299 - The Parable of the Sower 2 - Falling on Rocky Ground#
299 - The Parable of the Sower 2 - Falling on Rocky Ground
(JP Text Group - Organized by the Little Prince of Heaven)
Sharing the second lecture on the parable of the sower, falling on rocky ground.
Mark 4:16-17
16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, thank You and praise You! Thank You for preparing this wonderful time for us to receive Your words together. Through this time, may everyone receive supply from You. Your words are our life, You are our example in life. Through Your words, we get to know Jesus more and apply the word in our lives. In the name of Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen!
Last time we shared that the first parable Jesus spoke was about the seed sown by the wayside, representing that the word did not enter the person's heart at all, and the seed was eaten by the birds. The second type Jesus spoke of is the seed that falls on rocky ground. If the seed is sown on rocky ground, there is a layer of soil on top, but underneath is a rock or many rocks. Can the seed penetrate into the soil? There is only a very thin layer of soil on top. What are the characteristics of such seeds? Because there is a little soil on top, they sprout quickly. Think about it: if you bury the seed in very deep soil, will it sprout much slower than seeds in shallow soil?
Many people feel good after hearing about Jesus and quickly apply the word. We also think their lives are truly good, understanding and applying the word after just one hearing. However, such people, when faced with trials, lose their faith and stop going to church, thinking that God is not helping them. Today, this word may be for them. The seeds sown on rocky ground cannot penetrate deeply into the soil. They sprout very quickly but cannot break through the rocks to absorb nutrients to sustain growth; they merely sprout and cannot bear fruit, soon withering away.
The Bible describes a type of person, self-righteous religious individuals, as rocky ground. There is a layer of soil on top, but underneath are rocks. Rocks symbolize a hardened heart in the Bible, or a heart of law, selfishness, and self-righteousness, which hinders God's word from entering the heart. Their hearts are good and they know that those who accept Jesus are people who genuinely seek goodness.
Many people think that believing in Jesus means doing good and being a good person. In fact, their hearts are just on the rocks, with only a thin layer of soil. The word of Jesus has not entered their hearts. Such people can easily submit to the truths of Christianity; their repentance may also be quite active, but they only have a superficial belief and do not truly accept Jesus as Lord in their hearts.
The roots of plants must go deep into the soil, in places where there is no light, in deep soil to absorb nutrients. Christians are the same; they must establish a life relationship with Jesus. This relationship does not produce fruit overnight, so I never expect a person who has just believed in Jesus to change their behavior immediately or to rely on Jesus actively and look to Him. It is impossible.
For the seed to enter their hearts, a very long process is needed. Some may take three to four months, while others may take one to two years. But we must first unite with the life of Jesus, and then we will continuously receive His nourishment. In other words, if someone has already accepted Jesus, the Holy Spirit has already dwelled in their hearts, then God will definitely continue to lead them, and He will draw them to seek Him.
Sharing the first point: A land without roots refers to a lack of connection with Christ.
Luke 8:13, those on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
Do such people believe in the Lord? Are they saved? No, those on the rock are people who hear the word, but do they want to accept it? They receive it with joy, saying, “This is so good,” but there is a 180-degree turn; we must clearly see the latter part. But they have no root, which proves that the word is only a mental acknowledgment at that moment.
Even those who do not believe in Jesus come to hear the word and think it is quite good and reasonable. Do such people receive it? Yes, they do, but they do not believe in Jesus. Did the Pharisees in the Bible oppose Jesus' teachings? They also thought what Jesus said was very correct, but they did not accept Jesus as Lord: they may acknowledge your words but cannot admit that you are their Lord.
Today, many people think this word is good, and at the moment they receive it with joy and are willing to continue listening, but in their hearts, they do not truly believe. They may think Jesus' teachings are good, practical, and comforting, but they have not taken it to heart; they are still not saved. So how can we be saved today? Since this passage mentions salvation, let’s look at the definition God gives us in the Bible.
