Good day, everyone. Let us delve into the sixth chapter of 1 Timothy. Upon reaching this chapter, I finally comprehend why Paul penned this letter to Timothy. This young man, Timothy, I reckon he was no longer in his youth. You see, one can be deeply devoted to God in their twenties, but by the time they reach forty, the question arises: does that devotion persist? I tell you, there's a tendency to falter. Why this inclination to err? Why did Paul write to Timothy at this juncture? Timothy was on the verge of stumbling because of money.

Are you aware that those in their twenties are full of ambition, with finances seemingly not a concern? But as you approach forty, the situation becomes more precarious. By sixty, the landscape shifts again, and by seventy or eighty, it's an entirely different vista. I tell you, in their forties, people see others with wealth and become envious.

Timothy at this point had a battle to fight, what kind of battle? To fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life. Now we say, this Paul wrote to Timothy, saying: You must fight the good fight of faith. It seems that Timothy has already fought a good fight, but it is not, then I have a deeper understanding of this Timothy, when he arrived at 1 Timothy chapter 6, Timothy's concept of money has changed.

From what I know, there was once a pastor who, in his youth, emerged to serve God, vowing to die for Him. However, after establishing a church, by the time he reached his forties, it was all over. In fact, pastors in their forties are particularly charismatic in the church. On the pulpit, their gestures are captivating, and their leadership in songs is impressive. Full of ambition, yet the hearts of the sisters below are ensnared.

From what I know, there is more than one pastor in this situation. What was the result? As a result, there were many secret admirers, and some open admirers, some confessed, and some did not dare to confess. Once confessed, it was over, and fell into the river of love. Once in love, I tell you, what kind of love does not need money? All need money.

As for whether this is the case with Timothy, I guess it should be. The pastors I know are also in their forties, married, and have children. As a result, after having children, they think: Oh, my children must have money when they grow up. It's over! This good fight is not so easy to fight, there are concerns, if you have concerns, do you say you will win or lose?

He used to be alone, but later added his wife, two people, plus two children, four people, if there are three children, there are five. When he was alone, he was full and the whole family was not hungry: I died, and I will be a good man again in twenty years. Can you see the child like this? It's hard.
Can everyone understand Timothy's mood at this time? Paul wrote 1 Timothy, in fact, Timothy had served Paul for about twenty years. Timothy started serving when he was twenty years old, shouldn't twenty years be around forty years old? So when Paul wrote this letter, it was not that Timothy loved God very much; it was not that Timothy had fought a good fight; it was not that Timothy was particularly pleasing to God in his service. He used to be very faithful, but now there is a question mark.

So Paul said: My son Timothy, you must fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life. How did Timothy change in the end? It's okay, otherwise there would be no 2 Timothy.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. (1 Timothy 6:9-10)

Later, I thought, some people covet money and are tempted to deviate from the truth. Then, will a person who deviates from the truth feel that he has deviated from the truth? No, he is still saying: I still believe in the Lord, I still have a lot of Mingding Doctrine, and I still love my God very much. But in his bones, he is tempted to deviate from the truth because of his greed for money, everyone knows it, only he himself does not know it.

Later, I thought about it, some people covet money and are tempted to deviate from the truth. Then some people become officials, and they are tempted by money to enter into corruption, and from corruption they enter Qincheng, which is a prison. Some people covet money, I tell you: the love of money is the root of all evil. As for why this person covets money? He must have concerns. So people want to get rich, believe in the Lord on this side and want to get rich on the other side, want to get rich on that side and want to believe in the Lord on this side. What do you think? The sermon he preaches must deviate from the truth.

Don't say they have to be careful, you have to be careful, I have to be very careful myself. Why? Money can really confuse people. But I thank the Lord! The Apostle Paul was full and the whole family was not hungry, so what did he want money for? He doesn't need money for anything. But if there are several children in the family, they need it.

Then Timothy just fell in love, how well he sang: "You chose me, I chose you". Oh, this oath of eternal love, after the two people fall in love, I ask everyone what will happen? We must plan the next life and days, and as a result, what? As a result, money is a hurdle that cannot be avoided.

So who are these "if anyone" referred to here? Why did they deviate from the truth? They all took this path. Many people betray the truth for love, for love and money. So this person is greedy for money and is tempted to deviate from the truth. Who is "someone"? Is it possible that this refers to Timothy's love interest? So I tell you, take a closer look.

