276-Rooted and Built Up in Him#
276-Rooted and Built Up in Him
(JP Text Group - Organized by the Little Prince of Heaven)
The topic we are sharing is called "Rooted and Built Up in Him."
Colossians 2:6-7,
6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father! We thank and praise You! Thank You for preparing this wonderful time for us to worship and praise You together. We believe that the worship just now is pleasing to You, and we believe that this moment is also pleasing to You. You will supply every brother and sister through this time, allowing us to be rooted and built up in You, placing our faith on the foundation of Jesus Christ, the rock, renewing us through Your words, and teaching us how to use Your words in our lives. Thank You and praise the Lord! Holy Spirit, help every brother and sister who comes to seek You, we pray in the name of Lord Jesus. Amen!
In the past few days, some places have experienced typhoons. From the television, we can see that many trees have been blown down by the wind in the storm, and some have even been broken. However, some trees remain unharmed. Generally, the roots of the trees that were broken or blown down are quite shallow, while the pine and cypress trees on the mountain are completely different. The wind on the mountain should be stronger, right?
It seems that these trees are completely unaffected by the storm, and the reason is that their roots are deep. In fact, our lives are the same. We will encounter adversity, financial crises, sometimes disobedient children, or wrong paths... Everyone will face storms, but can you stand firm in these circumstances?
Many people complain and harbor bitterness in their environments, which does not solve the problem. Whether you can stand strong in the storm depends on how deep your roots are. Some people often worry, feel anxious, or even get angry because their roots are too shallow. Bad weather can easily affect their mood; a harsh boss or negative comments from others can influence them, causing their emotions to fluctuate. Some people's faith is related to their emotions; when they feel bad, they skip gatherings, stop reading the Bible, and stop praying. It is clear that their mood is tied to their faith. However, when you are deeply rooted, you know that God is in control of all things, and you know you are in His hands. You believe that no weapon formed against you will prosper, and your feet will stand firm, trusting that God will guide your steps.
When you are mistreated by others or offended, you know that God will surely vindicate you; you will not be discouraged because a prayer was not answered, knowing that God has prepared something better for you; you will not live in condemnation because of a mistake, knowing that God's mercy is greater than your mistakes. Amen!
When you are deeply rooted in Christ, you will not be affected by these adversities. It does not mean that after believing in the Lord, you will never encounter storms. God has never promised us that, but the promise Jesus gives us is that He has overcome the world. You can rely on Jesus to overcome your circumstances and live in peace and rest even in bad environments. This is the strength God gives us. Although we will encounter wind and rain, we will still stand firm in the storm, like the pine and palm trees, unafraid of the fierce winds and storms.
Psalm 92:12-14,
12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 13 Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing.
We all wish our lives would be like evergreen trees. The Bible says, what kind of person flourishes like a palm tree? The righteous. Who is the righteous? You are that righteous person. How are you justified? Because you believe in Jesus, you are the righteous. Now God has planted you in His house, and you will flourish in His courts because the righteous flourish like the palm tree. In the land of Israel, other trees may be affected by high temperatures, moisture, and environmental factors, but the palm tree is not affected by these. Even if there is a storm, the palm tree may seem like it is about to break, but when the wind stops, it immediately stands up again.
This is our life; we will not be blown down by a little wind. We are to grow like the cedar of Lebanon, which is a very tall tree, where many birds build their nests. This means that you, as a person justified by God, will flourish like the palm tree and be admired by others like the cedar, becoming a supply for others. Amen!
Because you are in the house of the Lord, in Christ, you will surely flourish. Until when will you flourish? Our pattern is different from that of the world. People in the world are generally considered useless after their sixties or seventies, and society does not need them much anymore; they cannot do much. But God's promise to the righteous is that they shall still bear fruit in old age; this speaks of you. Do not say that you are old and no longer useful; even in old age, you can bear abundant fruit and be full of sap and always green. Why do these trees have so much sap? Because there is abundant supply! When faced with circumstances, they will still praise, still smile, and still be victorious, not losing joy because of rumors.
