Shepherding: Teaching with a Burden

All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, That the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17, RecVer)

Whom we announce, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every man full-grown in Christ; For which also I labor, struggling according to His operation which operates in me in power. For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those in Laodicea, even all who have not seen my face in the flesh, (Colossians 1:28-2:1, RecVer)

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:16, RecVer)

The word of Christ is good for teaching and admonishing in order to make the man of God complete and equip for every good work. For this very reason, the Lord gave me a strong burden to spend time with my own children first and also with a group of young people and college students. 

No one is born perfect. So, all need to be taught. In every walk of life, there is a need for teaching. Be it secular, academic, societal, or even in spiritual matters, all need to be taught. Teaching of various kinds are being carried out at homes, schools, churches, and in almost every field. So much more for the saints in the churches and my own children.

The Lord Jesus taught His deciples many times in many places. Paul too carried out his apostolic ministry mostly by teaching even to the extend that he had to stay for a period of time in certain places for teaching with the Lord confirming him to speak and not be silent. He was faithful in teaching publicly and also from house to house. All these were and are for the perfecting of the saints in carrying out Chirst's heavenly ministry today.

And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent; (Acts 18:9, RecVer)

And he remained there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. (Acts 18:11, RecVer)

How I did not withhold any of those things that are profitable by not declaring them to you and by not teaching you publicly and from house to house, (Acts 20:20, RecVer)

In like manner, the Lord gave me the burden to spend time with my own children as I came back from a two weeks long ministry journey. As I noticed certain things not in place, especially concerning my son and the situation at home in my absence, I taught my own family members first; admonishing them with love, and prayed with them and for them. This, I did last night as I just arrived home.

Today afternoon, the Lord gave me the burden for young brothers. So I gathered them after the afternoon PSRP session for a time of brotherly fellowship. As I sat face to face with them, my heart was full of burden. The Lord gave many precious materials to labor upon. I must be faithful to the Lord’s commission of shepherding the saints. One way of shepherding is by teaching; teaching the word of God and also teaching the ways of God. The word of God experienced in my life and the ways how God led me, which are also according to the Scriptures, I taught the brothers. It was a precious time of face to face, and heart to heart teaching. 

The burden thr Lord gave me was to establish them in the basic matters of their Christian life. Their daily morning revival, their daily prayer life, and their daily reading od the word of God. With my own testimonies, I taught the brothers from my heart with full of burden to perfect them. Though I told them initially that I will not take much time, but as we started fellowshipping, I simply followed the Lord’s anointing within me and taught them in detail and at length. And they all received it with open heart.

Besides, there were two other young brothers who could not join the afternoon fellowship, but I told both of them that I would spend time, if possible, at least once in a week, with them too. I also opened myself to them and gave them free access to me should they desire to open up their situation with the assurance that I will confide the matters of fellowship to myself only. Because I know that all have been going through situations of various nature. Each individual has to be dealt with according to his need. 

I believe this burden is from the Lord. I pray that the Lord will continue to grace me to faithfully carry out this burden as long as He permits. 

Lord, preserve all these young brothers; precious souls to become precious materials for Your building.

Flow in the One Flow

One God has one goal with one work. In the one work of God there is only one flow. This one flow has its source in God. In this one flow, everything is living and full of life. It is a blessed thing know this one flow. Even more blessed to be in this one flow. Even much more blessed to be in the one flow with the one flow in me. It is one thing to flow with the flow, and yet another thing for the one flow to flow in me while being in the one flow. 

I touched the one flow of life when I first read the ministry books some twenty five years ago as a student. Then, I saw the one flow a few months after. Then, I jumped into the flow two years later. Since then, I have no regrets despite the many oppositions I faced when I decided to be one with the one flow. More than two decades have transpired since then, and my heart is full of thanksgiving and praises to God!

A few days ago, I testified of how the Lord graced me to see the one flow, touch the one flow, and jumped into the one flow. The Lord, in His mercy, has been gracing me to be in this flow, especially in my service to Him. In fact, it was only last week that the flow took us to different parts of Karnataka, the cities surrounding Bengaluru. Though our plan was to visit just four localities. When we followed the flow, it took was to ten localities in three days. I was simply amazed at what the Lord just did. I wonder how it happened when it happened. Now, I look back and simply worship the Lord in awe. 

O what wonder! O what one flow! 

God in man is flowing through. 

From the heavens all to the earth, 

Flowing into and through man! 

Flowing, mingling, blending, building, 

God and man in His one flow!

The enjoyment of being in the one flow is, while in the one flow, everything is easy, sweet, restful, peaceful, and full of blessings. Works become food that one enjoys with no sense of toil or labor. All outward activities are just healthy spiritual exercises for restful soul. The peace and joy in the Holy Spirit is the heart beat of the workers. And the presence of God swallows up all the outward situations and nullifies them as non existent when in reality there are many toils and troubles. This is the enjoyment of being in the one flow.

Lord, preserve me in this one flow all the days of my life. And recover many of Your children into this one flow. That we all flow in Your one flow to accomplish Your eternal purpose unto eternity.

Life Lesson: Prayer, Spirit, and the Word

But we will continue steadfastly in prayer and in the ministry of the word. (Acts 6:4, RecVer)

These all continued steadfastly with one accord in prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. (Acts 1:14, RecVer)

In order to continue the Lord’s move that was initiated in the book of Acts, today there is a need for me to exercise myself to be a man of prayer. In prayer, two important lessons I have learned afresh  theses days. They are, to be open to the Lord and receive burden from the Lord. It is in this way of being opened to the Lord that He can reveal His burden to me which I can faithfully pick up to pray back to Him in prayer. Then, the burdens will drive me to pray and pray until they are lifted up rwsulting in God answering them. This kind of prayer life will open up the heavens, breakthrough all barriers and bondages, and command the blessings of God. Such prayers will enable one to do what others cannot do, understand what others cannot understand, and speak what others cannot speak. 

For this reason, I have been so burdened to help the saints to have a prayer life daily, even stretch their spirits with a set time and fixed duration for prayers daily. Because, I myself have been enjoying such a prayer life daily and reaping the blessings of such prayers, I truly desire that all the saints enjoy the same prayer life. I also firmly believe that by such prayer life, as the church, we can have a breakthrough in our church life, especially in the matter of growth in life and multiplication in numbers in the church life. This is also the Lord Jesus' pattern as a man of prayer while He was on the earth. The result of such prayer life will be the filling in the Spirit inwardly and the outpouring of the Spirit outwardly as experienced on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2.

In fact, I just fellowshipped with three brothers in the past few days encouraging them to pray, even learn to pray daily. There may be many things that one cannot do, but inspite of all the difficulties, at least one thing can be done, that is, prayer. So, pray faithfully, the only thing that one can do. Then, the Lord will do His works.

Even the Spirit of reality, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him; but you know Him, because He abides with you and shall be in you. (John 14:17, RecVer)

But when the Comforter comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of reality, who proceeds from the Father, He will testify concerning Me; (John 15:26, RecVer)

But when He, the Spirit of reality, comes, He will guide you into all the reality; for He will not speak from Himself, but what He hears He will speak; and He will declare to you the things that are coming. (John 16:13, RecVer)

With the Spirit of reality, everything of God and His words will be made real to me and to the saints. Such reality will build up the saints in the church in my locality to the extend that God will be manifested in and through the church. This Spirit of reality is interwoven with the word of God. In fact, the word of God is a living Person, Who can be seen, heard, and even handled. 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1, RecVer)

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. (John 1:4, RecVer)

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we beheld and our hands handled, concerning the Word of life (And the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and report to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us); That which we have seen and heard we report also to you that you also may have fellowship with us, and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:1-3, RecVer)

Now, this word of God when constituted in the believers, become in them the Spirit of reality and life. Peter was so constituted with the word that the Person of the word became his person. So, he could simply speak the word and the Person of the word, the Lord Jesus Christ, would carry out the work!

But Peter said, Silver and gold I do not possess, but what I have, this I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene rise up and walk. (Acts 3:6, RecVer)

This word is living and active; it can grow in the believers and cause the believers to be multiplied in numbers. God Himself did everything through the word. When such words operate in the believers, the believers will grow in life and be build up with one another.

For the word of God is living and operative and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow, and able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12, RecVer)

And the word of God grew, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem multiplied greatly; and a large number of the priests obeyed the faith. (Acts 6:7, RecVer)

Praise the Lord for prayer, Spirit, and the word! These are the substances of power in the believers' life for God to go on and move through them.

Lord, lead me and the church in my locality to be men of prayer, that we may be filled with the Spirit and the word for the building up of Your church and for Your prevailing move in North India amidst the outward situation whatsoever. 

Life Lesson: Proper Humanity

Proper humanity is needed to serve the Lord to bear fruit unto Him. Otherwise, our life and living would not be a testimony to others, much less, to the Lord. The proper humanity we need is the humanity of Jesus. 

Humanity of Jesus 

Let no one despise your youth, but be a pattern to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12, RecVer)

But you, O man of God, flee these things, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, meekness. Fight the good fight of the faith; lay hold on the eternal life, to which you were called and have confessed the good confession before many witnesses. (1 Timothy 6:11-12, RecVer)

But you have closely followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, long-suffering, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings, such as befell me in Antioch, in Iconium, in Lystra. Such persecutions I bore, and out of them all the Lord delivered me. (2 Timothy 3:10-11, RecVer)

Right Toward God

Always rejoice, Unceasingly pray, In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit; Do not despise prophecies, But prove all things. Hold fast to what is good; Abstain from every kind of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22, RecVer)

Because of this I also exercise myself to always have a conscience without offense toward God and men. (Acts 24:16, RecVer)

Having Peace with Man

If possible, as far as it depends on you, live in peace with all men. (Romans 12:18, RecVer)

I desire therefore that men pray in every place, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and reasoning; (1 Timothy 2:8, RecVer)

With this proper humanity, we can be in the one flow of the one work of God. However, the reality of possessing the humanity of Jesus, being right toward God and man, and having peace with God and man is Christ's life becoming our living as Paul testified in Philippians 1:21, For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 

All the problems faced in the church life, Christian life, and even in the service are all related to humanity. Or put it simply, the character of a person determines what kind of service he will provide. For this very reason, I have had three important fellowships with some serving brothers this month alone. 

The first case being, the complaints against a serving one that did not match the expectation of the complainant. Well, the burden he had was good, and I appreciated it. However, not everyone has the same burden nor the same capacity nor the same family situation. The exceptionally good ones have the tendency to expose the ones below their standards. This is a natural phenomenon. Well, I in no way justify the shortcomings of the ones below standard, nor do I glorify the ones up to the standard. While I would help the ones below standard to improve, I will also tamper the ones up to standard to not expose the others. In fact, both need shepherding and be perfected to function in coordination. 

The second case was an issue related to his family having an issue with another family. The matter was concerning the Lord’s testimony in their local church related to their family matters. Since the church has been handling the matter and it was just brought to our notice, nothing needs to be done further. What needs to be done has been done. Matters like this can only be prayed for and left to the church. We are in the Body, and what the Body decided was what we decided too. 

The third case was a fellowship with three serving brothers related to their official service. I only fellowshipped them in a way of shepherding, not at all in a way of instruction or command. I considered them as my own coordinating brothers and that we serve together in the Body for the one goal. While exhorting them to be faithful in their service, I gave a testimony of my own, how I exercised myself to be faithful in my service in all possible ways, citing the works the Lord accomplished through the recent distribution trip. I even gave them weekly goals to accomplish. 

With these cases, it was clear that all the shortcomings in our services or our living boil down to our humanity. No wonder, Paul charged his spiritual son, Timothy, to be a pattern and not allow anyone to despise his youth, to be a man of God, following the ministry, to be right with God and man, and to have peace with God and man. 

The realistic way is to deny ourselves, take up the cross to deal with every negative thing in our lives, and follow the Lord Jesus by living and walking according to the Spirit Who is in our spirit. For this, a regular, scheduled prayer life, a life filled with the Spirit and the word, is needed.  

May the Lord grace me and all my fellow serving ones to live such a God-man life, with a proper humanity of Jesus, to carry out His eternal purpose in the earth.

Shepherding Visitations

Last Lord’s Day afternoon, the 24th of August, I got free time after the Lord’s rich speaking and shining. Initially, it was planned for a visit to a brother's family. However, the Lord’s had a better plan. 

I got to visit a brother who was once my teacher in my college and who was instrumental in shepherding me into the church life in the Lord’s recovery. For about two solid hours we had a time of conversation and fellowship. It was a very normal brotherly fellowship. The content of our fellowship was on what the Lord has done and has been doing in my life. I testified of what the Lord has been doing in India especially through the literature service since I am directly involved in this service and could give a first hand experiences and enjoyment of the Lord. As the fellowship came to a conclusion, he asked me to pray and therefore, I prayed for the whole family especially for the Lord’s shepherding for the restoration of their souls and also for the Lord’s blessing upon his family.

Then, I spent a time of fellowship with a brother seving in the literature service concerning the way to take to improve our efficiency and standard of service.

Following this, we both went to visit a couple, Uncle and Aunty, who were my guardian when I was a student twenty five years ago. As usual, they fed us with a rich lovefeast and then a time of fellowship on the word of God.

This time, I fellowshipped on the Lord’s shepherding in Psalms 23 as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I emphasised on the restoration of our souls through the Lord’s shepherding which resulted in dwelling in the house of Jehovah for the length of my days; in this age, the coming kingdom age, and in the New Jerusalem. And concluded the meeting with prayer for Uncle and Aunty,  which was followed by Uncle praying for me and blessing me.

Thus, the Lord as my Shepherd shepherded me even through this shepherding visitations to my ex-teacher and ex-guardian. 

May the Lord bless them with good health and long life with peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 

Jehovah is my Shepherd; I will lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures; 

He leads me beside waters of rest. He restores my soul;He guides me on the paths of righteousness 

For His name’s sake. Even though I walk 

Through the valley of the shadow of death, 

I do not fear evil, 

For You are with me; 

Your rod and Your staff, 

They comfort me. You spread a table before me 

In the presence of my adversaries; 

You anoint my head with oil; 

My cup runs over. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me 

All the days of my life, 

And I will dwell in the house of Jehovah 

For the length of my days. 

(Psalms 23, RecVer)

The Burden and Blessing of Building and Blending in the Body

Since last Friday, 22 August till today, 27 August, we have been under God’s speaking and shining through an elderly and mature brother. To me, I reckon this experience of being under the Lord’s shining light as my spiritual healh checkup undergoing an MRI scan in God’s operation theater. The burden released on the first three days was on the building up of the Body of Christ and the last three days was on the blending in the Body of Christ. When I shared at the last session, I summarized the six days fellowship in one sentence, "The Burden and Blessing of Building and Blending in the Body."

The burden began with a question on whether it was easy to build up the Body of Christ. Having gone through the process of building in the local churches, none including me dared say, it was easy. We all resonated with one answer on the difficulty of building, if not impossible. However, through the two and a half days of fellowship, the Lord's speaking sent forth light from Psalms 23. We could now see the Lord’s shepherding as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, particularly with the life of Jacob being transformed to become Israel, though with much dealings. In like manner, the building work is dependent on our person being dealt with. Since the dealing takes time, and oftentimes, undergoes a lot of sufferings and trials, we find it naturally difficult to build the church, if not, impossible. But, God could transformed Jacob to Israel, so He can deal with us to build up the church. So, with God, it is possible and easy to build the church.

Personally, I could relate myself with the change of names from Jacob to Israel. 

And He said to him, What is your name? And he said, Jacob. And He said, Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed. (Genesis 32:27-28, RecVer)

Jacob's name was changed in Genesis 32 at Peniel. However, Jacob was still called Jacob despite the change of name. But after Jacob had undergone more dealings by experiencing the hand of God in a deeper way after losing whom he loved so much, Rachel, and the helper of whom he loved, Deborah, and the one who loved him even blindly, his father Isaac, his name was in reality changed to Israel.

And God said to him,Your name is Jacob; / Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, / But Israel shall be your name.Thus He called his name Israel. (Genesis 35:10, RecVer)

In the same principle, the revelation of building has been shown first and then the reality of building follows. Jacob first saw the vision of God’s building in Genesis 28:12, however the actual fulfilment of this dream physically was much later on when Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem,  and today it is the building up of the church, the Body of Christ.

And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. (Genesis 28:12, RecVer)

In my experience too, the revelation of truth generally comes first and later, the experience followed. This is the case with the building of the Body too. Since Joshua and Caleb could enter the good land, it is possible for us to build up the Body too. Of course, there are many fine points on the building that touches my being. I must then allow the Lord to work in me deeply day by day until I am fully built up and build up the local church in my locality. 

The burden on the blending was touched on the last two and half days of the fellowship. This blending is directly related with the building, the two goes hand in hand. The dealings and learnings of the two are similar in nature. Both entails the restorating of our souls, the gaining of our souls, the growth in life, and the transformation by the Triune God's shepherding as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Besides, our human cooperation of being open to the Lord and one another, being under the supply of the word of God, and being under the Lord’s perfecting training and speaking with His light shining dispelling all the darkness in our inward being are needed for the genuine blending in the Body. In this way, there will be the necessary purifying, sanctifying, and killing of the self, ambition, and pride. Which will result in our hearts being enlarged and our hearts being turned to the Lord, leading us to the Spirit. In this way, there will be the blending among the saints. Yes, much blending in the Body. 

The past six days have really been a merciful spiritual health checkup session. What a blessing! What a grace! 

Lord, thank you for the burden and blessing of building and blending in the Body! 

May the Lord grace me to be perfected to be blendable, to be able to blend others, and also to be blended with the brothers. And may the Lord also grace me to be builded up in the Body and build up His Body.

Ministry of the Word to Maddur, Mandya, Ramnagar, and Bengaluru

On the third day and the last day in this ministry literature journey, we started early at about 8 AM and came back past midnight after visiting four localities. The Lord led us city by city and we could meet the Christian leaders and seekers in their respective places.

In Maddur, we were led to present the ministry literature to a group of Pastors who also bought the New Testament Recovery Version in Kannada. Though it was an impromptu visit, the Lord opened the hearts of the believers to receive us and the ministry.

One significant meeting was in Mandya where we met a brother who is also a professor of Computer Science in a private university. Since our time was tight as we intended to cover more cities and yet this professor was busy at his university, so we decided to enjoy our lunch first, a very sumptuous meal of mutton, chicken, and fish. This was the Lord’s shepherding too. Then, when we met the professor for a few minutes on the roadside, he immediately was attracted by the ministry books. He immediately purchased the Holy Bible Recovery Version in English and all the printed English title books of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee we have in stock along with the Kannada New Testament Recovery Version! The Lord just touched him through the ministry and he bought all the minustry books we introduced to him. That too, on the roadside, just for a few minutes. Besides, he being a professor ministering among 200 Engineering students in different universities, 200 copies of A&C Faith journals were also sent to him. 

Additionally, we also met a Christian brother who has been persecuted yet having full of burden for the gospel. He was also so impressed by the truth that he purchased it immediately. Though he was not financially sound, he still paid the price to buy with whatever he had then. It was of the Lord that we could meet such brother whom the Lord has prepared for His move in Karnataka. 

Lord, bless Your move in Karnataka, even through this ministry journey, and the availability of the New Testament Recovery Version in Kannada!