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It’s About God’s Power

2023-05-02 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today we start our look at the book of Galatians, a letter written by Paul to the churches in the region of Galatia in approximately 48 to 53 A.D.  Our passage today is Galatians 1:1-12.  Let’s go!

Galatians 1:1-2 (NIV)
1  Paul, an apostle–sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead–
2  and all the brothers with me, To the churches in Galatia:

On verses 1-2:  The first thing Paul does in his letter is identify himself as an apostle.  An “apostle” literally means sent one, a messenger, a person who has been sent on a mission by another.  Notice that Paul goes out of his way to say that his apostleship is a God thing, not a man thing.  He says he has been sent “by Jesus Christ and God the Father”, not “from men or by man” (v1).

耶和華的聖民必蒙眷顧

2023-05-02 in , /by

以賽亞書62: 3  你在耶和華的手中要作為華冠，在你神的掌上必作為冕旒。

閱讀經文：62:1-12

1我因錫安必不靜默，為耶路撒冷必不息聲，直到他的公義如光輝發出，他的救恩如明燈發亮。 2 列國必見你的公義，列王必見你的榮耀。你必得新名的稱呼，是耶和華親口所起的。

3 你在耶和華的手中要作為華冠，在你神的掌上必作為冕旒。 4 你必不再稱為「撇棄的」，你的地也不再稱為「荒涼的」，你卻要稱為「我所喜悅的」，你的地也必稱為「有夫之婦」，因為耶和華喜悅你，你的地也必歸他。 5 少年人怎樣娶處女，你的眾民也要照樣娶你；新郎怎樣喜悅新婦，你的神也要照樣喜悅你。

本章論到神對耶路撒冷的提升與拯救。分為兩部份，第一部份論到神將提升耶路撒冷，第二段論到神對耶路撒冷完全的救贖。

在第一部份，先知提到神以兩個步驟來完成祂對耶路撒冷的提升。

第一個步驟：先知宣告他將按照神的吩咐，不止息的為耶路撒冷禱告（62:1，6-7），使神的公義從耶路撒冷中如明燈般的被發現（62:1）。神發出公義，也就是指神的審判來臨，否則便不叫公義。這樣禱告的結果將使耶路撒冷成為滿有公義之城，神也將賦予它一新的名號，這新的名乃是與錫安的新品格有關。

除了先知主動的代禱之外，神也要為耶路撒冷設立「守望者」、「呼籲耶和華的」（亦即指官長與屬靈領袖的禱告），他們「晝夜必不靜默」、「不要歇息」地為耶路撒冷代求，他們立志迫切的禱告，甚至不要使神歇息，直到祂建立耶路撒冷成為可讚美的城為止（62:7）。

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).

耶和華受膏者的事工

2023-05-01 in , /by

以賽亞書61: 8  因為我耶和華喜愛公平，恨惡搶奪和罪孽。我要憑誠實施行報應，並要與我的百姓立永約。

閱讀經文：61:1-11

1「主耶和華的靈在我身上，因為耶和華用膏膏我，叫我傳好信息給謙卑的人，差遣我醫好傷心的人，報告被擄的得釋放、被囚的出監牢， 2 報告耶和華的恩年和我們神報仇的日子，安慰一切悲哀的人， 3 賜華冠於錫安悲哀的人代替灰塵，喜樂油代替悲哀，讚美衣代替憂傷之靈，使他們稱為公義樹，是耶和華所栽的，叫他得榮耀。」

從本章起至六十二章為先知論述到彌賽亞來臨時的黃金時代。本章的信息帶著歡欣的氣氛，論到耶路撒冷將被重建，世上的列國將來到錫安同享歡樂，以及萬民將並且獲得永恆生命之光。

本章接續第六十章，論到受膏者的來臨要帶來錫安的復興。這是一段雙重的預言，先知以「受膏者」來同時比喻自己和那將要來的彌賽亞。第一，先知藉此宣稱他的任務乃是安慰被擄到巴比倫受難的人，面對那被擄到巴比倫七十年的百姓，先知預告他們將要被「釋放」（這是依據禧年的規定而來的宣告，象徵彌賽亞來臨的時刻，將要賜給所有信靠祂的子民真實的自由，正如一切為奴的人從買主的手中得自由之身一般，因此先知也就宣告這是「耶和華的恩年」）。第二，先知藉此預告救贖主初次降臨道成肉身在地上所做的工，而耶穌基督一開始出來傳道的時候，便公開引用以賽亞的這一段的話作為就職的宣告（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.

