Introduction

Good day to you all! Let us delve into the Book of Proverbs, chapter 25. This chapter is particularly insightful! Why, you ask? Because it addresses human problems directly. The crux of the human problem lies in the inability to subdue one's own heart.

Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control. (Proverbs 25:28)

The human heart is inherently foolish. Observe closely, brothers and sisters, the state to which people have devolved. They adopt a manner that is cocky, conceited, and self-righteous, and then blindly follow their heart's inclinations. Place your hand on your chest today and ask yourself, what thoughts occupy your heart? Whether it be the state that you have muddled through, or the state you see others muddled through on the streets, all stem from the depths of one's own heart. Man is his own worst enemy.

I have ministered to many individuals—those who have undergone back surgeries, heart surgeries, those with scoliosis, or those who have encountered a multitude of chaotic events. And more critically, cancer patients. What is cancer, really? Cancer is a consequence of one's self-destruction reaching a sophisticated level. No one, nothing, can alter our destiny except ourselves, by bringing such a condition upon ourselves.

Let us observe ourselves closely. What have we made of ourselves? In the course of my many years of service, the most crucial task has been to make people realize their own folly. Making people aware of their foolishness is a challenging endeavor. Why is it so difficult? Because people are oblivious to their own foolishness. If a person recognizes their own folly, then it is manageable. Hence, I often offend people, and with considerable skill. I offend what, you ask? Namely, addressing the problems within people's hearts.

Over the years, I have been contending with these individuals. To what extent, you might ask? To the point where those who are willing to serve God alongside me can serve faithfully; those who are unwilling to walk this path can go as far away as they please. If you do not leave, I will, and eventually, I prevailed over this person, but at times, I was also knocked down in the process.

A person who does not control their own heart is thoroughly corrupted. However, the human heart possesses a significant characteristic: people are exceptionally self-assured, and one wonders where such confidence originates. They, in turn, question the source of my confidence. What have we truly accomplished in our lifetime? Many relentlessly engage in trivial, unrewarding pursuits. Tell me, what meaningful deed did you accomplish yesterday? The day before, the day before that, what rewarding actions did you undertake? Instead of rewarding deeds, you engaged in a series of absurdities. What we hold in our hearts we deem self-evident, but personal convictions are inconsequential. What truly matters? What is truth? If one believes oneself to be justified, one assumes justification prevails everywhere. However, that is merely your own perception; others may perceive you as unjustified!

Therefore, this chapter is particularly enlightening, emphasizing the importance of learning to subdue one's heart. If you fail to learn self-control, then I wish you good luck. Let us carefully examine what occupies our hearts. This is the essence of one's life. The most critical aspect of one's life is to awaken in one's heart. Failure to awaken seals one's fate. I seek nothing for myself, yet I feel compelled to speak: listen if you will; if not, it is inconsequential. Why does this chapter emphasize the need for self-control? Because the human heart harbors a multitude of things. What is most alarming about people is their ignorance of their own limitations, for there is much we do not know.

As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings are unsearchable. (Proverbs 25:3)

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings. (Proverbs 25:2)

If you are employed in a small enterprise, there is a junior supervisor above you, and above the junior supervisor is a senior supervisor, and above the senior supervisor is the proprietor. Thus, we must recognize that those above us are far removed from royalty, and therefore, the hearts of kings are even more inscrutable. I have observed a dearth of self-awareness in people. If individuals were to cultivate self-awareness, it would be extraordinary.

In this world, there exists a type of person who enjoys critiquing the presidents and monarchs of various nations. In reality, the hearts of kings are often in the hands of God, beyond your comprehension. The thoughts of ordinary people are closely intertwined with the spiritual realm. If God intends to corrupt an individual, to corrupt a nation, you will find that the elected president will inexplicably undertake actions that are incomprehensible. How does man corrupt himself? Not to mention kings, even oneself is often beyond comprehension.

Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked? (Ecclesiastes 7:13)

God intends for this individual to be this way, to think this way, to corrupt themselves in this manner, and gradually progress along that path. I am deeply moved, but regardless of my sentiments, I have ultimately learned one thing: God conceals these matters to obscure our understanding, to instill in us the realization that we must rely on God.

