Introduction

Greetings everyone! Let's delve into the twenty-first chapter of Genesis. You have all read the theme of Genesis 21. If you haven't, and this is your first encounter, I encourage you to read it carefully first. Then, actively analyze and understand what God wants to tell us in this passage. It is crucial to find this proactive approach to learning. I have titled this theme: "Those Who Inherit the Inheritance Cannot Inherit."

The difference between those who inherit and those who cannot is vast. Christians are essentially divided into two types: those who can inherit the inheritance and those who cannot. The Book of Galatians in the Bible summarizes Genesis 21 very well. The Apostle Paul's theological system is inseparable from Genesis. If a person remains unable to inherit the inheritance after being a Christian for a lifetime, what is the reason? The reason is very simple: it's whether you have active faith or passive faith.

The early chapters of Genesis speak of being born of faith because Abraham believed God, and God considered him righteous. This is important: whatever comes from faith is born of God's promise, and whatever comes from works is born of works. From faith comes being children of God through His promise.

If you have some understanding of this, especially after wandering around in church for some years, you will have many, many confusions. For example, many pastors seem good and loving, but how did they get cancer and die so tragically? I tell you: some are called to inherit the inheritance, and some are called not to inherit. Some pastors can inherit the inheritance, and some cannot. Some Christians can inherit the inheritance, and some cannot. The key is what they have inside. If you follow the logic of the Apostle Paul, you will inherit the inheritance. In Chinese Mingding Destiny, what is seen most often is God's work and God's promise.

Two Types of Christians

You must prepare your choice; only those born of God's promise can inherit the inheritance. Let me give you a comparison: Sarah and Hagar are two types of women; Isaac and Ishmael are two types of men; Abraham and Abimelech are also two types of people. The affairs of this world are written clearly in the Bible, but why do Christians today insist on choosing one who cannot inherit the inheritance and think it is a matter of course? I myself do not understand.

You must know that there are only two types of people in the world: those who can inherit the inheritance and those who cannot. Those who can inherit the inheritance from God are one type, and those who cannot inherit the inheritance from God are another type. Christians are no exception, so let's talk about these two types of Christians. Are there any Christians among us with this kind of mentality? Saying to me: Pastor, bless me, pray for me. Are there any? Yes! If you want to get blessings from me, that's troublesome! You need to know what the Bible says.

I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse (Genesis 12:3).

It's not that if Abraham blesses you, you will be blessed; or if Abraham curses you, you will be cursed. It's not like that! I describe many Christians as receiving secondhand blessings; those are not people who inherit the inheritance. I hope that the brothers and sisters among us can have a resolve to say: I want to be a Christian who can inherit the inheritance; I want to have the kind of faith that Abraham had; I want to have the kind of faith that Sarah had; I want to completely eliminate the servile mentality of Hagar; I want to completely eliminate the secondhand mentality of Abimelech. Abimelech made a covenant with Abraham; how much better to make a covenant with God? God doesn't mind having one more Abraham in this world; God doesn't mind having one more Isaac in this world. But God searched the earth and only found one; that's too tragic!

Two types of Christians: one is a Christian by promise, a child of God by promise; the other is a slave by works, and not even doing it well. One type of Christian makes a covenant directly with God, and the other makes a covenant with me. Someone said to me: I will help you build the church. I said: I don't really need help here; I'm here to help people. Someone else said to me: Teacher, I want to make a covenant with you. I said: What's the use of making a covenant with me? You're an Abimelech. I hope that all the brothers and sisters can receive firsthand blessings.

Everyone should actively try to be Abraham, actively eliminate the servile mentality within us. Those born of God's promise are children of God; they are Isaac. Those born of human flesh are Ishmael. One is born of a slave woman, and the other is born of a free woman. These two women are like two covenants: one from Mount Sinai, bearing children into slavery, which is Hagar; the other is the Jerusalem above, which is free, and she is our mother. We are children by promise, just like Isaac.

