Fellowship With the Saints in Bilaspur

Whenever we attended the Christian Festival in Madku Dweep-Bilaspur, we used to spend time with the believers who are gathered together as "the church in Bilaspur." This time, we had no plan to visit them, at least for two reasons. One being, our lodging place was not in Bilaspur but in Batapara, nearer to the venue for the Christian Festival. The other being the lack of clarity on the standing of the brothers in Bilaspur with a report of them not being very open for fellowship. Therefore, we had no plan to visit them nor did we have any other plan either. Our schedule was vague, waiting for the Lord’s timely leading.

Last Saturday, the key brother came to visit our bookstall. He had come the day before too when I was still on my way, and as my train was delayed I could not meet him. When I heard that this brother had come and we could not meet him, I thought we truly would miss the fellowship this time. But he came again the next day and we met.

 For two hours, we fellowshipped in front of our stall amidst the noisy, dusty, and crowdy atmosphere. As we were fellowshipping, I exercised my spirit discerning what the Lord wanted me to hear or say or do. This brother had spoken many things about his past experience with some brothers. I just listened and listened, and simply told him that these were the things of the past. But as I asked him about what transpired at the present time, he had no answer. I also directly asked him if he ever rejected a brother in the past sent to visit them, he denied the charge. He also inquired whether we had the plan to visit them this time. I replied that we had no plan. Then, he invited us to visit them. On a second thought, I also checked with my brother, and therefore, we agreed to visit them, "the church in Bilaspur."

 As I prayed to the Lord on Saturday night for the visiting of the saints in Bilaspur on the Lord’s day, the Lord gave me one burden, to help the saints to use the Holy Word for Morning Revival to be revived every day and brought into the fellowship of the Body through the enjoyment of the ministry of the word. As we visited the saints on the Lord’s day, the brothers gave us time to minister the word. As usual, my brother went first, and he released the very burden the Lord gave me with; to help the saints get constituted with the ministry of the word through the pursuing of the Holy Word for Morning Revival.

The burden was clear, the need for re-education to be constituted with the truth after coimg out of Babylon to express the Lord according to His purpose. We used the book of Ezra and Nehemiah and ministered the timely word to help educate the saints and the practical way to do so by coordination and all the saints functioning. 

“And all the people gathered as one man in the open area that was before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Jehovah had commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. And he read in it before the open area that was before the Water Gate from first light until midday in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. And Ezra the scribe stood upon a wooden platform that had been made for that purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah and Shema and Anaiah and Uriah and Hilkiah and Maaseiah at his right hand; and at his left hand, Pedaiah and Mishael and Malchijah and Hashum and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people (for he was above all the people); and when he opened it, all the people stood up. And Ezra blessed Jehovah the great God; and all the people answered, Amen, Amen, lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshipped Jehovah with their faces to the ground. Also Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites helped the people understand the law; and the people stood in their place. And they read in the book, in the law of God, interpreting and giving the sense, so that they understood the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who helped the people understand said to all the people, This day is holy unto Jehovah your God; do not mourn or weep. For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, Go your way; eat the fat, and drink the sweet wine, and send portions to him for whom nothing has been prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of Jehovah is your strength. So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Be quiet, for the day is holy; and do not be grieved. And all the people went their way to eat and to drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.” (Nehemiah 8:1-12, RecVer)

After the Lord’s day meeting, we also had a time of fellowship on The Genuine Ground of Oneness using the history of Israel and the Lord’s desire for oneness and emphatically made clear the need for fellowship in the Body of Christ. Local administrative matters may be local indeed, but fellowship must be universal. The brothers readily agreed and even decided to visit the churches in Delhi and Gurugram. Besides, we also helped the brothers with life practices of calling upon the Lord’s name and pray-reading the word of God. 

The next day we had a morning time touring Bilaspur city, breakfast at Indian Coffee House, and a visit to a city park. On the way, we had a wonderful time of fellowship and blending. Then we left for our next destination. 

As a result of this visit and short while fellowship with the key brothers, many unseen distances between us were removed and a cloudy situation among us was cleared off. We had much peace concerning the saints in Bilapsur now. Much peace and freedom have filled us inwardly. I believe, the Lord is recovering His remnants and His testimony in this city.

Lord, recovering Your lampstand in Bilaspur!