Take Action

Today's fellowship on the vital group and the need to take action in contacting people is very timely. In fact, this is what I need today. The truth and practice of the vital group have been heard and known at least doctrinally, but now is the time to take action. Othersiws, all the truths will just remain as it is, and nothing will happen.

Brother Witness Lee gave testimony that some thirty years ago he took action before the Lord not knowing what would happen. But as he took action and moved to the USA, the Lord raised up many local saints to migrate and took the way of the Lord's recovery.

Some excerpts from his speaking:

TAKE ACTION

You should just take action. The result depends upon His blessing. Throughout the years this has been my loving prayer: “Lord, I trust in Your mercy. I trust in Your blessing. I trust in Your presence. I trust in Your word. I trust in Your Spirit. I don’t have any trust at all in myself, in anything else, or in anyone else.” We all need to pray such a prayer. 

CONTACT PEOPLE 

We must have an interest in people. We must love people and like to talk to people. Doing and learning. Always contact people in a spirit of prayer.  In order to live a normal Christian life, three things are very much needed: (1) seeking after the Lord, (2) coming to the meetings, and (3) going to contact people. 

This timely speaking of the Lord applies to me in many aspects, not limiting to the church services that I am involved in. But it is also the timely speaking of the Lord for my official service as I always considered and reconsidered before taking any action. I need to carefully consider every decision I would make and any action I would take. But that should not weigh me down, making me a mute spectator of the present situation. I need to take timely action. In fact, I am learning this lesson as well in coordination with the saints serving with me. The same applies to my family matter in taking care of my children and the family members with me.

But the people who know their God will show strength and take action. Daniel 11:32b

I thank the Lord, He is speaking to me and leading me day by day to take action. Praise the Lord!

Master Delays?

But if that evil slave says in his heart, My master delays, and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eats and drinks with the drunken, the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know. Matthew 24:48-50

Today morning as I was reading a verse and the ministry portion, I was so convicted by my improper attitude toward the Lord's coming.  The Master delaying and the response of the slave exposed the true color of the unfatihful slave's inward being. I could see myself as this one.  To say in our heart that our Master delays is to love the present evil age and not to love the Lord’s appearing.

[In Matthew 24:48 the slave said], “My master delays.” The slave believed that the Lord was coming again, but he also believed that He was delaying His coming. Anyone who does not believe that the Lord is coming quickly is an evil slave. The reason for the slave’s mistake, according to what the Lord said, is in verse 48. Even though with his mouth he said that the Lord would come quickly, in his heart he still considered that the Lord would delay. This kind of person is in peril. If one does not take the attitude that the Lord will come quickly, he will not be watchful.

Many people do not want the Lord to come quickly. They are afraid that when the Lord comes, He will spoil and terminate their plans. They cannot pray John’s prayer: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus ” (Rev. 22:20). We must have an attitude and a desire for the Lord to come quickly.…If you think that the Lord will delay, He will come sooner than you expect. ( CWWN, vol. 15, p. 302)

I am glad the Lord touched me in this matter now. I confessed to the Lord for my improper attitude and prayed that the Lord would fill me with His love to love Him in spirit and also to love His physical appearing. Loving the Lord's coming would mean my being preparee to meet Him as in Amos.

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. Amos 4:12

To have an attitude of not longing for the Lord's coming is to be unfaithful slave. Such unfaithfulness would only result in loving the present evil age and becoming numb in one's spiritual sensation. In this consummation of the age, one has to live with the sensation of the Lord's coming. 

All the other unfaithfulness in beating his fellow slaves and eating and drinking with the drunken are the direct result of assuming that the Master delays. No wonder, there are too many problems among God's own children today on this earth. Beating the fellow slaves, not caring for them with brotherly love, and getting involved in the world with the worldy people resulted in grave degradation. Today's children of God needs the Lord's loving visitation, reviving them, shepherding them, and recovering them into his flock, the church life.

The result of this conviction was, I wanted to shepherd a brother who has been going through a very severe dealing from the Lord and has been suffering, as he described over the phone, with family and financial burden. All that I could do is to pray for him, to pray with him, and to help him even financially as much as the Lord allows. Therefore, I requested for his bank detail to transfer an offering that has been channeled through me. When it was brought to my attention of a brother's need, as much as the Lord allows and provides, I would shepherd him. If I love the Lord, I will also love the Lord's sheep. That was what the Lord told Peter to do if Peter truly loved the Lord, to shepherd His sheep. (John 21:15, 16 ,17)

Lord, I love You! Lord, cause me to love You more day by day.

