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He’s Greater than the Storm You’re In

2022-12-01 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Mark 6:45-56.  Let’s go

Mark 6:45-46 (NIV)
45  Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.
46  After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.

On verses 45-46:  Here we see Jesus’ heart for his disciples, how he lets them go on ahead of him by boat so that they can get some rest while he dismisses the crowd…OR was Jesus intentionally sending them into a storm to teach them a lesson?  Hmm.

Either way, what we do know for sure is that at the end of the day Jesus goes to a mountainside to pray.  Jesus knew that the rest he needed most was rest for his soul, so he spends it alone with the Father, the only one who could fully refresh his spirit.  Likewise, there is no physical food, no party and no ministry high that can replace being close with the Father.

审判之处的公义

2022-11-30 in , /by

传道书 3:16   我又见日光之下，在审判之处有奸恶，在公义之处也有奸恶。

阅读经文：传道书 3:16-17

16我又见日光之下，在审判之处有奸恶，在公义之处也有奸恶。17我心里说：「神必审判义人和恶人，因为在那里，各样事务、一切工作都有定时。」

看过一部大陆拍的电视剧《十三格格》，再对照一下今天的经文，不禁想起剧中慈禧的弟弟利用办邮局一事，强歛民财，害得主办邮局的自家小舅子被流放；还有李莲英偷偷摸摸地收贿帮犯人，等等。这些干坏事的都是在高位的大官总管，点出老百姓的无奈，因为压榨百姓自古都是从上而下。“在审判之处有奸恶，在公义之处也有奸恶”，老百姓有苦无处诉，才会把希望寄托在“青天大老爷”身上。《十三格格》剧情的成功，在于她很有智慧地打击黑势力，为民请命，自己又十分廉洁公正，和包青天一样，给百姓带来了希望。

在台湾也有“恐龙检察官”，对涉案的人索贿，并要求喝花酒。这样办案当然不会公正，只是为自己谋取利益，放纵罪犯。所以“在审判之处有奸恶，在公义之处也有奸恶”是一件很可怕的事情，审判之处和公义之处都是同义，古时候的以色列是由君王或有名望的人坐在城门口，受理百姓的案件，调节百姓之间的纠纷，若是审判者贪污，那百姓就会被欺压得更厉害，苦不堪言。华人对这段经文的感受不会陌生。

This Bread Still Feeds and Satisfies Today

2022-11-30 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Mark 6:30-44.  Let’s go!

Mark 6:30-32 (NIV)
30  The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught.
31  Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
32  So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.
 
On verses 30-32:  Jesus did not simply use his disciples; he also cared for their well being.  That’s why here we see Jesus leading his disciples not only in serving others but also in resting themselves.  Jesus sets an example for his team on how to rest and plans for a way that his team can rest together.  Like Jesus, work hard, rest well, and teach others in your care to do the same.

Your Story Does Not End Here

2022-11-29 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Mark 6:14-29.  Let’s go!

Mark 6:14-16 (NIV)
14  King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”
15  Others said, “He is Elijah.” And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.”
16  But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, the man I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!”
 
On verses 14-16: King Herod hears about the movement that Jesus is leading.  While others think Jesus is the second coming of the prophet Elijah, and others a modern day prophet, King Herod can’t help but think that Jesus is actually John the Baptist raised from the dead.  Why?  It’s because King Herod was haunted by indescribable guilt, shame and regret for killing John the Baptist.  Herod feared that God was now coming back to get him.  What can we learn from this?  We can try to hide from our sins, but the guilt, shame and distress of what we have done will ultimately catch up to us and will kill us, unless we have a right view of who Jesus is. 

记念主

2022-11-29 in , /by

传道书 3:14   我知道，神一切所做的都必永存，无所增添，无所减少，神这样行，是要人在他面前存敬畏的心。

阅读经文：传道书 3:12-15

12我知道，世人莫强如终身喜乐、行善。13并且人人吃喝，在他一切劳碌中享福，这也是神的恩赐。14我知道，神一切所做的都必永存，无所增添，无所减少，神这样行，是要人在祂面前存敬畏的心。15现今的事早先就有了，将来的事早已也有了，并且神使已过的事重新再来。

在这段经文里，中文译了两个“我知道”，英文译本里有他做了两个结论的意思。第一个结论，是人生莫强如吃喝快乐，也在自己的份内行善。这是一般社会大众的想法，有许多基督徒也不例外，他们也觉这是神的恩赐。若是这样的话，有一些人因着服事神而过著简朴的生活，甚至去宣教而被土人吃掉，是否意味着他们没有得到神的恩赐呢？

