If we want to enter the kingdom of heaven,
we must be sober and ready, keep working for the Lord.
And we can ensure our place in the heavenly kingdom.
The Lord is holy. No man who isn't holy can see the Lord.
How can we then who work for the Lord, yet often sin,
be worthy to enter the kingdom of heaven?
The Lord Jesus has forgiven our sins.
So as long as we work for the Lord and hold onto His name,
then of course we'll enter the kingdom of heaven.
God is holy.
He never permits the filthy and corrupt to enter His kingdom.
Man must obey God's judgment and experience purification
before he can be saved and enter the kingdom of heaven.
If He judges man, won't man be condemned, never to enter the kingdom of heaven?
God judges man, and His final aim is to purify and save us.
This is God's great love to corrupt mankind.
Thank Almighty God for awakening me from the dream.
So I hear God's voice.
Thank the Lord. This hymn has been a great inspiration.
Brothers and sisters,
in this world that's dark and evil,
we suffer much persecution and much tribulation because of our belief.
We are rejected, forsaken by our friends and family,
and often we are slandered, ridiculed.
We have suffered through so much pain and shed too many tears.
Only the Lord is our salvation, our protector, and our shelter. (Amen.)
No matter how we suffer,
we all have the hope and promise of the Lord.
Because His promise is to return and bring us to the heavenly home. (Amen!)
Once we are in heaven, we will never have to suffer or feel pain.
We will live together with the Lord every day.
So we who were lucky enough to be born in the last days,
truly are the most blessed! (Amen.)
We will be here for His appearance and His descent,
then we will be in His kingdom! (Amen!)
There, there's no sorrow, then there's no pain.
There's no death or suffering at all,
no tears and no judgment or slander from non-believers. (Amen!)
We will be accompanied by angels, filled with cheers and laughter.
And we will be with the Lord forever. (Amen.)
Praise the Lord. This is indeed good news. It's so wonderful.
Brothers and sisters, now let's open Revelation 21:10-25.
Amen!
This beautiful home shall be prepared for us in heaven by the Lord.
And how wonderful a place it will be!
In these final days, the great disasters will befall this earth,
but the Lord will bring us to heaven before this happens! (Amen!)
We must be sober and pray to welcome the Lord! (Amen!)
Auntie Wang, the home the Lord has prepared for us—
it sounds so beautiful with gold and jasper stones.
It sounds so amazing and I've never seen a place like that.
But when will the Lord come to take us there?
Very soon the Lord will come and take us home in heaven.
You see, in the last days, we are very lucky to be able to see the Lord's return.
And as long as we follow Him and listen to His words,
we will be taken to the kingdom of heaven upon His return.
Do you have faith in this now?
Yes. Auntie Wang, I'd like to be like you and work and preach for the Lord.
When can I?
Yu Fan, you're still young. You need to equip with the truth.
Read the Bible, pray more, have meetings more often,
you'll work for the Lord someday.
And then, you'll definitely receive the Lord's promise and His rewards.
Amen. Praise the Lord.
Brothers and sisters, the home the Lord prepares for us in heaven is beautiful.
Everybody, we now are in the last days when the Lord will come to us.
The Bible reads,
If we want to enter the kingdom of heaven and gain rewards,
we must be sober and ready,
hold onto the Lord's name and follow His way.
We must all continue to come to meetings to pray and repent.
So from this world, we sanctify ourself.
Whatever persecution we face, or trials, don't be timid or hide.
Keep working for the Lord and bear more fruits,
and have a part in tribulation, kingdom, and patience of Christ.
If we do,
we can ensure our place in the heavenly kingdom and receive our blessings.
Thanks be to the Lord. Amen.
As it's written here,
Amen.
If we can truly behold the return of the Lord on earth
and attend the wedding feast of the Lamb, I know we will be the blessed ones.
Thanks be to God. Praise the Lord.
So it's been a while since your parents kicked you out.
Have you talked to them yet? (Mm, I have.)
Are they still angry with you?
I just wish they could understand.
Those who believe and those who don't, don't get each other.
But to suffer a little for the Lord, it's really nothing.
Now all the prophecies of the Lord's return have been fulfilled.
The Lord is coming soon to take us to heaven.
The kingdom of heaven is so wonderful.
To suffer here on earth, it's not forever.
That's why the Bible tells us,
When I think of the blessings for the future,
I know that we now must suffer, but will be rewarded.
In the rapture, we won't ever have to suffer, not ever in heaven.
Right. To suffer for the Lord is truly worth it.
If we're talking about the rapture,
do you think we deserve it?
We work for the Lord and feel good about ourselves, and do what we can,
but we still live in a cycle of sinning and confessing.
We tell lies, act willfully,
and practice few of the words of the Lord.
So how can we be after His heart?
The Lord is holy.
So how can we as sinners rightfully be taken into the kingdom of heaven?
It's something I think about.
Though we often commit sins—it's true, the Lord forgives all of those sins.
Our faith is what justifies us. So in the Lord's eyes, we have no more sin.
If we sacrifice and spend for the Lord, I know we will be extremely blessed.
Paul had said,
If we continue to work hard for the Lord, we will surely gain His approval.
I know that He won't forsake us when He comes.
We need to keep our faith.
If we endure to the end, surely we will be raptured.
Co-workers, both pastors and elders have condemned the Eastern Lightning.
They take our sheep. Many good sheep are stolen from denominations and sects.
We should be wary of them. We can't let our doors open to them.
Anyway, if we look at the prophecies most have come true,
the Lord's day is coming.
At any time, He could come upon the clouds
to bring us into the kingdom of heaven.
We need to be sure that we're watchful 24 hours a day and won't be forsaken.
So all our churches should take turns watching and praying.
Every church can watch for two hours
and each month we'll take two days to fast and pray.
What do you think? (Mm. I think that's a good idea.)
Yeah. If we're always sober, then we won't be forsaken when the Lord comes.
Hold on. Our brothers and sisters in the church are cold in faith,
in need of help and support.
We're busy taking care of the church and also families.
We have so little time as it is now.
So who can hold on to do this if we prolong watch time?
Well, I realize we need to keep watch.
It's just when people can't even attend meetings with us, how can they do this?
So I have doubts that this is workable.
We fast or pray like this; is it from the guidance of the Holy Spirit?
How come our prayer is without the Holy Spirit's moving?
It's dry and banal. What if it's not doing anything?
I've wondered the same thing.
How do we know the Holy Spirit approves our watch? (I'm not sure.) It's hard for weak brothers and sisters to practice.
Everyone is too busy for that.
Everyone wait. Our prayers and fasting are really watching and waiting.
The Lord Jesus has said that when He comes,
the faith and love of many will be cold.
But those who stay to the end will be saved.
Though some well-known leaders have said that the Lord has already returned,
no one really knows where He appears and works.
So in that case, all we can do is keep praying and fasting, waiting watchfully.
And when He returns, He will inspire those praying and fasting, and waiting.
So those who keep doing this can be taken into the kingdom of heaven.
I agree. We have to keep praying and fasting, waiting alertly.
Sister Yu doesn't understand how hard it is.
She's single, but the rest of us have families.
We don't all have time to keep up the watch.
I know. I don't think the Lord would want us to be overburdened. (Right.)
Without the Holy Spirit's leading, I don't think it's worth it to do it all.
It's for nothing.
Yeah. It seems useless. (Yeah.)
If it really meant the Lord's return, I'd take the watch every day.
Just outward practices. They don't understand the spirit.
Let's go.
Auntie Wang, please have a seat.
Xiao Fan, (Yes?)
you've been faithful to the Lord for many years. (Yes.)
We used to work and spend for the Lord, and we did all this by our zealousness.
We all know in our hearts
Jesus said only those who do the will of the heavenly Father
can enter the kingdom of heaven. (Yes.)
These years, I've been thinking a lot on my actions.
In so many years of belief, am I following the Lord's way?
Am I worthy to enter the kingdom of heaven?
Am I really deserving of the Lord's rapture?
You know it's been on my mind.
Even though we all work so hard and sacrifice for the Lord each day,
we still commit sins and tell lies.
It's as though we follow the rules
rather than do what He really wants.
We don't commit truly evil sins,
but we still oppose the Lord often by committing sins.
The Lord is holy. No man who isn't holy can see the Lord.
How can we then who work for the Lord, yet often sin,
be worthy to enter the kingdom of heaven?
Do you think the Lord has forsaken me?
I've been thinking about this recently in my older age as of late.
And it really makes me insecure.
But I know that the Lord is faithful.
I've worked for Him all my life; surely He won't forsake me.
The thought comforts me a bit.
Auntie Wang, your whole life you've worked for the Lord,
and you suffered in prison for ten years.
You never denied your faith or the Lord's name.
This shows that you've borne witness. The Lord will approve your loyalty.
Sometimes we all lie and sin, I know, and we disobey the Lord.
But the Lord has forgiven us for all these sins.
The Lord knows our stature. He will definitely show us mercy.
The Lord has abundant grace. There's no way He'll condemn you or me.
Since we believe His grace will bring us into the kingdom of heaven.
Fang Xia, Sister Guo, (Hi, Yu Fan.) do you have a second? (Of course.)
Sister Zhao hasn't been to church in a while. Will you go visit her with me?
Oh, we were just discussing the same thing.
I can go with you if we're doing it now. I have a busy day tomorrow.
All right. Let's go right now. (Okay. Sure.)
Okay everyone, let's continue now. (OK. Let's.)
Thank the Lord! (That was great.)
These words have authority.
We really need to pay attention.
Sister Zhao.
Yu Fan! Come in please, welcome.
Everyone's here? (Yes, I'll introduce you to them.)
This is Sister Yang and Sister Chen. (Welcome!) (Nice to meet you.)
Hello.
Have we met before? Which church do you come from?
They're from the Church of Almighty God.
They're testifying about Almighty God's end-time work.
Won't you join us? You should think about it.
Yes, sister.
It's due to God's grace that we could all meet. (Yes.)
Sister Zhao, I've said repeatedly not to receive strangers,
especially those in the Eastern Lightning.
How have you even let them into your home?
Is this what the Lord wants? Did you pray to Him?
Yes, did you?
You told me not to let strangers in, but that doesn't make sense.
Since we're all here, why don't we sit and have a fellowship?
Please. Let's discuss it. Yes, come sit.
We'll have a fellowship.
These years, our pastors and elders have discouraged strangers.
Is that what the Lord would want us to do?
The Lord Jesus once said,
Yes.
The Bible also said,
I thought about what the Lord Jesus would want, and so I let them into my home.
Isn't this what the Lord wants us to do?
Since we want to welcome the Lord's return,
we should welcome with love all who testify to His coming. (Yes.)
And by doing this, we can see the Lord's appearance and hear His voice.
It's wonderful! (Yes.)
This is what the Lord wants us to do. Please listen with us today.
Hmm. The appearing of the Eastern Lightning has shaken China and the world.
But what is it exactly? I'm a little unclear.
For years,
the Eastern Lightning has been openly testifying that the Lord has returned.
But we haven't listened or even considered it,
and isn't that against the Lord's will? (Yes, she is right.)
If they are testifying to the return of the Lord,
we should at least receive them, then seek and investigate it humbly.
And only in that way can we hear the Lord's voice and see His appearance.
Right. Yeah. Of course.
This way has the truth to be sought.
The Lord has prepared this for us.
All right then. We will listen.
Thank the Lord.
Sister, we have believed for years, labored for the Lord and sacrificed.
Is it not our dream to welcome the Lord's return one day?
How can we see the Lord's appearance
if we do not investigate and reject those who testify to His coming?
On welcoming His return,
the Lord Jesus once said one of the most important things:
Be wise virgins, and listen to the Lord's voice.
We know the Lord uses men to convey His word to us, so that we may know Him.
If we hear someone say the Lord has returned,
we should be wise virgins and heed His words.
Only then can we behold the Lord's appearance.
Almighty God does the work
of judgment beginning at the house of God in the last days,
expressing all of the truth to save mankind
and revealing the mysteries of God's plan to us.
It fulfills the Lord's words.
Almighty God is the embodiment of the Spirit of truth.
And the words He expresses to us are the truth,
the expression of the Holy Spirit.
And this is what the book of Revelation said,
To those who look for God's appearance,
Almighty God's word comes as a great shock.
In every sect, in every single denomination,
truth lovers turn to Almighty God when they hear His voice.
They are wise virgins raptured before God's throne.
They accept the purification of God's word and attend the feast of the Lamb.
This has fulfilled the prophecy.
Since Almighty God has begun His judgment of the last days,
His work has been wildly persecuted by the atheistic CCP.
The antichrist forces in religion
have tried everything to resist and condemn it.
But Almighty God's gospel has continued to spread across the nation.
He has made a group of overcomers in China.
Now, the word of Almighty God and the testimonies of His chosen
have been posted on the Internet, proving to the whole world; that it's true.
Almighty God is the return of Jesus the Savior
and the appearance of our one true God.
Jesus' prophecy has been fulfilled.
When God came,
He first descended secretly into the East, in the bastion of atheism, China.
He speaks His words in the darkest place,
and like the lightning flashing from the East to the West,
His words spread across the globe.
Almighty God has accomplished this.
Almighty God's word has authority and power,
classifying all men according to kind.
The wise virgins hear God's voice and return before Him.
And those who condemn Him or refuse to hear His voice are foolish virgins.
Those people will be eliminated by God's work and suffer in disasters.
They fellowship very well. (That's right.)
As Almighty God tells us,
Sister Yu, you've suffered a lot for preaching the Lord's way.
You should heed the Lord's voice even more and welcome Him.
You say the Lord has returned. How is that possible?
If the Lord has come already, why are we all still here on earth?
Why aren't we all in the kingdom of heaven?
I don't believe the Lord has returned.
The Lord has promised to us,
We know that the Lord has prepared a place for us in heaven.
When He's back directly to the kingdom of heaven, we'll go.
So if the Lord has returned,
I truly wonder why we are still here and not in heaven.
Sister, the Lord has gone to prepare a place for believers; that's true.
But is this place on earth or in heaven?
No one knows for certain.
In our imaginations, the kingdom of heaven should be far off in heaven.
But is this how it really is?
Let's see what Jesus has said about it.
So this tells us the Lord says His kingdom is on earth, not in heaven.
God's will will be done on earth just as it is in heaven.
Not to mention, it's also in Revelation 21:2-3,
And in Revelation 11:15,
The proof is clear that God will establish His kingdom on earth,
and live with mankind here on earth.
So the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of Christ forever.
Imagination tells us that God's kingdom is in heaven far away,
and that when He comes, we'll be raptured up there.
But if that's the case, wouldn't God's words be in vain? (Yes.)
In fact, the final result of God's management plan is to save man
and make His kingdom here on earth.
Almighty God, Christ of the last days,
does the work of judging and purifying man,
just to make a group of overcomers on earth.
Those overcomers here who are perfected by God
are those who practice His word and follow His way on earth.
They are the people of God's kingdom.
When this group of overcomers is made,
then God's will will be done here on earth.
And when the kingdom of Christ is finally realized on earth,
then God will gain glory.
These prophecies in Revelation are what God will accomplish.
Isn't this a fact we can all agree with?
What kind of place has the Lord Jesus prepared for us?
He has predestined that we are born in the last days,
and welcome His coming on earth
to accept His purification to be made overcomers and carry out His will,
so that the kingdoms of this world would be the kingdoms of Christ.
This is surely God's will.
God is here on earth, but men still insist on heaven.
If we were taken up into the midair,
how would we survive without food or housing?
That's man's imagination and notion. Would the Lord do that to us?
It's naive of men to think that way with their heads in the clouds.
What you've said makes a lot of sense.
These years, we've been reciting the Lord's prayer:
Revelation also states
Now I see the scriptures are clear. How did we not see it before? (Yes.)
We've longed to be in heaven for so long.
We are so dull and numb! (That's right.)
These years, our belief in the Lord was muddled.
Even though the prophecies were clear, we didn't understand. (It's true.)
For so long, pastors and elders told us God's kingdom was in heaven.
We believed it to be true, so we waited to be raptured into heaven. (Right.)
Seems like our pastors and elders don't really understand the Bible, (She's right.)
blindly explaining God's word with imagination and defining His work.
Aren't they deceiving and ruining man? (Mm. Yes.)
We have been deeply deceived and never understood its literal meaning.
We actually thought we would be raptured up to heaven.
But the thought is absurd.
Yeah. We need other people who understand the truth to fellowship with us.
Otherwise, no matter how long we believe, we won't gain anything from it.
How could we not be rejected by the Lord?
Yeah. That's right. That makes sense.
It's impossible for us to say whether God's kingdom is on earth or in heaven.
The Lord Jesus said several times,
"The kingdom of heaven is at hand" and "Your kingdom come."
Since He clearly says, "the kingdom of heaven," how can it be on earth?
