Hidden (Krypto) Treasures

To get pearls, one must dive deep!

The Vital Stream of Love

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On February 10, 2012

In Christian

Theologian and medical Missionary, Albert Schweitzer, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for his Philosophy of  the “Reverence of Life” writes the following about the Love of God. “There is ocean – cold water without motion. In this ocean, however, is the Gulf Stream, hot water flowing from the equator toward the Pole. Inquire of all scientists how it is physically imaginable that a stream of hot water flows between the waters of the ocean, which so to speak, form its banks, the moving within the motionless, the hot within the cold. No scientist can explain it. Similarly, there is the God of love within the gods of the forces of the universe, so totally different. We let ourselves be seized and carried away by that vital stream”.

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God; that we should be seized and carried by Him and His love.

Points to ponder:
Are you carried by the vital stream of the Love of God? The love of God is expressed in (demonstrated by) Jesus Christ, for while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Do you believe in Jesus, The Vital Stream of Love!

1 John 3:1 (KJV)
1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: 

Romans 5:8 (NLT)
8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

The Last Samurai – I will tell you how he lived

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On February 9, 2012

In Christian, Movie Motions

One of the entertaining movies, that I like to watch is The Last Samurai. It is the story of an American military advisor, Captain Nathan Algren (played by Tom Cruise), who embraces the Samurai culture that he was hired to destroy after he is captured in battle and spared by the Samurai leader Katsumoto (played by Ken Watanabe).In the final scenes of the movie, Captain Algren is on his knees (out of respect), in the presence of the Emperor, Emperor Meiji (played by Shichinosuke Nakamura). The Emperor asks Algren about the Samurai leader Katsumoto and the dialogue transpires as follows:
Emperor: The Samurai is gone. The spirit of samurai lives forever. Tell me how he died.
Algren: I will tell you how he lived.

Like the emperor, many today want to think that Jesus, the Last and Only Samurai (whose fought and won against death and the devil) is gone and they are more interested in knowing about his death than his life or resurrection. Are we responding as did Captain Algren and telling all who question, “I will tell you how Jesus lives.” We can respond in such manner only if Jesus lives in us. The Bible says, that if we love Jesus and keep his words, then God the Father will love him and God as Father and Son, would come and live in us (John 14:33). This means we can tell about the life of Jesus in us, only when we love him and keep his words.

Points to ponder:
Do you and I love Jesus and keep his words (commandments)?
Can we resolve to be like Apostle Paul, who said, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ Jesus who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). This way, our lives will be able to tell How Jesus lives (in and through us) and others will stop asking, “Tell me how Jesus died.”

Galatian 2:20 (KJV)
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 

John 14:33 (KJV)
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 

The sure recipe for success

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On February 8, 2012

In Christian

People aspire very hard to be successful in the things that they set their minds to and some even go so far as to measuring one’s worth by what the world would deem as successful (such as cars, home, a big bank balance), which is unfortunately a facade, since these things are all ephemeral. If you want to be successful in all of your plans, the sure recipe for success can be found in no other place, but in the Bible. Proverbs 16:3 states “Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed” (NLT). The sure recipe for success is in committing our work to the Lord.

Points to ponder:
Have you committed your work/life/all to the Lord? All your plans would succeed, when you do so. It is time for the Lord to work (Psalm 119:126a).
Our job is to commit our actions (work) to God and God’s action (work) is to complete it, as his word promises. We commit, God completes. This is the sure recipe for success.

Proverbs 16:3 (KJV)
3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established. 

Psalm 119:126a (KJV)
126 It is time for thee, LORD, to work:

God repents – It is Enough cause It is Finished

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On February 7, 2012

In Christian

Did you know that even God repents? He does not repent in the same manner as we do, because He is sinless, blameless, pure and Holy, but he repents when he has to chastise us for our sinfulness. 1 Chronicles 21 records the incident of how David was enticed by satan to do the evil of numbering his people, which was an expression of his own abilities, and not his dependence on God. So God sent forth an angel and seventy thousand men were killed. God’s disciplining arm was actually an expression of his justice. But when God’s judgment fell on his people for the sin of David, God said, “It is Enough”, which was an expression of his forgiveness and love. In this account we see the just and loving nature of God.

Points to ponder:
God prefers our repentance over his retribution; our confession over his chastisement. The chastisement that brought peace to mankind from the wrath of God was on Jesus Christ (Isaiah 53:5) and Jesus finished the work of redeeming and reconciling mankind to God, by paying with his life. When God sees the sacrifice of his son, Jesus Christ, he can say, “It is Enough” because Jesus said, “It is Finished.”

Before the throne of God above, I have a strong and perfect plea
A great high priest whose name is Love, who ever lives and pleads for me
My name is graven on his hands, My name is written in his heart
and while I know in heaven, he stands, no tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair, and tells me of the guilt within, 
upward I look, and see him there, who made an end of all my sin.
Because a sinless savior died, my guilty soul is counted free
for God the just is satisfied, to look on Jesus and pardon me. 

1 Chronicles 21:15 (KJV)
15 And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.

Many players, One team, One Mission

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On February 6, 2012

In Uncategorized

While watching the second half of the nail biting Super Bowl XLVI game between the New England Patriot and the New York Giants, on February 5, 2012, my loving wife Sangeetha and I were explaining to our beloved first born son, Reuben (who recently turned six), the rules of the game. While I was explaining the technical details of the game, my wife, made an interesting observation and statement. She said “Look, Reuben, all the players in the team are working together to protect the Quarterback and/or the runner with the ball so that he can reach the goal.” In other words, she succinctly had summarized that though there were many players, they all played as one team, with just one mission, which was to take the ball to the zone where they are not allowed to and score a touchdown to win the game.

In our Christian life, it is not any different. There are many believers, each making the one body of Christ as one team, with just one mission, which is to be an ambassador for and of Jesus Christ. Unless all work together as one (in one accord), the likelihood of winning the game (race) is bleak. Unfortunately, the spirit of unforgiveness and pride often derails many believers in the game, allowing the devil to intercept the gospel of Christ from reaching the unreached zones.

Points to ponder:
Though we are many in persons, we are one as the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12) with One Mission and so let us lay aside our petty differences, forgive those who have hurt us (Ephesians 4:32), humble ourselves esteeming others to be better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3) and press on toward the goal that is in the high calling of Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:14).

1 Corinthians 12:12 (KJV)
12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

Self Deception Series :: Worldly Wise I am

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On February 3, 2012

In Christian, Self Deception

It is one thing to be deceived by someone else, but to be deceived by oneself is quite another. The Bible counsels us to be wary against self-deception and informs us of the conditions in which one is self-deceived.

1 Corinthians 3:18-19 states “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.”
Let us not deceive ourselves.
Instead of being wise in our own eyes, let us be spiritually wise and that means fear the Lord and depart from evil (Proverbs 3:7). The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). To fear God is not only the beginning of wisdom, but it is also the whole duty of man and that is the conclusion of the whole matter (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
Let us not be wise in our own eyes and deceive ourselves.

1 Corinthians 3:18-23 (KJV)
18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are your’s;
22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your’s;
23 And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s. 

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (KJV)
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Self Deception Series :: Unbridled I am

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On February 2, 2012

In Christian, Self Deception

It is one thing to be deceived by someone else, but to be deceived by oneself is quite another. The Bible counsels us to be wary against self-deception and informs us of the conditions in which one is self-deceived.

James 1:26 state that if any man among you seems to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, deceives his own heart and his religion is vain. A word that is aptly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver (Proverbs 25:11) and a wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit (Proverbs 15:4).
Let us not deceive ourselves.
Let us put the bit and bridle to our tongue so that our lives may be in the direction that God wants us to be and like it was on prophet Samuel, let the Spirit of the Lord be in us and his word always be on our tongue (2 Samuel 23:2).
Let us not be unbridled and deceive ourselves.

James 1:26 (KJV)
26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.

2 Samuel 23:2 (KJV)
2 The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.

Self Deception Series :: Narcissist I am

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On February 1, 2012

In Christian, Self Deception

It is one thing to be deceived by someone else, but to be deceived by oneself is quite another. The Bible counsels us to be wary against self-deception and informs us of the conditions in which one is self-deceived.

Galatians 6:3 states that the one who thinks of himself as something, when he is nothing, deceives himself. The dictionary defines a narcissist as a person who is overly self-involved, and often vain and selfish. Biblically, narcissism is referred to as selfishness.
Let us not deceive ourselves.
Let us in lowliness of mind esteem each other better than ourselves. (Philippians 2:3). We must put on humbleness of mind (Colossians 3:12) as is the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5-7), who being God, considered it robbery to be made equal with God, and made himself of no reputation, and took on the form of a servant humbled himself to become obedient unto death, even the death on the cross.
Let us not be a narcissist and deceive ourselves.

Galatians 6:3 (KJV)
3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. 

Colossians 3:12-13 (KJV)
12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Philippians 2:3-11 (KJV)
3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Self Deception Series :: Foolish I am

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On January 31, 2012

In Christian, Self Deception

It is one thing to be deceived by someone else, but to be deceived by oneself is quite another. The Bible counsels us to be wary against self-deception and informs us of the conditions in which one is self-deceived.
While self-righteousness may be one of the main causes of self deception to an unbeliever, spectatorship is one of the main causes of self-deception to a believer. James 1:22 counsels all to be doers of the word and not merely hearers, for in just hearing and not doing, one deceives his/her own self.

We are asked not to be on the sidelines, spectating Christian life as a entertaining sport, but to be in the arena as a gladiator, fighting for the cause of the gospel of Jesus Christ and ready to die for Christ as a martyr (witness).
Let us not deceive ourselves.
Jesus likened the man that hears his words and not do it, as one who is foolish who built his house on the sand. Great will be the fall of that house, when the rain, floods and winds comes against it (Matthew 7:26-27).
Let us not be foolish and deceive ourselves.

James 1:22 (KJV)
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Matthew 7:26-27 (KJV)
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Self Deception Series :: Self-Righteous I am

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On January 30, 2012

In Christian, Self Deception

It is one thing to be deceived by someone else, but to be deceived by oneself is quite another. The Bible counsels us to be wary against self-deception and informs us of the conditions in which one is self-deceived.
1 John 1:8 states that “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” In other words, the one who is self-righteous, claiming to be without sin, deceives himself or herself.
Let us not deceive ourselves.
It is first important to recognize that no one is righteous, no not one (Romans 3:10) and second, whatever righteousness, we have is like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). All have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23) and the wages of sin is death (Romans  6:23), but the gift of God is eternal life, to every one who believes in his heart and confesses with his mouth, that Jesus is Lord, (John 3:16).
Jesus taught that the self-righteous who trusted in themselves would be humbled (Luke 18:9-14) and also consider the self-righteousness of man to be an abomination to God (Luke 16:15).
Let us not be self-righteous and deceive ourselves.

1 John 1:7-9 (KJV)
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Luke 18: 9-14 (KJV)
9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Luke 16:15 (KJV)
15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

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