357 - God Will Compensate What You Have Lost#
(Jp Text Group - Organized by Benjamin)
Sharing Topic: He Will Compensate What You Have Lost
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, thank you and praise you for preparing such a wonderful time for us to return to the truth, to come before your word again. At this moment, may the Holy Spirit guide and help us. No matter how great the environment or problems we face, we return to your word, for your word is alive and powerful, allowing us to be renewed; you are the God of compensation, and you have given us such promises to provide and bless all the brothers and sisters who seek you. In the name of the Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen!
Luke 4:15-21:
15 He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. 16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
This is a passage that Jesus read in His hometown of Nazareth,
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
When Jesus read the Bible, it was a bit different from how the scribes and Pharisees read it at that time. After reading this passage, He said: “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
I hope that after listening to the sermon, the brothers and sisters can fully receive this truth and believe that this truth is fulfilled in their lives. You are not reading an article, nor looking at a piece of text; the truth you hear should not remain here but should take effect in our lives. Amen!
When Jesus read this scripture, He said: He has anointed me. Although this is a passage from the Old Testament, Jesus said: This power is now upon me. I hope that when the brothers and sisters read the Bible, they can have this vision as well. When reading this passage, know that this is God’s power at work in you, that the Holy Spirit is using you. Just like at this moment, you are here, the Holy Spirit is renewing you, healing you, and supplying you. The word of Jesus is powerful; when He speaks it, it produces great power.
To proclaim good news to the poor, where is the hope for the poor? God is their richness; God will compensate what they have lost in the past.
Freedom for the prisoners, many are bound by various things, by alcohol, smoking, drug addiction, etc. They are bound by these, and then they will be released before God. God will compensate for what they have lost.
Recovery of sight for the blind is the same; God allows their eyes to see, to see God’s abundance, to see the beauty of the world, to see that our God has greater benefits for them. I believe that some eyes that have never seen the world will one day be opened and will cherish the world more than we do because God has shown them more, and the compensation God gives them is greater.
To set the oppressed free, many people have pressure and problems, affected by the world, environment, and family. But God says: I will compensate you. You have suffered much oppression in the past, but now you will be free in Christ. God’s year of favor has come, and God accepts you. Amen!
Put down your self-pitying mindset; you need to enjoy His abundance in Christ. This is the passage of scripture that Jesus read to them at that time. Although everyone was reading the Bible, many forgot it after reading. Now, when Jesus reads it, He says: “This scripture is fulfilled in your hearing today.” This word carries great power; now you can experience Him.
I know that the current environment is quite special, and life has pressed some people to the point of breathlessness. Many want to exert themselves but cannot because they do not know where to exert their strength. Many things cannot be done. When failure and setbacks come, if one is not careful, they will not dare to have good expectations. It is easy to remain stagnant, afraid to expect a better tomorrow.
Some say: “Lord, if I can just keep my rent today and let my family operate normally, I will be content”;
Some have suffered losses in business, “I will be satisfied if I can just pay off my debts”;
Some have suffered betrayal in relationships, “As long as I can find someone to live with, that’s enough”;
Many say: “I have been tormented by a disease for years; as long as this disease leaves, that’s enough”;
But this is not God’s way of provision. Sometimes we do encounter some pain and difficulties because of our wrong choices. Dreams have been shattered, and bad environments have come. Perhaps the lowest hope is that the suffering will pass, and we dare not have greater expectations because there will always be some voices in our hearts telling us: You messed up, missed the opportunity, it’s impossible to turn around, this is how life will be…
What I want to tell you is: “God will compensate what you have lost; He will restore everything you have lost in the past.”
John 10:10: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
This passage means that many people have been stolen, killed, and destroyed by the devil. Their families, their businesses have been crushed. But Jesus came, and He said, I want you to have life. You may feel that you have reached the end, that you are in a dead end. Jesus says: I am your new beginning; I want you to have life and have it to the full.
Often, those who have reached a dead end find it easier to rely on Jesus because there is no other way. They will focus on looking up to Jesus, and when they look up to Jesus, the turnaround begins, and the compensation begins.
Perhaps you are indeed experiencing a bottleneck in business, afraid to have good expectations. Perhaps there are some problems in your marriage, afraid to have too good expectations. Brothers and sisters, this is not the end of the world; don’t listen to some people’s nonsense. Don’t indulge in self-pity; don’t be despondent. You are a person of hope because you have a Lord who wants to give you a brand new beginning. He has a beautiful plan for your life. He has sent Jesus into the world and has promised us that He will let you have life and have it to the full. No matter what environment you are in, you should have the best expectations.