Everyone doesn't know, when people don't have money, the pain is not so painful, but if they don't have money and love money, the pain is doubled. When you have money, you are afraid of losing money, and the pain is doubled again. Sometimes we find it very interesting, some people commit suicide, why? He had a fortune of 100 million US dollars, and after tossing it around, he had only 1 million US dollars left, and he committed suicide. Then let our common people think, you still have 1 million US dollars, why did you commit suicide? Can't you spend this million dollars before committing suicide? No, because it's not the million dollars, because he went from one hundred million to one million. One hundred million and one million, that's a big difference.

So I say it again: if you don't have money and love money, your worries will deepen, you will be very worried. If a person is poor, it doesn't matter, there is a little worry, at most it is worry, a little poor; but if a person is poor and loves money, the worry is doubled; if a person is not poor, has money, and worries about keeping this money, the worry is doubled again. Oh, you say: this sounds like you're talking without back pain. I can tell you, this is the love of money that tempts you to deviate from the truth.

What truth has been deviated from? I just don't know what to do with my life. I tell you, people in this world don't know what to do with their lives, they think that living is for money, you live slowly, I wish you good luck. Some people live more and more painfully, and the holes become bigger and bigger. The bigger the holes, the more money is needed, and the more money, the bigger the holes. So if a person believes in the Lord and is greedy for money, he cannot preach the truth of God, which is the root of the problem.

Who think that godliness is a means to financial gain

You see, that person is very godly, so why is he godly? Because he thinks: everything I do is to hope that God will bless me with more money. Don't think that everyone in the church believes in the Lord. When you look around in the church, you really can't tell who loves money and who believes in the Lord. So in a person's life, the most important battle is to fight against money. Either you love money, you cannot love God; if you love God, you cannot love money. You say this can only be one or the other.

Some people say: I have already chosen to love money, but I don't want to leave the church, I just want to be in the church, how good it is. It's over, this person has deviated from the truth. If you deviate from the truth, you can't leave the church, why? Because he himself is confused: I can't leave God, and I can't leave the victorious church. Why? He thinks: I can still get some blessings here, and God can bless me with more money.

If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. (1 Timothy 6:3-5)

Have you understood? Who is that person, "he"? I tell you, it is those rich people in the church. He is rich in the church, loves money, and then believes in the Lord. The way rich people walk is different, conceited, ignorant, fond of asking questions, and arguing. Why? Can everyone imagine and understand? The people Timothy interacts with are such people, who regard godliness as a means of gain in the church.

I feel very emotional in my heart. I have calculated some accounts for everyone. I have seen some pastors who especially like to go out to preach. They preach in this church and preach in that church. They want to build their own reputation. Why do they want to build their own reputation? Because fame is related to money. If you are famous, many churches will invite you to preach. If that church is a small church, people will not go. If that church has 500 people, 5,000 people, 10,000 people, or 30,000 people, I tell you, if you go to preach a sermon for a week, or bring a retreat, the price will be discussed later, and there will be a price tag.

Anyway, I don't invite them, and I can't afford it, so I'll just preach it myself, this is my job. If you give 5,000 yuan for a sermon, then you will give 50,000 yuan for ten sermons, that's great. So you will find that the church is easy to become a circle, you come to me to preach, I will give you, I will go to you to preach, you give me, this has become a way to gain. But you say: it is unreasonable if you don't give him money. Oh, we are all pursuing eternal life and fighting a good fight. Let's skip it this time you come to preach. Isn't this very important?

If you don't take good care of your own church, you run around all day long, why? For money. It is said that: pursuing the kingdom's ministry, for the love of God, for godliness. What is it actually? Wearing a godly appearance for the sake of profit. I deeply know the secrets here, but I don't want it. It's not that I think I'm high-end, no, I don't think it's in accordance with God's will.

If a person believes in the Lord and believes in loving money, how will God judge you? Then God will take your life. Why did Paul write these things to Timothy? Timothy was about to fall into this place. Because of the problem of money, I tell you, many people talk eloquently. If you believe in the Lord among us, thank the Lord, you have not seen this chaos. If you believe in the Lord in other places, you can slowly figure it out, it's very interesting, maybe you can't see it or understand it.

So serving God is very important. I'll tell you, a young man came to me and said, "Teacher, I want to be a pastor in the future." I said, "Why do you want to be a pastor?" He said, "My parents told me that preachers can make a lot of money." Oh my God, I was shocked to hear this. I said, "How did your parents know?" He said, "Look at the pastors in our hometown village, they have all built big houses." Of course, maybe God blessed them, we can't talk nonsense. But this young man's mentality is not right.

So I think, our brothers and sisters should know that a person has to fight a good fight in his life, and the best fight is to overcome Mammon. What can overcome Mammon? How can we overcome Mammon? That's important. Oh, there are many tricks to talk about these things.

In our country, you know what pastors especially like? I like to say in the church: I'm going out to preach. Then what? Preaching requires expenses, wow, many people donate money to him. After he came back from a trip, everyone asked: Hey, pastor, how is your preaching? He said: Very good, many testimonies. Next time after a while, he went again, how great, it's very interesting here.

Some people dedicate to individuals, remember, the church cannot do this. I will never accept other people's offerings to me, our church doesn't have this habit. If you want to dedicate, dedicate to the church, that is God's requirement, this is talking about money. If this family happens to be a girl who loves Timothy very much, and has the courage, because the family is rich and very confident, and then confesses to Timothy, Timothy sees that this marriage is also very good.

What do you think will happen? It will be contaminated, contaminated. I think Paul wrote this letter to Timothy, and Timothy was a little confused: This family is very good, this family contributes money and efforts in the church, and loves God. How do you say that he is conceited, ignorant, fond of asking questions, arguing, and competing with people who are depraved in mind and have lost the truth? Timothy was confused: Their family is very good. You see everything is very good.

As for the rich in this present age, charge them

As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life. (1 Timothy 6:17-19)

Charge the rich in this present age, who to charge? Does Paul also feel uncomfortable looking at these rich people? Like the Book of James? No. It is that these people are conceited because they have money, rely on useless money, and then do not rely on God, do not rely on the God who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are also to be charged to do good. Then I ask you, if Timothy charged them, would Paul still need to write these words? No. Timothy did not charge them these things, how could he have the courage to charge their family? This family is very influential in the church, and they are all big bosses.

The problem is, within the church, they also generate a lot of what are called argumentative words, disobeying the pure words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the doctrine of godliness, teaching things that are very twisted. Alas, I am particularly moved that this situation is still prevalent in the church today. Why? Because he is also a major donor in the church, but often speaks some specious doctrines.

Isn't this a battle? I can tell you all, the good fight that Timothy must fight, is it to uphold the pure gospel of Jesus Christ in the church? How difficult it is for the pure gospel of Jesus Christ to be preserved in the church! Why? People see those who are rich, everyone honors them, respects them, and thinks: Wow, big boss, amazing! But what is the reality? Timothy must avoid and flee from these things, and he must instruct them.

Timothy was timid to begin with. When he saw rich people, how could he have the courage to instruct them: Hey, you, you must do good deeds. Even if you gave Timothy two extra livers, he wouldn't dare. What's more, he has some connection with these people in their families. Because of this connection, it becomes even more twisted, and Timothy is about to fall. What happened later? We don't quite know. As for the things that Timothy did later, they also made us feel puzzled.

According to historical records, Timothy saw people in the temples on the streets and main roads carrying idols in processions. He went up and fought with them, and as a result, he was beaten to death. I was also very surprised. I thought, what does it matter to you that people are carrying idols in the street? Why did you rush up to fight? God wants you to build a glorious church for God, why did you rush up? To practice courage? Alas, after hearing this, I felt that it was not quite right.

If a person has the ability to make money, I ask you, will this person still love money? Those who have the ability to make money are not so fond of money; those who do not have the ability to make money do some things that are not quite right. Don't you think this is very fatal? Those who don't have the ability to make money love money, and that is why we brothers and sisters must be careful among us. If you are not good at anything, how can you not love money? Then some people said to me: Teacher, look, they are taking advantage of you here, taking advantage of you there, and taking your money. I said: What do I need money for? I am money myself. I am more valuable than money. Why should I love money?

Therefore, our brothers and sisters must know that if a preacher has no ability and can only preach, it is really a bit of a trouble. I ask everyone: Would Nehemiah love money? Nehemiah applied for a transfer order from the Persian emperor and was transferred to Jerusalem to be the governor of the province of Judah. Would he lack money? He did not lack money. Did he love money? He did not love money. Why? Because he could make money no matter what he did. So today I advise brothers and sisters, don't just put on a facade of godliness and be useless at everything. This is what our church must do, to be people who serve God, and then you are poor and useless at everything, only knowing how to pray and preach, that would be disastrous.

Of course, are there such people? Yes, there are. So in history, there was a person in the same era as Nehemiah, named Ezra. Ezra was a scribe who could only lecture and only talk about the Bible, and could not do anything else. Then Nehemiah was obviously at a completely different level from Ezra in restoring a God-centered life.

You must instruct those who are rich in this world to be careful. Many people have money, but they don't know how they got it; many people don't have money, but they don't know how they lost it. That's fatal. So for Timothy, I don't think he should be everyone's role model. There is something about Timothy that is too religious.

Guard What Has Been Entrusted to You

O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the worldly chatter and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge, for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. (1 Timothy 6:20-21)

Still swerving from the faith, how did it become like this? I tell you all, this is Paul writing to Timothy. I tell you all, he wished he could take out his heart and lungs to persuade Timothy not to go any further, because if he went any further, he would be finished and would fall. You must guard what has been entrusted to you. Originally, Paul entrusted Timothy to serve God well, but what did he go there to do? He went there to engage in "worldly chatter." I ask you, what is worldly chatter? Isn't it talking about money? Isn't it? Worldly chatter.

You say: Teacher, is there a problem with making money? Then making money depends on what you are making money for. There are many ways to make money that are quite dangerous. Once I advised some brothers and sisters to learn how to do things. There is a book written by Kazuo Inamori called How to Work. We must say that How to Work written by Kazuo Inamori is not so bad for doing things. It is written very solidly and realistically. I asked him to read How to Work and How to Live written by Kazuo Inamori, hoping that he would not be useless at everything.

As a result, he was a bit like Timothy. After reading it, he felt that Kazuo Inamori was a great master. As a result, he no longer believed in Jesus and went to believe in Kazuo Inamori. But he forgot that Kazuo Inamori died of cancer! It was very painful when he died of cancer. I asked you to learn how to do things from them. I don't want you to run after him in the end, because the way of our Lord Jesus Christ is the true way of life. Kazuo Inamori even developed cancer. Can you escape cancer? Remember, we must learn how to do things from these people, but we cannot believe in him as the way. He is not at the level of the way. At best, it is just a method of working. Alas, what God entrusted to him, what the teacher and pastor entrusted to him, was all entrusted to Kazuo Inamori.

There is also a sister who is quite interesting. She often tells me: Teacher, look at Zeng Shiqiang and Kazuo Inamori, and so on. After listening, I said: Sister, if you listen to me like this, then you are already Timothy. You don't believe in the true way that has been entrusted to you. I said: Brother, sister, they died of cancer! Don't learn and learn, and before you have learned from Zeng Shiqiang or Kazuo Inamori, you develop cancer. What are you going to do?

Alas, I am particularly moved. I wish brothers and sisters would be able to do things, and I wish even more that brothers and sisters would not leave what God has entrusted to you. As a result, this person doesn't know that it is not the way. At best, it is just a technique. A technique is just a method of working, a mathematical technique. The way and the technique are not at the same level. What God has entrusted to us is the way of life, with the glory of God. Looking at a few rich people, they become confused. Seeing that people can accomplish things, they also become confused. Even the way of life that has been entrusted to us is gone by worldly chatter. If I were to classify it, Zeng Shiqiang's and Kazuo Inamori's are at best techniques, just how to work, not so high-end.

Our Lord Jesus, unprecedented and unrepeatable, He made the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers cleansed, and the dead rise from the dead. Who is more powerful than Him? Why push Jesus aside and bring these people in? Is your brain not working well? This is to guard what has been entrusted to you.

Fight the Good Fight of the Faith

But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, (1 Timothy 6:11-14)

This is what is called the true way. Did Jesus Christ die? Yes, He died. Was Jesus Christ crucified? Yes. But He rose from the dead! Our Lord Jesus rose from the dead, how wonderful! This is the way of life, to take hold of eternal life. If you only focus on this life, you will be confused in a moment.

I tell you all again, life is vanity, people are born with nothing and die with nothing, you all know that, right? What is the meaning of life? There is no meaning. Only in Jesus Christ can you find the meaning of life. So our brothers and sisters must flee from these vain things, flee from these worldly chatter. Aren't these all worldly chatter? They are all based on this life. But the foundation of this life is vanity of vanities, meaningless.

