Lifeless Truth?

Right or wrong is the not the scale of judgement as far as the divine life is concerned. It is the ministering of life that matters most. Life or death is the true scale of judgement in every matter of a Christian life. As much as the knowledge of good and evil belongs to the same tree, we must partake only of the tree of life. Though I know this in theory, often I failed in my practical daily living. I also tend to partake of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. O how much I need the Lord's mercy and His deliverance!

It was yesterday that in our gospel preaching we met a brother, actually an Assistant Pastor of some pentecostal denomination, who also distributed a gospel tract which we gave to his senior pastor months ago. We were glad that at least someone is also preaching the gospel, though paid for it, as it was his profession. Still the gospel is preached. As we met him, the topic turned to the matter of "Pastor" and "Denomination." Such questions are needless to pay heed to as we all know these are man made. But somehow these topics were brought up. Instead of forgoing such needless discussion, I got entangled with it. In fact, I was in my mind, and even in my flesh trying to argue on the unorthodoxy of being positionally designated as a "pastor." The discussion further went on to the division of Christianity into denominations. I completely failed to live out Christ in this regard. Instead, I just lived out my "self" of defending my understanding of the Bible using the Bible.

Though I may know the Bible to defend or argue on these topics, and though I could defeat the unorthodoxical teachings and practices of religious Christianity, I sure did not live out Christ nor did I minister life as I ought to. Even though I could argue very well on the fallacy of today's degraded Christianity, it was a mere argument and presentation of facts. But where is the life supply?

Even though, out of Christian courtesy,  I prayed after presenting the biblical truths concerning the topic in concern, I sure did not minister life nor did I have peace afterward. So the moment I came back home, I was so convicted by the Spirit of my "biblical correctness" without life supply, and much less, the Lord's anointing, I sought for a secret place to confess. The only place I could find was a toilet wherein I locked myself in, knelt down and confessed my sin of self biblical defence. I sincerely asked the Lord to forgive me. And prayed that I would never entangle myself again in such lifeless futile debate on lifeless topics of the Bible.

This experience opened my spiritual eyes to see the vanity of lifeless biblical knowledge and presentation of the truths. All my desire to be an apologetic was crushed that very hour. I sure would not live to defend the truth without the life of the truth. The truth and life of the word of God should go hand in hand. Else, it is a dead doctrinal truth, a mere piece of information labelled as the word of God. 

Lord, save me! 

This experience is very unique in my Christian life. In one go, all my longing and dream of defending the truth apologetically was just crushed. The dream I treasured so dear and even reckoned as a service anointed of the Lord, was just smashed into pieces. Whether the Lord would still lead me to take the apologetic way or not will henceforth be determined by the true litmus test of life or death. Only, and only if it is life, then I will go for it. Otherwise, it is already, a no no. James 3 is a good reminder in this regard. 

This experience I will never forget in my life. Avoid lifeless biblical truths! Only minister Christ as life. 

Gospel on Phone

For if I preach the gospel, I have no boast, for, necessity is laid upon me; for woe to me if I do not preach the gospel. 1 Corinthians 9:16

All normal Christians can preach the gospel and must preach the gospel. 

I tell you that in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner repenting than over ninety-nine righteous persons who have no need of repentance. Luke 15:7

In our church life here in Gurgaon, we regularly go out to preach the gospel as the church. Through this faithful going out every Saturday, Mr. N Sharma received the gospel tract on 7th April. He called up the church's phone number. I received the called and preached the gospel of Jesus Christ over the phone with my broken Hindi. He readily received the word of God and was so desperate in life that he asked a simple straightforward question, "What shall I do? Tell me, I will do anything." I simply led him to believe into the Lord Jesus Christ and to call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, "He Prabhu Yesu!"

Since then, he called upon the Lord's name again and again. Sometimes, for hours altogether. Sometimes, alone in the night and early in the morning. The more he called, the more he felt the peace and strength he has been searching for, for many many years. He had been to many pilgrimages and idol worship, but never found peace, much less, God. Now with simple faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and simple calling upon the Lord’s name, he enjoyed so much peace. 

On 14 April he met with us in the restaurant run by him. The gospel was preached to him again, this time, face to face, with prayer and calling upon the Lord's name.

Last Lord's day, 15th April, he came to our meeting hall, where we had a gospel meeting with him one more time, to make sure that the gospel of Jesus Christ was properly presented and understood. Therefore, through the word of God, he was led to repentance, to believe into the Lord Jesus Christ and receive Him, to confess and call upon the Lord's name, and the truth concerning baptism was presented as exactly is in the Bible.

And on 16th April morning, he came to the meeting hall again. We brought him to the practical experience of prayer and calling upon the Lord's Name, and further explained who Jesus is using Isaiah 9:6.

For a child is born to us, A Son is given to us; And the government is upon His shoulder; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

Having thus been saved and convicted by the Holy Spirit, he, out of his own free will, took the decision to be baptised. As the church, we only helped him according to the truth of the Bible. Praise the Lord, a new brother Sharma was born!

Before we met him, he was so desperate in life that he  even contemplated suicide as he felt totally lost. Since the very first meeting, new hope began to dawn in his life. Then through his believing into and calling upon the Lord's name, the peace of Christ began to fill him gradually. Out of his own decision he took baptism on 16 April 2018. Now, he is so happy, he even called up to  say, "Thank you for all that have happened." We simple replied back, "Praise the Lord! Jai Masih!"

Gospel on Wheels

Bus from Raipur-Chattisgarh to Khariar Road-Odisha, 9 April 2018.

On our way by bus from Raipur to Khariar Road, the Lord brought one young man to sit right in front of us. On seeing him, my innate feeling was, he was a seeker who need the gospel. I told my fellow brothers that we would preach the gospel. Then I began to preach in Hindi. Sentence by sentence, as I preached, he whole heartedly received it. Later, I asked a brother who speaks the local language, Oriya, to lead him to pray the sinners' prayer. As he finished his prayer of salvation, he also testified of what the Lord Jesus Christ meant to him from his childhood. He already witnessed a healing of his relative in Jesus' name and had since then been very open to the Lord Jesus Christ, though no one actually preached the gospel to him personally. It was in the bus on our journey together that he heard in detail, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and was saved! In fact, we were not suppose to take this bus as we planned to take either train or taxi. But, at the last minute we changed our mode of transportation with the view of saving time, and a soul got saved! God knows best.  

Train from Khariar Road-Odisha to Raipur-Chattisgarh, 11 April 2018.

On our train journey from Khariar Road to Raipur, our co-passenger was a wealthy man who was just back from him religious pilgrimage with the hope of healing for his wife who has long been struggling for survival due to ill health. As he narrated, they have spent lakhs and lakhs of rupees for all kinds of treatment recommended by doctors with business in mind. Having thus been fully fed up with so called medication, he turned to meditation of some superstitious belief on deities. Alas, to no result either. Thank God that he discovered at least the vanity of superstitious religion, though in a hard way. But when we started preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, he was so happy; he himself testified that there was so much peace in Jesus Christ. The Lord led us to share on repentance as we preached the gospel in Hindi. 

Mark 6:12-13And they went forth and proclaimed that men should repent, And they cast out many demons and anointed many of the sick with oil and healed them. 

Having heard the word, he was willing to repent for his sins, and he finally received the Lord in prayer. He prayed the sinner's prayer and wanted to attend Christian meeting in Nagpur as he was posted there at the moment. He also testified that though he has so much land and properties with his relatives all in good and high post government jobs, they have no peace at home. Now, he hates all these material wealth and just wants peace, and nothing else. Our gospel of peace in Christ Jesus was just apt for him. Besides, I had just one Hindi New Testament in my bag and gifted to him. In fact, I didn't even realise I had one Bible in Hindi until I searched for one in my bag. He was so happy that we met. We got his number and gave him our brother's number in Nagpur. 

Actually we were not suppose to take that train, but at the last moment, we got it on current reservation due to change of plan, so we cancelled the train ticket according to our original plan. God knows best. 

We pray that both these new believers who have heard the gospel of Jesus Christ for the first time in their lives and believed into the Lord Jesus Christ be preserved in their faith. In God's time, in His way, and at His assigned place, we hope to meet them again as Christian brothers.

Looking forward to that day when we can say, "Praise the Lord, brother!".

New Localities

Mahasamud

A Pastor was introduced to us by our brothers from Raipur. We came to this new locality to find out what the Lord has reserved for His testimony. The pastor happens to be an ardent believer of signs and wonders, and having testimony of eight years of barrenness when he only preached the word, but was blessed bountifully when he fasted and sought for gifts of signs and wonders. Now, to his tally, he had six hundred believers in twelve localities in the vicinity of the town. As we listened to him, the Lord gave us a strong burden to minister on the importance of the word of God. 

We brothers coordinated to minister on the all-inclusive Christ as presented in the good land, Canaan, expounding all the items mentioned in these verses, and ministering Christ through all the items. 

Deuteronomy 8:7-10For Jehovah your God is bringing you to a good land, a land of waterbrooks, of springs and of fountains, flowing forth in valleys and in mountains; A land of wheat and barley and vines and fig trees and pomegranates; a land of olive trees with oil and of honey; A land in which you will eat bread without scarcity; you will not lack anything in it; a land whose stones are iron, and from whose mountains you can mine copper. And you shall eat and be satisfied, and you shall bless Jehovah your God for the good land which He has given you. 

Later, we also gave testimonies of how the word of God presented in spirit is so powerful to change people's life. In fact, I gave my own life testimony to refute his claim that only the word of God is not effective. In fact, there is no effective spiritual weapon than the word of God presented by the right person with the right spirit. Through our fellowship, he was graced to be balanced in his one sided belief of mere signs and wonders. Though, he is an elderly brother, he received the ministry we presented and even invited us to share lunch with him, and also invited us further for the distribution of the ministry of the word in his upcoming meeting by the end of this month. We gifted him the books, The All-inclusive Christ, The Spiritual Man - 3 Volumes, and The Normal Christian Faith, all in Hindi. Our burden is that he would be graced to enter into the ministry and be gained for the Lord's testimony in Mahasamud. 

Bagbahar

In this locality, we met a family who was open to the ministry. As we fellowshipped with them, the Lord's speaking was to help them with the basic of a Christian life. First, to help them know that they were saved indeed. The assurance of salvation with three proofs were presented: Outward proof of the word of God, inward proof of the Spirit witnessing with our spirit, and the love for the brothers. Then, we fellowshipped further on feeding on the Word of God with practical help of pray-reading the word. One sister testified that all her seeking and searching for answer was just answered when she herself pray-read the word. We encouraged all of them to practice it regularly with a weekly group meeting. 

These two localities were located in between Raipur and Khariar Road. The Lord just opened the doors in these localities for the brothers who are already enjoying the ministry to follow up. May the Lord raise up His testimonies in these localities too.

Follow-up Shepherding: Khariar Road

In 2014, through a phone call from a brother, who enjoyed the ministry books distributed by Rhema and who later received the New Testament, Recovery Version, and called for the Holy Bible, Recovery Version, we visited him. Since then, the Lord has been faithfully supplying a group of brothers with the life supply through the ministry of the word. And it was this group of brothers who also left the denomination that we went to visit for a follow up shepherding.

We were welcomed and received by our brothers. Here, the burden was simply to fellowship and encourage them to go on until the time is ripe to fully establish the church. In fact, they have been practising the church life, though few in numbers, and with some brothers whose wives still need to be fully recovered. In our fellowship, we touched various practical points of life and truth. The daily and regular pursuit of the Lord in prayer, the word of God and the ministry, personally and corporately; the fellowship, blending and building up among themselves in oneness; and the functioning of all the members to shepherd the new ones as well as one another. We practically enjoyed the church life with the saints during our visit. 

We also spent time with two new ones: a Christian worker and a new believer's family. With the Christian worker, the Lord led us to share strongly on being poor in spirit and pure in heart.

Matthew 5:3Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens.
Matthew 5:8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

For reason best known to God and to our new ones, the ministry of the word was very strong. We renounced all impure motives in the name of serving the Lord, of dreams and visions mixed with self seeking ambition and interest. We also ministered strongly on the need to be stripped off of all religious and spiritual baggages; be poor in spirit, leaving everything behind and stretching forward to the things before in pursuit of Christ and the Church; and the need to be pure in heart, and single heartedly seeking nothing but God Himself alone and His economy. After such a ministry we prayed, hoping that our Christian brother would be helped to be poor in spirit and pure in heart, and be simply a brother to blend with the saints in Khariar Road. 

The other family was a new believer's family, who were not yet baptised. To them we shared the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ with an emphasis on the regeneration and growth in life. In time, the whole family will be baptised. We leave that to the local brothers' discernment and decision. 

We also spent time with another brother who has an end time ministry background. To him, our speaking was frank and direct, charging him to drop all kind of teachings and focus only on the most important item of God’s economy: the building up of the Body of Christ until we all arrive at the oneness God so desired. 

Ephesians 4:13Until we all arrive at the oneness of the faith and of the full knowledge of the Son of God, at a full-grown man, at the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

After such a strong word was ministered, he happily acknowledged the truth and accepted our nourishing shepherding. Though he is much elder to us in age and in experience, he has the heart to receive our fellowship. May the Lord blend him fully with the saints for His testimony in that locality.

As we all prayed together a strong prayer for the full recovery of the church in Khariar Road, the new ones and new localities we visited, and also for Chhattisgarh and Odisha, we also had some practical fellowship with the brothers for their weekly coming together for prayer, corporate truth pursuing with their wives, and the brothers fellowship, besides the Lord's day meeting. And having thus released our burden, we all headed back for our own localities.

Praise the Lord for the recovery of the church in Khariar Road!

Follow-up Shepherding: Raipur with New Ones

As we came to this city, before we could meet the saints, we were given hospitality in the house of a brother's relative. With this family, we shared personal testimonies to encourage them in their Christian lives. Since the son wanted to serve the Lord, we encouraged him to pray and seek the Lord's leading so that he could serve in the way he ought to serve. Besides, we fellowshipped with them the need for daily enjoyment of the Lord in the word of God and in prayer, and we gifted brother Watchman Nee's biography, A Seer of the Divine Revelation in the Present Age. 

As we were in the city, I also got a pastor's number from another brother. This brother came to meet us, then we fellowshipped with him on the matter of the church. The truth is the truth, so we faithfully ministered the word as presented in the Bible. We hope that he could receive the word and serve according to the word. 

This brother also invited us on the Lord's day morning before we went to the saints' meeting place. We had just thirty minutes for the word as we had to attend the Lord's Table Meeting. In that thirty minutes, we ministered from the gospel of Luke, on the good Samaritan and the one thing needed in serving the Lord. In fact, that was the instant speaking of the Lord to me that morning. 

Luke 10:34-35And he came to him and bound up his wounds and poured oil and wine on them. And placing him on his own beast, he brought him to an inn and took care of him. And on the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, Take care of him; and whatever you spend in addition to this, when I return, I will repay you. 

Luke 10:39And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s feet and was listening to His word. 

Luke 10:42But there is need of one thing, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her. 

The Lord's shepherding us like the good Samaritan; coming down to us as a man, binding up our sinful wounds and healing us, giving us the Holy Spirit as the oil, dispensing the divine life as the wine, and shepherding us into the church life so that we can serve the Lord by taking care of the one thing: Sitting at the Lord's feet and listening to His word.

The new ones so hungrily received the word of God. Our burden was just to minister the word as the Lord led us.

Few days later, we met the same pastor again on our way back, during our transit at Raipur. He gave us lunch and fellowship with us something of his pastoral service. My heart was burning to minister to him on what to serve and how to serve. Therefore, we fellowshipped with Him from the epistle to the Ephesians. 

Ephesians 4:11-13And 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, Until we all arrive at the oneness of the faith and of the full knowledge of the Son of God, at a full-grown man, at the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

At length, we fellowshipped on the church as the Body of Christ and how it needs to be built up by being recovered into the ground of oneness and the perfecting works in the ministry. For this, there needs to be a seeking heart and pray that the Lord would make His ways known: To know God, and find His favor and serve Him accordingly. 

Exodus 33:13Now therefore if I have found favor in Your sight, please let me know now Your ways, that I may know You, so that I may continue to find favor in Your sight. Consider also that this nation is Your people.

A book, The Tree of Life, was gifted to him for his pursuit of Christ as life, and if he is really seeking the truth, we told him we would send more books in Hindi.

May the Lord recover Him also for His testimony in Raipur.

Follow-up Shepherding: Raipur with the Saints

An elderly brother who is in his mid seventies has been studying and enjoying the ministry books which he got through a Christian festival in a nearby town. Since he touched the ministry through the books, he has been teaching all the believers under his care. He not introduced the books, but he also taught the ministry in a way of shepherding. In fact, he studied and translated The Economy of God into his local language and taught from house to house for one year. Though he and the believers with him have been practising the church life according to the vision they have seen so far, and they practised it faithfully. We just came to witness and confirm what the Lord has been doing in this city Raipur.

As the saints came together we fellowshipped on the basic practises of a Christian life by breathing, eating and drinking the Lord by calling upon the Lord's Name, pray-reading His word, prayer and fellowship. The burden was from the Lord, and later they testified that it was their urgent need. Though they knew the truth concerning the church, they lack in the practical experiences and enjoyments of the Lord. Truth and life must be balanced and should go hand in hand.

On the Lord's day, we carefully considered before the Lord and had fellowship among ourselves and also with the leading brothers concerning the bread breaking meeting. Then, we were clear that their standing was not on any divisive ground. Therefore, we participated in the bread breaking meeting which they have been partaking regularly. 

Before the bread breaking meeting, we had a session on the gospel, and then ministered on the significance of the Lord's Table Meeting with the bread and the wine, and the warning attached to it.

Matthew 26:26-29And as they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed it, and He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said, Take, eat; this is My body. And He took a cup and gave thanks, and He gave it to them, saying, Drink of it, all of you, For this is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. But I say to you, I shall by no means drink of this product of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in the kingdom of My Father.

After ministering on the significance of the bread and the wine, we also emphasized on the warning associated with it; the need to discern the body. The break must represent the Lord's body broken for the believers to partake of in oneness as remembrance to the Lord by eating and drinking Him, and declaring His victorious death until He would come again in the kingdom.

1 Corinthians 11:24-29And having given thanks, He broke it and said, This is My body, which is given for you; this do unto the remembrance of Me. Similarly also the cup after they had dined, saying, This cup is the new covenant established in My blood; this do, as often as you drink it, unto the remembrance of Me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you declare the Lord’s death until He comes. So then whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord. But let a man prove himself, and in this way let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not discern the body.

The same day evening more brothers and sisters, who could not join us in the morning session, came for fellowship. As the Lord led us, we fellowship on the truth concerning serving the Lord.

The Lord saved us from the enemies to serve the Him! Luke 1:74

To grant us that we, having been delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear. 

The Lord saved us from idolatry to serve the Him! 1 Thessalonians 1:9

For they themselves report concerning us what kind of entrance we had toward you and how you turned to God from the idols to serve a living and true God. 

The Lord saved us and purified us with His blood to serve Him!  Hebrews 9:14

How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 

Therefore, as saved ones, we must be serving the Lord. All saved ones must serve the Lord. Then, we also ministered from the life of Moses, the way to serve God: By the supply of God's divine life, trusting and depending on Him alone without any confidence in ourself nor in the things in the world. 

The next day we all enjoyed a time of morning revival, showing them practically how to come to the Lord in pray-reading the word of God. The saints are being recovered and they wanted to receive the Holy Word for Morning Revival for their daily pursuit and nourishment. Thus, our burden for this time was released and we look to the Lord for our next meeting. 

May the Lord recover the church in Raipur into the oneness and fellowship of the Body of Christ.