Introduction

This is the second lecture in the series "The Way of Eternal Life," and the theme is "What Must We Do to Inherit Eternal Life?" You know, Jesus spoke about the way of eternal life, and He was qualified to do so. He came from heaven, from eternity, into the world, incarnated as a human being. But what qualifications do I have to speak about the way of eternal life? You might say, "Yes, what qualifications do you have?" I certainly haven't been to heaven or hell; I really don't know what those places look like. So why can I speak about the way of eternal life? Because I know something extremely important: without the hope of eternal life, a person's life is absolutely a tragedy. Remember! Without the hope of eternal life, it is absolutely a tragedy.

In fact, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had not been to heaven either, but they came to the conclusion that life is empty and meaningless. Abraham attended a funeral; Lot's father had passed away. Abraham's family was wealthy and had hired doctors, telling them, "Treat him, no matter the cost." But he still died. Abraham was deeply saddened to see his brother die. So I want to tell you, people need to understand this: you live and have children, and then you live and die. I can tell you, don't rush; that day will surely come. You might say, "Why talk about this during the New Year?" This is the truth! Life is meaningless, and if you think it has meaning, then you are ruined.

Many people want to prolong their lives but cannot. One person had a rare disease that medicine couldn't solve. His boss was a mega-billionaire, and he said, "I'll give you money." Then he invested a billion dollars in him. He suffered from the disease while using that billion dollars to research it. What happened in the end? It was useless; they couldn't research it or cure it.

In fact, it is the spirit that gives life. If it is the spirit that gives life, then our hope of eternal life is that our spirit returns to God's Spirit. Or, when we are alive, our spirit dwells in the flesh, and God's Spirit dwells with us in the flesh—that is eternal life! It's not that eternal life only comes after death; we are talking about living in eternal life while we are alive. So I know that without the hope of eternal life in this world, it is truly miserable! I am an example. If I hadn't known the Lord Jesus, I wouldn't be here today; I definitely wouldn't be. What's the point of living? I never understood the point of living. Actually, everyone should ask themselves, "What's the point of living?" It's exhausting, isn't it?

Actually, I was quite good; my grades were always at the top of my class, a real academic. It was the same in college and later in graduate school and at work—all good. I'm not saying I was a mess or a failure, but I just felt, "What's the point of living?" Later, I came to know the Lord Jesus and realized, "This is great!" One of our sisters said, "Teacher, someone as smart as you, if you hadn't believed in the Lord, you could have been very dangerous, and many people would have suffered at your hands." But I really didn't have that "wisdom"; I couldn't do that, really couldn't.

I am living in the hope of eternal life, and living to this day, it's really good! Really good! Wasn't it just after the New Year? But on January something, a thirty-eight-year-old man, with elderly parents and young children, drove his car onto the bridge and then disappeared. His phone, wallet, and ID were all in the car, but he was gone. Where did he go? Most likely, he jumped off the bridge. Why? Because he felt that life was meaningless. Why meaningless? Because the pressure at work was high, and coming home to see his wife's sour face was too unbearable. I tell you, if I didn't have the hope of eternal life, I probably would have gone down a similar path; it's too hard.

Thank God that these hardships in life have completely destroyed my hope in this life. What I pursue today is to depart and be with the Lord, which is far better. I really think so; I'm not joking. A living person is gone, and we feel a bit sad, but I think it's a relief for him.

Last night, a sister's mother sent me a message saying that her child had passed away, breathing her last around 4 PM. This is someone I ministered to; I ministered with the brothers and sisters for three or four months, and we developed real affection. My heart is very soft; even if I raised a dog and it got sick, I would almost cry, let alone a person. My heart is very soft, so I am also a person who loves to cry. Alas! I am very moved, and this ministry has given me great grace.

No matter what, brothers and sisters, do you know that no matter how powerful our healing and deliverance are, we cannot solve one problem: the appointed time of death. Do you understand? No matter how powerful Jesus Christ is, He cannot make Lazarus live forever after resurrecting him from the dead. Today, Lazarus is also gone; he died again. So, alas! We really cannot control the appointed time of death. The time before death is even more helpless, truly helpless. We prayed, but the pain wouldn't subside. That pain, that discomfort, required injections every short period of time.

