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
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Celebration of another 50 UV 250/10,000
Dear all
Thanks for all the encouragement you sent my way over the past 50 days or more. To acknowledge your feedback, am pasting below some of it.
grace to the Capstone! Prateep
Thank you very much and this is just to tell you how it is very inspirational and promising. It is always good to turn the computer on and see that you found time to share a word or a thought
Dr Mrs Grace George
Thank you Prateep. I take heart when I read some of your thoughts, some of them I store in my heart. God bless you and your family
Molly Varghese
Exceptional SIIM (Spiritual Introspective Inspirational Motivational Meditation) Prateep!
Have compiled them into two themes
There is a premonition within me that in time to come
This could be built-up to an empirical 'Kingdom way-of-life'
Best wishes Lawrence aka Yaseva, Propel Globel
Yaseva
Sheer-Success
If every work is to be act of service to God
We need to seek the things we should do diligently
According to what pleases and delights God
Do the things that bring a smile on His face!
Whatever we set our heart to do
We got to do it passionately
Do it as if we are doing it not for our self
Or to please others but to please our creator
God becomes our partner and co-worker
In our busyness and in our business
No more will we have the excuse
That our busyness kept us away from God
When God is the cause of all our work
Work itself becomes an act of worship
We become living sacrifices totally pleasing to God
And the result reaped from such work is...Sheer-Success
Sheer-Success for us in this age
Sheer-Success in the age to come
Sheer-Success for family and friends
Sheer-Success for the world around
Life-Enterprise Empowerer
Alas! Post modern slavery spreads rapidly everywhere
Capitalistic Profit-driven work-culture kills individuality
Corporate slavery is the foundation of capitalism
Yearn not for extreme profits
But yearn with heart and mind
To do our utmost for God
Learning to do what God is prompting
Building our life-enterprise on solid rock
That neither changes crashes nor crumbles
Resistant to tectonic shifts of economy
Politics events and technology
Providence powered mobility
Yearning with our heart and mind
To do God’s expressed and implicit will
Yearning to do it in the best way
Yearning leads to learning and learning to earning-enabling
Rewards galore are ours in this life and in the age to come
When God the creator is our Life Enterprise Empowerer
Lawrence aka Yaseva CEO Propel Global
Yes -today's word was lovely..It really spoke to me.. in fact, I read this very Bible verse last night
Larissa Fernand
Many thanks for your devotionals. They help me remain "focussed on the locus lest the locusts should eat away my resources" Must testify..
Chandy Kurien
Just a small note to thank you for all your articles that are really encouraging and triggering our thought process especially when we are travelling in places like China and South Asia . May God bless you with more insight to impart in the university of deserts..
Prince and Vineetha
Thank you for sharing this incident Prateep that had the signs of a tragedy but praise and thanks be to the Lord who turned it around for His glory and is using it and your words to encourage each of us to become essentially the ladder in Jacob's dream that connects heaven and earth! May the Lord continue to download His inconceivable depth of wisdom and knowledge to you.... Blessings,
Nalla
This is so like our Abba
I have also experienced this so many times
Shanthini kapoor
GOD is Great . I had an accident recently wherein a heavy pipe with a pointed edge,
fell straight on my toe from a height, it was very painful, had to go to the doctor, took
treatment, the bleeding didn't subside for more than a week, but Praise the LORD,
though my nail cracked, there was no fracture which was seriously a miracle. It was
such a relief as I drop and pick my children, and Praise the LORD, though difficult
I could still be there for my kids. Justin
I feel encouraged by this blog on faith training- it s so true
Suja George
I would like to thank you so much for including me in this mailing list. Sincerely appreciate this. Did greatly benefit from reading this verse and the passage. Would like forward to receiving such mails in the days to come
Samuel G Abraham
Good one,God bless you
Alexander Easow
The Lord's voice and word are ever true. Good Biblical pnemonic
Dr Pratap JohnGOD is Great, HE watches both the good and the bad, and in HIS time which
is always the perfect time, HE does what needs to be done. Sometimes I used
to Pray and nothing happened, and then miracleously something much more
than I asked for happens, I feel Patience is the Key here, GOD knows Best,
GOD protects and GOD is All.
Justin Peters
Thanks for all the encouragement you sent my way over the past 50 days or more. To acknowledge your feedback, am pasting below some of it.
grace to the Capstone! Prateep
Thank you very much and this is just to tell you how it is very inspirational and promising. It is always good to turn the computer on and see that you found time to share a word or a thought
Dr Mrs Grace George
Thank you Prateep. I take heart when I read some of your thoughts, some of them I store in my heart. God bless you and your family
Molly Varghese
Exceptional SIIM (Spiritual Introspective Inspirational Motivational Meditation) Prateep!
Have compiled them into two themes
There is a premonition within me that in time to come
This could be built-up to an empirical 'Kingdom way-of-life'
Best wishes Lawrence aka Yaseva, Propel Globel
Yaseva
Sheer-Success
If every work is to be act of service to God
We need to seek the things we should do diligently
According to what pleases and delights God
Do the things that bring a smile on His face!
Whatever we set our heart to do
We got to do it passionately
Do it as if we are doing it not for our self
Or to please others but to please our creator
God becomes our partner and co-worker
In our busyness and in our business
No more will we have the excuse
That our busyness kept us away from God
When God is the cause of all our work
Work itself becomes an act of worship
We become living sacrifices totally pleasing to God
And the result reaped from such work is...Sheer-Success
Sheer-Success for us in this age
Sheer-Success in the age to come
Sheer-Success for family and friends
Sheer-Success for the world around
Life-Enterprise Empowerer
Alas! Post modern slavery spreads rapidly everywhere
Capitalistic Profit-driven work-culture kills individuality
Corporate slavery is the foundation of capitalism
Yearn not for extreme profits
But yearn with heart and mind
To do our utmost for God
Learning to do what God is prompting
Building our life-enterprise on solid rock
That neither changes crashes nor crumbles
Resistant to tectonic shifts of economy
Politics events and technology
Providence powered mobility
Yearning with our heart and mind
To do God’s expressed and implicit will
Yearning to do it in the best way
Yearning leads to learning and learning to earning-enabling
Rewards galore are ours in this life and in the age to come
When God the creator is our Life Enterprise Empowerer
Lawrence aka Yaseva CEO Propel Global
Yes -today's word was lovely..It really spoke to me.. in fact, I read this very Bible verse last night
Larissa Fernand
Many thanks for your devotionals. They help me remain "focussed on the locus lest the locusts should eat away my resources" Must testify..
Chandy Kurien
Just a small note to thank you for all your articles that are really encouraging and triggering our thought process especially when we are travelling in places like China and South Asia . May God bless you with more insight to impart in the university of deserts..
Prince and Vineetha
Thank you for sharing this incident Prateep that had the signs of a tragedy but praise and thanks be to the Lord who turned it around for His glory and is using it and your words to encourage each of us to become essentially the ladder in Jacob's dream that connects heaven and earth! May the Lord continue to download His inconceivable depth of wisdom and knowledge to you.... Blessings,
Nalla
This is so like our Abba
I have also experienced this so many times
Shanthini kapoor
GOD is Great . I had an accident recently wherein a heavy pipe with a pointed edge,
fell straight on my toe from a height, it was very painful, had to go to the doctor, took
treatment, the bleeding didn't subside for more than a week, but Praise the LORD,
though my nail cracked, there was no fracture which was seriously a miracle. It was
such a relief as I drop and pick my children, and Praise the LORD, though difficult
I could still be there for my kids. Justin
I feel encouraged by this blog on faith training- it s so true
Suja George
I would like to thank you so much for including me in this mailing list. Sincerely appreciate this. Did greatly benefit from reading this verse and the passage. Would like forward to receiving such mails in the days to come
Samuel G Abraham
Good one,God bless you
Alexander Easow
The Lord's voice and word are ever true. Good Biblical pnemonic
Dr Pratap JohnGOD is Great, HE watches both the good and the bad, and in HIS time which
is always the perfect time, HE does what needs to be done. Sometimes I used
to Pray and nothing happened, and then miracleously something much more
than I asked for happens, I feel Patience is the Key here, GOD knows Best,
GOD protects and GOD is All.
Justin Peters
Do you want to root for success? Here's the route map
Uni-verse 250/10,000 For better through verse
Psa 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper
Without an intimate connection with God, all mankind including the richest, the most beautiful, the greatest, are like the grass that withers in a short time or like flowers that fade overnight. The allusion is that common people are like the grass and the elite, the achievers, the glamourous, the affluent are like the flowers. Everything is in vain.
But, when we are grafted on to ‘the root of Jesse’, Jesus we are each and collectively like a tree that is planted by the rivers of water, a metaphor for the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Our roots dig deep into the soil of the Word and the sap of nourishment will run up into the stem and branches of our lives, meaning the main purpose and the tertiary aspects of our lives. We will bear fruit, a different fruit in every month of the year to meet different needs. Even our leaves will not wither, meaning even our thoughts, desires and words will not be in vain. Our thoughts and words will bring healing to the nations. Our thoughts and words will find fruition in actions and deeds. Nothing is in vain, even our failures.
Whatever we do will prosper. I found this true in my life: soon after I committed my life to Christ in 1979, I began to succeed in whatever I did: became the first ever to secure both the First Rank in the state and the National Talent Search scholarship in the space of a few months in 1980. In 1993, became the first police officer in the world to start the Friends of Police movement to empower ordinary citizens to partner with the police. In 1997, became the first civil servant to be selected for the British Gurukul Scholarship for Excellence and Leadership. In 2002, became one out of two to be awarded the inaugural Queen’s Award for Innovation in Police Training and Development. ALL for the greater glory of God. As the Psalmist said, “ Unto Him and unto Him alone be the glory.” People who knew me began to wonder how did this very ordinary or mediocre guy suddenly become extraordinary. The Lord told me the secret, “ You were neither very intelligent nor wise nor smart before you began to lean on me.” If you want to root for success, the route is Jesus.
Prateep V Philip
Psa 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper
Without an intimate connection with God, all mankind including the richest, the most beautiful, the greatest, are like the grass that withers in a short time or like flowers that fade overnight. The allusion is that common people are like the grass and the elite, the achievers, the glamourous, the affluent are like the flowers. Everything is in vain.
But, when we are grafted on to ‘the root of Jesse’, Jesus we are each and collectively like a tree that is planted by the rivers of water, a metaphor for the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Our roots dig deep into the soil of the Word and the sap of nourishment will run up into the stem and branches of our lives, meaning the main purpose and the tertiary aspects of our lives. We will bear fruit, a different fruit in every month of the year to meet different needs. Even our leaves will not wither, meaning even our thoughts, desires and words will not be in vain. Our thoughts and words will bring healing to the nations. Our thoughts and words will find fruition in actions and deeds. Nothing is in vain, even our failures.
Whatever we do will prosper. I found this true in my life: soon after I committed my life to Christ in 1979, I began to succeed in whatever I did: became the first ever to secure both the First Rank in the state and the National Talent Search scholarship in the space of a few months in 1980. In 1993, became the first police officer in the world to start the Friends of Police movement to empower ordinary citizens to partner with the police. In 1997, became the first civil servant to be selected for the British Gurukul Scholarship for Excellence and Leadership. In 2002, became one out of two to be awarded the inaugural Queen’s Award for Innovation in Police Training and Development. ALL for the greater glory of God. As the Psalmist said, “ Unto Him and unto Him alone be the glory.” People who knew me began to wonder how did this very ordinary or mediocre guy suddenly become extraordinary. The Lord told me the secret, “ You were neither very intelligent nor wise nor smart before you began to lean on me.” If you want to root for success, the route is Jesus.
Prateep V Philip
Friday, November 18, 2011
The Purpose of our lives
Uni-verse 249/10,000 For better through verse
1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
From every generation of mankind, there are chosen numbers of people who are anointed by God to be kings and priests, to belong to a divine nationality, a people who look forward to a future life beyond earthly loyalties and allegiances. All are called from birth but only a few are chosen. They belong to every race, nation, culture,linguistic and ethnic background.
We are called a peculiar people as we do not share the standards, values and aspirations of the rest of humanity. We cannot resort to the same methods as they do. For instance, we cannot be materialistic though we know of the necessity of money. We cannot be vindictive though we have been wronged.
Our life is driven by the one purpose that we declare and show the praises of the Great I Am who called us out of darkness of sin, curses and death into the light of righteousness, blessings here and now and eternal life.
Prateep V Philip
1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
From every generation of mankind, there are chosen numbers of people who are anointed by God to be kings and priests, to belong to a divine nationality, a people who look forward to a future life beyond earthly loyalties and allegiances. All are called from birth but only a few are chosen. They belong to every race, nation, culture,linguistic and ethnic background.
We are called a peculiar people as we do not share the standards, values and aspirations of the rest of humanity. We cannot resort to the same methods as they do. For instance, we cannot be materialistic though we know of the necessity of money. We cannot be vindictive though we have been wronged.
Our life is driven by the one purpose that we declare and show the praises of the Great I Am who called us out of darkness of sin, curses and death into the light of righteousness, blessings here and now and eternal life.
Prateep V Philip
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Faith training- a lot like rock climbing
Uni-verse 248/10,000 For better through verse
1Sa 17:37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.
The Lord prepares us for greater challenges by delivering us from some earlier dangers. We need to recall like David did- the immense problems from which God delivered us in the past. This will strengthen us in the present. Our faith training is in a lot of ways like rock climbing- we first learn to climb the nursery rocks before we attempt the sheer cliffs and steep climbs.
When my senior, the Superintendent of Police of the District in which I was an Assistant Superintendent of Police told me, “ Your God cannot save you. Everything happens according to a predetermined destiny based on the configuration of the stars at the time of your birth,” I recalled how the Lord had saved me from certain death by drowning two years earlier. I replied, “ No sir, the Lord has saved me in the past and will continue to do so.” Accordingly, a few days later when the world’s first “human bomb” exploded to assassinate the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, the Lord preserved me from death.
We must set up memorials in our minds for all the times the Lord has delivered us from various types of situations. David did not call Goliath a “giant” but saw him for who he was - a “ Philistine”. We too must in like manner downsize our challenges and upgrade our faith by affirming in all that we say and do our confidence in God’ability and willingness to save us. Scripture contains the recorded sacred memories of mankind of how God intervenes in our daily lives to redeem us. When we recount such portions or specific verses, our faith is greatly strengthened and we are positioning ourselves for victory and to glorify God.
Prateep V Philip
1Sa 17:37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.
The Lord prepares us for greater challenges by delivering us from some earlier dangers. We need to recall like David did- the immense problems from which God delivered us in the past. This will strengthen us in the present. Our faith training is in a lot of ways like rock climbing- we first learn to climb the nursery rocks before we attempt the sheer cliffs and steep climbs.
When my senior, the Superintendent of Police of the District in which I was an Assistant Superintendent of Police told me, “ Your God cannot save you. Everything happens according to a predetermined destiny based on the configuration of the stars at the time of your birth,” I recalled how the Lord had saved me from certain death by drowning two years earlier. I replied, “ No sir, the Lord has saved me in the past and will continue to do so.” Accordingly, a few days later when the world’s first “human bomb” exploded to assassinate the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, the Lord preserved me from death.
We must set up memorials in our minds for all the times the Lord has delivered us from various types of situations. David did not call Goliath a “giant” but saw him for who he was - a “ Philistine”. We too must in like manner downsize our challenges and upgrade our faith by affirming in all that we say and do our confidence in God’ability and willingness to save us. Scripture contains the recorded sacred memories of mankind of how God intervenes in our daily lives to redeem us. When we recount such portions or specific verses, our faith is greatly strengthened and we are positioning ourselves for victory and to glorify God.
Prateep V Philip
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
The Yearning-Learning-Earning Curve
2Ch 31:21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered
Many of us are good at starting a thing but not in finishing it. But Hezekiah the king began every work as an act of service to God. He sought the things that he should do by diligently studying the word of God. He obeyed the commandments. He sought God. He did all these things with all his heart and therefore it is recorded that he prospered.
Whatever we set our heart to do, we must do it with all our heart. It means being passionate about whatever we are doing. It means doing it as if we are doing it not for ourselves or to please others but doing it to please God. God becomes a partner in our busyness and in our business. No more will we have an excuse that our busyness with our business has kept us from God. Work itself becomes an act of worship and the results or success reaped from such work yet another cause to be thankful and worshipful of God.
Today, we see the failure of profit-driven capitalistic work culture around the world in the Occupy the symbols of capitalism movement. Instead of yearning for profits, we must yearn with all our heart to do our utmost for God in all that we do. We must learn to do what God wants us or tells us to do. Then we are building our life enterprise on a rock foundation that neither changes in the economy or tectonic shifts of technology or politics or events will affect. The process that the Word of God upholds is Yearning ( with all your heart) to do God’s expressed and implicit will, Learning to do it right and in the best way and finally, it leads up to Earning. Do all things as if we are doing it for our Eternal Employer, our ever present Empowerer and Enabler.
Prateep V Philip
Many of us are good at starting a thing but not in finishing it. But Hezekiah the king began every work as an act of service to God. He sought the things that he should do by diligently studying the word of God. He obeyed the commandments. He sought God. He did all these things with all his heart and therefore it is recorded that he prospered.
Whatever we set our heart to do, we must do it with all our heart. It means being passionate about whatever we are doing. It means doing it as if we are doing it not for ourselves or to please others but doing it to please God. God becomes a partner in our busyness and in our business. No more will we have an excuse that our busyness with our business has kept us from God. Work itself becomes an act of worship and the results or success reaped from such work yet another cause to be thankful and worshipful of God.
Today, we see the failure of profit-driven capitalistic work culture around the world in the Occupy the symbols of capitalism movement. Instead of yearning for profits, we must yearn with all our heart to do our utmost for God in all that we do. We must learn to do what God wants us or tells us to do. Then we are building our life enterprise on a rock foundation that neither changes in the economy or tectonic shifts of technology or politics or events will affect. The process that the Word of God upholds is Yearning ( with all your heart) to do God’s expressed and implicit will, Learning to do it right and in the best way and finally, it leads up to Earning. Do all things as if we are doing it for our Eternal Employer, our ever present Empowerer and Enabler.
Prateep V Philip
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Your m@t
Uni-verse 246/10,000 For better through verse
Isa 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word
The Lord has made all things and ordained all that has happened. Yet, He looks with favour and grace upon the one who is humble, repentant and reverential to Him and His Word.
It is amazing that He sees even the tiny apparently insignificant details of our lives. Once He said, “ There are so many mats that are woven in the world. But, your mat is different for how many of those mats are used like you do for prayer?” Every day for many years now I prostrate myself at the start of the day on a straw mat in the presence of the Lord. He had taken note of even the mat on which I laid myself to pray.
The word “mat” is also a metaphor and an acroustic for mental attitude. However great or small our station in life may be, we need to approach His throne of grace with a sense of awe, tenderness, humility, thankfulness and repentance. When we voluntarily and consistently submit ourselves to the Lord, there is no need for Him to chastise us or to flatten us with a heavy hand. Instead, we like Moses can leave His presence with our faces lifted up and radiating His glory. His face will shine on us through our lives’ ups and downs like the noonday sun. Our hands will be ready for blessing others, healing, giving and to do our allotted work for the building of the walls of the spiritual Jerusalem. Like an expert weaver of the mat, the Lord will use the shuttle of time and events to weave the warp and the woof of our faith, our character, our testimony, our influence and our eternal destiny.
Prateep V Philip
Isa 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word
The Lord has made all things and ordained all that has happened. Yet, He looks with favour and grace upon the one who is humble, repentant and reverential to Him and His Word.
It is amazing that He sees even the tiny apparently insignificant details of our lives. Once He said, “ There are so many mats that are woven in the world. But, your mat is different for how many of those mats are used like you do for prayer?” Every day for many years now I prostrate myself at the start of the day on a straw mat in the presence of the Lord. He had taken note of even the mat on which I laid myself to pray.
The word “mat” is also a metaphor and an acroustic for mental attitude. However great or small our station in life may be, we need to approach His throne of grace with a sense of awe, tenderness, humility, thankfulness and repentance. When we voluntarily and consistently submit ourselves to the Lord, there is no need for Him to chastise us or to flatten us with a heavy hand. Instead, we like Moses can leave His presence with our faces lifted up and radiating His glory. His face will shine on us through our lives’ ups and downs like the noonday sun. Our hands will be ready for blessing others, healing, giving and to do our allotted work for the building of the walls of the spiritual Jerusalem. Like an expert weaver of the mat, the Lord will use the shuttle of time and events to weave the warp and the woof of our faith, our character, our testimony, our influence and our eternal destiny.
Prateep V Philip
Your m@t
Uni-verse 246/10,000 For better through verse
Isa 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word
The Lord has made all things and ordained all that has happened. Yet, He looks with favour and grace upon the one who is humble, repentant and reverential to Him and His Word.
It is amazing that He sees even the tiny apparently insignificant details of our lives. Once He said, “ There are so many mats that are woven in the world. But, your mat is different for how many of those mats are used like you do for prayer?” Every day for many years now I prostrate myself at the start of the day on a straw mat in the presence of the Lord. He had taken note of even the mat on which I laid myself to pray.
The word “mat” is also a metaphor and an acroustic for mental attitude. However great or small our station in life may be, we need to approach His throne of grace with a sense of awe, tenderness, humility, thankfulness and repentance. When we voluntarily and consistently submit ourselves to the Lord, there is no need for Him to chastise us or to flatten us with a heavy hand. Instead, we like Moses can leave His presence with our faces lifted up and radiating His glory. His face will shine on us through our lives’ ups and downs like the noonday sun. Our hands will be ready for blessing others, healing, giving and to do our allotted work for the building of the walls of the spiritual Jerusalem. Like an expert weaver of the mat, the Lord will use the shuttle of time and events to weave the warp and the woof of our faith, our character, our testimony, our influence and our eternal destiny.
Prateep V Philip
Isa 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word
The Lord has made all things and ordained all that has happened. Yet, He looks with favour and grace upon the one who is humble, repentant and reverential to Him and His Word.
It is amazing that He sees even the tiny apparently insignificant details of our lives. Once He said, “ There are so many mats that are woven in the world. But, your mat is different for how many of those mats are used like you do for prayer?” Every day for many years now I prostrate myself at the start of the day on a straw mat in the presence of the Lord. He had taken note of even the mat on which I laid myself to pray.
The word “mat” is also a metaphor and an acroustic for mental attitude. However great or small our station in life may be, we need to approach His throne of grace with a sense of awe, tenderness, humility, thankfulness and repentance. When we voluntarily and consistently submit ourselves to the Lord, there is no need for Him to chastise us or to flatten us with a heavy hand. Instead, we like Moses can leave His presence with our faces lifted up and radiating His glory. His face will shine on us through our lives’ ups and downs like the noonday sun. Our hands will be ready for blessing others, healing, giving and to do our allotted work for the building of the walls of the spiritual Jerusalem. Like an expert weaver of the mat, the Lord will use the shuttle of time and events to weave the warp and the woof of our faith, our character, our testimony, our influence and our eternal destiny.
Prateep V Philip
Monday, November 14, 2011
Get to learn your alphabets
Isa 43:10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me
The Lord is the Alpha and the Omega- He knows everything about us from the beginning to the end. If we believe, know and understand who He really and truly is we will commit our lives from beginning to end to Him.
We need to come to grips with an understanding of the sovereignty of God. We have not chosen Him. He has chosen us to be and His faithful servants and credible witnesses of the fact that He is the be all and end all of life.
He encompasses the totality of our reality or to use the statistical terms -the universe of our existence. When we see how his Word operates in our universe to fulfill His plan and purpose, we know and understand that He is truly the Alpha and the Omega. Alpha and Omega are the first and the last letters in the Greek alphabet. When we acknowledge that everything begins and ends in Him or according to His sovereign will, the divine alphabet starting with the remaining letters will manifest in our lives: boldness, compassion, devotion, enthusiasm, faith, grace, hope, integrity, justice, kindness, love, mercy, nobility, optimism, peace, quality, rest, security, temperance, understanding, victory, wisdom, x or the unknown, the amazing, the miraculous dimension and yes to our prayers. It is interesting to note that the Hebrew for Jesus, “Yeshua” contains the word “yes” in it. Jesus is indeed the “Yes and Amen” to all God’s promises. It makes sense to begin and end all things in life by saying, "Lord Amen".
Prateep V Philip
The Lord is the Alpha and the Omega- He knows everything about us from the beginning to the end. If we believe, know and understand who He really and truly is we will commit our lives from beginning to end to Him.
We need to come to grips with an understanding of the sovereignty of God. We have not chosen Him. He has chosen us to be and His faithful servants and credible witnesses of the fact that He is the be all and end all of life.
He encompasses the totality of our reality or to use the statistical terms -the universe of our existence. When we see how his Word operates in our universe to fulfill His plan and purpose, we know and understand that He is truly the Alpha and the Omega. Alpha and Omega are the first and the last letters in the Greek alphabet. When we acknowledge that everything begins and ends in Him or according to His sovereign will, the divine alphabet starting with the remaining letters will manifest in our lives: boldness, compassion, devotion, enthusiasm, faith, grace, hope, integrity, justice, kindness, love, mercy, nobility, optimism, peace, quality, rest, security, temperance, understanding, victory, wisdom, x or the unknown, the amazing, the miraculous dimension and yes to our prayers. It is interesting to note that the Hebrew for Jesus, “Yeshua” contains the word “yes” in it. Jesus is indeed the “Yes and Amen” to all God’s promises. It makes sense to begin and end all things in life by saying, "Lord Amen".
Prateep V Philip
Sunday, November 13, 2011
How to be more than conquerors
Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
The love of God revealed through the person, mission and message of Christ abides in us so deeply and so enduringly that even tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, shame, danger or violence or disasters cannot shake our belief and our sense of assurance. As believers we are ready to face these tests of our faith rather than give it up in the face of such difficult predicaments. Instead, we rejoice in such suffering as a great reward awaits us in heaven and to partake in the very sufferings of Christ is itself a privilege.
Conquerors never knew the final outcome of their campaigns and conquests. They despaired on loosing a battle. They feared defeat and death at the hands of the enemy. We are more than conquerors for we are overcomers. We will run the full course that God has set for us and finish the race with joy. In order to become overcomers, we need to understand or come to grips by the power and grace of the Holy Spirit with the full extent and magnitude of the love of God in Christ.
We need to know how long is God’s love –meaning to what extent God’s love will remain with us in the course of our lives. For we know that God’s love is a line that extends for all of eternity. It began long before we began and extends to eternity long after we end our race on earth. We need to comprehend how broad it is –implying what are the areas and domains of our lives that God’s love covers. It covers all of our physical, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, familial, relational and financial aspects of our existence. It goes beyond whatever we are in need of. We need to realize how high is God’s love- it is higher than our most exalted thoughts and imagination.
Prateep V Philip
The love of God revealed through the person, mission and message of Christ abides in us so deeply and so enduringly that even tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, shame, danger or violence or disasters cannot shake our belief and our sense of assurance. As believers we are ready to face these tests of our faith rather than give it up in the face of such difficult predicaments. Instead, we rejoice in such suffering as a great reward awaits us in heaven and to partake in the very sufferings of Christ is itself a privilege.
Conquerors never knew the final outcome of their campaigns and conquests. They despaired on loosing a battle. They feared defeat and death at the hands of the enemy. We are more than conquerors for we are overcomers. We will run the full course that God has set for us and finish the race with joy. In order to become overcomers, we need to understand or come to grips by the power and grace of the Holy Spirit with the full extent and magnitude of the love of God in Christ.
We need to know how long is God’s love –meaning to what extent God’s love will remain with us in the course of our lives. For we know that God’s love is a line that extends for all of eternity. It began long before we began and extends to eternity long after we end our race on earth. We need to comprehend how broad it is –implying what are the areas and domains of our lives that God’s love covers. It covers all of our physical, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, familial, relational and financial aspects of our existence. It goes beyond whatever we are in need of. We need to realize how high is God’s love- it is higher than our most exalted thoughts and imagination.
Prateep V Philip
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Word to strengthen you in times of weakness
Uni-verse 243/10,000 For better through verse
Dan 10:19 And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.
Like Daniel, we too are esteemed by God. We are each called, “ beloved of God.” When the Lord speaks to us through His Word we are greatly strengthened. His Word gives us nourishment and strength not to fear sin and evil, not to fear death, not to fear that we will be dishonored, not to fear mishaps or mischance, not to fear punishment and not to fear people and forces who are bigger or stronger than us.
Stimulating fear is the modus operandi of the enemy of ours souls. It robs us of our peace and keeps us form being joyful in the presence of the Lord. Fear can manifest as disquiet, worry, anxiety, depression or anger or shades of all this at different times in our lives. Since we are greatly loved by our Lord, we can be secure in the arms of the Lord as a child who has been weaned and rests on the shoulder of her mother.
In place of fear, the Lord speaks peace into our lives. We should experience palpable peace in our minds and hearts, peace in our relationships, peace in our decisions and actions, peace even in troubled times, peace about our past, present and future. We must silence the fears in our lives and allow God’ s peace and love to reign and rule over us. For fear is debilitating while peace is empowering. We must let God’s Word strengthen us with grace to fill the gaps in our natural strength. Once we have been strengthened, we will like to hear His Word again and again to renew our strength supernaturally from day to day.
Prateep V Philip
Dan 10:19 And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.
