Persecution and Tribulation Perfects True Faith
April 19, 2018
By Niu Li, China
The Chinese atheistic party has issued a document that illegal preaching is forbidden, which required that any preacher of Christianity without a preaching license should be deemed as illegal preachers and be subjected to justice. Therefore, the Chief of the Bureau of Religion ordered the town mayor, You so-and-so, to repeatedly warn me that I must apply for a preaching license and join the Three-Self Church, or they would arrest and put me into prison. I thought: If I join the Three-Self Church, I must preach according to what the government stipulated. Isn’t this betraying the teachings of the Lord Jesus? The Lord Jesus said: “Teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you: and, see, I am with you always, even to the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20). The Lord Jesus’ word said clearly: I should tell brothers and sisters all that the Lord commanded man; I can’t listen to the government but go against the Lord Jesus’ word. Since I believe in God, I should obey God. Then, I thought of the Lord’s words: “And he that takes not his cross, and follows after me, is not worthy of me. He that finds his life shall lose it: and he that loses his life for my sake shall find it” (Mat 10:38–39). Right! No matter how many dangers and tribulations there lie ahead, I must bear the cross to follow the Lord. So, facing the Mayor You’s warning, I refused solemnly with justice: “I will surely observe the government’s law, but concerning the faith, I must listen to God’s word and obey God. What you require isn’t in line with the Lord’s teachings, so I can’t submit to it.” Hearing my words, You pointed at me and roared: “Let’s see! I’ll see how the Chinese Communist Party fixes you. Humph!” After he spoke these words, he left in a huff. After that, the government began to persecute and arrest me.
One night, about eleven o’clock, I was jarred awake by a violent knocking. I heard someone shout outside: “We are policemen of the Town Police Station. Open the door!” I shuddered and realized they came to arrest me, so I instinctively got out of bed. My several children were so scared that they huddled up and cried in a corner of the bed, daring not to make a movement. On that day, my wife happened to have gone to visit a relative. I comforted my children and said: “The police come to arrest dad, so dad has to go out and hide. You don’t be afraid at home.” After finishing this only word, I hurried to escape through a hole in the wall of my old mud house. I quietly hid behind my house to hear what would happen inside. I could hear the police burst the door open and broke into the room. My children cried more loudly out of fright. Hearing the cries, I felt my heart broken, and was blazing with anger. I really wanted to rush into the room to protect my children. At that moment, I thought of the Lord’s words: “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. … Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Mat 5:10, 12). The Lord’s word made me calm down little by little. Just then, I heard the police severely frightened my children and asked harshly: “Where is your dad?” Then followed the sound of rummaging through boxes and chests mingled with my children’s cries. After a while, I heard Mayor You say: “It’s strange! The village secretary said clearly that he was at home. We rush here as soon as we get the news. How come he is not in?” “Can it be that Niu Li can make himself invisible?” One evil policeman said, sounding perplexed. “I don’t believe Niu Li can get out of our hand.” You shouted angrily, “Let the village secretary and the neighbors keep monitoring him. Now is the world of the CCP. Such an incorrigible preacher as he must be put in the prison.” Hearing his words, I knew it is impossible to freely believe in God in China that was ruled by atheistic party, so I prayed to the Lord in my heart and asked Him to give me faith and strength. A few minutes later, I saw a police car was coming quickly on the main road. Then, a policeman got out of the car and shouted: “Mayor You, go back quickly. Your son was beaten up by someone and was hospitalized.” Then, the police cars rushed off. I was so excited that I clenched my fists and cried out: “Thank the Lord! Thank the Lord! It is the Lord who opens a way for me.” I rushed into my house, seeing my children huddled together, with fear on their face. I felt grieved, and then stepped up to them and comforted them: “Don’t cry. Dad’s here. The policemen have gone. It’s OK!” Since then, all my family have led a fearful life because the Chinese government was arresting me.
To be continued
Source The Internet
Almighty God, Christ of the last days, is the returned Lord Jesus. Eastern Lightning, The Church of Almighty God was founded by God personally and is formed by all those who truly follow Almighty God. Only by following Almighty God's work in the last days can we be purified and brought into the wonderful destination. Dear brothers and sisters, have you followed God's footsteps?
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