Where You Spend Your Time Determines What You Love

If you spend your time worshipping God and keeping the Sabbath, that is love for God. You cannot keep the Sabbath by relying on the law. Why does God see the Sabbath as so important? It determines whether you love God or the world. Those who love God will certainly keep the Sabbath. Some people feel that believing in God is tiring and hard because there is no love for God in their hearts, and they will feel that serving God is a burden.

Some people play mahjong all night and don't feel tired, but serving God makes them tired. Asking them to serve until one or two in the morning makes them feel very hard. Where a person spends his time determines what he loves. Worshiping God and serving God is because of love for God! Therefore, it is important to uphold God's covenant, because God is a faithful God, and all good things are in His covenant.

Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. (Isaiah 56:1-2)

The Bible says very clearly that you are blessed if you keep the Sabbath. But people do not know that this is a blessing, and they do not know that God knows that they love Him. But God will prepare for those who love Him what their eyes have not seen, their ears have not heard, and their hearts have not imagined.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, you must begin to learn one thing, which is to love God. In our church, there is a very precious thing called shepherding. I give you a new person to shepherd, and give him a new person to shepherd. Why do we need shepherding? Shepherding is like feeding a person spiritual food, and you feed him until he grows up. Is it hard work? It is hard work! How can it not be hard work to raise a child? You have to worry about all his affairs, and sometimes he may not appreciate it. But I tell you, the reward of shepherding is very worthwhile!

Our church has a clear and complete shepherding system, which is to enable the sheep to grow. We do shepherding not for any other reason, but because we want to share God's love. If you love God and are willing to share God's love, the fruit of your shepherding will definitely grow.

I often say to the leaders in charge of shepherding among us: Encourage your group leaders and small parents to spend time on shepherding, which will determine the state of your own life growth. It is difficult to be blessed if you are not successful in shepherding. So everyone must learn to love God, and God knows. So how can we love God? After Jesus resurrected, He met Peter and had this conversation with him:

So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. (John 21:15-17)

The Lord Jesus asked Peter three times, which means that loving God and shepherding God's flock are closely related. I should be qualified to boldly boast a little, our church's shepherding system all started from me. I know that God gave me a command: Do you love God? I said I love you. This is a command that God gave me, not just to Peter.

Shepherd my sheep! The word shepherd caused me a lot of confusion. I searched the entire Bible and could not find what shepherding is, so I knelt down and prayed. I said: God! What is shepherding? God said: Build their faith. I seized this key and began to constantly build the faith of the brothers and sisters in the church.

No matter how big a problem or what kind of situation you come to me with, my way of shepherding you is one way - build your faith in God! You may be facing a very desperate situation. I preach the word of God to you, so that the word of God enters your heart and becomes your faith, and you change.

Once, a young man had pain in both eyes, and his pupils were dilated. He was a little unwell and came to me. I was quite scared when I saw it. I said this is really going to kill someone. My approach was: build his faith, lead him to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and this person's life was changed. He left happily!

Brothers and sisters, you must know that you must shepherd God's flock. Spending time shepherding God's flock is the key to loving God. Why do we keep talking about the Sabbath? In fact, the Sabbath is a very, very low requirement. In the Old Testament, you worked from Monday to Saturday, and Sunday was the Sabbath. Then can you take it out to worship God? This is only the Old Testament. The New Testament is seven times twenty-four, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all given to God. How much time are you willing to spend serving God and shepherding God's flock will determine your love. You will definitely not suffer a loss if you love God! God knows that you love Him, and He will surely give you very great grace.

In the Old Testament, Isaiah chapter 56, why does it keep talking about how God will treat those who keep the Sabbath without profaning it in verse 2, verse 4, and verse 6? What does this matter illustrate? That is, even the matter of the Sabbath, people are not willing to take it out to worship God and serve God.

Brothers and sisters, we are living in the New Testament today. It is not a question of one Sabbath, but a question of seven times twenty-four. Are we willing to live for God and offer ourselves as a living sacrifice? You must know that spending time on eating, drinking, and having fun is actually not cost-effective. Many people are ignorant and spend their time on these things, instead of shepherding God's flock, and as a result, they will be devoured by wild beasts, which is in verse 9. We see that many, many churches are in desolation because there is no shepherding.

