Ministry Journey: God’s Sovereignty

And Jehovah went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them on the way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might go by day and by night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night departed from before the people. Exodus 13:21-RecVeecVer

The ministry literature journey was planned a month ago for the distribution in Jharkhand as we discovered that the land is still open for the Lord’s move.  After all the prayers, planning and fellowship, I booked a flight ticket from Hyderabad to Ranchi. Almost two weeks after booking the flight tickets, I was informed by my co-working brother that I had booked the flight from the "wrong airport". Instead of booking from Hyderabad to Ranchi, I had booked it from Delhi to Ranchi. I was pretty sure when I made the booking. In fact, this was the first error in my flight bookings for these many years. Immediately, I reconsidered the "mistake" and discoverd that the Lord had a better plan. 

First, if we had gone as planned to Ranchi, the brother who was to lead us was not ready at all. Especially with the vehicle and also with the places and contacts to visit. 

Second, one of my old college juniors was recently promoted and transfered to Asansol, so I thought it would be worth visiting him on our way to Dumka. With this, it was not wise to travel on road all the way from Ranchi to Dumka via Asansol. 

Third, there was a brother who I met first when I first visited Asansol. So, the burden to revisit him arose. 

Fifth, the flight to Ranchi from Hyderabad skyrocketed and I found it futile to pay such a price. 

Sixth, I discovered that we could fly to Durgapur, and from there, go to Asansol. 

Seventh, in fellowship, all these worked out to be perfect. 

Therefore, there was an adjustment to our plan.

Today, having completed the planned distribution trip, looking back, I realised that God was sovereign over all things. Even the mistake I made in wrong flight booking tuned out to be the Lord’s hand behind the scene to bring us to West Bengal just before the state assembly election. 

What a wise God we have! What a sovereign God He is! Invisible yet visible through circumstances, He worked all things for our good to cooperate with Him for His move in West Bengal and also for Jharkhand.

We simply follow the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. Ultimately, we are doing the Lord’s work, according to His plan and according to His way.

National Brothers Fellowship: Hyderabad

For the perfecting of the saints unto the work of the ministry, unto the building up of the Body of Christ. Ephesians 4:12, RecVer

After twenty years of face to face fellowship with a senior and matured brother in the church life, this time I again attended a time of fellowship with the same brother though online. A few months ago, things have changed drastically in our country and he could not physically come to be with us. Nevertheless, we made use of the online facilty available. Thanks to the technology used properly for the Lord’s move.

For five and a half days, we had sessions after sessions felleoshipping on the word of God in Ephesians 4. Word by word, phrase by phrase, and verse by verse, the Lord unveiled His heart's desire concerning the building up of His Body, the church, through the necessary dealings and proper humanity in diligently keeping the oneness the Lord so desired snd prayed for, through His Spirit who Has been given to us already. Though this portion of the Bible is one of the most difficult prophesy to fulfill, it is being fulfilled at the present time with the help of the ministry of the word through the minister of the age. Though Satan's futile attempts seemed to disrupt the oneness of the Body, the Lord nevertheless is gradually building His church, His Body. For His prophesy will always come to pass.

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18, RecVer

Many brothers also contributed to the fellowship in a way of sharing what they have learnt from the Lord. Some testifed of their experiences based on what were fellowshiped, some asked questions, some echoed the sharings, and some confirmed through the word the burden the Lord released through the fellowship. 

Despite the busy schedule, five sessions everyday, I still could enjoy my time with the Lord in prayer and my daily reading of the Bible during the breaks. I also got to fellowship some important matters with the brothers related to the literature service and our serving ones, along with the present burden for the Recovery Version translation project. 

This gathering at the national level was a wonderful time of blending and fellowship for the Lord’s testimony in His recovery and for His going on in this country. 

Praise the Lord for the fellowship in the Body! Praise the Lord for His move in our country!

Marital Fellowships

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Genesis 2:24, RecVer

And said, “For this cause shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall be joined to his wife; and the two shall be one flesh”? So then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has yoked together, let man not separate. Matthew 19:5-6, RecVer

And the two shall be one flesh. So then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has yoked together, let man not separate. Mark 10:8-9, RecVer

For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh. Ephesians 5:31, RecVer

Marriage is ordained by God. The biblical truth is, a couple wedded in holy matrimony according to God’s ordination is one flesh. This phrase "one flesh" sums up every marital issue. If this eternal truth is understood and practiced by all Christians, all marital issues would be no issue at all. It is practically impossible for two individuals to be one flesh. However, the Bible calls it "one flesh." God is right. The sooner a married couple realised this truth and keep it, the better it is for their marriage life. Otherwise, marital issues are spontaneous natural issues of two different individuals.

Like it or not, a brother came to fellowship about the issues he have been facing in his marriage life about two weeks ago. Another brother and I had to listen to all his "complaints" against his spouse of a little over a year old marriage. Immediately, I knew where they both went wrong. But I restricted myself not to say too much to him as I knew it would not help him much. I would rather say what I needed to say when we could meet together again with his wife. Though in the fellowship many suggestions and opinions were "discussed" rather than "fellowshiped," I prayed for the couple to turn to the Lord inwardly, and I just lent my ears to hear whatever was told in the meeting.

Almost a week later, we met again in a restaurant, this time with the wife present. Over the lunch lovefeast, I testified of the blessings I received from the Lord in my marriage life. On the human side, I prayed for years since I got saved for the Lord’s perfect will in my marriage life. When the Lord answered my prayers, I got married and since then, I have been praying together with my wife, fellowshipping with her for all important matters, making everything common including our bank accounts, hiding nothing from one another, showing love and respect to one another, etc. I dared not advise anybody what they should do, but I simply gave testimony of my marriage life according to God’s blessings.

Another brother with me too shared some experiences of his and had some practical fellowship on marriage life. Then, we all prayed together.

I believe, that lovefeast fellowship was the Lord’s way of shepherding this young couple and perfecting them in their marriage life.

I trust the God who ordained their marriage will also preserve and prosper the married couple. 

Lord, bless the couple and all the married brothers and sisters for Your testimony.

Experience of Christ: Exam Result

My son has been very actively participating in his extra curriculum activities in his school. In fact, I also encouraged him to do so as I myself had much participation in many school activities. These have helped me in my personality development to a great extend. For, to me, education is an all round development. Academic records are important, so also, all these scholastic experiences. 

He had been so much in the school activities to the extend that he even had to miss some of his preboard exams and in fact, did not have enough time to study for his preboards. Nevertheless, I still encouraged him to not miss all the school activities. I opined that there will be enough time to study before the actual board exam. So, his preboard results  were not good. But I knew he could do much better.

During the actual board exam, he was well prepared and he did well in all the papers. In fact, much better than all his previous school exams. When his result was declared a week ago, he got a very good score, just lesser by 2 marks for 90%. Though he expected above 90% as I did too, I felt this was also the Lord’s way of dealing with our being not to boast but to remain humble always. 

When he told me his result, I was glad that he really did well. As he has a goal to pursue his further studies abroad and he needed a good score in Maths, he immediately mentioned his desire to rewrite his Maths paper or go for re-evaluation as he felt he did much better than what he scored. As a father, I supported him fully to whatever decision he take, and prayed together with him, thanking the Lord for His blessing, and also for His further leading.

Now, he has re-applied for his second exam on Maths. He and I felt that in this way he can sharpen his Maths skill as he is pursuing on this line in his future studies too.

The Lord is faithful in blessing His children in a way of perfecting through circumstances. Through all these, we have been experiencing the Lord in our inward being in many practical aspects. Praise the Lord! 

Lesson from Resignation

A week ago, a video clip was sent to me of a brother involved in his business meet. This matter was addressed three years ago. However, he has been entangled in it since then, despite his words to discontinue. As from my side, I did all that I could to shepherd him and help him to recover. It was my desire that he be preserved in his service. But its all upto him and how he handle his matter before the Lord.

In the light of such incident, we had a phone call conversation to hear from his own mouth of the evidence we had gotten. Since the matter was a violation of what he had promised three years ago and the seriousness of this can affect his service effectively. Though my coordinating brother could not tolerate the confrontation and had to drop out of the call, I felt it was necessary to give him an opportunity again to take his own call whether to drop his unwarranted business or drop his service, as the two cannot go on simultaneously. Besides, no matter the violation of his promise, he is still a brother in the Lord. Therefore, I deemed it gracious on our part to give him time to pray and consider his own course with a brotherly word of fellowship and prayer.

Four days after the phone call conversation, he sent a mail of resignation to me. Once I saw it, I felt that this was from the Lord and prepared myself for the next course of action. The following week, we happened to be Hyderabad for a national brothers fellowship where we brought the matter also to the brothers in the state of his residence. The conclusion of the matter was to accept his resignation and to make arrangement for his substitute while making a formal announcement to all the leading brothers of the local churches in the state he had been serving. 

On the 14th April, I had a call with him in a way of brotherly fellowship and confirmed the matter that he took his decision to resign after he had brought the matter in prayer before the Lord and in fellowship with his family members. I also paved the way for the smooth transfer of his service to another brother and gave a time till the end of this month. And on the same day, I wrote a mail, acknowledging an official acceptance of his resignation. 

On the 15th April night, we had an online fellowship with all the key brothers of the churches his service had covered. I prayed sufficiently and made the announcement to all the brothers online in a brotherly way. I carefully worded my words just to convey the matter clearly with an exercised spirit as not to give any room for the enemy to do anything. The brother convening the meeting too handled the matter wisely and concluded the meeting with prayers for the brother. Thus, the matter was dealt with as it ought to be. In all the processes, I experienced the Lord a lot, praying and praying over the matter, and got through it. I accepted the Lord’s sovereignty in this regard.

Later, when another substitute was proposed too, I took it to prayer and concluded that the Lord's will be done again. I told a brother who made the proposal that I would not stand between God and the brothers to hinder His decision. I would only amen what the Lord had confirmed through the Body. In this matter too, I experienced the Lord.

The literature service is the Lord’s and I am a part of it by His mercy. It is all upto the Lord to decide who He choose to serve. I would only exercise to be one with the Lord and the brothers.

What an experience even in this matter of a brother's resignation from a service! What a rest and peace to simply trust in the Lord and let Him do His work! This was indeed a wonderful life lesson learnt from the resignation of a servine one.

Honor Thy Parent

“Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with a promise, “That it may be well with you and that you may live long on the earth.” Ephesians 6:2-3, RecVer

God has graced me to honor my parent in the best possible way. As they came to stay with us in Gurugram for a month, my wife and I did all that we could to honor them by taking good care of them.

I, on my part, took care of all their medical needs, the main purpose for which they visited us. Especially, their dental works, whihc took a lot of time, with manynvisits to the dentist. My mom's denture work was done to the best of her satisfaction. And on her request, I also purchase the shoe of her choice. And for my dad, twenty four root canal treatment were done and he got a brand new set of teeth! It was indeed joy to witness them being so joyful with their brand new teeth. No matter what the dental treatment cost was, the joy of seeing them joyful was worth the price.

Two and half decades ago, it was they who still took care of me financially. Now, the role has reversed. As they grew more mature in age, my responsibility was to take care of them. The Lord has blessed me and graced me to be able to do my best to take care of them. 

Often, in our family prayers, my mom and dad would pray prayers thanking God from the depth of their being for meeting all their needs and also prayed for us and blessed us. To me that was what matters the most. Their acknowledgment of God's blessing and their prayer to God for blessing us meant a lot. 

One day, we went out for outing to Ambience Mall and I showed them things around with a treat at an eatery. Another day, I took them out for buying shoes. And another day, for a dinner lovefeast at a brother's house. In these practical ways of time spent together, their visitation was memorable and joyful.

After all works were accomplished exactly after a month's stay with us, I dropped them to Delhi Airport on the 10th April and they left home for Manipur. Overall, it was a wonderful family time spent together in Gurugram. 

Praise the Lord for all His provision and blessing! This is a practical way in which we could honor our parent. May the good God grant them good health and long life filled with peace and joy in the Holy Spirit!

Lesson on the Abyss

I am the First and the Last. And the living One; and I became dead, and behold, I am living forever and ever; and I have the keys of death and of Hades. Revelation of John 1:17-18, RecVer

The Lord Jesus Christ, after accomplishing redemption through the cross, went to the abyss, declaring God's victory over Satan and his followers. Then, He resurrected and entered into glory. Today, He is the Living One who has the keys of death and of Hades. As such a One, He is also the victorious One subjectively in the lives of the saints who give Him the full ground. 

Excerpt from HWMR Experiencing, Enjoying, and Expressing Christ (4)  Week 38 “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ that is, to bring Christ up from the dead”—Rom. 10:7: 

1. In Greek the word rendered as “abyss” is abyssos.

2. This word is used in Luke 8:31 in reference to the dwelling place of the demons—vv. 27, 33, 35, 38.

3. It also occurs in Revelation 9:1-2 and 11 to denote the place out of which the “locusts,” whose king is Apollyon, will come.

4. In Revelation 11:7 and 17:8 it signifies the place out of which the beast, which is the Antichrist, will ascend.

5. In Revelation 20:1 and 3 it specifies the place into which Satan will be cast and imprisoned during the millennium.

6. In Romans 10:7 abyss points to the place Christ visited after His death and before His resurrection, which place, according to Acts 2:24 and 27, is Hades, for Acts 2:24 and 27 reveal that Christ went into Hades after He died and rose from that place in His resurrection.

7. According to biblical usage, the word abyss always refers to the region of death and of Satan’s power of darkness into which Christ, after His death, descended as into the lower parts of the earth (Eph. 4:9), which He conquered, and from which He ascended in His resurrection.

The burden in studying and knowing concerning the abyss or Hades is to be brought to the experience of the Lord’s victory that He accomplished at the cross. The experiences of the saints being built up in the Body is the defeat of Hades.

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18, RecVer

There are the objective literal abyss and Hades, but the burden is to experience subjectively the overcoming of such a region of darkness in the domain of the devil. In principle, where Christ reigns, there is life, light, victory, and glory. Though Christ is in the spirit of the saints today, the question is, whether this Christ in the spirit also reigns in the souls of the saints. To be in Christ and Christ in us is one thing. Yet, to live in Christ and to let Christ live in us is yet another thing. The need of the time is to let Christ live in us and enjoy the Christ of Christ.

That Christ may make His home in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love, Ephesians 3:17, RecVer

A senior and mature brother had released his burden in the recent training after his many years of walking with the Lord, the need to allow Christ to make His home in our hearts. He even prayed a prayer that can be prayed again and again,  that the Lord may have access to the deepest part of our being. In that way, where the Lord is, there is the victory.

Two weeks ago, I was assigned this message to lead the saints in PSRP on the Lord’s Day afternoon. Initially, I reckon the message as too objective. However, as I studied, prepared, and prayed over the points, the Lord gave me new light. While PSRPing with the saints, I enjoyed the Lord's anointing so much so that the message also touched me so deeply, together with all the saints. As I encouraged the saints, I was also so much encouraged to be fully open to the Lord and give the Lord full access to the deepest part of my being. In this way, the victory of the Lord Jesus as the Living One who has the keys of death and of Hades will be my victory as well. I don't need to fight for victory for it has already been accomplished. I must enjoy that victory by allowing Christ to make His home in my heart.

What a relief to know this truth! What a rest and peace to learn this secret! It's all vain to fight the wrong battle of the self against death and Hades. Even if anyone tries, it will all be futile. If we are wise enough, we will not even try. Instead, open to the Lord, and allow Christ to come and make His home in our hearts. Then, Christ is the Victor will be our victory as well!

Last Lord’s Day, when I gave the concluding words, an echoing of the same burden in the previous week's PSRP, the saints could respond with amens and resonate the same burden as we all have trouble fighting with death and Hades in principle in our daily lives. What a time speaking of the Lord! What a ministry of the word! What a divine dispensing through the word!

Praise the Lord! Christ is Victor!