每日读经:列王纪上11-12
( https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1kings+11&version=CUVS )
每日金句:
列王纪上11:6所 所罗门行耶和华眼中看为恶的事,不效法他父亲大卫专心顺从耶和华。
每日问题:
1)你觉得最初是什么原因导致所罗门与外邦女子通婚并且最终他的心离开了神?
2)你觉得为什么罗波安会拒绝老年人给的智慧的建议,而去听取与他一同的少年人的建议呢?
每日灵修:
耶和华清楚的告诉以色列人不可与外邦女子相通,以免他们诱惑你们的心随从别神。所罗门虽然没有计划要触犯神的这条诫命,但是他选择宠爱这些女子,与他们在一起花很多时间,很多的界限原则被打破,最终导致他在罪中堕落。我们肉体的本性是不想遵行神的话语的。所罗门的结局让我们看到罪是多么肮脏并且极其具有欺骗性的。罪的结果总是比我们想象的要严重,罪把我们最终带入的境地是我们都想不到的。
神啊求你赦免我没有专心顺从你。我的肉体也很容易被这个世界的神所引诱。求你赦免我把追求享乐舒适放在追求圣洁和真理之上。如果所罗门是一个罪人,那我比他更糟。求你赦免我觉得这个时代的罪没有所罗门的罪这么糟糕。我一点都不比他好,但是感谢神你的宝血把我洗净!
如果我有机会可以问这位智慧胜过天下列王的所罗门一个问题,我想我会问“这些外邦女子值得吗”。我敢说他的回答是否定的。我想他可能会用保罗在腓立比书3:8节的话回答“我将万事当作有损的,因我以认识我主基督耶稣为至宝。我为他已经丢弃万事,看作粪土,为要得着基督”。
虽然大卫犯了奸淫和谋杀罪,但是神看大卫却还是一个专心顺从耶和华的榜样。为什么神对大卫和所罗门的评价如此不同呢?因为大卫悔改了。无论我们离神多远,犯了什么污秽的罪,如果我们有一颗忧伤痛悔,真诚悔改的心,神应许会原谅我们的过犯。
罗波安拒绝听取智慧人的建议,而是听取了愚拙人的意见。求神帮助我不要拒绝不听我生命中那些智慧人给我的劝勉。“任凭义人击打我,这算为仁慈;任凭他责备我,这算为头上的膏油”(诗篇141:5)。
耶罗波安告诉以色列百姓,上耶路撒冷去敬拜实在是太不方便了,所以他开始设立偶像,立凡民为祭司,甚至自己设立宗教节期为了要讨百姓的欢心。敬拜神永远都不会是很方便轻松容易的事情。我们一旦因为不方便就停止读经和传福音,我们就知道我们的心已经远离神了,对神也越来越冷淡了。在和神的关系建立中如果我们选择捷径,那结果就会把我们带到罪中。神要我们走的是通往永生的窄门,而不是引到灭亡的宽门。
祷告:
亲爱的天父,求你赦免我不专心顺从你。求你使我不要不听智慧人的劝勉。求你帮助我谦卑自己去顺服你的旨意。很多时候我因为不方便选择不读经祷告。我知道跟随你是要付上很大的代价的,求你帮助我在最小的事上学习顺服你。奉主耶稣的名祷告,阿门!
Daily Reading:1 Kings 11-12
( https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1kings+11&version=CUVS )
Daily Verses:
1 Kings 11:6 So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and did not wholly follow the LORD, as David his father had done.
Daily Questions:
1. What do you think was the first step Soloman took that led him to marry so many foreign women and ultimately turning from God?
2.Why do you think Rehaboam rejected the advice of the old wise men, and took the advice of the young men that grew up with him?
Daily Devotion:
The Lord had clearly instructed the people of Israel, “You must not marry them, because they will turn your hearts to their gods.” Although Soloman did not plan to break this commandment of the LORD, he spent time with them and broke many boundaries which quickly led him to indulge in sin. Our fleshly passions often insist on not obeying the Word of God. Oh how deceitful, sticky, and nasty sin is. Sin will always take us further than we want to go, and cost us more than we ever want to pay.
God please forgive me for refusing to follow you completely as Soloman did. My flesh loves many gods of this culture and I many times trust them more than you. Please forgive me for pursuing comfort & pleasure rather than holiness & truth. If Solomen was a sinful man, I am far worse off. Please forgive me for thinking his sins are worse than the horrific sins of my generation and culture. I am no better than him, and yet your precious blood washes me clean.
If I could ask Soloman, the wisest man of all time one question, it would be this. “Was all those foreign women worth it?” I am willing to bet he would say no. Is my sin worth it? I bet he would say the same words of Paul “Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ” -Philippians 3:8
The LORD still see David as a great example even though he also committed adultery, and murder. What is the difference between David and Soloman? David repented. No matter how far we run or how filthy our sins, God will alway forgive us if we have a sincere and truly repentant heart.
Rehaboam rejected the advice of the old wise men of God and listened to the foolish advice of his friends. God please never let me reject the wise advice of goldy men in my life. Let the godly strike me! It will be a kindness! If they correct me, it is soothing medicine.
Jerabam tells the people that it is too inconvenient for them to go to Jerusalem to worship the LORD. So he starts his own devilish religion to please the people and meet their needs. Worshiping the LORD will never be convenient for us. As soon as we stop reading our bible, sharing our faith daily, or any other good thing of God because it is not convenient for us, we know our hearts are growing colder and further from God than we think. Seeking shortcuts in our relationship with God leads to great sins. God does not call us to the broad road that leads to destruction, but the narrow gate.
Prayer:
Dear God, please forgive me for not worshiping you completely. Please not let me reject the godly advice of the wise men in my life. Please help me to humble myself to do what you have asked of me. Please forgive me for all the times I have stopped specific spiritual activities because it was not convenient for me. I know that following you will cost me a lot; please help me to obey you to the smallest details. In Jesus name I pray, Amen!