【你听见神的呼唤吗？】
主讲: 陈惠菁传道
06/07/2023
引言：电码
一、不听带来属灵黑暗（v1-3）
1.人不听、神少默示（v1）
神是喜欢说话和与人互动的神。祂借着话语创造万有，从出埃及、进迦南、到新约的使徒、以及今天的教会，祂依然用话语来带领自己的百姓。但在士师时代，因为百姓不肯听从神的话，所以，耶和华的言语稀少，不常有默示。
没有神的话语和启示来带领我们是可悲的。没有异象，民就灭亡。弟兄姐妹，我们是否很久没有听见神对我们的生命说话了？如果是的话，我们要检视，是否我们对神的提醒，常常不当一回事？轻慢神？如果是的话，然我们赶快回转到神的面前认罪悔改。
2.人不听、沉睡昏花（v2）
当人对神的话语充耳不闻时，就会进入灵里的沉睡，并且属灵的心眼也会昏花。以利本当在神的殿事奉神，却睡卧在自己的地方。本当将神的默示告知百姓，却没有开口。本当管教自己的孩子，却放纵他们。所以我们看到，他的眼目昏花（原文污染、被玷污），属灵的心眼被污染、玷污了，以至于对神的事看不分明，（原文没有能力分辨或获取）。
我们都是神所拣选，君尊的祭司、圣洁的国度。无论神把我们放在哪里，也许是家中、职场、学校、社区等，让我们常常寻求神，保守灵里的敏锐和警醒。对神要做的看得分明，实时对人伸出援手，成为神的爱和话语的出口。
3.人不听、另选器皿（v3）
还没有熄灭-原文是interrupt （干扰）加上extinguished （熄灭）。意思就是说，灯是正在熄灭的时候被干扰，所以还点燃着。
以利都没有成为神话语的出口，神的光在以色列人心里已经非常暗淡了。原本应当熄灭的灯，因为童子撒母耳的介入，使到熄灭的灯受到干扰，以至于灯依然点燃。让百姓在黑暗中还有一线光芒，可以找到出路。
神的救赎和祂国度扩展的计划，绝不会因人的悖逆而停止。当人不听时，神会另选器皿去成就祂要成就的事。求神帮助我们，在今天这黑暗悖谬的世代，让我们成为那介入，使到那将要熄灭的灯受到干扰，继续点燃。使处在黑暗中的失丧灵魂，能找到耶稣基督的光。
二、听神呼唤要有回应（v4-17）
1.忠心顺服立刻回应（v4-9）
我们看到撒母耳的忠心与顺服。换成是我们，半夜三更，爱睡到要命。在睡梦中被唤醒，最多2次，我们就会不管了，倒头大睡。但是撒母耳却忠心的立刻回应。虽然以利是一个不尽责的权柄，撒母耳对他依然尊敬和顺服。
2.回应神信心受考验（v10-14）
撒母耳回应神呼召后，神给撒母耳的第一个启示对他是一个信心的大考验。他必须把一个家族将受神审判而灭亡的坏消息带给他的属灵长辈。对撒母耳来说，要传这样的坏消息实在是太难了。
忠言逆耳，良药苦口。我觉得从这里，我们可以有几样功课的学习。
第一、在传讲神的话语时，我们不能只说神的恩典、慈爱，而忽略了神公义和圣洁的要求。不然我们就是把神的真理给折扣了。其次，我们不能为了讨人喜悦，而不敢说真话。做权柄的，我们有责任督责和引导神所托付给我们的人。此外，当我们回应神的呼召，甚至是在服事神的道路上，要有心里准备，一定会遇到困难和挑战。我说的不是那种自己犯罪后受苦。
所以当我们受苦时，要先省察自己的生命是否得罪了神。如果不是，那我们要勇敢的依靠神，胜过挑战！相反的，如果我们在服事的道路上完全没有挑战的话，那可能我们也要检视我们的服事，在什么地方出了问题，为什么连恶者都不感兴趣？
3.听是听了没有回应（v15-17）
以利身为神的祭司，与神的关系应该是很密切的。但我们看到他跟神的关系真的出了很大的问题。首先，做了一辈子祭司，居然等了3次，才明白原来是神在呼唤撒母耳。此外，当以利知道神呼唤撒母耳后，正常人应该会感到不安或嫉妒。“我是以色列的先知。神有话要说，为什么不是跟我说？”但是以利依却睡到天亮。可见他对自己被神拣选的位份不在乎。对神所托付的责任也没有尽责。v18当撒母耳就把一切话都告诉了以利。以利的回应竟然是“这是出於耶和华，愿他凭自己的意旨而行！”
因此，以利听是听了，却没有回应。其实没有回应也是一种回应。而这种回应比作错回应更惹神愤怒。因为听见神说话后，不当一回事或没有行动，严重来说是藐视神的一种态度。
所以，弟兄姐妹，我们每天晨祷，在神面前点灯。神都有话对我们说。求神帮助我们，听见神的呼唤，我们要给予回应。
三、回应呼唤神必提升（v19-21）
但到别是巴就是以色列最北的城邑到最南的城邑，代表以色列全地。撒母耳因为听从神的呼唤，并且顺服和忠心传讲神的启示，所以被神提升。他不但是以色列人历史上最后的、也是最重要的一位士师。神使他的影响力遍及全国。神不但与他同在，更尊荣他，使他所说的每一句话都不落空。并且也成为圣经里所记载，永存不朽的伟大先知！
总结：我在这里！
你听到神释放出来的属灵电码吗？若我们想与神有美好的关系，成为神荣耀的器皿，并且拥有敏锐的灵性，我们就要时刻打开我们属灵的心眼，保持儆醒、谦卑和顺服神的状态。当听见神的呼唤时，让我们像撒母耳一样立即说：“我在这里！”
1 Samuel 3: Did you hear the God’s calling?
GK611 Morning Devotion
6/7/2023
The Morning Devotion Speaker: Ps. Deborah
Introduction: Telegraphic code
1. Failure to listen brings spiritual darkness (v1-3)
(1) People do not listen, less revelation given by God (v1)
