Expression 2015

My son was selected to be one of the participants in the play of the school function, Expression 2015. As such, his parent, my wife and I were invited too. It was an academic secular function, and my attendance to such came after a decade or so. The impression I had about the Expression was that people in the world are all aiming and hoping and working toward a better life; financially, academically, psychologically and religiously even.

The plays of the students covered the three main religions of the world- Hinduism, Islam and Christianity, with emotional and heart touching moral and ethical theme. Clubbed with an academic report of the school and students' performance in the last academic year. All were excellent. Not an exaggeration, but a fair and honest judgment.

This is the sum of human yearnings and aspirations. Are we, the children of God, also on the same pace? Morally, ethically, academically or even religiously? Far be it, and God forbid. We are under a totally different dispensation; yes, under the heavenly and divine dispensation. Not negating the roles played by worldly academics, nor depending upon it. Not despising the comforts and conveniences of the modern age, nor collaborating with it. But amidst all these, living to God and His eternal purpose.

As children of God, created in the image of God, and regenerated by the life of God, we are the real "EXPRESSION" of God! Possessing God's divine life and nature, we are the expression of God on this earth. Our lives and living, all that we say and do, all that we are and have, all for the Lord's testimony, His expression. Not just for today, but even unto eternity.

What the world sought for,a better expression in all walks of life, we, the children of God are the real expression of all.

Lord, have mercy on us and grace us each day to expression You as Your living testimony.

Serve as Slave

This week the morning revival portion is on serving as slaves as the Lord Jesus did and the apostles, especially Paul did. I had written a hymn on this and as far as the truth is concerned, I am very clear about being a slave and how to be a slave. But the litmus test is in the living out of being such a slave in reality. The truths I have been learning must now be put to practice.

It so happened that for attending an important meeting for a brother I was invited, which I obliged to it. But all the physical arrangements had to be made by me, not only so, on learning that his parent too were planning to attend, I was wondering how could the arrangement for transportation be done. The venue for the meeting was about 80 kilmeters from Gurgaon. The meeting being an important one, I decided to make all things arranged well on time. But as I considered before the Lord, the Lord reminded me of being a slave; as such, I must learn to serve; with the love of a slave, service of a slave and sacrifice of a slave. 

Though as invited one, I could have expected for all the arrangements, instead I decided to take care of my own transportation and also that of the brother's family, all at my own cost. A good opportunity the Lord had arranged for my learning to serve as slave. Even as I drove them to and fro I was not doing it for them nor for my self nor for my brother, but all for the Lord's sake, especially to learn to live and serve as slave. With this proper attitude, I was so joyful and felt blessed that I can indeed learn to serve as slave.

Even in shepherding, the Lord's inward speaking has always been that I am a slave and I am serving the Lord as a slave. With this proper realization, I cannot have my own opinion, nor my own rights. As such, I cannot be hurt by anybody, for I am just a slave. 

But a blessing to be a slave, and much more to serve as slave. 

Lord, grace me ever this proper spirit of service; that of a slave and serve, in fact, serve as slave.

Spiritual Pride

Spiritual pride is the greatest pride all. The pride of being spiritual, of being religious, of being superstitious and of being good is a grave sin in the eyes of God. Lucifer fell because of his pride. This is a serious sin before God.

These days I have also been warned by the Lord concerning pride, spiritual pride,in particular. Sometimes unconsciously or consciously I fell into this sin, especially when there were too many good things the Lord has done were manifested and testified of. If there were no blessings at all there would have been nothing to be proud about. So here is the need to learn this spiritual lesson well.

Even as one who is blessed to be under the ministry of the age with all the rich speaking of the Lord, I need the Lord's grace to be covered that I may not be proud of all these spiritual blessings, but instead, with all humility, thank the Lord for it and minister them to fellow believers in love. Even also in material and physical blessings, I must thank and praise the Lord, but not with a tone of pride nor boasting, but giving all honor and glory to the God who bestows all the blessings. 

Similarly, in my words and attitude, I must in no way despise or condemn those fellow believers who may not have the same blessings as I do. I had shared this burden to a brother the need to be watchful in spirit in our words while ministering to others, even while referring to the fellow believers. All genuine believers are my fellows brothers and sisters in the Lord and I must honor and respect the work of the Spirit in them. Their faith and experiences may be low but still they are experiencing the Lord according to the grace given to them. Who am I to say anything in anyway? I have not died for them to save them, only Jesus Christ did. I can only discern the Spirit's leading in me and obey accordingly.

This matter is subtle, as many Christians will appreciate what is spiritual, righteous, holy and good, paying very little attention to the motive and attitude behind all these attributes. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself is the best pattern as the one being God Himself possessing all these divine attributes yet humble, simple, pure and fine in every way. To take the Lord as my life and living is the way to be the Lord's testimony yet without being proud of anything spiritual.

Lord, save me from spiritual pride. May You live in and through me. 

Light

Ephesians 5:8

For you were once darkness but are now light in the Lord; walk as children of light

(For the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth),

Two weeks ago in my morning revival time, I enjoyed these Bible verses. The footnotes in the Recovery Version of the Bible helped me in my understanding of the deeper meaning of "darkness" and "goodness". Never had I gotten such divine revelation before. The Lord used the ministry of the word to enlightened me to see the divine things mysteriously hidden in the Bible.

Darkness: We were once not only dark but darkness itself. Now we are not only the children of light but light itself (Matt. 5:14). As light is God, so darkness is Satan. We were darkness because we were one with Satan. Now we are light because we are one with God in the Lord.

Goodness: Goodness is the nature of the fruit of the light; righteousness is the way or the procedure by which the fruit of the light is produced; and truth is the reality, the real expression (God Himself), of the fruit of the light. The fruit of the light must be good in nature, righteous in procedure, and real in expression, that God may be expressed as the reality of our daily walk.

The fruit of the light in goodness, righteousness, and truth is related to the Triune God. Goodness denotes God the Father, for the only one who is good is God (Matt. 19:17). Righteousness denotes God the Son, for Christ came to accomplish God's purpose according to God's righteous procedure (Rom. 5:17-18, 21). Truth denotes God the Spirit, for He is the Spirit of reality (John 14:17). Truth also denotes the expression of the fruit in the light.

After enjoying the Lord's speaking through the word I share it with all my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. What a grace! What a blessing! Though once darkness itself, now I am light in the Lord. As such, I must walk as children of light , shining in this dark world, expressing God Himself! This is my Christian life, and living and testimony and should be with all Christians too. 

The fruit of being such a light is goodness, righteousness and truth. Only  God is good, only God is righteous and only God is truth. By being one with God, a genuine believer expresses God as light, righteousness and truth.

On the flip side, the reason we do not have goodness in this world, unrighteousness thriving and falsehood everywhere is, there is a lack of god-man living even among Christians. The spiritual fact of a believer being one with God may be lived out as the living testimony of God and shine out the divine light as the Lord's testimony.      

Lord, shine through us as Your light!

Words

Colossians 4:6   Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.Ephesians 4:29   Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but only that which is good for building up, according to the need, that it may give grace to those who hear.

One day I spoke words, which to my own judgment, were 100% right yet the way I spoke and my attitude were 100% wrong that made the hearer very upset and angry. Yes, what I said was right, no doubt about it! But did that minister anything life to the listener? Though I went into examination mode of what I said, and they were all right, but the result was not right at all. This troubled my heart and I went before the Lord in prayer. The Lord convicted me that I was not right at all in my attitude and I ministered death with all my rightness, I spoke dead words with right words. And later, I went and apologised for what I said. 

That was a big lesson on speaking to me. The Bible verses I knew started popping up one by one. My speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt,  good for building up, according to the need, that it may give grace to those who hear.

How words can curse or bless, how it can hurt or heal, how it can harm or help, all depends on with what attitude and spirit it was spoken. In fact, there may be a need for more carefulness in saying anything to anyone, but the crucial lesson is not how it was spoken or what words were used, instead, it must be by the Spirit of the living God speaking in my speaking.

In the Bible verses  quoted above, "Let" was used in the beginning of what is said after, meaning an imperative is implied in the sentence formation. To my understanding, implying the importance of our speech or words to be always full of grace and seasoned with salt, killing every germ in our words, and speaking only what is good for the building  up of our fellow listener(s). 

Thank the Lord for this lesson of life again. 

Lord, grace me Your words of grace to minister life for building up.

An Atheist and a Satanist?

Last Friday night I met two young men who interestingly introduced themselves to me as an atheist and a Satanist, for they somehow knew that I loved to share the goods of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I was neither disturbed nor distracted by their introduction. On the contrary I felt all the more burning in my spirit to preach the gospel to both of them. So nonchalantly I replied back, "Welcome atheist, welcome Satanist! I love to talk to you!" Then began our conversation....

Initially they began to question me about the mystery of God, and the confusion of religions, and all kinds of modernist philosophy which were mostly anti-God, if not, anti-Christ. But I was least perturbed. Deep within me I prayed for the Lord's wisdom and the proper words of life.

The "Satanist" asked, "If you say God exist can you prove from your life, some experiences?" I replied, "On which area, for there were too many experiences of God!" He quickly retorted, "Something on finance? How God led you or provided your needs?"  

Thank God for their questions, for they gave me a solid base to testify of my personal and subjective experiences of God; no doctrine, no teaching but real experience. And I testified with all my heart what the Lord has been doing and how He provided my need especially my financial need in a miraculous way.  Immediately, the "Satanist" commented that if what I said were true, he would believe into God right away. And I said, "Why not? You can..."

At times, it hard to understand spiritual things with carnal mind. I encouraged them to first have the basic of experiencing God by first believing into Jesus Christ and then step by step, experiences would follow; they would not need any proof besides their own life experiences. 

At the end, I testified that they could also experience the true and living God, Jesus Christ, by calling upon the name of Jesus and praying in the Name of Jesus; believing into Him and receiving Him as their God and Savior. And finally, I requested if they could pray with me, if they were willing they could follow me in prayer. They both willingly followed me in prayer, calling upon the Lord Jesus' Name and praying the sinner's prayer.

Thus our meeting ended with "an athiest and a Satanist," in prayer to the Lord Jesus Christ! And we proposed to meet again.

Faithful in Little Things

He who is faithful in the least is faithful also in much; 

and he who is unrighteous in the least is unrighteous also in much. 

Luke 16:10

Character building is one of the most important and tough lessons to learn in becoming useful vessel in serving the Lord; I believe the same applies to every walk of life. In the Bible, one of the important character traits is faithfulness, which is mentioned again and again. Yes, faithful not merely in big and important things only but also in daily minute matters. This is what the Lord has been teaching me these days.

Once you put a hand on anything, do your best with all faithfulness. The true test of this lesson is in minute and meager things on a day to day basis which is mostly likely negligible. But if one can be found faithful even in these things, he or she will be very useful in the Lord's hand.                              

This is one of the lessons I have been learning. Whenever I put my hand on anything I was reminded to do my best and never leave the work half-done. Any work, whatever nature, I must handle with utmost care and finish it at the earliest. At times there were temptation to give it up or take a short-cut way. But I have been reminded again and again by a brother's statement, "The shortest way is the longest way". I believe he spoke this from life experience. My experiences proves it all.

There were many menial house works that cropped up in my house the last few weeks, like water tap leakage, sink leakage, toilet flash leakage, door handle malfunctioning etc. It was very easy just to call a plumber and pay him for the work. Even table, laptop and computer malfunctioning. But I determined to put my hands on it and solve all the problems. In the midst of my busy schedule, I took time out to do all these menial jobs, and I was very happy to do it myself. As long as the job could be done, I prefer to do it myself, not just to safe money, but as a matter of character training and fulfilling responsibility. In these small small things, I learn many lessons of life, even spiritual lessons.

If I cannot be faithful and responsible for small and minute things of my own, how can I be faithful and responsible for the things of others, much less, even God's? True lessons and character building starts from home itself.

Thank the Lord for the opportunity to learn to be faithful in little things at home as a preparation for the greater things the Lord has reserved in time.