Life Lesson: Preparation

The Lord has been so merciful to me to teach me a very important lesson in life; Preparation. I cannot and must not take things for granted. For any task assigned to me, I must be prepared. I must do my best. In fact, prepare myself with my utmost ability as I trust the Lord. In other words, I must prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

Last week I was assigned to take a PSRP session for the church meeting online. The message was simple, loud, and clear. The outline of the message speaks by itself. I have already enjoyed the message during the video training and also attended the PSRP session on the same message already. I am not a new one in the ministry. Somewhere, deep within, there was complacency and an attitude of "I know, don't worry. Everything will b e alright." This was my condition and therefore I did not do my homework well.

When I took the PSRP, though I spoke all the right words according to the ministry of the word, for they are being constituted in me already. But deep within, though the words I uttered were correct and right, there was a deep feeling of spiritual deficiency in the presentation. The saints still all said amen to all that I said. But there was no amen within my spirit. The saints may or may not notice the blunder I committed, but deep within me, it was too obvious. I went into nervous mode as I presented with sweats all over. The message was presented, the burden of the message released, and the job was done. But I was not yet done. The Spirit convicted me so deeply that the following week I was into a self-condemnation mode and kept telling myself, "I should have prepared well enough." I went before the Lord and confessed my improper attitude towards presenting the truth. I unconsciously rely upon my years of constitution of the truth. Well, that's good! But I must also labor on the word and not merely depend upon what I already have. That was a very important lesson for me.

This week, the Lord in His sovereignty gave me another chance to take the PSRP session for the church again. I did not choose it but was assigned by the brothers in the brothers' fellowship. I simply amen the Lord's second chance given to me. This time I learned my lessons and took the matter seriously. I prepared myself well with prayer and getting into the message and Bible verses. I did not rely upon my constitution only but on the Lord's anointing and His fresh utterance so that the saints can receive life-supply.

Today, I presented another message well, this time well-prepared; with notes, and prayer and the word. The Lord came in and blessed the PSRP session. It was so sweet and so enjoyable. I can tell this from my being, the release of the Spirit and the ministry of the word as life-supply to the saints. After the presentation, deep within I felt quite thankful to the Lord. Yes, for the session, but much more for His anointing and speaking, and teaching me a very important lesson in life; preparation.

In a similar manner, I must prepare myself to meet the Lord. I cannot take for granted my years of Christian life and church life in the Lord's recovery. Yes, the Lord blessed me with a wonderful Christian life and church-life with the rich ministry of the word. But I must also prepare my whole being to be an overcomer to meet the Lord as His built-up and prepared bride.

Praise the Lord for the lesson of life-PREPARE.

Amos 4:12   Therefore this is what I will do to you, O Israel; And because I will do this to you, Prepare to meet your God, O Israel.

Marriage Fellowship

Never do I reckon myself as one who can fellowship with others on their marital issues. Nevertheless, the Lord in His sovereignty sent some married couples to me for fellowship. I dared not give any "advice" or "counseling" as such, for I know my limitation as I myself am still learning. The Lord has been gracious in my marriage life. He has been blending and building me with my wife. In spiritual matters we both have always been one; that is one of the secrets and blessings of our marriage life. The Lord has blessed me with the sister He deems best; and she is my wife, my friend, my coworker, my lover, my companion, my vital partner, my beloved, my helper, my counterpart, and the list goes on...

Some brothers and sisters now and then came for personal fellowship on their marriage issue. I know too well that the solution to all the problems is Christ and Him crucified only. Teachings on marriage in an ethical or moral relationship are also not the solution. And I in myself can offer no alternative solution other than Christ. Therefore, I always led whoever came to fellowship with me on their marital issue to Christ and prayed with them and also prayed for them.

Recently, two families came to fellowship with me on a very serious note. The two of them have similar issues. They both have been through a very complicated marriage life and even contemplated divorce and utter dislike on certain character traits of their wives. It involves in-laws' relationship, finance, and health as well. I patiently listened to all what the husbands have to say about their wives. Of course, they also confessed the mistakes done from their part. Listening to such a fellowship, my spirit was so stirred up to lead the brothers into their spirits. The soul will reason, analyze, compare, contrast, debate, and will finally be ended up in self-justification but with death. Yes, right in all matters but death. Oftentimes, whoever spoke concluded the matter as though he was right, of course, in his opinion. 

