A Young Couple's Baptism

In a metropolitan society like Gurugram where young people are flocking the city for jobs, it has become a trend for lovers to live together without getting married. Live-in relationship has become a new normal for the secular people. When the saints go out to preach the gospel, a good number of such couples were contacted, preached the gospel to, and introduced to the church. This is not the first time I come across such case. 

The Lord has sovereignly brought them to the church and whom the Lord received who am I to not receive? I was reminded of Peter's experience in Acts 

And on the next day as they were journeying and drawing near to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray around the sixth hour. And he became very hungry and wanted to eat. And while they were preparing, a trance came upon him; And he beheld heaven opened, and a certain vessel like a great sheet descending, being let down by four corners onto the earth, In which were all the four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth and birds of heaven. And a voice came to him: Rise up, Peter; slay and eat! But Peter said, By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything common and unclean. And a voice came to him again a second time: The things that God has cleansed, do not make common. And this occurred three times; and immediately the vessel was taken up into heaven.  Acts 10:9-16

Yes, I am personally very much aware that such a live-in relationship is sinful. But when they were brought into contact with the saints, the gospel has to be preached and the truth announced. That's what I did. When I met them the first time I could not find time to preach the gospel. Later when they came on the 25th December for the new ones' meeting, in fellowship with the gentleman I realized that the Spirit has been working in his life, even leading him and his friend to meet with the church again. Though they moved away to another city after they first came, they came back as the job promised to them was not working out. Their coming back and joining the meeting was the sovereign arrangement of the Lord. 

In our small-group meeting, we ministered the word of God to him and led him to the Lord. Sensing the need to help him further in his spiritual journey, I explained to him the seven important aspects of baptism using relevant Bible verses and encouraged him to consider the word of God carefully. Two days later, today he and his friend came for the meeting. In fact, he came prepared to be baptized. After the meeting, we led him to baptism. Praise the Lord he was baptized!

After his baptism, I fellowshipped with them about the need to set things right before God and man. On the one hand, God is a God of love, grace, and mercy, and on the other hand, our God is also a God of righteousness and holiness. In a way of shepherding I  fellowshipped with him and his girlfriend the need to set right their live-in relationship into proper marriage life. In fact, they both agreed that they should be indeed legally and properly married. They are waiting for financial stability and family approval. I made it clear to them that they already crossed over to the limit of relationship an unmarried couple should maintain. Therefore, they need to set their relationship right at the earliest. I had no intention to tell them this but the Lord led me to teach them the truth in a way of shepherding to lead them in the proper path. They both confessed their sins and wanted to set things right. I spoke what I need to speak and left the decision to them. May the Lord lead them through and through.

They also joined the church's PSRP session, after which I spoke to them again. To my surprise, I discovered that the lady was only child baptized though a confessing believer. Then I spoke to them about the meaning of believing and baptism. I led them to the word of God in Mark 16:16, the importance of genuine believing first, and then proper water baptism. To clarify the truth further, I led them to read through The Mystery of Human Life and expounded them  God's plan, God's creation of man with three parts -body, soul, and spirit; man's fall, Christ's redemption, repentance, confession, believing and baptism, and the need to grow in life by daily spending time with the Lord in prayer in the word, and to be in constant fellowship with the church. Then the girl who was only child baptized decided to be baptized properly. Therefore, we gave her baptism as well. Thus the couple got baptized on the same day today.

May the Lord grace them to continually feed on the word and grow in life to be remaining fruits in the church life.

Recover Your Brothers

My brothers, if any one among you is led astray from the truth and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner back from the error of his way will save that one’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. James 5:19-20

Since the Lord saved me by His grace and has been leading me by His grace, I have been enjoying His grace day by day. Though I did not have a notorious background, I have this sense within me that I was as bad as any sinner, at least in my inward being. Some people were expressly bad but I was also bad though not expressed outwardly. As I have been learning and growing in grace, I have come to a point to declare that I am nothing without the Lord's grace. The sense of my sinful flesh has alarmed me daily how much I need the Lord. Therefore, I have no ground to condemn anyone for whatever reason anymore. Even when I see a heinous criminal, I was simply reminded of my own fate if not for the Lord's mercy. I am as bad as any sinner if not worse, except for the Lord's grace and mercy.

Having this sense of the Lord's saving grace, I am very sensitive to the feeling of the weaker saints. When the saints backslide or become rebellious, my heart ached and cried out for them, and I prayed to the Lord desperately for their recovery. Only the Lord's love and saving grace can recover them and even revive them. Therefore, I open myself to the Lord to learn from Him and gain His wisdom to recover my brothers who have turned away from the truth.

A brother in Ludhiana, Punjab, has been in touch with me recently. He has been completely cut off from any fellowship in the Body and has also been going through many family, financial, and faith issues that shook his whole being. But the moment he started calling me for fellowship, I took it as a grace from the Lord to shepherd him and recover him. Through gradually shepherding he has come back to the fellowship and began to join meetings online.  He has also been recovered in his personal spiritual life and began to regularly contact the Lord, pray, and read the Bible. In fact, right after our fellowship, I encouraged him to look to the Lord and learn from Him what needs to be learned. The Lord has been very merciful to him, not only that he is being recovered, but he also got a job during this pandemic time. In fact, it came to him as a surprise. The Lord loves him and is shepherding him. Now he is back to normal in his Christian life. Praise the Lord! 

A brother from Korba, Chhattisgarh, has also been in fellowship with me. Through his ups and downs, I did my best to stand with him and strengthen him. In fact, when he outrightly rebelled against the Lord's recovery and abused some of the brothers I reckoned him as a brother who really needs an urgent and tender shepherding. Despite the brothers' negative reaction towards him, I picked up the burden to shepherd him. To bear a brother's burden is not that easy. I could feel the pain and hardship he went through the bitterness and anguish that befell him. I sympathized with him and did my best to lead him to prayer and the word of God. 

In fact, when he came and stayed with me for a week, I took care of him as my "newborn baby" spiritually. I literally had to care for him physically for his food, lodging, and even washed his dirty clothes. I did it as a brother shepherding another brother and also learning to give hospitality to the saint. The Lord was gracious to me to be able to care for him when his own family members and the saints were scared of him for his aggressive and hyper behavior. But praise the Lord, the love of God and the grace of Christ can heal and recovery anyone, however serious the case may be. Now, this brother has been shepherded to some extent and has realized all his missteps he took in his life. I am glad that now he has become very sober and understood the lesson the Lord is gracing him to learn, "the breaking of the outer man" that he may be completely gained. Now and then we have been fellowshipping and praying together. Praise the Lord! 

A brother, who is also my cousin, has been undergoing the problem of telling lies and getting money for drinking. Since childhood, he has been stung by this intoxicant. Out of love and burden to shepherd him I have been very gracious to him. Though I knew for sure what the outcome would be, whenever he asked for money I still gave him. He has been not keeping his words time and again, but when he came back and apologized for his misdeed, I simply forgave him. My only concern was, he is also a brother in the Lord, maybe a little weaker, and keeps falling now and then, but he is still a brother in the Lord, no matter what. I have been serving him by love and by grace. A few days ago he came to apologize to me for his lies and wrongdoings. I believe the Spirit has convicted him and chastened him. When he came back, I forgave him and he was being recovered to his daily function.  Praise the Lord!

All these recoveries are of the Lord's. His grace showered upon me has been gracing me to grace them to enjoy the Lord's grace. I, in no way, intend to take any credit for their recoveries, but the experiences I have with them are truly noteworthy.  Moreover, the word of the Bible just confirmed the experiences I just have been enjoying.

My brothers, if any one among you is led astray from the truth and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner back from the error of his way will save that one’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. James 5:19-20

Execute Justice and Love Mercy

He has declared to you, O man, what is good; And what does Jehovah require of you, But that you would execute justice and love mercy and walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

These days as I have been considering how to take care of an erring brother in his official service in financial mismanagement, I cannot simply overlook the matter, nor can I take strict action legally. I have no choice but to bring the matter before the Lord in prayer as to how to handle this properly. After a long pray-and-wait, in fellowship with my brother who coordinates with me in overseeing the official matter, I brought it to fellowship with another senior and more mature brother. Even as I brought it for fellowship, I look to the Lord that my personal subjective feeling should not override the decision to be taken. Nor should I take side in presenting the matter, rather I should present the fact as it is and let the Lord speak through the brother's fellowship.

In the fellowship, I presented the matter with as many facts and detail as I could present. Then, we decided that the offender still have to righteously pay back all the misappropriated fund he owed to the office. I consulted with our Chartered Accountant on how to record it in our account book. A few days later, the matter was taken up in the board meeting of the company where I presented to the board the action to be taken and further official consideration if any. I also presented the need to take care of the brother in question as he would be completely relieved from his official assignment once his final pending work is submitted. Therefore, on the ground of humanity, we all agreed to pay him three months' salary to take care of his need so that he could move on in life. This decision, I can testify, is truly the Lord's. On the one hand, there is an execution of justice by allowing the offender to pay up for all the misappropriated fund and relieve him from all official duty, yet on the other hand, showing him much grace and mercy by giving him a three-month salary and still allowing him to pay back his dues at his own time and at his own capacity. Of course, this comes with a condition that he cooperates in our official decision that he also returns back all the office items in due time. 

"But that you would execute justice and love mercy and walk humbly with your God." In fact, the Lord spoke to me this verse directly as the decision was taken; the Lord confirmed the decision of the brothers in my time with the Lord. Praise the Lord!

Later in the night when I conveyed the decision made to the brother, he was filled with peace and joy. He narrated to me all the pains and sufferings he went through and how the Lord still loves and shows mercy to him. He told me that he confided in me as a brother and that he would cooperate in all official decisions taken. Now that the matter concerning him was officially cleared, he expressed his gratitude. The extra and special grace offered monetary to him is the Lord's shepherding care for him and his family in the midst of his financial turmoil. Besides, he felt very happy that he could fellowship with me as his brother in the Lord though he felt that many brothers have left and deserted him, including his own so-called "spiritual father." My innate reply was, "Brother, we are brothers in the Lord." I told him that he is free to call me any time for fellowship and prayer. He was so relieved and we prayed together thanking the Lord for his mercy and grace and looking to the Lord to be faithful in our responsibility. He himself decided that he would call me regularly for fellowship and prayer.

As the Lord burdened and led me, I also transferred an offering to him that was channeled through me. In all these, I could experience the sovereignty of the Lord and personally experienced and enjoyed the Lord's rhema word, "execute justice and love mercy." 

Praise the God of justice and the God of mercy! I need both; in dealing with myself and also with others - execute justice and love mercy. 

Children's Education

Train up a child according to the way he should go; Even when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

Education is an all-round development. A human being is of three parts, body, soul, and spirit. To educate a person is to educate him in his three parts. Most people focus only on the soul's education. The secular and academic education is mostly of the mind and the body. There hardly has been any system of education developed for spiritual development. Therefore, to give a complete education, the three parts of man must be paid attention to, especially the spirit which is the most important part of man.

Physical education is being gained as a person grows physically in age and lives in a society imbibed with rich culture and tradition, or in other words, in a civilized society, then it naturally develops. For fine-tuning, special physical training on specific skills may be given from time to time based on the need and the interest of the person himself. One particular skill that I and my wife gave to our children physically is cycling. During the pandemic, we both took time out to train our children how to cycle. To our surprise they all learned cycling so fast, starting with our son, then our youngest daughter, and finally our eldest daughter. Now, cycling has become a part of their fun and exercise time. Similar skills have been imparted in sports; badminton is one of our family's favorites which we all could play together as a family. I consider all the physical housekeeping works of cleaning their dishes, sweeping and mopping the floor, folding their clothes, cleaning up their bed and study tables, cleaning toilets and rooms, etc.,  and learning to cook are other physical education we have been imparting to our children,

On the academic side, we have given our best for their learning. My wife has been very strict in overseeing all our children's academic learning. Daily she spends time with all the three of them and makes sure they learn their lessons well and are also well prepared for exams, not to merely pass, but to secure the highest mark possible. By the Lord's mercy, all the three have been doing very well in their studies. They have developed the habit of studying and doing their works daily. All of them are laboring hard to finish all their assignments and projects on time. As we care for their academic excellence, we also prayed for the Lord's wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to be theirs, and that all must their learnings must be ultimately used for the Lord's service one day. 

Last week our son and daughter earned an award each from the school for their outstanding academic performances for the year 2019-2020 in their respective classes. My son was awarded, "All Round Excellence" and my youngest daughter, "Academic Excellence and First Position." We thank and praise the Lord for blessing our children with academic excellence in the midst of unbelieving students and teachers. All glory to God! Besides these, they also brought home certificates for performing well in extra-0curriculum activities. Our son and youngest daughter are interested in Maths and Science Olympiads and Quizzes, and our eldest daughter is interested in arts and English literature. Within our capacity, we have given our very best to our children with the view that they all will be useful to the Lord, to serve the Lord, and bear the Lord's testimony one day. 

Much more, we pay very much attention and importance to our children's spiritual education as well. Daily, we taught them to call upon the Lord Jesus's name, pray and read the Bible, attend our family prayer, pray-read and memorize and recite Bible verses, and attend important church meetings with their children meeting. All the education in the body and soul is 100% incomplete without the education in the most important part of human being, the human spirit. Therefore, as parents, we pay much attention to our children's spiritual education. This most important spiritual education has been neglected the most in the world, either ignorantly or rebelliously. This, Christian parents must pay heed to.

Education means all-round and all-inclusive learning and development. No part of man can be left unattended. The spirit and the soul and the body must all be taken care of and trained. And the goal of such all-round development is that man will become a vessel useful to God, to contain God, and to express God.

As parents, our utmost responsibility to our children is, train them up according to the way they should go; according to the way of the Bible.

Lord, grace us to be a proper God-man parent.

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.