Hallelujah, in the name of Lord Jesus Christ we commence this morning's sharing. First I would like to praise and thank God to come here and have fellowship with all of you.

For the last year God blessed my family and I so much. In the last year alone eight of my family members got baptized. Truly I praise and thank God. I could not imagine eight of my family could come to know the true and living God. Not only that my biological parents, my father and mother are currently living with us. I have not lived with them for 26 years, so this being the first year that I can truly live with them is a really a great blessing for me.

Now my two nieces and nephew are also living with us. So over night, it seemed like my wife and I had triplets. But the most wonderful thing is that everyone in the house are all baptized and all of them received the Holy Spirit except for a 4 year old. I truly praise and thank God.

I would also like to praise and thank God for the brothers and sisters who have been praying for us. Having my family and myself coming to know Christ is truly a great blessing.

For the next two days I would like to share with you the topic “Transforming Our Lives.” We know as the chosen people of God, we cannot stay in a status quo. Every single day we should be able to transform our lives. This means our faith must increase continually because we know towards the end days it is going to be very difficult for us to keep our faith. As Satan's deception becomes stronger and stronger, so too must our faith become stronger and stronger.

I remember a couple of weeks ago. A truth seeker came to Pacifica church to fellowship with us. On Wednesday nights we usually share for half an hour and pray for half an hour. During that prayer the truth seeker came up to pray. As I was praying I heard her spoke in tongue. For me I was completely in shock. I was like wow another church denomination can also speak in tongue. Later I got up to lay hands. Then when I looked at her closely and listened to her closely, I noticed even though her tongue sounded so similar to our tongue but somehow it was different. When she was praying her eyes were almost rolling out of her head.  So we could see that Satan's deception is very real. Afterwards one of the brothers asked her, “Wow, it must be so difficult for you to pray half an hour with us.” She said, “No, I pray at home all the time for more than an hour.”  However, we saw the spirit she had was not the same spirit as ours. When we are not careful we can get deceived very easily.

The same thing happened when I went to Africa. At that time I was a TTP (Theological Training Program) student so I was not too experienced with different spirits. One time a truth seeker came to our fellowship and she also spoke in tongue. I asked Pr. Ko, “Wow, does she have the Holy Spirit?” He said plainly, “No, she has an evil spirit.” How could it be since she sounded so much like us? I wondered. The minute we walked towards her she fell back and started to scream. Then we knew for certain she had an evil spirit.

One night we were praying. Of course in Africa at night time it is really dark and you can't see anything. During that time as we prayed, a truth seeker also spoke in tongue but Pr. Ko said that person had evil spirit. So for us we must be able to discern evil spirit and God’s spirit. That's why in the end days it can be very difficult. When Satan is trying to deceive us he is not going to use something obvious like monopoly dollar, because you could easily tell what is fake and real. He will use something so real to fool you into thinking it's the real thing. That's why our faith must increase in the end days. That's why in the Book of Revelation God said every believer must enter into the holy of holy, because the outer courts are given to gentiles to trample. We know only the high priest can enter the holy of holy. This means in the end days every single one of us if we don't become the high priest, we would not survive in the end days.

High priest always prays not only for themselves but also for the people. High priests are always in front of God and serving God on behalf of the people. So that's why we need to transform our lives.

Matthew 5:1  “And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.”

We know here Lord Jesus Christ spoke the Beatitudes. During that time, the multitudes or many people wanted to know Lord Jesus Christ and be be close to him. But few people wanted to follow his way, since only very few people could do what He says.

When he went up to the mountain, only his disciples followed him. We know the rest of the multitudes most likely did not go up with him. If we wish to be his true disciples, we must also go up to the mountain to be with him. Because only if we truly go up the mountain with him will our life will be filled with blessings upon blessings.

If we go up the mountain verse two states:

“Then He opened His mouth and taught them…”

Although physically we are sitting in the church, yet in the spiritual realm we are sitting in the heavenly kingdom. We know the angels are surrounding every single one of us. That's why every single one of us—even though we have to live in the physical world, we cannot conform to the things of this world but we must transform ourselves above the things of this world and only then can we truly understand God's will and God's way.

So we see this time when Jesus opened his mouth from verse 3 to verse 10 8 blessings were recorded. These blessings are one blessing upon another, but what happens when we do not go up the mountain with him? No longer will our lives be full of blessings. Instead there will be some blessings and some woes.

Luke 6:17-18 “He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured.”

We can see in book of Matthew Jesus went up the mountain. Those who went up the mountain received blessing upon blessing. But when he came down with them to the level place, during this time many other people showed up—not only his disciples but also great multitudes of people from Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon who came not only to hear but also to have their disease healed. When we read from verse 20 to 26. Verse 20 and 22 record four blessings, whereas verse 24 and 26 four woes.

Why such contrasts? Lord Jesus Christ went up the mountain in order for every single one of our lives to be filled with blessings upon blessings, as it's a promise from our Lord Jesus Christ. But sometimes our lives are also full of woes. Sometimes we do not go up all the way to the mountain.

Just like Moses who went up to the mountain alone. During that time there were more than 2 million people, yet only Moses went up the mountain. This means very few of us can live a life truly full of blessing. Nonetheless, that doesn't mean it's impossible.

Especially toward the end days, every single one of us must become perfect just like our heavenly father is perfect. Perfect just like John, James, and Peter. When they went up to the mountain, they saw the glory of God and  Jesus transforming right in front of them. During that time they felt so fulfilled. That's why Peter asked Jesus, “Can we can build three tabernacle one for Elijah, one for Moses, one for you?”

We know at the top of the mountain nothing is there. But why did Peter want to stay up there and request for only three tabernacles? This means that Peter, John and James must sleep outside but even sleeping outside to behold the glory of Jesus was enough for him. God has blessed every single one of us with many things. We live very comfortable lives. Everyday we can eat 3 to 5 meals a day. We can almost choose any kind of food to eat.

However, the most important thing is are we satisfied with life? Are we fulfilled with the love of Lord Jesus Christ? Because toward the end of our lives, the only thing that matters is our relationship with God. Of course to be blessed with material thing is a great blessing from God. But at the same time we also should be blessed spiritually to be sure we remain in God’s favor. If we have both it would be truly a great blessing.

Matthew 5:  “3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

As you can see, the eight blessings start with the kingdom of heaven and end with the kingdom of heaven.  What does this mean for us? Kingdom of heaven exists in three places: church, heart, and heaven. This means when our whole life is full of blessings and we come to church, we can truly feel the heavenly kingdom is inside our heart. Do we feel love inside our heart? Do we feel peace, and joy inside our heart?  In the heavenly kingdom there is no more pain, no sorrow, nor death. Such kingdom also should exist inside our hearts as we come to worship God.

Verse 3 said “Blessed are poor in spirit.” So how many of us truly feel poor in spirits? This is very important. If we feel that we are poor in spirit this means we will always strive to increase our faith. But if we feel already rich in spirit, it means we feel there's no more room to grow.

You can see Tiger Woods is the best golf player in the world. Yet, even though he is already the best, yet he still wants to be better. That's why he even hired a coach to teach him to become even better. People cannot believe he hired a coach.  How can the #1 player in the world still hire someone to teach him?!  Because he wants to be better and stay as number one.

Just like Michael Jordan when he was at his prime, for sure he was the best player of all time, but every single morning he would get up at 5 in the morning and shoot 1,000 to 2,000 free throws even though he was already the best. He was not satisfied but wanted to be even better. He knew some day someone else could become as good as he was. If he only stayed as he was, someone else would catch up to him.

Same thing is true with our faith. Just like the Israelites you can see whenever the Israelites lived comfortable lives, meanwhile their faith was steadily sliding backward and did not realize it. Why? Because they never truly went up to the mountain.

Revelation 3:16-20  
“16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”

We can read during this time God went to the church of Laodiceans. We know the lukewarm Laodiceans meant their faith were neither cold nor hot. God says if you are neither cold nor hot, God will vomit you out of His mouth because God wants it to be either cold or hot.

Why were they lukewarm? Because they said they were rich and had become wealthy. They said to themselves they needed nothing else. They did not know how wretched they were and miserable and how poor, blind, and naked. So for us we cannot be like them.

We can see nowadays many churches in the U.S. are lukewarm. This means whenever we come to church we feel neither hot nor cold. We feel that day in day out everything remains the same. If that is the case, we need to truly repent to God and ask him to increase our faith. Why do we sometimes feel the way we feel?  Because a lot of time we do not go up the mountain just like the churches in Revelation.