Some say: “What am I expecting? Where do I get the confidence to expect?”
Look at your current environment, look at what the people around you are saying; there really seems to be nothing to expect. The people around you may be preaching negative, fearful messages, complaining messages. But you need to return to Christ; in Christ, you must firmly grasp the promises God has given you. You must believe that God is our God of compensation.
Perhaps you say: “My heart is already broken, I am disheartened and desperate because some people have brought me great pain and offended me. I hope God can heal me.” God not only wants to heal but also to restore everything you have lost in the past and to give you abundance. God’s compensation is not to bring you back to the previous state but to make it better than before. If a car’s glass has cracks, buying some glue to fix it can at most restore it to its previous state. But God’s restoration, God’s compensation is not like that; God’s compensation is stronger and more beautiful than before.
God created all things and placed Adam in it; this world is beautiful. At that time, God blessed Adam and let him manage all things. But Adam failed; he mistakenly believed the devil’s words, leading to handing the world over to the devil, allowing the devil to disturb this world.
Some say: “Living in this world is hopeless” is not God’s fault; it is indeed Adam’s mistake. But God sent His Son—Jesus Christ into the world to solve these problems, to address Adam’s failure, to deal with the sin, death, and disease issues that exist among Adam and his descendants. God wants to repay us with eternal life and with abundance.
This is Jesus; He came to compensate what you have lost. What was lost in Adam in the past, Jesus came not only to compensate you but also to give you better. God’s compensation is better than before, so even if you have failed now, please remember this is not the end. Look up to Jesus, hold on to the promises; what God gives you will be better than before.
Let’s look at a passage: 1 Corinthians 15:45: So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit.
The first Adam is the failed Adam. God created Adam; he was good, a living being with a spirit. As a person, he has weaknesses and problems, and he can fail. It can be said that everyone has this characteristic. Today, you are a living being with a spirit because the Holy Spirit dwells in you. You will indeed have failures, problems, obstacles, and difficulties.
But it is different in the last Adam. After you accept Jesus, if you live by holding on to God’s promises, the Holy Spirit will lead you and guide you from within. Because the last Adam—Jesus has become a life-giving spirit, this spirit dwells in you, guiding you, renewing you, supplying you, compensating for everything you have lost. This is why we should live according to God’s word.
After believing in the Lord, you already have the life of Christ. You can still live according to your past ways and still be saved, but God hopes that this life-giving spirit will guide you, allowing you to grasp God’s promises and live. Even if you have failed in the past, God says I will compensate you. What you gain in Christ far exceeds what is in this world, at least it is double blessings, both earthly and spiritual blessings in heaven.
Many people say they want to return to the Garden of Eden. Some sermons say to return to the Garden of Eden. Why can’t we find the Garden of Eden now? Because after Adam’s failure, that garden was no longer used. God, through Jesus, wants to give us something better, something better than the previous Garden of Eden, which is the new heaven and new earth. This is what God wants to give you. You can look at Revelation; don’t look for the Garden of Eden. You may think the Garden of Eden is great, but the new heaven and new earth are better.
Although people have failed, God’s grace is greater. But do not get it wrong; saying this means I should fail a few more times to let God’s grace be magnified is wrong. Is there anyone who says, “I know the doctor’s skills are very good, so I deliberately make myself sick to go to the hospital a few times to let him treat me”? I think there is none. God wants to compensate what people have lost after their failures and give them something better.
We have hope in Christ; the restoration and compensation God speaks of is increase, renewal, making you better. You must firmly remember this, no matter what you are currently experiencing, no matter how long you have persisted in painful problems, continue to believe in God. He can allow you to gain benefits from it. If your faith is correct, you will naturally live correctly, and your life will change accordingly.
Romans 8:28: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
All things working together means that all things, both bad and good, work together. What is the purpose? To let those who love God benefit. You just need to know that you are loved by God. You just need to believe that what God gives you is the best. Even if it is a terrible thing now, God can turn it around, and in the end, it can become beneficial to you. This is our hope in our hearts.
Even if you say I have lost something now, it is not my fault; perhaps it is caused by the environment, perhaps by others. Do not complain. We need to have a positive hope in God and prepare ourselves to receive God’s greater promises and blessings.
All things working together will ultimately benefit you. When can you see this? It is after you go through fire and water that you will see that God does not lie; He is a faithful God. We are all called according to His purpose. We have all received God’s invitation, believed in Jesus, and stood firm in His word. I hope everyone can stand firm in God’s grace for a long time. No matter what happens, even if suffering comes, problems come, and difficulties come, you still need to stand firm, relying on God’s grace.
We are not like before, desperately enduring pain under the law, saying, “Lord! This is what you want to refine me;” “Lord, this is what you want to purify me.” No, we now look at all things from the perspective of God’s grace. Even if it is disease, difficulties, or problems, we say: “Lord, I know all things work together for good, ultimately for my benefit, because you are fully capable of overcoming all of this.” We have a positive hope, not a passive endurance. God not only wants to save you but also to expand you, to make you better, stronger, happier, healthier, and more blessed. Amen!
Let’s look at a passage: Ruth 3:7-11:
7 When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 In the middle of the night something startled the man; he turned and there was a woman lying at his feet. 9 “Who are you?” he asked. “I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer of our family.” 10 “The Lord bless you, my daughter,” he replied. “This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: you have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. 11 And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All the people of my town know that you are a woman of noble character.”
After reading the book of Ruth, you will know that this is a very beautiful story. Let’s imagine if you were in Ruth’s position. When Ruth first appeared, what was her identity? A widow. Her late husband might have been quite wealthy when he went out, but things got worse and worse, and finally, her husband died. All the men in the family were gone, leaving only three widows. The days ahead seemed hopeless.
At this time, her mother-in-law Naomi wanted to return to her hometown. She didn’t know how to live when she went back, but she wanted to go back. Ruth decided to follow her. At that time, Ruth’s determination was very firm: your God is my God; your people are my people. This was Ruth’s faith.
Can you imagine? It was a terrible environment, and everything was lost. There seemed to be no hope. Their only hope was that this God could lift them up. Perhaps they did not expect to be prosperous in the future; having three meals a day was the greatest hope. Ruth was determined to follow her mother-in-law back to her hometown. After returning to Bethlehem, she began to glean in the fields.
Have you thought about it? Brothers and sisters, how long can you glean in a year? So she had to work hard. What was the purpose? To gather as much food as possible while there was grain, enough to support the two women. At that time, if you were to write a dream or a prayer of hope, what could you write? The environment was terrible. But have you noticed? During this process, God had already begun to bless her. God wanted to restore what Ruth had lost, not only to provide her with food but also to lift her name and bless her and her descendants. Not for any other reason, but because Ruth had such a heart to follow God.
Ruth’s thought at that time was: “Mother-in-law, do not urge me to leave you or turn back from you. Where you go, I will go, and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” She had already made up her mind to follow this Lord for the rest of her life. If you have such a determination to follow our Lord, the environment before you will not matter. Our God will surely make a way for you that you never imagined.
Her mother-in-law said to Ruth: “According to our local customs, you can go find our nearest relative.” When Ruth went to find Boaz, what was Boaz’s identity at that time? He was a wealthy young man. And what was Ruth’s identity? From Ruth’s perspective, she was a widow, with nothing. He had everything and lacked nothing. We have nothing and lack everything. Now we want to go to someone and say: “I want to marry you; you should marry me.” Where does our confidence come from?
But Ruth still went. She must have been relying on this God in her heart, right? Brothers and sisters.
What I want to tell everyone is that Boaz represents our Jesus Christ, and Ruth represents the Gentile church. We were originally unworthy and undeserving, but now we seek Jesus, and God does not look down on us; instead, He praises us.
Let’s look at what Boaz said to Ruth: “My daughter, may the Lord bless you. This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier.”
What did Ruth say to Boaz? “Spread the corner of your garment over me.” Ruth’s request was very simple: “You marry me; I don’t ask for anything else. Just give me something to eat and drink, and give me a name.” But what did Boaz give her? The highest honor.
Isn’t this like us seeking Jesus? When we seek Jesus, we say: “Lord, have mercy on me; solve my disease.” Jesus says, “You are healed, and not only will you be healed, but I will also make you healthier and give you more ability.” This is God’s compensation; this is God’s restoration.
Boaz said to Ruth: “My daughter, do not be afraid. I will do for you all you ask.”
Have you thought about this as our prayer? When we pray to God, our God today also says to you: “Do not be afraid; I will do for you all you ask.” This means: “Not only will I restore your health, but I will also make you strong. Not only will I restore your finances, but I will also make you a supply for others.” Amen!
Some say: “Is it really that easy? Just pray to God, and everything will be accomplished?” Look at what Ruth did; she had to glean in the fields. We all know that you are a woman of noble character in the eyes of the people in our town. We also need to have some good behavior in front of others, right? When you grasp God’s promises and live, you will definitely have some good behavior in front of people, and other blessings will follow. Do not get it wrong; “It’s so good to say this; I just need to pray to Jesus, and I don’t need to do anything else. We just wait for the pie to fall from the sky, expecting the miracle of the five loaves and two fish every day…”
But brothers and sisters, have you seen how many times Jesus performed the miracle of the five loaves and two fish in three and a half years? We tend to focus on this point. You should be like Ruth, actively preparing everything and then expecting everything. In the end, she saw it. Amen!
The book of Proverbs tells us many times that you should work diligently, and God will greatly bless you in what you do, giving you wisdom, ability, connections, and all kinds of things you need, all to restore everything to you. Amen! Hallelujah!
Everyone will encounter failures and unfair things. We can choose pain and complaints, but we can also choose to hold on to God’s promises, believing that He will surely compensate what you have lost. You can be despondent every day, complaining about the world, or you can pray to God: “Lord, I know all things work together for good; it will surely benefit me.” I hope you lift your head, stand tall, and look up to God’s promises, grasping God’s promises. Know that He will surely repay you; in everything you do, He will surely bless you.
Ruth encountered Boaz in the process of doing her work, and it became the most blessed thing in her life. If we are Ruth, just sitting at home saying: “I believe God will provide.” If you are unwilling to even step out the door, how can you encounter God? Of course, I believe you may have different insights. I just want to give you a new perspective through this passage. Amen!
God will bless you in what you do, restoring everything to you. Some say: “Life is unfair.” God is a fair God. Some say: “There are too many injustices in the world.” God is a just God. So you don’t need to complain about the world; just know that our God can compensate you. Even if someone has wronged you, slandered you, or acted deceitfully towards you, regardless of the reason, seek this fair and just God, and He will bless you with everything. As for that person, we do not need to worry about them. Do not hold on to past failures, regretting and remaining stagnant. Do not harbor bitterness and complain about people or God; this is ineffective. I just want to tell you that God’s promise is that He will save you, restore you, and compensate you, making you better than before. Amen!
Isaiah 61:1-4:
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, 2 to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. 4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.
Isaiah gives the people of Israel hope. At this moment, they are in deep distress, seemingly losing hope. God did not say, “Wait until I restore you before I give you this scripture,” but rather, in their pain and problems, God, through Isaiah, gave them this promise.
So Isaiah says: The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. The original text refers to the poor in spirit.
The poor refers to those who are spiritually impoverished, feeling truly hopeless. Do you know? God’s gospel can play the greatest role at this time, allowing you to see God’s abundant provision.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted. The brokenhearted are those who have lost hope in the world or in things, who are disheartened and hurt. But when they return to the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit will heal them and let the captives be released, the prisoners come out of the darkness, proclaiming the year of the Lord’s favor. In a year of famine, God’s word says you are entering the year of favor. In a place of hopelessness, God tells you that you should have the greatest hope. In bondage, God tells you that you will be released.
Brothers and sisters, this is our God’s promise. It is not to believe only after the matter is accomplished, but to believe before the matter is accomplished that God can compensate you, restore you. What God wants to give you is absolutely not just to restore you to the previous level; He wants to give you something better than before. Hallelujah!
We were once descendants of Adam, but now we belong to Christ. The power of Christ is better than Adam’s. Some say: “I envy the Israelites; they had the Old Testament law and God’s presence with them every day.” You are in a better New Testament; your hope is greater because we are under the grace of the New Testament. God gives us more insights, more revelations, and speaks more words to us. Amen!
To bestow a crown of beauty instead of ashes, this passage is not just for Israel. Because of Jesus, this passage is for all who listen to His words. If you are now in sorrow or desolation… God wants to give you a crown of beauty. This is God’s compensation. You say you are now heartbroken… God says I want to give you joy, the oil of joy to fill you instead of your mourning. Isn’t this compensation?
