I Have Found True Happiness (Audio Essay)

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.

I met my husband through a mutual acquaintance. I disliked him because he was quite short, but my father and mother looked favorably upon him. They said to me: “He has a good heart and he will treat you well.” I saw that my husband treated people very sincerely and he seemed like someone who would treat his family well. I thought, “It’s fine that he is a little short. As long as he treats me well, it is fine.” As a result, I agreed to the wedding and in 1989, we got married. After we got married, my husband treated me very tenderly and he took care of me very well. My married life was very blissful and abundant. My husband treated me well, and I remembered that in my heart. I also cared for him intently and thought about him in all matters. After our two daughters were born, in order to allow my husband to be at ease at work, I stayed at home and took care of the family. At that time, my little daughter got sick frequently. One time, during the night, she suddenly got a fever. My husband was working the night shift and he was not at home. In panic, I decided to bring my daughter to the hospital by myself. When my husband learned of this, he wanted to return home. He did not want me to suffer too much. I was very happy that my husband had this kind of a heart. Afterward, the two children went outside the village for schooling. I rented a place in order to accompany them while they studied and to take care of them. As long as I could handle a certain matter, I would not trouble my husband about it. Even though sometimes, it was difficult and I was a bit tired, our relationship as husband and wife was filled with mutual love and support. I felt that my life was very blessed.

At that time, the money that my husband earned was just enough to cover our daily expenses. Even though our lives were a little bit hard, I never complained to him. I felt that husband and wife should share in life’s joys and sorrows. Afterward, the economic situation at my husband’s place of work deteriorated and he was barely able to take home half his previous pay each month. Soon, we would not have been able to pay for our children’s school fees. In an effort to reduce my husband’s pressure, I borrowed money from our relatives frequently. I thought, “These hardships are only temporary. Things will get better eventually.” Since we borrowed money for so long, our debts became greater and greater. My husband and I both felt that the pressure was very significant. In 2013, my husband started thinking about going abroad to earn money. When I heard this, even though I was reluctant, I thought, “If he goes abroad for two to three years to earn some money, we can pay off some of our debts and improve our family situation.” What’s more, our children are growing up and we want to give them a good environment. For the sake of our family, I agreed to him going abroad to work.

My husband went to Cambodia for three years. During these three years, I stayed at home and took care of the kids and our older parents. In the beginning, my husband would frequently call back home and show that he cared for the family. He would also send money back home. Afterward, he would call back less and less and he would send very little money back home. In the end, it became so severe that he did not send any money back home and it would be a very long time before he phoned home. I was worried that something had happened to him. As a result, I brought our daughters with me to go see him. When we got to Cambodia and I saw that my husband was safe and sound, I was very relieved. Since this was our first time in Cambodia, I was prepared to stay there with our daughters for a period of time and accompany my husband before going home. However, I discovered that each time I accompanied my husband out of the house, the people that knew my husband would look at me with a strange expression. Since we did not speak the same language, I did not know what they were saying. One week later, my husband suddenly brought a strange child in his arms before me. He told the child, “Quickly say hello to your aunt.” At that time, I just stared blankly because I did not know what was going on. When I asked my husband, I found out that this was a child that he had with a woman that he met in Cambodia. I became unspeakably angry and had no idea what to do. When I reproached him, he prosaically replied, “This is very common. Many people here do this!” When I heard him say this, I was so angry that my entire body trembled. I never would have thought that my husband and I had loved each other for so many years, yet now he could say something so cold and ruthless and do something that was so brazen. In anger, I viciously slapped him twice. I was paralyzed at my husband’s betrayal. The fact of his betrayal was like thunder from a clear sky to me. He never showed any prior indication that he would act like this. I could not accept this about him. I sat on the floor and cried bitterly. I asked myself repeatedly, “Why would my husband do this to me? Where did the husband that I used to know go?” Could it be that his pledge of undying love, his tenderness and his care were all fake? I gave everything to this family. I never asked my husband to give me money or material enjoyment. However, now … My husband’s betrayal was a huge humiliation to me. I felt that I did not have any dignity to continue living.

The following days, I bathed my face in tears every day. I despised that woman and I despised that child. I told my husband that I wanted to have a divorce and I was prepared to take my daughters home and leave this so-called family. I did not think that my husband would not only not agree to divorce me but also did not want to leave that woman. Subsequently, I learned that some of my family members already knew that my husband had found another woman and had a child with her. They simply kept me in the dark about it. I felt even more so that I was not living with any dignity. I painstakingly sacrificed for this family. I never would have thought that I would be repaid with betrayal and deceit. My heart was broken … This betrayal was already very painful. What made it even harder for me to accept was that the people who knew my husband and that woman would look at me peculiarly and they would even criticize me. Originally, it was my husband who had betrayed me and it was that woman who shattered my family. However, now, in the eyes of other people, I was the third party. I cannot describe that pain that I was feeling at that time. Time crawls by when one is feeling wretched. In an instant, I lost more than 10kg of weight.

At the time when I was completely disheartened, I encountered Almighty God’s salvation of the last days. When my neighbor Lin Ting learned of this incident, she came over and preached the gospel to me. She said, “Believe in God. God can help you.” However, having been influenced by atheism, how could I simply believe in God! I did not give her any reply. Afterward, Lin Ting spoke to me once again, “Read God’s words. God is able to save you and help you break free of your pain.” She said things so sincerely that I felt moved emotionally. I felt embarrassed to reject her once again and as a result, I received a copy of the book The Word Appears in the Flesh. I opened the book and read the following passage: “Mankind, who left the supply of life from the Almighty, does not know why they exist, and yet fears death. There is no support, no help, but mankind is still reluctant to close their eyes, braving it all, drags out an ignoble existence in this world in bodies without the consciousness of souls. You live like such, with no hope; he exists like such, with no aim. There is only the Holy One in the legend who will come to save those who moan in suffering and long desperately for His arrival. … When you are weary and when you begin to feel the desolation of this world, do not be perplexed, do not cry. Almighty God, the Watcher, will embrace your arrival any time” (“The Sighing of the Almighty” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). When I read God’s heartfelt words, I was filled with tears and I felt that this God truly understands mankind. When I faced my husband’s betrayal, I wanted to die but I did not have the courage to do so nor was I resigned to die in such a way. I lost my life direction and purpose and I even wanted to give up myself. When I read God’s words, I could see the hope of life and my heart found peace. Even though my husband had betrayed me, I could rely on God. I was not alone. Almighty God said, “when you begin to feel the desolation of this world, do not be perplexed, do not cry. Almighty God, the Watcher, will embrace your arrival any time.” I was willing to rely on God because I was someone who was hurt and had no one who cared for me. I needed God’s embrace. I felt that each day was very painful and tiring. I did not want to continue on like this. Since God understands mankind so well, He could definitely lead me away from this pain. As a result, I started reading God’s words together with Lin Ting. We communicated God’s intentions and learned to sing hymns of worship to God. Lin Ting told me, “When you are going through difficult times, pray to God and read God’s words. God can comfort our injured heart.” I did what she told me to do. When I saw the MVs and hymn videos that the brothers and sisters of The Church of Almighty God shot, I started feeling happier in my heart. I felt that only God’s family had genuine love and that genuine joy could only be found with my brothers and sisters. This was especially the case when I saw the video, “The Happiness in the Good Land of Canaan.” My heart leaped along with the singing and dancing brothers and sisters. My suffering and depressed heart brightened up immediately and a smile finally started to appear on my face. Immediately, I felt that this was the family that I had truly wanted. As a result, I enjoyed a church life together with my brothers and sisters.

