The halfbaked Bard

Rev 6.  The first seal- white horse- conqueror- antichrist.  The second seal- red horse- war.  The third seal- black horse- famine.  The fourth seal- pale horse- death- a fourth of the earth will be killed by sword, famine, plague, and by wild beasts.  The fifth seal- martyrs are seen under the altar asking for judgment and avenging their blood. The sixth seal- cosmic catastrophe.  The stage is all set, and if we look around, the dress rehearsal is happening. This world is headed to its doom. The one who comes in the name of peace will turn his coins upside down. Then war and famine and death will follow.  Where are you headed to?  Rev 6:17, for the great day of wrath has come, and who can stand?   These people are trying to hide in caves from the sovereign God. How ridiculous? They prefer to be crushed by the mountains and rocks, hoping they would escape the wrath of the Almighty. But all they need to do is to give themselve...

Rev 5.  What a scene!  What a climax!  What a culmination!  V3. But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it.  The scroll of the rights of the earth, the scroll about the future. No one could open it, therefore there was tension looming around. The background score reaches the epic peak here. Melancholic surround.  V 4. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll and look inside it.  Then the announcement comes about the Lion of Judah, the Root of David. He alone is able to open the scroll and its seven seals because it says that he has triumphed.  But instead of a lion, we see a lamb that looks as if it has been slain. The Lamb is worthy to open. He came and took the scroll from the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. The king gave it to him only because he alone is worthy.  Why?  V 9. Because you are slain and with your blood you purchas...

Day and night they never stop saying, Holy, holy, holy Is the Lord God Almighty Who was and is and is to come. Rev:4:8 The only song that the four living creatures sing for eternity, day and night, is about the holiness of God. The uncompromised purity of the holy triune God, the complete and infinite holiness of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  A holy God loving a sinful man resulted in the cross. Without bloodshed, there is no remission of sin, and it had to be the spotless, blemishless blood of the Son himself, which would substitute for ours. Eternity wouldn't have been enough for the payment of our sins because he is infinitely holy. That is therefore why God himself, an infinitely holy God's own blood, had to be shed for the rectification of my sin. The very thing he abhorred, he received. Why? Because he loved me. That is why I echo with the elders and sing,  You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created al...

Are you lukewarm? Are you found wanting for both spiritual things and worldly things? If you are pursuing both, you have diluted what actually is your utmost need.  Rev 3:17. You say I am rich, I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing, but you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.  Because of your lukewarmness, you are deluded, thinking that you are somebody, but actually you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. You are illusioned thinking you have figured all things out, thus being complacent about your passion which you had initially.  Superficiality is the root of lukewarmness. To remove your lukewarmness, oughtn't you take an intentional effort to have a meaningful and in-depth relation with your betrothed husband?  Repent on those compromising sins which will drag you down. Wear the white robe of righteousness that he offers to cover your shameful nakedness.  He is knocking. If only you would open...

The holy and true Jesus says this: You have little strength.  Grammatically, it means no strength. If "a little"  is used, it signifies minimal. If "little"  is used, it means no strength. Absolutely nothing left in you.  Yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. That is enough, dear one. Keep holding on there.  I will make - mentioned twice in this passage.  God will act on your favor because you have little strength.  Rev 3:10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.   Hallelujah. Yes, he is still the Sovereign Ruler of the earth. He decides things.  Rev 3:10 Him who overcomes, I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from...

You are about to die. Wake up. Remember therefore what you have received and heard. Obey it and repent. Rev 3:3.  That fire in you is still burning. It has not been quenched yet. Flame it. Let it burn. Do not leave it out in the cold so that it will die.  He who overcomes will like them be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. Rev 3:5.  Assured of salvation, no fear of being blotted out or erased. My name will always be there in that book if I consistently persevere, if I consistently flame the fire, if I keep myself from being soiled, walking with him and dressed in white. Image credit: gemini 

I know your deed Your love Your faith  Your service Your perseverance You are now doing more than you did at first. Six good things. One thing against you. You tolerate Jezebel who misleads my servants into sexual immortality and eating food sacrificed to idols. The Son of God talks about those secret sins and how you do not take drastic steps against it. You tolerate. You secretly enjoy. You accomodate. Do you think God will not bother? Do you think that a holy God will not see? Repent. Take drastic measures. Cut your hand or gouge your eye out, if you have to. You can have deeds, you can have love, faith, service, perseverance and even continue to do what you were doing first. But still tolerate sin. God will hold that against you. Your goodness can never outweigh your sin. It is about your attitude to sin. If you are okay with it, then something is wrong. Repent. He searches the hearts. To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over nati...

You are in the place where Satan's throne is. But you remain true to my name. And you did not renounce your faith in me. Even in the middle of persecutions. Yet, this I hold against you, Jesus says, you tolerate sexual immortality and eat food sacrificed to idols. A small thing which others wouldn't know. A secret enjoyment. It is about your attitude to sin. Do you hate what He hates? Does it look disgusting to you, what He abhors? Or do you compromise? To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. Rev:2:17 Revelation from above which has been hidden to others of great wisdom and understanding. Repent and you will be blessed with things beyond your understanding. I will also give them a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it. Rev:2:17 Jesus calling your pet name. Such would be the intimacy between you and Him. That would be the reward He would give, if you obey. Image credit: gemini

I know, the afflictions you go through Your poverty. I know the slander. You suffer - but do not be afraid. Be faithful. Even to the point of death. Sufferings come as a part of your commitment to Christ. It is an inheritance. Be it afflictions or slander that comes from people side. Or be it the sufferings that you would face because you belong to Christ from the world side. This wholly happens because the system is now against you. Each one will have his own. For others these sufferings could be graded. It could be big for someone, small for the other. But as you go through your suffering, it is huge for you. For you it is the biggest threat, for the enemy strikes at your core. There might not be anyone who understands. The enormousness of what you have to bear, He understands. Because He knows. Because He loves. Because He cares. Now He tells.  Be faithful, even to the point of death and I will give you the crown of life. Rev:2:10 And. He who overcomes will not be hu...

To the church in Ephesus. You have deeds. You have hard work. You have perseverance. You do not tolerate wicked men. You have endured hardships for His name. You have not grown weary. Six good words. One thing holding against you. You have forsaken your first love. If you had done all these things out of love which you had initially, it would have been good. Now you are performance oriented. Now you are legalistic. You are doing all these things right. But you have forgotten your love. Where is the love that motivated you. Because of lack of love, you fear; you are anxious, when things do not fall in the right rut. Therefore repent and do the things you did first. Just love. Rev:2:7 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. You will have Jesus Himself.  If you love Him, if you desire Him,you will have Him. Image credit : gemini 

I am the Living One. Rev:1:18 The Living One. Capital L and Capital O. The Only. I was dead and behold I am alive forever and ever. He was killed. But now is alive forever. He has defeated the greatest weapon of the enemy. Not only has He crushed that weapon for Himself, because He is Sovereign, but He has also done it for His children. That is why He says, I hold the keys to death and Hades. So now why worry! Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where O death is your victory? Where O death is your sting? The sting of death is sin and power of sin is law. But thanks be to God! He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor:15:54-57 So now, why worry about death, because you are victorious over it.  Because you are going to the other shore. Your King, your Brother, your Husband is waiting. With arms open wide to receive you into His bosom. He has overcome it. The Living One. The Eternal King. With Him. Happily ever after. Image courtesy: gemini

Rev:1:9.  I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus .  If you follow a political party or a person, what does it offer? Prosperity and fulfilling of ideologies, authority and power.  Here is a God who promises kingdom as one among the few inheritances that we will get. Kingdom of heaven as promised by him, not just something you will get after you die. That is one aspect of it. Jesus prayed, Your kingdom come as it is in heaven. It is here. It is now. It is his way in our lives. Abundant life, life to the fullest, life as he intends it to be. He in us. He is eternal life.  But along with that eternal kingdom, with all its richness active in our life, he also promises suffering. Why would somebody promise you such an inheritance? One, because we are in a fallen world and now we are aliens to the system, in fact, enemies. Anything which is foreign to the system will be pushed out, will be o...

I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, Rev 1:8.  Said by Jesus Christ, written in red letter in my Bible. Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and Omega the last. The beginning and the end. He means he is all the letters in between. Everything that we see or cannot see starts and ends with him, runs through him, created in him, through him, for him, by him. You and I are for him.  To explain further, he says, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. Echoing what we read in v:4 about the Father. Reiterates the deityhood of Jesus. In fact, Jesus claims, I and the Father are one.  Why should we know all these? Jesus is the center of what we believe. The son is God and equal with the Father and the key to all creation. He reemphasizes his right to judge and his right to restore, the author and owner of everything. His rule stands, his standard reigns. There is no other law. There is no other possibilities happening. He is.  So...

Look, He is coming with the clouds. Rev:1:7a Yes, He is coming Every prophesy of the Bible has come true So this is going to be true as well All fingers point to this That the world is nearing its end And Jesus is coming back To judge the world. This who put their trust in Him Those who have been saved Will be over joyous and dancing merrily But those who rejected Him Those who pierced Him Those who ridiculed Him will mount So today is the day. Not for His coming  Because no one except the Father.  But today is the day for you to take that bold step Today is you are convinced, accept Him In to your life, give Him the throne. Accept what He did on the cross And the punishment He bore on the cross was for your sake And without which there is not salvation. No raksha .  If you confess with your mouth And believe in your heart That Jesus is Lord, you shall be saved.  And in Him alone is your salvation, your raksha. This is a time tested truth. And it will be ...

To Him who loves us and has fixed us from our sins by His blood, and has made us to be a Kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father. Rev:1:5-6 What a privilege. Blessed privilege. Given. Gifted. Not earned. Not deserving. Not as wages.  But because of grace. Because of love. With my sin, I cannot even stand there And therefore because He loved, He freed. He paid the penalty. He faced the consequence. The very thing He abhored, He took up. For me. To make me Kingdom and priest. I deserved eternal hell. But He made me sit  In heaven. On a throne. Next to Him. With Him. With the Father. And the Holy Spirit. Just imagine. With the Almighty Supreme Ruler. For eternity. When I deserved only punishment  And eternal rejection. It is His doing  To Him be the honour and glory. Because He alone is worthy. What love is this? I cannot fathom. Who made His enemy His friend. Who made a wretch His treasure, His signet ring. Who made a worm, a king. What for? I do no...

Rev:1:4 Grace and peace to you from Him, who is, who was and who is to come. The Father. The Almighty. The Sovereign. No better description. Looks grammatically incorrect. But not time bound. Who exists from eternity to eternity. Not created. Exists beyond the creation of time. Exists beyond Gen:1:1. Describes further John:1:1. Beyond creation. Self existent. Even presently He is on the throne. He has not given it off to someone else to rule. He is Sovereign. He is the one who said, " I am who I am". Does not cease to exist. Has not aged or retired. Still in control. Still ruling with His same standards. Not only in the future His rule reigns. But He is to come, with His scepter of justice. Seated on the judgement throne. To bring an end to all so called injustice. For He is the righteous judge. He cannot and will not compromise on His standards. His reign still will go on. No matter, however He seems to be out of control in this revoltous and raucous world. He is...

Revelation is often considered a difficult book to understand. A book which you often can't make head or tail of. Full of prophecies about what is about to happen. How do you interpret it in the present scenario. Who is antichrist. Where is a loving God in this? Unanswered questions all around. But here is a promise. Rev:1:3 Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophesy and blessed are those who hear it and take it to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. The attempt is not to give full answers to all your questions. The attempt is to read and hear and believe, so that we would all be blessed. Because the time is very short. Read and hear and believe. And be blessed. Image courtesy:  https://www.theologyofwork.org/new-testament/revelation/

