Good day, everyone! The activity we are holding today is called 'Becoming Disciples!' When we become disciples, we must first reckon the cost, isn't it? How much return will there be? I am not a fool. Sometimes, let me tell you, I like to calculate. And I admire those who know how to calculate. Believing in the Lord must definitely be the result of a calculated decision.

I. Investment and Return

You must know that we don't do things without returns. Smart people think this way - we don't do things that have no returns. If there is no return, what is the point of doing it? Some people don't know or are foolish, and I really want to persuade them, but there are fewer and fewer things I want to persuade people about these days. For example, after I lead someone to believe in the Lord, I have to talk about tithing first, but I don't like talking about it these days. Nowadays, we talk about not being qualified to tithe. When will I be qualified to tithe? That is the style we are discussing.

In the early years, it wasn't like this. Ah! When believing in the Lord, you had to talk about tithing. How to talk about tithing? Do you think I look stupid? They said: Teacher, looking at your face, you are a shrewd person! I said, Of course! If I wasn't shrewd, could I do shrewd things? That's right, isn't it! Teacher, what do you want to say? A shrewd person like me, would I give my money to others? If you are a shrewd person and can give money to others, great! I tithe, do you think I'm stupid? Ah! It seems so! That's how it was said many years ago. Now people are even more shrewd than then, and we don't talk about it as much, we've upgraded.

You know, there was an old man at that time. This old man was remarkable. This old man owned many petrol stations. Do you know what a petrol station is? If you have many petrol stations, or many houses for rent, you should be a very wealthy person. You say: The car drives into the petrol station, beep! beep! beep! slap! $300 goes into the account. The petrol station just watches the car go in, beep! beep! beep! filling up with petrol. Ah! They make money when people fill up with petrol. He attended my class, and he saw that this young man seemed promising, not stupid.

He talked to me about tithing, and I was thinking. I said, My salary is a little over $1000 a month. If I deduct rent and expenses, I can probably save $300. If I tithe $200, that's two-thirds, not one-tenth, that's two-thirds, and it's like cutting off a piece of my heart, it hurts so much. A total of $300, tithing $200, leaving $100. How do you feel? Ah! This calculation nearly fried my brain, this CPU wasn't working well. Walking home from church, ah! The struggle in my heart, look at the way I calculated this.

I said: If I don't tithe this $200, and I keep this $300. I tell you, I will never become a wealthy person in my life. Isn't that the case? Ah, if I get sick in my life, wow, my $300 is gone too. My eyes are rolling around, I am calculating. I have studied The Art of War since I was little, right? Calculated strategically. Halfway there, I figured it out and decided to tithe. Why? If I don't tithe, I will always live a poor life. Who wants to live a poor life? Isn't that right? Tithing is a disadvantage? For the whole year, $2400 a year, right? Two years, $4800, take a risk, right? If it fails, $4800 is gone. Once I did this, it was extraordinary. Let me tell you, although my calculation is a bit offensive to God, God forgives me.

The reward of discipleship that I am talking about today is also the result of calculation. Tithing, after I finish tithing, I tell you, later there is more tithing. Sometimes there are tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions, I am not short of money, right? Because God gives more! So if there is no reward for discipleship, why do it? Isn't that right? Does Jesus want us to live a poor life? Jesus does not want us to live a poor life. Does Jesus want us to live a life of pain? No! Therefore, the Bible has long said, Because of Jesus' poverty, we become rich; because of Jesus' wounds, we are healed; because of Jesus' precious blood, we have peace. If you don't invest, is forsaking an investment? Yes! Without investment, where does the return come from?

So today, brothers and sisters, we don't talk about tithing as much anymore. Because you may not be qualified to tithe yet, right? Who did I learn it from? I learned it from Hermès and Chanel. Do you know Hermès and Chanel? You go in to buy, and they don't allow you to buy, right? That's not a sweet bun, it's Chanel, let me tell you, it's Chanel, right? Chanel, you have to buy enough points before you can buy what you want to buy. Ah! They just buy randomly, amazing, right?

In fact, Jesus sees a large group of people following him, and he sees if there are any members, right? Can there be a few members? This is a luxury item, this is not an ordinary thing, this is a reward, an extremely generous reward. Top luxury goods, what does carrying a bag count for? What does wearing a piece of clothing count for? All authority in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, is that a matter of bags? Can Chanel give it to you? Chanel and odorous Chanel cannot give it to you, even sweet Chanel cannot give it to you, only Jesus can give it to you. Do you understand? You say you don't forsake, how can you do it? They just make that thing, something that costs a little over a hundred dollars, and sell it for three or five thousand, normal!