Afterward, I read some more of God’s words: “The issue of Satan taking advantage of social trends to corrupt man also needs specific explanation. These social trends include many things. Some people say: ‘Are they about the clothes we wear? Are they about the latest fashions, cosmetics, hairdressing and gourmet food?’ Are they about these things? These are a part of trends, but we do not wish to talk about these here. We only wish to talk about the ideas that social trends bring about for people, the way they cause people to conduct themselves in the world, the life goals and outlook that they bring about in people. These are very important; they can control and influence man’s state of mind. One after another, all these trends carry an evil influence that continually degenerates man, that lowers their morals and their quality of character more and more, to the extent that we can even say the majority of people now have no integrity, no humanity, neither do they have any conscience, much less any reason. … The majority of people, however, in the midst of their unawareness, will still be continually infected, assimilated and attracted by this kind of trend, until they all unknowingly and involuntarily accept it, and are all submerged in and controlled by it. For man who is not of sound body and mind, who never knows what is truth, who cannot tell the difference between positive and negative things, these kinds of trends one after another make them all willingly accept these trends, the life view, the life philosophies and values that come from Satan. They accept what Satan tells them on how to approach life and the way to live that Satan ‘bestows’ on them. They have not the strength, neither do they have the ability, much less the awareness to resist” (“God Himself, the Unique VI” in Continuation of The Word Appears in the Flesh). When I read this section of God’s words, I thought of what my husband had said to me: “This is very common. Many people do it here!” Aren’t my husband’s thoughts portrayed in the truth that is revealed by God’s words of how society’s evil trends impacted by Satan corrupt and assimilate people? Before my husband left the country, he could take care of his family and care for me and our children. However, in three short years since he left home to work, he completely followed the evil tends of society and betrayed his own family. Then I thought: In present-day society, being a mistress is not a shameful matter. In fact, it is something that occurs quite frequently. Many men have been harmed by the poisonous thought that is as follows: “The red flag at home does not fall, the colored flags outside flutter in the breeze.” They brazenly have extra-marital affairs. Since they are not discouraged by shame, they are motivated by glory. My husband does not want to divorce me, yet he also does not want to leave that woman. Hasn’t he become controlled by this kind of thought and perspective? Through reading God’s words, I was able to understand this: In fact, everyone is a victim. Everyone has been deceived by Satan’s evil thoughts. This is why we have been corrupted to the point where we have no morals and shame. What have people gained if they fulfill their own selfish desires? Have they actually obtained happiness? As to my husband and that woman, I do not think that they are any happier than me. Moreover, our children are innocent victims. Isn’t the misery that my family has encountered the result of Satan’s corruption and harm? When I think of myself, if I did not encounter God’s salvation, I would also have been corroded by society’s evil trends. I thought that since my husband found another woman I could likewise also look for other men. I am not an unwanted woman in any sense. I am thankful that God saved me at the time when I was about to be swallowed by Satan. He allowed me to come before Him and receive His protection. Otherwise, I would have been ruined by this society’s evil tide.

As I continued reading, God’s words said, “Whenever Satan corrupts man or engages in unbridled harm, God does not stand idly by, neither does He brush aside or turn a blind eye to those He has chosen. … What God wants to see is that man’s heart can be revived. In other words, these ways that He uses to work on man are to continually awaken the heart of man, awaken man’s spirit, letting man know where they came from, who is guiding them, supporting them, providing for them, and who has allowed man to live up till now; they are to let man know who is the Creator, whom they should worship, what kind of road they should walk, and in what way man should come before God; they are used to gradually revive the heart of man, so man knows God’s heart, understands God’s heart, and comprehends the great care and thought behind His work to save man. When man’s heart is revived, they no longer wish to live the life of a degenerate, corrupt disposition, but instead wish to seek out the truth in the satisfaction of God. When man’s heart has been awakened, they are then able to make a clean break with Satan, no longer to be harmed by Satan, no longer to be controlled or fooled by it. Instead, man can cooperate in God’s work and in His words in a positive way to satisfy the heart of God, thus attaining fearing God and shunning evil. This is the original purpose of God’s work” (“God Himself, the Unique VI” in Continuation of The Word Appears in the Flesh). From God’s words, I understood that even though Satan uses all kinds of societal trends to corrupt man, all along, God has done the work of saving mankind. He has never given up on our salvation because we have been corrupted too deeply. In the last days, God has been incarnated once again and expressed His words, to awaken man’s spirit and allow man to see through Satan’s evil, despicableness. He has also awakened us so that we pursue the truth and break free of our corrupt satanic disposition and thoroughly abandon Satan and return to God. From God’s words, I also understood that only God has a pure and holy essence, that God despises evil and wickedness and that God hopes that we will all come before Him, accept the guidance of His words and obtain the illumination of the light. Satan’s evil thoughts have corrupted man’s heart, caused man to be powerless to break away from it and to be corrupted and swallowed bit by bit. Only God is capable of saving us. Only the truths that God expresses can allow us to see through Satan’s wicked schemes and tricks of corrupting man and to have the power to break free from Satan’s harm and obtain a genuine human life. Thank Almighty God! It was Almighty God that rescued me from the abyss of pain! I am willing to read God’s words, pursue the truth and in the end, obtain His salvation.

Nowadays, as I continue reading more of God’s words, I understand a bit of the truth and I can see through many situations. I no longer hate my husband or that woman. They are free to choose the kind of life that they want to live. As for relatives and friends, I am able to deal with them calmly. I no longer blame my relatives because we have all been corrupted by Satan and we are all its victims. Now, I frequently attend gatherings with my brothers and sisters. We read God’s words and we communicate and share our individual experiences. We benefit daily from God’s words. Inside our hearts, we have peace and joy and our lives are full of hope. Thank You Almighty God for guiding me onto the correct path of life and for giving me a genuine family. Here, I have found true happiness! I am willing to follow God forever!

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Competing in This Way, I Benefit Tremendously! (Audio Essay)

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 …

One day, my daughter came home from school and said to me, “Mom, today, I was helping my teacher bring some things upstairs when my hand accidentally banged into the railing. It hurts a lot.” I anxiously looked at my daughter’s hand. It was not red and it was not bruised. There was just a small cut at the base of her thumb. I comforted my daughter and said, “Don’t worry, after two days, it will be better.” I thought, “I believe in Almighty God. With God’s protection and care, my child will be fine for sure.” However, after ten days, the bruise on my daughter’s thumb and half her palm became more serious. After two months, her thumb and half her palm became black and purple. Her thumb was now bigger than her big toe. This time, I became very worried. My husband and I brought our daughter to the hospital immediately. However, the examinations did not turn up anything out of the ordinary. I silently prayed to God in my heart, “Almighty God. What is wrong with my daughter’s hand? I am willing to entrust my daughter to You. Please care for her and protect her.” However, when my relatives and friends saw my daughter’s hand, they all said, “Your daughter’s hand is strangely diseased.” Her grandmother also anxiously said, “This child’s hand might become disabled.” When I heard these things, I became extremely anxious and upset: If my daughter’s hand really needs to be disabled, what will we do? She is so small. How can she bear this kind of blow? The more I thought, the more vexed, worried and pained I felt. I thought, “I have prayed to God for such a long time. Why is it that my daughter’s hand is still like this? God did not answer my prayers and He did not protect my daughter!” My heart was filled with misunderstandings about and complaints toward God. At this time, my husband botched things up at work due to his drunkenness and his boss wanted to fire him. When it rains, it pours! When I heard this news, I became even more agitated. If my husband lost his job, how would our family survive the future? This situation made me feel very ill at ease. I was unable to calm down. Even when I read God’s word, I was unable to absorb any of it. I thought, “I believe in God. Why have I encountered so many misfortunate situations? Why is God not watching over us?” For this reason, I became very negative.



When the relative who had spread the gospel to me learned of my thoughts, she patiently told me, “The reason why we encounter unfavorable matters today is because of Satan’s disturbance. There is a war going on in the spiritual world. The work of God of the last days is to save mankind. When man forsakes Satan and returns to God, Satan is not willing to be resigned to defeat. It will disturb and deceive man in every possible way. It will give man all kinds of suffering and tribulations so that man would generate misunderstandings and complaints about God. Its purpose is to cause man to deny God, reject God, lose God’s salvation and once more return under Satan’s domain. If we are this negative and keeping far away from God, we have fallen for Satan’s crafty scheme! In fact, even if we do not believe in God, these matters are unavoidable. Because our perspective about believing in God is not correct, we have given Satan an opportunity to harm us. Let’s take a look at a passage of God’s words. Almighty God said, ‘Most people believe in God for the sake of peace and other benefits. Unless it is to your benefit, you don’t believe in God, and if you can’t receive God’s graces, you fall into a sulk. How could this be your true stature? When it comes to inevitable family incidents (children falling ill, husbands going into hospital, poor crop yields, persecution of family members, and so on), you can’t even make it through these things that often happen in day-to-day life. When such things happen, you’re thrown into a panic, you don’t know what to do—and most of the time, you complain about God. You complain that God’s words tricked you, that God’s work has messed you around. Do you not have such thoughts? Do you think such things happen among you only rarely? You spend every day living amid such events. You don’t give the slightest thought to the success of your faith in God, and how to satisfy God’s will. Your true stature is too small, even smaller than a little chick’s. … Your belly is stuffed full of complaints, and you sometimes don’t go to assemblies or eat and drink the words of God because of this, you likely become negative for a great length of time’” (“Practice (3)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh).

