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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. 

复活的耶稣

2020-04-12 in /by

约翰福音20章17节   耶稣说：「不要摸我，因我还没有升上去见我的父。你往我弟兄那里去，告诉他们说我要升上去见我的父，也是你们的父，见我的神，也是你们的神。」

在〈约翰福音〉20章里，我们看到跟随耶稣的马利亚和其他妇女，以及门徒，都乱成一团。他们不知道究竟发生了何事？耶稣的尸身为什么不见了？耶稣的坟墓为何打开了？坟前的石头又是谁把它挪开的？那些守卫的罗马兵丁呢？无数的疑问拥入现场，他们迫切需要一个像福尔摩斯般的侦探。

抺大拉的马利亚看到坟墓是空的，立刻去告诉门徒，约翰和彼得立刻飞奔过去，看见耶稣的裹头巾和细麻布，他们想不通，又回去了。只留下马利亚在那里痛哭。她心里觉得不可思议，又探头往坟里看，这下子看到两个天使问她为什么哭？跟天使对话完，一回头又看到一个人问她为什么哭，她以为是管理园子的，便问他有没有把耶稣的尸身移走。

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. 
 

耶稣在耶路撒冷_复活

2020-04-10 in /by

路加福音24章6节   祂不在这里，已经复活了。

今天再分享以色列美角的一篇贴文：为什么大家习惯过受难「星期五」和复活节「星期日」？

咦？为什么每年教会过复活节，不会像圣诞节固定在同个日期，但每年却一定会是在星期天？而且，为什么都要在星期五纪念耶稣的受难呢？ 然后这样到底怎么会有三天三夜？

这些问题，对于大多从小到大在教会长大的人，或许因为习惯了，也不觉得需要去想「为什么」，反正跟星期天聚会几乎都是10点开始一样….  但其实这些传统是有「由来的」，并不是一开始就是这样的。希望这篇的解释对大家有帮助，也希望读起来不会很无聊！

为什么是受难「星期五」和复活节「星期日」？

如果上网查为什么是受难「星期五」，答案会说是因为耶稣在周五受难。但为什么耶稣在周五受难？网路答案会说因为圣经这样说。

但如之前提的，犹太人计算一天是从晚上开始、计算一周是从星期天开始，以及圣经主要都是按照犹太历在算。那到底为什么是周五和周日？我们又怎么会习惯周五受难，周日复活，然后这样有三天三夜的说法？

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.  

耶稣在耶路撒冷_成了!

2020-04-09 in /by

约翰福音19章37节   经上又有一句说：「他们要仰望自己所扎的人。」

在十字架的道路上，耶稣的救恩仍然不止息地赐给每一个愿意接受祂的人。十字架的道路是沉重的、悲哀的、绝望的，但是因为有耶稣，就有重生之喜悦，救恩的倾倒，光明的再现。有不少人觉得为主受了许多委屈，因为要放弃自己的喜好，放弃自己的意见，放弃骄傲，但是当我们看到主为我们倾倒一切时，还有什么可以抱怨呢？当我们觉得自己的十架太沉重时，祂在那里；祂也曾抬不动自己的十字架，让古利奈人西门来帮忙，祂明白我们的感觉。祂愿意帮助我们，共负十架。

在十字架那里发生的事，一一应验圣经上的预言，这不是谁去安排的，使徒们写下来为的是让人因而可以明白耶稣就是弥赛亚，就是基督，神所预定的那位。从神来的必然应验神所指示的每一件事。旧约中有三百多处经文，预言耶稣出生的地方，出生的情况，祂的遭遇，以及祂的死亡。这些预言都应验在一个人的身上的或然率是二的三百次方之一，也就是说，可能性之小几乎等于零。是无法用数字来表示的。这些预言却在耶稣身上都应验了，并在新约圣经中有详细的记载。更让人惊叹的是，这些关于耶稣的预言，是由二十多位先知，在一千五百年前后期间写的。

在耶稣的苦难里有哪些事应验了？

1.他虽然未行强暴，口中也没有诡诈，人还使他与恶人同埋，谁知死的时候与财主同葬。（以53:9）

2.他被欺压，在受苦的时候却不开口。（以53:7）

3.他也被列在罪犯之中，他却担当多人的罪，又为罪犯代求。（以53:12）

耶稣在耶路撒冷_苦路十四站

2020-04-08 in /by

今天我们要一起经历耶稣当年被彼拉多定罪之后，走到髑髅地(各各他)的一段路。这段路现在被名为耶稣的苦路，一共有十四站。这次借用以色列美角网站的实地拍摄，来跟大家一起感受耶稣当年走的苦路。以下采自以色列美角网站，己取得作者和网主的同意。(请点入，内有实景拍摄。)
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

基督徒朋友来到耶路撒冷，都会想要走走耶稣背负著沈重十字架的苦路。

耶稣说「若有人要跟从我，就当舍己，背起他的十字架来跟从我。」，这条路，对基督徒来说并不是在准备以色列自助行程才开始研究的路，而是在接受基督信仰开始，被神的爱所吸引时，就时常默想的路。

苦路，耶稣确实走过，只不过耶稣走的路线是哪条呢？按照历史，应该是从大卫塔到圣墓教堂。现在观光客都会去打卡的「苦路14站」，集中在500公尺长的路线，它其实是16~18世纪才设计给天主教徒朝圣路线，目的是方便默想和管理～

若是好奇、或是想要有打卡或闯关的感觉，也是可以把一站都找出来～但或许思念耶稣所承担的痛苦的意义，比有没有找到14站重要！(另外，有5站并没有记载在圣经里唷！)

基督徒朋友来到耶路撒冷，都会想要走走耶稣背负著沈重十字架的苦路。

耶稣说「若有人要跟从我，就当舍己，背起他的十字架来跟从我。」这条路，对基督徒来说并不是在准备以色列自助行程才开始研究的路，而是在接受基督信仰开始，被神的爱所吸引时，就时常默想的路。

苦路，耶稣确实走过，只不过耶稣走的路线是哪条呢？按照历史，应该是从大卫塔到圣墓教堂。现在观光客都会去打卡的「苦路14站」，集中在500公尺长的路线，它其实是16~18世纪才设计给天主教徒朝圣路线，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?
 

耶稣在耶路撒冷_盗卖与捉拿

2020-04-07 in /by

马可福音4章36节   他说：「阿爸，父啊！在祢凡事都能，求祢将这杯撤去！然而，不要从我的意思，只要从祢的意思。」

当耶稣带着门徒离开马可楼，吃最后晚餐的地方时，祂说：「看哪，时候将到，且是已经到了，你们要分散，各归自己的地方去，留下我独自一人；其实我不是独自一人，因为有父与我同在。」这时，直到耶稣在客西马尼园祷告时，祂都深切明白天父与祂同在。

耶稣带着门徒越过汲沦溪，到了橄榄山下的一个客西马尼园(Garden of Gethsemane)，这名字就是醡各种油的地方。祂带着三个最亲近的门徒去祷告，他们却都因为困倦睡着了。耶稣心甚忧伤，使我们知道祂是以全人的身份来面对苦难，因此祂也祷告，若神许可，求神挪去这杯，但是不要从祂的意思，只要从神的意思。忧伤至此，耶稣却不觉得孤单，因为有父与祂同在。甚至到犹大带着官兵来捉耶稣时，带祂到大祭司该亚法的家里，耶稣也不觉孤单，因为父与祂同在。

今天是周二，按传统的说法，最后的晚餐是周四晚上，周五上十字架。可是这样一来，怎样也算不出从死亡到复活的三天三夜。但是耶稣说过，约拿三日三夜在大鱼肚腹中，人子也要这样三日三夜在地里头 (太12:40)。耶稣的话不能打折，所以假如耶稣没有错，那么就是其他人的错。

王明道弟兄做了一番查考，认为耶稣最后晚餐是星期二晚上，也就是星期二夜里被捕，是期三钉十字架。现在有更多人认同他的说法，以色列美角网站列出了这个图表。让我们看得更清楚。

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.