The halfbaked Bard

Eze:20:8 ....... The vile images you are obsessed with.  The King of kings talks to the prophet as a friend. He tells him the whole story. He gives him the big picture. What His own children did to Him the wverloving father. He entered into a covenant with the people of Israel just like that. And they have squandered His love without any remorse.  Prostitution. Adultery. Idolatory. Children being sacrificed. Forgetting God. What else and what not. The whole history of the nation. And the whole weeping heart of God. Who longs for His children to come back.  What am I obsessed with? What am I so pre occupied with that I forget God in the process?  He has entered into this covenant of peace, mercy and grace without even me asking. Just out of His shear will He chose to do this for me. But I have squandered every single iota of His act of love. I have been obsessed with the vile images which are nothing but useless.  The everlasting God on one side. The ...

Ezekiel 18 Father for his deeds. Son for his deeds. And grandson for his.  Each is answerable for his own way of living. God will not ask a father why his son chose to live like the way he did. Neither a son will have to answer God why his father chose to live like that. Good or bad.  Each will have to answer just one question. Is your name in the book?  Living a righteous life according to the old Testament prophet is your choice. Whether your ancestry is good or bad doesn't matter. Whether your father or son was good or bad doesn't matter. All that matters is this. Whether YOU are reinstated and restored by God.  The beauty is that God is a God of chances. If there is repentance and returning to God's ways. God forgives. And God includes you into His fold. He doesn't label you and doom you for eternity. No, He looks at the heart and the moment He sees a desire to return. A desire to repent He opens up the flood gates of heaven saying, this son of mine w...

Eze:14:14 Even if Noah, Daniel and Job were there, their tighteoisness would save no one but themselves, says the Sovereign Lord.  The Lord is specific. Each one is accountable for his own deeds, his own faith.  No one can save another, even their own sons or daughters by his faith, by his righteous deeds. No.  No substitution. No proxy.  Only one substitution works in the Kingdom of God. God Himself has imputed freely His righteousness to us. That happened because He willingly substituted Himself to receive the punishment of our sin. Only if I believe will it practicalise for me. Yes, that once again cannot be substituted for anyone else.  Rom:10:9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe on your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  Though the choice is mine, it has been made available by grace. Grace has been lavished upon me, where I was stuck with no choice but to continue in sin and proceed to he...

Idols in hearts - Eze:14:3 Very plainly God reveals to Ezekiel the problem of Israel's leaders - they have idols in their hearts.  Giving something else the priority or the place that God deserves in your life, that is one thing that God detests.  Look at the time you spent with God vs any other thing - that shows what you have placed in your heart - people, family, job, habits, addictions, social media.  What or who do you think of when you have 'time'? A heart that is wholly devoted to God will be inclined to think about God and His ways always, will find time to talk to Him, will find ways to come back to His word, will trust Him even though you walk through the valley of shadow of death, will cling on to Him no matter what.  An idol is anything that captures our hearts,  anything that becomes more important than God - Sharla Fritz Image credit: https://spokanevbc.org/how-to-enjoy-life-without-making-idols/

Eze:13:12 And when the wall falls, the people will cry out, ' What happened to your whitewash?' The wall is already flimsy. But you are trying to reinforce by covering it with whitewash. A heavy rain storm or a greate hailstone will demolish it.  What have you whitewashed your wall with?  Discipline, orderliness, strictness are all good.  Following the good way of the world is exemplary.  But without love or compassion Will it ever stand?  Oh! Bard will it ever hold steady without faith?  In the living God?  Yes, you have put your trust in the saving faith But in day to day life do you trust Him?  Where is the love of the everlasting Father Which you have vowed to reflect in your life?  The compassion in the eyes of your master Is long gone in your eyes.  Your eyes are moist with tears Of self pity and self centred prayers Your hope even is focussed on your redemption.  Repent of all the whitewashes That you think you ha...

Ps:119:145 I pray with all my heart, answer me, O Lord.  Oh! What are you doing? What can you do but pray? In times of deepest trouble, what do you do apart from crying out to Him? What can you do apart from praying wholeheartedly?  With all my heart, without ceasing - I will cry out to you. Please answer me Oh! Lord. Please don't be silent to me.  I trust in you, Oh! Lord. I cling on to you. That is why I always cry, to you. I know I don't have anywhere else to go. I don't know what else to do but hold fast to you.  Even my trust is small. I believe, help my unbelief is what I can pray. With all my infirmities I pray. Deliver me. Increase my faith. Enable me to cling to you.  Enable me to pray to you when I don't feel like praying. When I don't have words even to mumble. When tears only stream through my eyes. I know the spirit within me yearns for you and Your Spirit groans for me interceding for me and prays for me the right words. And there are o...

