My Twentieth Year

This day, twenty years ago, the Lord graced me to experience His saving grace. I never thought I was a sinner until the Holy Spirit convicted me deeply of how sinful I was, which brought me to repentance. Then I believed into the Lord Jesus Christ and experienced the forgiveness of sins. Which further led me experience the filling of the Holy Spirit, leading me to experience the joy of salvation that I never experienced before. Oh, the grace of God! Oh, the love of God! 

December 31,1997 was my spiritual birthday! Twenty years have elapsed since then, and I praise the Lord for all His blessings! Hallelujah! 

Since then the Lord has been working on me; sometimes painful, sometimes joyful. But the Lord is very good at what He is; He knows exactly what to do with me and how to deal with me. To my understanding, He has done some solid and specific works every five years of my spiritual life. Beginning with the fundamental truths and experiences of Christ personally in the first five years. Then to a further revelation on the corporate experience of Christ, as and, in the church the following five years. Then further on to a life service: Learning deeper lessons of life in serving the Lord, and experiencing a higher level of human life in marriage and parenthood. And further, deeper and higher in learning to see the Body, know the Body, the church and serve in the Body for the Body. Having testified this, never do I mean to say that I have learned enough. On the contrary, I feel I still need to learn a lot more. In fact, all my Christian life would be a life of learning until perfection at the end. 

Having been graced thus far, I testified to the saints in the church today in brief the following:

Personally, this year the Lord graced me to enjoy Him in the word that He enabled me to finished the thirtieth time of my Bible reading. And further graced me to enjoy Him in my personal prayer life. As a family, He graced us to spend at least an hour a day together in prayer during our morning hours and night prayer. Officially, the Lord has also graced me to enjoyed His instant and continuous leading in spreading the ministry of the word in different parts of North India; a confirmation and experience of the book of Acts. 

Besides all these, three very important lessons I learned are: 

The Sovereignty of the Lord in every matter of my life, my family, the church, and in my official service. Every thing that happened in my life were all allowed by the Lord. Though at times, I opined that things should have been a little different, but the Lord is the Lord, and He is exceptionally good at being the Lord. Now looking back, I simple amened whole heartedly with thanks and praises. 

I am in the Body. This precious lesson, though it should have been so plain and simple, but I learned it in a very specific way. Many times, I tried to bear the burden on my own, even the church or the official responsibilities. I had no problem bearing burdens all alone and took it as an opportunity to experience Christ in a deeper way. But the Lord has been teaching me that I need not be needlessly overburdened, because I am in the Body. The burden is of the Body and must be borne in the Body. What a comfort! My burdens are not mine alone, but the Body's too. I must bear the burden together with the Body. What a release! What peace and what joy! 

I am for the Body. Whatever the Lord burdened me to pray or accomplish are not for my self. They are all for the Body. Burdens may come to me personally, but when carried out, it must be in the Body and for the Body. This too is a great release from being selfish and individualistic. For, I am for the Body. All that I am, all that I do, are all for the building up of the Body of Christ. 

Praise the Lord for these twenty years! May the Lord grace me on for the years He has reserve for me. All for Christ and the Church! Amen and amen. 

The Thirtieth Time

God has been so gracious to me especially as He let me grow up under the guardianship of my late maternal grandfather who taught me to read the Bible from my young age. As far as my memory goes, I started reading the Bible regularly since I was twelve years old. Since then, the Lord has been gracing me to read the word almost every day. Though I read it habitually in the beginning, gradually it became a part of my life, to the extent that I could not live a day without at least reading the word of God for the day. 

I recall in 1997 when I had the first subjective experience of the Lord when I had the assurance of salvation that I was born again indeed in my spirit, born of the Spirit of God, I had finished reading the Bible five times already. And since then, every year, as far as I remember, I finished reading the Bible alteast once a year. Though I did not maintain a regular record, sometimes, I read the Bible in two languages, Paite and English. Sometimes, after I finished reading the whole Bible I purchased a new Bible and start it afresh. The cycle has been repeated over and over again, even until today. The one that I am reading now is a brand new Bible, gifted to me by LSM for the little assistance I rendered in the proof-reading of the same Bible last summer.

I do not boast nor brag about Bible reading, but I highly recommend others to read the Bibe as well, as many times as possible, the more, the better. Not to boast, but declaring the fact, one must read the word of God every day. As much as we eat food every day, so must our eating of spiritual food be.

I can testify even more than a thousand times, how the Lord gave me His instant speaking through my regular Bible reading. Be it personal, family, church, or official matter, many of the decisions I took were based on the instant living speaking of the Lord through the reading of the word. As I had been praying and considering how to handle a matter, the Lord's answer would come in the way of confirmation through the written word. And this happened during those times when I was reading the word; irrespective of which portion of the Bible I was in, at the moment of time. The Lord's word is living, and it speaks...

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and operative and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow, and able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Now, as 2017 is winding up, I am glad to declare that the Lord has graced me this time again to finish this years' portion, not counting the reading of the word on a personal study time with the footnotes of the Recovery Version. With this, the Lord grace me to complete my thirtieth time of reading the Bible. And I am thirty-nine years young now; I hope the number of times I read the Bible be equivalent to the number of years the Lord would give me.  This is up to the Lord.

Lord, thank you for Your bountiful grace. And continue to grace me; as my days are, so shall my reading, praying, and reading of the word be.

Deuteronomy 33:25  Your doorbolts shall be iron and copper; And as your days are, so shall your strength be.

Redeeming the Time

Matthew 25:3-4

For the foolish, when they took their lamps, did not take oil with them; But the prudent took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 

In the parable of the ten virgins, the understanding concerning "lamp" and "vessel" has been a great eye opening to me. The "lamp" according to Proverbs 20:27, 

The spirit of man is the lamp of Jehovah, Searching all the innermost parts of the inner being, is our human spirit. Whereas, the vessel according to Romans 9:21,

Or does not the potter have authority over the clay to make out of the same lump one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor?, is our human soul. Since all the ten are virgins, they all are believers. As "virgin" believers, we all have oil in our lamps, and we all have the Spirit of God in our human spirit. That's what makes us virgins, believers. But our soul still needs to be transformed and be saturated and permeated with the Spirit from our spirit. This transformed soul filled with the Spirit is the oil in our vessel. 

To have the oil on our lamp is by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, but to be filled with the Spirit in our spirit needs an exercise and paying of a price to buy the oil. The more price we pay, the more oil we can gain. This paying of the price entails dealing with the world, the flesh, the natural man, and anything other than Christ. Therefore, to have the extra oil in the vessel is a matter of wisdom; we need to be the wise virgin. 

Ephesians 5:15-18

Look therefore carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissoluteness, but be filled in spirit, 

To be wise is to be filled with the oil in the vessel. This also means to redeem the time, every opportunity, to gain Christ. The gaining of Christ is the will of the Lord which is also synonymous to being filled with the Spirit. 

The life lesson I learned from the Lord's speaking in the Body and through the pursuit of the ministry is: Be the wise virgin knowing the will of the Lord, filled with the Spirit, being transformed in the soul, redeeming the time to gain Christ in every opportunity. 

Adieu Nani

But we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are sleeping, that you would not grieve even as also the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so also those who have fallen asleep through Jesus, God will bring with Him. Therefore comfort one another with these words.  For God did not appoint us to wrath but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us in order that whether we watch or sleep, we may live together with Him. Therefore comfort one another, and build up each one the other, even as you also do. 1 Thessalonians 4:13, 14, 18;5:9-11.

Seven years have elapsed since I knew Nani, an elderly sister, who at the age of 86 had gone to be with the Lord. I have been visiting the family as a family-friend whenever I am in town on the Lord's day evening for fellowship on the word and prayer. My first meeting was with her son-in-law who is an architect when I was on the hunt for one such for a project in Gurgaon. On my very first meeting to the family I proposed for a weekly meeting which they readily agreed as they love the Lord too. Since then our relationship get sweeter and sweeter. 

Few months ago she got hospitalised and was placed in the ICU. When I visited her, on her sick bed, she recognised me despite her critical situation. She motioned her hand to get close by to her. As I did so, she held my right hand, requested me to place it over her forehead and emphatically said, "Brother, please pray..." I did so, and prayed for her that if it be of the Lord she be healed; let the will of the Lord be done. Then I left her.

Few weeks later, she was recovered; once I saw her again in the home meeting at her house. That was my last meeting with her. 

Last month when I was on the ministry of the ministry of the word literature journey to Himachal Pradesh, I received an urgent call for prayer at midnight from her daughter conveying her critical condition. I was in Shimla and could not visit her then; I could only pray specifically for her over the phone. Few days later I was informed of her recovery. But I could not meet her again as I was on a busy schedule of traveling, that time was down to the South after the North India trip. The last time I heard about her was when I was in Chennai that she had gone to be with the Lord. 

The day I came back to Gurgaon from my South India trip, was the day a "Memorial Thanksgiving Service" was conducted on her behalf. Her daughter requested me to share something which I readily agreed. In the meeting, I testified of the time we used to spend together weekly, fellowshipping on the word of God and prayer; of how she would quietly sit at the corner of the room, sang along in our hymn singing, and listen to the word of God.

Since the crowd at the memorial meeting was a mixed crowd, I shared the word in 1 Thessalonians 4:13, 14, 18;5:9-11. The word of God itself is life and therefore, a couple who is a family friend opened up for more talk on Jesus Christ. Besides, two other Christian couples also opened up for a future visit. These were the further contacts after her memorial service.

Nani is no more. But the fruits of her womb; her daughter, grandchildren and family friends will be followed up for fellowship and shepherding. Her love for Christ and the word is the sweetest remembrance I have of her. And as the Lord graces, the people I came to contact with on her memorial service day will definitely be followed up for the gospel and also for shepherding.

Adieu Nani for now...We will still continue the fellowship and prayer with your loved ones who had left behind. 

Literature Journey to the South

A brother's fellowship on his burden to open a ministry bookstore as an outlet for the ministry of the word, and that he has willingly offered a shop space with all the needed furniture with a brother to look after, had initiated the need for my visit. On further prayer and fellowship, we felt good to visit the site, besides visiting our home offices and serving ones in Kerala. 

In Trivandrum office, I spent time with the brother coordinating for the distribution, and with the Recovery Version Bible translation team. I had a first hand experience of how the literature service was going on and what the spiritual atmosphere of the church was. I am glad that the Lord has been gaining ground in the church in Trivandrum, He is blessing the saints as they are being blended into one accord commanding the Lord's blessing, even if resulting in the increase of numbers in the church. 

In Vellarada, we had an on-site view of the store provided for the ministry bookstore, a first hand fellowship with the brothers who would be directly responsible for the store, and other practical and legal matters. 

Near Marthandam, in a remote village, we visited a full time serving brother's family and enjoyed a fellowship over lovefeast dinner. 

In Cochi, we had a time of fellowship on Malayalam translation and distribution at our office there. A serving brother and his wife has been faithfully serving for over thirty years. I deeply honor and respect such a faithful servant of the Lord, who despite traversing various trails has been going on day by day. I pray that the Lord would extend his days on the earth that he could be a blessing to the literature service, to the churches, and the saints, and even perfect the young ones for him to pass the mantle on. 

