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It Takes a Team to Run a Kingdom

2019-02-26 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Kings 4:1-19.  Let’s go!

On verses 1-19:  Here we see that King Solomon “ruled over all Israel” (v1) by delegating different parts of the kingdom to various people, whom he trusted to help him govern the kingdom well (v2-19).  What can we learn from this?

1.  When the project is too large for any one person to handle, a wise leader will delegate different responsibilities to trustworthy individuals.  As a kingdom grows, it takes not just one individual but a strong and excellent team to lead it.  What is one area of your life where it would be more effective to delegate, outsource or at least seek advice rather than you trying to figure it all out by yourself?  

這麼大的信心

2019-02-25 in /by

馬太福音8: 5-13_這麼大的信心

5 耶穌進了迦百農，有一個百夫長進前來，求他說： 6 「主啊，我的僕人害癱瘓病，躺在家裡甚是疼苦。」 7 耶穌說：「我去醫治他。」 8 百夫長回答說：「主啊，你到我舍下我不敢當，只要你說一句話，我的僕人就必好了。 9 因為我在人的權下，也有兵在我以下，對這個說『去！』他就去，對那個說『來！』他就來，對我的僕人說『你做這事！』他就去做。」

10 耶穌聽見就稀奇，對跟從的人說：「我實在告訴你們：這麼大的信心，就是在以色列中我也沒有遇見過！ 11 我又告訴你們：從東從西，將有許多人來，在天國裡與亞伯拉罕、以撒、雅各一同坐席； 12 唯有本國的子民，竟被趕到外邊黑暗裡去，在那裡必要哀哭切齒了。」 13 耶穌對百夫長說：「你回去吧！照你的信心給你成全了。」那時，他的僕人就好了。

在舊約聖經裡有很多信心的偉人，例如：亞伯拉罕、摩西、大衛、以諾、挪亞，等等；新約也有，例如眾聖徒和外邦信徒如路加醫生、亞居拉和百居拉夫婦，等等。但是外邦人又非信徒的信心偉人，這段經文裡的百夫長是第一位，也是很難得被耶穌稱讚到的一位。

When In Doubt, Bring Out Your Sword

2019-02-25 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Kings 3:16-28.  Let’s go!

On verses 16-28:  As proof that God had answered Solomon’s prayer for a wise and discerning heart, here we see Solomon displaying superior wisdom in dealing with a difficult situation where two prostitutes argue over who is the true mother of a new born baby boy.  Since neither side would budge, Solomon asks for a sword and orders that the child be cut in two.  One of the women cannot bear to see the baby boy cut in two and asks the king to give the baby to the other woman.  King Solomon rules that the surrendering woman is the real mother.

What can we learn from this?  When Solomon did not know which side to listen to, he asks for a sword.  Similarly, when you face a question where you’re not sure what the answer is, ask for a sword; that is, look to the Word of God.  Over and over the Bible is likened to a sword.  Paul calls the Word of God the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18). 

我肯，你潔淨了吧！

2019-02-24 in /by

馬太福音8: 1-4_我肯，你潔淨了吧！

耶穌下了山，有許多人跟著他。 2 有一個長大痲瘋的來拜他，說：「主若肯，必能叫我潔淨了。」 3 耶穌伸手摸他，說：「我肯，你潔淨了吧！」他的大痲瘋立刻就潔淨了。 4 耶穌對他說：「你切不可告訴人，只要去把身體給祭司察看，獻上摩西所吩咐的禮物，對眾人做證據。」

猶太人當時所謂的大痲瘋，就是一種會傳染的皮膚病，所以猶太人也從神的教導裡學到了對隔離的認知。一旦有人被認定有了大痲瘋，他就不能再住在猶太人的社區裡，要獨自去隔離的地方和有同樣問題的人住在一起。當他們看見有人走過來時，就要大喊：「不潔淨了，不潔淨了!」警告人們不要靠近，免得被傳染。所以一旦患上大痲瘋，就注定了我們所謂的，一生的漂泊。這種漂泊一點也不浪漫，是很孤獨悲傷的。

所以當耶穌講完登山寶訓後下山時，有許多人跟著祂，這個長大痲瘋的人竟敢跑到耶穌跟前，表示他帶著極大的決心而來。因為他不可以在人多的地方出現，為了趕逐他，人們可以向他丟石頭，讓他受到更大的傷害。為何他會這樣做呢？

Ask God for a Wise and Discerning Heart

2019-02-24 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Kings 3:1-15.  Let’s go!

1 Kings 3:7-9 (NIV) 
7 “Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 
8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 
9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” 

On verses 1-15:  Instead of asking for wealth or honor, Solomon asks for a wise and discerning heart so that he can govern the people of Israel (v.9).  The fact that in verse 9 Solomon says, “For who is able to govern this great people of yours?” shows that at this stage Solomon did not see the people of Israel as his own, but God’s.  

帶著權柄的教導

2019-02-23 in /by

馬太福音7: 28-29_帶著權柄的教導

28 耶穌講完了這些話，眾人都稀奇他的教訓， 29 因為他教訓他們正像有權柄的人，不像他們的文士。

在今年的2月19日，有一位搭機要去昆明的乘客，為求保平安，在登機過程中把兩枚一元硬幣扔向機身方向。結果真的很平安，因為飛機不能起飛了。工作人員在繞機檢查時在左發動機區域附近發現兩枚硬幣，為防有硬幣落進發動機，只好停航檢查幾個小時。在去年也有一位80歲的老婦在飛往廣州之前，朝著飛機引擎狂投擲硬幣，導致引擎內裝滿了異物，必須停下重新檢察，該航班就這樣延誤了5個小時。她投硬幣的原因也是為了祈福。

在一些有水池的地方，人都可看到池底滿是硬幣，因為人都以為這樣做可以祈福保平安，但是主耶穌說什麼是福呢？虛心的人有福了！哀慟的人有福了！溫柔的人有福了！ 飢渴慕義的人有福了！真正的福氣和平安，不是到處投擲硬幣可得，乃是要在主耶穌的救恩裡才能得到。所以當耶穌講完登山寶訓時，人人都稀奇祂的教訓，因為祂的教導像有權柄的人。

Don’t Think “God Will Let Me Get Away With Anything”

2019-02-22 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Kings 2:28-46. Let’s go!

On verses 28-35:  For many years Joab was the ruthless commander of King David’s army.  Joab’s ruthlessness was never more manifest than when he unsuspectingly murdered two high ranking Israelite officials, Abner (in 2 Samuel 3) and Amasa (in 2 Samuel 20:9-10), possibly for fear that they would one day replace him.  Joab also killed Absalom, David’s son, specifically against David’s orders.  Yet for some reason David always spared Joab’s life.  David literally let Joab get away with murder.  (Why?  Some scholars believe it’s because Joab was one of the few who knew the secret that David had ordered the murder of one of his own brave soldiers, Uriah the Hittite, and that David was scared that Joab would expose him.)