The halfbaked Bard

Phil:3:20 And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Saviour. Hope is something which pulls you through Hope gives you energy to cling on Hope gives you the motive to press on When hope is based on a person Who promised and has fulfilled every single one . I will be with you till the end of days. I will not leave you nor forsake you You will do greater things than these To name a few personal ones. Look at nations being formed. Look at nations destroyed. Look at Jesus Himself when He first came. Now all the more reasons to hope for the mother of them all. I am coming back to take you home. Oh! In every tragic; it brings a smile In being unloved; it brings the feeling of being loved In devastation and desperation; it brings hope. Amidst uncertainties, it is certain. My Lover is coming back for me. My Father is coming back for His son. My Friend is coming back for me. My very own Jesus is coming back for me. To take me home. Image credit: https://harrisonhouse.com/bl...

Phil:3:13-14 Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead. I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. What is past is past. You can't change it. But you can course correct. Brooding over your past mistakes; regretting over your past sins will never take you anywhere. When the Holy Spirit convinces you, correct your track and look forward and run in the right direction. Press on towards the goal. The goal is not to win the prize. But to finish the race well. Your job is to set your eyes on the finishing line and finish the race. It is God's job to give the prize. Why do athletes still run, even after they know somebody else has already won the prize. The goal is to finish the race, even if they have pulled a muscle or tore a ligament, their country has sent them to finish the race. They cannot say, if Bolt is there, there is no point in me contesting, and so I quit. Do not look at others as yo...

Phil:3:8 Yes everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Jesus Christ my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else counting it all garbage, so that I could gain Christ. How do you value knowing the unending Christ? When you were saved, your eyes were opened. Praise the Lord for the revelation. That was life changing and precious. But after that? How have you grown in the knowledge of Him? What excites you most in this life? Everything else is garbage in comparison to knowing God? Is it really? And how do you know God unless you spend time with Him? What is your sole desire? V:10. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead. What is your ambition? What is your utmost desire? Then what do you do about it? Yes it is grace. Even to desire Him.  Lord my efforts would lead me nowhere, I admit. Show mercy upon me. That I would desire for you. That I may know you in a deeper way Image courtesy: ...

Finally my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. Phil:3:1. As a final statement. A final reminder. Rejoice. Rejoice is a word that resonates in this epistle again and again. Circumstances should not define you. Fears shouldn't tell you how you are. Uncertainties shouldn't proclaim your destiny. But joy. The joy of the Lord should be your strength. The abounding joy that the Lord promises. The peace that passeth all understanding. The joy that we belong to our Father. The joy that I am His very own possession and He holds me close to His bosom. That I am safe in the arms of Jesus. Nothing will separate me from the love of Christ. I am His. If this rules my heart always, I will greet every sickness, every disappointment with a smile. I will face uncertainties boldly for I know my Father is in control of my life. And I am in the center of His palm. Yes He will not leave me. Nor will He forsake me. Image credit: https://www.magnific.com/premium-ai-image/jesus-little-girl-are-s...

Phil:2:15-16 You shine like the stars in the universe as you hold the word of life . In this crooked and depraved generation  Stand blameless and pure  As children of God without fault Stand out shining The key is to hold out the word of life Because that is the difference Because that brings the difference The Word of God Jesus Christ in you In comparison to the prince of the earth Ruling and controlling This crooked generation  Retorting back will not work Not will behaving the same way sort out. Only the Word of life. Image credit : https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-to-find-the-ten-brightest-stars-in-the-night-sky-180985148/

For it is God who works in you, to will and to act in order to fulfil His good purpose. Phil:2:13 God's idea is to fulfil His purpose in you, which is His good purpose. In order to fulfil that, He will work in you. To will and to act. He will create in you a desire and equip you to act accordingly. To create in you a desire to know Him and equip you to read the word and understand it - He will act. To live in faith, despite evidence to the contrary - He will give grace. God will do it. We just have to trust Him. Image courtesy: https://www.monergism.com/reformation-theology/blog/it-god-who-works-you-both-will-and-work

Phil:2:6-11 Christ was exalted when He humbled. He humbled Himself In obedience even until death Therefore the Father exalted Him And His name above all else. He made Himself nothing. Therefore the Father exalted Him. That at the name of Jesus Every knee should bow In heaven, in earth and under the earth And every tongue confess That Jesus Christ is Lord To the glory of God the Father. In true humility, there would be exaltation God would cause it, because He resists the proud. But if you dream to be exalted, while you humble, Then that is not the true humility intended. That is only a shortcut you desire, to exaltation. In true humility, there is servanthood. There is selflessness. There is only absolute giving Not what would I gain. When Jesus humbled Himself . He was only mindful of me. He was only thinking of me. He was only thinking of redeeming me. Back to His bosom. The lost me. He was only willing. To be separated from the Father Out of His love for me. He was only...

