The halfbaked Bard

By faith he was commenced as a righteous man Heb:11:4 Abel learned to offer the right sacrifice according to the standards of God. Bloodshed was needed for forgiveness of sin, according to God. He knew just that, because he wanted genuine forgiveness and reinstation. He believed that by offering a pleasing sacrifice, he could gain God's favour and forgiveness and reinstation. And that was counted to him as righteousness. Where as Cain brought some things which he thought was good. Probably out of compulsion, or out of peer pressure. If he was genuine, he would have sought and found out what would please God. There was superficiality instead of genuinety in it. Because Abel believed and he was seeking God from his heart, out of his desperation to reinstate and bring back his relation with God, it was counted as Abel's righteousness. The prayers of a righteous man availeth much. Only if you seek him from the depths of your heart will you be able to find Him. Image cre...

Heb:11:3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. I believe in the creation of the world by a Supreme, intellectual being rather than a blast that occured randomly. Blast of what? Vacuum producing Carbon, Hydrogen and Nitrogen in itself is imperceivable and ludicrous. Then what about these atoms join to form what we call as life. There has to be a higher being who fashioned the world that we see ( and that we do not see), by His own wisdom and by His own hands. There has to be a beginning of time and there has to be a nothingness from which all that we see was created. It cannot just come into existence. If it were so, then why is nothing coming into existence even now? Why are we not able to recreate life? Mixing Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen and Oxygen? Why are new brings not being formed out of nothingness now? Why do I believe this? Along with reasoning and logicality, I believe so ...

Heb:11:1 Now faith is a substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. The definition of faith. Faith is hoping. Not of an idea which is beyond logic. It is evidence based. Even when you have not seen it. Faith is not based on a written code which you decipher out or construe for your comfort. But faith is based on the character that is behind the promise. The person who made the promise. Him whom I call my Father. My Appa. That is the base of my faith. On this Appa, I have put my faith in my redemption, my salvation, for my eternal life. On Him I will place my faith for my everyday walk. He is good and He will do all things for my good. That is enough for me to trust in Him. So when something overwhelming comes my way, I will still choose to trust Him. I will still choose to cling close to Him. For He holds me. Doubt or fear or worry is an antonym to faith. Faith hopes. Faith ensures. Faith relieves. Faith brings joy. Faith is the sum and substance of my l...

Therefore brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus. Heb:10:19 Because the final sacrifice has been done and the ransom has been paid full- Therefore we have the boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus. Because the veil has been torn, we have full access to Him, who was denied to us first, because of our sins. Because a new and living way has been granted to us, we have full access to God, that which He is already willing to reveal. Therefore let us draw near with a true heart. Grateful for the grace offered. Thankful for the mercy for not giving what we truly deserved. Let our hearts be genuinely open to Him. Let us live with that fear of God. That God orientedness. Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Renouncing that which He abhors. Staying pure. Having justified. Being sanctified. Therefore let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works. Not to be selfish an...

Heb:10:14 For by one sacrifice, He has made perfect forever, those who are being made holy. One sacrifice- instead of repeated ritualistic sacrifices, one has been made enough. The death of Jesus Christ on the cross. He has - God Himself did this for undeserved people like me. Not by lineage. Nor by inheritance. Neither by the deeds I did. I deserved only hell and punishment. While we were still enemies, Christ made friends with us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. We did not choose Him, He chose is. Made perfect forever, those who are being made holy - Called to be made holy - a process. Made perfect in Jesus - a crisis. Sanctification - a process. Justified - a crisis. Forever - for eternity. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. It is finished.

Heb:10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. What has been done ritualistically and symbolically has been put away with by the righteous deeds of Jesus, the Son of God. God Himself intervening into mankind to redeem him. For the remission of sins, no more ritualism or symbolism is required now. Once and for all the righteous blood of God who became man, has been shed. Now man's debt is clear. My debt has been cleared. There is no need for repeated meaningless rituals to please God. He has already been please God. He has already been pleased with you, dear one. He did this perfect deed on the cross, because He chose to. What an amazing Jesus! What an amazing Father! Image credit: https://stock.adobe.com/search?k=crucifixion+blood

