God’s Best Protection for Mankind

My station in life, or status, was something I could never let go of, and when God created an environment that exposed me, I was only negative, complaining, and despairing. Only through refinement after refinement did I come to understand God’s good intentions, and that His testing of me was not to torment me. Rather, it was to cleanse me and make me perfect, to allow me to understand that believing in God for the sake of a station can only ruin me, thus allowing me to let go of improper views of pursuit, and to have a proper goal to pursue.

After some time of serving as a leader in the church, I was promoted to be a district coordinator. Before long, I was promoted again and entrusted with being a district leader. This linear “rise” made me work even harder to perform my duty, looking forward to the day that even more would be entrusted to me. This hope became the impetus for my pursuits. However, just as I was dreaming of my step-by-step “ascent,” I was replaced! At the time I was crushed—I felt that I had lost my station and my path of faith in God had come to its end. I was in pain to the point that I considered leaving the church. I even thought about dying. Later, through enlightenment from God’s words, I gradually came out of that negativity. His words were: “When the mountains move, could they make a detour for the sake of your station? When the waters flow, could they cease before your station? Could the heavens and the earth be reversed by your station?” (“The Twenty-second Utterance” of God’s Utterances to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh). At the time, although I realized that my desire for status was too strong and that faith in God should not be a pursuit of status, I didn’t have any real understanding of myself, and I thought to myself: I won’t pursue status anymore; no matter what duties are arranged for me, I’ll obey and that’s it. Later, the church arranged for me to preach the gospel and to look after new believers. I accepted all of this. So, I believed that I had let go of my desire for status.

Before long, I moved from looking after new believers to once again being a church leader. At that time, that desire deep in my heart to “make a comeback” was stirring. Under the reign of that desire, I put everything into showing off, hoping that the leadership would see my “change.” When it was time to plot out church districts, I couldn’t help but think: This time they’ll probably let me be a district coordinator…. However, God’s plan once again broke my dream of status, and I ended up becoming the deacon liaison for another church. Faced with this reality, I misunderstood it, complained, and a struggle suddenly welled up in my heart: Oh God, others also have their corruption and make mistakes in their work, but they’re still working as leaders. I have given no less than others in every aspect—why won’t God use me? Why am I so unlucky? Once again, I descended into the pain of being refined. Amidst the darkness, it was God’s words that guided me: “You have not seen all these smitings, these disciplines, as the best protection. Rather, you have seen them either as Heaven’s deliberately causing trouble for you or as your rightful retribution. You are so ignorant! … What you saw as cruel chastenings did not change your heart, nor did they take hold of your heart—they just wounded your heart. You have just seen these ‘cruel chastisements’ as your enemies in life and have not gained anything from them. You are so self-righteous! It has rarely occurred to you that you are too despicable and you should be subjected to these types of trials. Rather, you have thought that you are so unlucky, and that I am always picking on you” (“Those Who Are Ignorant and Do Not Learn—Are They Not Just Beasts?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). God’s words pierced my heart like a sharp sword. It was true! All those times of stumbling—I had not gained anything from them. Every time I lost my station, it was as if I had suffered death and come back to life, as if by losing my station, I had lost the meaning of life. Status had become my mortal wound. But from these several chastenings, I had not really understood myself, and I had understood even less of God’s earnest intentions. I had not understood that God’s testing of me was to counteract my desire for status, so that I could have a proper pursuit. Instead, I misunderstood God, complained, and believed that He was purposely tormenting me, trying to make things difficult for me, and believed that I was so unlucky. I really was so unreasonable, so absurd!

