The halfbaked Bard

Ps:119:45 I will walk in freedom For I have devoted myself to your commandments.  The world says, the rules and regulations of the Bible are troublesome and burdensome. It binds you tight.  But the truth is that, it is releasing and freedom giving. Freedom from the enslavement of sin. Where you were once forced to only sin, now you are free not to. You had the option to sin only, then. But now you're free indeed.  The Father has given you the privilege to choose not to sin. That's walking in freedom. And that will be possible only if you devot yourself in His commandments. Fully dedicated that you fill your entire heart with His commandments so that you would not waver from it. The Word enables, the Word equips.  Ps:119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.  Ps:119:45 Your Word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.  Image credit: https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/seagull-flying-with-clouds-background_1047971.htm#quer

In the midst of calamity.  In the midst of hopelessness.  In the midst darkest dungeons.  Jeremiah says - Lam:3 21 Yet I will dare to hope When I remember this 22 The faithful love of the Lord never ends His mercies never cease 23 Great is His faithfulness His mercies begin a fresh each morning 24 I say to myself, "The Lord is my inheritance Therefore I will hope in Him" 25 The Lord is good to those who depend on Him To those who search for Him 26 So it is good to wait quietly For salvation from the Lord 27 And it is good for people to submit At an early age To the yoke of His discipline 29b For there may be hope at last.  31 For no one is abandoned By the Lord forever 32 Though He brings grief, He also shows compassion Because of the greatness of His unfailing love 33 For He does not enjoy hurting people Or causing them sorrow 40b Let us turn back to the Lord 41 Let us lift our hearts and hands  To God in heaven and say 55 But I called on your name Lord From deep

Lam:2:19 Rise during the night and cry out Pour out your hearts like water to the Lord Lift up your hands to Him in prayer Pleading for your children.  How serious I need to be to pray? To forsake sleep and pray. To forsake food and pray. To forsake all entertainment and comforts to sit and pray. As if this is the dire need of my heart. As if my whole life depends on this.  To pray for our next generation. The world that they are in, is much more worse than what we had. How much we need to protect them in prayer. Plead to God for them. That He will be a shield around them, a fortess.  What is more important, oh! warrior of faith. Your sleep or your children. Your small petty comforts or your children. Awake and pray. Set aside. Be serious and pray. Protect them with your prayer.  Cry out.  Pour out your heart.  The literal meaning of pour out your heart is to speak very freely to someone about ones private and most deeply felt emotions. (Merriam Webster). So it does not mea

If we look at the "He" section of the Psalm 119; verses 33-40, each verse except the last starts with a similar kind of word.    Teach me your decrees   Give me understanding   Make me walk   Give me your eagerness   Turn my eyes from worthless things   Reassure me   Help me All these words are a request from man to God to do something from God's side to man so that he will remain close to Him. This is because man understands that He will not be able to generate an interest even towards God by any means. God has to do it. All that man can do is to ask Him, realising the need for that.  Father create in me a desire for you even so that I will be continually want to be in your presence. That desire also you give me Lord.  Even before the foundations of the earth was laid you have chosen me to be your own. You have predestined me to be your signet ring. You make me sit in your presence.  It is all about you. Not about me. Even my desire comes from you. Nothing wh

Lord I have chosen to be faithful I have determined to live by your regulations Ps:119:30 Lord this is my choice. I don't want anything else in this world but you.  Your presence is more than I can dream of. In my joyous times you are my source of joy. In my darkest times again you are all my comfort.  While I am dancing you are my reason. In my times of heartache you alone I need.  I want to cling to you. Don't leave my hand as I walk.  Image credit:  https://www.successconsciousness.com/blog/quotes/quotes-on-determination/

Ps:119:25 I lie in the dust Revive me by your word I'm done Lord. I'm emptied. My strength is gone. I'm nothing.  You have to revive. And revival happens through your word. Your word is alive. It gives  life. Revuve me. Reinstate me. Rejuvenate me.  Only you can do. Only you.  Only you can enliven. Only you can give me life. Only you.  Image credit;  https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/prayer/why-lord-have-mercy-is-such-a-powerful-prayer.html

Ps:119:18 Open my eyes to see The wonderful truths in your instructions.  Determination or habit is a good thing to have. Everyday I will read at least one verse from the Bible. I will keep the Bible close to my head under the pillow as I sleep. I will deal with the Scriptures with respect.  But it is the Lord who teaches us what He wants to communicate. He has to open our eyes in order that we would be able to see what is exactly written. He has to open our ears so that we will be able to truly listen and understand what He wants to communicate.  And His teachings are not heavy. Those are all wonderful instructions. Wonderful truths. Wonderful realities. That come from a wonderful God.  He is good and He desires to communicate to us. His wonderful ways. He sees our futile running and aimless wandering and He wants to help us. He wants to direct us in His wonderful paths.  He desires. But are we willing to be taught?  For teaching, He might take us through seemingly difficu

Ps:119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart That I might not sin against you.  When temptation comes to sin, what is hidden in your heart will decide which side you will go.  If it is the word of God, hidden in your heart, then that will overflow and that will help you to say no to all sorts of evil that is lurking around.  When you are afraid or fearful, instead of being gripped by fear, you will be encouraged by the fact that He is with you till the end of days. Then there is no need for you to be afraid.  If you are tempted to be angry, the word will remind you to be slow to anger and He will enable and equip you.  If you are tempted of lustful sins, the word will remind you to flee from those sins and He will help you.  Jesus did the same thing when He was tempted in the wilderness. When the evil one even quoted the Scriptures, He countered them with the Word of the Father, that enabled Him to resist.  Fill your heart with the word fully. The right word will come to y

Jer:51:15 The Lord made the earth by His power And He preserves it by His wisdom.  The creator God and the sustainer God. He created by His power and preserves by His wisdom. He is in full control. He is all powerful. All wise.  As long as He is in control of my life, I need not worry. For He is a good God. And He loves me. He will not have plans to harm me.  In the past He created with power. In the present He sustains with wisdom. In the future He will judge with righteousness, but also deals with love.  Because of the love that He has shown me on the cross, I know for sure that I'm His forever. In the past. Now and forever more. For eternity.  Image credit:  https://in.pinterest.com/pin/784330091339520520/

Ps:119:8 Please don't give up on me.  Oh! Lord, this is my prayer all throughout my life. Please don't give up on me. Till my last breath and even to eternity. Without your hand upon this child of yours, I cannot survive. Look to me mercifully. Look into me with grace. Please do not deal with me according to my sins. I will not be able to withstand your justice.  I am weak and heavy laden. I will come to your bosom for rest. Do not push me aside. Only you can give me rest. Please don't leave me alone now. Please don't give up on me. Amen Image credit:  https://guideposts.org/prayer/how-to-pray/4-ways-to-let-your-hands-do-the-praying/

The one who redeems them is strong Jer:50:34 Jesus Christ the Redeemer He is the One who rescues me If from eternal hell He has redeemed me Is it difficult for Him to rescue me now?  From this dark pit, can He not?  Yes He can.  It is not impossible for Him.  And He is willing.  And He is strong.  And He is able.  Though I am weak, He is strong.  And He will do it, in His time Though waiting is painful He will do it. Be assured.  Image credit: https://hotcore.info/act/kareff-111579.html

The Lord is the true place of rest Jer:50:7 Come to me all you who are weary and tired. I will give you rest. Matt:11:28 Tired?  Exhausted?  Not having energy to pull on?  His bosom is your destiny. His bosom is your resting place. His pinions are your hiding place. He will care for you. He will protect you. He will not leave you not forsake you.  Image credit:  https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/the-art-of-rest-and-relaxation-is-doing-nothing-actually-restorative-20201222-p56pia.html

Ps:118:25.Please Lord. Please save us.  In the deepest trouble. This is my only prayer.  I lay aside all my crowns.  In fact all my crowns are all rags.  They are nothing My self is nothing to be proud of I humble myself. Have mercy on me.  Please save me.  Please do not leave me.  Even though I do not deserve your rescue act.  Will you be kind to me to save me?  I am helpless. I cannot do anything to salvage myself.  Only you can pull me out of this plight.  Image credit:  https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/rescued-under-water-gm1084742766-291065480?phrase=water+rescue&searchscope=image%2Cfilm

Three times in three verses in Psalm 118 'I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord' Three times in two verses after that 'The strong right arm of the Lord' Yes we will overcome. Whatever huge the uphill is.  For the Lord is my strength and my song And He has given me victory (v:14)  I will not die; Instead I will live To tell what the Lord has done (v:17)  There is hope. Don't worry. He is good He will never leave or forsake you.  Image credit:  https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/hope-sustains-life/

Ps:118:8-9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in people It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.  Why do you put your trust in kings and princes and other people. Why put your trust in your own self.  Instead put your hope in the unchanging God, who is always faithful. All others will fail you. Even your own self. But not God.  Ps:118:6 - The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?  So even if the mightiest of the forces stand up tall against me, the Lord is enough for me. He is enough. He will help me. So I will not fear what mere man can do to me. What the evil forces behind him will do to me. That is just wagging of the tail of a defeated enemy.  The victory is all ours as long as the Almighty is with us. Do not live a life as if you are defeated. Love with confidence and boldness in the Lord.  Yes the wagging of the tail (not as a friendly dog but as a cut off tail of a lizard), looks real. But i