When I heard these words of God, my heart trembled: God really examines the bottom of man’s heart! Each word reached deep into my heart. The reason I believed in God was indeed because I wanted my family to be safe! When I encountered troublesome matters, I misunderstood God, I complained to God and I lost faith in God. I was living in negative conditions and my spiritual stature was very small. My relative continued to communicate to me, “God’s words point out our wrong perspective of believing in God in order to obtain blessings. Due to our conceptions and imagination, we believe that as long as we believe in God, God will bless us and make sure everything goes smoothly. Since this conception exists in our hearts, once we encounter unhappy situations in our lives, we immediately blame God and as a result, we are capable of denying, betraying and leaving God at any time. Satan understands this fatal weak point of ours. That is why it gives us all kinds of calamities and suffering in order to disturb us. If we are unable to see through Satan’s crafty schemes, we will involuntarily oppose God, blame God, deny God and even leave and betray God. In the end, we will be seized and swallowed up by Satan. God’s words say, ‘On earth, all manner of evil spirits are endlessly on the prowl for a place to rest, are ceaselessly searching for the corpses of men to eat up’ (‘The Tenth Utterance’ of God’s Utterances to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh). What God’s words reveal are the facts of the spiritual world! If we get swallowed up by Satan, we will lose our opportunity to be saved by God. We must see through Satan’s crafty schemes!” When I heard these things from my relative, my heart brightened up immediately. Then, I knew that the things that my family was encountering were in fact Satan’s disturbance and calamity. At the same time, God also revealed my incorrect perspectives on faith. I said to my relative, “Since I believed in God, I believed that God is a God that bestows grace upon man. As long as one believed in God, things would go smoothly in one’s family and one would receive God’s care and protection. If I encountered some unhappy circumstances, I believed that something was wrong and that believing in God meant that I would not encounter these unhappy circumstances. Only after reading the previous selection of God’s words did I understand that my perspective on faith was incorrect and that Satan used this as a way to disturb me and cause me to generate notions and misunderstandings about God and keep far away from God. Truly, I had fallen for Satan’s crafty schemes! Afterward, regardless of how Satan would disturb me, I should see through Satan’s crafty schemes and I will not blame, misunderstand or even more so, betray God. I have to stand witness for God. Regardless if my child’s hand gets better or not or whether or not my husband has a job, I will be willing to entrust them to God and let God make His arrangements.” What I did not expect was that once I was willing to obey God’s arrangements and orchestrations, in a short period of time, my daughter’s hand became infected. When the doctor brushed away the pus, he discovered that there was a splinter stuck at the base of her finger. After he removed the splinter, it wasn’t long before my daughter’s hand recovered. After experiencing this situation, I could see that once I reversed my own mistaken perspectives and was willing to obey God, Satan was shamed and defeated. God took away my daughter’s sickness. God is truly miraculous and almighty!

However, sinister Satan was not willing to give up. If one of its plans failed, it would try another one. One night at around 8 p.m., my husband all of a sudden called me and asked me to go downstairs to give him some money. I wrapped our baby over one year old and went downstairs. I saw my husband strenuously exit the taxi cab. He had great difficulties moving around. When I saw my husband suddenly become like this, my heart became very anxious and I did not know what to do. All I could do was continuously call to God, “Almighty God. In this environment, please protect my heart. My spiritual stature is small. Please give me faith to stand witness in this kind of situation and to not blame You.” After I prayed, my heart calmed down a lot. However, afterward, the condition of my husband’s leg became more and more serious. He was not able to move at all. All I could do was let his elder brother and his elder brother’s wife to bring him to the hospital. When I thought about how my husband’s legs could not move, I became especially anxious. As a result, I once again prayed to God, “God! Today, my husband is sick. Satan has come to disturb me so that I would complain and betray You. I am willing to see through Satan’s crafty schemes. Regardless of how much my money needs to be spent on my husband’s condition, I will not blame You. I am willing to obey You. Please make sure that I am able to stand witness for You.” After I finished praying, my heart calmed down a lot. Not long after, my sister-in-law called and said that my husband was not willing to go to the hospital and insisted on coming home. I thought that this was God’s intentions and I let them take my husband home. After they got home, my husband’s brother and his wife pinched my husband’s leg and washed it with hot water. They busied themselves for a long time but my husband could not feel anything in his leg. Out of desperation, my husband said, “It’s over. I do not feel anything in my leg!” When I heard this, tears suddenly rushed out and I thought, “It’s over. My husband is unable to walk. If he is paralyzed, what will we do? How will our family live?”

Right at this time when I was about to be drowned by pain and despair, I thought of God’s words: “If many things come upon you that are not in line with your notions but you are able to put them aside and know God’s actions from these things, and in the midst of refinements you reveal your heart of love for God, this is standing witness. If your home is peaceful, you enjoy comforts of the flesh, no one is persecuting you, and your brothers and sisters in the church obey you, can you display your heart of love for God? Can this refine you? It is only through refinement that your love for God can be shown, and it is only through things occurring that are not in line with your conceptions that you can be perfected. It is through many negative things, many adversities that God perfects you. It is through many of Satan’s actions, accusations, and its expression in many people that God allows you to acquire knowledge, thus perfecting you” (“Those Who Are to Be Made Perfect Must Undergo Refinement” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). Through God’s words, I understood that Satan was using my husband’s sickness to put its schemes into action. Since my perspective of obtaining blessings from God and conducting transactions with God through faith had not completely disappeared, Satan did this in order to entice me to misunderstand, blame, deny, betray God. If I did these things, in the end, I would lose God’s grace. At the same time, God used this kind of a situation to perfect my faith in Him, so that I can see things according to God’s words and penetrate through Satan’s crafty schemes. I should not rely on my intention of obtaining blessings to haggle with God once more. In the battle between God and Satan, I must stand on the side of God and bear witness to God. After I understood God’s intentions, I silently prayed to God, “God, protect my heart. Let me stand firm in this situation. Regardless of my husband’s condition, I will not blame You. Even if my husband is paralyzed, I am willing to continue to follow You.” Unexpectedly, after I finished praying, I heard my husband pleasantly say, “I am better. I can move my legs.” My heart felt very moved and I could feel that God is truly wise and almighty! God did not intentionally make me suffer this pain. Instead, He used this circumstance to test me and to reverse my incorrect perspective of faith!

Afterward, I continued reading God’s words, “After humanity was corrupted by Satan, He continuously worked among people to defeat His enemy who corrupts humanity. This battle will continue from the beginning until the world’s end. In doing all this work, He has not only allowed humanity, who has been corrupted by Satan, to receive His great salvation, but also allowed them to see His wisdom, almightiness and authority, and in the end He will let humanity see His righteous disposition—punishing the wicked and rewarding the good. He has battled Satan to this very day and has never been defeated, for He is a wise God, and His wisdom is exercised based on Satan’s plots. And so He not only makes everything in heaven submit to His authority; He also makes everything upon earth rest below His footstool, and not last of all, He makes those evildoers who invade and harass humanity fall within His chastisement. All the results of the work are brought about because of His wisdom” (“You Should Know How the Whole of Humanity Has Developed to the Present Day” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). From these words of God, I understood that from the moment that mankind was corrupted by Satan, all along, Satan has been disturbing and harming man. Also, from beginning to end, God has been saving man and allowing man to break free from Satan’s harm. In my experience, from the moment I started to believe in God, all along, Satan was thinking of schemes to disturb me. It used my daughter’s and my husband’s sickness to cause me to become negative and weak. It used these situations to make me misunderstand and blame God. It attempted in vain to cause me to leave God, betray God, and drag me down into hell. Also, God’s wisdom is eternally exercised based on Satan’s schemes. God revealed my incorrect perspective on faith through Satan’s disruption, and meanwhile He used His words to enlighten and illuminate me to make me recognize my intention of obtaining blessings from God and conducting transactions with God. Through realistic people, events, and objects, God allows me to see through Satan’s evil nature and despicable deliberations and to be able to renounce evil and turn to virtue. This way, I will no longer live by relying on the deliberation of obtaining blessings. With a genuine faith in God, I can overpower Satan and be obtained by God.



After experiencing this, I can see that God’s love and salvation for man is so real! From now on, I will pray to God, rely on God more and I will stand witness in trials. I will definitely follow God unswervingly to the end! All the glory be to Almighty God!

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Almighty God's Word "Many Are Called, but Few Are Chosen"

Almighty God says, "I am never hurried in My work. No matter how man follows Me, I do My work in accordance with each step, as in My plan. Therefore, though you may rebel against Me so much, I do not stop My work and continue to speak the word I wish. I call to My house all those I foreordained to listen to My word, then place all who obey and long for My word before My throne. Those who betray My word, those who do not obey and submit to Me, and those who openly defy Me, shall all be cast off to the side to await their final punishment. All men live in corruption and under the hand of the evil one, so not many of those who follow Me actually long for the truth. That is to say, most do not worship Me with a true heart or with the truth, but try to gain My trust through corruption, rebellion, and deceitful measures. It is for this reason I say, “Many are called, but few are chosen.” All those called are deeply corrupted and live in the same age, but those who are chosen are only that part which believes in and acknowledges the truth and that which practices the truth. These men are merely a very minor part of the whole, and from among these men I shall receive more glory."

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.

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Fleeing From the “Tiger’s Den” (Part 1) Audio Essay

My name is Xiaoyou and this year, I am 26 years old. Originally, I was a Catholic. When I was little, I went with my mother to church for Mass, chanting scriptures, confessing and receiving communion. My mother was very zealous in her faith. She would often donate food and clothing as well as money to the church. The church leaders and nuns particularly liked my mother. When they saw her, they would greet her with smiles and show great concern for her. They would also frequently call my mother on the phone to ask her to participate in all kinds of church activities and to help out with various tasks. I would also proactively participate in the classes that the nuns taught. My church friends and I would chant scriptures together. At that time, I felt the joy and the peace that comes along with being with God. I was very happy every day. However, as time passed on, the faith of my church friends became colder and colder. My spirit also became weak and I was unable to adhere to the teachings of God. I would frequently commit sins and confess. After I got married, I went with my husband to other parts of the country for work.

In a flash, it was Christmas season in 2013 and I had the good fortune to encounter one of the sisters of The Church of Almighty God. She told me that the Lord Jesus has already returned and He is performing a new stage of His work. When I heard this, I felt surprised and I emotionally said, “Is that so? The Lord has returned! When did the Lord return? Where is the Lord right now? Sister, tell me right away.” This sister smiled as she told me, “Almighty God is the return of the Lord Jesus. Almighty God has expressed millions of words and He is doing the judgment work of the last days. He has opened up all the truths of cleansing and saving the human race including the three stages of work that God has performed to save mankind, the mystery of the incarnation, the mystery of the Bible, the meaning of God’s name and mankind’s end and destination, etc. This fulfills the Lord Jesus’ words as follows: ‘I have yet many things to say to you: but you cannot bear them now. But when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will teach you all truth. For he shall not speak of himself; but what things soever he shall hear, he shall speak; and the things that are to come, he shall shew you’ (Jhn 16:12-13).” I earnestly listened to what this sister was saying and I thought, “Oh my! I never expected that I would be able to welcome the return of the Lord. This is fantastic.” Afterward, the sister witnessed to me the three stages of God’s work and the meaning of God’s name. Afraid that I would not understand, the sister gave me analogies and examples. She communicated these things in detail so that I could understand and it would be clear to me. Through her communications, I understood a lot of the truth that I had not understood before. I also learned that God returned in order to perform the work of cleansing and perfecting man with judgment and chastisement. I felt that it was very possible that Almighty God is the return of the Lord Jesus. At that time, I told the sister that I was willing to investigate the work of God in the last days. Afterward, I attended gatherings with my brothers and sisters, reading God’s word, singing hymns, dancing and praising God. During my reading of God’s words, when I encountered areas that I did not quite understand, my brothers and sisters were very patient in explaining these things to me. Their communications had the Holy Spirit’s enlightenment and illumination. Attending gatherings with them allowed me to enjoy once more the pleasure of the Holy Spirit’s work. I felt particularly happy. In this big family of The Church of Almighty God, there were no distinctions between high and low and poor and wealthy. Everybody opened up and spoke from their hearts. I felt that this was a genuinely happy life! After more than a month of investigation, I read many of Almighty God’s words and I can completely confirm Almighty God’s work of the last days. I also confirm that Almighty God is the second coming of the Lord Jesus. I felt that I was very fortunate. At the same time, I also wanted to tell this good news to my mother and my friends at church.

During the Spring Festival, my husband and I returned home. After coming back home, I immediately bore witness to Almighty God’s work of the last days to my mother. However, regardless of how I explained it, she would not accept it. I felt a bit disappointed and very bewildered. Clearly, Almighty God is the return of the Lord Jesus. How could she not accept this? Seeing as how my mother would not accept it, I was forced to drop the subject. Afterward, I went back to my work place once again. I attended gatherings with my brothers and sisters and practiced fulfilling duties at church. During that time, I felt much enjoyment in my spirit. My life was also very abundant with incomparable happiness and joy. Particularly when I saw from God’s words how Job lost all his possessions and sons and daughters and his body became covered with sores. During this major trial, he was still able to praise God’s name and have genuine faith in God. Also, there was Abraham, who was able to sacrifice his only son Isaac to God. I was very moved by their faith and obedience toward God. I also wanted to be this kind of person.

Just as I was soaking up the warmth of God’s love, a nightmare started encroaching into my life. One day in August, 2014, my mother suddenly called me to say that my daughter was seriously ill. My mother’s words hit my heart all of a sudden. My daughter is so young; how could she be seriously ill? I was very worried for my daughter and I felt very terrible. So I went before God and prayed, “God, You allowed me to encounter such a situation. My daughter’s sickness is in Your hands. I am willing to entrust my daughter to You. Please give me genuine faith.” After praying, I calmed down a little. Afterward, my husband and I hastily returned home. When we got home, what made me very surprised was that my daughter was sleeping peacefully in bed. I wanted to wake her but my mother raised her hand to stop me and sternly said, “Don’t wake her. She is fine!” This was when I discovered that many relatives were there at home. Now I was aware that my mother tricked me into returning home in order to obstruct me from believing in Almighty God. I thought, “Today, God has arranged this environment for me. It must be something that I have to experience.” As a result, I asked my mother, “Mother, my daughter is fine. Why did you trick me into returning home? …” Before I could finish speaking, my mother flew into a rage and shouted, “I went to the church and asked the priests and the church leaders. They said, ‘Eastern Lightning is dangerous. You can only enter. You cannot leave.’ Do not believe any longer. I am doing this for your own good. I am afraid that you have taken the wrong path.” My mother also mentioned some rumors and slanders from the religious world against The Church of Almighty God. Listening to my mother say these things, I thought, “My beliefs are basically not wrong. I have followed God’s new work. The Almighty God that I believe in is the second coming of the Lord Jesus who, nowadays, is doing the work of judging, chastising and cleansing man. I believe firmly that it is the true way. Why would I renounce this? When the priests and the church leaders say, ‘If you believe in Eastern Lightning, you can enter but you cannot leave,’ these are purely rumors and fallacies designed to deceive people. I have attended gatherings at The Church of Almighty God for more than half a year now. I am more clear than you people about this. The door of The Church of Almighty God is wide open. Whether you enter or leave is completely up to your own decision. This is completely contradictory to what the priests and the church leaders have said. Since my brothers and sisters have confirmed the true way from within God’s words, they have obtained life nourishment and they have found the spring of living water. That is why they are not willing to leave. Through reading Almighty God’s word, our spirits are nourished. Who would be willing to go back to desolate churches that offer no spiritual nourishment? The priests and the church leaders have not investigated Almighty God’s work of the last days at all. They have not read Almighty God’s words and further, they have not attended gatherings at The Church of Almighty God. What are they basing their words on? Aren’t they just fabricating something out of thin air?” When my mother saw that I was not speaking, she walked up toward me in a rage and slapped me a couple of times. She even forced me to say words of betrayal against God. It was very pained for me to see her like this. I thought that if it were not for the rumors fabricated by the priests and the church leaders, how would my mother coerce me to not believe in Almighty God? Then I said to my mother, “Almighty God is the return of the Lord Jesus. Believing in Almighty God is heaven’s law and earth’s principle. I must believe to the very end!” When my mother heard me say this, her eyes were red with rage. She shouted at me loudly, “I am your mother. You must listen to me!” Seeing how unreasonable my mother was, I did not say anything else. At this time, my relatives also started criticizing me. They said many things to force me to betray God. I thought, “I have already welcomed the Lord Jesus. The God I believe in is real and the path that I walk is real. I will absolutely not betray God!” I really wanted to advise them to investigate God’s work of the last days and to not be deceived by the rumors of the priests and the church leaders into blindly convicting and resisting Almighty God. However, seeing that they had an attitude that hated the truth and God, I felt that they were people who would not accept the truth. It would not matter what I said, so I no longer said anything else to them. After a while, my mother and my relatives left together. However, my mother did not let go of the situation. She had my younger brother come to my house to live. Every day, my brother would keep an eye on me as if I were a convict. Wherever I would go, he would follow me. This is how I lost my personal freedom.

Two days later, just as my husband, my father-in-law, my child and I were eating dinner, my mother suddenly entered. She was beaming ear to ear and said to me in an affected tone, “Xiaoyou, look who has come!” My mother’s expression and tone of voice made me wonder, “What kind of person has come that would cause my mother to have such a big reaction? This cannot be anything good.” At this time, church leader Liu and church friend Wang came in. I greeted them peacefully and asked them to sit. After we finished eating, church leader Liu looked at me, smiled and said, “Xiaoyou! We are not going to beat around the bush. According to your mother, you have believed in Eastern Lightning. I want to tell you that your beliefs are mistaken. You must stop believing in them. For many generations, your family has been Catholic. You cannot leave God. Otherwise God would not want you. Today, we have come to persuade you. If you do not listen to us, when you descend into hell, you cannot blame us. Xiaoyou, we are doing this for your own good. Your husband would not have gotten better if it weren’t for your mother and I praying to God every day. If you continue to believe in Eastern Lightning, your husband’s illness will return. If that happens, nobody would care.” When I heard her say these things, my heart stopped and I could not help but be afraid. I thought, “In the past, my husband was extremely sick and even though we spent a lot of money, he was not able to get better. Afterward, he was only able to get better because of our prayers every day. If things are really the way she says they are, and my husband’s illness returns, what would I do?” Just as I was feeling bewildered, a verse of God’s words floated up into my mind, “Almighty God is an all-powerful physician!” (The Word Appears in the Flesh). When I thought of this verse, I suddenly woke up. It is correct. I believe in Almighty God who is the return of God. Whether or not my husband will become ill again is in the hands of God. God has authority over everything. What is there for me to be afraid of?! Furthermore, it was God that cured my husband’s sickness. It was not their prayers that did it. They had nothing to do with it. I never expected that, in order to cause me to betray God, they would use my husband’s sickness to threaten me. They wanted to cause me to feel scared about my family’s well-being so that I would deny and betray God. They are truly sinister! When I saw through their sinister motives, I felt disgusted with them. I no longer wanted to talk to them.

