The Church of Almighty God-The Word of the Spirit of God "Do You Know? God Has Done a Great Thing Among Men"

The Church of Almighty God-The Word of the Spirit of God "Do You Know? God Has Done a Great Thing Among Men"

Almighty God says, "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 a 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 untold secrets, 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."

Eastern Lightning -The Word of the Spirit of God "In Your Faith in God You Should Obey God"

Eastern Lightning-The Word of the Spirit of God "In Your Faith in God You Should Obey God"

Almighty God says, "Key to obeying God is appreciating the new light, and being able to accept it and put it into practice. Only this is true obedience. … Not being satisfied with living amid God’s graces, actively thirsting for the truth, and searching for the truth, and pursuing being gained by God—this is what it means to consciously obey God; this is precisely the kind of faith that God wants."

Eastern Lightning | The Lord Has Opened the Scroll | "The Essence of the Flesh Inhabited by God"

  

Eastern Lightning | The Lord Has Opened the Scroll | "The Essence of the Flesh Inhabited by God"

Almighty God says, "All of this was proof that He was a normal man, which proved that God’s incarnate flesh was a flesh with normal humanity, not a supernatural one. His job was to complete the work of God’s first incarnation, to fulfill the ministry of the first incarnation. The significance of incarnation is that an ordinary, normal man performs the work of God Himself; that is, that God performs His divine work in humanity and thereby vanquishes Satan. Incarnation means that God’s Spirit becomes a flesh, that is, God becomes flesh; the work that He does in the flesh is the work of the Spirit, which is realized in the flesh, expressed by the flesh. No one except God’s flesh can fulfill the ministry of the incarnate God; that is, only God’s incarnate flesh, this normal humanity—and no one else—can express the divine work."

Walk in the Love of God | Gospel Movie "Mission of Love" | God Is Love

Walk in the Love of God | Gospel Movie "Mission of Love" | God Is Love

Li Mo believed in Jesus from childhood. When she was 16, she became a coworker of the house church and worked for the Lord zealously. However, the dissension in the church escalated and the believers’ faith and love became cold increasingly. The desolate scene made her fall into the distress and perplexity she had never had before. In 1999, she was fortunate to hear Almighty God’s gospel of the last days and finally met the Lord! She joyfully told the good news to the brothers and sisters who were still eagerly expecting the Lord’s coming in religion. Unexpectedly, she was slandered, insulted, driven away, beaten and abused…. In those years, she went to many places to preach the gospel, such as many counties and cities in Hebei Province and Sichuan Province. During that time, she underwent many persecutions from the religious world. Although she suffered a lot and ever became weak and passive, with Almighty God’s word leading her and God’s love encouraging her, she didn’t fear hardships and difficulties and went forward bravely. In such experience of sufferings, she saw clearly the religious world’s substance of being hostile to God, saw God’s substance of being righteous, holy, and beautiful and good, and even more deeply tasted God’s love and salvation, so that her life gradually grew up in adversity. It’s really glorious to be persecuted for righteousness!

Recommendation：Is the Eastern Lightning the manifestation of the Lord and His work?

Voice of God | Gospel Movie "Awakening" | God Awakens My Sou

Voice of God | Gospel Movie "Awakening" | God Awakens My Soul

Lu Xiu’en was a preacher of a house church in China. Believing the rumors and notions spread by the pastor, she insisted that man’s sins had been forgiven by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus, that man was saved by faith and didn’t need to receive any other salvation. As a result, she resisted and rejected Almighty God’s gospel in the last days many times…. However, an unexpected experience made her see the true face of the pastor, and thus she had some discernment of him and her heart began to awaken. Just at that time, Almighty God’s gospel in the last days came upon her. This broke her imaginations and notions about God’s work and gave her a brand new knowledge of salvation and full salvation. And then she accepted Almighty God’s gospel in the last days without hesitation. However, the pastor didn’t stop disturbing her, and this caused her great distress. Under the watering of Almighty God’s word, she saw clearly the ugly face of the pastor and his deceptive tricks. She awakened resolutely…

Recommendation：the Eastern Lightning" has testified that the Lord Jesus has already returned, expressed the truth, and made complete a group of overcomers. Does this fulfill the prophecies from the Bible?

Christian Movie | Explore the Bible | "Exploration of the 'Trinity'"

Christian Movie | Explore the Bible | "Exploration of the 'Trinity'"

He was a leader of a house church in China. For many years, he had been exploring the mystery of the “Triune God”: What’s the relationship between the three Spirits, the Holy Father, the Holy Son, and the Holy Spirit? What’s the difference of them? The Bible says that there is only one Spirit. If there is only one Spirit, why is it said that there are three? If there are three Spirits, how can they be one? One day, the words expressed by God who reappeared finally unlocked the mystery of the “Triune God,” which had puzzled him many years and puzzled the religious world for two thousand years…

Recommendation：if the Eastern Lightning is the true way, why has the CCP government consistently engaged in frantic oppression, arrests, and persecution against the Eastern Lightning?

Almighty God Has Given Me a Second Chance at Life

Is the Bible the Lord, or Is God? | "Who Is My Lord" (Gospel Movie)

Eastern Lightning-Is the Bible the Lord, or Is God? | "Who Is My Lord" (Gospel Movie)

Liu Zhizhong is an elder at a local house church in China. He's been a believer for over 30 years, and has constantly maintained that "The Bible is inspired by God," "The Bible represents God, believing in God is believing in the Bible, believing in the Bible is believing in God." In his heart, the Bible is paramount. Due to his adoration for and blind faith in the Bible, he has never sought or looked to Almighty God's work of the last days. Until one day, when he blocked believers from reading the words of Almighty God online, he had a chance encounter with the preachers from the Church of Almighty God. After undergoing intense debates about the truth, was he finally able to see the relationship between the Bible and God clearly? Was he able to move away from the Bible to understand that Christ is the truth, the way, and the life? Will he be raptured before God?

