Month: January 2023

31/01/2023

引言:

神造人时本来是照祂的形象和样式造的，是完美的。但是当人离开了神，不但失去美好的灵性，而且肆意妄为，得罪神和人。

一、丑恶残忍的利未人

1.不合神意的娶妾（V1）

利未人是神分别出来侍奉神的。这个利未人娶妾的行为，是完全不合神心意的，因为神设立的婚姻是一夫一妻。作为利未人竟然在婚姻上违反神的旨意，可见当时道德是如何的墮落。

2.只顾自身的安危（V25）

在基必亚遇到匪徒，为了自身安全，利未人就把他的妾拉出去交给他们，利未人暴露了自己的丑恶。只顾自身的安危，就不理妾的死活把她交给匪徒，这是极端自私的作法！这利未人的恶与匪徒的恶，一点分别也没有！

3.残忍的报复方式（V27-30）

这个利未人的丑恶，更见于他竟然可以动手把妾的尸体肢解，切成十二块分送到十二个支派作为投诉的证物，要激起全民采取报复的行动。他的整个安排，完全是因为不甘受辱的仇恨思想。
一个没有神的利未人，竟然可变成如此丑恶残忍的人；我们更要时刻警醒，切不可偏离神！

二、行淫的利未人之妾（V2）

首先，这个犹大族的女子，嫁给利未人为妾，她的道德操守就有问题了。后来又和人行淫，说明她是放纵情慾的女子。可是经文中对这事没有什么反应，似乎是若无其事。莫非这种事当时很普遍，人已见怪不怪？

今天，女权高涨性观念开放，毫不以为耻。所以我们在男女关系上要保守自己，切勿婚前同居，婚后出轨。

三、冷漠的基比亚人（V11-15）

利未人不愿在外邦人的城住宿，赶到以色列人便雅悯境内的基比亚。但是基比亚人并未按律法的要求接待利未人。今天我们如果对弟兄姐妹的需要、世人的灵魂，也是冷漠无视的，其实就和基比亚人没有什么两样。

四、丧尽天良的匪徒（V22-25）

这些放纵情慾的匪徒，公然上门先是要求与利未人进行同性交合，后又将利未人的妾强暴致死，这群匪徒可说是罪大恶极、丧尽天良！

由此可见，人若不控制性，它就如洪水猛兽害人害己！性是可以控制的！人如果敬畏神，就会有节制；若背离神，就必肆意妄为出乱子。

总结：

利未人、利未人的妾、基比亚人和匪徒，都是神的选民。但是因为他们没有神，因此就肆意妄为满身罪恶。

让我们以没有神的色列人为借鉴，不要沦落为肆意妄为的无神基督徒！

Judges 19: A person without God acts recklessly
GK611 Morning Devotion
31/01/2023
Speaker: Ps Daniel Kew

Introduction:

God created man in His image and likeness, the man is perfect. But when people leave God, they not only lose their good spirituality but also act recklessly, offending God and man.

I. The ugly and cruel Levite

1. Taking a concubine against God’s will (V1)

The Levites were set apart by God to serve God. This Levite’s act of taking a concubine was completely against God’s will because the marriage established by God is monogamy. As a Levite, he violated God’s will in marriage, which shows how morally degraded it was at that time.

2. Only care about own safety (V25)

When Gibeah met certain bandits and for his own safety, the Levite took his concubine out and handed it over to them. The Levite exposed his ugliness,only caring about his own safety, disregarding his concubine’s life and death and handing her over to the bandits, this is an extremely selfish approach! There is no difference between the wickedness of the Levites and the wickedness of the bandits!

3. Cruel way of revenge (V27-30)

The ugliness of this Levite is even more evident in the fact that he can dismember the body of his concubine, cut it into twelve pieces and distribute them to the twelve tribes as evidence of grievances, in order to arouse the whole nation to take revenge.His entire arrangement was due to the thought of hatred that was unwilling to be humiliated.


A Levite without God can turn into such an ugly and cruel person; we must always be vigilant and never deviate from God!

II. The adulterous Levite concubine (V2)

First of all, this Judah woman married a Levite as a concubine, so her moral integrity was questionable. Later, she committed adultery with others, which shows that she is a woman who indulges in lust. However, there is no reaction to this matter in the scriptures, as if nothing happened. Could it be that this kind of thing was so common at that time that people were already familiar with it?

Today, women have more rights, and they have a more open attitude toward sex, without feeling embarrassed. Therefore, we must keep ourselves in the relationship between men and women, and never cohabit before marriage and commit adultery after marriage.

III. The indifferent Gibeah (V11-15)

The Levite did not want to stay in a foreign city, so they went to Gibeah, where the Israelites were and in the province of Benjamin. But the Gibeah did not receive the Levite as required by the law. Today, if we are indifferent to the needs of our brothers and sisters and the souls of the world, we are no different from the people of Gibeah.

IV. The Conscientious Bandit (V22-25)

These bandits who indulged in lust openly came to the door and first demanded same-sex intercourse with the Levite, and then raped the Levite’ concubine to death. They can be said to be atrocious and devoid of conscience!

It can be seen from this that if people do not control their sexual act, it will harm others and themselves like a scourge! Sex can be controlled! If a person fears God, he will have self-control; if he turns his back on God, he will act recklessly and cause trouble.

Conclusion：

The Levite, the Levite’s concubine, the Gibeah, and the bandits are God’s chosen people. But because they have no God, they act recklessly and are full of sin.

Let us take the example of these Israelites who have no God and don’t become a person without God and act recklessly.

27/01/2023

引言:

有人曾经总结过，一个人的认知过程一般要经历这么四个阶段。第一阶段：不知道自己不知道，这也是一种以为自己什么都知道的状态；第二阶段：知道自己不知道；第三阶段：知道自己知道；第四阶段：不知道自己知道。

这一认知过程，简单来说就是：越是无知的人就越自信。当一个人知道得越多，自信心就会下降，但是突破临界点以后，自信心也会回升，但之后不论怎么回升，都不如一开始一无所知时那么自信，因为这样的人开始能够来明白自己的渺小。

在信仰历程的里面，我们对神的认知，不也跟这个描述很类似吗？而可悲的是，绝大部分的人其实都是活在了第一个阶段的里面。

一、以为合神心意的寻求（V1-13）

但人的五个勇士出外窥探是否适合夺取拉亿来生活，恰巧去到米迦家居住，并遇到米迦为自己家设立的祭司。透过祭司的确认后，他们自认为这是合神心意的带领。经过对拉亿的窥探后，他们也就回到琐拉和以实陶，告诉他们同支派的弟兄们。

二、以为合神心意的抢夺

1. 抢夺偶像和祭司（V11-26）

但人派出600人出发要去抢夺拉亿，他们再次途径米迦的家，并凭着比米迦拥有更大的势力就把偶像和祭司都抢夺了去，自以为有了这些偶像和祭司，就有神的同在，能帮助他们顺利地攻取拉亿。

2. 抢夺非应许地业（V27-29）

但人带着偶像和祭司，杀了拉亿安居无虑的民，抢夺了他们的地，但这其实并非神原来应许给他们的地业。

3. 抢夺对神的敬拜（V30-31）

但人最糟糕的是，抢夺人对神的敬拜。他们自己在拉亿为自己设立偶像和祭司，让但支派的人去到那里敬拜偶像，而不是去到当时神约柜所在的示罗去敬拜神。

总结：

让我们都要来除掉我们里面的‘以为’，回到有神话语作为根基的正轨中。唯有如此，我们才能够避免进入到任何非神心意的任意妄为，活出真正讨神喜悦、蒙神赐福的生活！

Judges 18: Stop ‘thinking’ and get back on track
GK611 Morning Devotion
27/1/2023
Speaker: IP Moses Ou

Introduction:

Someone once summarised that a person’s cognitive process generally goes through such four stages. Stage 1: Not knowing that you don’t know, which is also a state of thinking you know everything; Stage 2: Knowing that you don’t know; Stage 3: Knowing that you know; Stage 4: Not knowing that you know.

This cognitive process is simply this: the more ignorant people are, the more confident they are. As one knows more, one’s self-confidence decreases, but after the critical point is breached, self-confidence also rises, but then, no matter how it rises, it is not as confident as it was at the beginning when one knew nothing, because such a person begins to be able to come to understand his own insignificance.

Isn’t our perception of God in the faith journey similar to this description? The sad thing is that the vast majority of people are actually living in the first stage.

1. Thought that it is pleasing to God (V1-13)

The five warriors of the Danites went out to see if it was suitable for them to take Laish to live, and happened to go to live in Micah’s house, and met the priest whom Micah had set up for his house. After confirming through the priest, they considered themselves to be led in a way that was agreeable to God. After spying on Laish, they also returned to Zorah and Eshtaol and told their brothers of the same tribe.

2. Thought that the robbery is God’s will

(1) Robbing idols and priest (V11-26)

There were 600 men was sent to rob Laish. They again passed through Micah’s house, and with greater power than Micah they seized all the idols and priest, self-righteously thinking that with these idols and priest they had the presence of God to help them to take Laish successfully.

(2) The seizure of the unpromised land (V27-29)

But the men, with their idols and priest, killed the people of Laish who lived in peace, and seized their land, but it was not the land that God had promised them.

(3) Robbing the worship of God (V30-31)

The worst thing the Danites did was to rob people of the worship of God. They themselves set up idols and priests for themselves in Lazarus, and let the Danites go there to worship idols, instead of going to Shiloh, where the ark of the covenant of God was located at that time, to worship God.

Conclusion:

Let us all get rid of the ‘thinking’ in us and get back on track with the Word of God as our foundation. Only then can we avoid entering into any arbitrary actions that are not God’s will, and live a life that is truly pleasing to God and blessed by Him!

26/01/2023

引言:

按自己心意而行神眼中看为恶的事，终将使自己活在败坏的景况中。

一、任意带来咒诅（v1-6)

1. 雕刻偶像（v1-4)

神透过摩西所颁布的十诫当中，严禁雕刻、敬拜偶像，既不可以敬拜代表假神的偶像，也不可以用偶像来代表真神。然而米迦的母亲却把这偷来的银子雕刻一个像献给耶和华。她想用这偶像去抵消人的咒诅，却使自己落在神的咒诅里。

2.不顺服神（v5-6)

当每个人都不顺服神的权柄、都活在自己里面的时候，结果必然是离神越来越远，不断地掉到失败的循环里。

「家中的神像」原文是复数，即不只一个神像。米迦制造了这些神像，没有视耶和华神为独一的神。这也促使他凭自己的心意而行，而不再遵行神的律法。

二、任意带来无知（v7-13)

1.不知道神（v7-8)

以色列人显然不再以十一奉献来供给祭司和利未人，因为许多人不再敬拜神。所以，这利未少年离开伯利恒，到别地去寻求机会。

这都因为下一代的百姓已经不知道耶和华，也不知道耶和华为以色列人所行的事。所以，他们很快就离弃神、拜偶像，在恩典中失落了。

2.错误印证（v9-13)

米迦以为这少年利未人是神「赐福」的印证。实际上，这只是个自欺欺人的巧合。因此，我们不要错把自己的私欲当做蒙神赐福的印证。

总结：

愿我们不再任意而行，而是回到神的心意。

Judges 17: Willful Behaviour Leads to Destruction
GK611 Morning Devotion
26/01/2023
Speaker: Ps Stella

Introduction：

Doing what is evil in the eyes of God according to one’s own will eventually make oneself live in a corrupted situation.

1. Willfulness brings curse (v1-6)

1. Carved Idols (v1-4)

In the Ten Commandments promulgated by God through Moses, it is strictly forbidden to carve and worship idols, neither can worship idols representing false gods, nor can idols be used to represent the true God. But Micah’s mother dedicated the stolen silver to the Lord by carving an idol. She wanted to use this idol to revoke the curse of man, but she made herself under the curse of God.

2. Disobedience to God (v5-6)

When everyone disobeys God’s authority and lives within themselves, the result is bound to be farther and farther away from God, and they will continually fall into a cycle of failure.

The original text of “household idols” is plural, that is, there is more than one god. Micah made these idols and did not regard Jehovah God as the only God. This also prompted him to walk according to his own will instead of obeying God’s law.

2. Willfulness brings ignorance (v7-13)

1. Not Knowing God (v7-8)

The Israelites apparently stopped tithing the priests and Levites because many no longer worshiped God. So the young Levite left Bethlehem to seek a living elsewhere.

This is all because the people of the next generation no longer know about Jehovah, nor do they know what Jehovah has done for the Israelites. So, very soon they forsaken God, worship idols, and lose in grace.

2. Wrong confirmation (v9-13)

Micah thought the young Levite was a proof of God’s “goodness”. In fact, this is just a self-deceiving coincidence. Therefore, we should not mistake our selfish desires for the proof of God’s goodness.

Conclusion:

May we no longer act willfully, but return to God’s will.

20/01/2023

引言:

引言：读这章圣经，让我想到年轻时看过的电影Die Hard【虎胆龙威】！

领受使命的士师之生命际遇与使命！

一、恩赐并不等同生命（士16:1-3）

参孙是以色列的士师，既是神子民的审判官，领袖，拯救者。这一个身份就已经表明他是神的代表。而且事实上他也真的是充满“神力”，他绝非只是一般的大力士，而是有神超自然的能力在他身上。但是，与此同时，他也是个充满血气、冲动且放纵情欲的人，他的性情与作风显然并非符合我们所理解的“属灵领袖”特质。由此可见恩赐并不等同生命。你想这样的人，神也可以使用？

二、英雄遇美人的试探（士16:4-20）
1.美色诱惑的试探（V4-15）

美色当前，大力士拜倒在大利拉的石榴裙下，哪怕大利拉是敌人同族的人，而且一而再再、而三的套取他灵力的秘诀，也表明是要如何捉拿他！参孙虽然编造谎言而面对敌人来捉拿，但是他并没有因为美人骗他而醒悟过来。而且参孙还被责备为什么再三骗她，这是何等蒙昧无知不是吗？对于人性的软弱，有些试探是很不容易的，例如美色、财利、尊位、美名等。

2.死缠烂打的试探（V16-20）

一时的得胜不表示是永远的得胜，尤其当试探以死缠烂打，车轮战的方式来进攻时，危险就来了！人总有软弱的周期，仇敌就会乘虚而入。人要逃避试探，否则圣人都有软弱的时候，当天天而来的试探临到时，人要躲避，否则沦陷只是时间问题。（参照约瑟得胜试探的例子）

三、决一死战灭尽敌人（士16:21-31）
1.失足造成大折磨（V21-27）

俗语说：“一失足成千古恨”！神的士师尽管有神的能力，但是一旦犯罪而失去警觉，把破口向仇敌敞开，最终就自取其辱，甚至牺牲生命。

2.向神求同归于尽（V28-31）

按照参孙所面对的局面，自知难逃一死，此时他向神作了一个最终的祷告：“再次恢复他原本拥有的神力”！神果然出手，成全参孙的祈求，让参孙拉倒整座房子，一举同归于尽，以此击杀了以色列的仇敌。

总结：英雄之死！

血气犯罪难逃审判和管教，而作恶的敌人更是难免一死。神可以允许任何方式去除灭仇敌，参孙再怎么软弱，还勉强能成为神使用的器皿，更何况我们若是专心认定神、求告神呢？

Judges 16: Mission accomplished by dying
GK611 Morning Devotion
20/1/2023
Speaker: Rev Tan

Introduction:
Reading this chapter of the Bible reminds me of the movie Die Hard that I watched when I was young!
Receive the life encounter and mission of the missionary!

1.Spiritual Gifting does not equal to life

Samson was the judge of Israel, that is the judge, the leader, and the deliverer of God’s people. This one identity already indicated that he was a representative of God. He was not just an ordinary strong man, but had the supernatural power of God in him. However, at the same time, he was also a bloodthirsty, impulsive, and lustful man, whose nature and style clearly did not fit what we understand by “spiritual leadership”. This shows that spiritual gifting is not the same as life. Do you think God can use such a person?

2.The temptation of the hero meeting the beauty (Judg. 16:4-20)

(1)The temptation of beauty (V4-15)

When beauty was in sight, strong man fell at the feet of a Delilah, even though Delilah was a member of the same tribe of the enemy, and repeatedly lured him with the secret of his spiritual power, which showed how to catch him! Although Samson confronted the enemy to apprehend him by making up lies, he did not wake up to the fact that the beauty had deceived him. And Samson was also blamed for why he lied to her again and again, how ignorant is this, isn’t it? For humanity’s weakness, there are some temptations that are not easy, such as beauty, wealth, honourable position, good reputation, etc.

(2)The temptation to pester (V16-20)

A momentary victory does not mean eternal victory, especially when temptation comes in the form of a pestering, wheel battle, then danger comes! There is always a cycle of weakness, and the enemy will take advantage of it. Man must avoid temptation, even saints are weak at times, and when temptation comes daily, man must avoid it, otherwise it is only a matter of time before he falls. (Refer to the example of Joseph’s victory over temptation)

3.Life or death battle to destroy the enemy (Judg. 16:21-31)

(1) A mistake causes great suffering (V21-27)

As the saying goes, “One slip of the tongue can cause great suffering”! Despite the divine power of God’s teachers, once they sin and lose their vigilance, and open the breach to the enemy, they will eventually make a fool of themselves, and even sacrifice their lives.

(3)Asking God to perish together with the enemies (V28-31)

According to the situation Samson was facing, he knew that he would not be able to escape death, so he made a final prayer to God: “to restore his original divine power again”! God really stepped in and fulfilled Samson’s prayer, allowing Samson to pull down the whole house and kill the enemies of Israel in one fell swoop.

Conclusion: The death of a hero!
Blood crimes do not escape judgment and discipline, and enemies who do evil are not exempted from death. God can allow any way to remove the enemy. Samson, however weak, could barely be a vessel for God to use, let alone if we concentrate on God and ask Him.

