Money Matters

Money matters to people's lives a lot. To many, money has even been worshipped as a god. To such, they will do anything for money's sake. In fact, money is one of the key baits Satan uses to trap many children of God. To be pure in money matters really needs the Lord's mercy. I have been learning this lesson of dealing with money, not just for myself but even in helping others to learn the lesson in money matters.

A brother has been directly mentioning his monetary needs since the time he met me. He has the burden to serve the Lord but he cannot really get rid of money in his thought for ministry. For everything that he planned to do, his consideration is more leaning toward money. I have been very careful with him and I do not want money to come in between our relationship in Christ. Whenever he mentioned money matters, I simply ignored it and never talked on that line. Recently, he separated one of his shops for a meeting hall. He directly asked me to help him in the renovation work as a brother. But I never had any burden from the Lord nor any leading from Him to participate in his request. Even if there were offerings that could be designated to him, I'd rather not offer to him at all. I wanted to keep our relationship in Christ without any monetary tag. 

When I visited him after he renovated the meeting hall, he still kept mentioning his lack and his concern about money matters. Then I finally had to give a testimony of how the Lord provided all my needs since the time He called me to serve Him. I strongly emphasized the point that "I would not mention my financial need to anyone except the Lord." The Lord has His way of providing for His children's needs. And shared with him how the Lord provided all my needs since the time I came to serve Him full-time. 

He and his wife were very much touched by the testimony. I do believe, they have got the message concerning money matters in the service of the Lord. And I also told them that I would offer to their needs whenever the Lord leads me so, until then, even if I had money, I would not participate in their work without the Lord's leading.

Another brother whom the Lord graced me to participate in meeting his financial need last year as he was barred from attending his high school classes and exams due to nonpayment of fees which was also due to the pandemic that made his father jobless for two years now. All the amounts were offered to them through the offerings the Lord provided. I told them not to pay back as the Lord had already supplied their needs. 

In the last two Lord's days, they mentioned their need again for an even higher amount than before, for the same school fees. But this time I was not burdened at all yet I told them that I would fellowship with the church brothers. When I fellowshipped with the church brothers, we all felt the same that this time we may not give them any financial help. If they could not afford it, perhaps, they have to change school and go to a school they could afford. Therefore, we were clear this time that their request would be rejected. We would help them to trust the Lord and find ways to meet their needs, but not through the church, this time.

Another brother was helped financially during the pandemic. In fact, some amount was loaned to him which he should pay back as and when he could, but he eventually never bothered to pay it back. Now, this brother's wife is pregnant and she will give birth in a month's time, increasing the need for finance. Besides, his source of income from tuition classes also was dwindling. Whenever I considered designating a certain amount of offering to him, I had no leading from the Lord. I realized that the Lord wanted him to learn some precious matter of faith. Therefore, monetary help will be given only when the Lord gave me the peace to do so.

In all of these cases, I am learning my lesson on dealing with money matters as money matters. I hope I am learning this lesson well. I must be wise in money matters as money matters even in the Christian life. 

Lesson from Gardener

A few weeks ago it was strongly manifested that I should take care of the gardening on the premises where the church is meeting, the literature office is operating, and where I and my family are residing. It hardly dawned on me to take care of the ambiance of the premises I have been living for a decade now. But through circumstance, it has been made clearer and clearer the need for landscaping the surrounding with greens and proper gardening. For this, the Lord also sovereignly arranged the situation in such a way that the needed money for the entire work of gardening was also provided. Besides, a brother's simple comment one day touched me so deeply that I took it as the Lord's speaking and took a firm decision to take action immediately. Therefore, I hired a gardener to do the works I felt needed to be done.

One by one, the work has been carried out, from cleaning the side lawn to the back lawn, fencing works of the boundary, trimming the overgrown fruit trees, landscaping the lawn with green grass, and the front part cleaning and gardening too with trimming of the trees; all works were carried out one by one. For every work I asked the gardener to do, I had to pay him. He was very convincing that what I thought was not needed for payment I had to pay up for the work.  On the one hand, he did the work, yet on the other hand, I felt he tried to extract as much money from me. I did not want to fight and argue over money matters so I gave in to all his demands for labor charges. Though I hired him for a monthly wage, so far I have been paying him for every work that I asked him to do. Well, I counted it fair enough as long as the works were done.

Herein I learned a lesson of doing work with a price. Anything worthy always comes with a price. I felt very bad when the gardener had to charge more for all his work and I was forced to bargain which did not yield any result. In fact, I wanted to let him go after the ongoing project, but later I realized that he need to be kept for the maintenance of the entire gardening work on the premise. Out of sympathy for his family I also gifted him some old clothes and shoes, but these he counted as charity and not a part of the work I hired him for.  Well, this is the one I have for now, and have to manage with it, as long as the work is being done.

Three things I learned from this experience are noteworthy: 

Money is mammon and needs to be handled with utmost care. Use money wisely for productive purposes yet never love the money itself. 

What needs to be done must be done at whatever price it costs. Just for the costs, do not delay the work. 

Dealing with people, especially people who love money needs wisdom from the Lord. Money is so evil that it can blind a man for the gaining of it in whichever way.

This simple experience with a gardener opened my eyes to see the true value of money and how much Satan has utilized money to drive people to say anything and even do anything for money. I hate money more and more having seen its misuse. Though I need them myself, I should never love money. 

For the love of money is a root of all evils, because of which some, aspiring after money, have been led away from the faith and pierced themselves through with many pains. 1 Timothy 6:10

A Wedding Invite

The Lord moves in a marvelous way in which He only knows how to and when. I have just finished a long trip to North India and was considering the next plan. Some fellowships were done but nothing solid was planned yet. Basically, I was clueless about where the next ministry journey should be. Though a brother had come to fellowship with me, everything was still in the head without anything planned.

A month ago, a brother messaged me that he finally got engaged to a sister whom he dearly loved. The church brothers had confirmed the engagement. My innate response was to fellowship with him and pray with him over the answered prayer. A few days later, he called again enquiring if I could witness his wedding and perhaps minister the word as well. It was a surprise to me because I had no plan as such to travel all the way and attend his marriage. I was indecisive and requested some days to respond.

Meanwhile, I went before the Lord and considered my brother's request. The more I prayed about it, the more I had the peace of Christ within and as I checked my schedule and all other practical maters everything just seem right! The day, the timing, and on top of all that, a wide opening for the next ministry journey!

First, the matter of releasing and introducing the New Testament Recovery Version in Mizo as fellowshipped by the brothers came into the picture. After many fellowships, a day was fixed for a one-day seminar in Aizawl, a week after the brother's wedding day. Then, the matter of visiting Christian leaders and Burmese saints who are refugees came up. Then, the distribution trip to Nagaland and the visit to Guwahati and Kolkata were planned. Everything seems to fall in place. It was like a domino effect, a brother's phone call wedding invite triggered all the subsequent plans one by one.

Besides, my mother had called me two months ago about a visit home as I did not for quite some time now. The burden to spend some quality time with my own relatives also came right in place. Then, when I mentioned my one-week visit to Manipur to a brother he also has the burden to come to fellowship with the saints. Therefore, a church visit was planned as well. 

I was in awe to see all these unveiled one by one and that too, triggered by one call from a brother who was recently recovered back in his function and fellowship in the Body. The Lord is the Lord, He knows when and how to lead His children. My only responsibility is to look out for the Lord's leading through circumstances and His inner anointing.

Although the trip has not yet begun, I believe that the Lord has already accomplished it. I am just a witness chosen by His mercy to co-labor with Him in His vineyard. The journey has been scripted, I simply have to play it out according to the Director of this script, the Lord Jesus Christ! Lord, bless this upcoming ministry journey to the North East!

The wedding invite must indeed be a wedding invitation of the Lord Jesus as a reminder to prepare His bride so that He can come back soon for the great Wedding Day when all the overcoming saints can call, Come Lord Jesus!

He who testifies these things says, 
Yes, I come quickly. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! 
Revelation 22:20

Words of Comfort

One fine evening after our family prayer, I saw a message from a high school classmate posted in a group chat. I initially thought to simply read and brush it aside as not important but on second thought, I realized that that was a very good opportunity to minister the word of God to him aparaently but to the whole group in reality. Therefore, I drafted and sent the following message to the group chat.

Dear L_____g,

A loved one lost is not an easy feeling to bear especially when the one you loved so dearly is remembered on your wedding anniversary. Nonetheless, as Christians, our hope is anchored on Christ the resurrected Lord, our hope of glory (Col.1:27), Who nullifies all hopelessness the world can only offer. 

This reminds me of Jacob (a supplanter), who on the process of becoming Israel (one who struggles with God) had to be stripped off of all his naturalness and had to lose his beloved wife of his natural choice, Rachel. It was painful, no doubt, but what followed was the birth of Benjamin (son of the right hand) who was first called Ben-oni (son of affliction) Gen. 35:18-19. Jacob lost Rachel and gained Benjamin. Typologically, Jacob on his path to maturity lost his heart's treasure, Rachel, and gained Benjamin, a type of the New Testament Christ. With a proper spiritual perspective, we can gain Christ experientially amidst the loss and pain we suffer now, only if we turn to Christ the resurrected Lord.

In our experiences too, we may have been going through "hard times" but the Lord is sovereign over all. The loss we may seem to suffer could possibly be the path God has laid for us to have a new beginning. There is nothing accidental nor coincidental in the Christian life, for all things work together for good, if we are those who love God so that we may gain Christ and be conformed to His image (Rom. 8:28-29).

My prayers and comfort to you and your children. Much grace to you. 

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, *the Father of compassions and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction* that we may be able to comfort those who are in every affliction through the comforting with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, RecVer)

Post my post, there was a period of silence though the day should have been the country's independence day and it should have been flooded with posts. Finally, the friend I personally addressed to in the group responded with a note of thanks. My post was based on the post of his loving memories of his beloved wife whom he lost a couple of months ago. I could feel the pain and loss, but as a Christan, I am not clueless about this kind of situation. Therefore, it was apt for me to speak up in a way of the chat message. 

Though I do not post much, whenever I felt led by the Lord and at the right moment, I could jump in and post what I need to post. I believe that is my function for now in the group. I am glad to be able to function in that way. 

A Couple's Call

The Lord has been teaching me how to have an ear to listen to what the saints have to say, and even keenly, listen to what they did not say by discerning in the spirit, the real intent for what they said. This is one of the characteristics required of the servant of the Lord. Time and again, I have been receiving calls or fellowship from the saints and new ones of their situation. It was a true test for me not to react in my natural man; especiallty the danger is partaking of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Generally, whoever presents a matter will present it according to his or her point of view, often self-vindicating and self-justifying. This is just fallen human nature. Therefore, I have learned not to fully believe in a one-sided story; it is always best to listen from both parties and even better, in the same call or conversation where the two present their cases at the same time.  But I must be careful, I am not the judge. I am only listening because they wanted to speak to me. Given a choice, I would opt out.

A week ago, I was in the middle of repairing my wall clock when a brother called me on a conference call with his wife. They have been through tough times in their marriage life. Though I sincerely did not like to get involved in their marital affair, they both chose to call me again and again for fellowship and prayer. I have been on the receiving end of both their calls often since they came to know me as a brother in the Lord. Every time they called, I ended up praying with them, referring their matter to the Lord. I am hundred percent sure, I can do nothing and I wanted to do nothing. As a brother, I simply offered my listening ear and prayed with them.

As I listened to both of them presenting their viewpoints, I literally had nothing to say. As I listeneed I could only turn to my spirit and called upon the Lord's name inwardly, over and over again. When they both spoke and asked me to speak, I was in complete silence as I did not know what to say.  Finally, I had the anointing from the Lord to speak a word based on the scripture. I simply fellowshipped with them to turn to the Lord, forgive one another and love the Lord to love another with the divine love, and not to give room to the enemy in their marital affair. After my short word of fellowship, we all prayed one by one and I asked both of them to carefully pray and consider before the Lord whatever decision they have to make.

I believe the Lord has been teaching and training me to learn how to shepherd the saints. He has been bringing complicated cases to let me know that I need Him to be my wisdom, understanding, and discernment. The more I face a situation like this, the more I realize my helplessness and uselessness in handling such a complicated marital issue. Thank the Lord, I personally have not faced such an issue that was brought to me. I need the Lord's covering and preservation that having listened to others of their problems I should not end up in the same.

I do trust the Lord's leading and speaking that this couple will be recovered! I know not when and how, but I do trust the living Spirit who lives in me and in them, and in His living word through which this couple can be fully reconciled and recovered. This couple's call of complaints and complications should be a call of corporate care and concern for the couple even to become the Lord's testimony bearer one day.

Lord, save the couple's marriage and bless them!

The Spirit of Faith

And having the same spirit of faith according to that which is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak. 2 Cor. 4:13 

The phrase the Spirit of Faith is used only one time in the Bible but it has tremendous significance for the subjective experience of the believers in substantiating the things of God. This spirit of faith is the mingled spirit of the believers through which the Spirit can be directly touched by the human spirit. Ignorance of this great matter would result in a great loss in the life of the believers. By the Lord's mercy, I have been enlightened to see this spirit of faith in a clear way. Many of my doubts about the reality of the spiritual fact have been cleared by this one point of truth, the spirit of faith. What a great revelation! What a great release!

Excerpts from "The Intrinsic Significance of Faith," msg 3, God's Economy in Faith, HWMR on the exercise of the spirit of faith is marvelous yet mysterious.

1. We must exercise our spirit of faith to believe in the fact that God is love—1 John 4:8.
2. We must exercise our spirit of faith to believe in the fact that God’s grace is sufficient—2 Cor. 12:9.
3. We must exercise our spirit of faith to believe in the fact that Christ is able to save us to the uttermost—Heb. 7:25.
4. We must exercise our spirit of faith to believe in the fact that we are in Christ, that Christ is in us, and that we and Christ are one—1 Cor. 1:30; Col.1:27; John 14:20; 15:5.
5. We must exercise our spirit of faith to believe in the fact that we are God’s children and heirs—Rom. 8:16-17.
6. We must exercise our spirit of faith to believe in the fact that we have been made full in Christ—Col. 2:10.
7. We must exercise our spirit of faith to believe in the fact that we are the temple of the living God and that our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within us—1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; 2 Cor. 6:16.

Be sober; watch. Your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking someone to devour. Him withstand, being firm in your faith… 1 Pet. 5:8-9

1. We withstand the devil by being firm in our subjective faith in God’s protecting power and loving concern—1 Pet. 5:8-9:
2. We must exercise our spirit of faith to believe that the Lord was manifested for the purpose of destroying the works of the devil—1 John 3:8.
3. We must exercise our spirit of faith to believe that the Lord’s death has destroyed him who has the might of death, the devil—Heb. 2:14.
4. We must exercise our spirit of faith to believe that the Lord’s resurrection has put Satan to shame; the resurrection life is a life that cannot be touched by death, that transcends death, that is beyond the boundary of death, that comes out of death, and that death cannot hold—Acts 2:23-24; Phil. 3:10; Col. 2:12-15, 20; 3:1; John 14:30.
5. We must exercise our spirit of faith to believe that the ascension of the Lord has put Him far above the power of Satan—Eph. 1:20-22; 2:6; 6:11, 13.
6. We must exercise our spirit of faith to believe that the victory of the Lord is complete and that our whole life is included in this victory; we must see that we have already overcome and that we fight from a position of victory in order to maintain our victory; we can overcome because we are all included in the Lord as the leading Overcomer; He is the Head, center, reality, life, and nature of the man-child, and the manchild as the following overcomers is the Lord’s Body—Rev. 3:21; 12:5.

This portion of the ministry has very much strengthened my faith in the Lord concerning my own Christian life, church life, and service life. The impossible is possible with the spirit of faith! I too have my personal sturggles as much as I struggle collectively with the brothers in my locality for the Lord's work, yet the Lord's word concerning faith is so so encouraging. It is not merely a teaching, but that which can be practiced in reality. Halleluijah! His words and His works go together hand in hand.

This morning a brother also called me to consdier together the new post that has come on his path in his professional carreer. I encouraged him to take it as it is from the Lord. In fact, I reckon that it must be from the Lord. But he has had many bad experiences in the past that drove him to depression and lost all his self-confidence. In fact, no confidence in the self is the best foundation one needs to trust in Lord desperately and absolutely. But I fellowshipped with him the fresh enojoyment of the Lord I have been enjoying the past few days, the spirit of faith. Drawing an example from the life of King Solomon in building the temp of God, he himself had asked for wisdom and understanding from God and God granted his prayer! Besides, God also gave him all the manpower and the materials needed to build the temple. Though there were multitudes who actually built the temple and Solomon just oversaw the work, it was termed as Solomon built the temple. Because God's chose him to be the one who build the temple and gave him wisdom and understanding, and everything needed to build the temple. In a similar manner, when God assigns us His task, He will porvide the means to accomplish the task. Apparently, the task is ours, but actually it is the Lord's, and are being carried out through His provision.

Praise the Lord for this great wonder of the world, "the spirit of God!" What a spiritual dicovery! Exercise the spirit of faith!

Gospel of Faith

In the recent training for full-timers and coworkers, the Lord was strengthening His speaking concerning faith. God has His economy which is in faith (1 Tim. 1:4). To fulfill His economy is also in faith. The basic matter of the Christian life is faith. This faith links us to the Triune God, enabling us to live God and accomplish His economy. Therefore, anything that is not in faith is sin. And everything in God's relationship with man is faith.

Faith versus Sight
Sight is anything that can be seen, anything outside our spirit, that is, anything earthly.  This sight is not merely physical sight that can be seen with physical eyes. This sight is also psychological sight; the thinkings of the mind, the imaginations, fantasies, and dreams. All these sights outside the spirit are against faith. Many Christian have been deceived to live their lives by psychological sights.

Faith on the positive side is:

1. To amen the word of God (Rom. 10:17)
2. A spontaneous response to the word of God 
3. Appreciating the Lord
4. To substantiate the things of God, the divine and mystical things by the Spirit of faith
5. To See the unseen God, an oxymoron (Heb. 11:1, 2 Cor. 4:13)
6. Links us to the Triune God

The root of faith is God, the Spirit. Only in the Spirit where there is faith, we are joined to the Triune God. At times, we may have little or no experience, but deep within faith is operating in us. We may not necessarily have wonderful experiences of the Lord, on the contrary, we may have been going through hard times, feeling dry and dead within, but still, faith is in our spirit, quietly operating unconsciously. If we do know this truth about living by faith, the enemy will have no ground to accuse and condemn us in any way.

Faith and Love are related. The way to love the Lord is by faith, not feeling. Even our love is in faith. "Greet those who love us in faith"(Titus 3:15). There should be no introspection and no seeking for feeling. We should simply live the Christian life in faith and still say, "Lord Jesus, I love You" even when we have no feeling for the Lord.

Faith in the negative aspect is: 

1. To stop our doing and work even in "serving the Lord"
2. To proclaim that we are unable to fulfill God's requirement. This is to see that God has done everything. 
3. To rejoice always
4. To believe that God is
5. To cut off the flesh with its natural energy 
6. To trust in the Lord

To sum up the gospel of faith, we must simply return to the Lord, and rest in Him. Faith is returning to the Lord, resting in the Lord, being quiet in the Lord, and trusting in the Lord.

“For thus says the Lord Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, In returning and rest you will be saved; In quietness and in trust will be your strength; But you were not willing,” (Isaiah 30:15, RecVer)

Even when serious issues arise, if you are a man of faith, you will not be troubled. You simply face the issues and come out of it triumphantly! Inward storm and outward storm defeat believers without faith. If you have faith, you will rest and be at peace. The storm will stop as we trust in the Lord.

Faith is the only link from the physical realm to the divine realm. Faith accomplishes everything for us and in us. In faith, we rest in the Lord, whatever happens. It is in the long dry tunnel that in faith we grow the most. We are purified in the long dark tunnel. In faith, you don't go by feeling. 

This is the gospel of faith. A great release from the subtle deception of the enemy for those who heard and believe in the gospel of faith. What a release!