Being able to blatantly explain God’s words does not mean that you are in possession of reality. Things are not as simple as you might have imagined. Whether you are in possession of reality or not is not based on what you say, it is rather based on what you live out. When God’s words become your life and your natural expression, that is when you are in possession of reality, that is when you have gained understanding and real stature. You must be able to withstand examination for a long period of time, you must be able to live out the likeness that is required of you by God. It must not be mere posturing, but it must flow naturally out of you; only then will you truly have reality, only then will you have gained life. Let Me use the example of the “service-doers” that everyone is familiar with. Anyone can talk about the loftiest theories regarding the “service-doers”; you all have a decent level of understanding regarding this matter, and every one of you is proficient at talking about this subject matter as if this is a competition. However, if man has not experienced a major trial, it is very difficult for him to have a good testimony. In short, man’s living out is still very poor, which is out of tune with his understanding. Therefore, it has yet to become man’s actual stature, it is not yet man’s life. Because man’s understanding has not been brought into reality, man’s stature is like a castle in the sky, without any true foundation. Man has too little reality, it is almost impossible to find any reality in man. There is too little reality naturally flowing from man, all the reality in his life has been forced, so I say that man possesses no reality. Don’t put too much stock in men saying that their love of God never changes, this is only what men would say before they are faced with trials. Once they are suddenly faced with trials, the things that men speak of will once again become incompatible with reality, and it will once again prove that men possess no reality. It can be said that, whenever you encounter things that do not fit with your notions and it requires that you put yourself aside, these are your trials. Every time before God’s will has been revealed is a rigorous test for every man, it is an immense trial for all men; can you see clearly through this matter? When God wants to test men, God always lets men make their choices before the truth of the facts has been revealed; which is to say, when God is testing you, He will never tell you the truth, and that is how men may be revealed. This is one way that God carries out His work, to see whether you understand the God of today, to see whether you possess any reality. Do you truly have no doubt regarding God’s work? Will you remain standing when a major trial comes upon you? Who dares to say words such as “I guarantee there will be no problems”? Who dares to say words such as “Others might have doubts, but I shall never doubt”? Just as the times when Peter was being tested—always talking big before the truths had been revealed. This is not a personal flaw unique to Peter, this is the greatest difficulty facing every man now. If I were to visit several places, or if I were to visit several brothers and sisters, to look at your understanding of God’s work of today, certainly you would be able to talk about many of your understandings, and it would appear that you do not have any doubt. If I were to ask you: “Can you really determine that the work of today is performed by God Himself? Without any doubt?” you would certainly answer: Without any doubt, it is the work performed by the Spirit of God. Once you have answered in such a way, you surely would not have a shred of doubt, you might even feel great enjoyment, you might feel that you have gained a bit of reality. Those who tend to understand things in this manner are those who are in possession of less reality; the more one thinks that he’s “gained reality,” the more one won’t be able to stand up to trials. Woe to those who are arrogant and haughty, woe to those who have no knowledge of themselves. Such men are the best at talking, yet they fare the worst in their actions. When there is the smallest sign of trouble, these men will start to have doubts, the thought of quitting would enter their mind. They have no possession of any reality, all that they have are theories loftier than those of religion, without any of the realities that God has demanded today. I am most disgusted by those who only speak of theories and have no reality. They make the loudest cries when carrying out their work, yet they fall when faced with reality. Doesn’t it show that these people have no reality? If you can remain standing despite the ferocity of the storm that you are facing, with not a shred of doubt entering your mind, if you can remain standing, if you can continue to not deny God’s work, even when there is no one else left, then this shows that you have true understanding, this shows that you are truly in possession of reality. If you should follow whichever way the wind blows, if you should follow the majority and learn to say what others are saying, no matter how well you can say such things, it is no proof that you are in possession of reality. Therefore, I suggest that you not be premature in shouting out empty words. Do you know the work that God shall perform? Do not behave like another Peter lest you should bring shame to yourself, lest you can no longer hold your head high, and it doesn’t do anyone any good. Most men have no real stature. They have yet to be visited by any advent of facts after all the work that God has performed, to be more exact, God has never personally chastised anyone; some of them were exposed by such trials, with their tentacles of sin crawling further and further out, thinking that they can treat God in an off-handed manner, and doing whatever they want. Since they are not even able to withstand such trials, the more challenging trials are out of the question, reality is also out of the question. Is this not fooling God? To have reality is not something that can be faked, it is also not something that you can attain from your knowledge of it; it is based on your true stature, it is based on whether you are able to withstand all trials. Do you understand now?
God’s requirement of men is not simply to be able to talk about reality. Wouldn’t that be too easy? Why does God then talk about the entry into life? Why does He talk about transformation? If there is merely empty talk of reality, could transformation in disposition be achieved? Training an elite army of the kingdom is not the same as training men who can only talk about reality, it is not the same as training men who only boast, but men who can live out God’s words always, to be unyielding regardless of the setbacks that they face, to live in accordance with God’s words at all times, and not to go back to the world. This is the reality that God talks about, and this is God’s requirement of men. Therefore, do not regard the reality spoken of by God too simply. Mere enlightenment by the Holy Spirit does not equal the possession of reality: This is not the stature of men, but the grace of God, and it does not involve any achievements of men. Each man must endure Peter’s sufferings, and even more possess Peter’s glory, which is what men live out after they have received the work of God; only this can be called reality. Do not think that you shall have reality because you can talk about reality. This is a fallacy, this does not fit with God’s will, and this has no actual significance. Do not say such things in the future, extinguish such sayings! All those with a false understanding of God’s words are unbelievers. They do not have any real knowledge, much less do they have any real stature; they are ignorant people without reality. That is, all those who live outside of the substance of God’s words are unbelievers. Those deemed unbelievers by men are beasts in the eyes of God, those deemed unbelievers by God are those who do not have God’s words as their life. Therefore, those who do not possess the reality of God’s words and who fail to live out God’s words are unbelievers. God’s intention is to make it such that everyone lives out the reality of God’s words, not that everyone is simply able to talk about reality, but more importantly, that everyone is able to live out the reality of God’s words. The reality that man perceives of is too superficial, it has no value, it is unable to fulfill God’s will, it is too vulgar, it is not even worthy of mention, it is lacking too much, it is too far off from the standard of God’s requirements. A major inspection shall visit each of you, to see which of you only knows to talk about your understanding but is unable to show the path, to see which of you is useless trash. Remember this in the future. Do not talk about empty understandings, only talk about the path of practice, only talk about reality. Move from real knowledge to actual practice, then move from practicing to living out reality. Do not lecture others, do not talk about real knowledge. If your understanding is a path, then you can release it; if it is not a path, then please shut up, and stop talking. What you say is useless, just some words of understanding to fool God, to have others envy you, is that not your ambition? Is this not deliberately playing with others? Is there any value in this? Only talk about understanding after you have experienced, then you will no longer be boasting, otherwise you are only someone who says arrogant words. You cannot even overcome many things in your actual experience, you cannot even rebel against your own flesh, always doing whatever you are driven to do by your desires, not satisfying God’s will, yet you still have the gall to talk of theoretical understandings, you are shameless; yet you have the gall to talk about your understanding of God’s words, how impudent of you. Such bragging and boasting has become your nature, you have become accustomed to them, they are at your fingertips whenever you want to talk about them, and you indulge in ornamentations when it comes to practicing. Is this not fooling others? You may be able to fool others, but God cannot be fooled. Men do not know, they are unable to discern, yet God is serious about such matters, and He will not spare you. Your brothers and sisters might advocate for you, praising your understanding, admiring you, but if you have no reality, the Holy Spirit will not spare you. Maybe the practical God will not pick on your flaws, but God’s Spirit will not pay any attention to you, and that shall be sufficient. Do you believe it? Talk more about the reality of practice; have you forgotten already? Talk more about the practical paths; have you forgotten already? “Talk less about the lofty theories, or boasts that have no values, it is best that you start putting this into practice from this moment on,” have you forgotten these words? Do you not understand any of this? Do you have no understanding of God’s will?
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