Introduction

Let us turn to the last chapter of Luke. Luke 24 speaks of Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead, a day worth celebrating. But what exactly is Luke describing and explaining in this chapter? Is it merely saying that our Lord has risen from the dead? It seems so, yet it also seems not. While the event described is indeed the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the writing between the lines is not about this event itself. Such a straightforward matter is written again and again by Luke, yet people fail to grasp it when they read, which is truly strange. What is Luke really saying? Let's look at Luke 24:25-27:

He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. (Luke 24:25-27)

What is this saying? It is saying that we are too slow to believe! The theme of this chapter is We Are Too Slow to Believe. Isn't it odd that people are so slow to believe? Jesus opened our minds so that we could understand the Scriptures. When we ponder this carefully, aren't people indeed too slow to believe?

Some sisters say, Pastor, I feel embarrassed by what you're saying. What you explain is understandable even to elementary school students, but we, with our university degrees, masters, and doctorates, read it without understanding what it's saying. Only after you explain do we realize the meaning is so plain, and we feel ashamed. This is indeed the case. Chinese Mingding Destiny speaks great truths, very directly. We believe what the Bible says, just as it is written.

The Bible speaks very plainly, but after so many years of reading, where have we ended up? I am also surprised. What has Chinese Mingding Destiny done? It has done something very practical: we believe what the Bible says, just as it is written. It is that simple. For example, the Bible says, Those who come to the Lord Jesus are healed. People simply do not believe the phrase are healed. When I say that all are healed, many say, You're boasting! You're exaggerating! Isn't that a bit much? But this is not what I am saying; it is what the Bible says.

Jesus went to the synagogue and said, The captives will be released, the oppressed will be set free, and today this gospel is preached to you. What is this gospel? In Isaiah 61:1, it says that this gospel is what is mentioned above. Healing and deliverance are very important components of the gospel, so why is it so difficult to understand? One moment, people are saying that this is charismatic and we must be careful; the next, they are saying that this is extreme charismatic and we must be even more careful.

I say, what kind of brain is that? Is it swollen or waterlogged? Speaking in tongues? How can you speak in tongues? Isn't that what the Bible says? Look how frightened you are! I would rather go to heaven than touch heresy. Is this heresy? They themselves have become heretical without even knowing it. Such things are too strange!

What Chinese Mingding Destiny has done, many have seen with their own eyes. Many have been delivered, yet people are still so slow to believe. It is astonishing. What astonishes me the most is that many people serve with me, casting out many demons and performing many miracles. What they have seen is very shocking. They are people who have personally experienced miracles, yet in the end, they leave the church. There are many who receive grace here but fall away. I am telling you this so that you will not fall away.

Actually, you are free to go wherever you want; I am not exactly short of people. But the problem is that people have seen Jesus perform so many miraculous things, including Lazarus rising from the dead, yet they still do not believe. They have personally seen what Jesus did and personally heard Jesus say, I must go to Jerusalem to be killed, and on the third day rise again from the dead. He said this several times, but these people still do not believe. It is very distressing when people do not believe. In fact, belief is very straightforward. Of course, how can what God has made crooked be made straight? God made it that way, so what can you do to change it? It is just that way.

If I were in the place of those people in Jerusalem, including those women and disciples, would I be as slow to believe as they were? Perhaps yes, perhaps no. But I think that if I were around Jesus all the time, serving Him tea and water, listening to Him teach every day, I must go to Jerusalem to suffer and on the third day rise again from the dead; I must go to Jerusalem to suffer and on the third day rise again from the dead... I should have a rather definite idea about it.

I think we all should be like this. I would think at night: My Lord said that He would rise from the dead on the third day, and tonight is the second night. I must go to the tomb and set up a tent. I want to see Jesus rise from the dead with my own eyes. Then the big stone would be rolled away, and angels would be waiting at the door, proclaiming the story of Jesus Christ in heaven and on earth. How wonderful that would be, right? Then I would take out my phone, whether it's a Huawei or a Xiaomi, and record it. Look! Jesus Christ has risen from the dead! I am the first witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Someone would ask me: How did you think of witnessing the resurrection of Jesus Christ? I would say: Jesus Christ told us long ago! Then I would quickly post it on Douyin. How wonderful!

