The Secret to Saving a Marriage (Part 2) —Almighty God Saved My Marriage

The Secret to Saving a Marriage (Part 2) —Almighty God Saved My Marriage

Li Quan

The Secret to Saving a Marriage (Part 2) —Almighty God Saved My Marriage

However, when I shared the gospel with my wife, she would not accept it. Then, I asked the brothers and sisters from the church to come and share the gospel with my wife, but she still wasn’t willing to listen and she didn’t want to have them as guests. In light of these circumstances, I could only entrust my eager hopes for my wife to God. One day, I read this passage of God’s word: “Your practice and revelations in real life are the testimony of God, they are man’s living out and the testimony of God, and this is truly enjoying God’s love; when you have experienced to this point, the due effect will have been achieved. You are possessed of actual living out and your every action is looked upon with admiration by others. Your appearance is unremarkable, but you live out a life of the utmost piety, … admired by others—and these are the people who have testimony, and are the manifestation of God” (“Those Who Love God Will Forever Live Within His Light” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). “Everything that happens to people is when God needs them to stand firm in their testimony to Him. Nothing major has happened to you at the moment, and you do not bear great testimony, but every detail of your daily life relates to the testimony to God. If you can win the admiration of your brothers and sisters, your family members, and everyone around you; if, one day, the unbelievers come, and admire all that you do, and see that all that God does is wonderful, then you will have borne testimony” (“Only Loving God Is Truly Believing in God” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). God’s word had shown me the road I needed to take, and that was that one must use God’s word to change one’s old disposition and change one’s own depraved lifestyle. The only way for me to witness God and for me to bring my wife benefit and edification was that I let her see these changes in me and see the work God has done upon me. I thought back to the time before I had faith in God when I lived a life based on Satan’s rules. I had been preoccupied with hedonism and acting arrogant to make my wife wait on me. I was so out of touch I wasn’t being how a person should be. It was all the demonic image of Satan who had harmed my wife and children so much. Now, my wife harbored resentment against me and had this set idea that I needed to make allowances for her. What’s more, I had faith in God now and I had to conduct myself based on God’s word and live like a genuine person. I should live out the reality of the truth to testify God.

Hereafter, I began putting God’s word into practice and no longer put myself first. I also endeavored to never focus solely on my own enjoyment, much less use chauvinism to oppress my wife by ordering her to do this and do that. When I saw my wife wake up early in the morning to go to the market to buy stock for the shop, I too got up early to read God’s word for spiritual devotion, and then help my wife with the household chores. I would make breakfast, tidy up, and sometimes even do laundry until I had to go to work to arrange the work schedules of my employees at the site. Regarding social obligations at work, I no longer used mankind’s methods to maintain them. Instead, I prayed before God and relied on His wisdom to keep away from temptation and break those bad habits. When I did these things I felt an incredible sense of peace of mind. At the same time, since I was putting truth into practice, I began seeing God’s blessings. Even though I wasn’t participating in social events, all of my work projects easily made money. When I sorted out our earnings, I gave the money to my wife and told her, “Use it however you need to. In the past, I had always wasted my money on carousing and I was really on the wrong path. I brought you so much hardship. Now, I want you to manage the money!” Upon hearing this, my wife said to me in a teasing tone, “Oh? So now you are able to do some things around the house and treat your home like a home. Has your conscience awakened?” When I heard these words, I was silently grateful for the salvation God had given me. Furthermore, I started doing all I could to help my children with their studies and became active in their parent-teacher conferences. After meals, I would discuss with my wife and children my own experience of having faith in God and witness to them about how God had guided me and changed me. Gradually, my family became much closer.

After some time had passed, brothers and sisters from the church came to my home to fellowship and my wife sat beside us listening. My wife proactively asked the brothers and sisters about life’s problems that don’t have solutions, and they responded to her with God’s word and found a path for her to take. I heard my wife say to the brothers and sisters, “Your fellowshiping has solved the actual difficulties I was facing, I’m so thankful for you all! When you have time, please come back and visit us. Even if Li Quan isn’t here, you are welcome to come over.” I felt incredibly happy when I heard my wife say that. This really is an example of God’s mysterious work for my wife to undergo a change like this!

One day, I came home and saw my wife earnestly reading the word of God. I quickly went over to her and excitedly asked, “When did you start reading God’s word? Do you understand it?” She responded, a little embarrassed, “I have actually been sneaking peeks at it for a while now, as well as listening to hymns. After I saw the changes you underwent after believing in Him and I saw how wholesome and dignified were the brothers and sisters who came to our home, unlike your former hedonistic friends, that’s when I felt that this was the true way. Slowly, I began to enjoy reading God’s word, listening to hymns, and even watching gospel videos. Now, I read them every day….” When I heard my wife say these words, I really began to feel that only God can change and save people and I gave incessant praises to God in my heart. God had rescued me from depression and suffering and He cleansed and changed me with His word. God allowed me to somewhat live like a true person should and through me, my wife saw how mighty God is, and thereby she received salvation. God’s work really is wonderful, and He is so wise and worthy of our love! I have received God’s great salvation and I truly thank and praise Him!

