b. God’s sheep hear His voice, and only by hearing God’s voice can one welcome the Lord
God’s Words From the Bible
“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).
“He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2:7).
“And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you out to meet him” (Matthew 25:6).
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (John 10:27).
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears My voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).
Words of Almighty God of the Last Days
Since we are searching for the footsteps of God, it behooves us to search for God’s intentions, for the words of God, for His utterances. This is because wherever there are new words spoken by God, the voice of God is there, and wherever there are the footsteps of God, God’s deeds are there; wherever there is the expression of God, there God appears, and wherever God appears, there the truth, the way, and the life exist. In searching for God’s footsteps, you have overlooked the words “God is the truth, the way, and the life.” And so, many people, even when they receive the truth, do not believe that they have found God’s footsteps, and still less do they acknowledge the appearance of God. What a grave mistake! The appearance of God cannot conform to man’s notions, less still can God appear in the manner that man demands Him to. God makes His own choices and His own plans when He does His work; moreover, He has His own objectives and His own methods. Whatever work He does, He has no need to discuss it with man or seek his advice, much less to notify each and every person of His work. This is the disposition of God, and it should, moreover, be recognized by everyone. If you desire to witness the appearance of God, to follow God’s footsteps, then you must first walk away from your own notions. You must not demand that God do this or that, much less should you place Him within your own confines and limit Him to your own notions. Instead, you should demand of yourselves how you ought to seek God’s footsteps, how you ought to accept God’s appearance, and how you ought to submit to the new work of God: This is what man should do. Since man is not the truth, and is not possessed of the truth, he should seek, accept, and submit.
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Appendix 1: The Appearance of God Has Ushered in a New Age
Throughout the universe I am doing My work, and in the East, thunderous booming issues forth endlessly, shaking all nations and denominations. It is My utterances that have led all men to the present day. I cause all men to be conquered by My utterances, to fall into this stream, and to surrender before Me, for I have long since withdrawn My glory from all the earth and issued it forth anew in the East. Who does not long to see My glory? Who does not anxiously look forward to My return? Who does not thirst for My reappearance? Who does not long for My loveliness? Who would not come to the light? Who would not behold the richness of Canaan? Who does not long for the return of the Redeemer? Who does not admire Him who possesses great power? My utterances shall be propagated throughout the earth and I shall utter and speak more words to My chosen people, like mighty thunder shaking the mountains and rivers. I speak My words to the whole universe and to mankind. Hence the words from My mouth have become man’s treasure, and all people cherish My words. The lightning flashes from the East all the way to the West. My words are such that man is loath to part with them, and they are also unfathomable to man, and even more so they cause man to feel joy. Like newborn infants, all men feel glad and joyful, and celebrate My coming. By means of My utterances, I shall bring all men before Me. Thenceforth, I shall formally enter into the midst of men, and make it so that they will come to pay homage to Me. With the glory that I issue forth and the words from My mouth, all men come before Me, and see that the lightning flashes from the East, that I have also descended unto the “Mount of Olives” in the East, and have long since come to earth, and that I am no longer the Son of Jews, but the Lightning of the East. For I have long since been resurrected, and have departed from mankind’s midst, and then reappeared with glory among men. I am He who was worshiped countless ages before now, and I am also the infant that was forsaken by the Israelites countless ages before now. Even more so, I am the all-glorious Almighty God of the present age! Let all come before My throne and see My glorious countenance, hear My utterances, and behold My deeds. This is the entirety of My intention; it is the end and the climax of My plan, as well as the purpose of My management: to have the myriad nations pay homage to Me, the myriad mouths acknowledge Me, the myriad people put their trust in Me, and the myriad of My chosen people surrender to Me!
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. The Seven Thunders Peal—Prophesying That the Gospel of the Kingdom Shall Spread Throughout the Universe
When I speak to the whole universe, all people hear My voice, that is, all people see all the deeds I have carried out throughout the universe. Those who go against My intentions, that is to say, who oppose Me with the deeds of man, will fall down amid My chastisement. I will renew the multitudinous stars in the heavens; thanks to Me, the sun and the moon will be renewed, the skies no longer being as they were; and all things on the earth will be renewed—this will all be accomplished because of My words. All the countries within the universe will be partitioned afresh and be replaced by My kingdom, so that the countries upon the earth will disappear forever, and there will only be the kingdom that worships Me; all the countries of the earth will be destroyed and cease to exist. Of the human beings within the universe, all those who are of devils will be annihilated. All who worship Satan will fall down amid My burning fire—that is, except for those now within the stream, all will be turned to ashes. When I chastise each people, religious communities will, to varying extents, return to My kingdom, and be conquered through My deeds, because they will have seen that “the Holy One riding on a white cloud” has already arrived. All people will be sorted according to their kind, and will receive various chastisements commensurate with their actions; all those who have resisted Me will perish, and as for those whose deeds on earth have not involved Me, they will, because of how they have behaved, continue to exist on the earth under the governance of My sons and My people. I will appear to the myriad countries and myriad peoples, and I will express My own voice on earth, proclaiming the completion of My great work, allowing all people to see this with their own eyes.