For a while, I met a paralyzed person. I said, how did you become paralyzed? Lumbar disc herniation, completely unable to move. This person was in the local church. I said: Where is your pastor? He said his pastor is very busy! He was quite understanding of his pastor. But I felt very surprised. I said: Aren't you the only one who is paralyzed? I pray that you can get up and walk. This is shepherding, passing on God's love. Later, after I prayed for three hours, he was able to get up and walk.

But he did not change his bad habits, and still thought that his pastor was better than me. I said: Why? I can make you get up and walk. If your pastor is better than me, then why doesn't your pastor even come to visit you? He said: Our pastor speaks more gently than you. I speak unpleasantly, but I can make people get up and walk, and let people receive shepherding and grace. So which is better?

Where is your time spent? Today, everyone, make a table this coming week, and calculate where you spend your time? Today, don't everyone think that I am encouraging you to work hard. It seems like I am encouraging you to work hard desperately. I never encourage that. Working hard desperately is a very stupid behavior. If you spend all your time on that, there is no benefit. Working hard is to improve your ability and improve your work efficiency, to be truly effective, not to engage in fatigue tactics.

Willing to Spend Time on Shepherding

Many people are unwilling to spend time on shepherding, serving God, and serving this generation. Can this way of life stop your diseases? Can it stop the demons of disease? It cannot stop them. I am very clear about my own answer. I want to rely on God to resist the demons of disease, so I learn to love God. Do you think I am stupid? I am not stupid. I am much smarter than ordinary people. I know that loving God is the thing that brings the greatest benefit.

If investing in real estate still has a return, wouldn't the return be even greater if you invest in loving God? Because real estate cannot determine whether you will be paralyzed in bed when you are old. I have asked many people, if you are paralyzed in bed when you are old, don't say ten or eight years, even a year and a half will be enough for you to suffer. What will you do? Some people say that it is impossible for me to encounter this situation. Then how do you know it is impossible? No one knows the answer.

I often ask my generation, how many children do you have? One child. I said my parents have five children. We were very busy when they were in the hospital, giving money and labor, and still suffered a lot of sins and were very hard.

You only have one child. There is no answer. We, the post-60s and post-70s generation, are all only children. Everyone only has one child. He has the heart but not the strength. Do you want to rely on him? So are you still feasting today?

Let's think about whether you are willing to make a decision before God: God, I love you! You are the answer to all my problems. Then say I want to save the time I spend in bed, and keep your Sabbath, statutes, and commandments. I want to invest my time in loving God and raising God's flock. Are you willing to do such a thing? Have you ever asked what blessings are all about?

Many people do not keep the Sabbath, but today I challenge everyone. I am in IT. If the campus network that I am responsible for dies, it will really affect more than 1,500 students. That pressure is huge, and the computer network cannot die. If it dies, your phone will keep ringing. But I have never delayed a Sunday in my life for more than 20 years. I know very well what I am doing. I am alive because of God. I can live because God can make me live.

This logic is very simple. What are people living for after all? I really need blessings and I am not stupid at all. But many people do not know that they need blessings, and they do not know where the blessings are. But our brothers and sisters do not take medicine, and serve until late at night every day, and there is no problem. They cannot die even if they want to. Today I really tell you, I am also such a person. Every time I go back to Mudanjiang, I don’t know if it is because of the cold weather or what, but every morning when I get up, a lot of blood clots come out of my nasal cavity. Do you see a look of fear on my face? No, I don’t care.

Because I know that I love God, but if you don’t love God, and you encounter the same situation as me, you will say: Oh! My nasopharyngeal carcinoma has relapsed. What relapse? What are you talking about? There is no such concept as relapse. Is it? What's the problem? There is no problem. I can't wait to leave the world soon. You ask me, what’s wrong with you? Are you sick? I said I’m not sick. Today, brothers and sisters, you must know that I am very clear-headed. I am always prepared to be called back by God.

