Monday, June 30, 2014
Treating God like an ATM
UV 1133/10,000 Don’t Treat God like an ATM
Yet they tested and provoked the Most High God and did not keep His testimonies.
Psalm 78 v 36
The Lord Most High is sovereign. He is compassionate. He is all powerful. He is loving. He is faithful. He is unseen. He is quick to forgive and slow to get angry. But once His anger is provoked, no one and nothing can restrain it. The Israelites under Moses had seen many mighty signs of deliverance that broke the yoke of Pharaoh. But it had not broken the yoke of satan- the attitude of doubt, disbelief and lack of gratitude and thanksgiving. When they were travelling throught the desert they complained that they did not have meat to eat for they were given manna. Even today we complain of our lack of many things when God has given us His heavenly manna- the Word as our daily bread to sustain our souls. This provokes and puts the anger of the Lord to test. What provoked the Lord is that people so easily forgot the mighty deeds He did on their behalf when they came face to face with relatively minor deficiencies or difficulties. It proved to Him that their faith and their hearts were not really focussed on Him. He hates it when people treat Him like an ATM.
Just like we have our testimonies, God has his testimonies of His faithfulness. When we do not remember these testimonies of His provision and His deliverance, we are doubting Him and indirectly calling Him a liar. Like David, we should remember that He who has brought us this far, will take us the whole way. Keeping our own testimony is another way of showing our faith. Keeping our testimonies implies that we should walk in faith and obedience and not allow our spiritual reputation to be tarnished. God ‘s testimonies in our lives is the narrative of how He kept His Word in our lives, how He fulfilled the promises we believed and claimed, how He answered our prayers and heard our cries.
In addition to counting our blessings, we ought to recount in our minds and cherish the testimonies of the Lord Most High in our lives- how He knit us in our mothers’ wombs, how He kept us safe in our childhood, how He provided and protected us, how He blessed us and raised us up as a witness for Him, how He dealt with our opposition, how He strengthened us and encouraged us. When we do this spiritual exercise, it will give us a perspective of faithfulness and strengthen and equip us to face the challenges of the moment or of the day, without a trace of regret, fear, doubt or despair.
Prateep V Philip
Sunday, June 29, 2014
The Sign of Favour
UV 1132-10,000 The Sign of Favour
Show me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, Lord has holpen me, and comforted me.
Psalm 86 v 17
Jesus said, “ Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.” When we are persecuted and troubled without any provocation or justifiable reason, we are to consider ourselves blessed by the Lord for the Lord will intervene in the situation on our behalf. If we look to Him for a sign of His favour, He will come to our help and comfort us. He is the great Ebenezer whose help is sufficient to enable us to overcome even the greatest of troubles, the most severe of persecution. The Holy Spirit is the great Comforter who will comfort and assuage our feelings, even the deepest of our sorrows and grief. When the Lord wipes a person’s tears over a particular issue, he or she never needs to be sorrowful over that again.
Gideon asked for a sign of favour from the Lord when the Israelites were being greatly troubled and the Lord had anointed him as leader. He sought the sign of favour of the fleece getting wet on the first occasion and the second time to re-confirm the ground around was wet with dew. Hezekiah the king of Israel sought a sign from the Lord in turning the shadow on the sundial forward some degrees and then backward. Abraham’s sign of favour when he was most distressed in spirit that he was about to sacrifice his precious son Isaac was a lamb that God provided. Jesus in like manner was the sign of favour for all mankind. Signs are God’s signature and emblem to show that He is on our side in life’s conflicts and challenges, that we are not alone and that He has a plan and a solution to redeem us from whatever situation is causing distress to us.
I too have specifically asked for a sign of God’s favour in times when I was discouraged. The Lord answered with the rare sign of a reverse rainbow that I photographed with my cell phone. It was a sign that the Lord ‘s salvation is finished- the seven colours are the sign of the glorious way the Lord completes His plan in our lives. Our salvation is not meant just for the hereafter but it begins here and now. The rainbow is a sign that the Lord sitting on His throne has ordained our salvation in seven different but linked domains- physical- our health and healing, emotional- our joy and feelings, intellectual- our understanding, knowledge and wisdom, social- our relationships, professional- our work and our challenges, financial- our need, spiritual- our eternal life and our relationship with the Triune God. We will wax strong in these areas while our enemies will melt like wax in the presence of the Lord. They will have to eat their words while we eat the Word of the Lord. They will be confounded, astounded and ashamed at the extent of their folly and their failure to execute their evil designs for our downfall. What they plot for evil, God will turn to good.
Prateep V Philip
Show me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, Lord has holpen me, and comforted me.
Psalm 86 v 17
Jesus said, “ Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.” When we are persecuted and troubled without any provocation or justifiable reason, we are to consider ourselves blessed by the Lord for the Lord will intervene in the situation on our behalf. If we look to Him for a sign of His favour, He will come to our help and comfort us. He is the great Ebenezer whose help is sufficient to enable us to overcome even the greatest of troubles, the most severe of persecution. The Holy Spirit is the great Comforter who will comfort and assuage our feelings, even the deepest of our sorrows and grief. When the Lord wipes a person’s tears over a particular issue, he or she never needs to be sorrowful over that again.
Gideon asked for a sign of favour from the Lord when the Israelites were being greatly troubled and the Lord had anointed him as leader. He sought the sign of favour of the fleece getting wet on the first occasion and the second time to re-confirm the ground around was wet with dew. Hezekiah the king of Israel sought a sign from the Lord in turning the shadow on the sundial forward some degrees and then backward. Abraham’s sign of favour when he was most distressed in spirit that he was about to sacrifice his precious son Isaac was a lamb that God provided. Jesus in like manner was the sign of favour for all mankind. Signs are God’s signature and emblem to show that He is on our side in life’s conflicts and challenges, that we are not alone and that He has a plan and a solution to redeem us from whatever situation is causing distress to us.
I too have specifically asked for a sign of God’s favour in times when I was discouraged. The Lord answered with the rare sign of a reverse rainbow that I photographed with my cell phone. It was a sign that the Lord ‘s salvation is finished- the seven colours are the sign of the glorious way the Lord completes His plan in our lives. Our salvation is not meant just for the hereafter but it begins here and now. The rainbow is a sign that the Lord sitting on His throne has ordained our salvation in seven different but linked domains- physical- our health and healing, emotional- our joy and feelings, intellectual- our understanding, knowledge and wisdom, social- our relationships, professional- our work and our challenges, financial- our need, spiritual- our eternal life and our relationship with the Triune God. We will wax strong in these areas while our enemies will melt like wax in the presence of the Lord. They will have to eat their words while we eat the Word of the Lord. They will be confounded, astounded and ashamed at the extent of their folly and their failure to execute their evil designs for our downfall. What they plot for evil, God will turn to good.
Prateep V Philip
Saturday, June 28, 2014
The Key to Single-minded Passion
UV 1131/10,000 The Key to Single-minded Passion
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,
Philippians 3 v 13
Paul revealed in this uni-verse the key to the single-minded passion with which He served Christ. He did not think that he had already arrived or achieved his goal of being like Christ. But he chose to forget the things of his past, both the good things and the evil. He forgot all the things that gave him a sense of identity and pride- his orthodox upbringing, his education, his intellectual attainments, his credentials. He even forgot all the things that brought him a sense of shame and pain. One thing however that he never seemed to forgive himself for was the way he led the Jews in persecuting the believers and followers of Christ. This made him declare that he was the worst of sinners. But he knew that the grace of Christ had absolved him of this guilt too. He forgot the former things as he knew that if he did not, he would be rendered ineffective by his double-mindedness, that he would be torn between guilt and pride, that he could neither be decisive nor productive for God or man.
Paul focussed all his energy and attention in pressing forward to do the expressed will of God. He did not fritter away his time or efforts but consolidated all his resources to obey the call of Christ upon his life. He worked hard to make tents to earn a living. Apart from that he focussed on communicating the great love of God for men and women of all races, cultures , languages, backgrounds demonstrated in Christ. He spent time in prayer, meditation and fasting. He undertook extensive travels in the then known world, reaching the farthest shores of Europe and Asia Minor. He was not deterred by threats, imprisonment, flogging, calamities and execution. He wrote elaborate letters to explain the basic truths and tenets of the faith.
