Power of the Word

And Jesus answered and said to them, You err, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. Matthew 22:29

And my speech and my proclamation were not in persuasive words of wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. 1 Corinthians 2:4   

The Lord's speaking this week through a brother's fellowship was so enlightening. We may know the word and be able to speak the word, but how much of the power of the word is manifested in our words? The Lord spoke with authority, and His words changed people and are still changing people. How about our speaking? We may not speak something wrong, but on the contrary, may even speak the truth without any error. But how much of that truths spoken have any impact on the hearers? 

Jeremiah 23:29 says, "Is not My word thus — like fire, declares Jehovah, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?" Such is the power of the word of God. But the question is, does our words according what the word of God really is? If not, the problem is not with the word of God, but with the ones from whom the words are spoken.

This is a litmus test to me. I love the word, I enjoy reading the word, I study the word and I speak the word too. It is not that what I speak does not bear any fruit, but rather that how effective the fruits are? The Lord reminded me again of my need to be fully one with Him in words and in deeds that I may minister words full of grace and life for building up.

The real manifestation of the power of God is in the building up of the Body of Christ. If all that I minister does not build up the Body of Christ, however appreciated it may be, it is far from the calling of God. I better go before the Lord and pray for the Lord's mercy that I may not be found as useless slave. And the Lord forbid that I be such. And grace me to be. 

Acts 20:32 And now I commit you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who have been sanctified.

The Lord's speaking in the Body has helped me to see where I am at the moment. It is the sure mercy of God that He is leading me onward; teaching, correcting, perfecting and building me up. 

Lord, continue to grace me that Your words be mine, and mine Yours, all for the building up of your Body.  

World Record!

It was the 20th of October 2015, a brother and his wife cordially invited me to be the anchor for a program of attempting to break eight world records in memorizing tough mathematical figures. It was my first time ever to host such an event, a secular yet academic in nature, in the presence of officers, media and judges for the world record.

When I was requested for the job I took it to the Lord for His leading. In fellowship with the Lord and a brother and in prayer, I had the peace go ahead, reckoning as the Lord's open-door for the furtherance of the gospel in North India.

The stage was all set and I was ready to host. Though I had no stage-fright nor nervousness within, I was deeply in prayer for the Lord's wisdom in the execution of the program for the world records attempt. The person at center of the function is none other than the brother whom the Lord graces me to lead him to the Lord; prayed, fellowshipped and shepherded him since we first met; and stood with him through thick and thin. And the Lord has miraculously been leading him thus far. For the Lord's sake and for the shepherding of a brother, I accepted the invitation.

The Lord sovereignly led us through successfully, and I also gave a motivational/inspirational speech in view of the academic nature and audience of a prestigious defense school. This event led me further to establish a friendship with some high profile people, all of them are now gospel friends to me. With the ice-breaking session done, the next step is to pray and develop the friendship until the day of their salvation, even as becoming fellow members in the Body unto eternity. This is a simple testimony of living for the gospel.

What the future holds, I have no idea. But I do know this, some of these ones, both students and staffs , officers and guests, would have been impressed by the short speech on "Education, Character and God," as many of them have commented after the meetings, their appreciation and even initiated a friendly relationship. To the academicians, I have to be an academician that I may gain some for the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

This "World Record" function to me is a plundering of the world for the Lord's kingdom.

Lord, save many of these ones in Your time. Make them break the world for the Your kingdom. 

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.