How can I deal with the Lord to get Him to act on my prayers?
This question opens up a field that covers the whole Christian life. To answer briefly, I would say that most of our efforts to know the Lord’s will are futile. What we think is His will turns out to be incorrect. The right way is just to contact the Lord in the same way as you breathe. Open to Him. Then, when the time comes, something will come to you. That will be the Lord’s will.
Can you recommend some specific materials to use in our times with the Lord?
The more variety you have, the better. You need at least ten minutes of prayer and at least ten minutes of reading the Bible. If you have an hour’s time, you can read three chapters from the Old Testament and one from the New; in this way you can finish the Bible in a year. As for spiritual writings, I surely recommend the Life-study Messages and the issues of the Stream magazine, published in the early years. In addition, read the books The Economy of God, The All-inclusive Christ, The Knowledge of Life, and The Experience of Life. This last book would be especially helpful, since some chapters treat in detail how to deal with the conscience, the heart, the flesh, and the natural constitution.
Try to build up a habit of praying the whole day long. During your time in the morning, pray. At your break time, pray. Replace your vain talk and gossip with prayer. You will see how much more time you have to pray if you avoid the phone.
One year Brother Nee read through the New Testament every week. He did not drop any duties, but just carried a little New Testament with him wherever he went. By squeezing in a minute here and two minutes there, he read it through fifty-two times in that one year.
If we can learn to use our time this carefully, there will be plenty of time to pray, read the Bible, and read some spiritual books. I greatly enjoy going back over the Life-study Messages, even though they were given by me. Just as a housewife enjoys her own cooking, so I am refreshed and nourished when I read over the Life-study Messages. I long that the saints in the Lord’s recovery may be able to digest them more. If you try this for half a year, it will make a big difference in your Christian life.
My Christian life is like a pendulum swinging back and forth. Is this normal?
It is normal, but only for a baby. Do not be troubled about feeling that way. Just keep praying daily, reading the Bible daily, and digesting a Life-study Message or one of our spiritual books. Within a half year you will be steadfast. You will be rooted and grounded, and nothing will be able to shake you. Ephesians 4:14 says, “Be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of teaching” (Gk.). Every teaching is a wind blowing people away from the center lane. If you can be carried away by this wind, then you are still a child. You need to grow. Verse 15 mentions this: “Holding the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things” (Gk.).
Do not be preoccupied with how you feel. Just go on and build some good Christian habits. Your feelings are not trustworthy. Just tell them, “Little devil, I don’t believe in you.” No matter how you feel, just keep these legalities we have mentioned: pray, read the Bible and some spiritual books, and deal with your conscience by confession. Whatever is on your conscience as an offense, confess right away to the Lord, asking Him to cleanse you and keep you constantly with a purged, pure conscience.
Home | First | Prev | Next