When church leader Liu saw that I no longer wanted to speak, he peculiarly said, “It seems that you are very insistent! We have spoken so much to you. Tell us where you stand!” Since they had just talked about the matter of my husband’s illness, I felt a bit troubled. However, once I recalled that God has authority over everything, I became confident. I knew that regardless of what happened, I would not betray God. I gathered up some courage and told them, “Let me tell you, I firmly believe in Almighty God! I will not relinquish my faith in God!” After hearing me speak, my mother roared, “Let’s go! We will go to the church to pray.” After she said this, they left panting in rage. Seeing how vicious they were, I could not help but feel a little bit scared. They are going to pray, are they going to curse me? What can I do? In this state of helplessness, I came before God and prayed, “Almighty God! All of them are standing on one side of the battle line and besieging me! I feel like I am all alone, God! I do not know what to do. I am very scared. Please, guide me!” After I finished praying, I recalled some of God’s words, “You should know that all things in the environment around you are there by My permission, I arrange it all. See clearly and satisfy My heart in the environment I have given to you. Do not fear, Almighty God of hosts will surely be with you; He has your back and He is your Shield” (The Word Appears in the Flesh). With the guidance of God’s words, my heart became clear: “Yes! God is my staunch support. With God by my side, there is nothing I need to be afraid of. The church leader and the church friend said these things just in order to make me scared of my going to hell, my family not being at peace, and my husband contracting an illness so that I will forsake God. If I am timid or scared, haven’t I just fallen for Satan’s scheme? The fate, final destination and the ups and downs of my husband and I are not up to anybody, nor the priests and the church leaders. They are in the hands of God. It is useless for them to convict and curse.” When I thought about this, my heart became peaceful again and I was not afraid at all. From the bottom of my heart, I praised God and thanked God for guiding me with His words. I thanked Him for granting me the faith and strength necessary to see through Satan’s schemes so that I would not be disturbed or deceived.

One afternoon, just as I was about to have a midday nap with my child, Sister Zhao and Sister Zhang came to disturb me. After Sister Zhao said some things that threatened me, Sister Zhang acted as if she was very serious and said, “It is true. We have come in contact with the people of The Church of Almighty God in the past. We were almost deceived by them.” When I heard her say this, I was furious. I knew that my brothers and sisters were absolutely incapable of doing something like this. What they were saying were just rumors and slander. So, I questioned them, “How did they deceive you?” Sister Zhang said in a seemingly serious tone, “There is no way you would know! They gave me a book!” I continued to ask them, “Tell me, what was the book like that they gave you? What was the name of the book? What were the contents of the book?” They gave me an awkward look, and after hemming and hawing for a bit, they finally covered up and said, “I have forgotten.” When I heard them say this, I thought, “Are you actually nuns? How could you dare to bear false witness and knowingly frame others? How is it that you are completely irreverent toward God? Are you actually believers in God? Could it be that you are not afraid to be punished by God?” Afterward, Sister Zhao asked me again, “Are you going to work?” I resolutely replied her, “Yes!” She insincerely advised me, “Do not go to work. Staying at home and looking after your child is much better!” I felt very disgusted by their hypocrisy. So I started to walk out of the room and said, “Mind your own business.” Seeing that they were unable to disturb me, they left dejectedly. After they left, I felt very troubled and depressed. I thought that this recent episode where the church leader and these nuns came to disturb me was all to spread rumors about, slander and attack Almighty God and my brothers and sisters or to spread fallacies. Their purpose was to deceive and threaten me. Even though I was not deceived by them and I even refuted their points, each time, I felt very agitated and I was unable to quiet down before God and read God’s words after they left. My brother was still monitoring me. I felt restricted as I prayed, sang hymns and read God’s word. I felt particularly constrained. In the midst of my suffering, I prayed to God, “Almighty God! This church leader and these nuns have come to disturb me time after time. I feel very troubled and depressed. Right now, I do not know how I should deal with them. God, enlighten me and guide me!”

After praying, I took my MP5 player out just in time to see the 151st principle “How to deal with religious people” in Practice and Exercises for Principled Behavior. It said, “Those who read the Bible in grand churches recite the Bible every day, yet not one understands the purpose of God’s work. Not one is able to know God; moreover, not one is in accord with the heart of God. They are all worthless, vile men, each standing on high to teach God. Though they brandish the name of God, they willfully oppose Him. Though they label themselves believers of God, they are ones who eat the flesh and drink the blood of man. All such men are devils who devour the soul of man, demons who purposefully disturb those who try to step onto the right path, and stumbling blocks that impede the path of those who seek God. Though they are of ‘robust flesh,’ how are their followers to know that they are antichrists who lead man in opposition to God? How are they to know that they are living devils who specially seek souls to devour?” (“All Who Do Not Know God Are Those Who Oppose God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). After I finished reading God’s words, I understood immediately. It turned out that these priests and church leaders were the very religious antichrists that God revealed. I pondered how even though they believed in God, they did not seek the truth at all and they did not have a heart that revered God at all. Not only did they not investigate God’s work of the last days themselves, they also blasphemed God, convicted God’s new work and started rumors to deceive my mother so that she would hit me, scold me and put me under house arrest. Afterward, they repeatedly disturbed, cheated, deceived and threatened me. Thankfully, with God’s words of guidance, I did not fall for their schemes to betray God. The Pharisees of the past also used all kinds of sinister methods to obstruct the common Jewish people from accepting the Lord Jesus’ gospel. They even used rumors to deceive the people. They said that the Lord Jesus’ work overstepped the Old Testament and that Jesus was not the return of the Messiah. This caused the common Jewish people to accompany the Pharisees in nailing the sinless Lord Jesus to the cross. The Lord Jesus criticized them by saying, “But woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men, for you yourselves do not enter in; and those that are going in, you suffer not to enter” (Mat 23:13). As to the actions of the priests, church leaders and nuns, I thought about the words my brothers and sisters communicated to me in the past regarding how to distinguish the essence of the Pharisees. I saw clearly that these priests and church leaders are basically Pharisees of the past. In order to protect their own status and livelihood, they use every possible means to obstruct me from believing in Almighty God. They are afraid that I would preach the work of Almighty God of the last days to my mother and my entire family. This would thereby reduce the size of their flock and the amount of donations they receive each month would also decrease. They truly are greedy for the sacrifices that the believers dedicate to God and they are the evil servants and antichrists that obstruct people from entering the kindom of heaven! I saw clearly their antichrist essence and I knew how to deal with these people. They believe in God yet they resist God and are God’s enemies. As such, I must abandon them. Even though these days, I have suffered due to their disturbance, I have the guidance and enlightenment of God’s words and I have a path to follow. I feel particularly happy and I am much more stable. Their negativity has allowed me to develop my ability to distinguish and moreover, it has allowed me to have some practical experience in regards to God’s words. I have experienced for myself that God’s words are the truth, the way and the life. Moreover, I am more certain that Almighty God is the true God. I am resolute in my belief and regardless of how they disturb me, I will not allow them to cause me to betray God. I am determined to stand witness to God and to humiliate the devil Satan!

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I Found the True Light (Audio Essay)

Qiuhe, Japan

I was born in a Catholic family. Since I was little, I attended Mass at church with my grandparents. Due to the influence of my environment and my belief in God, I learned to chant many different scriptures and practice various rituals.

In 2009, I arrived in Japan to study. One time, in a fellow student’s dorm room, I met by chance a Christian small group leader who had come to spread the gospel. I thought: Protestants and Catholics believe in the same God. They both believe in the Lord Jesus. As a result, I accepted the small group leader’s invitation to join him at the church. After listening to the pastors preach and hearing some brothers and sisters talk about the Bible, I had some understanding about the Lord Jesus’ life. This caused me to have more faith in the Lord. However, after a few months, the pastors and the preachers asked us to donate tithe every week. Also, each week, we were to hand out pamphlets to spread the gospel. Sometimes, we were so tired that we would snooze during Sunday service. We no longer had a normal routine in our life. At that time, some of us were both working and studying. Not only did we have to make money to pay for our studies, but we also needed money for our everyday expenses. Our lives were already quite difficult, but they still wanted us to give them our money and our energy. We were under a lot of stress and pain. Gradually, I discovered that the pastors and the preachers were not truly people that served the Lord. Normally, since they were those who shepherded the church, they should have been helping us grow in our spiritual lives. However, they did not care about our lives. They did not think at all about our practical problems. Instead, they wanted our energy and our money. Everything they did was to help expand their church and consolidate their status and their influence. At this time, we felt like we had been deceived. Consequently, a few of my brothers and I left the church.

