Repair and Renew

Recently I learned a wonderful lesson from the Lord through my old cooler. This cooler was gifted to us about nine years ago by a brother who actually used it for himself for nine years. So the cooler is eighteen years old.  I could have thrown it off and buy a new one, but somehow I did not want to throw it when it can somehow be repaired. Therefore, I did my best to fix the motor and still make it work. The whole idea of a cooler is to generate cool air for this hot summer, especially for my children. After a few days of working on it, it now works as good as a new one. The lesson I learned is, what can be repaired must be repaired and not be discarded. Make use of what seems useless. This needs burden and skill. Not only for inorganic material things but also for people; turning the useless to be useful. 

In a similar line, I also learned the lesson of renewing overseas trip for training and conference that has been put on hold for a couple of years due to Covid. Since the Lord gave me the burden to renew attending this kind of training, I brought it to fellowship with the concerned brothers. After a couple of weeks, the Lord opened the door and made it possible for a brother and me to resume attending international training and conferences. What it took me was the burden, then the fellowship which made it practical.

In yet another similar case, as I was booking flight tickets for our overseas training trip, I realized that my passport needs renewal. Therefore, immediately I took action and did all the necessary filling up of forms for the renewal. In this way, the Lord taught me a simple yet important lesson on renewal. 

Taking timely action, and renewing matters and things before it gets expired are important lessons the Lord has been teaching me these days. The same applies to my need for daily renewal and revival to stay afresh in the Lord and in my service and function in the Body of Christ.

Lord, renew me day by day. 

Recovery of Brothers

On the 12th of May, while I was in Hyderabad, I was surprised yet joyful about the dream I just had the previous night. I woke up with the dream of two brothers who left the church life in my locality, Gurugram, being recovered back into the fellowship of the Body. These two brothers are local Hindi-speaking brothers and they love the Lord. Though they both were from denominational backgrounds they have the discernment as to what the Lord is recovering in the present age. They have been into Christianity for many years and are not void of its constitution either. Nevertheless, they faithfully proclaim the truth. 

One of the brothers is a much older brother in age. Since he lost his wife, he has been unconsciously suffering from depression. Therefore, his daughter has been taking good care of him and he just follows where his daughter leads him to fellowship on the Lord's day. This is the reason he has drifted away from the practical church life. But he is not satisfied there either as he already tasted the truth in the church life. Since he felt the teachings there are kind of "childish" in comparison to what he has been fed with the ministry of the age. He gradually stops attending those meetings even. For important matters, he still keeps in touch with a brother and generally gives his things to the saints in the church life. Recently, he had shifted his house and given a good number of household items and dresses to the saints. Proving that his heart is still with the church here, though he could not regularly meet with the saints. This is one of the brothers the Lord showed me coming back to practice the church life together with all the saints again. I receive this dream by faith and I do believe, the Lord has done it.

The other brother is a much younger one. I have been in fellowship with him since the time he came into the church life. A few months ago, he began to be late to the meetings, and gradually also missed the meetings on the Lord's day. At one point in time. he proposed to meet the churches in India for his secular agenda which we did not encourage him as the church cannot be mixed with the things of the world however good they may seem to be. This perhaps, is one reason that upset and discouraged him. Then one day, he left the church's WhatsApp group but was brought back immediately by a brother. A few weeks later, he left again. this time, it sent a shock wave to my being. I and a few brothers tried to contact him by phone or text message, but he decline to respond. I realized that he has not been properly shepherded despite my view of him as a strong brother. The Lord opened my eyes to see that people change and that every saint needs proper shepherding-fellowship and also a proper human care. In my personal prayer, in our family prayer, and in the brothers' prayer, we started praying for his recovery. The Lors is faithful to answer this prayer much sooner than I expected.

When I saw the dream of his recovery, I was filled with hope. And this hope turned into reality a few days after my dream. He texted me and said "Sorry" for not responding to me. Immediately, I texted him back and promised to meet him as soon as I return back to Gurugram as I was still traveling then. Promptly, he replied in the affirmative. 

