Introduction

Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees. These words are not for others; they are for Christians. If you have believed in the Lord for some time, I must remind you that the road of faith is littered with corpses. The temptations of the devil are everywhere, and the most deadly is the leaven of the Pharisees.

Let us examine what the leaven of the Pharisees is. Those who believe in the Lord are easily tempted by the devil, as recorded in the Bible.

Some time ago, we were training parents on how to guide their children in doing housework. Everyone posted photos of their tidied homes in the WeChat group. I praised one sister because her tidying was quite good. It happened that I had some time, so I dropped by her house to see how she guided her child.

Upon arrival, I found the living room table covered with piles of dirty items, including several rotten bananas. The kitchen window was cluttered with plastic bags, and the metal plate at the entrance was almost falling off, tied with a rope. Only the corner in her photo was presentable; the rest was unbearable.

After seeing this, I thought it was understandable that she showed me the best side in the photo, but it was incredible to see the house so messy. The most striking thing was that her mother-in-law, also a preacher, was at home when I visited.

Whether you are a believer or a preacher, is there an element of pretense here? The caution against the leaven of the Pharisees lies here. One can hang a cross on the wall but fail to even clean their house. How can one then manage God's household in God's kingdom?

I started by cleaning up one corner with her as a demonstration, showing her how it should be done, and then threw away the trash in her house. However, when her husband returned in the evening, he went to the trash bin and retrieved the discarded items. This was strange, and I wondered how a family who are all believers could become like this. But thanks be to God, every conflict saw a transformation in individuals!

I recently ministered to a person who told me that his mother does nothing but goes out to preach all day, like joining a cult, leaving the house in chaos. Jesus said, Be careful; be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Brothers and sisters, we must be very careful about this.

From my observations, many Christians fall into this trap of the leaven of the Pharisees. I believe this sister's husband will thank me because we are doing the work of transforming people. This work is not easy and often offends people.

I wondered how Christians could become like this. The Pharisees in Jesus' time also read the Word of God, so how did they become Pharisees? If those who ministered in Jesus' era became Pharisees, it is not difficult for us Christians to become Pharisees today. Such things are common among us.

Some time ago, a mother came to us, very devoted to the Lord. After a while, she inquired about a boy among us and asked me what I thought of him. I told her honestly that he was not doing well, but she did not believe it. She said she had been ministered to for half a year through this boy's Weibo, claiming that his posts were excellent.

I said, Sister, he is just a mouthpiece, organizing my words and posting them online. However, she insisted on arranging a meeting between her daughter and this boy. When they met, the boy said, After we get married, my mother will not help take care of the children! His words were inappropriate, and the meeting was unsuccessful. This mother brought her daughter to church to discuss marriage, so let me remind everyone that you may be disappointed if you are looking for a golden bachelor in the church.

In the process of believing in the Lord, I have found many members and pastors who appear radiant on the surface, but few truly do things practically.

Scripture

Jesus said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (Matthew 16:6)

Prayer

Lord, give each of our brothers and sisters spiritual eyes! Let us begin to receive revelation in You and truly know You! Let us be cautious and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees! Let us know how much the leaven of the Pharisees harms the lives of our brothers and sisters. Give us wisdom within us to discern. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

Scriptural Background

If we read Matthew 16 in its entirety, you will find that I often quote Matthew 16:18-19.

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 16:18-19)

Before this passage, discussion centered on guarding against the leaven of the Pharisees. Further back, it discussed the Pharisees and Sadducees tempting Jesus, asking him to show a sign from heaven

The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven. He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Jesus then left them and went away. (Matthew 16:1-4)

The Myth of Asking for Miracles

I think this passage is written clearly enough for both college students and elementary school students to understand. A misconception arising from this passage is that the new generation of Pharisees often uses this verse to ask for miracles. It is not that Jesus does not perform miracles but that these people tempt Jesus, asking him to show a sign from heaven.

Jesus said, You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. Does Jesus oppose or not oppose miracles? Many people have twisted this verse, heavily emphasizing the leaven of the Pharisees, causing distortion upon reading. As a result, people today become very confused when they think of miracles.

However, Jesus said, You have seen enough miracles and now want to test me, so except for the miracle of repentance, no miracle will be given to them. Who does this refer to? It refers to the Pharisees and Sadducees.

What is one of the flaws of the Pharisees? The Pharisees have a very evil flaw. For example, they did not see the lame being able to stand up and walk; they did not see the blind being able to see. What kind of minds do they have? Jesus can do these things: the lame can walk, the blind can see, and the dead can rise from the dead, but these people cannot see any of it.

