As men in the priesthood, we must go to the Lord continually with all our needs and the needs of others. According to Hebrews 5, even the high priest himself has needs, and because he is encompassed with the same infirmities, he can sympathize with others. Since we are all human, we can sympathize with all the human needs and infirmities. As those who are in the priesthood, we must go to the Lord continually with all these needs.

However, to contact the Lord in His presence requires our separation. Anything common will hinder our fellowship with the Lord. It will be like a veil covering us, separating us from the presence of the Lord. Before we can stay in the Lord's presence with all man's needs, we must be separated. If there is anything common covering us and separating us from the presence of the Lord, we are veiled. I like the hymn, "Nothing Between, Lord, Nothing Between." If we are going to contact the Lord, there must be nothing between. Anything between us and the Lord is the veil that must be rent. We must be separated from that particular thing. We think the Lord is so big, but sometimes He is very small. Sometimes the Lord will struggle with a person just about a pair of shoes. We may like them, but the Lord does not.

As we read Psalm 119, we see that the psalmist was right with the Lord. There was nothing between him and the Lord. I appreciate the line in the hymn, 'Nothing between, Lord, nothing between.' However, it is one thing to sing this hymn, but it is another thing to practice having nothing between us and the Lord. How much we shall receive from the living Word if there is nothing between the Lord and us!

Once we see the fact that we are branches in the vine, we need to maintain the fellowship between us and the vine. Any insulation will separate us from the rich supply of the vine tree. A little disobedience, a sin, or even a sinful thought can be the insulation that separates us from the riches of the vine. If we do not condemn such things but hold on to them, they will insulate us from the rich supply of the vine tree. First, we must see that we are branches. Then, we need to maintain the fellowship between us and the Lord. Nothing should be between Him and us. There is a hymn in our hymnal that opens with the words, "Nothing between, Lord, nothing between." From experience we know that even a small thing can insulate us from the rich supply of the vine tree. We need to pray to the Lord, "Lord, let there be nothing between You and me separating me from Your rich supply."

A brother may be created by God with a smart mind and with eloquent speaking ability. He is smart and eloquent in speaking" because God created him that way. He has such a base to enable him to prophesy. As this brother loves the Lord and fellowships with Him, the Lord will come in to become his spiritual talent, and this will become a gift to enable him to prophesy. He still needs to advance by learning in the Word so that he can quote the Word. He needs to get himself soaked in the Word, to become fully familiar with all the biblical phrases and clauses. He also needs to endeavor to live in the presence of the Lord and to keep himself in a condition of not having any obstacle between him and his Lord. We should sing the hymn "Nothing Between, Lord, Nothing Between" (Hymns, #373). We should have a direct contact with the Lord, and His presence should be so clear to us. Between Him and us there should be nothing as a veil or as a kind of darkness. We need to be so much in the light. We need to be persons who know the Word and who have the experience of life. If we are such persons, we can prophesy in any kind of meeting. If we all live such a prophesying life, all of us will be able to speak something for the Lord when we come together.