584-Walk as He Walked#
(JP Text Group - shalom 整理)
Peace, dear family, welcome to your arrival. Today is Sunday, and we will look at God's word together.
The topic of the sharing is: Walk as He Walked.
Let's read this passage of scripture, John 13:1-11:
1 Before the Passover, Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” 9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” 10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not everyone was clean.
Let us pray together
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you. Thank you for preparing this time for us today to come before your word. Through the sharing of the word, let us gain strength to walk and to emulate Christ's example, experiencing the great love of the Father in our lives. Help us to know you more and to apply your word in our lives, experiencing your goodness. Thank you and praise you, in the name of our Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen.
Starting from John 13, Jesus no longer preached to the crowds but spoke only to the disciples, for He knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. Before His departure, He had many things to tell the disciples, just like a parent who has many important words to impart to their children before a long journey.
The scripture tells us: Before the Passover, Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
Jesus loved the disciples very much. Knowing that He was about to leave, He had some words and matters to convey to them, indicating that what follows is very important. Considering that some teachings might not be understood or deeply impressed upon the disciples, Jesus used the act of washing their feet to convey His intentions. Jesus washing the disciples' feet was a highly symbolic act, symbolizing that through the redemption of the cross, He would cleanse the disciples' sins, and also through His words, empower them to continue moving forward in their lives when they encounter difficulties or serve others.
Looking at verses 3-5:
3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
Before Jesus washed the disciples' feet, He already knew a fact: the Father had put all things under His power. If Jesus' service was merely to gain all things, He had already achieved that purpose and had no need to wash the disciples' feet, performing such a humble task.
However, Jesus washed the disciples' feet not to gain all things; He knew that the Father had put all things under His power and that He had come from God and was returning to God. Jesus understood all of this in His heart. Since He had already comprehended and knew the Father's intentions, He still chose to wash the disciples' feet. This can only indicate one thing: Jesus truly loved the disciples. Out of love for them, He hoped they would continually gain strength in their future service and have a deeper understanding of God. Jesus wanted to set an example for them.
Here it mentions that Jesus took off His outer clothing. For a servant, the first act of service is to remove the outer garment to facilitate the work. The mention of Jesus taking off His outer clothing symbolizes that He left the glorious throne in heaven, departing from heavenly honor.
Wrapping a towel around His waist signifies that He humbled Himself to take on the image of a servant. Jesus washing the disciples' feet was not merely a matter of ritual; behind this ritual lay a deeper spiritual meaning. When Jesus washed the disciples' feet, this act, which exceeded ordinary understanding, shocked the disciples.
When He came to Simon Peter, Peter said to Him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” Peter said, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
The meaning of this statement is that a person who wants to serve effectively and continuously must first accept the service of the Lord Jesus; if one does not accept the service of the Lord Jesus, they will not know how to serve correctly and effectively. Just like Simon Peter now, if he does not accept Jesus' service, he will not know how to humbly serve others in the future, because it is easier for a person to rise from a low position to a high one. If a person is already in a high position, asking them to humble themselves is a significant challenge.
Peter, who was not yet famous and not filled with power, was filled with respect for Jesus at this moment. However, if one day Peter gained power and stood in a high position, respected by all, it would be difficult for him to humbly serve others, and he could easily become proud.
Jesus had already received all things, yet He still took off His outer clothing, stood up, wrapped a towel around His waist, poured water into a basin, and bent down to wash the disciples' feet. This act of Jesus would have a tremendous impact on the future service of the disciples. Clearly, at that time, Peter did not understand Jesus' meaning, so he said.
Looking at verses 9-11:
9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” 10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not everyone was clean.
Let’s look at Jesus' response to Peter: “Those who have had a bath.” The person referred to here is one who has been cleansed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, that is, holy. Think about what kind of person needs to take a bath? Only those who are unclean need to take a bath; if a person is very clean, they do not need to take a bath. But a person who has taken a bath is already clean.
At first, we belonged to the descendants of Adam, filled with sin, and in God's eyes, we are unclean. How can we remove sin? Jesus Christ sacrificed and shed His blood for our sins on the cross. When His precious blood flowed out, our sins were cleansed, and all sins were borne by Jesus. Because of this, we are already clean in God's eyes.
