Seeing the Glorious Kingdom

Peter saw God's glory with his own eyes before Jesus was resurrected. Why did Jesus want Peter, James, and John to see God's glory? Because He wanted us to know that the glory of God's kingdom is beyond what our physical eyes can imagine. The Jesus we usually see with our physical eyes is a very ordinary Jesus. A documentary described Jesus as having an unremarkable appearance, looking like a Middle Eastern man, at most one and a half meters tall. Although this documentary is not credible, the Bible does say that Jesus had no beauty or majesty. However, this is only the image of Jesus seen with the physical eyes.

When such a Jesus Christ, without beauty or majesty, came into the world, an ordinary person, went up the mountain, suddenly Peter, John, and James saw Jesus as a radiant being. I dare to boldly say to everyone, in the future, when you and I go to heaven, our bodies will shine. Our Chinese characters are very interesting. Stripped naked (赤身露体), 赤 (chi) means red. So some people speculate that when Adam and Eve were created, they were naked but their bodies glowed red. The light (光) in naked (光着身子) that we speak of today is the light of shining (发光). Our Chinese characters everywhere reveal the revelations in the Bible.

Jesus transformed on the mountain into a glorious appearance, the purpose is to let us know that in God's kingdom everyone is radiant, everyone is full of glorious light. But why only let James, John, and Peter see? Because these three closely followed Jesus. This reason is what Pastor Yeh and I concluded when we talked. Pastor Yeh said, Pastor Liu, don't be surprised, some disciples follow you very closely, some follow you not so closely but still follow, some follow from afar, and some don't follow at all. I asked him what to do, he said that Jesus was also like this, don't be surprised.

Here I see a lesson I need to learn. Today during Bible study, when I was praying, I led everyone to read a passage from the Bible, the content was that David's family members were all taken captive by the Amalekites, and David took six hundred people to pursue them. When they were halfway there, two hundred of them said we are very tired, so David left those two hundred people behind and continued to pursue with four hundred people. When the four hundred people who continued to pursue returned with spoils of war after winning the battle, they felt that the spoils could not be distributed to the two hundred people who stayed behind. But David established an ordinance and regulation for Israel forever: everyone has a share, even those who did not fight have a share.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, do not worry, we will share with you when we win the battle, everyone has a share. So don't think that just because you feel distant, it will be a problem. Jesus came down the mountain and still stayed with those disciples. In the kingdom of God, you need to know a basic principle, you draw near to God, and God will draw near to you. It is not just about your relationship with God, it is also about relationships between individuals. So don't be surprised. Pastor Yeh taught me, saying that you have several circles, the first circle is the most core, the second circle is less core, what does it matter? But he told me that you have to create a culture, don't make people in the outer circle feel uncomfortable. So brothers and sisters, let us begin to have this concept: when we win spiritual battles, the spoils must be shared by everyone.

When one day you need the pastor to pray for you, your pastor will serve you in the same way he serves others. This is something you need to see in the church. It is not that I will not serve you because my relationship with you is distant, but serve you because my relationship with you is close. Even a cancer patient who is most distant from me, who is completely unrelated to me, just calls in or leaves a message on WeChat, I still serve him with all my heart, let alone you who are running and building the church with me? So I value you very much.

You Must See the Kingdom of God's Power

When Jesus came to the disciples, he saw a large crowd around them and teachers of the law arguing with them. As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. What are you arguing with them about? he asked. A man in the crowd answered, Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not. (Mark 9:14-18)

They were arguing about why the disciples could not drive out the demon. Whose sin was it, the child's sin, or his father's sin? But can finding the root of the sin drive out the demon? Actually, it cannot. The kingdom of God is a kingdom of power, but these disciples could not drive out the demon, what was the reason? It lies in faith! What is opposed to faith is not unbelief, but reason, people use reason to argue. For example, after trying to cast it out and failing, they say there must be a reason. Did Jesus look for a reason? No, Jesus commanded the demon to come out and the demon came out, this is called grace, looking for a reason is not called grace.

Of course, when you are praying for someone, sometimes God will indeed reveal something to you. For example, I once ministered to a cancer patient who was bedridden and completely without strength. When I was praying, God gave me a feeling that he had bitterness inside. Then I led him to pray a prayer of releasing bitterness, a very simple prayer, and he could run up and down the stairs. Although he later died. Our problem is that we often turn God's revelation into a formula. Formulas are useless, God's revelation is useful. Sometimes God has revelation, but when God has no revelation, you use authority. This is the kingdom of God's power, the key is faith.

Pastor Yeh and his wife came to our church these few days, and I shared some testimonies with them. Later he shared with me, Pastor Liu, what you are doing is actually very simple, it is perseverance. He said we have not persevered to the level of your perseverance. Thank God, I believe they have learned a lesson of perseverance.

He replied, This kind can come out only by prayer. (Mark 9:29)

Why did Jesus say that? Later I asked God in prayer, is it fasting, or what does it mean? Did the disciples not pray? The Spirit of God gave me a very profound revelation: it is not fasting that is important, but the length of time that is important. You pray for a long time, persevere until the demon retreats, it is that simple. You must always believe, believe when it goes out, and believe when it doesn't go out.

Later in my ministry, I only had one concept, that the demon must retreat, for no reason. If there is one reason, it is because by Jesus' wounds we are healed. What a wonderful grace! The kingdom of God has come with great power because Christ Jesus has risen from the dead. So today I want to tell everyone one thing, the kingdom of God is powerful. Today, to a newly arrived seeker, I only talk about one thing, that is, the things that God's power has manifested among us, all of which are stories I have personally experienced, and there are too many stories to tell. After speaking for more than an hour, I said: come, I will lead you to pray. The Spirit of God fell upon him. I believe that when he begins to walk the path of this powerful kingdom, many people will be blessed. The Christian faith is definitely not just a doctrine, but power.

This is a Kingdom Where People Rise From the Dead

The Bible says that one day we will all rise from the dead. Those who have died in the past will rise from the dead when Jesus Christ comes. It is difficult for us to understand, but we can believe. In verses 30 to 32, Jesus once again says that He will rise again in three days. People in this world cannot comprehend this with human logic. How can someone who is dead live again? But Jesus tells us that today we must believe that Jesus has risen from the dead. If Jesus had not risen from the dead, we would not be able to do anything today.

But today we can do some things. Miracles and wonders are manifested among us, and we are very clear about one thing: Jesus Christ is the God who rose from the dead. Isn't being able to overcome death great news? Why is it good news? You have parents, and you are an only child, right? Being able to overcome all diseases, being able to overcome hell, being able to overcome death, isn't this great news? You must know that the kingdom of our Jesus Christ is a kingdom of resurrection. It's not just going to heaven after death, but our physical bodies will also be resurrected. Praise God! This is a kingdom of resurrection, so we have hope.

This is a Kingdom of Servants

The concept of the disciples and us is: If I become a high official, I will throw my weight around and have many people to serve me. It is not like this in the kingdom of heaven. If you become a very high official, you must serve many people. So this is very different from the kingdoms of the world. Not only is the glory different, but also the power and resurrection are different. One is living helplessly, and the other is living with hope. Here, the whole kingdom is completely different. This is a kingdom of servants.

Last night, one of our sisters was controlled by the devil. Of course, I thank God that this is not only a grace for her, but also a grace for her cell leader. She called in the middle of the night, and our cell leader ministered to her on the phone until 2:30. But today they came to Bible study, and I didn't see any sleepiness on them. I think many of our brothers and sisters have such a mentality. I dare to guarantee that all our small family leaders will do this, and all our leaders have such a mentality. This is a kingdom of servants. So the Bible says that they did not understand at that time, and they were arguing with each other about who was the greatest.

If anyone wants to be first, he must be the last of all and the servant of all. He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” (Mark 9:35-37)

That is to say, in the kingdom of God, you must receive even the very small and insignificant person.

This is a Kingdom of Rewards

Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward. (Mark 9:41)

If you believe in Jesus and someone treats you kindly, they will be rewarded. Let alone if you treat others kindly, so this is a kingdom of rewards. In the kingdom of heaven, everyone will receive their own rewards according to their greatness. So Paul said, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17) Why? He is looking forward to the fact that God will give him honor and glory as a crown for what he has served in the world.

This is a Holy Kingdom

“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.” (Mark 9:42) This is the first argument of this passage. Holiness means that we should not sin. John explains the word stumble very clearly. Jesus caused many people to stumble for the sake of truth, but Jesus never caused people to stumble for his own benefit, so brothers and sisters, do not reverse the matter of stumbling.

If it is for your own benefit, it is called causing others to stumble; if it is for the truth, thank God, let it fall! And what did Jesus say about those who fell? If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. (Mark 9:43) The Bible does not say if your hand causes him to stumble. I often hear Christians say that he made me stumble. Then I say, can't you not fall? If he stumbles one of your hands and you fall, then cut off your hand, better than falling with both hands into hell.

Today we must know that there are some things on us that will cause us to stumble. If there are some things on us that cause us to stumble, it is a very serious matter. If you are a Christian, I encourage you never to say that he made me stumble. Know that such a thing, what makes you stumble, is what offends you. This is John's concept of stumbling, called being offended. If your hand or your head is offended, cut off your head; if your heart is offended, dig out your heart. Today we begin to learn not to stumble anymore.

Then this place also tells one thing: “where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.” (Mark 9:48) Don't think that those who are stumbled will enter the kingdom of God. Those who stumble cannot enter the kingdom of God. You will fall into hell, where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. Stand firm no matter what. Did Joseph stumble in the Bible? No, if Joseph did not stumble, then why should we fall? Is the grievance you have suffered greater than the grievance Jesus suffered, greater than Joseph? No, so don't fall.

This also speaks of a very important concept: “Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.” (Mark 9:50) How does a holy kingdom become holy? It is in the relationship between you and me. If our relationship is not good, it is a sign of stumbling, because relationship represents human holiness. If the relationship is not good, it is because there is unholiness in us. Today we must strive to be holy, and interpersonal relationship is a sign of holiness. Unholiness is because there is a problem in the heart. When there is a problem in the heart, one will be offended, and hatred begins in the heart, and the more hatred, the more bitterness, and then many strange feelings begin to arise. This is the salt that has lost its flavor.

So there is a kind of Christian called a Christian who has lost his flavor, who becomes a Pharisee, that is, a person who has been captured by the spirit of Satan. So Satan's bait is to corrupt interpersonal relationships. If a person's interpersonal relationships are corrupted, he is captured by Satan. So in the church, we must all begin to learn to be at peace with each other, and begin to actively repair interpersonal relationships, and we will be holy. The problem is in my heart, or in your heart.

The kingdom of God is a glorious kingdom, a kingdom full of power, a kingdom that can raise people from the dead, a kingdom of rewards, and even more a holy kingdom. Today, we will surely see the kingdom of God come, Amen!