Introduction

How to study the Bible is of utmost importance. I suspect many people feel lost after reading it. Many are averse to reading the original text, but if you only listen to my lectures online without reading the original, it is of little use. You must read the original text of the Bible.

In the previous two sessions, we discussed that when reading the Bible, one must discern God's heart. What is the use of merely engaging in textual criticism without understanding God's intent? Cao Xueqin wrote Dream of the Red Chamber, and later scholars wrote numerous books interpreting his meaning. Cao Xueqin himself would probably be confused, wondering what they were doing and if that was indeed what he meant. Textual criticism can be a perilous thing.

Our approach to reading the Bible is similar in some ways. Today, people studying the Bible often indulge in textual criticism. If Jesus were to come again today, it would be like when He first came into the world. Many, even if they saw Jesus with their own eyes, would not recognize Him as the God they worshiped. What would they say? They would say that Jesus was possessed by a demon.

When we read the Bible, we must be careful not to become like the Pharisees. In their time, they read the Bible and then crucified Jesus. So, we must be particularly careful today. You do not need to delve into Hebrew or Greek translations. Some say they read the English Bible better, but whether you read it in English or Chinese is not the most important thing. The important thing is whether we can discern God's heart through the entire Bible. Can we clarify the basic concepts through the entire Bible? The overall thinking of the entire Bible, that is, the big picture. Without the big picture of the entire Bible, you will get lost no matter how much you read.

Reading the Bible with a Global Perspective

We must thoroughly abandon the bad habit of textual criticism and begin to grasp the global perspective. For example, from Genesis to Revelation, the entire Bible repeats certain things over and over again. If you have studied so many language versions of the Bible but still cannot understand the repeated statements, then you have read in vain.

You do not need to study the meaning of a particular word. Just read those constantly repeated words, and you will understand. Those constantly repeated words are God's vital intentions. If you say you cannot understand the Bible, I wonder how that could be. When you read the Book of Revelation, it constantly talks about how the victorious will be. He who has an ear, let him hear.

We need to begin to understand the words in the Bible. It is quite simple, so it should not be difficult to read! The Bible is written in black and white, whether in English, Hebrew, Greek, Chinese, or even Malay, the same things are written: the victorious will be this way or that way. How can you not understand it? Surely you can understand.

When we sort out the constantly repeated words in the Bible, you will know that God's intention is this, and the overall thinking of the entire Bible is this. You will understand it all at once. But if you indulge in textual criticism, getting stuck and unable to get out – I am referring to those who split hairs – then it will be troublesome.

Genesis as the Foundation of the Entire Bible

Genesis is very important as it is the foundation of the entire Bible. If you read a concept that does not align with the concepts revealed in Genesis, then you should know there is a problem. Genesis reveals foundational truths, which are extremely important. Genesis is the foundation of the entire Bible, and the first eleven chapters of Genesis are the foundation of Genesis. Those first eleven chapters are crucial; all concepts are clearly revealed in them.

Later, things unfold step by step. The first three chapters are the foundation of the first eleven chapters, and the first chapter is the foundation of the first three chapters. Is this important? I want to help everyone reshape this foundation. This foundation is tied to all our later confusions and bewilderment. Years ago, when I first led a study on Genesis, I read the first chapter of Genesis and then searched for it online. People had given this chapter all sorts of strange titles, and I could not understand it.

I said, God, what does this mean? You tell me how the universe was created. Is it necessary to tell me? What is the point of telling me? So that I know? What can I do with that knowledge? I was very perplexed. Remember what I said before about Matthew 7:24? These words were not spoken by anyone else but by Jesus. Those who hear God's words and act on them are wise. So, I said, I cannot act on this first chapter. What should I do? I cannot go back to the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth. What am I going to create? Should I buy a globe in the bookstore and create the heavens and the earth with it? That would be absurd.

But I pondered repeatedly, what does God want me to know about creating the heavens and the earth? I was full of confusion. I knelt down and prayed. After three weeks, a word entered me and immediately resolved all my confusion. If you think this word is good, then write it down. Genesis 1:27: So God created man in his own image, we are made in God's glorious image! This is good! How come I cannot see the glorious image of God on me? It seems like there is, but also like there is not. I began to pray. Originally, we were created in God's image!

Striving to Possess God's Image

But the problem is, the devil deceived us, and we lost God's image. The entire Bible talks about salvation, which is to restore the glorious image that God originally created us with while we are alive. What a great thing this is! We originally had God's glorious image, and then we lost it, but God wants to restore this image!

Can God restore it? God can restore it! The entire concept of salvation is formed at once. We need to know that we must have God's glorious image on us, and then we need to know how we lost God's glorious image. Finally, we need to know how God restores this glorious image to us.

So, after this matter was resolved, I read the first chapter of Genesis again, and I understood everything at once. I have God's glorious image on me, and the entire concept of redemption is changed. If I have God's glorious image on me while I am alive, I will surely be able to return to Jesus' presence. Is this not a topic discussed throughout the ages? This is called sanctification, not becoming a saint. Sanctification means becoming like Jesus.

The Chinese Mingding Destiny Association has launched a movement to be like Jesus. If you are not like Jesus, what are you doing? Paul said in the Bible that the Israelites passed through the Red Sea and were all baptized, but they all died in the wilderness. Do you think they are in heaven or in hell? Are they saved or not? Whether it is the Old Testament or the New Testament, we must return to the most fundamental place, which is Genesis chapter one. God created us in His own image.

If you ask me who goes to heaven and who goes to hell, I will answer you: those who are like Jesus when they are alive and restore God's glorious image go to heaven. Those who have not restored God's image, or who are like the devil when they are alive, go to hell. If you say that some people have half the image of a demon and half the image of God, what should be done? Then I do not know.

I must give everyone a concept, which is the concept of striving. Striving is very important. The Bible says you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. If you love the Lord your God, then do you believe God will make you like Him? We originally have God's glorious image. Christ went to the cross for us, died, and was buried for us, and rose from the dead for us. Then the power of resurrection from the dead came upon us, and we just need to make a decision in faith, which is: I will strive!

The reason why a person does not strive is because he does not believe. How can a person who does not believe strive? How can a person who does not believe receive grace? How can a person who does not believe be like Jesus? Christians are not just saved and then go to heaven after they die. If you live like a demon, how can you return to Jesus' presence? I tell you, there are no losers in heaven. In heaven, there are only people like Jacob, people like Abraham. So, you must have the ambition, which is: I must hold on tightly to God! Therefore, those who hold on tightly to God are powerful!

In the process of striving, God's revelation will come. I pay these prices because I believe in my God. Because I believe in my God, God will surely reveal to me, because that is what the Bible says. God is eager to pour out His Spirit and reveal His mysteries to us. We begin to live according to God's will, as someone who possesses God's image.

Restoring God's Creative Attributes

God's image has creative attributes. We all need to begin to understand it. The return on creation is very high. You say I am so poor, how can I solve my problem? If you want to get out of poverty, the most important thing is to restore God's glorious image. I was also confused, saying: God, how can I do it? I cannot return to that time when you created the heavens and earth and they were formless and empty. I was not there...

Can you guess what God told me? First, I am made in God's image. Second, I know that God is the creating God. A person who can create things cannot be poor. If you are poor, perhaps the thing you lack most is God's image. The image of creation is powerful! I made a dust-free saw because every time I sawed a wooden board, people could not stay there because there was so much sawdust!

If I want to create a table, I have to cut boards. As soon as I cut boards, the room becomes formless and empty. Sawdust flies all over the room, choking people! So, what do I do? I need to think of a way. If I want to exert my creativity, I must first solve the dust problem. To solve the dust problem, I must first solve the problem of the dust-free saw. So, I tried it. My dust-free saw does not produce any dust when cutting boards. The whole room is clean!

