Introduction

Good morning. Starting this week, we will begin a new series based on the Book of Lamentations. The very mention of "lamentations" suggests something unpleasant, usually involving suffering, death, or impending doom. The title for this series is taken from Lamentations 1:12, "See, O LORD, and consider! For I am in distress; my stomach churns, my heart is wrung within me, because I have been very rebellious."

The purpose of this series is not to inflict suffering on you, but to help you avoid the circumstances that lead to such suffering. Entering such a state of suffering seems so helpless, truly helpless. I am not God; how can I resolve the pain that God inflicts upon you? Therefore, do not accumulate wrath for yourselves. Begin to cultivate more reverence for God in your daily lives.

Someone once asked me: Teacher, you say I should fear God and revere God, but isn't fearing God a bad thing? Actually, if you do not fear God, you will fear everything else. If you fear God, you will fear nothing else, right? It's not that fearing God is simply being afraid; you should be afraid in the first place.

As I share this topic, I want to tell you a harsh reality. You know, those Christians who have believed for a long time, when they get sick or encounter disasters, their prayers often seem ineffective. Even if there is some progress, there are always minor setbacks, various obstacles and disruptions, something very uncanny, as if there is an invisible hand in the dark trying to make this person suffer.

Usually, when this kind of situation occurs, I tell you that these people often ask God, why is this happening? God, why is this happening? Why is that? Because the day of God's fierce anger has arrived, a day when there is no turning back. If you know this, cultivate more reverence for God in ordinary times. Do not trifle with God, do not play games with God, do not play hide-and-seek with God; it is useless.

You know, the Israelites, the Jews, gave us demonstrations and examples thousands of years ago, so that we could avoid learning from them. This kind of thing continues to be staged even today, where God's fierce anger causes people to suffer continuously. The topic I am discussing is not to scare you, but to urge you to be careful. To avoid that day from coming, I have been constantly reminding you in my recent intercessions, Bible studies, and sermons. Do not play a game with me, saying, "Teacher, you speak of a curse; I reject it." You cannot reject it. How can you reject it? It is not a curse; it is a reminder not to go down that path.

Some people, from childhood to fifty years old, accumulate a mountain of debt and a body full of illnesses. Why is that? Wasn't that the path they chose to walk? They haven't made any correct choices in their lives, have they? Either they choose to be deceived, or they choose to be scammed, or they make a hasty decision, thinking it's an opportunity, only to end up with a handful of debts and famine.

Can that be remedied? People are not young anymore, yet they still do not walk the right path. Do not say, "Why is this happening?" I tell you, God wants to ask you, how did you get here? What are you doing here? How much suffering are you enduring? Isn't it because you do not know how to keep and obey, do not know how to revere God?

If you knew that revering God is valuable, you would have revered Him long ago. It is because you think revering God is not valuable that you have walked into God's anger, isn't it? Several years ago, a preacher came to me. Oh my goodness, he was truly full of bad intentions, with cancer in his abdomen. He came to see me, and I really wanted to share the Chinese Mingding Doctrine with him, but he didn't listen at all. He felt he was doing so well and kept boasting in front of me.

Why did he come to me? He hoped that a master could guide his son. He was particularly concerned about his son, favoring males over females. In fact, he had raised a very unruly son. Later, he returned home, still a very famous preacher in the local area, and ended up with cancer. I tell you, before he died, his abdomen was huge, full of cancer. Imagine how much suffering he endured, a great deal of suffering. He lay there, moaning and groaning. I tell you, his family members were terrified by the sound. But I can give you a reminder: if you see this kind of situation with your own eyes, or if passersby see this kind of situation, you must understand that it is the day of the Lord's fierce anger, causing us to suffer such pain that you have never seen before.

Why is that? Because of sin. Even in this state, they are still playing games. When other brothers and sisters come to see him, he starts to act lively, and after he finishes speaking, the brothers and sisters feel that this preacher is glorifying God so much, able to endure under God's fierce anger. I tell you, as soon as his own family members leave, he puts on a show, and as soon as people leave, he groans and moans, that's the flavor.

Our brothers and sisters must begin to learn, learn what? Learn to revere God. Do not be unafraid. If you are not afraid, I will be afraid for you. I feel that I am not afraid of anything, but I am afraid of God. Unlike some people, they are afraid of everything but God, completely reversed. I tell you, in any era, God's hand still reigns. God's hand covers the heavens. From eternity to eternity, He is God. That is why Moses, in Psalm 90, describes people in this world often living under God's wrath. I tell you, look around and see what Christians are doing. Alas, may God have mercy.

There are endless similar examples, such as prayers being ineffective no matter how you pray. I can tell you that prayers being ineffective is one thing, but every time I lead him in prayer, the things that come out of his mouth are all worldly things. Where does this illness come from? This illness comes from loving the world and indulging the flesh.

What happens as a result? When you love the world and indulge the flesh, God sees Satan walking back and forth before Him. "Hey, Satan, what have you been doing lately?" "Oh, I often go to the hospital." "What do you do at the hospital?" "I go to collect money." "Have you seen that person?" "Go ahead." And the demon goes. You say, why is God like this? I can tell you that God really has no choice but to be like this. Even so, we have seen so many stories, yet people still do not have a heart of reverence.

I am not brainwashing you; I really want to help you avoid walking into the day of God's fierce anger. That is not the suffering that humans can endure. So I think, what should I do? What should I do? Oh, give him increased demands, push him to Streams in the Desert. If that doesn't work, kick him out. Why? Just hoping that he can think about changing himself a little.

In the end, I tell you, sometimes I feel helpless. I say, you don't need anything; you just need the Japanese devils. When the Japanese devils come, one whip and everything works. Indulging the flesh, all the problems disappear. When the Japanese devils come, when God's wrath is unleashed, it is much more effective than me kicking you out.

I tell you, the Israelites, even today, sing the Book of Lamentations during festivals. Why? To remind themselves, but it doesn't seem very useful. Because the logical system of this world is too powerful. The bigger demons in this world have hardly ever lost a battle. But if you can overcome them, the angels in heaven will cheer and rejoice for you.

I tell you, serving people is sometimes very frustrating. But I am not the first. Jeremiah is called the weeping prophet, the prophet who weeps bitterly. Oh, the tears he shed were not collected in mineral water bottles, but in steel basins that were filled to the brim.

So I tell you, the day of God's fierce anger is very effective, so effective that people suddenly become much more sober. You know, Jeremiah personally witnessed the destruction of Judah and the captivity of many people. Do you know what the captivity was like? They were tied in strings, tied to the hooves of horses, and then they walked forward in a string, walking hundreds of kilometers. Even if their feet were worn out, they had to walk. Oh, it was a miserable walk. Jeremiah saw it, like seeing the Japanese devils, treating those people the same way the Japanese treated them.

Therefore, before the destruction of Judah, Jeremiah had been suffering for many years. From the time he was called to be a prophet, he stood there every day shouting that disaster was coming, that everyone should revere God, that God's fierce anger was coming, that everyone should repent. But some people said, don't talk nonsense. Look how good our lives are. Yesterday my stock rose by twenty percent. That's the attitude. Can your stock rising by twenty percent stop God's anger?

If a person's heart belongs to the old horse, belongs to this world, it will be enough to give you a hard time. I tell you, being a prophet is very painful. I can feel that. Like some of our brothers and sisters, alas, I can't do this anymore. If you can't do this, then what? You have to walk into this corruption, and you can't stop it.

There is a movie called "Manhunt," and you shouldn't look to both sides on the upper floor, but keep walking forward. Why? Because he has some secrets, and they treat him as mentally ill. As long as you keep walking forward, you will disappear into that blue sky. I tell you, I serve many people, and I can only watch helplessly. It's really helpless. Even now, I am still worried about some brothers and sisters. I really don't want the day of the Lord's fierce anger to come upon them. Of course, I don't want that day of fierce anger to come upon me even more.

What Moses saw was that people often live under God's wrath. You must know that Moses said that he himself lived under God's wrath. What qualifications do you have to think that you are good? Jeremiah is the same. Moreover, Jeremiah, in that situation, just wanted to tell these Jews, tell the people of Jerusalem, from the king to the nobles to the officials, not to go any further. If you go any further, you will disappear into that blue sky.

