Introduction

Hello, everyone. Let us continue our study of Mark, chapter 4. This is an excellent chapter. The theme is: “Understand That the Kingdom of God Offers Abundant Returns.”

The Mystery of the Kingdom of God Is Given to You to Know

When He was alone, those who followed Jesus, together with the Twelve, asked Him about the parable. Jesus said to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God. But to those outside, everything is spoken in parables, so that they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they turn and be forgiven.” (Mark 4:10–12)

What does this passage mean? The mystery of God is given to you to know, but not to them. When He speaks to you, He speaks plainly. When He speaks to them, He uses parables that seem understandable, yet remain obscure. This is interesting. God has given us a word that brings abundant returns. Do you know how abundant? Beyond our imagination. The returns are extraordinary.

Let me share a few testimonies. Many people still do not understand. They live in the kingdom of God, yet remain full of anxiety and sorrow. We must therefore understand that God’s word brings abundant returns. How do we come to understand? We must seek. Many people have time to keep themselves busy, but no time to receive God’s word. They are losing out badly.

Many years ago, a fellow alumnus from Beihang University was pursuing a PhD at the National University of Singapore. A PhD is no small undertaking. After four or five years, if you cannot graduate, it becomes a blemish on your record. If you earn the degree, it becomes a distinction.

He had not yet graduated, and I encouraged him to come to church regularly to pray. One day, he came to me looking dejected. He showed me an email from his supervisor. It said, “You need to redo your doctoral thesis. Your present thesis falls far short of the required substance.” How was he to redo it? Study another four years? Would he not be an old man by then? Nor did he know what might happen in those four years. Worse still, there would be no stipend. He would have to pay his own way.

My understanding of God may differ somewhat from that of some brothers and sisters. My understanding of God’s kingdom is that its returns are exceedingly abundant. God’s power can calm the storms of life. So I said to him, “Let us pray.”

He asked, “How should I reply to the email?” I said, “Do not reply. Leave it alone. Just pray.” That was a Friday. The following Friday, he came to see me again, delighted. “Teacher, my supervisor has told me to get ready to graduate as soon as possible.” He subsequently graduated. We do not know what happened in between, but this was not the only time something like this occurred.

This enables us to know the mystery of God’s kingdom, the power of God’s kingdom, and its abundant returns. If you do not understand, you are truly unfortunate. If a person goes through life without understanding God’s kingdom or knowing His mighty power, how are his problems to be resolved? I really do not know. Yet after this man graduated, he once again lost sight of God’s kingdom.

People are strange. They simply do not believe God or know His mighty power. They do not understand. One moment they are among “you”; the next, they are among “them.” “You,” together with “the Twelve,” refers to the disciples of Jesus Christ. God’s word and God’s mystery are for His disciples to understand. But what is a disciple? Many people cannot grasp it.

Once, I met a pastor and said to him, “The kingdom of God requires disciples—people who leave everything for God’s kingdom.” He gave me a very strange look and said, “How could that be possible?” But this is God’s word.

Let me put it to you this way. If the return were one million, as though you had secured a contract, how would you feel? You would certainly be delighted. What if it were ten million? You would be even more excited, wondering how anything could be so good. What about a hundred million? People commonly call that a “small target.” But is the mystery of God’s kingdom worth merely one million, ten million, or a hundred million? God’s mystery brings abundant returns.

In fact, you can place every problem in your life into God’s hands. It is just that, so often, we do not believe. Do you really understand? If you do not, you become one of “them”: “They may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand.” Not understanding is a terrible loss. For example, many people among us have been healed of sickness, only to lose sight of it again afterwards. That is a very strange thing.

With many such parables, Jesus spoke the word to them, according to their ability to hear. He did not speak to them without a parable, but when He was alone with His disciples, He explained everything to them. (Mark 4:33–34)

Do you want to be a disciple? Many people think being a disciple is too difficult and costs far too much. How foolish must a person be to think that way? Many Christians find paying the price so difficult that they squeal as though they were pigs being slaughtered. Remember this: the returns from becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ are exceedingly abundant.

What did Jesus say? “No one who has left parents, wife, brothers, children, fields, or houses for the kingdom of God will fail to receive a hundredfold in this present age, and eternal life in the age to come.” Would you not call that an abundant return? What you leave behind is, in fact, what you gain. Leaving it does not mean you end up with nothing.