Thank the Lord! Then I sent a message to this sister saying, "Sister, thank the Lord! Your daughter has finally rested from her earthly labors and departed to be with the Lord. May God comfort your family in eternity. From now on, our hope is not in this world; may we all have hope in eternity and reunite in heaven."

Eternal life! It is our greatest comfort! Without eternal life, if we live in a worldly logical system and say things like "Take care" or "Condolences," it's actually not very helpful. Alas! I am very moved; without the hope of eternal life, it is absolutely a tragedy! You really need to know this! Without the hope of eternal life, our thoughts are like pigs: a boar, a sow, and a bunch of piglets. Just wanting to eat our fill and then living and dying, eventually putting a period to our lives!

After a pig puts a period to its life, it becomes braised pork, making its final great contribution on the table. What about people? After putting a period to their lives, they don't make any final contribution either; they consume some oil, some electricity, some life, and then burn to ashes. Think about it; isn't that how it is? So the question is, what must we do to inherit eternal life? The Chinese Mingding Doctrine particularly likes this kind of question. What should we do? How should we do it? If we talk a lot of big principles and don't say how to do it, you'll be confused after listening.

Today, I will tell you what to do to inherit eternal life. Last week, we used a passage of scripture where Jesus spoke a lot about the way of eternal life, saying, "I am the bread of heaven; you must eat my flesh and drink my blood." After listening, everyone was confused; many people didn't understand. Actually, it's not that they didn't understand; it's that they chose not to understand because it wasn't what they wanted to hear. That group of people had pig brains, only seeking to eat their fill, just a bunch of boars, sows, and piglets. What eternal life? What eat your flesh and drink your blood? This is a hard saying! And many left!

Did everyone leave? No! A young man came. Rich, wearing brand-name clothes, all brand-name! Then he "knelt" down before Jesus. Jesus said, "What's going on? Do you have a grievance? I'm not a judge; if you have a grievance, go to the government." As a result, this young man said, "Lord, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Oh! Jesus heard this, and His heart almost melted! So many people had left, and now someone actually wanted to hear about the way of eternal life!

What must we do? I tell you, Jesus is very interesting; He didn't immediately say, "Sell all your possessions and give to the poor." Jesus said, "You should first keep the commandments." Keeping the commandments is easy: do not murder, do not commit arson, do not commit adultery, do not bear false witness, honor your parents, etc. This young man, I think he was pretty good; he didn't worry his family from a young age, studied hard, worked hard, didn't worry his family, a very well-behaved child, didn't need to be beaten or scolded, just very well-behaved.

He said, "Lord, I have kept all these." Starting with the simple things. This child was named Mark, the Mark who wrote the Gospel of Mark, a good child! Some say he was an excellent rich second-generation, probably graduated from a famous university, and then inherited the family business, often asking himself, "What am I living for?" You see, this person lived with meaning! Living without hope, and being very rich, his heart felt empty. I don't know if you have this feeling, but I had it when I was alive. When did it come down? After believing in the Lord, it came down. Think about it; if your heart is always hanging, and you can only breathe halfway, that's really strange.

So I often couldn't breathe in, my heart was hanging, I couldn't breathe in, oh my goodness! My heart felt empty. This Mark probably had the same feeling as I did, "What am I living for?" One day, Jesus came, and he said, "Lord, Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus opened a path for him, "Keep the commandments!" He said, "I have kept them." Then you're in second grade; you've finished elementary school, keeping the commandments is like finishing elementary school. How did you do in middle school? You did well in middle school, then let's study spiritual middle school, which is to sell all your possessions, give to the poor, and then follow me.

Oh my goodness, this subject is too difficult. Think about it, sell all my possessions? How can I be worthy of my ancestors? The family business passed down from generations? Don't say it, but to what extent did Mark pursue? The night the Lord Jesus was betrayed was in Mark's living room, called the Upper Room. Mark's house was one of the only or few tall buildings in that city. Jesus went to the living room upstairs in Mark's house and ate the Last Supper there. Look at that painting "The Last Supper," and you can tell it's a wealthy family just by looking at that big table. He was really rich. He invited Jesus to his house and ate the Last Supper in the Upper Room, do you understand?

So this Mark, he went away sorrowful, but his hope of eternal life was not extinguished. Today, brothers and sisters, we must know that when we talk about Peter, don't think that I'm making Peter sound bad or ugly; he had the hope of eternal life. Jesus said, "Come, follow me," and he came and followed. Can you give up everything without the hope of eternal life? You can't. Later, this Mark became Peter's secretary. Mark graduated from a famous university and became Peter's secretary. The Gospel of Mark was written by Mark, writing about Peter's preaching; he organized his notes and wrote the Gospel of Mark.

