Perhaps we all want blessings or benefits from God. Jesus tells us, “I am the vine, you are the branches”(John 15:5), so if we are connected to the Lord, His supply and blessing will be channeled to us continuously. The Lord is the tree of life, we are His branches; if we leave Him, our lives will dry up. Apart from God, we can do nothing.
In Job, not only does Satan dare to challenge God, also it challenges God-created men. Satan considers people’s love toward God conditional, Job loves God only because God blesses him. God then says to Satan, “everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger” (Job 1:12). Job suffers such an agony without any complaint. He doesn’t sin with his mouth, instead he only asks “why?” He proclaims in his suffering; “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, may the name of the Lord be praised” (Job 1:21). We should learn from Job that we can pray and ask God when we are in adversity, but we should never complain.
There are roughly three kinds of Christian. First, those who bear no fruit, whom God will cut off. The second kind are those who only bear fruits occasionally. Sometime they belong to God, and sometimes they belong to the world. Sometime they are neither hot nor cold, and sometimes they shift between hot and cold. These are very unhealthy ones. Third, the kind that are willing to be trimmed by God; they are willing to take trainings and equip themselves. They obey and follow God, and in the end they will bare so much more fruits. Dear brothers and sisters, what kind of Christians are you?
This world will be Judged. God’s words must be revived before the churches and our spirits can be revived. The mystery constantly referred to in the Old Testament is Christ. The mystery of Christ is the church. Only in the church can we see and experience God’s abundance. May we all connect tightly with God (the vine) throughout our lives and bare fruits for God.
Message by Elder Yeh / Summary and response by Jim Lin
