A Small Blade of Grass That Grew Among the Brambles

Yixin, Singapore

In November 2016 I became acquainted, through Facebook, with Brother Lin and Sisters Zhang and Xiaoxiao of The Church of Almighty God. They integrated some of the prophecies in the Bible, fellowshiped with me and bore testimony to God’s work of the last days. Their fellowshiping and testimonies made me understand that Almighty God is conducting the work of judging and cleansing people through words on the foundations of the work of redemption done by the Lord Jesus. Almighty God wishes to thoroughly save mankind from Satan’s power and rid us of our corrupt disposition so that we’ll no longer rebel against and resist God but instead will become people who truly obey and worship Him. From the words of Almighty God I came to understand that God’s work of the last days will reveal all of the wheat and tares, sheep and goats, wise virgins and foolish virgins, so that each will end up with its own kind and virtue will be rewarded while evil will be punished. I realized that Almighty God was the return of the Lord Jesus that I’d been waiting for and I joyously accepted Almighty God’s work of the last days.

Someone says, “If Almighty God’s work of the last days that you are spreading is the true way, then why isn’t it accepted by the elders, pastors, and priests?”

Response: Determining whether or not something is the true way based on whether the elders, pastors, and priests accept it is really unsound and unreliable. We all know that the work of Jesus Christ is the true way, and we believe it without any doubt. But when Jesus worked among the Jews, did the religious elite of that time—the chief priests, elders, and scribes—accept His work? Did they acknowledge that His work was the true way? Not only did they refuse to believe in Jesus and accept His work, but they did everything they could to prevent others from believing in and following Him. Could we draw the conclusion that it is not the true way just because the chief priests, scribes, and Pharisees refused to accept the work of Jesus? It is clear that determining whether or not something is the true way based on whether the religious elite accept it is not at all sound. In truth, whether or not it is the true way cannot be determined based on the approval, acknowledgement, and acceptance of the elders, pastors, and priests. Neither can it be determined based on the judgments of any spiritual greats or celebrities. It must be determined based on whether it is God’s own work. If it is God’s work, it can surely express God’s disposition as well as bring the truth, the way, and the life to mankind, and it can surely save mankind from corruption and restore their life dispositions of normal humanity. If someone cannot express God’s disposition, do the work of God Himself, or save mankind from their corruption, then even if he is acknowledged by pastors, elders, or priests, that does not prove that his work is the true way. So, weighing whether or not something is the true way must be determined based on whether it is God’s own work, and not on whether the top leaders in the religious world accept it or not.

Breaking Free From the Rumor Trap

By Xiaoyun, China

I used to be a female army officer. One day in 1999, a Korean pastor preached the gospel of the Lord Jesus to me. Because of my earnest pursuit, I soon became the focus of the pastor’s training and his right-hand man. The summer of 2000, the pastor came to Yunnan on a short summer missionary trip with more than a dozen college students from the Korean Gospel Church. Unexpectedly this alarmed the CCP government. We were arrested whilst having a meeting at the pastor’s home and then brought to Yunnan Province Public Security Department for trial. The Korean university students were deported the same night and the Korean pastor was also expelled. The church suffered persecution by the CCP and many believers were cowardly and did not dare believe. A proportion of believers were also forced to go to the Three-Self Church and this was how the church was broken up by the CCP. I was one of the main co-workers in the church and the persecution by the CCP this time also caused me to lose my job.

Coming Home (Part 2)

By Muyi, South Korea

In this period, there was another brother named Yang who also investigated Almighty God’s work in the last days together with me. I had always had a careless and absent-minded attitude, but Brother Yang was earnest in his studies. Brother Yang said that he had rejected the gospel of Almighty God when people had preached it to him before but that hearing it again today must be an opportunity granted by God! He wanted to investigate it. Brother Yang saw that I was only interested in listening to the pastor’s words and not investigating with an open mind. He found a passage for me, which was Matthew 5:3–6: “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. … Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Reading the word of the Lord, I wondered: Why is it that I can’t seek tranquilly in the presence of the Lord? If the Lord were really to return by some chance, and I did not listen to Him or investigate it, would I not be left behind? I should also learn some humility, and I must not blindly come to conclusions based on my own imagination. Just when I had decided to settle my heart to investigate it sincerely, a missionary of the church gave me a call out of the blue and asked me if I were still with the people from The Church of Almighty God. I said that yes, the missionary again reminded me to cease contact with them. The missionary’s words dispelled the thought that I had just been wanting to investigate. I thought, “The pastor and missionary have a much better understanding of the Bible than I do, and none of them acknowledges that the Lord has returned. I had too little understanding of the Bible and had no ability to discriminate for myself, so I had better just listen to what the pastor and missionary were saying.” When I hung up the phone, I said to Brother Cheng: “If Brother Yang wants to investigate, then you two go on speaking. I don’t want to hear it.” Just like that, I had once again stiffly rejected the salvation of God.