We too need to forget our past triumphs, failures, bitterness, disappointments and regrets and focus on the high calling the Lord has given us. We are called to effectively communicate the love of God in Christ to all we can reach, both verbally and non-verbally, in speech and in writing, in our home town as well as in places we go to. We should keep reminding ourselves that we have not yet attained that to which the Lord has called us to. We must focus on that mark and keep reaching out to it. Our confidence should not stem from our own gifts or strength or past achievements. Neither should fear and diffidence arise from our past failures, weaknesses and limitations. Our traditions and associations should not be the source of our security. We should both demonstrate and exercise our commitment step by step, day by day. Our complete reliance should be on the leading of the Spirit, the grace of God, the effective dynamism of the Word of God, the resurrection power of Christ who called us from the utter hopelessness of death to the abundant joy of eternal life,from the sheer vanity of human philosophies and empty traditions to the exceeding excellence of personally knowing God.
Prateep V Philip
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,
Philippians 3 v 13
Paul revealed in this uni-verse the key to the single-minded passion with which He served Christ. He did not think that he had already arrived or achieved his goal of being like Christ. But he chose to forget the things of his past, both the good things and the evil. He forgot all the things that gave him a sense of identity and pride- his orthodox upbringing, his education, his intellectual attainments, his credentials. He even forgot all the things that brought him a sense of shame and pain. One thing however that he never seemed to forgive himself for was the way he led the Jews in persecuting the believers and followers of Christ. This made him declare that he was the worst of sinners. But he knew that the grace of Christ had absolved him of this guilt too. He forgot the former things as he knew that if he did not, he would be rendered ineffective by his double-mindedness, that he would be torn between guilt and pride, that he could neither be decisive nor productive for God or man.
Paul focussed all his energy and attention in pressing forward to do the expressed will of God. He did not fritter away his time or efforts but consolidated all his resources to obey the call of Christ upon his life. He worked hard to make tents to earn a living. Apart from that he focussed on communicating the great love of God for men and women of all races, cultures , languages, backgrounds demonstrated in Christ. He spent time in prayer, meditation and fasting. He undertook extensive travels in the then known world, reaching the farthest shores of Europe and Asia Minor. He was not deterred by threats, imprisonment, flogging, calamities and execution. He wrote elaborate letters to explain the basic truths and tenets of the faith.
We too need to forget our past triumphs, failures, bitterness, disappointments and regrets and focus on the high calling the Lord has given us. We are called to effectively communicate the love of God in Christ to all we can reach, both verbally and non-verbally, in speech and in writing, in our home town as well as in places we go to. We should keep reminding ourselves that we have not yet attained that to which the Lord has called us to. We must focus on that mark and keep reaching out to it. Our confidence should not stem from our own gifts or strength or past achievements. Neither should fear and diffidence arise from our past failures, weaknesses and limitations. Our traditions and associations should not be the source of our security. We should both demonstrate and exercise our commitment step by step, day by day. Our complete reliance should be on the leading of the Spirit, the grace of God, the effective dynamism of the Word of God, the resurrection power of Christ who called us from the utter hopelessness of death to the abundant joy of eternal life,from the sheer vanity of human philosophies and empty traditions to the exceeding excellence of personally knowing God.
Prateep V Philip
Friday, June 27, 2014
The Sword of Separation
UV 1130/10,000 The Sword of the Lord
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Matthew 10 v 34
Jesus was seen as the Prince of Peace. He surprised both His followers and the people who opposed Him when He said that He had come not to bring peace but a sword of division. What He meant is that Jesus separates the people of God from the people who choose to belong to the world. He divides people with the sword of the Word of God. He divides people into two types: people of the Word and people of the world. The former are distinguished by their faith in Him and their love for the Word. The latter are characterised by their disbelief and their love for the world. Jesus said that within the same family, they would be divided on these lines. There are so many instances even now where children have been separated from their parents on account of their faith in Jesus. Jesus recognized that this would be as painful for both as to be cut with a sword but He said it to warn people of the things to come. He did not want to give anybody a false hope that everything will be hunky-dory. He knew the high price had to be paid by many of being separated from their own near and dear ones.
Jesus is the focal point of history where His birth and life divides history itself into two parts. He is also the dividing line between people. The sword of the Word of God pierces and penetrates human hearts and produce faith and a rich harvest of righteousness. It produces an inner peace or Shalom but it also causes people even of the same family to persecute those who profess such faith. Blood is thicker than water and faith in Jesus is thicker than blood. Even persons with the closest ties need to be prepared for division and hostility as they begin to profess their faith in Christ. Jesus said this not to discourage us but to give us an idea of the true cost of our relationship with Him. The inner peace and security that Jesus brings into believers’ hearts in such circumstances will give them the strength to bear with it. The Lord will bring into the lives of such people persons who will be as close or even closer than their kith and kin.
God comforts the troubled and troubles the comfortable. He brings peace to one and allows strife and trouble for another so that the first will know the reality of his faith and the second- the one troubled- will begin to seek God and His help. When we are troubled in our hearts and minds even without any explicit or known reason, it is a sign that we should seek the presence and comfort of the Lord. We should be sensitive enough to discern such times and situations. The sword of the Word is always active and working in our spirits, hearts and minds, smoothing out the rough edges and removing the angularities. It is an act of self-disciplining when we submit ourselves willingly, consciously and continuously to this kind of pruning by the Spirit of God. The Word is not a weapon forged against us but for us, to enable us to prosper in spirit, mind and body, to build and shape us up as a living temple for God, a place of holiness, peace and blessings where God can dwell.
Prateep V Philip
Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Matthew 10 v 34
Jesus was seen as the Prince of Peace. He surprised both His followers and the people who opposed Him when He said that He had come not to bring peace but a sword of division. What He meant is that Jesus separates the people of God from the people who choose to belong to the world. He divides people with the sword of the Word of God. He divides people into two types: people of the Word and people of the world. The former are distinguished by their faith in Him and their love for the Word. The latter are characterised by their disbelief and their love for the world. Jesus said that within the same family, they would be divided on these lines. There are so many instances even now where children have been separated from their parents on account of their faith in Jesus. Jesus recognized that this would be as painful for both as to be cut with a sword but He said it to warn people of the things to come. He did not want to give anybody a false hope that everything will be hunky-dory. He knew the high price had to be paid by many of being separated from their own near and dear ones.
Jesus is the focal point of history where His birth and life divides history itself into two parts. He is also the dividing line between people. The sword of the Word of God pierces and penetrates human hearts and produce faith and a rich harvest of righteousness. It produces an inner peace or Shalom but it also causes people even of the same family to persecute those who profess such faith. Blood is thicker than water and faith in Jesus is thicker than blood. Even persons with the closest ties need to be prepared for division and hostility as they begin to profess their faith in Christ. Jesus said this not to discourage us but to give us an idea of the true cost of our relationship with Him. The inner peace and security that Jesus brings into believers’ hearts in such circumstances will give them the strength to bear with it. The Lord will bring into the lives of such people persons who will be as close or even closer than their kith and kin.
God comforts the troubled and troubles the comfortable. He brings peace to one and allows strife and trouble for another so that the first will know the reality of his faith and the second- the one troubled- will begin to seek God and His help. When we are troubled in our hearts and minds even without any explicit or known reason, it is a sign that we should seek the presence and comfort of the Lord. We should be sensitive enough to discern such times and situations. The sword of the Word is always active and working in our spirits, hearts and minds, smoothing out the rough edges and removing the angularities. It is an act of self-disciplining when we submit ourselves willingly, consciously and continuously to this kind of pruning by the Spirit of God. The Word is not a weapon forged against us but for us, to enable us to prosper in spirit, mind and body, to build and shape us up as a living temple for God, a place of holiness, peace and blessings where God can dwell.
Prateep V Philip
The Secrets of the Lord
The Secrets of the Lord
Psa25:14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant
The secret of eternal life, the secret of well being, the secret of wisdom and knowledge, the secret of success, the secret of relationships are all known to the Lord. The Lord reveals these secrets to those who seek Him, know Him, love Him and understand Him. God makes Himself manifest to the believer and the seeker. He writes His covenant promises and commandments on the hearts of His beloved. The secrets of the world and of man are delusionary, deceptive and often lead us on the path of red herrings. The Lord Jesus explained all the mysteries of the inner life as well as of eternal life, of our life in this world as well as of eternal life. His disciples discerned,”With You are the words of eternal life. He has led us into a mastery of mystery. He has revealed the hidden manna or the wonderful truths hidden in the Word of God. He has revealed the hidden meaning of the parables Heused to reveal the secrets of human nature and the nature of God to His followers while hiding it from the rest of the world. The greatest secret is God Himself and the mysteries of His love and favour. Jesus revealed this secret of the Godhead that he who keeps His commandments will dwell with God and God will dwell with him and manifest Himself to him.
The spirit of man communes with the Spirit of God to discern the deep truths. A man who fears the Lord will be able to discern His will.He will also receive the strength, the means, the grace to do it. The Lord manifests His power and glory in and through the lives of people who trust Him.The secrets of wisdom and knowledge are hidden from the natural man. The secrets of the heavenly world also cannot be accessed by the natural man.
The spiritual man understands and judges all things but he cannot be judged by anyone as by faith in Christ, he is spared all judgement.The Lord enters into a covenant or sacred and intimate relationship with the believer in His beloved Son Jesus. He reveals all His secrets to us as we are not just His servants who do His bidding but we are His friends.The covenant is not only written in His Word but it is also written in the hearts and minds of the believers. A covenant is a sacred, inviolable relationship. All the promises of God are the provisions He has made for our relationship to succeed.It is meant to meet our every need in the flesh as well as in the spirit, both in this world and in the Kingdom of God, both here and now and in the life eternal.
Prateep V Philip
Psa25:14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant
The secret of eternal life, the secret of well being, the secret of wisdom and knowledge, the secret of success, the secret of relationships are all known to the Lord. The Lord reveals these secrets to those who seek Him, know Him, love Him and understand Him. God makes Himself manifest to the believer and the seeker. He writes His covenant promises and commandments on the hearts of His beloved. The secrets of the world and of man are delusionary, deceptive and often lead us on the path of red herrings. The Lord Jesus explained all the mysteries of the inner life as well as of eternal life, of our life in this world as well as of eternal life. His disciples discerned,”With You are the words of eternal life. He has led us into a mastery of mystery. He has revealed the hidden manna or the wonderful truths hidden in the Word of God. He has revealed the hidden meaning of the parables Heused to reveal the secrets of human nature and the nature of God to His followers while hiding it from the rest of the world. The greatest secret is God Himself and the mysteries of His love and favour. Jesus revealed this secret of the Godhead that he who keeps His commandments will dwell with God and God will dwell with him and manifest Himself to him.
The spirit of man communes with the Spirit of God to discern the deep truths. A man who fears the Lord will be able to discern His will.He will also receive the strength, the means, the grace to do it. The Lord manifests His power and glory in and through the lives of people who trust Him.The secrets of wisdom and knowledge are hidden from the natural man. The secrets of the heavenly world also cannot be accessed by the natural man.
The spiritual man understands and judges all things but he cannot be judged by anyone as by faith in Christ, he is spared all judgement.The Lord enters into a covenant or sacred and intimate relationship with the believer in His beloved Son Jesus. He reveals all His secrets to us as we are not just His servants who do His bidding but we are His friends.The covenant is not only written in His Word but it is also written in the hearts and minds of the believers. A covenant is a sacred, inviolable relationship. All the promises of God are the provisions He has made for our relationship to succeed.It is meant to meet our every need in the flesh as well as in the spirit, both in this world and in the Kingdom of God, both here and now and in the life eternal.
Prateep V Philip
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Put on The New Man
UV 1128/10,000 Put on The New Man
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Romans 13 v 14
We are called to be like a new man, the epitome of whom is Jesus who is meek but powerful, simple but excellent, kind but strict, perfect and humble, loving and merciful. We should model ourselves on Christ and develop the mind of Christ. In different situations,we should ask ourselves what would Jesus say or do in these circumstances and we should say or do like-wise. We should clothe ourselves with an armour of light, the different parts of our clothing or armour should reflect the holiness and perfection of God. Our good thoughts, words and deeds should distinguish us from the rest of the world. Our increasing knowledge of the Word will renew us in the image or likeness of Christ. We must not return to our former lusts that ruled over our lives.
How does one distinguish lust from need? If it is not a need, it is lust. Lust is excessive desire. Up to a point, a desire is necessary, justified and good but beyond a point it deteriorates into lust. For instance, up to a point we all need money, food, appreciation, love.. But when our desire becomes excessive, it takes the shape of lust. God has given us the spirit of love, power and self control to discern the point at which a legitimate desire becomes lust.
We should discipline our bodies and minds so that we make no provision to fulfil the lust of the eye, the pride of life and the lust of the flesh. By refusing to feed our lusts, we starve and put to death such excessive desires. We should deny our sinful selves and affirm the spirit of Christ in us. By feeding the spirit with the Word, by kneeling in prayer, by constantly communing and listening to the Holy Spirit, we enable the new man in us to grow in strength, grace and maturity.
Prateep V Philip
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
Romans 13 v 14
We are called to be like a new man, the epitome of whom is Jesus who is meek but powerful, simple but excellent, kind but strict, perfect and humble, loving and merciful. We should model ourselves on Christ and develop the mind of Christ. In different situations,we should ask ourselves what would Jesus say or do in these circumstances and we should say or do like-wise. We should clothe ourselves with an armour of light, the different parts of our clothing or armour should reflect the holiness and perfection of God. Our good thoughts, words and deeds should distinguish us from the rest of the world. Our increasing knowledge of the Word will renew us in the image or likeness of Christ. We must not return to our former lusts that ruled over our lives.
How does one distinguish lust from need? If it is not a need, it is lust. Lust is excessive desire. Up to a point, a desire is necessary, justified and good but beyond a point it deteriorates into lust. For instance, up to a point we all need money, food, appreciation, love.. But when our desire becomes excessive, it takes the shape of lust. God has given us the spirit of love, power and self control to discern the point at which a legitimate desire becomes lust.
We should discipline our bodies and minds so that we make no provision to fulfil the lust of the eye, the pride of life and the lust of the flesh. By refusing to feed our lusts, we starve and put to death such excessive desires. We should deny our sinful selves and affirm the spirit of Christ in us. By feeding the spirit with the Word, by kneeling in prayer, by constantly communing and listening to the Holy Spirit, we enable the new man in us to grow in strength, grace and maturity.
Prateep V Philip
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
The Pleasure and Pressure of Treasure
UV 1127-10,000 The Pleasure and Pressure of Treasure
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, whereneither moth and rust destroy,and where thieves do not break in and steal.
Matthew 6 v20
A treasure can be a source of both great pleasure as well as pressure. For many people, their pleasure is their treasure. For some, it is their accumulated wealth. For still others, it is their talent, fame or power. Jesus asks us to store spiritual treasures that are durable and stay with us through all eternity. We need to store our treasures in our hearts where no one can take it away from. It becomes burglar-proof. It is a life-saver, a life-enricher, a life-enhancer. A treasure is something of great value. It is a source of strength and confidence. It is something that can sustain us through difficult times. It can get us whatever we need or desire. The treasures of this world deteriorate in value. These are susceptible to rust, decay and can be a source of trouble as others will aim to steal it from us. Recently, I heard about a man who had a precious diamond ring as a family heirloom. He wanted to sell it and he made it known by taking it to jewellers to have it valued. It ended in tragedy as some criminals murdered him with the intent of stealing it from him.
The Word of God, the promises, warnings, commands and counsel it contains is eternal treasure that we can store in our hearts and minds. It becomes our source of strength and confidence. It can sustain us through periods of drought, famine and persecution. It can be the key to our every need being satisfied. Natural and human factors cannot affect our faith. Nobody can steal our faith. The Word will teach us to be successful and victorious. It can accompany us wherever we go. We will be greatly blessed. The Word we store in our hearts will keep us from sin and temptations. The Word we store in our minds will give us new ideas and prompt us to take wise decisions and choices. The treasure will not itself turn into a source of curse or tragedy in our lives. The treasure itself can prove to be a snare for our souls. When Gideon after the great victories he led Israel to, asked the people of Israel to contribute a piece of gold like an earring each and then, used the collected gold to build an ephod that became a snare to his family and his people.
The good we do to people to reflect the grace and love of God is another eternal treasure for which we will be rewarded in eternity. When we give to the poor, we are lending to the Lord and storing treasure in heaven that is lasting. It is said that our homes or mansions in heaven are built out of the good deeds we do on earth. The word “ Earth” is composed of two syllables-ear and th. We need to use our ears to hear the Word of God. When we look at the structure of our ears, we see how it acts as a funnel to collect all sound and channel it into the inner ears. Then the sound is conveyed to the human brain that assigns different meanings to the various sounds we hear. We need to then Think about the meanings of these sounds, its applications to our daily lives. As we think and meditate on the inner meanings of these words or sounds, the treasures of truth and eternal life are being stored and stacked up in our hearts and minds. Once it is stored in our inmost beings, it creates a transformation of our thoughts, feelings, speech and actions. Such eternal treasures are not inert but interact with the rest of our lives and make us stronger, better and more effective.
Prateep V Philip
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, whereneither moth and rust destroy,and where thieves do not break in and steal.
Matthew 6 v20
A treasure can be a source of both great pleasure as well as pressure. For many people, their pleasure is their treasure. For some, it is their accumulated wealth. For still others, it is their talent, fame or power. Jesus asks us to store spiritual treasures that are durable and stay with us through all eternity. We need to store our treasures in our hearts where no one can take it away from. It becomes burglar-proof. It is a life-saver, a life-enricher, a life-enhancer. A treasure is something of great value. It is a source of strength and confidence. It is something that can sustain us through difficult times. It can get us whatever we need or desire. The treasures of this world deteriorate in value. These are susceptible to rust, decay and can be a source of trouble as others will aim to steal it from us. Recently, I heard about a man who had a precious diamond ring as a family heirloom. He wanted to sell it and he made it known by taking it to jewellers to have it valued. It ended in tragedy as some criminals murdered him with the intent of stealing it from him.
The Word of God, the promises, warnings, commands and counsel it contains is eternal treasure that we can store in our hearts and minds. It becomes our source of strength and confidence. It can sustain us through periods of drought, famine and persecution. It can be the key to our every need being satisfied. Natural and human factors cannot affect our faith. Nobody can steal our faith. The Word will teach us to be successful and victorious. It can accompany us wherever we go. We will be greatly blessed. The Word we store in our hearts will keep us from sin and temptations. The Word we store in our minds will give us new ideas and prompt us to take wise decisions and choices. The treasure will not itself turn into a source of curse or tragedy in our lives. The treasure itself can prove to be a snare for our souls. When Gideon after the great victories he led Israel to, asked the people of Israel to contribute a piece of gold like an earring each and then, used the collected gold to build an ephod that became a snare to his family and his people.
The good we do to people to reflect the grace and love of God is another eternal treasure for which we will be rewarded in eternity. When we give to the poor, we are lending to the Lord and storing treasure in heaven that is lasting. It is said that our homes or mansions in heaven are built out of the good deeds we do on earth. The word “ Earth” is composed of two syllables-ear and th. We need to use our ears to hear the Word of God. When we look at the structure of our ears, we see how it acts as a funnel to collect all sound and channel it into the inner ears. Then the sound is conveyed to the human brain that assigns different meanings to the various sounds we hear. We need to then Think about the meanings of these sounds, its applications to our daily lives. As we think and meditate on the inner meanings of these words or sounds, the treasures of truth and eternal life are being stored and stacked up in our hearts and minds. Once it is stored in our inmost beings, it creates a transformation of our thoughts, feelings, speech and actions. Such eternal treasures are not inert but interact with the rest of our lives and make us stronger, better and more effective.
Prateep V Philip
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