So brothers and sisters, your value does not depend on how others treat you or how others comment on you; it depends on how God sees you. If God says you flourish like a palm tree, then tell yourself: I flourish like a palm tree. Do not be like the dogtail grass that falls over with a little wind; do not believe others' words; know who you are. Paul, in his old age, said, "I know whom I have believed." Do you know whom you have believed?
Your value does not come from man but from the Creator who made us. If you are not rooted in the words of Christ, your life will be like a roller coaster; many times, your ability to rejoice and be at peace will depend on your environment because your roots are not deeply rooted in the words of Christ. One moment you are high, the next moment you are low; how others treat you will affect your heart. In fact, those are all superficial roots; when the storm comes, they will break. You need to root downwards; do not let the environment determine your joy.
If you let the environment determine your joy, you cannot have true victory. Some people always wonder: Why does this environment always come upon me? Why are my relationships so bad? Why can’t I succeed? Why... In fact, it is because your roots are too shallow. You and I will encounter storms, but our responses are different; the difference lies in our understanding of God's word and how deep our roots are.
Once, Jesus and His disciples were on a boat heading to the other side of the Sea of Galilee when suddenly a storm arose on the sea. Jesus was sleeping at the stern, and the disciples saw that the boat was filling with water and was about to sink. In panic, the disciples woke Jesus, saying, "Master! Wake up! We are about to perish." The disciples were very afraid, anxious, and uneasy; they were affected by the environment. What did Jesus do when He got up? He saw the environment and used His authority to say, "Peace! Be still!" Then the wind ceased and there was a great calm.
Let me ask you: Did Jesus and the disciples face the same environment? Yes! But their responses were completely different. What was the difference? Jesus was not concerned about the environment at all because He had the word of God in His heart. He knew He could always overcome it; it was nothing. The reason the disciples were anxious was that they knew too little of God's word, and their faith was very small.
Many people always focus on "Why is my faith so small?" In fact, it is because they have not rooted down enough. You need to continually build yourself up in the word of God, maintain inner rest, and quietly receive His words before God. You will see that the external environment will also begin to change. Do not be anxious; first sprout, grow, and bear fruit. Have you seen the Paulownia tree? It has trumpet-shaped flowers and grows very quickly and tall. It puts all its energy into growing taller, but its roots do not have the strength to dig deep into the soil. When the strong wind comes, the first thing to break is the Paulownia.
If your roots do not go down and you only grow upwards, when the wind comes, won't it blow you down? What is the point of growing so tall? No matter how tall you grow, if you break, it is of no use.
Many people pursue various doctrines and gifts but have not thought about rooting down first. When you root deeply, you will not be affected when the environment comes. You and I live in this city and will encounter wind and rain, but everyone's responses are different. If you continually build yourself in the word of God, you will be grateful every day, grateful for a good job, grateful for a healthy body. You will not focus on negative things because you are busy thanking God for the grace you encounter in your life. Amen!
Some people work hard in their company to get promoted, but when it does not go as they wish, they get angry... These various problems have all appeared in the Bible, but how do those with faith face these environments? It is not about teaching everyone to use a self-deceptive method. Many people say, "Clearly, this is the case; you can't make me say 'I didn't see this happening,' can you?"
It is not about making you blind; it is about seeing from God's perspective. This is just a storm; you are not afraid of the storm because your roots are deeply planted in the ground. You are the righteous flourishing like a palm tree, flexible and resilient. After the storm, you will grow even more abundantly. The key is where you are rooted and built up. If you rely on man, you will be disappointed. If you rely on your work, career, or wealth, remember that worldly matters change and become nothing in the blink of an eye.
Let’s look at a verse, Psalm 20:7, Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.
The first two are what our eyes can see, what many people rely on. The latter, the name of the Lord, seems intangible, but chariots and horses will wear out, yet the name of our God will never put you to shame. When you are rooted and built up in Him, you will say, "Lord, You are my provider, my healer, You will vindicate me, You are the source of all goodness."
