Note of Appreciation

Today, our children's school teacher requested us to write something about our experience of the school where all our three children have been studying. For multiple reasons, we have chosen this school. In fact, from the very beginning, the Lord led us to admit our children into this school. Over the years, we have realized that this is the best school for our children on every aspect. Acdemically, location wise, and for many practical reasons, this is what the Lord has arranged for us, and it's the best. The main point is that this is the Lord's sovereign provision for our children's education and their holistic learning as preparation for their perfecting in their humanity.  Ultimately, our prayer has been that they all become useful vessels to the Lord, containing and expressing God in their living. And our burden is to give our children the best education for the sake of the Lord and His divine economy.

Initially, when my wife told me to write something, I told her to draft the content. And I did the polishing. Together, we wrote our appreciation of the school and sent it to the teacher.  To the best of my knowledge, this is our genuine appreciation for over ten years of experience with the school.

We are the happy parents of our three children studying at Summer Fields School! Our children have been enjoying their school life from the very beginning. They have been motivated by their teachers through the exciting school curriculum and the friendly-cum-homely environment the school has provided. We sincerely appreciate the ways teachers have been taking care of the students and how innovatively they interacted with them. They are not only focusing on the students’ academic performances and studies but also on their personal holistic development. This helps them develop their talents in a very fine way. Through the courses of EFL (Education for Life), the teachers nurture life ethics and moral values through practical, engaging, and enjoyable sessions. The students were recognized for the values they embody and have been constituted with overtime.

Talking about activities and functions in the school, in addition to the sports day, annual day, and assemblies, there are different kinds of workshops, book week, science week, etc. These provided the students with many opportunities to participate in, be trained to express themselves, and be gradually perfected in their humanity. 

For instance, one of our daughters was naturally shy to speak in public. However, after she participated in a science exhibition through the encouragement of her teacher, she started to build up her confidence. Now, she actively participates in many kinds of school activities.

Talking about infrastructure, the school provides good facilities for the students to learn and enjoy their school time. The ambience in the school causes our children to feel like going to school every day. We sincerely appreciate our children's school, Summer Fields School, and in fact, we reckon it as our own. 

Thank you!

By the way, as we have also been praying for our children's education, we have also been praying for the salvation of some of their friends, classmates, and teachers. Our children are the gospel seeds where they can impart the divine life to their friends and their friends' families in a way of living out the divine life imparted to them through the word of God in the family and in the church. I believe, for this reason, the Lord has placed us in this part of the world. All for His divine purpose. 

Lord, bless our children to be a channel of blessing to their friends and teachers.

Turning Seventeen

Today, the 27th of February, our eldest daughter Bliss turned seventeen. It was indeed the Lord's grace that children are growing up so fast. Despite being the parent of a teenage daughter, I personally still feel I am as young as she is. Being in the Lord makes me feel so young, even as young as my own children. In the Lord, every day is a new day. Though the body is decaying, the inner man is renewed day by day.

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 2 Corinthians 4:16

As usual, to shepherd our children we generally take our children for a meal outside on their birthdays. Though we do not have the habit of so-called celebration with many others, we do cherish the day and thank the lord for all His blessings these years and reconsecrate for the new year.

Today morning when I woke up, I wished my daughter a happy birthday and a new beginning. I then prayed for her, blessing her as her father. Later, in the afternoon, as a family, we all went to eat out. This made her day, and everyone was happy. Then, we purchased the necessary items for our son and our youngest daughter too. So all of them got something that they needed; food, pants, and shoes. The Lord also faithfully provided all the needs. 

My wife had a burden to make a card for our eldest daughter on her turning seventeen, for which we both wrote a letter together and gifted her as a gift.

Dear Beloved Bliss,

You have passed through many things last year, whether they were happiness or sadness, the old things have passed away. Now, may the Lord grant you a new beginning to continue your life journey. You may face new challenges, difficulties, and many obstacles in the future, but remember, you are in Christ. 

So then if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away; behold, they have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17, RecVer)

The Lord is your life, your wisdom, and your shepherd. He will lead you and guide you in every step. Always come to Him and fellowship with Him as you are, have faith in Him no matter what happens to you. 

Come to Me all who toil and are burdened, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28, RecVer)

We believe you will have a lot of experience and enjoyment of Him. We are here to always support you in every possible way. 

We love you! 

Mom and Dad

That said, all children are gifts from the Lord. In fact, they are out from the Lord and are for the Lord. As parents, God's earthly guardians in humanity, we do our best to take care of them in every aspect of their human life. We pray for them every day and also teach them prayer so that they can pray by themselves. In all possible ways within our measure God has measured to us, and we have been doing our best to raise them up for the Lord's purpose. In giving good health care, good education, training them in their human living, shepherding their souls, and perfecting them for the Lord's use. As parents, we have been doing all that we could. All the rest, we leave it to the Lord.

My prayer for my children has always been, that they would grow in grace and in the full knowledge of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and unto the day of eternity. Amen.  2 Peter 3:18

Lord, continue to bless us as a family and all our children for Your divine purpose.

Bible Reading: Forty Seventh Time

Today, February 26, 2024, the Lord enabled me to complete my reading the Holy Bible for the 47th time! Then, I prepared myself to start the next round for the 48th time. It has been my burden to read and read the Bible, the best and only Book that is worth reading, over and over again.

By God's grace, I pray and hope that this grace of reading the Bible which has been my lifestyle will ever be so until the end.  Though the will is present with me, the working out of the will is all up to the Lord. Therefore, I look to Him for His mercy day by day.

As in the past readings, this time too, I enjoyed the Lord's speaking now and then through my reading of the word of God. The word of God is ever fresh, no matter how many times I have already read it. Every time I read, it is still new and fresh. No wonder, it is the living word of God. 

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

The word and the spirit are one. To be filled with the Spirit, we need to be filled with the word of God too. I find through experience that the best way to be filled with the Spirit is to be filled with the word of God. Because the word is spirit and the word is life. 

As I stated in my forty-sixth reading of the Bible, I still state the same now. My desire is much more than reading the Bible 47 times. Now, I pray and I am heading towards reading the Bible a hundred times in my lifetime. I don't know how many more years the Lord will give me in this earthly tabernacle. If His will be so, I pray for His grace that within the many years still remaining or until He returns, I may be especially graced to hit the century of reading the Holy Bible a hundred times.  I can only trust the Lord and do my best to faithfully read and read His word day by day. That said, it is all up to the Lord to fulfill this desire of reading the Bible a hundred times. 

Praise the Lord for this grace of reading His word! Praise the Lord that I can still read and read the word of God!

Blending in Jalandhar

Today, February 23, the Lord brought the churches in Punjab together at the meeting hall of the church in Jalandhar. The church in New Delhi and Gurugram coordinated to serve in fellowshipping the burden of participating in the Lord’s move in India in the matter of prayer and material offerings for the building of the blending center in Chennai. The Lord gave us this opportunity to blend and fellowship with the churches in Punjab.

When the burden was released in New Delhi for the churches in North India, mainly NCR, the Lord gave us the opportunity to participate and we seized the opportunity to offer. What a blessing it was to be able to participate in the Lord’s move on the same day itself in a way of consecration trusting in the Lord and in His blessing!  About a week later, the Lord burdened me and in fellowship with my family members, especially my wife and my son, we offered our portion. What a blessing! What a grace! What an opportunity!

Then, the brothers also fellowshipped about the need to bring the same burden to the churches in Punjab by gathering the saints together in Jalandhar. Initially, I considered some practical considerations mostly related to about 7 hours of travel. I had my preference for the mode of transportation. I thought it would be better to travel by train so that I could rest and also spend time in Bible reading and prayer during the travel hours. But I opened myself to the brothers and followed the fellowship. And the fellowship was, to travel by road in an SUV. Though I preferred the train, I denied my choice and took the brothers' fellowship. 

On the 22 February we travelled by road in an SUV starting at about 7:10 AM,  and we reached our destination at 5:00 PM. It took about 10 hours, as we also stopped in between for breakfast, refueling, and also visited a sister in a hospital. 

To my surprise, I did not feel it was a long journey as we fellowshipped among ourselves many matters concerning the church life, our experiences, and also the situation of the saints in North India. A brother even said that for the sake of fellowship and blending it was best to travel together by road. And that was indeed true. We enjoyed fellowshipping the whole time while traveling. 

The moment we arrived at the meeting hall in Jalandhar, we had a time of fellowship with the brothers from the church in Ludhiana and  enjoyed our lovefeast. Today, the following day, we enjoyed a time of fellowshipping with the churches in Punjab blending together in oneness. We, brothers from the church in New Delhi and Gurugram, coordinated together to release the Lord’s burden to the saints in Punjab which was also released in different parts of India which I had recorded in my blog https://palmeichung.blogspot.com/2025/01/material-offering-blessing.html. The same burden was repeated and I also shared the same portion that I already shared in New Delhi. Besides, I was glad to witness some key saints being recovered into the fellowship and oneness of the Body of Christ, especially from the church in Ludhiana.

Though the journey was long, about 10 hours up and 10 hours down, the time we spent together on the journey was precious. We enjoyed a time of fellowship among ourselves and a sweet time of blending and building up with one another. Through this church trip together, the Lord also prevented me from handling some complicated situations if I had stayed back on Saturday. First, in the morning, I received a message from a brother texting me for fellowship as he had a "major" issue to discuss. But I know that I am nobody to solve any issue, minor or major. At most, what I could do was to direct the brother to turn to the Lord in prayer and pray with him. I am glad I need not deal with that complicated situation. If at all I still need to get involved in, I would rather do it with much prayer and in coordination with other brothers. Second, I received another message from a sister requesting a pick-up for the Lord's Day meeting. I simply mentioned my inability to help her. I informed her to take care of herself in a way of helping her pay the price and somehow come to attend the meeting. Later, I also learned that she had a health issue and contacted a sister who then took care of her. Had I been there, I would have had to take care of all these matters too. But the Lord arranged the situation in a way that other saints, especially younger saints can function. I was thankful to the Lord for leading me to Jalandhar so that the saints themselves could take care of the needy ones. In that way, more saints could be brought into function.

There is always a great benefit in amening the brothers' fellowship and coordinating in oneness with the Lord's move. Praise the Lord!

Ministry Bookstore in Vellore

On 15 January 2025, I spent the whole day with a brother in Vellore and also visited the Christian Medical College (CMC) Vellore. This was recorded in the January blog. https://palmeichung.blogspot.com/2025/01/ministry-of-word-in-vellore.html

The Christian Medical College Vellore was established in the year 1900 and started as a single-bedded clinic, under the leadership of Dr. Ida Sophia Scudder. It is now ranked as the second-best medical institute in India, attracting many brilliant doctors and students from across the country. 

Despite the opposition and persecution in the North, the Lord has opened up this campus in the South where many people from the North who either serve or come for medical treatments were very open to the gospel and to the ministry. What could not possibly be done in the North any longer, can now be freely done in the South for the North!

As the Lord opened up this college for the spread of the ministry of the word over the past few months, a ministry books store has been opened in coordination with the local saints to meet the spiritual needs of the many seekers among medical doctors, nurses, students, and patients from different parts of India! Besides, we also had a time of fellowship with the medical students, seekers,  and saints. The Lord has specially burdened a Doctor-couple who both serve in the hospital to take the initiative for the spread of the ministry among the doctors, nurses, patients, and medical students in the campus. Weekly Recovery Version Study groups are going on, and a simple read-through of a few verses along with the footnotes was found to be an effective way of shepherding the seekers.

On the 19th of February, I received some photos from a brother proving that the ministry bookstore had been opened! Therefore, the following day, I posted the following to the literature group as an announcement to the serving ones to pray for this bookstore.

Ministry Bookstore in Vellore 

Opposite CMC

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And when the famine was over all the face of the earth, Joseph *opened all the storehouses of grain and sold grain* to the Egyptians; and the famine became severe in the land of Egypt. (Genesis 41:56, RecVer)

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In coordination of Amana Literature and the church in Vellore in fellowship with the brothers in Tamilnadu, a ministry bookstore has been opened!

This will also serve as a place for seekers to come for fellowship, prayer, pursue the truth, and receive the ministry of the word.

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Prayer Burdens

Pray thay this storehouse of grain be a channel of spiritual life supply to the lovers and seekers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Pray that the faithful word and healthy teaching be made available to all God’s children and grant to all the taste of the ministry.

Holding to the *faithful word*, which is according to the teaching of the apostles, that he may be able both to exhort by the *healthy teaching* and to convict those who oppose. (Titus 1:9, RecVer)

Pray that through the ministry of the word, the Lord’s sheep be shepherded into one flock, into the church life.

And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must lead them also, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be *one flock, one Shepherd*. (John 10:16, RecVer)

Pray that many seekers from the North be gained through this open door in the South.

Pray for the serving ones to be good and faithful stewards to give food at the proper time to God’s children.

Each one, as he has received a gift, ministering it among yourselves as *good stewards of the varied grace of God*. (1 Peter 4:10, RecVer)

A man should account us in this way, as *servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God*. Here, furthermore, it is sought in stewards that one be *found faithful*. (1 Corinthians 4:1-2, RecVer)

Who then is the *faithful and prudent slave*, whom the master has set over his household to *give them food at the proper time*? (Matthew 24:45, RecVer)

Hymn: Thou Art My Vision

During 132 days of our brothers being confined in Mathura for the sake of the gospel, many things transpired within me and without too, where I have been serving, in the church in Gurugram, in North India, and in the literature service. Initially, some kind of fear engulfed me. Yet gradually, I began to learn the lesson the Lord wanted to teach me. Likewise, we have all been gradually made to understand the reason behind this confinement. During those days, I had a strong and specific feeling before the Lord which I also brought to prayer day by day. Those feelings, I turned into a poem or a hymn. This hymn was not written in a day or even a few days like the other hymns when I would just write a hymn until I completed it. But this time, this hymn was conceived over a period of time and finally brought into its final form. This is the best way I could express my feelings. The feeling to revive and renew the vision that God has and that He has shown to me and many others.

Amidst the persecution for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ, a renewed vision of God and a need for a revived living ensuing from the enemy’s outward attack on the churches in North India led me to pray and compose this hymn. It was composed over a period of time.

Time:3/4 D Major

Tune BF#360 “Be Thou My Vision”

 1.  Thou art my vision, O God of glory!

     Appear again that I see Thee clearly.

     Remove my veils, from darkness set me free.

     Till the end, faithfully, Lord, follow Thee.

    

     Ephesians 1:17-18

2.  Spirit of wisdom, Father of glory,

     Revelation, in full knowledge of Thee,

     Grant me grace, Thy glorious vision to see.

    The eyes of my heart, Lord, enlighten me.            

    

3. Should Thy will be this path, windy-stormy,

     Grace me to tread it, in Thee, with Thee.

     Paying the price, trusting in Thee fully.

     Looking away, Lord, unto Thee only.

 

     Psalms 23:4-6; Matthew 10:32-33

4.  Thy rod and Thy staff, Lord, they comfort me

     Walking through the shadow of death-valley.

     Before men, Thy name Lord, to confess in Thee

     Grace me ever Lord, never to deny Thee.

 

     John 16:33

5. In this world there are afflictions fiery

     Strange trials coming to me seemingly 

     Thou overcame them, gave peace to me

     Rejoicing, Thy sufferings I partake with Thee.

 

     Matthew 5:10-12; 1 Peter 4:12-16

6. In Thy name, Christ, should I reproach be

     Blessings mine! For the Spirit of glory 

     And God, as a Christian, rest upon me!

     Not ashamed, Lord, but give Thee all glory!

 

     Romans 8:28

7.  Together, all things work, Lord, good for me

     Whatever betide, Lord, I still love Thee.

     For Thy purpose, Lord, Thou has called me

     That In Thine image I conform fully.

 

     Acts 6:7; 12:24

8.  Thy word multiplies and grows steadfastly, 

     ‘Midst persecutions, fierce and heavy.

     Thy disciples true, multiply greatly,

     Albeit scattered far, across land and sea.  

 

     Acts 26:19

9. Lord, appear again, Thou, God of glory!

     Heavenly vision, to see clearly;

     The church, Thy Body, Thine economy

     To Thine vision, e'er obedient be.

 

10.Heavenly vision, O God of glory!

     Christ and the church, what a mystery!

     This vision, all my life, my living be.

     Grace me Lord, now, unto eternity.

 

11.Whatever betide, O Lord, abiding in Thee,

     Transform me  Lord, from glory to glory

     Prepare Thou Thy Bride, beautifully.

     Amen, Lord Jesus! O Come, Lord quickly!

 

     Prayer

12. For Thy grace and mercy, I bow my knee.

      As Thou love me Lord let me love Thee

      Captured by Thy love, attract by Thy beauty

      Gain me wholly, all for Thee.

 

      Luke 1:53; John 10:10; Col. 3:16

13. I come to Thee Lord, hungry and thirsty,

      Poor in spirit, my vessel I empty.

      With good things, Thy Spirit, O Lord, fill me,

      With Thy life, Thy word, Lord, abundantly.

Honoring Marriage

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and the bed undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. (Hebrews 13:4, RecVer)

Today, the Lord led us to have a special fellowship to cater to the need of the married couples in the church. In fact, of late I had received a report that some couples were not going on well as they ought to, in their marriage relationship. This was rather a shocking news to me. It even alarmed me and woke me up to cater to the need of the saints in the church. Though I have had experiences of trying to help married couples in their relationship in a way of fellowship, I took it for granted that the church in my locality need as much care as I rendered to the outsiders. As I would not handle this solemn matter in a light way, I brought the matter to fellowship with the brothers and also prayed concerning fellowshipping with the married couples and the ones on the next in line.

Yesterday, as we were fellowshipping with a brother who had come after a long long time, the matter of marriage was brought up as he was very concerned for His daughter who is forty and is not yet married. This initiated the burden to pursue an article on marriage with excerpts from the ministry. Then, we brothers realised that this was the timely speaking of the Lord and that we should lead the saints to this kind of fellowship.

Later in the night, I posted an exerpt and the link to the church group with a note:

https://shepherdingwords.com/holding-marriage-in-honor/

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and the bed undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. (Hebrews 13:4, RecVer)

Dear Saints,

Since the Lord just blessed us with a marriage in the church, it is also important for all the married couples to have a proper view of marriage. Here is a link on "Holding Marriage in Honor", please read this article.

An excerpts from the same article is below:

“Whether a church is sound and healthy or loses its element and essence is very much dependent upon the marriage life. Do not consider the matter of marriage to be a light thing. We must hold it in honor” (Life-study of Hebrews, 613). 

We should not treat marriage as common, as those in the world do; it is something of God’s ordination. We should cultivate our relationship with our spouse as co-heirs of the grace of life and forsake the worldly view of marriage as being merely for self-gratification. In this way we can avoid the terrible damage of adultery and divorce, thus preserving ourselves and our spouse in a proper condition to participate in God’s move on the earth. May marriage be held in honor among all the saints in the Lord’s recovery for the strengthening of the churches and the fulfillment of God’s economy in the present age.

Today after the Lord’s Table Meeting and lovefeast, we had a special fellowship where all the married couples sat together, couple by couple, and the yet to be married ones in twos and threes, and we all pursued an article on honoring marriage. We began by pray-reading the verse, "Let marriage be held in honor among all, and the bed undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge." (Hebrews 13:4, RecVer)

Then, we had mutual and organic fellowship where brothers and sisters shared their enjoyment of the truth concerning marriage relationship of loving one another with the love of God, one with one another in the oneness of God, and fellowshiping and doing things together in oneness. As married couples need to honor the marriage God ordained by not allowing the bed to be defile with fornication and adultery, we also emphasied on this point where our lust need to be dealt with thoroughly. Then, by having mutual honor and submission to one another, and by enjoying the grace of life together, we honor the marriage God blessed us with. 

I also used the verses below in 1 Peter 3:7 and Ephesians 5 to bring out some crucial points of truth concerning marriage relationship as written in the Scriptures. 

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)

Being subject to one another in the fear of Christ: Wives, be subject to your own husbands as to the Lord; For a husband is head of the wife as also Christ is Head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the Body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also let the wives be subject to their husbands in everything. 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. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ also the church, Because we are members of His Body. For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh. This mystery is great, but I speak with regard to Christ and the church. Nevertheless you also, each one of you, in the same way love your own wife as yourself; and the wife should fear her husband. (Ephesians 5:21-33, RecVer)

As a caution, I also warned the married couples to be open to another in fellowship and keeping nothing secret between them, and also not to, in fact, never to expose the hidden weaknesses of one's spouse. Of course, only with the exception that when one needs help and need to bring the matter to matured saints who can cover, pray fellowship, and help in resolve the marital issues. Then, we all prayed together and ended the meeting. Still, some couples wanted to fellowship their experiences and the fellowship went on and one for another hour. The fellowship on honoring marriage was with much testimony and edification for all. Hallelujah!

The Lord knows the timely need of the church and gave us His words at the right time. In fact, the critical situation of a couple concerned l has been also been resolved through the fellowship in the Body and the Lord coming into their relationship. The Lord sovereignly uses even the outward situation to deal with the inward being of the couple. Praise the Lord!

Lord, by Your grace and mercy, preserve the marriage life of all the married saints with the cooperation of the husbands and wives for the testimony of Your church in Gurugram.