Chinese Mingding Destiny comes from Genesis, and the Apostle Paul's theology comes from Genesis. Genesis is a very wonderful book. You must begin to cultivate a habit: the habit of being a child of God, not being very passive. For example, I ask you to do ministry to edify you, to help you understand God's word, at least to improve your learning ability. But no! It seems I still have to persuade you for your own good. Isn't that very passive? When people aren't being watched, they act like slaves.

Some people work in companies, and when the boss is away, they go off to play, running wild. Others work hard whether the boss is there or not. Do you think many people are like slaves? Let's start to ponder: are you a slave? Or a child of God? Will a child of God lack money? Those born of promise lack no good thing. But those born of flesh must rely on their hands, living by the sword. Today, is your money earned by God's promise, or by the sword, relying on your hands?

There is a type of Christian who puts God aside when they get busy, and when things get a little better, they immediately pursue the good life. I don't even bother to say it; it's useless to say it. I thought about it and decided to shut my "dog mouth" to avoid hurting people with my words. What do I mean by this? Some people have the face of a slave in God's kingdom; they just don't know how to inherit God's promise. What can you get by relying on your hands, living by the sword? Only the status of a slave.

I hope that everyone won't challenge me by saying: If I don't serve like you, then I can't be born of a free woman, I can't be a child of God? It's not about doing or not doing, but what do you want to do in your mind? When you get busy, who is God? There are many people claiming to be God these days, aren't there? Forgotten! Unable to inherit God's promise! Let's talk about what we have inside. Only those born of Isaac are called descendants of Abraham; those not born of God's promise are not descendants of Abraham. So the Bible says:

She said to Abraham, "Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman's son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac." (Genesis 21:10)

"Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband," says the Lord. (Isaiah 54:1)

The children of God are born of promise, and promise comes through faith. Can everyone understand these two types of Christians? Don't be confused anymore when you look around. There are people who can draw on God's promise, and there are people who just can't. There are people you can pray for until your throat is swollen and you have no saliva left, and it's still useless! Don't completely believe in prayer; prayer cannot change God's election, it cannot change the laws that God has established. What God has established is that those who are children of God by promise can draw on God's promise, and those who are children of God by works draw on curses. All who rely on the works of the law are under a curse.

Only Those Born of God's Promise Can Inherit the Inheritance

I may not be able to explain it clearly, but I know that's how it should be said. How was Isaac born by God's promise?

Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. (Genesis 21:1)

Was that done by God or by you? That was done by God. Why did God do it for Sarah? Why didn't He do it for others? This is a very miraculous thing. Do you know that Sarah changed her name in the past? She used to be called Sarai, now she is called Sarah. Abraham used to be called Abram, later he was called Abraham. That's amazing! Why? Sarah is the mother of nations, and she didn't refuse to be called that name. Abraham came back from herding sheep: Sarah, Sarah! What does that mean? It means: mother of nations. People around thought: She's so old, she doesn't even have a son, and she's called the mother of nations. Oh, you really dare to call yourself that! Where does such great faith come from? Everyone was laughing, treating it as a joke.

Abraham was barely holding on, but the couple was so loving! Sarah responded: Abraham! Father of nations! You're back! She shouted at the top of her lungs, and the neighbors around were saying: Father of nations? He doesn't look like it. The way this couple addressed each other wasn't like people today, for example, calling each other: You old codger. "You old codger, you're back?" It sounds annoying, after a lifetime, enemies!

Sarah was very interesting; she just called herself the mother of nations, so what? I just want to be called Sarah. That's a declaration of faith! Unlike some people today: That's too embarrassing. Give you a name today, try calling yourself: Mother of nations! on the street. Everyone would treat you like a monster from the zoo, or think you escaped from a mental hospital.

It was a miracle that Abraham and Sarah could have a child; it was done by God. It's normal for Abraham to have a child with Hagar. It's very normal to have a child at that age. Only those born of God's promise can inherit the inheritance. How important do miracles play in a Christian's life? Some Christians never experience many miracles in their lifetime. I saw a Christian giving a testimony, and I said: Is that yesterday's testimony? He said it was from 20 years ago. What about yesterday? Nothing. What about last week? Nothing. What about last month? Nothing. What about last year? Nothing. The leftovers from 20 years ago have been reheated for 20 years. Tragedy! Why not? Why can't God's promise be realized? Because there is no faith. These signs will accompany those who believe, this scripture is in Mark, can there be signs accompanying those who have no faith?

