Testify God

“If you wish to achieve a proper spiritual life and establish a proper relationship with God, you must first give your heart to Him, and quiet your heart before Him.”

By Qianhe Every Christian knows that the Lord Jesus said, “It is finished” when He was upon the cross, but what did He actually mean by saying “It is finished”? Some brothers and sisters believe that the Lord saying “It is finished” proves that God’s work to save mankind was completely finished and that He would no longer perform any work of salvation; there are also some brothers and sisters who say that, by saying these words, the Lord Jesus meant only that His great work of redemption was finished, and not that God would no longer perform any work of salvation after that … Today, let’s discuss together what the true meaning of the words “It is finished” spoken by the Lord Jesus actually is. As we all know, at the end of the Age of Law, because mankind was becoming more and more corrupted by Satan and was unable to keep the law, they were all in danger of being put to death by the law. In order to redeem man from sin, the Lord Jesus became flesh, He healed the sick and cast out demons and He bestowed on man endless grace. Ultimately, He was crucified for man’s sake, He gave His holy flesh as a sin offering, and He redeemed man from sin. After that, as long as we believed in the Lord and confessed our sins to Him, then our sins could be forgiven, and we could enjoy the grace the Lord bestowed on us. Mankind was also no longer to be put to death by the law, and we were able to live on. This is the true meaning of the Lord Jesus’ words when He said, “It is finished.” What is undeniable, however, is that, although we have accepted the Lord Jesus’ salvation and our sins have been forgiven, our sinful nature still exists and we continue to live in a repeated cycle of sinning in the daytime and confessing at night, totally incapable of casting off the bonds of sin. For example, we often tell lies and commit sins, we have greedy desires and wicked thoughts, we can be jealous of others and can hate others, our hearts are filled with arrogance, deceit and deception, and we are even capable of following worldly trends, lusting for riches and coveting vanity, and when we encounter trials and tribulations, we even blame God, and so on. The Bible says, “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). “Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). The Lord Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, Whoever commits sin is the servant of sin. And the servant stays not in the house for ever: but the son stays ever” (John 8:34–35). God says, “You must know what kind of people I desire; those who are impure are not permitted to enter into the kingdom, those who are impure are not permitted to besmirch the holy ground. Though you may have done much work, and have worked for many years, in the end if you are still deplorably filthy—it is intolerable to the law of Heaven that you wish to enter My kingdom! From the foundation of the world until today, never have I offered easy access to My kingdom to those who curry favor with Me. This is a heavenly rule, and no one can break it!” God is holy and His disposition is righteous, and His kingdom permits no filthy people to enter. If we have only had our sins forgiven, if our inner sinful nature has not been uprooted, and we are still capable of committing sins and resisting God, then we will be unqualified to meet face to face with God or to enter into His kingdom—this is decided by God’s righteous disposition. In the beginning, the mankind whom God created were unsullied. They lived in the Garden of Eden, they heeded God’s words and they worshiped God. Later, Adam and Eve were deceived by the serpent and ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and thus they were corrupted by Satan. In order to save man from the domain of Satan and to enable man to detach themselves from sin and be purified, God began His plan to save mankind and began to work to save man, one stage at a time. For example, God proclaimed the law through Moses and He guided man in their lives on earth, so that they would know what sin was and how to make offerings; later, once again according to the needs of corrupt mankind, God began the Age of Grace, the Lord Jesus became flesh, He gave to man the way of repentance, and He was then crucified for man’s sake, thereby redeeming man from sin. And yet our sinful nature continues to exist, and we carry on living in a cycle of sinning and confessing, powerless to escape. We have not been purified, we are unworthy to enter into God’s kingdom, and we still need God to perform a further stage of salvation. The Lord Jesus prophesied, “I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 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” (John 16:12–13). “And if any man hear My words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejects Me, and receives not My words, has one that judges him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:47–48). The Bible predicted, “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God” (1 Peter 4:17). From these prophecies, we can see clearly that, when…

By Huixin In the course of our believing in God, we will all encounter some trials, both big and small. Often times, however, we will be thrown into a panic or blame and misunderstand God, and thus live in torment. Then how shall we treat these trials in accordance with God’s wishes when faced with them? Every brother and sister will encounter trials, like illness, persecution and suffering, natural and manmade disasters. When these situations befall us, they are tests of our faith and obedience toward God. The Bible says, “For You, O God, have proved us: You have tried us, as silver is tried” (Psalm 66:10). “My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing” (James 1:2–4). From this we can see that trials are God’s tests and ordeals for people. They can temper people’s will, refine their confidence, cleanse the impurity in their belief in God, further their spiritual growth and make them soon become someone after God’s heart. So, how shall we treat God’s trials when they come upon us? God’s words say, “While undergoing trials, it’s normal for people to be weak, or have negativity within them, or to lack clarity on God’s will or their path for practice. But in any case, you must have faith in God’s work, and not deny God, like Job. Although Job was weak and cursed the day of his own birth, he did not deny that all things in human life were bestowed by Jehovah, and that Jehovah is also the One to take it all away. No matter how he was tested, he maintained this belief. No matter what kind of refinement you undergo in your experiences from God’s words, God requires mankind’s faith. This way, what is perfected are people’s faith and aspirations. You cannot touch or see it; it is under these circumstances that your faith is required. People’s faith is required for when something cannot be seen by the naked eye, and your faith is required for when you cannot let go of your own notions. When you are not clear on God’s work, what is required is your faith and that you take a firm stance and stand witness. When Job reached this point, God appeared to him and spoke to him.” From God’s words, we see that when God’s trials come upon us, we will become weak and negative and this is normal, but we should have true faith in God. We should come before Him and seek His intentions. Even if they are not in line with our own notions and imaginings, we should still accept and submit to them with a seeking heart, because everything God does is good, and among it all is the will of God. Take Job for example. He feared God and shunned evil; when his children committed sins, he would offer sacrifices for them. Overnight, his great fortune disappeared, and his house collapsed and took his children’s lives with it. Although he didn’t understand God’s will then, he did not sin with his mouth by blaming God, but instead sought and prayed to God; after he understood God’s will, he praised God, “Jehovah gave, and Jehovah has taken away; blessed be the name of Jehovah” (Job 1:21). He stood firm in his testimony during his trials, and thus gained God’s blessings. There was also Abraham. When he was 100 years old, God gave him a son. After his son grew up, God asked him to offer up his only son Isaac to Him as a sacrifice. Even though he became weak at the time, yet he knew that his son was bestowed by God, he did not complain and sincerely offered to return his son to God. When God tested him, he didn’t make a bit of his own choices or requirements but obeyed God absolutely instead, so God blessed him so that his descendants would be as numerous as the grains of sand on a beach or the stars in the sky, and would eventually become great nations. The faith and obedience of Job and Abraham are something we should imitate. The experiences of Job and Abraham allow us to realize that no matter what trials we face, we should not use reasoning with God or lay conditions on Him, but should obey and accept them unconditionally. This is the sense that we as created beings must possess. However, what is our attitude when facing God’s trials in our real life? Often times we may flee from God’s trials, and even misunderstand and guard against God because of not understanding the will of God as He tries people. Actually, when we understand the meaning of God’s trying people, we will not be wary of His trials, and we will obey and treasure all of them. This way we will stand firm and bear witness for Him in trials, and become people who are compatible with His intentions. God says, “If, like Job, man is able to submit to God’s orchestrations and arrangements, and can give his entire being to the hands of God, then will man’s end not be the same as Job’s—the receipt of God’s blessings? If man is able to accept and submit to God’s rule, what is there to lose? And thus, I suggest that you be careful in your actions, and cautious toward everything that is about to come upon you. Do not be rash or impulsive, and do not treat God and the people, matters, and objects He has arranged for you depending on your hot blood or your naturalness, or according to your imaginations and conceptions; you must be cautious in your actions, and must pray and seek more….” God’s words tell us that, everything disagreeable to us is set up meticulously by God. We need to come before…