It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings. (Proverbs 25:2)

Therefore, God conceals many matters to prompt us to continually explore and understand, eradicating the detrimental habit of ignorance of one's limitations. Our hearts must be capable of subduing ourselves, acknowledging the inadequacies of our own hearts.

Removing the Ignorant Heart

If one believes that what one speaks is indeed logical, then one must thoroughly examine oneself. For there are always two sides to a coin. At times, two brothers may perceive each other as adversaries, yet what is their aim? They may not even know. Brothers and sisters, you must understand that if God intends to perform a deed, and if we are precious, God intends for us to gradually remove the dross from our hearts until it is entirely purged, thereby transforming us into instruments of glory and honor before God. Let me reveal to you the intentions of my heart: when I minister to people, the most crucial element I address first is human self-righteousness.

Sometimes, the words spoken are quite embarrassing, as if only others are inadequate while I am capable. In reality, I am also inadequate, yet I must inform you of your shortcomings to prevent you from reaching the extreme of self-righteousness. Self-righteous individuals abound in the world. They lack knowledge and wisdom, yet they firmly believe that they are correct, and they are uncontrollably destroying themselves.

The defilement within one's heart is reflected in every facet of life. For example, some married couples, as they live together, transform into adversaries. Why is that? In reality, it is because the husband closes the door, creating a small gust of wind, and then, with the aid of both man and wind, the door slams shut. The wife then retorts, Who are you slamming the door at? The husband replies, What if I slam it at you? And then they begin to quarrel. What sort of mentality is this? In reality, both their minds and hearts are filled with rubbish, and that is the nature of this world.

Two strangers are dining at a barbecue restaurant. One of them goes over to provoke the other, resulting in one being beaten black and blue and the other being arrested. The government seizes this opportunity to eliminate organized crime, which we truly commend! In reality, my childhood environment was similar. Every time I returned home from school, I would see the local hooligans standing there wearing large bell-bottom trousers, and I would detour to avoid them. Therefore, I would not idly encounter a situation where someone says, What are you looking at? and end up being stabbed.

However, the world is such, and hence my mother instructed me never to venture out after five o'clock in the evening. A few days later, news spread that a corpse had been discovered in the river, having floated downstream! As a result, my younger sister jokingly remarked, A person died there, and the entire town knows about it, but the police do not.

Why would a person choose such a path while living well? Do many people still engage in What are you looking at? behavior? Some individuals are excessively arrogant and megalomaniacal, as if they were the head of a criminal gang, standing on the street, swinging their arms. However, what is the significance of that? So what if people acknowledge you as the boss? The government intends to eliminate organized crime, and such individuals do not live properly and engage in these evil deeds!

Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence, and do not claim a place among his great men; it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,” than for him to humiliate you before his nobles. (Proverbs 25:6-7)

Even now, it remains unclear to me why some individuals choose to become members of criminal gangs, given that the government intends to eliminate such individuals. At one point, the government was also cracking down on organized crime. A central government leader encountered a wealthy local bully while driving. The bully was muscular, with tattoos of a blue dragon and a white tiger on his arms, and a ribbonfish tattooed around his waist. The bully was driving a Mercedes-Benz 500 and refused to yield the right-of-way. The central government leader inquired, Whose car is that ahead? The attendant replied, Leader! No one in the entire town dares to provoke that man!

After returning, the leader dispatched a special task force to investigate the bully, and they uncovered all of his misdeeds, leading to his downfall. Some individuals enjoy exalting themselves and being arrogant before kings, and I am unsure where such confidence originates. People readily declare, I will sue you! as if they own the courthouse. However, as matters unfold, they implicate themselves. What exactly are they accomplishing? People consistently engage in unrewarding activities.

Removing Megalomania

From this day forward, everyone should begin to learn to subdue their own hearts, which entails dealing with the evil inclinations within. Whether or not one can eliminate them depends on one's fate. Cultivating the ability to subdue one's heart and eliminate megalomania requires training.