Yeah. The kingdom of heaven must be in heaven. Otherwise, why call it that?
It doesn't make sense otherwise.
We should keep in mind that "heaven" always refers to God.
The kingdom of heaven means God's kingdom.
Revelation says,
It shows us that God's kingdom is on earth.
The kingdoms of this world will become those of God.
After the disasters,
the old world will be destroyed and the Millennial Kingdom will appear.
And this world shall become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.
And then God's will shall be done on earth just as it is in heaven.
This fulfills the prophecy that new Jerusalem will come down to earth then.
God incarnate in the last days
does the work of judgment to end the dark and evil times.
Those who hear God's voice and are raptured before the throne
will be made overcomers.
Then the great disasters will fall.
Only those who are purified, saved through God's work in the last days
can remain on earth and be in God's kingdom.
Today, we who accept God's work in the last days are truly the most blessed.
We're fortunate to hear God's voice and be raptured before His throne.
We will be purified through the judgment of God's word,
and also be overcomers made before the disaster and be His first fruits.
Then God will return to Zion and the great disasters will fall.
All those who oppose God and the followers of Satan in the disasters
will be destroyed,
while those who are sanctified and perfected by God
shall remain on earth protected.
When the Lord descends to people openly on a cloud,
then God will come to His kingdom on earth.
That's what God will accomplish very soon.
As believers, if we don't know this vision, aren't we blind?
Those who simply gaze up at the sky and wait for the Lord to come with clouds
will weep and gnash their teeth when they see the Lord come upon white clouds.
Just as Revelation prophesied,
When the disasters come, those who haven't heard God's voice and aren't raptured
will be punished in these disasters, weeping and gnashing their teeth.
Thanks be to the Lord. It's a mystery.
Without such fellowship, we would've never known.
Right. They're all very wise and enlightened.
So that's how the prophecy in Revelation is fulfilled.
Yes. I understand so clearly.
Their fellowship makes so much biblical sense. They're full of enlightenment.
We should listen to them more.
Brothers and sisters, in the beginning God created man on earth.
Satan corrupts man on that same earth.
However, it is still on earth that God saves man.
Until the kingdom of Christ appears to man, all this happens on earth.
That's why God establishes His kingdom on earth in the last days.
In the end, man's destination is on earth, not in heaven. It's ordained by God.
Let's see what Almighty God says in His own words.
Almighty God has put it very clearly.
When God's management work is complete,
God and man will enter into rest together.
God's place of rest is in heaven while man's is on earth just as it is now.
This is the destination God has prepared for us,
and also God's kingdom to be established on earth.
If we can't see this after years of believing in God,
doesn't it show then that we are ignorant of the Lord's word?
Sisters, you've fellowshiped so clearly.
For so many years, I expected to be raptured up into heaven.
Today, this is the first I've heard of God's kingdom being on earth.
Your fellowship is practical and has taught me a lot.
But the Bible also says,
Then how do you explain this verse?
Of course. It says "to meet the Lord in the air."
The Bible states this part clearly.
Sister, when anticipating the Lord's return, we should rely on His prophecies.
They're the most accurate.
In the part you read, who exactly did you quote?
Is it the Lord or is it a man?
Where are these words from?
Did the Lord Jesus speak them?
He didn't. The Lord Jesus never said that,
nor has the Holy Spirit ever said it.
These words you read are merely quoted. They were said by Paul.
Do Paul's words speak for the Lord Jesus?
Do they speak for God?
Regarding the great mystery of the Lord's return, only God knows.
If a man dares to explain and blindly define it, that's a serious problem.
Paul was not Christ. He was nothing but a corrupt man.
So his words are filled with man's imagination and impurity.
His words are not truth nor the basis of rapture.
We should base it on God's words in the Bible. This accords with truth.
When it comes to being raptured up, you didn't use the Lord's word as basis,
but instead, you used man's word, Paul's word as the basis. This is wrong.
Because only the word of Christ is truth and authority.
The Lord Jesus is Christ and king of the kingdom of heaven. (Amen.)
Since it is so, why don't you seek the truth in the words of Lord Jesus?
Why accept man's word as truth?
Is that the Lord's will?
By following this way, it's easy to follow man.
When it comes to the rapture,
we haven't been listening to the Lord but listening to man.
That could be really dangerous.
In the beginning, God created man with the dust on earth,
allowed us to perform our duties and take care of things on earth,
and asked us to obey Him, worship and glorify Him.
So God's ordained destination for man is on earth rather than in heaven.
God has also told us clearly
that His kingdom will be established here on the earth.
And He will dwell with man here on earth
and make this world His kingdom where Christ reigns.
Therefore, God's kingdom will finally be realized on earth, not in heaven.
Man wants to be brought up to heaven,
but this is a product of imagination and excessive desire.
It goes against the truth and doesn't accord with the work of God.
And as for the rapture to the kingdom of heaven,
we should find basis in God's word.
This is the most accurate way, compatible with God's will.
Yes. Of course. (Indeed.)
So Revelation says clearly God's kingdom is on earth.
We believe the words of Paul and not the words of the Lord.
And we hold onto Paul's words as truth and as God's words.
Are we truly believing in the Lord and magnifying Him?
Not understanding the Lord's words, we are prone to be deceived. (Yes.)
If we didn't hear Almighty God's word today,
we would still be gazing at the heavens, waiting for the rapture.
Even if we waited that way all our lives, we'd gain nothing.
We would be forsaken by the Lord without knowing why,
like the Jewish Pharisees who still wait the descent of the Messiah today.
How foolish we've been!
In the past, I longed to be raptured and meet the Lord in the air,
but I wished that based on the words of Paul, not God.
That was simply man's imagination and wrong conceptions.
It's not at all what God intends.
As a preacher,
when it comes to this important matter of welcoming the Lord's return,
I haven't relied on the Lord's words or sought His will.
I've misled others.
The blind lead the blind, and both shall fall into the ditch.
It's so true.
Sisters, after your fellowship, I know now.
Our understanding of rapture by the Lord is from man's imagination.
It's seriously against the word of the Lord.
So what should we do now to be raptured at His return?
Would you commune with us in detail? (Please.)
According to them, the kingdom of heaven is on earth.
If so, the hope of being raptured is all in vain.
The saints expect to be raptured according to the Lord's words,
Man uses their imaginations and notions to understand the Lord's words.
They think since the Lord Jesus ascended upon a white cloud,
the place He prepares for them must surely be up there as well.
So they wait for the Lord Jesus to return and bring them up to heaven.
Besides, man tends to value Paul's words,
For this reason,
the desire of being raptured to heaven takes root in man's heart. (Yes, I see.)
Ideas of rapture vary even between different people.
Most believe the Lord's return will bring the saints into the air to meet Him.
So over many years, they harbor such longing and wait to be raptured.
But what exactly does it mean to be raptured?
Many are unclear.
The mystery isn't revealed until Almighty God comes and opens it to us.
We'll read what Almighty God says on this subject.
Please turn to page 197.
Almighty God's words have made it very clear.
Rapture does not mean that we will be raptured into the air as we've imagined,
or to go meet the Lord in the clouds, or even that we'll go to heaven.
What it actually means is that when God returns to earth to speak and work,
man hears His voice and follows Him and submits to His work in the last days.
This is the true meaning of being raptured before God's throne.
Only those who can recognize the Lord's voice,
know the truth in the words of Almighty God,
accept the truth and return to Him are wise virgins.
They are the "treasures" the Lord has "stolen" back to His home.
They are of good caliber, able to understand and accept the truth,
capable of recognizing God's voice, and are truly the raptured ones.
They are the very group of overcomers God wants to perfect
when He secretly descends and works in the last days.
Since Almighty God carries out His work in the last days,
more and more people who long for God's appearance
have recognized God's voice in the word of Almighty God,
and accepted His work of judgment of the last days.
They are raptured before God's throne,
face to face with God, watered and fed by His word,
so they gain some true knowledge about God, their corruptions are then cleansed;
so they live out the reality of God's word and gain the great salvation of God.
They have been made overcomers before the disasters,
become the first fruits gained by God.
But those who cling to their own imagination,
they just wait to be raptured up into heaven
and refuse God's judgment work in the last days.
Those are foolish virgins forsaken by God.
These people will fall victim to disaster and will mourn. This is truth.
Mm. Yes. That's right.
This fellowship really brightens me.
So being raptured means hearing God's voice and turning to His throne.
God raptures man before His throne to cleanse and perfect man through His word,
making them overcomers to inherit His promise.
God is wise, and His work significant. (Yes, right. I agree.)
