Uni-verse 185/10,000 For better through verse Job 37 v 16
Job 37:16 Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?
Yesterday, I discussed what I call " Probability Physics" with my senior who is well-versed in Physics. I asked him what would happen if the force of gravity on the earth was more than it is. He said that the water vapour would not be able to escape to form clouds that give us rain. I asked him, what would happen if the earth was tilted at its axis more than it is. He said, " If the earth's axis was tilted even 5 degrees more than it is, life on earth could not exist." I asked what would happen if the seas were full of fresh water instead of salt, he said, "Salt is needed to form carbonates in the sea and if the carbon dioxide was not absorbed, the temperature on the earth would increase so much that life would not be possible." He said that even if the carbon dioxide level in the earth's atmosphere doubles, it cannot sustain life. Indeed, all the works of God are too wonderful for us to comprehend fully and His knowledge is perfect or complete. One thing we do discern is that all of nature points to God the Father and all of human history points to Jesus.
The universe, the Earth and all species on the earth are full of fragile balances that have been carefully created. Can we afford to live carelessly or recklessly or indifferently? Should our minds not be filled with awe and wonder and our mouths full of praise for the Lord and Redeemer of the universe. When was the last or first time we remained still to know, understand and appreciate our Creator for His scientific knowledge, wisdom and expertise, for His knowledge of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Philosophy, Psychology, Economics and Management? Even the winds and the waves obey Him. All of nature the birds, the squirrels and other creatures wake up each morning making a joyful noise unto the Creator for nearly three hours before they turn silent. Most of mankind start the first three hours of the morning more or less silent and spend the rest of the day chatting, shouting, complaining or gossiping without acknowledging God in our ways. Instead, most of humanity entertain the doubt whether they live in a bastard universe that came into being on its own without purpose or legitimacy. They feel they can teach God some Maths and Science.
A child who sees her father's achievements is always awe-struck. We too, however old we get or however knowledgeable and wise, we think we become, need to be full of admiration and adoration of our Father God who lovingly and wisely put everything together. We must follow a 3 M formula and bring in alignment our minds and our mouths with our Master's knowledge, wisdom and understanding. Like water evaporates from the earth’s many water bodies, praise and wonder should emanate from our minds, hearts and mouths. Nothing we say and do should affect the fragile but wonderful balances that He has so carefully wrought.
Prateep V Philip
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
The principle of cleaving
Uni-verse 179/10,000 Deuteronomy 4 v 4 For better through verse
Deu 4:4 But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day.
In the context of marriage, a wife is instructed to leave her family and to cleave to her husband. Similarly, we must leave the world of our anxieties, fears, doubts, hopes, dreams and ambitions and cleave to the Lord. "To cleave" means to be devoted to, to cling to, to be attached to, to depend upon. The best image of cleaving perhaps is that of a baby monkey clinging to the underside of the mother. Everything in that baby's monkey is upside down but it trusts the mother enough to cling to her for dear life even as she negotiates dangerous leaps and jumps or climbs to great heights. Similarly, we must cling to the Lord even though everything today might seem upside down, not the way we would like it to be. We must be grateful that our Lord allows us to cling to Him in this manner. What if He disowned us and distanced Himself from us? Would we have the privilege to cling to Him? The baby monkey knew instinctively that its mother was competent enough and loving enough to see it safely through life. It is certain that it would land safely on the other side. We, too must believe that our God is competent enough and loving enough to see us through the ups and downs of life as we cling to Him. Those of the ancient Israelites who clung to God remained alive through the long walk in the wilderness to the Promised Land.
Cleaving to the Lord our God means that we must cleave to His Word and cleave to the Holy Spirit. We must cleave to His Name and His promises. We must cleave to a lifestyle marked by prayer, fellowship, worship and witness. Cleaving to His Word means we hold on to scripture. We must never forget what He has spoken to us in times past and what He has spoken to us now. These are the words of eternal life, a guarantee of salvation in all matters spiritual, physical, emotional, financial, relational, professional and temporal. Cleaving to the Holy Spirit means we must constantly rejoice in His presence, listen to His still voice and stirrings of our spirit. Cleaving to His Name and His promises means claiming our inheritance in Christ Jesus. Cleaving to our walk with God means enjoying our quiet times with God, setting aside regular and multiple times of meeting with God as one would seek out a lover. It means relishing times spent with other believers in fellowship and worship. It means loosing no opportunity to share the love of God with others who do not believe that they too can cleave to Him.
When we cleave to God in this manner, we will not only be alive but we will be fully alive. We will live out the God- intended full length of our days and our years. We will live life to the hilt of the Sword of God- the Word and experience of the bliss of communion with God. We will find God's purpose for our lives and receive power to fulfill that purpose. While we are cleaving to God, we will also have fun even as the baby monkey feels the thrill and excitement of the upswings and downswings of the mother's torso. Just as the baby monkey hears the heartbeat of its mother, we must cling to God so close we hear His heart beat as it were.
Prateep V Philip
Deu 4:4 But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day.
In the context of marriage, a wife is instructed to leave her family and to cleave to her husband. Similarly, we must leave the world of our anxieties, fears, doubts, hopes, dreams and ambitions and cleave to the Lord. "To cleave" means to be devoted to, to cling to, to be attached to, to depend upon. The best image of cleaving perhaps is that of a baby monkey clinging to the underside of the mother. Everything in that baby's monkey is upside down but it trusts the mother enough to cling to her for dear life even as she negotiates dangerous leaps and jumps or climbs to great heights. Similarly, we must cling to the Lord even though everything today might seem upside down, not the way we would like it to be. We must be grateful that our Lord allows us to cling to Him in this manner. What if He disowned us and distanced Himself from us? Would we have the privilege to cling to Him? The baby monkey knew instinctively that its mother was competent enough and loving enough to see it safely through life. It is certain that it would land safely on the other side. We, too must believe that our God is competent enough and loving enough to see us through the ups and downs of life as we cling to Him. Those of the ancient Israelites who clung to God remained alive through the long walk in the wilderness to the Promised Land.
Cleaving to the Lord our God means that we must cleave to His Word and cleave to the Holy Spirit. We must cleave to His Name and His promises. We must cleave to a lifestyle marked by prayer, fellowship, worship and witness. Cleaving to His Word means we hold on to scripture. We must never forget what He has spoken to us in times past and what He has spoken to us now. These are the words of eternal life, a guarantee of salvation in all matters spiritual, physical, emotional, financial, relational, professional and temporal. Cleaving to the Holy Spirit means we must constantly rejoice in His presence, listen to His still voice and stirrings of our spirit. Cleaving to His Name and His promises means claiming our inheritance in Christ Jesus. Cleaving to our walk with God means enjoying our quiet times with God, setting aside regular and multiple times of meeting with God as one would seek out a lover. It means relishing times spent with other believers in fellowship and worship. It means loosing no opportunity to share the love of God with others who do not believe that they too can cleave to Him.
When we cleave to God in this manner, we will not only be alive but we will be fully alive. We will live out the God- intended full length of our days and our years. We will live life to the hilt of the Sword of God- the Word and experience of the bliss of communion with God. We will find God's purpose for our lives and receive power to fulfill that purpose. While we are cleaving to God, we will also have fun even as the baby monkey feels the thrill and excitement of the upswings and downswings of the mother's torso. Just as the baby monkey hears the heartbeat of its mother, we must cling to God so close we hear His heart beat as it were.
Prateep V Philip
Friday, August 19, 2011
U 176-Interface between visibility and invisible forces
Uni-verse 176/10,000 For better thorugh verse Colossians 1 v 16
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Democracy is famously called, " Government of the people, by the people and for the people." It is today universally considered the best form of government but it is fraught with flaws, risks and deficiencies. It is deemed to be the best form of government evolved by man for want of any alternative. But, the Kingdom of God is government of God, by God and for God. This government knows no boundaries in time and space. All things in heaven and in earth were created by God, of God and for God. All rulers, powers and authorities were brought into existence according to the purpose and plan of God. Once, we understand the depth of this truth and submit to it, then we realize that it is not success or fulfillment of our goals that we must seek, whether in earth or in heaven, but to find and fulfill the purpose of God in and through our lives. Those who do not accept and instead fight against this truth belong to the darkness. Those who neither fight against nor accept it belong to the shadows. Those who acknowledge and relish this truth belong to the light. Self realization or self fulfillment is a vain pursuit -it is God-realization and God-fulfillment that we must seek. The Maslowian hierarchy of needs that culminates in self realization is turned on its head by this God-revealed truth. In fact, our security or physical needs, our self esteem need and our self realization is fulfilled on a higher and more enduring plane when we seek God-realization and fulfillment of God's goals for our lives. Today, there is a world-wide outcry for good governance with too little of it in evidence but we should realize that there is no substitute for God-governance.
Just as there are physical thrones, dominions, principalities and powers that are visible, there are invisible thrones, dominions, principalities and powers. Just as there are physical thrones, dominions, principalities and powers that do not acknowledge God or His eternal Kingdom on earth, there are spiritual thrones, dominions, principalities and powers that are aligned against the Kingdom of God. Our purposeful prayers, praise and worship can establish the Kingdom of God and dethrone the visible and invisible ones. This constitutes the essence of spiritual warfare that we engage in by virtue of the authority and power that we have in Christ Jesus. Man's primary mode of communication is the visible and the audible but God's primary mode of communication is the invisible and the discernable. Faith or the ability to see, hear and feel the invisible establishes a two-way communication between God and man. Faith is the ability to see that which cannot be seen with such clarity that the things that can be seen either pales into insignificance or acquires a new significance or meaning.
Even today the invisible is playing a far greater role in human life than the visible- electricity, internet, radio waves and so on. The results or effects are often physical while the process is invisible. For instance, we do not see the vapour that forms the clouds but we see the clouds. Similarly, people do not see our faith but they see the results or effects of faith in our lives. The invisibles in human nature like motivation, fear, hope, emotions play a greater role than the visible factors like height, weight, complexion, facial features. The visible universe around us declares the glory of the invisible. As children of God, we can pray for the manifestation of greater creativity in our lives, our relationships, our professions, our children and the world at large.
Prateep V Philip
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Democracy is famously called, " Government of the people, by the people and for the people." It is today universally considered the best form of government but it is fraught with flaws, risks and deficiencies. It is deemed to be the best form of government evolved by man for want of any alternative. But, the Kingdom of God is government of God, by God and for God. This government knows no boundaries in time and space. All things in heaven and in earth were created by God, of God and for God. All rulers, powers and authorities were brought into existence according to the purpose and plan of God. Once, we understand the depth of this truth and submit to it, then we realize that it is not success or fulfillment of our goals that we must seek, whether in earth or in heaven, but to find and fulfill the purpose of God in and through our lives. Those who do not accept and instead fight against this truth belong to the darkness. Those who neither fight against nor accept it belong to the shadows. Those who acknowledge and relish this truth belong to the light. Self realization or self fulfillment is a vain pursuit -it is God-realization and God-fulfillment that we must seek. The Maslowian hierarchy of needs that culminates in self realization is turned on its head by this God-revealed truth. In fact, our security or physical needs, our self esteem need and our self realization is fulfilled on a higher and more enduring plane when we seek God-realization and fulfillment of God's goals for our lives. Today, there is a world-wide outcry for good governance with too little of it in evidence but we should realize that there is no substitute for God-governance.
Just as there are physical thrones, dominions, principalities and powers that are visible, there are invisible thrones, dominions, principalities and powers. Just as there are physical thrones, dominions, principalities and powers that do not acknowledge God or His eternal Kingdom on earth, there are spiritual thrones, dominions, principalities and powers that are aligned against the Kingdom of God. Our purposeful prayers, praise and worship can establish the Kingdom of God and dethrone the visible and invisible ones. This constitutes the essence of spiritual warfare that we engage in by virtue of the authority and power that we have in Christ Jesus. Man's primary mode of communication is the visible and the audible but God's primary mode of communication is the invisible and the discernable. Faith or the ability to see, hear and feel the invisible establishes a two-way communication between God and man. Faith is the ability to see that which cannot be seen with such clarity that the things that can be seen either pales into insignificance or acquires a new significance or meaning.
Even today the invisible is playing a far greater role in human life than the visible- electricity, internet, radio waves and so on. The results or effects are often physical while the process is invisible. For instance, we do not see the vapour that forms the clouds but we see the clouds. Similarly, people do not see our faith but they see the results or effects of faith in our lives. The invisibles in human nature like motivation, fear, hope, emotions play a greater role than the visible factors like height, weight, complexion, facial features. The visible universe around us declares the glory of the invisible. As children of God, we can pray for the manifestation of greater creativity in our lives, our relationships, our professions, our children and the world at large.
Prateep V Philip
U 176-Interface between visibility and invisible forces
Uni-verse 176/10,000 For better thorugh verse Colossians 1 v 16
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Democracy is famously called, " Government of the people, by the people and for the people." It is today universally considered the best form of government but it is fraught with flaws, risks and deficiencies. It is deemed to be the best form of government evolved by man for want of any alternative. But, the Kingdom of God is government of God, by God and for God. This government knows no boundaries in time and space. All things in heaven and in earth were created by God, of God and for God. All rulers, powers and authorities were brought into existence according to the purpose and plan of God. Once, we understand the depth of this truth and submit to it, then we realize that it is not success or fulfillment of our goals that we must seek, whether in earth or in heaven, but to find and fulfill the purpose of God in and through our lives. Those who do not accept and instead fight against this truth belong to the darkness. Those who neither fight against nor accept it belong to the shadows. Those who acknowledge and relish this truth belong to the light. Self realization or self fulfillment is a vain pursuit -it is God-realization and God-fulfillment that we must seek. The Maslowian hierarchy of needs that culminates in self realization is turned on its head by this God-revealed truth. In fact, our security or physical needs, our self esteem need and our self realization is fulfilled on a higher and more enduring plane when we seek God-realization and fulfillment of God's goals for our lives. Today, there is a world-wide outcry for good governance with too little of it in evidence but we should realize that there is no substitute for God-governance.
Just as there are physical thrones, dominions, principalities and powers that are visible, there are invisible thrones, dominions, principalities and powers. Just as there are physical thrones, dominions, principalities and powers that do not acknowledge God or His eternal Kingdom on earth, there are spiritual thrones, dominions, principalities and powers that are aligned against the Kingdom of God. Our purposeful prayers, praise and worship can establish the Kingdom of God and dethrone the visible and invisible ones. This constitutes the essence of spiritual warfare that we engage in by virtue of the authority and power that we have in Christ Jesus. Man's primary mode of communication is the visible and the audible but God's primary mode of communication is the invisible and the discernable. Faith or the ability to see, hear and feel the invisible establishes a two-way communication between God and man. Faith is the ability to see that which cannot be seen with such clarity that the things that can be seen either pales into insignificance or acquires a new significance or meaning.
Even today the invisible is playing a far greater role in human life than the visible- electricity, internet, radio waves and so on. The results or effects are often physical while the process is invisible. For instance, we do not see the vapour that forms the clouds but we see the clouds. Similarly, people do not see our faith but they see the results or effects of faith in our lives. The invisibles in human nature like motivation, fear, hope, emotions play a greater role than the visible factors like height, weight, complexion, facial features. The visible universe around us declares the glory of the invisible. As children of God, we can pray for the manifestation of greater creativity in our lives, our relationships, our professions, our children and the world at large.
Prateep V Philip
Col 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Democracy is famously called, " Government of the people, by the people and for the people." It is today universally considered the best form of government but it is fraught with flaws, risks and deficiencies. It is deemed to be the best form of government evolved by man for want of any alternative. But, the Kingdom of God is government of God, by God and for God. This government knows no boundaries in time and space. All things in heaven and in earth were created by God, of God and for God. All rulers, powers and authorities were brought into existence according to the purpose and plan of God. Once, we understand the depth of this truth and submit to it, then we realize that it is not success or fulfillment of our goals that we must seek, whether in earth or in heaven, but to find and fulfill the purpose of God in and through our lives. Those who do not accept and instead fight against this truth belong to the darkness. Those who neither fight against nor accept it belong to the shadows. Those who acknowledge and relish this truth belong to the light. Self realization or self fulfillment is a vain pursuit -it is God-realization and God-fulfillment that we must seek. The Maslowian hierarchy of needs that culminates in self realization is turned on its head by this God-revealed truth. In fact, our security or physical needs, our self esteem need and our self realization is fulfilled on a higher and more enduring plane when we seek God-realization and fulfillment of God's goals for our lives. Today, there is a world-wide outcry for good governance with too little of it in evidence but we should realize that there is no substitute for God-governance.
Just as there are physical thrones, dominions, principalities and powers that are visible, there are invisible thrones, dominions, principalities and powers. Just as there are physical thrones, dominions, principalities and powers that do not acknowledge God or His eternal Kingdom on earth, there are spiritual thrones, dominions, principalities and powers that are aligned against the Kingdom of God. Our purposeful prayers, praise and worship can establish the Kingdom of God and dethrone the visible and invisible ones. This constitutes the essence of spiritual warfare that we engage in by virtue of the authority and power that we have in Christ Jesus. Man's primary mode of communication is the visible and the audible but God's primary mode of communication is the invisible and the discernable. Faith or the ability to see, hear and feel the invisible establishes a two-way communication between God and man. Faith is the ability to see that which cannot be seen with such clarity that the things that can be seen either pales into insignificance or acquires a new significance or meaning.
Even today the invisible is playing a far greater role in human life than the visible- electricity, internet, radio waves and so on. The results or effects are often physical while the process is invisible. For instance, we do not see the vapour that forms the clouds but we see the clouds. Similarly, people do not see our faith but they see the results or effects of faith in our lives. The invisibles in human nature like motivation, fear, hope, emotions play a greater role than the visible factors like height, weight, complexion, facial features. The visible universe around us declares the glory of the invisible. As children of God, we can pray for the manifestation of greater creativity in our lives, our relationships, our professions, our children and the world at large.
Prateep V Philip
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Integrity involves our whole being, honesty involves only our purse
Uni-verse 173/10,000 For better through verse Isaiah 33 v 15
Isa 33:15 He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;
The marks of a righteous person is that he or she speaks uprightly, hates extortion for gain as well as gaining wealth by stealth or bribery, shrinks from doing or even hearing of violence and does not contemplate evil. The mouth, the mind, the eyes, the ears, the limbs and the heart of the person are all involved in walking in righteousness. The blessings are that such a person will dwell in safety and the security of the Most High God for He will send His angels to encamp around his house. The needs of such a person will be met as the Lord covenants to provide for it. He will not be overtaken by bad news or misfortune.
It is the fear of God that keeps a person from thinking, speaking or doing evil. It is the love of God that urges a person to think good, speak good and do good. The love of God prompts us to give to the poor and needy, to defend the weak, the widows and orphans against injustice. The fear of God keeps us from sexual immorality. The love of God causes us to delight in His Word. The love of God keeps us from being self righteous and makes us compassionate people who do not judge others. The love of God and the fear of God need to go hand in hand as we walk on the straight and narrow path. The love of God is like the right leg of righteusness while the fear of God is the left leg. We need both legs to walk uprightly.
An undivided heart of love and loyalty to God is at the root of a life of integrity. If we harbour sin,pride, doubt, bitterness, unforgiveness and covetousness in our hearts, we forfeit the ability to live a righteous life as well as the blessings of righteousness. Our deep sense of insecurity keeps us from being contented with what God has given us. But, our faith that we are not walking alone, that He who made and owns the whole universe is with us and in us will restore us to a level of inner security that nothing can shake and nobody can take away.
Prateep V Philip
Isa 33:15 He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil;
The marks of a righteous person is that he or she speaks uprightly, hates extortion for gain as well as gaining wealth by stealth or bribery, shrinks from doing or even hearing of violence and does not contemplate evil. The mouth, the mind, the eyes, the ears, the limbs and the heart of the person are all involved in walking in righteousness. The blessings are that such a person will dwell in safety and the security of the Most High God for He will send His angels to encamp around his house. The needs of such a person will be met as the Lord covenants to provide for it. He will not be overtaken by bad news or misfortune.
It is the fear of God that keeps a person from thinking, speaking or doing evil. It is the love of God that urges a person to think good, speak good and do good. The love of God prompts us to give to the poor and needy, to defend the weak, the widows and orphans against injustice. The fear of God keeps us from sexual immorality. The love of God causes us to delight in His Word. The love of God keeps us from being self righteous and makes us compassionate people who do not judge others. The love of God and the fear of God need to go hand in hand as we walk on the straight and narrow path. The love of God is like the right leg of righteusness while the fear of God is the left leg. We need both legs to walk uprightly.
An undivided heart of love and loyalty to God is at the root of a life of integrity. If we harbour sin,pride, doubt, bitterness, unforgiveness and covetousness in our hearts, we forfeit the ability to live a righteous life as well as the blessings of righteousness. Our deep sense of insecurity keeps us from being contented with what God has given us. But, our faith that we are not walking alone, that He who made and owns the whole universe is with us and in us will restore us to a level of inner security that nothing can shake and nobody can take away.
Prateep V Philip
Monday, August 15, 2011
Set free
Uni-verse 172/10,000 For better through verse John 8 v 32
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Knowing Jesus as Lord and Saviour sets us free from the bondage of sin and the captivity of death. The saying of the French philosopher Rousseau that," Man is born free but is everywhere is in chains" is not true as everywhere and in all ages, man was not born free but in the chains of sin and death. With Jesus came grace and truth to set free all who believe that He is the way of truth and life. All the freedom fighters are the ones who are most respected in history like M.K. Gandhi or Nelson Mandela or Martin Luther King. But, Jesus was the greatest freedom fighter. He lived, died and was resurrected to set free all mankind of the yoke of sin and death.
The Word of God is the law of liberty and not a set of rules to restrict our freedom. The Word also says that where the Holy Spirit is, there is freedom. When we receive by faith the Lord Jesus into our lives, we are anointed with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit interprets the Word of God to us so that we remain free and become fruitful in our lives and our faith.
It is said, " Knowledge is power while wisdom is liberty." Knowledge makes us think about our lifetime while wisdom makes us think about eternity. Knowledge gets us earthly rewards while wisdom gets us eternal rewards. Freedom does not mean that we have the license to do whatever pleases us. With freedom comes the responsibility to grow and bear fruits of righteousness. We are servants of righteousness. But, we are servants not in the sense we have no freedom or liberty as we are Friends of God. We are set free that we become dependent on our dependable God. We are set free from the fear of death, fear of failure, fear of disapproval, fear of want, fear of curses and fear of the unknown.
Prateep V Philip
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Knowing Jesus as Lord and Saviour sets us free from the bondage of sin and the captivity of death. The saying of the French philosopher Rousseau that," Man is born free but is everywhere is in chains" is not true as everywhere and in all ages, man was not born free but in the chains of sin and death. With Jesus came grace and truth to set free all who believe that He is the way of truth and life. All the freedom fighters are the ones who are most respected in history like M.K. Gandhi or Nelson Mandela or Martin Luther King. But, Jesus was the greatest freedom fighter. He lived, died and was resurrected to set free all mankind of the yoke of sin and death.
The Word of God is the law of liberty and not a set of rules to restrict our freedom. The Word also says that where the Holy Spirit is, there is freedom. When we receive by faith the Lord Jesus into our lives, we are anointed with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit interprets the Word of God to us so that we remain free and become fruitful in our lives and our faith.
It is said, " Knowledge is power while wisdom is liberty." Knowledge makes us think about our lifetime while wisdom makes us think about eternity. Knowledge gets us earthly rewards while wisdom gets us eternal rewards. Freedom does not mean that we have the license to do whatever pleases us. With freedom comes the responsibility to grow and bear fruits of righteousness. We are servants of righteousness. But, we are servants not in the sense we have no freedom or liberty as we are Friends of God. We are set free that we become dependent on our dependable God. We are set free from the fear of death, fear of failure, fear of disapproval, fear of want, fear of curses and fear of the unknown.
Prateep V Philip
Friday, August 12, 2011
Uni-verse 171/10,000 For better through verse I Corinthians 3 v 16
1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
We are the living temple of the living God. Paul drives in this truth by asking it as a question as very often we forget who we are in Christ. We forget who we are in God as we are too aware or conscious of who we are in ourselves, our sensate life. As the temple of God, we are the Tabernacle of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit resides in us. But, we must let Him preside over our lives. Everything we say and do must be an act of worship of God. We are not just a multi-purpose building but a temple with one purpose, to know God and to worship Him.
Just as a temple has a place to wash our feet, we must always be conscious of the need to be clean and pure before God. Just as a temple has a sanctum sanctorum, the holiest place, our most sacred place is our heart or the core of our existence. Just as a temple has a gateway and approach, we too must approach the Lord with praise and thanksgiving. The walls of this temple are salvation, implying that the knowledge that we are saved is what shapes and surrounds our faith and worship. Each verse of scripture that we memorise, meditate and obey constitute the bricks or stones of this temple. Each promise we appropriate in faith is the precious stones and metals that are used to adorn the temple. The foundation and the capstone is Jesus.
The persons we interact with and share our lives with are the visitors to the living temple. Our testimony is the fragrance or aroma in the temple. The indwelling Holy Spirit is the priest who prays for us with groans that words cannot express. When we do not dwell in God, our thoughts, motives, words and actions are tainted but when the Holy Spirit dwells in us, our thougts, words and actions are divinely anointed. The angels of God guard this temple day and night.
Prateep V Philip
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Uni-verse 167/10,000 I Peter 2 v 6
Uni-verse 167/10,000 For better through verse I Peter 2 v 6
1Pe 2:6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
Jesus, the Lion of Zion is also the chief cornerstone of history. Like on his death the veil in the Temple at Jerusalem was split in two, recorded human history has been split into two- BC and AD. The prophet Micah describes Him as the tent peg and warrior's bow as He gives human history as well as our undocumented personal history ( our own lives) a sense of direction, purpose and meaning. Thanks to the “ tent peg” we will not end up as a square peg in a round hole or even a rectangular hole.
Science teaches us that evolution is the source and cause of life, that if a man keeps throwing stones backward over his head, it turns into a full-fledged castle or building. With such teaching people are confounded or confused -on what basis or premise or foundation of belief are we to build our lives? But, scripture teaches us that it is not such randomness or chance but just as a house cannot be built without a specific design, structure and building material and without a builder, architect and executor, we are lovingly and carefully designed. We are to live our lives with meaning and consciousness that the Builder- the Creator of the whole universe- has built into us. Each brick or stone in this building is unique with the rough edges smoothed out in the course of a whole lifetime. The Builder is concerned not just about our spiritual dimension but about the emotional, relational, intellectual, physical, professional, financial, familial facets of our lives. He chips away at us like a master sculptor. Each of us is custom -designed for our niche in the building. We are not just passive building blocks but each of us is a dwelling for the Builder, each of us participate in the building and each of us is connected with each other through the chief cornerstone, Jesus Christ. As living stones, we can build with what we deem to be precious in our lives. Each of us is a work of faith. We are co-builders with the Builder by faith. Our plumbline is the Word of God that we can use on ourselves as well as what we build to correct the crooked places. Other builders may reject us, the political ones, the empire builders and the freethinkers for they desire to build a work of fate that will not survive the test of time.
When we are connected with the chief cornerstone, Jesus, we are not confused by the apparent randomness, the apparent lack of direction and the apparent lack of momentum or movement towards the goal. We are blameless and pure in the sight of the Builder. We will not be put to the shame of rejection or be defeated in fulfilling the plan and design the Chief Cornerstone has in mind for us for He also doubles as the Chief Architect. The chief Executor of the building is the Holy Spirit while the angels of the Lord are the guard and sentry.
Prateep V Philip
1Pe 2:6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
Jesus, the Lion of Zion is also the chief cornerstone of history. Like on his death the veil in the Temple at Jerusalem was split in two, recorded human history has been split into two- BC and AD. The prophet Micah describes Him as the tent peg and warrior's bow as He gives human history as well as our undocumented personal history ( our own lives) a sense of direction, purpose and meaning. Thanks to the “ tent peg” we will not end up as a square peg in a round hole or even a rectangular hole.
Science teaches us that evolution is the source and cause of life, that if a man keeps throwing stones backward over his head, it turns into a full-fledged castle or building. With such teaching people are confounded or confused -on what basis or premise or foundation of belief are we to build our lives? But, scripture teaches us that it is not such randomness or chance but just as a house cannot be built without a specific design, structure and building material and without a builder, architect and executor, we are lovingly and carefully designed. We are to live our lives with meaning and consciousness that the Builder- the Creator of the whole universe- has built into us. Each brick or stone in this building is unique with the rough edges smoothed out in the course of a whole lifetime. The Builder is concerned not just about our spiritual dimension but about the emotional, relational, intellectual, physical, professional, financial, familial facets of our lives. He chips away at us like a master sculptor. Each of us is custom -designed for our niche in the building. We are not just passive building blocks but each of us is a dwelling for the Builder, each of us participate in the building and each of us is connected with each other through the chief cornerstone, Jesus Christ. As living stones, we can build with what we deem to be precious in our lives. Each of us is a work of faith. We are co-builders with the Builder by faith. Our plumbline is the Word of God that we can use on ourselves as well as what we build to correct the crooked places. Other builders may reject us, the political ones, the empire builders and the freethinkers for they desire to build a work of fate that will not survive the test of time.
When we are connected with the chief cornerstone, Jesus, we are not confused by the apparent randomness, the apparent lack of direction and the apparent lack of momentum or movement towards the goal. We are blameless and pure in the sight of the Builder. We will not be put to the shame of rejection or be defeated in fulfilling the plan and design the Chief Cornerstone has in mind for us for He also doubles as the Chief Architect. The chief Executor of the building is the Holy Spirit while the angels of the Lord are the guard and sentry.
Prateep V Philip
Saturday, August 6, 2011
The little leaven that can keep us from Heaven
Uni-verse 164/10,000 For better through verse Galatians 5 v 9
Gal 5:9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
A world of wisdom is contained in this little verse. Jesus warned the people to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod. The leaven of the Pharisees was the hypocricy that comes from following the traditions of religion, going through all the external motions but having no inner substance or sincere faith. The leaven of Herod is the deception practised by people to acquire the means of power, whether wealth, fame or position and the deception that is practised to remain in power.
As believers, we sometimes think that a little compromise here and there would not matter. But, scripture says that the first compromise is like a little breach in the wall of a dam. It will lead up to complete rupture and break-up of the dam. A little leaven can deny us Heaven. It will lead us to a tripping point where we would fall and will not be able to recover.
Yes, the righteous man falls seven times but every time he falls he gets up and walks again. We may sin wantonly or unwittingly but on being aware that we have sinned, we confess the sin and He gives us grace to walk again sinless in His sight. But, the leaven of sin is a deceptive belief or habit that we allow to grow in us to such an extent that we are not able to recognize its lethality before it is too late like a frog being heated in a saucepan of cool water. Individuals in different domains in our country and globally, organisations, governments and corporate empires not having the privilege of the "Master checkup" that the Lord gives us day after day hurt themselves as they hurtle towards the tripping point of self destruction. We need to pray to the Master, " Lord, check my thoughts, my inner thoughts or my meditations, my desires, my beliefs, my motives, my fears, my hope , my words and if you find any leaven or deception in any of my spiritual organs, please remove it before it invades my whole being like a cancer."
Prateep V Philip
Gal 5:9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
A world of wisdom is contained in this little verse. Jesus warned the people to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod. The leaven of the Pharisees was the hypocricy that comes from following the traditions of religion, going through all the external motions but having no inner substance or sincere faith. The leaven of Herod is the deception practised by people to acquire the means of power, whether wealth, fame or position and the deception that is practised to remain in power.
As believers, we sometimes think that a little compromise here and there would not matter. But, scripture says that the first compromise is like a little breach in the wall of a dam. It will lead up to complete rupture and break-up of the dam. A little leaven can deny us Heaven. It will lead us to a tripping point where we would fall and will not be able to recover.
Yes, the righteous man falls seven times but every time he falls he gets up and walks again. We may sin wantonly or unwittingly but on being aware that we have sinned, we confess the sin and He gives us grace to walk again sinless in His sight. But, the leaven of sin is a deceptive belief or habit that we allow to grow in us to such an extent that we are not able to recognize its lethality before it is too late like a frog being heated in a saucepan of cool water. Individuals in different domains in our country and globally, organisations, governments and corporate empires not having the privilege of the "Master checkup" that the Lord gives us day after day hurt themselves as they hurtle towards the tripping point of self destruction. We need to pray to the Master, " Lord, check my thoughts, my inner thoughts or my meditations, my desires, my beliefs, my motives, my fears, my hope , my words and if you find any leaven or deception in any of my spiritual organs, please remove it before it invades my whole being like a cancer."
Prateep V Philip
Monday, August 1, 2011
Uni-verse 161-10,000 ASK
Uni-verse 161/10,000 For better through verse Mathew 7 v 7
Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
The word " ask" is itself an acroustic for ask, seek and knock. It is also an acroustic for attitudes, skill and knowledge. Indeed, an admixture of attitudes, skill and knowledge is involved in asking,seeking and knocking. There are a few conditions for our " asking,seeking and knocking " to be fruitful or effective: one, we must ask in Jesus's name, two, we must ask believing that we have received or will receive it and hence, we must be thankful to the Lord and we must not entertain doubts whether God is able to answer our request. Three, we must ask according to God's pleasing will. We must express our confidence that God will answer our prayers. We must ask boldly and not diffidently or hesitantly as a child of God who has His favour. We must ask on the basis of a specific promise in the Word of God that has been spoken into our lives. God is specially pleased when we ask for increased wisdom. Recently, the Lord told me that you were not very wise or intelligent when you were young but you asked for wisdom and I sharpened your intellect. When He gives us wisdom, He also gives us as a double portion, riches and honour that we should not ask the Lord for. He knows and measures our thoughts, attitudes, desires and feelings and the extent of our needs and abilities. He fills the gap in His grace, compassion and wisdom.
Seeking is believing. We must seek diligently and never give up on our quest. We must seek with all our heart. We must seek to see His face as a lover seeks to see his beloved's face. We must seek His kingdom, His Word, His righteousness. We must seek to advance His kingdom and His righteousness in our circle of influence and our circle of control. We must have God in our thoughts by consciously and continually thinking on the lines of His Word.
Knocking is again a spiritual discipline. We must knock persistently like the person in Jesus's parable who kept knocking till the neighbour got up in the middle of the night and gave him the bowl of sugar he was asking for. We must knock on the door of Heaven for our earthly needs. We must also knock on the door of opportunity to share the gospel, to glorify the Lord and opportunities to grow. We must knock on the door of opportunity concerning our vocation or our profession and pray that the Lord will allow only the right door to open and to close the wrong doors. We are asked only to knock and not to prise open doors using our own human resourcefulness and craft. Indeed, the door that He opens no man can close and the door that He closes, no man can open. The qualities of faith, persistence, diligence, patience, love, hope, contentment, passion, humility and wisdom are involved in the discipline of asking, seeking and knocking. When over the past three decades or more, I found the Lord answering prayers in a very specific and marvellous way as He alone can, doors opening and also discovered simple answers to life's complex questions, my faith grew in leaps and bounds. ASK is the secret of a believer's success, prosperity, wisdom and favour. The focus is on the spiritual while the material blessings are only an incidental by-product.
Prateep V Philip
Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
The word " ask" is itself an acroustic for ask, seek and knock. It is also an acroustic for attitudes, skill and knowledge. Indeed, an admixture of attitudes, skill and knowledge is involved in asking,seeking and knocking. There are a few conditions for our " asking,seeking and knocking " to be fruitful or effective: one, we must ask in Jesus's name, two, we must ask believing that we have received or will receive it and hence, we must be thankful to the Lord and we must not entertain doubts whether God is able to answer our request. Three, we must ask according to God's pleasing will. We must express our confidence that God will answer our prayers. We must ask boldly and not diffidently or hesitantly as a child of God who has His favour. We must ask on the basis of a specific promise in the Word of God that has been spoken into our lives. God is specially pleased when we ask for increased wisdom. Recently, the Lord told me that you were not very wise or intelligent when you were young but you asked for wisdom and I sharpened your intellect. When He gives us wisdom, He also gives us as a double portion, riches and honour that we should not ask the Lord for. He knows and measures our thoughts, attitudes, desires and feelings and the extent of our needs and abilities. He fills the gap in His grace, compassion and wisdom.
Seeking is believing. We must seek diligently and never give up on our quest. We must seek with all our heart. We must seek to see His face as a lover seeks to see his beloved's face. We must seek His kingdom, His Word, His righteousness. We must seek to advance His kingdom and His righteousness in our circle of influence and our circle of control. We must have God in our thoughts by consciously and continually thinking on the lines of His Word.
Knocking is again a spiritual discipline. We must knock persistently like the person in Jesus's parable who kept knocking till the neighbour got up in the middle of the night and gave him the bowl of sugar he was asking for. We must knock on the door of Heaven for our earthly needs. We must also knock on the door of opportunity to share the gospel, to glorify the Lord and opportunities to grow. We must knock on the door of opportunity concerning our vocation or our profession and pray that the Lord will allow only the right door to open and to close the wrong doors. We are asked only to knock and not to prise open doors using our own human resourcefulness and craft. Indeed, the door that He opens no man can close and the door that He closes, no man can open. The qualities of faith, persistence, diligence, patience, love, hope, contentment, passion, humility and wisdom are involved in the discipline of asking, seeking and knocking. When over the past three decades or more, I found the Lord answering prayers in a very specific and marvellous way as He alone can, doors opening and also discovered simple answers to life's complex questions, my faith grew in leaps and bounds. ASK is the secret of a believer's success, prosperity, wisdom and favour. The focus is on the spiritual while the material blessings are only an incidental by-product.
Prateep V Philip
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)