On June 15, Pastor Bai Yu'e shared the twelfth sermon in an online series on the church’s revival. She shared how God uses people in the revival of the church.
How does God use people in the church’s revival?
“Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)
In this passage, we see the criteria God uses in choosing people. The people God uses are often weak, humble, and not attractive in the eyes of other people. People often choose the wise, rich, strong, and stable person. This is the difference between God and man. When a person feels that he is powerful and useful, he might not be able to be used by God. Only when we feel that we are useless can God begin to use us, because the power of God is made perfect in weakness.
All we who serve God today must cherish our calling from God. There are many people who say they don’t care, who say they don’t have time, are busy with work, and find various excuses. The opportunity is given by God. If you don’t cherish the opportunity, God can replace you with others.
God's concept of using people has also inspired people. Are spiritual leaders willing to use fallen people? Pastor Bai emphasized that we must learn from God when we use people; we should be willing to use those who have made mistakes or fallen short of God’s plan. If a person has been weak, rebelled against the church, but then repented, we should be willing to use them in the church. Whether a person could be used required the concept of revelation, that was, he realized that God wanted to use him with his faith and the revelation from God and then he had spontaneous actions. When we received the work from God, we must be willing to do it, and not care about payment and understand that the reward is not earthly.
We should have the mind of Christ.
How did the Lord win the hearts of his disciples? He did this by demonstrating his life and death to others and setting a good example. All the disciples were called and raised up by the Lord, and eventually all were martyred for the Lord. The disciples trained by Jesus all imitated Him, and ultimately lived and died for others. Today we are to imitate our Lord and be an example to others.
In church ministry today, we have too little power to serve as an example to others. Many pastors are too busy working and they ignore prayer, ignore being with believers, and lack a life of fellowship and love. Today we should imitate our Lord and be an example for the flock of sheep. Only death can bring revival and real transformation to others. Together we died to sin, but we live together with God and live out the example of His service. If we do this then people will closely follow.
How does the mind of Christ become central to our lives? By following the example of Christ and imitating Him we discover how we should live. By following Him we repeat the things we should do. When we make mistakes we repent and we are changed by Him. In this way, we develop the mind of Christ and our lives are shaped by Him. By practicing the presence of Christ in our lives over a long period of time we become imitators of Christ.
In the story of Joseph, we see the example of someone who was not controlled by his own mind, but by his heart. God was with him no matter where he was. Therefore, whether at home, outside his home, or in prison, in the eyes of other his situation was very bad. But the belief that God was with him shaped his life and he was able to overcome many difficulties and sins. So today we needed this same mindset within us so we do not let the environment and our situation control us. Once we have this mindset, the mind of Christ, then we can overcome suffering and sin, and eventually be reused and rewarded by God.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
白玉娥牧师谈教会复兴（十二）
6月15日，白玉娥牧师在线上分享了教会复兴的第十二篇。讲述了教会复兴当中，神用人的观念。
一、神用人的观念
弟兄们哪，可见你们蒙召的，按着肉体有智慧的不多，有能力的不多，有尊贵的也不多。神却拣选了世上愚拙的，叫有智慧的羞愧；又拣选了世上软弱的，叫那强壮的羞愧。神也拣选了世上卑贱的，被人厌恶的，以及那无有的，为要废掉那有的，使一切有血气的，在神面前一个也不能自夸。(哥林多前书 1:26-29 )
这一段经文可以看出神拣选人的标准，神使用的人在人们眼中是软弱的、卑贱的、厌恶的，人使用人往往会选择智慧的、富有的、强壮而刚强的等等。这就是神用人和人用人的不同之处。当人觉得自己有足够能力、自己是有用之人的时候，可能还没有被神大大的使用，只有什么时候觉得自己无用，神就要开始使用他了，因为神的能力是在人的软弱上显得完全。
今天在神面前所有服侍的家人们，一定要珍惜神给你服侍的岗位。有很多人不在乎、没有时间、工作忙、找各种理由。那个机会是神给的，如果不珍惜，神就可以用别人来取代。
神使用人的观念也给了人们启发，属灵的领袖是否肯用跌倒的人呢？白牧师强调我们在神面前用人就要学习神，我们要肯用那些跌倒的人。一个人在教会里经过软弱、跌倒或者是悖逆，如果他悔改了，我们就用他。一个人能否被使用，要有启示的观念，就是他用他的信心和神的启示，领悟到神要使用它，而且产生了自发性的行动。从神领受一定是甘心乐意做的，而且不会计较酬劳也不想那么多。
二、我们当持守的观念
主为什么能够得到门徒们的心呢？他诠释了什么叫活给人看，死给人看，做美好的榜样。所以门徒们都被主兴起，最终都为主殉道，耶稣所培养的门徒都是效法主，而且最终是活给别人看，死给别人看。今天我们要效法我们的主——作榜样。
在今天的教会侍奉中，太缺少榜样的力量了，很多的牧者忙于工作忽略祷告，忽略跟信徒在一起，缺少团契相爱的生活。今天我们要效法我们的主，要做群羊的榜样。只有死给别人看才能带来复兴，才能带来真正的转化，我们一起向罪死，我们一起向神生，活出榜样的服侍，后面的人才会紧紧的跟随。
生命的观念在我们里面是怎样形成的呢？就是有理论的观念，我们快快的做，多多的做，常常的做，我们就活成了我们生命的观念，而且经常做就会发现错误，错了不断的改变，再做错了再改，最终在我们的生命中就形成了一种生命的观念，所以如何形成生命的观念就是要改变和长久的操练，反复的操练。
圣经中约瑟的故事，他在任何的环境中都受到生命观念的影响，他不是用脑控制心，而是用心来控制脑，它始终保持神与他同在。所以无论在家里、外面还是监狱，他的处境在人看是非常不好的。但他的里面形成了一种生命的态度，神与他同在，他就跨越了很多的困难，也战胜了很多的罪恶。所以今天我们需要这个生命的状态形成在我们里面,而不是环境来左右我们，这种观念一旦在我们里面形成，就能带领我们战胜苦难和罪恶，而且最终得到神的重用和提拔
On June 15, Pastor Bai Yu'e shared the twelfth sermon in an online series on the church’s revival. She shared how God uses people in the revival of the church.
How does God use people in the church’s revival?
“Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)
In this passage, we see the criteria God uses in choosing people. The people God uses are often weak, humble, and not attractive in the eyes of other people. People often choose the wise, rich, strong, and stable person. This is the difference between God and man. When a person feels that he is powerful and useful, he might not be able to be used by God. Only when we feel that we are useless can God begin to use us, because the power of God is made perfect in weakness.
All we who serve God today must cherish our calling from God. There are many people who say they don’t care, who say they don’t have time, are busy with work, and find various excuses. The opportunity is given by God. If you don’t cherish the opportunity, God can replace you with others.
God's concept of using people has also inspired people. Are spiritual leaders willing to use fallen people? Pastor Bai emphasized that we must learn from God when we use people; we should be willing to use those who have made mistakes or fallen short of God’s plan. If a person has been weak, rebelled against the church, but then repented, we should be willing to use them in the church. Whether a person could be used required the concept of revelation, that was, he realized that God wanted to use him with his faith and the revelation from God and then he had spontaneous actions. When we received the work from God, we must be willing to do it, and not care about payment and understand that the reward is not earthly.
We should have the mind of Christ.
How did the Lord win the hearts of his disciples? He did this by demonstrating his life and death to others and setting a good example. All the disciples were called and raised up by the Lord, and eventually all were martyred for the Lord. The disciples trained by Jesus all imitated Him, and ultimately lived and died for others. Today we are to imitate our Lord and be an example to others.
In church ministry today, we have too little power to serve as an example to others. Many pastors are too busy working and they ignore prayer, ignore being with believers, and lack a life of fellowship and love. Today we should imitate our Lord and be an example for the flock of sheep. Only death can bring revival and real transformation to others. Together we died to sin, but we live together with God and live out the example of His service. If we do this then people will closely follow.
How does the mind of Christ become central to our lives? By following the example of Christ and imitating Him we discover how we should live. By following Him we repeat the things we should do. When we make mistakes we repent and we are changed by Him. In this way, we develop the mind of Christ and our lives are shaped by Him. By practicing the presence of Christ in our lives over a long period of time we become imitators of Christ.
In the story of Joseph, we see the example of someone who was not controlled by his own mind, but by his heart. God was with him no matter where he was. Therefore, whether at home, outside his home, or in prison, in the eyes of other his situation was very bad. But the belief that God was with him shaped his life and he was able to overcome many difficulties and sins. So today we needed this same mindset within us so we do not let the environment and our situation control us. Once we have this mindset, the mind of Christ, then we can overcome suffering and sin, and eventually be reused and rewarded by God.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Church Revival: God Uses Weak, Humble People
