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任教师恩典分享

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108-What Happens When You Lose God's Grace 2

108-What Happens When We Lose God's Grace 2#

108-What Happens When We Lose God's Grace (Part 2)

(JP Text Group - Min Compilation)

150531失去神的恩典会如何(二)
150531失去神的恩典会如何(二)

Hebrews 12:18-24:

18 For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom, and storm; 19 to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them. 20 Because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” 21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” 22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Let us pray together:

Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise you. We come here again seeking you, having arrived at Mount Zion, because Jesus Christ is here, and you will help us. No matter what kind of environment we encounter, you will lead us to overcome, and you will give us faith to work in rest and enjoy what you have given us. We look to the supply of Jesus Christ, and each person has your personal provision. Bless the time that follows, we pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!

What is the difference between Mount Zion and Mount Sinai?

Why do we say we have come to Mount Zion instead of Mount Sinai? The scripture we just read says, "For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched," referring to Mount Sinai. Why don't we go to Mount Sinai? Because Mount Sinai is a mountain that cannot be touched, as recorded in Exodus chapter 19.

At that time, God wanted to give His grace to the people of Israel, so He said to them, "I want you to be my people, I will be your God, and you will be a holy nation, a holy people." The people of Israel responded, "No! Let us do something." They said, "We will do everything the Lord has said." From that moment, God began to change His voice, telling the people of Israel to go back and purify themselves for three days before coming to meet Him.

I will set boundaries for you; whether it is a person or an animal, anyone who crosses this boundary must be stoned to death or shot through with arrows from the mountain. This is Mount Sinai. On Mount Sinai, God gave the Ten Commandments to the people of Israel. From that day on, God had set boundaries; no one could exceed these limits, and anyone who did would surely die. From that time, there were flames, thick clouds, darkness, and storms on the mountain.

When did these things happen? It was when the people of Israel thought they could obey God's law, thinking, "God, just tell us what to do." At that time, God began to change His way of speaking, with the sound of trumpets and voices. The voice of God speaking to the people of Israel was very loud, possibly louder than thunder. The people said, "No, no... Moses, you go up; we don't want God to speak to us anymore, it's too frightening. You go up and talk to God, and He will give you His will, and we will listen to you."

Moses went up the mountain to communicate with God and brought down the Ten Commandments. This is when the people of Israel said, "We don't want to hear you speak anymore." "Those who heard this voice were terrified." Why? The scripture just mentioned, "Those who heard this voice begged that no further word be spoken to them, for they could not bear what was commanded: 'If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.'"

At that time, anyone who violated this command would die. The people of Israel said, "Moses, you go up; we don't want to go." They realized that leaders are used for this purpose; when facing death, the leader goes up first. Did Moses feel afraid? Don't say Moses wasn't afraid; the scripture says so.

Verse 21, "The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, 'I am trembling with fear.'"

Was Moses not afraid? Yes, he was! Who wouldn't be afraid? The mountain was constantly shaking, with lightning, thunder, and a great sound. Moses didn't know if he could survive. When Moses went up the mountain to meet God, he had no assurance in his heart.

Brothers and sisters, this is called Mount Sinai. Mount Sinai represents the law, God's requirements. Last time we shared that God said, "Because I am holy, you must also be holy." If you are not holy, you will surely die when you come to meet me. This is God's requirement. At Mount Sinai, God spoke such words to the people of Israel.

Brothers and sisters, this message was directed at the Jews. We cannot go to Mount Sinai today. Many people travel to the holy land of Israel. If you go to Mount Sinai today, will you be killed? No, because God is no longer there. So when God spoke to the people of Israel, He was on Mount Sinai, and the people heard that voice. The audience of this writing was the Jews, not us today. Where do we stand? We are no longer under Mount Sinai; we are on Mount Zion. Amen! God has moved us to another mountain called Mount Zion.

Verse 22, "But you have come to Mount Zion."

Is Mount Zion good? It is wonderful because it is the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. Amen! Jesus is also there. What I want to say is, brothers and sisters, when reading this scripture, do not take it out of context, because we just shared that without holiness, one cannot see the Lord.