But people didn't listen. As they walked, the king of Babylon came. The king of Babylon beat them very badly. People ate their own excrement and drank their own urine. And those Israelite people, you give me your son to eat, and I will give you my son to eat. It was very miserable, wasn't it?

So I tell you, being a prophet means crying in your heart before the day of God's wrath comes. With clear eyes, seeing this through spiritual eyes, you start to suffer. The Book of Lamentations is written like this. The Book of Jeremiah describes in several chapters Jeremiah's constant warnings to the Israelites, the people of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem. But no one listened. Aren't we serving God well like this? Can't we believe in the Lord like this?

In Northeastern dialect, Jeremiah, you should just give up and stop nagging. Go home and rest for a while. Maybe some people were so annoyed that they grabbed him, beat him up, and took him to the police station, beating him black and blue. But this person didn't listen. I tell you, being a prophet is really painful, constantly shouting, be careful, be careful, be careful, revere, revere, revere, but people don't listen.

Jeremiah lived in this predicament. Later, the Babylonians came and destroyed Judah, and then he wrote the Book of Lamentations in pain. That was to lament for the Jews. Prayers were ineffective, nothing was effective. Only one thing was effective: let them suffer a little. Do you understand? If you can fear God, that would be good. If you are afraid of everything but God, that would be troublesome. So, if people have no fear, that's terrible, isn't it? If you don't beat them for three days, they will lift the roof tiles. Do not step on the red line set by God; that will kill people.

I see some people leaving the church and living very well. I also agree that they are doing well, because that has nothing to do with God. If they are God's people, I tell you, the day of God's fierce anger, the suffering you endure, is not something that normal people can see. Passersby will surely say, "Oh, what is this?"

Scripture

"Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look around and see. Is any suffering like my suffering that was inflicted on me, that the LORD brought on me in the day of his fierce anger?" (Lamentations 1:12)

Prayer

God! Let each of our brothers and sisters receive these words from the mouth of the prophet Jeremiah. Let us always have a heart of reverence, always revere You, and not step on the red line You have set. Let us stay away from sin. Open our minds so that we do not rush madly on the road to destruction, and save us from all this corruption. Give me the strength to overcome the world, give me the strength to overcome the flesh. I earnestly pray to You, thirst for You, and need You. God, help me, save me from Your wrath. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Scripture Background

In Lamentations chapter 1, Jeremiah saw the Babylonians coming, wearing military uniforms. I describe it as the Japanese devils entering the city. Oh my goodness, they burned, killed, looted, and committed all kinds of evil. The women and nobles in the city all suffered. I tell you, the Babylonians were quite kind to Jeremiah. Why? Because Jeremiah was constantly promoting the Babylonians, saying, "The Babylonians are coming, they haven't come yet. The Babylonians are coming, they haven't come yet." This time the Babylonians came, they really came, they really came, burning, killing, and looting.

The "I" in Lamentations is not Jeremiah. This "I" refers to Jerusalem and Judah. Don't get it wrong. Both "he" and "I" refer to them. So Jeremiah wrote a lament, for later generations, it should be like our hymns today, with a score, that can be sung. So the Book of Lamentations has become a very needed message in this era. What kind of message is needed?

"How deserted lies the city, once so full of people! How like a widow has she become, who once was great among the nations! She who was queen among the provinces has now become a slave." (Lamentations 1:1)

Hey, where has your glory and wealth gone? So Jeremiah saw it and wrote a song. The Book of Lamentations has about five chapters, all of which are song lyrics. What happened as a result? As a result, the tragic situation, the situation of God's fierce anger, was described clearly, so that in our later generations, every brother and sister, every person who believes in God, learns to sing the Book of Lamentations.

Should our brothers and sisters also write a Chinese Mingding Lament? Thank God, I don't want our brothers and sisters to enter into lamentation. Why? Singing more lamentations will prevent you from entering into lamentation, and your heart will begin to become a little clearer.

What did Jeremiah see? He saw the whole city weeping bitterly at night, tears streaming down their faces. This is the people of Israel. And there was no comfort, and no one to comfort them. Then he said, "God, comfort me," but there was none. "God, can you let me be comforted?" but there was none. "God, can you make me feel better in my heart?" but there was none. Oh God, everyone is very sad and very tired. Why? Imagine the whole city of Babylonians, trampling the entire city, burning, killing, and looting. Can you not be miserable at home? Burning, killing, and looting everywhere, every family is dying. Can you live that life?

