God's Will and God's Glory

"When the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward." - Exodus 40:36

Just as all God's speaking to His people in those far-off days was from between the cherubim of glory, so all His leading of them onward was by means of that same glory. In the cloud by day and the fire by night the glory of God appeared, and by it they moved. For us, too, all revelation of God's will issues from His glory. See the glory of God in relation to any matter and we have discovered God's leading in regard to it. You ask me 'Is this His will?' I reply by asking in turn, 'Is God's glory resting there?' Discern that, and you need wait for nothing further. For the divine glory itself expresses the divine will. Guidance is thus simply a matter of correspondence to that. Where God's glory rests we need not ask the way.

The Joyful Heart (Watchman Nee 主僕倪柝聲弟兄)

Read the Scriptures: Exodus 40

Glory to Dust

"Thou shalt remember all the way which Jehovah thy God hath led thee these forty years in the wilderness, that He might humble thee, to prove thee, to know what was in thy heart." - Deuteronomy 8:2

Let us understand that God has no need for our defeats and failures - only we do. For while we experience smooth sailing, being often victorious and full of joy, we may regard ourselves as being fairly good and having possession of something that other people do not have. Though we may not dare to boast openly of anything, nevertheless, when we make some progress in spiritual life or have some success in spiritual work we cannot help but conceive the thought that now we are truly holy and powerful and excelling quite well. In such a state as this, it is easy to become careless and to lose the attitude of depending on God.

Accordingly, the Lord permits us to fall from glory to dust. We learn we are no different from the world's greatest and worst sinners. With the result that we dare not be self-reliant anymore but will in all things cast ourselves upon God with fear and trembling.

The Lord My Portion (Watchman Nee 主僕倪柝聲弟兄)

Read the Scriptures: Deuteronomy 8

Wounded Soldiers

"For thus shall be richly supplied unto you the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." - 2 Peter 1:11

Immediately after the Great War in Europe, a great celebration was held in London. The war had just been concluded, and the soldiers had returned home for a triumphant march. As the soldiers marched on, the sound waves of applause and praise flowed incessantly. Rank after rank had passed by until suddenly the air was explosive with the tremendous waves of even greater applause and praise. Many who watched were moved to tears. And at one point the nobility saluted and the king removed his crown. And why? Because immediately behind the marching ranks came carrier after carrier of soldiers who had lost their limbs or had been terribly wounded in body!

Those who have suffered on earth and have forsaken something for the sake of Christ, they shall receive much on that day just as had the wounded soldiers received much during that triumphal march; louder applause, higher praise, and greater glory.

The Lord My Portion (Watchman Nee 主僕倪柝聲弟兄)

Read the Scriptures: 2 Peter 1