God is a God who loves to speak and interact with people. He created all things through His word, and from the Exodus from Egypt, into Canaan, to the apostles of the New Testament, and to the church today, He still uses the Word to lead His people. But in the days of the scribes, because the people would not obey the Word of God, the word of the LORD was scarce and not often implied.
It is sad that there is no word and revelation from God to lead us. Without visions, the people perish. Brothers and sisters, has it been a long time since we have heard God speak into our lives? If so, we need to examine if we often do not take God’s reminders seriously? Do we take God lightly? If so, let us turn back to God and confess our sins and repent.
It is sad that there is no word and revelation from God to lead us. Without visions, the people perish. Brothers and sisters, has it been a long time since we have heard God speak into our lives? If so, we need to examine if we often do not take God’s reminders seriously? Do we take God lightly? If so, let us turn back to God and confess our sins and repent.
(2) People do not listen, sleep and faint (v2)
When people turn a deaf ear to the Word of God, they enter into spiritual slumber and their spiritual eyes become dull. Eli should have been serving God in the house of God, but he slept in his own place. He should have informed the people of God’s instructions, but did not open his mouth. He should have disciplined his children, but he indulged them. So we see that his eyes were dazzled (original text: polluted, defiled), and the eyes of his spiritual mind were polluted and defiled, so that he could not see the things of God clearly, (original text: incapable of discerning or acquiring).
We are all chosen by God, a royal priesthood and a holy nation. Wherever God places us, perhaps in our homes, workplaces, schools, communities, etc., let us seek God often and keep our spiritual acumen and alertness. See clearly what God wants to do, reach out to people in real time, and be an outlet for God’s love and Word.
(3) People do not listen and choose another vessel (v3)
Not yet extinguished – The original text is interrupt plus extinguished. The meaning is that the lamp was interfered with while it was being extinguished, so it was still lit.