A friend of mine printed out a lot of this scripture: These signs will accompany those who believe. And put them on the counter of their church, in stacks. As a result, the pastor didn't like it, he said: How can you do this? My friend said: Pastor, I just printed out these words and put them here, is there a problem? The pastor said: These words don't belong in the Bible. They only know one book in the Bible, James, and they like to read 1 Peter and 2 Peter. Mark is not allowed, that won't do. Did miracles offend you? If you don't believe in miracles, do you believe in human traces?

Are there many miracles experienced among us? Very many! There are too many, every day! Someone called at four in the morning last night, and someone called at three in the morning the night before last. They asked: Pastor, why aren't you asleep yet? I said: I'm waiting for your call! He said: Why are you always waiting for my call? I said I've made it a habit. This ghost often comes out to stir things up at three or four o'clock. When can't I sleep? Why do I have to sleep at three in the morning? I'm waiting, I won't sleep. I'm waiting to rub the devil on the ground, I'm waiting for the phone to ring to answer it quickly, with prayer.

Actually, you're not important, it's the ghost coming to the door that's important. Don't be hurt, that's just how it is. When the ghost hears this, it says: When I'm active in the middle of the night, this person never sleeps. It's really annoying! Miracles play a very important role in a person's life. For example, this person is very desperate, what they need is not a principle, what do they need? What they need is a miracle. They need the power of God to be manifested in their life, to let God personally do the work, and for a miracle to be accomplished in their life, turning the whole person around.

I really like miracles, and some people come over and ask: You really pursue miracles. I said: You try pursuing one for me, you may not be able to pursue it. What I pursue is practicing faith; what I pursue is inheriting the inheritance; what I pursue is drawing on God's promise. God's promise is realized in me, are you envious? Does it make you feel uncomfortable? Go home and slowly roll it up! Can those born of faith from promise not have miracles? Can those not born of God's promise have miracles?

They believe the Bible as the Tao Te Ching, they believe Abraham as Lao Tzu, they believe the God of Abraham, the God of the Bible, as the Supreme Lord Lao. The Supreme Lord Lao still refines elixirs, but what you've got is nothing. Brothers and sisters must know that faith can draw on God's promise. By what kind of faith? The kind of faith that Abraham had. Hagar's kind of faith can't be called faith. Brothers and sisters have been in other churches for many years, and many of them come to us when they are sick! Why can't you be a person of faith? I find it very strange.

There are too many people among us who have experienced God. I once ministered to a person, this person was the child of a pastor, he had cancer, I ministered to him, his father, who was a pastor, couldn't minister to him. At most, his father could bring an Abimelech to be. I don't like to be Abimelech, and I don't like to be Ishmael. I like to be Isaac, so I ministered to this cancer patient, and led him to experience God, it was a heaven-shaking experience of God. After the experience, his head was full of oden, a type of Taiwanese stew.

His father saw that his child was healed, he should have wanted to be Abraham, wanted to be a child of God, wanted to be someone who draws on God's promise, but he didn't. He continued to go back to being Abimelech, and Abimelech even praised him. Brothers and sisters must start to rethink, are you an identity born of God's promise, or a slave's identity? Are you based on promise or adhering to morality? There are many who are based on works! Only those born of God's promise are those who inherit the inheritance.

You ask me: Why do you love God so much? I am one who inherits the inheritance. Yesterday there was an accountant among us, and when I was chatting with her, I said: How come there are so many accountants among us? I counted, there are so many! Why are there so many accountants? I understand, in the future, someone will have to count the money when we inherit the inheritance, that's very interesting. There's too much money, someone needs to count the money, so many accountants have been arranged. There's a lot of money, you have to manage it, how to manage it? I want to pass on this blessing, to count the money well.

When I was talking to him yesterday, I suddenly seemed to see a beautiful future. This beautiful future is when we receive rewards before Jesus Christ in the future, Jesus will say to us: You, go manage a city; you, good and faithful servant, go manage two cities; you, go manage five cities; you, go manage ten cities. And he arranged for someone to manage those who manage the cities.

