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Be Known for These Two Things

2019-04-28 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 3:1-12.  Let’s go!

2 Kings 3:1-3 (NIV) 
1 Joram son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years. 
2 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, but not as his father and mother had done. He got rid of the sacred stone of Baal that his father had made. 
3 Nevertheless he clung to the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them. 

On verses 1-3:  Joram becomes king of Israel and gets rid of the sacred stone of Baal, which his father Ahab and mother Jezebel had used to worship the idol Baal.  But Joram “clung to the sins of Jeroboam” (v3), suggesting that Joram continues to worship the idols that Jeroboam had set up.  As such, “he did evil in the eyes of the Lord” (v2)

What can we learn from this?  Partial idolatry is still idolatry.  When you stand before God, God will not accept you or reject you based on how you compared to your parents or your peers, but on how you compared to God’s perfect and holy standards.  Even if you think you are much better than your parents or your peers, the fact is that we are not blameless in God’s sight until there is no sin or idolatry in our lives at all.  That’s why we need Jesus, whose blood alone is able to cleanse and pay for our sins.

耶穌履海的神蹟

2019-04-26 in /by

馬太福音14: 22_33耶穌履海的神蹟

22 耶穌隨即催門徒上船，先渡到那邊去，等他叫眾人散開。 23 散了眾人以後，他就獨自上山去禱告。到了晚上，只有他一人在那裡。 24 那時船在海中，因風不順，被浪搖撼。 25 夜裡四更天，耶穌在海面上走，往門徒那裡去。 26 門徒看見他在海面上走，就驚慌了，說：「是個鬼怪！」便害怕，喊叫起來。 27 耶穌連忙對他們說：「你們放心！是我，不要怕！」 28 彼得說：「主，如果是你，請叫我從水面上走到你那裡去。」 29 耶穌說：「你來吧！」彼得就從船上下去，在水面上走，要到耶穌那裡去。 30 只因見風甚大，就害怕，將要沉下去，便喊著說：「主啊，救我！」31 耶穌趕緊伸手拉住他，說：「你這小信的人哪，為什麼疑惑呢？」 32 他們上了船，風就住了。 33 在船上的人都拜他，說：「你真是神的兒子了！」

這是耶穌和彼得一同履海的神蹟。他們因著有從上而來的能力，所以能勝過地心吸力的力量；我們特別要從彼得身上，學習五樣寶貴的功課。

（一）信心的異象雖然環境危險可怕，有黑夜狂風巨浪，但是彼得倚靠主，甚麼都不怕，他對主說：「請叫我從水面上走到你那裏去。」這是信心的異象。走在水面上，雖然是人類從未做過的，雖然從科學的觀點來看是不可能；但是信心比任何定律更大，仰望耶穌的時候，甚麼都能作。（徒二16）

Every Miracle is a Parable

2019-04-26 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 2:13-25.  Let’s go!

2 Kings 2:13-14 (NIV) 
13 He picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.
14 Then he took the cloak that had fallen from him and struck the water with it. “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over. 

On verses 13-14:  Elisha could not cross the Jordan River on his own power.  But when he picks up his mentor Elijah’s cloak and strikes the river with it, the waters part and he crosses over.  Likewise, on our own we sinners have no way of crossing over to heaven where God is.  But Jesus gave us His robe of righteousness, and it is because we are armed with Jesus’ robe of righteousness that we can cross over to where God is and have a relationship with Him.

五餅二魚

2019-04-25 in /by

馬太福音14: 13_21五餅二魚

13 耶穌聽見了，就上船從那裡獨自退到野地裡去。眾人聽見，就從各城裡步行跟隨他。 14 耶穌出來，見有許多的人，就憐憫他們，治好了他們的病人。 15 天將晚的時候，門徒進前來，說：「這是野地，時候已經過了，請叫眾人散開，他們好往村子裡去自己買吃的。」 16 耶穌說：「不用他們去，你們給他們吃吧！」 17 門徒說：「我們這裡只有五個餅、兩條魚。」 18 耶穌說：「拿過來給我。」 19 於是吩咐眾人坐在草地上，就拿著這五個餅、兩條魚，望著天祝福，掰開餅遞給門徒，門徒又遞給眾人。 20 他們都吃，並且吃飽了。把剩下的零碎收拾起來，裝滿了十二個籃子。21 吃的人，除了婦女孩子，約有五千。

這是非常忙碌又令人難過的一天，耶穌回到家鄉教導天國的道理，沒想到家鄉人因為他的家庭狀況不顯赫而看不起他，又聽到施洗約翰被殺的消息，耶穌的心黯然。於是祂上船想要獨自退到野地裡去。

沒想到眾人聽見，就從各城裡步行跟隨祂。這是一個何等大的反差，家鄉人棄絕祂，其他各城的人倒來就祂了。拿撒勒人的損失真不小！在黯然的心情裡，耶穌出來看見有許多人，就憐憫他們，治好了他們的病人。在耶穌的悲傷裡，祂依然看見人們的絕望和需求，賜給他們滿滿的希望和醫治。

耶穌明白人的需要。當夕陽的光輝照遍八福山時，耶穌也知道，晚餐的時間到了。祂體恤眾人的饑餓。當我想到耶穌連我們一餐沒吃都感到不捨時，心裡的感動無以復加。在眾人要挨餓時，他們可能不知如何是好，卻不想離開耶穌，耶穌就使他們的饑餓得到飽足。

6 Characteristics of the Best Disciples

2019-04-25 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 2:1-12. Let’s go!

2 Kings 2:1-2 (NIV) 
1 When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 
2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

On verses 1-2, 4, 6:  Elijah and Elisha both know that the Lord is going to take Elijah back to heaven that day.  Elijah gives Elisha three different opportunities to say goodbye and leave, but Elisha refuses to leave, each time replying, “As surely as the Lord lives, I will not leave you.” (v2, 4, 6)

What can we learn from this?    Over the years I have had the privilege of watching some very good leaders mentor and disciple younger leaders.  I myself have also had the opportunity to mentor and disciple younger leaders.  I find that the best disciples or “mentees” have some key characteristics in common.  In 2 Kings 2:1-12 we see six of these key characteristics in Elijah’s disciple Elisha. 

Consult God First and Be Humble Before Him

2019-04-24 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 1:1-18. Let’s go!

2 Kings 1:1-4 (NIV) 
1 After Ahab’s death, Moab rebelled against Israel.
2 Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers, saying to them, “Go and consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, to see if I will recover from this injury.”
3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go up and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?’
4 Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘You will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!'” So Elijah went. 

On verses 1-4: Ahaziah king of Israel falls and injures himself.  He wonders whether he will recover from this accident or die from it.  He decides to consult Baal-Zebub the god of Ekron on the question.  The Lord’s prophet Elijah brings a message to Ahaziah, stating that Ahaziah’s actions have offended the Lord.  By seeking another god for help and not consulting the Lord first, Ahaziah showed that he places his hope in other things more than he does in God.  Elijah also tells Ahaziah that Ahaziah will not recover but will certainly die.

希律殺約翰

2019-04-24 in /by

馬太福音14: 1_13希律殺約翰

1那時，分封的王希律聽見耶穌的名聲， 2 就對臣僕說：「這是施洗的約翰從死裡復活，所以這些異能從他裡面發出來。」 3 起先，希律為他兄弟腓力的妻子希羅底的緣故，把約翰拿住鎖在監裡， 4 因為約翰曾對他說：「你娶這婦人是不合理的。」 5 希律就想要殺他，只是怕百姓，因為他們以約翰為先知。

6 到了希律的生日，希羅底的女兒在眾人面前跳舞，使希律歡喜。 7 希律就起誓，應許隨她所求的給她。 8 女兒被母親所使，就說：「請把施洗約翰的頭放在盤子裡，拿來給我。」9 王便憂愁，但因他所起的誓，又因同席的人，就吩咐給她。 10 於是打發人去，在監裡斬了約翰， 11 把頭放在盤子裡，拿來給了女子，女子拿去給她母親。 12 約翰的門徒來，把屍首領去埋葬了，就去告訴耶穌。13 耶穌聽見了，就上船從那裡獨自退到野地裡去。

這是一個義人被昏君所害的故事。分封的王希律，是指大希律的兒子希律安提帕。大希律就是在耶穌出生後，殺死伯利恒附近兩歲以下的嬰兒之暴君。當安提帕去羅馬拜訪他同父異母的哥哥腓力時，愛上了腓力的妻子希羅底，便勾引她離開腓力去當他的妻子；又與自己的原配離婚。

沒想到施洗約翰知道此事後便去責備希律安提帕犯了姦淫之罪，被他懷恨在心，伺機想殺他。與此同時，另一個人也想找機會殺約翰，那就是淫婦希羅底。就在希律的生日宴會上，希羅底讓女兒去跳有誘惑性的東方舞，藉此設下一個陷阱，趁希律意亂情迷酒醉之際，來達到她的心願。施洗約翰就這樣犠牲了。

被人厭棄

2019-04-23 in /by

馬太福音13: 53_58被人厭棄

53 耶穌說完了這些比喻，就離開那裡， 54 來到自己的家鄉，在會堂裡教訓人，甚至他們都稀奇，說：「這人從哪裡有這等智慧和異能呢？ 55 這不是木匠的兒子嗎？他母親不是叫馬利亞嗎？他弟兄們不是叫雅各、約西、西門、猶大嗎？ 56 他妹妹們不是都在我們這裡嗎？這人從哪裡有這一切的事呢？」 57 他們就厭棄他。耶穌對他們說：「大凡先知，除了本地、本家之外，沒有不被人尊敬的。」 58 耶穌因為他們不信，就在那裡不多行異能了。

當耶穌回到家鄉教訓人時，家鄉的人都很稀奇耶穌的智慧和異能，這是一個很正面的反應。但是這個正面的反應為何一下子就受到衝擊呢？因為家鄉人想起了耶穌的出身。而耶穌並沒有拿出哈佛或劍橋的博士文憑給他們看，所以他們在一知半解的情況下就否定耶穌了。

所以這是人的矛盾，耳裡聽到的是神奇妙的智慧，但理智上卻又要以先入為主的看法去判斷人。就好像人期待永生，追求永生，但是當他們聽到奇妙的福音能帶給他們永遠的生命時，他們就以天下沒有白吃的午餐和其他理由去否定福音，然後回頭去拜沒有生命，也不能給他們永生的偶像。

Like Parent, Like Child

2019-04-23 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Kings 22:41-53.  Let’s go!

On verses 41-51:  In these verses we see two kings — King Jehoshaphat of Judah and King Ahaziah of Israel.  These two kings were polar opposites. Jehoshaphat loved God, did what was right in God’s eyes and would go onto a long 25 year reign and become one of Judah’s greatest kings.  In contrast, Ahaziah worshiped idols, provoked the Lord to anger, and had only 2 years to reign as king in Israel.   However, Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah both had one thing in common: each followed in his father’s footsteps.  Notice what it says about Jehoshaphat: 

“In everything he walked in the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them” (v43) 

and about Ahaziah: “…he walked in the ways of his father and mother…He served and worshiped Baal and provoked the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger, just as his father had done. 

For better or for worse, both Jehoshaphat and Ahaziah followed in their fathers’ footsteps!

撒網的比喻

2019-04-22 in /by

馬太福音13: 47_52撒網的比喻

47 「天國又好像網撒在海裡，聚攏各樣水族。 48 網既滿了，人就拉上岸來，坐下，揀好的收在器具裡，將不好的丟棄了。 49 世界的末了也要這樣。天使要出來，從義人中把惡人分別出來， 50 丟在火爐裡，在那裡必要哀哭切齒了。」
51 耶穌說：「這一切的話你們都明白了嗎？」他們說：「我們明白了。」 52 他說：「凡文士受教做天國的門徒，就像一個家主從他庫裡拿出新舊的東西來。」

英國著名的佈道家司布真，有一天晚上做了一個夢，夢見到了天門外，看見一群光明又榮耀的聖者，排隊高舉大旗，且走且唱，進入天門內。他們一進去，司布真就聽到裡面有歡呼讚美的聲音來歡迎他們。他問天使：『這些人是誰？以致天堂裡的人如此歡迎他們？』天使回答：『他們是古代的先知。』司布真說：『可惜！我不是先知，不配和他們一同進去』。

過了一陣子，又有一隊服飾像從前的人，也進入天門，門內照樣歡迎他們，他又查問。天使答：『他們是古代的聖徒。』司布真又自嘆：『我不是古代聖徒，不配和他們一同進去』。過不多時，又來一隊，是古代的殉道者，司布真也不敢和他們一同進入天門。

最後，有一隊比前三隊的人還多，其中有兩人司布真認得，一個是用香膏抹主的女人，一個是與主同釘的強盜。司布真以為這一隊進天門，必定沒有動靜。沒想到天門裡的歡呼聲，比前面三隊還大七倍。