With You All The Time

Acts 20:18, 20, 31

And when they came to him, he said to them, You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you all the time, 

How I did not withhold any of those things that are profitable by not declaring them to you and by not teaching you publicly and from house to house, 

Therefore watch, remembering that for three years, night and day, I did not cease admonishing each one with tears.

The sincerity and genuineness of Paul was proven when he spoke his "farewell" speech to the elders of Ephesus in Miletus. His heart's content and desires were expressed in those loving words of exhortation mingled with life testimonies. No wonder, the hearts of the brothers were sorrowful when they knew it would be their last meeting ever as man with men. He had the ground and confidence to speak boldly how he shepherded the saints from house to house, right from the first day he set his foot in Asia; he visited the saints one by one, house to house, and was with them through thick and thin. What a testimony! A real pattern of shepherding and caring for the saints in the churches.

My lack in my service was fully exposed as I read and pondered these verses. Paul could declare that he was "with you(the saints) all the time." How about me? An enigma? Nevertheless, I was so encouraged by this solemn and sober words of Paul, "with you all the time." To whom can I say the same, to any saint(s) or any church(es)? May the Lord cover me and grace me that I may as well be able to live like Paul did, shepherding the saints one on one, day by day, house to house and testify one day that I too am indeed "with you all the time."

Moreover, he did not withhold any truths that would be beneficial to the saints. He taught them the healthy teaching of the ministry of the word, house to house as nursing mother nourishing her spiritual babes day by day. And he admonished them day and night even with tears. What a heart he had for the saints! Besides teaching, he was admonishing them even with tears. This reveals his deep desire for the saints growth and maturity that when words did not suffice, he wept for them out of burden; a deepest expression of one's concern for the truly beloved. And he did it faithfully, for three long years! What a shepherding heart he had! Perhaps, some did not listen to his admonishing, some would have rebelled, some would have been stubborn and slow to respond. Yet, even to those, his shepherding reaction was just to weep for them. If words did not suffice, he wept and prayed for them. What a man, what a pattern, what a shepherd!

Listening to these verses as expounded by a brother in a way of testimony touched my being so deeply. On the one hand it exposed me of my lack, and yet on the other hand, it encouraged me to reconsecrate myself to the Lord for the shepherding of the saints. I do not even have sufficient words to express the depth of the burden infused into me after this hearing of the word. I just pray that the Lord give me such a heart, such a burden, to care for the saints as He would and as Paul did. 

Lord, burden me with Your burden and grace me to shepherd Your flock, and intercede for them, even with tears.

Pray On Behalf

1 Timothy 2:1-3

I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men; On behalf of kings and all who are in high position, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all godliness and gravity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of our Savior God,

On the 22 January morning I woke up praying for a political leader of India and for the party, that the Lord may have a way to carry on His move in this country. It was so surprising, as I never bothered to pray for people in politics with a preconceived notion in my unrenewed mind that politics is a dirty game and that I had nothing to do with it. But waking up with an intense burden for the national leaders, I can't help but prayed for them, especially for the one promising young turf of the ruling party who has been so much mocked and attacked by leaders of the other parties. That incident reminded me of my late maternal grandfather who would pray day and night for the same party when I was still a high schooler growing up under his strict care. At that time too I never understood why he had to pray for political leaders. It never clicked in me to pray for people in politics, albeit I follow the current affairs as regularly as I can, for awareness sake.

Later, in the evening I followed up on the speech made by the said young leader.He was so impressive and I felt it behoved praying for. As I pondered over this matter and the burden for prayer arose, the Lord reminded me of His word, "I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men; On behalf of kings and all who are in high position." It is indeed my responsibility as a believer to pray on behalf of all who are in high position, much more, even as a citizen of the nation, as a man in the flesh, even tough, my real citizenship is in the heavens. 

The reason for praying on behalf of the those on high position is that " we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all godliness and gravity." For the practical living out of a normal Christian life for the Lord to have an unhindered way to execute His eternal plan on this Satan usurped earth.

Recovery Version Bible Footnote on QUIET 

A quiet and tranquil life is one that is peaceable, still, and without disturbance, not only outwardly in circumstances but also inwardly in our heart and spirit. Such a life enables us to have an enjoyable church life in godliness and gravity.

http://online.recoveryversion.org/FootNotes.asp?FNtsID=6631

If the rulers of the nation are not proper, there will never be peace in that country. Therefore, it behoves the believer to pray on behalf of them. That is to be a responsible citizen for the sake of God's interest on the nation, for the proclaiming of the gospel of peace, to bring salvation in the Name of Jesus Christ and discipling the nation for the fulfilment of God's purpose on this usurped earth. This also echoes the Lord's prayer in Matthew 6:10 Your kingdom come; Your will be done, as in heaven, so also on earth.

After the rebellion of Satan (Ezek. 28:17; Isa. 14:13-15), the earth fell into his usurping hand. Thus, the will of God could not be done on earth as in heaven. Hence, God created man with the intention of recovering the earth for Himself (Gen. 1:26-28). After the fall of man, Christ came to bring the heavenly rule to earth so that the earth could be recovered for God's interest, so that the will of God could be done on earth as in heaven. This is why the new King established the kingdom of the heavens with His followers. The kingdom people must pray for this until the earth is fully recovered for God's will in the coming kingdom age.

http://online.recoveryversion.org/FootNotes.asp?FNtsID=229

Such inciting and inspiration by the Spirit to pray for national leaders is not to take side with any parties as such, but to stand in oneness with God for His will to be done on earth."This is good and acceptable in the sight of our Savior God," therefore I must pray for the rulers too, and pray earnestly for the ones chosen by God to rule that His move may be unhindered, as "Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Cyrus the kind of Persia..Ezra 1:1."

"For (God)Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth." 

Lord, make me a faithful citizen to pray on behalf of kings and all who are in high position that we may live a normal Christian life in the normal church-life for the fulfillment of Your eternal purpose.

Except By Prayer

Matthew 17:21 But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting. 

In the case of casting out of an epileptic demon, the disciple of the Lord faced a stiff opposition and were not able to cast out the demon. The Lord rebuked them of having too little faith, and the response He gave was  "But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting." 

In the work of the Lord, being in the spiritual battle field, I have faced many situations like this. The Lord was sovereign to allow me to go through such an experience which has always been a training session. The recent one was in the propagation in Jaipur. We have been offering prayers of various degrees and had propagated in this pink city. However, we could not see a solid breakthrough as yet. Albeit, many had been baptised but what we looked for, are local families who would take the stand for His testimony. Preaching the gospel, bringing people to salvation, even baptising them and setting up home meetings were done, but the local new believers who are stable spiritually and even otherwise is the lack, who could be the pillar of the church.

Two weeks ago, when I was there, a brother suggested that we fast and pray continuously for six hours, discerning the need of the situation. On that day we were supposed to go for a home meeting, but the Lord reminded me to cancel and stay back instead for a thorough prayer. I went out for personal time of Bible reading and prayer, and then with the saints corporately fast and prayed; the flow of the Spirit was so strong that I enjoyed it so much. Time was never a factor at all. Burdens were released one after the other; intercessions were made on  behalf of the ones already contacted, and binding and losing prayer was done corporately with a strong spirit. The flow of the Lord was so sweet yet so strong. And the result was imminent from that time on.

The next day, as we had home meeting with a seeker, who is a brother who loves the Lord and have been serving by faith, obeying the Lord's call, step by step, the flow of the Spirit was so strong. The Lord just flowed into us as life and flowed among us as life too. The fellowship went on from 3 PM in the afternoon till 9:45 PM in the night, approximately in proportion to the prayer time we had the day before. The fellowship was full of life's testimony, and full of truth on God's eternal purpose concerning Christ and the church; the standing, foundation, ground, fellowship, oneness, practices etc.. I just felt like the Lord had answered our prayer for the testimony in Jaipur. 

Moreover, he invited us for various group meetings, and even on the Lord's day he gave us the full freedom to minister the word as the Lord led. In all the meetings, the Spirit's move and anointing was very strong both from the ministering and the minstered ends. 

Besides, the Lord also led us to another family who loves the Lord so much. To this family too, the Lord gave us the Rhema word; they enjoyed the fellowship so much so that the fellowship went on and on. We ministered mostly from the ministry of the word the Lord has blessed His recovery with, to the extend that a sister willing volunteered to be a distributor of the ministry books in the city. 

All these ensued from God as the source of life and life-supply. Our sole responsibility was to be open vessels, cooperating with Him for His flow by much prayer and even by fasting. The Lord wants to move but His enemy has been opposing His move and that barrier need to be dealt with by us. Such move does not occur ordinarily, except by prayer and fasting.

With this experience, the Lord showed me something that would change my way of service to Him, especially in my locality where for long a definite breakthrough is yet to be witnessed. 

Lord, ever burden me for this kind of prayer and fasting, and grant me the grace to exercise so.

Beer-sheba and Rehoboth

The experiences of Isaac in Genesis 26 was full of God's blessings. Wherever he went, whatever he did, he was blessed by God. In fact, he was inheriting God's promised blessings to his father Abraham (vv. 3,4). Jehovah appeared to him and stopped him from going to Egypt, and he obeyed. And God promised blessings--"..I will be with you and will bless you...will give you all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.... I will multiply your seed...."

God's Blessings

Isaac obeyed Jehovah's counsel and he dwelt in Gerar (v.6) and the result was God's blessing upon blessings." 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 (vv. 12,13)." Studying the context of these verses, the blessings of God was purely out of God as the fulfillment of His promised to Abraham and him, and was based on his obedience too. On the one hand it was God who blessed, yet on the other hand it was also man who cooperated with God for God to bless. When the two sides correlated, the blessings were forthcoming.

If God Blessed, We Are Blessed!

Wherever Isaac's servants dug wells, there were water, unlike if others would have dug. The same principle applied to all that belonged to or were related to Isaac. Because, Isaac had been promised to be blessed. No matter what he or his servant did, it commanded God's blessings. Truly indeed, if God blessed, we are blessed. It all depends upon God's blessings. This perhaps entails the fulfillment of the requirements for God's blessings. For Isaac's case, it was his obedience with God's promised blessings.

This matter touched my being deeply. In whatever we do, as children of God, the reality of the sons of Abraham, the promised seed, we are also promised the same blessings. Only if we obey God's speaking in His appearing to us, all the blessings are ours. God blesses as He is a God of blessings.

Rehoboth Versus Beer-sheba

Rehoboth

"...so he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, Now Jehovah has made room for us, and we will be fruitful in the land (v.22)."  Prior to this, whenever a well was dug and water found, there was a dispute; finally when there was no more dispute, it was called Rehoboth, meaning broad places or broad way. Perhaps, the deck was cleared for fruitfulness in the land. This was pretty much related to the dealing of negative things for man's peaceful existence. Though the wells dug had water, due to the dispute, the blessing could not be enjoyed. There was a need for a proper base to enjoy God's blessings. When one was found, it was named Rehoboth, very similar in line with the judicial aspect of God's salvation when all the negative thingswere finally dealt with by the Lord at the cross by the shedding of His precious blood, as signified by the blood that flowed out of His pierced side in John 19:34.

Beer-sheeba

When Isaac went upto Beer-sheba, Jehovah God appeared again.

Genesis 26:24,25,32b,33

"And Jehovah appeared to him the same night and said, I am the God of Abraham your father. Do not be afraid, for I am with you, and I will bless you and multiply your seed for My servant Abraham's sake.

And he built an altar there and called upon the name of Jehovah and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac's servant dug well.....

We have found water. And he called it Shibah. Therefore, the name of the city is Beer-sheeba to this day."

In Beer-sheeba, there was no dispute with any one. Instead, Abimelech came to make peace with him and made an oath, a covenant, with him as the former witnessed the blessing of God upon the latter. "We plainly see that Jehovah is with you; (v.28a) ..You are now the blessed of Jehovah (v.29b.)"

This was in line with the organic aspect of God's salvation, when one begins to enjoy God's deeper work of growth, transformation and building up for the fulfillment of God's need. A step forward from Rehoboth which dealt mostly with man's need. In this place, Beer-sheeba, Isaac had further experience of Jehovah in His reappearing to reconfirm the blessings promised. The additional things he did were very significant. He did mainly three things:

1. built an altar there 

2. called upon the name of Jehovah and 

3. pitched his tent there

These three things are for God's satisfaction and for fulfilling God's purpose on the earth.

Note: Being Blessed is Not Maturity

However, being blessed does in no way guarantee one is mature in life. For in the case of Isaac in Genesis 27, his immaturity was out-rightly manifested in his lack of discernment when a false plot was laid at him by his beloved Rebecca and son Jacob. Vice versa may be true instead. A mature person always fulfill the requirements for God's blessings. 

Healing Word

Today the Lord showed me something that would hardly catch my attention, if not in sobriety and hunger. Though my attitude toward healing, particularly that of physical, are less important because of the widespread misuse by the charismatics, mostly for name and fame, rather than the true spiritual healing intended for, the Lord balanced me in my viewpoint to freshly appreciate a genuine healing touch by the Lord's healing word.

In Mathew 8:16, "And when evening fell, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed, and He cast out the spirits with a word, and all those who were ill He healed," Here is a succinct record of the Lord's healing with the His healing words. What was that healed any? It was the Lord, by His word! He healed the ills by His word. This is very interesting. While majority holds the concept that only a "healer" or specially anointed one can heal, as it is a gift. Well, that's not biblically false either, but the healing factor is the Lord's word, the word of God Himself, the word as the definition, explanation and expression of God in Christ as the Spirit! Going by this fact, actually any believer who has the rhema word can experience healing and can also heal. O what a discovery!

Psalm 107:20, "He sent forth His word and healed them, And He delivered them from the pitch of destruction." It is the word of God that heals. To me this applies to all the three parts of our being, our spirit, soul and body. The word of God can heal the abnormality in the physical body. The word of God can also heal the anxiety in the psychological soul. And the word of God can heal all the anomalies in the spirit too. These facts are out from a very subjective experiences the Lord has been gracing me with all these years. He heals our whole being with His words. Hallelujah!

Here's another reason why the word must be loved, read, digested and be constituted with. When the Lord was tempted in Mathew 4 by the devil with the misquoted words, He rightly quoted corresponding words and defeated the tempter. And similarly in Mathew 8, the casting out of the spirits (evil) was with the word ensuing healing. The word not only feeds, quenches and supplies, but also heals.

Watch

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober; watch. Your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking someone to devour.

Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

1 Corinthians 16:13 Watch, stand firm in the faith, be full-grown men, be strong.

The Lord's speaking is so direct and clear to me today. Many hours have been wasted in vanity of vanity chasing after the devil's bait, going a never ending merry-go-round in vicious circle.The devil knows too well how to lay trap and catch his prey. Therefore, I must be watchful. For the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking someone to devour. This has been my experience time and again. A little looseness, a little spiritual slumber is sufficient to be looped into the circle of nowhere. With this shortcoming, the Lord, in His mercy, has given me a strong word today, in fact, reminding me of my need for watchfulness. "Be sober; watch."

The Lord said well to his disciples to watch and pray that they might not enter into temptation. He also taught us to pray in this way, "And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one- Matthew 6:13a". Often, I took it for granted the grace and protection of the Lord. And in such nominality, I bait myself a delicious prey to the devil. And the result at best is repentance, and mostly an indulgence of the flesh, inducting me into a life of Romans 7, when I should be triumphing in Romans 8 by living and walking according to the spirit. Nevertheless, this failure taught me lessons of life in minute detail. Perhaps, a lesson learned the hard way. 

Recently, a brother and I were setting up an FTP network for office data synchronization and for which the password he sent was a reference of 1 Corinthians 16:13. When I read the verse, I was revived afresh. It was so striking that it made my adrenaline pumping as I digested it. Moreover, the verse so emphatic and timely, "Watch, stand firm in the faith, be full-grown men, be strong." This is indeed should be my daily password to log into my daily living to have an access to the holy of holies. The initiation of this living is worth the lesson learned, "Watch, stand firm in the faith, be full-grown men, be strong."

These are wake-up calls from spiritual stagnancy to be vitalized for the Lord's present move. How I thank the Lord for this lesson and I pray that I daily may exercise to be watchful.

Lord, grace be to be watchful all the time and pray.

Streams in the Desert!

Beginning this year the speaking of the Lord ever has been, "Streams in the Desert!"

Isaiah 35: 6b For water will break forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert.

This very verse, I have ministered and pray-read over and over again in the home meeting, small groups and in my official service fellowship. The Lord's word, even of old, is so fresh and living. Knowing the situation around me, both physical and spiritual, whether of family matter, personal or even the church, the scenery is that of  a "wilderness." But the Lord's speaking over and over again is, yes there may be desert and wilderness, but He will cause "water to break forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert!"

When, in our official meeting, I chose Isaiah 35 for pray-reading, the Spirit flowed forth like torrent. All the brothers were filled with exultation of joy, of hope, of encouragement. We enjoyed the Lord's fresh speaking so much so that I even personally felt, all the plans for this year has already been accomplished, by faith. Similarly this  applied to our church brothers' fellowship and prayer. Ground reality may still seem we are roaming in the wilderness, but the Lord will cause "water to break forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert!"

Today, in my reading of the word, the Lord echoed similar promise again. Isaiah 43:19b, 20b, "I will even make a way in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert,....Because I have given them water in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert, To give a drink to My people, My chosen ones."

What more can I say than a full hearted "Amen?" This truly is the Lord's speaking. What a grace, what a blessing! This is indeed becoming a mysterious hidden driving force for my service and living. All the names the Lord led me to jot down for prayer for specific answers are all of "wilderness" cases. In fact, many of those on my prayer list are, "hopeless" cases, to human observation, and I myself are often tempted to give them up, reasoning often, if I am wasting my time on them. But the inner voice whispers, "streams in the desert." This strengthened me to continue to bear all those on my list to continue to pray and intercede until there indeed is a bright shining manifestation of "streams in the desert." 

Lord, hasten that day.