Like Daniel, we too are esteemed by God. We are each called, “ beloved of God.” When the Lord speaks to us through His Word we are greatly strengthened. His Word gives us nourishment and strength not to fear sin and evil, not to fear death, not to fear that we will be dishonored, not to fear mishaps or mischance, not to fear punishment and not to fear people and forces who are bigger or stronger than us.
Stimulating fear is the modus operandi of the enemy of ours souls. It robs us of our peace and keeps us form being joyful in the presence of the Lord. Fear can manifest as disquiet, worry, anxiety, depression or anger or shades of all this at different times in our lives. Since we are greatly loved by our Lord, we can be secure in the arms of the Lord as a child who has been weaned and rests on the shoulder of her mother.
In place of fear, the Lord speaks peace into our lives. We should experience palpable peace in our minds and hearts, peace in our relationships, peace in our decisions and actions, peace even in troubled times, peace about our past, present and future. We must silence the fears in our lives and allow God’ s peace and love to reign and rule over us. For fear is debilitating while peace is empowering. We must let God’s Word strengthen us with grace to fill the gaps in our natural strength. Once we have been strengthened, we will like to hear His Word again and again to renew our strength supernaturally from day to day.
Prateep V Philip
The Word that strengthens you
Uni-verse 243/10,000 For better through verse
Dan 10:19 And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.
Like Daniel, we too are esteemed by God. We are each called, “ beloved of God.” When the Lord speaks to us through His Word we are greatly strengthened. His Word gives us nourishment and strength not to fear sin and evil, not to fear death, not to fear that we will be dishonored, not to fear mishaps or mischance, not to fear punishment and not to fear people and forces who are bigger or stronger than us.
Stimulating fear is the modus operandi of the enemy of ours souls. It robs us of our peace and keeps us form being joyful in the presence of the Lord. Fear can manifest as disquiet, worry, anxiety, depression or anger or shades of all this at different times in our lives. Since we are greatly loved by our Lord, we can be secure in the arms of the Lord as a child who has been weaned and rests on the shoulder of her mother.
In place of fear, the Lord speaks peace into our lives. We should experience palpable peace in our minds and hearts, peace in our relationships, peace in our decisions and actions, peace even in troubled times, peace about our past, present and future. We must silence the fears in our lives and allow God’ s peace and love to reign and rule over us. For fear is debilitating while peace is empowering. We must let God’s Word strengthen us with grace to fill the gaps in our natural strength. Once we have been strengthened, we will like to hear His Word again and again to renew our strength supernaturally from day to day.
Prateep V Philip
Dan 10:19 And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.
Like Daniel, we too are esteemed by God. We are each called, “ beloved of God.” When the Lord speaks to us through His Word we are greatly strengthened. His Word gives us nourishment and strength not to fear sin and evil, not to fear death, not to fear that we will be dishonored, not to fear mishaps or mischance, not to fear punishment and not to fear people and forces who are bigger or stronger than us.
Stimulating fear is the modus operandi of the enemy of ours souls. It robs us of our peace and keeps us form being joyful in the presence of the Lord. Fear can manifest as disquiet, worry, anxiety, depression or anger or shades of all this at different times in our lives. Since we are greatly loved by our Lord, we can be secure in the arms of the Lord as a child who has been weaned and rests on the shoulder of her mother.
In place of fear, the Lord speaks peace into our lives. We should experience palpable peace in our minds and hearts, peace in our relationships, peace in our decisions and actions, peace even in troubled times, peace about our past, present and future. We must silence the fears in our lives and allow God’ s peace and love to reign and rule over us. For fear is debilitating while peace is empowering. We must let God’s Word strengthen us with grace to fill the gaps in our natural strength. Once we have been strengthened, we will like to hear His Word again and again to renew our strength supernaturally from day to day.
Prateep V Philip
Friday, November 11, 2011
HOW TO OVERCOME THE ODDS AGAINST YOU
Uni-verse 242/10,000 For better through verse
Jdg 7:16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.
In a time of prayer a little while ago, the Lord said, “ You are like a burning torch inside an earthen pitcher.” Indeed, every believer is a burning torch inside an earthen pitcher.
Our bodies are the earthen pitcher. The spirit burns inside us. It burns more brightly when we walk closely with the Lord, feeding on His Word and breathing praise and prayer. Without that fire burning inside us,we are just an empty pitcher that makes a lot of noise. The pot will be broken but the fire will burn on.
The Lord has placed a trumpet in every man’s hand. This is the ability to proclaim His goodness and His greatness manifested in our lives. With just these three tools,we are able to set to flight and rout mighty armies like Gideon’s three hundred men did. We are each expected to be a fire-brand for God. The only test we have passed is the zeal to drink our portion of the Word, our rhema verse(s) that God has spoken to us, from the cup of our hands. The odds against Gideon’s success was 0.0026 per cent. But, the Lord turned it into 100 per cent sure-fire success. We will overcome great odds against us even as the odds against Gideon’s three hundred men were impossible except God be with Him.
Prateep V Philip
Jdg 7:16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.
In a time of prayer a little while ago, the Lord said, “ You are like a burning torch inside an earthen pitcher.” Indeed, every believer is a burning torch inside an earthen pitcher.
Our bodies are the earthen pitcher. The spirit burns inside us. It burns more brightly when we walk closely with the Lord, feeding on His Word and breathing praise and prayer. Without that fire burning inside us,we are just an empty pitcher that makes a lot of noise. The pot will be broken but the fire will burn on.
The Lord has placed a trumpet in every man’s hand. This is the ability to proclaim His goodness and His greatness manifested in our lives. With just these three tools,we are able to set to flight and rout mighty armies like Gideon’s three hundred men did. We are each expected to be a fire-brand for God. The only test we have passed is the zeal to drink our portion of the Word, our rhema verse(s) that God has spoken to us, from the cup of our hands. The odds against Gideon’s success was 0.0026 per cent. But, the Lord turned it into 100 per cent sure-fire success. We will overcome great odds against us even as the odds against Gideon’s three hundred men were impossible except God be with Him.
Prateep V Philip
Thursday, November 10, 2011
God's Emergency Number
Uni-verse 241/10,000 For better through verse
Jer 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
This verse is known as God’s emergency number or 333. But, it is not to be used only in times of emergency. At all times of our lives and at all times of day and night, we need to call unto the Lord. We should be constantly engaged in an inner dialogue with the Trinity. The Trinity (3) will bless our spirit, mind and body(3) and reveal things to us that is beyond the cognitive capacity of our attitudes, skills and knowledge(3). He reveals His might and greatness in the specific matters we call out to Him for.
He promises to answer us and He will show us the hidden manna, the secret things of God that are known only to Him and are revealed, through the Holy Spirit, only to those who know Him. The things that are so made known to us will come in handy not only to tide over times of emergency but at all times.
God’s knowledge is a mystery to the world. It is unknowable and unsearchable. The search engines of the internet cannot throw it up. The greatest minds of the world cannot discern it. It is great and mighty. It is certain and does not delude or deceive unlike the knowledge of the world. It is timely and true to life. It is revealed at the appropriate time and in the appropriate way. Whatever word He has spoken to us in response to our call, He will bring it to fulfillment or fruition in due time. It could be as instantaneous and joyful as an athlete’s victory in a 100 meter dash or as deadly and decisive as the soldier’s bullet or as gradual and fruitful as the farmer’s seed. When we call Him, we will find His lines are never too busy. Expect the great and mighty to happen in due time.
Prateep V Philip
Jer 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
This verse is known as God’s emergency number or 333. But, it is not to be used only in times of emergency. At all times of our lives and at all times of day and night, we need to call unto the Lord. We should be constantly engaged in an inner dialogue with the Trinity. The Trinity (3) will bless our spirit, mind and body(3) and reveal things to us that is beyond the cognitive capacity of our attitudes, skills and knowledge(3). He reveals His might and greatness in the specific matters we call out to Him for.
He promises to answer us and He will show us the hidden manna, the secret things of God that are known only to Him and are revealed, through the Holy Spirit, only to those who know Him. The things that are so made known to us will come in handy not only to tide over times of emergency but at all times.
God’s knowledge is a mystery to the world. It is unknowable and unsearchable. The search engines of the internet cannot throw it up. The greatest minds of the world cannot discern it. It is great and mighty. It is certain and does not delude or deceive unlike the knowledge of the world. It is timely and true to life. It is revealed at the appropriate time and in the appropriate way. Whatever word He has spoken to us in response to our call, He will bring it to fulfillment or fruition in due time. It could be as instantaneous and joyful as an athlete’s victory in a 100 meter dash or as deadly and decisive as the soldier’s bullet or as gradual and fruitful as the farmer’s seed. When we call Him, we will find His lines are never too busy. Expect the great and mighty to happen in due time.
Prateep V Philip
God's Emergency Number
Uni-verse 241/10,000 For better through verse
Jer 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
This verse is known as God’s emergency number or 333. But, it is not to be used only in times of emergency. At all times of our lives and at all times of day and night, we need to call unto the Lord. We should be constantly engaged in an inner dialogue with the Trinity. The Trinity (3) will bless our spirit, mind and body(3) and reveal things to us that is beyond the cognitive capacity of our attitudes, skills and knowledge(3). He reveals His might and greatness in the specific matters we call out to Him for.
He promises to answer us and He will show us the hidden manna, the secret things of God that are known only to Him and are revealed, through the Holy Spirit, only to those who know Him. The things that are so made known to us will come in handy not only to tide over times of emergency but at all times.
God’s knowledge is a mystery to the world. It is unknowable and unsearchable. The search engines of the internet cannot throw it up. The greatest minds of the world cannot discern it. It is great and mighty. It is certain and does not delude or deceive unlike the knowledge of the world. It is timely and true to life. It is revealed at the appropriate time and in the appropriate way. Whatever word He has spoken to us in response to our call, He will bring it to fulfillment or fruition in due time. It could be as instantaneous and joyful as an athlete’s victory in a 100 meter dash or as deadly and decisive as the soldier’s bullet or as gradual and fruitful as the farmer’s seed. When we call Him, we will find His lines are never too busy. Expect the great and mighty to happen in due time.
Prateep V Philip
Jer 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
This verse is known as God’s emergency number or 333. But, it is not to be used only in times of emergency. At all times of our lives and at all times of day and night, we need to call unto the Lord. We should be constantly engaged in an inner dialogue with the Trinity. The Trinity (3) will bless our spirit, mind and body(3) and reveal things to us that is beyond the cognitive capacity of our attitudes, skills and knowledge(3). He reveals His might and greatness in the specific matters we call out to Him for.
He promises to answer us and He will show us the hidden manna, the secret things of God that are known only to Him and are revealed, through the Holy Spirit, only to those who know Him. The things that are so made known to us will come in handy not only to tide over times of emergency but at all times.
God’s knowledge is a mystery to the world. It is unknowable and unsearchable. The search engines of the internet cannot throw it up. The greatest minds of the world cannot discern it. It is great and mighty. It is certain and does not delude or deceive unlike the knowledge of the world. It is timely and true to life. It is revealed at the appropriate time and in the appropriate way. Whatever word He has spoken to us in response to our call, He will bring it to fulfillment or fruition in due time. It could be as instantaneous and joyful as an athlete’s victory in a 100 meter dash or as deadly and decisive as the soldier’s bullet or as gradual and fruitful as the farmer’s seed. When we call Him, we will find His lines are never too busy. Expect the great and mighty to happen in due time.
Prateep V Philip
Monday, November 7, 2011
Deliverance from temptation, trials, suffering
Uni-verse 238/10,000 For better through verse
1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Just as water has its boiling point, metals have a melting point, each one of us has a suffering point. The suffering might come not just in the form of a trial, trouble or persecution but also in the form of a temptation. The Lord knows what our suffering point is. Though suffering is part of the common heritage of mankind regardless of who we are, He never lets us suffer beyond our capacity to bear or beyond our endurance ability. Before we reach that point, He will provide a way of escape.
When we suffer instead of murmuring against God, we must lean heavily on the Lord and ask him, “ Lord, show me the way out of this situation. Show me your healing power or Show me your deliverance. Show me the way out though I see none on my own.” Don’t just grin and bear it but pray, praise and bear it. Expect a great deliverance released by the hand of the Lord.
The Lord promises to be faithful and to deliver us or to heal us or to show us the way out of the suffering. The suffering is allowed to build patience,hope, faith, character and testimony in our lives. The rainbow is a symbol of deliverance- the red stands for being washed and saved by the blood of Christ. The other colours are the symbols of victory in different domains of our lives: spiritual, intellectual, physical, emotional, relational, financial.
Prateep V Philip
1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Just as water has its boiling point, metals have a melting point, each one of us has a suffering point. The suffering might come not just in the form of a trial, trouble or persecution but also in the form of a temptation. The Lord knows what our suffering point is. Though suffering is part of the common heritage of mankind regardless of who we are, He never lets us suffer beyond our capacity to bear or beyond our endurance ability. Before we reach that point, He will provide a way of escape.
When we suffer instead of murmuring against God, we must lean heavily on the Lord and ask him, “ Lord, show me the way out of this situation. Show me your healing power or Show me your deliverance. Show me the way out though I see none on my own.” Don’t just grin and bear it but pray, praise and bear it. Expect a great deliverance released by the hand of the Lord.
The Lord promises to be faithful and to deliver us or to heal us or to show us the way out of the suffering. The suffering is allowed to build patience,hope, faith, character and testimony in our lives. The rainbow is a symbol of deliverance- the red stands for being washed and saved by the blood of Christ. The other colours are the symbols of victory in different domains of our lives: spiritual, intellectual, physical, emotional, relational, financial.
Prateep V Philip
Friday, November 4, 2011
Combatting moments of weakness
Mic 7:8 Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me
The enemy rejoices when we fall. When man first fell, the enemy was jubilant that God’s new creation, man had become his captive and subject. But his joy was short-lived as God enabled fallen man to rise again. Indeed the one who is strong is not the he who never falls but he who falls but rises from the fall. It was part of God’s plan and purpose to impart His strength to man, to make him a “ new creation”. He desires to make our joy complete and full in Him even as the enemy plots to rob us of our joy. The enemy gloats over our defeat, sorrow and failure while the Lord reveals His glory in such situations.
Each of us have moments of weakness, times when we fall in our own esteem and confidence, times when we are saddened by the turn of events, times when we are apprehensive and fearful But, these are times when the Lord is closest to us. We can lean on Him for strength and depend on Him to enable us to stand erect again. His strength shall make us rise again. The trouble is we give up too early. We react with despair without waiting for the Lord to act.
There are times when we seem to be surrounded by darkness, situations that seem to be hopeless. The Lord will let in the glorious light of His presence and His comforting Word and we will feel the brush of the Holy Spirit against our crestfallen spirits. He will illumine the paths we are to travel by. Once He leads us to victory, He will rejoice over us with singing.
Prateep V Philip
The enemy rejoices when we fall. When man first fell, the enemy was jubilant that God’s new creation, man had become his captive and subject. But his joy was short-lived as God enabled fallen man to rise again. Indeed the one who is strong is not the he who never falls but he who falls but rises from the fall. It was part of God’s plan and purpose to impart His strength to man, to make him a “ new creation”. He desires to make our joy complete and full in Him even as the enemy plots to rob us of our joy. The enemy gloats over our defeat, sorrow and failure while the Lord reveals His glory in such situations.
Each of us have moments of weakness, times when we fall in our own esteem and confidence, times when we are saddened by the turn of events, times when we are apprehensive and fearful But, these are times when the Lord is closest to us. We can lean on Him for strength and depend on Him to enable us to stand erect again. His strength shall make us rise again. The trouble is we give up too early. We react with despair without waiting for the Lord to act.
There are times when we seem to be surrounded by darkness, situations that seem to be hopeless. The Lord will let in the glorious light of His presence and His comforting Word and we will feel the brush of the Holy Spirit against our crestfallen spirits. He will illumine the paths we are to travel by. Once He leads us to victory, He will rejoice over us with singing.
Prateep V Philip
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Uni-verse 235/10,000 For better through verse
Micah 6 v 8
“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
The Lord has made it plain to us what He requires of us. He expects us to act justly, not oppressing others, nor robbing others but rendering justice by throwing our weight on the side of the weak against the strong.
We need to honour, adore and revere God for His mercy towards us and reflect that very same quality in our dealings with our fellow beings. We need to humble ourselves in the presence of the Lord by acknowledging Him in all our affairs, by an attitude of gratitude and worship at all times.
These are not generalities but it requires us to specifically respond to people and events and issues in our immediate environment. The brutal assault and murder of two young people in Mumbai when they defended a young lady’s honour is a matter that believers need to respond to. We can respond by saying, “ It is unfortunate but what can we do about it?” We cannot get away with this kind of bystander apathy. We can for instance mobilize public opinion within our sphere of influence against such violent depradators and lawless elements. We can form a Friends of Police unit in Mumbai and other places across the country or the globe to empower people with a certain quotient of power and responsibility that enables people to respond with justice in such situations. The Lord taught us that sin and its most obvious manifestation, crime begins and develops in the hearts and minds of people. He has also shown us what is good. We need to respond by using the latter to counter, reduce and prevent the former.
Prateep V Philip
Micah 6 v 8
“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
The Lord has made it plain to us what He requires of us. He expects us to act justly, not oppressing others, nor robbing others but rendering justice by throwing our weight on the side of the weak against the strong.
We need to honour, adore and revere God for His mercy towards us and reflect that very same quality in our dealings with our fellow beings. We need to humble ourselves in the presence of the Lord by acknowledging Him in all our affairs, by an attitude of gratitude and worship at all times.
These are not generalities but it requires us to specifically respond to people and events and issues in our immediate environment. The brutal assault and murder of two young people in Mumbai when they defended a young lady’s honour is a matter that believers need to respond to. We can respond by saying, “ It is unfortunate but what can we do about it?” We cannot get away with this kind of bystander apathy. We can for instance mobilize public opinion within our sphere of influence against such violent depradators and lawless elements. We can form a Friends of Police unit in Mumbai and other places across the country or the globe to empower people with a certain quotient of power and responsibility that enables people to respond with justice in such situations. The Lord taught us that sin and its most obvious manifestation, crime begins and develops in the hearts and minds of people. He has also shown us what is good. We need to respond by using the latter to counter, reduce and prevent the former.
Prateep V Philip
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Five stones for your Goliath
Uni-verse 234/10,000 For better through verse I Samuel 17 v40
“Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine”
We must not carry our sling in our hand unlike David. We carry our sling in our hearts and minds- our faith in Jesus. That sling enables us to defeat our mortal foes and spiritual enemy who mocks at us, threatens us like Goliath. The "Philistine" is whatever troubles us or persecutes or obstructs us. The staff is the cross that shields us from the slings and arrows of misfortune.
The five stones are the “rhema” verses that we pick up from the stream of living water of God’s Word that makes it over time smooth and just right to throw at the enemy’s temple. These stones are sufficient for us against all the threats,lethal arms and heavy armour of the enemy. The Goliath in our life is fear. Just as the other four stones that David picked up were meant for the brothers of Goliath. The brothers of fear in our lives are worry, anger, insecurity and despair. Each day we approach a battle line but like David we must approach it with courage and faith in the Lord. The pouch of the shepherd’s bag is our own memory.
The Lord has provided the stones of assurance of salvation, provision, answered prayer, victory and guidance. He will not throw it for us. We need to load it on our slings of faith and aim it at the strategic spot of whatever opposes us.
Prateep V Philip
“Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine”
We must not carry our sling in our hand unlike David. We carry our sling in our hearts and minds- our faith in Jesus. That sling enables us to defeat our mortal foes and spiritual enemy who mocks at us, threatens us like Goliath. The "Philistine" is whatever troubles us or persecutes or obstructs us. The staff is the cross that shields us from the slings and arrows of misfortune.
The five stones are the “rhema” verses that we pick up from the stream of living water of God’s Word that makes it over time smooth and just right to throw at the enemy’s temple. These stones are sufficient for us against all the threats,lethal arms and heavy armour of the enemy. The Goliath in our life is fear. Just as the other four stones that David picked up were meant for the brothers of Goliath. The brothers of fear in our lives are worry, anger, insecurity and despair. Each day we approach a battle line but like David we must approach it with courage and faith in the Lord. The pouch of the shepherd’s bag is our own memory.
The Lord has provided the stones of assurance of salvation, provision, answered prayer, victory and guidance. He will not throw it for us. We need to load it on our slings of faith and aim it at the strategic spot of whatever opposes us.
Prateep V Philip
Monday, October 31, 2011
Double portion blessings
Uni-verse 233/10,000 For better through verse Psalm 115 v 12
“ The Lord remembers us and will bless us: He will bless the house of Israel, He will bless the house of Aaron.”
Israel is the uniquely spiritual nation that the Lord has formed from out of all the nations in the world. We belong to the house of Israel by faith in the promises of God to the Israelites ( the Old Covenant) and through the Israelite –Jesus of Nazareth. We must steadfastly, consistently and persistently lay claim to the promises of God even as the ancient Israelites under Moses and Joshua laid claim to the promised land. To be blessed does not mean that we will not suffer privation or problems. The other day, the Lord reminded us that soon after Joshua led Israel miraculously across the Jordan river, they faced a wall in Jericho. In triumph, we glorify God. In failure and strife, we depend on God for a miracle. He promises to give us a breakthrough in our troubles even as the walls of Jericho fell.
He remembers us because we belong to Him. As members of the house of Israel, He blesses us with the blessings of salvation or Shalom that means wholeness, healing, prosperity, peace and joy. He is our help and shield in every situation in our earthly sojourn. He is our help in seasons of victory and our shield in seasons of trouble. He reveals Himself as Ebenezer. When others see us in both seasons, they will acknowledge that we are a people whom the Lord has blessed.
We also belong to the house of Aaron, when we minister to others as priests of the Most High God. He blesses us with priestly blessings-we are in constant communion and fellowship with the Lord. There is no more separation between God and us. He reveals Himself as Immanuel. Together, these constitute the double portion of blessing- the inheritance as ones who have been saved by God and the inheritance as ones who are serving God.
Prateep V Philip
“ The Lord remembers us and will bless us: He will bless the house of Israel, He will bless the house of Aaron.”
Israel is the uniquely spiritual nation that the Lord has formed from out of all the nations in the world. We belong to the house of Israel by faith in the promises of God to the Israelites ( the Old Covenant) and through the Israelite –Jesus of Nazareth. We must steadfastly, consistently and persistently lay claim to the promises of God even as the ancient Israelites under Moses and Joshua laid claim to the promised land. To be blessed does not mean that we will not suffer privation or problems. The other day, the Lord reminded us that soon after Joshua led Israel miraculously across the Jordan river, they faced a wall in Jericho. In triumph, we glorify God. In failure and strife, we depend on God for a miracle. He promises to give us a breakthrough in our troubles even as the walls of Jericho fell.
He remembers us because we belong to Him. As members of the house of Israel, He blesses us with the blessings of salvation or Shalom that means wholeness, healing, prosperity, peace and joy. He is our help and shield in every situation in our earthly sojourn. He is our help in seasons of victory and our shield in seasons of trouble. He reveals Himself as Ebenezer. When others see us in both seasons, they will acknowledge that we are a people whom the Lord has blessed.
We also belong to the house of Aaron, when we minister to others as priests of the Most High God. He blesses us with priestly blessings-we are in constant communion and fellowship with the Lord. There is no more separation between God and us. He reveals Himself as Immanuel. Together, these constitute the double portion of blessing- the inheritance as ones who have been saved by God and the inheritance as ones who are serving God.
Prateep V Philip
Friday, October 28, 2011
The WoW power of Vow
Uni-verse 231/10,000 For better through verse Judges 16 v 13
Jdg 16:13 And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.
As Samson was physically strong, the Lord desires that His children be spiritually strong. The secret of Samson' s strength lay in the seven braids or locks of hair that had never been cut with a razor. Similarly, our secret source of strength and immense power from God lies in seven "locks": Fear of God and love of God are the first two locks that grow side by side. As we grow in our personal knowledge and intimacy with God, both our fear of God and His holiness and our love of God with all our strength of spirit, mind and body need to grow slowly but surely like our hair grows from day to day. The fear of God makes us hate evil even as the love of God makes us love all that is good, noble, praiseworthy and perfect.
The third lock of hair is our prayer life. Just as nostrils breathe air constantly, our soul and spirit needs to pray ceaselessly in order to sustain itself. The fourth lock of hair is the Word of God. We meditate and absorb strength from claiming God's promises and by diligently studying and obeying His eternal commands. We need to claim God's strength in this manner and stay free from blame. The fifth lock of hair is praise and worship- we need to be regular in our praise and worship. Worship is like a warship that has been launched with all its guns firing. It is also the flagship of our faith life.
The sixth lock of hair is the joy of the Lord. We need to delight in what the Lord delights. The joy of the Lord is our strength. It implies that we submit all our plans and decisions to the Lord. We give priority to what He desires in our lives. The seventh lock of hair is our witness. We need to witness with our lifestyle, our deeds and our words. At the same time, we need to be wary of the Delilahs of the world who wish to betray us, weaken us or have us handed over to the enemy. These seven locks must never be cut but grow day and night, right through our lives. They will enable us to defeat all the force and power of the enemy of our souls. What else can we do with all this immense strength that the Lord has invested in us? We need to be like Samson a judge of the nations, a leader who influences people for God, a ruler or one who executes God's judgements on earth. We need to exhibit in our lives the "wow" power of vow or the power of commitment that kept a razor from the seven braids of hair from birth till his ultimate downfall by deception. We must not be attracted to the seductions of this world.
Prateep V Philip
Jdg 16:13 And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.
As Samson was physically strong, the Lord desires that His children be spiritually strong. The secret of Samson' s strength lay in the seven braids or locks of hair that had never been cut with a razor. Similarly, our secret source of strength and immense power from God lies in seven "locks": Fear of God and love of God are the first two locks that grow side by side. As we grow in our personal knowledge and intimacy with God, both our fear of God and His holiness and our love of God with all our strength of spirit, mind and body need to grow slowly but surely like our hair grows from day to day. The fear of God makes us hate evil even as the love of God makes us love all that is good, noble, praiseworthy and perfect.
The third lock of hair is our prayer life. Just as nostrils breathe air constantly, our soul and spirit needs to pray ceaselessly in order to sustain itself. The fourth lock of hair is the Word of God. We meditate and absorb strength from claiming God's promises and by diligently studying and obeying His eternal commands. We need to claim God's strength in this manner and stay free from blame. The fifth lock of hair is praise and worship- we need to be regular in our praise and worship. Worship is like a warship that has been launched with all its guns firing. It is also the flagship of our faith life.
The sixth lock of hair is the joy of the Lord. We need to delight in what the Lord delights. The joy of the Lord is our strength. It implies that we submit all our plans and decisions to the Lord. We give priority to what He desires in our lives. The seventh lock of hair is our witness. We need to witness with our lifestyle, our deeds and our words. At the same time, we need to be wary of the Delilahs of the world who wish to betray us, weaken us or have us handed over to the enemy. These seven locks must never be cut but grow day and night, right through our lives. They will enable us to defeat all the force and power of the enemy of our souls. What else can we do with all this immense strength that the Lord has invested in us? We need to be like Samson a judge of the nations, a leader who influences people for God, a ruler or one who executes God's judgements on earth. We need to exhibit in our lives the "wow" power of vow or the power of commitment that kept a razor from the seven braids of hair from birth till his ultimate downfall by deception. We must not be attracted to the seductions of this world.
Prateep V Philip
Thursday, October 27, 2011
God's size is not a barrier to intimacy
Uni-verse 230/10,000 For better through verse Isaiah 66 v 2
Isa 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
The earth itself contains many worlds in it in terms of the myriad people, cultures and geography that comprise it. Yet, the earth is so small a part of the vast universe. God is so big -He is bigger than the whole universe. The Bible says that He can hold all the waters in all the oceans and rivers and other water bodies in the hollow of His hand. He can lift up, weigh or lay all the mighty mountain ranges with His other hand. He is also older than billions of years. Even His "foolishness" , if it exists, is far greater than the collective wisdom of all of mankind. He determines or predestines the places and times we live in though He gives us complete freedom of choice within those boundaries.
Yet the amazing thing is that such a great God, the Great I Am condeigns to consider with favour a lone person, an individual who humbles himself and obeys His revealed Word. The other day the Holy Spirit revealed that concerning a certain member of my extended family that though he has not displayed fear of God, He the Sovereign Lord is " obeying the tears of his mother. " More than twenty years have passed since his mother had passed away but the Lord still obeys her tears and keeps His covenant promise to save him in his last days. He humbles Himself to obey the tears of a mere mortal.
Isn't it wonderful that such an awesome Person as God humbles Himself to look at each one of us with favour? When He is so mindful of us, we should be humble and contrite always and in all our ways before Him. We should always be mindful of Him, always conscious of His presence, always remembering His goodness, always reviewing His Word to us. We should take every thought, emotion, decision "captive to Christ", meaning we submit it as an offering to Him.
Prateep V Philip
Isa 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
The earth itself contains many worlds in it in terms of the myriad people, cultures and geography that comprise it. Yet, the earth is so small a part of the vast universe. God is so big -He is bigger than the whole universe. The Bible says that He can hold all the waters in all the oceans and rivers and other water bodies in the hollow of His hand. He can lift up, weigh or lay all the mighty mountain ranges with His other hand. He is also older than billions of years. Even His "foolishness" , if it exists, is far greater than the collective wisdom of all of mankind. He determines or predestines the places and times we live in though He gives us complete freedom of choice within those boundaries.
Yet the amazing thing is that such a great God, the Great I Am condeigns to consider with favour a lone person, an individual who humbles himself and obeys His revealed Word. The other day the Holy Spirit revealed that concerning a certain member of my extended family that though he has not displayed fear of God, He the Sovereign Lord is " obeying the tears of his mother. " More than twenty years have passed since his mother had passed away but the Lord still obeys her tears and keeps His covenant promise to save him in his last days. He humbles Himself to obey the tears of a mere mortal.
Isn't it wonderful that such an awesome Person as God humbles Himself to look at each one of us with favour? When He is so mindful of us, we should be humble and contrite always and in all our ways before Him. We should always be mindful of Him, always conscious of His presence, always remembering His goodness, always reviewing His Word to us. We should take every thought, emotion, decision "captive to Christ", meaning we submit it as an offering to Him.
Prateep V Philip
Javelin throwing
Uni-verse 229/10,000 For better through verse Numbers 25 v 7
Num 25:7 And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand;
Last evening in a time of prayer, the Lord flashed His light on this verse. He said that we must take the javelin and throw it. The javelin is a metaphor for the Word of God. He said, " Apply the Word of God in every situation. " Applying the Word of God means to write down a specific('rhema") verse that applies in a particular situation or speaks to our spirits and pray for its operation or fulfillment in our lives. Like Phenahas, we belong to the house of Aaron. We are as Levites. As priests of the Most High God, when we pray specifically with a specific verse, His judgement is executed on earth and in our lives. When we spread our sheet before God, He blesses our spreadsheet.
Saul used a javelin under the influence of an evil spirit to try to impale the young David. But, the Lord protected Him. The enemy may try throwing a barrage of javelins at us in different times of our lives. But, the Lord is our Rock of Escape as He was for David. The javelin in our hand is both a weapon of offence and defence. It is the " sword of His excellency" that Abraham spoke of.
Eleazar, the father of Phinehas had such a grip on his sword that it seemed to be fused into his hand. Similarly, the Word of God needs to be fused into our hand and all aspects of our lives. In normal times, it is the Shepherd's rod and staff to comfort, counsel, support and guide us. In war-like situations, it becomes a javelin in our hands that will pierce through our target.
Prateep V Philip
Num 25:7 And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand;
Last evening in a time of prayer, the Lord flashed His light on this verse. He said that we must take the javelin and throw it. The javelin is a metaphor for the Word of God. He said, " Apply the Word of God in every situation. " Applying the Word of God means to write down a specific('rhema") verse that applies in a particular situation or speaks to our spirits and pray for its operation or fulfillment in our lives. Like Phenahas, we belong to the house of Aaron. We are as Levites. As priests of the Most High God, when we pray specifically with a specific verse, His judgement is executed on earth and in our lives. When we spread our sheet before God, He blesses our spreadsheet.
Saul used a javelin under the influence of an evil spirit to try to impale the young David. But, the Lord protected Him. The enemy may try throwing a barrage of javelins at us in different times of our lives. But, the Lord is our Rock of Escape as He was for David. The javelin in our hand is both a weapon of offence and defence. It is the " sword of His excellency" that Abraham spoke of.
Eleazar, the father of Phinehas had such a grip on his sword that it seemed to be fused into his hand. Similarly, the Word of God needs to be fused into our hand and all aspects of our lives. In normal times, it is the Shepherd's rod and staff to comfort, counsel, support and guide us. In war-like situations, it becomes a javelin in our hands that will pierce through our target.
Prateep V Philip
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Uni-verse 228/10,000 For better through verse
Psa 45:7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
One of the foremost attributes of a citizen of the Kingdom of God is a love for righteousness and a hatred for evil. Once we understand the absolute holiness and power of God, we will develop a deep respect or reverence for Him. That respect is reflected in our love for His goodness and an abhorrence of evil. We cleave to what is good and let go of what is evil, resist its allurements and at times even flee from it. Since we live in a grossly imperfect world, it is a kind of a tight rope walk but it is certainly better to walk a rope than to have it hanging around our neck. But, the Lord gives us the grace, the wisdom and the power to complete our walk successfully. In case we fall, He holds the safety net of forgiveness under us and puts us back on our feet.
Our God has anointed us as priests and kings before Him. In Old Testament times only the priests and kings were anointed as a sign of divine appointment, favour and empowerment. When we are redeemed by confessing our faith in Christ, we are anointed or sanctified by the Holy Spirit. This anointing makes us holy and blameless before God. This is the oil of purification of sinners. Then, we are anointed as priests. This is the oil of sanctification. We can offer worship on behalf of the whole of humanity. We intercede for those who are not saved. We are also anointed as kings to execute righteousness on earth, to exercise power and authority over the spiritual realms as suzerains of God on earth. What we bind on earth is bound in heaven, what we release or free on earth is released in heaven. This is the oil of empowerment.
But, this uni-verse speaks of the anointing with the oil of gladness. This comes with a harvest of righteousness. The word "oil" brings up the image of "oozing". We need to be oozing with gladness and joy in all that we say and do: Glad that we are saved, that we will not perish in the second death; joyful that we are victorious in Christ. The Lord has removed our sackcloth of mourning that comes from a life of sin and a guilty conscience and replaced it with the spirit of gladness and joy. As a result, we are far more glad and joyful than our contemporaries, colleagues and fellow beings who are still mixed up in the ruling passions and obsessions of the world. We may not keep up with the Joneses but we are happier by far than them.
Prateep V Philip
Psa 45:7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
One of the foremost attributes of a citizen of the Kingdom of God is a love for righteousness and a hatred for evil. Once we understand the absolute holiness and power of God, we will develop a deep respect or reverence for Him. That respect is reflected in our love for His goodness and an abhorrence of evil. We cleave to what is good and let go of what is evil, resist its allurements and at times even flee from it. Since we live in a grossly imperfect world, it is a kind of a tight rope walk but it is certainly better to walk a rope than to have it hanging around our neck. But, the Lord gives us the grace, the wisdom and the power to complete our walk successfully. In case we fall, He holds the safety net of forgiveness under us and puts us back on our feet.
Our God has anointed us as priests and kings before Him. In Old Testament times only the priests and kings were anointed as a sign of divine appointment, favour and empowerment. When we are redeemed by confessing our faith in Christ, we are anointed or sanctified by the Holy Spirit. This anointing makes us holy and blameless before God. This is the oil of purification of sinners. Then, we are anointed as priests. This is the oil of sanctification. We can offer worship on behalf of the whole of humanity. We intercede for those who are not saved. We are also anointed as kings to execute righteousness on earth, to exercise power and authority over the spiritual realms as suzerains of God on earth. What we bind on earth is bound in heaven, what we release or free on earth is released in heaven. This is the oil of empowerment.
But, this uni-verse speaks of the anointing with the oil of gladness. This comes with a harvest of righteousness. The word "oil" brings up the image of "oozing". We need to be oozing with gladness and joy in all that we say and do: Glad that we are saved, that we will not perish in the second death; joyful that we are victorious in Christ. The Lord has removed our sackcloth of mourning that comes from a life of sin and a guilty conscience and replaced it with the spirit of gladness and joy. As a result, we are far more glad and joyful than our contemporaries, colleagues and fellow beings who are still mixed up in the ruling passions and obsessions of the world. We may not keep up with the Joneses but we are happier by far than them.
Prateep V Philip
Monday, October 24, 2011
Why bad news sells and good news saves
Uni-verse 227/10,000 For better through verse Nahum 1 v 15
Nah 1:15 Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.
We are used to reading headlines in newspapers howling bad news. I asked a senior correspondent in a leading newspaper," Why is it that journalists focus mostly on bad news, on things that have a negative spin?" He replied that he did not know why but he only knew that bad news sells. Bad news makes the people who read it feel better that the catastrophe has overtaken someone else and not them. They feel better and happier by comparison.
Recently, the Lord said, " You are my newspaper!" Yes, believers in the gospel are the publishers of good news, the publishers of peace. When the wicked who do not want to repent hear it, they are put off but when those who are seeking for peace and hope hear it they embrace it. As publishers of peace and good news, every thing that we say and do will bring meaning, strength and encouragement to others. We proclaim in the headlines," Behold our God, He reigns on high! Jesus has saved you from eternal death. " The gospel is not just good news but great news. What we hear in our lives after receiving the gospel into our hearts is the good news part. What we publish will bring glory to God and peace and goodwill among men.
Even out of the mountains of our lives or the big problem areas, we will begin to hear good news. We need to celebrate every significant victory that the Lord gives us with praise, worship and a fellowship meal. We need to fulfill the commitments we have made as we waited for some good news. The Lord gives us the promise that the wicked will no more have either power or influence in our lives to harm us or to hinder us. Good news deals with matters of faith. Very often, the good news is first declared and then the events follow as it was declared. Time goes forward in order to go back to present. In bad news or news per se, the future, past and present are all tense as it operates on the principle of fate. Bad news does not change anything. Good news changes lives. The good news shields us from the bad news. The people who subscribe to the good news are people of faith. The people who subscribe to the bad news are people of fate. We do not just read the good news or the Word but we eat it, relish every word and absorb it like a delicious morsel in a feast. We are not under pressure to increase the circulation or sell the news for it is given freely and will spread from one life impacted by Christ to another.
Prateep V Philip
Nah 1:15 Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.
We are used to reading headlines in newspapers howling bad news. I asked a senior correspondent in a leading newspaper," Why is it that journalists focus mostly on bad news, on things that have a negative spin?" He replied that he did not know why but he only knew that bad news sells. Bad news makes the people who read it feel better that the catastrophe has overtaken someone else and not them. They feel better and happier by comparison.
Recently, the Lord said, " You are my newspaper!" Yes, believers in the gospel are the publishers of good news, the publishers of peace. When the wicked who do not want to repent hear it, they are put off but when those who are seeking for peace and hope hear it they embrace it. As publishers of peace and good news, every thing that we say and do will bring meaning, strength and encouragement to others. We proclaim in the headlines," Behold our God, He reigns on high! Jesus has saved you from eternal death. " The gospel is not just good news but great news. What we hear in our lives after receiving the gospel into our hearts is the good news part. What we publish will bring glory to God and peace and goodwill among men.
Even out of the mountains of our lives or the big problem areas, we will begin to hear good news. We need to celebrate every significant victory that the Lord gives us with praise, worship and a fellowship meal. We need to fulfill the commitments we have made as we waited for some good news. The Lord gives us the promise that the wicked will no more have either power or influence in our lives to harm us or to hinder us. Good news deals with matters of faith. Very often, the good news is first declared and then the events follow as it was declared. Time goes forward in order to go back to present. In bad news or news per se, the future, past and present are all tense as it operates on the principle of fate. Bad news does not change anything. Good news changes lives. The good news shields us from the bad news. The people who subscribe to the good news are people of faith. The people who subscribe to the bad news are people of fate. We do not just read the good news or the Word but we eat it, relish every word and absorb it like a delicious morsel in a feast. We are not under pressure to increase the circulation or sell the news for it is given freely and will spread from one life impacted by Christ to another.
Prateep V Philip
The visible-invisible interface
Uni-verse 226/10,000 For better through verse John 20 v 29
Joh 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
The world operates on the principle," First see and then believe" or Seeing is believing. This is the conditioning that human experience and education subjects every individual to. People who doubt the Word of God continue like the apostle Thomas to insist on seeing first before believing, leaving themselves spiritually impowerished and handicapped. All the mysteries of life and death, the truths about God and the things of God hinge on the interface between the visible and the invisible. The Kingdom of God operates on the principle of " Believing is seeing" or one must first believe and then one will see. Belief is the inner eye through which we can percieve and experience the love of God.
Belief is the deepest level of one's psyche or soul. Belief affects our thoughts, emotions, speech, decisions, efforts and results. When we believe in Christ, our thoughts, emotions, speech, decisions, efforts and results will be blessed. We connect with God through prayer, meditation and the Word at the deepest, most personal or intimate level and He becomes real, more real than the things we can perceive or see. The results are there for everyone to see- what was formerly invisible will become visible in our lives. Many educated and so called intellectual people pride themselves on their commitment to rationalism and empiricism. What they need to realize is a truth that an evangelist once told me," The real world is the spiritual world. What we see around are only the props. If things are to happen in the physical world, it needs to first happen in the spiritual world and then it gets reflected here." In short, if we want to change things in our lives, our families, our cities, our societies, our nations or the world, we need to first change from disbelief to belief. Our conception of God makes way to our experience of God and His attributes.
It pleases God when we trust Him implicity and explicitly without expecting any external evidence or sign or proof. It is the ultimate test of faithfulness when we remain faithful to Him even though He is not visible, even though we cannot touch Him or feel Him. But, we do experience His touch in different ways and different areas and times of our lives.Once we believe, He shows us signs that His presence is near, that His Word is true and He is true to every word in it. We are freed from the curse of thinking that only what we experience through our senses is true and so are blessed. Our minds, emotions and our imagination freed from the necessity of being merely moored to the ground begins to soar upwards.
Prateep V Philip
Joh 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
The world operates on the principle," First see and then believe" or Seeing is believing. This is the conditioning that human experience and education subjects every individual to. People who doubt the Word of God continue like the apostle Thomas to insist on seeing first before believing, leaving themselves spiritually impowerished and handicapped. All the mysteries of life and death, the truths about God and the things of God hinge on the interface between the visible and the invisible. The Kingdom of God operates on the principle of " Believing is seeing" or one must first believe and then one will see. Belief is the inner eye through which we can percieve and experience the love of God.
Belief is the deepest level of one's psyche or soul. Belief affects our thoughts, emotions, speech, decisions, efforts and results. When we believe in Christ, our thoughts, emotions, speech, decisions, efforts and results will be blessed. We connect with God through prayer, meditation and the Word at the deepest, most personal or intimate level and He becomes real, more real than the things we can perceive or see. The results are there for everyone to see- what was formerly invisible will become visible in our lives. Many educated and so called intellectual people pride themselves on their commitment to rationalism and empiricism. What they need to realize is a truth that an evangelist once told me," The real world is the spiritual world. What we see around are only the props. If things are to happen in the physical world, it needs to first happen in the spiritual world and then it gets reflected here." In short, if we want to change things in our lives, our families, our cities, our societies, our nations or the world, we need to first change from disbelief to belief. Our conception of God makes way to our experience of God and His attributes.
It pleases God when we trust Him implicity and explicitly without expecting any external evidence or sign or proof. It is the ultimate test of faithfulness when we remain faithful to Him even though He is not visible, even though we cannot touch Him or feel Him. But, we do experience His touch in different ways and different areas and times of our lives.Once we believe, He shows us signs that His presence is near, that His Word is true and He is true to every word in it. We are freed from the curse of thinking that only what we experience through our senses is true and so are blessed. Our minds, emotions and our imagination freed from the necessity of being merely moored to the ground begins to soar upwards.
Prateep V Philip
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Revisiting the lesson of history
Job 11:17 And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.
The world saw repeated images on television and newspapers last week of the terrible end to the life of the Libyan dictator Gadaffi. Though for a long time, his age and life seemed to be glorious and triumphant, when the day of darkness fell, the end was terrible. He was found hiding in a drain pipe. While he lived, he showed no mercy to his opponents but he cried out for mercy in his last breath. But, when we trust God, even when darkness falls, it will be bright as the morning.
Scripture says that the path the righteous travel becomes brighter as they go. Our life is like a multi-stringed instrument. One by one the strings will break. Finally, we will be left with just one string- faith and trust in the Living God and His Word. Like a famous violinist who continued to play with just one string as the other strings gave way, we need to keep playing on that one string. As days and weeks, and months and years roll by, we will be even closer to the Lord and the light of His presence will make our lives even more clear, bright or radiant. Yes, we too have uncertainties in our lives but we can combat a legion of uncertainties with the one certainty that Christ died in our place, to save us a miserable end and give us constantly hope of new beginnings.
My history professor back in college used to say," Better a moment of crowded glory than an age without a name." He could not have been more wrong. Our entire age would have the name of Jesus Christ writ large across it. Every moment we spend we seek not our own glory in vain like Gadaffi or some other self-seeking leader but we seek and delight in the glory of the Lord. Most people's egos die when they are forced to give up their positions or their claims but we let our egos die by saying," Ye go" and " You ( Lord) come and rule in our lives."
Prateep V Philip
The world saw repeated images on television and newspapers last week of the terrible end to the life of the Libyan dictator Gadaffi. Though for a long time, his age and life seemed to be glorious and triumphant, when the day of darkness fell, the end was terrible. He was found hiding in a drain pipe. While he lived, he showed no mercy to his opponents but he cried out for mercy in his last breath. But, when we trust God, even when darkness falls, it will be bright as the morning.
Scripture says that the path the righteous travel becomes brighter as they go. Our life is like a multi-stringed instrument. One by one the strings will break. Finally, we will be left with just one string- faith and trust in the Living God and His Word. Like a famous violinist who continued to play with just one string as the other strings gave way, we need to keep playing on that one string. As days and weeks, and months and years roll by, we will be even closer to the Lord and the light of His presence will make our lives even more clear, bright or radiant. Yes, we too have uncertainties in our lives but we can combat a legion of uncertainties with the one certainty that Christ died in our place, to save us a miserable end and give us constantly hope of new beginnings.
My history professor back in college used to say," Better a moment of crowded glory than an age without a name." He could not have been more wrong. Our entire age would have the name of Jesus Christ writ large across it. Every moment we spend we seek not our own glory in vain like Gadaffi or some other self-seeking leader but we seek and delight in the glory of the Lord. Most people's egos die when they are forced to give up their positions or their claims but we let our egos die by saying," Ye go" and " You ( Lord) come and rule in our lives."
Prateep V Philip
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
On being framed
Uni-verse 223/10,000 For better through verse Hebrews 11 v 3
Heb 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Faith is the ability to see the things that cannot be seen with such clarity that the things that can be seen either pale into insignificance or take on its full meaning in its light. All is in vain unless faith imparts a meaning to it. The world is a beautiful and complex painting framed by the Word of God. A painting is surrounded on all sides by the frame. The frame protects, preserves and enhances the value of the painting. Similarly, everything that exists is surrounded by the Word of God. We need to live and move and exist within the framework of the Word. The frame is as beautiful and valuable in this case as the painting. Our lives of faith prove the Word, the Word prunes our lives.
Our days should be framed by the Word of God in the sense that we must live our days according to the Word of God. All our relationships must be framed by the Word of God. Our work must be framed by the Word. Our lives must be surrounded by the Word. We must be cocooned in the Word. The Word enables us to see or to perceive and understand the invisible world.
Life is all about the interface or interplay between the visible and the invisible. The visible declares the glory of the invisible. The invisible enables the visible to realize its purpose and potential. The Word of God is the bridge between the visible world in which we live and the invisible world of God. Every day we take a step on this bridge towards the invisible world. We need to pray, " Lord, frame this day with your gracious Word." The Word will give us the wherewithal, the guidance and the support to take the step of faith this day. The Devil operating through the world's systems,philosophies, ideologies and practices wants to frame us. Don't get framed but be framed by the Word of God.
Prateep V Philip
Heb 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Faith is the ability to see the things that cannot be seen with such clarity that the things that can be seen either pale into insignificance or take on its full meaning in its light. All is in vain unless faith imparts a meaning to it. The world is a beautiful and complex painting framed by the Word of God. A painting is surrounded on all sides by the frame. The frame protects, preserves and enhances the value of the painting. Similarly, everything that exists is surrounded by the Word of God. We need to live and move and exist within the framework of the Word. The frame is as beautiful and valuable in this case as the painting. Our lives of faith prove the Word, the Word prunes our lives.
Our days should be framed by the Word of God in the sense that we must live our days according to the Word of God. All our relationships must be framed by the Word of God. Our work must be framed by the Word. Our lives must be surrounded by the Word. We must be cocooned in the Word. The Word enables us to see or to perceive and understand the invisible world.
Life is all about the interface or interplay between the visible and the invisible. The visible declares the glory of the invisible. The invisible enables the visible to realize its purpose and potential. The Word of God is the bridge between the visible world in which we live and the invisible world of God. Every day we take a step on this bridge towards the invisible world. We need to pray, " Lord, frame this day with your gracious Word." The Word will give us the wherewithal, the guidance and the support to take the step of faith this day. The Devil operating through the world's systems,philosophies, ideologies and practices wants to frame us. Don't get framed but be framed by the Word of God.
Prateep V Philip
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
UV 220 the universe within
Uni-verse 222/10,000 For better through verse Psalm 103 v 1
Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Our inner self or our soul is a reflection of the diversity of the universe itself. "All that is within me" includes our goals, dreams, desires, hopes, abilities, fears, weaknesses, thoughts, emotions, decisions, plans, motives, words, actions, beliefs, habits, attitudes and memories. We need to acknowledge, bless and praise God who invested such a diversity in us in and with all these aspects of our lives. What goes up as praise and thanksgiving returns as blessing.
We, generally, take the working of our internal organs for granted. We wait till any of these suffer a breakdown before we remember the Creator. We need to praise God for the "big five" and the amazing way these work round the clock and keep us healthy and alive: the heart, lungs, brain, kidneys and liver. In fact, my meditation on how wonderfully the heart works all the time untiringly and unceasingly, led me to think of the concept of thinking God's thoughts all the time imitating the working of the heart. I said to myself," How do I create a system of thinking that will keep my mind working consistently on a fixed pattern or rhythm like the heart?" This thought gave birth to the idea of equilibrium thinking.
The Psalmist says, " Praise God with understanding." We need to understand how finely configured the universe is and how " fearfully and wonderfully" we have been made. The description " fearfully and wonderfully made" means that we are an assembly of several fragile and intricate balances. When we constantly praise God for all that is within us in the physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual dimensions, these balances and the balances in our relationships and work get blessed or strengthened to fulfill the purpose that God has ordained for us.
Prateep V Philip
Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Our inner self or our soul is a reflection of the diversity of the universe itself. "All that is within me" includes our goals, dreams, desires, hopes, abilities, fears, weaknesses, thoughts, emotions, decisions, plans, motives, words, actions, beliefs, habits, attitudes and memories. We need to acknowledge, bless and praise God who invested such a diversity in us in and with all these aspects of our lives. What goes up as praise and thanksgiving returns as blessing.
We, generally, take the working of our internal organs for granted. We wait till any of these suffer a breakdown before we remember the Creator. We need to praise God for the "big five" and the amazing way these work round the clock and keep us healthy and alive: the heart, lungs, brain, kidneys and liver. In fact, my meditation on how wonderfully the heart works all the time untiringly and unceasingly, led me to think of the concept of thinking God's thoughts all the time imitating the working of the heart. I said to myself," How do I create a system of thinking that will keep my mind working consistently on a fixed pattern or rhythm like the heart?" This thought gave birth to the idea of equilibrium thinking.
The Psalmist says, " Praise God with understanding." We need to understand how finely configured the universe is and how " fearfully and wonderfully" we have been made. The description " fearfully and wonderfully made" means that we are an assembly of several fragile and intricate balances. When we constantly praise God for all that is within us in the physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual dimensions, these balances and the balances in our relationships and work get blessed or strengthened to fulfill the purpose that God has ordained for us.
Prateep V Philip
Sunday, October 16, 2011
UV 221/10,000
Uni-verse 221/10,000 For better through verse Isaiah 61 v 9
Isa 61:9 And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed.
Jesus is the way of truth and life and we are each a signboard pointing to people around that this is the way to take. A signboard has a narrow pointed front portion- this denotes the suffering in our lives that the Lord allows and uses to shape us up. The major part of a signboard is flat on which the name of the way is written. This portion denotes the abundance of blessings in our lives. Every believer's testimony or life story has two portions - suffering and then, how out of the suffering the Lord delivered and blessed.
Abraham believed Jehovah and his belief was taken as obedience and he was greatly blessed. His suffering was the fact that he had no offspring. When a son was born to him and Sarah, he became known among the Gentiles as a man whom the Lord had blessed abundantly. His son Isaac was similarly blessed. Isaac's son Jacob wrestled with the angel of the Lord and did not let go till he had been blessed. Jacob' s son Joseph was greatly blessed and everyone acknowledged him as ruler in ancient Egypt. Similarly, we too will be seen as greatly blessed by our colleagues, peers and contemporaries. Our children and their children will be similarly blessed. For the Lord delights in the prosperity of His servants and is faithful to His promise.
It is only God who can see and know of things that will happen beyond not just one generation but in all of posterity. This uni-verse contains the amazing promise that not only are we blessed like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph but our posterity or future generations will be blessed and all will see how much they have been blessed and acknowledge that the Lord had blessed them.
Prateep V Philip
Isa 61:9 And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed.
Jesus is the way of truth and life and we are each a signboard pointing to people around that this is the way to take. A signboard has a narrow pointed front portion- this denotes the suffering in our lives that the Lord allows and uses to shape us up. The major part of a signboard is flat on which the name of the way is written. This portion denotes the abundance of blessings in our lives. Every believer's testimony or life story has two portions - suffering and then, how out of the suffering the Lord delivered and blessed.
Abraham believed Jehovah and his belief was taken as obedience and he was greatly blessed. His suffering was the fact that he had no offspring. When a son was born to him and Sarah, he became known among the Gentiles as a man whom the Lord had blessed abundantly. His son Isaac was similarly blessed. Isaac's son Jacob wrestled with the angel of the Lord and did not let go till he had been blessed. Jacob' s son Joseph was greatly blessed and everyone acknowledged him as ruler in ancient Egypt. Similarly, we too will be seen as greatly blessed by our colleagues, peers and contemporaries. Our children and their children will be similarly blessed. For the Lord delights in the prosperity of His servants and is faithful to His promise.
It is only God who can see and know of things that will happen beyond not just one generation but in all of posterity. This uni-verse contains the amazing promise that not only are we blessed like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph but our posterity or future generations will be blessed and all will see how much they have been blessed and acknowledge that the Lord had blessed them.
Prateep V Philip
Friday, October 14, 2011
UV 219/10,000 From an eternal perspective
Uni-verse 219/10,000 For better through verse Philippians 3 v 8
Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ
All knowledge and all things perish and is as dung at the end of the age but the knowledge of the love of God and the experience of the grace of Christ lasts forever. When a wise man finds the pearl of great value, he sells all he owns in order to exchange it for that pearl. What is the touchstone on which he decides the value of his find? The touchstone of its value is how beautiful is the pearl and how enduring will it be. The gospel likewise enables us to prioritise the things of eternal value and cease or lower out attachment to the things of temporal and temporary value. Christ turns our life into a winning experience.
After the recent demise of Steve Jobs, his contributions to innovations in technology were hailed as "having changed the world." Doubtless, he had made contributions in this regard but technology is a mere tool and should not be treated as the be all and end all of life. Jesus is the be all and end all of life. Everything begins and ends in Him. He is the focal point of history. He is the overcomer of death. In identifying ourselves in the entirety of our existence with Him, we too become overcomers and winners in life as in death.
The knowledge of Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour of our lives makes us excellent in the eyes of God. We are filled with the fullness of God. The experience of " Hamartia" ( sin and its symptoms of falling short of the mark or shortcomings in our nature, our achievements, our behaviour) is replaced by " Hyperbole"( overshooting the mark) -an exceeding of all expectations in our character, our professions, our outcomes, our witness and our ministry.
Prateep V Philip
Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ
All knowledge and all things perish and is as dung at the end of the age but the knowledge of the love of God and the experience of the grace of Christ lasts forever. When a wise man finds the pearl of great value, he sells all he owns in order to exchange it for that pearl. What is the touchstone on which he decides the value of his find? The touchstone of its value is how beautiful is the pearl and how enduring will it be. The gospel likewise enables us to prioritise the things of eternal value and cease or lower out attachment to the things of temporal and temporary value. Christ turns our life into a winning experience.
After the recent demise of Steve Jobs, his contributions to innovations in technology were hailed as "having changed the world." Doubtless, he had made contributions in this regard but technology is a mere tool and should not be treated as the be all and end all of life. Jesus is the be all and end all of life. Everything begins and ends in Him. He is the focal point of history. He is the overcomer of death. In identifying ourselves in the entirety of our existence with Him, we too become overcomers and winners in life as in death.
The knowledge of Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour of our lives makes us excellent in the eyes of God. We are filled with the fullness of God. The experience of " Hamartia" ( sin and its symptoms of falling short of the mark or shortcomings in our nature, our achievements, our behaviour) is replaced by " Hyperbole"( overshooting the mark) -an exceeding of all expectations in our character, our professions, our outcomes, our witness and our ministry.
Prateep V Philip
Friday, October 7, 2011
The Heart of the Master
Uni-verse 214/10,000 For better through verse Jeremiah 31 v 33
Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
When we know and love God, we must hide his Word in our hearts as a lover would hide and cherish the letters of his beloved. What is the meaning of the word, “ heart” –it is comprised of hear + t . We need to hear God’s Word and apply it to our thoughts, our temperament, our tongues, our talents, our time and our targets. The end result would be the heart or core or “couer”, the essence of our being out of which we live. It will affect our inward parts and keep us in intimacy with God.
When God’s law is written on our hearts, it is being transferred nine inches – from our heads to our hearts. When we apply it to all areas of our lives-thoughts, emotions, speech, abilities, schedule and our goals- the transference has happened. The Word is fulfilled: “ I … will be their God and they shall be my people.” The Wipro tagline, “ Applying thought” is replaced by “ Applying God’s thought” in our lives. For when we think on the lines of the Word, we are thinking the thoughts of God. When we emote on the lines of the Word, we are feeling the emotions of God. When we speak on the lines of the Word, we are speaking the words of God. When we use our talents or abilities on the lines of the Word- we are multiplying them. When we take time to learn, understand and apply God’s Word, all our times will be in His hands. We are blessed and gain power, wisdom, grace, joy, security, peace and blessedness. We are also giving ourselves a Master check up every day.
When we apply God’s Word to our targets or life goals( yearly, monthly, weekly or daily) that we set for ourselves in different areas of our life, profession and ministry, He becomes our silent but active partner in realizing these targets and bringing it to fruition for His greater glory and in His time. No target becomes unattainable, no goal impossible for nothing is too difficult for Him. A life that is circumscribed by the Word of God is a heart that is circumcised unto God.
Prateep V Philip
Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
When we know and love God, we must hide his Word in our hearts as a lover would hide and cherish the letters of his beloved. What is the meaning of the word, “ heart” –it is comprised of hear + t . We need to hear God’s Word and apply it to our thoughts, our temperament, our tongues, our talents, our time and our targets. The end result would be the heart or core or “couer”, the essence of our being out of which we live. It will affect our inward parts and keep us in intimacy with God.
When God’s law is written on our hearts, it is being transferred nine inches – from our heads to our hearts. When we apply it to all areas of our lives-thoughts, emotions, speech, abilities, schedule and our goals- the transference has happened. The Word is fulfilled: “ I … will be their God and they shall be my people.” The Wipro tagline, “ Applying thought” is replaced by “ Applying God’s thought” in our lives. For when we think on the lines of the Word, we are thinking the thoughts of God. When we emote on the lines of the Word, we are feeling the emotions of God. When we speak on the lines of the Word, we are speaking the words of God. When we use our talents or abilities on the lines of the Word- we are multiplying them. When we take time to learn, understand and apply God’s Word, all our times will be in His hands. We are blessed and gain power, wisdom, grace, joy, security, peace and blessedness. We are also giving ourselves a Master check up every day.
When we apply God’s Word to our targets or life goals( yearly, monthly, weekly or daily) that we set for ourselves in different areas of our life, profession and ministry, He becomes our silent but active partner in realizing these targets and bringing it to fruition for His greater glory and in His time. No target becomes unattainable, no goal impossible for nothing is too difficult for Him. A life that is circumscribed by the Word of God is a heart that is circumcised unto God.
Prateep V Philip
UV 213/10,000 God's Maths
Uni-verse 213/10,000 For better through verse Hebrews 6 v 14
Heb 6:14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee
The blessing of the Lord is sure and certain. God's maths is multiplication and addition. The Devil's maths is division and substraction. The Lord wants to add unto His Kingdom of light. He delights in blessing us. He multiplies us in number and prospers us in what we do. Prosperity for the Lord is not merely financial- it is holistic, affecting our health, our family, our children, our past, present and future, our ministry, our legacy and contribution.
Satan also by demonic gifting can make a person prosperous in financial terms. But, he will extract a huge price for it by adding many sorrows. It was sad to read how Steve Jobs who did a good job building the Apple brand with many innovative products, earned billions died of pancreatic cancer in the middle of his days. Another doctor who has won the Nobel Prize for medicine for discovering treatment for pancreatic cancer died of the same disease three days before he was awarded the prize. I was interviewing a well known English writer some time back. By writing crime fiction, he had amassed a sizeable fortune but he had many sorrows in his life. When God makes a person prosperous, He adds no sorrows to it. The plagues that God sent upon Egypt could be numbered and counted but His blessings, known and unknown, visible and invisible are not numbered or counted for these come as a flood. The Blood of Jesus releases a flood of blessings in our lives.
Though He prospers us, our mind, our focus or our priority should not be not on what is given to us but on the Giver of life, eternal life, peace and abundant joy. We must not be number-driven but Word-driven. Instead of locking up all the blessings for ourselves, we must allow it to flow into the lives of others. He wants us to be a river and not a reservoir. As Nehemiah said, " The hand of the Lord is upon me for good." It is upon us for good( to do good to us) for good( for ever). Recently, in a time of prayer, the Lord said, " I have blessed you in large measure and small measure." As the Psalmist says, " the lines of our inheritance have fallen in pleasant places." So praise and exalt the Lord in our lives.
Prateep V Philip
Heb 6:14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee
The blessing of the Lord is sure and certain. God's maths is multiplication and addition. The Devil's maths is division and substraction. The Lord wants to add unto His Kingdom of light. He delights in blessing us. He multiplies us in number and prospers us in what we do. Prosperity for the Lord is not merely financial- it is holistic, affecting our health, our family, our children, our past, present and future, our ministry, our legacy and contribution.
Satan also by demonic gifting can make a person prosperous in financial terms. But, he will extract a huge price for it by adding many sorrows. It was sad to read how Steve Jobs who did a good job building the Apple brand with many innovative products, earned billions died of pancreatic cancer in the middle of his days. Another doctor who has won the Nobel Prize for medicine for discovering treatment for pancreatic cancer died of the same disease three days before he was awarded the prize. I was interviewing a well known English writer some time back. By writing crime fiction, he had amassed a sizeable fortune but he had many sorrows in his life. When God makes a person prosperous, He adds no sorrows to it. The plagues that God sent upon Egypt could be numbered and counted but His blessings, known and unknown, visible and invisible are not numbered or counted for these come as a flood. The Blood of Jesus releases a flood of blessings in our lives.
Though He prospers us, our mind, our focus or our priority should not be not on what is given to us but on the Giver of life, eternal life, peace and abundant joy. We must not be number-driven but Word-driven. Instead of locking up all the blessings for ourselves, we must allow it to flow into the lives of others. He wants us to be a river and not a reservoir. As Nehemiah said, " The hand of the Lord is upon me for good." It is upon us for good( to do good to us) for good( for ever). Recently, in a time of prayer, the Lord said, " I have blessed you in large measure and small measure." As the Psalmist says, " the lines of our inheritance have fallen in pleasant places." So praise and exalt the Lord in our lives.
Prateep V Philip
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Feedback on UV
Just a small note to thank you for all your articles that are really encouraging and triggering our thought process especially when we are travelling in places like China and South Asia . May God bless you with more insight to impart in the university of deserts..
Prince and Vineetha
Prince and Vineetha
feedback recd on UV- 213/10,000
Dear Bro Prateep,
Thank you for being a blessing to so many through your consistent efforts, I personally admire your diligence in putting these devotionals together.
This particular thought touched me today . ' God's maths is multiplication and addition. The Devil's maths is division and subtraction.'
May our dear Lord richly bless you and your loved ones.
Shekhar Shukla
Kolkata
Thank you for being a blessing to so many through your consistent efforts, I personally admire your diligence in putting these devotionals together.
This particular thought touched me today . ' God's maths is multiplication and addition. The Devil's maths is division and subtraction.'
May our dear Lord richly bless you and your loved ones.
Shekhar Shukla
Kolkata
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
comments on ydays uni-verse
Thank you for sharing this incident Prateep that had the signs of a tragedy but praise and thanks be to the Lord who turned it around for His glory and is using it and your words to encourage each of us to become essentially the ladder in Jacob's dream that connects heaven and earth! May the Lord continue to download His inconceivable depth of wisdom and knowledge to you.... Blessings,
Nalla.
Hi Prateep
PTL
This is so like our Abba
I have also experienced this so many times
Shanthini kapoor
GOD is Great . I had an accident recently wherein a heavy pipe with a pointed edge,
fell straight on my toe from a height, it was very painful, had to go to the doctor, took
treatment, the bleeding didn't subside for more than a week, but Praise the LORD,
though my nail cracked, there was no fracture which was seriously a miracle. It was
such a relief as I drop and pick my children, and Praise the LORD, though difficult
I could still be there for my kids.
Justin
amazing testimony- Pratap
Nalla.
Hi Prateep
PTL
This is so like our Abba
I have also experienced this so many times
Shanthini kapoor
GOD is Great . I had an accident recently wherein a heavy pipe with a pointed edge,
fell straight on my toe from a height, it was very painful, had to go to the doctor, took
treatment, the bleeding didn't subside for more than a week, but Praise the LORD,
though my nail cracked, there was no fracture which was seriously a miracle. It was
such a relief as I drop and pick my children, and Praise the LORD, though difficult
I could still be there for my kids.
Justin
amazing testimony- Pratap
Times of waiting
Uni-verse 212/10,000 For better through verse Hebrews 6 v 15
Heb 6:15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise
God has a vision for every one of His children. He has a vision for the whole Church, the body of all believers. God's vision is embodied in His promises to us. The promises are not fulfilled overnight. But, we need to go through a process of patient endurance before we obtain the promise. Abraham was fully persuaded that God was able to fulfill His promise to him that he would have a son and through him he would be the father of many descendants and many nations. But he had to patiently endure the assault of internal doubt and anxiety and external insult and injury that he had no offspring. The rest is history.
Every one of God's promises is fulfilled but we need to hold it in our hearts, minds and spirits for a long time. It is a test of our faith and our character. It is a test of our personal knowledge of God. We need to have the assurance that He will answer our prayers based on His promises. He has set times for the fulfillment of His Word. God does not work to a human clock or calendar.
While we wait on God, we must not say, " there is nothing more we can do. Now it is upto God to act." While we wait for the fulfilment of God's promises, we must act with a sense of endurance, discipline and diligence. Waiting is a painful process for human beings for whom time is a rationed resource and whose natural expectation and conditioning is to expect immediate gratification of desires. We can endure the pain if we thank God joyfully and gratefully for the amazing ways in which He has fulfilled His promises to our spiritual forefathers, our familial forefathers and to ourselves in the past. We can draw on their examples to discipline ourselves to do all that lies on our part to fulfill the vision. It is during the periods of waiting that God shapes us, grooms and trains us for righteousness. Praise God for times of waiting.
Prateep V Philip
Heb 6:15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise
God has a vision for every one of His children. He has a vision for the whole Church, the body of all believers. God's vision is embodied in His promises to us. The promises are not fulfilled overnight. But, we need to go through a process of patient endurance before we obtain the promise. Abraham was fully persuaded that God was able to fulfill His promise to him that he would have a son and through him he would be the father of many descendants and many nations. But he had to patiently endure the assault of internal doubt and anxiety and external insult and injury that he had no offspring. The rest is history.
Every one of God's promises is fulfilled but we need to hold it in our hearts, minds and spirits for a long time. It is a test of our faith and our character. It is a test of our personal knowledge of God. We need to have the assurance that He will answer our prayers based on His promises. He has set times for the fulfillment of His Word. God does not work to a human clock or calendar.
While we wait on God, we must not say, " there is nothing more we can do. Now it is upto God to act." While we wait for the fulfilment of God's promises, we must act with a sense of endurance, discipline and diligence. Waiting is a painful process for human beings for whom time is a rationed resource and whose natural expectation and conditioning is to expect immediate gratification of desires. We can endure the pain if we thank God joyfully and gratefully for the amazing ways in which He has fulfilled His promises to our spiritual forefathers, our familial forefathers and to ourselves in the past. We can draw on their examples to discipline ourselves to do all that lies on our part to fulfill the vision. It is during the periods of waiting that God shapes us, grooms and trains us for righteousness. Praise God for times of waiting.
Prateep V Philip
Getting out of the cistern of life
Uni-verse 212/10,000 For better through verse Romans 3 v 23
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;
God has created man to share His glory or His greatness. But, sin or man's desire to break free from God or remain away or separate from God has caused all mankind to fall short of this mark or this goal of our creation. On the earth, we occupy a position just below the angels but when we are redeemed in Christ by the blood of atonement, we are elevated to a position above the angels. God sends His angels and other people to minister to us. Sin is man's number one enemy. In order to overcome the number two enemy, death, disease, failure and so on- the number one enemy -sin- must first be overcome.
Yesterday, one of my aunties fell by accident into a 8 foot deep cistern when the lid cracked as she stepped into it. If she had continued to walk in sin as in the past, she could have either been injured or killed in the fall. But, by God's grace, the water had been pumped out the previous evening leaving only six inches in it that cushioned her fall. But there was no way she could have climbed out of the cistern on her own. When she called out for help there was no one to come to her assistance and pull her out. But, she cried out to God, " Lord, there is nothing you cannot do. Please send someone my way to pull me out." Just then her son-in-law and daughter who were on their morning jog decided to step in and say ' hello' to her. As they came near the front door of the house, they heard her cry of distress, got a ladder and helped her out. This is what is meant by the glory of God. The grace of God operates in our lives for the glory of God. God had turned the childrens' mind towards the parent.
Much of mankind have fallen into a cistern of darkness. There is no way they can climb out of their cisterns on their own. Their fall might have been cushioned but they need a ladder to climb out. That ladder which rests on the right wall is Jesus. The childrens' hearts should turn towards the parents and the parents' hearts should turn towards the children that many more will be declared " chosen" and redeemed by the grace of God. Recently, in a time of prayer, the Lord encouraged me by saying, " You are a ladder for me." People want to be leaders but all God is looking for is a ladder to help people out of the cistern they have fallen into. What is the point in climbing the ladder of success inside a dark and suffocating cistern? People need to climb out and experience the light, the freedom, the hope, righteousness, the security and the glory of God.
Prateep V Philip
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;
God has created man to share His glory or His greatness. But, sin or man's desire to break free from God or remain away or separate from God has caused all mankind to fall short of this mark or this goal of our creation. On the earth, we occupy a position just below the angels but when we are redeemed in Christ by the blood of atonement, we are elevated to a position above the angels. God sends His angels and other people to minister to us. Sin is man's number one enemy. In order to overcome the number two enemy, death, disease, failure and so on- the number one enemy -sin- must first be overcome.
Yesterday, one of my aunties fell by accident into a 8 foot deep cistern when the lid cracked as she stepped into it. If she had continued to walk in sin as in the past, she could have either been injured or killed in the fall. But, by God's grace, the water had been pumped out the previous evening leaving only six inches in it that cushioned her fall. But there was no way she could have climbed out of the cistern on her own. When she called out for help there was no one to come to her assistance and pull her out. But, she cried out to God, " Lord, there is nothing you cannot do. Please send someone my way to pull me out." Just then her son-in-law and daughter who were on their morning jog decided to step in and say ' hello' to her. As they came near the front door of the house, they heard her cry of distress, got a ladder and helped her out. This is what is meant by the glory of God. The grace of God operates in our lives for the glory of God. God had turned the childrens' mind towards the parent.
Much of mankind have fallen into a cistern of darkness. There is no way they can climb out of their cisterns on their own. Their fall might have been cushioned but they need a ladder to climb out. That ladder which rests on the right wall is Jesus. The childrens' hearts should turn towards the parents and the parents' hearts should turn towards the children that many more will be declared " chosen" and redeemed by the grace of God. Recently, in a time of prayer, the Lord encouraged me by saying, " You are a ladder for me." People want to be leaders but all God is looking for is a ladder to help people out of the cistern they have fallen into. What is the point in climbing the ladder of success inside a dark and suffocating cistern? People need to climb out and experience the light, the freedom, the hope, righteousness, the security and the glory of God.
Prateep V Philip
Saturday, October 1, 2011
The source of greatness
Uni-verse 206/10,000 For Better through verse 2 Chronicles 1 v 1
2Ch 1:1 And Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and the LORD his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly.
The Lord desires to strengthen us in our area of influence, our domain of experience and expertise. His Presence is with us and that alone is sufficient to magnify or enhance our vision, efforts and impact.
God’s Presence in us, with us and for us is sufficient to make us exceedingly great for He is the Great I Am. Our greatness in Him will exceed all expectations, our own and that of others. We need to expect great things from God, attempt great things for Him and accept greatness as a gift from Him. A life of faith is a call to greatness.
Greatness is an attitude and ability to overcome the limitations of one’s being, the constraints imposed by the totality of our circumstances. An athlete who leverages on his natural physical strength to accomplish what is ordinarily considered difficult is a competent athlete but not a great one. But, the one who exerts himself to overcome a setback, a challenge in order to accomplish what was deemed to be beyond his reach is a great athlete. Greatness is a grace gifted to us by our great God for He knows our human frailties and constraints but desires us to be like Him.
Prateep V Philip
2Ch 1:1 And Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and the LORD his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly.
The Lord desires to strengthen us in our area of influence, our domain of experience and expertise. His Presence is with us and that alone is sufficient to magnify or enhance our vision, efforts and impact.
God’s Presence in us, with us and for us is sufficient to make us exceedingly great for He is the Great I Am. Our greatness in Him will exceed all expectations, our own and that of others. We need to expect great things from God, attempt great things for Him and accept greatness as a gift from Him. A life of faith is a call to greatness.
Greatness is an attitude and ability to overcome the limitations of one’s being, the constraints imposed by the totality of our circumstances. An athlete who leverages on his natural physical strength to accomplish what is ordinarily considered difficult is a competent athlete but not a great one. But, the one who exerts himself to overcome a setback, a challenge in order to accomplish what was deemed to be beyond his reach is a great athlete. Greatness is a grace gifted to us by our great God for He knows our human frailties and constraints but desires us to be like Him.
Prateep V Philip
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
UV 200 /10,000 Acknowledging God on the edge
Uni-verse 200/10,000 For better through verse
Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
The Lord is the Executive Director of our lives, the CEO of the Universe. He does not control our feet in the sense He gives us freedom to go where we choose. But, when we acknowledge Him as Lord and Master in ALL and not just in so-called spiritual matters or matters of the after-life, He shows us in different ways the path we should take with regard to our physical lives, our health, our financials, our social life, our intellect, our contribution and our professions.
Despite our individual and collective abilities, God in His great wisdom has placed certain things beyond our reach, beyond our cognitive abilities or ability to perceive, know and understand. In these unknown and unknowable areas of human existence, we have no choice but to trust in His love, His protection and His grace. He watches over our coming and going, our sitting, sleeping and rising. He knows the pitfalls we will face. He sends His angels to uphold us and keep our feet from dashing against a stone.
A policeman or a soldier acknowledges his seniors by saluting them at every time of being seen. The salute is a symbol that the senior is the acknowledged leader who can guide and direct him in professional matters and that the former is deserving of his honour, respect and loyalty. But, we need to acknowledge God at all times of night and day, in good times and bad times and in all aspects of our lives. He promises to lead us in paths of righteousness, joy and salvation. It is not a smooth path but it is often living life on the edge and quite exciting. While living on the edge, when we acknowledge Him, He gets us to where He wants us to be.
Prateep V Philip
Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
The Lord is the Executive Director of our lives, the CEO of the Universe. He does not control our feet in the sense He gives us freedom to go where we choose. But, when we acknowledge Him as Lord and Master in ALL and not just in so-called spiritual matters or matters of the after-life, He shows us in different ways the path we should take with regard to our physical lives, our health, our financials, our social life, our intellect, our contribution and our professions.
Despite our individual and collective abilities, God in His great wisdom has placed certain things beyond our reach, beyond our cognitive abilities or ability to perceive, know and understand. In these unknown and unknowable areas of human existence, we have no choice but to trust in His love, His protection and His grace. He watches over our coming and going, our sitting, sleeping and rising. He knows the pitfalls we will face. He sends His angels to uphold us and keep our feet from dashing against a stone.
A policeman or a soldier acknowledges his seniors by saluting them at every time of being seen. The salute is a symbol that the senior is the acknowledged leader who can guide and direct him in professional matters and that the former is deserving of his honour, respect and loyalty. But, we need to acknowledge God at all times of night and day, in good times and bad times and in all aspects of our lives. He promises to lead us in paths of righteousness, joy and salvation. It is not a smooth path but it is often living life on the edge and quite exciting. While living on the edge, when we acknowledge Him, He gets us to where He wants us to be.
Prateep V Philip
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Do not glory in riches, wisdom or power
Uni-verse 199/10,000 For better through verse
Jer 9:23 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
Though a person becomes wise or powerful or rich, he must not set much store by these things for they cannot redeem his soul. If a person increases in any of these aspects, he should not set his heart upon it. Our soul is much more precious than all these things. These are also very uncertain. But, we can find our source of strength in the Lord and place our complete trust in Him and His power of salvation from all that threatens us, be it death, disease, our earthly foes and persecutors or the enemy of our souls. The word " glory" means to rejoice with a sense of jubilation and self-affirmation. Man is created for the glory of God but instead we glory in the things created instead of the Creator.
Man through the ages is in quest of conquest for the sake of glory. But our glory lies in knowing and understanding God on a personal basis, in knowing that He exercises lovingkindness, judgment and righteousness in the earth. In knowing this, our lives get shifted from the plane of "Hamartia" or sin and its shortcoming to " hyperbole"- an abundance of peace, joy and righteousness. We must set our heart on the increase of these very real but intangible aspects of our life.
For the faithful, the increase of wisdom, power and wealth is in itself not considered wrong and is in fact a blessing from the Lord. But, such increase is incidental and secondary. Our eyes or our focus must be set on the face of God not on His hands. Is He smiling when He regards us or is He unhappy with our heart-attitudes? Does He delight in us and do we delight in Him? Our focus is not on what we can obtain from His hands. He will send these things our way in due course as we stay faithful to the course, in due time and according to our need for He denies no good thing to them that love Him.
Prateep V Philip
Jer 9:23 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
Though a person becomes wise or powerful or rich, he must not set much store by these things for they cannot redeem his soul. If a person increases in any of these aspects, he should not set his heart upon it. Our soul is much more precious than all these things. These are also very uncertain. But, we can find our source of strength in the Lord and place our complete trust in Him and His power of salvation from all that threatens us, be it death, disease, our earthly foes and persecutors or the enemy of our souls. The word " glory" means to rejoice with a sense of jubilation and self-affirmation. Man is created for the glory of God but instead we glory in the things created instead of the Creator.
Man through the ages is in quest of conquest for the sake of glory. But our glory lies in knowing and understanding God on a personal basis, in knowing that He exercises lovingkindness, judgment and righteousness in the earth. In knowing this, our lives get shifted from the plane of "Hamartia" or sin and its shortcoming to " hyperbole"- an abundance of peace, joy and righteousness. We must set our heart on the increase of these very real but intangible aspects of our life.
For the faithful, the increase of wisdom, power and wealth is in itself not considered wrong and is in fact a blessing from the Lord. But, such increase is incidental and secondary. Our eyes or our focus must be set on the face of God not on His hands. Is He smiling when He regards us or is He unhappy with our heart-attitudes? Does He delight in us and do we delight in Him? Our focus is not on what we can obtain from His hands. He will send these things our way in due course as we stay faithful to the course, in due time and according to our need for He denies no good thing to them that love Him.
Prateep V Philip
U-198/10,000
Isa 54:16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
We need to recognize. We need to believe. We need to trust. We need to understand and acknowledge. We need to perceive that the Sovereign Lord is in control of every situation. He sees both the visible and invisible weapons that have been forged - both the man-made ones like knives, spears, swords, axes, guns and bombs, missiles, chemical, biological or nuclear weapons. He also sees the natural disasters and biological agents of disease and destruction that He has caused into being for a purpose. He knows the cause, the diagnosis and the remedy.
In our covenant relationship with God as Father and husband,believers as children, the church as Bride, the Lord knows how vulnerable we are without His protective Hand of covering. He preserves us from both man-made as well as natural disasters and diseases. Often, He may allow us to be afflicted for a while but His deliverance is sure and timely. Out of the killer, He brings forth sweetness- we become more patient, more enduring,more hopeful, more mature in our faith and character, more God-assured and confident.
When a man-made plot of destruction is under way or when a plague or natural disaster is about to unfold, the Lord knows it and sometimes sends forewarning in different signs and intimations to people. A few months before the Mumbai Terrorist attack of 26/7, in a time of prayer the Lord revealed the verse that said, " There will be a cry at the city gate, destruction in the New Quarter. Merchants of gold and silver will be eliminated." Such an accurate description written hundreds of years before but we could not piece together it would happen the way it did in Mumbai. Last week in Delhi, near the office where I was attendling a meeting, there was a blast in front of the High Court gate killing more than 10 people. The same night, I was shaken out of my sleep by an earth tremor that shook the building and lasted several seconds. I was reminded that God preserves us from both man-made and natural calamities as we pin our faith on Him and His Word. Of late, the Lord has been urging people to pray for the city of Chennai for a great disaster is waiting to happen. The frequency and vehemence of both man-made and natural disasters is increasing but the Lord will preserve His people as He preserved Noah and his family. Noah's Ark helped to preserve only his family and a pair from every species but the Ark of Jesus will preserve the faithful in every land.
Prateep V Philip
We need to recognize. We need to believe. We need to trust. We need to understand and acknowledge. We need to perceive that the Sovereign Lord is in control of every situation. He sees both the visible and invisible weapons that have been forged - both the man-made ones like knives, spears, swords, axes, guns and bombs, missiles, chemical, biological or nuclear weapons. He also sees the natural disasters and biological agents of disease and destruction that He has caused into being for a purpose. He knows the cause, the diagnosis and the remedy.
In our covenant relationship with God as Father and husband,believers as children, the church as Bride, the Lord knows how vulnerable we are without His protective Hand of covering. He preserves us from both man-made as well as natural disasters and diseases. Often, He may allow us to be afflicted for a while but His deliverance is sure and timely. Out of the killer, He brings forth sweetness- we become more patient, more enduring,more hopeful, more mature in our faith and character, more God-assured and confident.
When a man-made plot of destruction is under way or when a plague or natural disaster is about to unfold, the Lord knows it and sometimes sends forewarning in different signs and intimations to people. A few months before the Mumbai Terrorist attack of 26/7, in a time of prayer the Lord revealed the verse that said, " There will be a cry at the city gate, destruction in the New Quarter. Merchants of gold and silver will be eliminated." Such an accurate description written hundreds of years before but we could not piece together it would happen the way it did in Mumbai. Last week in Delhi, near the office where I was attendling a meeting, there was a blast in front of the High Court gate killing more than 10 people. The same night, I was shaken out of my sleep by an earth tremor that shook the building and lasted several seconds. I was reminded that God preserves us from both man-made and natural calamities as we pin our faith on Him and His Word. Of late, the Lord has been urging people to pray for the city of Chennai for a great disaster is waiting to happen. The frequency and vehemence of both man-made and natural disasters is increasing but the Lord will preserve His people as He preserved Noah and his family. Noah's Ark helped to preserve only his family and a pair from every species but the Ark of Jesus will preserve the faithful in every land.
Prateep V Philip
Saturday, September 17, 2011
UV 196-10,000 Jeremiah 17 v 13
Uni-verse 196/10,000 For better through verse Jeremiah 17 v 13
Jer 17:13 O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.
This scripture calls the Lord the hope of Israel and the fountain of living waters. If we trust in Him and stick to Him like glue we will be blessed, our hopes will be fulfilled in Him, we will not have cause to be ashamed at the end. If we give up our hope in Him, If we move away from our faith, we will be forsaken, confused and ashamed. The Lord has moved in seen and unseen ways, known and unknown ways in the course of history to bless Israel but the Jewish people moved away from God and found themselves confused and ashamed time and again. Last year in a prophetic vision, the Lord asked believers to pray for Israel, that she returns to her early hope and discover the fountain of living waters or salvation in Jesus.
Living waters is a metaphor for blood, the blood of the sinless Lamb of God. Recently, the Holy Spirit said that we need to pray every day sanctifying ourselves with these living waters from head to toe. Jesus had seven wounds while hanging on the cross from which the blood gushed forth like a fountain leaving only water in His body that came forth when the soldier pierced his side. We will be greatly blessed when we sanctify ourselves with these living waters.
We must visualise the blood from the head of Jesus, the face of Jesus, the chest,the shoulders, the hands, the knees and the feet. We take care to cleanse our bodies with water every day but equally or more significantly, we need to daily sanctify ourselves with the living waters from the seven wounds of Christ. Our earthly cisterns and vessels will one day run dry but the fountain of living waters will never run dry. It will be a source of ceaseless purification, blessing, protection,strengthening and healing for our spirits, minds and bodies.
Prateep V Philip
Jer 17:13 O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.
This scripture calls the Lord the hope of Israel and the fountain of living waters. If we trust in Him and stick to Him like glue we will be blessed, our hopes will be fulfilled in Him, we will not have cause to be ashamed at the end. If we give up our hope in Him, If we move away from our faith, we will be forsaken, confused and ashamed. The Lord has moved in seen and unseen ways, known and unknown ways in the course of history to bless Israel but the Jewish people moved away from God and found themselves confused and ashamed time and again. Last year in a prophetic vision, the Lord asked believers to pray for Israel, that she returns to her early hope and discover the fountain of living waters or salvation in Jesus.
Living waters is a metaphor for blood, the blood of the sinless Lamb of God. Recently, the Holy Spirit said that we need to pray every day sanctifying ourselves with these living waters from head to toe. Jesus had seven wounds while hanging on the cross from which the blood gushed forth like a fountain leaving only water in His body that came forth when the soldier pierced his side. We will be greatly blessed when we sanctify ourselves with these living waters.
We must visualise the blood from the head of Jesus, the face of Jesus, the chest,the shoulders, the hands, the knees and the feet. We take care to cleanse our bodies with water every day but equally or more significantly, we need to daily sanctify ourselves with the living waters from the seven wounds of Christ. Our earthly cisterns and vessels will one day run dry but the fountain of living waters will never run dry. It will be a source of ceaseless purification, blessing, protection,strengthening and healing for our spirits, minds and bodies.
Prateep V Philip
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