The Commandments of the New Age

You have been told to equip yourselves with the words of God, that regardless of what is arranged for you, all is orchestrated by God’s own hand, and that there is no need for your earnest prayer or supplication—they are useless. Yet in terms of the present situation, the practical problems facing you are unimaginable to you. If you merely await the arrangements of God, your progress will be too slow, and for those who don’t know how to experience there will be much passivity. Thus, if you are unable to completely see through to these things, then you are muddled and silly in your experiencing. If you have no reality but only words, is this not a sign of erroneousness? Much erroneousness is visible in you, this group. Today, you’re incapable of achieving such trials as “service-doers,” or else are incapable of imagining or achieving other refinement related to the words of God, but you must adhere to the many things you are required to put into practice.

Eastern Lightning | On Experience

Throughout Peter’s experiences, he encountered hundreds of trials. Though the people of today are aware of the term “trial,” they are confused as to its true meaning and circumstances. God tempers people’s determination, refines their confidence, and perfects every part of them—and this is primarily achieved through trials, which are also the hidden work of the Holy Spirit. It seems as though God has forsaken people, and so if they are not careful, they will view these trials as the temptations of Satan.

What an Adequate Shepherd Should Be Equipped With

You must have an understanding of the many conditions men will be in when the Holy Spirit performs work on them. In particular, those who coordinate to serve God must have an even better grasp of the many conditions brought about by the work that the Holy Spirit performs on men. If you only talk about many experiences and many ways of entering in, it shows that your experience is too one-sided. Without knowing your true state or grasping the principles of the truth, it’s not possible to achieve a change in disposition. Without knowing the principles of the Holy Spirit’s work or understanding the fruit borne of it, it will be difficult to discern the work of evil spirits. You must expose the work of evil spirits and the notions of men and go straight to the heart of the issue; you must also point out many deviations in people’s practice or problems in believing in God so that they may recognize them.

A Person Who Attains Salvation Is One Who Is Willing to Practice the Truth

Very early on, the necessity of having a proper church life was mentioned in the sermons. So why is it that the life of the church has not yet improved, and is still just the same old thing? Why is there not a completely new and different way of life? Could it be proper for a person of the nineties to live like an emperor of a bygone era? Although the food and drink may be delicacies rarely tasted in previous ages, there have been no major turnarounds in conditions in the church. It has been like putting old wine in a new bottle. What then is the use of God saying so much? The churches in most places have not changed at all. I have seen it with My eyes and it is clear in My heart; even though I have not experienced the life of the church for Myself, I know the conditions of church gatherings like the back of My hand. They have not made much progress. It goes back to that saying—it’s like putting old wine in a new bottle. Nothing has changed, not in the least bit! When someone is shepherding them they burn like fire, but when no one is there to support them, they are like a block of ice. Not many can talk of practical things, and very rarely can anyone take the helm. Although the sermons are lofty, seldom has anyone had any entry. Few people cherish the word of God. They become tearful when they take up God’s word and become cheerful when they set it aside; they turn gloomy and morose when they depart from it. Speaking frankly, you simply do not cherish the word of God, and you never see the words from His own mouth today as a treasure.

Practice the Truth Once You Understand It

God’s work and word are meant to bring about a change in your disposition; His goal isn’t merely to make you understand or recognize it and have that be the end of it. As one with the ability to receive, you should have no difficulty in understanding the word of God, as most of God’s word is written in human language that is only too easy to understand. For instance, you can know what God wants you to understand and practice; this is something that a normal person who has the faculty of understanding should be able to do. What God says now is especially clear and transparent, and God points out many things that people have not considered and the various conditions of man. His words are all-embracing, as clear as the light of a full moon. So now, people understand many issues; what they lack is putting His word into practice. People must experience all aspects of truth in detail, and explore and seek it out in greater detail, not simply wait to take in what’s readily given to them; otherwise they become little more than freeloaders.

Concerning God’s Use of Man

No one is capable of living independently except for those who are given special direction and guidance by the Holy Spirit, for they require the ministry and shepherding of those who are used by God. Thus, in each age God raises up different people who rush and busy about shepherding the churches for the sake of His work. Which is to say, God’s work must be done through those whom He looks favorably upon and approves of; the Holy Spirit must use the part within them that is worthy of use in order to work, and they are made fit for use by God through being made perfect by the Holy Spirit. Because man’s ability to understand is too lacking, he must be shepherded by those who are used by God; it was the same with God’s use of Moses, in whom He found much that was suitable for use at the time, and which He used to do God’s work during that stage. In this stage, God uses a man whilst also taking advantage of the part of him that can be used by the Holy Spirit in order to work, and the Holy Spirit both directs him and simultaneously makes perfect the remaining, unusable part.

On Everyone Performing Their Function

In the current stream, every person that truly loves God has the opportunity to be perfected by Him. Regardless of whether they are young or old, so long as they keep in their hearts an obedience to God and reverence for Him, they will be able to be perfected by Him. God perfects people according to their different functions. So long as you have done all in your strength and submit yourself to the work of God you will be able to be perfected by Him. At present none of you are perfect. Sometimes you are able to perform one type of function and sometimes you are able to perform two; so long as you give all your strength to expend yourselves for God, ultimately you will be perfected by God.