Eastern Lightning| You Should Know How the Whole of Humanity Has Developed to the Present Day (Part Two)

　　Almighty God says, "All of His work is the most actual work. He carries out His work according to the development of the times, and He carries out His most actual work according to the changes of things. For Him, carrying out work is akin to administering medicine to an illness; He observes while doing His work; He works according to His observations. In every stage of His work, He is capable of expressing His ample wisdom and expressing His ample ability; He reveals His ample wisdom and ample authority according to the work of that particular age and allows any of those people brought back by Him during those ages to see His entire disposition. He supplies people’s needs and carries out the work He should do according to the work that must be done in each age; He supplies people’s needs according to the degree to which Satan has corrupted them."

Eastern Lightning| The Twenty-fifth Utterance

Times passes, and in the blink of an eye today has arrived. Under the guidance of My Spirit, all people live amid My light, and no longer does anyone think of the past or pay heed to yesterday. Who has not ever lived in the present day? Who has not spent wonderful days and months in the kingdom? Who has not lived beneath the sun? Though the kingdom has descended among man, no one has truly experienced its warmth; man only regards it from the outside, uncomprehending of its substance. During the time that My kingdom is formed, who does not rejoice because of it? Can the countries on earth really escape? Is the great red dragon really able to escape thanks to its cunning? My administrative decrees are announced throughout the universe, they institute My authority among all people, and come into effect across the cosmos; nevertheless, man has never truly known this. When My administrative decrees are revealed to the universe is also when My work on earth is about to be completed. When I rule and wield power among all men and when I am recognized as the one God Himself, My kingdom will fully descend to earth. Today, all people have a new beginning upon a new path. They have begun a new life, yet no one has ever truly experienced a life on earth akin to heaven. Do you truly live amid My light? Do you truly live among My words? Who does not give thought to their own prospects? Who is not distressed by their own fate? Who does not struggle amid the sea of affliction? Who does not wish to free themselves? Are the blessings of the kingdom in exchange for man’s hard work on earth? Could all of man’s desires be fulfilled just as he wishes? I once presented the beautiful sight of the kingdom before man, yet he merely stared at it with greedy eyes and there were none who truly aspired to enter it. I once “reported” the true situation on earth to man, but he did no more than listen, and did not face the words that came from My mouth with his heart; I once told man of the circumstances in heaven, yet he treated My words as wonderful tales, and did not truly accept that which My mouth described. Today, scenes of the kingdom flash among man, but has anyone ever “crossed peak and vale” in search of it? Without My urging, man would still not have awoken from his dreams. Is really he so enthralled by his life on earth? Are there really no high standards in his heart?

"My Dream of the Heavenly Kingdom" (2) - How to Pursue in Order to Enter the Heavenly Kingdom (2)

Eastern Lightning | "My Dream of the Heavenly Kingdom" (2) - How to Pursue in Order to Enter the Heavenly Kingdom (2)

Most believers of the Lord feel that as long as we follow the words of the Lord, practice humility and patience, and follow Paul's example by sacrificing, expending and laboring for the Lord, we will satisfy the will of God. And we will be brought into the heavenly kingdom when the Lord returns. However, have we ever considered whether such a quest would really earn the Lord's praise and admission to the heavenly kingdom? If not, how should we pursue to earn the praise of the Lord and be brought into the heavenly kingdom?

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Eastern Lightning | Almighty God's Word "The Work in the Age of Law"

　　Almighty God says, "During the Age of Law, Jehovah laid down many commandments for Moses to pass on to the Israelites who followed him out of Egypt. Jehovah gave these commandments to the Israelites, which were unrelated to the Egyptians, and they were meant to restrain the Israelites, and were His requirements for them. Whether one observed the Sabbath, whether one respected one’s parents, whether one worshiped idols, and so forth, these were the principles by which one was judged sinful or righteous. Whether one was struck by Jehovah’s fire, or stoned to death, or received Jehovah’s blessing, was determined according to whether one obeyed these commandments. Those who did not observe the Sabbath were stoned to death. Those priests who did not observe the Sabbath were smitten by Jehovah’s fire. Those who did not respect their parents were also stoned to death. This was all commended by Jehovah. Jehovah established His commandments and laws so that as He led their lives, the people would listen to and obey His word and not rebel against Him. He used these laws to control the newborn human race, to lay the foundation for His work to come. And so, because of the work that Jehovah did, the first age was called the Age of Law."

Eastern Lightning| The Twenty-fourth Utterance

My chastisement comes upon all people, yet it also remains distant from all people. Each life of every person is filled with love and hate toward Me, and no one has ever known Me—and so man’s attitude toward Me blows hot and cold, and is incapable of being normal. Yet I have always cared for and protected man, and it is only because of his dull-wittedness that he is incapable of seeing all of My deeds and understanding My eager intentions. I am the leading One among all countries, and the Most High among all people; it is simply that man does not know Me. For many years I have lived among man and experienced life in the world of man, yet he has always ignored Me and treated Me like a being from outer space. In consequence, because of differences in disposition and language, people treat Me like a stranger in the street. My clothing, it seems, is also too idiosyncratic, as a result of which man lacks the confidence to approach Me. Only then do I feel the desolation of life among man, and only then do I sense the injustice of the world of man. I walk among passers-by, observing all of their faces. It is as if they live in the midst of an illness, which fills their faces with melancholy, and among chastisement, which prevents their release. Man shackles himself, and abases himself. Most people create a false impression of themselves before Me so that I might applaud them, most people deliberately make themselves appear pitiable before Me so that they might gain My help. Behind My back, people all deceive Me and disobey Me. Am I not right? Is this not man’s survival strategy? Who has ever lived out Me in their lives? Who has ever exalted Me among others? Who has ever been bound before the Spirit? Who has ever stood firm in their testimony to Me before Satan? Who has ever added the truthfulness to their “loyalty” to Me? Who has ever been eliminated by the great red dragon because of Me? People have cast their lot in with Satan, they are experts at defying Me, they are the inventors of opposition to Me, and they are graduates in paltering with Me. For the sake of his own destiny, man searches here and there on earth; when I beckon him, he remains insensible to My preciousness and continues to have “faith” in his reliance upon himself, unwilling to be a “burden” on others. Man’s aspirations are precious, yet never have anyone’s aspirations achieved full marks: They all crumble before Me, toppling without sound.

Eastern Lightning| Almighty God's Word "The Work of Spreading the Gospel Is Also the Work of Saving Man"

　　Almighty God says, "You must know that when My work is expanding, I will scatter you, and I will strike you just as Jehovah struck the tribes of Israel. All this will be done so that My gospel may be enlarged over all the earth, so that My work may spread to the Gentile nations. Thus, My name will be magnified by adults and children alike and My holy name will be exalted by the mouths of people from all tribes and nations. In the final era, I will have My name magnified among the Gentile nations, make My deeds seen by the Gentiles so they will call Me the Almighty, and cause My words to soon come to pass. I will make all people know that I am not only the God of the Israelites, but the God of all Gentile nations, even of the nations I have cursed. I will let all people see that I am the God of all creation. This is My greatest work, the purpose of My work plan for the last days, and the only work to be fulfilled in the last days.

Eastern Lightning| Almighty God's Word "What Do You Know of Faith?"

Almighty God says, "My deeds are greater in number than the grains of sand on the beaches, and My wisdom greater than that of all those sons of Solomon, yet men merely think of Me as a physician of little account and an unknown teacher of man! How many believe in Me only so I would heal them? How many believe in Me only so I would use My powers to drive unclean spirits out of their bodies? And how many believe in Me simply to receive peace and joy from Me? How many believe in Me only to demand from Me more material wealth, and how many believe in Me just to spend this life in safety and to be safe and sound in the world to come? How many believe in Me only to avoid the suffering of hell and to receive the blessings of heaven? How many believe in Me only for temporary comfort but do not seek to gain anything in the world to come? "

Eastern Lightning| The Twenty-third Utterance

As My voice sounds out, as My eyes shoot forth fire, I am watching over the whole earth, I am observing the entire universe. All humanity are praying to Me, turning their gaze up to Me, beseeching Me to cease My anger, and swearing to rebel against Me no more. But this is no longer the past; it is now. Who can turn back My will? Surely not the invocation within men’s hearts, nor the words in their mouths? Who has been able to survive until the present, if not because of Me? Who survives except by the words in My mouth? Who does not lie under My watchful eye? As I carry out My new work on the whole earth, who has ever been able to escape from it? Could it be that the mountains are able to evade it by means of their height? Could it be that the waters, by their multitudinous vastness, are able to fend it off? In My plan, I have never lightly let any thing go, and so there has never been any person, or any thing, that has eluded the grasp of My hands. Today, My holy name is extolled throughout humanity, and again, words of protest rise up against Me throughout humanity, and legends about My being on earth are rife throughout humanity. I do not tolerate men making their judgments about Me, nor do I tolerate their dividing up My body, still less do I tolerate their vituperations against Me. Because he has never truly known Me, man has always resisted and deceived Me, failing to cherish My Spirit or to treasure My words. For his every deed and action, and for the attitude he bears toward Me, I give man the “reward” that is his due. And so, men all act with an eye to their “reward,” and not a single one has ever done any work involving self-sacrifice. Human beings are unwilling to render selfless dedication, but rather delight in rewards that can be got for nothing. Though Peter consecrated himself before Me, it was not for the sake of tomorrow’s reward, but for the sake of the knowledge of today. Humanity has never entered into a genuine connection with Me, but time and time again has dealt with Me in a superficial manner, thinking thereby effortlessly to win My approval. I have looked deep into man’s heart, so I have unearthed in its innermost recesses “a mine of many riches,” something of which even man himself is not yet aware but that I have discovered anew. And so, only when they have seen the “material evidence,” only then do human beings cease their sanctimonious self-abasement and, with palms outstretched, admit to their own unclean state. Among men, there is much more that is new and fresh waiting for Me to “extract” for the enjoyment of all humanity. Far from stopping My work on account of man’s incapacitation, I carry on mending and maintaining him in accordance with My original plan. Man is like a fruit tree: Without trimming and pruning, the tree will fail to bear fruit and, in the end, all one sees are withered branches and fallen leaves, with no fruit dropping onto the ground.