I want to tell everyone that the holiness God desires is not your holiness, because you can never be holy. It is Jesus who gives you His holiness. Amen! God has set us apart and brought us to Mount Zion. Last time we talked about holiness meaning being set apart. God has set you apart and brought you to Mount Zion. If you were to go to Mount Sinai, you would have to obey the law. No one can stand before God; praying to God is a terrifying thing.

I will share two points: First: Losing God's grace leads to a mindset of law and behavior orientation to please God.

What happens when we lose God's grace? We fall into the law, which emphasizes what you must do. In the Ten Commandments, what is the most frequent phrase? "You shall not, you shall not, you shall not..." Otherwise, you will die. It is all about what you must not do; if you do it, what will happen? You will die. This is the Ten Commandments, and many people today do not understand.

We must strive to obey the law. If you cannot obey, the consequence is death. Many times, the people of Israel were under punishment and death; everything was about requirements. Under Mount Sinai, God always required you to do something. As mentioned earlier, because God is holy, you must be holy. People must strive to be holy. But Mount Zion, also called the mountain of grace, is the mountain we are on today. The Holy Spirit is here; the church was born in Jerusalem two thousand years ago, and that mountain is called Mount Zion, also known as the mountain of grace.

The two mountains bring different results. When the law was given on that day at Mount Sinai, three thousand people died. Similarly, on Pentecost, under Mount Zion, when the Holy Spirit came down, three thousand people repented and believed in Jesus to receive life. One brings death, which is the law. The other, the Holy Spirit, brings life. Where are we today? In the heavenly Jerusalem, on Mount Zion, God brings you life, not death. Amen!

Jesus also said, "I have come that they may have life and have it more abundantly." The Holy Spirit in your heart gives you life, not death. Under grace, everything is about supply. The law says you must be holy, but no matter how hard we try, we cannot be holy. When the law cannot find holiness, it will bring curses, diseases, and death; punishment will come. If we are under the law, on Mount Sinai, we will also be under curses, just like the people of Israel in the past. But now we are not under Mount Sinai; we are on Mount Zion. Mount Zion is supply; when you are in need, God says, "I will provide this for you." Amen!

Does God not want righteousness? God cannot find righteousness in us. Jesus said, "I give you my righteousness; don't you have righteousness now?" God says, "You must be holy." Jesus said, "I give them my holiness; aren't they holy?" Brothers and sisters, all of this is supplied to us by Jesus Christ. God wants us to be prosperous, but do not use the way of the law to obtain wealth. Are you not poor now? Jesus said, "I became poor for your sake, so that you through my poverty might become rich." Jesus said, "I give you my riches." Amen!

Brothers and sisters, do you know how rich you are today? Many people just do not understand; everything in heaven is yours. Amen! Many people do not know how to use it. When we understand how to use it, we realize that God has always been supplying us. God has always been supplying us. Amen! The God under grace will provide you with everything; He knows your needs.

Philippians 2:13 also tells us, "For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."

When we want to do this or that, it is actually God who has planted a seed of desire in your heart. When you go to do something, God will work in your heart to fulfill His good purpose. Brothers and sisters, some want to have a healthy body. God says, "I will give you a healthy body." When you get healthy, what will you do? Some say, "I will mess around with relationships." God says, "No, I will not let you do that." When we do something, God’s purpose is to fulfill His good will. Amen!

Last time I talked about an 84-year-old lady who was very healthy. She said, "Now that I have such a good body, it is God's blessing. I distribute gospel tracts to others every day; it is a very joyful thing." So God continues to give her a healthy body to work for the Lord, to fulfill His good will. Amen!

The purpose of our wealth is not just for our own consumption; first, God wants to supply you, and He also wants you to use your wealth to supply many who are in need. Amen! It is to fulfill God's good will. We need to understand that God will give us grace so that we can use grace appropriately. It is not that we have done something, so God must give us something; the law requires obedience.

But grace supplies obedience to you, saying you cannot obey all my statutes and ordinances, but there is one person who obeyed, and His name is Jesus. Jesus obeyed, so Jesus gives you His obedience. Amen! God treats you as He treats Jesus. Do you know how much God loves Jesus? The most precious thing in the kingdom of heaven is Jesus. Amen! God loves you just as He loves Jesus. Why?

Because one day, two thousand years ago, God treated Jesus as if He were a sinner. At that time, Jesus took your place because our identities were exchanged. We gave our sins to Jesus, and Jesus gave us all His righteousness, holiness, mercy, and love. So God sees you as precious as Jesus, and He has also given you all the resources of the kingdom of heaven, not because of your obedience, but because of Jesus' obedience. This is called the gospel; this is called good news. The good news is that you can receive God's free grace. Thank and praise the Lord!

Living every day in God's grace and supply, many people say, "I know grace; you always talk about grace. I have known it for a long time." Although you understand grace, it does not mean you can live a life of grace. For example, after getting up in the morning, we might have thoughts like, "There are so many things to do; I must work hard, or else there might be financial problems at home this month. I must pray hard for my child; otherwise, my child might not do well in this exam."

Isn't the college entrance examination coming up soon? Many parents worry about their children and say, "I must fast and pray for my child; otherwise, my child cannot get good grades..." When you do this, you have already lost God's grace and fallen into the law because you think that doing this will definitely yield a certain result. In fact, it is not like that. You should confidently place them in God's hands.

Many people say, "Recently, many bad things have happened to me. Did I do something wrong?" Every time you have this thought, you have actually entered into the law. What does this indicate? It indicates that you have already lost God's grace and fallen into a law-oriented mindset. Even though you understand grace, you must learn to live out God's grace in your life. Amen!

Understanding is one thing; being able to use it is another. Let me share a testimony from the Bible. We always say the law is a requirement; Jesus Christ came, and Jesus is the supply. Jesus always supplies others. We need to learn to live each day with the mindset of supply, which is the mindset of provision.

Do you remember when Jesus once preached all day, and as evening approached, one of the disciples said, "Teacher, stop talking; hurry and send these people away, or they will faint from hunger. The journey is so far, and there is no food." At that time, Jesus said, "You give them something to eat."

A very clever disciple calculated and said, "Teacher, it is impossible; even if we had 30 pieces of silver to buy bread, it would not be enough for these people to eat." Brothers and sisters, I have shared before that 30 pieces of silver is equivalent to a year’s salary for a strong man in Israel. At that time, this disciple said, "Lord, even if I take 30 pieces of silver to buy bread, it would not be enough for these people." Because there were about 15,000 people in total, including 5,000 men, plus women and children. The disciples thought, "It’s over; we have no way..."

But Jesus did not say, "Yes, this is too difficult... Have you encountered difficulties?" In life, we often encounter difficulties that make it impossible for you to act, and you may not even know what to do. When such difficulties come upon you, what should you do? Do not look at your environment, because looking at the environment makes you feel you have no way out. Even if you have money, you cannot buy that much bread. Where can you get it? Jesus said, "What do you have?"

A child said, "I have five loaves and two fish." It was actually the child's food, a very small portion. At that time, the disciples said, "What can we do with five loaves and two fish? There are so many men waiting to eat." Did they encounter a problem? Every time there is a difficulty, what is your first reaction? Do you see your lack and then complain? In fact, you have already fallen into the law. When faced with the same problem, Jesus did not lose heart or complain. Jesus did not say, "Why did you come to listen without bringing food?" He did not blame the audience. What did Jesus do?

The disciples really had no way out. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up to heaven, and gave thanks. Amen! Although the five loaves and two fish seemed insignificant, when Jesus saw them, He saw the abundant supply from the Father. One mindset is to demand, "Hurry and send them home; we have no way." Because they looked at themselves and their environment. When we look at the environment, we will stumble and become weak. But Jesus did not look at the environment; He looked at the abundant supply from the Father. Although it was five loaves and two fish, He believed the Father could multiply them to meet the needs of 15,000 people.

Brothers and sisters, in every matter of life, we must see God's wonderful supply. Do not look at how terrible your current environment is. You might say, "I really have no way out." God always has a way. Even if you are like Moses standing by the Red Sea, with enemies behind and no way ahead, what should you do? God says, "I will make a way for you through the Red Sea." Brothers and sisters, never lose hope, because our God has a way. Thank and praise the Lord! When we are sick, we need to look at life like Jesus. That is to say, you must know that God has supply. Amen!

Many people say, "Pray for me." In fact, I have no ability; when we pray for you, it is God personally supplying us. So brothers and sisters, do not expect to receive anything from me, because the one who can supply you is the power of Jesus Christ, the power of the Holy Spirit. When you come here, you have already been set apart by God. God required holiness on Mount Sinai and said that holiness is necessary to avoid death. But under grace, on Mount Zion, God says, "You can come boldly to the throne of grace." Amen!

What do you see? One mountain is filled with fear and trembling, while the other mountain allows people to come boldly. So when Moses came down from Mount Sinai, his face shone, and the people below were afraid and ran away. When Jesus came down from the Mount of Transfiguration, all the people ran to Jesus to crowd around Him. This is the difference.

Brothers and sisters, one is Mount Sinai, which represents the law, and the other is grace, which is Mount Zion. Amen! When you see Jesus here, He has supply. Can you see Jesus' supply? As mentioned earlier, the five loaves and two fish were because He saw the Father's supply. And we are learning to know if Jesus supplies you. I want to ask brothers and sisters, do you believe Jesus is here at this moment? Do you believe?

If you believe Jesus is here, you should also believe His supply is here. When you come to seek Jesus with your problems, believe that Jesus can supply me and solve my problems. At the same time, you must believe that Jesus' healing is also here, because when Jesus was on earth, He healed everyone in need because Jesus was there.

Brothers and sisters, we must see the Father's supply, Jesus' supply. When you see Jesus, you will not worry, you will not be afraid, and you will not complain. Just like when the storm came, the disciples were with Jesus. They were afraid, but if you have a correct understanding of Jesus, you would say, "I do not need to worry because Jesus is here." At that time, the disciples did not recognize Jesus' power; they only knew Jesus but did not know His power. When the storm came, the waves kept pouring into the boat.

What were the disciples doing? They were desperately trying to bail water out of the boat. Did that have any effect? When a big wave came, the boat would be full. They were desperately doing something futile. I want to tell you that many times we do futile work, especially when problems arise. Instead of looking up to God, we are like the disciples, desperately trying to bail water out of the boat, doing something useless. They forgot that there was a great Savior on the boat.

If it were us, we would directly wake Jesus up. When Jesus got up, He simply said, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind and waves calmed down, because He is the supply. Hallelujah! Do not be troubled by what you are facing now, feeling like the sky is falling down and making you anxious. Look up to our God; He can always bring you supply. Thank and praise the Lord! Come boldly to the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Under grace, Jesus treated everyone, whether a prostitute or a tax collector, kindly and graciously. Amen! How much more so for you? No matter how big the problem you encounter or how helpless your sickness is, God has the power to heal you. God has the power to supply you. Amen!

Today I want to share something special. I have never read someone else's testimony during a sermon before because the sermon time is relatively short, and there is a lot to talk about. Today, I will break the rule and share the latest testimony with you. There are many testimonies, but I will only share the latest one, which was compiled by a sister from Wuhan. I will summarize the main points.

In January 2014, I was diagnosed with a malignant tumor, a thyroid tumor. Previously, I had two surgeries for thyroid tumors in 1994 and 2006, which were benign. During these two surgeries, my right vocal cord was paralyzed, so now I can only speak using my left vocal cord. My voice is very soft and hoarse. But this time, the diagnosis was a malignant tumor. The doctor told me that the entire thyroid must be removed immediately. Because of the damage from the previous surgeries, this surgery would be more difficult.

I used to be a doctor and worked at Wuhan Tongji Hospital before moving to Shanghai. Given my current situation, 80% of my vocal cords have been damaged. If I undergo surgery again, I will not be able to speak for the rest of my life and will become mute. I will also have to have a tracheostomy and have a metal tube inserted, which must be replaced every half month to a month. From then on, my breathing will depend on this tube.

At that time, I felt that life was worse than death. When this happened, I felt like the sky was falling. My family advised me to have the surgery; preserving my life was the most important thing. But I found it terrifying. After being discharged from Wuhan Tongji Hospital, I spent more than half a year running around various hospitals across the country, hoping to get different treatment opinions. However, after everyone reviewed my medical history and conducted a series of tests, the conclusion was the same as that of Tongji Hospital.

