Jehovah has been mindful of us; He will bless us; He will bless the house of Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron; He will bless those who fear Jehovah, Both small and great. May Jehovah give you increase, Both you and your children.(Psalms 115:12-14, RecVer)
Sunday, 12 March 2023
My Father, My Son, Blessed Generation!
Tuesday, 7 March 2023
Need for Next Generation
As I visited the churches in Kerala the past few days, one thing that bothered me is the lack of the young generation in the church life and in the service of the Lord. And one big burden borne out of this visit and observation is the need for our next generation to be preserved in the church life and also be brought into the service of the Lord.
“And if it seems wrong in your sight to serve Jehovah, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve, either the gods from across the River, whom your fathers served, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve Jehovah.”(Joshua 24:15, RecVer)
A Visit to Marthandam
A couple who has been serving full-time in the literature service resides in Marthandam, a border town of Tamilnadu and Kerala. Since the Lord brought this couple into full-time service, the distribution of the ministry books in Kerala and Tamilnadu intensified. The Lord has been blessing their service and the supply of the ministry of the word has now been regular and timely to all Malayalam speaking saints in the churches in Kerala.
Malayalam New Testament Recovery Version
Last weekend, we were in Kerala for the formal launch and introduction of the New Testament Recovery Version in Malayalam. Though the translation of the New Testament directly from Greek to Malayalam was completed, proofread, printed and distributed in 2022, there were some reservation among some Malayalam speaking brothers and sisters. Therefore, the need to formally introduce this new translation arose. In fellowship, the Lord has led us through and blessed the introduction and formal launching of it in different occasions.
Tuesday, 28 February 2023
Time with Family
Time with my family is one thing I treasure very much. I do this whenever I am at home by gathering all my family members for family prayer. I even made family prayer top priority in my family life. I would sacrifice other things just for this. Even if I were traveling, I still called home over the phone for family prayer. It is only the Lord that can build my family and I cooperate with Him by paying the price to gather all family members for family prayer time everyday. In addition, I also repeatedly remind all my family members for daily personal prayer time at least for half an hour. If I were at home I would take my children, especially my son, to the park for prayer and for walking.
Continuous Dispensing
On the 21st of February, I just came back from a long ministry literature journey. And there awaited me, three days of training and three days of conference, after which another journey I have to undertake. I knew this would happen while I was back from the last journey. Therefore, in the train itself, I did whatever need to be done so that I could fully be available to receive the Lord's divine dispensing again.
For three days I had the opportunity to exercise to join a training in New Delhi where the first session began at 6:00 AM in the morning till 7:00 PM in the evening. During these three days, I opened myself to Lord for His divine work within me again to receive the Lord's continual dispensing.
The brothers' ministering of the word was on the living and working out of the New Jerusalem where our Christian life and church life today should be according to the standard of the New Jerusalem. The Lord's speaking was so deep and it touched my inward being and the attitude I have towards the Lord and my daily living for the church life. One key point that struck me was, "What is the nature of my work? Am I a part of the shining golden lampstand in reality?" Any work acceptable to the Lord must be according to God's divine nature. Therefore, the nature of the work that I do must be according to God's divine nature and the life that I live must be Christ Himself!
Through which He has granted to us precious and exceedingly great promises that through these you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption which is in the world by lust. 2Peter 1:4
For they disciplined for a few days as it seemed good to them; but He, for what is profitable that we might partake of His holiness. Hebrews 12:10
For another foundation no one is able to lay besides that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. But if anyone builds upon the foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, grass, stubble, the work of each will become manifest; for the day will declare it, because it is revealed by fire, and the fire itself will prove each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built upon the foundation remains, he will receive a reward; If anyone’s work is consumed, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.1 Corinthians 3:11-15
We are God's fellow workers, and we must do the work of God according to God, building upon the foundation with gold, silver, and precious stones which is the experience of the Divine Trinity!
O how short I am as I measure myself with the standard that God desires. Nonetheless, I am not the one working the work of the Lord but the Lord Himself working out His work in me and through me as His fellow worker. I am God's coworker, altogether with many fellows coworkers in the Lord's vineyard.
As I was so impressed by the message, I began to compose a hymn based on the messages released by the speaking brothers, a hymn on the New Jerusalem, not merely the truth as revealed in the Bible but how the New Jerusalem can be experienced and enjoyed by me along with others in the church life today.
Right after the training, there was a conference on the burden of making ourselves ready for the Lord's coming back. The speaking brothers gave five practical ways of preparation.
By loving the Lord and His appearance in contrast to loving the present age and turning away from the apostles' teaching and work.
Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, with which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will recompense me in that day, and not only me but also all those who have loved His appearing. 2 Timothy 4:8
For Demas has abandoned me, having loved the present age, and has gone to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia; Titus to Dalmatia. 2 Timothy 4:10
Therefore be long-suffering, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer eagerly awaits the precious fruit of the earth, exercising long-suffering over it until it receives the early and late rain. James 5:7
And we have the prophetic word made more firm, to which you do well to give heed as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 2 Peter 1:19
He who testifies these things says, Yes, I come quickly. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! Revelation 22:20
Who then is the faithful and prudent slave, whom the master has set over his household to give them food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Matthew 24:45-46
By having a revived living and labor in shepherding. I must daily be renewed daily through:
The cross (2 Cor. 4:10-12, 16-18),
Always bearing about in the body the putting to death of Jesus that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who are alive are always being delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death operates in us, but life in you. 2 Corinthians 4:10
The Holy Spirit
Not out of works in righteousness which we did but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5
The exercise of my mingled spirit
And that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind. (Eph. 4:23)
And by the cleansing of the water in the word.
That He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of the water in the word. (Eph. 5:26)
He who overcomes, to him I will give to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne. Revelation 3:21
Therefore this is what I will do to you, O Israel; And because I will do this to you, Prepare to meet your God, O Israel. Amos 4:12
I have been blessed to be under the continuous divine dispensing of the Divine Trinity whether I travel or am at home. Praise the Lord!
Ministry Journey to Betul, Madhya Pradesh
Early morning at about 2 AM our train arrive at Ghoradongri for two days visit to Betul district, Madhya Pradesh. This trip was planed in the our last trip to the same localities. The Lord has prepared a group of believers through a brother for us to minister the word. We have been conducting online meetings over a year for these group of believers. This time, our burden is to strengthen the key brothers and pave the way for further recovery of the Lord’s move in Madhya Pradesh.