308-If You Believe, You Will See the Glory of God#
308-If You Believe, You Will See the Glory of God
(JP Text Group - Organized by the Little Prince of Heaven)
John 11:17-32
17 When Jesus arrived, He found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met Him, but Mary remained seated in the house.
21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever You ask from God, God will give You.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to Him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met Him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.
32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You! It is You who prepared this wonderful time for us to worship and praise You together. You give strength to every brother and sister through this word. We want to receive comfort from You, Lord! In what is impossible for man, You can do all things. When we have no hope, there is still hope in You. Today we believe we will see the glory of God, just as You said to Martha and Mary, if You believe, we will see the glory of God.
Lord! We also believe Your words. You let us increase our faith through Your words. Bless every brother and sister who seeks You. Lead us in the following time, in the name of Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen!
Our topic is, if you believe, you will see the glory of God.
Here tells a story, Lazarus fell ill and died, and had been dead for four days. The scripture we just read makes it very clear that Bethany is not far from Jerusalem, only about six miles, which is three kilometers. How long did Jesus take to walk? Four days.
In fact, before Lazarus died, they had already sent someone to find Jesus, saying, “Your dear servant is sick; please come and see him.” Jesus said, “I know about this.” It seems that to Him, Lazarus's situation was not a big deal. Was there something else that delayed Him?
From our perspective, it seems delayed. Imagine how anxious the person who invited Jesus must have been? Very anxious, as they saw this person was about to pass away. Finally, news reached Jesus, and someone told Him that Lazarus had died. Did Jesus then say, “I know”? Did He wait another two days? Altogether, it added up to four days, and the Israelites had already begun to prepare for the funeral.
In the scripture we just read, many Jews came to see Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother. This family was indeed suffering; there is no record of their parents, perhaps the three sisters relied on each other. Now the man in the family has died, and the brother died young. Many people wanted to come and comfort them, which shows that many people nearby already knew about this situation.
In Israel, there is a custom that regardless of how poor the family is, once someone dies, at least two people who can play the flute must be invited to mourn for the deceased, and a professional mourner is also invited. What does this person mourn for? They start to mourn when they hear the flute.
This family was indeed quite unfortunate. Many Jews came to comfort them, to help bury Lazarus, and to comfort the family to help them survive, as the pillar of the family was gone. At this time, Jesus appeared. From a human perspective, isn’t it quite late?
Many people often say, “Lord! Where have You been? If You had acted sooner, I wouldn’t have fallen to this state.” Martha and Mary thought the same: in the past, I welcomed Your disciples to eat and drink without complaint, and now my brother is dead, why didn’t You come sooner? It’s only six miles; why did it take so long? Do You not care about my situation? They might really not understand; when people encounter these situations, they can indeed feel weak.
But did Jesus know that Lazarus had died? Yes, Jesus did not respond like others, saying, “Oh, what a misfortune for the family! How tragic…” If He had said that, they would have just waited to cry together.
Before Jesus entered that family, someone told the two sisters that Jesus had come. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she immediately went out to meet Him, but Mary was still sitting at home. When Martha saw Jesus, what was the first thing she said?
The first point to share is, do you believe that Jesus was the God who performed miracles in the past?
The Bible records many miracles; Jesus healed many people, such as the blind receiving sight, the lame walking, the lepers being cleansed, and the dead being raised. Do you believe these? Or do you think they are just fairy tales? If you think the Bible is just a fairy tale, then this fairy tale will only remain in your mind.
You should ask yourself the first question: Do you believe that the miracles recorded in the Bible are real? If you believe they are real, then we need to view our God this way. He once parted the Red Sea, rained down manna from heaven, made the walls of Jericho fall, shut the mouths of lions, healed the sick, raised the dead, and calmed the storms. Today, this God is the Jesus you believe in. The key is how you believe; do you believe He was the God who performed miracles in the past? That is a good thing.
Martha’s current faith is that she believes Jesus is the God who performed miracles in the past, but her understanding of Jesus needs to be improved.
In John 11:21, Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”
In Martha’s heart, she thought Jesus could just lay hands on the sick, and the sick would be healed, or Jesus could just command, and the sickness would be gone. But she never thought that Jesus could raise the dead. Was the raising of the dead something that only happened when Jesus came?
It also happened in the Old Testament; didn’t Elisha raise a child? He lay on that child and prayed for him, and the child came back to life. The raising of the dead was not something new created when Jesus came; it had existed before.
The question is whether you believe that what happened in the past can still happen today? At that time, whether it was the disciples or those who followed Jesus, they mostly witnessed the miracles of healing, so today many people have a misconception that we think miracles are just when someone is healed in the church, and that is a miracle happening; they feel that is a testimony. In fact, that is only one kind of testimony.
Is a person’s life being transformed by Jesus considered a testimony? Is a person believing in Jesus considered a testimony? Both are, but we often think that this is not the case. It seems that God hasn’t done anything. It must be that a cancer patient stands on stage and says, “Let me show you what I was like, and here is the report from the doctor. Now God has healed me.”
We say that God is a God who does great things. As for someone in your family just believing in Jesus, you think that is nothing. In fact, these are all miracles. A miracle is what God has done, the path God has walked, and what God has accomplished. Your path is called the trajectory you have walked. Amen!
Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord! If You had been here,” meaning, “If You had come while Lazarus was still alive, and said a word or prayed for him, he would definitely be alive.” Does Martha think it is too late now? Is Mary’s faith even stronger?
We see in John 11:32, when Mary came to Jesus and saw Him, she fell at His feet, saying, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”
Indeed, they both received the gospel at the same time; they are sisters, and the words they spoke were the same. But there is one point where Mary is stronger than Martha: even when facing these situations, Mary still fell down to worship God. This is the only difference between them. However, in her words, you can hear a hint of complaint, “Why didn’t You come sooner? I didn’t fail to send someone to call You! If You had come sooner, my brother would not have died.” But the problem is, they both overlooked one thing; they forgot the words Jesus had spoken to them.
So many words in the Old Testament pointed to Him as a testimony, and He had told them all. Is He not the Messiah of the Old Testament? The Messiah came to save the world; does He not have the authority over life? Yes, before Mary said this, Jesus had made it very clear,
In verse 25, Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.”
The original meaning is that I am the resurrection; I am the life. Do you believe that Jesus is the God who performed miracles in the Old Testament? All the miracles recorded in the Old Testament were not done by any one person; they were all done by our Lord. You could also say that it was done by Jesus because the three persons of the Trinity exist simultaneously. Now, this One is standing in front of you, and you say, “If only You had come sooner.” Let’s look at a passage of scripture.
John 20:30-31
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.
This is the key. No matter how many miracles Jesus has performed in the past, how many people He has healed, or how many types of diseases have been healed, the purpose is only one: to let you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Anointed One. You can understand it as the one anointed by God, representing God’s power and grace manifested in Him. Therefore, He represents the king, priest, and prophet living in this world.
In simple terms, He represents God living in this world. Amen! When you see Jesus, you should believe that He is God, appearing in the world as the Son of God. Since this is how you believe in Him, you should believe that He could raise the dead in the Old Testament and perform many miracles. Can He do it now? Yes, you must be convinced of this, not just saying it at this moment, but saying it in your difficulties.
Many people say “cannot” in difficulties, saying, “Lord! Where have You been?” You are wrong; you should speak the correct words. Now I believe you can all say it, but the question is, when real trials come, can you say, “Lord! I believe You can save me now”?
If you can say such words, you will not worry or be anxious. The Bible records so many things that God has done in the past, to let you believe in God now, to let you believe in God in problems. Otherwise, why record them? Is it to let us know how powerful God is? To record His glorious deeds? No, the purpose of recording these is to let you believe in Him.
After you believe in Him, who benefits? And that by believing you may have life in His name, it is not God who gains life, but you who gain life. Do you know how good this God is? He has everything, and He just wants to do one thing: if you believe He is willing to give to you, come to Him to receive, and He will give you. That is the condition.
This condition is something even a child can do, especially when you have problems or difficulties, in the midst of the storm, you come to Him and say, “Lord! I believe You can; I will not worry anymore.” Then God says, “Okay! I will let you see what I can do.”