After leaving the church, I found a Catholic church that was situated at the top of a mountain. The people in the church were Japanese. I attended Mass a few times but I felt that it did not benefit me spiritually. Additionally, it was inconvenient to attend fellowship, so I left the church also. In this way, I led a muddleheaded and empty life devoid of direction and a sense of purpose. … This happened all the way until October, 2016. Sister Liang, who I had met in the Protestant church in the past, suddenly contacted me, asked how I was doing and invited me to see her. I thought about how disappointing my experience with the Protestant church in that one year had been and as a result, I rejected Sister Liang’s invitation. However, Sister Liang invited me again and again and out of respect for her feelings, I decided to meet her.

Through Sister Liang, I met Sister Ma and Sister Fang. One day, they spoke to me about a lot of the prophecies of the Bible. They told me about the work of Jehovah God and the Lord Jesus. Their understanding was very fresh and they talked about things that I had never heard before. I told them about the dark situation that I witnessed in the church and how I was so frustrated with my inability to obtain spiritual nourishment from the church that I was no longer willing to attend meetings. Sister Fang said: We have also experienced what you have experienced. Presently, the entire religious world is in a dark and desolate situation. Within this, there is God’s intentions and truth to seek. Presently, we are in the world’s final times. The Lord Jesus predicted: “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” (Mat 24:12). Iniquity is more and more prevalent in the religious world these days. The pastors and the elders do not follow the Lord’s teachings and they do not obey His commands. They only preach and work for their status. They always exalt themselves and bear witness to themselves so that other people will look up to them and worship them. They make other people donate and spread the gospel. Nominally, they say their purpose is to save people’s souls, but in reality, they do not lead people to experience the Lord’s words nor do they help people put the Lord’s words into action. They only want other people to obey them. They are itching to have other people treat them as God. Long ago they started walking on the path of the antichrist which is hostile to God. They have lost the Holy Spirit’s work and they have been abandoned by God. Think back to the late period during the Age of Law when the temple was desolated and had become a den of thieves. Priests made inferior offerings while the common people exchanged money and sold oxen, sheep and doves within the temple. But God’s discipline and punishment did not fall upon them. Why is this? The chief priests, scribes and Pharisees who served God did not obey the law, were hypocritical and deceived people, and had led God’s chosen people onto the path of resisting God. This led to God detesting and rejecting them and the temple losing the work of the Holy Spirit and becoming a den of thieves. In order to save people from being convicted to death by the law, God was incarnated for the first time, did the work of redemption under the name of Jesus, started the Age of Grace and concluded the Age of Law. The work of the Holy Spirit thereupon shifted onto the people who accepted the Lord Jesus. The temple no longer had the Holy Spirit’s work. In present times, the Lord Jesus has returned as predicted. He has already come back in the flesh. He is Almighty God, Christ in the last days and has started to express the truth and do the work of judgment starting with God’s family. The Holy Spirit’s work has shifted onto those who have accepted the work of God of the last days. Since the religious world has not kept pace with God’s work and many pastors and elders convict and resist God’s new work, this has led to God hating and cursing them. This is the source of the religious world’s darkness and desolation.

Afterward, the sisters read a passage of God’s words so that I would have a clear understanding. Precisely because God has once again done new work, the Holy Spirit’s work has shifted. All the sects that do not have the Holy Spirit’s work become more and more dark and desolate. Almighty God said: “His work in other places will cease, and people will be forced to seek the true way. It will be like Joseph: Everyone came to him for food, and bowed down to him, for he had things to eat. In order to avoid famine people will be forced to seek the true way. The entire religious community is starving, and only the God of today is the wellspring of living water, possessed of the ever-flowing wellspring provided for the enjoyment of man, and people will come and depend on Him. That will be the time when the deeds of God are revealed, and God is glorified; all people throughout the universe will worship this unremarkable ‘man.’ Will this not be the day of God’s glory?” (“The Millennial Kingdom Has Arrived” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). When I recalled the situation that I saw in Protestantism and Catholicism, it was further confirmed in my heart that the words of Almighty God spoke of the actual situation. His words are very realistic and true. The Holy Spirit’s work has indeed shifted. Regardless if it was in Protestantism or Catholicism, what I had felt was just people’s external passion. What I learnt was just scriptural knowledge and theological theories. There basically was no new light nor did I feel any spiritual supply of life. Among people who genuinely follow God, who hasn’t wanted to obtain spiritual nourishment? I saw that the words of Almighty God are capable of breaking my shackles and opening up the mysteries of the Bible. His words illuminated my heart. My heart was no longer bewildered. I have truly gained many benefits!

After that, Sister Ma brought out a copy of the book The Word Appears in the Flesh and read some other passages: “The work of managing mankind is divided into three stages, which means that the work of saving mankind is divided into three stages. These three stages do not include the work of creating the world, but are rather the three stages of the work of the Age of Law, the Age of Grace, and the Age of Kingdom” (“Knowing the Three Stages of God’s Work Is the Path to Knowing God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). “From the work of Jehovah to that of Jesus, and from the work of Jesus to that of this current stage, these three stages cover the entire breadth of God’s management, and are all the work of one Spirit. From when He created the world, God has always been managing mankind. He is the Beginning and the End, He is the First and the Last, and He is the One who begins an age and the One who brings the age to an end” (“The Vision of God’s Work (3)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). “The work done at present has pushed forward the work of the Age of Grace; that is, the work in the entire six-thousand-year management plan has moved forward. Though the Age of Grace has ended, the work of God has progressed further. Why do I say time and again that this stage of work builds upon the Age of Grace and the Age of Law? This means that the work of this day is a continuation of the work done in the Age of Grace and an uplifting of that done in the Age of Law. The three stages are closely interconnected and linked one to the next. … Only the combination of the three stages of work can be deemed the six-thousand-year management plan” (“The Two Incarnations Complete the Significance of the Incarnation” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). After she finished reading Almighty God’s words, she said, “From Almighty God’s words, we see that since mankind was corrupted by Satan, God started doing the work of saving mankind. This work has been separated into three stages: Jehovah God’s work in the Age of Law, the Lord Jesus’ work in the Age of Grace and Almighty God’s work in the Age of Kingdom of the last days. During the Age of Law, Jehovah God issued laws so that man would be aware of his sins. During the Age of Grace, the Lord Jesus was nailed to the cross to redeem man. Now, in the Age of Kingdom of the last days, Almighty God has done the work of judgment through His words upon the foundation of the Lord Jesus’ redemption work in order to resolve our sinful nature, eliminate our sins and thoroughly cleanse and save us. The proof confirms that Almighty God is the appearance of Jehovah God who issued the laws and guided man’s life. He is the second coming of the Lord Jesus who redeemed mankind by being nailed to the cross. Within these three stages of work, no matter how God’s name and work have changed, the purpose of God’s work, which is the intention to save mankind, has never changed. God’s essence will never change. Each of these three stages of work has been built upon the foundation of the preceding stage. Each stage is deeper and higher than the last. God’s work has been done in accordance with the development of the ages. It has been done based on the needs of mankind so that He could better save and obtain us. In other words, the work of law of Jehovah God, the redemption work of the Lord Jesus and the work of judgment starting with the house of Goddone by Almighty God in the last days are different kinds of work performed in different ages by the same God. According to His own plans and according to the needs of mankind, God is saving us stage by stage.”

At this point, I felt that God’s work was very fantastic, almighty and wise. I also felt the care and thought God had put into saving mankind who has been corrupted deeply by Satan and God’s great love for us! Almighty God’s words shed light on these truths and mysteries that I had never heard of. My horizons were truly expanded and I gained a lot. I decided to examine carefully Almighty God’s work of the last days.

Since it was quite late by that time, we decided to continue the fellowship the next time we met. Before they left, Sister Ma gave me a copy of Classic Words of God on the Gospel of the Kingdom so that I would be able to examine carefully God’s work of the last days when I went back home. After I went back, out of curiosity, I searched for “The Church of Almighty God” on the internet. I never thought that I would see so much negative propaganda from the CCP government and the religious world resisting and convicting Almighty God and His Church. When I saw this content, I was even more certain that The Church of Almighty God is the church that truly has the Holy Spirit’s work and that Almighty God is the God who has appeared and works in the last days. This is because, since ancient times, the true way has always been suppressed! When I went to the gatherings with my grandparents in China, I also suffered the persecution from the CCP government. We had to be secretive when we attended these gatherings. The CCP government is truly evil! They are an atheistic regime. They hate the truth and God the most. So, what they oppose and suppress perhaps is the true way and the true church. Later on during a gathering, I told this to Sister Fang and the others. She let me see a marvelous episode, Awaken from Deception, in the gospel video entitled Break Through the Snare. The main character was seeking, “… But I don’t understand, if the Eastern Lightning is the true way, then why would it be strongly opposed by the CCP government? Why would religious leaders also furiously condemn it?”