Some people say this is bragging. It is not bragging; it is really dust-free. Why? Because I found a way to pack up the dust and let the dust go into it. Then I made a large table for working and writing, which is very good! When God created the heavens and the earth in the beginning, you must know that the earth was formless and empty, and darkness was over the surface of the deep. Even if you see that your current environment is not very good, the entire environment is facing a state of darkness over the surface of the deep, with no hope, all problems. You need to know that this is an opportunity for creation!

I tell you, the dust brought about by this sawing of boards is a formless and empty problem for me. I want to solve this formless and empty problem, so I created something called a dust-free saw. You need to know that some people see a formless and empty pile of problems, and they start complaining. They simply cannot see the opportunity. If you do not live a poor life, who will live a poor life? People like me create a dust-free saw and sell it on Taobao, and do not they make money?

I create one today and create one tomorrow. Can I be poor? A person with creativity cannot be poor. Creation is from nothing to something. When there is no such thing, are there not many problems? So, to become a person with creativity, you must find opportunities in the formless and empty. An environment with many problems is a good opportunity for creation. People like Jack Ma, Pony Ma, and Liu Qiangdong all saw opportunities in problems.

In those days, it took a lot of effort to make a phone call. First, you had to transfer to the street, and the street had to transfer to the home. Several dollars were gone. Then, after a few minutes of talking, hundreds of dollars were gone, and you could not say much. It is different with WeChat! Not only can it carry images, but it is also free. How did WeChat come about? It was created! Can Pony Ma be without money? They are very good at creating things. If you do not have creativity and lack the glorious image of God, can you be rich?

Jack Ma said a word: before going to bed at night, there are thousands of paths, but when you wake up in the morning, you take the original path. It sounds good when you think about it, but there are too many difficulties when you implement it. When you see the difficulties, this condition is not available, that condition is not available, and then you give up. Can you create something? Creating things is very hard; it is not a joke.

But if we have the glorious image of God, we know that the opportunity has come when we see the darkness over the surface of the deep. Then, we follow the steps and implement things step by step! If you do not have this mindset of getting things done, it is difficult. So, you have to get things done! That is the glorious image of God on us.

Accomplishment Requires the Spirit of God and Verbal Declaration

When I prayed, God gave me a word: people often face situations that are empty, chaotic, and full of darkness. What should we do then? We need the Spirit of God. When the Spirit of God moves, and you declare it verbally, God begins to work, and hope will be granted. Therefore, brothers and sisters, know how good this word is:

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Since I received this revelation from God, it has never failed. Every time, I am ecstatic. One day, a young man walked into my room and told me that he had just gotten married, but the woman was a scammer. She ran away on the first day of their marriage, and he was very heartbroken. He had finally overcome one difficulty, and then he met another girlfriend. The girlfriend asked, How much money do you earn? He said a little over a thousand. How could a girl marry someone who earns just over a thousand? Ten thousand would be more like it. As a result, she turned around and left. The young man was stunned and came to my office.

A young man, full of darkness and chaos, came before me. This was an opportunity for creation. I had to try and let the Spirit of God move and fill him with the Holy Spirit. I had him follow me in prayer, without worrying about anything else. After an hour, his eyes began to brighten. I began to share words of faith with him. I said, You will be an extraordinary person in the future. He said, Really? I said, Yes, you have the image of God on you. How can you not be an extraordinary person?

What we do is to restore the glorious image of God in people. I have the image of God on me. Anyone who comes close to me, I can rely on God to restore the glorious image that God created them with. How can he not be an extraordinary person? In the future, he will become like me. You go and serve people, and make them restore the glorious image of God. How amazing is that?