But the reality is very disappointing. Such a slow-witted group of people remained doubtful to the end. So I regret not living in that era. Of course, even if I didn't live in that era, it doesn't matter. But today we cannot be so slow-witted anymore. Among us, how many have seen God's miraculous works? Too many! Why did those women who followed Jesus bring spices? It's as if they were going to a grave. What were they thinking? Were they going to the grave with spices? If they were Chinese, they would also bring paper and incense to burn.

People need to have their minds opened. When those women arrived at the tomb, they saw that Jesus was gone. When you see that Jesus is gone, shouldn't you think: Oh, my Lord has risen, as He once told me? No! They were still thinking: What happened? Who took my Lord's body away? In fact, Jesus took His own body away Himself. What happened next?

They entered the tomb and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” (Luke 24:3-7)

Wasn't this what they were hearing all along? Important things are said three times, and Jesus said it three times. Yet they still encountered obstacles. Obstacles had set an example, saying that the resurrection could never happen. Jesus said to him, Get behind me, Satan! Isn't this what was happening right before their eyes? As a result, the minds of these women were opened, and they finally remembered the words of Jesus Christ. So they went back and told Peter and the other apostles.

Now that was good, Peter got up and ran to the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened. What kind of brain is that? We must never grow such a brain! Upon seeing this, wow! My Lord has risen! This is so easy to believe, is it hard to believe? Not hard! Peter went back, his heart still very numb. Today I am saying these things, and also rebuking myself, for believing too slowly! I am not much different from obstacles.

Slow to Believe Because of Unbelief

The disciples wondered to themselves what had happened. Everyone was looking at each other. Two of the disciples were going to Emmaus.

Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is now the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.” He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! (Luke 24:13-25)

When they got to the tomb, they saw that Jesus' body was gone. They wondered: Where did Jesus' body go? Listen to these words, and today we must not be slow-witted. Let me talk about our slow-wittedness. Recently, we have been attacking the spirit of lust. I suddenly realized that the matter of lust has been mentioned in the Bible again and again, hasn't it? Isn't the spirit of lust very straightforward? The Spirit strives against the flesh, and the flesh against the Spirit. The Apostle Paul spoke very plainly in the Bible. How many of you believe it? It is really hard to understand.

Chinese Mingding Destiny has done one thing: we believe what the Bible says, just as it is written. How difficult can that be? As long as you are not slow-witted, it is not difficult at all, is it? But in fact, we are just like them, and we are too slow to believe. In my early years as a believer in the church, I was like the brothers and sisters among us, going to church on Sundays and to small group Bible studies on weekdays. Many things happened in the church that did not conform to the Bible. Many people thought it was normal, but I didn't think it was right at the time. Why wasn't it like Jesus? Because I was good at reading, and what I read in the Bible was this, so why wasn't the church doing it this way?

Later, when I came out to build a church, I was also very slow-witted, not just ordinarily slow-witted. I thought: If you just talk to people about Jesus, will they come? Wouldn't I have to prepare some roast chicken, roast duck, luncheon meat, that kind of thing? How stupid must a person be to do that? I laugh when I talk about it today. Today, people need Jesus so much. Who needs roast chicken, roast duck, or luncheon meat? Are you lacking food?

The Bible says that when Jesus is lifted up, He will draw all people to Himself. I doubted whether Jesus could draw all people to Himself when He was lifted up. How could I not see that? In fact, my slow-wittedness was the same as Peter's and the others'. But fortunately, God gave me a blow to the head, and I suddenly woke up. I began to bring all my inner confusion to God, and have walked all the way from that time until today. It would have taken only a day to open my mind, but it took many years to open it. Looking back, it seems like a joke, but in any case, I have opened my mind after so many years. If some people never open their minds in their lifetime, wouldn't that be a tragedy?

Those disciples looked into the tomb, and then went to Emmaus with sad faces. Jesus asked them: What are you doing? They said: Don't you know what happened in Jerusalem? As a result, Jesus said: How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Today, let us come out of this slow-wittedness and ask the Lord Jesus to open our minds so that we can understand. In fact, what is opening the mind? It is faith. Faith is a fundamental thing. Later, we asked the Lord Jesus to open our minds. Why are people's minds not open? In fact, it is because of unbelief.

Unbelief is a very hateful thing. Some people say: I believe in Jesus. I ask them: What do you believe in Jesus for? The other person would answer: I believe in Jesus so that I can go to heaven after I die. You see, such a straightforward matter is to believe in what Jesus has been doing all these years. In Chapter 23, Jesus was victorious in this way, so how difficult is it for us to be victorious in this way? Isn't offering our bodies to God the key to victory? Is it too difficult to offer our bodies to God? You are so capable of offering your bodies to the devil! Busy, busy, and losing a lot of money in the process. Why are you so slow to believe? It is because of people's unbelief.

The brothers and sisters among us who are not particularly believing can begin to try to believe that Jesus Christ is Lord, and then begin to be willing to offer yourselves, and you will see a small victory; then offer more, and you will be more victorious. Heaven and earth will pass away, but God's words will last forever. This is very simple, this is believing. Jesus said that if you have faith like a mustard seed, isn't that straightforward? What is outside of a mustard seed? It is all not believing very much. Having faith like a mustard seed is a very small faith. In fact, you don't need too much faith, you only need faith like a mustard seed.

In the years of James, although James was Jesus' brother, he may not have heard what Jesus said. James once said: You must not doubt at all. I can't do that, are you more powerful than Jesus? Jesus said to have faith like a mustard seed, but for James, even a mustard seed of doubt cannot be had. How can you believe well in that way? Can you believe like that? Can you brothers and sisters do it today? Anyway, I can't do it.

Today, there are many people who change Jesus' teachings! Jesus' standards are very low. If they are set so high, not a single person can do it, not even James himself. But he just does it that way, isn't that a joke? So you see, even though James is Jesus' brother, Jesus said long ago: Who are my brothers and sisters and my mother? Those who do the will of my Father in heaven are. So brothers and sisters, you must know, don't believe so slowly, it is very troublesome if you believe slowly.

Establish a Complete Belief System, Lest Your Faith Be Dull

Later, we discovered that many teachings of CCC stood in stark contrast to the teachings of Jesus Christ, causing considerable confusion. For example, the Bible says: Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Familiar, isn't it? But when did Jesus ever say that? In my ministry, I haven't seen it. Those I minister to, if only they could submit to God. But being controlled by demons makes them neurotic. How can they submit? What does it mean to resist the devil? Can you resist him?

Furthermore, CCC also says: You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives. When did Jesus ever say such a thing? Never! Many people then think: Oh, is this my asking amiss? Is that also my asking amiss? If everything is asking amiss, then dare to ask for nothing. These words are truly difficult to interpret.

In reality, it is very easy for us to disbelieve, so let us not be so dull in our faith today. Jesus told us early in the Bible who His brothers and sisters are—not those related by blood, but those who do the will of His Father in heaven. Do not be ignorant, your hearts are too slow to believe. Brothers and sisters, think carefully, shouldn't we establish a complete belief system? Otherwise, why would people have so much confusion and chaos? Let us believe in what Jesus Christ taught and what the apostle Paul taught; their teachings are very simple.

I am often asked very confusing questions, such as: Faith is not based on works, so why should we look at a person's fruit? Jesus taught you to look at his fruit: a good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. How can this be related to faith and works? Must it be said: faith without works is dead. I planted a sapling; it takes ten years to grow a tree, a hundred years to nurture a person. I ask you, if it bears no fruit in the second year, do you cut it down? Then it will never bear fruit because the sapling needs enough time to grow before it can bear fruit. So, ignorant people, you fulfill all that the prophets have spoken, your hearts are too slow to believe.

Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory? (Luke 24:26)

Brothers and sisters, begin to run the path that Jesus Christ has opened for us, offering yourselves as a living sacrifice. If Jesus has not yet returned when we leave this world, then when Jesus returns, we will surely rise from the dead. We must begin to change this apathetic state. How the Bible speaks plainly, so we believe plainly. What Jesus said, we believe so slowly; but what Jesus' brother said, we believe so quickly. What kind of faith is this? Do you believe in Jesus' brother, or do you believe in Jesus? Anyway, I believe in Jesus, because I cast out demons effectively in the name of Jesus Christ.

I believe in Jesus; I do not believe in Jesus' mother, nor do I believe in Jesus' brother. If Jesus were to have an older brother in the future, I would not care that he is Jesus' brother. Why would I care about that? Because Jesus Christ has opened a path of offering ourselves, and offering the body is the key to victory. Jesus Christ triumphed in this way, and Jesus Christ rose from the dead in this way. As soon as I say this, the demon gets angry: Oh, how did they figure it out? That won't do! Fortunately, I am not facing it directly; if I were facing it directly, I would make a face at it. I would infuriate it, I want to open my mind, I want to walk the path that Jesus Christ walked!

As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, 'Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.' So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, 'Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?' They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, 'It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.' Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread. (Luke 24:28-35)

These disciples then understood how slow they were to believe! May God open our eyes, may God open our spiritual eyes again, so that we can understand the workings of the spiritual realm and the truth in the spiritual realm, so that we can know how glorious is the path of victory that Jesus Christ has opened for us!

Why is it that after clearly seeing Jesus rise from the dead, serving Him becomes a pretense? How do opened eyes close again? The mind was originally open, how does it close again? Why? All because of unbelief! If people have faith, how could it turn out like this? May God open our spiritual eyes and minds, so that we can understand and never close them again. People are foolish because their spiritual eyes are not open, and their minds are not open, or they open and then close them again.

Some people are very interesting; why choose those names of hypocrites? Either call themselves Jacob, or Peter, or Barnabas. Some people think calling themselves Jacob is not enough, they have to add Peter, and if that's not enough, add Barnabas. I ask you: What's your name? My name is Barnabas Peter James. Such a long name, and if that's not enough, My name is Barnabas Peter Jude James. Why make it so long? Just use Paul's name, wouldn't that be enough? Later, when they become Paul, do you walk Paul's path? No, you go to Atomy. It's all a joke. If you want to run a business well, that's fine, if Atomy is a tent you are weaving, then weave it well.

Blessed Are Those Who Have Not Seen and Yet Have Believed

In fact, the Lord has truly risen. Although I have not seen the Lord, I truly believe in my heart that our Lord has risen. How do I know? Because every miracle I perform in Jesus' name clearly shows me that God is with me. How happy I am! I don't need to see Jesus face to face; I see, by faith, the miraculous things that God does through my hands. God's presence is incomparably good, and I am very shocked at how wonderful God is.

Although I have not seen Jesus rise from the dead, nor have I seen Jesus Christ ascend, nor have I seen Jesus sitting with me, taking a piece of grilled fish from me and eating it in front of me, I believe that my Lord has risen from the dead, and I also hope that one day I can be like the Lord Jesus, when I run His glorious path, I can also rise from the dead. I believe that God's words and God's promises are all faithful. How the Bible says, so I believe!

Is it really necessary to see? Then blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. What God wants is those who believe. Today, no matter what, choose to believe! Today, do you believe that we are made in God's image? Believe! In whose image are animals made? They are made in the image of angels. Are humans greater or are angels greater? Humans are greater! When I say this, the dragon gets very angry! So angry it wants to die! It can't stand what I'm saying. It doesn't matter if it can't stand it, I'll give you some more!

You and I both have God's glorious image. Today, we lack God's glory, which means we are short of the glorious image in which God created us. Why? Because we all ate the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, and we all walked the path of unbelief. Today, let us believe, let God's Spirit work in us, let God's Spirit reshape a brand new you and me, let us begin again to be shaped according to God's Word, and have God's glory.