Brothers and sisters, do not think that reading the Bible every day will lead you to God's heart. I warn you, these people read the Bible more than most. The miracles they seek are not God's grace and mercy, nor God's righteousness. I am surprised that they read the Bible every day and become like this. This is called the leaven of the Pharisees.

One sister's grandfather could not walk. People from the local church came to see her grandfather, but among us, she saw so many miracles, heard so many testimonies of healing, that she called me. I prayed for her grandfather over the phone, and he was able to walk. The local church preachers were watching nearby.

Two or three hours later, I wanted to give her some more instructions, but I could no longer reach her. I guessed that she thought I was practicing a heresy, so she blacklisted me. This is similar to the Pharisees condemning Jesus as a heretic, which is called the leaven of the Pharisees.

I find it strange! The one who enabled her grandfather to walk became a heretic, while those who watched him lying in bed became orthodox. The Pharisees could talk but not act. There are plenty of such Christians among us today, and there are many such cases. I am puzzled! How did doing what Jesus did become heresy? How did not doing what Jesus did and doing a lot of what he did not do become orthodoxy?

Once, I went to see a friend, and he introduced me to a couple whose 14-year-old child had uremia. The couple had a very traditional way of believing in the Lord, but their belief system was full of loopholes and completely lacked the image of Jesus Christ.

I told them that God wants to manifest His power in this generation and can release His children from diseases, but they could not hear such words. They had already been infected with the leaven of the Pharisees. The Pharisees did not believe that God could do these things. They believed that the gospel they believed in was simply dying and going to heaven. They did not do what Jesus did, and they did many things that Jesus did not do. I felt very emotional.

Jesus said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.” Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? How is it that you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he was not telling them to be on their guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. (Matthew 16:5-12)

The leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees is to guard against their teachings. Their teachings are strange. Our Chinese Mingding Destiny is to clear out the teachings in Christianity that do not conform to the Bible. The Pharisees simply do not believe that the five loaves and two fish themselves are a miracle. If five loaves can feed five thousand people, then are not the answers to all our problems in the Lord Jesus Christ?

Some people say after our Lord Jesus performed such a miracle that we should not ask for bread to be full. Does this mean that Christians need to live in poverty? Can Christians deny that Jesus Christ used five loaves to feed five thousand people? The leaven of the Pharisees is unbelief. They do not believe that God can satisfy all our needs in life.

Did the Pharisees know that Jesus performed such a miracle? Yes, they knew. But what kind of conclusion did they come to? All they saw were the loaves. They believed that Jesus only satisfied people's stomachs. They taught people to believe in the word of God, but not to believe in miracles.

If you believe in Jesus, do you not believe in what Jesus did? Seeing Jesus make the lame walk, the blind see, the dead rise from the dead, and feed five thousand people with five loaves and two fish, and four thousand with seven loaves, what kind of conclusion can we draw? If we conclude that what Jesus did does not conform to human logic and that what Jesus did is heresy, is that not the Pharisees' interpretation? The Pharisees' interpretation is strange.

Is the kingdom of God only about words and not about power? The kingdom of God is actually only about power, while the Pharisees care about words and not about power. Has the God we believe in today changed? The God we believe in today is the Jesus who fed five thousand with five loaves and two fish, the God who holds up the universe with His almighty hand. If we come to the conclusion that Jesus Christ is our Savior and the Son of the living God!

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:16-19)

Do you know that Jesus Christ is our God, the Son of the living God? He is the Christ, the Messiah, who frees us from our sins. Do you believe that all our needs can be met in Jesus Christ? If what we preach is just words and logic, or just a theory, completely without power, is that still the gospel?

That is not the gospel; that is being infected with the leaven of the Pharisees. Many of us have a background in believing in the Lord. When you see the things that God is doing among us and the teachings you received in the past conflict, what do you see? Do you see God among us? DO you see the powerful Jesus Christ? Many people say they pursue miracles. I am thinking, could you show me a miracle as well.

The kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

Does the kingdom of God have no miracles? The kingdom of God is full of miracles! Five loaves and two fish feed five thousand people. As a result, the leaven of the Pharisees and the gospel of the kingdom of Jesus Christ collide, and many people obey the teachings of the Pharisees and reject the power of the kingdom of God.

Everyone must study the Bible carefully:

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. (1 Corinthians 4:20)

Unbelief is an evil thing. If you want to test Jesus by asking for a miracle, no miracle will be given to you except the sign of Jonah. But if you believe in God, believe that God is a powerful God, believe that the arm of the Lord has not been shortened, and believe that God is the answer to all our problems, how will you believe? This is the background of this passage.

