Friday, 14th October 2022
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Moses was telling the Israelites why they were in the wilderness for 40 years and why were they on the other side of Jordan River, opposite the Promised Land. These are also the words for us today, as Christians, we know a lot of things, we know what will happen after we are baptized, and we know what will happy when we go to Heaven. But what is our attitude towards all the things we know? By knowing what will going to happen, can we really receive the promises of God written in the Bible? Can our knowledge help us to have peace and joy in our lives? God knows our weaknesses, so He is using His servants to teach us and to talk to us, just like how Moses was teaching and talking to the Israelites in the wilderness.
As followers of God, we must have faith, believe that God will prepare for us, believe God will take us through, and believe that God will provide. It’s easy for us to say, but very often, when challenges come to our lives, we will still complain, we will still grow tired, and we will still have doubts. We exchange our ‘faith’ with a ‘good life’, we thought by having the faith in God, we will live a good and smooth life. But is this really the lesson of faith? If we have this exchanging mindset, then slowly our hearts will be filled with bitterness for God and for people. When we don’t see the so-call victory, then we will feel hurt, and we will feel discouraged. We will slowly lose our first love for God and for our authority.
In Deuteronomy 8, the Israelites were about to enter the Promised Land, and Moses was talking to them and teaching them about faith. They had the faith to leave Egypt, but they did not have the faith to enter the Promised Land. Because after they left Egypt, they lived in the wilderness for 40 years, and their lives seemed to be different to what they had in mind. It was not God’s problem, it was also not Moses’ problem, but it was the people’s problem. Their faith was not a healthy faith.
Section One V1-3 To Really Know Ourselves
The Kingdom is near, we must repent, and we must look into our faith in God, this is not an exchange, and our relationship with God is not a buyer-and-seller relationship. What is really the Gospel we receive from Jesus? If we want to know what the truth faith and the true Gospel is, we must know ourselves first, otherwise when we share the Gospel to others, we will not share the truth to them.
We think that hardship and challenges are for us to receive greater blessings and greater promises, but they are really for us to see into our hearts. We use the attitude from our forefathers, to preserve and to work hard for our future lives, for our children, and for our next generations. Everything we offer we want to have something in exchange. Therefore, when we do not see the outcomes and when we do not receive the fruits of our hard work, then we will grow tired and bitter. So, what is true faith? To really know ourselves, and to know how wrong we are in our attitude towards faith!
The hardship and the challenges are there to test us, to refine us, and to see our true wicked self. When we don’t face challenges, then we will never know who we really are and who other people really are. When we are pressured and when we break down, then we can really see the truth self in us and in others. What do we really desire from this world? Money, fame, authority, good health, good food, recognition from people…? God wants us to come closer to Him, but we focus so much on the things of this world and on the people around us. The world can never satisfy us, only the Word of God can give us the answers for life.
Section Two V4-10 To Really Know God
We might think that as Christians, we have a lot of restrictions, and we don’t have freedom. We live in a suppressed world and we long for freedom. We chase the things of this world, we buy brandy products to make us feel good, and we chase behind the luxury lifestyle displayed in front of us. Moses was reminding the Israelites of the Goodness of God, He never wants to bind us with His teachings and his commandments, but He wants us to receive blessings. God wants us to enter the Promised Land, the land of abundance, the land of brooks of water, the land of wheat and barley, and they land we will lack nothing. Then we will praise God, but why did God want us to praise Him? Not for everything He has given to us, but for Him being a faithful God, who keeps His promises, and who is good.
We often praise God for the things we receive, for the success we have, for the recognition we gain from people… but God wants us to really know Him, every good thing on this earth has already been given to us, but these are just worldly desires, God wants us to really know who He is! To know His goodness and His faithfulness!
Section Three V11-20 To Really Follow God
God is talking to us again and again, this world is full of abundance, but God wants us to follow Him, to know Him, and to see His faithfulness and goodness. He is our Abba Father, He wants to have an intimate relationship with us, not just to ask Him for everything we desire. Moses was warning the Israelites not to follow the foreign gods when they enter the Promised Land. Today, we must see into ourselves, what is our true faith and true love for God? Not for everything He has or He will give to us, but only because He loves us and He will keep His promises for us.
申命记 8 – 神所要的信心
2022年10月14日 星期五
潘锡安牧师
摩西跟蒙召的第二代以色列人述说了美好的前景，我们听到了真理后要抱着什么态度来回应呢？我们可能已经将我们的信仰当成SOP一样，我们所知道的道理很多，但面对现实中的挑战，信心又崩溃了。我们的心或许想要行出神的道，但时常软弱；或许我们在压抑自己的情况下虽然度过困难，但心里充满苦毒，这都不是神要的信心。出埃及的以色列人发现在旷野中的生活跟他们之前想的不一样，于是怨天尤人，甚至想要杀死摩西、重回埃及。如今的我们受恩典神学影响，软弱无力，用“信心”当做与神交换祝福的条件，以为福音就是信耶稣后就有“好处”，却忘了耶稣所传的福音是“天国近了，你们应当悔改”。唯有我们的信心对了，我们的生命才会对。
一、v.1-3 要真认识自己
我们要知道自己的问题，回转归向神。当我们不认识自己时，我们就会歪曲传给别人的福音。
V1 神清楚跟他的百姓讲明他们前方的异象。
V2 我们可能会觉得试炼是让我们承受更大的祝福，但在旷野的这份功课是让我们知道“心内如何”。我们以为自己辛苦一点，我们的后代将来就会过上更好的日子，可是当我们没有看到效果产生，看到别人过得比我们好，我们就心理不平衡了，这其实是一种“交换”的心态。神用“苦炼”来看我们“肯守他的诫命不肯”。我们守神的诫命并非是为了能够得到祝福，而是为了保全我们的生命，让我们不至跌倒。真正的信心让我们能真认识自己里面的蒙蔽和虚假。
V3 以色列人平时可能看上去是个好人，但当他们崩溃时口中所说的话就显明了他们的生命 – 他们曾经因为没有水喝或没有食物吃而吵着要回埃及。每个人想要的东西不一样，可能是食物、金钱、或者别人的爱。我们有“信心”，其实目的并非单纯，是为了跟神交换自己想要的东西。然而神告诉我们，人活着不是靠这些我们想要的东西，而是“靠耶和华口里所出的一切话”。神说有就有，命立就立。跟从神，我们一无所缺，不需要担心。我们是否仍然在意别人有没有认同我们、在乎自己的肉体需要是否得到满足？我们要真认识自己，悔改归向主。
二、v.4-10 要真认识神
V4-5 儿子可能不明白父亲为什么会约束自己的行为，所以喜欢跟外面的猪朋狗友做随心所欲的事。我们人向往的是“自由”，不喜欢被神或者神仆人“辖制”。然而，摩西教导我们，神是良善的，他管教我们就像父亲管教自己的儿子一样。
V6-10 我们跟从神，不是因为有好吃的，也不是因为我们可以“积福”。真正跟从神的人赞美神的时候不是只因为自己能得到世上的物质好处。跟从神，一样好处都不缺，但他要的赞美是要我们看到他是良善的、他是守约施慈爱的。神不是还我们愿望的偶像，我们不要被埃及的欲望蒙蔽，我们不是去得到这个世界。神所要的信心是我们真的知道他，看到神的真实和良善。
三、v.11-20 要真正的跟从神
我们跟从神不是因为能得到什么，因为有爱的地方，头破血流都愿意。
V11-14 我们在人面前所炫耀的是神吗？我们得到了一切想要的东西，以为是靠自己的doing得到应得的，却不知这是“心高气傲”，忘了我们的神。
V17 我们谢饭的时候，真的感恩神吗，还是因为宗教仪式？
V18 神要我们认识他，不是为了得到世界的好处，而是要知道他是良善慈爱的，不要将他当成阿拉丁神灯。
V19 我们可能会觉得平时生活已经很苦了，所以传福音要只讲有盼望的事，没有让人看见神的良善、慈爱，只让人看到神是可以把人的苦拿走的阿拉丁神灯。我们随从巴力、让我们的肉体主导我们的生命，最后“必定灭亡”。
V20 让我们不要有跟神交换的信心，而是因为全心全意爱神而跟从他，并知道他也爱我们。
Zion Bread of Life Christian Church 
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