God Is the Source of Life for All Things (II)

We will continue to fellowship on our last topic. Can you recall what the topic was the last time we held fellowship? (God Is the Source of Life for All Things.) God is the source of life for all things—does this topic feel very distant to you? Or do you already have some rudimentary understanding of it in your hearts? Can someone talk for a moment about what the focal point of our last fellowship on this topic was? (Through all things created by God, I see that He nurtures all things and nurtures mankind. In the past, I always thought that the only way God provided for man was by providing His words to His chosen people; I never saw in the laws that govern all things that God is nurturing mankind. It is only through God’s fellowship on this aspect of the truth that I have become aware He is the source of all things, that the lives of all things are provided for by Him, that God arranges these laws and nurtures all things. From God’s creation of all things, I see His love.) Last time, we primarily held fellowship about how, in creating all things, God established laws and rules for them. Under such rules and laws, all things live and die and coexist with man under God’s dominion and within God’s sight. We first talked about God creating all things and using His own methods to determine the laws, trajectories, and patterns governing their life and growth. He also determined the ways that all things survive in this land so they may continue to grow and multiply and they may depend on one another for survival. With such methods and laws, all things are able to live and grow smoothly and safely on this land. Only with such an environment may mankind have a stable home and a stable living environment, always moving forward under God’s guidance—ever forward.

Last time, we discussed a basic concept of God providing for all things: God provides for all things in this way so that all things may exist and live for mankind’s benefit. In other words, such an environment exists because of the laws set by God. It is only due to God’s maintenance and control of such laws that mankind has its current living environment. It is a great leap between what we talked about last time and the knowledge of God we spoke of in the past. What is the reason for the existence of that leap? It is that when we talked about knowing God in the past, we were talking within the scope of God saving and managing mankind—that is, the salvation and management of God’s chosen people—and within that scope, we spoke of knowing God, of God’s deeds, of His disposition, of what He has and is, of His intentions, and of how He provides man with the truth and with life. But the topic we discussed last time was not limited merely to the contents of the Bible and to the scope of God saving His chosen people. Rather, the topic extends beyond this scope, out of the confines of the Bible and of the three stages of work God performs on His chosen people, discussing instead God Himself. So, when you hear this part of My fellowship, you must not confine your knowledge of God to the Bible and the three stages of God’s work. Instead, you must keep your perspective open; you must see God’s deeds and what He has and is within all things, and how He holds sovereignty over all things and how He manages them. Through this method and on this foundation, you can see how God provides for all things, which enables you to understand that God is the true source of life for all things, that this is, in fact, the true identity of God Himself. That is to say, God’s identity, status, and authority, His everything, are not meant only for those who currently follow Him—not just meant for you, this group of people—but are meant for all things. So, the scope of all things is very broad. I use the term “all things” to describe the scope of God’s sovereignty over everything because I want to tell you that what God holds sovereignty over is not limited merely to what you can see with your own eyes. They include not only the material world that all can see, but also another world beyond the material world that cannot be seen by human eyes, and beyond even that, space and planets beyond where mankind currently lives. That is the scope of God’s sovereignty over all things. The scope of God’s sovereignty over all things is very broad. As for what you should understand, what you should see, and the things you should know, it is both necessary and imperative that every one of you understand them, see them, and gain clarity about them. Although the scope of the term “all things” is indeed very broad, I will not tell you about the things within the scope that you have no way of seeing or with which you cannot come into contact. I will only tell you about the things within the scope which human beings can come into contact with, understand, and comprehend, so that everyone can become aware of the true meaning of the phrase “God is the source of life for all things.” In this way, none of the words of My fellowship to you will be hollow.

God is the source of life for all things. Last time, we used the method of storytelling to provide a simple overview of this topic. As a result, people gained a basic understanding in their hearts of how God provides for all things. What is the purpose of imparting this basic concept to you? It is to make people understand that, apart from the work recorded in the Bible and the three stages of His work, God is also doing much more work that people cannot see or come into contact with—work that God Himself personally carries out. If God did nothing but lead His chosen people forward, and if there were none of these works beyond His management work, then it would be very difficult for this humanity, including all of you, to continue moving forward. This humanity and this world would also be unable to continue developing. This is why it is important for Me to fellowship with you today on the words “God is the source of life for all things.”

The Basic Environment for Life That God Creates for Mankind

We have discussed many topics and much content relating to the words “God is the source of life for all things,” but do you know in your hearts what things God bestows on mankind, apart from providing you with His word and performing on you His work of chastisement and judgment? Some people might say, “God bestows on me grace and blessings; He gives me discipline and comfort, and He gives me care and protection in every possible way.” Others will say, “God bestows on me daily food and drink,” while some will even say, “God has bestowed everything on me.” As for these things people can experience in their daily lives, you may all have answers related to your own experiences of life in the flesh. God does bestow many things on every person, but what we are discussing here is not limited only to the scope of people’s daily needs. Rather, it is meant to have each and every one of you look farther afield and view things from a macro perspective. Since God is the source of life for all things, how does He maintain the life of all things? In other words, what does God give to all things of His creation to preserve their lives and maintain the laws governing their survival, so that they may continue to live? That is the main point of our discussion today. Do you understand what I have said? This topic might be very unfamiliar to you, but I will not talk about any doctrines that are too profound. I will strive to make sure all of you understand once you have finished listening. You need not feel any burden—all you have to do is listen carefully. However, at this point, I must emphasize: What is the topic I am speaking about? Tell Me. (God is the source of life for all things.) How then does God provide for all things? What does He provide to all things so it can be said that “God is the source of life for all things”? Do you have any concepts or thoughts about this? It seems I am discussing a topic that is almost completely unknown to you, in your hearts and in your minds. But I hope you can connect the topic I am about to discuss and the words I am about to speak with God’s deeds; do not link them to any knowledge, and do not associate them in any way with human culture or human research. I am talking only about God, about God Himself. This is what I am reminding you of. I am sure you understand, right?

