UV 2136/10000 Manger Managers and Manger Management
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 2 v 7
If the innkeeper really knew who this baby was, he would have given his own room to Mary and Joseph. The world is often like the innkeeper- too obsessed with the affairs of life, the opportunities, the problems, the activities, the pleasures, possessions to make space for the Lord and Messiah. The extraordinariness of the birth of the God child who had been prophesied by many and chiefly by the Messianic prophet Isaiah was surrounded or camouflaged by the ordinariness of the physical circumstances. God chose that His only begotten son be born in a humble family and in humble circumstances. He went right to the bottom of the pile or the bottom of the social pyramid to make an entrance into the world and the history of humanity. He was opening a new style of leadership and management – manger management. Our titles, our labels, our ranks, our badges of honour, our qualifications, our possessions do not define the manger manager but to obey the Highest in meeting the need of the greatest number of people whom we are called to serve. A manger manager or leader does what is possible while expecting the Lord to do the impossible. He realizes that he is only an agent or instrument, a part of a larger and glorious plan of a great creator.
A “manger manager” or leader is one who stays humble and gives top priority to the will of our Father God. All the three persons in the manger were people who obeyed the Lord- Mary who rejoiced in being a handmaiden to bear the Messiah sent by the Lord, Joseph who acquiesced in the will of God setting aside his own sense of propriety as well as fears and inhibitions to play the role of a foster father to the Child from God. Finally, Jesus who though part of the Almighty God, Everlasting Father and Wonderful Counsellor, though He is the image in which man is created, accepted willingly and joyfully the Father’s decision to send him to a small space on one of the humblest planets Earth. A manger manager follows the example of these three of the holy family in making the obedience to the will of the Lord his or her chief pleasure and duty.
A “manger manager” gives priority to the word of God and spends time reflecting on it. He tries to blend it into all his activities and pursuits. He draws wisdom and inspiration daily from it. A manger manager is not defeated by rejection or by difficulties or by lack of physical comforts. His faith enables him to rise above every circumstance, fixing his eye on the ultimate vision of fulfilling God’s will and executing His plan on earth. A manger manager lives in harmony with all God’s creatures and with nature. A manger manager is contented if his basic needs are met. He is realistic and stays close to the ground reality even as he has his eye fixed on heaven. A manger manager makes the best of the worst circumstances, never grumbles about his lot but does his best to remain comfortable in the prevailing circumstances, while hoping and working for the best. Towards this end, a manger manager is creative and innovative.
Prateep V Philip
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Blocks and Bondages
UV 2135/10000 Blocks and Bondages
Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
John 11 v 39
From this uni-verse we learn that the Lord expects us to remove the blocks and bondages that we ourselves have placed or tied ourselves with. Jesus asked the people who placed the stone to remove it themselves. Likewise, when Lazarus came to life again when Jesus said, “ Lazarus, come forth”, He told them to set him loose as he was bound with a shroud around his face and his limbs were tied with grave clothes. The Lord expects us to do the possible and He will do the impossible. The Israelites led by Moses had to begin walking towards the Red Sea while the Lord parted the waters for them to walk through. The Lord gave the manna and the quails while the Israelites had to collect it. The body provided the few fish and the bread while the Lord multiplied it to feed the multitude. The apostles had to venture out fishing in the Sea of Galilee. They cast their nets down into the water. The Lord filled it to the point of bursting. If we initiate with faith, the Lord will complete it with grace. If we walk one mile, the Lord will walk the extra mile with us.
By the things we do, say and think, we place hurdles in our own paths. We tie ourselves up with the thoughts we think and the words we speak, the things we do. Jesus will not free us from these things as He expects and directs us to remove the obstacles ourselves and remove the blockages or bondages that restrict us in the spirit. He only promises that if we believe, we will see His glory, His greatness, His goodness, His grace, His power, His mercy. He will bring to life again by His word the things that are dead in our lives.
We need to identify the things in our lives that stink, that is displeasing to the Lord and have these removed. There are things the Lord has warned us to avoid or to do. We need to obey these instructions implicitly. Our own limiting beliefs are the stone and the bonds that inhibit or restrict us, keeping the grace and power of God from being fully manifest in our lives. Our vision is shrouded and clouded by our own fears and doubts. These things weigh heavily on our mind and restrict the Spirit of the Lord from working fully in us. We need to take decisive action to remove these.
