Archive for category: GAMEtime Sharing

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Hebrews 10:11-18.  Let’s go!

Hebrews 10:11-14 (NIV) 
11  Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
12  But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.
13  Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool,
14  because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

On verses 11-14:  Here we see the theme again of “once and for all”.  Jesus laid down His life once, and this was enough to take away the sins of everyone who places their trusts in Jesus.  Compare that to the priests under the old covenant who could never take away the sins of the people or make them holy in God’s sight despite offering the same sacrifices again and again.

dAlso, notice this mystery: Jesus “has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (v14).  Here the Bible recognizes this dual reality in our lives. 

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 9:24-34.  Let’s go!

John 9:24-25 (NIV) 
24  A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”
25  He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”

On verses 24-25:  When questioned again by the Pharisees, the “once was blind but now I see” man is not afraid to testify about what Jesus has done in his life.  He didn’t claim to have all the answers. Rather he simply boldly shared his experience about the difference Jesus made in his life.  To be an effective witness for Jesus, you don’t need to have all the answers, but you do need to be willing to share your story.

John 9:26-34 (NIV) 
26  Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”
27  He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?”
28  Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses!
29  We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”
30  The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes.
31  We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will.
32  Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 9:1-12.  Let’s go!

John 9:1-3 (NIV) 
1  As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 
2  His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 
3  “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.

On verses 1-3:  When the disciples saw a man blind from birth, the disciples immediately assumed that the man’s blindness was somebody’s fault.  The only question for them was “Who is to blame?”  But Jesus didn’t play the blame game.  Instead, Jesus explains that the reason why this man was born blind was not due to this man’s sins or his parents’ sins, but so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.  What can we learn from this?  When God allows pain in your life, it is not because God is not there or He doesn’t care, and it’s not necessarily because you have sinned.  Rather God allows pain and hardship ultimately because He has plans to display His power and glory through your life in ways that neither you nor others could have foreseen.  Pain is a canvas on which God loves to paint His glory.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 8:12-20.  Let’s go!

John 8:12-20 (NIV) 
12  When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 
13  The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.” 
14  Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. 
15  You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. 
16  But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. 
17  In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. 
18  I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.” 
19  Then they asked him, “Where is your father?” “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 
20  He spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his time had not yet come.

On verses 12-20:  I find it powerful and interesting to think that when Jesus said these things about him being the light of the world (v12), giving people the light of life (v12), passing judgment on no one (v15), and standing with the Father (v16), Jesus said all these things “in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put” (v20).  In other words, even as people were giving their imperfect offerings for God, Jesus was right there, being given as God’s perfect offering for people. 

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 7:37-52.  Let’s go!

John 7:37-39 (NIV) 
37  On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.
38  Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”
39  By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

On verses 37-39:  Jesus, who often sat when he taught, stands for emphasis and makes the invitation for all who are thirsty to come to him and drink.  The promise Jesus publicly gives here is the same promise Jesus privately gave to the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:13-14: that those who believe in him will have flowing from within them streams of living water.  Streams of living water are a reference to the Holy Spirit.