His work is beyond our thoughts.
It is as Jehovah said,
God's work holds mysteries.
Who are we to fathom His wisdom?
I feel somewhat ashamed.
I defined God's work according to a single verse and my own imagination.
That's arrogant of me. I don't have any reverance for God.
That's right. If Almighty God didn't reveal the mystery of saints being raptured,
no matter how long we believed, we wouldn't understand. (That's true. Yes.)
We'd still be relying on our own concepts.
We think as long as we sacrifice and work hard for the Lord,
then we would be taken into heaven when He comes back. (Yes.)
So then if we aren't seeking the truth,
especially in welcoming the Lord's return,
and if we're not heeding God's voice but just waiting blindly,
that is really dangerous.
We almost missed our only chance of truly being raptured. (Thanks be to God.)
Your fellowship has helped us immensely. (Yeah.)
Without it, we would still be in vagueness,
looking at the sky and waiting for the Lord's descent.
Almighty God's word is indeed the truth. (Amen.)
We should really study the true way very carefully.
That's right. Praise the Lord.
Praise God.
In the past, our understanding of being raptured was the same idea you had.
We thought the Lord would return to directly bring believers into the air.
And if we worked hard laboring many long hours for the Lord,
then God's approval was guaranteed and we would be taken into His kingdom.
But after being judged and chastised, and revealed by God's word,
we were ashamed.
Only then did we realize our pursuit was based on imagination
and not on God's will at all.
Let us hear the words of Almighty God.
Yes, of course.
Brothers and sisters, peace in the Lord. (Amen.)
For many years, we have been working and laboring for the Lord,
preaching the gospel,
and we have all suffered.
We've all longed for the Lord to return,
expecting Him to rapture us to the kingdom of heaven.
For that, we've always held onto the name of the Lord.
However, when hearing of Almighty God's work in the last days,
we have been completely deceived
by rumors and condemnation from the religious world.
And we've been living in our own imagination.
We've never truly looked at Almighty God's work.
We always thought as long as we believe in the Lord according to the Bible,
and labor for Him,
surely, He'd rapture us up into His kingdom.
But we have forgotten the words that Lord Jesus told us,
The Lord made very clear
how He wants us to welcome His return in His very own words.
Rapture is achieved by hearing the Lord's voice
rather than seeing Him with our eyes or receiving His revelation.
Wise virgins welcome the Lord's appearance just by hearing His voice.
Yet we never go find the voice of the Lord or seek the true way
even when hearing someone witness His return.
We are too arrogant and self-righteous!
Brothers and sisters,
recently, preachers from the Church of Almighty God
have fellowshiped with us in our meeting.
We have learned so much.
I've read some of the words of Almighty God.
They are the truth, practical indeed.
It convinces me fully.
The work of Almighty God in the last days
is very likely to be that of the returned Jesus.
Yet there are still some problems I can't figure out.
So today, I've invited preachers from the Church of Almighty God
to testify about Almighty God's work in the last days for us.
Let's all welcome them. (Yes. Welcome!)
Thank God for giving us this opportunity to fellowship about His words.
If anyone has questions or is confused about Almighty God's work,
please feel free to ask.
We can all fellowship together.
Praise the Lord. (Thanks be to God.)
Sister Chen, Sister Yang, I have a question to start.
I have always thought that the Lord Jesus was nailed to a cross for our sins
and forgave our sins,
and redeemed us from the hands of Satan to bring us into the kingdom of heaven.
Although we still sin and haven't truly attained sanctity,
the Lord has forgiven our sins and we have been justified by our faith.
So as long as we forsake everything and work hard for the Lord,
we'll be raptured into God's kingdom. It's the Lord's promise.
But some of us here still doubt.
They think that though we work for the Lord,
we haven't attained sanctity and we still sin.
The Lord is holy. Unsanctified people can't meet Him.
So my question is: Can we who forsake everything for the Lord
be raptured into the kingdom of heaven?
We have no idea how to answer this question. Please fellowship with us.
Yes. This has also confused me for a while.
I would also like to know. Please fellowship with us. (Yes, please.)
Sister Yu, the Lord Jesus has forgiven our sins.
In His eyes, we have no more sin.
So as long as we work for the Lord and hold onto His name,
then of course we'll enter the kingdom of heaven.
Why do we even need to ask?
Yeah. As long as we stick it out, then we'll be saved.
When the Lord comes, we'll be raptured into the kingdom of heaven.
Sister Guo, Brother Wei, that just doesn't make sense.
Lord Jesus has forgiven our sins; that's a fact.
But we still often sin and resist the Lord,
and do deceitful things and shame His name.
That's just the truth.
The Lord Jesus said that Himself.
God is holy, and so is His kingdom.
For us who work hard but continue to sin,
how can we be allowed to enter His kingdom?
I've felt in my heart that that's impossible.
All the Lord's believers think:
Since the Lord redeemed man through the crucifixion,
we've been forgiven of all of our sins.
And as we are no longer sinners, we are justified by our faith.
So as long as we endure till the end, we'll be saved,
and be raptured directly into the kingdom of heaven when He returns.
Is this common viewpoint correct or not?
Is it really based on God's word?
If this is against the truth, what will it result in?
As believers, we should always act according to the Lord's word.
Especially regarding His return, we should listen to His word even more.
It's not something that can be dealt with by notions.
Otherwise, imagine the consequences.
Just like the Pharisees who nailed Lord Jesus to the cross
while waiting for the Messiah to return.
Think of the bad things that could happen.
It's true that Lord Jesus has completed His work of redeeming humanity.
But does that mean God's work of saving man is thereby finished?
And so, can we be raptured into His kingdom by faith in Lord Jesus alone?
No man can fathom the answer.
The Lord Jesus once said,
The words of God state clearly
that anyone who enters the kingdom of heaven must be cleansed of sin.
They all do God's will, love God, obey and worship Him.
For God is holy, and in the kingdom is God living with man.
Unless sanctified, we aren't qualified to enter God's kingdom.
Many people think we can enter the kingdom of heaven
simply because our sins were forgiven.
But this is a grave misunderstanding.
This is purely man's imagination.
The Lord Jesus has forgiven our sins. That's true.
But He never said this forgiveness meant being purified,
and allowed directly into the kingdom of heaven.
No one can deny this fact.
Why is it that the Lord's believers all think
that they can all enter the kingdom now?
On what basis is this belief?
What gives them the authority to say so?
Many people will say that
they learned this from the words of Paul and other apostles in the Bible.
But do these words represent the Lord Jesus or man?
Represent the Holy Spirit?
Although they are found in the Bible, can man's words be treated as God's?
The Bible has this fact we know for sure:
Those approved by God all listen to His word and obey His work.
They follow the way of God
and only such people are qualified to inherit God's promise.
This cannot be denied.
We can all be sure that even though our sins were forgiven,
we haven't really become purified and often sin and resist God.
God has clearly told us,
From God's own words, even with our sins forgiven
that doesn't automatically qualify us to enter the kingdom of heaven.
We have to attain sanctity and perform the will of God before we can enter.
This is a known fact.
So, I know it's not something easy to understand the will of God.
But just having our sins forgiven doesn't mean we're purified.
We must possess some realities of the truth and become approved by God.
Only then can we enter the kingdom of heaven.
If man does not love the truth,
even is weary of the truth or hates it, struggling only for rewards,
but never really caring for or doing the will of God,
aren't they evil-doers?
How can the Lord approve of them?
Just like the hypocritical Pharisees even with sins forgiven,
they would not enter God's kingdom.
This is unquestionable.
There is one other thing.
Lord Jesus has forgiven man's sin, but sin—what does this mean?
What sins can man possibly confess after believing in the Lord?
These sins mainly refer to the sins
that violate God's laws and commandments, and go against the word of God.
Then mankind would be punished and condemned
for ignoring and disobeying God's laws.
So the Lord Jesus came to redeem man.
You see, as long as man prays in the name of Jesus, confesses and repents,
they would have their sins forgiven and no longer be condemned by the law.
God would no longer regard man as a sinner,
and man could directly call out to God in prayer,
and enjoy His abundant grace and truth.
That is truly "being saved" as man says in the Age of Grace.
So being saved is not the same thing as entering God's kingdom.
Actually, they're very different.
The Lord Jesus never said that man could enter the kingdom of heaven
after their sins were forgiven and they were saved.
Let's read some words from Almighty God.
Almighty God makes it very clear, right? (Yes. It's very clear.)
These words of God really explain it quite clearly with no doubt.
They're so easy to understand!
In the Age of Grace, Lord Jesus only did redemptive work.
Man's sins were forgiven. They were justified and saved by faith.
But Lord Jesus never said that man could enter His kingdom this way.
That's because Lord Jesus had forgiven man's sins,
but not mankind's satanic nature.
Arrogance and deceit, selfishness, and evil,
all these corruptions still exist within us today.
And these are much deeper and more stubborn than sins.
If our satanic nature of opposing God and our corruption remain unresolved,
we could still commit sins not of our own volition,
even worse, sins than simply violating the laws of God.
We ask why did the Pharisees condemn the Lord Jesus and stand against Him,
even nail Him to the cross.
This proves to us that with man's satanic nature,
they can still disobey God, sin, and betray Him.
Right. We've all believed for many years, and we've known a fact
that though our sins are forgiven by the Lord,
we can still commit them in spite of ourselves.
We still tell lies to seek fortune and fame. We make excuses and argue.
Sometimes we frame up others when we're avoiding responsibility.
When disaster strikes us, large or small, we complain and betray God.
When God's work isn't how we want it,
we still oppose Him, deny Him, and judge Him.
Although we believe in God nominally, we still adore and follow man.
Once we get a position, we try to exalt ourselves
like the Pharisees, the chief priests, and the scribes.
We stand in the place of God, let others look up to us.
We enjoy wrongfully the offerings of God,
and we envy others and act according to likes.
Worse yet, we follow the flesh, separate into factions, form cliques,
and establish our own independent kingdoms.
These are all known facts.
This shows if man's satanic nature cannot be resolved,
then we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven even if our sins are forgiven.
The fact that we can still sin and oppose God proves we are still of Satan,
stand against God and are enemies of God,
for which we will surely be condemned and punished.
It says in the Bible,
Let's read some of Almighty God's words.
We see man is redeemed by the Lord Jesus,
yet retains his satanic disposition, constantly sinning and resisting God.
He must undergo judgment and purification in the last days
to be delivered from sin and become after God's heart.
Then he can enter the kingdom of heaven.
In fact, the Lord Jesus said,
The Lord prepares a place for us. Once ready, He'll receive us.
Here "receive" means God arranges for us to be born in the last days.
When the Lord returns, He'll rapture us before His throne
to receive the judgment, purification, and perfection of His word,
thus making us overcomers before the disaster.
The process of receiving us is a process of purifying and perfecting us.
Now the Lord returns to do the work of judgment in the last days,
and we've been taken before God's throne living together with Him.
Hasn't this fully fulfilled the Lord's prophecy of receiving us?
When the great disasters end, the kingdom of Christ will be realized on earth.
And each who survives the disasters and trials
will partake of the kingdom of heaven.
For years, it has deeply confused me
that though the Lord Jesus forgives our sins,
we can't help but continue to commit sins and resist the Lord.
I've been wondering since the Lord is holy,
can one who continues to sin be allowed to enter the kingdom of heaven?
Praise the Lord.
After your fellowship today, my puzzle is finally unraveled.
Amen! Praise the Lord!
The Lord Jesus has forgiven our sins but not so our satanic nature.
That's why we still sin and resist the Lord.
Therefore, to enter the kingdom of heaven,
we must experience God's judgment and cleansing
in order to resolve our sinful nature.
Thanks be to God! That really makes sense.
Judgment and cleansing is necessary. (Right.)
At this point, perhaps some would ask:
Apostles like Paul and those who suffered and labored for the Lord,
aren't they qualified to be raptured?
As Paul said,
So many believe
since Paul could gain the crown of righteousness through labor for the Lord,
then as long as we labor as Paul did for the Lord,
can't we also get the crown and enter the kingdom of heaven?
Is it really the case?
Can Paul's view be supported by God's words?
Did Lord Jesus say Paul could gain rewards and the crown?
Did the Holy Spirit ever testify that Paul could enter the kingdom of heaven?
None of this is recorded in the Bible.
The Lord Jesus never said that Paul was the one to gain the crown
and enter the kingdom of heaven. (Right. It's out of our imagination.)
Therefore, Paul's words are without basis.
And we can't take Paul's words as basis for entering the kingdom of heaven.
On eternal life and entering the kingdom of heaven, the Lord said,
The Lord Jesus said it clearly:
only when one gets rid of sins, attains sanctity,
and is able to obey God's will, can he enter the kingdom of heaven.
If man sacrifices and labors for the Lord due to passion,
but still opposes God and sins, failing to obey God's way,
then they are evil-doers and never shall they enter the kingdom of heaven.
Yet Paul said he'd be rewarded and enter the kingdom of heaven
because he had fought the fight, finished the course, and kept the faith.
Isn't this clearly against the words of the Lord Jesus?
According to Paul,
as long as one labors for the Lord, he can enter the kingdom of heaven.
If this were the case,
those Jewish Pharisees who traveled the land spreading the gospel
but opposed and condemned the Lord Jesus,
couldn't they enter the kingdom of heaven?
And those who cast out devils in the Lord's name, yet don't walk in God's way,
couldn't they also enter the kingdom of heaven?
Isn't such a view simply ridiculous?
Those Jewish Pharisees,
why couldn't their efforts be approved by the Lord Jesus?
Because their suffering for evangelizing
was actually for the sake of their own benefits and rewards.
God is righteous; He looks deep into man's heart.
So when the Lord Jesus came to do His work, they were revealed completely.
To maintain their positions, they condemned and opposed the Lord Jesus,
made Him an enemy, and nailed Him onto the cross.
As a result, they were cursed and punished by God.
This is a fact known to all.
It's true. The Lord Jesus never said
man can enter the kingdom of heaven through labor,
but said only those who do the will of the heavenly Father can. (That's right.)
After this, I am clear.
If we only preach in the Lord's name but do not practice His words,
we can't enter the kingdom of heaven.
Brothers and sisters, how about the religious people in the last days?
Many are the same as the Jewish Pharisees.
Though they work hard for the Lord,
all their efforts are directed by their desire to gain blessings.
It's all for attaining rewards
rather than following the Lord's word and obeying Him.
That's why they can act according to their own will, their own likes,
while working and devoting themselves.
They meet their desire for fame and position.
They exalt and testify to themselves,
form cliques, and establish their own kingdoms.
Even worse, after doing some work and enduring some suffering,
many become conceited and show off their seniority.
They confidently demand God's blessing of the kingdom of heaven.
How could such people gain God's approval?
Faced with God's judgment in the last days,
those religious elders not only refuse to accept,
but wildly resist and condemn Almighty God so as to protect their own status.
Again, they nail God to the cross and provoke God's disposition. (Yes.)
Isn't it true? Haven't you seen through this yet?
As thus proved by facts, people's sacrifice and suffering
doesn't qualify them to enter the kingdom of heaven.
If people refuse to practice the Lord's words or commandments,
and all they do comes not from loving and obeying Him,
but from seeking to enter heaven, then they cheat and use God.
God doesn't approve of such people though they've worked or suffered a lot.
Amen. Yes. That's so true.
Brothers and sisters, let's read more of the words of Almighty God.
From God's words, we see God is holy and righteous.
He never permits the filthy and corrupt to enter His kingdom. (Yes.)
This is decided by God's righteous disposition.
Therefore, man must obey God's judgment and experience purification,
gain the truth to cast away corruptions before he can be saved, (Amen!)
and enter the kingdom of heaven.
This is fact. No one can deny it.
Your fellowship is useful and it applies to my current state.
For many years, I've sacrificed and labored.
Truly all has been to enter the kingdom of heaven,
and not to practice the Lord's words, obey, or love Him.
Were it not for Almighty God exposing our base intentions,
I never would have realized that I am cheating and using the Lord.
I'd continue on the wrong path,
and shamelessly leverage my laboring to make a deal with the Lord.
In the end, when punished by the Lord, I would not understand why.
Think about it. It's so dire.
Exactly. Were it not for Almighty God's disclosure,
we could never know ourselves.
We'd continue to insist we can sacrifice for the Lord that we're above others.
We look down on others and presume to teach brothers and sisters.
How ignorant and shameful we are!
Men as filthy and corrupt as us do need God's judgment and cleansing.
Mm. It's true. I agree.
Brothers and sisters, let's have a break.
We'll resume later.
Please have some water.
That was so helpful!
Yes. Their fellowship is practical. We've never heard such a good sermon.
What Eastern Lightning preaches is profound.
Everyone is so convinced! (Right.)
If it goes on, won't all accept the Eastern Lightning? (Yes.)
Then to whom will we preach?
That's right. Won't the church collapse?
