Be in Health

Beloved, concerning all things I wish that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers. 3 John 2

Serving the Lord is practical and possible only when one is in good health and strength. Without this, spirituality in a weak body will not be of much use. Therefore, brothers have been speaking again and again of the need to maintain good health and even live long life until the Lord comes back. This is not merely for selfish long-living, but for the Lord's testimony. And within this span of life, one can learn and gain more of Christ to the extent that he becomes mature and be an overcomer.  Good health is a necessity in serving the Lord.

Though our lives are in the Lord's hand, and our longevity also depends on His sovereignty and blessing, and yet certain factors also contribute to how one takes care of his health. A proper view concerning health is needed. Extremity is dangerous. In the name of the Lord's work, one cannot neglect his health. Within the capacity the Lord has given us, we must take good care of our health; eat healthy food, exercise normally, and maintain the God-given body.

When I was much younger, I wish to be an overcomer and die soon to meet the Lord. In fact, in my late twenties, I used to pray that if the Lord so will, He could take me and I would not want to live a life of facing many hurdles. As long as the Lord would deem me fit to be with Him unto eternity, I would choose the easier path of being with Him; the sooner the better. But the Lord has renewed my concept and not I wish to take good care of my health and live long for the Lord's testimony unless the Lord feels it otherwise. Paul also had this conversation with the Lord about his wish to live on the earth for the sake of the believers though he would personally prefer to be with the Lord unto eternity. 

Last week the Lord has given me and my wife a strong feeling to check up on our health. Now we are in our early forties, middle age, and it's a crucial time to pay heed to our health so that we can live long and serve the Lord better with the view of having sufficient time to mature in life. In fellowship with a sister who is a doctor in a hospital in New Delhi, we went for a Neurologist consultation. Then based on the doctor's advice we also did a complete health check-up.

Once the result came, we came to know what we need to care for. For me, I am deficient in Vitamin D and my bad cholesterol is above the normal level. These are the two things I need to take care of. Immediately, I had a sense within me to take care of this. I adjusted my diet and modified my living style. This change happened organically. The revelation of my true body condition enabled me to take the necessary steps before it is too late. 

In a similar manner, I have also been enlightened about my true spiritual condition. I need a proper God-man living, a normal Christian life, eating and drinking the Lord in and through the word and prayer. These days I have been hungry and eating the Lord through the word daily. Should the Lord wish so, I desire to complete my ongoing personal project of completing my Life-study pursuing by 2022 including listening to all the Radio programs of the Life-study of the Bible.  The Lord has been gracing me to pursue the Life-studies by reading and also by listening. I have been utilizing every break time to listen to the brothers' speaking in addition to my daily Bible studies, reading the Bible text, and other corporate pursuing of the ministry. All these are for my spiritual health.

May the Lord grace me to continue to have a good spiritual appetite to continually enjoy Him in the word and through the ministry of the word, and also take care of my physical health, to have good health and long life for His testimony. 

Yes, concerning all things I wish that I may prosper and be in health, even as my soul prospers. Lord, grace me good health.

Graciously Lend

The Lord has been faithfully providing all our needs and He will continue to do so as He cares for His children. As a loving Father, He meets the needs of all His children in His own way and at His own time. His provision to all His children has always been because He is the sovereign God and much more, a loving Father. Despite the failures and weaknesses of His children, His love towards them never fails. I am blessed to be one of the many children of God whom He has been faithfully caring for. His supply has always been timely, sufficient, and in abundance. Whenever our expenses go up, His supplies become higher and still meet all the needs. His supplies are not merely according to my need, but according to His riches. Hallelujah!

And my God will fill your every need according to His riches, in glory, in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

A week ago, a brother texted me if he could open up on some matters which he would like to keep it confidential. He was asking for my persmission if he could let me know what he really needed at the moment. Without any hesitiation I replied in the affirmative. Then, he opened up his situation mentioning his urgent need to borrow money. After a second thought, I replied that I would pray over and fellowship with my wife and let him know our decision later.

Later in the evening as I spent time with the Lord asking if we should help our needy brother, the reply I received in fellowship with the Lord was spontenous, "Why not?" On careful consideration, the Lord aslo provided the necessary financial blessing to be able to help him. Actually, one of our FDs got matured recently and I didn't even have time to withdraw or do anything about it. The bank atutmoctially created a new FD. This is the same amount my brother had asked for loan. Then I fellowshipped with my wife and she readily agreed to helping our brothe in need. Therefore, the following day, without any further delay, I went to the bank, closed the said FD, and transferred the amount to our bnroher in need. 