To one brother, I asked him to kneel down wherever he was, with the phone call still on. I also knelt down, and we prayed together. First, asking the Lord for forgiveness for all the wrongs and sins committed. Then, for the Lord to come into the marital life; especially in their love for the Lord and love for one another, in their oneness with the Lord and oneness with one another. The brother confessed that that was the first time he knelt down to pray. After that fellowship, he learned his spiritual lesson too. I have the faith that the family has already been recovered.

To the other brother too, I encourage him and his wife to pray together every day, even to kneel down and pray, not as religious piety but as one who is simple, sincere, and seeking the Lord desperately in their marital issues. 

In fact, I and my wife have started a weekly fellowship with the couples separately. The fellowship included prayer and pursuit of the truth. The Lord taught me this simple and serious lesson of bringing the husbands and wives together to pray and pursue the truths of the Bible together. In this way, I don't have to speak that much nor give my "advice/counseling," the ministry of the word speak for and by itself. I simply echoed the word of God, and that really became the antidote for marital related diseases. 

Praise the Lord for He taught me this way! So far, this is the best way I have found. If the Lord leads me further for something else, that's up to Him. Having said this, I am also nurturing my own married life, daily looking to the Lord for all the minute detail in my family life. Taking Christ as my Head and fellowshipping, blending, and building up with my dear wive is the way I have found to be full of blessing.

Lord, bless the families of the saints to be and bear Your glorious testimony!

Virtual and Physical Meeting

During these days of Coronavirus lockdown, many Christians were struggling to reconcile between physically meeting at a meeting place or using the online means to still continue to meet. As far as I am aware of the truth in the Bible I offered my understanding of the word to the fellow brothers who had a doubt and asked for clarification. I offered my reply as such:

Not abandoning our assembly together

Hebrews 10:24-25And let us consider one another so as to incite one another to love and good works, Not abandoning our own assembling together, as the custom with some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more as you see the day drawing near.

Yet we are subject to God's appointed authority.

Romans 13:1-5Let every person be subject to the authorities over him, for there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are ordained by God. So then he who resists the authority opposes God’s ordination, and those who oppose will receive judgment to themselves. For the rulers are not a terror to the good work, but to the evil. Do you want to have no fear of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from him; For he is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, fear; he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to him who practices evil. Therefore it is necessary to be subject, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience.

At present, we, in the church in Gurugram as with all the local churches globally wherever the lockdown or meeting restriction is being imposed because of the current global pandemic, NOT BECAUSE OF PERSECUTION FOR OUR FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS, we meet and fellowship virtually online via Skype or Zoom or any online means possible to still NOT ABANDON OUR ASSEMBLING TOGETHER YET STILL SUBJECT TO AUTHORITY.

By the way, the church, in Greek, ekklesia, means an out-calling. This word is used in reference to a called-out congregation. The genuine believers are called out of the world to belong to Christ. As far as practicality allows we must assemble together physically, even otherwise, we must still assemble together using online means, for fellowship, prayer and for the word of God.

May the Lord be our wisdom to carry on and live out our Christian life no matter what the outward circumstances may be.

To my above reply another brother asked, if we can consider virtual meeting as that of physical meeitng, my reply is as below:

Worship God in Spirit

Our meeting for fellowship, prayer, the ministry of the word of God, etc., whether physically or virtually, MUST BE IN SPIRIT AND TRUTHFULNESS FOR THE BUILDING UP OF THE BODY OF CHRIST.

Ephesians 4:12

For the perfecting of the saints unto the work of the ministry, unto the building up of the Body of Christ.

John 4:21-24

Jesus said to her, Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship that which you do not know; we worship that which we know, for salvation is of the Jews. But an hour is coming, and it is now, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truthfulness, for the Father also seeks such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truthfulness.

The best is to meet together physically in Spirit if practicality allows, at a designated meeting hall or house to house. 

Acts 2:46And day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, they partook of their food with exultation and simplicity of heart.
Acts 2:42And they continued steadfastly in the teaching and the fellowship of the apostles, in the breaking of bread and the prayers.

That said, once we can meet physically, the virtual meeting should NOT substitute our physical assembling together. This is just for the time being according to the ongoing situation. Come what may, may we all continue our fellowship, prayer, ministry of the word,...steadfastly.

Having offered my understanding of the word, I must also continue to meet with the saints in whatever way possible. The Christian life is a congregating or flocking together life. How long the lockdown will go on, I have no idea. No matter what, my enjoyment of my Chrisitan life and church-life should go on and on...

Online Church Life

Hebrews 10:24, 25 

And let us consider one another so as to incite one another to love and good works, Not abandoning our own assembling together, as the custom with some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more as you see the day drawing near.

The nation has been in lockdown for a period of 21 days and extendable if needed. During this period we were requested to "stay home, stay safe." Only for the essential need, there is an exception. As the children of God and law-abiding citizens, we would submit ourselves to authority set up by God. Yet at the same time, we cannot sacrifice our Christian life and church life at any cost. Therefore, we made use of the technology at our disposal.

Now our church life has been fully online. With this trend, we become more busy engaging ourselves with one another online for fellowship, prayer, and truth pursuing. All those who used to be very busy with their works are now completely free at home. This is a good opportunity to shepherd them. That is exactly what as the church we have been doing, seizing the opportunity to shepherd the flock of God.

My time has much more been occupied in fellowship and prayer with a good number of brothers on a daily basis these days. The saints who were dormant for quite some time got revived and recovered. Now I have to consider how much I can really shepherd as I am limited too. Though in the world all busy activities were halted, yet within our home, we have been busier on virtual online church life. It turns out that the Lord is doing His revival works among many brothers and sisters. 

The outward Coronavirus, unseen and unknown, has been creating a global disaster, yet inwardly, the spirits of the believers have been intensely exercised and are turning to the Lord. I believe, many unbelievers would definitely and desperately be crying out for help to their unknown gods and goddesses. Medical science, money might, social status, human wisdom, and whatever, name it, are all falling flat before an invisible mysterious virus. I pray for the stoppage of this virus spread, at the same time, more desperately I pray for the salvation of my countrymen in particular and the people of the world in general. God definitely does not want men to perish in their sins, He wants men to be saved and come to the full knowledge of the truth.

This is good and acceptable in the sight of our Savior God, Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:3,4 

That their hearts would be softened and that they would seek for the true and living God and find God, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, in the church in Gurugram, we even started a DAILY ONLINE MEETING over Skype and many small groups online fellowship and prayer. This is perhaps, the good thing about this global pandemic. As I look at the statistic of the church, I could see a gradual increase in the number of saints meeting and functioning in the church life. Our goal as the church is to have two districts by June 2020 and a hundred regular saints by end of 2020. The Lord has been leading us to achieve this goal even in the first quarter of the year. Now we are meeting in three districts and the number of saints in the church life is heading for a hundred mark. 

Come what may, the Lord has been very gracious to lead us through and through. Now our church life has been intensely on "let us consider one another so as to incite one another to love and good works, not abandoning our own assembling together."

Praise the Lord for the church life!

Pray With Them!

Always rejoice, Unceasingly pray, In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16, 17 

During these days of global pandemic and lockdown for 21 days in India, the entire country is locked literally into solidarity confinement. Perhaps, this is the first time in the history of India such a thing as this occurred.  For Christians, perhaps, these are the days for prayer and fellowship among family members. Though outwardly things seem tough, for the children of the Lord everything is under the Lord's sovereignty. 

As for me, the Lord has been gracing me richly that I have not been troubled or bothered at all. Life goes on as usual. The Lord is so good to me that I don't even feel a pinch despite the global fear and anxiety spreading all over. Yes, I do care for the needy and those who are hit hurt by this pandemic, yet I have nothing to offer except to pray for them. Prayer has increased so much these days. This is one thing I feel good about the situation. In fact, this has been my prayer that the pandemic should not be wasted but it should turn people's heart to be softened and turned to the true and living God, the Lord Jesus Christ! For God did not desire people to perish in sin nor in a pandemic. 

1 Timothy 2:3,4 This is good and acceptable in the sight of our Savior God, Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth. 

I have been praying for people for years, whomever the Lord has burdened me to pray for. Now the Lord is leading me to a higher realm of prayer. This is to pray with them. To pray for them does not require the people prayed to know about it, nor do I need their consent, I simply pray for them. Now the Lord is leading me to pray with them. Though I initiated some of them, others are initiated by them. I feel so good about this. Not only to pray for people but to also pray with them. This is much better.

Since this pandemic scare and lockdown, my phone and my time are heavily occupied. One after the other, prayer, online meetings and fellowship over the phone happens regularly. The new ones that were lost were suddenly brought back to life. The hardened ones suddenly become soft. The not-so-seeking ones become so seeking. I feel the church life is much more strengthened, of course,  virtually online. Sometimes, I marvel at the wisdom God exercised in allowing things to happen. He allows it, and He knows best, why.

Now I am engaged daily on praying with saints and fellowshipping with saints online. Amidst this pandemic, we still can experience the Lord's words with one another. 

Always rejoice, unceasingly pray, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16, 17 

Ministry of the Word Literature Journey to West Bengal

Report: The Ministry of the Word Literature Journey

Asansol and Kolkata, West Bengal

13-20 March 2020

 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in the Christ and manifests the savor of the knowledge of Him through us in every place. 2 Corinthians 2:14

God Leads Us in Triumph

Amidst the pandemic Coronavirus scare gaining momentum in India, the Lord led us to visit a city, Asansol, for the first time with the ministry of the word. The door to this city was opened through a brother who just got saved and wanted to be baptized. He has been shepherded by his elder brother who is one of the brothers in the church in Gurugram. Once we sensed the Spirit’s move, we seized the opportunity to visit him immediately; firstly, for the baptism of the family who just believed into the Lord and secondly, for the introduction and spread of the ministry of the word to other believers in this new city.

Eight Believers Baptized!

The newly saved brother was a very staunch idol worshipper all his life until he met the Lord Jesus Christ by simply calling upon the name of the Lord Jesus who delivered his whole family from intense demonic attack and possession. The name of Jesus set the entire family free! Such dynamic salvation prompted them to take water baptism at the earliest possible. Once we were there, we ministered the truth concerning baptism and led the family along with other new believers into water baptism. Altogether, eight believers were baptized!  

All Idols Torn!

Immediately after the water baptism, the brother threw away all the idols into the very river water he was baptized into. At his home where we were given hospitality, all the idols including those from Christianity were all removed. His wife, on the night of her baptism, saw in her dream that snakes that were crawling around in her home have left! She testified that she had been a worshipper of snakes for many years and always lived in fear with frequent demonic attacks, even demonic possession at times. Now she joyfully declared that the Lord Jesus has set her free forever! All snakes were gone, the Spirit has come!

Home Meeting and Group Meeting

Basic practices of a Christian life like calling upon the Lord’s name, pray-reading the word of God, family prayer and truth pursuing using Rhema books, Bible reading and study using the Holy Bible, Recovery Version with footnotes and listening to LSM Radio as an online aid started right away in their “new” home.

A weekly group meeting on the Lord’s day evening along with other new believers began in their “new” home too. A mini-library was also set up in their living room as the brother purchased the selected set of ministry books by Watchman Nee and Witness Lee.

"The Church in Asansol," West Bengal 

A “pastor” who has left the denomination and is very burdened for evangelism was so captured by the truth we ministered to him and his family. As we ministered on Christ and the church, he testified that he and his wife got the answers for what they have been praying for, for years to know what the church according to the Bible is, and how to go on in their Christian life and service.
On the Lord’s day, he invited us to minster to three groups of believers under his shepherding. So far, he has been shepherding about 300 believers in and around Asansol. He even began to say that he and the believers are henceforth the “church in Asansol.” Of course, the Lord has to do a lot more of inward recovery among the believers there.

Pray for the full recovery of the believers, especially the leading brother and his wife, as they have now come into contact with the ministry and are pursuing the ministry books.

“The Church in Kolkata,” West Bengal

A brother who has been translating the ministry books into Bengali is now in Kolkata with the burden of raising up the Lord’s testimony one day. Besides his translation work, he is also in fellowship with a brother who is shepherding some 30 believers in his home.

This latter brother is a full-time tailor by profession but very burdened for the Lord’s work. He left the denomination he used to be in, and is now meeting at home with the believers he has brought to the Lord, calling themselves as “the church in Kolkata.” The basic element of a Christian life, translated into Bengali has been used to shepherd the believers there. Life Lesson, 4 volumes have been translated into Bengali already. These ministry books will serve as good shepherding materials for the seekers. 

13 Years After!

In 2007, during the Gospel Move in India, a brother was contacted and gifted with The New Testament, Recovery Version which he has been reading since then. After the gospel move, due to shortage in follow-up, he was never contacted again. But this time, the moment we met he showed us the Recovery Version and exclaimed in joy that we are in fellowship again. This brother is a professional Bengali translator. He expressed his burden to translate the ministry books into Bengali.  May the Lord gain him for Bengali translation.

There are about 300 million Bengali speakers worldwide, approximately 228 million native speakers and another 37 million as second language speakers. Bengali is the fifth most-spoken native language and the seventh most spoken language by total number of speakers in the world.

Pray that the Lord will fully gain and perfect our two brothers for the Bengali translation service.

A Truth Seeker

In our January 2020 books exhibition at Bokaro, Jharkhand, a sister came and enquired for the best-translated version of the Bible from Hebrew and Greek to English. Then, we introduced the Recovery Version to her. She conveyed the message to a brother in Kolkata who contacted us again and again. This time we met him and introduced the Holy Bible, Recovery Version, face to face. His innate response was, “Brother, I need this Bible, whatever the cost!” He purchased 2 Holy Bible and 1 NT Recovery Version right away.

As we introduced the ministry books one by one, his appetite for the truth was so wet that he requested to purchase all the books in Hindi and selected set of books by Watchman Nee and Witness Lee. He testified that he stopped going to the denomination because there was nothing to feed on. He would rather stay at home on the Lord’s day, pray and do a “research on the Bible”, quoted verbatim.

He even tested our understating of the Bible and our practices in the church life. The answers we gave him excited him so much so that he exclaimed he must have finally found a group of Christians who actually follow the Bible in this age, which, he confessed, is very very rare and hard to find.

Now he has requested for a time of fellowship over the phone at least once a week, to fellowship on the truths in the Bible even as he has started reading the Recovery Version and the ministry books.

Pray that this brother would experience the Lord’s word in Psalms 43:3, “Send forth Your light and Your truth; they will lead me; they will bring me to Your holy mountain and to Your tabernacles.”

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

The Lord's Move to Kolkata, West Bengal

Decades have transpired since the brothers had visited Kolkata first with the ministry of the word. To date, the solid testimony of the Lord is yet to be established. Prayers have been offered and ministry book distribution has been done. Still, we are waiting for the timely manifestation of the Lord's remnant who could bear the Lord's testimony on the proper ground of oneness. 

Two very significant developments in my visit are the gaining of one more translator of the ministry books into Bengali besides the strengthening of the existing one and the recovery of fellowshipping with a seeking brother who loves to study the word of God.

The Lord remembers the need for making the ministry of the word available to about 300 million Bengali speakers. In my visit to a brother, I was introduced to a professional Bengali translator who actually has met one of our brothers in 2007. Thank God, after thirteen years I could meet him again. This time, to seriously fellowship on Bengali translators. I believe the Lord will work in him and use him to bring out the ministry books into Bengali.

The way the Lord led me to meet a seeking brother is worth mentioning.  Two months ago during the ministry book distribution at Bokaro, a sister came and met me and took my name card. She then introduced me to a brother in Kolkata who called me for a Hebrew-English and Greek-English Bible. My reply to him was, introducing the Recovery Version of the Holy Bible. Meanwhile, I have been in touch with him on WhatsApp. This time in Kolkata we met in a local tea shop near his office building. 

As soon as we met, I introduced the ministry books to him, then gifted him a Rhema set in English, then introduced the New Testament Recovery Version Bible which he immediately purchased. Later, I introduced a book on the church, The Orthodoxy of the Church, showing him the chart of the church from its first establishment in Acts to date and the different ages and kinds the church has passed through. I gifted him this book believing firmly that it will help him. 

He was so impressed with the first meeting that he started opening up many of his understanding of the truths in the Bible. Besides, he also treated us with Bengali sweets, a traditional gesture of thanks and honor to a guest, and took us for lunch as well. He kept calling me since then. Meanwhile, I also introduced a few other books and offered him the whole selected set of ministry books which he eventually placed an order for even as he requested two copies of the Holy Bible Recovery Version. Now, we have agreed to call each other over the phone for fellowship and prayer at least once a week. I believe through such a fellowship the Lord would have His way in Kolkata for His testimony one day.

I also was introduced to a brother who is a full-time tailor operating a tailor shop. My first impression about him was so peaceful that the moment I met him and witnessed a good number of his customers visiting his shop, I saw his living testimony, working with his own hands and serving the Lord. He even raised up a group of believers in his own house. The peace and good feeling within me prompted me to buy a pant from this brother; stitched by him, as s a memorial and a testimony. Besides, it's been due for me to get myself a new formal pant. This brother then invited for a love-feast lunch before I left the city when I fellowshipped with the whole family about loving the Lord and serving the Lord. I pray that the Lord would gain such a good vessel for His testimony.

Lord, raise up Yoru testimony in Kolkata!