The halfbaked Bard

Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.  1 Cor:1:30 Nothing that I did, I could please God. Nothing could gain me favour in His eyes. Nothing can earn me any reward. For it is said, all these are like filthy rags. A God who is infinitely holy. How can He look at my infinitesmally small good deed And be pleased. In contrast my sin is huge. He can't even weigh it on a scale, as is the norm. Love your neighbour as yourself. Anger is equivalent to murder. Lustful looks as same as adultery. An infinitely holy God's standard. No matter how high I jump, I can never reach. The standard of this Holy God. No good deed could ever please Him. I was helpless in that ditch. But the everlasting Father, as He is. Love incomparable, loves me and As He wants to save me. Came down to that ditch to rescue me. By His dying on the cross, He paid the debt, The ransom which I did not have to pay. It was His doing. He did it. Not me. Nor any of my attempts. The smartest, the wisest, the rich...

For the Word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. 1 Cor:1:18 For others let it be foolishness. Let them laugh at you. Let them call you names. That is because they don't understand. But let that not be a hindrance. For you to seek Him. For you to make a stand for Jesus. Amongst the very same people who label you. It's been grace that you have been granted this wisdom. Are there not people wiser than you? But God was gracious to reveal Himself to you But do you cherish it? For you it is the power of God. Which saved you; which will protect you. And sustain you and provide for you. God is on your side, then who can be against you. Image credit: https://www.freepik.com/premium-ai-image/glowing-key-with-glowing-light-middle-it_42000384.htm

1 Cor:1:8 He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you strong. Not safe. Strong is a more intense word. Not that He will keep you safe from falling. But He will keep you strong so that you wouldn't fall. You would be blameless. He will enable you to stay strong. To take drastic steps against evil. It is not a scene of a helpless baby protected by its mother (That is also true). But a picture of a trainer who gives constant training to you so that you will be able to resist evil. Sanctification is a process of equipping you to choose your Abba, than the world and it's selfish ways. The beauty is, God wants you to be involved in it. Rather than spoon feeding you. Image credit: https://stock.adobe.com/search?k=old+prison+door

Sanctified in Christ Jesus.  1 Cor:1:2 Sanctified means made pure. Free from sin. Set apart. It is not just a declaration where God sees you as pure despite your filth. It is not a blind eye to your sin.  It is purified by the spotless blood of Jesus. Who paid the penalty of my sin. No amount of good deeds can purify you and earn you this purity  Former New York Mayor after shelling out his own 50M $ for gun control said I am going straight to heaven. People requote it, like it, share it again and retweet it.Thinking he is right. Sad to say, he is absolutely wrong. The only way to heaven is not your good deeds. Even if you spend 50M$. You can't buy your ticket to heaven.  But only if you believe Jesus is God. And He came down to save you. Image credit: https://www.reddit.com/r/neoliberal/comments/evovxo/my_second_favorite_bloomberg_quote_of_all_time_3/

Now to Him who is able to establish you -- be glory forever Amen. Rom:16:25-26 Lord, establish me, this new year. Things concerning me according to your will. That I may know you more, I may seek you. That I will walk in your path. Lord, establish me, this year. Things that you have put in my heart. Concerning my being, my character. To be like you. To reflect you. For it is you who gave the desire. As well as, you are the one who sustains it. You are the one who would enable me. And equip me. Not my strength, nor by my merit. I am weak, Lord. But Thou art strong. The Spirit in me, would help me. To be what I ought to be. And unless I submit myself To be established by you. It wouldn't work out. Not my will but Yours. It demands dying to my own self. It requires denying my own desires. And ambitions. And plans. That not me. But He.  Painful. But worth it. Image credit: https://stockcake.com/i/puzzle-completion-moment_178354_30489

The God of peace will soon crush satan, under your feet. Rom:16:20 Christian life is so exciting. God could defeat and punish satan with a flash of His finger anytime. But what He does, makes this an edge of the seat thriller. God equips and enables a weakling like me, to overpower a strong being like satan, by God's power. Otherwise it is so monotonous. Now it has become polychromatic. It depends on your faith, your commitment. Eventhough the ultimate end is predictable. What has been promised in the first book of the Bible is being fulfilled in your life on a day to day basis, provided you play your role well.