Romans 10:9-11
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
The way to be saved is very simple: believe in Jesus in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, not just thinking that Jesus' teachings are reasonable. It is about being willing to accept Jesus as your Lord through His words. Do you all know what a Lord is? We often mention a term called “the main thing.” What is that? The important thing; many people use this term but do not know where it comes from. What is “the main thing”? What the Lord Jesus wants, the main and urgent thing, who is that Lord? In a certain matter, believing that matter is our greatest concern means that person is your Lord, right? You consider that person your master because you think they are the most important to you.
Do you think Jesus is the most important in your heart? Then He is your Lord. If you think that apart from this matter, everything else is not important, then that matter is your main thing. Place Jesus in the first position in your heart, and only then can He be called your Lord. Even if you say that Jesus' teachings are quite reasonable, if you think other religions are also correct, then that is not the Lord; “Lord” means that only He is the most important. Hallelujah! If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that Jesus is your Lord, the most important person, He is your most important matter, and you will confess with your mouth, right?
Let me give a very simple example. If you acknowledge Jesus as your Lord, then what the Lord asks us to do must be the most important thing. Take gatherings as an example; if you believe that Jesus' matters are the most important, He is the source of all your blessings. You will definitely prioritize Sunday and believe that you cannot miss the gathering. How many people's lives have been blessed precisely because of this belief, and they have seen God's blessings in other areas. This is the meaning of the Lord.
Believing in God who raised Him from the dead means that the Lord you believe in is not just someone whose words make sense; He is the Lord of life, the one who resurrects life from the dead and saves you. This is the most important matter in your life; Jesus is the most important person in your life. If you recognize this, your life will change because of Jesus. Amen!
You see, when young people are in love, if today the girl says to meet at a certain park at one o'clock in the afternoon, and this young man thinks this girl is the most important in his life, at that moment if you say, “Let’s go eat together,” will he care about those things? He will push aside everything else, saying, “No one can stop me from meeting her today,” because that matter is the most important to him, that person is the most important to him, that is his most main person, the most important matter.
Now we must believe that Jesus should be the most important person and matter in your life. Every time you come before Jesus, it seems like you are seeking Jesus, but it is merely giving Jesus an opportunity to bless you. It seems like we are gathering and paying a price, but in reality, Jesus is supplying you at that moment.
When Jesus met a Samaritan woman, when Jesus asked her for water to drink, He was actually supplying her with living water. Today it seems like you are seeking Jesus, but in fact, you are giving Jesus an opportunity to bless you. Our God has a personality; He never forces anyone. He always gives us the opportunity to choose. In the matter of salvation, He gives you the choice, placing life and death before you, allowing you to choose, without forcing you. Similarly, after you believe in Him, you also have two choices: you can treat Jesus as Lord, the most important person, and the most important matter; or you can treat other matters as your main and important things.
But Jesus says, “I hope you come before me, and I will supply you,” and when you do things, it will be simpler. We should adjust our lives; He is our Lord, placing Jesus' matters in the most important position. For other matters, God will give you wisdom to solve them easily. Hallelujah!
Believing in the heart can lead to righteousness, the key is the faith in your heart. If you believe that Jesus is the Lord who blesses you, you will be willing to seek Him. When you believe in Him, He calls you righteous. Since you know that you are justified by faith, let me ask you, if a person is a prince, what does that mean? Is it just the name and identity of a prince? There is also supreme authority, glory, and power all upon him.
Similarly, do not take the identity of a righteous person lightly; you should often meditate: I am a righteous person, one who is justified by God. What identity is that? A child of God. Hallelujah! If a prince feels he is remarkable, now you are a child of God. When you meditate on this identity, you believe: I am not just this identity; I also possess the authority, power, and glory of Jesus; Jesus, while on earth, was a person beloved by God. What did He do? You can meditate on what Jesus did in the four Gospels; those are the blessings God gives you.
