You are His String of Light and Music

You have to go through
 To overcome

You have endure to see
That Christ may perfectly become
One

The plan was written 
Before the disruption of the world 
By the Writer of this grand symphony

Yet most can not yet see 
All of this reconciled
Everyone and everything

You are His beloved string of light and music

He strums and out from you vibrates 

The music He composes

Sometimes He strums
Other times He plucks 
And then as Light 
You are bent to be
The projected image 
He intends the world to see

We are all vibrating 
At our unique frequency
The All Things 
His composition
His orchestration 
The sovereign symphony
This is our becoming---
Christ!
The Fathers expression of light and music
Vibrating as you and me 

Our Return to Our Beginning

"Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men. " Psalm 90:3

Father,

In the midst of these trials, storms and thorns, I bow before you asking for your  grace and your faith to be brought out of the unsearchable depths of the seed you've planted within.  I have grown to know that I need the realization, Father, I need what you have already decided and accomplished before the foundation(disruption) of the world.  I constantly need the greater realization of the finished work.
 
I endure, but it is you enduring through me.  You are the Life in me.  I am merely the physical vessel and expression of the Life of you, my Father.  You are the Life of the All Things.

"There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism;  one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." Ephesians 4: 4-6

I boldly request wisdom to know the lessons being brought into my earth;  anointed creation as an expression in my spirit, soul and body.

I have come to know Your challenge, if you could have such a thing, is to bring forth a knowledge of You from WITHIN us.  We have been subjected to non-eternal things---things that change---counterfeits or shadows, whatever label fits.  But only to bring forth the inevitable knowledge that is eternal and lasting.  And that to which WE WILL BE!

We will ALL be what YOU HAVE SPOKEN we will be:

'Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness"

The Spirit union and Oneness,  The Corporation desired to become a furtherance of Spirit, beyond Spirit and the Spirit's imagination, to becoming an intended image. Jesus was the first expressed (anointed) image of the OUR Father and he was the first of many brethren,  THE patterned Son.

The Corporate Head determined that their Corporation of Love could not simply remain unto itself, but that there was an inevitability of Life and Love to extend itself and give itself away.  Life and Love must become more life and more love.  Life always reproduces and Love always gives itself away.


Jesus was the perfect image of the Father.  He was the first of many brethren! He was the Life and Love of our Father.


Everything begins in/as Spirit.  The origin of The All Things is Spirit.  Spirit and the ultimate consciousness first thought and then said 'Let us make man in Our image.'

Spirit Oneness and imagination birthed the idea.  The ideas was already completed before it was birthed.  The End was the Beginning.  The Imagination birthed the Image. One Source.  The thought of the Corporate Godhead was completed with the Corporate Mind before it was thrust out into a progressively forming image.

All things began with the Corporate Thought, but the Beginning was already completed at the End.  8

All things in the mind of God!  All things pushed out to begin their cycle and all things, all works finished from the foundation(kataballo or disruption) of the world. The world  was thrown down to move from darkness and back into light.

'And evening and morning was the first day'

We are returning to our Beginning. 

Our All in All

We once believed
We were living clay frames
But our origin is Spirit
We are ALL going back in!
We will find we weren't divided
But we were all the same

Thrown down
Our earth without form and void
The first born self has flown

 We are the expanding Mind
We are knowing
Just as we are known

NOW
Capable and ascending
I am well!

Exploring this Mind
This consciousness

An emerging Crystal Sea

And it's captivating swell

We are the Temples of God

Not hostages of self

We have heard the Corporate call

We are running into meet

God the Source

Our All in All

-djb

When They Reached The Place Called The Skull

"When they reached the place called 'The Skull,' there they nailed Him to the cross." Luke 23:33

Our minds and bodies get exhausted. The stress of this world and this modern life can press us to the brink of breakdown. I write from first-hand experience.

We search for truths and  reach for solutions that do not work (anymore).  We think we can find answers from other people; shallow wells that have long since dried up.  We wander the outer world, but the answer---the ultimate hope!---is not outside of us.

"For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” (Lk. 17:21)

"to whom God did will to make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this secret among the nations -- which is Christ in you, the hope of the glory."  (Col. 1:27)


Governments, corporations, religious denominations and individuals are searching for someone to lead or deliver them from the ever-present,  impending trouble. But all of this wandering is futile repetition. There is nothing new under the sun.  Every point of the compass needle has been explored.  Outer space. Quantum.Who can discern the need of our soul and who will find the Answer?

Someone must have an answer to this futility.  Anyone?! who can bring peace and a sense of well-being, to the crashing sea of humanity and our souls, which ebb and flow like the tides every 6 hours.

"Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me." Psalm 42:7

Is the answer right under our noses? Or should I say right behind our noses on our face? 

'When they reached the place called 'The Skull'.

At the place of the skull everything changes.  At the place of the skull,  we will be renewed in our souls to see the world as it really is and our Father as He is.    A new world---a kingdom and our God right under our nose.  At the place of the skull, this is where His Temple is.  The Temple is where God is. And where God is life and transformation.

"And you -- once being alienated, and enemies in the mind, in the evil works, yet now did he reconcile"  (Colossians 1:21)

Everything starts at the place called the skull. 

To be continued....

112 REASONS EVERYONE WILL BE WHOLE

112 REASONS TO BELIEVE IN GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY
 

AND

THE WHOLENESS OF ALL

1) Isa 46:10  2) Dan 4:35  3) Prov 16:9  4) Prov 19:21  5) Prov 16:33  6) Psa 37:23  7) Psa 33:10  8) Psa 33:15  9) Job 5:17-18 10) Hos 6:1-2 11) Deut 32:39 12) Psa 90:3 13) Jer 18:2-6 14) Lam 3:31-32 15) Psa 102:18-20 16) Isa 2:2 17) Joel 3:21 18) Gen 18:18 19) Isa 45:22 20) Isa 45:23 21) Isa 40:3-5 22) Psa 138:4 23) Psa 72:17 24) Psa 86:9 25) Isa 52:10 26) Psa 65:2-4 27) Isa 11:9 28) Psa 66:3-4 29) Isa 19:14-25 30) Ezk 16:55 31) Psa 68:18 32) Isa 54:5 33) Psa 22:25-29 34) Psa 145:9-10 35) Psa 145:14 36) Psa 145:15 37) Psa 145:16 38) Psa 145:9 39) Psa 145:10 40) Psa 24:1 41) Isa 25:6 42) Isa 25:7 43) Isa 25:8 44) Isa 25:8 45) Jer 32:35 46) Psa 135:6 47) Isa 26:9 48) Isa 53:11 49) Gen 12:3

1) God will do ALL His pleasure 2) God's will done in heaven & earth, none can stop Him 3) Man devises, but God directs his steps 4) Man devises, but God's counsel stands 5) THE WHOLE DISPOSING thereof is of the Lord 6) The steps of man are ordered of God 7) The LORD brings the counsel and devices of the heathen...to naught 8) God fashions ALL hearts 9) God wounds then He makes whole 10) God tears, but in the third day He heals 11) God kills & makes alive, He wounds but then heals 12) God turns man to destruction, then says return 13) God mars vessels & then remakes them 14) God will not cast off forever 15) God will loosen those appointed to death 16) ALL nations will flow to the Lord's house 17) God will cleanse blood not cleansed 18) ALL families of the earth will be blessed 19) ALL the earth commanded to look and be saved 20) Unto God ALL will bow & every tongue swear 21) Highway of God enables ALL flesh to see His glory 22) ALL kings will praise God 23) ALL nations will call Him blessed 24) ALL nations will worship God & ALL men blessed 25) ALL earth will see the salvation of God 26) ALL flesh will come to God 27) The earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord 28) Enemies will submit & ALL earth will worship 29) Egypt & Assyria will be restored 30) Sodom will be restored 31) God will lead (all) captivity captive to dwell in man 32) He will be called the God of THE WHOLE EARTH 33) ALL will remember & turn unto the Lord 34) God is good to ALL & merciful to His works 35) Raises ALL that fall & ALL that be bowed down 36) ALL wait upon God & He will give them meat in due season. 37) Will satisfy the desire of ALL living 38) The Lord is good to ALL 39) ALL Thy works shall praise thee 40) The Earth is the Lord's...and they who dwell therein 41) The Lord will make unto ALL people a feast 42) He will destroy the veil that's cast over ALL 43) He will swallow up death (ALL death) in victory 44) He will wipe away tears from ALL faces 45) Never in God's mind to pass anyone through the fire of Molech 46) The Lord did what pleased Him in heaven, earth, and the sea 47) In judgment...the inhabitants will learn righteousness 48) He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied  49) All families of the earth shall be blessed

(63 New Testament Listings)

1) Eph 1:11 2) 1 Tim 2:4 3) John 8:29 4) 1 John 4:14 5) John 4:34 6) John 12:47 7) 1 Tim 2:6 8) John 5:36 9) John 4:42 10) John 12:32 11) Heb 7:25 12) Col 1:15 13) Col 1:16 14) Rom 5:15-21 15) 1 Cor 15:22 16) Eph 1:10 17) 1 Cor 15:26 18) Philippians 2:9-11 19) 1 Cor 12:3 20) Rom 11:26 21) Acts 3:20-21 22) Luke 2:10 23) Eph 2:7 24) Heb 8:11-12 25) Luke 3:6 26) Titus 2:11 27) Rom 8:19-21 28) Col 1:20 29) 1 Cor 4:5 30) James 5:11 31) Rev 15:4 32) 2 Cor 5:17 33) Rom 11:32 34) Rom 11:36 35) Eph 4:10 36) Rev 5:13 37) 1 Cor 15:28 38) Rev 21:4-5 39) John 5:25 40) John 5:28 41) John 6:39 42) John 6:12 43) 1 Cor 3:15 44) Mark 9:49 45) 2 Cor 5:15 46) 1 John 2:2 47) Rom 11:15 48) Heb 2:2 49) John 3:35 50) John 17:2 51) John 6:44-45 52) 1 Tim 4:9-11 53) Acts 13:47 54) Gal 3:8 55) Matt 18:11 56) Matt 18:14 57) John 1:29 58) John 1:7 59) John 3:17 60) John 6:51 61) Col 1:28 62) 2 Peter 3:9 63) 1 John 2:2

1) God works ALL things after counsel of His will 2) God will have ALL to be saved 3) Jesus ALWAYS does which pleases His Father 4 Jesus sent to be the Savior of THE WORLD 5) Jesus to do the will of God who sent Him 6) Jesus came to save ALL 7) Jesus gave Himself a ransom for ALL 8) He will finish the works He was sent to do 9) Jesus is the Savior of THE WORLD 10) Jesus will draw ALL to Himself 11) Jesus is able to save to the uttermost 12) Jesus the first born of ALL creation 13) By Him ALL things were created 14) In Adam ALL condemned, in Christ ALL live 15) In Adam ALL die, in Christ ALL live 16) ALL come into Him at the fullness of times 17) Death, the last enemy, will be destroyed 18) EVERY TONGUE shall confess Jesus is Lord (Romans 9:10) 19) Cannot confess except by THE HOLY SPIRIT 20) ALL Israel will be saved 21) Restitution (Reconstitution) of ALL 22) Jesus will be the joy to ALL people 23) His grace to be shown in the ages to come 24 ALL will know God 25) ALL flesh shall see the salvation of God 26) Grace has appeared to ALL 27) Creation freed from corruption 28) ALL reconciled unto God 29) ALL will have praise of God 30) End of the Lord is full of mercy 31) ALL Nations worship when judgments seen 32) ALL becomes a new creation in Christ 33) .ALL subjected to unbelief, mercy on ALL 34) ALL out of God, thru Him, and into Him 35) Jesus will fill ALL things 36) ALL creation seen praising God 37) God will be ALL in ALL 38) No more tears, ALL things made new 39) ALL dead who hear will live 40) ALL in the grave will hear & come forth 41) And this is the Father's...I should lose NOTHING42) Gather up the fragments that...that NOTHING be lost 43) ALL saved, yet so as by fire 44) Everyone shall be salted with fire 45) Jesus died for ALL 46) Jesus is the propitiation for the sins of the WHOLE WORLD47) Reconciliation of the world 48) He is the heir of ALL things 49) ALL has been given into His hand 50) Jesus will give eternal life to ALL that His Father gives Him 51) ALL to be taught of God and will come 52) Jesus is the Savior of ALL 53) Salvation unto the ends of the earth 54).All nations shall be blessed 55) For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost 56) Not the will of your Father...that one of these...should perish (rf. 1) 57) Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of THE WORLD 58)  That ALL through him *might believe 59) That THE WORLD through him *might be saved. 60) The bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of THE WORLD 61) That we may present EVERY MAN perfect in Christ Jesus 62) The Lord is...not willing that ANY should perish (rf. 1 & 2) 63) And he is the propitiation...for the WHOLE WORLD The word ίσως  for*might is omitted in the Greek text.

Let us add that none of the scriptures listed will mean a thing to those who are not willing to concede to the truth, that is, who are Hardwired To Lie to themselves. Granted, some of these verses may seem not to be in total context of the subject matter, but looking at the whole picture they will in fact support the thought very well. In order to get a complete and balanced overview of God's great plan, which is he SALVATION OF ALL who came out of God, which is ALL, we suggest searching out all the scriptures (preferably in the Hebrew & Greek) concerning the wicked being judged, condemned forever, everlasting punishment, destroyed, etc. No doubt, there will seem to be conflicting verses, and it may involve many soul searching hours, but continue on with a genuine desire to know the truth, and with dedication and prayer until the Spirit of Christ settles it firmly in your spirit with immutable clarity. 

We rejoice In the light of the above scriptures, however, never forsake the truth of God's judgments upon man's rebellion, for men must stand accountable for their thoughts, their words, and their deeds. But it is clear that God's judgments and man's torment are not forever, but age-lasting, as it is in the ancient texts. There is an end to both, else His pleasures would be frustrated and never be seen throughout all eternity. Let everyone know that God has always had a wonderful plan for every soul. Moreover, no one and no thing can frustrate it, and He will fulfill it according to His good pleasure.
Now, the challenge for those who do not embrace the truth of this matter; but they say if it is in the Bible, they believe and teach it. The above are 112 clear verses contained in the Bible. What about it? Do you believe it? If so -- will you declare it, and with joy share it to any and all, regardless of the reproach? To bring this forth will cost something; but that is often the price for truth. The Valley of Decision is a hard place; but don't abide there long, break the ties of dogma which have for ages flowed down the concrete channels of tradition lest you reason your way back to the well-beaten path, which sees God in man's image of being eternally feeble and uncaring for that which came from Him. 

(Scriptures compiled by Elwin R. Roach)

Get Out of Babylon

The Importance of Brokenness

 "So the Treasure is in the earthen vessel, but if the earthen vessel is not broken, who can see the Treasure within? What is the final objective of the Lord's working in our lives? It is to break this earthen vessel, to break our alabaster box, to crack open our shell."

ANYONE who serves God will discover sooner or later that the great hindrance to his work is not others but himself. He will discover that his outward man and his inward man are not in harmony, for both are tending toward opposite directions. He will also sense the inability of his outward man to submit to the spirit's control, thus rendering him incapable of obeying God's highest commands. He will quickly detect that the greatest difficulty lies in his outward man, for it hinders him from using his spirit.

Many of God's servants are not able to do even the most elementary works. Ordinarily they should be enabled by the exercise of their spirit to know God's word, to discern the spiritual condition of another, to send forth God's messages under anointing and to receive God's revelations. Yet due to the distractions of the outward man, their spirit does not seem to function properly. It is basically because their outward man has never been dealt with. For this reason revival, zeal, pleading and activity are but a waste of time. As we shall see, there is just one basic dealing which can enable man to be useful before God: brokenness.

The Inward Man and the Outward Man

Notice how the Bible divides man into two parts: "For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man" (Rom. 7:22). Our inward man delights in the Law of God. ". . . To be strengthened with power by his Spirit in the inner man" (Eph. 3:16). And Paul also tells us, "But if indeed our outward man is consumed, yet the inward is renewed day by day" (2 Cor. 4:16).

When God comes to indwell us by His Spirit, life and power, He comes into our spirit which we are calling the inward man. Outside of this inward man is the soul wherein function our thoughts, emotions and will. The outermost man is our physical body. Thus we will speak of the inward man as the spirit, the outer man as the soul and the outermost man as the body. We must never forget that our inward man is the human spirit where God dwells, where His Spirit mingles with our spirit. Just as we are dressed in clothes, so our inward man "wears" an outward man: the spirit "wears" the soul. And similarly, the spirit and soul "wear" the body. It is quite evident that men are generally more conscious of the outer and outermost man, and they hardly recognize or understand their spirit at all.

We must know that he who can work for God is the one whose inward man can be released. The basic difficulty of a servant of God lies in the failure of the inward man to break through the outward man. Therefore we must recognize before God that the first difficulty to our work is not in others but in ourselves. Our spirit seems to he wrapped in a covering so that it cannot easily break forth. If we have never learned how to release our inward man by breaking through the outward man, we are not able to serve. Nothing can so hinder us as this outward man. Whether our works are fruitful or not depends upon whether our outward man has been broken by the Lord so that the inward man can pass through that brokenness and come forth. This is the basic problem. The Lord wants to break our outward man in order that the inward man may have a way out. When the inward man is released, both unbelievers and Christians will be blessed.

Nature Has Its Way of Breaking

The Lord Jesus tells us in John 12, "Except the grain of wheat falling into the ground die, it abides alone; but if it die, it bears much fruit." Life is in the grain of wheat, but there is a shell, a very hard shell on the outside. As long as that shell is not split open, the wheat cannot sprout and grow. "Except the grain of wheat falling into the ground die . . . " What is this death? It is the cracking open of the shell through the working together of temperature, humidity, in the soil. Once the shell is split open, the wheat begins to grow. So the question here is not whether there is life within, but whether the outside shell is cracked open.

The Scripture continues by saying, "He that loves his life (Greek, soul) shall lose it, and he that hates his life (Greek, soul) in this world shall keep it to life eternal" (v. 25). The Lord shows us here that the outer shell is our own life (our soul life), while the life within is the eternal life which He has given to us. To allow the inner life to come forth, it is imperative that the outward life be replaced. Should the outward remain unbroken, the inward would never be able to come forth.

It is necessary (in this writing) that we direct these words to that group of people who have the Lord's life. Among those who possess the life of the Lord can be found two distinct conditions: one includes those in whom life is confined, restricted, imprisoned and unable to come forth; the other includes those in whom the Lord has forged a way, and life is thus released from them.

The question thus is not how to obtain life, but rather how to allow this life to come forth. When we say we need the Lord to break us, this is not merely a way of speaking, nor is it only a doctrine. It is vital that we be broken by the Lord. It is not that the life of the Lord cannot cover the earth, but rather that His life is imprisoned by us. It is not that the Lord cannot bless the church, but that the Lord's life is so confined within us that there is no flowing forth. If the outward man remains unbroken, we can never be a blessing to His church, and we cannot expect the word of God to be blessed by Him through us!

The Alabaster Box Must Be Broken

The Bible tells of the pure spikenard.  God purposely used this term "pure" in His word to show that it is truly spiritual. But if the alabaster box is not broken, the pure spikenard will not flow forth. Strange to say, many are still treasuring the alabaster box, thinking that its value exceeds that of the ointment. Many think that their outward man is more precious than their inward man. This becomes the problem in the church. One will treasure his cleverness, thinking he is quite important; another will treasure his own emotions, esteeming himself as an important person; others highly regard themselves, feeling they are better than others, their eloquence surpasses that of others, their quickness of action and exactness of judgment are superior, and so forth. However, we are not antique collectors; we are not vase admirers; we are those who desire to smell only the fragrance of the ointment. Without the breaking of the outward, the inward will not come forth. Thus individually we have no flowing out, but also the church does not have a living way.  Why then should we hold ourselves as so precious, if our outward contains instead of releases the fragrance?

The Holy Spirit has not ceased working. One event after another, one thing after another, comes to us. Each disciplinary working of the Holy Spirit has but one purpose: to break our outward man so that our inward man may come through. Yet here is our difficulty: we fret over trifles, we murmur at small losses. The Lord is preparing a way to use us, yet scarcely has His hand touched us when we feel unhappy, even to the extent of quarreling with God and becoming negative in our attitude.  Since being saved, we have been touched many times in various ways by the Lord, all with the purpose of breaking our outward man. Whether we are conscious of it or not, the aim of the Lord is to break this outward man.

So the Treasure is in the earthen vessel, but if the earthen vessel is not broken, who can see the Treasure within? What is the final objective of the Lord's working in our lives? It is to break this earthen vessel, to break our alabaster box, to crack open our shell. The Lord longs to find a way to bless the world through those who belong to Him.  Brokenness is the way of blessing, the way of fragrance, the way of fruitfulness, but it is also a path sprinkled with blood. Yes, there is blood from many wounds. When we offer ourselves to the Lord to be at His service, we cannot afford to be lenient, to spare ourselves. We must allow the Lord utterly to crack our outward man, so that He may find a way for His out working.

Each of us must find out for himself what is the mind of the Lord in his life. It is a most lamentable fact that many do not know what is the mind or intention of the Lord for their lives. How much they need for Him to open their eyes, to see that everything which comes into their lives can be meaningful. The Lord has not wasted even one thing. To understand the Lord's purpose, is to see very clearly that He is aiming at a single objective: the breaking of the outward man.

However, too many, even before the Lord raises a hand, are already upset. Oh, we must realize that all the experiences, troubles and trials which the Lord sends us are for our highest good. We cannot expect the Lord to give better things, for these are His best. Should one approach the Lord and pray, saying, "O Lord, please let me choose the best," I believe He would tell him, "What I have given you is the best; your daily trials are for your greatest profit." So the motive behind all the orderings of God is to break our outward man. Once this occurs and the spirit can come forth, we begin to be able to exercise our spirit.

The Timing in Our Brokenness

The Lord employs two different ways to break our outward man; one is gradual, the other sudden. To some, the Lord gives a sudden breaking followed by a gradual one. With others, the Lord arranges that they have constant daily trials, until one day He brings about large-scale breaking. If it is not the sudden first and then the gradual, then it is the gradual followed by the sudden. It would seem the Lord usually spends several years upon us before He can accomplish this work of breaking.

The timing is in His hand. We cannot shorten the time, though we certainly can prolong it. In some lives the Lord is able to accomplish this work after a few years of dealing; in others it is evident that after ten or twenty years the work is still unfinished. This is most serious! Nothing is more grievous than wasting God's time. How often the church is hindered! We can preach by using our mind, we can stir others by using our emotions; yet if we do not know how to use our spirit, the Spirit of God cannot touch people through us. The loss is great, should we needlessly prolong the time.

Therefore, if we have never before wholly and intelligently consecrated ourselves to the Lord, let us do so now, saying: "Lord, for the future of the church, for the future of the gospel, for Thy way, and also for my own life, I offer myself without condition, without reservation, into Thy hands. Lord, I delight to offer myself unto Thee and am willing to let Thee have Thy full way through me."

The Meaning of the Cross

Often we hear about the cross. Perhaps we are too familiar with the term. But what is the cross after all? When we really understand the cross we shall see it means the breaking of the outward man. The cross reduces the outward man to death; it splits open the human shell. The cross must break all that belongs to our outward man, our opinions, our ways, our cleverness, our self-love, our all. The way is clear, in fact crystal clear.

As soon as our outward man is broken, our spirit can easily come forth. Consider a brother as an example. All who know him acknowledge that he has a keen mind, a forceful will, and deep emotions. But instead of being impressed by these natural characteristics of his soul, they realize they have met his spirit. Whenever people are fellowshipping with him, they encounter a spirit, a clean spirit. Why? Because all that is of his soul has been dealt with.

Take as another example, a sister. Those who know her recognize that she is of a quick disposition, quick in thought, quick of speech, quick to confess, quick in writing letters, and quick to tear up what she has written. However, those who meet her do not meet her quickness but rather her spirit. She is one who has been utterly broken and has become transparent. This breaking of the outward man is such a basic matter. We should not cling to our weak, soulish characteristics, still emitting the same fragrance even after five or ten years of the Lord's dealing with us. No, we must allow the Lord to forge a way in our lives.

Two Reasons for Not Being Broken

Why is it that after many years of dealing some remain the same? Some individuals have a forceful will; some have strong emotions; and others have a strong mind. Since the Lord is able to break these, why is it that after many years some are still unchanged? We believe there are two main reasons.

First, many who live in darkness are not seeing the hand of God. While God is working, while God is breaking , they do not recognize it as being from Him. They are devoid of light, seeing only men opposing them. They imagine their environment is just too difficult, that circumstances are to blame. So they continue in darkness and despair.

May God give us a revelation to see what is from His hand, that we may kneel down and say to Him, "It is Thou; since it is Thou, T will accept." At least we must recognize whose hand it is that deals with us. It is not a human hand, nor our family's, not the brothers' and sisters' in the church, but God's. We need to learn how to kneel down and kiss the hand, love the hand that deals with us, even as Madame Guyon did. We must have this light to see that whatever the Lord has done, we accept and believe; the Lord can do no wrong.

Second, another great hindrance to the work of breaking the outer man is self-love. We must ask God to take away the heart of self-love. As He deals with us in response to our prayer, we should worship and say, "O Lord, if this be Thy hand, let me accept it from my heart." Let us remember that the one reason for all misunderstanding all fretfulness, all discontent, is that we secretly love ourselves. Thus we plan a way whereby we can deliver ourselves. Many times problems arise due to our seeking a way of escape, an escape from the working of the cross.

He who has ascended the cross and refuses to drink the vinegar mingled with gall is the one who knows the Lord. Many go up to the cross rather reluctantly, still thinking of drinking vinegar mingled with gall to alleviate their pains. All who say, "The cup which the Father has given me, shall I not drink it?" will not drink the cup of vinegar mingled with gall. They can only drink of one cup, not two. Such as these are without any self-love. Self-love is a basic difficulty. May the Lord speak to us today that we may be able to pray: "O my God, I have seen that all things come from Thee. All my ways these five years, ten years, or twenty years, are of Thee. Thou hast so worked to attain Thy purpose, which is none other than that Thy life may be lived out through me. But I have been foolish. I did not see. I did many things to deliver myself, thus delaying Thy time. Today I see Thy hand. I am willing to offer myself to Thee. Once again I place myself in Thy hands."

Expect to See Wounds

There is no one more beautiful than one who is broken! Stubbornness and self-love give way to beauty in one who has been broken by God. We see Jacob in the Old Testament, how even in his mother's womb he struggled with his brother. He was subtle, tricky, deceitful. Yet his life was full of sorrows and grief. When a youth, he fled from home. For twenty years he was cheated by Laban. The wife of his heart's love, Rachel, died prematurely. The son of his love, Joseph, was sold. Years later Benjamin was detained in Egypt. He was successively dealt with by God, meeting misfortune after misfortune. He was stricken by God once, twice; indeed, his whole history could be said to be a history of being stricken by God. Finally after many such dealings, the man Jacob was transformed. In his last few years, he was quite transparent. How dignified was his answer to Pharaoh! How beautiful was his end, when he worshipped God on his staff! How clear were his blessings to his descendants! After reading the last page of his history, we want to bow our heads and worship God. Here is one who is matured, who knows God. Several decades of dealings have resulted in Jacob's outward man being broken. In his old age, the picture is a beautiful one.

Each of us has much of the same Jacob nature in us. Our only hope is that the Lord may blaze a way out, breaking the outward man to such a degree that the inward man may come out and be seen. This is precious, and this is the way of those who serve the Lord. Only thus can we serve; only thus can we lead men to the Lord. All else is limited in its value. Doctrine does not have much use nor does theology. What is the use of mere mental knowledge of the Bible if the outward man remains unbroken? Only the person through whom God can come forth is useful.

After our outward man has been stricken, dealt with, and led through various trials, we have wounds upon us, thus allowing the spirit to emerge. We are afraid to meet some brothers and sisters whose whole being remains intact, never having been dealt with and changed. May God have mercy upon us in showing us clearly this way and in revealing to us that it is the only way. May He also show us that herein is seen the purpose of all His dealings with in these few years, say ten or twenty. Thus let no one despise the Lord's dealings. May He truly reveal to us what is meant by the breaking of the outward man. Should the outward man remain whole, everything would be merely in our mind, utterly expect the Lord to deal with us thoroughly.  

- Watchman Nee