112 - Speak of Jesus' Love for You#
112 - Speak of Jesus' Love for You
(JP Text Group - Happy Angels Compilation)
1 John 4:16-18:
16 We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise You. Your children come once again before Jesus Christ to receive the love You have given us, to receive Your daily provision. As a new week begins, we receive Your supply and love, to love those around us. Lord, we also want to receive healing and strength. Every day we need Your abundant grace. We completely dedicate this time to You, may the Holy Spirit fill every brother and sister seeking You, enjoying grace in Your love. In the name of Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen! Hallelujah!
Today, let’s tell ourselves, placing our hands on our chests, saying: I am the one Jesus loves the most, Amen! This is the center of this week's sharing. Remember at all times, you are the one Jesus loves, Hallelujah! The Bible we just read says, we know that God loves us. Do you know that God loves you? Thank the Lord, all who believe in Jesus Christ know that Jesus loves us, know that God loves us! The Bible also tells us that God loves the world and gave His only Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. This is God's concrete action of love for us, giving us His only beloved Son, Jesus. The purpose is to ensure that we do not perish but receive eternal life. This is God's love for us, Amen!
Brothers and sisters, when you know that God loves you, you can live boldly in this world. Everyone knows that God loves them, but there is another question: Do you believe that God loves you? You see that God loves him, blesses him with good health, wealth, and obedient children. Why don’t I have that? Do you believe that God loves you the most? Parents may have twelve children, but it’s impossible for them to love each child equally; no parent can do that. However, brothers and sisters, there are millions of Christians in the world, and God's love for each person is the same.
Do we believe that God loves us the most? This is important. Don’t just know that God loves you; believe that God loves you. If you don’t believe this truth, God cannot help you. It’s like a husband loving his wife; that’s a fact. If the wife doesn’t believe it and constantly doubts whether her husband is unfaithful or whether he loves her, then the family has problems. So, we must know that God loves us and believe that God loves us, Hallelujah!
When you understand the truth, the truth can set you free. God no longer judges or punishes you based on who you are; God sees you through Jesus, Amen! Can you understand, brothers and sisters? At the right hand of God is our victorious Jesus Christ. The Bible has a promise for us: As Jesus is, so are we in this world. Jesus is accepted by God now, so you should believe that you are also accepted by God. Jesus is pleasing to God, and you should believe that you are also pleasing to God. Was Jesus condemned by God? Jesus was condemned once, but after that, God no longer condemned Jesus, and therefore God no longer condemns you.
Romans 8:1: Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Do you believe you are in Christ Jesus? If you believe you are in Christ Jesus, you should believe that God no longer condemns you, not because of your actions, but because you are in Christ Jesus. Because as Jesus is, so are you in this world, Amen! We must know that God is love; the entire Bible can be summarized in one word: "love." We are in God's love, thank the Lord!
We dwell in God's love, Amen!
Verse 18 also tells us: There is no fear in love.
What is fear? It is the things you are very worried about, the things you are anxious about; these are called fears. Fear is about the unknown, the things you worry about, the things you are anxious about. Or it can be said that it is about not knowing how to solve a problem. That is where fear comes from. Just like now, very few people travel to South Korea because of the Middle East respiratory syndrome, which spreads through the air; it’s frightening. Are people afraid of this disease? No, they fear death! People don’t know what will happen if they get this disease; they might die. If a doctor tells you that you will die, there is fear of the unknown involved. Christians are the same. Those who have already believed in Jesus can still have worries, anxieties, and fears, and fear contains punishment.
The scripture also tells us that fear contains punishment. What does punishment mean? It means that bad things will happen, and you will have to bear terrible consequences. This is punishment. The Bible also tells us: Perfect love casts out fear. Amen, brothers and sisters, do you believe you are in God's love? If you are in God's love, there is no fear. But if there is still fear, the following scripture says: Those who fear have not been perfected in love. This means: If you have worries, anxieties, and fears, it is because you have not realized God's perfect love. God's love has always been perfect, no matter how long you have believed, whether one day or two days, God's love is always perfect.
