The Training, Nee

(Collected Works of Watchman Nee, The (Set 2) Vol. 26: Collection of Newsletters (2) & Watchman Nee's Testimony, Chapter 8, Section 5)

If the return of the Lord should be delayed, it will be necessary to raise up a number of young people to continue the testimony and the work for the following generations. Many co-workers have already prayed concerning this matter with the hope of providing a suitable place for the purpose of training young people. My thought is not to establish a seminary or a Bible institute, but to have young people staying together to live the Body life and practice the spiritual life. In such a place they would receive training for the purpose of edification, by learning to read the Scripture, to pray, and to build up a good character. On the negative side, there would be training for the purpose of learning how to deal with sin, the world, the flesh, and the natural life. At a suitable time, the young people would return to their respective churches in various places to be tempered together with other saints to serve the Lord in the church. I have purchased over ten acres of land at Chenru, in the suburbs of Shanghai. Planning for building on that site is in progress, and before long, young people will be able to go there for training.

In the future my personal burden and work will generally comprise these four aspects. May all the glory be to the Lord. We have nothing at all in ourselves, and though we have done something, we admit to being useless and unprofitable servants.

Quote of the Week

"A turning point in our spiritual history does not come through our decision to do something for God; it comes when we see Him."

#WatchmanNee

(cf Acts 9:6)

Word of the Day

Gaggle - a noisy or jumbled group or crowd.

Quote of the Week

"The heart has its reasons, which reason does not know."

- Blaise Pascal  (French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and philosopher)

Quote from Watchman Nee

Brothers and sisters, you need to aspire to be ministers of life to others. Do not ever be disappointed that you are not as eloquent as others, or that you do not have as much Bible knowledge as others. As long as you live in life, you will be able to supply life to other members. Some people begin to pray in the prayer meeting right after they are saved. Their prayers may be very awkward, but when others touch them, they receive light and supply. Yet after these ones have been Christians for a period of time, the life supply in them becomes less and less. Having lived the Christian life for a few years, they pick up much knowledge and many doctrines, yet there is a lack of the supply of life. The supply of life is not a matter of knowledge but a matter of freshness. It is better to have less knowledge and less doctrine than it is to lose the supply of life. We should ask the Lord to deliver us from our inability to supply life and should pray that we live before Him in a genuine way. If we live before the Lord and are in touch with life, we will supply others with life and wash their feet every time we contact them. They will receive the freshness of life and be recovered spiritually.

You can read the rest here.

Surfer in Laguna

Exploring Luther's Theology

Luther's famous words: "In ipsa fide Christus adest." Literally, "the faith itself Christ is present". The faith not only has Christ's work as its object, but in the faith Christ is present. Christ is not only "outside" of us, but comes "in" us. Through faith, Christ lives in the human being. From Interview with the theologian Eero Huovinen, Lutheran Bishop of Helsinki by Niels Christian Hvidt and Gianni Valente.)

Amen!

Favorite Quotes

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.

Prayer

"A prayer life is a life that revolts against our natural being" fellowship concerning the urgent need of the vital groups, ch11

Letting Luther Speak

Letting Luther Speak The April 2007 A&C reviewed a recently translated book by Tuoma Mannermaa (University of Helsinki),  "Christ Present in Faith: Luther's View of Justification." Very insightful.