Testimony Articles: I Found the True Light

Qiuhe, Japan

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

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

Disturbances From the “May 28” Rumor (Part 2)

Xingwu, France

Searching the Truth of the Facts, I Saw Clearly the Root of the CCP Shifting Blame to The Church of Almighty God

After that, I no longer guarded myself against the brothers and sisters of The Church of Almighty God. Whenever I had the time I would read the word of God and look at the videos, movies, music videos, hymns, musicals and other works put out by The Church of Almighty God. The more I looked at all this, the more I felt provided for, and the more pleasure I felt. I affirmed from my heart that Almighty God is the appearance of the Lord Jesus. Now I finally understood why the CCP and pastors and elders from the religious world started the rumor that “once you accept Almighty God’s work of the last days you can’t get out.” As it turns out, it’s not that you can’t get out, rather it’s that the work of the Holy Spirit and the provision and guidance of God’s word is in The Church of Almighty God, so if you are able to enjoy the living water of life that God bestows upon you, and attain the way of eternal life, then why would you want to leave? Now I too am not willing to leave, moreover, I have resolved to properly follow Almighty God, and to accept Almighty God’s judgment and chastisement to attain salvation and be brought by God into His kingdom. Then I thought about how my older sisters were still being deceived and bound by various rumors, failing to follow God’s work of the last days, and I became very worried, so I got two sisters from The Church of Almighty God together to spread the gospel to them. To my surprise, my second eldest sister’s husband, who is a believer of the Three-Self Church, wouldn’t let me near my sister, and he even snarled at me with a face full of rage: “I’m warning you not to come to our home to spread the gospel! Back home CCTV news broadcast the May 28 Murder Case in Zhaoyuan, Shandong. Does this really not worry you? From now on, you must not have us meet people from Eastern Lightning, and you certainly must not bring them to our home.” I could see that my sister’s husband did not see the truth of the facts and that he had been deceived by the rumors, which made me very worried, but I didn’t know how to convince him to listen. Later on, when my husband also knew that I had accepted Almighty God’s work of the last days, he made even more of an effort to stop me, and would even go online constantly to search for videos regarding the May 28 Zhaoyuan Murder Case and make me watch them. Seeing that my family and other relatives were continuing to be deceived by the May 28 Zhaoyuan Case and were unwilling to look into God’s work in the last days, I felt very sad. And, owing to my small stature, whenever my family members came at me, I didn’t know how to refute and expose the lies of the CCP; on the contrary I felt like I was being negative and weak. At the same time I felt perplexed inside: Why would the CCP blame The Church of Almighty God for the May 28 Zhaoyuan Murder? What was the real truth behind the scenes for doing this?

Disturbances From the “May 28” Rumor (Part 1)

Xingwu, France

My mother is a devout Christian. Ever since I was old enough to understand things, she would often tell me stories about the Lord Jesus, telling me that the Lord Jesus is the only true God. When I was 13 years old I went with my mom to church. At that time I really enjoyed listening to the pastors’ sermons, and I had a great deal of faith. I would actively participate in every fellowship. But I gradually discovered that there was no illumination in the sermons preached by the pastors. They always repeated some theories and knowledge of the Bible or some theological theories, and as time went on I didn’t receive the least bit of pleasure from listening to their sermons, nor did I feel I was being provided with life. Therefore, I started going to fellowships less and less frequently.

The Storm Caused at Home by the May 28 Case of Zhaoyuan

Enhui, China

I’m an ordinary country woman, and I would often be weighed down by the strenuous burdens of the household. Because of this, my temperament became quite violent, and my husband and I were always at each other’s throats day in and day out. Our lives simply couldn’t go on like that. Whenever I was suffering, I would yell, “Heavens! Please save me!” In 2013, the work of Almighty God in the last days chanced upon me. Through reading the word of God and attending gatherings with brothers and sisters, I became certain that Almighty God had been the God whom I had cried out to in my suffering, and then gladly accepted Almighty God’s work in the last days.

The Word of God Guides Me Through the Snares

By Tian’na, Hong Kong

As I go through the passage of God’s words, “Do You Know? God Has Done a Great Thing Among Men,” I cannot help but recall my experience two years ago of breaking free from the binds of rumors and returning before God.

My family and I all live in Hong Kong. My father-in-law and brother-in-law (my husband’s younger brother) all believe in the Lord Jesus. My brother-in-law is a pastor in a church, so brothers and sisters from the church often come to our home to visit. They pray together and sing hymns of praise to the Lord. In December 2014, a friend of mine told me that she also believed in the Lord…. Influenced by my family and friends, I was also somewhat interested in matters to do with believing in the Lord. One day not long afterward, I met Sister Peipei from the church. She was easy going and friendly. When she learned that my family and friends all believed in the Lord, she was very happy and invited me to visit her home and introduced me to Sister Chen Hui. Over the course of several meetings, Sister Chen told me the truth about God’s creation and domination of all things, as well as the origin of Satan, etcetera. I was deeply fascinated by these words and felt extremely happy. I really liked to listen to her share her experience and knowledge of believing in God and really wanted to share this happiness with others. One day, I could not contain myself and so told my family my opinions about wanting to believe in God. The news quickly spread to my brother-in-law and he called and asked why I suddenly believed in God. He also said, “There is a church called Eastern Lightning, and they are testifying everywhere that the Lord Jesus has already returned and have stolen many good sheep from every faction. Don’t make contact with them arbitrarily….” Afterward he questioned me again and again as to whether the evangelist had given me a book and repeatedly told me to be especially careful about believing in God. My brother-in-law’s words kept going around in my head until I felt distraught. On the one hand, my brother-in-law opposed me finding a different church. On the other hand, I really enjoyed what Sister Chen said about believing in God. I was in such a dilemma and did not know whether or not to continue making contact with Sister Chen.

Why does the religious world put so much effort into condemning and madly resist Almighty God and the Church of Almighty God?

Bible Verses for Reference:

Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and dig a wine press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to farmers, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the farmers, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the farmers took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did to them likewise. But last of all he sent to them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the farmers saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him (Mat 21:33-39).

God’s Word Leads Step by Step to Victory

Yili, USA

        I was born in a Chinese Christian family, and my grandmother always used to take me to the church for gatherings and to sing hymns in praise of God when I was young…. After I grew up I obtained some grace of the Lord and experienced some of the Lord’s deeds, and I felt even more that the Lord is trustworthy. The Lord’s love for people is the truest, and the Lord’s word has authority and power and can give people hope. Whenever I would sing hymns, pray to the Lord, and read the word of the Lord, I would feel especially steady and tranquil in my heart. I came to the USA in 2007, and was baptized at church in October of 2010, when I began my service. At that time, my heart was impassioned. Because my house was far away from the church, I had to get up at 5:00 to take the subway there. But I felt a sweetness in my heart and that as long as I could satisfy God then suffering these hardships would be worth it. I took part in everything in the church, big or small, and I gained a lot of enlightenment from reading the Bible. But after a few years, without knowing why, when I listened to pastors I would doze off. I didn’t get any clear enlightenment from reading the Bible, and my spirit often sank down into weakness. When the pastor preached, I thought it was the same old cliches, without any new light. Every time I was at a gathering, as soon as it was over, the brothers and sisters would start chatting about things that had nothing to do with believing in the Lord. Some would be selling insurance, some would act as matchmakers, and still others talked about where they were going to go on vacation…. Seeing all this, I couldn’t help but be reminded of what was recorded in the Bible about how at the end of the Age of Law, when Jesus came to carry out His work, the Jews were doing business in the temple selling oxen and sheep and doves. When Jesus saw this, he overturned the moneychangers’ tables and the stools of those selling doves. He reprimanded them for having turned a temple for worshiping God into a den of thieves. Seeing the churches of today having become just like the temple was at that time was something that especially caused me to feel pain and helplessness in my heart. I was also perplexed and couldn’t understand how the church could have changed like this. For this reason, I would often come into the presence of God and lament bitterly, “Oh Lord! Where are You? The churches are already no longer churches, and most people just say they believe in You, but their hearts are actually very far from You. All that they do does not receive Your praise. Lord! Where are You? When will You come to receive us? …”

A Love No Net Can Catch

Christian Crosstalk "A Love No Net Can Catch" | Hold Onto the True Love for God in CCP's Persecution

The crosstalk A Love No Net Can Catch shares the experience of a Christian who is subjected to all sorts of monitoring and pursuit by the CCP government; she cannot return home, instead constantly on the run. The CCP has spent vast amounts of money to build its "Skynet Project" to suppress Christians and crack down on dissidents, establishing the world's largest video surveillance network to control China so tightly that even a needle, a drop of water cannot get through. Under the government's high-intensity surveillance Christians' freedoms are restricted at every turn and they face the constant danger of being arrested and imprisoned. But under God's guidance, Christians from The Church of Almighty God have not lost their faith in God and have become firmer in their faith through hardships. The CCP government may be able to catch their bodies in their net, but they will never get their hearts that aspire to the light and seek to love God.
Recommended:Almighty God

Jesus represents all the work of the Age of Grace

Almighty God says, "Jesus represents all the work of the Age of Grace; He was incarnated and crucified, and inaugurated the Age of Grace. He was crucified in order to complete the redemptive work, to end the Age of Law and begin the Age of Grace … The work of Jesus represents only the Age of Grace; it does not represent the Age of Law and is no substitute for the work of the last days. This is the essence of Jesus’ work in the Age of Grace, the second age of mankind—the Age of Redemption."
Recommended:The Church of Almighty God | Eastern Lightning

You Ought to Consider Your Deeds

The Word of God in the Last Days | "You Ought to Consider Your Deeds" | God's Words of Counsel to Us

Almighty God says, "In your daily lives, you live in an atmosphere and environment without truth or good sense. You lack the capital for existence and do not have the foundation to know Me or the truth. Your faith is merely built upon a vague confidence or upon religious rituals and knowledge based wholly on doctrine. Every day I watch your movements and examine your intentions and evil fruits. I have never found one who truly placed his heart and spirit upon My altar, which has never been moved. Therefore, I do not wish to pour out in vain all the words I wish to express upon such mankind. In My heart, I am planning only to complete My unfinished work and to bring salvation to the mankind that I have yet to save. Nevertheless, I wish for all who follow Me to receive My salvation and the truth My word bestows upon man. I hope that one day when you close your eyes, you will see a realm where fragrance fills the air and streams of living waters flow, not a bleak, cold world where darkness clouds the skies and howls never cease."
Recommended:The Church of Almighty God

How Should Christianity Be Understood?

Zheng Weiguo (Minister of a municipal United Front Work Department): I have been working for the United Front for many years, and I have studied various religious beliefs. Christianity, Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy are all orthodox religions that believe in Jesus. But your belief in Almighty God is so different. According to CCP documents, The Church of Almighty God does not belong to Christianity at all. You are preaching the gospel to various sects under the banner of Christianity that don’t recognize you as a Christian denomination. So I will never allow you to believe in Almighty God. You can only believe in Christianity if you want. The government’s persecution will be lighter this way. If you get arrested and incarcerated for believing in Almighty God, your life will be in danger. The CCP has already seen that all those who believe in Almighty God are invariably followers of Christ in the last days who are Christ’s disciples and apostles. What the CCP fears most is the proclamations and testimonies of the book The Word Appears in the Flesh expressed by Christ in the last days, as well as this die-hard group that follows Christ in the last days. We have studied the history of Christianity. What Judaism and the Roman Empire feared most were the disciples and apostles of Jesus. So when these people were captured, they were executed by different methods of capital punishments. Today, if measures are not taken to suppress and completely ban this group of people who follow Christ of the last days, in less than a few years, they will subsume the entire religious community. At present, several main Christian factions in China have already been subsumed by The Church of Almighty God. The CCP is very clear about this. Had the CCP not fabricated some public opinions and contrived the Zhaoyuan Case, perhaps the day will come when the religious community of the world would be subsumed by The Church of Almighty God. Once The Church of Almighty God subsumes the entire religious community, it will be very unfavorable to the rule of the CCP. Therefore, the Central Committee made a strong determination to deploy all available forces to thoroughly ban The Church of Almighty God in a short period. You need to know, the emergence of Eastern Lightning not only took China by storm, it also made a big splash in the world. Since you made such a big move, how can the CCP not frantically launch a wholesale suppression and arrest campaign against you? If you must believe in God, you can only believe in Christianity. You are absolutely forbidden to believe in Almighty God. The Church of Almighty God does not belong to Christianity, don’t you know that?