Gospel to Gospel Friend

Announcing the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ is what the believers should be doing normally. No matter what the outward situations may be, in season or out of season, the gospel has to be announced. It is by the gospel of Jesus Christ that the will of God can be fulfilled on the earth, and it is for this gospel that the believers have to live their lives. Depending on the atmosphere of the place, the Lord's leading has to be discerned to carry out what He has already commissioned. "Go therefore, and disciple all the nation..."

Due to the ongoing and changing political situation, I have not been able to share the gospel as frequently as I used to in the past. Nevertheless, the Lord in His sovereignty arranged situations now and then for the preaching of the gospel. But the burden the Lord has imparted into me from the day I got saved has always been there.

Last week, I received a call from a brother who introduced me to another new one who was the son of his business partner many years ago. With much burden, he introduced him to me. As I contacted this new one, he responded immediately and positively. Therefore, I went to meet him the same day we were introduced. It was a surprise yet blessed meeting.

As I met him in his office, we had a friendly talk concerning the current affairs, the political and economic situation of  India, and the manpower required for his country, Taiwan, for which he is in the HR profile for the company. Having done all the friendly talk, I released my burden of preaching the gospel to him face to face right away, as I was very clear in my inward being that the Lord sent me to meet him for the sake of the gospel. Furthermore, I learned that his mother is one of the sisters in the church in Kaoshiung in Taiwan. I even had the boldness to tell him that I could meet and preach the gospel to him because God loves him, and remembers his mother's prayer. I believe his mother must have been praying for him for years. I also mentioned to him that all the struggles that he has been going through in his life are because he has no God in his life, yet, to which he also agreed. And as I was about to lead him to prayer to receive the Lord, he was a little nervous, as it was in his office with other employees around. Therefore, I withheld the matter for a while and complied with his suggestion that we could do the prayer in the other room privately. Then, we continued the conversation for a while until I felt it was time for me to leave. Then, we went to the other boardroom. In fact, I was very confident to let him know that God had sent him to India for his business so that he could meet me and hear the gospel, and be saved!

In his company boardroom, he and I alone, with his consent and willingness, I led him to pray the prayer to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as the true and living God, the Savior to be his personal Savior. He willingly prayed and received the Lord Jesus!. This was the first time for him to ever pray to God.  I was so joyful deep within that one soul has heard the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and prayed to receive the true and living God! All the rest, the Holy Spirit will do His work in him.

Lord, save this brother in answer to his mother's prayer. 

Shepherding at Home

A sweet home meeting was the spontaneous issue when the saints and the shepherd were in sweet fellowship. Last Thursday, I had a wonderful time of fellowship with a new family. Though it was only the husband who was saved, the whole family was open to the gospel. We have been enjoying home meetings at their house for years now. But last week was a special one for some reason.

First, the whole family was able to open up their feelings to me without any reservations. While in the other meetings, due to the presence of some other brothers, they were not fully able to open up some of their personal family matters. But when I was alone with them, as they knew me from the very beginning, they had the freedom to open up their deep concerns. I just let them flow out whatever they wanted to speak. Thereby, I was able to understand their condition.

Second, the Lord has been working on this family, and the Lord also gave me a specific burden for this family. It was a little price that I needed to pay to travel to their home amidst the crowded and dusty roads of old Gurugram, and sanctify my time for the shepherding of this family. The Lord honored the little price we pay and anointed the fellowship with His flow of life.

Third, the blending in the Body through the divine life enables all of us to fellowship and enjoy the home meeting.

Through the minsitry portion we pursued together in Hindi week by week, the Lord spoke His timely words. The Bible verses and the ministry excerpts spoke for themselves. I just repeated what the word of God says and what the minsitry helps in understanding the word of God. 

Then comes the calling upon the Lord's name and prayer. In this way, we all enjoyed the Lord's rich supply of life through the home meeting.

After the meeting, the family insisted that I should eat dinner. Though they had invited me to dine with them a couple of times, I hesitated. But last week, their insistence was very desperate, and I accepted their invitation. They served me with a local delicacy, Mutton curry with Roti.

We have been praying for this family's salvation and that the Lord can gain them fully, the entire family and the neighbors too, that one day, even a new district meeting can be raised up in their home.

May the Lord's will be done in their lives for His testimony in Gurugram, especially among the local people.

Surprise Experiences

On the 31st of May, I was completely taken aback by the experience I had on the same day. In the morning, I had to take my daughter for her language test and then to Cannaught Place for a lovefest meeting of the teenagers in the churches in Delhi and Gurugram as a part of the reward scheme for reading the Bible daily within a specific period as assigned to them. Then, along with my youngest daughter and wife, we had lunch at KFC in the same area, after which we went shopping in Palika Bazar. I had come here once or twice many years ago, but never purchased anything. The only thing I knew about this place was that it was a famous underground shopping complex and full of pickpockets. I actually needed to buy a good leather belt for myself. I had been searching online and could not find one that I felt was proper. Therefore, I took a round in the complex searching for belts.

Shop by shop, I was greeted by shopkeepers the moment they knew I was looking for belts. Just a little showing interest was sufficient for them to take all the liberty to speak about the belt. I had never seen such salesmanship in my entire life where the salesman had to speak so much about just a belt. If they were journalist, an article could have been published on the qualities of the belt they try to sell. Shop by shop, each salesperson spoke almost the same thing with action of trying to prove how genuine the leather was, using a pocket lighter to try to burn the leather. I was not convinced by what they said or what I saw. I was very clear in my mind what I wanted, and very keen in my spirit, whether I should purchase or not.  It was a good opportunity to discern the leading of the Lord deep within against the backdrop of "aggressive advertisements."

When I finally found the one I felt was proper, and another one without a buckle, I asked for the price. To my surprise, I was quoted Rs. 1500 for the nice leather belt I chose to buy and another Rs. 1000 for the leather belt only without the buckle. The price was actually what was printed on the price tag of both belts. I started bargaining with my "market Hindi." I did not know what percentage I had to bargain to. So to find out their latest price, I just walked off. Then, the salesman followed me and reduced the price from 1500 to 1000, then from 1000 to 800, then on and on to 500, and then finally to 200! Shocking! From 1500 to 200? Still, I did not buy.  I knew the actual price now.

Then I went to another shop, and chose a similar belt I had already seen in the previous shop. Interestingly, the same scene was repeated. The salesman kept speaking and speaking and speaking. The same act he showed me to prove it was genuine leather. After spending considerable time, I felt within myself that I should just conclude it. When I asked for the last price, he said the same price as on the price tag, Rs. 1500 for one, and Rs. 1000 for another without a buckle. Since I already knew the last price from the other salesman who tried to sell to me, I simply quoted Rs. 200 for the one without a buckle and Rs. 300 for the one with a buckle. I quoted the price, a total of Rs. 500, and after a few exchanges of words and bargaining, he agreed. And I got the two belts for Rs. 500, which actually was quoted for Rs. 2500. What a surprise bargain! This was a complete surprise to me. Incredible India indeed. 

Later in the evening, two sisters from Korea and a local sister with her son visited me. They came very late, and when they did show up, one sister could not communicate in English at all. And another sister was completely in her own "feminist mindset." While treating dinner, I had to speak a word about the role, function, and position of a sister in the Bible. I was completely shocked by her attitude of not even accepting the Bible, where the sisters' function and position in relation to the brothers were laid down. One of the sisters even dare to quote from an extra-biblical text concerning Magdalene, which I sternly rejected as not from the word of the Bible.

These two incidents in one day were truly surprising experiences for me. Nevertheless, I learn something new...

Gospel in the South for the North

No matter what the enemy tries to do, he was, and is, and will always be the defeated foe. Christ has defeated him at the cross and today, we, who are His Body, are one with Him in His victory. The door of the gospel can never be shut for the gates of hades will not prevail against what the Lord is doing on earth in His heavenly ministry (Matt. 16:18). 

As I was in the ministry literature journey in the South, we met a brother who has been serving among the North Indians who are settled in South India for business. On meeting him, he invited us to visit some of these North Indians whom he has been shepherding. Therefore, we went to visit a family in whose house some other relatives also gathered together. It was indeed a sight to behold the North Indian faces beeming with curiosity and delight. 

After a word of introduction, I felt led by the Spirit to preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to all present at the temporary hut built on a small colony for the businessmen from the North. O what a release!

