What Is the Nature of God’s Love? | The Church of Almighty God

What Is the Nature of God’s Love?

Siqiu    Suihua City, Heilongjiang Province

What Is the Nature of God’s Love?

    Whenever I see the following passage of God’s word, “If you’ve always been very loyal and loving toward Me, yet you suffer the torment of illness, the constraints of life, and the abandonment of your friends and relatives or endure any other misfortunes in life, then will your loyalty and love for Me still continue?” (“A Very Serious Problem: Betrayal (2)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). I feel particularly unhappy—a sense of misery creeps up within me and my heart speaks its voiceless grievance: Dear God, how can You allow those that are loyal to You and love You to meet with such misfortune? As a result, I’ve had a hard time understanding the meaning of the man used by the Holy Spirit who said, “God’s last demand of man is loving and sincere.”

Recently, the sister with whom I was coordinating developed hyperthyroidism. Gradually, her condition got to the point where she had to eat six meals a day. Due to the stress of illness, her strength gradually diminished, and she lived every day in depression, weakness and fatigue. Her body simply couldn’t comply with her desire to fulfill her duties and her illness became more and more advanced. I couldn’t understand why this was happening: This sister had left her family and a high-paying job with good benefits to devote herself to the fulfillment of her duties and she was very loyal. How could it be that, for all that she had given, she would be saddled with the torment of this illness in return? … I didn’t reveal my feelings outwardly, but my heart was in tumult—whenever anyone raised this issue I would lose my calm.

Not long after, my sister and I parted ways, but I never forgot about her. One day, I asked my leader how my sister was doing. The leader said: “At first she had a very negative condition and refused to recognize the work of God. Later, she consciously adjusted her condition, seeking out God’s intention within the torment of her illness. Through God’s words, she began to know herself and realize that she had not had true belief. Within her belief there was still an element of “exchange,” still a desire to gain blessings through her belief in God. She also identified many other elements of rebelliousness within herself. Once she had realized these things about herself, her health improved dramatically. She’s recovering day by day, she’s back down to three meals a day and her condition is much better. She’s even able to help the brothers and sisters of her host family adjust their conditions….” When I heard this good news, I was truly shocked. I had thought that the torment of illness would wear down my sister’s resolve and cause her great suffering. Wracked by sickness, I believed her presence on the road forward would be more and more obscure. I even suspected that she might be unable to go on. Today, faced with the reality of her situation, I was left standing agape. Not only had she not lost faith, but, through the refinement of her illness, had actually come to understand God’s work and recognize her corruption. She had learned from her experience and had made improvements to her life. Was this illness not a manifestation of God’s true love and real salvation of man?

Later, I read the following passage from the man’s fellowship: “Number 5: ‘If you’ve always been very loyal and loving toward Me, yet you suffer the torment of illness, the constraints of life, and the abandonment of your friends and relatives or endure any other misfortunes in life, then will your loyalty and love for Me still continue?’ (“A Very Serious Problem: Betrayal (2)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). God’s work is not in line with people’s notions. God has worked according to this principle to bring salvation to people throughout the ages. All those who have experienced this work of God will be aware of this fact. People are loyal and loving toward God and God in turn imparts His love to them. … If we are truly loving and loyal to God, when we meet with all manner of misfortune, this, too, is the manifestation of God’s love. If we truly understand God’s will, we should be even more loyal and love God even more till the end. If we are unable to see God’s will in the trials and even misunderstand God and betray God, we certainly do not recognize the work of God. Even if we love and are loyal to God, there are still elements of betrayal within us. No one would debate that. God tries and refines man to purify and save him” (The Fellowship From the Above). Only after reading this passage of fellowship did I realize that I have always judged God’s work in terms of my flesh-bound thinking. I mistakenly believed that God’s love consists of bounteous gifts of grace and assurance of fleshly joy and peace. I never thought that suffering is a form of God’s blessing. Only after learning of my sister’s experience, did I realize that the refinement of suffering is a true manifestation of God’s love. God creates certain situations and inflicts misfortunes upon His people—be it through physical ailment, financial hardship, or any other difficulties—not out of ill will but out of His loving kindness. To address the corruption and inadequacies of man, God creates all kinds of situations to try and refine him. He works through this suffering to purify, transform and give life to man. Though man’s flesh must undergo incredible hardship in the process of refinement, which may be perceived as misfortune or hardgoing, this is really God working to allow man to know himself, refine out all the impurities and bring man into a more and more normal relationship with Him so that he may slowly cultivate love for God in his heart. Such benefits cannot be obtained through a life of leisure. When man absorbs the lessons obtained from the torment of his trials and reflects back on the road he has taken, he finally understands that God’s judgments and chastisements, His smiting and discipline were all permeated with His infinite love. God’s love is not just nourishing and compassionate. It is not only about bestowing material benefits, but also harrowing refinement, smiting and discipline.