Yet some people repeatedly distort the meaning. A person who never wanted to care for his parents says, “I have left them behind.” Is that what it means to leave everything? That is muddled reasoning. So when Jesus says, “The mystery of God is given only to you to know,” “you” refers to His disciples. A disciple of Jesus Christ must understand God’s mystery. If you have received God’s grace, you know how good and beautiful it is. Understand the abundant returns that God’s kingdom offers.

The Word of God’s Kingdom Will Certainly Be Revealed

Jesus also said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed, rather than on a lampstand? For nothing is hidden except to be revealed, and nothing is concealed except to be brought to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Mark 4:21–23)

What is Jesus saying here? Everything Jesus does is not kept hidden. It is all made visible. We bear witness to Jesus Christ, testifying to the abundant returns that have been revealed. If believing in the Lord Jesus and becoming His disciple is not worthwhile, why believe in Him? Do you think I am a fool? Brothers and sisters, do not be foolish.

The returns from being a disciple of Jesus Christ are exceedingly abundant, beyond all we ask or imagine. You may understand, or you may not. You may believe, or you may not. But the returns of God’s kingdom will certainly be revealed.

That doctoral student could not graduate at first, but later he could. Were the returns of God’s kingdom revealed? They were. God enables the lame to walk and the blind to see. Are the returns of God’s kingdom revealed? They are.

If someone preaches a sermon telling you that you will go to heaven after you die, I find that rather questionable. You cannot see God’s kingdom while you are alive, yet you imagine that you will see it after death? You live in a wretched state, neither fully human nor ghost, sickly and weak. Will you then see God’s kingdom after you die? Brothers and sisters, we must understand what Jesus said. God’s word cannot be hidden. The gospel of God’s kingdom is made visible. Otherwise, how could you believe?

Do not let people deceive you. If you go to a church and the pastor tells you it does not matter whether you see God’s kingdom while you are alive, because you can enter it after you die, you would do better not to believe that. You can be deceived into becoming “lame.” It is like Zhao Benshan’s comedy sketch, Selling Crutches. The man did not need crutches, but after being deceived, he bought a pair. The other fellow was in the business of selling crutches—or wheelchairs—in the first place. Do not believe that sort of thing.

In some churches, the truth is often nowhere to be seen. When I was previously in a local church, I was full of questions. God’s kingdom and His mighty power were not being revealed. It was not because God’s kingdom would not reveal itself. It was because people did not believe and were unwilling to pay the price for Jesus.

One of the most central principles of Chinese Mingding Doctrine is paying the price. If you do not sow, how can you reap? If you do not sow in spring, do you expect to harvest weeds in autumn? We must understand something remarkable about God’s kingdom: what God created was seed.

When I studied the Bible years ago, I thought that what God had created involved so much work. You sow in spring and harvest in autumn. Then you gather the grain into a storehouse, grind it into flour, knead it into dough, roll it into noodles, and finally put it into a pot. What a lot of work!

Why did God not simply create bread? Open the refrigerator, and bread comes out. Open the oven, and fragrant bread appears. Would you consider that good? Once the bread is eaten, it is gone. But seed planted in the ground can yield thirtyfold, sixtyfold, or a hundredfold. Which is better? Seed, of course.

From the beginning, God created seed. At first, it could feed a hundred million people. Later, it fed a billion. Now, it feeds several billion. Whatever the population, as long as there is seed, people need not go hungry. The question now is whether we have seed in our hands.

The word of God’s kingdom must be revealed. Plant this seed in the ground, and it yields a hundredfold. Plant those hundred seeds, and you have ten thousandfold. Plant those ten thousand seeds, and you have a millionfold. Its possibilities are unlimited.

Have people not lived on seed since ancient times? If people eat up the seed, they ruin everything. Is that not a man-made disaster? Natural disasters are not the frightening thing. Man-made disasters are. Never eat up your seed.

“The word of God’s kingdom is like a lamp set on a lampstand. Nothing concealed will remain unrevealed.” The word of God’s kingdom is not intended to be deliberately hidden. It is to be revealed so that we may know. What brings greater returns than believing in the Lord, receiving God’s word, and entering His kingdom? Nothing.

If you truly understood, your circumstances would not be what they are today. They should be much better. So treasure God’s kingdom. If God’s kingdom is not being revealed at all, you need to examine whether you have believed wrongly. Others believe in the Lord and receive abundant returns. Why does the Lord you believe in bring none? You have got something wrong. What you planted was a grain of cooked rice, not a seed.