Later it mentions: “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet.” This is because while living on earth, it is inevitable to be contaminated by the filth of the world. For example, after taking a bath, if one wears shoes or walks outside, their feet will inevitably get dirty again. At this time, when returning home, washing the feet will make the whole body clean again.
While living on earth, people inevitably are influenced by the words of the world or those who are not yet clean, and even their thoughts can be polluted. What should be done? Should Jesus go back to the cross and shed His blood again? No, that is unnecessary; one needs to use God's word to cleanse themselves. Since our thinking has been influenced by people, or our behavior has been influenced by others, we must first renew ourselves with God's word. Therefore, when Jesus speaks of washing the feet, it refers to cleansing one's thoughts with God's word.
However, if a person has not accepted the cleansing of the Lord Jesus' precious blood, God's word cannot cleanse them because they do not believe. Judas Iscariot was such a person; therefore, even though he had his feet washed by Jesus and participated in Jesus' service, he was still not saved. We must understand that it is difficult to judge a person's salvation based on their external service. Judas Iscariot also went out to serve with the other disciples and had results, but in his heart, he did not believe that Jesus was the Christ.
In verse 2 of this passage: During the meal, the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
During the meal, which was around six o'clock in the evening, how could the devil put the thought of betraying Jesus into Judas' heart? Let me share some spiritual truths: how could the devil easily place his thoughts in a person's heart? There is a condition: the person must already have such thoughts.
In the beginning, if Eve had not observed the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and thought about why it was forbidden, the devil would have had no opportunity. In other words, if at that time Eve had focused all her attention on the tree of life, looking at it every day, the devil would have had no chance.
It is precisely because Judas Iscariot did not believe that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, and his thoughts were merely about making more money, even thinking that following Jesus could earn him more silver. He had such a thought, so the devil saw his true intentions and placed the thought of betraying Jesus in his heart. The implication is: if you betray Jesus, you will gain a lot of silver. This was a thought he already had, which allowed the devil to continue to tempt him. From this, we can see that the thoughts stored in Judas' heart were the devil's intentions. It is evident that the devil's thoughts occupied a significant position in Judas' heart, to the extent that he could not hear Jesus' words.
Why did Jesus wash the disciples' feet? It was because when the disciples had worldly thoughts, negative thoughts, or even some temptations from the devil, God's truth could help them overcome. This is also the meaning of washing feet. At the same time, it serves as an example of the way to victory.
John 13:14-15:
14 “I am your Lord and Teacher, and I have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”
Jesus is the teacher of the disciples, their master, and thus their example. Since they are disciples, they should imitate what their master does. Since Jesus has acted this way, those who follow Him should do likewise. Let’s see what kind of example Jesus set for the disciples.
First, the example of humility. In Jewish society, washing feet was something done by servants. In Jesus' time, the roads in Palestine were filled with dust, and most people wore sandals. When guests arrived at a host's house, the host would prepare water for them to wash their hands and feet. Because this was seen as a very lowly task, it was generally done by servants for their masters, or by students for their teachers. It was unheard of for someone of a higher status to wash the feet of someone of a lower status.
Because of this, when Peter saw that Jesus was going to wash his feet, he was very frightened and felt that this was inappropriate. Through washing the disciples' feet, Jesus wanted to tell them: whoever exalts themselves will be humbled, and whoever humbles themselves will be exalted.
The archangel fell and became the devil because of pride. If we know that we have no value in ourselves, but God wants to use us, we can be elevated by Him, and our lives will become meaningful and valuable, rather than being a person who is aimless in the world.
In human society, the greatest sin is pride. People, because they have no God in their hearts, regard no one as important, and that is why they can do anything. So what is humility? Humility does not mean that a person is particularly capable but pretends to be incapable; humility means being able to lower oneself to the same level as those who are less than oneself to help them, rather than being high and mighty, commanding or dominating others.
When a person has such a humble heart, we will naturally realize that everything we have is nothing. Recognizing our limitations and insignificance prevents us from becoming proud. A proud person looks down on others because they have not encountered someone greater than themselves. If a person truly knows God, they will understand how insignificant they are before Him, and this self-awareness will lead to humility.
Jesus Christ already possesses everything, all glory, all authority, and all things belong to Him. It is because of this that when Jesus serves the disciples and washes their feet, it shows that He is truly humble.
There are many people in the world who exhibit a false humility, pretending to be humble to gain some benefits or things for themselves. For example, they want to climb higher, and in front of someone more powerful than themselves, they act very humble, willingly doing things. Once their purpose is achieved, they will no longer do such things.
But Jesus is different. The scripture tells us from the beginning that the Father had put all things under His power, and Jesus knew this, yet He was still willing to wash the disciples' feet. This indicates that no one forced Jesus to do this; rather, He willingly served the disciples from His heart. If we have such a heart, God is willing to give you more strength and more gifts, because then you will be able to help more people.
The second is the example of service. Before leaving the disciples, Jesus wanted to tell them what true service is. Although the disciples had listened to Jesus teach the truth for more than three years and had seen His service, their hearts seemed not to focus on God's intentions but rather on themselves.
When Jesus made His last trip to Jerusalem, the disciples argued along the way about who would be the greatest. That scene was truly amusing. Jesus told the disciples, “The Son of Man will go to Jerusalem, be humiliated, be beaten, and ultimately die.” It seemed that the disciples did not understand this at all and were instead discussing who would be the greatest among them, trying to determine who would be the top and second in the group! For this matter, James and John even brought their mother to plead with Jesus on their behalf, asking that when Jesus came into His kingdom, one of her sons sit at His right and the other at His left.
Have you ever thought about this question? As they were about to enter Jerusalem, the disciples were not thinking about how to serve others and give them life, but rather about how they could sit in high positions.
Jesus wanted to teach the disciples through washing their feet that being a disciple of the Lord is not about vying for power and profit, but about being a servant to all. The world is entirely different; people in the world compete for power and profit for what purpose? To sit in high positions and point fingers at others, so they no longer have to contribute as much, wanting to enjoy the fruits of others' labor.
But it is not like that in the church. In the church, if you want to be a leader and be great, you must take on more responsibility. Serving is not about sitting there and giving orders; it is about contributing more than others, and the key is that when you are giving, you must do so willingly and without complaints. If you recognize that your position is higher and your ability is greater, then you should do more.
Jesus left us an example, saying, “I am your Lord and Teacher, and I have washed your feet; you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”
This is the example of service. Therefore, in the church, if anyone feels that they know a lot, they should serve others, help others, and comfort others, rather than being proud and arrogant, thinking, “I know more than you; don’t argue with me.” Use what you have received and turn it into love to give out. Hallelujah.
Jesus did this; He said, “I am your Teacher, and I have washed your feet.” How noble is Jesus' identity! He is the Son of God, coming from the Kingdom of Heaven, yet now He washes the disciples' feet. This is the example of service. When Jesus said, “You also should wash one another's feet,” He did not mean that we should each take a basin and wash each other's feet every week after going to church; that is not the meaning. Jesus meant that you should humbly serve one another in this way.
When you think you know more truth than your brother, help him to progress further in the truth; if you think your gifts are greater than your brother's, then use your gifts to support those who are weaker than you, helping them to stand up. This is what it means to wash one another's feet. It is not to say, “I know more than you, so I look down on you; you are nothing.” We should not compare ourselves in the church; we should learn to serve like Jesus. Jesus said, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” This is the vision we need to have.
In life, serving someone you like or someone of higher status and ability is not difficult; but serving someone who has deeply hurt you or someone who is beneath you is very difficult. We always feel that this person does not deserve it; they should suffer such pain, and no matter how many times you say it, they do not listen. This is when our lives are truly tested.
Jesus not only washed Peter's feet, but He also washed Judas Iscariot's feet. He knew that Judas would betray Him, yet He still extended this love to him. This is the example that the Lord Jesus left for us, to walk as He walked.
In the church, it is easy to love those who are lovely, beneficial to us, and obedient to us; but can we love those who are unlovable, those who do not listen to you, and those who always oppose you with Christ's love? Can we continue to love them? This is what we need to reflect upon, Amen. And why did Jesus give us such an example? It is so that we may emulate what Christ has done.
John 13:16-17:
16 “Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”
Why should we emulate Christ? Because it is a blessed thing. On this earth, we believe in Jesus and serve people because we know we are blessed people, which is why we are willing to act this way. But how great is your blessing? This is related to your service. How can you know you are a blessed person? First, you must understand the truth; second, you must emulate Christ and obey the truth.
Jesus said that no servant is greater than his master. Who is the servant? We are the servants; who is the master? Jesus is the Lord. A servant cannot be greater than the master in any aspect because everything a servant has comes from the master, and everything a servant learns also comes from the master, so they cannot be greater than the master. Just as no matter how we serve, we cannot surpass Jesus.
Nor can a messenger be greater than the one who sent him. The same principle applies; we are sent by Jesus to work, preach the gospel, and serve others, and what we do cannot surpass Jesus, nor can we be greater than Jesus. We must emulate what Jesus has done. Since we know that Jesus has done this, He has already received all things, and He has been recognized and approved by the Father, ultimately receiving an exceedingly great reward. If we want to be blessed on this earth and desire more rewards in the coming Kingdom of Heaven, we can only emulate what Jesus Christ has done.
The Apostle Paul said that faith comes from hearing. Hearing means you must listen to the correct way, to the truth of Jesus Christ. If a person has not heard the truth, they cannot understand the truth; if they have heard incorrectly, then everything they understand will also be wrong. Therefore, one must first learn to listen to the word; without a listening heart, one cannot obey God's words. Thus, we must first understand God's truth.
Just like Mary in Bethany, she was praised by Jesus because she first sat at Jesus' feet and listened to Him preach. Jesus said, “Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Because she listened attentively and understood Jesus' words, what she did would align with what she had heard. Since what she heard was the better portion, what she acted upon was filled with blessings, and this blessing cannot be taken away by anyone.
Dear family, we must first learn to listen to the word. Do not say, “I have heard this today; I have been a pastor for many years; I know this.” How should one listen every time? It should be as if you have never known it before, listening anew, Amen.
Isn't reading the Bible the same? You cannot say that you have read this passage and will never read it again. If you do, you will not gain new revelations and insights. Similarly, listening to the word is the same. Because the time is different, the place is different, and the environment we encounter is different, the insights we receive during the process of listening will also be different. This is why I encourage everyone to listen in order to the recordings we have shared before.
Some say, “I have already listened.” It is really not enough to have just listened; it is about developing a habit of listening in order continuously. My suggestion to everyone is that if you plan to listen to one piece each day, then listen in order, and after finishing one round, start from the beginning again.
Because, as I said, when you listen to the correct way, the Holy Spirit will work through this truth to address the problems you are currently facing. We must give the Holy Spirit some space to work. If you do not even listen, how can the truth continue to dwell in your heart?
Everyone should know that every day our minds are constantly receiving things. If you are not listening to the truth, you will be listening to worldly teachings, thinking these are beneficial to you. The more you listen to them, the more they will enter your heart.
Judas Iscariot focused on money, so he might often listen to things related to wealth, paying very close attention. Eventually, he could not hear Jesus' words because, in the later stages, Jesus always spoke about how He would die, and of course, Judas could not accept that.
If our focus is not on the truth, and you are always thinking, “How can I gain more benefits?” then many truths may not be able to enter you. Therefore, my suggestion is to listen in order and not to pick and choose.
Many people are very clever; they seek out all the sermons related to what they need, which leads to a biased diet and can cause problems. Amen. Look at how Jesus taught the disciples in various aspects. This is the first step; you must continuously listen to the word, and you will be a blessed person.
The second step is to act on the word, to do as Jesus did. If you do not accomplish the first step, you will lack faith and strength within, and you will not be able to act on the word. You might feel, “It is too difficult to love an unlovable person, to love someone who has hurt me; how is that possible? I cannot do it.” Because there has been no listening to the word, no truth in your heart, you truly lack the strength to do these things. Therefore, you must first listen in order to be able to take the second step.