Believing in the heart can lead to righteousness; confessing with the mouth can lead to salvation. When you truly acknowledge Jesus as your Lord in your heart, you are saved. Here, salvation can be discussed from two aspects: first, the salvation of life, which is entering from death into eternal life in the kingdom of heaven, our identity changes, becoming children of God; second, in every matter in life, He can save you.
In life, there are only two types of people: self-saving and others-saving. For example, today, when dealing with a matter, if we think we can handle it ourselves and solve it correctly with our own methods, that is self-saving. If we encounter a matter we cannot solve ourselves and seek help from others, and they help us solve it, that is others-saving. But I hope everyone relies on Jesus to save you in all matters, rather than relying on people or yourself. You should cultivate the habit of letting Jesus save you in small matters, confessing with your mouth that He is your Lord, and you will be willing to seek Him in all matters.
In some ancient TV shows or movies, before a servant does something, he does not handle it privately but asks what the master’s intention is. In life, if we encounter matters and are willing to inquire of God, this is actually confessing that Jesus is your Lord. How can we cultivate such a habit? Very simple, read the Bible more often; the truth of the Bible will reside in your heart, and you will use these words to conduct yourself, which is the meaning of the Lord.
For example, if the master on TV says, “When encountering such a matter, do it this way.” Has the master already told him? Then when he encounters similar matters in the future, does he need to ask his master every time? No, because the master has already told him how to handle it; he will handle it that way in the future.
For example, if his master says, “After lunch, rest for an hour; do not disturb me, and do not see any guests.” Today a guest comes, and the servant says, “Master! A guest has come.” The master says, “This is my rest time; I do not see guests; other times are fine.” Then he sleeps. The next day another guest comes, and the servant still goes to call his master, indicating that this servant does not use the master’s words. He was told yesterday, and today it is still effective. We need to store God’s will and wisdom in our hearts, and when we conduct ourselves in the world, it will be simple.
If God has already told you these words, do not ask, “Lord, what should I do?” You should ask, “Lord, You told me which verse to face such matters?” There are many ways the Bible addresses matters; God will remind you of that one sentence, and you can just do it. Our lives are so wonderful. I just shared two types: the first is the salvation of life, and the second is the salvation in life.
Verse 11 says, “Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.”
Our Lord is the Lord who created heaven and earth; He can do all things. If you are willing to rely on Him in all matters, you can overcome all things. Seeds in shallow soil have also received grace; they sprout quickly, but the Bible says that when the sun rises, they wither. Is the sun against them? The sunlight can help them grow better, but for those seedlings under the rocks, it becomes a problem. When the sun rises, they wither and die. Such people have not yet believed; the seeds have not truly entered the soil; they have not believed. Today I will share this point with you.
Hebrews 6:4-8
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. 7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: 8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
Many people apply this passage to believers, saying, “Be careful; since you have believed in Jesus, been enlightened, tasted the goodness of the Lord, you already have the Holy Spirit, and know about future matters. If you dare to deny Jesus now, your end will be burning.” Some people use this passage to say, “Even if you are saved now, it does not mean you will be saved in the future.” This makes God’s salvation very uncertain. I just read to you, confessing with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believing in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. Did God say, “If you do not acknowledge me later, then you will not be saved”? There is no such condition.
What does this passage refer to? Do you think it refers to believers or non-believers? Regarding those people, are they believers or non-believers? If they are believers, then indeed they have the possibility of not being saved. I want to tell you, these people refer to non-believers. Regarding those who have been enlightened, what does it mean to be enlightened? After hearing, their hearts suddenly realize: “Oh! This is so good,” that is being illuminated by the Holy Spirit, or when they enter the church, they feel particularly peaceful; this is also a kind of illumination. But are such people saved? Not yet; the Holy Spirit merely moved them, making them feel at rest and relaxed here; it is just a feeling, and they have not believed in their hearts, so such people cannot be said to be saved. Amen!
