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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.

耶稣履海的神蹟

2019-04-26 in /by

马太福音14: 22_33耶稣履海的神蹟

22 耶稣随即催门徒上船，先渡到那边去，等他叫众人散开。 23 散了众人以后，他就独自上山去祷告。到了晚上，只有他一人在那里。 24 那时船在海中，因风不顺，被浪摇撼。 25 夜里四更天，耶稣在海面上走，往门徒那里去。 26 门徒看见他在海面上走，就惊慌了，说：「是个鬼怪！」便害怕，喊叫起来。 27 耶稣连忙对他们说：「你们放心！是我，不要怕！」 28 彼得说：「主，如果是你，请叫我从水面上走到你那里去。」 29 耶稣说：「你来吧！」彼得就从船上下去，在水面上走，要到耶稣那里去。 30 只因见风甚大，就害怕，将要沉下去，便喊著说：「主啊，救我！」31 耶稣赶紧伸手拉住他，说：「你这小信的人哪，为什么疑惑呢？」 32 他们上了船，风就住了。 33 在船上的人都拜他，说：「你真是神的儿子了！」

这是耶稣和彼得一同履海的神蹟。他们因着有从上而来的能力，所以能胜过地心吸力的力量；我们特别要从彼得身上，学习五样宝贵的功课。

（一）信心的异象虽然环境危险可怕，有黑夜狂风巨浪，但是彼得倚靠主，甚么都不怕，他对主说：「请叫我从水面上走到你那里去。」这是信心的异象。走在水面上，虽然是人类从未做过的，虽然从科学的观点来看是不可能；但是信心比任何定律更大，仰望耶稣的时候，甚么都能作。（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.

五饼二鱼

2019-04-25 in /by

马太福音14: 13_21五饼二鱼

13 耶稣听见了，就上船从那里独自退到野地里去。众人听见，就从各城里步行跟随他。 14 耶稣出来，见有许多的人，就怜悯他们，治好了他们的病人。 15 天将晚的时候，门徒进前来，说：「这是野地，时候已经过了，请叫众人散开，他们好往村子里去自己买吃的。」 16 耶稣说：「不用他们去，你们给他们吃吧！」 17 门徒说：「我们这里只有五个饼、两条鱼。」 18 耶稣说：「拿过来给我。」 19 于是吩咐众人坐在草地上，就拿着这五个饼、两条鱼，望着天祝福，掰开饼递给门徒，门徒又递给众人。 20 他们都吃，并且吃饱了。把剩下的零碎收拾起来，装满了十二个篮子。21 吃的人，除了妇女孩子，约有五千。

这是非常忙碌又令人难过的一天，耶稣回到家乡教导天国的道理，没想到家乡人因为他的家庭状况不显赫而看不起他，又听到施洗约翰被杀的消息，耶稣的心黯然。于是祂上船想要独自退到野地里去。

没想到众人听见，就从各城里步行跟随祂。这是一个何等大的反差，家乡人弃绝祂，其他各城的人倒来就祂了。拿撒勒人的损失真不小！在黯然的心情里，耶稣出来看见有许多人，就怜悯他们，治好了他们的病人。在耶稣的悲伤里，祂依然看见人们的绝望和需求，赐给他们满满的希望和医治。

耶稣明白人的需要。当夕阳的光辉照遍八福山时，耶稣也知道，晚餐的时间到了。祂体恤众人的饥饿。当我想到耶稣连我们一餐没吃都感到不舍时，心里的感动无以复加。在众人要挨饿时，他们可能不知如何是好，却不想离开耶稣，耶稣就使他们的饥饿得到饱足。

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.

希律杀约翰

2019-04-24 in /by

马太福音14: 1_13希律杀约翰

1那时，分封的王希律听见耶稣的名声， 2 就对臣仆说：「这是施洗的约翰从死里复活，所以这些异能从他里面发出来。」 3 起先，希律为他兄弟腓力的妻子希罗底的缘故，把约翰拿住锁在监里， 4 因为约翰曾对他说：「你娶这妇人是不合理的。」 5 希律就想要杀他，只是怕百姓，因为他们以约翰为先知。

6 到了希律的生日，希罗底的女儿在众人面前跳舞，使希律欢喜。 7 希律就起誓，应许随她所求的给她。 8 女儿被母亲所使，就说：「请把施洗约翰的头放在盘子里，拿来给我。」9 王便忧愁，但因他所起的誓，又因同席的人，就吩咐给她。 10 于是打发人去，在监里斩了约翰， 11 把头放在盘子里，拿来给了女子，女子拿去给她母亲。 12 约翰的门徒来，把尸首领去埋葬了，就去告诉耶稣。13 耶稣听见了，就上船从那里独自退到野地里去。

这是一个义人被昏君所害的故事。分封的王希律，是指大希律的儿子希律安提帕。大希律就是在耶稣出生后，杀死伯利恒附近两岁以下的婴儿之暴君。当安提帕去罗马拜访他同父异母的哥哥腓力时，爱上了腓力的妻子希罗底，便勾引她离开腓力去当他的妻子；又与自己的原配离婚。

没想到施洗约翰知道此事后便去责备希律安提帕犯了奸淫之罪，被他怀恨在心，伺机想杀他。与此同时，另一个人也想找机会杀约翰，那就是淫妇希罗底。就在希律的生日宴会上，希罗底让女儿去跳有诱惑性的东方舞，借此设下一个陷阱，趁希律意乱情迷酒醉之际，来达到她的心愿。施洗约翰就这样犠牲了。

被人厌弃

2019-04-23 in /by

马太福音13: 53_58被人厌弃

53 耶稣说完了这些比喻，就离开那里， 54 来到自己的家乡，在会堂里教训人，甚至他们都稀奇，说：「这人从哪里有这等智慧和异能呢？ 55 这不是木匠的儿子吗？他母亲不是叫马利亚吗？他弟兄们不是叫雅各、约西、西门、犹大吗？ 56 他妹妹们不是都在我们这里吗？这人从哪里有这一切的事呢？」 57 他们就厌弃他。耶稣对他们说：「大凡先知，除了本地、本家之外，没有不被人尊敬的。」 58 耶稣因为他们不信，就在那里不多行异能了。

当耶稣回到家乡教训人时，家乡的人都很稀奇耶稣的智慧和异能，这是一个很正面的反应。但是这个正面的反应为何一下子就受到冲击呢？因为家乡人想起了耶稣的出身。而耶稣并没有拿出哈佛或剑桥的博士文凭给他们看，所以他们在一知半解的情况下就否定耶稣了。

所以这是人的矛盾，耳里听到的是神奇妙的智慧，但理智上却又要以先入为主的看法去判断人。就好像人期待永生，追求永生，但是当他们听到奇妙的福音能带给他们永远的生命时，他们就以天下没有白吃的午餐和其他理由去否定福音，然后回头去拜没有生命，也不能给他们永生的偶像。

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!

撒网的比喻

2019-04-22 in /by

马太福音13: 47_52撒网的比喻

47 「天国又好像网撒在海里，聚拢各样水族。 48 网既满了，人就拉上岸来，坐下，拣好的收在器具里，将不好的丢弃了。 49 世界的末了也要这样。天使要出来，从义人中把恶人分别出来， 50 丢在火炉里，在那里必要哀哭切齿了。」
51 耶稣说：「这一切的话你们都明白了吗？」他们说：「我们明白了。」 52 他说：「凡文士受教做天国的门徒，就像一个家主从他库里拿出新旧的东西来。」

英国著名的布道家司布真，有一天晚上做了一个梦，梦见到了天门外，看见一群光明又荣耀的圣者，排队高举大旗，且走且唱，进入天门内。他们一进去，司布真就听到里面有欢呼赞美的声音来欢迎他们。他问天使：『这些人是谁？以致天堂里的人如此欢迎他们？』天使回答：『他们是古代的先知。』司布真说：『可惜！我不是先知，不配和他们一同进去』。

过了一阵子，又有一队服饰像从前的人，也进入天门，门内照样欢迎他们，他又查问。天使答：『他们是古代的圣徒。』司布真又自叹：『我不是古代圣徒，不配和他们一同进去』。过不多时，又来一队，是古代的殉道者，司布真也不敢和他们一同进入天门。

最后，有一队比前三队的人还多，其中有两人司布真认得，一个是用香膏抹主的女人，一个是与主同钉的强盗。司布真以为这一队进天门，必定没有动静。没想到天门里的欢呼声，比前面三队还大七倍。