Fellowships in Vellore

The visit to this city was not a part of my plan. However, as I planned to travel to Anantapur for the distribution, a brother inquired if I could pass through Vellore for a visit. Later, after further fellowship with the brothers, making the plan for the distribution, my visit to Vellore was confirmed as my last stop this time was planned in Palameneru, which was not far from Vellore.

Last Lord’s Day, after the combined meeting in Palameneru, I came along with a brother's family to Vellore. I spent some time in the bookroom, and then we travelled together to a remote village to fellowship with a family who had recently been recovered into the church life. The Lord led me to share about having a "hidden life" of prayer with the Lord daily. 

It is common for many saints to pray corporately and enjoy the church life corporately. However, there is a great lack in spending a private, intimate, spiritual relationship and fellowship with the Lord. I shared my own testimony of how the Lord led me in almost every practical matter of my life during my personal time spent with Him. And I testified how the Lord answered my prayers for my family's salvation, serving the Lord full-time, family life, and many important decisions taken after solid hours of personal time with the Lord in prayer. The brothers were so touched by the fellowship that they all testified one by one how much they lagged behind in their personal prayer life. They also confessed that due to this lack, they have drifted away from the Lord in their daily living. Though I did not know about their spiritual condition, the Lord spoke the timely word to each one of them. Praise the Lord!

The following day, we visited two brothers who were saved due to their critical health condition while being treated at CMC Vellore. I listened to their testimony of salvation, which was mostly due to their hopelessness after difficult times of serious medical issues. One was from West Bengal, a Bangla-speaking brother, and the other from Bihar, a Hindi-speaking brother. I felt the Lord was introducing me to them, or vice versa, for the future purpose of the Lord’s move in North India. I patiently listened to their testimonies and interjected now and then to clarify what I understood of their sharing in Hindi. They both were so excited to fellowship with me, and I responded to their fellowship with amens. After two hours of listening to their testimonies, as we needed to go to another fellowship, I prayed on their request and left.

About an hour and a half drive from Vellore, we visited a new family who are gradually turning towards church life. To them, after the lovefeast lunch, the Lord led me to share on doing the will of the Father using the Lord Jesus as a pattern in Matthew 26. God has His one unique will, and all that we are and do must be in line and within His will. Oftentimes, there is a clash of opinions in the mind, but we must pray to do only the will of the Father as the Lord prayed, no matter what the price.

And taking Peter and the two sons of Zebedee aside, He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch with Me. And going forward a little, He fell on His face and prayed, saying, My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will. And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And He said to Peter, So were you not able to watch with Me for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Again, going away a second time, He prayed, saying, My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done. (Matthew 26:37-42, RecVer)

The Lord Jesus was deeply distressed and exceedingly sorrowful concerning His crucifixion at the cross and prayed to the Father if it was possible to bypass it, but He submitted to the Father's will by saying, "Let Your will be done." What a wonderful pattern of the God-man Jesus Christ!

In the same way, we all have to submit our lives and all matters to the Father that His perfect will be done in every matter so that in all the wills that we carry out, His will be done. This fellowship was for all the family members, as they all were facing dilemmas in their lives. They were greatly helped by the fellowship, as that was what they actually needed at the moment. May the Lord’s perfect will be done in their lives.

Then, we visited a brother and his wife who were pastoring a congregation. To them, the Lord led me to fellowship on the oneness of the Body of Christ, the one new man, and the church in her local aspect. I also introduced the New Testament Recovery Version to them using the footnotes in Matthew 1 on the son of David, the five women, and the wife of Uriah. They both were so supplied through the fellowship and wanted more fellowship. However, we need to take leave as we have two more meetings lined up in the evening.

Finally, in the evening after the Bible study time with some medical students in CMC Vellore, we had a dinner lovefeast fellowship with a brother's family who has been going through situations. To them, the fellowship was on trusting the Lord to live by faith and to seek the presence of the Lord in everything by sharing my testimony of how the Lord supplied all my needs and led me with His presence from the time I came to serve the Lord full-time.

After all these enjoyable fellowships, all the meetings that were arranged for me were all taken care of. In each meeting, the Lord gave the timely word, and all who attended the meeting and fellowship were richly supplied. Hallelujah! Out from the throne of God and the Lamb flows the rivers of living water!

And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb in the middle of its street. (Revelation of John 22:1, RecVer)

Lord, continue to bless Your testimony in Vellore.