348 - Living by Seizing God's Promises, Experiencing His Presence More#
348 - Living by Seizing God's Promises, Experiencing His Presence More
(Jp Text Group - Organized by Benjamin)
Ephesians 5:15-17:
15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
Let us start with a prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you and praise you! Thank you for preparing such a wonderful time to begin our new year, and during this time, supplying us with Your Word. In this new year, we are willing to live carefully, like wise people in this world, and grant us a heart to cherish time, not to be foolish, so that we may understand what Your will is. Lead every brother and sister who seeks You to receive Your timely Word, knowing the needs in each person's heart. Holy Spirit, help me, renew us through Your Word, and I completely surrender the following time to the Spirit. In the name of Lord Jesus, I pray, Amen.
The topic of sharing is: Living by Seizing God's Promises, Experiencing His Presence More
This is also our theme for this year. This year, I will share more truths about God's promises, allowing everyone to seize God's promises to live and experience His presence in life. I do not wish for everyone to understand more biblical knowledge, as that may turn you into a theologian, but may not help in life. It is better to understand a little scripture and live it out than to know a thousand verses. Amen.
Unknowingly, we have already entered a new year. Whether you like it or not, it has already begun. Regardless of whether the past year was a success or failure, joy or sorrow, we must face this new year. So how should we live? Should we regret the failures of the past? Or should we look up to God's grace and start anew? Now it is time to make a choice.
Verse 15 in this passage says: “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise.”
In the Bible, God repeatedly hopes that we live under wisdom, like wise people. How is wisdom generated? The Bible tells us: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” What does it mean to fear God? It is simple, worshiping God brings wisdom. The specific application in life is, if you can seize this Word and live according to it, you will see the power in the Word. Hallelujah! That is a wise person.
A wise person is someone who acts according to God's Word. Is it simple? It is not about analyzing God's Word and saying this verse does not fit my current situation. In fact, when you use God's Word in your circumstances, it always has power, often transcending our reasoning and circumstances.
Just like when Moses reached the edge of the Red Sea, there was no way forward, and behind him were pursuing enemies. All human wisdom and strength were useless at that moment because it was not just about one person crossing; there were hundreds of thousands behind him. What was God's wisdom for him? God asked Moses, “What do you have in your hand?” Stretch your staff toward the Red Sea, and it will part. This was God's Word to Moses at that time.
Has anyone ever done such a thing before? No, no one has ever parted the sea with a staff. No one has done this before, but now God gave this Word to Moses. Just like now, in this new year, you may not know how to face it, seeing many problems like the Red Sea, but God says: stretch your staff toward the Red Sea, stretch it toward your problems, stretch it toward this new year, and it will part, and you will see the way. Amen! This is God's way, very simple.
What does the staff represent? It represents God's authority, or it can be said to be God's promise to you. When God gives you this promise, you hold onto it and declare it to your circumstances. Even if there seems to be no way, God will make a way. This is the part where we need to be careful in how we live. When you seize God's promises to live, God says you are a wise person. Hallelujah! You are a wise person.
How many of you here have entered the new year still troubled by past events? There have been failures and many problems, and you are still worried today. You need to face life anew, start new plans, and begin the new year. No matter how successful or prosperous the past was, it is already in the past. Likewise, no matter how you failed, it is also in the past. In the new year, God's grace is already prepared for you.
This year, let us live by seizing God's promises, so that you can experience His presence more. We often tell others: “This God is the living God, a real God.” How can we know He is real?
Yesterday, I shared a testimony in the group, and some people saw it. There was a sister who had a blood issue for over three months, and it was very serious. At that time, she pinned the doctor's report on the wall. Do you know how she declared?
She said: “When all the Israelites were bitten by poisonous snakes, Moses hung a bronze snake on a pole, and when the Israelites looked at the bronze snake, they lived.” She pinned the medical report on the wall and said: “In the name of Lord Jesus Christ, I want to be free from this curse; let it go to Jesus. I want to be free from this blood issue.” Three days later, the blood issue disappeared.
Isn't it wonderful? God has so many promises, but can you seize one of them? Who would have thought that the bronze snake in the wilderness could heal your illness? That was from snake bites, not from a specific department; it should be from surgery, but she was in internal medicine. What to do?
