Marriage

On the 28th of February, I saw the desperate post of a sister of her wanting to get married. In the church-life, we have a good number of single brothers and sisters who really need help in marriage matters. They have been enjoying the church-life and are going on with the Lord, but for some reason, they could not break through in marriage matters. Some of them have been proposed for their marriage but they outrightly rejected for the reasons best known to them. But as I understood their situation, it was simply because they were expecting a "better" one, they already harbored in their hearts, their own standards, who would match them.

I was so burdened to post in the church's WhatsApp group to express my feeling and burden. In response, I posted the following, it also is based on my experience of how the Lord dealt with me and led me for my marriage.  

A Word of Love to All the Single Saints

As we pray for your marriage:

Consecrate yourself fully to the Lord without any reservation.

Pray for the perfect will of the Lord to be done; NOT your choices, likes, types, or preferences.

Give up your opinion and hidden standard of who or what kind of person you like to get married to, to the point that you can simply amen whoever the Lord arranges. 

Trust the Lord’s sovereign arrangement, He knows what is best for you. Don't trust your own "feeling or discernment"; only God knows the past, present, and future, and the real condition of everyone. 

As a preparation, it may be helpful to read:

Messages for Building Up New Believers, Vol. 2

https://www.ministrybooks.org

Message 30: Marriage

Message 31: Choosing a Mate

Except from the Ministry:

In the Bible, Jacob's marriage to Rachel was a matter of his own selection, whereas Isaac's marriage to Rebekah was a matter of God's selection. The one who had his own selection suffered much, but the one who accepted God's selection did not suffer at all. This proves that God's selection for us is the best choice. The more we exercise our preference in choosing a spouse, the more we should be prepared to suffer. (CWWL 1971, vol. 3, p 142.)

Much grace to all.

Pray that this year the Lord will open the way for the single saints to get married.

_____________________________

Hebrews 13:4

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and the bed undefiled*; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. 

2 Corinthians 6:14

Do not become dissimilarly yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?

The next day, as the follow-up of what I had posted on marriage, I quoted from the ministry and posted another excerpt on marriage.

MARRIAGE

Marriage Being Ordained by God

1. “Jehovah God said, It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper as his counterpart” (Gen. 2:18).

When God created man, He saw that it was not good for man to be alone, so He determined to make a helper for man as his counterpart. This shows that marriage is according to God’s divine and holy ordination. Marriage was ordained by God when God first created man. Marriage did not come in after the fall of man, nor is it based on the lusts of man. Marriage was ordained by God for man in creation, and it is a primary matter in our human living. In our living, only creation is higher than marriage, and all other matters are headed up by marriage. The origin of man was through creation; the continuation of man is through marriage. In the beginning God created man, but the continuation and propagation of man is through marriage. Therefore, marriage is important to God, and He ordains that man marry.

God ordained man to have a helper as his counterpart because it was not good for the man to be alone. Being alone is not good for several reasons. It is not good in regard to reaching God’s goal, and even more, it is not good in regard to man himself. *Both physically and emotionally, in human living and human affairs, it is not good for man to be alone. Therefore, God determined to make a helper as a counterpart for man.*

2. “He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this cause shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall be joined to his wife; the two shall be one flesh’” (Matt. 19:4-5).

In the beginning God not only ordained that man have a helper as his counterpart in marriage, He also created them male and female and ordained that the two should be one flesh. Man has an inward need for marriage, which comes from God’s creation. God created this need in human nature. The Bible reveals that God’s goal in the universe is with man. In order for God to accomplish His goal in the universe, He must gain man, and in order to gain man, He must ensure that the man He created for His purpose continues and propagates through marriage. Therefore, God not only ordained marriage; He also created a need for marriage within man.

God’s creation of man was very special. He created man so that a male and a female would need each other in order to be a complete person by becoming one flesh. According to the teaching of the Bible, neither a female nor a male is a complete person. In order to be complete, a male and a female must join together as one. Just as two halves of a watermelon are needed in order to be a complete watermelon, only a man and a wife are a complete person from God’s point of view. A brother once invited a couple over for dinner, but the husband came without his wife. The brother mentioned to his guest that only half of a person came. According to the Bible and God’s original ordination, I felt that this word was correct. God wants male and female to become one flesh; therefore, He wants man to marry. Marriage is God’s original ordination.

The Scripture quoted by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 19:5 was in response to a question concerning divorce. In His word the Lord acknowledged God’s original ordination concerning marriage. Furthermore, the Lord indicated that man should honor God’s original ordination concerning marriage. In the New Testament the Lord’s consideration of the importance of human marriage matched God’s consideration in creation.

3. “Let marriage be held in honor among all” (Heb. 13:4).

This word was spoken by the Holy Spirit in the New Testament through the apostle. It shows that the Holy Spirit, just as God in creation and the Lord Jesus in the New Testament, considers marriage to be an important human matter. The apostle said that marriage should be held in honor among all. Another translation of this word is “let marriage be held in all honor.” No one should despise marriage, and nothing related to marriage should be despised, because the Holy Spirit says that marriage should be held in all honor among all. This is the first relationship in human relationships. It comes out of God’s holy ordination. We absolutely must not consider marriage as being something unholy.

4. “Teachings of demons...who forbid marriage” (1 Tim. 4:1-3).

Marriage was ordained by God for man so that man could accomplish His goal. In contrast, the forbidding of marriage comes from demons. Demons have a desire to destroy the accomplishment of God’s goal, which depends upon human marriage, so they forbid people to marry. They not only forbid people to marry but also teach the forbidding of human marriage as a doctrine. People practice this doctrine in Buddhism, Catholicism, and other religions. Attacks on this divine matter of God’s ordination come from enemies who have an intention to destroy God’s goal by causing people to marry loosely or by forbidding them to marry. We should be aware that an ideology not to marry comes from demons, God’s enemies.

5. “If you do marry, you have not sinned; and if the virgin marries, she has not sinned” (1 Cor. 7:28).

Since marriage is according to God’s ordination and should be honored by man, no one should consider a proper marriage as sinful. Only a filthy or unstable mind will consider a proper marriage of a man and a woman as a sinful thing.

We should not have the thought that those who love God should not marry. This is not God’s thought. If we follow this thought back to its root, it comes from demons. Without marriage, there would be no propagation, and without propagation, the human race would end, and there would be no one through whom God could accomplish His goal in the universe. Therefore, the matter of marriage is not only right but also necessary in God’s eyes.

https://www.ministrybooks.org/index.cfm

(Excerpt from Crucial Truths in the Holy Scriptures, vol. 3, ch. 33)

I believe some of them would be helped by the burden released on marriage. I prayerfully look to the Lord that this year 2021, all the single saints can get married and many new families are raised up to bear the Lord's testimony here in the church in Gurugram. As being burdened for this matter, I also pray that the Lord would lead me through in discerning the Lord's sovereign arrangement of matching the single saints to get married. This is one important function in shepherding.

Grace me Lord to shepherd the single saints for their marriages.

Lesson on Faithfulness

On the 26th of February, I received an email that required my immediate attention. It was related to signing an official document for a brother who is applying for a business visa to India for his official trip. With the aftermath of the recent pandemic, it has been so uncertain of foreign travels and countries' relationship; economic and political. Therefore, the matter was deemed urgent.

Had it not been for its urgency, I could have waited and took the way of  pick-up service from FedEx company, but that would be a day late. I took the burden upon myself and would not take any chances. After finding out FedEx detail in Gurugram, I went by scooty myself to book the document for sending. To my surprise, the road that led to the office was just closed as construction and rennovation works started on that very day I went. After a little hurdle to reach the office I was told the office had already shifted to another location. I was tempted to give up the idea. But the thought of faithfulness took over my mind. And I determined to finished the work I was to do. Come what may, I would still finish the work I set out to do. So I would not budge an inch.

Blocked road, polluted and congested road, I had to brace them all, and searched for the office new location. Finally, I found and send the documents by FedEx. I just felt a sense of joy and relief after the work was carried out. Not to boast nor to pride in, but an accomplished task. I have been grace to be found faithful in what I am assigned to. And I would choose to be faithful, trusting in the Lord's grace in all things.

This little experience may seem trivial, but it is in matter like this that one's character has been put to a test. By all means, I would do my best to pass the test. This is a matter of faithfulness. I'd rather pay any price and be found fatiful than take the easy way. In this too, I learned the lesson of faithfulness. 

Lord, grace me to be faithful in all things by experiencing Your faithfulness. 

Copyright Agreement

As a serving one in the literature service, there was a need for me to get a copyright agreement between our main publisher LSM, and all our translators sign the copyright agreement. The matter was first brought up many years ago when brother Robin Fenwick was still alive and serving in India. The work was initiated but was never executed. Last year, in one of the literature fellowships, it was brought to notice the need for carrying out this exercise. 

I took that as a challenge and an opportunity to learn how to do things properly especially in legal matters. I started looking at the draft that was given to me. I did research online on copyright laws of India and a few other intellectual property laws with the many rights that exist in the publication work. Then, I came up with a draft and presented it to the brothers. LSM then consulted their intellectual property lawyers and gave me a go-ahead in this regard. 

First, I created an online data entry form for all the serving ones to fill online. Then, I sent a mail to all the translators for signing the copyright form. Meanwhile, I consulted two lawyers and personally went to the court to find out the practical detail of making the copyright agreement legally valid. 

The first batch of signed copyright agreements came in. Then, I need to follow up with many others who did not respond on time. I personally checked the documents one by one, page by page, and made sure that things were done properly. Then I realized that the Bible translators need to sign an agreement on their Bible translation work. The entire process was redone again for the New Testament Bible translation team. 

Still, there were some who did not read the email properly or who did not follow the instruction given to them in signing this copyright agreement. Those were identified, and I had to contact them and asked them to do their works properly. I ended up visiting the court here in Gurugram four times until all the copyright agreements were signed, stamped, and notarized. 

Then these documents have to be cross-checked one by one, page by page again, then scanned, and checked again, and finally organized properly and submitted to LSM. 

During this process of four months, a few important points were followed strictly:

Do it right. Do not take a shortcut. The longest and difficult ways are often not the easy way, but it's always worth the price in the end. 

Be faithful and diligent in all the works assigned to you or to your responsibilities. In minute and material matters, one's faithfulness and quality of work is tested.

Pray and look to the Lord for all things, and experience His grace all the way long.

I had a sense of joy and satisfaction after the fifty translators have signed their copyright agreement. In the process, I learned my spiritual lessons, and officially my responsibilities have also been carried out in the best possible way.  It was on 3rd March 2021 that the final scanned PDF copies were sent to LSM. And the reply I received from the brothers reminds me of the word in Matthew 25:21, 23. 

His master said to him, Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful over a few things; I will set you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master.  

Faithful in Shepherding

It was Saturday afternoon after our prayer meeting that the church had arranged for two hours of gospel preaching and shepherding. I had a gap of two weeks in contacting the new ones as I was out of station. That day, I decided to meet the new ones by all means. I could not bear not meeting with these ones for too long.

First, I met a brother who came back from his hometown after the pandemic. I have been in touch for prayer with this brother over the phone. With his new job and in a new place, I went to cherish him. Then I met a brother who runs a small hotel, who has been struggling financially, and for whom I had taken the initiative to help him financially and spiritually. We had a short time of fellowship together at his hotel over a cup of coffee. I was there to cherish him in his present need and also to nourish him with prayer and supply of the word of God. Then, I went to meet a family who is also struggling in their family matter. This being Hindi speaking family I could only converse with them on trivial issues; a day-to-day matter. I am yet to attain the level of Hindi language as to minister to them. I prayed with them and they also prayed. In all these cases, the one thing that drove me to visit them all is, "I must be faithful in shepherding the new ones." 

Besides, I also received a call from a brother concerning his family situation. The Lord graced me the patient to pay heed to all he had to say, and the Lord also graced to shepherd him according to the instant leading the Lord gave me at that moment. 

Then, I came back to have an online monthly Zoom prayer meeting with my Christian classmates during my Master's degree; we fellowshipped and prayed together for about an hour, all online. Then, I had my late dinner and still prayed with my family members as usual.  

Shepherding requires simple care and concern for the ones under shepherding. Faithfulness is required to carry out this consistently. I pray that I may continually find grace in the eyes of God so as to be ever faithful in shepherding.

Jamshedpur: Ministry of the Word Literature Journey

Just for a day, we came to this city to meet some seeking believers. Since we did not know who these ones were, nor did we have any base yet to meet people, we ended up in a decent hotel in the city. From there we invited all the ones on our contact list to come and visit us at the hotel. One by one, seekers came and we introduced the ministry literature to them. For the whole day, we spend time in the same hotel, and thankfully the hotel management was kind enough to let us stay the whole day. Of course, we ordered tea and snacks, and lunch to compensate for the usage of the hotel

One other reason for our visit to the city is to shepherd a sister who has been a secret believer for many years due to her family background. She has been shepherded by some sisters over the phone and the ministry books were introduced to her too. She hailed from a  strong religious background and wanted to keep her faith in the Lord just between herself and the Lord and with a few other believers. Professionally, she is a high-ranking officer in the government. As we met her, she was so happy to fellowship with her fellow believers in the Body of Christ.

The first question she asked us was, how to know the will of God? I took that question as an opportunity to minister the word of God to her. So I expounded on the four ways of knowing God's will. The Word of God, the Holy Spirit, the Fellowship of the Body, and the Circumstantial Evidence. I ministered on the line of these four points with my subjective experiences, and also referred her to the ministry book where she can read the message by herself later. I also complimented my sharing with my own testimonies of following the leading of the Lord. Then we fellowship on the practice of calling upon the Lord's name and pray-reading His word. Incidentally, I had two booklets by the same title and presented them to her. Other brothers also followed suit and shared their testimonies as well. It was a sweet coordination in fellowship.

It was indeed a joy to fellowship with seeking believers and minister the word of God. The fellowship was so sweet and we could have gone on and on. But we had to leave for Ranchi as another meeting was already fixed for us to attend. Overall, I believe the Lord will gain this sister and other seeking believers for His testimony in Tatanagar. As a follow-up, on her consent, I have been sending her ministry portion day by day, for daily reading and pursuit, along with few others, with the burden of shepherding.

May the Lord gain her and also gain the local believers who would one day stand for His testimony in Tatanagar!

Ranchi: Ministry of the Word Literature Journey

In the capital city of Jharkhand, a brother and his family have been actively propagating the ministry for the Lord's testimony. He has two contacts specially reserved for the Lord's testimony. One of them is his neighbor and the other, his colleague in the office.

We have had two sittings with his house owner's family. This family loves the Lord and is very impressed by the ministry of the word. Though he has been one of the elders of a spiritual-seeking Christian group, the truth he enjoyed of the ministry is far deeper and sweeter than the monotonous ritualistic and religious preaching in the group he has been attending. The Lord had used the pandemic to force him to attend a regular meeting with the brother's family who is also his tenant. Many online meetings were conducted wherein his family even finished going through the life-study of Revelation, attended the video training, and some meetings online with the church in New Delhi. But for the pandemic, he would have never had the opportunity to taste the ministry or enjoy the church life, at least online. 

Now, the Lord has done some works in him and he became more seeking and more inquisitive to know more about the ministry; how it functions, locally, nationally, and internationally. He began to enquire on many practical details of the Lord's move. The answer to all these practical questions is simple, "the Lord's leading, the Lord's provision, and the Lord's ministry, for the Lord's testimony."

On our first meeting, the Lord gave me the burden to minister on How to Meet, to help them get out of the concept of the Christian religious way of meeting. 

What then, brothers? Whenever you come together, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. 1 Corinthians 14:26

I released my burden on how one has to be in spirit and follow the Lord's leading in singing, praising, speaking, prayer, and any activities in the meeting. The main purpose of the meeting is for the purpose of building up one another that in turn builds up the church, the Body of Christ.  Then, my brothers followed me in strengthening the burden on the meeting, as we have the burden and vision that his family would one day be bearing the Lord's testimony in Ranchi.

The second meeting was when he invited us for a dinner love feast, the night before we left the city. I had the burden to minister on the Lord's salvation, what I freshly enjoyed from the life-study of Philippians. Christ is the salvation of God; salvation is a Person, Christ.

Luke 2:25-29And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. And this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been divinely communicated to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the little child Jesus for them to do according to the custom of the law concerning Him, He received Him into his arms and blessed God and said, Now You release Your slave, Master, according to Your word, in peace; For my eyes have seen Your salvation.

Luke 19:9 And Jesus said to him, Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham. 

Salvation is a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is now the life-giving Spirit who dwells in our spirit. We were saved from eternal perdition but we still need to work out our salvation day by day. Though being saved eternally, we need to exercise our spirit daily by the operation of the indwelling God to work out our daily salvation. 

Philippians 2:12-13 So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only but now much rather in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; For it is God who operates in you both the willing and the working for His good pleasure.

After releasing my burden, other brothers followed suit, ministering on the same burden. Then we all prayed together. Thus, ending the journey for this time. The following daily early morning I left for home.

The second meeting was with another brother who loves the word of God. To him we ministered on the truth concerning gaining God, especially through hardship and suffering, using the life of Job. His wife has been battling a stroke attack and the family was in a downward trend outwardly. But the Lord used even such to deal with our brother and humbled him to be more open to Him and to the brothers for a dearer fellowship. This brother's family is another potential family for the Lord's testimony in Ranchi.

Besides, we also met with another family whose family has been enjoying the ministry for years now. To them, our focus was on the children, who are growing up, ministering them in a way of testifying on loving the Lord when they were still young.

On the Lord's day, after the Lord's day meeting, the Lord burdened me to minister to the young people on the "Nazarite Vow" from Numbers 6 emphasizing the matter of consecration, especially for the young people. They all enjoyed the truth and the ministry of the word with subjective experiences. There were five young people who received the ministry. I believe they will one day become the pillars for the Lord's testimony in Ranchi. 

May the Lord raise up His testimony in Ranchi soon!

Khunti: Ministry of the Word Literature Journey