Author Archive for: meiling

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 1 Kings 1:15-27.  Let’s go!

On verses 15-27:  In response to Adonijah’s actions to exalt himself as the next king, Bathsheba the mother of Solomon boldly gets into David’s presence (v15-16).  Bathsheba reminds David of his previous promise to make Solomon the next king (v17).  She explains how Adonijah has usurped the throne (v18-19), and she looks to David for an answer (v20).  Nathan enters while David and Bathsheba are talking (v22-23).  Nathan similarly lets David know about Adonijah’s actions and looks to the king for clarification on what’s going on (v24-27).
What can we learn from this?  There are three lessons I believe Holy Spirit taught me from this passage:

1. When you’re facing a tough situation, don’t declare war right away or try to solve things by yourself. 

Hi GAMErs,

Today we begin the book of 1 Kings.  1 Kings and 2 Kings together chronicle the history of Israel’s monarchs.  The books cover 400 years of history, beginning with Solomon’s ascent to the throne in place of his father David (in approximately 971 B.C.) and ending with the Babylonians’ invasion of Jerusalem and the release of Judah’s king Jehoiachin from prison (in approximately 560 B.C.)  1 Kings and 2 Kings contain some powerful life lessons and leadership insights for us today. 

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Timothy 4:9-22.  Let’s go!

On verses 9-15:  Ministry is about serving God but it’s also about working with people.  Because none of us is perfect, you and those you serve with are bound to encounter tension, disagreement and conflict from time to time.  So what should you do?  From these verses we see how a mature leader in God’s kingdom deals with hurt and conflict with fellow servants of God.  In particular here are 3 things I learn from Paul’s example:

1. In all cases, when you have been wronged by someone, you need to extend forgiveness to that person (see verse 16: “may it not be held against them”).  Forgiving that person is not just for that person’s sake. Even more, it’s for your sake, to enable you to move on and not live in the past.  Otherwise, bitterness will start to rob you of peace and poison your life.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Timothy 4:1-8.  Let’s go!

2 Timothy 4:6-7 (NIV) 
6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 

On verses 1-8:  In a very formal way where he even calls on God the Father and Jesus Christ as his witnesses (v1), Paul charges Timothy to preach the Word (v2) — that is, to preach Jesus.  He tells Timothy to preach the Word in season and out of season (i.e. whenever he can). 

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Timothy 3:10-17.  Let’s go!

2 Timothy 3:10 (NIV) 
10 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 

On verse 10:  The false teachers disturbing Timothy’s church were known for their immoral character (see verses 1-9).  In contrast, Paul sought to show Timothy what a true man of God and a true leader in God’s kingdom looks like — not just in his teaching, but in his lifestyle (“my way of life”), his character (“my…faith, patience, love, endurance”) and his ambition and his reason for living (“my purposes”).