That's how it is; in the Gospel of Mark, he wrote about himself, going away sorrowful. Was it sorrow? It was money, a lot of money! That Upper Room! I tell you, later, because Peter had the hope of eternal life, God didn't abandon him either. You ask me if Peter is in heaven? Definitely in heaven, definitely with the Lord Jesus. Although he didn't do a good job, he had the hope of eternal life. Do you think the hope of eternal life is important? Important! If you are very bad, but you have the hope of eternal life, one hope covers a hundred flaws, which is also good.

This Mark, this very Mark, went away sorrowful. Jesus said a few words: "It is difficult for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle." His disciples said, "Then what should we do?" What is impossible with man is possible with God! What did the Lord Jesus come to this world to do? To bless you? To make you successful? No, it is to completely destroy your hope in this world; this is what the Lord Jesus came to do. What did the Lord Jesus come to do? To die, be buried, be humiliated, be crucified, and then rise from the dead. What for? To open up a path of eternal life for us.

I ask you, if a doctor can let you live one more year, and it costs $100,000, would you do it? Many people would, spending $100,000 to live one more year. If Jesus Christ asks you to put all your money on the line to live forever, not one year, not one hundred years, not one thousand years, but forever and ever, would you be willing to put it on the line? I would, that's great! What's the use of money?

So Jesus spoke a passage in this place: "For whoever has forsaken houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life." Why forsake? Because these things cannot be brought into eternity. So Jesus accomplished the way of eternal life, opening up a path to eternity for us, which is to live forever. Do you want it? I want it, I definitely want it. I felt that I was living and dying in this world, with no hope, but now I have hope. From the day I believed in the Lord, at first it was just to live and eat my fill, but living and living, I found that this bread could not fill me. Later, living and living, I began to yearn for eternal life. Because I yearned for eternal life, I became more and more willing to offer myself for the Lord.

I must tell you today, I am worth a great deal! You take my money; do you think the money in my hand is important? You can take the money, but what I want is God. God is in me, and I later discovered that I am worth much more than money. Why should I love money? You fools who love money, can you become a valuable person? If you become someone with the hope of eternal life, how can you not be valuable? Even if you are not valuable, God will make you valuable; this is no joke.

Later, I discovered that I am worth more than money. Do you understand? You are worth more than money! Do you believe it? If you don't believe it, you are doomed. If you think money is more valuable than you, you are not esteemed. In God's eyes, money is nothing, but you are indeed something. Do you understand? I am something, and in God's eyes, you are still something. Money is not even something; money is like joss paper. Because there is the hope of eternal life, do you understand? You know, many people are struggling with the things of this life.

There was a sister who was quite interesting. She had been divorced from her husband for a long time, many years. Later, she found out that her husband had married someone else and had children. She broke down. I wondered, what are you breaking down about? What are you breaking down about? Oh, it turns out that the child of the other woman will be dividing the family property with the child she had. Listen to this mind; she exhausted herself, why did she have to do this to make herself so miserable? For this life, if there is no hope of eternal life, you will pay a terrible price. Some people get osteonecrosis, some get cancer, some get depression, everything. Why? Their hope is in this life, do you understand? So today, what should I do to inherit eternal life?

Scripture

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to him and knelt before him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things since I was a child.” Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.

And Jesus, looking around, said to His disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” They were even more astonished and said to Him, “Then who can be saved?” Looking at them, Jesus said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.” Peter began to say to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You.” Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. (Mark 10:17-30)

Prayer

God! Open our minds today so that we can understand Your words and know what You want to tell us. God! Kindle a fire of eternal hope in us today, so that we can run the days in this world with this hope in eternity. Let the lazy be ignited, and let the weary receive strength from You again, be strengthened again, and run forward. God! Save us today from this heart that relies on money; God! Save us from the heart that is unwilling to give up. Let us all be willing to give up everything for You, for the gospel, and for eternal life to follow You. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Scripture Background

In fact, in the previous chapters, it talked about the five loaves and two fish, and also about seven loaves feeding four thousand people and five loaves feeding five thousand people. There is no arithmetic to calculate here; any number of loaves will do, two or three loaves, one loaf will do. In fact, the bread is not important; what is important is that God can feed us. After this bread could be transformed, many people went to find Jesus. What did they find Jesus for? To find bread, a bunch of gluttons! Jesus understood, oh, you are looking for bread. Yes! What Jesus did earlier was market marketing, and then some dry goods after market marketing. In fact, the previous marketing was a guise; eating bread is satisfying, and many people came to find Jesus. When Jesus came to the dry goods, He said, I am the bread of eternal life, eat My flesh and drink My blood. Many people couldn't understand it, and they left if they didn't understand it. After these people left, the number of people following Jesus decreased.

Jesus continued to move forward, and suddenly a person popped up. This person is not a pig brain, not for eating bread and getting full, because his family has plenty of bread. This young man's family has stacks of bread. What do you want to eat? Meat sandwiches are fine, pizza is fine, and there are chives boxes and pies, what kind of pie is not available? Their family has everything. Unlike you fools, watching Jesus make some free bread, you all came rushing over. Our family's bread is much better than the bread Jesus transformed. What kind of bread do you want to eat? Our family has everything. We have money, a lot of money. With a lot of money, Mark's life was actually pretty good. If he could live like Mark for a lifetime, that would be really good, with money and eternal life.

This young man began to manage his family business, and he managed it well. He was a young entrepreneur, and he managed it very well. And in the process of management, he was smart. This young man was really smart, and everyone envied him. You see, some rich people are very desperate. They raised a second-generation rich person who is nothing and only knows how to spend money, stupid. Mark's father is so good. The Mark raised by Mark's father, the old man handed over all the business to his son. This son not only took over the business but also managed the business prosperously. If there was a stock market at that time, he should be the president of a listed company, young and promising.

Mark didn't worry about anything since he was a child. He studied well and was reliable in doing things. He was simply a model among people. Who wouldn't envy him? Then he knelt down in front of Jesus with a "bang." He has the way of eternal life! He knelt down, wearing all brand names, and came to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and the man looked good. I guess Mark should look like David, very handsome, elegant. At first glance, he is a cultured, handsome, and elegant young man. When he came to Jesus, Jesus hadn't reacted yet, and he said: What should I do to inherit eternal life?

When Jesus heard this sentence, His heart melted. How could there be such a smart person in the world? This must be a top student. Jesus loved him, especially loved him. I ask you, if you come to Jesus and say, Lord, what should I do to inherit eternal life? Jesus will definitely love you, love you very much. Jesus felt that this was a treasure, and I had to take good care of this child.

So, some people have blessings since childhood, and some people are not so good since childhood, and their brains don't work well. Our brothers and sisters, your brains must work well. What God hates most is the lack of hope for eternal life, only the hope for this life. What God hates most is people who love money. What God hates most is loving the world, and all hope is in this world. Think about it.

Isn't there an entrepreneur who, when he has money, what does he do? They have no hope of eternal life, and they get a mistress, a fourth mistress, and a concubine. Opposite Singapore is Malaysia. There is a place in Malaysia called Forest City. Everyone in Singapore knows that Forest City is home to many Chinese rich people's concubines. It is a concubine village, and they are all arranged for them. Looking at the people at home is very annoying, so they go there for vacation. People do this when they have money, but Mark doesn't do this. Mark has the hope of eternal life.

So people need to know how corrupting money is. Money is very corrupting. What can people who rely on money do? They can't do anything. You know Abraham and Lot. We don't know how Lot's father died, because Lot's father died very early. I guess Lot has his father's shadow. Lot's father loved money very much and loved himself to death. Lot also loves money, do you understand? Abraham doesn't love money, Abraham loves God. How big is the difference? Abraham loves God, and his wife Sarah also loves God. Lot loves money, and his wife also loves money. It's very interesting. What hope do people have? It's actually very hard, very hard.

What was the result? As a result, Jesus instructed this young man. Sell your family property, sell your business, and after you sell it, come and follow Me. This price is a bit high, and Little Mark was stunned. He immediately felt that he had hit this nerve. I ask you, has Mark's value changed so much? Not so much. At this time, although he seeks eternal life, don't touch my money, don't touch my business. Mark described himself as leaving sadly.

This matter is not over. I wonder what happened to Mark later? Later, Mark was actually constantly seeking and became a preacher with Paul. Did Mark give up everything? He gave up everything. With people it is impossible, but with God all things are possible, because he has a heart that loves God. He gave up, but did he become poor? He didn't become poor. In fact, giving up is giving up, and being poor is being poor. Mark gave up, but he was not poor.

Jesus spoke so well. Jesus said, if people give up houses, brothers, sisters, parents, children, and fields for My sake and for the sake of the gospel, there is no one who will not receive a hundred times as much in this life. What did Mark get later? He got a hundred times as much. In fact, I have to tell you today, what does Mark understand? I ask you, has Abraham seen eternal life? No. Have Isaac and Jacob seen eternal life? No. Does Mark know what eternal life is? He doesn't know either. What does he know? He doesn't know anything. But they have no hope in this life. Once people have no hope in this life, they seek hope in eternity.

Once this is sought, the problem is solved. Including Peter, don't look at him not doing very well later, but he just didn't do a good job, but he still has a heart, so he was also taken by God into eternal glory. So Mark really fulfilled this sentence later, there is no one who will not receive a hundred times as much in this life and eternal life in the age to come. What houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields? Later, no one recorded how big Mark's family business was. Anyway, he became a preacher. I ask you, is it better to gain people or to gain fish? Of course, people are valuable, and as a result, Jesus spoke this passage.

Next, the sentence that Jesus spoke is very important. He said: I am going to Jerusalem, and then I will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Me, hand Me over to the Gentiles, and they will mock Him, spit on His face, whip Him, and kill Him, and after three days He will rise again. This is the way of eternal life! We people really don't rely on the flesh, not not rely on it, but we don't rely on the flesh at all. If a person lives by the flesh, he is no different from a pig. If a person lives by the Spirit of God, he will not care much about the flesh. How Jesus nailed His own flesh to the cross, today we do the same, this is called bearing our own cross.

Later, two of Jesus' disciples saw that Jesus, when You are glorified in the future, don't forget us, one of us will be on Your left and the other on Your right. Jesus looked at them and said, boys, that's good. I hope that when I am in glory, one will sit on My left and the other will sit on My right. Your hope is good. What is the instruction given to them? You will drink My cup and receive My baptism. Do you understand? So the Christian faith is to put the flesh to death and drink the cup of Jesus Christ. Can you drink it? You can drink it, and you have to drink it whether you can drink it or not. Receive the baptism of Jesus Christ, do you want to receive this baptism? Can you receive it? We can, and you must also receive it, that's it.

So, ultimately, believing in Jesus means He paid the price of eternal life for eternal life, and that is the key. What price will a person pay in their lifetime? The Lord Jesus, the Son of Man, came to be a ransom for many, to save us from destruction, not to let us enjoy worldly pleasures. So later, the blind man saw. The blind man said, "Son of David!" What does "Son of David" mean? It means the one who comes to accomplish this salvation. As a result, the blind man saw at once and cried out to Jesus. Then Jesus made him see, why? Because Jesus decided to dedicate Himself, to offer Himself up. Offering Himself up like Abraham offering Isaac, our God offered up His own Son, so that we would not perish but have eternal life.

Because of this, the lame walk, the blind see, lepers are cleansed, and the dead are raised. This is our Lord Jesus, using miracles and wonders to prove that He is the Son of God. In fact, He paid a price, a very heavy price. Are you willing to pay the price today? Do you really know how important eternal life is? If the Lord Jesus says to you one day, "Are you willing to die for Me? Are you willing to nail your flesh to the cross and walk My path?" Don't go back to consider it, quickly say: "Lord, I want to, I am willing!" Do you understand? Good, this is the background of this passage.

What to Do (1): Keep God's Commandments

First, what to do? Keep God's commandments. In fact, keeping God's commandments is a very simple requirement at the beginning. If you think this is difficult, then you are still far from it. How difficult is it to not murder? Tell me. How difficult is it to not steal? Not difficult. How difficult is it to not bear false witness against others? Not difficult. Think about it, why do people in this world bear false witness against others? All for worldly benefits. If you turn all worldly benefits into heavenly benefits, you can keep God's commandments. Why? Because we have the hope of eternal life within us. With the hope of eternal life, longing for God's presence, it is not difficult for people to keep God's commandments at all. Then why do some people say: "Teacher, how can I not control myself?" It is because you do not know in your understanding that this thing is good. You always feel that indulging the flesh is good.

