Friday, 23rd April 2021
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One V1-2: What David Faced
David was afraid of Saul and therefore he went to Achish, the Philistine, and hide from Saul. David thought he was safe with Achish but instead, he ended up fighting his own people, the Israelites. David tried to use his own way to get rid of fear, but he didn’t find peace. When we try to do things in our own way and by our own strength, we will lose the peace inside us and walk in the opposite direction of God. Only God is our salvation and only Him can take away the fear within us.
Section Two V3-5: What Saul Faced
Saul was also in fear, because Samuel died, and he killed all the servants of God. He had to face the consequences that when the Philistines attacked the Israelites, Saul had no one to ask. Saul only saw judgement and was afraid of losing everything he had, he only saw God anointing David, but did not see God was still trying to bring him back. Without God’s anointing, Saul would never be able to gather the army of Israel and continue to be influential in front of people. Often we are like Saul, trying to seek ways to fix the problem, but we fail to see God’s favours in our lives.
Section Three V6-25: The Fall of Men
Saul went to seek the Medium because he was afraid. But it was against the laws of Moses. In the past Saul was determined to follow God, but when he faced trials he was afraid and could not see God any more. We are the same, we tend to rely on the past experience and think how much we follow God in the past, but we fail to see our life right now. Are we still following God’s Word faithfully? We need to always examine ourselves, to always seek God in morning devotions and prayers, and to stop giving ourselves excuses.
Because of fear, we would lose the light of God reflecting on our face, we will be more like a living dead without the light. Jesus was being prosecuted by the Roman Army but the Centurion still saw the light of God on Jesus. Our light should not fade away despite of our circumstances. But if we continue to live in a fearful and twisted life, what will happen? God gave Saul chances to return again and again, He even prepared a fatted calf but Saul did not use it to make a sacrifice to God.
We seek comfort from people, we want others to understand us, to listen to us and to encourage us. But this is bringing us to the dead end because we can only rely on God. The woman was preparing an unleavened bread for Saul, this was also a sign God tried to show Saul about how He delivered the Israelites out of the hands of the Egyptians. But Saul only wanted to fulfil his own flesh desires and hungers. God put authority in our lives to help us turn back to Him, but a lot of times we only saw disciplines instead of the love of God.
We are not being still under the wings of God, we seek worldly gains. Both kings of Israel, David and Saul, their lives were twisted, they wanted to take control of their own lives. May God help us that we don’t hold onto ourselves but hold onto God. There is no fear in God!
Prayer and Pursuit
Lord, we are afraid of the things and people of this world, we don’t believe in You and we don’t trust in You. We don’t believe that You can help us, instead we let our emotions take over us and we don’t rely on You. We stop believing and we stop listening. We try to hold onto our lives, our marriage relationship, our finance, and the things in our hands. We are afraid of losing what we have, but through 1 Samuel 28, You told us that fear will only bring us a twisted life. Holy Spirit come and help us to walk out of fear, so we can see as long as we believe in God, and know He is our strength, our eternal salvation. Let us live in freedom.
Lord, we come before You, and ask You to lead us just like how You led the Israelites, with the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire. Help us not to be afraid of the life of the wilderness, help us to let go and only rely on Your Rhema. Let us be built up and prepared by You in the wilderness, to enter the Promised Land. Bless us, to be strong and courageous in You, to be willing to surrender to You. Thank You for Your Word and Your guidance. Amen.
