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Is it possible to lose your salvation?

2019-10-14 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Hebrews 6:1-12.  Let’s go!

Hebrews 6:1-3 (NIV) 
1  Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God,
2  instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
3  And God permitting, we will do so.

On verses 1-3:  Just before this, the writer of Hebrews rebuked his readers for failing to mature spiritually.  As part of telling them to grow up, he mentions six topics that are foundational for every Christian to understand:

The first is “repentance from acts that lead to death” (v1), meaning the importance of turning from our sin (including our tendency to want to earn our salvation by our own good works) and turning to God.
The second is the importance of faith (v1).
The third is the importance of baptisms, referring to water baptism and baptism of the Holy Spirit (v2).
The fourth is “the laying on of hands” (v2), probably referring to how every believer is called and commissioned to serve God.

詩篇六十七篇

2019-10-13 in /by

一篇詩歌，交於伶長。用絲弦的樂器。

1 願神憐憫我們，賜福於我們，用臉光照我們，（細拉）
2 好叫世界得知祢的道路，萬國得知祢的救恩。
3 神啊，願列邦稱讚祢，願萬民都稱讚祢！
4 願萬國都快樂歡呼，因為祢必按公正審判萬民，引導世上的萬國。（細拉）
5 神啊，願列邦稱讚祢，願萬民都稱讚祢！
6 地已經出了土產，神，就是我們的神，要賜福於我們。
7 神要賜福於我們，地的四極都要敬畏祂。

縱橫影壇25年，曾經五度入圍奧斯卡演技獎的李奧納多‧狄卡皮歐，終於在2016年，第88屆奧斯卡金像獎時，因為“神鬼獵人”（The Revenant）的傑出演技而奪到小金人。“神鬼獵人”原預計在加拿大拍攝，卻因為氣候不夠寒冷，必須到阿根廷南部拍攝部份場景。李奧納多的得獎感言除了感謝之外，更著重在環保的呼籲，他說：“我們只有一個地球，不該把她視為理所當然，如同我不把今晚的成就視為理所當然。”

當我們從出生就享受著神所賜的一切時，我們很難不把神的恩典視為理所當然，予取予求，毫無顧忌。但是藉著這詩篇，讓我們知道所有的恩典都是來自神的賜予。這詩篇裡一共有六個“願”，“願”代表了在禱告裡的期望。1-3節是在〈民數記〉的第六章24-26節裡，神曉喻摩西教導亞倫和其後裔，對以色列人的祝福：“願耶和華賜福給你，保護你！願耶和華使祂的臉光照你，賜恩給你！ 願耶和華向你仰臉，賜你平安！”因此又稱大祭司的祝禱。

Jesus our Perfect High Priest

2019-10-13 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Hebrews 5:1-14.  Jesus our Perfect High Priest (Plus, 4 clues that you are still a spiritual infant) Let’s go!

Hebrews 5:1-4 (NIV) 
1  Every high priest is selected from among men and is appointed to represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 
2  He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. 
3  This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. 
4  No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was.

On verses 1-10:  In verses 1-4 the writer of Hebrews describes how the high priest under Jewish law was appointed and what that high priest did.  He says that the high priest:

is selected from among his own people (v1a)
is appointed to represent the people in God-related matters and to offer gifts and sacrifices to God for people’s sins, including his own (v1b)

詩篇六十六篇

2019-10-11 in /by

一篇詩歌，交於伶長。

1 全地都當向神歡呼！
2 歌頌他名的榮耀，用讚美的言語將祂的榮耀發明！
3 當對神說：「祢的作為何等可畏！因祢的大能，仇敵要投降祢。
4 全地要敬拜祢，歌頌祢，要歌頌祢的名。」（細拉）
5 你們來看神所行的，祂向世人所做之事是可畏的。
6 祂將海變成乾地，眾民步行過河，我們在那裡因祂歡喜。
7 祂用權能治理萬民直到永遠，祂的眼睛鑒察列邦，悖逆的人不可自高。（細拉）
8 萬民哪，你們當稱頌我們的神，使人得聽讚美祂的聲音。
9 祂使我們的性命存活，也不叫我們的腳搖動。
10 神啊，你曾試驗我們，熬煉我們如熬煉銀子一樣。……

有一幅以色列的圖畫很可以說明神的恩典是等信實。在〈以西結書〉36章10-11節，那是猶太人亡國，被擄到巴比倫的時候，神已經預言：“我必使以色列全家的人數在你上面增多，城邑有人居住，荒場再被建造。我必使人和牲畜在你上面加增，他們必生養眾多。我要使你照舊有人居住，並要賜福於你比先前更多，你就知道我是耶和華。”比較一下現在的以色列和以色列建國之前的巴勒斯坦，我們就可以明白為何詩人要如此地讚美神。

Approach God with Confidence Because You Have the Perfect Representative

2019-10-11 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Hebrews 4:12-16.  These verses are worth memorizing.  They contain some powerful truths that we need to store up in our hearts.   Let’s go!

Hebrews 4:12 (NIV) 
12  For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

On verse 12:  Though the Scriptures (the logos “word of God”) were written thousands of years ago, they are incredibly relevant, applicable and helpful for us today.  Case in point: just before this, in verses 1 to 11 the writer of Hebrews gave a powerful sermon on Psalm 95 to communicate the powerful and relevant truth that trusting in Jesus’ finished work on the cross allows us to enter God’s rest.   What can we learn from this?  God actively uses the Scriptures to speak into our current situations.  God’s Word truly is living and active.

詩篇六十五篇

2019-10-10 in /by

大衛的詩歌，交於伶長。

1 神啊，錫安的人都等候讚美祢，所許的願也要向祢償還。
2 聽禱告的主啊，凡有血氣的都要來就祢。
3 罪孽勝了我，至於我們的過犯，祢都要赦免。
4 祢所揀選使他親近祢，住在祢院中的，這人便為有福！我們必因祢居所，祢聖殿的美福知足了。
5 拯救我們的神啊，祢必以威嚴秉公義應允我們，祢本是一切地極和海上遠處的人所倚靠的。
6 祂既以大能束腰，就用力量安定諸山，
7 使諸海的響聲和其中波浪的響聲，並萬民的喧嘩，都平靜了。
8 住在地極的人因祢的神蹟懼怕，祢使日出日落之地都歡呼。

9 祢眷顧地，降下透雨，使地大得肥美；神的河滿了水。祢這樣澆灌了地，好為人預備五穀。

10 祢澆透地的犁溝，潤平犁脊，降甘霖使地軟和，其中發長的蒙祢賜福。
11 祢以恩典為年歲的冠冕，祢的路徑都滴下脂油。
12 滴在曠野的草場上，小山以歡樂束腰，
13 草場以羊群為衣，谷中也長滿了五穀，這一切都歡呼歌唱。

這是一首讚美的詩歌，有人認為是以色列經過了一段乾旱時期，重獲甘霖的讚美。在大衛做王的時期，以色列曾經有三年的饑荒。大衛去求問神時，才發現在以色列境內曾經發生過一椿很不公平的屠殺。這事要從〈約書亞記〉說起，當約書亞率領以色列人進迦南之後，就開始一連串的戰爭，住在迦南地的外邦人都因而震驚了。尤其是當時有非常堅固城牆的耶利哥城，在以色列人繞了七天之後，居然城牆就都倒了，以色列人的第一仗已經讓外邦人聞風喪膽。

Jesus’ Finished Work Brings You Rest

2019-10-10 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Hebrews 4:1-11.  Let’s go!

Hebrews 4:1-3 (NIV) 
1  Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 
2  For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. 
3  Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.'” …

On verses 1-3a:  What “rest” is the writer of Hebrews talking about here?  What “rest” is he not wanting his readers to miss?  To be clear, the writer of Hebrews is not referring to resting once a week from your normal work as per the 10 commandments.  The rest he is referring to here is the rest that comes from trusting in Jesus. God offers this rest to all of us today.  This is the ultimate rest, a rest that brings benefit to us not just today but for eternity.  As verse 1 says, “since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.” 

Your Heart’s Condition Is Your Choice

2019-10-09 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Hebrews 3:7-19.  Let’s go!

Hebrews 3:7-8 (NIV) 
7  So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, 
8  do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert,

On verses 7-12:  There are two crucial lessons I learn as I read these verses today.
First, notice that in verses 7-11 the writer of Hebrews quotes Psalm 95:7-11 and prefaces it was saying, “as the Holy Spiritsays”.  In other words, the writer of Hebrews believed the Old Testament is not just people’s words, but the inspired words of the Holy Spirit.

Second, notice that in this passage we are told not to harden our hearts and not to have an unbelieving heart that turns away from the Lord (v12).  In other words, your heart’s condition is your choice.  The condition of your heart is not something that is beyond your control.  Rather, you choose whether you will have a soft heart or a hardened heart toward God.  You choose whether you will have a heart that humbly responds to God or a heart that pridefully and stubbornly rejects Him.   It’s your choice.  Choose a soft and humble heart toward God today.

詩篇六十四篇

2019-10-09 in /by

大衛的詩，交於伶長。

1 神啊，我哀嘆的時候，求祢聽我的聲音。求祢保護我的性命，不受仇敵的驚恐。
2 求祢把我隱藏，使我脫離作惡之人的暗謀和作孽之人的擾亂。
3 他們磨舌如刀，發出苦毒的言語，好像比準了的箭，
4 要在暗地射完全人。他們忽然射他，並不懼怕。
5 他們彼此勉勵設下惡計，他們商量暗設網羅，說：「誰能看見？」
6 他們圖謀奸惡，說：「我們是極力圖謀的！」他們各人的意念心思是深的。
7 但神要射他們，他們忽然被箭射傷。
8 他們必然絆跌，被自己的舌頭所害，凡看見他們的必都搖頭。
9 眾人都要害怕，要傳揚神的工作，並且明白祂的作為。
10 義人必因耶和華歡喜，並要投靠祂。凡心裡正直的人，都要誇口。

南非牧師慕安德烈曾在1895年造訪英格蘭。當時他深受背部舊傷復發之苦，在等待康復期間，接待他的女主人告訴他，有位姐妹正面對極大的困難，希望得到他的輔導。慕安德烈說：“把這張紙拿給她，上面我寫了一些話語來激勵自己，或許對她有幫助。”紙上這樣寫：“在面對患難時，我告訴自己：首先，上帝讓我遭遇困境，這既然是祂的心意，我就安穩歇息。接著，祂會保守我在祂的愛中，並在試煉中賜給我恩典，保守我行事為人合乎祂兒女的身分。然後，祂會將試煉化為祝福，從中教導我當學的功課，以祂的恩典造就我。最後，祂會按照祂所定的時刻，帶領我離開這困境。至於會以什麼方式，什麼時候，唯有祂知道。我在這裡，順從祂的心意、得蒙祂的保守、接受祂的訓練、按著祂的時間。”