Uni-verse 258/10,000 For better through verse
Heb 2:4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
God confirms the Word with signs, wonders, miracles and gifts. An example of a sign is Gideon's fleece that had moisture gathered all around and was itself dry the first time and the next time he asked for a sign, it happened the other way around. Yes,we can expect and ask for a sign from God. Last year, a prophet spoke the word, " ViBGYOR" and then, we ended up seeing five different types of rainbows over a period of time. Signs, wonders, miracles and gifts are part of the language of God's communication. It is His way of saying, " Hey, I am here in this situation, I am in control, I do care for you. Nothing is too difficult or impossible for me." If we are not listening with our spiritual eyes and ears open, we might well miss our miracle. Miracles might seem to us mortals to be something extraordinary but to God it is His natural and normal way of doing things. It is also useful to meet human needs, expand faith and to break the hard ground of past conditioning of disbelief and doubt.
God also bears witness to His presence in our mortal and otherwise mundane existence with extraordinary wonders and miracles. I never expected to be presented to Queen Elizabeth II. The probability of it happening is one in a billion. But, the Lord enabled me to be awarded with the inaugural British Gurukul Scholarship for Excellence and Leadership and as an honour, those selected were lined up to receive her in Delhi in 1997. I chose to use the occasion to present her a Bible. On the first page I wrote," The first time you visited India I was new born but now much water has flown down the Ganges and the Thames. May the Lord, the King of Kings bless your Majesty." Those few words written became the seed of another miracle. On the Queen's Golden Jubilee five years later, the Lord enabled me to be awarded the 15,000 sterling pound inaugural Queen's Award for Innovation in Police Training and Development. While studying in the London School of Economics, the Lord delivered a burglar into my hands for His glory. The black security guard who had seen what had happened told me," There is no one like you in the whole city of London." What he did not realize was that it was not my doing but it was the Lord's doing. From a petty thief to the Queen, the Lord had left His stamp and signature.
Last year, as a family we were planning to travel to Dalhousie for a holiday. My batchmate in Delhi told me," Why are you going now? It is raining badly" The television had also announced the forecast of rain for 48 hours over the whole region. I replied, " God can change the weather by tomorrow." The next morning when I woke up, instinctively, I parted the curtains to perceive absolutely clear skies. It began to rain only after we left Dalhousie. The Holy Spirit gives diverse gifts for the common good: the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, healing gift, miraculous powers, prophecy, discernment of spirits, gift of speaking in tongues and the interpretation of tongues. The important sub-clause to this promise of signs, wonders, miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit is that they are all given according to the sovereign will of God. He determines in His wisdom and grace to whom and when and in what proportion it should be given. But, scripture says that instead of disbelieving the operation of these gifts in contemporary " scientific" times or disregarding the significance of supernatural gifting in our natural lives, we eagerly desire these great gifts in order to bear witness to the extraordinary working of God in our lives in our times. God does enjoy the sight of our jaws dropping and our hearts missing a beat at the awesomeness of His power.
Prateep V Philip
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Year 1991 and Psalm 91
Uni-verse 257/10,000 For better through verse Psalm 91 v 1
Psa 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty
Psalm 91 is an eternal life insurance policy guaranteed by God Himself. It is underwritten by the blood of Jesus and all premia have been paid. Only bonuses from the goodness of God can be claimed off and on. When we commit our lives to Christ, we come to dwell in the very presence of God. Just as the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary and the Word spoken to her from God became the seed of the Messiah that was conceived in her womb, the Holy Spirit overshadows us. We became pregnant with the goodness of God. Our faith is our secret place where we dwell with God Most High. We do not need to wear it on our sleeves but it constantly empowers and enables us from within. Many new trends will begin in us at the moment we commit ourselves to the presence of God.
Coincidentally, the year was 1991 and the Psalm of my testimony is Psalm 1991. Literally, the Psalm came true in my life verse by verse. It says, " A thousand shall fall beside you but it shall not come near you." The assassination of the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was like an earthquake that killed ten thousand people. But, the Lord did not allow it to come near me, " it" meaning a physical death. I had told my boss, the Superintendent of Police a couple of days earlier when he shared some premonitions of disaster that " God will save me." In doing so, unwittingly I was saying," My God is my refuge and my fortress: in Him will I trust.