It felt like a nightmare. Later, I went to Hong Kong, and after a series of tests, the doctors there did not bring much hope either. Finally, the doctor said I could make an appointment with a doctor in the United States. In fact, the outcome would be similar. During this time, I started asking brothers and sisters to pray for me online.

The appointment with the American doctor was made, and before going, I said I wanted to do a comprehensive check-up again because I had been praying during this time. After the check-up, the doctor was shocked; the malignant tumor had turned into a benign one. The doctor said, "This is impossible!" because I had undergone enhanced CT scans, and almost all hospitals had done tests without any discrepancies. The conclusion was different this time, and the doctor said, "Previously, you had taken medication, but it could only temporarily suppress the tumor's growth; it could not change the nature of the tumor. No medication can do that; it can only inhibit growth."

However, her situation changed. When she went for the check-up again, the tumor was found to be benign. This is God's work. Thank and praise the Lord! I want to tell you not to worry because God always has a way. When I learned that my tumor was benign, I breathed a sigh of relief. But this thing still grew in my body, like a ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment.

At the beginning of this year, I listened to your sermon on "The Prayer of Authority," which gave me even more confidence. I declare every day that by the stripes of Jesus, I have been healed, and I am very sure that I have been healed. Since I was diagnosed with this tumor, I have had to go to the hospital for a check-up every month to monitor the tumor's condition. Although it is benign, all the indicators are abnormal. I also studied medicine and used to work at Tongji Hospital.

Last month, I stopped taking all medications. My family and friends strongly opposed this, saying I should not joke with my life. Although you believe in Jesus, you cannot believe like this. Brothers and sisters, many people tell you that believing in Jesus is fine, but do not be overly zealous. I used to be like that; my family said it was okay to believe, but do not be overly zealous. Why go to church every time? Once a month is enough.

I did not accept my family or friends' suggestions. Everyone thought I should not do this. The church also felt she was testing God. Do you know what testing God means? It means that it is ineffective; do not trouble God anymore. Just stop taking the medication. But she prayed at irregular times every day. I truly believe in the power of prayer and trust that God is a blessing to me. Whenever I have time, I listen to your sermons and then pray. When I went for a check-up this month, surprisingly, all the indicators were normal. Hallelujah!

If she had continued taking medication, all the indicators would have been normal, and it would have felt like the effect of the medication. But when she stopped taking the medication, a month later, she went for a check-up, and everything returned to normal. She said this is the power of God. Isn't it a disease that seems impossible to treat? God personally healed her.

Brothers and sisters, this is God's supply. It is not that you strive to fast or pray for many days before God accomplishes something for you; it is that you believe Jesus' stripes have healed you. Amen! Because of your faith, God will heal you. Jesus healed many people and said, "Daughter, go in peace; your faith has saved you." Jesus did not say, "Your fasting and prayer saved you," or "Your pious actions saved you." No, it is correct belief that will inevitably lead to correct results.

When I posted this testimony online, three people with thyroid issues called me that day, saying, "Teacher Ren, please pray for me; I am in the same situation." They all had benign tumors, and the malignant ones were healed by God. I want to tell you not to lose hope in God because God always has a way.

Jesus personally said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." What do you want? You can only receive His supply from God. This is God's grace. Grace is what you do not deserve, what you should not receive, but God gives it to you freely. At any time, when we receive His supply, we are merely recipients; we need to live with a mindset of supply.

Speaking for myself, if I treat preaching as a law, it becomes a tiring thing.

Many people ask me, "Teacher Ren, you preached so much today; aren't you tired?"

I say, "No, I don't feel it is a burden."

They say, "Why do I feel so tired after just one sermon?"

I say, "Because you treat it as work, as a law. That is different. When you look at problems, if you see it as supply, there will be joy in it. For this sermon, I might start meditating and preparing from Monday, and by Saturday, I have everything ready. When I supply tomorrow, it is because God has supplied me first. I want to use this word to supply brothers and sisters, and I enjoy it."

But if I say, "Lord, Sunday is coming again, and I have to prepare a sermon. What should I do?" It becomes a law-based thought. I might complain, and when preaching, I might worry about whether I will say the wrong thing or whether the audience will benefit from it. I have encountered many preachers who ask me, and I tell them not to worry because the Holy Spirit is at work. When you stand up there, the Holy Spirit will help you do things. So brothers and sisters, if you think in a law-based way, I might say, "Look at you; why are some people still not here today? I worked hard to prepare this sermon, and you are not coming?"