What to Do (2): Sell Everything

The second point of what to do is to sell everything and give to the poor, which is a bit difficult. What did Jesus tell Mark to do? You are still relying on money. You rely on money, isn't that half a Lot? Although you are not the whole Lot, so relying on money is very miserable. Those who rely on money are miserable. What does selling everything mean? Eternal life is more valuable than your family's money! Do you understand? Is eternal life valuable, or is your family's money valuable? Abraham's brother, Lot's father, spent money but did not buy an extra year of life, and died early.

Today we must know that your money cannot buy anything, not even extend your physical body for a quarter of an hour. What can your money do? In fact, today we are in this world, looking at today's news, we can come to a conclusion: money cannot buy anything, and problems that can be solved with money are not problems. Really, don't love money anymore. You say, "I have sold everything, how will I live?" Can the Lord Jesus let you live in eternal life, and not let you live in this life? Can't let you get a hundredfold in this life? Yes, definitely can!

Some time ago, many of our brothers and sisters actually had salary increases and promotions. Even in today's extremely chaotic global economy, they can still get salary increases and promotions. Don't you think our Lord Jesus is amazing? The Lord Jesus is money. The Lord Jesus is more valuable than money, and better to use than money. Not only is the money for this life solved, but the money for eternal life is also solved. So the Lord Jesus commanded us to despise money.

Some time ago, when I was ministering, I was really in great pain. There was a sister who had cancer. After her divorce, her ex-husband gave her a large sum of money, probably several million. Taking out one-tenth of several million, that hundreds of thousands is a large amount, but she was unwilling to take it out. If she is unwilling to take it out, this money becomes a thing devoted to destruction. Do you think people die in money? Died in money. Later, she got cancer. In fact, we prayed with her, and I encouraged her. I didn't want to receive her offering. But she could set this money apart, saying that this money belongs to God, which is also useful. When you truly understand the meaning of offering, you will know.

Later, we prayed with this sister. In fact, it was not without effect, but every time there was an effect, she still had a heart that relied on money, probably about the same level as Mark at this stage. When can we really see through what money is for? In fact, it's useless. I also thank God that I am a person who despises money. I really don't care much about money. I know that my Father in heaven has a lot of money, and I really don't lack money. So we are still very generous in investing in these research and development, investing in these pastoral systems, and developing this artificial intelligence. Why? We don't lack money.

So I think, today our brothers and sisters must slowly learn this lesson, which is a bit difficult. You may be sad and worried if you have too much money, because you think money is still very important, but it is not important. If there is God, can God be used as money? Yes. Later, some colleagues said to me, "Teacher, look at this money." I said, "What's wrong? What's so great about me losing this little money? I am more valuable than money. Why do I love God? I am more valuable than money, what do I love money for?" Can everyone understand this logic? I am much more valuable than money. I love my God, because my God is everything to me. It's such a simple principle!

What to Do (3): Follow Jesus

The third point of what to do: follow Jesus. Jesus gave Mark a good idea! What is it? First, keep God's commandments. Second, sell all that you have and give to the poor. What does it mean? In fact, God doesn't really want yours either, it's gone when you sell it. Then what to do? Follow the Lord Jesus. In fact, do you think Jesus Christ is really worthless? He is very valuable. Did this Mark have money later? He never lacked money in his life, and he was always very rich. I guess he sold everything he had. Did he sell it? He should have. What happened later? As a result, he had more money. Didn't Jesus say later, "You will receive a hundredfold in this life, and eternal life in the age to come!"

If you think money is more valuable than you, that's terrible. The order is wrong! Can brothers and sisters be a little smarter? You have to be more valuable than money. Why do some people think they are not precious? Because they always feel that they are not good, and they always feel that money is more precious than them. Ask you how much you are worth? Worthless. Pigs can still be sold for pork, ten or twenty dollars a pound, and your stuff can't even be sold for ten or twenty dollars a pound, that's terrible.

What to Do (4): Forsake All

The fourth point of what to do: forsake all. What did Jesus say? Jesus said it very well. "Truly I tell you," Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life." Can you understand this sentence? It is to forsake all. Can you do it? A bit difficult. Have you not calculated this account? If you have calculated this account, you will know that this is worthwhile. The foolishness lies in not knowing how to calculate the account. Among us are accountants, can this account be calculated? Forsake all.

