Hidden (Krypto) Treasures

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Jesus in the OT :: Obadiah

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On January 13, 2010

In Christian, Jesus in the O.T.

The book of Obadiah gives us a glimpse of who Jesus is in the Old Testament (O.T).

This book has only one chapter and is the only book in the Old Testament which is composed of a single chapter. But this one chapter is packed with facts that prefigures the Salvation and deliverance that is to come (Obadiah 1:17; Romans 10:13), the presence of Holiness (Obadiah 1:22; Mark 1:23-25) and the Kingdom of the Lord (Obadiah 1:21; Luke 23:46)

Obadiah means Worshiper of Yahweh.

In the temptation of Christ, Jesus responded by saying that “You shall worship the Lord your God only and only Him shall thou serve”. Note how worship and service go hand in hand. Satan had asked Jesus only to worship him (not serve him – Matthew 4:10), but Jesus responded by including serving with worshiping God. Today, there are many Christians worshiping God, but not serving him. Are you/Am I one of them?

Interesting, Obadiah not only means Worshiper of Yahweh but ALSO Servant of Yahweh.

Jesus Himself said, I have come to serve and not to be served (Matthew 20:28)

In Obadiah, Jesus is the deliverance from Zion, the Holiness of God, who is to be worshiped and served.

Jesus in the OT :: Amos

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On January 12, 2010

In Christian, Jesus in the O.T.

The book of Amos gives us a glimpse of who Jesus is in the Old Testament (O.T).

Israel is in a state of prosperity with businesses booming and boundaries bulging, but with that the hearts of the children of God had turned callous and people had turned to be hypocrites and spiritually indifferent, very reflective of our times today.

Amos 8:9-10 describes a day when the earth will trembles (earthquake), the day in which the sun will go down at noon and the day will be darkened, a day or mourning; mourning of an only (begotten) son, a bitter (forsaken) day. The events described in this day closely map to the day of Crucifixion of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 27:45-46.

Amos, is derived from the Hebrew root word Amas which means “To lift a burden, to carry”.  In other words, His name means “Burden bearer”. Jesus carried our burden, the burden of the cross, but what is more is that not only did he carry the burden of our cross, but He is telling you and me today Cast your burden on me and I will sustain you (Psalm 55:22).

He has also promised us rest (Matthew 11:28-30), that is He will carry our burdens; He will be our burden bearer.

In Amos, Jesus is our burden bearer, who carried the cross and He will carry us as well.

Jesus in the OT :: Joel

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On January 11, 2010

In Christian, Jesus in the O.T.

The book of Joel gives us a glimpse of who Jesus is in the Old Testament (O.T).

Little is known about prophet Joel, except that we know he is the Son of Pethuel, who speaks FORTHRIGHTLY and FORCEFULLY a message that is FOREBODING which at the same time is FILLED with Hope.

The book can essentially be divided into two major themes

  • 1st : The day of the Locust – signifying the destruction of what we believe sustains us
  • 2nd : The day of the Lord – signifying not just a time of SUSTENANCE but of SAVING as well.

The message in this book moves from the PUNISHMENT of God to the PRESENCE of God and in doing so CALLS to REPENTANCE, stating  Rend your hearts and turn to God (Joel 2:13) and get ready to meet the Bridegroom (Jesus Christ) by gathering, sanctifying and assembling yourself, your children and infants (Joel 2:16)

And until the day of God’s PRESENCE with man, in bodily form, God PROMISES to  pour out his Spirit on all flesh. (Joel 2:28-29).

Galatians 4:6 states that God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts.

In Joel, Jesus is spirit of God, who is poured into the hearts of all.

Joel 2:28- 29 (KJV)
28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

Galatians 4:4-6 (KJV)
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak

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On January 8, 2010

In Christian, Movie Motions

Qyamat Se Qyamat Tak (pronounced Kahyahmuth Say Kahyahmuth Thuk) is ranked to be one of the Top 25 must see Bollywood movies according to Indiatimes and recently I was listening to the song “Papa kehte hain” from this movie which brought back some fond memories of my school days. I have heard this song so many times when I was growing up, but it was only now that I really paid attention to the words which made me wonder.

Sung by the main character, the lyrics of the main part of this song goes as follows (and the English meaning is provided for readers who don’t know Hindi)
Papa kehte hain bada naam karega
(Daddy says that I will make a big name)
Beta hamara aisa kaam karega
(and will have a good career/job)
Magar yeh toh, kohi na jaane
(but this, no one really knows)
Ki mere manjil, hai kahan?
(as to where my future is)

What a pitiful state this is for those who hold that opinion, that no one really knows where one’s future is? Hold that thought!

The Hindi word Qayamat has its roots in the word Qiyamat which is a variant of the arabic word Qiyaamah. Qiyaamah means the day of Resurrection or the day of Judgment. Qiyaamah comes from the root word Qiyam which means ‘to stand’ and so Qayamat is the word used to describe the day of resurrection, the day of standing, the day of judgment. It is the day when everyone will be resurrected and stand before God to be judged.

