How to Grasp the Theme

I will first teach everyone the method of reading the Bible, which is to grasp the theme. I assigned my co-workers the task of reading the Bible, and before reading each chapter of Hebrews every week, they had to summarise the theme of that chapter for me. As a result, they wrote a long passage every time. I then discovered that everyone has a problem when reading the Bible: they wrote a lot of items one by one, but what is the relationship between them? They did not know! What they wrote was just a running account. In this chapter, I will teach everyone how to grasp the theme.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-3)

See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:25-29)

When we read this passage, we may have a problem: This is receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Is it okay to say this? It is okay, but you will also find that it does not fit with the preceding and following chapters. If you want to connect everything in this chapter, you must find a title or theme, so that you can connect the whole article when you read it. For example, when we read Hebrews chapter 12, we know that this chapter is about running the heavenly journey pioneered by the Lord Jesus for us. When we read the Bible, we develop a habit of understanding what the theme of this chapter is about.

A few days ago, my mother was reading a book called The One Thing. If we think everything is important, then you will definitely not live well, and you will definitely not study well. In fact, there is only one most important thing. For example, Hebrews chapter 12 has only one theme, so extracting the most important theme will allow you to learn the essence.

Some people may like to study the Bible in this way. They say, Pastor, you are so amazing! These two sentences can be studied for two hours! In fact, this is nothing. What is important is what the entire Bible is talking about. Everyone remember, no matter what version of the translation, if you read the Bible according to my method, you probably will not deviate from the topic. It does not matter if your understanding of a certain sentence is biased, or if a certain verse is not translated properly. But brothers and sisters must learn how to study the Bible. The Bible is in black and white, and its theme is actually very easy to understand, because the entire passage revolves around this theme.

Seeing Through Life and Death is the Key to a Beautiful Life

Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. (Hebrews 11:35-40)

This thing must be accomplished in this way to be complete. I think these witnesses paid a heavy price for this. What for? For a way to the heavenly kingdom, for obtaining a kingdom that cannot be shaken, this is the real way.

Brothers and sisters, I tell you: You must understand life and death. If a person lives and sees a lot of meaning in living, then the way of living is meaningless. If you take what you do, such as your children's schooling, work, business, boss, husband, family, and a lot of other things, very seriously, they are actually just all kinds of burdens and meaningless. To throw off the sin that entangles us, we can run the heavenly road.

Looking back at history, more than 2,000 years ago, Qin Shi Huang unified China. He was a very powerful figure, but what was the result? He died in his fifties. Is that interesting? I don't see it as interesting. Even being Qin Shi Huang is not very interesting, so is it still interesting for you to toss around? We must often think, even great people are sighing: Tang Taizong and Song Taizu, Genghis Khan, to count heroic figures, we should still look to the present. This statement is extremely majestic. But such a great leader, his life has passed like this.

Ecclesiastes is very well written. We should often read it, not to others, but to ourselves. After reading it, we must think, even if you are a great person, tossing around, what will happen in the end? People of the world have worldly views, and spiritual people have spiritual views. What will happen after people die? We will be very shocked when we read the Bible. It turns out that people's death is not the end. People's ending is not just death, but facing judgement after death.

I believe that people will be judged after death. Some go to hell, some go to heaven, some receive eternal life, and some receive eternal punishment. Doing electrotherapy and chemotherapy on earth is nothing. If you go to hell, you will be roasted by fire every day, and you will be electrotherapied and chemotherapied every day. It is very hard. Even if you want to die, you cannot die, because the soul is immortal. If you commit suicide by jumping into the sea, jumping into the sea is not difficult, but you will not know after you die. When it really comes to receiving eternal punishment, think about it, it is a hundred times or a thousand times more painful than what you suffer in this world, so forget it! It is better to constantly fight against sin in this world and enter the kingdom of heaven to receive extremely beautiful promises. Are God's promises true? I think they are true, because I believe in my heart that they are true!

When some of our brothers and sisters were captured by the devil, I was very devastated, because they had experienced many spiritual things, but they were still captured by the devil. In the previous chapter, we talked about how those people had obtained beautiful evidence. We must know that the road we are running to the kingdom of heaven is our dream, but it is not far from us, because we have all obtained evidence. When we run with faith, we find that we are constantly experiencing God.

Every time we experience God, we find that God is real, but some people experience God and quickly forget how they were once controlled by the devil. When asked to serve, they negotiate conditions, which is really stupid. Today, our journey to the kingdom of heaven is truly a journey of contending with sin. Should we consider putting down the burdens and throwing off the sin that entangles us on this road?

A few days ago, one of my very outstanding co-workers was controlled by a demon. I value this co-worker very much, but I watched as he did not shed blood in the struggle against sin, nor did he wear sheepskins, nor did he suffer poverty, and then he talked nonsense, saying that he was not good enough and unworthy. I am very anxious and want to die. What I want to say is that we are running this heavenly road, and what we get is a kingdom that cannot be shaken. It is not something that can be obtained casually, because it is a road of victory.

I tell everyone that the thought of wanting to die has always followed me, but my logic is that since I want to die, why can't I be victorious? In fact, I am under extreme pressure, especially during this period when many services and ministries cannot be promoted, and I am in a state of emptiness and chaos. For example, our education ministry is simply a mess, facing many unknowns. Also, how should language training and vocational training be done? They are all facing many difficulties.

One of the characteristics of my personality is that I will not give up until I achieve my goal. I always maintain a victorious mentality. Through emptiness and chaos, I see the creation of the future. I want to look to Jesus, the pioneer of my faith, and run forward on this road, despising everything for the joy set before me!

On the Heavenly Road, Contending with Sin

We must know that the road to the kingdom of heaven is a road of contending with sin. You may be defeated by this sin and then thrown into the garbage dump and burned in hell, or you may be victorious, overcoming sin and overcoming the flesh, and entering the kingdom that cannot be shaken. Which one do you choose? If you ask me which one I choose? I want the kingdom that cannot be shaken. Even if one day someone wants to kill me, wearing sheepskins and running, I will try my best to enter this kingdom that cannot be shaken.

Therefore, we must throw off the sin that entangles us. These sins may be our parents, children, work and money, etc. These are all things that can be shaken. Because all of this will be reduced to nothing, only if we don't care about death will we be victorious. We must live on the road to the heavenly kingdom that Jesus pioneered for us, and strive to run. Whatever entangles us, we will put it down, because these entanglements can drag us into destruction.

Many parents are frantic and collapse for their children's studies, which is far from the kingdom that cannot be shaken. We must contend with sin on the road we are running. Sin is crouching at our door. Whenever we are weak, the devil will deal with us. We must be determined to live a victorious life.

A few days ago, a sister walked on the street for several hours in the middle of the night. I was very anxious and went out to find her, and then accompanied her until the next morning. This is for the sin of entanglement. Maybe these sins are very grand, but they are always sins, and we must throw them off. In any case, we must be victorious in our understanding.

We must not be ignorant people, but be filled with the knowledge of God in our understanding. God does not want your shepherding and ministry to control you, because these will be shaken. What cannot be shaken will last forever. God needs you to be a victorious person. What you value will control you. We only value God, and choose to care about nothing, and we can live a victorious life.

When our understanding reaches a certain level, you will do according to the understanding you receive. Just like Paul wrote Romans, Paul is very clear about the truth of God in his heart. If there is something you don't know, rely on faith to look to God, and God will constantly improve us in our understanding, and we will not become ignorant people.

The sin that entangles us is carnal. It is difficult to resist it by yourself. The heart of a fool is on the left, and the heart of a wise person is on the right. We are born with our hearts on the left. Therefore, we cannot enter the kingdom of God without going through the road of contending with sin and contending with the flesh. Why do we feel tangled, uncomfortable, and hard? The root cause is in these carnal things. We must let our flesh be completely put to death by the Holy Spirit.

Putting the flesh to death is not easy. Jesus was hung on the cross for a long time and was very painful. The cross is used to put the flesh to death. The kingdom of heaven is for those who work hard to enter. Without working hard and putting the flesh to death, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. Don't let your child become your entanglement. Even if your child has a good future, he will eventually die. If you want to give blessings to your children, bring your children into the kingdom of God, and you will not have lived in vain.

Yesterday, someone asked me to pray. He fell from a height of two meters and broke his bones. He was struggling with his father. His father was chasing him from behind, and he fell while running in front. What is this for? We must contend with sin and deal with the flesh. Being a Christian is not always peaceful. Peace is the fruit of victory after contending with sin. Carnal people will not have peace.

A few days ago, a sister who had cancer passed away. Before she passed away, she often prayed with us. Just 10 days before her death, she stopped praying with us. Until her death, she still did not understand what people live for? Her mind was full of garbage, and she still wanted to hold a grand funeral. Was she clear about where she was going in the end?

If you want to walk this road to the kingdom that cannot be shaken, you must learn to contend with sin. When the Lord Jesus walked this road, He despised the shame for the joy, glory, and victory set before Him. When He was nailed to the cross, there were many people below who said you can come down, but coming down is not the way.

If you care about face, nail your face to the cross, despise shame, and endure the suffering of the cross. The Lord Jesus had no sin, yet He was nailed to the cross and bore our sins, let alone us? We should nail our evil desires and lusts to the cross, because evil desires and lusts are things that seem normal to carnal people.

Everything created on earth or in heaven that cannot last will be shaken. If we cannot see these worldly things clearly, cannot see through life and death, cannot see through children's studies and money, etc., we cannot run the heavenly road. Without throwing off these entanglements, we cannot imitate Jesus in walking this heavenly road. We should often think about these things, lest we lose heart.

Whenever we contend with sin and are very tired, we should also think about how the Lord Jesus walked this way. When the Lord walked over and sat at the right hand of God the Father, He received the crown of glory. In my heart, I have always had a great desire to one day go before God, receive God's praise, and say that I am a faithful and good servant, enjoy the glory of my master, and receive that crown of glory.

People are meaningless in this world. Why bother with these meaningless things? What is truly meaningful is bothering with things that can last forever. Worldly wealth is called unrighteous wealth. How can we take these things into the kingdom of heaven in the future? We must often think about ourselves, because our contention with sin is far from that of the Lord Jesus.

Mortifying the Deeds of the Flesh

I believe my colleagues will be released one by one. The process of being released is the process of mortifying the flesh. If you are concerned about face, then mortify that concern. If you have fear within you, then mortify that fear. If you like to playact, then mortify those pretenses within you. Why? Because these things we value cannot last forever. I do not need to be valued by brothers and sisters either, because what you need to value is the Kingdom of God. Never make any person or thing an idol.

One of our sisters has gone through a lot in the past two years. Two years ago, I could hardly stand to pray with her because the spirit of death on her was so strong, the spirit of the dragon was so strong. I would pray with her for five minutes, and I would be so overwhelmed by that evil spirit that I would fall down and sleep, unable to pray at all.

Later I discovered that the evil spirit could bind this sister because of her worldly value system. She often had strange illnesses, and to this day, she still has a lot of pimples on her face. She is a sister who is very concerned about her face. How can she meet people with so many pimples on her face? But, who told you to love face? Loving face will give you a face full of pimples. It's just a little discipline from God, stimulating you a little, to see when you can overcome in your struggle against sin.

We are determined to run this heavenly road, and we must completely remove the worldly value system. Some sisters say, I have already removed it! Actually, you don't need to look. You can tell from a person's health whether they have removed it or not. I know you believe in the Lord, but have you really mortified your flesh? Mortifying your flesh by the Spirit is a lifelong journey, it is a holy path. The Holy Spirit is not contending with evil spirits, the Holy Spirit is contending with your flesh. Why? In order to allow us to enter this unshakable Kingdom.

A person's flesh cannot be sanctified unless it is mortified. If we do not mortify the flesh in our lifetime, we will not be able to obtain the benefits of the Kingdom of Heaven. God is never lenient on the road of mortifying our flesh! Whether it is discipline, the bondage of evil spirits, even evil spirits are tools in God's hands, and so are diseases. Who told you to indulge the flesh? So do not indulge the flesh. If you indulge the flesh, it is impossible for you to gain benefits or live well!

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? (Hebrews 12:7)

You cannot live well if you love the world. You may think you do not love the world, but you must look at it according to God's Word. If we deal with the flesh, it will definitely be uncomfortable, but every process of dealing with the flesh will bear the peaceful fruit. We will lift up our drooping hands and strengthen our weak knees, and make level paths for our feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

If we mortify the deeds of our flesh, all diseases will be healed, because disease is not the result of victory. If we do not overcome, we will not be able to claim God's promises. Some people say, Didn't the woman with the issue of blood just touch Jesus and be healed? Those people didn't fight or overcome, did they? They believed that the disease would be healed. Then why am I not healed? Because you have believed in the Lord for some time. You also experienced it when you first believed in the Lord, but after you have experienced it, you must mortify the deeds of your flesh. Even for that woman with the issue of blood, will she suffer from the issue of blood in the future? Maybe yes, maybe no! But if she runs this heavenly road, she will surely overcome, she will surely be healed.

Our God, His promises are for those who overcome. If you do not overcome, you cannot receive the promise. If you do not overcome, you cannot receive God's blessing! If you carefully observe and follow God's Word, you will surely be blessed. If you violate God's Word, you will be cursed! This is an eternally unchanging principle. You may think that you have not violated it, but that is because there are still many self-righteous things in your value system.

When we deal with sin and deal with the flesh, it will be most obvious in interpersonal relationships and in running this road, and it will be most obvious in your shepherding. God gives us a command to love one another! Do we love our work more than we love God? Do we love our family more than we love God? If we love God more than anything else, we will surely shepherd God's flock well.

Do you really love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength? If not, repent starting today! If you don't, after listening to me talk about indulging the flesh and loving the world, do you still think I am morally kidnapping you? Many people have received a lot of grace from me, but in turn, they say that I want to kidnap them. I don't kidnap them, I kick them out. Whoever wants to kidnap them can go ahead.

Love the Lord Our God with All Your Heart, Soul, and Strength

I call heaven and earth to witness for you, I want you to wake up and know that loving God means shepherding God's flock! To shepherd God's flock, you will love God's flock and enter into a harmonious relationship. Disharmony is not because of anything else, but because you have a carnal nature within you. If we have a carnal nature within us, it is impossible to have harmony. If you playact, false harmony is not real harmony. True harmony refers to harmony in the Holy Spirit.

As soon as we encounter something, we are no longer harmonious with our brothers and sisters. Then the previous harmony was superficial, it was all human. When we mortify our carnal habits, we will naturally be in harmony with our brothers and sisters, and we will be holy. Interpersonal relationships are a barometer of whether we are holy. If our holiness is off the charts, we will be very harmonious with those whose holiness is off the charts. This is a unity in the Holy Spirit.

We must know that discipline does not feel good at the time, because discipline is dealing with the flesh, but instead feels painful. But later, those who have been trained yield the peaceful fruit. If you want to live in peace and live healthy, you must be strong in spiritual matters and mortify our flesh.

We must learn a lesson from Esau, who was carnal. When running the heavenly road, we must be clear that our choices are crucial. Do you choose to be Esau? Or do you choose to be Jacob? The road that Jacob walks is much more difficult than Esau's. And Esau? He goes out hunting, comes back, stews the game, and enjoys the wild taste. How wonderful! But Jacob is not easy.

Always remember that the road we are running is the heavenly road. If you do not fight and just stroll around all day long, then you will not overcome. But if you want to overcome, you must pay a very painful price, which is Jacob's road, a road of victory, and also a road that is not easy. Conversely, is it easy not to overcome? Not overcoming means being ruled by the devil and living in a curse, which is also not easy. So we must learn a lesson from Esau. What does the Bible say?

See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done. (Hebrews 12:15-17)

You know that when a person believes in the Lord and then loses God's grace, many bitter roots will grow.

Fight to Overcome and Enter the Unshakable Kingdom

If a person believes in the Lord and then abandons God, that is a very evil thing. There is almost no hope for such a person. So we must be careful, fear God, and strive forward, do not back down.

But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back. But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved. (Hebrews 10:39)

Today, we are running this heavenly road to see the face of the Lord. Without holiness, no one will see the Lord's face. This heavenly road is not easy to walk, but the worldly road is even harder to walk! This heavenly road is a road of suffering. Though we are hard pressed on every side, we are not crushed; though perplexed, we are not in despair; though we are often knocked down, we are often very hard-pressed and uncomfortable. When we are weak, we feel just as uncomfortable and anxious in our hearts. But it doesn't matter, although this is not an easy road, it is a glorious road. This light and momentary affliction is nothing! Only to gain that eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

If we do not obtain that eternal glory that far outweighs them all, there is no meaning in this world. Of course, this is my point of view! Do not reject the way of God, do not reject the Word of God. We must overcome no matter what! It is easy not to overcome, you will not overcome if you stroll around. But to overcome, we must take back our thoughts and intentions, turn our hearts that are inclined to the left to the right, live according to the Word of God, and run this road to remove the heart of a slave, no longer fear, and be sons of God.

But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. (Hebrews 12:22-24)

Today, you and I must know how much God loves us! The reason why I love God so much is not because of anything else, but because of one thing: God loves us so much. I am motivated by God's love. I know that I will stand before God in the future. I will do so because I have striven to please God in this world. So let us have an attitude of reverence, gratitude, and pleasing God.

Because that is the Kingdom of Heaven, and such an attitude must be possessed to run this road. Everything that can be shaken will be removed, and everything that entangles us must be laid aside. With perseverance, deal with our flesh and run this heavenly road, obtaining this unshakable Kingdom.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. (Hebrews 12:28-29)

This means that our God is the real God. If you are not holy, you cannot see the Lord's face. If you are a carnal person, you cannot enter God's Kingdom. So let us lift up our drooping hands and strengthen our weak knees, and begin to strive forward. Our Lord Jesus also ran in this way.

Discipline is Out of Love

I know you are very hard-pressed, and I am also very hard-pressed, but this road is an extremely meaningful road! Our faith is revealed in this. Our love for God is also revealed in such things. So do not be discouraged anymore. We have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in our struggle against sin. Even if we shed blood, what is so great about it? God has given us the heart of victory, God has given us the promise of victory; God has given us the strength of victory.

If God disciplines us, accept this discipline. It is not punishment, it is discipline. He wants to mortify our flesh because He loves us and wants to bring us into His eternal Kingdom. This is such a wonderful thing. God has prepared something better for us, allowing those witnesses, those who offer themselves with faith, to share with us this unshakable Kingdom. This is such a wonderful thing.

In the future, the Jerusalem we will see will be God's glorious church, becoming the body of Jesus Christ, filled with the Spirit of God, and then there we will always enjoy God's eternal glory. Are you not looking forward to it? If you are a Christian, you must look forward to that unshakable Kingdom that can last forever! Amen!