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8 Parts to Your Identity

2023-05-21 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today we begin Ephesians, one of the most important letters in the New Testament.  Written around 60 AD, Ephesians is a letter by Paul to the church he started in the city of Ephesus.

Today’s passage is Ephesians 1:1-10.  Let’s go!

Ephesians 1:1-10 (NIV)
1  Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
2  Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

On verses 1-10:  After identifying himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ and greeting his church (v1-2), Paul begins by giving praise to God (v3).  Then in verses 4-10, Paul describes some of the spiritual blessings we have received in Christ: how He chose us (v4), predestined us to be adopted as his sons and daughters (v5), redeemed us (bought us back) with His precious blood (v7), forgave our sins (v7), lavished His grace on us (v7-8), and is making His will known to us (v9).

The Difference Between Christianity and Other Faiths

2023-05-19 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Galatians 6:11-18.  Let’s go!

Galatians 6:11-18 (NIV)
11  See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!
12  Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.
13  Not even those who are circumcised obey the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh.
14  May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
15  Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation.
16  Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God.
17  Finally, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.
18  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen.

On verses 11-18:  As a final word to the churches in Galatia, Paul sums up the main message of his letter: It’s not circumcision or uncircumcision that justifies me (v13, 15).  It is not my own efforts to obey God’s laws that save me.  It’s only the cross of Jesus Christ that gives me right standing before God (v14) – “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world”.

狂奔乱走的独峰驼

2023-05-19 in , /by

耶利米书2:21  然而我栽你是上等的葡萄树，全然是真种子，你怎么向我变为外邦葡萄树的坏枝子呢？

阅读经文：2:4-19

20 「我在古时折断你的轭，解开你的绳索，你说：『我必不侍奉耶和华！』因为你在各高冈上、各青翠树下屈身行淫。21 然而我栽你是上等的葡萄树，全然是真种子，你怎么向我变为外邦葡萄树的坏枝子呢？ 22 你虽用碱，多用肥皂洗濯，你罪孽的痕迹仍然在我面前显出。」这是主耶和华说的。 23 「你怎能说『我没有玷污，没有随从众巴力』？你看你谷中的路，就知道你所行的如何。你是快行的独峰驼，狂奔乱走。

2017年8月21日，在北美，大家争相观看百年一遇的日全蚀；在8月12日附近几天，也相传是流星雨最多的日子。许多人拍到了天象奇观，争着传给朋友观看。在赞叹自然界的奇妙之际，我也正好灵修到〈启示录〉第六章：“揭开第六印的时候，我又看见地大震动，日头变黑像毛布，满月变红像血， 天上的星辰坠落于地，如同无花果树被大风摇动，落下未熟的果子一样。 天就挪移，好像书卷被卷起来；山岭海岛都被挪移离开本位。 地上的君王、臣宰、将军、富户、壮士，和一切为奴的、自主的，都藏在山洞和岩石穴里， 向山和岩石说：倒在我们身上吧！把我们藏起来，躲避坐宝座者的面目和羔羊的忿怒； 因为他们忿怒的大日到了，谁能站得住呢？（12-17节）”何等巧合！

因此在欣赏流星雨和日蚀的现象时，我不知该和他人一样兴奋，或是有警觉性的悲哀？这只是天道循环的一例，或是上天有意的警告？若是后者，谁能把我们藏起来，躲避坐宝座者的面目和羔羊的忿怒？在耶利米书第二章，神把祂子民的恶行恶性显露无遗。我们有时以为自己可以不理会创造者的心意，但是当我们看到神所揭露的，人之原形时，还能为自己辩解什么？

活水的泉源

2023-05-18 in , /by

耶利米书2:13  因为我的百姓做了两件恶事，就是离弃我这活水的泉源，为自己凿出池子，是破裂不能存水的池子。

阅读经文：2:4-19

4 雅各家，以色列家的各族啊，你们当听耶和华的话！ 5 耶和华如此说：「你们的列祖见我有什么不义，竟远离我，随从虚无的神，自己成为虚妄的呢？ 6 他们也不说：『那领我们从埃及地上来，引导我们经过旷野，沙漠有深坑之地，和干旱死荫，无人经过、无人居住之地的耶和华，在哪里呢？』 7 我领你们进入肥美之地，使你们得吃其中的果子和美物，但你们进入的时候就玷污我的地，使我的产业成为可憎的。 8 祭司都不说：『耶和华在哪里呢？』传讲律法的都不认识我，官长违背我，先知藉巴力说预言，随从无益的神。」

著名的基督教作家杨腓力，曾在他的部落格上放了一篇文章：两个家庭的故事。这个家庭非常注重圣经旧约的教导：例如：孝顺父母、敬畏神、不要抱怨，诸如此类的教导，他们的父母很少提到新约的恩典和爱。当他们的孩子到了婚嫁之期时，父母唯一的告诫就是：“假如你的婚姻失败了，就不要回来。你已经在神面前起誓，就要守约到底。”这个家庭里有两个女儿，一名茱莉，一名安莲。

茱莉有了孩子之后，也按著父母的方法去教导她的孩子们。果然各个孩子长大后都循规蹈矩，都选择了以助人为本的行业里，颇有成就。但是他们都有自我形象的问题，觉得自己永远做得不够好。

Be Good to Your Spiritual Family

2023-05-18 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Galatians 6:1-10.  Let’s go!

