Introduction

Good day to everyone. This is the last session of the New Era Christian Transformation Seminar. This is my favourite topic: Heaven is full of treasures. After this session, I will finally be relieved, my burden lifted. In the past few sessions, I have shared many new concepts and made many new discoveries. This time, I have finally strung together the essence of the Chinese Mingding Doctrine. I would like to organise these points and publish a book called The Transformation of Christianity in the New Era. This generation desperately needs transformation, specifically to transform the false gospels of this age.

In the past, I observed a phenomenon in churches—many undesirable people, and many pastors who were not much better. I say this without exaggeration. Some may think I am speaking ill of the church again, but I do not blame those attending the seminar for thinking so. If you are here, you are a seeker, but what I am saying is the truth. If they can do it, I can say it; there is no contradiction. Back then, shortly after I became a believer, what I saw, though not comprehensive, was representative. I wondered if these people could go to heaven, I would have to reconsider whether I wanted to go there, even if it were not up to me. If heaven is full of such people, it would be truly perplexing.

This world is full of strife, and churches are full of strife. It seems to them that there is no difference between the church and the world; it is all about dollars, yuan, rubles, oil, and natural gas. I wonder why these people do not rob ghost money; it is sold in stores, packed in bundles, printed with dollars, each worth 100 yuan, yet no one wants it. People scatter ghost money on the road during funerals. If you see someone scattering paper money on the street, you might not even want to step on it, let alone pick it up and put it in your wallet.

People do everything to live, but does doing so really lead to a good life? With this question, I began to study, and the results surprised me. Do not think that branding yourself as a pastor with a hot iron on your forehead makes you one. My research revealed that Heaven is full of treasures. God has a divine plan in heaven to sift out the valuable people. I began to understand how to build a church this way, and I started sifting accordingly.

What Jesus did is completely different from what today's pastors do. Jesus did not particularly like pulling people into the church; instead, He often sifted people out. The church is about sifting out the treasures and then building God's glorious church together. A long time ago, an old Taiwanese pastor told me to read Ephesians, saying it was the manual for building God's glorious church. Part of this session will discuss Ephesians. Once this is clarified, it becomes the foundational teaching of the Chinese Mingding Doctrine: Heaven is full of treasures. Sift out the treasures and discard the bad. Do not bring garbage into the body of Jesus Christ, or it will become a tumour. If you allow the body of Jesus Christ to develop cancer, God will surely give you cancer; this is not a joke.

I found that building the church this way is more in line with the Bible. Following this path year after year, I have now concluded that being a pastor is particularly good. Because building the church according to God's will does not bring tumours, cancers, and garbage into the body of Jesus Christ. Later, some said building the church this way would easily fail, but not only has our church not failed, it has become better and better. Building God's glorious church according to biblical knowledge and God's will ensures that God's glory will be present.

Once, on a plane, I ran into a pastor I knew who told me he had switched to doing business. He had regarded building the church as a hardship and was now relieved to be free of it. What a glorious blessing, yet he regarded the glorious service as a hardship. I suspect he may have become a bitter gourd in the eyes of Jesus Christ. I am so joyful as a pastor because I build the church according to the principle of treasures, which is why I want to bring about a new era of change in Christianity. There are not many who build churches like me; among the pastors I know, I am the only one so far. Those other pastors drag all sorts of garbage into the church, not wanting to leave anyone out.

When I tell people that being a pastor is a very enjoyable job, some suspect I am bluffing. Actually, before the Chinese Mingding Doctrine was formulated, when I said being a pastor was good, several brothers and sisters suddenly quit their jobs to come and work at the church. Because I spoke so highly of serving God in the church, they really believed it. After speaking, seeing them all quit their jobs to follow me, my heart pounded. But now I am no longer worried. These brothers and sisters from back then have also witnessed with me the beauty of being a pastor.

Our church has invented a series of sieves because we choose only treasures. Someone said he also wanted to resign and serve. I encourage those who have this ambition to start with shepherding. Once shepherding is successful, I would be delighted for everyone to come and participate in the service. There is no problem having a few more Pauls in heaven. Heaven is not afraid of having too many Pauls; it is afraid of having too much garbage. After forming this concept, I see treasures everywhere. Seeing a treasure is like finding a treasure, winning people is like catching fish. Some pastors think building the church this way is not feasible because they do not understand the subtleties, that is, building the church should not be based on human logic.

Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. (Revelation 14:1)

When you check the Book of Revelation, it describes 144,000 people. People often ask me why so few? I tell you, that may be what God said in faith; there really are not that many treasures. We do not seek a large church, only a holy church; we do not seek a crowded church, only a united church. There are no power struggles or murky dealings in our church. It is wonderful to be a pastor this way. The church is full of God's miraculous works, working with God every day. When we receive this concept, we are particularly grateful to God when we see how other churches serve.

Once, I went to a church where the pastor and his wife were crying to me about how poor the church was. Not only that, but he also had to buy flour, meat, and vegetables and make dumplings for the members himself. One person even asked what the filling was and complained that it was terrible. This broke the pastor's heart. But the pastor was interesting; he was still not discouraged and asked what kind of filling they wanted. The person impolitely said they wanted abalone filling.

If it were me, I would definitely say, Why don't you make it for me? I am not training a bunch of freeloaders, let alone those who are so picky. This is garbage; I do not want garbage. One day, a sister came in smelling of buns, saying she had just indulged herself with a meal of Din Tai Fung buns. She had trouble explaining why she did not get me any, thinking I really needed those few buns.

Brothers and sisters, know that I am a good pastor because I choose treasures. Bringing garbage into the body of Jesus Christ and then being sad and crying means you have not read the Bible well and should go back and read it carefully. If you are a pastor and feel offended by this, perhaps I can explain the Bible to you. If you think about it carefully, you may realise that this is indeed the case. The concept of choosing treasures in heaven must be deeply ingrained in our bones. There are two types of people in this world: those who provoke God's wrath and those who please God; or those whom God created as vessels of wrath or vessels of glory; those who read God's word but do not act on it and those who read God's word and diligently obey it.

I am determined that even if I die, I will build God's glorious church according to God's word. Some people only care about offerings and do not care about God's will at all. With this concept, I can explain many phenomena, including the long-standing confusion among many Christians. I do not care about what people care about. One day, a brother asked me to quickly pray for someone who was dying so that he could be sent to heaven. I suspect many pastors have done this, leading people to make a decision prayer to go to heaven. I do not do this because I cannot send him to heaven. Actually, I do not know whether I am sending the one to the east or the one to the west. I take a detached view of life and death. I care about building God's glorious church when people are alive and bringing treasures into God's kingdom.

Some people think I am not compassionate enough, but how he lives is what God is doing in him. Over the years, I have seen one after another pass away, witnessing many tragedies. These people just want to live; they place all their hope in living, but they cannot help but die. It is difficult for them to swallow that last breath. I think what I am doing is more in line with the Bible. As for the use of saying a decision prayer before taking that last breath, I do not know.

Because of this logic, the Chinese Mingding Doctrine has come to where it is today. This is a more biblical theological system. If you believe according to this theological system and walk this path, you can become a treasure in God's eyes. If you build a church according to this theological system, you will become a treasure in God's eyes. If you live according to this system, you cannot help but see God's glory. Therefore, we have obtained a glorious Mingding Doctrine, and building a church should be done according to Ephesians.

Scripture

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 13:44-50)

Prayer

God, let us know that what You are looking for are treasures. Let us have a mind to become treasures in Your eyes before You! God, we want to emulate Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to become treasures in Your eyes! We want to emulate Jesus, emulate the Apostle Paul, to become treasures in Your eyes! God, we want to despise living and place our hope in eternal life! God, let us live our lives in Your will, trusting You, looking to You, relying on You, and running this path of eternal life. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

Scripture Background

The background of this passage is particularly wonderful. If you read from the first verse to the end of Matthew chapter 13, you will find that it is all about what kind of people God wants. It turns out that many people did not like Jesus when He came into this world, and many people did not like Him. This is very strange. Jesus was actually healing the sick and casting out demons, but many people said He was casting out demons by the prince of demons and a lot of other things. Jesus then used parables to reason with them.

