Life Lesson: Attending a Marriage Meeting

A few weeks ago, I received an invitation from a family for the marriage of a brother and a sister. This family has been in the church life since I first met their first son-in-law way back in 2006. Gradually, everyone of them got saved and are now in the church life in New Delhi. It was for the marriage of the last and fifth daughter of this family that sent me an invitation.

Due to my frequent travel schedules, I initially thought to skip this meeting. However, the Lord had a different plan. Though I intended not to join, a brother reminded me of this meeting yesterday. Even then I told him I had no plan to attend. Yet when he reminded me again of the invitation and the family's expectation, I told I would consider. Last night, as I was praying about this, the Lord told me that I should attend the wedding meeting. I gave up my own decision and decided to  follow the Body's fellowship. 

Today morning, some of us from the church in Gurugram attended the marriage meeting. From the time we stepped into the marriage hall I realised that the Lord had a portion for me in this marriage meeting. Firstly, to pray with the brothers from the church in Delhi and Gurugram, standing together as one for this marriage and testimony meeting. Secondly, in the meeting I had my portion to offer in prayer for this couple at the start of the meeting and at the conclusion of the meeting, blessing the couple for the Lord’s testimony. Now, I am quite clear why I had to attend this wedding meeting.

The bride is a sister in the church life and the groom is a brother in Christ from another Christian group. Nonetheless, the testimony meeting was conducted by the saints in the church life. Though it was not a conventional marriage meeting as such, Christ has been given the headship and every item from prayer to singing to testimonies to marriage message to the final conclusion blessing were all done to the glory of God. Not even the bride and groom were the center. They were just type of the unique universal marriage to happen, Christ and the church. All our lives on this earth are directed towards this one goal, Christ and the church. And this marriage meeting is a foretaste. Praise the Lord!

My one unique prayer for the couple is for them to love the Lord and love one another in the love of Christ, and to be one with the Lord and with one another for the Lord’s testimony. 

By attending this meeting, I got to fellowship with two young brothers concerning following the Lord’s leading in our lives as we travelled together by Delhi Metro. Besides, my elder sister who came to visit us in Gurugram also joined us in this meeting. It was an opportunity for her to participate in the wedding meeting conducted in the church life. Then, after so many years, my elder sister and I were able to capture a photo together for remembrance. 

Sometimes, we are not clear what needs to be done, especially me, in many practical matters in the church life. However, by being in the Body, the Lord uses a member of the Body to lead me in practical matters. Had it not been my brother's fellowship for me to attend this wedding I would have missed offering my portion, and the saints would also miss my portion. Therefore, it is imperative to be open and flexible in the coordination in the Body. Even if I had no feeling, I still could follow the Body's feeling and move along with it. I thank the Lord for my brother who helped me to function in the Body as I ought to.

This is indeed an important life lesson in the Body life for the Body of Christ. Praise the Lord for the Body!

The Spirit’s Leading in the Ministry Literature Journey in North India

The Lord has been moving in India and as a serving one, I have been simply following the Lord's move in introducing and distributing the ministry of the word to whoever and wherever the Lord leads. The report of such one ministry journey in North India was requested by the brothers and was published as The Leading of the Spirit in the Ministry Literature Journey in North India (lsm.org). The one I drafted is below. 

May the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ continue to work in the being of all those who have heard and received this ministry. 

And when they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia,

yet the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. And bypassing Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul during the night: A certain man, a Macedonian, was standing and entreating him and saying, Come over into Macedonia and help us. And when he had seen the vision, we immediately endeavored to go forth into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to announce the gospel to them. Acts 16:7-10

The literature service in India has been translating the ministry books into twelve Indian languages, out of which, Hindi is the most spoken and read all over North India. The serving ones have been traveling for the introduction and distribution of Hindi ministry books to all the Hindi speaking states.  

The Lord has been moving in the northern part of India where the majority of the populace are yet to receive the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Nonetheless, among the minorities who have believed into the Lord Jesus, in many states even lower than 1%, the Lord has His remnants reserved for His testimony. And to this scattered handful, the Spirit led the brothers in the recent past.

The brothers’ initial plan was to go to Uttar Pradesh, yet the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. Instead, they changed their plan at the last minute and went to Haryana. Then, they realized it was the Lord’s specific leading at this time for this state. As they followed the Spirit’s leading locality by locality, they witnessed and enjoyed what the Lord had already prepared; leading them to meet the right people at the right place at the right time to whom they could introduce and distribute the ministry literature and also minister the timely word of God. Though they set out to visit only six cities from 8 to 12 September, the Lord led them to fourteen localities! This was the fulfillment of the “Macedonian (Haryanvi-Punjabi, the languages spoken by the local seekers) Call” in Acts 16:7-10 they received on the 8^th of September before they set out for this ministry journey.

One of the key Pastors they met previously and had purchased the entire set of ministry books in Hindi had gathered together the key Christian leaders in his locality. Since he appreciated the truth so much, he himself promoted the ministry books to other Christian leaders. The brothers then conducted a mini-conference for all these leaders and presented the truth using the ministry books. The key Pastor himself made arrangements for such meetings in a few other localities as well, opening more new doors for the spread of the ministry!

In another town, the President of the Pastors’ Association and a group of key Christian leaders with their spouses came together to listen to what the brothers had to say. The brothers followed the burden released in the recent training and released the high-peak truth, God becoming man to make man God in life and nature but not in the Godhead. The Christian leaders all marveled at this simple yet basic truth in the Bible and wondered how this had been hidden from them for so many years. They were so nourished with the truth that they received the free ministry books and also purchased the title books. They even requested a revisit as they wanted more Christian leaders and believers to hear what they had just heard. One among them, a Pastor, was so impressed by the ministry books that he purchased the entire set of Hindi books. Though he could hardly read English, after listening to the brothers’ introduction of the Holy Bible Recovery Version, he still purchased it as he could not wait for the Hindi New Testament Recovery Version. Likewise, many Hindi seekers requested for the Hindi translation of the Recovery Version.

A group of Christian leaders in a locality were so eager to read the ministry books in Hindi after it was introduced to them. They were so glad that the truth had finally been brought to them as they acknowledged that apart from the Bible there was no good Christian literature in Hindi.

In another city, three key Pastors met with the brothers and enquired what was “this ministry,” as there were many other “ministries” already spreading, including cult and heretical groups. The brothers simply presented the truth in a way of introducing the ministry books and the Holy Bible Recovery Version. They all marveled at the depth of the truth in the ministry. Though the brothers planned to move to another city, they requested them to stay overnight, giving more time for fellowship. One of the Pastors who gave hospitality testified that through the brothers’ visitation God had visited his family as He visited Abraham with three men in Genesis 18:2.

In another town, as the brothers visited a group whose Pastor invited them on the Lord’s Day, his mother testified of the vision she saw on the 7^th of September during her prayer time that three men in white dress would visit them. On the 10^th of September, when they met them, she immediately declared to the entire congregation that the Lord had fulfilled the vision she saw a few days ago. Therefore, even before the brothers introduced themselves or the ministry, they blindly invited them to minister the word to their congregation on the Lord’s Day meeting. The Lord gave the brothers the timely word as they showed them the way to breathe, drink, and eat the Lord!

As the brothers revisited a Pastor in another city whom they met on their previous trip, he testified of the new light he saw as he read the Holy Bible Recovery Version with the footnotes, especially on the church. He even requested for an online training to make the truth known to all his coworkers serving in North India.

The Lord specifically led the brothers step by step to meet with His seekers. Most of them were visited and the ministry books introduced and distributed for the first time. The Lord’s testimony is yet to be raised up in all these localities. Praise the Lord!

North India Seekers Conference and Blending

September 15-17, 2023

Thirty-three seeking believers from seven states of North India who were met through the Hindi ministry literature distribution over the past few years and who have been in contact were invited for a seekers’ conference and blending in Delhi and Gurugram.  This conference was primarily to open up the word of God to the seeking believers and provide an opportunity for these ones to see the practical church life.

The book The Application of the Interpretation of the New Jerusalem to the Seeking Believers was used for this conference with a group of brothers coordinated together to share the word. This was followed by the reading of the ministry portion in groups, and then sharing by the seekers. A number of seekers testified that for the first time they realized the New Jerusalem is not a physical city but an organic constitution of the processed Triune God mingled with His regenerated believers. The seekers also participated in the church life in the place of their hospitality. Through the blending with the saints in the church life, it afforded the opportunity for the seeking ones to see a corporate living by a group of saints as a testimony in that city.

Please remember in prayer the Lord’s continual move in North India, especially for those who have received the ministry book so that the Lord may enlighten them to see what the economy of the mystery is and gain them fully, even unto the raising of His testimony in their respective localities in the coming days.  

A Visit to Chennai

Last weekend there was a National College and Students Training in Chennai. Initially, I had no plan to attend this training for multiple reasons. I have been traveling a lot for official purposes and I thought I could just escape this time. Besides, I did not have any function in this training except to accompany my family and the young people in the church in Gurugram. I was hoping that my cousin brother would go and I stay back to take of the office matters as both of us cannot be out of station at the same time. First, I gave him the opportunity. Since he decided not to attend, I had the opportunity. Therefore, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise for me. Though inwardly I wish I could escape this training this time, I received much blessing by attending this training. Praise the Lord!

Firstly, as I accompanied my family members and the saints, I became a guardian for them, leading them for this training in coordination with another brother. Secondly, I had enough time to read my Bible and also rest in the train which had been due for me amidst my busy schedule. During the train journey, thirty three hours down and thirty two hours up, I had ample time to rest, pray, and also read the Bible in addition to fellowshipping with the brothers who travelled with us. Thirdly, I had a very subjective experience of being dealt with in my inward being, learning to be nobody with no specific function, but actively participating in the meeting with the younger saints. This was a very important life lesson the Lord has been teaching me these days. The lesson of submission to all God ordained authority great or small. Fourthly, I could also fellowship with a brother intimately about his personal and marital struggle, helping him learn important lessons in marriage relationship. I even testified of what the Lord has been doing in my marriage life and how the Lord blessed my family life by simply accepting His sovereign arrangement. Fifthly, it was a family "vacation" to travel together for a couple of days away from home. When the opportunity arose on our way back after the training, we enjoyed a family time at the Marina Beach and had a dinner lovefeast at a restaurant in the railway station. All these are the tangible blessings in this trip. I do believe there may be many other benefits that I am yet to be aware of.

Now, I worship the Lord and thank Him for this blessed training. What a loss it would be if I were to miss this training! Thank the Lord for this opportunity and this blessing in disguise!

Praise the Lord!

Love the Brotherhood

Honor all men. Love the Brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. 1 Peter 2:17 

“Do not speak against one another, brothers. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. One is Lawgiver and Judge, who is able to save and destroy. But who are you who judge your neighbor?” (James 4:11-12, RecVer)

“Do not complain, brothers, against one another lest you be judged. Behold, the Judge stands before the doors. As an example, brothers, of suffering evil and of long-suffering, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord.” (James 5:9-10, RecVer)

The Lord has been teaching me this precious lesson of loving the brothers. Especially, the brothers in Christ with the same faith and vision practicing the same church life. I deeply honor and respect all the brothers in the Lord even if they do not hold similar spiritual visions and burdens I dearly hold. Therefore, I am very careful not to utter anything quickly about anyone until I was led by the Lord to do so. Even if I were to do so, I would only do it to the few concerned brothers for the sake of fellowship and consideration. 

Besides, in the recent training, the Lord’s speaking was on how to conduct oneself in the house of God. One such principle is, honoring the headship of Christ. To direct the saints or give suggestions or opine concerning their situation is an usurpation of the headship of Christ. I have been warned well enough, time and again. Therefore, I dare not say anything about any brothers so freely and loosely. 

It makes me very uneasy when I hear about brothers fellowshipping about another brother in a loose way. In some cases I know of, even trying to direct them in the name of fellowship what to do and what not to do. I was in fear and trembling when I heard of such "fellowship." Well, there may be a good reason to justify this very deed with the fact that they were overseeing the brothers concerned. Well, I am no judge in this matter. But as far as I am concerned, even though I have an official position and spiritual right to say something to the brothers who come for fellowship, I do so with inward fear and trembling discerning in my spirit what to say and what not to say. In the past, I also failed in strongly expressing my opinions and feelings to saints who came for fellowship. But now, I will be very careful.

I also sensed that some brothers also opined about me. I left myself and the brothers to the Lord. Though I knew some of their opinions about me were not fully of the Lord, I did not raise my voice to counter them. I left the matter to the Lord to deal with it. I learned to take the cross and let the Spirit work. Surely indeed, the Spirit worked and in my very witness and others too, what the Spirit intended was carried out contrary to the brothers' opinion. This was a spiritual test for me. Learning to take the Father's wise bestowment against my natural man and let Him do whatever He pleases to do. But as for me, I decided not to speak against my brothers, or complain or murmur against them. Only if the Lord leads me so, I will speak only the utterance the Spirit will give me. I fear God and I love my brothers. This is a lesson I recently learned from my own experience, from the training, and also from my reading of the Bible.

Lord, gain my inward being that I may be always one with You in every matter even concerning my brothers. 

First of All, Pray

“I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men; On behalf of kings and all who are in high position, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all godliness and gravity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of our Savior God,” (1 Timothy 2:1-3, RecVer)

In the recent training for the elders and responsible ones, I was so touched by the burden of prayer. In fact, as the message was just released in Manila, Philippines, I sent a WhatsApp message to some groups I have been on, of this verse to first of all pray. Later, as we did the study, and also entered into the video training in Delhi again, I noted some important points in this message as below.

As we are learning to serve, we must take care of the most important thing first. First of all, we must pray. To have an unprecedented breakthrough, to have a genuine revival, we must first of all pray.

Prayer should be our living. During the pandemic, we have picked up the burden of praying for at least 100 days, but this should not merely be a movement, but it should be our living. And this prayer must continue all the days of our lives.

Prayer should be a ministry. In Acts 6, the apostles declared, “But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word.” (Acts 6:4, RecVer) Yes, there is a need for the ministry of the word but what is most important is prayer. Prayer is a ministry, not merely an activity. We need to give ourselves to pray first. 

Prayer is a work. Prayer is more important than the work. We must stop all activities and learn to pray. Prayer is a petition, not a performance, not even to deal with a problem, but to petition, intercede, and thanksgiving. Our responsibility even extends to praying for those in the high authorities that we may live a tranquil and peaceful life for the sake of the church life to fulfill God’s economy. 

Prayer is a prerequisite for anything or any activity. Prayer should also be our life and living. A proper church is a praying church. Then, our church life will be living, vitalized, and uplifted. Let us be warned not to do anything presumptuously. A decision made apart from the Lord, be it small or great, should be condemned. Turn all the talking into prayer, and then the local church will be transformed.

“I desire therefore that men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and reasoning;” (1 Timothy 2:8, RecVer)

“Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed. The petition of a righteous man avails much in its working.” (James 5:16, RecVer)

Hands are for doing which signifies our living. If we do not have a holy living we cannot pray. Our holy and pious living is the base for us to be able to pray. Then, our prayers will be effective and God will hear. Our church life will be rich and strong. Prayerlessness is a sin. For shepherding or administration of the church, prayer is required. We must also be regulated in our daily living. We will be wild without regulation; we must be regulated in our mind, emotion, and will and be a man of prayer. By prayer, we can shepherd the saints as we are able to read the saints through our prayers, and then we can bear the church on our shoulders. 

“Persevere in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving,” (Colossians 4:2, RecVer)

We must be willing, empty, and be a man of prayer to be filled with the Spirit of wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and skill for the noble work of building up the church.

Lord, make me a man of prayer.

Being a Family Man

Marriage has indeed changed me for the better in every aspect of my Christian life and human life. Surely, when God said it was not good for man to be alone, it definitely bears a connotation of perfecting a man. I believe there are precious lessons of life that a man can learn only in marriage. No mere teaching but lessons learned in practical family life over a period of time. In fact, the lessons intensifies and the learning maturised with children in the family. The Lord has been gracing and blessing me in my marriage life too. I have been learning more and more lessons as my children grows up and as my marriage life matures. I am gradually learning to be a family man!

Daily prayer and Bible reading have been one of our family life practices. Even when I traveled I did my best to still pray with my wife and all my children, one on one, and one by one. This is one of the best way I find to be in a faithful and good relationship with my own family members. And when I travel places, my heart has always been on getting the best I could to bring home back. Mostly, some eatables my children would love. Rarely I bought a souvenir. Once in a while, I bought special gift for my wife. Otherwise, I brought home back the "spoils from the battle fields," the best eatables from the "good land" the Lord led me to.

This time too, in Manila and Singapore, I took out time and went for shopping. Even as I did so, what occupied my mind was just my family. Not what I like, but I would think of what my wife, son, and daughters would like. So, I purchased variety of food items, local to the Phillipines, Singapore, and Taiwan and those stuffs that were not available in India. I loved to spend for my family and it was a joy to do so. As long as my wife and children are happy, I am happy, for my happiness is in their happiness. This is my simply "family-funda." Besides, the saints are in my mind and I would love to give them some gifts too, including the college students that I am serving. My heart is filled with saints, family, and people. The Lord has enlarged my heart so much. And He has also enlarged my capacity to meet the burden He bestowed upon me. Though I am naturally a person who does not like to go shopping, much less spending, now I have to, for the sake of my family and also the saints I care for. This is being human and also being God-man. More precisely, I am becoming more of a family man.

What a blessed human life! What a blessed family life! What a blessed church life! Complete lessons of this human life are learned in being a family man. 

Lord, thank You for my family! Lord, continue to bless my family! All these for the church life, for the building up of Your Body!

Lord's Move in Asia, Phillipines

The Lord has been moving in Asia and I am glad to be a part of the Lord’s move. The past two days, I was graced to attend the Lord’s Move in Asia conference at Taguig, Phillipines. I was encouraged to hear what the Lord has been doing in the continent of Asia. As the brothers presented the country report, I was amazed at the way the Lord has been doing His work. To such works of the Lord, I can only worship and praise the Lord for His move. Hallelujah!

The release of the burden for the saints serving in these Asian countries were very timely too. Message after message, I was supplied richly with the healthy teaching of God’s economy. It was indeed this faithful word, healthy teaching, along with proper practices of the church life that brought in the Lord’s blessing among the churches in Asia. No one can claim any credit as it has always been the work of the Holy Spirit through faithful men who have been coordinating with the Lord in His heavenly ministry among which I am also one of the many saints participating in His move in coordination. What a glory, what a grace that His move also has reached me and that I can move along with the move of the Lord!

This time again, as it was during the international training three days before, in every meeting, I received the Lord's supply of His timely speaking. In fact, I also took key important notes and prepared myself to share in each meeting. However, I was able to respond in the open sharing on the seventh message on the way for the spread and increase of the church life by prayer, Spirit, and the word of God. My sharing was on the need to realize and exercise to be one Spirit with the Lord in planning for the Lord’s move. I must be active, strong, and take action in oneness with the Lord. Then, pray for the very plan that was made in oneness with the Lord, and then trust fully in the Lord’s faithfulness to bless. 

By the Lord’s mercy, I have also been able to experience this very way of prayer, Spirit, and the word of God in my participation in His move in my portion of the work the Lord has assigned. In the introduction and distribution of the ministry of the word in India, the Lord’s leading has also been through prayer from our side, the Spirit from the Lord’s side, and the ministry of word in one spirit with Him. This is the unique way for His move on this earth today. I am glad I have been graced to participate in His move.

During the break sessions, I also enjoyed a wonderful time of fellowship with brothers from different parts of Asia and build a relationship in the Lord for His move. On the last day, we were able to visit the training centre in Malabon and I simply marveled at what the Lord has been doing among the young people in the Phillipines. The ministry has indeed been prevailing despite the enemy's attempt to thwart the Lord’s move

Lord, continue to bless Your move in Asia!