James 1:22-25:
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
Here it mentions that you must act on the word, not merely listen to it. It is not that you only need to act and do not need to listen; both are necessary. First, learn to listen to the word, but do not stop there; you must also put into practice what you have received.
If you only listen, the more you listen, the more you may feel that you understand a lot. In this case, self-deception arises, thinking that you are very capable and useful. Listening to the word without acting on it is like a person looking at their true self in a mirror.
Have you ever had the experience of feeling familiar with your appearance, looking in the mirror, and then forgetting what you look like just seconds after putting the mirror down? This happens because a person only looks. How can one avoid forgetting?
Verse 25: But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
This tells us that listening to the word is not enough; it is like reading the Bible. It is not enough to have read it; you must receive it daily as if it were food. You wouldn’t say, “I ate steamed buns yesterday, so I don’t need to eat today,” would you? Of course not. Just as you ate yesterday, you still need to eat today because your body has that need.
Similarly, reading the Bible and listening to the correct word is the same. Do not always think about seeking out various strange teachings; it is not necessary. As long as it is the truth, finding one person is enough because you are to know Jesus through what that person teaches. It is not about discovering new continents or gaining more new revelations; it is simply about getting to know Jesus more.
So what should we do afterward? We should act on Jesus' words, allowing His power to manifest in our lives. This is something we must do regularly, which is what we often refer to as persistence. In fact, many people can persist in listening to the word for a few days, but very few can maintain this for thirty years. There are not many who consistently listen to the word, let alone act on it.
If you keep what you have received in your heart and continuously practice it, day in and day out, you will be blessed in what you do. Hallelujah. I once knew a sister who continuously used her declarations for decades, and she received abundant blessings in this area.
Many of us fall into a misconception, wanting to acquire more teachings from others, constantly listening. This idea is good, but if you merely stay at the listening stage, it will ultimately turn into knowledge, which will not benefit you. They will look down on others, thinking that others understand too little.
What is more important? After listening to someone's sermon, can you continuously apply what you have received in your life? This application is what benefits you. If you use it once and continue to apply it in various situations, you will realize how powerful God's word truly is, Amen.
Because God's word can be applied in various fields, unlike human teachings, which may only apply to one area, God's word and truth can be implemented in all areas. This is very beneficial for us; thank the Lord.
So if you only listen and merely stay at the listening stage, you can easily fall into a situation where you listen and forget. When I speak, you may have an impression, but it is only an impression; after listening, you forget again. This is why there is a group of people who seem to understand everything, yet they seem to understand nothing because they cannot act on it. In the face of even minor problems, they become discouraged, fail, and despair. The reason is that they only listened and forgot. Staying at this stage is not good.
I do not wish for everyone to say, “I understand,” when I speak, and then when I ask, everyone says, “I do not know.” This indicates that they have not acted on it. If you have received a truth and continuously apply it in your life, the next time I mention it, you will know what it means because you have real experience. I hope that brothers and sisters can continually experience the power of God's word in their lives, Amen. Finally, let’s look at a passage of scripture.
Luke 6:47-49:
47 “As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like: 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed, and its destruction was complete.”
Everyone is listening to Jesus' words; some have even listened for ten years, yet there has been no significant change in their lives, no testimonies, let alone experiencing any miracles. This is closely related to this passage of scripture.
Jesus said, “As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like.” This means that the truth you hear can increase your faith, and once you have that faith, you immediately put it into practice. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock.
You must know that the process of laying a foundation is below the surface. We know that a house must be built high, and the foundation must be solid; otherwise, it will collapse. However, when laying the foundation, who can see it? Once the house is built, who will look at the foundation? Therefore, people are more likely to focus on whether the house above ground is beautiful or not; almost no one pays attention to the foundation, yet the foundation is the key factor that supports whether the entire house will collapse.
I keep encouraging you to listen to the word and read the Bible; this is digging deep and laying the foundation on the rock. This process may seem very long; you might think that persisting in listening to the word and reading the Bible sounds tedious. It is not about persisting for a month; it is about continuing to do so indefinitely, which can be very painful for some people. Wouldn't it be better to listen to a comedy or a sermon from someone interesting?
