UV 2069/10000 The Bunch of Keys
And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open
Isaiah 22 v 22
This uni-verse is spoken of Elikiam, the Prime Minister to King Hezekiah. As Prime Minister, he controlled who gained access or audience to the king. Jesus today and forever holds the key to David as the government rests upon His shoulder. Each believer is like a vice regent or Prime Minister to Jesus in ruling the spiritual world. We should be a servant leader like Elikiam who knowing the King’s will took decisions to further it. Often in our lives, we tend to bang our heads on walls, struggle against bronzen gates and doors- while all the time, we have the keys to open these dangling on our shoulder. This is the lighter yoke the Lord has placed on our shoulders- the responsibility to lead with a vision, to govern with diligence and wisdom. The solutions to the problems we face may not be found unless we use the key of David, the key to lock the influence and power of the kingdom of darkness, evil and death, the key to the power of heaven and earth.
A key is a symbol or metaphor of authority and control. In order to use a key to open a lock, we need to know which key is meant for which lock or we should be willing to try one key after another till one fits. The Lord has laid upon our shoulder a bunch of keys: the key of David that will open the door that no man can close and shut the door that no man can open, the key to Hades and death and the key to bind that which needs to be bound and to loose that which needs to be loosed. The house of David was a house of victory as opposed to the house of Saul that was in decline and defeat. If we use our authority in heaven and earth that the Lord has delegated to us, we will enjoy victory and move from strength to strength, joy to joy, wisdom to wisdom, blessing to blessing. The house of David was a house of worship, praise and thanksgiving. Constant and consistent worship and thanksgiving along with contentment are a source of joy, victory and blessing. The doors that these keys open are divinely ordained and no man can stop us from opening and entering these opportunities or openings in our lives. The doors that these key lock cannot be opened by anyone, however high or mighty.
Using the key to Hades and death, we can pre-empt evil and temptation from prevailing against us. Using the authority to bind and loose, we can bind the powers of the enemy to confound, taunt, shame, sadden or worry us. We can bind the power of every curse, destroy every limitation, overcome every challenge. Invisible forces conspire against us can be bound using the Jesus-given authority to bind these forces. We have authority to bind evil against us or others and the authority to release the goodness or blessings of heaven. We need to safeguard the bunch of keys entrusted to us with a sense of diligence and responsibility. A simple turning of a key opens a door or locks it. Likewise, a simple turning in faithful prayer to Jesus opens or locks doors, binds or looses the power to heal, to deliver, to defeat, to overcome, to wrest victory. In addition to these three generic or master keys, we receive and use specific keys in various situations in the shape of “rhema” or specific promises spoken into our lives. Each promise of the Lord is a key to open the hidden treasures of heaven.
Prateep V Philip
Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
More than Royalty
UV 2069/10000 More than Royalty
And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
Isaiah 49 v 23
All kings, queens, presidents, prime ministers, the legislators, civil servants, the army and the police are ultimately accountable to the Lord. They derive their position and their authority and power from Him and though they may seem immune for a time, the Lord is sovereign and He has raised them up for a specific purpose and time. If they acknowledge the Lord of the earth and heaven, they are blessed or lifted up as was Cyrus, Darius as kings, Esther as a queen, Abraham Lincoln as the US President. If they do not and act according to their whims, they shall lick the dust of humiliation, defeat, death, failure and shame. They shall know that the One who said, “ I Am Who I Am” or Jehovah is the ultimate sovereign in earth as in heaven. Leaders should always recognize that they are servants of the Lord, that they would face judgement for any unfair act or failure to act to render justice. Their longevity, health, wisdom and power are in the hands of the Lord. They should act as nurses and servants for the children of God or those who trust Him and live in personal relationship with Jesus.
Rulers and leaders ought to rule through the power of love and not for the love of power. Fear of God will give them wisdom not to abuse power, not to be arrogant, but to be always humble, diligent and progressive. This uni-verse confirms the favour shown by kings like Artaxerxes, Cyrus and Darius to the people of Israel, in giving them freedom to worship Jehovah, in re-building the ruined temple and Jerusalem. When kings like Nebuchadnezzar became proud and arrogant, they were brought down but when they repented, the Lord restored them. Those who did not repent were weighed and found wanting, their days were numbered or in other words, their rule was cut short abruptly. Kinship by faith with Jesus, who is Lord of Lords, Adonai,, King of Kings before whom kings and queens bow and quiver is more important than any kingship or royal position, title, rank or honour. The Lord will raise up even temporal powers to save and serve us. He will send angels and chiefs of angels or king-angels to minister to us and cater to a variety of needs we have.
