Prayer and Burden

The general excuse for not praying is because of the lack of burden. However, in a very subjective sense, prayer generates burdens and burdens are released in prayer. Or perhaps, vice versa.

But what the Lord graced me to experience was that I exercised my spirit to pray and pray contacting Him, the issue of such prayer was always some specific burdens. Last night, as few of us brothers prayed specifically after the regular church prayer meeting, the flow of the Spirit was so strong. As we prayed, the Lord poured out His burden and we spontaneously prayed that burden back to God. The prayer was so sweet, so strong and so specific. In fact, we prayed for seven districts to be raised up in the church in Gurgaon. Indeed, the Lord has already given us solid families in these seven sectors, we just need to pray more and strengthen these families and gain more families for the district meetings.

Never did I think in this way before. Only when we prayed in one accord, corporately as the church, the Lord revealed His burden to us. Since this specific prayer began a few months a go, we could see some "miracles" happening among the saints and new ones we prayed for. The Lord began to deal with the person and the situation surrounding him. More specifically three brothers were gradually recovered back. They started coming for the meeting, opened up their situation for fellowship and prayer, and are being gained by the Lord.

Even as a result of these prayers, seekers from different religions started believing into Jesus Christ and took baptisms.

Prayer is indeed the key to the spiritual blessings. This is the reason why Satan attacks the prayer of the saints and the church very much, making them less and less pray. I personally experience such attacks quite often in relation to my prayer life. Not just to talk about prayer but to pray desperately, even unceasingly.

Lord, make us men of prayer.

Incredible Marriage

Last week when I was still in Taiwan for a family visit, a dear brother mailed me concerning his marriage informing that, in fellowship with brothers in the local church, he felt good for me to minister the word in his wedding. This request put me in a very odd situation as the said marriage was the one opposed right in front of my eyes by a couple who could not digest this kind of marriage, at least for two reasons; difference of nationality and age. When confronted, my only fellowship was that since the duo's decision to tie the knot was from the Lord, who are we anyway to say anything about it, neither good nor bad? In fact, they even desired if I could be instrumental in stopping this marriage. 

Right after such a psychological bombardment, I received my dear brother's email. On the one side was a strong opposition, even hoping that I interfere to stop it, whereas on the other side, a fellowship to give a word of love for this marriage. This incident of two extremes led me to pray desperately to know what the will of the Lord must be.I found myself stuck on the horns of dilemma ; nevertheless, I prayed and prayed and waited to reply until I was fully clear.

When on my way back to India in the flight over Indian ocean by Malaysian Airlines, when the news was high on MH370 suspected to crash into the Indian ocean, I was pondering and praying over this matter of marriage over and over again. Then, deep within me, the Lord confirmed that if a brother had fellowshipped for such an important occasion I should just say "amen!" Later, one of the brothers in new Delhi called to confirm of this matter again and I went before the Lord for a clear word. The Lord's anointing was so sweet. The Lord gave me the following Bible verses, when on my knees praying for what to minister, on the line of  Christ and the Church.

Hebrews 13:4a  "Let marriage be held in honor among all,"

Genesis 2:18, 21-24 This time this is bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh

1 Corinthians 11:12 For just as the woman is out from the man, so also is the man through the woman; but all things are out from God.

Ephesians 5:22-33 32 This mystery is great, but I speak with regard to Christ and the church.

Revelation 21:2 

Revelation 22:17a "And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come! And let him who hears say, Come!"

Revelation 22:20 Yes, I come quickly. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

The day indeed came and that was yesterday. My whole being was just focused on one thing that the Lord may minister Himself with a very strong Spirit to those who attended the wedding. The Lord for sure honored the fellowship in the Body and the prayer of the saints. The issue was a glorious wedding with a glorious testimony of the bride and the bridegroom and the testimonies of many witnesses with the rich ministry of the word.

This wedding was truly glorious and incredible, as the duo testified that it was indeed of the Lord's arrangement, seemingly  impossible in man's eyes, especially an "age no bar" case mingled with the divine love. An incredible marriage in an incredible India in an incredible church life in New Delhi indeed! Hallelujah for the God of arrangement! I wish the couple God's abundant blessings....What an incredible marriage!

MH370 : Mystery of Human Life

The much hype, speculation and merry-go-round search on the mysterious disappearance of Malaysian Airline MH370 has tossed many to-and-fro between faint hope and disgust despair. The news has a global effect, especially to the ones in the same fleet of flight of the same organization. I and my family's round trip was also with the same company's carrier. This sad news of disappearance made us trust in the Lord more for all our flights. In a sense, it made me more prayerful and looked to the Lord for His covering grace from any mysterious mishap of the same kind.

While on our return flight from Taipei to Kuala Lumpur, the news headline as I entered Mayalsian Airline MH409 on the 25th March was that  MH370 was lost in the Indian Ocean and the premier of Malaysia had made a sad announcement and that one US law firm was gearing up for multi-million dollar lawsuit against the authority on behalf of the bereaved passengers. Nevertheless, I was in the flight reading the news of the current affairs, taking the Lord as my covering and resting in Him. And at every instance, I was helped to exercise to pray again and again. Later, as we transit and board another flight from Kuala Lumpur to New Delhi by MH190, flying over the Indian Ocean, where MH370 was guesstimated to crash, though not confirmed, I enjoyed a wonderful time of prayer interceding for all the saints on my prayer list. It was quite an experience indeed of flying with the same fleet after the sad news at the same sky space; the feeling was quite different. The Lord led us through and we came home safely to Gurgaon.

While this speculation is whirling around the world over the psychology of mankind from the notion of sabotage to suicide by the pilot, or from terrorist to alien (UFO) abduction, or the many atheists and the believers alike offering prayer to the supreme God for solace or RIP, one wonders if at all this incident would change the lives of many who are still alive. The fate of man is very uncertain, and this must drive us to consider and reconsider the meaning of one's existence. May God open the eyes of many, even through this incident, to seek the mercy of the true and living God and seek Him to obtain an eternal assurance, security and joy of salvation. If there may be such reader of this, whose eternal fate has not been secure, my humble assistance will be to introduce the Lord Jesus Christ, the only one eternal God who became a man, lived a complete God yet a perfect human life, died on the cross for the redemption of mankind and resurrected to become a life-giving Spirit and now awaiting to save and enter into anyone who would believe into the Lord Jesus Christ, and eternally seal the uncertain futuristic fate once for all. Not just for fear of similar MH370 case, but much more for the salvation of one's soul and be born anew of God to become a child of God and be joined to Him eternally.

Though I wish not that such ever happen, yet certain things are beyond human hand and none can guarantee anything for the future. As I pray for the consolation of the bereaved, I also pray for the awakening of slumbering souls to turn to the true and living God to believe into the Lord Jesus Christ. 

May the Mystery of Human Life(MHL) be revealed to all for the salvation of all! This mystery is the Triune God (3) becoming a perfect man and complete God (7), died and resurrected to enter into man's spirit (0) to make man(M) the same as He(He) in life and nature but not in the godhead. This mystery is unveiled today to all who would believe into Jesus Christ! The mystery of MH370 should be a wake-up call to all mankind for the unlocking of the Mystery of Human life!

My heartfelt condolence to all the bereaved families. May the God of all comfort comfort them all with His grace, love and peace.

Faithfulness in Prayer

When in Taipei, Taiwan, for a short family visit, the main burden the Lord gave me was to spend more time with my family, especially with my brother-in-laws'. Every time I prayed my heart was towards my brother-in-laws. During my whole stay, I could only spent three sessions each lasting about and hour or so. But before all these could transpire, I wasn't sure if I could discharge my burden at all. And that led me to pray faithfully and intercede for them, even with fasting and prayer.

My first meeting was all centered on the burdened of eating of the tree of life and living by the tree of life; not to live by the knowledge of good and evil, right or wrong. As I ministered on life and the Spirit, I enjoyed being ministered to in return by the Lord through my own speaking. However, meeting his better-half was almost out of question. But left the matter to the Lord and continued to pray for them.

Suddenly, on our last Lord's day in Taipei, in the afternoon, my wife received a surprise call from my brother in law that we would meet up somewhere in Tainan. My innate response was, though we had another appointment for dinner lovefeast with a coworker's family in Taipei, to agree to the impromptu dinner fellowship taking it as the Lord's answer to the prayers offered. And we did enjoyed few good hours of fellowship, again with much emphasis on enjoying the Lord by eating Him in the Word and drinking Him in the Spirit. The Lord is always faithful in answering our prayers, more faithful than our own faithfulness in prayer.

To me, we are no longer brother-in-law but brother-in-the-Lord. Though this experience seemed trivial, it indeed was an experience of faithfulness in prayer for the very burden the Lord had imparted.

This incident was reminded to me as I read the word in Daniel concerning Daniel's faithfulness in prayer.

Daniel 6:

4 Then the chief ministers and satraps sought to find a ground for accusation against Daniel from the perspective of the kingdom, but they could find no ground for accusation or fault, inasmuch as he was faithful, and no negligence or fault was found related to him. 10 Now when Daniel came to know that the writing had been signed, he went to his house (in his upper room he had windows open toward Jerusalem) and three times daily he knelt on his knees and prayed and gave thanks before his God, because he had always done so previously.11 Then these men assembled and found Daniel making petition and supplication before his God..13 Then they answered and said before the king, Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, has not respected you, O king, or the edict that you have signed, but three times daily makes his petition.18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no entertainment was brought before him, and his sleep fled from him.

Daniel's faithfulness in prayer was tested even at the risk of his own life; he was faithful unto death in prayer. Even his opponents openly confessed that Daniel was a man of prayer for they all knew about it and plot an evil against it. However, whatever the decree, he was faithful in prayer at all costs. The adverse effect was, even the king could not sleep that night Daniel was persecuted for his faithfulness, instead he spent the night fasting.  

There are times one need to fast and pray faithfully. Certain spiritual warfare need such fasting prayer. And for the many burdens the Lord pleased to bestow me with, I trust the Lord's grace to be faithful in prayer.

Free Home Delivery

Shepherding the saints includes prayer and visiting them in their home to dispense Christ into them. Besides, taking care of them even in their physical needs. Last night the Lord gave us a wonderful experience of shepherding.

An unexpected rain and storm disturbed the power supply to the city resulting in many home without power backup to endure the city's helplessness in pain. A family we have been shepherding had been working the whole day, and with no power supply, they were  left with no option for cooking for dinner. However, before we went for the meeting, we came to know of their situation, so we decided to take dinner for them.

When we met them, the family of two were tired  and with no dinner, were basically getting ready to rest for the day. However, when we gave them the "free home delivery" dinner, their expression changed to exaltation. The mother of the family rejoice not merely for the food but that the Lord Jesus answered her prayer for food physically. She was so encouraged, her faith grew and was so glad that she was beginning to experience the Lord in small small things. By the way, this free home delivery was a simple Indian dinner of rice, chicken fry, potato fry and pumkin curry! A wholesome meal indeed.

In fellowship with a brother with whom I coordinated, we felt good to minister on the love of God. As we ministered on the matter of love as the spiritual free home delivery, she and her son, responded, "Lord Jesus I love You" with additional emphasis on "Lord Jesus I need You." The atmosphere of the meeting was so good; there was wholesome supply of healthy physical food and spiritual food. We all were encouraged to love the Lord more than anything as our first and best love. And the result of loving the Lord would be that we would love the word of God and love one another with the divine love of God. Then we all spontaneously pray together in love of the Lord. " Lord Jesus we love You!"

The Lord is perfecting me in many aspects of shepherding. Generally, I focused too much on the spiritual aspects, the Lord is adjusting me to be more human and take of the saints' need in genuine and proper human care. To feed the saints with proper and healthy physical and spiritual food, regularly as a "free home delivery!"

Lord, make me a free home delivery man!

Wisdom

1 Corinthians 1:30a But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom to us from God:

Wisdom is Christ! This matter of wisdom has been deeply impressing me and it has been my prayers since I realised that only Christ is wisdom, and without Christ as wisdom in my life, I would be the greatest fool. In every matter of my Christian life, I need wisdom. Be it for personal matter or official or even spiritual, without Christ as my wisdom I would be snared in unnecessary labor and trouble. In my daily personal walk and work, experiencing Christ as wisdom is all rest and peace. So my prayer in the office or in some personal decision making matter has ever been to take and experience Christ as wisdom.

Patterns in the Bible

Daniel

Daniel 1:17, 20 God gave them knowledge and insight in all learning and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. And in every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his realm.

It was God who gave Daniel knowledge, insight and wisdom. The source of wisdom is God Himself. Experiencing God as wisdom is the only way to be wise. Daniel acknowledged this and exalted God in every act of manifesting God's wisdom. He knew the source and honored the source accordingly. In Daniel 2:20-22  Daniel answered and said, Let the name of God Be blessed from eternity to eternity, For wisdom and might are His. And it is He who changes the times and seasons; He deposes kings and causes kings to ascend. He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals the deep things and the hidden things; He knows what is obscured in the darkness, And the light dwells with Him.

Solomon

And similarly, it was God who gave wisdom to Solomon. 1 Kings 3 :9-13 Give therefore to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people and to discern between good and evil. .. I now give you a heart of wisdom and understanding, 4:29-30  And God gave Solomon wisdom and very much understanding and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the seashore. And Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the children of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. 1 Kings 10:23-24  And King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in wealth and in wisdom. And all the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.

In the New Testament, Christ is Wisdom. Any one who wants to be wise and learned must believe into Christ and receive Him into him. Whenever I got to fellowship with students and working saints I always ministered this  matter of experiencing Christ as wisdom. Every morning as I dropped my children to school, our prayer has been, "Lord be our wisdom and understanding." Similarly, in all our official planning and execution, our prayer has been, "Lord be our wisdom."

I need wisdom to shepherd the saints according to their need, I need wisdom to be responsible father in a family and in the church. In my going out and coming in, and in every matter, I need Christ as my wisdom. 

Lord, filled me with You as my wisdom for today and all the days to come.

Two Weddings

Last week on the 16th of March 2014, I and my family had the privilege of attending two weddings, one was one  of my wife's friends' and the other a brother in the church life. The contrast between the two was that of heaven and earth. It was indeed an experience of two realms. Nevertheless I bless both the couples equally.

The first wedding may be graded a 5 stars if the grading scale were physical; like the outfits, the ambiance, the food, the venue and the kind of people attending the feast. Indeed, full of glitter and glamour. My only wish and prayer is that the couple may get to know the true meaning of marriage and be saved to fulfill the reality of the type portrayed in human marriage; a marriage between Christ and the church.

The second weeding was of a brother who loved the Lord dearly and even served with me in the same locality in Gurgaon a couple of years ago. The testimony of the bride and groom was amazing. Both loving the Lord and giving themselves fully to the Lord; a wonderful pattern for all the young saints. Moreover, they both have the same burden to serve the Lord full time and even go abroad to preach the gospel. What a blessing!

The latter wedding is also a good testimony of parents loving the Lord and giving themselves to the Lord, with all their family. The parent's labor, shepherding and prayer for the children can in no way be set aside. In fact, it was the Lord's blessing out of the good heart of the parent; they basically commanded the Lord's blessing because of their love for the Lord. This reminds me of my own need to pray for and shepherding the three children the Lord has blessed me with. I have literally seen patterns right in front of my eyes. Now, it is my turn to follow the pattern and reap the same harvest of the Lord's blessings in the coming days.

This also is a reminder of the coming wedding day of Christ and the Church. As the brother and sister had been prepared by the Lord, there is an urgent need for the believers to prepare themselves for the wedding with Christ. The parable of faithfulness in Matthew 25:1-13 is a good encouragement, to be filled with oil in our vessels daily; to be filled with the Spirit daily in our being to be ever ready for the wedding day.