What does it mean to have tasted the goodness of God? For example, some people come to church with illnesses, feeling extremely painful, and doctors say it is hopeless. They come to church, and we pray for them together. This person gets healed, and they say, “I believe too,” but once they are healed, they can no longer be found. When we call them, they say, “I don’t have time; let’s talk later.” This is called tasting the goodness of God.
God’s grace is given to everyone. Take us as an example; we all believe in Jesus, and we all plant crops. The person next to us has not believed in Jesus. When it rains, does it only rain on our land? Does it not rain on their land? This refers to God’s common grace; as long as you are willing, God is happy to give it to you, unless you build a shed to enclose that land, then the rain will not fall there.
Many people are willing to let us pray for them; at that time, they truly believe that praying for them will help. But once they are healed, they say, “I don’t believe anymore.” In fact, they never believed from the beginning. Don’t say that this person has started to acknowledge the Lord; how many people say that just to get healing?
Isn’t it the case that many people do this when getting married? Before marriage, the man says, “Sure! I’ll go to church with you and believe in your Lord.” He goes every time, but once married, he says, “Don’t make me go to church anymore.” This indicates that the previous commitment was fake; he went to church just to marry you, so he had to go with you every time. On the surface, he seems obedient, but deep down, he knows he does not believe. Whether someone believes in Jesus, only they know; do not judge others as saved or unsaved; it cannot be seen from the surface. They may have tasted the goodness of God and have a testimony of healing, but I want to tell you that even if they have a testimony of healing, it does not mean they are saved; only faith leads to salvation.
What does it mean to have a part in the Holy Spirit? For example, when we sing hymns, the Holy Spirit also moves them, and when we pray for them, they cry a lot; this is called having a part in the Holy Spirit. But having a part in the Holy Spirit and having the Holy Spirit dwell in the heart are two different things. Those who have a part in the Holy Spirit were most commonly seen in the Old Testament.
The Old Testament often mentions the Spirit of the Lord coming upon someone; that is having a part in the Holy Spirit. Balaam also had a part in the Holy Spirit at one time because God used him to prophesy. The Bible clearly states that God used Balaam to prophesy; that was the Holy Spirit having a part with him, but was he saved? No, he did not believe. It is essential to distinguish that having a part in the Holy Spirit does not mean being saved, but if the Holy Spirit dwells in your heart, you are definitely saved.
Having a part only means temporarily walking with the Holy Spirit and having the Holy Spirit’s work upon them. We can discern this; they currently have the work of the Holy Spirit, but it does not mean they are saved unless the Holy Spirit dwells in them, then that person is definitely saved. Do not judge whether someone believes in Jesus or whether they are saved based on these external things.
As long as you genuinely believe in Jesus and acknowledge Him as your Lord, placing Him first in your life, that person is definitely saved. The Holy Spirit dwelling in you also represents what? You can use the Holy Spirit to confirm that you are saved; you can use the Holy Spirit’s power, authority, and bless yourself and others. This is the person who has the Holy Spirit inside them, moved and helped by the Holy Spirit.
What does it mean to have tasted the good word of God? It means that when he hears the word, he says, “Oh! This is so good, so reasonable, and makes people feel comfortable.” Having tasted the good word of God, after going home, he also uses Jesus’ words and prays, finding that it indeed has an effect; this is also called tasting the good word of God.
Let’s take a person as an example to illustrate the meaning of this word. Jesus chose twelve disciples, among whom was Judas Iscariot. Did he believe in Jesus? No, the Bible clearly states that he did not believe. Did Judas use Jesus’ authority? Yes, for three and a half years, Jesus sent two disciples out to preach the gospel and cast out demons. He indeed experienced the power of Jesus’ words, but he was not saved. Therefore, do not judge whether a person is saved based on whether they can perform miracles or speak a lot of theories; this is incorrect. Tasting the good word of God does not mean they are necessarily saved, but a saved person will definitely taste the good word of God. Amen!
