The Gospel of Jonah

Jonah 1:2, 10; 3:2,4-6Arise, go to Nineveh, the great city, and cry out against it, for their evil has come up before Me. And the men became greatly afraid and said to him, What is this that you have done? For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of Jehovah, because he had told them so. Arise, go to Nineveh, the great city; and proclaim to it the proclamation that I will speak to you. And Jonah began to go through the city a day’s journey and cried out and said, Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overturned! And the men of Nineveh believed God, and they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. And the word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne and put away his majestic clothes from him and covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. 

God’s Purpose

God had a propose and called Jonah. This is how God carried out His purpose. He did not accomplished His purpose from the heaven, but always works in the principle of incarnation through His created man on the earth. 

God’s Call

To fulfill His purpose, He called man, specifically chosen by Him for a specific task. For His divine purpose God chose and called Jonah. 

God's Commission 

The commission of God in calling Jonah was to preach the "gospel" to the citizens of Nineveh.

Jonah's Response 

The response of Jonah was contrary to God's call, he tried to ran away in disobedience. Such deed of disobedience was deemed as running away from God's presence. A life without the presence of God was as bad as if there was no life at all. Since God had already chosen Jonah, He would cause any situation, would use any person, matter or thing to gain what He wanted to gain. As the case with Johan was, the gentile crew members of the escapade ship he was with had to chastise him to call upon his God which led him to his confession of his being "runaway evangelist", and was finally thrown into the sea. Nevertheless, a temporary aquatic prison inside the belly of a great fish under the sea was used to bring Noah to his sense. So God would do anything for the recovery of His runaway child. There is no escape and no excuse for anyone whom God chooses. God never gave up on anyone and He never will. Come what may, He will use whoever or whatever to restore such ones.

Noah was then brought to repentance and he prayed a wonderful prayer that eventually became a divine record in the Bible. He returned back and set forth to Nineveh to fulfill God’s commission. 

What Noah preached was a simple gospel of declaring the Lord's warning, "Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overturned!" He must have traveled the length and breath of the city just declaring this warning. If one has to analyse the content of his message, it was just a statement. His prayer of repentance was much deeper and longer than his actual gospel. Here lies the principle of preparation before the actual act. His vessel had been prepared by the Lord inside the belly of a fish under the sea! What a training center! That too for three days and three nights only. He was a chosen vessel of God and through all the experiences he went through the Lord perfected him. When his being was prepared, he became one with God and what he spoke became God’s speaking. Therefore, he need not be a great or eloquent speaker, but just a prepared vessel, one with God, was sufficient to carry out God’s commission. The same principle holds today. 

The effect of his warning was that the whole city of Nineveh, including the rulers repented of their wickedness and escaped God’s wrath. To bring in great revival of that magnitude today, God needs a called, commissioned, and prepared vessel who is absolutely one with God, whose speaking is God's speaking, for the salvation of the Gentiles, even the wicked city like Nineveh. 

This is the gospel of Jonah. This is what I have been enjoying in a fresh way while reading the book of Jonah. What a revelation concerning God's love and His way of preaching the gospel of Jonah for the salvation of the wicked city of Nineveh!

Ministry of the Word in Varanasi

A famous religious city thronged by tens of thousands of pilgrims daily, welcomed us with her teeming devotees as a hive of bee as we unboarded the bus that took us to Varanasi, and as we took a three wheelers to the bank of the river Ganga in a lodge call "Yogi" where we were received by a brother who would lead us to the city, we prayed for the Lord's work of recovery to be carried out in this city. What was significant about this lodge was, the name, the location, the owner and his relationship with the then CM of UP: Yogi Lodge by the river Ganges owned by an RSS leader's son who has a direct and good relationship with the chief minister of the state,  Shri Yogiji. I felt good to stay in such a lodge as we visited the city for the Lord's testimony. Later, we had a dinner at a restaurant on the river bank of Ganga, facing the river with cool breeze from the Ganges soothing us from the heat of summer. My first reaction to such a city with such an arrangement, with a burden from the Lord for the city and the millions of seekers of the true and living God, was to kneel down and pray for the city with her people and multitude of visitors that the true and living God, Jesus Christ, would be made known, believed into, experienced and enjoyed by them all. All the spiritual thirst and quest can be satisfied only by Jesus Christ, the tree of life and the river of water of life. What has been sought for in the river Ganges in reality is the river of the water of life, Christ! 

Our day began with meeting Christian leaders and introducing the ministry books. The main leading pastor of the biggest Christian group was already a friend and a brother as we met him already in their youth camp in Nawab Ganj few days ago. All the ministry books were introduced to him and he received them as he also is teaching and training many believers under his care. Another well known Christian leader was also so impressed by the high peak truth literature we were distributing, especially the books in Hindi, that he introduced us to his bookstore manager who had gotten a set, and perhaps, this would be an opening for the spread of the ministry of the word in this city. We were also introduced to a group of Christian pastors to whom we introduced the ministry books and also ministered the word of God concerning the local churches, the significance of feet washing, fellowship, and a genuine local church as it is revealed in the Bible. The pastors were so impressed with the truth that they wanted to have further contact. 

We were glad the Lord took us to this city, and we released our burden of introducing the ministry of the word to all whom the Lord led us to meet up with. With all these seeds of the divine and high peak truths we trust the Lord will gain His heart's desire in this city. As we were on our way back to catch a train back to our home we praised the Lord for His faithfulness and timely leading; city by city, and people to people, at the right time, at the right place with the right people. The presence of the Lord is so dear and sweet throughout the entire literature trip.  

May the Lord, in His time, gain His testimony in this city, Varanasi! 

Ministry of the Word in Allahabad

Allahabad, a place of a god, a city that hosts the biggest mela of the country where the two famous rivers, Ganga and Yamuna meets at Sangam, a site of religious significance. It was my first visit to this city and we came knowing only one brother who happened to visit us for a Lord’s Day Meeting in the church in Gurgaon last month. Though our host is an elderly brother, he gave us a very good hospitality and took us to the main Christian leaders of the city. Though he was a little reluctant to meet Christian leaders as he knew them too well, for our sake he was obliged to do so. The Lord so arranged all the situation that we met the right people at the right time at the right place. Even our brother was surprised that the Lord arranged everything perfectly as though it was all pre-planed.

A meeting with a pastor was so sweet and so timely that as we introduced the ministry literature to him the Lord touched him deeply. He proposed a meeting of Christian leaders and wanted me to minister the word. Besides, he invited us for their Sunday meeting the following day and requested me to minister the word. I just reckon that as the Lord's open door and agreed to it. 

The following Sunday was their "Miracle Sunday" in which they perform "miracles" mostly of healing. The only one burden the Lord gave me was to minister the high peak truth concerning the greatest miracle in the universe, "God became man to make man God in life and in nature." As I ministered the word and the pastor himself translated for me into Hindi, the Lord's anointing was so sweet and so rich, the word flowed forth  like rivers of living water. The entire congregation responded with "Praise the Lord!" and "Hallelujah!" In the ministry of the word the Lord led me to emphasise on the truth of the Bible by quoting relevant verses on the divine life in 1 John 3:2, John 1:12,13 and the divine nature in 2 Peter 1:4. The greatest miracle indeed was God becoming man to make man God in life and in nature. Later, the pastor reconfirmed of this truth on their "miracle Sunday." 

Being so supplied in the first session, the pastor asked me to minister the word again in the second session. He even told me to minister as long as I was led. The burden this time was on the growth in life of the believers. Five main burdens I released were on calling upon the name of the Lord, household salvation, the word of God, prayer, and prophesying to minister life to people. 

Everything was all prepared by the Lord. Another notable meeting was with another Christian leaders whose works have been recognized and reported by a leading magazine and newspaper of India. To him also we fellowshipped on the truth concerning the Holy Spirit baptism, both its inward and outward aspect, and the church as the Body of Christ. He was so attracted by the truth that he ordered the Holy Bible Recovery Version and pre-booked the Life-Study of the Bible. 

With all these meetings, the burden for the city was released. But an underlying specific burden was for our host that one day he would take the stand for the Lord's testimony in Allahabad. He has been through many problems that he needed more of the enjoyment of the Lord in His Word and in calling upon the Lord's Name. Apart from all the other works, my burden was also for him with his ailing father of 102 years old that the Lord may bring peace and joy in his family and gain His family for His testimony. 

Ministry of the Word in Lucknow

The capital city of Uttar Pradesh has been a city prayed for and labored in for few years which did not yield fruitful result as of now. With renewed burden the Lord brought us again to Lucknow. All the old contacts could not be contacted for any help nor for any arrangement. But we came with a burden, trusting the Lord that He would make the arrangement without any prior arrangement for accommodation from our side as we didn't know either how or what to arrange. As we alighted from a delightful bus ride from Kanpur, in the city of Lucknow at Charbagh, we were clueless where to go. But a call to a phone number of a Rhema contact picked our call and invited us to meet him. When we first met, he realised our need for a lodging for a night stay and immediately made the arrangement.  Besides, he knew all the leading Christian leaders of the city and made all necessary appointments over the phone. We were just amazed how the Lord used our brother to give us a timely help. 

In the evening he invited us to minister to a house full of believers where I ministered on absolutely following "the living star" without any deviation from the central focus as Christ in our Christian life. This I did, drawing example from the magi and their mistake in inquiring from Herod the birthplace of Christ which instigated his envy and wrath to the extent of murdering all male child below two years. A simple mistake of turning away from the living star led to a disaster in the city of Jerusalem. 

Besides, we had a good time of fellowship with a brother who at length discoursed to us how the Lord led him all the way from Bihar to UP, and his experiences with many Christian leaders and groups. The fellowship was so sweet that it went till midnight when we finally had our dinner and went to bed later. 

The following day, we could meet the major Christian leaders in the city and introduced the ministry literature to our heart's content. After all the meetings, deep within me I was satisfied that my burden for the city was released. Besides, a brother from the city has been prepared by the Lord to continue the work of distribution. Only time will tell if he would turn to take the way of the Lord's recovery one day. 

A Methodist pastor was so impressed that he proposed a large scale Christian leaders' meeting in October to introduce the ministry books to all Christian leaders, pastors and workers. A Pentecostal pastor too expressed his burden to educate the believers in his congregation with the truths we presented through the ministry books. The brother who took care of us and had been listening to all our speaking was burdened to do the distribution in the city of Lucknow. Thus, he became a distributor for Lucknow. 

Besides, a brother who was saved and came to the church life in New Delhi and now left alone in this city came to be with us in our visiting of Christian leaders. I also could fellowship with him and encouraged him to pursue the Lord more and be a seed for the Lord's testimony in this city. 

The faith within me was such that I used to have great hope for the Lord's testimony when I was led to a new city and meet seeking Christians. In the past such seekers gradually took the way of the Lord's recovery. I treasured every such seeker and reckon it as from the Lord and would definitely cooperate with the Lord for the shepherding follow up of such ones.

Lord, recover Your testimony in Lucknow! 

Ministry of the Word in Kanpur

After almost half a year of praying for another literature tour in the Hindi heartland, finally my sky became clear to take the trip. It was my second trip to Kanpur, the first one being almost two years ago when a brother, who read the ministry books and visited us in Gurgaon, invited us to visit him and his coworkers, whom I and another brother spent about five hours fellowshipping with five pastors on "the Holy Spirit", the truth concerning the Spirit and the subjective experiences of the Spirit in our spirit as well. These were the five group of pastors that i visited this time again.

Once in Kanpur, I was requested to minister for half an hour to five co-working pastors. But as we fellowshipped, the Lord’s speaking was very sweet and strong, it went upto an hour, though they all like to continue I had to stop as another meeting was beginning. The pastors were so seeking that what was planned for half an hour eventually turned out to be five hours fellowship later on. 

Though the pastor who hosted us had their fasting prayer meeting that day, he felt led by the Lord to hand over the entire meeting to me, asking me to minister the word. Later he testified that, that day morning as he prayed for the day's schedule, the Lord told him not to do anything. He was surprised. But when he met us he realised it was because the Lord would send us for the ministry of the word that he had to do nothing. After the first session with the pastors, the next session was with the whole church who came for fasting prayer meeting. 

I reckoned it was the Lord's sovereign arrangement and ministered the word to the saints who were hungry for the word. The instant speaking of the Lord was on calling upon the name of Jesus and the power therein, household salvation according to our faith,  and eating and praying the word of God. Out of their sincere seeking hearts they even video and audio recorded the entire speaking. The translator himself, a pastor, was so supplied as he translated for me into Hindi. After releasing my burden I asked them to share whatever they enjoyed. A couple of them stood up and testified of how much nourishment they received from the ministry of the word. 

The main pastor requested me to minister again in the afternoon. The burden was then on the mystery of human; God's eternal purpose, the creation of the tripartite man with the function of the body, soul and spirit, and the subjective experience of Christ in our spirit and the dealing needed for our soul. The believers were so hungry that many of them were taking notes, and "amening" the words as I ministered. 

Later in the evening, another meeting was arranged by another pastor. The ministry of the word was on the name, Jesus Christ and Emmanuel in Matthew 1:21 & 23, and the Priesthood in 1 Peter 2:5, 9 with a strong emphasis on all the believers in the New Testament being a priest with the function of the priesthood: living in the presence of God, representing God to people, and representing people to God. These group of believers too were as seeking as the other group. Out of their thirst for the word, I felt as I ministered the word that they just drew the word of God out of my being.

The following day, we were taken to a nearby town where the biggest Christian group in Utter Pradesh was holding their youth conference. A meeting was arranged with the key leader, the bishop and few other leaders. With all of my heart I ministered the word to them as I introduced the ministry books. The leaders order all the books we introduced to them in Hindi and also in English. As a gift I gave to the four Bishops, The Orthodoxy of the Church by Watchman Nee, and some other selected titles too, to the main leaders. It was there that the Lord made arrangement for our next destination, Lucknow and Varanasi as we did not have any contact for these two cities. 

Again in the evening, we were asked to minister to another group of Christians with a specific burden on living an overcoming life. These believers too were so seeking that the word of God was being drawn out of our innermost being as rivers of living water. 

The visit to Kanpur was truly marvelous. May the Lord gain His strong testimony in this city. Despite the outward political situation the word of God is prevailing. 

Kanpur for Christ and the Church! 

Jehovah's Anointed

1 Sam. 26:9 - But David said to Abishai, Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against Jehovah’s anointed and be guiltless? 
1 Sam. 26:11 - Jehovah forbid that I should stretch out my hand against Jehovah’s anointed. Now therefore take the spear that is by his head and the water jug, and let us go. 

The same title, "Jehovah’s anointed" is used in verses 16 and 23 by David in addressing Saul, his "enemy," signifying how much David was living under the authority of God despite his being chased to kill by the very king he honored as "Jehovah’s anointed." Later, he called Saul, "my lord", "the king of Israel", though he knew fully well that the kingdom of Israel had already been transferred to him. But as long as Saul was alive, though he rebelled against God, the anointing upon him as a king did not cease. And David wisely honored that, and called him, "Jehovah’s anointed." Besides, he knew his humble beginning and addressed himself as "a single flea", "a patridge", and declared that it did not behoove the king of Israel to hunt for him, a despicable creature. 

1 Sam. 26:18 - And he said, Why does my lord pursue after his servant? For what have I done? Or what evil is in my hand?
1 Sam. 26:19 - Now therefore let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is Jehovah who has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering; but if it is the sons of men, let them be cursed before Jehovah; for they have driven me out today, so that I cannot share in Jehovah’s inheritance, saying, Go, serve other gods.
1 Sam. 26:20 - Now therefore do not let my blood fall to the ground apart from the presence of Jehovah; for the king of Israel has come forth to seek a single flea, as one might hunt a partridge in the mountains. 

As I read this portion of the word in a train on my way back from the North East, the Lord’s speaking was so rich. The authority set up by God stands tall. Whomever God anointed to be functioning in any area of His service one must honor and respect, not as man but as Jehovah’s anointed. Any act of rebellion, inward or outward, will only command curses, and otherwise blessings. Though I knew this truth, I am being reminded again and again of my need to submit to any authority set up by God. In fact, there are authorities every where. Be it in the church or without, in offices, on the road, in institutions, everywhere. This is how God administrates the universe, and blessed are those who see, know, and submit to God's authority. 

I fear for some of my Christian brethren who are so vocal on social media under the guise of freedom of speech, voicing their rebellious opinion against the establishment just because the one on authority is of different ideology which may be anti-Christian. Well, I may not agree with such ideologies, and am opposed to their many anti-Christian deeds, but deep within, as a citizen of this country,  I submit to the rulers, God in His sovereignty has ordained. Never would I agree nor be a part of it with all the ungodly deeds, but as law abiding citizen, within the bound of the scriptures, I submit to the rulership as long as it does not go against the holy word of God. In fact, I pray for the leaders of this country that God would use them for His purpose to be done on this earth. 

Submission to authority is a very precious lesson every Christian, in fact, every human being, has to learn. Submission is not weakness, nor cowardice. Submission is strength and rebellion is weakness. Submission to Jehovah's anointed is submission to God, whoever he or she may be. For this, one must first recognize who is Jehovah's anointed in a particular area of service, or matter. Age, seniority, experience, knowledge etc., does not mean as much as submitting to Jehovah's anointed. Even if the one of Jehovah's anointed is lesser in all degrees, still submission to such is deemed from a normal Christian and such will be the way God can pour out His blessing.

Lord, grace me to honor "Jehovah's anointed" in all walks of my life.  

Marriage Matrix

When I was a young single brother, some elder brothers who were already married and were helping younger ones married told me this paradox, "Marriage is the true test of spirituality." To my understanding, it means in choosing a life partner our true color comes out by the way we choose. Looks, status, wealth, fame, popularity,  etc., are the key deciders that all reflects who a person truly is. Yes, there are rooms for all these, but above all, the questions to consider thoughtfully are, "Do you allow God to choose in your choosing? Have you prayed enough to the extend that you have God's crystal clear leading to who your spouse should be? Have you consecrated your life, your marriage, and your family-to-be to the Lord?" If our answer to the above questions are on the affirmative, a marriage decision making is pretty simple and easy. God will honor the faith in Him and will give the best match. By the way, one point to remember is, "Do not presume to know anybody better than the Lord Himself. The creator of the bride and the groom knows fully well their past, present,  and future to be." Blessed are those who trusts the Lord’s perfect arrangement, they shall have a blessed marriage life. 

Many so called good and spiritual saints are slaves to their own fantasy-dream of ideal partner that never existed. No wonder, many sisters are still spinsters, and many brothers, bachelor boys. Only if they learn to submit in simplicity to God's sovereignty, they would have been serving the Lord as families by now. 

The Lord had mercy on me and when my time came I simply had one prayer and jus one choice, "Lord, Your will be done." I even prayed many many times, "Lord, deliver me from myself, my own choices, likes, tastes.... Do not allow what is not of You. Even if I unknowingly rebel against Your will, I pray, 'Stop it!' even to the point of sending disease, and taking my life." By praying such prayer for years, the Lord prepared me for the D day. He had dealt with me severely for one year for trying to voice my preference and choice. Having learned my lesson, I submit myself fully to the Lord. So when the time came, without any struggling, I simply could say, "Amen!"

Inward peace and joy, outward circumstances, all worked together for my marriage. Praise the Lord! God has blessed me and my wife with three children now! 

Recently, four marriages of four different brothers made be reconsider this matter of marriage deeply. Even the old sayings came to pass that marriage is the true test of spirituality. It indeed exposes the inward being of a person. Four cases are:

Case One: A brother who was from an idolatrous background was entirely by himself and always made business as excuses for not meeting the saints or coming to the meeting or praying or reading the Bible. He got married to his girlfriend of the same background he was saved from. My feeling was a mixture of joy and sadness mingling, and still hope,  one day he would be recovered back. 

Case Two: A brother who used to be very jealous for the Lord many years ago has gradually become very worldly. He began to expose himself in social media of all that he really is and got married to an unbeliever of his love life. It was so sad that he would not even open up for fellowship to fellow believers. For love of a person who does not love the Lord, should one abandon the Lord? I believe the Lord will recover this brother and his family one day too. 

Case Three: A brother,  who I lead to the Lord and even baptised, has been doing well in his professional life. Due to his busy schedule and lack of shepherding he somehow was aloof from the church life. Nevertheless, I tried my best to call and pray with him now and then. Though he asked me to find a sister for him, I could find none that would match him as he and his family has special preferences. Thank God, he found one and got married. And promised me that he would bring her to the church life after marriage. Only the grace of God can shepherd the couple into the normal church life. May the Lord recover them soon. 

Case Four: A brother married to a sister of whom I even was a speaker in his wedding meeting. This brother is very clear from the very beginning that he stands for the truth of the Bible and would remain so, and he made this his condition for marriage. He is determined to bring his wife into the enjoyment of the church life. May the Lord bless this couple for His testimony in their city. 

All the above marriages are clear indication of what kind of brothers these brothers are, and what kind of heart they have towards the Lord and His church. The first two have not been shepherded into the proper Christian life and ended up in a heathen marriage. The last two are holy matrimony and both have made a strong decision to bring their spouses into the church life. In all their marriages, their true conditions were fully revealed. Nevertheless, may the Lord gain them all as they are genuinely saved brothers. 

These marriages matrices are kind of complex. However, there are formulas to straighten them. May the Lord gain these marriages for His testimony!