In a short while fellowship with all the serving ones there, I fellowshipped on the matter of our being useful to God, wherever and whatever we serve. How useful we are depends on how much anointing we have. How much anointing we have depends on how much we gain Christ, redeeming the time and knowing the will of the Lord. How much we gain Christ also depends on how much Christ has been wrought into us through various trials and tribulations through the cross. The cross is every where; the Lord placed them in our lives and circumstances for us to gain Christ. We better be wise, redeem the time to gain Christ and be useful vessel to the Lord. 

In the evening we had dinner and prayer and departed for home back to Gurgaon. 

Though this was never planned by me nor anyone beforehand, the Lord planned it in time for the good of the literature service in India. I am just an open vessel for the Lord to move freely and do whatever He pleases for the carrying out of His economy through the literature service in India. 

May God bless India by blessing the saints and the churches and all the services in the Body of Christ. Amen.

Christ is Victor!

But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57

Christ is the Victor! Indeed He is, against all the outward attacks of the enemy. Much more, He is the Victor, even inwardly within our natural self and within the church. Many testimonies have been told of the victory of Christ against all odds in a Christian life, especially, those against persecutions, temptations, trials, and tribulations. Well, Christ is the Victor in all these. And much more, He is the Victor in the internal attack of the enemy who attempts to divide the church by sowing seeds of division among the brethren. 

It was within the past few days of my visit to Chennai and Cochi that I could experience the inward victory of the Lord within me. This visit exposed me to certain speaking of factual incidents interpreted in a negative way. It was more like a point by point rebuttal of the brothers who spoke from their viewpoints and understanding of things according to the light they have. Well, facts can be viewed from different angles and can have ambiguous interpretations. But one thing is sure: God is sovereign, and He is still on the throne; Christ is the Lord and the Victor, and He is still and ever will be the Head of the Body, the church. The fact that things are what they are today is a proof that Christ is still the Victor over all of the past incidents, however negative they may seem to be. Nothing happens under the sun without the knowledge of the Lord. If it did happen, He allowed it for a reason known to Him best,  and revealed to us in time. 

In one city, I was briefed again of the "mistakes" committed by so and so brother with factual proofs. I was not perturbed. Because I was very clear in my spirit that the Lord is the Victor and that He has clearly allowed things to clear the mess among certain brothers so that He can go on further without any hindrance. The seed of dissension indeed were sown subtly by the enemy among some brothers using circumstances, but the outcome of those circumstances as proven today are all for good. If such "negative" incidents did not happen, the Lord's move in India today would not have been much clearer, smoother, and more intensified, with many younger saints being raised up to cooperate with the Lord in His move today. As for me, I simply worship the Lord for His sovereignty over all, past and present.

In the church in Jerusalem as seen in the book of Acts, there was a great persecution, but the Lord allowed it for the spread of the gospel throughout the whole inhabited earth. It would be a folly to blame the persecution in Jerusalem, for the Lord allowed such for a better purpose. So also is with the situation here. 

Another brother too, briefed me over the situations he has been undergoing painfully in a secret way, as he perceived it. Though with some bitter feeling he expressed with much grief within, I am very clear that the Lord is the Lord and He is very good at doing what He intend to do. He is the Lord and will never transfer His lordship to other. All the circumstances narrated to me were history and they were facts, no doubt, but we need the eyes of the Lord to see His hands that moves behind the scene. To me, it is again, Christ is Victor!   

Though I had the grace to listen to all that they had to say, I filtered them all within and would not allow any negative seed to remain in me, much less, be sown into me. After all the patient hearing, I inwardly declared, "Christ is Victor!" 

If those incidents did not happen I would have a question on what the Lord’s testimony in India would be today, where and what I would be doing today. Sometimes, there has to be judging and firing, death and burial, of everything natural for the Lord to have a fresh and new beginning. What He did in the churches in Asia minor in the early church history, He is doing it today afresh for the recovery of the saints and the churches for the building up of His Body. 

In fact, one Lord's day, after hearing and filtering what were heard, I declared from deep within that "Chair is Victor!" Sovereignly, a brother chose a hymn on the same banner, Hymn 124. We all sang this will with a real feeling of triumph and joy. 

Praise of the Lord - His Victory1Praise Him! Praise Him! Christ is Victor!He has won the victory!Sin is judged, old Adam finished,Full redemption now we see!Vanquished all the evil powersThru the Cross triumphantly!2Praise Him! Christ is resurrected!God hath raised Him from the dead!All the pow'r of death is swallowed,Man from death to life is led!Broken through are hell and darknessAnd His pow'r exhibited!3Praise Him! Christ hath now ascended!God hath raised Him to the throne!Far above all rule and power,He the highest Name doth own!All authority receivingTill His foe is overthrown!4Hallelujah, Christ the VictorTriumphed on Mt. Calvary!Hallelujah, resurrected,He displays His victory!Hallelujah, now ascended,He shall reign eternally!Author: *Composer: Henry Thomas Smart (1813-1879)

Whatever the enemy did, and is doing today, and perhaps, will still try to do, will all end up in the manifestation of the multifarious wisdom of God. Christ is Victor! Jesus is Lord! 

Shepherding Sheep

Not to boast, but declaring the fact, that my spiritual son, a brother in the Lord, to whom I preached the gospel of Jesus Christ and baptised over a dozen years ago has been established as a family man: he got a managerial job, married a doctor sister, and now expecting to become a father. It was a joy indeed to meet him again, this time the first time meeting after his marriage. We were joyful and thrilled. 

For hours I fellowshipped with him about what the Lord has been gracing and blessing me in the service of the Lord, that too, I testified at his request as an encouraging shepherding. They invited me for dinner and we enjoyed a lovely meal together. 

As the Lord led, I ministered God's economy as revealed in Ephesians 1:4-5 linking with other relevant verses and the need to be consecrated as a burnt offering to live a Christian life for the church life. I also showed them the way of the church life and their need for such, I even encouraged them to start a home meeting in their home besides attending the Lord’s Table Meeting and other meetings of the church. They both agreed readily and decided that they would, from this coming week. May the Lord grace them to leave the fold and enter into the flock of God. 

The visit, to my assessment is a visit for shepherding and recovery. Many hidden and unknown feelings before the meeting were all removed and resolved in just one meeting. I value and treasure the worth of a simple brotherly shepherding visit. This is how the Lord visits His chosen ones, including my self. 

Face to face visit can never be replaced by whatever latest technology the world offers today. I did try many a times using phone calls, texting and messaging, and email, but nothing is as effective as a face to face meeting. As far as practicality allows, shepherding by home visit is the best. 

This reminds me of the feeling of a father and mother in raising their children to successful career and manhood. So much the more, in spiritual matter too. What a joy indeed to see our sheep grow and be preserved in and among the flock of God!

This reminds me of the Lord’s heart for His sheep, and His charge to the disciple in the matter of shearling if there is indeed a genuine love for the Lord. 

Love, I love You, and I love Your sheep. Make me a good Shepherd like You. 

John 21:15-17

Then when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these? He said to Him, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. He said to him, Feed My lambs. He said to him again a second time, Simon, son of John, do you love Me? He said to Him, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. He said to him, Shepherd My sheep. He said to him the third time, Simon, son of John, do you love Me? Peter was grieved that He said to him the third time, Do you love Me? And he said to Him, Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You. Jesus said to him, Feed My sheep. 

Surprise Meet

Formally, with an invitation card, and informally, with word of mouth, I was invited to attend a wedding meeting of a brother's daughter. I have been maintaining a good relationship in Christ with this family since I first knew them when I was a student, the father of the family was my teacher. Our teacher-student relationship gradually developed into a brother in Christ. I did grace the wedding meeting with my presence and prayed that they both would grow up to love the Lord for the Lord's testimony. 

What surprised me was the meeting with a group of teachers who were my teachers more than a decade and half ago, and a class mate too. We were all surprised! To me it was all for good, and it rejuvenated my relationship with my ex-teachers afresh. I only wish that I can freely address them as brothers and sisters as freely as I do so with the teacher whose daughter's wedding turned out to be our surprise meet. 

The photoshots we took were later posted on our classmate WhatsApp group, again to the suprise of all. These are the group of people I used to pray for, and I was reminded again to continue to pray for the welfare of all; the saved ones for growth and maturity, and the unsaved ones for their salvation. 

That college in that department of Computer Science at that year was perfectly timed for me by the God of heavens. It was there that I was shepherded into the way of the Lord, into the church life, and into the way of serving the Lord full time. To meet again, and be reminisced of those golden days was indeed a pleasant surprise.  

God bless all my teachers and all my classmates then, and may they now be, as my prayer has been, my brothers and sisters in the Lord. I only wish and pray that all be saved before it's too late. 

Awaiting another surprise meet in eternity... 

The Way

Matthew 22:16And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Teacher, we know that You are true and that You teach the way of God in truth and do not fear anyone, for You do not regard the person of men.  

John 14:6Jesus said to him, I am the way and the reality and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me. 

Acts 9:2And asked for letters from him to Damascus for the synagogues, so that if he found any who were of the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 

Jesus taught the way of God, He Himself is the way, and the believers followed Him in the way. The way is the way ordained by God. Many have believed into the Lord for many years, but how many have followed Him in the way? If all did and does, the Body of Christ would have been builded up by now. Since the case at present is not, the way has not be followed as it should. Therefore, the need for Christians to take the way of God, and the way of the Lord. 

The way is definitely the way of feeding, eating and drinking the Lord every day; being renewed and revived every morning; preaching the gospel and saving sinners; shepherding the new ones for growth unto maturity; and perfecting the saints for the building up of the Body of Christ. This truth is doctrinally known to many, but is it a reality to all as well? The current state of the believers proves otherwise. Therefore, there is an urgent need for some to diligently and faithfully take this way. And I must be one of such. Lord, have mercy on me. 

Besides all these practices, there are some minute and finite adjustments in the way we carry out our shepherding and prophesying meetings week by week. A brother helped us to see that many times because of our improper and immature practices, the functions of the saints and new ones are limited, if not, annulled. To rectify such "malpractices" we must take the new way. The new way, in this context, is a practice in which all saints, especially, the serving ones exercise in having a home meeting within fifteen minutes, and prophesying within three minutes. All speaking or shepherding must be well prepared, in spirit, to the point. We did have some testings and and exercises and were all exposed in our old way of taking the new way. We must take the new way in the new way. For such there is a need for a concrete, definite, and absolute consecration-an upper room consecration. 

An upper room consecration comes with a costly price. Contextually, it is a risking of one's life for the heavenly vision, of cutting natural connection with relatives and friends who may not be on the way, of dropping the old way to take the new way for the building up of the Body of Christ. 

This is the timely speaking of the Lord. I and the brothers coordinating in the church must learn to take this new way. Perhaps, for this reason, the Lord sovereignly withholds the blessings? May we all learn our lessons well. 

Lord, grace us to take this new way for You and for Your Body's sake.

Anointing: Instant and Constant

Matthew 7:11If you then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in the heavens give good things to those who ask Him! 

The good things here refers to the Holy Spirit. Our Father gives the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him. 

It was on this line that I shared the need for asking in prayer the Holy Spirit for everything in our lives. Be it for personal family matters, for church life, for service life, or for any matter, the filling of the Holy Spirit as the anointing in our lives is definitely needed. I also mentioned about how we prayed for hours altogether to experience such anointing with testimony in our literature service. 

An elderly and matured brother picked the matter up and elaborated further the need for constant anointing besides the instant anointing as I mentioned in my sharing in a Lord’s day meeting last week at Chennai. All the saints who were present at the meeting were all supplied too, as the ambience of the meeting under such speaking was full of light and life-supply, followed by the sharing as an echo to the brother's speaking. 

Yes, we must take care of the Holy Spirit very much in everything that we do. In fact, we should not do anything without the anointing. By prayer and honoring the word of God, we definitely will be filled with the Spirit and be anointed. All these are good, but we have to go further and deeper beyond the instant anointing to the constant anointing in our Christian life and church life. 

Reserved anointing is constant anointing. For this, the Lord has to work on us for a long period of time. We have to live under the cross of Christ daily. Christ was crucified at the cross for six hours for the accomplishment of redemption, and but he lived all His life under the cross, carrying His cross. When our lives are such a living under the cross of Christ, the Lord will give us a measure of reserved anointing. Not just for now or today, but even more for over a long period of time. It takes time for the Lord to work on us, for the reserved anointing to become real experientially and continually. The cross has to work on us all our lives for the reserved anointing. The Lord's work on us is quite personal and He will do it faithfully until He breaks through in us. For instance, a marriage life is for God to work Christ into us. All circumstances are meant to work Christ into us. For such, we must learn Christ and gain Christ in every opportunity given to us. 

Ephesians 5:16-17Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 

To redeem the time is to know the will of the Lord, the will of the Lord is work Christ into our being for which God caused all things to work together for good, so that we would be conformed to the image of the firstborn Son of God. 

Romans 8:28-29And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Because those whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brothers; 

A good testimony is that of brother Watchman Nee himself. After six years of excommunication, he said his experience in those years was Romans 8:28, "all things work together for good." The discipline of the Holy Spirit is what we have to experience. The result of such will be the working of Christ into us to be conformed to His image, and be filled with His anointing.

What we do should be the outflow of what we are. Therefore, we will be constituted with the divine life for the outflow of life. 

This further brings us to our usefulness to God. How rich we are to the Lord will determine how useful we are to the Lord. How rich we are will be determined by how much anointing we have. Then how do we gain the anointing? By the experience of the cross and gaining Christ; this must be our daily experience. We must make use of every opportunity the Lord allows in our lives for us to gain Christ. This is to redeem the time. 

The conclusion of the matter is: Redeem the time by gaining Christ in every opportunity to be constituted with the Holy Spirit as the anointing within us constantly and instantly and be useful vessel to the Lord. 

O Jerusalem!

The day was December 6, 2017. I just enjoyed the Lord's speaking in a full time serving ones training held at Chennai, and I was about to rest for the day when I saw a pop-up news on my smartphone that Mr. Donald Trump, the President of the United States of America is set to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. I was so happy within. Later, a brother came to me to inform me of the same. Since Indian timezone is different from that of US by about half a day, the confirmation could happen only the next day as in IST. As I slept, the thought and feeling within me was a pleasant one. I feel blessed to live in the time where Bible prophecies are literally being fulfilled, one by one. 

The next day, when the confirmation came that Jerusalem indeed has been declared as the capital of Israel, few thoughts came buzzing within. About a year ago, my innate inclination toward the elected President was based on this one key: the campaign promised to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Among other factors, this one key factor stands out in support for the contending candidate. Biblical views in line with the fulfillment of God's eternal purpose will always find my support and allegiance to it. Though I am apolitical in my stand, I incline towards those whom I consider God, who is on the throne, has sovereignly appointed. What a glad tiding to me this sounds!

This is not about who loses and who gains, when it comes to the fulfillment of God's Word, God's sovereignty is supreme. 

Romans 9:14-16What then shall we say? Is there unrighteousness with God? Absolutely not! For to Moses He says, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.” So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. 

What God had promised, this He has fulfilled. 

The aftermath of such is foreknown. But God is in control. As such, our responsibility is to pray. 

Psalms 122:6-9Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Those who love you will prosper. Peace be within your bulwarks, And prosperity within your citadels. For my brothers’ and companions’ sake I will now say, Peace be within you. For the sake of the house of Jehovah our God I will seek your good.  

The following days, there has been circulation of messages on the hot topic as breaking news to the entire world. Two such messages are worth mentioning. Authors unknown, I am not the author, and I just "copy and paste" as relevant posts to the subject concerned. 

God bless Israel! God bless America!  

Two "copy-paste" messages:

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Response to President Donald Trump's Statement: This is a historic day.

Jerusalem had been the capital of the Jewish people for more than a millennium (1000 BC - AD 70). In Jeremiah 29:10, thus says the Holy Bible (NIV): This is what the LORD says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place.

Israel became a Nation on May 14, 1948. And its city Jerusalem got recognition as capital on Dec. 6, 2017.

If we calculate the number of days of all these past years in b/w we will get a figure of 25,408 days.

The Jewish calendar, according to Bible, has 360 days/year

(12 X 30 = 360).

If we calculate the total number of days (25,408) by the days of a year (360) we will get the number of total years as 70, i.e., seventy in God's calendar  (25,408÷360 = 70.555).