I still say, God's promises are universal. As long as you understand that God has this ability, it does not matter what method you use. Will we all use this method to heal diseases in the future? No, seize God's promises; whatever God gives you, use that promise, and you will see the results. Amen.
Let’s look at a passage of scripture: Deuteronomy 31:7-8:
7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and you will divide it among them as their inheritance. 8 The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
These are the words God spoke to Joshua. Brothers and sisters, Moses summoned Joshua and told him this in front of Israel because soon Joshua would take over Moses' role and lead them forward. Everyone knows that this group of people is hard to lead, and there are many powerful enemies in Canaan.
Facing these unknowns, it is all a question mark because we do not know if we can win this battle or how to enter the promised land. Everything becomes a question mark, just like today, entering the new year, many people do not know how to handle it. The past problems still affect us. How do we face this new year?
Look at what God said to Joshua: “Be strong and courageous.” This is the message I want to give you at the beginning of the new year: “Be strong and courageous.” Amen! Why? The following verse is very clear: “The Lord himself goes before you.” Amen!
You are to enter that promised land. Do you know what God's promise is for you? God does not want you to die in the wilderness; He wants you to live in Canaan. Today, because of Jesus, you have already entered Canaan. But is there warfare in Canaan? Yes. Many people simplify the gospel, saying that we are now in the land of rest, so we do not need to do anything; everything is prepared by God, only to find that they still have nothing.
In fact, the Canaan land mentioned in the Bible is a representation of the blessings God wants to give us in the kingdom of heaven. When the Israelites entered Canaan, they faced enemies, and one thing is that God went before them, helping them defeat enemies and reclaim their inheritance. What does this represent? In life, you will encounter difficulties and problems; it does not matter. Our God goes before you; He will lead you and give you strength to overcome all. Amen!
Do not be timid or afraid; be strong and courageous to inherit that land. What is the inheritance God has for you? You might say: “Children are what I worry about; work is what I worry about; my current business is what I worry about.” It does not matter; these are all your inheritance, the things God promises to bless you with. When you worry, what should you do? You should remember this verse: “The Lord himself goes before you; He will be with you.” Amen!
He will be with you. Even if there are tall enemies in Canaan, so what? Because God is with us, in the new year, do not worry or panic, because God is with you. Even if it is the Red Sea, God can part it. Even if it is a desert, God can make rivers flow from it. This is our God. As long as you believe He has this ability and He has already promised you, He will be with you and will never leave you nor forsake you. This is why we are not afraid. Hallelujah!
So what else do we worry about? In the new year, no matter what we encounter ahead, we can confidently say before God: “Lord, help me. I know You are with me. Please give me strength and wisdom to overcome this problem.”
Perhaps you say: “Last year I wasted a lot of time and made many mistakes…” Stop! Please stop regretting and being sad. You can summarize the failures of the past year, but do not summarize every day, okay? Summarize once, then move on, start a new life, seize God's promises, and begin anew.
Our time is limited, very limited, and we cannot afford to waste it. If you understand the value of time and see each day as a gift from God, you will have a positive attitude to face each day. There are many battles in life that are not worth fighting because you do not need to waste time on meaningless debates and anger.
If someone has an opinion about you, what should you do? You just need to live according to God's Word. As for others, they are responsible for their own lives. You can give them advice and pray for them, but in life, you must respect their choices. Amen.
Let me tell you something. Do you think it is worth getting angry? In the past, many people added me on WeChat just to scold me because I preached grace. They would add me on WeChat and scold me. What should I do? Should I get angry? Not getting angry is definitely hard.
At first, I was very angry and would scold back, and in the end, I became very furious, unable to calm down for several days, wondering what I did wrong for them to treat me this way, specifically adding me just to scold me. Later, I understood that arguing with them was absolutely a waste of time.
Now when others do this, do you know what I do? I say in my heart: “God have mercy on you,” and then with a few simple actions, I make them disappear. It is that simple. There are many battles in your life that are not worth fighting; there is no need to argue about right and wrong with these people.
Yesterday, someone specifically added me on WeChat and told me: “Those who preach grace are all such and such, all dog pastors…” When I heard this, I laughed. I thought, “Wow, this time it is a lighter insult…”
There is no need to get angry at all. Because these things are meaningless, there is no need to waste your life on them. You only need to live according to God's Word because the problem may not be you; perhaps it is them.
