With the Grace of God I Found a True Home

With the Grace of God I Found a True Home

Mar 4, 2019

By Xiaolin, United States

I Hate Dad—He Ruined Our Family

Crash … Bang …

“Dammit, say that one more time and I’ll make you sorry! …”

The clamor of fighting broke through the peaceful silence of the night, startling my sister and I awake. We realized our parents were fighting again. Since our mom found out that our dad was seeing another woman, she smiled less, and at any mention of him her eyes filled with discontent and sorrow. From then on they never stopped fighting—I couldn’t even remember how many times they had argued. When my sister and I ran into their room crying, we just saw dad reaching out to hit mom. Crying, I dragged at dad’s arm as hard as I could, but he was too strong and I couldn’t hold him back. That night, he broke two of her ribs. She couldn’t withstand such a life of suffering any longer, so after she healed she left home and got a job in another area.

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Never Again Will I Delimit God to the Bible (Part 2)

Never Again Will I Delimit God to the Bible (Part 2)

Feb 27, 2019

By Ding Feng, China

I Seek the Truth, Let Go of My Misconceptions and Follow God

Several days later, I was working at home when my wife brought over some sisters from The Church of Almighty God. I was just thinking of a way to avoid them when one of the sisters seemed to see what I was thinking, and she said to me, “Brother, if you want to know whether Almighty God really is the second coming of the Lord Jesus, you only have to listen to God’s words. The Lord Jesus said: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’ (Matthew 5:3). The Lord Jesus tells us that we who humbly seek are praised by Him. The Lord Jesus has now returned, so if you refuse to listen to Him, won’t you then miss your chance to welcome His return?” Seeing them hold themselves in such an earnest and sincere manner, I felt very moved. I couldn’t help but think of the desolation in the religious world right now, where brothers and sisters were finding it hard to attend meetings regularly, whereas these sisters had such great faith and love. Eastern Lightning was also flourishing more and more and was known to almost every family—this was clearly not something that could have been achieved through human efforts alone! Thinking this, I decided to study in earnest Almighty God’s work of the last days.

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Never Again Will I Delimit God to the Bible (Part 1)

Never Again Will I Delimit God to the Bible (Part 1)

Feb 27, 2019

By Ding Feng, China

Over the past few years, I have always toiled and busied myself in order to “protect the Bible and guard the flock,” yet I never expected that my wife, my mother and my father-in-law would be stolen away by Eastern Lightning, one after another. My wife also preached the way of Eastern Lightning to me, but I refused to accept it. In order to prove my loyalty to the Lord and, more importantly, to safeguard the Bible’s absolute authority, I took a devout oath before my brothers and sisters, saying, “God’s words and work are all recorded in the Bible and the Bible contains the whole truth. There are no words or work of God outside the Bible, and we must not betray the Bible no matter what!” In this way, I remained clinging to my own convictions, and I did not study the way of Eastern Lightning.

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Christian Life: I May Not Be Rich, but I’m Very Fortunate

Christian Life: I May Not Be Rich, but I’m Very Fortunate

Mar 2, 2019

By Bong, Philippines

I Want to Become Wealthy

“Principal, please give my chil d a chance and let him take the examination!” My mother’s eyes implored the principal as she spoke in a slightly trembling voice.

Keeping a straight face, the principal said, “No, the school has rules. A child can only take the examination when the exam fee has been paid!”

My mother looked ashamed and pleaded with the principal, saying, “Principal, I know this is very hard for you at the school too, but I have many children and we just about manage to get by. We really can’t afford the exam fee. How about I write the school an IOU, you let my son take the examination, and I’ll figure out a way to pay you back as soon as I can….”

The principal looked at my mother and thought for a moment. Looking as though he didn’t have much choice, he said, “OK, fine!”

…………

I’ll never forget the time I moved on to senior middle school when, because my family couldn’t afford the exam fee, my mother begged the principal of the school to let me take the examination and she had to write out an IOU. I felt so indignant at that time. In this society where money rules supreme, if you don’t have any money then you can’t accomplish anything, and I silently made a resolution: After I grow up, I will work hard to make money, become wealthy and change my own destiny!

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The True Meaning of Rapture in the Bible

The True Meaning of Rapture in the Bible

Feb 25, 2019

By Zhang Li

Chen Li was walking home after a gathering when she thought of what Sister Wang had just said to her about the Lord Jesus already having returned, and asking Chen Li to go to her house that afternoon to listen to a sermon. Thinking over what she had said, Chen Li couldn’t help but ask herself: “The Lord Jesus gave us a promise: ‘I go to prepare a place for you. 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’ (John 14:2–3). He went back up to heaven on a white cloud, so the place He’s preparing for us has to be in heaven, and when the Lord returns, He’ll take us straight into the kingdom of heaven. Plus, the pastors and elders often say that when He returns we’ll be raptured up and meet with the Lord—we’ll be together with Him. If the Lord Jesus had already returned we should have been raptured up by Him, so why we are all still here on earth?” At this thought, Chen Li furrowed her brows; her face was clouded with doubt.

Just then, someone behind Chen Li suddenly tapped her on the shoulder. She looked back and saw it was her good friend Han Meihua—they hadn’t seen each other for years. It occurred to Chen Li that Han Meihua was always traveling around preaching and that she had a fairly pure understanding of the Bible, and when reading the scriptures she often had new enlightenment and understanding. She realized that this opportunity was the Lord’s arrangement, so she hurried to share her dilemma and invited Han Meihua to her home.

Is Rapture Really Being Taken Up Into Heaven?

Chen Li poured Han Meihua a cup of water and sat next to her. Han Meihua looked at Chen Li and said solemnly: “Sister Chen, the question you just asked is key to whether or not we’ll be able to welcome the Lord. I was recently in a gathering with a few other coworkers and gained some new insight into this issue through our fellowship.” Chen Li’s eyes lit up—she couldn’t wait to hear her fellowship. Han Meihua went on: “We’ve always been waiting for the Lord to come and rapture us into the kingdom of heaven, where we will meet with the Lord. But have we ever thought about whether this kind of belief of ours is in line with the truth and the reality of God’s work? Is being raptured really lifting us up into heaven? The Lord Jesus said, ‘And no man has ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven’ (John 3:13). The Lord clearly told us that aside from Him, no man has gone up into heaven. Heaven is God’s abode and God alone can ascend to the highest heights, so how could we, corrupt human beings, ascend to the highest heights and see God? Besides, in the beginning God created people on earth, just as it’s recorded in Genesis 2:7–8: ‘And Jehovah God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. And Jehovah God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed.’ God used the dust of the ground to create our forebearers, Adam and Eve, and then put them in the Garden of Eden to live. From this, we can see that the scope of the life that God has ordained for us is on the earth, not in heaven. We can also verify this through the facts of God’s work. Just like when God destroyed the earth with the flood, He wanted to save Noah but He did not rapture Noah up into heaven to escape the flood. Instead, He commanded Noah to build the ark and had him and his seven other family members weather out the flood on it. After the flood passed, Noah and his family went on to live and thrive on the earth. There were also the Israelites, who were enslaved by the Pharaoh in Egypt. They called out to God to have Him lead them out of their lives of hardship, and God answered their call, but He did not rapture them into heaven. Instead, He used Moses to lead them away from Egypt, and after that issued the law and commandments through Moses to guide the Israelites in their lives on earth. By the latter period of the Age of Law, the Israelites were facing the dangers of condemnation and death from violations of the law. God wanted to save mankind from sin, but He did not bring people directly up into heaven or have them go up themselves to procure a sin offering. Instead, He personally became flesh as the Lord Jesus and came to earth, where He was crucified and became the sin offering for mankind. All this shows that over the millennia of God’s work, it has all been done on the earth, and we human beings have always lived on the earth, and we have believed in and worshiped God on the earth. This is where we experience God’s work and words—not a single person has ever been raptured into heaven.

“Not only that, but the Bible clearly prophesies that in c God’s kingdom will be established on earth, just as in the Lord’s prayer that the Lord Jesus taught us: ‘Our Father which are in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven’ (Matthew 6:9–10). And then in Revelation 21:2–3, there’s the prophecy: ‘And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven…, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.’ There’s another one in Chapter 11:15: ‘The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.’ Plus there are these things from the Lord Jesus’ words and prophecies: ‘Your kingdom come,’ ‘the tabernacle of God is with men’ and ‘new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven.’ All of these show that when the Lord Jesus returns, He will establish His kingdom on earth, not in heaven. God is going to live among man on earth, and all of the nations on earth will become nations of Christ into eternity. Sister Chen, now you have more clarity on this, right? When the Lord Jesus returns to earth in the last days, He will carry out God’s will and establish His kingdom. But we, corrupt human beings, mere mortals, always want to be raptured up into heaven and meet with the Lord in the sky. Isn’t that totally unrealistic? Isn’t that contrary to the Lord’s will? This shows us that our idea of being raptured into heaven upon the Lord’s return and meeting with Him in the sky is not at all in line with the Lord’s words, nor with biblical prophecies. It’s nothing but our own notions and imagination! If we continue insisting on this and won’t be swayed, we will never be able to be raptured before the Lord!”

Hearing this, Chen Li was astonished and said: “Thanks be to the Lord! With this fellowship, now I understand. So all along God has been working and leading mankind on earth and we have always followed and worshiped Him on earth, not in heaven. The Lord Jesus has also told us to pray for God’s will to be done on earth, and there are a number of prophecies in the Book of Revelation that in the last days God will establish His kingdom on earth. But we haven’t been contemplating and seeking from within the Lord’s words, instead blindly waiting for the Lord to come and rapture us up into heaven. That is entirely contrary to God’s words! So this means that us waiting for the Lord to come and rapture us into heaven so we can meet with Him in the sky is not at all in line with the Lord’s will, but is just our own notion, our own imagination. Oh, Meihua, since the rapture isn’t taking us up into heaven and meeting with the Lord in the sky, what does it really refer to? I’d like to hear more fellowship.”

The True Meaning of Rapture

Han Meihua smiled and said: “As for being raptured, there’s a mystery here that we human beings can’t see into and can’t clearly explain. However, after reading something in a book recently, I understood what it really is. Let’s take a look at it together.” Hearing this, Chen Li nodded happily, and Han Meihua pulled a book out of her bag as she spoke. She opened it up and read the following: “‘Being caught up’ is not being taken from a low place to a high place as people imagine. This is a huge mistake. Being caught up is referring to My predestining and selecting. It is targeted at all those I have predestined and chosen. … Those who have a share in My house in the future are all people who have been caught up before Me. This is absolutely true, never-changing, and cannot be refuted by anybody. This is the counterattack against Satan. Anyone I predestined shall be caught up before Me” (“Chapter 104” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning). Han Meihua then shared this fellowship: “We can see from this passage that being raptured isn’t at all what we have imagined it to be, lifting people from the earth up into heaven or being raised up into the sky to meet with the Lord. Instead, it refers to the time that the Lord Jesus returns to earth and all those who have been pre-determined, selected by God will be able to recognize His voice from His words, and they will accept and submit to God’s new work. They will follow God’s footsteps and be raptured before God’s throne. This is the true meaning of rapture.

“We’re in the last days now and the Lord Jesus prophesied that He would return. He also very clearly told us: ‘I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth’ (John 16:12–13). ‘He that rejects Me, and receives not My words, has one that judges him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day’ (John 12:48). ‘For the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son’ (John 5:22). And it says in 1 Peter 4:17: ‘For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God.’ And there’s Hebrews 9:28: ‘So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and to them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin to salvation.’ These prophecies show that when the Lord returns in the last days, He is going to utter more words and do the work of judgment beginning with the house of God, leading us to enter into all truths, allowing us to attain God’s full salvation. Only by accepting God’s work of judgment in the last days and keeping up with His footsteps can we gain God’s salvation of the last days, be raptured up before God, and attend the wedding feast of the Lamb. Just like the latter part of the Age of Law when the Lord Jesus came to do the work of redemption, Peter, John, Matthew, and others came out from the Age of Law and accepted the Lord Jesus’ salvation—they were people who were raptured up before God. Now that we are in the last days, if we are able to seek and accept the work of the returned Lord Jesus, that is being raptured up before God!”

Hearing this, Chen Li suddenly saw the light and said: “Wow, so being raptured refers to God coming to work, and people seeking and accepting His new work, keeping up with the footsteps of the Lamb. Thanks be to the Lord! Meihua, I’ve also read those same biblical prophecies a number of times, but I never received the light that you just shared from them. Now I understand that when the Lord Jesus returns in the last days, He will utter new words and do the work of judgment beginning with the house of God. Only accepting God’s new work of the last days and keeping up with the footsteps of the Lamb is truly being raptured. God working this way is so practical! Now that I think of how we haven’t understood God’s work, but have just been longing to be raptured into heaven and meet with the Lord in the sky, I see how absurd it is. So it seems that believing in the Lord without understanding the truth means there’s no way to act in accordance with God’s will! Hey, Meihua, since the Lord is going to do new work when He comes in the last days, what should we do so that we can welcome the Lord and be raptured up before His throne?”

Han Meihua smiled and said: “Thanks be to the Lord! In fact, the Lord Jesus pointed out the path for us long ago. The Lord Jesus said, ‘And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you out to meet him’ (Matthew 25:6). And in chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation, it is prophesied many times that: ‘He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ And chapter 3, verse 20 of Revelation says: ‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.’ The Lord requires us to be wise virgins, so if we hear someone spread news of the Lord’s return, we should treat it with caution, seeking and investigating with an open mind. We should focus our attention on hearing the voice of God, and if we determine that it is His voice, that it is an expression of the truth and the words contain authority and power, we must waste no time in accepting it. This is the only way we can welcome the Lord, keep up with the footsteps of the Lamb, and be raptured up before God’s throne. Just like Peter, James, John, and the others who followed the Lord Jesus—they really yearned to hear the Lord Jesus preach and maintained an open heart of seeking. They recognized God’s voice from the work and words of the Lord, so they accepted and followed Him, in the end receiving salvation from the Lord. But the Pharisees, haters of the truth, clearly saw that the Lord Jesus’ work and words contained authority and power and that they came from God, but because His work and words weren’t in line with their notions and imaginings, they madly opposed and condemned Him, ultimately nailing the Lord Jesus to the cross. This brought down God’s punishment upon them. So, we should learn this lesson from the failure of the Pharisees and be wise virgins who focus on hearing the voice of God. When we do hear news that the Lord has returned and is doing new work, we should proactively seek and investigate it; this is the only way we’ll have the chance to be raptured up before God. If we just blindly cling to our own notions and imaginings and do not focus on hearing God’s voice, if we don’t seek or investigate God’s new work, that would make us the foolish virgins, and we will lose our chance to be raptured!”

Chen Li said excitedly: “Thanks be to the Lord! It turns out that the key to whether we can be raptured is whether we are able to be wise virgins and place importance on hearing God’s voice. If we hear people preach that the Lord has returned yet we arrogantly stick to our own notions and imaginings and aren’t focused on hearing God’s voice, we won’t be able to follow God’s footsteps. We will just be cast away and eliminated by God. Oh, Meihua, in our gathering today Sister Wang told me that the Lord Jesus has already returned and wanted me to go listen to a sermon at her house this afternoon. Just now, I was hesitant and wasn’t sure if I should go, but now that I’ve heard your fellowship I think that I have to be a wise virgin and go out to seek and investigate as soon as I can. Would you like to go with me?”

Happily, Han Meihua said: “Wonderful! Let’s go right now!”

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How does she build a good relationship with colleagues?

How does she build a good relationship with colleagues?

Feb 26, 20191

By Jianxin, Malaysia

Editor’s Note: People often say there is no friendship between people where our interests are concerned. It’s true. In modern society, where individual interest comes before everything, family ties, friendship, and love are difficult to sustain in the face of our interests. It’s the same for Sister Jianxin, whose relationship with the friend she can talk about anything with sours and turns to deadlock thanks to her consideration of her own interests. But later, Jianxin and her friend are able to resolve their conflicts and can finally get along as they once did. How did Jianxin do it? Let’s read about her experience.

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What Is True Repentance?

What Is True Repentance?

Feb 25, 2019

By Liu Shuo

At a meeting of co-workers, Wang Wei, Ma Tao and Hu Zhi sat engaged in Bible study.

Wang Wei smiled and spoke to the group, saying, “Co-workers, let’s begin by reading a couple of verses of scripture. The Lord Jesus says, ‘Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’ (Matthew 4:17). ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent you, and believe the gospel’ (Mark 1:15). We can see from the Lord’s words that, if we want to enter God’s kingdom, then we must confess our sins to God and repent. We’ve believed in the Lord for years, however, and although we often confess our sins to Him, we are still capable of committing sin and we live within a vicious cycle of confessing and sinning. It seems as though we still don’t understand what true repentance is, and so we are not yet free of sin. Therefore, being clear on what true repentance is is extremely important to our ability to enter into the heavenly kingdom. Today, let’s delve into this issue together.”

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Spiritual Warfare: I Rely on God to Defeat Satan (Part 2)

Spiritual Warfare: I Rely on God to Defeat Satan (Part 2)

By Wang Lin, China

Feb 19, 2019

I Encounter Satan’s Deceitful Schemes Once Again

When the day of our next meeting came, more than 10 brothers and sisters had just arrived at my home when six leaders and co-workers from my old church turned up on motorcycles. Their faces were grave, and they had a haughty look about them. When I saw them, I couldn’t help but feel a little timid and afraid, and I thought to myself: “I wonder what they will do to threaten and intimidate me today. I understand too few truths and I’m not able to refute their fallacies. What if I end up deceived by them?” And so, I hurriedly said a prayer to God: “O Almighty God! Faced with these religious co-workers, I feel a little timid and I don’t know how to handle it. I ask that You protect my heart and that You give me faith, wisdom and the power of discernment so that I am not deceived by the fallacies they spread, and so that I am able to rely on You to stand witness.” After praying, my heart gradually became calm.

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Spiritual Warfare: I Rely on God to Defeat Satan (Part 1)

Spiritual Warfare: I Rely on God to Defeat Satan (Part 1)

Feb 19, 2019

By Wang Lin, China

I Rejoice to Welcome the Lord’s Return

The year I turned 36, I developed bone hyperplasia, and despite going to many hospitals for treatment, nothing had any effect whatsoever. In the spring of 1996, I began to believe in the Lord Jesus and, by the mercy of the Lord, my illness was healed. From that time on, I began to pursue my faith in great earnestness and before long I became a co-worker in my church. In September 1998, two sisters came and testified to us of God’s work in the last days. By reading Almighty God’s words, I became certain that Almighty God is indeed the returned Lord Jesus for whom we have so desperately longed and I, along with over 130 brothers and sisters from my church, accepted God’s work of the last days. I was thrilled—never had I imagined that I would be able to welcome the return of the Redeemer in my lifetime, and I thanked the exaltation and grace of God from the bottom of my heart. Afterward, I avidly read Almighty God’s words and my spirit was nourished. Just as I was feeling immersed in the joy of being reunited with the Lord, however, the leaders and co-workers from my old church tried every possible way to obstruct me and harass me, and thus a spiritual war began …

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Signs of the End Times: 3 Successive Rare Supermoons of 2019

Signs of the End Times: 3 Successive Rare Super moons of 2019

Jan 24, 2019

As predicted by relevant experts, two super moons will appear successively on 19th February and 21st March 2019, being two fantastic astronomical sights that follow on from the “super blood wolf moon” which appeared on 21st January.

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Do You Know How Important the 10 Commandments of God and His Law Are to Mankind?

Do You Know How Important the 10 Commandments of God and His Law Are to Mankind?

Feb 12, 2019

By Cheng Xin

I trust that every one of us who believes in the Lord will be familiar with the Ten Commandments and the Law. But are we aware of how important the Ten Commandments and the Law are to mankind, and what profound significance they have for us? Today, let’s investigate and fellowship this topic together.

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I Now Know What the Meaning of Life Is

I Now Know What the Meaning of Life Is

Feb 14, 2019

By Jinqu, South Korea

“God chose me from a vast ocean of people, miraculously arranging that I come to His side. His kind words warmed my heart, His earnest calls woke me up from my dream. That familiar voice, that beautiful countenance have not changed from the very beginning. In God’s family I taste the sweetness of His love. I lean close to Him and do not want to part again. Without God, the days were hard to bear. I staggered along with each step full of pain. Only with God’s hidden protection did I reach today. And now with God’s words by me I am satisfied” (“Attachment to God” in Follow the Lamb and Sing New Songs). Whenever I hear this beautiful and melodic hymn, I am filled with gratitude to God. It was God who saved me from the abyss of money and caused me to no longer work so desperately hard, and I said farewell to the days of selling my life for money …

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Reflection for Today: Does a Church Appearing Fervent Mean That It Has the Work of the Holy Spirit?

 

Reflection for Today: Does a Church Appearing Fervent Mean That It Has the Work of the Holy Spirit?

Feb 13, 2019

Hello brothers and sisters of Spiritual Q&A,

Several months ago, I witnessed the pastors in our church vying with each other for the sake of fame and gain and jockeying for position, so much so that they even verbally attacked and disparaged each other during sermons. Their sermons were not enjoyable to listen to, and our spirits went unnourished. Furthermore, there was widespread cooling of the faith of brothers and sisters; they pursued wealth, they coveted physical pleasures and they followed worldly trends, giving all their attention to eating, drinking and having fun. Most of the time, some brothers and sisters simply did not attend gatherings, but instead only came when a disaster occurred in their lives or when there was some important holiday … Faced with this situation in our church, I left to look for a church that had the work of the Holy Spirit.

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How the Prophecy of the Lord Jesus’ Return Is Fulfilled

How the Prophecy of the Lord Jesus’ Return Is Fulfilled

Feb 7, 2019

Dear brothers and sisters:

Hello everyone, I’m very happy to see you all here. First, let’s give thanks to God for preparing this opportunity for us, and may God guide us and work amongst us.

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Do Those Who Believe in Almighty God Preach the Gospel for Money?

Do Those Who Believe in Almighty God Preach the Gospel for Money?

Feb 1, 2019

By Wang Li, China

Since I was small, I believed in Jesus along with my parents. After I got married, I went with my husband to Shanghai where we opened a factory. In 1991, we set up a meeting place in our factory and, at that time, more than 30 people attended meetings there. Everyone would sing hymns, pray and read the Bible together. The brothers and sisters all showed each other love, supported each other, and we all felt great enjoyment at our gatherings. Preachers from my home town came twice a year to give us sermons, and we gained sustenance from these visits. By 1997, the church was gradually becoming desolate and no one got any enjoyment from our meetings anymore. The preachers were not preaching any new light, and a few of them were vying amongst each other for power and profit, and they had begun to attack each other, and no one listened to anyone else. Disputes also began to break out among the brothers and sisters. Because their spirits were not being provided for, the faith of some of the brothers and sisters began to cool, and some even turned away and stopped believing in God, and in the end only between 10 and 20 of us were left. After 2000 in particular, the situation at our meeting place just got worse and worse. The preachers only ever said the same stale old words, the sermons were tedious, and brothers and sisters became even more dispirited and weak, with nowhere to turn to. My mind was also becoming occupied by more and more things, and my faith was nowhere near as strong as it had been. On October 1st, 2001, a brother came to my home and preached to me Almighty God’s gospel of the last days. He spoke to me for two whole days, talking about things from the Age of Law to the Age of Grace, and from the Age of Grace to the Age of Kingdom, and using a great many prophecies from the Bible and the facts of their fulfillment to clarify that God had indeed become flesh and had now come to perform His work of judgment beginning in God’s house. He also told me that God will save man utterly from the domain of Satan and will lead man into their beautiful destination. I had never before heard such a good sermon, and it did me a lot of good. It was as though a bright light had been lit in my heart. Never in my wildest dreams had I imagined that Jesus the Savior, whom I had longed for day and night, could really have returned already, and I had no way to express the joy I felt.

However, a week later, a preacher from my home town came to visit, and it just so happened that the sister in charge of watering me was at my home. The preacher said to us, “Some people are now preaching about Eastern Lightning and you must absolutely not receive them. What they preach is heresy. They pretend to believe in God but they go swindling and cheating people all over the place, and they particularly go for people with money. First, they rope you in, and as soon as you accept their gospel, they then take you for every penny….” These words hit me like a bucket of cold water, and I suddenly felt a chill from my head to my feet. I didn’t know what to do for the best. I knew that what I had now accepted was indeed the Eastern Lightning that was being preached around, and I looked at the sister who was watering me: Her clothes and makeup were all very plain and austere, and she didn’t look like someone with money. And so a doubt arose in my heart, and I asked myself: “Could it be that they really just want to cheat me out of my money? They are so loving toward me right now, but is this just a pretense? What shall I do if it really is as the preacher says?” The more I thought about it, the more uneasy I felt, and I wanted to ask the sister to leave. But then I thought how sensible her preaching was, and if by some chance this was the true way and I rejected it, then wouldn’t I lose my chance to attain salvation? Caught between a rock and a hard place, I was at a loss as to what to do, and so I said a silent prayer to God: “O God! God’s work of the last days that the brothers and sisters bear witness to does indeed sound reasonable. But the preacher says that what they believe in is heresy and that they cheat people out of their money. I have begun to doubt, and I don’t know who is preaching the right way. I ask You to enlighten me so that I may have discernment and see it all clearly.”

That night in bed, I felt very uneasy and upset, and I dared not go to sleep. I thought to myself: Will this sister take off with my things in the dead of night? So I constantly listened to any movements coming from outside my room, but in the end I was so tired that I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer, and I slipped unknowingly into sleep. The next day, I got up early and saw that the sister was still there, and I finally began to feel a little calmer. But I still felt worried, and I secretly observed every move the sister made. Especially when she gave me fellowship on God’s word, I observed her carefully, hoping to find some clues in the expression of her eyes or in her speech, but I discovered nothing. No matter what cunning questions I came up with, she always fellowshiped with me patiently and she used God’s words to resolve my problems. What’s more, her expressions and her words were likewise sincere. To be honest, although I was on my guard, each and every one of God’s words became etched on my heart, so that I felt how true and real they were, and I became utterly convinced. Despite this, I still felt guarded toward the sister, and I always chose my words to her with the utmost care, afraid that any slip-up would reveal to her my financial circumstances. Just as she was about to leave, I decided to try to tempt her, and I took out 1,000 yuan and gave it to her, saying that it was just a token for her trouble. But she said that she couldn’t take anything from me, and she said this with complete sincerity. Just then, I couldn’t help but doubt myself: The preacher from my home town said that these people were here to cheat me out of my money. But I’ve now tried to give her money without being asked for it, so how come she won’t take it? Is what the preacher said really true, or is it false?

Several days later, the sister came again to fellowship with me about God’s words, and I thought to myself, “Ah, she’ll probably want money this time.” But what actually happened made me feel ashamed of myself again, as she just fellowshiped God’s words with me and talked about God’s will, and never engaged in idle chitchat. Her speech and comportment were in fact totally proper, prudent and natural, and she had a pious attitude. I could find no fault with anything about her, and I couldn’t help but admire her. This forced me to doubt what the preacher from my home town had said but, most importantly, Almighty God’s words had dispelled my guarded heart, and they had drawn me in. God’s words say: “What I want is not human conceptions or human thoughts, even less do I want your money or your possessions. What I want is your heart, understand? This is My will, and even more it is what I want to obtain” (“Chapter 61” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh). “Just give Me your heart completely. Be clear! I do not want your money nor your things nor for you to zealously, deceitfully or narrow-mindedly come before Me to serve. Be quiet and of pure heart, wait and seek when problems arise, and I will give you an answer. Do not be in doubt! Why do you never believe My words to be true? Why can you not believe in My words? Stubborn to an extent and still like this at this time, you are too ignorant and not enlightened at all!” (“Chapter 39” of Utterances of Christ in the Beginning in The Word Appears in the Flesh). After reading these words, I felt very upset. The sister then gave me fellowship, saying, “God expresses the truth and performs His work of judgment in the last days in order to purify and save man, to enable us to cast off our satanic corrupt dispositions, so that we can have a God-fearing heart, accept God’s observation in all things, be honest people in a real and moral way in accordance with the requirements of God’s words, live out the reality of fearing God and shunning evil, truly come to obey God, worship God and love God, and become people who possess the truth and normal humanity. God wants our hearts, and He treasures our lives. He doesn’t want our money or our possessions.” She then went on with her fellowship, saying, “In The Church of Almighty God, no one is permitted to ask for offerings, or to appeal to people for offerings for any reason whatsoever. If someone appeals to people to make offerings, they are to be stopped, for this is what God loathes. If a brother or sister wants to make a donation, they may only do it by first praying many times, by being completely willing and by being sure to never regret it afterward, otherwise they will not be permitted to make their offering.”

The revelations of God’s words and the sister’s fellowship allowed me to understand God’s will to save mankind, and I saw that they had a genuine and sincere desire to bring me before God and were not scheming anything. The guards that I’d put up in my heart gradually vanished, and the great weight that had lain heavy in my heart for many days finally fell away. I felt as though a heavy burden had been taken from me, and I felt my whole being become much more relaxed. Just as the sister was about to leave, I forcibly stuffed 2,000 yuan into her pocket. This time, I really wanted her to have it, but despite my best efforts to persuade her, she still wouldn’t take it, and she said to me, “There are administrative decrees in God’s house. We cannot take brothers and sisters’ money or possessions, for that would be the action of a Judas.” After she had gone, I was overwhelmed with so many different feelings. “In today’s materialistic society,” I thought, “where money reigns supreme, many people work hard for money, including me, and they struggle on constantly in order to be able to eat well, wear nice clothes, live in a nice home and enjoy nice things. And yet these brothers and sisters who believe in Almighty God are not attracted by these monetary pleasures, but instead they suffer and preach the gospel unconditionally. No matter how much they are misunderstood by others, they still insist on performing their duty—is this not entirely the result achieved by the work of the Holy Spirit?” In these people, I saw that only a life in which one gives up physical pleasure and lives to satisfy God is a life of meaning and value, and I saw that my own pursuit for wealth and material things was so selfish, mean and degrading. I thought about this a lot, especially the two times I’d tried to give the sister some money and was refused, and I thought about how she had treated me with great sincerity and how she had gone out of her way to water me. All this had come from God’s love and He had taken responsibility for my life. If all this had not come from God’s guidance and leadership, how could anyone achieve it? And yet I had entertained sly schemes and had been guarded and suspicious with the sister, and I had tempted her with money. I had misunderstood the painstaking efforts God was putting into saving me, and I felt so indebted to God! I couldn’t help but weep tears of self-rebuke, and I saw how contemptible and without discernment I had been! The facts had proved that the brothers and sisters who were preaching Almighty God’s gospel were not doing so for money, but were performing their duty to lead people before God—it was simply not like the rumors said at all! At that moment, I couldn’t help but think of when the preachers from my home town had come to give us sermons, and each time they had taken the money I gave them for their trouble, and they had accepted it as a matter of course. Now I understood that the reason they made up all this baseless slander, saying that those who believed in Almighty God preached the gospel for money, was because they themselves were selling the gospel and using their sermons to make money. They were therefore afraid that, after I accepted Almighty God’s work of the last days, I would no longer listen to their sermons and they would no longer be able to enjoy my donations, and so they did everything they could to stop me from accepting the true way. These religious leaders were just out for their own personal gain, and they had no scruples about destroying my chances to attain God’s salvation—they have such black hearts! Having seen through Satan’s rumors and tricks, I proceeded without any hesitation and began to follow Almighty God.

By reading God’s words, I gradually came to understand some truths, I came to have some knowledge about the fact and substance of how I was corrupted by Satan, and I understood a great deal about God’s management work and His will to save mankind. In order to repay God’s love and to lead those who sincerely seek God into God’s house, I gave up my comfortable, easy life and, together with my brothers and sisters, I threw myself into the ranks of spreading God’s gospel of the last days.

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By Grasping These Four Points, Our Relationship With God Will Become Ever Closer

By Grasping These Four Points, Our Relationship With God Will Become Ever Closer

Feb 3, 2019

By Xiaomo, China

The Bible says, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:8). As Christians, only by drawing closer to God and having real interaction with God can we maintain a normal relationship with God and obtain the work of the Holy Spirit. It is just like two people associating with each other, who can only keep their close relationship going for a long time by being more open with each other, communicating more when they encounter issues, and by understanding and respecting each other.

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What Warning Does the Lord Jesus Not Keeping the Sabbath Day Hold for Us?

What Warning Does the Lord Jesus Not Keeping the Sabbath Day Hold for Us?

Feb 1, 2019

By Li Qing, China

Early one morning, as I was practicing my spiritual devotions, I saw this written in the Bible: “At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungered, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, Behold, your disciples do that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath day.

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Giving Credence to Rumors Means Losing God’s Salvation of the Last Days

Giving Credence to Rumors Means Losing c

Jun 22, 2017

Many brothers and sisters are unable to take heed whenever they hear someone talking about Almighty God’s gospel of the last days, and don’t dare accept what is preached because they have been spooked by the sensationalized rumors fabricated within religious circles. 

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Names of God and Their Meanings: If God’s Name Is Jehovah, Why Then Is He Called Jesus?

Names of God and Their Meanings: If God’s Name Is Jehovah, Why Then Is He Called Jesus?

Feb 1, 2019

Jehovah God tells us clearly in the Old Testament: “I, even I, am Jehovah; and beside me there is no savior” (Isaiah 43:11). “Jehovah … is my name for ever, and this is my memorial to all generations” (Exodus 3:15). And yet it says in the New Testament: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8). It says in the Old Testament that only Jehovah is God’s name and thus it shall be forever. In the New Testament, however, it says that one can only be saved by the name Jesus. Since God’s name Jehovah in the Age of Law was to be His name forever, why then was God called Jesus in the Age of Grace? How are we to understand the word “for ever” as mentioned here in the Bible? What truths and mysteries are hidden behind God’s names? Let’s fellowship about this now.

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Where Exactly Is the Kingdom of God?

Where Exactly Is the Kingdom of God?

Jan 25, 2019

By Junwei, China

Many brothers and sisters are very familiar with the Lord’s Prayer, and we recite it every time we pray: “Our Father which are in heaven, Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9–10). But even though we often recite the Lord’s Prayer, we rarely contemplate the true meaning of the Lord’s Prayer. Which aspects of the truth does the Lord Jesus tell us about through the Lord’s Prayer, what is the Lord’s will, and what mysteries are contained within the Lord’s Prayer? Let’s discuss these things today.

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