Do not be quick to bring suit, for what will you do in the end if your neighbor puts you to shame? If you take your neighbor to court, do not betray another’s confidence, or the one who hears it may shame you and the charge against you will never be dropped. (Proverbs 25:8-10)

Some individuals enjoy initiating lawsuits and lodging complaints everywhere. As long as there is an inclination toward evil within one's heart, one enjoys upholding justice. In reality, I do not strive for justice in this world. You will find that if I am bullied or beaten, I do not care. I do not fight for my own sake. If I am bullied, so be it, and if I am beaten, so be it. Who told me to encounter such a situation? Why do I encounter these events? Because there is a curse upon me. Therefore, we must properly deal with these curses and avoid encountering such situations.

Removing the Contentious Heart

Some individuals continue to petition incessantly after their children are murdered. There are also cases where children are wrongly accused—whether they are truly innocent or not remains uncertain—and are sentenced and executed. As a result, the parents of these children incessantly petition for two to three decades. Throughout these two to three decades, they petition whenever they have a small amount of money, living their lives as petitioners. Once a person becomes set on this path, you cannot reason with them.

It is best to avoid such situations in life. If one encounters them, it is best to emulate Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for they ultimately became the most remarkable individuals in this world. They were skilled in their interactions with people, and I deeply admire them. If someone criticizes these figures, I become displeased. Although I am displeased, I do not heed their criticism, nor do I engage in conflict with them. Why do I not engage in conflict with them? Because I am not foolish, and I lack such impulsiveness and folly within me. If someone directly accuses me of being wrong, I concede. If someone chases me to my home, I will chase them out. We must eliminate the contentious heart within us. A contentious heart is a foolish heart.

Removing Greed

If you find honey, eat just enough— too much of it, and you will vomit. (Proverbs 25:16)

One should not overindulge in delicious foods, for there is always a certain inclination within us, which originates from an unknown source. That inclination propels us toward corruption. Honey is delicious, but overindulging to the point of vomiting is problematic. Have any of you become sick of eating eggs? Some women consume eggs every day during confinement, and as a result, they become sick of them and feel nauseous upon smelling the scent of eggs.

Greed can make one sick. There was a period when I was impoverished, and I consumed the cheapest foods. Chicken wings were the cheapest item in the supermarket, where I could buy a large quantity for five dollars (Singapore dollar). During that period, I cooked chicken wings every day. After three months, every time I passed by a place that sold chicken rice, I smelled only the scent of chicken feces.

Do not overdo anything, and do not be greedy. The same applies to money. For people, just enough is sufficient. When you eat something delicious, do not overindulge. Greed is deadly and can propel one towards corruption. Never be greedy. In Proverbs, the author states that honey is good, food is good, and eggs are good, but if they are no longer good for you, it is problematic. It all stems from greed. Overindulgence leads to the corruption of the body.

Greed is deadly. Some officials, after gaining power, forget to serve the people and indulge in power and sex trades, failing to do their duties and becoming corrupt. We must all ponder this: Man must subdue his heart.

Removing Idleness

Let your foot rarely be in your neighbor's house, lest he be weary of you and hate you. (Proverbs 25:17)

One deadly inclination is idleness. Idle people, when they sit down, do not even know what they are doing, and they become annoying. Therefore, we must deal with the idle heart. I detest idle people who wander around aimlessly every day and engage in senseless chatter when together. When I was young, my home had a kang (a brick bed), and the old women from the neighborhood would come to my house, sit cross-legged on the kang, and start gossiping. When I walked by, I smelled a foul odor, and the words coming from their mouths were also disgusting; they dared to say anything. If what they said were posted online, it would surely be censored. They enjoyed talking about filthy and disgusting things, which was repulsive.

I hated when my mother would bring those old women over, set up a mahjong table, and then they would all puff away on their opium pipes, talking nonsense. I really couldn't stand it! Later, in ministry, I discovered that people don't need to do anything or learn anything; they naturally turn into that as they get older. They either sit together playing mahjong or sit together gossiping. I said, God, have mercy on me! It is detestable for people to be idle and not do proper work, and they end up corrupting themselves. We must stay away from such environments because they are full of evil spirits.