Galatians 6:1-10 (NIV)
1  Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.
2  Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
3  If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
4  Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else,
5  for each one should carry his own load.

On verses 1-10:   Sometimes we can take our church family, like our own immediate family, for granted.  Here Paul reminds us that, for as long as we live, we should do good to all people, but especially our spiritual family (v10).  That includes:

– if someone sins and is genuinely repentant, restoring that person gently by showing them the grace, mercy and forgiveness that God showed you and me (v1)

– carrying each other’s burdens (v2)

– looking at yourself with humility and sober judgment (v3)

– not playing the comparison game, always measuring how you match up with others (v4)

– taking responsibility for one’s own life rather than burdening others unnecessarily (v5)

Which One Will You Be Full Of ?

2023-05-17 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Galatians 5:19-26.  Let’s go!

Galatians 5:19-21 (NIV)
19  The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;
20  idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions
21  and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

On verses 19-21:  Paul lists a number of examples of what it looks like when people live according to their sinful nature.  These examples can possibly be broadly categorized as sexual sins (“sexual immorality, impurity [referring likely to an impure thought life] and debauchery”), sins of the spirit (“idolatry and witchcraft”), sins related to poor management of our emotions and relationships (“hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions”) and other sins (“drunkenness, orgies and the like”).  When Paul says that “those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God” (v21), he doesn’t mean that if you engage in sin after being saved that such sin will automatically disqualify you from God’s kingdom.  Rather, Paul is likely saying that those who live without any regard for holiness, who treat God’s grace as an excuse to sin even more, have misunderstood the Gospel and were probably never saved in the first place.

起初的爱

2023-05-17 in , /by

耶利米书2:3a 那时以色列归耶和华为圣，作为土产初熟的果子，凡吞吃他的必算为有罪，灾祸必临到他们。

阅读经文：2:1-3

1耶和华的话临到我说： 2 「你去向耶路撒冷人的耳中喊叫说：『耶和华如此说：你幼年的恩爱，婚姻的爱情，你怎样在旷野，在未曾耕种之地跟随我，我都记得。 3 那时以色列归耶和华为圣，作为土产初熟的果子，凡吞吃他的必算为有罪，灾祸必临到他们。』这是耶和华说的。」

这是神给耶利米的第一个信息中的一部份。神没有以严厉的指责开始，而是希望以色列人回想起初的情形，而能够回转归向神。起初的爱是非常宝贵而单纯的，你记得当年和妻子或丈夫初见面的情形，怎样开始交往的经过吗？

在〈启示录〉第二章里，神赞美以弗所教会：“我知道你的行为、劳碌、忍耐，也知道你不能容忍恶人。你也曾试验那自称为使徒却不是使徒的，看出他们是假的来。你也能忍耐，曾为我的名劳苦，并不乏倦。你恨恶尼哥拉一党人的行为，这也是我所恨恶的。”但是神责备她：“然而，有一件事我要责备你，就是你把起初的爱心离弃了。”以弗所教会有各样的好处，却失去了起初的爱心，这有什么关系吗？

3 Paths: Which One Will You Choose?

2023-05-16 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Galatians 5:13-18.  Let’s go!

Galatians 5:13-18 (NIV)
13  You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.
14  The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
15  If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
16  So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
17  For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.
18  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

On verses 13-18:  We must choose what we will do with the freedom Jesus has given us.  Either we can choose to indulge the sinful nature (also called our flesh) or we can choose to love (v13).  Here Paul identifies the struggle that every Christian experiences, the struggle between doing what is loving, just and honourable and doing what pleases our sinful nature (also called our flesh).  This struggle between the Spirit and the flesh is an ongoing one in every Christian’s heart and mind (v17).

杏树枝和烧开的锅

2023-05-16 in , /by

耶利米书1:19  他们要攻击你，却不能胜你，因为我与你同在，要拯救你。」这是耶和华说的。

阅读经文：1:11-19

11 耶和华的话又临到我说：「耶利米，你看见什么？」我说：「我看见一根杏树枝。」 12 耶和华对我说：「你看得不错，因为我留意保守我的话，使得成就。」

13 耶和华的话第二次临到我说：「你看见什么？」我说：「我看见一个烧开的锅，从北而倾。」 14 耶和华对我说：「必有灾祸从北方发出，临到这地的一切居民。」 15 耶和华说：「看哪，我要召北方列国的众族。他们要来，各安座位在耶路撒冷的城门口，周围攻击城墙，又要攻击犹大的一切城邑。 16 至于这民的一切恶，就是离弃我，向别神烧香，跪拜自己手所造的，我要发出我的判语，攻击他们。

约西亚王八岁登基，圣经的作者记载他行耶华眼中看为正的事。当约西亚十六岁时，他开始寻求大卫的神；廿岁时（约西亚第12年）开始除去犹大国里的偶像。约西亚第13年，神呼召耶利米作先知；约西亚王26岁（约西亚第18年）时，他的改革工作到达巅峰。

虽然如此，但是上有政策下有对策。约西亚的改革只获得了表面的成功，百姓们虚与委蛇，并没有真正的悔改，依然在私底下拜偶像。神兴起耶利米就是要让百姓知道，神看中的是属灵的实际，切实的悔改，而不是应付王的表面工作。