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The Heart of Jesus

2021-04-01 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 17:13-26.  Let’s go!

John 17:13-16 (NIV) 
13  “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 
14  I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 
15  My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.
16  They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 

On verses 13-16:  In a world where followers of Jesus will have trouble (John 16:33) and will be misunderstood by many (John 15:18), Jesus does not pray that the Father remove his followers from this world.  Rather Jesus prays that the Father would protect them from the evil one (v15).  Jesus’ heart is that his disciples would have the full measure of his joy within them even as they go through hardship (v13).  What can we learn from this? 

The Way Jesus Feels about You and Speaks about You

2021-03-31 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 17:1-12.  Let’s go!

John 17:1-2 (NIV) 
1  After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 
2  For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.

On verses 1-2:  Here John quotes Jesus as praying to the Father.  Chapter 17 of John is the longest recorded prayer of Jesus in Scripture.  Verse 2 says that the Father granted authority to Jesus over all people so that Jesus might give eternal life to people.  When the Father gives you authority, it’s not so that you can personally be famous, wealthy or powerful.  God gives you authority so that you can give, help and be a blessing to others.

John 17:3 (NIV) 
3  Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

On verse 3:  Eternal life is not about our performance, our hard work, or our merit.  Eternal life is about knowing the Father and knowing Jesus Christ.

进迦南的第一刀

2021-03-31 in , /by

〈约书亚记〉 5:9   耶和华对约书亚说：「我今日将埃及的羞辱从你们身上滚去了。」因此那地方名叫吉甲，直到今日。

阅读经文：〈约书亚记〉 5:1-9

大敌当前，在耶利哥人和其他迦南人的密切「监视」下，神竟然要求以色列人先对自己的壮士们动刀，行割礼。我们都知道成人行割礼后，要忍受几乎一星期的疼痛和坐立不安。雅各的儿子利未和西缅可杀尽示剑城的人，就是叫他们行割礼，才允许妹妹底拿和示剑结緍。示剑人不察，行了割礼（割包皮手术）后，大家疼痛不已时，利未和西缅便把他们都杀了。可见行了割礼之后，这些大男人是不能打仗的。神为何会在他们的敌人面前，让他们变得如此软弱，岂不十分危险？

但是我们看到神挑选了一个好时机，「约旦河西亚摩利人的诸王和靠海迦南人的诸王，听见耶和华在以色列人前面使约旦河的水干了，等到我们过去，他们的心因以色列人的缘故就消化了，不再有胆气。」他们看到以色列人走过汹涌的约旦河如走干地，大家都吓破胆了。即使以色列人痛得哇哇叫，他们也不敢越雷池半步。因为以色列人的神太厉害了！

摩西时，世界已经进入晚铜器时代，即将进入铁器时代。摩西在旷野里就曾经做了一条铜蛇。既然已进入铜器时代，为何神要约书亚用「旧的新石器时代技术old neolithic technology」去做火石刀呢？火石刀是一种用燧石磨成的平面双面刀片，这种燧石刀刃很锋利，其锋利足以用作外科器械，并且比青铜刀更锐利。青铜刀的硬度不如火石刀，比较柔软。火石刀的刀片因为锋利又有足够的硬度，可以割得更好，减轻疼痛，使伤口复原得快一点。

立石为记

2021-03-30 in , /by

〈约书亚记〉 4:24要使地上万民都知道耶和华的手大有能力，也要使你们永远敬畏耶和华你们的神。

阅读经文：〈约书亚记〉  4:1-24

摩西带领以色列人过红海已是一件令人争议许久的神蹟，约书亚率领另一代的以色列人走干地、过约旦河，更是让人惊讶得难以置信。有可能吗？有人说，约旦河并不是一年到头河水汹涌，漫过两岸，但是在旱季时，有多处地方都可以涉水而过。根据史丹福大学的阿摩司教授查考历史，约旦河在1160年、1267年、1546年、1834年、1906年、1924年、1927年曾数次因地震而河堤陷塌，大量的泥沙充塞河道，兴起一道拦河坝，因此有人认为，约书亚带领以色列人渡河时会不会就是这样的自然现象？

