Introduction: Learn How to Learn

Good day to all. Before I delve into today’s topic, I want to impart to you how to learn. I encourage you to start taking notes, and upon completion, review them. This is an excellent habit to cultivate. Besides developing the habit of taking notes, another crucial habit is to read the original text of the Bible!

Many enjoy listening to my sermons and tell me, “Teacher, you preach so well!” I would then counter, “What did you glean from it?” Upon this query, they would be stumped, unable to articulate anything. The original text of the Bible is paramount. If you do not even read the original text and come to listen to my sermons, what can you possibly gain?

Learning how to learn can allow you to achieve twice the results with half the effort! I do not favour you not learning diligently and then resorting to listening to recordings. That is wasting your time. Others learn something once, but you have to learn it twice. Hence, I encourage everyone to learn the correct methods of learning. Firstly, prepare adequately by reading the original text of the Bible! Secondly, focus on taking good notes! Thirdly, review them often!

Do Not Calculate Your Own Gains, Pursue Creating Value

If a person has good habits, they are dependable. Those who are dependable will rise in the corporate world. Some might say, “Rising in the ranks just means more work, doesn't it?” It is indeed more work, but the remuneration is also higher! Some hold a mistaken notion: “If my salary is a thousand dollars, and I only do eight hundred dollars’ worth of work, I have made two hundred dollars!” How foolish! Which boss would hire such an employee? If the boss discovers an employee who is calculative and shirks work, he might pay them a thousand dollars this month but reduce their salary to five hundred dollars the next month. That is foolishness!

If your salary is only eight hundred dollars, but you create a thousand dollars' worth of value, the boss will surely consider you a treasure and will definitely give you a raise, wanting to retain you. Even increasing it to two thousand dollars is worthwhile because you can continue to create ten thousand dollars' worth of value. As you continue working, one day your salary will increase to five thousand dollars because you can then create twenty thousand dollars' worth of value. If this continues, your salary rising to ten or twenty thousand dollars is not an issue at all.

Everyone must understand how high salaries come about. Do not just calculate whether you are gaining or losing. That reveals a defective mindset. What can a person with a defective mindset do? We say that we must wear the helmet of salvation, which means restoring our minds with God's intelligence and wisdom.

Let us look at Luke Chapter 15. This chapter is not written in isolation. It must be linked with the preceding chapters, one by one. Some might think I am talking nonsense, but this is not nonsense. When reading, one must not do so in isolation. Some people do not even read chapter by chapter; even if they read just one chapter, they only cut out a small segment of it and only read about the ninety-nine sheep. Ask them, “What is the relationship between the ninety-nine sheep and the one sheep?” They cannot explain anything. This is not knowing how to learn or think, only engaging in selective interpretation, which is not very useful.

Luke Chapter 13 speaks of entering through the narrow door, and Chapter 14 speaks of paying the price. When these are linked, it becomes troublesome. The door to the kingdom of heaven is so narrow, and we have to pay the price. Who can possibly enter? Upon such thinking, one's spirit starts to waver: “Can I enter?” But God's intention is that everyone can enter! Come, come, quickly come in! God's attitude is one of desperately pulling people to the feast, but people refuse because they have bought a piece of land, bought five yoke of oxen, or just got married, etc. But are these things really that important?

In God's eyes, whether a person is a treasure or trash depends entirely on their own choices. But having said that, why do people make such choices? It is hard to say. A person very likely starts this way from a young age. Whether a person ultimately ends up as a treasure or trash is truly shocking! How many are living in corruption today? Far too many! Living is very hard! Working so hard to earn money, only to be scammed in the end; not wanting to fall ill, but falling ill anyway; having deep expectations for their children, but the children also turn out unfavourably. People live in agony!

The line of work I am in is that of a pastor. If people are living well, would they come looking for a pastor like me? No, they would not! They would have nothing to do! But as soon as they come, even if they say that our Chinese Mingding Destiny is all good, the subtext I hear is that they have encountered problems. Otherwise, why would they be looking for you? I hardly ever encounter anyone who comes wanting to completely offer themselves up. Alas! What a pity!

Up till today, following this line of thought, the door to the kingdom of heaven is narrow, and one must pay the price to enter it. One cannot be a disciple without paying the price. Upon reading this, we think, “How cruel God is!” But no, God is looking for treasures. Once God finds a treasure, the angels in heaven, the entire spiritual realm, rejoice and are joyful!

