Wednesday, 4th January 2023
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One V1-10 Men Cry Out to God when they were Greatly Impoverished
In this dark time, God wants us to arise and shine, because staying in darkness can never help us to fulfil the purposes God created us to be. No one wants to stay in the darkness forever, but we often feel more comfortable in the darkness than coming to the light. We must arise and shine for God now, do not wait until the troubles come to us then we cry out to God.
The Israelites departed from God, they did wicked things in God’s eyes, and therefore the enemies came to attack and oppress them. The Israelites were stubborn, they did not give thanks when they had the peace in their land, and they were not alert when their enemies came. Even after the enemies attacked them, they tried to use their own ways to build strongholds and to hide in the cave. They thought they were safe, they did not cry out to God, then all their schemes and plans to defeat the enemies failed.
Don’t cry out to God when it’s too late, God will not give up on us, but when we choose the stay in the cave and stay in the darkness, then we can never see God’s light and His truth.
Section Two V11-21 Men Hid but God did not Give Up
God is always ready to come to our aid, but we need to be willing to let Him take over. He is watching over us and He knows when we do not have peace inside our hearts. God is waiting for us to respond, He wants to have partnership with us, He does not give up on us. Even when we failed and rejected God, He still called us and encouraged us to get up. Stop hiding in our caves and start seeing God is already working.
Gideon saw everything happened around him, but he did not see what God wanted him to see. He had little faith and he doubted God. Gideon tried to face the problems in front of him by his own strength and he did not believe God could help him. He was hiding from God and hiding in his own cave. A lot of time, we would think that God is not with us on the same page, it’s not because God does not know us, but it’s because we are not willing to work with God, we tend to stay in our own miseries and try to work our way out by our own strength. But we are on the wrong track to start with!
God is calling out to us, He does not give up on us, and He can take us out of our troubles. But when God called Gideon, he gave God many excuses, he did not want to respond to God’s calling, and he was afraid. But God did not give up on him, He continued to call out to Gideon and encouraged him not to be afraid.
Section Three V22-40 Men Awake God Gives Peace
God will not lead us to death. When we are willing to arise and shine for Him, then He will give us peace, He will lead us to victory. God does not give up on us, He is our Abba Father, He knows our weaknesses, and He wants to save us.
士师记 6 – 永不放弃的神
2023年1月4日 星期三
潘锡安牧师
我们要知道我们的的神究竟是一位怎样的神。有时我们会因为很怕他而选择躲避他，然而，神从开始到如今都没有因为我们的缘故而放弃我们。
一、v.1-10 人在穷乏才呼求神
V1-2 虽然之前经历过底波拉的带领和国中太平四十年（士5），但以色列人没有继续看重神，于是受到米甸人的欺压，就去“山中挖穴、挖洞”。我们尝试躲在自己的山洞里，不想去听神呼召的声音，不愿意面对光，只想活在自己的安乐窝，因为我们已经习惯了在黑暗中的舒适。然而，神没有放弃。
V3-6 我们是否安乐在自己的山洞和穷乏中，是否妄想可以打出自己的一片天地？求神帮助我们能醒悟过来，出黑暗、进入他奇妙的光明。让我们能兴起发光，而不要浪费时间去挖洞，不要等到极尽穷乏时才呼求神，要成为有智慧的人。
二、v.11-21 人在躲避 神不放弃
V11 神不着急，他在观看我们，他是我们随时的帮助。我们想要苟且偷安，但神的使者已经在等我们了。
V12 神看基甸是“大能的勇士”。神能够让我们成为大能的勇士，关键是我们选择与神同在而不是苟且偷安。
V13 基甸看见的是当下他周遭发生的事，他想的是那时他们要如何对付米甸人，而不能看见神所看到的 – 神看到的是他的能力。有时我们面对现实，常会以自己身份低微为借口来拒绝接受挑战，然而我们要学习的是信心之父亚伯拉罕，他不用自己的眼睛去看，而是相信神的话语，就称神为耶和华以勒 – 他能供应我们一切所需。
V14 神没有因为基甸的回应而生气，反而“观看”他，并对他说话。神没有直接回答基甸的抱怨，因为神知道那不是他所创造的基甸。有时我们会觉得神没有接我们的“球”，没有跟我们走在同一个轨道，其实神看到的是光，他用真光真理来唤醒我们。是我们走偏了轨道，而神永不改变。
V15-21 基甸看到的是自己的不能，却没有听到神说“我差遣你去”。当我们在躲避神的时候，我们会从自身甚至从家庭背景来找一切的理由。人在躲避，但神永不放弃，他是爱我们的阿爸父。
三、v.22-40 人在觉醒 神赐平安
V22 经历了很多事情之后，基甸才承认自己看到的是神。然而，他没有欢呼雀跃，反而怕死。当我们亲自经历神之后，我们的心态是如何呢？
V23 耶和华神亲自应许我们，我们跟从神，就“必不致死”。
神是良善的天父，他了解、明白我们。我们所躲避的山洞就像慢性毒药一样，唯有回应神的呼召，走出山洞，兴起发光，才能经历他永远的福乐。