God has bestowed many things on mankind. I will begin by talking about what people can see, that is, what they can feel. These are things people can understand and comprehend in their hearts. So first, let us begin by talking about what God has provided to mankind with a discussion of the material world.

a. Air

First, God created air so that man may breathe. Air is something humans can come into contact with in their daily lives, and it is something they cannot do without at any moment, even when they sleep. God created air. This air is of great significance to mankind: It is something people must have in order to breathe and survive—something that cannot be seen with the naked eye but can be felt. This was what God first bestowed upon all things. Did God simply create air just like that? When God created air, did He consider what its density should be? Did He consider what air would contain? What was God thinking when He made air? Why did God make air? What was His reason for doing so? Humans need air—they need to breathe. First, the density of the air must correspond to human lungs. Does anyone know the density of air? This is not something people need to know; there is no need to know it. We do not use data to talk about the density of air; it is enough to understand this concept. God made air with a density that would be most suitable for human lungs to breathe. That is, when people breathe it in, it is suitable for them, and it will not harm their bodies. This is the explanation regarding density. Next, we will talk about what air contains. First, its contents are not toxic to humans and do not harm their lungs or their bodies. God had to consider all of this. People should be able to breathe it in smoothly, and its components and composition should allow normal metabolism to occur in their blood after they breathe in the air and also allow the stale air in their bodies and lungs to be metabolized normally; moreover, the air must not contain any toxic components. God had to consider all of this. In speaking about these two properties of air, I do not want to instill any knowledge in you; I simply want people to know that God’s own thoughts lie behind His creation of every single thing, and that everything He created is the best. Furthermore, as for the amount of dust in the air, the amounts of dust, sand, and soil on the earth, and the amounts of the various kinds of dust that drift down from the sky, God also has ways of dealing with these things—clearing them away or causing them to dissipate. Even if there is some dust, it cannot cause any harm to people’s breathing or their bodies, and the size of the dust particles will not cause any harm to people’s bodies either; God has dealt with all of this. God created air. Is there any mystery in the creation of air? Was it simply a matter of blowing one breath and leaving it at that? (No.) Even in God’s creation of the simplest thing, there are mysteries, God’s thoughts and ideas, and God’s wisdom within it. Is God not practical? (Yes, He is.) What this means is that even when God creates a simple thing, He does so with mankind in mind. First, the air humans breathe is clean; the contents of the air are suitable for human respiration, are nontoxic, and cause no harm to humans; the thinness of the air is also suitable for human respiration. This air, which humans breathe in and then breathe out, is something the human body—the human flesh—must have. This is why humans can breathe freely in the air, without any hindrance or worry. They can thus breathe normally. This is something God created at the very beginning and that humans must have in order to breathe—air.

b. Temperature

The second thing we will discuss is temperature. Everybody knows what temperature is. Temperature is something that is essential to an environment suitable for human survival. If the temperature is too high—for example, supposing the temperature were higher than forty degrees Celsius—would this not be very draining for humans? Would it not be exhausting for humans to live in such conditions? And what if the temperature were too low—if it fell to negative forty degrees Celsius? Humans could not withstand that, either. Therefore, God was very particular in setting the range of temperatures, that being the temperature range to which the human body can adapt, which falls, more or less, between negative thirty degrees Celsius and forty degrees Celsius. Temperatures in lands from north to south essentially fall within this range. In frigid regions, temperatures can drop to perhaps negative fifty or sixty degrees Celsius. Such regions are not places God intended for people to live in. So, why do these freezing regions exist? God has His own wisdom, and He has His own intentions for this. He would not have you go near those places. Places that are too hot and too cold are protected by God, meaning that He did not plan for people to live there and that those places were not prepared for people. But why would God have such places exist on earth? If these are places where God would not have man dwell or even survive, then why would God create them? Therein lies God’s wisdom. That is, God has reasonably calibrated the temperature range of the environment in which humans survive. There is also a law at work here. God created certain things to maintain and control the temperature. What are they? First, the sun can bring people warmth, but are people able to endure this warmth when it is too great? Is there anyone who dares approach the sun? Is there any scientific instrument on earth that can approach the sun? (No.) Why not? The sun is too hot. Anything that comes too close will melt. Therefore, God also made certain calculations regarding the sun’s height above mankind and did certain work in this regard. God has a standard for this distance. Then there are the earth’s North and South Poles, both of which are covered in glaciers. Can mankind live in glacial regions? Are such places suited to human survival? No, so people do not go to these places. Since people do not go to the South and North Poles, their glaciers are preserved and are able to serve their purpose, which is to control temperature. You understand, yes? If there were no South Pole and no North Pole, with the sun constantly shining on the earth, everyone on earth would die from the heat. But does God keep the temperature within a range suited to human survival through these two things alone? No. There are also various living things, such as the grass on the grasslands and the various kinds of trees and plants in the forests. They absorb the sun’s heat, and, in doing so, neutralize the sun’s thermal energy, thereby regulating the temperature of the environment in which mankind lives. There are also natural water systems, such as rivers and lakes. No one can decide the area that rivers and lakes cover. As for how much water there is on earth, where it flows, the direction it takes, its volume, and the speed at which it flows, no one can control any of these things; only God knows them all. These various natural water systems, from groundwater to the visible rivers and lakes above ground, can also regulate the temperature of the environment in which man lives. In addition, there are also all kinds of geographical formations, such as mountains, plains, canyons, and wetlands. Both these various geographical formations and the size and extent of the areas they cover can play a role in regulating temperature. For instance, if this mountainous area extends for a radius of one hundred kilometers, it can play its role throughout that entire radius. As for just how many such mountain ranges and canyons God has created on earth, God took all of this into consideration. In other words, the coming into being of every single thing God created has a story behind it, as well as God’s wisdom and plans. Consider, for example, forests and all the various kinds of vegetation—the range and extent of the area in which they exist and grow is beyond the control of any human, and no one has a say over these things. Likewise, no human can control how much water they absorb, nor how much thermal energy they absorb from the sun. All of these things fall within the scope of the plan God made when He created all things.

It is only due to God’s careful planning, consideration, and meticulous arrangements in all regards that man can live in an environment with such a suitable temperature. Therefore, every single thing man sees with his eyes, such as the sun, the South and North Poles that people so often hear about, as well as the various living things on and below the ground and in the water, the amount of space covered by forests and other sorts of vegetation, natural water systems, including the various bodies of water and the amounts of seawater and fresh water, as well as different geographical environments—these are all things God uses to maintain normal temperatures for man’s survival. There is not the slightest error in any of this. It is only because God has taken all these things into consideration that man is able to live in an environment with such suitable temperatures. It must be neither too cold nor too hot: Places that are too hot, where temperatures exceed what the human body can adapt to, are certainly not put aside for you by God. Places that are too cold, where temperatures are too low, where, after arriving there, humans would thoroughly freeze in just a few minutes, such that they cannot speak, their brains freeze, they are unable to think, and soon they suffer asphyxiation—such places are also not set aside by God for mankind. No matter what kind of research humans want to carry out, or whether they want to innovate or break through such limitations—whatever thoughts people have, they will never be able to exceed the limits of what the human body can adapt to. They will never be able to cast off these limitations God created for man. Because God created human beings, He knows best what temperatures the human body can adapt to, whereas humans themselves do not know. Why do I say humans do not know? What foolish things have humans done? Have many people not constantly attempted to challenge the North and South Poles? Such people have always wanted to go to those places to occupy the land so that, once they have done so, they can put down roots and begin to flourish there as soon as possible. It would be an act of absurdity. Even if you have thoroughly researched the poles, then what? Even if you could adapt to such temperatures, survive there, and “improve” the current living environment at the North and South Poles, what benefit would that bring mankind? Mankind has an environment in which it can survive, yet people do not remain there quietly and obediently, but instead insist on going to places where they cannot survive. What does this behavior mean? They have grown bored and impatient with life in this suitable temperature, and have enjoyed too many blessings. Besides, mankind has almost completely destroyed this normal living environment. In other words, they want to go on to the South and North Poles and damage them as well, carry out some “grand enterprise” there, and create some sort of “groundbreaking achievement.” Is this not foolish? That is to say, under the leadership of their forebear Satan, this mankind continues to do one absurd thing after another, recklessly and wantonly destroying the beautiful home God created for them. This is the doing of Satan. Further, seeing that mankind’s survival on earth is somewhat imperiled, many people seek ways to go to the moon and carve out a means of survival there, to see whether they could live there. But ultimately, the moon lacks oxygen. Can human beings survive without oxygen? Since the moon lacks oxygen, it is not a place where man can stay, yet man persists in his desire to go there. What should this behavior be called? This, too, is self-destructive behavior. The moon is a place without air, and its temperature is not suitable for human survival—therefore, it is not a place put aside by God for man.

