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Following Jesus Is Not Always Comfortable, But It’s Worth It

2020-09-17 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 9:51-62.  Let’s go!

Luke 9:51-56 (NIV) 

51  As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 
52  And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 
53  but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 
54  When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” 
55  But Jesus turned and rebuked them, 
56  and they went to another village.

On verses 51-56:  Why did the Samaritan village reject Jesus because Jesus was heading for Jerusalem?  It’s because culturally Jews and Samaritans did not associate with one another and considered one another enemies.  The Samaritans rejected Jesus based on the fact that Jesus and his disciples were Jews heading to the Jewish city of Jerusalem.  Fueled by anger and pride, two of Jesus’ closest disciples, James and John, offer to call fire down from heaven to destroy the Samaritan village that didn’t welcome them.  No wonder Jesus gave James and John the nicknames “sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17).  However, Jesus rebukes them for this suggestion and they move on.

亚伯兰为何要说谎

2020-09-16 in /by

创世记 20章17节     亚伯拉罕祷告神，神就医好了亚比米勒和他的妻子，并他的众女仆，她们便能生育。

亚伯兰在埃及说谎，25年后，亚伯拉罕在基拉耳说同样的谎。很多人说这是他的软弱，其实他真正的弱点跟所有人都一样，要用自己的方法来保护自己。当危险来临时，我们想到的一定是自保。所谓夫妻本是同林鸟，大限来时各自飞。但是当神不允许时，神就出手了。

亚伯兰因饥荒下埃及，这是很不得己的做法，因为迦南地是神给他的祝福，一旦离开神给他的祝福之地，他就害怕了。正如基拉耳是非利士人之地。在神毁灭所多玛，蛾摩拉之后，亚伯拉罕不知是否有点心惊胆跳，在向南地迁移时，去寄居在非利士人之地基拉耳。也是因为离开神给他的地方，他就害怕了。要用自己的方法来保护自己。

亚伯兰从哈兰到迦南示剑，又到伯特利东边的山，又到南地，到处都有迦南人。但是从来都不用说谎，不用担心有人会害自己。因为神己经数次告诉他，「我要把这地赐给你的后裔。」所以亚伯兰在迦南地时很有信心，也很够胆。去基拉耳之前他己经带领家丁打败米索波大米亚来的四王，救回罗得一家和五王(创14)，所以亚伯拉罕是很勇猛的，不是胆小没有见识的人。

有人奇怪，为什么亚伯拉罕撒了两次谎，神都没有惩罚他？这是人的想法，你做错，你说谎，就是不对，就该打，该受惩罚。但是你有没有发现，我们每一个人都是在错误中成长的，我们每个人都说过谎。你若说你没说过谎，你就是说谎了。假如按照这个逻辑，我们可能都来不及长大，就被修理得没头没脸了。

Jesus’ Heart for Children

2020-09-16 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 9:37-50.  Let’s go!

Luke 9:37-45 (NIV) 

37  The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. 
38  A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 
39  A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. 
40  I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.”
41  “O unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”
42  Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father…….

On verses 37-45:  There are a number of important lessons we can learn from these verses.  I look forward to sharing them with you at a Thrive service today.

神呼召亚伯兰

2020-09-16 in /by

创世记12章1-3节     耶和华对亚伯兰说：「你要离开本地、本族、父家，往我所要指示你的地去。我必叫你成为大国，我必赐福给你，叫你的名为大，你也要叫别人得福。为你祝福的，我必赐福于他；那咒诅你的，我必咒诅他。地上的万族都要因你得福。」

基督教论坛报报导：美国时间2020年9月15日下午，以色列总理纳坦雅胡（Benjamin Netanyahu）与阿拉伯联合大公国（阿联）外长阿布杜拉（Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan）、巴林外长萨亚尼（Abdullatif al-Zayani）正式签署历史性的《亚伯拉罕协议》，正式向世界宣告，以色列与两个阿拉伯国家建交。此项仪式由美国川普总统在白宫南草坪主持。

以色列总理纳坦雅胡说：「这天是历史的转折点。它预示著和平的新曙光。数千年来，犹太人民一直为和平祈祷。几十年来，犹太国家一直为和平祈祷。」纳坦雅胡认为，这项协议「已经提出了实现以色列与巴勒斯坦人之间和平的现实构想。」纳坦雅胡感谢阿联国王和外长「扩大了和平圈」，也感谢巴林的国王和外长， 与以色列「一起为亚伯拉罕的所有子孙带来希望。」

从这则新闻来看神对亚伯拉罕的呼召，令人感到无比的震撼。那是大约主前两千年，神呼召亚伯兰。在〈使徒行传〉七章2节，司提反说：「诸位父兄请听！当日我们的祖宗亚伯拉罕在美索不达米亚，还未住哈兰的时候，荣耀的神向他显现，  对他说：『你要离开本地和亲族，往我所要指示你的地方去。』 他就离开迦勒底人之地，住在哈兰。

Jesus is Greater

2020-09-15 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 9:18-36.  Let’s go!
 
Luke 9:18-21 (NIV) 
18  Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?” 
19  They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.” 
20  “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” 
21  Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone.
 