Next, what does it mean to be aware of the powers of the world to come? It refers to future matters. Jesus chose twelve disciples, and many people often followed Jesus to listen to His teachings. Jesus also mentioned future matters in the Gospels. I have also shared with you what the new heaven and new earth will be like, what the millennium will be like. The streets of the kingdom we are going to are made of pure gold, and the walls are made of jasper; this is called being aware of the powers of the world to come.
As long as you frequently come to hear the word, you will know that death is not the end; after death, there will be resurrection and judgment; this is called being aware of the powers of the world to come. However, merely having this awareness does not mean you believe in Jesus; you may not acknowledge that you will surely be resurrected and receive rewards from the Father. Knowing that these things will happen does not mean you acknowledge Jesus as Lord, so meeting all the above conditions does not mean they are saved.
Verse six says, “If they shall fall away,”
Since he knows so much, has been enlightened, tasted the goodness of the Lord, has a part in the Holy Spirit, has tasted the good word of God, and knows about the resurrection in the world to come, why did he fall away? It is simple; he encountered trials and afflictions. If everything were peaceful, how could he leave?
Many people, even if they do not believe, are willing to go to church, thinking that sitting in that place can purify their souls; this is the thought of many. But once persecution comes, if they say, “If you believe in Jesus, you will be arrested,” many people will disappear. This is falling away from the truth, which proves that he really has not believed. A true believer in Jesus will not change their faith in the Lord regardless of the situation.
Verse six says, “It is impossible to renew them again unto repentance,” not because God does not give them opportunities, but because they will not come back. If I tell you that believing in Jesus is dangerous and may lead to death, some people will leave. When you call them again, “Come to the gathering,” they will say, “I don’t want to go; let’s talk later.” No matter how you call them, they will not come back. Since they do not come back, how can they repent? It is not God using His power; it is that people are unwilling to repent.
Because they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh and put Him to an open shame. This means they know all this but are unwilling to believe, which is the greatest shame to God. If they did not know, it would be better. Knowing everything, including why Jesus was crucified, knowing about the future kingdom and the future judgment, knowing all this but still not believing, are such people knowingly committing a crime?
It is like the laws of our country; a person who understands the law deliberately breaks it. Is it not a greater sin to knowingly commit a crime? This is the meaning; if you do not know anything, it would be better. The key is that you know everything, frequently go to church to hear the word, but do not believe. Such people are truly pitiful; they are humiliating Jesus.
Verses 7-8 say, “For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.”
This proves that everyone’s heart is like a field; God’s grace rain continuously waters us, and we also feel that God’s grace is truly good and receive blessings from God. However, what grows out is different. Why do thorns and briers grow? Is it the rain’s problem? Is it the seed’s issue?
The rain continuously waters this field. If you have wheat seeds inside, when the time comes, it will bear wheat ears. But at harvest time, if what comes out is thorns and briers, it proves that the seeds sown in their hearts were thorns and briers. Through this passage, do you understand? When it comes to the final fruit, our Lord knows whether you believe or not. You cannot judge them as thorns and briers, saying they are unsaved; that refers to the final outcome. Amen!
If you believe in Jesus today and say that your seeds are not sprouting or bearing fruit, it does not matter! Give it some time—three years, five years, ten years, twenty years—if before you die, it still does not sprout and still bears thorns and briers, then it indicates that this person may not have believed. This resolves some people’s doubts: this person has believed in the Lord for so many years, but later denied Jesus; are they saved? We should not judge whether others are saved; we must be certain of one thing: believing will surely lead to salvation.
If they repeatedly say they do not believe before they die, it is possible that their initial belief was fake. Therefore, being nigh unto cursing and ending in burning proves that their seeds were problematic. Those seeds did not enter their hearts; they did not believe in God’s words at all.
The second type of person, those who fall on shallow soil, are slightly better than the first type. The first type fell by the wayside and did not even enter the soil, so they were directly eaten by the birds. The second type entered shallow soil; these people understand the truth, are very clear about salvation, and know that living according to God’s words is blessed. They have experienced the Holy Spirit’s movement but still do not accept it.
Are the Pharisees in the Bible such a group of people? They are very familiar with the Bible and the Ten Commandments and are very familiar with Jesus’ words. Why are they so clear? To find fault, can they not listen seriously? They listen very attentively, word for word, to see if there are any errors or faults in Him. They listen very seriously, but they do not believe in Jesus.
Now do you understand? This refers to such a person; they know everything but do not believe. They know everything but do not acknowledge Jesus as Lord. The characteristic of such people is that they sprout quickly; they understand as soon as they are told, and perhaps in behavior, they are also our examples. The righteousness of the Pharisees, is it good or bad in terms of external behavior? It can truly be praised. Wherever the Pharisees go, people cannot say they are hypocrites.
Jesus could point out their problems because He saw that their hearts were truly false, but in the eyes of people: “That is our priest! That is our scribe! Look at how good their behavior is!” Many times, we judge a person based on their behavior, which is incorrect.
You cannot label a person as a thief just because they stole something once. Just because they stole something does not mean they are a thief; that is inappropriate for them.
The correct way is the opposite: because he is a thief, he often steals; does that not make it unfair to him? How does our Lord view us? In God’s eyes, you have already been justified by faith. Even if you fail, you are still righteous. God will not say that because of your one failure or betrayal, you have no relationship with Him. It will not be like that unless you never believed in Him from the beginning; you are a sinner who keeps committing sins. We need to adjust our thinking this way; others can make mistakes, but we cannot label them with a wrong name because of that mistake. We see that they have repented; they are still righteous, still our good friends, still loved by God. Hallelujah!
Sharing the second point: When trials and persecutions come, those in shallow soil will immediately give up; when affliction or persecution arises for the word's sake, they immediately fall away.
Matthew 7:21-27
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven.”
This scripture has frightened many people. Some say, “If you call on the Lord now but do not listen to God’s words, you will not be saved.” Is this passage speaking to believers or non-believers? It is speaking to non-believers. Looking at verse 15 makes it clear, this is a word for false prophets. The Bible is written for us to read, but not all words are directed at us. Can you understand the difference? The Bible has many words for us to read, but it does not mean they are all directed at us.
For example, God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed; you shall go on your belly, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.” Who is this speaking to? The serpent; it has nothing to do with us. Is it for us to read? Yes, but be careful not to apply that verse to yourself, or you will make a mistake. Many people rigidly apply the Bible, thinking that as long as it is something God said, they must follow it. Then they will go on their belly and eat dust for life; that is also God’s word. You must distinguish who it is speaking to.
Here, God is actually telling us that those people do not refer to you; they do not refer to you. The earlier part refers to false prophets; the bad fruits they bear are bad fruits; then Jesus says, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’” summarizes the characteristics of those false teachers and prophets: they call “Lord, Lord.”
Are there many people calling on the Lord today? Everyone has their own Lord. I just told you that what they think is correct is their main thing; they believe that is the most important, and that is their Lord. Who is our Lord? The Lord Jesus. Many people pray, saying, “I pray in the name of the Lord,” but this is not complete; it should be accurately said, “I pray in the name of Lord Jesus.”
There are many lords in the world, but there is only one Lord Jesus. There are many Jesuses in the world, but there is only one Lord Jesus, the Christ Jesus. There are many people in Israel named Jesus; the Bible mentions a Bar-Jesus, who is the son of Jesus; Bartimaeus, who is the son of Timaeus. You cannot say, “I pray in the name of Jesus,” because in Israel, they will not understand which Jesus you mean. But if you say, “Lord Jesus Christ,” that is one.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. What is the will of the Father? In the Romans 10 chapter we just read, if you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart, you shall be saved; this is the will of the Father. The will of the Father is to let us believe in His Son and be saved; the will of the Father is to let us believe in what His Son did on the cross, and we receive His life.