In the video, one of the brothers responded, “The Bible says, ‘the whole world lies in wickedness’ (1Jn 5:19). The Lord Jesus also said: ‘This is an evil generation’ (Luk 11: 29). In that case, to what extent is the world dark and evil? During the Age of Grace, in order to redeem mankind, the Lord Jesus incarnate was nailed to the cross by the religious world and rulers of that time. Almighty God of the last days who has come to express the truth and judge mankind also faces the conviction and resistance of the religious world and the political regime of the great red dragon and is rejected by this age. This fulfills the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘For as the lightning, that lightens out of the one part under heaven, shines to the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation’ (Luk 17:24-25). This prediction of the Lord Jesus has finally been fulfilled. Each and every person who thirsts for the appearance of God should see clearly that the Lord has already come back a long time ago and is in the process of doing the judgment work of the last days. The Lord Jesus’ prediction has already been fulfilled. Could it be that we do not see the truth clearly?”

Another witness continued to speak: “Brothers and sisters, this atheistic political regime and the majority of the leaders of the religious world are satanic forces that hate God and the truth. This has already been confirmed by the fact that the Lord Jesus was nailed to the cross. That is why the true way will always face the rejection and conviction of atheistic political regime and the religious world. Moreover, all those who spread the true way and put the truth into practice will be framed and coerced by them as well. This is just as the Lord Jesus said, ‘If the world hate you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love his own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you’ (Jhn 15:18-19). It is for this very reason that throughout generations, those who can accept the true way and follow the true God are only a very small minority who love the truth and pursue the truth. However, the majority of people do not dare examine the true way and as a result, lose the opportunity of God’s salvation because they follow Satan’s force or are afraid of being persecuted. That is why the Lord Jesus warned previously: ‘Enter you in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads to life, and few there be that find it’ (Mat 7:13-14).” When I saw these things in the video, I felt even more certain that what the CCP government persecutes and convicts is in fact the true way. This is for sure.

After a period of gathering and investigation, I had a deeper understanding of God’s judgment work of the last days from Almighty God’s words and the sharing and communication of the brothers and sisters. I also gained an understanding of the truth concerning incarnation, salvation and full salvation, God’s purpose of managing mankind, mankind’s end and destination and the originals of the way of eternal life. The truths that Almighty God has expressed are very abundant. From within my heart, I believed firmly that Almighty God is indeed the second coming of the Lord Jesus. I cheerfully accepted Almighty God’s work of the last days.

I have persevered in praying daily and reading God’s words. Now and then, I also listened to the sermons and fellowship on entry into life and hymns of God’s words and I watched gospel videos. Every week, I gathered with my brothers and sisters and proactively spread the gospel and bore witness to God together with them. I feel that my life right now is very rich and my spiritual life has been nourished and is enjoyable. Finally, I have returned to the true church and I have found my true “family.” In the past, the churches that I used to go to had pastors and priests that needed to be addressed. However, in The Church of Almighty God, my brothers, sisters, and I all honor God as great. Our relationship with one another is not differentiated according to status. Everyone is equal. There are also no regulations or religious rituals during these gatherings. You can attend according to your own needs and time. Nobody will restrict you or force you. What everyone communicates about is how to seek to become an honest person, how to seek for a change in one’s disposition to obtain cleansing and salvation, how to fulfill one’s duties in order to repay God’s love and to satisfy God, etc. Unconsciously, under the guidance of God’s words, I also started to seek a change in my disposition and view things according to God’s words; I also had some understanding of and knew how to distinguish the evil essence of society’s tide and the methods and ways that Satan corrupts man. From then on, I no longer played video games nor did I waste time by going to KTV. When I had time, I would read God’s words or I would gather with my brothers and sisters for fellowship where we would sing and praise God. Each day was abundant. I no longer felt empty and helpless. Moreover, I was clear about my life goals. I knew that meaning was to be found through fulfilling one’s own duties before God and living for God as one of His creations. I am thankful to Almighty God for guiding me to walk upon the proper path of life. I am willing to place all the authority, glory and praise at the feet of the one true God, from now until forever. Amen!

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With Life Hanging by a Thread, the Hand of God Came to the Rescue (Audio Essay)

“If I were not saved by God, I would still be drifting in this world,
struggling hard and painfully in sin, every day 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.
It’s Almighty God who saves me; all God’s words have purified my heart.
Through God’s judgment and His chastisement, my corrupted disposition’s changed.

All the word and truth God expresses, it has all given me new life.
I have seen my God face to face and have tasted God’s true love.
Finally I’ve understood God’s loving hand holds mine as we go.
Now I have heard the voice of God and been raised before God’s throne.
The feast of my Christ I attend, to be perfected and purified by Him.
What I’d hoped for is finally realized, I have now been saved by God.”
(“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 …

I’m a child of the eighties, and was born in an ordinary farmer household. My older brother was always unwell and sick since he was little. My father was wounded in an accident when I was 10; he was paralyzed two years after that. Our family’s financial situation was poor to begin with, and we went heavily into debt treating my father. Our friends and relatives were afraid that we would never be able to pay back the debt, and weren’t willing to loan us money. Helpless, I was forced to drop out of school at 16 to work away from home. In deep and quiet night, I would often think: When they were young, children the same age as me would play freely after school, while I would have to be in fields doing farming work; now they have grown up as me, and they are still going to school, acting like spoiled children with their parents, but I have to start working at an early age and suffer all kinds of hardships to support my family. … At that time, I complained to my parents about why they gave birth to me, and asked why it was that I came into this world just to suffer and toil. But there was nothing I could do about it, and I could only accept this reality. At the time, my greatest wish was to work hard, earn money, and allow my parents to live comfortably, and no longer be looked down on by others.

At first I worked in a private aluminum alloy factory. Since I was a child laborer, the boss always took good care of me with my food and housing. After one year, I felt that my wages were too low, and chose to go do the lacquer spraying work in a furniture factory that other people didn’t want to do. At that time, no matter what kind of work I was doing, as long as I didn’t break the law, I would go do it if I could make more money. My only goal was that I wanted to become a person with money, so I wouldn’t have to live the life of a poor person again. After that, my relatives introduced me to a company that offered me the opportunity to leave the country for work. I had never thought that after a few years I would go abroad.

In the Spring of 2012, I had my wish granted when I came to Japan and began my new life. I was involved in the shipbuilding industry, and through an apprenticeship I signed a three-year contract with the company. When I started work, I was exhausted and suffering. Because I didn’t know how to cook, I ate instant noodles for a month, until I couldn’t eat them with the feeling like I was going to throw up and was forced to learn to cook. I have no idea how many days I ate half-cooked rice. In Japan, we were foreigners, so it was hard for the company’s workers to keep from having an unfair treatment toward us. They made us do a lot of dirty, tiring, and dangerous tasks. When I was spraying lacquer, I was rather scared, because if the gas came into contact with fire it would ignite, and if I stopped paying attention for a moment it could endanger my life. But no matter if it was suffering in my life or danger in my work, as long as I thought of making more money to send back to my family, and being able to buy a car and a house after I returned home and elevate myself over others and no longer be poor, I felt that my suffering at the time actually wasn’t too bad. Three years of my life passed in the blink of an eye working there, and the time period on my visa was almost up. The company had a policy of renewing contracts, so in order to make more money, I chose to renew my contract and continue to work in Japan. What pleasantly surprised me was that not long after I renewed my contract, I encountered the gospel of the kingdom of Almighty God.



In September of 2015, a friend I had met in Japan told me about God’s work in the last days. When she was telling me about believing in God, I thought this was just a kind of belief, and didn’t think it was interesting. I felt that believing in God wouldn’t be able to change my destiny. Soon after that, I told my friend about my own way of thinking and the hardships I had endured, then asked her, “Can believing in God change my destiny? I’ve suffered so much, I’m just an ill-fated person. If I had money I wouldn’t be suffering, and right now the most real thing for me is to make money. For me, believing in God is something remote.” When my friend heard me speaking like this, she read to me a section of the word of God: “Where you will go every day, what you will do, who or what you will encounter, what you will say, what will happen to you—can any of this be predicted? People cannot foresee all these occurrences, much less control how they develop. In life, these unforeseeable events happen all the time, and they are an everyday occurrence. These daily vicissitudes and the ways they unfold, or the patterns by which they play out, are constant reminders to humanity that nothing happens at random, that these things’ ramifications, and their inevitability, cannot be shifted by human will. Every happening conveys an admonition from the Creator to mankind, and it also sends the message that human beings cannot control their own fates; at the same time every event is a rebuttal to humanity’s wild, futile ambition and desire to take its fate into its own hands. They are like powerful slaps about humanity’s ears one after another, forcing people to reconsider who, in the end, governs and controls their fate. And as their ambitions and desires are repeatedly thwarted and shattered, humans naturally arrive at an unconscious acceptance of what fate has in store, an acceptance of reality, of the will of Heaven and the Creator’s sovereignty. From these daily vicissitudes to the fates of entire human lives, there is nothing that does not reveal the Creator’s plans and His sovereignty; there is nothing that does not send the message that ‘the Creator’s authority cannot be exceeded,’ that does not convey the eternal truth that ‘the Creator’s authority is supreme’” (“God Himself, the Unique III” in Continuation of The Word Appears in the Flesh). After hearing this, I felt that these words made a lot of sense, and I couldn’t help but think that being able to renew my contract also seemed like something that had been arranged by God. It also made me think about the home I was born into and my life with my family were things I had no choice about. I had the feeling that somewhere out there is a Sovereign in control.

