In-flight Gospel

After two weeks visit to USA, I was on my way back to India via Dubai. I just boarded a flight and was about to take my seat. Since I wanted to read the Bible on board the flight, I took my big beautiful Bible and placed it on my seat, a window seat, that required a passenger on the aisle to stand. In the process, that passenger, young man, noticed my big beautiful Book. He was curious and asked me what it was. I joyfully told him that it was my Bible. This short and simple conversation opened the door for further conversation.

I say down on my window seat and fastened my seat belt. As he also sat down on his aisle seat, I asked him if he was a Christian to which he replied in the affirmative. Immediately, an impulse in me prompted to continue the conversation, which I did. As I asked him if he ever prayed or read the Bible, he gestured to me the sign of the cross as the Catholic does and said he was a Catholic. But to my question on Bible reading, he honestly replied that he has not been reading for long. This set the tone for gospel preaching.

I shared briefly on how I got saved. I emphasised the matter by using the term "born again" in the human spirit of the Spirit of God. I also made it clear to him that all man were born sinners and differentiat between being from a Christian background and being born again. I then preached a simple and short gospel using the following five Bible verses.

God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truthfulness. (John 4:24, RecVer)

That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; For with the heart there is believing unto righteousness, and with the mouth there is confession unto salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10, RecVer)

For “whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13, RecVer)

And the God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23, RecVer)

He who believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he who does not believe shall be condemned. (Mark 16:16, RecVer)

The Bible speaks by itself and for itself. I simple used the words of the Bible and preached the gospel to him. He was so receptive. Then I asked him if he would like to receive the Lord Jesus Christ. Since he said yes, I led him to pray and receive the Lord Jesus as his personal God and Saviour. 

Then, our flight from Los Angeles took off for Dubai. Later, his mother came and changed his seat for him and his younger brother as the flight has ample number if vacant seats. As he left, he gave me his email for further contact.

By the way, he hails from Lebanon and is planing to study in Poland. From the brief conversation and his appearance, he seemed to be from a wealthy family. May the Lord gain this young man and make him a seed for His testimony in Lebanon!

One thing I realised is that, in gospel preaching, simply exercise your spirit and just preach. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ and Christ is the One we are preaching. Had I waited to settle down before I preached, as it was a fifteen and half hour long flight, I would have missed the opportunity as his seat was changed after the flight was high up in the sky. Thank God, I grasped the opportunity in time. 

Lord, preserve this young man and make me faithful in my gospel service. 

May this in-flight gospel service be a turning point to him for a changed life and to me too, for change in the way I preach the gospel.

Adieu America

On the last day of my visit to USA, an impromptu arrangement was made for me to go to the Airport much much earlier than I expected as I had to accompany a brother who had to catch an earlier flight. Since this was the arrangement, it was a test to me if I could accept such arrangement. Though I initially had a thought of "fellowshipping" for a change, I was convicted deep within that I should simple accept the arrangement. This was a test and I took it to my heart. 

I arrived at the Airport six hours before my scheduled departure time. I missed the Lord’s Table Meeting but I had a time of fellowship with the brothers as we drove to the Airport. Then, at LAX Los Angeles Airport, I read through two outlines which were very meaningful and timely to me; it was concerning my living and my service. After a week long of being under the training and the Lord’s speaking, the Lord reminded me of my need to experience and enjoy the living and walking in newness of life. 

We have been buried therefore with Him through baptism into His death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so also we might walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4, RecVer)

But now we have been discharged from the law, having died to that in which we were held, so that we serve in newness of spirit and not in oldness of letter. (Romans 7:6, RecVer)

My old man has been crucified with Christ already. My old husband has died and now I am married to a new Husband. As such, my living has now been the living in the newness of life and my service, in the newness of the spirit. So that I can bear forth fruits to God. All the Lord’s speaking has been for this purpose of living to God to fulfill His heart's desire. In this living in the newness of life, there is the growth in life for the building up of the Body of Christ. 

This one point on growth in life has also been emphasised by the ministering brothers again and again. In fact, a senior and mature brother has expressed his burden repeatedly that his deep and loving concern is for the growth in life of the saints. For this, it is imperative to develop an intimate, private, sweet fellowship and relationship with the Lord. I believe, it is through such personal relationship and fellowship with the Lord that one can practically live in the newness of life and serve in the newness of the spirit. While at the Airport so early, I had sufficient time to go through two messages outline, enjoy my brunch, and a personal time of prayer including my daily Bible reading. The Lord brought me so early to the Airport so that all important matters of my daily life can be completed before I depart from USA. What a blessed time spent before bidding adieu to America.

God has preserved America for His divine purpose. I have been blessed to be one of the beneficiaries of the riches of Christ that has been ministered from this land. I have been praying for this land and for it's leaders that God may continue to use this country for His move on the earth, especially in their foreign policies to prepare and set the stage for the Lord’s coming again.

Praise the Lord for this third visit to America! Adieu for now. If the Lord wills again, He will bring me back someday. 

July the Fourth

July the fourth was the Independence Day of America. It was on this day that we had our fifth day of the live training at the ministry station in Anaheim. During the dinner break of the training, a brother and I, who have been serving in the literature service in India, had a time of fellowship with the brothers overseeing the publication work of the ministry. The brothers cherishing us in fellowship over a lovefeast dinner on "rib meat" was amazing. On a side bar, it was the best meat I ever tasted in my life. Thanks to the brothers' discernment of my physical need too.

A couple of months ago, two new brothers were inducted on board of the literature service in India. One of the new brothers who has also been serving in the translation service since the very beginning of his service was introduced face to face to the brothers at the ministry station. This was done in fellowship with the brothers in India and also in the States. Everything was sovereignly arranged by the Lord.

This time, we had a fellowship on starting an online course of the full-time training for saints and seekers from India. The practical details of carrying this out was fellowshipped. In fact, two weeks before, we had a time of fellowship with the brothers in India, prior to that, the brothers overseeing the literature service in India had fellowshipped too. This matter had passed through three levels of fellowship since the time it was proposed. I believe, the Lord loves the people of India so much so that He keeps opening door after door to gain His lovers and seekers. Be it ministry literature distribution, both sales version and free, and now, an online training course. The riches of the ministry of the word for India! Despite all the outward opposition and persecution, the Lord has been intensifying His move!

In this fellowship, two saints were proposed to be brought into service, a brother and a sister. I believe, the Lord remembers these ones as they have the heart to serve the Lord. May He work things out good for them.

Besides this, some other matters related to IT, promotional media clips, and a book for Indian version translation and printing was brought forth and fellowshipped. I trust the Lord that this fellowship will issue in the Lord’s intensified move in India.

On this day too, I picked up five boxes of ministry books, hymnal, and Bibles for India. It was after much consideration that these books order were placed as these are not available in Indian print. Together with the books, five used laptops were also given to us on the first day of the training for translation purposes. This visit to the States was very timely for the literature service.

When the President along with the prople of the States were celebrating the signing of the "One Big Beautiful Bill", we have been fellowshipping on "Many Big Beautiful Ministry Books and Materials" for the people of India. Many new developments are beginning to take place globally in the physical realm as well as in the spiritual realm. I personally have been praying everyday for the world leaders and the world situation. All these are for the preparation of the Bride for the marriage of the Lamb! This is the real "in-development day" for the Lord’s move all over the world.

Come, Lord Jesus!

Live Training: Sharings

Since day one of the semiannual training this summer as I joined live, I had been exercising my spirit and praying very much that I receive the maximum spiritual benefit from the training and during all the study time and fellowship. The Lord had answered my prayer and spoke to me personally in every message. I also prepared to share my top enjoyment in every meeting from message one. To me, I determined to not lose any opportunity. 

On day one, from the two sessions I prepared a point each from the messages to share but could not get the opportunity. Instead, I shared in the group. The same continued on day two too. On day three, I did the same and got the opportunity. So I simply echoed Br. RK's burden on being in the Triune God and knowing the Triune God by experience and growth in life. This was also the deep and loving concern of the brother, of which I shared too, with the practical emphasis on spending a personal time with the Lord day by day. Even in day four, five, and six too, the Lord gave me His words in every message and shared in the group.

On the last day, day six, saints from India were called for testing. As I stood up with the saints to speak, my portion was on "change of value concerning Christ in relation to our relatives." What I had experienced was what the Lord led me to testify: Loving the Lord more than our relatives, father, mother, brothers, sisters, and loved ones. I exercised my spirit and simply declared this need for loving the more than our relatives.

One distinctive feature of the live training is the spiritual atmosphere of the training is very high and the Spirit's speaking is very strong. The quantity of live training is much higher than all the video trainings I have attended. As far as partiality allows, live training is worth paying the price.

In addition to these public sharings, we also daily enjoyed our PSRP time at a brother's house for five days where we shared and learned from one another. What a grace, what an enjoyment, and what a blessing indeed!

Testimony for Building Up

God’s desire is to gain a Body for His Son. He does this by gaining His created man to be His many sons who would corporately be built up to be the church, the Body of Christ, for the expression of God. Therefore, He redeemed and saved many created and fallen men throughout the ages, of which I am just one among the many. His saving grace produces many testimonies, in fact, each saved person has a testimony, so do I.

During the two weeks trip to USA, I was given the opportunity to share my testimony of how God saved me. Though I generally do not share personal testimony unless the Spirit led or the saints specifically requested, I had to share wherever and whenever I was led. Therefore, I ended up sharing in a few localities and also with a few saints, though different parts according to the Lord’s inward leading.

At Fremont blending meeting, I testified how I got saved and how I came into the church life. At Sacramento bending meeting, I testified how I got to read the New Testament Recovery Version. At Burlingame blending meeting, I testified how I got saved. In other cities, the sharing was just a few sentences together with introduction. In these meetings, I got to hear the testimonies of other brothers and sisters from India too. It was rather mysterious that we heard one another's testimony in a foreign land, while in our home country, we only fellowshipped non-persobal matters. Anyhow, whether at home or abroad, we fellowshipped and learned from one another.

Four specific fellowshipa on the particular need of the saints were done one on one too. In Fremont, I had a personal time of fellowship with a brother concerning the salvation of his parents and how he should pray and cooperate with the Lord to preach the gospel despite his past history with his father and step mother, and mother and step father. It was a surprise fellowship that just came up and a difficult matter for the brother to digest. Nonetheless, I had to be faithful to the Spirit's speaking within me for him. I believe he will take the fellowship and see the salvation of his parents just as what the Lord had done with mine. I even prayed for the salvation of his parents, both for the real ones and the steps.

In Sacramento, our host family, especially the father and mother of the house were so supplied when I shared what the Lord had done and has been doing in my life, especially on seeking and doing the perfect will of God. The fellowship was so sweet that they wanted to hear more and more, but I had to somehow excuse myself and stopped at a certain point. This family offered a wonderful "meat rib" breakfast as they came know of my preferred meat. I enjoyed their brotherly love offering.

In Irvine during a study lunch break, I had a time of fellowship on following the Lord’s leading even in job-taking service to a brother who I served together with for a Bible proofreading project many years ago while he was a trainee. Now that he is married with two children and having a job, I encouraged him by stating that the Lord’s desire is our person and not our works. The key is on following the Lord's leading as we all serve the living God either with or without job. He was so encouraged by the fellowship.

In Irvine during the lovefeast, a young couple approached me, perhaps, just to greet me. But, the fellowship when on to testimony as they specifically asked how I got saved. I obliged to a member of the Body's request. Then, I was also led to share on important lessons I learned from the Lord in my marriage life concerning loving the Lord and loving one another as husband and wife with the love of God, and being one with God and one with one another as husband and wife are one flesh. And further encouraged the couple to pray together and practice the oneness as God desires so.

Wherever, whenever, and with whomsoever the Lord leads, I must be faithful to testify and exhort for the building up.

And let us consider one another so as to incite one another to love and good works, Not abandoning our own assembling together, as the custom with some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more as you see the day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24-25, RecVer)

What then, brothers? Whenever you come together, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. (1 Corinthians 14:26, RecVer)

God is a God of Glory

God is the God of glory! God’s eternal purpose is to bring many of His redeemed sons into glory. Glory is the expression of God. Only when God is saturated and permeated into the being of His redeemed sons, they can express His glory. And this glory will consummate in the New Jerusalem, the city of glory.

And he carried me away in spirit onto a great and high mountain and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, as clear as crystal. (Revelation of John 21:10-11, RecVer)

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and through whom are all things, in leading many sons into glory, to make the Author of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of One, for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brothers. (Hebrews 2:10-11, RecVer)

The genuine work of God can be determined by it's source, course, and goal. God is the source for any genuine work; the initiator of God’s work is God Himself. God is the course of His work; the advancement of God’s work is Christ's power. God Himself, His expression, His glory, is the goal of His work. God’s work will always result in God’s glory.

Because out from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:36, RecVer)

God, in order to fulfill His divine purpose, became a man in Christ Jesus, Who also is the Author (the Captain) of salvation. He is leading many sons into glory by being their High Priest to pray for them and to minister to them and sanctify them through His sanctifying Spirit. His divine sanctification is for His sonizing. Therefore, the divine sanctification is the holding line in the carrying out of the divine economy for the divine sonship.

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and through whom are all things, in leading many sons into glory, to make the Author of their salvation perfect through sufferings. (Hebrews 2:10, RecVer)

As revealed in the book of Hebrews, we must daily exercise to enter into the veil outside the camp. The practical holy of holies is in our spirit. Therefore, the way to enter into the veil is to exercise our spirit and stay in the presence of God, fellowshipping with God face to face as Moses did, and established a strong, sweet, personal, intimate, private, relationship and fellowship with the Lord.

Let us therefore go forth unto Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. (Hebrews 13:13, RecVer)

And He said, My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest. (Exodus 33:14, RecVer)

In this way, we will be sanctified and ultimately be filled with the God of glory to express Him as glory.

Be Holy as God is Holy

Speak to all the assembly of the children of Israel, and say to them, You shall be holy, for I, Jehovah your God, am holy. (Leviticus 19:2, RecVer)

Because it is written, “You shall be holy because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16, RecVer)

Note on holy - Lev. 11:44-45; 20:7, 26; 1 Pet. 1:16 Being holy because God is holy (v. 2; 20:7, 26) signifies walking according to God’s holiness, living a holy life (1 Pet. 1:15; 2 Pet. 3:11).

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from fornication; That each one of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, RecVer)

For God has not called us for uncleanness but in sanctification. (1 Thessalonians 4:7, RecVer)

God’s economy is to make man God in life and in nature but not in the Godhead. God is a holy God and only God is holy. To make man God is to make man holy. God desires that we be holy as He is, and in this way He can fulfill His economy.

And the God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  (1 Thessalonians 5:23, RecVer)

However, to be holy as God is holy, we need to cooperate with God in His inward working in our inner being. He as the Spirit is in our spirit needs to spread into our soul and eventually to our body. The bridge between the spirit and the soul is the conscience, which is a part of our spirit and also a part of our psychological heart. Therefore, our heart plays a vital role in our cooperation with God for our sanctification. It is indeed the holding line for God to carry out His eternal economy of making us holy. For this, we need a pure heart; single in purpose and simple in openness. The dealing with our heart is our urgent need today...

Keep your heart with all vigilance, For from it are the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23, RecVer)

Our spirit in which the Spirit of God dwells also need to be exercised along with the faculties of our soul; renewed mind, touched emotion to love God, and subdued will to be obedient to God and do His perfect will. And even our body be preserved from the passion and lust of the flesh that we may live a sanctified and separated life that is saturated with God's holy and divine life for the fulfillment of God’s divine and eternal purpose. For this too, we must be watchful in what we see, hear, say, and do; and  also be on the alert in where we go or with whom we hang out. So that we may be sanctified quantitatively and be preserved qualitatively for the coming of the Lord for the preparation of His Bride.

That said, we need the the faithful God to sanctify us ad preserve us, for we cannot be sanctified and preserved holy on our own.

Faithful is He who calls you, who also will do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:24, RecVer)

Lord, make us holy as You are.