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. God’s Words to the Entire Universe, Chapter 26
“He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Have you now heard the words of the Holy Spirit? The words of God have come upon you. Do you hear them? God does the work of words in the last days, and these words are those of the Holy Spirit, for God is the Holy Spirit and can also become flesh; therefore, the words of the Holy Spirit, as spoken of in the past, are the words of God incarnate today. There are many absurd people who believe that since it is the Holy Spirit talking, His voice should speak from the heavens for people to hear. Anyone who thinks this way does not know the work of God. In truth, the utterances spoken by the Holy Spirit are those spoken by God become flesh. The Holy Spirit could not possibly speak directly to man; even in the Age of Law, Jehovah did not speak directly to the multitudes. Would it not be far less likely that He would do so in this age today? For God to speak utterances to carry out work, He must become flesh; otherwise, His work would not be able to accomplish its goals. Those who deny God incarnate are those who do not know the Spirit or the principles by which God works. Those who believe that now is the age of the Holy Spirit, yet do not accept His new work, are those who live amid a vague faith. Such people shall never receive the work of the Holy Spirit. Those who ask only for the Holy Spirit to speak and carry out His work directly, and do not accept the words or work of God incarnate, shall never be able to step into the new age or be brought complete salvation by God!
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. How Can Those Who Have Delimited God in Their Notions Receive His Revelations?
The aim of God’s appearance, which is not limited to any form or country, is to enable Him to complete His work as He has planned it. This is just as when God became flesh in Judea: His aim was to complete the work of the crucifixion in redeeming the entire human race. Yet the Jews believed that it was impossible for God to do this, and they thought it impossible that God could become flesh and assume the form of the Lord Jesus. Their “impossible” became the basis on which they condemned and opposed God, and ultimately led to the destruction of Israel. Today, many people have committed a similar error. They proclaim with all their might the imminent appearance of God, yet at the same time condemn His appearance; their “impossible” once more confines the appearance of God within the limits of their imagination. And so I have seen many people break into wild and raucous laughter after coming upon the words of God. But is this laughter any different from the condemnation and blasphemy of the Jews? You are not reverent in the presence of the truth, still less do you possess an attitude of yearning. All you do is doggedly study, and wait with blithe unconcern. What can you gain from studying and waiting like this? Do you think you will receive personal guidance from God? If you cannot discern God’s utterances, in what way are you qualified to behold the appearance of God? Wherever God appears, there the truth will be expressed, and there the voice of God will be. Only those who can accept the truth are able to hear the voice of God, and only such people are qualified to behold the appearance of God. Let go of your notions! Quiet yourself and read these words carefully. As long as you have a heart that yearns for the truth, God will enlighten you so that you will understand His intentions and His words. Let go of your arguments of “impossibility”! The more that people believe something is impossible, the more likely it is to occur, because the wisdom of God is higher than the heavens, God’s thoughts are higher than man’s thoughts, and God performs His work beyond the limits of man’s thinking and notions. The more that something is impossible, the more there is truth to be sought in it; the more something can’t be imagined by man’s notions, the more it contains the intentions of God. This is because, no matter where He appears, God is still God, and His essence will absolutely not change on account of the location or manner of His appearance. The disposition of God will not change regardless of where His footsteps are, and no matter where the footsteps of God are, He is the God of all mankind, just as the Lord Jesus is not only the God of the Israelites, but is also the God of all the people of Asia, Europe, and America, and even more than that, He is the one and only God above and throughout the entire universe. So let us search for God’s intentions and discover His appearance in His utterances and words, and keep pace with His footsteps! God is the truth, the way, and the life. His words and His appearance exist concurrently, and His disposition and footsteps are shown publicly to mankind at all times. Dear brothers and sisters, I hope that you can all see the appearance of God in these words, begin to catch up with His footsteps and stride forward into a new age, and enter into the beautiful new heaven and earth that God has prepared for those who await His appearance!
—The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Appendix 1: The Appearance of God Has Ushered in a New Age
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