Ah? What should we do?
Let's talk to Sister Yu. (Mm. Right.)
We must stop this.
Agreed. Let's go! (Okay. Go ahead.)
Mm. (Okay.)
Sister Yu, Sister Fang. (Yes?)
We want to have a talk with you. (Sure.)
It's about the way of the Eastern Lightning. We must stop listening.
Though their preaching does make some sense,
the CCP government and most religious leaders condemn the Eastern Lightning.
This shows that the Eastern Lightning can't be the true way.
If the government and religious leaders all accept and obey,
that proves it's the true way.
Do you agree with me?
Could it be wrong that we follow the trend?
For years, pastors have believed and so better know the Bible.
If we obey our pastors and follow the religious trend, we won't be wrong.
Do you dare to say they are wrong?
You judge by this perspective—it's not the true way. Is that right?
Because the CCP government and most pastors and elders
condemn the Eastern Lightning,
you conclude the Eastern Lightning isn't the true way.
Does this view agree with truth and with fact?
Are you clear about the facts?
When the Lord Jesus did His work,
the Jewish leaders all resisted and condemned Him.
Finally, they colluded with the Roman government and nailed Him to the cross.
Do you really claim Lord Jesus' work isn't the true way,
and He isn't the true God?
Are you sure that following the trend in the religious world is right?
Isn't such a view ridiculous and absurd?
Does such logic make any sense?
Before, we believed the pastors' and elders' lies,
and rejected the Eastern Lightning without investigating.
But now, after listening to their preaching,
we see Almighty God's word is all the truth, is practical,
and solves many confusions of our faith in the Lord.
We feel a brightness within, having a path now. Our faith is strengthened.
We feel the Holy Spirit's work within.
We know the CCP and religious pastors and elders' condemnation
against the Eastern Lightning is false, is blasphemy against God!
We are certain in our hearts that Almighty God's work is the true way.
At the same time, we see the fallacies and heresies they spread.
Do you not see quite clearly this fact?
Why don't you seek and explore the true way
rather than follow pastors and elders on the path of opposing God?
If you do not wake, you'll fall into disasters straightaway!
It will be too late to regret then. (Indeed!)
I understand your view
that man must attain sanctity before entering the kingdom of heaven.
Who then could get the Lord's approval and enter the kingdom of heaven?
Would the Lord's promise to receive us come true?
If so, what hope is there left for us?
Pastors and elders didn't say that man must be purified to enter the kingdom.
I simply believe what they say
that the Lord will rapture us directly.
You can accept Almighty God's judgment, but I won't.
I only accept the promise of the Lord Jesus. (Right.)
I'll wait for Lord Jesus to take me to the kingdom of heaven.
The Lord is merciful. He won't judge man.
If He judges man, won't man be condemned?
Never to enter the kingdom of heaven?
Sister Guo, Brother Wei.
You both are clever. How can you say such foolish words?
God is truly wise. God's thoughts are higher than ours. Do you not know that?
God's works are mysteries. How can man fathom them?
You just believe the pastors and elders, which is simply wrong!
The Pharisees opposed the Lord Jesus and even nailed Him to the cross.
No one is clearer than you on that.
If we insist on blindly following pastors and elders,
and define God's work by our notions without investigating Almighty God's work,
how can we hear God's voice and see His appearance and His work?
Think this over. Whether or not to investigate Almighty God's work
is a big issue relating to our salvation and entry into the kingdom of heaven.
We must seek quite carefully.
It's time to resume. Let's go inside.
I think we should go.
Sisters, from Almighty God's words I have learned
that in the last days, Almighty God uses the word to judge and purify man.
This is the fact.
So how does Almighty God conduct the work of judgment in the last days?
How does He judge man, purify man, and perfect man through His words?
These are the truths we urgently need. (Amen! Yes.)
If we understand the work of Almighty God,
then we truly hear God's voice and are raptured before God's throne.
Can you please fellowship more about it?
The Lord is compassionate. How could He judge us?
If the Lord returns and judges us, aren't we condemned by Him?
You wish to understand how Almighty God does the work of judgment.
This is very important for man to attain salvation.
Almighty God speaks the truth to judge and purify man,
so He may take true saints into the kingdom of heaven.
But many who believe in the Lord don't understand God's will or
how saints will be taken into the kingdom of heaven.
They falsely believe the Lord won't do the work of judgment and chastisement.
They think God's judgment and chastisement means condemnation.
Therefore, they refuse to accept God's work of judgment,
and wait to be brought to the kingdom of heaven.
Actually, they totally misunderstand God's will.
The redemptive work of Lord Jesus
paves the way for the work of judgment in the last days.
His final aim is to purify man, so we may enter the kingdom to enjoy rest.
However, God does the work of redemption and salvation in steps
with a plan, not in one night.
After Jesus' redemptive work, He promised to return for the saints.
But how God will rapture the saints when He comes back?
No one could fathom.
In fact, when God comes in the last days to take the saints,
He first brings people before His throne
to accept His work of judgment and purification, and then make them overcomers.
This is how the saints will be raptured into the kingdom of heaven.
But there is one thing that is hard for man to accept:
The raptured must experience judgment and chastisement to attain sanctity.
So they produce false notions about God's work of judgment.
Think about it. Is judgment and chastisement God's blessing,
or God's condemnation and punishment?
Most cannot fathom this.
So, let's read some of Almighty God's words. (Okay.)
It is all for salvation.
From Almighty God's words, it is clear to see
that God's judgment in the last days is not meant to condemn us
or to strike us down.
God means for us to know the truth that we have been corrupted deeply by Satan,
to know our nature and essence of resisting and betraying God,
and to know God's holy, righteous, and unoffendable disposition.
God means to awaken our hearts and our spirits
to save us from our corrupt disposition,
make us live out the likeness of a real man and attain salvation.
If we do not experience God's judgment,
we are incapable of knowing our satanic nature,
of seeing the roots of our corruption that we sin and resist God,
or of knowing God's righteous disposition.
Then our corrupt disposition cannot be changed.
And we can't have true obedience and reverence to God.
As such, what makes us worthy to be taken into God's kingdom?
Clearly, God judges man and His final aim is to purify and save us.
If we are judged and then attain purification, this is God's greatest blessing,
and also God's great salvation and love to corrupt mankind. (Amen.)
Now then, how does God carry out the work of judgment?
Almighty God expresses many words about this truth.
Let's read some passages of Almighty God's words. (Okay.)
Sister, I will read this passage. (Okay.)
Almighty God's words are so practical.
God speaks words to do judgment work in the last days
for the saving and perfecting of man.
Under the judgment of Almighty God's word, we understand that
in this dark and evil world, all mankind lives under the domain of Satan.
Satan's corruption left us without any human likeness:
We are arrogant, crooked and cunning, licentious, selfish and corrupt.
Mankind hates the truth and adores evil, doing anything for fame and position,
just like monsters deceiving, fighting and plotting against each other.
We have lost our human sense.
Despite believing in God,
we value money, fame and position deep down in our hearts.
Mankind is easily influenced by evil, and often commits sins and opposes God.
Even if we sacrifice for God, suffer and pay the price,
we only do this for gaining blessing and rewards
and entry into the kingdom of heaven,
not for pursuing the truth or truly knowing and obeying God.
Even though we believe in God, we are full of imagined ideas about Him.
Nobody knows God's disposition or truly what God has and is.
What kind of person God likes and doesn't like,
what kinds of actions resist God, offend God's disposition
or will be cursed by God,
how many ideas and notions we have that are contrary to the truth,
what it is the sense we should have before God,
and what is the reality of truth we should have, and so on,
these are all part of the key truths of knowing God,
obeying God and worshiping God.
But mankind knows nothing about them.
Because mankind is so deeply corrupted by Satan,
how can we refrain from resisting and betraying God
without being judged and purified by God?
Based on the needs of a mankind that is corrupt,
the incarnate God expresses all the truth for man to be saved,
reveals to us God's righteous and majestic disposition, tolerating no offense,
and completely exposes the substance of man's nature,
and truth about man's corruption which makes everyone utterly convinced.
We have tasted the judgment and chastisement of God's word,
and seen that we are haughty and arrogant, selfish and base,
and live by Satan's philosophy and rules.
Whatever we do, we do it for fame and fortune.
We even work and preach just for reputation and position.
Boasting and promoting ourselves to make others think highly of us,
but simply not for exalting God and testifying to God.
When God's work does not match with our notions, we define God and judge God,
stand in stubborn opposition to God, having no obedience at all.
When doing our duty, we follow our fleshly comforts,
deceive and lie to God often without any loyalty to God.
Under the revelation of God's word,
we see that we've been deeply corrupted by Satan
without conscience, sense or dignity.
We're not human but simply the brood of Satan which are in enmity of God.
Therefore, we are too ashamed to behold the face of God.
We have to fall down before God, bitterly repent, hate, and curse ourselves.
We have truly experienced God's righteous disposition
that is intolerant of man's offense.
So we have begun to fear God and understood God's kind intention of saving man.
God chastises man because He hates the sins of man and their disobedience,
because He means to save us from our satanic disposition and gain us.
When we stand in stubborn opposition to God and resist Him,
God chastens and disciplines us.
When we return our hearts to God, God gives mercy to us.
He does not punish us according to what we have ever done,
but enlightens us and guides us, letting us understand His will.
Under God's judgment and chastisement,
we develop some true knowledge of God's disposition,
realizing that God's disposition holds His mercy and lovingkindness.
We see God's holiness and greatness,
gaining reverence and admiration for God.
We can more clearly see our satanic nature and understand some truth,
and have discernment between that which is positive and negative. (Yes.)
Our viewpoints change on some things,
bringing forth a heart that yearns for the truth.
We are not willing to live by Satan's philosophy and rules,
nor make demands of God unreasonably.
Our conscience and sense have been restored.
We begin to seek the truth and practice the truth in everything,
doing our duty as a created being honestly, and obeying God's sovereignty.
We are increasingly transformed in disposition,
having some likeness of a real man. (Amen.)
Praise Almighty God.
All of our transformations are brought about by God's work of judgment.
Amen! Thanks be to God!
So today, all those who accept the work of Almighty God in the last days
fully understand that
only by accepting and obeying God's judgment in the last days
can one be saved and perfected.
Your fellowship is very beneficial to our life.
You experience Almighty God's judgment in the last days,
and you share that experience of knowing yourself and casting off corruptions,
while we merely talk of the testimonies about God's grace.
It's like we're in a different world!
We only think to enjoy the Lord's blessings and enter His kingdom,
but do not know to pursue the truth and care for His will.
We are so ashamed.
It looks like Almighty God's words of judgment
can really cleanse us and save us all.
I admire you so much.
You have accepted Almighty God's work after hearing His voice
and have received much abundance,
while we live in our notions and imaginations, never heed the Lord's voice,
and so fall into darkness.
I regret not examining Almighty God's work in the last days,
and missing out on many chances to gain truth. (Amen. Yes. Indeed.)
Yes, we are so poor, pitiable, blind.
After hearing your fellowship about Almighty God's word, I'm so very touched.
Although I haven't experienced God's work of judgment,
after your testimony, I saw God's judgment work is so meaningful. (Yes. Amen!)
God bestows upon us grace to enjoy, which is God's love.
God judges us, purifies and changes us, which is more God's love.
Amen. Yes. Praise God.
Only by experiencing God's work of judgment
can we know God and know ourselves.
Amen. Yes. That's right.
If God does not do this work and we just enjoy His grace,
we really cannot know God's righteous disposition,
nor can we fear God and shun evil. (Amen! Right. Yes.)
Sisters, you say that Almighty God's work of judgment
can purify us and change us.
Your fellowship is practical.
If we practice according to the words of judgment expressed by Almighty God,
we can certainly be purified and transformed.
But I have a few questions.
Through experiencing Almighty God's judgment,
what knowledge have you gained about His disposition?
What transformation have you achieved?
Could you share with us your experiences please? (Yes.)
Right, testify about it.
If you have really been changed by Almighty God's word of judgment,
we would be convinced. (Right!)
Over the years, experiencing God's judgment in the last days,
I deeply believe that the word of Almighty God
can certainly purify us and save us.
I'll share my testimony
of how I experienced God's judgment and His chastisement.
Great. Yes. Please share some with us.
When I believed in the Lord, I had great faith.
To be saved into the kingdom of heaven, when the Lord comes,
I set aside my work and my family, sacrificing to preach and work everywhere.
Although I suffered lots of sneers, slanders, and many hardships,
sometimes so painful it weakened my resolve,
yet once I thought of the blessings of the kingdom of heaven,
my heart would be greatly comforted and encouraged.
I felt that it was valuable and meaningful to suffer this.
That's why I continued preaching and working fervently all these years
while believing in the Lord.
Yet I had never considered whether or not it was the Lord's will
for me to pursue the way I did.
Later, I accepted Almighty God's work of the last days and saw the words of Him.
Amen.
Facing the judgment and revelation of God's word,
I felt too ashamed of myself to show my face.
Almighty God revealed all my true inner state.
My intentions of gaining blessings and bargaining viewpoints in faith in God
were exposed thoroughly.
All during these years, I sacrificed and gave a lot, suffering many pains.
But I did it to gain benefits and blessings
for rewards and entry into the kingdom of heaven.
I never did it to carry out the Lord's word,
much less for loving God or obeying Him.
I took my outward labor and sacrifice
as the bargaining stock for God's blessings in the kingdom of heaven.
Wasn't I making deals with God? Wasn't I cheating Him and just using Him?
Did I have any love for Him?
I felt myself such a covetous person, too selfish and crafty.
I had no conscience or sense, no different than an animal,
truly unworthy to come before God.
I felt God was looking into my very soul.
The base intentions of my belief, work and my suffering
were very clearly observed by God.
God hates opportunists who flaunt the banner of sacrificing for Him
but intend to get blessings just like me.
And for those who cheat God, betray Him, and belong to Satan,
how could God allow them to enter His kingdom?
In God's judgment,
I realized that God's holy and righteous disposition allows no offense.
I couldn't help falling down before God,
filled with bitter regret, hating and cursing myself.
I no longer wished to live for myself,
my desire to gain blessings was set aside.
I would pursue the truth and do my duty in a down-to-earth manner
to repay His love as required by Him. (Amen!)
Yes. Praise the Lord.
Whether I was to be blessed or cursed in the future,
I was willing to obey God's arrangements,
devote and give myself to God with a true heart.
By continually taking in God's word and experiencing His judgment,
I better understood the truth and the will of God to save mankind.
My perspective on believing in God slowly changed,
and I had fewer impurities when it came to my duty.
My conscience and sense were fully restored,
and my corrupt disposition was transformed more and more.
I finally felt that I was behaving myself like a real man did. (Amen!)
I very deeply feel that the meaningful transformation I've achieved today
is all a result from God's work of judgment. (Amen. Praise God.)
I thank Almighty God for saving me! (Amen.)
All the glory be to Almighty God! (Amen. Praise God.)
Praise God. That was amazing. So practical.
Sister, after hearing your honest testimony,
I also feel utterly abashed and ashamed.
Your experience describes how I really feel.
I've always believed in the Lord,
and worked hard for rewards and entry into the kingdom of heaven.
I'm also under the judgment of God's words. My conscience nags me so.
I find myself to be deeply corrupted.
Through years of belief, I've only been cheating God and making a deal with Him.
I truly grieved God's heart.
I am a corrupt person. God didn't abandon me,
but let me hear His word of judgment
and woke me from the dream of working for blessings to get into heaven.
It's indeed God's mercy and salvation to me!
Actually, all of our corruptions are the same.
In my life of faith,
I worked for the Lord just for a crown and blessings.
I never knew I was resisting God and offending Him.
I didn't understand His heart at all.
I was ignorant and pathetic!
Almighty God's work of judgment is crucial for us to know God and know ourselves
to cast away our corrupt dispositions and to be saved!
Yes. The words of Almighty God can really change man and save him. (Yes. True.)
Sister's testimony of experiencing God's word is real and touching.
It benefits us so much! (Yes. That's right.)
Such testimony is so practical!
It is a testimony of being purified and saved by God. (Amen.)
Praise the Lord! If we hear more of these testimonies,
then we will know how to be rid of our sins. (Amen! Praise the Lord!)
Believers in Almighty God are quite honest.
They're so innocent and open and ready to accept the truth. I can't make it.
If I tell everyone my sins in public, what would the others think of me?
Am I not lowering myself?
But their experiences and testimonies are real. I'm fully convinced.
It seems Almighty God's work of judgment can truly transform and purify man.
After hearing their testimonies, don't you understand?
It's not easy to be freed from sin and be purified.
You have to accept God's judgment, practice the truth and be honest.
There are also many hardships.
Such hardships—I cannot bear them.
Hearing your testimony, I also feel it's very practical.
About how Almighty God does judgment work to purify and save man,
I trust in your fellowship. I'm utterly convinced.
