You need to set up a proper schedule for your life. Formerly, you were not living to the Lord, and your way of living was like that of those in the world. But now you are living to the Lord; you should set up a new pattern of life. Speaking first of the small things of life, most people like to sleep a little late in the morning. This is especially true with the young people. But now, you have to get up at six-thirty in the morning. The first thing after getting up is to call “O Lord Jesus” and to pray. Speaking next of the more important things of life, most people want to seek after an academic degree and to be famous and glamorous in the world. Now that we love the Lord and live for Him, our way of living is changed. In everything we should still fulfill our duties properly. We study properly and work properly, without any special coveting. In an ordinary way, we should love the Lord and live for Him. Formerly, our life was a struggle and a striving for success in the world. Now we live a simple life of loving the Lord, living for Him, raising a family, educating our children, and daily testifying and bringing people to Him. Even when we venture into business, we do so with a restraint. We only labor in a measured way. We would not be greedy, nor would we be lazy. Neither would we waste time. In this way, we will truly be a person that loves the Lord and lives for Him. Otherwise, even though you may have a strong desire, your outward way of living will eat you up totally and bind you. For this reason, our way of living has to be one that matches our desire to love Him, live for Him, and serve Him.
We should have a budget for our time, our energy, and our finances. When people talk about budgeting, most of them consider only finances. But according to my experience, even our energy has to be budgeted. I know how much strength I have. Every day I can use only a certain amount of strength. Every time I have a cold, it is because I have overexerted myself. If I would control my time well, I would not have a cold. This is why I plan ahead how many messages I need to speak and how many people I need to see in a week. Although you are young, you should distribute your strength properly. In this way, you will be able to accomplish the proper tasks.
Timewise, every week and every day, we should set aside some time for the Lord. If you really love the Lord, at least you have to sanctify the Lord’s Day for Him. The Lord’s Day is the Lord’s. In addition, you should devote at least one evening out of a week for helping others for the Lord’s sake. Either you should go to preach the gospel to gain people, or you should go to others’ homes to have home meetings or small group meetings with them. You do not have to do too much. If you would spend one evening a week, in a year there will be fifty-two evenings. If all the two thousand brothers and sisters sitting here would do this, many people can be cared for. Now we have thirty-eight thousand newly baptized ones. Who is going to care for them? Although it is difficult to deliver a child, that is done in a day. It is more difficult to raise a child. It takes many years to raise a child. Hence, to bring people to salvation, then to bring them to a proper spiritual living, and to bring them to live the corporate church life as a testimony, requires a tremendous amount of manpower. If all of you here will labor and strive, the church in Taipei can very well become the most prosperous and thriving church on the whole earth.
In the world, the thing that worries the mothers the most is that their daughters would not know how to cook after they are married. But in the end, all the wives know how to cook. There are very few households that hire cooks. Spiritually speaking, to hire a pastor to preach in the meetings is to hire a cook. Today, in changing the system, we are saying that everyone has to cook. Recently, I have been very happy, because both locally and overseas there are reports that tell me that the new way is workable and that meetings in many places have become rich and high. Today, to practice the new way, everyone has to be diligent. The opportunities are there for everyone to take. We all have to live a revived and overcoming life.
Hence, the new way requires that everyone mean business the whole day long. In the morning we have to contact the Lord and read His Word. During the day we have to walk according to the Spirit. Every Lord’s Day has to be sanctified, and every week we devote one evening for helping others. If we practice this now, when the Lord comes back we will then be able to give an account. Paul told us in 1 Corinthians 16 that if any man does not love the Lord, let him be accursed, and that the Lord will surely come and judge (vv. 22, 23). At my age today, I am still pleading with all of you. I surely have a burden. I have exhausted my all. I do this because I know that I will have to see my Lord and that I will be judged. I hope that you will also consider this matter seriously before the Lord.
In budgeting your finances, you should offer up what you have in excess according to the prosperity that the Lord has provided you (Acts 11:29; 1 Cor. 16:2). The word “prosper” in the original language means to advance well or to progress smoothly. It means to be successful and profitable in our business, career, or whatever else. To be prosperous is a gift from God which results in abundance and affluence. Take Taiwan as an example. It has turned from a place of perilous and poor conditions forty years ago to one with peaceful and rich conditions today. The foreigners have considered this to be a miracle. This is the Lord’s work and His provision. Hence, this prosperity is from the Lord. We have to send out our riches and care for the poor according to the prosperity that the Lord has granted us. In budgeting our finances, we should increase our giving according to the prosperity provided by the Lord. For example, this year you may budget to give a tenth of what you have. Next year, you may have to adjust to twelve percent. By increasing this way, you will be blessed.
When I was young, I read a word by Benjamin Franklin. He said that it is easy to make money, but that it is hard to spend money. At that time, I could not understand this. Later I became clear. He was absolutely right. It is difficult to use the money that we earn in the right way. The money that you earn should firstly be used to honor the Lord. You should say to the Lord, “Lord, You have given me this. I am offering a tenth of this to you.” As long as you have the heart, surely you can save one-tenth. You should save this money first, either for the preaching of the gospel, or to give to the poor. Only then will your money not be wasted. Only then will it be of value. But if you use your money on wasteful, luxurious, or lustful things, you will corrupt the society. Hence, the way of the Lord is a way of blessing. It is a blessing to you, to those that come into contact with you, and to society. If we want to follow the Lord, our financial planning for the Lord should be adjusted upward yearly.
Home | First | Prev | Next