Jesus’ Words to His Disciples After His Resurrection

Jesus’ Words to His Disciples After His Resurrection

Apr 26, 2018428

(Jhn 20:26-29) And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the middle, and said, Peace be to you. Then said he to Thomas, Reach here your finger, and behold my hands; and reach here your hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said to him, My LORD and my God. Jesus said to him, Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

(Jhn 21:16-17) He said to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, love you me? He said to him, Yes, Lord; you know that I love you. He said to him, Feed my sheep. He said to him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, love you me? Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, Love you me? And he said to him, Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you. Jesus said to him, Feed my sheep.

Pictures of the Church of Almighty God

What these passages recount are some things that the Lord Jesus did and said to His disciples after His resurrection. First, let’s take a look at any differences between the Lord Jesus before and after the resurrection. Was He still the same Lord Jesus of past days? The scripture contains the following line describing the Lord Jesus after the resurrection: “then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the middle, and said, Peace be to you.” It’s very clear that the Lord Jesus at that time was no longer a flesh, but a spiritual body. This was because He had transcended the limitations of the flesh, and when the door was closed He could still come into the midst of the people and allow them to see Him. This is the greatest difference between the Lord Jesus after the resurrection and the Lord Jesus living in the flesh before the resurrection. Even though there was no difference between the appearance of the spiritual body of that moment and the appearance of the Lord Jesus from before, Jesus in that moment had become a Jesus that felt like a stranger to the people, because He had become a spiritual body after being resurrected from the dead, and compared to His previous flesh, this spiritual body was more puzzling and confusing for people. It also created more distance between the Lord Jesus and the people, and people felt in their hearts that the Lord Jesus in that moment had become more mysterious. These understandings and feelings on the part of the people suddenly brought them back to an age of believing in a God that could not be seen or touched. So, the first thing that the Lord Jesus did after His resurrection was to allow everyone to see Him, to confirm that He exists, and to confirm the fact of His resurrection. In addition, it restored His relationship with the people to the relationship He had with them when He was working in the flesh, and He was the Christ they could see and touch. This way, one outcome is that the people had no doubt that the Lord Jesus had been resurrected from death after being nailed to the cross, and there was no doubt in the Lord Jesus’ work to redeem mankind. And another outcome is that the fact of the Lord Jesus appearing to people after His resurrection and allowing people to see and touch Him firmly secured mankind in the Age of Grace. From this time on, people could not return to the previous age, the Age of Law, because of the Lord Jesus’ “disappearance” or “desertion,” but they would continue forward, following the Lord Jesus’ teachings and the work He had done. Thus, a new phase in the work in the Age of Grace was formally opened up, and the people who had been under the law formally came out from the law from then on, and entered into a new era, with a new beginning. These are the manifold meanings of the Lord Jesus’ appearance to mankind after the resurrection.

Since He was a spiritual body, how could people touch Him, and see Him? This has to do with the significance of the Lord Jesus’ appearance to mankind. Did you notice anything in these passages of scripture? Generally spiritual bodies cannot be seen or touched, and after the resurrection the work that the Lord Jesus had taken on had already been completed. So in theory, He had absolutely no need to return to the people’s midst in His original image to meet with them, but the appearance of the Lord Jesus’ spiritual body to people like Thomas made its significance more concrete, and it penetrated more deeply into the people’s hearts. When He came to Thomas, He let doubting Thomas touch His hand, and told him: “reach here your hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.” These words, these actions weren’t things that the Lord Jesus wanted to say and do only after He had been resurrected, but they were things He wanted to do before He had been nailed to the cross. It is evident that the Lord Jesus who had not yet been nailed to the cross already had an understanding of people such as Thomas. So what can we see from this? He was still the same Lord Jesus after His resurrection. His essence had not changed. Thomas’ doubts had not just started but had been with him the entire time he had been following the Lord Jesus, but He was the Lord Jesus that had been resurrected from the dead and had returned from the spiritual world with His original image, with His original disposition, and with His understanding of mankind from His time in the flesh, so He went to find Thomas first, to let Thomas touch His rib, to let him not only see His spiritual body after resurrection, but to let him touch and feel the existence of His spiritual body, and completely let go of his doubts. Before the Lord Jesus was nailed to the cross, Thomas always doubted that He is Christ, and could not believe it. His belief in God was established only on the basis of what he could see with his own eyes, what he could touch with his own hands. The Lord Jesus had a good understanding of the faith of this type of person. They only believed in God in heaven, and did not believe at all, and would not accept the One sent by God, or the Christ in the flesh. In order to have him acknowledge and believe in the existence of the Lord Jesus and that He truly was God incarnate, He allowed Thomas to reach out his hand and touch His rib. Was Thomas’ doubting any different before and after the Lord Jesus’ resurrection? He was always doubting, and aside from the Lord Jesus’ spiritual body personally appearing to him and allowing Thomas to touch the nail marks on His body, no one could resolve his doubts, and no one could make him let go of them. So, from the time the Lord Jesus allowed him to touch His rib and let him really feel the existence of the nail marks, Thomas’ doubt disappeared, and he truly knew that the Lord Jesus had been resurrected and he acknowledged and believed that the Lord Jesus was the true Christ, that He was God incarnate. Although at this time Thomas no longer doubted, he had lost forever the chance to meet with Christ. He had lost forever the chance to be together with Him, to follow Him, to know Him. He had lost the chance for Christ to perfect him. The Lord Jesus’ appearance and His words provided a conclusion, and a verdict on the faith of those who were full of doubts. He used His actual words and actions to tell the doubters, to tell those who only believed in God in heaven but did not believe in Christ: God did not commend their belief, nor did He commend their following which was full of doubts. The day they fully believed in God and Christ could only be the day that God completed His great work. Of course, that day was also the day that their doubt received a verdict. Their attitude toward Christ determined their fate, and their stubborn doubt meant their faith gained them no results, and their hardness meant their hopes were in vain. Because their belief in God in heaven was fed on illusions, and their doubt toward Christ was actually their true attitude toward God, even though they touched the nail marks on the Lord Jesus’ body, their faith was still useless and their outcome could only be described as beating the wind—in vain. What the Lord Jesus said to Thomas was also very clearly telling every person: The resurrected Lord Jesus is the Lord Jesus that had initially spent thirty-three and a half years working among mankind. Although He had been nailed to the cross and experienced the valley of the shadow of death, and He had experienced resurrection, His every aspect had undergone no changes. Although He now had nail marks on His body, and although He had been resurrected and walked out from the grave, His disposition, His understanding of mankind, and His intentions toward mankind had not changed in the slightest. Also, He was telling people that He had come down off the cross, triumphed over sin, triumphed over hardships, and triumphed over death. The nail marks were just the evidence of His victory over Satan, evidence of being a sin offering to successfully redeem all of mankind. He was telling people that He had already taken on mankind’s sins and He had completed His work of redemption. When He returned to see His disciples, He told them with His appearance: “I’m still alive, I still exist; today I am truly standing in front of you so that you can see and touch Me. I will always be with you.” The Lord Jesus also wanted to use the case of Thomas as a warning for future people: Although you believe in the Lord Jesus, you can neither see nor touch Him, yet you can be blessed by your true faith, and you can see the Lord Jesus through your true faith; this kind of person is blessed.

Pictures of the Church of Almighty God

……

That is the Lord Jesus’ attitude toward those who are full of doubts. So what did the Lord Jesus say to, and what did He do for those who are able to honestly believe in and follow Him? This is what we’re going to look at next, regarding something the Lord Jesus said to Peter.

In this conversation, the Lord Jesus repeatedly asked Peter one thing: “Peter, love you me?” This is a higher standard the Lord Jesus required from people like Peter after His resurrection, who truly believe in Christ and strive to love the Lord. This question was a sort of investigation, and a sort of interrogation, but even more, it was a requirement and an expectation of people like Peter. He used this method of questioning so that people would reflect on themselves and look into themselves: What are the Lord Jesus’ requirements for people? Do I love the Lord? Am I a person who loves God? How should I love God? Even though the Lord Jesus only asked this question of Peter, the truth is that in His heart, He wanted to use this opportunity of asking Peter to ask this type of question of more people who seek to love God. It is only that Peter was blessed to act as the representative of this type of person, to receive questioning from the Lord Jesus’ own mouth.

Compared to “reach here your hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing,” which the Lord Jesus said to Thomas after His resurrection, His three times of questioning Peter: “Simon, son of Jonas, love you me?” allow people to better feel the sternness of the Lord Jesus’ attitude, and the urgency He felt during His questioning. As for doubting Thomas with his deceitful nature, the Lord Jesus allowed him to reach out his hand and touch His nail marks, which let him believe that the Lord Jesus was the Son of man resurrected and acknowledge the Lord Jesus’ identity as Christ. And although the Lord Jesus did not sternly rebuke Thomas, nor did He verbally express any clear judgment of him, He let him know that He understood him through practical actions, while also displaying His attitude toward and determination of that type of person. The Lord Jesus’ requirements and expectations of that type of person cannot be seen from what He said. Because people like Thomas simply do not have a thread of true faith. The Lord Jesus’ requirements for them are only in this, but the attitude He revealed toward people like Peter is entirely different. He did not require that Peter reach out his hand and touch His nail marks, nor did He say to Peter: “be not faithless, but believing.” Instead, He repeatedly asked Peter the same question. This was a thought-provoking, meaningful question that can’t help but make every follower of Christ feel remorse, and fear, but also feel the Lord Jesus’ anxious, sorrowful mood. And when they are in great pain and suffering, they are more able to understand the Lord Jesus Christ’s concern and His care; they realize His earnest teaching and strict requirements of pure, honest people. The Lord Jesus’ question allows people to feel that the Lord’s expectations of people revealed in these simple words are not merely to believe in and follow Him, but to achieve having love, loving your Lord, loving your God. This kind of love is caring and obeying. It is humans living for God, dying for God, dedicating everything to God, and expending and giving everything for God. This kind of love is also giving God comfort, allowing Him to enjoy witness, and allowing Him to be at rest. It is mankind’s repayment to God, their responsibility, obligation and duty, and it is a way that mankind must follow for their entire lives. These three questions were a requirement and an exhortation the Lord Jesus made of Peter and all people who would be made perfect. It was these three questions that led and motivated Peter to complete his path in life, and it was the questions at the Lord Jesus’ parting that led Peter to start on his path of being made perfect, that led him, because of his love for the Lord, to care for the Lord’s heart, to obey the Lord, to offer comfort to the Lord, and to offer up his whole life and his whole being because of this love.

During the Age of Grace, God’s work was primarily for two types of people. The first was the type of person who believed in and followed Him, who could keep His commandments, who could bear the cross and hold to the way of the Age of Grace. This type of person would gain God’s blessing and enjoy God’s grace. The second type of person was like Peter, someone who would be made perfect. So, after the Lord Jesus was resurrected, He first did these two very meaningful things. One was to Thomas, the other was to Peter. What do these two things represent? Do they represent God’s true intentions of saving mankind? Do they represent God’s sincerity toward mankind? The work He did with Thomas was to warn people not to be doubting, but to just believe. The work He did with Peter was to strengthen the faith of people like Peter, and to make clear requirements of this type of person, to show what goals they should be pursuing.

Pictures of the Church of Almighty God

After the Lord Jesus was resurrected, He appeared to the people He thought necessary, spoke with them, and made requirements of them, leaving behind His intentions, and His expectations of people. That is to say, as God incarnate, it doesn’t matter if it was during His time in the flesh, or in the spiritual body after being nailed to the cross and being resurrected—His concern for mankind and requirements of people did not change. He was concerned about these disciples before He was up on the cross; in His heart, He was clear on the state of every single person, He understood every person’s deficiency, and of course His understanding of every person was the same after He had died, resurrected, and become a spiritual body as it was when He was in the flesh. He knew that people weren’t entirely certain of His identity as Christ, but during His time in the flesh He did not make strict demands of people. But after He had been resurrected He appeared to them, and He made them absolutely certain that the Lord Jesus had come from God, that He was God incarnate, and He used the fact of His appearance and His resurrection as the greatest vision and motivation for mankind’s lifelong pursuit. His resurrection from death not only strengthened all those who followed Him, but also thoroughly put His work of the Age of Grace into effect among mankind, and thus the gospel of the Lord Jesus’ salvation in the Age of Grace gradually spread to every corner of humanity. Would you say that the Lord Jesus’ appearance after His resurrection had any significance? If you were Thomas or Peter at that time, and you encountered this one thing in your life that was so meaningful, what kind of impact would it have on you? Would you see this as the best and the greatest vision of your life of believing in God? Would you see this as a driving force of your following God, striving to satisfy Him, and pursuing love of God in your life? Would you expend a lifetime of effort to spread this greatest of visions? Would you make spreading the Lord Jesus’ salvation a commission you accept from God? Even though you have not experienced this, the two cases of Thomas and Peter are already enough for modern people to have a clear understanding of God’s will and of God. It could be said that after God had become flesh, after He personally experienced life among mankind and a human life, and after He saw the depravity of mankind and the situation of human life, God in the flesh more deeply felt the helplessness, the sadness, and the pitifulness of mankind. God gained more compassion for the human condition because of His humanity while living in the flesh, because of His instincts in the flesh. This led Him to have greater concern for His followers. These are probably things that you can’t understand, but I can describe worry and caring of God in the flesh for every one of His followers with this phrase: intense concern. Even though this term comes from human language, and even though it’s a very human phrase, it truly expresses and describes God’s feelings for His followers. As for God’s intense concern for humans, over the course of your experiences you will gradually feel this and get a taste of it. However, this can only be achieved by gradually understanding God’s disposition on the basis of pursuing a change in your own disposition. The appearance of the Lord Jesus materialized His intense concern for His followers in humanity and handed it over to His spiritual body, or you could say His divinity. His appearance allowed people to have another experience and feeling of God’s concern and care while also powerfully proving that God is the One who opens up an age, who develops an age, and He is the One who ends an age. Through His appearance He strengthened the faith of all people, and through His appearance He proved to the world the fact that He is God Himself. This gave His followers eternal confirmation, and through His appearance He also opened up a phase of His work in the new age.

from “God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself III” in The Word Appears in the

Recommended: The Eastern Lightning website is testimony that the Lord Jesus has returned in the flesh and appeared in China, that He is Almighty God, Christ of the last days, has expressed truths to do the work of judgment beginning with the house of God, and brings true light down upon mankind.

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Analyzing and Discerning the CCP Government’s and the Religious World’s Rumors and Lies (2)

Analyzing and Discerning the CCP Government’s and the Religious World’s Rumors and Lies (2)

Nov 29, 2017191

(3) Dissecting the Third Chinese Communist Party and Religious Community Rumor: The Church of Almighty God Was Created by a Person

Relevant Words of God:

Some may wonder, Why must the age be ushered in by God Himself? Cannot a created being stand in His stead? You are all aware that God becomes flesh for the express purpose of ushering in a new age, and, of course, when He ushers in a new age, He will have concluded the former age at the same time. God is the Beginning and the End; it is He Himself who sets His work in motion and so it must be He Himself who concludes the former age. That is the proof that He defeats Satan and conquers the world. Each time He Himself works among man, it is the beginning of a new battle. Without the beginning of new work, there would naturally be no conclusion of the old. And when there is no conclusion of the old, this is proof that the battle with Satan has yet to come to a close. Only if God Himself comes, and carries out new work among man, can man break completely free of the domain of Satan and gain a new life and a new beginning. Otherwise, man shall forever live in the old age and forever live under the old influence of Satan. With every age led by God, a part of man is set free, and thus man advances along with the work of God toward the new age. The victory of God means a victory for all those who follow Him. If the race of created human beings were charged with concluding the age, then be it from the viewpoint of man or of Satan, this would be no more than an act of opposing or betraying God, not one of obedience to God, and the work of man would become a tool for Satan. Only if man obeys and follows God in an age ushered in by God Himself can Satan be fully convinced, for that is the duty of a created being. And so I say that you need only follow and obey, and no more is required of you. This is what is meant by each keeping to his duty and each performing his respective function. God does His own work and has no need for man to do it in His stead, nor does He participate in the work of created beings. Man performs his own duty and does not participate in the work of God. Only this is obedience, and proof of Satan’s defeat. After God Himself has finished ushering in the new age, He no longer comes down to work in the midst of mankind Himself. It is only then that man officially steps into the new age to perform his duty and carry out his mission as a created being. These are the principles governing work, which no one may transgress. Only working in this way is sensible and reasonable. The work of God is to be done by God Himself. It is He who sets His work in motion, and it is He who concludes His work. It is He who plans the work, and it is He who manages it, and even more, it is He who brings the work to fruition. As stated in the Bible, “I am the Beginning and the End; I am the Sower and the Reaper.” All that pertains to the work of His management is done by God Himself. He is the Ruler of the six-thousand-year management plan; no one can do His work in His stead and no one can bring His work to a close, for it is He who holds everything in His hand. Having created the world, He will lead the entire world to live in His light, and He will also conclude the entire age, thereby bringing His entire plan to fruition!

from “The Mystery of the Incarnation (1)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

In the Age of Grace, the Lord Jesus promised to His followers, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (Jhn 14:3). He also prophesied, “For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even to the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Mat 24:27). In the last days, as promised and foretold by Himself, God has again become flesh and descended to the East of the world—China—to do the work of judgment, chastisement, conquest, and salvation using the word, on the foundation of the redemption work of the Lord Jesus. In this, the prophecies of the Bible that “Judgment begins with the house of God” (1Pe 4:17) and “He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev 2:7) have also been fulfilled. God’s work of the last days has ended the Age of Grace and ushered in the Age of Kingdom. As the gospel of the kingdom of Almighty God spread rapidly in Mainland China, The Church of Almighty God came into being. As proven by facts, The Church of Almighty God came into being entirely as a result of God’s work of the last days, and was not established by any man. This is because the chosen people in The Church of Almighty God pray in the name of Almighty God, obey His work, and accept all the truths expressed by Him. Thus it is evident that these chosen people believe in Christ who is incarnated in the last days, the practical God who is the Spirit realized in the flesh, instead of believing in a man. Outwardly, Almighty God is nothing more than an ordinary Son of man, but in substance He is the embodiment of God’s Spirit and is the truth, the way, and the life. His work and word are the direct expression of the Spirit of God and are the appearance of God in person. Therefore, He is the practical God who is incarnated.

from “Almighty God and The Church of Almighty God” in Selected Annals of the Work Arrangements of The Church of Almighty God

The churches of Christianity came to be because of the appearance and work of the Lord Jesus become flesh, and The Church of Almighty God came to be because of the appearance and work of the incarnate Almighty God of the last days. Thus, churches throughout the ages have been produced because of the appearance and work of God become flesh. Every time God incarnate works, He expresses many truths, and many people come to accept and follow God because of these truths expressed by God, thus giving rise to the churches. From this it can be seen that the churches are formed from those who accept the work of God and follow God. These gatherings of God’s chosen ones are called churches. The churches of Christianity were produced by the appearance and work of the incarnate Lord Jesus two thousand years ago. The Lord Jesus preached, “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mat 4:17), and He did the work of redemption, and expressed the truths that the people of the Age of Grace should put into practice and enter into. Many people then began to believe in and follow the Lord, and thus the churches of that time came into being. Afterward, the gospel of the Lord Jesus spread to every country and territory, until the last days when it had spread to the ends of the earth, and Christian churches thus emerged in every country. These were the churches of the Age of Grace. During the final stages of the last days, the incarnate Almighty God appears and works in mainland China. Upon the foundation of the work of redemption of the Lord Jesus during the Age of Grace, Almighty God carries out the work of “judgment must begin at the house of God” (1Pe 4:17) prophesied in the Bible. To all mankind, Almighty God reveals all the mysteries of God’s six-thousand-year management plan, and expresses all truths for the purification and salvation of mankind. Because of the appearance and work of Almighty God of the last days, many people from every denomination of the religious world, people who have believed in the Lord for many years, have finally heard the voice of God and seen that the Lord Jesus has come and has carried out the work of judgment of the last days. They have verified that Almighty God is the returned Lord Jesus, and because of this they have accepted Almighty God’s work of the last days. In mainland China, at least several million people have accepted and now follow Almighty God. Thus, The Church of Almighty God is entirely the result of the appearance and work of Almighty God. It was personally established by Almighty God, and not by any person. Every Christian in The Church of Almighty God fully recognizes that Almighty God is the returned Lord Jesus, Christ of the last days, and the appearance of God. The Christians of The Church of Almighty God pray to the name of Almighty God. What they read, listen to, and fellowship are the words of Almighty God, and what they hold to are all the truths expressed by Almighty God. These truths are the way of everlasting life brought by God during the last days. This is enough to prove that the Christians in The Church of Almighty God believe in and follow Almighty God rather than any man. But the CCP government makes the rumor that The Church of Almighty God was established by a certain man. This is unfounded and does not accord with the fact remotely. Who God incarnate will use has been predestined by God, and is also personally appointed and testified to by God—just as when the Lord Jesus worked, He personally chose and appointed the twelve disciples. These people who are used by God, however, merely cooperate in God’s work, and they are incapable of working in God’s stead. The churches were not established by them, and the one whom God’s chosen ones believe in and follow is not those who are used by God. The churches of the Age of Grace were not set up by Paul and the other apostles, but produced by the work of the Lord Jesus; they were personally established by the Lord Jesus. Likewise, The Church of Almighty God of the last days was also not set up by the man used by God, but was born from the work of Almighty God. It was established and is shepherded by Almighty God personally; the man used by God merely waters, provides for, and guides the churches, performing his duty. Although God’s chosen ones are led, watered, and provided for by the man used by God, the One whom God’s chosen ones believe in and follow is Almighty God—which is a fact that no one can deny. …

The Christians of The Church of Almighty God accept and follow Almighty God as they see the expression of Almighty God is all the truth. They recognize that Almighty God is the second coming of the Lord Jesus. Yet the CCP government does not recognize the existence of God. It refers to religious organizations and churches as human organizations. Religious groups are designated as human organizations by unbelievers and the atheist government. This is unsubstantiated internationally. As we all know, religious beliefs are commonly recognized by the international community. All democratic countries recognize religious beliefs, recognize freedom of belief and respect religious groups. International conventions also recognize the freedom of religious belief. Why doesn’t the CCP? Because the CCP is an atheist political party that does not recognize the existence and incarnation of God, let alone respect freedom of belief. Since the CCP took power, it has steadfastly persecuted freedom of belief, designating religious groups as human organizations for restriction, persecution and suppression. But The Church of Almighty God’s millions or even tens of millions of Christians all recognizes that the word expressed by Almighty God is the truth and the voice of God. No one can deny that Almighty God is the returned Lord Jesus, the appearance of God in the last days. Just as when the Lord Jesus was doing His work, the Roman government and Judaism did not recognize it. But two thousand years later, the gospel of the Lord Jesus has spread throughout the world all the same. All countries in the world have recognized that Christianity is a pure faith. What is reason for this? It is because the truth is the truth, and God’s word is the truth.

from The Fellowship From the Above

(4) Dissecting the Fourth Chinese Communist Party and Religious Community Rumor: The Man Used by the Holy Spirit Fled Overseas with Huge Sums of Money

Relevant Words of God:

3. The money, material objects, and all property in God’s household are the offerings that should be given by man. These offerings may be enjoyed by none but the priest and God, for the offerings of man are for the enjoyment of God, God only shares these offerings with the priest, and no one else is qualified or entitled to enjoy any part of them. All of man’s offerings (including money and material things that can be enjoyed) are given to God, not to man. And so, these things should not be enjoyed by man; if man were to enjoy them, then he would be stealing offerings. Anyone who does this is a Judas, for, in addition to being a traitor, Judas also helped himself to what was put in the money bag.

from “The Ten Administrative Decrees That Must Be Obeyed by God’s Chosen People in the Age of Kingdom” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

How can man’s persistent notions about God be resolved? This requires pursuit of the truth. For example, some people claim I [the man used by the Holy Spirit] have embezzled the church’s funds, that I stole them and ran away. Is this correct? I would not steal the church’s money and run off. I’m responsible for managing and allocating offerings to God. How could that be called taking them and running away? That’s not called running off with them, it’s called taking responsibility for allocating this money, and I have the authority to do so. So, that is an erroneous claim. Some say I fled China to go overseas. Is this correct? I did not flee the country. I carried out my work in mainland China for over ten years. In my wildest dreams, I never imagined that God would send me abroad. I thought that as long as God was doing His work in China, I would carry out my duty in China. I never thought of leaving, but this is where God led me; it was His instruction. At the time I had reservations, “I am on a CCP wanted list. If God has me leave the country, won’t I be caught at customs? Isn’t this asking for trouble? If anything goes wrong, I’ll surely be caught!” But I didn’t say these things; I just said to myself, “Obey. Leave!” As a result, at customs, I narrowly escaped being caught, and it was God’s guidance and protection that got me through. Would you call this running away? This was the Holy Spirit’s guidance; it was God’s instruction. So, once again the rumor spread by the Chinese Communist Party is wrong. They say I fled the country because I was being hunted down, but that doesn’t adhere to the truth. I had never considered going abroad. It was God’s instruction to do so—He sent me. I took the risk and obeyed, albeit reluctantly, and so He led me through customs safely. What was I thinking at the time? “If I make it through customs, it will be because God has led me through. If I do not make it through, then it will be because God has handed me over to Satan.” I accepted this, and I obeyed.

from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life, Volume 138

For instance, the Chinese Communist Party said I [the man used by the Holy Spirit] embezzled money and fled to the United States. How can you explain that? Some say, “That’s right. He is in the US indeed.” Was that fleeing to the US? It was being led here by God. It was God who dispatched me from China to the US to do work under His command. If it weren’t for God’s guidance, could a person escape? I am one of the most wanted national fugitives by the Communist Party in the mainland China. How would I dare leave? At that time, I thought, “If I leave, won’t I be captured?” So, this was not my own impetus—I was dispatched by God. It was God who told me that I had to leave. When I heard it, I thought, “Oh, this is God’s word. Every time God’s work approaches a turning point, God always says something in advance that comes true later. God has spoken of going abroad and it was not a joke. It is His arrangement!” Thus, I began preparations and I was able to leave as soon as everything had been handled. It was all led by God. It was hopeless in people’s eyes. Now you say—was it that I fled to the US, or was it that God led me and arranged for me to come? (God led you.) The Chinese Communist Party said that I embezzled money and fled, but that was not embezzled money. Those were offerings God’s chosen people offered to God, which I am in charge of and empowered to maneuver and control. Is that embezzlement? Do you think it was like a corrupt official just wantonly fleeing with embezzled money? What do embezzlement and flight refer to? It’s fleeing with money taken from the country and the common people. That is called fleeing with embezzled money. Was that what I did? On the surface, it looks true. First, I came to the US. Second, I am in charge of a portion of the money. But when it comes out of the CCP’s mouth, it turns into something negative. Now that I’ve told you the real story, you know that all of this is positive. On the surface there appears to be a lot of things that coincide with the facts, but the CCP’s presentation of it distorts the truth; they turn right into wrong. Do you get it now?

from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life, Volume 141

(5) Dissecting the Fifth Chinese Communist Party and Religious Community Rumor: The Church of Almighty God Destroys Families and Makes People Abandon Everything to Follow God

Bible Verses for Reference:

“If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26).

“And he that takes not his cross, and follows after Me, is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:38).

“Truly I say to you, There is no man that has left house, or parents, or brothers, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting” (Luke 18:29-30).

“No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62).

Sermon and Fellowship Excerpts for Reference:

The Chinese Communist Party says: “The Church of Almighty God asks people to leave behind everything in order to follow God. This is breaking up families.” In Christianity, didn’t the Lord Jesus demand such things from man? Have not the saints through the ages been doing so? These kinds of testimonies have all been performed starting long ago, so why does the CCP condemn The Church of Almighty God? Didn’t the Lord Jesus say such words? Have not the saints through the ages left their marriages, their families, and the world in the name of God, to follow God, to preach and bear witness for the Lord Jesus? There have been so many. Which law from which country condemns this as a crime? Is it fair for the CCP to say this? Is this the reality? To follow God, to pursue the truth, to devote themselves for the sake of righteousness—these are things people happily choose to do. Has the house of God ever forced anyone? Wasn’t this also a requirement of the Lord Jesus’ work during the Age of Grace? What did the Lord Jesus say? “Whoever he be of you that forsakes not all that he has, he cannot be My disciple” (Luk 14:33). The Lord Jesus called on the twelve disciples Himself, and said, “Come you after Me” (Mak 1:17). He also said, “Go you into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mak 16:15). Could the Lord Jesus really have been wrong in saying so? This is recorded in the Bible. This has been the practice of all of the religious communities, those who serve the Lord and all the saints through the ages. Why does the CCP come here and vilify The Church of Almighty God by saying that it breaks up families? Is this not a pack of lies told by Satan? You are following God, yet you are unable to see through this. You can’t differentiate between true and false, or tell black from white.

from Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life, Volume 130

The Chinese Communist Party is now spreading rumors all over the place against God’s chosen people, particularly those who have given up their families to perform their duties; they are attacking, judging, and defaming The Church of Almighty God. They say: “It is The Church of Almighty God that destroys people’s families, separating families and not allowing people to stay with their families.” Isn’t that fabricating rumors and making attacks? What kind of a family would you say that dark and evil mankind belongs to? Is that a positive thing? That kind of family is not a positive thing. What is wrong with someone leaving behind a family of Satan when he really believes in God? This is perfectly justified! “I cast aside everything to expend myself for God and do God’s will. Why shouldn’t I do that? I abandoned the family that kept me from practicing my faith and pursuing the truth. What was wrong with that? The path that a believer follows is distinctly different from that of a non-believer. I want to pursue the truth and follow God. If you disagree, I will divorce you. What could be wrong with that?” Such a divorce is more meaningful than those who divorce because of adultery and a desire for novelty! That kind of divorce is called destroying a family! We abandon everything and leave our families behind that are subject to Satan’s influence so that we may follow God and pursue the truth. This is called renouncing darkness to seek the light. This is a just act that is consistent with God’s will. It is a positive thing. Isn’t it better than following Satan into destruction?

from “Sermons and Fellowship About God’s Word ‘God Himself, the Unique II’ (IX)” in Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life XII

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Testimony of Faith: Miraculously Surviving Attack by a Swarm of Wasps

Testimony of Faith: Miraculously Surviving Attack by a Swarm of Wasps

Mar 15, 201919

By Yang Li

     The Bible says, “He that believes on Him shall not be confounded” (1 Peter 2:6). Through my own personal experience I’ve realized how very true these words are.

                                                                                                          

     It was November 2017, early winter—the best time to scavenge for medicinal herbs and make a bit of money. One day after breakfast I went into the hills with my tools to look for cangzhu, a kind of herb used in Chinese medicine. I walked along keeping an eye out for the plant, and got to the hilltop around midday. There I saw several cangzhu seedlings just a few feet away and hurried over to harvest them. But just then as I was getting ready to dig them out, all I remember was hearing a buzzing sound coming toward me and then I had a really strange sensation. Turning my head, I saw a swarm of wasps surrounding me. I tensed up and thought, “These wasps are really poisonous. I’ve heard some people have even died from their stings. With so many of them after me, I don’t stand a chance!” Terrified, I panicked and ran back down the hill, all the while praying to God, “Oh God! I’m really afraid of being stung by those wasps. Please guide and help me.” I was breaking off branches, swatting at the wasps as I ran along, but there were a lot of fallen leaves at that time of year, leaving the branches totally bare. I just couldn’t swat the wasps off—they kept on coming after me, stinging me. Aside from my head, covered with a hat, and the other parts of my body covered with clothing, my neck and shoulders had wasps all over them. I was incredibly anxious and never stopped hitting them, but they were also climbing on my hands and stinging me a lot there, too. I was so afraid, thinking, “Why won’t these wasps stop chasing me? Am I going to get out of this alive?” As these thoughts ran through my mind I sprinted down the hill, still closely pursued by the wasps. About halfway down I had finally lost most of them, but I had been stung countless times on my neck and the back of my head. It hurt, it stung, and it felt incredibly hot—I was in agony. Those wasps are really poisonous and their toxins got into my system rapidly. My head felt heavy, my feet felt light, and bit by bit, my entire body lost strength. I lost control of my bodily fluids from both ends, I could hardly breathe, and felt like I was about to suffocate. My vision was also becoming blurry and I was losing control of my limbs; I was slowly losing feeling all over my body. After a few minutes I couldn’t see a thing. At that moment I felt an indescribable sort of fear, helplessness, and pain. I thought, “There’s absolutely no one in these hills. No one will know if I die up here. What can I do?” At the very moment I was about to lose consciousness, I urgently called out to God, “Oh God, save me! Save me!” I then collapsed on the ground and lost all awareness.

     After some time, I don’t know how long, I slowly came to and to my surprise, saw a dim light. I also had a bit of feeling in my arms and legs. I realized without a doubt that this was God’s great power, and that it was God watching over me and protecting me. I prayed to Him, “Oh God! I beg You to give me faith and strength so that I can make it out of these hills.” I felt a surge of strength rise up in me after my prayer, so I tried pushing forward for about a meter. When I tried to go beyond that, I suddenly felt dizzy again and was entirely lacking strength. That feeling of the wasp venom working in me was incredibly painful, and I struggled to take each and every breath. There was no question of uttering a single word. I tried to say something in the hope that someone might hear me and come to my aid, but I couldn’t get any sound out. Feelings of terror and helplessness welled up in me again, and all I was able to do was call out to God, “God! I’m really suffering now and I feel like I’m about to stop breathing. I’m so scared of dying on this hill. God, may You enlighten and guide me….” These words from God occurred to me just then: “God created this world, He created this mankind, and moreover He was the architect of ancient Greek culture and human civilization. Only God consoles this mankind, and only God cares for this mankind night and day” (“God Presides Over the Fate of All Mankind”). The enlightenment and guidance from God’s words came at the perfect time, giving me something for my heart to rely on. It’s so true—all things in heaven and on earth were created by God and are ruled by Him. He is the source of all life, so how could our life and death not be in His hands? God allowed those wasps to sting me that day, and when faced with that life-and-death situation, all I could do was rely on God, look to Him, seek His guidance, and submit to His rule and arrangements. After that occurred to me I slowly calmed down and no longer felt quite so afraid.

    After a little time passed I felt that I was able to move my hands and feet, so I slowly started crawling forward while silently praying to God over and over. After I’d gone about 30 meters, the venom got to me again; I was vomiting nonstop and my heart felt like it was about to burst. I lay down on the ground, unable to move. My head was lolling—I was at death’s door. At that point I couldn’t help but feel some internal weakness. I thought, “So it seems I really am going to die on this desolate hill today.” Then I suddenly realized that my weakness and negativity was entire Satan’s disruption. Just as God’s words say: “If man has timid and fearful thoughts, they are being fooled by Satan. It fears that we will cross the bridge of faith to enter into God. Satan devises every way possible to send us its thoughts, we should always pray that the light of God will shine on us, and we must always rely on God to purify us from Satan’s poison. We shall always be practicing in our spirits to come close to God. We shall let God have dominion over our whole being” (“Chapter 6” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning). Satan was giving me those thoughts so that I’d be mired in negativity and lose faith in God, then just passively wait for death. I couldn’t fall for Satan’s tricks. I had to pray to God and lean on Him; I couldn’t distance myself from Him, but allow Him to rule within my heart. I once again called out to God, “God! It feels like a thousand arrows are piercing my heart and I feel like I can’t hold on much longer. Oh God, I beg You to guide me, and no matter if I live or die, I am willing to submit to Your arrangements.” After praying these words from God occurred to me: “If you have but one breath, God will not let you die” (“Chapter 6” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning). God’s words are so full of authority and power, they really bolstered me with faith and strength, giving me hope to continue on living. It is God who rules over man’s life and death, and He has already determined the time of our birth and of our death. Some people are really strong and robust, but for whatever reason something unexpected happens and they’re yanked from the land of the living. Some are weak and feeble but live really long lives. There’s no doubt about it! I thought again of how Job was tempted by Satan in the Bible. He got terrible sores from head to toe and he was in extreme physical pain, but without God’s permission, Satan didn’t dare endanger Job’s life. I then realized with even more clarity that people’s lives are in God’s hands, and no person, event, or thing can surpass God’s authority. I thought of how after I was stung, even though I had lost consciousness because of the venom, I had still miraculously come to again. As the venom went deep into my system I was vomiting nonstop and I was completely lacking strength, but I had been able to slowly drag myself forward. Wasn’t that all God’s great power? When I felt negative and weak and didn’t have faith in God, He enlightened me and guided me with His words, giving me faith and strength as well as the hope to go on living. Didn’t I personally experience all of those things? I must have faith in God; I should rely on and look to Him more, and submit to His arrangements. So, I made a prayer of submission to God: “Oh God! My body is weak and the pain is unbearable, but I know that life and death are up to You. I am leaving my life in Your hands. I believe that without Your permission, no matter how badly I may be stung by wasps I will not die, and if that if I do die, that is Your righteousness and Your wonderful will is within it. I only wish to submit to Your arrangements. May You lead me, guide me so that I may do Your will.” After this prayer, I slowly became able to raise my head and I was able to scoot myself forward. I tried to crawl ahead and surprisingly, was slowly able to stand up. How wondrous! I thanked God over and over, “God, this truly is Your wondrous doing!” I staggered forward ten-odd meters, and when I could go no farther I stopped and silently prayed to God. I then felt I had a bit of strength and once again got up to stumble along. I went on this way praying and praying to God, and with His guidance I finally got out of the hills and came to a home by the side of the road. When the woman there saw my haggard, pained look she rushed to get me a cup of water, but I couldn’t get a single drop in. Just then one of her neighbors was passing by, on his way home from a day of work in the fields and saw the state I was in. He hurriedly got me in a rickshaw and took me to the village hospital.

    When I got to the hospital, the doctor saw how serious my condition was and didn’t even want to admit me. Seeing this, one bystander called the county hospital, another helped find a car for me, and still another got in touch with my family. One after another, everyone lent a hand to get me to the county hospital for emergency treatment. All this time I never stopped praying to God and relying on Him; I knew that all of those complete strangers stepping in to help me out had been arranged by God, that it was God providing me with a way out. I gave thanks to God in my heart! Because one of the local people had called the hospital ahead of time, when I arrived a doctor was ready with an anti-venom IV for me, then carried out all sorts of exams and asked me about exactly what happened and when. While rubbing ointment all over the places I had been stung, the doctor told me that my condition was really serious and that if I had come just ten minutes later, it would have been a lost cause. I was then transferred to the ICU.

     The doctor told my daughter, “We once had a young man here who had been stung by wasps 38 times, but we couldn’t save him. He died. There was another elderly man who was stung more than 30 times, and he died too even though he got to the hospital and was treated really soon after. The exams performed on your mom show that the toxins didn’t get into her liver or kidneys, but her wounds are more serious than those other patients’ were. She was stung 46 times and is really in a precarious condition. I hope you’re able to prepare yourselves, just in case.”

The doctor gave me follow-up exams that evening to see if I still had signs of possible survival. I was alert and could feel that the places I’d been stung were all swollen up, but I was in so much pain all over my body that I couldn’t move. I felt very calm knowing that whether I lived or died was in God’s hands, that it was His rule and arrangement. I continued silently praying to God and handed my life over to Him.

     The next morning, the doctor transferred me from the ICU to the observation room. Seeing me lying there in the hospital bed, my daughter couldn’t help but cry out, weeping bitterly. The doctor comforted her, saying, “Your mom is recovering pretty well. She’ll get better after some time. This is the first miracle I’ve encountered in over 20 years of practicing medicine!” Hearing this, I was very moved and knew that it was entirely God’s miraculous doing. If it weren’t for God’s salvation I would have already died out in the wilderness—there’s no way I would have made it that far. Soon after, my sister and her husband came to see me too, and when she saw I wasn’t able to move and wasn’t eating, she asked me, “You were stung so badly. How on earth did you get out of those hills?” I said, “It was all God’s love and care.” Overhearing that, the others in the same ward all exclaimed that I was extremely lucky. But I knew in my heart that it wasn’t that; it was God’s care and protection, and it was God saving me as I was at the precipice of death. I thought of a man from my area that had been stung by wasps—his wounds weren’t as bad as mine, and he was treated in the hospital for a week. But he still died in the end. Although I was stung 46 times I had the good fortune to go on living—it truly was God’s miraculous doing. Pondering God’s love and salvation for me, my heart swelled with gratitude to Him.

     I was discharged after six days. Twenty days later the doctor checked up on my condition again and said that I had recovered very well, and that I really was a special case, the first miracle he had ever witnessed. Hearing him say this, I silently offered up my thanks and praise to God. I knew very clearly that the only thing special about me was that I had leaned on God, and God had saved me at the juncture between life and death. What God did created this miracle of life. Through this incredible experience, I learned a profound lesson about God’s love; I felt His authority and mightiness. Even though I was preoccupied with money, and money had taken over my heart to the point that I almost lost my very life to wasp stings while trying to dig up wild herbs, God cared for and protected me all along. When I genuinely prayed to God and relied on Him, He used His words to enlighten and guide me, giving me the courage and faith to go on living. He got all sorts of other people to help me, allowing me to come out from that danger, one step at a time. Throughout this course of events, I not only came to grasp God’s unique authority and power, but I also saw His benevolent essence. I gained some understanding of God. Looking death in the face, I truly experienced that money, name, and status cannot save people and they particularly cannot bring us life. In a crisis, God is man’s only pillar, our only salvation. As long as we truly lean on God we will be able to see Him work. Just as God’s words say: “Be quiet within Me, for I am your God, your only Redeemer. You must quiet your hearts at all times, live within Me; I am your rock, your backer. Have no other mind, but wholeheartedly lean on Me and I will certainly appear to you—I am your God!” (“Chapter 26” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning). I give thanks for God’s salvation for me, and from now on I am willing to rely on God and look to God more in my experiences. I will seek the truth and repay God’s love!

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The Word of God in the Last Days -"You Ought to Consider Your Deeds" - God's Words of Counsel to Us

Introduction

The Word of God in the Last Days -"You Ought to Consider Your Deeds" -God's Words of Counsel to Us

Almighty God says, "In your daily lives, you live in an atmosphere and environment without truth or good sense. You lack the capital for existence and do not have the foundation to know Me or the truth. Your faith is merely built upon a vague confidence or upon religious rituals and knowledge based wholly on doctrine. Every day I watch your movements and examine your intentions and evil fruits. I have never found one who truly placed his heart and spirit upon My altar, which has never been moved. Therefore, I do not wish to pour out in vain all the words I wish to express upon such mankind. In My heart, I am planning only to complete My unfinished work and to bring salvation to the mankind that I have yet to save. Nevertheless, I wish for all who follow Me to receive My salvation and the truth My word bestows upon man. I hope that one day when you close your eyes, you will see a realm where fragrance fills the air and streams of living waters flow, not a bleak, cold world where darkness clouds the skies and howls never cease."

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After Listening with My Heart, I Have Welcomed the Lord’s Return

August 18, 2017

Max, United States

In 1994, I was born in the United States. My parents are both Chinese. My mother was the classic example of a successful career woman. She is able to think for herself and is very competent. I love my mother very much. When I was in Grade 2, my parents brought me back to China to study so that I would be able to learn Chinese. It was also at that time that I started to get acquainted with the Lord Jesus. I remember one day in 2004, after I got home from school, there was a guest at our house. My mother introduced her and told me that she was a pastor from the United States. I was very happy because that was when I found out that my mother had believed in the Lord Jesus for some time. Before, she did not believe. Every Chinese New Year, she would burn incense and worship Buddha. However, after my mother started to believe in the Lord Jesus, I no longer had to smell the whiff of burnt Joss paper and incense. That day, the American pastor told me a story about the Lord Jesus. Soon after, I was brought to the bathroom and before I could react, “plop,” the pastor had dunked my head into the bathtub and after a moment, pulled my head out. All I heard was my mother and the pastor telling me, “Welcome to the embrace of the Lord Jesus. We are all lost sheep.” In this way, I started a new life journey before I knew it. However, because the Lord was with me, my heart was very happy. Afterward, each Sunday, I would go to church to worship and listen to the pastor talk about Bible stories and read from the scriptures. I was very happy all along. My heart was steadfast and I felt that believing in the Lord Jesus was truly a good thing.

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Mighty To Save | “During the Last Days, God Principally Uses the Word to Accomplish All”

Mighty To Save | “During the Last Days, God Principally Uses the Word to Accomplish All”

Introduction

Almighty God, Christ of the last days, has expressed a variety of truths. He leads the whole of mankind with the word, which accomplishes the actual significance of the Word appearing in the flesh.

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Christian Testimony "Salvation" | What Is Being Saved? What Is True Salvation? (Christian English Movie)

 Christian Testimony "Salvation" | What Is Being Saved? What Is True Salvation? (Christian English Movie)

Introduction

What is salvation? Those who believe in the Lord Jesus think that if they sincerely pray to the Lord, confess their sins, and repent, their sins will be forgiven, and they will be granted salvation, and when the Lord comes, they will be directly raised into the kingdom of heaven. But is salvation really that simple?

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Pictures of the Church of Almighty God

Experiencing God’s Painstaking Care for Man’s Salvation in Disaster

Muling, Beijing

August 16, 2012

On July 21, 2012, Beijing saw the heaviest fall of rain in sixty years. In that torrential downpour I saw God’s deeds and saw how He saves man.

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The Words of the Returned Lord Jesus "Man Can Only Be Saved Amidst the Management of God"

The Words of the Returned Lord Jesus "Man Can Only Be Saved Amidst the Management of God"

Introduction

Almighty God says, "Mankind does not know who is the Sovereign of all things in the universe, much less does he know the beginning and future of mankind. Mankind merely lives, perforce, amidst this law. None can escape it and none can change it, for among all things and in the heavens there is but One from everlasting to everlasting who holds sovereignty over everything.

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If I Were Not Saved by God

Lingwu, Japan

“If I were not saved by God, I would still be drifting in this world, struggling hard and painfully in sin; every day gets bleak and hopeless. If I were not saved by God, I’d still be crushed below the devil’s feet, snared in sin and its enjoyments, ignorant of what my life would be. If I were not saved by God, I’d be without my blessings here today, much less know why we should live on or the meaning of our lives.

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The Voice of Salvation | Guitar Playing "God Treasures One Who Can Listen to His Word and Obey Him"

The Voice of Salvation | Guitar Playing "God Treasures One Who Can Listen to His Word and Obey Him"

Introduction

In God’s eyes, whether a man is great or small, as long as he can listen to God’s word, obey God’s commandment and commission, cooperate with God’s work, and cooperate with God’s will and God’s plan, so that God’s will and God’s plan can be carried out smoothly and fulfilled, such a deed is worthy for God to remember and worthy for God to bless, worthy for God to bless.

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As a Christian Believing in God, Regularly Attending Gatherings Cannot Be Neglected!

Xiaogao

Hello brothers and sisters of Spiritual Q&A,

I get very tired from working during the day, and I do not sleep very well at night. As a result, I am not willing to make it to gatherings on time. I do not like to be restricted. I feel that if I have spiritual needs, as long as I look for my brothers and sisters to chat during those times, it should be fine. I wonder what the cause of this issue is. How should I resolve this?

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11. I believe that God exists, but I am young and still have so much to do in life. Can I still achieve salvation if I wait until I am less busy to believe in Him?

The Answer from God’s Word:

Man’s life has not the slightest warmth, and is devoid of any human flavor or light—yet he has ever inured himself to it, abiding a lifetime bereft of worth in which he rushes about without achieving anything.

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Knowing God Is the Path to Fearing God and Shunning Evil

Pictures of the Church of Almighty God

Every one of you should examine anew your life of believing in God to see whether, in the pursuit of God, you have truly understood, truly comprehended, and truly come to know God, whether you truly know what attitude God bears to the various types of human beings, and whether you truly understand what God is working upon you and how God defines your every act.

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