But I think we've believed in Lord Jesus for years,
labored for Him and suffered a lot.
We haven't denied the Lord Jesus' name, much less betrayed Him.
And so, according to the Lord's promise, He shall not forsake us.
If the Lord comes, He should rapture us first into His kingdom.
Why is that you've accepted first, while we are left behind?
It's unfair.
If we don't accept the work of Almighty God in the last days,
can we be raptured into God's kingdom or not?
This is what I want most to know. Please, how will you explain all this?
For we that have believed in the Lord for years,
can we not be taken into His kingdom?
Are all of the Lord's promises set aside?
I don't believe it.
I would simply deny Almighty God's work and see if I can enter His kingdom.
Sister Guo, Brother Wei, these two sisters have made it so clear.
Why do you still not understand?
How can man's labor for the Lord by passion
represent their practicing His word and obeying Him?
Does a man not work to gain blessings for his own sake?
How could he prove he has gained the truth and life?
God is righteous and holy.
How could He allow one who sins so often,
denies His truth and resists Him to enter His kingdom?
Can you not see it clearly after fellowship?
Are you still unclear?
How could you say such things? (Yeah, how?)
If you still stubbornly deny the truth, are you a believer of God?
The fellowship is so clear to us.
We should accept and obey. It's the reasonable thing to do.
Yes. We should always have a reverent heart for God.
Yes. Their fellowship is so clear,
so why do they still not understand? (Right.)
The question Sister Guo raised is very easy to explain.
Some people clearly know
that all the words expressed by Almighty God are the truth,
and can purify and save them.
But they simply don't accept
and stubbornly hold to their own imaginations and notions.
They believe as long as they hold onto Lord Jesus' name,
forsake everything and labor for Him, they'll be taken into God's kingdom.
What kind of people are they?
It can be said
that these people simply don't love the truth or accept the truth.
They're purely unbelievers. (Agree. That is so true.)
The path that people take is decided entirely by themselves.
God never forces them.
But man must understand that in each new stage of God's work,
He will show man the truth and the way they should walk.
God's work of judgment in the last days
is the most crucial and fundamental work in God's salvation of mankind.
Only if one accepts and experiences the judgment and chastisement by God's word
can he know the substance of man's nature and satanic disposition,
and can he know God's righteous and holy disposition.
Gradually, he understands and gains the truth
and his satanic disposition will be cleansed.
This is the only way to man's salvation and entry into the kingdom of heaven.
Amen.
If man refuses to accept God's work of judgment in the last days,
he shall never gain the truth, be free from the bonds of sin,
or be allowed to enter His kingdom. (Yes.)
Even if he did a great measure of work, suffered a lot,
and sacrificed for the Lord,
he won't gain the Lord's approval.
Let's read Almighty God's words.
Almighty God's words are so clear.
Reading these words, I feel brightened immediately.
This is the voice of God!
This is indeed the voice of God! (Amen!)
Except God, who has the authority to guard the entrance to the kingdom?
Who has the authority to determine the ending of man? (Amen. Yes.)
It seems that only if we accept and obey Almighty God's work of the last days
can we gain the truth and life,
be saved and enter His kingdom! (Amen!)
Only God has such authority! (Yes, it's right.)
Yes. Almighty God's word is full of authority and power. (Amen!)
If one doesn't accept Almighty God's work of the last days,
he can't be saved and enter the kingdom of heaven. Amen. (Yes, that's true.)
Now, everyone is clear.
We really see the Lord Jesus has returned. (Amen.)
Almighty God is doing the work of judgment beginning with the house of God,
which really reveals the whole religious world.
Now is the time the religious world is facing the great famine and revelation.
Yes.
Man will all be classed according to kind.
Does it have a major influence when the Lord descends and works in a hidden way?
Yes! It has such a big influence on everything. It really does.
Who among men can do such a great thing?
Almighty God expresses the truth to do the work of judgment,
revealing each kind of man.
Whether one is wheat or a tare,
is a wise virgin or a foolish one will all be revealed.
Those who accept Almighty God's work of judgment are wise virgins.
They have been taken before the throne of God
to accept the judgment and purification of God's word.
Gradually, they understand and gain the truth,
and have some true knowledge of God.
They cast away their satanic disposition, break away from Satan's influence,
and finally become overcomers.
This group of overcomers made by God
are ones who will reign and rule in the future with Him in His kingdom.
They are exactly the pillars in God's kingdom.
This fulfills the prophecy in Revelation.
When God has made this group of overcomers,
His work of judgment beginning with the house of God through incarnation
will come to a close.
Then God will return to Zion,
followed by all kinds of disasters to reward the good and punish the wicked.
Those who resist and condemn Almighty God crazily
will be punished in the disaster that has scarcely been seen through the ages.
All those purified and perfected by God
will be protected and survive the disasters,
enter God's kingdom and inherit His promises and blessings. (Amen!)
This completely fulfills the prophecy in Revelation.
Amen!
Let's read together Almighty God's words. (Sure. All right.)
Amen!
After the great disaster, the kingdom will be realized in the world.
That is the kingdom where Christ reigns. (Yes. That's right.)
The kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.
These words will have been fully fulfilled. (Amen! Thank the Lord.)
In the Age of Kingdom, there shall be no devils ruling.
Neither the wicked running amuck, nor evil spirits disturbing.
What a happy life mankind will live! (Amen! Yes.)
There would be no more sorrow, tears, or pain. (Yes. Amen!)
Why is this world so evil and dark?
Because it's the devils that rule.
Those in power all deny God and resist Him.
How could this world not be evil and dark?
Yes.
Especially when God incarnate comes to do the work of judgment in the last days,
the great red dragon and religious leaders
extremely resist and condemn God's work. (Yes.)
Corrupt mankind adores evil. Not many people take heed of God's work.
So God sends down great disasters to destroy this evil and licentious age.
Yes.
Especially the CCP, it openly opposes and condemns Almighty God,
and even contends with God.
How could such a country avoid being cursed by God and destroyed first? (Amen.)
They will be destroyed.
Look at China! The disasters are getting more serious.
Obviously, it's God's curse and punishment. (Right!)
It is retribution!
The saying goes,
"Virtue has its rewards, evil its pain. God's mill grinds slow but sure."
It is true indeed. (Right. That's true!)
All the brood of Satan
are bound to be destroyed by the great disasters of the last days.
Then, the kingdom of Christ will be completely realized on earth. (Amen.)
This just fulfills the prophecy in Revelation.
Amen.
Thus, a bright and righteous age will appear on the earth. (Amen!)
Most importantly,
there will be neither Satan's disturbance nor evil spirits' working.
Man will all submit to God, and there'll be no more curses or disasters!
Right. Yes. Amen!
If humanity obeys and worships God with God's care and protection, (It is!)
it really is a blessed mankind. (Amen!)
And the kingdom of heaven will have descended on the earth. (Amen!)
So wonderful is the life in the kingdom!
We born in the last days are fortunate to see God's appearance,
accept His judgment and purification, and be made overcomers by Him
to enjoy the wonderful blessing God prepares for us.
What a great blessing! (Amen!)
This is really a golden opportunity! (Amen! Praise the Lord!)
Today, hearing your fellowship, I fully understand (Yes. Amen.)
God's work of judgment in the last days is very necessary!
If man is not judged and purified in the last days,
he can't attain sanctity, (Amen! Yes.)
nor be qualified to enter God's kingdom. (Amen.)
In the past, I didn't know God's work.
So I thought since the Lord Jesus had forgiven us of all our sins,
as long as I gave up everything and worked hard for the Lord,
He would surely take me into the kingdom of heaven when He comes.
Faced with Almighty God's work in the last days, not only did I not seek out,
but I hindered brothers and sisters from seeking the true way.
I did so much evil.
I was resisting God!
Now I've truly seen clearly
I am a hypocritical Pharisee who opposes God.
I am really unworthy to live before God!
However, God didn't treat me according to my transgressions,
but still sent sisters to preach the gospel to me time and again.
So I accept God's judgment in the last days
and have the hope to be saved and enter the kingdom of heaven.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
Otherwise, when God comes upon a cloud publicly,
people as disobedient and rebellious to God as me
could only fall into the disaster to be punished.
How can I have the opportunity to enter the kingdom of God? (Amen.)
Thank Almighty God for awakening me from the dream. (Amen.)
So I hear God's voice and am raptured before God's throne. (Amen.)
I can accept His judgment and purification face to face.
This is God's special mercy and grace. (Amen.)
It's God's full love for me!
Amen. Thanks be to God!