He delivered me from the snare of the fowler or the bird- hunter by covering me with His feathers. His truth, meaning His Word is both my weapon of offence and defence. It was the world's first terrorist attack using a " Woman Bomb" that released thousands of lethal pellets like arrows flying in all directions. Even a single pellet killed some one who walked several feet ahead of me. He sent His angels to guard me and kept any of the 100 odd pellets that penetrated my body, and still remain embedded, from harming me in any way. He delivered me, set me on high and honoured me. He promises to satisfy us with long life and show us eternal life beyond.
Prateep V Philip
Psa 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty
Psalm 91 is an eternal life insurance policy guaranteed by God Himself. It is underwritten by the blood of Jesus and all premia have been paid. Only bonuses from the goodness of God can be claimed off and on. When we commit our lives to Christ, we come to dwell in the very presence of God. Just as the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary and the Word spoken to her from God became the seed of the Messiah that was conceived in her womb, the Holy Spirit overshadows us. We became pregnant with the goodness of God. Our faith is our secret place where we dwell with God Most High. We do not need to wear it on our sleeves but it constantly empowers and enables us from within. Many new trends will begin in us at the moment we commit ourselves to the presence of God.
Coincidentally, the year was 1991 and the Psalm of my testimony is Psalm 1991. Literally, the Psalm came true in my life verse by verse. It says, " A thousand shall fall beside you but it shall not come near you." The assassination of the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was like an earthquake that killed ten thousand people. But, the Lord did not allow it to come near me, " it" meaning a physical death. I had told my boss, the Superintendent of Police a couple of days earlier when he shared some premonitions of disaster that " God will save me." In doing so, unwittingly I was saying," My God is my refuge and my fortress: in Him will I trust.
He delivered me from the snare of the fowler or the bird- hunter by covering me with His feathers. His truth, meaning His Word is both my weapon of offence and defence. It was the world's first terrorist attack using a " Woman Bomb" that released thousands of lethal pellets like arrows flying in all directions. Even a single pellet killed some one who walked several feet ahead of me. He sent His angels to guard me and kept any of the 100 odd pellets that penetrated my body, and still remain embedded, from harming me in any way. He delivered me, set me on high and honoured me. He promises to satisfy us with long life and show us eternal life beyond.
Prateep V Philip
Friday, November 25, 2011
If you need hope, please read this
Uni-verse 256/10,000 For better through verse Genesis 8 v 11
Gen 8:11 And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.
Three days ago, the Lord revealed, " You are like the dove that brought back the olive leaf .." Every faithful believer is like the dove that flitted to and fro over the waters, and finding an olive leaf, brought it back to the one who sent it. Every other person in the world is like the raven that never returned to the one who sent it as it was feasting hungrily on the dead flesh of floating bodies in the receding flood waters. Sadly, they do not return to the One who sent them into the world.
The olive leaf is a symbol of the peace, prosperity, health and eternal life that is embodied in the gospel. We are ready to go places or wherever God sends us and whenever He sends us. Like the dove, our feet are beautiful in His sight because we carry the gospel. The sight of the dove with the olive leaf in its beak gave hope to Noah and his family, incarcerated for many days by the flood waters. Similarly, we are hope-bringers to a lost world, a world that has lost its sense of bearing of right and wrong, of good and bad. It is flooded with crimes, hopelessness, recession, corruption scams, depression, suicides, broken marriages, diseases, plagues, tyranny, pornography, wickedness in high places .. you name it. No wonder the Chancellor who succeeded Hitler in war-ravaged Germany told the young Billy Graham, "Outside the gospel of Jesus Christ, there is no hope for this world."
Like Noah's dove,we are to keep taking the concerns of the world to the Lord and the concerns of the Lord to the world, back and forth. Then, God will send His healing and creative Word to bring healing and calmness to the storms in our life. The waters will abate and we will rest on solid rock. Finally, we will be ready to be taken back into our heavenly homes, the Ark not of Noah but of God.
Prateep V Philip
Gen 8:11 And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.
Three days ago, the Lord revealed, " You are like the dove that brought back the olive leaf .." Every faithful believer is like the dove that flitted to and fro over the waters, and finding an olive leaf, brought it back to the one who sent it. Every other person in the world is like the raven that never returned to the one who sent it as it was feasting hungrily on the dead flesh of floating bodies in the receding flood waters. Sadly, they do not return to the One who sent them into the world.
The olive leaf is a symbol of the peace, prosperity, health and eternal life that is embodied in the gospel. We are ready to go places or wherever God sends us and whenever He sends us. Like the dove, our feet are beautiful in His sight because we carry the gospel. The sight of the dove with the olive leaf in its beak gave hope to Noah and his family, incarcerated for many days by the flood waters. Similarly, we are hope-bringers to a lost world, a world that has lost its sense of bearing of right and wrong, of good and bad. It is flooded with crimes, hopelessness, recession, corruption scams, depression, suicides, broken marriages, diseases, plagues, tyranny, pornography, wickedness in high places .. you name it. No wonder the Chancellor who succeeded Hitler in war-ravaged Germany told the young Billy Graham, "Outside the gospel of Jesus Christ, there is no hope for this world."
Like Noah's dove,we are to keep taking the concerns of the world to the Lord and the concerns of the Lord to the world, back and forth. Then, God will send His healing and creative Word to bring healing and calmness to the storms in our life. The waters will abate and we will rest on solid rock. Finally, we will be ready to be taken back into our heavenly homes, the Ark not of Noah but of God.
Prateep V Philip
Thursday, November 24, 2011
UV 255/10,000 Proverbs 11 v 17
Uni-verse 255/10,000 For better through verse Proverbs 11 v 17
Pro 11:17 The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.
The Bible is Immanuel's manual for man. Through this manual, He not only tells us what to do, but also shows us how to do it and shows us mercy when and wherever we fail. It is the software of our life. It tells us what is good for our spirit, mind and body. If we observe what is written in it carefully, the triad of our spirit, mind and body will obtain mercy from the Trinity for the shortcomings. Instead of shortcoming, we will have overcoming, the overcoming of our challenges in all areas of spirit,mind and body, the overcoming of sin, the overcoming of the consequences of sin.
If anyone ignores the manual, he goes against his own God-ordained nature. His own flesh and his life will remain troubled. As it is written in the book of Job, " he shall not feel quietness in his own belly." When we obtain mercy from God, we are bound to be merciful to others. If we hold grudges and harbour resentment against others, it hurts us more than it does the others causing it.
When we show mercy and kindness to others, not repaying evil for evil or one bad turn for another, He rewards us. Scripture uses the remarkable and unique word " rereward". " His glory is our rereward." No other book in the world contains such a word. It implies that God will give us a " recurring reward" when we imitate His mercy and goodness. It also warns us that we punish ourselves again and again when we fail to do so.
Prateep V Philip
Pro 11:17 The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.
The Bible is Immanuel's manual for man. Through this manual, He not only tells us what to do, but also shows us how to do it and shows us mercy when and wherever we fail. It is the software of our life. It tells us what is good for our spirit, mind and body. If we observe what is written in it carefully, the triad of our spirit, mind and body will obtain mercy from the Trinity for the shortcomings. Instead of shortcoming, we will have overcoming, the overcoming of our challenges in all areas of spirit,mind and body, the overcoming of sin, the overcoming of the consequences of sin.
If anyone ignores the manual, he goes against his own God-ordained nature. His own flesh and his life will remain troubled. As it is written in the book of Job, " he shall not feel quietness in his own belly." When we obtain mercy from God, we are bound to be merciful to others. If we hold grudges and harbour resentment against others, it hurts us more than it does the others causing it.
When we show mercy and kindness to others, not repaying evil for evil or one bad turn for another, He rewards us. Scripture uses the remarkable and unique word " rereward". " His glory is our rereward." No other book in the world contains such a word. It implies that God will give us a " recurring reward" when we imitate His mercy and goodness. It also warns us that we punish ourselves again and again when we fail to do so.
Prateep V Philip
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
UV 254-10,000 Do you want to be wiser than Solomon?
Uni-verse 254/10,000 For better through verse Psalms 119 v 98
Psa 119:98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.
When we love the Word of God more than anything else in the world, more than the gold and silver or all the money in it, then the Word of God will dwell in us. The Psalmist writes that it will make us wiser than our enemies, wiser than our teachers and wiser than the elders and even ancients. David was found to be wiser for this reason than all the other captains and soldiers when he served in Saul's army. Daniel and his three friends were found wiser than all the other teachers in Babylon for this reason.
Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived till then. Today, every believer whose holy obsession is the Word of God is wiser than Solomon. Jesus declared that the lily of the valley was more splendid than Solomon in all his glory. Do we realize that we are more wise than Solomon as the Word of Christ dwells richly in us as we teach and admonish one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs sung with grace in our hearts to the Lord.
Once in a time of prayer, the Holy Spirit revealed that " just as leeches are repelled from attacking us when we apply salt on our bodies, when we apply the Word of God on our bodies, our enemies will be repelled by the salt." The Word of God is the heavenly storehouse from which teachers can draw treasure according to the need of the hour. If we truly love the Word above fine gold or 24 carat gold, we will store it in our hearts to use 24x7. We will meditate on it all day and all night. The Word will flow as a constant stream watering our thoughts in our concsiousness and our subconscious minds. It is the source of our strength and power. The Word is versatile- it is spiritual food or nourishment for the spiritually hungry and thirsty. It is a shield of faith. It is a sword. It is an insurance policy. It is salt to repel the leeches. It is the life-giving breath of God that resuscitates us. As for me, I would have perished in my afflictions but for my love for the Word.
Prateep V Philip
Psa 119:98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.
When we love the Word of God more than anything else in the world, more than the gold and silver or all the money in it, then the Word of God will dwell in us. The Psalmist writes that it will make us wiser than our enemies, wiser than our teachers and wiser than the elders and even ancients. David was found to be wiser for this reason than all the other captains and soldiers when he served in Saul's army. Daniel and his three friends were found wiser than all the other teachers in Babylon for this reason.
Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived till then. Today, every believer whose holy obsession is the Word of God is wiser than Solomon. Jesus declared that the lily of the valley was more splendid than Solomon in all his glory. Do we realize that we are more wise than Solomon as the Word of Christ dwells richly in us as we teach and admonish one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs sung with grace in our hearts to the Lord.
Once in a time of prayer, the Holy Spirit revealed that " just as leeches are repelled from attacking us when we apply salt on our bodies, when we apply the Word of God on our bodies, our enemies will be repelled by the salt." The Word of God is the heavenly storehouse from which teachers can draw treasure according to the need of the hour. If we truly love the Word above fine gold or 24 carat gold, we will store it in our hearts to use 24x7. We will meditate on it all day and all night. The Word will flow as a constant stream watering our thoughts in our concsiousness and our subconscious minds. It is the source of our strength and power. The Word is versatile- it is spiritual food or nourishment for the spiritually hungry and thirsty. It is a shield of faith. It is a sword. It is an insurance policy. It is salt to repel the leeches. It is the life-giving breath of God that resuscitates us. As for me, I would have perished in my afflictions but for my love for the Word.
Prateep V Philip
Monday, November 21, 2011
What it means to be a Friend of God?
Uni-verse 252/10,000 For better through verse John 8 v 39
Joh 8:39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham
We are heirs to God’s promise when we believe the word of God starting from Abraham and his descendants down the ages to Jesus the Christ and His apostles. We prove that we are indeed children of God by faith when we do what Abraham did.
What did Abraham do? He was a Friend of God. We need to have a personal and intimate relationship with God through His Son Jesus. Abraham laid aside all that hindered that relationship. Abraham moved out of his comfort zone in obedience to God’s word. We too must cast aside all that hinders and adversely affects our relationship with God through the Holy Spirit. We too must be ready to move out of our comfort zone in response to God’s call.
Like Abraham,we too should believe God for the impossible happening in our lives. Like Abraham, we too should be willing to sacrifice what is dearest and most precious in our life to God. Like Abraham, our lives must be transformed as signified by his name changing from Abram to Abraham. Having said this much, we should. unlike Abraham, not try to help God fulfill His plan and purpose in our lives. Another significant difference with the Jews is that they acknowledged Abraham as their father but we acknowledge God as our Father. He is called the “Father of heavenly lights”- so what does that make you and me- we are heavenly lights sent into the darkness on earth.
Prateep V Philip
Joh 8:39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham
We are heirs to God’s promise when we believe the word of God starting from Abraham and his descendants down the ages to Jesus the Christ and His apostles. We prove that we are indeed children of God by faith when we do what Abraham did.
What did Abraham do? He was a Friend of God. We need to have a personal and intimate relationship with God through His Son Jesus. Abraham laid aside all that hindered that relationship. Abraham moved out of his comfort zone in obedience to God’s word. We too must cast aside all that hinders and adversely affects our relationship with God through the Holy Spirit. We too must be ready to move out of our comfort zone in response to God’s call.
Like Abraham,we too should believe God for the impossible happening in our lives. Like Abraham, we too should be willing to sacrifice what is dearest and most precious in our life to God. Like Abraham, our lives must be transformed as signified by his name changing from Abram to Abraham. Having said this much, we should. unlike Abraham, not try to help God fulfill His plan and purpose in our lives. Another significant difference with the Jews is that they acknowledged Abraham as their father but we acknowledge God as our Father. He is called the “Father of heavenly lights”- so what does that make you and me- we are heavenly lights sent into the darkness on earth.
Prateep V Philip
Sunday, November 20, 2011
UV 251 The triple crown of life
Uni-verse 251/10,000 f0r better through verse James 1 v 12
Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
When we overcome and endure the trials and temptations of this world, we will receive the crown of life. Jesus took upon Himself the crown of thorns or the crown of death on the cross and gave believers the triple crowns of life eternal-of a king,priest and prophet. The triple crowns symbolize a victorious life of faith. The crown of thorns symbolize the sin,the pain, the agony, the fears, the anxiety, the guilt, the sorrows of the world.
As kings,we are given power and authority to decree things to happen on earth and to take steps in faith to counter the pain, the fear,the guilt and the sorrows. As priests, we offer worship, thanksgiving and intercede on behalf of the rest of mankind so that each will be saved like the sheep that is caught in the thorns of life. As prophets, the Lord confides in us what He is going to do. Prophecy means not foretelling but forthtelling – that is, it includes proclaiming any word from God whether it be an instruction, a reminder, an exhortation, a warning or a prediction.
All these three aspects are necessary for us to be like Melchizedek, the king of Salem who was also a priest and a prophet preceding the coming of the Messiah and one of the types of Christ that foreshadowed Him in the Old Testament. The word, “ blessed” means to be lifted up, to be placed in favour with God. It is not the same as “ happiness” which depends on happenings or external circumstances.
Click on link below to see an image of Melchizedek's meeting with Abraham
http://www.google.co.in/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/29/Meeting_of_abraham_and_melchizadek.jpg/250px-Meeting_of_abraham_and_melchizadek.jpg&imgrefurl=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melchizedek&h=319&w=250&sz=36&tbnid=R_20xrhvHGJWNM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=71&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dmelchizedek%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=melchizedek&docid=_5kf3aMxk_HRhM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=jL7JTsaKGoTyrQfwlKBO&sqi=2&ved=0CD8Q9QEwAQ&dur=40
Prateep V Philip
Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
When we overcome and endure the trials and temptations of this world, we will receive the crown of life. Jesus took upon Himself the crown of thorns or the crown of death on the cross and gave believers the triple crowns of life eternal-of a king,priest and prophet. The triple crowns symbolize a victorious life of faith. The crown of thorns symbolize the sin,the pain, the agony, the fears, the anxiety, the guilt, the sorrows of the world.
As kings,we are given power and authority to decree things to happen on earth and to take steps in faith to counter the pain, the fear,the guilt and the sorrows. As priests, we offer worship, thanksgiving and intercede on behalf of the rest of mankind so that each will be saved like the sheep that is caught in the thorns of life. As prophets, the Lord confides in us what He is going to do. Prophecy means not foretelling but forthtelling – that is, it includes proclaiming any word from God whether it be an instruction, a reminder, an exhortation, a warning or a prediction.
All these three aspects are necessary for us to be like Melchizedek, the king of Salem who was also a priest and a prophet preceding the coming of the Messiah and one of the types of Christ that foreshadowed Him in the Old Testament. The word, “ blessed” means to be lifted up, to be placed in favour with God. It is not the same as “ happiness” which depends on happenings or external circumstances.
Click on link below to see an image of Melchizedek's meeting with Abraham
http://www.google.co.in/imgres?imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/29/Meeting_of_abraham_and_melchizadek.jpg/250px-Meeting_of_abraham_and_melchizadek.jpg&imgrefurl=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melchizedek&h=319&w=250&sz=36&tbnid=R_20xrhvHGJWNM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=71&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dmelchizedek%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=melchizedek&docid=_5kf3aMxk_HRhM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=jL7JTsaKGoTyrQfwlKBO&sqi=2&ved=0CD8Q9QEwAQ&dur=40
Prateep V Philip
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