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耶和华的意念

2023-07-03 in , /by

耶利米书 29:11 耶和华说：我知道我向你们所怀的意念是赐平安的意念，不是降灾祸的意念，要叫你们末后有指望。

阅读经文:  29:1-14

1 先知耶利米从耶路撒冷寄信于被掳的祭司、先知和众民，并生存的长老，就是尼布甲尼撒从耶路撒冷掳到巴比伦去的。 2 （这在耶哥尼雅王和太后、太监，并犹大、耶路撒冷的首领，以及工匠、铁匠都离了耶路撒冷以后。） 3 他藉沙番的儿子以利亚萨和希勒家的儿子基玛利的手寄去，他们二人是犹大王西底家打发往巴比伦去见尼布甲尼撒王的。

从今天的经文里去思想耶利米的心情。他没有因为众人不听他的预言而嘲笑那些被掳的同胞。他大可以说：“我早就告诉你们要悔改，你们都不听，看看现在落得什么下场？真是活该！看你们以后还听不听耶和华的话！”相反地，耶利米写了一封安慰鼓励的信给那些被掳去巴比伦的人。

想想看那些被掳去的人当中有王室和贵族，还有一些有专门技艺的人，当他们被掳去异地时，心里会有什么想法？是否觉得很凄凉，以后要怎么办？何时重归故园？在异地会受到怎样的对待？许多问题都在心里发闷，忧愁。但是在这之前，他们没有想到，在他们之前，神已经把但以理和他的朋友们安插在王宫里，甚至已经让他们做了巴比伦的高官。但以理在约雅敬第三年被掳到巴比伦，那是尼布甲尼撒登基的那年。第二年他就被升做总理了。

When You Love Others in Little Ways, It Makes a Big Difference

2023-07-02 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Colossians 4:7-18.   Let’s go!

Colossians 4:7-14 (NIV)
7  Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.
8  I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts.
9  He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.

On verses 7-14: Paul had just finished telling the Colossians in verse 6 that their conversation should be “always full of grace, seasoned with salt”. Now in verses 7-14 we see Paul practicing what he preaches as he speaks graciously about his co-workers.

As Paul describes each of his co-workers, notice how he speaks only good things about them to the Colossian church. He calls Tychicus “a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord” (v7-8). He calls Onesimus “our faithful and dear brother” (v9). He says Aristarchus, Mark and Justus are “a comfort” to him (v10-11). When talking about Epaphras, he calls him “a servant of Christ Jesus” who “is always wrestling in prayer for you” (v12) and who is “working hard for you” (v13). He calls Dr. Luke, the one who wrote the gospel of Luke, “our dear friend” (v14).

木轭换铁轭

2023-07-02 in , /by

耶利米书 28:9  先知预言的平安，到话语成就的时候，人便知道他真是耶和华所差来的。

阅读经文:  28:1-17

1 当年，就是犹大王西底家登基第四年五月，基遍人押朔的儿子先知哈拿尼雅，在耶和华的殿中当着祭司和众民对我说： 2 「万军之耶和华以色列的神如此说：我已经折断巴比伦王的轭。 3 二年之内，我要将巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒从这地掠到巴比伦的器皿，就是耶和华殿中的一切器皿，都带回此地。 4 我又要将犹大王约雅敬的儿子耶哥尼雅和被掳到巴比伦去的一切犹大人，带回此地，因为我要折断巴比伦王的轭。这是耶和华说的。」

从这一章经文的解释，我们对前一章所发生的事有进一步的理解，确定这是在西底家第四年所发生的事情。看到耶利米负轭，先知哈拿尼雅做了一件似乎是很有义气的事。他上前取下耶利米颈项上的轭，把它折断，然后预言耶和华也要如此折断巴比伦王的轭，何等地戏剧化。在众人面前，他何等威风啊！

同样是先知，为何不能说耶和华的话临到他呢？这就要测试众人的分辨力了。现在社会上也有很多挂羊头卖狗肉的“基督教”，他们高举《圣经》想引人入门，但是一入门后就把自己的那一套取代《圣经》。我们对《圣经》的认识有多少？我们有分辨的能力吗？基督徒的失败，往往不是因为外力的介入，而是本身对神话语的陌生，以致无法知道自己应该有怎样的立场。因此基于“人道”的立场，为撒旦助阵，还觉得自己人偏激。

You Can Reach People Who Are New To Church

2023-06-30 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Colossians 4:1-6.   Let’s go!