The Word of God’s Kingdom Is Like a Man Sowing Seed in the Ground

He also said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground. He sleeps at night and rises by day, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. The earth produces grain by itself: first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. When the grain is ripe, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” (Mark 4:26–29)

He also said, “With what shall we compare the kingdom of God? What parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown in the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth. Yet when it is sown, it grows and becomes larger than all the garden plants, putting out great branches, so that the birds of the air can nest in its shade.” (Mark 4:30–32)

God’s kingdom is like seed sown in the ground. Brothers and sisters, we must understand how remarkable seed is. It may be small, but it is alive. Planted in the ground, it can grow very large. Do not assume that a large tree must have a large seed. Some trees are enormous, yet their seeds are tiny. Some things have large seeds, yet grow into small plants.

Understand this: the issue is not the size of the seed, but whether it is alive. A seed is completely different from a grain of cooked rice. Bread and seed are not the same thing. Once bread is eaten, it is gone. Plant it in the ground, and it rots. It is useless.

What, then, is seed? God’s kingdom and God’s word are seed. Some people have not received God’s word. How can they blossom and bear fruit? What can bear fruit and become visible is seed. Once planted, it does indeed produce the fruit spoken of in God’s kingdom.

If you plant bitter melon, you harvest bitter melon. If you plant sweet melon, you harvest sweet melon. You cannot plant bitter melon and then say at harvest time, “Why is this not sweet melon?” You reap what you sow. If you sow God’s word, it will grow into a towering tree, and even the birds will nest in its shade.

Think this through. Do not assume that the things we need in life have nothing to do with God’s kingdom. They are closely connected. God’s kingdom is like seed. If you plant a grain of cooked rice instead of seed, nothing will grow. You reap what you sow. If you want to know what you planted, look at the fruit. The leaves may all be green, but the fruit tells you whether it is bitter melon or sweet melon. It is the same with God’s kingdom. You reap what you sow.

What God values is His kingdom. What you value is not the deciding factor. If you value what God values, you are on the right track. God says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” They are added because these things are already present in God’s kingdom.

Let me put it this way: if you seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness, how could you lack anything? But people do not seek these. They seek food, clothing, housing, and transport. If those are what you seek, do you think you will obtain them? You will obtain nothing.

The Word of God’s Kingdom Brings Returns of Thirtyfold, Sixtyfold, and a Hundredfold

Jesus began teaching again by the sea. A large crowd gathered around Him, so He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, while the whole crowd stood on the shore beside the sea. (Mark 4:1)

He taught them many things in parables, and in His teaching He said to them, “Listen! A sower went out to sow. As he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where there was little soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. But when the sun rose, it was scorched, and because it had no root, it withered.” (Mark 4:2–6)

“Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and grew and increased, yielding thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and a hundredfold.” Then He said, “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Mark 4:7–9)

Later, Jesus gave an explanation:

He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How, then, will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. Those along the path are the ones who hear the word, but Satan immediately comes and takes away the word sown in their hearts. Those sown on rocky ground are the ones who hear the word and immediately receive it with joy. But they have no root in themselves and endure only for a time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately fall away.” (Mark 4:13–17)

“Others are those sown among thorns. They hear the word, but the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. Those sown on good soil are the ones who hear the word, receive it, and bear fruit—thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and a hundredfold.” (Mark 4:18–20)

Returns of thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and a hundredfold. My goodness, that is compelling! Let me tell you a story. When I first believed in the Lord, I saw many signs and wonders. There was an elderly man whose family was extremely wealthy. He was a very rich man and served as an elder in the church. We called him Uncle Lin. Once, he taught a class on tithing. He said to me earnestly, “You must learn to give.”

Nowadays, we do not speak much about giving. We speak about becoming disciples. After that elder’s class, I walked home with heavy steps. Halfway home, I gritted my teeth, stamped my feet, and decided to give. If the returns of God’s kingdom were so abundant, this seed was worth sowing.

My reasoning was simple. Even if I saved two hundred dollars a month, I would not become wealthy in a lifetime. If God’s kingdom was so good, I would invest. A little risk did not matter. My thought then was to invest for a year and see what happened. So I gave a tenth of my income.

By the end of the year, God had not only given me a job; He had blessed me. He blessed everything I did and enabled me to solve many difficult technical problems. That year, I was recognised as an outstanding employee in my organisation. It was not something I achieved by my own ability. God gave it to me. My salary rose substantially. It was wonderful.

Then I began to ask myself whether the tenth should be calculated before tax or after tax. Before or after contributions to the provident fund? If I included the provident fund in my giving, I could not withdraw that money, yet my offering had to be in cash. But that did not matter. I included the provident fund as well, because God’s kingdom offers returns of thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and a hundredfold.

In just ten years, my salary multiplied many times over. I thought, “God’s kingdom is so good. How did I not know?” This was real money, not something imaginary. But I hope you will not mistake this for boasting about wealth. The fact is that people whom God blesses will also be blessed financially. God will certainly bless you in your finances.

Consider Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Their families were all wealthy. David offered hundreds of tonnes of gold. He, too, was wealthy. There are no poor people in God’s kingdom. Some argue with me: “Look at Lazarus at the rich man’s gate.” That was a parable Jesus told. I would rather be in that condition and still enter God’s kingdom.

Look carefully at the Old Testament. Among those real, living figures, which one lived badly? Which one worried about making a living? Nehemiah was a senior official governing a region, something like a provincial governor. His family had plenty of money. Daniel was a chief minister. His family had plenty of money. They were not short of money. So, brothers and sisters, being blessed financially and being blessed in health are part of the word of the kingdom of heaven.

Do you think you will be blessed simply because you value something? No. You are blessed when what you sow is the seed of the kingdom of heaven, the word of the kingdom of heaven. If you are truly willing to become a disciple of Jesus Christ, strictly following His standards for disciples, rejecting selfishness and self-interest, rejecting the indulgence of the flesh, and acting according to God’s word, the returns are exceedingly abundant.

I have always had a deep desire: I truly do not want you to live in poverty. I want you all to be healthy and prosperous, to rejoice in your work and enjoy its fruits. When I see brothers and sisters living in poverty, I feel anxious for them. When will their financial circumstances turn around?

Some brothers and sisters say, “Teacher, my salary has gone up again!” That brings me great comfort. The money goes into your pocket and your bank account, but the comfort enters my heart. I do not want you to live impoverished and depleted lives. A poverty mentality destroys people. Do not live with that mentality.

Brothers and sisters, receive God’s word. God’s word will certainly resolve problems of health and poverty. Is a thirtyfold return enough? Yes. Are sixtyfold and a hundredfold enough? Certainly. Why, then, do some people receive abundant returns while others do not? This is a remarkable matter. Let me continue.

Whoever Has Will Be Given More; Whoever Does Not Have Will Lose Even What He Has

For whoever has will be given more, and whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. (Mark 4:25)

These are severe words. We must ask ourselves: am I the person who will be given more, or the one from whom things will be taken away? This is a demanding question. If God gives you one talent of silver and you bury it in the ground, God will take it away and give it to the one who has. If God gives you one talent of silver and you then earn five more, God will give you another five. If you use one talent of silver to earn ten more, God will call you faithful and good, not a wicked servant.

We must keep adjusting our mindset. Sometimes we simply want to lie flat and do nothing. But God does not much like people lying flat. He likes people to get moving. God wants people to strengthen and practise their faith through effort and amid many unknowns. When you do not know what the future holds, you must walk by faith. Is there risk? There is.

But in God’s kingdom, when you put God’s system of reasoning into practice, do you think it is your own ability that earns those five or ten talents of silver? No. It is because you trust God, and God is with you in what you do. Then one talent becomes five or ten. This is what it means to be faithful and good: you trust God, rather than charging about foolishly without direction.

Someone might think, “I will bury that talent of silver in the ground. When the master returns and asks where it is, I will say, ‘Your talent of silver is still here!’” Then you are finished. It is still only one talent, and it will be taken away.

The point is to take that talent of silver and, whatever you do, turn it into five or ten. Some say, “Is this not simply Jesus using silver in a parable?” It is indeed a parable. But silver is still silver. The key is to develop your abilities.

I often feel that I have fallen short. I have not had the physical energy to launch our “AI ministry.” Our church does very well with AI, but we have not done enough to teach brothers and sisters how to use it. I earnestly hope God will raise up people to take on this responsibility and train brothers and sisters in using AI. AI is important. If you master this skill, your productivity can increase several times over.