Jude 23 Hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. Oh! Child of God, what is your approach to stain? Why compromise to wear a cloth Which the Lord loathes It brings intense detest to Him! But it allures you. Why? It disgusts Him. It actually smells so bad. But why are you attracted to it? Why do you admire? Why do you cherish? This is not just on the clothing It spreads. It disseminates into you It makes the air around you impure too. It brings in a stench. It stinks like skunk. But why has it becomes a fragrance to you? Why don't you realise your folly? Why do you compromise the best To settle for something that is actually the worst. Love the Lord with all your heart, mind and soul. Love His holiness. And His purity. And detest whatever He detests. For sin cannot stand in His presence, but a forgiven sinner can. Image courtesy : gemini 

Kept by Jesus Christ Jude:1 Loved by Jesus Christ Predestined by Jesus Christ Saved by Jesus Christ Justified by Jesus Christ Sanctified by Jesus Christ Glorified by Jesus Christ. Kept by Jesus Christ. He who has taken care of your eternal future, will He not take care of your present? Isa:49:16 I have engraved you in the palms of my hands. John:10:28-29 No one can snatch them out of my hand. No one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. Kept by Jesus Christ. Where? In His own palms. Where is His palm? Underneath is the palms of the Almighty Sovereign God. He and the Father are one. In salvation He has kept you. For inheritance He has kept you. Predestined; not to leave you midway somewhere.  But to take you home with Him. He will take care. He is enough. He will bother.  He is in control. He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Phil:1:6 Image courtesy: gemini 

3John:11 Anyone who does what is good is from God. Being good is not something that you formulate within yourself. It is not something that you decipher out of nothingness. Not something you figure out in due course of your life. Not something that you strive to do. Jer:17:9 The hearts is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. The inherant nature of man is wickedness. And no good comes out of him. So any good that you think you do is according to God's standards like filthy rags, because it is marred by your filth. It cannot and will not please God. Only God is good. And only He is the source of all goodness. So unless God wills, noan can be good.  For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. My will, my determination, my inherant nature will not make me good. Only God's transforming Spirit will make me good. Apart from Him I have no goodness Image credit: gemini

2 John:6 And this is love, that we walk in obedience to His commands. As you have heard from the beginning, His command is that you walk in love. Love is obedience. Obeying His command of love. Everything you do is based on love. Love to God; and love to others. Love is the source based on which you act; you live Love not manufactured from broken cisterns But love that pours out from the source of unending living waters. Without love you do something is not genuine, but superficial and mechanical And that is not walking as He walked. He walked with love. He lived with love. Love to the Father.  And love to us, the fallen ones. He first loved us. He is love. And therefore He obeyed. Image credit: https://www.istockphoto.com/search/2/image-film?phrase=child+foot+step+on+sand&tracked_gsrp_landing=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.istockphoto.com%2Fphotos%2Fchild-foot-step-on-sand

1 John5:14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have what we asked of Him. He has the choice of answering our prayers or not. He has the choice of saying no. But still He says yes to every prayer in accordance to His will. It doesn't depend on His mood swings. It doesn't depend on whether He woke up in the wrong side of the bed. It doesn't depend on whether He is frustrated because of unspecified reasons. It depends consistently on one thing. Who He is. Isn't that wonderful to know that you are relating to someone who doesn't change like shifting shadows? A consistent true being He is. He never changes. Image credit: gemini

1John:5:12 He who has the Son, has life; He who does not have the Son, does not have life. The equation cannot be simpler. If you have Jesus Christ you will have life. Eternal life. Abundant life. Life to the fullest. Life as intended by the Creator Himself regarding you. The Lord Jesus, once asked to Simon Peter, whether the disciples want to leave too. Simon Peter replied confidently but desperately, "Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life". In times of overwhelming trouble, remember this. Where else will I go. In you alone is my completion. Not telling God. But telling yourself. Where else shall I go? In you alone is my refuge. You alone are the source of my life. Image credit: gemini

Because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 1 John:4:4 What more do I want? In temptation, in troubles, in testing times, in any overwhelming situations. He that is in me, who is my Father and desires my good is greater than He that is in the world the enemy, who demands my downfall. And so I need not be perplexed. I need not be afraid. I know that He is in full control of my life. He is Sovereign and He is good. I am His. He loves me and that is enough for me to trust Him. Image courtesy: gemini

