Lesson of Forgiveness

Today, the Lord gave me a wonderful experience of forgiving my brothers who have hurt me in the past by their lies and committing things not expected of them despite the trust I have had in them. In fact, I had even blocked one of them for his repeated calls which I refuse to attend as I could not trust him in his words anymore. Repeated offenses put a negative marking on them and I was so upset with them. I did not know how to handle the situation in dealing with them so I just prayed to the Lord for more grace that I should not regard them negatively as they are my brothers in the Lord. It was a tough time for me to reconcile the fact that they are my brothers yet they behave unbecomingly of being brothers in the Lord. Emotionally I was hurt and it pains me deep within. Nevertheless, they are still my brothers.

Today morning in my time with the Lord, the Lord told me to forgive all of them. I turned to the Lord and take His grace and His forgiveness as my forgiveness. Then, I unblocked the brother’s number I blocked over a month ago. I called up another brother and maintained the relationship as brothers and asked for a monthly fellowship and prayer over the phone. After this experience of the Lord’s forgiveness in forgiving my brothers, my attitude toward them completely changed. I do not regard them as I used to do before.  The cloud between them and me has cleared up and I could normally reckon them as any other brothers in the Lord. What an experience of forgiveness!

The word forgiveness is not a doctrine to be preached and understood, but a price to pay by taking Christ as the Forgiver and forgiving in the forgiveness of Christ. What is humanly impossible or difficult is easy and possible with the Lord. The true Forgiver is the Lord and the true forgiveness is the Lord’s forgiveness experienced by us.

This reminds me of what the Lord said about forgiveness:

For if you forgive men their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you also; But if you do not forgive men their offenses, neither will your Father forgive your offenses. Matthew 6:14-15

I used to think that I could not be hurt easily by anyone, but I was proven wrong. I used to think that I can easily forgive others, and that too I was proven wrong. The more I grow in life, the more I realize how weak I am and how strong the Lord is. All my self-confidence decreases and I begin to trust in the Lord more. I begin to understand what John told about the Lord Jesus:

He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30

In the experience of forgiveness, it is the experience of I decreasing and the increase of Christ in me. Only when I decrease and Christ increase, then Christ’s forgiveness becomes my forgiveness.

Lord, increase in me and grow in me daily. May I decrease to the extent that I no more take preeminence but You only.

Lesson on Hospitality

1 Timothy 3:2 The overseer then must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, of a sober mind, orderly, hospitable, apt to teach.
Titus 1:8 But hospitable, a lover of good, of a sober mind, righteous, holy, self-controlled.
1 Peter 4:9 Be hospitable to one another without murmuring.

By nature, I am not hospitable. Though I may try my best to give hospitality within my means, still it is far from what it should have been. I am still learning how to give hospitality. I thank the Lord that there are many saints around me who are so hospitable from whom I can learn to give hospitality. I may have my excuses for not being so hospitable but I must learn to be hospitable.
 
In all my travels for the ministry literature journeys, the Lord has arranged for people to give us hospitality. Many of them were the ones I met for the first time. Despite being so, they gave us the best treatment they could within their means. I thank the Lord for them, not merely for the hospitality they gave to us but  also for showing me how I should learn from them and learn to be hospitable.
 
One particular incident that impressed me a lot is my recent trip to Bhilai, Chhattisgarh. A new one who has been enjoying the ministry books was so open to our visit to the city. He even openly proclaimed at the very first call that he was so willing and happy to give us hospitality by stating that his house is always open to the servants of God. When we actually arrived at Bhilai, He even came to pick us up from the railway station and drove us around to the houses we intended to visit. He made arrangements for our stay in his house and further stated that if his house was not comfortable enough for us, he would even book a hotel room nearby. He did his best to give us hospitality. In fact, during all the four days of our stay in Bhilai, he was with us, taking care of us, leading us to different people, driving us around, and spending himself and what he has for us. He created such an impression on me that he is a brother from whom I can learn hospitality. His treatment of us was the lesson I learned.

As I am learning to serve the Lord in the locality the Lord has placed me in, one qualification mentioned in the scriptures is on hospitality. This is the lesson I am still learning. I believe as I am open to learn, the Lord will give me the grace and wisdom in giving hospitality to the saints and to people who may need it.

Lord, teach me to give hospitality and be hospitable to others in need.

Learn to be Pure

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8

The Lord’s speaking to the churches through the recent study of the book of Ezra and Nehemiah impressed me deeply with the need for purity on my part. To be pure in heart and conscience is needed to be able to see the Lord. Though I knew this truth doctrinally, I have never been so convicted deeply as it does today. Now, in every matter great or small, I checked within myself first if I were pure in my attitude or in my consideration. As I began to check any doubtful matter carefully before the Lord, in many cases, I was convicted of not being as pure as I ought to be. Therefore, I exercise myself to deal with myself and took action in a way that would be deemed pure. Be it money matter or any matter, now I first checked within myself, “Am I pure?” This exercise helps me in dealing with my conscience to be pure.

The area of dealing comes now and then in my life experiences. When I minister the word, did I minister with a pure heart so as not to gain any self-seeking attention? When I talk to people do I have any ulterior motive? When I settle accounts, do I do it purely without any manipulation? When I talk to people do I speak purely without any play of words or diplomacy? 

I have now been learning to check over and over again as I begin to exercise to learn to be pure. I do know that only the Lord is pure. Now that the Lord is in me, I must learn to take His purity as my purity and not try to impose my purity upon the matter in consideration.

This lesson of purity helps me a lot in my Christian life and Christian ministry. It filters off any impurity within as I turn to the Lord cross-checking the matter for purity. What a release I have been experiencing when I learn to take Christ as my purity! With a good, clean, and pure conscience, I can deal with matters peacefully.

Having mentioned this exercise, my purity is only the Lord. On my part, I exercise to be pure, but it is ultimately the Lord’s purity that can make me pure. As such, like Job, I abhor myself seeing how impure I am and dealing with my impurity, I take Christ's purity as my purity and see the Lord by gaining Him through the exercise of taking Christ as my purity.
 
Lord, make me pure in heart that I may see You in every matter and situation.

Ministry of the Word to Bhilai

I have been hearing about the city of Bhilai for many years. Since last year I have had the burden to visit this city at least for two reasons. First, the estranged wife of a brother resides in this city and I wanted to meet the brother along with his wife as he has been in fellowship with me for over a year now. Out of concern for his Christian life and testimony, when I came to know about his marital matter I felt burdened to fellowship with them as the Lord would lead. The second reason was for the introduction and distribution of the ministry literature among the many Christians in the city.

As we visited this city, the Lord prepared a seeking brother as our “guardian angel” to take care of us during our four days stay in the city. We did not make any practical plan for food, lodging, and transportation. But we just made the plan out of burden from the Lord and according to His leading. True to His word and faithful to His promises, the Lord used a brother to be our guide. In his house, we were given hospitality, in his care we went to different places within the city for the ministry, and with him and his family, we also enjoyed a wonderful time of fellowship. He was a seeker and helper too.

He was a brother who received all 7 ministry books distributed free by Rhema via Facebook promotion and has been thoroughly enjoying the ministry. He testified that his Christian life has changed since he read The Economy of God. He was so eager to receive us and give us hospitality when we first contacted him saying his house is always open for the servants of God. He even came to pick us up from the railway station, gave us hospitality for four days, during the entire period of our stay in Bhilai, and drove us around to meet different Christian leaders and groups. Having done all these, he thanked us for giving him the opportunity to participate in the Lord’s work as he has the heart to serve the Lord as a retired person.

Declaring Our Statement of Faith

The President of the Christian association in the city was first introduced to us to “check us out” and verify our statement of faith as a precaution from heretical teachings and cultic ministries being introduced to the Christian populace. After our “defense and confirmation of the truth,” the President himself was very impressed by the riches and depth of the ministry and he volunteered to make arrangements and invite all the Christian leaders in the city via social media to meet us and receive the ministry literature.

Meeting the Counselor

The Lord led us to introduce the ministry literature to the Student Counselor of the top school in Bhilai. He was so impressed by the truth and the ministry literature so much so that he purchased all the selected title books by Watchman Nee and Witness Lee, the whole set of Life-study of the Bible, and the Holy Bible Recovery Version. Besides, he also received the free Rhema literature to be used among the 5000 plus students, children of many high-class gentile parents, whom he has been counseling. He was first contacted as he placed an order for Free Rhema books on Facebook during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Ministering to Seeking Christain Groups

Two nights, we were invited to minister the word of God to two different groups of seekers in the city. In both the meeting, we ministered on something very basic, calling upon the Lord's name, eating His word, and spending time e with the Lord in prayer. This basic ministry of the word was a great nourishment and encouragement to the believers.

Home Meeting with Tow Family

We also enjoyed two afternoons for home meetings. First with the family of our host and then with his sister's family. In the latter meeting, the Lord gave me a specific burden on baptism as one young brother has not yet been baptized not being clear with the truth concerning baptism. So I used seven important Bible verses on baptism with a good number of examples of baptisms in the book of Acts.

Though the first reason for coming to the city did not materialize, still the reason was used by the Lord for our coming to the city to introduce the ministry of the word. One day, I believe the Lord will raise up a group of His remnant to take the stand for His testimony. The seed of the ministry has been sown, now waiting for the harvest at the proper time. 

Lord, raise up the church in Bhilai soon!

Ministry of the Word to Bokaro, and for West Bengal

Two Marriages and Three Meetings

Chandrapura and Jalandhar

This month, the Lord gave me the opportunity to participate in three meetings related to the weddings of two different couples. The first one was a brother I have known for the past decade. Though I have not been able to shepherd him as I should, still he reckon me as his spiritual brother and invited me for one of the most important meetings of his lifetime. He is in his forties and has remained a bachelor for long enough. Last year when he was to meet the sister he has found, he along with his father and mother came to meet me for fellowship and prayer. As requested I prayed for them. A few days later, he called to praise the Lord and thanked me for the prayer that the sister said "Yes” to him. A few months later, he called and invited me to join his engagement meeting in Jalandhar. And this year, he invited me to the actual marriage in Khambra in Jalandhar and also to the reception at his hometown in Chandrapura, Jharkhand. I considered his invitation before the Lord and felt peaceful to oblige to the two meetings, one for his wedding and the other for his reception. I also fellowshipped with my co-working brothers and planned a ministry literature trip together with attending these meetings.

In all the meetings  I simply followed their arrangement. I traveled along with his family by car from Delhi to Jalandhar and stayed in a house prepared for the family’s stay. The duo was prepared by the Lord and his family paid the price to come all the way to Jalandhar for a very important meeting, the marriage meeting of their son. But as went to the marriage venue, organized by a brother who has many followers in Punjab, I felt that enough care and attention was not given to this couple despite them being informed well in advance. We were made to wait for three long hours before the marriage actually could take place. But I used those three long waits to read the Life-study of Revelation on the New Jerusalem. In spite of being such a “mega” Christian organization, I felt that their treatment of the believers was pathetic. The key pastor himself did not even bother to come for the wedding but sent his representatives. The same thing was done for the engagement meeting last year. As a brother, I stood with the couple and prayed for them, and did whatever I could in order to shepherd them. Despite all the inconveniences amidst my busy schedule, for the sake of shepherding, I took the Lord's grace and was with them throughout the meetings; for the engagement, for the wedding  in which, on the family’s request I even signed as a witness on behalf of the groom, and also went to his hometown Chandrapura for the reception.

 At the engagement and reception, on the groom’s request, I shared the word from Ephesians 5 on marriage. I pray that the Lord would bless the marriage for His testimony in Chandrapura and Jalandhar one day. All the price that I paid was not merely to please men to attend their marriage meeting, but to sow the seed of shepherding to shepherd them ultimately into the church life one day.

Bilaspur

The other wedding is in Bilaspur between a brother and a sister. We have been visiting the local church in Bilaspur a couple times for ministering the word to them. The key brother requested our presence to grace the first marriage in the church life in Bilaspur. Therefore, when we received the invitation, we detoured from our original plan and decided to attend the marriage as a way to shepherd the saints in Bilaspure, especially the leading brothers whose daughter was the bride. 

Without any prior information, we were requested to minister the word of God just before the wedding meeting began. Therefore, a brother and I shared the meaning of human life and the meaning of marriage life. In the midst of a few hundred people, we used the wedding meeting for the ministry of the Word. It was indeed the Lord's sovereign arrangement that we could attend the meeting and fellowship with a good number of saints, especially the leading brothers of the local churches in Chhattisgarh. This we did with the view of God’s economy of shepherding the saints for the sake of the church life in Bilaspur and the neighboring local churches who are on the way to take the scriptural way of meeting and standing for the Lord's testimony.

To both the couples in the two marriages, we gifted the Holy Bible Recovery Version, Leatherbound Burgundy, the best gift we could ever think of. The gift I received from the former marriage I gave as a return gift to the latter marriage.  

May the Lord bless the two marriages for His divine economy.

A Visit to Jalandhar

The Lord has taught me to read the situation at hand and seek His leading in every circumstance that I have been facing. When I was invited to attend a wedding meeting of a brother in Jalandhar, I could have easily excused myself as not an important matter. But as I considered before the Lord, I realized that the Lord is opening the door for me to travel and minister the word to the people in need. Though the invitation was for a wedding meeting, in reality, it was for the ministry of the Word. Therefore, I did not hastily confirm or deny whenever I received an invitation. Nor did I easily rely on my own feeling to accept or reject the invitation. Instead, I commit the matter to the Lord and follow the Lord's leading.

 

After attending a brother's weeding meeting at Khambra and signing as a witness to the groom, I felt my responsibility for the wedding was over and I left to meet other seeking believers. During my one-night and one-day stay in a brother’s home, I could attend three home meetings with seekers and enjoyed the rich flow of life through the ministry of the Word.

 

The first meeting was with two families in Jalandhar City. As the two families gathered to meet, the Lord gave me the burden to minister on the need for daily breathing, drinking, and eating the Lord. I quoted all the relevant Bible verses I ministered to them about the need for the breathing of the Holy Spirit by calling upon the Lord's name day by day, moment by moment; the need to drink the Spirit by asking the Lord in prayer, every day; and the need to read and pray-read the word of God in a way of eating the Lord. All these basic practices of the Christian life are the urgent need of every believer to live and grow in the Christian life. The saints were so supplied by the ministry of the word that they even requested me if I could come again and minister to them and other saints too.  My standard reply was, "As the Lord leads, please pray."

 

The second meeting was with my host, his wife, and his parent. The Lord gave me a word on husband and wife loving one another, being one with one another, and praying together as much as possible to maintain the love and oneness between them. As I ministered the word with a few life experiences, they were so supplied, especially the father of the family, and echoed that they needed such a speaking at that time.

 

The third and last meeting was with a family that also runs a tuition center for high school students. The word the Lord gave to me was on the need to be pure. Quoting from the Bible, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God from Matthew 5:8, I ministered on purity in seeking the Lord. As Christians we should seek only the Lord and nothing else, we should learn to seek only Him as the blessing and nothing else. He is the Lord and he knows all our need, in time, He will provide sufficiently. I use the life testimony of Adoniram Judson, Graham Steward Stains, Watchman Nee, and my own testimony. As I shared the need of learning to be pure, the sister of the family started crying, being so touched by the testimonies, and the sacrifices of many men and women of God. I do believe, their concept of seeking the Lord for outward and physical blessings has been nullified. And that they would learn to be pure to seek the Lord only and trust in Him for all their needs instead of seeking for it.

What a wonderful visit to Jalandhar! May the Lord continue to speak to all the brothers and sisters and gain them for His testimony in Jalandhar!