Shepherding: A Local Brother

A local Gurugram brother was introduced to the church life a few months ago. He and his family had been members of a local independent Pentecostal group. But due to practical differences in their teachings and practices of a Christian life, they were left with no choice but to leave the group they used to attend for a decade and a half. Now that he came into the church life, everything is new. In teaching, in practices, and even in the way we relate to one another as fellow believers. He is observing and learning many new things. And he is happy about it.

The Lord in His sovereignty is recovering His chosen ones, one by one. As long as we stand one with the Lord in bearing His testimonies, the Lord will faithfully bring in His chosen ones. We must be faithful in ministering the healthy teaching of God's new testament economy and earnestly practice the God-ordained way, carrying out timely shepherding with a revived daily living, then the Lord will gain all these new ones and build them up into His Body. 

This brother's coming into the church life is a great encouragement especially when we are so burdened for the local people to be shepherded and build up the church. Though he is relatively new in the church life, he has a considerable experiences with the Lord. He has a burden to bring his whole family to the church life as he now has been enjoying himself.

His family has been deceived by the Jehovah Witnesses with their cultic teachings. But this brother attended their meetings a couple of times and considered their teachings in the light of the Holy Bible. He now has come to discern the orthodox teaching of the Bible and the twisted teachings of the heretic group. When he came to the church the first time and then went to attend the Jehovah Witnesses' meeting, we did not stop him. As the church we prayed for this family steadfastly. The Lord, in His own time and wisdom, revealed the truth to him. He voluntary told them that he was leaving because of the wrong teaching, and left them to come into the church life. 

Now, our responsibility is to continue to shepherd him with the healthy teaching of the word of God that he be reconstituted and be established in the faith to become a pillar and an useful vessel to the Lord. May the Lord grace him and his family for His testimony in Gurugram.

Shepherding: A Brother from UP

A brother was introduced to the church by another brother who used to be colleagues in their work place. This brother came for the first time basically to get to know who we are. In his first meeting itself, the Lord caught him.

I got the opportunity to fellowship with him personally. To my surprise, it turned out that he is the son of a missionary who pioneered the gospel move to a remote village in Uttar Pradesh. Since his childhood he has been fed with the gospel and trained to be "missionary" in his capacity. When he met us and heard the burden for the God-man living with the practice of the God-ordained way, he was overwhelmed. He testified to me that he had been longing for such a fellowship. In fact, he left his hometown and came to Gurugram with the burden that the Lord would use him in the Lord's work. Now that he found the church, he is happy that he could practically begin to fulfill the purpose for which God has brought him to this city Gurugram.

I thought to wait a little while for him to fully enjoy the Lord and the church life until we bring him to coordinate in the church life, he himself requested to be brought into function and fellowship. He even requested for a membership in the church's WhatsApp group which I included him. Certain ones chosen by the Lord have easily been manifested. As for him, he has been prepared by the Lord already. Now, at the right time, the Lord has brought him in. 

May the Lord continue to shepherd him to enjoy the Lord's speaking and also make him become a remaining fruit, and a fruitfull member in the Body.

Shepherding: A Brother from Jammu

Two years ago we met a brother in our distribution trip to Jammu who had helped us in meeting a good number of Christian workers. This brother gave us hospitality for a week. In fact, his house became our center for distribution though it was in the village. He also happened to be the first and only Christian family in the entire village.

Two years later, his elder son got a job in Gurugram. He called me to contact his son and also spiritually take care of him, which I gladly did. Now, I have been in contact with his son and his son has started coming for the Lord's table meeting and other meetings of the church.

This brother from Jammu is the first one to come into the church life from his community. He has a burden to preach the gospel among the youth as he himself is one of them who are young working ones with money and good job living far away from home. The young generation are totally independent from their parents and most of them live a care free life. In fact, most of them are in the verge of moral decline and godlessness. For such youths, there is a need for the gospel preaching and shepherding. This brother has such a burden though he himself is in the midst of modern day urban culture. 

My first meeting with him was inviting him for a lovefeast dinner at my home. He was so happy and shepherded that he felt home once again, home far away from home. Though he has been busy the whole day throughout the week, we will do our best to meet up on weekends and make sure he has received the shepherding he needed.

May the Lord grace him to enjoy the Lord and the church life, and become functioning and useful members of the Body .

Flow of Life: A Unique Brother

The year was 2003. I was about to graduate from my master's degree in Computer Science. It was the time I was deeply and seriously praying and seeking the will of the Lord as to what I should do in my life. I had learned the lesson of doing God's will in the major things of my life at least, if not in all things.  And that's what led me to seriously pray and follow the Lord's leading.

Therefore, I would not succumb to the temptation of catching every opportunity that came my way. Be it job or further academic pursuit, I was determined to find out the will of the Lord and do just that. Coincidentally, it was the year and period in which I was becoming clear about the Lord's work in His recovery. Two marvelous things happened simultaneously: a decision of my career for a life time and a decision of taking the stand for God and His eternal purpose. It was at that juncture, the Lord brought a brother into my life to show me the way further.

This brother is not as gifted as many others in function nor in capacity, but the Lord blessed him with a sharp discernment of my actual inward condition and used him to shepherd me at the right time. His voluntary service in having a home meeting with him on the book, A Genuine Ground of Oneness, completely turned me into my practical fellowship with the saints in the church in Chennai. That was the beginning of my practical coming into the Lord's recovery.

It was also the time in which I received the Lord's call to serve Him full time and for which I needed a full time training to be trainned and be equipped with the word of God. I simply followed the Lord's leading step by step by faith. And the Lord provided this brother to shepherd me in following the Lord. I had no idea what would follow next. It was a blind faith in the Lord, yet the Lord used His people to shepherd me. This is the brother through whom I had been practically shepherded and he would never be forgotten. 

After 15 years we met again, after I graduated from the full time training, have been married with three children and are serving the Lord full time by His mercy as he came to attend the international training for elders and responsible ones in India. He and his wife visited us for two days. It was a glorious time of meeting and blending after long years. Praise the Lord for such a wonderful brother! 

He still is the same brother who is very unique in function. As usual, he has a genuine care and concern for me. Even as he left after visiting us, he left a note of fellowship encouraging me to pray with my wife at a fixed time, with my coordinator, and also reproduce another Palmei. He also fellowshipped on how to care of the saints of different age groups, working saints, and married couples, and also how to care for the church in my locality.  

Praise the Lord for such a brother! He definitely is a unique and special brother to me. May the Lord continue to bless him richly in his service too.

Flow of Life: In Service

Exodus 33:14-15

And He said, My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest. And he said to Him, If Your presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.

One of the most important things I take care in my service is the presence of God. Without the presence of God, I dare not even imagine doing anything especially, the Lord's service. How can I do the Lord's work without the Lord? It is utter foolishness to even consider qualified to do any service to God without the Lord Himself. I have been learning this lesson and I am still learning. To some degree, I can testify that I have learned this lesson a bit more.

These days, many responsibilities have to be borne. One of the most important ones is the coordination in caring for the international training that was conducted in India for the elders and responsible ones all over the earth. My main function was to sign all the formal documents, agreements, and also receive payments for all expenses and pay them as well. I have never handled such magnanimous service ever in my life. Neither was I ever troubled or worried about this responsibility. Some how, the Lord graced me to take it and carry it out step by step at ease. I could experience the Lord's presence in all the responsibilities. Though the task seemed huge but the Lord's hand led me and all of us through with ease.

One thing I learned, it was not me nor the brothers who laboured, but the Lord who bore all the responsibilities on our behalf. We simply learned to coordinate with one another and with the Lord most importantly. At least, this is my observation and my experience.

Where the presence of the Lord is, there the flow of life is. Once the first condition is met, all the rest is grace.

Now that the international training is over, as the Lord answered the Body's prayer, all responsibilities have been carried out. In all these the Lord's presence was bountifully enjoyed. As for me, it was a rest and enjoyment. I did not go though any tension or anxiety. Though I prepared myself for any untoward incident to happen and in fact, geared myself up for the worst, the Lord gave us the best. The credit goes to God who is over all and in all. Praise the Lord!

In the presence of God is the flow of life. In the flow of life every service is grace. And under God's grace all is enjoyment with praises and thanks. Hallelujah! 

Flow of Life: Blending in and with the Body

1 Corinthians 12:24But our comely members have no need. But God has blended the body together, giving more abundant honor to the member that lacked. 

Our God is a flowing Triune God. He flows from the Head to the Body. In His flow the members of the Body are being blended together. Our church life is the enjoyment of the flow of the divine life in and through the members of the Body.

Being geographically located in the heart of India neighbouring the capital city New Delhi, our local church has been at the receiving end of all the benefits from the Body, especially when the saints travels and visits India. Team after team, saints came to visit us and we enjoyed blending with them. 

Recently we have enjoyed the blending with the saints from Taiwan, Indonesia, USA, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and others. From our side it was a time of feasting spiritually and physically. For we enjoyed fellowshipping and sharing our enjoyment of Christ with one another, and we also feasted together partaking of the lovefeast prepared by the saints. I guess the cooking team was the most who laboured and also enjoyed. For, in cooking for the lovefeast meal, the saints get to coordinate and blend with one another. Such opportunity would not have happened if it were not for the visiting saints from abroad. Therefore, we always grasp the opportunity to blend with the saints in all possible ways.

Our talk of the church life will only be doctrinal if we really did not blend with one another practically by visiting one another. The letter to the church in Rome by the apostle Paul in chapter 16 is an orthodox proof of the care and concern for the saints. It also portrays the blending life among the saints at least through the epistles. For such a wonderful church life and blending in the Body, I can only echo brother Paul's final word to the church in Rome.

Romans 16:27To the only wise God through Jesus Christ, to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. 

Flow of Life: An Elderly Brother

Leviticus 19:32  You shall rise up before the grayheaded and honor the face of the old man. And you shall fear your God; I am Jehovah.

This was the Lord's speaking concerning my burden to fellowship with a senior and elderly brother whom the Lord used as a pioneer for the ministry of the word to be brought to India and it was also through him the Lord's recovery in India has its beginning. He is one such faithful brother who has been serving since the very beginning of the literature service in India till date. He surely deserves the honor and respect, in the principle of incarnation.  Especially for me, I sincerely respect and honor him. My principle is simple, honor to whom honor is due and respect to whom respect is due. So, whenever I got the opportunity, I would visit him and fellowship with him.

As a part of my official trip, I went to visit this brother and his wife at Kochi. For one night and one day, I fellowshipped with him on the literature service. My responsibility was to listen to him and learn whatever needs to be learned from such an experienced and elderly brother. One night I listened to him, his testimony of how he got saved, how the Lord led him to North East India to work, and how the Lord led him to the ministry books, The Orthodoxy of the Chruch and The Glorious Church, which became a seed for the Lord's recovery in India. Thirty years have elapsed since the initiation of the Lord's testimony here. What a blessing to be able to serve and coordinate with such a precious brother!

Besides some official fellowship, I also fellowshipped with them my recent enjoyment of the Lord's speaking. As we fellowship, it just flowed out from my being, and I believe it was the Lord who led me to overflow the riches of the ministry. I shared my enjoyment of three messages, The All-inclusive Christ Being the Allotted Portion of the Saints, according to God’s Choice, as Their Divine Inheritance for Their Enjoyment; The Water for Impurity; and The Vision of the All-sufficient One—the Divine View of God’s People. 

As I started sharing, these messages were the outflow of my enjoyment of the Lord. I had no intention to speak these messages. The Lord knows what was the timely need of the brother and sister. Perhaps, the Lord had a special burden to release. In fact, as I fellowshipped with them I felt strongly the Lord's speaking and flow from deep within. They also enjoyed the flow of life and testified of how timely the Lord's speaking was and how rich the ministry was, and they still are and will ever be. The sister poured forth words of praises and thanks and the brother offered a strong prayer in thanksgiving after the sharing in a way of an overflow of life. We all enjoyed the sweet and wonderful fellowship.

After such a timely and sweet flow of life, my burden was released, and I flew back home. Praise the Lord for the ministry of the age, full of life and life supply!