The key is whether you can believe this. If you believe, you will see the glory of God. Today, a sister has come among us, and after the sermon, she will share her testimony. Last time we prayed for her, God healed her (of kidney disease) because she believed in God's word! Now you must believe: You are my healer, my helper, my provider. I am not afraid of the wind and rain because You have overcome these storms. Hallelujah! When someone mistreats you or you encounter challenges, you will not be thrown into chaos. Even if the end of the world comes, you will not be afraid because you know our Lord still governs this world.
Because you have God's word in your heart, you will not wallow in self-pity: What should I do? This is fate! This is the way of the world, not your way. You are the righteous, flourishing like a palm tree, and you will not be shaken by these environments. Build your faith on God's word and be rooted and built up in the Lord.
Today I want to share with you about a woman in the Bible who is our example.
2 Kings 4:8-9,
8 One day Elisha went to Shunem, where there was a notable woman, and she persuaded him to eat some food. So it was, as often as he passed by, he would turn in there to eat some food. 9 And she said to her husband, "Look now, I know that this is a holy man of God who passes by us regularly."
What does this story mean? Let me briefly share: This Shunammite woman, when she saw the man of God Elisha passing by her frequently, unconditionally and without compensation invited Elisha to her home for meals regularly. Eventually, she said, "Let us build a small room for him, so that when he comes back, he can rest there."
This woman took very good care of Elisha; in fact, she did not ask for any help from him but instead received blessings she had never thought of before. Have you noticed that many people say they believe in the Lord, but when they do things for the Lord, they say, "Lord, I did this for You, so You must give me that." This is a transactional mindset.
This woman never expected Elisha to give her anything. Elisha, feeling indebted, asked her, "You have taken such great care of me, what can I do for you?" The woman simply replied, "I dwell among my own people." Sometimes, when we do things for the Lord without seeking a return, we end up receiving even more. The reason is not to exchange something with God for some purpose, but to receive God's blessings and live in gratitude.
Later, Elisha's servant Gehazi said, "She has no son, and her husband is old." Elisha called the woman and said, "About this time next year, you shall embrace a son." At that time, the woman might have thought, "Don't joke with me; I'm too old for that." But the following year, the woman indeed bore a son.
This was a joyful event. The man of God Elisha was particularly thoughtful in doing this for this family. Elisha was happy, and the woman's family was also happy. Later, as the child grew, one day during harvest, her son said, "My head hurts..." The servant hurriedly took him home and laid him on his mother's lap, and soon the child died. If we encountered this situation, what would we think? What a huge blow!
The Bible has many similar stories. They went to complain to the prophet: "I told you, I did not ask for a child; why did you give me one? Now my child is dead; you have made the Lord remember my sin..." But this woman did not respond this way. We think it is God's doing, but it is not; God will never give you something and then take it back.
We need to learn from this woman. When the child died in her arms, this mother remained calm as if nothing had happened.
If this were today's reality, I don't know how this family would react. But this woman believed in the man of God. In that era, believing in the man of God was like believing in God Himself. She did not panic or harbor bitterness; she still firmly believed in God's word and remained unshaken. She rode on a donkey to Mount Carmel to see the prophet Elisha, without even telling her husband that the child had died.
Why was this woman so composed? She knew she was going to see the man of God, and the man of God would surely speak to her. He who could give her this child could certainly bring the child back to life. Brothers and sisters, think about this: Everything you have now is given to you by God. Even if the enemy wants to take it away, believe that God will preserve it and change it. She was very anxious to ride the donkey to find the man of God. At that moment, the prophet saw her from afar, hurrying on her donkey, and sent his servant Gehazi to check on her.
2 Kings 4:26-27,
26 Please run now to meet her, and say to her, "Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?" And she answered, "It is well." 27 Now when she came to the man of God at the hill, she caught him by the feet. Gehazi came near to push her away, but the man of God said, "Let her alone, for her soul is in deep distress, and the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me."
If I were Gehazi and you were that woman, I would not know these things. I would ask you, "Are you well? Is your husband well? Is your child well?" It would be better if I did not mention the child. But as soon as I mention the child, wouldn't this woman be on the verge of breaking down? But how did this woman respond? She said, "It is well."
