Hidden (Krypto) Treasures

To get pearls, one must dive deep!

Month: April 2012 Page 2 of 3

Convicted as charged

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On April 16, 2012

In Christian

The Bible states that we must be imitators of God as dearly beloved children (Ephesians 5:1) and counsels us to walk in love as Christ loved us and offer ourselves as a living sacrifice as did Christ Jesus (Ephesians 5:2). We must not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind (Romans 12:2), so that we may prove what is good, acceptable and the perfect, will of God.

Points to ponder:
Someone questioned, “If we were to be arrested for being Christians, would there be enough evidence to convict us?”. Think about this. Are you/I imitators of God? In other words, will we be convicted as charged for being followers of Jesus Christ, proving that our lives are good, acceptable and perfect, according to the will of God?

Ephesians 5:1-2 (NLT)
1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 
2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. 

Romans 12:1-2 (KJV)
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

What is the sin of the world?

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On April 13, 2012

In Christian

When John the Baptist saw Jesus, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29). Often this is misquoted as the “sins of the world”, implying the plurality of “sin” and the comprehensiveness of God’s Salvation that comes by belief in Jesus Christ. There is absolutely no doubt that the blood of Jesus Christ was shed for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; Acts 10:43; Hebrews 9:22) and there is no sin that is beyond the grace of God, except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit of God (Matthew 12:31-32). But before we explore as to what the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit of God is, let us first seek to see from the Scripture as to what is the sin of the world?

Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit of God comes, he will reprove the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment and expresses that the sin of the world is unbelief in him (John 16:8-9). The sin of the world is unbelief in Jesus Christ. Extrapolating this with the unforgivable sin reveals that the outright rejection to believe in Jesus despite the conviction of the Holy Spirit is unpardonable for there is no other means to Salvation, except belief in Jesus Christ, but to all who believe, the gift of God is eternal life (Matthew 12:31-32; Acts 4:12; John 3:16).

Points to ponder:
Have you believed in Jesus Christ or are you guilty of the sin of the world? If you are being prompted by the Holy Spirit of God to believe in the Lord and have not yet believed, tarry no further, lest you make yourself unforgivable.

John 16: 7-11 (KJV)
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
9 Of sin, because they believe not on me;
10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

Matthew 12:31-32 (KJV)
31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. 

Acts 4:12 (KJV)
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. 

If you were to die today, would you be dead?

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On April 12, 2012

In Christian

Jesus cried and prayed to God the Father who was able to save him from death (Hebrews 5:7), that the cup of God’s wrath on him be passed over (Luke 22:42), but God willed for him to be the passover Lamb that takes away and the sin of the world (Isaiah 53:10; John 1:29) and Jesus knew this. He himself had said earlier, that he had come to give his life (to die) as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). Then why would Jesus pray and request that God save him from death?

We must be careful to recognize that when Jesus prayed for being saved from death, he prayed for being saved from the midst of death, and not necessarily to be spared from dying. In other words, Jesus prayed that from the midst of death, God save him, by resurrecting him from the dead and God heard (answered) this prayer of Jesus as we see from the account of the Resurrection, recorded in the Scripture (Matthew 28:6).

Points to ponder:
The Scripture affirms that we are all appointed once to die (Hebrews 9:27), but we are not appointed unto death (spiritual/second death) and all who believe in Jesus Christ, whom God heard and saved from the midst of death, resurrecting him, will also be resurrected from being dead in sin, to being dead to sin and to walking in the newness of life (Romans 6:4). If you were to die today, would you be dead?

Hebrews 5:7 (KJV)
7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

Romans 6:3-11 (KJV)
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Post Resurrection :: Appearance of Jesus

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On April 11, 2012

In Christian

Following his resurrection, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9-11), two on the road to Emmaus (Mark 16:12-13), his disciples (Mark 16:14), a gathering of 500 (1 Corinthians 15:6), and all of the apostles (1 Corinthians 15:7), but what is interesting to note, is that while some who saw the risen Christ worshipped him, there were others who doubted (Matthew 28:17).

Points to ponder:
Jesus said to Thomas, because you have seen, you have believed, but blessed are they who believe in me even if they have not seen me (John 20:29). For when we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Savior of all mankind, the end result would be ascribing unto him worship. Today, if the risen Lord appears to you and the eyes of your heart sees him, will you worship him or will you doubt? Don’t be a doubter!

Matthew 28:17 (KJV)
 17And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

John 20:29 (KJV)
29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. 

Jesus was rightfully accussed

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On April 10, 2012

In Christian

Leading to the crucifixion of Jesus, the people who were seeking his death, accused Jesus of two things primarily, and guess what, they were right. One of the accusation was that he was Christ (Luke 22:66-71), which is spiritual in nature. The other accusation was that he was a king, which is physical in nature, pertaining to the things of this world (Luke 23:2).
Though Jesus was rightfully accused (for he is indeed the Christ; the anointed one of God and he is the King; the King of kings indeed), he was wrongfully condemned to death, for Pilate found no fault in Jesus (Luke 23:22), yet handed him over to be crucified.

Points to ponder:
Jesus was rightfully accused to be Christ, the Son of God and as the King, but wrongfully condemned so that when we believe in him and walk according to his Spirit, there is no condemnation for us (Romans 8:1). Jesus is both Christ and King. Do you know him as Christ and King?

Luke 22:66-71
66 And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, saying,
67 Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:
68And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go.
69 Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.
70 Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am71And they said, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.

Luke 23:1-3 (KJV)
1 And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate.
2 And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.
3 And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it.

Jesus Amongst Thieves

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On April 9, 2012

In Christian

Interestingly, Jesus was accused of many things so that they could crucify him, but not as a thief, yet he was numbered with the transgressors (Isaiah 53:12) and was crucified in between two thieves, according to the Scripture (Matthew 27:38; Mark 15:27). For those who are familiar with the crucifixion account, one of the thieves was repentant and believed in Jesus as Lord and King (Luke 23:42) while the other was rebellious and refused the Redeemer on the Cross.

While reading this account, let us be careful to not just write off these thieves as two individuals, recorded in history, in the event of the Crucifixion. Accordingly to Malachi 3:8, the Bible establishes the fact that, many a times, we act as thieves as well. We rob God in our tithes (by withholding what is already his) and in our offering (by not offering our bodies as a living sacrifice).

Points to ponder:
Jesus finds himself, even today, amongst thieves, but the question that remains is what kind? Symbolically the two thieves that hung along side Jesus, reflects the dichotomy that exists in our society as to how one perceives the Redeeming Jesus Christ on the Cross; some have a change of heart, while others harden it. The one who believed and repented was assured of Salvation. Which kind of thief are you and  I – a rebel or a repentant one? Jesus is amongst thieves, amongst you and me and we can’t rob him.

Malachi 3:8 (KJV)
8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

Romans 12:1-2 (KJV)
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

The true meaning of the Resurrection

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On April 6, 2012

In Christian

What is the resurrection? On Easter Sunday, all of Christendom celebrates the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, commemorating his victory over sin and the power of the devil, which is death (Hebrews 2:14), but let us be careful not to miss out on the true meaning of Resurrection.

While Easter to many in the faith may mean one or more of the following:
The day that the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead (and/or)
The day that the tomb in which Jesus was laid after his death became empty (and/or)
The day that the sting and bondage of the grave was loosened (and/or)
The day when the devil was destroyed and the power of death vanquished …
let us be careful to not miss out on the true meaning of Resurrection.

When Jesus told Martha that Lazarus, her dead brother, shall rise again; Martha responds by saying, “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day”, but Jesus asserts to her that “He indeed is the resurrection, and the life”.
Resurrection is more than just an event. It is a person. It is Jesus Christ.
So the correct question to ask is not “What is the Resurrection?” but “Who is the Resurrection?”

Points to ponder: 
Jesus Christ said, “I AM the Resurrection and the Life, if anyone believes in me, though he shall die, yet he shall live and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die” and then questioned, “Do you believe this?” Do you?

John 11:21-27 (KJV)
21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

Let’s talk business :: From the Cross – 7th Saying

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On April 5, 2012

In Christian, Seven Sayings

When Jesus was twelve years old, he questioned, “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49) and on his crucifixion, he spoke seven sayings that are often expanded upon on Good Friday services, all over the world. This series, ‘Let’s talk business’ is a look at the seven sayings of Jesus Christ from the Cross, from a business perspective. Today we shall look at the seventh saying from the Cross, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” as recorded in  Luke 23:46.

According to BusinessDictionary.com, the term “closure” is used to describe the termination of an project or activity. This happens after handover and closeout. The Association for Project Management defines handover as the final phase in which the deliverables are handed over to the sponsor and closeout as the process of finalizing all project matters.

When Jesus said “Father, into thy hands, I commend my spirit” before giving up his ghost, he was essentially handing over his spirit to God the Father, finalizing his act of being The Savior of the world and putting to closure the need for any more sacrifice for the remission of sins. God’s project of making a means to reconcile mankind to himself (2 Corinthians 5:19), was now put to an end, because Jesus’ willing and unblemished sacrifice was accepted by God (Hebrews 10:10). Jesus came to save sinners and give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45) and now he had finished the work that God had given him to do (John 17:4). With this last saying, he was declaring to the world and to God the Father, that his work of redeeming mankind was now complete. He was ready to be restored to the former glory that he had with God the Father, even before the world existed (John 17:5), putting a closure to his earthly mission.

Points to ponder:
Jesus handed over his spirit to God the Father and put a closure to his mission, while on earth. Can you/I emulate this model of Jesus Christ and hand overselves over, in totality (our body as a living sacrifice, our mind reflecting the humility as that of Christ, and our spirit), to God, and put a closure to the worldly things of this world, while on earth?

Luke 23:46 (KJV)
46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. 

Let’s talk business :: From the Cross – 6th Saying

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On April 4, 2012

In Christian, Seven Sayings

When Jesus was twelve years old, he questioned, “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49) and on his crucifixion, he spoke seven sayings that are often expanded upon on Good Friday services, all over the world. This series, ‘Let’s talk business’ is a look at the seven sayings of Jesus Christ from the Cross, from a business perspective. Today we shall look at the sixth saying from the Cross, “It is finished” as recorded in John 19:30.

According to BusinessDictionary.com, the term “Paid in full” is used to describe the situation when debt is satisfied in its entirety.

When Jesus prayed, he prayed that he had finished the work that God had anointed him to do (John 17:5) and now on the Cross, he reaffirmed it by stating “It is finished.” But what is it that has been finished? The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), but Jesus’ death satisfied our debt of sin in its entirety. This means there is no longer any lien on our soul if we believe in Jesus.

Points to ponder:
Does your soul have a lienholder or have you believed in Jesus Christ? In business terms, Jesus paid in full; he paid for us all with his life. Now can we in response, offer and pay our lives in full back to him. 

John 19:30 (KJV)
30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

Let’s talk business :: From the Cross – 5th Saying

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On April 3, 2012

In Christian, Seven Sayings

When Jesus was twelve years old, he questioned, “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49) and on his crucifixion, he spoke seven sayings that are often expanded upon on Good Friday services, all over the world. This series, ‘Let’s talk business’ is a look at the seven sayings of Jesus Christ from the Cross, from a business perspective. Today we shall look at the fifth saying from the Cross, “I thirst” as recorded in John 19:28.

According to BusinessDictionary.com, the term “demand” has got three definitions. In commerce, it is the claim for a sum of wages as due, required or necessary. In economics, it is the desire for certain goods or service supported by the capacity to purchase it and in law, it is an assertion of a legal right.

When Jesus said, “I thirst”, from the vantage point of his physical needs, it is likely that he merely expressed the need for water, which is critical for life. However, deeper scrutiny of the text reveals that he said, I thirst so that the scripture may be fulfilled and this leads us to learn that this saying has a far greater undercurrent than a mere expression of physical need. Moreover, have you ever wondered why the very one who is the source of living water, thirst merely for the waters he created in order to live. Jesus knew that He, the Son of God, had come to give is life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45), and his goal was not to survive the cross, but to lay down his life (1 John 3:16) and in doing so, he paid the ransom and made the purchase of our lives/soul with his blood (Acts 20:28), therefore claiming the totality (sum) of our life, desiring our soul and asserting his lawful right over us (1 Corinthians 6:20).

Points to ponder:
We were bought with the blood of Jesus and so he demands (thirsts for) our life in return, commercially claiming it, economically desiring it and lawfully asserting it. In business terms, the Scripture, that God does not want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9) comes closer to fulfilment when you believe in response to Jesus’ demand (thirst).  Have you/I given our lives in total and believed in him by faith?

John 19:28 (KJV)
28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.

Acts 20:28 (KJV)
28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

1 Corinthians 6:20 (KJV)
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. 

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