This prophecy (Jeremiah 29:10) fulfilled in 536 BC and has fulfilled in our days again by God towards Jerusalem. After exact seventy years of its birth as a Nation, it's officially recognized as Israel's Capital. This is called dual fulfillment. That means same prophecy has been fulfilled two times in their respective generations (in 536 BC and AD 2017). How awesome are your deeds, oh God! Who can understand them?

Hence, I think all these prophetical fulfillments are eye openers for any Gentile (i.e., non-Israelite, non-Christian), nominal Christian and unbeliever to understand that Holy Bible is real and it's God is real Who has prophesied everything before in the Bible. And it is also real that Jesus Christ is coming soon. 

Untill December 6, 2017 Jerusalem had not become the capital of Israel. Hence, the Jews could not take full control of Jerusalem to build their Temple. The Bible clearly tells us that before Jesus Christ's Second Coming there will be a Jewish temple in Jerusalem and its control will fall into the hands of Antichrist, a world ruler. Let us take note that in order for a Temple to be built in Jerusalem, the Jews must have full control over Jerusalem and It must become their center of power. This is why the city has got its due recognition on December 6, 2017.

*******************

Read this speech from the prime minister of Israel..... Benjamin Netanyahu, with all Glory to God.

Mr. Nethanyahu said:

Only 70 years ago! The Jews were taken to the slaughter like sheep. 

60 years ago! We had no country. No Army.

Seven Arab countries declared war on our small Jewish state, just a few hours after its creation!

We were only 650 Jews, against the rest of the Arab world! NO IDF (Israel Defense Army).

No powerful Air Force, only brave people with nowhere to go.

Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, Libya, Saudi Arabia all attacked us at the same time.

The country that the United Nations gave us was 65 % desert. The country was out of nowhere!

35 years ago! We fought the three most powerful armies in the middle east, and we swept them... yes... in six days.

We fought against various coalitions of Arab countries, which had the modern armies and many Soviet weapons, and we had always beaten them!

Today we have:

*A country*

*An army*

*A powerful air force*

*A State-of-the-Art economy which exports millions of dollars*

*Intel - Microsoft - IBM develops products at home*

*Our doctors receive awards for medical research*

We make the desert bloom, and sell oranges, flowers and vegetables all over the world.

Israel has sent its own satellites into space!

Three satellites at the same time!

We are proud to be at the same rank as: The United States, which has 250 million inhabitants,

Russia, which has 200 million inhabitants

China, which has 1.3 billion inhabitants

Europe - France, Great Britain, Germany - with 350 million inhabitants..

The only countries in the world to send objects into space! Israel is now part of the family of the nuclear powers, with the United States, Russia, China, India, France, and Great Britain.

We have never officially admitted it, (but everyone knows it) and say that only 60 years ago, we were led, ashamed and hopeless, to slaughter!

We have extirpés the smoking ruins of Europe, we have won our wars here with less than nothing. We built our little "Empire" from nothing.

Who's Hamas to scare me? To terrify me? You make me laugh! 

Passover was celebrated; Let's not forget what this is about.

>We survived Pharaoh.

>We survived the Greeks.

>We survived the Romans.

>We survived the inquisition in Spain.

>We have the pogroms in Russia.

>We survived Hitler.

>We survived the Germans.

>We survived the Holocaust.

>We survived the armies of seven Arab countries.

>We survived Saddam.

>We will continue to survive the enemies present today too.

Think of any time in human history! Think about it, for us, the Jewish people, the situation has never been better! Then let's face the world.

Let us remember: All nations or cultures who once tried to destroy us, no longer exist today - while we still live!

Egypt?

The Greeks?

Alexander of Macedonia?

The Romans? (does anyone still speak Latin these days? )

The Third Reich?

And look at us,

>The Bible Nation.

>The slaves of Egypt.

>We are still here.

And we speak the same language! then, and now! Arabs don't know yet, but they will learn that there is a God ....as long as we keep our identity, we are forever.

So forgive us for not worrying.

>Not to cry.

>Not to be afraid.

>Things are fine here.

>They could certainly get better.

However: Don't believe the media, they don't tell you  that parties continue to take place, people continue to live, people keep coming out, people continue to see friends.

Yes, our morale is low. So what? Only because we mourn our deaths, while others rejoice in the blood shed. That is why we will win, in the end.

He never sleeps or will ever sleep.... the guardian of Israel.... Yahweh God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Share on your walls and with all of your friends....

Skilled Scholarly Scribe

Nehemiah 8:8And they read in the book, in the law of God, interpreting and giving the sense, so that they understood the reading.

Generally, I do not care too much for the natural man's birthday, and not mine own nor my family members. But for the sake of humanity and as the Spirit inspires, I do post some birthday wishes. Today morning as I was enjoying the word of God for my need to be skilled scholarly scribe, the Lord reminded me of my younger sister's birthday. On praying for her, the best wish and prayer I could offer is for her to be a skilled scholarly scribe in the word of God, as she and her husband themselves are real academic scholars. 

Spiritually, there is a great need for such a scholarly scribe, constituted and skilled in the word of God. The age we live in today has been indoctrinated with different teachings, wrong teachings, incomplete teachings, improper teachings, unhealthy teachings, and even no teachings at all. Many children of God have grown up with almost little or no healthy teaching of the word of God. Immense knowledge on secular and academic field have been imparted, even humongous amount have been spent for secular education, but what about spiritual education? No wonder, the state of Christianity is what is seen today; a deadly deficiency in spiritual vitamins! Christians are starving for healthy spiritual food, if not, dying for the lack of it. Therefore, the need for the recovery of the children of God by education through skilled scholarly scribe. 

This burden is on par with what God had done with the Israelites when they returned from Babylon to Jerusalem; the reconstitution work is carried out by Ezra, a priestly scribe, skilled in the word of God. 

Therefore, I sent a prayer and wish to NY sister the following:

God’s intention with us (today's Israel) is to have on earth a divinely constituted people to be His testimony. Because of the degradation of today's Christianity, we have been contaminated with various different teachings and practices. Therefore, there is an urgent need for today's Ezra, a priest who serves God, and also a scribe, and a scholar, and who is skilled in the Word of God.  

Wishing and praying for you and your husband to be such Skilled Scholarly Scribes for the Lord's testimony.  

Blessed Birthday!

Lord, grace us and train us to be Your skilled Scholarly scribes.  

Crucial Crisis

Only God is sovereign over all; at times things happen and I have to gradually accept the fact and live along with it. At times, but in fact, things happened beyond human understanding and only God knows why. The mystery lingers on until in His time He revealed it to me what it really means to Him and to me. Such was the case when one night I received a surprise bulk messages from a brother concerning my cousin brother who had been in the training. Immediately I sensed something had gone wrong, or that a serious decision was about to be taken. Though I slept peacefully as usual some reckoning within me about a possible decision was perceived. The next day I received two urgent phone calls: one from my wife, and the other from my coordinator brother in the church, about a strict decision taken to discontinue the said brother from the training. Was it a shock or a surprise, or a shocking surprise? Well, the Lord is sovereign. I reckon it as all good for our perfecting. Sometimes, life lessons are learnt the hard way round. 

Since then, in the midst of the ministry of the word literature journey I had been carrying out, I would pray and consider how to handle this matter as I definitely have to fellowship once I get back home. Every time I tried to come up with some decisions, the Lord shut me up and reminded me with my own words, "Do not do anything without prayer until you are clear it is from the Lord." Therefore, I was saved from my presumptuous thoughts and natural decisions. Only yesterday, when the ministry journey for this time ended, a faint light began to dawn on me, though still not clear. And this morning as I was waiting to board a flight back to Delhi from Kangra, while I was reading my daily portion of the Bible at the Airport's waiting lounge, the Lord’s spoke to me and He made all things clear. 

Ezekiel 34:16I will seek the lost one and bring back the one that was driven away and bind up the broken one and strengthen the sick one; but the fat one and the strong one I will destroy — I will feed them with judgment. 

"Bring back the one that was driven away and bind up the broken one and strengthen the sick one;" the Lord's speaking was loud and clear. Now I know how to deal with this case. Besides, the Lord also promised that if I shepherd the sheep properly, the Lord will shower His blessings. 

Ezekiel 34:26-27And I will make them and the places around My hill a blessing, and I will cause the showers to come down in their season; there will be showers of blessing. And the trees of the field will yield their fruit, and the earth will yield its increase, and they will be secure in their land; then they will know that I am Jehovah, when I break the bars of their yoke and deliver them from the hand of those who enslaved them. 

Not only did the Lord showed me how to deal with persons, matters, and things, but He also promised showers of blessings if I would obey His speaking and follow His leading. 

Praise the Lord, my God is a living and speaking God! Even critical crisis is a crucial class for real life lesson learning and perfecting. Thank God for the training, the brothers who faithfully made decision in the training, my wife, my brother in the church coordination, and the faithful God who speaks His timely words. All things indeed works together for good. 

Romans 8:28And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Ministry of the Word to Dharamsala, HP

Not knowing where we were going nor who we were meeting, the Lord led us to this city. The contact I had was just a phone number. As instructed over the phone we got done at a bus stand and there we were picked up and taken straight away to a meeting, the day being Lord’s day. The meeting was held at a village near the Airport in Gaggal. 

In the meeting I was requested to share my testimony of salvation, and I did with a burden to impart life to the congregation of about fifty believers. My emphasis was on the need of personal experience of the Lord, prayer life, doing the will of the Lord, studying the word of God, and the importance of growth in the divine life. The Lord richly blessed the testimony as the pastor himself, and the leading ones testified after the meeting to me and said that such speaking was the timely need of the church there. 

My coordinator brother was also requested to share testimony, and with it he shared on the importance of our human spirit and how to touch the Lord's Spirit dwelling in our spirit. There was also an introduction and distribution of the ministry books to all literate believers. 

Later, we were given hospitality in the pastor's house itself. That evening we also meet few other Christian leaders for introduction and distribution of the ministry books. The following day too, a meeting was held for Christian leaders to hear us out. As the Lord led me so, I briefed them on the history of the church, the degradation of the church under Catholicism, the reformation work under Martin Luther, the need for recovery back to the orthodoxy of the church, and the vital and unique role the ministry plays in the recovery of the church. Some Christian leaders purchased the Hindi books in set. 

In the afternoon that day, we visited a brother who has been serving with the campus students in Kangra. The Lord led me to share testimonies of serving among the college students with my own life experiences as an encouragement to him besides introducing the ministry books. Later, in the night we spent time with the pastor who is a dear brother to us by then, on some important truths in the Bible: The genealogy of Jesus as recorded in Mathew and Luke, the place of the golden incense altar as recorded in Hebrews 9:4 and Exodus 30:6 with the spiritual significance and the subjectivity in our prayer life. 

The following day, we had a sight seeing tour at McLeod, passing through the Tibetan market to the headquarter of Dalai Lama, then to a Baghsunag waterfall. 

We also had the burden to meet Christian leaders working among the Tibetans. In our search for such, we were introduced to a sister in Naddi, on the mountain top, after trekking for over three kilometres deep into the village mountain. It was amazing, we ended up meeting a Gujarati brother who is a Gujarati translator for the past ten years and his project would end by coming January 2018. Immediately I offered him a translation assignment after his current assignment, of course, only if he could pass the translation trial checking. He immediately agreed and testified that he has the burden to continue to serve there in the mountain village and continue with translation. I also introduced The Economy of God and gifted him the book as well for His reading, and perhaps for His translation in the future, if the Lord so wills. The sister we met was in the verge of leaving the village as she will get married next year, and I she became a potential contact for Indore, Madhya Pradesh. 

We just marvelled at the way in which the Lord led us to meet these dear seekers in a remote village in Naddi for the Lord's work elsewhere in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. 

In the evening after dinner, brother took me to his house owner where I shared my testimony of salvation and preached the gospel to the whole family using The Mystery of Human Life tract. They were opened to the gospel and we prayed for their family's salvation. May the Lord save this family. I believe it was for their salvation that our brother rented his house and there I was given hospitality. 

Finally, this brother and his family came together and we all had family prayer time. This was how the ministry of the word literature journey came to conclude for the time being.

May the Lord gain His heart's desire in life the cities he led us to. 

Ministry of the Word to Mandi, HP

An elderly pastor welcomed us to the city of Mandi. The moment we arrived, we were given audience by a group of Christian leaders who were waiting for us. We immediately introduced the ministry books and I shared the word of God using the ministry books. 

The word of God we all read together was from Acts 8:26-39, with an emphasis on the need for interpreting the word of God by Philip to the Ethiopian Eunuch. The burden I released was on the need to get help from one another as the Lord gave revelations to many saints in the past; we must learn from one another. Therefore, the need to read, study, and pursue the ministry books, not as a replacement of the Bible but as an opening up of the Bible. Moreover, I also presented the truths from Life Lessons, lesson by lesson in a way of helping the believers see and experience the practical growth in the divine life. The Christian leaders were so impressed with the ministry of the word. After the meeting we were considering whether to stay back or proceed to the next destination, but the pastor who hosted us requested that we stay back a night for more fellowship. We felt good and stayed back. 

A seeking Christian leader spent over three hours of fellowship with us on some crucial truths of the Bible: Christian life, church life, ministry, Body of Christ, etc. He even opened up about his real situation and standing as a serving one; how the Lord led him and blessed him in this city, his burden and vision, and his readiness to carry out his burden if his namesake tie with a mainline church is cut off. My main burden with this brother was to help him in the matter of life and then the truth. I gifted him a book in Hindi, The Tree of Life. This brother was sober and the way we met was noteworthy. He heard about us from our host and called a Pastor in Kullu to confirm what kind of men we are, and what did we teach. With a word of mouth well-speaking about our visit to Kullu, he decided to hear us out. That's how he came to meet us, and later we ended up in his house for more fellowship. May the Lord shine on Him and recover him for His testimony in Mandi. 

In the evening we had dinner fellowship with our host who was from a Gentile background. He shared how the Lord saved him and how he began his ministry in the city. He works in the weekdays and takes care of the believers with him albeit only on the Lord's day. We only hope that he can read the ministry books gifted to him. The next day early morning we left for our next destination. 

May the Lord gain His heart's desire in Mandi.

Ministry of the Word to Kullu, HP

A brother who was instrumental in our planning this ministry journey to Himachal Pradesh welcomed us to Kullu, where he serves and resides. The moment we arrived at the city, we were taken to a meeting hall where Christian leaders were invited to give us an audience. 

As burdened by the Lord, I ministered on the meaning of a Christian life, the need for a proper spiritual education and spiritual growth in the divine life, linking the budens with the importance of healthy spiritual food for the believers to pursue. Then we distributed the books; a Pastor who opened his meeting hall ordered the entire set of books in Hindi. 

When we arrived here we were not sure if we had to stay back or proceed to the next city. But as I was about to minister the word I requested for a translator as I preferred to minister in English and the crowd barely knew English. A sister volunteered to translate for me. She was so touched by the words ministered as her expression in translation proved it. After the meeting she enquired our schedule and immediately requested us to stay back for more fellowship. We just felt that it was like the Lord opening up the heart of Lydia to pay heed to the ministry of the word. We obliged to her request and were thus given hospitality in her house. 

There in the house two batches of Christian leaders came to meet us. They all heard us out and received the ministry books. Thereby, without us needing to go to meet each one of them the Lord led us meet all of them in a sister's house. We marvelled at how the Lord made arrangements beyond our imagination. He is Lord and He is sovereign over all. 

The sister in question is a mother of two sons, who used to serve as women leader and her son as youth leader in Delhi for many years. Because of the burden the Lord gave, they resigned from their previous group and came to this city to serve the Lord by faith in a fresh way, on and of their own, without joining any denomination. We enjoyed a sweet fellowship with this family till late night on the matter of a Christian life, the church, and the ministry. 

The next day morning we continued to fellowship on the importance of eating the Lord Jesus in and through the word of God, using John 6, mostly verses 57 and 63. I also gifted two books in Hindi: The Glorious Church and The Economy of God, with the burden and hope that they would see the heart's desire of God. Then we prayed and departed for our next destination. 

In this city too, the Lord was sovereign in leading all Christian leaders to meet us and be given the opportunity to taste the ministry. Much more, the Lord was also specific in leading us to the home of a sister and her sons who loves the Lord and are waiting upon Him for proper leading to begin serving the Lord in this city. Only the Lord knows who would one day be the pillar for the Lord's testimony in Kullu. 

May the Lord gain His heart's desire in Kullu.