Scripture Reading: Matt. 16:24-26, Rom. 6:6, Gal. 2:20
Ⅰ
The most important matter that must be dealt with in our life with the Lord is our disposition:
A
The thing which most damages our usefulness in the Christian life, in the church life, and in the work is our living according to our dispostition.
B
Our disposition has become our problem; it hinders us from growing in life and from being used by the Lord, and it has made trouble for us , causing us to suffer.
C
How useful we will be to the Lord or how much trouble we will make to the church depends upon how much our disposition is killed; therefore, dealing with the disposition is a crucial matter— 2Tim. 2:21
D
The greatest hindrance to our usefulness is our disposition; disposition is the factor that spoils our usefulness in the hand of the Lord— Matt. 25:24-30:
１
Many dear saints have remained in the church , but their usefulness has been annulled by their disposition.
２
Many are useless and out of function mainly because of their disposition; if all the saints would deny their disposition, they would all be very useful.
E
Our disposition is the greatest problem for our growth in the divine life: the real enemy of our growth in the divine life is our disposition-cf.2 Pet. 1:5-11.
F
We need the Lord to touch our disposition, and we need to deny it.
Ⅱ
We use the word disposition to help the saints to understand the soul-life, the self, the "I," the old man, and naturalness —Matt. 16:24-26; Rom. 6:6; Gal. 2:20
A
In our Christian experience, there is something within us called our disposition.
B
Our disposition is what we are in our makeup by birth; each of us has a partioulax and unique disposition.
C
Our disposition has been poisoned by the cunning, subtle serpent.
D
There are four terms mentioned in the New Testament which are closely related to the matter of disposition: the old man (Rom. 6:6), the "I" (Gal. 2:20), the soul- life (Matt. 16:25-26), and the self (v. 24)
１
Disposition is implied in the terms mind, self, and soul-life; disposition includes all of these elements.
２
The soul is the life of the self; disposition is closely related to both the self and the soul.
３
Practically speaking, to deny the self is simply to deny our disposition.
E
To deal with our disposition means to deal with our self, our old men , our soul-life, and the "I."
F
Since the disposition is implied in the "I," the old man, the soul, the self, and naturalness, our dealing with these things includes our dealing with our disposition.
Ⅲ
Our dealing with sins, sin, the world, and the conscience are superficial dealings, but our dealing with our disposition is the deepest dealing—1 John 1:7; 2:15; Acts 24:16; Matt. 16:24-26:
A
Although our disposition is something made by God, it still needs to be dealt with by God; this is according to the divines revelation, and it is also confirmed by our experience.
B
Our fallen disposition is close to the edge of the deep well of sin and mistakes; our mistakes and wrongdoings are closely related to our disposition.
C
Our disposition is the most difficult part of our being to deal with, and often there is a particular part of our disposition---a "burl"---that is the hardest thing to deal with:
１
We must learn to take care of the "burl," in our makeup, our disposition.
２
If we deal with this "burl," we will grow quickly and have a free way in our spiritual life without any hindrances to our growth in life, and we will also become more useful to the Lord.
D
Transformation is mainly with our disposition; in order to experience transformation, we need the breaking of our disposition because it is a great obstacle to God's dispensing of Himself into us and to His transforming work in us－Rom. 12:2.
E
The breaking of the outer man is the breaking of our disposition.
F
The best way to be dealt with is to hate our disposition; our disposition is the depth of the self, which must be danied—Matt. 16:24
Ⅳ
The solution to the problem of our disposition is the cross ─ Gal.2:20 :
A
Only the death of the cross can deal with our disposition.
B
In order to deal with our disposition, we must realize and remember that we have already been crucified and that , as a crucified person, we should remain under this realization day by day –Rom. 6:6; Gal. 2:20.
C
Because we have been crucified, we should not live according to our disposition, according to what we are naturally.
Ⅴ
The church life, fruit-bearing, and lamb-feeding are three matters that kill our natural disposition — John 15:4-7; 21:15-17:
A
If we are not useful in the Lord's hand or taking care of people, it is due to our raw, natural disposition:
１
Because of our disposition we have no interest in others, or if we do have such an interest, we are unable to minister life to others.
２
Our disposition is the cause for our not bearing fruit and not using our talent to care for people.
３
The burden to care for others requires us to deal with our disposition.
B
Receiving the believers because the Lord has received them requires us to deal much with our natural disposition—Rom. 14:1; 15:7
C
A person who is capable and who is also against his or her disposition is the most useful person to the Lord—Matt. 25:14-23; 16:24.
D
What the Lord needs is the exercise of our talent with the growth in life: in order to have this , the basic condition is to deal with our disposition.