Burden for Manipur

The burden the Lord revived in me in the beginning of this year concerning the Lord’s testimony in the North East was released after the national serving ones training in Keralam this month in fellowship with a brother. Soon after the burden for North East was fellowshipped, what the Lord had revived and reserved within me was released gradually. 

As I was on a distribution van riding for over ten hours from Angamaly, Keralam to Thengapatnam,  Tamilnadu, I prayed and began to call the brothers in the North East one by one. There were two groups for which the Lord burdened me. First, the key leading brothers, to bring them into the fellowship in the Body on a regular basis, and second, for the younger brothers who have graduated from the full-time training who need to be shepherded and recover their God alloted portion in the Body. With much prayers and fellowship, the Lord opened the door of the brothers' hearts and I could first fellowship with them one on one. With the younger ones, I even enjoyed praying with them. 

The gracious Lord has paved the way for all these brothers to be brought into sweet fellowship in coordination. Besides, for the younger brothers too, we agreed to meet online once a week for prayers and fellowship. For this, I created a WhatsApp group and added the younger brothers. The Bible verses for this group is:

Practice these things; be in them, that your progress may be manifest to all.

Take heed to yourself and to your teaching; continue in these things; for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you. 1 Timothy 4:15-16, RecVer

In addition to the phone call confirmation, I sent the following message conveying the purpose of the group to the group members of Prayers and Fellowship.

Brothers, as we fellowshipped over the phone, let us use this group for prayers and fellowship, to encourage one another, supply life to one another, that we all may practice the things of the divine economy that our progress may be manifest to all as the testimony of Jesus wherever we are, to be ministers of the word supplying the divine life to the saints for the building up of the Body of Christ. 

In this regard, to start with, let us meet online for prayer and fellowship on Wednesday night at 9:00 PM for now.

In fellowship, we may adjust it accordingly. 

May the grace of the Lord be upon us all.

Since these are younger brothers in Manipur, I felt it good to let the responsible brothers especially of the local churches where these brothers are in fellowship with.

Dear Brothers in N_____ and I______

(List of brothers_____, and others)

With much burden and prayer, I am bringing this fellowship that I will be in prayer and fellowship with the younger brothers from Manipur who have completed their full-time training and are now in different localities in Manipur. 

The main burden is to pray, fellowship, and pursue the truth together with them. I also have formed a WhatsApp group called prayer and fellowship for this purpose. 

The brothers in the groups are: 

A, G, P, M, and myself.

Please pray for us that we all may be shepherded and perfected to be functioning members in the Body.

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Practice these things; be in them, that your progress may be manifest to all.

Take heed to yourself and to your teaching; continue in these things; for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

1 Timothy 4:15-16, RecVer

This is the new beginning the Lord is initiating for His move in Manipur despite the outward problems in the state politically and socially. 

May the grace of the Lord lead all the brothers on and on for His strong and intensified move in Manipur. 

Training in Keralam

The Lord had gathered us together again on the national level this time at Angamaly, near Kochi in Keralam for three days. Twenty years ago, I came to this very city for the young people’s training. I still remember speaking to the young people on God’s complete salvation and giving testimonies. Two decades after, the Lord’s speaking to us is one the ministry of the word and God's dispensing for His economy.

I arrived to this city after over fifty hours of train journey, then waited for over an hour for bus, and another hour of bus ride to the venue. Despite all the travelling experiences, the Lord’s speaking was very apt. The need of the time is to be ministers of the word, dispensing the divine life to people, for the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose. The speaking began by the releasing of the burden concerning stedfast prayer and the ministry of the word. 

But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word.

Acts 6:4, RecVer

The minister, who is the person, and the ministry must be one. To minister life, the minister must be filled with life first. To receive life, the minister must pray and receive the ministry of the Spirit. This receiving is accomplished through the ministry of the word. Only the word ministered into the minister can be the ministry of the minister. Apart from God embodied in the Son realized as the Spirit ministered through the word there is no ministry of the word. Such genuine ministry of the word can only build up the church that will ultimately consummate in the New Jerusalem. 

For three days, we received the Lord’s continual supply of life. The serving brothers were all blended in coordination and we all received the services of the saints in Keralam. What a blessing to witness such a service in this land! This time, the number of attendees doubled the expectation. So, the serving brothers had to make special arrangements for meeting in three different halls simultaneously connected via Zoom screening. And brothers from abroad served us via the same online tool. Though things have changed outwardly, the Lord’s move continues, and is being intensified by the year. 

This time too, I had a crucial fellowship with some serving brothers concerning their services. As one of our serving ones resigned, it was also a testing time for a young serving brother to pick up the burden what the other had left behind. It looked to me like the Lord is purging and purifying even the serving ones in the ministry. 

Then, after the training, I stayed back for spending time with another seving brother in Keralam and coordinated with him in the introduction and distribution of the ministry literature. 

As serving ones, we all must serve in the Body in sweet coordination under the headship of Christ in one accord, serving and functioning within the measure of God's measure, all for the accomplishment of God's goal.

Lord, grace us as Your ministers of the word.

Time in a Train

What do you do when you have so much time? The best thing I can think of doing is, read the Bible. That's what I actually did when I had so much time sitting in the train waiting for my destination. Initially, I thought I made a mistake by taking a train journey to attend the Serving Ones Training in Angamally, Kerala. The train journey is about 50 hours with delays. I thought to myself, if I had taken flight I could have saved two full working days when I could accomplish so much work. I almost regretted taking train. However, I accepted the situation arranged by the Lord. When my train ticket was booked, I thought I could change it to flight later. However, I did not feel good about it as there were other saints with whom my train ticket was booked. So, I decided to take the train journey. 

The first day was mostly rest as I had to complete all my works before I travelled. So, I did not have sufficient time to rest the previous night and we needed to leave by 3:30 AM to catch a morning train. Then, after sufficient rest, I continued to enjoy my  daily schedule of prayer and Bible reading in the train itself.

The following day, I had more time as I already rested sufficiently. Then, I decided to simply read my Bible. So, I read, and read, and read for hours the old testament and completed the books of Genesis from where I left off. Then, I had a time of prayer inside the train, releasing all the burdens the Lord blessed me with, in prayer. Then, again I continued to read the new testament, on and on until I completed the gospel of Matthew from where I left off. Then, a time of prayer with my family over the phone. And it was then time to rest.

So, no time was wasted. All the time I had, I used it for prayer and Bible reading. In between,  fellowshipping with the saints. Therefore, my train journey became meaningful and fruitful.

This train journey, though long, was really a good one. I had enough time to rest, which I would never had otherwise. And I can speed up my reading of the Bible as I have a goal to achieve. Thank the Lord for this over fifty hours of train journey. Time well spent in the train.

New Normal Life

Should the Lord grant me a century lifetime to live, I have lived almost half of my life. In these four decades and more of my human life, I have learned a lot. From the past, from the present, from failures and from successes too. Life is about living and learning to live. The only question is, what is the scale with which your life is measured. Is it ethic, or religiosity, or spirituality? Borrowng from the Scriptures, the best life to live is, Christ. 

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21, RecVer

Living Christ is the standard for a normal Christian life. In fact, to be a Christian is to be a normal human being. For without Christ, life is abnormal, no matter what standard one lives. Only Christ is the normal life. 

In Christ, everything of humanity and divinity is encapsulated. Loving what or who to love, hating what or who to hate, Christ is the standard. Love or hate outside Christ is just human feelings. Therefore, the normal Christian life is to live Christ in His divinity and in His humanity. A life in Christ is perfectly human and completely godly. 

But by the grace of God I am what I am; and His grace unto me did not turn out to be in vain, but, on the contrary, I labored more abundantly than all of them, yet not I but the grace of God which is with me. 1 Corinthians 15:10, RecVer

By the grace of God I am what I am. It is His grace that has been keeping me thus far. I have been learning to take Christ as my life. While in the ministry journey, I was fully occupied with the ministry I was involved in. While at time, I was also fully occupied with my responsibility as a father. While at the office, I was also fully occupied with my official responsibilities. There was no time to waste. Life, to me, was indeed worth the living.

The past few months, I was fully occupied with carrying out responsibilities; official, of the church, and of my family. From morning to late night, all my time was occupied. I was glad that the Lord enabled me to accomplish everyday my daily schedule. My personal time with the Lord in the word and prayer, time with my family, time with the saints for the church life, and all official works were all well spent day by day. This all were due to the grace of God specially bestowed upon me. Praise the Lord!

For instance, the last few days before I ventured off for another ministry journey was noteworthy. So many things came up that I needed to finish before I travel again. I had only three days from the time I came back till I needed to leave again. On the Lord's Day, as usual, I was fully occupied with the church meeting in Gurugram and brothers' fellowship in Delhi. On Monday and Tuesday, I had to complete all the pending official works along with taking care of the family's needs. Somehow, I determined in my heart, I would complete it, and I did so. Finally, everything that needed to be done was done. At times, I wandered how such accomplishment was possible in a few days. It was the grace of God. This is by Christ's life. This is what I call, the new normal. A balanced life between office, church, and family. That's why, I call this life, a normal Christian life, as it is possible only in Christ, by living Christ. 

May the good God grace me to live Christ as my life day by day all the days of my life.

Word, Spirit, Word

All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16, RecVer

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words which I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. John 6:63, RecVer

The opening of Your words gives light, Imparting understanding to the simple. Psalms 119:130, RecVer

Out from whom all the Body, being joined together and being knit together through every joint of the rich supply and through the operation in the measure of each one part, causes the growth of the Body unto the building up of itself in love. Ephesians 4:16, RecVer

For the building up of the Body of Christ, the saints need to grow. For the growth of the saints, the word of God is needed. Not only the written word in letters but the living word that gives life. For the word of the Lord is spirit and life.

All Scripture is God-breadth. Only the word that is God-breathed can build up the Body. Therefore, the word need to become flesh in the believers. The word must be living and subjective. Only the subjective, organic, living, intrinsic word can truly build the saints for the Body. 

The Bible did not say, all Scripture is profitable. It says, all Scripture is God-breathed, first. Then, the Scripture that is God-breathed, is profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).

Without first receiving the word of God and enjoying it, the word will remain the word in letters only, at best as knowledge. Therefore, daily, moment by moment, one has to enjoy the word of God, make the word become flesh in him, be filled and constituted with the word, then and only then, the word will become profitable to perfect and complete the man of God.

Once one receive such a living word, it becomes the spirit in him. And the spirit as the word when enjoyed, will flow out as the word. The ministry of the word is the flowing out of the spirit from the living word constituted in the being of the minister.

Therefore, word-spirit-word is what builds the church, Christ Body. For this, the word must be enjoyed day by day. Practical ways like morning revival, reading the Bible, pursuing the ministry books, getting into the Life-studues, etc., help the saints in experiencing the "word, spirit, word" model. If this be the case, all the saints will function as the joint of the rich supply according to their measure, and in so functioning, will also build up the Body of Christ. 

This was the burden the Lord released to the brothers in this country when we gathered for the National Brothers Fellowship. The same burden now is being conveyed to all the saints in the localities in the North. 

By this way, the Lord is building up His Body through the saints who have been experiencing and enjoying the word-spirit-word model.

Lord, build up Your Body and prepare Your Bride for Your soon coming.

Ministry of the Word to Madhupur and Deogarh

Madhupur, a new city was introduced to us by a Bishop in Dumka. It took us about four hours from Godda to arrive here. We took a bus ride for over three hours to Deogarh, and then another auto ride to Madhupur. Since this was all our first time, we had no clue where to get down from the bus even. Much less, where to get on to another bus or train or auto to reach our destination. But we experienced the Lord’s sovereignty in leading us where to get down. We also got an auto carrying goods to take us along to Madhupur. In mysterious ways beyond human imagination, the Lord led us again step by step.

Once we arrived Madhupur, our host sent her driver, who then dropped us to a hotel booked for our stay. Then, her manager, a brother came to meet us to whom we introduced the ministry. After that, we basically took rest.

The following day, we had a time of fellowship with our host, an elderly sister. Upon hearing the introduction of the ministry literature, she purchased all the books we still had with us. Thus, our goods were emptied out there and then.

She then fellowshipped with us about what the Lord has been doing through the ministry she has been involved in for these thirty five years. She invited us again for a time of training all the serving ones with her. Thus, the plan for the next ministry journey was conceived. We commit the matter to the Lord again for His perfect will to be carried out again.

Then, finally, we came to Deogarh, our last stop, from which our flights back home were booked. My brother left earlier for Bengaluru, and I waited for mine to Delhi. 

Meanwhile, another Pastor from Deogarh was contacted and he came to meet me at the Deogarh airport. To him too, I introduced the ministry literature in Hindi and handed him all the remaining free books in Hindi for distribution. As I waited for the flight, I completed all my pending blogs for the month.

In all these places we came.not knowing. Now, the Lord has revealed to us how this state has been preserved for the seed of the ministry of the word to be sown and how He will recover His lampstands all over this North Indian state.

Lord, bless Your move in Madhupur snd Deogarh. 

Ministry of the Word to Godda

As introduced by the Bishop in Dumka, we came to this city, Godda. After a long local bus drive through the dusty roads under the hot sun, we arrived at a school run by a couple with the heart of serving the local people. 

Despite the busy schedule of the family, they gave us a warm hospitality serving us sweets, snacks, and a mutton curry dinner. After the dinner, we were listening mostly to the testimonies of the sister and the brother. They have been through many things in their service to the Lord and to humanity. The Lord has been faithfully supplying them richly so that they could in turn be helping hand to many others in need, mostly in material help.

In fact, there were other guests too who they gave hospitality on the same day and night with us. In addition, on the day we arrived, they were busy helping the local Pators with all legal procedures, of an unknown dead body of a brother transporting back to Kerala. Yet, they still entertained us as their guests.

Though we did not have much time to fellowship, the next day, we somehow met the local Pastor and introduced the ministry literature. And finally, before we left, we also met him at his office and introduced the ministry. This being the case, we felt the burden to gift the Holy Bible Recovery Version and some selected ministry books to the family as seeds of the ministry sown into their family. 

May the Lord recover His testimony in Godda one day.