A Brother's Prayer

Hosea 6:1 - Come and let us return to Jehovah;For He has torn us, but He will heal us,And He has stricken us, but He will bind us up.Hosea 6:2 - He will enliven us after two days;On the third day He will raise us up,And we will live in His presence.Hosea 6:3 - Therefore let us know, let us pursue knowing Jehovah:His going forth is as sure as the dawn,And He will come to us as the rain,As the late rain which waters the earth.

This morning the Lord blessed me and my brother with His word. A timely speaking of the Lord indeed. This exactly was what my brother needef at the moment. As we pray-read these verses, the Lord's speaking was even more clear. 

I enjoyed and amened my brother's prayer, phrase by phrase, verse by verse:

Come and let us return to Jehovah;

Lord, I return to you. Forgive all my sins; secret sins and hidden sins. Forgive me for leaving the church life, doing my own independent ministry. Lord forgive me.

He sobed. Lord I return to You.

For He has torn us, but He will  heal us,

Yes, You turned me, but You healed me. Thank You Lord Jesus!

And He has stricken us, but He will bind us up.

Yes, You have stricken me, but You bind me up. Amen.

He will enliven us after two days;

On the third day He will raise us up,

And we will live in His presence.

Yes, we will live in Your presence! Lord, preserve me in Your presence.

Therefore let us know, 

Amen, Lord! Let me know...

let us pursue knowing Jehovah:

Yes. Pursue knowing Jehovah! In spending time with You in prayer, in reading the Bible, in pursuing the truth of the ministry, in fellowshipping with the members of Your Body..

His going forth is as sure as the dawn,

Yes, as the dawn. Recover me, let me have a new beginning as the dawn. Yes Lord, new beginning...

And He will come to us as the rain,

Lord, come as the rain. Pour down Your spiritual blessing as the rain.

As the late rain which waters the earth.

Lord, I might have missed the former rain, but You still have the late rain. Yes, late rain for me. Hallelujah! Amen...

As we enjoyed pray-reading the Lord's word, my brother cried out in between in deep repentance. 

The prayer issued in praises to Him with a declaration, "Lord, I love You!" Then we sang a hymn:

O Lord, I love You,

I really love You,Without You life’s really nothing.You are so attracting,And You are so charming;Your riches are unsearchable.Your name’s so dear and sweet,Calling makes one satisfied,Now You are mine and I am Thine, Lord;Joined and mingled with You,God-man incorporation,Foretaste of the New Jerusalem.

https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/ns/25

Then, a hymn by brother Howard Higashi:

1Lord, keep my heart always true to You,Never backsliding, always viewing You,A heart that is pure that sees only You,A heart that loves You and treasures only You. 

Your love constrains me to give my all to You.Lord, I can’t help it; my heart is drawn to You.
Oh what a privilege! I give myself to You!I love You, Lord, dearest Lord.I love You! I just love You! 

2Lord, keep my love burning brightly for You,A love never dwindling always hot for You,A love, shining brighter all the way for You,A love, so fresh like the day I first touched You. 

3Lord, take my life, I present it to You!             If I had a thousand, I’d pour all on You!Nothing withholding, my all is for You.My life and my future, dear Lord, is all for You.  

We enjoyed the Lord together in prayer, praising and consecration. Even personally, I freshly enjoyed the depth of the hymn yet with all simplicity. So sweet, and yet so significant. 

In my brother's prayer was my prayer too. Praise the Lord!

     

Learn, Learn and Learn...

He who ceases to learn ceases to grow.

This is my own dictum learned from lessons of life learned in experiences. I have been so convinced and confirmed that I must be opened to learn and learn and learn; be it physical, psychological or even spiritual, I must learn and learn...

As I have been travelling and meeting different people of different tribes, tongues and traditions, there are many things worth learning. As I observed them, the Lord impressed me on certain matters to learn from them. It enlightened me in many aspects of life, and in many cases educated me. Even in the negative things I observed and learned not to repeat history.

Especially in spiritual matters, I have many things to learn; mostly on the negative side, not to be a part of or repeat the fallen and degraded sytem of Christianity. Even the Christian groups that I used to revere so much because of the strong testimonies of the spiritual leaders or founders, after their demises, they seems to have fallen too low to the extent of dividing up into pieces of independent assemblies. Only if the goal of spirituality is known to them in building up the Body of Christ, things would not have turned to be so ugly. Thank God, the Lord saved me from such system. And may the Lord preserve me purely for His Body.

Since yesterday I had a particular time of fellowship with a brother who strayed away from the Body life and ventured into the mire of religious Christianity for thirteen years and shared openly and frankly all the impurity and mixture in the so called "ministry", I learned not to repeat this negative history. However, there is no guarantee in myself that I would not be the same as such workers. I learn to depend on the Lord, trusting Him in His mercy and grace , to be preserved wholly and holy for the Lord's eternal purpose.

Thank God for the many testimonies, positive and negative, to learn from. Only that God continue to grace me to learn and learn and learn...

Not only in spiritual matters, but in physical things too; in the way we were given hospitality, the care and concern, the love and respect we received from different believers, how they manages their household affair, family relationships between husbands and wives, parent and children, education, job and marriages etc. Even in a down to earth things like household set up, office set up, designs and prints, I captured them on my phone camera. Yes, to study and review, or perhaps to improve from what was learned. I am so glad that I have the heart to learn, and much more, I enjoy learning them.

What a blessing to be able to learn and learn and learn.

Lord, keep my heart open to learn from You through all channels You channelled to me. That I may learn and learn and learn. Even, learn till my last breadth. That I may never cease to learn, and never cease to grow.

A Brother's Recovery

James 5:19 - My brothers, if any one among you is led astray from the truth and someone turns him back,

James 5:20 - Let him know that he who turns a sinner back from the error of his way will save that one’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Note on "sinner" from the Holy Bible, Recovery Version.

According to the context of these two verses, this is not an unbelieving sinner but a believing brother who has been led astray from the truth and is turned back from his error to the truth. Hence, the salvation of his soul does not refer to the eternal salvation of the person but to the dispensational salvation of his soul from the suffering of physical death under God’s discipline. James may also have considered all the virtues covered in vv. 7-20 to be aspects of practical Christian perfection.

The Lord has brought us to a brother who has indeed gone astray from the truth for the past thirteen years. Nevertheless, God's mercy never fails. We had no plan to come to him this time as our burden was on the ministry literature. But, due to present circumstances of the church here, though we considered to rescheduled it, the Lord still brought us here; our brother received us warmly.

As we fellowshipped, the Lord made it very clear to us why He brought us here; to recover His chosen ones, especially our brother. Our fellowship was so sweet and joyful as it was indeed the Lord's perfect plan. A couple of months ago he had called already and plans were made for fellowship, however nothing worked. Every attempt was thwarted by the enemy by various attacks. However, prayer and the Lord's mercy never ceases.

As we fellowshipped, brother has opened up all his past failures, his wandering in the wilderness, his experiences with different "Christian ministries and ministers", his experiences even with anti-Christian groups with persecutions, his family and personal health situation, and even how he never felt peace from the Lord for all the so called "Christian works" he has been engaged in all these years. The conclusion of all his experiences was to come back to God's heart's desire for the testimony of Jesus, the building  up of the Body of Christ.

This was confirmed by the Lord's speaking yesterday concerning Ammi and Ruhamah; initially chosen but strayed away to be Lo-ammi and Lo-ruhamah, and finally restored back to be Ammi and Ruhamah: God's people who have obtained compassion from God.

Yesterday whole afternoon, evening and night he confessed and repented of all his past living and ministry apart from the Body, and we also fellowshipped with him concerning the Lord's word, His works and move even in India. And today morning as we walked and prayed, brother released his burden in prayer to be recovered and have a new beginning in Christ, to be fully in and with and for the Body of Christ. What a glorious and joyful moment indeed to experience the joy of the Lord's visitation and witness a brother willingly coming back in fellowship to serve together in the one work of the Lord for the building up of the one Body of Christ!

This morning, in my time with the Lord, the word confirmed what has transpired these days; "My brothers, if any one among you is led astray from the truth and someone turns him back, Let him know that he who turns a sinner back from the error of his way will save that one’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins".

Ammi and Ruhamah

In book of Hosea, Hosea bore children and named them as Jezreel, Lo-ruhamah and Lo-ammi (1:4, 6, 9) according to God's command as a prophesy concerning the house of Israel. Meaning that they would not obtain compassion from God nor would they be called God's people. But, God promised to restore them back to Himself with the promise of calling them "sons of the living God" (1:10). However, this prophesy and promise is fullfiled in the New Testament.

God indeed fulfilled His word under the victory of His love and will perfect His people making them His sons ultimately. In the New Testament, we the believers are the fullfilment His word. 

Born in sin into the world of sins and destined to die in sin, in time, we were redeemed and made His sons. As such, we have been restored and renamed from being  Lo-ruhamah and Lo-ammi to Ruhammah and Ammi. Meaning restored from being without God's compassion to God's compassion, from being not God's people to God's people. This indeed is the good news, the gospel of Jesus Christ, as the fulfillment of the prophesy in the Old Testament, experienced and enjoyed in the New Testament.

Jehovah's restoration is recorded in the following verses:

Hosea 2:14-16 - Therefore I am now luring her, 

And I will bring her into the  a wilderness

And will  speak to her heart.

And I will give her her vineyards from there

And the valley of Achor as a door of hope;

And she will respond there as in the days of her youth

And as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.

And in that day, declares Jehovah,

You will call Me My Husband

And will no longer call Me Baali.

Hosea 2:22 - And the earth will answer the grain

And the new wine and the fresh oil,

And they will answer Jezreel.

Hosea 2:23 - And I will sow her for Myself in the land;

And I will have compassion on Lo-ruhamah,

And I will say to Lo-ammi,  You are My people;

This is what I enjoyed in my time with the Lord this morning, the promised gospel in the Old Testament fulfilled in the New Testament:

Rom. 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the  glory of God,
Rom. 3:24 - Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.

Now, I am Ammi and Ruhamah, God's son having obtained God's compassion, so are all the genuine believers in Jesus Christ!

The Lord's Speaking Again

Not our human plan nor we ever thought about it. But the Lord arranged this morning for us to come to a small town about 17 kms away from Kakinada. This was an impromptu arrangement. To a brother's friend's house, after 18 years meeting again. This was indeed the Lord's sovereign arrangement.

Tonight, we had a wonderful fellowship on Grace: God in Christ as the Spirit for our Christian life for the church life. Beginning with the Spirit in Genesis 1:2, comparing and contrasting with the Spirit in John 7:39. The Spirit in the Old Testament though it was the Spirit of God essentially it could not regenerate man yet, until in the New Testament, He was incarnated, passed through human living, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension and descension, and entered into men, regenerating man making them His many children possessing His divine life and nature to be His expression and representation on the earth as the church, the testimony of Jesus. 

Furthermore we fellowshipped on John 14:16, concerning the promise of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, which was fullfiled, firstly as the inward filling in John 20:22, for a Christian life and living, producing His believers (John 20:17) and secondly as the outward filling in Acts 2:4 for the Christian work for propagation and multiplication, and the issue of such filling in Holy Spirit or baptism of the Holy Spirit is to produce the church His Body, to be His corporate expression and representation as the fullfilment of God's purpose in creating man in Genesis 1:26.

We further fellowshipped on the universal and local aspect of the church, the significance of the church, the divisions caused by Satan, the Lord's heart's desire for His dwelling place, the church, the importance of oneness, and the need for the Lord to recover His testimony as the church standing on the ground of oneness as the testimony of Jesus.

The believers were so impressed by the Lord's speaking again and as we prayed together on our knees, our brother prayed for the testimony of Jesus.

We have discharged our burden, and henceforth, the Lord may continue to speak to them and grace them for the testimony of Jesus here in Samalkot. 

Grace, God in Christ as the Spirit for our experience and enjoyment is for Christ and the church.

LITERATURE JOURNEY: Guntur

In this city our meeting began with a group of pastor seeking to know more of the Bible concerning the church as the Body of Christ. We fellowshipped extensively on the Church as revealed in the Bible and opened the meeting for any clarification. The questions asked were worthy of answers and we used the Bible to answer them all. 

1. What is the meaning of "being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets" in Ephesians 2:20?
2. In 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, there is the manifestation of different gifts. Are these different gifts exercised in different denominations not justifiable for the formation of different denominations?
3. In Galatians 1:6, what is "a different gospel?"

We used the Bible to answer questions on the Bible itself. The footnotes on the Recovery Version helps too, we answered and further expounded the corresponding Bible verses to our heart's content, and they themselves testified their gratitude for the answers.

Meeting with a TV Preacher and an Apologetic, and also a Brother.

Our meeting began with an introduction of who we are and the ministry books, followed by a little testimony on our experiences of Christ as life in our Christian lives, which he appreciated very much. But as to the use of the word "recovery version" for the Bible, he vehemently objected as far as translation or linguistics is concerned, on the ground that it is the same Bible as any other and the truths in the Bible are fully intact as it is in other translation too, with no additional words or phrases or verses that validated the word "recovery".  He suggested to use a different word. Our attempt to answer him was futile as he dubbed it as subjective in experiences rather than objective in the biblical text. Finally, I told him I would communicate in writing after checking with the translators themselves.

He at one time had alerted and warned the believers on TV about "Witness Lee", as generally dubbed for the saints taking and standing on the ground of oneness as a local church, to be aware. His reason for such warning was that we had created a ripple among Christians these days, especially in Andhra Pradesh. To me that was a good news, as the Lord's move has been intensified in India these days.

Then I questioned him on what biblical basis as an Apologetic did he warn the believers in public on TV? I asked further, "Have you read any writings of Witness Lee? Can you point out which title book, chapter, and content that is against the Bible? And can you give any valid and solid Bible verses to proof the accusations?" He had none and said that he needed to study first.

I fellowshipped with him as brother in Christ to be beware of rumours and hearsay without any truth nor authenticity in it. And warned that we will be judged for every word we speak especially accusing our fellow brothers without any truth in it. And further gave testimony to him of the research done by CRI and their conclusion, and also requested him to do a thorough research on our teachings, beliefs and the practices, on which he agreed to personally do it in his time even as I would send him links for his references. 

I also testified of the refutation with a vehement former opposer in Mumbai, and a meeting with an Apologetic in Hyderabad recently, who all ultimately confessed the false accusation and misrepresentation and testified to our orthodoxy to the truths of the Bible. With this meeting his whole attitude toward us changed.

As I requested him to pray, he also requested me to pray. His prayer was so touching as he humbled himself and confessed that he is just a man and God is the supreme Judge and thanked God for this opportunity of open heart and transparent fellowship face to face. He even prayed for us that the Lord may lead us on and on and bless us even as we continue our journey to spread the ministry of word. He also thanked the Lord that we met him and cleared off the air of misunderstanding. I also followed suit in prayer that the Lord may forgive us wherever we might have gone wrong and that He may cause us to grow up to Him unto maturity, and that He may lead all of us in whatever we do, for the building up of the Body of Christ.

He thanked us for the visit and we thanked him too for his time and openess for a face to face talk. With this visit we all felt the Lord's presence and speaking, and were full of peace. 

May the Lord guide us further for the follow up fellowship, and the Lord may, in His multifarious wisdom, use every attack of the enemy for the accomplishment of His eternal economy and for His testimony in India.

Greek on Wheels

Since the very beginning of learning biblical Greek online, it has been my desire to finish exercises well on time before the due date. This time I had to travel for the ministry of the word and decided to finish the lesson due before I started the literature journey. To that extent I requested the serving ones to open the exercise time a week before it's scheduled time. However, many unavoidable works needed my attention so urgently that I had to postpone my Greek until before the due date and not before I started my journey.

Even as I began the literature journey I had to find time whenever possible to study Greek. While travelling in the bus or train or in three wheelers, I had to study and do all the exercises due. I dared not sacrifice my official literature service for Greek, nor Greek for my official duty. Looking to the Lord for more grace I tried my best to do both with the best of my ability. And I believed it was possible. The Lord really did grace me, and I enjoyed a wonderful learning of Greek on the move, Greek on wheels.

Against all odds, of finding time to study and a system to work out the exercises online, it was a trying time indeed. As much as I struggled to find time, my laptop would not cooperate with me either; a technical snag again and again would bother me. Nevertheless, I turned to my smartphone to do the online exercises. Thanks to the phone that is really smart indeed, a well deserved praise for a laptop substitute, only if it were an organic thing possibly personified to acknowledge my gratitude.

This experience was deeply motivated by a couple of things. First, the desire to learn Greek at all cost. Second, the importance of learning Greek for God's economy, as translation of the Recovery Version Bible of the New Testament into Indian languages are so important and the need so urgent. It cannot be delayed or neglected at any cost. Third, the universal dictum, "where there is a will, there indeed is a way", come what may, came alive all the way.

This experience is so marvellous. Greek on wheels...

The Lord's Speaking

Today morning as I coordinated with young brothers to clean the meeting hall campus here in the church in Guntur, a brother informed me of the need to minister the word in the meeting today. As I cleaned and looked to the Lord for His speaking I fellowshippwd with my brother the burden of releasing the truths of the Bible, the crucial points of the major items of the Lord's recovery today. These are the messages the Lord burdened me to dive into, get constituted with and minister. Every week in the local church in Gurgaon, I released the overview of the burden every week. Now in the final ninth week on the Holy Word for Morning Revival, I have covered and am somewhat constituted with the truths and the burdens. The Lord knows, this is the right time to release these burdens. And so He arranged this opportunity.

God's economy is the dispensing of the Triune God as life and life supply to the believers for the constitution and building up of the organic body of Christ that consummates the New Jerusalem. For this God the Father had planned, God the Son, Jesus Christ had accomplished the plan and God the Spirit applies to the believers the plan of God, in Christ Jesus as the consumated Spirit , dispensing the eternal and divine life of God to the believers for the producing of the church, the Body of Christ, standing on the ground of oneness and building up the organic Body of Christ to fullfil God's eternal purpose.

With the objective truth released, subjective experiences were also testified, ministering and dispensing life to the saints. The Lord's speaking was so subjective as the saints testified in the prophesy meeting of how much and on what points the Lord spoke to them. Praise the Lord!

Later, after the meeting and lovefeast, a serving brother fellowshipped with me to minister the word again in the young people meeting. The burden released was on the importance of clearance of the past according to the Holy Spirit's conviction and leading to clear any and every hindrances in the experience and growth in life. Then the burden on prayer as touching God in the Spirit was released, with subjective and practical help on scheduling specific time for prayer, receiving prayer burdens from the Lord and faithfully praying and living a prayer life. The saints enjoyed the Lord's speaking again and prayed in the end a corporate prayer for clearance of the past and prayer life. With the objective truths released, there were substantiation with subjective experiences as testimonies. Praise the Lord!

The Lord's speaking was so subjective, real and timely. Amen.

Lord, continue to speak...

My Brother's Portion

As I have been travelling with my brother in coordination for the propagation of the ministry of the word, the Lord grace me to enjoy my brother's portion which the head Christ in his sovereign wisdom has apportioned to him. Wherever we went, whomever we met, the Lord's speaking has been so timely and apt, through whoever of us. When my brother ministers to the local people in Telugu though I do not know the language I amen his speaking and stand with him in one accord. In my spirit I enjoy the flow of life.

Not that I try to be one with him, doing my best to adjust with him, but we are just one inwardly and outwardly without any effort of "trying to be one." In everything that we do, there has been an inward harmony spontaneously. In the ministry of the word, the Spirit's speaking has been so sweet, we took turns at times and  just my brother at other times. No contention, no competition nor comparison, but just coordinating as co-workers. What a blessed experience this has been!

This is the deeper lesson I have been learning in coordination. I thank the Lord for this opportunity. Not neglecting my own portion nor despising my brother's portion, but accepting one another's portion, honoring it for the building up of one another. And ultimately, all our portions and functions are for the building up of the Body of Christ.

This is the body-life, this is the church life. What a blessing to learn this lesson; honoring my brother's portion. I am beginning to experience and enjoy Psalms 133.

Dew of Heaven: Note from the Holy Bible, Recovery Version 

Psa. 133:31a  dew  Prov. 19:12;  Micah 5:7  Signifying the fresh and refreshing grace of God, which comes to us through God’s fresh compassions (Lam. 3:22-23; cf. Prov. 19:12). This grace—the Triune God processed and consummated to be our life supply for our enjoyment (John 1:14, 16-17; 2 Cor. 13:14)—waters us. Hermon, a high mountain, signifies the heavens, the highest place, from which the dew descends. The anointing of the Spirit (v. 2) and the supply of grace make it possible for us to live in oneness

Gates of Hades: Odd to Translation

Matthew 16:18 b, "The gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."

Since the very inception of the literature service in Telugu, especially, the translation service, there have been rampant attack on the serving ones. Our Hyderabad office was closed, and the serving ones went through a lot of crisis. Physical health issue, family problems, financial crisis and the likes. But somehow we managed to sail on despite the many hurdles. 

Last year we restructured the service responsibilities and it went on well. New serving ones have come in through fellowship. But soon, many of these saints have faced health issues that affected their services. For quite some time I have been wondering why it has to be so in this particular language. Beginning this year we started a Life-study project with two serving ones and some part timers joining in. No sooner than it began, one of them have serious health issue suddenly and the other serving one's father was hospitalised and is now in ICU. Last night, I with two brothers visited them.

As I have been on Ministry Literature Journey to select cities of Andhra Pradesh and Telengana, Telugu speaking region, I realised one important matter. There are thousands of seeker of the truth waiting for us to supply them the ministry of the word. I have heard testimonies of how seekers have read the ministry books and turned to take the way of the Bible in the practice of the church life, leaving religion and degraded Christianity, to enjoy and experience Christ in a new and living way for the building up of the church, the Body of Christ, and  Satan hates this. So is the attack.

When the ministry perfects the saints and builds up the Body of Christ as in Ephesians 4:12, which is the fulfillment of the Lord's prophesy in Matthew 16:18, Satan, the  gates of Hades, will not keep quite. No wonder the attack. But praise the Lord, he will not prevail against it. Hallelujah!

These are visible signs that the ministry is prevailing and it will fully prevail. Now I am so much strengthened for the service and function the Lord has entrusted me in the Body, in the literature service to build up the church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.

Press On

Our recent training for the leading and responsible  brothers for the churches in India was on pressing on from the tabernacle church life to the temple church life as seen in the history of the journey of the Ark from being in the tabernacle till the transition into the temple in Jerusalem. In type, there is also the enlargement of the material, size, weight and number typifying the need to press on in our experiences of the Christ.

What the Lord touched my being was in the materials used in the building of the temple, especially that of gold, bronze and stone besides the Cyprus wood, Cedar wood and olive wood.

The Church as the Temple of God—The Goal of God's Eternal Economy, Message Three, The Intrinsic Significance of the Materials of the Temple (2)

      Gold: 

IV. The major parts of the temple were made of wood overlaid with gold, signi-
fying man being overlaid—united, mingled, and incorporated—with God—
2 Chron. 3:7; 1 Kings 6:20-21, 30, 32, 35; 7:48-51:
A. The Lord’s recovery consists of God overlaying His recovered people with Him-
self.
B. Oneness is a matter of sinking deeply into the Triune God until we are fully
overlaid with gold; the only way to be kept in the real oneness is to have an
adequate amount of the experienced God—Eph. 4:3; Col. 2:19.  

Bronze:

VI C. Those who are useful to God are constantly under God’s judgment (bronze), realizing that they are men in the flesh, worthy of nothing but death and burial— Psa. 51:5; Exo. 4:1-9; Rom. 7:18; Matt. 3:16-17:   

1. We must judge ourselves as nothing and as being qualified only to be crucified; whatever we are, we are by the grace of God, and it is not we who labor but the grace of God—1 Cor. 15:10; Gal. 2:20; 1 Pet. 5:5-7.   

2. The reason for both division and fruitlessness among believers is that there is no bronze, nothing of God’s judgment; instead, there is pride, self-boasting, self-vindication, self-justification, self-approval, self-excuse and self-righteousness and condemning and regulating others instead of shepherding and seeking them—Matt. 16:24; Luke 9:54-55.   

3. When we love the Lord and experience Him as the man of bronze (Ezek. 40:3), He will become our extraordinary love, boundless forbearance, unparalleled faithfulness, absolute humility, utmost purity, supreme holiness and righteousness, and our brightness and uprightness—Phil. 4:5-8. 

Stone: 

VII. The stones of the temple signify Christ’s humanity in transformation, the transformed Christ—1 Kings 5:15-18; 6:7, 36; 1 Chron. 29:2; 2 Chron. 3:6: 

D. The New Testament speaks of living stones (1 Pet. 2:5), and the Old Testament  speaks of cut stones (1 Kings 5:15, 17-18; 6:7); the stones used for the building up of the church must be living inwardly and cut (dealt with) outwardly (2 Cor. 4:16): 

1. In the church some brothers and sisters can be compared to “wild” stones, freshly cut from the quarry and full of sharp edges; when they are contacted, they cause people to be hurt and to have an uncomfortable feeling.  

2. They are not stable enough to be built upon, to coordinate and serve with
others, to fight the battle with others, or to bear the Ark with others.  

3. Every piece of stone used for the building of the temple was, in principle, already cut and dealt with in the mountains; thus, the sound of hammer, ax, and iron tool was not heard, and the temple was built quietly—1 Kings 5:15-18; 6:7; cf. Isa. 30:15a.  

4. The church should be built without any “noise” of the self; the only sound in the church that we should hear is the music, “the joyful noise,” of calling on the Lord, rejoicing, praising, praying, thanking, and singing—Psa. 100:1-5; Acts 4:10-12; Phil. 4:4; Heb. 13:15; 1 Thes. 5:16-18; Col. 3:16-17; 1 Chron. 6:31-32. 

The Lord's speaking was so apt. It reminds me to come to the Lord again and gain to gain Him as gold, to sink into Him and to be overlaid with Him; to be judged daily in my daily living, in my words, thoughts and deeds; and to be dealt with and be a transformed stone to fitly framed and joint with other members in the Body. All these are for the building up of the Body of Christ.

Lord, grace me to press on and on.

LITERATURE JOURNEY: Khamman & Vijawaya

In Khamman the Lord arranged an elderly sister for our hospitality. In this city the Lord led us to some very senior and elderly brothers to whom we introduced the ministry books. In spite of all the decades of spiritual experiences, they all seemed to get stuck at maintaining the status quo of a Christian life. A brother even confessed how he weeps before the Lord for being stagnant spiritually and wonder why revival of the old have not happened, and why believers lost their interest in the things of God? Spiritual deadness, barrenness, division are plaguing the Christian world today. Another brother acknowledged how the ministry books we are distributing are so helpful to him; even the basic of pray-reading and calling upon the Lord's name have helped him a lot. Many have been drugged by religiosity and superstition in the cloak of spirituality. Even as we released our burden of letting the ministry known to all these dear saints, deep within me I felt how blessed I am to be in the ministry of the age. Had I not been shown mercy to take the way of the recovery I would have as well sunk into the mire of religiosity.

Later in the evening the Lord opened up a Pastor referred to us by a brother from Warangal to whom local brothers ministered the word for about two hours. May the Lord have His way in this city.

Our visit to Vijayawada was very joyous as the local church here and our brothers gladly coordinated with us, leading us to different Christian leaders; some are very famous Christian leaders, some elderly and spiritual ones and some young ones. The sweet coordination of the brothers is the most precious thing here.

One significant meeting was with a well known brother, very gifted, and who was introduced to the ministry, decade ago. In fact, he had introduced the ministry books to some seekers many years ago and are now in the church life, but he himself have not fully taken the way of the Lord's recovery. The seed of the ministry was already sown into him. As we fellowshiped with him late into the night, till an hour and half past midnight, the Lord's speaking was so sweet, full of anointing, we all enjoyed the flow of life.

Our brother opened up to confess his lack for fellowship and expressed his need for regular fellowship with fellow members in the Body. As the Lord burdened us, we ministered on the ministry of the age of building up the Body of Christ and Lord's recovery of oneness, the preeminance of the all-inclusive Christ, the functioning of the members of the Body of Christ, the fellowship of and in the Body of Christ and the building up of the Body of Christ. He was so happy that we visited him and acknowledged that it was the Lord visiting him to recover him. May the Lord fully recover him too.

Later we met an elderly brother who opened up for more fellowship and our brothers ministered to him over an hour. Just before we left Vijayawada an impromtu appointment was made with a Pastor who also turned out to be very seeking for the truth concerning the Christian life and the church life. As we ministered the word he received it whole heartedly and there will be a follow up fellowship. All these are the Lord's leading to the right people at the right time within the few days of our stay here. May the Lord recover him and the believers with him too for the economy of God.

LITERATURE JOURNEY: Warangal

An Answer to the Body's Prayer

Though we did not have any contact in this city despite being one of the target cities for propagation this year, as we came out of the train station we stood and prayed to the Lord to lead us. Meanwhile one sister's number was given to us by phone, later we met her, and she introduced us to a brother. 

As we introduced the ministry books to this brother, the Lord opened up his heart and he became very interested to fellowship with us. He gave us wonderful hospitality and directed us to different Christian leaders for the introduction of the books.

In the evening after dinner, we fellowship with this brother till midnight and also with his wife the following morning on various truths of the Bible. They were so happy and the brother exclaimed that we were the first people he met who knew the deep things of God  and ministered the high truths concerning the divinity and humanity of Christ, the organic oneness with Christ, the crucified and resurrected Christ and the subjective experiences therewith, the church as the Body of Christ, the corporate expression of Christ, the Body-Christ, mingling, blending, God's economy and the Lord's recovery. 

He was so joyful as many divine revelations he received from God in his time with the Lord, which he dared not reveal to anyone else before for lack of confirmation, were confirmed in our fellowship. He even said, "God has sent His angels as He visited Abraham of the Bible", "You are the first and only Christians I met who knows the truth...", "Deep calls unto deep", "I have been praying and seeking the Lord for years...", "I am not satisfied with routine Christianity full of religious things...", etc,.

Now he wants to dive into the ministry books as he avoided it for the past 20 some years because of false accusation against brother Watchman Nee. He regreted that he missed so much and confirmed that it was Satan who tried to hide the truths by evil speakings among Christians concerning the ministry books.

From now on, he wants to study the books and even the Holy Bible, Recovery Version with the notes and keep on fellowshiping with us for the Lord's further leading.

Pray for this brother and his family that they may be brought into the subjective enjoyment of Christ and into the reality and oneness, and the fellowship of the Body of Christ.

He is a well known Christian leader with believers spread all over AP & T, and his wife, a women Christian leader too.

Pray for the recovery of the testimony in Warangal and the follow up fellowship with this family.

A report posted on 9th February 2016.

Spiritual Reality

Spirituality is for the Body of Christ. All the gifts of God, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, different talents, functions of all members of the Body of Christ, are all for the building up of the Body of Christ. Otherwise, it will not meet the reality and purpose of spirituality. God is not after giants, but after a built up corporate Body of Christ. This is the work of God today, and to be one with God in His one unique work of building up the Body of Christ is genuine spiritual reality.

These days as we have been travelling, and meeting various Christian spiritual leaders and fellowshipping with them, my heart ache in the ignorance and negligence among the spiritual leaders in not seeing God's desire for the built up Body and much less in not doing the one work of the building up of the Body. To whomever the Lord opens the door, we fellowship on this matter. And the Lord has been very faithful, opening the door for the ministry of the word. He led us to the right people at the right time. Praise Him!

All those we met so far are so gifted and even blessed as well, materially and physically too. They too have wonderful testimonies of the Lord's leading all these years. As we opened up the matter of the Body, they pay need to all that the Lord apportioned and allowed us to minister. And they all amened the ministry of the word. 

The Lord's timing is perfect for this, as we and they all could testify in one accord that this is indeed true spirituality. To such seekers and lovers of the Lord we fellowshipped for hours till midnight. Praise the Lord for the Body. And may He recover the spiritual reality of the building up of the Body of Christ.

LITERATURE JOURNEY: Hyderabad & Secunderabad

In prayer and planning for the promotional and propagation of the ministry of the word, the Lord burdened me last December, and also in line with the fellowship from the brothers concerning distribution I fellowshipped and planned a ministry literature journey to selects cities of Andra Pradesh and Telengana. The first destination was the twin city of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. We used one whole week to do a thorough work meeting whoever we could meet.

The Lord has led us and blessed us in the ministry of the word through the introduction of the ministry books, even in the defense and confirmation of the truth whenever and wherever necessary. We met some key Christian leaders and bookstores owners/managers, Apologetic, Pastors, Theologians,  and seekers, and paved the way for the ministry books distribution.

The Lord's presence as we prayed for, became very precious to us. His anointing was so rich as He gave the timely word to minister to different Christian leading ones. The timing and venue was just perfect to release our burden. And the saints and the churches' coordination in prayer and our coordination in oneness brought in the Lord commanded blessing. Hallelujah!

Through this reaching out to our fellow Christian brothers, one whole Christian group has opened up for fellowship; and invited us to minister to their congregation last Lord's day. May the Lord recover them in His time and in His way.

The Lord blessed the meeting with these believers as we ministered on "the priesthood". And later with leading brothers we had fellowship on "life, the church and oneness". We spent about 5 hours together in fellowship and prayer.

It so happened that this group is known to others as "little flock". Besides, last year the spiritual character study for the vacation Bible school in the group was on Watchman Nee. 

Brothers and sisters there are lovers and seekers of the Lord. More follow up fellowship will continue with the saints there.

Follow the Brothers

In the principle of the Body, the Lord has been teaching me lessons on coordination. As I am with brothers coordinating with me in the literature distribution, as per the Lord's leading, the Lord reminded me that in all decisions making, I simply must just follow the brothers. For, in following the brothers is following the Lord.

In cities where local people are Telugu speakers, wherever and whenever needed, I spoke and the brothers translated for me. In all practical arrangment it has been the brothers who take the lead. Praise the Lord for the Body.

Even today, a couple of brothers joined us in our visiting Christian leaders or pastors. Most of the talk was done by them unless it required my speaking. What a blessing to be in the Body!

At times my natural man wanted to make a point as I felt in some matters I needed to adjust the brothers as the way they did things was kind-of slow and seemed it was a waste of time. But deep within I was reminded again just to amen the brothers' leading. And in doing so, it so turned out that the seemingly time delay was the perfect timing to meet those Christian leaders. The Lord honored the brothers' coordination and blessed our visitation.

It is the sheer mercy of the Lord that I could be in the midst of the brothers, simply to follow them and be blessed.

In all my trip this time in Andra Pradesh and Telengana I rested in the Lord in the brothers' arrangement. What peace I enjoyed in coordination! What a rest in trusting in the Lord's portion in my brothers. Without them I cannot go on in this trip. Above all, the Lord's presence and anointing and blessing was bountiful in the brothers' coordination in the Body. I simply follow the brothers... This is how the Lord leads me on and on...