Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts

Monday, March 11, 2019

The Church of Almighty God | I Have Found a True Home

Eastern Lightning,The Church of Almighty God,the church
I Have Found a True Home
Yangyang, USA
When I was three years old my father passed away. At that time my mother had just given birth to my younger brother, and my grandmother, owing to superstition, said that it was my mother and younger brother that caused my father’s death. For lack of a better option mother had to take my younger brother to her father’s house to live, so from the start of my earliest memories I was living together with my grandpa and grandma. Although my grandpa and grandma treated me well I still felt lonely and really wanted to be together with my mom and little brother. I hoped for the same kind of motherly love that other kids received. Really, what I was asking for wasn’t much, all I wanted was a true family, a mother who loved me dearly, who I could share my true feelings with. But even this small ask turned into an extravagant hope.

Sunday, March 10, 2019

God Is by My Side

Eastern Lightning,The Church of Almighty God,the church
God Is by My Side
By Guozi, USA
I was born into a Christian family, and when I was one year old, my mom accepted the new work of the Lord Jesus returned—Almighty God—but my grandma was strongly opposed. I remember when I was little, her most frequent words to me were: “If you don’t feel well or you can’t do your homework, just pray to the Lord Jesus. He’ll give you intelligence and wisdom; He’ll look after your safety.” My mom, though, would often tell me: “God created this world and He created mankind. He’s always by our sides. Remember to pray to Almighty God when you encounter an issue and He will care for and protect you.” These two different voices frequently rang in my ears. I once asked my mom uncertainly: “Grandma wants me to pray to the Lord Jesus and you want me to pray to Almighty God. Who should I listen to?” She said: “Actually, the Lord Jesus and Almighty God are the same God. It’s just that the names God took on and the work He’s done are different because the ages are different. The Lord Jesus did the work of the Age of Grace, and Almighty God does the work of the Age of Kingdom. He changes the way He works in every age, and He also changes His name. But no matter how His name and His work change, His essence doesn’t change. Just like today you’re wearing red to go to school and tomorrow you’ll wear blue to go to the restaurant—even though you’re wearing different clothing, going to different places, and doing different things, you’re still you. But when God’s new era arrives we have to keep up with His new work. That’s why we should pray to Almighty God now.” Even though I heard my mom’s explanation, I was still very perplexed in my heart and still had a somewhat doubtful attitude toward Almighty God’s new work.

Saturday, March 9, 2019

The Church of Almighty God | The Return of a Prodigal Son

Eastern Lightning,The Church of Almighty God,the church
The Return of a Prodigal Son
Ruth, United States
I was born in a small town in southern China, and starting from my paternal great-grandmother’s generation, our family has believed in the Lord. Stories from the Bible, hymns of worship and ecclesiastical music in the church accompanied me as I passed through the happy days of my childhood. As I started getting older, pressure grew in my studies, and in my heart I started to slowly grow distant from the Lord. However, the Lord never left me, whenever I would call out for Him, He would help me. The grace and holy name of the Lord Jesus are rooted deep within my heart. I remember in the year I took the college entrance exam that no one thought I’d be able to test into a good college, and this included my teachers. Amidst all these setbacks I nearly gave up all hope, and I too thought that I certainly would not be able to test into the college I wanted to get into.

Friday, March 8, 2019

The Church of Almighty God | I Have Found True Happiness

Eastern Lightning,The Church of Almighty God,the church
I Have Found True Happiness
Zhang Hua, Cambodia
I was born into an ordinary farming family. Even though my family was not wealthy, my father and mother loved each other and treated me very well. Our family life was quite abundant and blessed. After I grew up, I told myself: I must find a husband that will treat me well and I must establish a blissful and happy family. This is what is most important. I do not seek riches, I only need to have a loving relationship with my husband and a peaceful family life.

Thursday, March 7, 2019

If I Were Not Saved by God

Eastern Lightning,The Church of Almighty God,the church
If I Were Not Saved by God
Lingwu, Japan
“If I were not saved by God, I would still be drifting in this world, struggling hard and painfully in sin; every day gets bleak and hopeless. If I were not saved by God, I’d still be crushed below the devil’s feet, snared in sin and its enjoyments, ignorant of what my life would be. If I were not saved by God, I’d be without my blessings here today, much less know why we should live on or the meaning of our lives. If I were not saved by God, I’d still be confused about my faith, still in empty space passing the days, unaware in whom to put my faith. I have finally understood God’s loving hand holds mine as we go. I would never go and lose my way ’cause I’m on this brilliant course to stay” (“If I Were Not Saved by God” in Follow the Lamb and Sing New Songs). Whenever I hear this hymn of experience, I am always deeply moved. If it weren’t for God saving me, as described in the hymn, I might still be wandering aimlessly in the world, tiring myself out chasing after money, even to the point that I would long since have lost my life and died abroad in a foreign land …

Wednesday, March 6, 2019

The Church of Almighty God | Fortune and Misfortune

Eastern Lightning,The Church of Almighty God,the church
 Fortune and Misfortune

By Dujuan, Japan
I was born into a poor family in a Chinese rural village. Because my family was poor, I sometimes did not even know if I would have my next meal, let alone snacks and toys. And from a young age, I would wear what my older sister used to wear. Her clothes were usually too big for me. As a result, my classmates would laugh at me and they would not play with me. My childhood was very bitter. From that point on, I resolved to myself: Once I grow up, I will be somebody and make lots of money. I won’t let others look down on me again. Since my family had no money, I was forced to drop out before junior high school graduation. I went to the county town to work in a medicine factory. In order to earn more money, I would frequently work until 9 or 10 PM. However, the money I earned was little. Afterward, when I heard that my sister was able to earn in five days what I earned in a month selling vegetables, I quit my job at the medicine factory and went to sell vegetables. After a period of time, I found that I could make even more money selling fruits, so I decided to start a business selling fruits. After I married my husband, we started a restaurant business. I thought that now that I had a restaurant, I would be able to earn even more money. Once I could earn a considerable amount of income, naturally, I would win other’s admiration and regard. Other people would start looking up to me and at the same time, I would be able to live a better life. However, after managing the business for a while, I found that we couldn’t make much money running a restaurant. I started getting anxious. When would I be able to lead a life that others would admire?

Tuesday, March 5, 2019

The Church of Almighty God | Chapter 18


Building the church is not an easy thing to do! I put My whole heart into building it and Satan would do everything it could to tear it down. If you want to be built you must have a vision; you must live a life by Me, be a witness of Christ, hold Christ up on high, and be loyal to Me. You should not give excuses, but instead obey without condition; you must endure any trials, and accept all that comes from Me. You must follow whatever the Holy Spirit does to lead you. You must have a keen spirit and the ability to distinguish things. You must understand people and not blindly follow others, keep your spiritual eyes bright and possess a thorough knowledge of things. People who are of the same mind as Me must stand witness to Me and fight the deciding battle against Satan. You must both be built and fight the battle. I am amongst you, I support you and I am your refuge.

Monday, March 4, 2019

Utterances of Christ | Chapter 41


Regarding the problems that arise in the church, don’t be filled with so many misgivings. When the church is built it’s impossible to avoid mistakes, but don’t panic when you face the problems; be calm and collected. Haven’t I told you so? Pray to Me often, and I will clearly show you My intentions. The church is My heart and it is My ultimate goal, how could I not love it? Do not be afraid, when things like this happen in the church, it is all permitted by Me. Stand and be My voice. Have faith that all things and matters are permitted by My throne and all have My intentions within them. If you continue with willful fellowship there will be problems, have you thought about the consequences? This is the type of thing that Satan will take advantage of. Come before Me often. I shall speak plainly: If you are going to do something without coming before Me, then don’t think you are able to complete it. It is you who have put Me in this position.

Sunday, March 3, 2019

Utterances of Christ | Chapter 29

 
   Do you know that the time is pressing? So in the short term you shall rely on Me and cast away all the things from you that are incompatible with My disposition: ignorance, slowness to react, unclear thoughts, soft-heartedness, a weak will, absurdity, overwrought emotions, confusion and a lack of discernment. These must be cast away as soon as possible. I am the almighty God! As long as you are willing to cooperate with Me, I will cure all that ails you. I am the God who looks deep into the hearts of people, I know all of your ailments and where your defects dwell. These are the things that prevent you from having progress in your life, and they must be cast away soon. Otherwise, My will cannot be carried out upon you. That which My light shines upon, you must rely on Me to cast it away, live by Me always, be close to Me, and your actions must reveal My likeness. You shall fellowship with Me more when you are unsure of what to do, and I will guide you toward the right actions so that you may move forward. If you are unsure, do not take arbitrary actions; just wait for My time. Maintain a stable temperament, do not let your passions run hot and cold; you must have a heart that always holds Me in reverence. What you do in front of Me or behind My back must always be in accordance with My will. Do not be lenient to anyone on My behalf, be it your husband or family member; it is unacceptable, no matter how good they are. You must take action based on the truth. If you love Me, I will grant you great blessings. I will tolerate none who resist. Love those whom I love, and hate those whom I hate. Pay no heed to any man, thing, or object. Look with your spirit and see clearly the people used by Me, get in more contact with the spiritual men. Do not be ignorant; you must differentiate. Wheat will always be wheat and tare will never grow into wheat, and you must recognize different types of people. You must be especially cautious in your speech and keep your feet on the path that is after My heart. These words must be carefully pondered. You must cast away your rebelliousness and make yourself fit for My use as soon as you can, so that My heart shall be satisfied.

