Raipur: Ministry of the Word Literature Journey

The fellowship we had in Raipur was more of a shepherding for the saints who have been meeting as the church there. We only had one night of fellowship as two other brothers were there for two days already. What impressed me most was the seeking heart of the saints, especially the sisters, and their longing to fellowship with the fellow members of the Body of Christ.

It was already late night when we arrived at the meeting hall. The first thing we did was feasting with the saints as it was dinner time. After dinner, the saints did not want to go home, rather they all wanted to stay back and have more fellowship. They all decided to stay in the meeting hall for the night for the sake of fellowship. When the saints gathered after dinner for fellowship, a brother started off with the burden on the church life using a picture of Mary-Martha-Lazarus in the gospel of  John 11. The saints in Raipur are in the ratio of 1:2 of brothers and sisters as in the case with Lazarus: Mary and Martha. This was such an encouragement to them as the sisters have been worrying about the lack of brothers for the church-life.

The spiritual significance of these three persons are noteworthy. Mary, a lover of the Lord who sat at the Lord's feet to listen to the Lord and fellowship with Him on the word; Martha, a lover of the Lord in practical services, and Lazarus, a lover of the Lord who was a testimony of the resurrection. This comprises the church-life in a practical way. All three characteristics are important and all these three components must be in the church-life. Loving the Lord like Mary, serving the Lord like Martha, and be a testimony of the Lord's resurrection like Lazarus.

Then I followed my brother's burden by bringing out Romans 16 on the greetings of Paul to the church in Rome, where he addressed a good number of sisters as they played important role in the ministry. 

I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a deaconess of the church which is in Cenchrea, Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, Greet Mary, one who has labored much for you.  Romans 16:1,3,6

Acts 12:12 mentioned the prayer at the house of sister Mary.

And when he became aware of this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John, who was surnamed Mark, where there was a considerable number assembled together and praying.

This signifies the sister's function in taking the lead in the practical church-life, not taking the lead in the church's administration which is ordained by God for the brothers. The sisters have to function in all practical matters, else the church-life will be poor and unhealthy. One of the key points is the sisters' gathering together to pray for the saints, the brothers, and many other practical matters, and avoid any busy-bodies or gossips. 

In all these practical fellowships, the sisters in Raipur were very encouraged as they all testified of the new light they received through the fellowship. May the Lord continue to grace them to go on in the church-life. And may the Lord also gain more brothers for the church-life in Raipur!

Korba: Brotherly Visit

Shepherding is the key to recover a backslidden brother. The Lord Jesus recovered Peter by simply shepehrding him. And His charge to Peter was to simply shepherd the flock of God if he indeed loved Him. The same is true with every believer today. The soltuion to some backslidden, dishearted, and discouraged brothers is to simply shepherd them with the love of Christ.  

As the Lord has been shepherding me, He also burdened me to shepherd some brothers who I have been shepherding within my capacity.  This time, as we were on a trip to Chattisgarh, I deemed it fit to visit a brother and his family in Korba. We have been in fellowship and prayer over the phone, therefore, visiting them would further strengthen our fellowship and relationship in Christ. 

Our fellowship began as we were picked up from the railway station. We fellowshipped as we drove to the brother's home who came to pick us up. Then, the moment we reach his home, his father engaged us in clarifying some of his doubts he had been harboring since the time his son shifted to Raipur leaving his government job for the sake of the Lord's testimony. Many doubts he had were poured out one by one. 

We looked to the Lord deep within to address his questions. The Lord indeed graced us to answer, question by question, on truth, life, practice, church, and other spiritual and human matters. The fellowship went all the way till midnight when we felt to take a break, prayed, and took rest for the day. The next day, our fellowship began at the breakfast table which went on till lunch and further continued till the father and son dropped us and saw us off at the railway station.

Besides the sweet fellowship, we also enjoyed the sweet hospitality the brother's family gave us. I believe, the Lord's testimony began from one's family life at home and then further spreads to other areas; from the center to the circumference. Without a proper family life, I am very doubtful of one being useful in the Lord's hand. "Charity begins from home," is the world-famous dictum; and I modify this as, "Sanctify, testimony, and ministry begins from home!"

After the fellowship, the brother confirmed to me the positive feeling from his parent after our visit and fellowship. My only fellowship to him is, to simply live out Christ and that his life would be a living testimony, and warned him never to preach nor try to convince his parent in any way other than his own living testimony. The word of St. Augustine rang forth, "Preach the gospel always, if necessary, use words."

I believe the Lord would fully shepherd my dear brother, recover his full enjoyment of Christ, and restore his earthly profession, and also restore his function in the Body to be a pillar for the Lord's testimony one day. 

May the Lord recover and restore my brother and his family even to the raising up of His testimony in Korba!

Khariar Road: Ministry of the Word Literature Journey

This border town, Khariar Road, Odisha, has three families whom the Lord has gradually gained in the past few years. This time, we visited them to strengthen them in their going on to bear the Lord's testimony. The brothers have prepared everything ready for the Lord's testimony. Though they still have been eagerly waiting for the official establishment of the Lord's table meeting, they faithfully have been pursuing the ministry and have been joining many online meetings with the church in Gurugram and New Delhi. Meanwhile, they were also very much burdened for some of the Christian leaders they know of in their previous denomination.

This time during our visit, they have invited Christian leaders from Bhilai, Naugaon, Cuttack, and other places to listen to the ministry of the word. Since the brothers came out of the denomination, they wanted their acquaintances to see and know and experience the truths they themselves have been enjoying. In sweet coordination, we exercised our spirit and ministered the word as the Lord led us.

During the two days meeting the brothers have arranged, besides the Spirit's leading, we had no idea what to minister. The leaders were much elder to us in terms of physical age, and we had no idea about what's boiling within them. Since the meeting was arranged, we prayed, exercised our spirit, and followed the leading of the Lord within to minister the timely word. 

On the first day, before the meeting began I was introduced to one of the leaders who shared his testimony to me. Based on what he shared, I got the burden to minister on the matter of the oneness. We delved deeply into the matter of division caused by Jeroboam in 1 Kings 12 and connected with the division caused during apostle Paul's time in 1 Corinthians. We then ministered the truth concerning the need for oneness among God's children for God to have His dwelling place using relevant verses in the New Testament.

In the afternoon meeting, I started off with God's heart's desire to have a dwelling place among men on earth, starting with Genesis 1:26, then traced the history of man. Then, I picked up from Jacob's dream in Genesis 28:12, traced the line of thought to Moses in building the tabernacle, to Solomon in building the temple, the Lord Jesus as the temple, and finally, the church as the temple of God today in the New Testament.  

In the meeting on the second day, we began with testimonies of few brothers and expounded the truth concerning the reality of the good land in Deuteronomy 8:7-10. I released my burden on the experience of the crucifixion of Christ typified by the valleys and the experience of resurrection typified by the mountains. My brothers followed the burdened and continued with the experience of wheat, barley, vines, fig-trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey, stones, iron, and copper.

Later in the afternoon, we touched the matter of calling upon the Lord's name and pray-reading His word, with testimonies from local brothers who really enjoyed the matter of calling upon the Lord's name. Finally, we sang hymns and prayed for the believers, for the Lord's testimony to be raised up in many parts of Odisha, and also for the onward ministry journey to Korba, Raipur, Ranchi, and Tatanagar. 

This was what the Lord has done in Khariar Road for the Lord's move in Odisha. One thing was sure, the Lord has been hiddenly moving in the hearts of the people there. Many villages have been prepared for the Lord's testimony. 

O how we look forward to the day the Lord will raise up many bright shining golden lampstands all over Odisha!

Bilaspur: Ministry of the Word Literature Journey

"The church in Chattisgarh" was discovered through the Christian book fair which we attended a few years ago. This time too, as we were invited, we spoke in their Friday night online meeting, on Saturday night fellowship, and also on the Lord's day Lord's table meeting and the fellowship thereafter. 

The Lord's move in this city has been very evident with the believers, especially, the leading brothers' openness to the ministry of the word. Without any reservation, they received all our fellowship. We basically echoed the recent speaking of the Lord in the winter training on the book of  Job. In sweet coordination we all ministered on one thing, the eternal economy of God, leading the saint to the timely speaking and to the one speaking of the Lord.

On the Lord's day, the brothers handed over the entire process of the bread breaking meeting to us, and we all partook of the same bread. Since they already took the stand as the Lord's testimony, we simply joined with them. We ministered to their need for the Lord to make His home in their hearts and showed them the practice of pray-reading for their truth constitution. The saints received the ministry well. 

After the meeting, as I saw a good number of young people, I had the burden to minister to them the need for the consecration of their lives to the Lord.  I have such freedom in my spirit that I could freely release my burden on the need for training young people. I invited all the young people to consecrate two years of their lives for the full-time training. I did so with many burdens and care for the future of the Lord's move in Chattisgarh. I also released my burden on helping the college-going students in the matter of their studies, character, and love for the Lord with a pursuit of the word of God. 

The leading brother were all there listening to all the burdens I released and they all amened to the burden. The brothers who were with me also echoed the same burden as well.  I believe, the Lord has His heart's desire on all these saints and wanted to fully recover the church into the fellowship and oneness of the Body of Christ.

Lord, gain the church in Bilaspur, and the churches in the vicinity of the city too. 

Chattisgarh Christian Book Fair 2021

This was my second time attending the Chattisgarh Christian Book Fair. contrary to what was generally perceived, the book fair drew a lot of crowds despite the pandemic still around the corner. On the first day of the exhibition, my experience was something of joy.

The moment we set up our bookstall, two brothers came and purchased all the ministry books in Hindi that were newly released. I was surprised initially at why these brothers were so hungry for the ministry of the word. This thought caught my attention. When I talked to the brother I discovered that he has been reading the ministry books and was, in fact, taking the stand as the local church in his locality, Champa. He further told me that there were a good number of believers who took the stand as the local church in the nearby villages, about five of them. 

Once the fellowship was done, they left. Then, another group came to our bookstall, the brothers from the city itself, Bilaspur. We also enjoyed a good time of fellowship with them. With this group we had sweeter fellowship; they invited us to their online meeting, and for the Saturday night meeting, and also for the Lord's day meeting. In fact, we attended all of the meetings they invited us to and ministered the word of God.

After, this group, another couple came and collected all the books we displayed, the new title books in Hindi. These brothers also stood as the local church in his village and there were few others who took the same stand, all based on what they have learned and understood from the ministry books concerning the church.

Besides, there were few other Christian leaders and pastors who came to visit us, fellowshipped with us, and received the ministry books. Overall, the book exhibition was worth the price we paid for it.  The Lord brought many of His chosen ones to taste and enjoy the ministry of the age!

Overall, I could perceive that the Lord has been moving in the state of Chattisgarh. This Chattisgarh Christian Book Fair has become a pivotal point to display and spread the ministry of the word! Many seeking believers who have received the ministry books are now ready to take the stand for the Lord's testimony. I believe, in fact, I see in my eyes of faith, many many golden lampstands shining brightly all over Chattisgarh, brightening up the dark northern part of India.

Gain North India Lord!

Second Salvation

Praise the Lord I was saved more than two decades ago in 1997! Yet as I listened to the radio program of the life-study of Job, I was so much impressed by the "second salvation" brothers fellowshipped about concerning the need to be saved not merely from eternal perdition, but to be saved from being in myself or in anything other than being in the Lord. Yes, all the believers were already saved eternally; yet there is a need for another salvation, by being delivered from the self into Christ.

But I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will stand upon the earth; Job 19:25

In the Old Testament, the Redeemer, God lives! Job saw this revelation. But a higher revelation revealed in the New Testament is the location where the Redeemer lives. Yes, He sure is in the heavens. If that is all then, it is too objective. Nothing much to experience of the Redeemer living in the heavens only. How about men on the earth? How could man experience Him? The answer is in the New Testament.

The book of Ephesians, Philippians, and Galatians reveals to us the Redeemer living in us! 

And raised us up together with Him and seated us together with Him in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus, That He might display in the ages to come the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far off have become near in the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:6,7 13

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philipians 1:21

I am crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Galatians 2:2o

This revelation is a sure second-salvation to me and to all who will receive this revelation. The Redeemer lives in me! Christ lives in me! I am in Christ! This revelation and experience is salvation from many besetting and frustrating sins in a daily practical human life. No wonder, the Bible says, "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;" in Philippians 2:12, pointing to the practical Christian living in Christ, a daily-salvation.

Christ lives in me! O what a salvation this, that Christ lives in me! 

I was saved! I am being saved! And I will also be saved!

Seeing God

We were on a book distribution at the book fair in Chattisgarh when a group of brothers came and met us and invited us to join their online meeting via Zoom in the night. This group of believers has taken the stand as the church in Bilaspur based on the ministry books they have been reading and enjoying. Though it was a very busy day at the book fair, we winded up our exhibition earlier and headed back to our lodge, about an hour's drive to be in time to join the online meeting. 

As I was considering what to minister to all the saints who joined the online meeting, about 200 of them, the instant leading of the Lord was to minister on "Seeing God" which was also very fresh to me from the recent training on the book of Job. In coordination with a brother who did the Hindi translation, the word of God ministered. 

I had heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye has seen You; Therefore I abhor myself, and I repent in dust and ashes. Job 42:5-6

I presented the background of the book of Job and explained why God allowed Satan to deal with Job. The intrinsic essence of the book of Job was presented, which is the eternal economy of God to dispense Himself into His chosen people to make them God-man and not merely good man so that this man could be a vessel to contain God and express God to fulfill God's eternal purpose. I also presented the practical way to see God by being pure in heart.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8

When I spoke I followed the inner anointing and ministered the word as it came verse by verse, point by point. Later, when I reconsidered whatever I ministered, I realized that the same points were written down in the outline of the training.  I was surprised at the correlation between what the brothers have written and what the Holy Spirit led me to ministry. This, indeed, was a proof that in the Body of Christ we are all in one Spirit with one vision, one teaching, and one goal. The message and the outline are in line with one another. Here I quote the outline which sovereignly is also the points I ministered. 

In order to see God, we must deal with our heart—2 Cor. 3:16, 18; Matt. 5:8; 13:18-23:

We must be renewed in the spirit of our mind by being re constituted with the holy word of God to be instructed, governed, ruled, and controlled by God’s word—Eph. 4:23; Deut.17:18-20; Phil. 2:2, 5.

We must be on fire with the Lord’s love, having an emotion filled with Him as our zeal for His house—1:8; 2 Cor. 5:14; 2 Tim. 1:6-7; John 2:17; Mark 12:30. 

We must have our will subdued by Christ and transformed with Christ through sufferings so that it is submitted to the headship of Christ (Phil. 2:13; cf. S. S. 4:1, 4; 7:4a, 5), and we must maintain a good and pure conscience by the priceless, cleansing, and purifying blood of Christ (Acts 24:16; 1 Tim. 3:9; Heb. 9:14; 10:22).

To this, I also added the need for beholding and reflecting God daily and showed the saints the practical way to do so. 

But we all with unveiled face, beholding and reflecting like a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord Spirit. 2 Cor. 3:18

This meeting had set the stage for further fellowship with the saints in Bilaspur. Therefore, the following day, we were invited again to meet with the saints on their Saturday night meeting physically, where we continued to share the burden on the book of Job and strengthened the point on God's economy. This was the timely speaking of the Lord for the saints there, and the Lord was bringing the saints into the up-to-date speaking for the recovery of His remnant.

Lord, grace the saints in Bilaspur for Your testimony.