You’re Blessed Because Someone Went Ahead Of You

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Kings 15:1-8.  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 15:1-8 (NIV)
1  In the eighteenth year of the reign of Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijah became king of Judah,
2  and he reigned in Jerusalem three years. His mother’s name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom.
3  He committed all the sins his father had done before him; his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his forefather had been.

On verses 1-8:  Here we read about Abijah son of Rehoboam and his 3 year reign as king of Judah.  The writer of 1 Kings saw little that was noteworthy about Abijah’s reign other than the fact that he committed all the same sins his father Rehoboam committed (v3).  In fact the only reason God allowed Abijah to continue reigning as king was for his great grandfather David’s sake (v4), because David had followed the Lord.  Because David obeyed, his great grandson Abijah was blessed long after David was gone.

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是谁偷走我的快乐？

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诗篇16:8-11  我将耶和华常摆在我面前，因祂在我右边，我便不致摇动。因此，我的心欢喜，我的灵快乐；我的肉身也要安然居住。…祢必将生命的道路指示我。在祢面前有满足的喜乐；在祢右手中有永远的福乐。

畅销作家约翰·伊佐(John Izzo)在西班牙朝圣之路的旅程中，发现快乐曾经是人类最自然、容易的一件事，但为何现在费尽心思却不一定能得到？于是，他写下「是谁偷走我的快乐？(The Five Thieves of Happiness)」这本书。这五个偷走快乐的小偷分别是：

第一个名叫「控制」：认为事情必须按照自己的期望走，不愿意单纯接受当下现实，试图控制，汲汲营营，不愿放手，无法真实地活在当下。「控制」偷走我们「交托给神」的心。

第二个名叫「自负」：以自我为中心，认为只有自己最重要，满足自我欲望的同时，反而制造更多不平等和对立。「自负」偷走我们「与人分享」的心。

第三个名叫「觊觎」：认为事事要比别人好，内心不断比较、嫉妒和不满，也失去对自己的认同与肯定。「觊觎」偷走我们「凡事谢恩」的心。

第四个名叫「消费」：骗人如果拥有某物，就会得着快乐，驱使不断追求消费，但却是消耗自己的内心。「消费」偷走我们「知足喜乐」的心。

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The Dangers of Worshiping an Idol

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Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Kings 14:21-31.  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 14:21-31 (NIV)
21  Rehoboam son of Solomon was king in Judah. He was forty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel in which to put his Name. His mother’s name was Naamah; she was an Ammonite.
22  Judah did evil in the eyes of the LORD. By the sins they committed they stirred up his jealous anger more than their fathers had done.

On verses 21-31:  These verses summarize the 17 year reign of Rehoboam, David’s grandson and Solomon’s son, over the tribe of Judah.  Judah (together with Benjamin) was the one tribe out of the tribes of Israel that the Lord did not tear away from the house of David.  While Rehoboam ruled over Judah, Judah did evil in the eyes of the Lord by worshiping idols (v22).

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柔和谦卑

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马太福音11:28-29   耶稣说：「…凡劳苦担重担的人可以到我这里来，我就使你们得安息。我心里柔和谦卑，你们当负我的轭，学我的样式；这样，你们心里就必得享安息。因为我的轭是容易的，我的担子是轻省的。」

新约希腊文「温柔」的词意是温柔、谦卑、体谅、柔和、友好，耶稣是个代表人物，祂心里柔和（与希腊文「温柔」同字）谦卑（低下的、不显著的、无名的）；保罗在歌罗西书勉励神的选民，要存怜悯、恩慈、谦虚、温柔、忍耐的心，也归结于「温柔」一词。

耶稣时代的拉比惯用「律法的轭」来要求跟随者「顺服」律法的典章。耶稣所说的「轭」，代表着「顺服」的意思，耶稣教导我们顺服神是容易的轭、轻省的担，顺服神也让我们得享从神赐下的安息。

在争竞掠夺的社会环境里，信主的人当学习耶稣的样式，心里柔和谦卑，顺服神的旨意（容易的轭、轻省的担），因此我们得享安息。

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