Offering : By Faith and Love

In my fellowship with many seeking Christians who are still held up in the human system of organised denominations, one of the most challenging questions asked to me was the matter of offering. For in Christianity as a religion, "tithing" is one of the shameful and ugly way of spiritualising with biblical quotes mostly from Malachi 3 to get the "church income?" And today's degraded Christian workers have shamelessly exploited the word of God and many innocent believers, in the name of Christ, for money. Lord, deliver us from this evil one!

2 Corinthians 9:6,7

But take note of this: He who sows sparingly shall also sparingly reap; and he who sows with blessings shall also with reap; Each one as he has purposed in his heart, not out of sorrow or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Our offering to the Lord must be with a cheerful heart. In fact, every believers must acknowledge -

God as the source of all blessings : All that we are and have and will be having are all from God. So factually, nothing belongs to us, but all belongs to God. So our offering is not to God from us, but from God to God. With this simple revelation, one will always give cheerfully.

As much as the Lord prospers : Indeed, all blessings are from God. As much as the Lord blesses, we must offer. The more the blessings, the more the offerings should be; even otherwise, still we must offer as we purposed in our hearts. And in such offering will be joy.

Faith : However, all these must be done according to the faith within us. One should not go beyond the measure of faith in him. His offering must joyfully be in proportion to his faith. "...for all that is not out of faith is sin." Romans 14:23b

Love : Another divine principle in offering is "love." What one loves, he will pay any price for it. The higher the price, the deeper the love is proved. So much the more, our love for the Lord is directly proportional to the amount of offering we offer to God. For it will be paradoxical to claim to love someone and yet is not willing to pay any price for it. A true love will even pay the highest price of "death" for the sake of love. Therefore, when one loves the Lord, he will be offering out of love as much as He is blessed with by the Lord. It is not out of necessity nor any coercion involved, but out of a pure heart of love.

In summary, my fellowship to the brothers and sisters who asked me to fellowship on offering is "offering by faith and love." The more faith you have in God, the more you offer; and the more love you have for God, the more you offer. The divine principle to gauge a yardstick of offering is "faith and love;" faith in the Lord and love for the Lord. So, the conclusion is an offering formula: 

"Offering  (directly proportional to) Faith and Love"

Besides, with the above revelation and realization, we must be governed by the divine principle of a joyful giving law of life. And since we have faith in God and loves God, offering should be an innate reaction to what the Lord blesses us with. So once one receives a blessing, this law of life of offering must apply without further consideration. As you eat when your are hungry, or drink when thirsty, so offer in blessing!

This fellowship definitely helped all those with whom I fellowship with in regard to offering. Lord, increase my faith and love, and also my offering! As much as I grow in the divine life, so much the more may my offering increase.

Not I But Christ

Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me; and the  which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

The famous quotes "Not I But Christ" has been in my head for all these days of my Christian life. I have not deeply experienced its depth, severity and subjectivity until lately. Thank God, at least I am beginning to unveil this mystery in real life.

Experiences these days have been proving to me that many things in my Christian life are "Not I" any longer. Prior to these experiences, though outwardly I have attributed many incidents to Christ, but deep within was the hidden and proud "I" that stole the glory with "Christ" as a mere outer layer covering. But no longer these days. Its the dawning of "Not I" now.

Spiritual or physical blessings and successes the Lord has graciously bestowed upon me and my family have nothing to do with the goodness of "I." But it has always been and will always be because of the Lord's mercy and grace mingled with His blessings. In experiences, when I am not as healthy or strong, my faith in the Lord for His work and blessings dwindles. But as things have transpired, I discovered that what the Lord wants to do does not really depends on how weak or strong I am. My "I" is not the deciding factor for the Lord's work. When my "I" is in the ebb of falling apart and at his weakest point, still the Lord carries out His work, for it is not my "I" but the Christ who lives in me. Whatever my situation may be, the Christ in me is still the same Christ who is the same yesterday, today and forever.  

Yes, no doubt, who I am can affect the Lord's work, for the work of God is carried out in coordination with man, but the higher fact is, when in Spirit, it is no longer I, but Christ, and that Christ carries out the work in me and through me.

These days I have been experiencing the work of God being carried out through this "rotten worm." Every time I exercised my spirit and fellowshipped with anyone, the word of God as rivers of living water flowed out. I myself was the first to be so supplied with the riches of Christ's life flowing out through "my own speaking." Bible verses sprang up from no where and words of life just streamed forth as stream in the desert. With whomsoever I fellowshipped, it was just life and life and life flowing out. Had it been my own merit for this blessing, I doubt the most it would be such, for I know this "rotten worm" deep to the core with all my failures and weaknesses. In fact, the truth is, "Not I But Christ." 