I exercised my Hindi to announce to them Jesus as the Gospel. Beginning from the creation of man to the fall of man. Continuing with the fall of man to the redemption accomplished by God through the Lord Jesus Christ in His crucifixion and resurrection. And that all those who believe into Jesus would not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

I also showed them the way to believe into Jesus, which is by faith. And the way to exercise faith by prayer. I gave them the choice, only if they choose to experience the salvation of God, they could pray with me. But I made it very clear that it is there free will to believe or to call. My responsibility was to only let them know the truth about the living God and to show them the way to believe and receive the living God, Jesus Christ. Therefore, I prayed and whoever were willing to pray after me prayed after me. I did not know how many prayed with me but I did know that a good number of them prayed with me as I heard the voices of prayer while my eyes were closed in prayer. Only the Lord knows how many actually believed and received that day. I simply carried out my responsibility as invited by the local brother.

O what a joy indeed to preach the gospel in full freedom! O what a joy to those who received the gospel of Jesus Christ! God’s desire is that all men be saved and come to the full knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4)

Lord, save Your chosen ones. What a gospel in the South for the North! Hallelujah!

Ministry of the Word in Nanjangod, Chamarajanagar, and Kodagu

Nanjangod

As soon as we introduced the Recovery Version, the President and Secretary’s faces were beaming with joy! They spontaneously praised God for finally making such a study Bible available in Kannada, even offered prayer of thanksgiving to God, and also prayed for us. 

In fact, in order to make the Recovery Version known to other Pastors and believers, the “spokesperson” for the entire Christian community in the town made a video recording of the introduction of the Recovery Version in Kannada encouraging all the members to purchase a copy each, and sent the recording in their WhatsApp group. They placed a bulk order and took the initiative to introduce and distribute the Recovery Version by themselves.

They also requested the Old Testament Recovery Version in Kannada. They even confessed that though many new ones were brought to salvation through their evangelical ministry, there is a dearth of the healthy teaching available in Kannada. They testified that they have been praying for spiritual materials for the believers’ growth in life and that what we just introduced, the Kannada Recovery Version, is the answer to their prayers!

Chamarajanagar - Siddainpur and Chandakvadi

As we introduced the Recovery Version to the President of the Pastor’s Association, he himself picked up the burden and took us to meet the key Pastors in the locality. Everyone to whom we introduced the Recovery Version purchased it.

This main Pastor was introduced to us by another Pastor we met in the last distribution trip in January 2025, who was introduced to the ministry by another Pastor who received the ministry books in a public Christian meeting a few years ago in Maharastra. The taste of the ministry brought forth well-speaking of the ministry from Pastors to Pastors and to believers. 

Though this main Pastor heard about the ministry from another Pastor, he was not sure what kind of ministry we minister or what kind of men we were, as we met for the first time. So, he gave us the opportunity to minister the word of God in a home meeting attended by some twenty believers. As we ministered the word, he cross-checked every Bible verse we quoted and carefully noted the burden we released. After hearing us out, he became very positive and made all the necessary arrangements to meet with other Pastors in town. He became our “co-worker,” at least, for the spread of the ministry in his locality.  

Kodagu - Suntikoppa and Virajpet

The main Pastor, upon learning the usefulness of the Recovery Version, invited us to introduce it in a Youth Meeting where some 500 young people gathered together. Besides, the two Pastors themselves took a few boxes of the Recovery Version for promoting it to the believers in their congregations.

City by city, town by town, Christian group to Christian group, the Lord led us; one step at a time, and these were all new places and new people we met for the first time. 

Wherever we went, the Lord’s presence was with us, and He gave us open doors for the spread of the ministry, especially in Karnataka. 

The Lord has answered the prayers of the Body. All glory to Him!

Because out from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:36

Leading Star in Mysuru

In Mysuru, the brothers took me to attend a home meeting of a new one's family on the outskirts of the city. I hardly knew who this family was. Though the brothers briefed me a little bit, I had no idea what they needed and what they have been going through. But as we visited them, and as the custom is, they served whatever they could offer: a glass of milk, some pieces of biscuits, and a bunch of bananas. 

As we finished the introductory formality, the brothers asked me to share something at the spur of the moment. I had no idea then. But as I enquired what they had been pursuing in the past, they mentioned that they started reading the Gospel of Matthew with the footnotes in the Recovery Version and that they completed Chapter 1. Then, I proposed that we pursue Chapter 2. So, we read in turns, verse by verse, the entire chapter.

As we were reading the verses, the Lord gave me the word to minister, "Leading Star." 

Mt 2:2Saying, Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star at its rising and have come to worship Him.

Then for about an hour, I flowed out whatever the Lord burdened me to. The burden was on how we as Christians need to seek the leading of the Lord in everything and follow the Lord Jesus as the "leading Star" that would lead us to His heart's desire. As we follow the Lord, we must avoid our human concepts and opinions. In fact, deny our soul life totally and follow the living vision the Lord gave us through Him, the leading Star. 

At times, we may be in difficult situations, but the Lord is living and He will lead us through, provided we faithfully follow Him as the Magi from the East did.  Often we did make mistakes, which may lead to the 'killing" of innocent children, or the loss of something due to our unfaithfulness, still we must turn back to the Lord and drop our concepts. The Lord knows exactly what we have been going through and how to deliver us from the situations we are in, but we must be faithful to follow His leading star, seeking His will in the spirit in every minute detail. Even in the mistakes the Magi committed, the Lord still fulfilled the prophecy of the Prophets of old. Even in the gifts offered to the man-child Jesus, there was a prophecy of what kind of life Jesus would live on the earth and accomplish God the Father's plan. And how these gifts were also useful for the Lord and His earthly parent to travel from Judea to Egypt and from Egypt to Nazareth so that He who was born in Bethlehem would grow up in Nazareth as Jesus, the Nazarene. Again, a prophecy fulfilled. In all the details, God was involved. In like manner, in all the details of our human life, God is involved as we are His children. So, we must diligently seek and follow Him as the "leading Star."

Then, I shared my testimony of how the Lord, as the leading Star, led me in my college life and how He ultimately called me to serve Him full-time, and how He has been leading me day by day. The saints were so supplied, and I also enjoyed the supply of the Lord very much. The anointing was so sweet as the Lord flowed through me as the living water to all of us. 

Finally, as we prayed one by one, the family that we visited, the wife and the husband, prayed with tears of joy, weeping as they prayed, for the Lord spoke to them the living word that they desperately needed at the moment. Though they prayed in Kannada, I could sense their spirit and the burden they poured out as a brother translated their prayers for me. They prayed with joy yet with tears as the living Lord spoke to them and the leading Star now led them concerning how to go through the hard times that have been going through. Then, we were all full of joy. The couple's expression was full of light through the fellowship. 

Just before we left, the Lord burdened me to offer the offering I received in my ministry journey to them, and I did in obedience to the Lord's leading. I handed over all the offerings I received to the brother. I must listen to the leading Star, so I must obey the leading Star within me. I believe the offering I received was for them, and I offered it with joy. Later, as we left the house, the brother called to testify that this was the best meeting they had ever had in their Christian life. Praise the Lord!

May the Lord continually lead them by His Star and fully recover them for His testimony in Mysuru.

Ministry of the Word in Hunsur

While we were on the way to our first appointment in Mysuru for the distribution, I asked the local brother to make a call to one of the Christian leaders who was introduced to us in the last distribution trip in January 2025. Later, we received a call informing us of the meeting going on in Husnur. Therefore, as soon as we wrapped up the first meeting, we took four boxes of Kannasda New Testament Recovery Version and rushed to Hunsur, to their meeting place.

Once we were given the time for introduction, just about five minutes, as it was an impromptu insertion into their ongoing schedule, I exercised my spirit and introduced the Recovery Version to all the Chrstian leaders in the meeting, just touching the key points on accuracy of translation and useful study notes with the principle of the Bible interpreting the Bible. 

Later, after the meeting, the main leader invited me for a lunch fellowship with the other two main leaders. Then, the main leader and I had over an hour-long fellowship, one-on-one, where he testified of what the Lord has been doing in his life and how the Lord led him thus far despite all the opposition and attack from certain religious fanatics. In spite of all the opposition, the Lord has saved thousands of believers, and he has over a hundred serving ones serving with him.

Meanwhile, the other brothers were distributing (selling) the Kannada Recovery Version to whoever was interested in purchasing. AS I finished my fellowship with the main Pastor, he also placed an order for two boxes of the Bible and the Holy Bible Recovery version in English for himself. His co-worker and his Tamil translator also purchased another copy for himself. In this way, the two main leaders have the ministry books with them. 

Though the group is big and has over seven thousand in fellowship, this open door to the key leaders was very significant and timely. Though they called themselves by some big name, their hearts seemed to be keenly seeking the word of God. Now that they have the properly translated and interpreted word, I believe, the Lord will open up the Scriptures to them and show them his heart's desire. Perhaps, one day, the Lord will recover them for His testimony in Hunsur.

This visit to Hunsur was a big breakthrough in the distribution and also, I believe, in the propagation of the truth. We were all very excited and praised the Lord for such an opening in Karantaka among the local believers.

Lord, raise up Your testimony in Hunsur!