Introduction

Good morning, everyone. Today, we will look at 1 Corinthians, chapter 2. This chapter contains many scriptures that I have quoted most often over the years. They are very familiar and of utmost importance. The theme of this chapter is that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2:5)

However, the current state of the church is precisely the opposite of this statement. Today’s church has a distinct characteristic in its faith in Jesus Christ, which is that people’s faith is only in the wisdom of men and not in the power of God. Once you mention the power of God, you are categorised as a charismatic. I don’t know where they got these labels. It's as if believing in a faith with God's power is deviant, while turning the faith in Jesus Christ into one without power and only engaging in speculation is considered orthodox. This is very strange. Since they claim to only know Jesus crucified, they should know that the gospel of Jesus is a powerful gospel, a gospel that manifests the power of Jesus resurrected from the dead in us.

I. Paul Did Not Use Eloquence or Superior Wisdom to Proclaim the Mystery of God

And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. (1 Corinthians 2:1-3)

The Corinthians were quite similar to people today, enjoying eloquence and impressive speech. I once went with a friend to listen to a professor's lecture. After the lecture, my friend said the professor spoke very well. I was completely dazed because I didn't understand anything he was saying. Usually, when I don't understand something, I question myself but also wonder if the speaker didn't explain it clearly. If he were capable, he should have been able to explain it in a way that even a novice like me could understand. I thought my friend was amazing for understanding everything. However, he said he didn't understand. Does that mean not understanding is good?

People have bad habits. When someone speaks on stage, and everything sounds impressive, they think it’s good, like a Tang poem. Many people think a pastor's sermon is not good if it doesn't have jokes. But if you want to hear jokes, you might as well go to a stand-up comedy show instead of listening to a sermon. A sermon is not a comedy show, although I try hard to make my sermons as entertaining as stand-up comedy. Paul did not use eloquence or superior wisdom to preach the mystery of the gospel of Jesus Christ. But when some people came to Corinth and started speaking, there was continuous applause from the audience. We don't know if they explained things clearly, but everyone thought they spoke well. How could these people be so easily fooled?

Those who came to Corinth to speak included Apollos and Cephas, which is Peter, and of course, those who followed Peter. What they preached is not recorded in the Bible, and Paul did not say how they preached. But why did Paul have to defend himself? Because the Corinthians were foolish and started to look down on Paul. Paul spoke clearly, in words that people could understand. He did not use eloquence or shout slogans loudly. This time, Paul wrote to the Corinthians, telling them that he did not speak to them with eloquence, but if they thought he lacked wisdom, he would talk to them about wisdom. At that time, some Corinthians regarded Paul with contempt, thinking that he only stayed in Corinth for a year and a half and was just a crude speaker. I guess Paul spoke like me, foolishly, with phrases like what's in your head often on his lips. Crude speech and unimpressive appearance were the Corinthians' assessment of Paul.

Paul didn't care. His wisdom came from God. Paul’s arguments also addressed other issues. Many people looked down on what Paul preached, thinking it could not have come from an apostle. So, in 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians, Paul argued that he was always an apostle to the Corinthians.

If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 9:2)

The Corinthians were not very smart, preferring flowery words. If you like flowery words but dislike a pastor who gets things done, you are not far from being deceived. Someone once told me that a person who is not down-to-earth happened to meet a pastor who is always demanding of him, but without those demands, he would not grow. People with ulterior motives always find fault, but I must tell you that since ancient times, people have loved wisdom, but it is the wisdom of men. If I don't use wise and persuasive words, does that mean I don't have wisdom?

And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2:4-5)

What is worldly wisdom used for? If people in this world have any wisdom, they will think about building a HNA or Evergrande-like enterprise, thinking about making money. People like this and think this is wisdom, but the wisdom Paul spoke of is not this kind of wisdom. Paul said that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. This statement is what we, the Chinese Mingding Destiny, often say. If you don't know this today, I must tell you to imprint this sentence in your mind and into your bones.

II. That Your Faith Should Not Stand in the Wisdom of Men but in the Power of God

The difference between a gospel with the power of God and one without power is too great. I am an engineer and have a huge difference from a literary figure or philosopher. An engineer uses engineering to solve problems. Build a bridge, and people can cross it; make an airplane, and you can fly across the Pacific or Atlantic Ocean, or from the north to the south of Asia. Engineers are good at solving problems rather than speculating. For them, what counts is what can be made. In past recent years, the reason I came out to start a church is that I had a great discernment, or rather, I was very dissatisfied with those churches, feeling that the church was not the same as what was written in the Bible. But I didn't like to grumble and complain underneath, arguing with other pastors, so I simply started my own church.

At first, I didn't know how to start a church, but deep down, I recognised that the church should be full of the power of God. When I read the Bible, I found that everyone who came to Jesus was healed, but those who came to the church were only healed occasionally, not all of them. This must be wrong, which is why I say there is a huge difference between an engineer and a literary figure or philosopher. Looking at Sanmao and Hemingway, the author of The Old Man and the Sea, both were once famous literary figures but ended up committing suicide. This seems to be a problem.

Later, I studied ancient Chinese poetry. Although I didn't study it deeply, I must tell you to try not to let children recite those Tang and Song poems. After reciting Tang poems, children hate Li Bai for writing so many poems that are so difficult to recite. Li Bai himself may not even be able to recite them, because most of them may have been written when he was drunk. Ancient Chinese poetry, including many literary works, is full of negative emotions of unrecognised talent. After reciting them, you don't know what to do with them. I don't like to sing or compose poetry, but I occasionally recite two poems by Chairman Mao. They are written with passion and even have a sense of victory. I especially dislike the kind of literature that is sad in autumn and sentimental about the moon, but some people like it.

Today, I want to pull you out of the wisdom of men, that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. This is my creed. I see many things that are very interesting. See if my observations are accurate. Many people who do finance have jumped off buildings, playing with money all day long, and gamblers also jump off buildings. Literary figures don't jump off buildings, but many commit suicide, and so do artists. But you rarely see a software engineer jump off a building. Those of us are simply enjoying when writing software. If you have a diploma but also a depressive personality, come and learn programming. Engineers and programmers are all about doing, and it is a very enjoyable job. If you feel unlucky hearing this, how can you be a language teacher? It doesn't matter. Many liberal arts graduates among us, those who studied journalism and language, were later taught how to write programs by me. So, everyone must know that what counts is what can be made. This is an engineer-like faith.

That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men. Don't listen to people who can speak eloquently and talk nonsense. Look to see if there is the power of God. If God is with you, God will surely manifest His power in you, manifesting His presence in you. Today, we carefully read the Bible. When Moses raised his staff, the Red Sea parted. All of those are miracles that make us unbelievable. It is the same when Samuel speaks, and God fulfills it. The way an engineer like me believes in the Lord is pretty good. Seeing that the things God does are pretty good, I try it, and I see that there truly is the power of God. So, what exactly is your faith? If your faith is built on the power of God, you will definitely not despair. If your faith is built on your own ability, you are finished, because you only have that little skill.

When I preach, I mention that God will provide for you. Hearing this gives you much faith. Today, our faith must come out of the drawbacks of this generation, that is, out of the absurdity of those who like to preach the gospel with eloquence but cannot deliver the power of God. No matter what, be a person who can release miracles. Some people say they just like miracles. In fact, even if people who say this like miracles, they don't have any at all. They don't even know what they are. Believers have signs and wonders following them. So, my faith is built on the foundation of the power of God, and the miracles I perform have helped many people. Without miracles, can you not despair?

The miracles I perform are beyond human understanding. I mentioned before that a doctoral student couldn't graduate at a critical time. I asked him to come and pray, telling him that I didn't believe his advisor's hand was more powerful than God's hand. Can their advisor's brain compare to the power of God? He's just an associate professor and not even a full professor. The email his advisor wrote the previous Friday said he couldn't graduate, but the email the following Friday said to prepare to graduate. This is a miracle. Wasn't it a blessing that he met me? He owes me a favour on the matter of graduation. Later, another doctoral student who couldn't graduate also graduated. If God wants someone to graduate, he will definitely be able to graduate. So, my faith is not built on persuasive words of human wisdom but on the power of God. There is no such word as impossible in me. Tell me what diseases you have. The problem is that you have to follow the path of faith with me. If you also believe and are not standing on the persuasive words of human wisdom but are built on the foundation of the power of God, this is faith.

The miracles I perform exceed my own imagination and definitely exceed everyone's imagination. An old man's leg was swollen like a wooden stick. I prayed for him, and he was healed. Don't you believe I'll bring the real person to tell you? I even had lunch with him today. The old man was a little depressed again. But I have a trick. I have the power of God. I want to bless him. This 90-year-old man is happy when he sees me. I can speak, but I definitely don't use wise and persuasive words. I don't know Tang and Song poems. They are just those vulgar but people can understand it. When my mother was alive, she said that she couldn't understand other preachings. She could only understand my preachings. I said, of course, because I didn't use those wise and persuasive words.

III. The Wisdom We Speak Is Not the Wisdom of This World, but the Wisdom of God

Some people say Paul did not have wisdom, so he couldn't speak wise and persuasive words. You can tell from 1 Corinthians that Paul wrote a letter to the Corinthians just to defend himself slightly. The implication is, don't be silly, you Corinthians. The things you do are all useless. He, Paul, also speaks wisdom. Don't think that he only speaks of miracles without wisdom. The wisdom that we, the Chinese Mingding Destiny, speak of all comes from the wisdom of heaven. Most people can't compare. The wisdom we speak of is not the wisdom of this world, but the wisdom of God.

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory. (1 Corinthians 2:7)

How do you feel about being able to be glorified? Not many of you are wise, not many are powerful, and not many are noble, but God can glorify you. That wisdom is so good, better than the wisdom you use for taking university examination. We also speak wisdom, but not the wisdom of this world. Everyone should listen carefully to what other pastors preach. After listening to me preach a lot, it seems a little difficult to listen to them again, because I preach the mysterious wisdom of God. For example, if someone is feeling uncomfortable, go listen to my sermon on Ecclesiastes and you won't be depressed after listening to it. Because we must have a hope of glory in eternity. The reason why people are uncomfortable is because they can't see through it, and inside is all the wisdom of this world. Although the wisdom of this world has written many books, the result is that it blows its own head off. The wisdom of this world is useless, without power, and even without the power of God.

We speak of the power of God, which is the hidden wisdom of God that God ordained before the ages for our glory, which is the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages, which is among the perfect. You don't understand because you are not perfect. If you understand, you are perfect. Living in this life is not perfect. Only living in eternity can you be perfect. Living and living, you die, and you can't be perfect when you go to the urn. It's not gone, but it's been taken away by ghosts. Then how can you be good? Those of us who believe that living in the world is vanity of vanities also believe that we are seeking eternal and incorruptible glory, and then we are joyful, belittling many things in the world.

Today, our brothers and sisters must obtain the wisdom of God no matter what. People don't need to have God's wisdom when they first experience the power of God. They only need faith. After experiencing the power of God, they suddenly awaken and realise that this is a treasure, and then they begin to seek a breakthrough in understanding. It is not to use one's own logic, or the eloquence of men, or the wisdom of men to think, but to stand from God's perspective to look at this life, and one becomes a perfect person. When a person seeks glory in eternity, he becomes a perfect person. God will take you through a life full of God's glory, and then you will come before God to see the Lord's face.

However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (1 Corinthians 2:6-8)

None of the powerful people of this world know, can everyone understand? Paul wrote the above sentences so powerfully. If our hope is in this world only, we are to be pitied more than all men. If you have power and position, you will do everything to protect it. Once a person lives successfully in this world, he will try very hard to preserve everything he has. So, like Jeroboam, after becoming the king of Israel, he felt that the throne was very great. Saul was the same; after becoming the king of Israel, he kept thinking about securing his throne, but in the end, he lost his throne and died without a burial place.

People must never have everything going smoothly in this world; that is not called a blessing, because smooth sailing does not require the practice of faith, nor does it require seeking glory in eternity. People's eyes are all fixed on this world. Today I want to tell you that the wisdom of the world corrupts people. Some people think they are very wise, and they walk differently. They tighten their belts, hold their mobile phones, and walk with the wind, even their ties are flying. Everyone's attention is drawn to them, and they also think they are great, not knowing that they are still human. So, the problem is here: they don't know they are human, nor do they know that they will die one day. They are busy every day but don't know that they are rushing straight to the road to the underworld.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, never pursue the wisdom of the world. Even today, many of the things we seek do not follow God's wisdom. Even after experiencing the power of God, we still do not seek the eternal wisdom that God has given us. In fact, the wisdom that God wants to give us was ordained before the ages for our glory. But we do not understand, what glory are we to receive?

IV. This Glory is What No Eye Has Seen, No Ear Has Heard, and No Heart Has Imagined.

See if I have explained this second chapter of 1 Corinthians clearly? Today, the glory that God has prepared is invisible to the naked eye, has not been heard by the ear, and has not been imagined by the heart. We live in this world and then we are gone. I sent one off last year, and I don’t know how many I will send off this year. Some people cannot make it through this year. Where can you find such glory? The Holy Spirit reveals it to us. Although you have not seen it, nor heard it, and your heart has never imagined it, the Holy Spirit reveals it to you through the power of God.

Today I will ask you one question: the lame and the paralyzed can walk, and after I pray for the fractured, they can jump and run. What do you feel in your heart when you see this? You should be amazed that the eternal glory that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no heart has imagined is so real. This is why I am willing to pay such a price. If you have also performed so many miracles, it is difficult to disbelieve. Of course, there are also those who have performed many miracles but later disbelieved.

But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:9-10)

What has been revealed? The spiritual world has been revealed, and the entire spiritual world has been revealed. The Spirit of God opened my eyes. Once I saw several monsters about one meter tall with strange faces, dark and hairy all over. I could understand what they were saying. They called my name and said they were unlucky to meet me. Then six or seven of them ran away suddenly, and the patient I was serving recovered. At that time, I suddenly realized that the disease was caused by these things. Only through the Spirit of God can we understand the truth of the spiritual realm. If you know the truth of the spiritual realm, the Spirit of God will reveal the reality of this spiritual realm to you through His power. Do you think I can not yearn for the crown of glory that God has prepared for me in eternity?

Every time I think of the crown of glory that God has prepared for me, I serve with great enthusiasm, and I want to drive out more demons. Isn't there a song in Journey to the West that sings about driving out a few demons and catching a few monsters? I think this game is good. Driving out demons is a great enjoyment. Catching demons and subduing monsters is much more enjoyable than playing a video game or eating a feast. It is very joyful. When you catch a demon and subdue a monster, your wealth will be blessed. These little demons and monsters have hidden many treasures and wealth in their caves, which eventually become mine. Those who overcome will surely be blessed. These little demons and monsters give me the blessings they have plundered from others, so I will not be short of money. Later, I caught larger demons, and that's how I passed the levels, and every level requires the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is my magic weapon, and the name of Jesus Christ is full of power in the spiritual world.

Many people say that I steal God's glory, which is nonsense! It is God who enables me to obtain His glory. If you read carefully, God ordained before the ages that we should obtain glory. God's glory is my glory, and my glory is also God's glory. I am one with God. Therefore, there is no doctrine of stealing God's glory among us, only the doctrine that we are one with Jesus Christ.

God's glory is revealed to us through the power of the Holy Spirit, which is what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no heart has imagined. When I first believed in the Lord, I had never thought about it or seen it. But as time went by, I saw some things, and then I subdued a small demon, and my eyes saw some more, my ears heard some more, and my heart thought of some more. Then I subdued a bigger demon, and my eyes saw some more. My life is full of exciting and wonderful stories that I can never finish telling. As soon as I see a ghost making a move, trying to confuse our sister, I break it. I have magic weapons, the wisdom of Jesus Christ, and spiritual wisdom. I use magic weapons to break one yesterday, one today, and every day. The ghost is so angry that it gnashes its teeth, complaining that it is unlucky to meet me. I have wisdom from God. After experiencing so many spiritual things, I have discovered that explaining spiritual things with spiritual words is a crucial statement in our Chinese Mingding Destiny.

V. Explain Spiritual things with Spiritual Words

I can explain when people are unlucky, and I can also explain when they are sick. I explain it with spiritual words. So I often tell everyone to look at these problems with spiritual eyes and explain spiritual things with spiritual words. Poverty, bad luck, and even illness are all spiritual matters. To be able to see these spiritual matters is to become a spiritual person, so if you want to be a spiritual person, you must explain spiritual things with spiritual words. If you explain gout by eating seafood and drinking beer, this is not called spiritual words, but carnal words. I use spiritual words to explain that this is Old Ma, and next time you will learn it too, don't laugh at me for blaming everything on Old Ma. Old Ma uses spiritual words to explain spiritual things, and it is really true.

Today, those among us whose finances are not blessed have returned to the pre-liberation era after decades in the world, and if they go further, they will return to before creation, haven't they already become empty and chaotic? It's because people don't know that these are all spiritual matters. If you can't listen to the ideas I give you, it's because what you are thinking about is worldly things. I tell you never to pay off your family's gambling debts, nor to pay off their debts from failed investments. Because I tell you with spiritual words, but there is nothing I can do if you can't listen. This ghost first corrupts your parents, and then through your parents corrupts you, and then traps you. Among us, a sister's younger sister and brother were trapped by their parents. In fact, it was the ghosts on their father and mother that trapped them. If you are also going to be trapped, then you deserve it, who told you you couldn't see through it? So today I tell you that carnal people are so foolish.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:12-14)

The Spirit of God reveals it to us to study Genesis. I'm not kidding everyone about this. Our Genesis Bible study is definitely the most advanced understanding of this era. People live for so little, whoever wants to die can die, whoever wants to live can live, what's so great about it? If you haven't been trapped yet, perhaps you can help them when they are trapped. If the whole family is trapped tightly, and they are all so poor that they are penniless, and they all owe credit card debts and high-interest loans, and everyone can't eat, then they will all die. A spiritual person sees through everything. These things are all understanding. If you don't understand spiritual words explaining spiritual things in your understanding, can you explain it? If you can't explain it, then listen to me more. I am talking about spiritual words explaining spiritual things. I am not afraid of you laughing at me. It doesn't matter if you can't listen. But you still have to look at these problems from the Spirit of God, from God's perspective. So your understanding must begin to be activated. You must know God from a spiritual point of view, and you must look at the things in your life from a spiritual point of view. Your language and your logic must be clear in order to explain it clearly.

VI. A Spiritual Person Sees Through All Things

But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. (1 Corinthians 2:15)

Our faith is not built on gentle words, but on the demonstration of God's power. It only depends on God's power. Living is a very simple thing. A spiritual person sees through all things. When anything comes to me, I look at it with spiritual eyes, and it is much more accurate than Sun Wukong's fiery eyes. As soon as I see that it is a ghost, that is not your parents, it is a ghost corrupting people. So if you are a spiritual person, it is to explain spiritual things with spiritual words, and moreover, a spiritual person sees through all things. Although I am a very filial son to my mother and I handle the relationship between my brothers and sisters in the family very well, I am a spiritual person. Because I see through the essence of many things, I can solve problems easily. If you can't see through it, after I finish speaking about carnal things, you will think what I said is foolish, because people can't understand.

Living is vanity of vanities. If you can't see through it, you have to see through it, otherwise you will run desperately towards that urn in the end. Today, that old man in his nineties showed me his photos of his whole life, from his twenties to his nineties. After seeing it, I felt very emotional. In the blink of an eye, eighty or ninety years have passed, and he felt the same way. Even at my age, time flies, and the days of youth are right before my eyes. So if people see through it, they will know that people really need eternal life, and they really need the crown of glory in eternity that eyes cannot see, ears cannot hear, and hearts cannot imagine. This momentary and light affliction will achieve an eternal glory that is beyond comparison. In any case, be a spiritual person. People live not running towards the urn, but running towards the throne of God and the crown of glory that God has prepared for us, so my heart is full of hope.

VII. We Have the Mind of Christ

For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16)

Why did Paul serve the Corinthians in this way? Paul patiently taught a group of hooligans, Corinthians with shit in their heads, and later won the Corinthians back again so that they could receive the benefits of the gospel. However, the Corinthians humiliated Paul, saying very harsh things, saying that he was not an apostle, that he spoke rudely and had no wisdom. He, Paul, was trying to fool them Corinthians all day long for money, they said a lot of nasty words. Even so, Paul still wrote letters to the Corinthians in a down-to-earth manner, to win back their hearts, so that they would not be deceived by the devil. Do you have such a serving mentality? Many years ago when reading 1 Corinthians, I had the mind of Christ. That is, we do not discern good and evil with people, even if people have millions of ways of treating us unfairly, we still choose to serve.

I used to be riddled with holes by some people, like a sieve, but now I am invulnerable, because I have put on a bulletproof vest. Putting on Jesus Christ is like putting on a bulletproof vest. No matter how you treat me, I serve you with the heart of Jesus Christ. I just think that in the spiritual world, there is a group of angels cheering for us and applauding for us. Today you can come and try, no matter how you discern good and evil, even if you have humiliated me before, I serve you as if I were serving God. Because all I seek is to obtain the crown of glory in eternity in this momentary and light life, with the mind of Jesus Christ. Living originally has no meaning, but because Jesus has become my God, my life has meaning, this is my Mingding Destiny.

Therefore, our faith is not in the wisdom of man, nor is it in the money of man, but only in the power of God. As long as I please God in my life, I will not lack any good things in this life, and I will not lack any good things in eternal life. If you are really willing to follow my thinking, you will definitely live a very wonderful life. I thank God for giving us such a determination, for letting us know that pleasing God in our life is the goal we pursue on this earth. May we become priests who are after God's own heart and people who are after God's own heart, and may we all come before God and receive glorious praise.

That's why I have hardly rested for so many years, and I never need to rest. Serving God is my dream, and finally I have the opportunity to serve God, so I go all out. God's power is constantly manifested through my service, so brothers and sisters also begin to imitate those who run forward with such faith, with the mind of Christ. Your faith is not in worldly things, not in human wisdom, but only in the power of God. May God bless everyone!