Sometimes you do not know what is missing in your life. Although it seems like everything in your life is what you expected, there is a lack of fulfillment. I had graduated from a Master's program where I had been enjoying the student life. I was a single parent with one small child, but had a great family support system and lots of good friends, so what could be missing? I had a Bachelor's degree in a field where jobs were plentiful and now I had another degree in a related field that would make me even more marketable. I was offered a job in another part of the country that I was reluctant to take, but after several months of telephone calls from them, I decided to go there. The Lord was definitely leading me to this new place. I was there only three months when I met a believer who was a student in the University where I was teaching that seemed different from anyone I had ever met. Since he was an international student, I attributed his genuineness to being from a different country. He spoke to me about the Lord and then asked me to go to a church meeting in a city over one hour away. Since I felt he probably needed someone to help him drive (he worked all night on Saturdays), I agreed.

On Sunday morning, we met an older couple that drove us to the meeting, which was an experience I'll never forget. Although I wasn't saved at that time, I saw a group of people shining with God. They were full of enjoyment when reading the word of God and they spoke of loving the Lord and enjoying Him. I felt uplifted while in that meeting. However, I didn't understand that what I experienced was the corporate life of the Lord Jesus being expressed through His body.

When I returned to my apartment complex, I knocked on the door of the only person in the complex that I had seen reading the Bible. When I described my experience, he smiled and said, I know you'll be returning to that place. I thought it was too far to go on a regular basis so I decided to try to find a closer place to go to. The few times I tried, I heard the beautiful music, talked to stylishly dressed people, and admired the aesthetics of the building, but where was the shining and the life? Eventually I returned to the local church and brought my daughter to the children's meeting. She loved it and wanted to go every week.

The other atypical event was that people came from the local church to the brother's house in our town (over 60 miles away) every Saturday night just to read the Word and to explain the central themes in the Bible. I had always found the Bible difficult to understand, but with light on the Word from these brothers, it was beginning to become clearer. As I inquired further, I found that Watchman Nee and Witness Lee frequently wrote the explanations. Although I was skeptical about any men knowing the Lord so well that they could give light on the Bible, I investigated by reading more, praying, and asking the Lord if this was right. By then I realized Christ was a real Person who came to this earth to experience human living, to go to the cross to die for our sins and reconcile us (sinners) to God. It didn't stop there, which is the only part I'd previously heard. Now I began to realize that when the Lord Jesus resurrected, He ascended to the Father and came back to earth as the life-giving Spirit (1 Corinthians 15:45b) to live in the human spirit of the believers (2 Timothy 4:22). His desire was to mingle Himself with His chosen ones to make them partakers of His life and nature (2 Peter 1:4). The purpose for this mingling was to produce a corporate body to express Him in this age and for eternity (Ephesians 1:22-23).

Hearing this truth and realizing that this light from the Word came from Watchman Nee and Witness Lee as well as those earlier believers who came before them, I knew within my being that this was right. Since that time, I have met with the local church in whatever locality I lived in and visited the churches in several different localities, even in other countries. Nowhere have I ever seen such oneness among God's people. It is only by living according to the life of Christ that it is possible for those from various countries and cultures with different languages to have this type of oneness.

Today Christ is my center, and my life is consecrated to Him. I love all the Christians, but I not only want salvation, I also want to be an overcomer (Revelation 2:7,11,17,26; 3:5,12,21). In the local church, I hear a high gospel and the revelation of the deeper truths in the Word of God. I am properly fed and have the opportunity to drink of the living water to saturate my being, even my mind, emotion, and will, with the spiritual things of God so that my natural life may be crucified with Him (John 7:37-38, Galatians 2:20). This allows me to live a life in resurrection and even ascension where each earthly circumstance causes my growth in life (Romans 8:11, 1 Corinthians 3:7,9). This life keeps my eyes focused on the end-goal, the New Jerusalem (Philippians 3:14, Revelation 21:2) and gives me the possibility to overcome in this age and for eternity.

Anonymous

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