Sreedhar's Journey

If you do not already know, Jerusalem has great history, has great prominence today, and significant outlook for the future. What is going on right now is no surprise, but the scriptures are clear. We need to pray for Jerusalem. Psalms 122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you. Are you doing that? Or, just reading the news and processing like a bystander. The instruction from the scripture is clear. And there is a blessing waiting for those that would pray. I urge you to pray right now. Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces. For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, “Peace be within you.” Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek your good. Father, the city is in your hands.

There have been many leaders from ancient times to present days who have taken the position that they are untouchable. Nothing can go wrong and no harm can come against them. Sadly, they were foolish in making those statements. One literally ate grass because of his statement. That story probably was well noted by many kingdoms of the day. But I am totally convinced that if you put your trust in God, no harm will come upon you without God's oversight. Psalms 121:6 The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night. God is the one that is in total charge. Our arrogance will be our downfall. You are nothing before almighty God. He is omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent. As a human being, you control little. We therefore, like the Psalmist, need to say this. Psalms 121:1-2 I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. Father, you are all I need. You are my help.

I just read about the very rude climate control demonstration in Dunedin. This is very uncharacteristic of the people of Dunedin. The city is made up of great and responsible citizens, and to behave in this manner is uncalled for. I wonder where they are from. What is their agenda? Who is funding them? When you look at other events around the world you wonder what the real agenda is. The Psalmist is spot on. Psalms 120:2 Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips And from a deceitful tongue. We know lying is wrong. We know being good stewards of God's creation is important. Blind profits should never be pursued at the expense of others. But I wonder if we have gone overboard with the whole greeny thing. It has strong humanistic overtones. God has given clear instructions on the use of land resources. It is there for all to read in the Old Testament. Are the greenies reading that? Or, maybe they are more caught up with saving the environment and animals, than unborn babies. Fath

What do you read everyday?  Having been in the news and media business for so many years, it is hard to not read news first thing in the morning.  You sort of need to know how the world is doing.  But when I reflect on this, it is all vanity.  What can I immediately do with that information.  Over the years I have discovered that God's Word is the most valuable document to read and process.  It keeps me in God's way.  The best way. Psalm 119:11, Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You. This chapter in Psalms is very long.  It took me awhile to read it all this morning.  The common theme across the chapter is that it reflects on the value of God's Word.  In ancient times it was the Pentateuch and the writings of the prophets.  The Psalmist creatively put this message into a song that follows the entire Hebrew alphabet.  Imagine yourself being reminded to read God's Word through a song this long.  You would be inspired and reminded to rea

The other day I entitled my post as, You will die. But today I am saying, You will live. Life is complicated when you make it such. It is actually very simple if you would only trust and acknowledge God. This Psalmist is clear. He will live. Psalms 118:17 I shall not die, but live, And declare the works of the Lord. This is a loaded verse. As a consequence of living, you declare God's works. Why the association of living and declaring? It is very simple. We live because God designed it. He is the one that made it that way. We shall not die. We live because of God's intervention. The Psalmist knows that and so he will declare God's work. Are we declaring God's work? Father, help me to understand and declare your intervention in my life, and declare your works to all.

When you think about mankind there is no difference with God. He treats all equal. Through the ages we have forgotten that we have the same forefathers. We all came from Adam and Eve, and to be more specific, from Noah. We therefore have a heritage in boat building. To bring the world together for safe harbor. This Psalm shows the non-exclusivity of faith in God. Psalms 117:1 ​Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples! In case you didn't know, Gentiles are basically everybody that is not a Jew. Jews are singing this Psalm to Gentiles. Why would Jews sing this? It is a reflection of all that they have experienced and wanting others to experience the same kindness and truth. Psalms 117:2 For His merciful kindness is great toward us, And the truth of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord! The Jews were sharing the goodness of God to others. It is not exclusive. Yes, the Jews were blessed by their devotion to God, but ALL are meant to be blessed. The ver

