Introduction

Good day to all. Let us turn to 1 Samuel, Chapter 8. This chapter marks the beginning of a decline. Throughout the Bible, we see that the history of the Israelites mirrors the life of a Christian. Today's Christians are no different from the Israelites of old. Do not think that things have changed in the New Testament; people remain the same, unless you are willing to undergo radical change. The theme for this chapter I have set as: Whom do you choose as king? Man or God?

The choice of whether to choose God or man as king is critical. I have observed that Christians have a higher proportion of cancer cases than non-believers. I thank God that this is not the case amongst us. If you ask me for data, I can only say that this is from my observations. If one chooses man as king, tragedy ensues. Likewise, in the history of the church. My intent in addressing this subject is to caution everyone.

So many people have come to faith. Those who have read the Bible will have read this chapter, but have they understood what the author intended? I do not know. But the books of 1 and 2 Samuel are particularly well-written. If you read them, you will find that few walk in God's will, and many walk in corruption, just as in the Church.

The History of Israel as a Reflection of a Christian's Life

In my ministry, I have found that many like to seek my service. But my service to them is no match for even a small change in their hearts. What can my service amount to? A people who forsake God cannot be helped, no matter who serves them. I have learned to be prudent now. If I see such a state, I will serve if I can, and if not, I will leave it be. Why do I leave it be? Is not the problem they have from God? Should I then oppose God? If they are willing to repent, it is better than me leading them in prayer a thousand or ten thousand times. But when Christians become self-righteous to a certain degree, they are like the Israelites. Whether in Exodus or in other scriptures, the Israelites are much the same.

Indeed, people have not changed much, including you and I. What you were like, you are still like. Why? Because it is hard for people to change, unless you are prepared for radical change. If you say you are not that way, then what are you like? I hope I do not offend. One who has been changed by radical measures would know it. Brothers and sisters, do you choose God to be your king, or do you choose man? If you come to me as if seeking a guru, I will feel as if I have swallowed a cockroach.

Imagine eating a meal, and biting into a cockroach. Can you imagine that feeling? When someone regards me as a guru, I feel as if I have swallowed a cockroach. The second time, I would feel like I swallowed a stink bug. Do you know the stink bug? Touch it and the stench lingers, impervious to soap.

The history of Israel is a reflection of Christians. I thank God that He uses the history of Israel as our mirror. Can you look into this mirror? My heart is filled with emotion. To what extent? How stubborn people are! How corrupt! How they insist on their own way, acting arbitrarily! How they fail to know God's word! Whether one has cancer or not, whether one has a serious illness or not, one must begin radical change. If we do not change the fundamental logic system within us, we will remain as we are. So, the history of Israel is a reflection of the life of a Christian. Is this not a tragedy?

Let us see whether the history of the Israelites is filled more with curses or blessings. It is filled more with curses! It is not that God likes to curse people, but that people like to seek curses. Everyone must understand that after leaving Egypt and entering the wilderness, they ultimately could not enter the Promised Land. Who is to blame? It is not their own fault? Why blame themselves? It is because the things within them were not transformed. So, their thoughts went awry, and they became entrenched in human logic.

And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba. And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. (1 Samuel 8:1-3)

How could Samuel, such a good man, raise such sons? Did Samuel fail to educate his children well? Even with good education, it is still like this. There is no way to change it. When the elders of Israel saw this situation, they went to Samuel and said, “You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. Is the political system of other nations good? Not really. Samuel was hurt and distressed when he heard this. Then he prayed to God. God said, They have not rejected you, you do not need to be sad. They have rejected God; they do not want God to be their king. From the perspective of human history, which nation that took God as king did not prosper?

According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee. (1 Samuel 8:8)

God instructed Samuel to warn them and tell them the consequences, and see what they would choose. So Samuel told them, If you choose a king, this will be the result.

And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day. (1 Samuel 8:18)

Why are the prayers of Christians unanswered? This is the reason. But the people did not listen to Samuel. They said, No, we must have a king over us. They truly did not know what they wanted. Is it fun to have a king like the other nations? It is not fun. “That our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. Is that really the case? Then Samuel heard these words and spoke to God. God said, Very well, grant their wish and make them a king. This resulted in the history of the Israelites that we read about today.

