Gospel Trip to Bihar

A brother who was known to me through two sisters in the church in Gurugram was introduced to me a few months ago. This time in our trip to Bihar, I checked with him if we could pay a visit to him. It so turned out to be the Lord’s arrangement that as I contacted him he immediately invited us. So we visited him though we need to travel over five hours from Patna.

It was a beautiful bus ride from Patna to Chakia, and then to Chorma, and then to a remote village in Itwa. The moment we arrived, after all the formal greetings, we went to a village for the gospel ministry. I was surprised to behold a crowd of about 100 people gathering, most of whom were not even baptized yet, and mostly, village women of low stature. Yet, they loved the Lord and were simply following the leading of the brothers in singing, testifying, ministering of the word, and prayer. Later, I came to know that the gathering commenced with a sister whose son had once been possessed with demons to the extent that he was bound with a chain. This one was miraculously delivered by the prayer of two brothers over the phone and one brother who visited him. This marvelous deliverance initiated the meeting in that sister's compound. This was a weekly meeting and the Lord has been preparing the people there for Him; a good number of them have received the Lord, among whom the solid ones have decided to take water baptism.

The next day we were supposed to leave for Patna. But in the morning I received an SMS from my flight company that it would be delayed by 12 hours. Similarly, my brother's flight was also canceled and he booked for the following day. We didn't know why our flight timings had to be postponed. But the brother invited us to stay for another night and visit another village. I believe that was the Lord’s sovereignty. 

The village we visited welcomed us with about 500 seeking gospel friends waiting for us. They were fully packed in a makeshift tin-roofed with bamboo pillars, which we learned later that was built by a father and daughter who were instrumental in gathering the people together. This father-daughter duo was saved through the elder daughter who was delivered from demon possession. That led them to believe into the Lord Jesus Christ and later many villagers followed suit. Now the number had grown up to 500+ and increasing!

In the spur of the moment, I was asked to share my testimony of salvation, which I did impromptu, trusting in the Lord’s testifying through me. Then, there was singspiration in local Bhojpuri dialect, the Word of God ministered by two brothers, and ended with prayer. The move of the Spirit was so strong that many of them were being delivered from their bondage of religion as evidently seen in their obedience to the word of God, in doing away with the superstitious red thread tight around their hands. We also led them to call upon the name of the Lord besides sharing the gospel. A man, in particular, who was chained with an iron rod by his family due to his mental condition, somehow escaped and participated in the meeting. On hearing the gospel of Jesus who delivers people from the bondage of Satan, he received, believed, and called upon the Lord’s name and was saved. Following which his chains were removed as well. To this, he was in tears of the joy of being freed!

The Lord intended that we eye-witnessed what He has been doing in the villages of Chakia, Bihar, of His great deliverance from darkness to light, from Satan to Christ, and from superstition to the Holy Scriptures. There, the Spirit moves and people came in hundreds to hear the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!

I could hardly believe my eyes as I witnessed the Lord’s move in North India among the Hindi-speaking people.

Praise the Lord for this miraculous gospel trip to Bihar!

GEMS Visit

Gospel Echoing Missionary Society(GEMS) has been pioneering the gospel move in Bihar and other parts of North India and has been actively involved in uplifting the local people in the field of education, medicine, and many other social and rehabilitation work in addition to evangelism. I have heard about them and the founder Bro. Augustine Jebakumar for many years now. It was only in the past two weeks that we decided to come and pay a visit to him and the organization. 

Then, I started collecting information about GEMS through some known contacts, did some research online, and in fellowship with my fellow brothers, wrote an email to the brother and to their office for an appointment. To my surprise,  I got back an immediate reply from Bro. Jebakumar himself. Then, as he instructed I wrote to the concerned person for visit related to ministry literature, and finally decided to come to visit.

A few days later, I received a call from their office confirming our visit and was surprisingly asked to share a message on the Lord’s day. It was a little surprising as we never met yet, but assigned to minister in a congregation of his stature. The first time in my life, we were being assigned to speak not knowing each other. Then, I fellowshipped with the brothers coordinating with me, and we prayed together for the Lord's definite leading in this matter. Meanwhile, all other practical things of travel itinerary and books sending were done, and prayer burden released for the saints to pray.

The day before yesterday, we were picked up from Patna and arrived at GEMS Campus, Dehri On Sone. Yesterday, we had a series of meetings and fellowship with different brothers. In all the meetings, we experienced the Lord’s presence and enjoyed the fellowship.

Our first meeting was an orientation by a brother concerning the founder's life story and how the Lord led him and the society he started, decade by decade from 1972 till date. Then, we had a campus tour with a brother briefing us on the activities of the various departments. 

In the afternoon, we had an important meeting with the key leaders of the organization. We introduced the ministry books in Hindi and in English as well. They also clarified the soundness of the teaching the ministry books uphold and its acceptance among various Christian groups. On being asked about our basic "doctrinal" belief, I explained that we hold onto the sixty-six books of the Bible as God’s word without overstretching any point of truth nor undermining others. And explained further, the ministry books we introduced were all for the supply of life to all the children of God. Besides, I also clarified a few other questions related to the ministry of brothers Watchman Nee and Witness Lee. Then, the key brothers have peacefully agreed to accept the ministry books, and after further studies, they would place orders for their libraries, missionaries, and different local churches. Out of the deep burden that the ministry of the word must be tasted by as many children of God as possible, I have presented a set of Hindi and English books for their campus library. It indeed was a wonderful and important meeting the Lord led us through with key directors.

Then, we met with Bro. Augustine Jebakumar and presented him the Holy Bible, Recovery Version, along with some selected books by Bro. Watchman Nee and Witness Lee with a brief introduction of each. As brother enquired to know more about the impact of the ministry books in our lives, the lives of the saints, and how we serve the Lord in cities like Delhi and Gurugram, we gave testimonies as answers to all his queries. He also shared his precious experiences and burdens he has concerning the Lord’s move in North India. We all enjoyed the wonderful fellowship for about two hours. We then requested our brother for prayer and took a photo for remembrance together.

Today, on the Lord’s day, our brother introduced us to the church gathering of about a thousand believers present at the auditorium and it was also streamed live, perhaps, or recorded for other "satellite churches." The word we ministered was on the service of the Lord’s called ones, from the life of Moses, the three subjective signs of the Lord’s called ones with the cutting and matching in Exodus 4. To complete the sharing of the truth with subjective experience, I also shared my testimony of the Lord’s calling, by throwing my "staff" and picking it up by the tail, and using it for the Lord’s service. 

We then had another round of campus tours, enjoyed lunch together with two young brothers, and then left for Patna. It was like a fairy tour. The Lord had marvelously worked out everything in His own time and in His best way. All glory to Him! Amen!

The visit to GEMS was indeed a gem. May the Lord bless all the saints with the ministry of the word for the growth unto the building up of the Body of Christ. 

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!