It’s just that our understanding of God’s love varies. Some people understand God's love more, while others understand it less. Those who understand less will have more fear, while those who realize that God loves them perfectly will have no fear. The Bible tells us that perfect love casts out fear. If you still have fears, fears of lack, fears of the future, fears of losing someone, fears of certain diseases, these are all fears, which prove that you do not recognize God's perfect love. I hope brothers and sisters can recognize God's perfect love. Only when you first recognize God's perfect love can you believe in this perfect love, Hallelujah! The Bible tells us that God is love. When you know how much God loves you, that fear will automatically disappear.
Matthew 22:35-40 contains some different content. You will understand why you have fears and how to remove those fears. How do you receive God's perfect love? Are you hearing of love under the law, or love in grace? There is a difference.
Matthew 22:35-40:
35 One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
Brothers and sisters, is there love under the law? Yes, God also tells us that there is love under the law, and there must also be love under grace. The entire Bible consists of the Old Testament and the New Testament, and these two covenants together are also love. Under the Old Testament, it is demanding love. Brothers and sisters, do you love God? How much do you love God?
Let’s look at what the standard of loving Him is. If someone says, "I love God very much," then I tell you what God's standard is. As we just read, Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Have you loved God with all your heart, soul, and mind? In church, we often hear more about how you should love God, how you should love Him with all your heart, soul, and mind. Can anyone do that? No, not one Jew did it in the 1,500 years under the law; not one.
Brothers and sisters, this is God's perfect love; we cannot love God in this way. Only under the New Covenant can we receive God's perfect love. The Old Testament focuses on the law and on ourselves. It is you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. Amen! Can you see this distinction? Many churches still teach "you must" do this, "you must" strive to love God.
This is a problematic statement. Let me imitate a law-based sermon: Now we are in the last days, Jesus is coming soon, how pitiful the souls in this world are! While preaching, you are actually sleeping! You lukewarm people, you must strive to love God, you must strive to pray, you must strive to evangelize… In such loud and shouting words, they urge brothers and sisters to strive to love God. But they should say it accurately: Let brothers and sisters love God with all their heart, soul, and mind; that is correct. If that is the case, no one can do it. This is love under the law.
Because the law mentions that you must love God in this way, such teachings will bind people. You cannot love God according to the standard; you will feel guilty, unworthy, and even feel that you are rebellious. You may genuinely want to love God, but you find that you are still evil. You want to help others, but you end up hurting them when you open your mouth. You always fail. Because you place yourself under the law, trying many times, and when you cannot love God, you may say, "Forget it, I give up. I don’t want to believe in the Lord anymore."
I once knew a sister who was in a law-based church. The pastor often taught that you must strive to love God, strive to love others, strive to give for the Lord, and gave many laws and regulations for people to follow. This sister couldn’t take it anymore and left the church.
Three years later, I saw this sister again and asked her why she hadn’t attended meetings for so long.
She said, "I no longer believe in the Lord."
I asked, "Why don’t you believe anymore?"
She said, "I have lived like a person for the past three years without believing in the Lord. I couldn’t stand the various laws and regulations of the church. I always felt unworthy, always under God’s punishment. I had a lot of fears inside. I don’t believe anymore; instead, I feel relaxed! I don’t have to worry about what I eat offending God. I don’t have to pray, and now I don’t pray, and it’s fine."
Brothers and sisters, isn’t this wrong? If you believe to this extent, it proves that you have believed incorrectly. God is not wrong, Amen. The purpose of the law is to make people aware of sin and to condemn them. The law is strict; if it is not strict, it is not the law. You must love God; you should love God with all your heart, soul, and mind. No one can do that.
Under the New Covenant, everything is reversed. Jesus has accomplished everything for you, Amen! God says, "I know you cannot love Me with all your heart, soul, and mind, so I will love you with all My heart, soul, and mind." Isn’t that simple? God loves me with His utmost, and I just need to receive that love. Under the Old Testament, it was about striving to love God and realizing that you cannot do it. Under the New Testament, God says, "I love you this way; you receive this love, believe in this love, and you will have it."
Believe that God loves us this way, and every day will be joyful. Even if you have problems in your life, don’t worry, because you know that even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for God is with me. I know that God loves me; He will surely lead me out of my current problems. Knowing that God loves you is no longer a problem, Hallelujah! First, you must recognize that God loves us, and then speak of that love. Every day tell yourself, "I am the one God loves," thank the Lord!
In the Bible, there are two disciples of Jesus, living in two different states. One is Peter, and the other is John. Peter thought he loved Jesus very much, just like the sister we talked about earlier, who seemed very loving and was definitely a sister who loved God. If that is the case, then she should love God according to God's standard: with all her heart, soul, and mind. If not, don’t say she loves God. We can only say that we are loved by God. Peter always thought he was the one who loved God the most.
In John 13:33, there is an event where Jesus said, "Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, where I am going, you cannot come."
In verse 37, Peter said, "Lord, why can’t I follow You now? I will lay down my life for You."
Do you see Peter's love? Did Peter think he loved Jesus very much? He was willing to lay down his life for Jesus. When Peter said this, he was indeed willing to lay down his life for Jesus, but he did not know his own weight. When the real situation came, he found he could not do it. Because every time we boast about how much we love God, we will surely fail. At that time, Peter was really proud. "Lord, even if they all fall away, I will not fall away. I am willing to lay down my life for You." Did he think he loved God more than the other disciples? In the end, Jesus said, "Peter, Peter, you will deny Me three times." Those who think they love Jesus the most fell three times and denied the Lord three times.
The one who is praised as loved by God is named John. John is completely different from Peter. The Gospel of John was written by John. It contains many phrases like "the disciple whom Jesus loved." "The one whom God loves." Who is he talking about? Himself. John says, "The disciple whom Jesus loved," the one whom God loves. Jesus loves all twelve disciples equally, but only John knows that Jesus loves me the most!
You must know that Jesus loves you the most. Knowing that God loves you the most, your problems will no longer be problems. Always remember that Jesus loves you the most. No matter what obstacles you encounter in life, you can overcome them because God will surely help you. Strength and faith arise when you see that Jesus loves you. In the same situation, the disciple whom Jesus loved leaned close to Jesus' chest and said, "Lord, tell me who that person is?" This shows a very intimate relationship with Jesus. But you also see that the disciple John, who always boasted that he was Jesus' favorite, was the one who followed Him to the foot of the cross while the other disciples ran away.
Brothers and sisters, what do you see? When you see how much Jesus loves us, our lives change because the focus is always on Jesus Christ. If you think you love God very much, the focus is on yourself. The results are completely different! Brothers and sisters, boast about Jesus' love for you. No matter what problems you encounter in life, think about how Jesus loves me, and I need not worry. Because He will surely prepare the way ahead for me. I have been pondering this question, and many people are confused about what God's will is.
I once heard a brother pray for nearly an hour, repeatedly asking, "Lord, what is Your will?" Brothers and sisters, do you know what God's will is? In fact, God's will is very simple: He wants you to understand His love and receive His love. Hallelujah! This is God's will. In many cases, we are uncertain and ask, "Lord, do You want to bless me?" Do not doubt this matter; God wants to bless you because He loves you. How much does God love us? The most precious thing in heaven is Jesus, not golden streets or jade pillars; the most precious thing is Jesus!
Romans 8:32 says: He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
Does this mean that God does not love Jesus? No, God loves Jesus very much, but God loves you even more. Why? Because He did not spare His own Son for us all; you can replace "all" with "me." He gave Him for me because God loves me, which is the mark of God's love for us. You can see how much God loves you. What about your healing? What about the problems in your life? Compared to Jesus, they are truly insignificant. Therefore, what God is willing to give you is abundant. Thank and praise the Lord! Will He not also freely give us all things with Him? What does it mean to freely give us all things? It means you do not need to pay a price, Amen! You do not need to strive.
In the Old Testament, you had to strive for good behavior for God to accept you. It is different now. God says, "I want to give you freely; you do not need to pay a price. You just need to come and receive." Just come and receive, and I will give it to you. You pray, "Lord, I have financial problems; I ask You to give me a breakthrough in my finances." Do not think it is possible; believe that God will surely grant such a breakthrough. Because finances are too small compared to Jesus. God has given you Jesus; how much more will He give you in your financial problems?
