FOB Spotlight: The Persecution of The Church of Almighty God in China

On February 4, 2019, the European Federation for Freedom of Belief (FOB) held a conference in Florence, Italy to promote its most recent publication: Law and Freedom of Belief in Europe: an arduous journey. This book is an exploration of how to effectively protect the freedom of belief and religious freedoms of immigrants to Europe from across the world through legal means. This includes the situation of religious persecution in China and the issue of refugees belonging to The Church of Almighty God (CAG) who fled China due to religious persecution. Riccardo Migliori, Past President of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), introduced the book to our reporter before the conference.

The Church of Almighty God | Italian Friends Moved by Persecuted Christians’ Strong Faith

The Church of Almighty God | Italian Friends Moved by Persecuted Christians’ Strong Faith

On February 2, 2019, Christians from The Church of Almighty God (CAG) in Italy held a get-together in Milan, inviting over 20 local friends. The CAG hosts played a short film on Almighty God’s appearance and work for their guests and gave song and dance performances witnessing and praising God. After the event some Italian guests expressed their hope that the Church would hold similar events every holiday for more opportunities to share in faith. They also hoped to read more of Almighty God’s words and better understand Almighty God’s work in the last days.

The Secret to Saving a Marriage (Part 1) —Almighty God Saved My Marriage

When I was young, my mom and dad often argued, and my mom frequently suffered beatings and abuse at the hands of my dad. She carried so much rancor in her heart that she died quite young. Thereafter I promised myself: When I grow up and start a family, I will be good to my wife and create a happy and peaceful family. I would not repeat the failures of my mother and father’s marriage.

In 1995, I was the department director for installation engineering at a restaurant. At first, all I could think about was being an entrepreneur and making money and that I just needed to find a wife who was wise and kind so we could live happily together and that would be enough. But after a while, my work required that I go out often with other department leaders to restaurants, foot spa inn, karaoke parlors, hotels and other entertainment venues. During that time they would often say things like, “Have a wife and mistresses too!” or “‘Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.” or “We only live for decades, so live it up while you’re young” or “This is how men are. Who doesn’t want to eat, drink, and be merry!?” or “Our nation is promoting rapid economic growth and spurring all sorts of entertainment businesses, so we should respond enthusiastically. As Chinese citizens, we would be letting the government down if we didn’t do our part in living the nightlife!” Their influence started to rub off on me and, over time, I began to follow them in their nightlife pursuits and started to think of it as enjoyable.

Classic Words on God Revealing the Work of the Age of Grace

32. Then, during the Age of Grace, Jesus came to redeem the whole of fallen mankind (and not only the Israelites). He showed mercy and lovingkindness to man. The Jesus that man saw in the Age of Grace was filled with lovingkindness and was always loving toward man, for He had come to save humanity from sin. He was able to forgive men their sins until His crucifixion completely redeemed mankind from sin. During this period, God appeared before man with mercy and lovingkindness; that is, He became a sin offering for man and was crucified for the sins of man so that they might forever be forgiven. He was merciful, compassionate, enduring, and loving. And all those who followed Jesus in the Age of Grace likewise sought to be enduring and loving in all things. They were long-suffering, and never fought back even when beaten, cursed, or stoned.

from “The Two Incarnations Complete the Significance of the Incarnation” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

One Must Bear Witness to the Aspect of Truth Concerning God’s Incarnation

    Why is it only through experiencing and obeying the work of God incarnate that one can know God?

Bible Verses for Reference:

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelled among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (Jhn 1:14).

Can we achieve salvation if we don’t believe in God, but instead act virtuous, do good works, and do no evil deeds?

The Answer from God’s Word:

Without the guidance of God, no matter how much rulers and sociologists wrack their brains to preserve human civilization, it is to no avail. No one can fill the emptiness in man’s heart, for no one can be the life of man, and no social theory can free man from the emptiness with which he is afflicted. Science, knowledge, freedom, democracy, leisure, comfort, these are but a temporary respite. Even with these things, man will inevitably sin and bemoan the injustices of society. These things cannot restrain man’s craving and desire to explore. Because man was made by God and the senseless sacrifices and explorations of man can only lead to more distress. Man will exist in a constant state of fear, will not know how to face the future of mankind, or how to face the path that lies ahead. Man will even come to fear science and knowledge, and fear even more the feeling of emptiness within him. … Man, after all, is man. The position and life of God cannot be replaced by any man. Mankind does not just require a fair society in which everyone is well-fed and is equal and free, but the salvation of God and His provision of life to them. Only when man receives the salvation of God and His provision of life to them can the needs, yearning to explore, and spiritual emptiness of man be resolved. If the people of a country or a nation are unable to receive the salvation and care of God, then such a country or nation will tread the road to ruin, toward darkness, and shall be annihilated by God.