My friend also had me read this section of the word of God “‘God Himself, the Unique III’ in Continuation of The Word Appears in the Flesh” which talks about six junctures that a person must pass through in life: Birth: The First Juncture; Growing Up: The Second Juncture; Independence: The Third Juncture; Marriage: The Fourth Juncture; Progeny: The Fifth Juncture; Death: The Sixth Juncture. When I had read the word of God, I was amazed. I had never imagined that God had spoken so clearly about man’s destiny, and the facts are indeed as He described. According to ordinary circumstances, a person will experience these six junctures in his life. I thought of how many people there are on earth suffering, and how it wasn’t just me. If destiny were really up to a person’s choice and he were in control of it, then everyone would choose to live in a big, fancy house, and would there be anyone suffering from poverty and hardship? In fact, the family a person is born into is absolutely not up to them to choose, and they can’t choose what kind of parents they have. After they grow up, the kind of husband or wife they have is also not up to them. … The more I pondered them, the more I felt these words were practical, and I then began in my heart to believe what Almighty God had said. Fate is not something that can be changed by oneself. Since then, I began to get more and more interested in believing in God, and I believed that God exists, and believed that a person’s fate is not under his own control. But because I didn’t know much about God, I felt that God was very remote from me. However, in an experience not long after that, I genuinely felt: God is beside me, watching over and protecting me.

It was raining that day, and I got to work as usual, but I had absolutely no idea that there was a disaster sneaking up to strike me. Over 10:00 in the morning, I was at work on the jobsite, when I suddenly heard a “boom.” I didn’t know what it was that had smashed to the ground, and it gave me an icy shudder of terror. When I turned my head to look, I was stunned, and saw a 40 cm diameter and 4 m long iron pipe weighing about half a ton which had fallen from a crane. It smashed to the ground less than half a meter from where I was standing. I was so terrified in that moment that I was totally speechless, and it took a while for me to regain my composure from the shock. In my heart I was yelling nonstop: “Thank You God! Thank You God!” If God hadn’t been there watching over and protecting me, then the iron pipe would have smashed straight down onto me, and my insignificant life would have been over.

After I got off work, when I was talking with the brothers and sisters about what had happened that day, they fellowshiped to me that it had been God’s protection. They also read to me from the word of Almighty God: “Throughout your long lives, basically every individual has encountered many dangerous situations and undergone many temptations. This is because Satan is right there beside you, its eyes fixed on you constantly. It likes it when disaster strikes you, when calamities befall you, when nothing goes right for you, and likes it when you are caught in Satan’s net. As for God, He is protecting you constantly, keeping you from one misfortune after another and from one disaster after another. This is why I say that everything man has—peace and joy, blessings and personal safety—is in fact all under God’s control, and He guides and decides the life and fate of every individual” (“God Himself, the Unique VI” in Continuation of The Word Appears in the Flesh). After reading the word of God I understood that people live every day in Satan’s net and that they are cruelly harmed. Without God watching over and guarding them, people would have long since been swallowed up by Satan. All these years, I don’t know how many times I enjoyed God watching over and protecting me, but all along I did not know God or worship Him; I truly had no conscience. Starting from that moment, I understood God’s grace of salvation better. That I was able to live up to the present is all thanks to God’s loving hand guarding me, and I thanked God from my heart. I also decided that in the future I would do all I can to follow God. In the days to come, I frequently attended gatherings with brothers and sisters, and went over into leading a regular church life, and there were slowly changes in my life. I no longer had the anxiety, suffering, and emptiness that I once had. We brothers and sisters were reading the word of God together, and fellowshiping about the word of God, singing hymns in praise of God, free and liberated in our hearts, helping each other and assisting one another in the spiritual life. Not one of them looked down on me, nor was there anyone who had disdain for the poor and fawned over the rich, and I felt I was able to live with dignity. Living among this big, warm, and blessed household of The Church of Almighty God, I felt much happier and fulfilled than in the past.

One day, something happened to a Japanese individual in our company. He was a longtime employee there and already had more than ten years of experience in the company. He was strong whether it was safety awareness or technology. That day, when he was at work, he was driving a lifting truck and was doing some work while lifted 20 meters in the air. In the course of operating it, from lack of attention he caused the truck’s liquified gas to leak onto him. There was another worker at the same time above him doing some welding, and suddenly a spark fell down and landed on his clothing. When the gas that had leaked out came into contact with the spark, it rapidly burst into flame, and a fire broke out. Many people just stared blankly at this old worker who was being engulfed in flames on the spot, but they were totally helpless and unable to do anything. It was already too late to go find someone to save him, and in a few minutes, he was burned to death. When we saw this tragedy occur, many people felt sorry for him, and couldn’t help but think about our own lives: What is it, after all, that people are living for? Because of something like this happening right next to me, I truly realized that if a person has departed from God and doesn’t have God watching over and protecting them, then their life is unprotected at all times. People are so insignificant in the face of calamities and can easily collapse, and no matter how high a person’s expertise is or how much more money a person has they are unable to save themselves.

Afterward, I read a passage of the word of God: “Because of the Creator’s sovereignty and predestination, a lonely soul that started out with nothing to its name gains parents and a family, the chance to become a member of the human race, the chance to experience human life and see the world; and it also gains the chance to experience the Creator’s sovereignty, to know the marvelousness of the creation by the Creator, and most of all, to know and become subject to the Creator’s authority. But most people do not really seize this rare and fleeting opportunity. One exhausts a lifetime’s worth of energy fighting against fate, spends all of one’s time bustling about trying to feed one’s family and shuttling back and forth between wealth and status. The things that people treasure are family, money, and fame; they view these as the most valuable things in life. All people complain about their fates, yet still they push to the back of their minds the questions that it is most imperative to examine and understand: why man is alive, how man should live, what the value and meaning of life is. All of their lives, however many years that may be, they just rush about seeking fame and fortune, until their youth has fled, until they become gray and wrinkled; until they see that fame and fortune cannot stop one’s slide toward senility, that money cannot fill the emptiness of the heart; until they understand that no one is exempt from the law of birth, aging, sickness, and death, that no one can escape what fate has in store. Only when they are forced to confront life’s final juncture do they truly grasp that even if one owns millions in property, even if one is privileged and of high rank, no one can escape death, every person will return to his or her original position: a solitary soul, with nothing to its name” (“God Himself, the Unique III” in Continuation of The Word Appears in the Flesh). After I finished reading the words of God, I was deeply stirred: People’s spirits come from God, and are destined by God to come among the world of men. But people still don’t want to believe in and worship God, and they don’t treasure the opportunity to experience the Creator’s authority, but only know to live for money, fame, and kinship. They are all busy rushing about strenuously trying to throw off the arrangement of their fate, but what can people obtain by seeking after these things? Has anyone ever thought which of these things—relatives, fame, or wealth—can save their lives when death is imminent? Look at my old coworker’s death—isn’t that the best demonstration of this fact? Thinking about the things I have sought in the past, isn’t it the same? When I went abroad to work, I would take on any filthy, tiring, or dangerous job, just to earn some more money, make people look highly upon me, and so I wouldn’t suffer the humiliation of poverty. Even though I went through every kind of suffering, I never thought to change this way of living. I just followed the same road all along. In my heart, I didn’t know if there is a God, nor did I know that man’s fate is in God’s hands. I relied on myself to change my destiny, and I strove to escape from God’s orchestration and arrangement destined in my life. Wasn’t it the road to ruin that I was following? If it weren’t for God’s salvation, or God watching over and protecting me, I’m afraid that my meager life would have long ago been snatched away by Satan. Even further, how could my life become fulfilled and meaningful as I am now? In that moment, I finally saw that the meaning of life isn’t to seek wealth or fame, it isn’t to seek to get ahead of others so they look highly upon you, but rather is to come into the presence of God, to worship God and receive His salvation, and to break free from Satan’s harm. The more I think like this, the more moved I am. I see that I am able to believe in God, and this is God treating me with a special grace. I don’t know how to express the feeling of gratitude toward God in my heart, and so I learned the hymn “If I Were Not Saved by God” to show my praise of God and to thank Almighty God for saving me!

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