Afterward, my children began to walk the path of having faith in God. We often read God’s word together as a family, and we love fellowshiping about our experiences and knowledge of God’s word. The whole family feels joy in the warm embrace of God’s love. After my wife accepted God’s work of the last days, her temperament became much more cheerful and her overall mental outlook got better and better. My older brother and his wife both noted how much my wife had changed after believing in God. She had become so lively and talkative; it was like she was a completely different person. My niece even looked at me, surprised, and said, “Uncle, your complexion is so nice now and your wrinkles are gone. You’ve also filled out quite a bit; you seem so much younger!” Our relatives and neighbors all saw how nice our family had become and looked at us with admiration. This was especially true while I helped my wife run our business and the ladies around her would say, “Look how happy they are together as husband and wife. They seem to get a treasure!” I felt so good inside when I heard people say things like that. I was fully aware that this was the work of Almighty God’s salvation and that His greatness saved my marriage. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for God’s salvation of me and my family!

The Secret to Saving a Marriage (Part 2) —Almighty God Saved My Marriage

And now, when I look back on the time when my marriage was on the brink, I have no words to describe it. I had tried everything, but nothing worked, but through God’s work it is restored. It is through Almighty God’s guidance that my wife and I walk the same path together and I have achieved what I long desired for my family: a peaceful, happy family and life. The experience has truly shown me that only by coming before God, accepting His word and putting it into practice will one receive His blessings and protection and then any pain or difficulty that someone endures will be resolved! Almighty God’s work in the last days is the true path to happiness! Hereafter, I will follow God even more closely and walk the correct path to repay the grace of God’s salvation!

The Truth Showed Her the Way to Get Along With Others (Part 2)

The Truth Showed Her the Way to Get Along With Others (Part 2)

Xiaomo

Soon after, three new sisters came to work in Jiandan’s group. Jiandan thought of how she was now the person in the group who had done this duty the longest, and in her heart she silently told herself to be sure to take real responsibility for the work, to pick up the pace with finalizing these articles and to remedy her lingering regrets.

In the days that followed, whether in dealing with articles or group meetings, Jiandan acted positively and pro-actively, she diligently supervised and checked up on the articles her sisters had finalized, and when she discovered any problem, she spoke out without reserve.

While Jiandan was checking over the work, she discovered some issues with the articles a new sister, Li Yue, had finalized. She spoke frankly about this with Li Yue several times, but Li Yue wore an unnatural expression, and looked somewhat embarrassed. Every time this happened, Jiandan would feel worried in her heart: “I point out the issues with Li Yue’s duty so straightforwardly, will Li Yue have an opinion of me? Even if she does, I can’t be like I was before any longer, maintaining fleshly relationships with other people. Now that I’ve discovered some issues, I have to speak up, adhere to principles and stick up for the church’s interests.” After practicing this way for a while, Jiandan felt secretly glad. She felt that she was at last free of the constraints of vanity, and that she could now practice the truth.

The Truth Showed Her the Way to Get Along With Others (Part 2)

One day, after a meeting had ended, Jiandan was happily walking home. She thought of how she had been obtaining good results in her duty lately. As she was the veteran of the group, she was able to have her own opinions and understanding of many issues, and her sisters never had any great objections about her decisions. Jiandan felt that her group’s coordination in performing their duty like this was quite harmonious. But just as Jiandan was feeling very pleased with herself, God’s judgment and chastisement suddenly came upon her.

One day, as the group was performing their spiritual devotions together, Li Yue all of a sudden opened her heart and spoke to Jiandan:

“Sister, when you’re not around, I feel like the three of us perform our duty together really well. But when you come back, we feel a little constrained. …”

Jiandan felt shocked: “How could you have made this assessment of me?” For a while, Jiandan felt her face burn hot, but outwardly she accepted what Li Yue had said.

“Sister Li, if you hadn’t spoken up, I would still be unaware that you are constrained by me. But I still don’t know what my problem is, so afterward I’ll engage in some reflection.”

In reality, Jiandan was silently coming up with excuses in her heart: “Haven’t you said this because I pointed out the issues with your duty and you’re displeased with me?” But then she thought that the people, matters and things she came across every day were meticulously orchestrated by God, and it wasn’t that the sister made things difficult for her, so she must take this from God.

