Shepherding in the Small Group

The Lord’s leading these days in the churches in India is shepherding and perfecting in and through the small group meetings. Brothers have been helping us and emphasising again and again the need to take care of the small group meetings in our locality even to the point of categorically structuring the small group into three sections. Each section focusing on one aspect of shepherding, beginning with cherishing, then nourishing, and then bringing the saints into practical service. Since this burden was released, we have enjoyed our small group meeting, and I personally can testify that the meetings have been very.much uplifted.

The speaking God has been leading us through His timely speaking. As we practice the present speaking of the Lord, we also reap the benefits and blessings that comes along with it. 

For instance, our small group meeting in Sector 4 was full of vitality and all the saints richly enjoyed the Lord’s timely speaking. All the saints were able to function voluntarily as they received the Lord’s speaking. There was no need for any one to preside over the meeting. Everyone prayed, sang, read, spoke, and enjoyed the word of God. And all smiles on everyone's face as we enjoyed the small group meeting! 

Our small group meeting in Sector 56 was also the same in enjoyment of the Lord’s timely speaking. We had a time of cherishing for one another and prayed for one another. Then, was we were nourished by the Lord’s speaking, a good number of saints also asked questions for clarification. In that way, we were able to address and clarify certain truth points. Such mutuality made the meeting so meaningful and full of enjoyment!

Likewise, the small group meeting in Kanhai Gaon too has opened the door for all the saints to function. Unlike the traditional religious way of meeting with one person presiding over, every saint functioned in praying, singing, reading, and speaking. What a wonderful recovery of the small group for the church-life!

Praying and Waiting

Yet those who wait on Jehovah will renew their strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles; They will run and will not become weary; They will walk and will not faint. (Isaiah 40:31, RecVer)

One way God answers our prayers is by giving us opportunity to wait and pray and pray and wait. In this way, He has a way in our being, passing through us, and gaining us all the while. For Him, answering prayers is easy and it just takes a second. However, His heart's desire is not juat to answer prayers, but to gain our person who prays. Therefore, many times, His one unique answer to our prayers is, wait and pray, and pray and wait.

These days, I have been blessed to experience the Lord's answering of my prayers with a "wait and pray, and pray and wait." The Lord also gave me a very subjective experience of Him in the matters that concerns my family life.

The family car the Lord gave us fifteen years ago is about to expire now. In the city where I reside at the moment, the maximum allowed years of usage of a petrol vehicle is fifteen years. Fifteen years ago, we bought a family car which we have been using for the past fifteen years. In two month's time, the registration certificate will expire. Therefore, I am praying and considering to buy a new car. The Lord has already shown me which car I should buy; the model and the brand. But right now, I do not have the peace to buy as yet for multiple reasons. Though I have been praying for month's now, still the Lord ask me to wait. Perhaps, He is preparing the finance and also He knows the best time to buy. So, I pray and wait for His timing and provision. This is a very wonderful experience of the living God O have these days. In fact, car is not the matter at all. The matter is, the experience and gaining of Christ through the process of buying a car.

Likewise, my mom and dad have been planning to visit us here for a family visit and medical checkup. However, I did not get a proper leading as to when they should come. Even in this matter, I experience the Lord's answering my prayers by letting me wait and wait. Till now, I am not clear when they should come. But only what is made clear to me is, to pray and wait. Perhaps, He wants us together when He provides the new car. I just keep praying as I wait for His perfect timing.

In a similar manner, I have been praying and waiting to resolve an issue pertaining to onw of my own family members relating to a relationship. I have no peace to say anything to anyone or do anything right now. Even the very thought of the matter takes away my peace. In this way, it became clear to me that the Lord wants me to wait until He leads me further. So, I only pray and wait.

In all the above cases, I have been experiencing the Lord’s answer to my prayers, that is, to wait and pray, and pray and wait. In this way, I have many transactions with the Lord these days. 

Oh what a blessing to have such a private, personal, sweet, fellowship with the Lord!

Lord, grace me to wait in prayer as long as You want me to wait in prayer.

Life Lesson: Block, Leave, Delete

By nature, I am a person who likes to get along with people, regardless of how they treat me. I have been like this since my childhood days. Ever since I got saved, I have continued to exercise kindness, tolerance, patience, and be willing to bear with others. Of late, I have noticed certain people's negative behavior towards me, perhaps taking me for granted. Some of them have taken me so lightly that I left certain actions that need to be taken. As I grow in life, I begin to realize that my own natural goodness may not necessarily be of God. Oftentimes, I also need to deny my natural goodness and follow the Spirit's leading within me. The more I walk with the Lord, the more I am able to discern what is of my own goodness and what is of the Lord. Gradually, I am learning to deny myself, especially my good self. This needs clarity from the Lord within my spirit, as there is a thin line between the goodness that is from the Lord and the goodness that stems from myself. In many cases, the Spirit's leading may go hand in hand with my transformed being, and in some cases, my good self may try to overshadow the Spirit's leading. 

In July, as I was in a live semiannual training in Anaheim, USA, during the break, I was scrolling through my WhatsApp messages. A brother saw the messages and just spoke a sentence. Paraphrasing it, he said, "As a serving one, you should not misrepresent yourself by being in some WhatsApp groups that are full of Christianity stuff." Those words from my brother were the Lord's speaking to me. I had been receiving many WhatsApp messages from Christinaity, as many brothers have added me to the groups. Though I hardly read them, my being there indirectly could be reckoned as my consent to whatever had been posted in those groups. I was surprised to discover that I had even been made an admin in some of these groups that I never approved of. After praying and reconsidering my brother's speaking to me, I left many unwanted WhatsApp groups and deleted those groups from my mobile. Oh, what a salvation this is! The Lord opened my eyes to see that I have been tolerating the things I should be more strict with. 

There are also some brothers, mostly not meeting with the saints in the Lord's recovery, who have been sending me posts completely irrelevant to me. Many posts were religious stuff, which I will never approve of, or for an invitation to a meeting that I did not have the peace to attend, and some sent me messages that did not bring peace. I did not feel good to be a recipient of those posts. After much consideration, I blocked them one by one. This should send a message to them that I did not approve of what they had been doing or sending to me. I cannot be a "dumb idiot" receiving everything thrown to me. I had to cut what needed to be cut and block unwanted messages. However, I am open to them should they wish to call me for a genuine brotherly fellowship.

This is a life lesson I learned from my brother: block, leave, delete all unwanted groups, messages, and contacts.

Churches' Visitation and Blending

And whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stay at the entrance of the tent, and Jehovah would speak with Moses. (Exodus 33:9, RecVer)

And Jehovah would speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his companion. And Moses would return to the camp, but his attendant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart out of the tent. (Exodus 33:11, RecVer)

And He said, My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest. (Exodus 33:14, RecVer)

In the service of the Lord, fellowship and coordination in the Body are two vital factors. In fact, the two are one. Last Friday night, as I drove back from attending a small-group meeting, I attended an urgent fellowship online that lasted till 11:30 PM. The fellowship was concerning certain brothers in Punjab and the issues the churches and the brothers have been facing. After much discussion and fellowship, it was fellowshipped that I should also join the brothers who would be visiting the churches in Chandigarh and Ludhiana. Though my personal choice was an absolute NO as I had many other things to attend to during the weekends, but deep in my spirit I kept myself open to the Lord and to the fellowship of the brothers. When the fellowship for me to join came, I exercised my spirit to deny my own feeling and amen the brothers. So I decided to go.

The next day, the 25th of October, six brothers, three each from the church in Gurugram and New Delhi, coordinated to drive about seven hours with breaks in between to visit a brother in Chandigarh. We had a short while of fellowship concerning his health and the situation of the church there. Then we prayed and left for Ludhiana, about a three-and-a-half-hour drive. Though the initial plan was to fellowship with certain brothers, since the local brothers had invited the saints too, we ha a meeting instead where we shared on our recent enjoyment of the Lord and a general speaking on the nature of th Lord's recovery being the oneness of the the Triune God and the church being in the Triune God as I also shared from the need to prepare ourselves for the Lord's coming again by being trained to deny ungodliness and worldy lust and live soberly, righteously, and goldy in the presennt age based on Titus 2:12. (https://palmeichung.blogspot.com/2025/10/training-living-god-man-living.html)

The next day, on the Lord's Day, as we were preparing for the Lord's table meeting, the brother concerned called me up about the plan for a time of fellowship. Then, within an instant, we brothers fellwoshipepd and decided to have a time of fellowship with the brother alone during lunch time. 

During the meeting, as the saints were prophesying from their recent enjoyment of the Lord on dealing with the heart, I also shared my portion based on Matthew 5:8, "Blessed are pure in heart, for they shall see God." Then, I released the burden the Lord gave me for the saints, the practical way to keep our hearts pure by dealing with it. Firstly, by turning our hearts to the Lord all the time, away from all things other than Christ. Second, by exercising to call upon the Lord's name as we turn to the Lord moment by moment. This is the simplest and easiest way to turn to the Lord. Third, by spending time in personal prayer every day to deal with our hearts before the Lord, confessing our sins and worldliness and many contaminating things, and applying the precious blood of Christ to have a cleansed and clean conscience without offenses and condemnations. Fourth, by reading the word of God, the Bible day by day, for only the word can sanctify and renew our minds. Fifth, by using the minsitry books like the Holy Word for Morning Revival, the Life-studies, etc, to help understand and enjoy the word of God, and finally, to attend the local church meetings and the trainings and conferences to receive the Lord's speaking again and gain. Thus, my burden was released.

During lunchtime, as we sat down to fellowship with the brother concerned, he requested that the local brothers also join the fellowship, so all the leading brothers of the local church were invited. Then, in an open and brotherly way, each brother was given the opportunity to speak what they needed to speak. Then, the matters of concern were discussed. Some of us brothers followed suit in fellowshipping the general principle and the practical way to keep the oneness while dealing with all that needs to be dealt with before the Lord and also with one another in confession, forgiveness, and reconciliation. While doing so, we reiterated that we all are one, from the literature service or from the work or from the church in Delhi or Gurugram, we are all brothers, no high, no low, all one in Christ, standing together as one Body for the one testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ. The fellowship then concluded with prayers.

One interesting matter fellowshipped was that while coordinating in the church, the Lord is blending us together similar to that of being under constant grinding to break all the grains of wheat until it becomes a fine flour good for the baking of one loaf. While in this process of grinding in the "mixer," fighting and breaking are bound to happen, but do not jump out of it; rather, turn to the Lord in prayers personally and corporately to be graced to be grounded into fine flour for the blending.

After bidding adieu for the time being, we drove back home to Delhi and Gurugram, over over-nine-hour drive with stops in between. While on the way back, I personally got a lot of time to listen to messages assigned for the next fellowship and also a time of fellowship with brothers on various matters. It was a wonderful time of blending among us brothers. Praise for the Lord for churches' visitations and blendings!

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and through whom are all things, in leading many sons into glory, to make the Author of their salvation perfect through sufferings. (Hebrews 2:10, RecVer)

Lord, blend and bless the churches in Punjab!

Training-Living God-Man Living

Training us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and godly in the present age, Awaiting the blessed hope, even the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, (Titus 2:12-13, RecVer)

As we have been practising and living the small-group living in our locality, the shepherding among the saints become more and more intimate. Younger and older ones alike, we learn mutual shepherding in a way of life. Thank the Lord for His leading in the way of shepherding. 

Yesterday, our small-group meeting was very apt as we read a message from the Life Lessons on awaiting the Lord’s coming. The revelation showed all of us the way we have to take and live as a preparation for the Lord’s soon coming. 

My views have been renewed, and it has become much clearer to me now to know the subjective experiences I need to experience in my daily life. I cannot be passively waiting for the Lord’s coming, I must actively exercise to live a God-man life daily. And an exercise of a God-man living requires my active cooperation with God to live the life He desires me to live. The Bible verses we read and pray-read were very timely. It was the Word for me.

Live Soberly

I must exercise strict self restraint in my daily living. This needs my active cooperation with God in taking up the cross, deny my self, and follow the Lord. Without such sobermindedness, the enemy will have his way to intrude into my living. I cannot be loose, but exercise strict control over my self by the divine life supply within me. This kind of sober living is towards myself.

Do you not know that those who run on a racecourse all run, but one receives the prize? Run in this way, that you may lay hold. And everyone who contends exercises self-control in all things; they then, that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we, an incorruptible. I therefore run in this way, not as though without a clear aim; I box in this way, not as though beating the air; But I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest perhaps having preached to others, I myself may become disapproved. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, RecVer)

Lord, grace me to run the race by buffetting my body and win the prize.

Live Righteously 

Only God is the righteous God objectively, but I must live out the righteousness of God subjectively. This righteous living is toward others. I must exercise to be right in everything with others; in words, in deeds, in attitude, in relationships, in money matters, and the likes. This righteous living will be a testimony to others especially to the ones I am dealing with. 

Live Godly

Godly living is the living out of God. Since God is in me already, yes in the spirit of the believers, it takes one to exercise the mingled spirit to live by the Spirit to live out God. This godly living is toward God.

Theses are the three positive exercises I need to exercise daily as I prepare for the Lord’s coming. Yet, negatively too, there are things I need to avoid and be cautious about it by all means.

Denying Ungodliness 

Living godly life is an exact opposite of ungodliness. Therefore, I must deny ungodliness in every area of my life. I must present my entire body, in fact, every member of my body to God.

I exhort you therefore, brothers, through the compassions of God to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be fashioned according to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and well pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2, RecVer)

Denying Wordly Lust

The world we live in is the world full of lust that can defile us easily. Everything can be worldly if not handled and done in the Spirit. This requires a moment by moment exercise of living by the Spirit. What a warning! For this, we definitely need the grace of God.

And for all these exercises, there is a need for training. In fact, training is to exercise to deny ungodliness and worldly lust on the negative side, and training also is to live soberly towards oneself, righteously towards others, and godly towards God.

And the ultimate purpose and goal of such a training-living is to be overcomers to bring the Lord Jesus back to fulfill God's eternal purpose.

Lord, grace me to live a training life day by day all the days of my life as a preparation for Your coming again.

Helping Hands

Recently, a sister who used to be meeting with the church in our locality had to come back from her place of work in foreign country due to the emergency situation of her mother's health. This unavoidable circumstance paved the way for her family to come into contact with the siants in the local chruch for all practical help. First, her brother and mother came to the city and was given hospitality in a  brother's house who also helped them in all the hospital check-up process. The result of all these tests was that, her mother was diagnosed with brain tumor. This was a shocking news and an urgent operation needed to be done. The cost of such operation in the city is exorbitantly high. Though we tried other ways to save their money, the best seemed to be that they go ahead with the hospital known to them. 

For this, she urgently called for a fellowship last Monday night. As I went to fellowship, she expressed her need for urgent help in arranging a huge amount of money to confirm the brain tumor removal surgery. As a brother, I tried my best to help and also fellowshipped with them to know the hands of God behind the scene, trust in the Lord and exercise to be one with the Lord in His move. This outward situation are just wakeup call for the inward revival and recovery of the family to Chrtist and the church. The next day, i brought the matter in fellowship witht the brothers, and the needed money was arranged.

On Tuesday night, we had the small-group meeting in the home of the bothers where they took hosptiality. Then, the leading of the Lord for the meeting was to fellowship with this family. The Lord gave the timely word from Ecclesiastes 3:1-11

For everything there is a season, And a time for every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to tear down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;  A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to seek, and a time to lose;

A time to keep, and a time to throw away;

A time to tear, and a time to sew; A time to be silent, and a time to speak;

A time to love, and a time to hate; A time for war, and a time for peace.

What profit does the worker have in that on which he labors?

I have seen the travail that God has given the children of men to travail in.

He has made everything beautiful in its own time; also, He has put eternity in their heart, yet so that man does not find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

The burden of the meeting was that God has His eternal purpose in creating man with a spirit for His Spirit to dwell in. Without the Spirit dwelling in the human spirit, God’s eternal purpose cannot be fulfilled. So, there is an urgent need to pay attention to God’s eternal purpose and give ourselves to God for the fulfillment of His eternal purpose. No matter what a man does and his pursuit is, God must be the centre of every pursuit. Otherwise, everything is vanity of vanity. Apart from God, all is vanity. Therefore, one must pay attention to what is the most important thing in life amidst all the pursuits of every other goals. Money, job, career, place of stay, and all things should just be centered on God and God alone. Otherwise, God will still use His wise hands to touch the lives of His children in order to gain them.

Then, we all prayed for the family, especially her mother who was to be operated,  and for the Lord’s purpose to be fulfilled in their lives especially foe the raising up of the Lord’s testimony in their locality in Himachal Pradesh.

Our helping hands are all with God’s helping Hands in which He created everything beautiful in its own time so that man find out and do the will of God in being for His interest on the earth, that is, for Christ and the church.

To him who asks of you, give; and from him who wants to borrow from you, do not turn away. (Matthew 5:42, RecVer)

Surprise Invitation

On the 8th of October, my wife and I attended an official meeting conducted by the Taiwan Embassy in New Delhi at the Hyatt. This was indeed a surprise invitation as it was an official meeting with many high-profile Government officers and businessmen. We are neither officers nor businessmen, and literally did not fit in any category of invitees. However, my wife, being a Taiwanese citizen, and of late, we frequented the embassy for our daughter's application to the universities in Taiwan, we got to know some of the officials in the embassy. Perhaps, due to such interaction, we got to be known to the embassy staff and got invited. For whatever reason, I believe the lord has a reason for this invitation and visitation, too.

For us, this was the first official meeting we ever attended. We have attended many meetings for spiritual purposes and church related matters, but anything secular, this was perhaps the very first. In the past, we generally avoided meetings not related to the church or Christian matters. The Lord also knows when we can handle secular meetings for some official purpose if need be. I believe the Lord has started opening up an official channel for us to be able to be a "light to the world." For everything, there is a time and season. When the time comes, and the Lord opens the door and leads, then we will follow the Lord's leading. There are many things we have no idea about, but the Lord may have some specific plan.

Once we arrived at the hotel, we were greeted by some officials and one of the embassy staff recognised us and invited us to have a photo with the ambassador of Taiwan to India along with his wife. Therefore, the official photographers captured a couple of photos of me handshaking with the ambassador, and a group photo with the ambassador and his wife, with my wife and me. 

While the ambassador delivered his official speech, he narrated in detail all the works Taiwan government has done and is endeavoring to do in establishing a strong diplomatic relationship with India in the fields of education, research, business, arts, and cultural relations. From his speech, it was made clear that Taiwan wanted to establish a strong relationship with India for whatever reason. I believe this is the Lord's doing for His divine purpose. Though the meeting was purely official, to me it was the Lord's move in the world situation for to accomplish His divine purpose. As we have been fellowshipping on the line of proactively writing the divine history within the human history, I believe this is one such incident to write such a history.

One thing that caught my attention was a small brass batch of India and Taiwan flags crisscrossed. In fact, this was the best thing I liked the most among everything presented in the five-star hotel; buffet food and many other things. I see God's move concealed within the human government.  The Lord will reveal it in His time. My marriage to a Taiwanesse citizen and my children all born in Taiwan, definitely have reasons as planned by God. The will of the Lord be done. Amen.