Ps:118:5 In my distress I prayed to the Lord And the Lord answered me and set me free.  The biggest fear in the time of distress is this, will there be anyone to hear? Will I be left alone with no one to answer? Will I be all alone with no one to understand or help me out.  And if I call out on God and what if He will not answer me? What if He will remain silent?  But the promise is this. The Lord will answer. Indeed the Lord has answered. The Lord answered when I called out to Him in times of distress. And He set me free.  What a truth to cling on. What a truth to believe wholeheartedly. That I will never be left alone as I cry out aloud. That He is faithful as He promised. I will never leave you nor forsake you.  Like in the story of the footprints. He carries me on His shoulders in my darkest times. He is there.   But do I expect still to see two sets of footprints in the deepest times? May be a record of a tear drop in the sand? May be few blood stains? May be a shadow

Praise.  The smallest Psalm in the Word of God has only two verses. But thrice in that two verses, there is an invoking to praise.  Shows how important it is to praise at all times. In good times. Or when you go through tough times. When you walk in a broad and smooth road. Or when it is dark and dusty and thorns all around. When you are blessed. When your heart is heavy. At all times, all we can do is praise.  We can praise Him only when we realise one particular thing. His faithfulness. Three words in that small Psalm highlights this attribute 1. Unfailing love 2. Faithfulness 3. Endures forever.  His character is that He is faithful. He will not leave you nor forsake you. His love is unfailing and everlasting. Which will not grow cold. Always and always.  That is the reason why we should praise Him always. Always remember that He is there carrying us on His houlders in our deepest trouble. Praise Him. When we feel alone. He is there by our side, patting our shoulders, si

Jer:44:7 Why are you destroying yourself?  In rebellion, in choosing your ways, in going farther away from His presence every moment, in choosing to do your own things, rather than seeking His will, there is only one word. You are destroying yourself.  In His will is freedom.  In being in the center of what He wants there is the purpose that you are living for. Rest is all destruction. Foolish are we, if we knowingly go about seeking that which destroys us.  He says, for I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jer:29:11 Image credit;  https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/these-are-the-12-largest-nuclear-detonations-in-history/articleshow/56162339.cms

Jer:41:8 They were afraid of what the Babylonians would do.  Jer:42:1-2 - approached Jeremiah the prophet. They said, "Please pray to the Lord your God for us" Fear. Paralyzing fear. Not knowing what to do next. Realizing your true helplessness.  Then you pray. Then you ask others to pray. Even if you do not know how to pray. You call on His name. Jesus. There is healing in His name. There is power in His name. Deliverance in His name. Freedom in His name.  Barthimai knew only one thing to pray. Jesus, son of David, have mercy upon me. And Jesus healed him.  Ps:56:4.When I am afraid, I will trust in you. There is nothing more that I can do, than fall on His bosom. He will do the talking. He will act.  I will only hide in His shadow. He is my shield around me. He is a hedge. He is my refuge. He is my fortress. The tower to which I run to.  Ps:23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of shadow of death, I fear no evil. For you are with me. Your rod and your staff

Ps:116:10-11 I am deeply troubled Lord In my anxiety I cried out to you.  The Pslamist is in agony. He is in deep trouble.  Ps:116:13 I will lift up the cup of salvation And praise the Lord's name for saving me.  He says, I will remember what He has done for me. And I will thank Him and praise Him for the goodness He has shown me.  Ps:116:16 You have freed me from my chains.  He proclaims the truth that He has set me free from my chains. That the devil has no foothold over me. That the devil is a defeated enemy.  Ps:116:17 I will offer you as a sacrifice of thanksgiving And call on the name of the Lord.  He says, I will continue to praise and thank Him, in the midst of all my troubles. For I know He is a good God and I cease to doubt it.  Image credit:  https://www.buzzfeednews.com/amphtml/davidmack/big-poppa-sad-bulldog-coronavirus-quarantine

Ps:116:2 Because He bends down to listen I will pray as long as I have breath Why should the creator, the Almighty bend down to listen to my prayer?  Why should He pay heed to my words?  Why is it so significant for Him to pay attention?  His love to me is so true when I understand that He listens to what I talk. What my heart wants to tell.  There fore I will keep on talking to Him who listens. As long as I have breath. All my aches and pains and wounds are in His lap. And when He talks I will listen. I will not justify myself. I will not resist. I will hold fast to Him. I will cling on to Him.  I love the Lord because He heard my voice And my prayer for mercy Ps:116:1

He is your helper and your shield. Ps:115:9 He is a shield around you. Ps:3:3 He alone is my refuge and my place of safety He is my God and I trust in Him. Ps:91:2 He will cover you with His feathers He will shelter you with His wings. Ps:91:4 He is a shield to those who walks with integrity. Pro:2:7 God is my shield. Ps:7:10 You surround me with your shield of love. Ps:5:12 He is a shield for all who look to Him for protection. Ps:18:30 You have given me your shield of victory. Ps:18:35 He is a shield to all who come to Him for protection. Pro:30:15 Oh what can stand against you little one if the Almighty God is your shield. Shields made of iron and wood and gold may give away. Not the one which is made of His love. Not when He stands in between. To protect you.  Be of courage little one. He is there Image credit:  https://knightstemplar.co/medieval-shield-designs-a-glimpse-into-heraldry-and-warfare/