from “God Presides Over the Fate of All Mankind” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

What to Do When You’re Losing Faith in God in Setbacks

By Dai Ning

    In real life, every time we face unfortunate events such as setbacks and illnesses, we may think that God has forsaken us and no longer protects us, and thereby sink into negativity and lose our faith in God. Yet as long as we pray to God in these situations and understand His will, our mistaken viewpoints will be turned around.

—Notes

In your belief in the Lord, what do you expect to receive from Him?

One Must Bear Witness to the Aspect of Truth Concerning God’s Incarnation

How to understand that Christ is the truth, the way, and the life?

Bible Verses for Reference:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God” (Jhn 1:1-2).

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelled among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (Jhn 1:14).

“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me” (Jhn 14:6).

“The words that I speak to you, they are spirit, and they are life” (Jhn 6:63).

Relevant Words of God:

The truth comes from the world of man, yet the truth among man is passed on by Christ. It originates from Christ, that is, from God Himself, and is unattainable by man.

from “Success or Failure Depends on the Path That Man Walks” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and the Word became flesh.” This (the work of the appearance of the Word in the flesh) is the work that God will accomplish in the last days, and is the final chapter of His entire management plan, and so God has to come to earth and manifest His words in the flesh.

from “All Is Achieved by the Word of God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

How do the three stages of God’s work gradually deepen for people to be saved and perfected?

Relevant Words of God:

The entire management of God is divided into three stages, and in each stage, fitting requirements are made of man. Furthermore, as the ages pass and progress, God’s requirements of all mankind become ever higher. Thus, step-by-step, this work of God’s management reaches its climax, until man beholds the fact of the “appearance of the Word in the flesh,” and in this way the requirements of man become even higher, and requirements of man to bear testimony become even higher. … In the past, man was required to comply with the law and the commandments, and was required to be patient and humble. Today, man is required to obey all of God’s arrangements and possess a supreme love of God, and is ultimately required to still love God amid the tribulation. These three stages are requirements that God makes of man, step-by-step, throughout His entire management. Each stage of God’s work goes deeper than the last, and in each stage the requirements of man are more profound than the last, and in this way, God’s entire management gradually takes shape. It is precisely because the requirements of man are ever higher that man’s disposition comes ever closer to the standards required by God, and it is only then that the whole of mankind gradually departs from the influence of Satan until, when God’s work comes to a complete end, the whole of mankind will have been saved from the influence of Satan.

from “God’s Work and Man’s Practice” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Questions and Answers on the Way of the Lord’s Arrival (Secret and Open)

  Question (2): We have long heard that the Church of Almighty God has already testified to the return of the Lord Jesus. And He is Almighty God! He expresses truths and performs His judgment work of the last days, but the majority of people in religious circles all believe that the Lord will return by descending with the clouds. This is because the Lord Jesus clearly said: “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Mat 24:30). The Book of Revelation also prophesied: “Behold, he comes with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him” (Rev 1:7). I also maintain the belief that the Lord will return by descending with the clouds to directly take us up into the kingdom of heaven. We refuse to accept the Lord Jesus who does not descend with the clouds. You say that the Lord's return is returning to the flesh and descending in secret. But nobody knows about this. However, the Lord openly descending with the clouds is absolute! That's why we are waiting for the Lord to descend with the clouds and appear openly to take us directly up into the kingdom of heaven. Is our understanding correct or not?

End Time Salvation | The Second Coming of Jesus | "Gospel Choir 5th Performance"

Songs of Choir: 1. God Will Restore the World to What It Was at the Creation
2. In the Last Days God Mainly Accomplishes Everything by His Word
3. How God Rules Over All Things
4. God’s Name Will Be Magnified Among the Gentile Nations
1. God Will Restore the World to What It Was at the Creation
With God’s utterance deepening, He observes the situation of the entire universe. All things are being renewed because of God’s word. The heaven is changing, the earth is changing, and men are showing their true self. Gradually all men are after their kinds, and unconsciously, unconsciously they all return to their “family.” Thus God rejoices greatly.
With God there is no disturbance. Unconsciously God’s work has been accomplished,
and unconsciously all things have been changed. When God created the world, He made all things after their kinds, so that all the physical things were grouped. When God’s management plan is about to end, He will restore the world to what it was at the creation and restore all things to what they originally were, thoroughly changing them, so that everything will come under God’s plan. The time has come! The last stage in God’s plan will soon be accomplished. The filthy old world! It is bound to fall in God’s word! It is bound to come to nothing because of God’s plan! All things! They will regain life in God’s word and have their “Ruler”! The holy, unblemished new world! It will surely be revived in God’s glory! Mount Zion! Do not be silent anymore; God has returned victorious! God observes the whole earth, observes the whole earth among all things; people on earth begin, begin their new life, their new life again and have a new hope.
God’s people! How can they not resurrect in God’s light? How can they not jubilate under God’s leading? The earth is shouting for joy, and waters are heartily laughing! The resurrected Israel! How can it not feel proud for God’s predestination? Who ever weeps? Who ever wails? The former Israel no longer exists, and the Israel of today has risen up in the world and has stood up in the hearts of all people. It will surely have the foundation for its existence because of God’s people! The hateful Egypt! Can it still resist God? How can it escape God’s chastisement because of God’s mercy? All those God loves will exist forever, and all those who resist God will be chastised forever, because God is a jealous God and will not lightly let go any doings of anyone. God will search the whole earth and will appear as righteousness, majesty, wrath, and chastisement in the East of the world, appearing to all men, appearing, appearing to all men!
from “The Twenty-sixth Utterance” of God’s Utterances to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Introduction

This time, God comes to do work not in a spiritual body but in a very ordinary one. Not only is it the body of God’s second incarnation, but also the body in which God returns. It is very ordinary flesh. In Him, you cannot see anything that is different from others, but you can receive from Him the truths you have never heard before. This insignificant flesh is the embodiment of all the words of truth from God, that which undertakes God’s work in the last days, and an expression of the whole of God’s disposition for man to come to know. Did you not desire greatly to see the God in heaven? Did you not desire greatly to understand the God in heaven? Did you not desire greatly to see the destination of mankind? He will tell you all these secrets that no one can ever tell you, and He will even tell you of the truths that you do not understand. He is your gate into the kingdom, and your guide into the new age. He is your gate into the kingdom, and your guide into the new age.

Every Nation Worships the Practical God

1. This time, God comes to do work not in a spiritual body but in a very ordinary, very ordinary one. Not only is it the body of God’s second incarnation, but also the body in which God returns. It is very ordinary flesh. In Him, you cannot see anything that is different from others, but you can receive from Him the truths you have never heard before, receive from Him the truths you have never heard before. This insignificant flesh is the embodiment of all the words of truth from God, that which undertakes God’s work in the last days, and an expression of the whole of God’s disposition for man to come to know. Did you not desire greatly to see the God in heaven? Did you not desire greatly to understand the God in heaven? Did you not desire greatly to see the destination of mankind? He will tell you all these secrets that no one can ever tell you, and He will even tell you of, tell you of the truths that you do not understand. He is your gate into the kingdom, and your guide into the new age.

2. Such an ordinary flesh holds many unfathomable mysteries. His deeds may be inscrutable to you, may be inscrutable to you, but the goals of the work He does are sufficient for you to see that He is not, is not a simple flesh as man believes, as man believes. For He represents the will of God as well as the care shown by God toward mankind in the last days. For He represents the will of God as well as the care shown by God toward mankind in the last days. Though you cannot hear the words He speaks that seemingly shake the heavens and earth or see His eyes like blazing flames, and though you cannot feel the discipline of His iron rod, you can hear from His words the fury of God and know that God shows compassion for mankind; you can see the righteous disposition of God and His wisdom, and moreover, realize the concern and care that God has for all mankind.

3. The work of God in the last days is to allow man to see the God in heaven, see the God in heaven live among men on earth, and to enable man to come to know, obey, revere, and love God. This is why He has returned to flesh for a second time. Though what man sees this day is a God that is the same as man, a God with a nose and two eyes: an unremarkable God, in the end God will show you that without the existence of this man, the heaven and earth will undergo a tremendous change; the heaven will grow dim, the earth will become chaos, and all mankind will live in famine and plagues. He will show you that without the salvation, salvation of God incarnate in the last days, then God would have long ago destroyed all mankind, destroyed all mankind in hell; without the existence of this flesh, then you would forever be chief of sinners and corpses evermore.

4. You should know that without the existence of this flesh, all mankind would face an inevitable calamity and find it difficult to escape, escape God’s more severe punishment of mankind in the last days. Without the birth of this ordinary flesh, you would all be in a state where neither life nor death will come no matter how you seek it; without the existence of this flesh, then this day you would not be able to receive the truth and come before the throne of God. Rather, you would be punished by God because of, because of your grievous sins. Rather, you would be punished by God because of your grievous sins. Do you know? If not for the return of God to the flesh, none would have a chance at salvation; and if not for the coming of this flesh, God would have long ago ended the age of old. As such, can you still reject the second incarnation of God? Since you can so greatly profit from this ordinary man, then why would you not accept Him readily?

5. In the end every nation shall worship this ordinary man, as well as give thanks to and obey this insignificant man, obey this insignificant man. In the end every nation shall worship this ordinary man, as well as give thanks to and obey this insignificant man, obey this insignificant man. Because it is He who has brought the truth, the life, and the way to save all mankind, save all mankind, ease the conflict between God and man, bring God and man closer together, and communicate thoughts between God and man, between God and man. It is also He who has brought even greater glory to God. Is not an ordinary man such as this worthy of your trust and adoration? Is such an ordinary flesh not fit to be called Christ? Can such an ordinary man not be the expression of God among men? Is not such a man who helps mankind be spared disaster worthy of your love and for you to hold? In the end every nation shall worship this ordinary man, as well as give thanks to and obey this insignificant man, obey this insignificant man. In the end every nation shall worship this ordinary man, as well as give thanks to and obey this insignificant man, obey this insignificant man, obey this insignificant man.

from “Do You Know? God Has Done a Great Thing Among Men” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Question: Through your fellowship, we see that our thoughts about the Lord’s return and the rapture really did just come from our own conceptions. We have already seriously gone against the Lord’s words. That being said, how should we wait for the Lord’s return and the rapture now? Can you talk about this in a bit more detail?

Answer: Studying how Almighty God does His work of judgment in the last days is very important to our ability to obtain salvation by pursuing the truth. Almighty God works in the last days by expressing truths to judge and cleanse people. He does this solely to lift His saints into the kingdom of heaven. However, many believers in the religious community do not understand God’s will. They think the Lord will return and directly raise all of the saints into the heavenly kingdom.

Second Coming of Christ Movie | "Knocking at the Door" | How to Be Raptured to the Kingdom of Heaven by Lord Jesus

Two thousand years ago, the Lord Jesus prophesied, "And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you out to meet him" (Matthew 25:6). "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" (Revelation 3:20). For the last two thousand years, believers in the Lord have been watchful and awaiting the Lord's knock on the door, so how will He knock on mankind's door when He returns? In the last days, some people have testified that the Lord Jesus has returned—Almighty God incarnate—and that He is doing the work of judgment in the last days. This news has rocked the entire religious world.

Yang Aiguang, the protagonist of the film, has believed in the Lord for decades and has always been enthusiastically engaged in work and preaching, waiting to welcome the Lord's return. One day, two people come and knock on the door, tell Yang Aiguang and her husband that the Lord Jesus has returned, and share the words of Almighty God with them. They are deeply moved by Almighty God's words, but because Yang Aiguang has been subjected to the fallacies, deception, and strictures of the pastors and elders, she throws the witnesses of The Church of Almighty God out of the house. After that, the witnesses knock on their door on many occasions and read the words of Almighty God to Yang Aiguang, bearing witness to God's work in the last days. During this time, the pastor disrupts and hinders Yang Aiguang time after time, and she continues to waver. However, through hearing the words of Almighty God, Yang Aiguang comes to understand the truth and gains discernment regarding the rumors and fallacies propagated by the pastors and elders. She finally understands how the Lord knocks on people's doors during His return in the last days, and how we should welcome Him. When the fog clears, Yang Aiguang finally hears the voice of God and acknowledges that Almighty God really is the return of the Lord Jesus!

Eastern Lightning, The Church of Almighty God was created because of the appearance and work of Almighty God, the second coming of the Lord Jesus, Christ of the last days. It is made up of all those who accept Almighty God's work in the last days and are conquered and saved by His words. It was entirely founded by Almighty God personally and is led by Him as the Shepherd. It was definitely not created by a person. Christ is the truth, the way, and the life. God's sheep hear God's voice. As long as you read the words of Almighty God, you will see God has appeared.

Chapter 7 Several Other Aspects of the Truths That Are the Minimum That Should Be Understood by New Believers

5. Faith in God Should Not Only Be for Seeking Peace and Blessings.

Relevant Words of God:

Today, you must set on the right track since you believe in the practical God. Having faith in God, you should not solely seek blessings, but seek to love God and know God. Through His enlightenment and your own pursuit, you can eat and drink His word, develop a true understanding of God, and have a true love of God that comes from your heart. In other words, your love for God is most genuine, such that none can destroy or stand in the way of your love for Him. Then you are on the right track of faith in God. It proves that you belong to God, for your heart has been taken possession of by God and you can then be possessed by nothing else. Owing to your experience, the price you paid, and the work of God, you are able to develop an unbidden love for God. Then you are freed from the influence of Satan and live in the light of God’s word. Only when you have broken free from the influence of darkness can you be deemed to have gained God. In your belief of God, you must seek this goal. This is the duty of each of you.

from “You Ought to Live for the Truth Since You Believe in God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

One Must Fellowship Clearly What Is Rapture and the True Meaning of Being Raised Up Before the Throne of God

2. What is true rapture?

Bible Verses for Reference:

“And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you out to meet him” (Mat 25:6).

“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” (Rev 3:20).

“Write, Blessed are they which are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Rev 19:9).

Relevant Words of God:

“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 predetermining and selecting. It is targeted at all those I have preordained and chosen. … This is most incompatible with people’s notions. 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 preordained shall be caught up before Me.

from “The One Hundred and Fourth Utterance” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The Philadelphia church has taken shape, and this has been entirely due to the grace and mercy of God. The saints have brought forth their love for God and never wavered from their spiritual path. Be firm in the belief that the one true God has become flesh, that He is the Head of the universe who commands all things—this is confirmed by the Holy Spirit and is ironclad proof! It can never change!

…………

Today You have made complete all churches—the Philadelphia church—which is the realization of Your 6,000-year management plan. The saints can now humbly be obedient in front of You; they are connected to each other in spirit and accompany each other in love. They are connected to the source of the fountain. The living water of life runs ceaselessly and it washes away and purges all the filth and sludge in the church, once again purifying Your temple. We have known the practical true God, walked within His words, recognized our own functions and duties, and done everything that we can to expend ourselves for the church. We should take every moment to be quiet in front of You and heed the work of the Holy Spirit so that Your will is not blocked in us. Among saints there is mutual love, and the strengths of some will compensate for the failings of others. Walk in the spirit at every moment and gain the enlightenment and illumination of the Holy Spirit; understand the truth and put it into practice immediately; keep up with new light and follow God’s footsteps.

…………

Actively cooperate with God, serve in coordination and become one, satisfy Almighty God’s will, hasten to become a holy spiritual body, trample on Satan, and end its destiny. The Philadelphia church has been raptured in front of God and manifests itself in the glory of God.

from “The Second Utterance” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Like hundreds of millions of other followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we abide by the laws and commandments of the Bible, enjoy the abundant grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and gather together, pray, praise, and serve in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ—and all this we do under the care and protection of the Lord. We are often weak, and often strong. We believe that all of our actions are in accordance with the teachings of the Lord. It goes without saying, then, that we also believe ourselves to walk the path of obedience to the will of the Father in heaven. We long for the return of the Lord Jesus, for the glorious arrival of the Lord Jesus, for the end of our life on earth, for the appearance of the kingdom, and for everything as it was foretold in the Book of Revelation: The Lord arrives, and brings disaster, and rewards the good and punishes the wicked, and takes all those who follow Him and welcome His return into the air to meet Him. Every time we think of this, we can’t help but be overcome with emotion. We are thankful that we were born in the last days and are lucky enough to witness the coming of the Lord. Though we have suffered persecution, it is in return for “a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory”; what a blessing that is! All of this longing and the grace bestowed by the Lord make us often sober unto prayer, and bring us together more often. Maybe next year, maybe tomorrow, or maybe even sooner when man does not expect it, the Lord shall suddenly arrive, and shall appear among a group of people who have been attentively waiting for Him. We are all contending with each other, none wanting to fall behind, in order to be the first group to behold the appearance of the Lord, to become one of those who shall be raptured. …

…………

God is silent, and has never appeared to us, yet His work has never stopped. He looks upon all lands, and commands all things, and beholds all the words and deeds of man. His management is conducted in steps and according to His plan. It proceeds silently, without dramatic effect, yet His footsteps advance ever closer to mankind, and His judgment seat is deployed in the universe at the speed of lightning, immediately followed by the descent of His throne among us. What a majestic scene that is, what a stately and solemn tableau. Like a dove, and like a roaring lion, the Spirit arrives among us all. He is wise, He is righteous and majestic, He quietly arrives among us possessed of authority and filled with love and compassion. No one is aware of His arrival, no one welcomes His arrival, and, moreover, no one knows all that He will do. Man’s life remains unchanged; his heart is no different, and the days go by as usual. God lives among us like an ordinary person, as a most insignificant follower and an ordinary believer. He has His own pursuits, His own goals, and, moreover, He has divinity not possessed by ordinary men. No one has noticed the existence of His divinity, and no one has perceived the difference between His substance and that of man. …

…………

And yet it is this ordinary person hidden among people who is doing the new work of saving us. He does not clarify anything for us, nor does He tell us why He has come. He merely does the work He intends to do in steps, and according to His plan. His words and utterances become ever more frequent. From consoling, exhorting, reminding, and warning, to reproaching and disciplining; from a tone that is gentle and kind, to words that are fierce and majestic—they all instill both compassion and trepidation in man. Everything that He says hits home at the secrets hidden deep within us, His words sting our hearts, sting our spirits, and leave us ashamed and humiliated. …

Unbeknownst to us, this insignificant man has led us into step after step of God’s work. We undergo countless trials, are subjected to innumerable chastenings, and tested by death. We learn of God’s righteous and majestic disposition, enjoy, too, His love and compassion, come to appreciate God’s great power and wisdom, witness the loveliness of God, and behold God’s eager desire to save man. In the words of this ordinary person, we come to know the disposition and substance of God, come to understand God’s will, come to know the nature and substance of man, and see the way of salvation and perfection. His words cause us to die, and cause us to be reborn; His words bring us comfort, yet also leave us wracked with guilt and a sense of indebtedness; His words bring us joy and peace, but also great pain. Sometimes we are as lambs to the slaughter in His hands; sometimes we are like the apple of His eye, and enjoy His love and affection; sometimes we are like His enemy, turned to ashes by His wrath in His eyes. We are the mankind saved by Him, we are the maggots in His eyes, and we are the lost lambs that He thinks of finding day and night. He is merciful toward us, He despises us, He raises us up, He comforts and exhorts us, He guides us, He enlightens us, He chastens and disciplines us, and He even curses us. He worries for us night and day, He protects and cares for us night and day, He never leaves our side, and He devotes all His care to us and pays any price for us. Among the words of this small and ordinary flesh, we have enjoyed the entirety of God, and beheld the destination that God has bestowed upon us. …