“Whoever has will be given more, and whoever does not have will lose even the little he has.” Let us be those who have. Tell God, “God, I am one who has. Give me more. Give me more. Give me more!” Some may say, “Teacher, why are you so greedy?” No. I am asking according to God’s will.

Our church has come this far through continually cutting through obstacles and making breakthroughs. Many years ago, an elderly man came while we were praying. He told me that he had seen a “kangaroo vision”—an Australian kangaroo that could leap a great distance in a single bound.

When I met him again, more than ten years had passed. He said, “Brother, do you still remember the kangaroo vision?” I said, “I remember. Not only do I remember; we have already made many leaps. One bound, and we were across. Another bound, and across again!”

We are leaping very well now. We must win the whole world for God. Leap forward! One leap, then another. The church must make another leap. At this point, I can hardly contain my excitement. I want to tell God, “God, whoever has will be given more. God, I am one who has!”

Why are some churches so poor? Even the little they have will be taken away. The reason is simple. They have no vision and no dream. They want only to guard their little operation, living depleted lives, while hoping that brothers and sisters will run alongside them. Who would want to run with such a pastor? His heart is small, his vision narrow, and his outlook short. He has no dream, no future, and no faith.

Either do not undertake it at all, or do it on a large scale. Do you understand? As a Christian, you must be one who has. Then God will give you more. I am particularly thankful. I have just received a message. A sister among us lost her job in the middle of this month. She was “optimised out.” A few hours ago, she went for an interview and put everything I had taught her into practice. She chatted with the interviewer as the interview proceeded. If an interview feels like a conversation, that is very good. The job is practically yours. If God does not give it to you, He must have prepared something better.

We still have many hopes. I hope brothers and sisters will become those who “have.” A junior pastoral leader called me and said that a sister among us was about to be “optimised out.” I asked, “What does she do?” He said she was a quality-control inspector in a factory. How earnestly I hope that brothers and sisters will not lie flat. Remember: perseverance does not guarantee success, but lying flat certainly does not guarantee an easy life.

I truly know that God has been putting me through these challenges. Eventually, I stopped bargaining with Him. I began to push myself, continually expanding and improving. I truly do not want brothers and sisters to lie flat until trouble catches up with them. You cannot remain comfortable forever. One day, all the problems will come looking for you. God’s kingdom is not a kingdom of ease. It requires paying the price.

We must keep expanding and improving. Be the person who “has and will be given more,” not the one who “does not have.” Every new undertaking requires faith. Each is a challenge involving the unknown. Although we do not know what the outcome will be, we have faith. We know that God is waiting for us not far ahead and will walk with us. Whatever we do, we expand in faith. Setbacks do not matter. Because we have faith, God will certainly continue to give us more.

Most of my life has been a succession of challenges. As a junior engineer, I kept learning, going through struggles and hardship. Just when I had finally become proficient, God gave me a higher position, and I had to begin learning and struggling again. Soon after I became proficient, I was promoted once more. Again, there were things I did not understand and needed to learn. I kept learning and expanding, and eventually learned them well.

Later, I began building a church and discovered that the waters of church-building run deep. But I carried out the pastor’s work to the fullest and enjoyed it greatly. Still, I dare not stop. We must continue to expand. Our church must move into vocational skills training and shoulder part of that responsibility. Although my strength falls short of my desire, that does not matter. God will certainly remember us.

With the Measure You Use for Others, It Will Be Measured to You

He also said, “Pay attention to what you hear. With the measure you use for others, it will be measured to you, and more will be given to you.” (Mark 4:24)

This measure is powerful. Why do we prosper? If you give with a very small measure, God will use that same small measure for you. If you give with a large measure, God will use that large measure for you, pouring it into your lap, “heaped up and running over,” until there is no room to contain it.

A stingy person cannot do a pastor’s work. A stingy pastor leads stingy church members. A generous pastor leads generous church members. Have you noticed this? I am a broad-hearted person. I do not have much muscle or much fat. I am not tall, and my appearance is ordinary and unremarkable. But my heart is large. It holds God’s kingdom. How could it not be large?

Our vision is “to become a blessing to all nations and peoples on earth.” Some say, “You do not look like it.” That is right. But even if we do not look like it now, I can bring us towards it. We can only become more and more like it. I do not say it because we already look like it. We will become like it because I have declared it.

I really do not like stinginess. We once had many misers among us. How stingy were they? They would even use toilet paper bought by someone else. Then one said, “You think I am stingy, but where I come from, I am considered one of the most generous.” So the people in his hometown were even stingier than he was. My goodness!