It is not just to take away your mourning but to fill you with joy. You say you are very sad… God says I will not only not let you be sad, but I will also make you praise, filling your mouth with sounds of praise. Hallelujah!
Our God is a just and righteous God. In Him, He will let you gain glory. No matter how the current environment is, please hold on to God’s promises and live. This is our theme this year: to let you hold on to God’s promises. No matter how the environment is, the worse the environment, the more you need to hold on to God’s promises. Because when things are peaceful, we do not feel that God’s promises are good. But in times of hopelessness, when everything is lost, our hearts especially hope for change and compensation. At this time, God gives you His promises, and you can rebuild a positive hope.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.
It can be imagined that the homeland has been desolate for 70 years. The grass in the house has probably grown as tall as a person. What does God say to them? You will surely rebuild the desolate places, establish cities in the previously devastated areas, and establish homes. This indicates that this matter has not yet been accomplished, right? Brothers and sisters, God’s compensation for them is not only to return from captivity but also to bless them, allowing them to rebuild their homes, and what they gain will be more, greater, and more hopeful than before.
Through Jesus, we can know that this word has been fulfilled, has been accomplished. Through the Holy Spirit, all of us will be renewed and changed. God will make us strong again, allowing us not only to stand up but also to greet new beginnings every day in joy. The meaning of this word is very simple: although we will encounter some unfair treatment, God will repay us for everything we have lost. God not only restores but also compensates doubly. This problem may not have been caused by God, but God says: Because you are loved by me, I will give you.
What does this mean? A son takes a sum of money to start a business, but ends up losing it due to poor operation and lack of experience.
He comes to his father and says: “Father, I am really useless; I lost money in business.”
The father says: “It’s okay; I will give you double the money to start again.”
Have you thought about it? Our Heavenly Father compensates us like this, and He absolutely does not say things like some dramas: “You fool, with this level, you still want to start a business…” a bunch of condemning and accusing words. That is the earthly father; our Heavenly Father will not do this. He knows everything about you. As long as you are willing to turn back, willing to come before Him and grasp His promises, you know He is your Father, He loves you. No matter what caused your loss, our God will repay you, compensate you for what you have lost.
You say: “I have no joy now; my heart is very sad.”
God says: “I will give you double joy”;
You say: “I am very afraid.”
God says: “I will give you double peace”;
You say: “I have no identity; I cannot hold my head up in front of people.”
God says: “I will give you double honor”;
You say: “I often fail in what I do.”
God says: “I am your victory.” Hallelujah!
This is our Lord; He can compensate you for everything. No matter what you encounter, please come before Him and pray. Don’t seek comfort from people. People can give you comfort when they are strong, but if they are weak, what they give you may be complaints and negativity, which may hurt you more. Please do not place all your hope and focus on people. You can let people pray with us, but do not place all your hope on people. Even if this is a famous pastor, he is still an imperfect person. Only God can compensate you for everything you have lost. Remember, only God can cover you, supply you, and repay you for everything.
Think about the Israelites; they were slaves in Egypt for over 400 years. What kind of life did they live every day? Living under the whip, not getting enough to eat, not sleeping well, working day and night for others without return. The Egyptians’ demands must have been very bad and harsh, probably far beyond what their bodies could bear. In the later stages, because they wanted to leave Egypt, the Egyptians even made them make bricks without giving them straw and required them to meet a sufficient quota. This was an unfair treatment.
Because of long-term unfairness, many Israelites lost hope and developed a habit of complaining. In the later stages, their wailing might have surpassed their complaints. God heard their cries. All this unfairness did not escape God’s eyes. God was counting and observing very carefully and waiting for the time to come. He was waiting for Moses. When the time came, God said to Moses: “You must bring my people out, for I have seen the suffering of my people in Egypt.”
Let’s look at this passage, Exodus 3:7-8:
7 The Lord said: “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.
Brothers and sisters, do you see our God’s salvation and compensation? What is God’s salvation? It is that I have seen your suffering; I have heard your cries; I know your pain. Brothers and sisters, if God knows, why do we still need to sigh? Do not say: “God, you do not know.” When we tell others, the comfort they give us may be superficial. We say: “You do not know what I have been through, so do not speak.” Yes, people cannot fully understand the pain you have experienced, the failures you have encountered, and your sorrow. But our God sees and knows. He knows your pain; He knows you have lost many things. Please return to Christ; He can compensate you for everything. Amen!
Just as God wanted to compensate the Israelites, to save them from the hands of the Egyptians, God sent Moses. Do not learn from the Israelites; God has already sent Moses to save them, yet they still complained and did not believe. This is their greatest pity and misfortune. God has already sent Jesus to save you; you must fully listen to Jesus’ words and follow in His footsteps. You will surely enter into a land of abundance every day.
Do not be afraid of any difficulties ahead. With Jesus leading you, what are you afraid of? When we are most worried, we are like the Israelites; they complained and did not believe, even wanting to kill Moses. If you kill Moses, who will lead you into the land flowing with milk and honey? Where is your direction? Today, many people complain about preachers, hate their pastors, and attack their pastors. If you attack the pastor, who will supply you with God’s word? We should not do such things; this is very foolish.
God sent Moses to save them; this is God’s intention to save them and compensate them for what they have lost, bringing them out of Egypt. Where are they going? To a good and spacious land flowing with milk and honey. This is God’s compensation. In the past, in Egypt, they were not treated as human beings, but now, when they arrive in the land of Canaan flowing with milk and honey, God treats you as a son. Brothers and sisters, do you understand?
In the world, many people look down on you, but in Christ, Christ sees you as a precious prince. You can no longer look down on yourself; do not neglect your identity in Christ. You should often come before the truth, often come before God’s word, and you will have faith, hope, and know that God’s intention is to compensate you for everything you have lost.
In fact, what God said to the Israelites is very easy to understand. I see your suffering; I see it; I have heard your cries. This means that every day you get up early, do not get enough to eat, do not wear warm clothes, and work exhaustively, crying out in pain, I see it all. I am waiting for someone to rise up and bring you out. So God says: “Now the time has come.” He immediately found Moses to go. His intention is to rescue you. The Bible often mentions a phrase: the time will come. Jesus often says: “The time will come; now is the time.” Amen!
The time has come. At any time, do not lose hope because God will never delay your matters. Even if you say you can’t wait any longer, that you will lose everything, perhaps you will not lose everything. You will still rely on yourself. I am giving a hypothetical example to tell you that even if you lose everything, God’s compensation for you will be more. Amen!
God came down to save them, and there is another meaning: I want my people to receive double blessings. At the same time, there is another meaning: I want those who mistreat my people to pay the price. Since you know that God can do such fair and just things, why bother to scold the Egyptian taskmasters? Why let them whip you more? There is no need, brothers and sisters. Wait for God to come down to save us, and the situation will change. Hallelujah!
Do you know? As soon as Jesus enters your current environment and problems, He will compensate you and uphold justice for you. Not only can you regain what you lost before, but you will also gain more. Hallelujah!
How did my Lord save the Israelites out of Egypt? God reminded the Israelites through one disaster after another. This is the god they worshiped back then; none of their gods could save them. This was also a reminder to the Israelites: do not envy what they have now; you have the true God, and that is enough. Hallelujah! God means that I will compensate you for the unfair treatment you have endured. No one can stop God’s guidance, so when the time comes, the Israelites must come out of Egypt.
What I want to tell you is that in your current environment, you only need to do one thing: hold on to God’s promises tightly. No matter how the environment changes, hold on tightly to Jesus, the solid rock; this ark is solid. Amen!
There is no need to worry at all. Although the Pharaoh of Egypt at that time was very powerful, far surpassing the Israelites from any angle, God’s power is greater. So God performed many great miracles and ultimately brought the Israelites out of Egypt, right? Brothers and sisters.
Perhaps at that time, the Israelites’ prayer was: “Lord, please restore our freedom; we really can’t stand it anymore.” This was their request. They did not dare to ask to become wealthy or live a free life; this was probably something they did not dare to hope for. But God not only let them gain freedom; God also made them leave with gold and silver. In other words, God not only wanted to heal their bodies but also let them leave with joyful hearts and sounds of praise.
Let’s look at Exodus 12:35-36:
35 The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. 36 The Lord had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians.
If you were Pharaoh, what would you think? You are sitting on the throne, watching these 200 free slaves leave your country. Would you be willing? Moreover, each of them left with gold and silver. Why would this happen? Because God wanted to compensate the Israelites. These 400 years were not as free slaves; you must pay for their labor.