Although Jiandan tried to comfort herself in this way, her heart was in turmoil, and she really couldn’t understand where she had gone wrong. She thought of how she had previously caused loss to the work due to having been selfish, contemptible and a yes-man; but now she was more responsible with her duty and she wasn’t afraid to displease anyone in order to uphold the church’s interests—could this have been wrong? The more Jiandan thought about it, the more confused she became and the more wronged she felt.

One day, when Jiandan had once again discovered an issue with Li Yue’s work, she didn’t know what to do, and she thought: “If I say something, Li Yue may perhaps become negative; but if I don’t say anything, won’t I still be that yes-man who doesn’t uphold the church’s interests? That would be irresponsible! What on earth is the right thing to do?”

The Truth Showed Her the Way to Get Along With Others (Part 2)

    For a while, Jiandan felt very perplexed, and all she could do was to come before God and pray sincerely: “Oh, God! I wanted to diligently do my duty to make up for my transgressions, but I’ve ended up causing my sister to become negative and weak, and I’ve constrained her and harmed her. Oh, God! What’s the right way to practice? May You guide me to understand Your will. Amen!”

God is faithful, and He heard Jiandan’s prayer.

Several days later, the person in charge held a meeting with Jiandan and her group. After Jiandan had told about her constrained state, the person in charge immediately pointed out Jiandan’s problem: “Is everything we say sure to conform to the truth? If we only ever tell others of our experiences and talk about rules, then as time goes on, they will feel constrained; only by fellowshiping about the principles of the truth do we exalt God and can convince other people. When brothers and sisters understand the truth and grasp the principles of practice, then they will naturally not feel constrained.”

Hearing the person in charge fellowship in this way, Jiandan felt a little upset, but she also felt that this was God giving her an answer through the mouth of the person in charge. Jiandan began to reflect on herself: Normally, when I talked about issues with my sisters, was I imparting to them what I had learned through my experiences, or was I fellowshiping about the principles of the truth, exalting God and bearing witness for God?

With this question in her mind, Jiandan prayed and sought guidance from God, and she read a passage in a work arrangement: “There is no main role and deputy in coordinating to serve. Everyone stands on equal footing, and the principle is to achieve a consensus through fellowshiping about the truth. This requires people to obey one another. That is, everyone should obey the one whose words are right and conform with the truth. The principle is to obey the truth. The truth is the authority. Whoever can fellowship about the truth and see things accurately should be obeyed. Regardless of what is being done or what duty is being fulfilled, obeying the truth is always the principle. People must not obey status and power, and even more, they must not be restrained by knowledge or fame and prestige” (“The Meaning and Explanation of the Ten Principles of the Church Life Established by God’s Family” in Selected Annals of the Work Arrangements of The Church of Almighty God). She also read this passage in a sermon: “What does ‘a sense of justice’ mean? It means to adhere to the truth and to uphold God’s work. If you truly understand the truth, if you know how to act in conformity with the truth and in conformity with God’s words, then you should persevere. This is a question of loyalty to God, a question of devotion to God; if you dare not persevere with God’s words and with the truth, then you do not have a sense of justice. What does ‘arrogant and conceited’ refer to? It refers to the satanic disposition expressed by people shunning God, defying God, judging God and rebelling against God. People turn a deaf ear to God’s words, God’s work and God’s requirements, and they have high opinions of themselves, adhering always to their own opinions and conceptions and always thinking that they understand everything—this is arrogance and conceit, haughtiness and self-rightness. And there are some people who do not have a shred of sense, who don’t obey anyone and who have already reached a stage where they won’t listen to reason, and even more so they are devils and Satans. These expressions of corruption, these manifestations, are of arrogance and conceit, and they are completely incompatible with and utterly unrelated to a sense of justice and adhering to principles” (“Questions and Answers” in Sermons and Fellowship on Entry Into Life (III)).

After reading these fellowships, Jiandan began to understand. Brothers and sisters should take obedience to the truth as their principle when dealing with one another, and should not submit to status and power or obey any particular person. But whenever Jiandan had fellowshiped about the issues with their duty to her sisters, although she had dared to speak up, she had not fellowshiped clearly about the related truths. Instead, she had always capitalized on the facts that she had been doing this duty for a long time and that she was a veteran at it; she had acted superior due to her seniority, she had had the last word with every decision and had not paid any attention to listening to her sisters’ ideas. Imperceptibly, she had regarded her own ideas as the standards by which all should be measured, and had made her sisters follow her and obey her as a matter of course. Her sisters didn’t understand the relevant truths and principles and their duty was not heading in the right direction, so how could they not feel constrained?