Do not be surprised my brothers, if the world hates you.  1 John:3:13 No element of surprise. Expect the worst. Expect hatred. Expect no love. Then you won't be surprised. Because the world hated Jesus first. The world. Not directed to people. The system. We are enemies of the evil one.  So naturally the principalities of this world will fight. Hate. It's not lack of love. It's aversion.  Literal hatred. It's enemity.  But be of good cheer. For I am with you till the end of days.  I have overcome the world. Says my Saviour.  Image credit: gemini 

1 John:3:6 No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him. 1 John:3:9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin. Where O dear is your aversion to sin? You who claim to love God You who claim to be loved by God Why do you still cling on to it, so precious? If Christ lives in you, if Jesus is enthroned Why do you harbour filth In the corner of your heart? Where the doors are kept closed, inaccessible to Him. He abhors, He disgusts what you love The one thing that you hold dear Why do you still hold on to it Knowing well, it is abominable to Him. Living in Him, abiding in Him Imbibing His character Drawing closer to Him Will naturally take you farther from sin. Knowing Him, indulging in Him In comparison to being in the periphery Looking for opportunities to sneak out And do things which I desire, what I want. This is not responding back in love. A love lavished upon us. A love poured out on us. Then why can't we...

1 John:3:1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God. We were not good people; when we were loved. We were not mediocre okay people when we were called children of God. It was not a promotion from good to better. We were terrible sinners; wretched rebels when He first loved us. That is why; empty as we were; love has been lavished upon us. Unconditionally without limits, He loved us. His justice, His holiness, His truthfulness, His righteousness - unchanging. But love had to be lavished upon us to salvage us. There was no need for Him to make us children. He could have made us secondary citizens or servants to angels in heaven. That in itself would have been redemption. Because we deserved only eternal hell. But He made us children. Seated us in heavenly realms. Children we were, borne of God. We walked away. He made us children yet again. This is love lavished upon us. The cross is the reason for our salvation and our red...

1 John:2:28 And now dear children, continue in Him so that when He appears we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming. So when He comes back Like a thief when He returns To take you back home Will you be ashamed to face Him? Will you be found doing the very things That He told you not to do? Will you be caught redhanded? Will you be facing a teardrop in His eye? Or gleaming face? ( Though He would be delighted). Will you be ashamed to face Him? Will you be found not doing what He asked you to? Will you be found complacent and lazy Not bothered. Not concerned. Not affected. Undeterred by the things that move His heart Or will you be confident to meet Him? Because you have done everything He has asked you? In your sphere, you have done it all And would you be able to hear Him say Well done good and faithful servant If He has asked you to do huge things Will you obey? If He has asked you to do a small thing Will you obey? Procrastination is the root of disobedi...

What is eternal life? 1 John:2:24-25 See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what He promised us - even eternal life. The Triune God remaining in you and you in Him, is eternal life.  John:17:3  - Now this is eternal life. That they may know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent Eternal life is not something you will receive on the other side of death. Golden streets, the river that will continue to flow without being dried up, fruits on trees in all season. Eternal life is now. It is knowing Him and remaining in Him. Life in all its abundance. Life to the fullest as it is designed to be. Yes it extends to eternity.  That it is not limited to a time frame, is just one dimension to it. Fullness of life; abundant life as it is intended and planned by God.  Remaining in Him, like the vine and its branches.  Nourishment and necessities...

1 John:2:27 But as for you, Christ has poured out His Spirit on you. This is the promise. The third person of Trinity. Poured. Not given. Not rationed. But poured out in full to you. Do you realise the scope of this? I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion. I will never leave you nor forsake you. Behold I am with you till the end of days. He who is in you is greater than He who is in the world. Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit. Image courtesy: gemini 

Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. 1John:2:15 If you love the world, then the love of the Father is not in you. Anything of this world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, these are the things that you can summarise about the world. These are not of the Father. If you have these, it is evident that the love of the Father is not in you. The cravings of your body, the second look that you look, the boasts of your life, are against the Spirit who is in you. Anything self centred is not from the Father. Anything that gives you selfish pleasure is not from the Father. But anything that pleases the Father is centred around selfless love. To give. Rather than to get. Any sensual pleasure. Any security that comes out of your assets. Any hoarding. Any projecting your own self. Any lack of accomodating others. It's not from God. For He was a selfless God. He had no need to create a man in His own image. He had no business to redeem thi...

