Friday, 1st January 2021
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
We are the first church in the world that have morning prayer on the first day of 2021, this really encourages us. We must declare that in this new year, we want to rely on the Holy Spirit to lead us to walk in God’s Grace.
Section One V1-3 God Listens to the Cry of People
The Israelites forgot about God in the leadership of Ehud, therefore, God raised up the foreigners to oppress them. This is the pattern of the Israelites. The suffering lasted for twenty years, as if the days of oppression were getting longer and longer. So the Israelites cried out to God.
Section Two V4-10 God Raises the Humble
After the Israelites sinned, different judges were raised up by the Lord. This time too, God raised up a married woman Deborah. During the time, married women were not favored among the Israelites. God did this in order for us to follow Him. Only by following God can there be hope.
Barak’s response seemed to be loyal to Deborah, but he did not believe Deborah’s words. Do we believe and follow what our authority says to us? Or do we want to follow our own way? We often use our own methods to deal with problems, but we don’t glorify God, but only show people our own glory. When our authority calls us, do we have the confidence to respond? Or do you feel that authority is not good enough, and just want to act in a way that we feel safe in?
Section Three V11-24 God Glorifies the Humble
Deborah agreed to go with Barak, but Barak would not receive the glory. God wants us to be glorified, but when we choose our own methods, we will not be glorified. When Barak chose not to listen or believe it, not only was he not glorified, but he also allowed the enemy to be handed over to another woman. This is human weakness. When we do not believe in authority, it is us who suffer. This is also the pattern of the Israelites. They did not receive good shepherding at the time, just like when Moses judged the Israelites alone, which led to excessive ministry. When people are unwilling to follow humbly, God raises up the humblest to be glorified. Barak’s name is “Thunderbolt” and he is capable, but because of his pride, he is unwilling to listen to the words of authority, and only wants to use his own way, and he will not get the glory of the battle.
The Israelites have no weapons. They look at the enemy’s 900 vehicles, like a tortoise being attacked, so they retract their heads and cannot attack them. God loves us, and God prepares it for us. When God was with the Israelites, the enemy Sisera’s army was defeated.
Sisera’s army, “no one left.” Jehovah fights for us and wins total victory. When God takes action and man responds, our enemy will be destroyed. Listen clearly to what authority is telling us, instead of dealing with problems in life with a doing mentality, this will not bring out life, and will only make people think that you are a bad person.
Glory to a woman, God sees us not like the world and sees us as small, God seeks whoever he wants to find, and gives to whoever he wants to give. Jael did not hear Deborah’s words, but she was willing to serve, and God looked for the humble people. When I was humble, I heard the voice of God, and I knew Sisera’s problem. When she met Sisera, she planned step by step until she killed him. Are we willing to obey? When God calls us are we will to respond?
This story once again inspired the Israelites. In 2020, God continued to give us opportunities to respond to Him. Are we willing to let go of our own impossibility? In the new year 2021, have we prepared ourselves so that we can respond humbly to God, obey God, and be willing to be led by God? When the Israelites obeyed God’s words, they would have strength and grace, and God would give them victory. God has taught us from the beginning to be holy, to see and to listen, not to do His work in His own way, He wants us to put all of them, to be living sacrifices, to be faithful, and to become God’s loyal vessels. Are we willing? ?
