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2 Kings in a Nutshell

2025-05-04 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 17:14-23.  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 17:14-23 (NIV)
14  But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their fathers, who did not trust in the LORD their God.
15  They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their fathers and the warnings he had given them. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the LORD had ordered them, “Do not do as they do,” and they did the things the LORD had forbidden them to do.

On verses 14-23:  These verses summarize the overall story of 2 Kings, which is that despite the Lord warning His people about the consequences that would result if they kept on sinning, the Israelites both in Israel and in Judah persisted in all forms of sinning against the Lord (v14 to 19). 

結出聖靈的果子-信實

2025-05-04 in , /by

你要知道耶和華─你的神，祂是神，是信實的神；向愛祂、守祂誡命的人守約，施慈愛，直到千代。（申命記7:9）

因為耶和華本為善。祂的慈愛存到永遠；祂的信實直到萬代。（詩篇100:5）

我們的天父是守約、施慈愛，信實的神，祂的兒女因為相信祂，就擁有延續到永遠的慈愛，而這「信實」（可信、可靠）的確據則一直延伸到萬代。

使徒保羅在加拉太書5:22談到「信實」是聖靈所結的果子之一，它的原文就是「信心」一字。天父的兒女相信天父是信實的神，這信心讓聖靈改變我們的生命，也讓我們能承載天父的「信實」屬性，成為「信實」的人。

一個信實的人要在日常生活中表現忠誠、信實、可靠，這不僅僅是對神的信靠，也體現在與他人的關係中。信實的表現包括對家庭的忠誠、對工作的責任感、對朋友的真誠，無論在順境還是逆境中，保持對神的信心和倚靠，且和他人都能持守忠誠和真誠。

God Is So Much More Merciful Than People

2025-05-02 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 17:1-13.  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 17:1-13 (NIV)
1  In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea son of Elah became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned nine years.
2  He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, but not like the kings of Israel who preceded him.
3  Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up to attack Hoshea, who had been Shalmaneser’s vassal and had paid him tribute.

On verses 1-13:  One thing that strikes me as I read this passage is how much more merciful and gracious the Lord is compared to Shalmaneser king of Assyria.  King Hoshea of Israel had been Shalmaneser’s vassal. 

結出聖靈的果子-恩慈(Kindness)

2025-05-02 in , /by

以弗所書4:32  要以恩慈相待，存憐憫的心，彼此饒恕，正如神在基督裡饒恕了你們一樣。

馬丁·路德·金恩博士是美國歷史上重要的民權運動領袖之一，他也是一位敬虔的基督徒牧師。面對種族歧視、暴力與不公，他選擇非暴力抗爭與愛的回應，顯出聖靈結出的「恩慈」果子。

在1950-60年代，金恩博士與他的追隨者常常面對辱罵、暴力攻擊、甚至死亡威脅。然而，他堅持以「恩慈」來回應仇恨。他在演講中不止一次提到：

「黑暗不能驅逐黑暗，只有光可以做到；仇恨不能驅逐仇恨，只有愛可以做到。(Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.)」

金恩博士相信，基督徒蒙召要以「恩慈的心腸」對待敵人。他不以惡報惡，而是選擇原諒攻擊他的人。他堅信：「即使別人用仇恨來對待我，我仍然選擇以愛來回應他們。」這「恩慈」，不是出於人的本能，而是聖靈的工作，使他在極其艱難的環境中仍能活出基督的樣式。

「要以恩慈相待，存憐憫的心，彼此饒恕，正如神在基督裡饒恕了你們一樣。」（以弗所書4:32）

結出聖靈的果子-忍耐

2025-05-01 in , /by

雅各書1:2-4 我的弟兄們，你們落在百般試煉中，都要以為大喜樂，3 因為知道，你們的信心經過試驗就生忍耐。 4 但忍耐也當成功，使你們成全、完備，毫無缺欠。

尼克・胡哲(Nick Vujicic)患有先天性四肢切斷症，出生時沒有四肢，從小就面臨極大的身體限制與心理挑戰。他曾經在童年時期感到絕望，甚至想過結束自己的生命。然而，他後來透過信仰耶穌，找到了人生的意義與希望。

今天的尼克成為了世界知名的基督徒演講家、勵志作家、慈善機構創辦人，並且經常公開見證聖靈在他生命中結出了「忍耐」的果子。尼克分享過，從小到大，他的生活充滿了延遲的希望和長時間的等待。他說：

「我必須學會接受，禱告的答案不一定會按我想要的時間和方式實現，但我可以相信神依然是美善的(I had to learn that my prayers wouldn’t always be answered when and how I wanted them to be, but I could trust that God was still good.)。」

為了簡單的事情（比如拿杯水、打開門），尼克都需要極大的耐心學習和持續練習。他經歷了無數次失敗，但沒有放棄，而是靠著聖靈賜下的力量堅持下去。

Before You Make That Change, Ask Why

2025-05-01 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 16:1-20.  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 16:1-4 (NIV)
1  In the seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah, Ahaz son of Jotham king of Judah began to reign.
2  Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. Unlike David his father, he did not do what was right in the eyes of the LORD his God.
3  He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son in the fire, following the detestable ways of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.
4  He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the high places, on the hilltops and under every spreading tree.
 
On verses 1-4:  Ahaz replaces his father Jotham as king of Judah. Unlike his father, Ahaz is deeply into idol worship.  As part of worshiping an idol, Ahaz sacrifices his child in the fire (v3), hoping it will bring him prosperity.

結出聖靈的果子-和平(平安)

2025-04-30 in , /by

腓立比書4:7  神所賜出人意外的平安，必在基督耶穌裡保守你們的心懷意念。

NBA金州勇士隊球星Stephen Curry曾多次分享，信仰是他的人生和職業生涯的核心價值之一。作為一位職業運動員，柯瑞面臨極大的壓力，媒體關注、比賽勝負、傷病風險…，這些都可能讓人焦慮或失去方向。但他常提到「對耶穌的信仰」讓他享有心裡平安，無論在勝利還是失敗中都不動搖。

他說過：「我知道我是誰，也知道我是屬於誰的(I know who I am, and I know whose I am)。」還說過：「我身上有比球衣更重要的東西(There’s more to me than just this jersey I wear)。」這幾句話背後，就是他對神完全的信靠，讓他在動盪的環境中依然持守內心的平靜與安穩，這正是聖靈的果子-和平。

賈斯汀・比伯(Justin Bieber)是全球知名的流行音樂巨星，年少成名後，迷失了方向，他的生命經歷非常大的掙扎，曾公開承認：「我感到孤單、迷惘、焦慮…，即使世界都認識我，我卻不認識自己。」但幾年前，他開始重新參加教會，並在牧師與妻子Hailey的陪伴下，重新建立與耶穌的親密關係。

There’s No One Like Jesus

2025-04-30 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 15:27-38.  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 15:27-38 (NIV)
27  In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned twenty years.
28  He did evil in the eyes of the LORD. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit.
29  In the time of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh and Hazor. He took Gilead and Galilee, including all the land of Naphtali, and deported the people to Assyria.

On verses 27-38:  In these verses we read of two kings with two very different reigns. First there is Pekah king of Israel who worshiped idols and as a result much of his territory was conquered and his people taken away by a foreign enemy, the Assyrians (v27-31). 

結出聖靈的果子-喜樂

2025-04-29 in , /by

使徒行傳16:16-40

16 後來，我們往那禱告的地方去，有一個使女迎著面來，她被巫鬼所附，用法術叫她主人們大得財利。 17 她跟隨保羅和我們，喊著說：「這些人是至高神的僕人，對你們傳說救人的道！」 18 她一連多日這樣喊叫，保羅就心中厭煩，轉身對那鬼說：「我奉耶穌基督的名，吩咐你從她身上出來！」那鬼當時就出來了。

19 使女的主人們見得利的指望沒有了，便揪住保羅和西拉，拉他們到市上去見首領， 20 又帶到官長面前，說：「這些人原是猶太人，竟騷擾我們的城， 21 傳我們羅馬人所不可受、不可行的規矩。」 22 眾人就一同起來攻擊他們。官長吩咐剝了他們的衣裳，用棍打。 23 打了許多棍，便將他們下在監裡，囑咐禁卒嚴緊看守。 24 禁卒領了這樣的命，就把他們下在內監裡，兩腳上了木狗。

保羅和同工西拉在腓立比傳講福音（使徒行傳16:16-40），被誣告而遭到捉拿，受到眾人攻擊、毆打，最後被下到監裡，雙腳上了木狗，處境極為艱難。然而，即便是在這樣的困境中，保羅和西拉並沒有感到絕望，反而在監裡禱告，並且唱詩讚美神。

這時，令人驚奇的事發生了。一場地震使監牢的地基搖動，監門全開，囚犯的鎖鏈也都鬆開了。驚慌的獄卒以為囚犯都逃走了，想要拔刀自盡，但保羅喊住他：「不要傷害自己！我們都在這裡。」

獄卒被保羅和西拉的喜樂、信心及行為感動，戰兢地俯伏在他們面前，問道：「我當怎樣行才可以得救？」他們回應說：「當信主耶穌，你和你一家都必得救。」（使徒行傳16:30-31）最後，獄卒和他的全家接受了福音，並受了洗。

A Kingdom Built on Sedition Will Not Last

2025-04-29 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Kings 15:13-26.  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 15:13-26 (NIV)
13  Shallum son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah, and he reigned in Samaria one month.
14  Then Menahem son of Gadi went from Tirzah up to Samaria. He attacked Shallum son of Jabesh in Samaria, assassinated him and succeeded him as king.

On verses 13-26:  In Israel, Shallum had killed Zechariah to become king. Then a month later Menahem kills Shallum to become king.  After Menahem reigns for 10 years, his son Pekahiah takes over only to be killed and succeeded 2 years later by Pekah.