Look at verse 22; what is the characteristic of false teachers? “Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’”
What do they want to rely on to be saved? They want to rely on preaching, casting out demons, and performing wonders, hoping to be saved through these things. Did they have these authorities? Did they do these things before? But doing these things does not mean they are saved; even if they preached in Jesus’ name, it does not mean they truly believed in Jesus in their hearts.
Such people exist; I used to be one of them. For two years, I did not believe in Jesus, but I went to church to hear the word, sing hymns, and I preached the gospel to others, telling them that believing in Jesus is good, but I did not believe. I knew in my heart that I did not believe. My purpose in going to church was to see what they were talking about. I thought that to defeat the enemy, I must first understand what the enemy is saying. I went to church for this purpose because they kept bothering me, and I wanted to figure out what they were saying and then find their flaws to attack them. I knew I did not believe.
At that time, I preached to others and prayed, but I did not believe. So do not think that person is a believer; we must redirect our focus. Do not think that someone can perform miracles or prophesy… means they are saved. Do not use these to judge; can’t false prophets do these things? But they do not believe in Jesus in their hearts, so they are not saved.
In verse 23, I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness!”
This is not telling you; the above is what Jesus said to His disciples or listeners, right? Then it says, “I will declare to those people; they are not saved.” Is this directed at you? You must clearly distinguish the person; you will know this is not directed at you; do not apply it to yourself.
“I never knew you” is directed at them, right? I once told them, “I do not know you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.” Now I am sharing a testimony with you; Jesus here has another important word, “I never knew you,” does that not already indicate the problem?
Many people say that now they believe in the Lord, but one day they will not believe again, so Jesus will not want them anymore. That is not right; they never believed from the beginning. Once you believe, your identity cannot change. It is not that I knew you at first and later did not know you; it is not that; it is that I never knew you from the beginning. This was also very clear in the case of Judas Iscariot; Jesus knew from the beginning who did not believe in Him and who would betray Him, which proves that Judas never believed in Jesus; he only acknowledged Jesus as a rabbi.
“The things you say are good; I can accept them; they make sense, but you are not my Lord.” His Lord may be wealth, but it is certainly not Jesus. So Jesus says, “You who practice lawlessness.” Every time the Bible mentions evil people, do you know what the definition is? It refers to non-believers. It is not because their behavior is worse that they are evil; it is because they do not believe that God’s Son has done this for them that they are evil. God will surely say, “Depart from me.” If you still do not understand, Jesus further explains:
Verses 24-27 say,
24 “Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these sayings of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell, and great was its fall.”
There are two types of people: one is wise, and the other is foolish. What is the difference between these two types? Both are working hard; both are trying to build houses and encounter the same trials. But why are the results different? The only difference is in the foundation; everything else is the same. Do not look at how high the house is built; the two houses are identical. Suddenly, when a strong wind blows, one completely collapses while the other stands firm; it is only because the foundation is different. Amen!
So when things are peaceful, you are good, I am good, everyone is good, and everyone believes in Jesus; you cannot see who believes and who does not. Once trials come, suddenly some people disappear, resolutely deny Jesus, and curse, swearing, “I do not believe; I really do not believe in Jesus.” Does this not reveal it? So here it says that the wise man builds his house on the rock.
You must let God’s word enter your heart; you must accept Jesus as your Lord, which is equivalent to building your house on the rock. Acknowledging in your heart that Jesus is your Lord, you begin to build your structure above. The higher you build, the less you have to worry because the foundation is solid. Hallelujah! If you build your foundation on people or a certain pastor, when they fall, you will fall with them.