If you encounter a corrupt judge like Samuel's sons, who has not been thoroughly transformed, I think you would be like the Israelites: wanting Samuel to appoint a king for you. In other words, Christians prefer human logic to God's logic. Look at some countries holding presidential elections, and Christians get excited. Why? What is the connection between the presidential election and you? What can the president do? I do not have much affection for Christians. A Christian president is not necessarily better than a non-believer. In the past, I have seen business owners who are Christians, and most of them are not very good. Why? They are caught in between. Inside they are filled with worldly logic, and outside they have a spiritual appearance. How can they be good?

Today, let us use this mirror to examine ourselves. How different is your choice from that of the Israelites? If you read the previous chapters, you will find that no one can stand before the holy God. It is lamentable that after so few years, they have already forgotten. It seems that when God gives you good days, you turn around and forget that it came from God, and you take it for granted. If God gives you hard days, you cry out to God. So, is it better to give you hard days or good days? This poses a great dilemma for God. If you like, I can tell you to learn from Samuel. Samuel had a good life! He trusted in God and lived a peaceful life. I am puzzled. Life is so good with God. Why do people not want God to be king?

Why God Does Not Answer Prayers

In these past years, my greatest perplexity has been discovering that many Christians in the church live miserably, pray desperately, and yet see no answers. It is as if God is dead. But it is not that God is dead. Why do we see so many unanswered prayers in the church? In today's terms, it is a cartload after cartload, one train car after another. Can everyone understand? If you are from x church, or on the website, or on YouTube, after listening you will surely say, This is indeed the case. Is this so? It certainly is.

In the past, what I have seen is that in the church, there are many unanswered prayers, truly arduous. Why? Because people have chosen the logic of the world, so you cry out to Jehovah, but Jehovah will not answer you. Today, many people are building churches with worldly logic. Some say, Only you are right. Sometimes I think, so what if you are not right? Here we are blessed by God's response. Do you want to compare? If you want to compare, let's compare! There is no need to compete. If answers to prayers are a cartload after cartload, one train car after another, then surely it is better to be blessed by answered prayers than unanswered prayers.

Everyone must understand that dealing with the worldly logic within me is radical change. I ask you, which pastor does not want a big church? Which pastor does not want more offerings? But I do not like a big church with many offerings. I dislike even more a church that tries to get the wealthy, what is the point of so much trash? I just want God's presence in the church.

Everyone must understand that I have this conviction. It is not easy, it is a struggle. Does it cost money to run a church? It does. Where does the money come from? From offerings. Look at this logic, how reasonable it sounds. I tell you, our money does not come from offerings. It comes from God. Perhaps you have given an offering, but why do you give? If it is not worth your while, would you give? So I do not thank you for your large offering. I only give thanks to my God. Until today, God watches over us. Until today, God is gracious to us. So, I think everyone should know that the reason why God does not answer people's prayers is that you can imagine how dirty the thoughts in people's minds are.

Some time ago, someone shared an interesting story with us. He said that he once went on a mission trip with his pastor. His pastor said to the audience below: If you give a cup of water to one of these little ones, such a person cannot but be rewarded. He said this hoping that the members would give red envelopes to him and those who were with him. So, many people went on a mission trip and came back with their pockets full of money. But today, everyone must know that they are wrong. They did not go to preach. They went to beg.

Today, as pastors, we should not go out to make money, but to give blessings. We should give a cup of water to the little ones, not have people treat us as little ones and give us water to drink. Have we become the little ones? This has been reversed. Do you want to be this little one, or that big one? If you go out to preach and bless the people there, and still think of yourself as a little one, whom will you bless? Have you seen Jesus go out to preach the gospel and say, I am a little one, give me a cup of water to drink? Why does God not answer people's prayers? Because everything has been reversed. How can it not be like this? This worldly logic has been brought into the church. After listening to me, when you see such things, you will know what a little one is all about.

Oh! I lament that if one day I tell you, Please give a cup of water to this little one, please do not give it to me. Give it to that little one. If you choose worldly logic, and are so concerned about electing a president, and think that the spiritual atmosphere is closely related to the president or prime minister of this country, you are mistaken. Because God does not care about this matter at all. I think some people will use examples from the Bible to refute me, but that is okay. I will just say what human logic is. Why does God not answer people's prayers? I studied this for a long time in the past. After understanding it, in the presence of God, I would undergo radical change to remove the worldly concepts within me.

When I removed these worldly concepts, God answered my prayers. I ask you, will I lack money? No, God will take care of me. Our Lord Jesus Christ is an extremely wealthy God. So did Samuel need to beg for money from people? Did he need to take bribes, pervert justice, or be greedy for wealth? No. So, these worldly logic systems are like a dye vat. If a person's mind is filled with worldly logic, it will be useless even if you pray until your head is like a garlic bulb.

A few days ago, someone showed me that a pastor from one country has established branches in more than 100 countries around the world, and gathered hundreds of thousands of people to attend a meeting in that country. Even the government of that country helped this church. During the appearances, more than 100 national flags were lined up. It was quite a scene! I want to ask, what is the point of doing this? What do you see in this? Why is this called glorious? I see that one depressed person after another is not healed. Those who run prayer mountains are collecting money in large amounts. Gatherings have become a business. Think about it.

I want to remind everyone that we should imitate Jesus. Why did Jesus not do this? Jesus suddenly brought in 5,000 people, and then said, I am the bread of life. You must eat my flesh and drink my blood. After hearing this, everyone was stunned and thought that He was talking nonsense, and was crazy. Then they all left because they could not understand. In fact, Jesus deliberately let them go, and then said to his disciples, Do you also want to leave? Leave quickly! Of course, I said the last part, but that is roughly the idea. So brothers and sisters must know that our Jesus is like this.

But later, in the days of Peter, Peter did not learn from Jesus. Do not think that Peter followed Jesus for so long, but he did not learn from Jesus. Jesus filtered out the disciples. After 5,000 people came, it was good to filter out dozens of them. As a result, when Peter saw 5,000 people coming, he started collecting offerings! Then everyone lined up to give offerings. What a glorious scene! Who would not be envious! Later, the church became corrupt. This happened in the days of Samuel in the Old Testament, and can still be applied to us today.

Brothers and sisters, do not have wrong, worldly concepts. More than 100 national flags! So what? I think that stuff is meaningless. I do not want to be famous. I do not care what you call me, Pastor. I have no name. If some people say, This person is called Mingding Destiny Pastor, that is fine too. When I see Peter in the future, he will be embarrassed in front of me. He will also say, This guy's interpretation of the scriptures, if there are difficult parts, do not force an interpretation, forcing an interpretation will lead to self-destruction. What destruction? How will it lead to destruction? By doing things improperly. Even today, many churches learn this, but do not learn from Jesus. If you learn from Peter, then you are far from Jesus. Why does God not answer people's prayers? Today, let us ask ourselves this question well.

When I started building the church, I had a very beautiful hope. I longed for God to dwell in the church. I asked, Why are so many prayers unanswered? I will do it myself. Then I brought people to the church, one after another, but none of them stayed. You say these people had no pursuit? No, that is not it. Later I felt very emotional. I will do it myself. It was hard! I shed many tears. After radical change, I thoroughly dealt with the worldly logic within me. So many years ago, I studied 1 Samuel. Now when I speak about it again, I feel deeply. Why does God not answer people's prayers? People have chosen worldly logic. Why does God not answer your prayers? Because you are filled with worldly logic.

If a person is critically ill and has a very strong desire to live, but is still living within the logical system of man, that is a tragedy. If a person sees through life and death, they will surely walk in God's system. A person who cannot see through life and death will feel that living in this world is wonderful, so wonderful! Fine, then! Because God does not listen to your prayers.

From Exodus to This Day, It Has Always Been So

Since I brought them out of Egypt until this day, they have continually forsaken me and served other gods. Now they are doing to you what they have always done to me (1 Samuel 8:8).

Always means just like this, never changed. If a person does not undergo bone-scraping treatment, it is difficult to change the worldly logical system within them. From the Exodus to this day, they were the same at the time of the Exodus, and they are still the same today; the Israelites who died in the wilderness were the same, and today's Christians are just like them. Why is this? Because they all carry a worldly logical system.

Today, these people I shepherd, including the small pastors and leaders among us, I ask you, what is in your head? In fact, what is in your head is still worldly things: money, family, work. If you are asked to give for the kingdom of God, it is very difficult. Who can stand before this holy God? If you can truly stand before this holy God, I tell you, you are so blessed!

Brothers and sisters, think about it, that person has always been like that. What a person is like at birth, that is what he is like; the natural state is worldly. To this day, lazy Christians are abundant, world-loving Christians are abundant, but in fact they do not even have the qualifications to love the world. Every change is a battle, it is bone-scraping treatment, because to change the deep-rooted carnal and worldly things within us, we must scrape the bones for poison. Peel once, and then peel again to change, and even then it may go back after not changing for long. It is truly like wild grass that never dies, blown to life again by the spring breeze! From the Exodus to this day, people have always been like this.

If you and I read 1 Samuel chapter 8, we must often remind ourselves that it is like this, and I must scrape the bones for poison. Every victory in battle will take you to a higher level. Another victory in battle, another level up. Until you are full of the stature of Jesus Christ, living like Jesus, that is God's will. This is what God said. To this day, these are also what God tells us, isn't it?

Man's Worldly Logic Is Extremely Chaotic

I have served so many people, and I am saddened! If I hadn't seen through it, I tell you, my heart would have been pierced into a honeycomb. They have become accustomed to hurting me, but later I developed the skill of being immune to swords and spears. People's worldly logical system is very chaotic. If you are good to them, they think you are trying to deceive them. When others say a few nice words to deceive them, they think people are doing it for their own good.

Tell him, You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king to lead us, like all the other nations (1 Samuel 8:5).

Samuel is old, and the Israelites said, Your sons do not walk in your ways, and then asked Samuel to appoint a king for them, but what is the relationship between these two things? What if a bad king is appointed? If a king is appointed like Samuel's sons, wouldn't it be the same? This is not a way to solve the problem at all. People often like to do some irrelevant things.

Samuel is old, so we don't need God? Samuel's sons don't walk in God's ways, so we will appoint a worldly king, like the kings of other nations. Isn't this ridiculous? But they themselves said it with conviction, thinking it was very reasonable. So we must know that people's worldly logical system is extremely chaotic.

This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. Some he will assign to be commanders of a thousand and commanders of fifty, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still othersto make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. He will take your male and female servants and your best cattle and donkeys and put them to his work. He will take a tenth of your flocks,and you will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the Lord will not answer you.” But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles (1 Samuel 8:11-20).

I told a cancer patient, You can't live this petty life anymore. These are all trivial matters. Can you use the potential God has given you properly? I hoped that he would be blessed, but he couldn't listen! Then he liked to do some messy, unrewarding things. I advised him, and advised him again. I also provided equipment and gave it to him, and then he said to me, Aren't you letting me relax a little? I said, Relaxing a little doesn't mean lying down easily. It means doing it bit by bit easily. This is a rhythm of dying! Actually, what does this have to do with me? This has nothing to do with me.

Later, people were too lazy to pay attention to me, and I was too lazy to pay attention to him. I didn't ask him for anything. I just wanted to serve him, but after serving him, I found that I couldn't fix it. We must know that we can't fix it, so let it go. The logic inside people is very chaotic, and people blame me for saying, Why do you dislike me? Sometimes our co-workers say to the people they serve, You did this wrong. Then the other party's response is, What did I do right then! Sometimes a co-worker says, You didn't do this very wisely. People say, I did that very wisely! You see, that's the logic. The worldly logic is really extremely chaotic, so chaotic that they don't even know when God is testing them.

God Often Tests People

Israel under Samuel's rule was a strong country, but who thanked God? I won't hide it from you, I also think so in my heart. If we have quiet days and stable days for too long, do you think this is God's blessing, or do you take it for granted? If you think this is taken for granted, it's a problem. So the Israelites under Samuel's rule had already turned away from God in their hearts. God also went along with the situation and arranged for Samuel's very bad sons. This is also very interesting. God recorded this in the Bible to create a very good courseware, which serves as a warning to us today.

Did God not know that Samuel's sons were very foolish? God knew. God appointed a very foolish person to be a judge. The Israelites had long been polluted by this logical system. They had long felt that it was not good for God to be our king. God was too picky. Who can stand before this holy God? So they wanted to appoint a king. In fact, this culture had been evolving for a long time. God also often tests people, so God arranged for a bad judge to give them an excuse.