How wonderful, so wonderful! All the retirement problems are solved, some people don't know what to do after they retire? They're idle all day long, a cup of coffee in the morning, a cup of coffee in the evening, and they still can't sleep. Why? Because they work too little. How could someone like me not be able to sleep? What I lack most is sleep. Only those born of God's promise can inherit the inheritance. We inherit too much inheritance! Because God's promises are many.

No matter how many God's promises there are, they are yes in Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ is the church. Everyone must know that Chinese Mingding Destiny is a theology of building the church. We never talk nonsense, we are proper and upright. There are also people who don't build churches but still have signs accompanying them, because they have faith. Since we have inherited the promise, inherited the inheritance, the body of God Jesus Christ is the most important inheritance.

Sarah and Abraham are both models of faith. Don't think that secretly smiling is not having faith, our God is very humorous. Smiling is smiling, it's all considered having faith. God said: You really laughed, and Sarah said: I didn't laugh. God is too lazy to argue with you about whether you laughed or not, anyway, I'm coming next year, and you have to give birth to a son. You have to name him Isaac, he is born of God's promise.

Sarah and Hagar

Sarah has the mentality of a master, and this mentality is fully reflected. Sarah is very powerful, she saw Ishmael laughing with Abraham's son Isaac, what was he laughing about? Was she jealous? No. Sarah thought: The son born of the slave woman cannot inherit the inheritance with my son, this is the truth. The son born of the slave woman is just the son of a slave woman. I am born of a free woman, I gave birth to one born of God's promise. As a result, Sarah drove Ishmael and Hagar out.

Sarah's faith may not have much description, but she has the mentality of a free woman, and she never does secondhand things. Did Hagar experience God when she was driven out before? She did. After experiencing God, the child also grew up, he was also sixteen or seventeen years old. Isaac was probably weaned at the age of three, and Ishmael should have been sixteen or seventeen years old at that time. For those sixteen or seventeen years, Hagar personally saw what God did in Abraham's life. The most amazing thing was Sarah giving birth to a child.

Hey! How could Sarah give birth to a son? She had worked so hard for so many years, working so hard that it made people anxious, she almost went for in vitro fertilization. How did she really give birth, and raised him to three years old and weaned him. Hagar was still confused! Why? Because she lacked something inside! What she lacked was the faith of a free woman. If Hagar really had Sarah's faith, even if there were more Sarahs, a hundred more Sarahs, ten thousand more Sarahs, God would still have a place for you. God is not afraid of having more Sarahs and Abrahams, but Hagar lived by Abraham and Sarah's side, personally saw God speaking to her, but this time she returned to her previous state. So what did she do for those sixteen or seventeen years? She forgot all the things she experienced with God inside, she was just a slave.

Once a slave rises in status, becomes Abraham's concubine, and rises in status, all she thinks about is that this life is settled. She thinks that I gave my husband a son, Ishmael, so I'm set for this life, the retirement problem is solved. My husband's property will definitely have a share for my son, that's all she thinks about. What was she laughing about with Ishmael? She was laughing that no matter if you are born of promise or not, I am older than you, I am the firstborn. Whether born of the mistress or the slave, I am older than you. The way she narrowed her eyes and looked smug was infuriating. The amount of information conveyed by that little look was too much.

Sarah saw it, you little brat, I'll let you play with your eyes, I'll drive you out. If she hadn't been playing with her eyes, if she had learned to be a good person, I'm telling you that Sarah might have forgotten about it and not driven them out. When people get smug, it's a tragedy to be a person. It's a tragedy when people don't know how to be people, they've endured for more than ten years, wouldn't it be good to outlive Sarah? Could Sarah outlive Ishmael? If she had called him father and mother, and had a sweet mouth, would this have happened? If Ishmael had said: I won't compete with my brother for the inheritance, I'm not qualified. Would he have been driven out? But the amount of information in that look was too much, and as a result, he was driven out by Sarah.

