Thursday, 18th August 2022
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One V1-9 Humble and Live in the Destiny
V1-3 ‘The words of King Lemuel, the utterance which his mother taught him: What, my son? And what, son of my womb? And what, son of my vows? Do not give your strength to women, nor your ways to that which destroys kings.’
V4-5 ‘It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes intoxicating drink; lest they drink and forget the law, and pervert the justice of all the afflicted.’
V6-7 ‘Give strong drink to him who is perishing, and wine to those who are bitter of heart. Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.’
V8-9 ‘Open your mouth for the speechless, in the cause of all who are appointed to die. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.’
Section Two V10-31 Humble and Be Glorified
V11-12 ‘The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so, he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.’ Jesus is our bridegroom, and we are His bride. Does the life we live glory the Name of God? We must continue to examine ourselves, is everything we do beneficial?
V13 ‘She seeks wool and flax, and willingly works with her hands.’ Are our hearts willing? We must deal with our hearts first, because if our hearts are not right, then everything we do will not be right.
V15 ‘She also rises while it is yet night, and provides food for her household, and a portion for her maidservants.’ Every morning, we receive the strength from the Word of God, which is distributed from above. What is our attitude when we come to the Morning Devotion every day? We must come to receive the bread and drink with a hungry and thirsty attitude.
V16 ‘She considers a field and buys it; from her profits she plants a vineyard.’ This is also what God talked to the Israelites through the prophets, where they were being captive by Babylon. It’s time for us to rise up, to walk out and to prosper for the House of God.
V17 ‘She girds herself with strength and strengthens her arms.’ Do not argue with God. When we feel tired and weary, we must hold onto God more. We must be willing to live under the fragrance of Tree of Life, humble ourselves, put to death our flesh desires, and walk the extra mile for God. V20 ‘She extends her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.’ God wants us to live out a different life. Our lives are full of judgement and bitterness, and it’s time to change.
V21 ‘She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household is clothed with scarlet.’ Furthermore, not only we are to live our life differently, but we also need to help those around us to live differently. In times of troubles, they can also receive help and support. But it’s not about just giving whatever they need but help them to have the ability and capability to support themselves. We need to be shepherded, at the same time, we also need to shepherd others.
V24-25 ‘She makes linen garments and sells them and supplies sashes for the merchants. Strength and honour are her clothing; she shall rejoice in time to come.’ Yes it’s difficult to live and work in this world, but we should not complain about our hardship to others, instead, we need to talk to Jesus, give our burdens to Jesus. Do we see our hardship and burden as curses? Or can we see the blessings from above through all the difficulties we have experienced?
V26-27 ‘She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness. She watches over the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.’ Let the words coming out from our mouth glorify God and honour people. We must be mindful of everything we say. Because our words have power and authority.
V28-29 ‘Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many daughters have done well, but you excel them all.”’ When we choose to live a different life, then our lives will shine in this world and allow all the people to see. V30 ‘Charm is deceitful, and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.’ What is our priority we choose to live? Do not be lost in the outward appearances, but to ask ourselves, what does our hearts look like?
V31 ‘Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.’ We live our lives to honour God, and when our lives become light of the world, God will also honour us for the world to see. What is the life we seek? Do we really treasure the eternal life God has given to us? Do we really honour the authority God has given us to management the earth?