I once had a friend who was a Christian, and he spent a lot of money on medical treatment. The doctor was quite good at talking, and the doctor was also very good at selling. The doctor is the best salesperson. "This medicine can let you live for another year, do you want it?" "How much?" "One hundred thousand." "Yes! One year is worth one hundred thousand." Then I ask you, how much is a thousand years worth? A thousand years! Today, many people think that I can live to be one hundred and fifty years old, through this science, that science, this technology, that technology, how valuable is that? That's a lot of money. He spends a lot of money to live to be one hundred and fifty years old.

Now science is amazing. In the past, with organ transplants, if which part was broken, replace it. Now with organ transplants, organs are very marketable in the market. Why? Many people need to extend their lives and want to live a few more years, and they are willing to spend any amount of money. Then I ask you, eternal life! What do you think of ten thousand years? What do you think of one hundred thousand years? What do you think of hundreds of millions of years? Until forever. Do you want to pay the price for this matter? Do you want to invest? You have invested in one hundred and fifty years, won't you invest in one thousand five hundred years? Won't you invest in ten thousand or one hundred and fifty thousand years? You have to invest!

So forsaking all is not expensive, not expensive at all. I am willing! So that I can have God's presence and live forever! In the world with the hope of eternal life, pay all my price! And it cannot be bought. What have I forsaken? Forsaken family affection. What have I forsaken? Forsaken money. I live for the Lord all my life. This is the Mingding Doctrine I founded. The Chinese Mingding Doctrine I founded is actually to live for God and die for God. This is destiny, just such a simple principle. Forsake all! If people are smart, they all know that this is incomparably good.

What to Do (5): Drink the Lord's Cup, Be Baptized with the Lord's Baptism

The fifth point of what to do: drink the Lord's cup, be baptized with the Lord's baptism. I am talking about it all at once today. In fact, you may be in the stage of keeping God's commandments. It doesn't matter, run forward with the hope of eternal life. When you reach the time of drinking the Lord's cup and being baptized with the Lord's baptism, you will be in the glory of God, and you will pursue to sit on the left side of the Lord, or pursue to sit on the right side of the Lord. What does drinking the Lord's cup and being baptized with the Lord's baptism mean? It means imitating Jesus Christ to what extent? Imitating Jesus to the extent of being crucified on the cross.

God, I am willing! Today we are bragging when we speak. When it really comes to our turn that day, then it depends on your creation. Forsaking all is just everything we have when we are alive. Drinking the Lord's cup and being baptized with the Lord's baptism means offering life to God, living for God, and dying for God. Are you willing? If the flesh is of no benefit, take the flesh away. Our spirit lives by the Spirit of God. When the Lord Jesus comes again in the future, the flesh will also be resurrected, which is incomparably good.

Do you know what to do? What can you do to inherit eternal life? It is to keep God's commandments, sell everything, follow Jesus, forsake all, drink the Lord's cup, and be baptized with the Lord's baptism. It sounds like growing up layer by layer. Keeping God's commandments is elementary school; selling everything is just middle school; following Jesus is college; forsaking all is career development; drinking the Lord's cup and being baptized with the Lord's baptism is sitting in a leadership position, sitting in management. How good! Managing all things on earth with the Lord Jesus in eternity, what a wonderful choice, promoted!

People are too worried about living in the world. The most worrying thing is that we feel that there is hope in the world. Maybe your current hope is to find a job, and your current hope is to have enough bread to eat. God will definitely supply it, but that level is very low. If you are willing at this time, pray with me, raise your hands.

Lord Jesus, I just want to walk this path of eternal life, I just want to walk this path of inheriting eternal life. God, you have already told me that I just want to act according to your words, so that I can live out your presence and live out your glory in the days of this world. God, my God, Lord Jesus, I want to offer myself to you, offer myself on this altar as a burnt offering, may the fire of your Holy Spirit burn, so that I may become a fragrant burnt offering, completely dedicated to you.

Lord, although I don't know how I will be, but in the depths of my heart, I just want to drink your cup and be baptized with your baptism. I just want to be in your glory, around you, on your left and right. Save us from this worldly hope. God, completely destroy those worldly and carnal things in us, tear down, constantly tear down. Let us rely on you all our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, I want to offer myself as a living sacrifice to you, holy and pleasing to God. Such dedication is our reasonable service. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

May God bless everyone!