展成强国。然而，他们因着自己的辉煌功绩而心存骄傲，最终难逃遭上帝审判与刑罚的命运。

If You Want to Be Used Greatly by God

2023-09-24 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 2 Timothy 2:14-26.  Let’s go!

2 Timothy 2:14-18 (NIV)
14  Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.
15  Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
16  Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.
17  Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus,
18  who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.

On verses 14-18:  The background behind these verses is that Timothy is still dealing with the threat of false teaching influencing his church.  Individuals like Hymenaeus and Philetus were teaching that “the resurrection has already taken place” (v18).  In so doing their teaching, like gangrene (v17), had already started to spread and affect some in Timothy’s church, leading them astray (v18b).

不合神心意的同盟

2023-09-22 in , /by

以西结书  30:19  我必这样向埃及施行审判，他们就知道我是耶和华。

阅读经文：以西结书30:1-25

1耶和华的话又临到我说： 2 「人子啊，你要发预言说：『主耶和华如此说：哀哉这日！你们应当哭号。 3 因为耶和华的日子临近，就是密云之日，列国受罚之期。 4 必有刀剑临到埃及，在埃及被杀之人仆倒的时候，古实人就有痛苦；人民必被掳掠，基址必被拆毁。 5 古实人、弗人、路德人、杂族的人民并古巴人，以及同盟之地的人，都要与埃及人一同倒在刀下。

本章提及不仅埃及将受到审判，连那些与埃及联盟的国家与城巿，也会一同面对神的审判。

第4、6、8节，「古实」在尼罗河的下游(即埃及北部)，「弗」、「路德」、「古巴」及「色弗尼塔」皆为非洲地名，是当时与埃及结盟的军队。当神要审判埃及的时候，所有要来帮助埃及的人也必要与埃及一同灭亡。

第20节说，十一月正月即主前586年4月，是耶路撒冷失陷前的三个月，当时法老合弗拉应西底家请求，出兵到耶路撒冷，却被围城的巴比伦军队打败。 第22节说，这是耶和华将他的膀臂全行打断，之后巴比伦军队远征埃及，结果埃及人分散在列邦。