3 Paths to Welcoming the Lord Jesus’ Return

By Yanjin

    Being able to welcome the second coming of the Lord Jesus is the greatest wish of those who truly believe in the Lord. So how can we welcome the Lord Jesus? What follows is fellowship on the three main paths so that we may welcome the Lord’s return together.

1. Don’t Rely on Notions and Imaginings, Have a God-fearing Heart

    In the Bible, it is recorded, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, said Jehovah. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8–9). God’s words say, “We should all know that people, who are of the flesh, have all been corrupted by Satan. It is their nature to oppose God, and they are not on a parity with God, much less can they offer counsel for the work of God. How God guides man is the work of God Himself. Man should submit, and should not hold such and such a view, for man is but dust” (“Only He Who Experiences the Work of God Truly Believes in God”). God is the Lord of creation, and His work and words reveal His authority, power, wondrousness, and wisdom. Whether or not God’s deeds are in line with our notions and whether we can understand them, as He is the Creator, we should all seek, accept, and submit with a God-fearing heart. This is the kind of reason that we as humans should possess. If we are arrogant, relying on our own notions and imaginings to delimit God’s work, if we always hold on to many of our own ideas regarding the Lord’s return, demanding that God do this or that, we will be prone to doing things that oppose God. Just like when the Lord Jesus came to work—the Pharisees entirely lacked hearts of reverence for God, so they didn’t engage in seeking regarding His work. They well knew that the words the Lord Jesus uttered possessed authority and power, but they still haughtily took their own notions and imaginings as the truth, believing that when God came His name would be Messiah, and He would be born into an aristocratic line to be the King of the Jews. But when God came, His name was Jesus and He was born into an average family. He didn’t act as their king, either, so the Pharisees passed judgment, thinking that the Lord Jesus wasn’t the Messiah and He wasn’t God. And based on what they imagined, the Pharisees believed that when the Messiah came, He would first enlighten them and reveal Himself to them, and that He would work from within the temple. They didn’t think He would be working and preaching among such lowly people as harlots, publicans, and fishermen; they believed He would continue guiding them to keep the laws of the Old Testament. But in the Lord Jesus’ work, He came out from the temple and frequently sat down to break bread with sinners. He preached and worked among the common people, He worked on the Sabbath, He allowed His disciples to pluck and eat grain on the Sabbath day, and He required that His followers keep to the teachings of the new age, and so on. But the Pharisees arrogantly, stubbornly clung to their own notions and imaginings, resisting, condemning, judging, and blaspheming the Lord Jesus with all their might. Ultimately, they colluded with the Roman government to crucify Him; this seriously offended God’s disposition and they suffered God’s righteous punishment. The failure of the Pharisees clearly shows us that relying on our own notions and imaginings in our approach to God’s words and work makes us likely to resist God and offend His disposition. This leads to being rejected and punished by God. So, in welcoming the coming of the Lord, we absolutely cannot delimit or judge God’s coming based on our own notions and imaginings. Instead, we must let go of those things, maintain a heart of reverence for God, and seek the truth with an open mind based on the Lord’s words. This is the only way we’ll be able to welcome the return of the Lord. Just as the Lord Jesus said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. … Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:3, 6).

Is There Any Biblical Basis for the Statement “Once Saved, Always Saved”?

By Yang Xin

    The sun sank into the west, and the last light of the sinking sun spread across the world as I walked back home after a meeting, thinking of what the pastor had said: “Once saved, then we are always saved, for the Bible says, ‘That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes to righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made to salvation’ (Romans 10:9-10). As we believe in the Lord Jesus, as long as we believe in our hearts and acknowledge Him with our mouths, then we are saved, and if we are saved once then we are always saved. As long as we keep working and expending ourselves for the Lord and endure till the very end, then when the Lord returns, we will immediately be raptured up into the kingdom of heaven!” I gave an Amen to the pastor’s words: “Yes! The Lord Jesus was nailed to the cross so that we could be redeemed, so as long as we call upon the Lord’s name, confess our sins and repent to the Lord, then our sins will be absolved and we will be saved by His grace—once saved, always saved, and afterward we will surely be raptured up into the kingdom of heaven.” Over the years of my belief in the Lord, I had always firmly believed that this view was correct, and never once doubted it.

Praise and Worship Song With Lyrics | "The Call of Our Beloved"

Praise and Worship Song With Lyrics | "The Call of Our Beloved"

Verse 1

Who keeps uttering His voice, speaking to mankind?

Who is always watching, staying by man’s side?

It’s our beloved, Almighty God!

He’s heard the helpless cries from the depths of our hearts.

He can’t bear to see our struggles under Satan.

He’s come to express truth in the last days to save man.

Bridge 1

He’s calling us home, yearns for our change of heart.

He brings life’s living water, His words nourish our hearts.

He soothes our inner wounds, guides us to the right path.

We fall before Him and pour out our hearts.

Our tears of thanks spill out, covering our clothes.

We cry out in thanks to Almighty God.

Why Does God Let Us Experience Trials and Refinement?

By Li Tong

    Many Christians feel confused: God is love and He is almighty, so why does He allow us to suffer? Could it be that He has abandoned us? This question always used to puzzle me, but lately, through prayer and seeking, I’ve gained a bit of enlightenment and light. This has resolved my misunderstandings of God, and I’ve come to understand that suffering is not God casting us aside, but instead is very carefully arranged by God in order to purify and save us. These trials and refinement are God’s greatest grace for us!

Praise and Worship Dance Song | "Praise God With an Undivided Heart"

Praise and Worship Dance Song | "Praise God With an Undivided Heart" 

Pre-verse 1

We gather to eat, drink, enjoy God’s words,

and we receive the Holy Spirit’s work.

Verse 1

We think of God, pray-read, have fellowship,

and we meditate, ponder, and seek God.

Living in God’s words, we see He is lovely.

The truth frees us; we taste God’s real love.

Church life is great; praise takes many forms.

We can’t help but sing and dance in God’s praise.

There are no rules or restraints in our praise.

Sincere praise makes us joyful always.

English Gospel Song With Lyrics | "All God's People Praise Him to the Fullest"

English Gospel Song With Lyrics | "All God's People Praise Him to the Fullest"

Verse 1

We have been raptured before God.

We join the rich feast, so happy.

We enjoy God's words and understand the truth,

our spirits are liberated and feel so free.

Our hearts are so filled with thanks and praise.

We can't help but sing.

The joy in our hearts is impossible to express.

Chorus

Praise and leap for joy. God deserves honor and glory.

God's will is carried out on earth.

All God's people praise Him to the fullest.

How the Prophecy of the Lord Jesus’ Return Is Fulfilled

      Dear brothers and sisters:

     Hello everyone, I’m very happy to see you all here. First, let’s give thanks to God for preparing this opportunity for us, and may God guide us and work amongst us.

     Brothers and sisters, after our Lord Jesus had resurrected and risen up to heaven, all of us who believe in the Lord yearn for Him to soon return in order to make our many years of wishes come true, and so that we could receive His promise and enjoy His blessings. Especially in the last days, our desire to see the Lord’s return is even more urgent. The prophecies of the Lord Jesus’ return have basically been fulfilled now, and we have all seen or already heard of the frequent occurrences of all kinds of disasters in all nations of the world. They are, moreover, without historical precedent, and there are disasters occurring everywhere, such as floods, droughts, earthquakes, plagues and wars. The state of the world is also in turmoil, and there are frequent wars and terrorist attacks. Furthermore, the sermons of pastors and elders in the church are nothing but stale platitudes without any new light whatsoever. Many believers hear these sermons and feel no enjoyment, and desolation takes the place of their faith and love. Is this not precisely the situation when the prophecy of the Lord Jesus’ return is to be fulfilled? The Lord Jesus said: “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near: So you in like manner, when you shall see these things come to pass, know that it is near, even at the doors” (Mark 13:28–29). We all know that this passage of scripture is referring to the reemergence of Israel. Israel reemerged several decades ago, the fig tree has put forth tender leaves, and the prophecies of the Lord Jesus’ return have basically already been fulfilled. Brothers and sisters, since these prophecies have basically already been fulfilled, why then haven’t we seen the Lord Jesus descending upon a white cloud? Could it be that He has forgotten the promise He made two thousand years ago? Surely not, for God is faithful and His words are both faithful and to be trusted; when He utters a word, it will then necessarily be fulfilled in accordance with His plans and with the promise He made to man. Just as it is recorded in the Bible: “He that shall come will come, and will not tarry” (Hebrews 10:37). In fact, the Lord Jesus long ago incarnated and descended in secret amongst us in accordance with His promise, and He now performs a new work. But some brothers and sisters believe that it is clearly recorded in the Bible: “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). They believe that, because the Lord Jesus resurrected and ascended into heaven upon a white cloud, therefore when He returns, He will certainly descend upon a white cloud in the sky and everyone will be able to see Him. And so they ask how it can be said that the Lord has already incarnated and has descended in secret? And if that is the case, they ask, then how will the prophecy that the Lord shall descend upon a white cloud be fulfilled? We will now fellowship about this issue.

