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The Spirit-Empowered Life

2023-05-01 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Jude 1:17-24.  Let’s go!
 
Jude 1:17-18 (NIV) 
17  But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 
18  They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.”
 
On verses 17-18:  In the wake of false teachers appearing, Jude tells his Christian readers to remember how the apostles had previously warned them that false teachers would come.  What can we learn from this?

1.     When false teachers try to lead you away from the truth we have in Jesus, don’t be surprised.  This is something Jesus Himself warned about (for example, see Matthew 7:15; Matthew 24:11, 24).  This is also something the apostles warned about (for example, see Acts 20:29; 2 Corinthians 11:13; Colossians 2:18).

耶和华受膏者的事工

2023-05-01 in , /by

以赛亚书61: 8  因为我耶和华喜爱公平，恨恶抢夺和罪孽。我要凭诚实施行报应，并要与我的百姓立永约。

阅读经文：61:1-11

1「主耶和华的灵在我身上，因为耶和华用膏膏我，叫我传好信息给谦卑的人，差遣我医好伤心的人，报告被掳的得释放、被囚的出监牢， 2 报告耶和华的恩年和我们神报仇的日子，安慰一切悲哀的人， 3 赐华冠于锡安悲哀的人代替灰尘，喜乐油代替悲哀，赞美衣代替忧伤之灵，使他们称为公义树，是耶和华所栽的，叫他得荣耀。」

从本章起至六十二章为先知论述到弥赛亚来临时的黄金时代。本章的信息带着欢欣的气氛，论到耶路撒冷将被重建，世上的列国将来到锡安同享欢乐，以及万民将并且获得永恒生命之光。

本章接续第六十章，论到受膏者的来临要带来锡安的复兴。这是一段双重的预言，先知以「受膏者」来同时比喻自己和那将要来的弥赛亚。第一，先知借此宣称他的任务乃是安慰被掳到巴比伦受难的人，面对那被掳到巴比伦七十年的百姓，先知预告他们将要被「释放」（这是依据禧年的规定而来的宣告，象征弥赛亚来临的时刻，将要赐给所有信靠祂的子民真实的自由，正如一切为奴的人从买主的手中得自由之身一般，因此先知也就宣告这是「耶和华的恩年」）。第二，先知借此预告救赎主初次降临道成肉身在地上所做的工，而耶稣基督一开始出来传道的时候，便公开引用以赛亚的这一段的话作为就职的宣告（61:1-2）。

5 Ways You Can Unwittingly Put Your Foot in Your Mouth

2023-04-30 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Jude 1:8-16.  In the following passage, Jude will describe five ways that you can put your foot in your mouth – that is, five ways that you can do damage (especially to yourself) with your words.  The first one is in verse 8, the other four are in verse 16.  Let’s go!

Your words are powerful.  Here Jude describes five ways that you can put your foot in your mouth – that is, five ways that you can do damage (especially to yourself) with your words.

Jude 1:8-10 (NIV) 
8  In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings. 
9  But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” 
10  Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals–these are the very things that destroy them.

耶和华为永久之光

2023-04-30 in , /by

以赛亚书60: 19  日头不再做你白昼的光，月亮也不再发光照耀你，耶和华却要做你永远的光，你神要为你的荣耀。

阅读经文：60:1-22

1「兴起发光，因为你的光已经来到，耶和华的荣耀发现照耀你。 2 看哪，黑暗遮盖大地，幽暗遮盖万民，耶和华却要显现照耀你，他的荣耀要现在你身上。 3 万国要来就你的光，君王要来就你发现的光辉。

从本章起至六十二章为先知论述到弥赛亚来临时的黄金时代。本章的信息带着欢欣的气氛，论到耶路撒冷将被重建，世上的列国将来到锡安同享欢乐，以及万民将并且获得永恒生命之光。

本章一开始，先知便宣告了上帝对锡安的两个命令：「兴起、发光」（直译为「闪烁」）。尽管当时周围的环境仍然笼罩在一片黑暗中，但是因为弥赛亚（「你的光」）已经临到他们当中了，所以他们有能力在祂的里面完成「兴起、发光」的这两个托付（60:1-3）。锡安是不能自己发光的，但因弥赛亚（「你的光」）已经来到，为锡安带来圣洁的同在，所以锡安才能够重获新的地位和能力为神发光。神也预言因着锡安重新兴起发光，因此使得万国及万国的君王都前来归向这「光」（弥赛亚），届时救恩便要普及世界每个角落。

必有一位救赎主来到锡安

2023-04-28 in , /by

以赛亚书59: 20 「必有一位救赎主来到锡安，雅各族中转离过犯的人那里。」这是耶和华说的。

阅读经文：59:1-21

1耶和华的膀臂并非缩短不能拯救，耳朵并非发沉不能听见； 2 但你们的罪孽使你们与神隔绝，你们的罪恶使他掩面不听你们。 3 因你们的手被血沾染，你们的指头被罪孽沾污，你们的嘴唇说谎言，你们的舌头出恶语。 4 无一人按公义告状，无一人凭诚实辩白，都倚靠虚妄，说谎言，所怀的是毒害，所生的是罪孽。 5 他们抱毒蛇蛋，结蜘蛛网。人吃这蛋必死，这蛋被踏，必出蝮蛇。

在本段中，先知首先告诉百姓，上帝并非没有能力拯救他们，而是因为他们本身的罪孽使他们与神隔绝，以致于上帝不愿意听他们的祷告（59:1-3）。为了进一步说明百姓犯罪以致于上帝不愿意拯救的原因，先知分别从手、指头、嘴唇、舌头、脚等方面，列举百姓所犯的诸项罪行（59:4-8指出他们的手沾染无辜之人的血、他们的指头偷窃掠夺财物、执政者嘴唇言而无信以谎言谋己利、他们的舌头诋毁上帝、他们的脚四处奔走行恶）。

You Are Called, Loved and Kept

2023-04-28 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today we begin the book of Jude, one of the shortest books in the Bible, written by a Christian called Jude to Jewish Christians probably between 67 AD and 80 AD. 

Today’s passage is Jude 1:1-7.  Let’s go!

Jude 1:1-2 (NIV) 
1  Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ: 
2  Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.

On verses 1-2:  Who is Jude?  The fact that Jude calls himself “a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James” (v1) suggests to scholars that Jude had a very unique background: Jude was Jesus’ half-brother.  In other words, after the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus, Mary and her husband Joseph had natural children of their own, including Jude and James.  Imagine growing up with Jesus as your older brother!  Although Jude grew up with Jesus, Jude and his siblings at first did not believe that their brother was actually the Son of God (John 7:4-5).  It was not until Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to his followers and family that Jude believed Jesus to be who He claimed to be.  It is likely for this reason that Jude humbly refers to himself as only a “servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James”, instead of as “Jesus’ half-brother”. 

守安息日者有福乐

2023-04-27 in , /by

以赛亚书58: 11   耶和华也必时常引导你，在干旱之地使你心满意足，骨头强壮。你必像浇灌的园子，又像水流不绝的泉源。

阅读经文：58:1-14

1「你要大声喊叫，不可止息，扬起声来，好像吹角，向我百姓说明他们的过犯，向雅各家说明他们的罪恶。 2 他们天天寻求我，乐意明白我的道，好像行义的国民，不离弃他们神的典章，向我求问公义的判语，喜悦亲近神。

本章论到对耶和华神崇拜的道德观点，先知首先提到神对他传信息的托付（58:1），这是一段同义平行的诗歌。先知在他的前言中，说到百姓形式化敬拜的罪。他严厉斥责这样的虚假，因这完全丧失信仰该有的生命相称要件。百姓对耶和华神的敬拜，外表看似乐于追求明白真道，事实上他们仅是把它当做一般知识去研究而已。

他们真正喜欢的是那种满有知识的优越感，而不是行出真理。这一点要成为今日信徒的提醒，因为越来多的敬拜，已经变成追求陶醉在圣灵的充满，或是美好的崇拜气氛中。许多领敬拜者已经把敬拜神的过程与工具，代替了神在敬拜中的重要性，只以能否带动会众进入情绪的亢奋里，或是令会众感受到敬拜的规格，过于使人在敬拜中面对神、转向神、经历神、尊荣神的目的。

The Unboxable God and Where You’ll Be In The End

2023-04-27 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today we’re finishing the book of Isaiah with the final chapter, Isaiah 66:1-24.  Let’s go!

Isaiah 66:1-2 (NIV)
1  This is what the LORD says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be?
2  Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the LORD. “This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.
 
On verses 1-2:  In the final chapter of Isaiah 66, God has a number of messages to tell His people.  He begins this last chapter by going back to the very beginning, reminding them of who He is: He is the Creator, the reason this world came into existence.  Because God made it all, God can’t be contained by any man-made structure. He’s too big.  So don’t try to box God into a building.  He won’t fit. 

至高者将与谦卑人同居住

2023-04-26 in , /by

以赛亚书57:1 义人死亡，无人放在心上；虔诚人被收去，无人思念。这义人被收去，是免了将来的祸患。

阅读经文：56:9-57:21

56:9 田野的诸兽都来吞吃吧，林中的诸兽也要如此！ 10 他看守的人是瞎眼的，都没有知识，都是哑巴狗，不能叫唤，但知做梦、躺卧、贪睡。 11 这些狗贪食，不知饱足；这些牧人不能明白，各人偏行己路，各从各方求自己的利益。 12 他们说：「来吧，我去拿酒，我们饱饮浓酒。明日必和今日一样，就是宴乐无量极大之日。」

在先知论述完对外邦人的接纳之后，接着提到耶和华神将对恶人的惩治，就连神的百姓也在被审判之列。神的审判第一部份是针对社会的领袖，指出他们盲目腐化的崇拜（56:9-57:13）。第二部份是对一切犯罪顽梗的百姓，指出他们属灵的淫乱与虚谎（57:14-21）。在一连串的指责之后，神向他们揭示了不变的恩典与接纳，凡向祂心存谦卑的人，祂必安慰医治（57:15-19）。

在第一部份的论述中，先知指责宗教领袖没有看到迫在眉睫的警讯，也没有向群众发出警告。他们只知贪图追求个人的利益，躺卧做白日梦。他们不顾明天，也不顾神将临到的审判（56:12）。他们被形容为「瞎眼的」以及「哑吧狗」，没有看到正日益逼近的「田野的诸兽」与「林中的诸兽」（两者均象征列强）将对犹大进行的侵吞行动。

The New Heavens and The New Earth

2023-04-26 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 65:17-25.  Let’s go!

Isaiah 65:17 (NIV)
17  “Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.
 
On verse 17:  What does God mean by “the former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind”?  Likely it means that what we know of the earth and the heavens today will one day be gone and instead God will create new heavens and a new earth.  This is consistent with what we read from Jesus in the gospels (see for example Matthew 24) as well as in the book of Revelation (see for example Revelation 8) .