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 ...

Humble yourselves therefore under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. 1 Pet:5:6 What is there to be proud of What is there to boast When you face with much suffering What is there to retaliate Just keep quiet and humble yourself Under the mighty hands of God He shall lift you up in due time God is on your side, dear one. And if God is on your side, Who can be against you. Who can stand against the Mighty Holy One? If you face undue humiliation If you face undeserved ridicule If you suffer injustice Humble yourselves under the Mighty Hands Of God, and He shall lift you up in due time. For God is on your side. Reacting or retaliating Trying to gain things by might - no, not that Instead humble yourselves in God's hands For that is all you can do and  all you need to do. He shall raise you up in due time. Image courtesy: chatgpt

1Pet:4:19 So then those who suffer because it is God's will for them, should by their good actions trust themselves completely to their Creator, who always keeps His promise. Suffering is always a difficult pill to swallow. Whether it is by your own bad deeds or if you do not deserve it. But for a Christian, suffering comes along - for no reason or as a consequence of sins. There is a four fold reason for suffering in the life of a child of God. 1. We are in the enemy's territory. And the enemy who will fight tooth and nail against our head Jesus Christ, will fight against us as well, trying to render us powerless. But be of good cheer. He who overcame all these is with you till the end of days. 2. Suffering is to be considered as a consequence of man's sinfulness, rather than a particular sin. Our fallenness and our wretchedness. Yes, now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. But in this world you will have much troubles, the same Jesus pr...

The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self controlled, so that you can pray. 1 Pet:4:7 What should our response be when we realise that the end is near? We should pray. We should pray without ceasing. We should pray without getting bored.  You are called to be a house of prayer. Do not make it a den of thieves. Be clear minded and self controlled so that you can pray. You cannot harbour sin in your heart and then come to a holy God to pray. First confess your sins. Get rid of everything that takes you farther from God. Prayer should not be a monologue. Let it be a conversation with your Father in heaven. Confess. Listen in prayer. Intercede. Worship. Submit your petitions. Praise. Thank. Keep quiet. Let it be your habit. Not a routine. Image credit: https://in.pinterest.com/pin/585256914112399930/

For Christ died for sins, once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. 1 Pet:3:18 How is one man dying, beneficial for all? Because He is rich in life and righteousness. Unendingly righteous that all unrighteous would be pardoned. He who knew no sin, became sin for us. The Son of God became the wrath of God, so that the wrath of God would be made sons of God. This exchange, this imputation is too good to be true. It is valid for you only if you receive. It has already been done for you, but if you wouldn't receive it is not relevant for you. Dear one, if you are in that borderline, now is the day. Put your trust in Jesus and be saved. Image credit: https://winningwalk.org/read/articles/at-the-foot-of-the-cross

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called, so that you may inherit a blessing. 1 Pet:3:9 This is the highlight of true Christianity. Those who have known Christ in person. They beat them, they torture them, ridicule them, put them in prison, for doing good, for starting schools and colleges and hospitals, for bringing them to peace with their Creator God, leading to joy. They persecute them for no valid reason. Yet, you do not see retaliation. You do not see revolt. You do not see any bloodshed or pay back. There is absolute silence while facing persecution. Why? Why do they not react? Why do they keep quiet? Why they do not even defend themselves? Because they have a big Brother who showed them how to do. When persecuted and tortured for no good reason of His, He exuberated that love and peace and joy from His Father, from a world that they look forward unto. They know they are loved. They know these are small in ...

Unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. 1 Pet:3:4 Though this is told to the wives; it is a very good admonition for all of us. To have a gentle and quiet spirit, is an incomparable unfading inner beauty. The real beauty is not your outwardly appearance. Real beauty is your inner spirit - to be gentle and quiet. Not to be quarrelsome. Not to be picking fights. But to be a peacmaker. especially in your family. V:1. Wives, in the same way, be submissive to your husbands. In which same way? The example is of Jesus. 2:23. When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate, when He suffered He made no threats.  In this same way, wives be submissive to your husbands, no matter how well or bad they treat you. V:7. Husbands in the same way, be considerate, as you live with your wives.  In which same way? The example is again of Jesus. 3:7. Treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life. Like Jesus did to us. ...

Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men. 1 Pet:2:13 Slaves submit yourselves to your masters with all respect not only to those who are good and considerate but also to those who are harsh. 1 Pet:2:18 Submitting to your good and considerate bosses is easy. It is a natural response. It doesn't require an advise or an admonition. However if he/she is a hard taskmaster, you are still asked to submit. Naturally you would submit, but with a grieving, complaining heart, dissatisfied. Yet here the apprisal is to do this submission for the Lord's sake. Thankfully, genuinely. With contentment.  Inorder to be contented, you should enlist the things that you are thankful for. Make a list to praise God for the very things that you are frustrated about. And you will see the Lord's hand written all over it. These sufferings are momentary. He will do all things for good. He will carry it on to completion. He is Sovereign. But our attit...

1Pet:2:2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk. Crave is a huge word. It is more than desiring. Even higher than seeking. It is a strong and intense desire, that you can't put away with. Always earnestly desiring and seeking. And you are restless when you do not get it. Crave intimacy with God. Crave thearing His voice. Crave the Word of God. Crave to know God. So that by it, you may grow up in salvation. Image courtesy: Gemini

Be holy, because I am holy. 1 Pet:1:16 Quoting from Lev:11:44, it is an admonition that seems quiet impossible. As God is holy. How do we do it? 1 Pet:1:13-25 tells both about my doing and the Lord's doing regarding this. - Prepare your minds for action - Be self controlled - Do not conform to the evil desires - Be holy - Love one another deeply But it also says about the Lord's part in this. Infact His effort is more in this. - Grace - Saved by the precious blood of Christ the Lamb - You have been born again not of perishable seed but imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. Your striving will never make you holy. Because all your righteous deeds are like filthy rags. Isa:64:6. By grace you have been made holy and given a holy standing before the Father by the precious act on the cross, if I believe. Without this act, there is no scope of your holiness. Yet because Isa:64:6 is true, do I deter myself from striving? Not at all. Infact I should stri...

Trials. They have come so that your faith - may be proved genuine. 1 Pet:1:6-7 Are you burdened? Are you overwhelmed? Is everything too hard for you? How are trials useful? Aren't they meant to discourage you more? Trials keep you rooted and strong in faith. That will prove your faith is genuine. It might be a sickness; you have prayed but there is delayed healing. Or a habit that you struggle to put aside. Or a ridicule. Or debts or loans. Or any unanswered prayers. It all results in proving the genuinety of your faith. When things are beyond what you can handle, even otherwise. When you are confused as to why things are happening this way, totally unexpected. Let this assure you. That your Father is in control of the situation. And He does things for your good. And this is the good that He is talking about - that your faith will be made genuine. And something more beautiful may result as you go through this. Result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus is revealed. W...

And into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade, kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be believed in the last time. 1 Pet:1:4-5 Can never perish Can never spoil Can never fade  Kept in heaven for you Shielded. Now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Rom:8:1 Dear one, you can be sure. Once you are in Him, no one can snatch you from His hands. Underneath is the Father's hands and no one can snatch you from the Father's hands. The statement is blatant and complete. If He has promised never to leave you nor forsake you, that is applicable not just for the life here in this world, but in the life to come as well. He will not leave you. Period. Nothing can separate you from the love of Christ. No repeated sin. No failures. No disappointments. Nothing will be able to separate you. His love is always there. Image credit: Gemini