The people who wait for the Lord’s judgement and execution of justice are given the promise that they will never be put to shame. The Lord Himself will vindicate them and if necessary overthrow wicked and unjust rulers and authorities. Like Mordecai who was put through trying times by his arch foe Haman, but eventually honoured and given a rich reward, the ones who are consistently faithful, never giving up on their hope in the redemptive power of Jesus, will be blessed, lifted up, protected and turned into a channel of blessing to successive generations either directly through their actions and words or indirectly through the power of their legacy and testimony. To be re-born as a child of God through Christ is more meaningful and a greater blessing than being born to kings and queens. The latter wear a crown of thorns. But Jesus by symbolically having His head pierced with a crown of thorns has exchanged our many pains and afflictions for His gains and blessings.
Prateep V Philip
And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
Isaiah 49 v 23
All kings, queens, presidents, prime ministers, the legislators, civil servants, the army and the police are ultimately accountable to the Lord. They derive their position and their authority and power from Him and though they may seem immune for a time, the Lord is sovereign and He has raised them up for a specific purpose and time. If they acknowledge the Lord of the earth and heaven, they are blessed or lifted up as was Cyrus, Darius as kings, Esther as a queen, Abraham Lincoln as the US President. If they do not and act according to their whims, they shall lick the dust of humiliation, defeat, death, failure and shame. They shall know that the One who said, “ I Am Who I Am” or Jehovah is the ultimate sovereign in earth as in heaven. Leaders should always recognize that they are servants of the Lord, that they would face judgement for any unfair act or failure to act to render justice. Their longevity, health, wisdom and power are in the hands of the Lord. They should act as nurses and servants for the children of God or those who trust Him and live in personal relationship with Jesus.
Rulers and leaders ought to rule through the power of love and not for the love of power. Fear of God will give them wisdom not to abuse power, not to be arrogant, but to be always humble, diligent and progressive. This uni-verse confirms the favour shown by kings like Artaxerxes, Cyrus and Darius to the people of Israel, in giving them freedom to worship Jehovah, in re-building the ruined temple and Jerusalem. When kings like Nebuchadnezzar became proud and arrogant, they were brought down but when they repented, the Lord restored them. Those who did not repent were weighed and found wanting, their days were numbered or in other words, their rule was cut short abruptly. Kinship by faith with Jesus, who is Lord of Lords, Adonai,, King of Kings before whom kings and queens bow and quiver is more important than any kingship or royal position, title, rank or honour. The Lord will raise up even temporal powers to save and serve us. He will send angels and chiefs of angels or king-angels to minister to us and cater to a variety of needs we have.
The people who wait for the Lord’s judgement and execution of justice are given the promise that they will never be put to shame. The Lord Himself will vindicate them and if necessary overthrow wicked and unjust rulers and authorities. Like Mordecai who was put through trying times by his arch foe Haman, but eventually honoured and given a rich reward, the ones who are consistently faithful, never giving up on their hope in the redemptive power of Jesus, will be blessed, lifted up, protected and turned into a channel of blessing to successive generations either directly through their actions and words or indirectly through the power of their legacy and testimony. To be re-born as a child of God through Christ is more meaningful and a greater blessing than being born to kings and queens. The latter wear a crown of thorns. But Jesus by symbolically having His head pierced with a crown of thorns has exchanged our many pains and afflictions for His gains and blessings.
Prateep V Philip
Monday, September 12, 2016
Blessed to Bless
UV 2068/10000 Blessed to Bless
But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.
Obadiah 1 v 17
Mount Zion is a metaphor for the righteous and just rule of the Lord. It implies that the Lord works our His plan for our salvation. He promises us deliverance from the blight of sin and its penalty. Our response is to live holy lives, lives set apart for the Lord. We are to submit to the rule and plan of the Lord for our lives for we trust that He knows what is best for us though in the short run, events do not seem to suggest it. We are to firmly place our feet on Mount Zion or be anchored and rooted in the kingdom of God even as we seek our mundane day to day pursuits and needs.