Our topic just now, temperature, is something people experience in their daily lives. Temperature is something all human bodies can sense, but no one thinks about how such temperatures came about, or who is in charge of temperatures suitable for human survival and who holds sovereignty over them. This is what we now need to understand. Is God’s wisdom within this? Are God’s deeds present in this? (Yes.) Considering that God created for mankind an environment with a temperature range suitable for human survival, is this one of the ways in which God provides for all things? It is.

c. Sound

What is the third thing? It is also an essential part of mankind’s normal living environment. It was also something God had to address when He created all things. It is very important to God and to each and every human being. If God had not taken care of this thing, it would have greatly interfered with the survival of mankind, meaning it would have had a major impact on the human body and human life, and could even have made it impossible for mankind to survive in such an environment. It could be said that no living thing could have survived in such an environment. So, what is this thing I speak of? I am speaking about sound. God created everything, and everything lives within God’s hands. In His sight, all the things of God’s creation are moving and living. What I mean by this is that every single thing God created has value in its survival and meaning in its existence; that is, each thing’s existence is necessary. In God’s eyes, each thing is alive, and, since all things are alive, each of them produces sound. For instance, the earth is constantly turning, the sun is constantly turning, and the moon, too, is constantly turning. As all things come into being, develop, and move, they are constantly emitting sound. All of the things of God’s creation that exist on earth are constantly coming into being, developing, and moving. For example, the bases of mountains are moving and shifting, and all the living things in the depths of the seas are swimming and moving about. This means that these living things, all things in the sight of God, are in constant, regular motion, in accordance with established patterns. So, what is it that is brought into being by all of these things that come into being and develop in secrecy and move covertly? Powerful sound. Beyond planet Earth, all kinds of planets are also in constant motion, and living things and organisms on these planets are also constantly coming into being, developing, and moving. That is, all things with life and without life are constantly moving forward in the sight of God, and, as they do, each of them is also emitting sound. God has also made arrangements for these sounds, and I believe you already know His reason for this, do you not? When you get close to an airplane, what effect does the roar of its engine have on you? If you stay near it too long, your ears will be deafened. What about your heart—will it be able to withstand such an ordeal? Some people with weak hearts would not. Of course, even those with strong hearts will not be able to withstand it for too long. That is to say, the effect of sound on the human body, whether it be the ears or the heart, is extremely significant for every human being, and sounds that are too loud will harm people. Therefore, when God created all things and after they had begun to function normally, God made appropriate arrangements for these sounds, the sounds of all things in motion. This, too, is one of the factors God had to consider when creating an environment for mankind.

First, the height of the atmosphere above the earth’s surface has an effect on sound. In addition, the size of gaps in the soil will also manipulate and affect sound. Then there are various geographical environments whose confluence also affects sound. That is to say, God uses certain methods to eliminate some sounds, so that humans may survive in an environment that their ears and hearts can withstand. Otherwise, these sounds would cause great interference with mankind’s survival, make people’s lives extremely difficult. This would be a major problem for mankind. This means that God was very particular in His creation of land, the atmosphere, and the various kinds of geographical environment, and contained within each of these is God’s wisdom. Mankind’s understanding of this need not be too detailed—it is enough for people to know that God’s deeds are in these things. Now you tell Me, this work that God did—precisely calibrating sound in order to maintain mankind’s living environment and their normal lives—was it necessary? (Yes.) Since this work was necessary, then from this perspective, can it be said that God used this work as a way to provide for all things? God created and provided mankind with such a quiet environment so that the human body could live quite normally within it, without suffering any interference, and so that mankind would be able to survive and live normally. Is this, then, not one of the ways in which God provides for mankind? Was this not a very important thing God did? (Yes.) There was great need of it. So how do you understand this? Though you cannot sense that this was God’s deed, nor do you know how God did it at the time, can you still sense the necessity of God having done this thing? Can you feel God’s wisdom and His painstaking intention? (Yes, we can.) If you are able to feel this much, that will do; it is enough. There are many deeds God has performed among the things of His creation that people can neither feel nor see. I raise this simply to provide you with some information about God’s deeds, so that you may come to know God. These clues can enable you to know and understand God better.

d. Light

The fourth thing concerns people’s eyes: light. This too is very important. When you see a bright light, and its brightness reaches a certain strength, it is capable of blinding human eyes. After all, human eyes are eyes of the flesh. They cannot bear irritation. Does anyone dare to stare directly into the sun? Some people have tried it, and if they are wearing sunglasses, it works just fine—but that requires the use of a tool. Without tools, man’s naked eyes have no ability to face the sun and stare directly at it. However, God created the sun to bring light to mankind, and this light, too, is something He took care of. God did not simply finish creating the sun, put it somewhere, and then ignore it; that is not how God does things. He is very meticulous in His actions, and thoroughly thinks them through. God created eyes for mankind so that they may see, and He also set in advance the parameters of light with which man sees things. It would be no good if the light were too dim. When it is so dark that people cannot see their fingers in front of them, then their eyes have lost their function and serve no use. But in places where the light is too bright, human eyes cannot bear it and so cannot see anything. Therefore, God has furnished the environment in which mankind lives with an appropriate amount of light for human eyes—an amount that will not hurt or damage people’s eyes, let alone cause them to lose their function. This is why God added layers of clouds around the earth, and why the density of the air is able to properly filter out types of light that can hurt people’s eyes or skin—these are commensurate. In addition, the colors of the earth that God created reflect sunlight and all other kinds of light, and are able to eliminate the sorts of light that are too bright for human eyes to adapt to. Thus, people are able to walk outside and lead their lives without needing constantly to wear very dark sunglasses. Under normal circumstances, human eyes can see things within their field of vision without being bothered by the light. That is to say, it would be no good if the light were too piercing, nor if it were too dim. If it were too dim, people’s eyes would be damaged, and, before long, they would be ruined; if it were too bright, people’s eyes would be unable to withstand it. That is, this light must be suitable for human eyes to see, and God has, through various methods, minimized the damage caused to human eyes by light. Whether this light brings benefits or adverse effects to human eyes, it suffices to let people reach the end of their lives while maintaining use of their eyes. Was God not thorough in considering this? Yet the devil Satan acts without such considerations ever passing through its mind. With Satan, the light is always either too bright or too dim. This is how Satan acts.

God did these things to all aspects of the human body—to its vision, hearing, taste, breathing, feelings, and so on—with the result that all these aspects were as well suited as possible to human survival, so people can live normally and continue to do so. In other words, the current environment for life, created by God, is the environment most suitable and beneficial for the survival of mankind. Some people may think that this does not matter a great deal, that it is all a very ordinary thing. Sound, light, and air are things that people feel are their birthright, which they have enjoyed from the moment they were born. But what God has done behind these things that you are able to enjoy is something humans need to understand, something they need to know. No matter whether you feel it is necessary to understand these things or to be clear about them, in short, when God created them, He gave much thought to them, He had a plan, He had certain ideas. He did not frivolously or simply put mankind into such an environment for life, without giving it any consideration. You may think that I am making too much of each of the things I have spoken about, but in My view, each thing that God provided for mankind is necessary for the survival of humanity. God’s deeds are in this.

e. Airflow

What is the fifth thing? This thing is closely related to each day of every person’s life, and this relationship is of great importance. It is something the human body cannot do without in order to live in this material world. This thing is airflow. Perhaps anyone could understand the noun “airflow” having just heard it. So, what is airflow? You could say that “airflow” is simply the movement of air. Airflow is wind that the human eye cannot see. It is also one way in which gases move. Yet, in this talk, to what does “airflow” primarily refer? As soon as I say it, you will understand. The earth carries the mountains and rivers, the seas, and all the things of creation as it turns, and when it turns, it turns with speed. Though you do not feel any of this spinning, the rotation of the earth exists nonetheless. What does its rotation engender? When you run, does wind not arise and rush past your ears? If wind can be generated when you run, how can there not be wind when the earth rotates? When the earth rotates, all things are in motion. The earth itself is in motion and rotating at a certain speed, while all things on it are constantly coming into being and developing. Therefore, movement at a certain speed will naturally give rise to airflow. This is what I mean by “airflow.” Does this airflow not affect the human body to a certain extent? Consider typhoons: Normal typhoons are not particularly powerful, but when they strike, people cannot even stand steadily, and it is difficult for them to walk in the wind. Even a single step is arduous, and some people may even be pushed against something by the wind, unable to move. This is the impact that one type of airflow can have on mankind. If the entire earth were covered in plains, then, when the earth and all things rotated at a certain speed, the human body would be entirely unable to withstand the airflow thereby generated. It would be extremely difficult to respond to such a situation. If this were really the case, such airflow would not only bring harm to mankind, but destruction. Humans would be unable to survive in such an environment. This is why God uses different geographical features to moderate such airflow—in different environments, airflows grow weaker, change their direction, change their speed, and change their force. That is why people can see different geographical features, such as mountains, mountain ranges, plains, hills, basins, valleys, plateaus, and rivers. With these different geographical features, God changes an airflow’s speed, direction, and force. This is the method He uses to reduce or manipulate airflow into wind whose speed, direction, and force are appropriate, so that humans may have a normal environment in which to live. Is there need of this? (Yes.) Doing something like this seems quite difficult from a human perspective, but it is very easy for God, because God’s eyes scrutinize all things. For Him, it is extremely simple and extremely easy to create an environment with a suitable airflow for mankind. Therefore, in such an environment created by God, each thing within all of His creation is indispensable. There is value and necessity in the existence of each and every thing. However, neither Satan nor corrupt mankind understands this principle. They continue destroying and overdeveloping, with vain dreams of turning mountains and rivers into flat land, filling in canyons, and covering the plains with large buildings to create concrete jungles. It is God’s hope that mankind can live happily, grow happily, and spend each day happily in this most suitable environment, which He has prepared for them. That is why God has never been careless in how He treats the environment in which mankind lives. From temperature to air, from sound to light, God has made intricate plans and arrangements, so that people’s bodies and their living environment would not be subject to interference from any natural conditions, and that instead, mankind would be able to live and multiply normally, and live normally in harmony with all things and coexist peacefully with them. All of this is provided by God to all things and to mankind.

In the way God handled these five basic conditions for human survival, can you see how He provides for mankind? (Yes.) That is to say, all the most basic conditions for human survival were created by God, and God is also managing and controlling these things; even now, after thousands of years of human existence, God is still continuously making alterations to their living environment, providing them with the best and most suitable environment so that their lives can be maintained normally. Until when will such a situation be maintained? In other words, until when will God continue providing such an environment? It will last until God fully completes His management work. Then, God will change mankind’s living environment. It might be that He will make these changes with the same methods, or it might be with different methods. But what people must now know is that God is continuously providing for mankind’s needs; managing the environment in which mankind lives; and preserving, protecting, and maintaining that environment. With such an environment, God’s chosen people are able to live normally and accept God’s salvation and chastisement and judgment. All things continue to survive because of God’s sovereignty, and all mankind continues moving forward because of such provisions from God.

Has this part of our fellowship brought you any new thoughts? Have you now become aware of the greatest difference between God and mankind? Ultimately, who is the master of all things? Is it man? (No.) Then what is the difference between how God and humans treat all things? (God holds sovereignty over and arranges all things, while man enjoys them.) Do you agree with this? The greatest difference between God and mankind is that God holds sovereignty over and provides for all things, that He is the source of everything, and that while God provides for all things, man enjoys them. That is to say, man enjoys all things when he receives the life that God bestows on all things. Man enjoys the fruits of God’s creation of all things, and God is the Sovereign. What, then, from the perspective of all things, is the difference between God and mankind? God can see clearly the laws of how all things grow, and He controls and holds sovereignty over these laws. That is, all things are within God’s sight and within the scope of His scrutiny. Can man see all things? What man can see is limited—he can only see what is before his eyes. If you climb a mountain, then what you see is just that mountain—you cannot see beyond it. If you go to the shore, then what you see is just one side of the ocean, and you cannot know what the other side of the ocean is like. If you go into a forest, you can see the vegetation in front of you and around you, but you cannot see what lies farther ahead. Humans cannot see places that are higher, farther, deeper. All that they can see is what is in front of them, within their field of vision. Even if humans know the law that dictates the four seasons of the year, or the laws of how all things grow, they are unable to manage or hold sovereignty over all things. Yet the way God sees all things is just as He would see a machine that He built Himself. He is perfectly clear on every part of them, what their principles are, what their laws are, and what their purposes are—in His heart, God is perfectly clear about all of this, and understands it completely. Hence God is God, and man is man! No matter how man researches science and the laws of all things, that research is limited in scope, whereas God controls everything, which, to man, is infinite. When God performs even a very minor deed, if people were to research it, they could spend their entire lives without achieving any true results. This is why, if you use knowledge and what you have learned to study God, you will never be able to know God, nor could you ever possibly understand Him. But if you choose the way of seeking the truth and seeking God, and view God from the perspective of knowing Him, then, one day, you will acknowledge that God’s deeds are everywhere and that God’s wisdom is everywhere, and you will understand why it is said that God is the Sovereign of all things and the source of life for all things. The more you gain such understanding, the more you will know why God is called the Sovereign of all things, and that all things and everything, including you, are constantly receiving the unceasing flow of God’s provision. You will also be able to clearly realize that in this world, and among this mankind, there is no one apart from God who could have the ability and the essence to hold sovereignty over, manage, and maintain the survival of all things. When you arrive at this understanding, you will truly acknowledge that God is your God. When you reach this point, you will have truly accepted God and allowed Him to be your God and your Sovereign. When you have obtained such an understanding and your life has reached such a point, God will no longer try you and judge you, nor will He make any requirements of you, because you will have understood God, will have known His heart, and will have truly accepted God in your heart. This is an important reason to fellowship on these topics of God’s sovereignty over and management of all things. Doing so is meant to give people more knowledge and understanding—not merely to have you acknowledge, but to have you understand and know God’s deeds in a more practical way.

The Daily Food and Drink God Prepares for Mankind

Just now, we spoke about a part of the environment at large, specifically, the conditions necessary for human survival, which God prepared when He created the world. We spoke about five things in total, five elements of the environment at large. Our next topic is intimately related to every human’s physical life, and it is a necessary condition more closely related to and better suited to people’s physical lives than the previous five. Namely, it is the food people eat. God created man and placed him in a suitable environment for life; afterward, man needed food and water. Man had this need, so God made corresponding preparations for him. Therefore, each step of God’s work and each thing He does are not hollow words being spoken, but real, practical action being taken. Is food not indispensable in people’s daily lives? Is food more important than air? They are equally important. Both are necessary conditions and substances for mankind’s survival and for safeguarding the continuation of human life. Which is more important—air, or water? Temperature, or food? They are all equally important. People cannot choose between them, and in fact, they cannot be without any of them. This is a matter of fact, not something you can pick and choose. You do not know, but God knows. When you see food, you think, “I cannot be without food!” But right after you were created, did you know that you needed food? You did not know, but God did. It was only when you became hungry and saw fruit on the trees and grain on the ground for you to eat that you realized you needed food. It was only when you became thirsty and caught sight of spring water—only when you drank did you realize you needed water. Water was prepared in advance for mankind by God. Food, no matter if one eats three meals a day or two, or even more, is, in brief, something indispensable to humans in their daily lives. It is one of the things needed to maintain the normal, continuing survival of the human body. So, where does most food come from? First, it comes from the soil. Soil was prepared in advance for mankind by God, and it is suitable for the survival of many kinds of plants, not just trees or grass. God prepared for mankind the seeds of all kinds of staple crops and the seeds of various other foods, and He prepared suitable soil and land for mankind to cultivate, and with these things, mankind obtains food. What are the various kinds of food? You probably already know. First, there are the various grains. What different kinds of grain are there? Wheat, foxtail millet, glutinous millet, proso millet, and other types of husked grain. Cereals, too, come in all sorts, with different varieties from south to north: barley, wheat, oats, buckwheat, and so on. Different species are suited to growing in different regions. There are also various kinds of rice. The south has its own varieties, which are relatively long-grained and suited to people from the south. This rice is not very sticky. The weather in the south is hot, so local people need to eat varieties such as indica rice that are not too sticky; if the rice is too sticky, they find it hard to swallow and have no appetite for it. The rice eaten by people in the north is somewhat stickier, as the north is always cold and people there need to eat stickier rice. Next, there are also many varieties of beans. All the crops mentioned above grow above the ground. There are also crops that grow underground, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, taro, and many others. Potatoes grow in the north, where their quality is very high. When people have no grain to eat, potatoes can serve as a staple food for their three daily meals and can also take the place of grain. The quality of sweet potatoes is somewhat worse than that of potatoes, but they can also be used as a staple food to round out three daily meals. When grains are hard to come by, people can stave off hunger with sweet potatoes. Taro, which is often eaten by people in the south, can be used in the same way, and it can also serve as a staple food. Such are the many diverse staple crops, which are necessary parts of people’s daily food and drink. People use various staple crops to make flatbreads, steamed buns, noodles, rice, rice noodles, and other things. God has bestowed these various staple crops on mankind in abundance. Why there are so many varieties is a matter of God’s purpose: On the one hand, they are suited to growing in the different soils and climates of the north, south, east, and west. On the other hand, the various components and their composition in these staple crops correspond to the various components and their composition in the human body, and only by eating these staple crops can people obtain the various nutrients and components their bodies need and maintain normal bodily functioning. Northern food and southern food are different, but they have many more similarities than differences. Both of them can satisfy the regular needs of the human body and support its normal survival. So, there is an abundance of species produced in each region because humans’ physical bodies need what these different foods supply—they need to be supplied by these various foods grown from the soil to sustain the body’s normal survival, that they may lead a normal human life. In short, God has considered everything for mankind with great care. The various foods God bestowed on people are not monotonous; rather, they form a very complete range. If people want to eat flour-based foods, they can. Some people do not like flour-based foods and want to eat rice instead, so they can eat rice. There are all kinds of rice—long-grain, short-grain—and each can satisfy people’s appetites. Therefore, if people eat these staple crops, as long as they are not picky eaters, they will not lack for nutrition and are guaranteed to live out the rest of their days in good health. That was God’s original intention when He bestowed food on mankind. The human body cannot be without these things—is that not the reality? These are practical problems that man could not solve on his own, but God was prepared for them: He thought of them beforehand and made preparations for mankind.

But that is not all God gave to mankind—He also gave mankind vegetables! With rice, if that is all you eat, nothing else, you might not get enough nutrients. On the other hand, if you fry up a few vegetables or mix a salad to eat with your meals, then the vitamins in the vegetables and their various trace elements and other nutrients will be able to satisfy the needs of your body naturally. And people can also eat a bit of fruit between meals. Sometimes, people need more fluids or other nutrients or different flavors, and fruits and vegetables are there to meet these needs. As the north, south, east, and west have different soils and climates, they produce different varieties of vegetables and fruits. Since the climate in the south is excessively hot, most fruits and vegetables there are of the cooling type, which, once eaten, are able to balance cold and heat in the human body. By contrast, there are fewer varieties of vegetables and fruits in the north, yet enough for the local people to enjoy. However, due to developments in society in recent years and so-called social progress, with transportation convenient, communications well developed, and the north and south and east and west connected, people in the north are also able to eat some southern fruits and vegetables, or regional products from the south, and they can even do so in all four seasons of the year. Although people’s appetites and material desires have been satisfied, their bodies have, without their realizing it, suffered varying degrees of harm. This is because, among the foods God prepared for mankind, there are foods and fruits and vegetables meant for people in the south, as well as foods and fruits and vegetables meant for people in the north. That is to say, if you live in the south, it is appropriate for you to eat things from the south. God specifically prepared these foods and fruits and vegetables because the south has a particular climate. The north has food that is necessary for the bodies of people in the north. Yet because people have gluttonous appetites, they are unknowingly swept along with the tide of social development, and they unconsciously violate these laws. Though people feel their lives are better than in the past, this kind of social progress causes insidious harm to the bodies of an increasing number of people. This is not what God wants to see, and it is not what He intended when He provided mankind with these foods, fruits and vegetables. Humans themselves have caused the current situation by violating the laws of God.

Aside from all that, it can be said that God has bestowed an abundance on mankind, and each place has its local product. For instance, some places are rich in red dates (also known as jujubes), others are rich in walnuts, and others are rich in peanuts or various other nuts. These material things all provide the nutrients needed by the human body. But God supplies mankind with things in the right quantity and at the right time. However much God gives to people, it is all arranged by Him. Mankind covets physical enjoyment and is gluttonous, which violates the normal laws of growth that He ordained when He created mankind. Let us take the cherry as an example. They become ripe around June. Under normal circumstances, by August, there are no cherries left. They can only be kept fresh for two months, but, using scientific techniques, people are now able to extend that period to twelve months, even through the next year’s cherry season. This means that there are cherries all year round. Is this phenomenon normal? (No.) Then when is the best season to eat cherries? That would be the period from June to August. Past this time, no matter how fresh you keep them, they do not taste the same, nor do they provide what the human body needs. Once their natural period of freshness has passed, no matter what chemicals you use, you will not be able to make their qualities match those they have when grown naturally. Additionally, the harm that chemicals do to humans is something that no one can resolve or change, no matter what they try. So, what does the current market economy bring to people? People’s lives seem better, transportation between regions has become highly convenient, and people can eat all kinds of fruits in any of the four seasons. People in the north are able to eat bananas regularly, as well as any kind of food from the south, including any local specialty or fruit. But this is not the life that God wants to give to mankind. This kind of market economy may bring some benefit to people’s lives, but it can also bring harm. Because of the abundance in the market, many people eat indiscriminately and without restraint in violation of the laws of nature, and as a result have damaged their health. So, the market economy cannot bring people true happiness. See for yourselves. Are grapes not sold at the market in all four seasons? In fact, grapes only stay fresh for a very short period of time after they are picked. If you keep them until June of the next year, can they still be called grapes? Or would “garbage” be a better name for them? They no longer contain their original components; instead, they have more chemicals on them. After a year, they are no longer fresh, and what nutrients they had are long gone. When people eat grapes, they have this feeling: “How happy we are! Would we have been able to eat grapes in this season thirty years ago? You couldn’t have, even if you’d wanted to! Life is so good now!” Is this really happiness? If you are interested, you can do your own research into chemically preserved grapes and see just what they are made of and whether these components can be of any benefit to humans. In the Age of Law, when the Israelites had left Egypt and were traveling, God bestowed quail and manna on them. But did God allow people to preserve these foods? Some of them had their own little schemes and, afraid that there would be no more the next day, put some aside for later. Then what happened? The next day, it was rotten. God does not let you put some aside. He has made preparations that guarantee you will not go hungry. But mankind does not have such faith, nor do they truly believe in God. They always want to have a backup plan, and are never able to see God’s painstaking intention in preparing everything for mankind. They never sense it, never trust God, and always think, “God’s actions are unreliable! Who knows if God will give us what we need or when He will give it to us! If I’m famished and God doesn’t provide, then won’t I starve? Won’t I lack nutrition?” See how little faith man has!

Staple crops, fruits and vegetables, and all types of nuts—these are all vegetarian foods. They contain nutrients sufficient to satisfy the needs of the human body, even though they are vegetarian foods. However, God did not say, “I will give just these foods to mankind. Let them eat only these things!” God did not stop there, but went on to prepare for mankind many more foods that are even more delicious. What are these foods? They are the various kinds of meat and fish that most of you are able to see and eat. He prepared for man many, many kinds of both meat and fish. Fish live in the water, and the flesh of the fish of the water is different in substance from the flesh of land-dwelling animals, and it can provide man with different nutrients. Fish also have properties that can regulate cold and heat in the human body, which is of great benefit to man. But delicious food must not be eaten to excess. As I have already said, God bestows on mankind the right quantity at the right time, so that people can properly enjoy His bestowal in a normal way and in accordance with the season and time. Now, what kinds of foods are included in the category of poultry? Chicken, duck, goose, quail, pigeon, and so on and so forth. Though God has prepared all these kinds of meat, He still has requirements for His chosen people. In the Age of Law, God set certain limits on which of these meats they could eat; now, the range of meats people eat is based on individual taste and personal understanding. These various meats provide the human body with diverse nutrients: Some provide protein, while others provide iron, enrich the blood, strengthen muscles and bones, and give people strength. Regardless of how people cook and eat them, these meats can help people improve the flavor of their food and bolster their appetite, while also satisfying their stomachs. Most importantly, these foods can supply the human body with its daily nutritional needs. This was God’s consideration when He made food ready for mankind. There are vegetarian foods, and there is meat—is this not an abundance? But people should understand what God’s intention was when He prepared all foods for mankind. Was it to have mankind indulge in these foods? What happens when man becomes trapped in attempting to satisfy these material desires? Does he not become over-nourished? Does too much nourishment not cause the body to suffer from all kinds of illnesses? (Yes.) So, God enables people to enjoy different foods in different seasons according to the time of year. For example, after a very hot summer, people accumulate much heat in their bodies, as well as pathogenic dryness and dampness. When autumn arrives, many kinds of fruit ripen, and when people eat these fruits, the dampness in their bodies is expelled. At this time, cattle and sheep have also grown strong, so people should eat some meat to nourish and strengthen their bodies. By eating various kinds of meat, people’s bodies gain energy and warmth to help them withstand the harsh winter and thereby make it through safely and smoothly. What God prepares for mankind at any given time, and what He causes to grow, bear fruit, and ripen at any given time—all this is under God’s control; He keeps it firmly in hand and does everything in due measure. This relates to the topic of “how God prepares the food man needs in his daily life.” In addition to many kinds of food, God also provides mankind with sources of water. After eating, people still need to drink water. Would eating only fruit work? People could not bear it, and besides, there is no fruit in some seasons. So, how can mankind’s water problem be solved? God has solved it by preparing many water sources above ground and underground, including lakes, rivers, and springs. These water sources are potable as long as there is no contamination, and as long as people have not manipulated or damaged them. In other words, in terms of food sources that sustain the lives of mankind’s physical bodies, God has made very precise, very accurate, and very appropriate preparations, so that people’s lives are rich and plentiful and not lacking in anything. This is something that people can feel and see.

Additionally, God created among all things some plants, animals, and various herbs that are specifically meant to heal injuries or treat illness in the human body. What should someone do, for instance, if they are burned, or accidentally scald themselves? Can you just rinse the burn with water? Can you just wrap it up with any old piece of cloth? If you do that, the wound might fill with pus or become infected. If someone gets a fever, for instance, or catches a cold; suffers an injury while working; develops a stomach ailment from eating the wrong thing; or develops certain diseases caused by lifestyle factors or emotional issues, including vascular diseases, psychological conditions, or diseases of the internal organs, then there are corresponding plants that cure their conditions. There are plants that improve blood circulation and remove stagnation, relieve pain, stanch bleeding, provide anesthesia, help heal the skin and return it to a normal condition, and disperse stagnant blood and eliminate viruses from the body—in short, all of these plants have uses in daily life, are things people can make use of, and they have been prepared by God for the human body in case of need. God allowed man to discover some of them by happenstance, while for others, God prepared special phenomena through which they would be discovered, or prepared certain people to discover them. Following the discovery of these plants, mankind would pass them down, and many people would come to know about them. God’s creation of these plants thus has value and meaning. In summary, these things are all from God, prepared and planted by Him when He created mankind’s living environment. All of these are essential. Are God’s thought processes more thorough than those of mankind? When you see all that God has done, do you have a sense of God’s practical side? God does things in secret. God created all of this when man had not yet come into this world, when He had had no contact with mankind. Everything was done with mankind in mind, for the sake of mankind’s survival and with thought for mankind’s survival, so that mankind may live happily in this rich and plentiful material world that God prepared for them, free from worry about food or clothes, lacking nothing. In such an environment, mankind can continue to reproduce and survive.

Among all God’s deeds, great and small, is there any without value or meaning? Everything He does has value and meaning. Let us start our discussion with a common topic. People often ask: Which came first, the chicken or the egg? (The chicken.) The chicken came first, no doubt about it! Why did the chicken come first? Why could the egg not have come first? Does the chicken not hatch from the egg? After twenty-one days, the chicken hatches, and that chicken then lays more eggs, and more chickens hatch from those eggs. So did the chicken or the egg come first? You answer “chicken” with absolute certainty. But why is this your answer? (The Bible says God created the birds and the beasts.) So, your answer is based on the Bible. But I want you to talk about your own understanding, so that I can see if you have any practical knowledge of God’s deeds. Now, are you sure about your answer, or not? (God created the chicken, then gave it the ability to reproduce, which means the ability to incubate eggs.) This interpretation is more or less correct. The chicken came first, and then the egg. This is certain. It is no mystery, but the people of the world nonetheless consider it very profound and use philosophical theories to deduce it, without ever coming to a conclusion. This is just like when people do not know that God created them. They do not know this fundamental principle, nor do they have a clear idea of whether the egg or the chicken should have come first. They do not know which should have come first, so they are never able to find the answer. It is quite natural that the chicken came first. If there were an egg before the chicken, that would be abnormal! The chicken definitely came first. It is such a simple thing, and it is not a question that requires advanced knowledge. God created everything, with the intention that man should enjoy it. Once the chicken exists, the egg follows as a matter of course. Isn’t everything then already in place? If the egg were created first, would it not still need the chicken to incubate it? Creating the chicken directly is so much more ready-made; this way, the chicken could lay eggs and hatch chicks, and people could have chicken to eat. How convenient! The way God does things is neat and clean, not at all convoluted. Where does the egg come from? It comes from the chicken. There is no egg without the chicken. What God created was a living thing! Mankind is absurd and ridiculous, always becoming entangled in such simple things, and ending up with a bunch of absurd fallacies. How childish man is! The relationship between the egg and the chicken is clear: The chicken came first. This is the most accurate explanation, the most accurate way to understand it, and the most accurate answer. It is correct.

