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.) Is this topic, “God Is the Source of Life for All Things,” a topic that feels very distant to you? Or do you already have a rough concept 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 God’s creation of all things, I see that He nurtures all things and nurtures mankind. In the past, I always thought that when God makes provision for man, He provides His word only to His chosen people; I never saw that, through the laws that govern all things, God is nurturing all of mankind. It is only through God’s communication of this truth that I have become aware He is the source of all things, that the lives of all things are provided 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 God’s creation of all things and how He established laws and principles for them. Under such laws and such principles, 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 by which they grow, as well as the trajectories and patterns of their growth. He also determined the ways that all things survive in this land so they may continue to grow and multiply and survive in interdependence. With such methods and laws, all things are able to exist and grow on this land effortlessly and peacefully, and only with such an environment may mankind have a stable home and a stable situation in which to live, 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 administration 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, God’s deeds, His disposition, what He has and is, His intentions, and how He provides man with the truth and with life. But last time, the topic we began is not limited 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 dictates and manages all things. Through this method and on this foundation, you can see how God provides for all things, which enables mankind 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 rule over everything because I want to tell you that the things dictated by God are not merely the things you can see with your 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, the planets and outer space, where mankind cannot dwell. That is the scope of God’s dominion over all things. The scope of His dominion is very broad; for your part, each of you needs to and must understand, see, and have clarity about what you should understand, what you should see, and of what things you should have knowledge. Although the scope of the term “all things” is indeed very broad, I will not tell you about the things within that scope that you have no way of seeing or with which you cannot personally come into contact. I will only tell you about the things within that scope with which human beings can come into contact, 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.

Last time, we used the method of storytelling to provide a simple overview of the topic “God Is the Source of Life for All Things,” so that people could gain a basic understanding of how God provides for all things. What is the purpose of teaching this basic concept to you? It is to make people understand that God’s work reaches beyond just the Bible and His three stages of work. He is doing much more work that humans cannot see and with which they cannot come into contact, work to which He attends personally. If God were working solely on His management and on leading His chosen people forward, and not engaged in any of this other work, then it would be very difficult for this humanity, including all of you, to continue moving forward. This humanity and this world would be unable to continue developing. Therein lies the importance of the phrase “God is the source of life for all things,” which is the subject of the fellowship I will hold with you today.

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.” You might respond to those issues people encounter in their daily lives in a way that relates to the scope of your own, fleshly life experience. God bestows many things on each person, though what we are discussing here is not limited only to the scope of people’s daily needs, but is meant to expand each person’s field of view and let you see 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 maintain their existence and the laws underpinning it, so that they may continue to exist? 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 you can listen to My words and gain understanding from them. You need not feel any burden—all you have to do is listen carefully. However, at this point, I must emphasize once more: 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 this topic and what I will say to God’s deeds, rather than to any knowledge, human culture, or research. I am talking only about God, about God Himself. This is My suggestion to you. 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 a substance with which humans can make daily contact and it is a thing on which humans rely from moment to moment, even as they sleep. The air that God created is monumentally important for humankind: It is essential to their every breath and to life itself. This substance, which can only be felt but not seen, was God’s first gift to all the things of His creation. But after creating air, did God stop, considering His work finished? Or did He consider how dense air would be? Did He consider what air would contain? What was God thinking when He made air? Why did God make air, and what was His reasoning? Humans need air—they need to breathe. Firstly, the density of air should be fit for human lungs. Does anyone know the density of air? In truth, there is no particular need for people to know the answer to this question in terms of numbers or data, and indeed, it is quite unnecessary to know the answer—it is perfectly adequate to have only a general idea. God made air with a density that would be most suitable for human lungs to breathe. That is, He made air so that it may readily enter human bodies through their breath, and so that it will not do harm to the body as it breathes. These were God’s considerations when He made air. Next, we will talk about what air contains. Its contents are not poisonous to humans and will not damage the lungs or any part of the body. God had to consider all of this. God had to consider that the air humans breathe should enter and exit the body smoothly, and that, after being inhaled, the nature and quantity of the substances within air should be such that the blood, as well as the waste air in the lungs and the body as a whole, would be properly metabolized. Moreover, He had to consider that the air should not contain any poisonous substances. My aim in telling you about these two standards for air is not to feed you any particular knowledge, but to show you that God created every single thing within His creation in accordance with His own considerations, and everything He created is the best it could be. Furthermore, as for the amount of dust in the air; and the amount of dust, sand and dirt upon the earth; as well as the amount of dust that drifts down to the earth from the sky—God has His ways for managing these things, too, ways of clearing them away or causing them to disintegrate. While there is a certain quantity of dust, God made it so that dust would not harm man’s body or endanger man’s breathing, and He made the dust particles of a size that would not be harmful to the body. Was God’s creation of the air not a mystery? Was it a simple thing, like blowing a breath of air from His mouth? (No.) Even in His creation of the simplest things, God’s mystery, the workings of His mind, His way of thinking, and His wisdom are all apparent. Is God not practical? (Yes, He is.) What this means is that even in creating simple things, God was thinking of humanity. Firstly, the air humans breathe is clean, and its contents are suitable for humans to breathe, not poisonous and causing no harm to humans; in the same way, the density of air is suited for human breathing. This air, which humans constantly inhale and exhale, is essential to the human body, the human flesh. This is why humans may breathe freely, without constraint or worry. They can thus breathe normally. Air is that which God created in the beginning, and that which is indispensable for human breathing.

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? Supposing the temperature were to reach negative forty degrees Celsius—humans could not withstand these conditions, 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. God would not have men live in such regions. 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 He did not plan for man to live there. These places are not for mankind. 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 natural 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 worked specifically to set the sun’s height above mankind and its distance from him in accordance with His meticulous calculations and with His standards. Then, there are the earth’s two poles, south and north. These regions are entirely frozen and glacial. 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, then the sun’s constant heat would cause the people on the earth to perish. But does God keep the temperature within a range suited to human survival through these two things alone? No. There are also all sorts of living things, such as the grass in the fields, the various types of trees, and all kinds of plants in the forests that absorb the sun’s heat and, in doing so, neutralize the sun’s thermal energy in a way that regulates the temperature of the environment in which mankind lives. There are also sources of water, such as rivers and lakes. No one can decide the area that rivers and lakes cover. No one can control how much water there is on earth, nor where that water flows, the direction of its flow, its volume, or its speed. Only God knows. These various sources of water, from groundwater to the visible rivers and lakes above ground, can also regulate the temperature of the environment in which man lives. Aside from water sources, there are also all kinds of geographical formations, such as mountains, plains, canyons, and wetlands, that all regulate temperatures to an extent proportionate to their geographical scope and area. For instance, if a mountain has a circumference of one hundred kilometers, then those hundred kilometers will contribute a hundred kilometers’ worth of usefulness. As for just how many such mountain ranges and canyons God has created on earth, this is a number God has considered. In other words, behind the existence of every single thing created by God, there is a story, and each thing contains 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 arrangement 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, and the amount of space covered by forests and other sorts of vegetation, and water sources, various bodies of water, quantities of seawater and freshwater, and different geographical environments—these are all things God uses to maintain normal temperatures for man’s survival. This is absolute. It is only because God has thought deeply about all of this 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, nor 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. This is because God created human beings, and God knows best what temperatures the human body can adapt to. But 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 they can put down roots there. It would be an act of absurdity. Even if you have thoroughly researched the poles, then what? Even if you can adapt to the temperatures and are able to live there, would it benefit mankind in any way if you were to “improve” the current environment for life of the South and North Poles? Mankind has an environment in which it can survive, yet men do not remain there quietly and amenably, but instead insist on venturing to places where they cannot survive. What is the meaning of this? They have grown bored and impatient with life in this suitable temperature, and have enjoyed too many blessings. Besides, this regular environment for life has been almost completely destroyed by mankind, so now they think they might as well go to the South Pole and the North Pole to do more damage or pursue some sort of “cause,” that they can find some way of “blazing a new trail.” 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 visit the moon, wanting to establish a way to survive 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? It is also self-destruction. 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 encounter in their daily lives. Temperature is something all human bodies can sense, but no one thinks about how temperature came about, or who is in charge of it and controls it such that it is suitable for human survival. This is what we are learning now. Is God’s wisdom within this? Is God’s action within this? (Yes.) Considering that God created an environment with a temperature 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 something that is an essential part of the normal environment of human existence, something for which God had to make arrangements 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 such a significant impact on the life of man and his fleshly body that mankind would not have been able 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. All of the things of God’s creation are living and turning in constant motion within His sight. What I mean by this is that each thing God created has value and meaning in its existence; that is, there is something essential about the existence of each and every thing. 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 propagate, develop, and move, they are constantly emitting sound. All of the things of God’s creation that exist on earth are in constant propagation, development, and motion. 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 propagate and develop in darkness and move in secrecy? Sounds—great, powerful sounds. Beyond planet Earth, all kinds of planets are also in constant motion, and living things and organisms on these planets are also constantly propagating, 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 issues 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, sounds would present a massive obstacle to mankind’s survival, becoming a great nuisance in their lives and posing a serious problem for them. 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 actions are contained therein. 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 such a quiet environment for the provision of mankind so that the human body could live quite normally within it, without suffering any interference, and so that mankind would be able to exist 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 appreciate this? Though you cannot feel that this was God’s action, nor do you know how God performed this action at the time, can you still sense the necessity of God having done this thing? Can you feel God’s wisdom and the care and thought He put into it? (Yes, we can.) If you are able to feel this, then that is enough. There are many actions God has performed among the things of His creation that people can neither feel nor see. I raise this simply to inform you about God’s actions, so that you may come to know God. These are clues that can better enable you to know and understand God.

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 careful 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 light that is too bright renders human eyes equally unable to see things, because the brightness is intolerable. Therefore, God has furnished the environment of mankind’s existence 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 sun and 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, after brief use, ruined; if it were too bright, people’s eyes would be unable to withstand it. This very light that people have must be suitable for human eyes to see, and God has, through various methods, minimized the damage caused to human eyes by light; and though this light may benefit or afflict 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—in order to maximize mankind’s survival adaptability, so they 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 behind these things that you are able to enjoy, God has been at work; this is something humans need to understand, something they need to know. No matter if you feel there is no need to understand these things or to know 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 the matter a second thought. You may think I have spoken too grandly about each of these small things, but in My view, each thing that God provided for mankind is necessary for the survival of humanity. There is God’s action in this.

e. Airflow

What is the fifth thing? This thing is closely related to each day of every person’s life. So close is its relation to human life that the human body could not live in this material world without it. 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 flowing movement of air. Airflow is a 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, 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 also constantly propagating 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 one of the ways airflow can affect mankind. If the entire earth were covered in plains, then, when the earth and all things rotated, 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 total destruction. Humans would be unable to survive in such an environment. This is why God made different geographical environments to resolve such airflows—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, great mountain ranges, plains, hills, basins, valleys, plateaus, and great 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 difficult for humans, but it is easy for God, because He observes all things. For Him, it could not be simpler or easier 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, this principle is not understood by Satan or by mankind who has been corrupted. They continue destroying and developing and exploiting, with vain dreams of turning mountains into flat land, filling in canyons, and building skyscrapers on flat land 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 the bodies of men and their living environment would not be subject to any interference from natural conditions, and that instead, mankind would be able to live and multiply normally, and live normally with all things in harmonious coexistence. All of this is provided by God to all things and to mankind.

In the way God arranged these five basic conditions for human survival, can you see how He provides for mankind? (Yes.) That is to say, God is the Creator of all the most basic conditions for human survival, 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 the best and most suitable environment so that their lives can be maintained in a regular way. For how long can such a situation be maintained? In other words, how long 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 in a regular manner 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 last 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 creation? (God rules over and arranges all things, while man enjoys them.) Do you agree with this? The greatest difference between God and mankind is that God rules over and provides for all creation. He is the source of everything, and while God provides for all creation, mankind enjoys it. That is to say, man enjoys all the things of creation when he accepts the life that God bestows on all things. God is the Sovereign, and mankind enjoys the fruits of God’s creation of all things. What, then, from the perspective of all the things of God’s creation, is the difference between God and mankind? God can see clearly the laws of how all things grow, and He controls and dominates these laws. That is, all things are within God’s sight and within the scope of His scrutiny. Can mankind see all things? What mankind can see is limited to what is directly in front of them. If you climb a mountain, then what you see is just that mountain. You cannot see what is on the other side of the mountain. 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 directly 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 still unable to manage or dictate all things. Yet the way God sees all of creation is just as He would see a machine that He built Himself. He is deeply familiar with every component and every connection, what their principles are, what their patterns are, and what their purposes are—God knows all of this with the highest degree of clarity. Hence God is God, and man is man! Though man may go deep in his research of science and the laws that govern all things, that research is limited in scope, whereas God controls everything, which, to man, is an infinite control. A man could spend his entire life researching God’s smallest deed without achieving any true results. This is why, if you use just knowledge and what you have learned to study God, you will never be able to know God or understand Him. But if you choose the way of seeking the truth and seeking God, and look at God from the perspective of coming to know Him, then, one day, you will recognize that God’s actions and wisdom are everywhere at once, and you will know why God is called the Sovereign of all things and the source of life for all things. The more you gain such understanding, the more you will understand why God is called the Sovereign of all things. All things and everything, including you, are constantly receiving the steady flow of God’s provision. You will also be able to clearly sense that in this world, and among this mankind, there is no one apart from God who could have the ability and the essence with which He rules over, manages, and maintains the existence of all things. When you arrive at this understanding, you will truly recognize 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 test you and judge you, nor will He make any demands of you, because you will understand God, will know His heart, and will have truly accepted God in your heart. This is an important reason to fellowship on these topics of God’s domination 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 know and understand God’s actions 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, five elements of the environment. Our next topic is intimately related to every human’s physical life, and it is more pertinent to that life and a greater fulfillment of its requisite conditions 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 because they cannot be without any of them. This is a real, practical issue, not one of your choosing between things. 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 need food. It was only when you became thirsty and caught sight of spring water—only when you drank did you realize you need 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 grains and the seeds of various other foods, and He gave mankind suitable soil and land to sow, 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 cultivation in different regions. There are also various kinds of rice. The south has its own varieties, which are longer of grain and suited to people from the south because the climate is hotter there, meaning local people have to eat varieties such as indica rice, which is not too sticky. Their rice cannot be too sticky or else they would lose their appetites and be unable to stomach it. Northerners eat stickier rice, as the north is always cold, so the people there must eat more adherent things. Next, there are also many varieties of bean, which grow above the ground, and root vegetables 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, as a staple food, can keep them eating three meals a day. Potatoes can also be used as a food reserve. The quality of sweet potatoes is somewhat worse than that of potatoes, but they can still 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 crops, which are necessary parts of people’s daily food and drink. People use various grains to make bread, steamed buns, noodles, rice, rice noodles, and other things. God has bestowed these various grains on mankind in abundance. Why there are so many varieties is a matter of God’s purpose: They are suited for growing in the different soils and climates of the north, south, east, and west; while their various compositions and contents correspond to the various compositions and contents of the human body. Only by eating these grains can people maintain the various nutrients and substances their bodies require. 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 existence, that they may lead a normal human life. In short, God has been very considerate to mankind. The various foods God bestowed on people are not unvaried—on the contrary, they are quite eclectic. If people want to eat cereals, they can eat cereals. Some people prefer rice to wheat, and, not liking wheat, 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 grains—as long as they are not too particular with their food—they will not lack for nutrition and are guaranteed to live healthily until they die. That was the idea God had in mind 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, as well as improvements in communication and transportation linking the north, south, east, and west, people in the north are also able to eat some southern fruits and vegetables, or regional products from the south, and they can do so in all four seasons of the year. Although this is able to satisfy people’s appetites and material desires, their bodies are unwittingly subjected to 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 were born 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 have unknowingly allowed themselves to be swept up in the tide of new societal trends, and they unconsciously violate these laws. Though people feel their lives are better than in the past, this kind of societal 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.

Even apart from all that, the bounty that God has bestowed on mankind is truly rich in abundance, 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, according to the season and time of year. Mankind covets physical enjoyment and is gluttonous, making it easy to violate and damage the natural laws of human growth that He established 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 the expiration date has passed, no matter what chemicals you use, you will not be able to imbue them with everything 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 regional delicacies, fruit, or other food from the south. 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 without thinking about what they are putting into their mouths. This behavior is in violation of the laws of nature, and it is harmful to people’s 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 are not simply lacking the substance of a fresh grape—they have more chemical products in 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 lucky 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 substances can be of benefit to humans. In the Age of Law, when the Israelites had left Egypt and were traveling, God gave them quail and manna. But did God allow people to preserve these foods? Some of them were short-sighted and, afraid that there would be no more the next day, so they put some aside for later. Then what happened? The next day, it was rotten. God does not let you put some aside, for He has made preparations that guarantee you will not go hungry. But mankind does not have such confidence, nor do they have true faith in God. They always want to give themselves room to maneuver, and are never able to see all the care and thought behind God’s preparations for mankind. They cannot feel it, so they cannot fully put their faith in God, always thinking: “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 flimsy man’s confidence is!

Grains, 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, quail, pigeon, and so on and so forth. Many people also eat duck and goose. Though God has provided all these kinds of meat, He made certain requirements of His chosen people and put specific limits on their diet during the Age of Law. These days, these limits are based on individual taste and personal interpretation. These various meats provide the human body with diverse nutrients, replenishing protein and iron, enriching the blood, fortifying muscles and bones, and building bodily 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 vegetables, 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 overindulge 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 afflict the human body in many ways? (Yes.) That is why God apportions the right quantity at the right time and has people enjoy different foods in accordance with different time periods and seasons. 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 this is when people should eat more meat for nourishment. By eating various kinds of meat, people’s bodies gain energy and warmth to help them withstand the cold of the winter, and they are able to pass the winter safely and healthily as a result. With utmost care and precision, God controls and coordinates what to provide mankind, and when; and when He will have different things grow, bear fruit, and ripen. This relates to “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 fruit alone suffice? People could not live on fruit alone, 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 and below the ground, 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 toxins from the body—in short, these plants have uses in daily life. People can use them, 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 others were discovered by people whom God chose to do so, or as a result of special phenomena He orchestrated. 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. They 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 works 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 man’s existence and with thought for their 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 actions. 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 not a particularly profound mystery, but the people of the world nonetheless consider it so and try to resolve it with philosophical theories, 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! It is such a simple thing—the chicken definitely came first. This 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. Is this not a ready solution? If the egg were created first, would it not still need the chicken to incubate it? Creating the chicken directly is a much readier solution. This way, the chicken could lay eggs and incubate the chicks inside, 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 the environment mankind inhabits and what God did for that environment and the preparations He made. We discussed what He arranged; the relationships between the things of creation, which God prepared for mankind; and how God arranged these relationships to prevent the things of His creation from harming mankind. God also mitigated the harm that many different factors within His creation may have had on mankind’s environment, allowing 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 steadily 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, with just sunlight for sustenance, or wind, or suitable temperatures. Human beings also need to fill their stomachs, and God prepared for mankind, without overlooking anything, the sources of the things with which they might do so, those being 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 any number 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. Mankind would not have been able to survive for long. 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 things that animals can eat but are poisonous to humans—animals eat them without consequence, but it is not so for 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. God knows with perfect clarity the body’s composition and content, its needs and the functioning of its internal organs, and how they absorb, eliminate and metabolize various substances. Humans do not; sometimes, they eat imprudently, or engage in reckless self-care, too much of which 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 has the most stringent needs of its environment, and those needs 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. It is God who knows this best, in His heart. When God did this, He placed more importance on it than on anything else. Perhaps you are unable to sense the importance of some unremarkable thing you can see and enjoy in your life, or something you see and enjoy that you have had since birth, but God has already made preparations for you long ago or in secret. To the greatest possible extent, God has removed and mitigated 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 careful and earnest, and it brooked no interference by any enemy forces or external factors or conditions not of Him. 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. Is God’s authenticity visible in these things? Is His wondrousness? His unfathomability? His omnipotence? God uses His wise and almighty ways to provide for all of mankind, as well as to provision 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 exist, live, reproduce, and continue on, and there is no source except for God Himself. God provides for all the needs of all things and all the needs of mankind, whether those be people’s most basic environmental needs, the needs of their daily lives, or the need for the truth that He provides 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 God created everything that can fly. There are living things that swim in the water, and they have their own ways of surviving. The trees and the plants that live in the soil bud and sprout in spring and bear fruit and shed leaves in autumn, 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 rule. What is the purpose of God ruling 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 have weight, that they are very important, 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, when your experience has come to a certain day, when your understanding reaches a certain point, that is, when your knowledge of God’s actions 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 actions.

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 understand 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, but is He the God of those who do not follow Him? Is God the God of all those people who do not follow Him? Is God the God of all things? (Yes.) Then are God’s work and actions limited in scope merely to those who follow Him? (No.) What is the scope of His work and actions? At the smallest level, the scope of His work and actions encompasses all of mankind and all the things of creation. At the highest level it encompasses the entire universe, which people cannot see. So, we may say that God does His work and performs His actions 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 doing so affect people? You would never be able to know God’s wondrousness and supremacy, nor His power and omnipotence and the scope of His authority. Such an understanding would have an impact on your ability to accept the truth that God is the Sovereign of all things, as well as your knowledge of God’s true identity and status. In other words, if your understanding of God is limited in scope, then what you can receive is also limited. This is why you must broaden your scope and expand your horizons. You should seek to understand all of it—the scope of God’s work, His management, His rule, and all the things He manages and over which He rules. It is through these things that you should come to understand God’s actions. With such an understanding, you will come to feel, without realizing it, that God rules, 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. As God provides for all things, you are also accepting God’s rule and provision. This is a fact that no one can deny. All things are subject to their own laws under God’s rule, and under God’s rule, all things have their own rules for survival. Mankind’s fate and needs are also bound together with God’s rule and provision. That is why, under God’s dominion and rule, mankind and all things are interconnected, interdependent, and interwoven. This is the purpose and value of God’s creation of all things.

February 2, 2014