Moreover, having a sense of justice was not as simple as merely discovering a problem and then daring to speak up about it. If she didn’t seek the truth with the problems she encountered, and if she first expressed her own ideas, opinions and experiences when she came across an issue and made everyone else submit to her, then she was holding fast to her own ideas and imaginings and this was a manifestation of arrogance and conceit. Everything she did ran contrary to the truth, and so she had caused her brothers and sisters to feel constrained and bound, without benefiting them one bit. Only by setting the motives for her actions aright, which should be to practice the truth and satisfy God, to learn to seek the truth and fellowship about the truth in order to exalt God and bear witness for God, then by doing this she would obtain the guidance and protection of the Holy Spirit in her actions and she would see God’s blessings.

The more Jiandan thought about it, the more arrogant she felt herself to be! All this time she had fellowshiped with her sisters on the assumption that she herself was correct and she had made them accept it. This meant that she had taken sole power and had been the master of all things in the group! And by doing this, wasn’t she following the path of the antichrists? Thinking of this, Jiandan felt incredibly ashamed, while at the same time she thanked God for orchestrating this environment. Were it not for God’s judgment and chastisement, she would still be unaware that she was following the wrong path, much less would she have been able to find the path of practice and entry. She felt that this was indeed the mercy of God.

Having undergone this judgment and chastisement, Jiandan now had a direction in which to perform her duty. Whenever she came across a problem, she would purposefully look for the relevant principles and fellowship about them with the sisters so that they would enter into them together, and she would not force her ideas onto others or make them obey her. After starting to practice in this way, she really did see God’s blessings and guidance, and all the sisters in the group felt more like they had a path to follow in their duty. Seeing everyone with a smile on their faces and all feeling very free with one another, Jiandan felt from the bottom of her heart how wonderful God’s deeds were!

Can We Enter the Kingdom of Heaven Now That Our Sins Have Been Forgiven

Can We Enter the Kingdom of Heaven Now That Our Sins Have Been Forgiven

      Monday August 13th, 2018. Cloudy yielding to sun.

Today, I bumped into Brother Zheng, who I haven’t seen for ages, and I was really happy to see him. As we chatted, I mentioned the thing that had been puzzling me all this time. After I’d told him about it, Brother Zheng gave me fellowship, saying, “Man’s sins were forgiven when the Lord Jesus was crucified, and when we believe in the Lord, our sins are forgiven and we are saved. But what exactly does it mean to say that our sins are forgiven? If we can understand this issue, then we would know why we still commit sin even after believing in the Lord and having our sins forgiven. When it comes to whether or not we will be able to enter into the kingdom of heaven, we first have to take a look at the background to the Lord Jesus’ appearance and work. At the end of the Age of Law, man was being corrupted more and more by Satan and was committing more and more sins, so much so that there was no longer any sin offering that they could make that would have sufficiently atoned for their sins, and people were in danger of being condemned and sentenced to death by the law of the time. Against this backdrop, God became flesh as the Lord Jesus and was crucified on the cross as a sin offering for man, and thus man’s sins were forgiven once and forever. Thereafter, so long as people prayed, confessed and repented in the name of the Lord, then their sins were forgiven, and they were no longer subject to the condemnation and punishment of the law. Neither did God see man as sinful any longer, and people could directly pray to and call on God, and enjoy God’s abundant grace and His provision of the truth. From this it can be seen that our sins were forgiven because of our belief in the Lord, and that what is meant by ‘our sins were forgiven’ is simply that God has forgiven us our sins of violating His laws and commandments and of going against His word. That is to say, the Lord will not remember our sinful deeds of violating and offending God’s laws. But our satanic dispositions and sinful nature, which causes us to sin, have not been forgiven by God, and it is precisely because our God-defying sinful nature and satanic dispositions continue to exist that we are still capable of frequently committing sins. It can therefore be seen that our sinful nature is something that is most defiant to God and is in opposition to the truth, and if we do not resolve our sinful nature, then the problem of man’s sins will be impossible to resolve, and we can even commit sins worse than that of violating the law, and entering into the kingdom of heaven will be utterly out of the question. The Bible clearly states: ‘But as he which has called you is holy, so be you holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be you holy; for I am holy’ (1 Peter 1:15-16). ‘For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries’ (Hebrews 10:26-27). ‘For the wages of sin is death’ (Romans 6:23). From these verses I saw that if our sinful nature remains unresolved, and we still live in a condition whereby we sin in the daytime and confess in the evening, then though we may believe in the Lord till the end, we will still perish, for God is holy, and mankind which is filthy and corrupted is unworthy to receive God’s blessings and promises, and will be unable to enter into the kingdom of God.”