“And having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us . . . let us give ourselves to our ministry.” Romans "12":6-7 The calling of God is a distinctive calling. Moreover, its object is always precise, never merely haphazard or undefined. By this, I mean that when God commits to you or […]
“The hearing ear and the seeing eye, Jehovah hath made even both of them.” Proverbs "20":12 Alas, very few Christians are good listeners! We shall have to take ourselves rigorously in hand if we are to acquire hearing ears. Our ears must be trained to listen. It is possible to pay scant attention to what
“Honor thy father and mother (which is the first commandment with promise).” Ephesians "6":2 When I was a young man at college, God showed me I was to go on my vacation to an island which was infested with pirates to preach the gospel. I visited the island and found the people willing, and after
“Who were born not . . . of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God.” John "1":13 The recurring phrase “after its kind” in Genesis 1 represents a law of reproduction that governs the whole realm of biological nature. It does not, however, govern the realm of the
“These things have I spoken unto you that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” John "15":11 From Watchman Nee’s last letter dated April 22, 1972, in his sixty-ninth year after twenty years in confinement and shortly before his "death": “You know my physical condition. It is a
“The joy of Jehovah is your strength.” Nehemiah "8":10 The worst kind of life to live is the life of reactions, in which we are all the time affected by persons or circumstances. When we speak and somebody responds warmly to our words, we are full of joy; but we are the very opposite when
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yea and forever.” Hebrews "13":8 Spiritual reality has this outstanding characteristic that it bears no mark of time. The time-factor vanishes the instant you touch that reality. Take, for example, prophecy. From the human point of view, there is such a thing as prophecy, but from the
“Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death no more hath dominion over him.” Romans "6":9 The resurrection of the Lord Jesus is different from the resurrection of other people mentioned in the Bible. For example, in calling Lazarus out of the grave, Jesus merely returned him to the life-situation he had just
“But the priests, the Levites . . . shall come near to me to minister unto me.” Ezekiel "44":15 One condition basic to all that can truly be called ministry to the Lord is that we draw near to Him. He desires our worship; yet how hard we find it to drag ourselves into His
“The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” Acts "11":26 The Bible uses the name Christian, meaning “Christ-man” or “Christ’s one,” but never does it say “Jesus-man.” Jesus is a personal name, whereas Christ is a name that is inclusive as well as personal. The Christian is a part of Christ, a member of the
