The Heavenly Man by Brother Yun, Paul Hattaway Read Free Book Online Page B

the Lord. The Bible says believers and unbelievers should not be yoked together. How can light and darkness dwell together? God’s church has no communion with idols. The Lord and his church will judge you!”
    Before I finished my words some Christian brothers and sisters came with tears in their eyes and pulled me down to my seat, pleading with me to stop before I got myself into deep trouble.
    The PSB and the religious leaders were infuriated. They stood on their feet and banged the table with their fists. They threatened me, “Who do you think you are that you can disrupt this meeting? You will never be allowed to attend another meeting like this again!”
    As soon as I heard those words I stood up again and declared, “I’m leaving now. Don’t you ever invite me to a meeting like this again!”
    This is how the Lord led me to give my life for the gospelin China, and to work for the growth of the house churches. From that day on I clearly understood that the kingdom of God can never mix with politics. The ultimate, stated aim of Marxist teaching is the complete eradication of all religion. The pure bride of Christ can never be controlled by an atheistic government or led by men who hate God!
    The true church is not an organization controlled by the rules of men but a holy collection of living stones with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone.
    As I walked away from the meeting hall I felt as free as a bird. A new song came into my heart:
    Since the day I left home I’ve carried my cross
    Running to the ends of the earth for Jesus
    I’ve shared in the sufferings of my Lord
    Proclaiming the gospel through eyes of tears
    Many times through the wind and rain
    Tears have fallen down my cheeks
    Many things burden my heart
    But Jesus’ love keeps leading me
    His love and grace encourage me
    Keeping me perfectly from day to day.
    I prayed, “Lord, where can I go? Lord, what will my future hold?”
    The Lord immediately reminded me from Jeremiah 1:5–8 “‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.’ ‘Ah, Sovereign Lord,’ I said, ‘I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.’ But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, “I am only a child.” You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,’ declares the Lord.”
    Over the ensuing weeks and months the Lord started to teach me to know the difference between his church and the Three-Self Church in China.
    We knew the government had only created the Three-Self Patriotic Movement, and allowed “open, legal” churches in a bid to control Christians and to promote their own political agenda inside the churches.
    We see the Three-Self believers as caged birds. Yes, they are able to sing to the Lord, but their environment is controlled and their wings are clipped. They are free to sing only within the restrictions imposed on them. In the house churches we enjoy the freedom to fly around wherever God leads us and to sing from the depths of our hearts. We have been released from the cage and we never intend to return!
    It is a known fact that birds confined in cages have a hard time reproducing. This is also true of most believers confined within the Three-Self Church structure. House church Christians love to be free, to roam around the country wherever the Lord leads them, and to proclaim the gospel to all people. Reproduction has been occurring at a rapid rate!
    We know there are many true followers of Jesus attending the government-sanctioned church in China today. I personally know many of them and have grown to appreciate them. It’s not with the caged birds in the Three-Self churches that we have a problem, but with the corrupt leadership and the political power used to control people.
    These leaders have severely restricted what Three-Self Church pastors and members are allowed to do. Ministry is