Recommendation：Christians’ Incredible Rebuttals to the CCP’s Rumors and Slander About The Church of Almighty God

Christian Movie | The Lord Jesus Christ Awakens My Soul | "Stinging Memories"

Christian Movie | The Lord Jesus Christ Awakens My Soul | "Stinging Memories"

Fan Guoyi was an elder of a house church in China. In his over twenty years of service, he always emulated Paul, sacrificing for the Lord zealously and working hard. He firmly believed that he was doing the will of the heavenly Father by pursuing that way and he would surely be raptured to the kingdom of heaven at the return of the Lord. However, when Almighty God’s salvation of the last days came upon him, he clung to his notions, rejecting, resisting, and condemning it time and time again…. Later, after several debates with the preachers from the Church of Almighty God, Fan Guoyi finally woke up. He truly understood the meaning of doing the will of the heavenly Father and the way of pursuing to be saved and enter the kingdom of heaven….

At every thought of the past, the memories were stinging in his heart….

Recommendation：Eastern Lightning—the appearance and work of God in the last days has rocked all sects and denominations, and all kinds of men have been revealed.

Christian Movie-"Rapture in Peril"-God Is My Light and My Salvation

Christian Movie-"Rapture in Peril"-God Is My Light and My Salvation

Zhao Zhigang is an elder at the Local Church in China. Like many Christians, his greatest hope as a believer in the Lord is to be raptured alive, meet the Lord and rule with Him. In 1999, after the church leader released the message, "In the year 2000 the Lord shall come again, and His believers will be raptured alive," he was even more excited and enthusiastic than before. Brimming with faith and confidence, he looked to the future with hope and expectation…. However, after the year 2000 came and went, his hope had been all for naught. An unprecedented crisis of faith emerged in his denomination, and he couldn't help but wonder whether or not he had chosen the right path.

After the gospel of the descent of kingdom of Almighty God spread throughout his denomination, Zhao Zhigang and a group of fellow workers entered into deep discussion and debate with preachers from the Church of Almighty God. These discussions revolved around beliefs they had maintained for many years within their denomination…. Finally, Zhao Zhigang could see clearly that they had been misled into confusion by religious antichrists. He quickly recognized the truth and came to accept the work of Almighty God. Eventually he was raptured before God's throne, where he could not help but to lament, "My rapture was truly in peril!"

Recommendation：if the Eastern Lightning is the true way, why has the CCP government consistently engaged in frantic oppression, arrests, and persecution against the Eastern Lightning?

Eastern Lightning-Is the Bible the Lord, or Is God? -"Who Is My Lord" (Gospel Movie)

Eastern Lightning-Is the Bible the Lord, or Is God? -"Who Is My Lord" (Gospel Movie)

Liu Zhizhong is an elder at a local house church in China. He's been a believer for over 30 years, and has constantly maintained that "The Bible is inspired by God," "The Bible represents God, believing in God is believing in the Bible, believing in the Bible is believing in God." In his heart, the Bible is paramount. Due to his adoration for and blind faith in the Bible, he has never sought or looked to Almighty God's work of the last days. Until one day, when he blocked believers from reading the words of Almighty God online, he had a chance encounter with the preachers from the Church of Almighty God. After undergoing intense debates about the truth, was he finally able to see the relationship between the Bible and God clearly? Was he able to move away from the Bible to understand that Christ is the truth, the way, and the life? Will he be raptured before God?

New Bible Movie | Is Life From the Bible or From God | "The Bible and God"

New Bible Movie | Is Life From the Bible or From God | "The Bible and God"

Liu Zhizhong is an elder at a local house church in China. He's been a believer for over 30 years, and has constantly maintained that "The Bible is inspired by God," "The Bible represents God, believing in God is believing in the Bible, believing in the Bible is believing in God." In his heart, the Bible is paramount. Due to his adoration for and blind faith in the Bible, he has never sought or looked to Almighty God's work of the last days. Until one day, when he blocked believers from reading the words of Almighty God online, he had a chance encounter with the preachers from the Church of Almighty God. After undergoing intense debates about the truth, was he finally able to see the relationship between the Bible and God clearly? Was he able to move away from the Bible to understand that Christ is the truth, the way, and the life? Will he be raptured before God?

Welcome the Second Coming of Christ | Christian Video "Break the Spell" | God Is My Salvation

Welcome the Second Coming of Christ | Christian Video "Break the Spell" | God Is My Salvation

Fu Jinhua is an elder in a house church in China. She has believed in the Lord for a number of years and has always thought that the Bible was inspired by God, that all of the words in the Bible are God's words, that she needs only believe in the Lord and adhere to the Bible, and when the Lord comes down on a cloud she will be raptured into the kingdom of heaven. However, her coworkers plant a seed of doubt. The four blood moons have appeared, and the prophecies of the Lord's coming have been fulfilled. It stands to reason that the Lord has already returned, so why have we not welcomed Him as He comes down on a cloud? … After some reflection, Fu Jinhua decides to seek and investigate Almighty God's work in the last days. Through fellowship and debates with witnesses from The Church of Almighty God, Fu Jinhua finally clearly sees the path to enter the kingdom of heaven and breaks free of the ""spell"" she's been under for years. She accepts Almighty God's work of the last days, is brought up before God's throne, and attends the wedding feast of the Lamb.

Recommendation：Eastern Lightning—the appearance and work of God in the last days has rocked all sects and denominations, and all kinds of men have been revealed.

Judgement in the Last Days | Christian Movie "The City Will Be Overthrown" | Second Coming of Jesus

Second Coming of Jesus | Christian Movie "The City Will Be Overthrown" | Warnings of the Last Days

Cheng Huize is a co-worker at a house church in China. She has believed in the Lord for many years, and has worked for the Lord with unwavering enthusiasm. She takes on a lot of responsibilities for the church, and she has compassion for her brothers and sisters. As her church grew more and more desolate with each passing day, the wickedness in her church were more and more frequent. The pastor energetically proposed that the church should start a factory, and led the followers down the path to wealth, and also enticed them to join the Three-Self Church so they could rely on help from the Chinese Communist government. This caused a fierce debate to unfold. The pastor stubbornly acted in his own individual interests and did not hesitate to divide the church, leading the believers down the wrong path. Cheng Huize and a few others held fast to the way of the Lord, and fiercely opposed the church becoming a factory and joining the Three-Self Church. Although the elders at the church expressed that they were opposed to this, they only did so to protect their own status and livelihood. Even though the pastor and elders were all harboring secrets in their hearts, locked in constant strife for their own fame and profit, fighting out of envy, when they saw that most of the good sheep and leading sheep in the church had investigated the Eastern Lightning and turned to Almighty God one by one, they joined together with the Chinese Communist government and fought to repress the Eastern Lightning, blocking the believers from coming to study the Eastern Lightning, urging the followers to report them to the police. They set an example by reporting and arresting the brothers and sisters preaching the kingdom gospel. Cheng Huize and others saw that the pastor and the elders had deviated from the Lord's way a long time ago, and the church had already lost the work of the Holy Spirit and had degenerated into a religious place like Babylon the Great, cursed and reviled by the Lord. Because of this, they decided to investigate the Eastern Lightning to search for the manifestation and work of God. After intense debates with the preachers from the Church of Almighty God, Cheng Huize and the others finally began to see clearly that the leaders of the religious world opposed God in substance, and the reason why the religious world declined, day by day drawing nearer to its destruction: The pastors and elders of the religious world, although they could explain the Bible and hold the Bible in high esteem, they only do so for status and livelihood. They are confusing and ensnaring people. They don't hold God in high regard or bear witness for Him, they don't understand God at all. In the last days, when the incarnate Almighty God appears and does His work, they oppose Him without the slightest scruple, they condemn God's work, even to the point where they unite with the Chinese Communist government to arrest believers. This is enough to prove that they possess a satanic nature that hates the truth and hates God. They are modern-day Pharisees, impersonating virtuous people, antichrists who deny that God becomes flesh. The religious world has already completely become a stronghold for antichrists who are enemies of God. They will absolutely meet with God's curses and punishments. Cheng Huize and others were eventually able to differentiate the antichrist nature essence of the leaders of the religious world, and guided the believers to break away from the confusion and control of the Pharisees, to escape without hesitation from Babylon, the city that will be overthrown …

Christian Movie-God Is the Way, the Truth, and the Life-"The Mystery of Godliness: The Sequel"

Best religious movie-God Is the Way, the Truth, and the Life-"The Mystery of Godliness: The Sequel"

Lin Bo'en is an old preacher who has believed in the Lord for many decades. Since accepting Almighty God, Christ of the last days, he was convicted, excluded, and expelled from the religious community by the pastors and elders, the antichrist forces. But even though Lin Bo'en was attacked, convicted, and framed, he did not shrink back in fear. Rather, his faith became more resolute than ever, and this led him to finally understand that the pastors and elders of the religious world were faking a virtuous appearance. At the same time, he came to know that only Christ is the truth, the way, and the life, and only Christ can save and purify and perfect man. Because of this, he was resolved to follow Christ, bear witness for Christ, and do his utmost to pursue the truth, to seek to transform his disposition so that he could become a true witness for God. Once the Chinese Communist Party discovered that Lin Bo'en was released from prison and had not changed, that he had not renounced his faith in the slightest bit and even believed in the Eastern Lightning, that he went everywhere to testify that the Lord Jesus has come again and that He is Almighty God, the CCP listed him as wanted and went everywhere to arrest him. Lin Bo'en was forced to leave his family, and in each place he testified to Almighty God's work in the last days, he was able to lead a lot of sincere, good-natured believers to God's side. This video gives an account of Lin Bo'en's true story of spreading the gospel and testifying for God.

Recommendation：if the Eastern Lightning is the true way, why has the CCP government consistently engaged in frantic oppression, arrests, and persecution against the Eastern Lightning?

Eastern Lightning-Christian Movie "The Gospel Messenger" | Preaching the Gospel of the Last Days (English Full Movie)

Eastern Lightning-Christian Movie-"The Gospel Messenger"-Preaching the Gospel of the Last Days

Christian Chen Yixin has believed in the Lord for many years, and has been fortunate enough to welcome the Lord Jesus' return in the last days—Almighty God! She came to understand God's urgent will to save mankind from Almighty God's words as well as the mission and responsibility a created being should undertake, so she began sharing the gospel and bearing witness to God's work in the last days. While doing this she travels to many cities and provinces and suffers suppression and rejection from religious circles over and over as well as pursuit and persecution by the CCP government. She endures a lot of suffering. However, under the guidance of God's words, she remains on her mission, unafraid of danger, courageously going forward …

Recommendation：Christians’ Incredible Rebuttals to the CCP’s Rumors and Slander About The Church of Almighty God

Second Coming of Christ Movie-"Knocking at the Door"-How to Welcome the Return of the Lord

Second Coming of Christ Movie-"Knocking at the Door"-How to Welcome the Return of the Lord

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!

Recommendation：Eastern Lightning Shakes the Religious World

How Does Jesus Return? In an Open or Hidden Way? The Mystery Is Revealed Now

Eastern Lightning-How Great Is Our God-Musical Drama Xiaozhen’s Story

Eastern Lightning-How Great Is Our God-Musical Drama Xiaozhen’s Story

Genre：Musical Drama

Plot Keywords：The Church of Almighty God, musical drama, salvation, confusion, emptiness, corruption, mask, degeneration, life in the ballroom

Release Date： Jan 4, 2016

Runtime：1:52:17

Storyline:

Xiaozhen used to be a pure, kind-hearted Christian, who always treated her friends sincerely. However, when it was to their benefit, her former friends became her enemies. After suffering this tragedy, Xiaozhen was forced to abandon her true heart and her former principles. She began to betray her own good conscience and good spirit, and wallowed in the mire of the evil world. … As she fell from grace and walked a path of depravity, she was trampled by the world and became riddled with scars and bruises. She had reached a dead end, and at her point of despair when she had given up all hope, Almighty God’s sincere call finally awakened Xiaozhen’s heart and spirit

Recommendation：Thanks and Praise to Almighty God

Eastern Lightning-Gospel Movie Trailer-The Salvation of God in the Last Days "Rapture in Peril"-Meet With the Lord

Eastern Lightning-Gospel Movie Trailer-The Salvation of God in the Last Days "Rapture in Peril"-Meet With the Lord

