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To Be Truly Clean Before God

2025-08-15 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 7:14-23.  With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

 
Mark 7:14-23 (NIV)
14  Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this.
15  Nothing outside a man can make him ‘unclean’ by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him ‘unclean.’
17  After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable.

On verses 14-23:  The Pharisees and teachers of the law focused so much on physical cleanliness, washing their hands, cups and dishes, all under the belief that those who washed were clean before God whereas those who didn’t were unclean. 

Don’t Put Tradition Over God’s Word

2025-08-14 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 7:1-13.  With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Mark 7:1-13 (NIV)
1  The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and
2  saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were “unclean,” that is, unwashed.
3  (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders.

On verses 1-13:  Jesus had no problem with washing your hands before eating per se.  Rather Jesus’ problem was with the Pharisees and teachers and how they put more focus on following their man-made traditions (like “wash your hands before you eat”) than obeying God’s commands.

儿女的心转向父亲

2025-08-14 in , /by

玛拉基书4:5-6 「看哪，耶和华大而可畏之日未到以前，我必差遣先知以利亚到你们那里去。 6 他必使父亲的心转向儿女，儿女的心转向父亲，免得我来咒诅遍地。」

奥斯卡影帝、舞台巨星─丹佐·华盛顿(Denzel Hayes Washington, Jr.)，或许在人前是万众瞩目的演员，但在内心深处，他常自觉只是「一位牧师的儿子」。

丹佐的父亲─老丹佐·海伊斯·华盛顿牧师(Reverend Denzel Hayes Washington, Sr.)是五旬节教派的牧师，同时也在纽约水务局工作，信仰坚定、生活端正。丹佐回忆道，父亲每天读圣经、讲道，虽然不苛刻，却以身作则，在静默中留下深远影响。许多年轻人的现今生活里缺乏父亲的角色，他却庆幸自己拥有一位属灵的导师，「不是高声吩咐，而是默默活出」的基督信仰。

年轻时，丹佐曾吸毒、贩毒，一度远离神，他坦言：「我现在没有待在监狱里，是神的恩典。」他形容自己曾拒绝神、恨神，但也爱神、赞美神，这段挣扎正是信仰的真实样貌。然而在1980年代，丹佐曾与好友造访教会，并经历一次强烈的圣灵充满，令他震撼落泪。母亲告诉他，那是圣灵的工作。那一刻，他知道，父亲从未停止为他祷告。

典章真实，全然公义

2025-08-13 in , /by

诗篇19:9  耶和华的道理洁净，存到永远。耶和华的典章真实，全然公义。

「耶和华的典章真实，全然公义(The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether)。」（诗篇19:9）典章的原文是מִשְׁפָּטִים (mishpatim)，系指神的审判与判断，经文强调祂的「真实」与「公义」，可作为衡量人行为的标准。

「真实」表示神的话语不虚假，不含谬误，无论古今时空、无论境遇如何，都能信靠。神不说谎，也不改变祂的标准。祂的典章揭示的是永恒的真理，而非一时的潮流。

「公义」则指出神的律例不偏不倚，不论贫富贵贱、种族性别，神都以同一准则对待人。这样的公义，令人敬畏，也让人得着安慰。即使世上有不公平的审判，神的典章却成为信靠祂之人的庇护和依据。

He’s Greater than the Storm You’re In

2025-08-13 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 6:45-56.  With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Mark 6:45-46 (NIV)
45  Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.
46  After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.
 
On verses 45-46:  Here we see Jesus’ heart for his disciples, how he lets them go on ahead of him by boat so that they can get some rest while he dismisses the crowd…OR was Jesus intentionally sending them into a storm to teach them a lesson?  Hmm. 
 

6 Traits of an Effective Leader

2025-08-12 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 6:30-44.  With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Mark 6:30-32 (NIV)
30  The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught.
31  Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
32  So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.
 
On verses 30-32:  Jesus did not simply use his disciples; he also cared for their well being.  That’s why here we see Jesus leading his disciples not only in serving but also in resting.  Jesus sets an example for his team on how to rest and plans for a way that his team can rest together.

真诚敬畏，存到永远

2025-08-12 in , /by

诗篇19:9  耶和华的道理洁净，存到永远。耶和华的典章真实，全然公义。

「耶和华的道理洁净，存到永远(The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever)。」（诗篇19:9）「道理」的原文是יִרְאָה (yirah)，原意是「敬畏」，指的是人对耶和华发自内心的敬重、谦卑及顺服。

这样的敬畏是「洁净」的，是出于认识祂的圣洁、公义与慈爱所产生的敬爱之心。它不是惧怕惩罚的屈身，也不掺杂私心、不单求恩典，它是单纯、透明、圣洁的，是神所悦纳的心态。

这样的敬畏将「存到永远」，不仅在今生引导我们走正路，更在永恒中成为与神同行的记号。在新天新地中，众圣徒依然敬畏神，因祂的荣耀超过万有；即便无苦难与黑夜，我们对祂的敬爱仍不减分毫。

万古磐石

2025-08-11 in , /by

约翰福音1:1-9   太初有道，道与神同在，道就是神。 2 这道太初与神同在。 3 万物是借着祂造的；凡被造的，没有一样不是借着祂造的。 4 生命在祂里头，这生命就是人的光。 5 光照在黑暗里，黑暗却不接受光。 6 有一个人，是从神那里差来的，名叫约翰。 7 这人来，为要作见证，就是为光作见证，叫众人因他可以信。 8 他不是那光，乃是要为光作见证。 9 那光是真光，照亮一切生在世上的人。

「耶和华的命令清洁，能明亮人的眼目(The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes)。」（诗篇19:8）命令的原文是מִצְוָה (mitsvah)，常用于具体的「命令」或「诫命」，神明确要人遵行的事，是具约束力的指示。

「明亮的眼目」是神创造人极大的恩典，人有眼目可以自由地观察、寻找、欣赏…，因此可以自由的行动、工作、吃喝…。然而，眼目需要「光照」才能「明亮」，没有光照，犹如目盲，眼不能见，手触无感，行路踉跄，人在黑暗中摸索。

Your Story Does Not End Here

2025-08-11 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 6:14-29. With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Mark 6:14-16 (NIV)
14  King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”
15  Others said, “He is Elijah.” And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.”
16  But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, the man I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!”

On verses 14-16: King Herod hears about the movement that Jesus is leading.  While others think Jesus is the second coming of the prophet Elijah, and others a modern day prophet, King Herod can’t help but think that Jesus is actually John the Baptist raised from the dead. 

Live Simply, Stay Hungry, and Shake Off The Dust

2025-08-10 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Mark 6:7-13. With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Mark 6:7 (NIV)
7  Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits.
 
On verse 7:  Jesus was not just about serving crowds.  Even more, Jesus was about making disciples and sending them into the world to do what he did.  And this is what he does here.  He’s calling the Twelve to Himself and then sending them out with authority.