A few dasy later, the Lord spoke to me during my Bible study time, the following verse from Psalms.

It is well with the man who is gracious and lends; He will maintain his cause in judgment. He has scattered abroad; he has given to the needy; His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be exalted with honor. Psalms 112:5, 9

What a joy and peace I have within in cooperating with the moving Triune God in caring for the need of His chidlren! He has been caring for me all this while, and now I can co-work with Him in caring for the needs of my fellow brothers. 

Praise the Lord for His wonderful, loving, and timely care!

Independence Day

Today is the 75th Independence Day, the 15th of August. 75 years ago India got its independence from the British's rule. This day did not come without a heavy price of martyrs' blood and freedom struggles. This is the day of freedom for secular India. But is this the real freedom  for an individual, an Indian? 

Surely, man has fallen and is under the bondage of Satan, sin, and the world. Outward freedom could be achieved with struggles, hardships, and martyrdoms. But none can achieve freedom from Satan without the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Only the redeeming blood of the Son of God can bring  full freedom to the fallen humanity. Therefore, the real freedom, in the strictest sense, is possible only in and through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Today, as the country celebrated its 75th Independence Day, I was addressing an online meeting and released the burden the Lord gave me on Dependence Day.  Every human being needs God. God is the Creator of the universe and the source of all lives in the universe. This God, in His creation, has a definite plan in creating man. The plan of God is to create man in His image and likeness that man may express Him. He also gave man His dominion over all the other created things to represent Him on the earth. But for this, man needs to receive the life God. And to be able to receive that divine life, God created man with three part; body, soul, and spirit. 

Genesis 2:7Jehovah God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.

1 Thessalonians 5:23And the God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 9:23In order that He might make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He had before prepared unto glory.

Once man receives God, God as the Spirit (John 4:24) comes into him and dwells in him to be his content, to express Him and represent Him. This is the plan of God.

For man to continually express and represent God and fulfil God's plan, he need to be dependent on God all the time. Therefore, every day of a Christian's life must be a "Dependence Day." This was message for today God gave me on Independence Day, a Dependence Day.

The practical way to be depend on God is by daily coming to the Lord at least on three things. Firstly, to breathe Him in, moment by moment by calling upon the Lord's name and be in the spirit of prayer as much as man physically needs to breathe air to live.  Secondly, to eat Him in the word of God as spiritual food day by day as much as man eats three meals a day for his physical health. And thirdly, to pray and drink the Lord as the Spirit in prayer as man drinks water to quench his thirst and live. By these three practical ways, man can depend on God and live by Him moment by moment, and day by day.

On the 75th Indian Independence Day, the word of God is on the urgent and perpetual need to depend on God. An Independence Day to a Dependence Day; from secular to spiritual, is the need of the day. This was the message God gave me today. This was also the first meeting I addressed a group of Hindi speaking believers whose main "leader" I have been in fellowship with for the past one year or so. A new beginning indeed for the Lord move among the local Hindi speaking people in Gurugram and North India!

God bless India! God save and bless the people of India. Independence day for a dependence day on God. Jai Jesus!

A Tale of Two Athletes

My home state Manipur has been famous for sports. For the entire country, there are two popular ladies who have gone to compete at the Olympics and won medals for the entire country, India. While I rejoice in the fact that there is some development coming up from the state and also in the country in a global scenario, I also observe the situation of these athletes and draw a life lesson from them.

A very seasoned boxer, who has become an international icon in her field of sport and obtained a celebrity status, has been appreciated by all. In the eyes of society, all about her is appreciable. I also see something that needs to be learned from her mistake. As her name suggests and the place she hails from, she definitely must be a Christian. In fact, she has a wonderful opportunity to magnify Christ boldly and openly should she wish to. Except for what her name suggests, I do not see anything Christian, as far as I know, and hear about her. 

No offense to her nor anyone, it is just my personal lesson I derive from what I have been observing. There is an element of pride and arrogance which I do not approve of at all. Last year, when her qualification for representing India in the Olympics was challenged by another junior boxer, the way she reacted has nothing to show Christlikeness. Sadly enough, she reacted frankly and openly in herself; self-justification, boasting, pride, and even arrogance. When I read about her reaction in the newspaper, I thought to myself, "Pride goes before a fall." Though I wish her all success in her career, no one can defeat the truth-lesson God has set for each one. I feel very disappointed at the way she reacted. How I wish she would be more gracious and handle the matter in a mature and graceful way. Well, no one can pretend what one is not. A spade is a spade, pride is pride, and arrogance is arrogance. But, there is a price for all these. 

So, when the same lady could not live up to the must hype created around her winning of Gold Medal for India with all the media and well-wishers' pouring in their supports, I stood in awe as I feared that pride would surely be humbled. In fact, what I expected had actually happened. She did not win the medal which the entire country was hopeful of. I have nothing against her as such, but God is righteous and He deals with everyone equally. As much as no one is above the law, so much more, no one is above God. I was deeply reminded of the need to learn the lesson of humility and be graceful to others.

While there is another lady from my home state who was not even heard of at all until she won a Silver Medal for the country, the first-ever for this year's Olympics. She was the opposite of the former as far as I know. This lady is so humble, at least in the ways she deals with things. I was full of appreciation for this young and humble athlete. Though she may not even be a believer unlike the former, she displayed more proper conduct. On top of that, she searched for the trucks drivers who used to give her a lift when she was training for the sport she was contending for. Them she honored some 150 truck drivers and gave them gifts as a token of thank. That was very heart-touching. She did the best thing she could.

I draw from these two athletes and present my observation on the lessons of life, I feel, all can learn from. Pride goes before a fall. Be warned! Humble yourself in the hand of God. This is a tale of two athletes from my hometown. May we all learn a proper lesson before it is too late.

But He gives greater grace; therefore it says, “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6

In like manner, younger men, be subject to elders; and all of you gird yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. 1 Peter 5:5

Learning to Deal with Goodness

The Lord began to shine on me to see myself in the light of His word and through His speaking through the members of the Body. I have been more and more exposed to the light and could see myself more clearly as I also grow in age and in grace. I have been embracing my goodness and often appreciated it so much. Often I compared myself to others and sunk myself in self-glorification and self gratitude. But in the light of the Lord's word, whether it's my natural goodness or badness, all are from the same source, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. How goodness has been so subtle as it is "good"? But the fact, is, nothing is truly good for only God is good.

Naturally, I have a few good things to boast of. In my way of dealing with people, I have been very soft and full of grace. In fact, many have taken advantage of my "goodness" and robbed me of my time, energy, and money. Even to these "robbings", I reckon them as good deeds, thereby adding to my self-made treasure of "good-bank." 

Well then, I began to see who I really am even in my so-called "goodness". I am afraid I am just groping in darkness under the cloak of goodness. The Lord began to shine on me that my goodness which I reckon as my strong points are actually my weak points. I need to learn to deal with my goodness too. As much as I hated the evil in me and have been dealing with it, I must also deal with my goodness too. After all, they both belong to the same source, the same tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Now, I find nothing good in me in a very real sense. The good in me is as evil, if not more, as the evil in me. As long as the source is not the Lord, the Spirit in my spirit, everything is of the self at best and of Satan at worst. Now, I am in fear and trembling even in doing good things. When people come for help, my natural tendency is to always help. But I must not end up like Joshua being cheated by the Gideobnites. I must learn to bring every matter to the Lord and treasure the presence of the Lord more than anything else.

God should replace my "goodness." I should check with the Lord even for any good deed to be done. I need to overcome the temptation of doing good naturally. I must seek the Lord's presence in all the things I am doing, especially in the good things. If the Lord is not in my good deeds, it is as evil as any evil deed. The presence or absence of the Lord makes all the difference. This lesson I am beginning to learn. I pray that I may learn this lesson thoroughly well.

Within my capacity, I have been doing good to help others whenever they come for help. Now I am learning to check with the Lord first even before rendering any help. The past few days, some new ones and saints also sought help from me. I started reconsidering before I actually render them any help. And I ended my not helping some of these ones as I felt it was not of the Lord. Perhaps, by not helping when they come for help, I am helping them and myself too. 

Praise the Lord for this lesson of dealing with my goodness that the only goodness I display must be of the Lord and His alone.

Submission of Deborah

Deborah was raised up by God as a Judge of Israel who, as recorded in Judges 4 and 5, was an extraordinary woman. She was so capable yet knew to keep a principle that brought in blessing, and this principle is to keep God’s ordination. The description of Deborah in the recent training reads, "God raised up Deborah as a judge of Israel who practiced the female submission to the man in order to keep God’s ordination and bring all of Israel into a proper order under God’s kingship and headship—Judges 4 - 5."

Comparing what the New Testament has to say about females, the following verses open up new light to me, and a new underastnding.

There cannot be Jew nor Greek, there cannot be slave nor free man, there cannot be male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28 

In this verse, we can identify three contrasting pairs: Jew and Greek, slave and free man, and male and female. 

For also in one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and were all given to drink one Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:13

In 1 Corinthians 12:13 there are two contrasting pairs: Jews and Greeks and slaves and free. Galatians 3:28 says that in Christ there cannot be Jew nor Greek, slave nor free man, male and female, whereas 1 Corinthians 12:13 says that in the church, in the Body, there is no distinction between Jews and Greeks and between slaves and free. This verse does not mention males and females.

Based on these two verses we can see that in Christ, who is the Head of the Body, there is no difference between male and female, but in the Body there is a difference between male and female, that is, between the brothers and the sisters. First Corinthians 11 speaks definitely concerning the difference between man and woman, especially in the matter of headship. This indicates that in the church the difference between the brothers and the sisters still exists. In Christ, this difference does not exist, but in the church, in the Body, the difference between male and female remains.

In the Body, in the church, male and female distinction still exists, because the church is a spectacle. The church is being viewed by men and by angels. 

For, I think, God has set forth us the apostles last of all as doomed to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. 1 Corinthians 4:9

But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of the woman, and God is the head of Christ. 1 Corinthians 11:3 

Christ is the head of the man, and the man is the head of the woman, and God is the head of Christ. Even Christ has a Head. Even Christ was submissive to the Father. And in this relationship: God to Christ, Christ to the man, the man to the woman. Therefore, the woman ought to have a sign of submission to authority on her head for the sake of the angels. 

The angels are watching, observing if the proper order is being kept according to God’s ordination. 

In like manner, younger men, be subject to elders; and all of you gird yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. 1 Peter 5:5

In 1 Peter 5:5, we should all gird ourselves with humility toward one another. Yet do you realize the same verse tells the younger men to be subject to the older? In God’s ordination, age still exists in God’s creation. In Christ there’s no distinction between male and female; yet humanly, according to God’s ordination, there is male and female, there is the husband and the wife, and there should be the matter of submission and subjection. 

In reality, every brother is a sister, every brother is a female, and should take Christ as their head. We all must take Christ as our head. 

In the Bible a proper female indicates one who is in submission to God, one who keeps God’s ordination; this is the position that Israel should have taken before God as her King, her Lord, her Head, and her Husband, but Israel violated God’s ordination, leaving her position as God’s wife and forsaking Him for hundreds of idols; this brought Israel into a miserable situation and condition. Deborah realized that she needed a man to be her covering; as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:3: “Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of the woman, and God is the head of Christ.” When this excellent, extraordinary woman took the lead to practice the female submission to the man, the entire country came into an excellent and proper order; all the leaders took the lead, all the people followed, and the army was formed; everyone returned to his or her proper position before Jehovah.

The first and greatest function of the sisters in the church is to be submissive; if the sisters can learn this lesson, the church will be strong, enriched, and renewed. To be submissive requires the supply of life, the enjoyment of grace, the working of the cross, a nd the denial of the self.  Those who are filled with Christ are filled with submission; the Lord, who was submissive throughout His life, has given us His life of submission and obedience—Phil. 2:5-11; Heb. 5:7-9.

Though I am a brother myself, as a member of the church whose husband is Christ, I am a "female." Therefore, I must learn the lesson of submission to Christ, and also to my fellow brothers and serving ones. This message on submission is a great breakthrough in the fallen concept of modern-day "feminism" theory and rebellious attitude in the world today. 

What a mercy to learn this lesson of submission! What a blessing indeed to escape God's wrath from insubordination! May the Lord grace me and all the saints to be always under the covering of our Head Christ, and also to submit to one another in the fear of God. And may the Lord bless us in His church. Amen.

Lessons from Gideon

In the recent summer training, some crucial lessons from the life of Gideon were learned. The Bible is very faithful in presenting the success and failure of Gideon. Gideon was raised up by God as His valiant warrior and sent by God to save Israel (Judg. 6:12-14). He was both successful and yet failed terribly. Herein lies the lessons to be learned today.

Reasons for Gideon's Success 

Gideon listened carefully to the word of God, something that was rare among the children of Israel at that time. In this regard, Samuel also learned positive things from Eli, but he also observed the negative things in Eli, and those became a warning to him that preserved him for his whole life. 

In 1 Samuel 3:9-10, "And Eli said to Samuel, Go and lie down, and if He calls you, you shall say, Speak, O Jehovah; for Your servant is listening. And Samuel went and lay down in his place. Then Jehovah came and stood by and called as at the other times, Samuel! Samuel! And Samuel said, Speak, for Your servant is listening."

In Luke 1:38, "And Mary said, Behold, the slave of the Lord. May it happen to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her."

The Lord always wants to open our ears to hear His voice so that we may see things according to His economy. As the Spirit is speaking to the churches (Rev. 2:7a), we all need an opened, circumcised (Jer. 6:10; Acts 7:51), cleansed (Exo. 29:20; Lev. 8:23-24; 14:14), and anointed ear (vv. 17, 28) to hear the Spirit’s speaking.

Gideon obeyed God’s word and acted on it. 

Gideon tore down the altar of Baal (the chief male god of the Canaanites) and cut down the Asherah (the chief female goddess); this touched God’s heart because God hated the idols, which He regarded as men with whom His wife Israel had committed harlotry; intrinsically, an idol is anything within us that we love more than the Lord and that replaces the Lord in our life—Judg. 6:25-28; Ezek. 14:1-3. By tearing down the altar of Baal and cutting down the Asherah that belonged to his father, Gideon sacrificed his relationship with his father and his enjoyment of society to follow Jehovah; for Gideon to do such a thing required that he sacrifice his own interests, and his sacrifice was a strong factor of his success—Judg. 6:28-32.

As a result of the above four factors, Gideon became powerful and with only three hundred men defeated two princes and two kings, who had people “like a locust swarm in number” and “camels…without number” (v. 5; 7:25; 8:10-12); with Gideon we have a picture of a man who lived in union with God, a God-man, to fulfill God’s word and to carry out God’s economy.

Overcomers

The selection of the overcomers is seen with God’s selection of Gideon and the three hundred men to fight with him to defeat the Midianites. God was indicating that He would fight for Israel. From the first selection which resulted in twenty-two thousand leaving, those who left wanted to glorify themselves and were fearful and afraid. The second selection was determined by how the people drank; those who drank directly with their mouth were eliminated by God; those who drank by bringing water in their hand to their mouth were selected by God because they were self-denying persons; by drinking in this way, they were able to watch diligently for any attack by the enemy—Judg. 7:4-6. Self-denying persons who have been dealt with by the cross, sacrificing their personal rest and comfort for the sake of God’s purpose in the day of His warfare were the overcomers, who are absolute for God’s glory and are afraid of nothing except offending the Lord and losing His presence (Exo. 33:14-16); they allow the cross to deal with the self (1 John 3:8; Heb. 2:14; Rom. 6:23; Gal. 2:20).

Reasons for Gideon’s Failure

First, Gideon was not kind; he killed those countrymen who did not support him (Judg. 8:16-17), breaking the sixth commandment of God, "You shall not kill (Exo. 20:13)." Second, he indulged in the lust of the flesh, not exercising any restriction over his fleshly lust; this is indicated by Judges 8:30, which tells us that Gideon had seventy sons, “for he had many wives”; in addition, his concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son (v. 31); by this Gideon broke the seventh commandment, "You shall not commit adultery (Exo. 20:14)." Third, he coveted the spoil of his people (their golden earrings), thereby breaking the tenth commandment, "You shall not covet (Exo. 20:17)", and they surrendered it to him; Gideon made an ephod with the gold he had taken from the people, and this ephod became an idol to the children of Israel; as a result, Gideon’s family and the entire society of Israel were corrupted. 

Gideon’s indulgence in sex and his greediness for gold led to idolatry; greediness is idolatry (Col. 3:5), and both fornication and greediness are linked to idol worship (Eph. 5:5); his failure shows us that we need to exercise strict control in dealing with the matters of sex and wealth.

What lessons to learn from one man, Gideon! In my study of the word, life-study, listening to the brothers' speaking in the training, through the PSRP, and the message review, I went through these points over and over again. The message is very apt for today's generation. On the one hand, it is an encouragement in serving the Lord and yet, on the other hand, it is a solemn warning concerning Giodeon's failure. This is an innoculation against the stratagem of the enemy. I am blessed that the Lord has spoken a frank word to all His children. May His hand also follow His speaking that we all may learn from the success and failure of Gideaon and follow his footstep in his success and take his failure as a warning. 

Praise the Lord for His speaking!