Do not say, "Lord, will my prayer work?" "What must I do for You to hear my prayer?" Throw away this kind of thinking completely. You need to come and receive His grace alone because the Bible says it is given to us freely, Amen! Because God has already given Jesus to you; He is the best in the kingdom of heaven. If God is unwilling to give you this, it proves that this matter is more precious than Jesus.
If you think God refuses to give you any blessings, such as family, marriage, or issues between children, you need to rebuke that thought because it is wrong. God has already freely given you all things, Amen! Brothers and sisters, remember at all times, no matter what problems you are worried about now, you must focus on Jesus Christ. Know that God loves you; you are the most beloved child of God. Reflect on how much God loves you, and your problems will be resolved. Knowing God's love and receiving it will change the situation!
Let’s look at a specific example: Matthew 3:16-17:
16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
What does it mean to be a beloved Son? The most beloved Son. When the Father spoke these words to Jesus, had Jesus done any work? No, He had not performed a single miracle or healed a single sick person. Jesus had not started His work yet. He had just been baptized and came up from the water when the Holy Spirit descended upon Him, and God said, "You are My beloved Son; I am pleased with You."
Do you know what this represents? If you understand this word, you will have confidence and declare, "I am the beloved Son of God." Because God said He loves Jesus the most, it is not because Jesus did anything, but because Jesus is His Son, His most beloved Son. Just like you love your son, even if he has done nothing, you still love him the most. This is a relationship. Hallelujah! Do you believe you are the beloved Son of God? Even if you have no good behavior, God still says you are My beloved Son; I am pleased with you. Not based on your actions, but because of Jesus Christ, God has unconditionally accepted us and unconditionally loves us, Amen!
When Jesus just received the Father’s praise, we imagine that after being filled with the Holy Spirit after baptism, He should immediately go to work, right? But Jesus did not do that. Jesus then went into the wilderness to be tempted. Brothers and sisters, have you ever thought about this question: Why did Jesus go into the wilderness to be tempted right after receiving God's approval? Because this is the true state of our faith.
When we hear the word, we say, "Lord, we love You very much; You love me, and I love You. I love God, and God loves me. We can all say that." When is the true state of our faith? When trials come upon you, what is your first reaction? That is your true state of faith. When temptation comes, what is your reaction? That is your true effect. It is your state of faith. Many times when faced with problems, we complain to God, blame God, saying, "Lord, where have You gone? Lord, why don’t You save me? Why don’t You heal me? Why don’t You hear my prayer?" If you are like this, it proves that you do not know you are the beloved Son of God. Jesus is different. Right after Jesus received the Father’s approval, He went into the wilderness.
Matthew 4:3: Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God…”
The devil has been deceiving God's children in this way since Adam until today. How does he deceive? In the Garden of Eden, God told Adam, "You may freely eat of every tree in the garden." Do you remember the word "freely"? When the serpent tempted, he said, "Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?" What did he take away? He took away "freely." It is equivalent to taking away God's generosity!
Look this time; the Father just told Jesus, "You are My beloved Son; I am pleased with You." What did the devil take away? "If You are the Son of God," what is missing? "Love" is missing. The devil took away the most important part, making you feel that you are just a son of God, not the beloved Son of God. What is the difference? Knowing you are the beloved of God enables you to overcome temptation and seduction!
If you are unclear that God loves you, you cannot overcome those temptations; you cannot overcome the trials. The devil takes away the most important "beloved Son," "beloved." You must believe that you are the beloved Son and daughter of the Father. The devil deliberately does not mention this because when you know you are the beloved of God, his temptations and trials cannot succeed.
Let’s take a real-life example: Recently, some students took the college entrance examination, and some may have failed, feeling very sad. Because parents have high expectations for them, if parents know their child did not pass, they will feel very sad and will go to great lengths to hide the exam results from their parents. Do you know why? It is because the child has a kind of fear inside, worrying about how their parents will react. From the parents' perspective, they truly love their children, no matter what their grades are. They must tell them, "Even if you didn’t pass the university entrance exam, you are still my beloved child!"