The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. (Matthew 13:10-11)

Can you accept speaking this way? Since it was said, it would be good to let everyone know, but Jesus only let you know and not them. If some Christians were to read this, some would say that Jesus is too bad. Jesus is not too bad; actually, Jesus wants to choose treasures on earth. You are the treasures, and they are the garbage.

always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:7)

Are these people who are always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth you or them?

He said, “Go and tell this people: “‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull, and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” (Isaiah 6:9-10)

It turns out that this word fulfils Isaiah's prophecy. If I invented this word, people would surely hate me. But now there is scripture to verify it; this word was spoken by Jesus, spoken by Isaiah. Actually, there has never been the concept of the more the better in the gospel of Jesus Christ, but many people now like the more the better. However, Jesus was already worried at that time, saying that the later pastors and preachers would mess things up and bring garbage into the church.

This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:49-50)

Garbage goes to the incinerator, and treasures are received into heaven. If this concept is not established, pastors cannot do their job. You rarely see me doing it, and I will not allow our pastors to do this, that is, when someone wants to leave, we will never humbly persuade them to stay; we have never done that. Even if someone wants to leave, I will not bring a bunch of pastors and co-workers to visit your home, sitting there being annoying. Because the gospel we preach is the gospel of finding treasures; if people want to leave, let them go.

Brethren, do not harbour such anxieties, you need not inform me before leaving. You may leave quietly on your own accord, and I may not even read the messages you send; even if I do see them, it is after you have left, and I can break out the champagne to celebrate. If you find these words harsh, we need not open the champagne. If you wish to celebrate with champagne, then I shall dedicate a song to you: Go forth boldly, sister, go forth! You take the high road, and I shall take the low road.

So, brothers and sisters, you must gradually understand that I do not wish to cheapen this noble office. The moment some sisters show signs of visiting us, their pastors and elders are already visiting them at their homes. When these pastors and elders are needed in ordinary times, they are nowhere to be found. But the moment someone wants to leave, they all appear. Is this not degrading? Some pastors will undoubtedly be uncomfortable after hearing this, but what I speak is the word of God. Never have I seen Jesus plead with anyone not to leave; if they want to go, let them go quickly. That is how Jesus did things. For example, Jesus fed five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish, and everyone was waiting for the next distribution of bread, but there was no next distribution. This is what Jesus said:

For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. (John 6:55-57)

Can Jesus' blood and flesh be eaten as food? Jesus is not Tang Sanzang. The people below left after hearing these words.

Jesus asked the Twelve, “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. (John 6:67-68)

What I am saying, Jesus had already told us, but we did not understand it when building the church back then. We tried to promote what we called happiness groups, but they were not very happy. After the happiness groups ended, the pastors and the people below were not happy. No one was lacking in food. In the past, I used roasted chicken, roasted duck, ham, and braised beef to spread the gospel, attracting a crowd of flies and mosquitoes. Jesus had already told us how to build the church and how to emulate Him, but people did not believe it. Even today, people still particularly like having many people in the church. In fact, the Book of Revelation says that there will only be one hundred and forty-four thousand people in the end, but I must tell everyone that the number of one hundred and forty-four thousand is spoken by faith. After searching and searching, there are not that many.

Our Chinese Mingding Doctrine is searching for treasures around the world. Since Jesus sifts, so do we. How Jesus does things is how we do things. This subverts traditional concepts and is definitely a transformation. If we look at it according to the principle of treasures, we have finally sifted out these people. Some preachers from other churches say that even the prayers of our small, obscure pastors are effective, while the prayers of their great pastors are not. Therefore, those who remain among us are treasures.

Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. (Matthew 13:24-26)

The background of this passage speaks of the parable of the sower and the parable of the weeds and the wheat. Many people think that the weeds and the wheat grow together in the church, but they are mistaken. Because the field is the world, not the church. The good seed is the children of the kingdom, and the weeds are the children of the evil one. It is true that we all live in this world, but the church is not the world, and the world is not the church. The church is the body of Jesus Christ. The wheat and the weeds do not grow together in the church, but they grow together in this world.