2021年1月1日
士师记 4 – 神带领 必得胜
潘锡安牧师
2021年我们是全球第一个晨祷的教会，这非常激励我们。宣告在2021年新的一年，靠着圣灵我们的晨祷一路轻省地走下去，靠着神的恩典走下去。
一、v1-3, 神垂听人的呼求
以色列人在以笏所带领的太平盛世中忘记分别为圣，忘记神，神就兴起外邦人来欺压他们。这是以色列人的模式，这次受苦是二十年，好像受欺压的日子越来越久。于是以色列人呼求神，事情就发生了。
二、v4-10, 神兴起卑微的人
之前以色列人犯罪后，耶和华兴起的士师都各有不同。这次也是，他竟然兴起的是一位已婚妇女底波拉。他们是在以色列人中是不被人看中的，神如此行，为的是让我们来跟从他 ——唯有跟从神才有盼望。
V6-7，以色列人之前是没有战场上所用的武器的。神让这只“杂牌军”去攻打敌人。
V8，巴拉的回应看似对底波拉忠心，但他其实并没有相信底波拉的话。我们是否相信、跟随我们权柄跟我们说的话？还是要求他们照着我们自己的方式来做才去跟随？我们很多时候用自己的方法来处理问题，却没有彰显神，只是彰显了人自己的荣耀。当我们的权柄呼吁我们的时候，我们是否有信心来回应？还是觉得权柄讲得不够好，只想用我们自己觉得平安的方式来行事？
三、v11-24, 神使谦卑的人得荣耀
V11-23，底波拉同意与巴拉同去，但巴拉就得不到荣耀。神希望我们也得荣耀，但当我们选择自己的方法方式时，我们就得不着荣耀。当巴拉选择不听不相信的时候，不仅自己得不到荣耀，还让仇敌被交到另一个妇人手里。这是人的软弱。我们不相信权柄的时候，吃亏的是我们，这也是以色列人犯罪的pattern。他们当时没有得到好的牧养，就如当年摩西独自审判以色列人，以致过度事工。当人不愿意谦卑跟随的时候，神就兴起最卑微的人来得荣耀。巴拉的名字是“雷电”，是有能力的，但是因着他的骄傲，不愿意听权柄的话，只想用自己的方式，就得不到争战的荣耀。
V15, 以色列人是没有兵器的，他们看着仇敌拥有900辆车，就像乌龟被攻击，他们就把头缩进去，无法攻击他们。神爱我们，神预备给我们。当神与以色列人同在的时候，仇敌西西拉的军队就战败了。
V16，西西拉的军队，“没有留下一人”。耶和华为我们争战、全然得胜。当神出手，人回应，我们的敌人就全军覆灭。要听清楚权柄跟我们讲的话，不是用doing的心态来处理生活中的问题，这样带不出生命，只会让人觉得你是烂好人。
V17-23，荣耀归于一个妇人，神看我们不像世界看我们是卑微的，神要寻找谁就寻找谁，要给谁就给谁。雅亿没有听到底波拉说的话，但是她愿意服侍，神就寻找卑微的人。在卑微的时候反而听到神的声音，就知道了西西拉的问题。遇到西西拉的时候，她就一步步地谋划直到把他杀死。我们愿不愿意顺服？当神兴起我们的时候愿不愿意回应？
V24，这个故事再一次激励了以色列人。2020年神不断给我们机会回应他，我们是否愿意放下自己的不可能？在新的一年，我们有没有预备自己，让我们谦卑回应神，听从神，愿意被神带领。以色列人听从神的话，他们就有力量，恩宠，神就给他们得胜。神从开始就教导我们要分别为圣，要看要听，不是用自己的方法做他的工作，他要我们全然摆上，成为活祭，忠心摆上，成为神忠心的器皿，我们愿意吗？
回应：
感谢神，虽然我们如同以色列人一样，在恩典中忘记神的教导，陷入到仇敌的压制中，但是神仍然听我们的祷告，伸出大能的膀臂拯救我们，神的爱长阔高深。感谢神对我们讲话，借着异象、权柄跟我们说话。很多时候我们像巴拉和以色列人，不愿意听神跟我们说的话，我们听自己的话，对神没有信心，觉得自己的方式、经验、想法比较好，我们靠着自己的doing做事，没有让人看见生命中的神。帮助我们，当权柄呼召我们出来的时候，看到我们里面刚强壮胆，不要被过去的经验和意愿拉扯，愿意谦卑自己，不是靠强大的武器。神使用卑微的妇人杀死强大的敌人，当我们愿意谦卑自己的时候，神就让我们经历得胜和荣耀。新的一年，神要给我们新的恩宠，让我们的心思意念被更新。