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更新的神

以賽亞書65:17-19

「看哪,我造新天新地,從前的事不再被記念,也不再追想。 18 你們當因我所造的永遠歡喜快樂,因我造耶路撒冷為人所喜,造其中的居民為人所樂。 19 我必因耶路撒冷歡喜,因我的百姓快樂,其中必不再聽見哭泣的聲音和哀號的聲音。

耶和華是創造的神,也是更新的神。祂向歸回的百姓宣告:祂將再造新天新地,不再記念、不再追想從前的事;祂要用清水潔淨,使他們脫離污穢,棄掉偶像,並且賜下新心、新靈,使他們能順從律例、謹守典章;祂必在曠野開道路,在沙漠開江河;他們必不哭泣、哀號,要因祂新造的永遠歡喜快樂。

我必用清水灑在你們身上,你們就潔淨了。我要潔淨你們,使你們脫離一切的污穢,棄掉一切的偶像。我也要賜給你們一個新心,將新靈放在你們裡面,又從你們的肉體中除掉石心,賜給你們肉心。我必將我的靈放在你們裡面,使你們順從我的律例,謹守遵行我的典章。(以西結書36:25-27)

Life When Who Humble Yourself Before God

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Kings 21:15-29.  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! 

1 Kings 21:15-29 (NIV)
15  As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite that he refused to sell you. He is no longer alive, but dead.”
16  When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of Naboth’s vineyard.
17  Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite:

On verses 15-29:  Having murdered Naboth, Jezebel urges her husband Ahab to take possession of Naboth’s vineyard.  God sends Elijah to speak a word of retribution against Ahab for the way he and Jezebel murdered Naboth and stole his vineyard.  Elijah prophesies that as punishment for Ahab’s and Jezebel’s sins, God would cut off every male from Ahab’s line (v21-22) and cause the dogs to eat Jezebel’s flesh (v24). 

與神相處/我在這裡

撒母耳記上 3:1-10

童子撒母耳在以利面前侍奉耶和華。當那些日子,耶和華的言語稀少,不常有默示。 2 一日,以利睡臥在自己的地方。他眼目昏花,看不分明。 3 神的燈在神耶和華殿內約櫃那裡,還沒有熄滅,撒母耳已經睡了。 4 耶和華呼喚撒母耳,撒母耳說:「我在這裡。」 5 就跑到以利那裡,說:「你呼喚我?我在這裡。」以利回答說:「我沒有呼喚你,你去睡吧。」他就去睡了。 6 耶和華又呼喚撒母耳,撒母耳起來,到以利那裡,說:「你呼喚我?我在這裡。」

創世記22章記載神試驗亞伯拉罕,要他將所愛的以撒,帶往摩利亞地山上獻為燔祭。…神要試驗亞伯拉罕,就呼叫他說:亞伯拉罕!他說:我在這裡。(創世記22:1)

創世記46章記載以色列(原名雅各)帶著一切所有的,下埃及投靠他的孩子約瑟,半途來到別是巴獻祭給神,神重申祂的應許。…夜間,神在異象中對以色列說:雅各!雅各!他說:我在這裡。(創世記46:2)

出埃及記3章記載神在何烈山呼召摩西,要他帶領以色列人出埃及。耶和華神見他過去要看,就從荊棘裡呼叫說:摩西!摩西!他說:我在這裡。(出埃及記3:4)

God Will Make Sure Justice Is Served

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Kings 21:1-14.  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! 

1 Kings 21:1-14 (NIV)
1  Some time later there was an incident involving a vineyard belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite. The vineyard was in Jezreel, close to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
2  Ahab said to Naboth, “Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth.”

On verses 1-14:  In these verses we see Ahab’s selfishness and Jezebel’s cunning in full bloom. Ahab wants to take the vineyard of another man, Naboth.  This vineyard was a precious family property that Naboth’s parents had given to him.  It was likely Naboth’s main source of income, whereas Ahab merely wanted to use it for a vegetable garden.  When Naboth refuses to sell the vineyard to Ahab, Ahab sulks. Ahab’s wife Jezebel devises an evil and elaborate plan to call a fast (using religion as a means to do evil) and have two scoundrels falsely accuse Naboth of cursing God and the king. 

與神相處/等候神

撒母耳記上13:8-15

掃羅照著撒母耳所定的日期等了七日。撒母耳還沒有來到吉甲,百姓也離開掃羅散去了。 9 掃羅說:「把燔祭和平安祭帶到我這裡來。」掃羅就獻上燔祭。 10 剛獻完燔祭,撒母耳就到了。掃羅出去迎接他,要問他好。 11 撒母耳說:「你做的是什麼事呢?」掃羅說:「因為我見百姓離開我散去,你也不照所定的日期來到,而且非利士人聚集在密抹, 12 所以我心裡說,恐怕我沒有禱告耶和華。非利士人下到吉甲攻擊我,我就勉強獻上燔祭。」

撒母耳對掃羅說:「你做了糊塗事了,…現在你的王位必不長久。耶和華已經尋著一個合祂心意的人,立他作百姓的君,因為你沒有遵守耶和華所吩咐你的。」(撒母耳記上13:8-14)掃羅做了糊塗事,在危急的時刻沒有耐心「等候神」,沒有遵守神的吩咐,他不是合神心意的人。

使徒保羅談及以色列歷史中的大衛王,說:「我尋得耶西的兒子大衞,他是合我心意的人,凡事要遵行我的旨意。」(使徒行傳13:22)

大衛就是撒母耳預言要取代掃羅王位的合神心意的人,他凡事遵行神的旨意,面對許多困難時「等候神」,在等候神的過程展現出耐心、信心和順服。(詩篇27:14,37:7,40:1,62:5-6,130:5-6)

我等候耶和華,我的心等候;我也仰望祂的話。我的心等候主,勝於守夜的等候天亮,勝於守夜的等候天亮。(詩篇130:5-6)

His life for your life

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Kings 20:35-43.  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! 