Eze:11:19 And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony and stubborn heart and give them a tender and responsive heart.  Singleness of heart means a heart that is focussed on one single thing. And that single thing is God Himself. God will give us the privilege to be focussed only on Him, though we have failed Him multiple times.  And from stony stubborn heart, He will transform our hearts to a tender and responsive heart. A heart that is unresponsive to God will be transformed to a heart which responds to God. A heart that is stubborn not to follow God and His ways will be transformed to a heart that is inclined to the pure ways of God.  And the beauty of it is, you need not cultivate it. God will do it.  Image credit:  https://www.history.com/news/what-is-the-origin-of-the-heart-symbol

Ps:119:143 As pressure and stress bear down on me; I find joy in your commands.  As pressure increases water vapor is changed to water droplets. As copper is beaten it reflects more of your face. As pressure or stress bears you down, find joy in the reality of His commands. His commands are a reality only when you go through stresses. Otherwise His words are only theory. This pressure is practical exam, which makes your theory stronger.  Amen.  Image credit:  https://leverageedu.com/blog/chemistry-practical/

Ps:119:133 Guide my steps by your word So I will not be overcome by evil.  Your word, keep it in my heart, so that I will be reminded of it when I am tempted to sin. That is one implication.  Ps:119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart That I might not sin against you.  Yet another beautiful implication is this - when I am overwhelmed by the evil around me, I will find comfort in your word. Your rod and your staff comforts me when I am walking through the valley of shadow of death. For you are with me.  Even after obedience, sometimes suffering continues. Sometimes it overwhelms us so much that we don't understand what or where I went wrong. Sometimes it is unexplainable when the evil one continues to attack like a roaring lion. Whereas the real Lion of Judah is with us. The Word. The Son. God Himself is with us. Immanuel God. We might not have explanations or answers to what we are going through. But the Almighty God is surely with us.  Rom:8:31 ...

Ps:119:124 I am your servant; deal with me in unfailing love.  Even though I deserve judgement and punishment; show mercy upon me O Lord. Deal with me in accordance with your unfailing love. Deal with me in accordance with your character. Not mine.  Why should He show mercy to me? Because of His love.  John:3:16. It is because of this love and because He is just. Because He is forgiving and because He is righteous. He sent His Son. He came Himself to bear all the punishment on Himself.  1 John:4:10. This is real love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.  And if I believe this - there is pardon, there is mercy.  1 John:5:12. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son, does not have life.  His unfailing love and mercy has already been lavished upon me. Poured out endlessly upon me. I'm bathed in it. It is all around me. But it is only true to me, if I have receive...

You are my refuge Ps:119:114 Refuge is the place you run to in times of trouble, in times of helplessness and hopelessness. In fact God is our refuge at all times. He is our fortress and our stronghold. He is a shield around us.  And if God is for us, who can be against us? No flames or arrows of the evil one would be able to touch us. They are just there to frighten us. But be of courage. Do not be afraid the one who is in us is more powerful than the one who is in the world.  Ps:84:3 Even the sparrow finds a home And the swallow builds her nest and raises her young At a place near your altar O Lord of Heaven's Armies, my King and my God.  It is not in the home or the nest that the bird builds its trust on. But the fact that, it is in the sanctuary of the most high. It is near your altar. The Lord of Heaven's Armies, His presence is there.  Build your home, raise your children in the Almighty's presence. Make Him your refuge. He will stand by you. He wil...

Ps:119:107-108 I have suffered much, O Lord Restore my life again as you promised Lord accept my offering of praise And teach me your regulations.  Suffering and praise go hand in hand together for the Psalmist. That is difficult. But that is how it is expected to  be.  The ability to praise in the midst of pain gives God so much joy. As you suffer, you think of the goodness of God - in the past, about His character, about the salvation offered on the cross.  Oh! it is seemingly difficult. But it is beautiful. It relieves your pain. It helps you to remember that God is in control of our lives is a good God and enables us to understand picture. That this apparent bad situation in our life is ultimately for our good.  Rom:8:28 And we know that in all these things, God works for good for those who love Hik and are called according to His purpose.  As we praise - it encourages our soul, it lifts our spirit above the problem, it gives us the big pict...

