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分别为圣的人生

2023-06-13 in , /by

耶利米书16:19a   耶和华啊，祢是我的力量，是我的保障，在苦难之日是我的避难所。

阅读经文:  16:1-21

1耶和华的话又临到我说： 2 「你在这地方不可娶妻，生儿养女。 3 因为论到在这地方所生的儿女，又论到在这国中生养他们的父母，耶和华如此说： 4 他们必死得甚苦，无人哀哭，必不得葬埋，必在地上像粪土，必被刀剑和饥荒灭绝。他们的尸首必给空中的飞鸟和地上的野兽做食物。

张文亮教授曾分享了一个不大愉快的经验。有一年，政府委托他担任地方工程执行的稽查。第一次去开会时，他和几个查验工程的委员一起搭车前往，没想到汽车开到海边，深入一条马路尽头一间酒家。主办人热情地招呼大家进去，张教授却独自一人到海边祷告，因为他知道那是个网罗。那些人醉醺醺地从酒家出来，预算也被吃掉、喝掉、玩掉、浪费掉了。虽然在这期间他很孤单，也被认为不合群，但是他知道主耶稣与他同在。他也学会了许多正确使用预算的方法。

被主使用，似乎注定了是一条孤单的道路。神叫耶利米不可娶妻，生儿养女。因为在那地所生的儿女必死得甚苦。神不许耶利米去丧家哀哭。因为神已夺去他们的平安、慈爱和怜悯，所以人的安慰是徒然的。神也不许耶利米进入宴乐之家，与人同坐吃喝。这样耶利米就和整个社会隔绝了。

One of the Most Beautiful Passages in All the Bible

2023-06-13 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Philippians 2:1-11.  Let’s go!

Philippians 2:1-11 (NIV)
1  If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,
2  then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.
3  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
4  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5  Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

On verses 1-11:  It is one of the most beautiful and important passages in all of the New Testament, so much so that I encourage you to memorize this passage.

When you memorize this passage, the Holy Spirit will use it to remind you of some essential truths, including the following:

1. As Christians we are to be like Christ in our attitude and to put others’ interests (especially the interests of your brothers and sisters in Christ) ahead of our own (v3-5).

2. Jesus Christ is in very nature God (v6). He is fully God.

3. Jesus Christ also became a human being (v7).  He is both fully God and fully man.

失败的代祷

2023-06-12 in , /by

耶利米书14:21   求祢为你名的缘故，不厌恶我们，不辱没祢荣耀的宝座。求祢追念，不要背了与我们所立的约。

阅读经文:  14:1-22

1 耶和华论到干旱之灾的话临到耶利米：2 「犹大悲哀，城门衰败，众人披上黑衣坐在地上，耶路撒冷的哀声上达。 3 他们的贵胄打发家僮打水，他们来到水池，见没有水，就拿着空器皿，蒙羞惭愧，抱头而回。 4 耕地的也蒙羞抱头，因为无雨降在地上，地都干裂。 5 田野的母鹿生下小鹿，就撇弃，因为无草。 6 野驴站在净光的高处，喘气好像野狗，因为无草，眼目失明。」

在每年的暑期，加拿大英属哥伦比亚省（B.C.）及其隣省，因为天干气燥，森林大火小火不断，再加上隔壁美国华盛顿州的森林大火也烧过界，直扑到温哥华的郊野，经常整个天空一片灰色，许多人因为空气污染而有呼吸道及其他的不适。那时大家巴望的就是一场大雨，或是两场，或是三场，可以把这些烟冲走，洗走，吹走。每当下了几场雨之后，当蓝天白云再度出现时，我们心里的云层也被吹走了。不管人们如何自称可以造云造雨或造雪，但是到了真的需要时，却又使不出力了。这让我们思想，天能自降甘霖吗？

在约雅敬王管理犹大时，因为百姓的罪恶，天不降雨，旱灾到一个怎样的程度呢？“他们的贵胄打发家僮打水，他们来到水池，见没有水，就拿着空器皿，蒙羞惭愧，抱头而回。耕地的也蒙羞抱头，因为无雨降在地上，地都干裂。田野的母鹿生下小鹿，就撇弃，因为无草。 野驴站在净光的高处，喘气好像野狗，因为无草，眼目失明。”若非神允许，天就不能自降甘霖。

Mature Christians Think Team First

2023-06-12 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Philippians 1:22-30.  Let’s go!

One of the big themes of Philippians is putting the needs of others, or the needs of the team, ahead of your own.  We see this theme played out in various ways in today’s passage.

Philippians 1:22-26 (NIV)
22  If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!
23  I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;
24  but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
25  Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,
26  so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.

On verses 22-26:  Facing the possibility of execution, Paul is torn between the thought of dying and going to heaven and the thought of continuing to live and serve God on earth.  For the sake of his own happiness, Paul would prefer to die and go to heaven (“which is better by far” – v23).  But Paul senses that God still has more work for Paul to do on earth with his churches (v24).  Paul believes God wants to keep using him to help his churches grow (v25) and to experience the joy and encouragement of seeing him again (v26).  For these reasons, Paul is convinced that his time to die has not yet come, even though a part of him would love to leave and go to heaven right away.

