Marvelous Brotherly Fellowship

Today morning I sent a text message to two brothers with whom I have been coordinating for the ministry journey to Champa and Korba.

Dear Brothers(J--- and B---)

Today afternoon Br. J--- fellowshipped about the possibility of meeting Br. R-- K--. After Br. J--- left, Br.A--- and I had a time of fellowship on this regard and he felt good about setting things right between him and R-- K--. He asked me to fellowship with R-- K-- which I did, and both are willing to meet and fellowship. Therefore, today Monday, 20th Feb, Br. A--- and I will visit Br. R-- K-- at his house in Bilaspur.

Please pray for the fellowship that the peace of Christ may arbitrate in their hearts and gain them and all the churches and the saints under their shepherding care for His economy.

As I spent time in the word of God today morning, praying and considering, the Lord gave me a specific word for today's fellowship with the brothers.

“Do not call to mind the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Indeed, I am doing a new thing; It will now spring forth; Do you not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:18-19, RecVer)

These verses gave me an inward assurance from the Lord concerning what He desires to do among the brothers in Chhattisgarh. 

After breakfast at Champa, a brother and I drove to Bilaspur, enjoying a wonderful time of fellowship all the way and also enjoyed a radio Life-study message on the need to receive the flowing in of the living water and the flowing out of life to others in the form of gospel preaching and shepherding.

Two leading brothers of the church in Bilaspur were already waiting for us as we arrived at the brother's home for fellowship. Without any waste of time, I released the burden the Lord gave me. I ministered on the oneness of the Body of Christ and the Lord’s desire in gaining the oneness and the building up of the Body of Christ using relevant Bible verses. Then, I quoted the promise the Lord gave me today morning and encouraged them to forget all the past and start a new beginning. As I asked them to open up and speak, they all testified that they had nothing within anymore and the misunderstanding among them had been cleared up. They testifed that they had also been praying for the recovery of oneness among them which the Lord did today after seven years of divisionand separation. The Lord is the Lord and He has His way of recovering His testimony among His remnants! Then we all prayed one by one and thanked the Lord for His move in and among us for His testimony!

After this marvelous and wonderful fellowship, we enjoyed a lovefeast together and I left to board my train just on time at Bilaspur railway station. As I was on the train, for about an hour I was awestruck, marveling at the way the Lord did His work among the brothers. I had no words, but simply thanked and worship Him who is the only true and unique one living God.

Praise the Lord for His move in and among the brothers! May the Lord preserve the oneness among them all unto the building up of the Body of Christ!

Salvation of a Sibling

Yesterday night, I had a time of fellowship with a brother's family, ministering the word of God mainly to his children who were not clear about their salvation. To me, this was a matter of helping them with the relevant portion of the word of God.

As we began, I asked the two children if they were Christians. To my surprise, they replied on the negative. When asking the reason for their answer, I realised that they need help on the proper understanding of the word of God. Therefore, I led them to read Acts 9, how Saul got saved. Besides, I also quoted verses on the proof of salvation based on the written word of God, the witness of the Spirit, and the proof of love foe the brothersfor those who genuinely believe into the Lord Jesus Christ. After all these Bible verses reading and explanation, the Lord opened up their mind to understand the word of God and they realised that they were actually saved because they believed genuinely into the Lord Jesus Christ!

“The opening of Your words gives light, Imparting understanding to the simple.” (Psalms 119:130, RecVer)

Then I sensed the need to help them with the seven significances of baptism with Bible verses. We read them all one by one. After all the reading of the word of God, their visage changed. When I asked the same question again if there were Christians, they replied in the affirmative with assurance and excitement!

After I ministered the word and released my burden, I left the matter of their decision to be baptised to them. Later, after dinner, the son came and confirmed to me his decision to be baptised. 

Today morning, I spent time with the son who was to be baptised helping him call upon the Lord’s name together with me and pray-reading four Bible verses.

“He who believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he who does not believe shall be condemned.” (Mark 16:16, RecVer)

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the authority to become children of God, to those who believe into His name,” (John 1:12, RecVer)

“That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;” (Romans 10:9, RecVer)

“For “whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”” (Romans 10:13, RecVer)

Later the daughter came and confirmed to me her decision to be baptised too. Therefore, I prayed with her and helped her to pray-read the above verses. Then, we headed for baptism in the meeting hall of the church in Champa. 

After ministering the word on baptism using a couple of verses, I requesed the two children to pray, followed by their father and mother too, which they did with much joy and thankfulness to the Lord for this day. Afetr the prayers, the brother and I coordinated to baptise them as the church in Champa into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit!

Later over breakfast, the two newly baptised brother and sister testified of the joy they enjoyed after the fellowship last night on salvation and how the opening of the word gave them light! Out of the joy of salvation the Lord blessed them with, they testified they were not even able to sleep properly last night. Today morning after their water baptism, they were even more joyful! In fact, their father and mother were even more joyful! For their prayers for many years have finally been answered at the right time today!

As a spiritual new beginning present, I have ordered for them a copy each of the New Testament Recovery Version in English which I encouraged them to read daily.

This day, the 29th February 2023, may as well be remembered especially as their spiritual birthday!

May the Lord preserve these young ones to love Him more and more each day, and grow unto full maturity.

Ministry Journey to Chhattisgarh

“Now after some days Paul said to Barnabas, Let us return now and visit the brothers in every city in which we announced the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.” (Acts 15:36, RecVer)

In fellowship and coordination, three of us brothers came to visit the church in Champa last week, to meet with the saints and the leading brothers. We had three meetings with the saints and released the burden on God’s economy with the emphasis on the Triune God dispensing Himself into the tripartite man, the way to enjoy the Lord’s dispensing as an open vessel by calling upon the Lord’s name, eating His words day by day, emphasing on the trunk of God’s economy and not being distracted by various "branches and leaves." In all the meetings, we ourselves were in one accord, following the Lord’s inner leading, and ministered the word with the  exercise of our spirit. I personally enjoyed the Lord’s inner flow of life among us and through us.

On Saturday, we visited the saints in Korba and continued our fellowship on the same burden, on the line of God’s economy. The saints were so much helped as they themselves testified that they were made clear of certain doubts on the truth through our face to face fellowship. With much joy, we enjoyed feasting together after the meeting. On our way back to Champa we visited a couple whom the Lord recovered after almost a year of separation. 

On the Lord’s day in Champa, we ministered on the significance of the Lord’s Table Meeting emphasising on the oneness of the Body of Christ signified by the one bread and warning against the division that could creep in through "Jeroboams." We also touched that the local churches are just the procedure and the goal is the one unique Body of Christ. Therefore, the need for fellowship among the local churches and blending with one another for the building up of the Body of Christ was also made known to the saints. 

In all the fellowship, we enjoyed the inward peace of the Lord and the sweet flow of life without any hindrances within. We had much freedom within to minister whatever the Lord wanted us to. This is a sure sign of the Lord’s anointing upon us and His confirmation of His desire to recover His remnants into the fellowship of the Body of Christ. Having been through these all, we commit the saints and the local churches to the Lord, the Head of the Body. As the Son of Man standing in the midst of the golden lampstands, He will carry out His work of trimming the burnt wicks and supply the oil for the churches shining.

Lord, may You continue to move in and among all the saints especially among the brothers for the full recovery of Your testimony in Chattisgarh!

Fellowship With the Saints in Bilaspur

Whenever we attended the Christian Festival in Madku Dweep-Bilaspur, we used to spend time with the believers who are gathered together as "the church in Bilaspur." This time, we had no plan to visit them, at least for two reasons. One being, our lodging place was not in Bilaspur but in Batapara, nearer to the venue for the Christian Festival. The other being the lack of clarity on the standing of the brothers in Bilaspur with a report of them not being very open for fellowship. Therefore, we had no plan to visit them nor did we have any other plan either. Our schedule was vague, waiting for the Lord’s timely leading.

Last Saturday, the key brother came to visit our bookstall. He had come the day before too when I was still on my way, and as my train was delayed I could not meet him. When I heard that this brother had come and we could not meet him, I thought we truly would miss the fellowship this time. But he came again the next day and we met.

 For two hours, we fellowshipped in front of our stall amidst the noisy, dusty, and crowdy atmosphere. As we were fellowshipping, I exercised my spirit discerning what the Lord wanted me to hear or say or do. This brother had spoken many things about his past experience with some brothers. I just listened and listened, and simply told him that these were the things of the past. But as I asked him about what transpired at the present time, he had no answer. I also directly asked him if he ever rejected a brother in the past sent to visit them, he denied the charge. He also inquired whether we had the plan to visit them this time. I replied that we had no plan. Then, he invited us to visit them. On a second thought, I also checked with my brother, and therefore, we agreed to visit them, "the church in Bilaspur."

 As I prayed to the Lord on Saturday night for the visiting of the saints in Bilaspur on the Lord’s day, the Lord gave me one burden, to help the saints to use the Holy Word for Morning Revival to be revived every day and brought into the fellowship of the Body through the enjoyment of the ministry of the word. As we visited the saints on the Lord’s day, the brothers gave us time to minister the word. As usual, my brother went first, and he released the very burden the Lord gave me with; to help the saints get constituted with the ministry of the word through the pursuing of the Holy Word for Morning Revival.

The burden was clear, the need for re-education to be constituted with the truth after coimg out of Babylon to express the Lord according to His purpose. We used the book of Ezra and Nehemiah and ministered the timely word to help educate the saints and the practical way to do so by coordination and all the saints functioning. 

“And all the people gathered as one man in the open area that was before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Jehovah had commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. And he read in it before the open area that was before the Water Gate from first light until midday in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. And Ezra the scribe stood upon a wooden platform that had been made for that purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah and Shema and Anaiah and Uriah and Hilkiah and Maaseiah at his right hand; and at his left hand, Pedaiah and Mishael and Malchijah and Hashum and Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people (for he was above all the people); and when he opened it, all the people stood up. And Ezra blessed Jehovah the great God; and all the people answered, Amen, Amen, lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshipped Jehovah with their faces to the ground. Also Jeshua and Bani and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites helped the people understand the law; and the people stood in their place. And they read in the book, in the law of God, interpreting and giving the sense, so that they understood the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who helped the people understand said to all the people, This day is holy unto Jehovah your God; do not mourn or weep. For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, Go your way; eat the fat, and drink the sweet wine, and send portions to him for whom nothing has been prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of Jehovah is your strength. So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Be quiet, for the day is holy; and do not be grieved. And all the people went their way to eat and to drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.” (Nehemiah 8:1-12, RecVer)

After the Lord’s day meeting, we also had a time of fellowship on The Genuine Ground of Oneness using the history of Israel and the Lord’s desire for oneness and emphatically made clear the need for fellowship in the Body of Christ. Local administrative matters may be local indeed, but fellowship must be universal. The brothers readily agreed and even decided to visit the churches in Delhi and Gurugram. Besides, we also helped the brothers with life practices of calling upon the Lord’s name and pray-reading the word of God. 

The next day we had a morning time touring Bilaspur city, breakfast at Indian Coffee House, and a visit to a city park. On the way, we had a wonderful time of fellowship and blending. Then we left for our next destination. 

As a result of this visit and short while fellowship with the key brothers, many unseen distances between us were removed and a cloudy situation among us was cleared off. We had much peace concerning the saints in Bilapsur now. Much peace and freedom have filled us inwardly. I believe, the Lord is recovering His remnants and His testimony in this city.

Lord, recovering Your lampstand in Bilaspur!

Masih Mela 2023

Christian Festival or Masih Mela has been held annually at an islet called Madku Dweep. It was here that many Christian gathered together for a week of "feasting". Meetings were held with various Christian groups singing and various ministers ministering the word of God. Together with these, a good number of Christian publishers and distributors exhibited their publications, mostly for sales and some for free distribution. It was here that we also met a good number of seeking Christians who came to discover us and the ministry literature. It was also here that a few Christian brothers who received and read the ministry books also started practising the church life according to their understanding of the truth. 

This time, I and my brother participated in the distribution. This event also became a key deciding point for us to consider our plan to visit some seeking groups in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh whom we first met them in the same event a couple of years ago. Thank the Lord for this beachhead He has prepared for His move, especially in North India!

This time, three important meetings transpired in this event. First, a brother from Bilaspur whom we met through the same event many years ago came to fellowship with us. The two hour long fellowship became a turning point for us and them in our fellowship with him and "the church in Bilaspur". In fact, he invited us to visit them after the festival which we did, and had a wonderful time of fellowship with all the saints who meets as the local church.

Second, five brothers came form Khariar Road, Odisha for fellowship as they realised that we would not be visiting them this time. In a short while fellowship, Oriya translation matter was considered and the matter was decided to be executed the following week. A few doubts on practical matters were cleared. It was indeed a very fruitful meeting.

Thirdly, we had a time of fellowship with a group of brothers from Madhya Pradesh where we finalised on what to do during our three days visit to their home town Betul and the neighbouring towns and villages.

Above all, we also met a good number of seeking brothers who came to purchase the ministry books. As usual, after reading the ministry books, the Lord would stir up some of them to even take a step further to practice the truth they have learned and will definitely bring us into fellowship.

This Christian Festival was a good sowing ground for the ministry of the word to many brothers and sisters all over North India. As the "seeds" have been shown, we now await the sprouting, growing, and reaping of ministry.

Lord, cause the growth of the seeds sown and casue it to bear a hundred fold fruit.

A Call to Confirm

Yearly, there is a Christian Festival(Masih Mela) conducted in a small island called Madku Dweep. As distributor of the ministry of word, we used to participate in this week-long festival. To participate in this, I just arrived Batapara where our hotel stay was booked. The train I boarded was delayed by one and half hour. I had not eaten dinner the previous day nor lunch for the day. I also urgently wanted to use the loo and wanted to bath after a long train journey. Therefore, I decided to stay back in the hotel as I thought it was too late to attend the festival for the day.

But I received a phone call from my brother inquring if I would attend the festival where we exhibited the ministry books in Hindi. After much consideration, I gave up my plan for eating, bathing, and staying back for the day. I hired an auto rickshaw and went straight to the venue. The moment I arrived the venue I ate lunch and was able to meet with seeking believers who visited our stall.

A couple who has been serving the Lord in Bilaspur visited our stall. As our brothers spoke to them, I felt the need to follow up and continued to speak, introducing the Holy Bible Recovery Version. We had a wonderful time of fellowship, wetting their appetite for the word of God. Then a meeting with another newly married couple, introducing the ministry literature, followed by a few others. In this way, my not staying back was a salvation. Had I stayed back as I planned, I would have missed all these meetings with seekers. 

Thank the Lord for the living in the Body where a brother's call is a leading for me to follow the Lord. When we are not clear, we have to listen to the Body through which the Lord speaks. 

Praise the Lord for the phone call that made me clear of what I should do when I was not clear. 

Pray and listen to the Body, for the Lord speaks through His Body too.

Zoe, Zoe, Zoe (Life, Life, Life)

One of the greatest truth in the Bible is God’s creation of man with a human spirit, God becoming the Spirit, man believing into the Lord Jesus Christ, the Spirit of God regenerating the human spirit and indwelling his spirit that the regenerated man lives and expresses God. This is God’s mysterious yet wonderful deed. What a blessing to be one of such a regenerated man!

The divine life of God is Zoe which He imparted when we first believed into the Lord Jesus Christ, resulting in our spirit becoming life, making our spirit Zoe. Since then, as we live by the spirit, gradually even our mind will become life, making our mind Zoe. And finally, as we grow, we will transform unto maturity even to give life to our mortal bodies. The best way to turn to the spirit and live by the spirit is to pray; to absorb God and express God, which will issue in the building up of the Body of Christ. 

“For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace.” (Romans 8:6, RecVer)

“But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.” (Romans 8:10-11, RecVer)

In this way, our entire tripartite being will become life; life in the spirit, Iife in the soul, and life in the Body. Zoe, Zoe, and Zoe!

However, we need to be continually under the law of the Spirit of life.

“For the law of the Spirit of life has freed me in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and of death.” (Romans 8:2, RecVer)

The secret of living a Christ life is to live according to the spirit. Only in such a living in the spirit, we can live a normal Christian life and fulfill the righteous requirement of the law.

“That the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the spirit.” (Romans 8:4, RecVer)

The crucial exercise required of a Christian is to set our mind in the spirit. It is in what we set our mind on, that we live out. Setting our mind on the flesh will result in fleshly living, setting our mind on the spirit will result in a living by the spirit, the mingled spirit.

“For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace.” (Romans 8:6, RecVer)

Therefore, we must take heed to our spirit and exercise our spirit to live a godly life according to the spirit.

“If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25, RecVer)

“But did He not make them one? And the remnant of the Spirit was His. And why the one? He sought the seed of God. Take heed then to your spirit, and let no one be treacherous to the wife of his youth.” (Malachi 2:15, RecVer)

“But the profane and old-womanish myths refuse, and exercise yourself unto godliness. For bodily exercise is profitable for a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the present life and of that which is to come.” (1 Timothy 4:7-8, RecVer)

This is the wonderful life God has planned for man. Living the normal Christian life with our entire tripartite being filled with the life; Zoe in the spirit, Zoe in the soul, and Zoe in the body. Life, life, and life!