Experience of Christ in Dealing with People

Dealing with people is one of the most difficult things in any work. People are living with full of feelings and opinions. Hurting even one person is a big deal. Especially, if the people concerned are children of God. But, with the Lord's wisdom and discernment, it is easy to handle people. Satan tries his best to bring confusion among people, especially among the children of God.

There was an incident on one of our serving ones concerning the publication of another New Testament where he was involved by his mobile number being used for contact information. The feelings and reactions of the brothers were not positive. But, as we fellowshipped, the Lord gave us the grace to handle this wisely with much prayer. Though I had my feelings and opinions, I learned to bring them before the Lord in prayer and seek the Lord for His leading in the way to deal with him, not according to me nor any brother whosoever, but solely according to Him. As we fellowshipped, the Lord came into that matter and thus it was resolved amicably. By turning to the Lord concerning people, I could experience the Lord and get to know His will and feelings about the people being dealt with. Thank the Lord that I could experience the Lord, even in dealing with people.

In my service and also in the church life, there were many people that crossed my path. Like it or not, some of them I had to deal with accordingly as the Lord led me to. Not alone, but with a brother or a few other brothers, we learned to handle people together and deal with whatever matters brought to our notice. The lesson of experiencing Christ in dealing with people is more important than the person concerned, however "troublesome" they may be. Of course, only troublesome people create problems. The Lord sovereignly allows them to do what they are doing. In this way, He disciplines them and also perfect the brothers whom He uses to discipline the naughty ones. This is the wisdom of God. 

Brothers and sisters who were coordinating the recent proofreading project had issues too. Every issue when brought to our attention, we had to face them head-on. Yet not in a natural way or trying to solve the problems, but in a prayerful and wise way, not merely to solve problems, but to perfect one another and experience Christ in the process.

The lesson of dealing with people brought me to contact the Lord more and more each day. Even in dealing with my own relatives and the saints in church life, I simply turned to the Lord in prayer and brought the matters to the Lord again and again. These experiences taught me to have no confidence in myself but fully trust in the Lord's doing. Not trying to deal with people according to my natural man, but bringing them to the Lord as I also brought myself to the Lord in the process of dealing with people.

Lord, by Your grace, deal with me as You taught me to deal with others in need. And in the process, may we all experience You all the more.

Experience of Christ in Money Matters

Money is a test to many people especially to the children of God. Anyone who loves money will be tempted by money and they will eventually fail in handling it. This is a good lesson for me to learn, the lesson of not loving money yet faithfully and righteousness handling it, no matter what the amount.

By the Lord's mercy, since the beginning of my service, I have been handling money, mine, and others. One principle is to be faithful and righteous in every rupee and coin. This is possible when one has a pure heart towards money. Lovers of money will never pass the test of money. Money is so tangible that the Lord equalized it with mammon. 

No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:24

The Lord here directly equates mammon with Satan. Loving mammon or wealth in whichever form, of which money is the most tangible form, is equivalent to loving Satan himself who is an enemy of God. The love of the Lord is the panacea for the love of money. Without the love of the Lord, it is impossible for one not to love money. 

Within a few years of my service, I have been handling money for my official service, my personal money, and those of the church, in terms of lakhs and crores.  The more I handle money, the more I realize my need to be more and more purified in my motive and intention. Even for this, I have experienced the Lord so much. Only the Lord is pure. Only the Lord is faithful;. Only the Lord is righteous. Now having Him as my purity, faithfulness, and righteousness, I am actually and practically experiencing Him in His purity, faithfulness, and righteousness. Without the Lord Jesus Christ as the Spirit indwelling me and living in me, it was, and it is, and it will be impossible for me to handle money in a pure, faithful, and righteous manner. Thank the Lord, He is my life!

In the past few weeks, I had to spend money daily on the daily activities and services for the official work. The Lord graced me to record every expense in the most detailed and fine way. Therefore, I regularly updated my day book for every money spent. That was a wonderful opportunity to exercise handling money and at the same time, be faithful and righteous in money matters. Finally, when the project was over, without any hurdle, the account was submitted to the brothers.

Ultimately, what matters most is the Lord's blessing financially in abundance. When the supply is the Lord or from the Lord, there is a blessing in the usage of it. With such blessing and being under the Lord's blessing, accountability is just an experience. 

Lord, grace me to experience You in money matters and be faithful and righteous to the last rupee.

Experience of Christ in Serving as a Slave

The Lord Jesus Christ is the best pattern of one who served as a slave. In his humanity, He served God the Father by serving the people on earth at His time as a slave. The gospel of Mark recorded His service as a slave. 

Today, the same Slave-Saviour as the Spirit is in me! I have been graced to learn this lesson in many practical ways. A couple of weeks ago, in the proofreading of the New Testament Recovery Version in Kannada, I needed to serve the saints who came to serve. From the very beginning, my attitude was, I am a salve of God. I never allowed  the enemy to take hold of my mind to question my service. Though I had the rights to command and dictate works to be done, I was constantly was under the deep impression of being a slave of God. Therefore, I am also a slave of the saints. Whenever there was work to do, I did not hesitate to do nor pass the job for someone else to do. I simply exercised myself to serve as  a slave.

That said, I also was very aware of the fact that it was impossible for me to serve as a slave. By nature, I am not a slave. In fact, I would never serve as a slave given my own choice. Thank the Lord for the truth in the Bible that transformed my way of thinking and way of service. I also knew for sure that the Spirit of the Lord jesus is within me, the Spirit of the Slave-Saviour Jesus. Only by exerxsing my spirit to be joined in oneness with the Lord, I could actually serve as a slave.

Whenever the brothers wanted me to get things done, it was an opportunity for me to exercise to serve as a slave. Whenever the sister wanted me to get things done, especially in their shopping and official works, they give me an opportunity to serve them as a slave. Whenever the saints who came to serve were physically ill or weak, it was an opportunity to serve them as slave; by taking them to clinic and taking care of their medical needs. In many practical services, the Lord gave me opportunity after opportunity to experience Him as a slave.

Even in dealing with the venue management, I had the rights to demand and get things done. But the Lord reminded me to hold on to the very best and the very base position of being a slave. When there could be debate or argument based on the charges levied upon us for using the venue, I simple did not have any desire to fight back. As long as the accounting were properly done in righteousness, it was my rightful duty to pay righteousnely what was due. As a slave, I had no guts to fight back or argue. These are nothing compared  to what the Lord had become when he was on the earth. 

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider being equal with God a treasure to be grasped, But emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming in the likeness of men; And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto death, and that the death of a cross. Philippians 2:5-8

What I experienced was just a glimpse. There will be many ore opportunities to experience the Lord as a slave. This is just a foretaste of experiencing Christ in serving as a slave.

Experience of Christ in Shopping

Shopping is what I generally do not like to do at all. I only go shopping with my wife to buy family essentials once a month. Or when there was a need to buy something important, I would go to the shop to get what was needed. But this time in the proofreading service I had to accompany some sisters to take them shopping. It was my duty to take care of the sisters. Though I did not want to go shopping since it was my duty to take care of the sisters, I needed to go along with them. This definitely was not an enjoyment for me, though some sisters may love it, to me it was just an experience I had to endure. 

Within a span of four weeks, I had to go shopping multiple times at different shops and shopping malls in Bengaluru. Sincerely, it was not my choice nor my desire, but it was simply a discharge of responsibility. I took that as a lesson of faithfulness in taking care of the ones I was serving with. Therefore, I denied myself and experienced the cross to deny myself to take care of the sisters.

While the sisters were shopping in a mall I could only walk around and see whatever things were available. Sometimes, I simply stand at a bookstand and read the books on display to pass the time.  At times, I considered if there was anything I could buy for myself or for my family and spent time researching some products. In that way, I could exercise myself not to waste time but learn to experience the Lord even in such a situation that was not favorable to me.

It was altogether a new experience. Sometimes, the Lord led me to do things I did not like to do. Yet, I still had to do it out of faithfulness. Thank the Lord for this experience! The Lord is perfecting me to do things that I do not generally like to do too. These are experiences. One day, these experiences will become my enjoyment too.

Shepherding by Waiting without Words

As I have been shepherding some new ones and in the process the Lord has been teaching me more and more lessons on how to care for the saints. One important lesson I have been learning these days is, to wait and pray. Oftentimes, I wanted to say something to the ones I have been shepherding, but the divine instruction is, to wait and pray. This lesson is not so easy to learn when the ones you care for are not doing well spiritually. Naturally, there is a sense of responsibility to do something with the view of shepherding them. But that's just the natural man. This lesson of self-denial and learning to wait is not an easy lesson to learn. Yet, the Lord in His faithfulness has been teaching me this lesson. Wait without saying a word and just pray for the ones you care about.

Sometimes, it would be much easier for me to simply wait and pray if I had no words to say. But when I know things so well and I have words in abundance, yet the Holy Spirit is forbidding me to say anything, it was rather difficult to simply wait and keep mum.  This is the lesson of the cross every shepherd needs to learn. Sometimes, the best shepherding is by not saying anything, but waiting and praying for the ones under my care.

I have been regularly calling up at least seven new ones on a weekly basis to shepherd them. Some of them are responding very well to my shepherding care, yet a few others are closed, at times making it hard for me to contact them. Even if I want to talk to them, visit them, or even pray with them, if they do not open up, I just cannot do anything. That's when the lesson of waiting comes in. Of course, waiting with prayer.

This reminds me of a hymn that I used to sing when I was in college with a couple of other brothers in the Lord. Teach Me Lord to Wait

Teach me Lord to wait down on my knees
Till in Your own good time You answer my pleas
Teach me not to rely on what others do
But to wait in prayer for an answer from You

They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength

They shall mount up with wings as eagles

They shall run and not be weary

They shall walk and not faint

Teach me Lord, teach me Lord to wait

Teach me Lord to wait while hearts are aflame
Let me humble my pride and call on Your name
Keep my faith renewed, my eyes on Thee
Let me be on this earth what you want me to be

There's a time and a season for all things
You promised in Your word to answer my pleas
I'm crying to You, Lord to grant sweet relief
Oh, Lord remove all my unbelief

Stuart Hamblen

The ones under my shepherding care the ones my "teachers" too. They have been teaching me life lessons. The more I care for them, the more lessons I learn from them. I believe the Lord also uses them to train me. Even their closeness or openness is used by the Lord to train and perfect me. Ultimately, I am the one shepherded by my shepherding others. This lesson is not easy to learn. 

Shepherding by waiting without words. Teach me, Lord, to learn this lesson well.

Shepherding with the Right Word

Sometimes shepherding with too many indoctrinated words may not be the right word to shepherd those who are in need of shepherding. Some people just don't need too many unnecessary words. What they need is just the right word. Perhaps, it may even be just a few words. 

Col 4:6Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

Eph 4:29Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but only that which is good for building up, according to the need, that it may give grace to those who hear.

I have been learning this lesson of shepherding. Sometimes, out of burden, I spoke things too much. Sometimes, too many words spoilt the shepherding. Now, I have been learning to shepherd people with the right word. If need be, more words. Words are needed, but the word must be seasoned with salt and the word must be full of grace anointed by the Spirit to minsitry life to the recipient of the speaking. 

One sister I have been shepherding has completely closed herself. Though I spoke free and frank words to hear with much warning and encouragement, it looked like she just could not take it any longer. She seems to have done what I have warned her of. She even started avoiding me. Perhaps, scared even to hear anything that I would say. This was a good lesson for me in shepherding people. The Lord just showed me that without Him as the Shepherd, I cannot shepherd anybody. Every attempt at my shepherding for good just turned out to be just the exact opposite of my intention. So I decided to keep quiet and wait for the right word.

Things did not go well with this sister. Especially in her studies and exams. The marks she got were far below her level. I knew why all these happened to her. She completely lost that blessing of God for the obvious reason. So she needed much prayer support and shepherding with the proper word at the proper time. So, I waited and waited for the opportunity to shepherd her. When things did not turn out well with her, the Lord just gave me a few words. Those words were sufficient to shepherd her. 

In fact, in reply to one of her text messages, I simply wrote two sentences. I believe, that sufficed.

Only God can bless. Only God is the Blessing.

These words were more than sufficient to take care of her situation and the inner emotional complications she has been embroiled in. Now, I just wait for the Lord's further word. I pray for her daily and leave her matter to the Lord. 

May the Lord's perfect will be done in her life. May the Lord grace her day by day with Himself as her life supply.

Shepherding at the Right Time

The combined Lord's table meeting of the church in Bengaluru on 21st July was the right day for a brother to be shepherded. He was none other than the first new one I brought to the Lord after I consecrated my life to serve the Lord and joined the full-time training in Chennai. Initially, I did pay much attention to him in helping him deal with some of his personal matters in life. But as time went by, he slipped out of my shepherding hand as I moved to the North and he continued to stay in the South. On and off, we were in touch for fellowship and prayer. However due to certain situations, he has been facing complications in his marital life, and he has been forced to contact me for fellowship and prayer.

In fact, a week before I met him, he called me for an urgent fellowship concerning his marital complication. I could offer no help. I could only pray for him and pray with him. There were things beyond my capacity. Though he requested me to talk to his wife and his sister for some of his complicated family issues, I just did not have the peace to do so. For, deep within I discerned that he was also on the wrong side. He needed to learn his lesson as well. I cannot come in between their family matters like gum to patch up their broken relationship. In every human relationship, all the parties need to be consulted. Everybody knows how to present their own case and present it so well that the other parties always seem to be on the wrong side. I have long learned this lesson well. Therefore, I do not jump into to patch up relationship without giving all parties involved a careful hearing first. 

On the Lord's Day, he came for the meeting. In fact, we also sat together in the same row. That was the Lord's sovereignty. After the meeting, he and I had a good time of fellowship face-to-face and one-on-one. I did not plan this, but the Lord did. I waited for the proper timing and the Lord gave that time. It was just the right time. I was able to shepherd him and fellowshipped with him point by point. The Lord gave me the discerning I needed to shepherd him. So, whatever feeling the Lord gave me, I spoke faithfully. And he accepted all that I said. I had no confirmation from anyone about his situation, but as the Holy Spirit gave me the discernment, I spoke point by point and he accepted that all that I spoke about him was indeed true. He testified that he was also wrong on his side and that he made a mistake, a big mistake, in dealing with his wife and his younger sister. 

At that juncture, I gave him a word of love and shepherding to help him turn to the Lord. In fact, I encouraged him and showed the way forward for him is just one way. To love the Lord, fear the Lord, and spend time with the Lord and His word and be with the saints. Apart from this, I warned him, I have no other solution and I have nothing else to say. The ball was on his court whether to follow the Lord or do his own will. Through the free and frank fellowship, he was able to see who he really has been all this while. The Lord enlightened him and he did repent for all his misdeeds. I also encouraged him to be in constant fellowship with the saints, enjoy morning revival daily with a brother, and be in the church life in Bengaluru. That's all the message I got from the Lord. And with that, we prayed together.

That was the shepherding at the right time for this brother which the Lord had sovereignly arranged. May the lord continue to grace him, shepherd him, and fully recover his life first, and then his family for the church life.