Hidden (Krypto) Treasures

To get pearls, one must dive deep!

Tag: Holy Spirit

After God’s kind

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On March 20, 2013

In Genesis, Ittai, Reuben and Ittai, Through the Bible

Ittai A. PaulOur second born much loved Son, Ittai A. Paul, turned one today (March 20, 2013) and as we ponder on God’s goodness and faithfulness to us, my beloved wife Sangeetha and I, are ever so grateful to God for having loaned us two precious boys to cherish while we pilgrim on earth.

The Bible records that on the fifth and sixth day, God created the animals that live in the water, the birds that fly in the air, living creatures that live on the earth, every creeping thing, every cattle, and every beast of the earth, each after their own kind (Genesis 1:21, Genesis 1:25). Then on the sixth day, the Triune God in one decided to make man in his image, after the likeness of God the Father, his Holy Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit of God. (Genesis 1:26). So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

In other words, while every other creature that has life was created after their own kind, only us (man) is not made after our own kind, but created after God’s kind. When man took his first breath,  he became a living soul (Genesis 2:7) to live according to the Spirit of God (and not according to the flesh) for God is Spirit (John 4:24). The world glorifies celebrities with physical beauty and charming bodies, and seldom are most celebrities who do not know Jesus Christ celebrated for their soul (living soul).

Points to ponder:
Are you living by the flesh or by God’s Spirit? What are you and I celebrated for?

Our precious second son Ittai, our firstborn Reuben, You and I are all fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God (Psalm 139:4). We are made after God’s own kind and are wonderful – and that gives us every reason to praise God.

Genesis 1:20-27 (KJV)
20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

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.

Approved of God :: Faith

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On April 24, 2012

In Approved of God, Christian

Th Bible avers that Jesus Christ, was a man approved of God (Acts 2:22) and since we are counseled to be imitators of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:1), we ought to be approved of God as well. But what does it mean to be approved of God? According to the Bible, to be approved of God, we ought not to glory in ourselves but solely glory in the Lord for he who commends himself is not approved, but approved is the one whom the Lord commends (2 Corinthians 10:17-18).

The Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines the word “commend” as the following:
To be commended is to be entrusted for care or preservation (or)
To be commended is to be recommended as worthy of confidence or notice.

In his prayer, Jesus entrusted his believers for care and protection to God the Father (John 17:15).
When we trust  in Jesus, receiving and believing in him, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit and made worthy unto the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:13-55).

Points to ponder:
Are you approved of God? In other words, have you put your trust in Jesus and believed in his Name, so that he can entrust you to be kept safe from evil and secure in God the Father’s hand? When we believe, Jesus’ righteousness is imputed on us and we who are unworthy are made worthy to be called the children of God (John 1:12). Can God recommend you/me and deem you/me worthy of confidence and/or notice. Are you approved of God?

Acts 2:22
22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:

2 Corinthians :10:17-18 (KJV)
17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth

Ephesians 1:12-15 (KJV)
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Drown in the Holy Spirit

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On June 2, 2009

In Christian

Holy Spirit - DoveIf you have ever experienced the feeling of drowning, you may be able to relate better with what I am trying to say. I would not consider myself an expert swimmer, but did learn how to swim and swimming in pools have never been a problem. But this was not the case in a lake, not too long ago, where I had the unfortunate experience of drowning, and if it had not been for my two close friends (dear as brothers), I might have drowned that day. Till today, I am ever so grateful to them for having saved my life, who refused to let go of me, until they got me to safety.

Memories of that experience are still etched vividly in my mind. As I was sinking in the lake that was not too deep, but deep enough for the water to completely submerge me, I kicked hard against the force that was pulling me down, I struggled and gasped for air  and I fought hard to live.

Jack Hammans, the pastor at New Hope Community Church in Round Rock, Texas said in one of his sermons that Baptism with the Holy Spirit is being immersed, submerged in, inundated and overwhelmed. This got me thinking.

When I was drowning, I was completely immersed, definitely submerged, absolutely inundated and undoubtedly overwhelmed by water, and I did everything I possibly could to try to live. Now if the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is a similar experience, wherein we are are immersed, submerged in, inundated and overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit, is our lives reflective of us

  1. kicking hard against the force (any weight or sin) that besets us?
  2. struggling and gasping for air (the living breath of Life)? Are we panting like a deer that pants for water? (Psalm 42)
  3. fighting hard to live (for God in the Spirit)? Are we dead in the Spirit, alive in our flesh or is it the other way round?

Remember, if we have the Holy Spirit living in us, is His overwhelming presence being reflected in the lives we live? Let us drown in the Holy Spirit so that we will fight to Live for God!

Hebrews 12:1 (KJV)
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us

Psalm 42:1 (KJV)
1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

Galatians 5:16-25 (KJV)
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

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