The utterance of God continues, and He employs various methods and perspectives to admonish us what to do and express His heart’s voice. His words carry life power, and show us the way we should walk, and allow us to understand what the truth is. We start to be drawn to His words, we begin to focus on the tone and manner of His speaking, and subconsciously begin to take an interest in the heart’s voice of this unremarkable person. He makes painstaking efforts for us, loses sleep and appetite for us, weeps for us, sighs for us, groans in sickness for us, suffers humiliation for the sake of our destination and salvation, and His heart bleeds and sheds tears for our numbness and rebelliousness. Such being and possessions of His are beyond an ordinary person, and cannot be possessed or attained by any of the corrupted. He has tolerance and patience possessed by no ordinary person, and His love is not possessed by any created being. No one apart from Him can know all of our thoughts, or have such a grasp of our nature and substance, or judge the rebelliousness and corruption of mankind, or speak to us and work among us like this on behalf of the God of heaven. No one except for Him can possess the authority, wisdom, and dignity of God; the disposition of God and what He has and is are issued forth, in their entirety, from Him. No one apart from Him can show us the way and bring us light. No one apart from Him can reveal the mysteries God has not disclosed from creation until today. No one apart from Him can save us from Satan’s bondage and our corrupt disposition. He represents God, and expresses the heart’s voice of God, the exhortations of God, and the words of judgment of God toward all mankind. He has begun a new age, a new era, and brought a new heaven and earth, new work, and He has brought us hope, and ended the life we led in vagueness, and allowed us to fully behold the path of salvation. He has conquered our whole being, and gained our hearts. From that moment onward, our minds become conscious, and our spirits seem to be revived: This ordinary, insignificant person, who lives among us and has long been rejected by us—is He not the Lord Jesus, who is ever in our thoughts, and whom we long for night and day? It is He! It’s really Him! He is our God! He is the truth, the way, and the life! He has allowed us to live again, to see the light, and has stopped our hearts from wandering. We have returned to the home of God, we have returned before His throne, we are face-to-face with Him, we have witnessed His countenance, and have seen the road ahead. At the time, our hearts have been completely conquered by Him; we no longer doubt who He is, and no longer oppose His work and word, and we fall down, completely, before Him. We wish for nothing except to follow the footprints of God for the rest of our lives, and to be made perfect by Him, and to repay His grace, and repay His love for us, and to obey His orchestrations and arrangements, and to cooperate with His work, and to do everything we can to complete what He entrusts to us.

…………

We are just such an ordinary group of people possessed of corrupt satanic disposition, we are the ones predestined by God before the ages, and we are the needy whom God has lifted from the dunghill. We once rejected and condemned God, yet now we have been conquered by Him. We have received life and have received the way of eternal life from God. No matter where we are on earth, despite persecution and tribulation, we cannot be apart from the salvation by Almighty God. For He is our Creator, and our only redemption!

from “Beholding the Appearance of God in His Judgment and Chastisement” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Will the Lord Jesus Come as a Thief or Come Upon a Cloud?

     
     Shufen was a major co-worker of a church. During the fifteen years of believing in the Lord, she had been actively serving in the church. She thought: Now is the end of the last days. All the prophecies of the Lord’s return have been fulfilled, and even the four blood moons were fulfilled. It seems that the day of the Lord’s return should come. To welcome the Lord’s return, recently she led the brothers and sisters to discuss the way for the Lord to return. Unexpectedly, they split on this matter, and two opinions were formed. They were at a stalemate. Some brothers and sisters said that the Lord would appear publicly with clouds to all people and all nations when He came, as the Bible says, “He comes with clouds; and every eye shall see him …” (Revelation 1:7). But, some said that the Lord would come in secret to steal treasures, which was based on the prophecy in Revelation, “I will come on you as a thief …” (Revelation 3:3). And even after several gatherings, they couldn’t reach a definite conclusion. Shufen was at her wits’ end now, and she herself also couldn’t figure out how the Lord would appear to man when He returns. Since both opinions of the brothers and sisters were based on the Bible, it was really hard to judge which of them was right. She was troubled so much that she couldn’t eat or sleep well these days, totally being at a loss what to say to the brothers and sisters about this matter.

After dinner, she took out the Bible again, expecting to receive the Lord’s guidance and enlightenment on the truth concerning how the Lord would come in the last days. Her husband, as usual, was sharing and communicating with the brothers and sisters from other countries on Facebook. Suddenly, he called her, “Shufen, Come and see this quickly. Brothers and sisters are discussing the way for the Lord to return.” Hearing this, she immediately laid aside the Bible in her hands, and came up to the computer. A video The Mystery of the Coming of the Son of Man was being shown on Facebook. The brothers’ fellowship in the video was well-founded and attracted her attention all at once.

After watching the video, she said with surprise, “Their fellowship is rather reasonable. It’s the enlightenment from the Holy Spirit. They bear witness that the Lord will return in secret as the Son of man through incarnation to do the work of judgment starting from the house of God, make a group of overcomers before the disaster, and then appear to all people and all nations. Their fellowship is totally in line with the Bible!” Her husband nodded his approval, saying, “The Lord Jesus has said: ‘Be you therefore ready also: for the Son of man comes at an hour when you think not’ (Luke 12:40), ‘For as the lightning, that lightens out of the one part under heaven, shines to the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation’ (Luke 17:24-25), ‘And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you out to meet him’ (Matthew 25:6), ‘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’ (Revelation 3:20), ‘Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame’ (Revelation 16:15). Now all these prophecies have been fulfilled. The Lord Jesus repeatedly said ‘the Son of man’ in the prophecies. Does ‘the Son of man’ not refer to the incarnate Christ? And if the Lord comes back in His spiritual body after resurrection, then ‘But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation’ will be untenable, for only His flesh can suffer and be rejected, and His spiritual body cannot.”

Then Shufen said, “So it seems that the Lord is very likely to come in secret as the Son of man through incarnation, and then appear to the public. In this case, it doesn’t contradict the saying ‘he comes with clouds’ prophesied in the Bible. If the Lord comes in this way, it is hidden yet practical. How wise it is! But how can we know Him if the Lord Jesus becomes flesh when He comes?”

Her husband replied, “Do you remember the Lord’s prophecies? He said: ‘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: for he shall not speak of himself, but whatever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come’ (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 has given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man’ (John 5:27). These scriptures imply that the Lord Jesus will be incarnated as the Son of man to express the truth to do the work of judgment. And ‘the Spirit of truth,’ I think, may refer to the incarnate Christ who will speak words, so those who can hear and recognize the voice of God will behold the return of the Lord. Just as 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). So, that all depends on whether we are the wise virgins who can know the voice of God.”

“So let’s seek this aspect of the truth from the brothers and sisters who posted the video!” After they spoke out their wish with one voice, they smiled. Shufen’s days of gloom was finally dispelled.                                                                                                                                   

Is All of God’s Word Really in the Bible?

All these years, I’ve been rushing around to defend the Bible and protect the flock. Unexpectedly, however, my wife, my mother and my father-in-law were gradually stolen by the Eastern Lightning, which made me lose face completely before the brothers and sisters.
My wife preached God’s work in the last days to me, but I flatly refused to accept it to show my loyalty to the Lord and to show that I was fighting the good fight for safeguarding the Bible. I made an oath in front of the brothers and sisters, “I am the believer who only believes in the Bible. The Bible is my Lord. Never will I follow the Eastern Lightning as my family do!”

In Your Experience, How Much Practical Understanding Do You Have of God’s Salvation?

Once I had come to this realization, I felt so much stronger than I had before, and when I encountered matters that touched upon my self-regard and status, I wasn’t as frail, and I could face them somewhat correctly. But my satanic nature of pursuing status had been deeply rooted within me and it had become my life.

God's Utterance "God Himself, the Unique (II) God's Righteous Disposition" (Excerpt)

  Almighty God says, "If one only uses their idle time to focus upon and understand the Creator’s words or deeds, and pay a little attention to the Creator’s thoughts and the voice of His heart, it will not be difficult for them to realize that the Creator’s thoughts, words and deeds are visible and transparent. Likewise, it will take little effort to realize that the Creator is among man at all times, that He is always in conversation with man and the entirety of creation, and that He is performing new deeds every day. His substance and disposition are expressed in His dialogue with man; His thoughts and ideas are revealed completely in His deeds; He accompanies and observes mankind at all times. He speaks quietly to mankind and all of creation with His silent words: I am above the universe, and I am amongst My creation. I am keeping watch; I am waiting; I am at your side…. His hands are warm and strong; His footsteps are light; His voice is soft and graceful; His form passes and turns, embracing all of mankind; His countenance is beautiful and gentle. He has never left, nor has He vanished. From dawn to dusk, He is mankind’s constant companion. "

from "Continuation of The Word Appears in the Flesh"

How to Appropriately Deal With Other People?

One day, Brother Chen in the church came to me. He said he wanted to practice spreading the gospel in his spare time and offer some of his strength to the gospel work. Due to my past interactions with Brother Chen, I knew that he had a very arrogant disposition. I had some prejudices and biases against him.