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God Wants to Build His Church Through You

2019-02-28 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

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

1 Kings 5:3-5 (NIV) 
3 “You know that because of the wars waged against my father David from all sides, he could not build a temple for the Name of the LORD his God until the LORD put his enemies under his feet. 
4 But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or disaster. 
5 I intend, therefore, to build a temple for the Name of the LORD my God, as the LORD told my father David, when he said, ‘Your son whom I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for my Name.’ 

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.

你跟從我吧！

2019-02-28 in /by

馬太福音8: 18-22_你跟從我吧！

18 耶穌見許多人圍著他，就吩咐渡到那邊去。 19 有一個文士來對他說：「夫子，你無論往哪裡去，我要跟從你。」 20 耶穌說：「狐狸有洞，天空的飛鳥有窩，人子卻沒有枕頭的地方。」 21 又有一個門徒對耶穌說：「主啊，容我先回去埋葬我的父親。」 22 耶穌說：「任憑死人埋葬他們的死人，你跟從我吧！」

跟從，英文是follow, 也有跟隨，跟著的意思。當你要跟從一個人的時候，你會有怎樣的選擇和決定呢？大陸有個相親(或新相親)的節目，當女方或男方決定要跟一個人走之前，都要問清楚對方的愛好、家庭、事業，等等，刨底得差不多了，再問幾個問題讓自己安心，才會跟著心儀的人走。有很多男性在表白時，說自己很會煮飯作菜，會一心一意愛未來的伴侶，還要讓雙方父母表白一下，讓女方可以放心地跟隨。總之，就是保證會把她當女兒，會寵她愛她，等等。當你選擇工作時，有可能無法選擇你的上司，但是一旦被錄取，你就得跟隨上司的要求去做事，再無理的要求也得去做。有一位朋友很性格，在考慮要不要當博士生時，認為當博士生都被教授當作工人，所以後來他放棄了。

How to Be Amazed at What God Does In and Through Your Life

2019-02-27 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

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

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 honor “so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings” (v13).

The rest of 1 Kings 3 and all of 1 Kings 4 show God fulfilling His promises to Solomon.  1 Kings 4:20-28 speak of the great prosperity that Solomon and his people enjoyed.  Verses 29 to 34 speak of the unparalleled “wisdom and very great insight, and breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore” (v.29) that God gave Solomon.

耶穌醫治彼得岳母

2019-02-26 in /by

馬太福音8: 14-17_耶穌醫治彼得岳母

14 耶穌到了彼得家裡，見彼得的岳母害熱病躺著。 15 耶穌把她的手一摸，熱就退了。她就起來，服侍耶穌。 16 到了晚上，有人帶著許多被鬼附的來到耶穌跟前，他只用一句話就把鬼都趕出去，並且治好了一切有病的人。 17 這是要應驗先知以賽亞的話說：「他代替我們的軟弱，擔當我們的疾病。」

從前猶太人的家和華人的家庭結構很相似，多是男主外女主內，因此主持中饋一般是母親大人負責。一旦母親病倒了，家裡就會好像停擺了一樣。根據馬可、路加和馬太的記載，當耶穌在一個安息日從迦百農的會堂趕鬼出來後，便跟著雅各、約翰，進了西門和安得烈的家，沒想到彼得的岳母在家裡發高燒，躺著不能起來。

耶穌知道之後，便上前摸她的手，熱就退了。當我們當中若有人感冒，我們最先想到的就是敬而遠之，大家都怕被傳染。耶穌既然可以用一句話就讓百夫長不在場的僕人病癒，祂當然也可以用一句話讓彼得的岳母退燒，祂根本可以不用靠近她，萬一被傳染怎麼辦？

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.