562-Running Straight Towards the Benchmark#
(JP Text Group - shalom 整理)
Peace be with you, dear family. Today is Sunday, and let's take a look at God's word together.
The topic of sharing is: Running Straight Towards the Benchmark.
Joshua 14:6-12:
6 At that time, the people of Judah came to Gilgal, and Caleb, the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, said to Joshua, “You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea concerning you and me. 7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. 8 Nevertheless, my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; but I wholly followed the Lord my God. 9 So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.’
10 And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. 11 I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. 12 Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day, for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.”
Let us pray together.
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You for the revelation You give us through the truth that meets our needs. We need to fix our eyes on the words of Christ, allowing Christ to be our benchmark as we run straight towards it. Lead us to never forget our goals, not to be disturbed by our surroundings or people, and to continue running straight towards the benchmark. For Your promises are true, and You will surely fulfill them in my life. We also entrust the time ahead to the Holy Spirit to help us renew our thoughts through Your words. In the name of our Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen.
In the past, a teacher told a story to the students. The story goes like this: Three hunting dogs were chasing a groundhog, which burrowed into a tree hole. The hole had only one exit, and before long, a rabbit unexpectedly emerged from the hole, quickly running forward and climbing up a big tree. In a panic, the rabbit lost its balance and fell, knocking out the three hunting dogs that were looking up. In the end, the rabbit managed to escape.
After the story, the teacher asked, “What’s wrong with this story?” The students replied, “Rabbits can’t climb trees, and it’s impossible for one rabbit to knock out three hunting dogs.” “Anything else?” the teacher continued asking until the students could find no more issues. The teacher then said, “But there’s one more problem you didn’t mention: Where did the groundhog go?”
Indeed, where did the groundhog go? The teacher’s question suddenly shifted the students’ focus back to the target the hunting dogs were pursuing—the groundhog. The sudden appearance of the rabbit distracted the students, causing the groundhog to naturally disappear from their minds.
In the pursuit of life goals, we sometimes get sidetracked by trivial details and meaningless matters, leading many to pause midway or take a detour, abandoning their original goals. We must always remind ourselves: Where did the groundhog go? Where is your goal? We can revise our plans according to different situations, but we must not forget the original goal.
God had promised the people of Israel that He would lead them into the land of Canaan. When they reached the banks of the Jordan River, Moses sent men to spy out the promised land to see what it was like and if it was as good as God had said. Thus, each of the twelve tribes sent a representative, who spent forty days exploring the land and brought back a good report.
Numbers 13:23-24:
23 Then they came to the Valley of Eshcol and cut down a branch with one cluster of grapes; they carried it between two of them on a pole. They also brought some pomegranates and figs. 24 The place was called the Valley of Eshcol because of the cluster which the men of Israel cut down there.
Was the land of Canaan good? It was rich in produce, truly a land flowing with milk and honey. How good was the land? A single cluster of grapes required two strong men to carry it on a pole. How abundant it was! Wasn’t that a wonderful testimony? Yes, it was, so they brought back the cluster of grapes, and everyone was very happy to see it. But others also mentioned some realities: there were powerful enemies there.
Numbers 13:32-33:
32 And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”
Earlier, they had just mentioned the wonderful testimony, but then they pointed out that although the land was indeed good, there were very powerful enemies living there, a land that devours its inhabitants. The main issue was that the enemies there were particularly tall. “We saw the descendants of Anak, who are over three meters tall; we felt like grasshoppers in their sight, and we were indeed insignificant.”
Suddenly, almost all the Israelites were drawn to the latter words, and no one paid attention to the huge cluster of grapes anymore. That night, the people wept loudly, complaining against Moses and God, feeling that they would die at the hands of the enemies, and even if they didn’t die at the hands of the enemies, they would die in the wilderness. In short, they felt doomed and believed victory was impossible. These people cried out to return to Egypt.
What do we see? Although they saw the wonderful testimony, they also saw the enormous difficulties, which is the promised land. Just like the beginning of our year, many people have hopeful wishes and beautiful expectations; however, they also see the economy is very poor and everything is quite difficult. After hearing God’s words, when they return to the real world, whom do they believe more? Most people, like the Israelites, see how hard the real world is, and suddenly God’s promises seem ineffective.
Just like almost all the Israelites no longer focused on the cluster of grapes, they only saw their inability to achieve victory, only saw how small and difficult their situation was. Brothers and sisters, this is unbelief; in this matter, the Israelites could not trust God. God’s promise is that He will surely lead them into the land of Canaan and give that land to them, and their descendants will dwell there in peace and prosperity. They could not believe this anymore because they only saw their companions describing the powerful enemies, thinking it was impossible to win by themselves. But where is God? You must rely on God, not on yourself to achieve victory. In the past, you overcame so many enemies, not by your own strength. The Israelites completely overlooked this point.
Numbers 14:22-25:
22 Because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, 23 they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it. 24 But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it. 25 The Amalekites and the Canaanites dwell in the valley; tomorrow turn and head into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea.”
Here, God gave them some words, saying, “This group of people does not believe in Me and cannot see the land I swore to their fathers.” Why couldn’t this group of people see? Because they did not believe. Therefore, whether we can receive God’s blessings is related to our faith.
Many people do not believe that God can bless them, so in the end, they indeed cannot see it; there are also some who believe in God’s promises but at the same time see other things, such as focusing on worldly wisdom and the false gods of the world. The more they see, the more they feel that what others say seems more reliable and rational. Just like today’s Israelites, they believe the Anakim are invincible, and the cluster of grapes is of no use. This is contempt for God. Because of their unbelief, none of them entered the land of Canaan.
Later, another person named Caleb is mentioned. “But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully.” They all went to the land of Canaan and saw the enormous enemies; why does Caleb have a different spirit? Because his goal was based on God’s promise; he believed from the beginning that God’s promise would surely be fulfilled. What if there are enemies? God’s promise will still be fulfilled. This is called following Him fully. He did not think about anything else. What if there are Anakim? What if there are Amorites? What if there are Philistines? These are not important; his eyes were fixed on God’s words. Hallelujah.
Because of his faith, God said, “I will bring him into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it.” Because of his unwavering faith, Caleb and his descendants indeed received it. I hope that brothers and sisters can have such faith to follow God. Hallelujah.
Although Caleb fully believed in God’s promise, he did not enter by himself; he still followed the Israelites back into the wilderness. Because most of the Israelites did not believe, God said, “Tomorrow you shall turn back and head into the wilderness by the way of the Red Sea.” They began to wander in circles. Originally, they could have crossed the Jordan River and entered Canaan, but because of their unbelief, they wandered for forty years until that generation all died in the wilderness.
Some may say, “It’s not Caleb’s fault; why should he suffer this?” Many might feel sorry for Caleb. How does his faith manifest? What good is faith if he still has to wander in the wilderness with the faithless Israelites? Many people might think, “Caleb has faith, but he still has to stay in the wilderness for forty years?”
But do you know what faith is? True faith does not change with the changing environment. Caleb believed from the beginning that God would surely lead him into the land of Canaan. Although he was wandering in the wilderness due to the unbelief of the majority, he still believed that God’s promise would surely be fulfilled. In this regard, Abraham is our example.
Let’s look at Hebrews 6:13-17:
13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14 saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 16 For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. 17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath.
Caleb, Joshua, and Abraham all share a characteristic: they believe in God’s promises and patiently endure in their belief. Let’s take Abraham as an example. When God called Abraham, he was about seventy-five years old, and at that time, God told him he would have many descendants.
Abraham was naturally happy to hear this because he lacked nothing in wealth and status, but he had no children. When God said this, he was certainly delighted. However, what Abraham did not expect was that this promise would not be fulfilled until twenty-five years later. During those twenty-five years, not everyone can believe so steadfastly.
When God promised Abraham, He swore to him, saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” Because of God’s words, Abraham believed.
After waiting a year, his child was not born; he waited ten years, and still no child; twenty years passed, and he saw that both he and his wife were too old to have children, yet still no child. At this point, Abraham still believed that God would surely fulfill His promise. This is called Abraham’s patient endurance.
How many people change their minds and stop believing during the waiting process, turning to pursue other gods? This is not uncommon. What does this indicate? It suggests that perhaps they never truly believed in God from the beginning. True faith does not change due to changes in the environment. We need this kind of faith in our relationship with God, and we also need it in our relationships with others. How many years of brotherhood or sisterhood can be easily broken by a few words of others? Is that belief? Of course not.