Everyone must gradually develop a concept that God wants to reveal these things to us so that we know what kind of person God considers a treasure and what kind of person God considers trash. The door to the kingdom of heaven is so narrow, and the price is so high. How can people enter? Actually, people do not enter on their own. They are all chosen by God. God chooses people, finds them, and brings them back. How does God find treasures? God looks at the thoughts in people's minds. The thoughts in our minds determine whether we are God's treasure or trash.

After speaking for so long, what is the theme of Luke Chapter 15? Once God finds a treasure, heaven and earth rejoice. But that is a bit long. It is better to find one that is related to us, which is: “I want to be a treasure in God's eyes! I want to be that sheep in God's eyes! I want to be that coin in God's eyes! I want to be that prodigal son in God's eyes!” How can we enter God's kingdom? It is to be a treasure in God's eyes.

Whether to Be a Treasure or Trash Depends on Your Own Thoughts

God is looking for treasures. If God searches through the entire table, lights a lamp to search everywhere, searching and searching, and touches something soft, sticky, and smelly, only to find that it is dog faeces, that is disgusting. How can that be a treasure? Actually, many people in the world are in the state of dog faeces in God's eyes. God laments, “How come everything is soft, sticky, and smelly!” What do you want to be in God's eyes? If you just bought five yoke of oxen and God asks you to come to Him, but you want to manage your five yoke of oxen, you become soft, sticky, and smelly! Is this not courting death?

We must know what we are doing, and we must also know what God is doing. God is looking for treasures. If you know what kind of person is a treasure in God's eyes, be determined to be that kind of person. How wonderful that is! I really think I am quite smart. Out of so many who believe in the Lord, how many believe in the Lord like I do? Not many! I have a lot of character. From the day I was baptized, I recognized that God is my treasure, and I must be a treasure in God's eyes no matter what! What in heaven and earth is better than God?

I am puzzled. How come so many people have soft, sticky things stuffed in their heads? How come they do not know how wonderful our God is? How abundant is the glory of God's grace! In Jesus Christ, how great is the power God shows to us!

What can people resist? Some are very arrogant. They become millionaires in their thirties, driving a BMW at high speed. On the street in front of my office, at four in the morning, they had a car accident and died. No matter how they planned, they did not plan to die in a car accident! They could not stop it! They take off their socks and go to bed at night, but they do not know if they will be able to put them on in the morning. What are people arrogant about? Do they not know that God is a treasure? Are five oxen and a piece of land more important than God?

When I first believed in the Lord, my logic was simple. My fate is not in my hands. No matter what I do, I cannot reverse my fate. I was very smart from a young age and did well in my studies, but I encountered bad luck and lived like dog faeces. I saw myself as dog faeces, and others saw me as dog faeces. It was truly tormenting. Later, I felt that I could not live like this. I had to find a God. As a result, I found God, and I regarded God as a treasure.

Today, let us ask ourselves, how many people truly value God? From the day I believed in the Lord, I have not missed a single Sunday. I do not even attend weddings, continuing to worship my God. Can others’ weddings create my destiny? It cannot be created at all. Even if I attend your wedding, if I encounter bad luck upon returning, I will become dog faeces. I might as well forget about it! I only do one thing, which is to be a treasure in God's eyes.

What Is Lost and Regained Is Precious

The Pharisees saw that the tax collectors and sinners were near Jesus and thought they were dog faeces, but the Pharisees did not know what dog faeces were in God's eyes. The Pharisees privately discussed that Jesus received sinners and ate with them. These Pharisees were very surprised because God has His own views on the Pharisees, tax collectors, and sinners, and God's own views are completely different from people's views. The tax collectors thought that God's views were the same as theirs, and the Pharisees and scribes also thought that their views were the same as God's, but God has His own views. After the Pharisees saw this, Jesus told them something:

Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. (Luke 15:1-10)

Actually, God is looking for the lost sheep, just like the woman is looking for the lost coin. He is happy and joyful when he finds it. God is looking for a lost sheep, and He is not really looking for lost dog faeces. God is looking for treasure. For example, you are looking for a dollar, but if you do not find it, but you find something else, are you happy and joyful? The repentance of a sinner is called regaining what was lost, so the repentance of a person is so important in God's eyes, that is, regaining what was lost! I do not have much feeling for what I already have, but I am very happy to regain what was lost.