What is scary is that when we are in trouble, we say, “Lord! If You had been here sooner, I wouldn’t be like this.” In fact, this is complaining; it is actually filled with doubt. The more you look at your problems, the bigger they seem, as if they cannot be solved. But in reality, if you turn your head and look up to God, you say, “I believe You have performed countless miracles in the past, saved countless families, and You can save me today.” With this faith, you will naturally not lose heart and will have hope. Amen!
If you believe, you will see the glory of God; the key is to believe and see. Hallelujah!
The second point to share is, do you believe He will renew everything for us in the future, making us perfect?
Do you believe? Now I am referring to the God of the future. What I just told you was about the God of the past. You can know this by reading the Bible; this does not require faith. I believe in the Lord, and I know He has done these things; believing this is easy. Another thing is to believe with hope in the future God, the new heaven and new earth, whether it is a dream or a real thing. Let’s see how these sisters spoke.
John 11:22-24
22 But even now I know that whatever You ask from God, God will give You.” 23 Jesus said, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”
This conversation is very interesting. At this moment, they are busy burying Lazarus. Jesus came, and Martha rushed to greet Him, saying, “If You had been here, my brother would not have died.” Jesus immediately comforts her, saying, “I am the resurrection; I am the life. Do you believe in Me? If you believe, you will see the glory of God.”
Martha said, “I believe.” What does she believe? She believes that in the future, her brother will rise again. But at that moment, Jesus said, “I am the resurrection.” Our God speaks this way. Today, I hope you stand in Jesus’ perspective to understand His words. Does Jesus’ words have a time limit? No, you must understand clearly. If there is a time limit, then this statement is only for Lazarus, and no one else can be raised. If there is a time limit, it means that during that period, Jesus could raise people, but today that matter is long gone, and the raising of the dead no longer exists. This is called having a time limit.
You know our Lord does not operate under the constraints of time and space, right? Why? Because time and space were created by Him. Some people who do not believe in Jesus particularly like to ask a question: “Tell me, when did your God come into being? Where is your God?”
How do you answer the first question? I know you will answer “the self-existent one,” too familiar with the Bible. At this moment, they will be even more confused. What does self-existent mean? They have already deviated from their question.
Since the first question cannot be answered clearly, the second question is, where is your God? In my heart! Actually, saying these things, they cannot understand. You say, “He is everywhere,” and they say, “I can’t see Him.” Some say, “He is in my heart,” and they say, “In your heart, but not in my heart.” How should this question be answered? I will tell you the answer: this question is wrong.
Since the question is wrong, how can you answer it correctly? The current question: When did your God come into being? Where is He? Both are wrong for a simple reason: Our God created time and space. Where is He? In the first chapter of Genesis, the earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light, separating the heavens and the earth, right?
Then God said, “Let there be lights in the heavens,” and He placed various celestial bodies in the sky. When I say this, you should visualize how grand this project is! But to our God, it is so simple! It is like a child playing with building blocks, just putting them together, and it is done.
To this day, we still do not know how many stars there are; we are still pondering. God said, “Just place them out there.” Then He said, “Let there be days.” If there were no lights, no stars, how would you have the concept of space and time? Without day and night, would you know time? No. If there were no concepts of space, if the sky had nothing, would you know where space is? No. So, God created these, and He must be above them. Amen!
Since God is above time and space, when He speaks to you, sometimes He speaks from your perspective so that you can understand. For example, the Bible mentions yesterday, today, and tomorrow; this is God speaking from our perspective. In God, there is actually no concept of past, present, and future; this is for us.
From our perspective, what was before is called the past; what is now is the present; what has not happened yet is called the future. But God stands above these times, so when God says, “Because of your faith, it will be accomplished for you now,” in God, there is only now! When do you have faith to draw from Him? God says, “Now I give it to you.” He only has now; there is no past, present, or future. He is not constrained by time and space; we are in time and space.
Does everyone understand this?
