The halfbaked Bard

“ Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭3:8‬ ‭NIV Repentance is not feeling sorry alone. Naham.... It is returning back to the original position ....it is turning back to God...Metanoia Producing the right fruit of repentance is really turning back to God. Producing the right fruit is looking to God and trying to revert from your sinful ways. Though you know it’s not possible to come out of it on your own. You try, you seek help. A true feeling of repentance comes from a true feeling of wretchedness. That I am not worthy of it feeling. Truly are we worthy of heaven. Do we deserve heaven.... A W Tozer- “The man who is seriously convinced that he deserves to go to hell is not likely to go there, while a man who believes that he is worthy of heaven will certainly never enter that blessed place.. The way we love praise and pamper ourselves it is plain enough that we do not consider ourselves worthy of damnation”.  Do I really see the holiness of God and the...

Leviticus 12 - Purification of a woman after childbirth required the mother to bring a one year old lamb for burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove as purification offering. If someone couldn't afford a lamb, they could bring two pigeons or two turtledoves. We see the same verse quoted in Lk:2:24. Jesus' parents couldn't afford a young lamb as the law  required. Knowing them as God fearing and genuine people who love God and have faith, I don't think they were trying to fool around. Genuinely they couldn't afford and I'm pretty sure this lack of affordabilty went throughout the life of Jesus How much could a carpenter father of atleast 5 boys afford? No mention is made of Joseph later in Jesus' adulthood. How much could Mary alone afford? In the present era luxury is the word. Nothing called bare necessity is relevant. What do we teach our children? About PS5s and Xboxes? What do we shop or search for? Armanis and Guccis? What do we ta...

Lev 11 tells of a list of animals that are clean and unclean. A list of those animals which are to be avoided because they defile. Initially when God designed and created man in Gen 1, he designed him as a veggie. Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. Genesis 1:29 NLT I was infact shocked to realize this. Being a fan of non veg diet, it was heart breaking for me. But God because he loves us, because of his love for us, he budged to our likeness it seems. He agrees on man eating non veg, but only clean ones. Peter later in Acts encounters this stand of God. Where he realises that everything that God created is clean and there has to be no distinction between anyone.  The system at that time defined Cornelius to be unclean (according to the Jews). But God was proving to Peter infact that nothing (or everything) is unclean and receiving Jesus is the only way to be clean be i...

Distinguish between what is sacred and what is common. Lev:10:10 I think I should go to elementary school once more to set my basics right. All these years I had thought that the antonym of sacred is cursed or impure or unholy. Little did I know, for God, the opposite of sacred is common . The world has become so corrupted that sin has become a de rigueur, has become a common ethos. The prince of the earth is so much in control that the system can only think of unholy ways alone.  You wanna get things done from the government, there is no other way other than bribe (or glorify it into saying a present for help offered) More things go under the table than over, including our salaries. Even when you do something good  and apprpeciable, you want others to know- it comes straightaway on your whatsapp status, Facebook wall and instagram post coz you are self centred .  You see some good act from somebody you scrutinize his/her motive or intention. Even children hav...

Nadab and Abihu sons of Aaron disobeyed God by burning the wrong kind of fire. The Lord punished them by burning them up. What is the kind of fire that you burn? Is it the right kind of fire? Is it marred with self interest? Is it iced with reverance and holy fear of God? Is it coated with repentance and remorse of your sin and a desire to reinstate to the Holy God? Is it your plans, your wants, your dreams alone? Like Abraham do you come to God as a friend? Like Moses do you desire to see and talk to Him face to face? Like Elijah do you have the confidence that when you pray, God will listen? Like David, can you seek His heart alone? The intimacy and love is more important. The desire to know Him is more important. The desire to be close to His heart is. The desire to be like Him. Make it count, leave a mark, build a name for yourself Dream your dreams, chase your heart, above all else Make a name the world remembers But all an empty world can sell is empty dreams I got lo...

Fire has always been an integral part to demonstrate God's presence. Sacrifices being burnt denotes his judgement - right from the times of Abel. The pillar of fire to guide the children of Israel in the night denotes his presence. Elijah, the prophet just like us prays and fearsome anger of God is brought out as fire. John when he sees God in Rev:1 he says His eyes are like flames of fire. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:12‭-‬15 NLT In the eternal fire there is no escape. There is no...

The ordination ceremony of Aaron and his sons was done by Moses. By the end of it, they were instructed to stay in the Tabernacle for 7 days to complete the ceremony. I was thinking how I would take it, the privilege of being in the temple whole seven days. Would I be bored and frustrated because I don't have anything else to do? ▫️No phones or any of my gadgets ▫️No books to read ▫️No "entertainment" Only seeking the knowledge and presence of God. Ps:84:10 A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else. Can I echo this along with the Korah descendants? Can I put everything aside that excites me now, including my ministry and desire to be in my Father's presence 24x7?

Lev:7:28-38 When the people of Israel presents a peace offering to the Lord, they were suggested to bring a part of it as a gift to the Lord. The fat is to be burnt on the altar. The breast and the right thigh belonged to the priests. The Lord says, He has reserved (v:34), it is the permanent right (v:34) and it is their rightful share (v:35).  The choicest and the best piece belonged to servants of the Lord. In Malachi, the last book of OT, however the rebellion of Israel has reached its pinnacle. Mal:1:7 - you have shown contempt by offering defiled sacrifices on my altar. V:8 blind animals, crippled, diseased animals were offered. The Lord desires to close the temple doors for the sake of worthless sacrifices. He asks a question to them, "Should I accept from you such offerings as these?" In return Mal:2:2 - I will bring a terrible curse on you. I will curse even the blessings you receive. The choicest piece has turned out to be a curse. V:8 your priests have l...

Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. John:17:3 There is no other gift that we can dream of. There is no other promise that we would want. There is no other desire that we can have. More than this. Just like God promised Abraham "I am your very great reward" We dream of eternal life as something that we would acquire in heaven, where the streets are made of gold, the foundation stones are made of twelve precious stones,and the gates are made of pearl. But these would mean nothing to us. Because He is gonna be there with us always. But how much we know Him now determines the excitement we will have. If we do not know Him much then how little we would cherish His presence for eternity.  If eternal life is knowing Him, then we are living that eternal life. It's not something which we will inherit in heaven after we die. Eternal life is now. It has begun. "Knowing you Jesus, knowing you There is...

It is quiet interesting to note - be it a sin offering or a guilt offering or a grain offering or a peace offering, a portion of it belongs to the priests. Unlike the other children of Israel, the Levites were solely dedicated to serving the Lord and this was their only source  Josh:13:14. When the promised land was allotted to the different tribes, the tribe of Levi was not allocated any land. The children of Levi were the only ones who obeyed Moses in taking up the sword and slaying 3000 disobedient people who worshipped the golden calf. There is complete surrender and dedication of their lives. There is complete obedience. What a privilege it would be to be part of God's table? Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan and grandson of Saul. He was crippled in both feet. When David became king he called Ziba the servant of Saul and said he wanted to show God's kindness to Saul's family. And Mephibosheth is brought to the king's palace and the king promises to Mephibosheth ...

  Matt:3:13-17 Two types of obedience is seen here.  One of John the Baptist which is consenting to God’s will. He was sure that it was he who need to be baptised by Jesus but he agreed because he said so. His idea and God’s will were contradisntincting. But still he chose to obey. One is of Jesus himself who obeyed knowing fully the will of God. His idea and God’s will was in tune with each other. Both these obedience’s are important. Even if I’m not convinced do I still obey. And even if I obey, how do I obey? with resentment.? Or With complete surrender? With peace? Or complaining? Even When I’m fully convinced of the true will of God do I obey? What hinders me from obeying him completely? Public opinion? Difficulty to come out of my comfort zones? If you love me you will obey my commands....obedience is not just a sign of our love to him. It is an attitude derived from our love .... May God enable us to love him and obey his statutes....

A guilt offering consists of bringing your ram without any defect and offering it as a sacrifice. Along with that you are also supposed to repay the full price plus 20% additional to the person to whom you sinned. Asking for forgiveness to the person for whom the grievance was caused be it cheating, lying, saying a harsh word, inflicting physical or emotional pain is as equally important in God's eyes as reinstating with Him. Many a times I find it difficult to apologize to someone and I realize it is because of my pride. Jesus says, if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person . Then come and offer your sacrifice to God. Often I chose to ignore this verse out of my self importance and pride. Zaccheus rushes down the sycamore tree, promised to give back four times if he has cheated on someone, once he ...

A sin offering is concerning you. Through the offering, there is your justification, your propiciation and your purification. But the next offering, that is called the guilt offering, is directed to the Lord. Though it again purifies you and the Lord forgives you of your guilt, it deals with the hurt that has been caused in the heart ❤️ of God. When you sin my dear one, though the grievance is against another person, and sometimes against your own self, it essentially is against the Holy and Pure God saying "I have my own way" And the root cause of all sin is pride where I declare " I will drive my own life" in keeping with what Lucifer said in Isa:14:13-14 Sin is primarily an act of rebellion against the authority and soverignty of God and that is why we need to repent. Let's not be like the "e" in the profile.

Have you noticed that the burnt and the sin offering both deal with sin. Then why to offer it separately. In fact in Lev:5, one is expected to offer the burnt and sin offering simultaneously in a particular situation. The burnt offering is burnt entirely on the altar. The sin offering is partly offered inside and partly outside. Through the burnt offering - you are purified of your sin, made right with God, and forgiven. Hence it denotes justification and propitiation. Where as the sin offering is involved with laying of your hands on the animal, hence it denotes substitution and atonement. The burnt offering happening within the temple or tabernacle- shows it happens in your heart. When you personally relate to God, realising and repenting of the gravity of your sin. Where as sin offering happens outside the city gates- hence denotes the finished work on the Cross. Christ has done His part. Have you realised, you have a role to play dear one? To look into your own self, to introspect....

  Life requires you to frantically run around. Be it to fulfill your responsibilities, or being true to your promises, or being there where you are supposed to be at least to reach out through a call or message or mail, to finish off liabilities. Yes life requires you to be on the go. Have you been to a park. There are two types of kids. One genre runs around and the other sits quietly in a swing or a see-saw or a merry-go-round. Both enjoys to the full. If you ask both of them whether they would like to go back to the park, both wouldn’t hesitate to say yes. Life can be countered in two different ways. 1. Like King Saul to run wildly chasing own dreams. 2. Like David to be still in God’s presence. Ps:37 highlights a contrast between these two - the wicked and the still. The wicked runs berserk. But the faithful remains still. The faithful, 1. Trusts in the Lord v:3 2. Delights himself in the Lord v:4 3. Commits all his ways to the Lord v:5 4. Be still v:7 That is the key. To live ...

“At once they left their nets and followed him.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4:20‬ ‭NIV‬‬ http://bible.us/111/mat.4.20.niv What is my attitude in following him?  At once without hesitation..... Left their whole livelihood...... Left their father....... I’m not pointing to leave all my responsibilities and relational tags and follow Him. He would not want you to do that. God only will hold you responsible if you don’t love your wives, bring children in Christ likeness and take care of your old parents. It is he who gave me those shoes to fit in. But the real question is what is my heart’s attitude in following Christ. Are there still tugs to pull me back from following him at once or wholeheartedly.  It might be my phase of life—- where I say I will follow him once I settle in life once I retire. Once my kids are all established..??? It might be the money you earn. Let me earn some more and settle...??? Let me take care of my dependants...??? These responsibilities are important. But hold on t...

We continue to ponder upon the unintentionally committed sin. If the entire Israel community sinned against the Lord, but doesn't realize it, they were still considered guilty of it. Doing some wrong unknowingly or unintentionally is considered a less vice in our system. A juvenile committing a crime has lesser consequences. Inadvertance is a common excuse that we make when we hurt some one. Isn't it? But when we read Lev:4:12-21 we realize that it is not an excuse for God at all. Whatever explanation you make before Him, a sin is a sin is a sin is a sin. He is serious about it and has been meticulous in describing the remedy  Do I rationalize myself? Do I bring in an alibi? Is excuse my first response when I confront with my sin? Or immediate repentance? God serious about sin is not just in OT. But for eternity too. And that is the significance of the cross. The price is already paid. What is your response?

The sin offering had two portions - one, the chosen fat which are to be burnt on the altar inside the tabernacle. The other portion, whatever is left behind, the hide, the meat, head,legs,internal organs and dung were to be carried outside the camp and burnt along with the ashes. In our Christian life, what it signifies is an amazing truth. Heb:13:12 says - So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of His own blood. That place outside the city gates was a place of disgrace. A place of dishonour. Jesus chose to be there because of his love to you and me. Jesus chose to be disgrace. Chose ignominy. Such is the love of God for you dear one. He who knew no sin, became sin for us. What more could be done? What more to demonstrate his love for you. Do not keep you eyes shut. Do not deliberately close your eyes.

Sin of the high priest is described to bring about guilt on the entire community. Just as a leader is responsible for the vocational growth of his team, equipping them, their mental and spiritual well being too is his responsibility. - Ethically , morally You O Brother, O Sister as a child of God are also a leader. We are a chosen generation, holy nation and royal priesthood. You are a leader in your workplace. You are a leader among your friends. You are a leader in your family. You are a leader in your kitchen. God has placed people around you, so that you are responsible for their spiritual welfare too. - your team, your students, your juniors and friends, your children. Do we take sin seriously? Would we prefer to show our browsing history to our subordinates? Do we delete our history often? Are we living a life fearing being exposed? Character is what you are in the dark - D. L. Moody Be serious!

Leviticus 4 talks about sin offering , the fourth offering the children of Israel are supposed to do.  V1 particularly speaks of remedy of sin committed unintentionally. Hey is that right? Are we talking about a loving God? A perfect God? Think about the party who suffered? Unintentional or intentional, his loss is a loss indeed. You cannot just pass it off! It ascertains - " A sin is a sin". No matter what. Sin is serious and it has to be dealt with. And above all. Sin moves you away from God. Hence being serious with sin - be it intentional or unintentional, God in His loving kindness has provided a means for us to come back to His bosom.  He has reached out.

"No one likes a defective piece. It frustrates you and irritates you" The next offering is called the peace offering. Just like the other offerings, the most distinctive feature is that, the animal has to be without defects. This indeed makes it pleasing to God. That is the very reason why I cannot gain my own salvation. No matter what good acts I do, no matter how much alms I give for the church or for the poor, no matter what tough pilgrimage I go for, no matter what good I do for the society to make it a better place to live, no matter what good examples I set for the coming generations, the Lord says all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Rom:3:20 says no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. Hence the need for a defectless lamb is imminent. 1Pet:2:22 He never sinned nor deceived anyone . 2Cor:5:21 He who knew no sin Heb:4:15 Yet without sin 1 John:3:5 in Him there is no sin Just like the lamb is repres...

The grain offering is the second offering we see in Leviticus. It was a voluntary offering. Which required a lot of effort from our side. The grain had to be ground to fine or choice flour - probably which could be done in a hand powered millstone only. With great effort. No offering is easy. A voluntary toil only makes it qualifiable and definable as an offering. There is no easy way. Rom:12:1 says about the same thing. Living and holy sacrifice - pleasing and acceptable to God. As we live our lives as a living sacrifice, do we take an extra effort? Are we conscious enough to make every effort as in 1 Pet:1:5 to make our lives as a pleasing aroma to God? It is easy to flow with the current. But to swim against the current and stay pure for God is extremely difficult. Desiring to stay pure for God is a pleasing sacrifice for Him. God tells King Saul the same thing - obedience is better than sacrifice. It takes an extra effort. But that is worth it coz it pleases your Father...

The burnt offering had few highlights 🔹Take it from your herd or your flock. 🔹No defects. 🔹The Lord will accept its death in your place. 🔹The whole animal is offered as an offering. 🔹The entire sacrifice is a pleasing aroma to God. Jesus is the perfect burnt offering as an atonement for our sins. How? Taking from your herd - has two implications. That Jesus was fully man. He is part of our herd. Secondly the cattle has to be from your herd. Not another's. Unless the sacrifice becomes your personal thing it is of no use to you. No defects -   The lamb has to be absolutely blemishless, with no defects. 1 Pet: 1:19 Christ the sinless spotless Lamb of God 2Cor:5:21 He who knew no sin, became sin for us. The Lord will accept its death in your place -. To purify you. Making you right with Him. Rom:3:25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood The whole ani...

The cloud of the Lord hovered over the Tabernacle during the day, and at night fire glowed inside the cloud so the whole family of Israel could see it. This continued throughout all their journeys. Exodus 40:38 NLT . The presence of the Lord       - How majestic      - How awesome      - How magnificent Cloud and the fire within it. Just imagine. Much more glorious than the pic. The same thing Israel saw far on Mount Sinai, is now in their midst and travels with them. Jehovah's glorious presence. This very same God has said - Behold I am with you always, even to the end of age. The Holy Spirit is there with us too, as the Helper, the Advocate. Am I aware of His presence in my life? Am I awed by it? Have I set myself to be holy? Am I willing or desiring to know Him more? Am I confident of His love so much so to talk to Him face to face or be after His own heart? Seeking Him? The glorious presence we will see one day face on as...

