Wednesday, 26th October 2022
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Moses was reminding the second-generation Israelites to set themselves apart, and not make the same mistakes of their forefathers. We are all the children of God, and we can receive the inheritance as children. When we live under the fragrance of the Tree of Life, then we can receive this inheritance. We are all created according to the image of God, we are not God’s grandchildren or great grandchildren, but we are God’s children. We must choose this identity, not to run away from our destiny, but to receive the abundant blessings from God.
Through Deuteronomy 14, Moses’ teaching also helps us to receive this identity as the children of God, to live under the Tree of Life and to receive freedom. Jesus set up a good example to live a life of humbleness and obedience, even before He was going on the cross, He asked the Will of God to be done. It was such a difficult decision to make but Jesus made it willingly. He was at His weakest state, but He did not let His flesh desire influence His decision to follow God’s Will. Jesus knew His identity as the Son of God. When we know our identity, we can live naturally, we will not feel bound, and we can be set free.
We need to know who we are and where we come from. Moses was also helping the Israelites to understand their identity. They were not orphans, even though their forefathers died in the wilderness. What they heard from their forefathers was full of complaint and fear, complaint about not going back to Egypt and fear about entering the Promised Land. What would this second generation feel? Complaint, fear, bitterness, sadness, anger… a lot of times, Christians also act the same way, living with an orphan’s heart, feeling sad and fearful.
Section One V1-2 Know the Heart of God
God does not want us to have the orphan’s heart and the orphan’s spirit, do not be blinded by Satan, but to know our identity and live out this identity as the children of God. Do we really know God’s heart for us? It’s not about trying to persuade ourselves and forcing ourselves to believe that we are the children of God. But it’s about truly believed in it from the bottom of our hear. Through Moses, God was telling His people that they were the children of God. This identity was there from the very beginning, maybe it did not mention specifically in the Old Testament, but God already said it through Moses!
When we know the Heart of God and when we know our identity, then we can easily set ourselves apart for God. We will not want to be with those, who take us away from God, and we will not connect with those that are unclean. Sin separates us from God, if we know this truth, then we will stop us from sinning. God always wants to come closer to us, but it’s us, who would easily fall away.
Section Two V3-21 Live in Holiness
God does not want to be apart from us, but it’s our sins that separate us from God. When we sin, we cannot face God, and we tend to hide away from God. Therefore, we must set ourselves apart as holy, we must strive to live in holiness, God has already given us instructions to lead a godly life, we must be determined to live it out. Do we know God loves us and our authority loves us?
Section Three V22-29 Love God and Love People
God loves us and when we really know that, then we will not feel forced to love. If we don’t know how to love God, then we will not know how to love people. When we feel the love of God, then we will also love attending church service, prayer meetings, cell groups… also we need to learn to love ourselves, to know that God’s love for us is true, so we can love ourselves the same way God loves us. When we love God then we are also loving ourselves, because He is the source of love.
申命记 14 – 活出神儿女的身份
2022年10月26日 星期三
潘锡安牧师
在本章，老摩西继续教导要进入应许之地的以色列人。神不希望这第二第三代的以色列人遭遇跟他们长辈一样的下场。所以摩西要这些百姓知道自己的身份 – 他们是神的儿女，而神对每一个世代都是良善的天父。我们不要活在分辨善恶树下看自己的身份，而是在生命树的气息下。我们跟从神是否只在周日主日聚会或周间的晨祷？我们与神的关系如何？当我们在神的供应下的时候，自然就有神的样式。主耶稣知道自己的身份，因着感受到天父的爱，就完全活在谦卑顺服、舍己利他中，在疲倦时、面临死亡的痛苦时，他就能选择向父祷告。我们若知道自己是神的儿女，我们的生命就不再一样。
老摩西帮助这些年轻一代的以色列人坚固他们对自己身份的认知，知道自己不是被撇弃的。他们的父辈常常讲到埃及的“好”，所以他们虽然没有死在旷野，但他们在父母的抱怨中耳濡目染，里面就有孤儿的灵。我们其实也如这些以色列百姓一样，虽然脚步跟随着神走，心里口里却不断抱怨，会觉得束缚太多，于是向往“自由”。然而，神爱我们，他不要我们有孤儿的心，也不要我们被撒旦欺骗，他要我们知道并活出神儿女的身份。
一、v.1-2 要明白神的心
老摩西提醒蒙召的百姓“你们是耶和华你们神的儿女”。这身份是无人能拿走的，我们是万军之耶和华的儿女，是被爱的，当我们知道这一点，我们就不会跟不圣洁的人事物混在一起。若沾染偶像，我们就不洁，我们的罪就使我们与神隔绝了。神并非不爱我们，伊甸园中的亚当夏娃犯罪后是神先去寻找他们，只是人自己要躲避神，不明白神的心。
二、v.3-21 要活在圣洁里
不是神要撇弃我们，而是我们的罪使我们与神隔绝。我们能吃的东西很多，只是我们可能常常看到的都是那些“不可吃”的限制。神爱我们，希望我们与他的关系没有阻碍，所以提醒我们要活在圣洁里。我们是选择活在分辨善恶树下看到很多的“不可”，还是选择活在生命树气息下为神所赐给我们的一切感恩？我们跟神、跟我们权柄的关系是怎样的？求神帮助我们看到我们是神和权柄所爱的心肝宝贝。
三、v.22-29 要爱神爱人
我们去教会、去祷告，不是因为被规条逼迫，而是因为被爱，所以愿意去爱。若不懂爱神，不懂得爱自己，就不懂如何爱人。真正的爱自己不是让自己生活过得好，而是爱神，活出神儿女的身份。我们过去都如亚当夏娃一样被蒙蔽了，如今我们要相信，神是爱我们的！
Zion Bread of Life Christian Church 
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