Adieu Grandma

It was the 4th of March 2016, my beloved grandma was called home by the Lord. I had planned to visit her in the month of May this year but I was two months too late. Initially it was difficult to digest the news, but gradually I could accept it as the Lord's timing. It reminisced me of my last meeting with her, yes that memory of the last meeting.

With a brother from the church in Lamka a couple of years ago, I visited her in her cottage in a hamlet. The scene that afternoon I could never forget. The moment I met her, she narrated of the family incident which was complex and cloudy. I knew about it too, but my spirit restrained me from partaking of the family dispute as I already consecrated my life to the Lord and did not count it worthy to meddle in such affair. It was a painstaking moment to lend an ear to what she had to say as I reckon my already dead to family politics. For her sake, I exercised my patience.

Later, she covered her head with a scarf and knelt beside me requesting me to pray for her. It was an awkward moment to me as I deemed myself as her grandson and not a "spiritual leader." Nevertheless, I exercised my spirit to pray.

As I prayed she wept with deep repentance and shed remorseful tears, perhaps, for the controversial dispute on family property, from which the Lord had mercifully sanctified me. I could only pray that the Lord would forgive us for all our wrongdoings and from all our sins, and applied the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ by faith. After the prayer she stood up and shook my hands to thank me. To me all these did not matter at all, only for her sake I followed suit. She even asked if she would be forgiven of her sins, to which I affirmed that in Christ Jesus, by grace through faith, yes. Then we left with deep inexplicable feeling inside. I could only wish if she saw the same vision of God's economy too. 

Thank God, I purchased a Manipuri shawl from the famous Ema Bazar from the offering the Lord provided me through the Body, as though I knew that would be my last meeting. The Lord knew best, and He does. Her last words to me were repentance, prayer and thanking, and my last words were prayer and the word of God with comfort and a gift of shawl.

Alas, when hearing the news of her sad demise, I could only pray and fellowshipped with my younger brother to do the needful family duty. Bye bye grandma...

My childhood days were spent under her strict parenting. Yes, more like an army style of discipline; getting up early in the morning, grinding rice, fetching water with bamboo bar balancing two buckets, family prayer, simple meal and off to school on foot; after back from school was doing homeworks, then houseworks of all kinds, evening family prayer, dinner, study time and off to bed. This strict home discipline for about a decade of my childhood shaped my whole life, even lasting till today. I could not stop thanking the Lord for such a solid foundation on my human life. Since I left them for my higher studies I could not miss much more, especially the discipline. Now she has left this world, to ever meet her physically ever again is an impossibility. Nonetheless, I have the eternal hope of glory, which she had too, where and when we will meet one day again.

As for now, adieu grandma... 

"Pi e Mangpha.."

Two Bibles and a Tract

I was just about to set out for a journey down South for a propagation training when the Lord reminded me to take two pocket size Hindi Bibles and a tract lying on my bookshelves. I did it unhesitatingly and wondered if I could take more of those, but did not bother to take the trouble of getting more.

As we traveled on a twenty nine hours long journey, one of our co-passengers was the reason and goal for the tract! My brother, who is my companion, preached the gospel to him and before he de-board the train, the tract was a special divine gift to him. May the Lord gain him so.

Later, two more co-passengers became the gospel candidates to whom the gospel was shared by my brother and I stood with him in prayer. After showing them the way to contact God by calling on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Spirit within me prompted me to gift the two Hindi Bibles in my possession to them. We did so, and that act comforted me so much so that the purpose for which the Spirit led me to take the two Bibles and a tract became crystal clear.

Not more, not less, but exactly as needed and as fitting gifts to the right people as timely gifts was accomplished. Thank the Lord for the living Spirit that speaks and leads. Hallelujah!

Only heaven knows, and eternity will tell the effect of those gifts. I only hope and pray for their salvation, even through the two Bibles and a tract.

Reunion: Virtual and Spiritual

Thirteen years have elapsed since we all lost contact after we all graduated from MCC as MCA degree holders of 2000 batch. It was this batch of 30 students including myself that I used to pray for regularly during the three years of studying together. Recently, one of the students had created a WhatsApp group by the name of the same batch. It was thence that my burden was revived and the prayer restored and began posting on the group.

Thanks to the goodness of tecnology that reunited us again virtually. But such be utilized for God's economy, thereby it is indeed a reunion spiritually, as the Lord's burden on my beloved friends has to be carried out.

Last week, as the Lord led me I testified of the calling of the Lord openly as below:

Hello Everyone! 

I hope everyone is married by now, perhaps, with children. 

Would love to know more about your welfare. If you feel like, please do update, perhaps with family photos?

As for me, even during the last semester of our MCA batch, I had a divine calling to serve the Lord Jesus Christ on 1st Jan 2003 early morning during my prayer time, and settled my life's path once for all, against all odds. The word of God that turned my life is in Deuteronomy 10:12.

Since then, till date, the Lord whom I serve is more than faithful to meet all my needs, even bountifully beyond my apprehension.

Only if time allows, I can testify of the innumerable testimonies of the genuineness, reality and faithfulness of the true and living God, Jesus Christ.

As and when the need arises, I travel for various Christian meetings, mostly India and sometimes abroad. This time I am in the South and will pass through Chennai on the 14 and 15. Hope to catch up some...

I still remember the 30 names, as they were on my prayer list then, and even now.

God bless you all.

The joy of the Lord is my strength. Nehemiah 8:10b

Responses followed suit and based on that the Lord burdened me further to contact some of them personally. Last night with another brother I prayed for all our classmates that the Lord may gain them for Christ and the church. Deep within, the Lord impressed me that He will gain all of them and one by one, I started contacting specifically, even initiating to introduce them to the saints and local churches in their area of residence. The prayers offered for three long years continually are beginning to be answered even after thirteen years. The Lord is truly faithful.

Praise the Lord for this reunion virtually and spiritually.

Pray According to God

Rom. 8:26 - Moreover, in like manner the Spirit also joins in to help us in our weakness, for we do not know for what we should pray as is fitting, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Rom. 8:27 - But He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to God.

Today the Lord spoke to me concerning prayer like never before. As I delved on the significance of the golden incense altar as a type of an interceding Christ, I was enlightened to see that Christ, the Spirit, has always been interceding for me(Hebrew 7:25.) Besides, He does this as the Christ, who is at the right hand of God the Father(Romans 8:34) and also as the Spirit who is in my spirit (Romans 8:26-37, 2 Timothy 4:22).  My responsibility is to join myself to the already interceding Christ who is in my spirit and be fully one with Him. When this state of prayer is attained by being gained in my person first, then I would pray only what the Spirit has been praying. My only prayer can only be according to God, for it is not I any longer, but Christ who lives in me(Galatians 2:20) praying.

Well, to experience the subjectivity of a true intercessory prayer, I must pass through the altar of burnt offering, the bronze laver, the showbread table and the golden lampstand before I can pray at the golden incense altar in the Holy place before the Holy of Holies. Subjectively, my self must be thoroughly and completely dealt with to become ashes and then I can experience the true intercessory prayer.

Lord, gain my life to be a man of prayer, yes, a man praying at the golden incense altar.

Following this experience of the truth I prayed and the Lord confirmed certain matters to be addressed immediately. My sky became very clear as to what need to be done according to God, regarding my academic future, my service and my function in the Body.

As a result I also shared this enjoyment with all my Christian contacts that they may be blessed as well.

Lord, grace me to pray according to God!

Footnote on "weakness" from the Holy Bible, Recovery Version.
The weakness here is our ignorance of how we should pray. We do not know the kind of prayer God desires, and we are not clear how to pray, according to the burden we feel, for our being conformed to the image of God’s Son; hence, we groan (v. 23). In our groaning the Spirit groans also, interceding for us. His interceding is mainly that we may experience the transformation in life for growth into the maturity of sonship that we may be fully conformed to the image of God’s Son.
Footnote on "according to God" from the Holy Bible, Recovery Version.
The interceding Spirit prays for us not according to something of God but according to God Himself, that we may be conformed to the image of God’s Son.

A Brother's Prayer

Hosea 6:1 - Come and let us return to Jehovah;For He has torn us, but He will heal us,And He has stricken us, but He will bind us up.Hosea 6:2 - He will enliven us after two days;On the third day He will raise us up,And we will live in His presence.Hosea 6:3 - Therefore let us know, let us pursue knowing Jehovah:His going forth is as sure as the dawn,And He will come to us as the rain,As the late rain which waters the earth.

This morning the Lord blessed me and my brother with His word. A timely speaking of the Lord indeed. This exactly was what my brother needef at the moment. As we pray-read these verses, the Lord's speaking was even more clear. 

I enjoyed and amened my brother's prayer, phrase by phrase, verse by verse:

Come and let us return to Jehovah;

Lord, I return to you. Forgive all my sins; secret sins and hidden sins. Forgive me for leaving the church life, doing my own independent ministry. Lord forgive me.

He sobed. Lord I return to You.

For He has torn us, but He will  heal us,

Yes, You turned me, but You healed me. Thank You Lord Jesus!

And He has stricken us, but He will bind us up.

Yes, You have stricken me, but You bind me up. Amen.

He will enliven us after two days;

On the third day He will raise us up,

And we will live in His presence.

Yes, we will live in Your presence! Lord, preserve me in Your presence.

Therefore let us know, 

Amen, Lord! Let me know...

let us pursue knowing Jehovah:

Yes. Pursue knowing Jehovah! In spending time with You in prayer, in reading the Bible, in pursuing the truth of the ministry, in fellowshipping with the members of Your Body..

His going forth is as sure as the dawn,

Yes, as the dawn. Recover me, let me have a new beginning as the dawn. Yes Lord, new beginning...

And He will come to us as the rain,

Lord, come as the rain. Pour down Your spiritual blessing as the rain.

As the late rain which waters the earth.

Lord, I might have missed the former rain, but You still have the late rain. Yes, late rain for me. Hallelujah! Amen...

As we enjoyed pray-reading the Lord's word, my brother cried out in between in deep repentance. 

The prayer issued in praises to Him with a declaration, "Lord, I love You!" Then we sang a hymn:

O Lord, I love You,

I really love You,Without You life’s really nothing.You are so attracting,And You are so charming;Your riches are unsearchable.Your name’s so dear and sweet,Calling makes one satisfied,Now You are mine and I am Thine, Lord;Joined and mingled with You,God-man incorporation,Foretaste of the New Jerusalem.

https://www.hymnal.net/en/hymn/ns/25

Then, a hymn by brother Howard Higashi:

1Lord, keep my heart always true to You,Never backsliding, always viewing You,A heart that is pure that sees only You,A heart that loves You and treasures only You. 

Your love constrains me to give my all to You.Lord, I can’t help it; my heart is drawn to You.
Oh what a privilege! I give myself to You!I love You, Lord, dearest Lord.I love You! I just love You! 

2Lord, keep my love burning brightly for You,A love never dwindling always hot for You,A love, shining brighter all the way for You,A love, so fresh like the day I first touched You. 

3Lord, take my life, I present it to You!             If I had a thousand, I’d pour all on You!Nothing withholding, my all is for You.My life and my future, dear Lord, is all for You.  

We enjoyed the Lord together in prayer, praising and consecration. Even personally, I freshly enjoyed the depth of the hymn yet with all simplicity. So sweet, and yet so significant. 

In my brother's prayer was my prayer too. Praise the Lord!

     

Learn, Learn and Learn...

He who ceases to learn ceases to grow.

This is my own dictum learned from lessons of life learned in experiences. I have been so convinced and confirmed that I must be opened to learn and learn and learn; be it physical, psychological or even spiritual, I must learn and learn...

As I have been travelling and meeting different people of different tribes, tongues and traditions, there are many things worth learning. As I observed them, the Lord impressed me on certain matters to learn from them. It enlightened me in many aspects of life, and in many cases educated me. Even in the negative things I observed and learned not to repeat history.

Especially in spiritual matters, I have many things to learn; mostly on the negative side, not to be a part of or repeat the fallen and degraded sytem of Christianity. Even the Christian groups that I used to revere so much because of the strong testimonies of the spiritual leaders or founders, after their demises, they seems to have fallen too low to the extent of dividing up into pieces of independent assemblies. Only if the goal of spirituality is known to them in building up the Body of Christ, things would not have turned to be so ugly. Thank God, the Lord saved me from such system. And may the Lord preserve me purely for His Body.

Since yesterday I had a particular time of fellowship with a brother who strayed away from the Body life and ventured into the mire of religious Christianity for thirteen years and shared openly and frankly all the impurity and mixture in the so called "ministry", I learned not to repeat this negative history. However, there is no guarantee in myself that I would not be the same as such workers. I learn to depend on the Lord, trusting Him in His mercy and grace , to be preserved wholly and holy for the Lord's eternal purpose.

Thank God for the many testimonies, positive and negative, to learn from. Only that God continue to grace me to learn and learn and learn...

Not only in spiritual matters, but in physical things too; in the way we were given hospitality, the care and concern, the love and respect we received from different believers, how they manages their household affair, family relationships between husbands and wives, parent and children, education, job and marriages etc. Even in a down to earth things like household set up, office set up, designs and prints, I captured them on my phone camera. Yes, to study and review, or perhaps to improve from what was learned. I am so glad that I have the heart to learn, and much more, I enjoy learning them.

What a blessing to be able to learn and learn and learn.

Lord, keep my heart open to learn from You through all channels You channelled to me. That I may learn and learn and learn. Even, learn till my last breadth. That I may never cease to learn, and never cease to grow.

A Brother's Recovery

James 5:19 - My brothers, if any one among you is led astray from the truth and someone turns him back,

James 5:20 - Let him know that he who turns a sinner back from the error of his way will save that one’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Note on "sinner" from the Holy Bible, Recovery Version.

According to the context of these two verses, this is not an unbelieving sinner but a believing brother who has been led astray from the truth and is turned back from his error to the truth. Hence, the salvation of his soul does not refer to the eternal salvation of the person but to the dispensational salvation of his soul from the suffering of physical death under God’s discipline. James may also have considered all the virtues covered in vv. 7-20 to be aspects of practical Christian perfection.

The Lord has brought us to a brother who has indeed gone astray from the truth for the past thirteen years. Nevertheless, God's mercy never fails. We had no plan to come to him this time as our burden was on the ministry literature. But, due to present circumstances of the church here, though we considered to rescheduled it, the Lord still brought us here; our brother received us warmly.

As we fellowshipped, the Lord made it very clear to us why He brought us here; to recover His chosen ones, especially our brother. Our fellowship was so sweet and joyful as it was indeed the Lord's perfect plan. A couple of months ago he had called already and plans were made for fellowship, however nothing worked. Every attempt was thwarted by the enemy by various attacks. However, prayer and the Lord's mercy never ceases.

As we fellowshipped, brother has opened up all his past failures, his wandering in the wilderness, his experiences with different "Christian ministries and ministers", his experiences even with anti-Christian groups with persecutions, his family and personal health situation, and even how he never felt peace from the Lord for all the so called "Christian works" he has been engaged in all these years. The conclusion of all his experiences was to come back to God's heart's desire for the testimony of Jesus, the building  up of the Body of Christ.

This was confirmed by the Lord's speaking yesterday concerning Ammi and Ruhamah; initially chosen but strayed away to be Lo-ammi and Lo-ruhamah, and finally restored back to be Ammi and Ruhamah: God's people who have obtained compassion from God.

Yesterday whole afternoon, evening and night he confessed and repented of all his past living and ministry apart from the Body, and we also fellowshipped with him concerning the Lord's word, His works and move even in India. And today morning as we walked and prayed, brother released his burden in prayer to be recovered and have a new beginning in Christ, to be fully in and with and for the Body of Christ. What a glorious and joyful moment indeed to experience the joy of the Lord's visitation and witness a brother willingly coming back in fellowship to serve together in the one work of the Lord for the building up of the one Body of Christ!

This morning, in my time with the Lord, the word confirmed what has transpired these days; "My brothers, if any one among you is led astray from the truth and someone turns him back, Let him know that he who turns a sinner back from the error of his way will save that one’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins".