Ministry Journey to Bilaspur

A yearly Christian Mela has been conducted in the outskirt of Bilaspur city where Christians come together for meetings and exhibitions. The ministry of the word has found its perfect spot for ministry display in this Mela. A few weeks ago I came to attend this exhibition with five brothers. It was my first time to attend such, and that too for just one day. And in that one day, the Lord has brought a good number of seeking Christians to receive and buy the ministry books.

In the previous exhibition, a group of seeking believers have been discovered who took the stand for the Lord's testimony as "the church in Bilaspur." In between, there were some misunderstand and turmoil among the brothers and there was no follow-up. On our last day in the city, I requested the brother who knew them, to make a call just for a short brotherly visit. In fact, I told them we should pay them a visit just to say "Hello!". They were more than willing to welcome us and waited for us one Saturday evening. 

As we visited them, the Lord gave me a feeling within to speak the truth on the one new man; the creation of the one new man and the reality of the one new man. The fellowship became so sweet and so strong that the key leading brother took down notes and read all the Bible verses we quoted. After the fellowship and prayer, they requested us if we could stay back on the Lord's day to fellowship with them. My feeling deep with us that I should cancel my trip to the next city and stay back to attend the meeting on the Lord's day. I did not decide it by myself, yet I told the brothers that we could possibly stay back, but we would fellowship and let them know later. Then we left.

As we left I was deeply convinced within that I should stay back. As I fellowshipped with the brothers how they felt about some of us staying back to fellowship with them, they all felt good. Meanwhile, I also checked the status of my train ticket for the next city Raipur. It so happened that among all the train tickets, only my ticket was not confirmed. I took that as a sign from the Lord that I needed to stay back. By the way, I cannot legally board the train without a confirmed ticket. That's how the Lord practically led us.

Two brothers and I attended the Lord's day meeting and ministered the word on the one new man and the way to be brought into the practice and reality of the one new man using Colossians on the need for the arbitrating peace of Christ, the indwelling word of Christ, and doing all things in the name of the Lord: 

3:12   Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, inward parts of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, long-suffering; 3:13   Bearing one another and forgiving one another, if anyone should have a complaint against anyone; even as the Lord forgave you, so also should you forgive. 3:14   And over all these things put on love, which is the uniting bond of perfectness. 3:15   And let the peace of Christ arbitrate in your hearts, to which also you were called in one Body; and be thankful. 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. 3:17   And whatever you do in word or in deed, do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

The believers were so shepherded; they took down notes and recorded the ministering of the word. After the meeting, the saints wanted to fellowship more and I shared on the grace of the Lord upon me in leading me to serve the Lord. Then we were invited for a fellowship over lovefeast lunch and then departed for the ext city Raipur.

May the Lord fully recover the church in Raipur into the fellowship, oneness, blending, and building up of the Body of Christ!

Ministry Journey to Raipur

A few years ago, a brother from the city of Raipur came in touch with the ministry books. Since then he had been enjoying the ministry and had actively been teaching the believers under his shepherding care concerning God's economy. He read the book in Hindi and re-translated it into Chattisgarhi. In fact, he did it out of a burden for over a year by visiting the believers, house by house, day by day. And gradually they took the stand for the Lord's testimony. Then we visited the city for fellowship.

During that visit, there was a sister who just came to attend the meeting when we were there. One Lord's day afternoon she fellowshipped about how much she received the life supply through our visitation. She even invited us to visit her family and meet her husband who was a medical doctor working in her home town. Though it was not possible for us to visit them at that time, I felt led by the Lord to gift her some books and also requested her to let her husband study them as well. I even forgot about the matter and what books I gave them. But the Lord worked even through the books and something marvelous came out of these little gifts.

This month, we visited this group of saints in Raipur again. The sister who received the books and also gave the books to her husband, both of them have now become the key family and pillar for the church in Raipur. As we fellowshipped, the brother and sister came and testified about how blessed they were through the books. The ministry books speaks by itself. The sister surprisingly exclaimed, "Brother, you prophetically gave those books that brought us into the church life!" The title books which I gave them were:

The Glorious Church

The Economy of God

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

Now this couple had shifted from their hometown to this city Raipur, got a new job, and are now standing for the Lord's testimony in the city. Our fellowship with them was full of mutual shepherding. Two nights and two days, we spent with the saints, fellowshipping, praying, and ministering the word of God. We taught them how to sing hymns with proper tunes in Hindi, and also answered some of their doubts on the truths. They also came to visit the church in Gurugram and the church in New Delhi. Through the mutual visit and shepherding, the saints were strengthened and brought into the fellowship and oneness of the Body of Christ.

Praise the Lord for the ministry of the word that shepherded the Lord's lovers and seekers to take the stand for the truth. 

Forgiving Debtors

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. Matthew 6:12

Forgiving my debtors in the Lord's prayer became very subjective recently. There are some saints and new ones who borrowed money from meet their urgent needs. Out of a good heart with brotherly love and concern, I lent the money to them. In some cases, it was not even lending, it was money given for a specific purpose but the work was not done, yet the money was not refunded either. In another case, it was a purchase for an urgent need which was done through my account but was never returned back. As I was going through some needs, though the Lord provided it sufficiently, I thought of reclaiming the money owed to me. For a few weeks, I was contemplating and considering the matter of forgiving my debtors. I weighed between forgiving the debts or making them payback in the principle of righteousness, or to simply consider them as a gift or an offering, then the Lord spoke to me with this verse and other verses in the Bible concerning forgiving the needy saints.

The Lord reminded me that He has been providing my needs in abundance. He has faithfully been taking care of all my needs. And I need not ask any of them to pay back their dues to me but leave the matter to them instead. With this fellowship from the Lord, I have decided not to ask any one of them to pay back anymore. In fact, the Lord has been providing all my needs, and that too, much more than what I have given out, I have received in abundance. Therefore the matter is resolved here.

If the Lord blessed me to be on the giving side, that itself is a blessing. Why should I forfeit the blessing by trying to recover what has been owed to me? I better not. With this life lesson, I understood through experience what the Lord has taught us to pray, "And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors."

Moreover, my study of the book of Deuteronomy has all the more strengthened and confirmed the decision I have made in forgiving the debtors.

Deuteronomy 15:6   For Jehovah your God will bless you as He has promised you. And you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow; and you will rule over many nations, but they will not rule over you.

15:7   If among you there is a needy one amidst your brothers within any of your gates in your land, which Jehovah your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart and you shall not close up your hand from your needy brother;

15:8   But you must open your hand to him, and you must lend enough for his need in whatever he lacks.

24:10  When you lend anything to your neighbor, you shall not enter his house in order to take his pledge. 

28:12  Jehovah will open up to you His good treasury, the heavens, to give rain for your land in its season and to bless all your undertakings. And you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow.

What a blessing to be blessed to bless others by lending to the needy saints! Lord, grace and bless me ever to lend and also forgive all my debtors.

Crowd of Cares

Apart from the things which have not been mentioned, there is this: the crowd of cares pressing upon me daily, the anxious concern for all the churches. 2 Corinthians 11:28

Serving the Lord is the most blessed service in the whole universe. To be able to serve the true and living God is even the pure mercy of the Lord. In fact, no one is qualified to serve the Lord. It is God Himself who calls, trains, and qualifies His serving ones to be able to serve Him. I don't call myself as qualified in any way, but by His grace, I am indeed what I am. God showed His mercy upon me and is training me to be able to serve Him. He graces me day by day to serve Him. What a mercy, and what a blessing!

These days, the service the Lord called me for is also becoming more and more subjective and real. The burden He blessed me with is also increasing gradually. Even as He draws me with His love, the burden for shepherding His sheep also increases. Loving Him is proportionate to serving him in shepherding His sheep.

Then when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these? He said to Him, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. He said to him, Feed My lambs. He said to him again a second time, Simon, son of John, do you love Me? He said to Him, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. He said to him, Shepherd My sheep. He said to him the third time, Simon, son of John, do you love Me? Peter was grieved that He said to him the third time, Do you love Me? And he said to Him, Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You. Jesus said to him, Feed My sheep. John 21:15-17

The Crowd of Cares for the Saints

The saints are going through different situations. It has indeed been a joy to have more saints added into the church life. At the same, as they came in, the shepherding on them also is very crucial. The more I get to shepherd them, the more I realize I need the Lord's shepherding. Each saint has their "problems and hardships." Now that they have come into the church life, they need to be shepherded as well. I am glad  I have been graced to bear the burden of shepherding the saints. As a learning serving one, I praise the Lord for the precious lessons of life He has been teaching me in shepherding the saints. A complicated checker work in the pillar of the temple is now what I and the brothers have been experiencing. However complicated the situation may seem to be, the Lord's abundant supply of grace and life will turn the complicated checker works into a beautiful display of the abundance of life.

The Crowd of Cares for the Serving Ones

The serving ones among us also need shepherding. In the Body serving in coordination, some times, our own serving ones are going through a lot of complicated situations too. Family and financial issues are very common among the serving ones too. Such is a case that I have been facing with a serving one. The busy work schedule is another hindrance in the serving ones' enjoyment and function in the church life. This is another common "problem" to take care of. It appears as though al the working saints are going through such a situation. For this, shepherding is greatly needed. And, we brothers have been praying for this earnestly and take measure to handle the situation.

The Crowd of Cares for My Siblings and Relatives

As a brother and a family member too, I also have the burden to shepherd all my relatives. All need shepherding. I feel blessed to be burdened with my family burden too. Though prayers have been offering almost on a daily basis for my family for years altogether now, I am yet to see the full result of the Lord's answer to the prayer. I still keep praying, and as the Lord graces me I also am indirectly shepherding them over the phone. 

As a serving one, the Lord has been gracious enough to bless me with all these burdens for the saints in the church in my locality, the serving ones with whom I am in coordination with, and also my own blood relatives. Gradually, I could understand what the apostle Paul testified in his shepherding the churches: the crowd of cares pressing upon me daily, the anxious concern for all the churches.

For this, I need to spend and I am spending time with the Lord in prayer. All these burdens make prayer life sweeter and enjoyable. I could release with my burden with much feeling to the Lord and experience His prayer in my prayer. Yes, the prayers are seeming for shepherd those in need, but the prayer, first of all, benefited me the most. What a sweet time of prayer with these burdens from the Lord. Answers to these prayers already have been the experience and enjoyment of the prayer itself. Praise the Lord!

"The crowd of cares pressing upon me daily, the anxious concern for all the churches," are, to me, the blessings of shepherding. And with this crowd of cares, I have been enjoying a lot of prayer time with a good number of saints and serving ones, on a daily and weekly basis. Therefore, this crowd of cares is a blessing in disguise.

Ministry of the Word Literature Journey to North India, Chhatisgarh & Odisha

Report: The Ministry of the Word Literature Journey

Raipur and Bilaspur, Chhatisgarh and Khariar-Road, Bagbahara, Kuskela, Titilagarh- Odisha, 5-13 February 2020

And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I find favor. And she said to her, Go, my daughter. So she went. And she came and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened to glean in a portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from Elimelech’s family. Ruth 2:2-3

Gleaning from the Fields

Bilaspur, a city that embraces a yearly "Christian Mela" for years has been our field to glean from. For, a multitude of believers throng this week-long religiously painted exhibition mingled with festive mood. There, the ministry of the word has its perfect display, to the joy of the minute remnant of the lovers and seekers of the Lord. It was through this, that at least two groups of seekers have been contacted and are being shepherded, who, at their own revelation and initiative declared themselves as "the church in Raipur" and "the church in Bilaspur." Therefore, our visit this time was to fellowship and shepherd these remnants, and indeed it was a gleaning from the fields.

"The Church in Bilaspur," Chhattisgarh 

In 2017, a couple of brothers received the ministry books through the Christian Mela, and since then, they have been studying the ministry books. Though they read The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee long before, The All-inclusive Christ, The Economy of God, The Glorious Church, The Breaking of the Outerman and the Release of the Spirit, and few other books have greatly shepherded them. In fact, they took the stand on the local ground of the church and called themselves, “the church in Bilaspur” and are inviting us for more fellowship. 

As we paid a late-night visit to these seeking believers at the leading brother's home one evening, the Lord blessed our fellowship on the one new man so much so that they invited us to meet and fellowship with them on the following Lord's day. Though it was not in our plan, we fellowshipped and decided that two brothers stay back to heed to their request and the rest proceed to the next city, Raipur, as planned. 

On the Lord's, we enjoyed a sweet time of fellowship and a rich ministry of the word on the one new man again in a more detail way. The believers truly enjoyed the fellowship and blending where testimonies were shared and more ministry books were introduced, which even led the leading brother to buy the Holy Bible, Recovery Version. After hours of fellowship and lovefeast, we departed with joy even as they invited us to visit them again soon. May the Lord thrust out His workers to harvest and glean from this field. 

"The Church in Raipur," Chhatisgarh

This group of saints who are now meeting as the “church in Raipur” was also discovered through the Christian Mela at Bilaspur in 2017. Since they received the ministry books they have been shepherded so much by the book by brother Witness Lee, The Economy of God. Since then, there has been frequent traffic with other nearby local churches, especially the church in New Delhi and Gurugram. 

Our visit this time was mostly for shepherding, fellowshipping, and blending with the saints for two days. In an organic way, we taught them hymns singing, ministered the word, and clarified some of their doubts and queries. This was also their timely need after the key brother went to be with the Lord last December. May the Lord continue to shepherd and strengthen the church in Raipur. 

"The Church in Khariar-Road," Odisha

In 2014, a brother searching for ‘free Christian books’ in Google found the Rhema books. Since then, he has been reading and enjoying the ministry books along with another two brothers. They were first visited when one of them requested for the Holy Bible, Recovery Version. Since then, they have been daily enjoying the HWMR, Recovery Version, Life-studies, and other ministry books. They also have been meeting regularly on the Lord's day without breaking the bread and reckon themselves as the "church in Khariar-Road," waiting for the right time to break the bread. May the Lord continue to shepherd them and gain their whole families for the Lord's testimony.

One evening, a mainline Christian group opened their meeting hall for the introduction of the ministry books and also to minister the word. The believers, though rooted in their traditional practices, were enthralled by the riches we presented. In fact, we "broke" their religious way of worship in their "worship center" by leading them to sing hymn in a living way, leading them to call upon the Lord's name out loud over and over again, and ministering the word as an "un-ordained minister." The result was, the Pastor himself and the key members were very happy for the living words and testified of their enjoyment. 

Bagbahara, Odisha

A group of seeking believers who received the ministry books a few years ago are being shepherded by the brothers from Khariar-Road. A seeking pastor had arranged a meeting where we ministered the word on The Mystery of Human Life, Calling Upon the Lord's Name, and Pray-reading the Word of God, much to their delight as we showed them the way to enjoy the Lord. May the Lord strengthen the shepherding through the books and through our brothers for His testimony. 

Kuskela, Odisha

A brother, also a Pastor of an independent group, had received the 7 Rhema books and a Recovery Version Bible have been enjoying the ministry all by himself for years. He testified that his whole concept of a Christian life changed after reading the ministry books. He invited us to visit him and the congregation he is shepherding. He was so excited to meet us in person and overjoyed to share his testimony.

May the Lord continue to shepherd him and recover him with all the sheep he is shepherding. 

Titilagarh, Odisha

We met three Pastors, one of whom has already read and enjoyed The Economy of God and The Glorious Church. After we ministered the word using all the four books in Rhema set, these brothers were very interested to pursue the ministry further. In fact, one of them was interested to translate the ministry books into Oriya. May the Lord gain these brothers and the one who has a burden for Oriya translation. 

May the Lord richly bless the sowing of the divine seeds through the ministry of the word.

Bliss' Prophesying

Today is a very rare day in many years as the date 02/02/2020 is a palindrome date which can be read forward and backward with the same sound. The previous eight-digit palindrome was 11/11/1111, 909 years ago and the next palindrome date will happen on 12/12/2121, after 101 years. 

Well, this is not the real reason for today's specialty. What I heard my daughter prophesy today concerning her testimony at school was what made me thank the Lord for His mercy.

As usual, the children prophesied first every Lord's day. All the children prophesied one by one, and their prophesies were so genuine that it touched my heart so much, I believe the same holds true for all the saints. Especially the prophesy of my daughter Bliss was very very touching.

Bliss prophesied that last week one day the students were lined up to enter a room which she was not aware then. As she approached the room, she smelt some pungent smell, which perhaps could have been the smell of a smoking aggarbatti, an Indian incense stick, burned for "pooja," idol worship. As she approached nearer to the hotspot of that religious worship, she realised it was a worship to an idol. She felt very nervous about doing the same despite other students worshipping the idol as she has been taught and constitution with the word of God that idol worship is a sin and is prohibited by the true and living God as revealed through the word of God, the Holy Bible. She prayed to the Lord and mustered up her courage and politely told the teacher in charge that she is a Christian and that she did not feel comfortable to bow down or worship idol. The teacher acknowledged her request and permitted her not to worship idol if she did not feel comfortable. Therefore, she was delivered from the worship of idol at school.

This prophesy was so touching a testimony for a young girl of 12 years, still in standard VI. The whole church in one accord amened the prophesy. What a joy to hear such a testimony from a young church kid. She happens to be my daughter, even otherwise I would still feel the same. This testimony encouraged the whole church and even uplifted the atmosphere of the meeting and testified of the Lord's work among all the saints in the church, even among the children. What a blessing the Lord has bestowed upon His church! May all the saints be preserved by the Lord for His pure testimony.

I was so thankful to the Lord for gracing our children. The Lord has been answering the prayers we have been praying to make our family a God-man family and our children, God-man children. Though sometimes, as living under the same roof, we see all the shortcomings, yet the Lord has been doing a marvelous works in each one of them. At home, sometimes, children seems to be hard to handle, yet at school they have well been disciplined academically, morally, ethically, and even spiritually. Praise the Lord for His mercy.

Later, I fellowshipped with my wife about my feeling and even thanked the Lord for His mercy upon our children. I also came to learn that my youngest daughter, Christy, too had similar testimony at school. She had been asked to chant some religious words while doing "yoga", but she knew well that it was not proper and right for her to do so, so she silently chanted "Lord Jesus" in lieu of the other religious words she was required to chant. 

Unconsciously, the seed of the word of God sown into the children's being are bearing fruit. We live in a society and community filled with and surrounded by unbelievers, and such incidents will occur now and then as it had and has been so. The only way is to inoculate our children with the word of God, spiritually educate them, and pray for them that they would not succumb to the environment but stand up for the truth. May the Lord preserve all our children and bless them to bear the Lord's testimony. They are our next generation to carry on the Lord's work and bear His testimony. 

Life Lesson: Follow the Lord

In the age of the Body today, the Lord Jesus Christ is carrying our His heavenly ministry from the throne through His Body on the earth. He has become the Life-giving Spirit  (1 Cor. 15:45b) today, and as such He is also joined to the members of His Body as one Spirit(1 Cor. 6:17). The Head, Christ, and the Body, His build up body of believers are one with Him in His move on the earth. The apostle Paul saw this vision in Acts 9 on the day of his conversion. The spiritual fact today is that all His genuine believers are the members of His Body. Thereby, being one with the Body is being one with the Lord. It is indeed spiritual wisdom to see, know, and realize this, and thereby live and serve according to this principle, the principle of the Body.

Beginning this year, the Lord has taught me this spiritual lesson; to follow the Lord in the principle of the Body. Young, old, senior, junior, does not really matter in the Body. All who are one with the Lord have the same leading as from the Lord. To follow the living members is to follow the living Lord. These days, I am just doing that in my church life, in my official service, and also in my family and personal life. I may not necessarily have a direct leading from the Lord, but once the Lord leads His members, it is sufficient and wise for me to simply follow my fellow members. It would be spiritual stupidity for me to try to verify or otherwise directly get another leading from the Lord concerning the same matter for which the Lord has already spent or led or done. Herein lies the test if one knows the Body and lives in the Body life. This is far more deeper than one's own individual personal leading of the ancient past that always looks for "Thus Saith the Lord!" 

In the age of the Body, I simply learn to be in my spirit where the Spirit of the Lord dwells and I simply must be one with my fellow members in the Body. What rest, what peace, what joy to learn this precious lesson!

In the church life here in my locality, as my spirit discerns the anointing and leading of the Lord in a saint or a group of saints, I submit myself to the Lord's speaking and leading in and through them. Whatever they fellowship and decide, I simply say amen, as I am sure they are one with the Lord. In the gospel propagation, all the practical, physical, and spiritual arrangements are done by my brothers. I am very exercised to discern the Lord's anointing in my brothers and also very exercised not to interfere in what the Lord is leading my brothers. Though I have my opinion on things, if that's my natural mind's opinion, it is best to deny it. 

What a salvation to learn to deny my soul life and follow the Lord's leading in and through my fellow members in the Body. By doing this, I discover the blessing that issue in oneness and the Lord's blessing in all that we do. Practically, I simply learn to say amen and amen to the Lord's leading in and through the brothers. Praise the Lord for the Body!