Jer:38 The Lord will send you help. In the deepest cistern, mud all around you, sinking slowly. Lonely as you are, hungry as you are, as you cry out to the Lord for help, He will surely send rags and bread for you and pull you out in due time.  He will either use the wicked king Zedekiah himself or He will use Ebed-melech, the Ethiopian, who ideally speaking has nothing to do with Israel. But your crying is assuredly heard.  Suffering is integral in Christian walk. It is inevitable as you walk with God. In Christian life, suffering makes you humble and closer to God. Sometimes it is a pointer to walk under His overarching grace. Sometimes it is a thorn to prick out your pride. Sometimes it is for nothing - because you stand firm for the truth and the whole world and it's principalities are against you.  Do not be afraid of the darkness all around you. Do not be scared of the yucky muck that is all around, sometimes, ankle deep, sometimes knee deep, sometimes even to you

Ps:113:5-8 Who can be compared with the Lord our God Who is enthroned on high?  He stoops to look down On heaven and on earth He lifts the poor from the dust And the needy from the garbage dump He sets them among princes Even the princess of his own people.  Almighty God looking down upon this wretched All powerful God choosing to stoop down on this insignificant Undeserving: He picks me up Unfit: He lifts me up Ineligible: He raises up And seats me on the princely throne From the dust and garbage dump He chose me And seats me on the throne with Him.  The King chose a beggar, a worm Washes and cleanses with His own blood And gives h heirship for eternity This is what is known as grace What love is this? I cannot fathom.  Image courtesy:  https://www.entrepreneur.com/topic/rags-to-riches

Oh don't you worry dear one.  Are you facing the toughest road. The highest mountain. The roughest path.  Are you face to face with the fiercest giant. The most difficult task. And the most impossible way.  With high walls to scale. With thorns and briers in the way. With an army around you.  Trying to crush you and devour you. To demolish and to exterminate you.  The Lord had hidden you.  It is in the perfect /progressive tense. Perfect because you are in the hands of God. Progressive because you are continuously being hidden.  The king tried to imprison Baruch and Jeremiah. But the Lord had hidden them. Jer:36:26 Under His pinions, no enemy can reach. Each of them tremble in His presence even miles away. They won't dare to come to catch you from there.  You are safe in His nail pierced arms. You are safe under His strong wings. Dont you worry dear one. He had hidden. He has hidden. He will continue to hide.  Image credit: https://www.freepik.com/premium-photo/newb

Jer:36:8 Baruch did as Jeremiah told him.  There was no hesitancy to obey. Jeremiah his senior told him to do something. Baruch just obeyed. Fear of imprisonment like his master would be there. Fear of being executed. Fear of all torture. Fear about his future. But Baruch just obeyed. He wrote and went and read the message in the temple.  And the message was not a message of apparent blessing. A message which tells; You are wrong. No one would want to hear it. Everyone who hears it, would defend himself. There would be harm for the reader as the listener is accused. Already the king has imprisoned Jeremiah his master. But Baruch just did what he was told to.  Now Baruch is advised to go into hiding. As he expected the outcome to be. He saw this coming. The king would be angry enough to issue an order to arrest him too. His life is going to be different. But that did not deter him from obeying his seer.  Why? He knew Jeremiah was from God and Baruch himself feared God. Someb

My name is Jazaaniah,  I'm writing this as a testimony. I belong to the Rechabite clan. Though we do not belong to any of the tribes of Israel, we are also true Israelites. We have been with them since they came to the promised land.  Yes we are different people. We are nomads, we are teetotallers, we do not own any property. Because of all these we are made fun of by others. We are called water drinkers for nothing. Me being the elder of this nomadic society I had to know how to strengthen my community.  Our ancestor Jehonadab Ben Rechab had made a vow and forbade his brothers to be stringent regarding these. He was sure, this is from God. We have been trying to be true to Jehovah. Because we were sure that He alone is God. No country would be protected and provided for like Israel, unless the Living God is with them. We were sure. Though we were gentiles, we were sure we are part of His kingdom.  It was hard to see the children go wayward as we the outsiders were look

I will never abandon you That is the promise No doubt I will cling The Almighty has declared He will never abandon I shall not doubt Neither His promise, nor Him He is my Father His love is everlasting He has promised He will fulfil Image credit: https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/close-up-father-holding-his-daughter-hand-so-sweet-family-ti_1025894.htm