Daily devotion

Daily devotion

Do you know the first command of God to man since He created man? Maybe when you know the answer, you'll dismissive and think: I have read the verses countless times. But have you thought? Though we know the letters of the scripture, we may not understand God's will behind it. Do you know what God's expectation is contained in this word of God? Have you felt God's love to mankind from it?

1. God’s Command to Adam

(Gen 2:15-17) And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die.

Did you get anything out of these verses? How does this part of the scriptures make you feel? Why was “God’s Command to Adam” extracted from the scriptures? Do each of you now have a snapshot of God and Adam in your minds? You can try to imagine: If you were the one in that scene, what would the God in your heart be like? What emotions does this image make you feel? This is a moving and heartwarming picture. Though there is only God and man in it, the intimacy between them is so worthy of envy: God’s profuse love is gratuitously bestowed upon man, surrounds man; man is naive and innocent, unencumbered and carefree, blissfully living under God’s eye; God shows concern for man, while man lives under God’s protection and blessing; every single thing man does and says is closely linked to and inseparable from God.

You can say that this is the first command God gave man since creating him. What does this command carry? It carries God’s will, but it also carries His worries for mankind. This is God’s first command, and it is also the first time God worries about man. That is to say, God has had a responsibility toward man since the moment He created him. What is His responsibility? He has to protect man, to look after man. He hopes man can trust and obey His words. This is also God’s first expectation of man. It is with this expectation that God says the following: “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die.” These simple words represent God’s will. They also reveal that God’s heart has already begun to show concern for man. Among all things, only Adam was made in God’s image; Adam is the only living thing with God’s breath of life; he can walk with God, converse with God. That is why God gave him such a command. God made it very plain in this command what man can do, as well as what he cannot do.

In these few simple words, we see God’s heart. But what kind of heart do we see? Is there love in God’s heart? Does it have any concern in it? God’s love and concern in these verses can not only be appreciated by people, but it can also well and truly be felt. Isn’t that so? Now that I’ve said these things, do you still think these are just a few simple words? Not so simple, right? Could you see this before? If God personally told you these few words, how would you feel inside? If you are not a humane person, if your heart is ice cold, then you wouldn’t feel anything, you wouldn’t appreciate God’s love, and you wouldn’t try to understand God’s heart. But if you are a person with a conscience, with humanity, then you would feel differently. You would feel warmth, you would feel cared for and loved, and you would feel happiness. Isn’t that right? When you feel these things, how will you act toward God? Would you feel attached to God? Would you love and respect God from the bottom of your heart? Would your heart grow closer to God? You can see from this just how important God’s love is to man. But what is even more crucial is man’s appreciation and comprehension of God’s love. In fact, doesn’t God say a lot of similar things during this stage of His work? But do the people of today appreciate God’s heart? Can you grasp the will of God I just spoke of? You can’t even discern God’s will when it is this concrete, tangible, and realistic. That’s why I say you don’t have real knowledge and understanding of God. Is this not true? That is all we will communicate on this section.

from Continuation of The Word Appears in the Flesh

Recommend:

Read More

Strongest Hurricane Ever Recorded Kills 14 People; Warnings of the Last Days Escalate

Strongest Hurricane Ever Recorded Kills 14 People; Warnings of the Last Days Escalate

Hurricane Irma, a Category 5 storm, the strongest storm ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean sped across the Caribbean islands on Thursday morning (September 7th), which damaged many buildings and trees, affected over 1.2 million people, and made thousands of people homeless and killed at least 14 people. Almost 90 percent of all structures on Antigua and Barbuda had been destroyed, rendering the islands “barely habitable.” The hurricane Irma has been downgraded after making landfall in Haiti, Turks and Caicos Islands and Bahamas. When Irma makes its closest approach to Florida with 180 miles per hour—most likely before 10th—the state government has ordered all public schools closed and issued a mandatory evacuation order for 500 thousand residents.

Earlier Report

Irma, a category five hurricane, has sustained winds of 183 mph (295 km/h) for more than 33 hours, becoming the longest storm to sustain this speed since the 1970s. Predicted by the Meteo France, it may sustain this speed until it reaches Bahamas.