The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. (Matthew 13:38-40)

At the end of the world, the weeds and the wheat will be bundled together separately. Then the weeds will be thrown into the lake of fire to be burned, because they are trash, while the treasures will be gathered into the kingdom of God. This is a very important concept in our Chinese Mingding Doctrine. It would be good if people grasped this concept.

God Chooses Treasures

Previously, we spoke of God's plan in eternity as election. Here, too, there is election. A net is cast, and the good ones are selected into the vessels. God does not put any trash into the vessels. We must know that God chooses treasures. Some people wonder how to know if they are treasures in God's eyes. Now, I am telling you what kind of people God chooses, and we must strive to be the kind of people that God chooses. Once this concept is established, it will be easy. It is not just that I have made a decision to believe in the Lord and have received grace and salvation. Who says that those who have received grace and salvation are treasures? Treasures have the requirements of treasures. God chose us before the foundation of the world, predestining us to be holy and blameless in His sight, and to receive the title of sons through Jesus Christ. God's election is not your work, but you must know how God elects and what kind of people God considers to be treasures.

Later, I understood that God's election of treasures is God's plan. God did a very great thing. When creating Adam and Eve, He knew that they would eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God knew this and still created them because He wanted to choose treasures. Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Until the time of Abraham, God chose Abraham. Later, He chose Isaac, and then He chose Jacob. These are all treasures.

Esau and Jacob were twins with the same father and mother, but God chose Jacob and rejected Esau because Jacob was a treasure. The reason why Jacob is said to be a treasure is because he had faith. Although he was the younger son, he believed that he would receive the birthright. Anyone who has such faith can make the impossible possible. In a person of faith, there are no such words as impossible. If you are a person without faith, then you are a tragedy.

Everyone, reconsider and contemplate. If we do not have faith within us, then there is trouble. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph were all people of faith. Moreover, Joseph's faith was greater than Jacob's faith, Jacob's faith was greater than Isaac's faith, and Isaac's faith was greater than Abraham's faith. God's arrangement is wonderful. The entire plan of God is to pick out the treasures and discard the trash. So, who will do all this work? Some time ago, I said that the devil helped me build the church, because God arranged for Old Ma to collect the trash. Immediately after I said that, someone gave me a label, saying that I was working together with the devil to build the church. I am working together with God to build the church, and the devil's job is to collect the trash. This is also part of God's great plan.

God's greatness lies in this: whether it is the devil or the angels, they are all servants. The devil is a fallen angel, and both fallen and unfallen angels are servants, so that God's great plan may be accomplished. Let us not mess up this logic. God makes all things beautiful in its time. The devil has the devil's position. The devil's first job is to collect the trash, and the second is to be our sparring partner. He is a good sparring partner. Some people just do not know God's eternal plan, so they cannot move forward.

Characteristic 1 of Treasures: Bearing Fruit

Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:18-23)

God sows seeds, not that He does not sow them in you, but that after sowing, the seeds fall into your heart and also into my heart. But those who fall on good soil bear fruit a hundredfold, sixtyfold, and thirtyfold. There are also those who do not bear fruit for one reason or another. For example, some people have demons in their bellies, and the seeds sown in their hearts are snatched away by the demons, eaten by the demons. Some people are sown on rocky ground, and they receive it with joy when they hear it, but because they have no roots in their hearts, their reception is only temporary. As soon as they suffer a little trouble and persecution, they immediately fall away. There are also those who hear the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. Those who hear the word of God bear fruit, thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and a hundredfold. This is a characteristic of treasures, because you are a good piece of land. If a person studies often but cannot understand the truth for a long time, then that is trash. If a person is unfruitful, there will be no such person in the kingdom of heaven.

The word of God is alive, and people will surely bear fruit because of the word of God. A good tree bears good fruit, and a bad tree bears bad fruit. There are seeds sown by God, and there are seeds sown by the devil. Even today, including our full-time co-workers, you must ask yourselves what you are filling yourselves with, things of this life or things of eternal life? Is everything for the sake of your living? Are the fruits you bear from the word of God, or from the seeds sown by the devil?