Here, the person who builds their house on sand must build faster than the one who lays the foundation because they skip a lot of work. The higher the house, the foundation below must match the height above. If you plan to build a hundred-story building, you cannot only lay a ten-meter foundation; it will definitely collapse. It must have a very deep foundation, and there must be a rock below, solid on the stone. But the one without a foundation starts building from flat ground, and the speed is very fast. The previously mentioned seeds in shallow soil sprout particularly quickly; they go straight up without rooting down. Brothers and sisters, do not look at these external things, and do not say, “Why does he progress so fast? Why do I not have as much faith as he does?” Do not be anxious! Seeds are not the same; the time for blooming and bearing fruit is also different. You only need to say, “Lord! Please help me; I know there is hope in You; You love me.” This is the Holy Spirit pouring His love into your heart. Hallelujah!
James 5:7-8
7 Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
When the day of the Lord is near, how should we prepare? Be patient and wait until the Lord comes. Hallelujah! Since it is to be patient and wait, there is no need to be patient when things are good. Perhaps when the environment is not satisfactory, we have fear in our hearts and do not know what to do; we also need to be patient and wait.
This year, whether you have problems in your family, career, or elsewhere, pray to God. After praying, you must be patient and wait for God’s best time to come, just like the farmer patiently waits for the precious harvest of the earth. In the process of waiting, will God give him some insights? Yes, for example, now he has sown the seeds; on the surface, he sees nothing. When he sows, he can still see it, but when he plants it in the soil, he sees nothing.
Now the only thing he can do is to be patient and wait. In the process of waiting, suddenly God sends the early and latter rain, proving that winter has passed. When he sees God sending two rains, he should believe: although I cannot see it growing, I know these two rains are extremely important for the seeds. I must wait for the arrival of these two rains. Hallelujah!
When spring comes, is that rain particularly timely and important? Because this rain will make the seeds sprout and grow quickly. After the first rain, you may see a little progress after praying, and you say, “Lord, why is it so slow?” It is only the first rain. If the second rain comes, you should shout loudly because the seedlings will come out. Once they come out, the growth speed will exceed your imagination.
At this moment, the seed is in the soil, brewing its enormous vitality. As soon as the rain falls, it begins to grow wildly inside. When the spring rain falls, it starts to grow wildly outside. You cannot see these, but you know you can expect the day of harvest to come. Hallelujah!
Let it grow; after you give your worries to the Lord, you must wait patiently. If today God accomplishes it, thank God for today! If today God does not accomplish it, thank God for today! Many times, we thank God only when things are accomplished. In fact, after you pray, do not worry anymore; thank God for that. Some crops can be harvested twice a year, while others can only be harvested once. Those who have planted crops should know that the taste and nutrition of crops harvested twice a year are not as good as those harvested once a year. Therefore, it is not that harvesting quickly or growing quickly is necessarily good; it is when God’s time comes, He will give you the best.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father! We thank and praise You! We have believed in Jesus, and God’s word has entered our hearts. We are willing to remove the self-righteous stones inside, aiming to let the seeds take root better. I believe in Jesus, and I am connected to Him. Jesus is in me; I have firmly established my foundation on the rock of Christ. In life, You are also my salvation, my Savior, and the Lord of my life.
No matter what I need in life, I am willing to pray to You, and I am confident that You have heard and will accomplish it for me at the best time. I patiently wait for this precious harvest to come, Lord!
Please strengthen the hearts of every brother and sister. In these last days, hold fast to our faith, love one another, and help one another. Even if the journey ahead is difficult, we are not alone; the Holy Spirit is with us, and brothers and sisters are walking forward with us. This year, no matter what others say, I believe this is a year of abundance, and I look forward to the autumn and spring rains coming, just waiting for that precious harvest to arrive. Thank You and praise You! This week is a blessed week; I will live by receiving Your words, and I pray in the name of Lord Jesus. Amen!