Sarah saw Ishmael son of Hagar the Egyptian was mocking, she said to Abraham, "Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman's son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac." (Genesis 21:9-10)

Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders, together with the boy, and sent her away. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba. When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, "I cannot watch the boy die." And as she sat there opposite him, she began to sob. (Genesis 21:14-16)

What kind of brain is this? Hasn't she experienced God? Hasn't she seen miracles? How did her faith in God disappear as she went along? That's just how she acts. I can tell you that I have ministered to one after another, there are too many people like Hagar! They have experienced earth-shattering things, but nothing works, at the critical moment they will definitely put God aside first. Someone had a stiff neck, and it was healed with one prayer.

But it was difficult for him to fix, he had been fixing it for many years without getting better. He came to church to pray three days later, and he said: Teacher, how come I haven't experienced God? I said: You are Hagar! I don't think you can even be Hagar. You might as well be Hagar B or Hagar C, or Hagar D, just A, B, C, D. What kind of brain is this? Should I pray for you to have a stiff neck again so it can come back? Three days ago, your neck pain was healed by my prayer, and you said you didn't experience God. He really can't even be Hagar A, he can only be Hagar B.

What else? I have many examples. Some people are paralyzed in bed with cancer, lung cancer, and can only live for three to four months. I can pray for them to get out of bed and do farm work, and run up and down the stairs, but people quickly forget God's grace, and they are back in bed in two weeks. They have to be fixed again, and after they are fixed, they mess around again. As a result, they lived for another year. I just think, how come there are so many A, B, C, Ds? What I mean is that there are few Sarahs in this world! I hope that after I finish speaking, you can develop a habit and not learn from Hagar.

There are too many Hagars. I have also learned to be good, after I finish ministering, I will secretly size up this person, whether they are Hagar or Hagar D. It is difficult for people like Hagar and Hagar D to experience God's promise. A small part of Christians are Sarah, and a large part are Hagar! Because most people have abandoned God's promise. I find it strange, they don't treat God as a treasure, they treat work, business, this and that as treasures. If you return to the starting point at sixty, then I have to congratulate you that you still have a chance to repent. If you are in the negative at sixty, I have to congratulate you even more, you are powerless to turn around, except by relying on miracles or relying on God. People have no good choice but to be Sarah.

Isaac and Ishmael

Isaac, as a child, grew up as a remarkable child. From a young age, he heard his parents tell him how he was born. From a young age, he knew that he was born from God's promise. This child was instilled with and received this understanding from a young age. But Ishmael was not. Ishmael thought, "I am Abraham's son." There is nothing wrong with this statement, but he lacked the understanding of God. Those born of God are of God, those born of the flesh are of the flesh, and those born of the Spirit are of the Spirit. But Isaac said, "I am born of God."

So, later, when they had both grown into young men, God said to Abraham, "Offer Isaac to me." Abraham did not even inform Isaac but simply coaxed the child. Isaac carried the firewood up the mountain. Isaac asked, "Father, we have the firewood, but where is the lamb?" Abraham thought, "Silly child, you are the lamb!" When they arrived at the mountain, after arranging the firewood, he revealed his hand, "Son, you are the one to be offered to God."

Upon hearing that he was to be offered to God, Isaac thought, "How wonderful, I can be offered to God? Good, Father, bind me. Although I may struggle a bit, I am truly willing to be offered to God." Isaac was such a son, which is why I have such confidence today. God wants to see if we are Isaac or not. If one day God speaks to you as He speaks to me, would you be willing to offer your life to me? At that time, I wept bitterly. "God, what am I? I have lived my life with my tail between my legs. What am I? How fortunate am I that You value me? I eagerly offer myself to You. Whenever You wish to take me, take me quickly."

People, ah, their minds are not always so sharp. If God says, "Offer yourself to me," do not go home and consult with your parents. If you consult, the matter will pass. Sarah and Hagar are completely different! Ishmael and Isaac are also completely different. Ishmael thought about how to get his father's inheritance, while Isaac thought about how to inherit the covenant God made with his father. It is different! Do you value God's promise? If you do not value God's promise, life is meaningless. Living without valuing God's promise is pointless and tiring.

