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【Bible Study】Romans 17 - Summary

2019-05-30 11,325 Romans Faith Holy Spirit Flesh Glory Vanity Imitation

Introduction

Over the past period, we have completed our study of the Book of Romans. If we were to give the Book of Romans a title, what should it be? Everyone can try; this is an abstraction and sublimation of the book. What kind of people are good at reading? Those who can abstract and sublimate. Many people read without this step of abstraction and sublimation, and they can't remember anything after reading. Generally, people who do things without abstraction and sublimation are not good at doing things. Therefore, in doing everything, one needs to learn to gradually summarize, organize, abstract, and sublimate.

I think, if I were to abstract, organize, summarize, and sublimate what Paul wrote in the Book of Romans, I would define the theme as: Beginning in faith, unto faith. Why? Because when we connect the entire content of the Book of Romans, you will find that the whole book is explaining a very important theme, which is actually beginning in faith, unto faith.

This gospel is the power of God. How can the power of God be released? Actually, it is through beginning in faith, unto faith. I have found that many Christians become old and slick in their faith. Their prayers used to be very effective, but now they are not so effective. In fact, their previous faith was not much stronger than it is now, but why was it effective then and not now? Because they have stopped pursuing and growing.

Beginning in Faith, Unto Faith

What does it mean to begin in faith, unto faith? Actually, beginning in faith, unto faith, this sentence is actually saying that when I initially have a very small faith, my faith can release the power of God. But if you always stay at that level of faith, you will later find that the power of God can no longer be released. This is a very strange thing, isn't it?

That is to say, we must begin to know one thing: we cannot stay at that level of faith. Since we begin in faith and then we see the power of God, we must pursue more and move forward. When we move forward, we will release more of God's power and then believe more in God's power.

In fact, the writing style of the Book of Romans is very similar to that of the Book of Hebrews. I increasingly believe that the Book of Hebrews is also a work of Paul's. Why? Because these two books are actually in the same vein, both talking about striving to pursue, unto sanctification. That is to say, why does our faith become ineffective later on? Because although you begin in faith, you do not reach unto faith later on. Our brothers and sisters must know for sure that the grace our God gives us is presented in this beginning in faith, unto faith, isn't it?

If our God demands you according to an absolute standard, and kills you if you don't reach it, then no one can survive. But our God is a God full of grace and mercy, so He lets the gospel we believe start from faith. In the beginning, it is like a mustard seed, a very small faith, and then what will happen? Then it will be unto faith. Such a person becomes righteous.

We really need to be very careful about all kinds of gospels in this world. There is a gospel that says you just need to believe, and then you just stay at that original, very primitive faith, believing very simply, but it is not effective. Why? Because this gospel is not just about believing, but about beginning in faith, unto faith.

When we begin in faith and enter into God's grace, what will happen? That is, although we believe at a very low level, God makes up for the rest with grace. Because of this, I feel that God's grace is really extremely abundant. When we first believed in the Lord, we had not done anything for the Lord, and God began to treat us kindly. We only believed in the beginning. What about later? Do we reach unto faith? Some people are very silly and stupid. After beginning in faith, they reach unto disbelief!

Beginning in faith, unto disbelief, I don't understand this kind of person is incomprehensible to me. It's like some people suddenly find a big treasure, but only take a small piece and turn around and run away, not knowing it's a big treasure. Or some people bend down and pick up a small piece of gold, but they don't know that the place where their feet are standing is a gold mine. How stupid is that, isn't it? We want to be a smart person. You have experienced God with me? Then what choice will you make later?

There are just too many people who have experienced God. Last Friday, I left two voice messages in the healing and deliverance seminar group, totaling less than two minutes. Many people, however, followed my two voice messages in prayer, and their illnesses were healed! One of them had knee pain for many years and it was healed! Many years!

Another person had been experiencing腰痛 since giving birth, and she was also healed by praying with my voice messages. We all need to know how precious our God is. Ever since I knew Jesus Christ, I knew this was a treasure. Therefore, I regard Jesus Christ as the supreme treasure, and consider everything else as rubbish. Can you understand? Many people take money as food. Did we not believe in Jesus in the beginning because we could not even eat? Our work, our life, what place does not need Jesus Christ? Who does not need Jesus Christ? Everyone needs Him.

