Heavens Declare His Glory (Ninan Mathullah)
Published on 07 May, 2016
You must have heard of Mona Lisa, the world-famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci, displayed in the Louvre in Paris, France. This painting is priceless, in a sense; it has never been actually valued. It is protected by round-the-clock, tight security. In spite of all these security arrangements, the picture was stolen on August 11, 1911, and was recovered two years later in Italy.
In the meantime, within this two-year period, hundreds of thousands of people came to see the spot, the empty wall, where the picture was kept, paying for a ticket. Looking at the empty wall, they exclaimed, "It is not there! It is gone!"Yet while the picture was there, they didn't care to think about it or enjoy it.
You must be laughing at the stupidity of these people. That smile on your face means, I am not that stupid to spend money to see that empty wall. We read about examples of stupidity as portrayed in "Laughter is the best medicine" column that appears in magazines.There, the characters almost always act stupidly, and we smile or often laugh aloud, proclaiming our smartness. That laughter means,"If I were in that position, I wouldn't have done such a stupid thing." When our friends do stupid thing, we talk and laugh about it or smile on it and feel good about it.
You and I are not any better than the people who paid money to see the blank wall. We do the same in our day-to-day life. We don't appreciate the blessing God has bestowed on us; instead we look for things when they are not there. We don't see the money, the recognition, the ability in husband, the beauty in wife, or the health in children. The Almighty God is laughing at our stupidity.
The God of glory wants us to rejoice every moment of our life in Him. He has provided everything we need. Every day, we work to gather His provisions. We are also given five senses to rejoice in His manifestations. How many of us have taken time recently to gaze at a star-lit sky or a beautiful full moon, a gorgeous sunrise or sunset?
How many of us have stopped lately to enjoy the beauty of a flower or its fragrance, or the luxurious woods, or the chirping of birds or the soft touch and pleasing smell of a baby? Don't you see the promise of God on that sparkle on the early morning dewdrops, as sunlight is refracted through it into its seven colors? The sound, sight, touch, smell and taste of things can fill us with joy as we think of the provision of the God Almighty and His glory surrounding us. The manifestations of God Almighty are anywhere and everywhere-if we can take a minute to open our eyes, and rejoice in it.
Apostle Paul reminds us through Romans 1:18-25, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things He has made (nature).
So they are without excuse; for they knew God, but they did not give honor to Him, they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools; and they exchanged the Glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen."
Most people are running this race, not knowing where they are going or what they are after. Each morning when we wake up, we must rejoice that God has given us one more day to live, to glorify His name through our actions. When you and I are born, we did not come with a guarantee to live a certain number of years.
Difficulties and troubles that we go through can make our lives more enjoyable. We cannot appreciate or enjoy the softness and comfort of a pillow if we do not sit on a hard and rough rock. If we do not get sick, how can we enjoy the vigor and comfort of being healthy?
Apostle Paul wrote from prison to the Philippians, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Phil. 4:4). Do you think it is fun to be in the jail? Even in jail, Apostle Paul could rejoice. If we cannot rejoice every moment of our life, is it, because our eyes are focused on the deceptive sounds and sights of this world-the sights and sounds that fulfill our selfish temporary desires?
This is the day that the Lord has made, and let us rejoice and, be glad in it. Let heavenly wisdom and the resultant peace surround your mind and soul, flow through your veins and radiate from your face. Oh Lord, let the fragrance of thy name spread everywhere and thy name be honored over the whole earth. Let the whole earth proclaim the goodness and mercy of my provider and sustainer.
In the meantime, within this two-year period, hundreds of thousands of people came to see the spot, the empty wall, where the picture was kept, paying for a ticket. Looking at the empty wall, they exclaimed, "It is not there! It is gone!"Yet while the picture was there, they didn't care to think about it or enjoy it.
You must be laughing at the stupidity of these people. That smile on your face means, I am not that stupid to spend money to see that empty wall. We read about examples of stupidity as portrayed in "Laughter is the best medicine" column that appears in magazines.There, the characters almost always act stupidly, and we smile or often laugh aloud, proclaiming our smartness. That laughter means,"If I were in that position, I wouldn't have done such a stupid thing." When our friends do stupid thing, we talk and laugh about it or smile on it and feel good about it.
You and I are not any better than the people who paid money to see the blank wall. We do the same in our day-to-day life. We don't appreciate the blessing God has bestowed on us; instead we look for things when they are not there. We don't see the money, the recognition, the ability in husband, the beauty in wife, or the health in children. The Almighty God is laughing at our stupidity.
The God of glory wants us to rejoice every moment of our life in Him. He has provided everything we need. Every day, we work to gather His provisions. We are also given five senses to rejoice in His manifestations. How many of us have taken time recently to gaze at a star-lit sky or a beautiful full moon, a gorgeous sunrise or sunset?
How many of us have stopped lately to enjoy the beauty of a flower or its fragrance, or the luxurious woods, or the chirping of birds or the soft touch and pleasing smell of a baby? Don't you see the promise of God on that sparkle on the early morning dewdrops, as sunlight is refracted through it into its seven colors? The sound, sight, touch, smell and taste of things can fill us with joy as we think of the provision of the God Almighty and His glory surrounding us. The manifestations of God Almighty are anywhere and everywhere-if we can take a minute to open our eyes, and rejoice in it.
Apostle Paul reminds us through Romans 1:18-25, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things He has made (nature).
So they are without excuse; for they knew God, but they did not give honor to Him, they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools; and they exchanged the Glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen."
Most people are running this race, not knowing where they are going or what they are after. Each morning when we wake up, we must rejoice that God has given us one more day to live, to glorify His name through our actions. When you and I are born, we did not come with a guarantee to live a certain number of years.
Difficulties and troubles that we go through can make our lives more enjoyable. We cannot appreciate or enjoy the softness and comfort of a pillow if we do not sit on a hard and rough rock. If we do not get sick, how can we enjoy the vigor and comfort of being healthy?
Apostle Paul wrote from prison to the Philippians, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Phil. 4:4). Do you think it is fun to be in the jail? Even in jail, Apostle Paul could rejoice. If we cannot rejoice every moment of our life, is it, because our eyes are focused on the deceptive sounds and sights of this world-the sights and sounds that fulfill our selfish temporary desires?
This is the day that the Lord has made, and let us rejoice and, be glad in it. Let heavenly wisdom and the resultant peace surround your mind and soul, flow through your veins and radiate from your face. Oh Lord, let the fragrance of thy name spread everywhere and thy name be honored over the whole earth. Let the whole earth proclaim the goodness and mercy of my provider and sustainer.
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" Turning and turning in the widening gyre,
The falcon cannot see the falconer " Poet Yeats said it nicely.
This writer s view that suffering is followed by comfort or so, is not
Totally acceptable for those handicapped, permanently suffering folks.
To say, they have an afterlife, a perfect circle later, is also mere philosophy.
Optimism, hope, vision, creativity, the ongoing battle of life. Science is solving some problems for those who can afford.
Praise the Lord for our mothers, Science and Technology which cure our burns from fire, thunder or lightening or hurricanes. Global warming is without answers, with an end to this Mother Earth, is disturbing.
Mr. Fox, Former President of Mexico was wearing a Tie in the Michael Smerconish show in CNN and telling that the Tie has a Donald Trump trade mark on it but made in china. He was telling how deceptive is Donald Trump and telling people that he is against shipping Job abroad while he himself is doing the same thing. Now, you must be wondering why I am writing all these here under Mathulla’s article ‘Heaven Declares His glory’. The reason is that Matthulla is trying to sell his usual product, ‘Jesus is god’ and the Bibles story of his resurrection on the third day for E-Malayaalee readers. He is comparing that with the Leonardo da Vinci’ s famous painting Mona Lisa, it’s stealing and the empty wall. Bible says that the body of Jesus was missing on the third day (King Herod claimed that the body was stolen by the disciples to make it look like the resurrection- This is also a business trick and publicity stunt). Donald trump and Matthulla are deceptive sales people to misguide people. They distract the people by giving falls promises when they themselves contradict what they are telling. I request E-malayaalee readers that, let the fools visit the empty wall and empty tomb but you believe in yourself and tap into your own potential. If you can draw strength from your own potential, then you be able to make heaven on earth. Jesus was an intelligent person and he motivated people to be aware about their spiritual strength rather than listening to people like Matthulla and Trump. They won’t take you anywhere because they don’t know themselves who they are. They are blind themselves and lead others also into blindness. Don’t measure your potential in comparison with money and what others say. You can have all the money you want but still can be a deceptive person. Each individual has to create his own heaven and hell and that choice is within you. When Jesus said ‘The kingdom of heaven is among you’, a thinking person know what did he mean by it.
Mr. Matthulla ends his article with fireworks by quoting from Paul’s teaching. He started with Mona Lisa story and ended with the whole Bible. The people who still go back to the empty wall and empty tomb are still fools. But those who are searching their god within are Brilliant. Jesus said, those who are pure in heart will find God,’ not the crooks. The crooks hiding under religion and politics to pounce on you and me; but be like a ’shrewd snake’.
Note: Tom Abraham is confused. He tells the truth here but loses his mind in the sight of TrumpBhagwat Geeta was one of the books inspired Gandhi but he read, “The Kingdom of heaven is within you by Leo Tolstoy many times. Gandhi, his book, My Experiment with Truth very clearly talks about it. Gandhi practiced many teachings of Jesus during his life in South Africa and in the freedom struggle in India. Gandhi‘s famous statement, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ,” has stemmed out of his discontentment how religion (Both Christians and Hindus) was misinterpreting and practicing the teachings of some of the great people lived on earth. Leo Tolstoy had problem with Orthodox Christians in Russia and they tried to do away with his famous book “The kingdom of heaven is within you’ but later it found its way out to Europe and other places. The following excerpt will give you a preview of this book.
“ Christianity Not As A Mystic Religion But As A New Theory Of Life; to include: The Doctrine of Nonresistance to Evil by Force Has Been Professed By A Minority of Men from the Very Foundation of Christianity - Criticisms of the Doctrine of Non-Resistance to Evil by Force On The Part Of Believers & Of Unbelievers - Christianity Misunderstood By Believers - Christianity Misunderstood By Men of Science - Contradiction Between Our Life And Our Christian Conscience - Attitude of Men of the Present Day to War - Significance of Compulsory Service - Doctrine of Non-Resistance to Evil by Force Must Inevitably Be Accepted By Men of the Present Day - The Acceptance of the Christian Conception of Life Will Emancipate Men from the Miseries of Our Pagan Life - Evil Cannot Be Suppressed by the Physical Force of the Government The Moral Progress of Humanity Is Brought About Not Only By Individual Recognition of the Truth But Also Through The Establishment Of A Public Opinion - The Christian Conception of Life Has Already Arisen In Our Society, and Will Infallibly Put an End to the Present Organization Op Our Life Based On Force When That Will Be - Conclusion-Repent Ye, For The Kingdom Of Heaven Is At Hand”
All over the world we see Christians and Hindus abandoning the fine teachings of their Gurus and embracing violence and then justify if by quoting their scripture. This is where the henchmen of religion misguiding and manipulating and taking advantage of the laymen of the society. Matthulla needs follow Jesus, as he asked Nicodemus to give up everything he holds on to and follow him. Matthulla is holding on to the teachings of Bishops, preachers, and their interpretation and taking him nowhere.
The Kingdom of heaven Jesus preached and Tolstoy interpreted are same; it is about taping into the spiritual energy everyone has. In order to do that one has to think clearly and loosen the grip they have on wrong ideology. Those who have invented their spiritual power did wonders in this world (I am not talking about raising the dead and healing the sick); and that is finding the inner freedom (Taping into once own pure potential) . Tapping into pure potential is not a myth, it is a Truth Mr. Matthulla.
All these Christian denominations here because somebody interpreted Bible verses in his self-interest and there was a group to follow him. Of course Bible verses are deep in meaning and it can have different levels of meaning in it. Now the situation is like ‘vaaledukkunnavanellam velichappadan’. Mr. Anthappan quoting ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ from Bible is a misinterpretation. Romans 14:17, “For the kingdom of heaven is not meat or drink; but righteousness, and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”. It is not about our material or physical needs. Even a handicapped person as Tom mentioned or a person in jail as Apostle Paul or you and I when going through suffering can experience it. This is what Jesus is talking about kingdom of heaven within you. That peace, joy and strength is not coming from your self or your own potential but through faith in Jesus. An atheist or a materialistic person will not understand this mystery.
As usual, you are twisting things around Mr. Matthulla. I never quoted Bible. I quoted from “The Kingdom of heaven is within you” by Leo Tolstoy. And, you never mentioned about Leo Tolstoy because you are so fixed in Bible interpretation of Paul and don’t want to get out of the box and think. Gandhi was an open minded person to accept the teachings of Jesus and Tolstoy and practice it in his freedom fight for India. I know, just like many other Christians, you cannot even accept the fact that Gandhi was follower of Jesus by practicing what Jesus preached about The Kingdom of Heaven is within you. In order to understand another person’s suffering one has to go through similar suffering. And, that understanding gives that person to overcome the barriers of color, creed, race and religion and reach out to other people. Gandhi understood the lack of freedom for his fellow beings and their suffering under a foreign government. He adopted the non-violence as the means of weapon to fight the aggressor and eventually won the freedom for India. He was a person who practiced many of Jesus’s ideas in his freedom struggle. I don’t think Paul had that chance to practice it with the people who were suffering under Roman rule. His philosophies helped many pastors and Bishops to promote their agenda and develop their kingdoms on earth.