There's a label on top, and you feel extraordinary when you put it on. Now that you have put on Jesus, that's even more amazing, that's a brand! Crack, engraved on your forehead, I am a disciple, take a stroll in the spiritual world. You have engraved on your forehead Disciple of Jesus Christ, wow, little ghosts run away when they see it, right? Eat! Eating is free, why? You have a brand, you are very noble, you don't pay after you finish eating. Why? I'll take a picture of you, do you see? It's very advertising to take a picture of you. Amazing! In the spiritual world, wow, it's very powerful, take it casually. Have you calculated it clearly? Can this thing work without calculation? A fool doesn't know how to calculate!

Today, I am very surprised by the brothers and sisters, you have known God but have not become disciples. You say, how can you suffer this loss? You have known God and become a servant of Jesus Christ, but you have not become a disciple. What can you do? Sometimes I am worried. Ah, I come out with my head down, a fool. Ah, why are you so foolish? Annoying! So, what I am telling you today is not a gimmick! Sometimes I say to the brothers and sisters in our church, do you want to save all your future medical expenses and offer them to God? Yes! Saving medical expenses is one thing, but we can't afford this sin! Isn't that right? Ah, I said, do you want to take all the time of your future senility and offer it to God? Yes! Who wants to live a senile life? What we need most is authority. So, you have to calculate it, right? If you are not shrewd, it will be fatal.

Some time ago, someone took the church's offerings. What kind of brain is this? Who are you messing with? You are messing with God! Oh, my god! Let's just say we are not disciples of Jesus Christ, then we are not disciples of Jesus Christ, and then we have to oppose God. Oh, this courage, this is fatty gallbladder, not fatty liver. In the church business, never be an enemy of God, never oppose God; either believe in Jesus and be a disciple, or forget it. Do you understand? There are many people with bad brains! Someone typed: Teacher, do you also know Chanel? If a person is stupid, can he be a pastor? Can it work if you are silly?

II. The Key to Living is the Curse and the Blessing

I study this deeply! The most important things in a person's life are curse and blessing. Have you heard the 101 course? Let me nag you again today. I study the Bible, what is this all about? The most important thing in a person's life is curse and blessing. Blessing and curse, that's all. If you understand these two things, your life will be extraordinary. You must know that our faith in Jesus Christ is not a faith of going to heaven after death, it is a faith of living in blessings while alive, do you all understand? Our God is the God of the living, not the God of the dead. Everyone must agree on this.

In the early years, I felt, how can a person live such a miserable life? Let me tell you, I even get my teeth stuck drinking cold water. Later, I came to the conclusion that there are many ghosts in countries by the sea, island countries. It seems that the ghosts in these places are very powerful! It's really the case. So I have to find a god! Later, I went to some places, all master-level, and I visited them. They were too lazy to pay attention to me, so I discussed some things with them, and later came to this conclusion.

Some people specifically told me: Believe well! What will happen after death? Actually, I have a confusion. I want to believe in this thing. If it cannot solve the things in life, but only suffers in life, it is not very important to us where we go after death. Do you think I am shrewd? If I can't figure things out when I'm alive, can I go clearly after death? Later, I looked for a lot more, and they were all talking about things after death, and I was not very interested. What am I interested in? That is, can I figure this thing out while I am alive? Good! When I got to the church, the God that the church was talking about was the God of the living. I said, can this fate be changed? Yes! It can definitely be changed. Ah, that's great.

Solving the problem of people living, do you all want to solve the problem of people living? If the things of the living cannot be solved, but you want to solve death, isn't that a joke? So today I give you a view I have had for many years. I, as an intellectual, like to study these things. If someone promises you something, and it can only be fulfilled after death, and nothing can be fulfilled while you are alive, don't believe in this thing. Is this thing a bit of a gimmick? If it can't be fulfilled when you're alive, can it be fulfilled after you die?

Someone typed and said that insurance is like that. That's insurance for death, not insurance for life, isn't that taking your life? So, the key to living, do you know why I study the Bible so hard? I study the Bible because I want to figure out this thing about living! When I read the Bible, God really favored me. In fact, if you read the Bible carefully, the Book of Deuteronomy has only thirty chapters, all of which are talking about people being cursed and blessed while they are alive! All of them are talking about when you are alive. What are you doing after you die? You don't need anything after you die, you go to God when you are alive.

