Subtitles section Play video Print subtitles Go ahead and tell us. Sure. Before I found God, I was instructed by the CCP. Making a name for myself and bringing honor to my home was all I thought of. Later, I tested into graduate school and became a lawyer. I always had a sense of superiority and entitlement. Therefore, wherever I went, I always tried to show off. I expected that others would see things my way and do things according to what I said. Back then I didn't recognize my arrogant disposition. I felt I was a great person. After I found God, thanks to Almighty God's word, I could recognize my own arrogant disposition. I could plainly see my ambitions and desires and my self-righteousness. Most of the time when I'd speak or do things, I consulted with no one. I had to get my own way. Though I'd gained some self-awareness, to my mind, these weren't big problems. I remember reading God's word, I considered, So what about those of good humanity? Or people who are obedient to God? Do they still need to change? What exactly is meant by a changed disposition? I had thought that we were believing in Christ and that Christ is a practical God, so shouldn't belief in Christ mean obeying Christ? So obeying Him means being compatible with Him. Especially when I thought about how I had given up my career, and left my family, which was me expending for God, I assumed it showed that I believed in and was compatible with Christ. However, what I didn't know then and didn't grasp was that I had to change my life disposition to become compatible with Christ, so I did my duties out of enthusiasm. Yeah. I also didn't know what life entry and dispositional change were. You could say I lacked life experience. When did I come to gain some true understanding? It was after I experienced very harsh pruning that I began to honestly reflect on myself and saw that my own nature was quite arrogant. I did not know to seek the truth or practice God's word in my duty and I had no obedience to God. It was clear that I was not compatible with Christ. After undergoing this pruning, I finally gained a real appreciation of what God meant when He said, Thanks be to God! In two thousand fourteen, because of my faith, I was persecuted by the CCP and forced to flee abroad. After I arrived, church members saw that I worked hard and was of good caliber, so they chose me as church leader and often nominated me to participate in certain events as well as to give media interviews. But those things became my capital. I was already arrogant and so with this capital I became impossibly so. I felt that the church couldn't possibly function without my assistance and that my work's crucial. When other people wanted to discuss matters with me that I saw as trifling, I didn't wanna bother and thought they were fussing over nothing. If they persisted in asking me, I would become annoyed. "Why come to me with such trifles? It's beneath me. Deal with it yourself." And if they kept asking, my tone immediately became questioning and critical and I would even lecture them as if I were superior. When I treated others like this, even I felt it was inappropriate. I felt it was hurting them in some way. But you have to know, living with that arrogant disposition I had lost all humanity. Even that shred of self-reproach eventually vanished. This was how I would behave, not just at work but in all of life. In all that I did in the course of my duties, I wanted to have the final say. When I discussed things with the others and I heard opinions or suggestions I didn't like, I rebuked them without hesitation and even belittled their opinions. Everything had to go just as I said. I hardly ever raised my problems at work for discussion and seeking with my co-workers, because I thought I had been doing my duties for a long period of time and gained enough insight, that I could work things out by analyzing and studying them and my co-workers weren't familiar with the work, so they didn't quite understand. I thought if I spoke to them, they wouldn't be able to add anything nor understand better. I thought the process of discussion was simply a waste of time, a hollow gesture. In time I stopped wanting to work with them. When my superiors came to check in on my work, I also became annoyed. I didn't want to accept anyone's supervision or advice. At the time, I actually felt that my state wasn't right. My co-workers warned me. They would say, "You're arrogant and self-righteous, you don't wanna work with anyone. You reject supervision and ignore advice about your duties. You won't let others help you with your work." These warnings and offers from my co-workers were in fact a form of pruning but I ignored them. Though I was arrogant and hadn't achieved much life entry, nor had I achieved much change, I was still doing my duties, so this wasn't a major problem. I didn't accept any help from my brothers and sisters. I took it lightly. I thought my arrogant disposition as well as my satanic nature weren't things that I could change overnight. I thought it was a long-term process and that for the moment I should focus on my work and my duties. But when we live within an arrogant disposition, it doesn't mean we feel nothing. My heart felt very empty throughout that time. Sometimes after I had completed a task, I would ask myself, "While I am in the process of doing it, or once it is done, what truths have I gained? Which principles have I practiced? Has my life disposition changed?" My answer was always no. Why was that? Because each day I was scrambling to finish my work and when I had too much to do, I grew full of anger. It was as if a little thing could shatter my self-control. When I prayed I just went through the motions. I had nothing to say from the heart. Nor did I get any light from reading God's words. At the time, I was feeling utterly empty, also I was always anxious. The way it felt was the more work I did, the further I was from God. My heart couldn't feel Him. I feared being abandoned by God. So with a tremendous sense of urgency I prayed to God: "Dear God! I know I can't save myself and I can't control myself, so I ask You to save me." Not long after, I suddenly experienced yet more pruning. One time, the brother from the above asked about my work, he had discovered a large problem in how I had handled the spending of the church's money. He found out that when I made the decision of how to spend this money, I hadn't discussed it with others or the decision group. So he said to me, "This is about church expenses, why didn't you discuss it with the decision group? Is it just for you to decide?" I felt there wasn't anything I could say in response to this. At the time I just didn't know how to answer the brother. Why was that? I didn't know why because I had never thought about it. After that, I started to think back. During that period, because I was living within my arrogant nature, I lacked any normal sense, I didn't realize that my duties were God's commission to me and I should have done them by principles and sought the truth. I didn't know that I should've made all these decisions with co-workers and the decision group. I lacked that sense because of my arrogant disposition. And I wasn't even aware of it. I had even thought this was something I understood, I didn't need to seek or look into it. The brother dealt with me, saying, "You are arrogant. You lack all sense. These offerings were given to God by His chosen people, and should've been spent according to principle. The offerings have been squandered, so we have to look into responsibility." In response, I didn't say anything, but inside I still felt I was right. It's not like I had stolen the offerings! I had spent them while performing church work, so why should I bear any responsibility? Soon after our leaders came to the church to meet with us and they fellowshiped and analyzed my problem using God's words. I had also fellowshiped on my understanding of myself, but in my heart I could tell I was using my fellowship simply to let out the defiance and the lack of understanding that had been building up in my heart. I felt I worked hard despite making no contribution. They perceived that I lacked genuine understanding of my nature. After speaking with my brothers and sisters, they dismissed me from the leadership. I didn't actually feel much regret at that moment. But after that the leaders started reviewing the details of every expense and during that process I understood that in fact there really were some problems. As the losses from my mistakes piled up and the amount grew and grew, it passed beyond what I could afford to pay and I started to feel afraid. I began to reflect about how I had spent that money and my disregarding and dismissive attitude, I genuinely felt regret and so I began to loathe myself. I hadn't realized that relying on my own satanic nature could cause such losses to the church. Faced with all the facts, I couldn't help but lower my head. In truth, I wanted to slap myself in the face. I couldn't believe that I had actually done those things. After that, I heard the brother's fellowship. I'll read you the notes that I took. Each word of the brother's fellowship was like a dagger piercing my heart. Maybe there were others who didn't know the background to these issues but I was well aware that every word of what he said was referring to me and that my condition was laid bare. When I heard the brother say that people like this are Satan and that they must be expelled, I felt overwhelmingly shocked. I felt as if I had just been sentenced to death. I thought, "That's it. Now I will never be saved, this is the end of my life of belief in God, my belief in God is forever over." At the time, I was terribly afraid. I had always felt that God took very good care of me. I had both a good education and job, my assigned duties were all very important and others looked up to me, therefore, I always viewed myself as very special to God. I thought I was the key person to be trained in God's house. I never imagined I'd be loathed and eliminated by God for offending His disposition. From then on I felt that God's righteous disposition brooks no offense, that God's house is ruled by truth and righteousness and allows no one to engage in misconduct. We should do our church duties according to principle and seek the truth, not simply do whatever we might want, or behave however we might like. I thought that since I'd caused problems and misspent the church's offerings, I had offended God's disposition and no one could save me. I just had to wait to be eliminated by God's house. In the days that followed, each morning I opened my eyes and felt a moment of deep terror. I became depressed and lacked the strength to leave my bed. I felt that I didn't know where I would be next that the mistake I had made was far too great and no one could save me. I could only go before God and tell Him what was in my heart. I said to God, "God, I was wrong. I had never imagined that things could possibly turn out this way. I didn't know You before and I didn't revere You. In Your presence I was arrogant and self-righteous and was completely without sense, therefore I am now undergoing this pruning and this judgment. I see Your righteous disposition. I would like to obey You and learn lessons from this situation. I beg You God don't leave me, I can't be without You." In the days that followed, I continued to pray like this. One morning soon after, I heard a hymn of God's words. I'll read it for you now. Thanks be to God! When I heard this hymn of God's words, I felt I had found a hope of saving myself. I sang the hymn over and over again. The more I sang, the more strength I felt. I realized I was exposed, pruned and dealt with this way because what God wanted was that I could repent and change. God didn't want to eliminate me. But I did not know God yet. I guarded myself against God and so I lived in a state of despair, all because I thought God didn't want me. But that day I saw God's word and realized God's will was not as I'd thought. Amen! God knew my spiritual stature was still immature. He knew that under these circumstances I would become weak and even loose my determination to seek the truth. And so God used His words to encourage me and make me realize that one must always pursue truth, no matter what the circumstances are. Amen! When people fail and fall and when they are pruned, these are first steps in the process of being saved. Amen! As long as we can reflect on ourselves and can repent and change, then after we go through these steps, we experience growth. Amen! Once I understood this, I no longer misunderstood God as much and wasn't as guarded. I felt that no matter what God arranges, it would be beneficial to me; God was responsible for me. Yes. After that, I gathered up all my courage ready to face whatever came next. Of course, I later grew calm and reflected. Just why had I failed and fallen so badly? What was the root of my failure? Only after I read God's word did I finally understand. God's word says, In the past, I admitted my own arrogance theoretically, but I had no genuine understanding of my nature. I was vain and would live within my own notions and imaginings. I felt that my arrogance was justified, so when my brothers and sisters pruned me and tried to help, I ignored it and disregarded it. But when I read God's word, I understood my arrogant conceited nature was the root of my resistance to God. It was a satanic disposition. When people live with such an arrogant nature, resisting God becomes involuntary. I thought of how large my ego became when I did church leader duties. I thought I was better than others and could do anything. I always wanted to have my way. What's more, I wanted to take over and lead the work of my whole group and make my brothers and sisters do what I wanted. I never once thought about whether or not my thoughts and decisions were right, or if they were biased, or if they would cause loss to the church work, until I heard the brother say that whenever things happened to him, he would go and ask God, because he was afraid of doing the wrong thing and he'd only act after receiving God's answer. The brother from the above possesses the truth and has a God-fearing heart and acts on principle. Yet he still doesn't dare trust himself. When things happen to him, he asks God and has God decide. A good church leader must seek the truth in all things. As for me, I lacked a God-fearing heart and didn't seek God. When things happened, I relied on my own imaginings to direct me and treated my ideas as the truth. I considered myself important. Isn't that a satanic disposition? I was no different from the archangel who wished to sit equal with God. And that offended God's disposition! Yeah. Once I finally understood this, I felt my arrogant nature was terrifying. It made me live without sense. It made me do many things that harmed people and offended God. It made me live like a monster. But God is righteous. How could God allow a person as full of satanic dispositions as I was to run amok and disrupt the work of God's house? Therefore, I deserved to be dismissed from my leadership duty, I had done this to myself. In the years I'd believed in God, I'd relied on my gifts and my notions to do my work and rarely sought the truth. After all that time, I had little reality of the truth. In short, I was spiritually impoverished. I wondered how come I cannot seek the truth? Why do I always think my own ideas and judgments are right? In actuality, this proved that I had no place for God in my heart, much less did I have a God-fearing heart. Being exposed by God in my duty was God's reminder and warning for me and if I didn't turn things around, then I would be eliminated and sent to hell. Once I understood these things, I felt that God's judgment, chastisement, pruning and dealing are God's protection and love. God's good intentions drive it all. Amen! - Thanks be to God! - Thank God. God judges and chastises not out of hate, but to save people from Satan's grasp and their satanic dispositions. Once I understood this, I had fewer misunderstandings of God and was less guarded. I felt that no matter what God arranged for me in the days to come, God's sovereignty drove it and I wished to obey Him. Thanks be to God! My duties had some follow-up work I needed to complete and I felt that this work was God giving me a chance to repent, so I felt I should do it seriously. After that in the course of my duties, when I discussed my work with other members, I no longer relied on my arrogant disposition thinking myself right and making others listen. I let my brothers and sisters share their viewpoints and then decided what to do after considering everyone's ideas. Of course, when our views would differ, I could still be arrogant and hold to my own views, unwilling to accept others' advice. But I'd remember how I'd failed in the past and how I'd been pruned and I'd feel afraid and then I would pray before God. I would consciously forsake myself, after which with my brothers and sisters, I could seek the truth with a heart that feared God. I felt secure doing my duties like this and my decisions could withstand scrutiny. When I was partnered with my brothers and sisters, I realized that some of my ideas were one-sided. Fellowshiping with my brothers and sisters and then delving into things, at least to me, in matters of the truth and of principle and of insight, was extremely helpful. Whenever I observed how my brothers and sisters responded to important things by seeking, praying to God and fellowshiping with others and that they didn't trust themselves, I wondered why I didn't seek the truth and so easily trusted myself. I saw that my arrogance made me capable of anything. I was so deeply corrupted by Satan and was no better than the others. It was after that, that I realized I might have a bit more knowledge than my brothers and sisters, but deep in my spirit, I couldn't compare to them. My heart was less God-fearing than theirs. In this respect, the others were far beyond me. And when I saw that, I realized each of my brothers and sisters had their own strengths, which was quite different from how I saw them in the past. I felt that my brothers and sisters were in fact better than me, so I began to keep my head down and I was able to get along with others and I could work well with them. Thank God. When I finished the follow-up work, I calmly waited for the church's decision about me. Never would I have expected the brother would say that he had seen that I was still able to perform my duties after being pruned and that I had known myself a bit, so I could continue my duties. Amen! He also pointed out some problems with how I did my duties. When I heard the brother say that I could continue my duties, at that moment, there wasn't anything to say but thanks be to God. Thanks be to God! I felt that, after this having been exposed, after experiencing intense pruning, I finally had known my satanic nature a bit. Yes. But the price was so extremely high. Because I had relied on my corrupt disposition, I had caused great losses to the church and so in truth, I should've been punished. But God didn't treat me according to my transgressions and allowed me to continue my duties. - Amen! - Thanks be to God! I personally experienced God's mercy and tolerance! Each time I think back on all of this, I feel regret for all the losses I caused to the church because I had relied upon my satanic nature. these words totally convinced me. - Amen! - Thanks be to God! But I also feel that God's chastisement and judgment, God's pruning and God's dealing are God's greatest protection and love for corrupt mankind! - Amen! - Thanks be to God!
B1 US god disposition arrogant felt church satanic Christian Testimony Video | "Rising Up in the Face of Failure" | A True Christian Story 14 2 Bella posted on 2022/10/29 More Share Save Report Video vocabulary