The halfbaked Bard

Eph:1:4-14 For He chose us in Him. Chosen. John:15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you. * God the Father chose us * In Jesus Christ He chose us * Before the creation of the world He chose us * For what did He choose us? To be holy and blameless in His sight. Considering the fact that I am wretched. But still He chose me. Considering the fact that nothing good lives in me. But still He chose me. Considering the fact that I am unloveable, but still God chose me.  That in itself is a miracle. Chosen for a holy and blameless living. Chosen to live a life opposite to what I've been living. Though He knew I would still fail His calling and betray Him, still He chose me. I did not choose Him out of my desperation. But He chose me out of love. That makes the choice stronger. Because love is stronger than helpless desperation. Because once you feel equipped and you are out of your desperation and you feel proud of your calling, you would have lost the grip already. But the...

Eph:1:3 Praise be to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Through Jesus Christ, all spiritual blessings have been given and fulfilled by the Father. Every single one has been granted. Because that is God's wonderful plan for you. To be transformed into the likeness of Christ the Son. We just have to make use of it. Spending time with the word, maintaining spiritual discipline, trusting Him for His word, being at peace. Just put an effort. The Lord has given it all. Paul is talking about spiritual blessings. Not material benefits. Everything has been given, regarding your spiritual upliftment and growth. But we are so focussed on other things that we miss what has been given into our hands. Image courtesy: https://www.dreamstime.com/photos-images/blessings.html

What counts is a new creation. Gal:5:15 Not ritualism. Not legalism Not law - that matters.whether you have changed and become a new creation. Whether your old man has gone and the new has come. Whether Christ has come to rule and reign in you. Whether to live is Christ. Whether Christ be all and I be nothing. Image credit : https://thirst.sg/living-as-a-new-creation/

Gal:5:13 You my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge in sinful nature, rather serve one another in love. Called to be free. But there is no license to use that freedom for whatever you want, and live a life however you want. Freedom that Christ promises is not freedom to do whatever you desire. But it's freedom from the yoke of sin. To be released from the power of sin and to do not what we want, but what we ought. As planned by God, the good and perfect plan. Freedom is not licentiousness. Freedom is allegiance. Freedom is obedience. Freedom is trust. Freedom is deliverance. Freedom is believing the truth. Freedom is abundant life - life in its fullness - as promised. Freedom is liberation. Image courtesy: https://www.alwaysonpurpose.com/2021/02/4-step-process-to-find-true-freedom/

Gal:5:6 The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Paul condemns as the teaching of the need for circumcision creeps into faith. He says - for in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. He says - if you value that, then Christ will be of no value to you at all. He says - if you let yourself be circumcised then you are obligated to obey the entire law - you are trying to be justified by law - you have fallen away from grace - the offense of the cross is abolished. Legalism has no value in a Christian's life. You try to live a holy life in response to your calling. Yes. But do not try to assess your holiness based on your acts. Logicality says so. But your holiness is based on grace. It is based on the righteousness imputed upon you from the ultimate righteousness. As grace is shown upon you by God, show grace to yourself. Show grace upon others. Keep a check. Yes. But do not judge your faith based on your deeds. It is ...

It was for freedom that Christ has set you free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject to a yoke of slavery. Gal:5:1 Christ has set you free from the yoke of slavery of sin. You are not longer bound to be under sin, forced to do things which you are not willing or wanting to do. You are free indeed. But still you can choose to do that. Not bound to do, but choose to do still. Stand firm therefore and resist. Flee. For you are free to flee from the sin that so easily entangles. The one who is in you, who empowers you, is more powerful than the one who is in the world. Resist. It is not impossible. Would you? Image credit:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C_lHZjksyla/