Being Broken

Gen. 32:24 And Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until the break of dawn.Gen. 32:25 - And when the man saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob’s hip was dislocated as he wrestled with Him.Gen. 32:28 - And He said, Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but  Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.Gen. 32:30 - And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, for, he said, I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been preserved.Gen. 32:31 - And the sun rose upon him as he crossed over Penuel, and he limped because of his hip.

This reading of the word few weeks ago gave me a lot of light. In our natural man we are individualistic and selfish as Jacob's name implies, a supplanter. We are "bluff-masters" indeed in our sinful nature. But the Lord loves us and He will do anything to gain us by all means. So the need for dealing and breaking.

Until the break of dawn indicates that the time of the incident was midnight. Night is darkness, and darkness is the absence of light. Spiritually, when we are individualistic and in ourself in our undealt natural man, we are void of God's divine life and we are in the darkness, in the night. Even at such time, the Lord would visit us, to deal with us and gain us, as signified by the "a man" visiting Jacob.

A man, an angel of Jehovah visited him, wrestled with him and broke the socket of his hip. Who or what is this "man" subjectively? It could be persons, matters or things, which the Lord sovereignly uses to break our natural man. Many times, the Lord uses compatible ones to break our strongest part, "our thigh".

Oftentimes, we are too strong and too good in certain things and we don't depend on the Lord. Thus, our strongest part becomes our weakest part; the things we are good at, our strong point in our natural man, becomes our weak part in our spiritual man, as we fail to depend on the Lord. Therefore, our thigh of strength need to be touched and broken. Many things we faces are the Lord's visitation, perhaps, sicknesses, losses or even deaths and the likes are the Lord's dislocating of our hip. So that we would limp and never trust in what we used to trust any longer, except in the Lord Himself.

We should thank the Lord for "a man" whom He sent to wrestle with us until the break of dawn. Hallelujah! By and through this wrestling we face God, face to face. That's why that place of wrestling was named Penuel, meaning face to face with God. This is a turning point and a crucial phase of our Christian life. Without such experience, there can be no growth, much less, maturity. We all need to come face to face with God. Meet God in every situation.

After this dealing and breaking, two things followed suit: change of name and limping. Change of name signifies change of person, for the name denotes the person. And one no longer walks as used to be, but limping begins, dependence on God now and forever.

Henceforth, one is no longer in himself in his undealt natural man but is broken and on the path of transformation unto maturity. Therefore, "the sun rose upon him" walking in the divine light of the Lord onto maturity.

This should be every Christian's experience of life, without which would be an incomplete experience and there would be no way to maturity.

Lord, grace me to be broken, transformed and mature in life to fulfill Your heart's desire.

Lamka : A Revisitation

A couple of years have elapsed since I last visited this town. Despite being a Christian dominated town, there is hardly any sign of Christian testimony as far as the communal, social and religious life has been going on. Nevertheless, the Lord has reserved some remnants here for His testimony.

The local church here is growing in life and also in numbers too. As per the brothers' fellowship, I ministered on the Lord's day after the table meeting. The Lord burdened me to minister on the experiences of Christ with my testimony and the truth and necessity of being broken with experiences on Genesis 32, on the life of Jacob in his being broken for growth and maturity in life.

After the meeting, we enjoyed a whole day family visit and fellowship. Whomever I was burdened by the Lord I could visit them and fellowshipped with them too. Even a brother who tried to avoid the saints and would not even picked the phone calls was somehow brought face to face with us, surprisingly arranged by the Lord.

Another noteworthy visit was a brother's family who used to be one of the leading brothers in the initial day of the church life there. But for some reasons, the relationship with the other saints were not maintained. He also could not get through with many of his old religious beliefs and practices. Nevertheless, the Lord burdened me this time to visit him and He arranged for the visit. Almost with tears we had fellowship and prayer together. And I encouraged the brothers to visit this family for shepherding and recover them into the fellowship of the Body.

Another matter was the introduction of a brother who fellowshipped with me in Imphal to the brothers there in Lamka. They all were of the same age group and had similar experiences in truth and also in life. May the Lord recover this brother who has been enjoying the ministry of the word.

The revisit to this locality was a cherishing visit to me and a nourishing to the saints. A decade ago we met first, a year later the church was recovered and now the Lord has been blessing all the saints both physically and spiritually. They even had their own meeting hall now. May the Lord continue to shepherd them.

Besides all these, I also visited my grandmother's tomb; she had gone to be with the Lord about two months ago. My plan was to meet her this time but it was too late already.

Overall, I discharged all my burden for this visit and thanked the Lord for His timely leading.

What the Lord had initiated, He faithfully grace it on for the His testimony.

Ministry Literature Journey: Tamenglong

The headquarter town of the Baptist Christian of the Zeliangrong Naga, Tamenglong, has been in my heart for over a decade now since the first local church was raised up amidst religious storm in a neighboring district at a village called Ngarian. Though there are considerable number of brothers who belong to the same community of this town, it has thus far been untouched as far as the ministry of the word is concerned until the Lord sovereignly brought us to this town this time.

In our first attempt to visit this town, there was a road blockade due to landslide and we took a longer route, but our vehicle broke down at Kangpokpi and we ended up visiting a brother's family who is a prominent Christian leader among the Kukis there.

Our second attempt also faced two true punctures on the hilly terrain and it seemed as though there were unknown forces trying to stop us. But my heart was unfazed as I was loaded with the Lord's burden.

At our first meeting with four elderly brothers when we ministered the truth about Jacob's being broken in Genesis 32 it cleared off all the air of doubts about us. A brother even confessed and asked for forgiveness for his resistance towards the ministry in the past as his daughter is in the church life.

We met as many Christian leaders as possible, and the Lord anointed our speaking and almost everyone we ministered the word to, ended up purchasing the ministry literature. Many of them welcoming us and appreciating what we did. They even proposed a big Christian leaders gathering to address them on the truths. Our burden is to minister and propagate the ministry through the literature as spiritual food supplies to the children of God and for the Lord's testimony.

The most interesting part was a meeting with about 35 seekers comprising about 7 families when we fellowshipped on the subjective experiences of Christ in His saving and calling people. Besides, we also fellowshipped on the fundamentals of a Christian life and 

living. The believers were so blessed by the fellowship.Sensing the seeking situation of the seekers, we proposed for a monthly meeting or fellowship for brothers from Imphal and Ngarian to follow up. 

What the brothers have been reluctant for years for the propagation of the ministry in this town has now been opened up. Praise the Lord! What was thought to be difficult has now been opened up. Now it only behooves the brothers' faithfulness in follow-up shepherding. 

May the Lord continue to strengthen the brothers for the follow-up shepherding until the Lord's testimony is raised up in this city.

My burden was again released for this town. The Lord's leading, presence, anointing and blessings were so sweet. Praise the Lord!

Lord, raise up your golden testimony in Tamenglong!

Ministry Literature Journey: Ukhrul

This is a Baptist Christian dominated and populated town, my first time to visit even though I hail from the same state.

Initially the brothers who coordinated me, though belonging to the same town and are of the same tribe, Tangkhul basically, were a little reluctant for some reasons. But as we began our meeting with Christian leaders, the Lord began to unfold the seeking hearts of many serving Pastors with the high peak truths presented in the ministry literature. The expereinces with two young Pastors who just graduated from their seminaries and were beginning to serve as Pastors were noteworthy; they not listened to our ministering of the truth but much more appreciated and purchased the books, and we had further fellowship.

To all the Christian leaders we met and ministered to, they all ended up buying the ministry books. It was beyond our expectation. Amazing!

Besides, we also met a family of a sister who tasted the church life in Delhi for a while. The family was so open for the truths that I proposed the local brothers from the nearby city to visit often for shepherding.

The most interesting part was the family of our host coming together for fellowship. In addition to sharing my testimony of how the Lord saved me and called me into His ministry I also ministered on the basic of a Christian life like prayer and reading the word of God and fellowship. Questions on various practices of Christianity were cross checked with the word of God for their authenticity. I basically encouraged them to follow the Lord as His word leads us, and to reject anything extra-biblical. The seekers were so hungry that until we left the town we were fellowshipping.

With all these blessings my burden for the town was discharged and trust the Lord in His word, as the seeds were sown that it will bear fruit one day, for the testimony of Jesus in Ukhrul.

Deep within me, I knew why the Lord burdened me for this town since long ago. Witnessing the religious deadness of Christianity despite being having a ground for over a decade, a real revival is much longed and prayed for. May the Lord have His recovery in this town.

Lord, raise up Your golden lampstand in Ukhrul!

Imphal : A Revisitation

Three weeks ago after discharging my burden the Lord blessed me with for Mizoram, Assam and Nagaland, He brought me to Imphal. There, a brother with whom I have been on phone call fellowship for years picked me up. We had an impromptu fellowship over dinner and then on to his home with his wife, we fellowshipped past midnight till 1:30 am. The fellowship was so sweet; full of testimonies and the truth concerning Christ and the church. Many fundamental queries or doubts were fellowshipped over with relevant Bible references. The couple were so captured by the truths though with some minor non-essential differences. And I stayed overnight in their living room.

The next day morning after my time with the Lord in the Word, we continued our fellowship over breakfast and till lunch. That's when they invited me to minister to their congregation on the following Monday night Bible study meeting.

On Monday night, upon the brother's request, I gave my testimony of how I got saved and how the Lord called me. Then ministered on the mystery of human life with testimonies. And concluded with the need for Christian growth in life by eating, drinking and breathing the Lord. The Lord blessed the believers through the ministry of the word. Though the brother invited me again to minister on the following Lord's day, my preference was to meet with the saints in the Lord's recovery who have taken the ground of the church.

Besides, the Lord also arranged another seven meetings at different places at different times with the saints and new ones mostly. I just treasured the Lord's arrangement through the Body for the Body.

I also spent time with my brother and his wife on some important practical brotherly fellowships, apart from spending time with my mom and dad.

The visit was timely and was blessed by the Lord. And after all my burdens were released I flew back to Gurgaon, my physical home city for now.

The prayers of the saints and the burdens from the Lord were all dispensed in time under His anointing and blessing. The presence of the Lord was very sweet and dear. It means everything to me, without which will be a mere natural vacation.

Lord, preserve me ever in Your presence.

Principles of Service

The Lord has been teaching me some precious lessons since I came to serve Him. And I have been sharing some precious principles in service whenever I meet with the Lord's serving ones. Some of these principles are:

1. The Presence of God: The first and formost matter I take care of is "the presence of God." In fact, priest, by definition is, serving ones of the Lord by being in the presence of God. There can be no service to God without being in the presence of God. In the Old Testament, the priest could serve only by being in the temple premise. There was no other place where they could serve. In the New Testament too, without being in the presence of God, we cannot serve God.
2. Prayer and Prayer Life: By being in the presence of God, one is in fellowship with God in prayer. Such a living should be a normal lifestyle of the serving ones. A genuine service always issues from God as the source, with the power of the Holy Spirit as the means, and the glory of God as the goal. For such, prayer and prayer life of the serving ones is a must.
3. The Word of God and the Pursuit of the Truths: In serving, the only thing to serve with is the Lord's speaking, the word of God. Without the word of God, there is nothing one can serve God with. Lest, it will be a mere social work. Therefore, the inevitability of the pursuit and constitution of the word of God.
4. Coordination in the Body: In the Bible, serving as priest is always in the priesthood, the corporate body of priests. No genuine and complete service of God can be accomplished by individuals. There have to be coordination among all. Mutuality and interdependence are needed for serving the Lord. Many servants of God have failed this test, and their service has become divided ministries leading to confusion and division in the Body of Christ. The present state of Christianity is the culprit, and the victim, and the issue of individualistic service.
5. Building up the Body of Christ as the Goal of Every Service: Every service of the Lord has a goal, the building up of the Body of Christ. Any service that does not build up the Body of Christ is not a service of the Lord at all. At best it could be individualistic ministry, and at worst, a social work. The goal of every Christian work must be the building up of the Body of Christ.

Ephesians 4:10-12
He who descended, He is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens that He might fill all things. And He Himself gave some as apostles and some as prophets and some as evangelists and some as shepherds and teachers, For the perfecting of the saints unto the work of the ministry, unto the building up of the Body of Christ.

These are no mere teachings of my own, but I have learned them from the word of God through the ministry literature, and tested them in subjective experiences. Therefore, in all of my services, I look to the Lord for His precious leading in prayer, by being in and exercising to be in His presence, cross-checking and confirming with the word of God, with and in fellowship with the Body of Christ, also with fellow coordinating members, and with a view of the building up of the Body of Christ. The ongoing and all the ministry literature journey that I have undertaken so far were and are in line with the principles of service as learned and documented above.

Lord, grace me serve as You so desires.

Hindi for God's Economy

As an Indian and living in North India, Hindi, the language most spoken among the locals, is a must learn. Though I understand the common market Hindi and also have picked up enough Hindi for gospel preaching and can even lead people to salvation, still there is a great lack in my vocabulary to be able to shepherd the new believers. In many home meetings, I am simply ashamed to depend on translator, for I am yet to pick up the skill to be language independent.

Many brothers have emphasized the need for learning Hindi well to be able to minister to the locals, yet this precious fellowship has been sidelined for long, to my own disadvantage. I did try many unsuccessful attempts though. But this time, seriously and systematically.

The Lord knows my need, which is His need too. This time in the ministry literature journey, while in Aizawl I came across a Hindi New Testament Bible in Roman script in one of the Christian bookstores. Immediately I purchased it and felt it was the Lord's appointment for my learning Hindi, especially biblical vocabulary. Praise the Lord! Since then, I have been reading two chapters of the Bible in Hindi, out loud, everyday. 

My burden to learn is not merely for linguistic purpose. It is purely for God's economy. As a serving ones and called ones of the Lord, and being an Indian in India, Hindi is needed not merely for communication in general, but much more for the ministering of the word of God. Ministering the word in English and Hindi may convey the same burden and meaning, but the reception by the Hindi speakers, the locals, would be quite different. Heart to heart connection between the minister and the ministered will definitely be sweeter and stronger in the same "mother tongue." Therefore, it's my burden to learn Hindi for God's economy.

The best way to learn a language is by reading the Bible in that language out loud. That's how I learned English too, some two decades ago. So is my Hindi lesson.

Lord, grace me to learn Hindi thoroughly well for Your divine economy.