1 Kings 20:35-36 (NIV)
35  By the word of the LORD one of the sons of the prophets said to his companion, “Strike me with your weapon,” but the man refused.
36  So the prophet said, “Because you have not obeyed the LORD, as soon as you leave me a lion will kill you.” And after the man went away, a lion found him and killed him.

On verses 35-36:  This is an odd story, but what can we learn from it?  When you don’t obey God’s Word, you become vulnerable to the attack of the enemy, whom the Bible describes elsewhere as a lion looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).  As strange as God’s Word might sometimes seem to finite people like us, God’s Word is there for our protection.  We’re much better off trusting in God’s Word than trusting in ourselves.

與神相處/無利可圖

提摩太前書6:6-10

 然而,敬虔加上知足的心便是大利了。 7 因為我們沒有帶什麼到世上來,也不能帶什麼去。 8 只要有衣有食,就當知足。

9 但那些想要發財的人,就陷在迷惑,落在網羅和許多無知有害的私慾裡,叫人沉在敗壞和滅亡中。 10 貪財是萬惡之根。有人貪戀錢財,就被引誘離了真道,用許多愁苦把自己刺透了。

以色列先知以利沙行神蹟,醫治敵國亞蘭國元帥乃縵的大麻瘋,乃縵想報答以利沙,但以利沙完全拒絕了他的金銀禮物。然而,先知的僕人基哈西卻心生貪念,編造謊言,藉以利沙的名義向乃縵索取禮物;事情最後敗露,基哈西的行為違背神的榮耀,也讓他陷入痛苦之中,他身上長了大痲瘋,像雪那樣白。(列王紀下5章)

初代教會凡物公用,人人將田產房屋賣了,把價銀放在使徒腳前,照各人所需用的,分給各人。(使徒行傳4:32-37)亞拿尼亞和妻子撒非喇也賣了田產,但把價銀私自留下幾分,其餘幾分拿來放在使徒腳前。使徒彼得指責他們欺哄聖靈,接著,亞拿尼亞和撒非喇接續仆倒在地,斷了氣,被抬了出去。(使徒行傳5:1-10)

Don’t Rationalize God Away

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Kings 20:13-22.  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!

1 Kings 20:13-22 (NIVToday’s passage is 1 Kings 20:23-34.  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! 

1 Kings 20:23-34 (NIV)
23  Meanwhile, the officials of the king of Aram advised him, “Their gods are gods of the hills. That is why they were too strong for us. But if we fight them on the plains, surely we will be stronger than they.
24  Do this: Remove all the kings from their commands and replace them with other officers.

On verses 23-34:  The officials of Ben-Hadad King of Aram had no idea whom they were dealing with.  They assumed that the reason why the outnumbered Israelites unexpectedly defeated the Arameans at the first battle was because the Israelites were experienced at fighting in the mountains. 

God Keeps Pursuing You

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Kings 20:13-22.  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! 

1 Kings 20:13-22 (NIV)
13  Meanwhile a prophet came to Ahab king of Israel and announced, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do you see this vast army? I will give it into your hand today, and then you will know that I am the LORD.'”
14  “But who will do this?” asked Ahab. The prophet replied, “This is what the LORD says: ‘The young officers of the provincial commanders will do it.'” “And who will start the battle?” he asked. The prophet answered, “You will.”

On verses 13-22:  Through an unidentified prophet God tells Ahab that Ahab will be victorious over Ben-Hadad and his armies and that Ahab’s junior officers will be the ones to lead Ahab’s army to victory.  So Ahab mobilizes 232 junior officers to launch an attack against Ben-Hadad, followed by 7,000 more soldiers.  Meanwhile Ben-Hadad and the kings allied with him are unsuspecting and getting drunk (v18).

與神相處/承認祂的主權

申命記34:1-7

摩西從摩押平原登尼波山,上了那與耶利哥相對的毗斯迦山頂。耶和華把基列全地直到但, 2 拿弗他利全地,以法蓮、瑪拿西的地,猶大全地直到西海, 3 南地和棕樹城耶利哥的平原,直到瑣珥,都指給他看。

申命記34:1-7記載老年的摩西登上尼坡山的毘斯迦山頂,神讓他觀看近在眼前的迦南地,對他說:「這就是我向亞伯拉罕、以撒、雅各起誓應許之地,說:『我必將這地賜給你的後裔。』現在我使你眼睛看見了,你卻不得過到那裡去。」

於是,耶和華的僕人摩西死在摩押地,年一百二十歲;眼目沒有昏花,精神沒有衰敗。摩西帶領以色列人出埃及前往迦南地,終極勞苦40年,目的地近在咫尺,未能踏入,令人唏噓!

回轉聽命的約拿進尼尼微城,宣告尼尼微必傾覆的信息,沒想到進城僅走了三分之一的路程,全城的人就宣告禁食,穿上麻衣,連尼尼微王也下寶座、脫朝服,披麻蒙灰。神察看他們各人離開惡道、丟棄強暴,就後悔,不降災禍。