Some people waste time constantly judging and commenting on you, trying to lead you astray like them. You do not need to deliberately deal with such conflicts and judgments. Some people just do not want to be like you; they want to lead you away from your goal. Why should you comply with them? You should live according to God's Word, and that is enough. Amen.
Let’s look at a passage of scripture: 1 Peter 4:1-4:
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you.
Do you know how many people specifically message me saying: “Why don’t you talk more about the way to hell? Why don’t you talk more about God cursing people?” They are very angry. You see, brothers and sisters, what does this passage mean? Since Christ suffered in his body, you should arm yourselves with the same attitude.
They use this verse to say: “Do you see? The Bible tells us we must suffer in this world, right? What does this mean? Do we need to suffer in this world? Should we seek out suffering?”
I said, “Great! Let’s go to Iraq or Syria and see what life is like there now. Every day, when the shells come, they do not know life or death. If you think it is too peaceful and good, you can try going there.”
What does this mean? Since Christ suffered in his body, you should arm yourselves with the same attitude. What attitude? Brothers and sisters, is it the attitude of suffering? I could not understand this passage at first; I researched many biblical materials, and they all seemed to suggest we should suffer.
One night, I prayed before God and had a dream around two o'clock. God met me in the dream because many times I had received many revelations there. At that time, I asked God, “Lord, what does this mean? You say we should suffer like this in our bodies to be done with sin? That does not seem quite right. How should this verse be interpreted?”
Do you know how God answered me? He said, “You do not know how to read the Bible.” I said, “No way! I have read it many times, almost 60 times. Are you saying I do not know how to read the Bible?” He said, “Let me read it to you, and you will understand this passage.”
What I learned is that there is a new method of interpretation: reading the Bible correctly will unlock it. This was a method God gave me. God meant to say: “Since Christ suffered in his body and is done with sin, you should take this attitude as your weapon.” Amen! Is it simple?
You should take the suffering of Christ in the flesh as your weapon. What does that mean?
Why did Jesus suffer? To free you from sin;
Why did Jesus suffer? To free you from curses;
Why did Jesus suffer? To free you from diseases, from death, from all kinds of negative things. Jesus suffered in the flesh, and you should take His suffering as your weapon. Then you will be done with sin. Hallelujah! Is it simple? I did not explain; I just read it.
Because the suffering in the flesh does not refer to you; it refers to Jesus. Jesus has already suffered in the flesh, so His suffering has freed you from sin. If it were interpreted as you suffering, could your suffering free you from sin? It would only lead you to sin more. Do you believe it? If you do not eat for three days, you will be as hungry as a cat.
In the past, how many armies were sent to a cold place with nothing to eat? At first, people still had a conscience, but later, they began to eat each other. Did they not sin? Because they were suffering, they had no choice, right? Brothers and sisters, it is not your suffering that can free you from sin. If your suffering could end sin, Jesus would not have gone to the cross. Therefore, you should have this attitude. Hallelujah!
Take the suffering of Jesus as your mindset. If others say: “No, we must suffer,” what should you do? Let them be. If they like to suffer, let them go. We should take the suffering of Jesus as our weapon, as our mindset, and not deviate from our goal. Amen! Thank you and praise the Lord!
You need to know that your time is limited, so you will not respond to all the voices of judgment. You just need to know that you are truly walking in the truth, so hold onto this truth and live by seizing God's promises. Amen!
Why do these people attack you? Because they see you not joining them in their reckless, wild living. In other words: “Why do you always talk about grace? Why do you always receive blessings? You should suffer a bit, you should be cursed.” This way, they feel balanced. We do not need to walk the same path as them. God tells us to take the suffering of Christ as our weapon, as our mindset, so you can live not according to human desires but according to God's will. Amen!
Every time you think about what Jesus did for you on the cross, it helps you to be done with sin. Every time you think about Jesus suffering for you on the cross, you will be less willing to sin. This is what will help you be done with sin. What helps you be done with sin is when you think about the love of Jesus on the cross. Amen!
If others are unwilling to walk this path, let them be. You need to seize God's promises and live; do not waste time trying to please everyone. You cannot satisfy everyone. Those who do not like you, accept it calmly. Not everyone understands you, and not everyone agrees with you. It does not matter; just run your own race and face your life easily. Amen!
Under grace, let the past be the past. In the new year, do not carry the failures of the past or the burdens of the past, as that will prevent you from walking the path of today.
