Greetings, everyone. Let us examine the second chapter of Judges. This chapter may seem like a summary, but it actually prefigures all the events that transpire throughout the book of Judges. What does it say? It encapsulates the entire history of the Israelites, a history of corruption, right at the beginning of Judges. I tell you, the history of Christians and the Church is similar. Do not be misled by this; it is a warning to us.

The theme of this chapter is "They shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you." Know that a person without spiritual eyes is a tragedy. Sometimes, when I see brothers and sisters lacking spiritual insight, I lament. I can foresee what will befall you. Do not think you are doing well. We Christians encounter calamity, and God's wrath is upon us, delivering us into the hands of the enemy. Why? Because of love for the world. Can one be well when caught in the snare of this world? Isn't it so? The devil lures you, and you follow him. Thus, I lament!

For instance, I ministered to a sister who lacked spiritual vision, and she became foolish. Yesterday, I ministered to another sister who also lacked spiritual insight, and she became foolish, easily deceived. Sometimes, I think, "God, have mercy after I am gone." Judging by the spiritual state of our church's brothers and sisters, I doubt they can withstand it. I, shouting day and night, can barely prevail. Can you prevail on your own? I tell you, the god of this world will surely be a snare unto you.

I. Summary of Israel's History

What is the history of the Israelites? Oppression. Look at the brothers and sisters in our church. Oppressed, suffering, sick, and living miserably. Why? Because God's anger is kindled against them, and He attacks them with calamity. Where does this attack begin? With a compromise. What happens after compromise? They do evil in the sight of the Lord and serve the gods of this world. Does this bring suffering? Yes, it does.

The Israelites had twenty to thirty years of doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord, followed by doing what was evil. Twenty years, then suffering, then doing what was right again; ten to twenty years, then doing what was evil, followed by twenty years of suffering. But from my observation, this history of Israel has been condensed in the lives of Christians. Sometimes it is a matter of months, two to three years, or three to four years. I am deeply moved! Compromise is a spiritual matter. If you lack spiritual vision, you will fall into this vicious cycle. I do not know where you are in the cycle.

You are in this vicious cycle, thinking it is good to be saved. But deep down, you still hold onto compromise. You may not compromise completely; you still attend gatherings, read the Bible, and pray. But opening a crack for compromise is disastrous. It is not a joke; it gives the god of this world a foothold. When a critical moment arrives, you will do evil in the sight of the Lord and serve the god of this world. Then God's anger will be kindled against you, and He will attack you with calamity. After the attack, you begin to repent.

You feel miserable, unable to sleep or eat. I lament, when can we become uncompromising? This is the experience of Christians. Looking at this, it seems like a joke. The history of Israel is a joke, full of hardship. The surrounding enemies come to plunder. If you are in this cycle, it seems fine. Some think, "I am doing well," forgetting the previous life-and-death situation, thinking they can repent later.

Therefore, compromise is a very spiritual matter. Know that these evil spirits squat at your door, tempting you to sin against God, kindling His anger, and then they stand by and laugh. Like you and me, if a person has a little love for the world, it will not end well, because they will fall at a critical moment. This is the vicious cycle of the Israelites, even to this day. Do not think this is a summary of Israel's history; it is also a summary of Christian history. You will see God's anger often kindled against Christians, not just occasionally, but frequently.

If Israel's history is a cycle of twenty years, then for Christians, it is a cycle of two to three years. Let me tell you a story. Do not think you are alone; many are like this. Years ago, a sister had a terminal illness. Why? Because when she was poor and destitute, God saved her. God allowed her to live a normal, slightly better life. But she immediately forgot who she was, forgot her identity.

