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When You’re Not Sure What to Believe

2023-07-14 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5.  Let’s go!
 
2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 (NIV)
13  But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
14  He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15  So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
16  May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope,
17  encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
 
On 2:13-17:  In the previous verses, Paul talked about the anti-Christ, “the man of lawlessness”, and how when he comes he will deceive all “those who are perishing…who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness” (v10, 12).  
 

3 Events That Must Take Place Before Judgment Day

2023-07-13 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12.  Let’s go!

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 (NIV)
1  Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers,
2  not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come.
3  Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.
4  He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
5  Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?

On verses 1-12:  What is going on in this passage? Apparently Paul’s church in Thessalonica was troubled by some false teaching they had received.  This false teaching concerned “the day of the Lord”, the time when Jesus the Messiah would return and dole out his final judgment on the world.  The Thessalonian church had received false teaching — possibly in the form of a letter, prophecy or report — that the day of the Lord had already come.  To complicate matters, the Thessalonian Christians were told that Paul was responsible for this teaching.

平安的應許

2023-07-13 in , /by

耶利米書 34:4  猶大王西底家啊，你還要聽耶和華的話。耶和華論到你如此說：你必不被刀劍殺死。

閱讀經文:  34:1-7

1 巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒率領他的全軍和地上屬他的各國各邦，攻打耶路撒冷和屬耶路撒冷所有的城邑，那時耶和華的話臨到耶利米說： 2 「耶和華以色列的神說：你去告訴猶大王西底家：『耶和華如此說：我要將這城交付巴比倫王的手，他必用火焚燒。

對神有信心，是一件很容易的事嗎？有次在敬拜時，牧師引用亞伯蘭和羅得選地分遷的故事，他問大家，覺得自己比較像亞伯蘭或羅得？這個問題頗有重量，因為我覺得自己太像羅得了。誰不要水草肥沃的草地去放牧？誰不希望往容易找工作的地區遷移？誰不喜歡生氣盎然的大都會？誰喜歡水草貧瘠的土地？當我們在選擇時，誰會用神的眼光去衡量？誰能像亞伯蘭那樣大器，對神有全然的信心？

因此當神藉著耶利米對西底家發話時，西底家會選擇相信神嗎？巴比倫王攻下了猶大所有的城邑，西底家自知即將成為亡國之君，猶如一隻困獸在做最後的掙扎。他希望神出奇不意殺光敵軍，他希望神像古時一樣，派下天軍火馬為他爭戰，但是當神的作法和他的想法迴異時，他能有信心相信神而順服嗎？

耶和華我們的義

2023-07-12 in , /by

耶利米書 33:16 在那日子，猶大必得救，耶路撒冷必安然居住，祂的名必稱為『耶和華我們的義』。

閱讀經文:  33:10-26

10 「耶和華如此說：你們論這地方說是荒廢無人民、無牲畜之地，但在這荒涼無人民、無牲畜的猶大城邑和耶路撒冷的街上， 11 必再聽見有歡喜和快樂的聲音、新郎和新婦的聲音，並聽見有人說：『要稱謝萬軍之耶和華，因耶和華本為善，祂的慈愛永遠長存！』又有奉感謝祭到耶和華殿中之人的聲音，因為我必使這地被擄的人歸回，和起初一樣。這是耶和華說的。

這段經文是當耶利米被囚在王的宮中，護衛兵的院內時，神跟他說的一段話。耶利米此時雖然行動不自由，卻可接見賓客如哈拿篾( 32:8 )和巴錄(32:12 )，又可以處理事務( 32:12 )。根據 32:12 還有其他的猶大人囚在該處，此處這不像是監獄，極有可能是囚禁不必處死之政治犯的軟禁地。因為是在王的宮中，所以王也隨時可以去找耶利米。但是還有更重要的一位，就是神，也可以隨時跟他說話。

就像保羅說的：“誰能使我們與基督的愛隔絕？難道是患難麼？是困苦麼？是逼迫麼？是飢餓麼？是赤身麼？是危險麼？是刀劍麼？然而藉著那愛我們的，在這一切的事上，我們已經得勝有餘了。因為我深信，無論是死，是生，是天使，是掌權的，是現今的事，是要來的事，是有能的，是高，是深，或是別的受造之物，都不能叫我們與神的愛隔絕，這愛是在我們的主基督耶穌裡的（羅8:35/37-39）”。

When Pressure Leads to Growth

2023-07-12 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today we begin our look at 2 Thessalonians, a letter written by Paul to the church in Thessalonica, probably in the early A.D. 50s, soon after he wrote 1 Thessalonians. 
 
Today’s passage is 2 Thessalonians 1:1-12.  Let’s go!

2 Thessalonians 1:1-2 (NIV)
1  Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
2  Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
On verses 1-2:  Thessalonica was an important port city, located in what is now modern day Greece.  When Paul started the church there during his second mission trip (Acts 17:1-10), Paul and his team faced dangerous persecution, so much so that Paul and his teammate Silas were sent away for safety reasons.  From this letter we’re about to read, it will become evident that the Christians who remained in Thessalonica continued to face persecution for their faith.

God’s Will for Your Life

2023-07-11 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28.  Let’s go!
 
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 (NIV)
12 Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you.
13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 
 
On verses 12-13:  This past weekend I got to witness one of our ministry teams at Thrive honouring their team leader and thanking her for her hard work leading them.  It was cool to see verses 12-13 lived out that way.  For how we treat our church leaders is a reflection of our character, maturity and commitment to Jesus and His church. 
 
