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You Have A Destiny

2025-04-21 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 11:1-21.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

2 Kings 11:1-21 (NIV)
1  When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family.
2  But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed.

On verses 1-21:  After talking about the kingdom of Israel and how Jehu became its king in 2 Kings 9 and 10, the author of 2 Kings turns our attention once again to the kingdom of Judah.  Judah’s King Ahaziah was killed by Jehu of Israel, but instead of Ahaziah’s brother or son taking over Ahaziah’s throne in Judah, Ahaziah’s mother Athaliah seizes power for herself.

Goodbye Jehu. Hello Jesus.

2025-04-20 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 10:18-36.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

2 Kings 10:18-36 (NIV)
18  Then Jehu brought all the people together and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little; Jehu will serve him much.
19  Now summon all the prophets of Baal, all his ministers and all his priests. See that no one is missing, because I am going to hold a great sacrifice for Baal. Anyone who fails to come will no longer live.” But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the ministers of Baal.
20  Jehu said, “Call an assembly in honor of Baal.” So they proclaimed it.

On verses 18-36:  Having gotten rid of the house of Ahab along with a slew of others, Jehu now focuses on erasing the worship of the idol Baal in Israel. He invites all the prophets of Baal to the temple of Baal under the auspices that he is going to hold an assembly in honour of their god. Jehu even gives each prophet of Baal a special robe, which seems like a gift when in fact it just makes them an easier target (v22). 

我知道我的救赎主活着

2025-04-20 in , /by

马太福音28:1-10

安息日将尽，七日的头一日天快亮的时候，抹大拉的马利亚和那个马利亚来看坟墓。 2 忽然，地大震动，因为有主的使者从天上下来，把石头滚开，坐在上面。 3 他的相貌如同闪电，衣服洁白如雪。 4 看守的人就因他吓得浑身乱战，甚至和死人一样。 5 天使对妇女说：「不要害怕！我知道你们是寻找那钉十字架的耶稣。 6 他不在这里，照他所说的，已经复活了。你们来看安放主的地方！ 7 快去告诉他的门徒，说他从死里复活了，并且在你们以先往加利利去，在那里你们要见他。看哪，我已经告诉你们了！」 8 妇女们就急忙离开坟墓，又害怕又大大地欢喜，跑去要报给他的门徒。 9 忽然，耶稣遇见她们，说：「愿你们平安！」她们就上前抱住他的脚拜他。 10 耶稣对她们说：「不要害怕！你们去告诉我的弟兄，叫他们往加利利去，在那里必见我。」

那一天（星期日）清晨，妇女们买了香膏要去膏抹耶稣的身体，发现坟墓空了；天使宣告耶稣复活，耶稣向来探墓的抹大拉马利亚显现（马太福音28:1-10；马可福音16:1-8；路加福音24:1-12；约翰福音20:1-18），那日也向门徒显现，证明祂真的从死里复活。

天微亮，我跟着妇女们走向坟墓，心中充满悲伤。但当我们抵达，大石头已被挪开，坟墓里空无一人，只有折好的裹尸布。我们听到声音说：「不要惊恐！你们寻找那钉十字架的拿撒勒人耶稣，祂已经复活了，不在这里。」（马可福音16:6）

我在晨光中苏醒…死亡失去了权势，爱在绝望中晕开，黑夜过去了，新的曙光升起。祂真的胜过了死亡！救赎胜过死亡，盼望永不止息。

Not One, But Both: Two Areas Where We Need To Be Strong

2025-04-18 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 10:1-17.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

2 Kings 10:1-17 (NIV)
1  Now there were in Samaria seventy sons of the house of Ahab. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria: to the officials of Jezreel, to the elders and to the guardians of Ahab’s children. He said,
2  “As soon as this letter reaches you, since your master’s sons are with you and you have chariots and horses, a fortified city and weapons,
3  choose the best and most worthy of your master’s sons and set him on his father’s throne. Then fight for your master’s house.”
4  But they were terrified and said, “If two kings could not resist him, how can we?”