I told this sister, "You had a terminal illness, but now you are blessed. Continue to live a blessed life. How? Start with giving." She said, "What? Just those two hundred dollars?" Later, she abandoned God. What kind of mind is that? How foolish! Later, she had another terminal illness and remembered God again. I said, "Strange, why are you asking me to pray again?" She followed me in prayer every time. After a while, she said, "Teacher, I want to give a testimony." I said, "What testimony?" She said, "I want to give a testimony of healing." She spoke of her terminal illness and how she was healed after following me in prayer. After being healed, she was still unsure and went to the hospital for another checkup, only to find that she was truly healed.

Did she compromise later? The roots of compromise were in her bones. Over the years, she has cycled to a good stage again. Where will she cycle to next? She will cycle to God's anger against the Israelites. Why? Because there is a taste of compromise in her bones. Of course, you must consider this. Which of our problems is not caused by God's anger? Do you think it is the devil's anger? No, the devil does not decide everything; God decides. I lament!

I once ministered to a cancer patient, only eighteen or nineteen years old, not even twenty. Where was the cancer? In the groin, a tumor the size of a large cauliflower on the vulva. Oh, after taking a picture, those who saw it could not eat, it was too disgusting! The color was variegated, disgusting, in the shape of a cauliflower. Imagine, a tumor the size of a cauliflower, variegated inside, and the fluid that flowed out would rot anyone's skin, and worms crawled out of the fluid. This child was interesting. When she had a small tumor, she crowdfunded, quite skilled in using the internet, raising three hundred thousand. She went to Chaoyang Hospital in Beijing, but after spending all the money, she did not get better and returned to her hometown.

The cauliflower did not start as a cauliflower; it started like a date, then like an egg, then like a goose egg, then like a radish, then like a cauliflower. When she came to me, it was already like a cauliflower. We arranged for people to pray with her for three hours every night. Why? Because of the pain. In the blink of an eye, two months passed, and the cauliflower was half its size, shriveled, no longer crawling with worms, and no longer leaking fluid. I said, "Isn't this about to get better? Wouldn't it be better to keep praying?" I said, "You must start learning to give." She said, "Isn't it just money?" Then she wanted to leave the church. Why did I ask her to give? Because a fan of mine online gave her eight thousand dollars worth of things. I said, "You give eight hundred dollars." She said, "No, I have to keep that eight hundred dollars." Oh, three hundred thousand given to the hospital did not cure her, but now she is almost healed. Why is it so difficult to lead you to a blessed life?

One night, we did not pray with her, and the next morning I was worried about her, so I called her mother. Her mother said, "She passed away at five in the morning." The devil took her! Oh, what is God's feeling? I tell you, when a person has a worldly logical system in their mind, play on, play to the death. Do you understand? Who made the snare for people? The god of this world made the snare for people. For example, in the evening, I was ministering to a sister, and she was crying. I said, "Why are you crying?" Her pastor said, "Because she does a lot of work for little pay." I rarely see people come to me crying and saying, "Teacher, I have not served well in this area." I rarely see people say, "I have not served well enough, I do not love God enough." No! It is all about love for the world. The god of this world blinds people's eyes. People can cry for money and work. This is the evil way of this world. The history of Israel is constantly repeated in the lives of Christians.

II. Forsaking the Lord to Serve Baal and Ashtaroth

Do you know why God brought them into the Promised Land, telling them not to make covenants with the people of the land, but to drive them out completely? To tear down their altars? Because these people and the things they worshiped, the altars, all manifested the gods of this world, Baal and Ashtaroth. They left the altars of Baal and Ashtaroth, which was bad. They left the people of Canaan, which was bad. The evil spirits of that place became their snare. I tell you, if a person has even a little compromising heart, they cannot resist. This is a tragedy for Christians.

Therefore, I think we must completely remove the logical system of Baal and Ashtaroth from within us. Do not think it is nothing. Isn't it good now? It was good for the Israelites when they compromised, but that was because God's anger had not fully erupted. Do not think that is what God desires. Today, you can continue to leave an opening for the devil to come and go. You can compromise. It is okay. If you live long enough, you may experience several cycles. If you have had a terminal illness before, how would you feel if you had it again?