So our brothers and sisters, when do you need to fight the good fight? When facing the temptation of money, you need to fight the good fight. When facing being useless at everything, you really need to fight the good fight. Why are you useless at everything? Actually, it is because you lack faith. How can you accomplish anything without faith? When we believe in Jesus, remember, don't believe to the point of being neurotic, believing to the point of being useless at everything, Hallelujah number one. How can you fight then? You can't fight. I wish brothers and sisters could be able to accomplish things. That is not because of anything else, but because God wants to give you wisdom.

I tell you all, the most fatal thing in a person's life is to indulge the flesh. Of course, indulging the flesh requires money. Where can indulging the flesh lead to? It leads to the wrath of God! Until now, I am filled with emotion many times when I serve. A person who has ovarian cancer and intestinal obstruction, our little pastor served her last night, with fever and pain again.

I tell you, how many days does she have left to live? Not many days! But if you ask her if she loves money? In her bones, she still has a love for money. Alas, my heart is filled with emotion. There are piles and piles of people who cannot see through it even when they are about to die, and they still want to live very much. It is not because you want to live very much that you will live for a long time, no! It is to say that even if you live to be a hundred years old, you still have to face this thing.

It is meaningless for people to live too seriously in this life. Then why should we do things well? Because doing things well is our duty. It is our gift and the grace that God has given us to rejoice in our labor in this world. It is not to make money in our labor. What is the point of making money in our labor in the end?

I remind everyone again to flee from these things. These are all vain talk. You say: Kazuo Inamori was able to save Japan Airlines from death. He is a very powerful person. Vain talk! Why is it vain talk? It is because living is vanity of vanities. What is the point? One day, I went out to take a plane. After getting off the plane and turning on my phone, the first message was that Kazuo Inamori had died. He completed a great vanity in his life.

If a Christian's faith is not built on this foundation of vanity of vanities, you will not be able to believe. Many things are real. One moment this thing disturbs you, another moment that thing disturbs you. Everything can disturb you, but Jesus cannot disturb you. Alas, it is very emotional.
Remember, if a person takes this life as the goal, you will not be able to believe in the Lord. Besides inviting the wrath of God, it is still the wrath of God. Some people are already living under the wrath and fury of God, but they still insist. Where can you argue with God? If God wants your life, can you stop it? You can't stop it!

So brothers and sisters, why do you have pressure? Why are you sometimes anxious? Why are you uncomfortable? It is all because of this trivial matter of living. Of course, I don't want you to come out of vanity and then enter the empty gate, seeing through the world. I need you to live in the world according to the word of God, and you must live out the glory of God. Because you live for God, you can live out the glory of God; because you live for God, like Jesus Christ, you live in eternal life. You must fight the good fight for the true way! Know the true God, and don't make yourself so miserable because of a little money.

Know the True God

which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:15-16)

Paul wrote and wrote, and he became excited. At the proper time, you have your proper time, and I have my proper time. One day when you look, alas, why are all the dead people around you? Then you know that the proper time has come. Alas, angels and heavenly hosts are around you, and they are going to take you back to Jesus Christ. You also know that the proper time has come.

If a person sees through this matter of living, he will no longer strive for living, but will strive to return to Jesus Christ. Our God is so great. Returning to God is called eternal life, and returning to the devil is called eternal death. People in this life are just a stage, completing an exam. After the exam, there is a diversion. You go there, and you say: I don't want to go! You have to go even if you don't want to go. Some other people, you go here, see here or there, it depends on your creation. Who is greater than our God? Our God is full of grace and mercy. It's just that people don't believe.

When people have problems, the first thing they think of is the doctor. If people want to live, then you should rely on the doctor. Relying on the doctor has the ending of relying on the doctor. Some people have no problems, but they also rely on the God who loves us. I tell you, the most difficult battle to fight is money. If people live for money, they will die for money. None of the things that money promises you can be fulfilled. But what our God promises us can all be realized. This is our God.

Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their service are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these things. (1 Timothy 6:1-2)

Because we live not in this life, we are slaves in people's homes, and then our masters happen to believe in the Lord, and then they lead us to believe in the Lord. Oh, we have become brothers? No. Because we have seen through the things of this life, although my flesh does not belong to me because it is a slave, in eternity, I belong to God. So those who see through it live like this.

May God bless everyone!

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