They must give the correct guidance. Many times, we use a law-based mindset to teach children to look at those around them, thinking that if they don’t pass this time, their parents will glare at them and be angry. If they pass, they will take them to KFC, buy apples, and give them many rewards. This is a kind of law-based approach. We should correctly use a grace-based approach to teach children, telling them that no matter how they are doing now, they are still my beloved child, just like God does with Jesus, Amen!
If you constantly criticize and reprimand your child, do you know what will happen? Over time, the child will accept this wrong viewpoint. I can hear parents scolding their daughters daily without ever encouraging them. At that time, I thought, if I treated my daughter like that, she might live in guilt every day.
If she does something wrong, I should criticize her, but I cannot criticize her every time. I have said before, if every day I tell my child, "You are as stupid as a pig; you are destined to beg in the future. If you don’t get into a prestigious university, you will end up with nothing. You will end up in prison…" In her mind, she will not feel loved by her parents. She will self-destruct and associate with bad friends because those friends will tell her, "Your parents don’t love you; come play with us." One day, that child will truly become like that because she feels her parents do not love her! Even if she does not do well now, you must tell her, "You are my beloved child." When that child understands in her heart that she is her parents' most beloved child, she will rise up. This is the best way to overcome temptation and difficulties.
Knowing you are the beloved of God, many young people abandon moral values, not because they are bad or rebellious, but because they do not feel their precious value. In other words, they do not know they are beloved of God. Perhaps your father may reject you, but the Heavenly Father will completely accept you, Hallelujah! Even if the world abandons you, the Heavenly Father will never abandon you. You are never alone; the Heavenly Father is with you. He will never abandon you; He will always accept you because you are His most beloved child!
When you understand all this, it will enable you to overcome in life. The more you understand and receive love from God, the more ability you have to give. If you do not have God's love, how can you love others as yourself? You can only give what is in your heart to others. If there is no love, what you give out is complaints, accusations, and jealousy. We only have these things. The best method is to continually receive God's love so that you can give God's love.
You say, "I want to live joyfully, but I cannot feel joy." If you do not have joy, how can you live a joyful life? The best method is to receive His joy from God. The more you understand how much Jesus loves you, the more joy will fill your heart, and you will live out this joyful life. Do not misunderstand; do not accidentally return to the law. Too many people will tell you to strive to love God, to do this… The focus is always on yourself. We feel unworthy forever. We must focus on Jesus. Jesus is accepted by God, and you must know that you are accepted by God. No matter where you go, you are the most beloved person of God. Thank the Lord!
To God, it is more blessed to give than to receive. To people, it seems that receiving from others is a blessing. But the Bible tells us that it is always the greater who blesses the lesser. Who is greater compared to God? Of course, God is greater. We are always the ones blessed by God, Hallelujah! Compared to God, our position is indeed too small. Continually receive grace from God! In interactions with people, if we give to others, we will feel insufficient. But to God, the more you receive from Him, the more He gives because He is the source of everything, Amen! Brothers and sisters, do you know what this means? It is like a spring; continually receive water from there. The water in the spring is always fresh and increasing, Amen!
This is the same with our relationship with God. If you are willing to receive His love from God every day, the more you receive, the more you can give. Your relationship with God will also become closer and closer, Amen! Conversely, if you are unwilling to receive from God, you cannot give love. Your relationship with God will become weaker and weaker due to not receiving.
How to overcome weakness in life is to first receive God's love. Recognize God's love, know that God loves you, and boldly declare, "I am the beloved child of God. I am the beloved son of God." You must say this out loud. We are too reserved. In the West, couples greet each other with a hug and say "honey," but Chinese men are very reserved… Even though they want to say it in their hearts, they do not say it. Chinese women are also very reserved; they may like you very much but do not say it.
Brothers and sisters, love must be expressed. When you truly know how much God loves you, declare it loudly! Because when you say it, you will be encouraged! He is the God of infinite supply. When you receive from Him, God will not decrease; He will only supply more. Therefore, God has the ability to supply you. Go and receive His love!
