Complicated Cases

The Christian life is a complicated and complex life as God is leading His children into perfection to be the same like Him in life and in nature but not in the Godhead. By human birth we are sinners yet by divine birth we are children of God. Now, as we are living and walking the Christian path ordained by God, we pass through many complicated cases and complex situations for our learning, training, and perfection. As students have to pass through normal attending of classes, doing home works, studying, and writing examinations, and be promoted to the next level of education, so also we, as children of God in the school of divine-human incorporation, pass through many complexities and complications. These are all for the shedding of the fleshly and natural constitution and the gaining of God through the cross by the Spirit until we are conformed to the image of the Firstborn Son of God. Therefore, all the complications are complements from God, His caring us to comply to His Christ, culminating in Christ-likeness.

Today, I was enlightened concerning this complicated case while pursuing the ministry portion as quoter below.

PAYING ATTENTION TO THE LINE OF LIFE AND THE HIDDEN FLOW OF LIFE

The growth of any kind of life toward maturity always involves complicated situations. These complicated situations are not a hindrance; instead, they are helpful. Outward situations do not matter. What matters is whether there is a hidden flow of life.

In the church we must have a pure motive and grow properly. We should never become old quickly or wither away early. We must make sure that we do not have any impure motives. If we have an impure motive, we will wither early, decay early, and fall off early. This is to give up on ourselves. If we grow properly, we will age slowly. Furthermore, we will spontaneously become a proper older saint who nourishes and takes care of the younger saints in the church.

Excerpt from The History and Revelation of the Lord's Recovery CWWL, 1981, vol. 2

In the evening, a brother and I fellowshipped on this matter that how we, as children of God, are going through complicated cases. It takes a revelation to see the wise hands of God in our situations; work life, family life, and church life. The sovereign God used people at the office, perhaps the boss or peers or subordinates; at home, the wife or children; and at the church, the brothers and sisters. From all angles, through all kinds of people, God is leading us through difficult and complicated cases to perfect us day by day. This is the fulfilment of the checker works and wreath of chain works in the design of the temple on the top of the two pillars, Jachin and Boaz. Through all these complications, we turn to the Lord desperately,  trust in Him in simple faith, and enjoy His grace day by day, and be beautified to conform to His image for His expression.

May the God of glory daily conform us to Christ His Son through all complicated cases He caringly allow us to pass through.

Blessed Trainings

This month has been blessed with training after training. On the secondth week, there was a three days of webcast ITERO training in Delhi followed by the next week's five days of fellowship with a senior coworker who has been shepherding us for over a decade now. The former training was a daily commuting from home to Delhi, and the latter, a five days in-house fellowship in Hyderabad. In both cases, I personally have been very much blessed and supplied with the rich speaking of the Lord. In the former training, I was deeply impressed by the truth concerning one accord and in the latter, two key points impressed me so deeply. 

First, we must realise that we are at the end times and whatever the Lord had prophesied are being fulfilled one by one, including persecution, afflictions, and sufferings of the believers. Second, I was deeply impressed by the way we need to take to keep the oneness in the Body of Christ especially in the light of Psalm 133 and take the way of prayer, Spirit, and the Word. For both cases I composed a hymn each based on the truth I received from the brother's fellowship. I also shared twice, being moved by the Spirit; first on coordination and then on grace.

These days I also have been studying the history and revelation of the Lord’s recovery. I used to wonder what would have been the experience of the training conducted by Br. Watchman Nee at Kuling mountain. Perhaps, in principle, we also have been in the same training a century after, under the same ministry, now here in India. We enjoyed a very strong yet sweet corporate prayers together with all the brothers in every session. As the Spirit flowed forth, there were overflow of life through the ministry of the word. Every brother had the freedom to speak forth as the Lord led. No specific topic for the meeting nor for the speaking but the Lord continued to speak according to our need. Many brothers have testified of what the Lord has been doing in their inward being; dealing with the self, the natural man, opinions, concepts, and the issues related to coordination among the brothers. Many deep things that pertains to the brothers, especially their person, have been touched. The Spirit spoke through the fellowship and bring to light the hidden things of darkness and dealt with each one according to each one’s condition. Truly, this was a real.perfecting training. 