In fact, Jeremiah could see all of this in visions before. He is not in pain now; he was in pain before, he was in pain for many years. Finally, Jeremiah's prophecy was fulfilled. I ask you, will Jeremiah be happy when his prophecy is fulfilled? He will not be happy. Seeing his own people in this situation, how can he be happy? The whole city is full of people wearing yellowish-brown military uniforms, with a cloth behind their hats, burning, killing, and looting throughout the city. There is no way.

At that time, when the Israelites, the people of Judah, and the residents of Jerusalem heard that these prophecies Jeremiah had spoken had finally come to pass, they were afraid because of Jeremiah's foul mouth and the curses he had released. They thought, "If he hadn't cursed us, we wouldn't be in this situation. It's because he wrote the Book of Jeremiah that even Babylon knows about him." "Eh, I renounce this curse in the name of Jesus." But it's useless. Renouncing the curse in anyone's name is useless. You brought it upon yourselves, didn't you?

In the entire Kingdom of Judah, in all of Jerusalem, how many people would have believed that this day would come? Then again, in the years before, no one believed that the real estate market in China's first-tier cities would be in the state it is now. Everyone thought, "Oh my, you'll make money as soon as you buy." When it suddenly arrives, you're a bit shocked, aren't you? So, brothers and sisters, we must listen more to the words of Jeremiah. The prophet Jeremiah was a true prophet. Jeremiah wrote Lamentations after the disaster struck. That's the situation.

So, we began to ponder why. Because in the land of Israel, there was someone who wanted to become an internet celebrity, but no matter how they prayed, it didn't work. There was a pretty popular internet celebrity who went to see some White Dragon King, Black Dragon King – there are also Dragon Kings in Canaan. After seeing them and getting things sorted out, they suddenly became very popular. Oh, the clicks and traffic went up, amazing.

The Israelites saw this and thought, "Oh, that works!" Everyone should know that if you really love money, you go and worship the God of Wealth. If you really want to become a popular internet celebrity, you can go to Thailand and have a look. If a person just loves money, is greedy for wealth, and comes into this world just to make money, isn't that "man dies for wealth, and the bird dies for food"? Man dies for wealth, the bird dies for food, and then what? Then they come to believe in the Lord. What are you doing believing in the Lord? If you were a Gentile, no one would care if you practiced those evil arts. As for whether they later became big, strong, or ended up in jail, that's another matter.

So, brothers and sisters, people should love God and fear God. Those who fear God lack no good thing. Don't do this or that. Actually, you haven't carefully examined it. After careful examination, I tell you, worshipping idols, you want money, but that money also brings disaster, doesn't it?

So, you need to know why the Israelites worshipped idols, because their hearts were bound by money, their hearts were bound by what they did. They wanted to be promoted and get rich, thinking that promotion and wealth would bring happiness, but is that the case? No. So, I tell you, people must choose the right path. The path of believing in the Lord has one characteristic: although it may not bring great wealth, it will definitely bring happiness. If you can live a happy life, that's good, isn't it?

You think great wealth is good, but I think fearing God is better. Because God holds both blessings and disasters in His hand. Just look at the end of those who please God – it's all good. So, Jeremiah wrote Lamentations, wanting to pull these people back from their various pursuits to fearing God and escaping God's wrath. So, people must know that you should fear God, not fear ghosts. Don't fear those who can kill the body; fear the One who can kill both body and soul. We should fear Him. Jeremiah wrote these words very well.

God's Fierce Anger Because of Jerusalem's Sins

God's fierce anger is because Jerusalem and Judah sinned. Who was in charge of Jerusalem? The high priest, the king of Israel, the Levites, the officials, and the nobles. Those who were doing well were managing the country. So, I ask you, how do you judge who is doing well? By money. Do Christians judge by money? Isn't that right? "Oh, he's very spiritual." But is that really the case?