When you draw from God, there is no saying, “God, why didn’t You accomplish this sooner?” In God, it is said, “Now is the most appropriate time. With Me, there is no past or future; I only have now. This is the best. If you believe this way, then live in the now.” Amen!
We can have hope for the future, but we cannot live in the future because the future has not yet come. No matter how glorious or how failed your past was, it has already become the past; you cannot live in the past. The failures and weaknesses of many people today are because they are influenced by the past.
Martha and Mary’s current problem is, “Lord! If You had been here, my brother would not have died.” Jesus told them in the present tense: “I am the resurrection; I am the life.” The meaning is, “I can give you resurrection; I can give you life.” The question is, when will you receive this?
Jesus said, “Your brother will rise again.” How do you understand what Jesus said? Is it in the present tense or the future tense? You read the Bible and know it is in the present, but what did Martha say after hearing this? “I know.” Do you know where our problem lies? “I know.” Do you really know? So, when a person says, “I know, don’t worry,” underneath, they must not know anything. Paul once said, “According to what we ought to know, we still do not know.” If someone thinks they have wisdom, according to what you ought to know, you still do not know. So, we must not say “I know” before the Lord.
Martha said, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” It seems that Martha, this student, has learned quite well about the new heaven and new earth in the end times. So, she said, “I know that my brother will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” But Jesus did not mean this at all.
Let’s look at a passage of scripture to understand our Lord; He indeed is the God of the future.
Hebrews 1:10-12
10 And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of Your hands; 11 they will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment, 12 like a robe, You will roll them up, like a garment, they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will have no end.”
This is God telling you that He has the dominion over the future world. In the past, many emperors and great figures thought they could dominate the world. How do they compare to our God? What does our God say? Is this garment referring to the heavens and the earth? Scientists have discovered that the ultraviolet rays on this planet are becoming more and more severe. How can this problem be solved? Is there a way to compensate? Can man create a Nuwa to mend the sky? No, we can only change ourselves to adapt to this world, right? This is the only thing humans can do. For example, the earth is continuously warming; we can only pollute the air a little less to delay the world a bit. But one day, if the world truly deteriorates, what can man do? Nothing, they can only die.
But does our God have a solution? From here, we can see that He is the God who governs all things. In the past, He created the world; now He upholds all things by His mighty command. When people think it is impossible and there is no way, what does God do? The heavens and the earth will perish; He will roll them up like a garment. Isn’t that quite difficult?
In the Book of Revelation, it is recorded that there will be the battle of Armageddon in the world, which proves that the future world will definitely be in chaos. It is not just one country; many countries will be in turmoil, and the whole world will not know what it will become. It may truly become unlivable, just like now with nuclear bombs. If these are unleashed, no one can survive on this earth for hundreds of years.
Is there anyone alive in the area of Japan affected by nuclear radiation? No. In the future, if these nuclear weapons are unleashed, no one will survive. Even if you win, you will not survive. What will happen then? Our God is not without a way; He is also the God who governs the future. Therefore, you should never lose hope. Even if the world is gone, you still have hope in God. Hallelujah!
He is the Lord who governs the future, and the Jesus you believe in is that God. In the future, the heavens and the earth will be like old clothes. When God sees that it has become like this, He will change it. Here, we can use our brains to visualize this scene: in the future, this world will be in ruins, truly unwatchable, unlivable. God will roll it up like a garment and throw it in the trash can, creating a new one that is more beautiful than the original home in Genesis, which the Bible calls the new heaven and new earth. Don’t you feel more hopeful? Even if this world is gone, so what? I am not worried at all; God has a way to make it better. We think such a huge project is daunting, but to God, it is as simple as changing clothes. Do you think changing clothes is difficult? It is not difficult. When the world has problems in the future, God will just change it, and it will be done. What are your problems compared to that?
Now I tell you this so that you know He is the God who governs the future. So, are your problems difficult in God’s eyes? You say, “I have a heart problem.” Does God say, “I need to think about this; what should I do?” Is that so? No. The heavens and the earth are such a huge project, and He rolls it up like a garment. Compare that to your little issue; can God accomplish it? Think this way, and your heart will be comforted.