IN THEATERS MARCH 20,2016

INTRODUCTION

Zhao Zhigang was an elder of the Local Church in China. Like hundreds of millions of Christians, his greatest expectation was to be raptured alive, to meet the Lord and reign with Him. In 1999, his religious leader released the message: “The Lord will return in 2000; all believers will be raptured alive.” He was greatly excited at the news, and pursued more fervently, waiting in full confidence… However, the year 2000 passed, and nothing happened. His expectation was unfulfilled and the Local Church fell into an unprecedented crisis, which forced him to reflect on the path he walked. Later, with Almighty God’s gospel of the descent of kingdom spreading to the Local Church, Zhao Zhigang and his co-workers had a series of profound fellowships and intense debates with the preachers from the Church of Almighty God about the viewpoints they believers in the Local Church had held onto for years… In the end, Zhao Zhigang saw through the true substance of religious antichrists deceiving man. He woke up suddenly and completely, embraced Almighty God’s work, and was raptured before God’s throne at last. He couldn’t help but sigh, “My rapture is such a peril!”

Recommendation：Many good sheep in the church would prefer to suffer unbridled arrest and persecution by the Chinese Communist Party just to seek and investigate Eastern Lightning.

Eastern Lightning-2019 Inspirational Christian Movie "It's Good to Believe in God" | God Has Given Me a Happy Life

Eastern Lightning-2019 Best religious movie "It's Good to Believe in God" | God Has Given Me a Happy Life

To earn enough money to live a good life, Ding Ruilin and her husband put in bitterly hard work to open and run a business. But, thanks to the CCP government's exploitation and abuse, they remain heavily in debt, and have no choice but to go abroad to work. To make more money, Ding Ruilin takes on two jobs. The heavy burden of her work and the indifference of the people around her make her realize the pain and helplessness of living for money. In the midst of her pain and confusion, she meets high school classmate Lin Zhixin. In their talks, Ding Ruilin sees that Lin Zhixin has come to understand many things because of her faith in God. With God's presence, she feels spiritual peace and happiness and lives in a relaxed, easy state, which makes Ding Ruilin want to believe in God as well. Soon, to make even more money, Ding Ruilin and her husband take over a restaurant, but long-term fatigue causes Ding Ruilin to become seriously ill, which in turn leaves her at risk of paralysis. The torment of her illness makes Ding Ruilin begin to reflect on life. What should people live for? Is it worth sacrificing your life for wealth and fame? Can money help people escape emptiness and misery? Can it save people from death? Through her sisters' fellowship on God's word, Ding Ruilin is able to clearly see the answers to these questions about life, she learns about the most important thing to pursue in life, and she finally finds spiritual release. Through the guidance in God's word, Ding Ruilin finally discovers happiness in life …

Recommendation：Eastern Lightning—the appearance and work of God in the last days has rocked all sects and denominations, and all kinds of men have been revealed.

Almighty God Led Me Onto the Path of Obtaining Cleansing

Best religious movie-Disclose the Mystery of Kingdom of Heaven "Awakening From the Dream"

  

Best religious movie-Disclose the Mystery of Kingdom of Heaven "Awakening From the Dream"

Like thousands of followers of the Lord Jesus, Yu Fan focused on studying the Bible, sacrificed and paid the price of suffering for the Lord, and pursued to serve the Lord fervently. She thought this was the way to secure her rapture into the kingdom of heaven when the Lord returns. However, just when Yu Fan was enthusiastically preaching and working for the Lord to fulfill her wonderful dream, her co-workers raised such a question: It’s true we are forgiven of our sins by our faith in the Lord, and we are capable of sacrificing, suffering, and paying a price for the Lord. But we still often expose our corruption and commit sins to resist God. God is holy. Are we, so corrupt, really able to gain God’s approval? Are we really up to the standard for rapture into the kingdom of heaven? However, the co-workers’ question did not set Yu Fan reflecting. It was after the preachers of the Church of Almighty God had fellowship with her that she came to realize the mystery of rapture into the kingdom of heaven. Only then did she finally awaken from the dream and become certain that Almighty God was the Savior Jesus she had been expecting day and night

Recommendation：Thanks and Praise to Almighty God

Eastern Lightning Shakes the Religious World

Eastern Lightning-Christian Family Movie "Where Is My Home" Clip Only God Can Save Mankind and Free Us From Pain

Eastern Lightning-Christian Family Movie "Where Is My Home" Clip - Only God Can Save Mankind and Free Us From Pain

     Why is there suffering in human life? Many wrestle with this but never find the answer. Wenya and her family encounter an unforeseen change in circumstances, fully tasting the vicissitudes of human relationships. In the end, they find the root of suffering in people's lives in Almighty God's words and come to understand how to cast off their pain and attain true happiness. This wonderful clip, "Only God Can Save Mankind and Free Us From Pain" from the Christian film, Where Is My Home, will help you find the answer.

       Recommendation：
     Christians’ Incredible Rebuttals to the CCP’s Rumors and Slander About The Church of Almighty God
          Almighty God Has Given Me a Second Chance at Life

             

Eastern Lightning-4 Principles on How to Get Closer to God

Eastern Lightning-4 Principles on How to Get Closer to God

By Xiaomo, China

The Bible says, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:8). As Christians, only by drawing closer to God and having real interaction with God can we maintain a normal relationship with God and obtain the work of the Holy Spirit. It is just like two people associating with each other, who can only keep their close relationship going for a long time by being more open with each other, communicating more when they encounter issues, and by understanding and respecting each other. In this age of fast-paced life, however, busy jobs, complicated relationships and evil social trends draw us in and occupy us more and more. Our hearts are easily disturbed by the people, events and things of the outside world, and they prevent us from maintaining a normal relationship with God. This leads to us becoming more and more distant from God and, when we encounter issues, it becomes very hard for us to quieten ourselves before God, to draw close to God and to seek the enlightenment and guidance of the Holy Spirit. When we do things, we often do them without any correct direction or purpose, and our spirits are constantly in a state of emptiness and agitation. So how exactly can we maintain a close relationship with God? We need only to grasp the four points below, and our relationship with God will definitely become closer.

1. Pray to God With an Honest Heart and Be Moved by the Holy Spirit

Prayer is the channel through which we communicate with God. Through prayer, our hearts are better able to become quiet before God, to contemplate God’s word, to seek God’s will and to establish a normal relationship with God. But in life, because we are busy with work or household chores, we can often just go through the motions in prayer, and we just treat God perfunctorily by saying a few absent-minded words. When we are busy first thing in the morning, for example, going to work or busying ourselves with something else, we pray in a hurry: “O God! I entrust today’s work into Your hands, and I entrust You with my children and my parents. I entrust everything into Your hands, and I ask You to bless me and protect me. Amen!” We treat God perfunctorily by saying a few random words. Our hearts are not quiet, much less do we have any real interaction with God. Sometimes, we say some pleasant-sounding words, and some empty, boastful words to God in prayer, and we do not say to God what is in our hearts. Or sometimes, when we pray, we recite certain words by heart, and we say those same, stale old words every time, and this becomes totally a prayer of a religious ritual. Many prayers like this are spoken in our lives—prayers which cling to rules, and prayers in which we do not open our hearts to God nor seek God’s will. God hates it when we say prayers without really meaning any of it, because this kind of prayer pertains only to outward appearance and religious ritual, and there is no real interaction with God in our spirit. People who pray like this are treating God perfunctorily and are deceiving God. Therefore, prayers like this are not heard by God and it becomes very hard for people who pray this way to be moved by the Holy Spirit. When they pray like this, they are unable to feel God’s presence, their spirits are dark and weak, and their relationship with God becomes more and more distant.

The Lord Jesus said: “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). God is the Creator who fills all of heaven and earth. He is beside us at all times, watching our every word and action, our every thought and idea. God is supreme, utterly dignified, and when we pray to God, we worship God, and we must come before God with an honest heart. Therefore, when we pray to God, we must have a God-fearing heart, speak sincerely and truthfully to God, bring our real states, our difficulties and our hardships before God and tell Him about them, and we must seek God’s will and seek the path of practice, for only in this way will our prayers conform to God’s will. For example, we encounter some difficulties in life, or we see ourselves living in a situation whereby we are constantly sinning and confessing, and we feel tormented. And so, we open our hearts to God, tell God about these problems and seek God’s will, and God will see our sincerity and He will move us. He will give us faith, or He will enlighten us to understand His will. In this way, we come to understand the truth and to have a way forward. For example, when we truly recognize that our prayers just cling to rules and are just spoken as a formality, or we speak boastfully or emptily, and we are not having any real interaction with God, we can then pray in this way: “O God! When I prayed before, I was just treating You perfunctorily. Everything I said was said to cheat You and I was not speaking sincerely at all; I feel so indebted to You. From this day forth, I wish to pray with my heart. I will say to You whatever I think in my heart, and I will worship You with an honest heart, and ask for Your guidance.” When we open up to God like this from the bottom of our hearts, our hearts are then moved. We then see how much we have rebelled against God, and we wish even more to truly repent to God and to speak sincerely to Him. At this time, we will feel that our relationship with God is extremely close, as though we are face-to-face with Him. This is the result of opening our hearts to God.

Opening our hearts to God has nothing to do with how much we say to Him, or whether or not we use flamboyant words or fancy language. As long as we open our hearts to God and tell Him about our true state, seek His guidance and enlightenment, then God will listen to us even if we only say a few simple words. When we draw close to God frequently in this way, whether it be at gatherings or during spiritual devotion, or when we are walking down the street or sitting on the bus or at work, our hearts will always be silently opening up to God in prayer. Without being aware of it, our hearts can then become quiet before God even more, we will understand more of God’s will and, when we encounter issues, we will know how to practice the truth to satisfy God. In this way, our relationship with God will become much more normal.

2. When Reading God’s Words, Contemplate Them With Your Heart and You Will Understand Their True Meaning

Christians practice spiritual devotions and read God’s words every day. How can we read God’s words in a way that both achieves good results and that can enable our relationship with God to become closer? God’s word says: “People believe in God, love God, and satisfy God by touching the Spirit of God with their heart, thereby obtaining His satisfaction; when engaging with God’s words with their heart, they are therefore moved by the Spirit of God” (“Establishing a Proper Relationship With God Is Very Important”). God’s words tell us that, when we read His words, we must contemplate them and go seeking with our hearts, we must obtain the enlightenment and illumination of the Holy Spirit, and we must understand God’s will and what He requires of us. Only by reading God’s words in this way will our efforts bear fruit and we will draw closer to God. When we read God’s words, if we just give them a passing glance without really paying attention, if we only focus on understanding some letters and doctrines in order to show ourselves off and we pay no attention to understanding the true meaning of God’s words, then no matter how much we read His words, we will not conform to His will, much less will we be capable of establishing a normal relationship with God.

Therefore, when we read God’s words, we must quieten our hearts and use our hearts to ponder why God says such things, what God’s will is and what results God wants to achieve with us by saying such things. Only by deeply contemplating His words in this way can we understand God’s will and be more after His heart, and our relationship with God will become increasingly normal. For example, we see that the Lord Jesus says: “Truly I say to you, Except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3). We can all understand the superficial meaning of this statement, that God wishes for us to become honest people. But issues such as the significance of being an honest person, why God loves honest people and how exactly to become an honest person, are issues that we should contemplate more deeply. Through pray-reading and contemplating God’s words, we then understand that God’s essence is faithful, and that there is no falsehood or deception in anything God says or does, and therefore God loves honest people and hates deceitful people. God requires that we must become honest people, for only by becoming honest people in accordance with God’s requirements can we be led by God into His kingdom. So how exactly do we become honest people? Firstly, we are not to speak lies, but we must be pure and open and say what is in our hearts; secondly, we must not act deceitfully, we must be able to forsake our own interests, and cheat neither God nor man; thirdly, there must be no deception in our hearts, there must be no personal motive or aim in our actions, but instead we should act only to practice the truth and satisfy God. After this light has been achieved through contemplation, we reflect on our actions and behavior and we then see that we still possess many expressions of deceit: When we are dealing with other people, we often cannot stop ourselves from lying or cheating in order to safeguard our own interests, reputation and status. When we expend ourselves for God, we may say in prayer that we wish to love God and satisfy God, but when trials befall us, such as our child gets sick or either we ourselves or a family member loses their job, we immediately start complaining to God, so much so that we want to give up our work in the church; in this, we can see that we expend ourselves for God in a way that is tainted, and in a way whereby we make deals with God. We expend ourselves for God in order to profit from God, and not purely to satisfy God. These are just some examples of our expressions of deceit. From these expressions, we can see that we are not really honest people. Once we see clearly our own shortcomings and deficiencies, the resolve arises within us to thirst for the truth and we seek to practice God’s words more in our lives. This is the result achieved by contemplating God’s words.

Of course, this result cannot be achieved by contemplating God’s words once, but rather through contemplating His words many times. Also, we must consciously practice God’s words whenever we encounter issues. In short, as long as we unremittingly contemplate God’s words with our hearts in this way, we will then be able to obtain the enlightenment and illumination of the Holy Spirit. One day, we will gain some new light, and the next day we will gain a little more new light and, over time, we will be able

to understand more about the truth in God’s words, the path of practice will become clearer, our lives will make gradual progress, and our relationship with God will become closer and closer.

3. Seek the Truth and Practice God’s Word in All Things

The most crucial things for Christians to maintain a normal relationship with God is to seek the truth when they encounter issues and to practice in accordance with His word. But in life, when we encounter issues, we often rely on our own experiences or we employ human means to handle them, or we deal with them according to our own preferences. We very seldom quieten ourselves before God and seek the truth, or deal with the issue in accordance with God’s will. This causes us to lose many opportunities to practice the truth, and we grow further and further away from God. God’s word says, “No matter what you are doing, no matter how big the matter is, and regardless of whether you are fulfilling your duty in God’s family, or whether it is your private matter, you must consider whether this matter conforms with God’s will, and whether this matter is something a person with humanity should do. If you seek the truth in everything this way, then you are a person who truly believes in God” (“Seeking God’s Will Is for the Sake of Practicing the Truth”). “If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed” (John 8:31). God’s words show us a clear path. Whether we are doing work in the church or handling issues that we have encountered in our lives, we must always seek the truth and understand God’s will, see how to handle the matter in a way that meets God’s requirements, use the truth to resolve all the problems we may encounter and maintain our normal relationship with God.

Take how we should seek the truth when we choose our spouse, for example. When we are looking for a partner, we always go by our own preferences and focus on the person’s outward appearance and temperament, and we look for a tall, rich, handsome man, or a fair-skinned, rich, beautiful lady, believing that we will only have a happy marriage if we marry someone like that, and that we will live lives of physical ease, comfort and pleasure, and others will be envious of us. However, do we ever wonder whether finding a partner like that is beneficial to our belief in God and to our life progression? If our partner does not believe in God and they try to stop us from believing in God, what will the outcome be? The Bible says, “Be you not unequally yoked together with unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 6:14). From this, we can see that the aspirations of believers and unbelievers do not go together and are not suited to each other. In their approaches to faith and social trends, they will each have their own views and will pursue different things: A Christian will want to follow the way of fearing God and shunning evil, whereas an unbeliever will want to follow the evil trends of the world. When we are united with an unbeliever, we will necessarily be influenced by them, and our life progression will be held back. Therefore, when choosing a partner, we must take the person’s humanity and character into consideration and consider whether or not associating with them will benefit our belief in God, whether or not we are both on the same wavelength, and whether or not our aspirations are in accord. If we do not consider these things, but just focus solely on the person’s outward appearance and their family situation, then, after we are married, pain will come because we are not on the same wavelength. If our partner also tries to coerce us and stop us from believing in God, then this will ruin our spiritual lives even more. It can therefore be seen that, no matter what issue we may encounter in our lives, only by seeking the truth, grasping God’s will and acting in accordance with God’s will can we live under God’s care and protection, and only in that way can we maintain our normal relationship with God.

4. Come Before God and Reflect on Yourself Every Day, and Maintain Your Close Relationship With God

Jehovah God said: “Consider your ways” (Haggai 1:7). From God’s words, we can see that reflecting on ourselves is so necessary for our life entry! Through reflection, we can see that we have so many shortcomings and that we fall way too short of God’s required criteria. The motivation to pursue the truth therefore arises in us, we resolve to forsake our flesh and we do our utmost to practice in accordance with God’s word. In this way, we take heed to act in accordance with God’s requirements in our practical experiences, we practice God’s word, and our relationship with God becomes increasingly normal. For example, those of us who serve as leaders in the church see that it says in the Bible: “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:2–3). Therefore, we should engage in self-reflection when we are shepherding our brothers and sisters, and ask ourselves: Are we taking care to testify to the Lord’s words and to His will, and leading our brothers and sisters before God, or are we saying high-sounding, meaningless things when we give sermons in order to show off, and preaching letters and doctrines to make our brothers and sisters worship us and look up to us? When brothers and sisters make reasonable suggestions to us, do we reflect on our own problems or do we refuse to accept their suggestions, to the point where we even make excuses and try to vindicate ourselves? Through self-reflection, we can see that there are still many areas in our service to God in which we are rebellious, and that we still possess many corrupt dispositions that require us to persistently seek the truth in order for them to be resolved. In this way, we can conduct ourselves humbly, we can seek God’s will more in our work, and we can lead our brothers and sisters in accordance with God’s requirements. If we are unable to frequently come before God and reflect on ourselves, then we will fail to recognize our own corruptions and shortcomings and will still believe ourselves to be people in pursuit of the truth. We will therefore be content with standing still and will refuse to make any further progress, and we will become more and more arrogant and self-righteous, believing ourselves to be after God’s heart. In actual fact, however, our actions and behavior will be unacceptable to God, and God will detest us. It can therefore be seen that frequently engaging in self-reflection is very important and that one’s practice of the truth is built upon the foundation of knowing oneself. Only by having true knowledge of one’s own corruptions and shortcomings can remorse then arise, and one will then become willing to pursue the truth and practice God’s words. Self-reflection is so very beneficial to our life progression, and it is the indispensable key to us drawing closer to God.