Without God's promise, one lives a life of loneliness. It is truly hard work. There are some things I do not understand: drinking a cup of coffee in the morning and a cup in the evening, what are they doing? I have never understood it, so I like to work. What work? Training everyone to be able to know God, distributing spiritual food in due season, letting everyone know the benefits of being Isaac and the disadvantages of being Ishmael.

Ishmael is second-hand. He thinks he is Abraham's son. God said, "Since you think you are Abraham's son," God said to Abraham, "As for the son of the maidservant, I will also make him a nation because he is your offspring." But Isaac was born of God, and the difference is vast. Although Ishmael's descendants will also become a great nation, it is because of Abraham. This is called second-hand.

God said to Abraham, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. I will make the son of the slave into a nation also, because he is your offspring.” (Genesis 21:12-13)

Brothers and sisters, never be second-hand Christians. "Oh, I will not leave even if I die. I will just cling to Chinese Mingding Destiny because there is blessing here." This is second-hand. Why not be Isaac? You yourself are a blessing. Can you yourself be a blessing? Do not always think, "Oh, I cannot be God's son in God's kingdom, so being a grandson is fine, or a great-grandson." There are no grandsons or great-grandsons in God's kingdom; everyone is a child. You say, "Your mother is God's child, and you are also God's child." All are God's children. That is being God's children in the spiritual world. Do not speak according to the flesh.

Ishmael saw that the water in his mother's skin was gone. He was sixteen or seventeen years old and did not even fart. He did not even say, "Mother, didn't we experience God before? We can still experience God this time. Let's pray together properly. Although I am Abraham's son, today I want to become a person who makes a covenant with God. I want to become a person with God's presence. I want to live for God all my life." Who do you want to live for? You need to ponder this matter slowly. Both mother and son had a slave mentality, and as a result, God showed her a well of water.

When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she began to sob. God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. (Genesis 21:15-19)

Can you experience God? You can experience God, but it is second-hand. What can you prove by experiencing God? You cannot prove anything. But if you are in a covenant with God, you have God's presence, not because of Abraham. Lot was because of Abraham, Ishmael was because of Abraham, all second-hand. But Isaac was not. Isaac did not say, "Oh, I am Abraham's son." He was Abraham's son, but born of God.

I was born of God's promise. Start believing that you are born of God's promise. You have God's image, God's covenant, and you bear God's plan and mission. You came into this world with a Mingding Destiny. Every time I think of this, I thank God. God is my hope in life. Without God, God's covenant, God's promise, life is truly lonely and boring. Having money is boring, not having money is also boring, because there is no promise from God.

I am God's child by God's promise. So when you come to me, you will personally experience God. But I hope you can also be such a person, that many people will be blessed because of you. God will make your name great, God will make your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. God will make your descendants a great nation, God will let all the families of the earth be blessed through you. This is my pursuit, this is my desire.

Brothers and sisters, I want to bless you all for free. It is not that I serve you because you give me money. I serve those who walk in from the street without saying a word. But I still want to tell you, you must be Isaac, be God's child by God's promise. You must inherit God's covenant, you must have the ability to draw on God's promise, because you are born of God. Those born of God love God, those born of God are God's children. Those born of the flesh are not God's children.

Abraham and Abimelech

This matter is very strange, and I often encounter such situations: Abraham was in Abimelech's territory, and Abimelech was the local big shot. He saw that Abraham had God's presence. How did he see that Abraham had God's presence and God's protection? Abimelech also knew there was a God. He spoke to Abraham.

At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his forces said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything you do. Now swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants. Show to me and the country where you now reside as a foreigner the same kindness I have shown to you.” Abraham said, “I swear it.” (Genesis 21:22-24)

How strange! Don't you find it strange? Why do I find it so strange? If you see that what I do has God's protection, that what I do has God's presence, if you come to me and say, "Teacher, what you do has God's presence, can you bless me? Can we make a covenant? Can my descendants be blessed through you?" Does it sound strange? I was thinking, was Abimelech a bit simple-minded at the time?

What was he lacking? "Wow, Abraham's God is so amazing! I also want to be like Abraham, how wonderful! God! I also want to be Abraham." God said, "Good, Abraham II! Abraham III is also fine, Abraham IV is also fine."

What I mean is, Abimelech clearly saw that Abraham had God's presence, but he did not ponder, "Why don't I be Abraham? Why do I need to find Abraham and make a covenant with Abraham? Why do I need to have Abraham swear to me? I should have God swear to me by heaven and earth. God will make my name great, God will make my descendants a great nation, God will make me a blessing to all the families of the earth, how wonderful!"

There are many muddle-headed Christians, many who are not sharp-minded. When I say this, some people disagree and think I am always criticizing them. Actually, it is not that. Many Christians are really like this. He should not be called a Christian, he should be called an Abimelech-ian. He is not born of promise, he is not Abraham's descendant, because only those born of Isaac are Abraham's descendants. Those born of Abimelech are not, those born of Ishmael are not, only those born of God's promise are.

Which type of person are you? Never again do such a foolish thing as Abimelech did. Start being like Abraham. Never be like some Christians who say, "How many Apostle Pauls are there? I am not Apostle Paul." I do not think so. I think Apostle Paul is good! I want to be Apostle Paul. God! What is wrong with having one more Apostle Paul? God said, "It doesn't matter. I am waiting for all of you to be Apostle Paul."

How wonderful, I want to be Abraham. Some Christians say, "How many Abrahams are there? How many Jesus Christs are there? There is only one Jesus Christ." I do not think so. I want to be Jesus Christ. Chinese Mingding Destiny is a theology like Jesus Christ. Do not say, "You are a toad trying to eat swan meat. You want to be like Jesus? You look like a shortcake, a crumbly cake." Ah, never mind so much, first get a "Su" character, then later get a "Ye" character, at least 50%. Who told you that you don't even have a "Su" character? Do you understand?

I was thinking, how wonderful to be like Jesus! Do you know what my earliest desire to be like Jesus was? It was for those who were controlled by depression, controlled by this illness, those with lumbar and cervical problems, herniated discs, all kinds of protrusions, and those with filthy diseases, those who were leaking filthy things, who were distressing to look at. Prayed for them but they were not healed, if not healed then come again. I said, "Are you healed?" "Teacher, still the same." Some people even give me face and say, "Teacher, do you want to hear the truth or a lie?" I said, "Of course I want to hear the truth, what kind of nonsense is that?" Then they answer, "Still the same." If still the same, then come again. Jesus heals with one touch, I will touch a hundred times, it doesn't matter, I have plenty of time. If a hundred times is not good, I will touch ten thousand times, I will fix you.

In the end, some people are afraid to pray with me, and they say, "Teacher! I am healed." Actually not healed, why? Can't afford the time. Have time to be sick, no time to be healed. Do you think it's strange? Willing to spend months in the hospital, unwilling to spend a few hours in God's house, suffering. As a result, Abimelech wants to make a covenant with Abraham, that's no problem, swearing is no problem either. Because Abraham doesn't lack this stuff. A few more doesn't matter, a few less doesn't matter.

But I tell you, Abraham is secretly laughing in his heart: "Silly boy, why don't you know to make a covenant with God like me? Distressing to look at." Sometimes I say, "What kind of brain, are you simple-minded?" After listening to me, do you still want to be a simple-minded person? Can't be, after listening, if you still be a simple-minded person, you're stupid. Must keep an eye out to be Isaac, that's wonderful. Then you can't be Abimelech, you can't be Ishmael, and later you can't be Esau!

May God bless everyone!

Genesis Chapter 21 Scripture

21:1 And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
21:2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
21:3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.
21:4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.
21:5 And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.
21:6 And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.
21:7 And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.
21:8 And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.
21:9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
21:10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
21:11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.
21:12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
21:13 And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.
21:14 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
21:15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.
21:16 And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
21:17 And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
21:18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.
21:19 And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.
21:20 And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.
21:21 And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.
21:22 And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:
21:23 Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.
21:24 And Abraham said, I will swear.
21:25 And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.
21:26 And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing; neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.
21:27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.
21:28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
21:29 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?
21:30 And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.
21:31 Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them.
21:32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
21:33 And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.
21:34 And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days.