Twenty years have passed in a flash. In my youth, I used to serve the Lord zealously. In that period, there were many times we had to move as a result of my husband’s job, and often I didn’t have a fixed church. Later we finally had a steady life, and I decided to find a church to render good service to the Lord. After examining several churches, I found that in some churches, the believers seemed to be very cold without love; in some churches, the pastors spoke in tongues even for two to three hours at gatherings; while in some churches, the pastors had nothing to preach and just gave some examples from the Old Testament. I had gone to each church only once or twice, and after that I didn’t desire to go there anymore. Later, I found a church of the same name as the one that I attended in my youth. However, the condition of the church was completely different from what I remembered, so I wasn’t very optimistic or positive at all. Confronted with this predicament, I added some Christian friends on FB, hoping to attain life supply from them.

In March, 2016, I got acquainted with Brother Yang from The Church of Almighty God. He always shared gospel videos with me, hymns and God’s words. The words in the videos and hymns are all very practical and increased my faith greatly. Brother Yang told me, “Almighty God is the appearance of the Lord Jesus. God has become flesh again to do the work of judgment starting with God’s house, which has fulfilled the prophecies, ‘For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God’ (1Peter 4:17) and ‘For as the lightning, that lightens out of the one part under heaven, shines to the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation,’ (Luke 17:24–25).” The brothers and sisters patiently fellowshiped with me and bore witness of God’s work in the last days. Communicating with the brothers and sisters of The Church of Almighty God, I was completely sated in my spirit. In order to know more about God’s work of the last days, I added even more brothers and sisters of The Church of Almighty God. And I saw that the experiences, testimonies and understanding they shared were all very good and practical. In their testimonies, they have true knowledge of God through their experiences and there is the work and leading of the Holy Spirit. Fellowshiping with them, I was happy and liberated, as well as provided for. Therefore, I selected some of God’s words and hymns that moved me to share on FB. I hadn’t imagined that my behavior fomented the hindrance of religious pastors on FB.

One day, an Italian pastor sent me a lot of information about condemning The Church of Almighty God. After reading the information, I felt indignant. What the information said was definitely different from the situation of The Church of Almighty God that I came into contact with, didn’t correspond to facts at all and was from thin air. Accordingly, I responded to the pastor, “What the brothers and sisters of The Church of Almighty God fellowshiped conforms to the truth and I’ve never heard such good preaching. Moreover, in the course of my interaction with them, I see they have patience and love and are devout Christians. The information is entirely different from what I’ve heard and seen. I felt compelled to respond: “I don’t understand why you, as a pastor, don’t lead the way in investigating God’s appearance and work, but instead indiscriminately attack, resist and condemn the Lord’s return and follow devils and Satan. Having recognized Almighty God’s words as God’s voice, I seek and investigate. Why do you oppose me?”

The pastor responded to me, “God’s words are all in the Bible. You’ve never studied theology and don’t understand the Bible. Don’t be led astray.”

I thought the brothers and sisters had fellowshiped that God is infinitely omnipotent, wise and vivid, and never abides by rules. Then I sent the pastor a message, “John 21:25 records, ‘And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.’ When God created the heavens and earth and all things, His single word separated the heavens from the earth, and the light from the darkness. God has such authority, how can His work be confined to the Bible? In addition, when God created the heavens and earth and all things, the Bible hadn’t been written yet. God’s work came first, and then the Bible. The Old and New Testament are only a record of God’s work in the Age of Law and the Age of Grace. God predicted that in the last days, He will do a stage of work, ‘judgment must begin at the house of God’ (1Peter 4:17), how can this stage of work be recorded in the Bible?”

The pastor said, “You do remain unrepentant. I advise you to read the Bible properly. Don’t listen to others’ messages as you please on the Internet. If you want to listen, it’s better to listen to orthodox pastors’ preaching.”

I said, “I’ve investigated many churches and contacted many pastors, and the pastors, regardless of their level of education, are unable to speak God’s words. I study The Church of Almighty God, because after reading Almighty God’s words, I find that what Almighty God expresses is the truth, can supply us with life, shows us the path, and is God’s voice. The belief in the way comes from hearing the way, while hearing the way comes from God’s words. Pastor, God’s sheep should know how to identify God’s voice. Now besides me, many believers, with caliber, who pursue the truth, have already accepted Almighty God’s work. Don’t be confused. Why not investigate whether Almighty God is the appearance of the Lord Jesus with a heart of humble seeking? Pastor, I hope you can be responsible for the brothers and sisters and be quiet before God to seek God’s new work.” Then I sent him a dance and song video of The Church of Almighty God “God Has Brought His Glory to the East.”

The pastor said, “You are incorrigible.” Seeing his reply, I felt pity for him and thought to myself: “God’s work is always new and never old. If we rely on the conceptions and imaginations and only hold on to the biblical knowledge and theological theories, how can we seek the Lord’s appearance?”

In June, I returned to my hometown to celebrate the centenary of our church. Many members who served in the church with me in those years were present and had all become pastors. During the dinner in the afternoon, I asked two pastors if they knew The Church of Almighty God. Unexpectedly, my words gave rise to a strong reaction. One pastor said with excitement, “I have heard of this church long before. You cannot read their books and cannot listen to their messages either, or you’ll be stolen away by them.” Other people also all dissuaded me from coming into contact with The Church of Almighty God, and also spoke a lot of negative propaganda to me. Hearing their words, I wavered slightly in my heart and thought: They got acquainted with The Church of Almighty God long ago. Have they studied it? These pastors who served the Lord with me during those years wouldn’t lie to me. However, Almighty God’s words are really the truth and God’s voice, so why don’t they investigate? … Why is that so? Am I wrong to insist on doing research into The Church of Almighty God? Also, I remembered the words of dissuasion that the pastor had sent to me online. At this point, I was drifting mentally. With so many pastors opposing my investigation into Almighty God’s work, I was unable to figure out what to do. Ultimately, I decided to calm down and think about it carefully, and pray to the Lord and seek His guidance.

On that evening, I blocked some brothers and sisters from my FB account and only kept those several friends who always sent me hymns of God’s word. Because Almighty God’s words gave me faith and were really constructive for me, and I still wanted to read. Two days later, I said to Brother Yang, “I don’t understand why so many pastors and elders resist and condemn Almighty God’s work. Faced with such an environment, I’m so weary, so, I need some time to myself.”

Brother Yang sent me a passage of God’s words, “The source of man’s opposition and rebelliousness against God is his corruption by Satan. Because of Satan’s corruption, man’s conscience has grown numb; he is immoral, his thoughts are degenerate, and he has a backward mental outlook. Before he was corrupted by Satan, man naturally followed God and obeyed His words after hearing them. He was naturally of sound sense and conscience, and of normal humanity. After being corrupted by Satan, man’s original sense, conscience, and humanity grew dull and were impaired by Satan. Thus, he has lost his obedience and love toward God. Man’s sense has become aberrant, his disposition has become the same as that of an animal, and his rebelliousness toward God is ever more frequent and grievous. Yet man still neither knows nor recognizes this, and merely opposes and rebels blindly.”

He again sent me a message, “After being corrupted by Satan, none thirsts for the truth and yearns for the light. Even among those who believe in and follow God, most of them pursue blessings, reputation and status and nobody longs for the truth and seeks the Lord’s appearance. Just like when the Lord was incarnated to do His work in the Age of Grace, the Lord Jesus wasn’t called the Messiah as predicted and His work exceeded the Law of the Old Testament in the Bible. At that time, the Pharisees, priests and scribes, relying on their conceptions and imaginations and clinging to the letters of the Bible and the absurd saying ‘As long as he isn’t called the Messiah, he isn’t God,’ resisted and condemned the Lord Jesus’ work, and deceived the people so that they wouldn’t follow the Lord. They clearly knew the Lord Jesus’ words are the truth and can show man the path and supply the life of man, and meanwhile they saw that the Lord Jesus performed a lot of miracles, with authority and power. However, holding on to their notions and imaginations and for sake of fame, gain and status, they, colluding with the Roman government, would rather free the robber and nail the Lord Jesus to the cross. In the end, they suffered unprecedented destruction when it was too late to regret. Comparing this to the attitude of pastors and elders now, aren’t they walking the path of the Pharisees? Now the words that Almighty God expresses, various films and music videos filmed by The Church of Almighty God are publicly available online. Everyone can investigate freely, but how many truly seek? They know clearly God’s words are the truth, but they would rather believe the online rumors and the lies of pastors and give up the chance of meeting the Lord’s return than dare to seek the truth and examine God’s work in the last days. It is obvious that corrupt mankind doesn’t know God, but instead worships power and status, and is fed up with and despises the truth.”

Brother Yang’s fellowship was all fact and reasonable, and I calmed down a lot after hearing that. Nevertheless, I couldn’t quite understand why the pastors, whom I had worshiped, behaved the same way as the Pharisees did. I needed some time to consider it carefully.

In the following period of time, my life was a lot quieter, but I felt depressed and my heart was empty. Later, I refused the invitation of the brothers and sisters from The Church of Almighty God with different excuses, but they insisted on sending me God’s words and hymns. Afterward, I encountered some problems in my life and the words of God that they sent to me were all able to solve my problems. I felt it was strange that I didn’t tell them my trouble but somehow they knew my mood. After this happened several times, I was touched very much. I considered: It is God who guides me and lets me come to know that Almighty God’s words are the provision of life to us and can resolve all our difficulties. It is only God who understands us best, and knows our trouble and inadequacies. It was God who raised up the brothers and sisters to help me. Thank God! God has been by my side all along and leads and guides me, so I shouldn’t be rebellious or stubborn any further. Thinking back to that time when the brothers and sisters had been testifying God’s work in the last days to me patiently, I realized that on the surface, they were cooperating to do their duty, while behind it, it was God’s orchestration and arrangement. But I blocked them from my account because of the unfounded rumors spread by the pastors. … This made me feel guilty. What a fool I am! So I decided to unblock those brothers and sisters, and continue to investigate God’s work in the last days.

One day in July, two sisters, the deacons of our church, visited my home. In the course of talking, they learned of my faith in Almighty God. With her expression changing, one sister said to me, “Delete all the information related to The Church of Almighty God on your phone right now.” Her attitude surprised me very much. Ordinarily, she seemed humble and to be of high quality, how could she suddenly change her usual manner to such a fierce and unreasonable one? Seeing I didn’t delete the information, they further demanded my family and me to make a commitment to stop believing in Almighty God and said that only after that could we belong to the church. I replied directly, “I won’t do it.” Then her face darkened immediately and said sharply to me, “If you don’t make the commitment, you won’t belong to the church. The consequence is very serious. From now on, you aren’t permitted to assume any position and must withdraw from the group, nor can you go to church.” After seeing the sisters’ terrible manner, my husband made haste to stand up and persuade them, but they ignored him. I thought to myself: I’ve heard God’s voice. My investigation of the true way is right and proper. This is my right, but why do you force me to give it up? Now the pastors in the churches go over the same old ground without new light when delivering sermons. The believers are all weak in the faith and poor in the spirit, why can’t I search for God’s footprints? Why don’t you give me the freedom? So I flat-out refused her, “I won’t give up following Almighty God. If you don’t permit me to attend meetings for this, then I won’t.” After my reply, I was quite released inside.

I had thought my life would be quiet and I could follow Almighty God without disturbance. Unexpectedly, they also brought pastors to my home and arranged group meetings to explain the Bible at my home three evenings a week. Because of this, my husband complained to me, accused me, threw the phone, broke things, and even forced me to sleep on the floor in the living room. The two sisters also secretly inquired of my husband about me and wondered whether I still believed in Almighty God and kept in touch with the brothers and sisters from The Church of Almighty God. Living under this circumstance, without the slightest personal freedom, I felt rather depressed. Because of this, I quietly cried in bed many times. When uncomfortable, I prayed to God and asked Him to give me faith to help me stand firm.

Later, I read God’s words that the brothers and sisters sent to me, “God does His work, God cares for a person, looks upon this person, and all the while Satan dogs His every step. Whomever God favors, Satan also watches, trailing along behind. If God wants this person, Satan would do everything in its power to obstruct God, using various evil ploys to tempt, disrupt and wreck the work God does, all in order to achieve its hidden objective. What is this objective? It does not want God to gain anyone; all those that God wants it wants for itself, it wants to occupy them, control them, to take charge of them so they worship it, so they join it in committing evil acts. Is this not Satan’s sinister motive?” From God’s words, I came to know: It turns out this is a spiritual war and is relevant to choosing my path to walk in my belief in God. It has been revealed in God’s work of the last days who are the goats and who are the sheep, who are the wicked servants and who are the faithful servants. God is so almighty and wise. In addition, I also saw Satan’s hideous countenance and sinister motives. God led and enlightened me to follow His footsteps, while Satan disturbed and attacked me with all kinds of people, events and things in order to get me to deny and betray God and forever lose the chance of welcoming the Lord’s return. Then I prayed to God, and resolved not to fall prey to Satan’s tricks and to follow God to the end.

One afternoon, my husband told me that the pastors especially arranged four meetings directed at The Church of Almighty God and demanded that I must go and listen to the sermons. I refused them. At 7 p.m., my husband forced me to attend the meeting, so I had no other choice but to go to the church. After arriving at the church, I saw the pastor was preaching the sermons against Eastern Lightning, and on the screen, there was a video of resisting The Church of Almighty God on. They also arranged for some people to bear false witness and slander The Church of Almighty God. Seeing this scene, I was very indignant: You truly know how to make up rumors! You know clearly that the words Almighty God expresses are the truth but don’t seek or investigate, rather, bear false witness to obstruct people from coming before God. How grievous your sins are! You are like the Pharisees and are walking the path of resisting God. Examining the pastor who was giving sermons on the platform, I saw that he could only sit in the wheelchair in his early 60s but still didn’t stop resisting God. He was really unredeemable. No wonder the Lord Jesus said, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name have cast out devils? and in your name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess to them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:22-23). Even though those pastors in the churches explain the Bible and shepherd the churches, they are arrogant and conceited and don’t have the slightest heart of seeking the truth or revering God. They believe in God but resist Him. They are the wicked in the Lord’s eyes. So that’s why the Lord said though they had preached, cast out devils and worked wonders in the name of the Lord, the Lord didn’t know them at all.

Almighty God’s words came to my mind, “There are those who read the Bible in grand churches and recite it all day long, yet not one among them understands the purpose of God’s work. Not one among them is able to know God; still less can any one among them accord with God’s will. They are all worthless, vile people, each standing on high to lecture God. They willfully oppose God even as they carry His banner. Claiming faith in God, still they eat the flesh and drink the blood of man. All such people are devils that devour the soul of man, head demons that deliberately get in the way of those trying to step onto the right path, and stumbling blocks impeding those who seek God. They may appear of ‘sound constitution,’ but how are their followers to know that they are none other than antichrists who lead people to stand against God? How are their followers to know that they are living devils dedicated to the devouring of human souls?” God’s words reveal the essence of the pastors in grand churches. Even though these pastors know the Bible very well, they know only biblical knowledge and theological theories, and they don’t understand God, the purpose of God’s work and God’s will. Additionally, they are arrogant and conceited, and don’t have the heart of seeking or accepting the truth at all. In dealing with the return of the Lord, they stubbornly resist and condemn God’s work in the last days based on their conceptions and imaginations, holding on to the letters of the Bible, which is the same as what the Pharisees did. On the surface, they are serving God and are faithful to God, but in substance, they wave the flag of belief in God to obstruct people from returning to God. They resist God, set themselves against Him and are the antichrists and wicked servants exposed by God’s work in the last days. Thank God! Now I finally see clearly that they are obstacles and stumbling blocks in the road of my believing in God.

Going through numerous times of the pastors’ disturbance and obstruction, I’ve gained a lot. I have seen clearly that the religious world is no longer the churches where Christ rules and has long ago lost the work of the Holy Spirit. If we desire to meet the appearance of the Lord, we must see through Satan’s schemes and discern the antichrist nature and essence of those who hinder us from studying God’s work in the last days. Meanwhile, we should, like the wise virgins, carefully listen to God’s voice. Once we hear His voice, we go out to welcome Him. Only then can we meet the appearance of the Lord, follow the footstep of the Lamb and won’t be abandoned by the Lord. (The End.)

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