Removing Reliance on People

Like a bad tooth or a lame foot is reliance on the unfaithful in times of trouble. (Proverbs 25:19)

Some people especially like to rely on others, always wanting to get something from them! A Christian who relies on a wall finds the wall collapses, and a Christian who relies on a tree finds the tree falls. Suddenly, if you rely on a big tree or a high-ranking official and have an umbrella, you easily become foolish and corrupt. Why? Because when people have a protective umbrella, they easily become corrupt. But when trouble comes, no protective umbrella is useful.

We Chinese have a saying, spoken by Chairman Mao on Tiananmen Square, that from then on, the Chinese people have stood up. Having backbone, not relying on anyone, but relying on oneself is very wise. But there are many who lack wisdom, relying on this today and that tomorrow. Never expect others to help you; when it comes to the crucial moment, it's all lip service. Christians must never rely on both a wall and a tree, because the wall will collapse and the tree will fall. In times of trouble, you can only rely on God; you cannot rely on anyone else. We must learn to subdue our hearts. Over the past few years, we have had some backbone. My heart relies on God and not on people.

A pastor of one church had a relationship with a pastor of another church, and the other church gave him two million. Then he bought a large property and held meetings there. I went to see it, and the renovation cost two and a half million; it was beautifully decorated. Although I didn't like the way they decorated it, I still felt a bit sour. Why didn't anyone give me two million? But thank God, that feeling was immediately dealt with. We only give out; we never take from people. Each of our brothers and sisters begins to have backbone. Actually, to build a glorious church of God, nothing is needed. We believe in God; we don't need human help or a building, but we need the backbone to trust in God.

Can everyone see that? If you can't see it, I must tell you that we never want to take anything from others. We have never taken a penny from anyone; we only give out. It's not poverty that's to be feared, but a lack of backbone. So, our brothers and sisters, whether in normal times or in times of trouble, should not rely on people. Rely solely on God and be faithful. If you follow current events, you will see that many governments know this as well. So, never rely on things that depend on people; they are as useless as a broken tooth or a lame foot, only leaving you injured. Do you know what foolishness is? Do not expect or rely on people; people are unfaithful. We must subdue our hearts; this is from a negative perspective.

Having a Kind Heart

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you. (Proverbs 25:21-22)

God wants to sift out the dross and filth in our hearts through circumstances and refine us to have a healthy heart. Therefore, God deliberately puts enemies before you. When he is hungry, you cannot say, Thank God, you are helping me get revenge. Never gloat, because your heart is too dirty, and God does not like us that way. God is testing us, and we fall into the pit.

We must develop a habit of not seeking our own benefit! You will find that my ministry is very effective because it is all on the same foundation: not seeking my own benefit. Whether people hurt me or offend me is not important. I cannot manage gambling debts, drug debts, or money for prostitution, but if he is hungry or thirsty, I can still buy him something to eat. Even if it's just buying him a bowl of noodles every day, because that is God examining us. We must know in our hearts that we have a clear conscience before God. That is why my ministry is so effective; once you seek your own benefit, trouble comes.

Among us, are there any junior pastors who have encountered someone who didn't write a report on the day it was due? If I were a junior pastor, I would ask if they had encountered any difficulties. But some junior pastors would say, Why? You write reports for other people but not for me. Are you looking down on me? That's just too low. If someone doesn't reply to a message with received, they immediately become unhappy. Actually, I don't like seeing the word received because I don't seek my own benefit. Whether the other person honors me is not important at all.

Not seeking your own benefit is a kind heart. We only want to bless others. Because we do not seek our own benefit, we can be very harsh when pointing out the problems of those we serve. Many people need to be disciplined because the dirt in their hearts is hard and stubborn. All tools must be used to deal with these stubborn stains; otherwise, they will continue to corrupt themselves. Not seeking your own benefit, not imputing evil, love is patient. We must not only have a kind heart, but also a patient heart.

Having a Patient Heart

With patience a ruler may be persuaded, and a soft tongue will break a bone. (Proverbs 25:15)

Some people I served for many years before they changed. Over the years, they often wanted to hurt me, but luckily, it was difficult for them to hurt me. You must have a patient heart, enduring patience. A soft tongue does not mean flattery, because the foundation in our hearts is not seeking our own benefit, so the words we speak can break bones, clearing away the stubbornness in people's hearts. Think about it, persuading a ruler is not easy; if you say something too deep, he will get angry and your head will be removed. Although it is very difficult, because of this foundation, you can persuade the heart of a ruler.