The promises of the Lord to Jacob or Israel to be with him in his struggles and to enable him to succeed are our inheritance by faith. When we believe Jesus, we are to be all that He wants us to be, we are to leave all that He wants us to leave, we are to live by His word and the assurance of the promises. Believing Jesus enables us to see, taste, experience and manifest the exceeding greatness or glory of God in all aspects of our lives. The journey of the Israelites over forty years to the promised land of Canaan after a God-guided and ensured escape from generations of slavery in Egypt is itself a historic metaphor for our lives. The promises of the Lord are our promised possessions. We are to step out in faith and keep moving towards “possessing these possessions.” We have been given freedom from the enemy of our souls. We should not look back to returning to such bondage. The presence of the Lord will be unto us a cloud by day or a shelter and a provider of a rain of blessings to satisfy our thirst. The presence of the Lord is also a fire by night to guide us in all our dark moments, to ward off the predators, to give us warmth and light.
A promise is only as good as the one who makes it. Since the promises are made by an all knowing, all loving and all powerful God, the promises are as good as already fulfilled. In other words, the promises are already possessions that we own, enjoy, experience, use and share. “Posessing the possessions” implies that we should start enjoying what we are hoping for as if the Lord has already placed it in our hands. It implies that we do not rely on circumstances or our feelings but depend in faith to live out each day, to experience deliverances at the hand of the Lord. Our standards or principles should not be human or relative but matching up to the call to holiness of the Lord. We are blessed to bless or B2B. In other words, we are living not merely for the satisfaction of our needs but our lives are to inspire hope and strength in others. We are to live as if the things we already possess, we do not possess and the things of the kingdom of God that we do not yet possess as if we already possess.
Prateep V Philip
But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.
Obadiah 1 v 17
Mount Zion is a metaphor for the righteous and just rule of the Lord. It implies that the Lord works our His plan for our salvation. He promises us deliverance from the blight of sin and its penalty. Our response is to live holy lives, lives set apart for the Lord. We are to submit to the rule and plan of the Lord for our lives for we trust that He knows what is best for us though in the short run, events do not seem to suggest it. We are to firmly place our feet on Mount Zion or be anchored and rooted in the kingdom of God even as we seek our mundane day to day pursuits and needs.
The promises of the Lord to Jacob or Israel to be with him in his struggles and to enable him to succeed are our inheritance by faith. When we believe Jesus, we are to be all that He wants us to be, we are to leave all that He wants us to leave, we are to live by His word and the assurance of the promises. Believing Jesus enables us to see, taste, experience and manifest the exceeding greatness or glory of God in all aspects of our lives. The journey of the Israelites over forty years to the promised land of Canaan after a God-guided and ensured escape from generations of slavery in Egypt is itself a historic metaphor for our lives. The promises of the Lord are our promised possessions. We are to step out in faith and keep moving towards “possessing these possessions.” We have been given freedom from the enemy of our souls. We should not look back to returning to such bondage. The presence of the Lord will be unto us a cloud by day or a shelter and a provider of a rain of blessings to satisfy our thirst. The presence of the Lord is also a fire by night to guide us in all our dark moments, to ward off the predators, to give us warmth and light.
A promise is only as good as the one who makes it. Since the promises are made by an all knowing, all loving and all powerful God, the promises are as good as already fulfilled. In other words, the promises are already possessions that we own, enjoy, experience, use and share. “Posessing the possessions” implies that we should start enjoying what we are hoping for as if the Lord has already placed it in our hands. It implies that we do not rely on circumstances or our feelings but depend in faith to live out each day, to experience deliverances at the hand of the Lord. Our standards or principles should not be human or relative but matching up to the call to holiness of the Lord. We are blessed to bless or B2B. In other words, we are living not merely for the satisfaction of our needs but our lives are to inspire hope and strength in others. We are to live as if the things we already possess, we do not possess and the things of the kingdom of God that we do not yet possess as if we already possess.
Prateep V Philip
Sunday, September 11, 2016
Yoke, Bonds and Yield
UV 2067/10000 Yokes, Bonds and Yield
For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder.