Exo:39:8 Bezalel made the chestpiece with great skill and care  He decided to give his everything for God. His best. Not suboptimal. But his best. Today as a child of God, which part of you do you give? Your best or your crooked. 🔹The firstborn lamb or the lame? 🔹The choicest sheep or few of the harvest? What do you do with your talent? Have you multiplied it for His glory or have you buried it under? What's the time you give to the Lord? Your most alert time or when you are most tired just before sleep? When do you sit with the word and when do you pray? When you are most active or most sleepy?  What do you want most in your life? What is the utmost desire for your life? Your ambition? Is it anyway near the Lord? Or is it self centred and self gratifying? When you have a sabbatical leave? What's your plan? Biggest asset is your family! How do you spend time in your home? Crooked over the phone? Still glued to the screen? Still working from home? It a...

September 5th is commemorated as teacher's day in india remembering the birth anniversary of Sri Sarvepally Radhakrishnan, a renowned scholar and the second president of the Republic India. Those of the very few who do not know, the above is a pic of the legend Sachin Tendulkar with his coach and mentor Sri. Ramakanth Achrekar. Today is the day when Facebook walls, instagram stories and whatsapp statuses will be raided with animations and gifs and pics of your favourite teacher. Courteous. Grateful. Beholden. Indebted. I'm also grateful to all my teachers in school and colleges, who were instrumental in making me what I am today.  A good teacher is selfless and not showing favouritism. He teaches his children as his own. He teaches everything he knows. Dronacharya in Hindu mythology was a great guru, but showed inequity in demanding Ekalavya's right thumb as gurudakshina. # Nepotism is the in word now in India. But Bezalel and Oholiab were given the ability to b...

It is said Bezalel personally build the tabernacle, the ark of the covenant, the ark cover, the lampstand, the utensils- everything meticulously and patiently he made. When the Lord entrusts you to do something, do you meticulously, tirelessly and consistently do it? Are you excited to see what the Lord is about to do in you and through you? Or do you do it with a complaining heart, dissatisfied heart? As you study! As you do that extra work! As you do your daily routine job! As you do your daily chores at home! Do you feel bored? Do you often have pent up work? There are two ways of handling your responsibilities. 1. With a satisfied and thankful heart. 2. With a discontented and ever complaining heart. Israelites always had a complaining heart, no matter what the Lord did for them.  But Bezalel is an example for us to emulate, to do things with a thankful contented and patient heart.

Young boy Bezalel and his dad were working as slaves in Egypt. They were working under hard taskmasters to make brick from mortar and clay. Each time the task seemed to rise, the target seemed to be tougher, young boy Bezalel was finding it more difficult. But his dad kept telling him, the Lord will deliver, He is in control dear boy and He has a purpose. In his leisure time, young boy Bezalel loved to spent time with wood or stone or whatever he would come across and he loved to carve out beauties from it. With tear filled eyes his dad would look at how his young boy would carve out wonders from pieces of lifeless things and make it lifelike. He is just like his mom, soft handed, so talented. God has gifted an amazing hand. She would have been so proud of him, he thought.  One day while collecting stones for brick young boy Bezalel finds something shiny. He digs further and sees this peculiar purplish bluish pinkish hue which he has never seen ever before amongst the c...

Moses spent 40 days and nights in God's presence. And on his way back from Mount Sinai,  his face was radiant with God's glory. He was reflecting His glory. The moon reflects the light of the sun. So does the earth.  The picture is the famous "pale blue dot" photograph of planet Earth taken on February 14, 1990, by the Voyager 1 space probe from a record distance of about 6 billion kilometers (3.7 billion miles, 40.5 AU).; the planet appears as a tiny dot against the vastness of space, among bands of sunlight reflected by the camera. Voyager 1, which had completed its primary mission and was leaving the Solar System, was commanded by NASA to turn its camera around and take one last photograph of Earth across a great expanse of space, at the request of astronomer and author Carl Sagan. What we reflect depends on whom we spent time with! Depends on what runs through our mind 24 x 7. The earth is always in the presence of the sun and is bathed in the sunrays,...

All Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the Lord freewill offering for all the work the Lord through Moses had commanded them to do. Exo:35:29 The Israelites took this responsibility for themselves. They did this as their own, on their own. Though they had rebelled and were trying to make a God for their own when Moses took so long, they realised the magnanimity and magnificience of this God and how this God has led them this far and how his presence is essential amongst them, they voluntarily offer whatever they had to bulid the tabernacle. How much do I own my God? Do I feel He is mine own so much so that I give voluntarily for His kingdom's glory? Without tags?  Is my tithe exactly 10%? (Do I keep a check?) How much time is my quiet time? Even 2.4 hours? One hour? 15 minutes? 5 minutes? How serious is church for me? And the people in my church! How much do I love them? How do I pray for them? Whatever ministry the Lord has entrusted upon us? Do I kee...