Hehad just said to Peter, You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, built on God's revelation that Jesus is the Christ. Then Jesus said:

From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? (Matthew 16:21-26)

In this generation, miracles are a myth. Brothers and sisters, you must know that miracles are a point of contention for the leaven of the Pharisees. The kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power and is also a point of contention for the leaven of the Pharisees. Because of their unbelief, the Pharisees believe only in theory but not in power and have turned a powerful gospel into one without power.

If in the past church you believed in a powerless gospel, or in one without miracles, check this passage to see if it is the leaven of the Pharisees. Are you considering human concerns but not God's concerns? In my years of ministry, the most deadly thing has been the worldly system.

The leaven of the Pharisees is a value system that belongs to the world and this life.

I once ministered to a sister who contacted me online. Her son was among us, studying, and she had cancer. She did not dare tell her son but told me. At that time, this sister was undergoing chemotherapy, and her body was terribly swollen. To continue chemotherapy would mean death, and not to do so, according to their way of thinking, would also mean death.

I prayed for her, and then a miraculous thing happened: all the side effects of the chemotherapy disappeared. Before, she could not eat the food her husband cooked, but now, after being healed through prayer, she could not only eat but also cook for her husband.

I said to her, Sister, you must start learning to give. She said, No, I want to go to our local church. After going to the local church for some time, she went to the hospital for an examination and found out that she had cancer. What kind of mind is this? I know her logic: she does not want to give. This worldly logic system is strange. She feels that if she follows me in believing in the Lord like this, how will she live her life? The demands are too high.

Two years later, her son invited this sister to Singapore to attend his wedding. His mother said, Son, Mom cannot go. For the past two years, I have not been able to breathe when lying down and cannot sleep when sitting up. I happened to be next to this sister at the time and volunteered to serve her!

After serving her, she was able to lie down, breathe, and sleep, so she got better. Then she took a plane to attend her son's wedding. Then someone remarked, How will my son live his life if he follows you in believing in the Lord like this? I was thinking, did I not save you both times? How can you live your life without believing in the Lord like this? As a result, this mother encouraged her son to leave the church because she valued her son's work; believing in the Lord cannot interfere with work.

Later, I asked her son, What about your mother? He said, It's okay, my mother will stay in your church. I found it strange how anyone could have such thoughts! But I served and did not mind. In the end, his mother also left the church.

I am thinking, what is this? This is the logical system of the world and this life. If you carefully analyze the leaven of the Pharisees, this is what it is called: the logical system of the world and this life. They do not believe in God.

This brother's wife is also a member of our church and was ministered to by me. Her grandmother had a disease and was in her eighties or nineties. After I ministered to her, her grandmother’s eyesight improved greatly. As a result, this couple wanted to leave the church. I asked, What about your grandmother? She said, My grandmother will stay in your church. This was a smart choice. They did not agree with what I said because it affected their core interests.

Brothers and sisters, ask yourselves, what are your core interests? If your core interest is something that belongs to the world, you will not be able to follow me on this path of faith, and I will not morally kidnap you. What is the result? If people consider human concerns and not God's concerns, they will immediately be infected with the leaven of the Pharisees.

People did not stop believing in the Lord when they left the church. Later, I saw her, and she said, That church of ours teaches balance, unlike how you teach it. She felt was good because she could take care of her home, her children and it was very balanced. But what is the problem? It lacks power.

Later, her grandmother got sick again. She called me, saying her grandmother was in severe pain every night in the second half of the night. She could not bear it anymore and thought of me again. I prayed for her again, and she got better. I said, Did your granddaughter pray for you? She said yes, but it was several years ago. This is interesting.

Whether a person is easily deceived by the leaven of the Pharisees depends on whether he considers human concerns or God's concerns when he believes in the Lord.

As Jesus said:

Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can the spirit of a person give in exchange for their life?” (Matthew 16:24-26)

The teachings of the Pharisees are clearly explained in Matthew 23. Their teachings are very evil. However, there are numerous new types of Pharisaical Christians today, and new types of Pharisaical teachings are also found everywhere. Can we imagine the era more than two thousand years ago, when Jesus was still on earth, and then look at the era we are in today, asking if it's the same?

The Leaven of the Pharisees: Saying Without Doing

What exactly is the leaven of the Pharisees? The scripture says:

Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.” (Matthew 23:1-3)

Firstly, the leaven of the Pharisees is saying without doing. There's a term for someone who can only talk: a two-penny teapot, meaning all spout and no tea. It describes someone who only talks, but does nothing. Especially when it comes to preaching the word of God, they can talk but not do.