Look at how good this word in Genesis is: accomplishment requires the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God is wonderful. If you don't know about being filled with the Holy Spirit, it's troublesome because there is a great mystery revealed in it. So, one thing we must promote is that while we are alive, we restore the glorious image of God that we were created with, instead of going to heaven after death.

God is the God of the living. While alive, we must be like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Later, I also discovered that when we open our mouths and pray, it works. Because the Spirit of God is moving, everything is fine when we pray. We must begin to know that you and I have the image of God on us. When you speak, things will be accomplished!

Why hasn't it been accomplished? Because the Spirit of God has not moved. Without the Spirit of God moving, how can things be accomplished? Accomplishment is not done by you or me; it is accomplished by the Spirit of God! The Spirit of God truly works. God said, Let there be light, and there was light. Every time God speaks, things are accomplished. Therefore, we must know that if we have the glorious image of God on us, we can create things with our mouths.

Creating things with our mouths is extraordinary. I often use my mouth to create miracles. This is called working with God. The Spirit of God is moving, that is truly good! The Spirit of God is moving. Although it is I who am speaking, the Spirit of God actually accomplishes what I declare! When a person has the Spirit of God, it is extraordinary when you speak. What a grace that is!

Why is the Spirit of God on me and not on you? Because I have entered into God's heart. I live according to God's will. I live by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Chinese Mingding Destiny is a system that greatly restores the truth of God, including salvation. Many concepts are rebuilt. I tell you what God's will is: God's will is to build the body of Jesus Christ, which is his church! I am a person who builds the body of Jesus Christ. How could God not work with me?

God's Perspective: Everything is Good

When I read the Book of Samuel, not a single word that Samuel spoke was left unfulfilled by God. I also want to be like Samuel. When I open my mouth and speak, God will accomplish what I say. How wonderful is that! We must know what God's will is. Why do I encourage everyone to start building God's glorious church? The reason is here. Think about it: your mind is full of your own affairs. What are the Kingdom of God and the church? You believe in the Lord all day long. How do you live your life? But you must know that when you enter into God's heart and build God's glorious church, how can you not live a good life?

This matter comes back to a key point: the image of God. The first thing is perspective. God looks at everything and sees that they are good. Everything God sees in his eyes is good. The animals that God created defecate, which is good. Everything seen in God's eyes is good! But what do we see in our eyes? Therefore, the Chinese created something called Pixiu, which has no anus and only eats without excreting.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, know that perspective is very important. You say, What's good about being empty and chaotic? But God sees it as good. Why? Because the opportunity for creation has come. God said, Let there be light, and there was light. Some people are in a very bad situation, but when they get a little better, I ask them if they are better, and they say no. I say, That's impossible! People's brains are strange. As far as they are concerned, if it's not completely good, then it's still not good.

God's creations are very interesting. On the first day, he created light and darkness, and he saw that it was good. But if people look at it, they say it's not good if it's not finished. It's troublesome if you say you can't do it and want to give up halfway. You have to see your progress. If you have made a little progress, that is good! People must learn to see things as good in faith. If you can't see things as good, then you don't have the image of God. Without the image of God, how can you live your life? I don't know how to live it, living in despair all day long.

Therefore, you must know how good it is to restore the glorious image of God. Don't have the perspective of insects or sparrows. Have the perspective of an eagle, soaring above the storms, and have the life of an eagle. How prosperous that is! Completely change your perspective. People with a bad perspective are completely finished. We tell ourselves that from now on, everything we see is good!

There was a sister whose husband cheated on her after she had two children. Out of anger, she took the two children abroad. More than twenty years later, this sister came back to see me. I said, You have to see this as a good thing. She got angry with me and said, If you were a woman and your husband ran away, could you see it as a good thing?

Most people can't answer this question. I said, Look at you, you think this is a bad thing, and today you are full of illnesses and live in pain all your life. This is because of your perspective. This is called punishing yourself twice. You should thank God that he finally ran away! So that I wouldn't have to deal with him later. Therefore, your perspective today determines your future!

