The halfbaked Bard

But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense, Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 1 John:2:1 A loving and compassionate God. He hates sin. But He loves me, the terrible sinner. If at all I sin, He will not condemn me. He instead intercedes for me to the Father, that He has paid for this too. That He has suffered for this too. Always continually reminding the suffering that He had to go through because of my sin. A big brother who has suffered for my sake. Now how would I really respond to the very thing that made Him suffer out of His love for me. If I love that very thing that tortured my brother, it is called treachery. Betrayal, it is. And how am I different from the Iscariot Judas. It is infidelity for I am disloyal to the One who loved me with an everlasting love. Either I do not understand the love with which He has loved me. Or I consider it silly. Or I do not value it. I am self centred, who desires instant pleasure over eternal goodness...

1 John:1:9 God is light, in Him there is no dark ess at all. Absolutely pure, holy light. The Father resides in inapproachable light. The Son is the light of the world. The Spirit descended upon the disciples, depicted as tongues of fire. In Him there is no darkness. He abhors sin. Sin disgusts Him. Absolutely clean. The Father is righteous. The Son is blameless and spotless. the Spirit is called the Holy Spirit. We are talking about the Triune God who is pure and holy. Not that there is one aspect of God that is holy. He is fully and completely holy. And it is this righteousness that He chose to impute upon us. Fallen and wretched as we are. He washed us and cleansed us of our sins by His blemishless blood. If we who claim to know the light, how can we not walk in the light? How can we compromise on sin? If we enjoy darkness, then we lie about our fellowship with the light. It is not that you would always walk in the light and you wouldn't fall at all. But when you sin...

Looking forward to the coming back of my Saviour, Looking forward for that day to come like a thief, When the heavens will disappear with a roar, Looking forward for the day when the elements will be destroyed, And earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Because you're looking forward, you ought to live holy and godly lives, So then, since you're looking forward, Make every effort to be found spotless, Blameless and at peace with Him. Be on your guard. Grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2Pet:3 Image courtesy: gemini

For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. 2 Pet:2:19 Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. 1 Cor:6:12 Habits are good. Hobbies are worthwhile to pursue. But whether you are a slave to it or not, depends on whether you are addicted to it or are mastered by it. Depends on the time you spend with it. Can you live without it? Can you survive without it? Will you become fidgety and restless if you do not get it? On that score, are you a slave to social media, phone, a performance oriented life, a substance? Will you be able to switch off and spend some time alone without these? If you are able to, then good. If not. Beware. Instead be enslaved unto God. Can you survive if you are not able to spend some time reading the word or pray or spend some time in solitude with God. Striking contrast! Image credit: gemini

2 Pet:1:10 Therefore my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. How can I be sure of my salvation? For if you do these things (v:10) V:5 and to your faith, add goodness To goodness add knowledge To knowledge add self control To self control add perseverance  To perseverance add godliness To godliness add brotherly kindness To brotherly kindness add love. If you look back and see these qualities in your life, you can be sure that you are saved. These are not qualities that you can manifest without the power of the Spirit in you. The Spirit of God , if He resides in you, it is because you are saved. Am I growing in this ? Am I better than yesterday? These things will (also) keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (v:8) What good if the knowledge of Jesus Christ will not enable you to be Christ like? Image courtesy: chatgpt

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. 2 Pet:1:3 Everything we need for our life in this present world; all our material needs; all our basic needs. And also for godliness; that is to grow in the knowledge of God; to build up in a relationship with God. Everything that you can think of. Everything you can ask for. Everything that you need. Has been given. It is yours for the taking. He will provide. For His name is Jehovah Jireh. Only we have to take it. Only we have to believe it and receive it. Why has He given us this? Is it because of our goodness? Is it because God foresaw our good deeds and therefore He gave it? Not at all. Wretched, poor, blind, naked as we are. He just gave it to us. Essentially for His glory and because He is good. He is good so much so that He reveals Himself to us who do not deserve to know Him. Even when we squander every opportunity. Even ...