Brothers and sisters, you may have a thousand or ten thousand reasons for undergoing God's test, but those are not reasons. No matter what the environment, no matter what the situation, we must still choose God to be our king. Moreover, God has never treated us unfairly! We are the ones who treat ourselves unfairly. After living such days long enough, our hearts turn back to God. In the twenty years before Samuel's debut, the Israelites' hearts turned away from God. People have always been like this. People's logic is very chaotic, they just want to live a good life, but they can't live a good life. After suffering for twenty years, they turned back to God in their hearts. This is exactly what a saying says: people can't bear blessings, only sins. If you are also such a person, that's enough for you to suffer. As you enjoy blessings, your heart turns away.

One of our sisters told her pastor that she had not experienced God much, and her pastor was very confused. In fact, she has experienced more than we have, but she forgets it in the blink of an eye. Once people's logical system becomes chaotic, God tests them, and everything goes haywire. They don't enjoy blessings, they insist on suffering, and they forget God's power. Once they let go, they let go of God. God just tests you, and you take the bait. Everyone should know that Samuel's sons were deliberately placed there by God, just to test you. Later, the history of the Israelites was simply a national disaster, it was too horrible to look at. In World War II, God killed six million Jews through Hitler's hands. The Jews value living a good life and are very good at making money.

No matter what the environment, no matter what the test, we must choose God to be our king! If you choose God to be your king, you will definitely see God answer your prayers. You want to enter God's wonderful plan, you want to enter destiny, and start living for God and dying for God, seeing through life and death; start pursuing eternal, imperishable blessings. If you seek the imperishable blessings, God will reward you with eternal life. If you pursue these trivial matters of this world for these few decades, God will repay you with wrath.

Is It Good to Rely on People or Good to Rely on God?

Everyone must be clear that we ourselves have experienced God, yet we still often forsake God. So your next generation will forsake God even more, but you can't control it. The only thing we can control is ourselves. Is it good to rely on people or good to rely on God? When we rely on God, we don't need to invent weapons; when we rely on God, we don't need chariots and chariots; when we rely on God, we don't need to practice that kind of strong physique. Our God leads us to fight, and no matter what the situation, he will not use us as slaves, so we must learn to rely on God.

God Lets People's Hearts Be Hardened

The Lord told Samuel, “Listen to everything the people are saying to you; they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me as their king. Ever since the time I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, they have deserted me and served other gods. They are doing to you what they have always done to me. Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights (1 Samuel 8:7-9).

Whatever you want, God will give it to you. When you are corrupt, don't tell God why this is happening. Today I am also like this. If you ask me if it is okay to do this? I will say, Yes, you can do whatever you want. When God does not answer your prayers, what will you do? How hard are you in your bones! In the past few years, I have had a lot to say and a lot of examples to give. Today I still remind everyone not to think that God agreeing with you is a good thing, because your heart is hardened, because you already have your own choices and what you believe in. Never wait until you are corrupt and say to God, God, why didn't you stop me? Actually, didn't you already have an idea in your heart?

So there are many times when someone comes to me and asks, Teacher, can I go to the grave? I say, Yes. Do you think this is really okay? You ask me, Can I take this thing that should be destroyed into my hands? Yes. If I don't say yes, you already think it's okay, otherwise why are you asking it? It is best for people to see through life and death. If you don't see through life and death, you will be upset about living this life! It is better for you to be a little softer in your heart, see the work God is doing among us, know to choose God, and trust him. Constantly put God's logical system into us, and remove our logical system. You cannot but be blessed, God will surely be gracious to you!

May God bless everyone!

1 Samuel Chapter 8 Scriptures

8:1 When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges for Israel.
8:2 The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba.
8:3 But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.
8:4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.
8:5 They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have.”
8:6 But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord.
8:7 And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.
8:8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you.
8:9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”
8:10 Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king.
8:11 He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots.
8:12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.
8:13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.
8:14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants.
8:15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants.
8:16 He will take your male and female servants and your best kettle and donkeys and put them to his work.
8:17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.
8:18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the Lord will not answer you.”
8:19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us.
8:20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”
8:21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the Lord.
8:22 The Lord answered, “Listen to them and give them a king.” Then Samuel said to the Israelites, “Everyone go back to your own town.”