Revelation 2:7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”’

11 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”’

17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”’

29 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’

Revelation 3:6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’

Revelation 3:13 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’

Revelation 3:22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’

So what do all these verses mean? This means if we are filled with Spirit of God we truly would know the status of our spirituality. Just like in the book of Ezekiel. There were times when Ezekiel was in the spirit of the Lord. God took him to a valley full of dry bones. The reason he was able to see this was he was in spirit of the Lord. These dry bones are the chosen people of God. At that time people committed great idolatry against God and felt God was no longer with them. They felt that God cut them off because they were dry bones. So for us if we are in the spirit of the Lord we will truly know how poor we are and how wretched we are as the chosen people of God.

According to the bible, the latter rain should be so much more powerful than the former rain. The latter temple should be more glorious than the former temple. We are the latter rain. We are the latter temple. So every single one of us should be filled with the spirit of God. Then why are we sometimes lukewarm?

Citing churches in the book of Revelation as example, we know in chapter two this was a church in crisis. The church left their first love. Every single one of us should ask ourselves do we still have our first love? Just think and reflect. Do we truly love our Lord Jesus Christ as when we first came to know Him? Do we truly and have the kind of zeal to serve him?

If we don't have the first love of course we become lukewarm just like in a relationship between wife and husband. For sure when you first fall in love you do many things for one another, because you truly love one another. After being married for a while, we become lukewarm. This means whether we are married or not does not seem to matter. If we don't see our wife or husband 2 or 3 days it does not matter. If this is the case that means we have left our first love.

Similarly in our relationship with Lord Jesus Christ, if we go one day without reading the bible and praying to him, it means we have lost our first love. It cannot be like this. If we have left our first love, for sure our faith will turn lukewarm. What happens when we become lukewarm? We become just like the children of Pergamos.

Revelation 2:12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write,
‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword.”

They became a compromising church and turned lukewarm. This means it's so easy for us to compromise with the things of this world. Just like nowadays, many people do not want to say we are the only saved church. We don't even believe any longer that we need to be baptized and receive the Holy Spirit and have foot washing in order to be saved. When we go to evangelize and even during evangelical nights some members request not to pray in the Holy Spirit. Why? Because we are afraid we'll scare other people away. How can it be like this if we ourselves have the spirit of God living inside of us? Do we not have the faith that the spirit of God contain great power?  How can we expect God to bring people to our church?

If we have left our first love we become lukewarm. When we become lukewarm it is easy for us to compromise. When we compromise with the things of this world then we become like the children of Thyatira and equally as corrupt. This means different doctrine will come to our church to try to corrupt us. What happens when we become corrupt? We become the church of Sardis. We become a dead church. We should not be like this. Such churches will not glorify God. Such churches will not enter the kingdom of God.

So for us we must strive to be a church just like Smyrna which desires to keep the words of God. Because we want to keep the words of God, we will face persecution. When we become persecuted we then become the church like Philadelphia. We become a faithful church.

Every single one of us, if we have deserted our first love we must return and go back to God, repent to God, and ask him to give back our zeal. This way we do not become lukewarm. We will not compromise. We do not want to turn into a corrupt and dead church. But rather we need to be steadfast and hold onto God and so become faithful believers of God.

Only way for us to attain this is we must go up to the mountain so we can hear what the spirit of God says to us. Since I have been in Christ for 10 years for sure our churches have been beaten up by Satan. Nowadays it’s so hard to preach the gospel to others. The reason for this is of course people's hearts have become more complicated. Another reason being we ourselves are not filled with God.

If we do not believe in what we preach, then we would not have spirit of God inside of us. Of course it seems like the other churches have thousands of members attending their church. On the other hand, our church since 1972 not too many people have come to know Jesus. Why? This is biblical. Very few people will find the narrow gate and in the end days very few people will be saved—including the chosen people of God. Those who don't know God and those who do not obey the gospel of God have no chance to be saved.

But as for us God’s judgment will start with us. Even though we are righteous we will scarcely be saved according to the bible. That is why every single day we should continue to lift up our faith and be filled with the love of God, to love God with all our heart, all our mind, all our soul, and all our strength and to love one another, just as God commands us. Because if we do not practice these two things, then our lives won’t be worth living for. Everyday we should feel poor in spirit, so we can go up to the mountain, so God can teach us how to be filled with the Holy Spirit.