A few days ago, I was advising a sister to start from believing, and then do what? After believing, start learning to give. Don't think I'm embarrassed when I talk about giving. You receive grace when you give, isn't it? You have experienced God, don't you know that God is a treasure? If you have experienced God and you still value those few thousand dollars, value those few hundred dollars, and you value those few hundred dollars more than God, how can you continue to experience God?

In fact, when I first believed in the Lord, let me tell you, my story is definitely a model. At that time, I was also struggling because after giving, I didn't have much money left, because all the money I earned was spent. But I knew that even if I kept that 10%, I could not be rich, so I made a decision to give, and then I embarked on the road to being blessed.

If a person does not know that money cannot solve his problems, it is really a sad thing. I have served so many people, and as soon as giving is mentioned, it becomes troublesome. Why can't they know that Jesus Christ is a treasure? How much grace has God given us? Isn't it? When we were not very believing, we experienced Him in very small things, but later on, we reached unto disbelief.

Knowing Jesus Christ as the Supreme Treasure

I tell everyone, I really think our God is a treasure. I will never fool you! If I ask everyone to believe, but I myself do not believe, that is called fooling. If I say this and I myself believe it, that is not called fooling, that is called witnessing for God. You must know that everyone has experienced God, but what happens after the experience determines how God will judge you, understand? For many people, not to mention the judgment after death, the judgment during life is enough for you to suffer, isn't it?

And do you think, O man, that you will escape God's judgment when you practice the very things for which you judge others? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. (Romans 2:3-10)

Understand? In fact, what our God does is very 神 (Shén, can refer to both divine and clever), you know? In this process of serving, those with malignant diseases, or some very stubborn diseases, I am very clear about one thing: their heads are filled with too much filth. I definitely don't have any nice words for you. But these words are God's words, you must repent! Our God has always been tolerant and patient, and then uses His abundant kindness, waiting for you to repent, this is our God.

If we were killed off because we are very rotten now, that would be troublesome, wouldn't it? Then today in this world, I think not many people could remain. Because our God is a God full of mercy, even if He can know the future, He still believes in faith that one day you will repent.

So today, we must firmly grasp this gospel of beginning in faith, unto faith. Our righteousness is revealed in this gospel, this righteousness being from faith, unto faith. Understand? From faith, unto faith. Even when we sin, we must still believe that God will accept our repentance, but we must truly repent! Therefore, brothers and sisters, we must know what great grace this is! Isn't it?

We start from a very, very small faith, and the rest is all made up by God with grace. The first and second chapters are all about these things. Let's continue to look down. In the third chapter, it says that there is no righteous person, not even one. Those who seek God have all turned aside and become useless together. There is no one who does good, not even one. Then should we just destroy all the people in this world, isn't it? But God, in this situation, prepared a grace that allows people to experience God. Allows people to experience God, and after experiencing God, turn back to God, and know that we were walking the wrong path before.

I advise our brothers and sisters, you lived so miserably before, walked the wrong path, but today you can know Jesus Christ, do you regard knowing Jesus Christ as the supreme treasure? God has not counted many of the rubbish in you, just because of a little bit of faith in the beginning, God considers you a righteous person, how should we thank God?

In fact, I am doing a very difficult project. What is this difficult project? There is a child with intellectual disabilities, and he used to be completely confused about addition and subtraction within 10, not to mention arithmetic beyond 10. So I tried every means to teach him, and successfully helped him come out of it, so that he can do addition within and beyond 10. But in fact, this child does not know the grace I have given him.

He orders a takeaway worth more than thirty dollars, and he has also ordered takeaways worth more than ten dollars, but he has never ordered one for me. Not only that, but when giving an offering, he only offers 18 dollars. How is this 18 dollars calculated? This time, I must let him know how much the training we have given him in the past year is worth.