I tell you, people are very wicked. When they say they want to let go, they let go of God first. I find it very strange! Do you think I am stupid? I can let go of everything, but I will not let go of my God. Why? Because my life comes from God. Does not your life also come from God? If your life comes from God, why forsake God? Why can't you let go of other things? Why? Because Baal and Ashtaroth will become your snare.

Sometimes when I minister to people, I see that it is useless to say anything, so I say what they want to hear. Can you tell? You should not be able to tell. I act very well. With the current state of our brothers and sisters, what can you overcome? Do not think you are in a victorious church, in this Chinese Mingding Destiny. The most important thing is the compromising heart in your mind. I rarely see people shed tears for the kingdom of God. It is all about sons not finding wives, parents getting anxious; not having a girlfriend, constantly introducing girlfriends to their sons, and getting anxious. Just these things. Take your time and see.

Forsaking the Lord to serve Baal and Ashtaroth, did God bring us to the Promised Land to forsake Him? Did God give us so many blessings to forsake Him? I have counted that only about five percent of the people I have ministered to remain in the church. Only five percent! Out of a hundred, only five. Where did the other ninety-five go? They went to serve Baal and Ashtaroth. What they experienced were not small blessings, but great blessings. Now, they seem to be living well. If you live long enough, you will see it will not be good.

We must be harsh on ourselves. Even if it requires scraping the bone to remove poison, we must destroy the love for the world within us, scraping the bone to remove the heart that forsakes God to serve Baal and Ashtaroth. Pitiful, isn't it? Pity yourself. Do not give this world a foothold. Their gods will surely be a snare unto you.

Looking around, what is the state of Christians today? I tell you, if you desire to be like Joshua, thank God. Why? Sometimes what I say is difficult for people to accept, because it does not carry the taste of compromise. Why were the Israelites like this? Because they had a heart for living comfortably. Once people live comfortably, they are ruined. Once they live comfortably, they forsake God. You say, "I have not forsaken God. I still attend Sunday service, I still give offerings." That does not count. The Israelites were the same. They often sought God, but what did they have in their bones? All things of this life. Take your time and see. I hope when God's anger is kindled against you, you still have a chance to repent.

III. The Israelites Never Cease Their Stubborn Evil Deeds

Oh, I really lament! Can people cease their stubbornness? What is this stubbornness? It is self-righteousness. People think, "It can't be, everything is fine!" Look, aren't people doing well after leaving the church? I also say, "Look, aren't people living well? Look, they have bought real estate." Do you know how expensive real estate is in Singapore? It is very expensive. Former members of our church, weren't they doing well? They bought real estate. You say, "Oh, you bought government housing?" They bought landed property. Isn't that good? It is these things that deceive people, so they will not cease their stubborn evil deeds, worshiping idols, and fortune-telling. People go to masters, "Help me see if I can make money in this business." People look for feng shui masters, "Help me see how the feng shui is." Then they will tell you, "Go worship Baal."

If you say before the Lord, "God, give me this business," and the business results in a lot of money lost, because God does not do that. But if you go to Baal and say, "Oh, I want to do this business, I want to make a lot of money!" And it seems to work. Which will you follow? If you want to do something bad, rob a bank, you say before Guan Gong, "I want to rob a bank, Lord Guan, protect me." And you succeed. If you say before the Lord, "God, I want to rob a bank," and you go there and see the police waiting for you, catching you red-handed. Isn't it better not to pray? Praying makes it worse.

Why can't people ever cease their stubborn evil deeds? Because people have core interests in their hearts. Reflect on yourselves, what are our core interests? Your core interest is your life, your core interest is money, your core interest is not God. You must know that our God is a jealous God. There are many things you cannot ask of Him. Asking will not work.

