Comforting One Another

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14But we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are sleeping, that you would not grieve even as also the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so also those who have fallen asleep through Jesus, God will bring with Him. 

1 Thessalonians 4:18Therefore comfort one another with these words.

The father of a family who has been in contact for a decade had a kidney failure two weeks ago and later succumbed to his bodily weakness. I was traveling for the ministry literature distribution then. Only after I was back to Gurgaon I could visit the family. In fact, today we visited the family still in grief of the lost of their father.

Though we were ready to handle the burial and funeral service of the brother even when I travelled as I was about to I form the brothers for the same. Yet we were not fully given the ground to do so. This family being from a Hindu Brahmin background, they had to go along with the rituals after the death of their father, perhaps, due to family pressure. We had no say in the matter whatsoever. Neither were we consulted nor were we given any ground. Neither was the family regular for any church meeting or did they give us regular time to visit them. It was all left to their discretion and decision.

Nevertheless, as Christian brothers we visited them today and comforted them with the comfort of God. The Bible verses quoted above were read together and we enjoyed a sweet time of fellowship together. Though the pain of losing one's dear ones still gripped the entire family, we comforted them with the word of God and prayed for them.

Besides, we also encouraged them to pay heed to themselves who are still alive and that they need not worry about the one who was already gone. As the living ones, we must love the Lord and pursue the Lord, awaiting His return with the hope of being caught alive as Paul exhorted the Thessalonians.

We also gave them the opportunity to have a regular meeting at their house at their own will and time. Every believer is precious in the Lord’s eyes and we will shepherd the family as long as they are open to the Lord's shepherding.

Perhaps, this is the new beginning in their Christian life for the church life. Though they promised to open their home and start coming for the meeting, we look to the Lord for His shepherding. We trust the Lord will shepherd them to be established in the Christian faith and in the present truth to bear the Lord's testimony together as the church here in Gurugram. 

Lord, gain the whole family fully, reconstitute them for Your testimony. 

Shepherding in Shillong: Household Salvation

Acts 16:31And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household.

A few years ago when I visited the church in Shillong, groups of saints in batches came for fellowship. One of the groups, in fact, the first group who came comprised of mostly sisters from the economically lower section of the society and most of them from Gentile backgrounds. 

Our fellowship began with the question, "How many of your family members are not yet saved?" I vividly remember a sister who raised her hand and said she was the only one in her family who was saved. Then, the Lord burdened me to fellowship on claiming the promise of God in Acts 16:31 for household salvation. I fellowshipped with the saints that they pray earnestly for their unsaved family members and claim the promise of God. I gave my own testimony of how the Lord burdened me to pray for my own family salvation when I first got save in 1997, December 31st night. Gradually, the Lord answered my prayer and saved all my family members one by one, the last one being my father, after thirteen years of prayer.

I also encouraged the saints to exercise their faith and pray until the Lord fully answered all their prayer, especially in their household salvation. The size of the household depends on the faith they have in the Lord. If their faith is their close blood relatives, that's their household. If their faith is stronger, the household could be all their relatives, near and far. Even stronger would be, the entire, clan, tribe, village, town, district, state, and even country. But I encouraged them to go according to the faith apportioned to them by the Lord, and not beyond. But faithfully pray, and pray, and pray.

This time when the Lord led me to visit Shillong again, in one fo the home metings, a sister, by name Lakshmi, testified to me her wonderful experiences of the fellowship I gave a few years ago.

She said, "Brother when you came last time you encouraged us to pray for our family members who are not yet saved. Since then, I started praying for all my family members. The Lord answered my prayer, and now all my family members are saved! Here is one of my sisters who got saved and baptized." As she spoke she pointed to the sister who was saved and was present in the home meeting that night.  Then I told her, "Sister, I only ministered what the Bible says. You believed in the word of God, prayed over the word with faith. Therefore, the Lord honored His word and your faith in His word. And the Lord saved your family. Glory be to Him!" I was overjoyed to hear such a testimony! Praise the Lord! 

She further said, "Brother, you told us to read the Bible every day and even eat the word. You told us to pray-read the word of God. I did not understand and I did not know how to pray-read. I tried and tired and tired. Finally, I touched the spirit in the word. And now, I am enjoying the word of God by reading it." I simply replied, "Praise the Lord! This is what the ministry taught us, the way to enjoy the word."

When I spoke those words a few years ago, I did not prepare to speak them. As we fellowshipped, the words just came out. I simply followed the Lord's anointing within me and ministered the word of life as the Spirit led so. Now, I could see the result of faithfully ministering the word, most of the time, not knowing why. It was all the instant speaking of the Lord through His word.

May the Lord bless this sister and her testimony for many more household salvation!

Shepherding in Shillong: A Seeking Sister Student

We were at a school cafe in Nongstoin introducing the ministry books to a Pastor who serves there. It was about lunchtime when students came and ate their lunch at the same cafe we were in. As we were introducing the ministry books, a seeking sister student overheard our words. After she ate her lunch, she came and inquired if we were Christians. We replied with joy in the affirmative and introduced the ministry books to her as well. To our surprise, her countenance was such of a very hungry seeking sister, waiting to devour spiritual food we were to serve. Her very visage captured my attention.

I wasted no time but introduced the New Testament Recovery Version, explaining to her how good the translation and footnotes are. Her innate response was, "Sir, I want this Bible. How much does it cost?" I was so joyful to hear that and wanted to gift her as a gift. But she insisted that she would pay for it and that she had only Rs.200 though the Bible cost Rs.500. She then went to get the money she had and paid for the Bible. I also gifted her, Shepherding Materials, in addition to the free Rhema books she received.

Later, she testified that that day she was about to take leave from school. But something within her being drew her to come to school that day. Though she didn't know the reason then, after we met, she realized that it was for this purpose. Besides, she is also a key member of the student's fellowship. Though we could not meet the student Christian group, she became a channel to pass on the free books to all the students.

She testified to us that she lost her father at a young age and her mother is jobless too, now taking care of the household needs. Her uncle is the one supporting her education with a couple of her siblings. Even with such an economical background, she insisted on paying for the Bible even when I offer to gift her was such a testimony. In addition, after she received all the books, mostly for free, she felt she should pay for it if she could. I interrupted her and asked her what she would like to become in life. She replied, "A medical doctor." Then, I replied back, "When God bless you to become a famous medical doctor, you can support the literature ministry. As for now, enjoy the ministry books."

In fact, we had no plan to visit Nongstoin. We came here because of the proposal of our local brothers. We were open to the Lord's leading through the members of the Body. We simply obeyed the Lord's leading. And this was just one of the results of following the Lord's leading step by step.

Besides this sister, there was also another seeking brother who placed an order for the entire set of books in English. It was to feed the Lord's chosen ones in Nongstoin that the Lord took us all the way, about three hours' drive from Shillong, through beautiful landscapes and hours of breath of free fresh air.

Lord, bless Your seekers in Nongstoin and raise up Your testimony!

Shepherding in Shillong: Brothers' Testimonies

Four local brothers from the church in Shillong, two from the Khasi speaking meeting and the other two from the Hindi speaking meeting accompanied us in our literature journey in Meghalaya. We traveled along with these brothers to Jowai, Shillong, and Nongstoin. As we journeyed together in a car, we also enjoyed a wonderful time of fellowship, listening to their testimonies, and also ministering the truths and sharing some common practices of the local churches. These are key functioning brothers who are leading the saints practically.

The Ministry Books

Almost fifteen years ago, a brother received the ministry books from a Pastor who was initially opened to the ministry and later turned negative. This Pastor received the ministry books and gave them over to our brother when he shifted from Shillong to Nepal. These books were instrumental in opening the eyes of our brother to see the all-inclusive Christ and also the local church. The books he received were: The All-Inclusive Christ, The Economy of God, The Basic Revelation in the Holy Scriptures, and others. Through these books, he saw something of the church and he even started preaching the truths he enjoyed. Later, through a brother, he was introduced to the church in Shillong. Now he and another brother are pursuing the life-studies online on a daily basis.

Almost seven years ago, another brother received the seven Rhema books. He had been a theologian and a Pastor. In his thirst for the truth, he would read spiritual books and devour them over and over again. When he read the ministry books, he continuously read them over and over again at least five times. He was overwhelmed with the high peak truth on Christ and the church. The books he initially read were: A Basic Element of the Christian Life 1,2,3, the All-Inclusive Christ, The Economy of God, The Knowledge of Life, and The Glorious Church. 

His testimony on calling upon the name of the Lord is superb! The moment he read about calling upon the Lord, he would go up to a mountain near his home every day, for about one to two hours, just to call out loud, the name of the Lord, O Lord Jesus! This he had been doing for about three and a half years, every day despite the weather. If it was cold he would wear warm jacket, if it was raining he would take umbrella. He loved to call upon the Lord's name. The result he testified was amazing: He became very joyful! Before the exercise of calling upon the Lord's name, he was a moody, sad, and serious Christian. After he released his spirit and touched the Lord in spirit by calling upon the Lord's name, he then has been a joyful brother. His whole being changed! His attitude towards people changed! Despite being poor materially, he has been so happy and joyful. O what a testimony! I was so impressed and also so happy to hear such a testimony!

I truly praise and worship the Lord for all His marvelous and mysterious works on these brothers. Now they are becoming pillars for the church in Shillong and are instrumental in shepherding the saints in the local churches all over Meghalaya! What a blessing to have heard from these dear brothers enjoying the ministry practically! What a blessing to be able to travel with them for the distribution of the very ministry books they have been enjoying!

The ministry of the word is for all and is a great blessing to the children of God! I have been so much encouraged by these testimonies and I feel even more blessed that I am serving in the distribution of these wonderful ministry books!

Praise the Lord!

Shepherding in Shillong: Brothers' Fellowship

On the 8th of December, the Lord's day afternoon, the leading brothers of the church in Shillong came together for fellowship. Initially, a brother and I thought of fellowshipping on the truth concerning oneness as desired by the Lord in the Bible as expounded in the book, The Genuine Ground of Oneness. But as we gathered together and started the fellowship, the Lord's leading was to speak on the more urgent need, I believe, as the Lord sees it for the church. The burden on truth constitution was released.

Constitution

For about three hours, we enjoyed the flow of life through the ministry of the word. We ministered from the life of the children of God, how the Lord led them out of Egypt into the wilderness and fed them with just manna and manna only for forty long years with the main goal of reconstituting them. Using this analogy, we fellowshipped at length on the urgency for the saints to be reconstituted with the up-to-date speaking of the Lord in His recovery. For the practical constitution, we introduced the Holy Word for Morning Revival and encouraged the brothers to try it first and then introduce to the saints. To avoid misunderstanding, we also clarified the distinction between the publication work and the local churches.  The publication works are for the feeding and shepherding of the saints in the local churches.

For the constitution of the saints, we also encouraged the brothers to pursue the ministry books, especially the Holy Bible, Recovery Version, and also some crucial ministry books. The ministry books are meant to help enjoy and understand the word of God and not to replace the Bible.

For this, I also encouraged two brothers to take care of the ministry books; one for Hindi for which I gave one entire set of Hindi books, and one for English for which I left two books of the ministry books by brother Watchman Nee and Witness Lee.

Fellowship, Blending, and Building

We also fellowship the need for the saints in the local church to be blended as one though there may be different language speaking meetings. Here in Shillong, they have Khasi speaking and Hindi speaking meetings. The two meetings should just be one church under one administration within the same local church. 

We also encouraged the church to blend with nearby local churches in North East India. If possible, they may also blend with churches in different parts of India and abroad. We released our burden to help the brothers see the vision and need for fellowship, blending, and building up of the Body of Christ in oneness. 

Prayer

After a sweet time of fellowship, we brothers prayed together and committed ourselves, the saints, and the church to the Lord.

The brothers in Shillong also are in fellowship with at least 15 other local churches all over Meghalaya. May the Lord shepherd and recover all of them!

May the Lord bless the church in Shillong! 

Shepherding in Shillong: An Officer's Family

A high ranking officer, an IRS, who also is my distant relative was just posted to Shillong. One Lord's day afternoon we visited them for a short while fellowship. The time spent with the family was very encouraging. 

I have met this family about a decade ago the first time when my own elder sister invited me to attend a Baptist congregation in Imphal where I shared on "Christ as Life" when I was given the time. It was after that message that the wife of this officer invited me to their home for lunch. Since then, our relationship in Christ continued, though not frequent.

As I visited them this time, I was very glad, at the same time very surprised at their countenance and their reaction to our visit as Christian brothers. I could easily sense that they have grown so much in the Lord; their love for the Lord has grown so much. Listening to their testimonies of loving the Lord and their effort to serve the Lord in whatever way they could was such a joy to my ear. In fact, I have so much burden for them and have been praying for them in my family prayer. I could literally see the answer to my prayer.

The brother testified of me that I have been very blessed as I have been serving the Lord and he, just a servant of the government of India, despite being a very reputed high ranking job. He confessed he is just a government servant and I am the servant of God. Though I take no pride in what the Lord blessed me with, I am glad that he could see and realize the value of God and serving Him. Not many high officers have this view. I even questioned him if he would allow his own son to serve God. To my surprise again, he replied that if the Lord so wills, that would be his first choice. In fact, he testified that he left it to the Lord even as his own father gave him the choice of serving the Lord when he was young.

I released my burden on the one new man and the need for all Christians to see the vision of the one new man and be blended and built up as one. He appreciated the truth we have been proclaiming and I hope that one day the Lord would shepherd him fully for His testimony wherever he is. 

I gifted him, The Orthodoxy of the Church, and Shepherding Materials to his daughter.

After enjoying a time of prayer together, we took leave. May the Lord continue to work in my brother's family and fully shepherd them. 

Shepherding in Shillong: A Family

One evening in Shillong a brother and sister invited us for fellowship and for love-feast. It was a surprise to me as this family has been through tough times, as far as I know. The way the Lord shepherded them into the church is also through the shepherding of a brother who shepherded them in times of hardship especially when they lost their daughter prematurely and unexpectedly years ago.

In my previous visits, one time with a couple from the USA, they had a doubt about the teaching of the outer darkness. We did our best to reply to them, hopefully, the answer would satisfy them. The other time, they came with questions which to me were a repetition of some opposers' attack on the Lord's recovery available online. To my knowledge, we did our best to address their questions. Though the fellowship did not end on a satisfactory note, I was not disturbed at all. To me, they are my brother and sister, and they have the right to question any teaching and practice of the church-life. Though they may not be clear of all teachings and practices then, they are still precious members of the Body of Christ and my fellow brother and sister in Christ. I trust the Lord will continue to shepherd them and fully recover them and make them pillars for His testimony.

Later, I was told that this couple was not in good terms with one of the brothers entering politics. Immediately, I texted them to encourage them in the Lord and even, if possible, visit other local churches within India and also abroad to have a better view and experience of the practical church life. I requested them that I would text them ministry messages on a regular basis and continue only if they read and reply back. I did that in a way of shepherding for quite some time until I was requested to join the church WhatsApp group where I could post messages regularly for all the saints including them.

Last month they had been to China for their daughter's medical college when the sister contacted me for the saint's contact detail. Through fellowship, I did my best to contact the saints in China. A sister from the local church visited them at their hotel and invited them for the Lord's Table Meeting and fellowship in the local church there. I believe the Lord had used that as a channel for them to see and taste the church life practically. Perhaps, that too was their first contact with a local church outside their locality.

After passing through all these, I was glad to hear that they have been recovered back to the fellowship of the church there. I was glad to fellowship with them in their home and their invitation came as a surprise to me. May the Lord continue to bless my brother and sister.

With much burden for the family, I gifted them The Vision of the Age and Lessons on Prayer.

Praise the Lord for His faithfulness in shepherding the saints and the church in Shillong!