Ashirwad: Blessing

Ashirwad, or blessing, is the word, for the past seven weeks of our experiences in the historical, victorious, and marvelous proofreading project of the New Testament Recovery Version Bible in four Indian languages- Malayalam, Mizo, Tamil, snd Telugu. Sans God’s "ashirwad" this project could never have been accomplished. It was purely the grace and mercy of the Lord that enabled us to face the challenges in the midst of the ongoing pandemic; the magnitude of the works done, the acute pressure endured, and the spiritual battle fought were all by the Lord's secret and hidden hands behind the scenes. The invisible presence of the Lord, the wisdom and leading He had been gracing us step by step, day by day, are beyond verbal description and human imagination. It was the Lord and His blessings that led us through and through. To such an "ashirwad", we can only worship the Lord, thank and praise Him, and give Him all the glory! Amen and amen!

The Lord had sovereignly arranged a Christian campus named "Ashirwad" in Hyderabad for this proofreading project. Though we had options in Chennai and Madurai, the final choice was this venue. Initially, we had no idea what the actual physical needs would be. But whatever we needed, the venue had it all or got it arranged. All the volunteers, coordinators, and serving saints from abroad were all accommodated on the campus with food service. Therefore eliminating the need for commuting and extra work. Besides, the staffs, from the top management to the workers, were very cooperative, helping us out in all that we requested. Overall, the campus has a good ambiance where the saints can fellowship and pray.

In the second and third weeks of the project, many saints got sick,  including me for two days. But once I got well, the Lord graced me to coordinate with a couple who both are medical doctors to care for the sick. Surprisingly, all who got sick were healed within a few days. The concern was when three of our saints from abroad fell sick and two of them had to self-quarantine for a week each. The outward pressure was high but the Lord graced me with His inward peace all along. Amidst trials, the Lord fought the battle on our behalf and led us through!

Due to such unexpected circumstances, we faced I had to cancel my trip back home which was already planned. I am glad that I was graced to participate in the function assigned to me in many administrative responsibilities though I did not actually do the proofreading per se. The Lord gave me a few local brothers to coordinate all the help I needed. Though the responsibilities were heavy, the executions were light. And I always got timely help. Looking back, I can only worship and praise the Lord.

Ashirwad is the experience and Ashirwad is the place where the word of the Lord was brought out and the work of the Lord was carried out. Praise the Lord!

Experiences of the Truths

As the proofreading project is going on in Hyderabad, amidst the busy schedule the Lord has been gracing me to enjoy His presence and His speaking day by day. In the past two Lord’s days, I shared my enjoyment of the Lord in the gathering held at the project venue. Two main experiences are related to the anointing Spirit and the living and walking in the divine Trinity.

The Anointing Spirit

Doctrinally, many Christians realized that every genuine believers have the anointing Spirit in his or her spirit. 

“And you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know.” (1 John 2:20, RecVer)

“And as for you, the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone teach you; but as His anointing teaches you concerning all things and is true and is not a lie, and even as it has taught you, abide in Him.” (1 John 2:27, RecVer)

But experiencially how many have truly enjoyed the anointing Spirit in their daily living? The anointing Spirit is in the human spirit of the regenerated believers. But to experience this anointing, there are certain conditions that must be fulfilled. 

Firstly, Christ is the Messiah,  the Annointed One; He is the anointing. We must be under the headship of Christ, the Anointed Head, to enjoy the anointing. Anyone not under the headship of Christ cannot enjoy the Head's anointing. Secondly, the Head Christ and the body the church are one. The Head and the body cannot be separated. The anointing on the Head flows in the body. 

“It is like the fine oil upon the head that ran down upon the beard, upon Aaron’s beard, that ran down upon the hem of his garments;” (Psalms 133:2, RecVer)

If we are not one with the body of the Head Christ, we will not experience the anointing. Therefore, we must be one with the Head and one with the Body to enjoy the anointing.

Finally, the anointing oil must not be applied on the flesh. Which means, to enjoy the anointing, we must deal with our flesh through the cross. A fleshly person or even a natural person cannot enjoy the anointing. 

“Upon the flesh of man it shall not be poured, nor shall you make any like it, according to its composition; it is holy, and it shall be holy to you.” (Exodus 30:32, RecVer)

This was the message the Lord gave me to share on the previous Lord’s day. 

Living in the Divine Trinity 

Last Lord’s day, the message was on living in the Divine Trinity. There are three aspects of living in the Divine Trinity. The first aspect is by enjoying Christ as our life supply, by eating Him in the word.

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words which I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” (John 6:63, RecVer)

The second aspect is by living Christ by the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. 

“For I know that for me this will turn out to salvation through your petition and the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I will be put to shame, but with all boldness, as always, even now Christ will be magnified in my body, whether through life or through death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:19-21, RecVer)

I also testified of how the bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ has been supplying us, especially, in the ongoing project works amidst many challenges. 

Thirdly, by coming to the throne of grace we receive mercy and find grace for timely help.

“Let us therefore come forward with boldness to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace for timely help.” (Hebrews 4:16, RecVer).

Throne is related to authority and submission. If we are not submitted to His entronement how can we receive His anointing? Therefore, to come to the throne of grace also entails submission to His authority. 

These are the two messages I have been enjoying and I also shared in the last two Lord’s day meetings.

May these experiences be daily unto eternity.

Proofreading: A Spiritual Battle

The proofreading work of the New Testament Recovery Version in four Indian languages has been a battleground for fighting a spiritual battle all along. The saints all over the world have been faithfully praying for this too. We, on the battle field, have been facing the direct frontal attack of the enemy. Tried however much he might, Satan is the defeated foe and Christ is the victorious Jesus General. And we are the army of our Victor Jesus Christ!

The peak of the battle as I understood was in the second week when many saints have fallen sick with few serious cases. But within a day or two, all have been recovered. In fact, the first to be touched was myself among five of us who were coordinating. I was down for two days. Then all the other four serving ones with me became ill one after the other. In fact, one of them negatively tested positive for a viral flu that has been spreading disastrously, of course with self test and not clinical. Therefore, to avoid further spread, we quarantined whoever fell sick. During the peak of the attack I had been busy caring for the sick, for their medicine supply and food supply as well. For one entire week I had the honor of serving some of the saints in coordination, with three meals a day. It was a privilege to me, and I joyfully served them. It was for this need that I had to cancel my week-long home visit in between the project. 

Though the outward pressure was high, deep within I enjoyed the presence of the Lord. I felt the Lord leading me step by step in every minute detail. Not one bit I had a doubt that we would not make it to the end. To me, the trials were testaments to the genuineness of the work we were involved in; the work of God, therefore, the enemy's attack was just obvious.

As the battle was fought, a misbehavior of a serving sister added to an emotional attack as she had to be sent home after the first stage of the project. Another serving sister was diagnosed with TB, and yet another sister was diagnosed with cancer on careful investigationof her past medical report. Mysteriously, a brother was literally immovable as he has sudden body pain. He was on bed rest for about three days. Even doctors could not diagnose the root cause of the problem. The only way out was just prayer and a brother's foot therapy that eventually healed him. Inspite of all these, the Lord led us through from stage to stage. Christ has been experienced as the Victor in every minute detail. We were on a heavenly team! Hymn 909

In the stream! In the stream!
Let us work in the stream!
In the stream! In the stream!
We'll work as in the heav'nly team!

Our prayers were all heavenly and we touched the throne of God directly in this battle. Through thick and thin, we braved the enemy's attack. The grace of God was bountiful and we have been led from victory to victory! Hallelujah!

Even as we inquired from a brother who has been involved in at least a score of this kind of proofreading work globally, he testified that this one in India with four languages was the toughest and also the longest. By the way, this also transpired in the midst of pandemic. All the other works had been on just one language, but this was in four languages combined. No wonder the work load was fourfold. The greater the need, the greater the grace too!

This proofreading work will go down in the history of the Lord’s move, especially in India, as one significant event contributing to the carrying our of God’s economy. 

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in the Christ and manifests the savor of the knowledge of Him through us in every place.” (2 Corinthians 2:14, RecVer)

Sri Lanka Connection

A brother from Sri Lanka came to learn and observe the proofreading works of the New Testament Recovery Version in Hyderabad. When he was to come I had the opportunity to coordinate in working out his visa by requesting a local brother to invite him formally. Then when he did come, I again had the grace to pick him up from the Airport.  And finally, when he left India I had the privilege of dropping him to the Airport. 

While he was here he learned and picked up typesetting skills. After a few days later he became ill with a contagious flu spreading around. Then, I had the opportunity to serve him with food. As he was getting sicker, out of suspicion I had to do a home test for a common virus infecting him. Negatively, the result was positive. Therefore, he had to postpone the date of his return journey. He stayed for another week, literally in quarantine. During the entire period of his quarantine I had the grace to care take of for his food and his health. And finally, after a week when he became fully healthy again, a test was done for his going back. With the healthy report of the test, he could leave the country for his home country, Sri Lanka.

While I went to drop him, I got to fellowship with him personally. In fact, that was the only time got to fellowship. He was in his early fortys and yet to be married. I shared the vision of marriage and how to look to the Lord for His leading concerning who his wife should be. This fellowship was never planned, but I believe the Lord had this very thing in His heart. Therefore I became the messenger to him for this purpose. As he opened up a little bit about the brothers' fellowship to him in Sri Lanka, I basically joined myself to those brothers and continued the same line of fellowship. In fact, a sister had been proposed to him but due to lack of clarity and self denial, he could not accept the proposal. I did not propose another sister to him at all but simply asked him to reconsider the brothers' proposal again. I shared my own testimony of how the Lord led me in my marriage and particularly in amening the Lord’s arrangement through the brothers' fellowship. I also testified to him of how much blessing I have been receiving from the Lord from day one of my marriage life and still the blessings continue to flow. Then, we prayed together for his marriage, took selfie with him and dropped him off.

The Lord sovereignly arranged every situation to be able to participate in his visiting India and also took care of him while he stayed for about two weeks. With this, I have been blessed to have a Sri Lanka connection; a brotherly connection

May the Lord lead him on and on and grace him to be one with Him in his service, marriage, and church life.

Recommending a Brother

A brother with whom I have been praying together often and with whom I have had serious fellowship had gone through a series of life experiences. Just a few weeks ago he called me to fellowship about his consideration and burden to join  the full-time training for about a month, as short termer. In fact, he went through a physical car accident that also contributed to the burden. No matter, whatever way the Lord uses, it is always the Lord who shepherds His children in the way He deems best for each one. The time has come for my brother. 

When he fellowshiped this matter my innate reply was, follow the Lord’s leading. If you have a clear sky before the Lord, just drop everything and follow the Lord, come what may. At rhe same time, I encouraged him to fellowship with his wife and also fellowship with his parent so that even in following the leading of the Lord it is done so in a proper way.  Then he called me again to mention of some obstacles that would delay his joining the training. My brotherly fellowship to him was, be absolute in following the Lord. I even warned him that delaying is the devil's tactic to stop him from following the Lord. He amen my fellowship. Then, we prayed together for his joining the training. 

Then again he called me up to recommend hin for the training as a part of the procedure for joining the training. I considered before the Lord and wrote a letter of recommendation.

RESPONSIBLE BROTHER'S RECOMMENDATION - PART ONE

Dear brothers,

Br. A----- was introduced to me in my first visit to the church in Raipur. Since then we have been in touch over the phone. In mid 2020, he went through a difficult time in his life and was distracted from the ministry for a period of time to the point that he became negative towards the ministry. In fact, he even became a cause of concern for many brothers in North India, especially New Delhi. It was during that time that the Lord burdened me to pray for him specifically and also to pray with him on a regular basis. Since then, we have been fellowshipping and praying together over the phone. 

In September 2020, he came to stay with my family in Gurugram for more than a week. It was there that we could both experience brotherly love and shepherding care towards one another. It was also during his stay there that he confessed his regrets for what he said and done to certain brothers. In fact, together we went to meet some key brothers in Delhi and Gurugram for a "reconciliation" fellowship.

In February 2021, a brother and I visited him at his home in K----, Chhattisgarh, as a part of the North India distribution trip where we fellowshipped at length with him and his entire family. Though he has been going through ups and downs in his life, he has been maintaining the fellowship as much as possible with me; calling me for fellowship, practical advice, sharing his enjoyment of the truths, and prayers. He has also been attending online meetings of the church in Gurugram sometimes and the church in New Delhi other times.  

Recently, he had a practical experience which strengthened his burden of joining at least a month of short-term training. With the burden of joining the training, he requested a recommendation letter. He has agreed to comply with the training rules and regulation, and also consecrated himself for the training. Therefore, as a brother in Christ, trusting in the God of all grace and the Shepherd of our souls, I am writing this recommendation for a short-term training for one month. I believe the Lord will do a deeper work in him and he will cope up with the training.

May the Lord grace our brother and bring him under the divine dispensing of the divine Trinity for His divine move.  

In Him, 

Palmei

This recommendation along with his applucation form were submitted. A week or so after, the Lord has brought him to the training. When he requested for prayer for his training, I replied, "Amen. May you take Christ as grace to enjoy the training and be trained in the training. Praying for you brother."

The Joy of Serving

“It shall not be so among you; but whoever wants to become great among you shall be your servant, And whoever wants to be first among you shall be your slave; Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:26-28, RecVer)

The Lord Jesus came to serve and not to be served. What a pattern! If the Son of God Himself came to serve, who am I not to serve? The Lord set the record straight and there is no question on service at all; all must serve. 

In the past few weeks, the Lord gave me the opportunity to serve. In the middle of the proofreading in Hyderabad many saints have fallen sick, including myself for two days, and many others followed suit. It was like a flu spreading. Yet when I got well, I had the grace and the blessing to serve. Three of the saints who came from abroad also had fallen sick to the extent that they had to quarantine themselves for their safety and for the sake of others. That was a good opportunity for me to serve. In fact, a blessing in disguise, practically in the matter of serving them food, three meals a day. I had the privilege and honor to make the food ready on time and deliver the food to the sick saints in their room. I did it all with joy! Besides running around to meet the immediate and practical day to day need of buying medicines and food items, I was in a-kind-of being in pressure but not pressured. I took the Lord as my wisdom and grace to carry out all my responsibilities. I did all that with joy! No exaggeration, I truly meant it.

Amidst the busy service schedule, when I was informed to minister among the seekers in Madhya Pradesh, I ministered on the joy of serving.

Quoting the Lord’s word as the truth points, I ministered on serving the Lord by serving the saints, beginning with minial jobs. If one cannot serve in practical homely matters, it is hard to expect from such a one to serve in the ministry of the word. I do not believe that a minister would be so anointed by the Lord that he altogether neglect his human ministry of serving in practical daily and homely matters. Yes, the Lord is the greatest minister yet He also served people and his disciples. He healed, preached, and taught, at the same time, He also washed His disciples' foot. He is God Himself yet He served practically too. Stephen was a faithful steward filled with the Holy Spirit and ministered the word with power and authority. 

Many Christians, especially brothers, are spiritually blind in wanting to be leaders without the heart of serving. Many brothers are ambitious to be somebody in the Lord’s work. What a shame! No true servant of the Lord would be ambitious for leadership, yet the Lord will make them leaders. Even when the Lord made them leaders they would humbly serve as though they are not leaders at all. That is a proper attitude. 

Only the spiritually blind ones would fight for leadership. The more they fight ambitiously the more they are disqualified to be leaders. Only the one whom the Lord appoints and annoints will be leaders, not to exert authority and rule over others but to lead as a pattern in serving. Such is the need of the day. May the Lord recover all the saints to simply serve as slaves not looking for position and not being ambitious at all.

When one has proper attitude concerning serving, his service will be full of life and joy. Lord, grace us to serve You with joy. O the joy of serving!

Only If the Lord Gains

Since the past few months I have been very busy in traveling for the distribution of the ministry literature and then for the proofreading work of the New Testament Recovery Version. In fact, from 27 Dec 2021 till date, I am in Hyderabad. Therefore,  practically I have not been able to regularly call up the ones I used to shepherd. In fact, two regular shepherding meetings and three regular church meetings I have not been able to participate for a few minth now. I realized that the time has come for me to take my hands off and let the brothers go on based on the foundational shepherding work the Lord through my co-laboring had done upon them. The outcome of all that had been done and what have been going on even in my absence, only the Lord knows. He will do what He deems best. Only if the Lord gains these ones, they will be gained. 

There are a good number of seekers and families that I have been burdened for. In fact, I had been shepherding them with the best of my ability. Now the time has come for me to put my hands off from them too. Whether they will enter into the church life or not is up to the Lord and up to them, depending on how much they are willing to be absolute to the truths being shown to them. I felt deep within me that I have discharged my burdens for these ones and did all that I could possibly have done. I have no regrets. I leave the outcome to the Lord. If the Lord gains them, they will be gained.

At the end of last year I did reconsider what all had been done throughout the year. The burdens and goals I had for the years, to my judgment, have not been fulfilled. Should I term myself a failure based on the visible result? Yes, may be, or may be not. I did my best. I didn't have any better way either, or may be I didn't know the better way. Whatever, now I leave the matter to the Lord. If the Lord gains, they will be gained. The seeds have been sown, and now awaiting its growth and harvest one day.

If the Lord gains, He will gain all these ones. They will absolutely be the result of the Lord’s work. Therefore, not to justify myself of not meeting my goals, but stating the fact as fact, if the Lord gains them, they definitely will be gained. Amen.

I simply put my trust in the word of God.

“Unless Jehovah builds the house, Those who build it labor in vain. Unless Jehovah keeps the city, The guard watches in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, To stay up late, To eat the bread of toil; All the same, He gives to His beloved while they sleep.” (Psalms 127:1-2, RecVer)

And also be able to declare as Habakuk did;

“For the fig tree will not sprout, And there will be no yield on the vines; The labor on the olive tree will fail, And the fields will make no food; The flock will be cut off from the fold, And there will be no herd in the stalls. Yet I will exult in Jehovah; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.” (Habakkuk 3:17-18, RecVer)