From : The Word Appears in the Flesh


Recommendation: The brief introduction of the Church of Almighty God

Saturday, March 2, 2019

The Church of Almighty God | That Day the Sky Was Especially Clear and Sunny

Eastern Lightning,The Church of Almighty God,the church
That Day the Sky Was Especially Clear and Sunny
By Tian Ying, China
I used to be a believer in the Three-Self Church in China. When I first started participating in gatherings, the pastors would often say to us: “Brothers and sisters, it is recorded in the Bible that: ‘For with the heart man believes to righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made to salvation’ (Rom 10:10). We’ve been justified due to our faith. Since we believe in Jesus, we have been saved. If we believed in any other, then we wouldn’t have been saved….” I held on to these words of the pastors. As a result, I ardently pursued and actively attended gatherings as I waited for the Lord to come and let me into the kingdom of heaven. Later on, as unlawful deeds kept occurring in the church, it made me feel fed up with the gatherings there. Among the pastors they were divided and partitioned, each trying to establish themselves at the top of the faction and set up independent kingdoms. The sermons from the pastors needed to obey the United Front Work Department (UFWD).

Friday, March 1, 2019

The Church of Almighty God | The Light Is Warm When Passing Through the Tunnel

Eastern Lightning,The Church of Almighty God,the church
The Light Is Warm When Passing Through the Tunnel
Wang Yuping, China
Just like all the other brothers and sisters who thirst for the return of the Lord Jesus, I too continuously long for our Lord eagerly to return to receive us into the kingdom of heaven soon so that we can enjoy its blessings. One day in November of 2006 I finally heard the news of the Lord’s return. Through reading the words expressed by Almighty God and through the fellowshiping about and bearing witness to God’s work in the last days from my brothers and sisters, I finally recognized that Almighty God incarnate is the returned Lord Jesus. Thereupon, I willingly accepted Almighty God’s work in the last days.

Thursday, February 28, 2019

The Church of Almighty God | Breaking Through the Fog to See the Light

Eastern Lightning,The Church of Almighty God,the church
Breaking Through the Fog to See the Light
Faith, China
I am an ordinary worker. At the end of November, 2013, a coworker saw that my wife and I would always make a lot of noise about little things, that every day we were worried and distressed, so he passed on the work of Almighty God in the last days to us. From the word of Almighty God, we have learned that the heavens and earth and all things were created by God, and that man’s life is bestowed on him by God. We have also understood the truth of the mystery of the six-thousand-year management plan, the mystery of the incarnation, God’s three stages of work in saving mankind, the significance of God’s work of judgment in the last days, and other respects. My wife and I thought that happening upon God incarnate having come to save mankind during our lifetimes was a great blessing. We happily accepted God’s work in the last days, and led a church life. Under the guidance of the word of God, we both pursued the truth and to transform ourselves, and whenever something happened and we started to argue, we wouldn’t just find fault with each other like we used to, but rather we would reflect on ourselves and try to know ourselves. After that, we acted in a way that forsook the flesh in accordance with God’s demands, and our marital relations became better and better, and our hearts became peaceful and steady. We felt that believing in God was truly good. However, while we were joyous and happy to follow God, when we were enjoying the blessed life, we were faced with a violent attack coming from our families…. Just when I was losing my way, it was the word of God that guided me to see through Satan’s scheme, and to break through the fog and enter onto the radiant and correct path for life.

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

This Is How I Welcomed the Lord

Eastern Lightning,The Church of Almighty God,the church
This Is How I Welcomed the Lord
Xiyue, Japan
When I was six years old my mother believed in the Lord Jesus, and she would often bring me to church gatherings. I slowly became aware of the fact that man was created by God, that if we are in trouble we should pray to God and rely on God, and that we should thank God for everything. My mother told me: “God loves people, so long as we pray to God and entrust Him with what’s on our mind and truly rely on Him, then He will solve our problems and bestow us with bountiful grace. As long as we truly believe in the Lord then He will come in the future to receive us into the kingdom of heaven!” Listening to mother’s words, my heart felt at peace and free from anxiety, I felt like I had something to rely on, and I firmly believed that one day the Lord Jesus would return to bring us into the kingdom of heaven. I looked forward to and dreamed of the arrival of this day.

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Meeting the Lord Again

Eastern Lightning,The Church of Almighty God,the church
Meeting the Lord Again
Jianding, USA
I was born into a Catholic family, and from an early age my mother taught me to read the Bible. At the time, the Chinese Communist Party was re-building the nation after the civil war, and as the CCP was suppressing all religions, I was 20 years old before I finally got the chance to go to church and listen to sermons. The priest often said to us: “We Catholics must properly confess our sins and repent. We must do good, not evil, and always go to Mass. During the last days, the Lord is going to come and judge everyone and send people to heaven or to hell according to how they have acted and behaved on earth. The biggest sinners will be punished in hell eternally, whereas those who commit minor sins can still go to heaven as long as they confess their sins to the Lord and repent. Anyone who doesn’t believe in the Lord will never get to heaven, no matter how good they are.”

Sunday, February 24, 2019

The Church of Almighty God | Who Is the Obstacle on the Road to the Heavenly Kingdom?

Eastern Lightning,The Church of Almighty God,the church
Who Is the Obstacle on the Road to the Heavenly Kingdom?
By Meng’ai, Malaysia
The year my husband died, I was deep in despair, and on top of that I had the added burden of raising my children. Hardship had suddenly befallen my life, but I had the love of the Lord with me all along, and with the help of my brothers and sisters I got through this difficult time. To recompense the love of the Lord, I continued to make donations and serve the church, and have been doing so for over thirty years. In this time, I have experienced the thriving of the church and seen the glorious occasion of the spread of the gospel of the Lord Jesus. I’ve also witnessed desolation and helplessness in the church. I thought back to when the Holy Spirit first began to do the great work in the church, when we experienced enjoyment and gained much from listening to the pastor’s preaching.

Saturday, February 23, 2019

The Church of Almighty God | Competing in This Way, I Benefit Tremendously

Eastern Lightning,The Church of Almighty God,the church
Competing in This Way, I Benefit Tremendously
By Ma Xin, China
Since my husband was not engaged in honest work, frequently drank alcohol and showed no concern for family matters, I would often sink into bitterness and pain. At a time when I did not have the strength to struggle on, a relative delivered Almighty God’s kingdom gospel to me. Through reading God’s word, I understood: God expresses the truth and does the judgment work of the last days in order to save the human race from the hands of Satan. He instructs man to understand, obey and return to Him so that he can receive His protection and care. As a result, I gladly accepted the work of Almighty God of the last days and quickly started my church life. However, right as I found something I could depend my life upon and felt a sense of joy and cheer, Satan’s temptations pounced on me like a wild beast rushed after its prey and a spiritual war erupted …

Friday, February 22, 2019

The Church of Almighty God | A Battle

Eastern Lightning,The Church of Almighty God,the church
A Battle
By Zhang Hui, China
My name is Zhang Hui, and in 1993 my entire family came to believe in the Lord Jesus. I was an enthusiastic seeker, so I quickly became a preacher. I would often travel around to different churches to work and preach. After a few years, I quit my job and began to serve the Lord full time. However, for some unknown reason, my brothers’ and sisters’ faith and love gradually cooled, and jealousy and strife grew between co-workers. I also felt that my spirit was withering, and I had nothing left to preach on. In 2005, my wife got cancer, and she died soon after that. This was a huge blow for me and I became even weaker. One day, I went to stay at my cousin’s house and met two sisters there, who preached Almighty God’s gospel of the kingdom. Over several days of fellowship and debate, I came to truly believe that the Lord Jesus had returned, that He is Almighty God in the flesh. Through reading Almighty God’s words, my thirsty heart was watered and supplied, and I savored the sweetness of the Holy Spirit’s work, understanding many truths and mysteries I had never understood before. However, just as I was immersed in the joy of reunion with the Lord, the temptations and attacks of Satan were creeping ever-closer to me …

Thursday, February 21, 2019

The Church of Almighty God | Breaking Free From the Rumor Trap

Eastern Lightning,The Church of Almighty God,the church
Breaking Free From the Rumor Trap
By Xiaoyun, China
I used to be a female army officer. One day in 1999, a Korean pastor preached the gospel of the Lord Jesus to me. Because of my earnest pursuit, I soon became the focus of the pastor’s training and his right-hand man. The summer of 2000, the pastor came to Yunnan on a short summer missionary trip with more than a dozen college students from the Korean Gospel Church. Unexpectedly this alarmed the CCP government. We were arrested whilst having a meeting at the pastor’s home and then brought to Yunnan Province Public Security Department for trial. The Korean university students were deported the same night and the Korean pastor was also expelled. The church suffered persecution by the CCP and many believers were cowardly and did not dare believe. A proportion of believers were also forced to go to the Three-Self Church and this was how the church was broken up by the CCP. I was one of the main co-workers in the church and the persecution by the CCP this time also caused me to lose my job.

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

The Church of Almighty God | “Pigeon” Mail

Eastern Lightning,The Church of Almighty God,the church
“Pigeon” Mail
Su Jie, China
One day in 1999, after the meeting had ended, the pastor said to me, “Su Jie, here is a letter for you.” As soon as I saw it, I knew that it came from the church I established in Shandong. I took the letter and on the way home, I thought as I walked: This letter is so thick, could it be that they have encountered some difficulties? …