1. Introduction
- Examine closely the end of those who love God. What God has prepared for those who love Him is visible, and the rewards for loving Him are exceedingly generous.
- What a person loves, they deem important, and this determines the course of their life.
4. Focussing on Loving God is Key
- Sudden events can change a person's destiny. Calamities and accidents are spiritual matters. Loving God can avert many misfortunes.
- For those who focus on loving God, He will protect you on your paths, set you in high places, and grant you long life and honour.
5. Believing in the Lord is the Starting Point; Loving God is the Objective
- What a person loves, they will pay the price for. Loving God is our ultimate objective. Those who love God will shepherd God's flock.
- On the path of faith, strive diligently to reach the level of loving the Lord your God with all your heart, all your strength, and all your mind! Do not remain in the initial stages of faith.
- What we should be most concerned about is whether we are focusing on loving God, for only God can enable us to live a life of honour and glory in this world, and only God can protect us.
- Our God is love. To live out God's love is to share God's love with others.
6. How to Focus on Loving God
- How to focus on loving God? In two words: emulate! Emulate Caleb, Joshua, Samuel, Paul, and David.
- To focus means that no environment or event can shake our goal; nothing can steal our love for God; nothing can undermine our trust in Him.
- God knows those who focus on loving Him. Those who focus on loving God lack no good thing.
7. Conclusion
- Become someone who focuses on loving God, and all the promises of Psalm 91 will be fulfilled in us!
- Without a heart that loves God, we are nothing! This is the most excellent way!
Keywords
- Focus on Loving God
- Calamity
- Accident
- Destiny
- Emulate
Introduction
Right, today we shall discuss a topic, a topic titled Focussing on Loving God. Focussing on Loving God, on hearing this, I find it excellent. Why? Because the word love, this word is good. But do you know, this word love can only appear in the context of loving Jesus; rarely does one say they love some idol. That would be a strange description. Today we shall discuss focussing on loving God. Some, upon hearing this, might think, can this be done? Can it be done? I ponder on God's word on Mondays, then will I not need to work? This may bring a lot of concerns. I think it is perfectly normal to have such concerns. Having such concerns is normal. If concerns arise, then examine and understand, isn't it?
Yesterday, whilst pondering on this matter, I discovered what? It is about looking at what people love. If a person loves money, then money is very important to them, is it not? Some love God; God is very important to them. Some deem Jesus Christ as the greatest treasure, and then find many other things unimportant. Some look at many things, and deem this and that as important. It becomes very confusing. Some love bags, some love clothes, some love practically everything. Thus, everything they see is what they end up loving. Some love playing video games, and they play and play and play. But what is the problem? The problem is, have we carefully examined the ending of these people? Examine carefully; do not dismiss it offhand.
As I say this, considering everything as rubbish, to gain Jesus Christ as the greatest treasure, meditating on God's word day and night, what is my aim? To remove the rubbish in our minds. Remove it. Some say this is brainwashing? Actually, no; it must be washed, for if a person does not wash their hair for a year, how smelly would it be? So, the things that people have in their minds are not something they understand after examination; they are things they seem to know but do not really know. If you are someone who examines diligently, I believe you will certainly observe some things.
Speaking of focussing on loving God, I am truly someone who focuses on loving God. From the day I believed in the Lord, I have been focused. I am a very focused person. Whatever I do, I am focused. I never do things carelessly. For example, focusing on loving God; but initially, I would not dare say I focused on loving God; but I was diligently exploring and seeking. I read the Bible several times, many times. You might ask, have you read other scriptures? Actually, I have; but to be honest, I didn't really understand them. Later, I slowly understood. Initially, after reading those things, and then the Bible, I didn't think the Bible was a scripture, why? Because it was so easy to read, very direct and simple. These stories; I said, is this scripture? Is this the Holy Bible? Originally, the Bible is actually very easy to read. Those things that are difficult to read, I came to understand later that the more difficult something is to read, the less clearly it might explain itself.
So, today I want to share with you about focusing on loving God. Focussing on loving God. As I walked this path, I discovered that the returns of focusing on loving God are indeed exceedingly generous. So, today those who follow me on this path of focusing on loving God are truly blessed. Truly blessed. So, yesterday I asked some of the brothers and sisters around me, do you focus on loving God? I believe most of them have not even considered this. They have not considered it because I have not often spoken about this before. Have I spoken about loving the Lord your God with all your heart, all your strength? I have. But seeing their blank stares, I became even more determined that I must explain this clearly, we must explain it clearly.