Prateep V Philip
Monday, November 28, 2016
Like Attracts Like
UV 2134/10000 Like Attracts Like
For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
Job 3 v 25
Both our most dreaded fears and our most ardent hopes have the power of self fulfilling prophecy. We attract into our lives the very things we fear. If we fear a certain event in our hearts and confess it with our mouths, it will probably happen. Our fear becomes the seed of bad news. Likewise, our hope is the seed of good news. Job greatly feared that God’s wrath may rest upon him and he and his family might face some deadly disaster due to some wilful and unwitting words spoken by any of his sons. He openly stated that he was terrorised by the thought of destruction inflicted on him by God. Fearing evil is distrusting God, not believing Him to be our loving Creator and doting Father. Giving expression or confessing such fears is like cursing God for our beliefs have the power of limiting what the Lord can do in our lives. It is an expression of no confidence in an all loving, all knowing, all powerful Father and Saviour.
The story is told of a man who feared something disastrous would happen if he went outside his home. He remained ensconced in what he thought was the safest place on earth- his home. He locked himself into his room. But the irony is that a rare and deadly insect somehow entered that room and stung him. Indeed, our fears poke holes or chinks in the armour of faith. Imagine those who have no faith or hope. They are completely bereft of any protection whatsoever and are open for attack or spiritual assault from any direction. I recall my then boss, the Superintendent of Police of the district where I was posted in 1990. In May 1991, he told me that he feared something deadly or disastrous would happen to him due to an astrological prediction based on his horoscope. He began to be more careful and even more religious. He even asked his staff car driver to go slowly lest he met with an accident. But tragically, on May 21, 1991, the Superintendent of Police died due to severe injuries in the human bomb assassination of the former Prime Minister Mr Rajiv Gandhi. I survived with injuries on account of my faith which I expressed to him that “ God will protect me and my family.”
I just heard of a person who lost his job in the USA as he secretly feared for a long while that he might lose his job. We need to replace our fears with a faith in the living, sovereign and Most High God who revealed Himself through the prophets, His word and most fully through His son Jesus. Fear of God or faith repels all fears. It is a fail proof, fool proof, fire proof, sin proof, disaster proof, flood proof, bullet proof and bomb proof protection for those who trust Him. We need to wear the whole armour of God- from headgear full of assurance and hope, a heart of trust and love, a shield of faith in the specific promises of protection as in Psalm 91, Psalm 121 and so on, the sharp, heart-penetrating truths of the sword of the Word, the willingness and discipline of applying rightly the truths revealed and learnt, the feet and shoes to go places to be a w itness for the Lord.
Prateep V Philip
Sunday, November 27, 2016
Rootedness and Fruitfulness
UV 2133/10000 Rootedness and Fruitfulness
Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
Colossians 2 v 7
Believers are trees of righteousness that grow forth from the tiny seed of faith in Jesus planted in our hearts. If we are rooted in this faith, we will not move away from the hope of eternal life we were first inspired with when we believed and received Jesus into our hearts with folded hands. We will increasingly be more rooted, strengthened, established, settled, not just convinced but convicted in our faith. Our doubts and fears will flee. We will fan our faith into full flame and sustain it right through our lives. We will not allow false doctrine or setbacks to affect the fervour of our faith. Our foundation will be like that of a castle that is set in solid bedrock. Nothing can shake our faith. Nothing and no one can cause us to shrink back from the grace of the Lord.
To be rooted in the Lord, implies that we are rooted in love. The vertical plank of the cross is our love for God. The horizontal is our love for each other- our near and dear ones, the stranger and the neighbour, our friends, our enemies. Both need to intensify and grow over time. Our understanding of the multi-dimensional love of Christ needs to grow manifold. As that understanding and our own love grows, we will glow in both good words and good works that are the fruit or the expression of that deep seated, deep rooted love. We will grow in maturity and will no longer be just consumers of grace but producers, c0-producers of grace. We will no longer be governed by our whims, our fancies, our moods, our desires but be driven by God-given, guided and goaded goals. We will not translate the huge load of teachings we have received this far into principles that are actively practiced in our daily lives.
One of the things that pleases the Lord and is evidence of our rootedness and maturity is a heart of gratitude. We need to overflow with thanksgiving towards the Lord for all He has done for us, for all He has revealed, for all He has given us in His grace. The attitude of constant and overflowing gratitude towards the Lord is a state of bliss and blessedness. It is a stimulus for our further fruitfulness and growth. It is both the cause and effect of sustained joy forevermore. It is also a faith multiplier.
Prateep V Philip
Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
Colossians 2 v 7
Believers are trees of righteousness that grow forth from the tiny seed of faith in Jesus planted in our hearts. If we are rooted in this faith, we will not move away from the hope of eternal life we were first inspired with when we believed and received Jesus into our hearts with folded hands. We will increasingly be more rooted, strengthened, established, settled, not just convinced but convicted in our faith. Our doubts and fears will flee. We will fan our faith into full flame and sustain it right through our lives. We will not allow false doctrine or setbacks to affect the fervour of our faith. Our foundation will be like that of a castle that is set in solid bedrock. Nothing can shake our faith. Nothing and no one can cause us to shrink back from the grace of the Lord.
To be rooted in the Lord, implies that we are rooted in love. The vertical plank of the cross is our love for God. The horizontal is our love for each other- our near and dear ones, the stranger and the neighbour, our friends, our enemies. Both need to intensify and grow over time. Our understanding of the multi-dimensional love of Christ needs to grow manifold. As that understanding and our own love grows, we will glow in both good words and good works that are the fruit or the expression of that deep seated, deep rooted love. We will grow in maturity and will no longer be just consumers of grace but producers, c0-producers of grace. We will no longer be governed by our whims, our fancies, our moods, our desires but be driven by God-given, guided and goaded goals. We will not translate the huge load of teachings we have received this far into principles that are actively practiced in our daily lives.
One of the things that pleases the Lord and is evidence of our rootedness and maturity is a heart of gratitude. We need to overflow with thanksgiving towards the Lord for all He has done for us, for all He has revealed, for all He has given us in His grace. The attitude of constant and overflowing gratitude towards the Lord is a state of bliss and blessedness. It is a stimulus for our further fruitfulness and growth. It is both the cause and effect of sustained joy forevermore. It is also a faith multiplier.
Prateep V Philip
Friday, November 25, 2016
Fulfillment
UV 2132/10000 Fufillment
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecclesiastes 12 v 13
Fearing God implies having a deep and abiding sense of reverence towards the Lord of heaven and earth. It causes the extinction of all other fears- the fear of death, the fear of evil, the fear of failure, the fear of violence, the fear of punishment, the fear of the consequences of guilt, the fear of the consequences of one’s mistakes and so on. Fear of God in other words is not fear but the opposite of fear- faith. Trusting God for all the shortcomings, personal and of life. The fear of God promises us the rewards of true and inner wisdom, longevity, productivity, prosperity and continuity of legacy in succeeding generations.
The fear of God is not a mere psychological issue or an attitude but it is the active enthusiasm for His Word. It is about paying attention to the letter and spirit of His commandments and doing it. It is about knowing the nature or character of God and trying to conform to it. It is about walking in all His ways, step by step, moment by moment, all day and all our days. It is about loving the Lord, serving Him with all our hearts and souls. It is about giving priority to the kingdom or rule of the Lord in our lives. It is about actively seeking His will and abiding by it.
Solomon discovered after all his experimentation and experiences with a variety of things like pleasure, wealth, wisdom that fearing and serving God is the essence of our lives. It is our wholesome duty and in it all our other activities and duties would be subsumed and fulfilled. It will keep us from all pitfalls, vanities, follies and errors, wilful and otherwise, in our lives. It is the very purpose of creation and of our existence. We will find our fulfilment in loving and obeying the Lord wholeheartedly. Both our journeys and the destination, the process and the results would be greatly blessed. The fear of God does not restrict us but expands our understanding, our freedom, our powers and the use of all our faculties. It gives us access to great spiritual wisdom that eluded the great men and women of history.
Prateep V Philip
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecclesiastes 12 v 13
Fearing God implies having a deep and abiding sense of reverence towards the Lord of heaven and earth. It causes the extinction of all other fears- the fear of death, the fear of evil, the fear of failure, the fear of violence, the fear of punishment, the fear of the consequences of guilt, the fear of the consequences of one’s mistakes and so on. Fear of God in other words is not fear but the opposite of fear- faith. Trusting God for all the shortcomings, personal and of life. The fear of God promises us the rewards of true and inner wisdom, longevity, productivity, prosperity and continuity of legacy in succeeding generations.
The fear of God is not a mere psychological issue or an attitude but it is the active enthusiasm for His Word. It is about paying attention to the letter and spirit of His commandments and doing it. It is about knowing the nature or character of God and trying to conform to it. It is about walking in all His ways, step by step, moment by moment, all day and all our days. It is about loving the Lord, serving Him with all our hearts and souls. It is about giving priority to the kingdom or rule of the Lord in our lives. It is about actively seeking His will and abiding by it.
Solomon discovered after all his experimentation and experiences with a variety of things like pleasure, wealth, wisdom that fearing and serving God is the essence of our lives. It is our wholesome duty and in it all our other activities and duties would be subsumed and fulfilled. It will keep us from all pitfalls, vanities, follies and errors, wilful and otherwise, in our lives. It is the very purpose of creation and of our existence. We will find our fulfilment in loving and obeying the Lord wholeheartedly. Both our journeys and the destination, the process and the results would be greatly blessed. The fear of God does not restrict us but expands our understanding, our freedom, our powers and the use of all our faculties. It gives us access to great spiritual wisdom that eluded the great men and women of history.
Prateep V Philip
Thursday, November 24, 2016
Facing Good and Bad Times
UV 2131/10000 Facing Good and Bad Times
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Romans 12 v 12
It is written in the book of Proverbs that, “ A hope fulfilled is sweet to the soul.” Our hopes cause us to be desirous of living on. The moment all hope is gone, we would rather perish. When the hope is realized, we rejoice. When a promise of the Lord is fulfilled in our lives, we rejoice not just at that moment but the very memory of God’s faithfulness to His promises causes us to rejoice all the days of our lives. The word “ rejoice” is used thrice consecutively in the Psalms and in the epistles of Paul. It implies we rejoice for our past hopes that are fulfilled in Christ, rejoice for our present hopes being fulfilled in Christ, rejoice for our future hopes to be fulfilled in Christ. Proverbs also states that “ a cheerful heart is good medicine.” The secret of a cheerful heart is the nourishment given by hope. We hope for a better life for ourselves and our families. We hope for eternal life. We hope for success in our workplace and elsewhere. We hope for good and health, long lasting relationships. Each hope is a cause not just of eventual joy but right now as we are filled with hope, it gives us joy.
Someone stated that our lives are like the keyboard of a piano with the white keys signifying the good times and the bad keys signifying difficult or bad times. Both produce musical notes. If we can accept good times as a blessing from the Lord, we should also accept difficult times as a blessing. We need to be patient if not cheerful as James asks us to be when we face trials and problems. We need to know it is a passing phase and a testing time to make us and not to break us, to strengthen us from within and not to weaken or destroy us. We should face it with equanimity and not murmur, grumble or complain that the Lord is unfairly dealing with us. We may not know the purpose at the time but in due time, it will be known and we will thank the Lord even for the difficulties and challenges.
Praise, thanksgiving and prayer need to be offered up continually during good times. We should not go to the Lord only when we have difficulties as it will show we are time servers and opportunists. Our faithfulness is proved only when we are consistent in our prayer life at all times. During difficult times, we need to offer supplications, intercession with thanksgiving and praise. In short, we need to pray continually and the Lord will give us the grace to rejoice in hope and to endure in our troubles.
Prateep V Philip
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Romans 12 v 12
It is written in the book of Proverbs that, “ A hope fulfilled is sweet to the soul.” Our hopes cause us to be desirous of living on. The moment all hope is gone, we would rather perish. When the hope is realized, we rejoice. When a promise of the Lord is fulfilled in our lives, we rejoice not just at that moment but the very memory of God’s faithfulness to His promises causes us to rejoice all the days of our lives. The word “ rejoice” is used thrice consecutively in the Psalms and in the epistles of Paul. It implies we rejoice for our past hopes that are fulfilled in Christ, rejoice for our present hopes being fulfilled in Christ, rejoice for our future hopes to be fulfilled in Christ. Proverbs also states that “ a cheerful heart is good medicine.” The secret of a cheerful heart is the nourishment given by hope. We hope for a better life for ourselves and our families. We hope for eternal life. We hope for success in our workplace and elsewhere. We hope for good and health, long lasting relationships. Each hope is a cause not just of eventual joy but right now as we are filled with hope, it gives us joy.
Someone stated that our lives are like the keyboard of a piano with the white keys signifying the good times and the bad keys signifying difficult or bad times. Both produce musical notes. If we can accept good times as a blessing from the Lord, we should also accept difficult times as a blessing. We need to be patient if not cheerful as James asks us to be when we face trials and problems. We need to know it is a passing phase and a testing time to make us and not to break us, to strengthen us from within and not to weaken or destroy us. We should face it with equanimity and not murmur, grumble or complain that the Lord is unfairly dealing with us. We may not know the purpose at the time but in due time, it will be known and we will thank the Lord even for the difficulties and challenges.
Praise, thanksgiving and prayer need to be offered up continually during good times. We should not go to the Lord only when we have difficulties as it will show we are time servers and opportunists. Our faithfulness is proved only when we are consistent in our prayer life at all times. During difficult times, we need to offer supplications, intercession with thanksgiving and praise. In short, we need to pray continually and the Lord will give us the grace to rejoice in hope and to endure in our troubles.
Prateep V Philip
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
True Liberty
UV 2130/10000 True Liberty
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Galatians 5 v 1
True liberty is spiritual freedom that we get when we are set free by faith in Christ from the many bondages of sin, its consequences and death. If we do not sin, we shine. When we sin, we are taking away light or truth. When we obey the truth who is Christ, we are set free from sin and its consequences. We should therefore not return to a lifestyle of sin. We are set free from envying, anger, hatred, strife, drunkenness, sexual immorality and the like. We are also set free from the onerous requirements of the law of Moses- the many rules and regulations. We have one law now and it is the higher law, the ultimate commandment that of love and service.
We should no longer get entangled knowingly or unknowingly with the lusts of this world. These are the yoke of bondage that restricts us, limits us, entraps us. These bonds have been broken with the death and resurrection of the Messiah. The Messiah saved us from our mess. We should not therefore return to it. We should not return to the loveless legalism of the bondage of law- a thousand do’s and don’ts. The law is the veil that kept us from the Shekinah radiance of the Lord. That veil has been torn asunder from top to bottom indicating it is an act of God so that we can freely perceive the truth and freely obey it.
We are no longer to be led by the law but we are led by the Spirit of God. He guides us through the many dynamic scenarios, situations and choices in our lives. He enables us to enjoy the freedom we experience in the presence of the Lord. He illuminates our paths so we should know the next step we should take. We trust Him for our ultimate destination, that He would help or enable us to get there. We are not bogged down by restrictions and prohibitions, the shackles of the expectations of society but we take our stand on every issue in accordance with the revealed will of God as per His word. When we err, the Holy Spirit disciplines us, when we do the right thing, He encourages us.
Prateep V Philip
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Galatians 5 v 1
True liberty is spiritual freedom that we get when we are set free by faith in Christ from the many bondages of sin, its consequences and death. If we do not sin, we shine. When we sin, we are taking away light or truth. When we obey the truth who is Christ, we are set free from sin and its consequences. We should therefore not return to a lifestyle of sin. We are set free from envying, anger, hatred, strife, drunkenness, sexual immorality and the like. We are also set free from the onerous requirements of the law of Moses- the many rules and regulations. We have one law now and it is the higher law, the ultimate commandment that of love and service.
We should no longer get entangled knowingly or unknowingly with the lusts of this world. These are the yoke of bondage that restricts us, limits us, entraps us. These bonds have been broken with the death and resurrection of the Messiah. The Messiah saved us from our mess. We should not therefore return to it. We should not return to the loveless legalism of the bondage of law- a thousand do’s and don’ts. The law is the veil that kept us from the Shekinah radiance of the Lord. That veil has been torn asunder from top to bottom indicating it is an act of God so that we can freely perceive the truth and freely obey it.
We are no longer to be led by the law but we are led by the Spirit of God. He guides us through the many dynamic scenarios, situations and choices in our lives. He enables us to enjoy the freedom we experience in the presence of the Lord. He illuminates our paths so we should know the next step we should take. We trust Him for our ultimate destination, that He would help or enable us to get there. We are not bogged down by restrictions and prohibitions, the shackles of the expectations of society but we take our stand on every issue in accordance with the revealed will of God as per His word. When we err, the Holy Spirit disciplines us, when we do the right thing, He encourages us.
Prateep V Philip
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