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2 Types of People You Meet in Your Tough Times

2024-12-26 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 16:1-14.  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! 

2 Samuel 16:1-8 (NIV)
1  When David had gone a short distance beyond the summit, there was Ziba, the steward of Mephibosheth, waiting to meet him. He had a string of donkeys saddled and loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred cakes of raisins, a hundred cakes of figs and a skin of wine.
2  The king asked Ziba, “Why have you brought these?” Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the desert.”

On verses 1-8:  As David continues his journey into exile, David meets Ziba, the servant of Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth.  Ziba brings a surprisingly large supply of donkeys, bread, cakes and wine to help David and his men on their journey.  When David asks Ziba where his crippled master Mephibosheth is, Ziba replies that Mephibosheth didn’t join David because Mephibosheth sees David’s exile as his opportunity to have David’s kingdom transferred back to him and his family (v3). 

長者得見救恩、傳承盼望

2024-12-26 in , /by

路加福音2:21-39

滿了八天，就給孩子行割禮，與他起名叫耶穌，這就是沒有成胎以前天使所起的名。

22 按摩西律法滿了潔淨的日子，他們帶著孩子上耶路撒冷去，要把他獻於主， 23 正如主的律法上所記：「凡頭生的男子，必稱聖歸主。」 24 又要照主的律法上所說，「或用一對斑鳩，或用兩隻雛鴿」獻祭。

25 在耶路撒冷有一個人名叫西面，這人又公義又虔誠，素常盼望以色列的安慰者來到，又有聖靈在他身上。 26 他得了聖靈的啟示，知道自己未死以前，必看見主所立的基督。 27 他受了聖靈的感動，進入聖殿，正遇見耶穌的父母抱著孩子進來，要照律法的規矩辦理。 28 西面就用手接過他來，稱頌神，說： 29 「主啊，如今可以照你的話，釋放僕人安然去世！ 30 因為我的眼睛已經看見你的救恩， 31 就是你在萬民面前所預備的， 32 是照亮外邦人的光，又是你民以色列的榮耀。」

路加福音2:21-39記載耶穌出生滿了八天後，領受割禮，並起名叫耶穌（沒有成胎以前，天使所起的名字；馬太福音1:21）；再按照摩西律法，在母親馬利亞滿了潔淨的日子（40天；利未記12:2-8），他們帶著孩子上耶路撒冷去，把祂獻與神（凡頭生的男子必分別為聖歸與神；出埃及記13:2）。

耶穌的父母抱著孩子進入聖殿，遇見一個人名叫西面，他為人又公義又虔誠，素常盼望以色列的安慰者來到，又有聖靈在他身上。西面用手接過孩子，稱頌神說：「主啊！如今可以照祢的話，釋放僕人安然去世；因為我的眼睛已經看見祢的救恩，就是祢在萬民面前所預備的：是照亮外邦人的光，又是祢民以色列的榮耀。」（2:29-32）

西面盼望尋見神，在年老的時候，他親手抱耶穌，親眼得見救恩；於是，欣然求神釋放他安然去世，他知道耶穌為他開啟那條路，那條路能到父那裡去（約翰福音14:6）

The Roles You Play While The King’s Away

2024-12-25 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 15:17-37.  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 Samuel 15:17-37 (NIV)
17  So the king set out, with all the people following him, and they halted at a place some distance away.
18  All his men marched past him, along with all the Kerethites and Pelethites; and all the six hundred Gittites who had accompanied him from Gath marched before the king.
19  The king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you come along with us? Go back and stay with King Absalom. You are a foreigner, an exile from your homeland.

On verses 17-37:  In verse 30 we see David, in response to his betrayal by Absalom, going up the Mount of Olives weeping, with David’s most devoted followers in tow and weeping as well.  I can’t help but think forward to when Jesus the Son of David, in response to his impending betrayal by Judas, would go up the Mount of Olives, weeping in one of its gardens, with his followers in tow.  In both David’s case and Jesus’ case, we have a king who has voluntarily left their throne to be rejected and exiled.