Faithful in Service

Last weekend as I was preparing for PSRP of the message "Being Faithful in Service in the Lord’s Commission and in His Gifts for His Second and Imminent Coming,"  I was very supplied by the Lord's speaking to me to help the saints to enter into the burden. I got fresh light as I went through the points and the Bible verses. Even fresher light dawned on me as I actually led the saints in PSRP yesterday, the Lord's day. In fact, I was the first person to enjoy the Lord's speaking and supply before I could minister to the saints. The word of God is such, "I enjoy first, and then I minister the word to others what I have enjoyed." 

Who then is the faithful and prudent slave, whom the master has set over his household to give them food at the proper time? Matthew 24:45

All believers are called to be faithful and prudent slaves, to give spiritual food at the proper time. Whenever the Lord brings us into contact with new ones, our main responsibility is to provide food. If we meet an unbeliever, preach the gospel of grace, or if we meet with believers, based on their spiritual condition of the believers, minister the timely word as the Spirit leads. This requires one to be in the spirit and follow the Lord's leading step by step. 

Last night, a brother called in desperation describing to me the pathetic situation he has been going through. A family problem, health issue, and joblessness. He needed fellowship very much that he called me. The moment he narrated his ordeal, the Lord gave me the word to minister to him. After paying careful heed to all that he had to pour out, I led him to the word of God in Joel.

Do not fear, O land; / Be glad and rejoice, / For Jehovah has done great things. Do not fear, O beasts of the field, / For the pastures of the wilderness turn green. / For the tree bears its fruit; / The fig tree and the vine yield their strength. O children of Zion, / Be glad and rejoice / In Jehovah your God. / For He gives you / The early rain in righteousness, / And He makes the rain come down for you: / The early rain and the late rain / At the beginning of the season. And the threshing floors will be full of grain, / And the wine vats will overflow with new wine and fresh oil. And I will restore to you the years / That the swarming locust has eaten, / The licking locust and the consuming locust and the cutting locust, / My great army / That I sent among you. And you will eat to the full and be satisfied, / And you will praise the name of Jehovah your God, / Who has dealt wondrously with you; / And My people will never be ashamed. 

We read through the verses and pray-read the verses. The word of God spoke for itself. I need not further explain the meaning of the word. My brother was so supplied by this timely word, especially v. 25, "I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten." This was the application of being faithful in service, giving food at the proper time.  I only echoed and strengthened what the Bible verse has stated. Then we prayed together. It was such a shepherding to him and me as well.

Similarly, as the Lord burdens, I have been in prayer and fellowship regularly with a brother from West Bengal, with a brother from Himachal Pradesh, with a brother from Punjab, with two brothers from Manipur, with two brothers from Nagaland, with five brothers from Gurugram individually, in a way of shepherding. In this way, the Lord has been gracing and shepherding me to be a faithful and prudent slave to give food at the proper time.

What a grace and blessing to be counted worthy of a faithful and prudent slave! May this grace of the Lord continue all the days of my life.

Ascertain the Facts First

Supposition is a substitution of truths and a thief of thoughts. This is a lesson I learned in the hard way. I have faced needless anxiety and fruitless wish by succumbing to supposition. When I ascertain the truth, my supposition banished in thin air. Facts clarify every supposition and saves from needless speculation.

It all began with a marriage proposal for a brother and sister. I was of the assumption that the brother in mind would definitely like the siter in mind too. The general supposition had been that the duo would make a perfect partner in marriage alliance until the myth was bursted by the needle of fact. To my surprise, the brother had an entirely different view, altogether different from what was generally assumed. He was not at all in favor of the sister we had in mind would match him. I got it all wrong, perhaps. But time will tell if my thoughts were truly of the Lord. If not, I accept my immaturity and would strive to learn better and faster. We now wait to settle this matter soon. My assumption was proven to be deficit of reality. I need a more mature discernment.

Another instance was a half-truth news I heard of a brother from a brother who seemed to have started another literature service in the country in addition to what has already been established. The first time I heard, I was in disbelief as I knew the brother concerned. In fact, I was asked to take action as I am responsible, officially, in the literature service in this country. Deep within me, I wish I could avoid such awkward circumstances to deal with a brother of my father's age and whose spiritual stature is far beyond my reach, as I reckon. I really hesitated to take any action.

I was reminded again and again by a brother to do something as I have the official position and responsibility to do so. I waited and waited until I decided to ascertain the fact first on the 10th of this month. 

As I called up a brother who knew the matter best, the myth was bursted again that the half-truth news was just a thing of the past. Some have circulated the rumor in a bid to defame the brother and demean his function. On ascertaining the fact, I was quite relieved. It was a salvation from falsely accusing a brother for a thing done in the past, not in the present. Yes, he did try something in the past, and that has not continued any longer. Otherwise, it would have been a challenge to face such a senior brother with the official responsibility assigned to me. Now that the fact was gotten, I am quite relieved. Ascertaining the fact saved me from needless speculation and futile imagination.

Another instance was when I received an intimation from income tax department related to my income tax return filing. Before even reading the mail, I had assumed that I need to go through tax harassment from the income tax department and that I need to get the help of a chartered accountant. I indeed wasted my thoughts in anxiety until I actually opened the mail and ascertain the fact that it was indeed an intimation of confirmation of my filing with no due. What a relief!

Yet another instance was when my neighbor sent me a message one night which put me in dilemma as I thought he was inviting me to attend his sister's wedding party which I would wish to avoid my all means for various reasons. In fact, my wife and I just visited and gifted a wedding gift the night before the wedding in lieu of attending the wedding meeting. But when I saw the message it turned out that he was just checking if water tank could be refilled as it ran out in the night. O what a needless supposition bringing me needless anxiety!

Thank God for this lesson! Now, I must not succumb again to a vain supposition and needless speculation. And I must not allow the enemy to corrupt my mind before ascertaining the facts.

What a lesson! Always ascertain fact first and never speculate.

Call, Call, and Call

The 10th of December was a day of call, call, and call. It all started with my morning prayer when I was burdened to settle matters that have been pending for months. I have been reminded again and again as serving one in the literature service to deal with certain brothers and issues that I officially have the right to do. I have been considering the matters carefully and treading the ground of grace to find ways to settle it graciously. But I have been pushed to take action. I took that action first in ascertaining the facts.

I started a phone call with a brother, that added on another brother to clarify accounting matters of a brother's service that lasted for over an hour. Then, later in the afternoon a call was made to all the serving ones involved in the collection of money in the distribution funtion of the literature service. The call went on for about two and half hours. When finally the concerned person was asked to confirm his handling of payment details by email. Later, in the night, another call was made with two brothers to consider helping a brother who need to settle his legal matter as far as his stay in the country is concerned and his live-in relationship with a sister.

The day was spent with call, call, and call. I took all these as opportunities arranged by the Lord for me to learn how to serve faithfully according to the Lord's apportioning. Since the Lord has placed me in a certain position and function officially and in the church, I must not shy away from my responsibilities nor avoid my responsibilities with the pretext of humility. Doing so would be faking spirituality. Therefore, I took necessary actions.

In fact, I mustered up my courage and exercised the God-given authority to execute what need to be executed. I literally went against my natural being and did things I did not like to do. I would rather be led and told what to do, given my choice. Now I had to take the lead in deciding matters. It was not easy. The Lord trained me to learn my lesson in this matter. I ended up doing which I never wished to do. Perhaps, this lesson has been due to me for long enough. Now, I am learning to exercise the authority God has given me. But I must not go beyond my limit.

Thank God for this experience. Call, call, and call was the action I took to learn my God-assigned lesson. Perhaps, I need to exercise this more in the coming days. 

May the Lord cover me in discharging my duty faithfully yet within my limit. And may He train and perfect me more for His purpose. This call, call, and call experience is a learn, learn, and learn lesson. Praise the Lord!

A Couple's Baptism

Three weeks ago, I was invited by the trainee sisters to visit a family in Sikanderpur. As we went to visit this family, we came to know more about the real situation of the couple. The husband is Polio infected and is a differently-abled person and the wife is in her 7-8 month of pregnancy. They both just lost their jobs and are in great financial need. 

Well, leaving aside the human care for a while, we preached the gospel and led them to the Lord right away as they themselves confessed that they have been seeking a Christian fellowship in Gurugram as they have a very good feeling about the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, they were seeking miraculous healing of the husband's physical disability, that was one reason that drove them to the Lord. Though their initial intention was for physical healing, we made it clear to them that most importantly all men need spiritual healing. Therefore, we preached the gospel, we read through The Mystery of Human Life and they were led to receive the Lord in prayer.

The following week, a home meeting was held in their home, and last Lord's day they came to attend the meeting at the meeting hall. As they were in the meeting hall, I sensed the need to fellowship with them. Therefore, I skipped two Lord's day afternoon meetings just to spend time with this couple, together with a few other saints. Since they were very new, I felt the need to share testimonies of salvation and baptism. I requested a brother and a sister to share their testimonies; how they got saved and how and when they got baptized. Their testimonies were so real and living that the gospel message was made clear through living testimonies. Then I felt the need to clarify the complete truth about salvation and also baptism. Using the testimonies as my base, I developed further on the need for a proper baptism, explaining briefly the significance of baptism.

Deep within me, I had no intention to talk about baptism for at least two reasons. Firstly, they were very new. And it was also their first visit. Secondly, they were both physically challenged. The husband was differently-abled due to Polio and the wife was in her peak pregnancy. But as we fellowshipped on the word of God concerning believing and baptism, the light of the Lord shone on me not to withhold any truth just because of the outward condition. I must be faithful to the word of God and teach the truth completely and faithfully. If new believers decided to receive the Lord and be baptized who am I to stop sinners from coming to the Lord Jesus Christ? So I spoke by faith and gave them the choice, to exercise their own free will. To my surprise, they both agreed and decided to take baptism right away. They even said that their hearts are already opened to the Lord Jesus Christ and they would do anything needful to receive and experience the Lord. 

Thank God, I was defeated in my concept of when to be baptized. The Bible is supreme, "Believe and be baptized and you shall be saved." (Mark 16:16). Therefore, the saints sprang into action to prepare for water baptism. After we all prayed for the couple, they also prayed on their own and both of them were baptized!

Right after the baptism, it was time for the Young People Gospel meeting. Therefore, they also joined the gospel meeting on "Facing Persecution". Perhaps, the Lord is preparing them for any persecution that may come their way because of their faith in Christ. 

This baptism is a special lesson to me as I was about to apply my human concept of "waiting." In fact, the Lord's timing is the best. If anyone believes, he must also be baptized! There are many human concepts creeping in even among Christians that the new ones should wait for the proper time, wait for the proper understanding of the Bible or Christ or the Christian life, and wait until so-called "works of the Holy Spirit" are manifested, and so on and so forth. I myself am one of the propagators of such "waiting-gospel" neglecting the authority of the Bible. Thank God, I could bypass my human thought and concept! Thank God for the word of God that made my understanding crystal clear!

Praise the Lord for this couple's testimony of baptism! A real-life lesson to me!

Building a Local Church

Today morning as we fellowshiped, the Lord’s speaking was so intense and clear on the person of the one who build a local church. It has all to do with the person. No improper person can build up a church irrespective of whatever methods or ways he uses.  The church is a living organism and the building up has to do with the persons who constitute the church and the builders themselves. 

The manifestations of a builded local church are:

1. The saints love the Lord more than before
2. The saints love the word of God more than before
3. The saints love one another and be one with one another more than before 
4. The saints functions for the building of the church 
5. The church meetings will be rich, high, and full of life
6. The church will be filled with men like a flock

If the church I serve do not manifest the above points, the church is not being builded up as it should be. These check points are enlightening to see where I stand in my service. If I lack in any of these, I must go before the Lord and seek for His mercy to deal with all frustrations so that I must be a proper person. The person is more important than the way or the method used as evident from Bezalel, who was a builder, and it has all to do with his person.

Exodus 31:2

See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 

Footnote from The Holy Bible, Recovery Version

Bezalel was a master builder, a leader in God’s building. His name means in the shadow of God, indicating that as a master builder, Bezalel was a man under the shadow of God’s grace (cf. 1 Cor. 3:10a; 2 Cor. 12:9). Uri, the name of Bezalel’s father, means light of Jehovah, and Hur, the name of Bezalel’s grandfather, means free, noble, white (signifying clean and pure). These three names indicate what kind of persons the builders of God’s dwelling place should be.

To be a builder of a local church we must have a pure and clean spiritual source. No one is born pure and clean. We all have, by default, been impure and unclean. We need to be thoroughly dealt with by the Lord. And God is able to deal with us and cleanse us. Otherwise, we will become a problem in the church. In fact, all problems in a local church is due to brothers who did not learn their lessons well in the matter of being dealt with by the Lord. For the dealing we need the word, the living and operative word. We must open to the Lord’s dealing by amening the word of God. Trust in the heart of God, trust in the word of God, to become clean, pure, white, noble, and free from within from our own evil heart. Hidden love for the world make our hearts impure. The Lord can deliver us from such impure heart. The Lord’s shining light can deliver us from such impurity. 

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is living and operative and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow, and able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 

Son of Uri, is to be son of light. The Lord can enlighten us and shine on us as we open to the Lord and the Bible and indeed become the son of light and live under the shadow of His grace.

The way the Lord deals with us today is through His speaking. Therefore, we must come to the word, read and pray-read the word until it becomes our living constitution that transforms our lives.

Lord, deal with my heart and make be today's Bezalel to build up Your church.