Seek God’s Kingdom First

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Kings 7:1-51.  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! 

1 Kings 7:1-12 (NIV)
1  It took Solomon thirteen years, however, to complete the construction of his palace.
2  He built the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon a hundred cubits long, fifty wide and thirty high, with four rows of cedar columns supporting trimmed cedar beams.
3  It was roofed with cedar above the beams that rested on the columns–forty-five beams, fifteen to a row.

On verses 1-12:  Whereas it took Solomon 7 years to complete the construction of the temple, it took him 13 years to complete the construction of his own palace.  What does that tell us?  One theory is that at this time in Solomon’s life, the kingdom of God was more important than his own kingdom.  So when it came to deciding which should take priority — God’s temple or Solomon’s palace — Solomon chose to work first on God’s temple.

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撇下與跟從

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馬可福音10章17-22節描述一個人來求問耶穌如何才能承受永生？耶穌提到要曉得誡命：不可殺人；不可姦淫；不可偷盜；不可作假見證；不可虧負人；當孝敬父母（這些是十誡律法後半段關於人與人間需要遵守的誡命）。

那人興奮的回答：「夫子，這一切我從小都遵守了。」相信我們周邊許多規規矩矩生活的人，若評價自己，應該也不遑多讓，得永生似乎應該不難。然而耶穌看著他，就愛他，對他說：「你還缺少一件：去變賣你所有的，分給窮人，就必有財寶在天上；你還要來跟從我。」

「耶穌愛他」是四福音書中少見的描述，看來耶穌喜愛這人的品格表現；接著，耶穌提醒他還缺少一件，就是撇下他所有的，來跟從耶穌。他聽見這話，臉上就變了色，憂憂愁愁地走了，因為他的產業很多。

耶穌將「撇下」和「跟從」視為同一件要求，「撇下」轄制我們的權勢，才能「跟從」恩賜永生的耶穌，沒有「撇下」所有的，就談不上「跟從」；那人產業很多，憂愁失去產業而無法跟從耶穌。

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和耶穌說話

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路加福音24:13-36   

13 正當那日，門徒中有兩個人往一個村子去。這村子名叫以馬忤斯，離耶路撒冷約有二十五裡。 14 他們彼此談論所遇見的這一切事。 15 正談論相問的時候，耶穌親自就近他們，和他們同行， 16 只是他們的眼睛迷糊了，不認識他。 17 耶穌對他們說：「你們走路彼此談論的是什麼事呢？」他們就站住，臉上帶著愁容。 18 二人中有一個名叫革流巴的回答說：「你在耶路撒冷作客，還不知道這幾天在那裡所出的事嗎？」

28 將近他們所去的村子，耶穌好像還要往前行， 29 他們卻強留他，說：「時候晚了，日頭已經平西了，請你同我們住下吧！」耶穌就進去，要同他們住下。 30 到了坐席的時候，耶穌拿起餅來，祝謝了，掰開，遞給他們。 31 他們的眼睛明亮了，這才認出他來。忽然耶穌不見了。 32 他們彼此說：「在路上他和我們說話，給我們講解聖經的時候，我們的心豈不是火熱的嗎？」 33 他們就立時起身，回耶路撒冷去。正遇見十一個使徒和他們的同人聚集在一處， 34 說：「主果然復活，已經現給西門看了。」 35 兩個人就把路上所遇見和掰餅的時候怎麼被他們認出來的事，都述說了一遍。

36 正說這話的時候，耶穌親自站在他們當中，說：「願你們平安！」

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The Work God Is Doing In You

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Kings 6:1-38.  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! 

1 Kings 6:1-10 (NIV)
1  In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites had come out of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month, he began to build the temple of the LORD.
2  The temple that King Solomon built for the LORD was sixty cubits long, twenty wide and thirty high.
3  The portico at the front of the main hall of the temple extended the width of the temple, that is twenty cubits, and projected ten cubits from the front of the temple.

On verses 1-10:  In verses 1 through 10 Solomon gets busy building the temple. Interestingly, according to verse 7, Solomon went to great lengths to make sure that the sound of construction tools could be not heard at the temple site.  He did this by moulding, shaping and dressing all the building blocks for the temple off-site. 

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祢說

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耶和華啊，人算甚麼，祢竟認識他！世人算甚麼，祢竟顧念他！人好像一口氣；他的年日如同影兒快快過去。（詩篇144:3-4）

我持續不斷與內心的聲音對抗，那個一直說我不夠完美的聲音，一個又一個的謊言，控訴我永遠不能達到標準。

我所經過的高山低谷，是否就是人生的全部？

請再次提醒我，我是誰？因為我需要知道。

當我感到一無是處，祢說我是被愛的；當我感到軟弱，祢說我是剛強；當我正在跌落，祢說祢托住我；當我找不到歸屬，祢說我是祢的。

所以我相信，我要相信，祢所對我說的話，我願意相信。

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God Wants to Use You to Build His Church

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Kings 5:1-18.  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! 

1 Kings 5:1-5 (NIV)
1  When Hiram king of Tyre heard that Solomon had been anointed king to succeed his father David, he sent his envoys to Solomon, because he had always been on friendly terms with David.
2  Solomon sent back this message to Hiram:

On verses 1-5:  In these verses King Solomon communicates with King Hiram of Tyre, a long time ally of his father David.  King Solomon discloses to King Hiram his ambition to build a temple where people can worship the Lord.  Solomon notes that this was also his father David’s desire, but David was not able to build the temple because he was always fighting the enemies surrounding him.

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如同麻雀

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麻雀不種，不收，不積蓄，但牠會尋找，因此尋得神的供應。

「你們尋求我，若專心尋求我，就必尋見。」（耶利米書29:13）

耶穌提醒我們：「…不要為生命憂慮吃甚麼，喝甚麼；為身體憂慮穿甚麼。生命不勝於飲食嗎？身體不勝於衣裳嗎？你們看那天上的飛鳥，也不種，也不收，也不積蓄在倉裡，你們的天父尚且養活牠。你們不比飛鳥貴重得多嗎？你們哪一個能用思慮使壽數多加一刻呢？…你們要先求他的國和他的義，這些東西都要加給你們了。所以，不要為明天憂慮，因為明天自有明天的憂慮；一天的難處一天當就夠了。」（馬太福音6:25-34）

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When You Ask God For Wisdom, God Answers

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Kings 4:20-34.  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! 

1 Kings 4:20-34 (NIV)
20  The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore; they ate, they drank and they were happy.
21  And Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. These countries brought tribute and were Solomon’s subjects all his life.

On verses 20-34:  Previously in 1 Kings 3:4-15, Solomon asked the Lord for a wise and discerning heart so that he could govern the nation of Israel for God’s glory.  In response to Solomon’s request, God promised that He would not only give Solomon a wise and discerning heart, but also unparalleled riches and honour “so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings” (v13).

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