Sharing in Sorrow

The new ones whom the Lord burdened me to shepherd and care for have become so precious to me, even as they are precious to the Lord. Be it their spiritual lives or their earthly careers, I have been so concerned for them. Often I would pray with them and encourage them.

Perhaps, for my learning and theirs too, somehow, the three of these ones for whom I am specially burdened for, could not succeed in their competitive exams thus far. I have a deep burden for these ones to be able to clear the highest competitive exams of the country, the civil services of India. And that they would be a testimony of the Lord as high ranking officers. However, God's ways are the best and His timing too.

When I heard the result of these brothers, I was sorrowful as I knew the sorrow they went through after much studies, labor and pain. I was in fact, privileged to share in their sorrow, though I have not spoken to them yet. The pain that they would have been going through even now, is the pain that I am sharing with them. Their result is mine too.

As I took their matter before the Lord in prayer, the Lord comforted me with a hymn which I read and read and sang and later on posted via WhatsApp to many of my contacts; in fact, that was the portion I experienced and it help some brothers too.

1	Take time to behold Him,   Speak oft with Thy Lord, Abide in Him always,   And feed on His Word. Wait thou in His presence,   Submissive and meek, Forgetting in nothing   His blessing to seek.
2	Take time to behold Him,   The world rushes on; Spend much time in secret   With Jesus alone. By looking to Jesus   Like Him thou shalt be; Thy friends, in thy conduct,   His likeness shall see.
3	Take time to behold Him,   Let Him be thy guide; And run not before Him   Whatever betide; In joy or in sorrow   Still follow thy Lord, And, looking to Jesus,   Still trust in His Word.
4	Take time to behold Him,   Be calm in thy soul, Each thought and each temper   Beneath His control. Thus led by His Spirit   To fountains of love, Thou then shalt be fitted   His mercy to prove.                                                      Hymn #643

In joy or in sorrow still follow thy Lord. And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.

This is the line that touched me so much, and this has become my encouragement to others.

I am glad that I could learn to share in the sorrows of others, caring for them and praying for them. This is how the Lord teaches me lessons of shepherding. Walking with the new ones, step by step. This is how the Lord has been leading me through, step by step, even He will lead me through unto the end.

Take time to behold Him,
  Let Him be thy guide;
And run not before Him
  Whatever betide;

Increase in Faith

As the Lord blesses, and in His leading, with oneness, me and my wife have invested on land and house. Every time we did in oneness and in peace, we witnessed the Lord's presence and blessing. Oftentimes, in my own natural concern I tried to delve into the matter in detail and found my self in anxiety, yet after all, there was nothing to be anxious about, as all our investments have been righteously and legally confirmed and documented. 

Today, we have realised that our monthly expenses are going up drastically, with the children's fee hike and the house rent increase. I was inwardly contemplating of finding an amicable resolution with my house owner to not raise the house rent in the coming year, and then to negotiate on financial reason. But as I was considering and praying about this, the Lord shine on me and even spoke to me, not to bargain on any financial matter. The Lord further enlightened me to trust and have faith in Him who is the source of all my supply, spiritually, psychologically and physically too. The Lord's direct speaking was, the source of supply is rich enough to meet any amount of need. However much increase the need could have gone, the supplying source can meet all of them, sufficiently and in fact, abundantly. 

He can meet more than my need.

Philippians 4:19

19 And my God will fill your every need ⁴according to His riches, in glory, in Christ Jesus.

---

19⁴ God supplies us according to His riches, not according to our needs. His riches exceed our needs.

Yes, He can meet more than my need. Not merely according to my need, but according to His riches. With His speaking the Lord comforted me to trust in Him and that my faith may grow through all these experiences. And now I decided not to negotiate or bargain on any matter with my house owner.If the increase of rent is due, so be it. The more the need, the more the supply will be. The supply of God is according to God's riches, far beyond my mere need.

My faith was deeply strengthened. I was so thankful to Him for His marvelous promise and speaking. Besides, other source of blessing in disguise is helping the needy ones, especially those of the household of faith. Recently, by the Lord's leading, we were graced to be able to help some needy saints. To the extend that we have lend with almost nothing left behind to meet our own need. Of course, the Lord takes care of this need. 

However, this experiences was truly of the Lord. By this, we do not trust in the blessings of God per se, but trust in the God who blesses. Though, sometimes I asked myself if I am over lending, or what if the saints are taking advantage of our generosity. But the Lord reminded me again and again through my reading of the word that "it is more blessed to give than to receive," (  Acts 20:35) and it is a blessing to help my fellows brethren in times of need. On the contrary, not to help is a curse, and to store for oneself alone is selfishness which can hinder and stop the Lord's rich blessing. Not to be generous for the sake of receiving blessing but to take of the Lord's need by caring for fellows members in the Body. This exercise and experience also increase my faith very much, in the Lord, for all things.

Lord, increase my faith furthermore; 

To fully trust in You for all things,

To look to the Source ever only,

And not be anxious about the means,

Yea, much less, be worried about the ends.

For the Producer is much richer the consumers,

The Supplier is much richer than the receivers.

Shepherding : Revisitation

Today, the Lord burdened me to visit a family by all means as I have not visited for a quarter of a year. Though I attempted a couple of times, it never worked out. But today, I was very burdened and decided to visit at all cost.

On this revisitation, I was shepherding the family especially the husband who has already believed into the Lord Jesus Christ but has not yet been baptised, as he has been waiting for the proper time and proper inward confirmation for the same. The Lord's word of shepherding was, sharing testimonies of two new believers who were baptised and whose lives changed dynamically after the Lord Jesus saved and entered into them. 

Later, the whole family were gathered together wherein I ministered on Exodus 15, on the experience of Marah and Elim. This was my very recent enjoyment of the Lord. In fact, I ministered on the same subject yesterday in a Christian home meeting in Gurgaon. Each time I ministered on the subject, new light dawned. The word became richer and sweeter. I just shared my enjoyment of the Lord through the word; how the Lord changed my bitter water into sweet water to quench my spiritual thirst. Not only so, the very sweet water that quenches my thirst is a spring gushing out from within my spirit to supply others with the same sweetness I have been enjoying. Then, we all called upon the Lord's name and prayed.

In our initial meeting, the sister confessed that she lost all her taste for anything, even the food she used to love. She has been through a lot of pressure and pain, within and without. That was one of the reasons our revisitation took after a quarter of months gap. But after the sweet home meeting, she was so joyous and happy; of course, her mother and her husband too. The Lord graciously shepherded us all. She herself responded their need for fellowship with fellow believers. We mutually agreed to practically meet at least once a month and that they also should join the church meeting at least once a week. By this way, keeping the joy of salvation active in the midst of tin and dross.

What a wonderful revisitation it was indeed! It was a revisitation of the Lord Jesus Christ for a sweet and wonderful fellowship. In faith, I prophesied the baptism of our sister's husband and mother. May the Lord do it soon, in His time. 

Shepherding : Restoration

After a long gap, the Lord had reminded me and burdened me of the need for shepherding those whom the Lord pleased to use me in their salvation. In prayer, the Lord confirmed three local haryanvi who were saved, in fact, were also baptised by us in the church in Gurgaon. Though there are quite a number to shepherd, practically speaking it is not easy to take care of them all, but it must be done in the Body. As for my portion, the Lord burdened me to focus specifically on three of the already batpised ones.

The first one was the one the Lord graced me to meet him in 2012 and got baptised thereafter. This one has so much been blessed by the Lord since then. Even, academically and professionally, so far he has been credited with 17 world records and 6 national records and also honored with a doctorate degree, to this date. Success has been his path since the day of his salvation. Besides, he attributed all to the glory of God in the name of Jesus Christ. He has been an ardent lover of Jesus Christ, and has subjectively experienced Jesus Christ so much.

Last Saturday we had a wonderful time together for over  four hours. He was narrating all the blessings God has blessed him with, unimaginably. I was so happy to see a brother prosper physically as much as I desire to see spiritual prosperity. He was cherished with my listening ear, and also I helped him out in going through his achievements and future plans. My main burden released to him was his need for daily enjoyment of the Lord through the word, prayer and fellowship. We mutually agreed and decided to meet at least once a week and keep a regularly contact via phone calls and messaging. Altogether it was a lovely experience to be with one's spiritual fruit. 

My burden was fully released. Besides, the cherishing and nourishing, I also gifted him a set of Life Lesson Vol 1-4, in Hindi and his assignment was to enter into at least a lesson a week, if not daily, which he agreed upon with the priority of spending time with the Lord in prayer and in the word of God. For prayer, the spirit and the word is the only way to go on in a Christian life with a fellowship in and with the Body.

O what a wonderful day it was! The joy of shepherding and being shepherded by the shepherding! 

May the Lord, the true and chief Shepherd shepherd us all!

Blessing in Disguise

Many good virtues of a Christian life are praise worthy; safe for the practice of possessing such virtues. Recently the Lord taught me a lesson on hospitality. This matter has always been our weak point as a family, as we are busy-laden with three blessed kids. Moreover, our capacity and heart are not large enough to accommodate in reality what we know in theory. But we do have intense longing to be enlarged. Thank God for the God of opportunity, gracing us with opportunities, now and then.

Just a month ago, a brother called me up and made an impromptu decision to visit us and stay with us for few days. My innate reply was "welcome," as it should be. Later, in fellowship with my wife, we prepared for their visit, and it was really a blessing to us. I believe our guests were very blessed too as they testified it and the ensuing result proved it. It was a blessing in disguise. Were we to give a second thought on all practical matters of arrangement, our probable answer could be "not this time." But by faith we said "welcome," and that was the key to blessing.

Again, a sister just called me one day and asked if she could stay with us for few months until she could proceed on, in her academic career. My innate reply was also, "yes." Later, as I thought about all the practical detail, I regretted saying "yes" too soon. Any way, I already said it so I would not retract it. My wife had no problem with her coming and we prepared ourselves to give hospitality.

When she did come, things were all in the right order, and she became a real blessing to our family. She helped us in many daily chore of our family, in cooking, cleaning and caring for the children. It was more like receiving hospitality rather than giving it. This too is again a blessing in disguise. She was blessed, so were we. 

This is how the Lord answered my simple prayer for enlarging my capacity, especially in the matter of hospitality. And all these comes in disguise; mostly impromptu arrangements and decisions- a blessing in disguise.

Lord, enlarge us further more!

Church Perfecting Training

The objective truths of the Bible need to be experienced subjectively to complete the very purpose for which the truth exists. Otherwise, it will all rot as dead doctrines; at best, it will be good teaching and at worst, dead knowledge. This can easily affect the believers today even with the recovered church life. For this reason, there is a need to be reminded again and again of the precious truths the Lord has blessed us with. At some point of time I was inwardly concerned about myself and the saints in my locality; and looking to the Lord that we may not fall into the degradation of Sardis.

Beginning this month, the Lord has arranged regular perfecting training for the church in my locality. Though the subjects of the training were very common and well known, the practical reality needs a reminder again and again. It were on simple and basic truths of "exercising the spirit, morning revival and prayer." Truth-wise, almost all the saints knows and some can even give good messages on these topics. But in living out its reality, the sure mercy of the Lord is needed. In the principle of incarnation, a gentle and constant reminder is needed now and then. Thus, the training really helps.

Since this training, many new things started in the church-life. Two new group meetings were recovered with much vigor and vitality. Almost all the saints are revived as manifested in their countenances and functions in the meetings. Besides, the participation in the gospel preaching, prayer meeting, group meeting and Lord's table meeting have increased. Even the last weekend family training also help very much in the burden for all families to have a normal God-man family living. Personally, I myself and my family's living has improved spiritually. Praise the Lord for His mercy and blessing. Training really helps.

Just as Jehovah commanded the prophets and priests to remind the Israelite of His commandments again and again, generation after generation, we also need to be reminded again and again of the high-peak truths and revelations the Lord has blessed us with; both in knowledge, experience and practices.

The church perfecting training is a blessing to the whole church indeed, as the Lord leads us forward step by step. 

Lord, continue to train and perfect us.

Marriage : Becoming One Flesh

Genesis 2:

21 And Jehovah God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh in its place.

22 And Jehovah God built the rib, which He had taken from the man, into a woman and brought her to the man.

23 And the man said, This time this is bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; This one shall be called Woman Because out of Man this one was taken.

24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall cleave to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

The ordination of God from the very beginning in creation of man, and building woman out of man's rib; bone of his bone, flesh of his flesh; and the two shall become one flesh, is an eternal universal truth. There is tremendous yet mysterious wisdom behind this ordination. Anyone one who dare to break this suffer the harsh consequences. What God had said, obedience to it will bear blessed results. This is what I have been witnessing with my own eyes.

In my marriage life, the Lord in His sovereignty graces me to live out what He said concerning the married ones. Though our parents may all be believers, even ardent lovers and seekers of the Lord with much spiritual maturity, still as long as they are in flesh and blood, the fallen element of humanity cannot be fully nullified. In some way or the other, there will be an instance of parental interference in children's marital affair, intentionally or unintentionally. This intrusion, the enemy utilizes it to sow the seed of discord and doubts, yielding into family turbulence.  

Recently, I have come across at least two real-life cases in which because of the parental interference, the marriage life of two precious brothers are in deep trouble. Not that they don't love one another, not that they are not made for each other, but their parental interference made their marriage lives a "too many cooks spoil the broth." One of them have already been divorced legally, even ensuing in bitter hatred towards one another when it should have been a sweet love for one another. The other one is on the process of filing a divorce case. What a shame that this should befall on a Christian home! These two families have never been into the church-life nor fully enjoyed the riches of Christ though presented to them. In both cases, brothers in their localities have tried their best to shepherd them, but they just stick themselves to their degraded denominational church membership without any subjective experiences of the crucified Christ nor the resurrected Christ.   

Last weekend, my portion of sharing was on "the building up between husband and wife." When it was informed to me about this message, I was at awe and wonder how I could share on this message; I am still too young to speak on this subject, I have not had enough experience as yet. Anyway, I took as it was from the Lord and prayed over it. And the Lord blessed the speaking. I myself was enlightened to see some deeper truths concerning a marriage life on sharing the message. My wife echoed right after the sharing and two couples followed suit with their marriage-life testimonies. Then, later I realized it was the Lord's ordination too for me to share on this message.

"The two shall become one flesh; she is bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh" is a perfect picture of the building up between husband and wife. The more couples are builded up, the more they become one; yes one in every matter concerning their marriage lives. This however does not mean that they should be cut off from their natural relation completely. That natural relationship will still remain by default, but the point here is the "unnecessary interference," which must be avoided at all cost. Honoring, respecting and obeying the parents still holds true and must be strictly adhered too; but not at the cost of breaking God's ordination of "the two shall become one." This divine wisdom, only those who live it out will experience and enjoy the blessing associated with it.

O what a blessing to learn this lesson! For a God-man family life for the Lord's testimony.

Lord, grace us to be built up in our marriage life as a type and testimony of Christ and the church.