A few days ago, he asked his mother if the teacher was going to charge tuition. Aren't you forcing me to charge tuition? Isn't it? Why doesn't he know beginning in faith, unto faith? Why is he still carrying a hard and unrepentant heart? He has already reached that level, he is 20 years old, how will this road go down? Isn't it?

Today, brothers and sisters, you must know for sure that a selfish person is basically of not much use. If I say you are a very selfish person, then I am telling you that you are a waste(literally, waste material). How can you say that? If I don't say that, what should I say? Isn't it? You are still carrying a hard and unrepentant heart, I have said this, and you are still unwilling to repent, then I say all day long: Oh! Brother, hello! May peace be with you! What peace? Is it useful to say these words?

The Bible has already told us that there is no righteous person, not even one. Even Isaiah, who wrote the Book of Isaiah, is not, even Moses is not good enough, no one is good enough. Why? Because there is not one. At this time, why don't you know that this is God's grace? As long as we believe, we are justified by faith. It is because of your faith that you are considered a righteous person. Don't think that you are justified and you don't know your surname! You are still the original you, isn't it?

Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. (Romans 3:19)

Then today we receive grace through faith, shouldn't we strive more to pursue and climb this spiritual peak? We should desire more to know God, more to know His truth, more to receive the promises that Jesus Christ has given us, isn't it? Your little bit of faith can draw on God's grace, then if we have more faith, can't we draw on more grace?

Strive to Pursue, Enter into Perfection

If we strive to pursue on this path of faith, what abundant glory and what wonderful grace will be waiting for us, isn't it? Today, should we offer our lives to God? We ourselves came from God, isn't our life given by God? Isn't it? Do we really have this heart today? To imitate God, I often give people enough grace, I do not covet anything. But as I serve, it confirms one thing for me: people often begin in faith, and reach unto disbelief.

If you begin in faith, unto faith, let us continuously seek the grace and promises of Jesus Christ together, continuously build ourselves on the path of faith, and then what will happen? We will build His glorious church step by step according to the word of God, so as to bless this generation and bring all the people of God into the kingdom of God. I think this generation is in great need of a powerful gospel that we call beginning in faith, unto faith.

I think our brothers and sisters here know what kind of grace you have received? I haven't said this sentence much recently, but I used to say it often. We can really save our future medical expenses by relying on Jesus Christ. Understand? How can we calculate this grace clearly?

I often see some people get healed, and then give God a small tip, but when they spend on themselves, they are very generous. When it comes to God, they really just give God a small tip. I am very emotional. How foolish are the people in this world! Since we can draw on God's grace with a little bit of faith in the beginning, shouldn't we strive to pursue more?

Don't think that I am talking about the grace gospel. What they preach to some people is called the grace gospel. I have not discussed anything with the originator of this grace gospel, but I have seen some people, maybe they received it wrongly, maybe they received it correctly, but the result they live out is that they begin in faith, and then they always stay at that level. This is what I have seen.

Brothers and sisters, don't be a person who does not know God anymore. We must know that our God has very high demands on us, but the Holy Spirit will guide us in this process. If you can't do it, God will make you do it. Isn't it? So today we must begin to know that we hold on to faith, we are imitating Abraham. Abraham is the originator of justification by faith.

Imitating Abraham's Faith

But I don't really like to talk about justification by faith. I think the term justification by faith is easy to confuse many people. What do I think it should be called? It is because of faith that God considers you a righteous person, that's all. Justification by faith, it seems that you are great, but in fact you are nothing great, it is God who is great! It is Abraham who is great, he opened up this path of faith, and Abraham also strove to pursue, until he offered up his own son Isaac. Let me tell you, that was the real deal!

Many people think that Abraham is not good. Actually, you are right, he is really not that good, but he has faith, and that is what God wants. Many people criticize Abraham for lying. Why did Abraham call his wife his sister? And then they make moral criticisms, and think that Abraham is not good.

In fact, I am thinking, you think Abraham is not good, but God says that He is the God of Abraham, who do you think you are? You are making comments, let you do it, you are not as good as him, isn't it? I can only imitate. I think our brothers and sisters should begin to know that Abraham's faith is an extraordinary faith!

