Thirtieth Year

Ezek. 1:1 - Now in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth of the month, while I was among the captives by the river Chebar, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. 

Thirtieth, note on the Holy Bible, Recovery VersionReferring to Ezekiel’s age. At the age of thirty a priest, a Levite, was qualified to begin his service to the Lord (Num. 4:2-3; 1 Chron. 23:3; cf. Luke 3:23). This age signifies maturity, indicating that in spiritual things, especially in seeing the visions recorded in this book, there is the need of maturity in the divine life (cf. 1 Cor. 2:14-15; 3:1-2). 

Thirtieth year is the year of qualification to serve the Lord. This implies the need for growth in life and maturity to be able to serve the Lord. It is at this year that Ezekiel, the priest, began to serve. Meaning, without growing and maturing in the divine life, one cannot serve God, much less, see the vision of God under an opened heavens with a clear sky. 

This reminds me of my need for growth in life to see the heavens opened, see the visions of God, hear the expressed word of God, and experience the hand of God. The same applies to all believers alike. For God to do anything significant He needs man on earth; not mere man but man who are thirty years in age at least. Lest He be made to wait until He finds one of thirty years and above. 

I have been in fellowship with a brother concerning his family situation for quite some time now. Every time, I used the word of God to nourish him and shepherd him over phone call prayer and fellowship. This time round, I fellowshipped with him about his need to grow up in life even in the midst of all critical circumstances he has been going through. The enemy hates the growth in life of the saints, and he always tries his best to hinder the growth in life by various tactics and attacks. Often, many are caught unaware, including me, sometimes. 

This "thirty years" is a timely reminder to me and my fellow saints, our need to grow in life and be a priest serving God. Even today, I ministered the same point of truth to few young saints who visited us and also to the serving ones in the literature service in our morning fellowship.

Lord, cause the growth in me and my fellows saints! Yes, growing to thirty years and above...

Money Matters

There is a balancing line I am trying hook onto as far as handling money is concerned. Money is practically vital that it has even become the main cause of concern in every one's life. Its effect is felt in all sphere of life, be it spiritual, social or even personal. The hard lesson is not about management of money as far as I am concerned, but about "to lend or not to lend" when fellow brothers and sisters are in genuine need. I have been facing this dilemma time and again. 

When the saints need help financially and come for fellowship, should I spiritualise the matter and just ask them to trust the Lord exercising their faith? Should I simply turn them away? If I have money at hand I always would prefer to help and reckon it as a blessing. But the case as always has been is, there has hardly been any repayment, though some slow, not that it will never be repaid back. As a brother, I always love to help as long as it is within my capacity to help. And I count it all joy and blessing to be able to help. 

Recently, the Lord led me to experience the side of the lender where I have to manage at the minimal possible because almost all I have at hand have been loaned to others in need. To the extend that I myself become the one in need, save for the fact that I would not borrow from others. On considering to ask back from those to whom I have lent, I had my reservation and would prefer that they pay back on their own. When they don't payback, I am left as the victim of loaned out lender. 

Well, I don't mind being such, as this gives me the first hand experience of what is to be in lack. And how one manages one's livelihood in want; the feeling within and the faith emanating thereof to trust the Lord is worth the experience. So I got to experience being in abundance and being in lack as well. 

One thing for sure is the Lord's faithfulness in all these experiences. I am learning lessons on how to abound and how to be abased. Despite the lack, all that are necessary and needed for the family have all been well taken care. 

Though money plays a vital role in every sphere of livelihood, one must not love it, nor be lorded over by it. Money should never be one's master but always be the slave. Use money for rightful purposes and be not enslaved by it. Trust the Lord who provides and honors Him with it and lords over it.

This is my simple money matter that I have been experiencing these days.

This Rock

Matthew 16:1818 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

Note from the New Testament Recovery Version

This rock refers not only to Christ but also to this revelation concerning Christ, a revelation that Peter received from the Father. The church is built on Christ and on this revelation concerning Christ.

"This rock," was what impressed me most. It was last Lord's day during the prophesying meeting that I stood up to prophesy on this very verse. After Christ had asked Simon of who He was, and he replied in the affirmative that He was the Son of the living God, the Lord revealed the matter of "this rock" to him. "Upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." As I prophesied on the truth as presented in the ministry, the Lord deeply enlightened me more on "this rock." 

This rock is Christ, it is also the revelation concerning Christ, and upon this revelation Christ will build His church. Just Christ and the revelation concerning Christ are not sufficient to build the Lord's church. There is a need for the believers who possesses the Christ and the revelation concerning Christ. These group of believers are transformed ones who have considerable measure of growth in life and maturity like Peter, who was Simon, whose name the Lord changed to Cephas, meaning, stone.

Man was made of clay, yet in regeneration and growth in life, is being transformed to become stones, even precious stones for God's building. God cannot build His house with clay, in the natural and sinful man; this clay-man must become God-man, even transformed to be "stone" fit for God's building.  Therefore, the truth concerning "this rock" is Christ, the revelation concerning Christ, and the transformed man "Christified" as stone for God's building. Such building with "this rock," the gates of Hades cannot prevail against it. 

Note on "the Gates of Hades" from the Recovery Version

Gates of Hades refers to Satan's authority or power of darkness (Col. 1:13; Acts 26:18), which cannot prevail against the genuine church built by Christ upon this revelation concerning Him as the rock, with stones such as Peter, a transformed human being. This word of the Lord's indicates also that Satan's power of darkness will attack the church. Hence, there is spiritual warfare between Satan's power, which is his kingdom, and the church, which is God's kingdom.

These Gates of Hades are actually in the fallen man, injected into the body of man as man's flesh, and into the soul of man as man's soul. For the building up of the church, the Gates of Hades needs to be dealt with. The best way to deal with the gates of Hades is using the three keys the Lord further said in verse 24 and 25.

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.

25 For whoever wants to save his soul-life shall lose it; but whoever loses his soul-life for My sake shall find it.

Besides the "this rock" revelation, the following building up of the church must necessary entail the locking of the Gates of Hades by denying the self, taking up the cross and losing the soul-life. For this, much grace from the Lord is needed.

Subjectively, the meeting of the church is Gurgaon is more on "this rock" these days as the prohesying of the saints are becoming higher and higher with more and more saints speaking for the Lord and speaking forth the Lord.

Lord, grace us to be built up upon "this rock" as Your church.

Deny the Self

The "self" is the soul declaring independence from God. What a marvelous statement! 

A genuinely saved person is always dependent on the Lord. He has no meaning in life apart from the Lord. His living and conduct is always dependent on the Lord Himself. Yet here is a critical point of taking "dependence" on the Lord to one extreme. In fact, there are many who have taken this case to its extremity, to the extend that they don't listen to anybody but "the Lord." Such people have no concept of the Body of Christ and they are spiritual egoist living to themselves for themselves under the cloak of "spirituality." To them, they are overtly confident in their dependence of the Lord and generally has a hidden tag on themselves, "The Lord speaks to me.." So their attitude is, "who are you to say anything when the Lord already said?" There is no feeling for the Body, much less, care for the Body. To them all that matter is, "Thus spake the Lord!" And that's it. To me, these people are far more dangerous than a normal believer who fellowship and pray together with the fellows believers. 

Today, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the Body is one with the Body of Christ comprising His many believers. Since the Head and the Body cannot be separated, they are one and uniquely one. To genuinely depend on the Lord, the Head, is to depend on the members of the Body, the fellow believers. If one is genuine in seeking the Lord, he definitely would treasure the fellowship of the members of the Body. In fact, Christ does not speak from the heavens directly, but in many practical cases, He speaks through the Body, with the Body and for the Body.

In the New Testament there are many instances of the Head speaking through the Body. In fact, almost the entire Bible is written by God through men. God did not write them and sent them down from heaven as "the Book." God speaks through the prophets, priests, kings, and many others. That's how God carries out His work. And He still does the same even today.

So, to depend on the Lord is also to depend on the Body as well. 

The self has declared independence from the Lord. To deny the self is to depend on the Lord and also on the Lord's Body; the many believers in fellowship of the one Spirit. This is the message that has been shaping my Christian life these days. 

The saints, including myself, have been experiencing this dependence on the Lord and the Body these days. We indeed have been experiencing deeply this matter of depending on the Lord and on the Body for many practical matters, both great and small. Be it personal or family matter, be it professional or career, or even financial and many other matters, these days we have been enjoying a lot of fellowship. Not that we can solve one another's problems, but in sweet fellowship the Lord does speak and shows the way. This is a good understanding on denying the self; not depending on the self alone, not even merely on the Lord alone. but on the Lord as the Head and also on the Body.

Deny the self, depend on the Lord, and also on the Body! This is the best way to deny the self.  

Half Qualified

The ministry of the word has been so perfecting as I pursue the Lord in the word in the ministry. These as I have been pursuing the life-study of Ezekiel I have been so much supplied by the Lord's speaking. What touched me deeply was the matter of the priest. I am a priest as His saved one, but am I a mere priest who is a "stranger" or a real priest who serves God as a priest should serve. According to the word of God, there is a need for circumcision to be a priest.

Ezekiel 44:9 Thus says the Lord Jehovah, No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, of any of the foreigners who are among the children of Israel shall enter into My sanctuary.

Excerpt from the Liofe-study of Ezekiel Message Twenty Five

THE PRIESTS

Being Circumcised

If we would serve the Lord in His house, the church, we need to be circumcised (44:9). Uncircumcised persons are not qualified to serve in God’s house. Circumcision typifies dealing with the flesh, the natural man, and the old man by the cross. To us as believers in Christ, circumcision today is not something outward but an inward dealing by the cross with the flesh, the natural man, and the old man. If our flesh, natural man, and old man have not been dealt with by the cross, we are not qualified to serve in the church life. Rather, we are considered by the Lord to be a stranger. 

A stranger is an uncircumcised person, someone whose flesh, natural man, and old man have not been dealt with by the cross. We may be real believers, but if we have not dealt with our flesh, natural man, and old man by the cross, the Lord regards us as strangers, those who are not qualified to serve in the church life. We need to bring this matter to the Lord and ask Him about our flesh, natural man, and old man. These things must be dealt with through the working of the cross. Only then will we be circumcised and qualified to serve the Lord in the church life.

Being like the Sons of Zadok

When the majority of the people went astray, some of the circumcised ones also went astray (44:10). Although these ones were circumcised, they went astray from God to idols by following those who went astray. Because these circumcised ones went astray, we may say that they were only half qualified to serve the Lord. On the one hand, they were qualified because they were circumcised; on the other hand, they were not qualified because they had gone astray from God to idols. Their circumcision qualified them, but their going astray disqualified them.

What should the Lord do with them, and what was His attitude toward them? The Lord said that such persons could serve in the house, but they could not come near to the Lord or to the holy things (vv. 11-14). They could minister in the temple by helping the people to present their offerings, but they could not come near to the Lord and serve Him. Some of the saints in the church have followed the majority in going astray from the Lord. Because the majority of Christians have gone astray, they have lost their qualification and position to serve the Lord in a direct way. They may still have a part of the church service, but it is an indirect service to the Lord.

Perhaps, one may be spiritually circumcised, yet there is a possibility that he may go astray, deviating from the God-ordained way. Perhaps, such one may still serves as priest but not in a consecrated and absolute way. Qualification wise, one may still be qualified but in reality, the genuine spiritual function is already lost. There such one is only half qualified. 

This is an alarm and even alert to pay heed to, with utmost urgency and attention. My response to this message is such; "Lord, I do not want to be merely half qualified. If at all I serve, I want to serve as fully qualified one." The only Person who judges between qualification or disqualification or half qualification is the Lord himself who is being served. I thank the Lord for such a timely message.

Now, I simply look to the Lord for His mercy and grace that I can go on in my service of serving Him as a priest with full qualification; spiritually circumcised, and also being absolute to the Lord, for the Lord.

Lord, grace me to be fully qualified to serve You all the days of my life.     

Rhema through the Word

Iron Floats

2 Kings 6:6 - And the man of God said, Where did it fall? And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick and threw it there and made the iron float. 

Note on "float" from the Recovery Version of the Bible

Elisha’s causing an ax head that had fallen into the water to float by means of a wooden stick signifies Christ’s recovering through His cross in resurrection the lost power of sinners that had fallen into the death water (Eph. 2:1-6)

By properties of Iron, Iron cannot float in water; this is against the law of nature, and science has no answer to this incident. But the Creator of nature has the answer, in fact, a very definite answer. God spoke and it was so. Elisha, a man of God cut down a stick and threw it there and made the iron float. Well, when science has no answer, it is a miracle. God's word stands firm and is true. Blessed are those who believe it.

Many incidents in my life has made me very skeptical about certain brothers under my care. Perhaps, I know too much about them inwardly, with all the bitter experiences. But as I prayed for them, the Lord's speaking was "Iron Floats." Believe it or not, the iron axe of the Bible did float! But it float at the word of the man of God, Elisha. What was, and is, and will be impossible, is and can be made possible at the word of God. The Lord's rhema word was, "these brothers whom I am too concerned of, will actually float in their lives!" They have been sinking deeply into the mire of sins, the world and the flesh, but through the application of the cross of Christ with the resurrection power, the lost power of sinner that had fallen into the death water can be restored! Praise the Lord for the resurrection power!

The Lord actually has restored the said brothers into normalcy when I came back from a trip to the South of India last week. The first meeting and fellowship I had was a brother who came to fellowship with me and confessed the sins he had committed. Though the matter was serious, the Lord's precious blood is more powerful to forgive them all. I was very glad that the Holy Spirit worked on this brother, even taking away his sleep until he would confess and set the matter right. This was also a part of the answer to the prayer in my blog in "Burning Burden." The Holy Spirit convicted him to confess the particular sins he committed. Then we both prayed together for the Lord's covering and grace to never commit the same sins again. Iron does float! The Lord can do the impossible. I simply has to trust the Lord and His word.

No Longer

2 Kings 6:23 - Then he prepared a great feast for them; and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the bands of Syria no longer came into the land of Israel. 

Israel was challenged by Syria, but the man of God spoke to the king of Israel concerning Syria, not to fear as God was with them despite the massive army with horses and chariots of the Syrians. The incident turned out to be that Israel had to take Syria as captives and instead of killing them as "enemy," the man of God asked Israel to feed Syria and sent them away, never to return.

The light I received was, though Satan with all his fallen angels as massive army tempts and tries to destroy us, the God of Israel, the true and living God, would come into our defense, defeat the enemy, sent them away to never return. After some victory now and then, often there is a doubt how long the victory will last. There is an eminent fear of another defeat after a victory. But the word of God confirms,"the bands of Syria no longer came into the land of Israel." And it shall be so. Amen. 

 

Never Doubt God’s Word

In 2 Kings 7, the captain of Israel did not believe the word of the man of God, the word of hope and the word of promise. The captain in disbelief refuted the word of the man of God. But the word of the man of God became true, and because of his disbelief, he could not partake in the fulfillment of the word of God. Instead, he was trampled upon and died. 

Regarding this record of the word, the Lord reminded me that I should not doubt God's word at all. Lest I face the same fate as that captain of Israel. When God said He would recover his people, He will indeed recover them, and I must simple take God at His word.

This morning the Lord led me to read these verses again as a reminder of what He would do concerning the brothers I am shepherding that He would fully restored them; He will make the Iron floats, and the Syrians to never return, and I must simply believe in the word of God. Indeed, these brothers are manifesting a miraculous change in their living these days; repenting and confessing their sins, spending time with the Lord in the word and in prayer, and functioning in the meeting. I myself has to repent for some of the harsh words I used to rebuke them before.

Praise the Lord for His living, instant speaking, Rhema! 

I believe in the Lord's word, if for some reason I doubt, "Lord, help my unbelief." 

Family Propagation

Last weekend, we went to visit a brother and his family who visited India from Taiwan for the gospel propagation in Delhi. Our plan was to have a dinner fellowship and love feast together. But as we fellowshipped with him it went on and on at the house rented for the gospel work, more gospel friends were brought in for home meeting as a result of which some took baptism, and we ended up joining with the saints in the gospel propagation work as a family. Our plan was to eat out, but we were caught up eating the word together in small group meetings with new believers. Meanwhile our children enjoyed playing with other children, and we all enjoyed as a family, our participation in the Lord's move.

I was particularly caught up with one new brother as we fellowshipped on Romans 8 : 28, 29, the Lord's speaking was so timely for the new brother. He asked the meaning of the "first born Son of God" and how one can be conformed to the image of the firstborn Son of God? With that our fellowship took turn to expound the truth concerning the firstborn Son of God and the need for a normal daily Christian living of all things working together for good to gain God. Further, we explained the practical need for a companion and living the church life and kind-of introduced him to the church in Delhi. 

Once we were done with this new one, two gospel friends came in to our group meeting. Our fellowship then took a new turn again; preaching the gospel to the gospel friends in Hindi. Four of us coordinated to share the gospel by turn, leading them to pray and receive the Lord, and finally the two got baptised. Which then was followed by dinner fellowship and appointed made for further follow-up shepherding. May the Lord shepherd these new ones through the laboring saints.

All this while, the children were engaged in their own home meeting, playing and enjoying.

By the way, this day happened to be the last day of the propagation that has been going on since the past five weeks. A propagation in coordination with saints from Hsinchu, Taiwan and saints in India. The Lord indeed blessed His move and over a 100 new ones were brought to salvation. The next urgent step is cherishing and nourishing them to live a normal Christian life in the normal church-life. 

Though not planned, God had planned it for us to participate in His move in Dwarka Mor, New Delhi, and this turned out to be our family propagation. The verse that I expounded to the new one actually and practically was applied to our experience that day. 

Rom. 8:28 - And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Rom. 8:29 - Because those whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the  b image of His Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brothers;