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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？」

A Sign That You’re Growing Spiritually

2023-06-09 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

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

Hi GAMErs,
 
Today we begin the book of Philippians, a letter Paul wrote to his church in Philippi while he was imprisoned in Rome for preaching the Gospel in approximately 61 AD.  This book is packed with valuable lessons and verses worth memorizing.  I look forward to studying it with you.  Today’s passage is Philippians 1:1-11.  Let’s go!
 
Philippians 1:1-2 (NIV)
1  Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:
2  Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

On verses 1-2:  Here Paul addresses all the believers at his church in Philippi as “saints” or “holy ones”.   Contrary to popular belief, the word “saint” or “holy one” in the Bible is not a term reserved for especially good people.  As long as you have placed your faith in Jesus, in God’s eyes you are a “saint”, a “holy one”.  That’s not because you are a good person in and of yourself, but because Jesus’ blood covers your sins and makes you holy and blameless in God’s sight.  

无用的腰带

2023-06-08 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？」

Make Use of This Equipment

2023-06-08 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Ephesians 6:10-24.  Let’s go!

Ephesians 6:10-12 (NIV) 
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 
11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 

On verses 10-12:  Through these verses Paul reveals an important truth:  Whenever you find yourself fighting with other people, remember that beneath the surface our ultimate struggle is a spiritual one — not so much against flesh and blood, but against Satan, whose goal is to steal, kill and destroy your life (John 10:10).  Spiritual warfare is real.  But as we can see in the verses that follow, God has given you everything you need to stand up against every attack of the enemy.