If a person has the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth, you cannot bear good fruit, and in the end you will be thrown into the lake of fire to be burned as trash. Do not think that God is Santa Claus. God does have abundant grace and mercy, but it is for those who are God's people, for those who are called you, not for them. If you think that God is Santa Claus, who does not distinguish between good and bad, who does not discern good and evil, and insists that although you are very bad, He will still take you to the kingdom of heaven, then if you go there, many people will not want to go.

Characteristic 2 of Treasures: Seeking

Our church is constantly promoting learning, but unfortunately, some people are faking it in their studies. They do not have a heart of exploration and seeking. The Chinese Mingding Doctrine values learning because learning must be with a heart of seeking. I founded the Chinese Mingding Doctrine because I was seeking. In the past few years, I saw many confusions in the church, so I kept seeking in the Bible, and God kept revealing things to me. How God revealed things to the Apostle Paul is how He revealed things to me. My understanding did not come from people, nor was it taught to me by some master, but it came from seeking. Therefore, God sits on His throne, looking for those who seek and those who understand. Those who do not seek and do not understand all become useless, and they are all trash.

The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. (Matthew 13:10-11)

Here, speaking in parables immediately sifts out those who seek and sifts out those who do not seek. Those who seek are you, and those who do not seek, after hearing, think that it is all nonsense, that this pastor is just talking bad about other preachers. They think that what those pastors say is right. Actually, your feelings are not important. What is important is whether you are the one who seeks. If you examine and find out that something I said is wrong, tell me, and I will definitely correct it. I do not want to talk nonsense, but it is possible that I may inadvertently talk nonsense. I just want to tell everyone that you must, in any case, be a person who seeks; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. This is God's will.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)

If a person is self-righteous and does not care after hearing what Jesus said, you will not care about what I say either. Since you do not care about what Jesus said, I do not care about you either. Brothers and sisters, you must know that what Jesus said is only given to you to know, not to them. That is to say, you must seek. If you happen to fall into the group of them, and now after hearing my sharing, the thought that arises is: No, I must seek, I must ask the Lord Jesus what this parable means, then you have obtained it.

Actually, seeking and not seeking is just this issue. You stubbornly follow Jesus, constantly asking Jesus what the parable means. What is the meaning of soil on rocky ground? What is the meaning of sprouting the fastest, but withering because it has no roots when the sun comes out? What is the meaning of among the thorns, the thorns grow up and choke the seedling? What does it mean to fall on good soil and bear fruit, thirtyfold, sixtyfold, a hundredfold? He who has ears, let him hear. What is this talking about? Lord! I do not understand, I am rather foolish, please explain it again. Being foolish is not a problem, the problem is not seeking. Once you seek, the Lord Jesus will patiently explain this to you. So, the kingdom of heaven is all about seeking, because God is looking for treasures, deliberately making you a person who seeks. Once you seek, you become a treasure. God is really testing people, just testing who is a treasure.

The Chinese Mingding Doctrine previously had a sieve, and will continue to invent many more sieves and tools, all entering automated screening processes to sift out the treasures. We have a massive amount of Chinese Mingding Doctrine learning materials, available for anyone to listen to, more than one could finish in three to five years. But if you are truly a seeker, I know you are exploring. I have data, a radar screen, and when I discover a treasure, I quickly retrieve it.

One person used two bamboo poles in a V-shape to sort apples by size. Starting from the smaller end, apples are placed on the poles and roll downwards. Small apples fall into the baskets at the narrow opening, while larger apples continue rolling to the wider sections. The largest apples roll to the very end before dropping. The inventor of this tool is quite clever, effortlessly sorting apples with just two simple poles. Of course, the prices for large and small apples will differ.

Do not find it strange that writing notes, doing exercises, and engaging in ministry are all ways to see if you are a treasure. We pastors focus on treasures, speaking plainly to treasures and using parables for those who are not. It does not matter if those who are not treasures understand vaguely, as there is plenty of material on the website to watch and listen to.