但是根据《圣经》的记载：「那从上往下流的水…撒拉但旁的亚当城那里停住，立起成垒；那往亚拉巴的海，就是盐海，下流的水全然断绝…以色列众人都从干地上过去.. 」。可见当时的水流甚急，一不是干旱，二也没有地震发生。因为若有地震，百姓必然惊惶失措，哪还敢走到河中间？若是地震引起的拦河坝，河底也不会立即变成干地，一定非常潮湿泥泞，难以行走。更何况抬约柜的祭司脚踏进水中，河水就停；踏上干地，河水就又流了，这岂是自然现象可以解释？

人是有限的，人的认知都在自己的经验和知识范围里，若是超越了自己的经验和认知，他就觉得不可相信，要找很多理由来把它合理化，这是人的自大。人也是健忘的，得了好处很快忘记，被人得罪则记一生一世。因此，神要妁书亚选十二个人，在祭司的脚站定的地方，取十二块石头带上岸；十二块石头代表以色列的十二支派。这些石头要扛在肩上，可见不是小石头，而是有份量的大石头。

Look to Jesus

2021-03-30 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 16:23-33.  Let’s go!

John 16:23-24 (NIV) 
23  In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 
24  Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

On verses 23-24:  When Jesus says “In that day” what day is he referring to?  Jesus is referring to the time after his death and resurrection.  Jesus is talking about the amazing access his followers will have to the Father “in that day”.  As part of that access, Jesus promises that we will receive whatever we ask for from the Father in Jesus’ name.  What does it mean to ask in Jesus’ name?  It doesn’t mean that we can pray for anything and simply tack on the words “in Jesus’ name” and expect to receive it.  As we discussed in John 14:13-14, to ask in Jesus’ name means that we ask for what Jesus would ask for in that situation and that we believe in the authority of Jesus’ name to accomplish what we ask for.  When we ask in Jesus’ name, we will receive what we ask for and we will experience a joy that the world cannot give.

John 16:25 (NIV)
25  “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father.

约书亚率民过约旦河

2021-03-29 in , /by

〈约书亚记〉 3: 5    约书亚吩咐百姓说：「你们要自洁，因为明天耶和华必在你们中间行奇事。」

阅读经文：〈约书亚记〉  3:1-17

四十年前，当摩西率领以色列人来到红海边时，前无去路，后有追兵，摩西完全不知道当如何行。百姓起哄，惧怕万分。耶和华对摩西说：「你为什么向我哀求呢？你吩咐以色列人往前走。 你举手向海伸杖，把水分开，以色列人要下海中走干地。（出14:15-16）」摩西按著神所说的向海举杖，东风吹了一夜，海水才分开，变成干地。摩西经历过之前的十个神蹟，已经晓得只要神说什么，他做什么，就对了。约书亚虽然也经历过那些神蹟，但还不是轮到他举杖的时候，他还没有感受到那种心理上的压力。直到要过约旦河之前，他开始经历第一个考验。

以色列人都知道要过约旦河，但是没有人知道要怎样过河。在喇合救探子的故事里，我们曾提到那是收割大麦的季节。在巴勒斯坦，也就是迦南地，三四月份是收割大麦的时期。他们在秋季下种，春季收割。那时正是雨季结束，北方黑门山冰雪消融，河水泛滥，涨过两岸的时期。没有人建议造船，也没有人建议等到河水缓流再过去。没有计划。

有位弟兄曾作被解雇四次的见证。他每次祷告交托后，总是很乐观地相信事情会有转机，但每次都免不了被解雇。在最近一次的解雇里，公司提早通知两个月，所以在接下来的两个月里就没什么事好做了，等于停职领薪。正好老家有朋友来，他便带着他们玩了四十天。朋友前脚搭机离去，他后脚也搭机去面试。正好在领到解雇书的第二个星期，他就搬到美国另一个州去工作了。这就是基督徒的生涯，我们不知道明天将如何，但我们相信神知道，祂必带领我们的每一步。

Joy Is Coming

2021-03-29 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 16:12-22.  Let’s go!

John 16:16-22 (NIV) 
16  “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”
17  Some of his disciples said to one another, “What does he mean by saying, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?”
18  They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”
19  Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “Are you asking one another what I meant when I said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’?
20  I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.
21  A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.
22  So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.