Ps:119:94 I am yours Oh! The feeling of being God's own. Whatbrelief from all the turmoil that happens around? The rat race others are involved in? The fears and apprehensions and burdens that seem to choke - the fact that I am God's own property brings so much peace. If I am His chosen property, will He not take care of all of me? Will He allow anything in my life which is harmful for me? He says He has plans to prosper me and not to harm me. And He being a true and faithful God will He not carry it on to completion?  I trust Him for His word. For He is good and true. I am His beloved.  Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name. You are mine. Isa:43:1 Image credit:  https://www.crushpixel.com/stock-photo/little-girl-hugging-fluffy-teddy-1169257.html

Ps:119:81-84;87 I am worn out waiting for your rescue But I have put my hope in your word My eyes are straining to see your promises come true When will you comfort me?  I am shriveled like a wineskin in the smoke But I have not forgotten to obey your decrees How long must I wait?  But I refused to abandon your commandments.  The enemy might seem winning. You might be hard pressed and shriveled. Help and comfort might seem far far away. God might seem far away.  But it is only seeming. For the Father is near. He is not helpless. He has not forgotten. He is always in control. He knows what He is doing. And as He cares for you, He is with you in this.  And all I need to do is to trust in His promises. Trust in His word. Cling on to Him, knowing He is a good God.  Father help me to trust in You. Help me to cling on to You. Even if you seem to be far away, help me believe that you are near.  Image credit:  https://theweeflea.com/2020/02/18...

Ps:119:68 You are good and do only good.  The situations around are apparent. The reality is God. The reality is that God is good. So even if the circumstances around appear dark and gloomy, the fact that God is good, remains true forever.  Do not doubt this oh! dear one. God has been good yesterday, today and forever. There is no doubting this. There is no confusion regarding this. It is an absolute reality. God is good - all the time. All the time - God is good.  Image credit:  https://stock.adobe.com/in/images/thumbs-up-cartoon-hand/159132946

Psalm:119:49-50 Remember your promise to me It is my only hope Your promise revives me It comforts me in all my troubles.  Lord, I cling on to your promises. I hold fast to you. I choose to believe whatever is said in your word regarding me and my future is true.  Everything countering that is a lie - brought by the devil, the father of lies. I choose to disbelieve.  And when your word says something I will blindly believe.  Image credit:  https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/rainbow/

Eze:3:14 I went in bitterness and turmoil, but the Lord's hold on me was strong.  Bitterness and turmoil, difficulties and problems, fears and apprehensions - they might hold you in various phases of your life. But the Lord's hold on you will be stronger. For He is a strong tower. He is mighty.  Do not be afraid of what is around you, what you see around. These might look scary. But let us pray like Elisha, Lord open our eyes that we may see. And we will indeed see that, there are more on our side than on theirs (1 Kings:6:16-17)  Always remember - the One who is in you is more powerful than the one who is in the world (1 John:4:4)  And no evil will conquer you No plague will come near your home (Ps:91:10)  The devil cannot even touch you, forget about holding. The devil is just trying to frighten you from the outside. Trying to bring your morale down by making you fearful. But Jesus says - Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God and trust al...

Ezekiel was asked to eat a scroll which was covered in both sides with funeral songs, words of sorrow and pronouncents of doom (2:10)  But when he ate it, it tasted as sweet as honey (3:3)  The most difficult times of life might look the darkest and scariest. But understand that these would be literally the best days of your life as you will be experiencing God's presence in your life. When God walks with you, He will transform deserts to gardens and darkest valleys to absolutely sunshining clear mountaintops. Because that is the time to humble yourself and rest in the shadow of the Almighty. That is when you taste the presence of God, most.  Because His words, He will never leave you or forsake you, becomes more meaningful and realistic in these darkest times. That is when we realize that He is not abstract and He is so real and alive. That He is in control of our lives and we are safe in His hands and no one can snatch us from those powerful and mighty hands...

Ezekiel:1 The glory of the Lord V:26 Above the surface was something that looked like a throne made of blue lapiz lazuli. And on the throne high above was a figure whose appearance resembled a man.  Yes we have been created in His own image and likeness.  And we are worshippinh a God who is not aupernatural with extraordinary powers. But somebody who has been like us, who tread on these dusty paths once and has felt every single pain of ours.  He is enthroned. He is seated on the throne. Yesterday, today and forever. Never has He given it over to someone else. But the compassionate, everloving Father of yours is always on the throne.  V:28 When I saw it (glory of the Lord) I fell face down on the ground.  Mankind is unable to see the face of God and His glory. Moses, Isaiah, Ezekiel, John all fell face flat seeing God. That's worship. That is how we give Him glory and honour and worship and praise and wisdom which is due for Him.  Image credit:...

Lam:5:19 But Lord, You remain the same forever Your throne continues from generation to generation.  This is the confidence we have in our God. Whatever the circumstances be; the Lord will not change. He is the same yesterday, today and forever, even generation after generation. He is a good God. He is an everloving Father. He is a faithful God and He will continue to be that for eternity.  He never changes like shifting shadows. He is rock solid. He continues to be good, even if you do not feel like. And when He promises that He will never leave us nor forsake us, He means every word of it, to the core. And whenever we feel lonely, it is all the more true. We have to ascertain it to ourselves and tell it to ourselves to make ourselves believe this truth.  He never changes. Amen.  Image credit:  https://amateurphotographer.com/latest/photo-news/shadows-for-impact/