God is selecting treasures; this path to eternal life is sought after. You should seek a result, the meaning of life. If you think life in this world is meaningful, that is problematic. God sees this world as meaningless, and if you find it meaningful, you are not a treasure in God's eyes. Keep exploring and seeking until you find Jesus Christ to be your greatest treasure, and Jesus will consider you a treasure. Someone who values Jesus Christ above all else will see everything else as rubbish. If you see worldly things as treasures and Jesus Christ as rubbish, then you are rubbish in Jesus' sight. This logic is straightforward.

We seek the hope of eternal life; we have no hope in this world. If you think there is still hope, then cherish it. While you are still alive, buy a burial plot and prepare an urn, just in case no one cares for you after you die. Some people are great, scattering their ashes in rivers or the sea after cremation. Many Christians do not even have this resolve, not even matching the dedication of proletarian revolutionaries. Brothers and sisters, know that life is vanity of vanities. If you do not seek glory in eternity but are instead choked by the deceitfulness of wealth and worldly anxieties, you will not bear fruit.

Treasure Trait 3: Hope of Eternal Life

In my past ministry, I have noticed some people's eyes light up when eternal life is mentioned. However, when I mention eternal life to others, their eyes glaze over. Their hope is in raising children, having one after another. While there is nothing wrong with that, what is their ultimate hope? People live in this world buying and selling, marrying and being given in marriage, farming and building; they are just living, with all their hopes ultimately placed in this world. Brothers and sisters, if we Christians only have hope in this life, we are more pitiable than the rest of humanity. Let me tell you a story about a man named Lazarus who was sick and near death. They sent for Jesus, but Jesus deliberately delayed.

Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped his feet with her hair, and it was her brother Lazarus who was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. (John 11:1-6)

After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died. (John 11:11-14)

These people were preoccupied with Lazarus's death, certain that if Jesus had been there, Lazarus would not have died. Jesus thought: How foolish, does being here prevent Lazarus from dying? Even if he lives today, he will eventually die. Has anyone seen Lazarus now? In reality, Lazarus was unfortunate, becoming a prop in Jesus' hands, dying and living again, dying twice over. The first time from sickness, the second time we do not know, and dying is not easy.

Jesus wept at their reaction. Why did Jesus cry? Jesus wept because they did not understand, placing all their hope in this life. Lazarus's death was a good thing, but they acted as if they had lost a father, mother, wife, and son, filled with bewilderment about death. So while you are still alive, I will pour cold water on you: do not have hope in this life. Having hope in this life makes one foolish about death.

Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:21)

Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:32)

After Lazarus died, his sisters Martha and Mary were grief-stricken. However, Lazarus may not have wanted to return after Jesus called him back.

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. (John 11:33-35)

Lazarus did not want to return, so Jesus was hesitant to use Lazarus as a prop in calling him back. Jesus wept deeply, seeing that these people only had hope in this life, and thinking that Lazarus would have to die twice. Lazarus had no choice but to return when the Lord called him.

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. (John 6:63)

When Lazarus came out, you would see the glory of God if you believed. But I see many who dislike dying, and I have seen many pass away on camera, feeling sorrow in my heart. If I speak too bluntly, saying that dying is good, people cannot accept it, but I truly believe it. So sometimes I am stuck, wondering why people are so unwilling to die. You may wonder why the teacher is cursing people to die. How wonderful it is to rest from worldly labor, but those who have suffered many sins in this world still want to live, clinging to the false logic that it is better to live badly than to die.

Start despising this life now, and if you do, you are a treasure. Through Lazarus, Jesus showed God's glory, teaching people that there is eternal life; those who believe in the Lord will never die, and those who have died will be resurrected. Our hope is in eternity, not in clinging to this life, which is a tragedy. This is a conflict between two kingdoms: the eternal kingdom and the kingdom of this life. Living in the kingdom of this life is vanity of vanities, without meaning.

We look up and see our children, our grandchildren, and our great-grandchildren, finding reasons to live. We see young mothers, grandparents, and great-grandparents, filled with concerns that make us unwilling to die. Seeing those who do not want to die brings tears to my eyes. Grandfathers do not want to die, and those with grandfathers do not want them to die. Let us break this mindset. If you have hope in this life, you are more pitiable than the rest of humanity.