Brothers and sisters, can you imagine what kind of peace this is? It is a peace that comes from unwavering faith in God. The woman went up to the mountain to the man of God and caught hold of his feet. Gehazi came near to push her away, but the man of God said, "Let her alone, for her soul is in deep distress, and the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me." This woman did not slander, attack, or complain to Elisha; she simply held onto the man of God's feet, knowing what that meant: You are my supply, my help, my problem solver.
Brothers and sisters, this woman shows us that when we encounter problems, even seemingly unsolvable problems, do not complain, for complaining does not solve any problems; instead, come before God and pray to Him. When Gehazi saw her, he wanted to push her away, but Elisha said, "Let her alone, for she is in deep distress."
So when you are in distress, do not hide it, pretending you are not distressed. Come before God, and there is no need to hide yourself anymore. In the past, under tradition, we would hide ourselves before God and boast before people, saying, "Lord, look at what I have done for You..."
Before people, we would start complaining: "You did this wrong, you did that wrong..." It is all complaining. But this woman simply came before the man of God and held onto his feet, her heart truly feeling wronged. Brothers and sisters, in this situation, facing the greatest crisis of her life, she did not complain or live on the surface, nor did she act according to her feelings. The reason is simple: she knew God would surely make a way for her, even if she could not see the way at the moment; she knew God would make a way for her.
If you have such words deeply rooted in your heart, the problems you encounter now will not matter. Later, Elisha went to her home, prayed for the child, and the child was healed; the miracle of resurrection appeared in this woman's home. After this event, did this woman's faith grow even stronger?
Brothers and sisters, do not complain about your current environment; these environments are stepping stones to elevate you to a higher place. These problems are nothing as long as you rely on God's word and overcome them once; afterward, these problems will no longer trouble you.
In the past, many people prayed for their headaches, commanding the symptoms of headaches to leave in the name of Lord Jesus, and they were healed. When they encountered this problem again, they prayed, and they were healed; their faith would grow stronger. What is frightening is that if they cannot overcome it the first time, they will say, "I cannot, my prayer has no power; God does not hear my prayer." These are all lies, all negative. God does not work that way. Being able to complain like this is because you have not rooted God's word in your heart, like this woman who was rooted and built up in the Lord.
Many times, we are like this woman, encountering unexpected challenges, out of the blue. Some people lose loved ones, some lose their jobs, some get divorced, and some fall ill...
We can easily start complaining in such sudden environments, complaining about society, family... wondering why such things happen. But if you have God's word in your heart, always allowing you to be rooted and built up in Him, do not discuss your problems, and do not complain about how miserable your life is. Instead, declare victory like this woman. The word "Shalom" contains God's peace, healing, prosperity... everything we need. Hallelujah!
Why do the Israelites say "Shalom" when they meet? It means peace because peace is not just a greeting; it includes all of God's blessings. This woman believed that God was still in control, and this too would pass. You should also root yourself in God's word because our Lord never changes; His power was, is, and will always be the same.
What is frightening is that we remember a single failure in our hearts; multiple failures lead us to label ourselves permanently, causing our lives to become worse and worse. For example, a woman who has been divorced is labeled as a divorced woman by others, and she also labels herself this way.
Some sisters ask me, "Teacher Ren, I just got divorced; can you introduce me to someone else who is also divorced?" Why is that her standard? Because she feels like she is a divorced person and cannot find someone who has never been married. Others say this about her, and she says it about herself. Did God say this? Did God say that after you get divorced, you can only find someone who is also divorced? No, these labels make you feel inferior in every way.
Some people who have suffered from depression label themselves as depressed. When they get angry, others say, "How can you act like this?" They say, "I have depression." After a while, this becomes their permanent label. They become irritable and cannot persist in anything. They say, "I have depression," and over time, this reason becomes a stumbling block to their failure.
We have never said, "You are a depressed person." When you come before God, these problems need to be resolved; you are a normal person. Even if you have had depression, you can say, "I am a normal person; I just got sick." Never say, "I am a depressed person."
Some people lost loved ones when they were young, making them feel inferior in every way, living with a sense of condemnation, leading to a worsening life. Others say, "I am a person with a bad temper." People who often say this about themselves will not have a good temper. If you want to become gentle, how should you speak? You should declare the result, like this woman, "Shalom," instead of saying, "My child is dead." You cannot just say your current symptoms to everyone, can you?