Let’s look at a passage of scripture in Hebrews 12:1: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
Brothers and sisters, what you should focus on is not how much you have failed in the past, nor should you expect how wonderful tomorrow will be. What you should see is that since there are so many witnesses in the Bible, whether in the Old Testament or the New Testament, there are indeed so many witnesses. These witnesses all have one characteristic: when you see their testimonies, it brings you faith. These witnesses all lived by seizing God's promises. Amen!
For example, Abraham. Why do we always mention Abraham when we talk about faith? Because Abraham is truly a model of faith. When he had no hope and had nothing, just because God spoke a word to him, he believed that word. No matter what others said, he held onto it, and as a result, he truly saw the blessings God gave him. A 100-year-old man had a child, which was something many people would not even dare to imagine.
However, God gave him a promise saying that he would have a child from his own body. He believed this, and thus he saw it. I want to tell everyone that even if your life reaches a low point and you encounter problems, please do not lose heart. Please seize God's promises. The Bible has about 1500 promises. You do not need to seize all 1500; even if you can seize one of them and live it out, try the power of God's Word. How to try? Every morning, use this promise to speak to yourself and believe that this promise will surely come to pass in my life. No matter how great the difficulties ahead are, you still believe in your Lord, whose power is greater than all difficulties.
We see in Hebrews 11 many spiritual predecessors and great spiritual figures who set examples for us and showed us that God is indeed faithful. God is not a liar; what He says, He will surely do. Amen!
In the Old Testament, many people simply believed God's Word. You understand God's truth much more than those in the Old Testament. In Abraham's lifetime, God only spoke a few words to him, which you can count on your fingers. But when you open the Bible and see so many promises from God, all of them are for you. If you can seize one and believe without doubt that it is for you, you will receive it. Amen! You will truly see it because God is a God who does great things.
These witnesses surround us like a cloud. When you see these beautiful testimonies, what does God hope you will do? Let go of all burdens. Can you let go of all your burdens? What are your burdens now? Perhaps you worry about business, children, marriage, career, tomorrow, etc. Please put these down and look at the promises of those people in the Bible.
Look at those who lived by seizing God's promises, and you will gain confidence. Amen! Or I can tell you a method: look back at the prayers God has answered for you, look at the testimonies from our church, and you will see that God is still a God who does great things. Amen!
When you see all this, even when you feel weak and discouraged, you can still think of God being alive today, willing to bless you. When you are weak, look at these testimonies. This is why I hope everyone shares their testimonies in our group. We can organize them, and in our weakness, looking at these works of God will give you confidence. You will be able to let go of all burdens and run the race set before you, shedding the sin that so easily entangles us.
Brothers and sisters, many times not seizing God's promises is because we keep looking at the problems, and the more we look at the problems, the more worried we become, leaving us at a loss. What is the best way? Shift your focus from the problem to God's promises. No matter which promise of God you remember, seize it!
What does seizing mean? Let me give you an example from the Old Testament. Do you know what Jacob means? Seize! From a human perspective, Jacob was like a leper; he wanted to grab everything. If this applies to spiritual matters, it is good. But if you grab worldly things, that is bad and will make people dislike you.
Look at his brother and his uncle; did they not all dislike him? Just because he liked to grab, and he grabbed other people's things. Have you ever thought about why God liked him? Because he also liked to seize God's things. Our God is pleased when you seize His promises. Amen!
You should seize God's promises like Jacob. Last time I shared with you how Jacob wrestled with God, saying: “Okay, you want me to acknowledge you as my God? Then you must let me eat well, dress warmly, and return safely. I will take you as my God.” God said: “Okay, I promise you.” He seized God's promise, so for twenty years, Jacob lived by God's promise. Otherwise, he would have suffered greatly. Imagine being in his uncle Laban's house, where he tried every means to trap Jacob into working more without pay. How did he survive those twenty years?
Jacob truly lived by seizing God's promises. Over twenty years, this person changed. Have you ever thought about when God met him? He wrestled with God, and in the end, he realized he could not win. What to do?
Jacob once again demonstrated his characteristic of seizing promises. Do you know what he did? He said, “If you do not bless me, I will not let you go.” Is it interesting? Brothers and sisters, we wonder why such a shameless act is written in the Bible. It shows that this heart is pleasing to God. Amen!