The measure matters. Never give short weight or short measure. What you withhold, you withhold from yourself. In dealing with people and handling affairs, keep expanding. Why do I like the term “jianghu”? I do not mean travelling about selling medicine. I mean the world of heroes—bold, generous, and open-hearted people. A miser cannot make his way in that world. He will be exposed as soon as he tries. Be someone who “drinks wine from large bowls and eats meat in hearty mouthfuls.”

If you shoulder the vision of God’s kingdom on earth, you must have the generosity of God’s kingdom, the heart of God, and the outlook, vision, and power of God. That is how God’s kingdom works. Whatever measure you use for others, God will use for you. Do not be a miser. Stinginess is ruinous. Such people haggle over every trivial matter. Expand instead, so that you do not lose out.

A hundredfold is certainly more than three times thirtyfold. Seed that “falls into good soil will grow and bear fruit—thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and a hundredfold. Whoever has ears should hear!” What is “good soil”? It means a large measure, a broad heart, and a generous spirit.

The Word of the Kingdom of Heaven Can Calm the Wind and Waves

That evening, Jesus said to His disciples, “Let us go across to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took Him with them in the boat, just as He was. Other boats were also with Him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves broke into the boat, so that it was already filling with water. (Mark 4:35–37)

Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. The disciples woke Him and said, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” He awoke, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Jesus said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” They were greatly afraid and said to one another, “Who, then, is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” (Mark 4:38–41)

Is the word of the kingdom of heaven powerful? It can calm the wind and waves. What matters in a person’s life is not money, but power. If a person has the power to calm the wind and waves, what problem can he not resolve? If his power carries the word of the kingdom of heaven, he can calm the storms of life. That is extraordinary.

Jesus gave them a demonstration. Do you think these returns of thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and a hundredfold refer merely to the petty little matters you see before you? No. Even the wind and waves must obey Me. Your faith is miserably weak. Why are people afraid? Have they no faith? Is living not a simple matter?

Jesus lay in the stern. The stern was low, while the bow was raised. Those waves must have soaked His clothes. The boat was filling with water. Then the disciples woke Him. What happened? Jesus said, “Wind and waves, stop! Be still!” And the wind and waves stopped. My goodness, this was no ordinary power.

If we have such power within us, what is there to worry about? If we can calm the wind and waves, if we have the power of “seven loaves and two fish,” what do we need to worry about? If we say, “Let down the net,” and the net is then filled with fish, what do we need to worry about?

Brothers and sisters, staying alive is the simplest matter. But living out God-like prosperity is a challenge. If you have such faith, you will certainly live out God’s image. A person keeps himself busy with work all day, without knowing how great God’s power is. He has no time even for Bible study or Sunday worship. He stays busy, then becomes busier and busier, until he perishes.

Why must people be so muddle-headed? If you are going to live, live out God’s power. How good God’s power is. In my vision, God’s kingdom should be like Jesus Christ, with even the power of resurrection from the dead present in us.

There is a blind brother among us who works as a massage therapist. In my faith, his eyes will certainly see, because that is God’s will. The gospel we believe enables the blind to see and the lame to walk. It is just that we do not necessarily all have that kind of faith.

We believe that diabetes will certainly be healed, because it is a demon. The blind will certainly see, because it is a demon. The word of the kingdom of God of our Lord Jesus Christ is mighty in power. It can not only calm the wind and waves, but also open blind eyes and heal the legs of the lame.

Brothers and sisters, begin to receive this gospel. Begin to prepare your inner capacity and expand yourselves. Do not spend your days haggling over petty, trivial nonsense. Be strong, and then move forward with this faith. The word of God’s kingdom is mighty in power.

As far as our faith goes, our God acts. God brings things to pass according to what we believe. Do not lose heart. Do not give up. Keep dealing with your bad habits and removing the devil’s lies. God’s mighty power far exceeds our imagination. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel that raises the dead. Are you not still alive? You have not died yet. If the dead can be raised, surely the living can be healed.

Jesus gave this parable and asked them, “Do you understand?” If you understand, become a disciple of Jesus Christ. Give everything for Jesus Christ, for such a good gospel, and for such a good word of God’s kingdom. Yet many of our problems arise because we live too narrowly. We will conclude this Bible study here. May God bless you all!