Secrets to Sweeter Sex

Hi GAMErs,

A NOTE FOR PARENTS AND KIDS ABOUT TODAY’S GAME SHARING:  In today’s Bible passage we are talking about the gift of sex.  Given the nature of today’s topic, we would advise parents to review this GAME sharing first before your kids do and then decide whether your kids should see it.  Kids, if you are reading this, please ask your parent or guardian to review this GAME sharing first before you read it and ask your parent or guardian if they think you should read it now or wait until you’re older.

Today’s passage is Song of Songs 4:1-16.  I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Song of Songs 4:1-7 (NIV) 
1  How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! Your eyes behind your veil are doves. Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from Mount Gilead. 
2  Your teeth are like a flock of sheep just shorn, coming up from the washing. Each has its twin; not one of them is alone. 
3  Your lips are like a scarlet ribbon; your mouth is lovely. Your temples behind your veil are like the halves of a pomegranate. 
4  Your neck is like the tower of David, built with elegance; on it hang a thousand shields, all of them shields of warriors. 
5  Your two breasts are like two fawns, like twin fawns of a gazelle that browse among the lilies. 
6  Until the day breaks and the shadows flee, I will go to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of incense. 
7  All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you.

神的泉源帶來更新的改變

以賽亞書 41:18  我要在淨光的高處開江河,在谷中開泉源;我要使沙漠變為水池,使乾地變為湧泉。

以賽亞書 35:7 發光的沙要變為水池,乾渴之地要變為泉源。在野狗躺臥之處,必有青草、蘆葦和蒲草。

詩篇 114:8  祂叫磐石變為水池,叫堅石變為泉源。

神是創造的神,在高處、谷中、沙漠、乾地、磐石、堅石…,神讓乾渴貧乏之地湧出泉源、蓄積水池、成為江河。

神是更新的神,神的泉源要流入且充滿我們疲憊困頓、無助絕望、枯竭耗盡的生命,帶來更新的改變,祂要在我們裡面湧出活水,不僅豐沛流入,也要源源流出。

我要在淨光的高處開江河,在谷中開泉源;我要使沙漠變為水池,使乾地變為湧泉。(賽41:18)

神的泉源帶出生命的救恩

以賽亞書 12:3  所以你們必從救恩的泉源歡然取水。

以賽亞書 58:11  耶和華也必時常引導你,在乾旱之地使你心滿意足,骨頭強壯。你必像澆灌的園子,又像水流不絕的泉源。

撒迦利亞書 13:1  「那日,必給大衛家和耶路撒冷的居民開一個泉源,洗除罪惡與汙穢。」

神的泉源在乾旱之地湧出,水流不絕,使我們心滿意足,骨頭強壯;洗除我們的罪惡與污穢,且在我們裡頭成為泉源,直湧到永生。

所以,我們要從救恩的泉源歡然取水。(賽12:3)

耶和華也必時常引導你,在乾旱之地使你心滿意足,骨頭強壯。你必像澆灌的園子,又像水流不絕的泉源。(賽58:11)

那日,必給大衛家和耶路撒冷的居民開一個泉源,洗除罪惡與污穢。(亞13:1)

Getting Ready for Your Royal Wedding

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Song of Songs 3:1-11.  I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Song of Songs 3:1-5 (NIV) 
1  All night long on my bed I looked for the one my heart loves; I looked for him but did not find him. 
2  I will get up now and go about the city, through its streets and squares; I will search for the one my heart loves. So I looked for him but did not find him. 
3  The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. “Have you seen the one my heart loves?” 
4  Scarcely had I passed them when I found the one my heart loves. I held him and would not let him go till I had brought him to my mother’s house, to the room of the one who conceived me. 
5  Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.

On verses 1-5:  All night long the girl is thinking about her boyfriend, whether consciously or in the form of a dream.  When she finds him, there is the temptation to be sexually intimate with one another (v4), but once again she reminds herself: “Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires” (v5).  The girl restrains herself and wisely tells herself to wait until after they’re married.

Don’t Awaken Love Before Its Time

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Song of Songs 2:1-17.  I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Song of Songs 2:1-2 (NIV) 
1  I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys. 
2  Like a lily among thorns is my darling among the maidens.
 
On verse 1:  Affirmed by her lover’s words, the girl who once said, “Don’t look at me” (1:6) now calls herself a rose of Sharon, which is a beautiful, though common, lily of the valleys.  In response, her lover says, “Like a lily among thorns is my darling among the maidens” (v2).  In other words, “You, common?  Nah girl.  You’re beautiful and exceptional.  There’s no one like you.”

What can we learn from this?  One of the best things you can do to love someone is to help them see that they are uniquely beautiful. 

神的泉源顯明豐足的應許

詩篇 84:5-7

5 靠祢有力量,心中想往錫安大道的,這人便為有福!
6 他們經過流淚谷,叫這谷變為泉源之地,並有秋雨之福蓋滿了全谷。
7 他們行走,力上加力,各人到錫安朝見神。

神的泉源湧出山谷,流入山間,走獸有水喝,野驢得解渴,飛鳥宿水旁,地得豐足。嚮往錫安朝見神的人,他們行走,力上加力,流淚谷成為泉源之地,秋雨之福蓋滿了全谷。

讓我們歌唱,跳舞…我的泉源都在你裡面。(詩87:7)

靠祢有力量、心中想往錫安大道的,這人便為有福!他們經過流淚谷,叫這谷變為泉源之地;並有秋雨之福蓋滿了全谷。他們行走,力上加力,各人到錫安朝見神。(詩84:5-7)

所見的是暫時的

哥林多後書 4:18  原來我們不是顧念所見的,乃是顧念所不見的,因為所見的是暫時的,所不見的是永遠的。

羅馬書 8:24-25   我們得救是在乎盼望。只是所見的盼望不是盼望。誰還盼望他所見的呢? 25 但我們若盼望那所不見的,就必忍耐等候。

所見的是暫時的,所不見的是永遠的;若盼望那所不見的,就必忍耐等候

人類長久習慣使用傳統能源:煤炭、石油、天然氣、鈾,它們看得見、摸得著、抓得住,但它們是有限的;雖然它們帶來各式能量的供應,但也造成嚴重的環境影響。

最近努力開發的再生能源:陽光(採光)、風力(捕風)、水力(截流)、地熱(取熱),它們看不見、摸不著、抓不住,但它們卻是無限的;它們來自自然環境源源不絕的能量供應,也減少環境污染效應。

能源的使用似乎和我們信仰的追求有異曲同工之妙,我們需要顧念所不見的,所不見的是永遠的;若盼望那所不見的,就必忍耐等候。

3 Reasons We Can Feel Insecure

Hi GAMErs,

Today we begin the book called Song of Songs.  Here is some background info that you may find helpful:

– This book was most likely written by King Solomon or a musician in Solomon’s court in approximately 970 B.C.

– According to 1 Kings 4:32, Solomon wrote over 3,000 proverbs and 1,005 songs.  However, this is the only song of Solomon’s that made it into the Bible.

– Over the centuries, Song of Songs has been known as one of the most difficult books in the Bible to interpret.  For this reason it is no surprise that this book has been interpreted to mean so many different things: an allegory of God’s love for Israel, a picture of Christ’s love for the church, a script for a Jewish stage production, and a historical account of a real life romance in Solomon’s life, among other theories.  However, it may be best to treat this book mainly as an intimate love song between two lovers that celebrates (and also teaches some important lessons about) romantic love and marriage.

Today’s passage is Song of Songs 1:1-17.  I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

It’s Not How You Start. It’s How You Finish

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is John 21:15-25.  I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

John 21:15-17 (NIV)
15  When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
16  Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
17  The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.

On verses 15-17:  Peter’s most shameful moment was when he verbally denied Jesus three times (see John 18).  So it is not a coincidence here that Jesus restores Peter by having Peter verbally affirm his love and commitment to Jesus three times.

神聚集祂的兒女

詩篇 87:5-7

5 論到錫安,必說:「這一個那一個都生在其中。」而且至高者必親自堅立這城。
6 當耶和華記錄萬民的時候,他要點出:「這一個生在那裡。」(細拉)
7 歌唱的、跳舞的都要說:「我的泉源都在祢裡面!」

神聚集祂的兒女,像母雞把小雞聚集在翅膀蔭下

神像母親一樣,經常點出祂的兒女,這一個、那一個都生在錫安(神的國);

神像母親一樣,不忘記祂吃奶的嬰孩,常將祂的兒女銘刻在掌上,他們的牆垣(保護)常在祂眼前。

神如母親一樣,殷切企盼等候回家的兒女。

論到錫安,必說:這一個、那一個都生在其中,而且至高者必親自堅立這城。(七十士譯本:論到錫安,人要稱它為母親;人人都生在其中,至高者必親自堅立它。)

當耶和華記錄萬民的時候,他要點出這一個生在那裡。