Gurugram Propagation: Open Homes

1 Timothy 2:3-5This is good and acceptable in the sight of our Savior God, Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus. 

God desires all men to be saved and for this He needs us, the believers, to cooperate with Him in His gospel move. For this very purpose and burden, as the church in Gurugram, we formed teams and went out to door-knock houses in selected sectors-55,56,57, Suncity, and DLF 3. Our schedule in door-knocking was consistent for a month with the coordination of the trainees from Taiwan and India. The Lord indeed bless such a coordinated move in the Body and graced us with some open gentile families.

A husband of a family who has a Christian mother but has been married to a non-Christian wife who has been inclined towards idolatry has been maintaining his Christian touch a secret. Yet in time, the Lord discovered him through the door-knocking and he revealed his true identity. Since then, we have been been having home meetings in his home. 

The first time we went, we preached the gospel right away and led them to call upon the Name of the Lord. Then, we requested if we could meet them again and again. They were open, therefore we went and read the Bible together with them regularly. So far, until Mathew chapter 6 has been read and studied. When we were in chapter 3 on the baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ we expounded the truth concerning baptism. They even agreed to be baptised. Yet a very subtle opposition from the enemy stopped them. We did not push it further, instead continue to shepherd them through the study of the word and leave baptism for a proper time. May the Lord save this family. 

A family who had a miraculous connection with the Lord Jesus was met. The mother in this family had a mouth cancer for which she was operated. While on the process of operation, according to her, she died for a while, saw her soul left her body, and was taken up to heaven to meet the Lord Jesus. Yet, she came back to life and the vision she saw disappeared. Since then, she and her husband has a hidden thirst to know more about Jesus. They even had been to a Christian group for a while which they left as they were hurt by the Pastor's preaching against idolatry which made them close completely for any further Christian meeting until we met them again through door-knocking.

With this family we had a good number of meetings in their home. We preached the gospel and they believed into the Lord Jesus Christ and called upon His name. They also came once for a meeting, and we had Bible studies in their home. This family confessed to us that they are seeking and searching for the reality of God and they are very inclined towards the Lord Jesus. They wanted to study more and would like to embrace the Lord with the whole household. May the Lord save this family. 

A younger couple were open to us in our first visit. They also hailed from a strong religious background. As we started visiting them, we preached the gospel and they believed into Jesus and called upon the Lord's Name. We then began a Bible study in their home until the time of their children's exam and will continue once the exams are over. This family also attended the church meeting twice on Lord’s day. May the Lord save this family.

A family of nine ladies was contacted through door-knocking. In the first three meetings with them, the gospel was preached and all of them believed into the Lord and called upon His name. They also came for a Lord's day meeting. Since they all believed, we also explained to them the meaning of baptism. Later, the male member of the family strongly objected to the gospel and their believing into the Lord Jesus. We do not give up on them, but continue to pray for the household salvation. May the Lord save this family. 

There are a couple of families who have similar stories. Gospel preaching is a spiritual battle; a direct fight between God and Satan. We do not give up on any of this family. We'd rather continue to pray for them until they all are saved, and we baptised, and brought into the church life. 

Our labor and prayer for all these new ones will never go in vain. The gospel propagation in Gurugram is bearing fruits. 

May the Lord gain a strong testimony in Gurugram. 

Chandigarh: A Detour

Chandigarh was not in the itinerary for the ministry of the word literature journey this time. The church was already raised up a few years ago and and the saints are going on in their church life. As we were in Shimla with a brother, he asked me to talk to his sister who received a set of the ministry books in Hindi from him and read it, and was so touched by it. As I spoke to her over the phone, she testified of how much she enjoyed the ministry of the word and that her life has been transformed. At that instant, I told her that on my way back I would pass through Chandigarh and that I could drop by. Her innate response was, "Please come, Brother!" I reckoned that as the Lord's clarion call to visit Chandigarh.

