The Christian Life Being One of Ups and Downs
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bible Verses ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Phil 4:12 I know also how to be abased, and I know how to
abound; in everything and in all things I have learned the
secret both to be filled and to hunger, both to abound and to
lack.
Eph .4:9 (Now this, "He ascended," what is it except that
He also descended into the lower parts of the earth? (10)
He who descended, He is also the One who ascended far above
all the heavens that He might fill all things.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Words of Ministry ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the Christian life we experience both night and day.
According to Genesis 1, night comes before day. When Paul was
abased, he was in the night, and when he was abounding, he
was in the day. This means that after the night of abasement
came the day of abounding. Paul realized, however, that this
day would eventually be followed by another night. We cannot
change the principle of God's universe. In the universe there
is night and day, day and night.
The Christian life does not stay on one level; it has many
ups and downs. It is normal to be up and down, down and up.
It is not normal to remain on one level and not experience
ups or downs. Likewise, it is not normal to experience day
and not night. I have nights as well as days, downs as well
as ups. However, our account should be balanced: the ups
should equal the downs, and the debit should equal the
credit. When we have such a balance in our experience, we are
normal.
According to the Lord's sovereign arrangement, we need both
the ups and downs in order to experience Christ. I thank the
Lord for all the valleys through which He has taken me. But
with the valleys, there have also been hills. The Christian
life is not one vast plain; it is a land with many hills and
valleys. It is by the hills and valleys that we experience
Christ. Young people, do not dream that your life will be
level and plain. On the contrary, you will face many valleys
and many hills. You will encounter all kinds of
circumstances. But in these circumstances you may apply
Christ as your secret and experience Him. It is crucial that
we learn to apply Christ.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(c) Living Stream Ministry. Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version
of the Bible and Words of Ministry from Witness Lee, Life-study of Philippians,
pp. 251-252. Both are published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, CA
Please visit us at www.emanna.com
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Message Date: 05/30/2009