Her adversaries have become the masters; her enemies prosper, for the Lord has afflicted her because of her many transgressions; her children have gone away, captives before the foe. (Lamentations 1:5)

Jerusalem sinned grievously; therefore she became filthy; all who honored her despise her, for they have seen her nakedness; she herself groans and turns away. (Lamentations 1:8)

So, I tell you, where does God's fierce anger come from? It comes from people living in sin. And what is sin? I tell you, the most serious sins are: first, discerning good and evil; second, indulging the flesh; third, loving the world. The same old three things. Can everyone remember these three old things? Look, now discerning good and evil has become commonplace. Can that be good? It can't be good. So, people often live under God's wrath, and perhaps they can still be saved. If there's not even a bit of anger, God will allow them to sin until they perish.

Fierce anger is because of Jerusalem's sins. So, I ask you, who does this Jerusalem refer to? It refers to the church. Why does the church sin? Because the church follows the world's logic system. Once the church follows the world's logic system, isn't that troublesome? All these things come from loving the world, indulging the flesh, and discerning good and evil. I think we really need to know how terrifying God's fierce anger is. When God sees you doing this, I tell you, the first thing He does is make you suffer. Isn't that bringing disaster upon yourself?

You need to know that she weeps bitterly in the night, with tears on her cheeks; among all her lovers she has none to comfort her. The city that was once full of people now sits alone. The city that was once great among the nations has become like a widow. The city that was once a queen among the provinces has become a forced laborer. Isn't that terrible?

From Dwelling Above All Nations to Dwelling Below All Nations

Chinese Mingding Doctrine has invented quite a few of these stock phrases. If you fear God and live in God's righteousness, you will surely dwell above all nations. If you become a Christian and then dwell below all nations, then God's fierce anger is surely upon you.

Look, the city that was once full of people now sits alone. The city that was once great among the nations has become like a widow. The city that was once a queen among the provinces has become a forced laborer. It's bad luck, isn't it? So, from dwelling above all nations to dwelling below all nations. That's what happens when you believe in the Lord. If you didn't believe in the Lord, these things wouldn't happen, these words wouldn't be for you. Lamentations wouldn't be sung for you. So, I tell you, Christians must strive to enter into perfection, must pursue holiness. The title of Christian is not obtained for nothing.

No Comfort

She weeps bitterly in the night, with tears on her cheeks; among all her lovers she has none to comfort her; all her friends have dealt treacherously with her; they have become her enemies. (Lamentations 1:2)

Her uncleanness was in her skirts; she took no thought of her future; therefore her fall has been terrible; she has no comforter. "O Lord, behold my affliction, for the enemy has triumphed!" (Lamentations 1:9)

She sins against God, and no one comforts her; her fall is terrible. She doesn't think about her future, and then she says, "O Lord, behold my affliction." This is what I see most often in the church, and I'm puzzled. I'm very puzzled why this is so. After observing closely, I discovered that God's fierce anger is because people sin greatly. There is no presence of God in the church, but there is the presence of demons. Isn't that terrifying? If you slowly ponder and carefully observe, the disasters that the church encounters in this world should be more than ordinary people.

For these things I weep; my eye flows with tears; for a comforter is far from me, one to revive my spirit; my children are desolate, for the enemy has prevailed. (Lamentations 1:16)

"I" refers to Jerusalem. Zion stretches out her hands, but there is no one to comfort her. The Lord has commanded concerning Jacob that his neighbors should be his foes; Jerusalem has become a filthy thing among them. Is there any good in this? All the people around you are your enemies. Are you still doing well? These are all signs of God's fierce anger.

They have heard how I sigh, but there is no one to comfort me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that you have done it. You will bring the day you have announced, and they will be like me. (Lamentations 1:21)

Oh, even at this time, she hopes that God will punish those who oppress her. I think the most serious problem is actually sinning. There is no comfort, and tears are useless. Many Christians are in this situation, and it's very common.

No Warriors Among the People

The Lord has scorned all my mighty men in my midst; he has summoned an assembly against me to crush my young men; the Lord has trodden as in a winepress the virgin daughter of Judah. (Lamentations 1:15)

When she pleased God in the past, there were many warriors among the people; now there are no warriors. So, what do you do? It's terrible, very terrible. So, I think these symptoms, brothers and sisters, are God's fierce anger coming upon His people. Don't think that these fierce angers, these sufferings, have any glory. There is no glory to be had. Don't get confused.

