Today's Topic: The People God Seeks!

October 31, 2015, a Russian passenger plane crashed, killing more than 200 people. Not long after, on November 13, the world was shocked by the terrorist attacks in Paris, where more than 100 people suddenly died. Those who survived this catastrophe, I believe, were deeply shaken at heart. Life and death happen so quickly. Before one even understands what happened, one is gone. In fact, such events are constantly unfolding. It is only at the moment when death approaches that one realizes life is short! If one could have foreseen such an event, one would never have gone to that death-march concert! But alas, people cannot foresee the future. Indeed, this is a tragic generation, with people helplessly awaiting events they know not when! If people could know the future, be prescient, how wonderful that would be!

When man is separated from God, he enters this tragedy. But those living in this tragedy are completely unaware that they are in it. Those who were at the concert, at the moment the gunshots rang out, at the moment the bullets struck, did not know what was happening. Those who are separated from God, when tragedy occurs, blame God, asking, Where were you!

In fact, around this time last year, we had a sister studying in France. She joined our gatherings remotely online and was very zealous. After completing her professional diploma, she originally wanted to stay and complete her degree. But she simply could not find a way! Eventually, she reluctantly returned to China. Later, she found a job in Shenzhen. Looking back now, we really thank God! At the time, we could not see clearly, but now we know it was God's wonderful leading! This is what it means to be prescient! Those who have God, although we do not know the future, God knows, and He will arrange our lives! It is so good to have God!

Being able to restore our relationship with God is, in fact, all of God's selection. Originally, we are all people chosen by God! So, what kind of people is God looking for? If we were all puppets, unable to do anything, I think God would have had no need to give us the Bible! In fact, the entire Bible speaks of what kind of people God chooses, what kind of people God is looking for! The key is that we can choose to be the kind of people God wants, or we can choose to be the kind of people God detests! Our God is a God with character. In fact, the Bible records many people who were chosen by God but were ultimately abandoned by God. Those Israelites in Exodus who came out of Egypt, experienced God's power, drank the water God gave them, and ate the food God gave them, but ultimately died in the wilderness! We must be careful; although God initially chose us, we must also learn to know God and never become those who are later abandoned by God and die in the wilderness!

Those who become the kind of people God seeks ultimately live beautiful lives! These people all accomplished their future through faith. Through faith, they became prescient! The Spirit of God dwells within us, and when our spiritual senses are developed, we will know future events! This is the key to living a beautiful life! Joseph was a prophet who foresaw seven years of abundance and seven years of famine. As a result, he acquired all the land of the Egyptians through this famine! If a person is a prophet, how could he not live well! If people had known that there would be a terrorist attack at that theater in Paris, they would not have fallen into that tragedy!

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord! Woe to the nation whose god is not the Lord!

Brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be unaware that the tragedies in the world today are all brought about by being far from God, separated from God. Do not blame God for not caring; it is you who do not want God to care. How can God care! The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in the United States in 2001, which killed many people, originated 40 years ago when U.S. President Kennedy abandoned God!

Today, let us understand the kind of people God seeks! Then, we must choose to be the people God seeks!

Scripture: Luke 18:1-8

Luk 18:1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. Luk 18:2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. Luk 18:3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ Luk 18:4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, Luk 18:5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” Luk 18:6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. Luk 18:7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? Luk 18:8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

The Day of the Lord Jesus' Return is Near!

This passage mentions that when the Son of Man comes, will He find people with faith on earth? In fact, the generation we are in today is the last generation. The day of the Lord Jesus' return is very near!

Why do I say this? Let me show you some prophecies.

Luk 21:9 When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.” Luk 21:10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. Luk 21:11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven. Luk 21:25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Luk 21:26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.

Today's weather, today's earthquakes, tsunamis, today's wars between countries, wars between peoples, are all unprecedented!

Luk 21:27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Luk 21:28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luk 21:29 He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. Luk 21:30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Luk 21:31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Luk 21:32 “Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.

Let us look at today's situation. 80% of countries became independent after 1900. Israel was founded in 1948.

Luk 21:33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Luk 21:34 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. Luk 21:35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Luk 21:36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

We must always be vigilant and pray always, so that we can escape these things to come!

Brothers and sisters, I long for our brothers and sisters to know the situation we are in! I long for us to escape these disasters that are about to come!

The Theme of This Passage Is: In the Days of the Lord Jesus' Return, Can He Find People with Faith?

The Lord Jesus said this with a very emotional tone! Why? Because there are not many who have faith! We will look at what faith is later. This is the key! If one does not have faith, what will happen? Then one will be left in that great tribulation! Do not think that the day of the Lord's return is not real. The prophecies in the Bible about the Lord's return have basically been fulfilled, and now Jesus Christ is standing at the door! He will come at any time. The day of the Lord Jesus Christ's return is a day of great joy for those who have faith, a day worthy of celebration. For those who do not have faith, it is a day of disaster!

Brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be unaware that the disaster that is about to come is described in the Bible as follows:

Rev 16:2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Rev 16:3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died. Rev 16:4 The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. Rev 16:5 Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say: “You are just in these judgments, O Holy One, you who are and who were; Rev 16:6 for they have shed the blood of your holy people and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.” Rev 16:7 And I heard the altar respond: “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments.” Rev 16:8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. Rev 16:9 They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him. Rev 16:10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in agony Rev 16:11 and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done. Rev 16:12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. Rev 16:13 Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. Rev 16:14 They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. Rev 16:15 “Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.” Rev 16:16 Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. Rev 16:17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came from the throne in the temple, saying, “It is done!” Rev 16:18 Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake.

When the day of the Lord Jesus' return comes, if people do not have faith, this is what is prepared for them!

Some people believe in the Lord, but they are not the kind that have faith. The Lord Jesus' emotion is lamenting these half-hearted individuals. Disaster is approaching, and they still do not know!

Brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be unaware that being a Christian, a half-hearted Christian, is of little use! What does the Bible say? The Bible describes these people as double-minded people, and they should not think they can receive anything from the Lord! If you are going to do it, then be a Christian with faith! Faith means steadfast faith!

Luk 21:33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Luk 21:34 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. Luk 21:35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Luk 21:36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

Do not love the world, for if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him!

Let us examine what faith is!

What is Faith? - It is to Continuously Believe in God Until He Avenges Her!

Faith is genuine belief. It is unwavering faith. Do not imagine that half-hearted belief in the Lord will gain you anything; it will only bring disaster! The generation we live in today is unique; it is the generation of the Lord Jesus's return. This is a generation rife with calamity. Do not think that calamity is far from us; everything the Bible prophesies will come to pass! When you see these things happening one by one, you must be all the more vigilant!

What is faith? What is unwavering faith? According to the words of the Lord Jesus, it is to continuously believe until God avenges her! Not giving up until it is obtained. This is an attitude, a persistence, a faith that does not quit until it sees results!

I long for all our brothers and sisters to have this kind of faith. In my ministry to the seriously ill, what is needed is this anointing of faith. In the turnaround of our family, what is most needed is this anointing of faith! In the building of the church, what is most needed is also this anointing of persistence! Our WeChat evangelistic ministry, our Weibo evangelistic ministry, our writing ministry, our website ministry, what is most needed is this kind of perseverance! Persistence itself is a kind of victory! Amen! When we encounter suffering, setbacks, when the team loses its fervor, when we encounter all kinds of troubles, let us gather ourselves, adjust our mood, and begin to tell ourselves, I am a person of perseverance! I will not shrink back! I will be victorious! I will be fervent! I will obtain the anointing of faith!

Isaiah in the Old Testament, whom we read about, God had him begin to preach the gospel, and no one believed him his whole life, yet he persisted his entire life! Do not think that if there is no effect, that means there is no effect! Although people may not remember, the person God seeks is this kind of person with faith! God will surely remember us!

Brothers and sisters, I know that my words have offended many of our brothers and sisters, and today I want to say I am sorry to everyone! I hope everyone can forgive me. Yesterday, God moved me to say sorry to everyone! And I am willing to say sorry. But what I ask of God is that our brothers and sisters may obtain the faith of faith!

True faith, genuine faith, is that even when we ourselves are wronged, when we are treated unfairly, we do not walk the path of the knowledge of good and evil, but continue to trust in God! When there are no problems, we can all say we believe in the Lord Jesus. But it is when we encounter problems, when we encounter injustice, that our faith is tested!

As the saying goes, A mule or a horse, take it out for a gallop, that is the idea. Your faith is not something that is spoken. It is something that emerges from being wronged!

These Unjust Things in the World are All to Test People's Faith

Why does the Lord Jesus use the metaphor of injustice to explain faith? It turns out that faith is inseparable from injustice!

Those whom God has given crowns of honor and glory, those whom the Bible records as people after God's own heart, have all come through being wronged.

Our Lord Jesus Himself is the epitome of the most unjust treatment in the world. What did He do? He went about doing good, healing the sick, freeing those oppressed by demons, but was nailed to the cross! The one who betrayed Him was the one who ate with Him!

Joseph, whom the Bible most often mentions, what did he do to be sold by his own brothers, become a slave, and be imprisoned, suffering all kinds of injustice!

David in the Bible, what did he do but faithfully serve Saul, yet he was hunted down! He fled for thirteen years. Living a life of wandering, displacement, and acting insane. Facing the danger of death every day.

Samuel in the Bible, what did he do but follow the worst priest, Eli, from a young age? Do not think that the irresponsible old Eli and old Eli's rotten sons would treat little Samuel well; I think Samuel also had to learn to be clever, obedient, and trust in God in that kind of environment! Do not think that Samuel did not suffer any grievances or injustices, but Samuel was determined to be the person God was looking for!

It turns out that God allows people to experience these things to see if we are people of faith! Let us shift our gaze from the problem and focus on the Lord Jesus, to see again the wonderful plans and training the Lord Jesus has for us, shaping our character!

Whether a person is a wolf or a sheep depends on how they react when they are wronged or treated unfairly! After the Lord Jesus resurrected, He thought of the Kingdom of God, not of avenging Himself. Joseph, when he became prime minister, thought of the salvation of his family, not of avenging himself. Samuel, when he grew up, thought of how to serve God, to serve that generation, not to kick Eli's family when they were down, to deal with those who had wronged him! David was even more so; David, after becoming king, did not retaliate against Saul's family, did not rejoice at Saul's death, but wrote a lament for Saul, praising Saul!

What a broad mind! What a noble image!

This is the kind of person God is looking for! Amen!

I long to be this kind of person! May God have mercy on us all, that we may all become the people God is looking for!

Mat 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Mat 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Mat 5:5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Mat 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Mat 5:7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Mat 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Mat 5:10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Mat 5:11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Mat 5:12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven.

If you have been wronged, thank God! That is the key to practicing faith!

Faith is 1Co 13:7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

God is in control of all things. Even unjust things are under God's control! Amen!

Through this passage, we see three keys to faith:

• Do not avenge yourself

• Ask God to avenge you

• Believe that God will avenge us

Key to Faith 1: Do Not Avenge Yourself!

Brothers and sisters, not avenging oneself is a virtue! Not avenging oneself, not even arguing for oneself, not using one's own methods to retaliate, is the characteristic of the person God is looking for.

The disasters of this world all come from retaliation. A world that does not trust in God is bound to be full of disasters.

Our generation is a generation of the survival of the fittest. Everywhere there is a culture of wolfishness. But what we trust in is God's protection.

Is it the strong who will prosper, or those who trust in God who will prosper? It is those who trust in God who will surely prosper!

God wants us to endure injustice for our blessing! It is God testing our faith.

Man's method - Jacob - does not work!

God's method - Trust - works!

Jud 1:17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ formerly said. Jud 1:18 They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers who would follow their own ungodly desires. Jud 1:19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. Jud 1:20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, Jud 1:21 keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

Wait for God's mercy!

Key to Faith 2: Ask God to Avenge You!

When we do not avenge ourselves, we can ask God to avenge us. Asking God is itself the characteristic of the person God is looking for. God likes us to seek His help.

Thank God that not only does God allow us to ask Him to avenge us, but God also delights in us asking Him to avenge us.

Do not think that God is an unjust God. Asking God to avenge us is itself a belief in God's justice! Believing that God is a just God is the key to our faith within!

Those who want to avenge themselves do not believe that God is a just God! That is one of the greatest shames to God.

This passage uses an unjust judge as a metaphor; the Lord Jesus means that if people can ask an unjust judge for justice, why not ask a just God for justice?

Key to Faith 3: Believe that God Will Avenge Us!

The Lord Jesus tells us that when we believe, God will quickly avenge us!

Why not as quickly as we imagine? Because it is to test our faith!

What God is looking for is the person with faith!

Brothers and sisters, God has a set time for doing things. God never delays matters.

Luk 18:7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? Luk 18:8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Rom 12:19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. Rom 12:20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Rom 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Conclusion: Be a Person of Faith Whom the Lord Jesus is Looking for When He Returns!

What conforms to human reason is not what conforms to God's will! What does not conform to human reason, on the contrary, is the standard by which God chooses people!

In the days when old Eli was the priest, God was looking for a faithful priest, and later God found Samuel! When Saul was king, although Saul was the one God found, God regretted it, and later wanted to find a person after God's own heart to be king, and found David!

Today, God is still looking for people, looking for those who do not conform to human norms, but are after God's own heart! When found, God will treasure them!

Luk 6:32 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. Luk 6:33 And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. Luk 6:34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. Luk 6:35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Luk 6:36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luk 6:37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Luk 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”