On verses 1-17:  Having assassinated Joram king of Israel and Jezebel the queen mother, Jehu continues his mission to eliminate the remaining sons in Ahab’s house.  Instead of a sneak attack, Jehu issues a formal challenge to the high officials in Israel’s capital city as well as those in charge of Ahab’s sons.  Jehu challenges them to put one of Ahab’s sons on Ahab’s throne and to fight Jehu and his troops.

我鸟瞰死寂的耶路撒冷城

2025-04-18 in , /by

马太福音27:62-66

次日，就是预备日的第二天，祭司长和法利赛人聚集来见彼拉多，说： 63 「大人，我们记得那诱惑人的还活着的时候曾说：『三日后我要复活。』 64 因此，请吩咐人将坟墓把守妥当，直到第三日，恐怕他的门徒来把他偷了去，就告诉百姓说他从死里复活了。这样，那后来的迷惑比先前的更厉害了。」 65 彼拉多说：「你们有看守的兵，去吧，尽你们所能的把守妥当。」 66 他们就带着看守的兵同去，封了石头，将坟墓把守妥当。

那一天（星期六），耶稣的身体被安放在坟墓中，门徒们因犹太安息日而静默哀悼；祭司长和法利赛人担心门徒借机迷惑众人，要求彼拉多派兵看守耶稣的坟墓（马太福音27:62-66；马可福音15:42-47；路加福音23:50-56）。

安息日过后的清晨，我从橄榄山鸟瞰耶路撒冷城，街道上的人少了，狂热肃杀的气氛依然还在，流泪、痛心、失望、叹息…从灯光微晕的矮楼泄出，人们失去了那属于「安息日的安息」。我隐约回忆…

祂曾在耶路撒冷城内羊门旁的毕士大池，医好一个病了38年的瘫子，对他说：「起来，拿你的褥子走吧！」

祂曾在耶路撒冷圣殿面对一位行淫时被拿的妇人，提醒正要依律法处置妇人的众人说：「你们中间谁是没有罪的，谁就可以先拿石头打她。」又对妇人说：「我也不定你的罪。去吧，从此不要再犯罪了！」

我遥望十架上的耶稣…

2025-04-17 in , /by

路加福音23:34 当下耶稣说：「父啊，赦免他们！因为他们所做的他们不晓得。」兵丁就拈阄分祂的衣服。

路加福音23:42-43 就说：「耶稣啊，你得国降临的时候，求你记念我！」 43 耶稣对他说：「我实在告诉你：今日你要同我在乐园里了！」

约翰福音 19:30  耶稣尝了那醋，就说：「成了！」便低下头，将灵魂交付神了。

那一天（星期五），耶稣先后受审于犹太议会（公会）、彼拉多、希律王，最后被定罪；接着，遭受鞭打、羞辱，背着自己的十字架走到各各他（髑髅地）。中午被钉十字架，下午三时左右断气（马太福音27章；马可福音15章；路加福音23章；约翰福音18-19章），死后由亚利马太人约瑟和尼哥底母领去安葬。

我跟在人群后，暗夜里悄悄地跟随祂的踪迹。黎明时分，祂被捆绑带走，踉跄背负十字架前行。鞭子抽打，血迹斑斑；荆棘压头，嘲笑怒吼。祂不吭一声，默默承受。

我从城墙边遥望，看着祂被钉上十字架。祂睁开被鲜血模糊的眼睛，望向我们—不是咒骂，不是控诉，而是祈求天父的饶恕，祂说：「父啊！赦免他们；因为他们所做的，他们不晓得。」（路加福音23:34）

我听见与祂同钉十架的犯人说：「耶稣啊，祢得国降临的时候，求祢记念我！」祂肯定的回应：「我实在告诉你，今日你要同我在乐园里了。」（路加福音23:42-43）

The Best Way to Prepare for Eternity

2025-04-17 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 9:30-37.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

2 Kings 9:30 (NIV)
30  Then Jehu went to Jezreel. When Jezebel heard about it, she painted her eyes, arranged her hair and looked out of a window.

On verse 30:  Having heard that Jehu has killed her son King Joram, Jezebel expects that she is next, so she paints her eyes and does her hair.  Why?  Some scholars think she was trying to seduce Jehu.  I think the more likely scenario is that she’s getting ready to die as dignified a death as possible.  Jezebel may have thought to herself, “If I’m going to die a queen mother, I better look the part!”  Ironically, despite her efforts to look good in death, Jezebel would end up being killed in the most undignified way, as we will see.

我明白祂爱我到底…

2025-04-16 in , /by

马太福音26:17-30

除酵节的第一天，门徒来问耶稣说：「你吃逾越节的筵席，要我们在哪里给你预备？」 18 耶稣说：「你们进城去，到某人那里，对他说：『夫子说：我的时候快到了，我与门徒要在你家里守逾越节。』」 19 门徒遵著耶稣所吩咐的，就去预备了逾越节的筵席。

20 到了晚上，耶稣和十二个门徒坐席。 21 正吃的时候，耶稣说：「我实在告诉你们：你们中间有一个人要卖我了。」 22 他们就甚忧愁，一个一个地问他说：「主，是我吗？」 23 耶稣回答说：「同我蘸手在盘子里的，就是他要卖我。 

那一天（星期四），耶稣与门徒守逾越节晚餐（最后的晚餐），设立圣餐，且殷切教导门徒（马太福音26:17-30；马可福音14:12-26；路加福音22:7-38；约翰福音13-17章）。晚餐后，耶稣带门徒到客西马尼园，痛苦挣扎地为自己和门徒祷告，随后犹大带兵丁捉拿了耶稣（马太福音26:36-56；马可福音14:32-50；路加福音22:39-53；约翰福音18:1-12）。

我窥望那小屋，烛光下，祂俯身为门徒洗脚。我看见那双手，即将要被出卖、被钉穿的手，轻抹过彼得、犹大…门徒们的赤脚。祂叮咛说：「我是你们的主，你们的夫子，尚且洗你们的脚，你们也当彼此洗脚。」（约翰福音13:14）

祂擘开饼，举起杯，眼中闪烁泪光，祂说：「这是我的身体，为你们舍的。」这是爱的约定，也是即将破碎的开始。祂知道门徒当中，有人会背叛，有人会逃跑，有人会三次不认祂。但祂依然一一喂养，无一拒绝。

Sometimes God Needs To Disturb the Peace So A Greater Peace Can Result

2025-04-16 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 9:14-29.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

2 Kings 9:14-29 (NIV)
14  So Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, conspired against Joram. (Now Joram and all Israel had been defending Ramoth Gilead against Hazael king of Aram,
15  but King Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds the Arameans had inflicted on him in the battle with Hazael king of Aram.) Jehu said, “If this is the way you feel, don’t let anyone slip out of the city to go and tell the news in Jezreel.”

On verses 14-29:  These verses describe how Jehu assassinates Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah.  Jehu travels from Ramoth Gilead to Jezreel where Joram king of Israel is nursing his wounds from battle and where Ahaziah king of Judah has gone to visit Joram (v14-16).  When Joram’s guards spot Jehu approaching in his chariot, twice Joram sends a horseman to ask Jehu, “Do you come in peace?”

If You Want to Hear from God, Make THIS Your Habit

2025-04-15 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 9:1-13.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go! 

2 Kings 9:1-6 (NIV)
1  The prophet Elisha summoned a man from the company of the prophets and said to him, “Tuck your cloak into your belt, take this flask of oil with you and go to Ramoth Gilead.
2  When you get there, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go to him, get him away from his companions and take him into an inner room.

On verses 1-6:  Elisha sends one of his junior prophets to speak to Jehu and anoint him as the next king of Israel.  Notice Elisha’s instructions to that junior prophet: “Go to him, get him away from his companions and take him into an inner room” (v2).