A Different Kind of Love

Chengxin, Brazil

By a chance opportunity in 2011, I came to Brazil from China. When I had just arrived, my eyes were overflowing with fresh and new experiences, curiosity, and I had a beautiful feeling about the future. But after a short time, this fresh and new feeling was quickly replaced by the loneliness and pain of finding myself in a far-off foreign land. Every day I went back home all alone, ate by myself, looking at the walls around me every day without anyone even to talk to, and I felt especially lonely in my heart, often crying all alone. When I felt the most pain and helpless, the Lord Jesus brought me into a gathering by means of a friend. Through reading the word of the Lord, singing hymns, and praying in gatherings, my lonely heart received the consolation of the Lord. I learned from the Bible that heavens, earth, and all things were created by God, and man too is God’s creation. The Lord Jesus was crucified for the redemption of mankind, and it was the Lord Jesus who redeemed us from sin, and He is the only Redeemer of mankind. In the face of the Lord’s salvation, which is greater than all else, I felt deeply moved and resolved to follow the Lord for the rest of my life. Because of this I was baptized on Thanksgiving to become a Christian not just in name but in reality. Because I liked singing hymns, especially those in praise of God, after I was baptized I took the initiative to join the choir and work as part of it. Through God’s guidance and blessings, I lived in peace and happiness. Every time I went to a gathering or praised God in worship, I felt suffused with energy.

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.

3 Must-Knows for How to Get Out of Depression

Jan 6, 2019

Depression—A Terrifying Disease

In a report released on March 22, 2018, the World Health Organization said that depression is a very common worldwide disease with over three hundred million people suffering from it. Long-term moderate or severe depression can become a serious condition, and at its worst, can lead to suicide. Nearly 800,000 people die every year from suicide, and it has become the second leading cause of death among populations between the ages of 15 and 29.

God’s Blessings and Wrath Toward King Solomon

Jan 7, 2019

In the biblical record of King Solomon, he had received great blessings from God, becoming the wisest king in all of history. Israel achieved unprecedented prosperity and flourishing during his reign. However, King Solomon incurred the wrath of Jehovah God by becoming depraved and suffered rejection and condemnation by God. After his death, Israel was split asunder. So how should we know God’s disposition from His two different attitudes toward Solomon? What of His will is God conveying to us? Let’s explore the story of Solomon together.

God’s Blessings and Wrath Toward King Solomon

The Words of the Holy Spirit "To Have an Unchanged Disposition Is to Be in Enmity to God"

The Words of the Holy Spirit "To Have an Unchanged Disposition Is to Be in Enmity to God"

Almighty God says, "Born into such a filthy land, man has been severely blighted by society, he has been influenced by feudal ethics, and he has been taught at “institutes of higher learning.” The backward thinking, corrupt morality, mean view on life, despicable philosophy, utterly worthless existence, and depraved lifestyle and customs—all of these things have severely intruded upon man’s heart, and severely undermined and attacked his conscience. As a result, man is ever more distant from God, and ever more opposed to Him. Man’s disposition becomes more vicious by the day, and there is not a single person who will willingly give up anything for God, not a single person who will willingly obey God, nor, moreover, a single person who will willingly seek the appearance of God. Instead, under the domain of Satan, man does nothing but pursue pleasure, giving himself over to the corruption of the flesh in the land of mud. Even when they hear the truth, those who live in darkness give no thought to putting it into practice, nor are they inclined to seek out God even if they have beheld His appearance. How could a mankind so depraved have any chance of salvation? How could a mankind so decadent live in the light?"

Word of God | "All Who Do Not Know God Are Those Who Oppose God"

Almighty God says, "Those who I say are in opposition to God are those who do not know God, those who acknowledge God with empty words yet do not know Him, those who follow God yet do not obey Him, and those who revel in the grace of God yet cannot stand witness to Him. Without an understanding of the purpose of God’s work and the work of God in man, man cannot be in accord with the heart of God, and cannot stand witness to God. The reason that man opposes God stems, on the one hand, from the corrupt disposition of man, and on the other hand, from ignorance of God and lack of understanding of the principles of God’s work and His will toward man. These two aspects merge into a history of man’s resistance to God."

Today’s Devotion: Do You Worship God in Spirit and in Truth?

Today’s Devotion: Do You Worship God in Spirit and in Truth?

Jan 3, 2019

By Xianxin

The Lord Jesus said, “When the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23–24). The Lord requires that we worship God in spirit and in truth, for only in that way can we win His praise. But what exactly does worshiping God in spirit and in truth entail? Some brothers and sisters believe that insistently praying and reading the Bible every day is worshiping God, and some believe that attending meetings on time and going to church every week is worshiping God, and there are some who believe that toiling and working for the Lord, and giving things up and expending themselves for the Lord is worshiping God, and so on. There are many ways to practice worshiping God, but are we worshiping Him in spirit and in truth? Does God praise our practices? Let’s fellowship this together now.