Colossians 4:1 (NIV)
1 Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

On verse 1: If you’re a boss who employs others, verse 1 applies to you. Provide your employees with what is right and fair. Don’t take advantage of your employees by low-balling them. Pay them a good, right and fair wage. And why? It’s not just for their good. Even more, it’s because we all have a Master, a boss in heaven who is committed to taking good care of us and who expects us to do the same with those we employ.

绳索与轭的比喻

2023-06-30 in , /by

耶利米书 26:16b  这人是不该死的，因为他是奉耶和华我们神的名向我们说话。

阅读经文:  26:1-24

1 犹大王约西亚的儿子约雅敬登基的时候，有这话从耶和华临到耶利米说： 2 「耶和华如此说：你站在耶和华殿的院内，对犹大众城邑的人，就是到耶和华殿来礼拜的，说我所吩咐你的一切话，一字不可删减。 3 或者他们肯听从，各人回头离开恶道，使我后悔，不将我因他们所行的恶想要施行的灾祸降于他们。

在约雅敬登基之际，遥远的巴比伦也有了新王，那就是尼布甲尼撒。此时的犹大被埃及紧紧控制住，埃及法老尼哥废了犹大人立的新王约哈斯，另立约西亚的二子以利亚敬为王，给他改名约雅敬。在这种奇妙的关系里，耶利米出现了，他有祭司的身份，进耶和华殿的院内毫无问题。他向所有到圣殿来的人开讲，叫他们悔改，远离恶道，神就不降灾祸。

这件事很有意思，耶利米是向来圣殿敬拜的人发言，不是在圣殿之外发言。我们可能都会认为，有去圣殿敬拜的，不该都是敬畏神的人吗？那时候去圣殿要献赎罪祭、赎愆祭、燔祭，等等。而且祭司在为众人献祭之前，不是要先为自己献祭赎罪吗？为何神说这些人不听从祂，不遵行神的律法呢？这些原本是百姓中被神拣选出来服事神的人，神要叫他们回头离开恶道？

耶利米该不该死

2023-06-29 in , /by

耶利米书 26:16b  这人是不该死的，因为他是奉耶和华我们神的名向我们说话。

阅读经文:  26:1-24

1 犹大王约西亚的儿子约雅敬登基的时候，有这话从耶和华临到耶利米说： 2 「耶和华如此说：你站在耶和华殿的院内，对犹大众城邑的人，就是到耶和华殿来礼拜的，说我所吩咐你的一切话，一字不可删减。 3 或者他们肯听从，各人回头离开恶道，使我后悔，不将我因他们所行的恶想要施行的灾祸降于他们。

在约雅敬登基之际，遥远的巴比伦也有了新王，那就是尼布甲尼撒。此时的犹大被埃及紧紧控制住，埃及法老尼哥废了犹大人立的新王约哈斯，另立约西亚的二子以利亚敬为王，给他改名约雅敬。在这种奇妙的关系里，耶利米出现了，他有祭司的身份，进耶和华殿的院内毫无问题。他向所有到圣殿来的人开讲，叫他们悔改，远离恶道，神就不降灾祸。

这件事很有意思，耶利米是向来圣殿敬拜的人发言，不是在圣殿之外发言。我们可能都会认为，有去圣殿敬拜的，不该都是敬畏神的人吗？那时候去圣殿要献赎罪祭、赎愆祭、燔祭，等等。而且祭司在为众人献祭之前，不是要先为自己献祭赎罪吗？为何神说这些人不听从祂，不遵行神的律法呢？这些原本是百姓中被神拣选出来服事神的人，神要叫他们回头离开恶道？

Worshiping God in My Home, My Work and My Studies

2023-06-29 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Colossians 3:18-25.

