Discipline in Love

Discipline your son, for there is hope; But do not set your heart on destroying him. Proverbs 19:18

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

I love my children, they are God's gift to me and my wife. Since their birth, they have been a blessing to us as a family. In many aspects, they are truly our heart's delight yet not a replacement of the Lord Jesus Christ. As we love the Lord, we also love what the Lord has blessed us with. So, we must be a proper guardian to the blessings of the womb. Children are from the Lord, we are just the guardians to nurture them for the Lord. In our responsibility as guardians, sometimes there is a need for some discipline and correction, whenever the need arises. With my children, mostly they have been doing fairly well. Except sometimes they tend to disobey and need some discipline. There, as a parent, especially as a father, I need to lovingly chastise them.

Some characteristic traits of my children have been manifested in terms of obedience and respect to elders. In this matter, I strongly felt my children need to be taught or disciplined. But I must also be wise in the way I carry this out. I can only recollect how I had been taught when I was young as my children now, ie.., discipline.

Last night, I sensed a very disgusting behavior from my son in terms of attitude and honoring and respecting elders especially his parent. This has been going on for quite some time now. I just could not let the matter go by easily. So I decided to take my son to a task. For a long time, I have not been showing my disciplinary face except for a few words of parental commands, which hardly matters to him. 

Therefore, I wanted to drive deep into my son's heart that I am serious about a proper attitude and respect towards elders which I have been brought up to, all my life. So I disciplined him verbally and with some physical chastisement. Though he could not take it at the moment and tried to fight back, it only strengthened me to intensify the degree of chastisement. Not a physical abuse as such, but a strong verbal correction had brought him to tears. The incident occurred continuously three times in a row as I could not see him subdued but fighting back instead. So each discipline was more intense than the previous one, and I reckoned that as my responsibility towards my son. 

Seriously, I hardly would like to get into this kind of intense discipline, but once I was forced to, I will not give it up until the purpose was met. This may be kind of harsh, but I deeply pray within that this will have a lasting impact on my son and also on my two daughters that they would have a proper attitude and show honor and respect to elders all the days of their lives. For this, I am willing to sacrifice my own face as a "soft father". Let me rather be "hated" for this disciplinary action rather than see my children undisciplined. I was willing to pay the price, and I did pray the price as I felt best. Then, I prayed for all of them that the Lord would also follow my disciplinary actions with His own shepherding. Only physical or verbal discipline without the Lord's following up would lead to nowhere. Therefore, I prayed for all my children.

Perhaps, the action was too tough that my son was deeply hurt and for a considerable length of time, he could not be consoled. My wife and my two daughters went to console him and finally, the matter was settled. But that's not all, I believe, my two daughters also learned the intensity of my action and the magnitude of my intention; I did what I did because I truly love them. I simply want them to be disciplined and be proper in their human character.

The next day, the impact of the discipline was felt. Everybody was serious and the looseness that lingered for quite some time had gone. My children become more serious in their response when matters were addressed concerning them. After my lunch and a short nap time, as I was considering before the Lord about the action I took to discipline my son, I felt good to talk to him and see if there was any grudge between us. Yes, discipline was fine, but how about the father-son relationship after the discipline? Therefore, I went to talk to him and called him to the bedroom for a personal fellowship. I told him that I did what I did because I love him and that I did not want him to harbor any improper attitude towards his parent or elders, and also to learn to honor and respect the elders. He replied to me that he understood my intention. I also asked him if he had any negative feelings against me, yes if any, I asked him to forgive me. To this, he replied, "Maybe." I requested, "Please forgive me, then." And he replied, "Yes." Therefore, we hugged each other; I kissed my beloved son, and we prayed together.

As a sign of comfort and gratitude to him for being able to accept the discipline, I asked him what he would want me to buy. He reminded me that I had forgotten my promise to my elder daughter about ice cream which I promised to treat her with a few weeks ago. Therefore, we both went to purchase a pack of Vanilla and Chocolate ice cream and we enjoyed the ice cream as "our prize for the discipline."

Thus, the matter was settled. I had peace and he does too. I hope and pray that I do not need to repeat the same discipline again ever. Hope this will be the last and that they all will learn the lesson. Right after this incident, my own father called me to check if I and my family were doing alright as he heard of so many cases of Covid in Delhi and NCR. I also could speak to my mom and heard their appreciation for the help, financially, during my dad's sickness a week ago.

May the Lord continue to bless our family. May He make our family a God-man family as I have always prayed for; to fear Him, to love Him, and to serve Him, as a family, all the days of our lives.

Lord, bless our family!

Godly Living

Yesterday, our Lord's table meeting and the prophesying meeting were very special. Though the nature of the meeting was the same as a regular meeting, the content and the feeling of the saints in the meeting took a new turn. I believe it was for the better. The saints' prayers and speakings were very much uplifted in terms of truth and experience. It was not mere empty words but with much feeling and experience behind the words. In other words, it was very genuine. Our praise, worship, thanksgiving, prayer, and prophecy were very genuine; straight from the heart, out of the experiences many have been through these days.

The past few weeks have been intense for many saints as some have been battling with Covid personally or as a family or for some relatives. This second wave surprised the whole country suddenly. Many have been infected with the virus and, alas, many have also lost their lives; thousands and thousands daily, not spacing even the believers.

In the midst of such a pandemic, the Lord has been mercifully preserving all of us. Besides, He has been gracing us to experience Him in a very personal and intimate way. A good number of brothers and sisters testified their experiences during the time they were sick; the new lessons they have learned from the Lord and the new light the Lord has shown to them. A sister even shared with tears, the mercy of the Lord she has experienced concerning her unbelieving mother and father who both were infected with Covicd, and how the Lord miraculously healed them by answering her simple prayer. 

These prophecies of the saints added fuel to the burning fire within me. Therfore, I released my burden on the present pursuit of the truth on "Living a Godly Life" based on selected gems from the book of Proverbs.

To live a godly life, one needs to have the following points experientially:

VISION 

“Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint”—Prov. 29:18a

The governing vision of the Bible is the Triune God working Himself into His chosen and redeemed people in order to saturate their entire being with the Divine Trinity for the producing and building up of the Body of Christ consummating in the New Jerusalem—Eph. 4:4-6; Rev. 21:2, 9-10.

One needs to have a clear vision of God's eternal economy and follow it faithfully unto the end. Without this, even the so-called godly life would be meaningless and goalless.

TRUTH

“Buy truth, and do not sell it”—Prov. 23:23a 

The present truth includes the revelation concerning the eternal economy of God (Eph. 1:10; 3:9), the Divine Trinity (2 Cor. 13:14; Rev. 1:4-5), the person and work of the all-inclusive Christ (Col. 2:9, 16-17; 3:11), the consummated life-giving Spirit (John 7:39; 1 Cor. 15:45b; Rev. 22:17), the eternal life of God (John 3:15-16), the church as the Body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23), and the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:2, 10-11). 

The Lord's mercy has led all the saints in His recovery to take the way we have been taking. We have faced persecution from families and friends, either from the unbelievers or believers or even both. Some even accused the way we take as "heretic" and even "cultic", but the truth is the truth, no matter what people say or think. To be faithful to the truth, the Lord has graced us to pay the price. This is "the buying of the truth." And we must not sell it at any cost, come what may. The Lord may grace us to be faithful and obedient to the truth unto the end.

Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision. Acts 26:19

SPIRIT

“The spirit of man is the lamp of Jehovah, / Searching all the innermost parts of the inner being”— Prov. 20:27

When we exercise our spirit to pray properly, there is a lamp shining—Eph. 6:18; 1:17-18; 5:8-9: 1. As we pray, our spirit functions as a shining lamp, searching all the parts of our soul—Prov. 20:27. The more we exercise our spirit in prayer, the more we are enlightened—2 Cor. 4:6.

With the clear and controlling vision clubbed together with the present truth, we must also exercise our spirit to experience the reality of the vision and the truth. Otherwise, it will just be running after an empty dream; professing good vision and truth, but it will all be dead doctrines and fantasy vision if not in the spirit. Therefore, there is an urgent need to exercise our spirits that the Lord as the Lamp may shine in our spirits as the lamps to enlighten our inner being to be luminaries in the world as children of God.

That you may be blameless and guileless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine as luminaries in the world. Philippians 2:15

HEART

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, / For from it are the issues of life”—Prov. 4:23: 

The heart is the entrance and exit to our whole being—Matt. 13:19; 15:18-19: We guard our heart by caring for our heart and having a thorough dealing with our heart before the Lord in the way of life; the more we deal with our heart, the more we guard our heart—Psa. 26:2; 139:23-24; Prov. 4:23; Rom. 8:27; Rev. 2:23; Matt. 13:18-23; 5:8.

Our hearts need to be guarded with all vigilance to not give any ground to the enemy. It is only through this the enemy can intrude into our lives and cause spiritual havoc. Our conscience must be dealt with, cleansed all the time without and condemnation or guilt. Our mind must be renewed day by day, that it even becomes the mind of Christ, clear and sober. Our emotion must be loving the Lord with the first and best love; loving the Lord Jesus only and Him only. Our will must be subdued becoming one with the Lord's will. In this way, our hearts will be guarded and dealt with to become a pure heart to see God and made proper for Christ to make His home.

LOVE

“Love covers all transgressions”—Prov. 10:12b: 

Covering brings in blessing, but uncovering brings in a curse—Gen. 9:22-27 “Love covers all things” (1 Cor. 13:7a), not only the good things but also the bad things.

As children of the Son of God's love, we must be filled with the divine love and let this divine love flow through us to all the people we are in contact with. With such a love, we can cover the shortcomings and weaknesses of our fellow believers. Only love builds up; therefore, we must love one other and build up the church the Body of Christ.

Thus was my burden released. That was one of the best meetings we have ever had this year. I believe more and more such meetings will follow suit. The Lord is sovereign over us all in leading us to live a godly life; arranging even the physical environment to work all things together for our good to gain Him and live Him out as our godly lives.

Truth Lesson: Pillar, a Reward to the Overcomer

In the recent training for the elders and the responsible ones, a message on "The Factor of Living an Overcoming Life in the recovered Church to Consummate the Divine Economy and Become the New Jerusalem" has impacted me a lot spiritually. What I used to consider as an overcomer is not the whole truth at all. Besides, I was also helped to see the factor that can make me an overcomer. Factor is an element contributing to the result. Therefore, I must take care of the factor to meet the end result. 

OVERCOMERS in the Recovered Local Churches

The real overcomer is Christ. The sooner one realizes this, the better.  Now as a believer, I have Christ in me. So the way for me to become an overcomer is by being one with Christ practically in my daily living. 

Such believers who are living Christ are the overcomers, who are also the factor that contributes to the building up of the church. It is not merely enough to be in a recovered local church life, the church in Philadelphia, but much more to be overcomers in the church; the Lord is calling for the overcomers. The local churches are the procedures to have the reality of the Body of Christ as the goal. There are local churches that existed yet without resulting in the living of an overcoming life. The local churches are not the factor, but the overcomers in the recovered churches are. These ones will consummate the divine economy and become the New Jerusalem. The church could be empty if it is not contributing to the consummation of the divine economy. In other words, the so-called church could be empty if there are no overcomers. 

The Lord is the Overcomer and He is reproducing Himself in us to make us overcomers in the local church.

Matthew 18:17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to hear the church also, let him be to you just like the Gentile and the tax collector.

The Lord only regards the church meeting on the ground of oneness. In Revelation, it is always “the church in ….” The Lord must recover genuine local churches, or He has no way to build up the church.  As we are in the recovered church, our response should be, “Lord, make me an overcomer.”

To the local church in Ephesus, the Lord said, “Unless you repent, I will remove the lampstand.” This shows that the assembly may still exist as an empty local church without being a lampstand. It is possible for a church to be empty if it exists without the overcomers. The reality of the kingdom of the heaven is the content of the church, which is Christ Himself as our life, as the essence and the substance for us to be the proper church life. Through which we will be build up with the other believers. Without the reality, the constitution, the central work of God, the churches are just empty. Only the overcomers can build up the church that will bring the Lord back and consummate in the New Jerusalem.

REWARD

The principle of reward is, "What we are will become our reward in the coming age."

Revelation 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.

To be an overcomer we must eat the tree of life today, not waiting until the next age. The present enjoyment of the overcomers is the reward in the coming age. What we enjoy and participate in today will become our reward in the coming age. 

PILLARS

To be an overcomer is also to be a pillar today so that we can become a pillar in the coming age. Who are these pillars? In Revelation 3:12 the Bible says, 

"He who overcomes, him I will make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall by no means go out anymore, and I will write upon him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which descends out of heaven from My God, and My new name."

But in 21:22 it says,  

"And I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple."

This means the pillars are in organic union with the Triune God Himself. This also proves the fact that the overcomers are those who are one with the Lord Himself. Therefore, if we are overcomers to be pillars, we must exercise to live and walk by the Spirit who is the processed and consummated Triune God mingling with our spirit today. The way to achieve this is by allowing Christ to make His home in our hearts.

Ephesians 3:16, 17 That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit into the inner man, That Christ may make His home in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love, that Christ may make His home in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

And loving Him with our best love; for it is with those who love Him that He comes and makes and abode with him. This aboded is the mingling of God with man. 

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make an abode with him.

Therefore, we are made pillars in the temple of God by living an overcoming life in the recovered church life by allowing Christ to make His home in our hearts, and making an abode with us.

Lord, make me a pillar for the building up of Your Body.

Truth Lesson: New Name

In fellowship with a senior and matured brother, the Lord has given me a new light concerning my growth in life and transformation through the many life experiences He has sovereignly allowed me to go through. As every spiritual experience begins with a revelation, this revelation definitely brings me to a higher experience of life in my walk with God.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give of the hidden manna, and to him I will give a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knows except him who receives it. Revelation 2:17

A Note from the Recovery Version on a "New Name": A name designates a person; a new name designates a transformed person. Every transformed believer, as a white stone, bears “a new name…which no one knows except him who receives it.” Such a new name is the interpretation of the experience of the one who has been transformed. Hence, only he himself knows the meaning of that name.

This new name is not merely the experiences the Lord gives me as I am being transformed. Rather, it is the interpretation of the experiences and learning of spiritual lessons from it. Many, perhaps, every Christian goes through different experiences almost every day. But the question is, Are there any gaining of Christ through the experiences? Are there any spiritual interpretations of those experiences? Or, Are they merely experiences that come and go, having nothing to do with the person who experiences it? This is where many Christian fail in their Christian life. 

There is no accident in Christian life. Everything a Christian goes through has been ordained at best, or at worst, allowed by God, always with a purpose. One has to find out what are the purposes of those experiences. 

Recently, the Lord gave me some precious experiences. As I considered them in this light of "new name", I got revelations of the interpretation of those experiences. The first was related to a dog bite, which changes my lifestyle altogether and brought me closer to my family. Since that incident, I could interpret that the Lord is teaching me to spend more time with my children. In fact, I have been doing that since then. Besides, the Lord used this incident to shepherd me through many saints. The saints that I least expected that they care for me actually care for me. I used to think that my shepherding is from me to the saints. But this time, the Lord showed me that my shepherding is also the saints' shepherding. We mutually shepherd one another. I received the Lord's shepherding through the saints. Praise the Lord! 

Another instance is related to my daddy's operation. This experience has brought my siblings together, to pray together, and to love and care for one another in an intimate way. The Lord definitely gained our family life much more than before. My siblings have been graced to function very well in taking care of daddy. I could only offer from the Lord's bountiful supply and pray for them. But my siblings have practically shepherded daddy so well. The interpretation of this experience is, the Lord has actually answered all my prayers for my siblings and family. They have grown in the Lord much more than before and are bearing family responsibilities practically. I can truly trust them.

The other instance is on a printer purchase for my family's need. Since the pandemic struck India, all my children's classes are online and they need to take a lot of print out for their class works. We have been using the office printer and shared in buying the printer toner. In order to save cost, I was trying to use two old printers. Every time I tried, something went wrong and finally, I gave both the old printers up.  Then, the Lord also provided the needed money to buy a new printer. One day I went to buy a printer but could not get what I wanted. Therefore I resorted back to repairing an old one from the office. It worked for a day, and a problem occurred again. Then I realized that I should not have resorted back to an old printer when the Lord gave me sufficient money to buy a new one.  Even if the printer could be repaired, the Lord wanted me to buy a new one. Besides, the repaired new one can be gifted to a needy brother's family who could not afford a new one. Therefore, I and my wife checked some printers online and bought one. This experience taught me that when the Lord says something I better listen absolutely and not negotiate nor bargain with Him. He knows best, and He does not need my good opinion or suggestions. I only need to obey Him, He knows best.

These three instances are some life experiences whose interpretations are life lessons learned, for my gaining of Christ, and pursuit of Christ. Praise the Lord for this new name! This new name has to be gained now to become so in the New Jerusalem! What has been experienced now will be consummated in the New Jerusalem!

Truth Lesson: Out Resurrection

The past few days I have been pursuing the Life-study of Philippians on the matter of "out-resurrection." This word is kind of awkward and I will not be surprised if many Christians understand this word at all. The literal translation in the Recovery Version is below with the note on "out-resurrection":

If perhaps I may attain to the out-resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:11

I.e., the outstanding resurrection, the extra-resurrection, which will be a prize to the overcoming saints. All believers who are dead in Christ will participate in the resurrection from the dead at the Lord’s coming back (1 Thes. 4:16; 1 Cor. 15:52). But the overcoming saints will enjoy an extra, outstanding portion of that resurrection. See note 35 2 in Heb. 11. 

To arrive at the out-resurrection indicates that our entire being has been gradually and continually resurrected. God first resurrected our deadened spirit (Eph. 2:5-6); then from our spirit He proceeds to resurrect our soul (Rom. 8:6) and our mortal body (Rom. 8:11), until our entire being — spirit, soul, and body — is fully resurrected out of our old being by and with His life. This is a process in life through which we must pass and a race that we must run until we arrive at the out-resurrection as the prize. Hence, the out-resurrection should be the goal and destination of our Christian life. We can reach this goal only by being conformed to the death of Christ, by living a crucified life. In the death of Christ we are processed in resurrection from the old creation to the new.

The Lord impressed me so much as I was considering this "out-resurrection." This is not the resurrection that Lazarus experienced in John 11: 43-44 though he indeed was resurrected from the dead. His resurrection was not a resurrection out from the old creation into the new creation by receiving the divine and eternal life of God. The resurrection here is the resurrection out from the old creation into the new creation. In general, this out-resurrection is Christ Himself living in and through us in practicality. This is the practical living our of Philippians 1:21

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

But how can one attain this? It is practically possible only through knowing the power of Christ's resurrection, the fellowship of His suffering, and also by being conformed to His death.

To know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death. Philippians 3:10

Now, I gradually begin to understand the truth of the power of Christ's resurrection and conforming to His death, and how vital an experience this is. 

Further, this is not to be achieved only in the coming kingdom age, because this is the result of the living out of Christ practically today. It is possible to be in the out-resurrection today too.  

Brothers, I do not account of myself to have laid hold; but one thing I do: Forgetting the things which are behind and stretching forward to the things which are before, I pursue toward the goal for the prize to which God in Christ Jesus has called me upward. Philippians 3:13, 14 

Apostle Paul himself was pursuing this goal, that is to attain the out-resurrection in his lifetime as his goal and also to attain it in the next age of the kingdom as his prize. Taking Paul as my pattern, I also pursue the goal of gaining and living Christ as my experience of the out-resurrection in this age, even now, today, and all the days of my life. And also to attain to the out-resurrection in the coming age as my prize. The way to attain the goal and the price is also made clear:

To know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death. Philippians 3:10

Praise the Lord for such a marvelous truth unveiled to me these days! This will be my life goal and prize henceforth. May the Lord grace me to attain the goal and the prize, the out-resurrection!

Covid Care

The past few weeks have been a time of prayer and care for those saints who have contracted coronavirus. The second wave of Covid in India has taken the country by storm. This wave has hit everyone with the same stroke stinging many to death, both believers and unbelievers alike. I was surprised to learn of a good number of death cases of some believers. In fact, a brother told me that he has been hearing the passing away of believers, especially Christian leaders almost every day. The entire media is covering the sad and ugly truth of health care disaster and many innocent lives succumbing to their deaths due to lack of oxygen and ventilators for Covid patients. My prayer, both personal and corporate, has been mostly related to the present pandemic, for the healing of the saints who became prey to this virus, and also for the protection of the saints under His covering care. Only the Lord is the one who can truly protect us all.

So far, eight of our serving ones in the literature service have been affected by Covid. Three of them have recovered after battling the attacks fiercely. Now, five of them and their family members are overcoming the attack and are gradually recovering. Once the matter about the serving ones came to my knowledge, my reaction was to pray and also to provide some practical care to them. Within my capacity, the Lord graced me to make arrangements for some saints through personal offerings and channelling offerings to the needy saints. I felt strongly that I should do my best wherever and whenever I can. Therefore, I brought the matter to the brothers' fellowship of the church in Gurugram, and we all agreed to shepherd the saints during this time of need with a financial offering. I also wrote to a brother personally yet officially concerning my burden to care for the serving ones. After he agreed on the proposal I made for helping the saints, all offerings have been transferred without any delay. Now is the time to take action. Therefore, actions have been taken.

There is a sense of inner satisfaction in caring for the need of the saints. I visualised myself to have been in their situation and share my feeling with the suffering saints. Within my capacity, doing what I can do while it is in my hand to do so, I did my best. Therefore, to my knowledge, the suffering serving ones and some other saints have been taken care.

A brother has become a little critical in his health situation. He has lost his mental balance due to the sudden sickness of all his family members with Covid. All the saints in our WhatsApp group are basically praying for him. He lost his father a few days ago and he himself has become so critical that he needed a ventilator and also had to be admitted to the ICU. For this, I appreciate the saints standing in one accord to pray. I believe, the Lord has heard our prayers and this young brother will come out healthy and strong to continue his service in the translation of the ministry literature from Englsih to Marathi. This is one corporate battle we fought.

I pray and trust the Lord will heal and recover all the affected saints and that no more would contract this virus hereafter. We are at the merciful hands of the Lord. Lord, cover us....

From Our Father Through Our Father

Last Lord's day evening I received calls from two of my sisters though I could not pick when they both called. Later, as I called them up, I got to learn that our dad went through some injuries, on his head and neck. This led to his health deteriorating so suddenly that he was almost paralyzed. I wasted no time asking my sister to give the phone to dad himself. When I spoke to him he seemed to tell me that everything was alright except that he went through some injuries. I could discern that he did not want me to worry, therefore, he was trying to conform me by telling me that he was fine and that I need not worry. But the fact was different. Then, I spoke to my mom and step-mom to get more detail of what all transpired. 

The following day, my brother called me. In fact, for the first time after at least a year, to tell me of the real situation. Dad had hurt his head and there was blood clogging in his brain that affected his memory. Therefore, he hardly remembers anything and could not come to his real sense. All the medical test shows that he needs immediate intensive care. 

Meanwhile, the offering money me and my wife reserved was confirmed to be transferred to take care of our family's needs this time. Therefore, I transferred it to daddy's account. That was also the Lord's leading in me to offer to our own family this time, unlike other times when the Lord would lead me to offer to the church or to other needy saints. The Lord knows best and I simply must always follow His inner leading. 

I could pray together with my brother, especially for daddy's health. To me, this itself is worth the situation our family has been going through at the moment. I have been praying for my own brother so much. Now, he realized the need for his own revival with family love and bonding through the daddy's situation.  The Lord does allow things like this to gain His children.  Praise the Lord for everything!

Today, it has been confirmed that daddy needed to go through brain surgery in a private hospital which could cost a hefty amount. I fellowshipped with my brother to exercise wisdom in decision making and do the right thing that needs to be done at the moment, in terms of hospitalization, operation, negotiation with doctors, and other practical matters. And I confirmed to him that I will do my best in all possible ways to participate in prayer and in finance as much as the Lord provided us.

Through this situation, I could sense the Lord's recovering our family's love for one another. Not merely among us siblings, but also with my cousins and step-mom too. Even for the expenses, I believe, all the family members will participate, as proof of the recovery of our love and care for one another.

A new experience the Lord gave me this time is peace. Generally, in troubled times like this in the past, with my cousin-sister and also with my mom, I used to be very anxious and nervous. But this time, the Lord has been gracing me to receive everything as from the Father's hand, and trust in Him absolutely. Perfect peace and joy have been filling me inwardly despite the severity of my dad's health, clubbed with the second wave of Corona rampantly spreading everywhere. I truly have no cause for worry or for fear, for my Father's wise bestowment upon all things has been made known to me.

Last week, the Lord's speaking was on wisdom, the way of doing things. The Lord is the Wisdom, and His ways are wise in every aspect. He is the only wise God (Rom. 16:27), Christ is the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24), and Christ has become the wisdom from God to us (1 Cor. 1:30).  What the Lord spoke to me, His hand also followed suit in leading me to experience Him as my wisdom.

Wisdom may be understood as the way to do things. If we have wisdom, we will know the proper way to do things, but if we are not wise, our way of doing things will be foolish. In order to have the best way to do things in our daily life, we must have wisdom. Christ as wisdom to the believers is actually  the divine way. Hence, wisdom in 1 Corinthians 1:30 is equal to the way in John 14:6, a verse in which the Lord Jesus says, “I am the way.” God’s way is His wisdom. If we enjoy Christ and participate in Him, we will have Him as our wisdom, as our way. This wisdom comes from our enjoyment of Christ. Day by day and hour by hour we should live in the spirit and exercise the spirit to call on the name of the Lord Jesus. If we do this, we will enjoy Christ and have Him as our wisdom, that is, our way of doing things. ( The Conclusion of the New Testament, p. 3122)

The ministry portion that I enjoyed doctrinally has become my experience practically. The Lord is faithful to make His hand follow His speaking. All that has happened is truly out from Him, it will be through Him, and also unto Him. Even in my daddy's case, God is in control. He allows it all for our good. I would even say, this is how He answered all my prayers for my family. To revive all of us, to love God and love one another, to be one with God and to be one with one another. This experience is synonymous with Paul and Silas' experience in Acts 16: 24-34; praising God in the prison and God answering their prayers by an earthquake followed by the salvation of the Phillipian jailer with his whole family and so forth. Praise the Lord!

This is our testimony of our Father in heaven gaining us through our father on earth. Amen.