Actually, I tell you, in these past years, what has happened? Something very miraculous has happened. Because in the Bible, there is a saying, that none of Samuel's words fell to the ground. I said, this is good, this is good. I also wish it to be so. Then I discovered that something like this has also happened to me. That my words have not fallen to the ground. Why? Because I love the Lord your God with all my heart and all my strength. I love the Lord your God with all my heart and all my strength. But what I see in Christians is often not this. When I say this, I tell you, many Christians feel uncomfortable. Many Christians feel uncomfortable. Why uncomfortable? Because it is difficult for them to love the Lord their God with all their heart and all their strength. You say they love their work, they love this, they love that. They love many things, many things are important to them.
But to me, I feel that God is most important to me. Can you imagine if my words do not fall to the ground, don't you find it miraculous? Like our brothers and sisters today, who have been following me. Compared to those around them, it is indeed obvious. It is indeed obvious. So, without comparison, there is no damage, you know? Without comparison, there is no damage. Let me make another comparison for you today. Sometimes I dare not say it; when I do, I fear some will pick on me, pick on me.
For example, the same is being a pastor, the same is the profession of a pastor, right? Yesterday, when I met one of my bosses, my former boss, we know the same people in the same circle. He told me, so-and-so pastor, ah, very painstaking, very miserable, very miserable. Why? Because in his observation, he came to the conclusion that these people take being a pastor as just a job. But I am not. I am definitely not.
During our conversation, I mentioned someone who was building a church, building a church, also running a seminary, running a church, doing this and that. If running a seminary, it was not done properly, unclearly. Building a church was also unclear. As a result, recently he was kicked out by the church. He lost his job. He also suffered from rather severe depression. He needs to rely on anti-depressants to live every day. The same is being a pastor; if it turns out like this, what do you think?
Actually, to be honest, I know quite a few people who are pastors. To be frank, I really feel that if they do not love the Lord their God with all their heart and all their strength, if they do not love God, then is it not very painstaking to be a pastor? People might say, how do you know they do not love God, maybe they do love God? For those who love God, what God has prepared for them is visible, certainly visible. Because what our God has prepared for us is all very good. So, not loving God is truly a curse, truly a curse.
For example, some people pray for their own, pray for their mother, it is better not to pray. The more they pray, the more severe the insomnia becomes. It is better not to pray; the more they pray, the more severe the problems become. Often, we do not know why this happens. I tell you, it appears in this matter, loving God and not loving God. If you compare, you will know what the outcome of loving God and not loving God is like. I tell you, God will never make a mistake about the outcome. God will never make a mistake.
Since I started serving, step by step, it has been like a sieve, sifting again and again. Not much is left over. From the first time I started serving until today, not many are left. Among the first batch of people who followed me in service, there are a few left today, and if you compare them with their classmates, I tell you, the difference is truly immense. Truly immense.
I think today, we really need to examine. Really need to examine. And really need to understand one thing, whether you focus on loving God. Where does the phrase focus on loving God come from? The phrase focus on loving God comes from Psalm 91 in the Bible. Today, let us open the Bible. Would you open the Bible with me? Open the Bible, Psalm 91. Psalm 91. Okay, let us read from the first verse to the last.
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked.
Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honour him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.”
This is well said. “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
Focussing on Loving God is Key
Come, let us pray together. Lord Jesus, today, manifest Your omnipotence again in our midst. Lift up those who love You, let them be above all the nations of the earth, let all disasters not come near Your loving people. Lord, today, do this miraculous work in us, continue to manifest Your omnipotence in our midst. Please raise up in our midst those people who focus on loving You, let those people who focus on loving You be raised up, to become a blessing to this generation, and also to become vessels in this generation that manifest Your glory. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
The first point was an introduction. The second point was the scripture. The third we did a prayer. The fourth point: Focussing on loving God, focussing on following God, is key. What is a phrase I often say? In a person's life, one calamity can bring it to a full stop. Actually, I was also saying this last week. In a person's life, three meals a day, three full meals and two rests, cannot determine your destiny. Even if you work hard and study hard, it cannot really determine your destiny. So, what can determine your destiny? It is these sudden events. Sudden events really determine a person's destiny. Those sudden events determine a person's destiny. This means that misfortune and disaster often determine people's destinies. In other words, when people encounter sudden events in their lives, it often creates a drastic turning point. Sometimes the turn is not made well, and it comes to a full stop.
In this life, we often find that we arrange this and arrange that. If nothing happens, then the arrangements are all good. But one incident, one car accident, and it is over. One car accident and it is over. Such things determine a person's destiny; such things determine people's destinies. So, in the scripture we read today, because of focusing on loving God, you will find what it says? It says, this is interesting, Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. Then, what does it say? You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. Speaking of these things, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling.
You see, speaking of these things, I tell you, you can do all things through your own hard work. But there is only one thing: sudden events. No matter how hard you work, it is useless. No matter how hard you work. For example, when driving on the highway, if you don't hit others, others will hit you, right? Suddenly something happens. It is over. It is over. If a small car meets a large truck, is that not tantamount to an early death? Sudden events can produce very serious consequences. No one likes sudden events. Why do I encourage everyone to focus on loving God? Why do I encourage everyone to focus on loving God?
You know, our church has a characteristic: high standards. High standards. Why? If yêu ask to love God, one must focus on loving God. What about my job? What about my children? What about my children's studies? What about my belongings? All of these can be managed. But even if managed, it never solves one problem: the problem of disasters. So, today, our brothers and sisters must know that focusing on loving God can avoid many disasters, many disasters. How many disasters will occur in one's life? We do not know. People who have experienced disaster will know if they think a little. They really cannot manage disasters. How can people manage disasters? It is impossible. So, people really need God, right? People really need God.
But many Christians, many Christians, although they have become Christians, do not focus on loving God. And this never prevents disasters. So, only Christians who focus on loving God can resist disasters. Why? Because God will send his angel, charge his angel, to protect you in all your ways. Look at that. Protect you. Not only protect you, but also help you. So, we can tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent we shall trample underfoot. That is to say, in the spiritual world, everyone must have an understanding that these disasters are related to spiritual secrets. That is to say, in the spiritual world, for those who focus on loving God, God will command his angel to protect you in all your ways. How good is that? You say I have not seen this? If you saw it, it would not be called an angel, right? It is okay if you have not seen it. But if we focus on loving God, what will we find? Just like last week, everything goes smoothly. Why is it smooth? Why can we avoid disasters? Why can a thousand fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come near you? Because God's angel is protecting you.
How great is that, right? God's angel protecting us. You say, how come I have not seen this? You did not see it, so you do not know. But if you examine it carefully, you will find that many people, some are blessed, some are not; they have misfortune. Some people are so unlucky that they choke even when drinking cold water. Some people just cannot do it right no matter what they do. No matter how much money you have, these disasters have nothing to do with that. It does not have anything to do with that.
What is most deadly? Most deadly is, look at what's he going to say next. He says, I will set him on high and I will make him honourable and I will give him long life. Do you agree that everyone of us wants this? Is there anyone who does not want to be above everyone else in everything? There is no one. Who doesn’t want to be on top of the world to be revered among other people; to be honourable. Isn’t it what everyone of us wants? There is no one who wants to live an unhonourable life like the underdogs; like the poor guy on the street. Everyone wants to live an honourable, reputable life. No one wants to live short lives. Everyone wants to live a long life. But there are some who do not want to do so.
I reckon this matter has to do with what? It has to do with loving God wholeheartedly. If you do not love God wholeheartedly, this matter is truly difficult to handle, truly difficult. If you see the miracles that I perform, what will you discover? You will discover, wow, God listens to his prayers. God truly listens to his prayers. God listens to his prayers because I have spoken about such things often. Some people then really like to worship masters, and so they come from afar to find me. But seeking me is useless. Actually, now, if you give me the opportunity to directly minister to some people, those are বিশেষ grace, truly overwhelming. Because I spend a great deal of time training people how to do what I do. That being overwhelmed is truly a grace.
But I earnestly desire that these brothers and sisters know that you actually do not need to seek masters. You do not need to seek such people. What you need is to love God wholeheartedly. If you are going to seek someone like me, wouldn't it be better for you to directly become someone like me? Isn't that so? Wouldn't it be better to directly become someone like me?
Today, our brothers and sisters, in reality, people encounter many helpless situations in life. They encounter very, very many helpless situations. That feeling of helplessness, that feeling is not good at all. That is, when people are helpless, what should they do? Isn't that so? What should they do when they are helpless?
Let's not talk about other things; just with those who have insomnia, I have spoken with many of them. I have spoken with many who have insomnia. Those who have insomnia, they have a characteristic: they want to sleep, but they cannot fall asleep. Tell me, what is a person who cannot fall asleep? It is very strange, very strange. Just cannot fall asleep. If a person cannot even manage their sleep, what else can they manage? Isn't that so?
People cannot manage when they are born and when they die. They cannot manage whether they encounter disaster or not. They cannot manage whether they can fall asleep or not. People cannot manage it, truly cannot manage it. But a person who has God, a person who loves God wholeheartedly, that is, loves this God who loves us—loving this God who loves us is truly needed, so very needed.
Therefore, sometimes I get angry. Some time ago, I don't know if I tripped up one of our sisters. Ah, she had a lot of confusion in her mind—a lot of confusion. Why? She felt that her job was about to be lost. Ah, her job was about to be lost. Among us, those in their forties, that is the age of experiencing a midlife crisis. Experiencing a midlife crisis. A midlife crisis is actually quite deadly, quite deadly.