1 Thessalonians 5:14 (NIV)
14 And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 
 
On verse 14:  When you notice other brothers and sisters in the church who may seem idle, timid, or weak in a certain area, be patient with them.  In addition, be sensitive to what they need: in some cases what they may need is a warning, in some cases encouragement, and in other cases other help.  May the Holy Spirit give you a discerning heart to know what those around you need and how best to give it to them.

求告和應允

2023-07-11 in , /by

耶利米書 33:3 你求告我，我就應允你，並將你所不知道、又大又難的事指示你。

閱讀經文:  33:1-9

1 耶利米還囚在護衛兵的院內，耶和華的話第二次臨到他說： 2 「成就的是耶和華，造做為要建立的也是耶和華，耶和華是祂的名，祂如此說： 3 你求告我，我就應允你，並將你所不知道、又大又難的事指示你。

根據《舊約聖經背景注釋》，城被圍攻時，靠近城牆的（平民、王族）住宅都被軍方徵用。有些用作司令部和軍營，有些被拆卸作為加強防禦工事的材料，有些用作臨時醫院和殮房，有些則被拆毀來提供地方增建城樓、護堤、反坡道（counter-ramp）。拉吉的城牆之內發現了反坡道的遺跡，其功用是強化城牆，抵抗敵軍在城外建築的攻城坡道。考古學家又在耶路撒冷俯瞰汲淪溪穀的東坡發現了大量的磚石，相信是巴比倫軍攻城時，梯田之上民居被拆毀的證據。

神以祂奇妙的方式保護耶利米。當城內的糧食逐漸減少，許多人沒有東西可吃時，耶利米因為被囚在護衛兵的院內，所以每天有一個餅吃。

How to Get Ready for Jesus’ Return

2023-07-10 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11. Let’s go !

1 Thessalonians 5:1-8 (NIV)
1  Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you,
2  for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
3  While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
4  But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.
5  You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
6  So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
7  For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.
8  But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.

On verse 1-8:  Jesus is returning one day. The question is not if, but when, He will return. The best way you can prepare for Jesus’ return is not by trying to figure out the exact date and time of His return — something which Jesus Himself says He doesn’t know (Mark 13:32) and something which Paul says he won’t bother writing about (v1).  Rather, the best way to prepare for Jesus’ return is by living a life of faith, hope and love in Jesus Christ every day.

耶利米的禱告

2023-07-10 in , /by

耶利米書 32:27  我是耶和華，是凡有血氣者的神，豈有我難成的事嗎？

閱讀經文:  32:16-44

16 我將買契交給尼利亞的兒子巴錄以後，便禱告耶和華說： 17 「主耶和華啊，你曾用大能和伸出來的膀臂創造天地，在你沒有難成的事。 18 你施慈愛於千萬人，又將父親的罪孽報應在他後世子孫的懷中，是至大全能的神，萬軍之耶和華是你的名。 19 謀事有大略，行事有大能，注目觀看世人一切的舉動，為要照各人所行的和他做事的結果報應他。

耶利米也是人，雖然是先知，想的事也有平常人的一面。在軍臨城下時買地，實在有違常情。耶利米曉得，大勢已去，“其實這城已交在迦勒底人的手中了”。神啊，祢為什麼還要我做這賠本的生意？在人看來，這一點都不精明。神的話在各方面都應驗了，祂領了百姓出埃及，又將迦南地賜給他們。現今因為以色列家的罪，神使一切災禍臨到他們，耶路撒冷聖城也因刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫交在攻城的迦勒底人手中。但是，為什麼要在此時買地呢？

這是我們可以向耶利米學的一個功課，心裡不明白，就直接問。不要到處問，因為人不能明白神的心意。我們有不明白的地方，可以到神面前向神求問，因為祂是我們的天父。很奇妙的一件事，當你向人求問時，往往得不到滿意的答案，或是牽強附會的說法，使你的疑問永遠懸著。但是當我們求問神時，多問幾次，忽然之間就忘了它似的；但是當神把答案擺在我們眼前時，我們就會記起來，而且領悟到，原來神從未忘記。

耶利米買地

2023-07-09 in , /by

耶利米書 32:10 我在契上畫押，將契封緘，又請見證人來，並用天平將銀子平給他。

閱讀經文:  32:1-15

1 猶大王西底家第十年，就是尼布甲尼撒十八年，耶和華的話臨到耶利米。 2 那時巴比倫王的軍隊圍困耶路撒冷，先知耶利米囚在護衛兵的院內，在猶大王的宮中。 3 因為猶大王西底家已將他囚禁，說：「你為什麼預言說『耶和華如此說：我必將這城交在巴比倫王的手中，他必攻取這城。 4 猶大王西底家必不能逃脫迦勒底人的手，定要交在巴比倫王的手中，要口對口彼此說話，眼對眼彼此相看。 5 巴比倫王必將西底家帶到巴比倫，西底家必住在那裡，直到我眷顧他的時候。你們雖與迦勒底人爭戰，卻不順利。這是耶和華說的』？」

在猶大王西底家第十年，正是巴比倫圍攻耶路撒冷，水深火熱的時候。因為耶利米傳了神的信息，告訴西底家，若是投降，必可存活；若不肯，就會遭受極大的不幸，像爛掉的無花果一樣。西底家王十分盼望耶利米可以傳出神必拯救的信息，但是耶利米不改其口，神說必把耶路撒冷交在巴比倫王手中。何等揪心。為何西底家會如此在意耶利米的信息？同時不是有很多假先知說，神必不將耶路撒冷交在巴比倫王手中嗎？為何西底家不相信他們？