There is a person who is very interesting. He lent someone 300,000, and one day he was very happy and wanted to testify. I said, What is the testimony? He said, Someone owes me 300,000. I haven't mentioned it for many years. I can't get it back. He paid it back last month! I said, What's so happy about it? This 300,000 was originally yours! He said, This is different. This is regaining what was lost! Therefore, what is lost and regained is treasured by people, and God is the same.

What is the problem? What is lost and regained? Everyone is lost in the ocean of life. People are in the vast world, year after year, and a year passes in the blink of an eye. This epidemic has passed for more than a year in the blink of an eye, and it will pass for ten years in the blink of an eye. In the vast world of life, people are lost in the five cows and a piece of land, but they do not know that if people continue to go on like this, they will be gone one day.

No matter how powerful you are, even if you are Liu Bowen, you will be gone one day; even if you are Yao Guangxiao, you will be gone one day. Where did they go? It became fertilizer, very hard! They do not know that what people need is God, not five cows, not wives and children, not that piece of land, not that industry, not that business, what people need is God. People used to think they needed a house and a car. Isn't there a saying that you would rather cry in a BMW than laugh on a bicycle? Isn't that stupid? I don't want a life of entanglement and suffering. People want to live in joy!

Don't Get Lost in the Ocean of Life

If a person cannot figure out what it means to live for the rest of his life, he will get lost in the sea of life. If we have suffered enough, and suffered enough sins, and then understand: Oh, it turns out that fate is not in my hands! Then start saying: I made a mistake, I am the lost sheep, I don't want to continue to get lost! God is looking for such people. If people still think that five pairs of cows, a piece of land, a wife and children are important, then that is not the treasure that God wants.

And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. (Luke 15:11-16)

Living like a pig is very hard. In the past, he was rubbish in the eyes of God. Why? Asking his father to divide the family property, what is this like? As a result, he indulged in rioting and wasted his wealth, and later he ate pig food. After eating for a while, his mind became clear. When I was serving, I met people who were not very good-minded. I would say to my colleagues, It doesn't matter, let him eat pig food for a while. It refers to this passage, because the other party does not think he is wrong, so continue to eat, it is just sticking your mouth, not sticking my mouth.

One day, after eating a lot of pig food, I woke up. What am I doing? How many employees does my father have, and there is plenty of food? Do I need to starve to death here? I will get up and return to my father and say, Father, I have sinned against heaven and also against you. From now on, I am not worthy to be your son, so treat me as an employee. You see, this mentality repents all of a sudden. If you eat too much pig food, people will repent. Today, I am also very grateful to God, thank God for creating a lot of ghosts, ghosts let people live in the devil's logic system, and it is hard to live for a while. Ghosts come to torture us, because people after messing around and eating pig food, the ghosts drive people back. If ghosts make people live well, how can people repent?

God created all things, each in its own time, to be beautiful. I really think that there is an inseparable relationship between people being driven into the kingdom of God and ghosts. Take myself as an example. If I do not suffer, can I know God? I tell everyone that it is difficult for people to know God if they do not suffer. You said, if I haven't eaten pig food, can I repent? In the past, we lived in the wrong logical system, we以为放蕩是享受 (thought that indulgence was enjoyment), and wasting wealth was enjoyment, but now we know that we have lived wrong.

Repentance is to Know That You Didn't Do It Right

Among the Christians I have come into contact with, including some of us, self-righteousness is very common. It is obvious that they have made a mistake, but they think it is like this. After the church is built, they think the church is like this, and they think what they have done is the standard. If the plane you created cannot fly, they think it is like this; the car you created needs to be pushed by hand, and they think it is a rickshaw! But did these people really get it right?

It is not okay for people to think they are right. You must know that you have not done it right. As long as people know that they have not done it right, they will become smart all of a sudden. If you haven't done it right, and you keep messing around, it will be very hard to continue like this. Many people I come into contact with are like this, including pastors. I don't dare to say too much, otherwise people will glare at me and say, You are the only one who got it right? It doesn't matter, it's okay for people to be that kind of soft and sticky thing, they are still self-righteous, and they refuse to repent, just honestly say, I made a mistake, isn't it good? You have to say, you got it right? I didn't get it right either, but I am striving for it, aren't I?

