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How to Treat and Choose Leaders

2019-02-03 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Timothy 5:17-25.  Let’s go!

1 Timothy 5:17-18 (NIV) 
17 The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.
18 For the Scripture says, “Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.” 

On verses 17-18:  Here Paul gives instructions on how pastors (also sometimes called “overseers” and “elders” elsewhere in the New Testament) should be treated. 

放下来就好了

2019-02-01 in /by

马太福音6:14_放下来就行了

14 你们饶恕人的过犯，你们的天父也必饶恕你们的过犯。 15 你们不饶恕人的过犯，你们的天父也必不饶恕你们的过犯。

在网路上有这么一个故事：美国的某所大学，有位教授叫班上每个同学各带一个大袋子到学校，她还叫大家到杂货店去买一袋马铃薯。第二天上课时，教授叫大家给曾得罪自己的人选一个马铃薯，将这人的名字以及犯错的日期都写在上面，再把马铃薯丢到袋子里，这是他们这一周的作业。

第一天还蛮好玩的，快放学时，一位学生的袋子里已经有了九个马铃薯：有人说他新理的头发很丑、有人打了他的头、有人虽然知道他必需提高平均分数却不肯让他抄作业…每件事都让他欣然地丢个马铃薯到袋子里，还发誓绝不原谅这些对不起我的人。

Represent Jesus and Your Church Well in Front of Others

2019-02-01 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Timothy 5:9-16.  Let’s go!

1 Timothy 5:9-10 (NIV) 
9 No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, 
10 and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds. 

救我们脱离凶恶

2019-01-31 in /by

马太福音6:13_救我们脱离凶恶

13 不叫我们遇见试探，救我们脱离凶恶。因为国度、权柄、荣耀，全是祢的，直到永远。阿们。

快过年了，你最想要的福气是什么？有的人要钱，有的人认为健康最重要，有的人希望找到更好的工作，有的人想要金榜题名，但是到了像我这样的年记，我发现平安就是福，没有平安，即使有再多的财富，再好的健康，理想的职业或学校，你也没办法过好日子。

耶稣知道人的“需要”，也知道人的“想要。“想要”就是欲望，是一个永远填不满的无底深井，但唯有“需要”才能满足心灵的饥渴。而试探就是借着人的欲望，要使人离开平安的方法。凶恶，则是被外力夺走应有的平安。

耶稣知道人需要平安，因此祂告诉门徒：“我留下平安给你们，我将我的平安赐给你们。我所赐的不像世人所赐的，你们心里不要忧愁，也不要胆怯。(约14:27)”耶稣知道我们需要平安，因为不管人的外表看起来多么强壮，何等有自信，只要有一些事情发生，也会在一瞬间被击溃。例如，听到自己或家人患了绝症的消息，或是家人出了意外，或是股巿大崩盘，配偶有外遇，甚至是被解雇等等消息，都会立刻夺去我们的平安。

Lead By Example and By Your Words

2019-01-31 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Timothy 4:11-16.  Let’s go!

1 Timothy 4:11 (NIV) 
11 Command and teach these things. 

On verse 11:  Can a pastor command his congregation to do certain things?  According to Paul in verse 11, yes a pastor can, but always with gentleness and respect and always leading by example (as we’ll see in the next verse).  Western culture tends to focus so much on individual freedom and equality, such that we tend to downplay or even ignore the truth that our pastor or spiritual leaders have authority over us.  When met with the idea that we must follow and submit to our pastors and spiritual leaders, we might retort, “Well, we are all broken and prone to error.”  Paul recognized that we are all broken and prone to error, but he still told Timothy to command and teach his church.  He urged him to step courageously into his role as their leader and spiritual authority.

免我们的债

2019-01-30 in /by

马太福音6:12_免我们的债

12 免我们的债，如同我们免了人的债。

时近年关，在接近春节之际，华人最常做的事便是大扫除，因为要除旧迎新。犹太人也有过他们的农(民)历新年的习俗。对华人而言，有一些习俗例如要拜灶君，希望贿赂他，好去向上天(玉皇大帝)报告时，能有多几句美言。犹太人也有类似的习俗，犹太传统相信在这天生命册被打开，如果一个人刚过的那年所做的善大于恶，那他的名字就会被登记在生命册上，有效期一年。(所以写卡片祝贺朋友时会写「祝你在新年被纪念在生命册上」(l’shana tova tikateinu)。

在华人的除夕，除了家人团聚，大吃大喝之外，接着就是玩通宵，打麻将，打牌，喝酒，等等风花雪月。而根据以斯拉培训网站，犹太人在他们过新年之前的最后一个星期六傍晚；也就是他们的除夕。犹太会堂会举行「赦免」聚会（Selichot）。「赦免」聚会在午夜时分举行。在早期，犹太人每天的作息是从破晓时分开始，而比平常早四或五个小时（亦即午夜时分）起床来诵读「赦免」祷文，可以表现出一个犹太人对悔罪的乐意与热忱。

Train Yourself to Be Godly

2019-01-30 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Timothy 4:1-10.  Let’s go!

1 Timothy 4:7-8 (NIV) 
7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.
8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 

False teachers were telling people in Timothy’s church that if you really want to be holy and acceptable in God’s sight, you must never marry and you must abstain from eating certain foods (most likely referring to the dietary rules in Leviticus and Numbers of the Old Testament).  In response, Paul says 2 things. 

Let Your Life Reflects the Excellence of Jesus

2019-01-29 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Timothy 3:8-16.  Let’s go!

1 Timothy 3:8-9 (NIV) 
8 Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain.
9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 

On verses 8-9:  In these verses Paul describes the qualifications that deacons must meet.  Deacons were special helpers to the overseer/pastor.  They would assist the overseer/pastor in caring for the flock and possibly also leading certain ministries in the church.

赐给我们日用的饮食

2019-01-29 in /by

马太福音6:11_赐给我们日用的饮食

11 我们日用的饮食，今日赐给我们。 

假如你记得十诫的话，你可能会记得在十诫的前面四诫都是和神有关的教导，下面的六诫便是和人的关系。在主祷文里的秩序也是如此，前两句和神有关系，后面三句和人有关系。这就是宇宙间的秩序：神，人，物。任何一个秩序摆错了，生活就会频频出问题。所以你的生活若有问题，自己对照一下，自己生活的秩序是怎样安排的，那么你很快就可以找出问题在哪里，而重新调整你的生活。

主耶稣不是不看重人的需要，但是祂知道，人活着不是单靠食物，乃是靠着神口里所出的一切话。所以祷告时要先求神的国和神的义。神的国和义若临到我们身上，我们就非常有福气了。神的旨意若能运行在我们的生活中，如同行在天上，那么或许会感受到天人合一的无比喜乐。