10. I Was Saved by Almighty God
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| I Was Saved by Almighty God |
—The Story of How I, Once an Opponent of Almighty God, Accepted Him
Li Mingguang
In September 1997, a leader of our sect said to me, “You must be on your guard now, as there has appeared a Reaping sect called the ‘Eastern Lightning.’ It’s very powerful. Once one contacts its followers, he will be captured. We can’t let them reap us. They are robbers, not the ones who enter the sheepfold by the door. They hold a different belief from ours. So don’t receive any strangers. If someone comes to preach to you, tell him you have no religion. Don’t mention anything about belief in God, lest you be deceived.” He also said, “If you join in this sect, you can’t get out. If you try to, they will gouge out your eyes, cut off your nose, and break your legs. They are all fornicators. Whoever joins in their sect will never be received by our church again even if he comes out. God will root up the tares first. We will see who are the first to be rooted up. Those who are rooted up are the ones of no discernment.” Hearing his words, I declared right away, “I will not receive any outsiders. If they refuse to leave, I will beat them out, so that I won’t be deceived by them.” The leader added, “They are purely swindlers. They want to eat more than six dishes each meal, drink wine priced at over ten yuan a bottle, and smoke cigarettes costing over five yuan a packet.” These words were imprinted on my mind.
A few days later, a brother came to preach Almighty God’s work of the last days to me. But I just pushed him out of the door, not allowing him to speak. He said, “Let’s talk about God’s will and the direction of the Holy Spirit’s work.” I answered him, “Talk about what? I have no religion. You are just looking for trouble, and doing nothing decent. Go away!” Then I slammed the door shut. After a while, my daughter came home, and she said to me, “Dad, that man is crying.” Hearing that, I remained unmoved, and said, “He came to ensnare our lives. He’s lucky that I didn’t beat him. If he comes again, I will teach him a ‘lesson’!” The brother stood outside our house for nearly half an hour before he left. Several days after that, another brother came, who was a little older than me. At the sight of me, he called, “Brother!” “Who’s your brother? Knock it off! Don’t try to tempt me!” I said. He continued, “The Bible says, ‘Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares’” “Entertain you? I would rather entertain beggars than you. Get out of here, or I will slap you!” Seeing him trying to enter the room, I went up and gave him a slap on the cheek. But he was neither annoyed nor angry, and still persuaded me, “Brother, it’s not proper to do this…” “Not proper? Very proper. I won’t be soft on you people!” Then I told my wife to push him out of the gate. When I peeped out from our yard and saw him leaving reluctantly in tears, I beamed with pride, thinking, “You asked for it. Serve you right! Even if you come one hundred more times, I will not believe in what you preach or join in your sect!” Three days later, two sisters came to my home. On entering the door, they called my wife “elder sister.” At first, I thought they were my wife’s relatives from her hometown, yet finally they turned out to be the preachers of the “Eastern Lightning.” They even said that Teacher Hua, whom we believed in, was a man, and not God. At this, I waved my hand and said impatiently, “Get out! No matter whether he is a man or God, I just believe in our Abba Father. However true the way you preach, I won’t believe in it!” As they were sisters, I thought it improper for me to push them out, and so I set our dog on them. But to my surprise, the dog, which usually attacked strangers frantically, did not even bark at them. Seeing this, I didn’t know what to do, so I said to my wife, “Now they don’t leave, we’ll go. Let them stand here, snubbed!” That was the third time I refused God’s salvation. However, God’s great love still didn’t leave me. After a week, one of my co-workers visited my home, and he said, “When our upper workers returned home from working, they each bought a suit, a handbag, and a hunk of beef and some mutton and tripe for more than 200 yuan.” Hearing this, I said to myself, “Isn’t that stealing and eating the offerings?” Then he asked me, “Did anyone come to your home to preach anything?” “Yes,” I replied with pride. “But I throw all of them out. I obeyed the order from above and received none of them!” “Some preachers came to my home too,” he said. “I’ve noticed that their behavior is much better than ours. They are patient and humble. Their preaching sounds reasonable and is higher than ours, and they can tell many mysteries. Revelation 5:3-5 says, ‘And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. … the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.’ This means that only God Himself can open the book and reveal mysteries. Our teacher Hua has not done any new work. So we should seek. We may as well go and listen to what they preach. If it is the true way, we will believe in it; if it is not, we will still keep the way Teacher Hua preached to us. What do you say?” With an attitude of trying my luck, I reluctantly agreed to his suggestion. However, I was nervous for fear of being deceived.
