"He is at work on your behalf - even when He seems silent. Look away from your problems. Ignore the circumstances. Instead, cast your cares on the One who loves you and who has promised to meet all your needs."
Last week we studied Daniel, who was described to have an excellent spirit such that no one can find fault in him.
The story from Watchman Nee gave us a glimpse of the said kind of spirit.
Relating to present day my life, I know I am a sinner, with unclean lips in a society of unholy lips.
I read this passage in Micah 7. The unpredictable people dynamics caused me a lot of pain just as the two brothers experienced and Micah described.
I shall hold on to depend on 阿爸父: 7:7: 至 於 我 ， 我 要 仰 望 耶 和 華 ， 要 等 候 那 救 我 的 神 ； 我 的 神 必 應 允 我 。
Pray for Ted Lee who has suffered irregular heart beat, add to it disturbances from Gloria's mom, his in-law, at 95, requiring constant attention and many trips downtown.
Pray for Taylor and Tracy, be changed in Awana leadership camp. Change their hearts oh Lord, purify their young hearts.
4 他 們 最 好 的 ， 不 過 是 蒺 藜 ； 最 正 直 的 ， 不 過 是 荊 棘 籬 笆 。 你 守 望 者 說 ， 降 罰 的 日 子 已 經 來 到 。 他 們 必 擾 亂 不 安 。
5 不 要 倚 賴 鄰 舍 ； 不 要 信 靠 密 友 。 要 守 住 你 的 口 ； 不 要 向 你 懷 中 的 妻 提 說 。
6 因 為 ， 兒 子 藐 視 父 親 ； 女 兒 抗 拒 母 親 ； 媳 婦 抗 拒 婆 婆 ； 人 的 仇 敵 就 是 自 己 家 裡 的 人 。
7 至 於 我 ， 我 要 仰 望 耶 和 華 ， 要 等 候 那 救 我 的 神 ； 我 的 神 必 應 允 我 。
8 我 的 仇 敵 啊 ， 不 要 向 我 誇 耀 。 我 雖 跌 倒 ， 卻 要 起 來 ； 我 雖 坐 在 黑 暗 裡 ， 耶 和 華 卻 作 我 的 光 。
9 我 要 忍 受 耶 和 華 的 惱 怒 ； 因 我 得 罪 了 他 ， 直 等 他 為 我 辨 屈 ， 為 我 伸 冤 。 他 必 領 我 到 光 明 中 ； 我 必 得 見 他 的 公 義 。
10 那 時 我 的 仇 敵 ， 就 是 曾 對 我 說 耶 和 華 ─ 你 神 在 哪 裡 的 ， 他 一 看 見 這 事 就 被 羞 愧 遮 蓋
Begin forwarded message:
From: Mingxi Fan
This a great sharing from Watchman Nee that we shared with some brothers/sisters this week in fellowship: (quoted from "Stories that Open a Larger Window" by Devern Fromke.“I recall a story of two brothers who both cultivated paddy fields in Northern China. Their fields werd halfway up the hill; others were lower down. In the great heat, they drew water by day and went to sleep at night. One night, while they were sleeping, the farmers lower down the hill dug a hole in the irrigation channel surrounding the brothers’s fileds and let all the water flow down on their own fields.
The next morning the brothers saw what had happened, but said nothing. They filled the troughs with water, and again all the water was drawn off the following night. Still they uttered no word of protest when they discovered the mean trick the same farmers had played on them. It seemed so unfair, and ye they were Christians. Ought not Christians be patient?This game was repeated seven nights in succession; and for seven days these two brothers silently suffered the wrong. Quietly they continued doing what they thought was good and right. We would assume that Christians who could allow themselves to be treated like this day after day, and never utter a word of reproach, would surely be overflowing with joy.Strange to say, they were not happy at all, and their unhappiness distressed them to such an extent that they brought the matter to another brother who was in Lord’s service. Having stated their case, they asked him: How does it come about that, having suffered all this wrong for a full week, we are still not happy?This brother had some experience and replied: You are unhappy because you have not gone the full length. You should first irrigate those farmers’ fields and then irrigate your own. You go back and test it out, and see whether or not your hearts find rest. They agreed to try, and off they went.Next morning they were afoot earlier than ever, and their first business was to irrigate the fields of those farmers who had so persistently robbed their fields of water. And this amazing thing happened – the more the labored watering their persecutor’s land, the happier they became. By the time they had finished watering their own land their heart were at perfect rest. When the brothers repeated this for two to three days, the offending farmers came to apologize and added:If this is Christianity, then we want to hear more about it.“Now to reflect upon the story, what do we think about the two brothers when they first remained patient without complaining? Isn’t that already amazing faith and submission? What then was lacking that they had no joy?It is important we recognize two very different kingdoms – the moral kingdom with natural human reasoning, and the spiritual kingdom in which the way of divine Life operates. In the moral kingdom, when men do what is good and right, it will bring temporary peace. However, in the spiritual kingdom, we must go beyond what is good and right to sacrifice ourselves: In this God was satisfied and He would provide great joy.This will help us to understand why Paul wrote to the Romans:“God’s kingdom is not meat or drink, but righteousness, peace, and Joy in the Holy Spirit.” It is His Joy that makes a difference!It is quite certain that many of us are trying hard to achieve excellence at work, at home, in marketplace, and at the same driving our next generation towards excellence. In the process, also many of us also try hard each day to overcome difficulties, especially in working with people? Are we feeling the joy in the midst of it? If so, praise God! If somehow the joy seems missing, let’s examine whether we are going in the full extent with God’s way, and pray that God lead us towards living out the full potential that He planned for each of us!
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