I tell you this to let you know that even if the future world is terrible, God still has the means and ability to make it better. What about your body, your problems? Can God solve them? When will He solve them? He will solve them now, not saying, “Lord! We suffer and are poor in this world… only after I die can I enjoy peace and joy in heaven.”
How many believers think this way? Enduring while on earth, Jesus didn’t have many good days on earth; how can we expect to live well? So, we must also be poor and humiliated. If someone strikes us on the left cheek, we must turn the right cheek to them. If we live like this, who would want to believe in this Lord? They do not understand what Jesus meant when He spoke those words. The meaning of what Jesus said is that He has the space and power to forgive others forever, and He is not under the control and influence of others. If we follow the surface meaning of the Bible, there would probably be no healthy person left in the church. What if your hand sins? Cut it off. What if your eye sins? Pluck it out. How many members of the body would be left in the church?
When reading the Bible, you must understand what Jesus was trying to express at that time. Indeed, in the future, all our things will be renewed. At this time, our concepts must first be updated. God has written His power for the future in the Bible to give you hope in Him now, to let you draw from this God’s power. Hallelujah!
If you just say, “I know that one day in the future, God will make everything better for me, so I will just endure a little more suffering now.” If you think this way, you will not seek God. Just like now, putting this problem before Martha, when Jesus said, “Your brother will rise again.” If according to Martha’s current state, if Jesus accomplished it for her, could Lazarus still live? Yes, just a few thousand years later. You cannot say Martha’s prayer was wrong, but what did Jesus hope she would place her faith in? Now. Always remember it is now.
Today, I want you to listen to my past sermons, hoping you will place your faith in the now. If it is tomorrow, you will place the faith you heard today into tomorrow’s now. Hallelujah! This word comes alive; you will know how to use God’s words, and it will no longer just be knowledge. This word I have heard has no use; this word I once memorized, now I will use it; this word becomes alive. Amen!
So, brothers and sisters, we are not saying to have no hope; we must also know that this God is the God who governs the future and that there will be no sickness, disability, or short life in the future kingdom. We are all very young. Let’s update everyone’s thoughts. A few days ago, someone told me that our God is very old, and this old gentleman cannot be offended.
In their impression, our God is an old man who has lived for thousands of years. Because the Book of Revelation says that His beard and hair are white, doesn’t that mean He has lived a long time? They do not believe what the Bible says; in fact, aging is a curse, and wrinkles are also a curse. They just did not understand this.
Brothers and sisters, what age group will we be in the future kingdom? I started preaching when I was thirty years old. At that time, I said from the pulpit, what age will we be in the future kingdom? I said, it will be the age I am now, or even younger, about thirty-three years old. At that time, it is the peak of life, the best time in terms of intelligence and physical condition. This means that everything will change in the future kingdom we go to. If you are fifty years old when you believe in Jesus, what age will you be in the future kingdom? How does this process change? It is not something you do; in an instant, everything is renewed.
For example, if a person has an accident and lost a leg, when they believe in Jesus, they are missing a leg. Will that leg be there in the future kingdom? Yes, you must believe this; this is our greatest hope. In the future, when we are in the new heaven and new earth, everything will be made perfect. Shouldn’t we believe this? Just place this faith in the now.
God wants you to taste the sweetness of His grace on earth, not just to suffer on earth and endure until you die, and then everything will be renewed. Indeed, at that time, everything will be renewed, but now God can also renew everything for you. The key is whether you can believe it, whether it is accomplished now or later. Don’t answer; in your problems, you talk to God.
Revelation 21:1-4
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
This is the vision John saw of the future. Do you believe this is real? The new heaven and new earth in the future is not a dreamland but a real existence. How real is it? It is as real as this world, only that all the objects inside have been replaced. For example, in the 1940s and 1950s, most people used kerosene lamps; now they have all been replaced with LED lights. Do both provide light?
In the new heaven and new earth, even sunlight will not be needed; it will be replaced by the glory of God, and all objects will no longer be damaged; they will all become pure gold. You will live in such a vast kingdom in the future. Now you think high-speed trains can travel at three hundred and fifty kilometers in an hour, which is already very fast. What kind of transportation will we use in the future? You will not need any transportation; you will accomplish things with your words. “To Beijing,” and you will arrive with one word. “Home,” and you will arrive with one word. Think about it; you can laugh awake. That is what the future world looks like. Can you live in this world with such faith and hope?
