Experience of Christ: In Official Matter

Last month, just before I left for the ministry literature journey, I had applied for the renewal of my USA visa. After the journey, when I went to collect my passport, I was informed to appear for an interview. I was hoping that interview waiver should apply. However, I was given the liberty to appear for interview anytime I wish during the working hours of the USA embassy in Delhi within a period of one year. I was wondering when I should appear as I had many works to attend too. 

In considering the matter, I realised that I also should bring this matter to fellowship with my coordinating brother though I had already fellowshipped with the brothers in the USA as I needed their approval and also a USA contact address. The brothers approved and advised me to go for renewal and my brother also did the same, even to do it as soon as possible. 

While I was praying for this matter one night, the Lord specifically told me to appear for an interview on Monday the 23rd of February. Later, I realised that this was exactly one month before my existing visa would expire. So, I went to the embassy.

Though I had the plan to complete my interview at the earliest possible so that I could still join the brothers' prayer in the morning at 9 AM and truth pursuing at 9:30 AM. The Lord had a better plan. Despite reaching the consulate office well on time, I was delayed in two matters. I had to join a queue for depositing my mobile phone which I could have done had I known that it needed to be done. I had to leave a queue to join another queue and then come back to the same queue. At least thirty minutes was wasted on extra queuing. Later, after waiting at four differnt queues for different kinds of security checks and crowd management, I was directed to go to Counter 14. But I did not know I could go straight as there was another long queue. So, I waited for another thirty minutes. But, when I enquired further to the security personel, I was informed that I need not stand on the queue as I was alloted a designated counter for my visa renewal. Then, I appeared for the interview and answered a couple of questions the officer in charge asked me. Then, he confirmed that my USA was approved and I submitted my passport for visa stamping. 

When I came out, I already missed the brothers' prayer and also the truth pursuing. Actually, it did not happen as I usually was the one who initiated the calls. Then, on my way back before I could join another official fellowship at 11 AM, I listened to the first half of the recent ICS conference message two, which I missed out as I needed to drop my son for his exam. When I finished listening to the message, I could start the next official meeting exactly at 11 AM even while still in a car on my way back.

This was one such step by step experience of contacting and fellowshipping with the Lord in practical matter that concerns me. 

God cares for all that concerns us! No matter what plan human has, God always has the best plan. He is so good at just being God.

Casting all your anxiety on Him because it matters to Him concerning you. (1 Peter 5:7, RecVer)

Shepherding Families

Two weeks ago, a brother text me of his intent to visit us on the Lord’s Day. I replied by inviting him for lunch too. Later, the Lord reminded me that I should invite him to join the Lord’s Table Meeting too, if the Lord wills so. The next day, his whole family attended the Lord’s Day meeting, though they missed the bread breaking. 

During the prophesying time, he shared what was on his heart even to the point that he voiced his different understanding of the truth. I did not find needful to address the matter as it was not on the major points. However, when my turn came to minister the word, I did so with much grace, releasing my sprit, ministering the truth that I presently enjoyed which I had also posted in some WhatsApp group on Christ as the Physician based on the ministry excerpt.

Christ as the Physician

He said, Those who are strong have no need of a physician, but those who are ill. But go and learn what this means, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice,” for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners. Matt. 9:12-13

The Lord’s word in Matthew 9:13, addressed to the Pharisees, indicates that the Lord Jesus heals man’s spiritual illness, the illness of sin. Sin came first and death follows. Between sin and death there are all kinds of illnesses, diseases, and infirmities… As sinners, we are sick absolutely, for we are sick physically, spiritually, morally, and mentally. But Jesus, the Forgiver and the Physician, is able to heal all our sicknesses.

As our Physician, the Lord heals us mainly in our spirit and in our soul, not mainly in our body. The tax collectors and sinners in Matthew 9:10 were not physically sick; they were spiritually sick. While the Lord Jesus was feasting with them, He was healing them spiritually. Likewise, although the Lord may or may not heal us in our body, He is always ready to heal us in every part of our spirit and soul. ( The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 2782-2783)

Paul’s experience in his later ministry helps us to have a proper appreciation of Christ as the believers’ Physician. In 2 Timothy 4:20 Paul says, “Trophimus I left at Miletus sick.” Why did the apostle leave such an intimate one in sickness without exercising healing prayer for him? Why did he not also execute his healing gift (Acts 19:11-12) to cure Timothy of his stomach illness rather than instruct him to take the natural way for healing (1 Tim. 5:23)?…There is no record that he prayed for healing, and he certainly did not exercise the gift of healing. Instead, Paul encouraged Timothy to take a little wine, and he left Trophimus at Miletus. Paul cared for his coworkers in a very human way. The reason Paul cared for them in this way is that, in a time of suffering, Paul and his coworkers were under the discipline of the inner life rather than under the power of the outward gift. The former is of grace in life; the latter of gift in power, miraculous power. Paul’s experience should help us to see that, for the most part, Christ’s healing today is for the spirit and the soul . Christ is the believers’ Physician, the Healer of our spirit, our soul, and at times, also of our body. If we see this vision we shall trust in Him and experience Him as our Physician. ( The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 616-617)

After the meeting, the brother apologised to me personally if he had spoken something amiss that might hurt or not in line with the present burden.

The next day, a brother and I visited his family and spent at least three hours of fellowship and peacefully finalised a new rental agreement and renovation works to be done on the building used for the meeting hall, the Lord’s service, and my family residence. This was a very timely and brotherly fellowship we all enjoyed together. 

Later, we visited another family, and enjoyed a sweet time of fellowship with the husband, wife, and chidren. 

All these was the answer to the burden the Lord gave me recently on praying for three families, particularly for their whole family recovery into the church life. In fact, the Lord’s Day before our visit, the three brothers, head of the three families the Lord burdened me to pray for, were seated next to one another. The Lord showed me visibly with my eyes to witness the answers to prayers He burdened me for. 

Praise the Lord!

Shepherding the Sisters

All the saints need shepherding. Young, old, brothers and sisters, all need shepherding. The enemy, in his subtlety, has been trying his best to deceive the saints and lead them astray. In many cases, he seemed to be successful. Yet, the Lord turned those as shepherding opportunities and prayer burdens for the saints. By so doing, He has been perfecting both the shepherd and the sheep in one go. What was meant for destruction turned out to be an opportunity for construction! At the end, God used His enemy, Satan, as His ugly tool to perfect His chidren. What a great and wise God our God is! Hallelujah!

A sister who angrily left the church life for about half a year was finally revisited with the recovery of the small group meeting in her area with her house as the first to be visited. It was a surprise that she finally was willing to open her home again. In fact, this was me and my wife's first visit to her home for such a meeting. I did not share much but testified my enjoyment of the Lord Jesus as a Physician who heals our soul and spirit mostly, and sometimes, the body too. As the Lord burdened me, I simply shared the fact that we all have problems, sick with sin in our body, soul, and spirit. Therefore, the healing we need today is the healing of the soul and spirit mostly. And in a brotherly way, I encouraged her to come back to th church meeting; to forget everything of the past and have a fresh and new beginning. Praise the Lord, last Lord’s Day, we all were very joyful to see our sister attending the meeting and serving!

A sister, by profession, a medical doctor, also called now and then for prayers for the major incidents she has been going through in her lives. I simply prayed by faith whenever she called for prayer. And later, I found that the Lord indeed answered those prayers. When she had to shift, she made another request for help which I brought it to the brothers. Three of us went to assist her in her house shifting. In that way, even in her practical needs, the Lord shepherded her. May the Lord recover her fully for the church life.

A single sister who has been living all alone due to her family's situation also called and requested for a time of truth pursuing. She expressed her hunger and thirst for the word of God. To cater to her need, we have arranged some sisters to pursue with her, the Life-study of Ephesians.

In a similar way, another sister too, out of her desperate situation, called for fellowship and prayer. My wife and I visited her, and we all enjoyed a sweet time of fellowship, showing her that all her family situations are God’s answer to her prayer for her household salvation. She could accept it immediately as she herself has been praying and seeking the Lord for her family salvation. 

In these mysterious ways, the Lord has been shepherding the saints in the church. By His grace and mercy, the Lord will heal our sick soul and spirit, and fully recover us for His strong and shining testimony in Gurugram. 

Shepherding is the way and the Lord as rhe Shepherd created the opportunity for shepherding. 

Shepherding a Brother's Son

As the saints are praying for the full recovery of a brother's family into the church life, the Lord has answered those prayers by creating an opportunity for a brother's son to come into contact. At first, I was informed by a brother about the possibility of recommending this young brother to a brother we know who is in the construction field and an architect by profession. Initially, I was not clear if I should go ahead to introduce this young man to the architect. Last week, a brother called me and made the request more firm by also sending me the resume of his son. Besides, another brother also requested if I could do the introduction. However, I felt that I should meet the young brother first and have an informal orientation.

Therefore, last week we visited this brother's family and even had a one on one interaction with the young brother. Only then, I had the peace to go ahead. So, the following day, I called the architect brother and did the introduction. To my surprise, he was very willing to take this young intern and give him a first hand training from A to Z of turnkey project. I also called this young brother's father to confirm. Then, I called the young brother myself.

The next day, he first came to the meeting hall where I fellowshipped with him on four points on having a personal regular prayer life, Bible reading, fellowship with the church, and seeking the Lord’s will in every matter. I did so with a burden to shepherd him as I used to, to any young saints including my own chidren. Professional learning is just a channel for gaining the person for the Lord. I even encouraged him to learn whatever he could in his architectural field, and as the Lord lead so, he may one day design a meeting hall for the gathering of the saints. 

So, having prayed together, I drove him to the architect's office and introduced the two face to face. By the way, I alos got the opportunity to meet the architect brother after many years. Later, I was informed that the internship had a good start. I was even sent videos and a photo of the first project for this young brother to learn; the ground digging work for the foundation of the new building.

This is just a way the Lord opened the door for a young brother to be shepherded and perhaps, one day, be also gained for the church life fully.

Lord, gain this young brother who is a brother's son and also the architect brother for Your testimony in Gurugram. 

Shepherding: A Businessman's Son

A young brother who was introduced to our family and whose mother has been so burdend for the family salvation has been prayed for, for quite sometime now. Three weeks ago, I received a surprise invitation from his mother to visit the family. My wife and I did so, and we had a sweet time of fellowship and prayer. 

The family has been going through difficult times related to their businesses and finances. However, sister had the maturity to understand why the Lord allowed such an unexpected situation. It was all for the salvation of her whole family. No matter what happened, my burden was to shepherd the sister and her son. And that, through this, the whole family would be saved. I even dared to say that it was the Lord who led them through this difficult times for their own good.

A week later, her son sent me a message requesting me if I could visit him for fellowship and prayer. I immediately reckoned that as the Lord answering our prayers for the salvation of the whole household. As I visited him, we had a personal fellowship one on one when he opened up the entire situation his family has been going through. I listened through to every word he uttered. That was a cherishing to him and a shepherding to me. 

A word of comfort I could minister was letting him know that God is in control and that He allowed circumstances like these to gain him and his famly. My only main burden was to lead him to the Lord Jesus Christ, in prayer, through the word, in fellowship with the saints in the church. Then, we pray-read the verses n Philippians together and prayed.

In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; And the peace of God, which surpasses every man’s understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7, RecVer)

In fact, these were the same verses my wife and I used to shepherd his mother too. In this was, the Lord opened the door for shepherding this family in answer to the saints' prayers.

This week, I could visit him again and this time, we started reading the Holy Bible with the footnotes in the Recovery Version. We continued from what we left off last year and concluded Matthew chapter 1. Then, after echoing the burden mentioned in the study notes, we both prayed together. In this way, we plan to continue our shepherding fellowship regularly. 

In fact, he is the only son of a wealthy business man whose wife is a sister in the Lord. The family members are yet to be saved.

May the Lord show mercy to this young man to be in God's plan, and that the Lord would save his entire family for His testimony in Gurugram. 

Fellowship in Khariar Road

When the Lord wants to accomplish something, He just does it in His way with His people in His time. The visit to Khariar Road was never in our plan. However, as we received the news of the demise of our brother's father, we changed our plan and came to visit Khariar Road. 

After a long five hours drive, we just arrived in time to attend the funeral meeting. I was then informed that I should share the word. Immediately, I turned to the Lord for the word,  and the word was made clear.

Words of Comfort

But we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are sleeping, that you would not grieve even as also the rest who have no hope. For *if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so also those who have fallen asleep through Jesus, God will bring with Him*. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are living, who are left remaining unto the coming of the Lord, shall by no means precede those who have fallen asleep; Because the Lord Himself, with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are living, who are left remaining, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and thus we will be always with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

(1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, RecVer)

These words of comfort were spoken and prayer offered for the bereaved family. Then, we all went to the cemetry for the burial.

After this, a meeting was arranged again in the night where all the key Christian leaders were invited to attend. Though it was in the house of mourning, I turned it into the house of fellowship, ministering the word as the living Star led me to. For about an hour with Hindi translation, I ministered on God's Eternal Plan.

Though the audience were mostly Christian leaders, deep within, the Lord’s leading was to minsiter this truth from Genesis 1:26, 2:7; Proverbs 20:27; Zechariah 12:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; John 1:1, 14, 12, 13; 19:34; 1 Corinthians 15:45; Romans 8:16; 12:1-2. After the Spirit's speaking through the word, the audience were deeply impressed. Many of the Christian Pastors fellowshipped with me after the meeting on how much light they received and how blessed they were with the word. I believe, it was for this purpose that the Lord bought us there. May the Lord continue to supply His chidren with His word.

Then, a brother invited us for a family visit to his house where we had coffee and prayers. The following day, another brother invited us for breakfast at his house. There too, we prayed for the family. Then, we ate early lunch, prayed for the saints in Khariar Road, and left for Raipur to catch our train to Delhi.

In such a short time, the Lord accomplished what He wanted to accomplish, in His time. We simply followed Him, changed our plan as needed, and enjoyed His blessing. 

As His speaking has been these days on following the living Star, so was His leading and our following His leading, His presence. What a blessing!

Fellowship in Bilaspur

As usual, after our visit to the Madku Masih Mela, we would visit and spend the Lord’s Day with the saints in the church in Bilaspur. As we were on the way from Bhatapara to Bilaspur, we prayed together for the Lord’s move in Chhattisgarh. Then, we pray-read the outline of the present holy word for morning revival on the instant and up-to-date revelation of the heavenly Christ. 

As we were on the way, we also received an information of the demise of the father of one of our serving brothers in Khariar Road Odisha. So, we fellowshipped and decided to attend the funeral service. For this, we had to cancel our trip back to Delhi, and eventually made a fesh tatkal booking the next day for Delhi.

In Bilaspur, as the brother gave us time to minister the word, one of us ministered from Romans 8. Then, I followed suit on following Christ the living Star from Matthew 2: 1-12.

Saying, Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star at its rising and have come to worship Him. (Matthew 2:2, RecVer)

And after they heard the king, they went their way, and behold, the star which they saw at its rising led them until it came and stood over the place where the child was. And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. (Matthew 2:9-10, RecVer)

And because they had been divinely instructed in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed by another way to their country. (Matthew 2:12, RecVer)

As the Lord, the living Star, led me, I ministered the need for the saints to seek the Lord in the word and in prayer to receive revelation concerning the word. I also warned the saints of dead Scriptural knowledge without any revelation or light like the Jews, the Scribes and the Pharisees, and the danger of falling into human concept like the magi from the East which can lead to the spiritual death of the innocent. I also shared my testimony of how the Lord led me in prayer and through the word to serve Him all the days of my life since 2003. While following the livng Star faithfully, it will always lead us to another way, a way other than our human way. Then, we partook of the bread together with the saints in Bilaspur, followed by lovefeast. Then, we left for Khariar Road through a hired vehicle that took us five hours drive.

Thank the Lord for His Star leading us step by step. May the Lord bless His testimony in Bilaspur