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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. 

七十年的预言

2023-06-27 in , /by

耶利米书24:2  一筐是极好的无花果，好像是初熟的；一筐是极坏的无花果，坏得不可吃。

阅读经文:  24:1-10

1巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒将犹大王约雅敬的儿子耶哥尼雅和犹大的首领，并工匠、铁匠从耶路撒冷掳去，带到巴比伦。这事以后，耶和华指给我看，有两筐无花果放在耶和华的殿前： 2 一筐是极好的无花果，好像是初熟的；一筐是极坏的无花果，坏得不可吃。 3 于是耶和华问我说：「耶利米你看见什么？」我说：「我看见无花果，好的极好，坏的极坏，坏得不可吃。」

以色列的夏天相当炎热，五月份的气温都可能超过摄氏40度！走在日头曝晒的旷野，在脑袋发昏之前，若找到能遮荫的树，是何等美好的事！在神为以色列人预备的迦南地，就有不少挺适合乘凉的树，无花果树就是其中的一种。无花果是神赐给以色列地的，极有营养又好吃的一种水果，但是若变坏了，就只能做肥料或丢掉。神以常见的好的无花果和坏的无花果来比喻犹大人的选择会带来的后果。

对犹大人而言，跟着约雅斤王被掳去巴比伦实在很不得已，并不是出于他们的选择。但是在这样的苦难中，神却以好的无花果来安慰他们，必得好处。战败被掳，实在凄凉，但是神要他们不看表面，反而要在苦难中看见神的恩典。

无花果的比喻

2023-06-26 in , /by

耶利米书24:2  一筐是极好的无花果，好像是初熟的；一筐是极坏的无花果，坏得不可吃。

阅读经文:  24:1-10

1巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒将犹大王约雅敬的儿子耶哥尼雅和犹大的首领，并工匠、铁匠从耶路撒冷掳去，带到巴比伦。这事以后，耶和华指给我看，有两筐无花果放在耶和华的殿前： 2 一筐是极好的无花果，好像是初熟的；一筐是极坏的无花果，坏得不可吃。 3 于是耶和华问我说：「耶利米你看见什么？」我说：「我看见无花果，好的极好，坏的极坏，坏得不可吃。」

以色列的夏天相当炎热，五月份的气温都可能超过摄氏40度！走在日头曝晒的旷野，在脑袋发昏之前，若找到能遮荫的树，是何等美好的事！在神为以色列人预备的迦南地，就有不少挺适合乘凉的树，无花果树就是其中的一种。无花果是神赐给以色列地的，极有营养又好吃的一种水果，但是若变坏了，就只能做肥料或丢掉。神以常见的好的无花果和坏的无花果来比喻犹大人的选择会带来的后果。

对犹大人而言，跟着约雅斤王被掳去巴比伦实在很不得已，并不是出于他们的选择。但是在这样的苦难中，神却以好的无花果来安慰他们，必得好处。战败被掳，实在凄凉，但是神要他们不看表面，反而要在苦难中看见神的恩典。

Trust in Jesus, Not in Your Own Effort or Experience

2023-06-26 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

The passage for today should be Colossians 2:16-23.  Let’s go!

Colossians 2:16-17 (NIV) 
16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.
17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.

On verses 16-17:  Apparently some members of the church in Colosse were teaching others in the church that they needed to:

– practice the dietary regulations found in the Old Testament and/or refrain from eating food sacrificed to idols; and

– observe the Jewish holidays, whether prescribed by the Jewish law or by tradition.
These “Judaizers” were judging and condemning those in the church who failed to follow those rules.  Paul tells the church not to give in to these legalistic practices, which God had already repudiated earlier.  He says that such legalistic practices were at best “a shadow of the things that were to come” (v17), pointing us toward a greater reality.  Now that that greater reality – Jesus – has come, let our focus be on Him.

耶和华的默示

2023-06-25 in , /by

耶利米书 23:24   耶和华说：「人岂能在隐密处藏身，使我看不见他呢？」耶和华说：「我岂不充满天地吗？」

阅读经文:  23:9-40

9 论到那些先知，我心在我里面忧伤，我骨头都发颤。因耶和华和他的圣言，我像醉酒的人，像被酒所胜的人。 10 地满了行淫的人。因妄自赌咒，地就悲哀，旷野的草场都枯干了。他们所行的道乃是恶的，他们的勇力使得不正。 11 「连先知带祭司都是亵渎的，就是在我殿中我也看见他们的恶。」这是耶和华说的。 12 「因此，他们的道路必像黑暗中的滑地，他们必被追赶在这路中仆倒。因为当追讨之年，我必使灾祸临到他们。」这是耶和华说的。

