Thursday, June 22, 2017

The Commandments of the New Age

You have been told to equip yourselves with the words of God, that regardless of what is arranged for you, all is orchestrated by God’s own hand, and that there is no need for your earnest prayer or supplication—they are useless. Yet in terms of the present situation, the practical problems facing you are unimaginable to you. If you merely await the arrangements of God, your progress will be too slow, and for those who don’t know how to experience there will be much passivity. Thus, if you are unable to completely see through to these things, then you are muddled and silly in your experiencing. If you have no reality but only words, is this not a sign of erroneousness? Much erroneousness is visible in you, this group. Today, you can’t make it through the trials like “service-doers,” or else are incapable of imagining or making it through other refinement related to the words of God. Much of what requires your practice is what requires your adherence. Which is to say, people must adhere to the many duties that they should perform. This is what people should adhere to, and what they must carry out. Let the Holy Spirit do what must be done by the Holy Spirit; man can play no part in it. Man should adhere to what ought to be done by man, which bears no relation to the Holy Spirit. It is nothing but that which ought to be done by man, and should be adhered to as commandment, just like adherence to the law of the Old Testament. Although now is not the Age of Law, there are still many words of a kind with the Age of Law that should be adhered to, and they are not carried out merely by relying on being touched by the Holy Spirit, but are what should be adhered to by man. For example: You shall not pass judgment on the work of the practical God. You shall not oppose the man who is testified to by God. Before God, you shall keep your place and shall not be dissolute. You should be moderate in speech, and your words and actions must follow the arrangements of the man testified to by God. You should revere the testimony of God. You shall not ignore the work of God and the words from His mouth. You shall not imitate the tone and aims of God’s utterances. Externally, you shall not do anything that manifestly opposes the man who is testified to by God. This, and more, is what each person should adhere to. In each age, God specifies many rules that are akin to the laws and are to be adhered to by man. Through this, He constrains man’s disposition, and detects his sincerity. Take the words “Honor your father and your mother” of the Old Testament age, for example. These words do not apply today; at the time, they merely constrained some of man’s external disposition, they were used to demonstrate the sincerity of man’s belief in God, and were a mark of those who believed in God. Although now is the Age of Kingdom, there are still many rules that man must adhere to. The rules of the past don’t apply; today, there are many, more fitting practices for man to carry out, and which are necessary. They do not involve the work of the Holy Spirit and must be done by man.

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

On Experience

Throughout Peter’s experiences, he had endured hundreds of trials. Though people now are aware of the term ‘trial,’ they do not at all understand its true meaning or circumstances. God tempers the determination of man, refines his confidence, and perfects his every part, achieving this mostly through trials. Trials are also the hidden work of the Holy Spirit. It seems that God has forsaken man, and so man will, if not careful, see them as Satan’s temptations. In fact, many trials can be considered temptations, and this is the principle and rule of God’s work. If man truly lives before God, he will see them as trials by God and not let them slip. If someone says that because God is with him Satan will surely not approach him, this is not entirely correct. How can it be explained that Jesus faced temptations after He had fasted in the wilderness for forty days? So if man has truly put right his views on believing in God, he will see many things much more clearly and will not have skewed and fallacious understanding. If one is truly resolved to be made perfect by God, he needs to approach matters he is faced with from many different angles, neither leaning to the left nor the right. If you do not have knowledge of God’s work, you will not know how to cooperate with God. If you do not know the principles of God’s work and are unaware of how Satan works on man, you will have no path of practice. A mere zealous pursuit will not allow you to attain the results God demands. Such way of experience is akin to that of Lawrence, not differentiating and only focusing on experience, utterly unaware of what Satan’s work is, of what the work of the Holy Spirit is, what man is like without the presence of God, what kind of people God wants to perfect. How to behave toward different people, how to grasp God’s present will, how to know God’s disposition, at which people, which circumstances, and which age, God’s mercy, His majesty and righteousness are directed—he does not differentiate these. If man does not have many visions as his foundation, a foundation for his experiences, then life is out of the question, even less so is experience; he just foolishly keeps submitting to everything, enduring everything. All such people are very difficult to be made perfect. It may be said that having none of the visions touched on above is ample proof you are being a fool, akin to a pillar of salt, always standing in Israel. Such people are useless, they are good-for-nothings! Some people only ever submit blindly, they always know themselves and always use their ways of conducting themselves when dealing with new matters, or use “wisdom” to deal with trivial matters that are unworthy of mention, those are people who are devoid of discernment, as if they by nature were to resign themselves to adversity, always being the same, never changing; this is a fool with no discernment whatsoever. They never suit measures to the circumstances or to different people. Such people do not have experience. I see that some people know themselves to a certain point that when confronted with those who have the work of the evil spirit they even lower their heads and admit guilt, not daring to stand up and condemn them. When faced with the obvious work of the Holy Spirit, they do not dare obey, either, believing that evil spirits are also in the hands of God, and not in the slightest do they dare to rise in resistance. These are people who do not have the dignity of God, and they are definitely unable to bear heavy burdens for God. Such muddled people do not differentiate. This way of experience ought therefore to be abandoned as it is untenable in the eyes of God.