Phil:2:3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Man's innate nature is self centredness. To project oneself. To do things to gratify his own nature. To highlight himself. To focus the limelight on self. Whatever good deeds or sinful act you do, it focuses on your own self. But Paul admonishes to do nothing out of selfish ambition. Infact he encourages to do things considering others better than yourself. Like Jesus. Paul sites the example of our Saviour - to have the attitude of Christ, who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped. He considered us more important than His privileges and positions. He considered to share His position with us. While we were still His enemies. Jonathan loved David as himself. Despite knowing the truth that David is going to take the throne that was supposedly his. To serve; to help; to do things for my own brother even if I have...

Phil:1:27 Whatever happens conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Live a life that is worthy of the precious gospel you have received. Live your life with love, with peace, with joy, with kindness, with humility - as you have received a treasure. Reflecting the One who called you. Why are you downcast O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God For I will yet praise Him My Saviour and my God. Ps:42:11 Worrying and fretting is not living a life worthy of the gospel. Where is the smile? Where is the excitement that you are expected to have because of the gospel.  He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Phil:1:6. He has got it in control. He has got the whole world in His hands. So when disturbing thoughts come (for they will come for sure), I will focus on His beautiful face, my Saviour who loved me and think of the ways He had led me this far. How from the fiery hell He has save...

Now as always. Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or death. Phil:1:20 As long as Christ lives in me; as long as I proclaim to be a child of God - it is Christ who will be exalted in me. Do not try to claim the praises to yourself. Weak as I am, I am able to do the things that I do through Christ who strengthens me. Secondly through my life, do I exalt Christ or do I defame Him? With selfish ambitions, through marred motives. This is a privilege as well as a warning. A responsibility as well as an admonition. An honour as well as a caution. It is a prayer as well. Because of the reality that I can do nothing out of my own but only through Christ who lives in me. And I would reflect Christ alone. I am unable to do with right motives and this helpless realisation would bring me to repentance humbling myself. That I will be equipped to give Him the glory. Why do I seek glory when I deserved nothing? When I did absolutely nothing? Image credit: https://eubieblog....

Phil:1:18 Yes and I will continue to rejoice Paul is writing this letter, while he is in chains. He is sure of his deliverance. Even if he is not, whether by life or death, he says, let Christ be exalted in him. Joy has become a subjective feeling based on circumcision. If everything is well, I will rejoice. In the middle of crisis, I pray Lord, to give me your joy. Whether I will overcome or not I will rejoice. That through it all Christ will be exalted. The truth is Christ will enable to overcome, for He is good. He is with me in this. As I go through it, I pray Lord that the tangible presence of my Lord I would surely feel. Rejoice for He is nigh. Rejoice in the middle of trouble, for He is with you. Continue to rejoice, no matter how big the problem you are going through is. Let your joy reflect the One who is in you. Image credit: https://www.dreamstime.com/happy-children-running-joyful-summer-sunlight-playful-kids-painting-bright-colors-outdoor-scene-art-cheerful-run-...

Paul prays for the Philippians - that your love may abound more and more in the knowledge and depth of insight. Phil:1:9 That love may increase - love to the Lord. Based on your knowledge and insight which will become deeper as you spend time with Him. It's a cycle. Love Him more to know Him more. Know Him more to love Him more. The key is realising the depth of His love and loving Him and therefore spending more time with Him and thereby loving Him. But not by your effort or interest or discipline. Paul prays that this would happen to the Philippians. The element of divine grace. Lord have mercy on me and open my eyes and enable me to see you as you would want me to see you. As you desire to reveal yourself to me. Help me to understand the depth of your love that my love will only abound by the increasing knowledge of you. Image credit: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2024/12/14/paul-and-prayer/?amp=1

