What Is God’s Will Behind the Parable of the Master and Servant?

By Wang Yan, China

Ever since we were baptized and we returned to the Lord, we have often heard our pastors and elders say, “The apostle Paul said, ‘I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: From now on there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but to all them also that love his appearing’ (2 Timothy 4:7–8). As long as we forsake everything, work, suffer and expend ourselves for the Lord, and endure to the end, then when He returns, we will be crowned with glory, be raised up, and enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Only God Can Fill the Void Within Our Heart

Dear Zheng Hao,

How have you been? My heart is in a great deal of pain, and I’d like to talk to you about it. I’ve always been eager for success, and when I was little I made the resolution that, when I grew up, I would stand out from the crowd and live life at the top. I worked hard and strived for years and I became rich. The people around me see me as somebody to be reckoned with and—all my dreams have come true. I should be really happy, but instead I feel so empty and my heart just feels hollow. I’ve traveled everywhere and have held dinner parties and sung songs with my coworkers, and at the time I always felt really happy. But afterward, that feeling of emptiness would still be there and I can never shake it. What do you think is wrong with me? What am I supposed to do to rid myself of this spiritual emptiness? How are we to live a meaningful life?

Yours sincerely,

Yubin

September 4, 2018

Spiritual Reflections: Why Did the Jews Join With the Pharisees in Resisting the Lord Jesus?

By Cheng Tu

My brothers and sisters:

May you have peace in the Lord! We all know that two-thousand years ago, the Jews joined the Pharisees in nailing the Lord Jesus to the cross. I trust many brothers and sisters are confused about the following: During the time when the Lord Jesus appeared to carry out His work, He showed people the way of repentance, taught them to love others as they loved themselves and to be forgiving and patient. He gifted abundant grace unto man and performed many miracles, such as bringing the dead back to life with a single word and feeding five thousand people with only five loaves of bread and two fish. At the time, many Jews also followed the Lord Jesus. So what reason could possibly account for the fact that the Jews joined the Pharisees in abandoning the Lord Jesus and nailing Him to the cross even after receiving such abundant grace from Him? Understanding the answer to this question is of great importance to us as we strive to improve in our following of God. Today, let us commune on the question of why the Jews joined the Pharisees in resisting the Lord Jesus and how we may avoid treading the same road of failure as the Jews trod. I pray that God may guide us in the following communion.

Bible Study Discussion: What Is True Repentance?

By Liu Shuo

At a meeting of co-workers, Wang Wei, Ma Tao and Hu Zhi sat engaged in Bible study.

Wang Wei smiled and spoke to the group, saying, “Co-workers, let’s begin by reading a couple of verses of scripture. The Lord Jesus says, ‘Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’ (Matthew 4:17). ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent you, and believe the gospel’ (Mark 1:15). We can see from the Lord’s words that, if we want to enter God’s kingdom, then we must confess our sins to God and repent. We’ve believed in the Lord for years, however, and although we often confess our sins to Him, we are still capable of committing sin and we live within a vicious cycle of confessing and sinning. It seems as though we still don’t understand what true repentance is, and so we are not yet free of sin. Therefore, being clear on what true repentance is is extremely important to our ability to enter into the heavenly kingdom. Today, let’s delve into this issue together.”

Why Does God Allow Christians to Suffer Sickness?

By Du Shuai

The phrase “scramble around to find a doctor when you’re sick” directly reflects people’s feelings of anxiety, helplessness and panic when they get sick. As Christians, although we know that everything is created by God, that God gave us our very breath and that God rules and arranges the life and death of man, we can still feel at a loss as to what to do when confronted by sickness. I was therefore confused about this matter: When sickness befalls us, how should we experience it in order to be able to face it calmly and to have true faith in God? I often prayed and sought with God about this, and I sought and fellowshiped with my brothers and sisters until, after some time, I understood: When we get sick, only by understanding what God’s intention is behind our getting sick and by mastering four principles of practice can we resolve our feelings of unease, panic and helplessness, and generate true faith in God. I shall here share my small, simple bit of understanding with my brothers and sisters in the hope that it will be of some help to you all.