2021年4月23日 星期五
-潘锡安牧师-
撒母耳记上 28
害怕所带来的扭曲
在27章和28章中我们看到大卫和扫罗虽然都是神所拣选给以色列的王，但他们在面对“害怕”的时候有不一样的反应。主耶稣受的刑罚给我们带来平安 – 也就是害怕的反面。我们害怕，是因为不愿意放手，怕神做得不够。
一、大卫所面对的（v.1-2)
大卫因为害怕，跑去非利士人亚吉那里躲避扫罗，以为靠自己的力量可以安全。结果，两军交战的时候，亚吉要大卫跟着他一起攻打以色列人。大卫以为在害怕中做出的决定是平安的，其实没有效果，反而要面对这个选择所带来的恶果。
二、扫罗要面对的（v.3-5 )
撒母耳死了，扫罗也将神的仆人全部杀死，如今面对非利士人，找不到祭司可以为他求问神。扫罗做这一系列的事，都因为他惧怕。他看到的只是被神审判、失去王位，却没有看到神之前一直在给他机会回转。虽然神说要另立新王，但并没有拿去扫罗可以召聚以色列军兵的能力。扫罗不相信那位可以用云柱火柱带领、供应以色列的神，他只想要用自己的方法去解决问题。
三、人的堕落（v.6-25 )
V6-7 扫罗当初不想听神仆人的话，把祭司们都杀死，因为他不觉得神爱他，只觉得神借着仆人在挑他的错误。现在他面对敌军，心里惧怕，找不到任何神的指示，就开始找人交鬼，行出明显违反摩西律法的事，这也是扫罗过去曾经明文禁止的。我们过去可能也说要专心跟从神，但现在是否不改初心？我们不能沉醉在过去，以为凭自己过去的经验就可以得胜，而是要时常鉴察自己，不要给自己的软弱借口。
V8-20 人在害怕中，就会自己做决定。扫罗违反律法招撒母耳上来，而撒母耳所说的都只是神跟他说的。扫罗看重的只是头衔，以为找到先知就可以知道怎么对付敌人，但他忘了神是忌邪的神。他招上来的其实不是“神”而是 spirit – 是从地里上来的“灵”。扫罗因为害怕而扭曲，失去判断力，觉得这个灵是神人。结果这个灵给他说的话反而让扫罗更加惧怕，以致扑倒。一个不属神的人活在惧怕中，结果是“一昼一夜。。。毫无气力”。我们在惧怕中会变成好像活死人，失去作光作盐的身份。耶稣在十字架上被百般折磨，然而军兵看着他仍然承认他是神的儿子。我们若在神同在中，无论光景如何，都能活出神的荣光；若在惧怕、自我掌控、混乱和扭曲中，我们会变得失去神的荣光，变得“毫无气力”。
V24 这个肥牛犊过去是用来献赎罪祭的，然而妇人只是拿来给扫罗吃了。我们周围的人给我们的只是我们想要的东西吗，还是能帮助我们认罪悔改、进入神的同在？我们本性都是喜欢人来明白、安慰我们，但真理是我们要单单倚靠神。妇人做的无酵饼 是神借此提醒扫罗当年神如何拯救以色列人出埃及。神给扫罗机会，但扫罗只想要这个饼来充饥。神将我们的权柄放在我们身边也是能提醒我们，我们是否珍惜这些被教导、成长的机会？扫罗最后一败涂地，因为他一直在寻找属血气的满足。我们是否也像他也是这样不愿安静在神的膀臂下而只是寻求自己得着满足？
大卫和扫罗这两个王在害怕中想用自己的方式紧紧抓住自己觉得可以掌控的东西，但我们单单要寻求的是神在我们身边，有神同在我们就不惧怕。
*追求：
我们因为惧怕，我们没有依靠你，我们想要掌控。在伤害中我们不相信神能够，我们想用自己的能力去掌控，只求安心。我们想掌控我们的心、夫妻关系、经济。我们害怕，就想要掌控我们所有的，不要过没有安全感的生活。我们害怕没有人爱我们，害怕失去，因为不信神。神借着第28章跟我们说，害怕给我们的是扭曲，是毫无气力。神来到我们当中帮助我们走出害怕，让我们看见，只要我们相信神，知道神是我们的力量，是我们永远的拯救，相信神是大有能力的。让我们一起来祷告，将自己担心害怕、无法放下的一切都交给神，活在神的平安中，回转归向神。
圣灵我们来到你面前，求你像当初带以色列人在旷野中，白天用云柱夜晚用火柱带领我们，让我们不害怕旷野，完全放手，单单靠着主的灵粮，被主塑造，进入应许之地。祝福弟兄姐妹，靠着主我们刚强壮胆，放下一切属情欲的，走出黑暗、害怕和扭曲。祝福我们每一个都能得到从主而来的平安，得到耶稣基督复活的生命。谢谢主今天的亮光、话语、带领。