Lessons on Shepherding

Since the second week of January I was not able to call the brothers I had been calling weekly for phone call prayer and shepehrding. In fact, I had been doing that for years altogether with the hope that they could be fully shepherded into the church life. But it did not turn out as I expected. On the one hand, a disappointment, yet on the other hand, a test of my faithful shepherding. 

In this situation, I did not force myself to somehow continue the shepherding when I practically cannot. I left them to the hands of God. If God wants to gain them for the church life, I felt, they should have been gained already. With so many calls over the years, I truly felt they should have been gained. If not, either my shepherding had flaws or the Lord wanted to train me further in shepherding or the Lord is preparing them for the right time. With this realization, I do not worry that much now. For I know, it is the Lord who can gain people for Himself, not out of my labor, but by His sovereign will.

Yesterday, we were supposed to have a regular group meeting but majority of the saints could not join due exams and health issues of the families. But two saints, one sister and one brother, who have been under our shepherding and yet not regular for the church life, turned up. So, I felt it best to change the meeting to a truth pursuing meeting that can meet their need in the best way.

Therefore, we pursued lessons 1 and 2 of the Shepherding Materials Vol. 6. The lessons were, A Great Mystery - Christ and the Church, and The Two Aspects of the Church. Then, we had a detailed fellowship on these two lessons. I was glad that the Lord led us and made things clear concerning Christ and the church. I believe, for this purpose of specific shepherding, the Lord arranged this special meeting with these two saints. 

Having done this, I still commit them to the Lord who can only bring them into the church life. I also have seen many others coming to the church life without much follow up as I did with these ones. Sometimes I wonder if I were trying in vain to bring people to the church life which the Lord might want to wait or has other plan. These are the areas where I need to learn to shepherd. 

May the Lord lead them in His way at His time. Let the will of the Lord be done.

Word of Love to the Young Ones

Furthermore, brothers, we ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that even as you received from us how you ought to walk and please God, even as indeed you do walk, that you abound still more. For you know what charges we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from fornication; That each one of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, Not in the passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; That no one overstep and take advantage of his brother in the matter, because the Lord is the avenger concerning all these things, even as we also said before to you and solemnly charged. For God has not called us for uncleanness but in sanctification. (1 Thessalonians 4:1-7, RecVer)

On the Lord’s Day, on the 9th of February, the Lord gave me a strong burden to release to the young brothers and sisters concerning our Christian testimony as we live in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation. 

That you may be blameless and guileless, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine as luminaries in the world, (Philippians 2:15, RecVer)

We had a time of fellowship for over an hour when we pray-read the verses in 1 Thessalonians 4:1-7, with an emphasis on verses 3 and 4 concerning our holy living for the church life. In love and with much burden, I exhorted the young people to take care of the basic and fundamental practices of a normal Christian living. A personal time with the Lord daily, a study of the Bible daily, maintaining spiritual dairy record and prayer book, and actively participating in the church life. Then, I released my burden on looking to the Lord for His grace and mercy, much more for His covering protection to live a sanctified life. This generation has been so corrupted that immorality, sensuality and sinning have become a fashion. But it must not be so with the sanctified children of God. There are certain practical steps one has to take. Being passive will not work. Sin is running in the blood of every fallen man, even though saved. Our spirit may be saved, but our soul is still on the process and the our body too. Therfore, there must be a willing effort from our side to turn away for the temptations and the lust of the eyes. The Lord will grace those who are willing to be graced. But without one's initiation, God will not interfere in the free will He has already bestowed upon man. Man's deed will determine God’s action upon him. One cannot be so foolish as to neglect his responsibility and trust everything to God. One cannot be so deceived to think that he tread the world and not be affected.

Can a man walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched? (Proverbs 6:28, RecVer)

So, I warned the young ones, not to give room to Satan. Especially in minute matter of contacting opposite sex. Lust is within everyone. It just takes a second to ignite it. For I have seen that many have fallen by disregarding this simple matter of contacting opposite gender. In this age of social media, contacting one another is so easy. Just a message "Hi" is sufficient to ignite the lust of the flesh which can further lead to the whole body being burned down.

I also encouraged the young ones to pray for their life, career, marriage, that, in every thing, the perfect will of the Lord be done. I even gave my own testimony of prayers and seeking the perfect will of the Lord. 

As I released the burden the Lord bestowed upon me, I was quite joyful. I could also sense that the young people have received the burden I released to them. This was a word of love to the young ones.

May the Lord preserve each one of them to have a sanctified living for the church life.

Power of Pressure

Last Monday, the 27th of January, I was so so touched by the ministry portion we pursued together in the morning at the office. It was indeed the timely speaking of the Lord. The message was perfectly titled, The Power of Pressure.

The Power of Pressure

Excerpt from The Present Testimony (3) CWWN, vol.10

In 2 Corinthians 4:8-10 he said, “We are pressed on every side but not constricted [this indicates the outward circumstances]; unable to find a way out but not utterly without a way out; persecuted but not abandoned; cast down but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the putting to death of Jesus that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.”

Where there is pressure, there is power. If a Christian does not know pressure, he cannot know power. Only those who have experienced the stress of pressure can understand power. The more pressure one experiences, the more power he has, and the more he understands power.

Whenever there is no pressure, there is no power. Only pressure can produce power.

A life that is pressured is a life that has power. A life without pressure is a life without power. A life with great pressure is a life with great power. A life with a little pressure is a life with little power.

At first we did not have the power to pray. But with pressure, we can pray. The stronger the pressure is from God, the more powerful our prayers will become. Therefore, let us learn the lesson that pressure produces power. The purpose of pressure is not to oppress us, but to afford us the opportunity to turn it into power. Now we can understand why God listens to some prayers, but not to others.

Day by day as you face more pressure, remember that pressure is power. You should not neglect pressure. 

In the end the greater the pressure you face, the greater the power you have, and you will find yourself overcoming everything and receiving more power.

The following week, this was exactly my experience. We had a back to back video messages all packed in two days. Then, I was busy fellowshipping and updating my brother who coordinates with me for official literature service. Point by point, all that were important for him to know, I updated them in detail. There were meetings held in Delhi and Gurugram for fellowshipping with the brothers who were just released from the prison. Besides, pending official works I completed them one by one. The last important one being the Board Meeting including the two new directors. I had to update them all the crucial functions that they needed to know as directors. In fact, this board meeting went on for about two hours. But it was worth it. We began with prayers and had the meeting smoothly in sweet coordination. Then, three pending Re-KYC were completed for three bank accounts as I had been awaitng for my co-director to be available. And finally, I had to restructure our coordination among the four directors by adding the directors and creating a new group for coordination purpose.  O how blessed I felt when I could official coordinate with four brothers. I flet like I was being shot in my arm, strengthening me very much. Foe the last four months, I was all alone handling official matters as my co-direction was unavailable and the two new directors weer not official brought in to function. Now, I rejoice in that we are like the four living creatures in the book of Ezekiel coordinating for the Lord’s move.

When I look back, I wonder how these things could be accomplished in just a week's time. Many important pending works in just a week! It surely was the grace of the Lord through the power of the Holy Spirit. Where there was pressure, there the Lord gives power to meet the need!

Then, today morning, I was planning for a whole day, fully packed schedule. But the Lord knew what actually was needed. I needed rest. He led me to cancel the whole day's plan I made and I just took rest the whole day. I woke up to join the prayer meeting of the church, brothers fellowship, my personal Bible reading and prayer.

How the Lord changed my plan was rather critical. As I woke up early in the morning from a very little sleep as I have been suffering from bodyache, fever, cold and cough, the moment I made coffee, I felt I was going to faint. The same experience I had when I was bitten by a dog, lost a lot of blood and was inwardly troubled related to my housing. That day too, I fainted. Today morning, I fainted on my chair for a while. When I came to my sense, I heard my brothers calling upon the Lord’s name. Then, only I realised I had fainted. My brother were very concerned but I knew the reason. I needed more rest. So, after the morning fellowship, I took enough rest.

Pressure, pressure, pressure, every where pressure. But the Lord manifested His power out of this pressure. The pressures should be a reminder to turn to the Lord whole heartedly and experience the resurrection power. Without the Lord, pressure will lead only to pain. But with the Lord, pressure will lead to power!

O what an experience of pressure! O what an enjoyment of the resurrection life! Pressure produces power! Hallelujah!

Rejoice in the Lord Always!

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

Today, as the church, we came together in the home of a brother who was just released after a hundred thirty two days of confinement in Mathura for the sake of the gospel on charge of false accusation when they were simply meeting as Christian brothers and sisters. Since then, it has been a trying time for the churches in North India. Nevertheless, the Lord has been faithfully shepherding all the churches in His way. O we have learned a lot of spiritual lessons and life lessons during these times of trials. Our prayers have been intensified and the way we live our church life has also been adjusted very much. As for me, I have learned some important lessons. Officially, spiritually, and personally my view of things have been adjusted greatly. I could see things in deeper and clearer ways which otherwise, I could never have seen. Even my view about India and its political atmosphere have changed. I could see things clearly; things of the present and things of the future. What a wakeup call! Lord Jesus!

After the brothers were released, we all entered into the video training in Delhi as it was on the weekend. On Monday, we had a time of fellowship with all the five brothers with their family members in Delhi. Some shared their spiritual learnings, some shared words of encouragement, some shared their experiences, and some shared what transpired in the prison. The conclusion of the matter was: God is sovereign, we are nothing, we can do nothing, God is everything and God can do everything. Therefore, commit yourself fully to the Lord. The Lord will do His work.

We have to walk the way of faith after entering into the gate of faith. Just trust and obey, the Lord will do His work as He led the children of Israel into victory over Jericho.

So then let those also who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls in well-doing to a faithful Creator. (1 Peter 4:19, RecVer)

Beloved, do not think that the fiery ordeal among you, coming to you for a trial, is strange, as if it were a strange thing happening to you; But inasmuch as you share in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice exultingly. If you are reproached in the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. For let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler into others’ affairs; But if as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this name. For it is time for the judgment to begin from the house of God; and if first from us, what will be the end of those who disobey the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:12-17, RecVer)

Today, the 4th of February, we had a time of fellowship, prayer, and thanksgiving. We began with a hymn on rejoicing.

E717

1

O let us rejoice in the Lord evermore,

Though all things around us be trying,

Though floods of affliction like sea

billows roar,

It's better to sing than be sighing.

Then rejoice evermore, rejoice evermore,

It is better to sing than be sighing:

It is better to live than be dying;

So let us rejoice evermore.

2

O let us rejoice in the Lord evermore,

When the darts of the tempter are flying,

For Satan still dreads, as he oft did of yore,

Our singing much more than our sighing.

3

O let us rejoice in the Lord evermore,

When sickness upon us is stealing,

No cordial like gladness our strength can restore,

For joy is the fountain of healing.

Then, the saints prayed one by one followed by a brother sharing their experiences and enjoyment in the prison. Almost the entire church turned up and we all rejoiced together for all the things the Lord has done. Praise the Lord for all these experiences!

We enjoyed our dinner lovefeast. And read the word of God as warnings to pay heed to.

Therefore we ought to give heed more abundantly to the things which have been heard lest perhaps we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved firm and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense, How shall we escape if we have neglected so great a salvation, which, having had its beginning in being spoken by the Lord, has been confirmed to us by those who heard, God bearing witness with them both by signs and wonders and by various works of power and by distributions of the Holy Spirit according to His will? (Hebrews 2:1-4, RecVer)

Therefore, even as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the provocation, in the day of trial in the wilderness, (Hebrews 3:7-8, RecVer)

Let us fear therefore, lest, a promise being left of entering into His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. (Hebrews 4:1, RecVer)

Therefore leaving the word of the beginning of Christ, let us be brought on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith in God, (Hebrews 6:1, RecVer)

Let us come forward to the Holy of Holies with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:22, RecVer)

Therefore let us also, having so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, put away every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us and run with endurance the race which is set before us, Looking away unto Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down on the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2, RecVer)

With all these speakings and readings, we concluded our fellowship. Hallelujah!

Fifth Visit to Prison

Today morning, I received a call from a brother handling the case of our brothers in confinement, informing me to pick up the brothers who are due to release today afternoon. Together with another brother, we decided to go. Since the video training for the churches in North India started today, we took leave from the training and went to Mathura. On the way, we received another information that the release was due only for the evening. Nevertheless, we decided to wait until the evening. So, we had lunch out with the brothers handling the case. Then, spent time visiting a museum and a walk of fellowship at a park.

In fact, last Saturday evening, we also had a fellowship to give thanks to the Lord for finally granting bail to our brothers after four months in the confinement. There,  we shared our experiences of Christ through all these processes. Though the experiences were tough, the Lord’s grace was bountifully supplied to all the family members and the saints. I thanked the Lord for His sovereignty in working us through the environment and perfecting us for His testimony, especially in North India. What a grace! What a mercy! Thank You, Lord Jesus! Praise You, Lord Jesus!

I also shared my portion of experiencing Christ through this incident. Many things have changed since then, in my personal Christian life, corporate church life and family life, official life, and my view and understanding of the world situation especially in my country India. Everything has been a new chapter since then. In these four months, many things transpired inexplicably and that too, in a short span of time. Pressure, heat, and time with the flow of living water truly transform us to be living stones!

Today, finally, our brothers were released! Two in the morning and the remaining three in the evening! What a blessing that I could participate in receiving my brothers from the prison to bring them home!

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Because those whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brothers; (Romans 8:28-29, RecVer)

Looking at all that the Lord has done, all things indeed work together for good for us to be conformed to the image of His Son. To all these, I can only worship the Lord for His ways as well as for His deeds. Hallelujah!

One with the Father

Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak from Myself, but the Father who abides in Me does His works. (John 14:10, RecVer)

The greatest prayer the Lord prayed was for the oneness of the believers. This oneness is of the Triune God. As the Father and the Son are one, so must the believers be one with the Father and the Son. In this oneness, when the Son spoke, the Father did the works. In like manner, when we are one with the Triune God, the Father would do His works as we speak in oneness with Him. This should be our Christian living and testimony. 

In the second week of this month in Bengaluru, a brother fellowshiped on this point of being one with the Triune. Our Christian life and service should be in such a oneness that we speak what the Father would speak and the Father would do His work as.we speak what He intended to do. What a mingled life this! This is mysterious yet true.

By the Lord's mercy and grace, I enjoyed a little fortaste of this oneness with the Triune God. Following that fellowship, with prayer and fellowship of the Body, we, brothers serving in coordination for the distribution of the ministry literature, set out to twelve localities in Karnataka for the introduction and distribution of the Kannada New Testament Recovery Version. In this journey, we enjoyed the Lord’s presence so much. Wherever we went, the Lord gave us the word and He did His works. This is mysterious yet real. Praise the Lord for grace!

In all the localities the Lord led us to, His word was richly supplied to us. As we spoke His words, His hand followed His words. Since it was His speaking, there was nothing that we need to worry about. Therefore, since I personally entrusted with the ministry of the word, I exercised my spirit to always turn to Him and be one with Him. Even when I knew nothing about the the people I was to minister to, I knew the Lord would speak His words. I simply followed the inner anointing of the Spirit and spoke the words in all the meetings the Lord had arranged through the brothers. In so doing, I enjoyed the inner life supply that supplied me and also supplied the people ministered to. This is a fortaste of "the Father who abides in me and does His works."

May the Lord grace me all the days of my life that I abide in God the Father and be one with the Father in every matter of my life that He may do His works as He speaks through me.

Ministry of the Word to Shivamogga, Udupi, and Hubbali

Shivamogga welcomed us to a Pastors gathering of about 80-100 of them. This meeting was accessed through a brother who received the free Rhema booklets and was very much impressed by the ministry. 

In this meeting, we were given the first fifteen minutes after the introductory praise and worship. There again, I turned to my spirit and prayed for His speaking in my speaking. The Lord gave me the utterance and within fifteen minutes with translation into Kannada, I introduced the Kannada New Testament Recovery Version to all the Pastors present focusing on the accuracy of translation from the original Greek texts and the footnotes as a study tool with the principle of the Bible interpreting the Bible.

As we had to meet a few more people in the city, we took leave from the meeting and handed over the responsibility of distribution to the key brother through whom we came to this meeting in Shivamogga. Altogether, three full boxes of Bible were in this brother's responsibility for distribution in the city. In fact, most of them would be readily sold as the introduction was done.

Later, we met with a Christian bookstore manager, a seeking school teacher, and the Pastor of the mainline church. To all of them, we introduced the Recovery Version and the ministry literature. The Lord opened up the door in this city too. Then, we left of Udupi. Praise the Lord!

In Udupi, a brother who is also one of the ministry books translators in Kannada gave us hospitality. With him and another brother, we visited some key Christian leaders. All of them were very impressed with the ministry literature and purchased the Kannada New Testament Recovery Version. 

One Christian leader was note worthy. The moment I introduced myself and the ministry of Watchman Nee, his eyes flared up. He exclaimed that his life was changed by reading the books by Watchman Nee, The Normal Christian Life and Twelve Baskets Full. Then, as I introduced the ministry books and the Recovery Version Bible, he was so joyful and excited. He placed order for all the ministry books in Telugu, English Holy Bible Recovery Version  and ten Kannada New Testament Recovery Version! We spent over two hours fellowshipping with him. In fact, the Lord just burdened him for a systematic Bible study for his congregation and then, the Lord led us to introduce the Recovery Version to him. May the Lord shepherd him and the congregation with the riches of Christ through the ministry of the word!

In Udupi, our host took care of us so well. He also took us around for sightseeing of the city and sunset over the horizon on the Arabian Sea. This was also a kind of cherishing to us.

Then, we left for Hubbali the next day night and reached early morning the following day. In Hubbali, the brothers planned for a Pastor's gathering in the chapel of a mainline church. The key senior Pastors attended the meeting where I took over an hour, to, point by point, introduce the Recovery Version emphasizing on the manuscripts used, translation history, divine revelation God gave to His children in the church history, the need for accuracy of translation from the original Greek texts which the Recovery Version stands for, the need for interpreting the Bible with the Bible, the subjects and outlines of every book for systematic and in-depth study of the Bible, and so forth. 

After this introduction, the Pastors were so impressed that they wanted a much bigger platform to let all the Christian leaders aware of such a spiritually important material for the believers among Kannada speaking people. The local brothers were so happy that some Pastors who had a negative view about the ministry started appreciating the ministry through this one introduction. 

Later, over lunch, we has a time of fellowship with the local saints where I encouraged them to study the Kannada New Testament Recovery Version daily, be constituted with the truth, and speak the truth in a way of ministering Christ as life. We all prayed together, and then left the city for Belagavi.

Lord, bless Your move and Your testimony in Hubbali!