Colossians 3:18-21 (NIV)
18  Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19  Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
20  Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
21  Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
 
On verses 18-21:  I love the simplicity of this passage.  Verses 18 to 21 show us that we all have a God-given role to play in making the home we live in a happy, healthy, God-honouring one.

On verses 22-25:  Verses 22-25 are verses I’ve tried to apply to my own life when studying and working, and I have benefited as a result. These verses show us that God cares about how we go about our work, whether it’s work we’re doing for pay, work for our family, our studies, or our volunteer work. Jesus wants to be at the centre of our work.

Do You Have a Life Verse?

2023-06-28 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Colossians 3:12-17. Some passages don’t need much explanation, just memorization!  Colossians 3:12-17 is one of those passages.  An excellent passage to memorize, I challenge you to memorize it!  You’ll be glad that you did.

Colossians 3:12-17 (NIV)
12  Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
13  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
14  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
16  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
17  And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

On verses 12-17:  Each of these verses is beautiful and could be a sermon on its own in terms of learning how to do each one.   If you’re wondering how to clothe yourself with virtues like kindness, humility, and gentleness (v12), check out our Sweeter Than Honey relationship series from 2017.  If you’re wondering how to do what verses 13-16 tell us to do, sign up for the next term of Thrive Discipleship School Level 2: Growing in Your Relationship with God.

一杯愤怒的酒

2023-06-28 in , /by

耶利米书  25:36  听啊，有牧人呼喊，有群众头目哀号的声音，因为耶和华使他们的草场变为荒场。

阅读经文:  25:15-38

15 耶和华以色列的神对我如此说：「你从我手中接这杯愤怒的酒，使我所差遣你去的各国的民喝。 16 他们喝了就要东倒西歪，并要发狂，因我使刀剑临到他们中间。」 17 我就从耶和华的手中接了这杯，给耶和华所差遣我去的各国的民喝， 18 就是耶路撒冷和犹大的城邑并耶路撒冷的君王与首领，使这城邑荒凉，令人惊骇、嗤笑、咒诅，正如今日一样。

这一段文里谈到神对列邦的审判，原来神不是只审判以色列家，因为神的权柄遍及全地。这不禁使我想到神第一次审判全世界时，让挪亚在众人眼前建方舟。那时候挪亚虽然尽力劝众人悔改，却只有他一家得救。耶利米极力地传达神的信息，但是耶路撒冷和犹大全地还是因为不肯悔改而灭亡了。其他的列邦列国，有谁会把神的话语听进耳里，像约拿时代的尼尼微城那样悔改？所以我们努力传福音是尽本分，但是别人能不能听进去，我们不要太在意。人的心顽梗至极，若非圣灵动工，谁能得救？

犹大不是唯一喝到神的这杯愤怒之酒的国家，神预言有许多国家相继会遭到巴比伦的攻击和蹂躏，到最后巴比伦也要喝这杯来自神的愤怒之酒。示沙克是巴比伦的另一个名字。神掌权，神命定。所以他们应当顺服，向巴比伦王投降，等日子满足，神自然会向巴比伦讨罪。这些国和民若肯听从神的话，便可免于战争带来的杀戳。这样的信息，自然没人肯领受，谁肯在没有反抗，战至最后一兵一卒之前就投降呢？神看众人的性命为宝贵，众人看自己的性命为草稭。

How to Put a Bad Habit to Death

2023-06-27 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Colossians 3:1-11.  Let’s go!

Colossians 3:1-10 (NIV)
1  Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
2  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
3  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
4  When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5  Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
6  Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.
7  You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.
8  But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
9  Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices
10  and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

On verses 1-10:  Yesterday we learned from Colossians 2:16-23 that our focus needs to be on Jesus, not on our own effort.  If that’s the case, should we still bother trying to become more holy, or trying to have a GAME time, or trying to go to church or small group? Yes, absolutely.  Paul is not saying “don’t work at all on your relationship with God” or “don’t try to grow spiritually”. He’s saying spend your effort and time on what really matters, which is becoming more like Christ.