Dear God, thank You for working through all aspects of my surroundings to correct my absurd and misguided way of thinking and allow me to see that even if Your love is not in line with our notions, its manifestation is always aimed at improving and saving us. Your love acts are always imbued with the earnest toiling of Your heart and ineffable wisdom. I also realized that I previously didn’t have the slightest understanding of You and didn’t comprehend that Your love is often hidden within situations. Dear God, in honor of the love that You share with mankind, I offer You praise and gratitude! I also hope that one day I too will receive this kind of love. Should this love be visited upon me, I vow to accept any degree of suffering, so that I may experience and testify to Your love.

Source:Testimonies of Experience of Christ’s Judgment

Recommendation: Eastern Lightning The Church of Almighty God was founded by Almighty God personally

Realizing I’ve Been Walking the Path of the Pharisees | The Church of Almighty God

Realizing I’ve Been Walking the Path of the Pharisees

Wuxin    Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province

Realizing I’ve Been Walking the Path of the Pharisees

     Something we have always discussed in previous communions is the paths walked by Peter and Paul. It is said that Peter paid attention to knowing himself and God, and was someone God approved, while Paul only paid attention to his work, reputation and status, and was someone God despised. I have always been afraid of walking Paul’s path, which is why I normally often read God’s words about Peter’s experiences to see how he came to know God. After living like this for a while, I felt I had become more obedient than before, my desire for reputation and status had dimmed, and that I had gotten to know myself a little. At this time, I believed that even though I was not completely on Peter’s path, it could be said that I had touched the edge of it, and at least it meant I was not heading down Paul’s path. However, I would be shamed by the revelations of God’s word.

A Haughty Spirit Before a Fall | The Church of Almighty God

A Haughty Spirit Before a Fall

Baixue    Shenyang City

A Haughty Spirit Before a Fall

      Because of a work requirement, I was transferred to another work area. At that time, I was very grateful to God. I felt that I was lacking so much, yet through God’s divine promotion, I was given the opportunity to fulfill my duty in such a wonderful work area. I made a vow to God in my heart: I would do my very best to repay God.

Service of This Kind Is Truly Contemptible | The Church of Almighty God

Service of This Kind Is Truly Contemptible

Ding Ning    Heze City, Shandong Province

Service of This Kind Is Truly Contemptible

Over the past few days, the church has arranged a change in my work. As I received this new assignment, I thought, “I need to take this final opportunity to call a meeting with my brothers and sisters, speak to them clearly about matters, and leave them with a good impression.” Therefore, I met with several deacons, and at the close of our time together, I said, “I have been asked to leave here and move on to diffe rent work. I hope you will accept the leader who is coming to replace me and work together with her with one heart and one mind.” As soon as they heard me say these words, some of the sisters who were present blanched, and the smiles fell from their faces. Some of them grasped my hands, some of them embraced me, and weeping they said, “You cannot leave us! You cannot cast us aside and ignore our needs! …” The sister of the host family was especially unwilling to let me go. She said to me, “It is so good that you are here with us. You are someone who can endure hardship, and you are good at fellowshiping about the truth. No matter when we needed you, you were always there to patiently help us. If you go, what will we do? …” Seeing their reluctance to part from me, my heart was full of joy and satisfaction. I comforted them with these words: “Depend on God. When I can, I will come back and visit you….”

But after that, every time I looked back at that scene of parting from my brothers and sisters, I was uneasy in my heart. I wondered, “Were such expressions of sadness just a matter of course? Why did they act as if my departure were such a terrible thing? Why did the church want me to change positions anyway?” My heart was wrapped in a cloud of doubt, and so I often came before God seeking the answers. One day I was reading “Matters of Principle That Must Be Understood for Serving God” and came across this passage: “Those who would serve God must in all matters lift God up and be God’s witnesses. Only thus can they attain the fruit of leading others to know God. And only by raising God up and witnessing for Him can they bring others into the presence of God. This is one of the principles of service to God. The ultimate fruit of God’s work is precisely the work of bringing people to know God’s work and thereby to come into His presence. If those in positions of leadership are not lifting God up and serving as God’s witnesses, but instead are constantly putting themselves on display…, then they are actually setting themselves up in opposition to God. … They are actually competing with God for people’s souls. … Therefore, if people’s service is not raising God up and witnessing to God, then they are certainly showing off themselves. Even though they carry the banner of service to God, they are really working for their own status; they are really working for the satisfaction of the flesh. They are in no way raising God up or witnessing to God in their work. If anyone betrays this principle of service to God, it simply proves he resists God” (“Matters of Principle That Must Be Understood for Serving God” in Annals of the Fellowship and Arrangements of the Work of the Church I). The more I read, the more my heart was troubled. The more I read, the more frightened I became. My sense of self-reproach was multiplied many times. From the attitude my brothers and sisters had shown toward me, I could see my work had not really been to lead my brothers and sisters into the presence of God, but rather to lead them into my own presence. Now I couldn’t help but reexamine many scenes during the time I spent with my brothers and sisters. I had often said to the sister of the host family, “See how fortunate you all are. Your whole family are believers. When I am at home, my husband mistreats me all day long. If he’s not hitting me, he’s cursing me. I have performed my duty to the utmost, and see how much bitterness I have endured for my belief in God.” When my brothers and sisters encountered hardships, I didn’t communicate God’s will to them; I did not act as a witness to God’s work and God’s love. Instead, I constantly put the flesh first and tried to make people think I was myself so kind and considerate. Whenever I saw a brother or sister doing something that was counter to the principles, I was afraid of giving offense, so I would not help or give direction, always trying to protect the relationships between people. In everything I did, what I cared about most was my position and my image in people’s hearts. … My main purpose was always to gain the sympathy and admiration of others; this became my greatest satisfaction. This truly reveals that I was raising up myself, serving as witness for myself. All that I did was actually in opposition to God. I thought of God’s words, which say, “I am working among you now but you are still this way. If one day there is no one there to care about and watch over you, won’t you all become kings of the hill?[a] By then, who will clean up the mess after you when you cause a huge catastrophe?” (“A Very Serious Problem: Betrayal (1)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). The words of God again brought me to an awareness of how my service to God was really bearing witness to myself and exalting myself and helped me see the serious consequences of this behavior. The words of God helped me see that my nature, like that of the archangel, would lead me to be a tyrannical bandit, and that I would cause a great catastrophe. I thought about how my service to God was not accomplished according to the right principles of service; it was not lifting up God and not witnessing to God, not doing my duty. Instead, my days were spent showing off myself, witnessing to myself, drawing my brothers and sisters into my presence. Is this kind of service not contemptible? Is this not simply the “service” of the antichrist? If it were not for God’s tolerance and mercy, I would already be accursed of God and struck down.

At that time, I trembled with fear and shame; a sense of the enormous debt I owe overflowed my heart, and I prostrated myself upon the ground, weeping bitterly and pleading to God: “Oh, God! If it were not for Your revelation and enlightenment, I do not know to what depths I would fall. I truly owe You more than I can ever repay. Thank You for the salvation You offer me! Thank You for helping me see the ugly and despicable self in the depths of my soul. Thank You for showing me that my service to You was in truth resistance to You. If I were judged by my actions, I deserve nothing but Your curse, but You have not treated me according to my faults. Instead You have opened my eyes, guided me, and given me a chance to repent and start afresh. Oh, God, I am willing to take this experience as a lesson to carry with me for my entire life. May Your chastisement and judgment always accompany me, and may it early help me discard the old self of Satan and help me become a truly reverent servant of God so that I may begin to repay the great debt I owe.”

Recommendation: Eastern Lightning  Know more of the Church of Almighty God

God’s Best Protection for Mankind | The Church of Almighty God

God’s Best Protection for Mankind

Kuiqian    Rizhao City, Shandong Province

God’s Best Protection for Mankind

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

Reflections on Being Replaced | The Church of Almighty God

Reflections on Being Replaced

Yi Ran    Laiwu City, Shandong Province

Reflections on Being Replaced

Some time ago, owing to my not understanding the principle behind the church’s revision of personnel, when the church replaced a leader, a conception arose within me. From what I could see, the sister that was replaced was very good at both receiving and fellowshiping the truth, and could be open about her own expressions of corruption. So I could never get how someone who sought the truth so much could be replaced. Could it be that she talked about her own expressions of corruption too much, and so her leader mistakenly took her to be someone not in pursuit of the truth, and replaced her? If this is what really happened, then hasn’t a training opportunity for someone who was seeking the truth been ruined?

Praise Song | "Almighty God, You Are So Glorious" (Music Video) | The Church of Almighty God

The last Christ, Almighty God, You are the Redeemer come again.

You speak to the people, using the truth to judge and purify them.

Your words bear authority and power, purifying people’s corrupt disposition.

Almighty God's Word "Three Admonitions"| The Church of Almighty God

Almighty God's Word "Three Admonitions"

     Almighty God says, "As a believer of God, you should be loyal to none other and align with His heart in all things.

Almighty God's Word "What Viewpoint Believers Ought to Hold" | The Church of Almighty God

    Almighty God says, "In times past, many pursued with their ambition and notions and for the sake of their hopes.

Almighty God's Word "God Is the Source of Man's Life" | The Church of Almighty God

     Almighty God says, "The greatness and power of the life of God cannot be fathomed by any creature. It is thus now, was thus then, and will be thus in time to come.

Almighty God's Word "Are You a True Believer of God?" | The Church of Almighty God

    Almighty God says, "I have held man to a very strict standard all along. If your loyalty comes with intentions and conditions, then I would rather not have any of your so-called loyalty, for I abhor those who deceive Me through their intentions and extort Me with conditions.

Almighty God's Word "The Sighing of the Almighty" | The Church of Almighty God

     Almighty God says, "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.

Almighty God's Word "How to Know the God on Earth" | The Church of Almighty God

     Almighty God says, "You regard all deeds of Christ from the standpoint of the unrighteous and judge all His work and His identity and substance from the perspective of the wicked.

Short Sketch From the Christian Church | "The Police Pay a New Year Visit" | Eastern Lightning

Short Sketch From the Christian Church | "The Police Pay a New Year Visit" | Eastern Lightning

Introduction

Zheng Xinming, an elderly man of nearly seventy, is a devout Christian. Because of his faith in the Lord, he was detained and imprisoned, and sentenced to eight years.

Almighty God's Word "How to Serve in Harmony With God’s Will" | The Church of Almighty God

    Almighty God says, "If you wish to serve God’s will, you must first understand what kind of people are beloved by God, what kind of people are loathed by God, what kind of people are made perfect by God, and what kind of people are qualified to serve God.

Almighty God's Word "Have You Come Alive?" | The Church of Almighty God

    Almighty God says, "The living are saved by God, they have been judged and chastised by God, they are willing to devote themselves and are happy to lay down their lives to God, and they would gladly dedicate their whole lives to God.

Almighty God's Word "How Peter Came to Know Jesus" | The Church of Almighty God

   Almighty God's Word "How Peter Came to Know Jesus"

Almighty God says, "During his time following Jesus, he had many opinions of Him and always judged Him from his own perspective. Although he had a certain degree of understanding of the Spirit, Peter was not very enlightened, hence his words when he said: “I must follow he who is sent by the heavenly Father.

Almighty God's Word "Do You Know? God Has Done a Great Thing Among Men" | The Church of Almighty God

    Almighty God says, "This time God comes to work not as a spiritual body but as a very ordinary body, a body in which God is incarnated the second time, a body in which God returns in the flesh, and a very ordinary flesh.

Almighty God's Word "The Millennial Kingdom Has Arrived" | The Church of Almighty God

    Almighty God says, "The arrival of the Millennial Kingdom on earth is the arrival of God’s words on earth. New Jerusalem’s descent from heaven is the arrival of God’s words to live among man, to accompany man’s every action, and all his inmost thoughts.

Almighty God's Word "The Savior Has Already Returned Upon a 'White Cloud'" | The Church of Almighty God

    Almighty God says, "I was also called the Messiah, and people once called Me Jesus the Savior because they loved and respected Me. But today I am not the Jehovah or Jesus that people knew in times past—I am the God who has returned in the last days, the God who shall bring the age to an end.