Eli had not become an outlet for God’s Word, and the light of God had become very dim in Israel’s heart. The lamp that should have been extinguished was disturbed by the intervention of the child Samuel, so that the extinguished lamp remained lit. So that the people might still have a ray of light in the darkness, and might find a way out.
God’s plan for salvation and the expansion of His kingdom will never stop because of man’s disobedience. When man does not listen, God will choose another vessel to accomplish what He wants to accomplish. Ask God to help us, in this dark and disobedient generation, to be the one to intervene so that the lamp that is about to be extinguished will be disturbed and continue to be lit. That the lost souls in darkness may find the light of Jesus Christ.
2. Hearing God’s call and responding (v4-17)
(1) Faithful and Obedient Immediate Response (v4-9)
We see Samuel’s faithfulness and obedience. If it were us, we would be in the middle of the night and love to sleep so much. If we were awakened in our sleep, at most 2 times, we would have left it and fallen back to sleep. But Samuel responded faithfully and immediately. Even though Eli was an undutiful authority, Samuel remained respectful and obedient to him.
(2) Responding to God and faith is tested (v10-14)
After Samuel responded to God’s call, God’s first revelation to Samuel was a great test of faith for him. He had to bring to his spiritual elders the bad news that a family would be destroyed by God’s judgment. It was too difficult for Samuel to deliver such bad news.
The advice is good. I think there are several lessons we can learn here.
First, when preaching God’s Word, we cannot just talk about God’s grace and love and ignore the requirements of God’s righteousness and holiness. Otherwise we are discounting the truth of God. Secondly, we must not be afraid to speak the truth in order to please people. Being in authority, we have the responsibility to supervise and guide those whom God has entrusted to us. Furthermore, when we respond to God’s call, even in the way of serving Him, be prepared in our hearts that we are bound to encounter difficulties and challenges. I am not talking about the kind of suffering after sinning on our own.
So when we suffer, we have to first examine our own lives to see if we have sinned against God. If not, then we need to be brave and rely on God to overcome the challenges! On the contrary, if we have no challenges at all in our ministry path, then maybe we also need to examine our ministry, where we have gone wrong, and why even the evil one does not interested in us?
(3) Hearing but without response (v15-17)
Eli, as a priest of God, should have had a very close relationship with God. But we see that his relationship with God really went very wrong. First of all, after being a priest all his life, he actually waited 3 times before he understood that it was God who was calling Samuel. Furthermore, a normal person would have been upset or jealous when Eli learned that God had called Samuel. “I am a prophet of Israel. God has something to say, why not to me?” But Elijah slept until dawn. It is evident that he did not care about his chosen position by God. Nor did he do his duty to the responsibilities entrusted to him by God. V18 Then Samuel told him everything, and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the Lord. Let Him do what seems good to Him.”
So Eli listened, but did not respond. In fact, not responding is also a response. And this kind of response provokes God’s anger even more than a wrong response. Because to hear God’s Words and then not take them seriously or not act on them is a serious attitude of contempt for God.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we pray every day in the morning and light our lamps before God. God has something to say to us. Ask God to help us, and when we hear God’s call, we should give a response.
3. Responding to the call of God and be elevated (v19-21)
Dan to Beersheba is the most northern city of Israel to the most southern city of Israel, representing all the land of Israel. Samuel was elevated by God because he obeyed God’s call and preached God’s revelation obediently and faithfully. He was not only the last, but also the most important judge in the history of Israel. God caused his influence to spread throughout the nation. God was not only with him, but also honoured him, so that every word he spoke did not go in void. And he also became a great prophet recorded in the Bible, who will live forever!
Conclusion: Here I am!
Do you hear the spiritual codes released by God? If we want to have a good relationship with God, to be vessels of His glory, and to have a keen spirituality, we must always open the eyes of our spiritual hearts, and remain watchful, humble, and obedient to God. When we hear the call of God, let us say immediately, like Samuel, “Here I am!”
