Bible Study:

Introduction

Good day, everyone. We are here to study Leviticus Chapter 25. Please take a close look. Over the past few months, what have we covered in the first twenty-four chapters of Leviticus? Through Chapter 25, we will continue to examine what Moses was really saying in Leviticus. Have you all finished reading? Let's ponder together what this theme is all about. Whether you are listening to the recording on the website or listening to me live, we need to contemplate the original text of the Bible.

You must know that the most important thing in Chinese Mingding Destiny is studying the Bible. If you listen to me without reading the original text of the Bible, you won't know what I'm talking about. Regarding the question of what the theme of this chapter is, many say: the land shall have a Sabbath of rest to the Lord. Some say: do not wrong one another. Others say: we are strangers and sojourners before God. Still others say: if you follow the Lord's statutes, you will dwell safely in the land.

These are all very good. Which one should we choose as the theme of this chapter? What I say may not be entirely correct, but I will share what I think is a suitable theme for this chapter and see if you agree. This chapter is about rest, prosperity, and poverty. Why did I choose these words as the theme of this chapter? Because prosperity, poverty, and rest are closely related

Man Lives by God

If a person has a poverty mindset, it is impossible to be prosperous. For example, it is difficult for someone who is busy all day long to live prosperously. Yesterday, a sister sent me a recording of someone studying Genesis, saying that Esau lost his birthright because he was too busy. Is that really the issue? Let's take a look at Leviticus Chapter 25 together to see what's really going on.

The Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you, the land shall keep a Sabbath to the Lord. For six years you shall sow your field, and for six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its fruits, but in the seventh year there shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to the Lord. You shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard. What grows of itself in your harvest you shall not reap, and the grapes of your undressed vine you shall not gather. It shall be a year of solemn rest for the land. (Leviticus 25:1-5)

After reading this, we might wonder, will we have nothing to eat if we do nothing this year? I tell you, for people, especially for Christians, mindset is crucial. Leviticus is not only written for Christians but also for Jews and priests. Do you think they will go hungry this year? Some think they will, and some think they won't.

If we calculate, the seventh Sabbatical year is every forty-nine years. So the forty-ninth year is a Sabbatical year, and then the fiftieth year is also a Sabbatical year. That means we can't work for two years, so what will we eat and drink? Will we go hungry? Please respond to my question.

Your faith is really strong, and you are commenting: we won't go hungry. Do you really think so? It would be great if you really think so. Today, let's not talk about the Sabbatical year or the Sabbath day. Let's just talk about studying the Bible in the evening. I have observed that people often miss it. Why do they miss it? Because they have this to do and that to do tonight. Actually, they are working for themselves, because they arrange their own time, don't they? Why do they have to choose this time to work? People are very strange.

For example, on the Lord's Day, they have to choose that time to move house, meet friends, go on blind dates, or something always comes up. Brothers and sisters, you must know that taking out this little bit of time will really affect you that much? But these people just don't want to, and later I find that these people are busy all day long, and I rarely see them pray, rarely see them keep the Lord's Day, and rarely see them busy studying the Bible. So what are they busy with? They are busy with things they think are important, and these things make them dizzy.

Have you ever seen such people or Christians? And are you such a person or Christian? If you have, please tell me how they are living. I tell you, as far as I know, they are not living well. Why are they not living well? Because they have a poverty mindset inside. So what exactly is the rich mindset or the poverty mindset that we are talking about today? It's about whether you have seen through the matter of money or not.

We often find that some people are not just busy, they are also busy losing money! Have you ever seen someone lose six million? Have you ever seen someone lose ten million? Have you ever seen someone lose tens of millions or even hundreds of millions? There are many such phenomena, and some holes cannot be filled. One year, I was strolling with my mother in Haikou. After the stroll, my good friends took me to stroll along the HNA street.

HNA really had money, and that whole street belonged to HNA. But today, do you know where HNA is? HNA is said to owe hundreds of billions, the holes are too big, and it is insolvent, facing bankruptcy and restructuring. Even HNA, which used to be so rich, can still owe money, so what are you busy with? I dislike people being busy, messing around, it's useless, aren't they just busy losing money? There are a lot of these people. Have they rested? They also don't like to rest. They only need to do one thing, which is to play at losing money. Are there any of us here who are losing money?

A Heart of Trust in God Leads to Prosperity

I tell you all, a Christian who does not observe Sabbath to God will certainly become poorer. There are occasional exceptions, but that's when the person is not yet a Christian. If you are a Christian but do not observe Sabbath to God, then get busy, and after all that busyness, there is only one outcome: losing money. Such cases are numerous, and I later discovered that Sabbath is closely related to poverty and prosperity.

Listen carefully to what I say: What is Sabbath? Sabbath is observing Sabbath to God. Not only should we humans observe Sabbath to God, but the land should also observe Sabbath to God. If the land is cursed, no amount of effort will help. So, Sabbath is closely related to poverty and prosperity. When Moses wrote Leviticus, he did not divide it into chapters; that was done by later generations. Moses wrote it all in one go, without even punctuation.

We are also grateful to God that later generations divided the entire Book of Leviticus into chapters, so Leviticus Chapter 25 contains content on Sabbath, poverty, and prosperity. Today, we brothers and sisters must know that Sabbath is closely related to poverty and prosperity. Why? Because a heart that trusts in God versus a heart that does not trust in God determines a person's prosperity and poverty.

Therefore, if we brothers and sisters want to understand this matter of living, we must understand what is meant by poverty, what is meant by prosperity, what is a poverty mindset, and what is a prosperity mindset. We might think that having money equates to a prosperity mindset, but it does not. Similarly, thinking that not having money equates to a poverty mindset is also incorrect. So, what are a poverty mindset and a prosperity mindset? It is taking this time to dedicate it to God and still believing that God will provide for us; that is called a prosperous mindset.

For example, we do something that, on the surface, seems to reduce our money and put us at a disadvantage. However, if you do it willingly because you trust in God, then it is done from the heart. For instance, helping needy brothers. Will you become poor after helping them? No. Of course, you shouldn't help them pay off gambling debts; they will bear the curse of their own wrongdoing. In the church, what we need to address most is the poverty mindset, because if the poverty mindset is not resolved, people can never become prosperous. Ponder carefully what I'm saying; these are hardcore truths.

Returning to the Bible, in these seven years, there are six years of cultivation, and in the seventh year, no cultivation. What will happen? If you carefully observe the statutes, ordinances, and commandments of the Lord your God, God says that in the sixth year, the land will yield produce for three years. Can one year produce three years' worth of produce? Yes, because the land belongs to God. If the land is blessed, it can yield more produce, regardless of how hard people work. In fact, those who plant, fish, and raise shrimp all live off the land. These people can be said to live by the grace of God. With God's blessing, it can produce three years' worth in one year.

Last year, when I went to Taiwan to minister, I met a sister. This sister is very lovely. She was deeply moved when she saw me serving her niece wholeheartedly. Although her niece later passed away due to her own choices, this sister has always had a good relationship with me. She was very happy to see me, and we immediately began to discuss and share. The sister was very grateful and offered me money. Her brother, a poor preacher, was also present at the time, and I gave the money to her brother. Do you brothers and sisters think that I became poorer or not after giving the money to her brother?

Later, this sister began to invest a lot of time following us in Bible studies, meetings, and prayers. Logically speaking, if we shorten our working hours, our income should decrease, but what was the result? The income skyrocketed, which was hard for us to believe. This sister runs a shop. Brothers and sisters must know that if a shopkeeper is not blessed, no amount of effort will help the business.

Set Aside Time for God and You Will Surely Be Blessed

Observing Sabbath to God, setting aside time for God, cannot go unblessed, because people live by the grace of God, relying on the God we reverence. He asks us to carefully observe his statutes and ordinances, not to lead us to a life of poverty, but to give us a life of prosperity and to dwell securely on the earth. Do you want to live a dizzying life, busy beyond belief, making decisions hastily and losing a lot of money? Or do you choose to trust in God, carefully observe God's statutes and ordinances, and dwell securely on the earth?

The Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you, the land shall keep a Sabbath to the Lord. (Leviticus 25:1-2)

The land shall keep a Sabbath to the Lord. Everything in the world shall keep a Sabbath to God, understand? Keeping the Sabbath is a good habit; never be overwhelmed by busyness. If keeping the Sabbath year is hard to understand, then keeping the Sabbath day should be easier to understand, right? It means taking one day out of the week to set it apart and dedicate it to God. In our church, there are many opportunities to learn. I roughly estimate that, on average, a brother or sister spends about a dozen to over twenty hours a week learning, praying, and studying the Bible. If they participate in serving, then they dedicate even more time. So, do you think they will be poor? No.

In earlier years, I didn't have the courage to ask everyone to dedicate so much time; I really didn't have that kind of faith. In the beginning, we only had a Sunday service, followed by a class, and then a Bible study on Friday, and later, a Bible study on Wednesday. Originally, the Wednesday Bible study was for leaders only, and others were not eligible. Later, everyone came, and that's how it is today, with Bible studies on Wednesdays and Fridays. Gradually, we started having prayer meetings on Tuesdays, and later, prayer meetings led by me on Saturdays. Then, we kept changing things, and eventually, all Singapore's public holidays were used for prayer.

During this transition, there was a stage where I was worried. I was worried about interfering with everyone's studies or work, so I asked these brothers and sisters: Will it interfere with your work or studies? Everyone said, No, it doesn't interfere. Later, I really understood, because it really didn't. Then, I boldly kept pushing forward until it became what it is today.

We must all know that we live by the grace of God, relying on our God to eat, so we live by our God. If we observe Sabbath to our God, walk with God, understand God's will, understand God's word, and then diligently put God's word into practice in our lives, you will surely dwell securely. This is called a prosperous mindset. This has already been proven in reality.

In fact, I have also seen many people who do not have such a prosperous mindset. There was a brother whose mother had cancer. His mother came to me because she was afraid that this brother would worry about her. I prayed for her, and she was healed. That's a great favor, right? But she didn't think so. She considered me just a pair of shoes, discarded when not needed. After I prayed for her and she got well, I told her that she should learn to give offerings. She said, No, I'll go to my local church. Okay, go to the local church then. Later, I understood why she wanted to go to the local church. It's because here, I ask her to give offerings. Actually, if she didn't give offerings, she could still hang around here, because she is the mother of one of our brothers. As a result, this person went through a lot of suffering in the following two years. She couldn't breathe when lying down and couldn't sleep sitting up; it was very painful.

Later, when this boy was about to get married, his mother said to her son: Mom can't come to your wedding because I can't breathe when lying down and can't sleep sitting up. What kind of brain is that? I had already healed her cancer, and now she's like this again. I said it was okay, I would lead her in prayer. After the prayer, she was well again. But after she got well and came here, she asked me a question that I still don't understand to this day. Where exactly is her brain located? What exactly is stored in this brain? Is it tofu or a human brain? She asked: Teacher, how will my son live his life following you like this?

Oh my goodness! How will he live his life? How do you think he will live his life? Am I not living well? It's really annoying! She lived her life in such a way that she got cancer, and I healed her cancer and her breathing problems. But she turned around and asked me how her son would live his life following me like this? Live it however he wants. In the end, this sister left the church. Of course, I was speechless because I really didn't need her; she needed me. That's just the way it is. People live just like that, living and then dying. It doesn't matter how it happens.

So, what I want to say is, regarding offerings, which is greater, nine dollars or ten dollars? Which earns more money, working six days a week or working seven days a week? Which earns more money, working for six years and resting for one year, or working for all seven years? This calculation cannot be understood from a human perspective, but it becomes clear when viewed from God's perspective. If we really put things into practice, we will see that the result is truly good. Today, you can kill me, but I will not leave my God, because I dwell securely on the earth entirely because of my God. I really don't know how to live without God. Without God, my life would be very erratic. How wonderful life is with God!

I tell you all, people really need to rely on God to live. Many preachers are preachers on the surface, but they do not live by relying on God in their hearts. I don't know what they rely on to live. I tell you all, how should we look at a person? If a person is full of illnesses and very poor, then this person is definitely not dwelling securely on the earth. If we trust in God, we will surely dwell securely on the earth. If not, the problem in the middle is obvious. Of course, some people do not trust in God and can still dwell securely on the earth. If you ask me how this happens, I don't know. But I do know that those who trust in God will surely dwell securely on the earth. Rather than interpreting the examples of Song Shangjie and others, it is better to see what God's word says.

So, as people live, they will find that some people become poorer as they live, and some people become richer as they live. This is very strange. It seems that the world is very unfair. How is it that some people become poorer and some people become richer as they live? The answer is that this is closely related to the thoughts in people's hearts. A person who is poor in heart cannot become rich. A person who is rich in heart will find it difficult to become poor. Living without trusting in God is a poverty mindset. Living by relying on God is a prosperity mindset.

Why can we dedicate the first fruits and the firstborn to God? Because we trust in God, we must trust in Him to live. We can gradually become wealthy because we live by the grace of God. You can do a statistic: Why do people gradually become wealthy? Let's talk about the people in the Bible who are pleasing to God, from Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Daniel, David, Samuel... none of these people who were pleasing to God were poor. Can you find a single poor one? You won't find one. Do you think Isaiah was poor? He was not poor at all. Isaiah's family was a very wealthy family. Therefore, we must fear the Lord our God and trust in Him to become wealthy.

Why do some people become poorer as they live? Because they often wrong each other. Why do they wrong each other? Because they think that if I wrong you, I will gain an advantage; if you wrong me, you will gain an advantage. Is that really the case? In fact, that is a manifestation of not fearing God. A person who has money then lends it at high interest rates, harming many people. I ask you, will they live well? They have incurred God's wrath and will definitely not live well. God only needs to send a few little demons to make them half-dead. Therefore, if people do not carefully observe God's statutes and ordinances, if they do not know how to fear God in their hearts, they will not be able to dwell securely on the earth. Therefore, Christians must first set apart the time dedicated to God. I can set an example for everyone in this regard, and I can definitely give everyone a demonstration.

Over the past many years, you can observe carefully how I serve. Has my service interfered with things? It hasn't. Over the past many years, I have never missed a group Bible study. At that time, I was still working. When the local church required Bible study on Friday, I went on Friday. When they required Bible study on Thursday, I went on Thursday. I have never missed a Sunday at the local church, because I was not observing it for the church pastor; I was observing it for my God. Why? Because that is fearing my God.

Today, let us set apart our time, land, business, work, and everything, and then you will find that God allows you to dwell securely on the earth. If you do anything without fearing God, deducting a little here and deducting a little there, on the surface you are gaining an advantage, but a little demon can make you miserable. Don't think that demons are not under God's control; demons are absolutely under God's control.

Do Not Look at Problems with a Carnal Perspective

Brothers and sisters must know that time is arranged by people. I hate it the most when people tell me: I am very busy. Some time ago, someone insisted on arranging for a certain pastor to meet me. I didn't like this very much, but I couldn't just scold them right away, so I arranged the time. People asked me if I had time. I tell you, I always have time. Why? Because isn't the time arranged by me? What does it mean to have no time? No time is all lies. It means that the time is used on other things.

You have twenty-four hours a day, and I also have twenty-four hours a day. It's impossible for you to have twenty-three hours a day and me to have twenty-four hours a day; or for you to have twenty hours a day and me to have twenty hours a day. How could that be? You say: Oh, I only have ten hours. I want to say that your watch must be broken! Everyone is quite fair; everyone has twenty-four hours a day.

So, why do some people have time and some people not have time? The brother who arranged for me to meet another pastor explained and explained, but I spoke rather sharply and gave him a lecture. What does it mean to have no time? It means that this matter is not important. If it's not important, don't arrange it. Why are you arranging it if it's not important? He said: Our pastor is very busy and has no time. I said: Busy with what? Let's not do things that we think are not important.

Don't just say the word busy carelessly. Saying this word means that the matter is not important. Do you all ask if I will say that I am very busy? Sometimes I will say it, but I'm just dealing with it casually. In other words, This matter is not important. So, brothers and sisters, start setting aside time. What does it mean to have no time? Actually, there is always time. There is time to lose money, but no time to make money? Let's set aside time and dedicate it to God, and then it will become having time to make money, and then you will dwell securely on the earth.

Brothers and sisters, never look at problems with a carnal perspective. Looking at problems with a carnal perspective is very deadly, because many things are not up to us. If someone gets cancer, do you say they did it themselves? No, it's not that they wanted it, but because it's not up to them, they get cancer. The time of their birth and death is not up to them. One day, boom, they die! Do you say they were busy? Suddenly, the person is gone. Others go poof and are gone. Still others go plunk and are gone. These things happen every day. So, do you choose to die with a boom, plunk, or a snore? It's all up to your choice. Some people lie down and fall asleep, and when they wake up the next day, they're no longer breathing. Who are you going to find?

I thought, what time, what not time? I am determined to choose to rely on God. I always have time. God, you say it. I dedicate all my time to God, because you are my God. Because the Bible says: Because I am the Lord your God, it keeps repeating: I am the Lord your God. I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt. You must fear your God. I am the one who brought you out of the land of Egypt, who brought you out of the house of slavery. I will bring you into the promised land of Canaan. You shall be my people, and I shall be your God. Look at what it says, fear God, because God brought us out.

Trusting in God Leads to Secure Dwelling

Among us, the Lord has released us from the hands of demons more times than we can count! So what are you thinking? Some people are confused! I often use this example: Someone got a deadly illness, and they were not going to make it. Living became simple, because they were going to die. Why earn money when you're going to die? They didn't go to earn money, because they didn't know who to give the money to. As a result, they prayed and prayed and got better. Living became complicated again. Oh my goodness! They just don't know that people should rely on God to live. Later, they suffered a lot, and one day they suddenly woke up: I must rely on God to live, so that I can dwell securely on the earth.

Brothers and sisters must know for certain that if God says: Let the land produce three years' worth of produce, the land can produce three years' worth of produce. If God says: Let this land produce ten years' worth of produce, the land can still produce ten years' worth of produce. There may even be no one planting the land, and manna will fall from the sky. Looking at it this way, isn't living a simple thing? For those who trust in God, living is a very simple thing.

What I despise the most are people who are busy losing money. I especially despise them, but there is nothing I can do; I still have to serve them. Whether I despise them or respect them is not what I need to do. My responsibility is to serve and rescue them from poverty. Some people earn and earn and end up in a lawsuit. Some people fight with me. I never argue with them. If you want to take it, then take it. Why? Because I don't rely on houses, land, or business to eat. I rely on my God to eat. If you take it, then take it. If people take advantage of me, then they take advantage of me. If they take my outer garment, I will give them my inner garment. If they strike my left cheek, I will turn my right cheek to them. I live by relying on my God, not by relying on being slapped in the face, nor by relying on that outer garment. I rely on God to eat, and I still eat very well to this day.

I fear my God, because I know very clearly throughout my life that I am only a sojourner on this earth. During the days of sojourning on this earth, I have nothing I can trust except to trust in my God. How wonderful it is to have God! Our God is faithful. Even during the days of sojourning on this earth, we will definitely not cheat or deceive, taking advantage of others for money. I don't do such things. I accept losing out; it doesn't matter. If people take my well, I will let them take it. I will dig another one. If they take it again, I will dig another one. If they take it again, I will dig another one until, in the end, people become embarrassed to take it and they stop taking it. I call that place the land of wide-open spaces. Did I become poor? I didn't become poor. Throughout my life, I just want to give out. I bless one person after another. I also bless those who snatch and those who take. What does it matter?

Returning to God Leads to Gradual Prosperity

God is our reliance throughout our lives. Is it painful when we are confused? It's painful. When people are confused, they are uncomfortable. When they are not confused, they are fine. When brothers and sisters see people gradually becoming impoverished, they will sell their possessions, because the land no longer works for you. Cain was cursed, and the land no longer worked for him, and people had to sweat to make a living. Therefore, the most important thing is to not gradually let a poverty mindset produce the fruit of poverty. The fruit of poverty makes people gradually poor, and then people have to sell their land. Maybe you suddenly wake up and think, why am I living this poor life, eating pig food pods?

Eating pig food pods, you can't eat your fill, you can't eat well, and you are pulling the stool cutting the ass all day, How uncomfortable! The top is uncomfortable, and the bottom is uncomfortable, and then you remember, why am I? I have my God, my God is a very rich God, my heavenly Father's house is extremely rich, why should I live this pig food day? I was wrong! Too wrong! Wrong too outrageous! Ashamed ashamed! Then turn to God, gradually become rich, and begin to keep the Sabbath year to God, keep the Jubilee year to God, and keep the Sabbath to God.

That's not a rule, it's my willingness, it's a decision inside me, I want to set aside time, I want to offer the firstborn sheep and cattle to God, I want to offer the first fruits from my land to God, I want to honor my God and live upon him all my life it will graduly rich. You need to know why some people gradually become poor and some people gradually become rich? Because some people fear God and some people do not fear God. Some people carefully observe God's words. Even if it seems that it is not cost-effective on the surface, how can nine dollars be more than ten dollars? But it's different when you look at it with a spiritual eye, because our God is in control of everything.

If you lend to the poor, don't take interest from him, because you are just helping him, we should help our brothers. The best help is to drag them back from the mindset of poverty, because we are all God's people. If someone is poor, they sell themselves to others as slaves. Those who buy these male and female slaves must not treat them badly, must not strictly manage them, and must not let them work desperately, because that is the mindset of poverty. Today, you buy them to be your slaves and maidservants, maybe one day you will become someone else's slaves and maidservants, why? Because you are too ruthless, and your heart is dirty and poor. Therefore, brothers and sisters, never exploit those who have to sell themselves as slaves. We must gradually transform ourselves into people with abundant mindsets.

Leviticus Chapter 25 from Verse 23 to the end is all about selling houses, land, and yourself, because you have become poor. God did not promise you to sell yourself, so how did you get to this point in your life? It is because your heart is dirty and poor. So stop looking at problems with a carnal perspective and look at problems with a spiritual perspective.

Summary

I won't talk to you about a lot of details, such as how to redeem a person you bought, how many years you have to wait... These details are not unimportant, but I am worried that the important concepts will be lost after I finish speaking. The most important concept is to fear the Lord your God. We are just sojourners on earth, so why oppress and harm others for the sake of money? Should we withhold what belongs to others from God for our own needs? We must live a simple life on earth, and live a life Mingding destiny style.