Suffering for God has glory, but suffering for sin has no glory to be had. There are no warriors among the people, the church is facing a generational gap, the church is full of the old, weak, sick, and disabled, and is miserably oppressed by demons. So, I think we should raise the standards a bit among us. I don't know if you can reach them, but we still need to raise the standards. Just because you can't reach them doesn't mean you are the standard. Just strive and pursue diligently.

The Good Are Taken Away

The Lord is in the right, for I have rebelled against his word. Hear, all you peoples, and see my suffering; my young women and my young men have gone into captivity. (Lamentations 1:18)

Many have been taken captive. This refers to the church. Can the church be good if it sins? God's presence is gone. So, those who thirst for God have left. Some people ask me, "Is this called faithfulness or unfaithfulness?" I say that faithfulness has no meaning. Do you understand? I think faithfulness is faithfulness to God's Word. Without the Word, what are you being faithful to? Faithfulness is faithfulness to God, faithfulness to God's Word, God's Dao.

Everyone, don't think that I need your faithfulness. I don't really need it. I still think you need faithfulness more. You had better be faithful to God's Word, faithful to God's Dao. Do you understand? I don't need you to be faithful to me. I don't want to build a small kingdom, and I don't want to do anything. If we can't build a church, being a plumber is fine too.

I met a friend whose sewer was clogged, and they found a plumber who used a machine to fix it. The reason was that his child put a wet wipe in the water, and it wouldn't break down, so it clogged the sewer. Five hundred Singapore dollars, and he used a machine to get it out. I think doing that is pretty good too. But to be honest, if I don't become a pastor, I'll go be a plumber after I retire. Two hours and I'm home, and I can make a lot of money in a month. Living isn't a problem.

But now, building a church that has a clogged sewer is troublesome. The good are taken away, and the bad are left behind. Isn't that worrying? So, some preachers among us often listen to my sermons. Whether you're building a church or a company, keep the good and throw away the bad. Don't throw away the good and keep the bad. Wouldn't that be a big problem? Isn't that right?

Priests and Elders Breathe Their Last in the City

I called to my lovers, but they deceived me; my priests and elders perished in the city while seeking food to revive their strength. (Lamentations 1:19)

Many preachers, when they lose God's presence, become very tired. God's fierce anger brings lack, lacking everything, lacking food and drink. Then they seek food in the city, as if to save their lives, but they breathe their last in the city. God's fierce anger is no joke. If we dwell above all nations, if we suffer a little for God, there is still comfort. If there are still many warriors among the people, if the good are all left in the church to become a strong army, then you will not lack food and drink.

So, the priests and elders are the leaders of the church, always thinking about getting food and drink, but they breathe their last in the city. How did they breathe their last? Babylon came and surrounded the city layer upon layer, and every piece of bread sold was outrageously expensive. Later, they breathed their last and died, finally melting into the blue sky. So, God's fierce anger is not a joke.

Tender Heart

Behold, O Lord, for I am in distress; my stomach churns; my heart is wrung within me, because I have been very rebellious. In the street the sword bereaves; in the house it is like death. (Lamentations 1:20)

The logic in people's heads is confused, it doesn't work, they don't know anything, they start to get confused, it's very chaotic inside, churning, uncomfortable, confused, extremely confused. Why is this? Because of God's fierce anger. They can't tell what is a curse and what is a blessing, they don't understand what it means to carefully observe and follow God's Word, what it means to fear, and they don't understand what it means to revere God. I tell you, people who live under God's fierce anger often don't know, and in the end, they live a life of sorrow.

Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which was brought upon me, which the Lord inflicted on the day of his fierce anger. (Lamentations 1:12)

Verse twelve is our theme. I want to lead everyone in singing another song, "Have Reverence." This is a song created by Chinese Mingding Music, "Have Reverence." Don't get this wrong. If you're afraid of your boss, that's fear. If you're afraid of death, that's fear. If you're afraid of God, that has nothing to do with fear. That's what should be, isn't it? That's called reverence.

I hope that after I finish speaking, it can bring a little shock to everyone. People often live under God's wrath, God's anger. Now, start not being angry for yourself, but continuing to be angry in God's presence. Even Moses thought he was living under God's anger. What qualifications do we have to think we're not bad? Turn back to God and start striving diligently.

May God bless everyone!

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