Life Lesson: Abigail

 1S 25:3And the man’s name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. And the woman had good discernment and was beautiful in appearance. But the man was hard, and he was evil in his doings; and he was a Calebite.

Abigail, a beautiful woman with good discernment, had a significant role in David's life and in the history of Israel. Today, she has become a type of warring church who followed Christ (David) in spiritual warfare.  Though her husband Nabal did not have the wisdom to discern who David was as God's anointed king of Israel and a very heartless man, she was the exact opposite of her husband. She undid whatever blunder her husband had committed drawing the wrath of David's anger who also should have had more self-control in dealing with a stranger when he himself had much endurance running for his life from Saul. In between these two men, one a worthless man, a fool, as his name is Nabal, and the other, David, the future king of Israel but had not checked his temper, she stood as a savior of her husband and her future husband to be. Her wise act in time saved both of her "husbands" the present and the future. She saved her husband Nabal and his whole household from being murdered coldblooded, and she also saved her future husband David from shedding more blood, perhaps, innocent blood. This fact is the testimony of David himself.

1S 25:32And David said to Abigail, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me.

1S 25:33And blessed be your discretion; and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from entering into bloodshed and from avenging myself by my own hand.

Her timely action as recorded below is simply exemplary.

1S 25:18Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread and two skins of wine and five sheep ready dressed and five measures of parched grain and one hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and she put them on her donkeys.

1S 25:19And she said to her young men, Go on before me; I am coming right behind you. But she did not tell her husband Nabal.

1S 25:23And when Abigail saw David, she hurried and got down from her donkey and fell on her face before David; and she bowed herself to the ground.

1S 25:24And she fell at his feet and said, Upon me alone, my lord, be this iniquity; and let your female servant speak in your hearing, and hear the words of your female servant.

1S 25:25May my lord not take this worthless man Nabal to heart. For as his name is, so he is: Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. But I your female servant did not see my lord’s young men, whom you sent.

1S 25:26And now, my lord, as Jehovah lives and as your soul lives, since Jehovah has withheld you from entering into bloodshed and from avenging yourself by your own hand, now therefore let your enemies and those who seek harm against my lord be like Nabal.

1S 25:27And now this present which your servant has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men who follow my lord.

1S 25:28Please forgive the transgression of your female servant, for Jehovah will no doubt make a sure house for my lord, because my lord fights the battles of Jehovah; and no evil will be found in you throughout your days.

1S 25:31This will not be a qualm of conscience to you or a stumbling block in heart to my lord, that you shed blood without cause or that my lord has avenged himself. And when Jehovah has dealt well with my lord, may you remember your female servant.

Such a worthy woman with discernment and wisdom and who knew what to do at what time is indeed an example for many sisters today. In fact, Abigail typifies the church in her status as the wife of David following him in the war wherever David went. Because of her wisdom, she became a savior of both Nabal and David from murder and bloodshed. In fact, she took upon herself the blame for the mistake her husband had foolishly made, and she humbled herself before David appeasing him and gaining his favor. Such a woman surely capture the heart of David and she later became his wife.

1S 25:32And David said to Abigail, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me.

1S 25:33And blessed be your discretion; and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from entering into bloodshed and from avenging myself by my own hand.

1S 25:42And Abigail hurried and rose up; and she rode on a donkey, with her five young women following her. And she went after the messengers of David, and she became his wife.

From then on Abigail as David's wife followed David wherever he went in the midst of the war. She is a type of warring church following Christ in the spiritual battle today. This typology also unveils the fact that as a suffering church, the believers today follow Christ and participate in His suffering for the building up of the Body of Christ, the church.   

Co 1:24 I now rejoice in my sufferings on your behalf and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His Body, which is the church; 
Co 1:25 Of which I became a minister according to the stewardship of God, which was given to me for you, to complete the word of God.

Christian Seminar: Bareilly

The eyes of everyone wait for You, And You give them their food in due season. Psalms 145:15 

On 3rd May a one-day Christian seminar-cum-ministry books introduction and distribution were held in Bareilly. The burden for this was conceived in our first visit to Bareilly when our host initiated the talk on the possibility of conducting a one-day seminar. As he led us to meet different Christian brothers and sisters for the ministry literature introduction, he felt it would be best to conduct a one-day seminar and invite the many Christian leaders and seekers and release the burden in one go. Therefore, before we left the city we finalise the date for the 3rd of May which happened to be a national holiday.

As planned we conducted a one-day seminar. Though it was planned for fifty Christian leaders, about seventy-five turned up for the meeting. We introduced the ministry from the book The All-inclusive Christ and also ministered the truth concerning the way to build up the Body of Christ. Technically, the expenses were a little higher than we expected as we had to pay for the "chapel" and the dining hall we used, including the food for all attendees. But we were glad that the ministry has been introduced and many free Rhema sets were given out. It was like seeds sowing into the hearts of 75 people on that day and many more books were given to some of the leaders to pass it on to their congregation or the believers they are shepherding. Officially, our burden was released, but deep within I was not too joyful as there were unexpected higher expenses and the unexpected translator could not cope with the burden I released while I was ministering the word. I learned the lesson not to stick my hand into what had already been arranged and adjusted my speaking along with the situation. 

One important lesson I learned was never to interfere in the practical arrangement of things if the Lord had already made the arrangement. Actually, in the case of the translation, we had a brother who came along with us who could translate, but I thought it better to give an opportunity to some of the local believers. But in giving opportunity I had to sacrifice a proper translation work who would be one spirit with me. Though I was restrained very much in my speaking because of the lack of truth and exercise of the spirit of my translator, I exercised my spirit much more to accept the situation and go along with it.

Anyhow, the Lord opened the door for his children to receive the ministry of the word. We have done our best and we leave the rest to God. The seeds we have sown would one day bear forth fruit unto the raising up of the Lord's testimony in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh.

Lord, we wait for Your time to raise up your testimony in Bareilly. Bless the seeds we have sown into the hearts of Your children.

Shepherding: Hospitality

A few weeks back I was informed that a brother was to come and stay with us for his medical check-up in New Delhi and it was just for a few days. Since the matter was urgent, I agreed but was only concerned how well we could take care of them. In other words, we need to learn how to give hospitaltiy to our guests; this is the area I have been wanting to improve. A few days before the guest was to come as we were told, the guest came earlier. Nonetheless, we took care of his hospitality. My brothers who are with me have helped me a lot in giving hospitaltiy to our guest.

A few days later, our guest's sister also came and stayed with us. I wanted them to feel as comfortable and homely as possible.  In fact, they both adapt to our family situation so well, and they became a part of our family. They were so free to come and go, cook and eat whatever they want. I felt happy that they were comfortable and felt at home. 

The best part of the hospitality was that every evening after dinner we would sit together for family prayers and after then a time of fellowship. Every night while they were with us, the Lord gave me a specific burden to minister to them. Some nights I testified my personal testimony, other nights I shared the truth concerning the church and some important items in the Bible. Every night as we fellowshipped, the Lord spoke His timely words which were needed for our guests. They have been very touched and impressed by the truths the Lord has revealed to us, and the life testimony the Lord has been gracing us. What a grace!

One specific burden I shared with my guest was that he should spent time everyday with the Lord in the word, at least 10% of the day, 10% of 24 hours to be spent with the Lord for prayer, Bible reading, and fellowshipping with the saints. He agreed to inculcate this newfound lifestyle. As to the complaint he had about his "church", and his disagreement with some elders in his group, my simple fellowship was to learn to submit to authority and to learn to be dealt with in his person. Our person is the Lord's work. 

In fact, I had the confidence to tell him that his coming to stay with us was the Lord's sovereign arrangement to get to know more bout the truth of the Bible concerning Christ and the church and a pracitical living testimony of believers. Though he came for his health checkup, that was merely the outter covering the Lord used; the actual reason was for spiritual fellowship. I also told him that if he began a new living, the Lord woul work on him and grant him a new beginning. In fact, he can become a living testimony to others, especially for the Lord's move among our tribesmen who are yet to believe into the Lord Jesus Chruist.

Fianlly, after about two weeks of stay with us, I went to drop them at New Delhi Airport. I believe the Lord has began His work on them for His move in his village and among his community. 

Lord, gain my brother and sister for your testimony!

Time with a Brother

Last Wednesday a brother and I had a time of fellowship over lunch with a senior brother and his wife at McDonald's, in Vasant Vihar, New Delhi. This brother is a living example of a serving one who remains faithful from the very beginning of his serving in the literature to date. In fact, he is the one through whom the ministry has come to India many years ago. It is grace to be able to serve together with my brother, though he is my father's age and much more experienced and senior and elder than me.

The first time I met him was when I was a student in MCC, Chennai. I came in touch with the saints in the church life and his son-in-law picked me up by an autorickshaw and took me to the Gospel Book Room where this brother was a manager then. The first time I visited the book room, I was introduced to him and the ministry literature. My innate response in visiting the book room was that I purchased all the English titles available in Indian print. A box of books I purchased and paid the price for it too. Those books later became eye-opening books for me to see the vision of God's economy gradually. Never did I ever imagine that one day, I would be co-laboring with our dear brother in the same literature service. In fact, after four years the Lord brought me into the literature service, and another four years after, I was further brought into the coordination of the entire literature service all over India with him and a couple of other brothers.

Deep within my being I always respect and honor him as my elder brother in the Lord and in the service. For every official matter, I always took his words seriously. In fact, when I first came into the literature service,  he encouraged me to travel and distribute the ministry books from state to state, city to city, town to town, and village to village. I took his words as the Lord's speaking and commit them to the Lord in prayer that it become true in my service. Then, I began to travel all over the country as he said, state to state, city to city, town to town, and village to village, introducing and distributing the ministry literature and also ministering the word of God. By the Lord's grace and mercy and blessing, all the states in India have been visited for the ministry literature distribution. What grace and what blessing to be in such a service ordained and blessed by the Lord serving together with a brother like him and others.

His life itself is a testimony. His children are all in the service of the Lord. In fact, all his children with their spouses are serving the Lord actively. I consider this itself a great blessing from the Lord. The Lord blessed His serving ones, including all their families and the generation following them. To such a one, as a serving in the coordination of the service, I genuinely felt good and expressed it to him and his family members as well that as much as the Lord graces the literature service, we would take care of his financial need and that he need not worry about his service per se. To me, this is the practical way to honor such a faithful brother. 

May the Lord bless him with long life, good health, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, and be a pattern to the young generation.

Mephibosheth: God's Kindness

David wanted to show kindness to Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth, by inviting him to dine with him at his table continually all the days of his life though he was crippled and his father and grandfather were dead. David's kindness can aslo be reckoned as God's knindess as the kindness David showed was also God's kindness as described in the Bible. This is a wonderful type of God showing His kindness towards man, "Mephibosheth," who was spiritually crippled in his "legs" for his daily Christian walk. In fact, David sought out Mephobiosheth and rescued him from Lo-debar, meaning a place of dryness where there is no green grass. Likewsie, man is also crippled in sins and lost in the world where there is no divine life supply.    

2S 9:1And David said, Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show kindness to him for Jonathan’s sake?
2S 9:3And the king said, Is there yet anyone at all of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him? And Ziba said to the king, There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.
2S 9:4Then the king said to him, Where is he? And Ziba said to the king, He is just now in the house of Machir the son of Amiel in Lo-debar.
2S 9:5And King David sent men and took him from the house of Machir the son of Amiel, from Lo-debar.
2S 9:6And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he said, Your servant is here.
2S 9:7And David said to him, Do not be afraid, for I will surely show kindness to you for the sake of Jonathan your father; and I will restore to you all the land of your father Saul, and you will eat food at my table continually.
2S 9:10And you shall work the land for him, you and your sons and your servants; and you shall bring in the produce that your master’s son may have food to eat; and Mephibosheth, your master’s son, will eat food continually at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
2S 9:11Then Ziba said to the king, According to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant, so will your servant do. And Mephibosheth, said David, shall eat at my table like one of the king’s sons.
2S 9:13And Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem because he ate at the king’s table continually. And he was crippled in both his feet.

All of David's kindness showed toward Mephibosheth for Jonathan's sake as the two brothers had made a covenant and loved one another with a brotherly love even to the point of death.

1S 18:1Now when he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan became knit with the soul of David; and Jonathan loved him like his own soul.
1S 18:3Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him like his own soul.
1S 20:16So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, And Jehovah will require it at the hand of David’s enemies.
1S 20:17And Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him, for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

This brotherly love story is also a divine love story between God and man, showing us how God's kindness leads us to repentace and turn away from the world to Christ. Despite being crippled spiritually, we have been invited to feast at the King's table. While being seated at the table to feast on the unsearchaeble riches of Christ, our entire focus must be on the rich food placed at the table, and not on the crippled legs under the table. It will be sheer foolishness to be too conscious of the crippled legs and not enjoy the feast that was prepared for us by the King Jesus Christ. As we all feast on the riches at the table, the crippled legs may still remain crippled. That fact may not change at all, but the focus must change; it must beo on the rich food rather than the crippled legs. What a grace that the crippled legs are under the table, hidden and covered by the riches on the table! This should be our Christna exoperience day by day, looking away unto Jesus. 

He 12:2Looking away unto Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down on the right hand of the throne of God.
Co 3:12Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, inward parts of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, long-suffering;
1Co 13:4Love suffers long. Love is kind; it is not jealous. Love does not brag and is not puffed up;
Tt 3:4But when the kindness and the love to man of our Savior God appeared.

This wonderful love story of God's kindness encouraged many saints as we studied this portion of the word. I myself enjoyed the message and shared it as a message to the brothers and sisters in Madhya Pradesh yesterday. What a privilege to know the truth and much more to experience and enjoy the truth!

Lord. thank You for Your kindness shown towards me, a crippled sinner.

Fellowship, Fellowship, and Fellowship

Serving the Lord with a vision of the Body is full of fellowship. Our service in the Body is not individualistic anymore. Therefore, it involves a lot of fellowship with fellow members in the Body, and nothing can be done without fellowship as everything must be done in fellowship only. This lesson has been a great blessing in my service. 

Often my service has been just occupied by fellowship after fellowship after fellowship. And while fellowshipping I enjoyed the Lord's speaking in the Body and through the Body. On the one hand, fellowship is very enjoyable and serves as a covering and coordination, Yet on the other hand, fellowship is "difficult" as it cuts through personal opinions, and feelings, and gives no room for the self.  This way of serving the Lord is amazing and wonderful. I am full of praise and thanks to the Lord for leading me to such a vision and service.

Two days ago, though I had my office schedule for work, I had to attend a fellowship with two brothers to fellowship on the matter of support for the servings one in the coming financial year. The fellowship started off with a negative note, but as we fellowshipped and listened to one another, the Lord cleared up many misunderstandings and brought us into oneness in deciding how much support certain serving ones should get.  In the process, we brothers also were able to understand each other better and be blended more.

Then I had to pick up a brother and fellowship concerning his personal matter over lunch. Initially, this brother was a total "stranger" to me as I never knew him personally nor what he has been going through. Yet, as he opened up about his situation, almost with tears concerning his "bad" relationship with some leading brothers in the local church he was, we could sense where he has gone wrong. At that point, we were almost inclined towards him and even sympathized with him. Yet in fellowship, as I also looked to the Lord inwardly on how to shepherd this brother, the Lord gave me the liberty to share from my own experiences how the Lord led me in my marriage life and how I had been dealt with in the matter of discerning the Lord's will and obeying it. In fellowship, the Lord showed all of us the danger of eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the blessing of eating from the tree of life. 

Sometimes, some young brothers were "obsessed" with what they wanted in life concerning their marriage or job, or place of stay. Only supplying the divine life in fellowship can rescue such ones from the deadness to life. That's what we experienced as we fellowshipped with this brother. After the hours of fellowship, it became very clear that our young brother has been misled by himself in his obsession about a certain sister she likes and loves and desires to marry, but that happened to be his own personal feeling, one-sided from his own viewpoint. But in fellowship we did our best to shepherd our dear brother and encouraged him to fellowship with certain brothers to clear up all the offenses whatsoever, and also to immediately resume his personal enjoyment of Christ through his daily exercise of prayer, reading the word of God, and participating in the practical church life.

Then in the evening, I had a time of family fellowship with some relatives who came to stay with us for a couple of days for their health check-ups. To them, I shared the goodness of the Lord in how He led me from my young age to serve Him and how He blessed me with all heavenly and spiritual blessings in addition to the many physical blessings as well. They also testified that they have learned a lot from the life testimony and heard the living testimony of how the Lord must be experienced in a living way.

The Lord does speak clear messages through fellowship in the Body. All the saints I have had fellowship with definitely testified of how they were blessed by the fellowship. In fact, through such a small beginning- a simple fellowship, the Lord can gain all the saints for the fulfillment of His heart's desire.

Lord, preserve me in Your Body in fellowship all the days of my life.

Shepherding: Fiery Ordeal

 1P 4:12Beloved, do not think that the fiery ordeal among you, coming to you for a trial, is strange, as if it were a strange thing happening to you;

1P 4:13But inasmuch as you share in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice exultingly.

1P 4:14If you are reproached in the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

1P 4:15For let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler into others’ affairs;

1P 4:16But if as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this name.

Last Monday, I received an unexpected call from a sister who poured out all her sorrows and pains she has been going through, in a way of fellowship. She was so hurt by her own daughter who she felt had betrayed her. She has already been through an unimaginable turmoil in her life for the past few years and she has still been going through it with higher intensity. As a brother, I patiently listened to everything she had to say and let her pour out her heart. Meanwhile, as I listened I also prayed inwardly turning to Lord to comfort her and also to give me wisdom on how to render a special help in the situation she was in. The fellowship went on for about an hour. When she finally finished whatever she had to say, I fellowshipped with her what the Lord spoke to me the same day morning in the Life-study pursuit from 1 Peter.

I fellowshipped that if we suffer because of our sins or mistakes, we have to learn the spiritual lessons needed and not repeat the same sins or mistakes ever again, looking to the Lord. But if we indeed suffer because of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we should glorify God in it. For in such suffering, we are partaking of the sufferings of Christ. In this way of suffering, we will be dealt with in our natural man and be purified gradually through every suffering as gold is purified through fire.

The Greek, for fiery ordeal, purosei, means burning, signifying the burning of a smelting furnace for the purification of gold and silver (Prov. 27:21; Psa. 66:10), like the metaphor used in 1:7.

Pr 27:21The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, And a man is tried by the praise given him.

Ps 66:10For You have tried us, O God; You have refined us as silver is refined.

Through the fellowship from my enjoyment of the word of God, she was so nourished and she realized that many of the sufferings she went through were also linked to her mistakes in the past. She also realized that the Lord wanted to gain her fully for Himself so that He is allowing all that she has been going through to strip her of all impurities as gold is refined by fire. The firey ordeal may be difficult to bear now but it is definitely worth the burning for the sake of gaining Christ and be gradually conform to His image. 

She also confessed her mistake in trusting and caring for people other than God Himself. Now that she has been "betrayed" by the very person she loved, she realized that she should trust only the Lord Jesus Christ and no one else. Besides, through all these pains she has been going through she has also changed a lot. Her attitude towards the saints and the church and the Lord Himself, and her attitude toward persons, matters, and things have taken a new turn altogether. Praise the Lord for such a positive result that transpired through her sufferings.

At one point, as she was narrating her ordeals she spitted out the forbidden word "suicide," which she happened to think about. To this, I gave a strong word not to use the word ever again. Such a word is straight from the devil. Satan's tactic is to bring people to despair and eat them up. God's way is to save them and give them new life altogether. 

When I finished fellowshipping what the Lord burdened me with, I prayed for her and she also prayed. But as she prayed, she could not continue further as she started to weep. Then, I encouraged her to take rest and ended the call.

Later in the evening, I was requested to visit a family where this very experience I just had with a sister became a testimony of sharing the need for fellowship and shepherding one another. It became the fresh bread that I enjoyed and shared with another family, while all names and identification of the persons were kept secret.

May the Lord continue to shepherd the saints including me, even if we may go through fiery trials, if He so allows, to be purified and be conformed to His image!