Giving an offering of 18 dollars a month, I don't know how you calculated it. I serve you so much, you order a 30-dollar takeaway, and never order one for me. Don't you feel indebted to me? I don't want to morally blackmail people, but what kind of brain is this? This time, you have really made me angry, then I will really charge as much as it is worth!

God gives you grace, but you don't treat grace as a treasure, do you think God won't do this? When I first believed in the Lord, giving tithes was very normal for me. Those who began to believe in the Lord with me, deducted tithes, but from the first day I started to believe in the Lord, I gave tithes. Although it was very hard, I was very clear-headed, I needed to make the right choice.

God doesn't need me to give, and as a result, I was greatly blessed. Why? Because I began in faith, unto faith. Therefore, Abraham's faith is beginning in faith, unto faith. Many people don't know why Abraham experienced those things? That is beginning in faith, unto faith. A small test is overcome, and then a bigger test is given to you. After you overcome it, a bigger test is given to you again. Isn't this how college exams are taken? First grade of elementary school, all the way to high school graduation, all the way to college exams, and after college exams, you still have to go to college, and there are still exams in college!

Then you live in this world, aren't you facing exams every day? Abraham kept testing until he offered up Isaac. God said, By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring. Do you have Abraham's faith? Are you willing to offer what God wants from you? If you are not willing to offer what God wants from you, then you are so foolish.

If God wants my life, then I will definitely offer it. Living is not very meaningful anyway. Since God one day values me, then I will say, God, I have been waiting here for a long time! Why? Because our faith has been tested again and again, and on this path of faith, although it is full of tears, the rewards are extremely rich.

So those of us believe according to the faith of Abraham. Abraham's faith can receive God's blessings, that is, even in the situation where procreation has been cut off, his faith is not weak, and he still looks up to God's promise. It was not because of unbelief that he doubted in his heart, but because of faith, his heart was strengthened, and he was fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised! So this was counted to him as righteousness.

If people can rise from the dead, is there anything difficult? So brothers and sisters, we must know that believing is receiving, and you will surely receive! How true are these words! There is not a bit of ambiguity, our God's promises are set in stone, nailed on the rock of Jesus Christ. Therefore, the blessing of justification by faith has come to us. Through Jesus Christ, we have entered into this grace in which we now stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

Rejoicing in Hope of the Glory of God

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we[a] boast in the hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2)

You begin in faith, and then unto faith, you enter into the gate of more grace, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. We cannot simply take a stroll through Heaven, nor can we take a stroll through Hell. Some say they have been there, but I cannot verify their claims. They merely say, I saw it! Seeing is almost the same as not seeing. What then? I do not believe what they say, but I believe the words in the Bible. Through faith, we enter into this grace in which we now stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.(Romans 5:3-5)

The Bible tells us that we can hope for the glory of God that will be revealed to us. Today, many are healed through our ministry, that is the glory of God, understand? This is not some false glory, but glory that can be seen and touched. I hope that we can manifest more of God's glory in us, and not only so, but also glory in our sufferings.

In fact, we encounter numerous difficulties every day, and we work very hard every day, but what does it matter? Even in suffering, we rejoice, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, hope that does not put us to shame.

Jesus Christ died for us when we were sinners, and God's love was manifested to us in this way. Do we have the right to judge others? No, because God's work in them is not yet finished. Why judge? Because you do not believe, you do not believe that their lives will be transformed, and then you judge, Ah, they are just like that. What about us? When we were still sinners, God died for us. Was God's love not manifested then!

Can we have the same faith today? If you truly believe, you will persist in the path of faith. Are there any seasoned veterans among us? I will ask everyone today, and everyone should ask themselves, who have you served in the past week, in the past three months, in the past year? What testimony can you share?

I have seen some people's reports, whose blessing have you become? If you have not passed on God's blessing, then what are you doing? Isn't it? According to what I said, that is a slip and a slide, you simply cannot go on. If you do not practice normally, what can you practice in a critical moment? Isn't it? There are so many opportunities to practice among us, so what have you practiced? When the day of God's judgment comes, how will you respond? What is your faith? Abraham offered Isaac. What have you offered? Have you responded to the grace God has given you?

