Date:July 23, 1948
After I was saved, I studied the Bible but did not understand very much. Later I read 1 Peter 4, and I was touched by it. I was quite seeking in the local church and often experienced the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in my prayer. Sometimes I would jump, weep, or laugh. I often went out with brothers to preach the gospel. In 1940 the Japanese bombed us, and three bombs fell into my house. My wife was killed, but the Lord comforted me. In 1942 the Japanese bombed us for the second time, and my home was destroyed again. I was in debt and began to work as a water carrier to repay my debt. In 1943 there were harvest proceeds derived from ancestral lands, but I could not collect them because the lands were in my son's name, and he had been adopted by someone else. Later I became sick, and my life was in danger. On top of that I was criticized and misunderstood. For four months I was short of food and clothing. Later I moved to Tai-Shun, Chekiang. The cost of living was much lower there, and I lived for a year in abundance.
Our brother has received the Lord's supply through His guidance and protection. This is a good thing. However, we have to know that the Christian pathway consists of two things. First, there are God's acts, such as God leading His children through prayer. Second, there are God's ways. This is what one sees behind God's acts. The way of God is the pathway of God. God has His way of doing things. God's thought, method, and will reflect His way. The Israelites only knew God's acts, but Moses knew His ways (Psa. 103:7). On the one hand, God guided the people of Israel by means of wonders and miracles. These were God's acts. At the same time, Moses knew God's ways, that is, God's method of doing things. First, we have acts, which are outward. Second, we have ways, which are inward. God has certain ways of doing things. I can say with utmost respect that God has His "temperament." In their exodus and through the ten plagues, the supply of manna, the living water in the wilderness, and all the other things, the people of Israel saw God's acts. Yet Moses knew God's ways. Every time God moved His finger, Moses knew what He was doing. One's inner understanding has to be enlightened before he can know God's ways.
Our brother needs to know not only God's acts. He needs to pray to have his inner understanding enlightened to know His ways. Many people can relate God's outward acts to others; but they do not know God's inward ways. God's acts are mainly for delivering us out of tribulations. During the war many brothers and sisters experienced deliverance. We can only say that they experienced God's acts. But many have not seen God's ways. In the four Gospels men saw the wonders and miracles, but they did not see the Holy Spirit. If a man only sees the outward blessings without having adequate inner light or knowledge of the inner way, he cannot help others to go on. The Jews witnessed many miracles of the Lord, but few knew the inward things of God. This is also a big problem in Christianity. It is not enough just to have outward blessings. We have to ask God to enlighten our inner understanding to know His ways. In this way we will make progress ourselves, and we will lead others on. We must be enlightened within before we can take the straight course. May the Lord grant us to know His acts on the one hand and His ways on the other hand. These are two aspects of the Christian pathway.
