Lessons of Life : Gospel Preaching

The Lord's speaking these days has been on the new revival for the building up of the church by carrying out the god-ordained way. I have been so much helped personally that I have the burden and made resolution in my heart to preach the gospel to at least ten people a week. For this, Saturday afternoon was separated absolutely. And the Lord was faithful in honoring the burdened He bestowed.

Last week I learned a very important lesson in gospel preaching. The last two persons I preached the gospel to were young men from a strong religious background. After the presentation of the gospel they stated comparing Christ with their gods and goddesses and raised up a very common question about eating meat which they considered as "sin." Well, I always would do my best to answer, at the same time not enter into argument if different opinion arises. Somehow, as they began to despise the Lord Jesus and the Bible just because it approves or did not prohibit the eating of meat, I just felt not to enter into further argument. But finally and solemnly told them to turn to Jesus whenever and wherever they feel the need for Him after they would have exhausted all other "gods."  With this I left, and it was late and was indeed time for me to leave as other saints were waiting for me to go back. But they requested if I could stay back for a while and "debate?" But I felt it futile and left.

But later I felt, I should not have entered into unnecessary defense on non-vegetarianism and perhaps, should be more patient to hear them out, more of what they have to offer. I was not fully happy as I went back home and could only pray that the Lord would somehow someday convict them. But I learned a lesson, to be patient and not to enter into any argument of right or wrong, but only minister Christ as the divine life to give life to mortal man.

This week, I enjoyed preaching the gospel to as many as ten people. Out of these are a group of five professional who heard the gospel of Jesus Christ and prayed the sinner's prayer. They all are highly educated North Indians, vessels for the Lord Jesus Christ. It was such a joy to minister the divine life to them. They were very convinced and I committed them to the Lord in prayer that all of them would have the subjective and personal experience of the full salvation of God. 

By and large, I learned a lot from the gospel preaching and am still learning. Gospel preaching is always a win-win case; nothing to lose, only gain.

Transformation

All negative things in the universe have been attributed to Satan. But the fact is,  the Lord allows it so. Was Satan not defeated at the cross? Was he not judged? But how comes he is still very active in the world and even troubling many genuine believers? These are some questions many naive believers reckon as enigmas. But to those who truly know the Lord and His purpose on earth, whatever Satan does is allowed by the Lord for the good of His children.

My recent study on the life of Job impressed me deeply regarding God's work in man through Satan. God, in His multifarious wisdom, uses Satan to carry out the work of transformation among His children. Just as He allowed Satan to touch all that Job had except his life, He allows some unexpected things among the believers which in the divine sight is a glorious work of transformation. Many times, like Job, the so called "good" Christians tend to claim their natural goodness and merit as a means for God's blessing and deliverance from the processes God had originally initiated.  Even some blind and foolish Christians dared to "cast" Satan into the lake of fire, which only God could do and would ultimately do, being ignorant of the fact that God is using Satan to accomplish His plan in the believers.

By and large, God would not Himself execute the work of transformation through circumstances involving persons, matters and things, but He would definitely use the right person for the right job, Satan. No wonder, God still allows Satan to roam as a roaring lion. It is like a mother warning her naughty child with police for discipline. So also, the Lord at times allows the stripping through Satan as in Job's case to stripped us of all that is not according to His divine life and nature, so that He can transform us into His image for His expression and representation on this earth.

With this divine revelation of God's eternal plan, one can easily understand and accepts the Lord's transformation work even through Satan. Actually, Satan is the greatest fool and whatever he does is for the display of God's multifarious wisdom. Hallelujah!

Double Blessing

Since my childhood my grandparent taught me the importance of offering to the Lord for His move on the earth. Even when I grew up, the Lord has been gracing me to offer from all His blessings. And this has been one my covenants with my wife when we get married that we would offer in one accord from all the blessings we received from the Lord. And the Lord is faithfully blessing us and He also became our faithfulness in offering to Him in return. It has always been a joy to be able to offer.

Though the Old Testament speak about tithe (10% of every blessing) which many Christian religiously and sometimes superstitiously stick onto. I do not take this as a "bondage" but as a "law of life not in legality." And I do not subscribe to the 10% only doctrine either. To me, all comes from the Lord and all belongs to Him too. Not only in financial matter but also in all things including time, and energy. In fact, I rather regard this as a minimum weigh scale in principle rather than something to be bound by. 

Of late, the Lord gave me a feeling to offer more, and in fact, to double it as the majority of Christian would have done. I seriously had been considering for a while and asked the Lord to increase my faith. Surprisingly, the Lord knew my heart and my burden and made a new arrangement in my service in such a way that I can actually offer what I had been burdened to offer, doubling the percentage of what I generally used to offer.

To me, to be able to offer more is a healthy sign of being blessed by God. What do I have which I do not receive? All comes from the Lord and all should belong to Him. The need met of my own is the Lord's need met, as I am not my own but the Lord's.

Doubling the offering is doubling in blessings. 

Lord increase my faith even to offer more!

Fellowship in the Body : In Decision Making

The Body life is real, experiential and corporate. As a member in the Body, I cannot be individualistic and be aloof from the other members. Anything that I decide and do affects the other members too. If not, I am still not being builded in the Body.

Recently the Lord gave me a wonderful experience of the Body life. In my official service I can make a decision according to my discretion as deemed fit for the smooth functioning of the responsibility I am assigned to. But deep within I felt I should still check with some other members of the Body too. Though I myself feel it good to go ahead, but as I decided to get a brother as a new staff for our North India distribution, the Lord reminded me to remind him to also fellowship with the responsible brothers in his locality which he did. 

Based upon this arrangement a brother fellowship with me his feeling concerning the matter. As I considered and prayed over it, I was reminded of the need for adjustment on my side and I amen the fellowship of the brothers. Initially, it was a little difficult to reconsider what has been already considered, but based on the fellowship and feeling of a brother, a change was made. And this change turn out to be a better plan.

This fellowship was a "salvation" to me, as the adjustment made was very apt and better than my original plan. Upon consideration again it became clear to me, the Lord's leading was confirmed by the Body in fellowship. What I do not see the other members of the Body can see. And in fellowship the best plan can be obtained.

If not for the Body life I am in, there are many chances to be mislead by my own narrow understanding of the divine things. But in fellowship, the will of Lord is made clear. Ont he one hand it is of the Lord, yet on the other hand it is through the Body. The Head and the Body works together in absolute oneness for the carrying out of God's will.

As the decision was conveyed to the brother concerned, he also feel it is best. As he himself is not very clear yet as to what the leading of the Lord is. The Lord will surely lead him in a way He can gain him. Overall the fellowship we had together was very sweet and it was a shepherding to him.

Lord, keep me one with You the head and one with Your Body, at all time and in all things.

Vision Enlarged

Though the Lord tarries His coming again and we are on this earth for a moment, journeying through life unto eternity, solid establishment to carry out the Lord's work cannot be neglected either. This world is not our home indeed, but neither do we stop to live in this world till we die. So still some practical arrangement for the furtherance of the Lord's work much be carried out in this world.

In my literature service for almost a decade now, I discern it right to seriously consider our own physical establishment even in terms of assets, including property and manpower. What will happen in the future only the Lord knows, but a proper planning for now cannot be derided.  On this regard, after a long gap of prayers, I freshly pick up the burden to buy our own space for the Lord's work to go on. To this effect, I have also brought the matter in fellowship with the brothers coordinating with me. And we all feel its time now to seriously pray and plan.

God's work according to God's will and done in God's way will never lack God's supply. This will ever be my principle in any plan, be it official or personal. And I thank the Lord that He is leading me toward this direction. Yes, not just me, but with my fellow brethren. And I truly believe the Lord will lead us through.

On the ground reality, everything of my consideration is an "impossible" task, but the Lord will make it possible as He is giving me the faith to trust Him so. Land prices are exorbitantly sky high, leave alone construction and others. Still, we will pray and plan. My vision has been enlarged, to come out of my own cocoon and gaze at the God of the universe. The heavens and the earth belongs to Him, so what big deal is this petty need to Him? Once He approves, it is done. 

The plans are conceived and will pass through much prayer and fellowship. And in the process I will learn all that I need to learn.

Lord, enlarge my vision and accomplish Your plan.

Experiences Enlarged

When I was much younger in the Lord I would love the cherishing with praises of others for any matter whatsoever. In fact, such applause would even enthused me to do more supplementary deeds seeking the praises of men and secretly glorying in the complements of novices alike. Not nullifying all these, as they were apt for those days of such as I was, but now, by the Lord's mercy, having grown a bit more and learning more lessons of life, I would go before the Lord and humbly acknowledge His grace if there is anything praiseworthy; not mine own, but His.

These days, the lessons I have been learning are mostly with the critics within and opposers without. To both the pandemic and the panacea is "Christ, and Him crucified." I only have to care for being one Spirit with the Lord. If this condition is met from my side, all is at rest. For the opposer would only be opposing Christ and the critics would be criticizing Christ, not me, for I am in Christ, one with Christ. In fact, the Christian life is just this; being in Christ and living Christ.

Of late, I have been experiencing the bitter sweetness of being opposed or criticized. The grace of the Lord has been abundant enough to bear whatever the negative speakings, for all were misconstrued, taken out of context and blown out of proportion. In such incidents I went before the Lord and do "health check-up" and listen to what the Lord has to say. Most of the time, the Lord's smile was with me and I have not veered from His will. As long as there is a perfect peace and joy of the Lord within, what others say does not really mean anything, and must all be taken to the Lord in prayer. Unless the Lord specifically leads, not even an iota of thought should be entertained for vindication. A must remembrance, we are still men in the flesh and should not trust in ourself. Leave all matters to the Lord; He knows best: what to do, when to do and how to do.

The Lord has been gracing me enough to smile and take all attacks and criticisms as much as He allows. When an elder brother of my father's age bluntly points finger at me with all fabricated assumption, some half truth and mostly false allegation, I listened to him in pin drop silence with not a word of reftation, for I reckon it folly to do so. Deep within, I only pray that the Lord will grant him the grace to see the reality of what the Lord has been doing these days. In fact, the Lord's blessing is pouring which he fails to see. And in time he will see and glorify the God of glory from Whom are all things and to Whom are all things.

Such cases are nothing new to me, as my own father had done years ago until he finally received the Lord and I had to baptise him on his request. And since then, he stopped all negative speakings. The same seems to happen now and then with somene who does not really see the reality of all that has been happening these days. Little am I bothered by such, as I am assured that in time, all will be well as it is already well.

These are some experiences on the negative side, the Lord allows for my growth and perfecting in serving Him. Without the cross, there can be no resurrection; without out death, there can be no life released; and without suffering, there can be no genuine transformation. The fiery sun only helps the harvest ripens as only birth pangs brought forth a new born.

To all these wonderful experiences enlarged, I give glory to God and praise Him for all His multifarious wisdom. As much as His grace graces me, the more the better.

Lord, enlarge my experiences of You. 

Family Enlarged

Under the Lord's sovereignty, my sister's daughter came to stay with us for her education. This brought in a very well knit family tie within our family, especially within my sibling. As we stay together as a family for a couple of months now, the Lord reminded me of my need to be enlarged and be broad-hearted in shepherding. Through the Lord's mercy, we are blended together as one family and we, me and my wife, reckon my sister's daughter as our own too, adding to the three the Lord already blessed us with. She being elder than our own children, we have reckon her as our "eldest daughter" and the rest should look up to her as such. With this new blessing, we are now a family of four children.

Humanly speaking too, it is justified for me to reckon her as my eldest daughter as my sister had lost her husband when her only begotten daughter was just about five months old. Subjectively, she never knew what a daughter is to her father and never had any opportunity to call any one "daddy." In blood relation I am her uncle yet I would rather that she take me as her "dad" and I treat her as my "daughter" as I do to the other two daughters. To this effect I have fellowshipped with my wife, my burden and educated our children to consider her as their eldest sister. 

In fact, I also fellowshipped in our family time that I accepted her as my daughter and that she reckon me as her dad. This is a comfort to my sister as she cares for her daughter so much and would do anything for her well being. Thus from all angle, it is deemed she be our eldest daughter and be organically a member of our family too.This is our family enlarged, and the Lord's blessing.

Still learning to be a father to my own children, and with this addition, I am learning more lessons of life. Personally, I prefer life to grow and develop on its own, and in time we will learn what all are needed to learn. Life matters are not taught and learned, but are experienced and learned. So we embarked on a journey of life to learn and learn, learn of the Lord. 

Thank you Lord for the added grace, extended blessing and a new member into our family. As You enlarged our family, so also enlarge our heart to love and care as You would.