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What to Look for in a Leader

2021-11-26 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Titus 1:1-9.  Let’s go!

Titus 1:1 (NIV) 
1  Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness–

On verse 1:  God’s truth is not just something God wants you to know for the sake of gaining more knowledge or for mere academic reasons.  Rather, knowing God’s truth is meant to lead to godliness.   God’s truth is not just informational; it’s transformational.  It is there not just to inform you, but to transform your heart, your mind and your behavior, to make you more like Christ.

Titus 1:2 (NIV) 
2  a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time,

On verse 2:  God’s intention has always been that we His creation would experience the hope of eternal life.  So before the beginning of time, Paul says, God made a promise to make eternal life available to humankind.  Also in this verse Paul affirms that God does not lie; in other words, you can count on God to tell the truth and to keep His promises.

犹大王约阿施

2021-11-25 in , /by

〈列王纪〉下 12:2 约阿施在祭司耶何耶大教训他的时候，就行耶和华眼中看为正的事。

阅读经文：〈列王纪〉下  12:1-21

犹大王：罗波安→亚比央→亚撒→约沙法→约兰→亚哈谢→（亚她利雅）→约阿施→亚玛谢

以色列王：耶罗波安（一世）→拿答→巴沙→以拉→心利→暗利→亚哈→亚哈谢→约兰→耶户

今天我们要读到一个忘恩负义的王，其实就是一个忘恩负义的人。这个犹大王约阿施，《圣经》给了他一句评语：“约阿施在祭司耶何耶大教训他的时候，就行耶和华眼中看为正的事”。这句话引人思想，那么当耶和耶大不在的时候，他是一个怎样的人呢？耶和耶大用尽心血去教育约阿施，所以当耶和大在的时候，他行眼和华眼中看为正的事，例如修理圣殿。

从所罗门建殿（约主前966年完工）到约阿施（约主前818年）已经超过140年，不管再怎样坚固的建筑，过了140年也会有许多地方需要整修。尤其是在亚她利雅执政时，她不但不尊重神，而且容许她的众子拆毁神的殿，又用圣殿中分别为圣的物供奉巴力（代下24:7）。约阿施从小住在圣殿中，对圣殿的修护非常在心。因此要求祭司拿各方面收到的银子，去修理殿的一切破坏之处。

没想到光阴似箭，到了约阿施廿三年，也就是约阿施卅岁时，竟然还没有动工。这次约阿施改变了筹款的方式，让祭司耶何耶大取了一个柜子，在柜盖上钻了一个窟窿，放于坛旁，在进耶和华殿的右边，这个柜子里收到的钱就拿来修理圣殿。这下子工程就得以开始进行。因为以前收钱的指示太模糊，哪部份要修殿，哪部份归祭司都没弄清楚，现在大家都清楚了，便“交给耶和华殿里办事的人，他们就雇了石匠、木匠重修耶和华的殿，又雇了铁匠、铜匠修理耶和华的殿。” 唯有赎愆祭、赎罪祭的银子都归祭司。

He Put Himself on the Line for You

2021-11-25 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Philemon 1:17-25.  Let’s go!

Philemon 1:17-19 (NIV) 
17  So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. 
18  If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. 
19  I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back–not to mention that you owe me your very self.

On verses 17-19:  Earlier in verses 8 to 16 we saw Paul acting as a mediator between Philemon and Onesimus, trying to help Philemon and Onesimus reconcile with one another.  But here in these verses we see Paul going beyond what a typical mediator would do.  For while a mediator’s role is help two warring sides reach an agreement, a mediator normally does not sacrifice himself just so that the two sides can reconcile.  But that’s what Paul does.  Paul writes in verses 17-18, “So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me.  If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me.” To emphasize how serious he is about this, Paul even takes his secretary Timothy’s pen and writes these words himself on the scroll: “I will pay it back” (v19).  

What is Paul doing?  He’s putting himself on the line, sacrificing his own reputation and financial well-being, all so that Philemon would forgive Onesimus and take him back.

Your Gentle Mediator is Jesus

2021-11-24 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Philemon 1:8-16.  Let’s go!

Philemon 1:8-9 (NIV) 
8  Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, 
9  yet I appeal to you on the basis of love. I then, as Paul–an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus–

On verses 8-9:  Paul had a special role in Philemon’s life.  For one, Paul was the one whom God used to lead Philemon to Christ (v19).  In this way Paul was like a spiritual father to Philemon.  Not only that, Paul’s disciple Epaphras was the one who started the church in Colosse that met in Philemon’s home and so, like a spiritual grandfather to the Colossian Christians, Paul’s words carried special weight.  Yet instead of throwing his weight around and using his rights and authority to order Philemon to do what he should do (v8), Paul appeals to Philemon gently and meekly “on the basis of love” (v9) – not as an authoritarian apostle, but as “an old man” and as “a prisoner of Christ Jesus” (v9).   From this I learn an important lesson:

亚她利雅篡位和被杀

2021-11-24 in , /by

〈列王纪〉下 11:17 耶何耶大使王和民与耶和华立约，做耶和华的民，又使王与民立约。

阅读经文：〈列王纪〉下  11:1-21

这是南国犹大的「武则天」发动政变。犹大王亚哈谢去耶斯列探望受伤的舅父以色列王约兰，不料被约户一并杀死了。跟亚哈谢同去的犹大国的王子们，也通通被杀死。留在犹大国的太后亚她利雅，亚哈谢的母亲知道此事后，并没有痛哭流涕，反而觉得机会到了，就起来剿灭王室(destroyed all the royal heirs)，也就是把王室里一切有权继承王位的后裔全部杀死。但是她不知道，有一位在上的神不会让她的心意得逞。因为犹大国的王位，神定意留给大卫的后裔。

亚哈谢有个小儿子还是个一岁的婴儿，被他的姑姑和姑丈救了。因为他的姑丈耶和耶大是当时的祭司，所以他们把幼小的约阿施和乳母藏在耶和华的殿里，一藏就是六年。亚她利雅是亚哈的女儿，她和她的父母亲亚哈和耶洗别一样，拜巴力和亚舍拉。想当然也不会去圣殿里敬拜神，所以藏在圣殿里最安全。

过了六年，施阿施七岁了，耶和耶大和约示巴都觉得应该让小王子出来了，要让大家都知道亚哈谢的儿子还活着。因此他召集了一些军长、族长和利未人等，到圣殿里与王立约，并且安排了各处守门的和保卫王的人。在安息日出班即休班，原本有三分之二的侍在安息日可以休息，但是这一回，耶和耶大不许他们下班，要他们把守圣殿；另外当值的三分之一也要全部把守圣殿。约阿施出入时，也一定要有人跟随保护他。然后大家聚集在圣殿里为约阿施加冕，将律法书交给他，膏他做王。

If You Love That Person, Do THIS Before You Challenge or Criticize Them

2021-11-23 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today we begin the book of Philemon, a letter Paul wrote during his first imprisonment in Rome between 61 to 63 AD (imprisoned for preaching the gospel).  Here is some background that you might find helpful:

· Paul wrote this letter to a man called Philemon.  Who was Philemon?  Philemon lived in the city of Colosse and came to faith in Christ through the ministry of Paul (v19).  Later on Philemon would open up his home for the church in Colosse to use as their meeting place.  The fact that Philemon had a home large enough to host a church and owned slaves like Onesimus suggests that Philemon was wealthy.

· Paul’s reason for writing Philemon personally is because one of Philemon’s slaves, called Onesimus, had stolen something from Philemon, ran away, only to meet Paul in Rome and become a Christian under his ministry.  Onesimus becomes useful to Paul’s ministry, but Paul thinks it is best to send Onesimus back to Philemon, encouraging Philemon to forgive his former slave and take him in again.

From this short letter we can learn some powerful lessons on communication, forgiveness, the greatness of what Christ has done for us, and the kind of lives God calls us to live. 

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

Philemon 1:1-7 (NIV)
1  Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker,
2  to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home:
3  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

耶户除巴力拜金牛

2021-11-23 in , /by

〈列王纪〉下 10:10 由此可知，耶和华指著亚哈家所说的话一句没有落空，因为耶和华藉他仆人以利亚所说的话都成就了。」

阅读经文：〈列王纪〉下  10:1-36

犹大王：罗波安→亚比央→亚撒→约沙法→约兰→亚哈谢

以色列王：耶罗波安（一世）→拿答→巴沙→以拉→心利→暗利→亚哈→亚哈谢→约兰→耶户

耶户做了以色列王，想到先知吩咐他要击杀亚哈的全家（男丁）和耶洗别，他热血沸腾，几乎是见人就杀，连去探望约兰舅舅的犹大王亚哈谢都不放过，连犹太王亚哈谢的兄弟42个人，全部都抓起来杀了。这些人的死亡都是因为犹大王约沙法为儿子约兰娶了亚哈的女儿亚她利雅而惹的祸。约沙法王一生敬畏神，可惜在儿子的婚事上做了一个十分错误的决定，给他的后裔带来极大的苦难。本来不沾亲不带故，偏偏去娶了一个拜亚舍拉的女人，搞得自己的后裔被杀得几乎一干二净，还有更大的灾难在后边。他的孙子亚哈谢和其他42个弟兄就这样莫名其妙被杀死了。只因为沾了一个“姻亲” 的名份，实在算不上是亚哈家的人，也被杀死了。

耶户没有忘记亚哈的儿子们。亚哈有七十个儿子散住在撒马利亚许多有钱有势的尊贵人家里。耶户先假装叫这些照顾王子的人推选一个贤能合宜的出来接续亚哈做王，可是这些人已经听到他诛杀了以色列王约兰和犹大王亚哈谢，他们怎么还敢立王？当然纷纷推辞了。耶户收到他们的回信，一改口，就叫他们把那些王的的首级送到耶斯列。那些人眼见时势不妙，再也顾不得主仆的情谊，立刻把亚哈的七十个王子全部杀了，把他们的头送到耶户那里。耶户有没有大大地奖赏他们呢？相反地，耶户不仅奚落他们出卖主子，并且把他们都杀了，包括亚哈的大臣、密友、祭司全都杀了。耶户说：“耶和华指著亚哈家所说的话一句没有落空，因为耶和华藉他仆人以利亚所说的话都成就了。”

耶户碰见利甲的儿子约拿达并不是偶然，因为约拿达是刻意前来迎接耶户的，耶户问他安，他也忠诚地回应耶户，并且支持耶户要去清除巴力的行动。此时的耶户为耶和华大发热心，订了一个计划要铲除所有拜巴力的人。他先为巴力召开严肃会，然后和约拿达假装去献祭，献完祭趁其不备，便吩咐护卫兵和众军长进去杀人，不容一人出来。又将庙里的巴力柱像都拿出去烧了，又拆了巴力的庙去作厕所，在以色列中灭了巴力。

立耶户为以色列王

2021-11-22 in , /by

〈列王纪〉下 9:36a 他们回去告诉耶户，耶户说：「这正应验耶和华藉他仆人提斯比人以利亚所说的话。

阅读经文：〈列王纪〉下  9:1-37

犹大王：罗波安→亚比央→亚撒→约沙法→约兰→亚哈谢

以色列王：耶罗波安（一世）→拿答→巴沙→以拉→心利→暗利→亚哈→亚哈谢→约兰→耶户

再一次把这个犹大王和以色列王的表列出来，如此大家比较可以明白谁打谁，对照一下究竟哪个王死了。因为在这章里有太多个王了。在〈列王纪〉上第十九章15-17节里，神交给以利亚三个使命，以利亚做了一个，就是膏以利沙接续他做先知，其余两项都交给以利沙去做。以利沙见到哈薛，却没有膏他，只是说知道他将来要做亚兰王，给他一个提示。现在他也没有亲自去膏耶户，而是叫一个先知门徒去膏耶户。

以利亚没有即刻去膏耶户，很可能是因为当时亚哈因拿伯的事被先知责备而有悔改之意。因此神说：“因他在我面前自卑，他还在世的时候，我不降这祸。到他儿子的时候，我必降这祸于他的家（王上21:29）”。因此以利亚不能去膏耶户，亚哈的儿子亚哈谢又死得太快，只做王两年，就从楼上掉下去，也来不及叫耶户去杀他。因为亚哈谢没有儿子，所以由他的兄弟约兰做王。以色列王约兰去基列的拉末和亚兰打战，被打伤了。他在耶斯列疗伤时，他的将军耶户在基列的拉末被膏为下一任的以色列王，众军长也拥护他为王。

这个在战场上驰骋大半生的将军一听到先知的命令，要他去杀亚哈的全家（指男丁），在耶洗别身上流血申冤，立刻热血沸腾，像一支箭般地射了出去。而此时另一个被爱心灌满的犹大王亚哈谢，知道舅舅约兰受伤，也急速地往耶斯列去探望。杀机从北而来，爱心由南而至。而毫不知情的约兰，不知死活地套车出去迎接那向他急速射出的箭。耶户的马赶得又快又猛，却没有人意料到将要发生何事。约兰的问候换来耶户的怒吼：“你母亲耶洗别的淫行邪术这样多，焉能平安呢？”当约兰领悟到耶户造反时，耶户的箭已经射中他的脊背，又从心窝穿出。

What Belongs to God

2021-11-22 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 27:16-34, and it’s full of lessons for us.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 27:16 (NIV) 
16  “‘If a man dedicates to the LORD part of his family land, its value is to be set according to the amount of seed required for it–fifty shekels of silver to a homer of barley seed. 

On verse 16:  Notice that the land is be valued based on “the amount of seed required for it”, that is, how much harvest that land is able to produce.  Why didn’t God base the value of the land on the things real estate agents look at, like desirability of location, quality of the surrounding neighborhood, safety of the area or what schools or public transit are nearby? It’s because the land ultimately belonged to God anyway (see Leviticus 25:23) and the Israelites were to see themselves as tenants on that land.

There’s a lesson in this:  it is true that we are all of great worth to God, such that God gave His only Son Jesus Christ just for the chance to be in relationship with you.  But just as God focuses here on how much a particular piece of land is able to produce, so God focuses on our development potential.  God sees us not just for what we are now, but what we can become.  His vision for us is that we would bear maximum fruit for God’s glory.

Your Worth is Decided by…

2021-11-21 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Leviticus 27:1-15.  Let’s go!

Leviticus 27:1-15 (NIV) 
1  The LORD said to Moses,
2  “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If anyone makes a special vow to dedicate persons to the LORD by giving equivalent values,
3  set the value of a male between the ages of twenty and sixty at fifty shekels of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel;
4  and if it is a female, set her value at thirty shekels.
5  If it is a person between the ages of five and twenty, set the value of a male at twenty shekels and of a female at ten shekels.
6  If it is a person between one month and five years, set the value of a male at five shekels of silver and that of a female at three shekels of silver…..

On verses 1-15:  During Moses’ time, people would occasionally make vows to dedicate a person, an animal, or real estate to God.  Instead of actually releasing that person, animal or real estate to God, that person could keep the person, animal or real estate for themselves and instead pay an equivalent price to the priests.  But what should that price be?

Leviticus 27:1-15 sets out the price to be paid for a person, animal or real estate.

Now here’s the big elephant in the room: why are men valued more highly than women here?  For example, why is a 30 year old male valued at 50 shekels of silver (v3) whereas a 30 year old female is valued at 30 shekels (v4)?