Believe the Word of God

For “whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13

In my gospel preaching, whoever opened up, I used to lead them to call upon the name of the Lord and pray the sinner's prayer, believing in the word of God that “whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” In the first two weeks of this month, the Lord graced me to actively participate in the propagation in our locality, Gururgram. In my team, we went house to house, door-knocking and preaching the gospel. The Lord opened the door for us wherever we went. To my surprise, almost everyone we met, opened up and listened to the gospel we were preaching and ended up calling upon the name of the Lord. I collected their names and phone numbers for future contact. In this way, we have a good number of seeking contacts.

Towards the end of the propagation for two weeks, the Lord struck me with a verse that I have been preaching, For “whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” The Lord's question to me was, "Palmei, do you believe this verse?" The questioning within my being went on for a couple of days. 

Literally, yes, I believe the word of God that “whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” And many have called upon the Lord through my gospel preaching. The specific question was, "Palmei, do you believe that all those who called upon the name of the Lord through your gospel preaching are indeed saved?" Honestly, the Lord cornered me and put me on a spot. My innate reply was, "Yes, Lord, I believe." But deep within, I also doubted whether all those who called upon the Lord's name are indeed saved. For, the major religion of my countrymen believes in pantheism, and they would accept any "god" being introduced to them, be it Jesus or whoever, for that matter. This was the reason I struggled for some time.

Then eventually the Lord spoke again and again to me, to believe in the word of God. And I am now fully convinced that “whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  I have to stop to doubt the Lord's word, and I have to stop my doubting of the people who called upon the name of the Lord. Saul of Tarsus in Acts 9 was saved simply by calling upon the name of the Lord! I simply have to believe in the Lord's word and not trust my own human analytical judgment. Take the Lord at His word!

The following Lord's day, I gave testimony in the church meeting of my struggle with God on this verse, and how I eventually believed His word. No matter what my feelings may be, the Lord's word is faithful, true, and abiding. For “whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

What a relief to get a clear cut confirmation from Himself concerning His word directly! Praise the Lord for the word of God!

Experiencing Christ in Gospel Tract

Beginning this year 2019, the Lord has been moving in us and among us here in the church in Gurugram. As the church in Gurugram, we are also blessed to begin our year with the propagation of the high gospel of the Kingdom. The Body is coordinating with the local church here to gain this Millenium city teeming with young professionals in various fields.

Initially, we were not too sure where and how to carry out the preaching of the gospel in this city, nor were we clear what should our way and goal be, but we committed all the matters to the Lord and also shared the burden to the whole church. As we were praying and consdiering many practical things, the Lord has led us to design a new website, get new email ID, and also design and print new gospel tract. I was especially graced to take care of all these practical things.

A new website with a new domain name were purchased. I personally designed a new tract for the gospel move. It took me a couple of days to work on it. Then check with the brothers, edit it, and finally sent for printing. Even after the printing, I was furhter graced to bring the printed tracts from Chennai back to Gurugram, as the printing was done in Chennai. And finally, as the propgation began, I was blessed to use the very gospel tract I designed, printed, and brought for distribution in the gospel preaching.

In fact, it was today afternoon that I went along with the saints for preaching the gospel using the gospel tract. The Lord graced me to preached the gospel to as many as twenty-five people, face to face, using the gospel tract and led some to pray and receive the Lord Jesus Christ. When the burden and practical participation was there, the Lord also blessed the burden. And many other saints who used the new tract testified of how useful the gospel tract was in the gospel preaching. 

The gospel tract has the same content of The Mystery of Human Life designed as bi-lingual, English and Hindi, with attractive diagrams and colour. In this simple thing as gospel tract, Christ can be experienced and I experienced Him practically. 

I have been using the same tract in a different format too, but this time since I personally was involved in designing and printing and distributing the new tract, the feeling and the burden with which the gospel tract was used was special. This is the experience of Christ through the gospel tract!

May the Lord continue to bless these tracts to save many sinners in the coming days!

Forgiving a Brother

Last night and the night before, as I was on my way back to Delhi from Chennai by a train, the Lord reminded me about my attitude towards an elderly brother who opposed the ministry of brother Watchman Nee and Witness Lee to the extent that he warned and spread false accusation of the ministry of the word being a "cult" to many believers, which he himself have not read even one book by Witness Lee. This is how Satan attacks the Lord's work subtly through so-called "Christian leader" who has not even bothered to study the truth and check with the Bible like the Berean.

Acts 17:11 Now these people were more noble than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

In 2012, the Lord graced me to meet this brother at a Christian book exhibition in Bangalore, I was further graced to confront against his lies and false accusations with facts. He blindly accused Witness Lee without any basis of truth, nor has he read any book by Witness Lee, nor did he have any solid biblical point to dubbed somebody as "cult". Whatever his stand may be, to me, he is still a brother in the Lord. His misinformation is not going to hamper the Lord's work in any way. Anyone who dares to fight against the truth would be the greatest fool. A few years later, I met him again, though we greeted with smiles in Delhi, and then again last year at Mumbai. Though he addressed us as brothers and we addressed him too as a brother, he still seems to subtly warn people of his misunderstanding and misinformation.  

As a man, I did have some feeling, and the Lord reminded me to simply forgive him for whatever he said or did. It was not easy for me to easily forgive someone who arrogantly and blindly attacks the Lord's work. But, I simply gave in to the Spirit's leading within me, and said, "Lord, only You can truly forgive. May Your forgiveness be my forgiveness." And I prayed for that elderly brother that the Lord would open his spiritual eyes and repent. Whatever damages he might have caused, it may be restored fivefold. The Lord may grace him to not linger in his blindness and ignorance. Rather, he would be graced to be instrumental for His move on this earth at this age.

Now, the Lord's work in me is to change my attitude towards him. This is also not easy. I simply look to the Lord that as he leads me to forgive him, I must also have a proper heart and attitude towards him; he is a dear brother in the Lord. The Lord will grace me so.

As the Lord graces me, I decided to help him in the matter he requested a help from me the last time I met him. No matter what his attitude towards the ministry may be, still he is my brother and I should treat him as a brother in the Lord, and maintain a good relationship and fellowship with him.

Much grace to me and my brother.

Brotherly Care

On the 26th January 2019 morning, I received a message from my cousin brother about another cousin brother who is an officer and was in the news the previous day. It was a raid by an investigation department of his property which is inappropriate to his known income. The matter of his unknown wealth has been well known in our village and I had a deep concern for him too. When I was at home the last time, I was informed about his surging wealth which is very common in Manipur for government officers. Deep within I had a concern for him and started praying for him in our family prayer. In fact, one night the Lord led me to pray that he would repent of his unrighteousness and be reconciled with God and man. As far as I know, as I was told, he was also one of the key persons influencing the decision making of the village, even the matter concerning the excommunication of the families who stood for the truth of the Bible. The only thing we could do was and is, pray and pray, and let the righteous God do His work in due time.

When I heard the news I was not surprised. My innate reaction was to pray for him. God in His righteousness and would work in him. This is a wake-up call for him to repent and turn to the Lord and stand for the truth. Immediately, I called another cousin brother who was with me, shared the matter to him, and we both prayed for the Lord to gain him through this situation. Later, I also shared with two more brothers concerning what Abram did when his cousin Lot was captured; he fought for him. In a similar way, we must pray for him, and spiritually fight the battle to rescue him through prayer.

Below is the text message I text to my own younger brother who is in the village and knows the matter well.

We have been praying for all of you; our family, our villagers Keikhu, and the non-believers among the Kabuis. The Lord is secretly and sovereignly working behind the scene, step by step. 

Pray for the salvation and recovery of our brother G******* and his family.

May the Lord use this situation to gain and recovery him for His testimony.

As Abram rescued his brother Lot, we have to spiritually rescue brother G******* in and through our prayer.

You also pray; we are praying everyday as a family for all of you. 

Genesis 14:14-16

And when Abram heard that his brother had been taken captive, he led out his trained men, born in his house, three hundred eighteen of them, and pursued as far as Dan. And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and struck them and pursued them to Hobah, which is north of Damascus. And he brought back all the possessions and also brought back Lot his brother and his possessions as well as the women and the people.

To my understanding of how God works and answers prayer, this is the hand of God. The prayer we have been offering to God for the complete salvation of the whole villagers and also for all the unbelievers among our tribe, the Zeliangrong, especially the Rongmeis of the valley, have been answered one by one, step by step. We will continue to pray and fight the spiritual battle until God's desire is wholly accomplished.

God save Keikhu and the Rongmeis!  

Being a Witness

Acts 1:8But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be My witnesses… unto the uttermost part of the earth.
26:16 …I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a minister and a witness both of the things in which you have seen Me and of the things in which I will appear to you.

This is one thing every genuine believer must do: Witnessing. This has also been my prayer that the Lord would grace me to be His witness wherever He leads me: To the believers, witnessing the all-inclusive Christ in His subjectivity as I enjoy and experience Him; to the unbelievers, witnessing His resurrection and ascension unto their salvation. 

Yesterday, right after the blending and training of the brothers, I had a marathon meeting with three families in a row. In all these meetings, the Lord graced me to be His witness in the things He has shown me and taught me. 

A Brother, My College Teacher 

For over an hour, I was with my ex-teacher and his wife in their home. Our meeting was filled with testimonies of what the Lord has been doing in my life. Point by point, I testified of how the Lord blessed my family in spite of all the attacks from the enemy especially related to my family excommunication due our faith and stand for the truth. I testified of the Lord's blessing my family in our human living, children's education, and His blessings in my literature service. All the fellowship were of being a witness of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

A Meeting with an Uncle's Family 

A very senior uncle and his wife whose home was my first home in Chennai some nineteen years ago when I came to the city for my Master's degree. They considered me as their spiritual child and every time I visited them, we had fellowship on the word of God. This time too, he asked me to minister the word. I fellowshipped on "The Nazarite Vow"  from Numbers 6. 

The Lord Jesus Christ is the only Nazarite who was absolutely sanctified and separated to God. Such a vow includes abstaining from the worldly entertainment and earthly pleasure, submitting to authority, overcoming spiritual death, and separating from natural affection. The only way one can be such a Nazarite is by being one with the Lord, by enjoying the richest grace of God and the sweetest love of God.

With this ministry of the word, on his request, I offered a prayer to the Lord concerning the family and his visiting guests. 

A Family Visit 

A distant relative whose family has been settling in Chennai for many years has invited me for a dinner. It was the first time I am meeting his family and his four children. My burden was simply to visit them and increase our bond. It was only because of his query that I had to speak the truth on Christ and the church. His questions paved the way for me to speak biblical truths. I had gifted him three ministry books: The Economy of God, The Basic Revelation in the Holy Scriptures, and The Orthodoxy of the Church. My burden was that the Lord would grace them to see His heart's desire one day through the ministry of the word. We then had dinner together and I left. 

These were the marathon meetings I had after the training. I was glad that I could meet all these families as the Lord burdened me. To all these families visits, the Lord graced me to be a witness wherever He led me. 

Brothers Blending

Two days were sanctified for the coming together of the responsible brothers of all the churches in India to fellowship and blend with brother Ron Kangas. Due to visa related issue brother Ron Kangas could not make it to India this time, though we still could fellowship with him on video conference for an hour's session over Skype. Nevertheless, the brothers' coming together was not hindered. We still met and fellowshipped together and entered into four selected messages from the Crystallization-study of Numbers. It was a wonderful time of blending. 

Thirty years have elapsed since the first church in India was raised up. Thirty years after, the Lord has blessed His testimony in India abundantly. I am blessed to be graced to be a part of the Lord’s move and blessing in India, so are with all the saints in India. The constitution in the being of the brothers have been much strengthened throughout the years. The supply from the Body in the form of trainings, perfecting, fellowships, visitations, blending, etc., have helped us, the saints in India, a lot. For this, I worship the Lord. The Head, Christ, shepherds His Body through His Body!

As we brothers were being gathered together, we enjoyed the Lord's shepherding through His speaking. All the brothers were and are one. The oneness among us has been perfected throughout the years. This oneness is of no man's creation, it was and is the Triune God dispensing His rich life into each one of us in the ministry of the word through the ministers of the word in this age. We are arriving at the oneness which the Lord had prayed for in John 17, and sooner we would be graced to have been fully arrived. O, how I long and pray for that day!

The brothers bearing responsibility in various different functions in the Body for the one Body have also grown much more. Fifteen years I have been graced to enjoy the church life in India. All these years, I have seen the Lord, the Captain of the "ship" in India, sailing through storms, thunders, lightnings, and perhaps, a couple of Tsunamis. Dangerous rocks and icebergs on the path of the voyage, with some deadly sharks squeaking and sneaking threatening an attack to our voyage, yet all to no avail. Our Captain has sailed us through all thick and thin, rain and shine, day and night, safely to the shore. Now we are in the land, conquering the goodland for the building of His dwelling place. 

The past two days, last weekend, I could testify as an eye witness, of the glorious blending and oneness among the saints in India. We have been gradually brought into the oneness we have been learning and pursuing for, for years. As we gathered together, the deep feeling within me was, as described in: 

Psalms 133Behold, how good and how pleasant it is / For brothers to dwell in unity! It is like the fine oil upon the head / That ran down upon the beard, / Upon Aaron’s beard, / That ran down upon the hem of his garments; Like the dew of Hermon / That came down upon the mountains of Zion. / For there Jehovah commanded the blessing: / Life forever.  

Praise the Lord for brothers' blending! Praise the Lord for the oneness of Body of Christ being manifested in India! Praise the Lord for His testimony through His recovery in India! 

God's Provision of Shelter

Ten years have elapsed since we shifted to the house where we are today. For the past ten years we have lived in this house as a temporary tent dweller not knowing when we would shift out. Shifting is very common as ones living in metro city. In fact, the families of the saints who have lived in the same house have all shifted out to different places. For the past decade, and till now, we are the only family staying in this same house steadfastly. 

Though the construction of the house is old and many minors cracks and repairing works need to be done, we simply accept the house as it is. Our goal is not for a good housing or luxurious living, we are content as long as the Lord's work can be carried out in and through the place where we are living. We also do not bother the house owner though it is his responsibility to repair the wears and tears of the building. We have already accepted and adjusted with the true condition of the house.

One thing I pay attention to is, the Lord's presence. So far, this is the place the Lord has granted for our dwelling. To His provision, we amen the Lord's sovereign arrangement. There are at least three fold benefits in this house: the church meeting can be taken care as our house is used for the children's meeting every Lord's day or whenever there is a meeting in the meeting hall, my official literature work can be easily carried out as the office is just on the ground floor, and my children's schooling are aptly suitable in this house as it is nearby the school itself. Moreover, location wise, all that are needed for our family can be easily accessible. And my children loves the house and would not budge an inch if I ever proposed for a shifting; they all have been emotionally connected with it and loves the house.

Since the beginning of this year, many new things have developed. Renovation and repairing works have been going on. Beginning with the new flooring work in the meeting hall, the renovation of the outside wall, beautiful plants and flowers were purchased for the inside and outside of the house uplifting the look and feel of the house, and cleaning and maintenance works are being done now and then. The house has totally gone into complete transformation. 

Sometimes, I wonder why such renovation works were not done ten years earlier, and how it has been done only after ten long years. Perhaps, the timing has come to upgrade our standard of living, at least for the sake of the new ones the Lord would bring in. Amazingly, the Lord has brought in new ones gradually. 

I believe in the Lord's leading even for our family dwelling. In fact, I did plan to shift to a better house with similar rent at least thrice, but the Lord did not allow me to do so. In fact, one evening I was down on my knees praying for the Lord's leading and provision for a new house. The Lord's instant reply was to stay on until He would lead us to shift. Now, I am glad that the Lord's choice is the best. We are at the receiving end of the Lord's blessings; in my official service, church life, in the Lord's move for the gospel preaching and shepherding, and also for my children's education. This house indeed is our God blessed home sweet home. 

The Lord's choice is the best and His leading is always perfect. Even in the matter of housing, as a family, we experience and enjoy the Lord's blessings.