Enjoying God's Creation!

He has made everything beautiful in its own time; also He has put eternity in their heart, yet so that man does not find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and do good in their lifetime; Moreover, that every man should eat and drink and taste enjoyment in all his labor; it is the gift of God. (Ecclesiastes 3:11-13, RecVer)

God wants man to enjoy Him. Everything God has made beautiful for man to enjoy His creation and rejoice in Him. Life is to enjoy God's blessing!

Today morning, I was in a train on my way back from a three weeks long ministry literature journey to Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh when the joy of the Lord with His presence filled me as I was also enjoying my time with the Lord in a morning revival time. I was also witnessing the beautiful creation of God as the train passsed through central part of North India in Madhya Pradesh amidst rockly mountains, rough terrains, green valleys, plain green fields, ponds, streams, rivers, bridges and tunnels, I was awestruck and overwhelmed with the greatness of God. He has created everything beautiful for man. Only enlightened eyes can see these. I am glad, I am one such. I see God is all these beautiful creation.

For the invisible things of Him, both His eternal power and divine characteristics, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being perceived by the things made, so that they would be without excuse; (Romans 1:20, RecVer)

As I enjoyed God through all His creation, I could relate my experience with the hymn "How Great Thou Art."

O Lord my God, When I, in awesome wonder, 

Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made; 

I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, 

Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Chorus:

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, 

How great Thou art, How great Thou art.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, 

How great Thou art, How great Thou art! 

When through the woods and forest glades I wander, 

And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.

When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur

And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Composed by Stuart K. Hine, a Bristish Methodist missionary. He wrote the hymn on a mission trip in Ukraine in 1931 when he heard the Russian translation of a German song inspired by Carl Boberg's poem "O Store Gud" (O Great God).

What more can I say at the sight of God’s marvelous wisdom in creation except to praise Him, thank Him, and worship Him!

Having witnessed God's beautiful creation, I appreciated the Creator much more than ever before and the Firstborn of all creation, Jesus Christ!

Who is the image of the invisible God, the Firstborn of all creation, Because in Him all things were created, in the heavens and on the earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or lordships or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and unto Him. And He is before all things, and all things cohere in Him; And He is the Head of the Body, the church; He is the beginning, the Firstborn from the dead, that He Himself might have the first place in all things; (Colossians 1:15-18, RecVer)

Even as I enjoyed God's beautiful creation, deep within me there is a sense of honor and glory to Jesus Christ and I gave Him the preeminence. The creation leads to the Creator and the creation is for man to know who the Creator is. Yes, God is invisible, but He is made visible through His creation. No wonder, only the fool and blind will say there is no God.

The fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt; they commit abominable deeds; There is none who does good. (Psalms 14:1, RecVer)

The conclusion of the matter can be expressed in a hymn composed by Witness Lee on a similar tune with that of Stuart K. Hine. All my being sings in praise to God!

Hymn #17

My Father God, when on Thy vast creation.

The wonders of the heav'n and earth, I gaze.

Things great and small, beyond enumeration,

Which manifest Thy pow'r in untold ways;

Then all my being sings in praise to Thee,

How marvelous! How great Thou art!

And this I'll sing through all eternity,

How marvelous! How great Thou art!

2

As I enjoy the grace of Thy salvation

And contemplate how Thou Thy Son hast sent,

Who died that we might be Thy new creation,

Thy life expressing to the full extent;

3

When in the church, in blest participation,

I see how millions Thine own life possess,

How they are built to form Thy habitation,

Containing Thee, Thy fulness to express;

4

As I expect the coming age of fulness

And hope to share the new Jerusalem,

With all the heavens and the earth in newness

And all Thou art expressed in all of them;

Prayers for All

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 line with the word of God I used to pray for "kings" and those in high position. In fact, I used to pray daily for famous people in India and also in the world. The people that I prayed for includes Presidents and Prime Ministers of different countries, the prominent ones in relation to God’s move on the earth. The list also includes various sportsmen, entrepreneurs, business men, movie stars, politicians, religious leaders, etc. When prayer burdens were more with personal, family, service, and church needs, I somehow directed my prayers more on these immediate needs. Though I have been reading about these famous people in the world from the news, I hardly prayed for them any longer.

Last week, a news report reminded me again of my need to pray for some of these ones in a more specific way. Therefore, I picked up the burden to pray again for some of these ones, especially those who are undergoing hardtimes. I feel that this is the best time for them to seek for the true and living God and somehow be saved. Should the Lord will so, I am even ready to meet them face to face or contact them to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. As much as I need the Lord, I believe, they so need the Lord even more. 

I have also been following the current political events in India. So, I pray earnestly for the rulers of this nation, both the ones in power and those in the opposition. God’s desire is that all men be saved, first of all. I therefore took this burden upon myself and pray for the salvation of all men especially those whom the Lord specifically burdened me for.

Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4, RecVer)

Now, my prayer burdens list has become much longer. I need more time for prayer. In fact, these burdens helped me redeem my time and encouraged me to pray more. On the one hand, I pray for them, yet on the other hand, I am helped to pray more and more. Yes, the prayers are for others, but I am the first beneficiary. Because I pray. Whether the Lord will answer my prayers or not, it's all upto Him. But the fact that I am praying is already the answer to my prayers.

One new lesson I learned is, instead of opining or discussing about the rulers of the nation, my prayer for them will benefit them, the nation and me. By political discussion, I could achieve nothing for the country. The best that I can do for the nation and the world is pray. Yes, pray for the nation and the world leaders, especially for their salvation and for God’s will to accomplish on the earth even through these ones like the way God used the king of Persia.

Now in the first year of Cyrus the king of Persia, so that the word of Jehovah by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Cyrus the king of Persia; and he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and put it also in writing, saying, (Ezra 1:1, RecVer)

Lord, I petition, pray, and intercede on behalf of all men; On behalf of kings and all who are in high position. Let Your will be done in India and in the world!

Recovery and Healing: Manipur

The Scriptures have not mentioned about the saints meddling in secular politics. Though the Bible encourages believers to pray for those in the authority, there has not been a definite mentioning of the saints actively involved in politics, especially in the New Testament. Though the apostles lived during the time of shrewd, cruel, crafty, and evil rulers, they never directly criticized them. Instead, there was a record of Paul appealing to Ceaser, boldly and openly testifying before the rulers, and even praying for them. The New Testament has set the principle straight for all Christians today. They were indeed apolitical. This is the very thing I personally find it hard to be one such. Like it or not, I have a political inclination towards a certain party. Though I pray for the present rulers, I have my own reservation, which came by instinct, the ones inclining more towards my faith in the true and living God. The Lord is sovereign. These days, every news I have been hearing in my country is only leading to discouragement. Every new political development is a bad news. In the midst of such, the Lord reminded me of His words and the end times. Things seems to get worse and not better. And they are bound to happen as already prophesied. Perhaps, this is what it is to be. I simply must accept the fact and live with it and pray for my nation. A few days ago, the Lord spoke a very clear word to me especially about my home state Manipur in my home country India. Despite the outward situation of hatred, enmity, fighting and killing, there can still be recovery, restoration, and peace. As the Lord spoke, I also shared with some WhatsApp groups I am in.

When all news are bad news, the only good news is the word of God. Let us believe in the word of God*l and claim it as our own and pray over it. Amen

I am about to bring it *recovery and healing and will heal them*; and I will reveal to them an abundance of *peace and truth*. And I will turn the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel and build them up as in the former time. And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, by which they have sinned against Me, and *forgive all their iniquities*, by which they have sinned against Me and by which they have transgressed against Me. And it will be a name of gladness and a praise and a glory to Me before all the nations of the earth, who will hear of *all the good that I am about to do for them*; and they will fear and tremble because of all the good and because of all *the peace that I am about to provide* for it. 

(Jeremiah 33:6-9, RecVer)

A few days later, the Lord spoke to me again that as He will restore and recover the peace amon the warring tribes, the way is by loving God and loving one another. God is love. In the love of God, hatred, enmity, fighting and killing, will all be undone. God is the solution; the God Who is love and the love of God flowing among the believers is the way healing, recovery, restoration, and peace can be expereinced again. Then, I shared my enjoyment of the word again to the same groups.

Sharing my today's manna.

The word of God is plain and perfect; it explains by itself. Simply read, understand, believe, receive, and prayer over, then *the word of God will be your experience and enjoyment.* 

(1 John 4:7-21, RecVer)

7. Beloved, *let us love one another*, because love is of God, and everyone who loves has been begotten of God and knows God. 

8. He who does not love has not known God, because *God is love*. 

9. In this the love of God was manifested among us, that God sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might have life and *live through Him*. 

10. Herein is love, not that we have loved God but that *He loved us and sent His Son as a propitiation for our sins*. 

11. Beloved, if God has loved us in this way, *we also ought to love one another*. 

12. No one has beheld God at any time; *if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.* 

13. In this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, that *He has given to us of His Spirit.* 

14. And we have beheld and testify that *the Father has sent the Son as the Savior of the world*. 

15. Whoever *confesses that Jesus is the Son of God*, God abides in him and he in God. 

16. And we know and have believed the love which God has in us. *God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God and God abides in him.* 

17. In this has love been perfected with us, that we may have boldness in the day of the judgment because *even as He is, so also are we in this world.* 

18. There is *no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear* because fear has punishment, and he who fears has not been perfected in love. 

19. *We love because He first loved us*. 

20. If anyone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar; for *he who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.* 

21. And this commandment we have from Him, that *he who loves God love his brother also.*

Lord, heal our people and our land! Bring in recovery, restoration, peace, and love! Heal Manipur! Heal India! Yes, in Your way, in Your time, for Your purpose! Amen.

God Bless You!

God is a God of blessing. He desires to bless His children all the time. The only question is, whether we are in a condition to receive the Lord’s blessing. Though God is a God of blessing, His blessing is conditional. And all these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you listen to the voice of Jehovah your God. (Deuteronomy 28:2, RecVer)

Since the past few weeks, I have been traveling for the ministry literature service. Along the journey, I have been or have talked with some brothers and sisters who loves me and who I also honors me in the Lord. While visiting or talking to each one of them, the conclusion of  all the meetings was, "God bless you!"

About a month ago, a brother called me and spoke to me about his displeasure concerning one of his family members who is under my official overseeing. He had heard about certain matters that displeased him and expressed his ingratitude to me. Though I tried to clarify over the phone about the truth of the matter and the person concerned, he did not pay heed and simply cut the phone call before I could even conclude the conversation. Later, I fellowshipped with my fellow brothers and, with much prayer, I carried out whatever was fellowshipped with me. This included the fellowship at Tenkasi with the leading brothers of the locality where the person concerned was from, then in Chennai, and then finally over the phone while I was in the midst of the distribution in Chhattisgarh. Since one of the brothers encouraged me to call and clarify the matters to the concerned brother, I prayed over much and then made the call. The Lord was indeed in all the details of fellowship and as I called and clarified the matter, this elder brother felt the matters I clarified to him were very good and this time, concluded with a word of blessing. He said, "Thank you brother, God bless you!" O what a relief! Not merely because of the word of blessing, but because of the clarification that was rendered against the enemy's strategy of creating doubts adm confusion among the saints. Praise the Lord! Christ is Victor! Hallelujah!

In my visit and fellowship with an elderly couple who loves me dearly, I received a lot of love and care. They used to be my local guardian while I was a student in Chennai. As usual, they asked me to share the word of God with them. After which, I prayed and the elderly brother also prayed. As I was about to take leave from them, they also blessed me in prayer and the parting words were, "God bless you!"

As I spent a time of fellowship with a brother and his wife, my Computer Science teacher when I was a student, the Lord led me to testify of how He called me and blessed me richly , both spiritually and physically too. They were quite encouraged by elwhat the Lord has been doing in my life. As we had our concluding prayer, the couple's last words were, "God bless you!"

Even as I met some group of Christian brothers in Chhattisgarh where we came for the annual festival, many who came, met us and received the ministry literature expressed there gratitude for introducing the ministry literature to them. Each of them had just one common conclusion for us, "God bless you!"

Thank the Lord for His blessing. GOD IS A GOD OF BLESSING AND HE BLESSES. Thank You Lord for Your blessing! Amen.

Shepherding Fellowship

As I was traveling around with the brothers looking for venue in Bengaluru for our upcoming proofreading project, I received desperate calls from two brothers concerning their tumultuous marital bond. Since I was amidst the brothers in a running car, I could mostly listen to what they had to say, letting them pour out their burdens, concerns, and viewpoints. The Lord graced me a listening ear to patiently listen to whatever they had to say. And then at the end, I only prayed. 

The following day at a convnient time when I was alone, I had a fellowship with them again over the phone, one after the other at different times. But the Lord also gave me the words to say and the time to call back. Though the matter seemed very complicated at the time I received the first call, as I prayed and had the following calls, the matter became clearer that the issues at hand were on the process of being solved. Though it may take time, the Lord intervened in both the cases and the two husbands who also called me realised their mistakes and made the necessary reconciliation due on their parts.

The truth is, Christ is the solution to all the problems. My one and only job is to allow Christ to come into their matters by prayers. I led both the brothers to pray as I also prayed for their marital issues. This is the secret to shepherding the saints, leading the saints to Christ. I believe in what the Lord can do and will do in these two matters. And trusting in the Lord, I declared by faith that the Lord will preserve the two marriages.

I also got a time of fellowship with a couple who I had been shepherding in the past. As we finished our tasks in Bengaluru, we visited this couple as out last stop beige we depart for the next destination Chennai. My fellowship to them was to treasure the presence of the Lord wherever they are whatever they do. Even as they would move to a new city Gurugram, they should look to the Lord for their housing suitable for the saints to visit them. Their house should be useful for the Lord’s testimony in hosting fellowship, Bible study, prayer meeting, etc. 

As I came to Chennai, I spent time with a brother fellowshipping concerning his situation and the concerns brought forth due to his entanglement in some extra  business affairs. In all the fellowships, my heart was to shepherd him and pray with him that the Lord would preserve his service and his family for His testimony. 

In all these, the matters were serious in nature but simply be solved in Christ. I thank the Lord that despite the enemy's wiles to distract and destroy the Lord’s children, in the spirit of fellowship, the Lord turned them all into His wisdom to train and perfect us, who all are involved in the matters. Thank the Lord, fellowship is the way to turn from failures and frustration to the Lord to enjoy the fruit of the Spirit!

Enjoy the Lord!

Two days after coming back from the ministry literature journey, I set off again with a brother for another three weeks journey this month. This was an urgent and timely need of the hour related to the fellowship concerning literature service. I had no choice but to faithfully carry out the responsibility set before me. Therefore, a prayer request was sent for this purpose as below.

PRAYER BURDENS: Literature Service

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“Where there is no counsel, plans are frustrated; But in the multitude of counselors they are established.”

(Proverbs 15:22, RecVer)

“The plans of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from Jehovah.”

(Proverbs 16:1, RecVer)

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Dear Saints,

Remember in your prayers our traveling to the following town and cities and the fellowship with the brothers for the literature service.

25 January to 12 February 2024

26 Jan, Fellowship: Tamil Old Testament Recovery Version Translation

Tenkasi: Tamilnadu 

28-30 Jan, Fellowship: Kannada New Testament Recovery Version Proofreading and Venue Preparation

Hubli, Bengaluru: Karnataka

31 Jan - 2 Feb, Fellowship: Literature Serving Ones

Chennai: Tamilnadu 

3 Feb, Fellowship: Telugu Old Testament Recovery Version Translation

Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh 

4-7 Feb, Fellowship: Odia Translation

Sambalpur, Khariar Road: Odisha

8-12 Feb, Distribution of the Ministry Literature and Fellowship with Seeking Saints

Bhatapar, Madku, Bilaspur: Chhattisgarh 

Pray for the  Lord's presence, His speaking through all the fellowship,  and His plan to accomplish in all the above matters.

The Lord’s presence and leading have always been the sustaining factor in all these journeys. The prayer of the Body has always been very much treasured, without which such burden could never be carried out. Therefore, I am very much dependent on the brothers and sisters' prayer support for which I always send prayer burdens for then to pray. 

As I undertook this journey, the Lord impressed me deeply with his words of confirmation. Though the task ahead seemed tough, the promise of the Lord this time was loud and clear, "Enjoy the Lord!"

My pursuing of the Life-study of Genesis just confirmed the Lord’s promise of enjoying Him in this journey and all the other activities to follow.

Being called by God, living by faith in God, and living in fellowship with God are all for the enjoyment of God. We have been called to the enjoyment of God, we must learn to live by faith in God that we may have the enjoyment of God, and we need to live in fellowship with God that we may participate in all His riches. All this is for one thing—the enjoyment of God.

“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope in the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13, RecVer)

“These things I have spoken to you that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be made full.” (John 15:11, RecVer)

“For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 14:17, RecVer)

Furthermore, as I enjoyed the Lord’s promise of enjoying Him, my daily morning revival reiterates the same promise. Our God is a God of joy, the Lord is a joy to His believers, and the Spirit who indwells me is the spirit of joy, so by abiding in Him, I can also be joyful!

This journey and all the past as well as the upcoming journeys will and must be a matter of enjoying the Lord! I am not laboring outwardly only. Yes, there must be labor too, but in all the labors, I must enjoy the Lord. No matter, I travel or not, my Christian life must be a life of joy in the Holy Spirit.

This matter of the need for enjoyment I also shared with my brothers who called me for fellowship and prayer. What a joyful Christian life I can live today!

Ministry of the Word in Vizag

The brothers in the church in Vizag arranged a combined Lord’s Table Meeting foe all the saints in the two district and requested me to.minister the word of God as the Loed leads. I looked to the Lord for His word as we travelled by train from Kakinada to Vizag. The Lord gave me the burden to minister in three burdens.

First, on the need to be brought into the full knowledge of the truth, I encouraged all the saints to read the Bible daily especially, the Recovery Version with study notes.

“Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4, RecVer)

Second, I released the burden on the need to first of all pray for anything and everything and never to be presumptuous. I also gave my own testimony of the Lord’s leading in my life through first of all praying for my family's salvation, classmates' salavation, and also for my service in the literature service and the church life the Lord has placed me in.

“I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men;” (1 Timothy 2:1, RecVer)

Then, I released the burden on following the pattern of the apostles in living a proper Christian life for the church life using 1 Thessalonians 2. Verse by verse, I just read and emphasized the key words in each verse and simply repeated what the word of God says. The word itself is the ministry, the Lord’s speaking to meet the timely need of His church.

“For you yourselves know, brothers, our entrance toward you, that it has not been in vain. But having suffered previously and having been outrageously treated, even as you know, in Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much struggle. For our exhortation is not out of deception nor out of uncleanness nor in guile; But even as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men but God, who proves our hearts. For neither were we found at any time with flattering speech, even as you know, nor with a pretext for covetousness; God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from men, neither from you nor from others, though we could have stood on our authority as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle in your midst, as a nursing mother would cherish her own children. Yearning in this way over you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own souls, because you became beloved to us. For you remember, brothers, our labor and travail: While working night and day so as not to be burdensome to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, as well as God, how in a holy and righteous and blameless manner we conducted ourselves toward you who believe, Just as you know how we were to each one of you, as a father to his own children, exhorting you and consoling you and testifying, So that you might walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” (1 Thessalonians 2:1-12, RecVer)

In the afternoon, we met all the key Christian leaders living in the vicinity of the meeting hall of the church in Vizag. All of these Pastors appreciated the truth contained in the Holy Bible Recovery Version so much. Most of them placed order for the Bible and paid the money immediately though we did not have the stock to give to them. They all have requested us to make this Bible known publicly in big meetings and prayed for us for the spread of this Recovery Version especially in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. 

The next day, we went to meet a few more Pastors and all our time were spent with two main Christian leaders in the city. The first one is a lover of the ministry of Watchman Nee so much. As we introduced the Recovery Version Bible, he immediately suggested that we present this Bible to the upcoming Pastors and Elders meeting in the city where he himself is the main coordinator. As we fellowshipped, he invited us for lunch and we further enjoyed more time fellowshipping. He prayed for us and blessed us for the further spreading of the ministry of the word to many seeking Christians. He also purchased the Holy Bible Recovery Version for himself and invited us again to present the ministry books to Christian leaders.

After a wholesome lovefeast and a brotherly fellowship, the Lord brought us to meet with a Pastor who later revelead himself as a one who had his reservation on the teaching of Witness Lee and the Holy Bible Recovery Version as he had heard some rumors negatively spreading among certain Christian groups. He opened up only after I introduced the Recovery Version Bible and answered all his questions on his doubts about the Bible translation itself, the footnotes, the books by Witness Lee,  and the pattern of the church practiced by the local churches. Since this questions were raised in front of me, I deemed it best to fellowship as Christian brothers and clarify whatever questions and doubts he raised. Inwardly, I was praying to the Lord for the proper utterance and the Lord to open our brother's spiritual eyes to see the truth. The fellowship went on and on for over two hours. It was a good time together to meet with "opposers" face to face and use the Bible to address their concerns, point by point. Immediately, I also texted him all the important links concerning our statement of faith, an open letter, defense and confirmation of the truth, the teaching on the divine Trinity, and the practice of prophesying one by one, the need for the oneness of the believers for the building up of the Body of Christ, and CRI research and findings on the teachings of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee and the local churches. After all these, he was very open and his understanding of the ministry has much been better. I established a good relationship with him and promised to send him some ministry books on his request and opened myself to him for any feedback, comment, or clarifications. Then, we requested him to pray which he did and we amened his prayer for light and truth. May the Lord grant him the grace to see the truth and be cleared of all doubts, rumors, and negative speaking. Lord, gain our brother!

The local brothers who coordinated with were so excited that they could have a first hand experience of meeting with "opposers" and defend and confirm the truth boldly face to face with a spirit of meekness and long-suffering. As they drove me to the airport, we all prayed together and thanked the Lord for His leading and blessing this ministry literature journey. 

The local brothers even testified that this new year 2024 the Lord is doing many new things for His testimony in Vizag! 

Lord, bless Your move and Your testimony in Vizag!