Among us, there is a brother who lost hundreds of thousands of dollars investing in stocks. He said, "I prayed to God at the time, and I was very peaceful." Is that a peaceful matter? Investing in real estate, seeing it halved, and being peaceful. But our God is not a God who does that. Worshiping idols will definitely work, but asking these things before God is not appropriate and will definitely not work.

Can we cease these stubborn evil deeds? Oh, we must ponder these stubborn evil deeds. Many stubborn people do not know how stubborn they are. Rebellious people do not know they are rebellious. Lazy people do not know they are lazy, foolish people do not know they are foolish, and they still think they are good. When we give testimonies, we often use those things to give testimonies. After listening, I am half thankful to God and half worried for you. Why? Because what is revealed in the testimony, every bit of it, is your core interest, the thing you care about most. Sometimes I wonder, is this something God accomplished? It does not seem like something God accomplished.

In Christian circles, I often encounter these kinds of people. Sometimes it works, but it has nothing to do with God, it is a blind cat catching a dead mouse. Sometimes it does not work. If that is a person's core interest, can they not forsake God? People think, "What kind of God is this? Praying is useless." Praying and being peaceful, but losing everything. What kind of God is this? It does not work. Because the word of God is spiritual, explaining spiritual things. You are using worldly words to see worldly things, seeing things in a haze. Sometimes it works, sometimes it does not. Can we open our spiritual eyes, see our stubborn evil deeds, and see what core interests we have in our minds?

IV. The Lord's Anger Burned Against Israel

I tell you, Christians often force God to be angry with them, and then they make a whole religious performance out of it. I think, may the Lord's anger not burn against me during my lifetime; as for the years after I die, that's none of my business, I can't manage it. So Israel often provokes God to anger, which is a vicious cycle. What happens when God gets angry? He sends out some evil spirits to mess with you.

Take our brothers and sisters, for example. They can't sleep, and then this doesn't work, and that doesn't work. They come to the morning prayer meeting led by their little shepherd. Why do they come? If you look closely, hey, why does this person come to every prayer meeting? Why are they here again? Something must be up; they are just a servant. Right? They won't come unless you crack the whip. Even if they come, you don't need to ask. They say: Teacher, I have a headache, my eyes are blurry, I'm dizzy, my back hurts, I can't pee, I can't poop, I can't sleep. It's all these things.

So every Tuesday when I lead the prayer, I see God's anger. Oh, they only care about those little things. Hey, once the problem is solved, the headache is gone, they can pee, they can poop, they can walk. Hey, after they are better, I guarantee they won't get up that morning, and don't even think about finding them at night, because if you look for them, they will be annoyed. When they look for you, you don't get annoyed, but they get annoyed. I think, why do they have to provoke God to anger? Isn't it good to be someone who pleases God? Why be someone who provokes God to anger?

I tell you, this world is not controlled by ghosts; it is governed by God. God reigns in the kingdoms of men. Don't think you are afraid of ghosts; you better fear God more, have more reverence for God. I am especially thankful to God. You know what I'm thankful for? Some people's illnesses are only eighty percent healed. I said, "Does it still hurt?" They said, "There's still a little bit." I said, "How much is left?" They said, "There's still twenty percent." I said, "It's mostly healed, right?" They said, "It's mostly healed." Then let's leave a little bit, because I know our God too well; if we don't leave a little root, can people like to pray? If we don't leave a little root, can people be honest? Like a cow that needs a nose ring, a horse that needs reins, just a servant.

V. God Would Not Drive Them Out Quickly, Nor Did He Deliver Them Into the Hand of Joshua

Oh, I thank God, when I lead people to pray, I see that a little bit is left, that's right, leave a root! Sometimes when no root is left, I tell you, I say in my heart: Bad! No root left. Why? Because people will soon forsake the Lord to serve Baal, soon they will serve Ashtoreth, soon they will be stubborn, and soon they will provoke the Lord's anger again. Oh, it's played out again. I really don't like people's illnesses being healed immediately, because once they are healed immediately, they disappear immediately. Remember, I'm not saying this for any other reason, not because I need you in the church, because I've seen many such things.