On December 2, 1998, the most memorable day of my life, this co-worker came to call me in the early morning. He said, “With you and me, we twelve people are willing to listen to their message. Now most of them have arrived at my home. Let’s go!” I did not feel good about refusing him, so I went with him. When we reached his home, I noticed that all the gospel preachers were very polite and decent in their speech and manner, while the brothers of our sect were loose in their behavior and they all smoked. One gospel preacher began to fellowship, and he said, “It is now the last days. God’s work is to class men according to kind. In the end, evil shall return to evil and righteous shall return to righteous. Those who follow the footsteps of the Lamb and gain the truth as their life will be approved by God, and those who fail to do so will be abandoned and eliminated. Just as when God destroyed the world with the flood, all those who had entered the ark survived, while those who had refused to enter it were all drowned. In the Age of Law, those who kept the law were blessed by God, while those who failed to keep it were cursed by God. In the Age of Grace, God did the work of redemption through Jesus’ crucifixion. Whoever believed in the Lord Jesus was justified, and those who did not believe in Him were condemned already. In the Age of Kingdom, God expresses the word and judges and purifies man with His word. Those who accept the judgement of God’s word and are purified will be saved and remain, while those who do not accept will be abandoned and eliminated. This means that we must follow the Lamb wherever He goes. So, we shall not focus on signs and wonders! For the Lord Jesus told us in Matthew 24: ‘For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.’” When the brother fellowshipped that God is called by the name of Almighty God in the last days, I asked him, “Brother, why must God change His name? Why does God have so many names?” And he opened the book of God’s word and read to us, “I was once known as Jehovah. I was also called the Messiah, and people once called Me Jesus the Savior because they loved and respected Me. Today I am no longer the Jehovah or Jesus that people knew in times past. I am the God who has returned in the last days, and who shall bring the age to an end. I am the God Himself that rises up at the ends of the earth, replete with My entire disposition, and full of authority, honor and glory. People have never engaged with Me, have never known Me, and have always been ignorant of My disposition. From the creation of the world until today, not one person has seen Me. This is the God who appears to man during the last days but is hidden among man. He resides among man, true and real, like the burning sun and a flaming fire, filled with power and brimming with authority. There is not a single person or thing that shall not be judged by My words, and not a single person or thing that shall not be purified through the burning of fire. Eventually, all nations shall be blessed because of My words, and also smashed to pieces because of My words. In this way, all people during the last days shall see that I am the Savior returned, I am the Almighty God that conquers all of mankind, and I was once the sin offering for man, but in the last days I also become the flames of the sun that burn all things, as well as the Sun of righteousness that reveals all things. Such is My work of the last days. I took this name and am possessed of this disposition so that all people may see that I am a righteous God, and am the burning sun, and the flaming fire. It is so that all may worship Me, the only true God, and so that they may see My true face: I am not only the God of the Israelites, and am not just the Redeemer; I am the God of all creatures throughout heavens and earth and seas.
