Special Fellowship with a Brother

As I was listening to the sharing of the visiting saints from Malaysia, one brother stood up and testified of how he would love to serve the Lord. I was surprised at his sudden declaration in India, and that too in his first visit. He happened to be one of the sons of the key brothers who brought these saints to India. Later, his father asked me if I could spend some time in fellowship with him. Then, immediately, I took that as the Lord’s leading.

Therefore, I accompanied the saints in their last shopping trip at Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj. As we were all together, I started my conversation with the young brother who consecrated himself to serve the Lord. Meanwhile, I felt the need for a private place so that we could focus on the burden of the fellowship. Then, the other saints left us alone, and I had the inward freedom to openly fellowship the burden in my heart for him. Still, we walked around the mall and settled down in one of the corners where we could sit down and fellowship at length.

Initially, I let him introduce himself about his life, work, goal, Christian life, church life, etc. Then, as the Lord burdened me, I mentioned to him the need for a strong and sweet personal relationship with the Lord. For this, I encouraged him to spend personal prayer time with the Lord at least half an hour or an hour every day. And a time with the Lord in reading and studying the Bible. Besides, I also encouraged him to pray, seek, and resolve to do only the perfect will of the Lord in his life. 

In this time of personal fellowship, I also gave my own testimony of how the Lord called me to serve, how He trained me to seek, know, and do His perfect will, and how He taught me to live by faith, and how His presence has always been a blessing in my life, family life, church life, and even in my service. Then, we prayed together,  especially for the Lord's leading in his life based on all the points fellowshipped with him.

I do believe that was a life-changing moment for my dear young brother from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I do believe the Lord brought him to India for this purpose, along with other lessons he learned. I do believe my going there was for this purpose of fellowshipping with him personally. I also believe that that day, the 4th of September,  will be remembered as a special fellowship day in India in his life.

May the Lord bless my brother and gain him fully for His testimony.

Blending With the Saints from Malaysia

As soon as I arrived from my long distribution trip, the saints from Malaysia came to visit us in Gurugram. Our initial plan was to pick them up from the airport the moment we arrived, but due to the delay in their flight, we changed our plan. Again, the schedule for the next day, the Lord’s Day, was also adjusted immediately. So, all the saints ended up attending the Lord’s Table Meeting in Gurugram and were not distributed to different parts in New Delhi. This was a blessing in disguise for the church in Gurugram. Sovereignly enough, the children's Bible recitation portion was also on hospitality.

Do not forget hospitality, for through this some, without knowing it, have entertained angels. (Hebrews 13:2, RecVer)

Therefore, our schedule was also adjusted to meet the new arrangement. 

Three days later, on Wednesday evening, we had a time of lovefeast, blending and fellowship on the Lord’s move in Mathura. As I was assigned, I picked up the report I made a few years ago and presented it with a PowerPoint presentation on how the Lord led the saints in Mathura step by step to touch the ministry, enjoy the ministry, and take a stand for the Lord’s testimony. 

Then, we had a time for four of the five brothers who were imprisoned to fellowship on their experiences during their imprisonment, the spiritual lessons they had learnt, and their testimony of how the living God led them through and through during and after the imprisonment. Their family members, especially the brothers' wives, also shared their experiences. 

The sharing time was not time-scheduled, and it got prolonged for over an hour. Nevertheless, no saints complained. We all took it as the Lord’s leading and His speaking through the brothers.

The saints, especially the sisters, have coordinated well in preparing the dinner lovefeast. Though the number of attendees swelled at the last minute, and the sisters were a little concerned over the quantity of food pre-planned and the last-minute addition, we all took it as from the Lord. Therefore, I personally decided not to eat the food until all the saints enjoyed their portion. And it so happened that I eventually did not eat at all, as I had no time. For, an impromptu meeting came up after the time of fellowship with the saints.

Then, the next day I also spent my whole day with the visiting saints from Malaysia, attending the fellowship with the saints in New Delhi and joining the visiting saints at the mall for pre-departure shopping. Only when I finally bid them goodbye, I come back to Gurugram. 

By the way, heavy rain jammed the entire road, and it took me over two hours to reach. In all these small small matters, I learned to pay the price of being hospitable to the visiting saints.

The saints from Malaysia also shared their deep experiences from their visit to India this time. Though it was their first visit for most of them, they were able to adjust to the "inconvenient" environment for the sake of the Body. I do believe many of them were touched by the Lord.

Praise the Lord for the blending!

Fellowship: Literature Distribution

As we were enjoying a breakfast fellowship on the 4th of this month at Hotel Lemon Tree Sector 56 in Gurugram with the visiting saints, especially the leading brother from the church in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the Malaysian brother himself proposed that I should join them during the day's fellowship to fellowship on the ministry literature distribution in India. Initially, I was not clear if I should go. But towards the end of the fellowship, the same brother reiterated the same point, stating that if I could make it, it would be a blessing to the saints and young people who visited India this time. Then, other brothers also nodded their heads in agreement. So, I no longer had any choice. I had to go.

The whole day had to be sacrificed for the saints. Though I had many pending works, as I had just come back from a long distribution and training trip. But I had no choice but to follow the Lord's leading through the Body. Sometimes, I may not be clear about certain things, but if I listen to the Body, I am following the Lord's leading. The Lord speaks through the members of His body.

As per my daily schedule, I first finished what I was supposed to do, my personal time in the word, and other important works at home and office. Then, I attended the fellowship in Delhi an hour later. When I arrived, I joined in and blended with the saints in their fellowship; the fellowship of the saints from the church in New Delhi and the visiting saints from Malaysia.

When the brothers requested me to share the burden of the literature service, I stood up and asked how much time I could speak. A brother replied that I should just follow the Spirit regardless of the time. Then, I fellowshipped on whatever points the Lord burdened me to.

Burden

The first point is having the burden from the Lord. 

Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4, RecVer)

Having known the Lord's heart's desire, I am deeply burdened that God's children be brought to the full knowledge of the truth. For this purpose, the Lord has sovereignly assigned the literature service to some of us in India, including me. I therefore took this burden seriously and, with much prayer, carried it out as the Lord led.

Prayer

Once the Lord gives the burden, I must be faithful to follow up in prayer day by day. For this reason, every day, I spend personal time with the Lord, at least an hour, to release the burdens the Lord bestowed upon me, praying back to Him. Though I also pray with other saints in corporate prayer, some personal burdens I pray them personally every day.

This burden, especially for the literature, I do send to some faithful saints who pray faithfully. For without the Body's prayer, I cannot go on. I need the Body, especially their standing in oneness in carrying out the burden the Lord blessed us with.

Now therefore, if I have found favor in Your sight, please let me know now Your ways, that I may know You, so that I may continue to find favor in Your sight. Consider also that this nation is Your people. And He said, My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest. (Exodus 33:13-14, RecVer)

When the burdens have been prayed thoroughly enough, God moves, and His presence is with us, leading us and guiding us. In this regard, my prayer has always been, "Lord, go before us; go in our going, minister in our ministering, speak in our speaking, and distribute in our distribution."

Take Action

Once the burden the Lord gives is clear, and it has been prayed over. The next thing is to take action, to follow up on the burden the Lord blessed us with. 

And with his smooth words, he will cause those who act wickedly toward the covenant to be profane. But the people who know their God will show strength and take action. (Daniel 11:32, RecVer)

The Spirit's Move

Then, the Spirit moves in our move, and we are indeed following the Spirit's move. We absolutely depend on the Spirit's move. The Spirit leads us to whom to meet, what to say, and how to distribute.

Sow the Seed

All the distributions that have been carried out were actually the sowing of the divine seed of the ministry of the word. As the farmer went out to sow seeds, we also went out to sow seeds. Some definitely will fall on the good soil and it will bear fruits, even a thirtyfold, a sixtyfold, or even a hundredfold fruit.

We simply must be faithful to keep sowing the seed and leave the result to the Lord. The Lord is the real Sower, He is the Seed, and He will also produce the fruits too.

Who then is the faithful and prudent slave, whom the master has set over his household to give them food at the proper time? (Matthew 24:45, RecVer)

I did give two testimonies on how the Lord gained some seekers in the states of Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh. And thus released my burden. Then, I also shared a few prayer points on the Recovery Version translation. With that, all the saints prayed, and my assigned responsibility was carried out.

Shepherding: Teaching with a Burden

All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, That the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, RecVer)

Whom we announce, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man full-grown in Christ; For which also I labor, struggling according to His operation which operates in me in power. For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those in Laodicea, even all who have not seen my face in the flesh, (Colossians 1:28-2:1, RecVer)

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:16, RecVer)

The word of Christ is good for teaching and admonishing in order to make the man of God complete and equip for every good work. For this very reason, the Lord gave me a strong burden to spend time with my own children first and also with a group of young people and college students. 

No one is born perfect. So, all need to be taught. In every walk of life, there is a need for teaching. Be it secular, academic, societal, or even in spiritual matters, all need to be taught. Teaching of various kinds are being carried out at homes, schools, churches, and in almost every field. So much more for the saints in the churches and my own children.

The Lord Jesus taught His deciples many times in many places. Paul too carried out his apostolic ministry mostly by teaching even to the extend that he had to stay for a period of time in certain places for teaching with the Lord confirming him to speak and not be silent. He was faithful in teaching publicly and also from house to house. All these were and are for the perfecting of the saints in carrying out Chirst's heavenly ministry today.

And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent; (Acts 18:9, RecVer)

And he remained there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. (Acts 18:11, RecVer)

How I did not withhold any of those things that are profitable by not declaring them to you and by not teaching you publicly and from house to house, (Acts 20:20, RecVer)

In like manner, the Lord gave me the burden to spend time with my own children as I came back from a two weeks long ministry journey. As I noticed certain things not in place, especially concerning my son and the situation at home in my absence, I taught my own family members first; admonishing them with love, and prayed with them and for them. This, I did last night as I just arrived home.

Today afternoon, the Lord gave me the burden for young brothers. So I gathered them after the afternoon PSRP session for a time of brotherly fellowship. As I sat face to face with them, my heart was full of burden. The Lord gave many precious materials to labor upon. I must be faithful to the Lord’s commission of shepherding the saints. One way of shepherding is by teaching; teaching the word of God and also teaching the ways of God. The word of God experienced in my life and the ways how God led me, which are also according to the Scriptures, I taught the brothers. It was a precious time of face to face, and heart to heart teaching. 

The burden thr Lord gave me was to establish them in the basic matters of their Christian life. Their daily morning revival, their daily prayer life, and their daily reading od the word of God. With my own testimonies, I taught the brothers from my heart with full of burden to perfect them. Though I told them initially that I will not take much time, but as we started fellowshipping, I simply followed the Lord’s anointing within me and taught them in detail and at length. And they all received it with open heart.

Besides, there were two other young brothers who could not join the afternoon fellowship, but I told both of them that I would spend time, if possible, at least once in a week, with them too. I also opened myself to them and gave them free access to me should they desire to open up their situation with the assurance that I will confide the matters of fellowship to myself only. Because I know that all have been going through situations of various nature. Each individual has to be dealt with according to his need. 

I believe this burden is from the Lord. I pray that the Lord will continue to grace me to faithfully carry out this burden as long as He permits. 

Lord, preserve all these young brothers; precious souls to become precious materials for Your building.

Flow in the One Flow

One God has one goal with one work. In the one work of God there is only one flow. This one flow has its source in God. In this one flow, everything is living and full of life. It is a blessed thing know this one flow. Even more blessed to be in this one flow. Even much more blessed to be in the one flow with the one flow in me. It is one thing to flow with the flow, and yet another thing for the one flow to flow in me while being in the one flow. 

I touched the one flow of life when I first read the ministry books some twenty five years ago as a student. Then, I saw the one flow a few months after. Then, I jumped into the flow two years later. Since then, I have no regrets despite the many oppositions I faced when I decided to be one with the one flow. More than two decades have transpired since then, and my heart is full of thanksgiving and praises to God!

A few days ago, I testified of how the Lord graced me to see the one flow, touch the one flow, and jumped into the one flow. The Lord, in His mercy, has been gracing me to be in this flow, especially in my service to Him. In fact, it was only last week that the flow took us to different parts of Karnataka, the cities surrounding Bengaluru. Though our plan was to visit just four localities. When we followed the flow, it took was to ten localities in three days. I was simply amazed at what the Lord just did. I wonder how it happened when it happened. Now, I look back and simply worship the Lord in awe. 

O what wonder! O what one flow! 

God in man is flowing through. 

From the heavens all to the earth, 

Flowing into and through man! 

Flowing, mingling, blending, building, 

God and man in His one flow!

The enjoyment of being in the one flow is, while in the one flow, everything is easy, sweet, restful, peaceful, and full of blessings. Works become food that one enjoys with no sense of toil or labor. All outward activities are just healthy spiritual exercises for restful soul. The peace and joy in the Holy Spirit is the heart beat of the workers. And the presence of God swallows up all the outward situations and nullifies them as non existent when in reality there are many toils and troubles. This is the enjoyment of being in the one flow.

Lord, preserve me in this one flow all the days of my life. And recover many of Your children into this one flow. That we all flow in Your one flow to accomplish Your eternal purpose unto eternity.

Life Lesson: Prayer, Spirit, and the Word

But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word. (Acts 6:4, RecVer)

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)

In order to continue the Lord’s move that was initiated in the book of Acts, today there is a need for me to exercise myself to be a man of prayer. In prayer, two important lessons I have learned afresh  theses days. They are, to be open to the Lord and receive burden from the Lord. It is in this way of being opened to the Lord that He can reveal His burden to me which I can faithfully pick up to pray back to Him in prayer. Then, the burdens will drive me to pray and pray until they are lifted up rwsulting in God answering them. This kind of prayer life will open up the heavens, breakthrough all barriers and bondages, and command the blessings of God. Such prayers will enable one to do what others cannot do, understand what others cannot understand, and speak what others cannot speak. 

For this reason, I have been so burdened to help the saints to have a prayer life daily, even stretch their spirits with a set time and fixed duration for prayers daily. Because, I myself have been enjoying such a prayer life daily and reaping the blessings of such prayers, I truly desire that all the saints enjoy the same prayer life. I also firmly believe that by such prayer life, as the church, we can have a breakthrough in our church life, especially in the matter of growth in life and multiplication in numbers in the church life. This is also the Lord Jesus' pattern as a man of prayer while He was on the earth. The result of such prayer life will be the filling in the Spirit inwardly and the outpouring of the Spirit outwardly as experienced on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2.

In fact, I just fellowshipped with three brothers in the past few days encouraging them to pray, even learn to pray daily. There may be many things that one cannot do, but inspite of all the difficulties, at least one thing can be done, that is, prayer. So, pray faithfully, the only thing that one can do. Then, the Lord will do His works.

Even the Spirit of reality, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him; but you know Him, because He abides with you and shall be in you. (John 14:17, RecVer)

But when the Comforter comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of reality, who proceeds from the Father, He will testify concerning Me; (John 15:26, RecVer)

But when He, the Spirit of reality, comes, He will guide you into all the reality; for He will not speak from Himself, but what He hears He will speak; and He will declare to you the things that are coming. (John 16:13, RecVer)

With the Spirit of reality, everything of God and His words will be made real to me and to the saints. Such reality will build up the saints in the church in my locality to the extend that God will be manifested in and through the church. This Spirit of reality is interwoven with the word of God. In fact, the word of God is a living Person, Who can be seen, heard, and even handled. 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1, RecVer)

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. (John 1:4, RecVer)

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we beheld and our hands handled, concerning the Word of life (And the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and report to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us); That which we have seen and heard we report also to you that you also may have fellowship with us, and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:1-3, RecVer)

Now, this word of God when constituted in the believers, become in them the Spirit of reality and life. Peter was so constituted with the word that the Person of the word became his person. So, he could simply speak the word and the Person of the word, the Lord Jesus Christ, would carry out the work!

But Peter said, Silver and gold I do not possess, but what I have, this I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene rise up and walk. (Acts 3:6, RecVer)

This word is living and active; it can grow in the believers and cause the believers to be multiplied in numbers. God Himself did everything through the word. When such words operate in the believers, the believers will grow in life and be build up with one another.

For the word of God is living and operative and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow, and able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12, RecVer)

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)

Praise the Lord for prayer, Spirit, and the word! These are the substances of power in the believers' life for God to go on and move through them.

Lord, lead me and the church in my locality to be men of prayer, that we may be filled with the Spirit and the word for the building up of Your church and for Your prevailing move in North India amidst the outward situation whatsoever. 

Life Lesson: Proper Humanity

Proper humanity is needed to serve the Lord to bear fruit unto Him. Otherwise, our life and living would not be a testimony to others, much less, to the Lord. The proper humanity we need is the humanity of Jesus. 

Humanity of Jesus 

Let no one despise your youth, but be a pattern to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12, RecVer)

But you, O man of God, flee these things, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, meekness. Fight the good fight of the faith; lay hold on the eternal life, to which you were called and have confessed the good confession before many witnesses. (1 Timothy 6:11-12, RecVer)

But you have closely followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, long-suffering, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings, such as befell me in Antioch, in Iconium, in Lystra. Such persecutions I bore, and out of them all the Lord delivered me. (2 Timothy 3:10-11, RecVer)

Right Toward God

Always rejoice, Unceasingly pray, In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit; Do not despise prophecies, But prove all things. Hold fast to what is good; Abstain from every kind of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22, RecVer)

Because of this I also exercise myself to always have a conscience without offense toward God and men. (Acts 24:16, RecVer)

Having Peace with Man

If possible, as far as it depends on you, live in peace with all men. (Romans 12:18, RecVer)

I desire therefore that men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and reasoning; (1 Timothy 2:8, RecVer)

With this proper humanity, we can be in the one flow of the one work of God. However, the reality of possessing the humanity of Jesus, being right toward God and man, and having peace with God and man is Christ's life becoming our living as Paul testified in Philippians 1:21, For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 

All the problems faced in the church life, Christian life, and even in the service are all related to humanity. Or put it simply, the character of a person determines what kind of service he will provide. For this very reason, I have had three important fellowships with some serving brothers this month alone. 

The first case being, the complaints against a serving one that did not match the expectation of the complainant. Well, the burden he had was good, and I appreciated it. However, not everyone has the same burden nor the same capacity nor the same family situation. The exceptionally good ones have the tendency to expose the ones below their standards. This is a natural phenomenon. Well, I in no way justify the shortcomings of the ones below standard, nor do I glorify the ones up to the standard. While I would help the ones below standard to improve, I will also tamper the ones up to standard to not expose the others. In fact, both need shepherding and be perfected to function in coordination. 

The second case was an issue related to his family having an issue with another family. The matter was concerning the Lord’s testimony in their local church related to their family matters. Since the church has been handling the matter and it was just brought to our notice, nothing needs to be done further. What needs to be done has been done. Matters like this can only be prayed for and left to the church. We are in the Body, and what the Body decided was what we decided too. 

The third case was a fellowship with three serving brothers related to their official service. I only fellowshipped them in a way of shepherding, not at all in a way of instruction or command. I considered them as my own coordinating brothers and that we serve together in the Body for the one goal. While exhorting them to be faithful in their service, I gave a testimony of my own, how I exercised myself to be faithful in my service in all possible ways, citing the works the Lord accomplished through the recent distribution trip. I even gave them weekly goals to accomplish. 

With these cases, it was clear that all the shortcomings in our services or our living boil down to our humanity. No wonder, Paul charged his spiritual son, Timothy, to be a pattern and not allow anyone to despise his youth, to be a man of God, following the ministry, to be right with God and man, and to have peace with God and man. 

The realistic way is to deny ourselves, take up the cross to deal with every negative thing in our lives, and follow the Lord Jesus by living and walking according to the Spirit Who is in our spirit. For this, a regular, scheduled prayer life, a life filled with the Spirit and the word, is needed.  

May the Lord grace me and all my fellow serving ones to live such a God-man life, with a proper humanity of Jesus, to carry out His eternal purpose in the earth.