So today, don't ask: Lord, appear to me! I often encounter people who just like to talk nonsense. Once, after I ministered to an unlucky person, the brother next to me said to him, Wow, I saw Jesus standing behind you! Was that Jesus? If Jesus was really standing behind him, would he be in such bad luck? He also said, That day I saw the Lord Jesus appear to me. Who knows? Are there any photos? Without pictures, what truth is there? Today, we are not preaching that Jesus appears to you, but that you are too slow to believe, and that is why you need Jesus to appear to you.

Today, we are walking the path of faith, not the path of Jesus appearing to us. Nowadays, there are piles and piles of such bad books. Some say they traveled to heaven. So what if they went to heaven? What can that produce? The problem is, they are still the same as before. Even if CCC follows Jesus, isn't he still CCC? What kind of nonsense is all this? We are walking the path of faith.

Let me tell you about Jesus appearing to me. One day, I was kneeling there praying, and in a vision, I saw someone wearing a white robe walking in from outside. Actually, I really wanted to see Jesus. He walked and sat next to me, still wearing the white robe, with his head covered. I was thinking in my heart, who is this? I said, Who are you? He said, I am the Lord Jesus. I thought his movements were not very elegant, like a monkey, scratching his belly and shrugging his shoulders.

I couldn't see his face, so I kept an eye out, thinking: I don't rely on sight. If I'm wrong, God will surely forgive me, but it's a little difficult for the devil to deceive me. I whispered, In the name of Jesus Christ, I command the devil to retreat, and the false Jesus to get out! Then the white cloth slowly retreated, revealing a wolf's face. Hey, you think I would believe you are Jesus just because you put on a white cloth? Later, he left in hatred.

I thank God that I do not rely on sight but on faith. This is what I saw. Many people mistake evil spirits for Jesus. Have you heard the story of the real and fake Monkey King? One day, Monkey King encountered a fake Monkey King who looked exactly like him, and whose martial arts were as powerful as the real Monkey King. The two Monkey Kings fought fiercely, which was quite difficult to deal with. In fact, there are more fake Jesus' than fake Monkey Kings, so we should not rely on sight but on faith. This is what the Bible says. If we believe without seeing Jesus Christ appear to us, what a blessing that is.

I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high. (Luke 24:49)

There were five hundred people who heard Jesus say this at the time, but in the end, only one hundred and twenty people were left to pray. The other three hundred and eighty people also saw Jesus Christ rise from the dead, leave them on the Mount of Olives, and ascend into heaven on a cloud. So what did they do later? Don't think they would do anything special. After seeing it, they went home, bought five oxen and a piece of land, and went on with their lives. The one hundred and twenty people prayed there until the Holy Spirit came and they received power. After receiving power, many people became CCC again.

Conclusion

Today, on the path of the glorious crown that God has prepared for us, there is simply a field of corpses. Why? Because of unbelief. We begin to seek and constantly practice our faith, and we will surely see God with us. Why is it called Chinese Mingding Destiny? It is because we were born for this, we live for this, and we die for this. Even death cannot separate us from God's love, nor can death separate us from the path of resurrection that Jesus Christ has opened for us, nor can death separate us from the glorious crown that Jesus has prepared for us.

Vows are useless; only doing it counts. We are not just shouting slogans, but offering ourselves every day through the Spirit of God. Offering yourself for one minute, there will be ten minutes out of that one minute, one hour out of ten minutes, ten hours out of one hour, one day out of ten hours, two days out of one day, one week out of two days, and I will keep persevering.

Until the end, I can come before God and say: Lord, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith, I have fought the good fight. Persevere one day at a time, fearing nothing, not needing to give face to this person or that person, only needing to please God. Until I see God's face and receive this glorious crown. This is my lifelong persistence, this is my life's persistence!

May God open our minds, may God have mercy on us, and let our minds never be closed, this mind is faith. Believe today, and God will surely lead us to victory step by step.

God bless you all!