Phil:1:6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you, will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Predestining you was His initiative. Calling you and choosing you, His act. And why was it that He called you. Not to gain accolades for Him through you. Not to gain many souls through you. Not that He saw a fighter in you; a good soldier who would stand for His cause. He called you because He loves you. And why did He call? For what purpose? It is to transform you into His Son's likeness. He has started this. And He will complete it. If this is the primary purpose for which you have been called; then He will not deter from completing it. All the other purposes might fade. But this won't. Be confident of this. Image credit: https://dianegottsman.com/2022/01/17/handling-the-first-day-at-a-new-job-jitters/

Ephesians 6:24   Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.  Is your love undying? Your love to One who loved until death. Whose love conquered the death for you. Is your love living. Ever growing? Ever increasing? Have you lost your first love? In emotions  In actions  In decisions If it's not living love.its dying. If it's not increasing love.its dead. Do you love me more than these? You know Lord.how much I love you. Image credit: https://www.godisreal.today/gods-love-for-us/

Eph:6:18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. And pray for me too. This is like summing up of all that Paul had to tell them. Guys. Just pray. In the Spirit.  Rom:8:26. And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying. For the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will. To pray in the Spirit is to agree and acknowledge what the Holy Spirit would pray for you. We do not know what we should pray for ourselves. But the Spirit in us pleads for us and the Father knows what the Spirit is saying. It is like, you pray through the filter of the Holy Spirit. In the Holy Spirit, you pray. At all times and in every occasion. It is the helplessness that will lead you ...

And the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. Eph:6:17 And - Last but not the least. Probably the most important one. The only offensive weapon. To counter and attack the enemy. The Word of God. Use the Word of God. For that you need to know the Word. To know. Who God is.  Who Jesus is. What Jesus has done. Who you are. What is your position in Jesus. What is grace. What merit do I have to boast. What do I look forward to. Infact it is the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, God Himself who isbyour offensive weapon. You need not fight. He will fight. Lord, I pray that, let whatever knowledge I have about you  whatever is true, let it be translated from my head to my entire life. Entire being. So that I might fight the good fight. I pray that I would take every effort to know your word to take it up and fight. I pray that I would let you do the fight. That I would trust that you will do it. Image courtesy: https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/what-is-t...

Take the helmet of salvation. Eph:6:17 Helmet covers your head. The center of all your thought processes, your emotions. Always be thinking of your salvation. Always remember from where you have been plucked out. Always humble yourselves, not thinking high of yourself. Always be grateful. Never forget Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/png/48775672-ornate-medieval-knight-s-helmet-with-floral-design

And with your feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace. Eph:6:14 Love the gospel of peace. Love people. Be ready always to share God's love and how He made peace with mankind. Be willing to take extra efforts to share Him. Take radical steps. Like Jim Eliot.  Be a Lottie D. Moon of this generation. Like Graham Staines. Be a Dr. Tharian. Be a Dr. KV. Be a Philip John Kottarathil. It might look foolish for the world. But you will be still wise in God's eyes. Be ready. Image courtesy: https://www.ibelieve.com/christian-living/what-are-the-feet-fitted-with-readiness-from-the-gospel-of-peace.html

With the breastplate of righteousness in place. Eph:6:14 Breastplate covers and protects the heart. Heart is the core of a being. Heart exposed is the end. Cover your core with the righteousness imputed from the Son. A sinner redeemed by Grace you are. Sin was your root. But you are indeed a new creation. Not inclined to the rotten ways anymore. But inclined to Christ's righteous ways. No condemnation for you are in Christ Jesus. The core forms the man. So let righteousness define you.  Not yours. For your righteousness is like filthy rags. Let Christ's righteousness be in place. Be in the right place of your life. Let it be the center of your life. Image credit: https://www.wyrmwick.com/paladin-armour-set

Eph:6:14 Belt of truth, buckled around your waist. That holds all your armour. The core of it all is the truth of the gospel. Believe in it always. Always be aware of from where you have been called; humbling yourselves. The righteousness of God. That has been imputed upon us. Not by our merit. But by the grace of God. Always binded by the truth. No matter what happens, to stick to the truth. Because He is true. Image credit: https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-terms/what-is-the-belt-of-truth-in-the-armor-of-god.html