The question that remains then is ‘ in what state will we all stand before God to be judged?’ Will it be as one whose future is not known or as one whose hope of the future is assured? The answer to this vital question is dependent on a choice that you and I make. A choice as to whether we respond to receive Jesus Christ, accepting and believing in Him or rebel against Him by rejecting Him. Those whose have taken the step to believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will not have to worry about their future when they stand before Him, because Christ in them is the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).

Qyamat Se Qayamat Tak would mean from the day of Judgment to the day of Judgment. From the day of Judgment when the God’s justice was placed on Jesus Christ as he was crucified for the salvation of all men and women to the day of Judgment when all men and women will be judged by THE ONE true Righteous Judge, Jesus Christ.

John 6:39 (KJV)
39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

Revelation 20:11-13 (KJV)
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

Jesus’ Autobiography

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On January 7, 2010

In Christian

Jesus, the author of life itself, beautifully summarized His autobiography in one sentence, when He said For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. (John 6:38)

Jesus’ autobiography, while succinct speaks volumes and throws light on two important facts, viz.

  1. Place – from where Jesus came and the
  2. Purpose – for his coming.

Jesus came from heaven and this is important because no one has gone to heaven except Him who descended from heaven (John 3:13) and this reflects the preexistence of Jesus from the very beginning.

Jesus came to do the will of God the Father who sent Him, and not His own. His purpose in life was to fulfill what God has sent Him for, which is not to lose anyone, but to save all (John 6:39), by raising them all from the condition of death due to sin (Matthew 1:21).

Point(s) to ponder:

  1. Shouldn’t we who belong to heaven as co-heirs with Jesus when we believe in Him, also have the same purpose in our lives? Shouldn’t our life’s goal (purpose) be to do the will of God by saving all, and losing no one, by pointing them to Jesus, the one from heaven who came with the purpose to fulfill the will of God?
  2. What will your (auto)biography be in a sentence?
    I pray that I can say of myself  (auto-)  or that it would be said of me (biography),
    I, Mano, a redeemed sinner, saved by the grace of God alone, came to be a compass to all in darkness so that all may see the glorious beauty of Jesus Christ, the only True Light, my Savior.

John 6:38-39 (KJV)

38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

Faith, Hope and Love and Patience

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On January 6, 2010

In Christian, Reuben

What comes to your mind, when you hear the word, ‘Patience’?

My wife Sangeetha and I have to sometimes pray,  ‘Lord, give us patience’, when parenting our darling son, Reuben, who prefers playtime over study. If you have prayed that prayer, have you ever wondered what you are really asking for?

So far, I was under the impression that patience was an attribute of one’s character, until I read what the Scripture has to say about it. James 1:4 reads … let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. This verse expresses that patience is personified as a person (her) who actively works not only until perfection (perfect) but also until completion (entire, wanting nothing). Hold that thought.

When talking about the greatness of Love in 1 Corinthians 13:8-13, the Scripture states that there are three things that remain. These are Faith, Hope and Love.

What does this have to do with patience?
Faith is patience with God;
Hope is patience with self and
Love is patience with others

Now, what comes to mind, when you hear the word, ‘Patience’? Let it be the things that remain, Faith, Hope and Love until we are found perfect, and entire, not wanting anything.

James 1:4 (KJV)
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing

Confusing God

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On January 5, 2010

In Become a Child, Christian, Reuben

After telling our darling son Reuben, the story of the Tower of Babel from Genesis 11, as is customary, I asked him to narrate it back to me. He told me the story in fine detail, but when it came time for him to tell me about how God confused the people by confounding their language, he innocently said that the people confused God.  I first corrected him stating that it was not the people who confused God but it was God who confused the people. Only later did it dawn on me that from the mouth of my son, who is turning 4 years old this month, God was trying to teach me a valuable lesson.

We are capable of confusing God. We do this by claiming to be his and acting like we aren’t (Titus 1:16). In some eastern and middle eastern countries, one belonging to a family is expected to behave in the demeanor that reflects the qualities of that family. If they fail to do so, they are deemed to be a disgrace to that family and in some cases even disowned when they act in an unbecoming manner. If we bear the banner as belonging to the God of the universe, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, whose name is Jesus Christ, our claims should reflect in our character; our lives should substantiates that which is uttered from our lips. We must profess that we know God and act like we do as well. We must not just talk the talk, but walk the walk as well.

Point(s) to ponder:
Are you/I confusing God? Is our lips and our lives in sync? Let’s not just talk the talk, but also walk the walk, lest we proclaim with our lips and deny Him with our lives.

Titus 1:16 (KJV)
16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

To be good or not to be

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On January 4, 2010

In Christian

Shakespeare’s soliloquy in Act III, Scene One of his play Hamlet starts with “To be, or not to be – that is the question: …”
The Bible in Micah 6:8 can be paraphrased into something similar, such as “To be good, or not to be  – that is indeed the question”

No one who is good can enter into the kingdom of God, unless they believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, who was murdered for the sins of the world (you and me), who by the power of God the Father who sent Him, rose again on the third day, conquering sin and death, once and for all and is the perfect and final sacrifice (no other sacrifice is needed) accepted by God. It is grace and grace alone that saves and not any works of anyone. No amount of penance and self-inflicted acts of righteousness can save anyone. However, those who are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, are called to do good works. Jesus said, let your light so shine amongst men, that they may see your good works and glorify God the Father, who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16).

People say, I am waiting for God to show me what he wants me to do? or I do not what the will of the Lord is?  The answer is in the Bible and is quite straightforward. We are called to do good works. We are saved by GRACE (God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense) but are called to do good works. The question then arises, what is good? Micah 6:8 gives us the answer.

That which is good is what God requires of us and that is to

  1. do justly
  2. love mercy and
  3. walk humbly

To do justly is to treat others with fairness, executing justice as God the Righteous judge would rewarding each one according to their deeds (1 Corinthians 3:8).
To love mercy is to be compassionate as God is, slow to anger, abounding in love (Numbers 14:18). Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy (Matthew 5:7).
To walk humbly is to put on the mind of Christ and take the attitude of a servant (Philippians 2:7), diligently waiting on the master (Psalm 123:2), and becoming obedient even unto the death (Philippians 2:8) [of the self, and to sin].

And remember, the litmus test of whether our good works are good or not is in the result. Our good works should not bring us the glory nor praise, but those who see our good works must glorify God the Father in heaven, for the impact our lives have in theirs.

Point(s) to ponder:
Is your life/my life one that glorifies God the Father who is in heaven. In other words, are we doing justly, loving mercy and walking humbly; are we doing good works which is required of us? If not, let’s take a stand to start now! To be good, or not to be – that is indeed the question.

Micah 6:8 (KJV)
8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

I wonder why

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On January 1, 2010

In Christian, New Year's Resolution, Poetic Prompts

Lord, with the rising of the sun, a new day does dawn
and as I reminisce of the days gone by, I wonder why
I, a mortal sinner am beloved by a God who is Love personified!

What You have in store for me,
I pray that I will see
and this is what I pray,
that in all things I trust and obey.
May my heart yearn after your own
and through me, your GOSPEL sown.

May I always seek to conform to your image
and not be held the world’s hostage.
To die to sin and self is my plea
and exercise my soul each day on my knees.
Each moment I pray, to me you speak
so that O King, of yours, a faithful servant, I’ll be.
To be pure and prepared I earnestly seek,
Looking unto Jesus who can make me complete.

Should you exalt me, Lord,
let yours be all the glory.
Should you humble me, Lord,
may my life be still a story
that brings honor to Your Name
whether it is pleasure or pain, famine or fame.

Should it be Lord, that by Your plan
my breath should fail and my life pass,
let those who succeed me, remember me
merely as a sinner redeemed by the Cross,
for my fruits and not my gifts,
for each soul that to Your Kingdom I lift,
not for the things I have done in this world,
but for those in the one to come.

Lord, with the rising of the sun, a new day does dawn
and as I reminisce of the days gone by, I wonder why
I, a mortal sinner am beloved by a God who is Love personified!

Biblical Oxymoron – Beginning End

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On December 31, 2009

In Biblical Oxymorons, Christian

The year of the Lord 2009 has come to an end and the rising of the sun tomorrow will dawn a new year. While many (including myself) focus on the beginning of a new year,  we often forget the closure that needs to happen in the year that is ending. In order for the new year to commence, the current year needs to end first.

What are some of the things that we need to end with the ending year?
As I pondered over this question, I could think of two things that I should put an end to this year, so that the new me (creation) enters into the new year. These include Self and Sin. My prayer is that I start to think less of myself and more of Christ Jesus and others first and that I hide His edifying word in my heart that I may not sin against God or man, at least willfully. In order for the new creation [in Christ] to come, the old one [with self and sin] has to go (2 Corinthians 5:17). The Biblical oxymoron in this verse is that without an end, there is no beginning. There needs to be closure before commencement. The old has to go for the new to come as we cannot serve two masters.

What are the things in your life that need to end with the ending year? Think about it, make that list, act on it. Pray that the Lord God who begins the good work of conforming you to His image, putting an end to the old, will complete it according to His infallible Word (Philippians 1:6). In fact, do this before you start making your new year resolutions of the things you plan to begin, because it is better to end than to begin, as the Scripture so beautifully puts it in Ecclesiastes 7:8 which reads Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof..

Ecclesiastes 7:8 (KJV)
8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof:

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone [ended], the new has come [begun]!

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