天能自降甘霖吗？

2023-06-11 in , /by

耶利米书14:21   求祢为你名的缘故，不厌恶我们，不辱没祢荣耀的宝座。求祢追念，不要背了与我们所立的约。

阅读经文:  14:1-22

1 耶和华论到干旱之灾的话临到耶利米：2 「犹大悲哀，城门衰败，众人披上黑衣坐在地上，耶路撒冷的哀声上达。 3 他们的贵胄打发家僮打水，他们来到水池，见没有水，就拿着空器皿，蒙羞惭愧，抱头而回。 4 耕地的也蒙羞抱头，因为无雨降在地上，地都干裂。 5 田野的母鹿生下小鹿，就撇弃，因为无草。 6 野驴站在净光的高处，喘气好像野狗，因为无草，眼目失明。」

在每年的暑期，加拿大英属哥伦比亚省（B.C.）及其隣省，因为天干气燥，森林大火小火不断，再加上隔壁美国华盛顿州的森林大火也烧过界，直扑到温哥华的郊野，经常整个天空一片灰色，许多人因为空气污染而有呼吸道及其他的不适。那时大家巴望的就是一场大雨，或是两场，或是三场，可以把这些烟冲走，洗走，吹走。每当下了几场雨之后，当蓝天白云再度出现时，我们心里的云层也被吹走了。不管人们如何自称可以造云造雨或造雪，但是到了真的需要时，却又使不出力了。这让我们思想，天能自降甘霖吗？

在约雅敬王管理犹大时，因为百姓的罪恶，天不降雨，旱灾到一个怎样的程度呢？“他们的贵胄打发家僮打水，他们来到水池，见没有水，就拿着空器皿，蒙羞惭愧，抱头而回。耕地的也蒙羞抱头，因为无雨降在地上，地都干裂。田野的母鹿生下小鹿，就撇弃，因为无草。 野驴站在净光的高处，喘气好像野狗，因为无草，眼目失明。”若非神允许，天就不能自降甘霖。

How to Turn Your Setback Into A Step Forward

2023-06-11 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Philippians 1:12-21.  Let’s go!
 
Philippians 1:12 (NIV)
12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. 
 
On verse 12:  Paul’s imprisonment could easily have been seen by him, his church and his critics as a setback. But Paul chose to see it as a step forward, something “to advance the gospel”.  Paul points to 4 ways that this “setback” was actually a step forward.
 
Philippians 1:13 (NIV)
13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.
 
On verse 13:  Here’s the first benefit Paul identifies from his imprisonment:  everyone in the palace guard and everyone who heard about Paul’s imprisonment now knew that Paul was there because of his faith and ministry in Jesus Christ (v13).  This would stir the curiosity of many people and give Paul more opportunities to share about his hope in Jesus.

脱落的华冠

2023-06-09 in , /by

耶利米书12:1  耶和华啊，我与你争辩的时候，你显为义，但有一件，我还要与你理论：恶人的道路为何亨通呢？大行诡诈的为何得安逸呢？

阅读经文:  12:1-17

1 耶和华啊，我与你争辩的时候，你显为义，但有一件，我还要与你理论：恶人的道路为何亨通呢？大行诡诈的为何得安逸呢？ 2 你栽培了他们，他们也扎了根，长大，而且结果。他们的口是与你相近，心却与你远离。 3 耶和华啊，你晓得我，看见我，察验我向你是怎样的心。求你将他们拉出来，好像将宰的羊，叫他们等候杀戮的日子。 4 这地悲哀，通国的青草枯干，要到几时呢？因其上居民的恶行，牲畜和飞鸟都灭绝了，他们曾说：「他看不见我们的结局。」

《耶利米书》第十二章好像一个新的开始，经文的语调不同了。神在第一章呼召耶利米，来到第十二章，感觉神再次呼召他，将他的服事提升到另一个阶段，今天神同样把我们的服事提升到一个新的阶段。这时犹大国应到了约雅敬在位的时候，约西亚王的时候，耶利米的服事应该是很开心的，因为圣殿重建、律法书被寻回，然而当约西亚死后，耶利米的服事就变得困难了。至约雅敬的时候，耶利米的服事遇到更大的敌挡，因着以民越发败坏，先知往后的服事也越发艰难。犹大就好像一列冲下山崖的火车，先知站出来想阻止它，但它却没有停下，以致先知要渐渐往后退。

今天我们读这圣经，对撒但的权势有更深的明白，撒但藉一些组织操控世界的政治、经济，因此先知要起来抵挡并不容易，必须有神的呼召才可以。先知不但面对政治、经济的逼迫，现在更要面对本族同胞的谋害。面对这些攻击，先知只能依靠神，所以他在此问神：「恶人的道路为何亨通呢？大行诡诈的为何得安逸呢？」