On verses 16-22:  What did Jesus mean when he would tell his disciples, “in a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me” (v16)?  Jesus was pointing to his death and resurrection.  The darkest night – when Jesus Christ would die – was coming, but it would be superseded by a brighter day: when Jesus rose again.

How the Holy Spirit Convicts

2021-03-28 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 16:1-11.  Let’s go!

John 16:1-3 (NIV) 
1  “All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. 
2  They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. 
3  They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me.

On verses 1-3:  John was probably writing this Gospel at a time when the Church, i.e. Christians everywhere, had already experienced a great deal of persecution.  To comfort and reassure his fellow brothers and sisters, John recalls what Jesus said to him and the other disciples about not being surprised when they face severe persecution.  Jesus tells them not to be surprised if their persecutors even think that destroying Christians is the right, noble, God-pleasing thing to do.  Jesus tells his disciples that the reason an unbelieving persecute Christians is because they actually do not know God the Father or Jesus the Son.

What can we learn from this?  As a Christian don’t be surprised when you face persecution for your faith.  Remember also that when a person does not know Jesus or the Father, they will tend to misunderstand what it is that God wants them to do.  That is why having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and the Father is so crucial. 

喇合的信心

2021-03-28 in , /by

〈约书亚记〉 2:11  我们一听见这些事，心就消化了。因你们的缘故，并无一人有胆气。耶和华─你们的神本是上天下地的神。

阅读经文：〈约书亚记〉 2:1-24

妓女，是社会上被看不起的女人。有不少学者想美化喇合的职业，更不想让以色列人的探子去找妓女。但《圣经》的记载总是诚实地报导，连大卫王谋杀乌利亚的手段都详细地记录下来。因为神不隐藏人的卑贱，却让我们看到再卑贱的人，只要相信祂，都可以成为神要使用的贵重器皿。亚伯拉罕的父亲相传是做偶像生意的，大卫是个牧羊人，约瑟是个奴隶兼囚犯，保罗织帐棚，彼得打渔，你想美化哪一个？从这些被拣选的人身上，我们发现他们都有一个特点，能看见人所看不见的神，他们都有一对超乎常人的眼睛和信心。他们的眼睛不被现世界的情形所迷惑，能透过物质看到永恒的神。因此，他们都成了神手中贵重的器皿。

一个非常紧张的局面，以色列的探子偷偷摸摸地进了耶利哥城，才到喇合那里，已经有人告诉耶利哥王。可见在以色列人的营中或附近，也有耶利哥城派出去的探子，他们的消息非常正确。但是约书亚不知道他们的机密已经泄露，耶利哥王正想来个瓮中捉鳖，探子们的性命危在旦夕。在电视影集的三国演义中，孔明第六次北伐，本以为可以在祈山上方谷将司马懿烧死。司马懿也查觉无路可走，正想自杀时，却惊觉有水滴下，原来下大雨了，把火都浇灭了。孔明在高处看到，气得大吐血，终于死亡。天意难测，祈山有九个月不下雨了，竟在最紧要的关头下雨了！连孔明也预测不到，天意难违。那么，神要怎样保护约书亚的探子呢？

耶利哥王戒备森严，以为探子插翅难飞，探子也以为难逃一死。没想到，神却准备了一个女人，人人看不起，却有先知灼见的女人。其实探子去耶利哥城，跑到妓女户是最不会被人注意，也是比较安全之举，因为那是不同男人出入的地方，谁管你是谁呢？

When the World Hates You + The Holy Spirit

2021-03-26 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 15:18-27.  Let’s go!

John 15:18-25 (NIV) 
18  “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 
19  If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 
20  Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. …

On verses 18-25:  An unbelieving world hated Jesus Christ so much that they killed him by nailing him to a cross.  Even to this day, no name has received more hate in all of human history than the name of Jesus Christ.  On a daily basis, there is also no name that is used more as a curse word, no name that is abused and taken for granted more than the name of Jesus.  And as Jesus predicted in verses 20-21, just as much of the world despised Jesus, so much of the world despises Christians.  That is why virtually the only time you hear a pastor or Christian leader making the mainstream news is if it is related to some kind of scandal.  The world loves to pick Christians apart, pointing at their faults, laughing at their failings, and at the same time ignoring the good that Christians do or taking seriously the message that Christians preach.  But this is should not surprise us, for Jesus says it himself, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.” (v18)