There is one thing in our lives that is unavoidable. Death! Or, so we believe. Can we believe that we can avoid death? There are many things people do today to assure themselves of long life. Do you want to know the truth? No man can control that. There is an appointed time that you cannot change. But yet the Psalmist says the following. Psalms 116:8 For You have delivered my soul from death, My eyes from tears, And my feet from falling. Who is this person that can deliver our souls from death? Now before we go searching for this person all over, there are two things to understand. One, He is right here beside you. Second, it is talking delivering your soul from death, and not your body. Who is able to do this? God! Without God's intervention, your soul is doomed to death. Father, my physical death is known to You, but I know my soul will live for eternity . Thank you Father!

The following statement almost sounds like a riddle, but it is clearly speaking about a man made item. They have mouths, but they do not speak; Eyes they have, but they do not see; They have ears, but they do not hear; Noses they have, but they do not smell; They have hands, but they do not handle; Feet they have, but they do not walk; Nor do they mutter through their throat. Those who make them are like them; So is everyone who trusts in them. I do not mean to be offensive, but I am quoting from Psalm 115:5-8. The Psalmist then clearly says: Psalms 115:18 But we will bless the Lord From this time forth and forevermore. Praise the Lord! It is truly time to reassess what you are doing in light of this frank presentation. Father, open the eyes of many hearts to see the Lord of the Universe and Creator of all mankind.

I just challenged somebody that leads frequent tours into the Holyland to produce a series of videos giving an online tour with the purpose of highlighting the reality of the Bible and the message within. Many think it is a fabulous book filled with fables. It is time to debunk these myths by the everyday Joe on the street. Psalms 114:8 Who turned the rock into a pool of water, The flint into a fountain of waters. This verse is totally loaded with history. It is a demonstration of God's power. The impossible became possible. Water from a rock. And to add to this, a flint creating a fountain. All impossible but possible with God. Did it really happen? Absolutely, otherwise it would not be so well documented. Your only challenge now is how to change the conflict of fables and reality in your mind. Father, help my readers accept the reality and reject the lies said about the Bible.

In some Christian events or services there is a special item called "Invocation". It is a great way to start because it allows for everyone to settle down and focus on the Lord. It usually includes a reading of scripture and prayer. Psalm 113 is a great invocation and this verse stands out for me. Psalms 113:3 From the rising of the sun to its going down The Lord’s name is to be praised. Most of us are familiar with this verse because of the song we learnt years ago. It can be accompanied with some actions. At least for me, you could lose the meaning and blessing of the song when it is simply sang without conviction of heart. The invocation from this line or verse is that we praise Him all day long. Every moment! It is not limited to our private time, or worse, to a Sunday service. God deserves our praise. In these days of political correctness, or fear of retribution, we hide our praise and perhaps even our identity with Christ. We are robbing others of the opportunity

We just released our oldest and only daughter to a 3 month overseas medical internship experience. She gets the privilege of being in India and Cook Islands. We were concerned about her travels, but praise God she arrived safely in India. This Psalm reminded me that I should not be afraid. Instead, I need to trust God. Psalms 112:7 He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. There are so many unknowns. When there is no communication you get anxious. You wonder where she is and whether she is safe. I was reminded that she is in Singapore airport for the overnight layover. She should be safe even if she did not get my messages about the transit hotel. I know you are going to remind me not to be anxious. I suppose she is still our little girl. But, this is no excuse. God is trustworthy and He spares nothing for our well-being. Father, thank you for being there at all times. I know you will look after all our children well. Amen!

There is something about people being united for a cause that demonstrates great energy and good feeling. This is increased when these people are from diverse backgrounds. It has an exponential effect when they are from many nations. The Psalmist recognizes the power of nations coming together. Psalms 111:6 He has declared to His people the power of His works, In giving them the heritage of the nations. The problem is that in many circumstances nations are coming together for the wrong reasons. These reasons are generally ungodly. A lot of godless plans and laws are being promoted camouflaged as efforts to reduce or eliminate social injustice and protect human rights. What does God want? He wants the best for mankind. And, He has communicated. The Bible is the final compilation of His Word for mankind. If you deviate from His instructions, you rob yourself of the best. Father, I will never shortchange myself by doing what is right in my own eyes. Help me know your ways and stick

There are times when you look at the events of the world and you wonder where everything is going. It appears to be in total chaos. Totally out of control. However, the Psalmist says God is ultimately in charge and He will pronounce judgment in due time. Psalms 110:6 He shall judge among the nations, He shall fill the places with dead bodies, He shall execute the heads of many countries. It seems harsh. But in the bigger scheme of things, man has a choice. To either yield to his God given conscience or be ruled by the flesh. We are without excuse. The heads of countries and nations need to watch the decisions they are making while in authority. They will be called to account. Father, You reign in spite of the seeming chaos. Help me understand and walk in Your ways always.

Having been in media before, I have seen how bad news travels. Death, war, crime and other similar events are seen as juicy pieces of news or information to be circulated immediately. With the advent of the internet and "easy to use" publication and distribution applications, this is being done by everyday people. But we have to be careful. Psalms 109:2 For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful Have opened against me; They have spoken against me with a lying tongue. Fake news, especially malicious stories about someone, makes its rounds and, before you know it, it becomes "real news". Much can be spoken about somebody in private, but be careful. That private gossip can become public news and could be very damaging. The best is to focus on constructive and edifying conversations that serve to build up, rather than bring down. Father, help me watch my tongue. May I only speak and write with the right approach and motive.

There is a common saying that no man is an island. This is very true. You cannot go about life doing things alone. It is not good for man to be alone. You need company. I can be a good time loner. Be by myself all day. At the same time I can highly engage. This is where I need wisdom. Not everyone can be helpful. Psalm 108:12-13, Give us help from trouble, For the help of man is useless. Through God we will do valiantly, For it is He who shall tread down our enemies. All my friends out there, I love you and appreciate you, but there is one that is better than You. God! He never gives up on me. He keeps knocking on the door of my heart. He is awake and active for the affairs of my life, when I am having a good sleep. Nothing escapes Him, and He will do everything possible to give me the best. Father, I love you lots. Thank you Lord.

World history is filled with stories of man's heroics, successes, downfalls, greed and sorrows. You may be asking, was God there? The answer is simple and a resounding YES. You may then ask, why did He not intervene in history? And the answer IS simple and a resounding, HE HAS. The problem with mankind is that we choose to understand God with human hearts and minds. You cannot. Psalms 107:43 Whoever is wise will observe these things, And they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord. He created us with freedom of choice. This started with Adam and Eve. The ability to love and have other emotions. You can say the freedom to discover things. He only wants a deep loving relationship with us. This can only happen when we understand God's heart and abide by the God given conscience in us. You deviate from that, you shortchange yourself in the relationship. God prepared a plan from the beginning of time to help us. We need to accept this plan. Father, thank you for your lo

I was the only boy growing up in my home. I was also the eldest. Being the only boy in the home, I often played by myself and, like any other boy, played things that boys liked. But occasionally I would get aggressive and disturb my younger sisters. I will never forget one day when I chased my sisters with a pair of scissors. They may have forgotten, but I remembered it because of the heavy single slap I got from my father. But, the people of Israel keep were forgetting. Psalms 106:39 Thus they were defiled by their own works, And played the harlot by their own deeds. Over and over again the people of Israel will sin, repent and be saved. They even found favor and pity with those who defeated them. Psalms 106:46 He also made them to be pitied By all those who carried them away captive. This is almost a fairy tale but it was true. They even sacrificed their children to the gods of the people of Canaan. This is very odd indeed. They were praying to the same gods as the people the

Have you watched the movie the Ten Commandments, starring Charlton Heston? Wonderful movie and many appreciate the great story, but they think it is a fairy tale. You may also. But it is true. God told Abraham what was going to happen, and it did. This whole chapter I read today is celebrating the history from the time of Abraham to Moses. Psalms 105:42 For He remembered His holy promise, And Abraham His servant. God made big time promises and He has been fulfilling them through the ages. Abraham believed, but did not live to see his descendents grow to become countless. Today we have all become children of Abraham, because we are experiencing the blessing promised by God to the Nations through Abraham. Do you have any doubts about the authenticity of the Bible and the stories within? Doubt no more. God is faithful and He will fulfill all His promises. Father, I know You are faithful and ever ready to bless us. We trust You.

Our children have been home schooled for many years of their lives. Many of our relatives, friends and neighbors looked at us and probably spoke privately about how crazy we were to do that. Some asked directly about two things. How do they learn socialization skills and are you qualified to teach all the subjects? If you want me to answer these questions, please contact me directly. One of the things I am very grateful for is the blessing of my children learning creation science and the issues with evolution. They would not have learned that in regular school. Psalms 104:24 O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of Your possessions— This chapter is full of the presentation of creation science. It is simply so amazing. God created the universe, the earth and all living things. Every detail was considered, including the ecosystem. God has thought of everything. Every little detail is there for a reason. The sky, water, mountains, sp

Lee Yen and I have 4 wonderful children. Each one unique in their own way. They are all smart and can be very determined in pursuit of their interests. Our only prayer is that they walk with the Lord all their lives. Settle this and everything else will fall into place. Psalms 103:17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children, Lee Yen and I have an important responsibility for the sake of our children. Our actions impact our children. If we fail to walk in God's ways ourselves, we open our children to the works of evil. This responsibility is especially on me as the father. If I fail then I rob my children off the generational blessing. I cannot control what my children do into their adult life, but I can pray for them all the time and walk right with God. I will truly seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto me . Father, I submit myself to you,

In about 10 days one of our sons will officially graduate from university. He has already been working since November last year. He is in what I consider a God ordained position in the marketplace to make an impact for the sake of the Gospel. If you count my Mum, who came to Christ much later in life, Shawn is the third generation to be a follower of Jesus. Psalms 102:18 This will be written for the generation to come, That a people yet to be created may praise the Lord. This chapter starts by talking about the great suffering Israel is going through. But there is that anticipation that a new thing is being birth as the people of Israel return to God. Our children, all 4 of them, are so blessed. They are truly the next generation being made ready to make an impact for the Lord. It is now up to them to use these blessings for the sake of the Kingdom. In tennis I constantly hear them say "unforced errors". My children can only fail if they make unforced errors. This depend

Character is what you do when no one is looking. It can be good or bad. It eminates from the heart. It cannot be seen, but through a person's words, actions and attitudes, you can have a sense of the character of the person. But with God, nothing is hidden. He sees everything. Psalms 101:6 My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, That they may dwell with me; He who walks in a perfect way, He shall serve me. In my human nature I have a tendency to do wrong things. Over the years of a close walk with God, my heart has been transformed, and my mind is yielded to God's wisdom and direction. You may ask, how did you do it? First a caveat. God is not done with me yet. I have my imperfections. My wife will tell you that. One of the actions that has helped me greatly is what I am doing now. Read the Word of God, write a journal and pray. Father, it is simple, but help me be consistent in my time alone with You.

Am I a thankful person? I need to ask people around me, especially my wife. She will tell me the truth. Some of these truths could go back to ancient times. Just kidding. On a serious note, besides "forgive me", "thank you" has powerful reconcilatory effect. The person that I am most thankful for is God. Psalms 100:5 For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations. He is good and merciful. Nothing changes about Him. He is both powerful and gentle. My savior, redeemer and friend. The Great I Am! He is unwavering in His Ways. He finishes what He started. He fulfills His promises. There is nothing about Him to doubt. He is my Abba Father. Do you want to know Him? Father, I shout your praise from the mountaintop.