Once I came back, I called him and made an appointment with him. I and a brother went to visit him and asked him to speak about his feelings and whatever he may want to speak about. He stated two reasons for leaving the church life temporarily. The first is, he is desperate and discouraged in the church not bearing fruit for the increase. The second is the issue of marriage. In the two points, we agreed with his observations. In fact, I personally testified to him of my desperateness too for the increase in the church life in our locality, Gurugram. And that he and we all should stand together for the increase. To the second point on marriage, I let him know that a sister was actually proposed to him when he first came into the church life, but he rejected it. Therefore, he cannot say that we did not do anything for the single saints concerning their marriages. In fact, I share my burden that if all the single saints would simply open to the Lord for His choice and they all give up their preferences, they all would have been married and become fathers and mothers by now. In the two points, we fellowshipped and came to a mutual understanding of the situation as the church we are in. Then we prayed together, and I promised to have a home meeting with him regularly to which he readily agree. And the following Lord's day, he resumed his coming to the Lord's table meeting. He has been recovered back into the church life and also into the church's WhatApp group. 

May the Lord continue to shepherd him to become a pillar for the Lord's testimony and recover his whole household members too for the church life.

Praise the Lord for the recovery of the brothers!

Shepherding Fellowship

Last Friday night, we had a time of fellowship with a visiting brother and gave him a free hand to fellowship whatever he was burdened to fellowship with us, the saints in the church inGurugram. After a time of love-feast, the Lord gave him, our brother, the timely word that we need so much, on the line of shepherding.

After the disciples, especially Peter denied the Lord and backslide, the Lord came to recover him step by step unto the point he became an apostle who brought thousands to the Lord Jesus Christ through his gospel preaching as recorded in the book of Acts. This is how the Lord shepherded Peter despite his unstable testimony and unfaithfulness to his own word to the Lord Jesus.

Peter took the lead to go back to the world, his forsaken profession and took along with him six other disciples of the Lord Jesus.

Jn 21:1 After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. And He manifested Himself in this way:

Jn 21:2 Simon Peter and Thomas, called Didymus, and Nathanael from Cana of Galilee and the sons of Zebedee and two others of His disciples were there together.

Jn 21:3 Simon Peter said to them, I am going fishing. They said to him, We also are coming with you. They went forth and got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.

Miracle #1

However, the Lord came and did miracle after miracle. Despite them being professional fishermen, and despite seven of them fishing the whole night, miraculously they caught nothing. Zero fish! 

They went forth and got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.

The Lord came in the morning to meet them and asked them a question He himself already knew.

Jn 21:4 Now as soon as the morning broke, Jesus stood on the shore; however the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

Jn 21:5 Then Jesus said to them, Little children, you do not have any fish to eat, do you? They answered Him, No.

Miracle #2

The Lord instructed them in the morning to cast their net on the right side. The timing and the location of fishing was totally illogical. Nevertheless, he obeyed the Lord's word and did accordingly. Then, they caught an abundance of fish. The total number of large fish they caught was 153.

Jn 21:6 And He said to them, Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some. They cast therefore, and they were no longer able to haul it in because of the abundance of fish. 

Jn 21:11 Simon Peter therefore went up and hauled the net to the land full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three; and though there were so many, the net was not torn.

Miracle #3

Though they caught an abundance of fish which was according to the Lord's word, still the Lord did not use even what He blessed them with. For, He wanted to show to them that they should not depend on even what He blessed them with, but they should solely and absolutely depend on the Lord Jesus alone. So, He did not feed them with the fish they caught, but He already prepared fish on the shore, readily cooked to be eaten for breakfast.

Jn 21:9 Then when they got out onto the land, they saw a fire of coals laid there, and fish lying on it and bread.

Jn 21:10 Jesus said to them, Bring some of the fish that you have just now caught.

Jn 21:12 Jesus said to them, Come and have breakfast. But none of the disciples dared to inquire of Him, Who are you? knowing that it was the Lord.

Jn 21:13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and the fish likewise.

The Lord Jesus asked Peter three times, "Do you love me?" And each time, He charge him to shepherd his sheep.

Jn 21:15 Then when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these? He said to Him, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. He said to him, Feed My lambs.

Jn 21:16 He said to him again a second time, Simon, son of John, do you love Me? He said to Him, Yes, Lord, You know that I love You. He said to him, Shepherd My sheep.