Why? Because the salary is quite high, but there are not many positions. And if you are asked to do lower-level work, you cannot do it; if you are asked to do higher-level work, there is no position for it. Isn't that very deadly? Once you lose your job, that is truly quite deadly. Therefore, I must ask God to protect me and my family. I hope God will protect us well.
Today, my aspiration is that this video can help everyone find strength in difficulties. This video is also conveying an important message, which is that we must love God wholeheartedly to truly control our lives.
Believing in the Lord is the Starting Point; Loving God is the Goal
This is even better. What could be better than this? Loving God wholeheartedly. Therefore, mentioning loving God, I will speak about the fifth point. Aren't you always talking about faith? Yes, believing in the Lord is the starting point; loving God is the goal. Believing in the Lord is the starting point; loving God is the goal. The most important thing for us is not to forget the goal. If people forget what the goal is, that is troublesome. Wouldn't it be troublesome if people forget what the goal is?
Therefore, today I give everyone a concept called believing in the Lord is—believing in Jesus is a starting point. But loving God is a goal. Loving God is a goal. You know, I often see some Christians with a great confusion. What confusion? Because in Matthew 7:20 something, that place speaks of what? Some people cast out demons and perform miracles in the name of Jesus Christ, and then, when they come before Jesus, they say, Lord, Lord, I have come. The Lord Jesus says, I do not know you. They say, How can you not know us? How can you not know us?
Many people interpret this scripture as saying, Look, they cast out demons, so Jesus said he does not know them. But the interpretation of this scripture, 7:22, is in Matthew 25:35-44. Why? Because in this place, it says this: Jesus said, I do not know you. They said, Why? Because Jesus said, When I was hungry, you did not give me food to eat. When I was naked, you did not give me clothes to wear. When I was in prison, you did not come to visit me. When I was sick, you did not take care of me. As a result, what happened? As a result, they said, When did we not do these things? Ah, when did we not see this? Jesus said, If you did not do it for these least of my brothers, you did not do it for me. To say that you did not do it for the least of my brothers is to say that you did not do it for me.
What does that mean? It means that when you see these things, you do not care about them because you do not feel that they have any relationship with the Lord Jesus. So, what does it say? It says there is no love. There is no love in you. Actually, a person who has this kind of heart that loves God, when you see people like that, your heart is very pained. When you see these things, you are very pained, you have a reaction. And then you very much hope to bring them into God's blessing, to release them from this constraint.
Therefore, I will not read Matthew 25:35-44 to everyone. It gives an answer, and the answer is that it is not because they cast out demons that God said he does not know them, but because there is no love in them. This is my argument. What is my argument? Believing in the Lord is just a starting point, because when you believe in the Lord, you will directly see miracles. Because those who believe will have miracles following them—that is what God does, that is what God does because you believe. But believing in the Lord is just a starting point; you cannot stay at that starting point. The goal is to enter into God's love. Loving God is the goal. People who love God will shepherd God's flock. People who love God will shepherd God's flock. Do you understand?
Some people, actually, many people have all kinds of hobbies, which is very normal. Many people have all kinds of hobbies, which is very normal. But loving God is of utmost importance. Loving God is of utmost importance. You know, in our lives, we must grasp the big things. Of course, we start from the small things, but the goal is to grasp the big things. It is impossible—a very simple principle, isn't it? If you earn one yuan doing this job, ten yuan doing that job, one hundred yuan doing that job, and ten thousand yuan doing that job, of course you earn the big money, isn't it? Of course, you earn the big money.
Therefore, I think we need to know that believing in the Lord is just a starting point. If you stay at the point of believing in the Lord your whole life, and you do not love God, this person is cursed. Therefore, today we must go from believing in the Lord to loving the Lord, from believing in God to loving God. And those who love God will shepherd God's flock, and those who love God will shepherd God's flock. Do you understand?
That is, when you are shepherding God's flock, why are some people so exhausted shepherding God's flock? Because they do not love God. How can they not be tired? Isn't that so? But those who love God pay the price for the God they love. If you ask them if they are tired, yes, they are tired, but they are willing to be tired, isn't it? Because of the love of God, they are willing to give up many things for God. But if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. These are two contradictory things.
Today, there are too few churches that truly shepherd. Would you say that such people love God? Such people have a forced mentality, not a mentality of loving God, but a forced mentality. Now abide faith, hope, and love. That is to say, only faith, hope, and love can allow us to enter into what endures forever. And that love refers to the love of God. Therefore, I think,
I want to encourage our brothers and sisters today—open your eyes and see the needs of this generation. There are too many places that need service. Living is a very simple thing. Living with God is a very simple thing. How much do people need to live? How much can you eat in this lifetime? How much housing can you live in? Isn't it so? Even if you buy a thousand houses, you cannot live in all of them, you cannot live in all of them. Isn't that so? You do not have a thousand butts to sit on, right? You do not have a thousand backs to lie down on. Where would a thousand come from? Isn't that so? You only have one body, and all you need is a bed, isn't it?
You do not need too much. What I mean to say is that living is a very simple thing, but we people have made it too complicated, so we live very tired lives. People live very tired lives. But if a person loves God, does not love this world, will people have anything in this world? He will surely cause us to be placed on high, allowing us to live with dignity and enjoy long life. All our needs in life—these are not difficult to satisfy. But to live with that kind of dignity is very difficult.
I often see some people. Some time ago, one of our sisters served her family. That family was very hurt inside. Why were they hurt? Because when she spoke her heart out, everyone realized that in this family, people did not accept him. Everyone did not think he was very dignified, and he himself did not think he was dignified. Actually, nothing happened, but he felt very uncomfortable inside. Tell me, isn't this person working hard? Because no one respects him at home. Why should people respect you? It is already very good that people can accept you, but he is still not satisfied.
Every family has its own set of problems. Our family has them too. But today I want to tell you that those who love God, those who love God lack nothing. Those who love God lack no good thing. Therefore, what you love, you will pay the price for. There is no need to doubt this at all. What you love, you will pay the price for. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. If your treasure is all in Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ is the most precious thing to you, you will love God, right? You will love God, and then you will not be tired when you serve, isn't it?
I see many people who have to serve and serve and serve, and they serve very laboriously. Why? They do not love God. They end up with cancer. They end up with cancer. They end up with hydrocephalus, or something else. Anyway, it's these things. Therefore, today you need to know that being a pastor like me and enjoying it as much as I do is truly rare; there are truly not many. Why do I enjoy it and do it so that even though I am tired, I am very happy; even though it is hard, it is very joyful and I am very willing? It is because I love God.
You say this person is starting to brag again. I am not bragging; I am really doing it this way. Truly, there are not many pastors who enjoy their work as much as I do. You think God is clearly with me, and I lack no good thing. Then, seeing God clearly with me and God fulfilling all my prayers, do you think I lack money? I really do not lack money, really do not lack money. Really good! Therefore, all our brothers and sisters who believe in the Lord today, even if you have just come and just started to know God, remember this sentence: believing in the Lord is just a starting point. Love God—loving God is the goal. You must love that God who created us, you must love that God who loves us, and then you need to begin to be willing to pay the price for him.
If we pay the price for the things we love, ask yourself—what can these things bring me? Can these things bring me that avoidance of all disasters? No, so why do I love them? Isn't that so? Can these things make me dignified? Not really, they do not seem very dignified. Can these things give me long life? It seems not. These things—when you are born and when you die, they pass away very quickly sometimes. Just the other day, one of our sisters' father went into the toilet and never came out. Later, when the caregiver went to open the toilet, he was dead inside. I am saying, shouldn't we let go of all our worries? Because the things we worry about cannot bring us any protection.
Those things can only become our worries. You say, don't worry at all. Who wants to lose money doing business? Isn't that so? You say, completely let go—that is not the way to do things either. But what should we worry about most? What we should worry about most is whether we love God wholeheartedly, love the Lord our God with all our heart, all our soul, all our strength, and all our mind, and follow him wholeheartedly. Do you understand?
Because only he can lead us to escape all troubles and all disasters, only he can protect us, only he can provide all our needs in life, only he can let us live with dignity and glory in this world, and only he is what we look up to and rely on. We used to think that the things we could rely on were all unreliable, all unreliable. Is work reliable? No. Is business reliable? No. All things in this world will pass away; only love endures forever. Do you understand?
Now I want to tell everyone the most excellent way. I want to tell everyone the most excellent way. What is the most excellent way? The most excellent way is love, is love. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, as in 1 Corinthians 13, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. Do you understand?
Today, our brothers and sisters need to know that our God is love. Our God is love, and love never fails. If you want to live out the glorious image of God, live out the love of God. Live out the love of God and share the love of God. And then I tell you, the gift of prophecy will be done away with, the gift of tongues will cease, and knowledge will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I set aside childish ways. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. Do you understand?
So, let us no longer be children. In our faith in the Lord, let us no longer be children, but let us strive to pursue, strive to pursue until we reach what? Until we reach loving God, until we reach loving the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the greatest commandment. Do you understand?
Today, if we are willing to love God, I will tell you again, I will tell you that troubles, disasters, plagues—nothing can come upon you, nothing will come upon you. Isn't that so? Diseases, plagues—these cannot come upon you. Then all the things of the world have become less important to us. If the things of the world have become less important to us, why would we worry about these things? We would not worry about these things, would we not have fewer illnesses?
Why do people get these illnesses? Because they worry too much and are entangled too much. Why are they entangled too much? Because our hearts are in money, in business, in work. We live very tired and hard lives, and when we live very hard and tired lives, we have many illnesses. Is this not constantly cycling in a strange vicious circle?
And then, as we sit and sit, we feel that what we are doing is meaningless? And then we feel that what we are doing is meaningless and lament about life? And then we see the coldness and warmth of life and feel very tired. And then we see loved ones leave this world and feel very helpless. We just keep living in this helplessness, and our loved ones also see us and feel very helpless. The only thing that can be boasted about in this world is toil and trouble. What can we boast about? Toil and trouble, isn't it?
Throughout our lives, it seems that we cannot manage too much. In many cases, we cannot manage. Can we solve a little? We can solve a little, but it is very hard. Therefore, today I think that if we love God alone and trust in him alone, do not worship Jesus like an idol without love.
If our relationship with God is a relationship of mutual exploitation, there is no love. If there is no love between us and God, our faith in the Lord is in vain. Our faith in the Lord is in vain.
Today, with those of you who are among us, even if you have just come to believe in the Lord, today put loving God, loving the Lord your God with all your heart and all your strength, in your heart. Let it be in your heart to know how much God loves us. You know, I often pray for those who have blasphemed God in the past. Because they often blaspheme God and say things that they themselves do not understand, just spout nonsense. When they get sick, they come to find me, and I lead them in prayer. There are many such things, many. As soon as I pray, God heals them. I say, God, you heal even such people.
How to Devote Yourself to Loving God
Who says that my love for Him is unconditional? God's love for the world is unconditional, you know? God eagerly seeks those who seek Him, even those who have never done anything for God. As long as you seek Him, turn back to Him, God will turn back to you and heal you. Our God's warm face is often close to our faces. But today, when we bring our warm faces close to God, God's warm face also comes close. Our God will never abandon us, never give up on us.
Speaking of God's love, I tell you, God's love is so wonderful and so beautiful. If a person has God's love in their life, and then can respond to God's love by saying, God, I also love you, what a wonderful thing that is! What a wonderful thing! Such a beautiful story will be spread throughout heaven and earth.
Now, the sixth point I will talk about is how to devote yourself to loving God, how to devote yourself to loving God. It seems like I'm getting a bit off track, but it doesn't matter, please bear with me a little. I'm getting excited. How to devote yourself to loving God! I tell you, whatever you do, don't invent it yourself! Things invented by yourself are not very effective. So how to devote yourself to loving God! I tell you two words: imitate! Imitate! Imitate whom? Imitate Caleb! Joshua! Moses! David! Samuel! Apostle Paul! These people are all people who devoted themselves to loving God. These people are all people who devoted themselves to following God.
You know this Caleb! This Caleb is a very interesting person. This Caleb is a very interesting person. Then this Caleb! During Joshua's time! They fought to the land of Canaan. After Caleb fought to the land of Canaan, this Caleb went to find Joshua. Caleb went to find Joshua. What did he say to Joshua? He said, Back then, the servant of Jehovah, Moses, sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land of Canaan. At that time, I was forty years old, I was forty years old. I reported to him according to my heart, but the brothers who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt, but I wholeheartedly followed Jehovah my God.
So at that time, Moses revealed that the land your feet have trodden on will surely belong to you and your descendants forever, because you have wholeheartedly followed Jehovah my God. This is in Joshua chapter 14, verses 6 to 10. Since Jehovah, this is what Caleb said, since Jehovah said this to Moses, Jehovah has kept me alive these forty-five years, according to his promise. At this time, he was already eighty-five years old. During this time, the Israelites walked in the wilderness. Look, I am now eighty-five years old, and I am still strong. As on the day Moses sent me, my strength is still as it was then, whether for battle or for going out and coming in. Now give me this hill country that Jehovah promised me on that day. There are Anakites there, and large, fortified cities. Perhaps Jehovah will be with me as he promised, and I will drive them out. Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave Hebron to him as an inheritance.
What kind of person is this Caleb? This Caleb is a very interesting person. This Caleb, along with Joshua and ten other people, a total of twelve people, were sent by Moses to Canaan to see what the land was like. When did that happen? It happened in the second year after they came out of Egypt. In the second year after they came out of Egypt, they were about to enter Canaan. What was the result of entering Canaan? These twelve spies were sent into Canaan. After entering Canaan, they carried back a lot of fruit. After their twelve men carried back a lot of fruit, the ten spies reported bad news, saying, Oh, you can't go there! If you go, you'll be killed! If you go, you'll be killed! If you go, you'll be killed! Why? There are tall people there, all giants, giants. You can't possibly beat them, you can't possibly beat them. So going in is just courting death. The entire camp of Israel wept bitterly. They felt it was over, over, over, over, they were doomed.