True faith is believing in someone regardless of how others perceive or speak about them; even if one day they betray me, I still believe in them. This is true faith. Such faith is rare in this world because human relationships are filled with deceit, so people cannot believe in the words God speaks. This is the deceit of the human heart. But God is faithful; His words will surely come to pass. Amen.
Let’s reflect on the people around us. What kind of faith do most people have? Is it like the faith of most Israelites? When faced with a little difficulty, they say, “I don’t want to do this anymore, I don’t want to believe anymore; we want to go back to Egypt. It’s better not to believe. What have I gained by believing in the Lord? Look at how my life is!” They attribute everything to God, feeling that it is God who has made their situation this way, never considering their own faults. We should emulate the faith of Caleb and Abraham, dear family.
Hebrews 6:11-12:
11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
No matter how long you have believed in the Lord, I hope you can have full assurance of hope, establishing this hope on God’s promises and His words. You must believe that God does not lie; He is good, and what He promises us will surely come to pass. What we need to do is to follow Him wholeheartedly, not looking around or seeking elsewhere. Focus on following Him diligently according to God’s words and do not become sluggish. Amen.
We must imitate those who inherit the promises through faith and patience. Inheriting promises requires faith and patience. If you only have faith today but lose it tomorrow, will you stop pursuing? Yes, many people lack a heart of patience.
Too many people hope that if they pray today, it will be fulfilled today. If they pray today and nothing happens in a week, they stop praying, stop believing, and stop going to church; they can’t read the Bible anymore. This is a lack of faith and patience. Family, you must believe that when you pray, God hears you. Just because God hasn’t fulfilled it yet doesn’t mean He won’t. God will give you the best blessings at the right time and place. Amen.
Returning to the text.
After wandering in the wilderness for forty years, all the first generation of those over twenty who entered the wilderness died, and Moses also died. Led by Joshua, this generation entered the promised land of Canaan, and they received their land. At this time, Joshua was also old; the Bible says Joshua was old, but there were still some lands yet to be possessed, and the remaining enemies were relatively harder to attack.
At this moment, Caleb came before Joshua to attack the strongest enemy—the Anakim. In terms of physical age, Caleb and Joshua were not far apart, but the Bible does not say Caleb was old. Why is that? What is the secret to Caleb’s youthful strength?
Joshua 14:6-12. Let’s first look at verses 6-8:
6 Then the children of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know the word which the Lord said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh Barnea. 7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. 8 Nevertheless, my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt; but I wholly followed the Lord my God.
What do we see in these verses? Joshua has always watched Caleb grow. At this time, Caleb recounted their past experiences to Joshua, saying that the Lord had spoken to them at Kadesh Barnea, which Moses had told them, to spy out the land of Canaan.
And at that time, God gave them a promise saying, “The land on which your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever.” Caleb said, “At that time, I was forty years old; I brought back word to him as it was in my heart.” Caleb believed what God said, so he happily went to the land of Canaan and reported back to the Israelites according to God’s heart. But not everyone saw this.
“Nevertheless, my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt.” They spoke some negative words, saying impossible things, completely sidelining God’s promises and His power.
“But I wholly followed the Lord my God.” This is what Caleb said about himself; he has always been like this. Dear family, this is the manifestation of his faith, unwavering for decades.
Now let’s look at verses 9-11:
9 “So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘The land on which your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.’ 10 And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. 11 I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in.”
Do we see a person of faith? Where does his faith come from? It has always been based on God’s words. Amen. Caleb said, “So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘The land on which your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children’s forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.’”
All twelve spies entered Canaan, but none believed like Caleb: The land my foot has trodden shall surely belong to me and my descendants. It turns out that when he was forty, he had already set his eyes on the land occupied by the Anakim, but precisely this most beautiful land was seen as impossible to conquer by the Israelites. At that moment, Caleb had already set his heart on that land.
This is faith, dear family. Who among you relies on God like Caleb? Looking back at our brothers and sisters, if we have such faith, God’s promises will surely be fulfilled in your life. The most difficult problems will not seem like problems to you. Hallelujah. Take the current situation, for example; many people say business is hard, work is hard, etc. Do they find it difficult? If you have God’s wisdom and faith, are these still problems? To them, these seem as difficult as the Anakim, but if you have Caleb’s faith in God, focusing only on the goal and God’s promises, these will not be problems. Amen, like food, it will increase your strength.