Jn 21:17 He said to him the third time, Simon, son of John, do you love Me? Peter was grieved that He said to him the third time, Do you love Me? And he said to Him, Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You. Jesus said to him, Feed My sheep.

In this way of shepherding, the Lord fully recovered Peter from his backsliding and the Lord established him to be a shepherd to shepherd the flock of God.

The Lord reckoned the believers as His sheep and Himself as the Shepherd. Sheep have many wonderful characteristics:

1. Always flock together
2. Cannot live alone, when being alone could not feed properly
3. Could survive alone for only upto seven days
4. Had dim eyes, so they used their ears to hear the ones next to them. They simply followed the ones nearest to them
5. Knows their shepherd and 
6. Follow their shepherd 
7. They are meek

These should be how we live our Christian life, like a sheep always following our Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ. And also function as a shepherd to shepherd our new ones, not to leave anyone unattended, but to visit them at least once a week.

I was so much shepherded by this fellowship. My daughter herself enjoyed this fellowship so much so that she shared it after the meeting and she also shared the same point of her enjoyment today in the church meeting today.

May all the lost sheep be recovered through the shepherding of us as the saints' shepherds.

Two Brothers' Baptisms

Since 2008, I have been in a brotherly yet house owner-tenant relationship with the physical house owner of which I have been a resident and his tenant to date. As a Christian brother, I have also been praying for my brother's family to be shepherded into the church life and his children to be saved. Now and then, in our family prayers, we have been praying for them. In the past few months, I have received a message from him concerning his sons' baptism that he would want me and the brothers in the church to help them baptize. In fact, it has also been our prayer that the entire family be saved and brought into the church life. At the beginning of this month, I received an email and a WhatsApp message from my brother requesting prayer for the baptism of his two sons and also that I could baptize them. I brought this matter to the Lord and also fellowshipped with the brothers in the church in Gurugram. After I came back from a trip to Hyderabad, I proposed 21 June for the baptism. Somehow they could not make it.  Meanwhile, we have been praying, and a few days ago I received a message that they would be coming today, the 28th of May for the baptism.

Today morning, they all came and attended the meeting. After the meeting, as the church we prayed for the baptsim of the two brothers and I released the burden concerning believing and baptism with an emphasis on the seven significances of water baptism. 

Believing and Baptsim: First, believing, and only then, baptism.
Mk 16:16He who believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he who does not believe shall be condemned.

Fulfilling the Righteous Requirement of God
Rm 6:4We have been buried therefore with Him through baptism into His death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so also we might walk in newness of life.
Identification with the Death of Jesus
Rm 6:3Or are you ignorant that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?  
Identification with the Resurrection of Jesus
Rm 6:5For if we have grown together with Him in the likeness of His death, indeed we will also be in the likeness of His resurrection.
Termination of the old man and germination of the new man
Mt 3:13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him.
Mt 3:14But John tried to prevent Him, saying, It is I who have need of being baptized by You, and You come to me?
Mt 3:15But Jesus answered and said to him, Permit it for now, for it is fitting for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness. Then he permitted Him.
Open declaration, a witness, and a testimony
Mt 3:16And having been baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon Him.
Mt 3:17And behold, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is My Son, the Beloved, in whom I have found My delight.
Entrance into the kingdom of God
Jn 3:5Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Becoming member of the Body of Christ

1Co 12:13For also in one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and were all given to drink one Spirit.

After the ministry of the word, first, the younger brother was baptised. Later, the elder brother made a fuss about some mistreatments he met in the past by some so-called "Christians" in the past. However, we fellowshipped with him and helped him to know the differences bewteen those who believe into so-called Jesus' "photos" and do not live a normal Christian life and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Then, I also mentioned the difference between the soul and the spirit and that in the soul many negative points may be there concerning the so-called Christians but that is not the key point. The key point is beliveing in the spirit and receiving the Lord as simple as calling upon the Name of the Lord Jesus. We helped him to call upon the Lord's name, then he was willing and finally took water baptism. Thus, the two brothers were baptized!

The Lord answered the prayer of their parent and also the prayers of the church. Hallelujah!

May the Lord cause them to grow in the divine life for the testimony of Jesus! 