Nahum 1 v 13
Each of us have causes of anxiety, bondage, fear, frustration and sadness. The enemy brings these “yokes” or burdens. He ploughs the furrows of our brains and burdens our spirit. But in Jesus, the Lord has broken many yokes and He is still breaking yokes and tearing apart the cords that bind us tightly, restricting our movement, growth and fruitfulness. The Lord removes the burdens from our shoulders. He also gives us the strength and grace to bear the lighter responsibilities He gives us. The principal yoke the enemy uses to destroy human potential is sin, curses, death and defeat. Now instead of sin or separation from the Lord, we will live in union with Him. We are grafted onto the root of Jesus. We inherit lion-like or kingly power over all spiritual forces of darkness. The yoke of curses of diseases, famine, drought, poverty are broken.
The Lord uses the power of the gospel to break the yoke and the truth of the Word to break every bond that binds us. The Lord breaks every rod of oppression with which the enemy of our souls enslaves people. The uni-verse is used in the context of our current challenges as it uses the word, “ now”. He empowers, equips and enables us to gain lasting and eternal victory over the enemy. Each of us has some Goliath challenging us, attacking our peace and confidence. The Lord first increases our courage and confidence that we can face the Goliath and destroy him. He then gives us a strategy that cannot fail or put us at risk. He gives us the weapons like the sling and stones that David picked up. The final blow is given by the very weapon of the enemy as Goliath was decapitated with his own sword.
As we travail in the spirit, the Lord sees our burdens and bonds and lifts the former and breaks the latter. Our response is to first bolster our faith in the Lord as David pumped himself up against the taunts and insults of Goliath. Our next response is to step out
and decide in what manner we will handle the challenge. The next step is to choose our protective gear. We use our weapon of choice that fits the challenge best. At no point should we rely entirely onn our own strength or resources but we depend on the Lord to give us complete victory. Finally, we should be filled with joy, give thanks , praise and glory to the Lord for the great deliverance He has given, the amazing victory He has wrought in us and with us. The yoke is broken, the bonds are torn asunder with the purpose of increasing our yield to the Lord.
Prateep V Philip
For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy bonds in sunder.
Nahum 1 v 13
Each of us have causes of anxiety, bondage, fear, frustration and sadness. The enemy brings these “yokes” or burdens. He ploughs the furrows of our brains and burdens our spirit. But in Jesus, the Lord has broken many yokes and He is still breaking yokes and tearing apart the cords that bind us tightly, restricting our movement, growth and fruitfulness. The Lord removes the burdens from our shoulders. He also gives us the strength and grace to bear the lighter responsibilities He gives us. The principal yoke the enemy uses to destroy human potential is sin, curses, death and defeat. Now instead of sin or separation from the Lord, we will live in union with Him. We are grafted onto the root of Jesus. We inherit lion-like or kingly power over all spiritual forces of darkness. The yoke of curses of diseases, famine, drought, poverty are broken.
The Lord uses the power of the gospel to break the yoke and the truth of the Word to break every bond that binds us. The Lord breaks every rod of oppression with which the enemy of our souls enslaves people. The uni-verse is used in the context of our current challenges as it uses the word, “ now”. He empowers, equips and enables us to gain lasting and eternal victory over the enemy. Each of us has some Goliath challenging us, attacking our peace and confidence. The Lord first increases our courage and confidence that we can face the Goliath and destroy him. He then gives us a strategy that cannot fail or put us at risk. He gives us the weapons like the sling and stones that David picked up. The final blow is given by the very weapon of the enemy as Goliath was decapitated with his own sword.
As we travail in the spirit, the Lord sees our burdens and bonds and lifts the former and breaks the latter. Our response is to first bolster our faith in the Lord as David pumped himself up against the taunts and insults of Goliath. Our next response is to step out
and decide in what manner we will handle the challenge. The next step is to choose our protective gear. We use our weapon of choice that fits the challenge best. At no point should we rely entirely onn our own strength or resources but we depend on the Lord to give us complete victory. Finally, we should be filled with joy, give thanks , praise and glory to the Lord for the great deliverance He has given, the amazing victory He has wrought in us and with us. The yoke is broken, the bonds are torn asunder with the purpose of increasing our yield to the Lord.
Prateep V Philip
Saturday, September 10, 2016
The Power of Tears
The Power of Tears
Jesus wept.
John 11 v 35
When we weep, we expose our vulnerability. It is a confession of child-like inability to handle a challenge. Why did Jesus who declared Himself to be the Resurrection and the Life weep on seeing Mary and the Jews with her weep? It was to show His humanity and His humility. The tears of Jesus was liquid prayer in the eyes of the Father. It released the Resurrection power and authority that rests in Him that enabled him to summon Lazarus from the land of the dead to the land of the living. The Jews thought that He wept out of His love and grief at the death of His friend Lazarus. They had no hope that He could call Lazarus back from death though they thought perhaps He could have healed him on his death bed. More things are wrought by tears than the world will ever know. It sets in motion the greatest miracles, obtains the most awesome relief and release from afflictions. One of the most effective routes to the very heart of the Lord is our lachrymal glands provided these are connected to our hearts. We need to be sensitive to the move of the Holy Spirit. We need to be “sempathetic” or full of spiritual empathy by which we feel the pain of God as if it is our own.
We too should set aside times for weeping in our lives, times to lament like Jeremiah and cry out to the Lord, times to repent and be penitent, times to intercede and groan in the spirit. Our sincere tears move the very heart of the Lord. He will act to erase the cause of our tears. It should not be tears of fear, frustration, anger, depression but tears of faith, reverence, pleading and trust. The tears have a deep and powerful cleansing or purging effect on our souls and lives. The eloquence of tears is such that it can communicate what words cannot. We feel the agony that Jesus felt as He prayed on the Rock of Agony and shed great drops of sweat as His whole body wept. We experience a godly sorrow that will enable us to be diligent, wise, passionate, zealous. Godly sorrow is compassion. It is one of the rivers of life-giving water that should continually flow from our hearts and souls.
We should weep for the city and the country we live in. Weeping is the most earnest form of prayer. It is not a sign of weakness but a mustering of all of our inner faith and strength to make it bear on the mountain of a challenge that lies before us. We should weep for ourselves and our weaknesses. We should weep for our generations that they be redeemed and walk in faith. Blessed are those who weep for they shall be comforted. The Lord promises to comfort us. He will send us the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. His word will speak to our souls and comfort us even as He comforted the two disciples who were grieving over the death of Jesus on the road to Emmaus. We should turn our fears into tears like King Hezekiah. God saw his tears and heard his prayer and healed him. He extended his life and reign by another 15 years. Like Hezekiah we should turn to the great wall- Jesus and weep. He will embrace us and take us under His arms like a hen takes its chicken under its wings. We will experience the protective love of a mother, the provident love of a father, the might of the King who rules kings, the comfort of a great and best friend. Tears melt the heart of Jesus and sets in motion the outworking of His grace, mercy and power in our lives.
Prateep V Philip
Jesus wept.
John 11 v 35
When we weep, we expose our vulnerability. It is a confession of child-like inability to handle a challenge. Why did Jesus who declared Himself to be the Resurrection and the Life weep on seeing Mary and the Jews with her weep? It was to show His humanity and His humility. The tears of Jesus was liquid prayer in the eyes of the Father. It released the Resurrection power and authority that rests in Him that enabled him to summon Lazarus from the land of the dead to the land of the living. The Jews thought that He wept out of His love and grief at the death of His friend Lazarus. They had no hope that He could call Lazarus back from death though they thought perhaps He could have healed him on his death bed. More things are wrought by tears than the world will ever know. It sets in motion the greatest miracles, obtains the most awesome relief and release from afflictions. One of the most effective routes to the very heart of the Lord is our lachrymal glands provided these are connected to our hearts. We need to be sensitive to the move of the Holy Spirit. We need to be “sempathetic” or full of spiritual empathy by which we feel the pain of God as if it is our own.
We too should set aside times for weeping in our lives, times to lament like Jeremiah and cry out to the Lord, times to repent and be penitent, times to intercede and groan in the spirit. Our sincere tears move the very heart of the Lord. He will act to erase the cause of our tears. It should not be tears of fear, frustration, anger, depression but tears of faith, reverence, pleading and trust. The tears have a deep and powerful cleansing or purging effect on our souls and lives. The eloquence of tears is such that it can communicate what words cannot. We feel the agony that Jesus felt as He prayed on the Rock of Agony and shed great drops of sweat as His whole body wept. We experience a godly sorrow that will enable us to be diligent, wise, passionate, zealous. Godly sorrow is compassion. It is one of the rivers of life-giving water that should continually flow from our hearts and souls.
We should weep for the city and the country we live in. Weeping is the most earnest form of prayer. It is not a sign of weakness but a mustering of all of our inner faith and strength to make it bear on the mountain of a challenge that lies before us. We should weep for ourselves and our weaknesses. We should weep for our generations that they be redeemed and walk in faith. Blessed are those who weep for they shall be comforted. The Lord promises to comfort us. He will send us the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. His word will speak to our souls and comfort us even as He comforted the two disciples who were grieving over the death of Jesus on the road to Emmaus. We should turn our fears into tears like King Hezekiah. God saw his tears and heard his prayer and healed him. He extended his life and reign by another 15 years. Like Hezekiah we should turn to the great wall- Jesus and weep. He will embrace us and take us under His arms like a hen takes its chicken under its wings. We will experience the protective love of a mother, the provident love of a father, the might of the King who rules kings, the comfort of a great and best friend. Tears melt the heart of Jesus and sets in motion the outworking of His grace, mercy and power in our lives.
Prateep V Philip
Friday, September 9, 2016
The Combo of Joy
UV 2065/10000 The Combo of Joy
Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
Psalm 112 v 1
The one who fears the Lord is guaranteed divine wisdom. Such a person delights in the Word of the Lord. He considers it more than necessary food, more than the delicacies of the best chefs of the world, more than all the money and riches, pleasures and luxuries of this world. He dwells on it frequently and dwells in it continually. It enables him to comprehend the wonders, the blessings, the riches that the Lord has reserved for those who love Him. He first comprehends and then, he perceives or experiences these blessings. A cornucopia or a combo of various overflowing blessings, physical, social, financial, emotional and spiritual, await the one who delights greatly in the Lord and His Word. It is not enough to just delight but to delight greatly or far above the average or ordinary level.
Psalm 112 starts off with a 'hallelujah' which is the Hebrew word for 10000 praises, 10000 thanks for the 10000 reasons, blessings, promises of the Lord to those who live in a covenant or relationship of commitment to the Lord and His Word. Some of these blessings are the very things the people of the world seek but seek it in vain and in the wrong places: our children will be mighty in the land. Our ideas and words will grow in power and influence in the world. Our actions will have great impact. Our initiatives will prosper in the realm of our work. Our spheres of influence will keep expanding beyond what human or natural factors can explain or account for.
The ten commandments given through Moses are based on fear of penalty, to avert punishment. The two commandments given by Jesus are based on the agape love revealed through His life, teachings, death and resurrection. In all, we are given twelve commands but 10000 blessings as a result of our love of these commands and our eagerness to live and love by these. Some of these blessings that I have already perceived in my fifty five year sojourn so far on earth are that our children would be mighty in the land, wealth and riches without sorrow will be added unto us, our righteousness or godly reputation would endure forever. We will experience the grace, compassion and righteous correction of the Lord in the course of our lives. We will be given wisdom to manage our affairs with discretion and discernment. We will receive divine and human favour and be able to be a source of blessing and help to others in need of it. We will receive honour and be recognized as a source of inspiration and blessing. We will be secure based on our firm trust of the Lord. We will not fear bad news or be overtaken by things and events over which we have no control. We will constantly be optimistic and be expecting to receive good to great news, to be overtaken by blessings that the Lord had set in motion behind us. The worldly wise, the unprincipled, the unrighteous, the power hungry and the envious will perish while we flourish. The Lord will vindicate us in due time before our enemies if we hold fast to our love for Him and His commandments and promises.
Prateep V Philip
Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
Psalm 112 v 1
The one who fears the Lord is guaranteed divine wisdom. Such a person delights in the Word of the Lord. He considers it more than necessary food, more than the delicacies of the best chefs of the world, more than all the money and riches, pleasures and luxuries of this world. He dwells on it frequently and dwells in it continually. It enables him to comprehend the wonders, the blessings, the riches that the Lord has reserved for those who love Him. He first comprehends and then, he perceives or experiences these blessings. A cornucopia or a combo of various overflowing blessings, physical, social, financial, emotional and spiritual, await the one who delights greatly in the Lord and His Word. It is not enough to just delight but to delight greatly or far above the average or ordinary level.
Psalm 112 starts off with a 'hallelujah' which is the Hebrew word for 10000 praises, 10000 thanks for the 10000 reasons, blessings, promises of the Lord to those who live in a covenant or relationship of commitment to the Lord and His Word. Some of these blessings are the very things the people of the world seek but seek it in vain and in the wrong places: our children will be mighty in the land. Our ideas and words will grow in power and influence in the world. Our actions will have great impact. Our initiatives will prosper in the realm of our work. Our spheres of influence will keep expanding beyond what human or natural factors can explain or account for.
The ten commandments given through Moses are based on fear of penalty, to avert punishment. The two commandments given by Jesus are based on the agape love revealed through His life, teachings, death and resurrection. In all, we are given twelve commands but 10000 blessings as a result of our love of these commands and our eagerness to live and love by these. Some of these blessings that I have already perceived in my fifty five year sojourn so far on earth are that our children would be mighty in the land, wealth and riches without sorrow will be added unto us, our righteousness or godly reputation would endure forever. We will experience the grace, compassion and righteous correction of the Lord in the course of our lives. We will be given wisdom to manage our affairs with discretion and discernment. We will receive divine and human favour and be able to be a source of blessing and help to others in need of it. We will receive honour and be recognized as a source of inspiration and blessing. We will be secure based on our firm trust of the Lord. We will not fear bad news or be overtaken by things and events over which we have no control. We will constantly be optimistic and be expecting to receive good to great news, to be overtaken by blessings that the Lord had set in motion behind us. The worldly wise, the unprincipled, the unrighteous, the power hungry and the envious will perish while we flourish. The Lord will vindicate us in due time before our enemies if we hold fast to our love for Him and His commandments and promises.
Prateep V Philip
Thursday, September 8, 2016
The Mastery of Mystery
UV 2064/10000 The Mastery of Mystery
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
John 3 v 8
Just as we cannot fully comprehend where the wind originates and where it blows, the ways of the Spirit of God are mysterious but we feel the effects wherever or in whomever He breathes or blows. The changes of the new birth or the regeneration of our corrupt and sinful nature once we believe Jesus and receive Him into our hearts and souls are evidence of the Spirit breathing in us. The Lord is sovereign and He decides what gifts and to what extent the fruit of the Spirit are visible and effective in our lives. But the new life is constantly growing from within us: new love, new strength, new priorities, new hope, new wisdom, new emotions, new goals are set in motion like the wind blowing on the earth.
The winds originate from the North, East, West and South and often bring storms and disasters to many but the Holy Spirit is a gentle spirit and He comes to us as He is promised to us by Jesus. When Jesus breathed upon the disciples, many of whom doubted His mission, His resurrection, His power, His words, they were transformed. They received power from above and were gradually transformed into fearless apostles. The Holy Spirit is like a gentle cool breeze and leaves no physical signs of His presence in us and with us. But He quietly works out the promises of the Lord in our lives and has a deep and powerful impact on our hearts and souls. His ways are mysterious and intriguing, beyond finding out or understanding. He is not entirely predictable but He acts in consistency with His Word, His promises and His revealed nature.
When a child is being formed in the womb, no one knows how the different organs, bones and limbs develop. Likewise, as new creatures divinely formed by the Holy Spirit, we are born again as children of God, not for disobedience or disbelief of the Lord but for belief and obedience. We realize that the Lord’s will is sovereign in our lives hereafter and we are but instruments in His hands. He directs our steps like He directs the winds. No storm can blow in our lives as it wants. The Lord desires to prosper and benefit us. Even if we suffer it is for a greater purpose. Though there is mystery and the unknown involved in our lives, we do not fear as we know we are secure in the Lord’s hands. He who balances the clouds over the whole earth, who keeps the oceans within its rims and boundaries and directs the powerful winds is fully in control of our past, present and future. He is the Lord of our destiny and eternal guide till our destination.
Prateep V Philip
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