To Be a Truly Repentant Son is What God Desires

I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ (Luke 15:18-21)

The son returned to his father, and the father, upon seeing his son's return, rushed to embrace him. The son reeked of pig slop, covered head to toe in the stench of swine, yet his father held him close, showering him with kisses. The son confessed, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son. These words resonate deeply, transforming the man into a treasure in God's eyes.

How many among us today lament, God, I serve you so diligently, yet receive nothing in return? Reflecting on this passage, we understand that everything is grace. What merit is there in boasting about relentless service? God, you have given me the opportunity to serve, to offer myself? Some remain obtuse, failing to grasp this as grace, when none of us is truly deserving. The father called for a robe, a ring, and a fattened calf to celebrate with feasting, for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. Once a prodigal upon leaving home, he is now a treasure upon his return. Why? Because the rubbish in his mind has been cleared. Having suffered enough, he cried out, God, I need you. God, in His joy, bestows upon him even greater grace.

How many foolish individuals, returning from afar, clamor, Father, slaughter a calf for me, and give me all my inheritance. When I left, I only took half, a bargain for you, old man! Such individuals lack repentance, their minds mired in filth. One must be wise before God, not a fool. God desires a treasure. When is a person considered a sheep? Only when repentant. Without repentance, one cannot truly understand the Father’s heart.

God desires a repentant son, not one who comes demanding, These things are rightfully mine. Many sons come with endless requests, yet their true intentions are not hidden from their parents. Therefore, one must be wise. After repentance, one must dismantle the worldly logic, transforming the pursuit of worldly glory and living for the sake of living into the understanding that, God, I am unworthy! All that you give is grace! Treat me as a hired servant! I am not worthy to be your son. As a result, God will treat us as His precious sons, and you must choose what kind of son to be.

The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart. (Proverbs 17:3)

The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left. (Ecclesiastes 10:2)

I have observed many Christians who, despite enduring hardship, still prioritize their work and business above all else. When one fails to discern what is unimportant, they complicate matters. Our Father's house is overflowing with grace, yet God withholds it from you. Is it not perplexing? If you deem five oxen important, how can God grant them to you? He can only offer you a diet of pig slop. Through hardship, one transforms into a son who was lost and is found, as God molds the heart.

Let us not be foolish. The mind must be transformed, beginning with the baptism of fire. If you are undergoing this trial, repent, and emerge from the erroneous assumptions of entitlement. The divine logic is: All that I have is God’s grace, which I am unworthy of. Thus, one begins to find joy in their labour and service.

To Believe Yourself Entitled is to Live Under a Curse

But he was angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’ (Luke 15:28-32)

The elder son felt entitled, displeased and resentful. Never having experienced hardship, he failed to recognise everything as grace, and considered his service to his father as something he should be rewarded for. Once one believes they are entitled, they live under a curse. What is works-based righteousness? It is believing that one should be rewarded for their deeds. After giving an offering, some dwell on it, thinking, “God, may you pour out blessings upon me!” This may sound reasonable, but the issue is grave! After some time, upon not receiving the anticipated blessings, they protest, “God, have you made a mistake? Am I not deserving of your blessings?” In truth, God makes no mistakes, nor do demons. The mistake lies within ourselves.

When is God obligated to bless us? When are we deserving? If we believe we are deserving, it ceases to be grace. It becomes earned, bartered, a transaction with God. But if our attitude is: “God, I am grateful for the grace to give, and I willingly offer a tenth of what you have given me,” I tell you, God cannot help but bless us! A mere shift in mindset transforms one into either a sheep or a wolf. Even if you wear a sheepskin, will God not recognize you? God will say: “You may wear a sheepskin, but do I not know you are a wolf?” It is futile! God's chosen will never be mistaken!

Service and Sacrifice are Acts of Grace

Brothers and sisters, our inner thoughts determine whether we are treasures or refuse in God’s eyes, whether we are sheep or wolves, whether we are counterfeit or genuine currency. It all hinges on our mindset. This is Paul's system: Everything is grace; even service is not an act of duty, but an act of grace. I thank God for the grace to serve. Over the past decade, serving God has fostered immense growth within me! Without serving God, how could I have evolved into who I am today? I am pleased with who I am because of the growth I have undergone through serving God!

Yet I never say: “God, look at how I serve you, you should give me a lamb, so I can celebrate with my friends!” I only say: “God, all that is yours is mine, and all that is mine is yours. Is it not so?” Why would I draw such sharp distinctions with God? I only say: “God, I am so grateful for this grace to serve!” I tell you, God will regard me as one of His sheep, one of His coins, one of His treasures.

So, today, what we must consider is, we must be the sheep, penny and treasure in God's eyes. To be a treasure reflects a logic system of selfishness. The elder son embodied this, focused only on himself, never considering his father’s feelings. The father lamented:

Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found. (Luke 15:31-32)

Know that Jesus came into the world, incarnate as a man, to die on the cross for us, to seek repentant sinners, not the self-righteous. If you deem yourself good, you cannot become a treasure in God’s eyes; if you believe you are quite adequate, you cannot serve our God. Therefore, today, we must utterly reject self-righteousness and the belief that we are always right.

Do you still think you are deserving? In truth, everything is grace, even service. If you think this way, will you still view it as a chore? No. Nor do you need to show it to me when you have finished serving, you do not serve me, but it is all God's grace. Our Chinese Mingding Destiny theology resolves many difficulties, such as the understanding of this passage:

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing, so he told them, 'You also go into my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ So they went. About noon and three in the afternoon he did the same thing. About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’ 'Because no one has hired us,’ they answered. He said to them, 'You also go into my vineyard.’ “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’ “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. And when they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 'These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’ “But he answered one of them, 'I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Matthew 20:1-16)

After reading this passage, I asked some people, Do you think this arrangement is fair? Those who came to work early and those who came late both received one denarius. Someone said, It's not fair, but I don't care. They were being quite generous! However, their logic was flawed! They thought it was unfair, but I find it perfectly fair because I am a hard worker. If you don't like to work and prefer to wander about the streets, then wander until five in the afternoon and then come to work. But because I like to work, I am willing to come early. When evening comes and you give me one denarius, it doesn't matter to me. It doesn't matter if others who worked less also get one denarius, because the act of working itself is grace!

Through God's Grace, Become Treasures in His Eyes

I have pondered why someone doesn't like to work, so what does the person do instead? To become refuse? No one wants to touch one! Start to become a individual who likes to work, doing things is grace as you will become wise. Since people such as myself do not need money, what do I need? The important thing is to become wise. If I myself am value creation, I myself is what money is made of, do I need money?

If you have the opportunity, ask Jack Ma, Do you need money? He will say no, because he himself is money. Should you have the opportunity to meet Ren Zhengfei, Cao Dewang... or even meet me, and ask, Do you need money? I would say, I do not need money, because I myself am money. I may be a wealthy individual, but the value I create is far greater than the money I possess.

Don't fixate on money. It is more important to be the treasure in God's eyes! We must utterly destroy our inner worldly value system. Whether you have lived like the elder son or the younger son, the logic of living is all wrong. We should yearn to live completely within God's value system. We will then feel that all of these things are grace, even work and service will bring joy! How good and spectacular! Even if you are at the end of the earth, God is sure to bring you back. If you are hiding in a deep mountain or in a cave, if you are a treasure in God's eyes, God will surely bring you, the lost sheep, back to the fold.

Summary

God is choosing people. He is choosing treasures up and down the world. Whether you are a treasure in God's eyes today will determine your future days, and determine your destiny. Originally, we were destined to be treasures, destined to be children of God. But how do we turn out in the end? Some live out the destiny of Long Er's lifetime (Long Er is a character in the film To Live), some live out the destiny of Fugui's lifetime. But these are not what God desires. What God wants is for us to completely repent like the younger son, destroy the worldly logic system, and then we will live in God's logic system.

That which confuses us in our heart is the system of logic. The inherent system of logic is all wrong, it is only correct rebuild in accordance with the word which is aligned with the divine standard. There was a brother who lived very hard, and a few days ago his child was going to commit suicide again. I felt very sad after hearing this news, and I hope that they will come out of this sooner. I wrote something to them: completely change the inner system of logic. In the past, we all lived in the wrong way. We must all live in God's system of logic. Houses cannot solve our problem, money cannot solve our problem, business cannot solve our problem, and cattle cannot solve our problem. The only thing that can solve the problem is God! It is so good to have God! It is so good to be a treasure in God's eyes!

In God's house, God has abundant mercy and grace. No matter how narrow the gates of heaven are, God can lift you through. No matter how high a price you can pay, God can give you strength so you can accomplish it! Because paying such a price, is also grace!

May God bless all of you!