Many times, people hold onto their worries, which only makes the worries grow larger. Holding onto what we are concerned about means we are unwilling to let go, resulting in increasing anxiety. At this moment, we should really learn to seize God's promises like Jacob. You tell Him to bless you; if He does not bless you, you will not let go. Brothers and sisters, if you have such a mindset, what problem is a problem?
Jacob was truly at his wit's end because he could not win, so he acted this way. Today, do not wait until you have nothing, and your leg is lame, and you have no choice but to say: “Lord, I really have no way out; I want to seize You.” Do not wait until that time. While you are healthy and when things are not too bad, seize God's promises and do not give up. Amen!
Because when you seize, you can experience God's presence. At that time, when Jacob seized God, God told him: “Okay, from now on, you will no longer be called Jacob; you will be called Israel.” Amen! After God changed his name, Jacob's life truly changed.
What I want to tell you is that if you seize God's promises to live, God will also transform you into Israel, turning everything around for you. You do not have to live in fear anymore, nor rely on grabbing things from others to find your satisfaction. You will become a giver because you receive God's promises every day and then give them out. So later, Israel could raise his hand to bless Pharaoh of Egypt, and he saw God's reversal in his life.
Brothers and sisters, only when we seize God's promises can we let go of all burdens and shed the sin that so easily entangles us. Seizing God's promises also means you must endure. If you do not have a heart of endurance, seizing for a while and finding no effect will lead you to let go. What a pity! You must continuously seize God's promises to live, even if you do not see the results now. Keep seizing and run the race set before us. Amen!
Now we are back at the starting point. In God's kingdom, it is like this; every year is a starting point, a beginning. Last year may have been a failure, but it does not matter. In the new year, we are all standing at a starting point again. Let us move forward together. Amen!
Seize God's promises and run forward this year. Have you ever thought that when you run toward a goal, there must be a finish line you can see before you run? If God says: “Run,” you say: “Where to run?” It is like taking a taxi. A taxi driver once told me: “Do you know when a taxi is most dangerous?”
I said: “When?”
He said: “When it is empty.”
I asked: “Why is it most dangerous when it is empty?”
He said: “Ordinary people drive with a purpose.”
Just like we come to church with a purpose, right? So we do not look around. But taxi drivers are different. If it is empty, although people are in the car, their eyes are looking left and right to see who wants to get in. Generally, this is the most dangerous time because they might turn suddenly to pick up a passenger. The most dangerous time is when the taxi is empty. Once a passenger gets in and the destination is set, it is safe.
What we fear is being at the starting point and not knowing where to run. This is equivalent to getting into a taxi and then asking: “Where to go?” and saying: “Just go anywhere.” The driver does not know where to go, so he starts to wander, possibly going in circles or even going backward. But if you have a destination, he will take you to the finish line in the shortest distance.
At the beginning of the new year, we need to know that our focus is on Jesus, continually running toward Jesus. Where is He? He is in the kingdom of heaven, waiting for you to come over. We are running toward Jesus. Amen!
Your life is definitely not meant to run toward some small goal in this world. We are not living to earn a billion first. That is not how we live. Our goal is to run toward Jesus every year, believing that every year we are one year closer, until one day when our lives end, we will be with Jesus. Hallelujah!
When we run the race, there will definitely be people mocking you from behind. But once you have a goal, please ignore them because some people are like this. No matter how good you are to them, they will never be satisfied. No matter how many times you help them, they will still doubt you, criticize you, and dislike you. So do not waste time on this. You have an important mission, which is to run the race ahead. Amen!
Many people's unhappiness is not your responsibility. There is no need to carry others' pain on your shoulders. You should treat others with kindness and respect, but we should not be influenced by others. Focus on God's promises and see how God treated those who lived by seizing His promises. There are so many beautiful testimonies surrounding us, and that is where our hope lies. What those people have done, God has remembered, and we should do the same. Amen!
Do not waste time on meaningless things. Our time is very limited. Today is the most beautiful gift God has given you, a beautiful day. May the Lord let us experience His presence today, experience His grace. Many people do not know what the meaning of their lives is.
Some people say: “I live for money.”
Some say: “I live for my children.”
None of these are correct. You should live for God. Amen!
Why did we come to this world? God created the world and hid all kinds of mysteries so that you can discover His grace and beauty every day and receive His joy and peace. This is the meaning of our life in this world.