A brother and I arrived late in the night in Chandigarh. The husband of that sister who initiated the visitation came to pick us up at the bus station. He then dropped us to a very nice hotel which he booked for our hospitality, and then took us to his home for dinner. It was over dinner fellowship that the couple testified to us all of how much blessed they were with the ministry of the word. Especially the sister who went on testifying her enjoyment of the Lord through the ministry books in Hindi. She quoted from the books, The All-inclusive Christ, The Glorious Church, A Seer of the Divine Revelation in the Present Age, and The Spiritual Man 3 Volumes. The brother also testified of how he emphasised on the inner life and cared life much more than work. To their fellowship we added that we should live and serve by the principle of life rather than the principle of the flesh. Isaac and Ishmael in the Bible were two examples we fellowshipped on. As the fellowship went on late into midnight we had to pause and decided to continue the following day.

Over the special breakfast sister prepared for us, we continued our fellowship on life and also introduced the ministry books the following day. As the fellowship went on, a good number of young people joined, and our fellowship took a new direction. I was burdened to help these precious young people with the word of God, therefore, we ministered the truths concerning The Ministry of Human Life, The Assurance, Security, and Joy of Salvation, The Precious Blood of Jesus, Calling Upon the Lord's Name, and encouraged all the young ones to live a life of loving the Lord in their young age, to read the Word, pray, and also be studious students to be a testimony among their friends and relatives.

We all sang their Hindi song together, taught them a new Hindi song, "We will sing to the Lord with our spirit," called upon the Lord's Name outloud together, and also prayed together. The presence of the Lord was so sweet and rich, they were so full of joy, and the brother even tried to offer "money" to us which we politely rejected and thanked him instead for his time, and also for the wonderful and lovely hospitality. We had to leave as we need to catch a bus for our way back home, so the brother dropped us to the bus stand. 

What a blessed time of fellowship we enjoyed in Chandigarh! May the Lord continue to work in them and recovery each one of them for His testimony in Chandigarh! 

Prayer for the Nation

1 Timothy 2:1-2I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men; On behalf of kings and all who are in high position, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all godliness and gravity.

Our country being the largest democratic country in the world, the attention paid during the national election within and without was noteworthy. We just had an election and the result of the election garnered a mixed responses; some doubting the mishandling of EVM machines tampering it in favor of a certain party, while others were elated to the core of their party's thumping victory win in majority, yet others kept mum in owe of being shattered in their election dream. Only God knows the truth behind all deeds, He will righteously judge in His own time. 

This election was well followed and watched upon. Many prayer groups had been praying for this election, and prayed for the will of the Lord to be done. Though there was a hidden expectation within the people who prayed, as far as I know, we all prayed for God's will. The believers have an inclination towards a secular party as this election was fought on two ideologies: one, fundamental religious nationalist and the other, liberal secular nationalist. Keeping our opinions and views aside, the hard lesson learned was to accept the Lord's final decision. 

Many believers have fasted and prayed for 72 hours in the beginning of the election and repeated the same towards the end of election and before the counting and declaration of the results. The exercise was good and laudable, as the believers were united together to pray. For whatever matter, prayer is always good. Whatever the result was, still the believers have done their responsibility in prayer. Now that the results have come, we simply just thanked the Lord for His sovereignty. 

Now our responsibility is to exhort that petitions, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men; on behalf of kings and all who are in high position, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all godliness and gravity. Now, whoever party won, as a citizen my sole responsibility is to pray for the rulers that God would give them the wisdom to rule this country and pave the way for the intensified spread of the gospel of the Kingdom, for the salvation of the many unsaved, and for the raising up of His testimony all over the country. 

God bless India! India for Christ and the Church! 

A Surprise Meet

The Lord is the best planner; He knows when to plan, how to plan, and what to plan. More than five years ago a brother was introduced to me with whom I fellowshipped on the truth concerning Christ and the Church. I even gifted him a book, The Normal Christian Church Life, which he obliged to receive with a word of caution, "Only if the Lord leads me I will read," to which I replied back, "Read, only if the Lord leads you."

