In the past few days, I truly felt a weakness which I have never had before. It indeed made me see that besides the grace of God, we really have nothing. This feeling of weakness is necessary for the believers. If this kind of feeling would make us rely more on God, it would certainly be a great profit. But if it causes us to hold a defeatist view because we keep looking at ourselves, it profits nothing. To realize our corruption and vanity is very important; nevertheless, this should not hinder us from relying on God and from coming to serve Him. We need to know ourselves so that we may cease our own work, not that we may feel let down in the will of God.
We thank God that we are now able to send out another issue of The Present Testimony. That this copy can be in your hands shows that He has treated us kindly. It is not because of our prosperity, but because He is rich.
Our two sisters have returned. The real result of their work will be manifested only in eternity. In the eyes of those who love great things, it seems that they were not very grand; however, God knows how this recent work will affect the Body of Christ. Nevertheless, we firmly believe that God is not seeking a great work which would shock heaven and shake earth. Men only care for what is seen, but God is not so near-sighted. We do not trust in the kind of work which publishes photos and issues reports. It is a sad thing that while the children of God realize that God is not in excitement, they still are bent on having excitement. Hence, we have to be careful that we do not consider everything that sounds good as from God. I feel that the unprecedented need today is to discern between the work of the spirit and that of the soul.
There is still one more thing. In the last four months I have devoted my entire being to the writing of The Spiritual Man. Because of this, I have been unable to reply to many incoming letters which have piled up. I hope the brothers and sisters who have written me will realize that my delay does not mean that I do not have a heart for you. Every letter has been carefully read. I am most sympathetic toward your problems. However, because of the limitations of time, I have been unable to reply immediately. I hope all those who correspond with me will bear this in mind. Now The Spiritual Man is finished, and I hope that within a month it will be published.
Brothers, today indeed is an evil age. On behalf of our Lord Jesus Christ may we guard our hearts in virginity.
Watchman NeeJuly 1928
