I was formerly a worker of the Way of Life Church and was often sent to various places to preach and work. In recent years, what I had heard most often at other places were things about “Eastern Lightning.” Because of my arrogance, self-rightness, and innate nature of not seeking the truth, I resisted and blasphemed God’s end-time work like others and stepped onto the path of the Pharisees. I did not wake up until after I saw many facts with my own eyes and read Almighty God’s word. Then, I realized that the Almighty God whom I had been resisting for so many years was actually the Lord Jesus whom I had been expecting for a long time.

I remember that when I was working in Datong City, Shanxi Province, I could hear in every church I arrived at the brothers and sisters report, “Someone has come and preached that God has done a new work. And there is a book called The Lightning Comes From the East….” At this, I began to hate it with all my soul. I thought to myself, “Indeed the end time has come, and false christs have appeared to deceive people. I must be a good steward and cannot let the brothers and sisters be deceived.” Immediately afterward, I began to close the churches to outsiders and said, “Brothers and sisters, none of you should receive strangers, and even less should you have any contact with those who preach the new work. Whoever disobeys will be expelled!”

One time, at a co-worker meeting, our leader said, “Now, the most serious problem with the churches is that there are people coming to preach Almighty God in every church. They are heretics and cultists, and are of an underworld organization. They even beat and harm people. They have a book which contains poison. Once you read it, your brain will be out of control and you will be hooked….” At these words, I was so frightened that my heart throbbed, for I heard that my parents had accepted Almighty God and had read that book as well. The more I thought about it, the more I felt afraid, and it seemed a huge stone were pressing on my heart. However, what surprised me was how my parents, who had believed in Jesus for so many years, who had read through the Bible so many times, and who had also led the churches and preached to others, could also accept Almighty God. In anger, I picked up a pen and wrote a letter to them: “Dad and Mom, you have believed in Jesus for so many years in vain and have read the Bible for so many years in vain….” In the letter, I quoted the scriptures out of context without considering the backgrounds of the ages to persuade them to repent and also wrote many words of exhortation, but they didn’t accept my “kindness” at all. Because of that, I felt more hatred toward Almighty God and also felt extremely disgusted with the people who preached God’s end-time work. Every day, I prayed to the Lord Jesus, asking him to curse them. I also said many words of blaspheming Almighty God and even spread the rumor that “Eastern Lightning” stopped at nothing to gain people, and that they would give you whatever you asked for, such as money or beautiful women.

Later, the church arranged for me to go back to my hometown in Hebei Province to do the work. There I often heard the brothers and sisters talk about my parents’ returning to Almighty God. That made me feel even more disturbed, and I always felt disgraced before them. So, I decided that I would go home personally to persuade my parents and I must bring them round. I thought, “The first thing I will do after I get home is to burn up all the books that my parents are reading. Secondly, I will have a good fellowship with them about the Bible. Thirdly, I will win back all the people in the churches near my home who have followed Almighty God, so that they can return before the Lord Jesus.”

I invited one of my co-workers to set off home with me. When we got there, I didn’t go home right away but went to the local church first to ask about my parents. The brothers and sisters said, “Your parents are following Almighty God with great enthusiasm. They both are very busy every day….” Hearing those words, I felt much calmer, because my parents hadn’t been beaten or harmed as the rumors said. Then I went home. As soon as I entered the house, without a word, I began to ransack the house for the book of “Eastern Lightning,” but I didn’t find it in the end. Angry and annoyed, I discussed with my co-worker and decided to give up looking for it for the moment but to fellowship with my father first. Unexpectedly, before we spoke my father put forward a question: “Exactly what is God’s name?” “Is it worth asking? In Acts 4:12, it is written: ‘Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.’ The name is certainly to be Jesus,” I answered without hesitation. “In Exodus 3:15, God said: ‘The LORD … is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.’ And, God also said, ‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt. You shall acknowledge no God but me, no Savior except me.’ How do you explain this?” my father asked in return calmly. His question left me at a loss for words, but I still shouted unreasonably, “I don’t care about what the name is. It will not do as long as it departs from the Bible!” Later, my father fellowshipped with me for a long time and asked me many questions that I couldn’t answer. But even so, I was still stiff-necked and held on to the “Way of Life.” And I considered that my father had been “entrapped” too deeply to be saved. So, I arranged for the co-worker to go back first and I would wait for my mother to come back. I would leave after seeing my mother and then would turn my back on them forever.

Unexpectedly, after my mother came back, she wouldn’t allow me to leave. Then, she invited many brothers and sisters who believed in Almighty God to fellowship with me, but because of the rumors and my stubborn innate nature, I remained indifferent to what they had fellowshipped and didn’t make any response. However, the brothers and sisters still fellowshipped with me patiently and read me the words of God. In those words, one passage says: “Some say that God’s name does not change. But why was the name Jehovah changed into Jesus? It was said that Messiah would come, but why had a man named Jesus come? Why had God’s name changed? Isn’t all this the work that has been done long ago? Can’t God do a new work today? Since the work of yesterday could be changed and the work of ‘Jehovah’ could be continued by ‘Jesus,’ can’t the work of ‘Jesus’ be continued by another work? Since the name ‘Jehovah’ could be changed into ‘Jesus,’ can’t the name ‘Jesus’ also be changed? All this is nothing strange. People think it is strange, only because they are too simple-minded. God is God. No matter how his work changes or how his name changes, his nature and his wisdom will never change. If you think that God can only be called Jesus, you know too little. Do you dare to say that Jesus will forever be God’s name and God will forever be called Jesus and he will never change his name? Do you dare to say with certainty that the name ‘Jesus,’ which had ended the Age of the Law, will also end the final age? Who would dare to say that the grace of ‘Jesus’ can end the age?” Hearing those words, I suddenly understood the question my father had raised. “Ah, yes! Since the name Jehovah could be changed into Jesus, can’t the name Jesus also be changed into Almighty God? Is this truly God’s word?” A war started inside me and I didn’t know how to choose. Having no other choice, I came before Jesus and cried out to him, “O Lord! What should I do? I can’t discern clearly. Which way should I take? Please guide me. …” However, on the second day after my prayer, I remembered the “resolution” I had made before I came home. I thought to myself, “I mustn’t be ‘deceived’ by them.” So, I secretly packed up and prepared to leave home. In the evening, I told my mother, “I am leaving tomorrow.” She cried and said, “What exactly do you believe in God for? What exactly have you forsaken all things for? Why can’t you seek, listen, read first, and then decide? Are you willing to die without knowing all this? Can’t you make a careful investigation? …” The series of questions my mother asked made me toss about in bed, unable to go to sleep. I began to ask myself, “What exactly do I believe in God for? Why do I serve God? Have I actually served God to his heart’s desire? Revelation 14:4 says: ‘They follow the Lamb wherever he goes.’ Am I the person who follows the Lamb? Others all say that God has done a new work. Is this actually hearsay or a fact? My leader says that the book of ‘Eastern Lightning’ contains poison, but how come my parents haven’t been poisoned to death? He also says that the people of ‘Eastern Lightning’ always beat people and harm people, but aren’t both of my parents safe and sound? Besides, aren’t those people of our village who follow Almighty God also safe and sound? Are what my leader says things he saw or hearsay? Also, in recent years, the believers of the places where I have been to are getting fewer and fewer, and the churches are getting more and more desolate. What’s this all about? And the signs that Jesus had prophesied about his second coming have all been fulfilled. Has the Lord Jesus really returned? Should I wait to decide until after I seek?” That night, I thought a lot and felt my head was much clearer. It seemed that God also specially inspired me so that I gradually came out of the mist.