On verses 18-21:  The most important question you will ever need to answer is the question Jesus asked here, which is: who do you say Jesus is?  My prayer is that the more you get to know Jesus, like Peter you will come to the same conclusion, which is that Jesus is not just a legend, a fiction, a good person, or a famous prophet, but that Jesus is the Messiah (the Christ) and the one we need.  It matters to God who you think Jesus is. 

挪亚的后裔

2020-09-14 in /by

创世记十章1节   挪亚的儿子闪、含、雅弗的后代记在下面。洪水以后，他们都生了儿子。

创世记十章32节   这些都是挪亚三个儿子的宗族，各随他们的支派立国。洪水以后，他们在地上分为邦国。

挪亚的后裔是谁呢？就是我们囉! 洪水之后。全世界的人都是挪亚的后裔。再往前推的话，就是塞特的后裔，亚当和夏娃的后裔。该隐的后裔消失在大水的洪流之中了。所以我们不要轻看神的话，神最后要保留怎样的人呢？一定是属祂的人。

挪亚三个儿子的后裔各随宗族、方言而各聚成族或国，分散到世界各地，这是指在巴别塔之后的分布。看族諎有时会让人觉得很无聊。但是从后面往前看，比较有趣。例如，非利士人是谁的后裔？我们都知道大卫和歌利亚巨人打仗的故事，为何非利士人比以色列人高大强壮呢？你找得到非利士人是谁的后裔吗？他们是从迦斐托出来的。迦斐托是一个很美丽的名字，代表「串珠」，串起来的珠子，多美啊！原来迦斐托是一个海岛，有人说那就是革哩底岛（又译：克里特岛），也就是新约保罗去传福音的居比路，今名塞浦路斯。那么，迦斐托人又是谁的后裔呢？是闪、含或雅弗的后裔？你猜中了吗？这样去读，你就会记得很清楚，原来非利士人是含的后裔。非利士人的名字含有「打滚」之意，在士师的时代，他们已经懂得怎样治铁制造武器，成为以色列人最直接的敌人。在大卫王之后开始没落。

因为篇幅有限，所以只能简单地举一些例子。先来看看这三兄弟的名字有何特别？这三兄鈟的顺序有很多种说法，在这里说闪是雅弗的哥哥，有解经家认为含不是老大，所以含和雅弗谁比较大就成了个谜。闪的意思是「名声」，含的意思是「热与黑」，雅弗的意思是「扩张、美好」。迦南是指「低洼地、鄙陋、商人」。他们的名字会让你联想到什么？

Rely on God’s Power (Also, When God Interrupts Your Plans)

2020-09-14 in /by

Hi GAMErs,
 
Today’s passage is Luke 9:1-17.  Let’s go!
 
Luke 9:1-4 (NIV) 
1  When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 
2  and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 
3  He told them: “Take nothing for the journey–no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic. 
4  Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 

On verses 1-4:  Here Jesus sends out his twelve disciples with his power and authority to go from town to town preaching the kingdom of God, driving out all demons and curing diseases (v1-2).  But notice also that Jesus told them to take nothing else for the journey (“no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic” – v3).  What was Jesus doing?  Jesus was teaching his disciples to have faith in God’s power to use them and to provide for their needs, rather than relying on their own smarts, strength and resources. 

巴别巴别

2020-09-13 in /by

创世记11章4节      他们说：「来吧！我们要建造一座城和一座塔，塔顶通天，为要传扬我们的名，免得我们分散在全地上。」

有人说挪亚在五百岁生儿育女之后，就开始做起方舟的总工程师；六百岁时变成方舟游轮的船长；约601岁时，挪亚全家离开方舟，他转行作农夫，而且做得很好，不仅栽了一个葡萄园，而且还能用葡萄酿酒。可能太兴奋了，他一下喝太多，醉了。还好，他是在自己的帐篷里喝的；不幸的是，他那时没穿衣服。

本来，在自己的睡房里有没有穿衣服，实在跟别人没关系。国外也有很多人睡觉时不穿衣服的习惯。偏偏小儿子不知为何事闯进父亲的帐篷，看到了父亲的祼体，觉得很好笑，便跑出去告诉两个哥哥。哥哥们比较懂事，他们拿件衣服搭在肩上，倒退著进去，给父亲盖上，他们背着脸就看不见父亲的赤身。这里就是一个心态上尊重和不尊重的分别，尤其是对长辈。

挪亚也是有脾气的人，当他知道小儿子含那样轻浮的心态时，他咒诅含的儿子迦南，必给他弟兄做奴仆的奴仆。做奴仆己经很可怜，还要做奴仆的奴仆。这事提醒我们，凡事要尊重别人，尤其是对长辈。有人说，老人家说话有时都带有预言的成份，像雅各，摩西的遗言何等有份量。话说回来，在我们看挪亚的三子之后裔的分布情形时，先来看看分散之前的世界是怎样的。

God Works With Your Faith

2020-09-13 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 8:40-56.  Let’s go!

Luke 8:40 (NIV) 
40  Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him.

On verse 40:  In the verses just before this the people of the Garasenes rejected Jesus and told him to go away.  Here another crowd is expecting him and welcoming him.  Likewise, we too need to choose: will we be among those who reject Jesus and push him away, or will we welcome Jesus into our lives?

Luke 8:41-42 (NIV) 
41  Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house
42  because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him.