耶和華為永久之光

2023-04-30 in , /by

以賽亞書60: 19  日頭不再做你白晝的光，月亮也不再發光照耀你，耶和華卻要做你永遠的光，你神要為你的榮耀。

閱讀經文：60:1-22

1「興起發光，因為你的光已經來到，耶和華的榮耀發現照耀你。 2 看哪，黑暗遮蓋大地，幽暗遮蓋萬民，耶和華卻要顯現照耀你，他的榮耀要現在你身上。 3 萬國要來就你的光，君王要來就你發現的光輝。

從本章起至六十二章為先知論述到彌賽亞來臨時的黃金時代。本章的信息帶著歡欣的氣氛，論到耶路撒冷將被重建，世上的列國將來到錫安同享歡樂，以及萬民將並且獲得永恆生命之光。

本章一開始，先知便宣告了上帝對錫安的兩個命令：「興起、發光」（直譯為「閃爍」）。儘管當時周圍的環境仍然籠罩在一片黑暗中，但是因為彌賽亞（「你的光」）已經臨到他們當中了，所以他們有能力在祂的裡面完成「興起、發光」的這兩個託付（60:1-3）。錫安是不能自己發光的，但因彌賽亞（「你的光」）已經來到，為錫安帶來聖潔的同在，所以錫安才能夠重獲新的地位和能力為神發光。神也預言因著錫安重新興起發光，因此使得萬國及萬國的君王都前來歸向這「光」（彌賽亞），屆時救恩便要普及世界每個角落。

必有一位救贖主來到錫安

2023-04-28 in , /by

以賽亞書59: 20 「必有一位救贖主來到錫安，雅各族中轉離過犯的人那裡。」這是耶和華說的。

閱讀經文：59:1-21

1耶和華的膀臂並非縮短不能拯救，耳朵並非發沉不能聽見； 2 但你們的罪孽使你們與神隔絕，你們的罪惡使他掩面不聽你們。 3 因你們的手被血沾染，你們的指頭被罪孽沾汙，你們的嘴唇說謊言，你們的舌頭出惡語。 4 無一人按公義告狀，無一人憑誠實辯白，都倚靠虛妄，說謊言，所懷的是毒害，所生的是罪孽。 5 他們抱毒蛇蛋，結蜘蛛網。人吃這蛋必死，這蛋被踏，必出蝮蛇。

在本段中，先知首先告訴百姓，上帝並非沒有能力拯救他們，而是因為他們本身的罪孽使他們與神隔絕，以致於上帝不願意聽他們的禱告（59:1-3）。為了進一步說明百姓犯罪以致於上帝不願意拯救的原因，先知分別從手、指頭、嘴唇、舌頭、腳等方面，列舉百姓所犯的諸項罪行（59:4-8指出他們的手沾染無辜之人的血、他們的指頭偷竊掠奪財物、執政者嘴唇言而無信以謊言謀己利、他們的舌頭詆毀上帝、他們的腳四處奔走行惡）。

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”. 

守安息日者有福樂

2023-04-27 in , /by

以賽亞書58: 11   耶和華也必時常引導你，在乾旱之地使你心滿意足，骨頭強壯。你必像澆灌的園子，又像水流不絕的泉源。

閱讀經文：58:1-14

1「你要大聲喊叫，不可止息，揚起聲來，好像吹角，向我百姓說明他們的過犯，向雅各家說明他們的罪惡。 2 他們天天尋求我，樂意明白我的道，好像行義的國民，不離棄他們神的典章，向我求問公義的判語，喜悅親近神。

本章論到對耶和華神崇拜的道德觀點，先知首先提到神對他傳信息的託付（58:1），這是一段同義平行的詩歌。先知在他的前言中，說到百姓形式化敬拜的罪。他嚴厲斥責這樣的虛假，因這完全喪失信仰該有的生命相稱要件。百姓對耶和華神的敬拜，外表看似樂於追求明白真道，事實上他們僅是把它當做一般知識去研究而已。

他們真正喜歡的是那種滿有知識的優越感，而不是行出真理。這一點要成為今日信徒的提醒，因為越來多的敬拜，已經變成追求陶醉在聖靈的充滿，或是美好的崇拜氣氛中。許多領敬拜者已經把敬拜神的過程與工具，代替了神在敬拜中的重要性，只以能否帶動會眾進入情緒的亢奮裡，或是令會眾感受到敬拜的規格，過於使人在敬拜中面對神、轉向神、經歷神、尊榮神的目的。

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.