There was a sister who had rectal cancer. She made oden in Taiwan, which is braised food. Do you know what braised food is? Taiwanese people know braised food, and I like to eat braised food too. This sister got cancer and came to us. After one prayer, she was completely healed, the disease completely disappeared. The hospital checked and found nothing. As a result, this sister's mind was full of oden, with large intestines in it. We led her to pray, and she got better very quickly, but later we couldn't contact her, and she was too lazy to pay attention to us, her mind was full of oden.

Someone said: There is a song that sings, "Leave two points for you to think clearly." I don't know this song. Oh, as a result, a month later, this Taiwanese sister came to us again. I said: Why are you here again? Because all the cancer had returned. Why? Because cancer is a spiritual thing, not a physical thing. Oh, this time praying exhausted me. In those years, before the pandemic, I desperately led her to pray. At that time, I was a bit silly, why a bit silly? I thought I could persist one minute longer than the spirit of cancer. Now I don't persist, because I found out that it was God's anger.

After this prayer, miracles often happened, people who were lying in bed unable to move could go upstairs and downstairs after praying. After she got better, I saw her talking to me. On the remote video, I heard thirty million. I said: What are you mumbling about? Her aunt said next to her: Money. Oh my goodness! Still money. One night after I led her to pray, she was fine and didn't feel uncomfortable. She said: Teacher, I want to sleep. As a result, she died the next morning without closing her eyes. I watched her aunt in the video showing me the video. I said: What happened to her? She's out of breath, her eyes are wide open, she didn't get that thirty million and died with regret. It's just a joke.

Later, I found that God would not drive out these evil spirits quickly, nor did He deliver them into the hand of Joshua. It's not that Joshua wasn't powerful; Joshua was a powerful man, but God didn't give it to Joshua either. Why? Leave a little bit, so that the Israelites can have some miserable days. Who told you to like to compromise so much, who told you to like to forsake God so much, who told you to like to be stubborn and rebellious so much, who told you to often provoke God's anger. Miserable? Miserable. So when you pray, I tell God: Leave a little bit. God said: Yes, leave him a little bit. Do you have a little bit left on you? A little bit is left. If it's not left, when it comes again, it will be completely over.

VI. The Worldly System Is the Root of These Problems

From beginning to end, the Israelites are a group of people who live small lives. Why can't they serve God? Because their god is their belly, their god is their small lives. If the demons don't mess with them, who will? Many people, until they die, have never opened their spiritual eyes, nor have they seen the spiritual realm. Some people don't even know they are being played by demons until they die. After being played, they provoke God's anger.

So I often say, the worldly system must be completely destroyed! Completely destroy this worldly system. Can it be done? No. Then let's keep it well. I am thinking about the brothers and sisters, can they completely get rid of this worldly logical system, completely get rid of the control of these evil spirits in the world. You can offend God once, and God will save you. You can offend God twice, cry out in pain, and then repent and seek God. But you can't keep doing this until you perish.

You have experienced God once, how many more times do you need to experience Him? There are many among us who have had deadly diseases, not just one or two. If you hadn't met us with that disease, you would have continued like this for the rest of your life, until you perished. Have you really gotten rid of it now? Have you really imitated Joshua? Have you really completely gotten rid of the worldly logical system? Have you really opened your spiritual eyes?

I want to tell you one more thing, we use spiritual words to explain spiritual things. What about you? You use worldly words to explain worldly things. You are not living in a void, what are you living in? People live in a void, live in vanity, and treat the vain things of this world as real things. That is a complete tragedy. It doesn't matter, people can keep living with their eyes closed, and never open their spiritual eyes, but when they die, they are like Cain, they have never seen a ghost until they die, but they are rubbed on the ground by ghosts, living in great pain.

