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3 Stages in Your Spiritual Growth

2020-04-13 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 John 2:9-17.  Let’s go!

1 John 2:9-11 (NIV) 
9  Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. 
10  Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. 
11  But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him.

On verses 9-11:  Light versus darkness is an ongoing theme in 1 John, the idea that God is light (see 1 John 1:5), that Jesus is the true light (2:5) and that if we are in Jesus we are in the light as well (1:7).  In contrast, the darkness is anywhere where Jesus is not glorified or obeyed (1:6).  How do you know if a Christian is truly in the light or in the darkness?  It’s in how that person loves others.  Here John proclaims that anyone who says he is in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness, whereas anyone who loves his brother lives in the light (v10).  In other words, how we love others is proof of whether we are truly in Jesus or not. 

復活的耶穌

2020-04-12 in /by

約翰福音20章17節   耶穌說：「不要摸我，因我還沒有升上去見我的父。你往我弟兄那裡去，告訴他們說我要升上去見我的父，也是你們的父，見我的神，也是你們的神。」

在〈約翰福音〉20章裡，我們看到跟隨耶穌的馬利亞和其他婦女，以及門徒，都亂成一團。他們不知道究竟發生了何事？耶穌的屍身為什麼不見了？耶穌的墳墓為何打開了？墳前的石頭又是誰把它挪開的？那些守衛的羅馬兵丁呢？無數的疑問擁入現場，他們迫切需要一個像福爾摩斯般的偵探。

抺大拉的馬利亞看到墳墓是空的，立刻去告訴門徒，約翰和彼得立刻飛奔過去，看見耶穌的裹頭巾和細麻布，他們想不通，又回去了。只留下馬利亞在那裡痛哭。她心裡覺得不可思議，又探頭往墳裡看，這下子看到兩個天使問她為什麼哭？跟天使對話完，一回頭又看到一個人問她為什麼哭，她以為是管理園子的，便問他有沒有把耶穌的屍身移走。

Jesus = Perfect Love

2020-04-12 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 John 2:1-8.  Let’s go!

1 John 2:1-2 (NIV) 
1  My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense–Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 
2  He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

On verses 1-2:  The greatest lawyer you will have representing you is Jesus Christ.  When we sin, Jesus acts as our advocate and speaks to the Father in our defense (v1).  Yet unlike lawyers who defend with their words alone, Jesus defended us with His blood, giving Himself as “the atoning sacrifice for our sins”.  What an amazing advocate and Saviour we have in Jesus. 
 

耶穌在耶路撒冷_復活

2020-04-10 in /by

路加福音24章6節   祂不在這裡，已經復活了。

今天再分享以色列美角的一篇貼文：為什麼大家習慣過受難「星期五」和復活節「星期日」？

咦？為什麼每年教會過復活節，不會像聖誕節固定在同個日期，但每年卻一定會是在星期天？而且，為什麼都要在星期五紀念耶穌的受難呢？ 然後這樣到底怎麼會有三天三夜？

這些問題，對於大多從小到大在教會長大的人，或許因為習慣了，也不覺得需要去想「為什麼」，反正跟星期天聚會幾乎都是10點開始一樣….  但其實這些傳統是有「由來的」，並不是一開始就是這樣的。希望這篇的解釋對大家有幫助，也希望讀起來不會很無聊！

為什麼是受難「星期五」和復活節「星期日」？

如果上網查為什麼是受難「星期五」，答案會說是因為耶穌在週五受難。但為什麼耶穌在週五受難？網路答案會說因為聖經這樣說。

但如之前提的，猶太人計算一天是從晚上開始、計算一週是從星期天開始，以及聖經主要都是按照猶太曆在算。那到底為什麼是週五和週日？我們又怎麼會習慣週五受難，週日復活，然後這樣有三天三夜的說法？

4 Reasons Pride Goes Before A Fall

2020-04-09 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today we’re doing a one day look at the book of Obadiah, one of the shortest books in the Bible and the shortest book in the Old Testament.  Here is some background on the book of Obadiah that you may find helpful:

Very little is known about the author of this book, except that his name is Obadiah which means “worshiper of Yahweh”.  Several individuals in the Old Testament were called Obadiah, although it is not clear which Obadiah wrote this book. 

The purpose of the book of Obadiah is to give a prophetic message and warning for the nation of Edom.  The Edomites were perennial enemies of the Israelites.  They were direct descendants of Esau, while the Israelites were direct descendants of Esau’s younger twin brother Jacob (later known as Israel).  Despite Esau being the first born, God blessed and tasked Jacob and his descendants, the Israelites, with the special calling of being His chosen people.  The conflict between Esau and Jacob would carry on for centuries between the Edomites and the Israelites.

It is uncertain when Obadiah was written, although some scholars believe that it was written during the reign of King Jehoram of Judah in approximately 850 B.C.  

耶穌在耶路撒冷_成了!

2020-04-09 in /by

約翰福音19章37節   經上又有一句說：「他們要仰望自己所扎的人。」

在十字架的道路上，耶穌的救恩仍然不止息地賜給每一個願意接受祂的人。十字架的道路是沉重的、悲哀的、絕望的，但是因為有耶穌，就有重生之喜悅，救恩的傾倒，光明的再現。有不少人覺得為主受了許多委屈，因為要放棄自己的喜好，放棄自己的意見，放棄驕傲，但是當我們看到主為我們傾倒一切時，還有什麼可以抱怨呢？當我們覺得自己的十架太沉重時，祂在那裡；祂也曾抬不動自己的十字架，讓古利奈人西門來幫忙，祂明白我們的感覺。祂願意幫助我們，共負十架。

在十字架那裡發生的事，一一應驗聖經上的預言，這不是誰去安排的，使徒們寫下來為的是讓人因而可以明白耶穌就是彌賽亞，就是基督，神所預定的那位。從神來的必然應驗神所指示的每一件事。舊約中有三百多處經文，預言耶穌出生的地方，出生的情況，祂的遭遇，以及祂的死亡。這些預言都應驗在一個人的身上的或然率是二的三百次方之一，也就是說，可能性之小幾乎等於零。是無法用數字來表示的。這些預言卻在耶穌身上都應驗了，並在新約聖經中有詳細的記載。更讓人驚嘆的是，這些關於耶穌的預言，是由二十多位先知，在一千五百年前後期間寫的。

在耶穌的苦難裡有哪些事應驗了？

1.他雖然未行強暴，口中也沒有詭詐，人還使他與惡人同埋，誰知死的時候與財主同葬。（以53:9）

2.他被欺壓，在受苦的時候卻不開口。（以53:7）

3.他也被列在罪犯之中，他卻擔當多人的罪，又為罪犯代求。（以53:12）

耶穌在耶路撒冷_苦路十四站

2020-04-08 in /by

今天我們要一起經歷耶穌當年被彼拉多定罪之後，走到髑髏地(各各他)的一段路。這段路現在被名為耶穌的苦路，一共有十四站。這次借用以色列美角網站的實地拍攝，來跟大家一起感受耶穌當年走的苦路。以下採自以色列美角網站，己取得作者和網主的同意。(請點入，內有實景拍攝。)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

基督徒朋友來到耶路撒冷，都會想要走走耶穌背負著沈重十字架的苦路。

耶穌說「若有人要跟從我，就當捨己，背起他的十字架來跟從我。」，這條路，對基督徒來說並不是在準備以色列自助行程才開始研究的路，而是在接受基督信仰開始，被神的愛所吸引時，就時常默想的路。

苦路，耶穌確實走過，只不過耶穌走的路線是哪條呢？按照歷史，應該是從大衛塔到聖墓教堂。現在觀光客都會去打卡的「苦路14站」，集中在500公尺長的路線，它其實是16~18世紀才設計給天主教徒朝聖路線，目的是方便默想和管理～

若是好奇、或是想要有打卡或闖關的感覺，也是可以把一站都找出來～但或許思念耶穌所承擔的痛苦的意義，比有沒有找到14站重要！(另外，有5站並沒有記載在聖經裡唷！)

基督徒朋友來到耶路撒冷，都會想要走走耶穌背負著沈重十字架的苦路。

耶穌說「若有人要跟從我，就當捨己，背起他的十字架來跟從我。」這條路，對基督徒來說並不是在準備以色列自助行程才開始研究的路，而是在接受基督信仰開始，被神的愛所吸引時，就時常默想的路。

苦路，耶穌確實走過，只不過耶穌走的路線是哪條呢？按照歷史，應該是從大衛塔到聖墓教堂。現在觀光客都會去打卡的「苦路14站」，集中在500公尺長的路線，它其實是16~18世紀才設計給天主教徒朝聖路線，目的是方便默想和管理～

A God Who Never Gives Up On His People

2020-04-08 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Amos 9:1-15.  Let’s go!

Amos 9:1-4 (NIV) 
1  I saw the Lord standing by the altar, and he said: “Strike the tops of the pillars so that the thresholds shake. Bring them down on the heads of all the people; those who are left I will kill with the sword. Not one will get away, none will escape. 
2  Though they dig down to the depths of the grave, from there my hand will take them. Though they climb up to the heavens, from there I will bring them down. 
3  Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, there I will hunt them down and seize them. Though they hide from me at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent to bite them. 
4  Though they are driven into exile by their enemies, there I will command the sword to slay them. I will fix my eyes upon them for evil and not for good.”
 
On verses 1-4:  You can’t escape God’s wrath, unless God in His mercy decides to let you escape.  Aren’t you glad and aren’t we fortunate that God in His mercy decided to let sinners like us escape His wrath by placing His wrath on His Son Jesus instead?
 

耶穌在耶路撒冷_盜賣與捉拿

2020-04-07 in /by

馬可福音4章36節   他說：「阿爸，父啊！在祢凡事都能，求祢將這杯撤去！然而，不要從我的意思，只要從祢的意思。」

當耶穌帶著門徒離開馬可樓，吃最後晚餐的地方時，祂說：「看哪，時候將到，且是已經到了，你們要分散，各歸自己的地方去，留下我獨自一人；其實我不是獨自一人，因為有父與我同在。」這時，直到耶穌在客西馬尼園禱告時，祂都深切明白天父與祂同在。

耶穌帶著門徒越過汲淪溪，到了橄欖山下的一個客西馬尼園(Garden of Gethsemane)，這名字就是醡各種油的地方。祂帶著三個最親近的門徒去禱告，他們卻都因為困倦睡著了。耶穌心甚憂傷，使我們知道祂是以全人的身份來面對苦難，因此祂也禱告，若神許可，求神挪去這杯，但是不要從祂的意思，只要從神的意思。憂傷至此，耶穌卻不覺得孤單，因為有父與祂同在。甚至到猶大帶著官兵來捉耶穌時，帶祂到大祭司該亞法的家裡，耶穌也不覺孤單，因為父與祂同在。

今天是週二，按傳統的說法，最後的晚餐是週四晚上，週五上十字架。可是這樣一來，怎樣也算不出從死亡到復活的三天三夜。但是耶穌說過，約拿三日三夜在大魚肚腹中，人子也要這樣三日三夜在地裡頭 (太12:40)。耶穌的話不能打折，所以假如耶穌沒有錯，那麼就是其他人的錯。

王明道弟兄做了一番查考，認為耶穌最後晚餐是星期二晚上，也就是星期二夜裡被捕，是期三釘十字架。現在有更多人認同他的說法，以色列美角網站列出了這個圖表。讓我們看得更清楚。

God’s Word = Your Most Important Food

2020-04-07 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Amos 8:1-14.  Let’s go!

Amos 8:1-3 (NIV) 
1  This is what the Sovereign LORD showed me: a basket of ripe fruit.
2  “What do you see, Amos?” he asked. “A basket of ripe fruit,” I answered. Then the LORD said to me, “The time is ripe for my people Israel; I will spare them no longer.
3  “In that day,” declares the Sovereign LORD, “the songs in the temple will turn to wailing. Many, many bodies–flung everywhere! Silence!”

On verses 1-3:  Amos sees a vision of a ripe fruit basket signifying that the time is ripe for God to judge the nation of Israel.  Verse 3 is, according to Amos, what the wrath of God against sin sounds like.  Although verse 3 reads like a line that could be spoken by a villain in a Marvel comic book, remember who the real bad guys are in this story: it’s us, the ones who turned our backs on God despite all the ways He has been kind, patient and merciful toward us.