Later, I saw in the fellowship from God: “Corruption within human nature must be resolved through trials. In whichever aspects you do not pass, it is in these aspects that you must be refined—this is God’s plan. God creates an environment for you, forcing you to be refined there to recognize your own corruption. … In whichever aspects you are still subject to Satan’s bondage, in whichever aspects you still have your own desires, your own demands—it is in these aspects that you will suffer” (“How to Satisfy God in the Midst of Trials” in Records of Christ’s Talks With Leaders and Workers of the Church). Looking at God’s words, thinking of refinement after refinement that came upon me, I finally understood God’s kind intentions, and could taste God’s great love and salvation. Although I was arrogant and ignorant and had no understanding of God’s heart, He created an environment to test me time after time, forcing me, amidst the pain of being refined, to recognize my own corruption, my own arrogance and unreasonableness, and that my desire for status was too great. He led me to shake off being ruled by my station, He led me to no longer pursue status. The more I tried to fathom it, the more I felt that God’s love for me was truly great, while I was blind and ignorant. I misunderstood and blamed God, and truly wounded His heart. At the time, I couldn’t help but shed tears of regret and fall down in front of God in prayer: Oh God! Thank You for Your love and salvation for me. If I did not have these chastisements and judgments from You, I would be on a one-way path to my own ruin because of my pursuit of status. Your trials and refinements of me are a great protection and salvation for me. Oh God! I have understood Your good intentions for me, and I am willing to let go of these barriers to pursuit of the truth, to seek out more of Your will in the environment You create, to pursue the truth, to pursue a change in disposition, to be a conscientious, rational creation, to not allow Your work to be in vain within me.

#eastern lightning

Kuiqian

Rizhao City, Shandong Province

source from: Hymn of the heart  

How does Almighty God do the work of all denominations becoming one in the end time?

Bible Reference

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. And many people shall go and say, Come you, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” (Isa 2:2-4)

“And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” (John 10:16)

The answer from God’s word:

eastern lighting 

“I am doing my work in the entire universe, and in the East loud voices like the pealing of thunders issue forth unceasingly, shaking every denomination and sect. It is my utterance that has brought all people to today. I cause all people to be conquered because of my utterance, and all fall into this stream and become subject before me. For I have long taken back my glory from the whole earth and sent it forth from the East again. Who does not expect to see my glory? Who does not look forward to my returning? Who does not thirst for my reappearing? Who does not long for my loveliness? Who will not come to the light? Who will not see the riches of Canaan? Who does not expect the return of the ‘Redeemer’? Who does not look up to the Mighty One? My utterance will be proclaimed in the whole earth. I will utter my voice and speak more to my chosen people, which will shake mountains and rivers like mighty thunders. It is to the entire universe that I speak, and it is to mankind that I speak. So the word of my mouth will become people’s treasure, and all people will treasure my word. It is from the East that the lightning shines even to the west. My word is inseparable to man, is unfathomable to man, and even more, is joyful to man. Like a newborn baby, all people will be happy and joyous, celebrating my coming. By my utterance, I will bring all people before me. Thereafter, I will formally enter among mankind, causing all people to come to worship me. By the sending forth of my glory and by the word of my mouth, I will cause all people to come before me and see that it is from the East that the lightning comes, that I have descended on the ‘Mount of Olives’ of the East and have long come to earth, and I am no longer the ‘Son of the Jews’ but the Lightning of the East, because I have long resurrected and left from among people and again have appeared among people with glory, and that I am the One worshiped by people before the ages and the ‘baby’ rejected by the Israelites before the ages and even more the Almighty God of the present age who is laden with glory! I will cause all people to come before my throne, see my glorious countenance, hear my utterance, and watch my deeds. This is my entire will, the ultimate and the climax of my plan, and the purpose of my management. I will cause all nations to worship, all tongues to confess, all men to trust, and all peoples to become subject!”

from “The Seven Thunders Peal—Prophesying the Kingdom Gospel Will Spread to the Entire Universe”
in The Word Appears in the Flesh

“In the future, every nation, sect, denomination, and circle will be conquered with the word. God will speak directly, and everyone will have God’s word in his hand. People will be perfected through this. They will have God’s word within and without, speaking God’s word with their mouth, practicing according to God’s word, and having God’s word within; they will be saturated with God’s word within and without. Then they will have been perfected. Those who satisfy God’s heart’s desire and who can bear testimony for God are the ones who have God’s word as their reality.

In the future, God will speak more words to all denominations and sects. He first speaks and utters his voice among you and makes you complete, and then he will speak and utter his voice to the Gentiles and conquer them, causing all people to be convinced in the heart and in the mouth through the word.”

from “The Age of the Kingdom Is the Age of the Word” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

“One day, when the entire universe turns to God, the center of the work of the entire universe will follow God’s utterance. In other places, some people will make phone calls, some take planes, some take ships at sea, and some use laser, to receive the utterance from God. Everyone will adore, and everyone will long for. All will draw close to God, all will gather to God, and all will worship God. All these are God’s deeds. Remember this! God will by no means make another start in any other place in the future. God will accomplish this fact: People in the entire universe will all come to meet God and worship the God on earth. God’s work in all the other places will stop, and all people will be forced to search for the true way. It will be like the case of Joseph. Everyone went to him for things to eat and bowed down to him, because he had food to eat. In order to escape the disaster of starvation, all people will have to seek the true way. The entire religious world will suffer a severe famine. Only the God of today is the spring of living water and has the ever-flowing spring for people to enjoy. All people will turn to him. That will be the time God’s deeds are manifested and the time God gains glory. People in the entire universe will all come to worship this inconspicuous ‘person.’ Won’t it be the day God gains glory? One day, even pastors of old age will have to send telegrams to seek the water from the spring of living water. They, though of advanced age, will have to worship this person they despised, confessing with their mouth and believing in their heart. Won’t it be a miracle and wonder? When the whole kingdom rejoices, it will be the day God gains glory. All those who come to you and receive the good news of God will be blessed by God. Such nations and such people will all be blessed by God and cared for by God. The future trend is that those who receive the utterance of God’s mouth will have the way to go forward on earth, and those who receive no utterance of God’s mouth will not be able to take a single step and will be forced to seek the true way, no matter whether they do business or scientific research, or engage in education or industry. This is ‘Having the truth, one can travel all over the world; having no truth, one cannot take a single step.’ This is the fact. God just uses the ‘Way’ (the ‘Way’ is all God’s words) to control the entire universe and to govern and conquer mankind.”

from “The Millennial Kingdom Has Come” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Are there any prophecies about God’s work of the last days in the Bible? Why is it that nobody can unlock the Bible?

The answer from God’s word:

“… let us not verify each statement. Instead, let us look at how the Holy Spirit works. Let us compare against the truth to see whether the path we walk is in line with the work of the Holy Spirit, and use the work of the Holy Spirit to check whether such path is correct. As for whether this statement or that statement has come to pass, we humans should not interfere. It is better for us to instead speak of the work of the Holy Spirit and the latest work that God is doing now. The Bible comprises the words of God told by the prophets and the words written by the men God used at the time; only God Himself can explain those words, only the Holy Spirit can make known the meaning of those words, and only God Himself can break the seven seals and open the scroll. You are not God, and neither am I, so who dares to explain at will the words of God? Do you dare explain those words? Even if the prophets Jeremiah, John and Elijah were here, they would not dare to, for they are not the Lamb. Only the Lamb can break the seven seals and open the scroll, and none other can explain His words. …

… The last days are no more than the last days and no more than the Age of Kingdom, which do not represent the Age of Grace or the Age of Law. The last days are merely the time in which all the work in the six-thousand-year management plan is revealed to you. This is the unveiling of the mystery. Such mystery can be unveiled by no man. No matter how great an understanding man has of the Bible, it remains nothing more than words, for man does not understand the substance of the Bible. When man reads the Bible, he may receive some truths, explain some words or scrutinize some famous passages and quotes, but he will never be able to extricate the meaning contained within those words, for all man sees are dead words, not the scenes of the work of Jehovah and Jesus, and man is unable to unravel the mystery of such work. Therefore, the mystery of the six-thousand-year management plan is the greatest mystery, the one most hidden and utterly inconceivable to man. None can directly understand the will of God, unless He Himself explains and opens up to man, otherwise, they will forever remain riddles to man and forever remain sealed mysteries. Never mind those in the religious world; if you were not told today, neither would you be able to understand. This work of six thousand years is more mysterious than all the prophecies of the prophets. It is the greatest mystery since creation, and no former prophet has ever been able to fathom it, for this mystery is only unraveled in the final age and has never before been revealed. If you understand this mystery and are able to fully receive it, those religious persons will all be conquered by this mystery. Only this is the greatest of visions, that which man most longs to understand but also that which is most unclear to him.”

from “The Mystery of the Incarnation (4)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

“The Jews of the time all read from the Old Testament and knew of Isaiah’s prophecy that a male infant would be born in a manger. Why then, with this knowledge, did they still persecute Jesus? Is this not because of their rebellious nature and ignorance of the work of the Holy Spirit? At that time, the Pharisees believed that the work of Jesus was unlike what they knew of the prophesied male infant; man of today rejects God because the work of the incarnate God does not conform to the Bible. Is not the substance of their rebelliousness against God one and the same? Can you be such that you accept without question all the work of the Holy Spirit? If it is the work of the Holy Spirit, then it is the right ‘stream.’ You should accept it without the slightest misgivings, rather than picking and choosing what to accept. If you gain some knowledge from God and exercise some caution against Him, is this not an act truly uncalled for? What you ought to do is acceptance of, without the need for further substantiation from the Bible, any work so long as it is that of the Holy Spirit, for you believe in God to follow God, not to investigate Him. You should not search out further proof for Me to show that I am your God. Rather, you ought to discern whether I am of benefit to you; that is the key. Even if you have found out much irrefutable proof within the Bible, it cannot bring you fully before Me. You are one who lives within the confines of the Bible, and not before Me…. Though the Bible prophesied that a male infant would be born, none could fathom upon whom the prophecy would come to pass, for man did not know the work of God, and this is what caused the Pharisees to stand against Jesus. Some know that My work is in man’s interests, yet they continue to believe that Jesus and I are two entirely separate beings who are mutually incompatible. At the time, Jesus only spoke to His disciples a series of sermons in the Age of Grace, such as how to practice, how to gather together, how to ask in prayer, how to treat others, and so forth. The work He carried out was that of the Age of Grace, and He expounded only on how the disciples and those who followed Him ought to practice. He did only the work of the Age of Grace and none of the last days. When Jehovah set down Old Testament law in the Age of Law, why did He not then do the work of the Age of Grace? Why did He not make clear in advance the work of the Age of Grace? Would this not have been of benefit to the acceptance of man? He only prophesied that a male infant would be born and come to power, but He did not carry out in advance the work of the Age of Grace. The work of God in each age has clear boundaries; He does only the work of the current age and never does He carry out the next stage of work in advance. Only in this way can His representative work of each age be brought to the fore. Jesus had spoken only of the signs of the last days, of how to be patient and how to be saved, how to repent and confess, as well as how to bear the cross and endure suffering; never did He speak of what man in the last days should enter into or how to seek to satisfy God’s will. As such, would it not be an act of fallacy to search within the Bible for God’s work of the last days? What can you discern merely holding the Bible in your hands? Be it an interpreter of the Bible or a preacher, who can foreknow the work of today?”

from “How Can Man Who Has Defined God in His Conceptions Receive the Revelations of God?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

“Each stage of God’s work was not expressly in order to fulfill the predictions of the ancient prophets, and He did not come to abide by doctrine or deliberately realize the predictions of the ancient prophets. Yet His actions did not disrupt the predictions of the ancient prophets, nor did they disturb the work that He had previously done. The salient point of His work was not abiding by any doctrine, and doing the work that He Himself should do. He was not a prophet or a seer, but a doer, who actually came to do the work He was supposed to do, and came to open His new era and carry out His new work. Of course, when Jesus came to do His work, He also fulfilled many of the words spoken by the ancient prophets in the Old Testament. So too has the work of today fulfilled the predictions of the ancient prophets of the Old Testament. It’s just that I don’t hold up that ‘yellowed old almanac,’ that’s all. For there is more work that I must do, there are more words that I must speak to you, and this work and words are of far greater importance than explaining passages from the Bible, because work such as that has no great significance or value for you, and cannot help you, or change you. I intend to do new work not for the sake of fulfilling any passage from the Bible. If God only came to earth to fulfill the words of the ancient prophets of the Bible, then who is greater, God incarnate or those ancient prophets? After all, are the prophets in charge of God, or is God in charge of the prophets? How do you explain these words?”

from “Concerning Appellations and Identity” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

If I believe in Almighty God, doesn’t it mean that I have betrayed the Lord Jesus? Isn’t this apostasy?

Bible Reference

“Him that overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God: and I will write on him my new name.” (Rev 3:12)

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, said the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” (Rev 1:8)

“And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give you thanks, O LORD God Almighty, which are, and were, and are to come; because you have taken to you your great power, and have reigned.” (Rev 11:16-17)

The answer from God’s word:

“The work done at present has pushed forward the work of the Age of Grace; that is, the work in the entire six-thousand-year management plan has moved forward. Though the Age of Grace has ended, the work of God has progressed further. Why do I say time and again that this stage of work builds upon the Age of Grace and the Age of Law? This means that the work of this day is a continuation of the work done in the Age of Grace and an uplifting of that done in the Age of Law. The three stages are closely interconnected and linked one to the next. Why do I also say that this stage of work builds on that done by Jesus? If this stage did not build on the work done by Jesus, then in this stage the crucifixion, the work of redemption done previously, would still need to be carried out. This would be meaningless. Therefore, it is not that the work has completely finished, but that the age has moved forward, and the work has become even higher than before. It could be said that this stage of work is built on the foundation of the Age of Law and the rock of the work of Jesus. The work is built stage by stage, and this stage is not a new beginning. Only the combination of the three stages of work can be deemed the six-thousand-year management plan. … Jesus and I come from the same Spirit. Though Our fleshes have no relationship, Our Spirits are one; though what We do and the work We bear are not the same, We are alike in essence….”

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

“Although Jehovah, Jesus, and the Messiah all represent My Spirit, these names only denote the different ages in My management plan, and do not represent Me in My entirety. The names by which people on earth call Me cannot articulate My entire disposition and all that I am. They are merely different names by which I am called during different ages. And so, when the final age—the age of the last days—arrives, My name shall change again. I shall not be called Jehovah, or Jesus, much less the Messiah, but shall be called the powerful Almighty God Himself, and under this name I shall bring the entire age to an end. I was once known as Jehovah. I was also called the Messiah, and people once called Me Jesus the Savior because they loved and respected Me. But today I am not the Jehovah or Jesus that people knew in times past—I am the God who has returned in the last days, the God who shall bring the age to an end. I am the God Himself that rises up at the ends of the earth, replete with My entire disposition, and full of authority, honor and glory. People have never engaged with Me, have never known Me, and have always been ignorant of My disposition. From the creation of the world until today, not one person has seen Me. This is the God who appears to man during the last days but is hidden among man. He resides among man, true and real, like the burning sun and the flaming fire, filled with power and brimming with authority. There is not a single person or thing that shall not be judged by My words, and not a single person or thing that shall not be purified through the burning of fire. Eventually, all nations shall be blessed because of My words, and also smashed to pieces because of My words. In this way, all people during the last days shall see that I am the Savior returned, I am the Almighty God that conquers all of mankind, and I was once the sin offering for man, but in the last days I also become the flames of the sun that burn all things, as well as the sun of righteousness that reveals all things. Such is My work of the last days. I took this name and am possessed of this disposition so that all people may see that I am a righteous God, and am the burning sun, and the flaming fire. It is so that all may worship Me, the only true God, and so that they may see My true face: I am not only the God of the Israelites, and am not just the Redeemer—I am the God of all creatures throughout heavens and earth and seas.”

from “The Savior Has Already Returned Upon a ‘White Cloud’” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

“Only those who follow the footsteps of the Lamb to the very end can gain the final blessing, whereas those clever people, who are unable to follow to the very end yet believe they have gained all, are incapable of witnessing the appearance of God. They all believe they are the smartest person on earth, and they cut short the continued development of God’s work for no reason at all, and seem to believe with absolute certainty that God will take them up to heaven, they who ‘have the utmost loyalty to God, follow God, and abide by the words of God.’ … Those who do not follow to the very end, who do not keep up with the work of the Holy Spirit, and who only cleave to the old work have not only failed to achieve loyalty to God, but on the contrary, have become those who oppose God, have become those who are rejected by the new age, and who will be punished. Are there any more pitiable than them? Many even believe that all those who reject the old law and accept the new work are without conscience. These people, who only talk of conscience, and do not know the work of the Holy Spirit, will ultimately have their prospects cut short by their own consciences. God’s work does not abide by doctrine, and even though it is His own work, still God does not cling to it. That which should be denied is denied, that which should be eliminated is eliminated. Yet man places himself in enmity of God by holding onto but one small part of the work of God’s management. Is this not the absurdity of man? Is this not the ignorance of man? The more that people are timid and overcautious because they are afraid of not gaining God’s blessings, the more that they are incapable of gaining greater blessings, and of receiving the final blessing. Those people who slavishly abide by the law all display the utmost loyalty toward the law, and the more they display such loyalty toward the law, the more they are rebels who oppose God. For now is the Age of Kingdom and not the Age of Law, and the work of today cannot be held up against the work of the past, and the work of the past cannot be compared to the work of today. The work of God has changed, and the practice of man has also changed; it is not to hold onto the law or bear the cross. So, people’s loyalty toward the law and the cross will not gain God’s approval.”

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

“The work done by God differs across periods of time. If you show great obedience in one phase, yet in the next phase show less or none at all, then God shall desert you. If you keep pace with God as He ascends this step, then you must continue to keep pace when He ascends the next. Only such men are obedient to the Holy Spirit.”

from “The Truly Obedient Shall Surely Be Gained by God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

“… recall what followed after the Jews nailed Jesus to the cross 2,000 years ago. The Jews were expelled from Israel and fled to countries around the world. Many were killed, and the entire Jewish nation was subjected to unprecedented destruction. They had done wrong: They had nailed God to the cross—a heinous crime—and provoked the disposition of God. They were made to pay for what they did, were made to bear the consequences of their actions. They condemned God, rejected God, and so they had but one fate: to be punished by God. …

Today, God has returned to the world to do His work. …

The work of God is like mightily surging waves. No one can detain Him, and no one can halt His footsteps. Only those who listen carefully to His words, and who seek and thirst for Him, can follow His footsteps and receive His promise. Those who do not shall be subjected to overwhelming disaster and deserved punishment.”

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

“God’s work waits for no one, and His salvation will not be thrown lightly to anyone like rubbish, but rather, it has its objects, its aims, and its selections. If you do not know to treasure it, then what awaits you will only be God’s righteous judgment and punishment. God is righteous to everyone. No matter how old you are, how senior you are, or even how much you have suffered, God’s righteous disposition will never change because of these. God does not think highly of anyone nor treat anyone unfairly. His attitude toward a person depends on whether he can drop everything to accept the truth and accept His new work. If you can receive His new work and receive the truth that He expresses, then you will receive God’s salvation; if you flaunt your seniority, put on the airs of a veteran, and bargain over terms with God, then God’s salvation will leave you. The Jews, for example, could not accept Jesus Christ but only waited for the Messiah, and what came upon them in the end was God’s curse and wrath. This is a fact obvious to us all.”

from “Postscript” to Typical Cases of Punishment for Resisting Almighty God

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