They put heavy burdens on people's shoulders, but won't lift a finger themselves. In this generation, the leaven of the Pharisees has killed so many. The evil spirit behind it is the spirit of religion, a yellow weasel spirit. The spirit of the yellow weasel is the leaven of the Pharisees, what they say is full of confusion. Actually, what they say isn't bad, or how else could they deceive people?

I've served so many people, how could this be? How could these people not see what I do? Did I take even a penny of their money? No. But once a person only says and doesn't do, it's truly fatal.

A preacher said to me dismissively: You're doing what we've been doing for ages! This is about casting out demons. So they also cast out demons, but not very well, ending up with a body full of ailments, not like Jesus. We must gradually understand that saying without doing is extremely detestable, putting heavy burdens on people's shoulders, while not even wanting to lift a finger.

A sister became pregnant out of wedlock, and their pastor only cared about whether or not to have an abortion, forcing the sister to give birth. This sister had difficulty supporting herself, and when the child was two years old, she jumped off a building, not only jumping herself, but also holding the child. Why? The church pastor told her: What will happen to the child if you die?

This girl, with her two-year-old child, was severely oppressed by the devil. They didn't release the girl from the oppression of the devil like Jesus did, but instead added burdens to her. This is the leaven of the Pharisees.

Is a powerless gospel still a gospel? Brothers and sisters, you must tell yourselves that a powerless gospel is not the gospel of Jesus Christ at all. If a powerless gospel is still the system we believe in, everyone should think carefully. The erroneous teachings about God that they release have already infected you with the leaven of the Pharisees.

A little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough. Don't think that a little problem is not an issue. No, the leaven of the Pharisees can bring the whole person into their system, and then they can't get out. They love being greeted in the marketplaces and being called 'Rabbi'. They love vanity, but it's useless!

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. (Matthew 23:13)

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Therefore you will be punished more severely.” (Matthew 23:14)

They don't do practical things. Even if they do, it's to seize other people's property! I think today the leaven of the Pharisees is ubiquitous in the Christian faith. They shut the door of the kingdom of heaven because they eliminated the power of God. Pharisees have no other abilities, but they are good at turning the powerful gospel into a powerless one.

Seeing brothers and sisters oppressed by sickness, they explain it this way and that way, they are good at it. But they are not good at releasing brothers and sisters from the oppression of sickness. These people have turned the powerful gospel into a powerless one. Isn't that shutting the door of the kingdom of heaven?

How does the kingdom of God come? Where demons are cast out by the Spirit of God, the kingdom of God comes. If casting out demons is eliminated, isn't that fatal? You used to cast out demons, so what? Why don't you do it now? Can't do it, right?

For a while, I attended a course, listening to them talk nonsense. I asked a few questions, and they disliked me. The speaker stood in front of me and said: The demon is driven out and comes back again. What's the point of driving it out? His conclusion was that there was no need to drive it out again.

I tried not to be annoying, and I thought: No matter how many times it comes back, I will drive it out again each time! My logic is that the kingdom of God comes, and we must eliminate the demon. Why does the demon come back? Often, they themselves invite the demon back. How do they invite it back? Because they have a worldly logical system inside.

I ask them to change, but they don't like to change, so the demon comes again. It doesn't matter if it comes again! I still have to release them. As long as they are willing, one day, their worldly logical system will be replaced by the logical system of the kingdom of God. One day they will understand that in Jesus Christ, all our needs will be met.

God’s will is for us to live out His glory and honour! Not to stop casting out demons because they come back! What kind of logic is that! That's called the leaven of the Pharisees, which is shutting the door of the kingdom of heaven.

They themselves do not enter, nor will they let those enter who are trying to. More than two thousand years ago, Jesus clearly described the leaven of the Pharisees, but today people read the same Bible, yet many still cannot understand the leaven of the Pharisees. The kingdom of God is in power, and the power of God must come upon us.

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.” (Matthew 23:15)

Preaching the Gospel of Great Power

Don't just look at people preaching the gospel enthusiastically. What are they preaching? Are they preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ's great power? They win a single convert, and when they have succeeded, they make them twice as much a child of hell as they are. Don't think that preaching the gospel blindly is preaching the gospel. The Pharisees were very enthusiastic about proselytizing. They didn't bring people into the kingdom of God, but into the kingdom of the devil, and then they spoke sweet words, but in fact, liars are the most eloquent.

