Do You Possess the “Immunity” Needed to Defeat Temptation?

One day, I came across a story. This story mainly told about a mouse that came out of its hole and found that people had intentionally placed a piece of meat in a mousetrap in order to lure it in. The mouse knew that if it touched that piece of meat, then it would be killed by the trap, so it initially thought to refuse the lure, and that it would absolutely not touch that piece of meat. But when the smell of the meat reached its nose, it just couldn’t overcome the temptation, and against its own will it crept closer and closer to the trap. In the end, it couldn’t resist the enticement, and so when it went to eat the piece of meat, it was killed by the trap.

How do we feel after reading this short story? Don’t we laugh at the stupidity of the mouse, while at the same time feel sorry for it being so greedy? And maybe we will also think that if the mouse’s willpower had been just that little bit stronger, then it wouldn’t have been lured in and killed! But who ever thought that mice lose their lives because they can’t overcome the traps laid by people? That is, because the mouse doesn’t possess the strength to conquer temptation, how could it then escape its fatal doom?

Why Does God Allow Suffering?

One day, I read a fable. There was once a farmer who hoped that his wheat would not be affected by any terrible weather while it was growing, but would grow tall and strong in light winds and sunshine. But when his wish was realized and the time came to collect the harvest, the wheat held no grain. As it happens, if wheat is not baptized through all kinds of hard weather as it grows, it will not bear a rich harvest.

The growing of the wheat made me think of our own lives and how we also need to be tempered by wind and rain, otherwise we end up like flowers growing in a greenhouse, and we become very fragile, we fall at the first blow, and are unable to adapt to all manner of harsh environments and cruel realities. The Bible says, “For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them” (Proverbs 1:32). When our environment is comfortable and easy, all we do is enjoy our flesh and we are simply unable to sincerely rely on God, look to God or draw close to Him. Our life entry can also stagnate, and when failures and setbacks befall us, we can very easily become negative and weak, we can lose our faith in God and, in serious cases, we can even deny and betray God. Therefore, if someone wants to grow in life, then they must undergo some setbacks, failures and tribulations. When we experience many hardships, we learn how to sincerely rely on God and look to God, we establish a normal relationship with God, and little by little we become composed and steady, and our will, our stamina, and our ability to judge things and handle problems all grow apace. We also become increasingly mature and we grow in life with each passing day. Therefore, we only grow by experiencing hardships and tribulations.

Reflections About Life: What’s the True Meaning of Life? A King’s Last Words Provide Food for Thought

I happened to stumble on a story from history while on my phone one day—it was really inspiring for me, so I wanted to share it with others. The story goes like this: Alexander the Great was one of the most successful military commanders in history. He became very ill on his return journey from his victorious military campaign, and just as he was about to die, he shared his three last wishes with his generals. First, he wanted his physicians to carry his coffin back, and he wanted the road to the cemetery where his coffin was to be taken to be strewn with gold, silver, and precious stones. Lastly, he wanted both of his hands to be placed so they were outside of the coffin. Alexander explained that by doing so, he wished to impart three lessons upon the living. First, no matter how great a physician’s skill, they cannot save people’s lives; they cannot determine a person’s life and death. Second, it isn’t worth it to spend an entire life in the pursuit of wealth; it’s a waste of precious time. And finally, each one of us comes into this world empty-handed, and we will leave empty-handed. We can’t take a single thing with us.

Alexander the Great passed with great regrets, and while on his deathbed he used his own personal experiences to warn others: Devoting a lifetime to accumulating wealth is useless, as no matter how rich you are, it can’t buy a life back, and it certainly can’t extend your life by a single second. Sadly, he didn’t have this revelation until he was on the brink of death. Something that the Lord Jesus said popped into my head: “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). It really is true. As for we humans, life is greater than all else, and if we lose our lives, no matter how much money we have, it may as well be a heap of rubbish. It is of absolutely no use. Even though Alexander the Great used his own personal experiences to share this lesson with those after him so that they wouldn’t make the same mistakes he did, unfortunately, this has not brought about an awakening for people. Most are still going down the wrong path that Alexander did in their pursuits—they’re busy from dawn till dark every day, rushing to and fro, working hard, and some even employ all sorts of other tactics just for the sake of earning more money and enjoying a high-class lifestyle. I then couldn’t help but think of my own father …

The Last Days Are Here: Are You Prepared to Meet God?

One day I saw a lively discussion online; people were saying that four blood moons appearing at night in the Western hemisphere is a warning of the end times, and that major earthquakes are becoming more frequent across the entire globe. I thought to myself, “The four blood moons have already happened, celestial phenomena have appeared, disasters are occurring frequently all over the world, terrorist incidents are increasing, wars are constantly breaking out…. All the signs show that the prophecies of the Lord’s return have basically been fulfilled, so why haven’t I seen Him coming down on a cloud to meet us? Is it that the Lord hasn’t returned yet or that He has returned, but I haven’t seen Him? How can I welcome His return?” This confusion wound itself around my heart leaving me baffled. Trying to get some clarity on this issue, I started praying and praying to the Lord, asking for Him to enlighten and guide me so that I’ll be able to welcome His return and not be cast out by Him.

Christian Daily Devotional: What Is a Wise Virgin?

Sister Mu Zhen,

Peace to you in the Lord! I’m so happy you’ve written. You’ve mentioned in your letter that the day of the Lord’s coming is near, and that you are intentionally reading Scripture and praying more, and doing more work for the Lord so that you can be one of the wise virgins who is vigilantly awaiting the Lord’s coming. However, these things have not sharpened your spiritual acuity or increased your faith or love for the Lord. You’re confused about whether you can be counted as a wise virgin by seeking this way and would like to know what sort of practice you should have to be able to welcome the Lord. Sister Mu Zhen, this question you’ve raised is critical for whether or not we can welcome the Lord. All of us want to be wise virgins who can welcome His return and attend the banquet of the kingdom of heaven with Him—no one wants to be a foolish virgin and be cast aside by the Lord, but what kind of practice is actually being a wise virgin? I’d like to share my personal understanding of this issue—I hope it’ll be helpful for you.

Is Jesus Christ God or the Son of God?

Editor’s Note: Many believers think that the Lord Jesus is God’s Son, but is that understanding in line with the word of God? Is the Lord Jesus actually the Son of God or God Himself? Keep reading to find out.

Recently, as a Bible study group was about to wrap up, Sister Li, a coworker, asked this question: “The Bible records, ‘And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, see, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting on Him: And see a voice from heaven, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’ (Matthew 3:16–17). And when the Lord Jesus prayed, He would often say ‘God the Father,’ so we’ve come to believe in our hearts that there is a God the Father in heaven and the Lord Jesus is God’s Son. But in my devotionals a few days ago, I saw that the Lord Jesus said, ‘I and My Father are one’ (John 10:30). And in the Scripture, Philip asks the Lord to show them the Father, and the Lord Jesus’ response is, ‘Have I been so long time with you, and yet have you not known Me, Philip? he that has seen Me has seen the Father; and how say you then, Show us the Father? Believe you not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me?’ (John 14:9–10). It stands to reason that the Son is the Son and the Father is the Father, so how could They be one? Is the Lord Jesus actually God Himself or is He God’s Son?” I and the other coworkers there all gave serious thought to these passages, but we weren’t sure what to say, so we called the meeting to a close.

I got a call from Sister Gao a few days later. She had been traveling for work for more than half a year and had just come back, so she wanted us to get together and have fellowship. It occurred to me that she had been a preacher for a number of years and had a really pure understanding of the Bible, and during that time she was away preaching she must have gained quite a lot. I figured I could discuss with her the confusion I was left with from the last Bible study and see what sort of understanding she had. I asked Sister Song to go along with me to see Sister Gao. We exchanged pleasantries for a bit, and then I spoke out about the quandaries within my heart.

Since Eastern Lightning Is the True Way, Why Is It Oppressed?

Hello, brothers and sisters of Spiritual Q&A,

I’ve been looking into the way of Eastern Lightning for some time now. By reading Almighty God’s words and watching The Church of Almighty God’s gospel films and videos, I’ve learned about the purpose of God’s three stages of work, the mysteries of God’s incarnations, the significance of God taking on a different name in each age, the inside story of the Bible, what a wise virgin is and what a foolish virgin is, what truly being raptured is, how God’s judgment of the last days cleanses, transforms, and perfects people, plus what people’s destinations and outcomes will be. I’ve come to understand so many truths I never did before and my faith and love for God have been restored. I’ve had a lot of spiritual enjoyment. I’ve seen that Almighty God’s words are the truth; they possess authority and might and couldn’t be uttered by a human being. They are utterances that come from the Holy Spirit. I feel that Eastern Lightning must be the true way. However, some of the pastors and elders in religious circles say that if it is the true way, why is it so suppressed, persecuted, and condemned by the CCP? I’m not clear on this and want to do more seeking.

Yang Guang

Hello, Sister Yang Guang,

The understanding and experience you’ve gained from reading Almighty God’s words is entirely the Holy Spirit’s enlightenment and guidance—thanks be to God! But if we can’t see the CCP government’s essence of resisting God and being an enemy of the truth, we get confused when we hear the pastors and elders say things like that—that’s perfectly normal. The Lord Jesus once said, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7). God is trustworthy, so as long as we genuinely seek He will enlighten and guide us so that we can understand the truth, and then the issue can be resolved. Below I’ve shared fellowship on our understanding of this confusion of yours; I hope it can help you.

The True Way Has Been Persecuted Since Ancient Times

Most pastors and elders in religious circles say things like, “If Eastern Lightning is the true way, why is it so oppressed, persecuted, and condemned by the CCP government?” What they mean by that is that if it is the true way, the Chinese government won’t do these things. Is this perspective in line with the truth, or in line with the facts of God’s work? Think back to when the Lord Jesus had just come into the world. King Herod heard from three wise men in the East that King of the Jews had been born. He was very afraid and unsettled, in fear that his throne would be taken from him, so he ordered that all male children within the vicinity of Bethlehem under two years of age should be slaughtered. And when the Lord Jesus appeared and began working, the Pharisees saw more and more of the Jewish believers were following Him, and out of fear for their status and living, they had Jesus arrested and sent him to the Roman prefect, Pilate. Pilate knew that the Lord Jesus hadn’t committed any crimes, but wanting to maintain his own rule and status, he cooperated with the Pharisees to have Jesus nailed to the cross. Clearly, those in power only treasure status and power; they have no love for the truth. Their essence is of hating God and the truth. From the time the Lord Jesus was born to when He officially began His work, He constantly suffered the condemnation and oppression of the ruling party and the Jewish leaders. Even His apostles and disciples were madly condemned, arrested, persecuted, and even martyred by the rulers and Pharisees when they were spreading the gospel of the heavenly kingdom. But now who would dare say that the Lord Jesus wasn’t the true God, that His work wasn’t the true way? Based on the outlook of the religious pastors and elders, shouldn’t the Lord Jesus’ work also be condemned? So, this speculation of theirs doesn’t remotely hold water and is nothing but a human notion and imagining. It runs entirely contrary to the truth and to God’s work—it’s an absurd viewpoint.

Know the Real Meaning of Jesus’ Resurrection From Easter

What Is Easter? The Origins of Easter

Easter, or Resurrection Sunday as it is also called, is a holiday which celebrates the Lord Jesus’ resurrection that occurred three days after He was crucified upon the cross. Its exact time falls on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox every year. In order to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus and to remember the salvation and hope Jesus brought to mankind, each year from March to April, Christians all over the world hold celebrations on the day of Easter. So while us Christians are commemorating the resurrection of Jesus, do we know why He returned from the dead and appeared to man despite having already finished His work of redemption? And what is the meaning behind His resurrection and His appearance to man?

The Meaning of the Lord Jesus’ Resurrection and of His Appearance to Man

What Is Repentance?

At a meeting of co-workers, Wang Wei, Ma Tao and Hu Zhi sat engaged in Bible study.

Wang Wei smiled and spoke to the group, saying, “Co-workers, let’s begin by reading a couple of verses of scripture. The Lord Jesus says, ‘Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’ (Matthew 4:17). ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent you, and believe the gospel’ (Mark 1:15). We can see from the Lord’s words that, if we want to enter God’s kingdom, then we must confess our sins to God and repent. We’ve believed in the Lord for years, however, and although we often confess our sins to Him, we are still capable of committing sin and we live within a vicious cycle of confessing and sinning. It seems as though we still don’t understand what true repentance is, and so we are not yet free of sin. Therefore, being clear on what true repentance is is extremely important to our ability to enter into the heavenly kingdom. Today, let’s delve into this issue together.”

The Story of Job: Why Did Job Curse the Day of His Birth?

It is dusk, and a grey-haired old man was sitting by the ashes of his fire, his exposed skin densely covered in painful boils, the surface of the boils broken and suppurating in a horrifying scene.

The old man’s expression showed that he was extremely sorrowful, yet he remained silent and, picking up a potsherd, he began to scrape at the boils.

After a long while, he said, “Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived” (Job 3:3).

“Cut! Cut! Yi Qian, you haven’t got the expression quite right. Job shouldn’t look that way….” The director frowned as he spoke fretfully to Yi Qian.