Gospel On Board

Two weeks ago, when I attended a Friday night group meeting at one of the homes of the church in Anaheim, something within me told me to pick up a Christian tract entitled, "The Church in Anaheim" that were piled up neatly on a table greeting every visitors at the main door. Little did I understand that it was to be meant for some needy seekers later. I safely tucked it into my inner pocket of my navy blue suit that I wore almost everyday, not merely for decency but mostly for warmth, to comfort my body that suffered a 40+ Celsius back home. I never even remembered it's presence while in the States until I flew back home bound.

While on board as I was enjoying my time with the Lord in prayer and in the Word with my HWMR and Holy Bible wide open on my food rack, my co-passengers began a conversation with cordial remark, thanking me for all the petty "good deeds" I did to them(?), though it meant nothing to me. Perhaps, it mattered to them for the cordial humanity of offering my window seat, shawl and polite talks, etc. The conversation became a gospel on board as it went further. On their quest to know me more, I testified to them of how the Lord Jesus saved me, and how He has been gracing me to live a Christian life. And I further promised to introduce them to the saints in California, and in Los Angeles in  particular, where they resides as a permanent resident, waiting for US citizenship, of Armenian descent.

As I introduced the availability of free Rhema books online in Russian and guessed it for Armenian too, after an exchange of email ID, phone number, with an in-flight selfie, the mother of the son asked me about life after death. To her I told that all were written in the Bible and explained a bit about a Christian life, overcoming life, the millennial Kingdom and the New Jerusalem. With that I encouraged her to live a normal Christian life of reading the Word,  prayer,  fellowshipping with fellow believers and the importance of growth in life. Then I remembered the lone little tract on my suit pocket. It took me no time to conclude that it was meant for this Armenian mother-son duo, which I graciously handed over to the mother with a brief introduction of what its content were. Later, I saw her opening the tract wide and reading through it.

May the Lord bless the gospel tract and speak to her unto her household salvation and recovery them into the church-life.

The same episode happened while flying from Dubai to New Delhi, with an elder lady of 80+ years old. Initially, she described her faith in one God through many paths philosophy. It took me good patience to listen to all she had to say about her beliefs and opinions. Then the Lord graced me to preach the gospel when we both even called upon the Lord's Name, "Lord, Jesus!" She became very open and narrated her family situation, gave me her address and phone number for further contact. Before we got off the flight we took selfies and she invited to visit her someday.

Praise the Lord for the gospel on board, the Emirates, flying over the Greenland from LA,  Dubai bound, and Dubai to New Delhi, at 34,980+ altitude at 1100+ km/hr speed!

Preach the gospel in season and out of season. And also preach the gospel at all the times,  if necessary,  use words. 

Proclaim the word; be ready in season and out of season; convict, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and teaching. 2 Timothy 4:2 

Thank you, America!

America, a dream destination of many, a country whose founders were believers of the true and living God, a country blessed by God, and a country that supports the work of the Lord worldwide and, perhaps, a center of Christian activities globally. I had a wonderful time during all my stay there, especially  I believe, because I was in fellowship and hospitality of genuine believers whose creeds and deeds are orthodoxically in line with the Bible. Not merely in high teachings embedded with heavenly visions and revelations, but also balanced and complemented as well with life practices and Christian living. I am not ashamed to be identified with my fellow brethren in Christ, rather I boast in our being one in beliefs and practices as members of the same one Body of Christ.

On top of all, the Lord's blessings both spiritually and materially upon the brothers and sisters I have been in fellowship with, are most appreciated. My personal experiences of meeting with the people both within and without my circle of fellowship too was very sweet. I was treated with all politeness,  kindness and goodness. I hope it was so with others as well. I wish not that I had been specially treated, but rather a generic temperament of all, if not by the majority. Even strangers who met me greeted me according to the time of the day. I was rather surprised to be greeted by a couple of peoples when on my morning walk on a street and a park with, "Good Morning!" And even more surprised at the road manner, time and again, when I was allowed a first pass by drivers of vehicles that met me at road crossings. The common sense and maintenance of cleanliness at home or outside was also a pattern to me. I am hoping to see the same manner and nature in my own country one day, hopefully, at least in my life time. But what matters most was the love and fellowship of my fellow members in the Body of Christ.

Now for the moment, having finished my temporary course in that wonderful country, I  have flown back home. When I boarded the flight, my first and only thought was, "Thank You,  America!" Perhaps, "See you again"; sooner, if not later. Let life take its own course.

Adieu America... Thank you, America!

Blending in Meetings

Blending is the way for the practical building up of the Body of Christ! 

I had the honor of fellowshipping and blending with the saints in some localities of California, and could experience and confirm the statement above, even in just a span of about two weeks. Thank the Lord for the brothers who have been leading us in the way of blending and building in the Lord's recovery! Thank the Lord for His recovery today, and much more thanks to the Lord for recovering even me. Praise the Lord for the Body!

Last Friday night group meeting at San Juan Capistrano, California, was amazing. The small group consisted of saints who are Jordanian, Syrian, Korean, Chinese, Spanish, African-American and Indian. As we dined over a rich American lovefeast, the leading brother asked me to testify on how I got saved, how I came to the church life and how I began to serve the Lord. As the testifying began, the Lord’s anointing was very rich and I continued to fellowship with the dear saints in a way of encouragement: to seek the Lord and His will in prayer for everything, loving the Lord, spending time with Him in prayer and pursuing the ministry, with my own life experiences. The saints were so supplied and eager to hear more, so the whole meeting was richly fed with the testimonies they asked me to share. The young saints even specifically asked me to share on how I got married; I simply testified of how the Lord led me step by step, and encouraged them to look to the Lord; for the Lord knows the best, and not to give in to natural choices and desires. Real romance should begin from the day of marriage and not before, was my simple comment to the young brothers and sisters.

Last Lord's day, the saints took me to the Lord's Table Meeting at Pasadena, California. The brothers invited me to break the bread with them and I enjoyed the meeting with the saints; remembering the Lord and worshiping the Father with our exercised spirits.

In the prophesying time a leading brother gave the overview of the week's portion, The Increase of Christ for the Increase of the Church by Ministering Life to Others according to the Law of Increase, and requested anyone to share an important portion of the outline which he left out. Immediately after him, the Lord burdened me to prophesy on the practical portions,  and I released my burden based on the ministry;

In order for us to minister life to others,  we must do at least four things: 

• We need an adequate contact with the Lord simply to spend time with Him...: I testified of the urgent need for spending time with the Lord in prayer. Practically to set time every day, at least an hour. Or if perhaps, a tithe can be paid on our time,  that would be two hours and twenty four minutes daily. And further strengthened it by stating, "This is the first and foremost requirement to be able to minister life."
• We must learn to be in the presence of the Lord to be dealt with by Him under His light...: Not just spending time as carrying out religious duty but being shined upon by the Lord's divine light and be expelled off of all darkness within, so that by the shining of the Light we will be brought to life and be able to minister life.
• We must pick up a burden to care for people-unbelievers,  new believers, young believers, and weaker believers; we must care for them as nursing mothers and exhorting fathers to be fishers of men and feeders of lambs. I testified of how the Lord burdened me to care for the saints and seekers in my locality, and how the Lord graced me to visit almost on a daily basis, shepherding all kinds of people with all kinds of issues; some on marital, others on personal and still yet others on family matters. In shepherding I have been shepherded, in ministering life I have been ministered life to, to be able to minister to more saints for the increase of Christ in the church.
• We must learn to be interested in people...: I testified of how the Lord burdened me for all my relatives and friends,  and a host of other people whom I noted them on my smartphone as prayer burdens and pray for them regularly. And how the Lord honored such burden, and further gave a testimony of how my dad got saved after praying for him for thirteen years almost on a daily basis.

With that prophesying I encouraged the saints to come to the presence of God more and carry out the burden of shepherding for the increase of the church.

Besides, the Lord also granted me time with the FTTA trainee brothers, fellowshipping with them on practical life experiences on the Lord's leading, serving the Lord, the defense and confirmation of the truths.

Through all these fellowships, I enjoyed a wonderful time of blending and building up with the saints.

Lord, blend me and build me more with other saints for Thy building Thou desire.

UC Irvine

My first visit to a university in America was at University of California, Irvine. About two weeks ago a brother who just finished his PhD took me to the campus. My main burden was to spend time with any available students either for the gospel or for fellowship. The Lord's honoured my burden.

I could spent time with two PhD brothers and ministered on the matter of prayer and seeking the Lord's leading in every matter: their job, marriage, and every practical down to earth matter, that they can be useful for the Lord's economy. As we fellowshipped the Lord's speaking was from the following verses:

Exodus 33:13,14
33:13  Now therefore if I have found favor in Your sight, please let me know now Your ways, that I may know You, so that I may continue to find favor in Your sight. Consider also that this nation is Your people.
33:14  And He said, My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.

And further gave my own testimony of how the Lord led me when I was like them too, and as I sought the Lord's will how the Lord spoke through the word of God as in:

Deuteronomy 10:12  And now, O Israel, what does Jehovah your God ask of you except that you fear Jehovah your God so that you would walk in all His ways and love Him and serve Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul;

The fellowship was so enjoyable. The brother himself acknowledged how blessed he was with the fellowship and realised that he need to spend more time with the Lord in prayer. It was a wonderful time fellowshipping with brothers who were in need. Living testimonies with living word are blessings to the saints in need. I am glad that on my first visit to a university in America I could fellowship with students on the word of God. 

May the Lord gain many young people for His economy.

On this line of prayer I even texted my ex-colleagues when I was in college as we have a WhatsApp group for fellowship.

This is a wonderful verse to ponder upon; how Moses prayed.

Please let me know now Your ways! 

In every walk of our lives concerning every matter, we must seek the Lord’s ways. In fact, we must be desperate to find the Lord's ways by praying, "Please let me know now Your ways." Even we should be specific to the Lord by praying, "now" reveal Your ways; concerning our future, career, marriage, family etc.  Our lives should not be put on hold,  swinging like a pendulum. We must progress in time, brothers. The most miserable thing would be not to be in God's ways.

While in God's ways, we always find favour in His sight, which are His presence, blessings and He Himself.

Let's pray for one another to be in God’s ways only. If we are desperate to find out God’s ways, He is more than faithful to reveal them to us.

May the Lord bless us all brothers! 

Divided Hoof: Discernment

Lev. 11:3 - Whatever has a divided hoof, that is, has its hoof split in two, and chews the cud among the beasts, that you may eat.Lev. 11:26 - For every beast which has a divided hoof but does not have its hoof split in two or chew the cud is unclean to you; everyone who touches them shall be unclean.

Footnote from the Holy Bible Recovery Version on Divided Hoof:
Lit., divides the hoof, that is, splits the split of its hoofs (cf. vv. 7, 26). Animals that divide the hoof and chew the cud (v. 3; cf. vv. 4-8, 26-28) signify persons who have discernment in their activities (Phil. 1:9-10) and who receive the word of God with much reconsideration (see note 151 in Psa. 119).

As I was reading and studying the word this morning, the Lord impressed me deeply about the need for discernment. There had been many instances in my Christian life where I was caught in between the horns of dilemma. At times swinging between two choices, sometimes I did make the right choice while other times, the wrong one. Through failures I have been learning this important lesson of life: discernment and consideration of the Lord's word.

Even at this time, I have to discern people, matters and things. I simply cannot waste my time in foolishness or ignorance. In the people I am burdened and have been praying for, in spending time to shepherd them, in making decisions of life, in big things and the small ones too, I need the Lord's wisdom and discern things accurately. Not for my own personal benefit but for the sake of God's economy. Everything I do must be in the Lord's leading and must for the fulfillment of His purpose on the earth. For this, I need discernment.

On the flip side, when living without discernment and consideration of the Lord's word, one falls into unnecessary troubles and the Lord even sovereignly uses those as a disciplinary action for the perfecting of the saints. Whether one  learns in discernment or in discipline, either way, God is supremely wise to gain His chosen ones for His testimony. Praise the Lord!

In this portion of the word, my attention was on two points, not just the divided hoof but also:

1. Hoofs split in two
2. Chew the cud

The two are extremely important, like two legs of a man for standing and walking, or even perhaps, for running the race of a human life. For our human daily living and walking, we need both necessarily. With God’s wisdom there is a need to discern persons, matters and things. As Paul prayed for the Christians in the church in Philippi:

Phil. 1:9 - And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in full knowledge and all discernment,Phil. 1:10 - So that you may approve by testing the things which differ and are more excellent, that you may be pure and without offense unto the day of Christ.

This is my prayer for myself too, including all the saints, that we may walk in wisdom, even discerning all things. One of the practical ways I have discovered for gaining discernment is the word of God itself. When one knows the word and muse upon it, then he can discern based on the word, and live according to it.

Psa. 119:15 - I will muse upon Your precepts/And regard Your ways.

Such living is indeed a living in wisdom as it is according to the word of God.

Psa. 119:105 - Your word is a lamp to my feet/And a light to my path.

Thus by these two ways of living and walking, in discernment and consideration of the word, we can live a holy life as God desires, a normal God-man living, a normal Christian life.

Lord, perfect me to live a life of discernment by considering Your word, that I may be Your living testimony as You so desired. Amen. 

Prayer in Diamond Bar

Tonight, the Lord arranged two brothers to take me to one of the prayer meetings of the church in Diamond Bar. Originally, the plan was to attend in Anaheim,  but the Lord had a better plan. As the brothers drove me, I fellowshipped with them how the Lord is so living,  practical and real in our Christian life. Especially as a testimony I testified how the Lord led me step by step; in serving Him, in marriage and family matters. Our trip from Anaheim to Diamond Bar was full of testimonies. We all enjoyed fellowshipping with one another. 

The prayer meeting at a home in Diamond Bar was so sweet. It was a very small home sweet home prayer meeting. A brother,  a sister, two FTTA trainees and myself; number did not matter at all to me,  but the Lord's presence and His Spirit's prayer in our prayers was most important. I enjoyed releasing my spirit and the saints did the same too. Not belittling a big prayer meeting where I could hardly release a sentence to pray because of the multitude of the saints gathering, I personally prefer a meeting where each member can thoroughly exercise our spirits and release the Lord's burden. It was so enjoyable. And I felt all the items of prayers were all answered. Hallelujah! 

Though a home sweet home small prayer meeting, we covered the main items of burden for the whole world! It began with India for translation of the Recovery Version Bible into six Indian languages, propagation of the gospel and the literature service, especially, the distribution of the ministry of the word; then the burden related to Europe, specially for Germany and the gospel work among the refugees; then the full time training all over the world, especially,  for the trainees; then Ethiopia and Africa; and finally,  the Lord’s work among the young people,  especially,  the upcoming Summer School of Truths next week for one whole week in southern California. 

It was a joy to be able to pray with the saints in one accord. No matter which local church, or state or country I am in, the same burden and the same one spirit in one accord prevails; a wonderful prayer meeting in Diamond Bar indeed. After the prayer I felt we have gained some "diamonds"  in tonight's prayer meeting. As we drove back,  I asked the brothers,  "How much diamond have you gained tonight?"  The answer was, "Amen! Some diamond!" 

I do believe the Lord has wrought something of Himself through the prayer and the fellowship tonight. He is the Diamond! We gained Diamond in Diamond Bar! I have attended many weekly prayer meetings throughout the years, but this one is very special,  therefore I blogged the experience thereof. 

Home sweet home prayer meeting full of "diamonds"; I love it. 

Brotherly Fellowship in USA

It was the 3rd of July,  Lord’s day morning, I was privileged to fellowship with brothers whom I revere so much, in the principle of incarnation. There were three brothers of my contemporary who are serving the Lord in India, and three mature brothers in the Lord and also in age,  and myself,  fellowshipping the way to carry out the translation of the New Testament Recovery Version Bible into six Indian languages where qualified Greek learners are on the line of service. That fellowship was unique to me as it was my first of such a kind, with all the right brothers, and that too for a very important service for the Lord's move in India. May the Lord execute and accomplish what was fellowshipped. 

It was the 6th of July when I met all my Greek teachers and had lunch together at a restaurant. That was when we also fellowshipped about the practicality of carrying out the translation of the said Bible into the six Indian languages. It was a privilege to fellowship with the brothers who are also my "teachers." 

It was the 11th of July when I first attended a Monday morning fellowship at LSM Campus with LSM serving ones when brother Andrew Yu asked me to share my testimony of how I became a Christian, how I came into the church life, the literature service in India, the recent literature journey to the North East India,  and questions and answers time for the saints. Though impromptu, the Lord's anointing was in all the fellowship and His presence was rich. That morning fellowship was in lieu of the normal pursuit,  which I believe was on The Character of the Lord's Workers,  as I saw saints hold a copy each.   The prayer that followed the fellowship was very supplying as a confirmation of the oneness and supply of the Body. Praise the Lord! 

All these fellowships were never planned,  at least, to my understanding,  but the Lord worked out all things at the right time. It was the Lord's sovereignty and sure mercies to be able to experience such fellowships with the Body, in the Body and for the Body. 

These indeed were brotherly fellowships to carry out God's economy on this earth. 

Praise the Lord for the Body of Christ! 

Lord, preserve me in the Body, blend and build me fully in and with the Body,  and gain me fully for the Body! 

Grace Gardens

My hospitality in Anaheim after the Summer Training of 2016 is in Grace Gardens. Even as I am being hosted in one of the guest bedrooms at 2106, I have been thanking the Lord and worshipping Him for the grace and wisdom He bestowed upon brother Witness Lee and the saints with him who designed and built these accommodation facilities. In fact,  when I moved in first,  I could not help but kneel down beside the bed and worshipped God for all the heavenly,  spiritual and even earthly blessings He bestowed upon His Body. It is not just the high peak truths that enlivened me,  but also the high peak livings of the saints. Praise the Lord for the Body! 

Yesterday,  I had a wonderful time of home visit, gospel preaching and door knocking in Anaheim among the Spanish community, after the Lord’s Table meeting at Anaheim Hills. Later, an hour or so of prayer and reading the ministry book at a nearby park. I was feeling the breath of the gospel in this area where the saints have been treading. 

Today,  after all the official work, I enjoyed a time alone with the Lord in a small garden inside Grace Gardens. I just polished a hymn that I wrote a year ago on "Worship God." And I worshipped God for all His deeds and His ways. In my prayer time, the Lord's speaking was a confirmation of all the burdens He graced me with,  concerning the gospel preaching, the church life, the literature service, the propagation work in the North East India, the new ones on my prayer list, my family and relative matters, academic qualification upgradation etc. It was a wonderful time with a Lord. 

Praise the Lord for Grace Gardens! May the Lord grace all the saints who are, and will be taking hospitality in this "gardens"  with Himself enjoyed and experienced as grace. 

Grace, grace and grace. 

No Rank

It's been a week since I first came to fellowship with brothers who are serving the Lord in the literature service here in Anaheim,  California. Though in age and in spiritual experience, I could have been their son,  but in fellowship and practicality we are all serving together as brothers. Not a mere empty doctrine, but truly indeed in reality, for I have been experiencing it these days. A brother even told me what brother Witness Lee said, "There is no rank among us."  Indeed,  there is no rank among us, and I have not seen nor experienced it once. This is really awesome. 

Three days ago, as I was reading my Bible, the Lord impressed me of similar principle He established in the Bible in Matthew 20:1-16. No matter who worked first or who were more senior or experienced,  the Lord treated them equally. And He was sovereign in doing so. This confirmed my experiences these days serving together with the brothers here in the editorial section of the Living Stream Ministry. A brother even offered a table in his office where I could work and learn from him and the others. It was an honor, at the same time,  a humbling experience,  as I reckon it. I can only thank and worship the Lord for this opportunity. This truly is, a life lesson in action. 

This experience further draws me to the proofreading that I did just now, reading through the book of Titus, Philemon and James. Especially, Philemon, "The Believers' Equal Status in the New Man." A marvelous title, a wonderful testimony and a beautiful relationship in Christ. I am experiencing it in reality these days, and hopefully all the days of my sojourn on this earth. 

In the church life,  in the Lord’s recovery,  in the Body of Christ,  there is no rank. All believers have the same status in Christ. And may none corrupt this precious truth. Praise the Lord! 

Send Forth...

Send forth Your light and Your truth;They will lead me;They will bring me to Your holy mountainAnd to Your tabernacles.And I will go to the altar of God,To God my exceeding joy;And I will praise You with the harp,O God, my God. Psalms 43:3-4

As I attended the FTTA Spring 2016 Graduation meeting, the speaking of the Lord  touched me so much. It had a such an impact on me that I took these verses to pray over and over again. To me, it was the need of the time and also the need for many other brothers and sisters I am shepherding.

There is a need for opening up to the Lord and cry out to Him, "Lord, send forth..." Without the Lord's mercy there can be no sending forth. The Lord must send forth:

The Divine Light

The divine light is the the shining forth, the expression, of God Himself who is Light. Without the Lord' divine light, all that is there, is the natural light, which is equivalent to darkness. Even in spiritual life, without the light of God, everything is darkness. Most of the times, when not in the Spirit, all that one has, at best, is the natural light, and at worst, is man made light. There is an urgent need for the Lord's shining, to be delivered from all natural man-made light.

I need such shining upon me of the divine light. It has been my prayer that the Lord would shine upon me and preserve me in His light. Apart from His divine light, everything is darkness. Sometimes, I was also in such situation of darkness. I only pray that the Lord would not allow me to be in darkness. Lord, shine upon me day by day!

The manifestation of darkness is death. And such deadness issues in opinion, fault finding, finger-pointing, backbiting, confusion and division with all kinds of negativism. I have been witnessing some cases as such. My only reaction is to pray for these brothers and sisters who are engulfed in darkness. Only the Lord's shining can deliver them from the darkness.

Besides praying for myself to be shined upon all the time, I also try to help the brothers and sisters who need the Lord's shining. To one such, I sent these verses and he replied back thanking for this little help of showing him that he needed deliverance.

The Divine Truth

Truth is the source of light and the reality of light. Truth is as important as light, for they are two sides of the same coin. Without one, there cannot be the other; for the two co-exist and go hand in hand. Therefore, as one is seeking for light, one must come to the word of God, the truth. The Lord uses the truth in the Bible as a channel to shine forth. In coming to the word of God, one receives the divine light shining.

If one is thirsty, he will be willing to be saturated with God and be constituted with the divine light. And the issue will be the leading of the Lord. In light and in truth, one is one with God and lives out God to carry out God's desires.

The leading of the Lord is to "His holy mountain." God's holy mountain signifies the resurrected and ascended Christ. When one is shined upon and constituted with the truth, the result is the experience of the resurrected and ascended Christ as the life-giving Spirit. This further leads to "Your tabernacle," the local church. A normal experience of God in Christ as light and truth is the Spirit that ushers into the church-life in the Body of Christ, the tabernacle of God. Which further leads to a deeper dealing of the cross, "the altar of God" where all the requirements of God's righteousness, holiness and glory are met positively, and negatively, anything natural still is dealt with- of the flesh, the self, sin and the world. So that one can be fully be one with God, in life, in nature, but not in the Godhead.

Then, one can declare:

To God my exceeding joy;

And I will praise You with the harp,O God, my God.

Hallelujah! God is my God! To God is our exceeding joy! And we will praise God forever!

Lord, send forth Your light and Your truth...

Greek On Board

This is the blog I wrote yesterday as I was on a flight to the States. Greek of board! Many times it was difficult for me to find time while in the office or at home. So I had to do my Greek studies while travelling long distance,  and this is the third time I am doing such. 

After the final exam on Greek,  the following class was on critical analysis of certain important Greek words, their various meanings and translation rendering by different Bible versions. At the first observation, these seems difficult, besides, I could not find time to do the assignment at all. The past few weeks were fully packed with office,  church and family responsibility. The only time I finally get is the time now, flying over Greenland towards North America,  some 35,986 altitude at 557 mph.

As I delved deeper into the Greek text,  new light and revelation dawn on me. Especially, some related words concerning divinity and humanity of Christ and how the translation of the Word differs in various degrees. Positively, it confirms the goodness of the Recovery Version translation, giving the definite meaning according to Greek and the corresponding interpretation according to the divine revelation. I feel so blessed to be able to use the Recovery Version and on top of that,  even study and analyse it for translation purpose. The said version is truly a scholarly work and an open Bible to know and understand the word of God better than any other translation I have ever used. Praise the Lord for this version. 

This long flight from Dubai to Los Angeles is my study time for Greek on board. Thank God that He gave me this opportunity to be able to meet with the translation team including the editor of this version,  and even learn and get help from them regarding the translations. May the Lord bless all the upcoming meetings, fellowship and training for His divine economy.

Take My Yoke

Matt. 11:28 -  Come to Me all who toil and are burdened, and I will give you rest.
Matt. 11:29 - Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Matt. 11:30 - For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Footnote from the Holy Bible Recovery Version on "yoke."To take the Lord’s yoke is to take the will of the Father. It is not to be regulated or controlled by any obligation of the law or religion or to be enslaved by any work, but to be constrained by the will of the Father. The Lord lived such a life, caring for nothing but the will of His Father (John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38). He submitted Himself fully to the Father’s will (26:39, 42). Hence, He asks us to learn from Him.

These verses in my time with the Word today became so fresh to me. When in the Father's will, the Lord works things out perfectly. No burden, no anxiety, no special feeling even. Just as any other ordinary day. Only that the Father's will be done, whatever it is.

It used to be my desire to be able to visit America for all the good things that  have come out of this country. In fact,  when I was much younger I used to dream of visiting this country. But all those natural and self-interest dream have died down since the past few years. There were times I would even grasped the opportunity to visit this country. But the Lord preserved me from all natural choices. When all such desires or dreams were dealt with,  the Lord opened the door for me finally.

But there is no special excitement as such now. Even as I blog this on a flight from Dubai to Los Angeles, there is hardly any special feeling; to me it is just an ordinary flight as that of a domestic one in India. I am visiting USA just because the Lord has arranged it so. I do not know what has been reserved for me,  but I do know I am visiting the saints in the Body for fellowship, blending,  training and perfecting. No self-interest. I just commit myself to the Lord that His will be done, as He pleases.

Many times it is worth waiting for the Lord’s perfect timing and never grasp for anything. What the Lord has reserved is always the best. There is a true rest in trusting in the Lord. This is what the Lord meant subjectively when He said, "Take my yoke."  Caring for the Father's will and submitting ourselves fully to Him is taking the Lord's yoke upon ourselves. What a peace and what a joy indeed!

When in the perfect will of the Lord,  every thing falls in line, and one is in perfect peace with the Lord with much rest. Praise the Lord!

Lord, may I learn this lesson thoroughly well; taking your yoke.

My First Visit to America

The Lord’s timing is always the best. When He wills it everything falls into place. What a rest and joy just to leave everything to the Father's will. 

When the Lord wills and the Body confirms it, heaven and earth works together to accomplish His will. This time for my visit to America, I experienced the Lord’s presence and leading so much in every single and minute detail. Though trivial, our God is also the God of small things. From beginning to end,  He heads up every matter great or small.  Praise the Lord! 

My online visa application was done on a train, and payment and appointment taken while on a bus, on my way to a coworkers' training in the South of India. On the day of a US visa interview, a lady visa officer's questions made me answer all about my faith in Christ, my serving the Lord in the literature service, my family matter and my relationship with the saints in America. Things that I did not wish to reveal were all spoken out loud to a government official. My preparation for the interview was not to reveal anything about my faith or anything Christian as I am dealing with the government authority. But it all turned out the opposite, as though I talked to a believer in fellowship. Any way,  I was glad I spoke the truth. And finally,  she wished me a happy journey, to America. That's how the government official interviewed me. 

When I arrived here at Los Angeles airport,  the immigration officers,  two of them,  asked me the same questions,  "Are you a pastor or a minister?" To both I replied, "I am just a believer, a Christian." One of them further asked me, "Do you preach the gospel?  Do you minister in a church?" My reply was,  "Yes,  I do!" Then he smiled and cheered me up,  "Great Sir!" I replied,  "Thank you brother!" And they welcomed me to America. Wondering if that was the way immigration officers should interrogate a foreigner. Anyway I liked it,  and glad they knew that I am a Christian.

Then a brother whom I honor and revere very much came to pick me at the airport and drove me to LSM campus where another brother introduced the whole set up to me. Very impressive. Not just at the physical matter,  but much more on the wisdom and foresight God blessed our brothers with, for His economy on this earth. Praise the Lord! 

My hospitality was very interesting. I described it to my wife as

I am in a home of saints who are:British American with Chinese wife, Jewish American with Chinese wife, And I am a North East Indian with a Chinese wife! 

Wonderful blending in the Body! The reality of the one new man lived out! Hallelujah! 

That was my wonderful experience of my first day in my first visit to America. 

God bless America.