Today, brothers and sisters, can you open your spiritual eyes? Don't think that they seem to believe quite well. What exactly do they believe in? Is it in accordance with the teachings of Jesus Christ? Do they really do what Jesus did? Everyone should carefully ponder this matter. If they only say and don't do, then what is that if not the leaven of the Pharisees?

Only leading people into the church, but making them children of hell, what is that? Acting, hypocrisy, what is that if not the leaven of the Pharisees? They change spiritual concepts into earthly concepts, turning sickness into God's grace, and making many truths very strange.

“Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by their oath.’ You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by their oath.’ You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.” (Matthew 23:16-22)

How rampant are the teachings of the Pharisees today? They make these things extremely confusing. They say that whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound. Then which is greater? Is it the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold? Today, many people have no concept of the church, creating very strange things. If I were to list them one by one, there would be too many.

When a person believes in a gospel, but cannot see the grace and power of God at all, what is the Pharisees' interpretation? You still have doubts inside. Who has no doubts at all when they pray? Besides the faith of a mustard seed, I am full of doubts.

Jesus never said not to doubt at all. If God doesn't hear your prayer, it's because you still have doubts inside? They lead people from faith to doubt, but you will find that what I teach begins with faith and leads to faith. From the faith of a mustard seed, you will see the grace of God.

From Faith to Faith

We are often muddled by the leaven of the Pharisees. Why don't we receive the grace of God? Because we still have doubts inside. But Jesus said that as long as you have the faith of a mustard seed, you can experience the grace of God. Why would they say that? Because they believe in a powerful gospel and make it powerless, and they have to explain all kinds of situations: a person gets cancer, that's the grace of God; a person is cursed, that's also the grace of God. Would you like some?

Never again believe in a completely powerless gospel. Know that our teaching is not different, it is the teaching of Jesus Christ. I may not speak so precisely, but you can return to the Bible, read the Bible carefully, and believe what Jesus said.

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.” (Matthew 23:23-24)

These people like to see the small and not see the big. A person who sees the small and not the big will never be successful. If you read the Bible in a way that sees the small and not the big, that is the leaven of the Pharisees. The blind see, the lame walk, the dead are raised to life, they don't see it.

What do they see? Jesus heals on the Sabbath. Jesus asked them: If a sheep falls into a well on the Sabbath, is it okay to pull it up? The Pharisees didn't speak. They thought it wasn't okay, but if they said it wasn't okay, they couldn't get past their conscience. They are a rigid dogma, violating the most basic common sense, so the leaven of the Pharisees is very powerful.

Why do people like the leaven of the Pharisees? Because there is a worldly and present logic system inside that matches their core interests. If a person is not filled with a heart that lives completely for God, not dedicating himself completely to God, but has his own desires, his own logical system, then the leaven of the Pharisees is just right for their taste. Because they themselves think so too.

Brothers and sisters, are you willing to dedicate yourself completely?

For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? (Mark 8:35-37)

So whoever wants to follow Jesus must deny themselves, this is what Jesus said. There was a couple, the wife had been suffering from depression for a year and a half. Her good friend was my co-worker, so he contacted his good friend. After praying, she really got a lot better. She could sleep peacefully after not being able to sleep.

Our co-worker told him to learn to give, because selfishness is the root of all problems. But when he said give, he couldn't give, because it touched his core interests. As a result, he found a lot of reasons to say we were liars.

We haven't asked you to completely deny yourself and follow Jesus, just asked you to give. You spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in the hospital and it didn't get better. We made your wife better, but as soon as we said give, we became liars?

Conclusion

This is the logical system of the world and the present. Even if we don't know God, we can still receive his grace. This couple doesn't know God either, but if they have needs, we will give them grace and pray for them. The problem is that people don't know that our God once fed five thousand people with five loaves and two fish.

The gospel we believe in is completely offering ourselves as a living sacrifice to God. Isn't that an extremely worthwhile thing? If we completely dedicate ourselves to Jesus, how can we not receive abundant life?

The leaven of the Pharisees is unbelief. The reason why the leaven of the Pharisees is so rampant in the church is because people are considerate of human thoughts, not considerate of God's thoughts. It is an extremely sad thing to believe in a powerful gospel and make it powerless.

I encourage you to start learning to live for God. When you hear the words live for God, you may feel a little embarrassed. It doesn't matter, I didn't ask you to live for God in the next second, but after listening to what I said, think carefully, read the word of God, read the Bible, and then see if you really understand God's will. If you understand God's will, you will know that this is a path of prosperity. Are we willing to be raised up for Jesus Christ, to become a lamp that can illuminate this dark world? May God bless everyone!