We are definitely not here to just make a living, struggling to survive in this world. You need to focus on God, seize His promises, and live. Lord, today I understand the truth. I am willing to live out this truth in my life. When encountering problems, I learn from those spiritual predecessors to seize promises and overcome difficulties. We will have a greater understanding of God. Do not waste time trying to change those who do not want to change. We did not come to this world to change people. Seize God's promises and live. Please remember, you are a destined person. Every year, God has grace and a new mission for you. Find these and live each day well. Amen!
This year, we have a New Year’s prayer meeting. During the prayer process, God gave us this year's goal: it is also very significant for our church. Do you know? God wants to cultivate elite soldiers here and supply many people. This is not an empty statement. If you have heard my testimony before, you know that over the past ten years, God has been accomplishing His mission step by step in this way. We are participants. Amen!
Every one of you is not simple. I also believe this will definitely be a different year because we are closer to God's goal. Thank you and praise the Lord. Believe that God has new grace and new missions for you. Find these and live each day well. You definitely do not want to just get by, living day by day. You were created not to please others or to ridicule others. God wants you to live out yourself, like Jesus.
We are above the world, looking at the world. All who believe in Jesus together form a huge church. Our head is Jesus, right? Every member in the church is our brothers and sisters. Each person has a role to play.
For example, if you are a fingernail, just play the role of a fingernail. When your body itches, use it to scratch, and you have fulfilled your role. Some may say: “That sounds interesting.” In reality, it is indeed like this. Otherwise, what else do you expect it to do? Is this role good? It is indispensable. Otherwise, what will you do when you itch? Having nails is better than not having nails.
God looks at us this way. Every member has a role; you just need to fulfill your role and work together with other members to build God's church. Amen! God wants you to discover your gifts, find your position, and live like Jesus in this world.
Some people say: “Not many people like me.” If someone does not want to be your friend, let go. God will prepare better friends, better colleagues, and better coworkers for you. Amen! Do not lose heart; every day you can expect good things to come. Set a goal for this year and start moving in that direction now.
Every year, in the first week, I encourage everyone to write a goal for the year, a very specific one, hoping for what God will accomplish for you. You must write it down. Some say it is enough to keep it in their minds. Within a few days, not even three days, you will forget it. So you must write it on a piece of paper. When the year ends, you will take it out and see, “Wow, this is really amazing! God has accomplished so much for me.” This year, we still encourage everyone to write it down. If you have not written it yet, please write it down now.
When we first held this, it was in the church. At that time, when the church was just starting, there were fewer than twenty people. That year, in front of our brothers and sisters, I said: “This year, you need to write your goals, and I will write my goals.” But we would have a common goal. At that time, I had our deacon buy a small whiteboard to hang on the wall: “This year, our church aims to add forty newcomers.” At that time, there were fewer than twenty people. To double it, doesn’t that seem difficult?
It is easier when the church is larger, but when it is small, it is very difficult. At that time, I said: “Everyone just needs to do one thing: pray and see how God accomplishes this.” Do you know? By mid-November, we had nearly fifty newcomers. Isn’t that amazing?
We had never written it down before and did not know how much God had done for us. I want to tell you that this is called a miracle. What is a miracle? It is what God has done. I hope you write it down, and many years later, when you look back, you will see that God has done so much for you. When you feel weak and discouraged, take out your experiences and testimonies, and you will regain confidence. Amen! Just be afraid that you have no goal and do not know where to move forward.
Let’s see if Jesus was like this. John 8:14: Jesus said: “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going.”
Do you know now? Did Jesus know the purpose of coming to this world? Did Jesus know where He would go in the future? This is what Jesus said to the Pharisees, proving that Jesus knew exactly what He was doing in this world. He was very clear about His purpose for coming, knowing He was to die for the world on the cross, right? He was even clear about the timing.
So Jesus never did anything in vain and never spoke useless words because He knew His life was short. In more than three years, is there time to waste? We should not always use a hypothetical situation to say: “If life were to end in a week, how would you live?” Many people can let go of everything. Do not wait until that time; that is not fun. You do not want to wait until you have a terminal illness and only have a week left to say: “I will let go of all hatred and past hurts.” Do not do that. Start now, enjoy God's promises every day, and seize His promises to live. Jesus knows this; He is very clear about what He does every day.
Let’s look at Paul, 1 Corinthians 9:24-26:
24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.
Under grace, should we strive to work? Absolutely! Do not listen to some people who talk nonsense, saying rest means sleeping or doing nothing. Look at how God does things; we do not need to do anything. This will deceive you into having nothing. Look at how Paul did it. You see, those who run in a race are running, right? Why are they running? To win a prize, right? The following verse says: “Run in such a way as to get the prize.”
We live in this world every day to recognize God's grace, seize His promises, and live, changing our lives. This is one way to receive your reward. We strive to run, not to be a group of people who sleep. Amen!
25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.
What does this mean? Do athletes train whenever they want? Do they eat whatever they want? No, it is up to the coach. They must get up at a certain time, eat what they are told, and avoid what they should not eat, right? A person in the world who wants to win a prize has such discipline. Should we also have discipline in Christ, brothers and sisters?
What does this mean? Do not think of yourself as so great that you do not need to set goals. Just see how God leads you. If you live according to how God leads you, you will end up wasting a year. It is better to set a goal.
Those who live in the world have discipline in everything; we should do the same. After setting a goal, look at this goal and put it in prayer. “Lord, grant me wisdom to accomplish it.” This is how God will lead you.
They only seek a crown that will not last, but we seek a crown that will last forever. Is it heavenly? Paul’s purpose in telling us this is to let us live wisely like the people of the world. Amen!
Paul said: “I do not run like someone running aimlessly.”
You see, it seems like Paul is doing things chaotically, but in reality, Paul has a plan in his heart. We do not worry about tomorrow, but we should have a plan for tomorrow, brothers and sisters. Worrying and planning are completely different matters, okay? This year, I hope everyone sets a plan for your life. Amen!
Paul always knew his mission in life. No matter how great the difficulties he faced, he knew God would help him and give him strength to move forward because he had a goal. God could help him change everything. It is just that you have no goal in life; you do not even think about it. How can God fulfill it for you? Look at those great figures in the Bible; God is merely fulfilling their dreams.
Let me give you two examples. For instance, Moses.
What was Moses' dream? When he was very young, Moses always had the thought: “I want to save my fellow countrymen from the whips of Egypt.” Is this not his thought? He just did not have the ability to realize this dream. When he was eighty years old, God said: “Moses, go to Egypt and bring my people out.” Did God fulfill his inner thought? If he had no thought at all, who could send him?
Why not Aaron? Why not his sister Miriam? Because they did not have this thought. They were willing to do this because of Moses' push. It is just that you do not have thoughts or goals; how can God help you realize them?
Another person is Joseph.
Joseph had a thought when he was very young: “I want to be a person in a high position to help many people.” This was a child's dream. Even his parents and brothers thought this dream was too difficult to realize; it was impossible. You think it is impossible, but that does not mean God cannot do it. In the end, God fulfilled Joseph's thought; he was to be in that position to help many people. Amen!
This year, I hope you set a goal for yourself, but do not write it randomly. The way to set a goal is very simple. Recently, I shared the Murphy's Law with everyone. When setting a goal, it is simple: it should be something you can reach with a jump. Do you know what I mean? Do not write something meaningless like: “This year, I want to be the President of the United States.” Do not write such meaningless things. Just set a goal that is achievable based on your current foundation. Amen! This is a practical goal, brothers and sisters.
Look at Paul. In 2 Timothy 4:7-8:
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
When Paul knew he was about to be taken by the Lord, he had no regrets. He said: “I have fought the good fight,” which proves he knew his life was not wasted, right? “I have finished the race.” Brothers and sisters, when we meet our Lord, it does not matter whether you live to 140 or 160; what matters is whether you have completed the mission and goal God gave you. When you return, that is enough. Amen!
Look at Jesus. He lived for a total of 33 years in this world. What is the significance of that? It surpasses living for 300 years. In three and a half years of work, He accomplished what many people might do in a lifetime. Why? He did not waste those three years. In those three and a half years, He completed the mission given to Him by the Father. Amen!
I am the same. If I complete the mission God has given me on earth, God will take me. You are the same. Just look at my life this way. Since this mission has not yet been completed this year, do not worry about dying; you will not die. God will definitely help us because His mission cannot be hindered. Hallelujah!