And without the shedding of blood there is no remission. Heb:9:22 Bloodshed is needed for forgiveness, shows that sin is serious. For He is a holy God. And sinful and wretched people like us, fallen and marred can have access to holiness, only by the shedding of innocent blood. In the garden of Eden, God showed the example. The Hebrews were asked to do it. And the culmination of the shadow of the things happening in the Old Testament, happened on the cross, once and for all. That is why He said, it is finished. So let us approach the throne of grace with boldness. Image credit: https://www.christianity.com/wiki/bible/why-hebrews-922-say-without-the-shedding-of-blood-there-is-no-forgiveness.html

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sons and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.  Heb:8:12 The New covenant has been established. The old covenant is obsolete now. Mercy has been given to undeserved rebellious people like the bard. The old covenant, the law demanded justice. The New covenant also demands, but He Himself met with justice out of love. God hasn't changed a bit. But He has bore it upon Himself, covered justice with love. Holiness of God mingled with love on the cross. What amazing climax. Filled with hope for the hopeless person like me.

Heb:8:1 The Son who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven. The Son is eligible. The Son is worthy. He is equal in character and essence and existence as the Father. In Him and through Him and by Him all things were created and all things sustained. Ruler. Supreme authority. The Son. The Lamb who was slain for the salvation of man, humbled Himself to the death on a cross to redeem mankind. He alone is worthy to sit on the right hand side of throne. And seated us with Him in heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. Eph:2:6 We are not eligible. We are not worthy. But still He did this for us. Image credit: https://yahwehishisname.blogspot.com/2012/09/understanding-our-inheritance-in-christ.html?m=1

He is able to save completely those who come to God, through Him because He always lives to intercede for them.  Heb:7:25 A priest who lives forever. Sinless. Blameless. Who need not offer sacrifice repeatedly again and again. Once and for all and He lives forever. And because He lives forever, He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him.  A priest of the order of Melchizedek. To whom Abraham offered his tithe. Which means He is greater than Abraham, before the law and no lineage documented. Melchizedek is thus proven to be greater than Aaron and the Levitical priesthood.  Ps:110:4 You are a priest of the order of Melchizedek. Yes. The Son. The High Priest. Who lives forever from a different system as the law... V:8. Son who has been made perfect forever.

We do not want you to become lazy but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised. Heb:6:12 Being lazy in faith is a dangerous thing - not actively working out the salvation you have freely received by grace. Not actively doing things because you are saved. Continuing on things which once entertained you. May be harmless things. But it quenches the Spirit in you. Not feeding on the right things, so then the new man is stunted; and feeding on the world's things so then the old man is still allowed to grow.. Forgetting the fact that the old man is dead. Proactively do things out of your faith. So that you will inherit what has been promised. Are you lazy in applying your faith in testing times? Are you lazy in spending time with the Word of God? Are you lazy in praying and fasting? Then it would be hard to inherit what has been promised.

We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses. Heb:4:15 A high priest who sympathizes with us. A meaningful sympathy by someone who is able to help you in your weaknesses. Who knows what exactly you go through in your time of trouble. Because He has been tempted in every way as you have been, yet without sin. He has overcome every single one of them and out of His love and sympathy and empathy to you; He is willing to be with you and help you. Therefore we can approach the throne of grace with confidence. Every time you approach this throne of grace, filled with empathising love to you, you can be confident not to be shewed away, you can be confident not to blamed for your repeated failures and naivety. You can be confident of receiving mercy and grace which has been lavished upon you. Image courtesy: https://christianliferesources.com/family-topics/marriage/sympathy-feeling-with-others-not-for-them

Heb:4:9 There remains then, a Sabbath - rest for the people of God. Rest for the people of God. Rest due to peace with God. Rest due to peace of God. Rest due to belief in God. Rest due to belief upon God. Rest because of obedience to God. Heb:3:19.  They were not able to enter because of their unbelief. The restful life promised to us is achieved through faith alone. Unbelief will take away that rest. The restful life which is part of the abundant life He promised. The restful life which comes out of trust upon this God. Restlessness is because of disobedience in unbelief. Just like all the others apart from Joshua and Caleb could not enter the rest because of unbelief. Beware. Be aware. Image credit: https://sleep.me/post/benefits-of-rest-and-relaxation?srsltid=AfmBOoqJzHFVT_jNlFvpO9lqT1k5Bpowh6myRdBv_AZq15VGsC1W-wkK

Heb:3:19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief. A warning against unbelief. All who were rescued from Egypt, all who were able to see the delivering hand of the Almighty God, was not able to enter God's rest because of their unbelief. Unbelief results in unrest. A sinful unbelieving heart turns you away from the loving God (v:10). Sin's deceitfulness is that it will harden your heart in unbelief.  We have to hold firmly to the end. Hardening of heart is equivalent to rebellion. And therefore hardening of heart, unbelief and rebellion are all synonyms that lead to unrest.  Just as they perished in wilderness with lack of rest because of unbelief, you too will end up in unrest because of unbelief. Beware. Be aware. Image credit: https://www.vecteezy.com/free-photos/walking-on-water

Heb:3:3 Jesus has been found worthy of greater honour than Moses. Jesus is superior to Moses, because He was faithful to the One who appointed Him. The builder has greater honour than the house itself.  God is the builder. Therefore isn't God more important than Moses. And Jesus is the Son of God. We are God's house. Moses is a faithful servant who build God's house. But Jesus is the Son of God.  This is of much religious significance to the Hebrew community, that He is speaking to, for whom Moses is the pioneer. Now for us Christians, tradition, genealogy, name , fame will carry no relevance. Only Jesus who is greater than everything.

Heb:2:3 How shall we escape if we ignore such great a salvation? If violation and disobedience of a command of the angels produced just punishment, how much more if we ignore the salvation offered by the Son. Jesus being superior to the angels. He being the Son of God. Therefore pay careful attention. So that we do not drift away. If the world seems more meaningful to you; if logicality and science means more rational to you; if the big bang is more impactful for you, then be aware. Be careful. Beware. If the world and its ways seems more attractive to you; if you are more enamored by the world than the Word, then be aware. Be careful. Beware. If the Word doesn't excite you much; if the church doesn't give you excitement; if praying is boredom for you, then be aware. Be careful. Beware. If it is only a myth; if the Son is not real to you, then be aware. Be careful. Beware. If even after knowing this great salvation, you drift away, then be aware. Be careful. Beware....

Heb:1:1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways; but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things and through whom He made the universe.  Earlier God spoke through the prophets. Now through the Son. Jesus is the key to God's communication to men. For He is fully man and fully God. He is fully God and yet understand man fully. For He has faced every temptation that man faced; yet without sin. He understands every struggle ofan for He faced them all. But being God He can relate to the Father. For in Him, and through Him and by Him, all things were created.  Angels are supernatural powerful beings, ministering spirits. But Jesus is superior to them all. Because He is the Son. He is God. He is superior to the angels (v:4)

Phile:1:1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ A prisoner not of a cruel tyrant. Not as a helpless victim. But denotes complete devotion and absolute surrender to Jesus. Who are you a prisoner of? Anger? Habits? People? - a helpless victim? Break the shackles for you are a prisoner only to Jesus - in 100 % devotion and surrender and submission to Him. Willingly, gladly. There is no habit which cannot be broken in Jesus' name. There is no inheritance which cannot be cancelled in Jesus' name. There is no mountain too big that Jesus can't remove. For in the name of Jesus every knee will bow. Image credit: https://pngtree.com/free-backgrounds-photos/prison-bar

Tit:2:11-12 For the grace of God - it teaches us to say "no" to all ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. Grace of God is so special. It not only has saved us from eternal damnation. It also helps us in our daily living. It enables us to say no to ungodly things and worldly passions which drag us down. It gives us self control. Whatever is needed for the full and abundant life that Christ has promised.  Whoever claims and utilised it will be blessed. For the grace of God is freely available, lavished upon us.

Tit:1:1 The knowledge of truth that leads to Godliness. Godliness is a desirable and advisable thing. Along with contentment it is great gain. It is that God consciousness, that God fearing attitude that as man, would be the best thing to have. That will develop only by the knowledge of the truth. That will develop only by spending time with the Word of God. Not just in your quiet times that happen for half an hour in the morning. Let it sink in. Let it richly dwell in you. Let it percolate and dissolve in your life. Keep on pondering. Keep on investing. Keep on reading. If it is God's word, it will impute in you God's character. The more you invest into it, the more you will impart His nature. The more Godly you will be. The more God conscious you will be in your circumstances. The more God oriented you will be. How deep is your relationship with your God, depends on how well do you spend time with His word.