That Was Close! I Nearly Let the Lord Pass Me By (Part 1)

The very first thing I did after getting to the States was find a Chinese church in New York’s Chinatown, and after that I attended service every Sunday.

(Source: Fotolia)

By happenstance, I met Brother Zhao along with Sister Tina, who I knew pretty well, at the home of one of her friends. When I learned that Brother Zhao was a preacher I immediately got my guard up and asked him probingly, “Brother, I’ve heard that you go all over the place spreading the gospel and shepherding churches. Are you familiar with Eastern Lightning? They bear witness that the Lord has already returned, that He’s Almighty God in the flesh. They also say that He was incarnated as a woman. What’s your take on this?” Brother Zhao smiled and said, “the term ‘Eastern Lightning’ comes from one of the Lord’s prophecies in the Bible, ‘For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even to the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be’ (Matthew 24:27). So it certainly has something to do with the coming in the last days of the Son of man. We don’t really have a good understanding of Eastern Lightning, but as believers we must have reverence for God, and we can’t just arbitrarily express our own opinions. James 4:12 says, ‘There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who are you that judge another?’ And Proverbs 13:3 says, ‘He that keeps his mouth keeps his life: but he that opens wide his lips shall have destruction.’ These verses very clearly remind us to very carefully guard our words so that we don’t arbitrarily pass judgment and offend God. We are created beings so before the Creator, we must possess reason and a heart of reverence for God. God’s plan is within however He carries out His work; we can’t rely on our own notions and imaginings to delimit how we think the Lord should work. If we just randomly spout off about God’s work, we very well may offend His disposition and suffer His displeasure, bringing ruin upon ourselves.”

After a few more gatherings, Brother Zhao gave testimony that the Lord has already returned, and He is Almighty God in the flesh doing the work of judgment beginning with the house of God. When he said that the Lord Jesus has returned and is called Almighty God, I immediately thought of the pastor’s many warnings not to listen to what is preached by Eastern Lightning. I started feeling restless and unsettled. I listened for a bit longer before leaving, but my heart wasn’t in it. When I got home I flopped onto my bed and thought back over the several times I had heard fellowship from Brother Zhao. He always integrated Bible passages into his fellowship on the truth, and what he shared was practical and really contained light. I could feel the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit and nothing seemed off. I had come to understand all sorts of truths I had never understood before and I felt real spiritual sustenance. However, the pastors and elders in religious circles all condemned Eastern Lightning. I was at a loss regarding who I should listen to. I tossed and turned, unable to sleep, feeling more conflicted the more I thought about it. I was really afraid of taking the wrong path and losing salvation for all eternity. This was really a dilemma—on the one hand, I really wanted to walk away from it, but on the other hand, I really wanted to continue seeking and investigating. I told Sister Tina that evening what was on my mind, and after hearing me out she shared this passage: “The return of Jesus is a great salvation for those who are capable of accepting the truth, but for those who are unable to accept the truth it is a sign of condemnation. You should choose your own path, and should not blaspheme against the Holy Spirit and reject the truth. You should not be an ignorant and arrogant person, but someone who obeys the guidance of the Holy Spirit and longs for and seeks the truth; only in this way will you benefit. I advise you to tread the path of belief in God with care. Do not jump to conclusions; what’s more, do not be casual and carefree in your belief in God. You should know that, at the very least, those who believe in God should be humble and reverential” (“When You Behold the Spiritual Body of Jesus Will Be When God Has Made Anew Heaven and Earth” in The Word Appears in the Flesh).

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Almighty God’s work.(From The Church of Almighty God)