Spiritual Growth-Eph.4:11-16
As said before, Two more agents are needed for Spiritual Growth- 1.The Holy Spirit and 2.a Suitable Environment.
The Holy Spirit is the Agent for life and works in us not only to keep that life but also to develop it towards perfection. The goal of the Holy Spirit working in us is to bring us to full maturity in Christ.. God will give us Grace and all the encouragement we need to grow as Christians. We must also be aware of our own responsibility in this. We must ensure that the Holy Spirit is free to indwell us and that He can work freely in our lives.
When we are saved, the Holy Spirit comes into our lives to stay with us and lead us in the path of God by revealing the truths of His Word. However, this is not sufficient. The Holy Spirit not only comes to live with us but He also wants to indwell us and fill us. Why? So that we become the sole possession of God and receive power to be effective witnesses to the person of Christ. It is up to us to let the Holy Spirit take control of our being. He will not do so by force but as we surrender our will to His and yield our members as instruments of holiness.
The Lord Jesus, before leaving this earth, promised His followers to send another Comforter who would remind them of all that He said and taught. The same promise holds true for us also and for every believer who belongs to God by Faith in Jesus Christ-Acts 2:37-39.
The followers of Jesus were people taught by Him for approx. three years yet lacked the full maturity and power of God in their lives. However, after Pentecost we see different people. They came to maturity and power overnight. Why? The infilling of the Holy Spirit who revolutionized their lives. It will do the same for us. We must not be satisfied with what we received from God at Salvation and stay at that. We need to claim all the fullness of God for our lives.
Paul, the Apostle, met some believers at Ephesus, Acts 19:1-7, one day and put this question to them: "Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?"
There is no excuse for such ignorance. God commands us to be filled-Eph.5:18, ALWAYS.
The other Agent for Spiritual Growth is a Suitable Environment.
When Saved; God, by an act of Grace, transplants us into His Kingdom and Family from the Kingdom of darkness ruled by Satan. We thus join God's Family, the Church. The Holy Spirit will then lead us to join a local Church or Fellowship. As far as the individual believer is concerned it is the Local Church or Fellowship that is of vital importance to him.
The role of the Local Church or Fellowship is to care, instruct and help believers to grow in the Faith. For his part the believer must see to it that he functions as part of this spiritual community according to the Word of God. It is in the local Church or Fellowship that the individual believer will identify with the Body of Christ and will channel all his christian activities. How well a believer will function and progress in the Faith depends on his ability to receive proper sustenance from that spiritual body he is in and how well his christian activities will fit into that body - Col.2:18-19.
Most believers are happy to identify with the Universal Church of God or Body of Christ but often find it difficult to identify with a Local Church or Fellowship. Though they find fault with most local bodies they fail to find fault with themselves. They look for a perfect body to join but will admit at heart that they are not suitable to fit into a perfect Church  or Fellowship.
The Holy Spirit will place us where He thinks best for us to be and function as believers. We, unfortunately, think we know better. Just like a plant that flourishes well when placed in a suitable soil so will a believers flourish when placed in a proper Christian environment.
What are the criteria for such growth?
Simply what a plant needs for growth-Is.53:2. The Lord Jesus Christ as a tender plant grew before His Heavenly Father while on this earth and we too have to grow likewise.
A plant has three basic needs:
Good soil
Water
Good care
A Christian has to be planted in the good soil of spirituality where he will enjoy fellowship and be watered by the Word of our God. He will also need the loving care of a body which the family of God can provide. When all these things work together then God's Grace will work for real growth in the individual life.

Spiritual Growth-Eph.4:11-16.                   Continuation
Why do we not grow spiritually?
If we fail to grow physically the problem lies with some genetic fault in us. If we do not grow spiritually the fault lies in our unwillingness or refusal to grow.
For natural growth two things are needed: Food and Exercise.
To grow spiritually two things are vital, Food for our souls- the Word of God, and spiritual Exercise-Prayer. However, for these two vital things to work two Agents are necessary: The Holy Spirit and a suitable Environment.
What is the food we need for the nourishment for our souls? Job 23:12 gives us a good understanding of this need. Just as food is vital for our bodies Job finds the Word of God more necessary for his life. To have such an experience we need to develop a healthy hunger for it. The Lord Jesus said, 'Blessed are those who hunger and thirst.....'.
Like a body that is undernourished and will die if it is not fed, so a soul that is not fed with the Word of God will die. The Apostle Peter, in 1 Pet.2:1-2, tells us to develop a real desire for the pure Word of Life so that we may grow in the Faith. He gives us here a picture of a new-born baby that craves for the milk of the mother. In Ps.119:11, we note a similar attitude for the Word of God. The Psalmist treasures the Word so much that he keeps it in the center of his being. Unless we also show a similar attitude we shall find that our spiritual lives will always remain impoverished and powerless.
The second necessity for spiritual growth is Prayer. Like a baby that cries and calls for the attention of the mother, so prayer should be as natural to the believer. A person who is born of the Spirit and the Word of God should have a natural desire to pray to the Heavenly Father.
Prayer is a means by which we maintain a living relationship with our God and the means by which we communicate with Him. It is the time I talk to Him and He talks to me and it is the time I share His secrets.
No Christian life can exist and function without real prayer. There is so much in the Bible about prayer which shows us how important a role it plays in the life of the believer. The Lord Jesus was the Master of praying and set us a pattern to follow. Though He was the busiest man of His day yet He made time and found it necessary to devote time to prayer-Luke 6:12, the vital communion with His Heavenly Father. If the sinless Son of God found it so necessary to maintain that vital link with His Heavenly Father how much more should we in this present, evil world.
                                                                         To be continued

NEPAL EARTHQUAKE-Nepali Christian outreach to stricken areas.

Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
It was on 25 April 2015 Saturday at 11.57 the Earthquake started from Barpak village, Gorka District. We were at the end of our worship service; suddenly it came out and the houses were shaking. The earthquake was 7.9 scale and small earthquake is coming over and over. This violent earthquake damaged N.E. Lamjung, Gorka, Rasuwa, Dolakha, Sunsari, Sinduplanchok, Bhaktpur, Kathmandu and many more Districts.
This earthquake has devastated and brought many pain and suffering to the Nepalese people. We saw the great famine and need for the people. On April 27 we the R.... Churches of Nepal central committee had an emergency meeting and came to a conclusion to help the needy ones. We elders prayed together and asked God's Grace and mercy for the victims people and we decided to move to Lamjung district. On April 28 bro. P....and myself started to move at 10.30 but because of heavy rain in Butwal couldn't move at the right time. Then we moved at 2.30 pm on that day to Besishar Lamjung and reached at 10.00pm. From Naryanghat to Muglim the roads were jammed and we couldn't reach on time. We were so tired because of long journey.
On 29 April along with bro. Pr......and bro. Dil we started our journey at 8.30am for Kolki east Lanjung. It was a horrible journey on our motor bikes struggling on the way and reached Kolki at 3.00 pm. 12 houses were totally collapsed, 69 houses were cracked and leaking, 2 were injured and 1 dead. We heard that there were a few believers in that area but there was no one. We had an opportunity to share the Gospel to some of the people personally. Well we pray that God may change their hearts and come to Christ (In some places these brethren could not minister to people since the media reported that these Christians we attempting to forcibly convert people). We were unable to move back to Besishar on that day and  we stayed there. Midnight at 11pm there was a heavy rain and we couldn't sleep well that night because the roof was leaking. As we planned out before to help food, clothes, etc but some private schools and some other private organizations were distributing food, biscuits, noodles, etc. there. We were looking to help the believers and on 30 April we came to know that 11 Christian family houses and 1 Church meeting place is collapsed in Illam Pokhari. As we tried to visit Illam Pokhari from Kolki we were unable to go because of the roads. It was a heavy rain and the road got damaged. We started our journey at 10.00 am and reached at 3.00pm at Besishar. We hardly return back to Beshishar. It was an adventure journey, unforgettable moment we had experienced. We thank God for His grace and mercy in our journey. Thanks so much for your prayers and wiring money for the victim's people. We had discovered to help Kolki 10 houses and Illam Pokhari 14 houses. Christian people providing material (tin) for the roof and if the budget will left we will provide rice, pulse, salt, oil, etc for the Christian people in some other villages who are in great need.
Yesterday bro S..... moved back to Butwal to arrange many more things there. Including RCN, associated with the Heart Cry and other Christian brothers, down to Butwal are also going to contribute for this work. Any individual, local church or mission organisation can be part of this relief work. I am staying here in Lamjung to discover more how we can help and use the money in proper way for the needy ones. From coming Monday to Thursday we are planning to distribute what we have decided. Recently the roads are not good, totally damaged and hard to reach with material in that place where we visited. Please pray that God may open the roads and work out as we plan to help those people. Let our God be glorified in all this work. Let the Kingdom be advanced through the work of the Gospel and deeds.
In Christ,
Sarvajit.

