Thus Spake the Lord...

An antique expression of the KJV jargon, "Thus spake the Lord..." has been very subjective. In the old testament time it was God who spoke directly or through the priest or prophet or king. Whereas, now , in this time of grace, all saints function as priest, prophet or king, in the spiritual sense, to convey the heart of God to His people, all in line with His economy for the building up of His Body. That was what happened last Saturday.

A brother's fellowship on being revived in simple and practical matters were indeed the speaking of the Lord. God's work starts from within our being in simple daily matters in rhyme with a childhood nursery rhyme, "Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise." 

God ordained days and nights for works and for rest. This universal principle must not be violated. Satan eats people away by eating away their time with the latest gadgets and technology as TV, mobile or internet. Its so subtle that one only wake up to see that have been eaten on a gradual process. And his strategy is to make believers find no time for the basic practices of a Christian life. He makes them so busy in their jobs; even while not in job, lures them with relaxation excuse of snaring them with the latest technologies available mostly mobile, TV and internet these days.

All these are to rob the believers of their fundamental rights and duties as a Christian. Simple practices of calling upon the Name of the Lord, enjoying morning revival are basic and fundamental to a Christian life. Based on these simple things are the matter of preaching gospel and shepherding for the increase of the church. Otherwise, anything of Christian life and practices can easily be religious rituals.

As the fellowship went on I felt the Lord was speaking to me and to us, brothers in the church. The Lord wants to go on, and He is preparing us as vessels for Him to move on. Such fellowship was the speaking of the Lord, receiving and rendering spiritual help to one another.The Lord does speak and He speaks through the members of His Body. What a blessing to be in the Body and receive supply from the Body!

Lord, as Thous as spoken, do Thou speak again, and again...Amen.

Unprofessional?

Today as I went for a car security number fixing work I learned a very important lesson on management. The company the government assigned was so unprofessional in their profession and there was almost no management at all; among the employees there was , no discipline, no coordination, no work ethic and no care for customers even. It was a question to ask "who is who?"  Starting from the set up itself everything seemed to go wrong. This woke me up to where I am. Is my service likewise? God forbid.

My job should have been done a month ago, yet nothing was done. I was asked to submit my receipt for collection of the security number plate and asked to come back after an hour, and later when I came back, I was told my number plate was somehow not prepared. On further enquiry from employee to the boss I was bluntly told it was not made and it will be made, and that they could not make at the moment because there was no electricity to run the machine. Oh, a company assigned with a high security number plate has to halt their works and make all the customers wait in confusion just because they don't have a power backup? Surprisingly strange. 

Patiently I waited, and when the electricity came, there was a chaos surrounding the machine. Who knew who was a customer and who was an employee? No order, no manner and no humanity. Later after my plate was done I had to get a sticker, but the sticker generator man was bluntly fuming in anger that he could not do it because it was his lunch time, however, I approached the higher ups and convinced him. Then I headed on to fix the plate, and the fixers were so lazy and tossed me about from one fixer to the other. Finally I caught hold of one, who unprofessionally fixed it with no common sense of proper alignment on the sticker. What do I say more? At least the work was done, though unprofessionally.

This a real wake up call to me. Is my person and work up to God's standard? If I could be annoyed by the heathen's unprofessional work, how about I, as a son of God, serving the God of the heavens and the earth and the universe? I have no doubt that my service is any better than these unprofessional workers. How much training, learning and perfecting I need? Lord, have mercy on me. Though I might have been an unprofessional worker, I pray , God have mercy on me and make me meet Your need.

Behold Thy Children!

The Lord reminded me of my need in tenderly caring for my children and spending time with them. Somehow, I was too busy to take care of family matters. Thank God, the Lord blessed me with a wonderful wife. The Lord graced her to shepherd the kids so well. Nevertheless, I should not take this for granted. I must exercise my fatherhood and give my children their rightful portion of being their father.

My wife shared with me the importance of parents and especially father to his son. A strong rapport of father-son tie must be developed from childhood. Children learns from parents and they grow to become what they have been at home with their parent. 

Look at Hannah who nurtured her son Samuel and immuned him from the degraded priesthood of Eli. Look at Noah who led his three sons and their wives to follow his vision which God gave! Only Noah saw the vision from God and none else but his whole household believed in him, obeyed him and thus their father's vision and work became theirs too and finally they became the only remnant after the deluge. And more so, they became the new generation under the sun after God drenched his anger upon the evil generation by flood. Through Noah and his family God had a way to go on. Similarly through Samuel, God had a way on amidst the degradation within the house of God.

The best teacher to the children are their parent. My wife made the point and reminded me again that I am a father. I tend to be too busy with my official works and shepherding the saints, however, I must strike a balance. Yes, indeed I must and its urgent.

Thank the Lord for the timely word from my beloved wife. She indeed is the perfect match for me. Praise the Lord for my family, every member is perfectly ordained! Hallelujah!!

Wonderful In The Lord

The Lord Jesus Himself is the greatest blessing upon the believers in Christ; not the outward and physically blessings only. In fellowship with the church and the Body, with some brothers, I went to Chandigarh. The Lord has prepared everything; for our  physical needs and the spiritual environment for His move. 

Once we reached the city, we wasted no time to go to a market place and did distribution with gospel preaching. I personally experienced the anointing so much. I just stood at a corner and gave out books and preached the gospel in Hindi. It was amazing how I could speak so fluently the word of God in Hindi! I could not believe myself that I could speak that well; for I knew my Hindi was never good and struggled while transacting business. But for the Word, the Lord has prepared a tongue! Adding to this joyful burning  were the sinners receiving the Lord on spot, calling the Lord's Name and praying to believe into Jesus! It was a indeed wonderful day under the sun!

Though I had no thought of baptising any one in a city where there was no affiliation or solidly known to anyone, still there was someone who wanted to be baptised. This again was more fuel to the burning fire. Finally we could locate a small water shed in a remote village, the water shed of a cow-shed! We did the baptism there when dusk has already taken over, and had a sweet fellowship on a Christian life and a Christian living with a  group of believers waiting for us, which then was followed by every one consecrating their time, at least 30 minutes to 1 hour everyday to the Lord for the Lord. Yes, a wonderful day in the Lord in deed.

The day after, we went to another market for the same gospel preaching and distribution, more people received the Lord by praying and calling the Lord's Name. Two new believers even joined us in the distribution and gospel preaching and later they also got baptised. 

These experiences are not extra ordinary, but very very normal. For the Lord is in us, and we are with the Lord. To be in the Lord and for the Lord everyday makes the day wonderful. Everything is wonderful int he Lord!!

Alpha and Omega: Urgency

Proclaim the word; be ready in season and out of season; convict, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and teaching  2Timothy 4: 2 

A week ago I met a brother who was so seeking for the Lord and His feeding in fellowship. For the first time, I met him in his guest house and we had a sweet fellowship for over an hour ministering the Word of God face to face, starting from God's plan in Gen.1:26 through creation, redemption of Christ, a Christian life and a church life. Later, he came to the meeting hall for further fellowship, attended the serving ones' perfecting fellowship on truth constitution and presentation. Then with my family he joyfully came to a group meeting where he played the guitar, enjoyed singing hymns to the Lord and to one another. After which, he and I went to drop another family and then I finally dropped him near his guesthouse with a word that we would meet either on the coming Thursday/Friday. 

On Wednesday he texted me saying he was was sick and weak in his body, and I replied if he needed any help, to which he replied back, that he would be with his brother. After this I could not reach him, I texted him but my mobile flashed a notice that the text could not be delivered. Anxious to find out the reason, I called up his office number, on which he called me from his office before we first met, to hear a shocking reply that he expired. Later, his younger brother called to confirm of the death and nature of death of his brother, and said  he sang and died.

Reflecting a week back, what happened on the 16th September from 2 PM till about 9:20 PM when I was with him, I had a strong feeling from deep within that I should not withhold anything about spiritual matters relating to a Christian life and a church life, I keep ministering the Word in his guest house, in the meeting hall, in the group meeting and on the car, and to all these he responded with much affirmation and interjected many times in between, saying "Yes, brother. Yes brother. This is what I need." He even promised to start coming to the meeting from the 23rd September and that he would purchase the Recovery Version of the Holy Bible and start a new life all over. But alas, he went to be with the Lord on the 22nd. He even regretted that he had wasted so much time and that we would work together with me to visit family and friends he knew, to preach the gospel and do the shepherding. But it's all over in week's time.

Reminiscing all over, I felt inwardly satisfied that somehow by the Lord's leading I did whatever I could have done, though on that day I was so physically tired and thought of resting instead of meeting him. I spoke what I should have spoken, and did what I should have done. Though not a fragment of thought lingered of his demise, but that was what had happened, a surprise meeting and a sudden muting; a sad saga of alpha and omega.

Lord, keep me always alert and living, to proclaim the word; and be ready in season and out of season...

Be Watchful and Faithful

Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning. Luke 12:35

Yesterday morning and today morning the Lord spoke to me again and again this verse. Upon praying over I was reminded of my need to be such, to be watchful, faithful and ready all the time. Perhaps, these days I tend to become lethargic? Or perhaps, overburdened or overloaded. It is indeed a good time for spiritual revival again.

At the dawn of today the Lord woke me up, convicting me of my carelessness and reminded me to reconsecrate myself: my time, my energy and my whole being. I was on my knees, confessing my looseness and indiscipline in my time management, and consecrated my self again. Later, He spoke the same verse to me as He spoke yesterday, "Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning."

Let your loins be girded: As slaves' loins are girded ever ready to serve his Master, day in and day out, so much the more, I, a servant of the Lord. Irrespective of time or space, rapt attention and readiness to heed the Master's command is deemed honour to the slave. So is to me, as it must be.

Time and again, a trumpet has been sounded of the nearness of the Lord's coming again. But what has been my reaction? Do I budge an inch in response to such a clarion call? The Lord be merciful to me, I am afraid I am numb. Lord, revive me. Apt indeed is the word, and timely the sounding command. "Let your loins be girded!" Amen Lord. By your grace, I gird my loins; make me ever ready. My naturally enthused ethos will never make it;I need the Lord Himself to be my life, living and person. Then and then only, will my loins indeed be girded. So Lord,  let my loins be girded, by You living in and through me.

Let your lamps be burning: The spirit of man is the lamp of Jehovah- Proverbs 20:27. My lamp is my spirit where the Spirit of the Lord dwells- 2 Timothy 4:22. To keep my lamps burning is to be exercised in my spirit- 1 Timothy 4:7. 

The slogan, "Exercise your spirit", oftentimes sound too dubious as a fictitious banner to a slothful heart. But this is the very exercise I need now and then and forever. The Lord forgive me for oftentimes turning a deaf ear to such an emergency call.

Remind me Lord, and teach me ever to exercise my spirit and live and walk according to the spirit. Make me ever ready, always watchful, faithful and ready by keeping my lamps burning and my loins girded.

Subdue Me

This morning I was enlightened by the word , " My grace is sufficient for you for My power is perfected in weakness." 2 Cor. 12:9. 

Oftentimes, I desire to be a good brother never making a mistake, in spite of the fact that everyone in flesh and blood, including me, is fallen. However the Lord reminded me of my need to trust in His grace. Sometimes He sovereignly allow problems and mistakes with the sole purpose of dealing with my naturally "good man." The problem exposes me and thereby becomes an opportunity for the Lord to work Himself into me solidly. This was what exactly Paul experienced. He entreated the Lord three times that his thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, be removed, but the Lord's wonderful reply was , "My grace is sufficient for you." 

Likewise, His grace is sufficient for me to go through anything He arranges. Whatever He arranges is for breaking me, blending me and building me with others as one loaf for the building up of  the Body of Christ. This issues in the experience of God as the transcending power in all my circumstances, and thereby enabling me with others to be built up for the manifestation of the church. This subjective experience of the Lord with His subduing power ushers in to live a normal and proper Christian life for the normal church-life. 

When the subduing power subdues my natural man there is no need of outward regulations of dos and don'ts. For I will be ruled by the divine life and all else not Christ and of Christ will be subdued. Then this ruling will issue in the ruling of Christ as the Head in everything and in every believer which further issues in the manifestation of the church, the Body of Christ. However, this need a willing human cooperation with the operation of the Triune God. For this I must be desperate to open to the Lord and pray, "Lord, I need You to subdue me and rule over me in all things."