Bible Reading and Truth Pursuing

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16 

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to God. 2 Timothy 3:16

The year 2020 blessed me with a new beginning on my Bible reading and pursuing of the truths. Every year I have been graced to read the Bible daily and I encouraged the saints in the church to do the same. Last year, 2019, many in the church in my locality could read through the Bible at least once, and some of them did it for the first time in their life. I was enthralled to witness the joy of the saints reading the Bible and the special joy of an accomplishment in reading it through in a year. For 2020 too, I designed a reading schedule and encouraged the saints to read through it again. 

This Bible reading habit has even affected my children. My son and daughet are planning to read through the Bible this year. Especially my son decided to compete with me in reading the Bible. In fact, he has started of by reading as many chapters as he could. Though I know my children will not understand what they have been reading now, but my burden was to inculcate in them the habit of Bible reading. Now myself am encouraged by my son who tried to compete with me in reading the Bible. He has decided to read through the Bible three times this year. I calculated carefully again and I discovered that if I could spend at least an hour every day reading the Bible, I actually could complete reading the Bible three times in a year. Therefore, I am reading in this manner of completing it thrice this year. This practice made me very strict with my time. I could not waste any time; every free time I get, I use it for reading the Bible. I reckon this as a blessing. 

In the truth pursuing as well, this year the first burden is on pursuing the Life-study of Deuteronomy. As a church, we decided to read through the Life-study before we entered into the video training. As such I personally took this opportunity to pursue the Life-study on Deuteronomy of thirty messages with listening through the radio programs of twenty five messages and the entire book. This burden encouraged me to redeem my time all the more and pursue the truth by all means, either by reading or listening. I have also imparted the same burden to the saints and some saints are doing the same. May the Lord grace us to enjoy His word, pursue them, and be constitued with the truths.

May the word of Christ dwell in us richly that we may be complete and be fully equipped for every good work!

A Day at Bokaro

The opening of Your words gives light, imparting understanding to the simple. Psalms 119:130

After the ministry of the word distribution at Bokaro, I had one whole day preplanned to meet some Christian leaders for the introduction of the ministry books. But I had no idea whom to meet and who would take me around. I only planned for a day and left the rest to the Lord.

It was last Monday, after all the distribution, I fellowshipped with the local brother who helped us to take me around to meet the Christian leaders. Then, he himself decided to take me around by his bike to meet some Pastors. Through one of the seeking contacts, an appointment was made with one Christian leader. The meeting with this brother was amazing.

A Pastor who was saved from a Hindu background, very highly educated, an engineer from one of the prestigious engineering colleges in Delhi, and who got saved through one of his college friends from the North East. He is currently one of the GMs of Bokaro Steel Plant. He used to be meeting with a Pentecostal group until he deiced to start his own Christian group which grew since its very inception and rose to be one of the largest independent Christian groups in Bokaro. 

As I introduced the ministry books one by one, our fellowship became sweeter and deeper, and in between, he interjected to echo the same burden I presented from the ministry. He testified of the importance of the ministry of the word and the way the Lord led him from one stage to another stage. Last year the Lord first led him to minister on the Anointing and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, then on the Holy Spirit, and then on the revelation of the word of God. Since the Lord's leading at present was on the word of God, he testified that our meeting was very timely and the ministry books we distributed were very rich in revelation and filled with truths. Thus far, among all the Christian leaders that I have met for the past decade, he is one of the most genuine seekers of the truth with a very specific leading from the Lord, and yet a working one with a high post job and serving the Lord as pastor. I personally am very impressed by his testimony. May the Lord bless him with the riches of the ministry of the word.

Our fellowship continued over a love-feast meal when I shared my testimony of salvation, family salvation, and how the Lord led me in my life, in serving full-time, and in marriage. The brother was so supplied through the fellowship. I believe the Lord made us meet so that he can pursue the truth and take a stand for the truth one day. May the Lord continue to speak to him and grant him the revelation of the word of God for his testimony in Bokaro.

After the fellowship, another brother who meets with this brother took me to see the 10 acres of land they purchased for the ministry they are involved in. I had no idea why I need to see the land and pray there in the land. Anyway, since the brother wanted me to do so, I obliged to it. Perhaps, the Lord must have his own plan for the future.

Overall, I was so impressed by the way the Lord led me to meet all these seekers and lovers of the Lord in Bokaro. I truly believe the Lord is gaining North India for his testimony, and He is gathering His chosen ones for the ministry of the building up of the Body of Christ.

The Ministry of the Word Literature Journey to Bokaro

The four days in Bokaro city was initiated due to a big Christian meeting called Prayer Festival of the Jesus Calls. We attended such a meeting for displaying the ministry books. Such meetings are crucial to introduce the ministry books to thousands of seeking believers who thronged the meeting. This time, the attendance ranged from about 10,000 on the first day to 30,000 on the final day. Though majority of the attendants were seeking for healing and some miraculous blessings, there were also a minority group of believers who sincerely sought for the truth of the word of God. For this small group of seekers, it was worth the price we paid to come to attend this meeting.

Initially we had no one who could help us in this city, not even an address to send the ministry books first, as all the contacts at hand turned down the request for help. But as a brother was googling online for "church in Bokaro," a name and a phone number was listed. On contacting that number, the brother surprisingly was very cooperative and took all the pain to receive the books and made arrangement for us in the city.

This brother has become a key contact and helper to make all the practical arrangements for our distribution. His testimony too was very impressive. He was saved while contemplating suicide due to his kidney and liver problem which cost his family their ancestral property and many other expenses. But all the pains and troubles led him to the Lord and now he is serving the Lord according to his capacity. On the Lord's day, he invited us for a breakfast at his home, then to the Lord's day meeting at his home too where he requested me to minister the word. Looking at the believers, the Lord burdened me to share on three burdens:

Loving God

And now, O Israel, what does Jehovah your God ask of you except that you fear Jehovah your God so that you would walk in all His ways and love Him and serve Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul; Deuteronomy 10:12

As I ministered the word on loving the Lord, I also shared how the Lord attracted and charmed me with His love that caused me to love Him and consecrate my life to Him. Then, I gave an example from Matthew 26:6-13 of loving the Lord and pouring out the best and all that we have to the Lord who is worthy of such noble deed from His lovers.

Loving God's Word

As one who loves the Lord, he will also love His word. Reading the Bible is not a thing of duty but a thing of beauty to enjoy our beloved's words of love. Using the gospel of John, chapter 6, I expounded that the word of God is the bread of life who is the Lord Himself good for food as the reality of the ancient Manna. Then I encouraged all the saints to read the Bible everyday, even to read through the Bible at least once a year.

Believing and Claiming God's Word

In my fellowship with them I also discovered that all of the saints present there have unsaved family members. Therefore, I fellowshipped with them on believing and claiming the Lord's word in Acts 16:31.

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

Dhanbad
I also planned to visit a nearby city Dhanbad, but due to the upcoming propagation in my locality I had to cut short my trip by omitting Dhanbad. But during the exhibition, the Lord brought a seeking brother who is also an Asst. Professor in Dhanbad. When I introduced the Recovery Version to him he was so impressed and purchased a copy right away. Besides, he was very attracted by the truths presented in the ministry books which he purchased them. The following two evenings he also brought his friends and sister to come and purchase the Bible and books. He became a key contact in Dhanbad.

Besides, some seekers from Rourkela, Odisha and Kolkatta, West Bengal were also gained through the ministry books exhibition. Praise the Lord for His move in Jharkahnd and other parts of North India!  

The Ministry of the Word Literature Journey to Ranchi

A brother who has been working in Bokaro has been so burdened for the raising up of the Lord's testimony in the city. He has done his bit by contacting different Christian groups and identifying the seekers. It was through his invitation last year that a plan was made to visit him alongside our distribution trip nearby his city. Out of his own burden he hosted us in his house and took us around to meet some of the people he had already marked out.

A Pastor who was also from a Brahmin background was so interested as we introduced the ministry books. Out of his hunger and thirst he asked questions which opened the door for our fellowship. Book by book, we introduced the ministry books, and every book we introduced he requested them for purchase. He was so happy that we met him as he was seriously seeking the truth. 

Another Pastor was also so impressed when we fellowshipped on a note from the gospel of Luke from the Recovery Version. With that as an opening, we introduced a couple of other books which attracted him. After the introduction, he placed order to purchase all the books we have selected and grouped them in sets, both by Watchman Nee and Witness Lee in English,  and 15 titles of Hindi books, with the Holy Bible, Recovery Version.

Fishermen Bible Study

We were invited to minister the word to a group of seekers who meets weekly as "Fishermen Bible Study" group. We ministered the truth concerning the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ and the need for growth in life by breathing, drinking, and eating the Lord through the word. Since some young students were present, I was personally asked to share on my testimony which I did willingly and encouraged all the young people to love the Lord and pursue Him in the word.

Another group meeting was arranged with the house owner and his family at our host's home. As we began the meeting with singing a hymn on the experience of Christ, the burden within was to minster a basic truth to help them touch and experience the Lord by breathing, drinking, and eating the Lord. 

Another informal meeting with a Pastor and a brother was also arranged where I was asked to expound on the church as revealed in the Bible. I spend over an hour's time to use relevant scripture verses to give a clear picture of Christ and the church. I also had an open and frank fellowship with a brother who is living separately from his wife due to differences in lifestyle, opinion, and belief. Overall, the Lord blessed the visit to Ranchi. 

In my understanding, there are five family that have been contacted regularly. May the Lord raise up the church in Ranchi soon! 

Life Lessons: Missed Train

On the 20th January I was to board a train from Delhi to Ranchi for the first ministry of the word literature journey for the year. Peacefully I was preparing for the trip but I could not accomplish a very important official task of preparing and submitting office budget for the year 2020. For some reasons or the other, the different serving ones could not submit their work report and plan on time so I could not compile together the final budget. My plan B was to take a laptop in my trip and finalise the budget while on the tour. So I made all preparation ready for the journey.

I stared from home well on time, but the cab I booked took me on a round about way besides the traffic snarl due to the Republic Day celebration in the capital city in a week's time. When I finally reached the train station, Hazrat Nizammudin, I could not find my train number displayed on the board. As I rechecked my ticket, I discovered to my surprise that my train would depart from another station nearby, New Delhi station. I just had 30 minutes then, to catch the train at the other station. An auto driver agreed to drive me within the time available. He did his best to drive as fast as he could except that he could not jump the traffic light nor could he drive through the heavy traffic due to re-routing of traffic for the upcoming national event at the national capital. Finally, when I arrived at the train station, the train had left as I was late by 15 minutes. I had not choice but to return back home and book a flight ticket for the next day.

This incident was quite enlightening in at least two aspects. Firstly, I got to be careful and clear about my travel plan in timing and stations as there are about five stations in New Delhi itself. Secondly, I cannot keep it on hold an important office task and I must not take the risk of doing such an important task with some other tasks while on a tour. I believe that for these two reasons the Lord interfered in my schedule and set me right.

With the new itinerary, I could very well and wonderfully compiled and submitted the office budget for 2020, and at the same time I could still accomplish the literature tour on time as I took a flight the next day afternoon itself. The time that would have been spent on the train was now saved just by taking a flight of less 2 hours journey which otherwise would be about 17 hours. Even in this missed train, the Lord worked out the best for me. What a lesson! The Lord is sovereign in all things seen and unseen.

Prophesying Indeed!

It was on the 12th January, Lord's Day, that I prophesied in the prophesying meeting of the church in Gurugram concerning the need to be constituted with the word of God. It was when I released the burden on "Carrying Out the Stewardship of  God for the One New Man" that the Spirit led me to prophesy concerning a sister who was deciding to go back for job after her short-term training. I followed the Lord's leading within me and called named her out and openly encouraged her to continue her training and complete the two-years full-time training. It came as a shock to her and her mother who was also present at the meeting. In fact, the whole church amen such a word to a young sister who just completed her secular studies. The Lord's speaking was very clear.

Later, after the meeting, the mother came and fellowshipped with me about their real situation that made it difficult for her daughter to continue her training. Her husband just lost his job and they were stuck up with a pending loan to payback for their house construction, and despite trying many alternatives, the only solution seemed to be her daughter to work and support the family's need. So it was the circumstance that stopped her daughter from continuing the training. 

My innate reply and fellowship to the sister was that if her daughter has the heart for the training the Lord will open the way. And I further fellowshipped that if finance was the only issue, in fellowship with the church, her daughter can be supported by the church. But I definitely encouraged a young sister to join the training even as I would with my own daughter. I even gave a testimony of my own younger sister whom I encouraged to join the training after her Master's degree. After the training she got into one of the prestigious universities of India and completed her M.Phil. and PhD, and right after her academic pursuit, she got an Asst. Professor job, got married, and is now a working sister and a mother. The time invested for the full-time training was never a waste. In fact, it was the best "life-time investment!" When our hearts are for the Lord, the Lord will open all the ways. Then, both mother and daughter said they would consider the fellowship I had with them.

The following day, they came and fellowshipped that they would take the way of joining the full-time training. Then all necessary fellowships were done with the local churches involved, the church in Trivandrum and the church in Gurugram, and also with few other brothers and the training center. 

Yesterday, the 29th Jan, this sister came back to join the full-time training. May the Lord grace her to complete the training and be trained and perfected to become useful vessel to the Lord. This experience was indeed a prophesying.

Pathway of Truth

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalms 119:105

The word of God is my path and it shall ever be. The word in its written form which has been interpreted through the ministry of the word has been my path since the time the Lord saved me. His words have been leading, guiding, instructing, and feeding me all this while. Through His words I have been trained and being perfected day by day. 

Last night I had a dream which seemed mysterious initially but as I considered carefully, I understood the meaning and thanked the Lord for His revelation. In the dream, there was a long and difficult path that I and other brothers have been traversing. Though the path seems long, rough, and dangerous with its many steep slopes, the pathway perfectly leads to a distant destination. On account of traversing frequently, we, the brothers, have been very acquainted with the pathway.

Then I saw in my dream, a huge flood of water like sea waves overflowing the entire landscape. On the top of the sea of cloudy flood and thunderous storm, a group of mysterious looking precious stones hanging in the sky dropped down one by one until nothing was left and the sky became clear. What all remained was just storm and flood of water covering the the pathway I used to tread. Now, the pathway became invisible as it was fully covered by stormy flood.

Then a group of brothers, two of them leading on the front and the others followed by, all of them at peace and sweetly fellowshipping as they walk along the the invisible pathway as they were all sure of the path, though covered by flood. I could vividly identify some of them. Those on the front, one of them, Samson Samuel, and some among them who followed along were Enoch V, Jacob George, Shibin Matthew, Joshua Murali, Benny, and others. They all walked on the pathway, though invisible, without any fear or doubt. As they walked along amidst the stormy flood, it seemed as though they were walking on the sea, for the path they took were solid yet invisible.

As I pondered on the mysterious sight I beheld, I woke up. For a while I wondered what the dream could have been. It took me not much time to understand the interpretation of the dream.

The dream is about the pathway of the truth, the way carved out by the ministry of the word. As one is constituted with the truth, the truth itself becomes the pathway. This pathway is solid and firm. Those who tread in it do so with full assurance, with much joy and peace and rest. No matter what happens, even under stormy situation when the whole world is engulfed by scary thunder and fearful flood, those who know the word of God and walk in it will peacefully pass through difficult situations at difficult times as though walking on the sea.

I was thus comforted and felt blessed that the ministry of the word has been my pathway. I simply must enjoy and follow the ministry. I must even be constituted with the ministry to be my pathway and my way of living. Come what may, the word of the Lord, my pathway, will lead me on and on unto my destination.