Ability to make wealth

Possibly after the verse⁽¹⁾ from the Bible that led me to repentance and salvation, this verse has had the deepest impact in my life:

Deu 8:18 ( emphasis mine )

(BBE) But keep in mind the Lord your God: for it is he who gives you the power to get wealth, so that he may give effect to the agreement which he made by his oath with your fathers, as at this day.

(CEV) Instead, remember that the LORD your God gives you the strength to make a living. That's how he keeps the promise he made to your ancestors.

(GNB) Remember that it is the LORD your God who gives you the power to become rich. He does this because he is still faithful today to the covenant that he made with your ancestors.

(GW) But remember the LORD your God is the one who makes you wealthy. He's confirming the promise which he swore to your ancestors. It's still in effect today.

(NIV) But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.

(NLT) Always remember that it is the LORD your God who gives you power to become rich, and he does it to fulfill the covenant he made with your ancestors.

Its truly amazing that this is mentioned in the bible... when I first came across this verse in Jan 2004, for a moment I froze - it was like time had stopped for a while - I could not hear a sound although I was in a room with many people talking to each other - when I came back - I had to read the verse again to make sure that I had read it correctly.

Couple of thought on this...

1. Biz School: No, they didn't teach me this ! Yet they taught me that Businesses exist for creating profits, well an economic surplus - if you prefer a more complicated definition. So how are businesses supposed to create wealth?, well, shall we just say that we did not have enough time to discuss that. ( Incidentally my Theology teachers didn't teach me about the Love of God either )


2. Church: In the context of much debate regarding the Prosperity Gospel I have to admit that in all my years of attending church - I have never come across a preacher speak on this subject ( specific verse ) ! Needless to say that I have listened to sermons that presented a favorable arguments about that fact that God intends his children to prosper.


3. Believers: Never came across a professing christian who told me that he is prosperous because God gave him the strength / power / ability to become wealthy !

I am not being judgmental about any body here please no just sharing things the way I saw it happen.

I am really praying this scripture in my life currently, especially in the context of the Techxodus initiative.

In the context of personal worship, this verse gives me a very BIG reason to worship Him. Think about it, He loves me, He saved me, He makes me prosper ( and all these this I get for FREE, LOL ). Halleluyah, I worship you God.

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(1) "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." (Joh 8:11 NIV)

Who am I?

One of the books I have constantly gone back to is " Victory Over The Darkness " by Dr. Niel T Anderson. It basically talks about our identity as Christians. In this book he lists⁽¹⁾ more than 30 " I am .. " statements, which are based on scriptures. These statements are paraphrased to give us the right scriptural perspective regarding our identity.

So these days when I find the going tough, I often find myself asking the question " According to the bible - who am I ? ". Having a clear and definite understanding about who I am is critical since: No person can consistently behave in a way that's inconsistent with the way he perceives himself. ⁽²⁾ Dr. Anderson more or less states this as a postulate.

And according to the bible - who am I?

For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (Eph 2:10 NLT)

I am a Masterpiece of God. Feels good to know that ! Phew... To be compared to the Taj Mahal ( for e.g. ) that's a heady high ! You may be laughing - well do what you want - I believe that the word of god is true⁽³⁾. And that settles the issue.

There is also more hope in this verse - it says that I have been recreated, say " Anish Jacob Ver 2.0 " in Geekish so that I can do the good things He planned for me long ago !

Wow, that's awesome, and that's another reason to worship Him.

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(1) & (2) Page 45 & 43, Victory Over The Darkness, Neil T Anderson, Regal Books
(3) Everything in the Scriptures is God's Word. All of it is useful for teaching and helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live. The Scriptures train God's servants to do all kinds of good deeds. (2Ti 3:16-17 CEV)

So Help Me God...

As I am going through a personally challeniging time, in my heart I was wondering if God ever asked us to ask men for help ?

So the geek that (I think) I am, opened my (electronic) Bible and started to * search * (what else?). The results were interesting:

1. The word "help" appears than 219 times in the bible


2. That is in 211 verses !


3. The words "heelp+god" appears in 47 verses


4. The words "help+lord" appears together in 61 verses


5. The "help+man" combo appears ONLY in 17 verses


6. Similarly "help+men" in 10 verses


7. And "help+brothers" in 6 verses !

So in how many of the last 3 combinations does God say "Go to a man/men/brother(s), when you need somthing"? On a quick browse I could not find any a;though this turned up !

Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless. Psa 60:11

And now some samples from the "help+god" and "help+lord" combinations (just random browsing of the results):

• With your help I can advance against a troop ; with my God I can scale a wall. 2Sa 22:30


• With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles." 2Ch 32:8


• Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the LORD. Isa 31:1

Incidently the combo "ask+help" turned up only 3 verses all in the New Testamanet. And the combo "seek+help" appears in 4 verses, all in the Old Testament.

So does that say some thing ? I think it does :-) Lord help me for you alone can deliver me, you alone can deliver me, ever. Amen.

Now is the time...

I have not been blogging for a while now. Although I was always looking for ideas and inspirations for blogging... This is my first blog after weeks, no months...

While I was surfing the net today I came across the clock now fixed on this page. I thought the caption "Come Now is the Time to Worship", from the famous worship song. Also another forgotten favorite came to my mind "Don't you know its time to praise the Lord", used to sing it in my EU days :-).

Nice to be blogging again - keep smiling - keep worshiping - keep winning.

On 23rd January 2005, there were an estimated 3 million people in attendance for Pastor Benny Hinn's Meeting in Bangalore. I attended the meeting on all 3 days : 21st - 23rd. More about Pastor Benny Hinn here and his statement of faith. 

13 Years and looking forward to eternity...

It was on 6th Sept 1991 that I first accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, but for His grace – I don’t know how the past 13 years would have been. In this time He has helped me successfully get a PG Diploma against stiff odds – has blessed me with a happy marriage and a lovely son. He has worked in the lives of my parents and especially my mother. He has made many a dream come true and really stepped into situations, which needed miracles to sort out.

When I think of all these things – how can I but not be filled with gratitude for him and worship Him?

So what happens when things go wrong?

Like, when you or someone close to you goes through a painful experience? Someone who is very close to me missed out on accomplishing a dream yesterday - now she may actually never see her dreams come true.

But I still worship - and hope she can too, because we know for sure that: in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Rom 8:28

30 secs of fame ?

While I am on stage as part of the worship team it is easy to think that - what I am "doing" on stage is worship. Yea, sure that is - and I am often worshiping Him from deep within.

But what about the non glamorous part of being on the worship team? Like setting up the stage - cleaning the instruments - or helping put things back after the service? I guess that too is as important as what happens on stage.

Lord help me become a better worshiper.

Out of the corner...

Worship - is in response to God's help in a tight situation.

Like helping you close a big sales order - especially in times when the chips are low. Thank you God - I worship you.

Worshiping omelet?

I went once to a camp organized by the Evangelical Union. Today I don't remember much about the camp - it was more than 10 years ago - except this...

Dr. K O John was one of the resource persons for the camp. He told us about somebody called Bro. Lawrence (I think).

Bro. Lawrence was such worshiper, he'd make an omelet, and when he turned it over, ( it would look as if ) the omelet bent down and worshiped God.

I also recall how Dr. John urged us to become Kitchen Christians - the type that would have no qualms about washing plates in the kitchen, irrespective of where we are (and whose plate it is). The call was to become Christlike - to be a person who serves.

Does that make sense? It did to me - it is one of the few things I still carry inside from that camp !!

Worship - what was that word again?

Now that the prospect of building APC Worship Team’s Online Community Site – has gripped me…

I was wondering yesterday night about what exactly Worship means?
What is it? How many times is it mentioned in the bible?
( What should we name the site? )

My search landed me at Exo 20 – and from the CEV version it read…

I am the LORD your God, the one who brought you out of Egypt where you were slaves. Do not worship any god except me.

It said I should not worship any other God.

Now this got me wondering… What are the things I worship in my life?
Are there people I worship? Are there things I worship? Do I worship the Internet? Do I worship money?

And I am still searching my inside.