In some session, we had prayers and overflow. In other sessions, we had fellowship from the brothers. And in all the sessions, we followed the Spirit's leading. The Spirit in the spirit of the brothers decided what to fellowship, how long to fellowship, and when to stop. In all the sessions, the spiritual atmosphere was very high and the seven Spirits of the Lord intensified His move inwardly in the being of the brothers. O what a fellowship! O what a training! It was indeed a time of spiritual health check-up and a time to take necessary remedial steps. What a mercy of the Lord indeed that we brothers in India could be so blessed through the Lord’s visitation! Praise the Lord for such a fellowship!

Life Lesson: Hospitable

Be hospitable to one another without murmuring, (1 Peter 4:9, RecVer)

The Lord has been shepherding me these days and training me to be hospitable in taking care of the saints. This is one lesson in life that needs to be learned in humanity. The apostle Paul in his writing mentioned being hospitable as one of the characteristics of an overseer or learning to oversee as a shepherd of God’s flock. This requires sacrifices and paying the price in shepherding the saints. Thank the Lord that He has been gracing me to learn this lesson gradually. 

Last Saturday, Lord’s Day, and Monday evening, three evenings in a row, I had the privilege of accompanying the saints for a time of lovefeast. In all these cases, I was supposed to attend to something of my personal needs but I was forced to deny my own plan and follow the saints to accompany them for fellowship and learn to be hospitable. Initially, my inward being was a definite no to the proposals for dinning out as I had some matters at hand to accomplish. But as the saints fellowshipped with me and invited me, I simply gave up my feeling, plan, and paid the price to follow the the saints. I took the Lord’s grace to go against my own interest and blent with the saints.

The first invitation was from two brothers one of whom wanted to give a treat to the children and his host's family. At the last minute, I was invited along. For the sake of the brothers' feeling and and also for my children's sake who were invited, I joined along. This gave me the opportunity to fellowship with a visiting brother and share my testimony too. In addition to the rich food, we had a sweet spiritual fellowship and brotherly time together.

The second invitation was by a brother with whom I have been in fellowship, shepherding him in his marital issues. Since the time he faced a crisis, he has neen confiding to me personally about his deep personal matters. As I felt led by the Lord, I fellowshipped with him his need to establish and strengthen his personal relationship with the Lord. In fact, I had the freedom to tell him that the Lord allowed his circumstances to wake him up, revive him, and recover him back to Himself. I even had the assurance to declare by faith that once his personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ is restored, all the "problems" will be solved. We also prayed together and this encouraged him so much so that he proposed for a dinner lovefeast. I had no choice but to comply to it. So, we enjoyed a wonderful time of cherishing one another over a meal; his family, a brother, and myself.

The third invitation was from a family who came to visit India and has been in fellowship with my wife. Initially, I had no intention to accept the invitation as I was busy with some important official works. But later, I realised I should not reject the invitation. So, I still finished my works and joined them later. Though late, I did not miss it. It was a time of cherishing for the family.

These are three incidents that transpired recently. The Lord used these to train and perfect me, especially in learning how to be hospitable, accommodating, pliable, and willing to sacrifice my own schedule in order to meet others' need. In serving the Lord, I am not my own. The Lord’s will and His arrangement I have to follow. And I am learning to adjust to whatever the circumstances are, for the sake of shepherding.

May the gracious Lord continue to grace me to learn to be hospitable and shepherd the saints who the Lord brings to me.

Engagement Testimony

Because out from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:36, RecVer)

God is sovereignly working inwardly and moving outwardly in the lives of the saints. I am pleased to witness God’s working in one of our young brothers who has been brought up in the church life. His life is in the Lord’s hand and God has bestowed upon him much grace. I do believe, this is also the Lord’s answer to the prayers of his parents who consecrated their lives and their children to the Lord. This is indeed a testimony to the young people, especially to those who have a bright future in the world. This young brother got engaged to a sister who also consecrated her life to serve the Lord. 

Yesterday, the 13th of April, we had an afternoon time of fellowship with the brothers in the churches in Hyderabad, Delhi, and Gurugram along with the families of the future bride and groom. The fellowship was to mainly consider the way forward in the wedding testimony meeting and the meetings for the families thereafter. In fellowship, the Lord made in clear the dates for holding all these events and the appropriate venues. Nobody knew what will transpire after this fellowship. No preconception about anything as such was there as far as I am concerned and tiehr brothers testified of the same. But the matter was brought in prayer and in fellowship. Therefore, the matter was truly out from the Lord, and through the Lord, and definitely will be unto the glory of God.

Following this fellowship, we had a time of an hour long meeting to pray for the couple. Two brothers ministered the word on the principle concerning marriage in the Bible. Five brothers prayed for the couple while on their knees, consecrating them to the Lord and eventually blessing them. Then, the declaration of the upcoming events concerning the couple's marriage and following meetings. Finally, a lovefeast for all the attendees of this meeting, the families and the brothers from the churches.

The mystery here is visible in the way God initiated this engagement and how He miraculously worked out the events, day by day, point by point, and bringing it into fruition. Therefore, this was out from Him, and through Him. And, we are and will be taking utmost care, that everything is unto Him.

A few months ago when the proposal was mentioned to me by the brother's father, I immediately confirmed that I had the same feeling for the young brother and sister to be brought together. In fact, one time I was in a car with a couple of saints, one of which was the sister who was engaged with the brother now. I fellowshipped with her as we drove on a busy road of Hyderabad that she should take care of the perfect will of the Lord in her life concerning her future plan for education and marriage. As I fellowshiped, I sensed that she would be a wonderful match to a brother who is now engaged to her. At that time, I had no clue that she ultimately will be engaged to the very brother I was considering her for. But I would not take the first step to initiate anything. I left the matter to the Lord and the brothers whom the Lord would use to initiate the marriage proposal. And, it has been confirmed and engagement done. Praise the Lord!

May the sovereign God continue to work in the lives of all the saints, especially to the young ones concerning their education, marriage, and service that they all be a testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Continuing the Ministry

But brothers, look for seven well-attested men from among you, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint over this need. But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word. (Acts 6:3-4, RecVer)

And when they had so besought, the place in which they were gathered was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness. (Acts 4:31, RecVer)

Today, I was invited to minister the word among seeking believers in Madhya Pradesh. It has been months that I kind-of kept away from this online meeting. But I keep myself open to the Lord’s leading in me. So, with a brother as a Hindi translator, I ministered on the fresh bread I enjoyed in the recent training. For continuing the move of the Lord for the spreading of Christ and the building up of the Body, three vital substances are required, Prayer, Spirit, and the Word.

As one who would also be minsiterd to, I ministered the word from the book of Acts, tracing the history of the Lord’s move in His heavenly ministry through the disciples on the earth. Since the day of Pentecost, the Lord’s move has been unhindered with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the faithful believers who were men of prayers and ministered the word with power and authority. The secret to the Lord move has always been these three substances, the three in one move: Prayer, Spirit, and the Word. Despite the many persecution, amidst the sufferings, the word of God grew and multiplied, and the number of disciples multiplied.

And the word of God grew, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem multiplied greatly; and a large number of the priests obeyed the faith. (Acts 6:7, RecVer)

In the midst of turmoil outside and troubles within, the men chosen to solve the problems among the believers, and the disciples' main work has always been, prayer, Spirit, and the Word. The Lord’s move began this way, and goes on and continues in this way. Prayer, Spirit, and the Word is the one unique way of the gospel move. I believe, this is the only authentic way.

Since eternity past, God has been moving to accomplish this eternal purpose. In time, He was incarnated as a man in Jesus to carry out His earlty ministry and lived a perfect human life, He was crucified to accomplish redemption, He was resurrected as the life-giving Spirit, and He has ascended to carry out His heavenly ministry. Today, the Lord Jesus Christ in His heavenly ministry is continuing His work on earth by gaining a group of people who live in the divine history within the human history. This group of people is continuing the ministry by being one with the Triune God and living out God in fulfilling God’s eternal purpose. This group of people can be described by the following characteretics. 

They are the "acting God". Having been born of God’s divine life and divine nature, they have become God in life, in nature, in expression, and in function (but not in the Godhead) for the spreading and building up of the church.

They call on the Lord’s name as their spiritual breathing as the fulfilment of Joel's prophesy on the outpoured Spirit to be breathed in by the believers for their daily living. They are willingly to suffer on behalf of the Lord's name whenever the need arises and faithfully speak in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

They act as one Body, doing everything in the Body, through the Body, and for the Body. They reject themselves and live by Christ's life.They continue steadfastly in the ministry of the word. They continue to enjoy, live, and proclaim the resurrected Christ. And they live a life of an upper-room consecration. 

This group of people continues the Lord’s move on earth today. I have been graced to know this and I exercise myself to be a part of this group of people for the continuation of the Lord’s move. 

May the Lord preserve me and the saints in the church life here in India to continue in the ministry to the end.

Study of the Word: One Accord

Today, as we participated in the training for the elders and responsible ones, we were blessed with the Lord’s up-to-date speaking on the one accord. This matter is so deep and profound. Though we may not claim that we have been perfected into oneness, by the Lord’s mercy, we have been graced  and blessed in the church life to see this vision of one accord and practice it. By and large, we have been practicing this one accord and are being perfected in this matter gradually. The Lord’s speak was so rich and for the sake of remembrance and reminder, the crucial points have been recorded here. These are what we are learning and the vitally needed for the church life to accomplish God’s eternal purpose.

These all continued steadfastly with one accord in prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. (Acts 1:14, RecVer)

And day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, they partook of their food with exultation and simplicity of heart, (Acts 2:46, RecVer)

And when they heard this, they lifted up their voice with one accord to God and said, Sovereign Master, You are the One who has made heaven and earth and the sea and all things in them, (Acts 4:24, RecVer)

And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders took place among the people; and they were all with one accord in the portico of Solomon. (Acts 5:12, RecVer)

Negative Satanic One Accord 

But they cried out with a loud voice and covered their ears and rushed upon him with one accord. (Acts 7:57, RecVer)

But while Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews rose up against Paul with one accord and brought him to the judgment seat, (Acts 18:12, RecVer)

And the city was filled with confusion; and they rushed with one accord into the theater, seizing Gaius and Aristarchus of Macedonia, Paul’s traveling companions. (Acts 19:29, RecVer)

If we practice the principle of the Body, we will have the one accord, for the one accord is the Body. The practice of the genuine one accord is the application of the oneness. The practice of the church life must be in one accord. The blessing of God can come only upon a situation of one accord, the practice of the one accord. Blessing and one accord are interchanged, meaning, in one accord we are blessed and if we are blessed we will be in one accord. 

These all continued steadfastly with one accord in prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. (Acts 1:14, RecVer)

One accord refers to the harmony in our inner being. The Greek word homothumadon, homo (same) and thumos (mind, will, purpose), denotes a harmony of inward feeling in one's entire being. This is a crucial and deep experience.

And I say to you that every idle word which men shall speak, they will render an account concerning it in the day of judgment. (Matthew 12:36, RecVer)

May the Lord deal with every idle word now than before the judgment seat. Our words have been recorded. 

Again, truly I say to you that if two of you are in harmony on earth concerning any matter for which they ask, it will be done for them from My Father who is in the heavens. (Matthew 18:19, RecVer)

When we have the one accord, we become a pleasing melody to God. Peace, blessing, and pleasing melody to God are the results of being in one accord. God enjoys this melody. 

And they continued steadfastly in the teaching and the fellowship of the apostles, in the breaking of bread and the prayers. (Acts 2:42, RecVer)

And day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, they partook of their food with exultation and simplicity of heart, (Acts 2:46, RecVer)

The practice of the oneness is according to the apostles' teaching. The apostles' taught the same thing in all the places and continuing in this one teaching will keep the saints in one accord. 

In the practice of the one accord, the following crucial points must be prayed for and practiced.

One Spirit With One Soul

Only, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, that whether coming and seeing you or being absent, I may hear of the things concerning you, that you stand firm in one spirit, with one soul striving together along with the faith of the gospel, (Philippians 1:27, RecVer)

Make my joy full, that you think the same thing, having the same love, joined in soul, thinking the one thing, (Philippians 2:2, RecVer)

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, (Philippians 2:5, RecVer)

I exhort Euodias, and I exhort Syntyche, to think the same thing in the Lord. (Philippians 4:2, RecVer)

We should think with the mind of Christ and speak with the mouth of Christ, the Head. In this way, we will think the same thing and speak the same thing. The only way to do this is by allowing Christ to make His home in our hearts. For this, we need to have a personal relationship with the Lord. Our heart has a lot of things in it. It must be dealt with and allow Christ to make His home. Christ must have an acces to our heart.

One Heart and One Way

And I will give them one heart and one way, to fear Me all the days, for their own good and for the good of their children after them. (Jeremiah 32:39, RecVer)

One heart to love God, to seek God, to live God, and to be constituted with God for one expression, and one way, the inner law of life, are required for the one accord.

One Scale in the Church Life 

You shall not have in your bag differing weights, one heavy and one light. You shall not have in your house differing measures, one large and one small. A full and righteous weight you shall have, and a full and righteous measure you shall have, in order that your days may be extended upon the land which Jehovah your God is giving you. (Deuteronomy 25:13-15, RecVer)

There should just be one scale to measure myself and others. What I condemn in me must also be condemned in others, maintaining the one scale. Better not to have any scale, neither for myself nor for others. Only God can judge righteously. Leave every measurement to God. 

One All-inclusive Vision

Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint; / But happy is he who keeps the law. (Proverbs 29:18, RecVer)

Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, (Acts 26:19, RecVer)

We all must be governed by the same one vision thoroughly, the vision of the age. Even a different vision in minor point can destroy the one accord. 

Therefore, we should all voice the same thing, trumpet the same thing, teach the same thing, and be in the same practice.

O what a speaking of the Lord! How blessed we are even to have heard such a speaking. Based on this, the Lord will also grace us to practice the one accord. 

Lord, preserve us in the one accord.

Family Gospel Trip

Since persecution against the gospel of Jesus Christ has become rampant in North India where anti-conversion bill has been passed and misused by some fringe groups, we have been cautious in the way we carry out the great commission. Despite this restriction, we have been praying fervently and continue the sheperding of the warm doors who have known us and whom we have been shepherding. Alongside, we still carry on the gospel responsibility in areas we deem safe. Despite the quieting of the outward gospel move in my locality for the time being, I still have the burden to preach the gospel wherever the Lord opens the door. Thanks to the five weeks of gospel move in six select cities in India, one of which is my neighbor, Delhi.

Last Saturday, my whole family along with a teenage brother, we went to Dwarka More to participate in the gospel move. Initially, it was a challenge to bring my whole family for the whole day as my children have school homeworks to complete. Yet I told them, the priority for the day is the gospel and school works can be done later. Finally, they all agreed. And we spent the whole day with the trainees and the saints in West Delhi, pursuing, praying, fellowshipping, going out for the gospel, and my wife and daughters helping in cooking for the saints. And in the evening we had a gospel meeting where we all participated with the trainees and new ones. 

I personally enjoyed going out with the trainees as we met a married couple from Nigeria who came to serve the Lord in India. Through the fellowship, some key points of truth were brought out. The brother we met, though he claimed himself to be an "apostle", I addressed him as a "brother" and later clarified to him that we are all brothers in Christ, and that there is no ranking among believers. In our meeting he brought out three points which gave me the ground to minister the truth. 

First, God’s desire to save men, and I added on the need for growth, to bring the saved believers to the full knowledge of the truth and explained in detail what spiritual growth is in realtion to the full knowledgeof the truth..

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)

Second, the kingdom of God based on righteousness and holiness. Here, I used the verses in Genesis when God began to exercise His righteousness in driving the fallen man out of the garden of Eden and guarded the way to the tree of life with God's righteousness, holiness, and glory. And expounded in detail God’s righteousness, holiness, and glory being Jesus Christ Himself and only in Him we can be righteous, holy, and be in glory.

Then Jehovah God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to work the ground from which he was taken. So He drove the man out, and at the east of the garden of Eden He placed the cherubim and a flaming sword which turned in every direction to guard the way to the tree of life. (Genesis 3:23-24, RecVer)

Third, the brother we met, according to his religious concept spoke about "heaven at last" as his theme for his Christian service. Without contradicting him, yet wisely using the topic to minister the truth, I ministerd on our need to be brought into the experience and enjoyment of heaven by being brought into the reality of the kingdom in Christ in our spirit day by day, today, and in the coming millennium kingdom, and then in the New Jerusalem. 

We began our fellowship in prayer and ended also in prayer. It was a wonderful time of fellowship on the truth for the couple from Nigeria and also for the three sisters and one brother who are under training. It was altogether a new experience of propagating the truth especially among Christian leaders and workers.

After the entire day schedule, a brother invited us to pay a visit to their home nearby and then we came back home after 10 PM. We left our home after 10 AM and came back after 10 PM, a twelve hour, one whole day well spent as a family for the gospel in Delhi.

O what a blessing to be able to participate in the Lord’s move! I have attended many such, but as a family this was one wonderful memorable experience! 

Lord, bless Your move in India, especially, North India, and strengthen Your testimony!