Why punish yourself? Whether it's a good thing or not is not important. Our perspective is the most important. Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt. Joseph said that this was part of God's plan, so that I could become the savior of my family. With this perspective, he became the prime minister of Egypt. Without this perspective, he would have rotted in prison and died miserably in Egypt, or become a slave for life.

The Faith to Persist Until Accomplishment

With perspective, there is faith. With faith, there is hope. With hope, you can persevere. God created through faith. God's creation is extraordinary! Start learning to have faith inside, and then declare it. Isn't this what Paul said? Believe in your heart and confess with your mouth, and you will be saved. Believing gives you a believing perspective. With a believing perspective, then open your mouth and declare. After declaring, things will be accomplished!

Can your faith persist until the accomplishment of things? The characters I read about in the Bible, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, all persisted until the accomplishment of things! Therefore, I said, God, I want to be like these people! So, although some people leave the church, they give me a comment: This person is amazing. He will accomplish whatever he wants to do! I also thank them for giving me such a comment. It is also true that as long as I want to do something, I will persist until it is accomplished!

This is a very good quality. You must begin to have this quality. Observe carefully around you. Is a very amazing person this kind of person? Is it his knowledge and family background? Neither. What is it? It is because he is a person of faith. He can persist until the complete accomplishment of things. Therefore, this is an extraordinary person!

In the church, I have a desire. I am determined to build up our brothers and sisters, and in any case, be a person of faith. Everyone must have a quality: whatever you do, persist until it is done! My son has been painting since he was a child. His teacher has a special requirement. If there is a piece of paper on your desk, pick up the brush and paint. You must finish it. You can't just paint halfway and then ignore it! This is an incredible requirement. I think this teacher is amazing. She is training people's character!

As a result, one day, my son's ink brush dropped a blob on the paper. But in the end, the painting was really beautiful. If a person has the character of doing things and completing them in this lifetime, then this is an amazing character. I call this character the attribute of God. Therefore, in Genesis chapter 1, things were accomplished in this way! God saw that it was good! When you read Genesis chapter 1, you will know that this matter is very important. The perspective is good, seeing that it is good, and things are thus accomplished.

Cultivate Good Habits of Separating Things into Categories

Things are accomplished, and then everything is separated into its own kind. Separating things into categories is very important. There was a mentally ill person who would throw his phone whenever he had an episode. He threw eleven phones in a row, but the problem had to be solved. One day, he came among us. Our pastoral care method is very unique. I opened the video and took a look. His home was like a pigsty. The first requirement was to clean up the house. He cleaned for two days but couldn't persist and left the group. After two days, he wanted to come back. It's okay to come back, but can you clean up the house? The house is as messy as a pigsty. How can you not attract ghosts?

Why clean up? That is called separating things into categories. You must cultivate the habit of separating things into categories. You must be organized in doing things. A messy person is unlikely to be successful. Messy people attract ghosts. People with ghosts on them must have a messy and dirty house.

One day, I ministered to a person. He was wearing a piece of clothing. As soon as I saw it, I knew that he had worn it before. He took it out of the dirty clothes basket, wore it, and then put it back in the pile of dirty clothes. A few days later, he wore it again. When I saw it, I said, Why are you wearing this again? He said that this was the cleanest piece. What's wrong with that? Not being able to organize things cleanly is a problem.

Administrative management is an ability. You must manage the administration well. Many people call me a clean freak, but I just make sure that the toilet and shower room are clean. I often see a pile of hair on the floor of the shower room. Who wouldn't be disgusted? Separating things into categories is a good habit. This is an attribute of God. Therefore, we must begin to restore this attribute of God.

If we want to be a person who is pleasing to God, we must deal with our bad habits and restore the image that God created us with. When you come among us, you must know that the brothers and sisters I lead are doing just this one thing: restoring the glorious image of God that we originally had. You must hurry to restore it while you are alive. How wonderful that is!