As a result, Caleb and Joshua said to Moses and the people of Israel, It's not like that. God has already given us that land, we will surely be victorious. This is Caleb. But did this Caleb really know that he could be victorious? Actually, he didn't really know. But he trusted in God. This Caleb, this Caleb is very interesting. This Caleb is very interesting. So it's not a bad thing to name your child Caleb. This Caleb wholeheartedly followed God. God said, I will give this place to you. And he would say, Ah, God will give it to me. That's it, very simple, very simple. As a result, the people of Israel at that time wanted to stone Caleb and Joshua to death. As a result, God was very angry at that time. At that time, he let those ten spies die in the plague.
Caleb and Joshua, at that time, many Israelites died, and God struck them with plagues. What I want to say is that at that time, Moses said to Caleb, I will give this land to you and your descendants as an everlasting possession. As a result, Caleb and the Israelites were also very aggrieved, because the Israelites were going to wander in the wilderness. God judged these Israelites and said that all of this generation would die, and only Caleb and Joshua could enter. As a result, they spent another thirty-eight years in the wilderness. After these thirty-eight years passed, Joshua led the Israelites across the Jordan River and began to conquer cities and seize land. In the blink of an eye, five years had passed. After another five years passed, that forty-year-old had become eighty-five years old. Because Caleb wholeheartedly followed God, God gave Hebron to Caleb and his descendants. So he obtained the inheritance.
Caleb has a characteristic: he is devoted. Remember, devotion is a very important quality. A person who is not devoted can't do anything. Whether in the workplace or in business, people who are devoted to their work are very powerful. But Caleb was devoted to following God. He was not confused by the things of the world, nor was he confused by the environment. No environment could shake his mind from entering and obtaining God's promises. He did not rely on sight, but on faith. So today, everyone should imitate Caleb and wholeheartedly follow God. Those who wholeheartedly follow God and wholeheartedly trust in God are not afraid of anything. Even if there are tall Anakites there, he is not afraid. As a result, God really helped him conquer that land.
David, Samuel, and Apostle Paul are all like this. So today, brothers and sisters, we must know how wonderful it is to devote ourselves to loving God. Caleb did not complain because of the Anakites, nor because he had wandered in the wilderness for another thirty-eight years, and in the blink of an eye, he was eighty-five years old. He just wholeheartedly followed God. I will do whatever God wants me to do. This is Caleb's devotion.
Brothers and sisters, you must know how to begin to be devoted. What is devotion? Devotion means that no environment and no matter can shake our goal ahead. Even if we have to go through mountains of knives and seas of fire, we must rush over. Today, brothers and sisters, you will see that such people are remarkable people. If you are a person who loves God, if you are a person who wholeheartedly loves God, and you imitate Caleb, I tell you, you will surely receive God's promise, and you will surely become a blessing to many people.
Today, brothers and sisters, why have so many people come to us and been healed of illnesses that doctors can't solve and many churches can't solve? God is doing the work of healing in them. Why? Because here there is a group of people who wholeheartedly love God. They wholeheartedly love God, see through everything, and understand everything. Only God is the one we love. Because Caleb is such a person, and we imitate such a person.
Even if we wander in the wilderness for another thirty-eight years, we will follow because that is God's decision. We will diligently follow. Did we pay the price? We paid the price. Did we suffer grievance? We suffered grievance. But no matter what, we cannot shake our hearts to follow God. Define it as a blessing to your family and a blessing to your friends around you. If you are devoted, I tell you, you will lack no good thing. If a person loves God, God knows it. In 1 Corinthians 8:3, it says, If anyone loves God, he is known by God. What God has prepared for those who love him is beyond what eyes have seen, ears have heard, and hearts have imagined. It is beyond all that we ask or imagine.
Do you understand? So today we must begin to imitate David. What was David like? Because David wholeheartedly loved God, even though his throne was taken away by his son Absalom, he didn't care. Why? Because he wholeheartedly loved God, and if it came from God, even if God took it away, just take it away. All I need is God. This is the mentality of those of us who wholeheartedly love God.
I have also experienced a mid-life crisis, but a mid-life crisis cannot take away my heart to love God. Nothing can take away our heart to love God. Until today, God still makes me strong, and God is still with me.
Summary
No problem can stop us from fulfilling God's will in this generation. Are there difficulties? There are difficulties. Are there problems? There are problems. David wandered in the wilderness for thirteen years. Before becoming king, he was hunted down and wanted for thirteen years. What was the result? As a result, he never deviated from God's will and still followed God closely. These people all came through trials and tribulations. If you are tested, can you overcome it? If you can't overcome it, it is because you are not devoted to loving God. If we are devoted to loving God, nothing can shake our faith in God, and nothing can shake our trust in God.
