God’s name may change, but His essence will never change

 God’s name may change, but His essence will never change

    Relevant Words of God:

    There are those who say that God is immutable. That is correct, but it refers to the immutability of God’s disposition and His substance. Changes in His name and work do not prove that His substance has altered; in other words, God will always be God, and this will never change. If you say that the work of God is unchanging, then would He be able to finish His six-thousand-year plan of management? You only know that God is forever unchanging, but do you know that God is always new and never old? If the work of God is unchanging, then could He have led mankind all the way to the present day? If God is immutable, then why is it that He has already done the work of two ages? His work never ceases to move forward, which is to say that His disposition is gradually revealed to man, and what is revealed is His inherent disposition. In the beginning, God’s disposition was hidden from man, He never openly revealed His disposition to man, and man simply had no knowledge of Him. Because of this, He uses His work to gradually reveal His disposition to man, but working in this way does not mean that God’s disposition changes in every age. It is not the case that God’s disposition is constantly changing because His will is always changing. Rather, it is that, because the ages of His work are different, God takes His inherent disposition in its entirety and, step by step, reveals it to man, so that man may be able to know Him. But this is by no means proof that God originally has no particular disposition or that His disposition has gradually changed with the passing of the ages—such an understanding would be erroneous. God reveals to man His inherent and particular disposition—what He is—according to the passing of the ages; the work of a single age cannot express the entire disposition of God. And so, the words “God is always new and never old” refer to His work, and the words “God is immutable” to what God inherently has and is. Regardless, you cannot make the work of six thousand years hinge upon a single point, or circumscribe it with dead words. Such is the stupidity of man. God is not as simple as man imagines, and His work cannot linger in any one age. Jehovah, for example, cannot always stand for the name of God; God can also do His work under the name of Jesus. This is a sign that God’s work is always moving in a forward progression.

from “The Vision of God’s Work (3)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

The relationship between each stage of God’s work and His name

    (1) The significance of God taking the name Jehovah in the Age of Law

    Bible Verses for Reference:

    “And God said moreover to Moses, Thus shall you say to the children of Israel, Jehovah, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you: this is My name for ever, and this is My memorial to all generations” (Exo 3:15).

    Relevant Words of God:

    “Jehovah” is the name that I took during My work in Israel, and it means the God of the Israelites (God’s chosen people) who can take pity on man, curse man, and guide the life of man. It means the God who possesses great power and is full of wisdom. … That is to say, only Jehovah is the God of the chosen people of Israel, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God of Moses, and the God of all the people of Israel. And so in the current age, all the Israelites apart from the tribe of Judah worship Jehovah. They make sacrifices to Him on the altar, and serve Him wearing priests’ robes in the temple. What they hope for is the reappearance of Jehovah. … The name Jehovah is a particular name for the people of Israel who lived under the law. In each age and each stage of work, My name is not baseless, but holds representative significance: Each name represents one age. “Jehovah” represents the Age of Law, and is the honorific for the God worshiped by the people of Israel.

from “The Savior Has Already Returned Upon a ‘White Cloud’” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Why does God have different names in different ages? What are the meanings behind God’s names?

Relevant Words of God:

Could the name of Jesus—“God with us”—represent God’s disposition in its entirety? Could it fully articulate God? If man says that God can only be called Jesus and may not have any other name because God cannot change His disposition, these words are blasphemy indeed! Do you believe that the name Jesus, God with us, alone can represent God in His entirety? God may be called by many names, but among these many names, there is not one that is able to encapsulate all of God, not one that can fully represent God. And so, God has many names, but these many names cannot fully articulate God’s disposition, for God’s disposition is so rich that it simply exceeds the capacity of man to know Him. There is no way for man, using the language of mankind, to encapsulate God fully. Mankind has but a limited vocabulary with which to encapsulate all that they know of God’s disposition: great, honored, wondrous, unfathomable, supreme, holy, righteous, wise, and so on. Too many words! This limited vocabulary is incapable of describing the little that man has witnessed of God’s disposition. Over time, many others added words that they thought better able to describe the fervor in their hearts: God is too great! God is too holy! God is too lovely! Today, human sayings such as these have reached their peak, yet man is still incapable of clearly expressing himself. And so, for man, God has many names, yet He has no one name, and this is because God’s being is too bountiful, and the language of man too impoverished. One particular word or name does not have the capacity to represent God in His entirety, so do you think His name can be fixed? God is so great and so holy yet you will not permit Him to change His name in each new age? Therefore, in every age in which God personally does His own work, He uses a name that befits the age in order to encapsulate the work that He intends to do. He uses this particular name, one that possesses temporal significance, to represent His disposition in that age. This is God using the language of mankind to express His own disposition. Even so, many people who have had spiritual experiences and have personally seen God nevertheless feel that this one particular name is incapable of representing God in His entirety—alas, this cannot be helped—so man no longer addresses God by any name, but simply calls Him “God.” It is as though the heart of man is full of love and yet also beset with contradictions, for man does not know how to explain God. What God is is too bountiful, there is simply no way of describing it. There is no single name that can summarize God’s disposition, and there is no single name that can describe all that God has and is. If someone asks Me, “Exactly what name do You use?” I will tell them, “God is God!” Is that not the best name for God? Is it not the best encapsulation of God’s disposition? This being so, why do you spend so much effort seeking after the name of God? Why should you cudgel your brains, going without food and sleep, all for the sake of a name? The day will arrive when God is not called Jehovah, Jesus, or Messiah—He will simply be the Creator. At that time, all the names that He has taken on earth shall come to an end, for His work on earth will have come to an end, after which His names shall be no more. When all things come under the dominion of the Creator, what need has He of a highly appropriate yet incomplete name? Are you still seeking after God’s name now? Do you still dare to say that God is only called Jehovah? Do you still dare to say that God can only be called Jesus? Are you able to bear the sin of blasphemy against God? You should know that God originally had no name. He only took on one, or two, or many names because He had work to do and had to manage mankind. Whatever name He is called by—did He not freely choose it Himself? Would He need you—one of His creatures—to decide it? The name by which God is called is a name that accords with what man is capable of apprehending, with the language of mankind, but this name is not something that man can encompass. You can only say that there is a God in heaven, that He is called God, that He is God Himself with great power, who is too wise, too exalted, too wondrous, too mysterious, and too almighty, and then you can say no more; this little bit is all you can know. This being so, can the mere name of Jesus represent God Himself? When the last days come, even though it is still God who does His work, His name has to change, for it is a different age.

from “The Vision of God’s Work (3)” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

Word of Christ of the Last Days | "God Himself, the Unique I: God's Authority (I)" (Excerpt 3)

Words of God | "God Himself, the Unique I: God's Authority (I)" (Excerpt 3)

Almighty God says, "Regardless of how 'powerful' Satan is, regardless of how audacious and ambitious it is, regardless of how great is its ability to inflict damage, regardless of how wide-ranging are the techniques with which it corrupts and lures man, regardless of how clever are the tricks and schemes with which it intimidates man, regardless of how changeable is the form in which it exists, it has never been able to create a single living thing, has never been able to set down laws or rules for the existence of all things, and has never been able to rule and control any object, whether animate or inanimate. Throughout the vast expanse of the universe, there is not a single person or object that was born from it, or exists because of it; there is not a single person or object that is ruled by it, or controlled by it. On the contrary, it not only has to live under the dominion of God, but, moreover, must obey all of God's orders and commands. Without God's permission, it is difficult for Satan to touch even a drop of water or grain of sand upon the land; without God's permission, Satan is not even free to move the ants about upon the land—let alone mankind, who was created by God. In the eyes of God, Satan is inferior to the lilies on the mountain, to the birds flying in the air, to the fish in the sea, and to the maggots on the earth. Its role among all things is to serve all things, and work for mankind, and serve God's work and His plan of management. Regardless of how malicious its nature, and how evil its substance, the only thing it can do is to dutifully abide by its function: being of service to God, and providing a counterpoint to God. Such is the essence and position of Satan. Its substance is unconnected to life, unconnected to power, unconnected to authority; it is merely a plaything in God's hands, just a machine in service to God!" (The Word Appears in the Flesh). 

Recommend More:  How Can We Understand God’s Will When Hardship Befalls Us?

We Gather Together in the Church

     Best Hymns of Faith | We Gather Together in the Church

 

Chorus

We gather together in the church.

We gather together in the church.

Verse 1

It's a gathering of people who love God.

We eat and drink God's word,

fellowship about the truth.

Our hearts full of sweetness

and happiness.

From memories of the past,

we feel remorse and guilt.

Now knowing each other,

we live in God's love.

Without prejudice,

barriers, and distance,

we love each other, one family.

Our hearts entwined, so close,

no space between us.

The Word of God | "The Savior Has Already Returned Upon a 'White Cloud'" (Excerpt 1)

 Words of God | "The Savior Has Already Returned Upon a 'White Cloud'" (Excerpt 1)

Eastern Lightning, The Church of Almighty God was created because of the appearance and work of Almighty God, the second coming of the Lord Jesus, Christ of the last days. It is made up of all those who accept Almighty God's work in the last days and are conquered and saved by His words. It was entirely founded by Almighty God personally and is led by Him as the Shepherd. It was definitely not created by a person. Christ is the truth, the way, and the life. God's sheep hear God's voice. As long as you read the words of Almighty God, you will see God has appeared.

Recommend More: How the Prophecy of the Lord Jesus’ Return Is Fulfilled

2019 Christian Testimony Video "The Sun Never Sets on Integrity" | Only the Honest Can Get Blessing of God

Wang Xinyu and her husband run a clothing shop, and though at first they try to operate their store with integrity and conscience, they don't earn much money, and their lives are very difficult. But when they see their peers who rely on lying and deception to do business buying cars and houses and living lavish lives, they decide they don't want to be left behind. Guided by their peers, they follow the social trend and begin to do business through lying and trickery. A few years later, although they make some money, their consciences are often uneasy and their hearts feel empty. Then, they accept Almighty God's gospel of the last days, read God's words, through which they discover that God likes honest people and despises deceitful people and learn that honest people receive God's blessings. However, they also see the evil and darkness in the world and worry they won't be able to make money by doing business with integrity, and will even risk losing money, so they continue to use lies and tricks to deceive customers, yet know God detests them for it.... After several struggles and failures, they finally choose to be honest people according to the words of God, and are surprised to receive God's blessings. Not only does their business flourish, they also enjoy the peace and security of being honest people.

More Information: Eastern Lightning is the return of Lord Jesus

July 8, 2018 – Luke 24:6-7

　　For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

- Proverbs 1:32

　　Thoughts on Today’s Verse…

　　Three days after the Lord Jesus’ crucifixion, He rose again and appeared to man. All those who truly believe in the Lord have faith in this fact and applaud God’s might.

　　From the fact of Jesus’ resurrection, we know the authority and power of God’s word. As God speaks, so He brings to fruition all that which He has spoken. Such as, “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light” (Gen 1:3). The heavens and earth and all things are established and made complete by the words of God. When the Lord Jesus preached and did His work, His one word made the blind see, made cripples walk, resurrected the dead, and calmed the wind and sea. … All of these prove that the authority of God’s words is inestimable and that the Lord Jesus is the unique God Himself.

Source: Daily Devotionals

Christian Experience Articles | God’s Words Led Me Out of the Woods

By Xiao Rui, Sichuan Province

　　When my duty in The Church of Almighty God was preaching the gospel, while doing this I encountered religious leaders who bore false witness to frantically resist, disturb, and block people’s investigation and acceptance of God’s work in the last days. They even called the police to have them arrest those of us sharing the gospel. As a result, those we were preaching to didn’t dare come into contact with us, and those who had just accepted the gospel were subjected to disruptions and became uncertain about God’s work. Our gospel work was greatly hindered. I felt really anxious when I saw so many brothers and sisters with genuine faith who were hoodwinked and disrupted by the pastors and elders. They were unable to return before God and accept His purification and salvation of the last days. I worked hard every day to share fellowship on God’s words with them to resolve the notions they held regarding God’s work, but after doing this for a period of time, our gospel work still hadn’t taken a turn for the better. I thought: “Evangelical work is so difficult to carry out. It would be so wonderful if God just displayed some miracles and punished those who bear false witness as well as those who seriously resist Him to show to those who have been deceived. Then wouldn’t the work of the gospel advance more quickly? It wouldn’t be so difficult for us to preach the gospel.” This is how this hope came up in my heart every time I encountered difficulties. Later, I read the book of Classic Examples of Punishment for Resisting Almighty God and during fellowship heard some testimonies on God’s signs and wonders, and I felt very glad in my heart. I hoped even more that God would do some things in the areas that I worked in so that our gospel work there could be carried out smoothly. But no matter how I hoped, I still didn’t see God perform any miracles there or do anything to punish evil people. The religious people were still fully resisting God, and the difficulties in our evangelical work were still great. I became negative, thinking: “Why doesn’t God open up a way out for us? Could it be that our faith is inadequate?”

The Holy Spirit Works in a Principled Way

By Qin Shuting, Shandong Province

　　For some time, whenever I read the words of God, I never felt the light. I didn’t reflect on the reason for that, but just continued to pray to God, asking Him to enlighten me. But when I read God’s words after that, I still didn’t have any enlightenment. So I thought, “There is a time for God to enlighten each man, so there is no use in trying to rush it.” After that, I unhurriedly plodded along reading God’s words, patiently awaiting God’s enlightenment.

　　Until one day, I read these words of God: “Only if your heart is at peace before God will your pursuit of the truth and of changes in your disposition bear fruit. Because you come burdened before God and you always feel that you are lacking too much, that there are many truths that you need to know, much reality that you need to experience, and that you should give every care to God’s will—these things are always on your mind, and it is as if they are pressing down on you so hard that you can’t breathe, and thus you feel heavy of heart (but not in a negative state). Only people such as this are qualified to accept the enlightenment of God’s words and be moved by the Spirit of God. It is because of their burden, because they are heavy of heart, and, it can be said, because of the price they have paid and the torment they have suffered before God that they receive His enlightenment and illumination, for God does not give anyone special treatment. He is always fair in His treatment of people, but He is also not arbitrary in His provision to people, and does not give to them unconditionally. This is one aspect of His righteous disposition” (“Establishing a Proper Relationship With God Is Very Important” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). In pondering God’s words, I understood: God is a righteous God. He is never arbitrary in His provision to man, and does not give to man unconditionally. There is a principle behind God’s work. For people to receive God’s enlightenment and illumination when reading His words, they must quiet their hearts before God and have a heart that yearns for and seeks God’s words. They must bear the burden for their own lives and search for their own shortcomings according to the words of God. Bearing their burden, they must purposefully read the words of God to go ever deeper into the truth and resolve their corrupt disposition and fulfill their duties. Only by practically paying such a price to work with God can one obtain the enlightenment of God. If someone does not thirst for God’s words, but just aimlessly, mechanically reads His words, treating them lightly, they cannot possibly gain the work of the Holy Spirit. In retrospect, every time I picked up the book of the word of God, I would flick through and see that I had read this passage and read that passage, thinking that I had a rough idea about every passage. Then I would find any old one, give it a cursory read, and then I was done, perfunctorily reading the words of God in such an unconcerned way. At that time, I saw that I didn’t remotely have a heart of longing when reading God’s words. I was just going through the motions and upholding certain rules and conventions, content to just understand some literal doctrines. I placed no importance on seriously pondering God’s words and seeking to understand the truth, nor did I place importance on integrating His words to reflect on myself and resolve my problems. I shouldered no burden for my own life and I wasn’t remotely concerned about my lack of entry into the reality of the truth or a change in disposition. With such a cavalier attitude to the words of God, how would I have obtained His enlightenment and illumination? I was not realistically reflecting on my own state or seeking the truth to resolve my problems. Instead, I was relying on my own notions and imaginings, believing “There is a time for God to enlighten each man.” I continued to passively wait for God’s enlightenment. I really was being so ignorant! Only then did I recognize that, although there is a time for God to enlighten each man, this much is true, there is a principle behind the Holy Spirit’s work on man. The degree to which man cooperates is the degree to which God works; however much people work with God is however much He will bestow on them. God will not enlighten someone if they just passively wait for the Holy Spirit’s enlightenment and do nothing else. The fruit of God’s work on mankind is determined by how much they cooperate. As God said: “The Holy Spirit works by this principle: Through people’s cooperation, through them actively praying, searching and coming closer to God, results can be achieved and they can be enlightened and illuminated by the Holy Spirit. It is not the case that the Holy Spirit acts unilaterally, or that man acts unilaterally. Both are indispensable, and the more that people cooperate, and the more they pursue the attainment of the standards of God’s requirements, the greater the work of the Holy Spirit. Only people’s real cooperation, added to the work of the Holy Spirit, can produce real experiences and the substantive knowledge of God’s words. Gradually, through experiencing in this way, a perfect person is ultimately produced. God does not do supernatural things; in people’s conceptions, God is almighty, and everything is done by God—with the result that people wait passively, do not read the words of God or pray, and merely await the touch of the Holy Spirit. Those with a correct understanding, however, believe this: God’s actions can only go as far as my cooperation, and the effect that God’s work has in me depends on how I cooperate. When God speaks, I should do all I can to seek and strive toward God’s words; this is what I should achieve” (“How to Know Reality” in The Word Appears in the Flesh).

Experience Testimonies of the Church of Almighty God | From Suffering Is Emitted the Fragrance of Love

Xiaokai, Jiangxi Province

I’m an ordinary country woman and, because of the feudalistic idea of only valuing male children, I was unable to raise my head in front of others for shame at having borne no son. Just when I was suffering the most, I was chosen by the Lord Jesus and, two years later, I accepted the salvation of Almighty God. Moreover, I understood much truth from within the words of Almighty God and my heart obtained true release. However, while I was performing my duty to repay God’s love, I was twice arrested by the CCP government and I suffered brutal torture and torment at the hands of the CCP’s pawns. Just when I was on the verge of death, the words of Almighty God guided me and inspired me and caused me to stand witness in the midst of Satan’s cruel harm, thereby strengthening my determination to follow God and love God for all my life.

I was born in the countryside and, after I married, I gave birth to three daughters, one after another. Because the feudalistic idea of valuing only male children is so strong in rural areas, my family and the people of the village all looked down on me, and moreover, my sisters-in-law bullied and ridiculed me. I felt so pained and oppressed inside; I felt depressed all day long. In 1998, I began to believe in Jesus and, although my distressed mind became more optimistic within the Lord Jesus’ love, the knots in my heart could still not be undone. Two years later, I accepted Almighty God’s salvation of the last days and, when I read these words of God, they were like medicine that cured a chronic sickness: “Since the creation of the world I have begun to predestine and select this group of people, namely, you today. Your temperament, caliber, appearance, stature, family in which you were born, your job and your marriage, the entirety of you, even the color of your hair and your skin, and the time of your birth were all arranged by My hands” (“The Seventy-fourth Utterance” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). These words of God made me understand that all things and events are in God’s hands, that my destiny was arranged by God long ago and that my having had three daughters was also predestined by God, and to God this was for the best. I was therefore no longer under the ties and bonds of feudalistic ideas, and my heart obtained the greatest release. From that day on, I actively lived the church life, I hungered to read the words of God, enjoyed the life provided by the words of Almighty God, and I gradually came to understand much truth, such as how Satan corrupts man, how God saves man and what the value and significance of man’s life is. Having understood these things, my heart felt peaceful and filled with light, always with a joy I could not express in words, and more and more I came to firmly believe that Almighty God is the one true God that saved me from the sea of misery, and I became resolved to follow Almighty God and live out a real life. After a short while, God raised me up to be a leader in the church. While I was performing my duty, however, I was twice arrested by the CCP government and subjected to ruthless persecution ...

All of Mankind, Come to Worship God

I

Lightning flashes from East to West.

Christ of the last days has appeared,

working in China.

His true light shines forth,

people go in search.

Oh Almighty God!

Full of power and glory.

His chosen ones

come before His throne.

God has appeared in the world

to carry out His work.

All of mankind,

come worship and revere Him.

Worship and revere Him. Oh, yeah.

A Hymn of God's Word "All Creation of God Must Come Under His Dominion"

Impression after watching:

After listening to this hymn, I know that there is The One Who Holds Sovereignty Over Everything in the universe. He commands the four seasons and manages the growth of all things. From it, I see God's authority and power. God’s love for man is completely shown to us. God’s grace and blessing are bestowed upon each of us selflessly. everything was so nice! Thank God for preparing such a nice environment for us!

I

God created all things, and so He makes all creation come under His rule, and submit to His dominion. He commands all things, controlling them in His hands. Living things, mountains, rivers and man must all come under His rule. Things in the skies and on the earth must all come under His dominion. All must submit, without any choice. This is God's decree and His authority.

The Church of Almighty God | The Best Education (Part 2)

Liu Ying

　Later, I saw it said in the words of God: “The fate of man is controlled by the hands of God. You are incapable of controlling yourself: Despite always rushing and busying about for himself, man remains incapable of controlling himself. If you could know your own prospects, if you could control your own fate, would you still be a creature?” (“Restoring the Normal Life of Man and Taking Him to a Wonderful Destination” in The Word Appears in the Flesh).

　“Is it the thoughts and wishes of man that have brought him to today? Many people go their whole lives without having their wishes fulfilled. Is this really because of a fault in their thinking? Many people’s lives are filled with unexpected happiness and satisfaction. Is this really because they expect too little? Who of the whole of mankind is not cared for in the eyes of the Almighty? Who does not live in the midst of the Almighty’s predestination? Whose birth and death come from their own choices? Does man control his own fate?” (“The Eleventh Utterance” of God’s Utterances to the Entire Universe in The Word Appears in the Flesh). God’s words awakened me to the truth that: People’s everything is in the hands of God and people cannot grasp hold of their destiny themselves. What family a person is born into, their appearance, how cultured they are and what work they will do in the future are all things that God pre-determined long ago. No one can get around this. No wonder my many years of hard work were exchanged for contrary to my wishes. It turns out I am a created being and cannot dominate mine or my child’s own destiny. Mine and my daughter’s destiny is dictated by God. As a created being, one can only obey the dominance of the Lord of creation and be at the mercy of God to be able to attain God’s care and protection. Otherwise one can only be afflicted and fooled by Satan! After I had understood God’s intentions, I gave up the forced education and observation of my child and just prayed to deliver her to God and obeyed the arrangements dictated by God. This way of living felt much more relaxed.