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

What Qualities Should an Adequate Shepherd Possess


You must have an understanding of the many conditions men will be in when the Holy Spirit performs work on them. In particular, those who coordinate to serve God must have an even better grasp of the many conditions brought about by the work that the Holy Spirit performs on men. If you only talk about many experiences and many ways of entry, it shows that man’s experience is too one-sided.

Monday, June 19, 2017

A Person Who Attains Salvation Is One Who Is Willing to Practice the Truth

Very early on, the necessity of having a proper church life was mentioned in the sermons. So why is it that the life of the church has not yet improved, and is still just the same old thing? Why is there not a completely new and different way of life? Could it be proper for a person of the nineties to live like an emperor of a bygone era? Although the food and drink may be delicacies rarely tasted in previous ages, there have been no major turnarounds in conditions in the church. It has been like putting old wine in a new bottle. What then is the use of God saying so much? The churches in most places have not changed at all. I have seen it with My eyes and it is clear in My heart; even though I have not experienced the life of the church for Myself, I know the conditions of church gatherings like the back of My hand. They have not made much progress. It goes back to that saying—it’s like putting old wine in a new bottle. Nothing has changed, not in the least bit! When someone is shepherding them they burn like fire, but when no one is there to support them, they are like a block of ice. Not many can talk of practical things, and very rarely can anyone take the helm. Although the sermons are lofty, seldom has anyone had any entry. Few people cherish the word of God. They become tearful when they take up God’s word and become cheerful when they set it aside; they turn gloomy and morose when they depart from it. Speaking frankly, you simply do not cherish the word of God, and you never see the words from His own mouth today as a treasure. You just become anxious when reading His word, and feel it is very strenuous when memorizing it, and when it comes to putting His word into practice, it is like facing a Sisyphean task—you are unmotivated. You are always energized when reading God’s word, yet forgetful when practicing it. In fact, these words need not be spoken so painstakingly and repeated so patiently; people just listen but do not put them into practice, therefore it has become an obstacle for God’s work. I cannot not bring it up, I cannot not talk about it. I am compelled to do so; it is not that I enjoy exposing the weaknesses of others. You think that your practice is just about adequate and you think that when revelations are at a peak, that you have also entered into that peak? Is it so simple? You never examine the foundation upon which your experiences are ultimately built. As of this moment, your gatherings absolutely cannot be called a proper life of the church, nor is it a proper spiritual life at all. It is the gathering of a bunch of people who enjoy chatting and singing. Strictly speaking, there is not much reality in it. Saying it a little more clearly, if you do not practice, where is the reality? Is it not boasting to say that you have reality? Those who always perform work are arrogant and conceited, while those who always obey keep quiet and keep their heads down, without any opportunity for practice. People who do the work do nothing but talk, going on and on with their high-sounding speeches, and the followers only listen. There is no transformation to speak of; these are just ways of the past! Today, your being able to submit and not daring to interfere or behave willfully is due to the arrival of the administrative decrees of God; it is not change you have undergone through experiences. The fact that there are many things you would not do today that you would have done yesterday is because God’s work is so apparent that it has conquered people. Let Me ask someone, how much of your accomplishment today was earned with the sweat of your own hard work? How much of it was told to you directly by God? How would you answer? Would you be dumbfounded and speechless? Would you stick out your tongue? Why is it that others are able to speak out about many of their experiences to provide you with sustenance, while you simply enjoy the meals that others have cooked? Do you not feel ashamed? Aren’t you embarrassed?