What topics have we just discussed? We began by talking about mankind’s living environment—what God did for it, what He prepared, and what He dealt with. We discussed the relationships among all the things God prepared for mankind, how God dealt with those relationships to prevent all things from harming mankind, and how He dealt with the adverse effects on mankind’s environment caused by the various factors arising from all things. In doing all this, God enabled all things to serve their highest purpose, and bring mankind a beneficial environment with beneficial elements, thus enabling mankind to adapt to such an environment and normally continue the cycle of life and reproduction. Next, we talked about the food the human body needs—mankind’s daily food and drink. This is also a necessary condition for mankind’s survival. That is to say, the human body cannot live by breathing alone; sunlight alone is not enough, nor is wind alone, nor are suitable temperatures alone. Human beings also need to fill their stomachs. As for the sources of the things with which people fill their stomachs, God likewise prepared every one of them for mankind, without omitting a single one. These are the sources of mankind’s food. When you have seen such rich and bountiful produce—the sources of mankind’s food and drink—can you say that God is the source of the supply for mankind and for all the things of His creation? If, during the time of creation, God had only created trees and grass or all kinds of other living things, and if these various living things and plants were all for cows and sheep to eat, or were for zebras, deer, and various other kinds of animals, for instance, lions were to eat things such as zebras and deer, and tigers were to eat things such as sheep and pigs—but there were not a single thing suitable for humans to eat, would that have worked? It would not. The human body would not have been able to survive. What if humans only ate leaves? Would that have worked? Could humans eat the grass meant for sheep? It might not hurt if they tried a bit, but if they ate such things for a long time, their stomachs would not be able to tolerate it, and people would not have lived for long. There are even some things animals eat that are poisonous to humans, and some poisonous things can be eaten by animals without incident but not by humans. This is to say that God created human beings, so God knows best the principles and structure of the human body and what humans need. The body’s components and their composition, what it needs, how its internal organs function, and how they absorb, eliminate, and metabolize various substances—all of this is perfectly clear to God. People themselves do not understand these things; sometimes, they eat imprudently, they engage in reckless self-care, and excessive self-care causes an imbalance. If you eat and enjoy the things that God prepared for you in a normal way, then you will have no health problems. Even if you sometimes experience bad moods and you have stagnation of the blood, this poses no problem at all. You simply need to eat a certain type of plant, and the stagnation will clear up. God has made preparations for all of these things. So, in God’s eyes, mankind is far above any other living thing. God prepared an environment for each kind of plant, and He prepared food and an environment for each kind of animal, but mankind alone has the strictest requirements for this living environment, and those requirements cannot be overlooked in the slightest way; if they were, mankind would not be able to continue developing and living and reproducing in a normal way. God knows this most clearly in His heart. When God did this, in His heart He regarded it as more important than anything else. As for any unremarkable thing you see or enjoy, or anything you feel you were born with and are able to enjoy, while you are unable to sense its importance, God has already long since gotten it prepared for you behind the scenes. To the greatest possible extent, God has removed and dealt with all negative elements that are unfavorable to mankind and might harm the human body. What does this show? Does it show the attitude God had toward mankind when He created them this time? What was that attitude? God’s attitude was rigorous and earnest, and left no room for the slightest interference from anything other than God—any hostile force, any factor or condition. In this can be seen God’s attitude in creating and managing mankind this time. And what is God’s attitude? Through the environment for survival and life that mankind enjoys, as well as in their daily food and drink and daily needs, we can see God’s attitude of responsibility toward mankind, which He has held since He created man, as well as His determination to save mankind at this time. Can you see God’s realness in these things? Can you see His wondrousness? Can you see His unfathomability? Can you see His almightiness? God uses His wise and almighty ways to provide for all of mankind, and even to provide for all the things of His creation. Now that I have said so much to you, can you say that God is the source of life for all things? (Yes.) That is certainly so. Do you have any doubts? (No.) God’s provision for all things suffices to show that He is the source of life for all things, because He is the source of the provision that has enabled all things to survive, live, reproduce, and continue on, and there is no source except for God Himself. God provides everything needed by all things and everything needed by mankind, whether it be mankind’s most basic living environment, what people need in daily life, or even the provision of truth to people’s spirits. In every way, God’s identity and His status are of great importance to mankind; only God Himself is the source of life for all things. That is to say, God is the Ruler, the Sovereign, and Provider of this world, this world that people can see and feel. For mankind, is this not God’s identity? There is nothing false in this. So when you see birds flying in the sky, you should know that everything that can fly was created by God. There are living things that swim in the water, and they also exist in a different way. The trees and the plants that live in the soil bud and sprout in spring and bear fruit and shed leaves in fall, and by winter all the leaves have fallen as those plants prepare to weather the winter. That is their way of survival. God created all things, and each lives in different forms and different ways and uses different methods to exhibit its life force and the form in which it lives. No matter how things go about living, they are all under God’s sovereignty. What is God’s purpose in holding sovereignty over all the different forms of life and living beings? Is it for the sake of mankind’s survival? He controls all the laws of life, all for the sake of mankind’s survival. This shows just how important mankind’s survival is to God.

Mankind’s ability to survive and reproduce normally is of the utmost importance to God. Therefore, God is constantly providing for mankind and all the things of His creation. He provides for all things in different ways, and by maintaining the survival of all things, He enables mankind to continue moving forward, maintaining humanity’s normal survival. These are the two aspects of our fellowship today. What are these two aspects? (From the macro perspective, God created the environment in which man lives. That is the first aspect. God also prepared the material things that mankind needs and can see and touch.) We have fellowshipped our main topic through these two aspects. What is our main topic? (God Is the Source of Life for All Things.) Now you should have some understanding of why My fellowship on this topic had such contents. Has there been any discussion unrelated to the main topic? None at all! Perhaps, after hearing these things, some of you have gained some understanding and now feel that these words carry great weight, but others might have only some literal understanding and feel that these words are unimportant in and of themselves. Regardless of how you understand this in the current moment, some day, when you have experienced enough to reach a certain level of understanding—that is, when your knowledge of God’s deeds and God Himself reaches a certain level—then you will use your own words, which are practical, to deliver a profound and genuine testimony to God’s deeds.

I think your current understanding is still quite superficial and literal, but, having heard these two aspects of My fellowship, can you at least recognize what methods God uses to provide for mankind or what things God provides to mankind? Do you have a basic concept, a basic understanding? (Yes.) But are these two aspects I fellowshipped related to the Bible? Are they related to God’s judgment and chastisement in the Age of Kingdom? (No.) Then why did I fellowship on them? Is it because people must understand them to know God? (Yes.) It is very necessary to know these things and it is also very necessary to understand them. As you seek to know God in His entirety, do not limit yourself to the Bible, and do not limit yourself to God’s judgment and chastisement of man. What is My purpose in saying this? It is to let people know that God is not just the God of His chosen people. You currently follow God, and He is your God. As for people other than those who follow God, is God their God? Is God the God of all people other than those who follow God? Is God the God of all things? (Yes.) Then are God’s work and the deeds He performs limited in scope merely to those who follow Him? (No.) What is their scope? On a smaller scale, their scope encompasses all of mankind and all the things of creation. On a larger scale, it encompasses the entire universe, which people cannot see. So, we may say that God does His work and performs His deeds among all mankind, and this suffices to allow people to come to know God Himself in His entirety. If you want to know God, to know Him truly, to understand Him truly, then do not restrict yourself merely to the three stages of God’s work, or to stories of the work He performed in the past. If you try to know Him in that way, then you are placing limitations on God, confining Him. You are seeing God as something very small. How would such a consequence affect people? You would never be able to know God’s wondrousness and supremacy, nor His power and almightiness and the scope of His authority. Knowing God in this way would have an impact on your ability to accept the fact that God is the Sovereign of all things, as well as your ability to know God’s true identity and status. In other words, if you come to know God only within a limited scope, then what you can receive is also limited. This is why you must broaden your scope and expand your horizons. All the realms in which God works, carries out His management, and holds sovereignty, and all the things over which God holds sovereignty and which He manages—you should come to know all of these, and in them come to know God’s deeds. As you come to know these things in this way, you will come to feel, without realizing it, that God holds sovereignty over, manages, and provides for all things among them, and you will also truly feel that you are a part and a member of all things and that, as God provides for all things, you too are under God’s sovereignty and receive His provision. This is a fact that no one can deny. All things are subject to their own laws under God’s sovereignty, and under God’s sovereignty, all things have their own rules for survival. Mankind’s fate and needs are also bound together with God’s sovereignty and provision. So, under God’s dominion and sovereignty, mankind and all things foster and sustain each other, depend on each other for survival, and are interwoven with each other. This is the purpose and value of God’s creation of all things.

February 2, 2014