So brothers and sisters, begin to know one thing, we should rejoice in hope of the glory of God, not pursue our own glory, but pursue God's glory. We are indeed sinners, but this physical sinner must die, and the righteous person like Jesus must live. This is a long process, so who's slave should we choose to be? Should we choose to be slaves to righteousness, or slaves to sin?

We must present ourselves to righteousness as slaves, leading to sanctification. What does this mean? Little by little, you continually deal with your flesh, no longer conforming to your own lusts, but instead presenting your members to God. Little by little, beginning in faith, and unto faith. Abraham walked this way, and we must walk this way today. We must obey the Spirit of God, mortifying the deeds of the body day by day. God will help us day by day. This battle will continue until the deeds of our flesh are completely put to death.

By the Spirit, Put to Death the Misdeeds of the Body

Many times, what we want to do, we do not do, and what we do not want to do, we do. That is the sin within us doing it. We really need the Holy Spirit to continually put to death the misdeeds of our body. So through our Lord Jesus Christ, we can be delivered from this body of death. What do we rely on? We rely on the Holy Spirit. Today, our brothers and sisters all need the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit is upon us, if we follow the Spirit, we will be able to put to death the misdeeds of the body, understand?

So to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. But the choice lies within you and me. What do you choose? If you choose to obey the Spirit, you must put to death the misdeeds of the body through the Spirit, you must live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. Understand? Are you led by the Spirit of God, or by your flesh?

In fact, Romans rarely talks about evil spirits, but talks about the flesh and the Spirit. It is the flesh and the Spirit that are in conflict, not the evil spirits and the Spirit. Evil spirits cannot contend with the Spirit. So where is the key? When we begin in faith, and unto faith, as we run this race, we discover that if the faith within you is genuine, you will surely obey the Spirit.

Why would we obey the Spirit? Because our hope is not in this emptiness at all. If a person does not know that their life is vanity of vanities, they cannot obey the Spirit. Their mind is full of their own petty concerns, and they are all making arrangements for the flesh.

But in fact, you cannot even say how long you will live. If your time is up, there will not be one minute more. So what are you preparing for? People are like this, if they can live on, they make the problem even bigger. If they see that they are about to die, all the problems disappear. So isn't it good for us to be like people who are about to die today? Right? All the things become small. So the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

We came into this world, and we do not get to decide. If we could decide, we would not come to this place. But since God has called us to come, we will no longer live under this emptiness. We eagerly await the glory of God, and eagerly await the image of God's Son to be manifested in us. That is, beginning in faith and unto faith, the image of God's Son in you will increase, and the image of the beast of the flesh in you will decrease. Either you are like a beast, or you are like God.

More Than Conquerors Through Our Lord Jesus

For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.(Romans 8:20-23)

Not only you who have just believed, but even we, ourselves, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies, understand? We have weaknesses, but we have the help of the Holy Spirit. When I was doing the healing and deliverance course, some people gave many examples, saying that Paul had a disease, so God did not heal him.

I was thinking, does a person who is healed and delivered once never get sick again for the rest of their life? There is no such thing, is there? When I get sick, our brothers and sisters come to see me and ask me what is going on. I say that it only proves that I am a sinner. Have I become a saint? I am not a saint, so I also have my troubles. I tell you, I really have many troubles, I am quite temperamental, and I get angry easily. How can I not get sick? Isn't it? Then people say, you are also teaching healing and deliverance, but you also get sick. What can my getting sick prove? It can only prove that I am a sinner. But it is indeed God's will that we be healed.

Jesus did heal all those people, didn't he? Can my getting sick overthrow the previous truth? No! Later, before Paul died, he said, I am the worst of sinners. The battle between us and the flesh is very difficult, but every time, we can be delivered through our Lord Jesus.

But if we do not rely on our Lord Jesus, we are finished. We are defeated by the flesh. It is very difficult, isn't it? Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God, whenever we rely on our Lord Jesus, we are victorious! As a result, the Holy Spirit becomes our strength, and we trust in God forever.