Sunday, June 18, 2017

Practice the Truth Once You Understand It

God’s work and word are meant to bring about a change in your disposition; His goal isn’t merely to make you understand or recognize it and have that be the end of it. As one with the ability to receive, you should have no difficulty in understanding the word of God, as most of God’s word is written in human language that is only too easy to understand. For instance, you can know what God wants you to understand and practice; this is something that a proper person who has the faculty of understanding should be able to do. What God says now is especially clear and transparent, and God points out many things that people have not considered and the various circumstances of man. His words are all-embracing, as clear as the light of a full moon. So now, people understand many issues; what they lack is putting His word into practice. People must experience all aspects of truth in detail, and explore and seek it out in greater detail, not simply wait to take in what’s readily given to them; otherwise they become little more than freeloaders. They know God’s word, but don’t put it into practice. This kind of person doesn’t have a love of the truth, and will ultimately be eliminated. Having a style like a Peter of the 90s means that each one of you should practice the word of God, have true entry in your experiences and gain even more and even greater enlightenment in your cooperation with God, bringing even more assistance to your life. If you’ve read a lot of God’s word but only understand the meaning of the text and you do not have first-hand knowledge of God’s word through your practical experience, you won’t know God’s word. As far as you are concerned, God’s word is not life, but just lifeless letters. And if you only hold fast to lifeless letters, you cannot grasp the essence of God’s word, nor will you understand His will. Only when you experience His word in your actual experiences will the spiritual meaning of God’s word open itself up to you, and it is only in experience that you can grasp the spiritual meaning of many truths, and only through experience that you can unlock the mysteries of God’s word. If you do not put it into practice, then no matter how clear His word, the only thing you’ve grasped hold of is empty letters and doctrines, which has become religious regulations to you. Isn’t this what the Pharisees did? If you practice and experience God’s word, it becomes practical to you; if you do not seek to practice it, then God’s word to you is little more than the legend of the third heaven. In fact, the process of believing in God is the process of you experiencing His word as well as being gained by Him, or to put it more clearly, to believe in God is to have the knowledge and understanding of His word and to experience and live out His word; that is the reality of your belief in God. If you believe in God and hope for eternal life without seeking to practice the word of God as something you have within you, then you’re foolish; it’s like going to a feast only to take note of what’s there to eat without actually trying it. Isn’t a person like that foolish?
The truth that man needs to possess is found in the word of God, a truth that is the most beneficial and helpful to mankind. It is the tonic and sustenance that your body needs, something that helps man restore their normal humanity, a truth that man should be equipped with. The more you practice God’s word, the more quickly your life will blossom; the more you practice God’s word, the clearer the truth becomes. As you grow in stature, you will see things of the spiritual world more clearly, and you will be more powerful to triumph over Satan. Much of the truth that you don’t understand will be made clear when you practice the word of God. Most people are satisfied to merely understand the text of God’s word and focus on equipping themselves with doctrines without experiencing its depth in practice; isn’t that the way of the Pharisees? How can the phrase “The word of God is life” be true for them, then? Only when man practices the word of God can his life truly blossom; it cannot grow simply by reading His word. If it is your belief that to understand God’s word is all that is needed to have life, to have stature, then your understanding is warped. Truly understanding God’s word occurs when you practice truth, and you must understand that “only by practicing truth can it ever be understood.” Today, after reading the word of God, you can merely say that you know God’s word, but you can’t say that you understand it. Some say that the only way to practice truth is to understand it first, but this is only half right and not entirely accurate. Before you have knowledge of a truth, you have not experienced that truth. Feeling that you understand what you hear is not the same thing as truly understanding. To equip yourself with the truth as it is seen in text isn’t the same as understanding the true meaning therein. Just because you have a skin-deep knowledge of the truth doesn’t mean you actually understand it or recognize it; the true meaning of truth comes from having experienced it. Therefore, only when you experience truth can you understand it, and only when you experience truth can you grasp the hidden parts of it. To experience it in depth is the only way to grasp the connotations of truth, to understand the essence of it. Therefore, you can go everywhere with truth, but if there is no truth in you, don’t even think of trying to convince religious people, much less your family. You will be like fluttering snow without truth, but with truth, you can be happy and free, where none can attack you. No matter how strong a theory is, it cannot overcome truth. With truth, the world itself can be swayed and mountains and seas moved, whereas a lack of truth leads to ruin by maggots; this is simply fact.
What’s important now is to first know the truth, then put it into practice, and to equip yourself further with the true meaning of truth. That should be what you aim for, not merely to have others follow your words but to have them follow your actions, and only in this can you find something meaningful. No matter what befalls you, no matter what person you come across, you can only stand firm with truth. The word of God is that which brings life to man, not death. If after reading the word of God you do not come alive, but you are still dead after reading His word, then there is something wrong with you. If after some time you’ve read much of God’s word and have heard many practical sermons, but you are still in a condition of death, this is proof that you are not one who values truth, nor are you a person who seeks truth out. If you truly sought to gain God, you wouldn’t focus on equipping yourself with high doctrines and using them to exhort others, but would instead focus on experiencing God’s word and putting truth into practice; isn’t that what you should currently enter into?
There is a limited time for God to do His work in man, but what outcome can there be if you do not cooperate with Him? Why is it that God always wants you to practice His word once you understand it? It’s because God has revealed His words to you, and your next step is to actually practice them, and God will carry out the work of enlightenment and guidance as you practice these words. That is how it is. The word of God is meant to allow man to blossom in life without causing deviations or negativity. You say you’ve read God’s word and practiced it, but you still haven’t received any work of the Holy Spirit—what you say could only deceive a child. Man doesn’t know if your intentions are proper, but you think God won’t know? How is it that others practice the word of God and receive the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, yet you practice His word and don’t receive the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit? Is God emotional? If your intentions are truly good and you’re cooperative, then God’s Spirit will be with you. Why is it that some people always want to take center stage, and yet God does not let him rise up and lead the church? Why is it that some people merely fulfill their function and without realizing it, they gain God’s approval? How can that be? God examines the innermost heart of man, and people who seek the truth must do so with good intentions—people who do not have good intentions cannot stand. At its core, your goal is to let God’s word take effect within you. In other words, it is to have a true understanding of God’s word in your practice of it. Perhaps your ability to receive God’s word is poor, but when you practice the word of God, He can supplement the flaw of your poor ability to receive, so not only must you know many truths, but you must also practice them. This is the greatest focus that cannot be ignored. Jesus suffered much in His thirty-three and a half years because He practiced the truth. Why is it always said in the records that He was persecuted? It is to explain how much He suffered because He practiced the truth and carried out the will of God. Suffering He would not have undergone had He known the truth without practicing it. If Jesus had followed the lessons of the Jews, followed the Pharisees, then He would not have suffered. You can learn from Jesus’ practice that the effectiveness of God’s work on man comes from his cooperation, and this is something you must recognize. Would Jesus have suffered as He did on the cross if He had not practiced the truth? Could He have prayed such a sorrowful prayer if He had not acted in accordance with God’s will? This means then that this is the kind of suffering a person should endure.

 From "Practice the Truth Once You Understand It"

Recommend "the church of Almighty God"

Saturday, June 17, 2017

Concerning God’s Use of Man

No one is capable of living independently except for those who are given special direction and guidance by the Holy Spirit, for they require the ministry and shepherding of those who are used by God. Thus, in each age God raises up different people who rush and busy about shepherding the churches for the sake of His work. Which is to say, God’s work must be done through those whom He looks favorably upon and approves of; the Holy Spirit must use the part within them that is worthy of use in order to work, and they are made fit for use by God through being made perfect by the Holy Spirit. Because man’s ability to understand is too lacking, he must be shepherded by those who are used by God; it was the same with God’s use of Moses, in whom He found much that was suitable for use at the time, and which He used to do God’s work during that stage. In this stage, God uses a man whilst also taking advantage of the part of him that can be used by the Holy Spirit in order to work, and the Holy Spirit both directs him and simultaneously makes perfect the remaining, unusable part.
The work carried out by the one who is used by God is in order to cooperate with the work of Christ or the Holy Spirit. This man is raised up by God among man, he is there to lead all of God’s chosen ones, and he is also raised up by God in order to do the work of human cooperation. With someone such as this, who is able to do the work of human cooperation, more of God’s requirements toward man and the work that the Holy Spirit must do among man can be achieved through him. Another way of putting it is like this: God’s aim in using this man is so that all those who follow God can better understand God’s will, and can attain more of God’s requirements. Because people are incapable of directly understanding God’s words or God’s will, God has raised someone up who is used to carry out such work. This person who is used by God can also be described as a medium by which God guides people, as the “translator” who communicates between God and people. Thus, such a man is unlike any of those who work in God’s household or who are His apostles. Like them, he can be said to be someone who serves God, yet in the substance of his work and the background of his use by God he differs greatly from the other workers and apostles. In terms of the substance of his work and the background of his use, the man who is used by God is raised up by Him, he is prepared by God for God’s work, and he cooperates in the work of God Himself. No person could ever stand in for his work, it is human cooperation that is integral to the divine work. The work carried out by other workers or apostles, meanwhile, is but the conveyance and implementation of the many aspects of the arrangements for the churches during each period, or else the work of some simple provision of life in order to maintain the church life. These workers and apostles are not appointed by God, much less can they be called those who are used by the Holy Spirit. They are selected from among the churches and, after they have been trained and cultivated for a period of time, those who are fit are kept on, while those who are unfit are sent back to where they came from. Because these people are selected from among the churches, some show their true colors after becoming leaders, and some even do many bad things and end up being eliminated. He who is used by God, on the other hand, is someone who has been prepared by God, and who possesses a certain caliber, and has humanity. He has been prepared and made perfect in advance by the Holy Spirit, and is completely led by the Holy Spirit, and, particularly when it comes to his work, he is directed and commanded by the Holy Spirit—as a result of which there is no deviation on the path of leading God’s chosen ones, for God surely takes responsibility for His own work, and God does His own work at all times.

Friday, June 16, 2017

Concerning Everyone Performing Their Functions

In the stream of today every person that truly loves God has the opportunity to be perfected by God, regardless of whether they are young or old, so long as they keep in their hearts an obedience to God and reverence for God they will be able to be perfected by Him. God perfects people according to their different functions.
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