By Zhongxin “Ma’am, Xiaowei had a brain hemorrhage. She’s in the hospital right now, and the doctor says they need to operate immediately …” I was shocked when I received a call from my daughter’s friend in Thailand. No wonder I hadn’t been able to reach my daughter on the phone the last few days. My daughter was sick, and very seriously. In the moment, I didn’t know what to do. When I put down the phone, I quickly went before God and prayed, “God! My daughter has had a brain hemorrhage in Thailand and needs surgery. You know that I am small in stature, and I don’t know what to do about such a thing happening to me. I can only look to You and entrust this to You. My daughter’s life and death are in Your hands. Please enlighten and guide me as I rely on You.” Before long, my phone rang again, and my daughter’s friend hurriedly said, “Ma’am, Xiaowei’s condition is very serious, and she may not make it through the surgery. You should open WeChat to see her one last time!” When I heard her say this might be the last time I saw my daughter, I suddenly panicked. I felt myself go limp, and tears flowed from my eyes. I quickly opened WeChat on my phone and saw my daughter lying in a hospital bed connected to an oxygen machine. I was stunned, and my whole body began to shake. I kept asking myself, “Is this really the last time I’ll see my daughter?” Joy and Sadness as I See My Daughter Clinging to Life in a Foreign Land The next day I went with my niece to apply for a passport. On the evening of January 31, we took a plane from China to Thailand. I was confused, and prayed silently to God, “God! I am worried about my daughter. Was her surgery successful? Will I arrive to see a living daughter? God! I’m very confused right now. Please keep my heart quiet in Your presence.” After praying, I thought of these words of God: “Because I am your Father, I am your strong tower, I am your shelter, I am your backup, and moreover I am your Almighty One, and I am your everything!” Yes! God was my backing and my greatest support. Whether my daughter was healthy or unhealthy, and her life and death, were in God’s hands. God is omnipotent, and I should entrust my daughter to God. Gradually, my panicked heart calmed itself. Early on the morning of February 1st, we arrived at the hospital in Thailand. My daughter was lying motionless on the bed, her eyes were closed, her face was yellowed and thin, her hair was completely shaved, and the wound where she had been cut open was sewn shut with dense stitches. The sight of her made my heart ache. I touched her hand with mine, and when she didn’t react, tears burst from my eyes. My daughter’s friend said softly to console me, “The doctor said Xiaowei’s operation was very successful. She simply has a bad headache, and she didn’t sleep last night, so she needs to sleep for a while. You should also go get some rest.” Hearing the news that my daughter’s surgery was successful finally alleviated the anxiety in my heart. A little over two hours later, I returned to the hospital. My daughter was awake. She saw me and said with a weak voice, “Mom, what are you doing here? I’m not dreaming, am I? Mom, please help me, I’m in so much pain.” I lay down next to my daughter and said with concern, “Honey, people’s lives are in God’s hands. Call out to God, and God will help us.” In the Revelations of God’s Words, I Discover My Intentions in My Belief in God Are Incorrect After that, I looked at my daughter, who still seemed to be in great pain, which was very upsetting for me. I thought to myself, “I only have one daughter. My husband and I both believe in God and do our duties, and no matter how many brothers and sisters we need to receive, we are happy to expend and pay the price, so why could such a disaster happen to us? If anything happens to my daughter and she dies here, my life will be meaningless, so I might as well die here too.” The moment I had the thought, I felt I was in the wrong state. I realized that this was blaming and misunderstanding God, and falling into the snare of Satan’s temptation. I quickly came before God and called out, “God! Please keep me, so that my heart may be still before You. No matter whether my daughter lives or dies, I believe everything is in Your hands. No matter what You do, it is righteous. I know that Your good intentions are behind this matter, so I ask for Your enlightenment and guidance, so that I may understand what lessons I should learn from this.” Later, I saw these words from God: “You hope that your faith in God will not entail any challenges or tribulations, or the slightest hardship. You always pursue those things that are worthless, and you attach no value to life, instead putting your own extravagant thoughts before the truth. You are so worthless! … What you pursue is to be able to gain peace after believing in God—for your children to be free from illness, for your husband to have a good job, for your son to find a good wife, for your daughter to find a decent husband, for your oxen and horses to plough the land well, for a year of good weather for your crops. This is what you seek. Your pursuit is only to live in comfort, for no accidents to befall your family, for the winds to pass you by, for your face to be untouched by…

The Bible records many stories in which situations take a turn for the better and problems are solved through the power of prayer. So, how can we gain the power of prayer? What should we pray for?

Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his flavor, with which shall it be salted? it is thereafter good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” Reflection As an essential seasoning in daily life, salt has a preservative effect on food . The Lord Jesus compared the disciples to salt, and required us Christians to be the salt of the world. No matter who we get along with, the unbelievers or the brothers or sisters in the Lord, we shall always follow the teachings of the Lord Jesus. For example, when brothers and sisters are unable to live in harmony, we shall care for the Lord’s burden to pray for them and fellowship about the Lord’s will with them. Since the church is the body of the Lord, we are required to be forgiving and patient to those believers who pursue the truth, to love each other and live before the Lord, to manifest His glory. If we ignore the discords between brothers and sisters and regard it as an irrelevant, we don’t play our role, or exert our portion of strength, nor do we live out the Lord’s requirements. That is what the Lord wishes not to see. If the wicked engage in jealous disputes, forming cliques and causing disturbance and destruction in the church, but we can’t step out to uphold the interests of the church, or defend the harmony between brothers and sisters, then we failed to play our role as the salt, either.   » You may be interested in reading more • Bible Story – Salt and Light • How to Live in Harmony With a Stroppy Roommate • Building a Good Relationship Is Not a Problem Anymore Peace be with you all! Dear brothers and sisters, if you have any understanding or enlightenment from God, you’re welcome to share with us.1. Via the online chat window at the bottom right corner of the screen.2. Send an email to info@testifygod.org.We sincerely hope we’ll grow spiritually through sharing with each other.