Wednesday, 7 April 2021
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One V1-5 Not Valuing Identity from God
David was a popular person, often this kind of people will also be around our lives, popular and capable. Jonathan was the son of the king and one of the only two people in the nation that held a sword. But Jonathan had a soul tie with David, he wanted to please David, so he gave him his sword, his robe, his belt and his bow. Jonathan did not honour his authority and did not treasure his identity as the prince.
Every position we have on the world is from God. God gave Jonathan this royal position, but he did not treasure it. He wanted to please David, but it costed his life.
Section Two V6-16 Not Valuing Authority from God
The people came out to welcome Saul, but they saw David with the head of Goliath. Therefore, they sang the songs to praise David instead of praising the king. We should always honour the leader, no matter who did what, the authority is always the one, who should be honoured first. It was not yet David’s time, even the enemy saw him as a small child. But David wanted to use his gifts to prove himself.
It was just like Joseph, who talked to his father and brothers about his dream, which offended them and led to his hardship. At the end he walked a long journey to come back to the right path to save his family. With Moses, when he was young, he wanted to fight for justice, be ended up going to the wilderness for 40 years before being called by God. Only our Lord Jesus Christ, who was willing to humble Himself and waited for God’s timing.
David was unwilling to wait for his time to come, he tried to show and prove his ability that made the people in the city despise the king. Do we honour our authority? Don’t compare our authority with others, but to support them because all authorities are from God. Saul was hurt and angry by the words of people, therefore David was also being mistreated.
A leader represents the whole army, so do not try to lift up anyone more than the leader, but to honour our leader, who represents all of us. We should not challenge the bottom line of our authority, may the Holy Spirit examine us, don’t let us be the troublemakers but to be the blessings to our authority.
Saul also did not value his authority. He knew God had left him, but if he could quiet down himself and focus on what he should do, he could have still walked in God’s destined position. God chose Saul to fight the Philistines, therefore even if he was not the king, he could still live out God’s Will in his life!
Saul didn’t see how God has blessed him with David, but chose to walk in his flesh. He used every way to send David away from him. Why did the people like to follow David? Because David let them follow him everywhere. The further away Saul sent David, the closer David’s relationship is with people following him.
God gives us capable men around us to help us, not for us to send away. But often when we become jealous of someone or having difficulty with them, we want to make every excuse to send them away. Saul did not value the authority God gave him but used it to send away David.
Section Three V17-30 Not Value Inheritance from God
Saul wanted to kill David with the hands of the Philistines. So he told David to fight the Philistines so he could be his son-in-law. But David disregarded himself and despised his own family. David wanted to prove himself in front of Saul, because he was despised in his family, by his father and brothers.
We should always honour our parents, why do people despise us? Because we despise our own family in front of people. Honouring our parents doesn’t mean we completely agree with them, but to honour the position God gives to them on the world.
Saul tried to attract David with all the good things he can offer. We should not try to control the people around us but be willing to let go and not to be afraid.
Saul asked David to kill 100 but he killed 200 Philistines because he wanted to receive the praise from Saul. Inside of David, he had an orphan spirit, an inner vow and disbelief that everything he could do was from God. It’s easy for us to see the problems of this world, of our family and of our authority, but don’t see the God, who rules and reigns behind everything.
When something displeases us, we would do or say things that devalue the special identity God gives to us: as a parent, as a family member, as a church, as a leader, let us value what God has given to us and wait for His perfect timing!
*Prayer & Pursuit
Lord, forgive us, we’ve wronged our authority, we’ve wronged our family, and we’ve wronged You, help us to turn back and be willing to come before You, let Your blood cover us and forgive our sin of wilfulness. We hurt others and ourselves with our words and actions, forgive us, Lord, for living in this lie. Help us to come before Your mercy seat, and let Your blood cover us.
You created us with Your Image, help us to value how You made us to be and what You gave us. Break every inner vow within us and restore to what You’ve created us in the beginning. Amen.