19/01/2023

引言:

现实生活中我们看到许多人性的不完全。如果我们眼光一直看着不完全的人，就常会感到失望。然而如果我们的眼光一直看着信实良善的神，我们就能够从完全的神那里得着盼望，并经历生命的更新和改变！

一、任意妄为的参孙（1-8）
参孙带着羊羔想要跟妻子修复，却得知岳父已经把他的妻子给了他过去的伴郎。参孙认为这是岳父出于非利士人给他的压力才这么做的，所以参孙就透过狐狸去把非利士人的庄稼烧了。非利士人为了报仇，也用火烧了参孙的妻子和她的父亲，而充满血气的参孙又再去复仇，凶狠地杀了这些非利士人。整个过程我们看到，蒙召的参孙并非在神的带领和心意下去击杀神百姓的仇敌非利士人，而是因着私人的恩怨去报复非利士人。

二、自私的犹大百姓（9-13）
非利士人也再次复仇，想要找参孙算账。自私而不顾自己同胞参孙生命的犹大人，就去捆绑参孙，要把他交给非利士人，却完全没有想过跟参孙一起出战非利士人。这里除了让人反思犹大人的生命，其实也让人反思参孙的生命，因为参孙的生命也直接导致了犹大人不信任他，不认为他是一位能够带领他们一起出战并战胜非利士人的领袖。

三、仍然完全的父神（14-20）
参孙面对威胁着以色列民族的非利士人，神的灵大大感动他，他就杀败了一千个非利士人。当参孙回到祂要服侍以色列人的命定中，神就怜恤他，供应水给他喝。虽然参孙的生命和犹大人都是那么的不完全，但神仍在这混乱的局面中施行拯救，盼望参孙跟所有百姓的生命都能够回转归向祂。

总结
生命不完全的参孙能够被神使用，因为天父是以一个父亲的眼光去看他，盼望他能够在爱中悔改回转。自私的犹大人生命也是有问题，然而天父也是因着父亲的信实而拯救他们，盼望他们同样能够回应祂。

所以求天父赐给我们祂的眼光，能够以爱去看待身边的人，同时让我们也回应天父的心，好让我们的生命能够不断地更新变化，并持续地活在天父对我们生命的呼召和赐福中！

Judges 15: Man is weak but God is perfect
19.01.2023
Speaker: IP Moses + Rev David Tan

Introduction: In real life, we see many imperfections in human nature. If we keep our eyes on the imperfect, we are often disappointed. However, if we keep looking at the faithful and good God, we will be able to gain hope from the perfect God and experience the renewal and change of our lives!

1. The willful Samson (1-8)

Samson took the lamb and wanted to make amends with his wife, but learned that his father-in-law had given his wife to his former best man. Samson thought that his father-in-law was pressured by the Philistines to do this, so Samson used foxes to burn the Philistine crops. In revenge, the Philistines also burned Samson’s wife and her father, and Samson, who was full of anger, went for revenge again and killed the Philistines viciously. Throughout the whole process, we can see that the called Samson did not kill the Philistines, the enemies of God’s people, under God’s leadership and intention, but took revenge on the Philistines because of personal grievances.

2. The selfish people of Judah (9-13)

The Philistines also took revenge again, trying to settle accounts with Samson. The Jewish people, who were selfish and disregarded the life of their own compatriot Samson, went to bind Samson and handed him over to the Philistines, but they never thought of fighting the Philistines with Samson. In addition to reflecting on the life of the Jews, it also makes people reflect on the life of Samson, because Samson’s life also directly caused the Jews to distrust him, and they did not think that he was the leader, who could lead them to fight together and defeat the Philistines.

3. God the Father who is still perfect (14-20)

When Samson faced the Philistines who were threatening the Israelites, the Spirit of God moved him so much that he killed a thousand Philistines. When Samson returned to his destiny to serve the Israelites, God took pity on him and provided him with water to drink. Although Samson’s life and the lives of the Jews were so incomplete, God still performed salvation in this chaotic situation and hoped that the lives of Samson and all the people could return to Him.

Conclusion
Samson, whose life was incomplete, could be used by God, because Heavenly Father saw him from the perspective of a father, and hoped that he would repent and return in love. The selfish Jews also had problems with their lives, but the Heavenly Father saved them because of His faithfulness and hoped that they would respond to Him as well.

Therefore, we ask Heavenly Father to give us His vision, to be able to look at those around us with love, and at the same time let us respond to Heavenly Father’s heart so that our lives can be constantly renewed and changed, and we can continue to live in the presence of Heavenly Father’s love for us, in the calling and blessing of life!