人生若是莫强如吃喝玩乐，那么耶稣也就白白受苦，白白牺牲了。主耶稣为我们的过犯受害，为我们的罪孽被压伤，受刑罚使我们得平安，受鞭伤使我们得医治，难道只是为了让我们在今生吃喝玩乐，将来进入永生？受难节（Lent）时，有的朋友会自愿在这段期间内放弃一些平时喜欢的享受，例如游戏，或不去餐馆，或放弃自己喜欢的面食，等等，为了表明与主一起同受苦的心志。

永生的追求

2022-11-28 in , /by

传道书 3:9  这样看来，做事的人在他的劳碌上有什么益处呢？

阅读经文：传道书 3:9-11

9这样看来，做事的人在他的劳碌上有什么益处呢？10我见神叫世人劳苦，使他们在其中受经练。11神造万物，各按其时成为美好，又将永生安置在世人心里，然而神从始至终的作为，人不能参透。

假如凡事都有定期，天下万务都有定时，那么我们的劳碌有何益处？不是到时候就生或死，神要拆毁或建造，要杀戮或医治，等等，与我何干？我们只要顺时而做，其他的也不用操心了，不是吗？我们努力了也会失落，也要寻找；也会撕裂，也要缝补，到头来，有何不同？

所罗门王此时才点出了他真正想说的，是的，人生可能像我们所经历的，每天都在做同样的事，却又无法跳出这个循环，有时令人感到十分沮丧。但是人依然不停地去寻找，在追求，为什么呢？我们明明感到绝望，却又不能停止地前走，用各种方法，找许多借口，就是为了要活下去。有的人找不到借口，就自杀了。他说，因为神将永生安置在世人心里。

Live Simply, Stay Hungry, and Shake Off The Dust

2022-11-28 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Mark 6:7-13.  Let’s go!

Mark 6:7 (NIV)
7  Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits.
 
On verse 7:  Jesus was not just about serving crowds.  Even more, Jesus was about making disciples and sending them into the world to do what he did.  And this is what he does here.  He’s calling the Twelve to Himself and then sending them out with authority. 

Mark 6:8-9 (NIV)
8  These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff–no bread, no bag, no money in your belts.
9  Wear sandals but not an extra tunic.

Coming Home Can Be Hard

2022-11-27 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

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

Mark 6:1-6 (NIV)
1  Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples.
2  When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles!
3  Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
4  Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor.”
5  He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.
6  And he was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village.
 
On verses 1-6:  Normally when a celebrity returns to their hometown, they receive an especially warm and passionate welcome.  But not in Jesus’ case.  Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth, and rather than being hailed as a hero people respond to Jesus with contempt and unbelief. 

生命的规律

2022-11-27 in , /by

传道书 3:2  生有时，死有时。栽种有时，拔出所栽种的也有时。

阅读经文：传道书 3:2-8

2生有时，死有时。栽种有时，拔出所栽种的也有时。3杀戮有时，医治有时。拆毁有时，建造有时。4哭有时，笑有时。哀恸有时，跳舞有时。5抛掷石头有时，堆聚石头有时。怀抱有时，不怀抱有时。6寻找有时，失落有时。保守有时，舍弃有时。7撕裂有时，缝补有时。静默有时，言语有时。8喜爱有时，恨恶有时。争战有时，和好有时。

有时候我们瞄一瞄这段经文就觉得已经知道全部了，今天我们稍微用心地看一下，看看有没有收获。“凡事都有定期，天下万务都有定时”，这是神的作为。神怎样在人的生命和生活中彰显祂的权柄？昨天我们读了柯文哲医师的感叹：医师只是生命花园的园丁，园丁不能改变春夏秋冬；同样的，医师也无法改变生老病死。因为生命的权柄在神的手中。所以主耶稣提醒我们，我们不可能用思虑使寿命加添或减少（太6:27）。但是我们可以借着野地的花和天空中的小鸟来明白神对我们的眷顾，我们不要担心生死，要把自己交托给全能的神，相信祂对我们的生命有最好的安排。

在中东有一种植物叫茴香。这种植物在种植之前要先把地面弄平，防止积水，也要定期灌溉，保持地表的滋润。茴香开花之后，要让土地干燥，直到种子成熟为止。若是继续加水，茴香会继续成长，但不会结种子了。种子一旦成熟，就要把它从土中连根拔起。茴香如此，其他的农作物也各有特性，若是违反其特性，很可能无法收成。“栽种有时，拔出所栽种的也有时”，这也像父母养育孩子，每一个阶段都有保护和放手的需要，若是一直保护，不断地加水，孩子就没办法成熟了。有时候得忍心地把他们连根拔起，也就是放手让他们去做事去面对一些情况。这时反而是另一个收获的阶段，因为孩子一步步迈向独立，这是父母教导的收获。