Set a goal for yourself. If you have no goal, you will run without direction and deviate from the track, unable to receive the good blessings God has prepared for you. It is still the same: I encourage everyone at the beginning of the new year to write down your goals, try to write them in detail, and hope for what God will help you achieve. It is that simple! Write it down, knowing that God is your helper. Amen!
Then pray for this goal: “Lord, how can I achieve it? Please help me, grant me wisdom, and give me the ability to complete it all this year.” Hallelujah! When this year ends, you will see God's abundant supply and discover that you have experienced so many blessings from God. Over the years, I have encouraged many people to write down their goals, and every year at the end, countless people send me messages saying: “Thank God! Almost all my goals have been achieved.” Do you want to experience such grace? Then write one down this year, and at the end of the year, we will share this prosperous time together. Hallelujah!
When you have a goal, you will not waste time on meaningless things. You will not let trivial matters and workplace conflicts ruin your every day. You will not get angry because others mistreat you and refuse to forgive. You will let it go, believing that God will vindicate you. Amen!
Some people just like to stir up trouble and make others angry. As long as others do not admit their mistakes, they will remain angry and unhappy. There is no need for this, brothers and sisters. This will waste our time. If someone offends you and does not admit their mistake, we forgive them. Forgiving others releases us, allowing us to run the race ahead easily. Amen!
Finally, let’s look at a passage of scripture, Psalm 90:12: “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
If you want to have a wise heart, first know that you are not omnipotent and that your time is limited.
Someone once calculated a life account. Based on a person living to 100 years, excluding seven hours of sleep a day, do you know how many days a person lives in total?
At 100 years, subtracting seven hours of sleep each day, do you know how many days a person can live? More than 20,000 days. Have you calculated this? Moreover, we may not even live to 100. If we live to 50, that is half, leaving more than 10,000 days. Before the age of 20, you know nothing, and you waste a lot of time. After 20, you start to set personal life goals. Before that, you were living for your parents, living for your teachers. So how much time do you have left?
In fact, there are less than 10,000 days. Yet many people still get angry during these 10,000 days because they do not forgive me, because someone said something unpleasant to me yesterday. So I get angry and end up with high blood pressure. You waste that day.
Brothers and sisters, our time is too limited. You need to cherish your time and live. God hopes you cherish your limited years in this world and seize His promises to live. This way, every year and every day will be meaningful and remembered by God. Hallelujah! How can a day be remembered by God? It is very simple: today I live in this world not for myself but to see what great things God wants to accomplish in me today. Amen! Then you will have a wise heart.
Every morning when you wake up, you can learn to accept the gift God gives you. Heavenly Father, I thank You. This is a beautiful day. I believe You have already prepared Your abundant blessings. I will go experience them. Can you declare this to yourself? You can tell yourself that perhaps today’s events will not be perfect, but that does not prevent You from blessing me. You will make all things work together for my good in the end. Amen!
When you are in a bad mood, look at the WeChat public account “Ruling in Life” and see what God has done in your life in the past. You will gain strength and confidence. If you encounter setbacks or unfair treatment, do not forget to do one thing: do not let the sun go down while you are angry. You can be angry during the day; I cannot help but be angry. But before going to sleep, do not carry that anger into the night. You want to dream of God, not of those terrible things. Moreover, at the beginning of a new day, you should receive the abundant blessings of God for the next day. God hopes you live every day in such joy, seizing His promises to live. When the time comes, God will lift you up. Amen!
Put your gifts and talents to the fullest, just like Joseph. When the time comes, God will exalt him to that position, placing him in a position below one and above ten thousand. Before that, he must endure and wait, expecting God's grace, strength, and favor upon him every day. Amen! You should live like this. In the new year, let us expect wonderful things to happen to us together.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You. Thank You for starting this new year for us. In this new year, You teach us to number our days and grant us a heart of wisdom, so we do not waste time, knowing we are wise people, not foolish people, understanding Your will. We are Your beloved children, living out the image of Jesus in this world. We are children of light, loved by God.
Every day, we have Your presence and Your guidance in our lives. In the past, I did not rely on God, but this year I am willing to rely on You from my heart, seizing Your promises to live. How others live is their business; I want to receive Your promises to live. Please lead me to experience You more in truth. Hallelujah! Thank You and praise You, all glory belongs to our Father in heaven. In the name of Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen! Hallelujah!