"Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth,and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth." - Hebrews 12:6
It seems clear that spiritual vision by itself is not enough to transform a life. Consider Jacob's ladder. Because of his crooked behaviour, Jacob had lost home and possessions. Yet in spite of this God favoured him at Bethel with a vision so marvellous that he was moved to exclaim, "How dreadful is this place!" The promises that accompanied it were full and unconditional. Yet contrast with them the words of his response to God: "If... if... if... then I will...." Even with God he wanted to do a business deal. He was the same unchanged Jacob.
Soon, however, he was to become involved with Laban, who was just such another as himself. By this and other means, God took Jacob through years of the most fruitful discipline. The spoilt son of the house became a harshly treated labourer. But His ways are always right, and it was a new Jacob who found his way back to Bethel in the end.
A Table In The Wilderness (Watchman Nee 主僕倪柝聲弟兄)
Read the Scriptures: Hebrews 12; Genesis 28
Monday, December 31, 2007
Monday, December 24, 2007
Secret History with God
"He shall blossom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon." - Hosea 14:5
Here united in the child of God are two contrasting characters. Above ground, as it were, is the simple unsophisticated life of trust and faith represented by the lily of God's planting. That is what men see. Yet buried deep down out of sight, giving to this frail plant a wholly unsuspected strength, are the massive roots of the cedar. Here surely is the paradox of a life in which the Cross is known. Outwardly it is fragile as the lily blooming on the earth, but secretly there is a hundred times more below ground.
This is the test. How much of my life is seen? When men look on the surface, have they seen the whole, or is there something more? Have I in the unseen a secret history with God? Men take account only of the lily blooming in its weakness. God is concerned with the roots, that they shall be cedar-like in strength.
A Table In The Wilderness (Watchman Nee 主僕倪柝聲弟兄)
Read the Scriptures: Hosea 14
Here united in the child of God are two contrasting characters. Above ground, as it were, is the simple unsophisticated life of trust and faith represented by the lily of God's planting. That is what men see. Yet buried deep down out of sight, giving to this frail plant a wholly unsuspected strength, are the massive roots of the cedar. Here surely is the paradox of a life in which the Cross is known. Outwardly it is fragile as the lily blooming on the earth, but secretly there is a hundred times more below ground.
This is the test. How much of my life is seen? When men look on the surface, have they seen the whole, or is there something more? Have I in the unseen a secret history with God? Men take account only of the lily blooming in its weakness. God is concerned with the roots, that they shall be cedar-like in strength.
A Table In The Wilderness (Watchman Nee 主僕倪柝聲弟兄)
Read the Scriptures: Hosea 14
Monday, December 17, 2007
Serve One Another in Humility
"Yea, all of you, gird yourself with humility, to serve one another." - 1 Peter 5:5
The Body builds up itself in love. It is not that there are special apostolic workers who can stand apart from the Body as though it were a 'thing', and build it up from the outside. There is a danger, to which we are all prone, of thinking of the Church of Christ as something outside of ourselves to which we are ministering. This is not possible. If we are to contribute to the life of the Body, we must humbly take our place of submission within it, receiving from, as well as contributing to, its mutual ministry of life.
Do we find it easier to humble ourselves towards God than towards our fellow believers? Remember, without a continual exercise of humility, it is quite impossible to serve one another. For better or worse we are members of that Body, from which we cannot resign. Offend men and we offend God. Accept help from our brethren, and it is only that we may help others. Serve, and we ourselves are ministered to. We are God's fellow-workers, God's building.
A Table In The Wilderness (Watchman Nee 主僕倪柝聲弟兄)
Read the Scriptures: 1 Peter 5
The Body builds up itself in love. It is not that there are special apostolic workers who can stand apart from the Body as though it were a 'thing', and build it up from the outside. There is a danger, to which we are all prone, of thinking of the Church of Christ as something outside of ourselves to which we are ministering. This is not possible. If we are to contribute to the life of the Body, we must humbly take our place of submission within it, receiving from, as well as contributing to, its mutual ministry of life.
Do we find it easier to humble ourselves towards God than towards our fellow believers? Remember, without a continual exercise of humility, it is quite impossible to serve one another. For better or worse we are members of that Body, from which we cannot resign. Offend men and we offend God. Accept help from our brethren, and it is only that we may help others. Serve, and we ourselves are ministered to. We are God's fellow-workers, God's building.
A Table In The Wilderness (Watchman Nee 主僕倪柝聲弟兄)
Read the Scriptures: 1 Peter 5
Monday, December 10, 2007
Hardness Drives People Off, Love Draws Them
"We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren." - 1 John 3:14
Many Christians stand up loyally for what is right, yet by the hardness of their attitude they offend against love. They have grown obsessive about righteousness, but deficient in charity. True, as Christian we should never compromise over the righteousness of God, but at the same time we should not strive with others.
Men and women are won by love, not by its opposite. In your contact with people, do not offend them. It is necessary, certainly, for you to obey God and not tone down His commands, but this should not lead you to offend your fellowmen by your attitude or your words. Hard inflexibility should give way in you to meekness and gentleness. That way, many will be attracted to the Lord. Hardness drives people off, but love draws them.
The Joyful Heart (Watchman Nee 主僕倪柝聲弟兄)
Read the Scriptures: 1 John 3
Many Christians stand up loyally for what is right, yet by the hardness of their attitude they offend against love. They have grown obsessive about righteousness, but deficient in charity. True, as Christian we should never compromise over the righteousness of God, but at the same time we should not strive with others.
Men and women are won by love, not by its opposite. In your contact with people, do not offend them. It is necessary, certainly, for you to obey God and not tone down His commands, but this should not lead you to offend your fellowmen by your attitude or your words. Hard inflexibility should give way in you to meekness and gentleness. That way, many will be attracted to the Lord. Hardness drives people off, but love draws them.
The Joyful Heart (Watchman Nee 主僕倪柝聲弟兄)
Read the Scriptures: 1 John 3
Monday, December 03, 2007
Gathered Much or Gathered Little?
"There is that scattereth, and increaseth yet more." - Proverbs 11:24
God's principle of government in material things is the principle of the manna, that "he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack" (Exodus 16:18 amd 2 Corinthians 8:14). This means that if he that has gathered little is to have no lack, anyone who has gathered much must be willing to have nothing over. Some of us have proved in experience the preciousness of this. When we bear the burden for those who gather little, God sees to it that we gather much; but if instead we think merely of our own needs, the very utmost we can hope for is to gather little and have no lack.
It is a priveledge to be able to help our brethren in the Lord, even to the extent of the greater part of our income. Those who have only learned to take, seldom receive; but those who have learned to give are always receiving and have always more to give. The more you spend on others, the more your income will increase; the more you try to save, the more you will be troubled by "rust" and "thieves".
A Table In the Wilderness (Watchman Nee 主僕倪柝聲弟兄)
Read the Scriptures: Proverbs 11; Exodus 16; 2 Corinthians 8
God's principle of government in material things is the principle of the manna, that "he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack" (Exodus 16:18 amd 2 Corinthians 8:14). This means that if he that has gathered little is to have no lack, anyone who has gathered much must be willing to have nothing over. Some of us have proved in experience the preciousness of this. When we bear the burden for those who gather little, God sees to it that we gather much; but if instead we think merely of our own needs, the very utmost we can hope for is to gather little and have no lack.
It is a priveledge to be able to help our brethren in the Lord, even to the extent of the greater part of our income. Those who have only learned to take, seldom receive; but those who have learned to give are always receiving and have always more to give. The more you spend on others, the more your income will increase; the more you try to save, the more you will be troubled by "rust" and "thieves".
A Table In the Wilderness (Watchman Nee 主僕倪柝聲弟兄)
Read the Scriptures: Proverbs 11; Exodus 16; 2 Corinthians 8
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