Uni-verse 268/10,000 For better through verse Revelation 5 v 13
Rev 5:13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
As I sit meditating on this uni-verse in the garden, I can hear the birds chirping with joy, the squirrels crying with excitement. I can see the trees swaying gently in the breeze.
I recalled what the Lord had revealed two days ago in a time of prayer, “ The birds and the beasts acknowledge, praise and worship Me but much of mankind even in this city does not.” Like in the time of Noah, He likened the city to Sodom and Gomorrah and regretted that He had even created them.
The Psalmist says, “ He commanded and they were created.” The sun, moon and the trillion stars praise Him by shining in the darkness. All beasts and creatures praise His Being for their being. But, Kings of the earth, princes, judges, young men and maidens, old men and children and all people are not praising Him for His excellent Name. Firstly, for causing them to be and secondly, for redeeming them. Instead of focusing on their being and rejoicing at being, they are each engaged in “ becoming”-becoming richer, more famous, more powerful, more secure, more healthy, more happy. In doing so, they are missing the mark. They are too busy seeking blessing, glory, honour and power when all this both belongs to and originates from the Source of life, the Lamb of God-Jesus. The name of our planet Earth is split into “ ear” and “th..” The hint is hear with your ear and think and thank the Lord.Take the cue from this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7VHHAl8dL4
In the name of secularizing history,recent revision of history have sought to rename B.C. and A.D. as Before Common Era or B. C. E. and Common Era. In a recent testimony that I gave before Members of Parliament and the capital’s elite, I said that “ Jesus is the X factor responsible for the rise and fall of individuals, families, organizations, societies, cultures and nations. When we acknowledge him as the beasts of the skies and the lands and the seas do, He is the X factor responsible for our Xcellence. When we do not and choose to ignore Him, He becomes the axe. Why is He above all things and persons to be worshipped in heaven and earth? He caused us into being as the First Cause of life itself. He paid the ultimate price for our shortcomings by being slain for us and thereby, placed before us the promise of eternal life. Therefore, blessing and honour and glory and power belong to Him and to Him alone in all of history and all of the universe.
Prateep V Philip
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Learn from the beasts and worship the Best
Uni-verse 268/10,000 For better through verse Revelation 5 v 13
Rev 5:13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
As I sit meditating on this uni-verse in the garden, I can hear the birds chirping with joy, the squirrels crying with excitement. I can see the trees swaying gently in the breeze.
I recalled what the Lord had revealed two days ago in a time of prayer, “ The birds and the beasts acknowledge, praise and worship Me but much of mankind even in this city does not.” Like in the time of Noah, He likened the city to Sodom and Gomorrah and regretted that He had even created them.
The Psalmist says, “ He commanded and they were created.” The sun, moon and the trillion stars praise Him by shining in the darkness. All beasts and creatures praise His Being for their being. But, Kings of the earth, princes, judges, young men and maidens, old men and children and all people are not praising Him for His excellent Name. Firstly, for causing them to be and secondly, for redeeming them. Instead of focusing on their being and rejoicing at being, they are each engaged in “ becoming”-becoming richer, more famous, more powerful, more secure, more healthy, more happy. In doing so, they are missing the mark. They are too busy seeking blessing, glory, honour and power when all this both belongs to and originates from the Source of life, the Lamb of God-Jesus. The name of our planet Earth is split into “ ear” and “th..” The hint is hear with your ear and think and thank the Lord.Take the cue from this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7VHHAl8dL4
In the name of secularizing history,recent revision of history have sought to rename B.C. and A.D. as Before Common Era or B. C. E. and Common Era. In a recent testimony that I gave before Members of Parliament and the capital’s elite, I said that “ Jesus is the X factor responsible for the rise and fall of individuals, families, organizations, societies, cultures and nations. When we acknowledge him as the beasts of the skies and the lands and the seas do, He is the X factor responsible for our Xcellence. When we do not and choose to ignore Him, He becomes the axe. Why is He above all things and persons to be worshipped in heaven and earth? He caused us into being as the First Cause of life itself. He paid the ultimate price for our shortcomings by being slain for us and thereby, placed before us the promise of eternal life. Therefore, blessing and honour and glory and power belong to Him and to Him alone in all of history and all of the universe.
Prateep V Philip
Rev 5:13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
As I sit meditating on this uni-verse in the garden, I can hear the birds chirping with joy, the squirrels crying with excitement. I can see the trees swaying gently in the breeze.
I recalled what the Lord had revealed two days ago in a time of prayer, “ The birds and the beasts acknowledge, praise and worship Me but much of mankind even in this city does not.” Like in the time of Noah, He likened the city to Sodom and Gomorrah and regretted that He had even created them.
The Psalmist says, “ He commanded and they were created.” The sun, moon and the trillion stars praise Him by shining in the darkness. All beasts and creatures praise His Being for their being. But, Kings of the earth, princes, judges, young men and maidens, old men and children and all people are not praising Him for His excellent Name. Firstly, for causing them to be and secondly, for redeeming them. Instead of focusing on their being and rejoicing at being, they are each engaged in “ becoming”-becoming richer, more famous, more powerful, more secure, more healthy, more happy. In doing so, they are missing the mark. They are too busy seeking blessing, glory, honour and power when all this both belongs to and originates from the Source of life, the Lamb of God-Jesus. The name of our planet Earth is split into “ ear” and “th..” The hint is hear with your ear and think and thank the Lord.Take the cue from this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7VHHAl8dL4
In the name of secularizing history,recent revision of history have sought to rename B.C. and A.D. as Before Common Era or B. C. E. and Common Era. In a recent testimony that I gave before Members of Parliament and the capital’s elite, I said that “ Jesus is the X factor responsible for the rise and fall of individuals, families, organizations, societies, cultures and nations. When we acknowledge him as the beasts of the skies and the lands and the seas do, He is the X factor responsible for our Xcellence. When we do not and choose to ignore Him, He becomes the axe. Why is He above all things and persons to be worshipped in heaven and earth? He caused us into being as the First Cause of life itself. He paid the ultimate price for our shortcomings by being slain for us and thereby, placed before us the promise of eternal life. Therefore, blessing and honour and glory and power belong to Him and to Him alone in all of history and all of the universe.
Prateep V Philip
Saturday, December 10, 2011
On a world that is upside down
Uni-verse 267/10,000 For better through verse I Samuel 2 v 30
1Sa 2:30 Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
When we honor God, He honors us though we are not deserving of such honor. When we serve God, He esteems us. We are precious in His eyes. To give the Lord first place in our lives is to honor Him. To bear faithful witness to what He has wrought in our lives is to serve Him.
Yesterday, I participated as a guest in an unique event- where a young pastor who is also a gospel music radio jockey was suspended upside down in the air for nearly 30 minutes even as He interviewed me on my testimony and changed music for two radio channels that are listened to globally. He accomplished an India record and a Guiness record in doing so. We all rushed to congratulate him and pose for photographs with him. Later, the Lord Jesus in a time of prayer confirmed that He honors those who honor him. He said, “ The program was excellent as many people prayed for it.”
In my interview, I said that much of the world was like the radio jockey living upside down with topsy- turvy values. When we give priority to the world, we are dishonoring God and His Word. When we give priority to the Lord and His Word in our daily schedule, we are honoring Him. To be esteemed by men is a much sought after goal of many persons. But, to be esteemed by the Lord Himself is far better. We will strive to do what is uppermost in the mind and heart of the Lord. Our house will be a “sure house”, meaning that people would live full, fruitful and purposeful lives, that the legacy of faith and the covenant of peace will pass like a baton in a relay race from generation to generation.
Prateep V Philip
1Sa 2:30 Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
When we honor God, He honors us though we are not deserving of such honor. When we serve God, He esteems us. We are precious in His eyes. To give the Lord first place in our lives is to honor Him. To bear faithful witness to what He has wrought in our lives is to serve Him.
Yesterday, I participated as a guest in an unique event- where a young pastor who is also a gospel music radio jockey was suspended upside down in the air for nearly 30 minutes even as He interviewed me on my testimony and changed music for two radio channels that are listened to globally. He accomplished an India record and a Guiness record in doing so. We all rushed to congratulate him and pose for photographs with him. Later, the Lord Jesus in a time of prayer confirmed that He honors those who honor him. He said, “ The program was excellent as many people prayed for it.”
In my interview, I said that much of the world was like the radio jockey living upside down with topsy- turvy values. When we give priority to the world, we are dishonoring God and His Word. When we give priority to the Lord and His Word in our daily schedule, we are honoring Him. To be esteemed by men is a much sought after goal of many persons. But, to be esteemed by the Lord Himself is far better. We will strive to do what is uppermost in the mind and heart of the Lord. Our house will be a “sure house”, meaning that people would live full, fruitful and purposeful lives, that the legacy of faith and the covenant of peace will pass like a baton in a relay race from generation to generation.
Prateep V Philip
Thursday, December 8, 2011
UV 265-10,000 Adversity as the best university
Uni-verse 265/10,000 For better through verse Habakuk 3 v 17
Hab 3:17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
We seek the Lord for His presence and not for His presents. Even in times of adversity, we must continue to enjoy His presence and praise His name. He will strengthen us from within to face our challenges. Strength will rise up as we wait upon the Lord as in the popular song:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhMdWjL2kiU
Times of adversity are the best university for the believer who having nothing else to depend on in such times will walk close to the Lord. As a young police officer when I was severely injured in the Human bomb assassination of the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, everything seemed so bleak before me. With such a huge failure behind me, my future seemed uncertain: the labour of the olive was in vain. All my years of labour to get into the coveted Indian Police Service seemed to be in vain. Spiritually, physically and intellectually, I was greatly weakened. The fig tree and the vine had not yielded. Some believers said that I must have sinned and therefore, the Lord had allowed it to happen. Some relatives said that I must have beaten people with my hands and that is why my hand was injured and fractured. The pain was both very deep and very intense. I was a literally broken man. Every promise to me seemed to have been broken. There seemed to be little hope. The fields had yielded no meat. The flock had been cut off and the herd was not in the stall.
Yet as I held on to my faith in Jesus, hope and joy once again appeared first as a trickle out of the rock and bramble. Then, it became a gushing stream. A river of life. A cascade of joy and laughter. At first I limped. Then, my feet were strengthened like the hind feet of the mountain stag that I can once again romp free on the mountain heights.
Prateep V Philip
Hab 3:17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
We seek the Lord for His presence and not for His presents. Even in times of adversity, we must continue to enjoy His presence and praise His name. He will strengthen us from within to face our challenges. Strength will rise up as we wait upon the Lord as in the popular song:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhMdWjL2kiU
Times of adversity are the best university for the believer who having nothing else to depend on in such times will walk close to the Lord. As a young police officer when I was severely injured in the Human bomb assassination of the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, everything seemed so bleak before me. With such a huge failure behind me, my future seemed uncertain: the labour of the olive was in vain. All my years of labour to get into the coveted Indian Police Service seemed to be in vain. Spiritually, physically and intellectually, I was greatly weakened. The fig tree and the vine had not yielded. Some believers said that I must have sinned and therefore, the Lord had allowed it to happen. Some relatives said that I must have beaten people with my hands and that is why my hand was injured and fractured. The pain was both very deep and very intense. I was a literally broken man. Every promise to me seemed to have been broken. There seemed to be little hope. The fields had yielded no meat. The flock had been cut off and the herd was not in the stall.
Yet as I held on to my faith in Jesus, hope and joy once again appeared first as a trickle out of the rock and bramble. Then, it became a gushing stream. A river of life. A cascade of joy and laughter. At first I limped. Then, my feet were strengthened like the hind feet of the mountain stag that I can once again romp free on the mountain heights.
Prateep V Philip
Monday, December 5, 2011
Forever Diamonds for free
Uni-verse 264/10,000 For better through verse Ezekiel 16 v 11
Eze 16:11 I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck.
As a groom desires to deck his bride with ornaments, the Lord desires to beautify the church and every believer with His ornaments: a crown of life implying both eternal life and an earthly life that is fulfilled and adorned with achievements for the glory of God. This is the crown that we lay before the Lord daily as an act of worship acknowledging that we value His Name and His Word above all things.
The Lord gives us a royal diadem or a diamond-studded scepter in our hands to rule and decree things that are to be. He places a golden chain around our neck as a symbol of His recognition and honor, a symbol of all-round influence for God’s kingdom in 360 degrees. He adorns our character or our inner being with grace and truth. He puts bracelets upon our hands as a symbol of blessing on the work of our hands. He places earrings in our ears as an emblem to show that we are blessed by hearing His voice and His Word.
The jewel that the Lord places on our forehead is a sign that we belong to Him forever. We are sanctified and consecrated. As the prophet Isaiah wrote, “ the Lord of hosts shall Himself be a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty unto the residue of His people.” We do not place much store by any physical or intellectual attributes or possessions or earthly positions, power or influence as these are perishable in contrast with the ineffable or unfading, everlasting and awesome but invisible ornaments that the Lord invests in and with us.
Prateep V Philip
Eze 16:11 I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck.
As a groom desires to deck his bride with ornaments, the Lord desires to beautify the church and every believer with His ornaments: a crown of life implying both eternal life and an earthly life that is fulfilled and adorned with achievements for the glory of God. This is the crown that we lay before the Lord daily as an act of worship acknowledging that we value His Name and His Word above all things.
The Lord gives us a royal diadem or a diamond-studded scepter in our hands to rule and decree things that are to be. He places a golden chain around our neck as a symbol of His recognition and honor, a symbol of all-round influence for God’s kingdom in 360 degrees. He adorns our character or our inner being with grace and truth. He puts bracelets upon our hands as a symbol of blessing on the work of our hands. He places earrings in our ears as an emblem to show that we are blessed by hearing His voice and His Word.
The jewel that the Lord places on our forehead is a sign that we belong to Him forever. We are sanctified and consecrated. As the prophet Isaiah wrote, “ the Lord of hosts shall Himself be a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty unto the residue of His people.” We do not place much store by any physical or intellectual attributes or possessions or earthly positions, power or influence as these are perishable in contrast with the ineffable or unfading, everlasting and awesome but invisible ornaments that the Lord invests in and with us.
Prateep V Philip
Sunday, December 4, 2011
UV 263 Imitate God
Uni-verse 263/10,000 for better through verse Ephesians 5 v 1
Eph 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
Imitation is said to be the greatest form of worship. Whom we admire we imitate. We begin life by imitating our parents, consciously or unconsciously. As parents,we often feel gratified in seeing our children like us in their character and conduct much more than we are gratified by their similarity in physical aspects. Likewise, since God is our eternal parent, we are to imitate Him. It pleases Him to see us being and acting like Him. We normally imitate people based on what we see in them. But, how do we imitate God when no man has seen Him?
In physical life, we see and believe, we see and imitate. In spiritual life, we hear and believe, we also hear the Word of God and imitate Him. A good guide to following God is to ask ourselves, “ What would Jesus do?” and do likewise. Jesus in His sermon on the Mount said, “ Be perfect because your Father in heaven is perfect.” Trying to be perfect in all that we think, speak, do is one of the important ways we confirm that we are indeed the children of God, that we do have His DNA and there is no need for any DNA fingerprinting to prove the point!
One of the most significant ways we can be like our Father God is to be forgiving like Him, to be merciful and gracious. We must also try to be pure and pleasant in our conversations. We need to order our conversation to be in line with God’s ways. We need to be charitable and compassionate. We need to be faithful and believe that nothing, absolutely nothing is impossible with our Father. At the same time, we should be aware that being like God is quite different from being God or playing God in different situations. We must avoid being judgmental, a common failing of believing Christians, a “holier than thou” attitude. We must take care not to lord it over others. We must always cultivate and demonstrate an attitude of humility and repentance, regardless of the calling, gifting and fruits that the Lord in His mercy and generosity has endowed us with.
Prateep V Philip
Eph 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
Imitation is said to be the greatest form of worship. Whom we admire we imitate. We begin life by imitating our parents, consciously or unconsciously. As parents,we often feel gratified in seeing our children like us in their character and conduct much more than we are gratified by their similarity in physical aspects. Likewise, since God is our eternal parent, we are to imitate Him. It pleases Him to see us being and acting like Him. We normally imitate people based on what we see in them. But, how do we imitate God when no man has seen Him?
In physical life, we see and believe, we see and imitate. In spiritual life, we hear and believe, we also hear the Word of God and imitate Him. A good guide to following God is to ask ourselves, “ What would Jesus do?” and do likewise. Jesus in His sermon on the Mount said, “ Be perfect because your Father in heaven is perfect.” Trying to be perfect in all that we think, speak, do is one of the important ways we confirm that we are indeed the children of God, that we do have His DNA and there is no need for any DNA fingerprinting to prove the point!
One of the most significant ways we can be like our Father God is to be forgiving like Him, to be merciful and gracious. We must also try to be pure and pleasant in our conversations. We need to order our conversation to be in line with God’s ways. We need to be charitable and compassionate. We need to be faithful and believe that nothing, absolutely nothing is impossible with our Father. At the same time, we should be aware that being like God is quite different from being God or playing God in different situations. We must avoid being judgmental, a common failing of believing Christians, a “holier than thou” attitude. We must take care not to lord it over others. We must always cultivate and demonstrate an attitude of humility and repentance, regardless of the calling, gifting and fruits that the Lord in His mercy and generosity has endowed us with.
Prateep V Philip
Saturday, December 3, 2011
UV 262-10,000
Uni-verse 262/10,000 For better through verse Numbers 23 v 19
Num 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
It is our nature to lie and be fallible. But God never lies and He does not need to repent. This is the God-man gap. If He has spoken something or promised healing or deliverance or blessing, He will make it come to pass. When we disbelieve or doubt God’s Word,we make Him out to be a liar. When we trust His Word, we honour Him for who He truly is: truthful and trustworthy.
There may be a vision about us that has not yet been fulfilled. We wonder why it tarries and even doubt if it is true. We must remember that God will bring it to pass in His own way at the appointed time.
Scripture reaffirms :“Faithful He is and He will do it.” There are two heart attitudes we need to show as we wait for Him to do it: We need to be patient and we need to be joyful and thankful in anticipation of what God is going to do.
Prateep V Philip
Num 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
It is our nature to lie and be fallible. But God never lies and He does not need to repent. This is the God-man gap. If He has spoken something or promised healing or deliverance or blessing, He will make it come to pass. When we disbelieve or doubt God’s Word,we make Him out to be a liar. When we trust His Word, we honour Him for who He truly is: truthful and trustworthy.
There may be a vision about us that has not yet been fulfilled. We wonder why it tarries and even doubt if it is true. We must remember that God will bring it to pass in His own way at the appointed time.
Scripture reaffirms :“Faithful He is and He will do it.” There are two heart attitudes we need to show as we wait for Him to do it: We need to be patient and we need to be joyful and thankful in anticipation of what God is going to do.
Prateep V Philip
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