Principles of Service

The Lord has been teaching me some precious lessons since I came to serve Him. And I have been sharing some precious principles in service whenever I meet with the Lord's serving ones. Some of these principles are:

1. The Presence of God: The first and formost matter I take care of is "the presence of God." In fact, priest, by definition is, serving ones of the Lord by being in the presence of God. There can be no service to God without being in the presence of God. In the Old Testament, the priest could serve only by being in the temple premise. There was no other place where they could serve. In the New Testament too, without being in the presence of God, we cannot serve God.
2. Prayer and Prayer Life: By being in the presence of God, one is in fellowship with God in prayer. Such a living should be a normal lifestyle of the serving ones. A genuine service always issues from God as the source, with the power of the Holy Spirit as the means, and the glory of God as the goal. For such, prayer and prayer life of the serving ones is a must.
3. The Word of God and the Pursuit of the Truths: In serving, the only thing to serve with is the Lord's speaking, the word of God. Without the word of God, there is nothing one can serve God with. Lest, it will be a mere social work. Therefore, the inevitability of the pursuit and constitution of the word of God.
4. Coordination in the Body: In the Bible, serving as priest is always in the priesthood, the corporate body of priests. No genuine and complete service of God can be accomplished by individuals. There have to be coordination among all. Mutuality and interdependence are needed for serving the Lord. Many servants of God have failed this test, and their service has become divided ministries leading to confusion and division in the Body of Christ. The present state of Christianity is the culprit, and the victim, and the issue of individualistic service.
5. Building up the Body of Christ as the Goal of Every Service: Every service of the Lord has a goal, the building up of the Body of Christ. Any service that does not build up the Body of Christ is not a service of the Lord at all. At best it could be individualistic ministry, and at worst, a social work. The goal of every Christian work must be the building up of the Body of Christ.

Ephesians 4:10-12
He who descended, He is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens that He might fill all things. And He Himself gave some as apostles and some as prophets and some as evangelists and some as shepherds and teachers, For the perfecting of the saints unto the work of the ministry, unto the building up of the Body of Christ.

These are no mere teachings of my own, but I have learned them from the word of God through the ministry literature, and tested them in subjective experiences. Therefore, in all of my services, I look to the Lord for His precious leading in prayer, by being in and exercising to be in His presence, cross-checking and confirming with the word of God, with and in fellowship with the Body of Christ, also with fellow coordinating members, and with a view of the building up of the Body of Christ. The ongoing and all the ministry literature journey that I have undertaken so far were and are in line with the principles of service as learned and documented above.

Lord, grace me serve as You so desires.

Hindi for God's Economy

As an Indian and living in North India, Hindi, the language most spoken among the locals, is a must learn. Though I understand the common market Hindi and also have picked up enough Hindi for gospel preaching and can even lead people to salvation, still there is a great lack in my vocabulary to be able to shepherd the new believers. In many home meetings, I am simply ashamed to depend on translator, for I am yet to pick up the skill to be language independent.

Many brothers have emphasized the need for learning Hindi well to be able to minister to the locals, yet this precious fellowship has been sidelined for long, to my own disadvantage. I did try many unsuccessful attempts though. But this time, seriously and systematically.

The Lord knows my need, which is His need too. This time in the ministry literature journey, while in Aizawl I came across a Hindi New Testament Bible in Roman script in one of the Christian bookstores. Immediately I purchased it and felt it was the Lord's appointment for my learning Hindi, especially biblical vocabulary. Praise the Lord! Since then, I have been reading two chapters of the Bible in Hindi, out loud, everyday. 

My burden to learn is not merely for linguistic purpose. It is purely for God's economy. As a serving ones and called ones of the Lord, and being an Indian in India, Hindi is needed not merely for communication in general, but much more for the ministering of the word of God. Ministering the word in English and Hindi may convey the same burden and meaning, but the reception by the Hindi speakers, the locals, would be quite different. Heart to heart connection between the minister and the ministered will definitely be sweeter and stronger in the same "mother tongue." Therefore, it's my burden to learn Hindi for God's economy.

The best way to learn a language is by reading the Bible in that language out loud. That's how I learned English too, some two decades ago. So is my Hindi lesson.

Lord, grace me to learn Hindi thoroughly well for Your divine economy.

Change

I have been informed and educated of many health tips, but it has been remaining merely as a "doctrine." Though I tried to take care of my health in every possible way, I really was never successful. Even my wife tried to help me but not very effective. The main concern is on food habit, especially rice, which has been my staple food since childhood. 

This time on my trip to the North East, things changed drastically for good. Though I did not try it hard to diet, my appetite was under control and I could overcome the matter of eating. In spite of all the good and tasty food offered to me by various families, the Lord graced me to eat only what was needed. Overeating has been dealt with. To me this is a big break through. Such a change can happen only by the Lord's mercy. What I have been trying for years has now become a reality. I hardly try to control my diet this time too, but it was simply under control.

This reminds me of various addiction people have been under bondage. Addiction is addiction, be it of good things or bad things. Food addiction is as bad as drug addiction. All are addictions. And the way to overcome is by the Lord's grace only. Change in anything is possible with the Lord's grace. This time I could experience it myself. Praise the Lord!

It does take the grace of God to undergo change for the better in any walk of life. At the right time, as one is longing and praying for, changes happens. The same applies to any habit. Even sleeping time and getting up time, my habit and timing has been changed. Praise the Lord for His wonder-working change.

Change is needed not just in spiritual matters, but much more in down to earth physical matters too. Even in things, which people deemed good.

Change for the better. Change by God's grace.

Two Principals

Last week, it was amazing to meet two principals of reputed colleges in Dimapur. Though not planned, it had happened as the Lord willed it. 

The first one was a well known Christian college. The fellowship with him began with the introduction of the ministry books which impressed him so much though he came to know us for the first time. Sensing the need for him to know the ministry I gifted him two books and a New Testament Bible, Recovery Version. I have the faith that he will read it and the Lord will touch him and bless him with the Lord's speaking. Our fellowship with him was so good that he even offered hospitality if I were to visit again. He even invited me for a Christian books exhibition in the campus and also introduced two people he recommended to meet. The relationship we established was very pleasant. Praise the Lord this blessing!

Another Principal was a smart and intelligent lady who heads up her own college. We had fellowship with her for a couple of hours with sharing of testimonies and the word of God. Besides introducing the ministry literature, I also shared my testimony of salvation and how the Lord called me to serve. Having been so impressed she even called a student leader to be in the fellowship. I also emphasized the need for the best and the highest education in serving the Lord, as a testimony of Jesus wherever the Lord placed us, in whichever profession. It was encouraging to fellowship with a college Principal who was burdened for the Lord's testimony; who even gave up a high post government job to start a private college to impart value education with biblical truths. 

What I appreciated the most was the Principals' love and zeal for the Lord even in their busy schedule of the secular life. As Principals they tried to reach out to their students with the word of God, trying to impart biblical values through various channels; prayer cells, Bible studies and counselling. What was even more touching was, since they were not from theological background and yet were burdened to serve the Lord, they collected as many Christian literature as possible and find time to study them. In fact, to me they were more living and constituted with the word than the normal and mundane "pastors."

These meetings with the Principals impacted me more than all the theological and religious leaders I have met so far. They seem to love the Lord more and pursue the truth more and bear more living testimonies.

From the two Principals, I derive two principles of service: pursuing Christ by pursuing the truths and serving in ones own profession. 

Nagaland for Christ and the Church (4)

Mokokchung. This beautiful town of Nagaland, teeming with greens everywhere and refreshing with a breath of fresh air, is my next stop. Besides meeting with the main Christian leaders and Bible colleges we had a time of fellowship with a youth leader and a church pastor. Both were quite open to the truth. Especially the pastor was so open that we could release boldly the truth concerning Christ and the church. The anointing and flow of life was so strong that I had to control myself not to speak too much. But he liked and appreciated it. For we spoke the truth of the Bible and the subjectivity of the teachings therein. The Lord only knows what is in His heart.

Besides, we also spent time fellowshipping with a sister who is a professor of the leading college in town. Out of curiosity she asked us a couple of questions which turned out to be topics for fellowship concerning our faith, our practice of a Christian life and the church life. At the end, we requested her to pray when she prayed thanking the Lord for revealing to her many new truths in the Bible. She appreciated the truths so much that she even wished, she were we. We also met with a brother to whom we ministered some fundamental truths of the Bible, the issue of which is a fellowship to be started with his friends from the coming Lord's day, tomorrow. And we also met with a family of a brother to whom we ministered basic Christian truths and prayed together.

To all that we met, there was a mentioning of some "satanic group" prevalent these days in the town. My sincere response was, if such a group could come in and have a hold among the Christians, there must be something terribly wrong with the Christians themselves. I was very strong to emphasize the need for believer to have a sweet fellowship with the Lord, in prayer and in the word. Without these, the believers cannot grow and thereby are exposed to satanic attacks. Without the living of Christ in the Christian's life, there can be no testimony of Jesus. No wonder, the town is exposed to satanic attacks. The only panacea and inoculation against the forces of darkness is the Lord Jesus Christ as the Spirit in our spirit and the word of God.

I believe for this reason of spiritual depravity, the Lord has brought us here in Nagaland.

Nagaland for Christ and the Church.

Nagaland for Christ and the Church (3)

After our visit to Dimapur and Kohima we came to Wokha. The Lord arranged our hospitality in the bungalow of a Principal of Government college. Then we were invited to minister to a group of about 90 students and to the teachers as well. The burden released was on a Christian life; specifically on regeneration and growth in life with personal testimony. This burden has been continually weighing in me for Nagaland. A healthy Christian life and normal growth in life is what the Lord has been speaking to different group of Christians in this state. Even our visit to various Christian leaders and introduction of the ministry literature always was clubbed with the mentioning of the growth in life.

I am nobody to judge anybody, but as I observe the situation here, among my own fellow Nagas, I sensed a deep and urgent need for a proper feeding on spiritual food and a normal growth in life. A Christian state must be christian in outlook and in reality as well. The fate of the state's infrastructure and economy is not what is deemed of a Christian. The local people I conversed to, directly or indirectly, complained of corruption. This definitely does not behooves a Christian state. So my burden for "Nagaland for Christ and the Church" is all the more deeper. 

As we gathered for fellowship this afternoon, with the local residents, some teachers and students, the Lord burdened me on "the Priesthood." I released my burden with definite emphasis on the "whats" and "who" of a priest with supporting Bible verses. The points I strongly emphasized were:

• a priest is a person who lives in the presence of God
• a priest is a person who represents men to God
• a priest is a person who represents God to man
• a priest is a person who serves God

Exodus 19:6   And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the children of Israel.Isaiah 61:6   But you will be called the priests of Jehovah; / People will speak of you as the ministers of our God. / You will eat the wealth of nations, / And you will boast in their glory.1 Peter 2:5   You yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house into a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.1 Peter 2:9   But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people acquired for a possession, so that you may tell out the virtues of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

I also strongly emphasized with biblical references that all Christian are priest by virtue of our spiritual birth and should live and function as priests.

This kind of serving as a priest is surely versus religion. I released this burden with the faith that these seekers and lovers of the Lord would one day be a transforming agents and channels of blessings to Nagaland. And that through such a recovery of the priesthood among the believers, as most of the locals are Christians, the Lord will have a way to fulfill the burden, "Nagaland for Christ and the Church."  

Nagaland for Christ and the Church (2)

After the visit to Dimapur, we visited Kohima, the capital city of Nagaland. This is the city that has the signboard "Nagaland for Christ." Whenever I heard this, the Lord reminded me of the church as well, and I modified it as "Nagaland for Christ and the Church."

In this city, the Lord led us to four Bible Colleges where we spent considerable time of fellowship with the Principals/Vice Principals, and they all purchased our books. To my surprise, all the Principals we met appreciated the ministry books so much. All of them purchased the books and said they would order more books. What more satisfying was not just the introduction and distribution, but the fellowship on the word of God. Especially on some crucial truths of the Bible, like God's economy, the Church, the Christian life etc.

Besides, we also fellowshipped with five seeking local families who were just open for the Lord's speaking and visitation. Our consideration was that if we could release our burden in one day we would move on to the next station immediately. However, the Lord led us to stay back one more day in a brother's house who was so open to the truth and wanted to serve the Lord. Initially, we ministered on the truth of a Christian life and the church-life. Though he agreed to all that we spoke, he seemed to have his own way of serving the Lord in a denominational way. But as the fellowship went on he showed interest in coming to the training and inquired many details. In fact, we ended up staying overnight in his house for more fellowship. After hours of fellowship, he expressed his desire to come to Delhi or Gurgaon to see the church life, or even possibly, join short term training. He is a degree holder with MD in theology, just because he wanted to serve the Lord. 

This brother, to me, may be the Lord's chosen vessel for this city. Of course, the Bible colleges too took the books, and perhaps, many of them would have an access to the ministry books. I just believe that the Lord would gain the younger generation for His move in this Christian dominated state. And one day, the modified version of the signboard would come true, "Nagaland for Christ and the Church."