Ministry of the Word to Anantapur

We had been visiting different parts of Ananatapur district for the past few days, and we had finally come to the main city of Ananatapur. We arrived very late in the night and were given hospitality in the home of a brother who is also an officer in the agriculture department. 

The next morning after breakfast, we had a time of fellowship with our host's family. As they requested me to share something, I shared on the need for all Christians to be constituted with the word of God. For some reason, the Lord’s leading in all the fellowships and meetings in this trip was on the word of God and prayer. As I shared these two burdens, the family members were very encouraged. They even indicated that they would renew their Christian living with daily Bible reading and prayers. 

We were then led to meet an independent Pastor who was also very impressed by the introduction of the Recovery Version and immediately purchased it for himself and promised to read it and then introduce it to his congregation. 

Then, we met one key Pastor in the city who is also a well-known Bible teacher. At first, I gave the time to the local Telugu-speaking brothers to introduce the Recovery Version in Telugu. Though he appreciated it, he also tried to compare it with all the other Bibles in his possession. He also brought out a Telugu study Bible, which he compiled. Then, I was asked to minister something.

I began by quoting 1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Timothy 3:16,17 on the need for the Christians to come to the full knowledge of the truth. Then, I ministered on the need to daily pursue the word of God, which can make the Christians grow in life, and how the truth can teach a person, convict him, correct him, and instruct him in righteousness so that the man of God may be complete and perfect in every good work. The Lord then touched this Pastor, who is a Bible teacher, so much so that he requested me to come and introduce the Recovery Version Bible in his upcoming Silver Jubilee celebration of the ministry he has been involved in, where about two hundred Pastors are expected to attend. However, I did not have any leading to confirm to him. He bought the New Testament Recovery Version. 

We then visited the sister of one of our brothers and preached the gospel and led them to pray to receive the Lord. After which, a meeting was arranged in another Christian group where I ministered on loving God with the love of God as God is love.

And now, O Israel, what does Jehovah your God ask of you except that you fear Jehovah your God so that you would walk in all His ways and love Him and serve Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul; (Deuteronomy 10:12, RecVer)

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God, and everyone who loves has been begotten of God and knows God. He who does not love has not known God, because God is love. (1 John 4:7-8, RecVer)

And we know and have believed the love which God has in us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God and God abides in him. (1 John 4:16, RecVer)

Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? And He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the great and first commandment. And the second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 22:36-40, RecVer)

And Jehovah your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your seed, so that you will love Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. (Deuteronomy 30:6, RecVer)

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:34-35, RecVer)

The next day, we had an early morning meeting with the top leader, the Superintendent of a big Christian group. By his own confession, he has been an ardent lover of the ministry of the word and has been listening to and studying the Life-study messages. Despite all that he confessed, there was a lack of reality and depth in whatever he confessed. May the Lord speak to him in a stronger and deeper way so that he may be fully recovered to practice the ministry he professed to appreciate.

Then, we met another Pastor who was so much touched by the Recovery Version Bible we introduced and the words we fellowshipped with him, especially on the matter of righteousness. Then, a meeting with another politician turned Pastor, and finally, a group of students.

By the way, the Lord has been drawing a young brother to fellowship with us. He was one of the Pastors we met in our last distribution journey. He showed interest in the truth and also in fellowship with us. He even shared his personal testimony with me and indirectly hinted at his need for himself, his family, and the congregation he is shepherding. May the Lord gain him fully for His testimony one day.

After all these meetings for two days in Anantapur city, our distribution journey this time had come to an end. Brothers from other localities went back, and some of us proceeded to attend the combined Lord’s Table Meeting in Palameneru.

Praise the Lord for the city of Ananatapur. May the Lord, in His time, establish the golden lampstand in Ananatapur. 

Ministry of the Word to Guntakal

In Guntakal, we were first introduced to one of the key Christian leaders in the city. The Father-Son duo who led the group were well-versed in English. So, I took the lead to introduce the Recovery Version and the ministry books. 

As I used the verse in Ephesians 1:5 to show the accuracy of translation using "sonship verses adoption," the key senior Pastor confirmed my speaking with a resounding excitement and joy. He testified that he just preached on "becoming God," the last Lord’s Day, to the believers in his congregation. However, he was not too sure, as his English version says "adoption". However, when I pointed out the Greek word used for sonship and proved the divine thought with John 1:12, 13; 3:3,5, he was all the more excited. I also clarified that "becoming God" is only in life and nature but not in the Godhead, he exclaimed in joy that his vague understanding of the truth had been made crystal clear. He was so happy when I confirmed his vague understanding of what I just spoke to him about sonship. Then, we had a wonderful time of fellowship as Christian brothers. Later, they provided a wonderful lovefeast.

Next, we had a time of fellowship with another Pastor and his son on the Recovery Version of the Holy Bible. Though they initially were skeptical about the translation we presented, when I explained the matter of accuracy in translation and the revelations concealed in the footnotes, they became very interested in the truth and also very submissive from their initial attitude of skepticism. Later, I also shared my testimony on how God called me to serve Him and how He has been faithfully leading and blessing me; they were very impressed. We were given hospitality in his guest rooms.

The next morning, the Pastor and his wife gave a wonderful local delicacy for breakfast, and we enjoyed a time of fellowship wherein they also requested me to pray for them.

In the night, a meeting was arranged for working people where I shared the need for coming to the full knowledge of the truth by being constituted with the word of God by daily reading, studying, and receiving the word of God.

In this way, the Lord blessed the ministry distribution in Guntakal. May He raise up His testimony through His chosen people at the proper time.

Ministry of the Word to Gooty

In Gooty, we were first introduced to a working brother where I briefly introduced the minsitry. Then, we were taken to another brother's home where I was asked to minsitry something to the key senior brothers who took the lead to introduce the ministry to other fellow Christian leaders. Because of the insistence of the brothers, I used Hebrews 9:4 to explain the spiritual significances of the placement of the golden incense altar, apparently mistaken in Hebrews 9 to be in the Holy of Holies, while in Exodus it was in the Holy Place. After this exposition using the footnotes in the Recovery Version, the brothers were so impressed with the revelation concerning the experiences of the golden incense altar, which described our spiritual experiences in prayer. This explanation impressed two leading brothers deeply. They became more keen to know the truth, and their hearts became so open to the extent that they opened up their homes for hospitality.

Besides, there was a group of students who were so impressed when I shared my testimony of salvation and ministered the truth on the assurance, security, and joy of salvation. These were young people, and our visit to them was a surprise visit. Though the meeting was intended for introducing the ministry literature, the moment I saw a good number of young brothers, mostly new believers, I had the burden to share my testimony to encourage them, which turned out to be what they actually needed at the moment. The leading brother, who was a little cautious before he heard us minister the word, became very open after he heard our introduction of the ministry literature with our life experiences. He even became the key person to invite us for the next day's meeting with a larger number of students and working brothers and sisters. Though I myself could not join the next day due to another meeting I had to attend in another city, the Lord further opened the door for His move in the city.

While we were treated with warm Telugu hospitality in a senior brother's house, I was requested to share "something." Immediately, I took that opportunity and ministered on the oneness that the Lord had prayed for in John 17.

And all that is Mine is Yours, and Yours Mine; and I have been glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world; yet they are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, which You have given to Me, that they may be one even as We are. (John 17:10-11, RecVer)

That they all may be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that You have sent Me. And the glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, even as We are one; I in them, and You in Me, that they may be perfected into one, that the world may know that You have sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me. (John 17:21-23, RecVer)

The Lord’s anointing was so rich that as I ministered the word, the word flowed forth like rivers of living waters. 

We are one because we are of and from the same one God, possessing His life and His nature, the same as Himself, our Father. This oneness is God’s desire for His children, and this is exactly what the Lord Jesus prayed for, the greatest prayer ever recorded in the Bible.

In fact, the Lord Jesus created this one new man at the cross for the oneness of the redeemed believers. He had crucified in His flesh the cause of division among His children. Now, as children of God, we have to put on the new man by dealing with everything that is not Christ. For in this one new man, Christ is all and in all. Only Christ matters in the one new man. Anything apart from or in addition to Christ will only bring forth division. All the divisions of denominations are due to the fact that, in spite of being in Christ, there is something more than Christ. Christ plus different reachings and practices; cultures, traditions, teachings, etc. In the one new man, Christ should be the one and only one, the Head as well as the Body. But Christ plus caused the divisions. 

Abolishing in His flesh the law of the commandments in ordinances, that He might create the two in Himself into one new man, so making peace, (Ephesians 2:15, RecVer)

And have put on the new man, which is being renewed unto full knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, Where there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all and in all. (Colossians 3:10-11, RecVer)

The brothers and sisters got new light and revelation through the fellowship on the word of God. In addition to this, another brother showed so much interest in the truth that he even enquired about joining the training and to be in fellowship. 

In the city of Gooty, we could sense the Lord’s definite works among the seeking believers, evident by the fact that they all appreciated the ministry so much. It was as though they heard the truth spoken to them for the first time. I believe it was so, as the truth on oneness has not been ministered thoroughly or not at all among God's children today. Therefore, the Lord sent us to those new cities for His testimony. 

This city, Gooty, has much hope. Many have received the ministry of the word dearly, even with paying the price, as we also had a considerable number of the New Testament Recovery Version in Telugu and the ministry books sold.

May the ministry of the words sown as seed into the hearts of the believers bear forth fruits unto the establishment of His testimony in Gooty soon.

Ministry of the Word to Kadiri

A week ago, I set out for the minsitry of the Word Literature journey again, this time in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, as this district is yet to have the Lord’s testimony established. Though the distribution was to begin on Monday, 17th November, but on the Lord’s Day, the brothers took me to Pulivendula with the hope that I could join the Lord’s Table meeting there. However, on the 16th Nov, Lord’s Day morning, we received an impromptu call and a surprise invitation from the Brethren Assembly in Kadiri. Therefore, we rushed to attend the meeting in Kadiri. 

In Kadiri, we introduced the New Testament Recovery Version in Telugu and English along with the minsitry books, and some brothers purchased them. Though we intend to go back after the meeting, we were invited to meet another brother in a nearby village who prepared a lovefeast for us and to whom we also introduced the ministry books. And this led to another brother and on to another Pentecostal Pastor. Ultimately, we ended up spending the whole day in Kadiri and went back to our lodging place in Pulivendula only in the night. The next day too, we spent the whole day in Kadiri and introduced the minsitry books to different Pastors.

This time, the arrangement was a one-on-one meeting with the Pastors. In most cases, I requested the local Telugu-speaking brothers to introduce the minsitry directly in Telugu. This helped the local brothers to function. I would do the speaking only when there was a need to do so in English and if it was required to minister the deeper truth to some key Christian leaders. 

May the Lord raise up His testimony in Kadiri among the brothers whom He has led us to sow the minsitry of the word.

Life Lesson: Experiences for the Building

Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted of evil, and He Himself tempts no one. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own lusts; Then the lust, having conceived, gives birth to sin; and the sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. (James 1:13-16, RecVer)

Spiritual things are not so simple. The enemy does his works to complicate the sinners' situation. However, God became a man in Jesus Christ to save man from his sins and from the complicated situations. On the one hand, God predestinated us, yet on the other hand, God gave man a free will. How do we reconcile God’s predestination and man's free will? When a brother sins, we need to have mercy, if need be, snatched them out of fire. In some cases, we have to show mercy in fear, hating even the inner garment spotted from the flesh.

Keep yourselves in the love of God, awaiting the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And on some have mercy, on those who are wavering; Save them by snatching them out of the fire. On others have mercy in fear, hating even the inner garment spotted from the flesh. (Jude 21-23, RecVer)

In fact, there are sins that are gross and there are sins that are unto death. However, sin is sin. But where do we draw the line? There are many things beyond our understanding. In such cases, we leave the matter to the Lord who is the Judge. We leave the matter to the Lord and not try to do anything about the sinful situation except pray for such ones. What can we do except prayer? So, do what you can do best in such situation, pray.

Failures among God’s chidren have been used greatly by God to expose the real condition of a person. Jacob's twenty years' experiences in his uncle Laban's house was an exposure of his natural man. Since then, it was God’s dealing with his naturalness, failures after failures, stripping him of all his natural strength so that God can gradually work in him, transform him, and mature him, to make him a man of blessing.

God, in His sovereignty, caused all things that transpired in Jacob's life to perfect him, especially through his failures. All that he schemed for himself to meet his selfishness in Laban's house, in preparing to meet his brother Esau with the intense fear he had within, the dealings caused by the loss of his loved ones in experience - Rachel, Deborah, Isaac, Joseph, Benjamin, all were stripped off from him. Ultimately, the result of all his failures opened the way for God to work in him and lead him to maturity. His maturity was evident in his spirit being revived and his heart growing numb which is a proof of his soul and spirit being divided, a true sign of maturity. 

And they told him, saying, Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt. And his heart grew numb, for he did not believe them. And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said to them; and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived. (Genesis 45:26-27, RecVer)

After this experience of maturity, he simply started blessing people. His supplanting hands became blessing hands. He blessed Pharaoh and all his chidren.

And Jacob blessed Pharaoh and went forth from Pharaoh’s presence. (Genesis 47:10, RecVer)

Failures are the path one has to pass through to be exposed, dealt with, be transformed, and finally be matured to become a blessed man and a man of blessing, a channel to bless those who needs to be blessed. 

In all these ways, in our experiences, we gain Chirst, and knowing Him in a subjective way the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus. These are the experiences of the Triune God and becoming mature in the divine life for the building up of the Body of Christ. 

But what things were gains to me, these I have counted as loss on account of Christ. But moreover I also count all things to be loss on account of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, on account of whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as refuse that I may gain Christ (Philippians 3:7-8, RecVer)

Truth Lesson: God's Blessing of Inheritance

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ, (Ephesians 1:3, RecVer)

In whom also we were designated as an inheritance, having been predestinated according to the purpose of the One who works all things according to the counsel of His will. (Ephesians 1:11, RecVer)

Who is the pledge of our inheritance unto the redemption of the acquired possession, to the praise of His glory. (Ephesians 1:14, RecVer)

God as our inheritance and we as God’s inheritance is the blessing and this blessing is to the church. This is the heavenly and spiritual blessing in Ephesians 1:3. This blessing is the blessing of the Father in His selection and predestination, choosing us to be His inheritance, His sons, which is His eternal purpose. This blessing is the blessing of the Son in accomplishing God’s eternal purpose through redemption through which also He shed His own blood to purchase us, fulfilling His plan of His inheritance. This blessing is also of the Spirit applying God the Father’s eternal purpose through Christ the Son's accomplishment of redemption. This is the spiritual blessing of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. This is the blessing to the Church with God as the inheritance and the saints as God’s inheritance. 

God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world and predestinated us to be His sons. God the Father has predestinated us to be His sons, to be His inheritance; as the Son inherits the Father’s. 

In Christ, we were designated as a chosen inheritance. We were designated as an inheritance to inherit God as our inheritance. Yes, we have become God’s inheritance for His enjoyment. And we also inherit God as our inheritance for our enjoyment. What a mutual inheritance! What a mutual enjoyment! 

The Holy Spirit is the pledge of our inheritance. The Holy Spirit is a foretaste of what we will inherit in full. The Holy Spirit is a guarantee of our inheritance. God the Father has bought us with the price of His own blood that we become His possession, His inheritance. Since then, He has been dispensing Himself into us to the extend that we fully participate in Him in all that He is and has accomplished. When our body is redeemed, we will fully enjoy Him as our inheritance. What a divine trading! He bought us with a high price to make us His inheritance. We paid nothing yet inherit Him as our possession. He bought us and we gained Him. What a blessing!

This is the enjoyment of the God of Isaac. Isaac apparently did nothing yet inherited His father's riches. He fought no war yet gained a wealthy inheritance. Whatever he did, Jehovah blessed him and he gained a hundredfold. In fact, he became rich and continued to grow richer until he became very rich.

And Isaac sowed in that land and gained in the same year a hundredfold. And Jehovah blessed him, And the man became rich and continued to grow richer until he became very rich. And he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great household, so that the Philistines envied him. (Genesis 26:12-14, RecVer)

Genesis 26 records how Isaac dug wells and got water wherever he dug. This is one example of God’s blessing upon Isaac.

That said, Isaac was blessed, so are we. Though we have the Almighty God as our inheritance, we often fail to enjoy our real possession, God. The reason could be, we are yet to see what the Father has given us. Or, our natural man wants to do everything by ourselves assuming that we will earn a possession through our labor. Either one of these could become a great hindrance to the enjoyment of our eternal inheritance. This is synonymous to a ruler, a man who was exceedingly rich, asking the Lord what he must do to inherit the kingdom of God as though he could labor and earn the eternal life.

And a certain ruler questioned Him, saying, Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? (Luke 18:18, RecVer)

But when he heard these things, he became very sorrowful, for he was exceedingly rich. (Luke 18:23, RecVer)

Now, having seen and known that we inherited God as our possession, we must also exercise to enjoy God as our inheritance. For this, our eyes need to be enlightened. 

The eyes of your heart having been enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling, and what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. (Ephesians 1:18, RecVer)

Now, having realised that God is our inheritance, we will appreciate Christ who is the embodiment of God in the Scriptures. For the Scriptures reveal Christ and His riches for our enjoyment. However, for us to enjoy the riches of Christ, enjoying the God of Isaac, we must first experience the God of Jacob. For, there are many hindrances in our being that deprives us of our enjoyment of the riches of Christ. So, the transforming Spirit as the God of Jacob is needed to deal with every hindrance and give us a free pass to the rich inheritance we have in God. The cross has to break every barrier and clear the blockages in our being so that we enjoy the God of Isaac. Therefore, to enjoy the God of Isaac, we need the God of Jacob in our experience.

May we not miss to enjoy the rich inheritance we have in God. May the God of Isaac be our God in reality. In this way, we enjoy the blessing of God the Father, Gideon th3 Son, and God the Spirit. This blessing is to the church and for the church. 

Life Lesson: The Ministry of the Word

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)

For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for He gives the Spirit not by measure. (John 3:34, 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. (Colossians 1:28-29, RecVer)

The Lord Jesus Christ did the Father’s work by speaking the Father’s word. This is the ministry of the word. As the Son, He spoke the words of the Father. The Father does His work as the Son spoke the word. This is the pattern of the Lord Jesus Christ is doing the ministry of the Father, which is the ministry of the word. The Lord spoke the word, and the Father did the work. What a coordination! What a mingling of God the Father and God the Son in the minsitry! What a ministry! 

The Son's ministry was to speak the Father’s word. As a result, the Father gives the Spirit without measure. The Son spoke the Father’s word which resulted in the Father’s giving the Spirit Who carries out the Father’s work. This is the ministry of the word as seen in the life of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul followed the Lord Jesus's pattern of serving the Father by ministering the word. He announced, he admonished, and he taught and thereby, presented every man full grown in Christ. This is the ministry of the word as seen in the life of the apostle Paul.

In the church history too, sister M E Barbar taught the way to work for the Lord is by learning not to work for the Lord. Meaning that, we should learn not work in an outward way by doing outward deeds. But we should rather be pursuing the word of God, be constituted with it, and minister the word. It is God who does His work, and He does it so by our ministering the timely word at the proper time.

Devoid of this lesson of the proper ministry of the word, we may run the risk of doing the "ministry" in a human organisational way. This will result in man's work. This will be a serious offense to God. May the Lord save us from doing our own works and not the Father’s work.

Jehovah is my Shepherd; I will lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures; / He leads me beside waters of rest. (Psalms 23:1-2, RecVer)

The Lord as our Shepherd makes us lie down. He wants us to rest in Him, trust in Him, and let Him do His work.

For thus says the Lord Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, In returning and rest you will be saved; In quietness and in trust will be your strength; But you were not willing, (Isaiah 30:15, RecVer)

We must learn to return to the Lord and rest, we must learn to be quiet before the Lord, and simply trust in the Lord. This will be our strength. But the question is, "Are we willing?"

By the way, we are not qualified in any way to work for the Lord. It would be utter foolishness to even assume to think we can do something for the Lord, much less work for the Lord. 

The Lord’s work is the Lord’s work, not mine. If I were to do the Lord’s work, I must give up myself and fully consecrate myself absolutely to the Lord. Only in this way, I can be one with the Lord and do the Father’s work by just speaking His word when He wants me to speak. Then, the Father will do His work. This is the way to work for the Lord. This is the ministry of the word.

Lord, preserve me to be one with You in Your ministry; resting in You, trusting in You, and speaking Your word in the ministry of the word.