A man was very rich, and later when I stayed at his hot spring villa, he invited me to dinner. The pastor is very good wherever he goes, someone entertains, moves his upper lip and lower lip, and it's great to say a few words. I solve people's confusion. He said: Pastor Liu, let me ask you a question. We had a pastor come here to preach before, what did he preach? That one in a thousand people goes to heaven, and nine hundred and ninety-nine people go to hell. I hope you are not one of the nine hundred and ninety-nine. That was a bit of an insult. He said, How do you see this problem? How do I see it? I have my own view. I said, Who you are like while you are alive, that's where you go when you die. If you are like a ghost while you are alive, you will go to the ghost when you die; if you are like Jesus while you are alive, you will go to Jesus when you die. Now everyone understands, right.

The Lord I believe in is about things in this life. I am not concerned with the things pastors care about, like death. Can you live like a ghost and then go to Jesus after death? Is that so? I have studied this thoroughly. If you live like a ghost, the ghost is with you. If you don't go to the ghost, where else would you go? If you live with God and are blessed, if you don't go to God, where else would you go? This explanation makes sense. After he heard it, he said he had never heard such a wise answer. I was quite satisfied too. He felt satisfied, and I felt satisfied. My research shows that investment and return, blessings and curses, are the most important things in a person's life. You must know what is cursed and what is blessed. These things can be clearly seen while you are alive.

If you look at your life today and find that it is a model of curses, change it quickly! Why? The reason is simple: you are not a disciple of Jesus Christ. Jesus gave up everything to accomplish the salvation that God wanted to accomplish for us. I ask you, Jesus gave His life, what else did He want? Thank God, sometimes when I talk about Jesus being crucified for me, tears almost come out of my eyes. Gratitude! If Jesus had not overcome for me, gaining all authority in heaven, on earth, and under the earth, how could I have overcome? Today, being able to stroll around boldly in the spiritual realm is all because Jesus gave Himself. If I don't emulate Him, who else should I emulate? The most important things in life are blessings and curses. Obey God's word and be blessed; disobey His word and be cursed. So I ask you, what about being a disciple? Isn't this God's word? Didn't Jesus say this? Since Jesus said it, what are we listening to?

I like to study blessings and curses. Sometimes I see that many people in a family have cancer, children have autism, this syndrome, that syndrome, a whole bunch of syndromes. I don't even need to think about it, the curse is too deep. Too many curses, too few blessings. When I ask, they have been believers for a long time. That's bad. How can you believe in the Lord for so long and end up in a curse? Is that so? So let's look at the scripture about returns, in Luke 18:29-30:

Truly I tell you, Jesus said to them, no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.” (Luke 18:29-30)

Ah, this is so well said. I feel fortunate to have God. God says this: receive many times as much in this age. What investment is better than this? None. What investment can yield a hundredfold? Being a disciple of Jesus Christ. Leaving for the sake of the kingdom of God, the authority you gain is that of a disciple of Jesus Christ. That is extraordinary. So, to gain this hundredfold, I thought, shouldn't there be principles to follow? There are principles to follow. I read the Bible over and over. This blessing is a hundredfold blessing. Later, I found the source: Abraham.

III. Abraham's Faith and Abraham's Blessings

How is this said?

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? Have you experienced so much for nothing? If it really was for nothing. So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. (Galatians 3:1-9)

This passage is powerful. I ask you, did Abraham receive a hundredfold? Abraham received it. Abraham was very prosperous and powerful when he was alive, not ordinary. Can everyone understand what I am saying? When Abraham was alive, the people around him thought Abraham was a mighty prince, powerful, right? Powerful. Where did the prince come from? The mighty prince of the living God. The people around Abraham saw that when he planted, the land was blessed; when he herded sheep, the sheep were blessed. That was God. This man was too divine. How did he become so divine? Because of his faith. So, what did he believe in? His faith was the faith of giving up.

Everyone must know what was so great about Abraham. One day, God told him to offer Isaac to Him. He didn't discuss it with his wife, and he took Isaac and walked for three days. Sarah didn't know what was happening at home. I tell you, if he had offered Isaac to God and burned him, and he came back with a handful of ashes, I ask you, how would he explain it to his wife? Believe it or not, Sarah would kick him under the bed. Wouldn't that be a deadly thing? Sarah would say, Hey, you didn't even discuss this with me? This is not something to be discussed!

