Bible Reading: Forty Ninth Time

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalms 119:105 

On the 12th of October, the Lord graced me to read my Bible for the forty-ninth time. Yesterday, I started all over again with my fiftieth time, as I have a goal of reading through the Bible at least a hundred times in my lifetime, if the Lord gives me the grace. This is my personal goal, and it gives me immense joy to be able to read and read the word of God. To me, the only book worth reading again and again is the Bible. To me, the only time that must be spent at any cost is to read the Bible and spend time in prayer every day, even if it means doing it as a habit. Let it be a habit and be a part of my life. I reckon this is a good habit. God forbid, if I say that reading the Bible and prayer are the only things that must be done every day at all costs, even at the sacrifice of other things.

My prayer has been that the Lord would grace me day by day to be able to read the Bible with good eyesight; with a renewed mind filled with the shining of the divine light, sight, vision, and revelation; and a strong spirit to absorb the word as spiritual nourishment. And that, no matter what my circumstances may be, the Lord may grace me with the reading of the Bible and prayer day by day. I cannot think of a life without the word of God and prayer. They have become a part and parcel of my life. I have been married to the word of God and prayer. I can't help but keep reading the Bible and praying. And it has been my joy and enjoyment day by day. I can sacrifice anything else in the world, but not my time with the Lord in prayer and the word of God. 

I pray that all my children, family members, saints in the church life, and all the children of God should love the word of God and read it to be constituted with it, and be a man of prayer. To the extent that we all be "living Bibles" and "talking Bibles" for others to see and read the Bible. 

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to God. Col. 3:16

May the Lord grace me with the taste and enjoyment of His word that I may read and eat the word of God every day, all the days of my life.

Incidental Journeys

After much prayer and consideration, I preponed the ministry literature journey in the month of September this year so as to be able to join the college training in Chennai. However, I had to join it by coming from Hubbali in Karnataka. The Lord had arranged even the journey in such a way that I could catch the only one weekly train that runs straight to Chennai, and that too, on the last day of the distribution, so that I could reach Chennai exactly on the first day of the college students' training. For this reason, there was no transportation from Chennai Central station to the venue, which was about a two-and-a-half-hour journey, as the train arrival time was only after the last bus that was supposed to leave from the railway station arranged by the serving ones. Despite knowing this, I was not worried at all. I trusted the Lord that He would make the necessary arrangements, even for my transportation, as He led me to join the training.

As I arrived at the Chennai Central station on time, a group of saints from Maharashtra, twenty-four of them, also boarded the same train I was in, as their train was delayed for over five hours. This, to me was the Lord’s arrangement, so that I could go along with them to the venue from the station. And the bus that was assigned to pick them also waited, though delayed, so that I could also join them. Otherwise, I had to make my own arrangements to reach the venue. 

For over two hours, I was sitting in the front row with a brother on the bus. As the brother inquired how I got saved and came into the church life, we both had a wonderful time fellowshipping and sharing. For the entire length of time, I shared what the Lord had done and what He still has been doing in my life; His saving grace, His clarion call to serve Him, and His shepherding me into the church life step by step. This was the first time I enjoyed fellowshipping with this brother on how the Lord is so real, practical, wise, and yet mysterious in leading His people to His heart's desire. I understood then that it was the Lord’s perfectly timed incident. 

Incidentally, the last time there was a similar training in the same venue a few years ago, we were together in the same bus after the training on our way back from the venue to Chennai Central station. At that time too, based on his request, I fellowshipped with him about how the Lord recovered the seeking believers in Mathura. 

These two incidents, spanning over a few years apart, truly were the Lord’s arrangement for fellowship. In fact, incidental journeys for fellowship and blending! If not for these two incidents, I would never have fellowshipped with the brother, especially on personal testimonies. These were the only times that I could have a time of fellowship, though we had known each other for many years now. In every incident, the Lord has His intention. Praise the Lord!

Ministry of the Word to Ballari

In Ballari, on the 29th of September, three saints from the nearby city, Hubbali, joined us. We were visiting a family that needed shepherding. As the burden was for shepherding, and this being our first time to the city and first time meeting with the new family, the Lord burdened me to fellowship on a very fundamental and foundational practices for a healthy and normal Christian life.

I began by showing them God’s plan in creating man with three parts: body, soul, and spirit. Then, the process God passed through in incarnation, human living, crucifixion, resurrection, and becoming the life-giving Spirit. Then, the regeneration of man, being born of God, with the Spirit dwelling in the human spirit. Then, the need to daily exercise the spirit in calling upon the Lord’s name, reading the Bible, and pray-reading some key verses, and spending personal prayer time with the Lord daily. And concluded the fellowship with prayer.

The family was so supplied by the ministry of the word. I introduced the Shepherding Materials, online version, for their pursuit, and also the Holy Bible Recovery Version for their Bible study. The father and mother testified that their son, who was a higher secondary school dropout, would never sit for spiritual fellowship or listen to the ministry of the word, but was keenly listening to the word of God and was present at the meeting throughout. Not only that, he also served us with coffee and snacks after the meeting. Their son's reaction was a great testimony to the entire family. To them, this was the first time he ever paid attention to fellowship and meetings. The daughter also testified to how much she enjoyed the ministry of the word and expressed her interest to continue enjoying the word. By the way, they all promised that they will read the Bible daily henceforth. 

After this fellowship, I realised that the Lord did not lead us any further for anything else. Therefore, the three brothers who accompanied me for the last one week ministry literature journey departed from this city after we enjoyed a meal together. And I, along with the saints from Hubbali, took another route towards Hubbali for another round of distribution. The Lord assigned certain portions for His move to certain ones. I have been learning this lesson, just to follow the Lord step by step, not to overdo or underdo. 

Lord, bless Your move and raise up Your testimony in Ballari!

Ministry of the Word to Gadag via Belgavi and Hubbali

After a hectic day of traveling the whole day on the 1st of October, the church in Belagavi gathered together for a time of fellowship and prayer where I gave a brief report on how the Lord blessed His move in Karnataka. This was a part of the church regular prayer meeting too. Then, the saints treated me with lovefeast in one of the famous restaurants.

The following day, a brother and I went to another locality, Gadag, for the ministry literature introduction. It was again a drive for over three and half hours. Like the day before, half of the time we were praying for ourselves, the saints and serving ones, and strongly for the Lord’s move in India. And the other half, I was testifying on how the Lord brought me into full-time service.

In Gadag, at a Christian meeting, the ministry books were introduced and some key Pators purchased the New Testament Recovery Version in Kannada. 

Later, I had a time of fellowship with a group of saints in Hubbali in a brother's house where I ministered the word on the need to grow in life daily by taking care of some basic yet crucial practices. I emphasised the need to spend time with the Lord daily for prayer and for the reading and study of the word. Together with this burden, I encouraged them to deal with their hearts before the Lord by using the parable of the Sower in Matthew 13 that they all can become the good soil to bear forth spiritual fruits. 

Thus, with this, the ministry literature journey this time came to a conclusion. Though I wanted to cover the remaining districts of Karnataka that were not covered before, still one more district remains untouched. Despite my earnest desire to cover this remaining district too, it has to be postponed. Perhaps, the Lord has reserved this for another round of distribution. May the will of the Lord be done.

In fact, if I cancelled the following young people's training in Chennai, I could have covered this remaining district too. However, as I considered before the Lord, I need to make a decision wisely. So I decided to choose joining the training and not prolong the distribution further. Besides, the circumstances made it clear that I should join the training despite my burden for distribution. The Lord will arrange a better time to complete distribution in the remaining districts of Karnataka. 

In all these meetings in all the three localities, I richly enjoyed the Lord’s sweet presence and His rich anointing. In all the meetings, it was the instant word the Lord gave to me when I was given time to minister. The word of God as living waters just flowed forth to water all the ones who were receiving the ministry. Praise the Lord!

Ministry of the Word to Dandeli and Khanapur

Having enjoyed a wonderful time of distribution trip with three brothers who accompanied me from Bidar till Ballari, the Lord brought me further to Belgavi at a serving brother and sister's home where I had a time of fellowship with them on literature service. The next day, as planned, a brother and I went for distribution trip to Dandeli.

As we began our trip in the morning, just the two of us, we drove for over three hours. Half of the time, we were praying for one another, for the serving ones, for the Lord’s move in Karnataka in particular and India in general. And the other half of the time, we were fellowshipping. Since my brother requested me to share about how I got saved, I shared the grace bestowed upon me by my Saviour, Lord Jesus Christ. 

The moment we arrived at this tourist destination, we were immediately welcomed to introduce the ministry to a group of Christian Pastors and leaders. I wasted no time, and introduced the Recovery Version in a way of ministering the word by using Bible verses mostly from Matthew 1. 

As the anointing led me, I used the Lord Jesus Christ being the subject of the entire Bible and that we need the spirit of wisdom and revelation to see Jesus in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament. Then, I used Matthew 1:1, 3, 5, 6, 16, 17 to show to all the Christian leaders how helpful the footnotes in the Recovery Version are, especially in opening up the Scriptures. Since the reaction of the Pastors as I ministered the word from the pulpit was so positive, with many of them amening with "Hallelujah,s" I felt the need to emphasize on some crucial revelations. After I had sufficiently ministered the word, I stopped the speaking and the Director of the Pastor's association concluded the meeting in prayer with thanksgiving. Once the meeting ended, many of them came forward to purchase the New Testament Recovery Version in Kannada and the entire set of Kannada title books. Most of the Pastors came to shake my hands and confessed that they never heard the word of God being ministered in such a deep way with full of revelation. 

Later, the key Pastor who made arrangements for the meeting requested for one extra box of New Testament Recovery Version in Kannada for those who could not attend the meeting. 

Khanapur

Later on our way back, we stopped by a town called Khanapur and introduced the ministry to a Pastor and his family. This time, I let my brother function, instead of translating for me I let him introduce the ministry directly in Kannada. 

Thank the Lord that the Lord has the ministry of the word being introduced to two new localities. I do believe, the Lord will, in time, recover His remnants to bear His testimony in Dandeli and Khanapur.

Life Lessons: Learning, Sharing, Growing

The Lord has blessed us in the past one week of the ministry literature journey from North Karnataka, Bidar, to the central part, Kudligi. During this trip, for the first time I sent two messages as photo captions, something general to ex-classmates and family members. 

Simple Living, Healthy Living 

The caption of a photo with 5 generations in a family in Karnataka; Grand Mother(95), Mother(60), Daughter(35), Grand Daughter(20), and Great Grandson(5 months) 

And another photo with two elderly sisters with the caption: 

Blessed to Be Blessed by Beloved Elders

Let us thank God for our parents and elders, and always honor them with love and respect. 

In education, they may not be as educated,

In experience, we may not be as experienced, 

'Tis the check and balance of generational gap. 

Blessed are those who are simple, open, and willing to learn. 

Let us learn from one another. 

The posting was done on our way to the next city, Ballari.

One other important leading of the Lord was related to how the Lord adjusted my feeling and thinking. As for all distribution trips, in this trip too, I simply followed the local brother's arrangement. I reckoned their leading as the Lord’s leading. Only when I had a specific leading, I fellowshipped with the brother and followed their fellowship. This time too, as the journey was long, at one point, I felt to send back two brothers midway and that I and other brother proceed further. But the Lord forbade me to do so and chided me in having such a thought. The Lord confirmed to me that He purposefully arranged the other two brothers to accompany me to learn many spiritual things in real life for one whole week. Though they came into the church life, their understanding of the truth and practical Christian living needed much shepherding. And in their locality, the church is yet to be raised up, and there is a need for more perfecting. So, this was the sovereign arrangement of the Lord. Then, I gave up the idea even of mentioning my premature consideration. 

As we travelled together for one whole week, they both enjoyed the coordination and the ministry of the word. Without letting them know that they were taught in the word, they were actually taught. One of them being a journalist in a famous English national newspapers, now and then expressed the lessons he had learned through this ministry literature journey. 

My overall understanding concerning the Lord’s perfecting work in me is marvelous this time. Since the Lord called me to serve Him full-time in 2003, followed by two years of full-time training, and since 2005, I have been practically serving the Lord full-time. In these twenty years of serving the Lord, I have learned many untold lessons and have been perfected in many areas of my life and service. 

This time, in 2025, especially this ministry literature journey, I experienced something very uplifted and different from the past. I felt I have overcome certain nagging deficiencies especially in discernment and ministry of the word. This time, every meeting, every fellowship, every ministry of the word have become very matured. The result can be discerned immediately; the confirmation of the Spirit within, and the confirmation of the ministry outwardly through the responses of the Christians who received the ministry. This is the sure mercy of God shown to me. May the Lord continue to perfect me more and more, that I may keep learning, sharing, and growing unto full maturity. 

Praise the Lord for the corporate perfecting of all of us! As much as my brothers were perfected, I believe, even much more, I have been perfected. 

Ministry of the Word to Kudligi

Having known that I will be ministering the word on the Lord’s Day meeting in a Christian assembly in Kudligi, I prayed and sought the Lord’s leading for the timely word. Though the Pastor requested for a particular point, he also said, may it be according to the Lord’s leading. As I prayed, the Lord gave me a specific burden to ministry to the congregation on God’s Eternal Plan. 

In fact, the burden was not only for the believers in Kudligi, it was also for the three brothers who accompanied me this time in the ministry literature journey. Though they had been receiving the ministry of the word in all the meetings with Pastors in different localities, the Lord also burdened me to speak a specific word to them as I noticed some need while traveling together for one whole week.

Bible verse by Bible verse, I quoted to show God’s plan in creating man with three parts; body, soul, and spirit; how God, the Spirit, dwells in the spirit of man after regeneration; and the need to exercise spiritually day by day, moment by moment to contact the Lord by calling on the Lord’s name breathing Him in, by eating Him in the word through reading the Bible and pray-reading some key verses, and also by spending personal time with the Lord daily to fellowship with Him. For all these points, I gave them the relevant Bible verses. Meanwhile, I helped all the believers to call upon the Lord’s name out loud in Kannada a couple of times and also helped them pray-read and memorize John 6:63. The believers were all helped to exercier their spirit and enjoy the living Lord. When the burden was sufficiently released, I concluded the meeting.

After a time of lovefeast lunch, a group of Pastors came together in the same meeting hall where we had the Lord’s Day meeting. Then, I used the apparent discrepancies in Matthew 1:16 and Luke 3:23, and Hebrew 9:4 and Exodus 30:6, using the footnotes in the Recovery Version to show to the Christian leaders how the Recovery Version is a useful study-aid in studying the Bible in-depth. All the Pastors purchased the New Testament Recovery Version in Kannada and there, all our Bible stock was sold out!

In the night, we were invited for a dinner lovefeast in a village at the home of a brother who is by profession a farmer. When I was requested to minister the word for the family, the Lord burdened me to help them on the need for a joyful Christian life as a testimony to the people around them, especially in the village. I used Acts 16:31, the testimony of Paul and Silas in saving the household of the Philippian jailer. Despite being imprisoned, they were praising God joyfully, and despite the earthquake, they remainded calm and did not try to escape. Such a living testimony of the apostles was the gospel to the jailer which led him to the salvation of his whole household. 

This was a timely message to all the believers present there. Then, we enjoyed the lovefeast dinner prepared by the family and drank a cup of pure milk from their own cow. Thus, the burden for Kudligi was released.

May the Lord soon recover His lampshades in Kudligi!