First Visit to the Saints in Sitapuri

About ten years ago the saints in Sitapuri were recovered and shepherded into the church life in New Delhi. Since then, I have been hearing about these saints who speak mostly Matu but have never even once visited them despite being invited a couple of times. I guess the time was not ripe then. However, last Monday, the 11th of Nov 2024, I received a surprise and emergency call from one of the responsible brothers in the church in New Delhi to attend a Memorial Day meeting of one of the sisters who went to be with the Lord while we all were in Chandigarh for the Serving One's Training. Since many brothers were also out of station, it was fellowshipped that I could join the brothers and stand with the family during this time of grief. I did not have much time to think and consider as the matter was urgent. Though I had other work to attend to, I believe that was what I should prioritize. Therefore, I amened the fellowship. 

In fact, my Bible reading portion that morning was exactly on the death and burial of Sarah from Genesis 23. When I received the call, I also knew that the Lord had already given me the message for the meeting. The message was to preach the gospel of the God of resurrection! As most of the attendees would be saints from different Christian groups in addition to the saints in the church life. Then, I prepared and prayed for the message and it became perfectly clear what I needed to minister. Thus, I attended the meeting with two other brothers from Gurugeram and ministered on the God of resurrection. 

The footnotes of the Holy Bible Recovery Version helped me in finetuning my understanding of the entire episode on why Abraham was so particular about the burial of Sarah. All the deeds Abraham did in purchasing the burial ground and burying his beloved wife Sarah and later, he himself along with Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob, and Leah were buried there too. The spiritual significance of these burials with its geographical location pointed to the future hope of the New Jerusalem. Quote from the Recover Version:

That he would give me the cave of Machpelah, which is his and which is at the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in your midst for the possession of a burial place.  Gen. 23:9 

Machpelah Gen. 23:17; 25:9; 49:29-32; 50:13

Meaning double, doubling. Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and Jacob and Leah, three couples, were all buried in the cave of Machpelah (v. 19; 25:9; 49:29-32; 50:13). The names Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are the components of the divine title of God, who is the God of resurrection (Exo. 3:15; Matt. 22:32 and note).

Gen. 23:17 So the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah and which was before Mamre, the field and the cave which was in it and all the trees that were in the field, which were in all its territory, were assured

Gen. 23:18 To Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, in the presence of all who went in at the gate of his city.

Gen. 23:19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan.

Gen. 23:20 And the field and the cave that is in it were assured to Abraham for the possession of a burial place from the children of Heth.

Note on field

Although Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac were living at Beer-sheba (21:33), Sarah died and was buried in Hebron, the place of fellowship with God. Hebron is between Beer-sheba on the south and Jerusalem on the north. Thus, Hebron was not only a place of fellowship but also a way that led to Jerusalem. In spiritual significance, the cave of Machpelah in Hebron (v. 19), in which Sarah was buried, is the gateway to the New Jerusalem.

The cave of Machpelah was at the end of a field, in which were many trees (v. 17). A field is a place where life grows; thus, it implies resurrection. Abraham did not bury Sarah in a place of death but in a place of life, a place full of resurrection (1 Cor. 15:36 and note). This indicates that Abraham believed in the God of resurrection (Rom. 4:17) and was filled with the expectation that his wife would be resurrected and would be in the city which has the foundations, the New Jerusalem. According to Abraham’s realization, Sarah’s death was not a termination but an entering into the gate of resurrection, the gateway into the expected city and the better country (Heb. 11:10, 16).

1 Thes. 4:13 But we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are sleeping, that you would not grieve even as also the rest who have no hope.

1 Thes. 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and arose, so also those who have fallen asleep through Jesus, God will bring with Him.

1 Thes. 4:15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are living, who are left remaining unto the coming of the Lord, shall by no means precede those who have fallen asleep;

1 Thes. 4:16 Because the Lord Himself, with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

1 Thes. 4:17 Then we who are living, who are left remaining, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and thus we will be always with the Lord.

1 Thes. 5:9 For God did not appoint us to wrath but to the obtaining of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

1 Thes. 5:10 Who died for us in order that whether we watch or sleep, we may live together with Him.

1 Thes. 5:11 Therefore comfort one another, and build up each one the other, even as you also do.

On my first visit to the saints in Sitapuri on the Memorial Day Meeting of a sister I never knew in the flesh, the Lord ministered His word on living out Christ as the God of resurrection who is in our spirit today with the reality of becoming the New Jerusalem. This incident also reminded me of the verse which states:

It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, Because that is the end of every man,  And the living takes it to heart. Ec. 7:2

By the way, we also visited the family members of the bereaved saints and an elderly brother. A very timely visit beyond my imagination.

 

Here is a lesson that I have been learning. Always wait for the Lord's perfect timing for everything. Never act on your own nor on other's insistence. God knows best. And let God be your God for all things at all times.

Bible Reading: Forty Sixth Time

Today, the 7th of November 2024, the Lord enabled me to complete reading the Holy Bible for the 46th time! Then, I prepared myself to start the next round for the 47th time. This has been my burden to read and read the Bible; the best and the only Book that is worth reading, over and over again.

By God's grace, I pray and hope that this grace of reading the Bible be my lifestyle. And that this habit may continue as long as the Lord graces me with the time and the strength to do so.  Though the will is present with me, the working out of the will is all up to the Lord. Therefore, I look to Him for His mercy day by day.

For over a month, five of our brothers have been imprisoned. At times, when I imagine to have been in their stead, the thing I would miss the most would be my Bible reading. I wish and pray that there be never a time when I will be kept away from my Bible. It will be very hard for me to live without my Bible. Since I have been reading my Bible every day for about an hour, not a day I can pass now without reading my Bible. I have been addicted to reading he Bible already. It will be a torture to me not to read my Bible as usual, daily. Prayer can be done without any Bible, as it is a matter of the spirit. But Bible reading has to be objective; reading the physical Bible and seeing the Lord in every line. The is the best way to see visions from God. This reminds me of my childhood hymn, More About Jesus Would I Know (Hymn: More about Jesus would I know)

1 More about Jesus would I know,

More of His grace to others show;

More of His saving fulness see,

More of His love who died for me.

More, more about Jesus,

More, more about Jesus;

More of His saving fulness see,

More of His love who died for me.

2 More about Jesus let me learn,

More of His holy will discern;

Spirit of God my teacher be,

Showing the things of Christ to me.

3 More about Jesus; in His Word,

Holding communion with my Lord;

Hearing His voice in every line,

Making each faithful saying mine.

4 More about Jesus; on His throne,

Riches in glory all His own;

More of His kingdom’s sure increase;

More of His coming, Prince of Peace.

As I stated in my forty-fifth reading of the Bible, I still state the same now. My desire is much more than reading the Bible 46 times. Now, I pray that I can read the Bible a hundred times in my lifetime. I don't know how many more years the Lord will give me in this earthly tabernacle. If His will be so, I pray for His grace that within the many years still remaining or until He returns, I may be especially graced to hit the century of reading the Holy Bible a hundred times.  I can only trust the Lord and do my best to faithfully read and read His word day by day. It's up to the Lord to fulfill this dream of reading the Bible a hundred times. 

Praise the Lord for this grace of reading His word! Praise the Lord that I can still read and read the word of God!

Brothers in Confinement

Concerning our brothers in confinement, I have been asked again and again about the well being of the brothers, and also the status of the bail application. Since I was not directly involved in the legal proceedings, all that I know was what was told to me. But one thing I have been doing daily is to pray for the brothers. Officially, I was also asked by the brothers in the publication work to update them of the situation. For a couple of days I had nothing to update as nothing was updated to me. But the moment I got a confirmation of the present situation on our Wednesday coworkers' fellowship, I drafted a report and cross-cheched with a brother for correction and confirmation. Once the details were update, checked, corrected, and confirmed, I sent the update just to one brother who will do the needful.  The report is below:

Update: Our Brothers in Confinement

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Remember those who are imprisoned as bound with them, those who are ill-treated as being yourselves also likewise treated in body.

(Hebrews 13:3, RecVer)

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Appealing for Bail in the High Court

Christian lawyers who have been representing various Christian groups in similar cases are now working for us. We applied for bail in the lower court only once and that was rejected. Now, we are going to the High Court for applying bail.  

Monday 4 Nov: Application date for High Court bail plea.

Hearing date may be granted in about a week's time.

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The brothers have been doing well in the prison. Two of them even shared the gospel to their inmates. One of the inmates called upon the Lord’s name and was saved! The very next day, he got bail. The inmate who was bailed testified to the brothers that God had sent them to the prison for His salvation!

The brothers have been resting well and have a lot of time to pray. They even testified that since they have a lot of time with no entanglement, they have been praying for the Lord’s move in North India especially for the state they are in. They requested that if we have any prayer points, they will pray from the prison!

Prayer Burdens

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Pray for the granting of date for the High Court bail plea to be submitted on 4th Nov 2024.

Pray for the brothers and lawyers preparing for the court hearing that God be their wisdom and Counsellor in all the legal proceedings.

Pray that the five brothers be granted bail and released.

Pray for the growing and multiplication of His word in North India.

Pray for the comforting and strengthening of all the family members of the brothers and the saints in the churches in North India.

The Lord is the Lord and He knows how to Lord over every situation. Sometimes, I felt the brothers in confinement have been enjoying life much more than those outside. Though this may sound paradoxical, but as far as I can tell, the brothers in confinement are resting and enjoying the Lord. As the update above, they have been the witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ even inside the prison! Besides, no burdens to bear, they all have been resting well, eating well, and I believe praying well too. I may not be wrong to even state that those who are imprisoned outwardly are released inwardly and those who are released outwardly may be imprisoned inwardly. The real freedom is the freedom of the soul. With no outward entanglement, the soul will definitely be released. With the exercise of the spirit, the soul would be freed further. 

That said, I still pray strongly for their release as they are needed by their relatives, the church, and the official work they are involved in. To this effect, we pray every night for their well being and much more for their release. 

Lord, release our brothers in confinement.

Blending Today

Today, the 31st of Oct, being a national holiday, we fellowshipped and made a plan for a one day Indoor and Outdoor Blending. When the proposal was made by a brother I had no idea what to do with the holiday. Later, as I considered together with the brothers and the saints in fellowship, we all felt good to use the day for blending purpose. Therefore, the outcome of the consideration was apt and clear. 

For the first in the church in Gurugram, we gave all the responsibility of practical arrangement for blending to the young people. From planning to execution, for all the food purchase, preparation, and cleaning up, the young people exercised and they did their parts very well. Some parents and saints attended the blending and enjoyed together with the young people.

Our young people have been so much blessed by the Lord. They all are very talented in many aspects. From studies to sports and other extra curriculum activities, I have discovered that they have been very blessed by the Lord. May the Lord preserve their youth for His divine purpose.

Personally, it was a joy for me to witness the young people functioning positively for the blending. My participation was mostly in initiating the meeting and giving them guidance wherever and whenever needed. Of course, I enjoyed singing with them the young people songs after a long long time. And also enjoyed the food cooked by them. Given the opportunity and guiding them properly, the young people can be very useful in the Lord’s hand.

After lunch lovefeast we went for an outdoor blending. Though the park we intended to visit first was closed, we went to another botanical garden where the young people enjoyed playing games and sports. Though I could not mingle with them in sports, I had my share in just taking a walk on the park. Surprisingly, we met a family who was by faith Catholic and established a contact with them. Perhaps, this may be the open family that the Lord may wish to gain. 

After the outdoor blending, we all came back to the meeting hall and continued blending by singing and fellowshipping, followed by another lovefeast dinner. Thus, the day was well spent in blending. 

Praise the Lord for the one day blending! The young people were happy and the saints too. What a wonderful church life!

Fellowship on Children's Work

As a parent of teenagers children, my wife and I have been invited to join the serving ones and parents of the teenagers in the church life. Generally, I would leave the matter to the serving ones, but since it was mandatory for the parent to join too, I joined such a fellowship. It has been a blessing to join this fellowship as I came.to know the importance of the children in the church for the Lord move. If our own children were not gained and become useful to the Lord, it would be even more difficult to gain outsiders and make them useful to the Lord. If our own children were shepherd properly, we will have a bright future for the Lord’s testimony. As they grow up, they will become more and more useful to the Lord and can even become channels to gain many more people for Christ and the church. They will even become our own coworkers to serve the Lord together with us, as a family, as the church. What a glorious testimony this would be!

Timothy of the Bible is a good pattern of how a child has been sheoeheded at home to eventually become an apostle, a coworker, and an useful vessel to the Lord. There can be many more Timothys raise up in the church life, provided the children work is taken care now.

And that from a babe you have known the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through the faith which is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:15, RecVer)

From generation to generation, the Lord has been gaining people for His testimony. Timothy is a good pattern, from his grandmother to his mother and to him, all in the family become useful to the Lord! The secret is children service.

Having been reminded of the unfeigned faith in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded dwells also in you. (2 Timothy 1:5, RecVer)

Children's work is a one piece work as it affects the young people, college students, and finally the working saints. Our own children gained for the Lord in the church life is much better than gaining outsiders. If our children are perfected today, they can become our brothers and sisters, co-working with us as the seeds of the kingdom when they go to college campuses. This is the best increase that a church can gain. In addition, they can further become our own coworkers. They are seeds of the kingdom.

And the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; (Matthew 13:38, RecVer)

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the sojourners of the dispersion of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, (1 Peter 1:1, RecVer)

Train up a child according to the way he should go; Even when he is old, he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6, RecVer)

The dispersion is the scattered seeds among the gentiles. Peter considered the dispersed Jews as the seeds sown among the gentiles. This is a good example of how our own children as the seeds of the gospel of the kingdom can impact the spread of the kingdom of God. Like the Jews in dispersion spread the gospel to where they were scattered, our children can spread the gospel to wherever they would go in the future. Be it school or college or university campuses, the gospel will be spread wherever they go. To raise up a proper generation, we need a proper children work today. Our view concerning the children work should be long-term. This is a pipe line, a comprehensive service, children work.

We should encourage the children to love the Lord, His word, and the people. In that way, they will be useful to the Lord. We need to have general contact and specific young people for perfecting. It is a warfare as many young people were and are being l distracted by the world. We have to help them pursue the high peak truth, live a God-man life, and propagate. All for the fulfillment of God’s divine economy. 

Lord, bless all our children for Yourself!

Truth Constitution

This is good and acceptable in the sight of our Savior God, Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:3-4, RecVer)

Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. (John 17:17, RecVer)

The Lord has been faithfully leading us in His recovery to go and on in our Christian life in the church life. At least to my knowledge and experience, I can testify how much we have blessed by the Lord through His word. The truth is abundant in the church life with the rich supply of the ministry of the word. Any saints who are open to the Lord and to the ministry have ample opportunities to read, study, pursue, and be constituted with the truth. Moreover, this constitution, in many cases, will be followed by the experience and enjoyment of the truth resulting in the growth and maturity in life.

A week ago, the responsible brothers of the churches in India dived into the recent training, video messages, held at Warsaw, Poland, ITERO Oct 2024. As I also attended the training, I was so much supplied by the ministry of the word on the reality of the kingdom of God. The entrance and the living of the kingdom of God have been made very clear to me. Though all Christians have been born into the kingdom of God, it is also imperative to live by the divine life through which the entrance was made possible. The living out of the divine life is the need of the hour to live in the reality of the kingdom. Only a mere entrance through regeneration is not sufficient. In this regard, I was convicted of my living sometimes when I did not live by the divine life. I failed in many instances. What a warning! Yet one thing that encouraged me is the grace that the Lord has been gracing me with, to spend time with Him everyday in prayer. I truly have been enjoying my time with the Lord, a personal relationship and fellowship with the Lord. 

In the church in Gurugram too, we have a daily Life-study reading every night from 10 to 10:15 PM with extra 5 minutes of prayer. Now, this also is an add-on to the lives of many saints. Another opportunity to be constitute with the truth. The reading portion may be short, but day by day, word by word, the truth has been gradually wrought into the lives of the saints. I could see that some saints have been supplied and revived by this daily truth pursuing.

In addition, there are the home meetings, group meetings, daily morning revival, weekly PSRP, Bible readings, and truth pursuing in groups. All these are the blessed channels the Lord has been blessing us for our truth constitution and then further for our experience and enjoyment of Him.

As for me, in addition to all these, I have an extra portion to pursue the ministry everyday with the serving ones in the literature service, and weekly with those involved in the distribution service. If the Lord’s will be so, I hope to at least read through all the ministry books that have ever been published. I have been a beneficiary of the riches of the ministry! This is a special grace from the Lord.

Now, for our children, teenagers, and college students too, Bible reading, prayer, and truth pursuing have been arranged. As my specific service in the church is with the college students, I have been fellowshipping with them weekly and now helping them pursue the truth and also perfect them to present the truth. All these are done with the vision and burden of shepherding our young ones to live a God-man life with the rich constitution of the truth. Inward constitution of the truth will result in the outward living of the divine life.

The knowledge of the truth also delivers one from anything not of the truth. Today, there are thousands of preachers and teachers. Only the proper knowledge and experience of the truth can save one from deception and be set free from unscriptural bondages.

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. (John 8:32, RecVer)

All these is for God’s divine purpose to be fulfilled in us and through us. 

Lord, preserve our vessels and fill us with Your divine and eternal life through the constitution of Your divine truth for the fulfillment of Your eternal economy.

Special Meetings

Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget hospitality, for through this some, without knowing it, have entertained angels. 

Remember those who are imprisoned as bound with them, those who are ill-treated as being yourselves also likewise treated in body. 

(Hebrews 13:1-3, RecVer)

This week, we are blessed to have two saints visiting the church in Gurugram. Despite the ongoing situation of our brothers' imprisonment in Mathura for over a month now, the church life goes on with much intensity. The saints have learned by now that it is indeed the hand of God in all these for His intensified move in North India especially among the saints. Though we were very worried initially and, in fact, were gripped in some kind of fear, now all that is gone. We learn to accept whatever God allows. He knows what is best for us for His testimony. Though denied bail twice at the magistrate level and session court, we did not lose hope or heart. We still pray and pray, and the Lord will do His work in His way in His own time. The saints all over the world are aware and are praying day by day. In the midst of this, our enjoyment of the church life goes on, it intensifies, and is being uplifted!

Last Lord's Day, Tuesday, and Thursday, we enjoyed the regular meetings like never before. The saints' participation grew in number and the nature of the meetings was uplifted. In addition to having saints visiting us from Pretoria, South Africa, and Bengaluru, South India, the saints who rarely joined the meetings before also joined. The group meetings were revived. In this way, brotherly love continues. And with these saints visiting us, we were shepherded to give hospitality. 

A visit of a brother was special to me as he was one of the brothers coordinating with me in the initial days of the church life in this locality some eighteen years ago. Though the Lord has allowed him to migrate to another locality and later he took up jobs leaving his full-time service, the Lord has been faithful to him and his family. Through thick and thin, he has been braving through hard times. Though he was on a business trip, I took his visit as an opportunity for me to fellowship and blend with him and also exercise giving hospitality, which I am still learning.  In this way, Hebrews 13:1 and 2 became very subjective to me. 

Yes, let brother love continue no matter what the situation of the brother may be, and not to forget hospitality, perhaps, I might be entertaining an angel. With this view, I also took him to join the Life-study pursuing meeting and then dropped him at New Delhi Airport T2. Though he insisted on going by metro, deep within I left the need for me to drop him by car, which I did. In fact, that turned out to be the longest drive I ever had to the Airport. A drive of two hours which generally would take about forty-five minutes. The traffic was terrible and I could hardly drive at about 10-15 km per hour. But that gave us more time to fellowship as we snailed through the capital city congestion. In all the fellowship, I was very much restricted by the spirit not to opine on anything good or bad. My responsibility was just to give hospitality and pay heed to whatever brother felt to share. No opinion. We are all in the Lord's hand. He is working on each one of us.

Besides, last Wednesday a couple of saints visited the brothers in the prison in Mathura and gave us a very encouraging report about the situation of the brothers. They were all rejoicing. Physically, they all had a good time of rest; doing nothing but eat and sleep. Last Lord's Day, when one sister mentioned the need to rejoice in the midst of trials, I quoted a verse and we all sang together the verse.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Philippians 4:4

These were all the special meetings the Lord blessed the church with these days even as He brought us to experience Hebrews 13:1-3.