Let's see what logical system is in our hearts. I often see some brothers and sisters among us who have come back from the brink of death. I ask them to destroy the worldly system, and they say: Oh, my children's studies. It's all this stuff. Then do you say that children's studies are not important? No matter how important it is, it is not as important as spiritual things! Why don't you care about the kingdom of God as much as you care about your children's schooling? Your children's future is not in school, your children's future is in God's hands, you know? We think our children's future is in school. Oh, what a sigh.

When I am pastoring, I am sometimes very careful. Why very careful? I see this guy, pastoring him will be thorny, he is a troublemaker. Right? If you are a troublemaker, it looks thorny. Do you know how I will pastor? I will pastor in the direction of pastoring you away. Still staying here? So I stimulate you every day, say some sarcastic remarks, because I don't touch thorny things. Why should I touch thorny things? I stand farther away, I stand farther away, I say something that stimulates you, you feel very uncomfortable, very uncomfortable, that's normal.

Oh, why did I tell you all my purposes? Now everyone knows, so I often say to our pastors: Pastor him away. Some people will say: Why are you so bad? Because he is full of a worldly logical system, right? I don't want to say that one day we will break the record, what will we finally break the record for one day? Someone among us has cancer, I hope that those with cancer will be healed among us. Those who have cancer among us, those who have arthritis, I hope that those who have arthritis among us will be healed, I can't destroy the worldly system in you. What is the next sentence? Then destroy you. I want to destroy the worldly logical system in you, if I can't destroy it, then isn't it garbage?

What I want to build is a holy, united church! People with a worldly logical system in them are a pile of shit in front of God, full of old horses, exuding a foul smell. Our brothers and sisters are of one heart and one mind, and become a vessel full of God's glory in front of God. You must repent, you must turn back to God, you cannot keep provoking God to anger. The illness on your body is clear evidence.

VII. God Is Still a Faithful God

They forsook the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped other gods, the gods of the peoples around them. They aroused the Lord’s anger because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. In his anger against Israel the Lord gave them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. Whenever Israel went out to fight, the Lord’s hand was against them to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress. Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders. (Judges 2:12-16)

After reading this passage, I feel sorry for God. Did the Israelites repent? No repentance. God saw that they were too miserable, so He raised up judges, and then what?

Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them. They quickly turned from the ways of their ancestors, who had been obedient to the Lord’s commands. They did not follow their example. Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord relented because of their groaning under those who oppressed and afflicted them. (Judges 2:17-18)

No matter how I read it, I can't read a heart of repentance in people. I really didn't read it. It's just that they suffered too much, so God raised up another judge. And then what?

But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their ancestors, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways. Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and said, “Because this nation has violated the covenant I ordained for their ancestors and has not listened to me, (Judges 2:19-20)

Oh my goodness! Why do you have to provoke God to anger? Why can't you be someone who pleases God? Let's examine ourselves carefully, don't wait until God's anger is aroused. We must often examine ourselves, our God is still a God who keeps His covenant and shows mercy. If it were you and me, wouldn't we have destroyed them when we saw such a scene? But our God will never abandon the covenant He has made with us. Some of our children have autism, some have this syndrome, that syndrome. I once ministered to a child with sequelae of meningitis, who later died. Did the person involved see through the things of this world? Did they see through it? Later, I had to follow his pastor to teach and enlighten him. I thought, after experiencing so much, why can't you still see spiritual things clearly?

I thank my God! My God is a faithful God, my God is full of grace, full of mercy. He often performs salvation and never abandons the covenant He has made with us. I tell you, man is vain, but God is always faithful. If you don't want to be disappointed, trust God well. This is a portrayal of Israel's history, and also a portrayal of a Christian's life. I hope it can make our minds clearer, turn back to God, and that people living in this world are all vanity of vanities. Okay? Brothers and sisters, completely destroy the worldly logical system in us. Let us be able to please God and no longer provoke God's anger. Amen!

May God bless everyone!