I Am Following the Footsteps of the Lamb

By Shen Ai, Singapore

    When I was 18 years old my mother got ill, and so she started believing in the Lord Jesus. At the time, I knew the Lord Jesus’ name but didn’t understand anything about faith in the Lord. It was quite a coincidence that I later went to work for a company where most of the employees were Christians. Through interacting with them, I saw how they treated people with love and patience, and I came to believe that Christians were a pretty good bunch of people. During that period, there was a colleague who often told me the story about how the Lord Jesus was nailed to the cross in order to redeem mankind. I gradually developed an interest in faith in the Lord, and started going with my colleagues to their church to worship. The first time I entered the church and heard hymns praising God being sung I was unexpectedly moved to tears by the Lord’s love. I prayed to the Lord like this: “Oh, Lord Jesus! Thank You for picking me out of the vast ocean of humanity to become one of Your daughters. I wish to follow You forever….” During that period, whenever I met some difficulties in my daily life, or was mocked by my friends and relatives because of my faith in the Lord, as long as I came in front of the Lord and prayed, my spirit would find immense release. I felt that the Lord Jesus was my only reliance in life and that I would never leave the Lord’s side. At that time my favorite hymn was: “Rock, rock, Jesus Christ! Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven, only You are the Savior. You are the Mediator, You are the Son of God, You are the Lamb. You are the way and the truth, You are the life, You are the light, You are the rock, the fortress, the city of refuge and the shield. We belong to You; we will never be shaken from generation to generation.” And this is how I relied on the Lord’s great power and motivation gained from the guidance of the Lord’s words to get through all the difficulties and troubles of life.

What are the differences between the way the Lord Jesus worked in the Age of Grace and the way Almighty God works in the Age of Kingdom?

Relevant Words of God:

During His first incarnation, it was necessary for God to heal the sick and cast out demons because His work was to redeem. In order to redeem the entire human race, He needed to be compassionate and forgiving. The work that He did before He was crucified was healing the sick and casting out demons, which presaged His salvation of man from sin and filth. Because it was the Age of Grace, it was necessary for Him to heal the sick, thereby showing signs and wonders, which were representative of grace in that age; for the Age of Grace centered around the bestowal of grace, symbolized by peace, joy, and material blessings, all tokens of people’s faith in Jesus.

from “The Essence of the Flesh Inhabited by God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh

2019 Praise Dance | "Praise God With an Undivided Heart"

Praise Dance | "Praise God With an Undivided Heart"

Pre-verse 1

We gather to eat, drink, enjoy God’s words,

and we receive the Holy Spirit’s work.

Verse 1

We think of God, pray-read, have fellowship,

and we meditate, ponder, and seek God.

Living in God’s words, we see He is lovely.

The truth frees us; we taste God’s real love.

Church life is great; praise takes many forms.

We can’t help but sing and dance in God’s praise.

There are no rules or restraints in our praise.

Sincere praise makes us joyful always.

Gospel Movie Clip "Who Is He That Has Returned" - Testimonies of Experiencing Judgment Before the Seat of Christ

Gospel Movie Clip "Who Is He That Has Returned"

Introduction

Listen! The brothers and sisters from the Church of Almighty God are talking about their testimonies of how they experience the judgment and chastisement of God’s word to get their disposition changed.

Storyline:

Jin Yinglu was a devout pastor in Korean religious world. He thirsted for the truth and expected the return of the Lord Jesus all along. One day in 2013, he came across the words expressed by Almighty God in Chosun Ilbo, and immediately his heart was deeply touched by those words which are full of authority and power. In order to ascertain whether Almighty God is his long-expected Savior Jesus, he began to seek and investigate the work and word of Almighty God. … As one doubt after another was solved, Jin Yinglu was so excited and fell on his face: Almighty God is the Lord Jesus who has returned in the last days; He has long quietly come among man and done the work of “judgment beginning with the house of God”!

The Church of Almighty God: The Most Persecuted Religious Movement In China

The Church of Almighty God has replaced Falun Gong as the main target of Chinese religious persecution. Here is the essential information on what this Church is and why it is persecuted.

Eastern Lightning

Readers of Bitter Winter frequently encounter references to The Church of Almighty God, a Chinese Christian new religious movement. There is a good reason for this. The Church of Almighty God is the most persecuted religious group in China today, often referred to as “the new Falun Gong”— not because of its theology, which is obviously very different, but because it has become the main target of the repression of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), a position Falun Gong occupied until a few years ago.

How Did She Find a Suitable Job Abroad Without Work Experience?

By Xing Yue, Italy

“Hello, please can I ask whether your restaurant is hiring any staff at the moment?”

“Can you speak a foreign language? Do you have work experience?”

“No, sorry, I don’t speak any foreign language and I don’t have any work experience.”

“In that case, I’m sorry. We need skilled workers, not interns at this time.”

When the telephone call ended, thoughts swirled through my mind: “Oh dear, this is the third call I’ve made today trying to find a job. If I can’t find a job, then I won’t be able to afford this month’s rent.”

My Roommate Gives Me Advice in My Fruitless Job Hunt

My roommate saw me sigh and came over. She said, “You’re too honest. Whenever you’re asked something, you always tell the truth, and you certainly won’t find a job that way. You have to learn to bend the truth a little. When someone asks you whether or not you can speak a foreign language, you say, ‘A little.’ When they ask you whether or not you have any work experience, you say, ‘I haven’t been working long.’ Wouldn’t that be better? Secure a job first and then think about honesty!” When I heard my roommate say this, I felt a little worried, and said, “But wouldn’t that be lying? I can only say simple greetings in a foreign language, and I’ve only worked in a restaurant for one evening, so I don’t really have any work experience at all. It’s not right to say things like that.” My roommate went on, saying, “Xing Yue, you’re too stubborn! You can learn languages and store up work experience gradually as you go along. Who would know that you’ve only worked in a restaurant for one evening if you didn’t tell them? You don’t have the money for rent right now, and if you don’t hurry up and find a job, then you won’t even be able to afford to live here at all.” My roommate’s advice began to sway me, and I thought: “She’s right. When I tell the truth, no manager wants to hire me. If I lied just once for the sake of providing for myself, surely that would be OK?” But then I thought of how God enjoins us many times in His words to be honest people, to always tell the truth and not to tell lies or try to deceive people. I am a Christian, and I knew I should take God’s words as the standards for how I live my life, for only in that way could I glorify and bear witness to God. “No,” I thought. “I’d best heed God’s words and be an honest person.”

What Does the Resurrection of the Dead in the Bible Mean?

By Xiangwang

    At 3:00 p.m., in a boat in the middle of a river, Jiang Xun was chatting with his aunt who had returned to China to preach.

    During their conversation, Jiang Xun discovered that his aunt now saw more clearly the things regarding faith and had very unique insight into them. So, Jiang Xun said enviously, “Auntie, after you came back from America this time, much of what you have talked about is what I’ve never heard. You must have gained a lot in America. I’d like to ask you a question. The Bible says, ‘Thus said the Lord Jehovah to these bones; Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live: And I will lay sinews on you, and will bring up flesh on you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am Jehovah’ (Ezekiel 37:5–6). ‘In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised’ (1 Corinthians 15:52). ‘For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first’ (1 Thessalonians 4:16). These verses say clearly that when the Lord comes back, He will show great miracles so that the dead will be resurrected instantly, emerging from their tombs like Lazarus did. At that time, we’ll see the martyrs to the Lord. However, not long ago, my old classmate told me that the resurrection of the dead is not, as I imagine, the dead being brought back to life and coming out from their tombs. Instead, it refers to those whose spirits are dead after Satan’s corruption coming alive. I don’t quite understand what he told me. Could it be that my view is wrong? Auntie, can you discuss your opinion?”

I Can Get Along With My Daughter Who Lives From Paycheck to Paycheck

By Song Ling

Children’s Excessive Consumption Brought Their Mothers Annoyance

One Sunday, I was chatting with several mothers in Lan Bei Park.

Aunt Liu said helplessly, “Yesterday my child spent a few hundred yuan on four dresses. Today she is going to eat at a restaurant with her friends. She doesn’t feel any regrets for spending money, as if it were got without pains. No matter what I say, she won’t listen, and when I talk too much, she will get peeved off. Alas, I really cannot control her.”

“My daughter is the same. She spends money like it’s water. When she sees clothes that she likes, she will buy them, and her wardrobe gets stuffed full of clothes. I’m frugal and even unwilling to buy a dress or shoes, while she spends three or four hundred yuan on a dress. What’s worse, she can’t bear any criticism of this, and even blames me for nagging her that she doesn’t speak to me—she is too immature. This really fills me with anger and helplessness.”

Gospel Music "Chinese Gospel Choir 14th Performance"

The Son of Man Is Come | Gospel Music "Chinese Gospel Choir 14th Performance"

Songs of Choir:

1. The Substance of Christ Is God

2. The Incarnate God Is Very Important to Mankind

1.The Substance of Christ Is God

God become flesh is called Christ, and so the Christ that can give people the truth is called God. There is nothing excessive about this, for He possesses the substance of God, He possesses the substance of God, and possesses God’s disposition, and wisdom in His work, that are unattainable by man. Those who call themselves Christ, call themselves Christ, yet cannot do the work of God, are frauds. Christ is not merely the manifestation of God on earth, but instead, the particular flesh assumed by God as He carries out and completes His work among man. 

Can Those Who Are Saved by Faith Enter God’s Kingdom?

By Saverio, Italy

    Some Christians believe that as long as they accept the Lord Jesus’ salvation of the cross, verbally acknowledge the Lord and believe in Him in their hearts, then they are saved and will be able to enter the heavenly kingdom. There is also a biblical basis for this belief, which is: “That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes to righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made to salvation” (Romans 10:9–10). They therefore believe even more strongly that those who are saved by faith can enter into the heavenly kingdom. But there are some Christians who remain confused, and they think that, seeing as we are capable of becoming hot-headed and losing our tempers at people every day, so much so that we are not even able to show our family members tolerance and patience, and we are capable of telling lies to deceive others in our everyday lives, can people such as this who live in sin enter into the kingdom of God? Let’s fellowship about this topic today.

A Hymn of God's Word | "God's Pity on Mankind"

1. “Pity” can be understood in different ways. It means to love, protect, and care. “Pity” means to be deeply attached to. It also means caring, but caring too much to hurt. All in all, it’s a reflection of love and tenderness, or expression of feeling that you won’t give them up. All in all, it’s a reflection of love and tenderness, or expression of feeling that you won’t give them up. This is God’s mercy and His tolerance to man. Although God used a word common to the human, but it carries the voice of His heart and His attitude toward man. When God spoke, all was revealed in full.

What Is the Meaning of “a Great Sound of a Trumpet” in the Bible?

By Xiaochen

    In the recent several gatherings，how to welcome the Lord’s return had been a hot topic. The Lord Jesus said, “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Matthew 24:30–31). Everyone at the meeting had a different understanding of “a great sound of a trumpet” in this verse, and they started a heated discussion.

Is Working Hard Equivalent to Obeying God?

By Jinyan

    Li Xin is a co-worker in a church. Over the years of her belief in the Lord, she has always enthusiastically expended and worked for the Lord and has suffered and paid a price for Him. No matter what the church needed her to do, she would actively do it; even when faced with the danger of being arrested and persecuted by the CCP, she still persisted in spreading the gospel. She firmly believed that her forsaking and expending for the Lord was obeying God, that the Lord would definitely take delight in her, and that she would surely have a place in the kingdom of heaven in the future.

    One day, she went to support some weak brothers and sisters with Sister Lin. On their way back, they bumped into Sister Dong, and then the three of them began to chat while sitting on an out-of-the-way lawn.