Forty-five years have passed, and Caleb’s faith has not weakened; forty-five years later, he still believes in God. Caleb said, “Since the Lord spoke this word to Moses, the Lord has kept me alive these forty-five years.” It turns out that Caleb’s heart has always focused on God’s promises, which is why he has such great faith.
Now, how many wise people not only focus on God’s words but also pay attention to more training and various worldly wisdom, always learning things that never end? As a result, their faith weakens, and when faced with problems, they complain, just like most of the Israelites. The Israelites thought they were smart; they judged that it was impossible to win. Only Caleb seemed foolish; did he just believe what God said? And he believed it for forty-five years without changing.
Don’t forget, during those forty years of wandering in the wilderness, he still believed in God’s words. Isn’t this person single-minded? Forty years without change; such people are rare throughout history. So dear family, Caleb was blessed; he could remain youthful and strong for a reason: his focus was always on God’s words. I hope our brothers and sisters can fix their eyes on God’s words. Don’t look for this pastor or that course; focus on God’s words and meditate on them, which is better than anything else.
Caleb has set a great example for us. He said, “Behold, I am eighty-five years old today, and I am still as strong as I was the day Moses sent me.” This is not boasting; if you are eighty-five and can’t even get out of bed, you cannot say you are still strong like you were at forty. It is clear that Caleb’s body was indeed strong, and he also said, “Whether for war or for coming in, my strength is as it was then, and it is still the same.” Hallelujah!
Caleb had been preparing for this day all along. We can guess that he might have prayed every day, “Lord, the day I enter Canaan is getting closer! Lord, the strength You give me and this body are getting stronger!” Thank the Lord; his focus and words come from God. This is the secret to his youthful strength.
Now let’s look at Joshua, who had faith similar to Caleb’s. The Bible says Joshua was old; indeed, after forty-five years, even the youngest now looks old. But Caleb was not like this. Can you believe this? If you are eighty-five, leaning on a cane to fight, it would be a laughingstock. Moreover, even young people might not be able to defeat the Anakim. This indicates that Caleb was not speaking empty words; he truly had strength within him.
Look at what he said in verse 12: “Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day, for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.”
At this moment, Caleb was fulfilling what he had aimed to accomplish forty-five years ago; this matter has nothing to do with time. Forty-five years ago, if he had reached this mountain, Caleb would still have asked to take this mountain. Forty-five years later, his determination had not changed. Dear family, this is Caleb’s faith; he remembered God’s promise to give him this mountain. He kept this in mind for forty-five years, even when it was not fulfilled. Thank the Lord.
How many of us have set goals before God, only to change them six months later? But Caleb was not like this; forty-five years passed, and Caleb’s heart still believed in God’s initial promise. His goal had never changed; even after spending forty years in the wilderness with others, he did not lose heart or abandon his goal, always waiting for this day. This is what a person of faith does; a person who lives relying on God’s words is different. An eighty-five-year-old is not being unrealistic; he himself says, “Now I am still strong, like I was at forty.” He has always lived in God’s promises, and his eyes are fixed only on the promised land.
At New Year, I asked everyone to write down their goals for this year, and I hope your eyes are fixed only on the goals, relying on God’s promises and strength to achieve them. Do not change midway or abandon them after hearing others’ words. In the past, many people wrote down their goals, but by the end of the year, they had forgotten what they initially wrote. This indicates that this matter was not very important to you; you couldn’t even remember it.
We need to learn to rely on God and look up to Him like Caleb. At forty, he looked at the land occupied by the Anakim; although the walls were strong, the roads wide, and the enemies tall, it didn’t matter. As long as he went, he could conquer them with God’s strength. Although later delayed by the faithless Israelites for forty years, Caleb did not lose heart or complain against God; he was still waiting for this day.
We might think that God delayed the time, but it is not so; there is no delay with God. God always wants to fulfill the best blessings in our lives. Hallelujah. We cannot imitate the Israelites, who shrink back when faced with difficulties or even change their goals. Originally, they were supposed to go to Canaan, but upon hearing that there were powerful enemies there, they turned back to Egypt. This is equivalent to saying at the beginning of the year, “I want to go to Canaan,” but after hearing many people say it is impossible, you say, “Forget it, I won’t write that anymore; let’s go back to Egypt.”
