Crowd of Cares

2 Corinthians 11:28

….the crowd of cares pressing upon me daily, the anxious concern for all the churches.

Paul’s experiences were hardly to be understood and felt by many believers today, not excluding myself. Never did I realize the significance of what Paul wrote in this verse, “crowd of cares….anxious concern” until recently when I heard about not so good report of a new local church the Lord graced me to fellowship with. One night I was deeply troubled by the “bad news” of that church. However, as I brought the matter to the Lord, the Lord encouraged me that if that local church is truly of Him, a genuine local church, nothing can mar the Lord’s testimony. There may be turmoil or even ups and downs among the saints, but the Lord’s testimony will ever be His testimony, come what may.

For a couple of days, I could not call the brothers for fellowship. But one night I received an email concerning the proposal to visit that church. Immediately I called up the brother and we had a good fellowship; peace was restored within. There are still  misunderstandings on certain matter of doing things, that’s why there is a need for more fellowship among the churches. No room should be given for doubt and suspicion. Trust the Lord and trust one another. Differences in opinion may be there as long as we are human being as we are still all on the process of being transformed.

Pondering over these, the words of Paul, I can understand a little bit. The crowd of cares and anxious concern are genuinely from a heart that cares for the saints and the churches. Otherwise, a step-motherly care will bother not a bit. Genuine care is all that one needs to care for the church.

I now leave all to the Lord, even my care to the care of the Lord. May the Lord do what is in His heart and recover the fellowship, oneness, blending and building of His churches.

The same experiences happen with all the saints the Lord graced me to care for, some new ones, some families and some relatives. The presence of such “crowd of cares and anxious concern” is a manifested sign of genuine shepherding. Minus these, would be an organizational care according to the tree of knowledge of good and evil issuing in death and darkness, a degraded religious way.

Lord, grant me the genuine burden and gracious care to shepherd those You want me to fellowship with.

Watering the Dry Land

Genesis 2:10

And a river went forth from Eden to water the garden, and from there it divided and became four branches.

Exodus 17:6

I will standing before you here upon the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it so that the people may drink…

Guwahati, is one of the target cities for the Lord’s strong testimony to be raised up. A decade has passed by since the Lord’s work in His recovery began. There is yet to be a solid, stable and strong testimony of Jesus to be manifested. Seeds have been shown, prayers have been offered, ploughing has been done and still the harvest is yet to take place. All preparation over the phone seems futile and the spiritual atmosphere seems so dry and barren. However, we don’t go by our own feeling and humanly limited judgment, rather we depend on the Lord and His blessings to be bestowed in time. Sometimes, it seems discouraging, but the Lord is ever my hope, my trust and my strength.

As I was on the train towards Guwahati, the Lord strengthened me over and over again by His speaking through the ministry of the word. Genesis 2:10 “And a river went forth from Eden to water the garden, and from there it divided and became four branches.” The saints going to Guwahati for the preaching of the kingdom of God is a “a river went forth from Eden to water the garden.” Indeed, the saints going in one accord is the flowing of the river to water the dry garden. Wherever the ministry goes, there the speaking of the Lord is and there is the supply of life. And where there is life supply there will be the testimony of Jesus. The saints’ coordination in flowing along with the Lord’s move is the flowing of the river. However dry the land may be, water always can quench the dry and thirsty land and make it fertile for the church tree to grow and flourish and bear abundant fruits.

Exodus 17:6

I will standing before you here upon the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it so that the people may drink… The Lord further spoke that we who cooperate with Him have the authority to stand in oneness with Him and strike the rock that water may gushes forth. So we are here to do the same, to strike the rock with the rod of authority having passed through death and resurrection. And see the Lord’s bountiful supply of grace and life for the Lord’s testimony in Guwahati. Hallelujah!

Battle Fought in the Will

God has given free will to man after He created him, and never will He interfere in man’s will any longer. However, He desires that man chooses Him, eats Him, receives Him, contains Him, expresses Him and even becomes Him. The best He did was to place Himself before man as a tree of life. Nevertheless, He also placed the tree of the knowledge of good and evil along with other trees signifying His greatness.

Now, in the universe there are the divine will, the satanic will and the human will. Amidst the two ever battling divine will and satanic will, is the human will. What man chooses to unite with, that will triumph over the other. Today the spiritual battle is fought in the will!

Last Lord’s day, the speaking of the Lord was so vivid; it confirmed what I have been going through. Man’s will decides with whom he wants to collude with. Today, the Lord has revealed His will to us, the believers, so our responsibility is to cooperate with God. Once we exercise our free will to choose God, God will grant us the grace to overcome His enemy, He will strengthen us, fight with us in victory.

The prophesy the Lord blessed me last Lord's day was encouraging the saints to use our free will and choose to eat of the tree of life, live and walk in the line of life, living in the principle of depending on God for everything, treasuring His presence and being one with Him; and actively and aggressively choosing God in the on going spiritual battle.

This week the gospel move in India has commenced in an intensified way. It all now depends on our cooperation with the Lord for His purpose. Whoever chooses to cooperate with the Lord, he will receive God’s bountiful supply and abundant grace to ultimately confirm the victory of the Lord. On the one hand, the battle belongs to the Lord, and at the same time, the realization of the victory is to all who choose to cooperate with God in His move.

Lord, I choose Your will and pledge to cooperate with You in Your move. Grant me the grace and the strength I need.

Hospitality (2)

In May 2012 I blogged on the matter of hospitality, mostly on the truth side of "hospitality." The blog is on this link: http://palmeichung.blogspot.in/2012/05/hospitality.html

Though I am well aware of the truth, I could not really practice it. Viewing my contribution in the church-life on the cherishing side of shepherding in human care, I feel I am an utter failure. This is one of the area I feel I need to improve a lot. And I wanted to fare well in this matter. I have been observing how other saints gave hospitality and how they practically did it. I did admire them and have been hoping that one day I may as well be able to do the same.

The Lord is good. Recently he gave me an opportunity to serve saints from abroad, different saints, coming at different times, almost in a sequence; everything time more service than the one before, including time, money and energy spent. O it was a great blessing and joy to be able to serve the saints and give the best hospitality within my capacity.

Never did I think I could ever give hospitality, but praise the Lord, the Lord graced me this time to do it! With whatever the Lord blessed me with, money, time and energy, I just poured it out for the saints expecting nothing in return, and not even bothering to exposed myself, to spend and be spent for the saints. O what a blessing!

May the Lord broaden my heart and enlarge my capacity even more. The Lord's blessings were very instant. The first visit of the saints impressed me with many life-lessons and has been perfecting me in my area of service; the second visit blessed me with a trustful fellowship in the Body for the Body - more blending and building, and the third visit equipped me with practical services to the point of giving up my personal interest and serve the saints. These indeed are blessings in disguise. The inner joy and peace is inexplicable. 

Paul put it well when he wrote:

Contribute to the needs of the saints; pursue hospitality. Romans 12:13

Do not forget hospitality, for through this some, without knowing it, have entertained angels. Romans 12:13

Lord, make me such a one--pursuing hospitality.

God's Blessings

Psalm 127:1, 2

Unless Jehovah builds the house, Those who build it labor in vain. Unless Jehovah keeps the city, The guard watches in vain.

It is vain for you to rise up early, To lie down late, To eat the bread of toil; All the same, He gives to His beloved while they sleep.

These days as many saints including me are praying for the Lord's move all over India and especially the cities the Lord burdened us to go and preach the gospel of the Kingdom, I have been personally looking to the Lord in prayer. The outward environment so far does not seem to go well in line with the burden and goal within. But as the Lord encouraged me deeply concerning His blessing and spoke His rhema words to me from Psalms 127 I resigned myself in Him in utmost rest and bliss.

The work of the Lord belong's to the Lord; He is the husbandman of His vineyard and He knows how to take care of it well. I need not worry nor doubt an iota of His word. It is Jehovah who will build His house; otherwise its all a vain labor. Yes, we need to toil and labor in Him, in His time, in His will and in His way. But not trusting in our own labor but on the Lord's blessings upon our labor in Him. It is indeed vain to rise up early and lie down late, and toil; the Lord gives His blessed REST. What a comfort! 

The city I am burdened for, this time, is Guwahati, the leading city in the North East of India. Many seeds have been sown by way of ministry books distribution, gospel preaching for years, yet still after a decade not a significant and solid pillar for the Lord's testimony in His recovery. The saints' prayers and burden will never be in vain. The divine seed cannot die, it must sprout to be the church-tree!

Initial preparatory work is not very satisfying though. But I cease to see and believe the outward; I'd rather turn to the Lord in trustful prayer. At this juncture of preparation, the word of the Lord is that if He blesses, it will be blessed. The footnotes of the Recovery Version on Psalms 127:2 says, 

"If the Lord does not do anything for us, whatever we do will be in vain. We need to labor in the Lord and by His grace (1 Cor. 15:10, 58; Col. 1:28-29), but what the result will be depends not on our labor but on God's care and blessing. Instead of toiling and striving in ourselves, we need to trust in Him and rest in Him, for He gives to His beloved even while they sleep."

The ministry of the word has supplied me richly over and over again. By the Lord's speaking my faith has been strengthened very much. I am now fully at rest. If the work is of the Lord's, He will accomplish it by all means, come what may. On the contrary, if the work is not of the Lord, I would also be most happy to meet with failure as it is not of the Lord, and I would not bother even, because it is not of the Lord. O what a rest to know and simply trust in the Lord and rest in Him. Yet at the same time, cooperate with Him in His move against all odds.

God's works done in God's way and in God's time will always meet God's blessings.

Persevere in Prayer

Ephesians 6:18

18 By means of all prayer and petition, praying at every time in spirit and watching unto this in all perseverance and petition concerning all the saints,

All the items of the armor of God for spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6 are all Christ in different aspects. These are to be used in the Body for the Body. The application of these armors in our daily Christian life is by persevering prayer; the connecting link between the truth of the armor of God and the army of God who are armed with the armor of God for spiritual warfare is prayer, even persevering prayer.

All the messages that have been heard, all the words that have been read can all be made real in prayer. After the ITERO in Bangkok, on the last day, I was so much impressed with the truths, visions and revelations. I wish not that they fade away after the training. I deeply desired that all that I have heard be real to me in my daily living for the Body. 

Back to our lodge, I went before the Lord in prayer, digesting, pondering, musing upon the words over and over again. I longed that they all me subjective to me. The more I prayed over the messages, the more the Lord burdened me to pray  and pray. I really enjoyed the Lord's presence and anointing. Many burdens were released concerning my service, the church life in my locality, the burden for propagation, my old classmates and colleagues, and many personal matters. When all the burdens were released it was past midnight and I discovered to my surprise how time ran so fast; four hours at a stretch is just like few seconds. After the prayer, I was so released and was full of peace and joy.That was just a foretaste of what the Lord's presence would be in eternity in the New Jerusalem.

The next day, as we were in Bangkok airport, awaiting our home bound flight I was browsing my Facebook on my Phablet, then I saw an old classmate online, the very one I prayed strongly and specifically the previous night. I chated with him, made him aware that I still remembered him in my prayer. I felt the Lord already answered the prayer offered for him. He will be saved! 

When I came back to my locality, again I heard reports of the Lord's blessings in the church! Saints were functioning and brothers were being raised up to be pillars for the church. And few more day later, as I had fellowship with my sister, I was joyful to learn all the wondrous deeds the Lord has done in her life,  in preaching the gospel in the campus, saving people and shepherding them into the church life!

The Lord is faithful to His word. We only need to realize every Word of the Lord in persevering prayer. 

Pray and pray; persevere in prayer. Lord, make me such a man of prayer.

Reign in Life

Reigning in life, is a phrase ordinary to my hearing ear till this message on the same matter in Bangkok, ITERO. I have been illusioned to think that perhaps, I was reigning. But to the contrary, as the Lord's light shown through the unveiling of the Word, I could see myself where I have been so far; far from reigning, even no way near.

At the point when the seeing of reigning in life was spoken, I felt it was too high for anyone to be such; again that's just my natural concept. But as the words were ministered, more light dawned till I exalt in exultation that I, indeed I, could reign in life by receiving the abundance of grace!

Recovery Version Notes

Romans 5:17

17 For if by the offense of the one death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the ¹abundance of grace and of the gift of ²righteousness will ³reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

---

17¹ Those who receive the abundant grace are able to reign in life, for life issues out of the abundance of grace.

17³ The life we have received does not merely save us from a few things; rather, it enthrones us as kings to reign over all things. This is much higher than being saved in life. We have received righteousness objectively, but we still need to continually receive the abundance of grace so that we can reign in life subjectively. This reigning is defined in chs. 6--16; all the matters expounded there are the issue not of our endeavoring but of our receiving the abundance of grace.

What a salvation again! Just by receiving the abundance of grace, Christ enjoyed by us, we have the ability to reign in life; not of human struggling and striving, but of grace.

This message, though I knew it doctrinally already many years ago, I never realized it subjectively. I still had the inner consciousness of striving to reign in life on the principle of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Now its none of my struggling but the receiving of the abundance of grace that can make me reign in life. Hallelujah! Being so much helped by this vision it even became my prophecy during the time for sharing.

By grace, I can submit to authority and exercise authority. By grace, I can subdue all in-subordination and reign in life. And by grace, I can truly reign in life for the Body life. Grace, grace and grace, abundant grace, God in Christ enjoyed by man! 

Lord, keep me enjoying You as grace, even abundant grace to reign in life for the Body life.

Be Focussed

During the ITERO Bangkok, the message on "Knowing the Body" was a great light to me. My understanding of the Body has become much deeper; mostly related to the intrinsic dealing of one who sees and knows and lives in the Body. The more I see the Body, the more my "self" is dealt with, and the more I am limited and restricted. Just to realize and live the reality of this realization is a great salvation. 

As a member of the Body, I must recognize the function and gift of other members and honor them genuinely. All self exaltation, pride, envy, jealousy and hidden comparison and competitions even among believers are the issues of not seeing and knowing the Body enough. I had been one of such. But by the Lord's mercy, the light has shone and the veil has torned. What a great relief and what a salvation!

The more one grows in the Lord and sees, knows and lives the Body life, the more one is focused in his service. Which indirectly means, he is no longer ambitious to be a "hero", an "all-inclusive brother" who loves be honored and recognized among every field in the Lord's vineyard. When listening to the ministry of the word on this particular matter, I was so much helped. 

The Lord has sovereingly assigned a portion in His Body for my service, and He has graced and blessed me for this service, so I must be focused and single-eyed with all faithfulness, prudence and righteousness to carry out the Lord's commission; a service in the "dungeon" of literature publication. What a blessing! And what a glory!

Prior to this realization  I was also burdened for many things in addition to my official commission. I dare not mean it to annihilate all of them, but I must be focused on what and where I should be. This burden should not be preceded by any other burdens whatsoever. As time allows and grace bestows, I may participate in them too, but with much restriction, and always be faithfully focused! 

Lord, grace me to be fully focused and be faithful to Your sovereign arrangement!

God’s Sovereignty Even In Our Mistakes

Two months ago a brother who would be visiting us officially had accepted my proposals for his schedule during his visit in India. Though I was aware that his coming was specifically for official purpose, still I scheduled many unofficial appointments. Later, when he came, it was to his surprise that many unofficial appointments were carried out. Though not entirely useful as far as the purpose of visit was concerned, it nevertheless was a great blessing for those with whom appointments were made. He also made the mistake of not delving deep into the schedule yet approving it. I myself also did not really realized the seriousness of it in the beginning. But when he mentioned it, it convicted me of my lack of sight. The two of us committed a mutual mistake. However, the Lord was sovereign and all worked out to be good.

Every schedule went well, yes, especially for me. To me it was lessons of life. I could learn many things in fellowship with the brother. At least in nine major areas of my service, the Lord opened my eyes to see what need to be corrected and improved. The Lord graced me to note these and incorporate them into my living and service. O what a grace.

Accompanying a brother and be at his service as to the Lord was a blessing. Our bond became stronger, and I could open up more to him for any fellowship related to my service. Apart from this, I also experienced the anointing of the Lord in just being at his service; as member honoring another member. This is a real life experience of a Body life.

Lord, grant me more experience of You in Your Body.

Check and Confirm

The Lord is training me these days in my character. I have been taking so many things for granted and of late, the Lord is exposing me that I may learn and be perfected in my words and deeds.

A checklist was sent to me before traveling to Bangkok for LMA fellowship and ITERO. But I did not pay heed to it assuming I knew what needed to be taken. For instance, I should have taken Universal Converter, Umbrellas etc. But later, I found I did not take these items, though not very important. The Lord used this opportunity to expose me of not being serious. He even convicted me in my conscience that led me to repentance and prayer that I may always check and confirm before proceeding for anything further.

If I am not trained in my character, in small things, never will I be useful to God. Every minute detail of my living and service must be touched by the Lord and must pass through the dealing of the cross, then and only then, I can be useful to Him. Lord, make me such a one.

Even as a company would go through all the checklists of production procedures before marketing a product, and even rectifying any defect discovered later on, to keep the company afloat and successful, so much more, as a Christian I must be trained to check and confirm any matters or things to be a fruitful and useful vessel to the Lord. 

Here in Bangkok, the Lord’s shining and speaking enlightened me. I could see myself where I am; far away from where I should be. This brought me to turn to the Lord genuinely, looking for His grace that I may learn what I need to learn, lessons of life, lesson by lesson. Meetings like this where many brothers come together for conference and blending under the speaking of the Lord is of a great help to me. What a blessing that I am in the Lord’s recovery! What a mercy, what a grace! Thank you Lord!