Do you want to be a treasure in Jesus's eyes? Why are we willing to forsake everything in this life? It is to pursue the surpassing glory of eternity. Though I have not yet seen that glory, I believe, and because of my belief, miracles and wonders have followed me to this day. Many people send messages to the assistant on the website about worldly matters, worshipping me like a master. I do not really want to be that master, and I am deeply moved by it, even wanting to cry sometimes.

I long for brothers and sisters to understand that living in this world is vanity of vanities, sighing and laboring in the flesh, hoping to obtain the glory of eternity. If you listen to me and think it sounds good, you will live well by not wanting to live. From now on, stop hoping in this life. I have seen many people pass away peacefully, falling asleep. Others come out of the toilet, lie down on the bed, and die before they can catch their breath, how blessed. I realize that these people had no fear of death because they lived in eternity, without any concerns of clinging to life, making death peaceful.

To live out God's glory, you must forsake the hope of this life and embrace the hope of eternal life. You must realize that some things cannot be stopped, so departing from the body, leaving this world to be with the Lord, is truly far better. A preacher friend ministers a gospel that does not want people to die, but can there be Dao? He does not want to die and still has many hopes in this world, dying with regrets. He ended up in the ICU, intubated with artificial lungs, heart, kidneys, and liver. Why not an artificial brain? This is suffering.

Brothers and sisters, listen to my advice: despise living in this life. If you start despising living in this life, you will not fuss over salary increases or bonuses at work. Some people claim they are afraid of not going to heaven if they die. People like that are sure not to go to heaven, doing petty thefts while alive.

How to Become a Treasure in God's Eyes

How to become a treasure in God's eyes? We can emulate Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: when your perspective aligns with God's, you will live joyfully in this world. Be a joyful preacher, a joyful Christian, a person after God's own heart. Then you will despise everything and no longer need to be a hypocrite. God's Word will take root in us and bear fruit thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold; then you will not be poor, have many illnesses, or suffer many sins. Even if you suffer, it will be for God's Word, which is glorious. This is how to become a treasure in God's eyes. Finally, God will help you along this path, and the Spirit of God will manifest immense power on your life. The power that resurrected Jesus Christ from the dead will descend upon you, and you will live out the glorious image of Jesus Christ.

When did you ever see Jesus Christ clinging to life and fearing death? Never! Those who trust in Jesus Christ will never cling to life and fear death. Whether you are afraid of not going to heaven or being unable to escape hell, lingering over this life is futile. Without giving it a second thought, you are definitely not a treasure, for you have no faith. We believe in God's Word, for it is the Word from God's mouth that gives life. It is not about whether you want to or not, but let God's Word replace our own concepts about living. It is difficult not to live out God's glory.

Conclusion

Being a treasure in God's eyes is a choice you and I can make. If God has not chosen me, I will sharpen my head and try to get God to pick me. God delights in those who resolves to be the kind of person that He loves. Even if God has not called me, I am willing to lay down my life to serve God, for this pleases God. The people whom God calls are all like this, for those not chosen, there is no way to verify this. But we should be the people God loves, in absolute belief. Never place your hope in this life, even if you say you want to grow for the sake of this life, growth is a byproduct. If you pursue the glory of eternity, you will definitely grow, for the Spirit of God will do marvelous works in you, carving you into the image of Jesus Christ, with your mind and thoughts filled with God's Word.

Regardless of God's plan or the will of the churches, you and I must make a decision to be the treasures that God desires. There are many vessels in wealthy homes, and you can decide to be honorable or ignoble vessels. So let the Holy Spirit work in us, may God continue to carve us, dealing with the evil habits within us, so that we can live out God's glorious image, allowing the salvation achieved by Jesus Christ on the cross to be fulfilled in us. May God obtain us, and may we obtain Him, becoming one in Jesus Christ. The angels in heaven will rejoice, for there will be a movement on earth, a movement like Jesus. Every Christian longs to be like Jesus, to be united with Jesus, to be a treasure in God's eyes. This is the transformation of Christianity in the new era. Amen!

God bless everyone!