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
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
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
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
U 192
Uni-verse 192/10,000 For better through verse Isaiah 27 v 6
Isa 27:6 He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.
The Lord recently encouraged me by saying, " You are a good root." Pride, reason enabled doubt and desire makes many a wild or unproductive root that grows like a weed wherever it is planted . They become briers and thorns fit for burning. But,grace enabled faith grafts us to the root of Jacob, a branch of Israel. Jacob struggled with God and was given the name, " Israel". But, we have God with us in all our struggles. He gives us triumph at the end of every struggle that we will blossom, bud and bear fruit. He treasures, cherishes and nourishes us.
We must be rooted in Christ and in the Word of God in order to bear fruit in season and out of season. To be rooted in Christ means we need to love His Name and Person, trust His promises and obey His commandments. Many of the things that God has planned and planted in us are at the seed or bud stage but He will bring it into the fullness of fruition in good time. The Holy Spirit plays the role of a diligent gardener who prunes and trims us into shape. The promptings and prodding of the Holy Spirit and the trials and troubles we face are intended to prune and keep us prim. The Word of God says that He will tend the plant day and night lest any hurt or harm it and water it EVERY MOMENT. Hence, our faith should not be momentary but growing from moment to moment.
The fruit that we bear are godly traits of character: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness,humility, self control and wisdom. We need to abound in these qualities. Fruit also refers to our good works done with a motive to please and honour God and not merely to earn a good name and reputation for ourselves. A third type of fruit are the souls that we are instrumental in bringing into the Lord's harvest. Fruitfulness also implies being ambassadors for Christ where we are planted by being effective professionals who facilitate change for the better and stand for righteousness.
Prateep V Philip
Isa 27:6 He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.
The Lord recently encouraged me by saying, " You are a good root." Pride, reason enabled doubt and desire makes many a wild or unproductive root that grows like a weed wherever it is planted . They become briers and thorns fit for burning. But,grace enabled faith grafts us to the root of Jacob, a branch of Israel. Jacob struggled with God and was given the name, " Israel". But, we have God with us in all our struggles. He gives us triumph at the end of every struggle that we will blossom, bud and bear fruit. He treasures, cherishes and nourishes us.
We must be rooted in Christ and in the Word of God in order to bear fruit in season and out of season. To be rooted in Christ means we need to love His Name and Person, trust His promises and obey His commandments. Many of the things that God has planned and planted in us are at the seed or bud stage but He will bring it into the fullness of fruition in good time. The Holy Spirit plays the role of a diligent gardener who prunes and trims us into shape. The promptings and prodding of the Holy Spirit and the trials and troubles we face are intended to prune and keep us prim. The Word of God says that He will tend the plant day and night lest any hurt or harm it and water it EVERY MOMENT. Hence, our faith should not be momentary but growing from moment to moment.
The fruit that we bear are godly traits of character: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness,humility, self control and wisdom. We need to abound in these qualities. Fruit also refers to our good works done with a motive to please and honour God and not merely to earn a good name and reputation for ourselves. A third type of fruit are the souls that we are instrumental in bringing into the Lord's harvest. Fruitfulness also implies being ambassadors for Christ where we are planted by being effective professionals who facilitate change for the better and stand for righteousness.
Prateep V Philip
Saturday, September 3, 2011
On valour
Uni-verse 189/10,000 For better through verse
Jdg 6:12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
Gideon was only a farmer when the angel of the Lord appeared before him. He considered himself the least in the tribe of Manasseh and the poor house of his father. What holds us back from our divine destiny is negative conditioning from our ancient past , inherited conditioning from the previous generation and peer pressure to conform from our current generation. As a result, Gideon trembled with fear at the mere prospect of fighting the powerful Midianites or even challenging the practices of his own people. Even extracting his own wine, he did in stealth and hiding. Yet, the angel declared him to be a mighty man of valour. God sees qualities in His chosen children that they themselves or their contemporaries cannot see and affirms these qualities. He does not look at where we came from but where we are going. It is His presence in His chosen that transforms us into mighty people of valour.
Courage is overcoming our biggest fear. The fear factor should not be denied but identified and acknowledged. The biggest fear that mankind collectively and individually face is the fear of death, a violent or untimely death. When Christ is in us and we are in Christ, we overcome this fear as Christ has overcome death. His resurrection power available to us makes us mighty people of valour. Unlike Gideon, we should not ask for signs to confirm God’s Word but instead believe God’s Word and sign, wonders and mighty acts will follow.
Gideon the farmer was transformed into Gideon, the soldier, the general, the freedom-fighter, the deliverer, the leader. Before he was transformed, he was transfixed with fear and self-doubt. He asked the angel for a sign. The angel transformed his offer of a meal of meat and bread into a “heavenly barbecue on the rock” to confirm his calling by God to be a new generation Moses, one who breaks the yoke of the oppressors. The might was not of Gideon but it was sourced from JehovahShalom as he himself soon acknowledged in an act of worship and commemoration. We are called in this generation to be a new- generation- Gideon, to reveal the might of God in and through our lives, to act with courage in overcoming the biggest fear and challenges in our current situation. For the Almighty Lord is with us, we mighty people of valour. We can reveal His might to all people in all fields.
Prateep V Philip
Jdg 6:12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
Gideon was only a farmer when the angel of the Lord appeared before him. He considered himself the least in the tribe of Manasseh and the poor house of his father. What holds us back from our divine destiny is negative conditioning from our ancient past , inherited conditioning from the previous generation and peer pressure to conform from our current generation. As a result, Gideon trembled with fear at the mere prospect of fighting the powerful Midianites or even challenging the practices of his own people. Even extracting his own wine, he did in stealth and hiding. Yet, the angel declared him to be a mighty man of valour. God sees qualities in His chosen children that they themselves or their contemporaries cannot see and affirms these qualities. He does not look at where we came from but where we are going. It is His presence in His chosen that transforms us into mighty people of valour.
Courage is overcoming our biggest fear. The fear factor should not be denied but identified and acknowledged. The biggest fear that mankind collectively and individually face is the fear of death, a violent or untimely death. When Christ is in us and we are in Christ, we overcome this fear as Christ has overcome death. His resurrection power available to us makes us mighty people of valour. Unlike Gideon, we should not ask for signs to confirm God’s Word but instead believe God’s Word and sign, wonders and mighty acts will follow.
Gideon the farmer was transformed into Gideon, the soldier, the general, the freedom-fighter, the deliverer, the leader. Before he was transformed, he was transfixed with fear and self-doubt. He asked the angel for a sign. The angel transformed his offer of a meal of meat and bread into a “heavenly barbecue on the rock” to confirm his calling by God to be a new generation Moses, one who breaks the yoke of the oppressors. The might was not of Gideon but it was sourced from JehovahShalom as he himself soon acknowledged in an act of worship and commemoration. We are called in this generation to be a new- generation- Gideon, to reveal the might of God in and through our lives, to act with courage in overcoming the biggest fear and challenges in our current situation. For the Almighty Lord is with us, we mighty people of valour. We can reveal His might to all people in all fields.
Prateep V Philip
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Good success is no secret
Uni-verse 187/10,000 For Better through verse Joshua 1 v 8
Jos 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
The laws of man impose a variety of penalties for doing certain forbidden acts ranging from theft to murder. But, the Law of God embodied in scripture is the law of liberty that prescribes the blessings and rewards of studying and obeying God's Word even as it gives adequate warning of the curses that follow from a failure to do so. Just as lawyers study the law day and night to determine the definitions, meanings, interpretations,clause and sub-clause, judgements and case laws, we must show such diligence. What we value most we store in the innermost core of our being- our hearts. When we value the Word of God,we will store it in our hearts, saturate our minds with it so that it will even seep into our subconscious and it will keep recurring in the communications and conversations of our mouths. We will teach it to our children and childrens' children that they too, be blessed. We will not take recourse to the Word of God just once a day but several times during the day and at night.
The Word of God transforms our thought process and our emotions. Our actions and efforts will be blessed with good or wholesome or holistic success. In the absence of God and His Word in our lives, people have been successful but their success is like a "Pyrhhic victory"- a victory or success that is eventually meaningless and vain achieved at great cost. But, the Word of God promises good success or comprehensive and lasting success.
The rider, however that one needs to observe to do ALL that is written therein seems to be a catch and a daunting condition. But, this condition has been fulfilled by the price paid by one sinless man, Jesus for the sin of one man, Adam that marked our life with " Hamartia"( Greek for tragic flaw or failure). The life, death and resurrection of Jesus brought fulfillment of this impossible and improbable requirement of complete obedience by faith and grace. Believers move from " Hamartia" ( shortcoming, failure, sin) to " Hyperbole" ( fulfillment, good success exceeding natural expectations) in the one simple and swift decision to trust and follow Jesus.
Prateep V Philip
Jos 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
The laws of man impose a variety of penalties for doing certain forbidden acts ranging from theft to murder. But, the Law of God embodied in scripture is the law of liberty that prescribes the blessings and rewards of studying and obeying God's Word even as it gives adequate warning of the curses that follow from a failure to do so. Just as lawyers study the law day and night to determine the definitions, meanings, interpretations,clause and sub-clause, judgements and case laws, we must show such diligence. What we value most we store in the innermost core of our being- our hearts. When we value the Word of God,we will store it in our hearts, saturate our minds with it so that it will even seep into our subconscious and it will keep recurring in the communications and conversations of our mouths. We will teach it to our children and childrens' children that they too, be blessed. We will not take recourse to the Word of God just once a day but several times during the day and at night.
The Word of God transforms our thought process and our emotions. Our actions and efforts will be blessed with good or wholesome or holistic success. In the absence of God and His Word in our lives, people have been successful but their success is like a "Pyrhhic victory"- a victory or success that is eventually meaningless and vain achieved at great cost. But, the Word of God promises good success or comprehensive and lasting success.
The rider, however that one needs to observe to do ALL that is written therein seems to be a catch and a daunting condition. But, this condition has been fulfilled by the price paid by one sinless man, Jesus for the sin of one man, Adam that marked our life with " Hamartia"( Greek for tragic flaw or failure). The life, death and resurrection of Jesus brought fulfillment of this impossible and improbable requirement of complete obedience by faith and grace. Believers move from " Hamartia" ( shortcoming, failure, sin) to " Hyperbole" ( fulfillment, good success exceeding natural expectations) in the one simple and swift decision to trust and follow Jesus.
Prateep V Philip
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