What will happen as a result? As a result, all things will work together for good for those who love God. So today, brothers and sisters, we must begin to pay attention to the end of those who love God. Pay attention to the end of those who love God, in Hebrews, Hebrews chapter 13, verses 6 to 9. So we can confidently say, The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? Remember those who led you from former times, who preached the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. For it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no value to those who are occupied with them.
Do you understand? What people often lack is that they do not pay attention to the way people conduct themselves. If they do not pay attention to the outcomes of those conducts, they are often deceived by the affairs of this world and carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. Actually, you know, some time ago, there was a sister among us. I asked the sister, and her mother-in-law said, Oh, who will burn paper for me after I die? She said, Why burn paper? When the dead go, they all have money to spend. He said, Where do you go? She said, Where do I go? If you say you are going to heaven, there is everything in that place. What are you burning paper for? If you say you are going to hell, and you burn paper, what are you going to do there? Even if you burn paper for me, what are you going to do there?
The confusion of the dead has troubled many people. What are these people thinking? It is really difficult to preach the gospel to them, to let them hear the gospel, and to teach them to love God. But what they care about is whether someone will burn paper for them after they die, and whether someone will take care of their funeral affairs. In my words, I will be more straightforward. Living is a very simple thing. If a person dies, there is nothing left, nothing is left. There is nothing left, what else is there to do after death? You don't have to pay for the phone or any electricity bills. Isn't that right? If you go to hell and need people to burn paper, what are you going to do there? Isn't it? If you go to heaven, why do you need people to burn paper for you? Aren't you very confused?
What is even more confusing is all kinds of strange doctrines and strange customs in this world. After worshiping the dead, everyone grabs the food offered to the spirits, and after eating it, they can be blessed. After eating this thing, it is pulled into the latrine through the intestines. What can it bless? There are many strange doctrines. Chinese people often like to rely on food. Everything is connected to eating, even eating offerings for the dead. So don't be deceived by these things. Don't be deceived by these things.
If people do not know how to concentrate on loving God in their understanding, they often drift here and there. They do not know that all our benefits are in Jesus Christ. They do not know that God is our everything. They do not know that no disaster can stop the things we pursue. That is because they are not clear in their understanding. It is fatal to be unclear in understanding. It is a fatal thing to be unclear in understanding.
There are several sisters who have been following me since I started serving in the first year. They are very devoted, very devoted. In their minds, they are just devoted, and they have been walking like this until today. I ask you, if you carefully observe them, what are the outcomes of these people who love God? What are they lacking? They lack no good thing, don't they? They lack no good thing. In contrast, what have you gained from drifting here and there? You have gained nothing, you have gained nothing.
If we make our own stomachs our god, we are cursed. A few days ago, I arranged for a sister to summarize the foolish things she had done in the past. What can she summarize? It is being not devoted. If we are not devoted, we are easily trapped by things. One set traps us for many years. When people go to snatch up houses, they also go to snatch one up. What do they do after snatching it up? Aren't they trapped? They are trapped. People have to think carefully. People have to think carefully. After thinking clearly, people are very clear in their understanding. Do we have a mind that is devoted to loving God in us?
If we have a mind that is devoted to loving God in us, will we be deceived by these things? No, we won't. Will we be confused by these things? No, we won't. Because our goal inside is very clear. We are devoted to loving God. Come, let's make a summary and take back Psalm 91, verses 1 to 16. Let's read it again, Psalm 91. Today, brothers and sisters, if you have a Bible in your hand, draw a line under this passage. Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. How blessed are such people. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. Today, do you trust in Him? Begin to learn to rely on Him. Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare, from the deadly pestilence. If you have ever suffered from the snare of the fowler or the deadly pestilence, today I tell you to devote yourself to loving Him. This is what He is telling you. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. You say these are the most hateful things in a person's life, aren't they? Plague, deadly diseases, aren't they? Isn't that how people die? Many people die like that. Though a thousand fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, no harm will come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you say, The Lord is my refuge, and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. Because he loves me, says the Lord, I will rescue him; because he acknowledges my name, I will protect him. This is such a wonderful promise. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation. Who is this referring to? This is referring to those who love the Lord with all their heart, soul, and strength. Brothers and sisters, are we willing to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and strength, and wholeheartedly follow him? Like Caleb, Joshua, David, and Samuel. Like the Apostle Paul, can you understand? Samuel wholeheartedly followed God. So none of the words that Samuel spoke fell to the ground. What does that mean? Some of the words were spoken by Samuel himself. He was not a puppet, he was God's good friend. So God fulfilled what he said. He declared it and it came to pass. This is such a wonderful thing. The Apostle Paul was also like this. He experienced great and small tribulations throughout his life, but he never changed his heart to love God. Today, he tells us the most excellent way in 1 Corinthians 13. Let us know that without love, nothing is anything. Without a heart to love God, nothing is anything. Today, may all the promises in Psalm 91 be fulfilled in you.