Hidden (Krypto) Treasures

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Tag: Living soul

Thanksgiving Series: God, the Strong Armed One

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On January 4, 2016

In Christian, Christmas, Perspectives, Thanksgiving

Hand of God

The Creation of Adam

Psalm 136 can be touted as the “The Psalm of Thanks” or the “Thanksgiving Psalm.” It is a Psalm that is rich in content, apropos the character of God and since each verse in the Psalm is suffixed with “For his mercy endures forever”, it is a Psalm that is easy to read and memorize as well. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, giving thanks for the ultimate reason of sending us his only begotten Son, we will be looking at each verse in Psalm 136 and glean out the character of God from these verses, which would be reason enough to be grateful and give thanks to our LORD God.
Today we look at Verse 12.
With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.

When visiting the Vatican City, we were blessed to see the wondrous work of Italian Renaissance artist, Michelangelo Buonarroti on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Between 1508 and 1512, Michelangelo painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel with a series of frescoes, portraying several biblical stories. One central painting which is commonly misnamed as the Hand of God, but which is correctly named The Creation of Adam, depicts God giving life to the first of his creation, Adam (man). In this painting, Michelangelo puts the viewer’s attention on the two outstretched arms – one that is of Adam, limp with drooping fingers as if without any energy, resting upon one bent knee as if it is too heavy for him to hold it up without support, and the other, the assertive strong powerful hand of God himself, reaching out and ready to discharge the vital spark of life.

God does not just have an outstretched arm, but a strong outstretched (reaching) arm.

Points to ponder:
Just as God rescued the Israelites with his outstretched arms from their enemies, he continues to reach out to us today. Like Adam, by ourselves, we cannot hold ourselves up. Without God’s Spirit in our lives, we are languid and limp. When Jesus came into this world, it was God’s strong outstretched arm, reaching out to all of mankind, to give our limp lives, the vital spark of eternal life. We thank God for the outstretched strong Hand of God – yes, his mercy truly endures for ever.

God is reaching out to you! Accept Jesus by acknowledging him to be your Lord and Savior and get life – eternal life – by become a living soul (Genesis 4:7).

Psalm 136:12 (KJV)
12 With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Are you dead or alive?

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On April 25, 2013

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

Genesis 2:7 states “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.”  This verse indicates that until the breath of life (Holy Spirit) of God was breathed into man, man had a physically lifeless body. It is the presence of the Holy Spirit of God in us that makes us come alive.

Points to ponder:
Are you dead or alive? In other words, do you have the Holy Spirit of God in you? Receive the promise of the Holy Spirit of God through faith (Galatians 3:14) and through faith believe and confess that Jesus is the Son of God, sent to be the Savior of mankind, so that God (the Holy Spirit) can dwell in you (1 John 4:13-15). Only when we do, are we made alive – otherwise we are lifeless! Are you dead or alive?

Genesis 4:7 (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.

1 John 4:13-15 (KJV)
13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.
15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

Galatians 3:14 (KJV)
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

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.

Trinity of God :: In the Beginning

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On June 27, 2011

In Christian, Trinity of God

The Bible starts out by recording, In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth (Genesis 1:1) and from the original text, the word that is used to refer to God here is Elohim, which is plural in nature. The Spirit of God moved over the waters of a dark and void world and God spoke and there was light. But is there a mention of Jesus Christ in creation? We find this in the epistle that the Apostle Paul writes to the church at Colosse stating that Jesus Christ was in the creation of all things and it is in fact for Him that all things were created (Colossians 1:16). So we see that the Trinity (triune God-in-One) was actively involved in the creation. However despite the three personalities, God is one. There is unity in these personalities. Jesus himself makes it very clear that He and the Father (God) are one, and whoever has seen Him has seen the Father.

We also see the plurality of God (in the personality of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit), evident in the creation of man for God says, Let us make man in our own image (Genesis 1:26-27). The words “us” and “our” in that statement makes it clear that the three personalities of God (God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ) and God the Holy Spirit) were actively involved in the creation of mankind. In fact, upon the creation of man, man was made, a Spiritual being on a physical journey and not a physical being on a Spiritual journey for the Bible teaches us that when the breath of God was breathed into man, made from the dust of the earth, man being a “living soul” (Genesis 2:7). But sadly, many a times, we act as living bodies and dead souls.

Point(s) to ponder:
How are you/I on this spiritual journey?
Is your life dark and void? If so, ask God to shine his Light (Jesus Christ) on you.
God has been personally involved from the beginning, in your creation, but blessed is the person who has become a new creation, by placing their trust in Jesus Christ. Are you a new creation?
Let us live our lives as living souls and dead bodies (dead to the flesh) and not the other way around!

Genesis 1:26-27 (KJV)
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.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

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