Many times my own presumptions deluded me of my weakness and I lost complete faith in being useful to God at all. But as the Lord graces me to learn and grow, His works continues in His pace and path, irrespective of how weak I am or I feel. My self "I" is in fact the "no longer I" but is now the "Christ!" That's why, things are happening as it ought to; shepherding, praying, gospel preaching, fruit bearing and churching...  

O for more grace to learn more of "No I But Christ!"

Gospel : Phone Call

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. 

The gospel must be preached in the whole inhabited earth. In this age with all the technology available, to preach the gospel in the whole inhabited earth is not a distance dream nor an impossibility. God gave wisdom to man to invent many new gadgets for His purpose. No doubts, many might have misused it, but as for us, the sons of God, we must use them for the Lord's purpose.

I have been using phone calls for fellowship, shepherding and even also for gospel preaching. And many times I used SMS to text living Bible verses to some friends and saints. Space or distance should not be a hindrance any longer.  

Today, I had a STD phone call with a sister based on the SMS she sent me concerning her brother's need for salvation. I spoke to her brother immediately over the phone and preached the Gospel of the Lord Jesus. After my greetings, he addressed me as "brother" and poured out his heart's burden to be completely delivered from the bondage he is in; of excessive drinking habit, and violent and abusive behavior thereafter. 

The gospel I preached was simple and plain, "The Lord Jesus Christ, who is the true and living God can deliver you from all your sins and bondages." I asked him to call on the Name of the Lord, "O Lord Jesus!" a couple of times, knowing and believing for sure in the mighty and powerful Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, with the deep and heartiest burden, "Save me!"  Then he prayed with me the "sinner's prayer of confession and believing into the Lord Jesus Christ." O what a joy to lead one soul to the Lord again! Though physically I cannot met him where he was, the gospel preaching work could go on, through modern technology of phone call. Hallelujah!

Similarly I recalled an incident a few years ago in which my cousin sister's husband who resided in London, out of his deepest desperation after he lost his beloved wife, called me in the middle of the night (Indian Time). The only thing I could do was to help him to believe into the Lord Jesus Christ. Over an ISD call from London to Gurgaon, we called on the Name of the Lord Jesus together a couple of times and I helped him to pray the sinner's prayer of salvation. Praise the Lord he was saved! I have no clue where and what he is now today. But I do have the fullest assurance of his salvation when we prayed over the phone.

Use every available tool for the gospel, that gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole inhabited earth.

Shepherding : Prayer

Philippians 4:

6 In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

7 And the peace of God, which surpasses every man's understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.

Last night two saints came for fellowship and as we to fellowshipped, the Lord gave me the discernment of what they were actually going through. To meet their present need the Lord also gave me Bible verses to prayer-read with them. As we pray-read these verses from Philippians 4:5-9, the timely speaking of the Lord was so precise and profound. It met their actual need. Oh, it was a great relief for them as we used the verses to pray back to the Lord with all the burdens hidden deep within. O what a release to make all the request made known to God! O what a blessing to pray and petition God with thanksgiving and the ensuing peace of God in the midst of hardships, trials and temptations.

Later, I fellowshipped with another saint in Guwahati, as the usual Saturday night prayer fellowship over the phone, using the same Bible verses, the Lord's speaking again was so timely. That family is going through the biggest turmoil in their lives with a member of the family creating havoc within the family. However, using the Bible verses I shepherded this family to trust in the Lord and to bring all their matters to Him; for they cannot solve any problem and explained further the Lord Jesus Christ is the only solutions to all the problems. After this short-while phone call prayer fellowship, we all were full of joy and peace. In Christ Jesus, the peace of God guards our hearts and thoughts.

Today morning I received an SMS from a sister whom I have been praying for the salvation of her and her husband. The SMS stated that she wanted to be baptised at the earliest possible. Immediately I fellowshipped with a brother and we gave her the option for today afternoon. She accepted and confirmed stating that she has been fully prepared to fully give her life to the Lord Jesus Christ. As I picked her up for baptism, on the way she mentioned the same Bible verses in Philippians as her sister shared to her last night after I had fellowshhpped the same matter. And she joyfully got baptised!

Immediately following this another new one, who has not yet been baptised, came to visit me and we read the same Bible verses again. This friend has received the Lord and is waiting to be baptised. Through the fellowship he has agreed to take baptism before the end of this year. This friend has been prayed for over four years till date.

In shepherding prayer is a vital ingredient, without which there can be no real and effective shepherding. All the new ones or saints that the Lord has burdened me to care for are all on my prayer list. Though I may not meet them frequently I have been praying for them, and that is a part of shepherding. When I did meet them, the Lord would give me the timely word for them which really shepherds them. 

Shepherding in much prayer and petition with thanksgiving is the best way of shepherding.  Lord, make me a faith praying shepherd.

Daily Bread

Matthew 6:11 Give us today our daily bread.

The prayer the Lord Jesus taught us is not a piece of religious recital. Nor is it meant to be a mundane and monotonous repetition over and over again under the guise of prayer. Nor is it a format and standard for one’s spiritual prayer. Rather, it conceals within a key to access the treasures of divine blessings. Every word is meaningful, full of divine revelation.

Give:

A prayer of asking the Lord who is the source of every positive thing in the whole universe. All that we had and have and will be having are all from God, the Creator of the universe. As a creature, we are bound to receive from our Creator all that are necessary. Perhaps, one might wonder, why the need in asking when one already has. Well, if this is meant to be a mere asking of physical things the case may hold true. But the emphasis here is in the “faithful dependence on God” who creates and provides to His children. The Lord wants us to depend on Him and have faith in Him every day for everything. So is the prayer, “give.” We all should trust the Lord, have faith in Him and pray all the time, trusting and depending on Him for everything.

Us and Our: 

A prayer in the Body for the Body. Our asking is not for ourself alone but for the Body. All that we do, and all that we are, are all for the Body. Even our prayer must be Body-centered. Our views, considerations, decisions all must be for the Body, as much as our prayers are. We pray as “Us” and for “Ours.”

 Today and Daily:

God is a God of all time; of the past, of the present and of the future. Whenever we pray, we pray in the “present tense”, praying for the need of the hour. Otherwise, it would be an anxious care and concern. We must live in the present and ask for what is needed today. In the usage of “daily” which is a constant and repeated occurrence, we are to always, constantly and repeatedly depend on the Lord for every need. Ever depending constantly on the Lord.

 Bread: 

The Lord revealed Himself as the “living Bread, true Bread, Bread sent from heaven, the Bread of life” in John 6. When He taught us to pray for “Bread” though it may also mean physical food and daily necessities, it much more means the daily necessity of ours for the Lord Himself as our food and means of spiritual livelihood. He wants us to live in Him, with Him and by Him. Christ is our Bread; we must pray to Christ to give us Christ every day. This is a very healthy prayer; to pray to Christ to supply us Christ as our daily Bread. This is synonymous to “living and walking by the Spirit” in Romans 8: 4, 6, 7-13 and Galatians 5:16, 25, “living Christ” in Philippians 1:21 and “praying unceasingly” in 1 Thessalonians 5:17.

Two weeks ago, after enjoying this verse I ministered my enjoyment to a doctor couple who got baptized a year ago, to a sister who came to faith recently, to two sisters who are on the process of recovery into a normal Christian life and church life, and to a professional who was also baptized few months ago. They all were so nourished with the ministry of the Word, which is ever fresh, living and new.

The Lord’s word is a daily bread indeed, so eatable to all who hunger and thirst for Him. May our living be always in the principle of “Give us today our daily bread, Lord.”

The Cloud : A Spiritual Journey

Numbers 9:15 And on the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the Tent of the Testimony; and in the evening it was like the appearance of fire over the tabernacle until morning.

As children of God, the leading of the Lord by the Spirit and the word of God is a necessity for our spiritual journey; a heavenly engine to be driven by and an earthly track to drive on. Yesterday morning the Lord spoke to me a very clear word concerning His leading by the Cloud. The word of God shone within me and made me very clear what to fellowship with the full time serving ones in the Telugu translation team that would follow suit.

As we prayed and pray-read the verses as follows, the Lord spoke to each one of us and whatever we had to fellowship was made crystal clear by the word itself. The Lord spoke through His word.

The Spirit and the Word : 16 So it was always; the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. 

The Spirit is always in our spirit as believer, and the Word is also always with us. The only thing we need to do is to pay heed to the Spirit within and the Word without; They never fail. They are the best of the best for anything and everything in our Christian life and in our spiritual journey, as we are onward bound to the New Jerusalem, even as we are becoming the New Jerusalem.

The Subjective Action:

17 And whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tent, then after that the children of Israel set out; and in the place where the cloud settled, there the children of Israel encamped. 

Our spiritual journey is not determined by human timing and convenience; rather it depends entirely on whether the cloud is taken up or not. When it does, without excuse for whatever reason, we must follow on. Else, no matter what the reason, we will be left behind. When to move, when to rest, where to lodge, all depends on the cloud.

The Objective Command: 18 At the commandment of Jehovah the children of Israel set out, and at the commandment of Jehovah they encamped; as long as the cloud settled upon the tabernacle, they remained encamped. 

The command of God is very definite and very emphatic. We have to heed the Word at all cost. Once the command is commanded forth, there is no question of "let me pray about it and consider". No, there is no need to pray further and try to act foolishly and stupidly spiritual. The Lord has spoken and the Word of the Lord is final and abiding. No further "fellowship" otherwise is needed. Many superstitiously blind children of God are often stuck up in this in their immaturity and blindness. Obedience is all that is required of the children of God once the Word was spoken.

Timing: 19 Even when the cloud extended its time over the tabernacle for many days, the children of Israel kept the charge of Jehovah and did not set out. 20 If sometimes the cloud was upon the tabernacle a few days, according to the commandment of Jehovah they remained encamped; then at the commandment of Jehovah they set out. 21 If sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning, when the cloud was taken up in the morning, they set out; or if it remained in the daytime and at night, when the cloud was taken up, they set out. 22 Whether it was two days or a month or a longer time that the cloud extended its time over the tabernacle and settled above it, the children of Israel remained encamped and did not set out; but when it was taken up, they set out. 

Once the command was given and the cloud began to move, at whatever time, after any duration of time, we must move on. The Lord's timing is the best. Whenever He moves, we must move on to follow. Not to have any opinion, nor to bargain for convenience sake for whatever reason, we must go on.

In the Principle of Incarnation: 23 At the commandment of Jehovah they encamped, and at the commandment of Jehovah they set out. They kept the charge of Jehovah according to the commandment of Jehovah through Moses. 

In days of old too, the command of God was through His deputy authority as "leader" anointed and appointed by God Himself. Even in this age His leading is always through man in the principle of incarnation. When we are in spirit, in the Body, we will definitely know who is that "man", otherwise, we are in blindness and does not see and know the Body, nor the ways and works of God. The simplest way to be is, just be in the Body as the "Israelites" and follow "Moses". Anything contrary to this would be disobedience and rebellion.

May the Lord grace us on in our spiritual journey until we reach the goal of God.

Later, during the day, as we pray-read and fellowshipped on these words, the Lord's anointing, blessing and leading was so strong. We got a clear leading in many practical arrangement for the Telugu translation service. Praise the Lord! 

The same applies for any matter in our spiritual journey on this earth; follow the cloud and obey the command through Moses.

Fellowship is the Way

Last night we had a wonderful fellowship on Telugu translation. This language translation of the ministry of the word has been going through intense heat and pressure form within and without. Though, more than a decade has transpired since its initiation, it went through many many trials. Even till date, things are not as should have been a decade ago.

With much burden and prayer, we just concluded a two days fellowship on the literature service in this language. The Lord has led us through, and now we can see a dim light beginning to shine. 

When we began our practical fellowship last night, we were not clear at all as to how to go on. But as we considered case by case of different saints involved, assessing and discerning each one's capacity and function, the Lord gave us a clear light. Finally after about four long hours of detail fellowship we came to conclusion; a revamp of the whole literature service in Telugu.

Fellowship is indeed the way. The Lord does speak and He speaks in the Body and through the Body. And this through much and thorough fellowship. Now, we have a definite plan and a definite goal with a definite way to achieve the goal. Praise the Lord!

Even the two days of fellowship we just had was so timely. The items of fellowship were all very practical and anointed of the Spirit. This is in coordination with the Lord's move here in India.

The Telugu speaking regions, both Telengana and Seemandra, are teeming with many children of God from the labour of many faithful servants of God. In fact, many godly and faithful saints have their sources in either of these lands. The ministry of the word in Telugu is an urgent need to feed the spiritual hunger and thirst of these blessed lands. The Lord knows who are His and is preparing His own to supply the need of His own children. What a blessing to be a part of the ministry, and to be able to coordinate in producing the healthy spiritual food. However, for the Lord to move practically, He needs man to coordinate with Him. And that's where we are blessed to be a part of it. All in fellowship and prayer.

Fellowship is the way for the Body to cooperate with the Head in all practical reality.