So brothers and sisters, learn to declare results with God's words, just like Jesus did, "Peace! Be still!" That is the result He wants. Never say, "I have a bad temper." The more you say it, the worse your temper will become. If you want to become gentle, say, "I am gentle; the gentleness of Christ is in me." You will find that the more you say it, the gentler you become. Amen!
You may have been divorced, suffered from depression, lost loved ones, or have a bad temper... These are just things you have experienced, but they do not define your identity. Your identity is that of the righteous. Always remember: Do not let temporary events become permanent labels.
In the Bible, there is a man named Thomas, who was very doubtful. Today, we can label Thomas as such, but have you thought about it? Thomas was doubtful for just a week; why has he been labeled as Doubting Thomas for thousands of years? I wonder if you are also doing this now, labeling yourself and others.
Even when we mention Peter, we know he was hot-tempered, but he was only hot-tempered for a few years. Jesus knew Thomas did not believe, so He went directly to Thomas. Did Jesus say, "Doubting Thomas"? Since Jesus did not label Thomas, we should not either. When Thomas touched Jesus' wounds, he immediately knelt down and said, "My Lord! My God!" Does that prove he was still doubtful? No longer doubtful. He was doubtful for just a week, but many people have labeled him permanently. Some people have done wrong things in the past and have also been labeled permanently.
The Bible says that the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery before Jesus. In the end, Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more." Many pastors say, "This woman is an adulteress, a prostitute." The Bible does not say she is a prostitute; she is a momentary failure. We cannot label her permanently.
Brothers and sisters, you must learn: Do not label yourself, and do not label others. When others try to label you, if they do not know your identity, you will accept the label because of what you have done in the past. Without God's word, without a foundation, you will be influenced by these labels and stop moving forward.
Here, I will use an example to deepen everyone's impression of the above. When a sheep falls into a mud pit and is covered in mud, is it still a sheep? Yes, it is just a sheep covered in mud. You cannot say it is mud. Do you understand? Even if it is covered in mud, it is still a sheep. Do not call it mud just because it is muddy. What does that sheep need to do? Go home and let its owner wash it clean. Can it wash itself clean? No. When we accept Jesus, are we the righteous or the sinner? The righteous, definitely the righteous.
If you sin, are you the righteous or the sinner? Even if you have sinned, you are still the righteous. Now what do you need to do? Remove that sin, remove that bad habit, tear off that label, instead of trying to solve yourself. If someone says, "Because you have sinned, you are a sinner and cannot be called righteous anymore," then it is just like that sheep. Do not say you are a sheep; say you are mud. This is a very simple principle. When we come before Jesus, we need to wash away the mud with His words, His truth. After the owner washes the sheep clean, it is still a clean sheep. Hallelujah!
These sins and bad habits on you, after being washed away by Jesus' words and truth, you are still that clean righteous person. Amen! Your identity will not change because of what you have done. Some people, after you sin, immediately label you with the sin you committed, occasionally bringing it up and saying, "Look at what you did in the past; how can you still call yourself righteous? Can a righteous person do such things?" This is very normal.
Just like that sheep, if you tell that sheep, "If you are a sheep, can you fall into a mud pit?" Is this statement valid? No. We sin because we have weaknesses in our bodies, and God knows this. God will not say, "You are no longer righteous; you have become a sinner."
When others convey these wrong concepts to you, if your foundation is not stable, you will be affected. Do not forget, even if you have been weak in the past, have a bad temper, or have suffered from depression, those are just experiences you have had; they do not affect your identity. The old has passed away; all things have become new. We are now the righteous cleansed by the blood of Jesus.
You should say to yourself: "I am a clean sheep. Although I have fallen into a mud pit in the past, my Lord has washed me clean." When you come to the gathering every week, it is to wash away the wrong labels others have placed on you with God's words, restoring you to the image of the righteous. Just like when our clothes get dirty, we wash them clean; we do not throw them away just because they are dirty.