『耶和华的默示』原是神圣的，但是在一群有心人的操作之中，变成了荒唐的话语。耶利米因假先知利用耶和华的圣言的情况而痛苦得不能自己，像醉酒的人一样无法控制自己。先知的忧伤，是因遍地的罪行，因人不认识正版的『耶和华的默示』，被盗版的『耶和华的默示』害得走向灭亡之路。耶利米叹息那些人的勇力使得不正，正好像我们叹息那些做假物，想以假乱真来取利的人一样，他们有聪明以假乱真，为何不用在正路上，做些有益众人的事物？

耶和华的审判临到那些假先知和离弃神道的祭司，连耶利米都无法为他们脱罪，只能为他们忧伤难过，看他们就好像得了绝症，却一无所知的人，不知道他们正走向灭亡的明天。因为耶和华是近处的神，也是远处的神，神都看到了他们的所作所为，所言所论，有谁能为他们申辩？

Life and Freedom through the Cross

2023-06-25 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Colossians 2:6-15.  Let’s go!

These verses show us the powerful and unique difference Christ makes in our lives.  Let’s go!

Colossians 2:6-7 (NIV) 
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 
7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 

On verses 6-7:  It’s not enough just to receive Christ into our lives.  If you really want to experience the benefit of a relationship with Christ, we are to “continue to live in Him” (v6).  What does it mean to continue to live in Christ?  According to verse 7, it means to:
– keep growing in Christ (“rooted and built up in him”).  Like a plant, deepen your roots in Jesus. Like a new construction project, be built up with Jesus as your foundation.  
– get stronger in the faith (“strengthened in the faith”).  That means letting the truth of God’s Word fill, fuel and fortify your thinking more and more.  
– overflow with thankfulness.  For Paul, thankfulness is one of the big indicators of a person’s maturity and stability in Christ.  Every day be thanking God often, both publicly and privately.

Glorious Hope Lives in You

2023-06-23 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

There are so many good truths and practical lessons for us in today’s passage, Colossians 1:24-2:5.  Just one of these lessons could be enough for me to chew on today, but God’s Word here is like a bountiful buffet. Let’s go!
 
Colossians 1:24 (NIV) 
24 Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 

On verse 24:  What is Paul saying here?  Is he saying that what Jesus Christ endured on the cross was not enough to pay for our sins?  No.  The afflictions Christ endured on earth, especially dying on the cross, was sufficient to pay for our sins and to reconcile us to God.  But here Paul is saying that he has more suffering to endure as he follows God’s calling on his life.  And for whose sake is Paul suffering?  Christ’s body, the church.   From this we can learn two important lessons:
 

公义的苗裔

2023-06-23 in , /by

耶利米书23:6   在祂的日子，犹大必得救，以色列也安然居住，祂的名必称为『耶和华我们的义』。

阅读经文:  23:1-8

1耶和华说：「那些残害、赶散我草场之羊的牧人有祸了！」 2 耶和华以色列的神斥责那些牧养他百姓的牧人，如此说：「你们赶散我的羊群，并没有看顾他们，我必讨你们这行恶的罪。」这是耶和华说的。 3 「我要将我羊群中所余剩的，从我赶他们到的各国内招聚出来，领他们归回本圈，他们也必生养众多。 4 我必设立照管他们的牧人牧养他们，他们不再惧怕，不再惊惶，也不缺少一个。」这是耶和华说的。

在2017年的8月29日，美国哈佛大学校长德鲁・吉尔平・福斯特（Drew Gilpin Faust）于开学礼进行了一场例行的致辞，她的谈话公开上网之后，引起了很多人的分享和转载。她所认为的高等教育最重要目标就是：「确保毕业的学生能分辨有人在胡说八道」。她这一句话引起了许多的回响，因为在现今这种资讯爆炸的时代，若没有分辨的能力，很容易上当受骗，还沾沾自喜，到处散布不实的消息。

做牧人，也就是带领者。在当时的犹大指的是君王和众首领；在现代，指的是教会的领导者。因为牧者是用来带领保护神的羊群，是在神的家里服侍的。为何要说“确保毕业的学生能分辨有人在胡说八道”，就是因为有太多的牧者所讲的信息不是来自神的话语，那就是胡说八道。就好像耶利米指责假先知编造神所没有说的平安，以致百姓不知灭亡将临，而来不及悔改。