Digging deep, finding the rock, and then building the house on that rock is a crucial step. Why? Because when the flood comes, the foundation you have laid will play a role. When does the flood come? It comes when you encounter difficulties in life, when you face hardships, when you face extreme challenges; at that time, the foundation of your house will be critically important.
We see in the news that some people's houses were washed away in floods. What is the reason? Many times it is because there was no foundation; without a foundation, the walls cannot stand firm, and when the water comes, the house is washed away. If the foundation is laid on the rock and the construction is solid, there will be no problem; when the water strikes that house, it will not shake because the foundation is on the rock.
We must emulate Jesus Christ and first lay a correct foundation; ensure that what you hear is the correct way, and then dig deep to root yourself in the rock of Christ. You may not see it on a daily basis, but when you encounter difficulties, your response will be very accurate, and you will easily resolve the external challenges.
Just like when the foundation is well laid, no matter how the flood strikes the house, it remains stable; only then do we have safety assurance inside. If your house has no foundation, it may be built very quickly, and when there is no heavy rain or flood, the problems may not be apparent. However, once the flood comes, your house will begin to shake and then collapse, and what will happen to the people inside? If you are pursuing the truth, do not be in a hurry.
Many people think, “I will spend ten hours today listening to the word, and then I will not listen again for the rest of the year.” That will not work. You must eat regularly, just like you need to eat meals every day to maintain a healthy body. You cannot eat all your meals for the year in one day; your body cannot handle that. Therefore, this is something that must be persisted in.
Just as you need to eat every day, receive God's word daily, and after receiving it, turn it into your own, using it every day, Hallelujah. Then, when you encounter significant matters in life, you will not be afraid at all because you know that in small matters, God has already helped you many times, and in big matters, you can still overcome by relying on this truth. But without these foundations, if you only listen and think you understand a lot, your house will be built on sand; when the wind and rain come, it will collapse, and everything you built will be lost.
Some may ask me, “I am just like what you described; I understand a lot of truth. I have believed in the Lord for twenty years, and I know what the pastor teaches. However, when I encounter problems, I do not know what to do.” The reason is that there is no foundation; without obeying God's word, you have never practiced God's word.
At first, when you encounter problems, you seek help from the pastor, who can assist you and provide methods, which is good. But gradually, you need to establish your relationship with God. This is why I always encourage brothers and sisters; I give you some methods, but you need to seek God yourself and solve the problems you face. Gradually, as the foundation is established, your relationship with God will be built, and you will know how to apply God's word; things will get better and better, Amen. Thank the Lord.
For those who have not established a foundation, you need to re-establish it, digging deep and laying the foundation on the rock. This step cannot be skipped. So if in the past you only listened to the word without acting on it or thinking about how to apply what you have heard when problems arise, start using it from today. First, dig deep and lay the foundation on the rock.
Do not mention how many years you have believed in the Lord; that is not necessary. From now on, dig deep and lay the foundation on the rock. When you experience God's word and gain victory once, that is when it truly begins. Thank the Lord, and may today's words bring you some help.
Let us pray together
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you. Thank you for giving us such words. Jesus is our example; when He was on earth, He not only taught the disciples the truth but also practiced the Father's truth. Ultimately, He imparted the power of this practice to the disciples and guided them to obey God's word as well. Because God's word is powerful, unless we act as Jesus did, we will not know the power of God's word.
We are willing to experience your goodness more in our lives. Therefore, Heavenly Father, may you continually place such truths in our hearts and give us the strength to obey, using the Father's truth like Jesus did. Help us to know that without the Lord, we can do nothing. We are willing to humbly receive before the Lord and are also willing to gain strength like Jesus to help more people around us.
You give us strength to obey God's word, and we believe that we will be blessed in what we do. We are willing to experience your goodness in this way. A new week has begun, and I believe this week is a blessed week because you have prepared abundant blessings for us to draw from, allowing us to experience your presence more in our lives. All glory be to our Father in heaven. In the name of our Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen.