Amidst Idols

"...we know that idol is nothing in the world and that there is no God but one."  1 Corinthians 8:4

A rare occasion: In a hospitality by an unbeliever in his room; that was the first time in my life to be accommodated in a room full of idols. Superstition and religious mindset would have prompted me to reject such arrangement but I just took it as from the Lord. Another opportunity to experience the true and living God. I stayed there in the room, spending time in prayer and fellowshipping with brothers and reading the Word of God! In fact, I had a very good sleep and a very good stay. 

Idols are nothing. It's just man made and they are no gods at all. It has no life, lesser than the least germ, at least germs have life. What one needs is life, the divine life of God to live in us and operate in us and through us. If at all there is any evil spirit behind those idols, when a believer is in its midst, all the evil spirits must flee, even though the lifeless idols cannot.  But this is not a justification for idolatry in our lives. Idolatry must be dealt with seriously, by destroying them all, even burning them if they are under our physical control, for they are all falsehood and vanity and counterfeit of the true and living God.

There is only one God, the true living God, who became a man, Jesus Christ, crucified to redeem man from sins, yet resurrected to become the life-giving Spirit, to enter into man, to make man the same as He is, in life and in nature but not in the Godhead. This one God cannot be idolised, imagined to be a good looking man printed in a printing press.  Even the so called "Jesus picture/photo" is an idol, an artist impression or imagination of how he might look like. To possess such, even is also an idolatry. Religion have invented many ritualistic-superstitious idols which became a hiding place for many evil spirits to deceive the novice and ignorant lot. Many have been drugged by religious superstitions and for fear of evil to befall, have wasted much time, money and energy to please the religiously drugged superstitious mind with many rituals and ceremonial oblations supposedly offered to God.

O what a salvation to be delivered for such idolatry, religion and superstition! May the true and living God in Christ as the Spirit deliver us from any form of idolatry. May God save us from the deception of the evil in the form of idols. For we know that idol is nothing in the world and that there is no God but one.  1 Corinthians 8:4

A Joy Ride

My last week trip to Lucknow was a "joy ride" by train under intense heat. The only train available for me was a sleeper class on adjacent berth with the TT. Whatever, everything was arranged by God. Since the train started I was reminded by the Lord that the gospel must be preached to someone. As we began the journey amidst some quarrelsome  and noisy passengers, there was an engineering student who became a prey to my gospel. I shared the gospel of Jesus Christ to him and later he called on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. I also gave him some advice on educational matter as he himself was so confused with his own career. That turned out to be His first time to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. Indeed, for his salvation the Lord put us together on the same train, on the same coach and adjacent berth!

My return journey was quite much the same. Perhaps, it was my carelessness, or perhaps, the smartness of picketers? I lost my wallet. This almost triggered anxiety within me. But the Lord immediately calmed me down and just asked me to trust in Him in situation like this, when I had no money for anything. Though I asked my coach mates if they had seen it, and I did some searched for sometime, yet all to no avail. Just before I was to sleep, a co-passenger enquired about my fate. This gave me an opportunity to speak to him, make friend with him and shared my testimony and the gospel of Jesus Christ. By the way, without my asking, he handed me a metro card for me to commute from Delhi to Gurgaon. That's the Lord's provision. Meanwhile, I also learned some deep lesson concerning money matter; I should not be selfish and should not love money. Instead, use it for the Lord's purpose and also whenever and wherever needed.

Above all, the Lord is sovereign. There was nothing to panick or anxious about. The Lord is the Lord and he heads up all. This trip was a lesson to me and a joy ride to Lucknow.

Divine Sense of Value

You cannot serve God and mammon. Luke 16:13b

Mammon stands in opposition to God as much as Satan does; for Satan is behind and within mammon. As being born a sinner into this world of sin, none is immune from the sting of mammon. The only nutralising effect is afforded by the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus only in salvation, a man is beginning to be healed from the poisonous mammon. However, it takes a while; a constant growth, dealing and maturity to be released from the love of mammon. The way to be thus released is to love the Lord more than anything, by seeing the supremacy of the excellency of Christ, giving our hearts and our entire being to Him. Thereby issuing in change of concept of value, having the divine sense of value, valuing Christ and only Christ alone. Paul testified, "..I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as refuse that I may gain Christ" (Phil. 3:8b). 

Moreover, Christ has a Body, if one values Christ, he must also value the church, as Christ is the Head of the church, and the church and Christ are one. Treasuring the value of Christ, one must also treasure the worth of the church as the church is bought by Christ's own blood, "..the church of God, which He obtained through His own blood" (Acts 20:28b). Having loved both, Christ and the church and giving our all for both, will usher in the deliverance from the love of mammon. As Paul further testified that he spent and was utterly spent for the church. 

Having a divine sense of value, seeing the supreme preciousness of Christ and the exceeding worth of the church will change our concept of value making us treasure Christ and the church more than anything else which further issues in spending all that we have and spending all that we are, for Christ and the church, will deliver us from the love of mammon and be absolutely for God's interest on this earth.

Today, in the prophesying meeting, the speaking of the Lord was very strong concerning this matter, after which, the church had a strong prayer for the absolute love for the Lord and His Body and a complete consecration to spend and be spent for Christ and the church, having a divine sense of value and be delivered from the love of mammon, for the fulfillment of God's purpose on the earth.

Death for Life

2 Corinthians 4:12  So then death operates in us, but life in you.

Recovery Version Note 1: When we are under the killing of the Lord's death, His resurrection life is imparted through us into others. The impartation of life into others is always the issue of our suffering the killing of the cross.

These days I have been experiencing the subjectivity of what Paul had experienced as a minister in the New Covenant ministry. If life has to be imparted, there must be a release of life; and life is released through death only. No crucifixion, no resurrection; no resurrection, no life impartation. Therefore, for the release of life, there must be the suffering of the killing of the cross.

The cross comes in many ways, sent by God as He deemed best. No one can create the cross nor crucify himself at the cross. It comes our way whenever needed. Only  the Father knows when and how the cross should be experienced. Our only responsibility is to accept it willingly when it comes and faithfully be crucified trusting in His grace; then this will issue in the richness of life impartation.

The condition of the saints in the church where I am, and my own condition is a fair experience of the cross these days. The local church where I am today is the best training ground for me, to learn and learn lessons of life. The best training is the one with the toughest and highest standard; even those that despaired their own living. The deepness of dealing determines the sweetness of the life issue. With this intensity of desperation I cry out to the Lord more desperately for more spiritual blessings as well as the blessing in the increase of saints number. The Lord is reminding me again and again to faithfully take care of what we have now and the rest He will bless. O what a grace!

So, dread not I, facing the devil's darts,

The shield of faith swallows the darts away.

Swirling the Spirit's sword in this martial art,

In fear and defeat, the devil sway.

Practical Training

Since the beginning of this year I had been travelling to many places in India mostly for propagation, shepherding and raising up of churches in new cities with the saints in coordination, all functioning within the measure God has apportioned in the Body. When I came back from the recent ones in Shillong, my wife told me, "You have been flying like an eagle in the heaven, now its time to labor faithfully like an ox, ploughing the field." Indeed, I must learn to plough like an ox too, a PRACTICAL TRAINING at home.

Since two months ago I had planned for a propagation training in Miraj; I had prepared everything for this training. However, when it was time to leave my ticket was not confirmed in spite of the repeated attempts even through Tatkal. Finally, as I was looking to the Lord in despair for not being able to attend this training, the Lord reminded me that I need to go through something very practical at home. This time my training is at home, a practical training for the preparation and propagation of the gospel of the kingdom.

Sovereignly, every day I need to take care of my physical family, cherishing in the humanity of Jesus, during the whole week when the training in Miraj was going on. Everyday, I needed to go to hospital either for my wife or for my daughter; and everyday, I needed to take care of some household needs as my wife is now on the third month of pregnancy for the third blessing. That was a real training indeed. The Lord knew my need and did exactly according to my need. Praise the Lord!

Though man have plans, the real execution is of the Lord. Sometimes the Lord interferes in our human plan for His divine plan. Our faithful response must be, "Amen Lord, let Your will be done." And we must not hold on to anything, rather be flexible and open to the Lord, following the Lamb wherever He may lead. This is a real lesson to me. Shepherding our own family is as important as shepherding the churches of God, for our own family is a part of the churches of God. Being human and taking care of human needs at home in the humanity of Jesus is as good as taking caring of the need of the Lord elsewhere, for all, including our own physical family is a part of God's big family. However, we must be balanced and not go to either extremes. The decision on which one to care for and when is by the instant leading of the Lord from time to time. We must abide in the Lord to discern the Lord's leading and be faithful and obedient to follow the Lord absolutely in every minute detail. Praise the Lord who lead me through a practical training for the preparation and propagation of the kingdom of God.

The Lion of the Tribe of Judah

Revelation 5:

5 And one of the elders said to me, Do not weep; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so that He may open the scroll and its seven seals.

6 And I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders a Lamb standing as having just been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into gall the earth.

These days in my locality, I have been weeping inwardly, as there seems to be a lot of hindrances in carrying out the Lord's work. There are invisible restraints as far as the gospel of the kingdom is concerned; some hidden attacks directly or indirectly to the saints and a kind of struggling in moving forward. Everyday, my weeping prayer is for the Lord to gain us fully and break through into every saints to live an overcoming life for the normal, healthy and proper practice of the church life. The kind of attacks I sensed are to numb us and dislodge our functions in the Body. Though this sounds negative, this has really helped me to go before the Lord, turn to Him and trust in Him for all things. The harder the forward move seems to be, the dearer and even more, my time with the Lord is. At times, I, in despair of the situation, just look to the Lord and weep.

This morning the Lord encouraged me very much by what He is: the Lion of the Tribe of Judah! like, John, I was quite desperate, and was weeping, and as John saw, I saw this wonderful all-inclusive Christ: the Lion of the Tribe of Judah!He as the Lion is the Victor! He has seven horns and seven eyes!  And comforted me, "Do not weep".

Recovery Version, Revelation 5:6 Note 4 Horns signify strength in fighting (Deut. 33:17). Christ is the redeeming Lamb, yet He has horns for fighting. He is the fighting Redeemer. His fighting is complete (perfect and complete) in God's move, as signified by the number seven. 

Christ has seven horns for fighting and His fighting is perfect and complete signified by the seven horns. Hallelujah! He is the Victor, and in Him I am Victor and in Him, the church is victorious! I cease to see the weakness of the saints and my own, my eyes are now on the Lion of the tribe of Judah! 

Recovery Version, Revelation 5:6 Note 5 Eyes are for observing and searching. Christ as the redeeming Lamb has seven observing and searching eyes for executing God's judgment upon the universe to fulfill God's eternal purpose, which will consummate in the building up of the New Jerusalem. Therefore, in Zech. 3:9 He is prophesied as the stone, the topstone (Zech. 4:7, lit.) with seven eyes for God's building. These seven eyes are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth, and they run to and fro through the whole earth (Zech. 4:10).

By His seven Spirits, Christ carries out God's universal administration; His seven burning and searching eyes are for executing God's judgement upon the universe to fulfill God's eternal purpose. And they are also for transfusing all that Christ is into our being so that we may become the same as He is for God's building. He also removes all the hindrances, and is carrying out all administrative works  to fulfill God's purpose.

What a revelation! Having enjoyed this truth, I am no more discouraged! The Lion of the tribe of Judah is in the church and with the church! Satan may plunder, or at least attempt to plunder, the flock of God, however, the all-inclusive Christ is the head of the church, even of which I am a member, and has overcome the him, the devil! No more fear, no more discouragement; continue to enjoy this Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah!

Human Care

“consider one another so as to incite one another to love and good works” Heb. 10:24

“exhort one another each day” Heb. 3:13

Sometimes, in fact, many times, in our zeal for spiritual things we tend to forget that we are human beings with flesh and blood, mortal man living in the world. Too often we pay too much attention to the spiritual well being to the extent of neglecting the physical. This is as good as a coin with one side, bluntly invalid. This often is the case with our care for our brothers and sisters in the Lord. As much as a one sided coin is invalid, a spiritual care without the human care is invalid too. In our shepherding in considering one another and exhorting one another, we must take care of both the aspects equally and be balanced. One without the other is invalid.

Of late, I have been learning lessons the hard way. I tend to focus too much on the spiritual welfare of the ones the Lord grace me to shepherd. Even as a brother in the church, I often neglect or ignore the human care for the saints. And no wonder, when a baby is prayed for and preached to, without proper "baby care" the baby is messed up with soiled and smelly diapers all around. The baby even falls into sickness from malnutrition or imbalanced diet.

Just this week I am alerted of some saints' situation and I am also very much convicted by the Lord of my lack in shepherding. The symptoms of malnutrition are complaints, murmurings and misunderstandings. Since then I deeply considered the matter of shepherding before the Lord and realised that there is a lack in human care. All the complaints are due to carelessness or ignorance in taking care of human feelings even in small matters, as well as the great ones. Since then, my prayer is that I may have a proper humanity to take care of the saints. The more I prayed about how to shepherd the saints, the more the Lord reminded me my own need for having a proper humanity, the humanity of Jesus as the Spirit of reality.

Today, being well aware of the saints' situation I send SMSs for the combined prayer meeting to almost every saints. Surprisingly, many saints whom I never expected, indeed, turned up for the prayer meeting. After the prayer meeting a sister testified that as soon as she received the SMS she hurried up and rushed for the prayer meeting. Likewise, a brother who had long been  isolated turned up. O a simple SMS, as a concern and exhortation means a lot!

The Lord begins to open my eyes to see that many of the backslidings are because of deficiency in proper and normal human care. However, a question arises. How can I take care of so many saints? I too need to be shepherded. Its not just possible for me alone to carry out the human care. Therefore, the "body" comes into picture. Shepherding with a proper human care must be done in the Body in coordination with the brothers whom the Lord has graced to bear the same burden. The condition of the brothers who bear the responsibility of a church is a litmus test for the condition of the saints. If the saints in  a local church is weak, it indirectly implies the shepherding brothers are also weak.

With this as a background, the church prayer meeting tonight was fully focused on human care; to “consider one another so as to incite one another to love and good works” Heb. 10:24; and to “exhort one another each day” Heb. 3:13.

Lord forgive all my shortcomings. Shepherd me with Your humanity that I may shepherd others in Your humanity.