2021年4月7日 星期三
-潘锡安牧师-
撒母耳记上 18
一个国度的灭亡
在上一章（17章）最后大卫回答扫罗，他的话语产生深远的影响。我们是否注意自己的话语有很大的影响力呢？
一、没有看重自己的身份（v.1-5)
大卫作为一个军长，是一个很受欢迎的人。约拿单是扫罗王的儿子，唯有他和扫罗有兵器。但约拿单的心（原文是”魂”）与大卫是“深相契合”的 （v.1），也就是“魂结”。他将自己的东西都给了大卫，尝试取悦大卫，却没有看重神给他的身份，也没有尊荣他在地上的权柄，最后的结局也很令人叹息。我们是否也是这样轻看神给我们的位分而看重与人的魂结？
二、没有看重神给的权柄（v.6-16)
V6-7 妇女们本来是要来“迎接扫罗王”，但因为看见大卫带着歌利亚的头进来，就赞美大卫。在一个军队中，无论各人战绩如何，最大的尊荣都应该归给统帅。虽然大卫确实行了比扫罗厉害的事（17章），但是大卫的时间还没到 – 这就好像当初雅各的儿子约瑟在年轻的时候太着急在父母和哥哥面前表现自己，遭致被卖，经历牢狱之灾才受重用；摩西当年也是尝试用自己的血气去为人打抱不平，直到在旷野中逃亡40年变得“拙口笨舌”的时候才被神呼召；大卫在时刻未到的时候就锋芒毕露，尝试用自己的恩赐证明自己。他们都没有像主耶稣这样谦卑等待。那些赞美大卫的妇女也没有尊荣扫罗，正如丈夫也不当在妻子面前赞美其他女人。我们是否能尊荣我们的权柄，在言语中不将他们与其他人比较？
V8-11 这些妇女的赞美没有给大卫带来祝福，反而让他们的领袖扫罗受伤，也让大卫面临危险。我们要勒紧我们的舌头，在团队中说合宜的话，用我们的恩赐支持我们的权柄，因为他们是神赐下带领我们团队的。求圣灵鉴察我们，是否在言行中挑战我们权柄的底线，反而给团队带来伤害？
V12 扫罗也没有看重神给的权柄。虽然耶和华神已经告知他的王位会给别人，神也离开他，但他要带领以色列击败非利士人的使命并未挪去。我们是否只是重视我们的头衔而没有看重神给我们使命？扫罗如今有大卫这样一员猛将帮助成就神在自己身上的命定，他没有感恩，反而惧怕，甚是可惜。
V13-14 扫罗让大卫离开自己，于是大卫领兵出入，牧养他下面的人，所以众人越来越喜欢他。神赐下有恩膏的人，让他们用自己的恩赐服在权柄之下，完成神给他们权柄的异象、使命，不是因为嫉妒或彼此不和而把他们推出去自己打江山。扫罗尝试用自己的努力来巩固他的地位，却忘了当初是神将他从卑微的地方拣选出来。求神帮助我们谦卑，看到我们所得到的一切都是神给我们的恩典，也让我们所说的话都是能够帮助我们权柄的。
三、没有看重神给我们的产业（v.17-30)
扫罗将他的女儿当作一个工具，用来引诱大卫被非利士人杀死。恐惧会让我们看不到祝福，反而让我们用自己的力量来保护自己。扫罗因着惧怕，连神给他的孩子都不看重，连续两次用他的女儿去陷害大卫。 我们是否因为想要操控我们周围的人、因为害怕而不能放手？
大卫对扫罗的回答过分卑微，轻看自己的父家，没有看重自己父亲耶西的身份。他从小就不被家人重视，所以尝试在扫罗面前表现自己。我们可以看低自己，但是不应当看低我们的父家。我们可以不认同他们的做法，但要学会尊荣神给我们在地上的权柄。大卫的亚杜兰洞，摩西的旷野，约瑟的监牢，这些人都为他们的年轻气盛负上沉重的代价，我们是否一定要经过这些艰难才认识神？
大卫嘴里说自己是贫穷谦卑，但他心里非常看重从人来的奖赏和称赞，知道自己的能力可以为他得到这一切。他杀了200非利士人，双倍于扫罗的要求，荣耀了自己。其实他里面因着原生家庭的经历仍然有一个贫穷和孤儿的灵，他的内在誓言让他不相信神给自己的家是好的。我们若不相信神给我们位分，看见的都是我们自己的家人的问题，随情欲说话行事，没有感恩、看重神所赐给我们的家人和身份，神的祝福就会离开。
*回应祷告：
主耶稣，我们谦卑来到你面前。我们得罪自己、得罪神、得罪人、得罪我们的权柄。求圣灵来到我们当中，让我们有谦卑受教的耳，鉴察自己的生命，能够回转过来，求神饶恕我们，治死我们任意妄为的罪。我们放纵我们的情欲，让我们的老我任意发泄出来，伤害自己、别人、让圣灵担忧。我们这样是苦的，让我们勇敢来到主你的施恩宝座前，求怜悯、恩典，让耶稣基督在十字架上宝血涂抹遮盖我们。神你按着自己的形象创造我们，都是好的，我们不是向着自己而是向着神的，我们借着耶稣的宝血攻破一切内在誓言，不再靠着自己而活。奉耶稣基督的名，拿起圣灵的宝剑，破除、砍断我们里面一切谎言，让我们拥有神一切的美好，让我们的舌头释放祝福和建造的话语。求神继续医治我们。