I once invited man as a guest to My house, yet he ran hither and thither because of My calls—as if, rather than inviting him as a guest, I had brought him to the execution ground. Thus, My house was left empty, for man always shunned Me, and was always on his guard against Me. This left Me with no means of carrying out part of My work, which is to say, it is such that I took back the feast I had prepared for him, for man was unwilling to enjoy this feast, and so I did not force him to. Yet man suddenly finds himself beset by hunger, so he comes knocking on My door asking for My help—seeing him in such dire straits, how could I not save him? Thus, I once more lay out a feast for man, that he may enjoy it, and only then does he feel how admirable I am, and thus he comes to depend on Me. Gradually, because of My attitude toward him, he comes to love Me “without reservations,” and he no longer suspects that I will send him into the “land of cremation,” for this is not My intention. And so, only after seeing My heart does man truly depend on Me, which shows just how “cautious” he is. Yet I am not wary of man because of his deceit, but rather I move the hearts of people with My warm embrace. Is this not what I am doing at present? Is this not what is manifested in people in the present stage? Why are they capable of doing such things? Why are they possessed of such a sentiment? Is it because they truly know Me? Is it because they really have boundless love for Me? I do not force anyone to love Me, but merely give them the free will to make their own choice; in this, I do not interfere, nor do I help them to make choices about their fate. People have set their resolve before Me, they have brought it before Me for Me to inspect, and when I pulled open the bag containing “man’s resolve,” I saw things inside, which although jumbled, were nonetheless quite “bounteous.” People looked at Me with wide eyes, deeply afraid that I would pluck out their resolve. But because of man’s weakness, I did not make a judgment at the very start, and instead closed the bag and continued to do the work that I must do. Man, however, does not enter My guidance in the wake of My work, but continues to concern himself with whether his resolve has been praised by Me. I have done so much work and spoken so many words, but to date, man remains incapable of grasping My intentions, and thus his every bewildering action leaves My head spinning. Why is he always incapable of grasping My intentions, and does things rashly as he pleases? Has his brain suffered a shock? Could it be that he does not understand the words I speak? Why does he always act with his eyes looking straight ahead, but is incapable of beating a path and setting an exemplar for the people of the future? Was there anyone to set an exemplar before Peter? Was it not under My guidance that Peter survived? Why are the people of today incapable of this? Why, after having an exemplar to follow, are they still unable to satisfy My intentions? This shows that man still has no trust in Me, which is what has led to the miserable circumstances of today.

I delight in observing the little birds flying in the sky. Though they have not set their resolve before Me and have no words to “provide” to Me, they find enjoyment in the world I have given unto them. Man, however, is incapable of this, and his face is full of melancholy—could it be that I owe him an unpayable debt? Why is his face always streaked with tears? I admire the lilies blooming in the hills; the flowers and grasses stretch across the slopes, but the lilies add luster to My glory on earth before the arrival of spring—can man achieve such things? Could he testify to Me on earth prior to My return? Could he dedicate himself for the sake of My name in the country of the great red dragon? It is as if My utterances are suffused with requirements toward man—he loathes Me as a result of these requirements; he fears My words because his body is too weak, and he is fundamentally incapable of attaining what I ask. When I open My mouth, I see the people on earth fleeing in every direction, as if trying to escape famine. When I cover My face and when I turn My body, people are immediately stricken by panic. They do not know what to do, for they fear My departure; in their notions, the day when I will leave shall be the day upon which disaster descends from heaven, the day on which their punishment begins. Yet what I do is precisely the opposite of man’s notions; I have never acted according to the notions of man, and have never allowed his notions to be consonant with Me. The time when I act is precisely when man is laid bare. In other words, My actions cannot be measured by human notions. From the time of creation until today, no one has ever discovered a “new continent” in the things I do; no one has ever grasped the laws by which I act, and no one has ever opened up a new way out. Thus, people today remain incapable of entering onto the right track—this is precisely what they lack, and this is what they ought to enter into. From the time of creation until today, I have never before embarked upon such an enterprise. I have merely added several new pieces to My work in the last days. Yet even under such obvious circumstances, people are still incapable of grasping My intentions—is this precisely not what they lack?

After I enter into the new work, I have new requirements of man. For man, it is as if the requirements of the past have had no effect, which is why he forgets them. What is the new means by which I work? What do I ask of man? People themselves are able to measure whether what they did in the past was in accordance with My intentions, and whether their actions were within the bounds of what I asked. There is no need for Me to inspect everything individually; they have a grasp of their own stature, and so in their minds, they are clear about how far they can act, and there is no need for Me to tell them explicitly. When I speak, perhaps, some people will stumble; thus, I have avoided speaking this part of My words to prevent people from becoming weak as a result. Is this not of greater benefit to man’s pursuit? Is it not of greater benefit to man’s progress? Who does not wish to forget their past and strive onward? Because of My “thoughtlessness,” I am ignorant of whether people understand that the means by which I speak has already entered a new realm. In addition, because My work “occupies” Me so, I have not had time to inquire whether people understand the tone by which I speak. Thus, I ask only that people are more understanding toward Me. Because My work “occupies” Me so, I am unable to personally visit the bases of My work to direct people, and so I have “little understanding” of them. In sum, regardless of anything else, I have now begun leading man to formally enter into a new start and into a new method. In all My utterances, people have seen that there is drollness, humor, and a particularly strong tone of mockery in what I say. Thus, the harmony between Myself and man is disrupted unwittingly, causing a dense covering of clouds to come upon people’s faces. I am, however, not constrained by this, but continue My work, for all that I say and do is a necessary part of My plan; all that is spoken from My mouth helps man, and nothing I do is trivial; all that I do is edifying to all people. It is because man is lacking that I let loose and keep on speaking. Some people, perhaps, are desperately waiting for Me to make new requirements of them. If so, then I satisfy their needs. But there is one thing I must remind you: When I speak, I hope that people gain more insight. I hope that they become more discerning, so that they can gain more from My words and thus fulfill My requirements. Previously, in the churches, people paid attention to accepting being pruned and broken. Eating and drinking My words was done upon the foundation of understanding their aims and source—but today is unlike the past, and people are utterly incapable of grasping the source of My utterances, and thus they have no chance of being pruned and broken by Me, for they have expended all of their energy merely in eating and drinking My words. But even under these circumstances, they remain incapable of satisfying My demands, and so I make new demands of them: I ask that they enter trials together with Me, that they enter chastisement. Yet let Me remind you of one thing: This is not putting man to death, but rather this is what is required by My work, for, in the current stage, My words are too incomprehensible to man, and man is incapable of cooperating with Me—there is nothing to be done! I can but make man enter into the new method together with Me. What else is there to do? Because of man’s deficiencies, I too must enter the stream that man enters into—am I not the one who shall make people perfect? Am I not the one who devised this plan? Though the other requirement is not difficult, it is not secondary to the first. My work among the group of people of the last days is an unprecedented enterprise, and thus, so that My glory may fill the cosmos, all people must suffer the last hardship for Me. Do you understand My intention? This is the final requirement I make of man, which is to say, I hope that all people can bear strong, resounding testimony to Me before the great red dragon, that they can offer themselves up for Me a final time, and fulfill My requirements one last instance. Can you truly do this? You were incapable of satisfying My heart in the past—could you break this pattern in the final instance? I give people the chance to reflect; I let them ponder carefully before finally giving Me an answer—is it wrong to do this? I wait for man’s response, I await his “letter of reply”—do you have the faith to fulfill My requirements?

April 20, 1992