Indeed, some people have done similar things in the past. At the beginning of the year, they wrote that they wanted to make money to buy a new phone, but as the year approached its end, they changed their wish to just getting a new phone case. Don’t do this, dear family. If you rely on God every day, the goals you set will be fulfilled with His strength. Of course, you cannot set a goal and remain stagnant; that won’t work. You must work diligently, and both patience and faith are required. Amen.
We must understand that God leads us every day, expecting us to rely on His words daily. Although Caleb wandered in the wilderness with the Israelites for forty years, those forty years were not wasted; during those forty years, Caleb’s faith was still growing. Amen. Even if our environment is like this today, do not lose heart. In every situation, God wants to elevate our trust in Him, aiming to give us the best blessings. May we, dear family, move forward with faith and wisdom, relying on God’s truth as we run straight towards our goals.
Philippians 3:13-14:
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
This is Paul’s testimony of his faith. First, let’s look at verse 13: Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended.
What does this mean? Paul knows that the blessings God has for him are immense. Although he has already received many revelations, grace from God, and many wonderful testimonies, this is still not enough. Why? Because God has more to give him. Perhaps it is because he has truly been to the third heaven and knows how wonderful it is, and he understands the richness of God’s glory. Although he has received these, he still feels it is too little.
From a human perspective, he has already received a lot. More than a third of the New Testament letters were written by him; how much revelation and power from God has he received? He built countless churches throughout his life. He has given so much for the Lord, yet he says, “I do not count myself to have apprehended.”
He is a humble person; God has given him so much. He says, “I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.” Paul never looks at his past; if he looks back, he will see many of his achievements.
Today, many people live in the past; this is truly a pitiful state. No matter who it is, anyone who lives in the past is a pitiful person. If a person always talks about how great they were in the past, what does that indicate? It shows that this person is not doing well now. If someone always says, “I suffered so much injustice in the past,” what does that indicate? It shows that they are still not doing well now.
So dear family, forget those things which are behind; no matter how many successes you have had in the past, do not remember them. Also, no matter how many failures you have experienced in the past, it doesn’t matter. Some may tell you to summarize experiences and failures, but I tell you that from now on, there is a more direct and simple way: live according to God’s truth, and manage each day with faith and wisdom. This may be better than summarizing past failures.
It’s not that summarizing past failures is bad; it’s just that God has a better way. From now on, learn to live according to God’s truth; this is higher wisdom. That’s why Paul says, “I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.”
What is before Paul? The benchmark of Jesus Christ. Just like athletes on the field, every athlete has their own lane. They all know where the finish line is; you cannot run into someone else’s lane; that won’t work. So you must strive for the path before you.
God has prepared a path for each of us; do not look at those around you, and do not imitate them. You need to know where the path God has given you is. Then fix your eyes on Jesus Christ as the goal; do as Jesus says, and run straight towards that goal. This will not be wrong. Amen.
If you are running and see an ice cream stand or various beautiful trinkets by the roadside, and you stop to look at those things, you will waste your time. Ultimately, what God wants to give you, you will miss out on because you never reached that place.
Some people, during the race, hear fans shouting, “Hey, come over here! We have something delicious for you!” and they follow that call, getting caught up in that superficial glory. As a result, what God wants to give you, you lose again. What we need to do is run straight towards the benchmark, not looking left or right. Don’t worry about how those around you are doing.
Some say, “I can’t believe in Jesus now because there are no good testimonies around me.” Just because they don’t have good testimonies doesn’t mean you shouldn’t believe in the Lord. Don’t think like that. Jesus is good; the absence of testimonies around you does not mean that others don’t have good testimonies.
Last year, we had thousands of good testimonies; these show that the Lord is always at work. Don’t look at those around you; if they do not rely on Jesus, they indeed have no good testimonies. What you should look at is Jesus Christ; He is your benchmark. Run straight towards this benchmark, and don’t look left or right. Amen.
Let the Holy Spirit lead you; walk on the path of truth prepared by the Lord, and there will be a voice inside you saying, “This is the right way; walk in it.” Do not write a goal at the beginning of the year and then change it later, wanting to go back to Egypt.
Is going back to Egypt really good? No, it’s not. The Israelites had already come out of Egypt; now they want to go back. What will their lives be like? Anyone can imagine. Therefore, we should not look at how things were in the past; we should run straight towards the benchmark of Jesus Christ.
Jesus has already overcome the world; He lived on earth in glory, and we can too. Alternatively, you can emulate Caleb; he did not change his goal for forty-five years and did not change his mind. Can you persist for a year without changing? Can you remain steadfast in God’s words for three years, meditating on God’s words, without looking around at how others are doing, whether they are good or bad? You should look at Jesus Christ. Amen.
Paul said he pressed toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Paul was very clear in his heart that everything he did for the Lord on this earth was to imitate Christ, and God would give him eternal rewards in the future, which is exactly what Jesus Christ called him to receive.
Paul’s attitude towards serving was like this: although he suffered injustices during his service and was attacked, and even faced death many times, he did not see it as a hardship. He felt that Jesus called him to receive the reward from above, which is an eternal reward. Therefore, Paul’s focus and eyes were always on Jesus Christ; he wanted to imitate Jesus Christ. Thank the Lord; this is the mindset we need to have.
Too many people have not set their benchmarks properly; they set their benchmarks on money, which is very dangerous. In the end, they may become greedy and gain nothing, which is pitiful. Others set their sights on high positions, wanting to be respected in future churches, desperately dressing themselves up. This is of no use; when you are eighty-five, what will it matter?
Dear family, only when you set your sights on Jesus Christ and on God’s promises can you, like Caleb, receive abundant inheritance. This inheritance is not only earthly but also heavenly. If you can see the wonderful rewards Christ wants to give you, you will, like Paul, focus solely on the benchmark and run straight towards it. Just like athletes on the field, they only look at their own lane and run straight ahead. That’s enough, because only in this way can you win the best trophy.
But our race is different from the world’s. Every year, God will reward you. As long as you reach the finish line in your lane, God will give you the reward. The world only looks at the top three, but in Christ, as long as you reach that place, God will reward you. It’s somewhat like a marathon; you run a segment and there’s a supply station with things for you. Every segment you run has a supply station. Of course, when you reach the finish line, there is a huge reward. This is somewhat similar. But many people don’t even reach the first supply station and give up, which is truly a pity.
I hope all of you dear family members set your goals, do not forget them, and even more, do not change them. Rely on the faith and wisdom that come from God to accomplish them, working diligently with an expectant heart. Thank and praise the Lord.
Let us pray together.
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You. Thank You for giving us such words to run straight towards the benchmark. Jesus Christ is our benchmark; as Jesus is, so are we on this earth; as Jesus says, we are willing to act. Holy Spirit, please help us to take the truth as our priority, to take the words of Christ as our priority, and to learn to rely on God’s truth in everything. No matter how the world changes, I am willing to continue following our Lord, and I look forward to a good harvest by the end of the year. Thank You, Lord; all glory belongs to our Father in heaven. In the name of our Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen.
Let us partake in the Holy Communion together.
Please raise the bread in your hand. In the name of our Lord Jesus, I set this bread apart as holy. From this moment on, it is no longer an ordinary bread, but the body of Jesus given for me. Jesus broke His body so that my body may be strengthened. I also believe that Jesus’ body is healthy, and by the stripes that Jesus bore, I am healed. No matter what kind of illness I have in my body right now, I believe that because of Jesus, I can be completely healed. I receive this healing power and look forward to a good outcome. Thank You, Lord.
Also raise the cup in your hand. In the name of our Lord Jesus, I set this cup apart as holy. From this moment on, it is no longer ordinary grape juice, but the precious blood of Jesus shed for me. Jesus’ blood has forgiven all my sins, so I know I have a covenant with the Father, just as God had a covenant with the people of Israel. God will firmly fulfill His covenant, blessing the people of Israel according to the blessings in the covenant, as long as the Israelites believe.
Today, I also believe that my covenant with the Father is established by the blood of Jesus; this is the evidence of the covenant. Therefore, I do not look at how the people around me comment or view this world; I solely rely on Your words and Your covenant. Jesus Christ is my benchmark. I do not listen to other voices in this world that do not align with the truth. I firmly rely on You, believing that You have overcome and that You will treat me according to this covenant. Thank You, Lord; all glory belongs to our Father in heaven. In the name of our Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen.