Devido ao COVID-19 e à interrupção do Serviço de Correio Internacional,
suspendemos temporariamente o nosso 'Serviço de Impressão Gratuita de Livros'.
suspendemos temporariamente o nosso 'Serviço de Impressão Gratuita de Livros'.
Diante dessa situação, não podemos enviar os livros para você neste momento.
Ore para que esta pandemia termine em breve e retorne o serviço postal.
Ore para que esta pandemia termine em breve e retorne o serviço postal.
Subject 24 : Sermons for Those Who Have Become Our COWORKERS
[24-33] God and Abraham (Genesis 12:1-4)
(Genesis 12:1-4)
“Now the LORD had said to Abram:
‘Get out of your country,
From your family
And from your father’s house,
To a land that I will show you.
I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’
So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.”
Warm greetings to you all! Since the summer discipleship training camp, we have all labored very hard for the last half of this year to serve and preach the gospel faithfully, even though we have also been busy taking care of our families, studying hard, or holding down a job. Take a look outside. It’s been snowing heavily since yesterday. As everything here is covered in snow, I have every confidence that thanks to our diligent efforts the gospel will also be preached widely to cover the entire world. I see that all of you gathered here today have not changed much from the last summer discipleship camp, and I am very thankful for your unchanging dedication. The very fact that we can once again see familiar faces here is in itself a wonderful blessing of God.
The Way to Follow the Most Blessed Word
The Lord God called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldeans and told him to leave his country. God said to him, “I will make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Upon hearing this, Abraham obeyed the Word of the Lord, and Lot went with him also. Abraham was 75 years old when he left Haran. Yet despite his old age he still followed the Word of God. God the Father said to Abraham that every nation would be blessed because of him. The Scripture says that Abraham obeyed this Word of the Lord, and God gave him all the blessings as He had promised.
I believe that just as the Lord God had blessed Abraham, He will also give us all His blessings. It’s not just to Abraham that God gave such blessings, but He has also given us these same blessings of faith. And He blesses those who bless us and curses those who curse us. When our God said to Abraham, “And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed,” He was saying that each and every tribe in this world would be blessed through those of us who have been saved by God and become His children. The Bible says that “Abraham departed as the LORD had spoken to him,” and this short passage shows us that Abraham obeyed the Word of God, and it is such a blessing to us, and it shows us the right way clearly.
It’s the right path and a blessing for you and me alike to follow the Word of the Lord God in our lives of faith. However, even as we obey the Word of God faithfully, sometimes we are deceived unwittingly, so we fall into temptation and doubts, wondering if we really have to follow the Word of God and thinking that it’s okay for us to do whatever we want to do. Our Lord said, “When desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (James 1:15). This means that there are times when we are led by our own desires into thinking that we can do whatever we want to do rather than following the Word of God, lead our lives like this, and allow ourselves to be led by our own greed and be unable to obey the Word of God. But, just as Abraham followed the Word of God, so must we also follow the Word of God with an unshakable conviction rather than being led by our own desires of the flesh, realizing clearly that this is the way for us to be blessed.
For the saved, there is no life that’s more blessed than the life that’s led according to the Word of the Lord God as Abraham had. There is no one in this world that is living a more blessed life than those of us following the Word of the Lord God. Those who live a blessed life and walk on the path of the immovable Truth are those who believe in and serve the gospel of the water and the Spirit in their lives. All of us ought to realize what a great blessing it is to follow the Word of the Lord God in our lives. When we realize just how assured and blessed this path is, the Holy Spirit dwelling in us will be pleased and joyous with us.
From time to time we fall into our own thoughts, and we often see leaven entering our hearts. The words floating around us, whether meaningful or meaningless, don’t just disappear without having any effect. These leavened words can sometimes shake our hearts from the very foundation. Some words may appear to be true and Biblically sound. There are surprisingly many claims that resemble the truth so much that they can confuse us. So, in some ways, it may seem as though those who believe in and follow God while adding some man-made doctrines or human thoughts to their faith are better than those who follow the Word of the Lord God completely and wholeheartedly. Like this, we are constantly bombarded with deceitful words, sometimes shaking our hearts and even undermining our faith in the worst case scenario. However, no matter what we hear, what is going on in this world, what our thoughts are, and what our desires and feelings are, we must never forget that the will of God and His written Word are what’s most important to us. This written Word of God is our absolute first priority above all and any circumstance.
Although we are prone to change often like a reed shaken by the wind, the Word of God is never-changing. As human beings, we are sometimes seized by our own greed or held captive by our own flawed thoughts or mistaken purposes. In contrast, the Word of the Lord God is the same yesterday and today, always holding the will of the Lord and speaking to us through the written Scriptures. Therefore, no matter what happens to us and how the world changes, the Word of the Lord God never changes. The Word of the Lord God speaks the Truth and nothing but the Truth to us, from the very beginning to the end. It is therefore absolutely imperative for all of us to have this desire to follow the Word of the Lord God in our lives of faith like Abraham; actually to obey the Word of God, and realize that this is the most blessed life.
Abraham Led His Life in Obedience to the Word
Following the Word of the Lord God means to reflect everything upon the Word of the Lord God. What kind of faith we should have, how we ought to live, how we ought to look into the future—all these things are found in the written Word of the Scriptures. When we hold fast to the Word of God, even if we go astray for a short while, we can still find our way and return to the Lord God. It’s such a tremendous blessing for us to follow the Word of the Lord God. The passage that says, “Abraham departed as the LORD had spoken to him” is so inspiring to me. I am absolutely certain that this passage teaches me the most blessed and proper way to live my life. So I yearn to have such faith and live accordingly by faith.
Indeed, it’s my heartfelt desire for all the saints and the servants of God in our Church who have been born again of water and the blood should lead their lives as Abraham had lived, in obedience to the Word of the Lord God. Abraham entrusted his everything to the Lord, his life and his faith, and he lived according to the Word of God. Abraham was completely obedient to God. He followed the Word of God in order to be saved, and He obeyed the Word of God because he wanted his descendants to become God’s own people. Abraham obeyed the Word of the Lord God even when arranging his son’s marriage. Like this, he devoted all his life to following the Word of the Lord God. And when it was time for Abraham to leave his earthly life behind, he still worshipped the Lord God and made his last will for his descendants in obedience to the Word. Indeed, his entire life revolved around the Word of the Lord God. And for obeying the Word of God like this, he received abundant blessings from God. Abraham followed the Word of the Lord God even when he begot his son.
Because Abraham walked according to the Word of the Lord God, God was pleased to be the same faithful God to his descendants. When Abraham’s son was circumcised, God said, “I will be your God, and I will be the God of your descendants also.” When we turn to Genesis 17:7, we see God saying, “And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you.” With His Word of the covenant God promised Abraham and his descendants that He would be their God and give them the land of Canaan.
God then said to Abraham: “This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant. He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant” (Genesis 17:10-14).
God made His promise to not only Abraham but also to his descendants, saying, “You and your descendants should be circumcised in obedience to My Word, and I will be your God and also the God of your descendants.” So, the Lord God not only became Abraham’s God, but He also promised that He would be the God of the circumcised descendants of Abraham. The Lord God promised all of this to Abraham with His Word, and accordingly, Abraham trusted in the Word of the Lord God and obeyed it completely.
From then on, the people of Israel had all their male children circumcised when they turned eight days old. God was so strict with this requirement that He rejected anyone who was not circumcised without exception. He said, “I am not the God of the uncircumcised. Even though they may be Abraham’s descendants in their flesh, since they do not follow My Word, nor obey it, nor believe in it, nor practice it, they are not My people. I will cut them off from My people. I am the God of the circumcised, not the uncircumcised.”
Having called Abraham, God blessed him, and Abraham believed in every Word of the Lord God, obeyed it, and practiced it. This is the exemplary model that Abraham, our father of faith is showing us. If we trust in and follow the Word of the Lord God like Abraham, then we will receive all the spiritual blessings of Heaven as well as the fertility of the earth; however, if we fail to follow the Word of the Lord God by faith, then even if we received the spiritual blessings of Heaven, we will not be able to receive the fertility of the earth or the blessings that the Lord God had given to Abraham’s descendants.
The Safest Way
Every aspect of our lives, from the very beginning to the end, must be committed to following the Word of the Lord God, whether it’s about our salvation, living out our faith, or fulfilling our purpose on this earth. For Abraham, it was only a matter of course to follow the Word of the Lord God. Some of you may then think, “Abraham followed the Word since he was the father of faith. There was nothing unusual about this. Why is Pastor Jong then spending so much time on this obvious point and overestimating Abraham so much?”
However, my fellow believers, we must realize what a great blessing it is for us to live in obedience to the Word of the Lord God. Whoever follows the Word of the Lord God faces neither curses, nor destruction, nor wants, nor hardship. It’s only when we do not follow the Word of the Lord God that we suffer, get angry, feel frustrated, and struggle with hardships. As long as we follow the Word of the Lord God, everything will be just fine. We will be at peace in all things. Following the Word of the Lord God is the safest, the most assured, and the most beneficial thing to do. There is nothing sounder or more assured than following the Word of the Lord God. Even though there are uncertainties in our lives that make us feel uneasy and worried, by following the Word of the Lord God, we can still lead a blessed life in full confidence.
Not a few people have left the Word of the Lord God, even though they once followed it. I have witnessed on many occasions how someone who had been so obedient to the Word of the Lord God changed his mind all of a sudden and departed from God. This is more than possible since everyone is only human. However, the undeniable fact of the matter is that there is no way that is safer than following the Word of the Lord God. Living according to the Word of the Lord God is the safest thing to do. It may appeal to you for a short while to forsake the Word of the Lord God, depart from it, and embark on a path of your own choice. However, because this is not the upright life that abides in the Lord God, you will realize later on what a giant mistake you have made. But by then it will be too late and no amount of regret will be of any use. We should never forget that it is only when we abide in the Word of the Lord God and follow it in our lives that we can find true peace and have the most assured guarantee of our blessings.
Two Kinds of People
Although following the Word of the Lord God is the safest, the most proper, and the most blessed thing to do, but sometimes living according to the Word seems to entail a hefty cost. When people around us consider us too dense, stubborn, and inflexible, we may wonder if we are not living a backward life. When we look at ourselves and see how we have been following the Word of the Lord God so singularly and unwaveringly, it’s possible for us to wonder if we are not getting behind everyone else; indeed, it may even seem foolish at times. We may seem like fools, but in reality, we are very wise. Fools are stubborn. And once they get stubborn, it’s next to impossible to change their minds. In contrast, a smart person knows when to give up his stubbornness. A fool knows no compromise. He never bends his will. When we see someone foolish, dense, or inflexible like this, we usually do not think well of this person. However, since we now know that Abraham and his descendants were blessed throughout their entire lives for following the Word of the Lord God so stubbornly, and we also know that this is the right thing to do in God’s sight, all of us must follow His Word alone like Abraham, like stubborn fools.
When I look at those who have departed from the Word of the Lord God completely, I see that at first, they only took a step away from God, but eventually they took more and more steps until they ended up leaving Him completely. This has been the case for everyone around me who left God. Even if one deviates from the Word of God ever so slightly that it is hardly noticeable as Lot had left Abraham, down the road, this in the end brought about devastating consequences to him. Lot saw all his possessions burnt to the ground, while Abraham gained so much prosperity. The contrast in the outcomes could not be more obvious. You probably know someone around you who seems to be drifting a little away from the Word. In reality, what’s visible to the naked eye is not that important. What’s really important is what’s going on in one’s heart. One may take a step away from the Word of the Lord God without thinking too much about it, but it can ultimately lead this person to depart from the Word completely. When we see such people, it’s our responsibility to hold them steadfastly. We have the duty to open their ears and make them listen to the Word.
There are two kinds of people: Those who follow the Word of the Lord God, and those who don’t. There are countless people who don’t follow the Word of the Lord God. These people are walking on the broad way. In contrast, those who are following the Word of the Lord God are extremely few. They are very rare. And in some ways, they seem dense, foolish, and dimwitted. However, it’s these people who are blessed by God. There aren’t that many people in this world who are blessed by God. Those who are blessed by God are the followers of His Word, and such people are few and far between. That’s because many people who followed the Word at first end up drifting away eventually. Any of us can drift away for a while and go astray a little, but all of us must return back to the Word. The problem is that some people continue to go astray and drift away irreversibly. This happens because these people allow themselves to become prisoners of their own desires and follow their own greed. Because everyone is a foolish human being, it’s possible for anyone to be gripped by his own desires and go astray. However, while even those who follow the Word of God may go astray for a short while, they all return back to God without fail.
It’s impossible for those who have not been born again of water and the blood to follow the Word of the Lord God. In contrast, it’s more than possible for those who have been born again of water and the blood to follow the Word of God. So long as they cast aside their private desires, they can all trust in the Word of God completely and follow it faithfully. And they can live the rest of their lives amidst all the blessings given by the Lord God, receive eternal blessings in the next world to come, and even pass on these blessings of the Lord God to their descendants in the surest way. Just as Abraham was blessed by the Lord God, so can we all become a blessing to all the nations of this earth and share our blessings with them. This is a special privilege reserved only for those who follow the Word of the Lord God. So, those who have been born again of water and the blood are the happiest and the most blessed people. Even though there are countless people in this world, there is no one who is more blessed than those who follow the Word of the Lord God, nor is there anyone who is greater, either in this world or the Kingdom of Heaven, than those who follow the Word of the Lord God. Therefore, all of us ought to grasp that those who follow the Word of the Lord God are the greatest and the most blessed people in this world.
Foolish people do not follow the Word of the Lord God out of their ignorance, and they also disobey the will of God and even forsake His Word entirely. To them, it looks more desirable and appealing to take another path. But you should never allow yourself to be deceived foolishly by such temptations. The safest thing to do is to look towards the Word of the Lord God alone, and just walk on the right path patiently and unwaveringly even if this seems a bit foolish and unwise. Those who follow the Word of the Lord God unwaveringly and quietly no matter what anyone says—these people alone are the truly blessed people of great faith.
It Is Only Right for You to Follow the Word of the Lord God
How many people in this world are following the Word of the Lord God? What would happen if we were to try to follow the Word of God on our own apart from the Church? Is it right or wrong for us to try to keep the Word of God individually as Lot did? Such questions come to our minds from time to time. But, no matter how hard and long we think about them, the conclusion to reach is that following the Word of God in His Church is the right thing to do. No matter how the world changes, how people’s faith changes, how doctrines change, and how hearts and minds change, we must follow the Word of God.
All of us have lived to this day with many selfish and greedy thoughts. However, we ought to live the rest of our lives mindful of at least the following questions: “Have we been following the Word of God? Do we want to follow it? Do we know that this is the right thing to do? Do we believe that we absolutely must follow the Word of God in our lives? Are we moving forth towards a clear purpose with a clear standard of faith? Have we resolved ourselves to do so?” Although in our acts we have not been able to live in this way completely, we must at least know clearly what the right thing to do is, and that is, to follow the Lord God according to His Word, and live with a clear established determination. Only then can we follow the Word of God despite our shortcomings, and only then does God give us the strength to follow His Word, and only then does He give us all the blessings that He promised in His Word.
To repeat, those of you who are following the Word of God are the happiest people. I am also happy beyond description. To be honest, there are times when I rebuke myself and feel tormented by my shortcomings. However, my suffering is nothing compared to my joy and happiness. This is not because of my own merits, but it is all because I believe that following the Word of God is the right thing to do, and God is pleased by this. Even though I am inadequate in all other things, God is pleased by the fact that I am following His Word, and that is why my joy far exceeds my suffering.
The Happiest People on the Planet Earth
Although we each are living a different life, all of us are blessed people. I often tell myself that I am a blessed man. You may then wonder what’s so blessed about me. I’m blessed because I believe in and follow the Word of God. So, I often find myself smiling all by myself with an overflowing joy in my heart that makes me happy and content. When we get angry, we get extremely petty and irksome, but when we feel content, we feel very happy as though the whole world were ours. That’s how I feel whenever I think about the Lord God. Even though we may get irritated and exasperated when we think about just ourselves and our shortcomings, all of us following the Word of God are blessed, just as Abraham was blessed for following the Word of God. Because you and I are all following the Word of the Lord, we are all blessed tremendously.
My fellow believers, if we had not followed the Word of God, there is no telling what might have happened to us. The consequences would no doubt have been devastating. I might have even killed myself. That’s how foolish and lacking we all are as human beings. Yet, we are still sitting here as the most blessed people in this world, all because the Lord God has held us steadfast to follow His Word, reigning over our hearts, our souls, our circumstances, our thoughts, and our faith.
In my view, all of you gathered here are great men and women of faith, having been tremendously blessed by God. I do not think little of you. I’m not saying this just to sweet-talk you into liking my sermon. I truthfully believe that you are all blessed in God’s arms. And when I reflect my own heart upon the Word of God, I am sure that I am blessed, and I believe that your faith to follow the Word of God together with me is also blessed. I have every confidence that if the Lord gives us enough time before He returns, countless people will be saved through our gospel work and come to glorify God. We can all live a truly worthy and blessed life full of energy, working tirelessly all over the world to preach the gospel to an unimaginable number of people to the glory of God. I truthfully believe that the very fact that you and I are on this earth is in itself a tremendous blessing for everyone else waiting for deliverance. Although we are still only human with many shortcomings, we are following the Word of God, and all of us ought to grasp just how wonderful this is.
Sometimes we go astray, but we return back to the right way. As a dog wandering around eventually returns to its owner, so do we return to God. We must return. Returning to God is what’s really important. When a lost dog finds its way back to its owner, the owner would no doubt be happy beyond description. How much more would the Lord God then be pleased when we return to Him after going astray? With an overflowing joy He will say to us, “Yes, you are indeed My people and My servants. Even though you go astray and stumble from time to time, you are still My children, My people, and My servants for sure. You will surely live with Me forever. You have surely been blessed by Me.”
My fellow believers, those who follow the Word of the Lord God in their lives are far more blessed than those who don’t. The most blessed people on this planet earth are those who follow the Word of the Lord God. All blessings are added to whoever follows the Word of the Lord God. Even his future descendants will receive every blessing, every assurance, and every splendor. Whenever I meet with my fellow ministers throughout Korea, I appreciate even more just how tremendously we have been blessed. This belief is the basis on which I am leading my life of faith, and it is also what guides my dealings with you. Even though we may be struggling at home, in the Church, or at work, we have truly been blessed.
It’s written in Psalm 1:1-6:
“BLESSED is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.”
Who are the ungodly? They are those who do not follow the Word of God. Only those who follow the Word of the Lord God are righteous and blessed.
The Way to Blessings
I don’t know how you might have lived your life until now, but from this very moment on, when you believe in the gospel of the water and the Spirit, all the riches and splendor will be yours, and you yourself will be the greatest of all. The way to this is believing in and following the Word of God.
The Lord God approves the way of the righteous. The righteous follow the Word of the Lord God. Because the righteous follow this Word, they are full of joy, and because all their needs are provided for by God according to His time, they have the strength to live a bold and vibrant life without any worries even if this world crumbles down. As we carry on with our lives in this world, not a day goes by without worrying. That’s because this present age is so unstable. There is nothing stable in this age and time. So, many worries and anxieties can make their way into our hearts without even realizing it. However, my fellow believers, if you follow the Word of the Lord God, then He will take care of you and protect you completely both now and in the future. Everything is up to God.
In fact, this present age is actually the most ideal time to receive blessings. If you want to live with assurance and free yourself from all the worries of this world, you must follow the Word of the Lord God. If you really want your soul to be blessed and you wish to embark on the blessed way, then you must follow the Word of the Lord God. When you thus follow the Word of the Lord God and abide by your unwavering faith, you will surely be freed from all the heavy burdens of this world. Everything will go well if you follow the Word of the Lord God. So I urge you to realize here that there really is no one on this planet earth who is as blessed as you and I who have been born again of water and the Spirit. It’s those who follow the Word of the Lord God who are the people of faith like Abraham.
When Abraham arranged his son’s marriage, he made sure that the bride would be from his own kin. He did this also in obedience to the Word of the Lord. It’s wrong to think that there is no difference between someone who follows the Word of the Lord God and someone who does not. The difference between these two types of people is in fact huge. So I admonish you to live out your faith understanding this important difference.
We Must Resolve Our Will
Those who follow the Word of the Lord God are vibrant and green throughout the seasons like a tree planted by a river. They are always ready to bear fruit, and they always bear fruit according to the season. There are many variations in our lives of faith. We need to examine ourselves from time to time to determine what kind of life of faith we want to lead. We need to ask ourselves whether we are content to let our lives of faith succumb to everyday complacency, or we want to resolve our will and live out our faith faithfully and dynamically according to this purpose. You may then say that it’s already hard enough for you to lead your life of faith as it is. You may even resent me for admonishing you to follow the Word of the Lord God. But this is absolutely indispensable. Only those who follow the Lord God to the end can put on the crown of joy. Therefore, the harder it gets, the more diligently you must follow God. You and I alike must resolve our will before the Lord God and live out our faith according to this determination. If we are instead leading our lives of faith half-heartedly and malleably depending on our own circumstances, then we can’t say that we are really living out our faith. It’s absolutely imperative for us to resolve our will above all else and live out our faith according to this resolve.
What would you do then? Would you follow the Word, or would you go on your own way? You must choose one of the two, and only if you choose to follow the Word of God and practice it in your actual life can you say that you are leading a proper life of faith. You must decide whether you would follow the Word of the Lord God and thus receive all His blessings as a righteous saint, or you would instead live according to your own wishes rather than following the Word and thus remain as an ungodly person. What’s clear is that there is a huge difference in terms of the outcome between those who follow the Word of the Lord God and those who don’t. Those who follow the Word of the Lord God by faith will receive all His blessings just like Abraham, and even their descendants will be blessed and prosper.
In contrast, those who do not follow the Word of God may laugh at first thinking that they are free, but down the road, they will be so miserable that they won’t even have the energy to cry. This is the Word of Truth. That is what the Bible teaches us. It teaches us that whoever follows the Word of the Lord God is blessed, but whoever does not follow it receives no blessing. So, the Word of the Lord God is not something that we can choose to follow or ignore, but it is something that all of us must follow without fail. If we want to continue to carry on with our lives of faith, then we must follow the Word of the Lord God unwaveringly. We must resolve our wills to do so.
This world is uncertain and unstable. However, we are leading an assured life and walking on a sure path. We are running towards a clear goal. If we follow the Word of the Lord God, then not only we but also our descendants and everyone around us will be blessed, but if we otherwise don’t follow the Word of the Lord God, then not only we but also those around us will be cursed. Realizing this clearly, all of us ought to follow the Word of the Lord God by faith and run towards our goal, recognizing that this is the right thing to do. Only if we follow the Word unwaveringly like this can we receive the same blessings that Abraham received. And only then can we say that we are leading a proper life of faith.
We should never let our lives drift around without any purpose, wasting our time year after year. Instead, we must strive towards a singular goal until the day the Lord returns and we stand before Him face to face. If we live in obedience to the Word of the Lord God according to His will, then our lives would be considered truly successful and worthwhile.
It’s also important for us to believe that there is no other way but following the Word of the Lord God. There can be no compromise. Even more important than a strong will is the faith to follow the Word of the Lord God. Unless we follow the Word of God, we cannot expect to see any benefits. Why would we then want to compromise with the kind of life that offers us no benefit? Compromises are made only if there are some benefits; without any benefits, why would anyone bargain in the first place? That is precisely why I live my everyday life according to the Word of the Lord God despite my shortcomings. So, recognizing our shortcomings and believing that it is only proper for us to follow the Word of the Lord God, let us all strive towards this goal and live by this faith.
It is my heartfelt desire for all of our ministers and brothers and sisters in our Church in Korea and around the world to live by this kind of faith. It is absolutely not the case that our number is small. Some of you may be worried that there are too few of us, the righteous. But our number is actually not that small. There is no need for us to be worried about this. After all, were there many righteous people in the days of Abraham? No, at first, there was just one righteous man, Abraham. How many children did Abraham have? He had only one son, Isaac. Yet, of all the countless people in those days, the Bible says and records that only these two men, Abraham and his son Isaac, were blessed. How many children did Isaac have? He had just two, Esau and Jacob. Of these two men, who was blessed? Jacob alone was blessed. Why was Jacob blessed then? He was blessed because he followed the Word of the Lord God. Like this, only those who live by faith in obedience to the Word of the Lord God can enjoy His blessings.
How many sons did Jacob have? He had twelve sons. The Bible writes that there were twelve sons of Jacob and these twelve sons formed the twelve tribes of Israel. It records that these twelve tribes ruled over the whole land of Canaan. How many disciples did Jesus have? That’s right; He only had twelve disciples. Yet, despite their small number, the Bible writes that they were the Lord’s true disciples, and that they were blessed.
Just because there are a lot of people in a church, this does not mean that this church is blessed. Rather, those who are blessed by God are those who follow the Word of the Lord God wholeheartedly. In contrast, whoever does not follow the Word of the Lord God is walking on the way of the ungodly only to be cursed. Whether one is blessed or cursed depends on whether that person follows the Word of God like Abraham or not.
Today, we shared the Word on how Abraham followed the Word of God. All of us gathered here are also following the Word of the Lord God. I hope and pray that at the end of our lives; we would all be recorded as those who had led their lives in obedience to the Word of the Lord God to His pleasure and delight.
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