Beginning in faith and unto faith, this is our life's lesson. Can my getting sick overthrow God's grace of healing and deliverance? No, isn't it? Many people, I tell you, do not read the Bible well, they read it very poorly, so it is easy to get confused and use this to prove things. What can they prove?

Brothers and sisters, as long as we are still sinners, as long as God only counts us as righteous, then the journey to deal with our flesh is far from over. Encountering some problems, suffering some hardships, suffering some pain, getting some diseases, cannot deny God's grace, even if it is me!

The glory that is to come, I tell you, I look forward to it when I think about it. What is my greatest hope? My greatest hope is to leave this world and be with the Lord as soon as possible! I tell you, that is really my greatest hope. Every time I am tired, it is hard! People say, can't you not be tired? I have to strive! Because I believe, so I want to imitate the image of his Son. Since it is beginning in faith, and unto faith, what else is there to say? You say my faith is insufficient, it doesn't matter, beginning in faith, we can have more faith, let more faith have more faith, God will help us.

Look at the trend in everything. If your faith has been stagnant there for a long time, without growth, you are probably going to be corrupted. Your faith must continually grow, it must be beginning in faith and unto faith. If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things, to those who imitate Jesus Christ? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? Who is to condemn? Isn't it? As long as we trust in Jesus Christ, our sins have already been placed on Jesus Christ.

Should we respond to God's love? Do not let God's warm face touch our cold rear end, our cold rear end should no longer be given to God. Today, we must also begin to be fervent, fervently loving God, and then let our faith move forward little by little, until we completely offer ourselves. Through our Lord who loves us, we are more than conquerors. Whether it is present, or future, or powers, or might, or height, or depth, nothing can separate us from the love of God, which is in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Some people use the Israelites to argue against God. Look at the Israelites, look, their country has already been destroyed, and many people say, hasn't God's promise failed? They say to me, you heal and deliver, have all been healed? Have all truly been healed? The examples they give are so foolish.

Today, let's talk about the Israelites. Even after more than 2000 years of exile of the Israelites, God's words will not fail. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Only those who imitate Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are the descendants of Abraham. That which is born of the flesh is not the descendant of Abraham.

I deeply believe that what is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Abraham's two grandsons, Esau and Jacob, Jacob obtained it, and Esau lost it. In the spirit, we are the descendants of Abraham, and in the flesh, we are Chinese. Abraham's blood must flow in our bodies, and in our faith, we must have the appearance of Abraham.

Our faith is beginning in faith, and unto faith, striving, just like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Do you want to be a stubborn person? You say you are a Christian, what can a Christian prove? Isn't it? There was an old lady who could not breathe at 4 o'clock last night, and then contacted one of our co-workers, and contacted me. I got up at 4 o'clock to lead her in prayer, and a large group of people from the whole family were watching there.

I know almost everyone in their family, and even before that, the old lady's eyes were not good, and I also led her in prayer. I have served them, and they have received a lot of grace from me. What happened as a result? She said that I am not a good Christian, and I owe God. In fact, God really doesn't think that he owes people. Today, we must come out of the stubborn crowd and become a person who has the image of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

So brothers and sisters, even if there are a thousand, ten thousand, a million Christians, but they do not look like Abraham at all, what can the three words Christian prove? It proves nothing. As for us, those who imitate Abraham, we will not be put to shame. Miracles and wonders will follow us. Wherever we go, people will see hope because of us, because God's glory is constantly manifested in us.

How beautiful are the feet of those who preach such good news? God says, I was found by those who did not seek me; I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me. We are Christians, so we must begin to know that we have not sought God before, God has revealed himself to us, we have not visited God before, God has also let us meet him. But have we walked this path of beginning in faith and unto faith? Or have we imitated those Israelites and become a stubborn and rebellious people? God is calling us every day, let us run this heavenly road.

Present Your Bodies as a Living Sacrifice

In chapter 12, do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. To be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that is, your faith must be constantly improved, your faith must be constantly renewed, your understanding of God must be constantly growing, do not stay in that very primitive place.

When I say this, my heart often aches faintly. Many of our brothers and sisters are gradually becoming seasoned veterans, so I am sweating for you. Why can't you see what God is doing in me? Why can't you see what God is doing among us, in these brothers and sisters who have paid a heavy price to imitate Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? Why can't you see the glory and grace that God has manifested in them?

How does Paul say it? Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. We owe God so much glory, we could have lived out the glorious image of God, but what we lived out was that poor look. With a little bit of faith at the beginning, we experienced God's grace. What then? Is there a pursuit? Is there a striving? If you are not a person who strives, today I encourage you to start striving! If you do not strive, what will happen? You will die miserably in the wilderness.

We must hold on to our faith, let our faith grow vigorously, and let our lives be full of the measure of the stature of Jesus Christ! So our love is no longer hypocritical, right? We will be diligent and not lazy, we will be fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. We will not repay evil with evil, we will do what is pleasing to God. If we truly believe, we will submit to those in authority, we will not discern good and evil, so today brothers and sisters, if you learn to love God, if you learn to love God, you will often think that you are in debt.

Some people say you are so tired, take a break. Why is it still like this? That is because I often think that I am indebted. God has given me so much, no matter what I do, no matter how I run, I think that I am in debt, not only indebted to God, but also indebted to many people in need. I often think in my heart, if I didn't know God, how miserable would I be? Today, I know God, and I will remove those things that I thought were precious to serve God, and take blessing this generation as my pursuit. Because I love God, because I love God, I often think that I am in debt.

So just as Paul wrote, he owed many people the debt of the gospel. In fact, in my heart, I am also like this. I owe many people the debt of the gospel. In this generation, God has raised up this small group of us, this small group of us has God's good intentions. I know I need God very much, and I often feel that what I have done is far from enough, unlike some people, who are complacent after doing a little bit, shouldn't we often think that we are in debt? Isn't it? We were so bad, but God was gracious to us. Now that we are a little better today, do we think that we have done enough? If we often think that we are in debt, can you not be a person who strives?

Brothers and sisters, it is time to wake up, let your spirit wake up again, let us have more pursuit today than yesterday, let us put off those deeds of darkness, put on the armor of light, let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy, but clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. So brothers and sisters, why do we not judge people? Because God's work in a person is not yet finished.

Work with God, do your job well, edify people, until we no longer live for ourselves, nor die for ourselves. To live for ourselves is meaningless, to die for ourselves is also meaningless. If we have God's love in us, if we often think that we are in debt, if we are a person who begins in faith and unto faith, we will not cause our brothers and sisters to stumble, and we will not corrupt him because of food.

Because the work of the devil is like this, the work of the devil looks very spiritual, but it is actually a judgment, it looks very spiritual, but it is causing a brother to stumble because of food. The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, the kingdom of God is a matter of provision. Man lives not by the body, but by victory.

In chapter 15, we who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Do we still have a little bit of a sense of mission in our hearts? If we are beginning in faith and unto faith, we will take on the mission of preaching the gospel. Among the churches I know, there are really not many who do healing and deliverance better than us.

Brothers and sisters, do you know how many people need such a gospel? I have also seen a lot of materials for studying Romans, but really no one has studied it better than us. Maybe we are frogs in a well, only seeing what is around us, but even just seeing what is around us, I really have not seen anyone who has said it more clearly than us.

Brothers and sisters, we must be sanctified by the Holy Spirit and be acceptable to God. We should take on the mission of preaching the gospel, so that more people can not only constantly know God in the truth, but also see God's grace and glory in the power of God, and then we will become people who are remembered by God.

If we suffer for our own sins, there is no glory in it, God will surely judge you, but if we suffer for the kingdom of God, our names will be written in the book of life of God, in heaven and on earth, people will tell the story of our practice of faith, like the story of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, like Paul written in the Bible, having a profound impact on future generations.

Wherever we go, can we bring the abundant grace of Christ Jesus? Wherever we go, we pass on the abundant grace of Jesus Christ, so that the name of Jesus Christ is glorified there, God will surely remember the effect of our service to him on earth, may God bless everyone, Amen!

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