Having a Courageous Heart

People have fear and lack patience, and this must be dealt with. If they lack patience, give them some patience; if they lack courage, give them some courage.

A righteous man who gives way before the wicked is like a muddied spring or a polluted well. (Proverbs 25:26)

Those who trust in people are not called righteous, but those who trust in God are righteous. As for the wicked, they either rely on people or rely on themselves, so the righteous must not give way before the wicked. We must have a courageous heart and deal with the fear in our hearts. I am not afraid. Among us, there is a sister whose grandmother sits in a wheelchair, her feet and legs swollen badly. It happened to be when I was ministering, so I certainly couldn't let her go home empty-handed; I had to bless her. The people you serve are in a state where their hearts cannot be subdued; no one has ever helped them subdue their hearts, and they cannot subdue them themselves.

She was sitting in a wheelchair, and I was very harsh. When I was halfway through, the sister said to me, Pastor, stop. What was she worried about? She was worried about her grandmother getting hurt. Can she get hurt? Healing and deliverance can only bring blessings, not harm. It was like doing a spiritual surgery; it looked bloody, but after the surgery, once it was bandaged, it would slowly heal. The sister said that no one had ever treated her grandmother like that. If I wanted to bless her, I had to treat her like that. It was because no one had treated her like that before that she was like this.

The next day, I went again and continued to clean it up, and finally her legs got better. I can apologize, but she still had to remove the garbage from her head. Today, everyone must have faith, patience, a courageous heart, and a kind heart, and the more you clean up, the better. Don't stop halfway, thinking it won't work and being afraid to continue. Don't retreat; this is all spiritual surgery.

Conclusion

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. (Proverbs 25:11)

Our brothers and sisters, practice slowly and strengthen the foundation in your hearts. If you have a kind heart and want to bless people, if you have a patient heart, you can endure for a long time; if you have a courageous heart and never retreat, you should say what you need to say well. It is as precious as apples of gold in settings of silver; never seek your own benefit.

Someone I used to minister to had a very stubborn personality. We had to write plans for everything we did, and she wrote them too. When I saw what she wrote, I said, What you wrote is useless. As a result, she sat in a chair, sulking and not eating or drinking, day after day, until she was finally turned around. After she was turned around, she said to me, Teacher, when I was angry with you, I felt like I was right. I felt like you were unfair to me, but when you came over and said something to me, the more you said, the more I felt like I was wrong.

Later, this person's personality slowly changed, and after she changed, she was joyful. I don't seek my own benefit; I seek this person's benefit. As long as the words we speak are fitting, that person will know that we are for her benefit. Know that people must often subdue their hearts. I must often subdue my own heart as well; there is a very evil thing inside me.

Once, when I was ministering, and I was halfway through, the demon started to say, Don't think you are ministering to me like this today; you actually hate me in your heart. I replied, According to my flesh, I really hate you. If it weren't for God, as high as the heavens are above the earth, that's how far I would be from you. Because you are really a hateful person, and I don't hide my heart. According to my flesh, I would never do this, but I don't walk according to my flesh; I walk according to God's word. Today, I am determined to manage this matter, and as long as this matter falls into my hands, I must persist until I drive the demon out. As a result, after the demon heard my response, it was embarrassed and left. People will do appropriate things.

Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar on soda, is he who sings songs to a heavy heart. (Proverbs 25:20)

These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied. (Proverbs 25:1)

Solomon's proverbs may have become fragments by the time of Hezekiah, and the scribes under Hezekiah collected them everywhere and put them together. What we do today is as precious, beautiful, and exquisite as apples of gold in settings of silver.

Therefore, in any case, we must control our hearts and let the evil force in our hearts be eliminated. The feelings inside us often corrupt ourselves. Some people say, Teacher, I can't control it. You are telling the truth. If you follow it, can you control it? If you don't follow it, how can you not control it? Today, learn to subdue your heart. A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls. Evil spirits come and go at will, corrupting you as if entering a deserted place.

May God bless everyone!