I might say, "Some are still sleeping." If I have a law mindset, thinking that I have given and should receive a result, when I do not see it, I will complain. I have heard some people share that they said, "I do not dare to go to church anymore because every time I go, I fall asleep, and the pastor comes over and wakes me up. Since then, I have not dared to go back." Brothers and sisters, this has never happened in our church, right? Some people do indeed fall asleep, but I have never pulled you up, right? Do you know how I think about this? I think this is God's supply. Why is it God's supply?

If you can come and sleep here, that is also God's supply! Many people suffer from insomnia. Some brothers and sisters used to sleep here often, and they said, "Teacher Ren, I do not want to come anymore because every time I come, I fall asleep. I feel embarrassed." I said, "It’s okay; just come." If they can sleep here, they can listen to God's word. If they fall asleep, they are enjoying God's rest. It counts as God's supply, right?

Even if they are asleep, your spirit can still hear some things. Some people fall asleep here, and when they go home, it seems they still absorbed a few sentences. In fact, every time you can absorb a few sentences from the sermon, that is your greatest gain. Thank God! So when you see everything as God's supply, life will change.

Because it is not about relying on your own efforts to maintain something or to do something. You say, "Lord, I am going to work today because you have already placed blessings there. I want to receive your blessings." Hallelujah! Thank and praise the Lord! The law always tells me, "You cannot do this, you cannot do that," but grace tells you, "I want you to enjoy rest. I want to be your God. I want to forgive your sins. I will not remember your sins anymore. I want you to enjoy rest." Do you see? God has always been supplying you, and what we need to do is say, "Lord, I am willing to receive." That is all.

Brothers and sisters, where is the difference?

Second: Do not return to Mount Sinai; dwell in Mount Zion.

Where is Mount Zion? In Shaanxi? There used to be an organization, and I do not know how to refer to it. They said, "God loves us so much in China." Mount Zion is a mountain in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. So they called it Mount Zion. There is no such explanation; you cannot prophesy like that, right? Brothers and sisters, we are not on that Mount Zion. Amen! Look at how the Bible describes Mount Zion.

Verse 22, "But you have come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem."

Do you know where Mount Zion is? It is the heavenly Jerusalem, not some mountain on earth. Do not get it wrong. If you look for a mountain on earth, you will definitely be mistaken. There are thousands upon thousands of angels there. God's angels are all there. There is the assembly of the firstborn whose names are written in heaven. It is a bit tongue-twisting to read. Now, the church on earth, no matter which city or country it is in, is a branch. Do you understand? Where is our general assembly? In the heavenly Jerusalem.

One day we will all gather at the general assembly in the heavenly Jerusalem. You will find that you will see Adam, see Isaac, see Moses. We will see those who believed in Jesus before because that is the general assembly. Amen!

One day we will all be there. No matter if you are in Qingdao or another church, you may be separated, but you will see each other again because you can meet at the general assembly. Amen! You will also see your past relatives who believed. So that is the general assembly. What is there in the general assembly? There is God, the Judge of all.

Some people say, "Look, God is judging us in the general assembly." This person has a misunderstanding of God. God has the ability to judge, but there are two types of judges: one is punishment for evil, and the other is reward for good. Amen!

For what you have done for the Lord, for what you have offered, God in heaven will bless you. Many people in our church cook for the children; their dedication will be rewarded in heaven. Amen! God does not just look for our shortcomings with a magnifying glass, waiting to whip us if we have problems. That is not how it works.

The punishment for our sins has all fallen on Jesus. When we are at the general assembly, it is not to judge how many evil deeds we have done, but to judge how much we have done for the Lord. God will reward you according to your deeds. There is God, the Judge of all, and the spirits of the righteous made perfect. Does this refer to us? The spirits of the righteous made perfect. Why is there such a term? You can never reach the general assembly by yourself; you must rely on the righteousness that Jesus Christ has perfected for you to reach God’s general assembly. Amen!

It is not by our actions, not by our efforts that we enter into God’s presence; it is by the righteousness that Jesus Christ has accomplished for us on the cross. Amen! And the mediator of the new covenant, Jesus. Where is Jesus now? In the heavenly Jerusalem. Amen! If you go back to Mount Sinai, God is no longer there. If you go back to keep the law, God is no longer there. If you go to Mount Sinai for tourism, you will not be struck down by God with lightning because God is not there. He is already on Mount Zion, in the new Jerusalem, and Jesus is there too. Amen!

Brothers and sisters, what is the kingdom of heaven? Where Jesus is, that is the kingdom of heaven. Because Jesus is here, this is the kingdom of heaven. This is what we need to understand. Jesus is on Mount Zion; we need to go to Mount Zion. Hallelujah! It is not Xi'an in China; it is the heavenly Jerusalem. All blessings come down from above. Amen!

It is your correct belief that God will give you this blessing. And also, and the sprinkled blood. Why does God bless you? It is because of the blood of Jesus. His blood has forgiven all your sins, so God blesses you because of His blood. God no longer remembers your sins; He no longer gets angry with you. Instead, He pours out His abundant blessings upon you because of the blood of Jesus.

The next part says, "The blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel."

What is Abel's blood? Do you know that blood can speak? The first murder in human history was when Cain killed his brother Abel. Why was he killed? It was because of jealousy; God favored Abel. His brother got angry and killed him. After the first murder, Cain buried him, and then God said, "Cain, where is your brother Abel?"

Cain replied, "I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?" He did not admit it. What did God say? "Do you know? The blood of your brother Abel is crying out to me from the ground." This shows that blood can speak. Amen! But what does Abel's blood say? "Lord, avenge me! I died unjustly; it is unfair." So Abel's blood was crying out to God for justice.

But what about the blood of Jesus Christ? Jesus was indeed killed by the Jews, but did Jesus demand justice from the Jews? On the cross, Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." So the blood of Jesus speaks of forgiveness. Amen!

The blood of Jesus does not demand justice for our sins; it does not demand what sins you have committed. The blood of Jesus says, "Forgive them, for I have shed my precious blood for them." When God sees the blood of Jesus, He no longer remembers your sins and transgressions. Amen! His blood tells us that God has completely accepted you. The blood of Jesus speaks a better word because it tells you that you are healthy, you are healed by God, and you are living in God's blessings. This is the result that the blood of Jesus has brought you. Amen!

The blood that speaks a better word than Abel's blood. We must tell others that because of the precious blood shed by Jesus, God has accepted you. God is willing to bless you. God is willing to turn your situation around. Amen! Do not look at how terrible your current situation is; look at our God, who always has the power to overcome your current environment. Amen! The blood of Jesus speaks of better things; the blood of Jesus speaks of grace. Amen! He always accepts people. Those who are rejected by others, Jesus accepts them. Those lepers abandoned by the world, Jesus accepted them and healed them.

Brothers and sisters, we come to seek Jesus Christ with our unworthiness and failures. He will never cast you away because His blood speaks of God's grace. So do not reject the grace of Jesus Christ. Do not say, "Lord, let me do something." You are returning to the law. Do not go back to Mount Sinai; God is not there. If you go back to Mount Sinai, we will die. So stay under God's grace. Amen!

The blood of Jesus speaks a better message. Unfortunately, many people would rather listen to the voice of judgment, saying, "That is a great voice, a great message. How does God face this group of people?" Many people still tell you, "Be careful; if you dare to sin again, God will strike you, God will give you diseases, God will bring disasters. If you do not obey, be careful next week, and pray well before you go out..." This is the message of judgment. When faced with such teaching, if you think it is really good, you need to be cautious because the following words are directed at those who reject grace.

In verse 25, it says, "See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?"

Many people may not understand. I want to explain this verse to you. It means that those who refused Him who warned them on earth refers to God when He was on earth. On Mount Sinai, He gave the Ten Commandments to the people of Israel as a warning not to sin. If they sinned, they would surely die. This is the warning given to them on earth. If they could not escape, how much less will we if we turn away from Him who warns us from heaven?

God knows you cannot keep all the laws. What is the voice from heaven that God gives you? It is to say, "Come and believe in my Son Jesus Christ; His blood can forgive all your sins. Believe in Jesus! He can give you eternal life and let you enter into that eternal kingdom." If you say NO, if you reject even this, the end will surely be destruction. This means that if you cannot violate what is on earth, how much less if you reject the free grace that God gives you? If you say no and reject it, you will surely die.

In verse 26, it says, "At that time his voice shook the earth." Is this Mount Sinai? When God spoke, there was an earthquake. At that time, "His voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, 'Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.'"

"Once more" indicates the removal of what can be shaken, that is, created things, so that what cannot be shaken may remain. This shaking indicates that God will remove all created things. Amen! God sees that this world has grown old, just like clothes. God will roll them up and give a new heaven and a new earth. Amen!

It is the new Jerusalem. This is the meaning of this passage. When you see the people of Israel at Mount Sinai, when God spoke, the earth shook. What is God's promise today? There is a voice in heaven, in the heavenly Jerusalem. God says, "This time I will not only shake the earth but also shake the heavens." This means that when God judged the world, the first time He used the flood to judge, people could sit in the boat, right? People might not necessarily die.

People say they can fly to the moon, to Saturn, and sit in a spaceship without coming down. Do you know what God means? All created things, whether in heaven or on earth, will be removed. Where will you run? God says He will remove the entire galaxy. Do not think you can escape God's judgment; it is impossible!

Today, the door of grace is still open. God gives us an unshakeable kingdom, which refers to the heavenly Jerusalem. Only that kingdom cannot be shaken. When God rolls up the world, all tangible things will be consumed by God's fierce fire. After that, God will let the new Jerusalem come down from heaven. Those who are there are those who have accepted the grace of Jesus Christ. Do you see?

So verse 27 says, "The created things will be removed, so that what cannot be shaken may remain. God’s new Jerusalem, the new heaven and new earth, will last forever." Verse 28 tells us, "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken..."

You are already in that unshakeable kingdom, which is Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem. What do you rely on to obtain it? It is by the blood of Jesus Christ. Do not lose God's grace; dwell long in Mount Zion. Know that everything is God's supply, and live with a mindset of supply. Every time you encounter a problem, turn your eyes to Jesus. Turn to Jesus, and you will always overcome your current environment. Thank and praise the Lord.

The voice of grace will shake heaven and earth. All who are not in Jesus Christ will be removed. Only through the grace of Jesus Christ are we pleasing to God. Amen! Therefore, it says, "Let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe." Amen!

The last sentence is very important. Let me explain it to you, "For our God is a consuming fire." Many people have explained this verse. Many pastors use this verse to scare believers, saying, "Do not sin anymore because our God is a consuming fire. You must have good behavior because our God is a consuming fire." What does this mean? If you dare to sin, this fire is meant to burn you! If that is the case, how many people can survive? They would all be burned to death. Indeed, this verse is very correct; our God is a consuming fire. That is absolutely true.

Our God is just, is righteous, is a consuming fire, and is the Lord of judgment. However, God does not casually burn people. Do you agree? God cannot say, "I am in a bad mood today, so I will burn you." Will God do that? Although God is a consuming fire, He absolutely does not casually punish people because He is a perfectly just God. Although He is a consuming fire, He does not burn you because all your sins have been borne by Jesus on the cross. If Jesus had not borne your sins, this consuming fire would have destroyed you. But because God has punished Jesus with that consuming fire, He does not punish you; instead, He pours His grace upon you.

Let us pray together:

Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise you. We are in your grace in Jesus Christ. We are not on Mount Sinai but on Mount Zion, in your abundant supply. Let me live every day with a mindset of supply. Let me see not my current environment but the supply of Jesus Christ.

No matter how terrible my environment is, you can always overcome it. I know Jesus is by my side because this is the word of the Bible. He promises us that He will never leave us or forsake us. No matter where I go, He is with me to help me overcome the environment. He helps me give me faith, gives me strength, and gives me wisdom. Thank and praise the Lord for placing me on Mount Zion because of the blood of Jesus; all my sins have been wiped away. You completely accept me. By the grace of Jesus Christ, I can boldly pray to you about everything. You will surely hear my prayers. Thank you, Heavenly Father, for this abundant supply. We pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!

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