我真愛講這個故事

2024-12-25 in , /by

路加福音 2:15-20
15 眾天使離開他們升天去了，牧羊的人彼此說：「我們往伯利恆去，看看所成的事，就是主所指示我們的。」 16 他們急忙去了，就尋見馬利亞和約瑟，又有那嬰孩臥在馬槽裡。 17 既然看見，就把天使論這孩子的話傳開了。 18 凡聽見的，就詫異牧羊之人對他們所說的話。 19 馬利亞卻把這一切的事存在心裡，反覆思想。 20 牧羊的人回去了，因所聽見、所看見的一切事正如天使向他們所說的，就歸榮耀於神，讚美他。

《我喜歡講這故事(I Love to Tell the Story)》是一首著名的讚美詩，由英國福音傳道者凱瑟琳·漢基(Katherine Hankey)寫成的詩，威廉費雪(William G. Fischer)為這首詩配樂。

漢基在非洲傳教時生了場重病，在漫長的康復期間，她於1866年寫了一篇關於耶穌生平的長文，分為兩部分；第一部分是一首五十節的詩，題為「想得著的故事(The Story Wanted)」（1866年1月29日），第二部分題為「被傳講的故事(The Story Told)」（1866年11月18日）。

W. H. Doane博士於1867年從第一部分中摘取了某部分詩句，構成流行且熟悉讚美詩的開頭，《告訴我古老的故事(Tell Me the Old, Old Story)》（中譯為古老福音）；來自第二部分的某些詩句則被選入讚美詩《我喜歡講這故事(I Love to Tell the Story)》。

聖誕夜過後

2024-12-24 in , /by

路加福音1:46-55

46 馬利亞說：「我心尊主為大， 47 我靈以神我的救主為樂， 48 因為他顧念他使女的卑微。從今以後，萬代要稱我有福， 49 那有權能的為我成就了大事，他的名為聖！ 50 他憐憫敬畏他的人，直到世世代代。 51 他用膀臂施展大能，那狂傲的人正心裡妄想就被他趕散了。 52 他叫有權柄的失位，叫卑賤的升高； 53 叫飢餓的得飽美食，叫富足的空手回去。 54 他扶助了他的僕人以色列， 55 為要記念亞伯拉罕和他的後裔，施憐憫直到永遠，正如從前對我們列祖所說的話。」

聖誕夜過後，平安夜的音符不斷迴盪耳際，聖誕樹的裝飾依然閃爍，樹下的禮物拆了封，遺下空殼，一個夜晚的歡慶，你我得著了什麼？

也許你覺得鬆了一口氣，幾個月的籌備和練習終於圓滿呈現！

也許你覺得興奮，因為你邀請的朋友來參加慶典，街頭的路人收下你的傳單，社區的鄰居聆聽你帶來的聖誕佳音，你成為傳福音的使者！

也許你說我感動莫名，我留下了眼淚，我知道耶穌愛我，祂為我而生！

也許你說我今年享用了聖誕大餐，和朋友歡樂聚會，又抽中大獎，超棒的夜晚！

也許你問自己，每年聖誕節見耶穌，這是第幾次了？

也許你想耶穌誕生了，我再等個三十年，祂開始傳講信息，我就跟隨祂的話，還不遲？

What Is Sedition and Why Be Careful With It

2024-12-24 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 15:1-16.  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 Samuel 15:1-16 (NIV)
1  In the course of time, Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him.
2  He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out to him, “What town are you from?” He would answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.”
3  Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.”

On verses 1-16: Here we see Absalom beginning to subtly, secretly campaign for himself to be king in place of his father David.  Absalom would get up early and stand by the road that people would take to go see his father King David.  On their way to seeing King David, they would pass by Absalom, who would greet them, ask them to share their troubles with him, and tell them that they have a valid claim but that the king was too busy to hear them.

Don’t Give Others the “Half & Half”

2024-12-23 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 14:21-33.  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 Samuel 14:23-33 (NIV)
23  Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem.
24  But the king said, “He must go to his own house; he must not see my face.” So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the face of the king.
25  In all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the top of his head to the sole of his foot there was no blemish in him.

On verses 23-33:  After some dramatic persuasion orchestrated by Joab, King David finally agrees to bring his son Absalom back from exile.  But although Absalom is now back living in Jerusalem, King David insists that Absalom must not see his face (v24).  So Absalom lives two years in Jerusalem without seeing David’s face, on top of the 3 years he was exiled in Geshur.  That’s 5 years without seeing his dad’s face or hearing his dad’s voice. 

這一夜我坐在台下

2024-12-23 in , /by

路加福音 2:6-20

 6 他們在那裡的時候，馬利亞的產期到了， 7 就生了頭胎的兒子，用布包起來，放在馬槽裡，因為客店裡沒有地方。

8 在伯利恆之野地裡有牧羊的人，夜間按著更次看守羊群。 9 有主的使者站在他們旁邊，主的榮光四面照著他們，牧羊的人就甚懼怕。 10 那天使對他們說：「不要懼怕，我報給你們大喜的信息，是關乎萬民的。 11 因今天在大衛的城裡，為你們生了救主，就是主基督。

這一夜我坐在台下，聆聽熟悉且歡樂的頌讚歌聲，望著台上幕幕穿梭變化的場景，細數近七十年來自己曾參與一次次的聖誕慶典…，我無法確定我是否有缺席過，但我相信在母親懷中我已經聽過聖誕歌聲，而我父親那時應該在聖誕舞台上忙進忙出。

寒風練歌練團練台詞、課後爬上爬下建舞台、幕前台風穩健過橋段、幕後手忙腳亂跑龍套…是聖誕節難忘的滋味；馬槽邊的小羊、野地裡的牧羊人、來自東方的博士…，只差馬利亞和馬槽裡的洋娃娃外，好像都曾有自己扮演過的身影。聖誕慶典後的報佳音、享用長輩預備的豐盛宵夜、睡教會聊整夜…是聖誕夜又興奮又溫暖的記憶，那一夜大家談論耶穌。

牧者尋見牧者

2024-12-22 in , /by

路加福音 2:1-20
8 在伯利恆之野地裡有牧羊的人，夜間按著更次看守羊群。 9 有主的使者站在他們旁邊，主的榮光四面照著他們，牧羊的人就甚懼怕。 10 那天使對他們說：「不要懼怕，我報給你們大喜的信息，是關乎萬民的。 11 因今天在大衛的城裡，為你們生了救主，就是主基督。 12 你們要看見一個嬰孩，包著布，臥在馬槽裡，那就是記號了。」 13 忽然有一大隊天兵，同那天使讚美神說： 14 「在至高之處榮耀歸於神！在地上平安歸於祂所喜悅的人！」

誰來探訪耶穌？路加福音2:1-20記載，居里扭作敘利亞巡撫時，約瑟帶著接近預產期的馬利亞從加利利拿撒勒城去伯利恆，然後孩子在伯利恆出生了。

耶穌出生時，伯利恆野地有牧羊人看見天使顯現，報給他們大喜的信息，要他們尋見「嬰孩臥在馬槽裡」為記號；接著，一大隊天兵同天使讚美神說：「在至高之處榮耀歸與神！在地上平安歸與祂所喜悅的人（有古卷：喜悅歸與人）！」他們急忙往伯利恆去，就尋見馬利亞和約瑟，又有那嬰孩臥在馬槽裡。

伯利恆鄰近耶路撒冷，當時聖殿獻祭所需的牲畜，都飼養在伯利恆附近的野地裡。野地裡，夜間輪班看守羊群的牧羊人，肩負著照顧、保護羊群的責任，他們尋見「嬰孩臥在馬槽裡」的記號，也聽見「榮耀歸與神！喜悅歸與人！」的讚美。牧羊人既然看見，就把天使論這孩子的話傳開了，也因所聽見所看見的一切事，就歸榮耀與神，讚美祂。（2:20）

God Is Reaching For You

2024-12-22 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 14:1-20.  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 Samuel 14:1-20 (NIV)
1  Joab son of Zeruiah knew that the king’s heart longed for Absalom.
2  So Joab sent someone to Tekoa and had a wise woman brought from there. He said to her, “Pretend you are in mourning. Dress in mourning clothes, and don’t use any cosmetic lotions. Act like a woman who has spent many days grieving for the dead.

On verses 1-20:  David’s military commander Joab notices how David’s heart longs for his exiled son Absalom, and yet David refuses to bring Absalom back (v1).   So Joab decides to do something about it.   Joab hires a talented actress from Tekoa to enter David’s presence.  She pretends that she is a widow grieving because her only two sons got into a fight, one killed the other, and now her whole clan demands that her remaining son be executed.