After Jesus died and rose again, hasn’t He already shown you this function? Instantly here, and instantly there. The Old Testament also has it; Elijah once told Ahab, “Go home; otherwise, if you are left on the road, you will not be able to return.” When King Ahab heard this, he hurriedly returned to the palace, driving his chariot. As a result, Elijah was carried by the Spirit of God and ran ahead of Ahab. That speed…
Brothers and sisters, now you must believe that this God can still accomplish great things for you. The abilities of the future can be seen now. Amen! You believe that God is such a capable God, and then say, “Lord! Actually, I only have this little matter.”
If Martha at that time understood this, she would say, “Lord! I entrust my brother to You; You take care of it. I believe You are the God who can raise him now.” Jesus said, “Okay! I will let you see.” In fact, Jesus had already said, “I am the resurrection; your brother will rise again.”
You would say, “Lord! I believe; come! Please!” Isn’t that enough? Instead, she brought a whole set of theological theories, “Lord! I know that in the last days, he will rise again.” If it were me, I would say, “You know too much; knowing less would be fine. Just believe what Jesus says.” Wouldn’t that be easier?
Look here, I saw the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. This city is like a bride beautifully adorned, waiting for whom to enter? Waiting for you to enter! This is the future world, a real existing world. Whatever you need, God will give you. In fact, at that time, you will not need anything; whatever you need, just command it, and it will come out.
Revelation 21:3, I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold! The dwelling place of God is with man.”
I just mentioned that the new Jerusalem comes down from heaven and waits for God’s people to enter, right? This is seen in the vision. At the same time, John also saw that the dwelling place of God is with man. In fact, what John wants to tell us is that the Lord who governs that world has prepared all blessings, waiting for you to receive them. What about now?
This God has already placed His dwelling among men in this world. Through whom can you receive all this? Jesus Christ. Therefore, in Jesus Christ, you can receive these blessings, by your faith to receive. You say, “Lord! I believe You can accomplish this through me.” God can do it. Always remember what I just told you, God wants to accomplish great things through you.
Many people today pray, “Lord! I encountered this matter; please hurry and do something.” God works through people. Today, God has indeed prepared all blessings, but how do you receive this blessing? God works through what you do to let you see this blessing. Many times, we let God do it. Jesus indeed accomplished things on the cross without requiring you to do more. But now He has prepared everything; you go and receive these blessings back. Amen!
He will dwell with them, and they will be His people. Do you know what it means to be a citizen of a country? You can enjoy the welfare of this country and be protected by this country. Are you the people of God? Are you the citizens of the kingdom of God? Therefore, God will surely supply you with everything, and God will also protect you. When foreign enemies invade, the army of this country will go out to fight for you. For example, when there are foreign enemies invading us, doesn’t the army of our country go out to fight?
The kingdom of God is the same; you are the people of God. When the devil wants to disturb you, you are already the people of God. God says, “I will fight for you; you do not need to worry about anything.” Do you believe God will defeat the enemy? This matter has already been accomplished; you must believe that Jesus has already completed this matter, and the devil has already failed. Amen! Thank and praise the Lord!
So, from this perspective, integrate the power of this God, whether it is what He has done in the past or what He will do in the future, and use it now. In this way, your life will no longer be the same. If you always look at the little matters at home, because they have hurt you in the past, and have done many things that are not right to you, if you take their past to look at the present, the more you look at them, the more they seem like nothing.
This is the same between spouses and friends. We often make this mistake because we view a person’s present through their past. We all do this. Because they did something in the past, we think they are definitely not good now. You must know that twenty years have passed; this person has long changed.
This is a common mistake people make. Years ago, Jacob, who was later renamed Israel by God, struggled with his brother Esau and deceived him. When his brother wanted to kill him, he fled from home. Twenty years later, every time he thought of his brother, what kind of person did he think his brother was? I estimate that every time he thought of his brother, he would wake up in the middle of the night because his thoughts were still stuck twenty years ago. In reality, his brother had long been changed by God. This is our problem. If you always live in the present with your past weaknesses and failures, you are destined to remain weak and see problems in everyone. Do not let time and space constrain this God.
Today, you must believe: He is the God who performed miracles in the past, He is the God who will perform miracles in the future, and today He will accomplish great things for me. If you carry this heart, you will view everyone around you differently. Even if they have made mistakes in the past, today I see them as a new person. You must look at everyone around you this way every day because the “yesterday” version of them has already become the past. You cannot judge today’s version of them by yesterday’s standards; today God has renewed them. Amen! Thank and praise the Lord!
With this mindset, your life will surely undergo a tremendous change. Hallelujah! This year is a new year; you cannot say, “I am destined to accomplish nothing because of last year’s mistakes.” No, this year, if you rely on God, everything will be different. The God who performs miracles and does great things can help you today. Amen!
Do not live in the hope of the future, always thinking, “Lord! Please take me away; I do not want to live anymore.” This is living in the future. Also, do not live in the past, saying, “Lord! Look at all the wrong things I did in the past; now I think about it, I feel I have wronged You; I am the chief of sinners…” Do not live in the past; believe that now you are a new person in God’s eyes, a new creation, holy and righteous. Receive His power at this moment.
The third point to share is, what to do now?
Let’s review again, John 11:25-27,
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live. 26 And everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 Martha said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
The last sentence is actually superfluous. Do you know how many people answer the question incorrectly? It is because we know too much theological theory. What did Jesus say? “I am the resurrection; I am the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live. 26 And everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” How should Martha respond? “Lord! I believe what You say.” He did not ask you, “Do you believe I am the Christ, the Son of God…” Jesus did not ask you this; Jesus spoke in the present tense.
Now I will describe to you and restore the scene at that time: After Lazarus died, now Martha stands before Jesus. Jesus says, “I am the resurrection; I am the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live.” Understand this sentence in the present tense? “I am now the resurrection; I am also now the life. Even if those who believe in Me now die, I can raise them now. Those who live and believe in Me will never die.”
Adding now makes it particularly easy to understand. Then He asks her, “Do you believe in Me now?” Then we respond, “Lord! I believe You are the God of the now.” Everything will be perfect; there will be no more issues.
“I believe You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” There is no need to make it so complicated; make it simpler. Therefore, many people pray in the past because they feel that God does not understand, and they deliberately explain it to God: “Lord! I believe You created the world; I believe You created the sun and moon… Lord! Please accomplish this for me; my child has a cold.”
There is no need to be so laborious; God knows He created the world. You do not need to put a high hat on Him first and then say, “Lord! Please do this for me; I beg You.” There is no need to be so laborious. Aren’t we telling everyone now, whatever matters you have, just pray directly to God? Isn’t it simple? Adding a lot of adjectives or modifiers in front only proves that your relationship is not good. If the relationship is close, you will just say it directly. In the past, someone wanted me to do something online, and they started by saying, “I know you are very faithful, and you have helped many people serve God. I sincerely want to ask you to help me with something.”
When I saw this sentence, I thought: “Is our relationship so distant? We have known each other for years.” I said, “Just say what you need.” “Oh, I just want you to help me download something.” “No problem.” In fact, your relationship with God is very close. You know He is the God of the past, present, and future. At the same time, you must know one thing: He is willing to accomplish this for you, and He has a very close relationship with you. Amen! Thank and praise the Lord!
As I mentioned earlier, God is the God of the past, present, and future. In fact, someone also answered that He is the self-existent one. This phrase appeared when Moses asked God, “If I go to the Israelites and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’ what should I say?”
Exodus 3:13-14
13 Then Moses said to God, “If I go to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
What does self-existent mean? I translate it into words we can understand today, and you will understand, “I am…”
When you are sick, Jesus says, “I am the healer.”
You say, “I feel so distressed,” and God says, “I am the comforter.”
You say, “My family is in chaos,” and God says, “I am the resolver.”