We had the opportunity to minister in Churches in the Butwal area of Nepal last March. Churches
in Nepal are generally impoverished but are ready to help in cases like this generously.
For your benefit, I have copied Sarvajit's report exactly as it was sent together with a few photos
from the many sent.
A more recent report tells how these brothers were able to reach their desired area and distribute to the needs of the people.

Spiritual Growth - Eph.4:11-16.
What does it mean? To increase in the Faith and reach maturity spiritually.
Why do we need this, what is the purpose? If we failed in this it would be against the will of God and we would be unfit to live in Heaven.
The whole of life speaks about growth. Humans, birds, animals, plants, etc., come into the world and go on to reach a stage in their lives when full growth is reached or achieved. Nature has the principle of growth in its foundation.
Someone put it like this, 'All things have built into them the Law of growth and if they do not grow they violate the purpose of living' . God has arranged the world with one view in mind-Life and Growth. Everything that happens to our Christian lives has one purpose and goal-that we may grow in Christ. Paul, the Apostle, in v.15, put it like this, 'Grow into Him in all things....'
In saving us God intends that one day we should live with Him in Eternity. That means that we will live with a Holy, Eternal God. But before that happens He intends us to go through a process that will enable us to live with Him in Heaven. Why does God not take us into Heaven immediately the moment we are saved? The answer may not be so obvious. Heaven is not made up of spiritual babies. If it were, we would not even know who God was, what holiness is, etc. etc. We prepare for Heaven here on earth-a long process.
When saved, God's plan and will for us is not just to join a Church or become familiar with the ins and outs of a Denomination but grow in Christ and become like Him. The job of the Church is to make believers real spiritually minded people, mature in the Faith and knowledge of our Saviour and God.
At conversion, the life of God that enters our being has within it the potential to develop us into the image of Christ. And so, the Holy Spirit enters our life and starts to prod us towards growth. He builds in us the urge to grow, naturally and spiritually. If we do not grow it is not because God has not set the stage for growth but because we fail to do so. There is nothing more distressing in the Christian Church than to watch people who do not grow in the Faith. We get anxious about a plant in our garden that despite the care we give it fails to grow. How much more should we be about our life which is eternal if it does not grow.
How do we recognize that there no spiritual growth?
In exactly the same way that a human being fails to grow physically or mentally. Believers who fail to grow simply live stunted lives spiritually, always learning but never advancing into the deeper things of the Word. Feeding on milk but not on solid food-Spiritual babies. 1 Cor.3:1-3.
                                                                       To be continued

Genesis 3:1-24, 4:1-7.                      continuation
 In the few verses of chapter 4:1-7 we have the story of the first family on earth. However, we need to remember that the family was instituted by God.
We note that Cain was a farmer whereas Abel was a shepherd. Both professions were related to God's creation. God instructed Adam to till the ground and look after  the animal creation. We see here the age old traditions passed on by parents to their children, from generation to generation. Apart from their work and daily routine we also notice something else-Worship. Both sons, in the course of running their daily lives recognize the need to come before God and offer their gifts. How did they know about Worship or what led them to such practice? Perhaps the answer lay deep in their own hearts. Why do we gather together to Worship? Simply because deep in our hearts we have the urge to do so and give reverence to God. Worship means to Serve. Cain and Abel were no different from us plus of course the fact that their parents told them about the relationship they had with God. Most of us have heard something about God from some source. Nothing strange about the need to Worship. Remember the woman at the well? John 4:21-14. However, it is one thing to talk about Worship but another thing to actually practice it or agree what form it should take.
Cain and Abel found soon enough what was required of them in Worship. They both brought offerings to the Lord from the labour of their hands. These were free-will offerings that nobody forced them to make. Worship must stem from deep within our hearts and come out freely-Rom 12:1. How then should Worship be? The answer was given by the Lord to the woman at the well-
'In Spirit and in Truth' . God will only accept Worship when it is offered by the Holy Spirit in agreement with His Word. Cain found out early enough in Creation that worship involves coming before God in the prescribed way that He laid out.
We read however, that Abel's offering is accepted by God whereas Cain's is rejected. Does God reject our Worship and our offerings? The Bible makes it clear that sometimes He does. The obvious question then is, what kind of Worship and free will offering is accepted by God? We are told in verse 4 that Abel brought to the Lord of his flocks and the Lord had respect for it. In other words, Abel knew what kind of Worship and offering was accepted. He did not have a Bible so that he could read and studly it neither did he go to the local Church. As a son of Adam and Eve he received knowledge about God from his parents. He knew that God sacrificed an animal to clothe his parents. He knew that sacrificing an animal was not just to clothe people but also something more than that. It was a blood sacrifice.
As believers, we walk by Faith and by not by sight. We should know what is expected from us in our walk with God and we should not need to be told every morning what shoe to put on. The Lord Jesus referred to Abel as 'Righteous' . Cain knew about those tings concerning God but he chose to go his own different way, like so many believers. What was behind Cain's reaction? Pride? Ps.10:4.
God rejected Cain's offering and he felt unhappy about the whole thing but God pointed out to him that his heart was filled   with envy and hatred. Sounds familiar? Remember Joseph and his brothers? 1 John 3:13 tells us not to be surprised if the world hates us. The Bible warns that if someone wants to live a godly life he shall suffer persecution. Persecution comes not only from the world but also from carnal believers-1 John 3:11-12.          End.

Genesis 3:1-24, 4:1-7                  continuation
'And Eve conceived and bare Cain...from the Lord' . Another strange statement that we often find in the Bible. Eve's words couldn't be more puzzling. Did God have a hand in the birth of Cain? How? Earlier, we are told clearly that Adam 'knew his wife and she conceived....' .
We have a similar case to that of Hannah in 1 Sam.1. Hannah was barren and desperately wanting to have a child. Finally, after promising to give the child back to God, God granted her request. In a way, Samuel was a child from God. Hannah simply offered the child back to God. The case with Eve is different of course but the principle is the same. Perhaps the effects of sin affected Eve's childbearing so she intreated God for a child.
In 2 Cor.5:17, Paul gives us the answer to the puzzle. In Christ, the purpose of Creation is restored in man and even sex finds its original purpose and place in our lives. Passions and desires can be curbed and they find a new direction. No more slaves to sin but serving Christ in newness of life.
It is interesting to note Cain's name-a Spear. Could it be the thing that pierced a shut womb? Cain's name also signifies the role he played later in life, the attack and murder of his brother.
After Cain, Eve had another son called Abel-Breath or Vapor. How significant-Job 33:4.
The parents who once knew God are now away from God's life and communion; but fulfilling God's command to be fruitful and multiply. What is the fruit of their relationship? Their first child turns out to be a murderer whereas the second one a peacemaker, a breath of life.
How did Adam and Eve as parents influence their children? What sort of effect did their lives have on them? Questions that trouble parents throughout the history of the family-Pro.22:6. From later events it is obvious that both children had a knowledge of who God was and what He required from them. Knowledge that was handed down from their parents. Could Adam and Eve ever forget their life in the garden of Eden and the fellowship they had with God? Can we ever forget the love of God shed in our hearts once we have tasted it, even when we backslide?
                                                                      to be continued

Genesis 3:1-24, 4:1-7.                           continuation
What happened to the Garden of Eden? The Bible does not tell us, God did not consider it important. It probably perished in the Flood.
Now, man is left outside till the time God opens the door for him to enter Paradise and find fellowship with God. This was achieved on the resurrection day when victory over the devil and death was gained.
Not only is man expelled from the Garden but he is also not to go near the Tree of Life. Why? In our sinful state we cannot approach a holy God. Only when sin is dealt with in our lives can we do so. However, the day is coming when man will again be able to partake of the Tree of Life in the Paradise of God-Rev.22:2.
Chapter 3 closes with the information that God put a guard at the entrance of the Garden to stop anybody going in, a Cherubim. We only know what a Cherubim looks like from the description of those placed on top of the Ark of the Covenant. Cherubim are guardians of God's holiness. Apart
from the Cherubim, God also placed the flaming sword that turned. Again, we are not told what a flaming sword was like or why God placed it there but we can gather its symbolism from somewhere else-Eph.6:17, 'The sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God' .
The flaming fire of the Word brings judgment upon the sinner who tries to enter Heaven or God's presence  without the Blood.
'Adam knew his wife....' . The first mention in the Bible of a physical relationship between a man and a woman. God's words to Eve were, 'her desire would be for her husband' . What kind of desire? The kind of desire that leads a woman to depend upon a man. More than a desire for companionship but one of lust. A desire that leads to an abnormal relationship, different from what God intended or had in mind.
What was God's intention at creation? When God had finished His creation He looked at everything and found it to be 'good and perfect'. The man and the woman were also perfect. They had God's character, the ability to think and decide, to love and be loved but not to harbor evil and commit evil in their lives. That came afterwards. Their relationship was based on God's moral character, even for procuring offspring. How was that to be accomplished? A relationship based on childbearing and not based on lust. We only know of their kind of relationship after the fall.
There is no doubt that at Creation the man and the woman were given the sex drive in their being 
but not in the form we witness today.
The Bible points to the fact of their physical relation after the fall, implying something different from what God intended. They would now have sex and be fruitful but not without pain, lust and passion. Is sex then something ugly and dirty? Not necessarily, a God given desire is abused by man.
What is the answer? In 2 Cor.5:17, the Apostle gives us the answer. In Christ, Creation's purpose is restored in man, even sex finds its original purpose and place in our lives. Passions and desires can be curbed and find a new direction. No more slaves to sin but newness of life in Christ.
                                                                                                         To be continued

Genesis 3:1-24, 4:1-7.                    continuation
'And for Adam and his wife the Lord God made....'
Chapter 3 closes with these profound words. What is the message?
Man has decided to go his own way and run his life without God and without the fellowship he had with God. However God does not abandon man. God seeks him and provides for him. 1 John 4:10 tells us, 'Herein is love....' .
We see the proof of this when Adam and Eve realized that they were naked and attempted to cover themselves with fig leaves, man's attempt to cover himself-a pathetic inadequate attempt. It was God who took the initiative to seek man and provide a suitable cover for him; but this cover was not a free one. It cost God something and it had a great significance - a Sacrifice. Man always prefers nakedness but God's cover speaks for righteousness and holiness.
Here,  we see that God has standards with behaviour, dress, manners, etc., whereas man has what is convenient for him. Believers need to note these standards and apply them to their lives. We note the type of cover God used to cover them-animal skins. We have the first indication of what God requires as a price for atonement-Sacrifice and the shedding of Blood: Heb.9:22.
The Cross looms ahead right from the Garden of Eden. God had to pay the price for man's redemption. The animal creation was to serve man but because of the Fall it also provided for his atonement.
When the serpent tempted Eve, he suggested that if they ate of the fruit they would become like Gods, knowing Good and Evil: Partly true but not the whole truth. They did not become Gods, they only knew Good and Evil. A temptation for them with a hidden device to become like Gods. Here, Satan's strategy is exposed, truth mixed with lies. We need to discern this strategy and not fall into this trap. As for Adam and Eve reality struck them hard and cruelly. Now they are on their own. What does the future have for them? We certainly see no repentance and no plan for what lies ahead. The opposite is true with God. He takes the initiative and points the way for them to 
take though it seems He is hard on them, rather vindictive? He causes the two people He created and looked after to become homeless and even penniless. Nowhere to go.
When people sin in the Church and refuse to repent what is the answer? God's ways are not full of errors. In evicting Adam and Eve from the Garden we are given the reason for it. The Tree of Life. Before the fall they had access to the Tree of Life but now they are barred from it, the way is blocked. Sin blocks our way to Eternity. We can only approach the Tree of Life via a prescribed way-The Blood. Jesus said, 'I am the way, the truth and the life' . Had they partaken of the Tree of Life in their sinful state they would have continued like that for ever. Man is finally expelled from the Garden, the place he was supposed to look after. The Garden was not his property but he was only to care for it.
The Bible teaches that we are responsible for our actions and we should fully bear the consequence of our actions. We read in 1 Cor.10:26 that the 'Earth and the fullness thereof belong to the Lord' . Adam is told to go and work for his living outside the Garden. In the Garden there was work, pleasure and Fellowship with God. Outside there would be hard toil and pain. Adam's sphere of work and life would be the earth he was taken from.
In expelling them from The Garden  we see God's Mercy extending to them. We see a Merciful God giving them another chance and through them Mercy to the whole world - The Cross.
                                                                       To be continued