It is precisely because of wrong concepts that we think that as long as we sin, God will throw us away. This is wrong. When you sin, God will wash away your bad habits, help you, and renew you; He will definitely not throw you away.
Just like washing clothes, you can actually see many biblical principles in life. As long as you pay attention, you will see them.
There are always some people who try to shake us with various things, making us lose our peace and stability. You have to make a choice: will you be shaken and become anxious, feeling bad all day, or will you live in God's word, holding onto His peace? This is everyone's choice. You say, "I do not want to be affected by what others say." So what should you do? Root yourself deeply in God's word and build yourself up in Him.
This is very practical. When the results of a physical examination are not good, what is your reaction? Yesterday, someone sent me a medical report about his child. He said, "I have been praying for a long time, but these indicators have always been terrible. Why does God not hear my prayer? Why does God not heal my child?" Many people want to find out why, but you should declare: These results cannot shake me, for by the stripes of Jesus, my child is healthy! What will that result be...? This is the result you want; declare it, instead of seeing the report and declaring that result. Doesn’t that make you more anxious?
There is a reason for this declaration: By the stripes of Jesus, I am healthy. When you see your child going astray and being disobedient, do not say, "My child is rebellious and disobedient." What result do you want? Keep declaring that result to him; do not label him with negative labels. Instead, declare: These things cannot shake me; as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord, and He will turn the hearts of the children back to the fathers.
Can you declare this with God's words? When we see the environment and fall, it is because we do not have God's words inside us. Did Jesus also declare this when He encountered problems? Lazarus had already died and had been in the tomb for four days. Everyone around said it was impossible; he must be stinking. Even Lazarus' sister said, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." Everyone around was negative; what should we do?
Jesus prayed to the Father, saying, "Father, I know You always hear my prayers." Do you know the power of this statement? He did not pray because of this group of people; He did not have faith because the environment was good and lacked faith when the environment was bad. The people around Him were all faithless. We can easily be influenced by this; when everyone says there is no hope, you should look to God's word. Do not let your eyes become your standard; do not let the environment you see become your faith, or you will be unstable.
Brothers and sisters, you need to pray to God. Jesus told Peter to launch the boat into the deep water, and as a result, Peter caught many fish, and the nets nearly broke. Jesus' meaning was simple: "Peter, do not rely on your experience; do not rely on what you see. You need to enter into My word and see if My words can be fulfilled."
If you always let the environment determine your joy, your life will be greatly limited. When Peter launched the boat into the deep water, he caught many fish, and the nets nearly broke. Brothers and sisters, when you do things according to God's way, no one and no environment can shake you because you are deeply rooted. You will experience God's peace, joy, and never lack. Amen!
In fact, the Bible tells us to subdue our hearts; it never says you should subdue others' hearts. Can you control what others say? No, but you can control your heart not to be deceived by them. This is something we can do, right? Just like I shared with you before, you cannot stop birds from flying over your head, but you can stop them from nesting on your head.
When others say a lot of negative things to you, you can choose not to believe, not to listen, and not to spread it. Isn’t that enough? What is frightening is that when others say a few words to you, you immediately believe it and think, "Why did he say that about me?" Then you go around telling others how so-and-so said something about you. Every time you say it, it is like stabbing yourself with a knife. Why do you need to convey their wrong words? When you hear something wrong, you should turn it into the correct one with the Bible.
So brothers and sisters, you need to subdue your heart not to be influenced by these people. You cannot control others' mouths and thoughts. If you could, that would be manipulating others, and you would feel very frustrated when you fail. We have spent too much time worrying about others' comments, "If I do this, others will look down on me."
There is no need at all. Know who you are; why do you still care about others' opinions? Just like there is a brother among us who said he is afraid to go to luxurious places. I said, "What is there to be afraid of? You should know you are a prince." He said, "When I go to a five-star hotel, my legs tremble at the door." Tremble for what? You are there to consume. Even if you do not consume, they will not chase you away for sitting there; they will look down on you. What will you do then?
Do not let these environments limit your life. It is because we worry too much about others' comments, trying to change others' thoughts and opinions about us. The more you do this, the more you will fail.
I once saw a cartoon of an old man and his old lady leading a donkey. At first, both of them sat on the donkey, and others said, "Look at this couple; they do not care about the donkey! The donkey is so thin, and both of them are sitting on it." Then the old man got off and let the old lady sit on the donkey. Someone said, "Look at this old lady; why don’t you let the old man sit on the donkey? You are younger than him; let him sit." The old lady got off and let her old man sit. Then someone said, "You do not care about your wife; let her lead the donkey? You get off." So neither of them sat anymore and just led the donkey. Then someone said, "These two fools have a donkey but do not ride it." No matter what they did, there were comments. There is no need to listen to others' comments; you cannot please everyone.
Always remember: You live before God. What you do is in accordance with God's will and is pleasing to Him; that is enough. How others say it is up to them. We cannot stop others' mouths, nor do we need to worry about others' comments. We should not try to change others' thoughts; these are all futile.
Mouths belong to others; let them speak. What you need to do is live in the truth and not let these trivial matters shake you. When others mention what you did in the past, say, "Yes, I went down the wrong path in the past, but I am not who I was before. Now I am being renewed by God every day." If you dwell on what you did in the past, every time someone mentions it, you will condemn yourself and look down on yourself.
Please remember: Past failures do not equal your present and cannot determine your future. The devil is the accuser, always whispering in your ear, "Look at what you did in the past; God cannot bless you..." But when you are deeply rooted in God's word, you will know that God's mercy on you surpasses your mistakes.
Think about it: When Jesus saved you, did you commit many sins? Did Jesus abandon you? No, He saved you. After saving you, you sin less than before. How can you be sure that God does not want you anymore? Remember one thing: God's choice is never wrong. Many people say, "God must regret choosing me." You underestimate God too much.
Romans 11:25-29,
25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27 For this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins." 28 Concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election, they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
This passage shows us that do you think the Israelites are rebellious? Looking at biblical history, are the Israelites not quite corrupt? Do you think this group of people is unworthy of salvation? But what does God say? When the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, all Israel will be saved. Did Jesus go to save them? Who was it that killed Jesus? It was that group of Jews who rejected Jesus. Yet Jesus still went to save them, and you should believe: God will not abandon you.
The reason is mentioned here: When I take away their sins, this is the covenant I made with them. God has always been actively doing one thing: taking away their sins. God has never said He would remove the Israelites. You will sin, and when you come to church, God, through His word, wants to take away your sins and bad habits, not to remove you. Do you understand? This way, can you come to seek Jesus with your original self?
Many people come to Jesus and say, "Lord, I am sorry to mention my issues. Look, I have done some good things for You, so please forgive me." Come to seek Jesus with your original self. You say, "Lord, I am covered in mud; please help me!" Jesus says, "Come to Me, and I will wash you clean." Isn’t that enough?
After Jesus washes you clean, do not say, "Lord, what can I do for You before You are willing to wash me clean?" He is willing to wash you, willing to take away your sins because He has made a covenant with you in the New Testament.
Let’s see how the Israelites are described later. They are enemies for your sake concerning the gospel; but concerning the election, they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. Now the Israelites do not accept Jesus and are hostile to Him; is this an enemy relationship? But concerning the election, God still loves them; they are still loved by God. Do you believe you are loved by God now?
Please remember, the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable. Never say, "Lord! You must regret choosing me; You are no longer paying attention to me because I have committed many sins." God knows you; when He chose you, He knew what you were like. You sin, and God will not abandon you, but if you are willing to live in sin, it will affect your life and hinder your rewards.
God will indeed not abandon you because you sinned today. If you are willing to live in sin, it will affect your life; everything will not go smoothly. Never say, "God has abandoned me." Adjust your faith; come out of sin. You say, "Lord, I am willing to come out; please help me." God will bring you out. Hallelujah! To receive rewards, you must return to the race and run forward. Amen!
Hebrews 12:1-2,
1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
When the wind shakes the trees back and forth, it is not the tree trunk that bears the pressure; it is the roots that bear the pressure. When you are shaken by the environment and by people's words, you should know that your roots are not stable; you need to be rooted in God's word and build yourself up in the Lord's words. Jesus and those witnesses before us have given us a testimony of how they relied on God to overcome their environments. These people are our witnesses. When you see these testimonies, you should lay aside every weight.
Many people say, "Lord, I cannot let go; if I let go of my burdens, it will be heavier." Just let it go; give it to God. Lay aside the sin that so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race set before us. God wants us to run the race ahead of us, not to keep looking at our sins. If you focus on your problems, you will stop moving forward. The best way is to lay these down, do not get entangled in those ambiguous things, and just move forward toward the goal.
Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, He is the beginning and the end. When you encounter environments and problems, do not look at anyone; look at Jesus, for He is your beginning and end. Do not let others label you; that would be troublesome, and you would not be able to do anything.
He endured the cross, despising the shame. This tells us how Jesus overcame the persecutions and tribulations He faced. How did He overcome? By looking to the grace of the Father. He knew that what He was doing would bring immense joy and hope to countless people, so He despised the shame.
Why can we not despise shame? Because we do not see the fruit and abundant rewards that follow. If you see these, you will also despise shame, and you will endure the suffering others bring upon you. Today, when others use filthy words to insult you, you cannot bear it because you think what they said seems right. But you know what they said is wrong, so endure this suffering and bless and pray for them in your heart. Isn’t this enduring suffering?
Do not understand enduring suffering as someone whipping you from behind, "Do you believe in Jesus? Yes! Whack!" We always think this is enduring suffering. In fact, when others ridicule you and label you falsely, at that moment, you can say, "Lord, I pray for him; I bless him." Instead of using your anger to deal with him, that is what enduring suffering is, and there will be rewards for doing so. I also mentioned earlier that when the wind shakes the trees back and forth, if the roots are deep, it actually does not cause any harm to the trees. Scientists have also discovered that when the wind blows the trees, it makes the roots stronger. The roots are already deep down, but when the storm comes, those roots will grab the ground tightly. The next time that wind comes, it will have no effect. It may seem like the wind can tear the roots, but in fact, it makes them grip even tighter.
What I mean is simple: Do not complain about why the storm comes. When it comes, it will make you hold onto God's word even tighter. You have overcome it, and your foundation will become deeper. This is a good thing for us. The enemy wants us to fall and become weak, but if you rely on God's word to overcome, after going through these tribulations and challenges, you will become stronger, your faith will grow stronger, and your character will be built. The storm was originally meant to hinder you, but God turned it all around, making you stronger. The mistakes you made and the illnesses you experienced were meant to make you feel defeated, lonely, and depressed. But after you have experienced all this and overcome, you will be able to comfort those who have the same troubles as you.
Many people say, "Listening to your voice and your preaching, you should be over fifty." When I first heard this, I felt very disheartened and thought, "What kind of vision do these people have?" Later, when they explained, I understood what they meant. They said, "This does not sound like something a thirty-year-old could preach."
I said, "In fact, I have experienced many storms that many people my age have not experienced." After these storms pass, your roots will grow deeper, and your understanding of God will surpass your age. You will be more outstanding than before because your roots are stronger. You can comfort those who have similar weaknesses and tell them, "There is nothing that cannot be overcome. I have experienced problems greater than yours. Let us pray and rely on the Lord to overcome." Hallelujah! Life is short; do not let the environment determine your joy. Let God's word be your constant help and strength in life. Amen!
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father! We thank and praise You! Thank You for helping us once again through such words, allowing us to be rooted and built up in You. When we are rooted and built up in You, our faith is strong, and our hearts of gratitude will grow even more, giving thanks to You in all things, knowing that these tribulations and problems do not come from You, but You can give us strength to overcome these problems. That is the work of the roots. Lord, let me be rooted in Your words every day, using Your words to define my life, define my being. I am the righteous, and the righteous shall flourish like a palm tree. I am an evergreen tree. In Jesus Christ, I am a new creation; old things have passed away, and all things have become new. The blessings of Jesus Christ are upon me, and I am also a blessing to others, a channel of blessings. I look forward to wonderful things happening to me this week. I pray in the name of Lord Jesus. Amen!