Hidden (Krypto) Treasures

To get pearls, one must dive deep!

Jesus Impersonator :: Light

By

On September 24, 2012

In Christian, Jesus Impersonator

When iniquity was found in Lucifer (Satan) who sought to take the place of God (Ezekiel 28:6,9,15), Satan was thrown out of heaven along with the angels whom he deceived to rebel against God, and since then Satan has been trying to take the place of God. He uses the deception of impersonation to deceive many. We must therefore watch out and pray and be on the alert (sober and vigilant) so that we are not deceived (1 Peter 4:7).

Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world and whoever follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12). But Satan impersonates Jesus the Light of the world, by transforming himself into an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).

Points to ponder:
If we follow Jesus, the LIGHT of the world, we will not live a life of sin, walking in darkness, and will have the light of life in us.
If we follow Satan, the Jesus Impersonator as the light of the world, we will continue to live a life of sin, walking in darkness and will have the darkness of death in us. Marvel not!
Do you/I have the light of life?

2 Corinthians 11:14 (KJV)
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

Luke 21:36 (KJV)
36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Why Give? :: Discipleship expression

By

On September 21, 2012

In Christian, Giving

The first definition of the word “disciple” in the Merriam-Webster’s dictionary is as follows: “one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another.” But is this definition complete? According to Jesus, one must give up everything to be Jesus’ disciple (Luke 14:33). In other words, in addition to accepting and assisting in the spreading of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, one must abide by the words of Jesus Christ and abandon everything he or she owns, in order to be a disciple of Jesus. This means, that to give up (abandon) is an expression of discipleship.

Points to ponder:
Can you/I count ourselves as a disciple of Jesus Christ? In other words, have you/I given up everything we own? Giving up our life so that his life is lived in and through us is what discipleship is about.

Luke 14:33 (NLT)
33 So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.

Why Give? :: Possession expression

By

On September 20, 2012

In Christian, Giving

The lyrics of the song, Freely, Freely (God forgave my sin), that I learned in Sunday School during my youth is as follows:

God forgave my sin, in Jesus name
I’ve been born again, in Jesus name
And in Jesus name, I come to you,
To share his love, as he told me to
He said, “Freely, freely, you have received.
Freely, freely, give.
Go in my name and because you believe
Others will know that I live.”

Jesus told his discples, freely you have received, freely give (Matthew 10:8). Giving is an expression of “possession”; of having received from God. What have we received from God? We have received not the spirit of this world, but the spirit which is of God (1 Corinthians 2:12). In other words, those who possess Jesus Christ are the one who can give him freely for the Salvation of others.

Points to ponder:
Only those who have received can give and so the question is, have you received the Spirit of God who is given to all who believe in Jesus Christ? If you have, are you giving freely whom you have received as you have received. Are you/I not only possessing Jesus Christ in us but is He possessing us, which would make us respond by “giving” him freely as we have received. 

Matthew 10:8 (KJV)
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

1 Corinthians 2:12 (KJV)
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

Why Give? :: Righteousness expression

By

On September 19, 2012

In Christian, Giving

Proverbs 21:26 states that the righteous give and do not hold back. The New Living Translation renders this verse as “the godly love to give”. In fact, giving itself is an expression of righteousness, because the one who gives without sparing believes in God to be the supplier of all their needs. Jesus said, “Give and it will be given back to you” (Luke 6:38). Abraham knew this and he was willing to give his son, his only son, Isaac, whom he loved, as a sacrifice to God, because he believed that God will give his son back to him, even if that meant, that God would raise Isaac from the dead (Hebrews 11:9). Abraham believed God (and gave without holding back) and it was accounted to him for righteousness (Galatians 3:6).

Points to ponder:
Are you willing to give your ALL without holding back? Let us give our everything to Jesus Christ and believe in him so that we are accounted righteous in God’s sight. The righteous give and spares not in anything.

Proverbs 21:26 (KJV)
26 He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.

Galatians 3:6 (KJV)
6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

Why Give? :: Cheerfulness expression

By

On September 18, 2012

In Christian, Giving

While watching the Veggietales movie on St. Nocholas – A story of Joyful giving, with our beloved six year old son, Reuben, there was a dialog in the movie that caught our attention. The dialog was about the reason for giving and the character says “We give not because it makes us happy; We give because we ARE happy.” This in in fact supported Scripturally because Proverbs 22:9 (NLT) affirms that “Blessed (cheerful) are those who are generous, because they feed the poor.” God loves a cheerful (blessed) giver (2 Corinthians 9:7).

Points to ponder:
So are you cheerful? In other words, when you give to God for God, do you give out of the expression of your cheerfulness. God loves a cheerful giver.

Proverbs 22:9 (NLT)
9 Blessed are those who are generous, because they feed the poor.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8 (KJV)
6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Why Give? :: Love expression

By

On September 17, 2012

In Christian, Giving

We are counseled to give (offer) our bodies as a living sacrifice to God and not be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind. But why give? Giving is the true outward expression of inner love. God so loved the world the world that HE GAVE us his only begotten son, through whom came eternal life. When we love God, we will give as an expression of our love for him.

Points to ponder:
Do you/I truly express our love for God? In other words, do you/I give (offer) our bodies as a living service to God which is reasonable service.

John 3:16 (KJV)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

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.

Professional Speaking :: Jesus The Zookeeper

By

On September 13, 2012

In Christian, Professional Speaking

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics enlists “Zookeepers” to be a profession and the American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK) is an non-profit volunteer association that is made up of professions that are dedicated to animal care and conservation. But would we be able to view Jesus as a Zookeeper?

In the Genesis account of creation, it is recorded that God created the living creatures (non-human: beasts, cattle and creepy things) on the same day as he created man and saw that it was all good (Genesis 1:24-27). God then established a vegetarian diet for man (Genesis 1:29) and for the other non-human living creatures (Genesis 1:30) as well. This when extrapolated implies that God cared for the animals he created. It was man’s sin that required God to have to sacrifice from his creation of living animals, to hide the shame of man, when God clothed man and his woman with coats of skin (Genesis 3:21). It was also man’s continued sin that brought about condemnation of all living things and a flood as God’s judgment against man, but after the flood during the time of Noah, God’s covenant to never again destroy extended beyond man to animals (living creatures) as well (Genesis 8:21). Only after the flood was man, given the right to also include animals in his diet (Genesis 9:3-4) but in the book of wisdom and poetry, it is written that the righteous man regards the life of his beasts (Proverbs 12:10). How much more then, the only Righteous True God (Jesus is called the RIGHTEOUS BRANCH – Jeremiah 23:5; Romans 5:18), Jesus The Zookeeper, would care for his animals?

Points to ponder:
Interestingly, the book of Jonah, ends with a question, and includes cattle (animals) alongside humans, extending the grace and mercy (care) of God to animals as well. Here God questions – “Should I not spare Nineveh, which has hundred and twenty thousand people and much cattle?” Jesus The Zookeeper cares for all of his creation, including the animals that he created. How much more then would he be caring for you and me? Are you under the care of Jesus, The Zookeeper? 

Jonah 4:11 (KJV)
11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?

Genesis 8:20-21 (KJV)
20 And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
21 And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

Professional Speaking :: Jesus The Youth Worker

By

On September 12, 2012

In Christian, Professional Speaking

A humorous picture that circulates on the Internet is the picture of a young man sitting on a bench next to a figure symbolizing Jesus and the caption below which reads “No, I am not talking about Twitter. I literally want you to FOLLOW me – Jesus.” A major demographic of our population today are young children and teens that primarily constitute the ‘youth’ category in our generation. And in the absence of positive influences in their life, these youth can be easily swayed into habits and activities (e.g, gangs, sex, drugs, alcohol, etc.) that can destroy their lives. A youth worker specializes in working with children, pre-teens and teens, interacting and counseling them often, and functioning as an older brother or sister or friend/mentor, guiding the youth in the way they should go.

Jesus is the ultimate Youth Worker. The Bible in Luke 2:41-51 gives us a glimpse of Jesus as an youth and what we can learn from that account is that Jesus was all about doing the will and work of God (about God the Father’s business). He was so engrossed as a youth working for God the Father, that he tarried behind in Jerusalem, while his family traveled a day’s journey without realizing that he was not with them. But the account does not end there, after his parents found him, the Bible states that he went back with them and was subject (obedient) to them.

Points to ponder:
The Bible says remember your Creator in the days of your youth (Ecclesiastes 12:1) and like Jesus be obedient unto God (being about His business) and be ye obedient to your parents. Follow (@jesuschrist) in the example of Jesus The Youth Worker. 

Ecclesiastes 12:1 (KJV)
1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;

Professional Speaking :: Jesus The X-Ray Technician

By

On September 11, 2012

In Christian, Professional Speaking

A one-liner that is used in Church humor which is profound is “Jesus is a like an X-ray technician; He can see right through you.” John 2:24-25 establishes the fact that Jesus did not need anyone to bear witness to him about man, because he knew what was in man. There is nothing that can be hidden from Him. Before we were formed, by God, in our mother’s womb, Jesus knew us (Jeremiah 1:5). He is great and mighty in power, and his understanding is infinite (Psalm 147:5).

Points to ponder:
No one can hide from Jesus and nothing can be hidden from him. Jesus can see inside you and he knows what is in you/me. If he looks inside you/me today, what would Jesus The X-Ray technician find?

John 2:24-25 (KJV)
24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,
25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.

Professional Speaking :: Jesus The Ventriloquist

By

On September 10, 2012

In Christian, Professional Speaking

A ventriloquist projects his or her voice in such a way that the sound seems to come from someone else. In this regard, would we be able to consider Jesus to be an Ventriloquist? Jesus said, that the words he speaks are not his own, but of God the Father who sent him (John 12:49-50). These words (commands) leads to eternal life.

Points to ponder:
The words of God the Father which leads to eternal life was spoken by Jesus The Ventriloquist. Can we also speaks the words that lead to eternal life (the gospel of Jesus Christ) just like Jesus The Ventriloquist. 

John 12:49 (KJV)
49 For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. 50 I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”

Page 72 of 171

Previous

Next

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén