He listens to our conversations

UV 457/10,000 Malachi 3 v 16 He listens to our conversations Mal 3:16 “ Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.” It is a mark of the disciples of Christ that we speak often to one another about the matters pertaining to our faith in the Lord. It is a sign and evidence that we remember the Lord in the midst of our daily activities. This uni-verse tells us that the Lord listens in on our conversations. He participates in our emotions as no one else can. He too rejoices when we speak even casually about God and what He has done in our lives. He empathises and understands what causes pain, sorrow and anxiety in our lives. The resurrected Christ decided to manifest Himself to the two disciples walking on the road to Emmaus as they were deeply involved in their conversation with each other about the events of the previous week in which Christ was crucified. He joins their conversation. He chides them for being so perturbed about His death when He had taught and forewarned them about it and when God’s Word itself foretold it. He joined them for a fellowship meal where when He blessed the bread, the eyes of the two disciples were opened and they recognized Him to be Jesus. We too are often like them- we do not recognize the presence of Jesus in our midst. We need to remember the Lord in our daily lives and conversations. We must invite Him to join our fellowship and communications with each other and make matters plain to us as He alone can. When we think the thoughts of God and when we think and speak of God, He both communes and communicates with us. Some things that we speak sadden and annoy Him as it would a man and some things delight Him and causes Him to rejoice in our conversation. Prateep V Philip

Key to Treasures

UV 456/10,000 Key to Treasures Colossians 2 v 3 Col 2:3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The Israelites sustained themselves in the wilderness with manna provided from heaven. But, we need to sustain ourselves with the hidden manna. This hidden manna is the wisdom and knowledge that is hidden in Christ Jesus. When we live in Christ and walk closely with Him, the hidden manna is revealed to us. Just yesterday, I heard of a young man who inspired by this uni-verse, kept believing and claiming the treasures of wisdom and knowledge of Christ and he was so empowered with wisdom and knowledge that he succeeded in getting appointed to a managerial position in a bank. In blood transfusion, medical practitioners can only transfer blood from a normal person to one who has lost blood and is in need of it. But, the Lord alone can transfer wisdom and knowledge in abundance from His Person to any other person who believes, claims and is in need of it. He not just sharpens our intellect but broadens our understanding. Information and knowledge that is in today’s world does not transform lives but the wisdom and understanding of Christ transforms human lives and relationships. Christ is the power and wisdom of God. He will show us His ways of wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. We must search for His wisdom as we would hidden treasure. He has promised that everything that is hidden will be revealed. He will not withhold the secrets of the kingdom of God from the children of God. Instead, He will generously impart it as a great Teacher would to any zealous and sincere student. Prateep V Philip

Singlemindedness

UV 455/10,000 Philippians 3 v 13 Singlemindedness Php 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, St. Paul says in this uni-verse that he had not yet achieved what he had set out to do. But, the one thing he is focused on is to forget the past and reach forward to the goal he had now set before him. It is this singlemindedness that we should emulate. St Paul preached the gospel with singlemindedness of purpose. St Paul wrote, “ Imitate me even as I imitate Christ.” He imitated the singlemindedness of Christ who set his face like flint as He went to Jerusalem knowing that He would be apprehended, charged falsely and crucified. The spectre of such a horrifying death did not deter Him. He forgot the mighty miracles He had done of raising the dead to life, of walking on water, of multiplying bread and fish,of many healings and of transforming water into wine. He embraced His mission in life in accepting death on the cross. He could have evaded arrest as He had done in the past. He could have summoned the angels of heaven to His defence. Instead, focusing on the joy that was set before Him after the Resurrection, endured the shame and pain of the cross. We might have many failures or many successes in the past. These are like dead weights that drag us back from pursuing our present goals. Yesterday’s goals don’t win today’s matches. Instead, we must focus on the one goal the Lord has set before us, the one purpose we should fulfill with and in our lives. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMA0bALn2gY Prateep V PhiPl check this related song

Be the Wick not the wicked

UV 454/10,000 Psalm 71 v 24 “ My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all day long, for those who wanted to harm me have been put to shame and confusion.” We are called to be the wick that burns and gives light and not the wicked who try to put it out. We too have no light of our own and we must therefore constantly tell, proclaim, declare and praise the righteous acts of God. We must continue to praise Him particularly in every adverse situation in our lives and He will reveal His glory. Yesterday, at the break of dawn I walked to the sunrise point in Kanyakumari where three seas meet and crowds gather every morning to see the sun rise over the ocean in all its glory. By 6 am it was broad daylight, yet the sun was not visible. Within a few minutes and in the twinkling of the eye, we could discern the outline of the sun faintly appearing over the horizon. In another few minutes, the sun lit up the entire horizon. We could also see around us more clearly than before. Similarly, in matters of faith we may see dimly but as time moves on, the Lord will reveal His glory. We might begin to think that the Lord is slow to act to vindicate us and deliver us. But, He will act in the twinkling of the eye as we wait upon Him with faith. Those who wanted to harm us will certainly be put to shame and confusion. Holding on to our faith, speaking and confessing about the marvelous deeds of the Lord in our lives opens the way for Him to further act in our lives. However, while we thank and give glory to God, scripture warns us from gloating over the fall of our adversaries. Instead, we must pray that the Lord will use these events and misfortunes to open their eyes to know the truth and make them repent of their misdeeds. Prateep V Philip

Shield against fear

UV 453/10,000 genesis 15 v 1 "Fear not,I am your shield and exceeding great reward" A physical shield is of little use against fears that afflict our minds on a daily basis. But, this uni-verse affirms that Almighty God Himself is our shield and we need not fear death or the lesser threats to our well being like diseases, losses, accidents, disasters and other misfortunes. When we affirm and reiterate and confess our faith in this amazing promise, we are bracing ourselves in a defensive position and taking a stance holding aloft the spiritual shield of faith to put out the fiery darts and attacks of the enemy much as a warrior does in battle. Our faith in God and His Word not only defends us from the negatives in life and helps us overcome difficulties and challenges, it rewards us with the positive exceeding all hopes and expectations of mankind. The use of the two words, "exceeding" and "great" gives us a sense of the abundance of God 's grace, mercy and reward for faithfulness.

Daily Delighting in God, HIs Presence and His Word

UV 452/10,000 Isaiah 58 v 2 Daily Delighting in God Isa 58:2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God. For the believer, “seeing is not believing”, it is seeking that is believing. We seek the unseen God and we delight in knowing His ways so that we too can walk in them that we may please Him. The ways of God are knowable, verifiable and amenable to observation, study and experience. We know of His ways by reading and reflecting on the Word of God. In so doing, we become a nation that “does” righteousness. For the Word contains the ordinances or laws of justice that our God has ordained from before the beginning of time. We delight in approaching God daily. How can we approach the holy God unless we ourselves are holy? It is Christ Jesus who clothes us with the clothes of salvation and righteousness that we can approach His holy throne. The image drawn is that of a subject who needs to approach the king sitting on his throne, arrayed in splendour, himself dressed in appropriate fine clothes for the occasion. The king seeing the humble and expectant look on his face will issue an ordinance or order from the throne to render what justice the subject is seeking. Having received the ordinance, we should not neglect it or ignore it but execute it daily in our lives. A court can order a particular act to render justice but unless it is executed, it will be of no avail. There are many things that need to be set right in our lives. We seek justice in these areas. There are many areas in which we need to correct ourselves. We seek the ordinances of God for both these aspects of our daily lives so that day by day and degree by degree we are transformed into the very image of God. Finally, on the day of the Lord we will be qualified by grace to sit beside the throne of God. Prateep V Philip

The Preferred House of Prayer

UV 451/10,000 Mathew21 v 13 The preferred house of prayer Mat 21:13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves God’s preferred house of prayer is our bodies and minds. He once told me, “ Your body is a church of prayer to me.” Our bodies and minds are also organized like a sanctuary- the gateway is our mouth(s), the outer courtyard and inner courtyard are our thoughts and emotions, our appreciation of who God is and our constant worship as we focus our lives on Him are the incense and frankincense that constantly burn to give an aroma that pleases the very nostrils of the Creator. Our desires and needs are the petitions that are received addressed to our Father in heaven. Our altar is our memories of what God has done in our lives and our will is the sacrifice we place on that altar with trust and faith that He knows what is best for us. At the same time, this uni-verse warns and reminds us that our bodies and minds can become a den of thieves. If we give in to our lust, fears, worries and weaknesses, it becomes a den of thieves that rob us of our holiness, wholeness and our potential. Our lust can lead us into sin and away from God. Our fears and worries can rob us of our peace. Our weaknesses are like breaks in the fencing that allow the enemy to enter. The Holy Spirit is the High Priest who ministers in our inner temple. He sanctifies us on a daily basis. He sees that we are dusted, swept, cleansed and secured against the thieves. He reads out, reminds and interprets us of the scripture portion we need every day. When we live our lives in this manner, we become a living sacrifice, a living temple holy and acceptable to God. Prateep V Philip