God once did something wonderful. After Jesus preached, the crowd had nothing to eat, and only a little boy brought five loaves and two fish. Many people know the story of the five loaves and two fish. God is truly wonderful. But I want to share this scripture from a different perspective: Twelve baskets were left over. Why were there leftovers? Because they were full. At that time, there were five thousand men, totaling about ten thousand. If God's supply was limited, and each man could eat one loaf, He would only give half a loaf to women and a third to children.
For example, if there are ten thousand people, and God only gave three thousand loaves, would there be leftovers? Let’s test this: Starting today, everyone stay here and starve for three days. If I give you a basket of buns, will there be leftovers? No! Not even crumbs would be left. The supply is too little; they need more. Why were there twelve baskets left? Because God's supply exceeded our needs. This is our God. Why did God want to give more? Because He loves you. God does not want you to eat just one loaf; He wants you to eat until you are full.
God does not want you to pray like this. The disciples distributed the bread, and the Bible clearly says, "They all ate as much as they wanted." At that time, what did the disciples say? "How much can you eat? Is one enough?" He said, "Barely." The disciples said, "Take another one." Is that how they distributed the bread? This is our God's supply. We are the recipients. When God's supply comes to you, you need to draw as much as you need from God. You say, "Lord, I cannot love my husband; I cannot love my children." You need to receive His love from God. If you do not receive love, how can you love? Continually receive His love from God. First, recognize how much He loves you, and then speak of that love, and you will have it within you.
Always remember, God is willing to give to us because He is a God full of grace. What is grace? Grace is unearned, undeserved, and unmerited. God says, "I give it to you freely today," Amen! So do not say, "Lord, I am unworthy; I dare not believe You will bless me." That is your wrong understanding of God. Because we are unworthy, we should say, "Lord, You are a God full of grace. I want to receive freely from You." Thank the Lord! The one who gives the most is the one who receives the most. If you do not receive from God, how can you give? First, let yourself become a receiver. Receive God's love. When you receive this love, speak of this love; this is witnessing God!
I especially hope brothers and sisters can stand up and say, "God loves me very much because He has done great and wonderful things in my life." This morning, I had a sister give such a testimony: She had not believed in the Lord for long, and her leg had always hurt. The hospital could not find any problems; it just hurt, and she couldn’t sleep at night. Last meeting, she said, "Pastor, can you pray for me?" I said, "Sure, I will pray for her." It was very simple: "By the stripes of Jesus, you are healed. You must believe that God heals you, not because of what you have done, but because He loves you." You receive this healing.
She said, "Amen, I believe God has healed me." That afternoon, after returning home, her leg was healed by God, and she no longer felt pain. She said, "God loves me this much; He is a God who hears prayers." Last week, she went back to her hometown. Before she left, she knew very well that the road from her home to her hometown was very congested. When she took the train, it really got stuck. Originally, the train was scheduled for 9:00, but she left at 7:00, and still got stuck on the road for more than half an hour. As time was running out, the car in front was not moving. Her daughter, who does not believe in the Lord, said, "Mom, hurry and pray."
When people cannot do anything, they start seeking God. In fact, that sister was more anxious than her daughter because it was her train. She prayed, "Lord, please open the way ahead." As soon as she finished praying, a miracle happened. A road that was originally impossible opened up before her eyes, and her daughter's car passed through. They arrived at the station in ten minutes. Her daughter said, "Mom, your God is truly amazing!"
Brothers and sisters, what does this show? This person is receiving God's blessings. She did not say, "Lord, I have done this and that for You… please open the way ahead." If it were like this, you would need to be careful with your prayer because you would have to do something for God to bless you. The price you pay is too high. But you know, "I have received healing from God," and that is not a problem! It is because God loves me, Amen! The more you understand God's love and receive His love, the more your life can give love, Hallelujah!
Such wonderful testimonies will happen in our lives. Everything is received freely from God. Thank and praise the Lord! We should be like Mary, sitting at Jesus' feet, receiving His words. Do not worry about things at home. When you receive here, God will open the way ahead for you. God will let you see His abundant blessings at the right time and place!
There is only one thing we must do every day: receive His blessings from Him, receive His love every day. The more you recognize how much Jesus loves you, the more you can live out this life of love. Hallelujah! It is not that we love God; it is that God loves us. Do not strive to boast about how much you love God; you should boast about how much God loves you. Every time you speak, say how much God loves me, and your life will change. Thank and praise the Lord!
Many times, people often doubt because they do not believe. I have encountered some people who are indeed like this. Do we need to fast for forty days to make Him hear our prayers? Do we need to pay a price for Him to hear our prayers? Because it is too simple, people do not dare to believe in God's blessings. But in this church, I want to tell you, God blesses us not because of what we have done, but because we correctly believe in God!
You should believe that the only thing that cannot be lacking is to sit at Jesus' feet like Mary and listen to His words. This is the only thing we cannot lack. But in church, we hear that there are too many things lacking: seven things, eight things, nine things… even more. I saw a prayer message a while ago listing fifty reasons why prayers are not answered. Do you want to study all fifty of those? Do you want to figure out the eight essential elements for God to hear your prayers, the nine principles? Do you want to deal with these things?
The Bible clearly states what Jesus said: There is only one thing that cannot be lacking, which is sitting at His feet and listening to His words. Jesus always simplifies things, while people like to complicate simple matters. What should be very simple ends up becoming very complicated, and they feel they are right. It seems right, but it also seems wrong, and they do not understand. Therefore, the Bible should not be explained to the point of becoming complicated. If it becomes complicated, you will not know what to do or how to act; it must be explained incorrectly.
We cannot see God. Jesus said, "If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father." Isn’t that simplified? Jesus said, "What is the condition for your prayers to be answered?" There is only one thing: sit at His feet and listen to His words. Jesus said, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." This is Jesus' method.
Jesus did not say that for your prayers to be answered, God must heal you; there are many methods, principles, and steps. Jesus simply said, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness." What is the kingdom of God and His righteousness? Jesus Christ is the kingdom of God. The righteousness of Jesus Christ is my righteousness. This kingdom and righteousness are already within you. Where is the kingdom of God? Jesus said, "The kingdom of God is not here or there; the kingdom of God is within you." What is God's righteousness? The righteousness of Jesus Christ. The righteousness of Jesus Christ is not here or there; it is upon you.
In ancient times, there was a character called "義." Do you know how to write this traditional character? The bottom part is "I," and the top part is "sheep." When there is a sheep on the head, I am righteous, Amen! When Jesus becomes your head, you are righteous. Do not complicate the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Jesus has already accomplished it for you. You must be sure that God is willing to bless you and is pleased with you. You are in His kingdom and in His righteousness. Everything you need will be added to you. This includes what you wear, eat, and everything you need daily; God will add it to you, Hallelujah!
Isn't what Jesus said to us very simple? Let us know how to do it. This week, I wish you would declare every day: I am the most beloved son of God; I am the most beloved daughter of God. With this mindset, look at what happens around you, and you will not worry. Just as the Psalm says: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." This is the love God gives you, freely given to you. You must receive this love and proclaim how much God loves you. What we need to do is to know how much God loves you and tell another person so they can also receive God's love. This is evangelism, Hallelujah!
Do not say, "Hurry and come over; if you don’t come, you will go to hell. I live in the kingdom of heaven now; hurry and come." This is useless. Because people are not afraid of threats; what people need most is God's love. You must tell them, "There is a lot of God's love in me; come and receive it with me." Isn’t this Jesus' method? "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Because of God's love, He hopes we live in His peace, not because we love, but because God loved us first. We use God's love to love the world. Thank and praise the Lord!
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise Your grace. When we are in Your love, there is no fear because Your perfect love casts out fear. Many times we have worries and anxieties because we do not recognize Your perfect love. Knowing how much You love us, no matter what we encounter, You will surely help us.
You will lead us through all these problems because You tell us that in this world we will have tribulation, but we should not be afraid because You have overcome the world. You are at the right hand of the Father; You are victorious, so we are also victorious. You are loved by God; declare that I am loved by God. No matter how the world defines me, I only believe in God's definition of me.
I only believe that the Father loves me, which will turn my current situation around and heal my body. You will lead me on the path ahead because You love me. I want to receive Your love every day. I am so blessed. I thank You. In the name of Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen!