The Christian Life
Message Five
Living the Christian Life by Enjoying the Flow of Life with the
Ministry of Life out of and for the Magnificent House of God
OPENING WORD OF THE PROPHESYING MEETING
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
Rev. 22:1 He showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb in the middle of its street.
Ezek. 47:5 Then He measured a thousand cubits, and it was a river that I could not pass through; for the water had risen, enough water to swim in, a river that could not be crossed.
Word of Appetizer
What does the Lord Jesus long for and require of us for the sake of the flow of life and church life?
Though the Dead Sea and the dry land can come alive, and death can be swallowed up by life, the marshy places will not be healed (Ezek. 47:11); the marshy places represent a scene filled with compromise.
For the sake of the flow of life and church life, the Lord Jesus longs for and requires absoluteness; by reason of absoluteness, we will be in the flow, and this flow will not be a trickle, but a river that can be crossed; in this way, wherever the river flows, all things will live.
Spiritual Burden
Our enjoyment of Christ as the flow of life is for the sake of our becoming sowers, planters, waterers, begetters, feeders, and builders, having a life-supplying ministry, for the building of God’s wonderful organic construction, which is God’s magnificent temple.
Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting
The Revelation of the Truth
For us to live the Christian life, we need to enjoy the flow of the life of God’s temple.
Our enjoyment of Christ as the flow of life is for the sake of our becoming sowers, planters, waterers, begetters, feeders, and builders, having a life-supplying ministry, for the building of God’s wonderful organic construction, which is God’s magnificent temple.
The Experience of Life
If we draw near to the Lord and contact Him more, there will be an outlet, so that the living water can flow out of the church; if every one in the church seeks and cares for God’s glory, the living water will flow out of the church.
The more we are measured by the Lord, the more we are bound and constrained by the overflowing grace of life, until we finally disappear in the overflowing Triune God, the river that can be crossed, and are carried forward by this river; on the one hand, we lose all our freedom, but on the other hand, we are truly free.
Practice and Application
The flow of life should take first place in us, being the governing factor in our life and work; for the sake of the flow of life and church life, the Lord Jesus longs for and requires absoluteness; by reason of absoluteness, we will be in the flow.
For us to plant Christ into others, we need to truly experience Christ as life in our spirit. We need to have the divine “life-germ” in order to impart the divine life into others, begetting them as God’s children.
PROPHESYING TOPICS—TWELVE TOPICS PER WEEK
Day 1
T1 The Principle of God’s Action on Earth (Ezek. 47:1a)
(Please illustrate that a threshold is necessary for water to flow out, indicating what.)
T2 The River Flows East from the Temple (Ezek. 47:1b)
(Please illustrate that everything in church life should be for the glory of God.)
Day 2
T1 Our Motives, Purposes, Goals, and Desires Must Be Judged (Ezek. 47:5, John 7:38)
(Please illustrate that if we are to enjoy the river flowing from the temple, we must be fully measured by the Lord.)
T2 The Lord’s Judgment and Trial of Us Is Not Once and for All (Ezek. 47:5, John 7:38)
(Why do we need to be measured, tried, judged, and possessed by the Lord repeatedly?)
Day 3
T1 Wherever the Water Flows, Everything Will Live and Be Full of Life (Ezek. 47:9)
(Please illustrate that this river is the river of life; only life can give life to everything.)
T2 In Church Life, We Need Food, an Increase in Numbers, and Nourishment (Ezek. 47:8-10)
(Please illustrate that all of this depends on one thing, the flow of God’s river.)
Day 4
T1 Marshes Will Not Be Healed (Ezek. 47:11)
(Please illustrate that marshlands represent a scene full of compromise.)
T2 We Must Be Absolute for Church Life (Rev. 3:15-16)
(Please illustrate that the Lord Jesus rebuked the church in Laodicea for being lukewarm, neither cold nor hot; lukewarm is in a state of compromise, in the marshes.)
Day 5
T1 The Qualified Minister in the New Covenant Is One Who Supplies Life to People to Help Them Grow in Life (2 Cor. 3:6)
(Please illustrate that according to the revelation in 1 Corinthians, there are six identities of qualified ministers in the New Covenant.)
T2 I Planted, Apollos Watered, But God Gave the Increase (1 Cor. 3:6-7, Rev. 22:17)
(Please illustrate that once we plant Christ into others, we need to water them with the water of life.)
Day 6
T1 Nourishment is a Matter of Life (1 Cor. 3:2)
(Please illustrate that to practice the right church life, we need a real experience of life.)
T2 New Testament Ministers Should Ultimately Become Builders (1 Cor. 3:12)
(Please illustrate that what gold, silver, and precious stones represent.)