There are many ways to reflect on ourselves: We can reflect on ourselves in the light of God’s words; we can reflect on ourselves in the mistakes that we make in our daily lives; others pointing out our shortcomings and corruptions is even more so an excellent opportunity to reflect on ourselves; furthermore, when we see the mistakes made by those around us, we can also reflect on ourselves, take their mistakes as a warning, learn the lessons and be benefited by them, and so on. Self-reflection is not limited to the daytime or the nighttime. At any time and in any place, we can pray to God in our hearts, reflect on and know our own corruptions, and we can seek God’s will and requirements within His words, and repent in time. However, before we go to bed each night, we should reflect on and summarize all that we did that day, and we will then be able to have a clearer grasp of our states and know what things we have not yet got right. Once we start doing this, our pursuit will be more directional and will be more beneficial to establishing a normal relationship with God.

Brothers and sisters, the four points above are the path of practice for us to draw closer to God. As long as we put these points into practice, then our relationship with God will become closer, we will have a path of practice with issues we encounter, and God will bestow on us peace and joy and will enable us to live in His blessings. So, why don’t we start right now?

Recommendation：Christians’ Incredible Rebuttals to the CCP’s Rumors and Slander About The Church of Almighty God

Thanks and Praise to Almighty God

Eastern Lightning-Signs of Jesus’ Return Have Appeared: How Will the Lord Come?

Eastern Lightning-Signs of Jesus’ Return Have Appeared: How Will the Lord Come?

Dear brothers and sisters:

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

Brothers and sisters, after our Lord Jesus had resurrected and risen up to heaven, all of us who believe in the Lord yearn for Him to soon return in order to make our many years of wishes come true, and so that we could receive His promise and enjoy His blessings. Especially in the last days, our desire to see the Lord’s return is even more urgent. The prophecies of the Lord Jesus’ return have basically been fulfilled now, and we have all seen or already heard of the frequent occurrences of all kinds of disasters in all nations of the world. They are, moreover, without historical precedent, and there are disasters occurring everywhere, such as floods, droughts, earthquakes, plagues and wars. The state of the world is also in turmoil, and there are frequent wars and terrorist attacks. Furthermore, the sermons of pastors and elders in the church are nothing but stale platitudes without any new light whatsoever. Many believers hear these sermons and feel no enjoyment, and desolation takes the place of their faith and love. Is this not precisely the situation when the prophecy of the Lord Jesus’ return is to be fulfilled? The Lord Jesus said: “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near: So you in like manner, when you shall see these things come to pass, know that it is near, even at the doors” (Mark 13:28–29). We all know that this passage of scripture is referring to the reemergence of Israel. Israel reemerged several decades ago, the fig tree has put forth tender leaves, and the prophecies of the Lord Jesus’ return have basically already been fulfilled. Brothers and sisters, since these prophecies have basically already been fulfilled, why then haven’t we seen the Lord Jesus descending upon a white cloud? Could it be that He has forgotten the promise He made two thousand years ago? Surely not, for God is faithful and His words are both faithful and to be trusted; when He utters a word, it will then necessarily be fulfilled in accordance with His plans and with the promise He made to man. Just as it is recorded in the Bible: “He that shall come will come, and will not tarry” (Hebrews 10:37). In fact, the Lord Jesus long ago incarnated and descended in secret amongst us in accordance with His promise, and He now performs a new work. But some brothers and sisters believe that it is clearly recorded in the Bible: “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). They believe that, because the Lord Jesus resurrected and ascended into heaven upon a white cloud, therefore when He returns, He will certainly descend upon a white cloud in the sky and everyone will be able to see Him. And so they ask how it can be said that the Lord has already incarnated and has descended in secret? And if that is the case, they ask, then how will the prophecy that the Lord shall descend upon a white cloud be fulfilled? We will now fellowship about this issue.

In fact, the Lord promised us that He would descend upon a cloud, and that is for certain. But there are many passages in the Bible that prophesy the Lord’s return. Through a careful study of the Bible, it is easy to see that there are two main parts to the prophecies concerning the Lord Jesus’ return in the last days. One part contains the prophecies related to the Lord descending in secret, and the other part contains the prophecies related to the Lord descending on a cloud and revealing Himself openly. Let’s first take a look at a few prophecies concerned with the Lord’s coming in secret. Please turn to chapter 16, verse 15 in the Book of Revelation: “Behold, I come as a thief.” Now, let’s look at chapter 3, verse 3: “If therefore you shall not watch, I will come on you as a thief, and you shall not know what hour I will come on you.” And there is also the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 24, verse 44 that says: “Therefore be you also ready: for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man comes.” These are just a few examples. Brothers and sisters, the words “as a thief” and “such an hour as you think not” written in these passages are actually saying that, when the Lord returns, He shall descend in secret, and will come quietly. The “Son of man” certainly refers to one who is born of man and a flesh possessed of normal humanity. The Spirit can certainly not be called the Son of man; only the flesh of God incarnate can be called the Son of man who, like the Lord Jesus, is flesh born of man, both tangible and visible. From these prophecies, we are therefore able to ascertain that the Lord Jesus has returned by descending in secret as the incarnated Son of man, to perform His works and appear amongst mankind.

Let’s now look at the prophecies concerning the Lord descending on a cloud and appearing openly. Brothers and sisters, please turn to chapter 1, verse 7 in Revelation: “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. Even so, Amen.” And in Matthew chapter 24, verse 30, it says: “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.” From these two passages of scripture, we can see that when every eye sees the Lord coming with clouds, they do not rejoice and feel happy, but instead all kindreds wail. Brothers and sisters, we all long for the Lord Jesus’ return, but why when He does return do people wail? Having preached on this matter, I trust that we can all understand it. Because God incarnate’s work to save man in secret is over, those who refused to accept God’s work while His incarnation was working in secret and who judged, condemned and resisted Him, all see that the one whom they have been condemning and resisting is indeed the Lord Jesus returned, and thus they beat their breasts and flog their backs, they wail and gnash their teeth, and there is made manifest upon the earth a vision of the wailing of all kindreds. Therefore, the time when we see the Lord appearing openly upon a cloud is the time when God shall reward the good and punish the wicked.

