The Sword of the LORD

"Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.   Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’S hand double for all her sins."   (Isaiah 40:1,2). The covenant that God made with His people in the Old Testament was often marked by His wrath being poured out upon them for some misdeed or another.   He that despised Moses' law often died without mercy.   Of course, this is because the law was all about works.   "For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, 'That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.' "   (Romans 10:5).   How extraordinary, then, are the words of Isaiah.   God wanted to comfort His people, and speak to their very hearts and their inner man with tender words of hope. What were these words of comfort that God wished to speak - no, that He wished to cry out - to His people?   That her warfare was

"He must increase, but I must decrease."   (John 2:30). If I were to pick one book (other than the Bible of course) that has influenced my Christian walk more dramatically than any other, it would probably be The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee.   It is truly a Christian classic and should be required reading for any child of God as it lays a solid foundation upon which believers can build their faith.   It clearly defines the necessity of being "in Christ," and explains important concepts such as justification, sanctification, the blood of Jesus, baptism into Christ, being dead to the law, walking in the Spirit, etc.   I have found its message to be of enormous practical help as I have endeavored to fight the good fight of faith.   I would like to share the following two excerpts from Mr. Nee's book: ·         "God's normal for a Christian can be summarized as follows: I no longer live!   Now it is Christ Who lives His life in m