After the once-in-a-hundred-year total solar eclipse, we encountered Typhoon Hato. Hong Kong Weather Bureau raised its typhoon warning signal to 10, the highest level. And it’s closely followed by the great flood in America which can be said once in a millennium and caused by Hurricane Harvey, which is Category 4. Before the influence of Hurricane Harvey to America gone, a Category 5 Hurricane Irma came and it lunged at America again after ravaging Caribbean Sea. These disasters, occurred one after another, have continually broken all weather recordings, which made people feel fear. Moreover, many meteorologists have predicted that the future disasters will be greater and greater.

Way back when the total solar eclipse occurred, many people thought it was God’s reminding to us and there will be disasters afterwards. An American preacher, Anne Graham Lotz published a blog post, “Is God’s Judgment Coming on America?” to remind people that the solar eclipse was not something that should be celebrated but God’s warning to us, and maybe God’s judgment will come upon America. He called on people to return to God and render our hearts in sincere, heartfelt repentance. Australian pastor, Steve Cioccolanti who is a Discover Ministry also posted a video, “IS AMERICA IN THE BIBLE | GREAT AMERICAN ECLIPSE AUG 21st, 2017 A REAL END TIME SIGN” and he thought the solar eclipse was the sign of the last days. What’s more, eight American church leaders claimed in a report that the solar eclipse was the sign of the last days and also the sign of the Lord Jesus’ return.

Let’s check the Bible together:

“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring” (Luke 21:25).

“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21).

From these scriptures, we can see the prophecies about the last days have almost all been fulfilled. The disasters we encounter are greater and greater, from which we can see the Lord’s day has come. We are all expecting the Lord’s coming, so that He can take us to be by His side from the sufferings of the last days, and we can be saved and enter the kingdom of heaven. From the upper trend in disaster occurrence, we can see welcoming the Lord’s return has become a top priority, which is also extremely urgent. But do we really know how to welcome the Lord’s second coming? Many believers think we just need to earnestly serve God; some think no one can know the Lord’s coming, but when He comes, people will know it. We all have different opinions about welcoming the Lord’s return and different views about the scriptures. But the Lord Jesus taught us only by being wise virgins and recognizing the voice of the bridegroom can we welcome the Lord’s return. Just as it is said in the Bible, “However, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come” (Jhn 16:13). From this verse, we can see that when the Lord Jesus comes, He will speak more words and will show us things to come. At that time, only those who focus on hearing the voice of God will be able to receive the return of the Lord. Because it is recorded in the Bible, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev 3:20). Thank God. May we all be wise virgins and welcome the Lord’s second coming!

Recommended:
Super Full Eclipse – Signs of the Last Days
What Warnings Do the Disasters Give Us?
Sri Lanka Floods and Mudslides Continue: Warnings Sounded by the Worsening Catastrophe

Read More

The Lord’s Burden Is Light, Then Why Is My Life So Tiring?

The Lord’s Burden Is Light, Then Why Is My Life So Tiring?

Hello, Brothers and Sisters of Loving Stage!

Now I have a difficulty and I’d like to seek your advice. I’m tightly bound to my family and can never let my children go, which causes me to lead a very tiring life. My eldest daughter-in-law has just given birth to a baby and I need to look after her. My younger son is old enough, but he hasn’t started a family. Moreover, we borrowed money and bought an apartment for him and now we have to repay the bank loan every month. Having these things on my mind all day long, I often cannot quiet my heart to read the Bible or pray. Even though I have prayed to the Lord, I receive no release in the spirit. Every evening when I come back home, I feel extremely exhausted both physically and mentally. Sometimes I’m so tired that I suffer a headache and even feel that my life has no meaning. The Lord once said: “Come to me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. … For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). I believe that the word of the Lord is faithful. And I also want to act in accordance with His word, put aside these worries and troubles, and live a free and liberated life. How come I can’t put it into practice but even live more and more tiredly?

Baijie

Hello, Sister Baijie!

We quite understand your situation, for each of us once had different sufferings. Before we can live by the Lord’s word, it can be said that we are all bound and troubled by the family entanglements. It is like a net enmeshing us so that our hearts are always occupied and controlled by it. It is really miserable. The Lord Jesus said: “Come to me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. … For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). We believe that the Lord’s word is faithful, but why can’t we gain true release even though we have prayed to God and relied on Him? To answer this question, let’s read a passage of word.

This is what a book says: “Though man allows God to look within his heart, this does not mean that he is capable of obeying the orchestrations and arrangements of God, nor that he has left his fate and prospects and his all under the control of God. Thus, regardless of the oaths you make to God or your attitude toward Him, in God’s eyes your heart is still closed to Him, for you only allow God to look upon your heart but do not permit Him to control it. In other words, you have not given your heart to God at all, and only speak nice-sounding words for God to hear…. Which is to say, God has the right to observe, but He does not have the right to control. In the subjective consciousness of man, man does not want or intend to leave himself to the mercy of God. Not only has man closed himself off to God, but there are even people who think of ways to wrap up their hearts, using smooth talk and flattery to create a false impression and gain the trust of God, and concealing their true face out of sight from God. Their aim in not allowing God to see is to not allow God to perceive how they really are. They do not want to give their hearts to God, but to keep them for themselves. The subtext of this is that what man does and what he wants is all planned, calculated, and decided by man himself; he does not require the participation or intervention of God, much less does he need the orchestrations and arrangements of God. Thus, whether in regard to the commands of God, His commission, or the requirements that God makes of man, man’s decisions are based on his own intentions and interests, on his own state and circumstances at the time. Man always uses the knowledge and insights that he is familiar with, and his own intellect, to judge and select the path he should take, and does not allow the interference or control of God. This is the heart of man that God sees” (“God’s Work, God’s Disposition, and God Himself II”).

These words are very true. Though we pray to God, we never really intend to leave our life under His control. Instead, we want to rely on our own abilities to arrange and plan for our children’s life. We always try to plan and decide everything by ourselves, and often expect that the course of events will conform to our thoughts and imaginations. However, only God can rule the fate of each and every one of us, because only He is possessed of such power and authority. We are just creations and have no authority or power to control the fate of ourselves or others. So we naturally feel distressed, worried, and lost when we don’t attain our goals after putting in a lot of effort or the results of things are not in line with our notions and imaginations.

In fact, if we really want to entrust our difficulties to God, we must truly give our hearts to God, accept and obey His sovereignty and arrangement over our life and fate.

Here we’d like to share a passage of word with you. We think it gives us a path of practice. It says: “When confronting real-life problems, how should you know and understand God’s authority and His sovereignty? When you do not know how to understand, handle, and experience these problems, what attitude should you adopt to show your intention, your desire, and your reality of submitting to God’s sovereignty and arrangements? First you must learn to wait; then you must learn to seek; then you must learn to submit. ‘Waiting’ means waiting for the time of God, awaiting the people, events, and things that He has arranged for you, waiting for His will to gradually reveal itself to you. ‘Seeking’ means observing and understanding God’s thoughtful intentions for you through the people, events, and things that He has laid out, understanding the truth through them, understanding what humans must accomplish and the ways they must keep, understanding what results God means to achieve in humans and what accomplishments He means to attain in them. ‘Submitting,’ of course, refers to accepting the people, events, and things that God has orchestrated, accepting His sovereignty and, through it, coming to know how the Creator dictates man’s fate, how He supplies man with His life, how He works the truth into man. All things under God’s arrangements and sovereignty obey natural laws, and if you resolve to let God arrange and dictate everything for you, you should learn to wait, you should learn to seek, you should learn to submit. This is the attitude that every person who wants to submit to God’s authority must take, the basic quality that every person who wants to accept God’s sovereignty and arrangements must possess. To hold such an attitude, to possess such a quality, you must work harder; and only thus can you enter into the true reality” (“God Himself, the Unique III”).

As a created being, we should learn to wait, seek, and submit through the people, events, and things we encounter every day. This is the behavioral principle of us Christians, and it is also most able to illustrate whether we have true obedience and reverence for God. In the process of practice, we’ll have some knowledge of how God rules over and supplies all things, and see that the more the people, events, and things we encounter are incompatible with our conceptions, the more it contains God’s good purpose. It is through these people, events, and things that God wants to test our faith in Him and see whether we have His place in our hearts. He wants to test whether we can willfully do what we like and whether we try to change the life and even the fate of our family and ourselves with our own two hands. And the result of the test is: When the course of events is disagreeable to us, we’ll live in pain and distress, feeling that our life is full of untoward things and disappointments, and even live in silent resistance and complaint toward the Lord. Outwardly, we say nothing, while in our hearts, we misunderstand the Lord and complain why He doesn’t bless us so that we can live easily and comfortably since we have believed in Him. Little do we know that it is not that the Lord doesn’t bless us. Actually, it is because we don’t believe in or submit to God’s sovereignty that we can’t give our prospect and fate to God or submit to His orchestrations and arrangements. If we have no true faith in the Lord, then we cannot sincerely come before God, much less can we receive the comfort and satisfaction that comes from having God with us. When we find that we indeed have failed to practice truth to satisfy God, it will impel us to examine our relationship with God and inspire us to seek God’s will and practice truth. Today you wrote to us to pour out your distress of living in pain and confusion and actively seek God’s will. We believe that under the guidance of God and His words, and through our communication, you’ll have a deeper understanding of God, see how God rules over our destiny and supplies our needs, and how He reveals to us the pain caused by us changing our fate with our own hands, and see it is all because we don’t like the truth and don’t give our hearts to God. After realizing these, you will understand God’s earnest intention in His arranging such an environment for you, and also find a proper way of practice. If you, when fulfilling your responsibility and obligation as a mother, can let God lead your everyday life, and learn to let nature take its course and act according to God’s word, He will surely help you out of troubles and worries. May God lead you and enable you to receive release and freedom soon and live in His light. Amen!

Recommended:

Treating Gains And Losses Composedly

I See God’s Wonderful Deeds When I Rely On Him

Read More

Hurry and Come to the Light

Hurry and Come to the Light

Hurry and Come to the Light

Chaotuo

If the pressure of life, study, and work

wears you out,

if the deception and fraud between people

exhausts you both mentally and physically,

do not be anxious, do not panic,

hurry and come to the light.

He will give you the strength,

and raise your hope for life.

If the comfort and affluence of life

causes emptiness in your heart, with nothing to fill,

if the idling away of the years

leaves you inexpressibly bothered and distressed,

do not worry, do not be perplexed,

hurry and come to the light.

He will open the window of your heart,

and inspire your aspiration for the light.

If the temptation of wealth and fame

overwhelms you, and you could hardly pull out,

if the trend and fashionsweeps you along, and you are deeply ensnared and lost,

do not hesitate, do not hang back,

hurry and come to the light.

He will save you from sin,

and enable you to see the dawn.

If the setbacks and failures

cast a gloom over you,

if the hardship of life and affliction of illness,

in your eyes, foreshadow a bleak and uncertain future,

do not lose hope, do not be depressed,

hurry and come to the light.

He will give you the faith and strength,

show you the path and direction of life.

You may wonder: Who is He that has such power?

His words have given the best answer:

“He is the One who has never been beheld by man,

the One whom mankind has never known,

in whose existence mankind has never believed,

yet He is the One who breathed the breath into mankind’s ancestors

and gave life to mankind.

He is the One who supplies and nourishes mankind for its existence,

and guides mankind up to the present day.

Moreover, He and He alone is whom mankind depends on for its survival.

He holds sovereignty over all things

and rules all living beings beneath the universe.

He commands the four seasons,

and it is He who calls forth wind, frost, snow, and rain.

He gives mankind sunshine

and brings the coming of night.

It was He who laid out the heavens and earth,

providing man with mountains, lakes and rivers and all the living things within them.

His deed is everywhere,

His power is everywhere,

His wisdom is everywhere,

and His authority is everywhere.

…………

Who can exempt themselves from His sovereignty?

And who can discharge themselves from His designs?

All things exist beneath His gaze,

and moreover, all things live beneath His sovereignty”

(“Man Can Only Be Saved Amidst the Management of God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh).

Hurry and come to the light.

He is Christ of the last days—Almighty God,

the Creator and Ruler of all things,

and the Master of the fate of mankind.

No matter how many puzzles and confusions you have,

He knows all these and can solve them as well.

He is the truth, the way, and the life.

Hurry and come to the light!

Disclaimer: This article on our website is original. If you wish to reproduce it, please indicate that we are the source.

Read More