Now at this point, there will certainly be some brothers and sisters who will ask: “So the prophecies concerning the Lord’s return are both that God shall incarnate as the Son of man and come in secret, and that He shall descend openly upon a cloud—is this not a contradiction? How can these prophecies be fulfilled?” Actually, these prophecies do look as though they contradict each other, but this is not the case at all, for God’s wisdom is at play here. From these two kinds of prophecies, we can see that there are plans and stages to God’s work; God first incarnates and works in secret to save mankind and, when this work is complete, God will then openly reveal Himself to all peoples and all nations, and that is when He shall reward the good and punish the wicked. So that everyone can understand this better, let’s read a passage of the Bible. Please turn to Luke chapter 17, verses 26 to 30. I shall read: “And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.” Brothers and sisters, this passage’s description of the state of mankind on the day of the Son of man’s appearance is exactly the same as the state of mankind when Noah (Noe) and Lot were alive. As we all know, before the flood came, God told Noah in secret about the flood that would destroy the world, and He had Noah build the ark. While Noah was building the ark, he spread the word to others about the flood that would destroy the world. But because the people of that time had not witnessed this fact with their own eyes, they did not believe Noah, and they attacked him and derided him, and said he was crazy. But when they saw the flood coming, which was the day of God’s punishment of man, they were all stupefied and they hated themselves for not believing the gospel that Noah had preached. But by that time it was all too late. The time in which Lot lived was just the same. Before fire and brimstone had fallen from the sky, God told Lot in secret via two angels about the imminent destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and, after Lot realized this, he told this news to his sons-in-law. But because they had not seen this fact with their own eyes, they did not believe Lot. And when fire and brimstone fell from the sky, they regretted their actions and hated themselves for not believing what Lot had told them. Brothers and sisters, we can see from the days of Noah and Lot that when God works in secret, He does so to save mankind, and when His warnings are realized, then God’s punishment comes upon mankind. In just the same way, this is also how the days of the coming of the Son of man are. In the last days, God once again clothes Himself in flesh and He comes in secret bearing His inherent disposition and all that He is, He incarnates as the Son of man, and He expresses His words to conquer, perfect and gain a group of people, whilst at the same time using this group of people to preach His salvation of the last days. During this period, we will not see the spectacle of the Lord appearing openly upon a cloud. When God has completed a group of overcomers and the work of the secret coming of God incarnate is concluded, then the great disasters will immediately descend and God shall appear openly to punish the wicked and reward the good, and He shall separate each person according to their kind. To say it another way, the secret stage of Almighty God’s work is to save and perfect those who accept the truth, and when He appears openly, He shall punish those who do not accept the truth. All who humbly seek the truth and who are capable of accepting the truth shall accept God’s work of salvation of the last days during the period of God’s secret work, they shall return before God’s throne and God shall make them into overcomers. Those who do not accept the truth, however, and who, during the period of God’s secret work, rely on their own arrogant and conceited nature and who blindly condemn and resist God’s work, to the point where they even attack and blaspheme against God, God shall rank them among the wicked, and that which awaits them shall be God’s righteous punishment.

Brothers and sisters, we have already seen that the prophecies in the Bible concerning the Lord’s return have basically been fulfilled. Almighty God is Jesus returned; He is the Lamb who opens the scroll as prophesied in Revelation, and He is truly the One whom we have longed for for so long. He long ago unlocked the seven seals and opened the scroll, and He has revealed to man all the mysteries that no one throughout all the ages has ever understood. The work of the secret coming of Almighty God is now about to come to its end, and He will soon appear openly—God’s work will soon reach its glorious conclusion. If we can seek, study and accept Almighty God’s work of the last days positively and proactively, and keep pace with the footsteps of the Lamb, then there is still a chance that we will be saved and perfected by God. If we are unable to accept Almighty God’s work of salvation, then when we see the Lord descending upon a white cloud, it will be too late for regret. Let’s now read Almighty God’s words and heed His words of warning! Almighty God says, “Many people may not care what I say, but I still want to tell every so-called saint who follows Jesus that, when you see Jesus descend from the heaven upon a white cloud with your own eyes, this will be the public appearance of the Sun of righteousness. Perhaps that will be a time of great excitement for you, yet you should know that the time when you witness Jesus descend from the heaven is also the time when you go down to hell to be punished. It will herald the end of God’s management plan, and will be when God rewards the good and punishes the wicked. For the judgment of God will have ended before man sees signs, when there is only the expression of truth. Those who accept the truth and do not seek signs, and thus have been purified, shall have returned before the throne of God and entered the Creator’s embrace. Only those who persist in the belief that ‘The Jesus who does not ride upon a white cloud is a false Christ’ shall be subjected to everlasting punishment, for they only believe in the Jesus who exhibits signs, but do not acknowledge the Jesus who proclaims severe judgment and releases the true way of life. And so it can only be that Jesus deals with them when He openly returns upon a white cloud. They are too stubborn, too confident in themselves, too arrogant. How could such degenerates be rewarded by Jesus? The return of Jesus is a great salvation for those who are capable of accepting the truth, but for those who are unable to accept the truth it is a sign of condemnation. You should choose your own path, and should not blaspheme against the Holy Spirit and reject the truth. You should not be an ignorant and arrogant person, but someone who obeys the guidance of the Holy Spirit and longs for and seeks the truth; only in this way will you benefit” (“When You Behold the Spiritual Body of Jesus Will Be When God Has Made Anew Heaven and Earth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh).

Recommendation：Christians’ Incredible Rebuttals to the CCP’s Rumors and Slander About The Church of Almighty God

Eastern Lightning-The True Meaning of Rapture in the Bible

Eastern Lightning-The True Meaning of Rapture in the Bible

By Zhang Li

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

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

Is Rapture Really Being Taken Up Into Heaven?

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

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

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

The True Meaning of Rapture

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

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

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

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

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

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

Recommendation：Christians’ Incredible Rebuttals to the CCP’s Rumors and Slander About The Church of Almighty God

Almighty God Led Me Onto the Path of Obtaining Cleansing

"He comes with clouds." "Behold, I come as a thief." How exactly does Jesus’ return ?