Sisters' Training

A brother came to visit us in the church inGurugram. A service was assigned to me to drive him to New Delhi for sisters' training. As such, I was given the opportunity to participate in his fellowship with the sisters. I was so supplied and learned a lot from our brother's ministry to the sisters. The highlight of this speaking to the sisters is below.

Sisters are very important in the church life. Generally speaking, two-third of the saints in local churches are sisters. Sisters being the majority, as per church history, most of the church problems also stems from them directly or indirectly. Therefore, it is imperative to shepherd sisters that they become channels of blessing. If so, the church life will be full of blessing. They can change the tide of the church towards blessing.

God created man, and women was built out of man to be a counter to man and also that man and woman may multiply.

“And Jehovah God built the rib, which He had taken from the man, into a woman and brought her to the man.” (Genesis 2:22, RecVer)

Rib protects the lungs and heart. Women being built out of rib signifies the sisters' function in taking care of her husband's heart and lungs. The heart of man is vital for his living and the lung is for breathing without which man cannot live. Therefore, the sisters' function is to take care of her husband's "breathing and heart" so that he can be healthy and be useful to the Lord. 

“And Jehovah God said, It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper as his counterpart.” (Genesis 2:18, RecVer)

“And God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. And God blessed them; and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of heaven and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.” (Genesis 1:27-28, RecVer)

Despite this wonderful purpose of God in making man and his counterpart, woman, man fell due to his wife's insubordination to her husband.

There are four categories of family:

1. Man and Woman functions as women: Husband is not functioning like a man making decision nor his wife. This is abnormal.
2. Man and Woman functions as men: Husband and wife tries to take the headship for the family. This is also abnormal.
3. Woman functions like Man, her husband, and Husband functions like Woman, his wife: Woman as the head is improper and husband not functioning as the head is also abnormal.
4. Man as husband, woman as wife: This is normal.

The teaching of the pure of God concerning husbands and wives.

Husbands must love his own wife

“Husbands, love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her That He might sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing of the water in the word, That He might present the church to Himself glorious, not having spot or wrinkle or any such things, but that she would be holy and without blemish. In the same way the husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his own wife loves himself.” (Ephesians 5:25-28, RecVer)

Husbands must care for his wife as a weaker vessel

“Husbands, in like manner dwell together with them according to knowledge, as with the weaker, female vessel, assigning honor to them as also to fellow heirs of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.” (1 Peter 3:7, RecVer)

Wife must take care of the following towards her husband

1. Subject to her own husband
2. Pure manner of life, holy, not worldly, but excellent 
3. Adorning with the hidden man of the heart with meek and quite spirit;  No outward plaiting of hair;  Ornaments of gold;    Fashionable garment. True beauty is in the hidden man of the heart, a life living in the spirit
4. Called her husband Lord
5. Weaker vessel relying on her husband

“In like manner, wives, be subject to your own husbands, that even if any disobey the word, they will be gained without the word through the manner of life of their wives, Seeing with their own eyes your pure manner of life in fear. Let your adorning not be the outward plaiting of hair and putting on of gold or clothing with garments, But the hidden man of the heart in the incorruptible adornment of a meek and quiet spirit, which is very costly in the sight of God. For in this manner formerly the holy women also, who hoped in God, adorned themselves, being subject to their own husbands, As Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord; whose children you have become, if you do good and do not fear any terror.”  (1 Peter 3:1-6, RecVer)

Take care of children meeting, especially caring for neighbourhood children for the sake of the gospel.

Husbands are like elders, sisters are like deacons, and children like saints. Enjoy sweet family group meeting. Eat together as a family. Husband and wife are one flesh and one vessel.

For single saints, brothers should be in "deep sleep" like Adam trusting in the Lord.

“And Jehovah God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh in its place.” (Genesis 2:21, RecVer)

Sisters should be like Rebecca, diligent and acting for others.

“And she hurried and let down her pitcher from her shoulder and said, Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink. So I drank, and she also gave the camels a drink.” (Genesis 24:46, RecVer)

Additional points I learned from another brother's speaking concerning wive are:

1. Love their husbands
2. Love their children
3. Be of a sober mind
4. Pure
5. Workers at home
6. Good
7. Subject to their own husbands

“Older women likewise to be in demeanor as befits those who engage in sacred things, not slanderers, nor enslaved by much wine, teachers of what is good, That they may train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, To be of a sober mind, pure, workers at home, good, subject to their own husbands, that the word of God would not be blasphemed.” (Titus 2:3-5, RecVer)

It was my first time attending sisters' training. The Lord supplied me richly with his fresh speaking. Though it was for sisters, I learned many new things for myself as a husband too.

May the Lord bless all the sisters to be proper godly sisters in their homes for the church life.

Manipur: Forgive Us As We Also Forgive

The Lord's prayer is the prayer that I prayed or rather recited the most during my school days in Manipur. Growing up in a Christian environment, this prayer has been recited over and over again in almost every Christian meeting. Be it in a family prayer, church meeting, or even in a school assembly, this prayer has been memorized by most Christians and can be recited at any moment in time. This is the only prayer, perhaps, that needs no preparation. It just comes out naturally. Even in the slip of tongue, this prayer will be recited flawlessly. But the sad truth is, it is just a piece of formal and religious prayer. The application and experience of this prayer are the need of the time. This is a very urgent need now in Manipur, especially for those who know and pray the Lord's prayer.

The Manipur mayhem has manifold interpretations depending upon who interprets it. The reasons behind these ethnic clashes are varied. It is hard to fully believe in one party's interpretation. Some political, some religious, some social, and even some economical. Maybe a blend of all. No matter what, at least one of the warring parties is a professing Christian, if not the other. I myself am a "tribal" by Government categorization, and a Christian by faith. I never believed in being a "tribal." I believe in being a man created by God equally like any other human. And more importantly, I am a child of God, a Christian. My belief is purely on the word of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. I stand by my faith in Jesus Christ and the holy word of God. To me, there is only one supreme Authority, God. And only one holy Book, the Holy Bible. Since the Bible taught me the Lord's prayer, I believe in it and I pray that this prayer be my living as well. But what is the content of the prayer? 

Our Father who is in the heavens, Your name be sanctified;

Your kingdom come; Your will be done, as in heaven, so also on earth.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

For if you forgive men their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you also;

But if you do not forgive men their offenses, neither will your Father forgive your offenses.  Matthew 6:9-15

Your name be sanctified

For the Father's name to be sanctified, the believers who are the children of the Father God must be sanctified. Sanctification is separation from the world outwardly and transformation from the natural man inwardly. For this prayer to be true and real, today's Christians, be it tribal or non-tribal alike, must abstain from anything sinful and worldly. Such as the present civil war, ethnic clashes, mob violence, rioting, looting, burning, and killing.

Your kingdom come

For the Father's kingdom to come, today's Christians, be it tribal or non-tribal alike, must seek the kingdom of the Father, not fight for the kingdom on the earth. God never promised His children an earthly kingdom. On the contrary, He taught His children to pray for His kingdom to come down to the earth, and not build a kingdom on the earth. So this prayer itself annuls the need to fight for the so-called "motherland", for there is none. We only have the Father's kingdom, our Fatherland coming down to the earth.

Your will be done

For the Father's will to be done, today's Christians, be it tribal or non-tribal alike, must seek only the will of the Father, not their tribal or non-tribal's will, not even the natural human good will, nor even the government's will. But only God's will.

Even if the Lord's prayer be only these few phrases, "Your name be sanctified; Your kingdom come; Your will be done, as in heaven, so also on earth," there is no need for vengeful retaliation at least from the professing Christians' side.

Furthermore, the prayer says, "Do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one." Should this prayer be sincerely prayed, all the Christians should overcome the temptation of the enemy to give an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, but be delivered from the indulgence into this temptation. 

Now a very important word of the Lord Jesus from the Holy Bible:

For if you forgive men their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you also;

But if you do not forgive men their offenses, neither will your Father forgive your offenses.

If we are being wronged and offended, then we must forgive those who wrong us and offended us. If we wrong or offend others, then we must ask for forgiveness from those whom we wronged or offended. Only then the Father will also forgive us our wrongs and offenses.

And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us into temptation. Luke 11:4

My daily prayer for Manipur these days has been for God the Father to bind His enemy who instigated and committed this mayhem through lawless and Godless men. So that, the God of peace may reign over the entire state and bring in mass forgiveness by the Father's divine love. 

Prayer for Christians

I pray for the Christians to pray the Lord's prayer again with all truthfulness that this prayer indeed be their living testimony as well. If wronged, forgive; if wrong, ask forgiveness. And may this turn out to the revival of all the professing Christians.

Prayer for Non-Christians

I pray for the non-Christians to be saved. That the eyes of their darkened mind be enlightened to see and know the living and loving God who desires all men to be saved and for whom the Lord Jesus Christ has died an all-inclusive death for the redemption of all mankind to those who believe.

Lord, bring peace to the people of Manipur! Let love prevail and let there be forgiveness by Your forgiveness. Have mercy on us all, Lord! 

Lord, forgive us our sins as we also forgive those who sin against us!

Lessons from Uzziah

Today, as I was studying the Bible from the book of 2 Chronicles, the Lord taught me some important lessons. I was so much enlightened to see what God did with His people and how He did it. Today, He is still doing His work with the same principle. 

Uzziah was made king at the early age of sixteen. Initially, he did what was right in sight of Jehovah and he set himself to seek after God. But the Bible also says, "As long as he sought after Jehovah, God caused him to prosper." Meaning, if he did not seek God, he may not be prosperous. This was conditional. So, Uzziah sought God and was blessed.

2Ch 26:3Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Jechiliah, from Jerusalem.
2Ch 26:4And he did what was right in the sight of Jehovah, according to all that Amaziah his father had done.
2Ch 26:5And he set himself to seek after God during the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the vision of God; and as long as he sought after Jehovah, God caused him to prosper.
2Ch 26:6And he went out and waged war against the Philistines. And he broke down the wall of Gath and the wall of Jabneh and the wall of Ashdod, and he built cities in the vicinity of Ashdod and among the Philistines.
2Ch 26:7And God helped him against the Philistines and against the Arabians who dwelt in Gur-baal and against the Meunim.
2Ch 26:15And in Jerusalem he made machines, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and at the corners for shooting with arrows and great stones. And his fame went out far abroad, for he was marvelously helped until he was strong.

But what alarmed me was what happened to Uzziah after he was blessed by God. He became proud and he trespassed against God. No doubt, he was the king but he overstepped his function. He presumed authority over the services in the temple and arrogantly tried to burn incense upon the altar which was ordained only for the designated priests. The result was, he was judged by God and became leprous until the day of his death and was also cut off from the house of Jehovah. What a terrible ending! What a warning we have to pay heed to!

2Ch 26:16But when he had become strong, his heart became uplifted, to his own destruction. And he trespassed against Jehovah his God and went into the temple of Jehovah to burn incense upon the incense altar.
2Ch 26:17And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with Azariah were eighty priests of Jehovah who were valiant men.
2Ch 26:18And they withstood Uzziah the king and said to him, It does not belong to you, Uzziah, to burn incense to Jehovah, but to the priests, the sons of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary, for you have trespassed and there will be no honor for you from Jehovah God.
2Ch 26:19Then Uzziah became angry, and in his hand was a censer for burning incense. And when he became angry with the priests, leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in the house of Jehovah beside the incense altar.
2Ch 26:20And Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and there he was, leprous on his forehead; and they rushed him out of there, and he himself also hurried out to go out, for Jehovah had stricken him.
2Ch 26:21So Uzziah the king was a leper until the day of his death; and he dwelt in a separate house as a leper, for he was cut off from the house of Jehovah. And Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.

Learning these spiritual lessons from the life of Uzziah, I humble myself before God and pray for His mercy that by His grace, I may be preserved in humility and stay within the boundary God has drawn for my spiritual function. Especially, when there are blessings or successes, I must be much more exercised and walk in humility. I must take the Lord as my grace to not overstep my function nor presume to be somebody at all. I must stay within my limit and just be what He wants me to be. What He graces me, that is the best, and I shall seek for nothing more or nothing less. He knows the best.

Lord, preserve me by Your grace, in success or in failure, at hard times or good times, to always seek after You and never overstep my function.