Divided Hoof: Discernment

Lev. 11:3 - Whatever has a divided hoof, that is, has its hoof split in two, and chews the cud among the beasts, that you may eat.Lev. 11:26 - For every beast which has a divided hoof but does not have its hoof split in two or chew the cud is unclean to you; everyone who touches them shall be unclean.

Footnote from the Holy Bible Recovery Version on Divided Hoof:
Lit., divides the hoof, that is, splits the split of its hoofs (cf. vv. 7, 26). Animals that divide the hoof and chew the cud (v. 3; cf. vv. 4-8, 26-28) signify persons who have discernment in their activities (Phil. 1:9-10) and who receive the word of God with much reconsideration (see note 151 in Psa. 119).

As I was reading and studying the word this morning, the Lord impressed me deeply about the need for discernment. There had been many instances in my Christian life where I was caught in between the horns of dilemma. At times swinging between two choices, sometimes I did make the right choice while other times, the wrong one. Through failures I have been learning this important lesson of life: discernment and consideration of the Lord's word.

Even at this time, I have to discern people, matters and things. I simply cannot waste my time in foolishness or ignorance. In the people I am burdened and have been praying for, in spending time to shepherd them, in making decisions of life, in big things and the small ones too, I need the Lord's wisdom and discern things accurately. Not for my own personal benefit but for the sake of God's economy. Everything I do must be in the Lord's leading and must for the fulfillment of His purpose on the earth. For this, I need discernment.

On the flip side, when living without discernment and consideration of the Lord's word, one falls into unnecessary troubles and the Lord even sovereignly uses those as a disciplinary action for the perfecting of the saints. Whether one  learns in discernment or in discipline, either way, God is supremely wise to gain His chosen ones for His testimony. Praise the Lord!

In this portion of the word, my attention was on two points, not just the divided hoof but also:

1. Hoofs split in two
2. Chew the cud

The two are extremely important, like two legs of a man for standing and walking, or even perhaps, for running the race of a human life. For our human daily living and walking, we need both necessarily. With God’s wisdom there is a need to discern persons, matters and things. As Paul prayed for the Christians in the church in Philippi:

Phil. 1:9 - And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in full knowledge and all discernment,Phil. 1:10 - So that you may approve by testing the things which differ and are more excellent, that you may be pure and without offense unto the day of Christ.

This is my prayer for myself too, including all the saints, that we may walk in wisdom, even discerning all things. One of the practical ways I have discovered for gaining discernment is the word of God itself. When one knows the word and muse upon it, then he can discern based on the word, and live according to it.

Psa. 119:15 - I will muse upon Your precepts/And regard Your ways.

Such living is indeed a living in wisdom as it is according to the word of God.

Psa. 119:105 - Your word is a lamp to my feet/And a light to my path.

Thus by these two ways of living and walking, in discernment and consideration of the word, we can live a holy life as God desires, a normal God-man living, a normal Christian life.

Lord, perfect me to live a life of discernment by considering Your word, that I may be Your living testimony as You so desired. Amen. 

Prayer in Diamond Bar

Tonight, the Lord arranged two brothers to take me to one of the prayer meetings of the church in Diamond Bar. Originally, the plan was to attend in Anaheim,  but the Lord had a better plan. As the brothers drove me, I fellowshipped with them how the Lord is so living,  practical and real in our Christian life. Especially as a testimony I testified how the Lord led me step by step; in serving Him, in marriage and family matters. Our trip from Anaheim to Diamond Bar was full of testimonies. We all enjoyed fellowshipping with one another. 

The prayer meeting at a home in Diamond Bar was so sweet. It was a very small home sweet home prayer meeting. A brother,  a sister, two FTTA trainees and myself; number did not matter at all to me,  but the Lord's presence and His Spirit's prayer in our prayers was most important. I enjoyed releasing my spirit and the saints did the same too. Not belittling a big prayer meeting where I could hardly release a sentence to pray because of the multitude of the saints gathering, I personally prefer a meeting where each member can thoroughly exercise our spirits and release the Lord's burden. It was so enjoyable. And I felt all the items of prayers were all answered. Hallelujah! 

Though a home sweet home small prayer meeting, we covered the main items of burden for the whole world! It began with India for translation of the Recovery Version Bible into six Indian languages, propagation of the gospel and the literature service, especially, the distribution of the ministry of the word; then the burden related to Europe, specially for Germany and the gospel work among the refugees; then the full time training all over the world, especially,  for the trainees; then Ethiopia and Africa; and finally,  the Lord’s work among the young people,  especially,  the upcoming Summer School of Truths next week for one whole week in southern California. 

It was a joy to be able to pray with the saints in one accord. No matter which local church, or state or country I am in, the same burden and the same one spirit in one accord prevails; a wonderful prayer meeting in Diamond Bar indeed. After the prayer I felt we have gained some "diamonds"  in tonight's prayer meeting. As we drove back,  I asked the brothers,  "How much diamond have you gained tonight?"  The answer was, "Amen! Some diamond!" 

I do believe the Lord has wrought something of Himself through the prayer and the fellowship tonight. He is the Diamond! We gained Diamond in Diamond Bar! I have attended many weekly prayer meetings throughout the years, but this one is very special,  therefore I blogged the experience thereof. 

Home sweet home prayer meeting full of "diamonds"; I love it. 

Brotherly Fellowship in USA

It was the 3rd of July,  Lord’s day morning, I was privileged to fellowship with brothers whom I revere so much, in the principle of incarnation. There were three brothers of my contemporary who are serving the Lord in India, and three mature brothers in the Lord and also in age,  and myself,  fellowshipping the way to carry out the translation of the New Testament Recovery Version Bible into six Indian languages where qualified Greek learners are on the line of service. That fellowship was unique to me as it was my first of such a kind, with all the right brothers, and that too for a very important service for the Lord's move in India. May the Lord execute and accomplish what was fellowshipped. 

It was the 6th of July when I met all my Greek teachers and had lunch together at a restaurant. That was when we also fellowshipped about the practicality of carrying out the translation of the said Bible into the six Indian languages. It was a privilege to fellowship with the brothers who are also my "teachers." 

It was the 11th of July when I first attended a Monday morning fellowship at LSM Campus with LSM serving ones when brother Andrew Yu asked me to share my testimony of how I became a Christian, how I came into the church life, the literature service in India, the recent literature journey to the North East India,  and questions and answers time for the saints. Though impromptu, the Lord's anointing was in all the fellowship and His presence was rich. That morning fellowship was in lieu of the normal pursuit,  which I believe was on The Character of the Lord's Workers,  as I saw saints hold a copy each.   The prayer that followed the fellowship was very supplying as a confirmation of the oneness and supply of the Body. Praise the Lord! 

All these fellowships were never planned,  at least, to my understanding,  but the Lord worked out all things at the right time. It was the Lord's sovereignty and sure mercies to be able to experience such fellowships with the Body, in the Body and for the Body. 

These indeed were brotherly fellowships to carry out God's economy on this earth. 

Praise the Lord for the Body of Christ! 

Lord, preserve me in the Body, blend and build me fully in and with the Body,  and gain me fully for the Body! 

Grace Gardens

My hospitality in Anaheim after the Summer Training of 2016 is in Grace Gardens. Even as I am being hosted in one of the guest bedrooms at 2106, I have been thanking the Lord and worshipping Him for the grace and wisdom He bestowed upon brother Witness Lee and the saints with him who designed and built these accommodation facilities. In fact,  when I moved in first,  I could not help but kneel down beside the bed and worshipped God for all the heavenly,  spiritual and even earthly blessings He bestowed upon His Body. It is not just the high peak truths that enlivened me,  but also the high peak livings of the saints. Praise the Lord for the Body! 

Yesterday,  I had a wonderful time of home visit, gospel preaching and door knocking in Anaheim among the Spanish community, after the Lord’s Table meeting at Anaheim Hills. Later, an hour or so of prayer and reading the ministry book at a nearby park. I was feeling the breath of the gospel in this area where the saints have been treading. 

Today,  after all the official work, I enjoyed a time alone with the Lord in a small garden inside Grace Gardens. I just polished a hymn that I wrote a year ago on "Worship God." And I worshipped God for all His deeds and His ways. In my prayer time, the Lord's speaking was a confirmation of all the burdens He graced me with,  concerning the gospel preaching, the church life, the literature service, the propagation work in the North East India, the new ones on my prayer list, my family and relative matters, academic qualification upgradation etc. It was a wonderful time with a Lord. 

Praise the Lord for Grace Gardens! May the Lord grace all the saints who are, and will be taking hospitality in this "gardens"  with Himself enjoyed and experienced as grace. 

Grace, grace and grace. 

No Rank

It's been a week since I first came to fellowship with brothers who are serving the Lord in the literature service here in Anaheim,  California. Though in age and in spiritual experience, I could have been their son,  but in fellowship and practicality we are all serving together as brothers. Not a mere empty doctrine, but truly indeed in reality, for I have been experiencing it these days. A brother even told me what brother Witness Lee said, "There is no rank among us."  Indeed,  there is no rank among us, and I have not seen nor experienced it once. This is really awesome. 

Three days ago, as I was reading my Bible, the Lord impressed me of similar principle He established in the Bible in Matthew 20:1-16. No matter who worked first or who were more senior or experienced,  the Lord treated them equally. And He was sovereign in doing so. This confirmed my experiences these days serving together with the brothers here in the editorial section of the Living Stream Ministry. A brother even offered a table in his office where I could work and learn from him and the others. It was an honor, at the same time,  a humbling experience,  as I reckon it. I can only thank and worship the Lord for this opportunity. This truly is, a life lesson in action. 

This experience further draws me to the proofreading that I did just now, reading through the book of Titus, Philemon and James. Especially, Philemon, "The Believers' Equal Status in the New Man." A marvelous title, a wonderful testimony and a beautiful relationship in Christ. I am experiencing it in reality these days, and hopefully all the days of my sojourn on this earth. 

In the church life,  in the Lord’s recovery,  in the Body of Christ,  there is no rank. All believers have the same status in Christ. And may none corrupt this precious truth. Praise the Lord! 

Send Forth...

Send forth Your light and Your truth;They will lead me;They will bring me to Your holy mountainAnd to Your tabernacles.And I will go to the altar of God,To God my exceeding joy;And I will praise You with the harp,O God, my God. Psalms 43:3-4

As I attended the FTTA Spring 2016 Graduation meeting, the speaking of the Lord  touched me so much. It had a such an impact on me that I took these verses to pray over and over again. To me, it was the need of the time and also the need for many other brothers and sisters I am shepherding.

There is a need for opening up to the Lord and cry out to Him, "Lord, send forth..." Without the Lord's mercy there can be no sending forth. The Lord must send forth:

The Divine Light

The divine light is the the shining forth, the expression, of God Himself who is Light. Without the Lord' divine light, all that is there, is the natural light, which is equivalent to darkness. Even in spiritual life, without the light of God, everything is darkness. Most of the times, when not in the Spirit, all that one has, at best, is the natural light, and at worst, is man made light. There is an urgent need for the Lord's shining, to be delivered from all natural man-made light.

I need such shining upon me of the divine light. It has been my prayer that the Lord would shine upon me and preserve me in His light. Apart from His divine light, everything is darkness. Sometimes, I was also in such situation of darkness. I only pray that the Lord would not allow me to be in darkness. Lord, shine upon me day by day!

The manifestation of darkness is death. And such deadness issues in opinion, fault finding, finger-pointing, backbiting, confusion and division with all kinds of negativism. I have been witnessing some cases as such. My only reaction is to pray for these brothers and sisters who are engulfed in darkness. Only the Lord's shining can deliver them from the darkness.

Besides praying for myself to be shined upon all the time, I also try to help the brothers and sisters who need the Lord's shining. To one such, I sent these verses and he replied back thanking for this little help of showing him that he needed deliverance.

The Divine Truth

Truth is the source of light and the reality of light. Truth is as important as light, for they are two sides of the same coin. Without one, there cannot be the other; for the two co-exist and go hand in hand. Therefore, as one is seeking for light, one must come to the word of God, the truth. The Lord uses the truth in the Bible as a channel to shine forth. In coming to the word of God, one receives the divine light shining.

If one is thirsty, he will be willing to be saturated with God and be constituted with the divine light. And the issue will be the leading of the Lord. In light and in truth, one is one with God and lives out God to carry out God's desires.

The leading of the Lord is to "His holy mountain." God's holy mountain signifies the resurrected and ascended Christ. When one is shined upon and constituted with the truth, the result is the experience of the resurrected and ascended Christ as the life-giving Spirit. This further leads to "Your tabernacle," the local church. A normal experience of God in Christ as light and truth is the Spirit that ushers into the church-life in the Body of Christ, the tabernacle of God. Which further leads to a deeper dealing of the cross, "the altar of God" where all the requirements of God's righteousness, holiness and glory are met positively, and negatively, anything natural still is dealt with- of the flesh, the self, sin and the world. So that one can be fully be one with God, in life, in nature, but not in the Godhead.

Then, one can declare:

To God my exceeding joy;

And I will praise You with the harp,O God, my God.

Hallelujah! God is my God! To God is our exceeding joy! And we will praise God forever!

Lord, send forth Your light and Your truth...

Greek On Board

This is the blog I wrote yesterday as I was on a flight to the States. Greek of board! Many times it was difficult for me to find time while in the office or at home. So I had to do my Greek studies while travelling long distance,  and this is the third time I am doing such. 

After the final exam on Greek,  the following class was on critical analysis of certain important Greek words, their various meanings and translation rendering by different Bible versions. At the first observation, these seems difficult, besides, I could not find time to do the assignment at all. The past few weeks were fully packed with office,  church and family responsibility. The only time I finally get is the time now, flying over Greenland towards North America,  some 35,986 altitude at 557 mph.

As I delved deeper into the Greek text,  new light and revelation dawn on me. Especially, some related words concerning divinity and humanity of Christ and how the translation of the Word differs in various degrees. Positively, it confirms the goodness of the Recovery Version translation, giving the definite meaning according to Greek and the corresponding interpretation according to the divine revelation. I feel so blessed to be able to use the Recovery Version and on top of that,  even study and analyse it for translation purpose. The said version is truly a scholarly work and an open Bible to know and understand the word of God better than any other translation I have ever used. Praise the Lord for this version. 

This long flight from Dubai to Los Angeles is my study time for Greek on board. Thank God that He gave me this opportunity to be able to meet with the translation team including the editor of this version,  and even learn and get help from them regarding the translations. May the Lord bless all the upcoming meetings, fellowship and training for His divine economy.