My Classmates

In 2000 I was enrolled for an MCA course in MCC. After graduation, the Lord has led me to the training and has been gracing me to serve Him full time ever since. All these years I have been praying for my ex-classmates. The Lord did gain some of them to be my prayer partners, some believers to join me in the Christian fellowship online, and a good number of them are yet to be saved. For the believing and unbelieving classmates, I have been offering prayer; for strengthening the faith of the believers and for the salvation of the unbelievers. To that extent, we have also started a monthly online Praye Meet every last Saturday of the month. Though the ones attending are not many, at least the Lord gave me two brothers, the same ones who have been my prayer mate since college days, and now too. 

By and large, all my master's degree classmates have been doing well academically and professionally too. But my one desire before the Lord is that those who are not yet saved be saved one day. I pray that none of them would face physical death until they receive the divine life by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Lest I would be grieved for not being able to pray through for the salvation of my classmates. I have been praying for their salvation and will continue to do so. I can only trust the Lord for the answer to this one prayer. As for the Christian classmates, I pray that they also get to see the heavenly vision of Christ and the church and be recovered for the Lord's testimony one day, wherever they are.

The WhatsApp group for these classmates was created and the Lord grace me the freedom to share openly the word of God now and then, especially on the special occasions of my classmates.

Last week, another WhatsApp group was created for my 1994 High School classmates. Though the majority are Christians, I have been a little disappointed by not being able to see anything Christian in the thousand of posts so far within a span of a few days. Socializing online is the apt word for this group. My heart aches to see some of my classmates in a very low estate professionally and even spiritually. I wonder if I can ever participate in such free jesting. Nevertheless, as the Lord leads, I would join in and learn to mingle with them and be a channel of blessing to them. As I have been praying for my Master's degree classmates, now I have to add my high school classmates to the prayer list. More burden, more prayer, and more blessing too.

By the way, today my Bible study portion is a timely warning to me:

Be therefore imitators of God, as beloved children; And walk in love, even as Christ also loved us and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor. But fornication and all uncleanness or greediness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints, And obscenity and foolish talking or sly, filthy jesting, which are not becoming, but rather the giving of thanks. For this you realize, knowing that every fornicator or unclean person or greedy person (who is an idolater) has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with vain words, for because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them; For you were once darkness but are now light in the Lord; walk as children of light (For the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), Proving what is well pleasing to the Lord. And do not participate in the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them. Ep 5:1-11

I pray that at the proper time, the Lord would give me the word to minister to all my classmates. Until then, I can observe and wait in prayer. 

Lord, save and bless all my classmates, from my high school days to my Master's degree classmates.

Deep Calls Unto Deep

Deep calls unto deep. Psalm 42:7 

A week ago a brother enquired from me about my availability to share the concluding word in an online seminar for Telugu speaking seekers on the topic "Deep Calls Unto Deep." My innate response within was, "O Lord, I am not qualified to speak this message. I know myself, I am not that deep to speak on the depth of the experiences of God." Nevertheless, whenever an opportunity comes, or rather an assignment is given, I reckon it as from the Lord and simply say "Amen," trusting in the speaking God.

The burden and the truths I am clear.  Even with the experience, I cannot deny that I have some. But to present this truth, I only fully depend on the Lord. My presentation of the truth should also match my experience of the truth. Therefore, this message is apt for me.  

Only a call from the depths can provoke a response from the depths. Nothing shallow can ever touch the depths, nor can anything superficial touch the inward parts. Only the deep will respond to the deep. 

We can minister to people only to the extent to which we ourselves have experienced. For this, we need to have deep roots in the Lord. 

What is a root? It is growth that occurs beneath the soil. What are the leaves? They are growth that occur above the soil. In other words, roots are the hidden life, whereas leaves are the manifest life.

Two seeming contrasting verses are presented in the gospel of Matthew:

"You are the light of the world. It is impossible for a city situated upon a mountain to be hidden" (Matt. 5:14). 

"When you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret; ...when you pray, enter into your private room, and shut your door and pray to your Father who is in secret" (Matt. 6:3-4, 6). 

Yes, we are the light of the world. But the extent to which we can shine forth the light depends on the extent to which we have been rooted in Christ. The deeper our roots are, the better our leaves will be. There are two examples in the Bible of a superficial living and a deep experience of the Lord. 

Example of Hezekiah: Superficial and Shallow

"And Hezekiah was glad for them and showed them his treasury, the silver and the gold, and the spices and the precious oil, and his whole armory and everything which was found among his treasures" (Isaiah 39: 2). 

Hezekiah could not overcome the temptation to display everything after he had just been wonderfully healed of his sickness. In his selfish joy, he displayed all his treasures foolishly. Then what followed must serve as a warning to all. 

"Hear the word of Jehovah of hosts: Behold, the days are coming when everything which is in your house and which your fathers have laid up as a treasure unto this day will be carried away to Babylon; nothing will be left, says Jehovah" (39:5-6). 

This proves that the measure in which we display things to others will be the measure of our own loss. The measure in our life that we exhibit before others will be the measure we give up in ourselves.  This is a negative example we have to pay heed to.

Testimony of Paul: Spiritual Depth

Paul was the exact opposite of Hezekiah. Instead of boasting of his experiences, he tried his best to keep them secret. Yet because he was questioned of his apostleship, he was forced to testify of his spiritual experience. And that too, he did it only fourteen years after, not immediate at all. He told the Corinthians, "To boast is necessary, though indeed not expedient" (2 Cor. 12:1). He admitted that it was "not profitable" for himself to write what he wrote in 2 Corinthians 12. But for the sake of others, he had to do it; he was obliged to speak of "visions and revelations of the Lord." Even when he spoke about his experiences, he vaguely said, "I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body I do not know, or outside the body I do not know; God knows) such a one was caught away to the third heaven" (v. 2). He did not divulge any detail of what he saw or what he heard; he simply mentioned it vaguely for the sake of the doubting and critical believers in Corinthians. He maintained his deep spiritual roots and did not expose them to be dried away.  That was Pauls's secret of spirituality.

O what a grief to see many fellow Christians openly testifying and making news of their petty little spiritual experiences of healings and miracles!  In fact, I fear for such ones, they exposed themselves to the enemy's attack. No depth, no roots, only shallow and empty vessels making much noise. No wonder, the state of Christian is in such a shamble today. No stability and is very vulnerable to the enemy's attack from all angles. May the Lord preserve us to preserve our roots in Him.

Brothers and sisters, this matter of root is a matter of extreme importance. If you want to have Paul's work, then you need to have Paul's "root"; if you want to have Paul's outward conduct, then you need to have Paul's inner life; if you want to have Paul's manifest power, then you need to have Paul's secret experience.

We must testify only for the glory of God according to His leading. There may have been many deeper spiritual experiences, but they must be hidden. This is vital for the Christian life. Many spiritual experiences need to be hidden as our secret treasure before the Lord. We must avoid too much exposure and drawing men's attention and stealing God's glory. Yes, there is an aspect of giving testimony. But at the Lord's command only.

"Go to your house, to your own people, and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had mercy on you" (Mark 5:19).

Lest our roots are exposed and dried up to death, may we live a hidden life before the Lord, a deep root in Christ. To be without root is to be without any treasure; it is to be without any hidden life or hidden experiences. It is essential that some of our experiences remain covered; to uncover everything is to lose everything.

Death and exposure go together, and spiritual dryness and exposure also go together.  God covers those who cover their roots, and God does not protect those who disclose their roots; they will be exposed to attacks. 

Whatever secrets we have with the Lord must be preserved. We can only move according to God's instruction within us. Only if He moves within us to reveal something, dare we reveal it. If He wants us to share some experience with a brother, we dare not withhold it, for that would be violating a law of the members of the Body of Christ. One law of the members of the Body of Christ is fellowship. 

The Lord has indeed graced me to minister the word as the concluding and strengthening word. I have discharged my duty, and now I must pursue Christ to have a deeper root in the Lord. That what I had ministered must also be what was ministered to me. 

May the Lord grace me to have the depth of the riches of Christ stored secretly hidden within as my depth that I may be able to minister when the need so arises. Deep call s unto deep.

Labor of Love

Remembering unceasingly your work of faith and labor of love and endurance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father. 1 Thessalonians 1:3

The past week the Lord has been gracious to me in reviving the hope I have in shepherding. One morning, our Life-study pursuit was on First Thessalonians concerning the work of faith and labor of love and I came to realize that all the shepherding I have been carrying out are works of faith and labor of love. The Lord has blessed me with saints and new ones that I can labor on. And He has been gracing me to continue shepherding them despite their responses. 

In fact, for a couple of months, I have given up four families as I felt that there was no point in continuing further in shepherding. For some reason or the others, there was no response from my side and their side as far as shepherding was concerned. Perhaps, the Lord was working on me in caring for those who are "troublesome". When I sense "troubles" in caring for these ones, I kind of backed off and prayed for them continually. I believe that was also the Lord's leading at that time to give them a lean season and also for me to learn to trust in the Lord and not in what I think I can do. Therefore, for months altogether, no contact, no fellowship, but only prayers for them.

Last week, the Lord burdened me to call one of the families and recovered the fellowship. In spite of the gap, his family was still very open to me and even requested for more fellowship and prayer. So after a considerable gap, the Lord has restored our fellowship again.

Another brother's family was to do with his vision and work. Because of his mixed situation in Christian service and experience, I intentionally did not feel good to follow him up for a couple of months. Last week the Lord prompted me to call and fellowship with him during my prayer time. When I called him, it was indeed the right time. In fact, he has also gone through some "misunderstanding" with the organization he has been working with, and besides, the Lord also revealed to him that he should follow His call. He had veered away from the calling to labor in the city by going to remote places carrying out an organization's burden. This affected his family life and his function as a gospel preaching. After the recovered fellowship, he began to open up about his real situation and I discovered that it was the right time to call him.

In the second call, he further shared his feeling concerning his need for the Body's fellowship and that he could not go on doing his own independent works. He confessed his need for the Body's support. I was glad to hear that from him. Today many successful evangelists are independent and they love to be independent, not willing to coordinate with anyone nor be adjusted in any way. But my brother has the sense and consciousness of the Body. This was joyful news to me. He also realized his mistakes in the past in our coordination. Now he feels the Lord has been dealing with him in bringing him back to the fellowship of the Body. Immediately, I assured him that I would bring the matter to fellowship with the brothers serving in the work in India.

The following day I fellowshipped with the brothers and they also felt good to bring him into fellowship. Therefore, he was introduced to the brothers in New Delhi for his church life for the time being as the church has not yet been raised up in his locality.

Another family was being recovered back into the fellowship and they turned up for the Lord's table meeting yesterday, surprisingly though. In fact, a home meeting has also started in their homes. I was glad to see them. In fact, the debt this family had due to the pandemic was somehow paid off through the offerings. It was made clear to them that they need not worry but learn to fellowship in the Body. 

Finally, with another brother's family, we started a home meeting every Lord's day night. In the first two meetings, I had a personal fellowship with the brother. Since last Lord's day-night we started pursuing Life Lessons with everyone functioning in pursuing the truth and speaking the truth. 

In this way, the Lord has been recovering back the families He has blessed the church in Gurugram. May the Lord continue to grace the shepherding work, the labor of love, until all become function members in the Body to bear the Lord's testimony together here in this city  Gurugram.

Be in Health

Beloved, concerning all things I wish that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers. 3 John 2

Serving the Lord is practical and possible only when one is in good health and strength. Without this, spirituality in a weak body will not be of much use. Therefore, brothers have been speaking again and again of the need to maintain good health and even live long life until the Lord comes back. This is not merely for selfish long-living, but for the Lord's testimony. And within this span of life, one can learn and gain more of Christ to the extent that he becomes mature and be an overcomer.  Good health is a necessity in serving the Lord.

Though our lives are in the Lord's hand, and our longevity also depends on His sovereignty and blessing, and yet certain factors also contribute to how one takes care of his health. A proper view concerning health is needed. Extremity is dangerous. In the name of the Lord's work, one cannot neglect his health. Within the capacity the Lord has given us, we must take good care of our health; eat healthy food, exercise normally, and maintain the God-given body.

When I was much younger, I wish to be an overcomer and die soon to meet the Lord. In fact, in my late twenties, I used to pray that if the Lord so will, He could take me and I would not want to live a life of facing many hurdles. As long as the Lord would deem me fit to be with Him unto eternity, I would choose the easier path of being with Him; the sooner the better. But the Lord has renewed my concept and not I wish to take good care of my health and live long for the Lord's testimony unless the Lord feels it otherwise. Paul also had this conversation with the Lord about his wish to live on the earth for the sake of the believers though he would personally prefer to be with the Lord unto eternity. 

Last week the Lord has given me and my wife a strong feeling to check up on our health. Now we are in our early forties, middle age, and it's a crucial time to pay heed to our health so that we can live long and serve the Lord better with the view of having sufficient time to mature in life. In fellowship with a sister who is a doctor in a hospital in New Delhi, we went for a Neurologist consultation. Then based on the doctor's advice we also did a complete health check-up.

Once the result came, we came to know what we need to care for. For me, I am deficient in Vitamin D and my bad cholesterol is above the normal level. These are the two things I need to take care of. Immediately, I had a sense within me to take care of this. I adjusted my diet and modified my living style. This change happened organically. The revelation of my true body condition enabled me to take the necessary steps before it is too late. 

In a similar manner, I have also been enlightened about my true spiritual condition. I need a proper God-man living, a normal Christian life, eating and drinking the Lord in and through the word and prayer. These days I have been hungry and eating the Lord through the word daily. Should the Lord wish so, I desire to complete my ongoing personal project of completing my Life-study pursuing by 2022 including listening to all the Radio programs of the Life-study of the Bible.  The Lord has been gracing me to pursue the Life-studies by reading and also by listening. I have been utilizing every break time to listen to the brothers' speaking in addition to my daily Bible studies, reading the Bible text, and other corporate pursuing of the ministry. All these are for my spiritual health.

May the Lord grace me to continue to have a good spiritual appetite to continually enjoy Him in the word and through the ministry of the word, and also take care of my physical health, to have good health and long life for His testimony. 

Yes, concerning all things I wish that I may prosper and be in health, even as my soul prospers. Lord, grace me good health.

Graciously Lend

The Lord has been faithfully providing all our needs and He will continue to do so as He cares for His children. As a loving Father, He meets the needs of all His children in His own way and at His own time. His provision to all His children has always been because He is the sovereign God and much more, a loving Father. Despite the failures and weaknesses of His children, His love towards them never fails. I am blessed to be one of the many children of God whom He has been faithfully caring for. His supply has always been timely, sufficient, and in abundance. Whenever our expenses go up, His supplies become higher and still meet all the needs. His supplies are not merely according to my need, but according to His riches. Hallelujah!

And my God will fill your every need according to His riches, in glory, in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

A week ago, a brother texted me if he could open up on some matters which he would like to keep it confidential. He was asking for my persmission if he could let me know what he really needed at the moment. Without any hesitiation I replied in the affirmative. Then, he opened up his situation mentioning his urgent need to borrow money. After a second thought, I replied that I would pray over and fellowship with my wife and let him know our decision later.

Later in the evening as I spent time with the Lord asking if we should help our needy brother, the reply I received in fellowship with the Lord was spontenous, "Why not?" On careful consideration, the Lord aslo provided the necessary financial blessing to be able to help him. Actually, one of our FDs got matured recently and I didn't even have time to withdraw or do anything about it. The bank atutmoctially created a new FD. This is the same amount my brother had asked for loan. Then I fellowshipped with my wife and she readily agreed to helping our brothe in need. Therefore, the following day, without any further delay, I went to the bank, closed the said FD, and transferred the amount to our bnroher in need. 

A few dasy later, the Lord spoke to me during my Bible study time, the following verse from Psalms.

It is well with the man who is gracious and lends; He will maintain his cause in judgment. He has scattered abroad; he has given to the needy; His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be exalted with honor. Psalms 112:5, 9

What a joy and peace I have within in cooperating with the moving Triune God in caring for the need of His chidlren! He has been caring for me all this while, and now I can co-work with Him in caring for the needs of my fellow brothers. 

Praise the Lord for His wonderful, loving, and timely care!

Independence Day

Today is the 75th Independence Day, the 15th of August. 75 years ago India got its independence from the British's rule. This day did not come without a heavy price of martyrs' blood and freedom struggles. This is the day of freedom for secular India. But is this the real freedom  for an individual, an Indian? 

Surely, man has fallen and is under the bondage of Satan, sin, and the world. Outward freedom could be achieved with struggles, hardships, and martyrdoms. But none can achieve freedom from Satan without the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Only the redeeming blood of the Son of God can bring  full freedom to the fallen humanity. Therefore, the real freedom, in the strictest sense, is possible only in and through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Today, as the country celebrated its 75th Independence Day, I was addressing an online meeting and released the burden the Lord gave me on Dependence Day.  Every human being needs God. God is the Creator of the universe and the source of all lives in the universe. This God, in His creation, has a definite plan in creating man. The plan of God is to create man in His image and likeness that man may express Him. He also gave man His dominion over all the other created things to represent Him on the earth. But for this, man needs to receive the life God. And to be able to receive that divine life, God created man with three part; body, soul, and spirit. 

Genesis 2:7Jehovah God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.

1 Thessalonians 5:23And the God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 9:23In order that He might make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He had before prepared unto glory.

Once man receives God, God as the Spirit (John 4:24) comes into him and dwells in him to be his content, to express Him and represent Him. This is the plan of God.

For man to continually express and represent God and fulfil God's plan, he need to be dependent on God all the time. Therefore, every day of a Christian's life must be a "Dependence Day." This was message for today God gave me on Independence Day, a Dependence Day.

The practical way to be depend on God is by daily coming to the Lord at least on three things. Firstly, to breathe Him in, moment by moment by calling upon the Lord's name and be in the spirit of prayer as much as man physically needs to breathe air to live.  Secondly, to eat Him in the word of God as spiritual food day by day as much as man eats three meals a day for his physical health. And thirdly, to pray and drink the Lord as the Spirit in prayer as man drinks water to quench his thirst and live. By these three practical ways, man can depend on God and live by Him moment by moment, and day by day.

On the 75th Indian Independence Day, the word of God is on the urgent and perpetual need to depend on God. An Independence Day to a Dependence Day; from secular to spiritual, is the need of the day. This was the message God gave me today. This was also the first meeting I addressed a group of Hindi speaking believers whose main "leader" I have been in fellowship with for the past one year or so. A new beginning indeed for the Lord move among the local Hindi speaking people in Gurugram and North India!

God bless India! God save and bless the people of India. Independence day for a dependence day on God. Jai Jesus!

A Tale of Two Athletes

My home state Manipur has been famous for sports. For the entire country, there are two popular ladies who have gone to compete at the Olympics and won medals for the entire country, India. While I rejoice in the fact that there is some development coming up from the state and also in the country in a global scenario, I also observe the situation of these athletes and draw a life lesson from them.

A very seasoned boxer, who has become an international icon in her field of sport and obtained a celebrity status, has been appreciated by all. In the eyes of society, all about her is appreciable. I also see something that needs to be learned from her mistake. As her name suggests and the place she hails from, she definitely must be a Christian. In fact, she has a wonderful opportunity to magnify Christ boldly and openly should she wish to. Except for what her name suggests, I do not see anything Christian, as far as I know, and hear about her. 

No offense to her nor anyone, it is just my personal lesson I derive from what I have been observing. There is an element of pride and arrogance which I do not approve of at all. Last year, when her qualification for representing India in the Olympics was challenged by another junior boxer, the way she reacted has nothing to show Christlikeness. Sadly enough, she reacted frankly and openly in herself; self-justification, boasting, pride, and even arrogance. When I read about her reaction in the newspaper, I thought to myself, "Pride goes before a fall." Though I wish her all success in her career, no one can defeat the truth-lesson God has set for each one. I feel very disappointed at the way she reacted. How I wish she would be more gracious and handle the matter in a mature and graceful way. Well, no one can pretend what one is not. A spade is a spade, pride is pride, and arrogance is arrogance. But, there is a price for all these. 

So, when the same lady could not live up to the must hype created around her winning of Gold Medal for India with all the media and well-wishers' pouring in their supports, I stood in awe as I feared that pride would surely be humbled. In fact, what I expected had actually happened. She did not win the medal which the entire country was hopeful of. I have nothing against her as such, but God is righteous and He deals with everyone equally. As much as no one is above the law, so much more, no one is above God. I was deeply reminded of the need to learn the lesson of humility and be graceful to others.

While there is another lady from my home state who was not even heard of at all until she won a Silver Medal for the country, the first-ever for this year's Olympics. She was the opposite of the former as far as I know. This lady is so humble, at least in the ways she deals with things. I was full of appreciation for this young and humble athlete. Though she may not even be a believer unlike the former, she displayed more proper conduct. On top of that, she searched for the trucks drivers who used to give her a lift when she was training for the sport she was contending for. Them she honored some 150 truck drivers and gave them gifts as a token of thank. That was very heart-touching. She did the best thing she could.

I draw from these two athletes and present my observation on the lessons of life, I feel, all can learn from. Pride goes before a fall. Be warned! Humble yourself in the hand of God. This is a tale of two athletes from my hometown. May we all learn a proper lesson before it is too late.

But He gives greater grace; therefore it says, “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6

In like manner, younger men, be subject to elders; and all of you gird yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. 1 Peter 5:5

Learning to Deal with Goodness

The Lord began to shine on me to see myself in the light of His word and through His speaking through the members of the Body. I have been more and more exposed to the light and could see myself more clearly as I also grow in age and in grace. I have been embracing my goodness and often appreciated it so much. Often I compared myself to others and sunk myself in self-glorification and self gratitude. But in the light of the Lord's word, whether it's my natural goodness or badness, all are from the same source, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. How goodness has been so subtle as it is "good"? But the fact, is, nothing is truly good for only God is good.

Naturally, I have a few good things to boast of. In my way of dealing with people, I have been very soft and full of grace. In fact, many have taken advantage of my "goodness" and robbed me of my time, energy, and money. Even to these "robbings", I reckon them as good deeds, thereby adding to my self-made treasure of "good-bank." 

Well then, I began to see who I really am even in my so-called "goodness". I am afraid I am just groping in darkness under the cloak of goodness. The Lord began to shine on me that my goodness which I reckon as my strong points are actually my weak points. I need to learn to deal with my goodness too. As much as I hated the evil in me and have been dealing with it, I must also deal with my goodness too. After all, they both belong to the same source, the same tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Now, I find nothing good in me in a very real sense. The good in me is as evil, if not more, as the evil in me. As long as the source is not the Lord, the Spirit in my spirit, everything is of the self at best and of Satan at worst. Now, I am in fear and trembling even in doing good things. When people come for help, my natural tendency is to always help. But I must not end up like Joshua being cheated by the Gideobnites. I must learn to bring every matter to the Lord and treasure the presence of the Lord more than anything else.

God should replace my "goodness." I should check with the Lord even for any good deed to be done. I need to overcome the temptation of doing good naturally. I must seek the Lord's presence in all the things I am doing, especially in the good things. If the Lord is not in my good deeds, it is as evil as any evil deed. The presence or absence of the Lord makes all the difference. This lesson I am beginning to learn. I pray that I may learn this lesson thoroughly well.

Within my capacity, I have been doing good to help others whenever they come for help. Now I am learning to check with the Lord first even before rendering any help. The past few days, some new ones and saints also sought help from me. I started reconsidering before I actually render them any help. And I ended my not helping some of these ones as I felt it was not of the Lord. Perhaps, by not helping when they come for help, I am helping them and myself too. 

Praise the Lord for this lesson of dealing with my goodness that the only goodness I display must be of the Lord and His alone.

Submission of Deborah

Deborah was raised up by God as a Judge of Israel who, as recorded in Judges 4 and 5, was an extraordinary woman. She was so capable yet knew to keep a principle that brought in blessing, and this principle is to keep God’s ordination. The description of Deborah in the recent training reads, "God raised up Deborah as a judge of Israel who practiced the female submission to the man in order to keep God’s ordination and bring all of Israel into a proper order under God’s kingship and headship—Judges 4 - 5."

Comparing what the New Testament has to say about females, the following verses open up new light to me, and a new underastnding.

There cannot be Jew nor Greek, there cannot be slave nor free man, there cannot be male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28 

In this verse, we can identify three contrasting pairs: Jew and Greek, slave and free man, and male and female. 

For also in one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and were all given to drink one Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:13

In 1 Corinthians 12:13 there are two contrasting pairs: Jews and Greeks and slaves and free. Galatians 3:28 says that in Christ there cannot be Jew nor Greek, slave nor free man, male and female, whereas 1 Corinthians 12:13 says that in the church, in the Body, there is no distinction between Jews and Greeks and between slaves and free. This verse does not mention males and females.

Based on these two verses we can see that in Christ, who is the Head of the Body, there is no difference between male and female, but in the Body there is a difference between male and female, that is, between the brothers and the sisters. First Corinthians 11 speaks definitely concerning the difference between man and woman, especially in the matter of headship. This indicates that in the church the difference between the brothers and the sisters still exists. In Christ, this difference does not exist, but in the church, in the Body, the difference between male and female remains.

In the Body, in the church, male and female distinction still exists, because the church is a spectacle. The church is being viewed by men and by angels. 

For, I think, God has set forth us the apostles last of all as doomed to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. 1 Corinthians 4:9

But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of the woman, and God is the head of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:3 

Christ is the head of the man, and the man is the head of the woman, and God is the head of Christ. Even Christ has a Head. Even Christ was submissive to the Father. And in this relationship: God to Christ, Christ to the man, the man to the woman. Therefore, the woman ought to have a sign of submission to authority on her head for the sake of the angels. 

The angels are watching, observing if the proper order is being kept according to God’s ordination. 

In like manner, younger men, be subject to elders; and all of you gird yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. 1 Peter 5:5

In 1 Peter 5:5, we should all gird ourselves with humility toward one another. Yet do you realize the same verse tells the younger men to be subject to the older? In God’s ordination, age still exists in God’s creation. In Christ there’s no distinction between male and female; yet humanly, according to God’s ordination, there is male and female, there is the husband and the wife, and there should be the matter of submission and subjection. 

In reality, every brother is a sister, every brother is a female, and should take Christ as their head. We all must take Christ as our head. 

In the Bible a proper female indicates one who is in submission to God, one who keeps God’s ordination; this is the position that Israel should have taken before God as her King, her Lord, her Head, and her Husband, but Israel violated God’s ordination, leaving her position as God’s wife and forsaking Him for hundreds of idols; this brought Israel into a miserable situation and condition. Deborah realized that she needed a man to be her covering; as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:3: “Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of the woman, and God is the head of Christ.” When this excellent, extraordinary woman took the lead to practice the female submission to the man, the entire country came into an excellent and proper order; all the leaders took the lead, all the people followed, and the army was formed; everyone returned to his or her proper position before Jehovah.

The first and greatest function of the sisters in the church is to be submissive; if the sisters can learn this lesson, the church will be strong, enriched, and renewed. To be submissive requires the supply of life, the enjoyment of grace, the working of the cross, a nd the denial of the self.  Those who are filled with Christ are filled with submission; the Lord, who was submissive throughout His life, has given us His life of submission and obedience—Phil. 2:5-11; Heb. 5:7-9.

Though I am a brother myself, as a member of the church whose husband is Christ, I am a "female." Therefore, I must learn the lesson of submission to Christ, and also to my fellow brothers and serving ones. This message on submission is a great breakthrough in the fallen concept of modern-day "feminism" theory and rebellious attitude in the world today. 

What a mercy to learn this lesson of submission! What a blessing indeed to escape God's wrath from insubordination! May the Lord grace me and all the saints to be always under the covering of our Head Christ, and also to submit to one another in the fear of God. And may the Lord bless us in His church. Amen.

Lessons from Gideon

In the recent summer training, some crucial lessons from the life of Gideon were learned. The Bible is very faithful in presenting the success and failure of Gideon. Gideon was raised up by God as His valiant warrior and sent by God to save Israel (Judg. 6:12-14). He was both successful and yet failed terribly. Herein lies the lessons to be learned today.

Reasons for Gideon's Success 

Gideon listened carefully to the word of God, something that was rare among the children of Israel at that time. In this regard, Samuel also learned positive things from Eli, but he also observed the negative things in Eli, and those became a warning to him that preserved him for his whole life. 

In 1 Samuel 3:9-10, "And Eli said to Samuel, Go and lie down, and if He calls you, you shall say, Speak, O Jehovah; for Your servant is listening. And Samuel went and lay down in his place. Then Jehovah came and stood by and called as at the other times, Samuel! Samuel! And Samuel said, Speak, for Your servant is listening."

In Luke 1:38, "And Mary said, Behold, the slave of the Lord. May it happen to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her."

The Lord always wants to open our ears to hear His voice so that we may see things according to His economy. As the Spirit is speaking to the churches (Rev. 2:7a), we all need an opened, circumcised (Jer. 6:10; Acts 7:51), cleansed (Exo. 29:20; Lev. 8:23-24; 14:14), and anointed ear (vv. 17, 28) to hear the Spirit’s speaking.

Gideon obeyed God’s word and acted on it. 

Gideon tore down the altar of Baal (the chief male god of the Canaanites) and cut down the Asherah (the chief female goddess); this touched God’s heart because God hated the idols, which He regarded as men with whom His wife Israel had committed harlotry; intrinsically, an idol is anything within us that we love more than the Lord and that replaces the Lord in our life—Judg. 6:25-28; Ezek. 14:1-3. By tearing down the altar of Baal and cutting down the Asherah that belonged to his father, Gideon sacrificed his relationship with his father and his enjoyment of society to follow Jehovah; for Gideon to do such a thing required that he sacrifice his own interests, and his sacrifice was a strong factor of his success—Judg. 6:28-32.

As a result of the above four factors, Gideon became powerful and with only three hundred men defeated two princes and two kings, who had people “like a locust swarm in number” and “camels…without number” (v. 5; 7:25; 8:10-12); with Gideon we have a picture of a man who lived in union with God, a God-man, to fulfill God’s word and to carry out God’s economy.

Overcomers

The selection of the overcomers is seen with God’s selection of Gideon and the three hundred men to fight with him to defeat the Midianites. God was indicating that He would fight for Israel. From the first selection which resulted in twenty-two thousand leaving, those who left wanted to glorify themselves and were fearful and afraid. The second selection was determined by how the people drank; those who drank directly with their mouth were eliminated by God; those who drank by bringing water in their hand to their mouth were selected by God because they were self-denying persons; by drinking in this way, they were able to watch diligently for any attack by the enemy—Judg. 7:4-6. Self-denying persons who have been dealt with by the cross, sacrificing their personal rest and comfort for the sake of God’s purpose in the day of His warfare were the overcomers, who are absolute for God’s glory and are afraid of nothing except offending the Lord and losing His presence (Exo. 33:14-16); they allow the cross to deal with the self (1 John 3:8; Heb. 2:14; Rom. 6:23; Gal. 2:20).

Reasons for Gideon’s Failure

First, Gideon was not kind; he killed those countrymen who did not support him (Judg. 8:16-17), breaking the sixth commandment of God, "You shall not kill (Exo. 20:13)." Second, he indulged in the lust of the flesh, not exercising any restriction over his fleshly lust; this is indicated by Judges 8:30, which tells us that Gideon had seventy sons, “for he had many wives”; in addition, his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son (v. 31); by this Gideon broke the seventh commandment, "You shall not commit adultery (Exo. 20:14)." Third, he coveted the spoil of his people (their golden earrings), thereby breaking the tenth commandment, "You shall not covet (Exo. 20:17)", and they surrendered it to him; Gideon made an ephod with the gold he had taken from the people, and this ephod became an idol to the children of Israel; as a result, Gideon’s family and the entire society of Israel were corrupted. 

Gideon’s indulgence in sex and his greediness for gold led to idolatry; greediness is idolatry (Col. 3:5), and both fornication and greediness are linked to idol worship (Eph. 5:5); his failure shows us that we need to exercise strict control in dealing with the matters of sex and wealth.

What lessons to learn from one man, Gideon! In my study of the word, life-study, listening to the brothers' speaking in the training, through the PSRP, and the message review, I went through these points over and over again. The message is very apt for today's generation. On the one hand, it is an encouragement in serving the Lord and yet, on the other hand, it is a solemn warning concerning Giodeon's failure. This is an innoculation against the stratagem of the enemy. I am blessed that the Lord has spoken a frank word to all His children. May His hand also follow His speaking that we all may learn from the success and failure of Gideaon and follow his footstep in his success and take his failure as a warning. 

Praise the Lord for His speaking!

Today's Boaz

The blessing soul will prosper, and he who waters will also be watered himself. Proverbs 11:25

The training message on Boaz brought a new light to me. The Lord has shown me some important characteristics of Boaz in his care for the needy ones. What a pattern he has become to me, even to bring forth Christ, which could be applied to my Christian life today.  

Now Naomi had a relative of her husband’s, a man of great wealth, from Elimelech’s family; and his name was Boaz. Ruth 2:1

Boaz was such a wonderful person, rich,  willing, caring, generous, and redeemed Ruth, a widow, filled with debts from a cursed generation. To redeem someone’s property is one thing, but also to redeem that person’s, the dead person’s wife to become his wife is unimaginable. He took care of others’ birthright setting a pattern for us to take care of our own enjoyment of Christ as well as others’ enjoyment of Christ too.

Boaz is a wonderful type of Christ. We must all be Boazes today. There are many saints in our midst who have lost their enjoyment of Christ. They once enjoyed Christ in the church life in the recovery, but somehow they got offended by a person or a certain situation, became stumbled, did not attend the meeting, and became backslidden. The Lord needs to raise up many Boazes, who have some amount of riches in order to redeem others, who have lost their enjoyment.

But we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those who are weak and not to please ourselves. Let each one of us – each of us please his neighbor with a view to what is good for building up. For Christ also did not please Himself, but as it is written, The reproaches of those who reproached you fell upon me. Romans 15: 1-3

Today there are many dormant, backslidden saints who need to be restored. Paul says in Ephesians 3:2, he was given the stewardship by God to me for you. Such stewardship, such a rich ministry, was given to Paul not for himself to boast before others. But he says, This ministry is to me for you. 

All the riches that the Lord has given to us in His recovery are not for ourselves only. Yes, we enjoy them; we grow by them so that we can have the maturity of life so that we can be rich in Him to become genuinely spiritual. 

From this record concerning Boaz, we see the principle of incarnation. God wants to recover all these ones, all these Ruths, who had once enjoyed Him, her husband. But now her husband died, so she lost her enjoyment of the birthright. 

The God-ordained way is that we should not just always expect people to come back to the church. But we have to go to where these people are. They are in their poverty, in a needy situation, and they are just like the Ruth, who’ve lost their husband.

So the Lord has to raise us up, brothers and sisters, to be today’s Boazes. Someone who is a real Boaz and is rich in the enjoyment of Christ will pay the price to bring such saints into the full enjoyment of Christ. By shepherding others in this way, he will have even more enjoyment of Christ, the greatest enjoyment of Christ; day by day we should take care of others’ enjoyment of Christ—Prov. 11:25; Acts 20:35; 1 Pet. 5:1-4.

As said in Proverbs 11:25, that the blessing soul will prosper, and he who waters will also be watered himself. If we take care of others, you will find that you yourself are being taken, are being taken care of first. When you bless others, you find that you are being blessed first. The waterers are being watered first by the Lord.

If today in the Lord’s recovery there can be many such Boazes, what a, what a revival there will be. We should not be only praying for revival, and we should not only pray that God would do something. God is waiting for us to be today’s Boazes to redeem the Ruths who are lying all over, all around us.

Those who become like Boaz are pillars in the church life (one of the pillars in the temple was named “Boaz”—1 Kings 7:21); in the Scriptures, the pillar is a sign, a testimony, of God’s building through a transformation in practicing the Body life—Gen. 28:22a; 1 Kings 7:15-22; Gal. 2:9; 1 Tim. 3:15; Rev. 3:12; Rom. 12:2; Eph. 4:11-12.

This message stirred up my spirit to care for the needy saints, especially those I did not contact for a couple of months now; to follow them up and shepherd them into the church life.

The blessing soul will prosper...

Lord, grace me and enlarge my heart to take care of the needy saints and become one like Boaz to bring forth Christ into others.

Cargo Clearance

Who then is the faithful and prudent slave, whom the master has set over his household to give them food at the proper time? Matthew 24:45

After a month-long of clearing up the godown in our Chennai office, we have learned a good number of important spiritual lessons in the process. Two years ago we imported the Holy Bible, Recovery Version from USA for distribution in India. For that, we had rented a 2BHK house for a temporary godown. Right after the Bibles and other books arrived, Coronavirus struck India. Since then, we were not able to distribute the books and Bibles that we imported.

Last month I had a strong feeling that the godown needs to be cleared up, and the book be distributed all over India. After weeks of fellowship and consideration, we decided to empty the two godowns in Chennai. For this, a serving couple went to Chennai to help. As the serving ones were clearing up the godown, we learned new things in taking care of the literature service.

Firstly, we learned the importance of being a proper person in taking care of our assigned service. Faithfulness and diligence stand out as key characters one needs. In the way the books were handled, one's character has been exposed. A good number of books had been spoiled due to termite and rat infestation. Stocking and inventory management needs an overhaul. All this is a matter of character. 

Secondly, the burden to be one with the ministry and being absolute to it is a great matter in the literature service. One cannot stand on two boats, one leg on a full-time service and the other leg on business. Besides, the unique ministry we are involved in cannot be mixed with another ministry. The one publication in the one ministry for the one work in the one Body must be strictly maintained. Otherwise, unnecessary trouble would erupt out of such service.

Thirdly, there is a need to be in sweet coordination with all the fellow serving ones. Oneness is the key to all the blessings in the New Testament. If one cannot coordinate in one accord with his coordinator, his service is finished. 

These are the three main lessons we learned through the recent cargo clearance of the books. From the physical things, the Lord has taught us spiritual lessons to all of us, the serving ones. Besides this, I also learned a lesson of not pointing out others' weaknesses and expose them openly. Though photos and videos of the serving ones' apparent weakness and failure in maintaining the godown have been sent to me, I took it to heart myself and considered how to handle the matter with the right spirit at the right time. There were feelings that erupted due to the evidence of negligence on the part of the serving ones, but I must be careful not to react in my natural man. Rather I learned to commit all things to the Lord in prayer and fellowship with my coordinator on how to help the serving ones to learn his lesson.  

After prayer and careful consideration, we had fellowship with the concerned serving ones today. Point by point, we brought it to fellowship, with much exercises of our spirit, taking Christ as the Head in every matter of fellowship in the atmosphere of prayer. The Lord graciously led us through all the points, on the one hand letting the serving ones know where things have gone wrong and how it can be rectified and on the other hand, shepherding him to go on in his service and improve from all things that he lags behind. In this way, we spend over three hours fellowshipping. After this long fellowship, we all prayed together and the matters were fellowshipped thoroughly and resolved. Though there were some offenses and hurts as the points were brought to the open in fellowship, later, everything was calmed down. Thus, the spiritual lessons learned with a sober mind.

This experience is like undergoing a major surgery in a physical body diagnosed with a cancer tumor. Though the operation was painful, it was worth it. The outcome is good health, strength, and long life. Therefore, I also encouraged the serving ones to look to the Lord for His mercy and grace, that we all would be preserved in the literature service all the days of our lives and that the Lord would bless our service as our being is dealt with and become a proper vessel that can command, contain, and multiple the blessings of God.

What precious lessons we have learned from the cargo clearance exercise! May the Lord preserve and bless all the serving ones in the literature service!