So, to what extent did Abraham believe? He believed to the point of giving up everything. After giving up, God said, Indeed I will greatly bless you. What is this great blessing? This great blessing is what Jesus Christ later said: You are my disciple. Therefore, everything in heaven and on earth belongs to my Lord Jesus Christ. Today, being His disciple is such a blessing. What is Abraham's faith? It is the faith of giving up everything. What blessings did Abraham receive? He received the authority, power, and honor that God gave him. He became an extremely honorable person because he lived in blessing.

A person lives in blessing, and not just a small blessing, but a very, very great blessing. This life is extraordinary. But today I want to give everyone encouragement: remember how Abraham came to offer Isaac? Abraham didn't suddenly offer Isaac. At first, Abraham's faith was a small faith, then a little bigger, bit by bit, growing to the fully surrendered Abraham. He was a man who practiced faith. What is the foundation of practicing faith? The foundation of practicing faith is seeing through the matter of living.

If a person sees through the matter of living, you will know that you need God, that you need blessings. If a person doesn't see through the matter of living, then your concepts are unclear. If your concepts are unclear, you will grab money, see a doctor when you are sick. These are human things. People do this, and you do this too. There's nothing wrong with it. But that is not the path God has prepared for us. Is that so? Simple and clear. So Abraham's faith and the blessings Abraham received were extraordinary. So if you ask me who I emulate, in the Old Testament, I emulate Abraham. And don't you know, I really do have something in common with Abraham. What is the commonality? It is that after knowing God, God blessed me. I lack nothing and live well, smoothly.

I forgot to tell everyone that my salary is jumping up and up. God blessed me. I went from the smallest department position to the highest position in over ten years. The salary is definitely higher when you reach that position, right? Who did it? God's blessing did it. Why? Because I have the same faith as Abraham in me. At first, I gave 200 dollars, and later I gave myself completely. Not only did I give myself completely, but I also became a disciple of Jesus Christ. No one can stop me. Whoever stops me, I will give up. This is Abraham's faith and Abraham's blessing. This is called receiving a hundredfold in this life and eternal life in the next.

IV. Receiving a Hundredfold in This Life, Eternal Life in the Next

The reward of a disciple is receiving a hundredfold in this life and eternal life in the next. Is receiving a hundredfold in this life good? Yes, it is what we dream of. Today, you need to know, this company owes trillions, that company owes trillions. I ask you, what if an unlucky person buys an unfinished apartment and the company goes bankrupt? The building is unfinished. You still have to pay the bank loan. The money you borrowed from the bank is what you borrowed to buy the house. Borrowing money is one thing, buying a house is another. The unfinished building has nothing to do with the bank.

Everyone understand now? Such a large company, a behemoth, can't stop it either. If you bought their house, you're finished. What can you do? You cry to heaven but get no answer, you cry to earth but get no response. Can this person turn around in their life? It's very difficult. Misfortune. A few misfortunes in a person's life are enough to suffer. But today I tell you, if a person can't give up this or give up that, and doesn't become a disciple of Jesus Christ, then they become an unlucky disciple. Not a disciple, but a 'misery-ciple'. The difference between a disciple and a 'misery-ciple' is vast.

Today, if you see someone poor, someone being cheated, why? They value money too much. They are unwilling to be disciples, willing to be 'misery-ciples'. What can you do? I'll give you a suggestion: from now on, be a wise person. What kind of wise person? Know to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, receiving a hundredfold in this life and eternal life in the next. Misfortune won't befall you. Why do people often encounter misfortune? If the devil is with you, how can you not be unlucky?

Everyone must be a wise person. Do as God says and implement it. You say this is very straightforward. If you don't believe the words of Jesus in the Bible, what do you believe? You say, Oh, I believe in Jesus. I say, This is what Jesus said. You say, It's a little difficult for Jesus to say this. Is it difficult? It is not difficult. If you think it's difficult, it's because you don't believe. If you think it's easy, it's because you believe. If you are a Christian, don't be an unlucky Christian. Be a disciple. The rewards of being a disciple are extremely rich. Don't be foolish anymore!

Let's stop here today. May God bless everyone!