How do you translate it?
We see here that the way of service is an inner way.
Let us have a word of prayer.
Lord, we thank You that it is by Your grace that You have called us here tonight. Through Your Word, may You continue to speak to us.
For what You have spoken to us throughout the day, we want to thank You. Lord, we ask that You would continue to speak, so that the purpose in Your heart would be revealed.
By Your grace, we who serve You may be those who follow the Lamb. Wherever the Lamb goes, we follow. Wherever You are, that is where we are.
Lord, do reveal Your way to us, so that we will have a way of service. We thank You, and as we gather before Your feet, we pray that You would reveal Your Word even more.
We pray this in the precious name of Jesus. Amen.
We know that in less than five hours, the year 2006 will be over. Eighty years ago to the day, our brother Watchman and our sister Miss Barber were together in prayer.
The prayer was, “Lord, do You really want the year 1926 to go by? Are You really only going to return in the year 1927?”
Even in this very last day of the year, their prayer was, “Lord, may You return tonight.”
This prayer was prayed eighty years ago. The Lord still has not returned, but today we can still have the same prayer: “Lord, may You return quickly.”
We see that the year 2006 is about to pass, and perhaps the Lord is to return only in the year 2007. But even so, in these last hours of the year, may the prayer of our heart be like John’s: “Lord, come quickly.”
But if the Lord is to tarry, before us is the year 2007.
When we look back on 2006, we see much of the Lord’s grace. We have experienced His presence, and we might have gone through many difficulties, whether through the south wind or the north wind.
We have to thank the Lord that what He has done is indeed amazing. Whether through the southern or the northern winds, He enables the fragrance of Christ to flow forth from the garden.
So, when we come to the end of the year, on one hand we want to give thanks. But on the other hand, we also review the Lord’s work.
Especially as we consider the way of service, this is the desire of many brothers and sisters. This is also why we are here in the conference.
The brethren were asked, “What should we consider for the conference?” The brothers felt that we should reconsider, or rethink, our service. Once again, we need to put our service before God. So the Lord has given us this meeting.
My responsibility in the evening is to speak of the way of service.
Eighty years ago, as our brother was helped by Miss Barber, once they had a prayer on the mountain. They read a passage in Ezekiel, Ezekiel 44.
There are two very special phrases in that chapter. One phrase is to minister, or serve, in the sanctuary; the other is to minister, or serve, God Himself.
So, do we serve the Lord’s sanctuary, or do we serve the Lord Himself?
As they were having fellowship, Miss Barber told our brother, “Twenty years ago, I read this passage.”
Brother Nee said, “Then what did you do after you read it?”
She said, “After I closed my Bible, I had one prayer before the Lord: ‘Lord, allow me to serve You. Do not allow me to serve the sanctuary.’”
That prayer impressed our brother deeply. That prayer became Brother Nee’s prayer as well:
Lord, let me serve You.
Do not let me serve the sanctuary.
This is a prayer that Miss Barber prayed one hundred years ago. May this prayer be our prayer as well, because the background of this prayer shows us the way of service.
For the sake of the work of the Lord in China, Miss Barber went with someone twenty years younger than her to pray on the mountain. They prayed for ten years.
Then in China, there were some young people raised up. Miss Barber felt that they were but two ladies who came from abroad, and they did not know how to meet the need of that country.
Miss Barber had a prayer: “I ask nothing for myself, but I ask everything for the Lord.”
So she prayed much for China. The Lord raised up some young people, and the Lord did a mighty work in China.
We see the work in China by the Holy Spirit. But at the same time, another group of young people was raised in China, and they were the ones who became today’s China. They were the ones who created today’s China.
At that time, the Lord used the prayers of Miss Barber and others. The Lord gained a group of young people.
God does not merely want a group to be saved. God wants a group to serve Him. However many Chinese people were saved, that is how many people should serve.
The only way for the entire country of China to receive the gospel is that every single one who is saved should serve.
There was a great ambition for the China Inland Mission. They wanted to spread the gospel into the inland of China.
So they sent over one thousand missionaries to China. But China was too big. If every single missionary became a pastor, the need would not be met.
The Lord, very early on, wanted to work there. There were so many people; the population needed to be saved.
We thank the Lord for missionaries. They left their own homes. They left their best jobs for China.
Just like Hudson Taylor said, “If I had one thousand pounds, every pound would be for China.”
But for China in its entirety to come down before the Lord, there was one work that only God could do. Even though the missionaries wanted to do that work, they could not attain to it.
So we know that in the past eighty years, the Holy Spirit has done a wonderful work in China. Let us not forget that the history that has been written down is a very important page in church history.
When we look back, it has much to do with the prayer of Miss Barber. How do we serve?
If the Lord is to open up the gates of the ground, if the gospel is to spread to each corner, how do you do this work? How does God accomplish His work?
How many people does the Lord want to save? Not a single person can be left behind. Every single person should live according to the gospel.
Eighty years have passed. We believe that the way the Lord has shown is accurate. There is a way for service.
We know that throughout history many have wanted to serve the Lord. There is a way of service. Throughout the past eighty years, the Lord has revealed that way to brothers and sisters.
Now we have come to 2006. The Lord still has not returned, but the Lord’s work is to be completed.
When our brother Nee was in England, he had some fellowship with Brother Sparks. He asked, “In the Bible, which prophecy do you think is the most difficult one to be fulfilled?”
Brother Nee said it was probably Ephesians 5. Later he was reminded of Ephesians 4 as well.
In other words, according to Brother Nee, chapters 4 and 5 of Ephesians are probably the most difficult prophecies to be fulfilled before the Lord returns.
He has to gain a glorious church for Himself.
Until this day, the Lord has not returned. Eighty years have passed. The Lord has done some work in China, and the enemy has also done some work.
Now, when we look back, was our God defeated? Does that mean we lost our way? Don’t forget: man can fail, but the Word of God does not fail.
If God says something, He will accomplish it. Even though chapters 4 and 5 of Ephesians are the most difficult to fulfill, the Lord has a way.
Because He said:
“I am the way.”
When we have no way, the Lord still has a way. Thankfully.
Throughout these eighty years, many brothers and sisters have learned lessons. But not a single lesson has been wasted. We thank the Lord.
We believe that this way is still before our eyes, because these words are in the Scriptures.
The passage we have read says:
“For God, whom I serve in my spirit.”
— Romans 1:9
Here we see that Paul serves God in his spirit. Why does he use the word spirit?
When we serve God, we have our outer body. Inside, we have our soul, in which we have our will. The body plus the soul is what Paul calls the outer man.
The spirit here refers to the inner man. When Paul wanted to serve God, he said that he served God in the spirit.
In other words, the way of service is not an outward way. The way of service is an inner way.
Brothers and sisters, Paul states this very clearly. When we think of service, of course we think of our body. We think of activity.
We need to use our body, our emotions, our strength, and our faculties. We preach the gospel, teach brothers and sisters, and edify them. Obviously, service has to do with outward activities.
But there is a basic way of serving, and that way of service is an inner way.
When we serve the Lord, we serve God with our spirit. Or, in other words, in our spirit we serve God.
What does this mean? Are we serving God, or are we serving the sanctuary?
We know that the chapter in Ezekiel that we read has a background. It speaks of two different groups of people.
One group is the Levites, who serve the sanctuary. They are very busy in the outer court, killing animals. That is their service.
They were not serving the world. They were serving the sanctuary, and that sanctuary is God’s sanctuary. God’s glory dwells there. God’s presence is in the sanctuary.
Then there is the other group of people: the priests. They enter the holy place.
Once they enter the holy place, it is not as active as the outer court. Inside it is not as noisy as the outside.
The priests light the lampstands, place the showbread on the table, and burn incense. That is the service of the priests.
When you read Ezekiel 44, God wants a group of people to draw near to Him, especially the priests. Then He says, “To serve Me.”
First, draw near; then serve. These priests can stand before God. What is service? Service is to draw near to God, then to serve God, and to stand before Him.
To serve God is to be in the holy place. But what is it to serve the sanctuary? In the outer court you see sheep and oxen. The Levites were very busy.
They were there serving the sanctuary. Many things had to be done. They were sweating and exerting much strength. This is the service of the outer court.
But there is one problem. God sees service unto Him as something above serving the sanctuary.
If you were to put these two on a balance, we know that serving the sanctuary is very important. It is not serving the world. It is not serving idols. It is serving God through service in the sanctuary.
You see many of God’s people. They have needs. They have sinned. They need a sin offering; they need a burnt offering; they need many different offerings. So the Levites are very busy.
Strictly speaking, they are serving God through their service in the sanctuary. But Ezekiel 44 shows that, in God’s heart, there are two kinds of service.
There is one kind of service that touches His heart and satisfies His heart.
Many times we like to use the story of Mary and Martha. Many times in the church, we are Martha. That picture is very clear.
Mary sat before the Lord’s feet, and Martha, because she was serving the Lord, was very busy.
Then Martha came to complain to the Lord and said:
“Lord, dost thou not care that my sister did leave me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me.”
— Luke 10:40
Martha was serving the Lord, and she knew whom she was serving. Because she knew whom she was serving, her standard was made higher.
Martha’s service was service with the highest standard. If an honourable person comes to your house for breakfast, perhaps a casual breakfast is not enough. Maybe you have to add a couple of courses.
Because the level of service is elevated, we have the fervour of service. Because we know whom we are serving, He has to receive the highest service.
Before serving the Lord, perhaps there was one simple thing. But now it becomes many things, many things, many things. From one thing it became many things. From something very simple, it became very complicated.
What is the reason? Martha had the right heart, but Martha had one difficulty: she made something very simple complicated.
She knew who our Lord was, so she could not just deal with Him casually. She could not just give a normal breakfast; she had to prepare something more special. That is why she was so busy.
The Lord said, “Martha, Martha, thou art anxious and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful.”
Brothers and sisters, in our way there are so many things. In the church there are so many things. In this conference there are so many things.
Do not say that the church needs no Martha. If that were the case, perhaps we would not have this conference. Do you know how many Marthas help in this conference?
But there is a way—the way the Lord appointed.
The Lord said to Martha, “Martha, Martha.” He did not say it only once; He said it twice.
In the Bible, this does not happen only once. There are repeated calls such as “Abraham, Abraham,” “Jacob, Jacob,” “Moses, Moses,” and “Samuel, Samuel.”
Martha had come to a very important point in her life. She had served to a certain point and had no other way. The Lord had to point the way out to her.
The Lord said:
“Martha, Martha, thou art anxious and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful.”
— Luke 10:41-42
She was fervent, and she had the right heart, but she could not do all these things. She had a perfect heart, but she did not have the strength.
The Lord knew that she had arrived at an important junction. So the Lord said, “Only a few things are necessary—really, only one.”
We make things so complicated. We turn service into many services. But the Lord said, “Really, only one.”
Martha had many things; Mary had one. What did the Lord say?
“But one thing is needful: for Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
— Luke 10:42
In other words, other things are dispensable. Certain things you can have; certain things you do not need. But there is one thing that you cannot miss.
If you miss this one thing, you cannot serve. If you lack this one thing, the Lord’s heart cannot be satisfied.
You may think that if you add many things, the Lord will be satisfied. But it is very clear: only one thing.
Mary has chosen the good part. What does that mean? Mary was at the feet of the Lord.
This is Mary’s choice. All those who serve the Lord have a choice: are you going to choose one thing, or are you going to choose many things?
Many things are very important. Let us not go to extremes. But there is one basic thing that cannot be left out.
That is what Mary chose: the good part. She sat at the Lord’s feet. That is the good part.
Certain blessings can be taken away, but certain blessings cannot be taken away. Do you want that blessing which will never be taken away?
There is one thing that will always remain in your life. Mary has chosen the good part, something that will not be taken away from her. Nobody can take it away from Mary.
What does Mary’s sitting at the Lord’s feet mean? This is a beautiful picture.
If you come to the temple, you start from the outer court. Then you cross the altar, come to the holy place, and then enter the Holy of Holies.
When you reach the Holy of Holies, you see a very important thing there: the ark. The ark is in the Holy of Holies.
Every year, the high priest, bringing blood with him, entered the Holy of Holies. Then he sprinkled the blood on the mercy seat of the ark.
The people of Israel knew that there was a way enabling them to draw near. They knew that way, but they never walked that way. Every year, the high priest, representing them, would walk that way.
From the outer court, to the holy place, to the Holy of Holies—when he arrived at the Holy of Holies, it meant arriving in the Lord’s presence.
There you see God’s presence. You see God’s mercy. You see God’s glory. All of that is in the Holy of Holies.
In the Old Testament, the ark is also called the footstool of God. David said:
“We will worship at his footstool.”
— Psalm 132:7
Of course, God sits on the throne. Wherever His throne is, that is where His presence is. But do not forget: He loves to extend His presence all the way down to earth.
It is as if our Lord is on the throne, and His presence extends all the way down to earth. When His presence is upon the earth, the earth has to have something for His feet to rest upon. That is the footstool, so that God’s feet may have rest.
The greatest dream of the Israelites was to be able to enter the Holy of Holies. But we are sinners. We do not know how far we have distanced ourselves.
Every time they arrived at the temple, they said, “This is wonderful. Look how close we are to the Lord.” God’s presence was only a couple of yards away.
But do you know how far that distance was? The distance was the same distance as between heaven and hell. They thought it was so close, but because of their sin, it was actually very distant.
Here the Lord shows us a picture: there is a way. If you come to the Holy of Holies, you can draw near to God.
The basic necessity for service is to draw near to God.
Our Lord was crucified for us. When He breathed His last, we see that the curtain was torn, the veil was torn.
Hebrews tells us that He opened a new and living way for us by His own blood, so we can come boldly before Him.
Whenever you come into the Holy of Holies, whenever you come before the ark, you have come before His feet.
What kind of service is more glorious than this? We sinners are not worthy, but because of the work on the cross, thank the Lord, now we can come before Him. We can draw near to Him.
Only those who draw near to Him are worthy of serving.
Today, many times we are too busy. We are so busy that we do not read the Bible. We are so busy that we do not have time to have fellowship with the Lord.
Brothers and sisters, where is the strength for us to serve? That strength originates at the feet of our Lord.
There was a very famous preacher who won many people to the Lord. Somebody asked him, “What is the source of your strength?”
He said, “The presence that I have before God is far more than the time that I spend before men.”
That is the strength from which he drew. That is the power from which he served.
So the way of service is an inner way. When we can come before the Lord, we can draw near to Him.
The Lord told us that the time has come when all should worship in spirit and truth.
“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
— John 4:24
When we have fellowship with Him, when we sit before His feet, we are in the holy place, even in the Holy of Holies.
By His blood, we can all come to His feet. This is the blessing from above. This is the good part that nobody can take away.
Mary chose the better part. The Bible says that she heard the Lord speak.
Within the veil, you can have sweet fellowship. Then you can understand His will. If you do not understand what the Master wants, how can you serve Him?
In the matter of service, the most important organ is not your hand. The most important organ is your ear.
For this reason, the way of service is an inner way.
Paul said, “I serve my God in spirit.” Just like Mary, we need to be often at the feet of our Lord.
As long as you are at the feet of the Lord, you will recognise that pair of feet. That pair of feet was crucified on the cross. They are nail-pierced feet.
If you are before the Lord’s feet, when you see that pair of feet, you cannot help but consecrate yourself. You cannot help but desire to be His slave forever.
Any time we serve in spirit, we are in the Holy of Holies. We come before His feet. Then we can hear what the Holy Spirit is speaking to us.
It does not mean that serving the sanctuary is not important. Serving the sanctuary is important.
But because we have chosen the better part, we know God’s will. We know what the Lord wants us to do.
Many times we have our own plans. We do what we want to do. We are so busy. We say that we want to preach the gospel and help people.
Naturally, we use ourselves—our body and our emotions. This is the service of Martha, the service of the outer man.
But the Lord said there is one thing. That way is an inner way.
Whenever we turn inward, our service has a way. So many times our ways are blocked and many gates are closed, but thank the Lord, He is gracious to us so that we can turn from the outside inward.
To serve the Lord is more important than to serve the sanctuary. Serving the Lord is the basis. Serving the Lord is the foundation; serving the sanctuary is the structure.
Of course, the church needs both Mary and Martha. But Martha must be based on Mary.
Many times when we serve, we have so many burdens that squash us. But those who truly serve the Lord are full of burden, yet there is no weight.
We are often squashed by outward pressures. We forget that God’s work is work that only the Lord can do.
Many people like to socialise. When they see people, they are revived. When they see people, they can speak much. Now they can serve the brothers and sisters.
They relish their service. They know how to speak, and others love to listen to them. The more they serve, the more lively they become.
But we have one question: are we serving the Lord, or are we serving the sanctuary?
The natural man knows how to serve the sanctuary. He is a fervent person. Before he was saved, he was fervent in gambling; now he is fervent in serving.
Before, he had many friends; now he has many friends among brothers and sisters. Everything he touches is outward service.
But where is the way of service? The way of service is the inner way.
We know that many books speak of service. One book that really helped me was written in connection with the Keswick Convention.
Around the year 1875, the Lord raised up the Keswick Convention. That convention really helped many of the children of God.
There was somebody very famous in the Keswick Convention. His name was Bishop Moule. He was a bishop in the Church of England. He was very educated, and he knew God’s work.
The best book he wrote was his exposition on Romans. A scholar named Griffith Thomas said that if you only had enough money in your pocket to buy one book on Romans, you should buy the book by Bishop Moule.
Part of his ministry was to teach and train many to serve God. There are many books that give tactics: how to help children, how to help youth, how to help elders, and how to serve.
But when he spoke on how to serve, the entire book was about three hundred pages. Eighty of those three hundred pages showed us that the way of service is an inner way.
The first three chapters total eighty pages. The first chapter is “The Secret Walk with God.”
If you are the servant, are you walking with God? Are you walking in the secret? This is the first chapter.
The second chapter was again about the secret walk with God. Then chapter three was “The Secret Study of the Holy Scriptures.”
Do you see? To serve God, if we only look at the outward, there are many ways. But here we see one way: the secret walk with God.
It has to do with how we live before God and how we hear Him speak to us. You may have read many things, but then the Holy Spirit speaks those words to you again.
Then you hear. Then you understand. Then you obey. In one certain aspect, you have accomplished what God wants you to do.
Here we see a very clear answer, and that is the way of Mary. If you indeed sit at the Lord’s feet, you will hear the Lord speak to you.
What did Mary do? The only reason she did this thing was because she sat at His feet.
She broke the alabaster vial and anointed our Lord with perfume.
The Bible tells us that it was worth three hundred denarii. We know that one denarius is one day’s wage.
At that time, ladies did not simply pour out perfume. They used it drop by drop. But Mary knew that our Lord was going to die.
So she used one year’s wages—the costly perfume. She was willing to break that vial and anoint our Lord.
Then somebody spoke up, “What a waste!”
We know that Judas was the one who spoke. For Judas, not only perfume would be a waste; even water would be a waste.
But somebody who really understands the Lord’s heart, and sees that pair of feet that was nailed to the cross, cannot help but consecrate himself.
Mary’s service—how did she know to do that? Because she sat at the Lord’s feet. She knew God’s heart. She wanted to give the best and waste it upon the Lord.
That is why Paul says:
“Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service.”
— Romans 12:1
Whenever you consecrate yourself to the Lord, that is spiritual service.
When Mary offered that perfume, it was as if she consecrated herself. The Lord said that this beautiful thing would be spoken of wherever the gospel is preached.
However far the gospel spreads, that is how far consecration is to be. What kind of consecration? It is because we are at the feet of our Lord that we are willing to serve Him.
When Mary anointed our Lord, the other women also wanted to anoint Him, but they were too late. Our Lord had already resurrected.
How do you know that this is the most important opportunity? If we are to serve the Lord, we have to seize that opportunity.
If you have one opportunity to save one hundred people, and it is a real golden opportunity, if you do not seize it, that opportunity will never come back.
What is the secret of serving our Lord? How do we know that this is the greatest moment? If you miss this opportunity, you will lose it. But if you seize the opportunity, not only will the Lord allow you to serve Him, but the Lord will allow you to bear much fruit.
That is a secret of service.
Many times we serve according to our own timing. We think that at our appropriate time we will anoint the Lord, but the Lord has already resurrected.
We need to serve the Lord. We have to ask: is this the most important opportunity?
If this is an opportunity, perhaps I will speak only a couple of words, and someone will be saved today. But if you miss that opportunity, next year you may speak one hundred words, and he will not be saved.
The secret of service is to have a hearing ear.
Do you remember the Hebrew slave? Six years later, he could go free. But he said, “I do not want to go free. I love my master. I am going to serve there forever.”
What did they do? They brought him to the door and used an awl to pierce his ear.
You want to serve forever? It is not how capable your hands are. Maybe you have the hands of Martha, but is your ear pierced?
Have you heard what the Lord has spoken to you? Some things the Lord did not say.
Some people say, “If the Lord does not stop me, I will do it.” But if you are before the Lord and the Lord does not say it, then what will you do?
That is the problem of the church today. Too many people are busy because they are so capable in the world.
They feel that they can develop a factory, work in a school, and help the church. But there is the need for a hearing ear.
Then you know that this is the greatest opportunity.
Once there was a little child. A person said to him, “Go through a field of wheat. I will wait on the other side.”
“If you can find the tallest stalk of wheat, I will give you a little reward.”
So he waited at the end, and the child came out empty-handed. He said, “Why did you come empty-handed?”
The child said, “I kept thinking that ahead of me there would be a taller stalk. I did not want to break one down. But as I kept going, they became smaller and smaller. Now I am empty-handed.”
Do you think that when we meet the Lord one day, it will be the same thing, brothers and sisters?
Unless you are before the Lord’s feet, the Lord says, “This is your greatest opportunity. Do not miss it.”
When the opportunity arrives, it is like an old man whose longest hair is in the front. You can grab hold of that hair.
But as soon as the old man turns around, the back of his head is bald. No matter how you try, you cannot grab it.
Brothers and sisters, if we are to serve, we need to seize the opportunity. Whenever we fail because we do not seize the opportunity, may we return to the Lord.
If we are able to sit before the Lord, if we are able to hear His words, then we will truly serve Him.
Let me tell you a true story from church history, so that you may know that these ways are indeed real and true ways.
Many times when we speak of Madame Guyon, we are reminded of how much she suffered. Many brothers and sisters begin reading her biography, but they stop halfway and say, “Oh, it is too much suffering.”
She was wronged by her mother-in-law. Her husband wronged her. Even her maidservant wronged her. We say that this is too much suffering.
Very few finish the biography of Madame Guyon, because at first it seems to be all suffering.
But when Madame Guyon was at the Lord’s feet, the Lord wanted her to serve Him. We might think it is quite amazing: what kind of contribution can a person who has suffered so much give to the world?
If you finish the story, you will know why she learned so many lessons through her family: because the Lord was going to use her.
She is a very typical example of one who serves. Sadly, many people speak only of her suffering.
But we know that she really lived before the Lord. Whenever difficulty arose, she would come before the Lord’s feet.
Many times she could not stand it. She really could not stand how her maidservant treated her. But the Lord would explain, and then she would learn patience.
Who can bear the cross and follow the Lord? Do not forget: before you can bear your cross, the Holy Spirit has already explained it within you.
Because He has explained it to you, you receive it from the Lord’s hand. Then you take up your cross and follow Him. Then you have learned your lesson.
She was married at the age of sixteen, and at twenty-eight she became a widow. During those twelve years she learned many lessons. God equipped her so that she could be useful.
After her husband died, she spent five years arranging his possessions. When she was thirty-three years old, there was a calling within her. The Lord wanted her to go to Geneva.
Why Geneva? We do not understand. But the Lord was preparing her. The first twelve years, plus the five years—the lessons she learned—now the Lord was going to use.
She was consecrated to the Lord, so she knew what spiritual service was. She did not go looking for anybody else. Many people came looking for her.
The Lord opened the gate, and many people were helped by her. Then the church became jealous of her and sent her back to Paris. Twice she was imprisoned.
How did the Lord use her? Especially after she was released from prison, Louis XIV commanded that she was not to tell anybody how much she had suffered. From then on, she was to close her mouth until she died.
We know that until her death, she and her son were in a little city. But when her mouth was shut, many of Madame Guyon’s writings were sent throughout Europe.
Many people were helped spiritually.
The lessons she learned during those twelve years—were they taken to the grave? No. Those twelve years helped many people.
We see even more clearly what the Lord does in our lives.
What was wrong in Madame Guyon’s writings? A committee was formed to find what was wrong, and they found many things they regarded as errors.
But the majority of her supposed errors were the same errors as Calvin and Martin Luther.
Madame Guyon was a Roman Catholic. She had never before encountered these teachings. But because she lived before the Lord and had a Bible, the Lord Himself taught her.
Is that not amazing? She thought she should go to Geneva, but she did not go there. Yet after the Lord opened the truth that Calvin and Martin Luther had opened, it was exactly what Madame Guyon saw.
For this reason, many of us today have been helped by her. Is that not amazing? This is service.
Tomorrow evening, we will see how great her influence was. Many of us come from China, and then you will know how great her influence was in China.
Here we see that the way of service is an inner way. It is not that you do the work; you allow God to do the work.
Before you do God’s work, you want God to do the work in you. What can you do? You sit before His feet.
Just like the Lord said:
“Abide in me, and I in you.”
— John 15:4
The way of serving, simply speaking, is to abide in the Lord.
May this work be in us, so that we would know the way of service. We know this, but we just wanted to review it tonight.
Let us have a word of prayer.
Lord, we thank You, and we commit these words into Your hands. If You find them useful, please use them. May they be pleasing to You, in Jesus’ victorious name.