Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Prayer Partners

There is need for discipline in our prayer life. I find it difficult to pray alone. Do I therefore give up on prayer? No. I can find a prayer partner and pray with him/her. I can find? Frankly, it's not like that! God knows the burden in your heart and, in His infinite mercy and grace, He gives you a prayer partner. How does it happen?

I am going through a trial. I am praying, I'm spending much time with God. In such situations, God sends a prayer partner. He may be a member of your local church. When I went through a severe trial for 70 days in the year 1993, God sent me a prayer partner who prayed with me night after night for 50 days in a row. Then victory came!

Similarly, my wife's cousin is going through a severe trail right now. I am going to him and praying with him and his wife. We spend at least half-an-hour in God's presence. We sing a hymn in our native tongue, then share what God has spoken to us through our quiet time/family prayers and then we pray. We pray not only for our own needs [especially, my wife's cousin's trial], but we also pray for the church. This has become a discipline. It is marvellous. We can't stop. The prayer partnership goes one. God keeps speaking. His Spirit brings us together in prayer.

Prayer partnership is essential for a believer's life. I remember when I married, my wife's mother stayed with us. She was a godly woman. There was always some elderly sister from the church who used to come and pray with her. That was long ago. Today I am a prayer partner for my wife's cousin. May we learn prayer partnership. We will learn thereby to effectively bear the burdens of others. We will learn to be intercessors. We will glorify God. Amen.

Wednesday, December 6, 2006

Revival of the Prolix Blog

As you can see, there was a large gap of several months in my postings, especially from May 2006 onwards. However, I have now resumed this blog, and have put up a couple of posts.

I have also shifted to Blogger Beta, besides changing the Template of the blog to make it more attractive.

I hope this blog survives.

Figs


Figs
Originally uploaded by remusse.
Ripe and ready to eat
Figs in a shallow basket
Lined with newspaper.

You can see bits of paper
Stuck to the sweet figs.
And you can read
The fine print.

What's more,
This is a candid shot.
Even the fig-seller
Was surprised.

Tuesday, December 5, 2006

Cottage Meeting


The three young sisters from Sikkim
are singing a Nepali Christian song.
The sister in blue is suffering from cancer.
The elderly sister on the right has come
to visit these young sisters.
The husband of one is suffering
from tuberculosis.
Nepali Christian songs are very beautiful.

Daniel Chapter Six


The following are extracts from the little book, The Overcomers' Secret, by Bro Bakht Singh.
They are taken from Chapter 6 of the book. They are based on Chapter 6 of the Book of Daniel.

1. We believers do not use our spiritual rights in prayer. We often pray for many things connected with our natural life, but we fail to pray through for divine unction, the spiritual anointing, which we need every day if we are to live successfully for God. We rely too much on our human knowledge and qualifications, and neglect to seek the wisdom of God for our daily lives, which we have the right to do as believers.

2. Daniel was a very busy man with many important matters to attend to, but he never cut short his time of prayer. When the time for prayer came, he left all the files on the table, and never missed his time of communion with God, three times every day.

3. Some people wonder why they cannot pray; they want to pray but cannot do so for more than 10 or 15 minutes. They fail because they do not give enough time to worship and thanksgiving. They only make requests for things, and so soon become dried up.

4. After 43 years of divine training, Daniel was now facing his final test [i.e. the lions' den]. We find the whole kingdom against Daniel. He stood as one man alone, without a single person to help him. He did not seek help from man, but trusted in God only.

5. As before, he still prayed 3 times a day before his opened windows, and gave thanks to God. Here is the simple way of overcoming. Learn to praise and thank God. Do not allow any fears or doubts to come into your mind, even though you know the enemy is working against you... Daniel gave thanks to God. There was no murmuring or complaining. Thanking, praising and worshipping God is the secret.

6. God often allows our enemies to prosper for a while... but they do not realise that they are going to be punished. Daniel had suffered because of his testimony, but God delivered him because of his faithfulness. It is only when we are found faithful like Daniel that we shall find god delivering us. We must be faithful in our duty, true in our testimony, honouring God day and night, using our knees three times daily without fear or shame, constantly praising God and thanking Him for all things. Then we shall find He will send His angels to work on our behalf, and the enemy's schemes and plans against us will be confounded.

7. Perhaps God is putting us through a time of preparation, and we must be prepared for it. We may be taken through extreme sorrow, trials and sufferings and disappointment. Through these we shall receive a strong and divine faith, divine wisdom and God's excellent spirit; then we shall be given the revelation of heavenly mysteries which at the moment are hidden from us.

[May the Lord help us to be true overcomers. May He take all murmurings and complainings out of our hearts and give us a true strong faith. Bro Bakht Singh.] 

School Children at Pedong, All Smiles!

 

Jonah

The last frontier is the frontier of forgiveness.
‘I will never forgive
As long as I live.’

Under the scorching sun
The prophet sat,
Half-stunned,
Unable to comprehend divine compassion,
For which God would care
For the beasts of the earth and the birds of the air?

For which God would have relented
When Nineveh repented?
‘How can I be merciful when they are so cruel?
There is no justice in this wicked world! ’

O Lord, Your forgiveness
Is far beyond human selfishness.
On a perishing plant Jonah felt so much pity
He ignored 120,000 innocent children in a great city!

Tom Prato

Visit to the Siwalik Hills

Recently I visited the Siwalik hills with my wife. I was there after 28 years. That's a long time. When we arrived it was cold. We missed our lunch. On the way up we bought strawberries and oranges, but they were not sufficient to quench our hunger. Dinner, too, was a flop. We felt bad.

The next day the sun came out. It was bright and warm. We could see the mountains. The snow peaks glistened in the sun. We had sunshine for the next four days. It was glorious.

We went for long walks. We visited places. We made new friends. We had a memorable time. All by the grace of God.

Is there something more that I should tell you? Yes. Up there in the hills, when we tried to witness for the Lord, we experienced a kind of counter-attack from Satan. We were in a region steeped in idolatry. There was complete resistance to the gospel. This was enemy territory. When we tried to distribute tracts, tell others about Christ, give our testimony and even pray with others -- we experienced a counter-reaction. When we really witness for Christ, and stand up for the gospel, we must expect resistance from the enemy. 

Psalm 27.14


‘Wait on the Lord and He shall strengthen your heart.’ Wait on the Lord, trust in the Lord, abide in the Lord, ‘feed’ on the Lord [on His word, and in prayer]. He will strengthen your heart. There are times when we wake up with so many worries. Often when we neglect our quiet time, we feel miserable throughout the day. We feel weak. Satan batters us with worries and fears. We lose our peace of mind. Our heart is filled with fears. It shouldn’t be like that. We need to have the Lord strengthen our heart.

I am learning by experience. First thing in the morning: spend time with God. Read the Bible, read devotionals, pray. This is a battle, a daily battle. I need the Lord, I need His peace, I need His presence, I need His power. It’s a life of faith, and I have to overcome. It is not possible without meditating on the word of God and praying. Lord, when I wait on You, I am strengthened in my heart, in my inner man. Thank you, Lord, for teaching me this. Everyone of God’s children must learn to live on the Lord, live by His strength, by His peace, by His life.

Amen. 

Our End is God's Beginning


What does it mean in everyday life to be delivered from the Law? It means that from henceforth I am going to do nothing whatever for God; I am never again going to try to please Him. 'What a doctrine!' you exclaim. 'What awful heresy! You cannot possibly mean that!'


But remember, if I try to please God 'in the flesh', then immediately I place myself under the Law. I broke the Law; the Law pronounced the death sentence; the sentence was executed, and now by death i - the carnal 'I' [Rom 7.14] - have been set free from all its claims. There is still a Law of God, and now there is in fact a 'new commandment' that is infinitely more exacting than the old, but, praise God! its demands are being met, for it is Christ who now fulfils them; it is Christ who works in me what is well-pleasing to God. 'I came...to fulfil [the law]' were His words [Matt 5.17]. Thus Paul, from the ground of resurrection, can say: 'Work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to work, for His good pleasure' [Phil 2.12, 13].

[Extracted from TNCL by W.N.] 

'It is God who works in you', Phil 2.13


Having at last reached the point of utter despair in ourselves so that we cease even to try, we put our trust in the Lord to manifest His resurrection life in us...

The sooner we give up trying the better, for if we monopolize the task, then there is no room for the Holy Spirit. But if we say: 'I'll not do it; I'll trust Thee, Lord, to do it for me', then we shall find that a Power stronger than ourselves is carrying us through.

[Extracted from TNCL by W.N.] 

Queen Victoria, Victoria Memorial, Calcutta

 

Christ as our Example


One of the reasons Jesus came into the world was to give as the example of how a child of God should live. He was a model or pattern. Peter says, ‘Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow in His steps’, 1 Pet 2.21. Paul prayed, ‘I am in travail till Christ is fully formed in you.’ Gal 4.19.

Christ is our example. Paul says, ‘Imitate me as I imitate Christ.’ [1 Cor 11.1] Or ‘Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.’ [NIV] Jesus told His disciples, ‘Follow Me.’ We have to walk in His steps. We have to ‘walk as He walked’, 1 John 2.16. It is not something static, we have to ‘walk’. It is more than looking into a mirror; we have to walk in the path of obedience, appropriating His grace, and then we will know what it is to ‘follow Him’ or ‘emulate Him’.

Paul tells Timothy, ‘Be an example.’ 1 Tim 4.12. Paul tells Titus, ‘Be a pattern of good works.’ Christ was a pattern of good works, and His life was the model of a holy and separated life. Though He was ‘in’ the world, and was a ‘Friend of sinners’, yet He was not ‘of’ the world. His was a heavenly, a spiritual walk, but extremely practical.

Jesus said, ‘Learn of Me; I am meek and lowly.’ Matt 11.29. Do we have the lowliness and meekness of Christ? A change has to take place in me, as I am being transformed into His likeness. Others must see the meekness of Christ, the patience of Christ, in me. James says, ‘Take the prophets as an example of suffering and patience.’ Jas 5.10. Paul tells Timothy that his life of long-suffering was a pattern to the believers [1 Tim 1.16].

We often need to ask the question, ‘What would Jesus do [in this situation]?’ When we examine ourselves, we realize there is so much carnality, so much impatience and intolerance, so much lack of understanding, so much of a critical spirit, so much of the flesh and the world in us. It will take a long time, and a deep work of the cross, before we are transformed into His image.

This is not following Christ in an outward way. Thomas a Kempis wrote ‘The Imitation of Christ’; which was ‘outward’. We have to know Christ in an inward way, and as we keep ‘looking unto Him’ we are being changed into His likeness day by day. Remember, the Lord is faithful, and He will do it! [1 Thess 5.24] 

An Adventure in Montreal, Canada

It was after a very long time that I got an opportunity to go abroad, this time to Canada. I said, Lord, I want to witness for You; make me Your witness! I was so excited to go to the West!

It was Sunday evening when I landed in Montreal. Heavy jet-lag, tired and disoriented. Within 15 minutes of getting down at Hotel Belvedere, I crashed into the front glass door! I almost chipped a tooth and a lens came out of my spectacles [fortunately not broken]. My lip was cut and swollen. I was praying, Lord, have mercy on me! The hotel management was absolutely indifferent. {It's another matter that exactly 2 days later somebody else crashed into the front side glass door and shattered it into smithereens!} [Canada is dust-free, unlike Asia! And we Asians have never seen dust-free transparent doors!]

I rang up to a pastor friend in Michigan, USA and got medical advice and prayer. Tylenol helped!

The next day I ate in Macdonalds; they use beef-fat and that upset my stomach. The first was an exterior attack; now it was interior! I said, Lord, I wanted to witness for you, and look what is happening. Once again, pastorly advice over phone from Michigan and prayer. Imodium helped! [As for food, I switched over to Subway; goodbye Mac, forever! ]

It was on the third day that I 'rose again', i.e. came to normal. I stood outside my hotel and tried to distribute tracts. White Canadian passed by; the tract was rejected. [I felt a sinking feeling; would they refuse the tracts? ] Then an immigrant; he took the tract. It was like 50-50; the local 'christian?' Canadians rejected the tracts; the 'heathen' immigrants and tourists took them!

The prosperity of Montreal. The complacency. The indifference to spiritual things. The way material riches choked out the things of the spirit. Fine Catholic churches; all empty. Quebec didn't need God; they worshipped money.

The same week I opened the papers and read that Canada had passed an Act legalizing homosexual marriages!

Rue St Catherine is a fascinating part of Downtown Montreal. I saw a group of American youngsters doing some kind of skit watched mostly by tourists. They were trying to give the gospel through dance! The method was wrong; it had the effect of a flea-bite on the seared Canadian conscience. Another man was trying to distribute Bibles [New Testaments]; nobody was taking them!

How can the walls of Montreal come tumbling down? Much prayer! Much mourning over sin! Waiting upon the Lord! But if there a consecrated few [even a group of five, Lev 26.8] they can bring the gospel into this beautiful but God-forsaken province, destroying every Satanic stronghold! 

Three Ways in which the World Entices a Believer


The world works in three ways to entice the believer away from the Lord. The first way is Imitation. So we have antichrists and false prophets. We have an imitation church, a harlot actually. We have an imitation cross [worn round the neck or placed on a steeple], instead of the cross working in our heart and lives. We have worldly churches, worldly believers - which can be traditional churches and traditional believers. Tradition will not save a man; only a born-again experience will. The world will listen to false prophets, 1 John 4.5; and they will be very popular because of their eloquent preaching, miracles and wonders! I believe this is the group that protested, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Matt 7.22

Imitation will not work; God does not look at the outward appearance, He looks at the heart.

The second method is Compromise. The world will protest if you go all the way with Christ. Though Pilgrim's Progress is the most popular book after the Bible, it is mostly read by children in an abridged edition, when it should be read and studied by adults and especially those who profess to follow Christ. But the world, enraptured by Harry Potter, would prefer C.S.Lewis' semi-Christian Narnia books rather than the staid but sturdy classic of Bunyan.

The message is that you can enjoy the best of both worlds, as proved by Korean and T.V. evangelists. You can live a luxurious life like most charismatic preachers. That is their 'worldly faith' [not Word of Faith!] The majority of Christians seem to be living in Moab. They are the modern version of Lot's infamous grandchildren, Moab and Ammon. They would love to settle down in Sodom. Paul says, We are the scum of the world, 1 Cor 4.13; but today's brand of 'popular Christianity' is a cocktail enjoyed by the masses. Both Schuller's and Yonggi Cho's churches are bursting with numbers!

But the third method is more sinister; Gravitational Attraction. As the earth has its gravity or downward pull, so the world weighs us down with cares and worries. We are so beset by anxiety over food, clothing, career, children, earthly security - that we simply don't look up to heaven. The plant of faith is choked by thorns. Like Jacob we settle down in Shechem, Gen 33, bringing tragedy to our children, Gen 34. Even as we begin our spiritual journey, Satan plants many attractions and distractions [like mine-fields] on the way. So Israel, though protected from the curse of Balaam, fell through the enticements of the women of Moab.

No wonder, John, a spiritual writer, familiar with the world of the Spirit, warns us of the world and its invidious attractions. None of us would like to lose our heavenly protection or the heavenly blessings. 

Turnips and Radishes

 

Silver in the Sacks

This relates to the story of Joseph and his brothers, narrated in Genesis. In chapter 42.25 Why did Joseph give orders to 'put each man's silver back in his sack'? God doesn't write anything unnecessarily in the Bible. Everything has significance.

I wonder how much money they paid for their grain. At the encampment one of the brothers opens his sack and discovers the silver. It is written that their hearts sank and they turned to each other trembling and said, 'What is this that God has done to us?'

Why bring God into the picture? Their hearts smote them. Take a look at 42.21 where they said to one another, 'Surely we are being punished because of our brother.' 'We are truly guilty,' as another version says. And then Reuben says, 'We must give an accounting for his blood.'

Yes, we have to give an account to God for all the sins we have committed and which are unconfessed. We have to give an account to God for all the wrongs that have not been set right, through restoration and restitution. 'Lord, cleanse me and wash me in the blood of Jesus! Lord, forgive me all my sins. Lord, help me set right all my relationships with my fellow-believers. Lord, let no debt remain, either to you or to my brother!' That should be our cry!

We turn to 42.35. 'As they were emptying their sacks, there in each man's sack was his pouch of silver!' And they were frightened.

The third time we find the word 'afraid' is in chapter 43.17. The men were afraid when they were taken to Joseph's house.

I wonder how much each brother paid for his sack of grain? Was it 20 pieces of silver? That was the price they obtained from the Ishmaelites when they sold Joseph in Gen 37.28. Those pieces of silver! Oh, the weight of sin! God knows exactly how to deal with us to bring us to the point of repentance. He knows exactly how to smite our conscience and bring us to confession. Yes, we have to give an account to God. So why not settle all our accounts here on earth before we stand at the judgment seat of Christ? 

Street Scene, Darjeeling, Summer 2004

 
Group of passers-by listening to stringed music,
Darjeeling Street, Summer 2004.

Darjeeling Mall

 
Schoolgirls in their beautiful maroon blazers
walking through Darjeeling Mall,
Summer 2004.

A Burst of Flowers

 
Springtime and Summer in Darjeeling,
April-May, 2004

Four Beatitudes

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, not the proud!
Blessed are those who are truly humble,
Who have no inflated opinion of themselves,
Who realise that they are nothing but empty vessels
To be filled by the Spirit of God.

Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
Blessed are those who mourn
Over the wickedness of this world,
A world without God;
Where sin ripens into rottenness,
And the spirit yearns for God.

Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
Yes, blessed are those who are broken
In the hands of the Lord,
Chastened by the Father,
Disciplined by the inward cross.
Only such will enter the kingdom of God.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
How we long for the return of the Lord!
Evil is rampant, lies abound.
Oh, that we might be purified by the fire of God!
Lord, give us a hunger for truth,
And fill us with heavenly love. 

Sisters in Mt Pisgah, Darjeeling.

 
Responsible and Fulltime Sisters in Mt. Pisgah Church,
Darjeeling,
September 2005.

Family Quarters, El Shaddai Church

 
Family Quarters, Sisters Quarters, El Shaddai Church,
Kalimpong, September 2005.

Teesta River, After the Rains

 

I remember
the blazing sun,
the swirling river.
It was September.
A long,
crazy run
down to the airport
from Kalimpong.

The swirling Teesta river, after the monsoon rains,
September 2005.
On the road from Teesta to Sevoke.

I wandered lonely as a cloud

 
"I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills"
William Wordsworth in 'Daffodils'.

But this is just a quiet scene on a hot and sunny
mid-morning on the road from Teesta to Sevoke,
September 2005.
 
Restless Boys in Sunday School, El Shaddai, Kalimpong,
September 2005.
 
Girls in Sunday School, El Shaddai, Kalimpong,
September 2005.

Sevenfold Blessing in Psalm 91

This is the seven-fold blessing, found in the last verses of this Psalm:

I will deliver him.
I will set him securely on high.
I will answer him, when he calls upon me.
I will be with him in trouble.
I will rescue him. [Same as the first blessing.]
I will honour him.
I will satisfy him with long life.
I will show him my salvation.


There appear to be three conditions to enjoy this sevenfold blessing.
1. 'Because you have made the Lord, my refuge, even the Most High God, your dwelling place.'
2. 'Because he has loved me'
3. 'Because he has known My name.'

1. Is God your dwelling-place? Remember, He said, 'Abide in Me.'
2. Do you love the Lord more than anything or anyone else in this world? Even with all your heart?
3. Do you know His name? Know God intimately, through tested faith and through experiencing the fellowship of His sufferings, Phil 3.10 

El Shaddai Church, Kalimpong

 
The El Shaddai Church in Kalimpong, evening time
on Sunday, September 2005.
You can see the misty cloud coming in from behind.

God Moves in Mysterious Ways

God moves in mysterious ways,
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.

William Cowper, 18th century,
English poet and hymn-writer. 
 
Early morning, School Children, Govt School,
On the road from Kalimpong down to Teesta.
September, 2005.
 
View of the Teesta as we go up to Kalimpong.
The other river I believe is the Ranggit.
Sept 2005.
 
After School, returning Home,
Children, Darjeeling, September 2005.
 
Hotel Mayfair, near Governor's Bungalow,
Darjeeling, September 2005.
 
Photo of a Hotel and a large English-style Cottage
in Darjeeling, near Governor's Bungalow,
September 2005.

Prolix6x

Hi, I'm Prolix6x.
You can check out my photographs at Flickr.
They are under the name Prolix6x.
Here is one photograph to whet your appetite:
P.S. It was taken with a cameraphone,
a Nokia N72 to be exact.
Hope you like it.