Experiencing God Who Hides

A brother from Madhya Pradesh has been running after me to address an online meeting on Wednesdays. The past few months I had been traveling abroad and within India, so I was not able to minister to the seekers in MP. Even yesterday I wanted to skip the meeting as I other things to do. But since he insisted, I felt I should comply to it. But still I was not clear what to minister.

At about 5:30 PM, we had an urgent fellowship of the brothers in the church in Gurugram. A brother mentioned about the God who hides Himself. Then, that became the message for my online meeting. The burden was clear. And as I considered on the subject, the Lord gave me all the necessary Bible verses.

Surely You are a God who hides Himself, / O God of Israel, the Savior. (Isaiah 45:15, RecVer)

Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you all the days until the consummation of the age. (Matthew 28:20, RecVer)

Because I Myself am with you, and no one will assail you to harm you, because I have many people in this city. (Acts 18:10, RecVer)

For where there are two or three gathered into My name, there am I in their midst. (Matthew 18:20, RecVer)

As I began to minister the word of God, I enjoyed the Lord's anointing richly. Sentence by sentence, the words were ministered. I sensed life flowing through me. In fact, the online saints too received much life supply.

This message on the hiding God was also what we experienced the last few days. There were difficult circumstances outwardly, but surely God was with us. Five of our brothers were imprisoned for being in a Christian meeting that sent shocking surprise among the saints and the family members. But God was sovereign over all. Despite the situation, He was behind the scene.

First, I confirmed and reconfirmed the fact that God as the Spirit is in our human spirit (2 Timothy 4:22, Romans 8:16) as a believer since we were born of God (John 3:3,5). Second, despite our outward circumstances seemingly contradicting our inward reality, God is still with us. Prayers may not be answered. Things may not be in our favor. God seemed to be nowhere. But, God is there behind all the dead, dark, and dry situations. Third, God will work in the environment, ultimately to fulfill His eternal purpose. Fourth, since such being the case, we must never be discouraged but stand firm in the faith believe in the unfailing word of God that He is with us all the time.

I used the example of how God delivered His people from being killed by the Jewish haters led by Haman. However, through Queen Esther who replaced Vashti under the leadership of the Jewish leader Mordecai and through King Ahaseurus, God secretly paved the way for salvation of the jews. God worked secretly at the right time with the right people. Though the word God was never mentioned in the book of Esther, God was the hiding God working to fulfill His divine economy. One Bible verse that really struck me is:

On that night the king could not sleep, so he gave orders to bring the book of the records of the chronicles; and they were read before the king. (Esther 6:1, RecVer)

God even took away the king’s sleep at the night to work out His heart's desire. God may not be mentioned at all nor be manifested outwardly, but He was very much present in among His people. Similarly, God as the Spirit is in our spirit today and He is working in the lives of every saint to work out His divine purpose. 

Later, I thanked the Lord that the brother insisted on me ministering the word. I was supplied and the saints were supplied too.

Praise the God who hides Himself!

Experiencing Chirst in Reproach

In the midst of my tight schedule with personal and official works pending, I received an indirect call to attend a theological conference in Bengaluru. At first I was not prepared at all to attend this conference, given the circumstances I was in. I still had to dive into the ministry speaking of twelve messages which I missed due to the Bible proofreading project while the church in my locality had all gone through. I still had a couple of blogs to write for which I needed time. And I was just about to embarked on a one year Hebrew course. But I weighed the benefits of attending the conference against the price I needed to pay. I considered before the Lord and prayed an intensive prayer as I needed to make an urgent and important decision. I brought this to fellowship with my fellow brethren and finally just two days before the actual conference began, the matter was decided that I should attend. The monetary price was heavy and much more  the manpower cost, counting the value of my time amidst tight schedule. 

As planned, I arrived Bengaluru and was lodged in a guest house of a family ministry. I attended the first meeting of this theological consultancy, and believe me, there was hardly any life supply in the meeting as it was all outward objective talks. I thought to myself, "Why am I here?" After the first session, I was literally and spiritually dried. But as I went to my lodging place, a brother who came to lead me to the room asked me a few questions about myself and the ministry. This opened up a floodgate of life supply as I fellowshipped with him about the ministry by introducing the Holy Bible Recovery Version and shared how the Lord had called me into the ministry. O I was so supplied by my own sharing to a brother. Thank God, I was salvaged from the dryness of objective talks. At least, my day ended well.

The next day, I had no interest to attend any of the meeting in sessions where theological papers were presented and talks on various topics were held. But one session where we had to present the ministry, we attended. I fellowshipped with my brother and prepared in prayer. In fact, that session of ten minutes alloted to "partners' corner" was the only point of interest to me. That was what I was there for. Therefore, when our turn came, a brother and I took the stage and introduced the ministry as the Lord led, not missing any point.

Well, right after that session, there was a break when many scholars who heard the introduction came and enquired about the ministry books. As we were busy introducing the ministry further to scholars, the organiser came and spoke negatively about the warning he received purportedly from three scholars who objected to the ministry of Witness Lee, which he asserted was not welcomed by an evangelical Christian organization. I was completely taken aback by such an arrogant attitude towards a dear brother. But the Lord graced me to be in my spirit and with a meek and quite spirit I listened to all that he had to rant against brother Witness Lee and his ministry. I was completely aware about the accusations some evangelical Christians in the West had levelled against the ministry a few years ago. And I was also aware about theise allegations being refuted point by point. Since I was not given any opportunity to speak nor defend nor clariy, I did not insist on talking back. Nevertheless, I was not bogged down by all the allegation as it was not new to me. I was aware about the enemy's attack in trying to hamper the spread of the truth. In fact, such incident only testify to the veracity and authenticity of the ministry of the New Testament. Paul was attacked too, so was Jesus by the Jews and the Pharisees. So what difference it made if I was attacked because of the truth of the Bible! I would rather count it all joy!

But this incident was like a sword pierced into my heart for taking the stand to represent the ministry, no matter what. I shall not me ashamed of the ministry nor the minister of the age. I shall continue to spread the ministry as this is the need of the time. I only prayed for those blind in religion that the Lord may open their eyes one day and see the ministry of the New Testament. But I don't fight back the flesh with the flesh. I fight in prayer and in the spirit. Perhaps, at the opportune time, I will only minister the truth to opposers. Until then, I accept the shaming and opposition, and leave the matter to God who vindicates. 

Though I met the same brother a couple of times after his allegations against the ministry, I greeted him with a brotherly smile. In fact, I tried to find time to fellowship or give him two magazines for clarification, but since his attitude was not friendly at all, I left the matter to the Lord. Let the will of the Lord be done.

But as I prayed and considered the matter, I felt I paid too heavy a price for rejection. The monetary value involved in attending this conference in addition to the time and energy invested, I somehow felt, "Why this waste?" Yet, I experienced the Lord a lot in bearing reproach for the sake of the truth. 

On the positive side, I was able to visit the church in Hosur and fellowship with the saints. Then, the church in Chennai and participated in the Lord’s Table meeting with the gospel meeting and home meeting. And most importantly, I was able to spend time with the literature serving ones in Chennai just for fellowship and took some important decision for the benefit of them all.

Blessed are you when they reproach and persecute you, and while speaking lies, say every evil thing against you because of Me. Rejoice and exult, for your reward is great in the heavens; for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12, RecVer)

Experience of Christ in Prayer

Prayer is according to the burden the Lord has bestowed upon His children who would cooperatewith Him to pray the prayer He would burden them. For months now, I have been praying daily according to the burden the Lord gave me. Everyday, I would go before the Lord and release these burdens one by one. It is no more a generic prayer for someone or something. But a very specific prayer, even with naming the persons and the burdens associated with it. With such burden, I have no choice, but to cooperate with God and simply pray His prayer as my prayer.

Whether at home or abroad, I tried my best to find time to release thses burdens to the Lord on a daily basis. By so doing, I also enjoyed my prayer life very much. I did not need to make up prayer or compose a prayer. Since the burden came from the Lord, my prayer has been very spontaneous. Point by point, burden by burden, I enjoyed releaseing my prayers to God. And I do believe, all these prayers have already been answered. It's only a matter of time for the Lord to execute and for me to see the answers to all the prayers.

The burden the Lord bestowed upon me ranges from prayer for the salvation of all the main and key political leaders of India and the world. I faithfully have been praying for each leader whose names the Lord revealed to me. I prayed mostly for their salvation and for them to make policies and govern the country according to God’s economy. The burden for the world leaders is according to God's move on the earth today, even as He prepares His children to be the Bride. The burden also extends to the famous people in India, the corporate tycoons, the movies stars, the news anchors, sport persons, and many well known people in India and abroad. I have no special interest in any if these ones except that the Lord burdened me to pray for them earnestly.

My responsibility right now is to just pray and pray. In this way, I also experienced the Lord a lot. Sometimes, as I prayed I asked myself why I was praying for all these ones. Then I realised, I was not praying according to my own desire or interest, but praying according to the Lord’s desire.

Lord, continue to grace me to cooperate with You and pray and pray according to Your burden.

Gospel in Gurugram

Gospel is the good news for all for their forgiveness of sins and receiving of the eternal and divine life of God. I was saved by this gospel and I am being saved by this gospel and I will also be saved by his gospel. Since this is the only gospel that can save sinners in the whole universe, the gospel must be announced to all sinners. Our responsibility is to announce the goodness. Whether sinners receive it or not, it's up to them. Some may receive and others may oppose. However, opposition should not hinder the spread of the gospel because God loves all mankind alike. He wants to save all  Nothing can save sinners from sins and give them God's divine and eternal life except God Himself who sacrificed His Son for the salvation of many who would believe into His Name.

Acts 4:12And there is salvation in no other, for neither is there another name under heaven given among men in which we must be saved.

Because God loves me and saves me, I must share this good news with others so that the love of God may be received by others as well. For this reason, any saved person will have the innate responsibility and burden to share the good news with whoever the Lord may lead them to. Since I live in my city, I have been endeavoring to share the good news with whoever I feel led by the Lord.

In the local church here, we encourage all the saints to pick up this burden of the gospel. This is the one thing the enemy Satan attacks the most, which only proves that he is the defeated foe. Time and time, we have been reviving this burden and reminding the saints to announce the good news to whoever the Lord leads them to and wherever He placed them. 

The enemy has been trying his best to stop the spread of the gospel in whatever way he can, but ultimately the Lord prevails and turns his subtle scheme into the sovereign display of His multifarious wisdom.

I have been blessed to experience and enjoy the announcing of the good news to the people in my locality. These days, the way I announce the gospel is first by making friends and sharing them in a friendly way. The word of God was ministered from my spirit through my mouth. No outward objects, but the word of God spoken in spirit to the sons of peace. A new way, and a new learning. All the gospel materials and the necessary word of God were already constituted into my being and memorized into my memory. I just processed them when needed in my spirit, and spoke them out through my mouth in Hindi mostly and in Englsih sometimes. Praise the Lord for this new way of announcing the gospel!  

Lord, save the people of my city Gurugam, and fulfill the purpose for which You have placed us here in this city.

Faithful in Service

Or service, let us be faithful in that service; or he who teaches, in that teaching; (Romans 12:7, RecVer)

Once the Lord has assigned to me a service, I must be faithful to that service. This responsibility laid upon me is a special portion from the Lord. And since I am aware about the service assigned to me, I must be faithful to my Lord. But the truth is, I can be faithful to Him only by His grace bestowed upon me to be my faithfulness. So, in whatever I do, I must be faithful by the faithfulness of God bestowed upon me; faithful in His faithfulness.

As a husband to my wife and father to my children, the Lord has been my faithfulness. Whenever I came home from my official trip, I did my best to take care of all the needs of the family. Oftentimes, things would pile up waiting for me to come home. Then, I would do them one by one at my own pace and capacity. First things first, and I would not give any room for panicking. Similarly, for all my personal work, official, and the church matters too. The underlying point here is faithfulness, which became a driving force within me to faithfully carry out all my responsibilities. 

The past month and this month have been loaded with responsibilities. Many works of mine have been in the queue. In fact, the Lord graced me to complete them one by one. These burdens actually led me to pray and pray. In fact, it helped me to exercise my spirit all the more to pray and pray and release all my burdens to the Lord.  The following verses are so nourishing these days as I go through this kind of experience. Oh, what a release to come to the Lord! Oh, what a rest to take His yoke! 

Mt 11:28Come to Me all who toil and are burdened, and I will give you rest.

Mt 11:29Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Mt 11:30For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

An Open Door in DLF-1

We have been praying very much for the Lord to gain some families in DLF-1 where we have been residing for the past sixteen years now. Though we did door-knocking and gospel preaching a couple of times, the local residents have not really been gained yet. In fact, I used to have contact with a few families and also made some good friends, but that did not materialize for the gospel. I personally was kind of desperate but did not lose hope yet. The only thing I could do now is to pray and pray and pray. As a family and with my son, we have been praying for the local residents to be saved and gained by the Lord for His testimony in Gurugram.

On the 24th of this month, after the prayer meeting, I was about to go out for gospel preaching. A sister requested if I could join some young brothers to meet their friend. I agreed. I accompanied three young brothers to meet another teenage classmate of a teenage brother. As we visited the family, a few questions that I asked during the conversation opened up a new door for the Lord to move in DLF-1. He mentioned that he was familiar with Christians and that his mother herself is a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. That's it.

Later, I and another young brother had a time of fellowship with the mother of the family who is also a sister in the Lord. She testified of how she had been desperately praying for fellowship with fellow believers in the morning. Then in the afternoon, we visited her family! She was so excited that the Lord had answered her prayer 

Besides, she also testified to what the Lord has been doing in her life. She has some guilt feelings for her past deeds. To which, I led her to read 1 John 1:7,9 and led her to trust in the word of God. Once she confessed, the matter was cleared already as far as God was concerned. Any guilty feeling thereafter was of the enemy and must be rejected by all means. She was so joyful for the ministry of the word and the practical time of fellowship we enjoyed together in the Lord. She was in tears as we fellowship.

The Lord also led me to testify about how He saved my dad and how my whole family got saved one by one. Similarly, our sister could see a ray of hope dawning for her family too. Though her husband was yet to believe, her son had already believed. Despite all the outward religious formalities they had done, the Lord has been preserving this family or His testimony in Gurugram.

This was an answer to the prayers of the church. And I believe this is just the beginning. The best is yet to come. The Lord will gain many residents of DLF-1 for the church in Gurugram. Only time will prove this declaration by faith now.

Lord, gain many families in DLF-1. At least eighteen, a family for each year we reside in this community and also in Gurugram. 

Hebrew Learning

On the 19th of July when we had our 52nd official board meeting of the literature service in India, the burden of Hebrew learning was brought up for fellowship. We have done Greek learning and New Testament Recovery Version translation into Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Mizo, and Kannada, with Hindi and Marathi going on. For the Old Testament Recovery Version, Hebrew learning is needed. Surprisingly, a brother and I who also coordinate the literature service in India were given the opportunity to learn Hebrew, though we do not translate directly. Initially, I never thought I would get an opportunity to learn Hebrew, but through fellowship with brothers in the literature service, the door is open. 

Today, the 30th of August, we had our first online orientation for Hebrew learning with the Tamil and Telugu translators, two of us who coordinate, and two brothers who will be teaching and guiding us through this course. For this, a WhatsApp group was created on 18 Aug 2024, followed by registration for online Hebrew learning with BibleMesh and purchasing the biblical Hebrew grammar book.

Though we planned to start it by the beginning of this year, only by the end of August we were able to officially start Hebrew learning course. I believe this is the right time. The Lord knows what is best for India and when we all are ready for this course.

Now that we have embarked on a one-year Hebrew online course, I look to the Lord for His wisdom, knowledge, and understanding to learn this language thoroughly well. As I was able to learn Greek, I pray that the Lord would grace me to learn Hebrew well too. It may be challenging considering the other official responsibilities I shoulder, but I trust the Lord will grace me through again. Brother Hudson Taylor's words be quoted again, “There are three stages in any great work attempted for God: impossible, difficult, done.”  

Lord, grace us all to learn Hebrew well, indeed thoroughly well, and learn it well on time.