You say, “Lord! I have nothing at home.” God says, “I am the provider.”
Do you understand what I mean?
It means a blank check; you can fill it in as you wish.
David said, “You are my stronghold; You are my fortress; You are my refuge; You are my ever-present help in trouble.” God says, “I am.”
This is the meaning of self-existent; it is not a concept of time but a universal term.
Add what you want behind it, and God becomes that. Amen!
Isn’t it simple now?
Now you know how to use it. You say, “I am in the storm and don’t know what to do.” God says, “I am your savior; stretch out your hand to me.”
No matter what, God can be the one who helps you. This is the self-existent one. So, God wants you to know that today He is still performing miracles continuously. Amen!
Let’s look at a passage of scripture and see two miracles, Mark 10:50-52,
50 And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to Him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” 52 And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed Him on the way.
Here is an important word; I mentioned it last time: your faith has made you well. Where does your faith come from? The extent to which you believe in Jesus is your faith. Amen! If you can believe in Jesus sixty percent now, this sixty percent of faith can save you, and then this sixty percent can be accomplished in you. How long can it be accomplished in you? Immediately.
This blind man now fully believes what Jesus says. He seeks Jesus, not saying, “Give me some money.” When Jesus says, “What do you want me to do for you?” “I want to see.” At this moment, you can recall, Jesus says, “I can let you see.” When does this happen? Immediately, the blind man immediately accepted this faith, and this matter was accomplished immediately. Amen!
If we have such faith, how much benefit would we gain!
If the blind man said, “Lord! I believe that when I get to heaven, I will definitely be able to see.” “Then according to your faith, let it be done.”
“Lord! I believe that a year from now, I will definitely be able to see.” “Then a year from now, you will be able to see.”
Isn’t it all faith? When do you believe Jesus can accomplish this for you? This is actually just a matter of thirtyfold, sixtyfold, or a hundredfold. Amen!
This is the first miracle. Let’s look at the second miracle.
Matthew 15:28, Jesus said, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.
This is the story of the Canaanite woman who sought Jesus. The disciples could not stand it and said, “Lord! Let her go; look, she has been calling out behind us.” Then Jesus said a long string of words, which we will not describe. In the end, this woman said, “Lord! I do not want much; just a little crumb is enough.” Jesus said, “Be it done for you as you desire.” Just this little faith, the Bible says, from that moment (actually, it was Jesus saying, “Be it done for you as you desire”), this woman was actually thinking, “I was just waiting for You to say this.” As soon as this word was spoken, her daughter was healed. Amen! This matter was accomplished.
I hope you will meditate on this word this week. The most frequent phrase in Genesis is, “And it was so.” As for how it was accomplished, do not worry; you need not worry about what you cannot understand. It was accomplished. Amen! Be it done for you as you desire.
Finally, let’s read a passage of scripture, Hebrews 13:7-8,
7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
This verse is very simple. You must believe that the Jesus of the past, the Jesus of the present, and the Jesus of the future are all the same and unchanging. The miracles recorded in the past, the miracles you see now, and the miracles of the future kingdom are all accomplished by this God for you. You see the testimonies of the past, the testimonies of the present, and you should also believe that the future testimony will surely be accomplished. Amen!
In the future, we will surely enter the kingdom of heaven, and we will surely touch that real world; this matter will also be accomplished. Hallelujah! Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God, and read Hebrews 11, the hall of faith; you are also a part of it. So go and receive from God, and imitate their faith. Hallelujah! Today, I hope you will place this kind of faith in your present, in tomorrow’s now, in the now of the day after tomorrow… Amen!
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You! Thank You for preparing this word, letting us know that You are not constrained by time and space. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The miracles in the Old Testament can be realized now; the miracles that appeared in the New Testament can also happen today. The wonderful things recorded in the Book of Revelation can also happen today because I know it is all done by You, You want us to see Your glory on earth. We believe, and we will surely see the glory of God.
I believe Your words can be accomplished in me today. Please give me strength to experience Your great power in my life this week, to experience Your faith, You working through me to accomplish Your great and wonderful things. All glory belongs to You. In the name of Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen!