Hidden (Krypto) Treasures

To get pearls, one must dive deep!

Month: December 2014

Jesus – The mighty God

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On December 30, 2014

In Christian, Christmas

The Prophet Isaiah, in the divine prophecy revealed by God unto him, lists out the names by which Jesus shall be called, even before Jesus’ birth – the third being “The mighty God”, for the Bible records “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

The phrase “The mighty God” occurs only a few times in the King James Version of the Holy Bible. The Bible states that the arms of Joseph’s hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob (Genesis 49:24). The Psalmist refers to the Lord as the mighty God who controls the rising and the setting of the sun (Psalm 50:1) and that he would not sleep until he finds a habitation for the mighty God of Jacob (Psalm 132:5). The prophet Isaiah not only prophesies that Jesus’ name shall be called “the mighty God” (Isaiah 9:6) but also prophesies that the remnant of Jacob (God’s people) shall return to the mighty God (Isaiah 10:21). Jeremiah the prophet identifies that the name of Great Lord of hosts who made the heaven and the earth, for whom nothing is too hard, who shows loving kindness unto thousands and deals justly with sins, who is great in counsel and mighty in work, omniscient of all the ways of the sons of men, rewarding each one according to their ways and to the fruit of their work (doings), is the Mighty God.

Points to ponder:
Jesus is the mighty God of Jacob who strengthened the arms of the hands of Joseph, raising him from the pit to the palace as a prince. Jesus is the mighty God who controls the elements of this world (Mark 4:35-41), his creation – from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same. Jesus is the mighty God who made the heavens and the earth, for whom nothing is too hard, who shows loving kindness unto thousands and deals justly with sin. Jesus is great in counsel and his works were deemed mighty in word and in deed (Luke 24:19).
The prophet Isaiah prophesied that the remnant of God’s people shall return to the mighty God. Are you and I returning to God turning back from all our selfish and sinful lives?
The Psalmist declared that he shall not sleep until he finds a habitation for the mighty God. Like the Psalmist, let us also vow to not slumber nor sleep until we find a home for Jesus Christ, the mighty God, in the lives of people who do not know him (yet).
Remember, though this may seem like a impossible task by our own strength, there is nothing too hard for Jesus – The mighty God.

Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Jeremiah 32:17-19 (KJV)
17 Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:
18 Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the Lord of hosts, is his name,
19 Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:

Luke 24:18-19 (KJV)
18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:

Jesus – The Counsellor

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On December 29, 2014

In Christian, Christmas

The Prophet Isaiah, in the divine prophecy revealed by God unto him, lists out the names by which Jesus shall be called, even before Jesus’ birth – the second being “Counsellor”, for the Bible records “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

Merriam-Websters gives a trifold definition to the word “Counsellor” i.e., advisor, advocate (lawyer), and authority (supervisor in-charge). The Bible states that where no counsel is, the people fall (Proverbs 11:14) and without counsel, purposes are disappointed (Proverbs 15:22).

Jesus’ name shall be called Counsellor for he is The Counsellor,
– who advises us in the way we should go (Psalm 32:8) with his eyes fixed on us,
– who is our advocate with the Father, when we sin against God (1 John 2:1) and
– who is the overall supreme authority over our lives and the lives of all (Matthew 28:18).

Points to ponder:
Jesus Christ is The Counsellor. He advices, advocates and has authority over all of mankind. Have you submitted to his authority so that he can supervise your life? If not do so today, so that he can be your advocate and give you Godly counsel.

Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Jesus – The Wonderful

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On December 23, 2014

In Christian, Christmas

The Prophet Isaiah, in the divine prophecy revealed by God unto him, lists out the names by which Jesus shall be called, even before Jesus’ birth – the first being “Wonderful”, for the Bible records “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)

Jesus’ name shall be called Wonderful for he is Wonderful – full of wonders, who not only did wonderful things (Matthew 25:15), but whose thoughts toward us are wonderful  (Psalm 40:5), and whose works are wonderful for the children of men as well (Psalm 107:8,15,21,31).

Because of man’s willful disobedience against God, as the sons of the first Adam, the Psalmist reiterates that in sin we are conceived (Psalm 51:5), which means that from our very birth we are marred and imperfect, needing a Wonderful (Isaiah 9:6) Savior (Matthew 1:21), The last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45-49) to make us perfect and admirable i.e., wonderful. When we believe in Jesus Christ, we are remade into the image of God, a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17) – wonderful just as he is, for by our rebirth (being born again), we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).

Points to ponder:
Jesus Christ was made to be the Wonderful, so that we who were imperfect in our sinfulness could be made perfect and wonderful, just as he is, when we believe in him. Jesus is The Wonderful. Are you?

Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Psalm 139:14 (KJV)
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

Lift up your eyes and look

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On December 9, 2014

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

Genesis 18 begins with the verses – “And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him:”

While the identity of two of the three men is not explicitly stated in this account, from Genesis 19:1 we can learn that these two were as angels (messengers of God with a mission) and the other first person was the Lord himself.

Close scrutiny of this encounter (experience) reveals a couple of hidden treasures in these two verses. First, the Lord appeared to Abraham (Theophany to Abraham), who sat at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Second, Abraham had to lift up his eyes and look to see three men standing by.

Points to Ponder:
The Lord appears to his people, to you and me, as we search the Bible daily (Acts 17:11) to see glimpses of his infallible, loving and just nature, in the person of Jesus Christ. Many of us are beaten down by the heat of the day i.e., the harsh elements of life itself and our most likely posture is that our faces are down as our spirit is downcast. What we need to do is to lift up our eyes (of understanding – Ephesians 1:18) and look up at the Lord, from whom our help comes from (Psalms 121:1-2)
Are you lifting up your eyes and looking at the Lord? Lift up your eyes and look. Tarry no further!

Genesis 18:1-2a (KJV)
1 And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him:

Doing works for God or Doing God’s will

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On December 5, 2014

In Christian

While meditating this morning, I was being taught to recognize the dangers of being engaged in God’s work without being in God’s will. The passage I was reading is a familiar passage to many, and it is the words of Jesus in Matthew chapter 7, wherein he warns “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”

This is a warning to all missionaries, full-time and part-time church workers and the lay person, for the people that Jesus is referring to here are not those who are unaware of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but those who have prophesied, cast out devils and done (not some but) many wonderful works, in his name – the works that Jesus calls – works of iniquity.

Points to ponder:
So if you and I are a worker of and for Jesus, are we doing works for God or doing God’s will? Let us not have to face Jesus after working for him to hear him say that we are workers of iniquity for not having done the will of God the Father, who is in heaven. Are you/I doing works for God or doing God’s will?

Matthew 7:21-23 (KJV)
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Not in line with God’s plans

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On December 3, 2014

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

In the book Genesis chapter 17, God reveals to Abraham that through his wife Sarah, God would establish his covenant with their son, Isaac (Genesis 17:19, 21), but Abraham in response asks God, “if only Ishmael, the son born to Abraham’s concubine Hagar, would be blessed by God (instead).” God responds that his covenant shall be with the promised son, Isaac and not Ishmael. However, due to the generous and magnanimous greatness of God, God tells Abraham that Ishmael shall be made fruitful and that God will multiply Ishmael exceedingly as well making him a great nation, through the twelve princes that Ishmael shall bear. And then the Bible says, that God left off talking with Abraham and went up.

While it may seem that the request of Abraham to include his son Ishmael may speak of Abraham’s fatherly concern, we must not fail to recognize that such a request was not in line with God’s plan and God leaves the conversation.

Points to ponder:
Many a times we, like Abraham try to tell God what we think is best and step out of God’s plan, when it is not in line with his plan. Doing so can make God leave the conversation he has with us. Let us pray to accept God’s plan for our lives, no matter how improbable or impossible it may seem. Let us resolve and work toward always being in line with God’s plan.

Genesis 17: 18-22 (KJV)
18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!
19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.
21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
22 And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.

Abraham Laughed

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On December 1, 2014

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

Many a times, we hear about how “Sarah” the wife of Abraham laughed when she was told that she would be blessed with a child in her nineties, and seldom realize that it was not only Sarah who laughed, but her husband, Abraham did as well. Genesis 17:17 records that God told Abraham, that he would be blessed with a child and that his barren wife would become the mother of nations and kings would come from her. At this, Abraham fell upon his face and laughed as he mused as to how a child shall be born unto him who was a hundred years old and his wife Sarah who was ninety years old then.. So Abraham laughs.

This was something that not only seemed improbable, but impossible as well, because of their age, which in a sense could justify Abraham’s response of laughter, but it does not discredit his sense of doubt. However, notice that Abraham fell upon his face, implying that he was in a posture of submission and worship, despite his doubt.

Points to ponder:
God’s promises to us may seem incredulous at times and may even evoke a response of laughter, because in our humanness, we tend to doubt God, but what is important is that despite our doubt, we ought to submit to God for doubting without submitting is no laughing matter. God is sovereign and the improbable and impossible things of life are in fact certainties, if God wills.

Genesis 17:17
17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?

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