Seeing Through Everything is the Key to Living Well!

In 1 Corinthians 2:13-15, there is a profound statement.

Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. (1 Corinthians 2:13-15)

For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

This statement is excellent! Everyone must memorize it. Let me ask you a question: Is it better to live well by seeing through everything or by not seeing through it? Of course, it is better to live well by seeing through things!

If someone asks strange questions, it's because they haven't seen through things! If you haven't seen through, you'll ask peculiar questions. The questions we used to ask have changed not because those questions were resolved, but because our entire foundation has changed. In the past, when you looked from a carnal perspective, you would have many problems and troubles. Today, when you look with spiritual eyes, you no longer see those problems.

For example, someone once questioned why we pray for others when they can go to the hospital. Today, our brothers and sisters don't ask such foolish questions. I must use the term "foolish" because, indeed, these questions are quite foolish! Why? Because aren't there many problems in the hospital that doctors can't solve? Today, when we have a God like this, why not try believing?

Hospitals are for those who like hospitals! Of course, I'm not forbidding you from going to the hospital; it's our freedom to choose. I prefer God's power, so I seek God for healing. Isn't that good? Moreover, if a person is under demonic influence, how can a doctor cure them?

Yesterday in this room, a sister's eyes had a layer of haze even after two surgeries. I prayed for her for 10 minutes, and it was done! Instead of suffering, having surgeries, taking time off for illness, and going through all that trouble, why not pursue something spiritual, let Jesus heal us? When you see through spiritual matters, you won't consider worldly things precious.

Paul understood all things in the world and understood spiritual things because the Holy Spirit dwelled in him. We trust in the spiritual God who sees through everything.

Don't Boast About the Carnal

Spiritual people see through everything, but the Corinthians, when Paul wrote 1 Corinthians chapter 3, were still not seeing through. Those who don't understand play tricks, and many people in the world play these tricks. But Christians who continue to play these tricks are even more pitiful!

Do you know about Down syndrome? People with Down syndrome are about half the height of normal people, with strange facial features. Do you want to be like someone with Down syndrome? In the process of growing as a spiritual being, if you don't develop healthily, you become like someone with Down syndrome. Therefore, we must grow into healthy spiritual beings, understanding all things in the world! When you understand everything, you won't think worldly things are precious.

As you get older, you may develop strange characteristics. However, if you trust in God's ability, why not try believing in Him?

I have found that many people, as they age, develop some strange characteristics. Of course, I became a believer in my twenties, so I didn't develop those habits over the years. The habits from the past gradually disappeared. It's relatively easy to change in your twenties, but as you reach forty, fifty, sixty, seventy... it becomes very difficult to change!

So, what's wrong with these people? They like to boast using worldly things, enjoy chatting and gossiping. People from Beijing, known for chatting, as well as those from other regions, engage in similar behavior. What do they do? As Paul said, they like to boast using human wisdom and enjoy gossip.

I am amazed that if these people live well, with joy in their hearts, a peaceful and stable family life, goals, missions, and the ability to help others, they might have something to boast about. However, they mostly talk about the shortcomings of others. In such situations, I teach everyone a concept: when you encounter such boastful people, cut them off from the beginning.

How do you cut them off? Let me ask you: Can you bring a mentally ill person out of their delusions? You can't. So, speak less and do more meaningful things. If they ask if you can, say, "Of course I can," because you know that behind mental illness is an evil spirit. We can use the power of the Holy Spirit to rescue those mentally bound and make them normal individuals.

If they question the authenticity, tell them about our experiences and testimonies with God. So, it's not difficult to deal with those who boast using human wisdom. The biggest characteristic of boasting with human wisdom is that it doesn't solve real problems.

Since you can solve problems and they can't, or, let's say, the Corinthians couldn't solve problems with human wisdom, but Paul could with spiritual wisdom and the power of the Holy Spirit, isn't the distinction clear? So, let's not be discouraged, don't feel inferior to others. Don't let people think you're just an ordinary person; you are someone with the great power of the Holy Spirit, capable of solving real problems!

Why fear when you can transform lives and solve problems? As long as you are willing to walk the path of trusting in God, we declare that the promises of power in the Bible are ours! Our God is a living God, and through our hands, He has done great and awe-inspiring things. So, why be afraid? We are not boasting about worldly things; everything we do is a testimony to the power of the Holy Spirit!

Do Not Build the Church in a Worldly and Carnal Manner

The church we construct, if built in a worldly way, everything created will not endure. But when built by the great power of the Holy Spirit, making you a vessel of God's might, through God's power, what is built will endure!

Here, it is mentioned: gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, and straw—all these are worldly things. In reality, when Paul speaks of constructing a project, what is being built is the body of Jesus Christ, which is the church. You can use money, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, and straw to build the church, but these are not what Paul refers to; these are worldly things.

What is precious in the eyes of men is garbage in the eyes of God. God values what men disregard because they are worldly people. Today, no matter what, we must continually change our worldly perspective and transform into people with a spiritual perspective. Then your life will undoubtedly manifest a glorious existence because God's power can be displayed through you.

So, what should be used for building? It should be built by the power of the Holy Spirit, as mentioned in the previous chapter: explain spiritual things with spiritual words and explain worldly things with worldly words. Therefore, if we build a spiritual temple using worldly methods, it cannot be done. When the fire of the Holy Spirit manifests, everything will be burned completely clean.

So when we carefully consider this, you can observe: which kind of church is built by the power of the Holy Spirit? The Bible says,

UUnless the Lord builds the house,
the builders labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the guards stand watch in vain. (Psalm 127:1).

How well said! Therefore, only by relying on the power of God's Spirit can we accomplish anything. Isn't this what our church is doing?

The church must continually explore more spiritual gifts, more spiritual abilities, more unity in the Holy Spirit, and more anointing for healing, deliverance, and casting out of spirits. Such building is something human wisdom cannot achieve; the limitations of human wisdom are clear. Furthermore, what human wisdom can accomplish, in the end, God descends with fire from heaven, and nothing can endure.

So,

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. (1 Corinthians 3:10).
Do you see? We really must be careful about how we build on it. If what you build is consumed by fire, you must be especially cautious. Even though your motivations are right, if you build with worldly methods, you will suffer loss.

So today, when we carefully contemplate these words, what will we see? When you build by relying on God's power, what will happen? The glory of God will be manifested, exactly as Paul revealed the method of building. He has already told us how to build the church. Shouldn't we build according to what Paul said?

In Ephesians, Colossians, and other books of the Bible, it is very clear how to build the church.

If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. (1 Corinthians 3:12-14)
How wonderful is this statement!

You and I are people who will receive rewards before God. We must never say whether our work will receive a reward or not; following Paul's teachings is not difficult to understand. The Bible does not require extensive scholarly study. You just need to understand these words, and you will likely grasp what Paul is saying. If Paul did it that way, then you should do it that way too; what's so difficult about that?

Therefore, when we carefully ponder these words, what kind of thing will we see? When you build by relying on God's power, what will happen? The glory of God will be manifested, following the method Paul revealed. He has told us how to build the church. We should build according to what Paul said.

So today I teach you to start opening your spiritual eyes and examine one thing: What is this church built with? Some churches are built through interpersonal relationships, and some are built through eating. We have tried these before, and they were burned up. In the end, we willingly tore it down and rebuilt it on the foundation of Jesus Christ. When it is built, you will see that those who are controlled by demons will be released, and those who are sick and have problems will be healed when they come among us. How wonderful!

If we survive, we will be rewarded. Thank the Lord, today we have actually seen this reward among us. Therefore, a blessed church can see rewards while on earth. It must not have the wrong idea that rewards will be received after death. After death, that is another reward; while you are on earth, you will see that reward.

In fact, when Paul talked about rewards, he did not say that they must be at the time of death. Do you understand? If you have many problems in this world, even if you are building a church, you still have many problems, then you must reflect on yourself. So thank the Lord, what Paul said about receiving the reward is not that fire will appear after death. In fact, fire will appear while you are alive.

If someone tries to destroy this holy temple, God will destroy that person. Think about it; if someone engages in destructive work within the church, God will destroy that person, and the curses that person will face will be profound! So, brothers and sisters, let us not deceive ourselves, thinking we have wisdom in this world. It is better to become foolish in the eyes of the world and be wise in the spiritual world; the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God because God sees that these things cannot endure forever, and it is truly pitiful.

Clinging tightly to things in the world that do not last forever, thinking that it is wise, is actually futile! We are not saying that we can't do anything with human wisdom. You can see that human wisdom is very limited, and it would be better to not have that wisdom, so that we can have the wisdom from God, build the temple of God's glory, and live forever, and receive rewards in the world, and receive rewards when we go back to heaven, and really live out a very glorious life.

Therefore, in Chapter 3, titled "Do Not Boast About The Worldly Wisdom," and "Do Not Build with Worldly Methods," corresponding to what was said in Chapter 2, using spiritual words to explain spiritual matters and using spiritual materials to build a spiritual temple—when constructed in this way, when people bring their problems to God, they will see their issues resolved within the church. Amen!