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Is Your Worship of God Convenient or Costly?

2025-01-20 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 24:18-25.  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 24:18-19 (NIV)
18  On that day Gad went to David and said to him, “Go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.”
19  So David went up, as the LORD had commanded through Gad.
 
On verses 18-19: Earlier the Lord had sent the prophet Gad to tell David about the punishment for his sin.  3 days later the Lord sends the prophet Gad to tell David how to make things right again. He instructs David to build an altar to the Lord at the very place where the plague would stop: the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite (v18). 

就光行真理，靠神行事

2025-01-20 in , /by

约翰福音3:1-8

有一个法利赛人，名叫尼哥迪慕，是犹太人的官。 2 这人夜里来见耶稣，说：「拉比，我们知道你是由神那里来做师傅的，因为你所行的神蹟，若没有神同在，无人能行。」 3 耶稣回答说：「我实实在在地告诉你：人若不重生，就不能见神的国。」 4 尼哥迪慕说：「人已经老了，如何能重生呢？岂能再进母腹生出来吗？」 5 耶稣说：「我实实在在地告诉你：人若不是从水和圣灵生的，就不能进神的国。 6 从肉身生的就是肉身，从灵生的就是灵。 7 我说你们必须重生，你不要以为稀奇。 8 风随着意思吹，你听见风的响声，却不晓得从哪里来，往哪里去。凡从圣灵生的，也是如此。」

拥有正统宗教和社会地位的法利赛人尼哥底母夜里来见耶稣，耶稣对他说：要重生，要从水和圣灵生才能进入神的国，且要顺从圣灵的引领（约翰福音3:1-8）。风随着己意吹向它想要的地方，我们听见风声，但不知道它来自何方，又吹向何处；圣灵的引领也是如此，我们虽不知祂来自何方且吹向何处，但是我们可以领受，且要顺服，这就重生的生命。

尼哥底母属于自诩遗传和坚守律法的法利赛人，耶稣向他说明祂来是要叫一切信祂的都得永生，有如摩西在旷野举蛇，让人得医治，祂说：「神爱世人，甚至将他的独生子赐给他们，叫一切信他的，不致灭亡，反得永生。…但行真理的必来就光，要显明他所行的是靠神而行。」（约翰福音3:16-21）

影响力

2025-01-19 in , /by

约翰福音2:23-25

23 当耶稣在耶路撒冷过逾越节的时候，有许多人看见他所行的神蹟，就信了他的名。 24 耶稣却不将自己交托他们，因为他知道万人， 25 也用不着谁见证人怎样，因他知道人心里所存的。

在我们的世代里，影响力是个人价值的最高指标，政治人物需要选票，网红需要粉丝，网购需要访客流量，实体店面需要排队人潮，议题评论要看声量，论文发表要看影响因子，甚至教会兴旺、圣灵充满也看建筑、看人数。

当耶稣在耶路撒冷过逾越节的时候，有许多人看见祂所行的神蹟，就信了他的名。耶稣却不将自己交托他们；因为祂知道万人，也用不着谁见证人怎样，因祂知道人心里所存的。（约翰福音2:23-25）

耶稣的时候，人要看神蹟，但是耶稣舍弃宣扬自己、寻求个人利益的影响力，反而选择牺牲自己、带给他人好处的影响力。

耶稣面对希律王正在兴建中的圣殿（当时已建了四十六年），祂说：「你们拆毁这殿，我三日内要再建立起来。」（约翰福音2:19）

The Gift of a Conscience

2025-01-19 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 24:10-17.  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 Samuel 24:10 (NIV) 
10 David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O LORD, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.” 

On verse 10:  In the previous verses we looked at why David calling a census was a foolish thing to do.  Now, after the census is over, David is conscience-stricken and confesses his sin to God.  Your conscience is a great gift from God.  Without a conscience, we would persist hardheartedly in our sin and never turn back.  But when the Holy Spirit touches our conscience, as He did here with David, we can quickly confess our sin and get back on the right track.  It’s no wonder Paul tells Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:19 to hold on to a good conscience.

Be A Wise Steward of What God Has Given You

2025-01-17 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 24:1-9.  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 24:1-25 (NIV)
1  Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.”
2  So the king said to Joab and the army commanders with him, “Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and enroll the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are.”

On verses 1-4:  At a time of relative peace in Israel, King David decides to order a census.  He requires his government officials to travel all throughout Israel and count how many men are ready, willing and able to fight for Israel.  Joab, David’s army general, is hesitant, suggesting to David that ordering a census at such a time is not a wise thing to do. However, David’s word overrules Joab’s concern.

「真」以色列人

2025-01-17 in , /by

创世记32:22-32

22 他夜间起来，带着两个妻子、两个使女并十一个儿子，都过了雅博渡口。 23 先打发他们过河，又打发所有的都过去， 24 只剩下雅各一人。有一个人来和他摔跤，直到黎明。 25 那人见自己胜不过他，就将他的大腿窝摸了一把，雅各的大腿窝正在摔跤的时候就扭了。 26 那人说：「天黎明了，容我去吧。」雅各说：「你不给我祝福，我就不容你去。」

亚伯拉罕子孙雅各的名字就是「抓住」的意思，因为他手抓住双生哥哥以扫的脚跟来出生，他的个性正如其名，一生努力「抓」名分、祝福、妻子、牛、驴、羊群、仆婢…，甚至「抓住神」。

雅各逃避以扫的怨恨，前往母舅家栖身二十年，挣得家产财富后返乡，在雅博渡口近乡情怯，夜间独自与神摔跤，寻求神的祝福；神摸了雅各的大腿窝，让他瘸了腿，也改了他的名字为以色列，意思是「与神较力」，因为他与神与人较力，都得了胜。（创世记32:22-32）

瘸了腿的雅各给那地方起名叫毘努伊勒（神之面），意思说：「我面对面见了神，我的性命仍得保全」。雅各与神面对面，神让一生努力「抓」、与人较力的雅各瘸了腿，谦卑不再倚靠自己，将他改名为以色列，宣告他与神较力，终于「抓住神」。

亚伯拉罕的子孙、雅各的后裔被称为以色列人，代表着这个族类是「与神较力」、谦卑寻求「抓住神」的民族。

了亮的眼睛

2025-01-16 in , /by

约翰福音2:1-12

第三日，在加利利的迦拿有娶亲的筵席，耶稣的母亲在那里。 2 耶稣和他的门徒也被请去赴席。 3 酒用尽了，耶稣的母亲对他说：「他们没有酒了。」 4 耶稣说：「母亲[a]，我与你有什么相干？我的时候还没有到。」 5 他母亲对用人说：「他告诉你们什么，你们就做什么。」 6 照犹太人洁净的规矩，有六口石缸摆在那里，每口可以盛两三桶水。 7 耶稣对用人说：「把缸倒满了水。」他们就倒满了，直到缸口。

迦拿娶亲筵席是耶稣行踪中难得一见的场景，没人生病、眼瞎、垂死、被鬼附…，耶稣也没有教训人。

婚筵是个欢乐的场合，却面临酒用尽了的窘境，耶稣母亲寻求耶稣协助；耶稣回应说祂的时候还没有到（指的是救赎的工作：受死、复活、得荣耀），但接着却将犹太人洁净用的水变成好酒，让婚筵的喜乐延续且可以满足。（约翰福音2:1-12）

使徒约翰在约翰福音里，借着描述耶稣多处行踪来表明耶稣就是神子，祂就是「我是」（神的名字，出埃及记3:14）。约翰特别述明这是耶稣所行的头一件神蹟，我们也许会讶异这神蹟似乎和救赎完全无关，耶稣所行的神蹟应该是让人病得医治、瞎眼得看见、瘸腿得行走、罪得赦免或是死人得复活，但耶稣在这里却是让婚筵的喜乐延续且可以满足。

A worship offering

2025-01-16 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 23:13-39.  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 23:13-17 (NIV) 
13 During harvest time, three of the thirty chief men came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 
14 At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 

On verses 13-17:  David is hiding in the cave of Adullam.  He expresses a desire that someone get him a drink of water from a well near the gate of Bethlehem, which was occupied by the Philistines.  Who knows if this was just a passing wish or a deep, heartfelt desire, but David’s famous three warriors – Josheb-Basshebeth, Eleazar and Shammah – took David’s request seriously.  So much so that “the Three” break through the Philistine camp just to get water from the well that David spoke of and carry the water back to David.

Don’t Limit What God Can Do Through You

2025-01-15 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 23:1-12.  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 23:1 (NIV) 
1 These are the last words of David: “The oracle of David son of Jesse, the oracle of the man exalted by the Most High, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, Israel’s singer of songs: 

On verse 1:  In the past God used David in many different roles:

– as a shepherd to protect sheep, 
– as a king to lead His people, 
– as a warrior to defeat giants and a military commander to defeat armies,
– as a priest who leads the people in worship, 
– as a writer and singer of His songs.  

But in this chapter and the previous chapter, we see God using David in another way: as a prophet who speaks words inspired by the Holy Spirit.  

迦拿娶亲筵席

2025-01-15 in , /by

约翰福音2:1-12

第三日，在加利利的迦拿有娶亲的筵席，耶稣的母亲在那里。 2 耶稣和他的门徒也被请去赴席。 3 酒用尽了，耶稣的母亲对他说：「他们没有酒了。」 4 耶稣说：「母亲[a]，我与你有什么相干？我的时候还没有到。」 5 他母亲对用人说：「他告诉你们什么，你们就做什么。」 6 照犹太人洁净的规矩，有六口石缸摆在那里，每口可以盛两三桶水。 7 耶稣对用人说：「把缸倒满了水。」他们就倒满了，直到缸口。

迦拿娶亲筵席是耶稣行踪中难得一见的场景，没人生病、眼瞎、垂死、被鬼附…，耶稣也没有教训人。

婚筵是个欢乐的场合，却面临酒用尽了的窘境，耶稣母亲寻求耶稣协助；耶稣回应说祂的时候还没有到（指的是救赎的工作：受死、复活、得荣耀），但接着却将犹太人洁净用的水变成好酒，让婚筵的喜乐延续且可以满足。（约翰福音2:1-12）

使徒约翰在约翰福音里，借着描述耶稣多处行踪来表明耶稣就是神子，祂就是「我是」（神的名字，出埃及记3:14）。约翰特别述明这是耶稣所行的头一件神蹟，我们也许会讶异这神蹟似乎和救赎完全无关，耶稣所行的神蹟应该是让人病得医治、瞎眼得看见、瘸腿得行走、罪得赦免或是死人得复活，但耶稣在这里却是让婚筵的喜乐延续且可以满足。