It's like taking a plane to go home, how good! Because it is really hard in the world. In fact, Paul served very tired. He was also very tired and hard, and he longed to be with the Lord. It's just that he was troubled in his heart, because he still had a lot of services to do. I am the same, so today, our brothers and sisters, you must know that the kingdom of God is near, God's righteousness has been revealed, and God has manifested the mighty arm of God among us.

If you still do not keep the Sabbath or do not offer yourselves completely as a living sacrifice to live for God according to the requirements of the New Testament Bible when you see this in our midst, how foolish is it? Is it? Brothers and sisters, do you think I am stupid? I am not stupid, so brothers and sisters, you must know for sure today that you must make a choice to live for God.

No Matter Who You Are, God Treats You the Same

Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; (Isaiah 56:3-6)

No matter who you are, in the Old Testament, it is an older covenant than the Old Testament, which was written by Moses. Isaiah was hundreds of years after Moses. What did Moses say? Eunuchs, that is, those who are injured in the outer kidneys, that is, those who are castrated, cannot enter the assembly of the Lord. Do you understand? Because that is a curse, a shame.

So in Isaiah, the Israelites constantly rebelled and constantly chose to rebel. In fact, God had already seen it clearly and told us that no matter who you are, as long as you choose to love God, God will treat you the same way. Even if you are a eunuch, God will make those who have no children have more possessions than those who have children. God does not care who you are. We must serve God and love the name of the Lord. This is the purpose of our life.

Today I want to tell everyone for sure that we must know that those who live are no longer ourselves, but Jesus Christ lives in us. How wonderful is this! We are his servants. We were born for this and live in this world for this. What does work count for? What does the boss count for? We are the honorable children of the eternal God. We are not dogs. Therefore, God said: I will lead them to my holy mountain.

God Will Surely Lead Us to His Holy Mountain

I tell you, God will surely lead us to ascend His holy mountain, to make us joyful in His house of prayer, and then our sacrifices will be accepted on His altar, for God's house will be a house of prayer for all nations. I tell you, what grace is this! Ascending the mountain of the Lord, entering the house of the God of Jacob, that is the most marvelous path in a person's life.

You must begin to know that God wants to lead us to His holy mountain. What is the foundation of that holy mountain? Actually, neither the New Testament nor the Old Testament describes it in detail, but in these end times, in 1998, there was an American pastor named Rick Joyner. He wrote a book called The Final Quest. The Final Quest described a mountain called the Mountain of the Lord, with the house of the God of Jacob at the summit. Then he turned back to run, and then climbed upwards again from the beginning.

Along the way, he experienced many, many marvelous things. You must know why God is among us today, and why He is not in those churches. Perhaps there are some churches like ours where God listens to our prayers, and our prayers are answered to a great extent, because the sacrifices we offer have been accepted by God.

Everyone must know that on the Mountain of the Lord, in the house of the God of Jacob, we must know that the sacrifices we offer will be accepted. Brothers and sisters, I am an engineer, and I have a habit. My habit is that if the result I produce is different from the intended result, I know I have done something wrong.

Today, brothers and sisters must know one thing for sure. The problem is that many prayers are not answered. For example, if a person prays for healing from an illness but is only healed after they die, isn't that just a show? It's useless. I never have, but sometimes I speak a bit harshly. A pastor wants to rest, and I say, You will have plenty of time to rest when you are lying in a coffin. You will have plenty of time to rest in the future. Now you need to serve God.

You know, the mountain that Rick Joyner described is so good! Because there is joy in God's house of prayer. Today I tell brothers and sisters why do people accumulate wealth? They accumulate wealth because they actually think that this will bring them joy.

You know, when I was little, 10 yuan was a lot of money. If I found 10 yuan on the street, I would be very happy. It would be strange not to be happy. This gives us the illusion that money can solve some problems, and that the more money we have, the more joy we will have. But when you have 100 million, the feeling that money brings you is no longer joy. It has already become ineffective. Not to mention 100 million, even a million has become somewhat ineffective for me.

Later, I felt that becoming joyful in God's house of prayer, and having prayers answered on God's altar, that is the best thing in the world. I tell you, that is the most important, most important, most important grace in life.

Remember the question I asked you earlier? People born in the 1960s have only one child. You born in the 1980s and 1990s may not even know if you will have children, maybe none at all. But there are more people without children than with children. What is the problem? The problem is that these diseases, illnesses, poverty, what do you use to resist the disasters of this world? There is no way. But I tell you, there is a way. If your prayers are answered before God, that is a very beautiful thing. God will definitely not let you live in that kind of state. I do not believe that my God loves me so much that He would still make me poor and destitute, or fill me with tubes, or make me live a life that is neither dead nor alive, paralyzed in bed for many years. I do not believe in such things. Today we must know, ascend the mountain of the Lord, enter the house of the God of Jacob.

In October 2015, I began to decide to lead the brothers and sisters of the church to ascend the mountain of the Lord, to enter the house of the God of Jacob. Before, I was wandering around at the foot of the mountain, and I was badly beaten by the devil, really badly. My God! It was really terrible. The swords that shot into my back made me look like a hedgehog.

Later I discovered that we started fighting the dragon from that time on. You know, who can fight the dragon? You can only face the dragon when you reach the championship finals. Ordinary people can't face it. It sends a few little devils to take care of you. Do you still think you can fight the dragon? In June 2016, we began to completely strike at the spirit of the dragon. I gave a sermon called The Spirit of the Dragon is Thrown Down from Heaven. Fighting the dragon, never heard of it. We were so excited that day.

Later, a sister who came to our church from a long distance away said that she was a prophet. She talked to that prophet for a few words, and that prophet told her, Wow! This is a church that fights dragons. He didn't even know what we were doing. God is so amazing. You must know that you can only strike at the power of the devil and darkness, strike at the dragon, when you ascend the mountain of the Lord to a certain height, because I tell you that the matter of knowing good and evil is very important. Knowing good and evil is the dragon's base.

Why has our church come to where it is today? Because we have established a praying church. If you go to a church where there is not much prayer, like the ones I used to establish, basically their prayers are not answered.

When I first established the church, from 2008 to 2010, my father was lying in the hospital with just a little cold, and I was helpless. Today, that is just a minor thing, very easy to deal with. What a regretful thing! At that time, I had no ability at all.

Because I didn't pray, the church was all about eating, drinking, and having fun. At that time, I was that kind of shepherd. All the beasts of the field came to devour. I was the kind of shepherd who was devoured. But I will change. I began to repent, which is to kneel before God and pray. In 2010, I began to build a praying church, a church of prayer warfare. So today, many mental patients are healed in our church, the captives are released, and the oppressed are set free. I am really grateful to God that ascending the mountain of the Lord, entering the house of the God of Jacob, this is a wonderful way to build a church.

Because God's house is a house of prayer, this house is not a house of trade, no trading, just determined prayer. Thank God, today we have prayer meetings every day. You say that at that time, our church had a prayer meeting once a week. A pastor said, Wow! You are so good! Why? Our church only has a prayer meeting once a month, and less than 10% of the people attend, just a few stars. I used to be so proud of that. Who knew that, as time went by, now we have morning prayer every day, we have prayer in the morning, prayer at noon, and service every day.

I tell you, this is a wonderful path, it's so wonderful, because God has done wonderful things among us, and our prayers are answered before God. Do you like this?

My mother said in the group a few days ago, Pastor, pray for me! I said, What's wrong? She said, This problem, that problem. She already had those problems, but because God's power is on her, I prayed for her, and she was all better in a few minutes. I was also very shocked! It's much better than a doctor, and she suffers much less!

Building a Church of Prayer for All Nations

The Sovereign Lord declares— he who gathers the exiles of Israel: “I will gather still others to him besides those who are gathered.” (Isaiah 56:8)

You must know God's will for us. We have built a house of prayer for all nations, a praying church. What will happen? God will continue to add to it. And besides those who are gathered, He will gather still others to us.

Because this is a church that ascends the mountain of the Lord, enters the house of the God of Jacob. This is the church in God's heart. I am very sure this is God's will. If this is God's will, even if you don't believe what I say, you can still choose to believe what I do with my hands. What I do with my hands amazes even myself.

