Hidden (Krypto) Treasures

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Tag: Enemy of God

Lesson from Lot’s wife – the Pillar of Salt

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On February 27, 2015

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

For those who are familiar with the Bible, the story of Lot’s wife turning into a pillar of salt, when she disobeyed and looked back at the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, is not unknown (Genesis 19:26).

Since the Bible is not explicit on the details of this transformation, there are quite a few questions left unanswered. What is this pillar of salt? Was Lot’s wife’s body tissue calcified from within or was she covered with the residue of the brimstone poured out of heaven? Was she punished because of the allegiance of her heart to the wickedness of the city she lived in or was it because of her disobedience in looking back? Why did the angels not ask Lot about his wife, but asked his sons, daughters and even his sons-in-law? (Genesis 19:12). Did they already know that this unnamed wife of Lot would look back even after she had the knowledge of her salvation, and is that why they warned the family to not look back? There are so many questions that the natural mind warrants answers for and it would be mere speculation and futile of man to even attempt to answer these. However, the answers to the spiritual mind are more evident than the natural ones.

From this account, we can learn a few hidden truths that is well substantiated by the Bible.

  1. The consequences of disobeying God willfully after the foreknowledge of salvation is death (Hebrews 10:26) as the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
  2. To look back is to consider the ways of the past – our lives before we come to know of the saving grace of Jesus Christ – a life that is sinful and contrary to the will and ways of God. But anyone who is in Christ Jesus is a new creature; the old has gone and the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). The new can have nothing to do with the old for the new shall burst out the old as new wine bursts out the old wineskin if put in it (Matthew 9:17). Instead of looking back at our wicked pasts and be drawn to it, we must look on forward unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
  3. A pillar is usually erected to hold something on top of it or as a monument of remembrance. Lot’s wife was one who had lost her saltiness (Luke 14:34) only to find out that she would serve as a monumental reminder to the truth that friendship with the world is enmity with God (James 4:4).

Points to ponder:
Where are you looking at and more importantly who are you looking at? To look behind and be drawn to a wicked lifestyle after having seen the Salvation of the Lord bears the consequences of death – Look not behind at the world but unto Jesus. Are you a friend of the world (James 4:4) or are you a Friend of God (James 2:23)?

Genesis 19:23-26 (KJV)
23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.
24 Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven;
25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

Hebrews 10:26-27 (KJV)
26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Romans 6:22-23 (KJV)
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

James 4:4 (KJV)
4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

James 2:23 (KJV)
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

Hebrews 12:2 (KJV)
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Formed to Conform

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On April 24, 2013

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

Genesis 2:7 states that the Lord (Jesus) God (Father) formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (Holy Spirit); and man became a living soul. The Trinity of God was involved in man’s creation, and man was formed of the world (dust of the ground) but was formed to be a living soul and to conform to the image of God and not to the world.

Apostle Paul beseeched the church in Rome to not be conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of their mind (Romans 12:2). Our minds need to be renewed to be like the humble and obedient mind of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:5).

Points to ponder:
We were formed to conform to God’s image. We are not to be conformed to this world.
What are you and I conforming to – to God or to the world? Remember, friendship with the world is enmity with God. Am I a friend of God? Are you a friend of God?

Genesis 2:7 (KJV)
7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

Romans 12:2 (KJV)
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.

Philippians 2:5 (KJV)
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

James 4:4 (KJV)
4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

Generations of the heavens and of the earth

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On April 9, 2013

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

Genesis 2:4 states “These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.” While many would read this merely as a restatement of God’s creation as mentioned in Genesis 1:1, close scrutiny of this verse reveals certain hidden truths that are intriguing for sure, but more importantly should not be overlooked.

In the article, “Heaven” or “Heavens” or “Heaven and Heavens”, we first learned about the singularity and the plurality of heaven and the singularity of the earth. Here let us look at another phrase from this same verse. The phrase is “generations of the heavens and of the earth“, implying that these creations of God, are not inanimate as one would expect them to be.

The primary definition of the word “generation” in the Merriam-Webster’s dictionary is “a body of living beings constituting a single step in the line of descent from an ancestor.” Generations of the heavens – what could that mean? Before we get to that, let’s first look at the generations of the earth – what is that? The body of living beings (including you and me) constituting a single step in the line of descent from the first Adam make up the generations (children) of the earth for God fashioned man out of the dust of the earth and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, making man a living soul (Genesis 2:7). In fact, God then commands man to be fruitful and to multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it. (Genesis 1:28).

Now coming back to the question, what does the generations of the heavens mean? The Bible makes it clear that no man has ascended into heaven unless he has come down from heaven (John 3:13) and it continues to clarify that no man can receive anything, unless it is given to him from heaven (John 3:27). Jesus is the last Adam, the Lord from heaven who has come down from heaven (1 Corinthians 15:45) and he ascended into it after finishing his work of redeeming all mankind unto God (John 19:30) by willingly sacrificing himself (John 10:18) and giving his life as a ransom (1 Timothy 2:6) to bring many sons unto glory (Hebrews 2:10). Because of Jesus, the Son of God who was born the Seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15; Galatians 3:16,19,29), man who was an enemy of God (James 4:4) has now the provision to be called the child of God (of the heavens and of the earth) and can get included in the genealogy of God when man believes and receives Jesus Christ for to them that believe and receive him (John 1:12), is granted the Spirit of Adoption, by which we can call God, Abba Father (Romans 8:15).

Points to ponder:
Everyone who is born in the line of the first Adam is of the generation of the earth. Everyone who is born again in the line of the last Adam (Jesus Christ) is of the generation of the heavens. We are born on earth and when we believe in Jesus; the One man, who is from heaven, who came to earth and ascended to heaven ; the last Adam, we are born again in heaven. We are of the generations of the earth, but are we of the generations of the heavens?

Genesis 2:4 (KJV)
4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens,

John 3:13 (KJV)
13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:45-52 (KJV)
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Mind over body – The need for Placebo Christians

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On June 16, 2010

In Christian

Master Joe Schaefer, founder and owner of the Austin Shaolin-Do Kung Fu school, was expressing to me and another student, the power of the mind over the body and used the following illustration to demonstrate his thesis. He said, if I ask you to carry a 50 pound sandbag to the hospital that is about a mile away, you are mostly likely not going to be able to do it, but if I was to ask you to carry your son who needs medical attention to the hospital that is a mile away, you will do it. Medically, the power of the mind over the body has been demonstrated using placebo experiments such as inert tablets and sham surgeries. Commonly known as the placebo effect, believing that a medicine or procedure is therapeutic when in fact it is not, has been proven to show considerable improvement of the health in patients. So it is no surprise, that the mind has a major role to play in the well being of a person or the will of a person to accomplish an objective. We can apply the same principle in our Christian life/walk.

Jesus said, you shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul and MIND (Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27). It is interesting that when the people found the man from whom the legion of evil spirits had been exorcised by Jesus, sitting at the feet of Jesus, they found him clothed and with a right mind (Mark 5:15). When we believe in Jesus Christ, we are given a sound/right mind (2 Timothy 1:7), but the body (flesh) wars against the mind and when the mind wants to accomplish the objectives of God, the body often seeks otherwise. There is a constant battle between the mind and the body and apostle Paul succinctly expressed this warfare when he described that the things he did not want to do (that his mind told him not to), those things he did (because the body/flesh made him do so) and that which he wanted to do, he did not (Romans 7:15-25).  I can empathize and relate with apostle Paul and I recognize that we must put on the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5), who humbled himself and subjected his body to be broken as a sacrifice, once and for all (Hebrews 10:10). There is a need for placebo Christians; those who believe in the power of God and exercise the power of the mind (that God has created) over the body (that is to be offered as a living sacrifice to God). And to train our mind to have control over the body, we need to first wear the helmet of salvation (Ephesians 6:17) and renew our mind with the things that are true, honest, just, pure, and of good report, virtue and praise (Philippians 4:8) so that we are transformed and not conformed to the patterns of this world (Romans 12:2), which is in enmity with God (James 4:4).

Point(s) to ponder:
1. Are you/I a placebo Christian?
2. Philippians 4:8 states “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” What are you/I thinking about, in other words what is our mind dwelling on?

Romans 8:5-7 (KJV)
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

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.

Law of Reciprocal Relations

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On August 26, 2009

In Christian, Physics and Christ

Newton’s Third Law (Lex III) which is “Actioni contrariam semper et æqualem esse reactionem: sive corporum duorum actiones in se mutuo semper esse æquales et in partes contrarias dirigi.” states that ‘The forces of two bodies on each other are always equal and are directed in opposite directions.’. Newton’s third law is referred to as the law of reciprocal actions and is simplified as ‘To every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.’

An application of this physical law in our Spiritual life could be used to derive what I call the Law of Reciprocal Relations. The Law of Reciprocal Relations states that “The love force of Jesus Christ and the love forces of the World on each other are opposingly equal and directed in opposite directions.” Remember Jesus’ words, ‘no man can serve two masters‘ (Matthew 6:24). The Bible also warns us that He who is a friend of the world is an enemy of God (James 4:4).

It may also be said that just as for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, the more we are attracted to the things of the world, the more the world attracts us and the more we are to draw near unto God, the more He will draw near unto us (James 4:8).

Let’s choose this day, where our allegiance lies and what forces draw us in its direction. I pray it is the love force of Jesus Christ.

Psalm 73:28 (KJV)
28. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.

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