Hidden (Krypto) Treasures

To get pearls, one must dive deep!

Purpose driven life

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On January 13, 2011

In Christian

When asked, as to how he would spend the time, if he had only forty-eight hours to live, actor Will Rogers promptly replied “One day at a time.” Chief Justice Oliver W. Holmes had the same response, “One day at a time” when asked at age ninety he was asked as to how he would spend his life, should he have to relive it all over again. Dr. Spencer Johnson in his acclaimed book, entitled the “The Present” ends his book by stating that the main character of the book gives herself in the end “The PRESENT” but captures that living in The Present, learning from The Past, and planning for The Future is not all there is. It is only when you live with PURPOSE and respond to what’s important about the Present, Past and Future, that it all has meaning. Living with purpose means not just knowing what to do, but why.

Our Christian walk with God must be a life of purpose. It should be a purpose driven life. We must not only know what we ought to do, but we must also know why. The Bible teaches us what we ought to do. It tells us that the whole duty of man(kind) is to fear (revere) God and keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13), loving God and in total surrender and loving man as they would themselves. But why must we do this? We must totally surrender to God revering Him and following His commandments, because He [Jesus] totally surrendered everything He had, making Himself of no reputation to be the sacrifice for our sins and to save us from eternal death and separation from God (Philippians 2:7). We must love Him, because He first loved us (1 John 4:19) and we must do so until our time on earth is done or his return, whichever is earlier. This may seem like a daunting task, but when we seek God’s guidance, asking Him to teach us to make each day count, “One day at a time”, our life’s journey that may seem long, in reality would not be.

An inscription on an ancient sun-dial impressed the following:
“Time WAS is past — thou canst it not recall.
Time IS thou hast — employ thy portion small.
Time FUTURE is not, and may never be.
Time PRESENT is the only time for thee!”

Let us give ourselves the present of the Present, and pray that God teaches us to number our days and make them count.

Psalm 90:12 (KJV)
12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Proverbs 1:7 (KJV)
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 (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.

Be like prudent Paulus

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On January 12, 2011

In Christian

Sergius Paulus, a Roman proconsul, was ministered to by a false prophet named Barjesus (also known as Elymas, meaning sorcerer). Elymas was perverting the right ways of the Lord and attempting to turn the proconsul from the faith. Sergius Paulus is however said to be a prudent man; he desired to hear the word of God from God’s servants (Barnabas and Paul) and summons them. The false prophet who was attempting to spiritually blind the mind of the proconsul, opposes Barnabas and Paul, and is punished by God to be blind physically. When Sergius Paulus saw the power of the Lord manifested, he was astonished and he believed.

We must be like prudent Paulus. We must not merely accept what the false prophets teach. We must desire and seek to hear the word of God and when God’s power is manifested and observed, we must believe, so that it can be said of us as well, as it was of Sergius Paulus, that we are prudent.

Points to ponder:
Do you/I desire to hear the word of God?

Acts 13:6-12 (KJV)
6 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:
7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.
8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.
10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

Be like prudent Paulus

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On January 12, 2011

In Christian

Sergius Paulus, a Roman proconsul, was ministered to by a false prophet named Barjesus (also known as Elymas, meaning sorcerer). Elymas was perverting the right ways of the Lord and attempting to turn the proconsul from the faith. Sergius Paulus is however said to be a prudent man; he desired to hear the word of God from God’s servants (Barnabas and Paul) and summons them. The false prophet who was attempting to spiritually blind the mind of the proconsul, opposes Barnabas and Paul, and is punished by God to be blind physically. When Sergius Paulus saw the power of the Lord manifested, he was astonished and he believed.

We must be like prudent Paulus. We must not merely accept what the false prophets teach. We must desire and seek to hear the word of God and when God’s power is manifested and observed, we must believe, so that it can be said of us as well, as it was of Sergius Paulus, that we are prudent.

Points to ponder:
Do you/I desire to hear the word of God?

Acts 13:6-12 (KJV)
6 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:
7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.
8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.
10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

A sinner magnet

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On January 11, 2011

In Christian

Luke 15:1 records the parable of the lost sheep. It states that the publicans (tax collectors) and sinners drew near unto Jesus in order to hear him. This led to those who were self-righteous to murmur that “Jesus communed with sinners.” At this juncture, Jesus narrates the parable of the lost sheep to imply that the “never-giving up” God would go after even the one sinner who is lost as would a good Shepherd after a sheep that is lost.

And hidden in this account is the fact that publicans and sinners were attracted (drew near) to Jesus. They came near Him in order to hear Him. What was it that they wanted to hear? Jesus was recognized to be teacher from God for His words were accompanied by miracles (John 3:2). The disciple of Christ correctly recognized that solely in Christ were words of eternal life; words that assured hope for the hopeless (John 6:68). He did not condemn anyone, evidence of which we see in His encounter with the adulteress woman, as He expressed this vocally, stating “I do not condemn thee, go and sin no more.“ Sinners came to Christ as they could hear only from Him words that could save and sanctify them. Jesus was a sinner magnet!

Points to ponder:
1. Do those who don’t know Christ Jesus (the lost sheep) draw near to us to hear us, as they did with Jesus?
2. Do we have the words of eternal life i.e., the Gospel of Jesus that condemns no one who puts their trust in Him and gives hope to the hopeless?
3. Are you and I a sinner magnet? Jesus was one!

Luke 15:1 (KJV)
1 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.

John 8:10-11 (KJV)
10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

Love is a verb

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On January 10, 2011

In Christian

One of my favorite musical groups is the Grammy and Dove award winning Christian band, dc Talk and I often listen to their song “Luv is a verb”. A verb implies action and so what could the verb ‘Love’ imply?

The word ‘Love‘ can be substituted by the word ‘Give‘.  Irish missionary  and founder of the missionary school, Santhosha Vidhyalaya, where I schooled from Kindergarten to Fifth grade, in her biography is quoted to have said “You can give without loving. But you cannot love without giving.” “To love” means “To give.”

Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:23). In other words, If we love Jesus, not only will we GIVE our lives for Him but we will also GIVE UP our lives for Him and in doing so, we will keep His commandments.

The two greatest commandments which is to Love the Lord your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind and to Love your neighbor as you would love yourself (Matthew 22:37-39), can be rephrased to express “Give to the Lord your God, all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.” and “Give to your neighbor (one another) what you would like to be given to yourself.” Love is a verb and that is to “give.”

God so LOVED the world, that he GAVE, His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ for the redemption and salvation of mankind (John 3:16).
You can give without loving. But you cannot love without giving.

Urbi et orbi – Mission Field

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On January 7, 2011

In Christian

The Latin phrase, ‘Urbi et orbi‘ literally means ‘to the city and to the globe’. Essentially, this phrase can be used to describe the mission field of a Christian. The commandment commission was given for all who believe in Jesus Christ, to be his witnesses and to go and teach all nations, baptizing in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe ALL the commandments of God (Matthew 28:19-20). But how do we go to all nations? Acts 1:8 gives us the pattern. It states, ‘But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.‘ This describes the mission field of a disciple of Jesus Christ. It starts with the city (Jerusalem), then the region (Judaea), then cross-cultural geographies (Samaria) and finally the globe (uttermost part of the earth). In other words, all nations can be reached by reaching locally, regionally, cross-culturally and globally, i.e., Urbi et orbi is our mission field.

Are you/I on the mission as commanded? We can start with our city! To the city and to the globe; Urbi et orbi.

Veni vidi vici – By Christ Jesus

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On January 6, 2011

In Christian

Veni vidi vici is a Latin phrase that means “I came, I saw, I conquered.”  Come to think of it, this sums up the mission of Jesus Christ. He came from heaven unto earth (John 3:13) to be an atonement for sin (Romans 5:11) and to offer his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45), to bring many sons [and daughters] unto glory (Hebrews 2:10). He saw the world with a heart of compassion for they were like a sheep without a shepherd (Mark 6:34), under the bondage (law) of sin and death (Galatians 5:1; Romans 8:2); a truly plentiful harvest but few laborers (Matthew 9:37). He conquered death, its power and vanquished the devil (Hebrews 2:14-15) by rising from death and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2), the Father, awaiting our response to put our trust in Him, and believing in Him, so that we may have eternal life (John 3:16).

Have you trusted/believed in Him?
Have you heard Jesus say to you, ‘Veni vidi vici’?

Who’s your daddy?

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On January 5, 2011

In Christian

Standing out note-worthily from the lyric of the 1968 song “Time of the Season”, the phrase ‘Who’s your daddy?‘ is a colloquial expression  that is commonly used in a rhetorical manner as a boastful claim of superiority over the one listening. The Bible tells us that that those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ, have been adopted into God’s family and in them is deposited the Holy Spirit of God (Ephesians 1:13-15), who makes it possible for that person to address God as ‘Abba, Father’ (Romans 8:15). In fact, the Bible informs us that God the Father greatly lavished His love toward men and women, that they should be called the children of God (1 John 3:1). This is who we are – Children of God, but in that same verse, it is also written, that though we are the children of God, the world does not know us as such, and the reason for that is, because the world did not know Him.

Many in the world today still do not know who Jesus is? He is the Only begotten Son of God, who shed His blood to remit our sins and paid its wages in full, by sacrificing His life in our stead.

The world will continue to not know Him, if we do not make Him known! So next time, somebody asks you, “Who’s your daddy?”, answer them (even if they meant it rhetorically).
Jesus Christ is our Lord, the Son of God, our Father and since He and God the Father are one (John 10:30), He is our Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6), in other words, Our Daddy.

Romans 8:14-16 (KJV)
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Born Once, Die Twice; Born Twice, Die Once

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On January 4, 2011

In Christian

‘Born Once, Die Twice’; ‘Born Twice, Die Once’ is the essence of the teachings of a Jewish carpenter, Jesus Christ, who is the only one known to have divided human history into two; before his death (B.C) and after (A.D).

All who are born in this world are conceived in sin (Psalm 51:5) and since the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23); physical birth (first birth) is subject to physical death (first death) and spiritual death (second death).

But when one believes and puts their trust in Jesus Christ, they are born again. This spiritual birth (second birth) ensures us that we will all have eternal life and that death (first or second) has no power or control over those who have accepted Jesus Christ, as their personal Lord and Savior. Unless, one is born again, they cannot see the kingdom of God; they cannot have eternal life (John 3:3,16)

Ye must be born again (John 3:7). Are you born again? Remember, ‘Born Once, Die Twice’; ‘Born Twice, Die Once’

John 3:1-21 (KJV)
1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
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.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
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.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Romans 3:23 (KJV)
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Romans 6:23 (KJV)
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Focus

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On January 1, 2011

In Christian, Poetic Prompts

O Lord, my Father, I wonder as to where is my gaze?
Is it on your Son; your Spirit ablaze
or is it on this weary world that daze
and its lusts thereof, which my faith efface?

An eternal excellency you will be
and joy to generations many
was your word that came to me
the beginning of the year gone past, Jehovah-nissi.

But as the days rolled by, I lost my sight
and tried, my cares to fight, with just my might
ill-equipped in warfare, fell I did, into willful sin
grieving your heart, letting the adversary win.

Christ in the Scripture, from your pulpit, I taught
while all the time, with my lusts, I fought
and as a prodigal received the brand, ‘Sinners Chief’
giving room to the wiles of the devil, the thief.

I ask, ‘Show me one who has not sinned?’,
as this entire world in error chagrin and I find none.
But when I look above, I see Jesus,
the sinless, who makes me blameless, God’s only begotten Son.

As so with a penitent broken heart;  with a spirit contrite
Returned I, solely by your Spirit, His might
Your faithfulness and mercy, engraved thee in my heart to fit
so I can stand without shame, before men and their brand of me, ‘a hypocrite.’

For as the scales tipped to pay me death, which I rightfully deserve
I find on the other side balancing the beam, is your shed blood that preserve.
Though I have fallen and thou I fall, I shall not be cast down
For your nail pierced hands upholds me, to give me a crown.

Not in the hands of men, but in yours, and yours alone Lord, let me fall
Broken wings take time to mend, but by your GRACE, I’ll soar again, over mountains tall.
‘Never giving up’ is the essence of who you really are
Ever eagerly waiting for the prodigal to remember, repent and return from afar.

To cross with your Cross, O Lord, is man’s destiny.
For without your cleansing blood, I cannot be made free.
No scheme of men or of the evil one can break your ‘Love-cord’.
Nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate me from your Love, O Lord.

O Lord, if not for your abnegating act of Love on calvary
I would not be soaring in the heaven above, but sinking in the pit miry,
To love you, my God, and my family and my neighbor, I pledge
Let that be my focus, against wiles and attacks, be to me, Lord, a hedge.

Henceforth, let me serve you out of devotion not duty
Let my gaze be on nothing less, save your beauty
O Lord, my Father, where is my gaze?
May it always be on you, your Son, and your Spirit ablaze.

From the Author’s/Poet’s Desk:
As we come to the end of another year looking forward to the next, this poem is  reflection of my life, in the past year and requisition of my heart, that my focus be on Love and the God of Love, for the coming year. It is written with pronouns such as ‘I’, ‘me’ to make it personal to  me and the reader. There are some sections of the poem that may need further explanation, and if you need any clarifications or have comments, please do not hesitate to contact me.

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