箴言 31 – 不一样的人生
2022年8月18日 星期四
潘锡安牧师
我们心里时常会渴慕得到一些东西，然而主教导我们的祷告是求神的国降临、他的旨意行在地上如同天上。我们如今活在如巴比伦的世界，要如何有一个不一样的人生、活出在地如在天的生命？
一、v.1-9 要顺服活在命定里
V1 这篇箴言是一位叫做利慕伊勒的王的母亲教训他的话语。我们称自己有王子公主的身份，然而王子公主们没有“治理”的能力。
V2 母亲不想伤害与儿子的关系，所以要斟酌如何对儿子说出真理。
V3 不要整天只顾着享乐、随着自己的情欲走。要思想，我们喜欢做的事是否符合圣经的教导？
V4-5 酒是创造出来给人享用的，但作为一个君王不宜喝酒，以免“喝了就忘记律例，颠倒一切困苦人的是非”。我们沉醉在酒精、享受君王位份所有的权利时，要看到神给我们的身份，顺服这个命定，借着圣灵时常省察自己的生命。要谨记耶稣的教导：“若是右手叫你跌倒，就砍下来丢掉！宁可失去百体中的一体，不叫全身下入地狱”（太5:30）。
V6 作为一个君王，我们要记得怎样居贫穷、要与哀伤的人同哭。圣经不断提醒我们要活在生命树的气息下。神给我们治理的能力，我们是否享受在自己的情欲中而丢弃了这个能力、无法活出命定？唯有顺服神的带领，才能脱离在巴比伦为奴为仆的生活，回到耶路撒冷来修建圣殿。
V8- 哑巴不能说话，只能有苦自己吞；但作为一个王，不能坐视不理，因为神要我们在世上要施行公义、慈爱。我们要愿意放下自己觉得对的想法，活出见证，要为哑巴开口。我们可能会因为害怕与人冲突而不敢为人发声，但神给我们的身份是有权柄的，我们要施行我们的权柄，对有需要的人说出真理。
二、v.10-31 要谦卑被荣耀
一个“不一样的人生”是荣神益人、被神高举的人生，能成为照亮这个黑暗的时代的灯。我们是否愿意谦卑下来被荣耀？
V10 在这样一个失去盼望的世界，人都在寻找“才德的妇人”。
V12 耶稣用婚姻来比喻我们与他的关系，他好像新郎，我们好像新妇。我们的一生是否使神有益，还是损害神的名？我们确实有自由做很多事，但是否每一件事都“有益无损”？
V13 “甘心”就是打从心里愿意。很多时候我们手上做事，心里却不愿意。当我们的心不对的时候，双手即使做出事情也无法得到益处。
V15 我们每一天的晨祷就是如此，“未到黎明……就起来，把食物分给家中的人”。我们要先有从神而来的粮才能分给家里其他人。我们来到晨祷是否带着饥渴慕义的心，还是只是一个研经的态度？要渴慕神今天要给我们的生命的粮。
V16-17 我们要回归到神的葡萄园。神对那些被掳到巴比伦的犹大百姓说，要起来，借着神给的能力去修补圣殿。我们赚钱的动力是什么？我们喜欢赚钱、喜欢看到自己手上的事发旺，这样做的目的是为了神的家吗？
V18 我们不要跟神斤斤计较。有时我们会觉得自己已经做了很多，会感到累，然而，神给我们的灯是“终夜不灭”的。我们不要整天体贴自己的肉体，而要为神多走一里路。
V20 我们会喜欢停留在跟我们差不多的圈子，但当我们看到那些困苦穷乏人的时候，我们是在心里有厌恶、审判的心态，还是用怜悯的心为他们祷告？我们很容易厌恶那些能力比我们低的人，我们是否想去帮助他们？帮助的重点不是给钱了事，而是我们是否心怀怜悯。我们在这个世界已经麻木，心里充满批评论断，但神要我们恢复天国荣耀的身份。
V21我们自己要不一样，但我们是否也记念家里的人、帮助他们提升？还是只会批评他们？我们不只要给他们财物，而是帮助他们有能力。我们要自己被牧养，也要学会牧养别人。不要让我们所牧养的人依赖我们，而是能够教导他们，让他们同我们一样有能力。
V24-25 要有不一样的人生，我们是需要做工的，当在过程中觉得劳苦担重担的时候，我们就要去到主耶稣那里得安息。我们是否觉得这份劳苦重担是不应该有的？若是这样，我们就都不用做事了。要愿意吃苦耐劳且不发怨言。我们若能想“想到日后的景况就喜笑”，现在所经历的苦就算不得什么了，这就好像练健身的人能看到将来的形象，就不会哭着锻炼。让我们思想将来与耶稣一同审判世界，进入永恒的荣耀，就能喜笑了。
V26 我们说出来的话是敬畏耶和华、荣神益人的话吗？让我们勒紧舌头，不受情欲的牵动。
V28-29 当我们愿意活出一个不一样的人生，我们的生命就会成为照耀世界的明灯。
V30 艳丽和美容是否是我们的优先次序，是否让我们迷失了？我们花在外表的时间是否多过注重自己内在生命的成长？我们不是完全不顾仪容，而是当我们预备好我们的外表时，我们是否也预备好我们的生命呢？我们是世界的光和盐，我们呈现在人前的生命是什么？
V31 你愿意成为这个没有盼望的世界的明灯、成为盐和光吗？
我们是否只享受王子公主的身份而放弃治理大地的权柄和能力？因主耶稣在十字架上的摆上，我们所失去的都被他赎回。我们愿意过一个不一样的人生吗，还是留恋在埃及、巴比伦为奴为仆的生活中？我们要放下世界的生活，成为荣神益人的人。