When the Savior arrives during the last days, if He were still called Jesus, and were once again born in Judea, and did His work in Judea, then this would prove that I only created the people of Israel and only redeemed the people of Israel, and that I have nothing to do with the Gentiles. Would this not contradict My words that ‘I am the Lord who created the heavens and earth and all things’? I left Judea and do My work among the Gentiles because I am not merely the God of the people of Israel, but the God of all creatures. I appear among the Gentiles during the last days because I am not only Jehovah, the God of the people of Israel, but, moreover, because I am the Creator of all My chosen ones among the Gentiles.” When we heard these words, we all nodded in approval. Then I asked another question, “How do you explain the Holy Father, the Holy Son, and the Holy Spirit?” And the brother read us a passage of Almighty God’s word from “Does the Trinity Exist?”. God says: “This concept of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is most absurd! This segments God and splits Him into three parts, each with a status and Spirit; how then can He still be one Spirit and one God? Tell Me, were the heavens and earth, and all things within it created by the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit? Some say that They created it all together. Then who redeemed mankind? Was it the Holy Spirit, the Son, or the Father? Some say it was the Son who redeemed mankind. Then what is the substance of the Son? Is He not the incarnation of the Spirit of God? The incarnation calls God in heaven by the name of Father from the perspective of a created man. Are you not aware that Jesus was born from the conception through the Holy Spirit? Within Him is the Holy Spirit; whatever you say, He is still one with God in heaven, for He is the incarnation of the Spirit of God. This idea of the Son simply is untrue. It is one Spirit who carries out all of the work; only God Himself, that is, the Spirit of God carries out His work. Who is the Spirit of God? Is it not the Holy Spirit? Is it not the Holy Spirit who works in Jesus? If the work had not been carried out by the Holy Spirit (that is, the Spirit of God), then could His work represent God Himself? When Jesus called God in heaven by the name of Father as He prayed, this was done only from the perspective of a created man, only because the Spirit of God had clothed Himself with an ordinary and normal man and had the exterior cover of a created being. Even if within Him was the Spirit of God, His exterior appearance was still that of an ordinary man; in other words, He had become the ‘Son of man’ of which all men, including Jesus Himself, spoke.” After reading these words, he fellowshipped about many truths with us, which made me truly realize that if God hadn’t been incarnated and opened the little scroll, he wouldn’t have known so many truths. So we twelve brothers and sisters all accepted Almighty God’s work of the last days. After I returned home, I began to read the book of God’s word given by the brother. After I finished reading it, I was more clear and certain about the work of Almighty God. At last I came to believe in the true God.
On the seventh day after I accepted the true way, my leader in the Hua Xuehe sect came to “reckon with” me. He said, “I told you not to hear their message. Why did you hear? Why didn’t you ask my permission?” I responded by asking, “Can you find me a verse in the Bible which tells us not to receive strangers? It is clearly written: ‘Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.’ You nearly caused me to miss the great thing. If I had obeyed you, I would have led the brothers and sisters into hell. I have been upset these days, because I was no better than my dog. My dog didn’t even bark at the gospel preachers, but I slapped them. Your slanders against them were simply fabricated out of thin air. They are all tricks that you have used to bind others. You are the real liar! Those brothers and sisters bound by you will settle accounts with you in the future.” At my words, he found nothing to answer. Seeing this, I believed more firmly that Almighty God is the only true God.
After my acceptance of the true way, I was more and more aware that only Almighty God can hold sovereign over all things and give me the real human life. God has revealed His will and His six-thousand-year management plan to man in order to deliver man from the bitter sea and allow man to live a good life. He has told man clearly His substance and the nature of man, and explained what is the true Christ and what are false Christs, what is God’s work and what is man’s practice…. Almighty God has made clear to man all the truths that man didn’t understand. But it is up to you to follow Him or not. And it is not, as the rumor says, that you won’t be able to get away once you contact the “Eastern Lightning” followers, and if you want to leave, they will gouge out your eyes, cut off your nose, and break your legs. Since I accepted the work of Almighty God, no matter how God works on me, judging or refining, I have never thought of leaving Him, because Almighty God is the only true God, and everything He does is for purifying man. Where else can I go? There is no salvation apart from Almighty God.
A month later after I accepted Almighty God, I attended a meeting, where I met the brother who had been slapped by me when visiting my house to preach the gospel. At the sight of him, I felt very ashamed, but the brother came to me and quipped, “Brother, as long as you can accept the true way, it would be worthwhile even having my other cheek slapped by you.” “Please don’t say that, brother. I was inhuman. I was so blind and ignorant as to resist God. Brother, please slap me. Let me also have a taste of that.” He said, “The whole of mankind resists God, because God’s work is always new and never old, while all men are conservative. So it is quite difficult for God to carry out any stage of His work. However, because of the breadth, length, height, and depth of God’s love, our former sins shall be wiped away clean by God as long as we can repent and turn to Him.” At his words, I felt bad. As I thought about my past, I felt so much indebted to God. The brother continued, “Christ is our exemplar. He has endured too many sufferings. In order to save us, this group of people, who have been deeply corrupted by Satan, the Most High God has humbled Himself by becoming a small person, working among us. He has endured so great humiliation. Compared with Christ’s sufferings, what we have suffered is simply nothing.” Hearing this, I couldn’t restrain my tears of indebtedness. At that moment, the brothers and sisters began to sing the hymn of God’s word No. 63: “How hard God’s work on earth is! How difficult it is to take each step of the work! For people’s weaknesses, deficiencies, immaturity, ignorance, and their all, God makes careful plans ah and considers everything thoughtfully, considers everything thoughtfully. Although His words are sincere and earnest ah, who is willing to accept them? This has broken God’s heart oh, has broken God’s heart. God labors for people day and night, worries about their life, and sympathizes with their weaknesses. In doing each step of work and speaking every word He goes through so many difficulties, goes through so many difficulties, and He is always in a dilemma, dilemma oh and considers it day and night. Who has ever known this? Who has ever known this? To whom can He tell it? Who can understand it? He always hates people’s sins and their spinelessness and worries about their frailness. He always thinks of people’s path ahead. Their words and deeds always made Him full of mercy, grieved in His heart, and full of anger, and He always feels heartache while seeing them, while seeing them. People, who are innocent, are already numb after all ah; why always make things difficult for them? People, who are frail, already have no willpower at all ah; why always have unceasing anger toward them oh, have unceasing anger toward them? People, who are weak and feeble, are already utterly lifeless; why always criticize them for their disobedience? God has no choice but to bury all His anger in the bottom of His heart and let people gradually examine themselves. However, mankind in deep misery ah does not at all apprehend God’s intention. They are trampled by ‘the king of devils’ but are totally ignorant of that ah and are always hostile to God. God has spoken so many words, oh but who has ever taken them seriously? Who has ever taken them seriously?” My heart was touched by God’s words, and I couldn’t help but pray to Him, “O God! Hearing Your heartfelt words, I feel ashamed. I’m unworthy to live in Your presence. Thank You for the grace of salvation You gave me. Your love for me is tremendous. I can do nothing but exert what little strength I have to compensate for my past indebtedness to You. No matter how great the hindrance, I am willing to offer up my whole being to cooperate with Your work, to preach Your salvation of the last days to the brothers and sisters who are sincerely longing for the return of the Lord, so as to repay Your love.”
Here, I urge every brother and sister who has not come to Almighty God: Please wake up! Don’t ignore the good intentions of Almighty God. For when God’s wrath comes upon you, it will be too late to repent. The Lord Jesus said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit…. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness…. Blessed are the pure in heart….” Brothers and sisters, please open your heart to receive the salvation of Almighty God! And never repeat my past doings: Driving the brothers and sisters preaching the gospel of the last days out of the door, hitting them, and setting the dog on them, which nearly deprived me of the opportunity to be saved. God is worried sick and is waiting for every true believer in Him to repent and start anew. But the days of His tolerance are limited. Just as Almighty God says: “When you behold the spiritual body of Jesus will be when God has made anew heaven and earth.” “The work of God never waits for any that cannot keep pace with God, and the righteous disposition of God shows no mercy to any man.”
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