Few month later he called up to say that he read the book and understood the truth concerning the church and her local ground, one city one church. But he insisted that he was saved in a Christian group which he termed as "mother church" and he'd rather be faithful there. Well, I had no comment on that, but I let him know that he can fellowship with me any time for any matter.

Now and then, we had fellowship on different issues including his personal matters. But we hardly met face to face though we are in the same city. Two years ago we met in a brother's home in Uttrakhand. And this time, we met in Manali, far far away from the city we both dwell. 

Things have changed as he shared some of the things he had gone through in his life. We enjoyed a good time together in Manali. We even visited his wife's house in a village and considered the possibility of preaching the gospel house to house. As we spent time together, we also prayed for the Lord to save the people of Himachal Pradesh, especially the villagers of our brother's wife. One evening, we also met again in a Bible Study session at a church. A brother and I coordinated to share the truth on Christ and the church, and he became our translator from English to Hindi. This was an indication from the Lord that we all have to serve the Lord together in coordination. Our feelings and opinions have to be crucified at the cross and we should simply be blended together into the oneness of the Body of Christ. 

I also invited him to come over for a time of fellowship over a meal when we all get back to Gurugram. Perhaps, the Lord is preparing all of us to be blended and be builded up together. For this, he took us to the mountain for meeting and fellowship. This, for sure, is a surprise meet.

May the Lord recover each one of us for His testimony!

Paul Samuel

A brother whom I met about six years ago in Shillong and who has since then became so dear to me as a brother in Christ, who loves the Lord very much and the ministry of the word, gave me a surprise call on the 25th of this month, May 2019. The call was related to the Lord's special and miraculous gift of a baby boy on the same day morning. With much joy he said I was the first person he called to share the good news and requested me to name the baby boy. My innate reply was, "Praise the Lord!" And to his request for naming the baby boy, I told him it is his baby and he can name him what he feels best. But he requested that I pray about it and give him a name.

For five days I have been considering and praying regarding a brother's request. The Lord convicted me that if a brother has such a request, it must be from the Lord and it is an honor to honor the request of a dear brother. The more I prayed and considered, a light dawn on me concerning the need of the age and to give a name with this background.

In this church age in the midst of degradation, there is an urgent need for the New Testament ministry of building up the Body of Christ revealed through the apostle Paul. Therefore, Paul is a good choice of name with the present burden. The mystery of God, Christ, and the mystery of Christ, the church, was unveiled through brother Paul. And we need such ministry today to hasten the Lord's return to marry His bride, the built up church.

Beside, there is also a need for an absolute consecration to turn the age. As Hannah prayed for a son and lent it to God, a beloved son born to a brother also need such consecration. Therefore, the name Samuel is also a good name.

Though I have these names in mind, I did not call him nor texted him. My feeling was that if this be truly of the Lord, let it be confirmed. Till then, I will wait. Today, the same brother called me again asking if I have settled on any name for his son. It was then that I explained to him the meaning and spiritual significances of these two names and asked him to consider. But his immediate reply was, "Amen!" and requested me to send these names to him.

Later, I complied a collection of Bible verses and footnotes and sent it to him.

Paul Samuel: A Wonderful Name for a Beloved Son

Paul
Titus 1:1Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the faith of God’s chosen ones and the full knowledge of the truth, which is according to godliness.

Notes from the Holy Bible, Recovery VersionIt was according to the command of God and of Christ that Paul became an apostle. In his earlier Epistles he told us that he was an apostle through the will of God (1 Cor. 1:1; 2 Cor. 1:1; Eph. 1:1; Col. 1:1). The command of God is a definite expression, a further direction, of the will of God.

Titus 1:1-3Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the faith of God’s chosen ones and the full knowledge of the truth, which is according to godliness, In the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the times of the ages, But in its own times He manifested it as His word in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the command of our Savior God;

Notes from the Holy Bible, Recovery VersionPaul was an apostle according to four things:(1) the command of God (1 Tim. 1:1),(2) the promise of life (2 Tim. 1:1),(3) the faith of God’s chosen ones, and(4) the full knowledge of the truth, which is according to godliness.
The command, on God’s side, speaks for Him and requires something of us for Him. Faith, on our side, responds to God’s requirements and receives His life. Faith is a proclamation that we are unable to fulfill God’s requirements but that God has done everything for us and that we receive what He has done. The life promised by God is what we have received of Him for the carrying out of His demand. It was in this way that Paul was an apostle to administrate God’s New Testament economy.

Titus 1:2In the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the times of the ages.

Notes from the Holy Bible, Recovery VersionPaul was an apostle not only according to the faith and the knowledge of the truth but also in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised in eternity. This corresponds with according to the promise of life in 2 Tim. 1:1. In the hope of eternal life means on the basis of, on the condition of, relying on the hope of, eternal life. Eternal life, the uncreated life of God, is not only for us to partake of and enjoy today but also for us to inherit (Matt. 19:29) in its full extent for eternity. Today’s experience of eternal life qualifies us to inherit it in the future. The enjoyment of eternal life today is a foretaste; the inheritance of eternal life in the coming age and in eternity will be the full taste. This inheritance is the hope of eternal life (see note 73 in ch. 3).

Samuel
1 Samuel 1:20And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son; and she called his name Samuel, For, she said, I asked for him of Jehovah.

Notes from the Holy Bible, Recovery Version
Samuel: Meaning heard of God, or asked for of God.

1 Samuel 2:11And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child ministered to Jehovah before Eli the priest.

Notes from the Holy Bible, Recovery VersionSamuel was of the tribe of Levi (1 Chron. 6:33-38) but was not of the house of Aaron, the family of the priests ordained by God. Samuel ministered to the Lord as one who was a priest not by birth but by the Nazarite Vow. At the time of Samuel the priesthood of the house of Aaron was utterly fallen. God, however, foresaw the situation. Besides His ordaining the house of Aaron to be the priests, He made a supplement—the Nazarite vow in Num. 6—in case there should be an inadequacy in the ordained priests. When the house of Aaron fell, this supplement was put into practical use. Samuel became a priest by being consecrated, separated, and lent to God (1:11, 28). See note 21 in Num. 6.

Manali: A Revisit

Manali, a famous tourist destination, has welcomed us again this time. We already came to this city and had a wonderful time of fellowship with two brothers. The same two brothers took care of us and made arrangement for various meetings this time too.

Meetings with Students 

One thing that impressed me most was the freedom of the gospel within the school premises. Students were educated with spiritual songs and Bible knowledge. Though I have witnessed prayer and singing of spiritual songs in many schools in different parts of India, this school has done a very good work in sowing the seed of the kingdom of God. I was told that the students here have memorised over fifty spiritual songs and a good number of Bible verses. On top of that, daily school devotion added to the further sowing of the divine seed.

This time we were invited to take devotion of two batches of students during our two days stay here. To a group of Class VIII to X students, I spoke on trusting God and working hard as students, and then prayed for them. And to a group of Class XI-XII students, I gave my testimony of tasting and experiencing God by believing into Jesus Christ and led them to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour and God. Then, I also encouraged them to work hard as there is no substitute for hardwork with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Meeting with Hospital Staffs

A morning devotion time was also given to us to share the word and introduce the ministry books to the staffs, nurses, and doctors of a Christian run hospital. The person in authority invited us for sharing the word and opened the door for all staffs to received the ministry books. 

Meeting with a Local Church 

There is a group of believers who meets as a local church here in this city. We were invited to share the word in their Wednesday night Bible study. A brother and I fellowshipped and shared on Christ and the Church, the Christian life and the Church life. Our burden was to help the believers with the meaning of a Christian life which is enjoying and living Christ, and the issue of the enjoyment of Christ is the church life. 

Fellowshipping with Brothers 

We also enjoyed a wonderful time of fellowship with few brothers. It was a joy to hear the testimony of a brother who enjoyed the ministry so much. Listening to such a brother justified the time, money, and energy spent to come all the way to this hill station for the distribution.

A night of dinner fellowship with another brother on the truth concerning the oneness of the Body of Christ was so precious. We fellowshipped at length and in depth till late night releasing our burden, presenting from the types and prophesies in the Old Testament with the reality and fulfillment in the New Testament, concerning the oneness prayed for by the Lord in John 17 and the need to recover such oneness today. I also gifted to this brother two books on the church, The Assembly Life and The Orthodoxy of the Church, with a New Testament Recovery Version Bible.

Two brothers also invited us to their homes for fellowship. These two brothers married local sisters who are  also saved from gentile background. We got the taste and feel of the local Kulluvi life. Though many of the local people were not yet saved, the few who got saved are faithful to the Lord and are burdened for the salvation of the entire community. 

Praise the Lord for the believers in Manali! May the Lord recover His testimony in this city and save many local people.

Kullu: A Revisit

A contact person in this city is a sister who was my translator from English to Hindi when I first came to the city for distribution more than a year ago. She was so touched my the ministry of the word that she invited us to her home and gave us hospitality. During our stay there, she also invited Christian workers and pastors to meet with us. Since then, we have been in fellowship on WhatsApp.

This time as we visited her, she gathered together all her contacts: some new believers and two brothers. We were welcomed with a surprise presence of all these people which we did not expect as our intention and burden was to meet the seeking sister and her family. 

The first surprise was that an elderly brother who used to meet with the church in Secunderabad was also present. In fact, he was invited by the family of our sister's contact who have been facing demonic issues in the family. He was there to help deliver the family. This brother came into the Lord's recovery and left because his quest for his burden to serve fulltime was not answered. But after over a decade, the Lord brought us into contact with him in Kullu. As we shared on the church, he made a video recording of our sharing from the Bible on the church and requested for a book, The Orthodoxy of the Church, which I gifted to him. He was so impressed that the Lord sure does remember him. I personally believe, it was for his recovery and he will be recovered back into the fellowship of the Body of Christ in oneness. 

The second surprise was that a brother through whom I came to Kullu in my first visit was also invited for this meeting. I thought he was a pastor of a Christian group and did not bother to contact him this time. But it was manifested that he is a translator of a New Testament into his mother tongue, Mandeali, and now his project is over. He has a burden to continue as a translator and also serve the Lord in a new locality. He invited us to his home where we fellowship with him for translation of the ministry books into Mandeali or Hindi. The Lord, indeed, has preserved him for the translation service and also for His testimony in Kullu. 

The third surprise came from the sister who was our host. She has started a small fellowship with her son. The Lord has been blessing her with new believers and she is progressing in the ministry. Our fellowship on what the church is according to the Bible touched her and her son. They could see something of the church as they themselves confessed their need to take the stand for the church in Kullu. We gifted them with a book, The Normal Christian Church Life, and the New Testament Recovery Version Bible. 

This visit was full of surprises and the Lord's specific leading was clearly seen. May the Lord fully recover all these dear ones and recover His testimony on the proper and genuine ground of oneness as the church in Kullu. 

Shimla: A Revisit

Acts 15:36Now after some days Paul said to Barnabas, Let us return now and visit the brothers in every city in which we announced the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.

The burden to revisit Shimla after we first visited for the distribution of the ministry of the word a year ago came up in a fellowship two weeks ago. I felt it was the Lord's feeling and burden expressed in the Body. Though I initially intended not to, I amened the Lord's leading. Then I contacted the contacts in Shimla and other cities and started praying for this revisit. City by city, the seeking contacts replied and we came up with a plan to visit Shimla first, then Manali, then Kullu, then Mandi, and perhaps Chandigarh as well. 

The key contact in Shimla is a brother whom we met last, just before we left the city when we first visited. We spent a solid hour of ministering the word on Christ and the Church and introduced the ministry books to him. He was the main seeking one among all that we met. Therefore, he was contacted, he responded, and we visited him this time. 

Our brother gave us hospitality in his meeting hall and did his best to make us happy. He took us to the best tourist spots in Shimla for sightseeing. While we were in Army Heritage Museum, we had a fellowship on how the Lord brought us together and that he needed to take the stand for the Lord's testimony in Shimla. He seemed to have understood his need for taking the stand for the Lord's testimony and is open for fellowship and perfecting. He confessed his need and how he has been praying for transformation. In fact, the Lord has been burdening him for chain prayer throughout the day with some of the believers, and also recently had 120 hours of fasting prayer. He also acknowledged that the Lord has sent us to him, to meet his need and prayer for transformation. 

As he took us to different places, we also fellowshipped along the way. He testified to us how the Lord saved him through the miraculous healing of his mother from a cancerous tumour through the prayer of a pastor, and that healing led him to believe into the Lord Jesus Christ, be baptised into His name, took Bible training, served full time with a pastor for five years, and finally, started his own ministry. 

The Lord also has been leading him all these years and the ministry literature we distributed helped him realised his need for deeper and inner transformation. At this juncture in his spiritual journey, we met again. May the Lord fully recover him and the believers with him for His testimony in Shimla. 

Last Lord's day, he requested us to minister the word. A brother and I fellowshipped and prayed for the release of the word. Therefore, we shared on the basic of a Christian life: the mystery of human life; the assurance, security, and joy of salvation; the precious blood of Christ; the key to enjoy the Lord; and the importance of reading, knowing, and experiencing the word of the Lord. 

I was burdened to minister to the whole congregation of about forty believers on the spiritual significance of the word of God. Beginning with Psalms 119:105 and John 6:63, I released my burden to help them receive the Spirit and Life through the Word. I expounded John 6 on how the Lord charged us to work for the Food that does not perish, but fills our hunger, quenches our thirst, and gives eternal life. This Food is the Lord Jesus Christ as the bread sent from heaven, the living bread, the bread that gives life, and the living bread. This bread must be eaten daily by coming to the word of God and I encouraged every one to eat this bread through the reading of the word and praying the word daily. 

After we ministered the word, the brother testified of how much the Lord loves them by sending us to them to minister the timely word to the congregation. We trust the word of God will continue to work in them and bless the congregation for His testimony in Shimla. 

May the Lord recover His testimony through His chosen ones for the church in Shimla.

Gurugram Propagation: Seeking Christians

John 10:16And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must lead them also, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one flock, one Shepherd. 

The Lord always have His remnants everywhere. Though our focus in gospel preaching is and always will be on the gentiles, still, as we go house to house door-knocking, the Lord still manifested His seekers and lovers. When the Lord brings them to us we cannot neglect them. It was the Lord who manifested them to us, and it is our responsibility to shepherd them. This time round, three such seeking families were met.

The first one is a family of four members. They have been meeting with a pentacostal group for over fifteen years. Yet when they were contacted they were so open to us and the truth that we ministered. Immediately they expressed their interest to meet with us. This is very unusual but the Lord has been preparing them for the church life. They started joining the meetings on Lord’s days and expressed their enjoyment of the Lord in the meeting despite our meeting being so different from the denominational Christian meetings. Outwardly speaking, we are few in numbers and do not have one man leader or preacher, no special choir or song leader with musical instruments, but the Lord has attracted them. On their invitation, we visited them for a home meeting last Monday. The testimony of their meeting with us was very encouraging. The mother of the family testified how she enjoyed the presence of the Lord and appreciated the free movement of the Holy Spirit to speak and move through the believers. To her, this is her home and she longs to meet with us right away. The brother also testified of how he desires to fully come into the church life and have been considering to completely leave the denomination to recover their church life. Our response was that the church is for all the believers and they are always welcome to meet with us. We encouraged them to look to the Lord for His specific leading and follow the Lord faithfully. A regular home meeting has thus been established every Monday night in their home. May the Lord fully shepherd them into His flock.

The second family was first met through door-knocking. A home meeting was held, then they were poisoned by someone with false accusation against the church life in the Lord’s recovery. But one day, they were convicted by the Lord that they were only hearing rumors and that they should find out the truth. We thought they were already closed and was on the verge of giving them up. But they changed and became open again. They invited us for a Bible study in their home and they also invited their friends and colleagues to join the meeting. Every time we went for the meeting, the Lord spoke something new and fresh to them. All we did was, sing a hymn, read few Bible verses, and fellowship on the word of God in depth and at length. As the Lord graces, we will continue to shepherd them.

The third family was met through the introduction of a believer family whom we met through door-knocking. On the first meeting itself we did not withhold what we felt good for the family. We ministered the truth concerning a Christian life and church life. They were so shepherded that they wanted us to meet them again for Bible studies. The Lord has been working on them and preserving them for His testimony.

There is yet another family who came to meet with us due to the frustration they had been facing in the denominational church they were in before, for over a decade. Through one brother they came to know about us and started meeting with us. A cult group that does not believe in Jesus as God contacted them. But in time, they were introduced to us. We immediately visited and inoculated them with the truth of the Bible and expounded to them the truth concerning the Triune God, a Christian life and church life. Yet the father who was enticed by the cult group became very angry on learning that his family started to come to the church meeting. He strongly objected to it and warned his family not be in contact with the church again. But we realized it was the enemy's attack and prayed for the release of the entire family.

Praise the Lord for all these families the Lord has manifested and chosen for His testimony. May Lord shepherd us to shepherd them fully into the full enjoyment of Christ in their Christian life and their church life. 

Kochi Office Visit

The Lord has been faithfully shepherding a brother and his wife through whom He brought in His recovery to India. Though physically they are aged, the Lord still preserves and enables them to continue to serve within their capacity. Though I had no plan to visit them, because of the brother's call, I adjusted my tour plan and visited them for a day. 

My burden in visiting the Kochi office was to fellowship with our brother and also with the team who serves in the literature service there. I am glad that they all were doing well.  I respect the brother who has been faithfully serving from the very beginning. I have learnt from him some crucial matters related to my service. I wish and pray for him and his wife that the Lord would grant them good health and long life to serve Him all the days of their lives unto the end. Though I did not have much to say, my mere presence was sufficient to let them know that I do care for them as fellow serving ones in the ministry of the word. He was so happy that I visited them and he requested that I visit often.

One night, I gave testimonies of the Lord's move in the North East part of India where they used to serve some thirty five years ago. My burden was to let them know that the Lord has been faithfully carrying out His move and that the ministry of the word plays a crucial role in gaining His remnants for His testimonies all over North East. I also updated them on what the Lord has been doing through the literature service in India. They were very encouraged by these testimonies. I was glad that I could visit them and do whatever the Lord burdened me to do, especially to testify of the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord. Another underlying burden in all my sharing was to minister life through giving testimonies.

They also took me to visit a city, Kottayam. On the way we enjoyed a sight seeing tour of "God's Own Country-Kerala." As we travelled for about two hours, I could fellowship with them about the Lord's move in other countries which I visited. I gave them testimonies of the Lord gaining a research scholar and how the saints poured out all their being for the Lord's testimony. Even when we arrived at our destination, the home of a wealthy sister, I had no intention to share anything specific, but as we fellowshipped I gave testimony of a wealthy brother through whom the Lord raised up a local church in my hometown. I also testified of how this brother loves the Lord and and how he became a blessing to the saints and to the church, both spiritually and physically. It so turned out that the testimony I just shared was what she actually need as the brother told me later on. I had no idea of who she was and why we met her, but the Lord has a definite plan in that visit.

The visit to Kochi office was a shepherding visit and I am glad that the Lord led me there. May the Lord continue to grace the serving ones there and bless His testimony in Kerala.

Churching: Southernmost Tip

The southernmost tip of India, Kanyakumari, has the church life where I came to visit for churching and sight seeing. Before this city, I visited Marthandam and Nagercoil. In all these coastal areas the saints took care of me so well. They took me around to different sight seeing spots, to the beach, to the shipping harbour, and specially treated me with different variety of seafood during my stay with them. It was a wonderful time of churching and blending.

The simplicity of the saints and their love for the Lord and care for the members of the Body is amazing. I just felt blessed; not just me, but also them. They indeed have been blessed with all the best that nature can bestow; clean air, clean water, fresh vegetables and fresh seafood, with a  very minimal need for money. On top of them all, they have been enjoying their church life in a simply yet sweet way. Praise the Lord!

The testimonies, fellowship, and prayers of the saints were very enjoyable. Though I did not intend to, I could perceive what has been going on in the churches there. Just by visiting them and being with them, I could discern the situation of the saints and the churches. Whenever I got the opportunity, I tried my best to minister Christ as life and encouraged them to go forward in loving the Lord and pursuing Him. May the Lord continue to shepherd and blessed the saints and the churches there.

As a sightseeing trip, the saints also took me to a rocky mountain being built with museum and statue, to a Sunset Point to see the sun setting over the horizon, to a Sunrise Point to catch a beautiful glimpse of the sun ascending from the vast ocean, and to the place called "Triveni Sangamam", the meeting of three oceans-the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Bay of Bengal.

One crucial point in our fellowship was, the burden a brother brought up for fellowship related to the visiting of Bihar where he used to serve as missionary in the past. He testified that he has a good number of brothers and sisters who need to be shepherded for the Lord's testimony. As we fellowshipped, I felt it was the Lord's speaking and His open door for His move to North India, especially Bihar this time. Perhaps, it is time for me to visit this state now and sow the seed of the Kingdom of God! In and through the fellowship we were all clear concerning the Lord's move to Bihar. May the Lord gain His heart's desire in Bihar! The move to the North is also from the move to the South. Here is also another precious lesson: the Lord speaks in the Body, through the Body, and for the Body.

Serving Ones Training

This month, the serving ones training in Trivandrum was another step in my spiritual life and service in the Body. This is the city where my marriage to my wife was first made public to all the saints in the churches in India when there was a combined meeting in 2006. It was also the first such meeting for the church in Trivandrum. Now, after twelve years I came again to this city for a training.

The messages in the training was from the recent ITERO, "The Development of the Kingdom of God in the Christian Life and Church Life." The messages were so deep and so convicting. The Lord's speaking was very strong yet very sweet. I was reminded again of my timely and urgent need: to experience and enjoy the reality of the kingdom life. This message is very much needed for me and the churches in India. The underlining burden in this series of message is the need to diligently pursue the growth in life and the need to have a hidden life with God. All the good deeds done must be done in secret, only to the Father, and there must be a strong life of prayer. My personal and intimate relationship with the Lord must be very deep and strong, and my fellowship with the Lord must be very sweet. 

Personally, there was a step ahead in my function and also in my coordination with the brothers serving in the work. Our fellowship and oneness in serving together has been strengthened. We enjoyed a sweet coordination. I could sense the development within me in the way I coordinate with my fellows coworkers. This is a definite breakthrough. In my sharing when the time was given for some selected brothers to give the concluding words, I emphasised this particular burden of the need to live a hidden life and pursue the growth in the divine life for the reality of the kingdom of God.

In this training also we introduced to the churches in India the coming of brothers from various countries for the ITERO to be held in India for the first time. After thirty years of the first local church being raised up in India in Trivandrum, we made this announcement in the city of Trivandrum. What a sovereign arrangement of the Lord it has been!

Praise the Lord for the serving ones training! Every training, especially this one, I have been graced to go forward in my spiritual life and service in the Body.