Some saints cannot fall unless they sin; this is God’s mercy. Even though the spiritual character of some is bankrupt, they still resist in their natural man. They need a great fall so that their self-praise can be thoroughly torn down. Anyone who is boastful has not been broken, anyone who blames others has not been broken, and anyone who competes with the brothers and sisters has not been broken. An unbroken person always disputes and contends with others in the church and in the work. He thinks that he can do everything and do it better than others. Those who are young and even some of the older ones are like this. When such a one hears a negative remark, he reacts immediately. This kind of person has never been broken. Our genuine usefulness in God’s hand does not depend on our capability, our eloquence, or our intelligence but on how much we have been broken and torn down by God. A useful person is one who can be broken by God. Someone who has never been pressed, mistreated, broken, depreciated, or wronged by people is raw, wild, and useless to God. Even if we have received some discipline of the Holy Spirit, we can still be useless. We may accept discipline from the environment, but if we are unable to receive an offending word from the brothers and sisters, we are still useless. We must examine ourselves in this way. For example, when we come to the meeting, our clothes may be torn by a hook on the door. Thinking that this is the discipline of the Holy Spirit, we gladly accept it. When we enter into the elders’ room or the business office, however, and encounter several unpleasant matters and hear some annoying words, we may refuse to pray and say Amen. We accept the discipline of the Holy Spirit when we are happy and pleased, but when we are upset and discontented, we become negative and cannot accept the Lord’s dealing. This proves that we have not been broken by God. It shows that we have no light, have not been broken, and are still intact. Because we have not been cracked, and the sunlight is unable to shine into us, we have no inward light. We may have heard many messages and may be familiar with the Scriptures, yet we will not have any light if we have not been cracked, and there is no opening in us. A person who has not been broken or torn down by God is most pitiful. When we are treated well, appreciated, praised, and exalted by others, we gladly receive the discipline of the Holy Spirit. However, when our being is touched and we lose our face and feel that we have been hurt, we are not so willing to receive the discipline of the Holy Spirit. If we possess a good attribute, we want to make it known and testify to others so that everyone in the world will know about it. Furthermore, as soon as we are wronged, we want to spread it everywhere in order to gain sympathy for ourselves. In contrast to us, David was despised in his family, but he did not utter a sound or rise up to resist. Rather, he lived before God, hid in God, and learned many lessons in secret—lessons that were hidden from his father and his brothers. Here is a question: Are the lessons we learn superficial or hidden? When we give a testimony, do we disclose everything or only what is allowed by the Holy Spirit? God needs people who are broken. Only those who are broken can be according to God’s heart and serve Him, serve people, and minister to people according to God’s heart. Only those who are broken can administrate the church and serve the saints. Only those who are broken can be workers of the Lord, elders, and deacons. Only those who are broken can minister God’s life to people in this age. May the Lord have mercy on us so that we willingly receive His breaking from within. (Knowing Life and the Church, Chapter 19, section 3, W. Lee).
Posted on: Sat, 16 Aug 2014 01:08:51 +0000
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