I believe many people have suffered injustice and grievances. You must believe that when God acts, what He gives you is not just what you deserve; He will also give you more. God is compensating the Israelites for the suffering they endured. When they left, they were filled with gold, silver, and clothing, things they did not dare to hope for before, and now they all received.
When Jacob’s family came to Egypt with not much wealth, they actually had little left. But now? They left in abundance. This is our God’s compensation; He wants to compensate you for what you have lost. Now, let’s focus our eyes on God. This is a moment of compensation. Do not look at how things started this year, with various problems arising. Your eyes should be on God. You must grasp God’s promises and live, not looking at the environment, not looking at how people around you comment. We should speak the words of Christ.
Joel 2:25-27:
25 I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm—my great army that I sent among you. 26 You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed. 27 Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the Lord your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed.
Do you see how certain our God is? Let’s explain the key points. In the Old Testament, because the Israelites, under the law, violated God’s words, they unknowingly fell under a curse. Brothers and sisters, do you know? Going against God’s words will surely lead to loss. At that time, locusts, young locusts, and cutting locusts ate everything they had. But God still compensates them, saying: “Now I will repay you for what you have lost; you will surely eat plenty and be satisfied.”
Through this process, the Israelites realized that relying on themselves really does not work. In our current environment, many things are absolutely beyond our control. What should we do? Rely on this God who governs all things. You are His people; you will never be shamed. When will you be shamed? When you leave God’s words and live according to things outside of God’s words, can you not be shamed? There will definitely be problems. But if you take Him as your God and believe that there is no other God besides Him, you will never be shamed. This is what I am telling you today: live by holding on to God’s promises. Even if you have lost part of it by relying on yourself in the past, God will repay you and let you gain more. Amen!
Do not be foolish. Knowing that God’s words are correct, yet refusing to act on them, but following what people teach will definitely lead to failure and shame. If you fail, please turn back; God will still accept you.
Finally, let’s look at a passage, 1 Peter 2:3-6:
3 Now that you have tasted that the Lord is good, 4 as you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”
Have you tasted the goodness of the Lord?
In other words, do you have many testimonies of God’s grace in the past? If you have tasted it, please do not stay in place or leave; continue to move forward and grasp His promises and live. The Lord is the living Stone. What does it mean to be the living Stone? It brings you life, compensates you for everything, and gives you abundance. Only our Jesus Christ, who was rejected by men, is precious to God. Why? Because the world does not believe in Him, and the world’s reasoning is deviated from Him, so He was discarded by the world. We cannot be like that; we must know that this is the most precious.
Have you noticed that many things in the world are completely different from what our Lord says? What the world considers precious, our Lord considers worthless. What our Lord considers precious, the world looks down upon. We should take the words of Jesus Christ as our standard, come before God, and come before Jesus Christ. You are also like living stones, always bringing you abundance and life.
Being built into a spiritual house, being a holy priesthood.
You are a holy priesthood, accepted by both God and people.
Offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
What does this refer to? Give thanks to God. No matter the environment, give thanks to God. Why? Because you know that Jesus Christ is your foundation, your rock. What do wind and rain matter? As long as your foundation is on the rock, no matter how strong the wind and rain are, it does not matter because the foundation is solid. This is why I encourage everyone to learn the truth more, hold on to the truth, and believe that this truth will be fulfilled in you. No matter how the environment is, you will never be put to shame. Those who trust in Him will never be put to shame. Amen!
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, thank you and praise you! Thank you for giving us this time to return to your promises, to return to your truth. It is hard to find hope in the world; the world itself is unstable. Many things seem good temporarily, but tomorrow may change. But in Jesus Christ, your words never change, and your promises are indeed true. We have eternal hope in you. You are the God who sets us free and releases us, and in you, there will always be living hope.
Please lead the brothers and sisters this week to look up to you in everything, not to look at how bad the environment is, not to look at what people around say. Our mouths should speak the words you say because your words carry power and can change our current environment. Hallelujah!
I believe you will compensate me for what I have lost, not only repay but also make me better than before. Your words will be fulfilled in me, and I will have a positive heart, hoping for the arrival of this day. Thank you and praise you, and bless all that I do, allowing me to see your goodness. All glory be to you. In the name of the Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen! God bless you all.