UV 315/10,000 Amazing principles of the Universe revealed verse by verse
Isaih 41 v 10 Fulfilment of life’s purpose our birth-right
Isa 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness
Natural life is a process that is characterized by fear before an event, weakness during it and disappointment after it happens. But, the Lord promises supernatural help in the way we process life. He will strengthen us from within. He strengthens us with the knowledge and understanding of the Word. Knowledge comes from reading, hearing and learning scripture. Wisdom and understanding comes from applying it in practical ways in our life.
The Lord will give us help from above by anointing us with the Holy Spirit. We will not fear regardless of the end result as we know that whatever happens will be for our good as we love the Lord. He also helps us by sending people and resources our way in ways that seem so natural or even accidental or coincidental but behind it all His invisible hand is moving. He opens doors and slams shut some so that we don’t take the wrong turn on an irrevocable path.
The Lord is more interested in the process than in the end result. He desires to see that through it all righteousness and integrity resembling His own character being shaped in the process of life. He is not just a spectator. He effectively participates in our life and accompanies us everywhere. He upholds or supports us when our spirits sag, when our morale falls low, when our hearts are broken, when we suffer losses and face opposition or resistance or persecution of different kinds. In so doing, He substitutes our break-downs with His breakthroughs. Success or failure is not significant for the Lord. Fulfilment of His purpose for our lives is guaranteed. In short, He deals with our fears and apprehensions before life’s happenings, weaknesses during it and disappointments and regrets afterwards. If we have the Lord for company, we should not give room to fear or failure or disappointment. Fulfilment is our born again birth-right.
Prateep V Philip
Showing posts with label success. Show all posts
Showing posts with label success. Show all posts
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
The success of succeeding generations
UV 304/10,000 For better through verse Isaiah 59 v 21
Isa 59:21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.
The Lord promises that once we prove ourselves faithful in our relationship with Him, our children and their children, too will be walking in faith. When we treasure the Word that proceeds from the mouth of God, His wisdom, knowledge and understanding will adorn and inhabit our hearts and minds. Succeeding generations will be similarly blessed. This promise will calm many people who fear for their progeny and their descendants.
In the Old Testament, the Lord’ s finger traced the Ten Commandments on stone tablets. In the New Covenant, the Spirit of God writes the Word on our hearts and minds. He brings out the appropriate portion of the Word out of our mouths at the appropriate time. God ‘s promises have no expiry date and continue forever for His mercy is from generation to generation.
The words, “ shall not depart from thy mouth” implies that our hearts and minds will be continually focused on the Word of God. Our minds, meaning our intellect, emotions and will dwell consistently on the Word. It will shape our thoughts and imagination. It will channelize our emotions. Natural emotions like hatred, pride, anger and envy will be replaced by supernatural ones of agape love, humility, contentment and calmness. It will direct our paths and influence the decisions we take. It will positively affect our relationships and our work. Our hearts, implying our core desires and priorities will be determined in accordance with the agenda and purpose of God. By these means, we will be a planting of the Lord for revealing His glory to all mankind. He will water us not just daily but will water us day and night, implying that every moment, the Spirit of God will lay upon our hearts and minds an uni-verse that will refresh, renew and strengthen us.
Prateep V Philip
Isa 59:21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.
The Lord promises that once we prove ourselves faithful in our relationship with Him, our children and their children, too will be walking in faith. When we treasure the Word that proceeds from the mouth of God, His wisdom, knowledge and understanding will adorn and inhabit our hearts and minds. Succeeding generations will be similarly blessed. This promise will calm many people who fear for their progeny and their descendants.
In the Old Testament, the Lord’ s finger traced the Ten Commandments on stone tablets. In the New Covenant, the Spirit of God writes the Word on our hearts and minds. He brings out the appropriate portion of the Word out of our mouths at the appropriate time. God ‘s promises have no expiry date and continue forever for His mercy is from generation to generation.
The words, “ shall not depart from thy mouth” implies that our hearts and minds will be continually focused on the Word of God. Our minds, meaning our intellect, emotions and will dwell consistently on the Word. It will shape our thoughts and imagination. It will channelize our emotions. Natural emotions like hatred, pride, anger and envy will be replaced by supernatural ones of agape love, humility, contentment and calmness. It will direct our paths and influence the decisions we take. It will positively affect our relationships and our work. Our hearts, implying our core desires and priorities will be determined in accordance with the agenda and purpose of God. By these means, we will be a planting of the Lord for revealing His glory to all mankind. He will water us not just daily but will water us day and night, implying that every moment, the Spirit of God will lay upon our hearts and minds an uni-verse that will refresh, renew and strengthen us.
Prateep V Philip
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Obtaining the King's favour
Uni-verse 301/10,000 For better through verse Nehemiah 1 v 11
Obtaining the king’s favour
Neh 1:11 O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer
We are all called to be servant leaders. As servant leaders, we often need the “ king’s favour”, implying the favour of persons in higher positions of influence or authority who can grant or facilitate what we desire for the Kingdom of God, for ourselves and for the people of God. In the corporate context, it could mean the boss’s favour. When we beseech the Lord to grant us grace to find such favour in the “king’s eyes”, He will cause it to happen even as Nehemiah found favour with King Xerxes in the Persian empire. He will prosper us in our way as He is Jehovah Shalom.
When we come to think of it, we are each a cupbearer to the king, in the sense that on account of our intimacy with God, we are in a position to influence the life, career and decisions of the king through our prayers. We can influence the policies of governments towards the poor, towards the children of God and such other matters through focused prayer. We can influence world and national events. We can influence Obama in White House through the combined effect of our prayers.
Nehemiah was not alone in praying. He had a back up of prayer warriors praying on the same lines. Their common quality was that they desired to fear the Lord. They were not motivated by selfish ambition but desired to be used of God, by God and for God. It is interesting that a good number of readers of the Uni-verse have formed a prayer group called Hedge to pray for each other’s needs and for others. In my personal walk, I have found amazing answers to prayers over the past twenty or more years in which the Lord turned the “king’s eyes” to look with favour upon my requests. Once in the middle of a conference, when some adversaries were conspiring to destroy a movement that I had started, I cried out in my heart to the Lord, “ You who can change a river’s course, who can easily change a ruler’s heart and mind, please let my plea find favour..” The one who is called Lord Amen caused it to so happen. After all, He is the Eternal King all mortal kings look to even as a cupbearer looks to the king.
Prateep V Philip
Obtaining the king’s favour
Neh 1:11 O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer
We are all called to be servant leaders. As servant leaders, we often need the “ king’s favour”, implying the favour of persons in higher positions of influence or authority who can grant or facilitate what we desire for the Kingdom of God, for ourselves and for the people of God. In the corporate context, it could mean the boss’s favour. When we beseech the Lord to grant us grace to find such favour in the “king’s eyes”, He will cause it to happen even as Nehemiah found favour with King Xerxes in the Persian empire. He will prosper us in our way as He is Jehovah Shalom.
When we come to think of it, we are each a cupbearer to the king, in the sense that on account of our intimacy with God, we are in a position to influence the life, career and decisions of the king through our prayers. We can influence the policies of governments towards the poor, towards the children of God and such other matters through focused prayer. We can influence world and national events. We can influence Obama in White House through the combined effect of our prayers.
Nehemiah was not alone in praying. He had a back up of prayer warriors praying on the same lines. Their common quality was that they desired to fear the Lord. They were not motivated by selfish ambition but desired to be used of God, by God and for God. It is interesting that a good number of readers of the Uni-verse have formed a prayer group called Hedge to pray for each other’s needs and for others. In my personal walk, I have found amazing answers to prayers over the past twenty or more years in which the Lord turned the “king’s eyes” to look with favour upon my requests. Once in the middle of a conference, when some adversaries were conspiring to destroy a movement that I had started, I cried out in my heart to the Lord, “ You who can change a river’s course, who can easily change a ruler’s heart and mind, please let my plea find favour..” The one who is called Lord Amen caused it to so happen. After all, He is the Eternal King all mortal kings look to even as a cupbearer looks to the king.
Prateep V Philip
Saturday, December 17, 2011
UV 274-10,000 Rootless and fruitless
Isa 11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
Jesus though He is the Lord of the entire universe chose to be born by the Father’s will as a little vulnerable baby as part of the family tree of Jesse, the father of King David. At the time, he was born circa 4 AD in that line, the family tree of Jesse had been reduced to be a mere near lifeless stump. There was no more any king in the line of descent –only Joseph, a carpenter by profession remained. But, onto this stump, Jesus was grafted in most uncongenial circumstances. But, over the next two millennia that tender twig became a tree of eternal life for all of humanity. The insignificant and the unimportant had become the source of significance and blessing for those who choose to believe.
Ironically, the Christmas tree though it is symbolic of joy and gaiety and festivities, is a rootless and hence, a fruitless tree. The implication is that if we are rooted in Christ, we become fruitful. Being rooted in Christ means that we must be rooted in the Word of God. We must also be rooted in continual prayer and worship. Then, we will bear a variety of internal fruits of character and external fruits of good deeds and accomplishments. When we are so rooted in Christ, we will experience all-round success and victory.
Jesse had bad genes lurking in his family background. His grandmother was Rahab, the prostitute. But, God turned bad genes around to make a non-Jew Rahab an ancestor of the God-child Jesus Himself. Faith in the God of the Jews enabled Rahab to prove the promise of “ rehab” or transformation by faith. The principle of fate or “ as you sow, so you reap” is transcended by faithful rooting or grafting onto God, His Word and His presence. We are empowered to bear a different kind of fruit for every month of the year and our “ leaves” or our words and thoughts will be used for the healing of nations.
Prateep V Philip
Jesus though He is the Lord of the entire universe chose to be born by the Father’s will as a little vulnerable baby as part of the family tree of Jesse, the father of King David. At the time, he was born circa 4 AD in that line, the family tree of Jesse had been reduced to be a mere near lifeless stump. There was no more any king in the line of descent –only Joseph, a carpenter by profession remained. But, onto this stump, Jesus was grafted in most uncongenial circumstances. But, over the next two millennia that tender twig became a tree of eternal life for all of humanity. The insignificant and the unimportant had become the source of significance and blessing for those who choose to believe.
Ironically, the Christmas tree though it is symbolic of joy and gaiety and festivities, is a rootless and hence, a fruitless tree. The implication is that if we are rooted in Christ, we become fruitful. Being rooted in Christ means that we must be rooted in the Word of God. We must also be rooted in continual prayer and worship. Then, we will bear a variety of internal fruits of character and external fruits of good deeds and accomplishments. When we are so rooted in Christ, we will experience all-round success and victory.
Jesse had bad genes lurking in his family background. His grandmother was Rahab, the prostitute. But, God turned bad genes around to make a non-Jew Rahab an ancestor of the God-child Jesus Himself. Faith in the God of the Jews enabled Rahab to prove the promise of “ rehab” or transformation by faith. The principle of fate or “ as you sow, so you reap” is transcended by faithful rooting or grafting onto God, His Word and His presence. We are empowered to bear a different kind of fruit for every month of the year and our “ leaves” or our words and thoughts will be used for the healing of nations.
Prateep V Philip
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