Today I boldly declare that those among us who are in financial difficulties and distress, God will bless you. In 1 Samuel chapter 3, when Samuel grew up, God did not let any of his words fail.

I believe that my English name is also Samuel. If God does not let any of my words fail, I tell you that is a great grace. God will continue to add to us, adding to us those who are gathered and those who are not gathered.

Once, the vision I saw in prayer shocked me. I knew in the spirit that those were Christians, all chained up, like being captured by the Japanese devils and bound. I said, God, why is this? God told me that these are sheep without a shepherd, and as a result, they are captured by the devil and live miserably.

Because in me, there is a traditional concept, which is, God, are you not in control? You must know that God is still in control. But these people go their own way. These shepherds cannot understand that everyone goes their own way, all seeking their own interests, and as a result, the beasts of the field, which are the devils, come to devour them, and the beasts of the forest will also do so. Do you understand?

The watchmen are without knowledge. They are all mute dogs, unable to bark! Lying down, loving to sleep, where do they have time to shepherd? So today, brothers and sisters, can you come out of confusion? You must know that these people are exactly those Christians described by Rick Joyner in The Final Quest who are there celebrating with joy and happiness, eating, drinking, and having fun. They think nothing is happening, but the devil snatches them all away. Today, brothers and sisters, you must know for sure that shepherds who go their own way are devoured.

Living Just to Live Leads to Greed

A person wants to live a little better. What does it mean to live a little better? Many people actually think that more feasting is living a little better, and more enjoyment is living a little better. But today I tell you that more loving God is living a little better, more shepherding is living a little better, and more people being blessed in your hands, that is living a little better.

If people live with greed, then they will die. So what does it matter? Because that is my mother's property, because she does things for me, is it meaningless? But if I am a greedy person, it's all mine, what's the point? Brothers and sisters look at each other like enemies. So I tell you, the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. One of our brothers said that we must not be greedy, because his uncle was greedy for his grandmother's house, and he soon died of cancer.

Today I tell you, you must know for sure that greedy people are never satisfied. These shepherds cannot understand that everyone goes their own way, all seeking their own interests. You must know that this is a state of courting death. The devil prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. The question is, are you the one who can be devoured?

Last night, when I was writing a program at night, I was writing computer code, a phone call came in. When I answered it, it was from a person in Canada who was very badly controlled by the devil. Then I scolded him on the phone, and he asked me, Pastor, why was the demon in my body cast out, but then it became like this today? I said, Go back to that pastor. He said, It doesn't work, because seven more evil spirits came.

You must know that as a person, you must be a good shepherd, not just casting out those demons. I must constantly renew your inner thoughts and let the word of life be in your inner thoughts. Let the word of God become your inner thoughts, that is life.

What's the use of casting out the demons in your body if I don't change your inner thoughts? The demons will come back, and they will bring seven more evil spirits. You can't cast them out again. But he just expects me to cast out the demons in his body with one word, which is useless. Because people's inner thoughts can attract demons, being greedy and insatiable attracts demons.

If a person can only cast out the demons in his body but cannot build up his faith and cannot change his inner thoughts, that is not called shepherding. Shepherding is putting the word of God in the hearts of brothers and sisters, and then letting the word of God constantly become faith in them, letting the word of God become what you believe.

Conclusion

You must learn to see the current situation. Today we are already ascending the mountain of the Lord, entering the house of the God of Jacob. Do you still not understand? Do you not know to spend time serving God? Do you not know that is grace? Are you still going your own way seeking your own interests and having fun?

I tell you that this is a demon-inviting lifestyle. Sooner or later, the devil will kill these people. Today, brothers and sisters, do not retreat or give up until you enter the house of the God of Jacob and become God's precious priests.

You can live a wonderful life, but a person's wonderful life will definitely not be wonderful because they spend time having fun, feasting, and drinking. This day will definitely not be long, because those people live in pain. They have all walked this path before, and that is not the path.

But today I tell everyone to spend time on things that love God. If you love God, you will spend time on God, and then you will know that you are God's honorable children, and you will not lack any of God's grace, and you will not lack any of God's goodness. Amen!