Ministry of the Word to Meerut, Mansurpur, and Muzaffarnagar

There was a cloud of uncertainty in Meerut as all the Pastors that our brothers helped to call up were too scared to host us due to the ongoing persecution. Yet, the Lord opened a door where there seemed to be no way. A brother outside the city came to receive us and took us to various Christian leaders in the city. In fact, the first Pastor we met was so glad that we visited him and his family. He was so impressed by the Holy Bible Recovery Version and purchased a copy for himself immediately with a couple of other ministry books.

After meeting all we had to meet, we got late as we had to travel for about two hours journey to another town. When we reached our next destination and had our dinner, it was very late then to go to the house arranged by our host. No more public transports were available yet we were not perturbed. Instead, I took a photo of the vehicle we finally got and sent it with a caption:

Last night, after meeting the key Christian leaders we got late. In fact, very late that no more public transport were available. Finally, we got a goods carrier and rode under the clear sky to our place of hospitality with loads of good "of experiences of Christ!"

The house for our hospitality was the humble home of our host. He willingly accommodated us despite his wife being sick and no good facility available. Yet we learned to accept happily the Lord’s sovereign arrangement. The next day I wrote to the brothers:

Last night, we were given hospitality in a very humble house of a brother. Though he was physically poor, his heart was very large. He gave the best he could for the Lord’s sake. Despite the facility, the Lord gave a wonderful sound sleep. Today morning, we enjoyed our morning revival and Bible reading under a clear sky!

We continued to meet some good Pastors in Mansurpur and Muzaffarnagar who received the ministry and with whom also we enjoyed a wonderful time of fellowship. Surely, the Lord brought us to these places for the recovery of His testimony one day. We were also impressed by our host who was diligently leading us despite his family situation. We knew he has been going through tough times, but he did his best to take us to meet different Pastors for the introduction and distribution of the ministry of the word. 

May the Lord bless him and his family. May the Lord bless the sowing of the seed of the ministry of the word in all these places.

Ministry of the Word to Kwarsi, Khurja, Bulandshar, and Hapur

A brother from Aligarh had arranged for another brother in Kwarsi to take care of us and led us for the ministry literature distribution journey further. We met a couple of Pastors in Kwarsi who have been serving in the villages nearby and they all came together in our host's house. We introduced and distributed the ministry literature to them. They all were independent Pastors with no outside support financially. They seems to have suffered financially but they all were very firm in their faith and in their stand for the Lord’s testimony amidst the difficulties including the persecution they have been facing these days.

Then, we were led to the town Khurja and to the city Bulandshar where we drove around to meet different Christian leaders for the introduction and distribution of the ministry literature. Whoever we met and wherever we went, the Lord’s favor and blessings were upon us. Even in the midst of persecution, the believers have been facing recently from religious fanatics, the word of God indeed run swiftly. While in the city, there was a heavy downpour and the whole city road was flooded with rain water. It was a very prophetic experience. I sent a short recorded video clip of the flooding road with a caption:

Showers of blessing! 

Sailing through the "sea-ty" swiftly. 

“He sends forth His command to the earth; His word runs very swiftly.”

(Psalms 147:15, RecVer)

During the night, our host did not have enough room for our night stay. So, he arranged his rooftop under a clear sky for the night sleep. Perhaps, after many years I slept under an opened heaven and a clear sky. I had a very good night sleep. The following day, I sent a photo of our cots with a caption:

Last night we slept on the roof top of a brother's house in a village as we came for the ministry literature distribution. Our sky was clear as we ministered the word to Hindi speaking believers in the villages. 

Remember us in your prayers.

The next day early morning we left for Hapur by train. It was quite tiresome but I had a good sleep in the train. At a Pastor's meeting hall in Hapur, we introduced the ministry literature to eight Pastors who gathered for this purpose. The only word we heard were about the subtle persecution from the ruling authorities in the state. Despite such threatening news, the Lord covered and blessed our distribution trip.

May the Lord bless His move in all these localities!

Ministry of the Word to Aligarh

This city has been in my heart for many years. But only this time, the Lord opened the door for His move into this city. A brother whom I contacted over the phone received us warmly in his house.

As we fellowshipped with him, it became clear that the Lord used him and his family for His move in the city. Though there were a good number of Christian leaders and workers, it was his family the Lord led us to. 

After a sumptuous breakfast, we fellowshipped freely on the truth concerning the church even as we introduced the Holy Bible Recovery Version to him and a couple of ministry books. He and his son, who is also helping him in the Lord’s work, even testified that they saw the church as in the Bible through our speaking! They both were very impressed by the truth we ministered and placed orders for the Bible and the entire ministry books in Hindi.

Then, this brother called a good number of Pastors to come and meet us in His house to be introduced to the ministry books. He also took us to other Pastors within the city. In one place, three Pastors gathered together and we had a wonderful time of fellowship, especially on the truth concerning the church and her universal and local aspects. In fact, whatever title books were introduced to them, they purchased them. Apart from ordering the Hindi set, they also requested if they could make a plan for a day or two of meeting in the city. If the Lord so wills, may the Lord’s will be done.

In the night, we were given hospitality in our host's house. His son, who is also shepherding a group of Christians, invited us to share in his online meeting. We ministered the word on God's eternal purpose in creating man and how He carries out His plan by our daily cooperating with Him through our eating and drinking of Him daily. We even pray-read a verse from John 6:63 together online. All the attendees really enjoyed the meeting.

The next day morning, a brother from a Muslim background who believed into the Lord Jesus Christ after proving by his own research that Christ indeed was resurrected, came to visit us. He was so interested in the Holy Bible Recovery Version and the ministry books that he placed an order for it and requested for an occasional online meeting to consider some deep biblical truth together. All these were because the Lord led us to testify to him of the riches He has been blessing us in His recovery.

After all these meetings in Aligarh, the brother drove us to a nearby town and entrusted us to another brother for our onward ministry literature journey. Praise the Lord for His move in Aligarh!

May the Lord raise up His testimony in Aligarh!

Lord's Move to Uttar Pradesh

The Lord is sovereign over all. I had no choice but to follow Him and exercised to be one with Him and His move. This month of July I decided to stay back as many official works needed to be done. Of course, I did them all, one by one. But, as a brother proposed the distribution trip to North India, my initial reaction was to let the other brothers go and I stay back. A week passed by, and as I went before the Lord to consider this matter, deep within me I had the burden to go too, at least to Aligarh. The city of Aligarh stood out among all. 

For some reason, the city of Aligarh had been ringing in my heart. But when I checked for contacts, I did not get any positive response. One Wednesday morning as we were fellowshipping about the North India distribution plan, I realized that a brother who had to join could not. Therefore, it became imperative for me to join and modify the dates for distribution as the dates were based on that brother who could not join. Then, one Friday as I went before the Lord to pray, I was even further confirmed about my participation in this trip. When I called a brother from Karnal, he gave me a brother's phone number in Aligarh whom I contacted. He welcomed me to visit him. This became the Lord’s confirmation for the visit to Aligarh!

The Lord had arranged everything again. Though I planned to use my car, I could not bring my car. It suddenly had an electrical minor issue prompting us not to take the car. The first time it ever happened in the history of this car. Later, it was discovered that it was a switch fuse issue. Then I realized it was the Lord telling us not to take the car this time. Because flood and religious Kawara blocked the road we were supposed to tread. And for our need for the distribution, a car had already been arranged in Aligarh!

Likewise, the cities, towns, and villages the Lord wanted us to visit were all arranged spontaneously by the local brothers. We simply followed their instructions and leading, step by step. In fact, they themselves planned the localities and people to visit. We only did the introduction and distribution of the ministry of the word.

Even for our accommodation and food, we enjoyed whatever was provided to us. In the village on the housetop or in a guest house in a city, it really did not matter. For what matters most was the Lord’s presence, as it always is and will be. This reminds me of the hymn below.

Hymn #348

What matters where on earth we dwell?

On mountain top, or in the dell,

In cottage, or a mansion fair,

Where Jesus is, my joy is there!

This is the Lord’s move and He is carrying it out according to His heart's desire. We labor in His labor as we are one with Him. The Lord's work the Lord is doing through His vessels, us. 

Lord, bless Your move in UP, especially Aligarh!

Be a Man!

Today's portion of the morning revival is very enjoyable and I was nourished richly. It was on the meal offering Christian life and church life. The light I received through the ministry was so enlightening. I could see myself clearly and my need for a proper humanity, the humanity of Jesus by partaking of His life day by day. All that is required for the building up of the church and also for the overcoming normal Christian life is in this meal offering. The ingredients of the meal offering comprise fine flour, oil, frankincense, and no honey and leaven. The spiritual significances of these items are marvelous. It all points to the perfect humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ including His death and resurrection and His denial of the natural man through the cross.

Meal Offering Christian Life 
Excerpt from HWMR Knowing, Experiencing, and Living the All-inclusive Christ for the Genuine Church Life, msg 2, II

The meal offering typifies our Christian life as a duplication of Christ’s God-man living—Lev. 2:4; Psa. 92:10; 1 Pet. 2:21; Rom. 8:2-3, 11, 13

We need to enjoy Christ as our meal offering day by day for our priestly diet so that He can live again on the earth through us in His divinely enriched humanity; if we eat Christ as the meal offering, we will become what we eat and live by what we eat—Lev. 2:3; John 6:57, 63; cf. Psa. 92:10; 1 Cor. 10:17; Phil. 1:19-21a. 

By exercising our spirit to touch the Spirit consolidated in the Word, we eat the human life and living of Jesus, we are constituted with Jesus, and the human living of Jesus becomes our human living (Eph. 6:17-18; Jer. 15:16; Gal. 6:17) with the following characteristics of His divinely enriched humanity:

1. The humanity of Jesus fulfills all righteousness— Matt. 3:13-15.

2. The humanity of Jesus has no resting place— 8:20.

3. The humanity of Jesus is lowly in heart—11:29.

4. The humanity of Jesus loves the weak ones— 12:19-20.

5. The humanity of Jesus is flexible—17:27.

6. The humanity of Jesus serves others—Mark 10:45; see footnote 1 on 1:10.

7. The humanity of Jesus cherishes people—Luke 4:16-22; 7:34; 19:1-10.

8. The humanity of Jesus is orderly, not sloppy— Mark 6:39-40; John 6:12.

9. The humanity of Jesus is limited by time—7:6.

10. The humanity of Jesus is unique—v. 46.

11. The humanity of Jesus knows when to weep— 11:33, 35.

12. The humanity of Jesus is humble—13:4-5.

It is only in the humanity of Jesus that one can live a meal offering Christian life for the church life. The following excerpts further enlighten me on the humanity of Jesus.

A LIFE WITH THE HIGHEST HUMANITY

Excerpt from The Life-study of Leviticus, msg 16.

“Watch, stand firm in the faith, be full-grown men, be strong.” 

(1 Corinthians 16:13, RecVer)

In order for our Christian life to be a meal offering, it must be a life with the highest humanity. This is the reason Paul charged the Corinthians, saying, “Be a man” (1 Cor. 16:13). According to the context of 1 Corinthians, to be a man means that we should have a high, uplifted humanity.

If we have such a humanity, we will exercise self-control. This is indicated by Paul’s word in 9:26 and 27. “I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so I box, not as beating the air; but I buffet my body and lead it as a slave.” These verses reveal that Paul had a high humanity and that he had a strong, excellent character. He did not run uncertainly or beat the air but exercised control over himself. He was a real man with a high standard of morality in his human living.

In 16:13 Paul does not say, “Be a hero”; he says, “Be a man.” From every angle and from every side, we should be a man. From the angle of ethics, we should be a man. From the angle of self-control, we should be a man. From the angles of wisdom and love, we should be a man. This is to have an uplifted humanity. In the book of 1 Corinthians, we can see the genuine fine flour. This book surely presents the meal-offering church life.

In the meal-offering church life, the first item is a fine, uplifted humanity. If we would have the proper church life, we all need to have a strong character. This strong character, however, should be balanced, for an unbalanced humanity is a biased humanity. Therefore, we should be strong and also soft. If in the church life we are strong without also being soft, we will offend others. Although we need to be soft as well as strong, we should not be too soft. Those who are too soft are like noodles. There is a proverb which says that we can lift up bamboo but we cannot lift up a noodle. We cannot have a proper church life if the saints are either too strong or too soft. We need to be balanced. For the church life, we need to be a man with a fine, balanced, uplifted humanity.

By enjoying the meal offering day by day, the uplifted high standard humanity of Jesus will become my humanity to live out my Christian life for the church life. I then can be a man, a full-grown man!

Brotherly Fellowship

When brothers requested for fellowship, I always gave time to fellowship with them even as I looked to the Lord for the flow of life and the shining of light that through the fellowship everyone would be cherished and also nourished with the word of God.  In all our meetings, be it a big gathering or a small group meeting, always open to the Lord and to one another to receive life supply and also to be ever ready to supply life to one another. Our meetings are special and cannot be equated with worldly meetings. As the Bible says, everything must be done for the building up.

What then, brothers? Whenever you come together, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. 1 Cor. 14:26

Last Lord's day, I went with a brother to attend a Lord's day meeting conducted by another brother who is not in the church life yet. Since he invited and also requested to share the word of God, I ministered the word on the importance of being the children of God and the meaning of the Christian life.  That was our fellowship to the entire congregation. 

Yesterday, three brothers who just graduated from their full-time training came for fellowship over lunch. I simply encouraged them to look to the Lord for every matter as they have decided to join the third-year training for further training and practical learning in serving the saints. The Lord burdened me to fellowship with them on seeking God's will in every matter of their life and service and shared some testimonies of how the Lord has been faithful to meet all our needs. As they were so encouraged, I pray that they all will become useful vessels to the Lord and become pillars to bear the Lord's testimony wherever they are, one day. In the evening a brother also came, and I encouraged him to be in fellowship with the saints as he will be going abroad. The Lord has prepared all these young brothers to bear His testimony. 

Unless otherwise there is a valid reason for not fellowshipping with the brothers, in some exceptional cases, I will always make myself ready for fellowship and prayer. For the same reason of maintaining the fellowship in the Body, a brother and I started going through the morning revival portion day by day. 

May the Lord continue to work in them, train them, and make them all pillars to be His testimony!

Fourth Day Lights

These days, we have started pursuing the Life-study of Genesis again as the entire church. I also participated in it again though I already completed the entire Life-studies recently. The word of God can be pursued over and over again. Every time I read and pursued the Life-studies, the word is fresh and new. One point of truth that impacted my life these days is the fourth-day lights.

On the fourth day, God created the sun, the moon, and the stars. These are the greater light and very specific for growth in life. The light God created on the first day was generic, it generated life generally but not for growth. But the fourth-day light enabled life to grow from stage to stage, from the grass, herb, and tree to the aquatic animals, birds of the air, and cattle in the field. The fourth-day lights spiritually are the Christ as the sun, the church as the moon, and the overcoming saints as the stars. 

Experientially, I need Christ as my sun, the church as my moon, and the overcoming saints as my shining stars. During this dark age, until the Lord returns, it is the moon that gives out light in the night. Though the moon itself has no light of its own, it receives its light from Christ, the sun. Therefore, it is imperative for me to be in the church to receive light for my life, for my service, and for my going on. This very point of truth I am experiencing these days.

In all my official activities, I had a good fellowship with all my coordinating brothers and only then execute what need to be executed. My thoughts about how to do things were all adjusted by the fellowship with the brothers. I have been learning to live in coordination with my fellow members of the Body. Likewise, in all my church activities too, whatever the brothers fellowshipped, I took the responsibility to carry out the matters of fellowship. Be it in deciding how to take care of the needy saints and their relatives affected by the ongoing riots in Manipur or in taking precautionary measures in shepherding the saints, I experience being in the church life(moon) and living and walking by the moonlight. This kind of church life is very healthy and I have been grace to partake in it. In addition, the fourth-day lights, by their great shining not only dispels the darkness but also shine to make the saints overcomers. 

This experience of the fourth-day lights confirms my need for the church life and my need for the brothers. I simply cannot live my Christian life without my brothers in the church. Praise the Lord for the revelation and experience of the fourth-day lights!