Deuteronomy 31:6. Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail nor forsake thee.
Today’s Scrip-Bit 31 October 2012 Deuteronomy 31:6
31 Oct 2012 Leave a comment
in Inspirational Living Tags: be strong and of a good courage, do it afraid, don't despair, faith, fear, fear not, God cares, Hurricane Sandy, Jesus, just God, righteous prayers, wake up call, wallowing in sin
Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 October 2012 Deuteronomy 31:6
30 Oct 2012 Leave a comment
in Inspirational Living Tags: calamity, courage, dismay, disobedience, dread, evil, faith, fear, God's faithfulness, Hurricane Sandy, Most High God Jehovah, obedience, the Exodus, the Promised Land, wilderness wandering
Deuteronomy 31:6. Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee nor forsake thee.
Ah Friends, another chapter in our calamitous times is being written, thanks to ‘Frankenstorm’ Sandy. She’s had a hand in at least ten deaths in the U.S. and one so far in Canada, where in Toronto yesterday, a Staples sign blew down in the 60 kilometres per hour winds and struck her. What a sad way to go. Meanwhile Sandy came ashore in New Jersey yesterday, lashing the Eastern U.S. coast with merciless winds and rain. Millions of people are without power now, and flooding is escalating. And the sad part is that though Sandy has been downgraded to a Tropical Storm, she’s not done yet. To put it nicely, we still have a couple days of inclement weather left. Now can you imagine if Sandy had retained its hurricane status? The whole Eastern coast of North America is being lashed with powerful winds and much rain, snow is even predicted in some areas. That would just put the icing, both literally and figuratively on the cake. Thankfully, so far in my area it’s been mostly gusting wind since yesterday afternoon, though still at a level we can handle, and hopefully it won’t reach epic proportions. The wind seems to have been blowing away some of the rain. I went out on my porch around 4.30 a.m. and surprisingly found my Toronto Star newspaper out there as usual, though they had warned that it might be late because of the weather. But Friends, while we on the East Coast of the continent have been perplexed and perturbed by Sandy, the residents on the northern part of the West Coast have been worried about a 7.7 magnitude earthquake that took place some 40 kilometres off the coast of British Columbia on Saturday. A tsunami warning had been issued, but thankfully nothing came of it, except bickering and confusion in B.C. where it’s claimed the U.S. warning came a whole half an hour before the Canadian, although they knew about the earthquake and its possible repercussions at the same time as the U.S. Obviously the Provincial Government and its agencies claim that they acted responsibly, while the local governments and the people who would have been targeted by the tsunami, claim otherwise. Oh mih people, what’s happening to us eh? In these supposedly modern and revolutionary times, when we can do all sorts of technological wonders, we still can’t get together rationally and solve common problems. As someone told me last night, the Lord’s sending us a message, but we’re not listening. And that could certainly be gospel Friends! Times have become so fearful that many are afraid to walk the roads even in broad daylight, because evil is no longer hiding under the cover of darkness, but has become so emboldened that it’s operating openly in the light now. However my brethren, there’s ONE, and ONLY ONE antidote for Fear, that’s FAITH! FAITH IN ALMIGHTY GOD! As our Bit so encouragingly and appropriately declares: ‘Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee nor forsake thee.’ What part of that don’t we understand eh Friends? If we truly believe in the all-powerful, faithful God we profess to worship, then we should calmly accept such an awesome promise, and consequently there shouldn’t be any fear in our souls, for the Lord has proven His power and faithfulness time and time again. I guess the problem is that a majority of the population don’t believe in the Most High God Jehovah, and those who do, don’t have sufficient faith to stand the rigours of these troubled times. So without further ado, let’s check out some scriptures, re handling fear with faith building. And we’ll begin with Moses reminding the Israelites of their sad, fearful behaviour on their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. ‘Then I said unto you, Dread not, neither be afraid of them. The Lord your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes; And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the Lord thy God bare (carried) thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came unto this place. Yet in this thing ye did not believe the Lord your God.’ (Deut.1:29-32) Oh Friends, that’s certainly a telling reproach against the Israelites! The Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt is possibly the greatest exhibition of our God’s great powers, His unending LOVE, and also His powerful anger at continual sin and disobedience. That’s shown in the wandering of Israel for forty years in the desert, culminating with the death of all but Caleb and Joshua of the old generation that came out of Egypt. If anybody in this entire world should have believed in Almighty God, it should have been them, having seen the mighty works He did on their behalf. But obviously they did not, and sadly today we are doing the same thing my people; living in fear, when we have God’s awesome promises to stand faithfully and secure on. We talk up a storm about God, but don’t reflect that talk in our actions, that’s why we’re still so fearful. Now listen to Bruh David’s advice to cousin Sol, when he handed over the throne of Israel to him. ‘Only the Lord give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the Lord thy God. Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfill the statutes and judgements which the Lord charged (commanded) Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.’ (1 Chr.22:12-13) Oh Friends what absolutely wise words from a father to a son, especially from one who actually lived the words he spoke, under the calming umbrella of God’s faithfulness. And when Cousin Sol followed them, he became the greatest, wisest and richest king that ever lived! However, in his old age, when he strayed from his father’s words and rebelled against the Lord God of his fathers for the heathen gods of his wives, he lost God’s favour. It’s ever so simple and true Friends: stay faithful to God, and He will stay faithful to you, and under those circumstances, there’s no reason to be overwhelmed by fear. Please, let’s write that indelibly in our hearts, minds and spirits, so that we can continuously recall it, and thus not live in fear. Much LOVE!…we say again…the ONLY thing to conquer fear…is TRUE FAITH in Jehovah God…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 29 October 2012 Deuteronomy 31:6
29 Oct 2012 Leave a comment
in Inspirational Living Tags: aura of love, disobedience, enthusiasm, faith, fear, God's assurance, Jesus Christ, miracles, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, prayer, Promised Land, renewed vitality, steadfast faith, wicked taunts, wiles of the devil
Deuteronomy 31:6. Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Oh Friends, blessed greetings on this cold, wet, uninspiring Monday morning! (smile) And plenty thanks be to our wonderful God also, He who so LOVINGLY looks after all our needs! I do hope that all of us who are slated to receive some of ‘Frankenstorm’ Sandy’s wrath have battened down our hatches and made good preparations to withstand the onslaught. Meanwhile, for those of you who have already experienced its ravages, I hope and pray that you are being strong in faith and doing your best to get yourselves back together again. And the rest of you, please pray some righteous, earnest, heart-felt prayers that Sandy doesn’t do nearly as much damage as he or she is scheduled to do. Now Sandy hasn’t even gotten close to me as yet, and I’m already experiencing a bigger leak than normal in the laundry room of my basement. Ah Lord eh! And to make matters worse, the wind and rain is not allowing my fix-it-all guy to get up on the roof, where we suspect the problem lies. But if that’s the biggest damage I suffer, then I’ll gladly live with it. And remember Friends, in the simple, but oh so wise words of the old sage – this too shall pass. So let’s invoke our Bit right now to help us in our time of anxiety. ‘Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’ Yes Friends, fear is a major factor in all of our lives these days, it’s just that some handle it better, through FAITH and PRAYER, than others. And with that in mind, this first day of our new workweek, when many are afraid of the pending calamity, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, so that our fearful, lazy, bluesy spirits can be lifted, that they may soar like eagles heavenwards together with our prayer, and embolden us, regardless of the circumstances we face, to go out into the unfriendly, ungodly world and make a significant mark for Jesus. All together now, as the harmonious earthly choir that we are. (smile) ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together. We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’ There we go my People! All of heaven was pleased with our heady effort! No excuses now for not getting out in a good, strong, faithful, courageous frame of mind. Oh, before we go any further, let me apologize for a typo yesterday. When I quoted the Lord’s command to Joshua, that His Word should constantly be in his mouth, I associated it with Josh.1:9, instead of Josh.1:8. Mea Culpa! Ah Friends, when sin came into the world, it brought fear with it; a sad lack of confidence in many aspects of our lives. But the caring and understanding Deity we serve and worship, realized our human frailty and gave us an outlet to conquer fear through His Holy Word. And throughout the Good Book, especially in the Old Testament, there are numerous examples of God’s assurance to His chosen people. Possibly the most reassuring of all God’s assurances on fear is when Pharaoh’s army was about to overtake the Israelites as they approached the Red Sea, on their journey out of centuries of bondage in Egypt. Although they had witnessed the calamities that the Lord had rained down on Egypt because of Pharaoh’s refusal to let them go, they nonetheless cried out in great fear to Moses, saying it would have been better to remain in slavery in Egypt than to die in the wilderness, cruelly slaughtered in their helpless state by the Egyptian army. But what was Moses’ response? ‘And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation (deliverance) of the Lord, which he will show to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace (be quiet).’ (Ex.14:13-14) And we all know how the Lord instructed Moses to lift his rod over the Red Sea, and it was parted, allowing the Israelites to walk over on dry land. However, the Egyptian army was totally annihilated when they tried to cross over, as the Lord rejoined the waters. Up to this day Friends, I believe that’s the most awesome miracle the Lord’s ever done, both in terms of emotional drama as well as sheer physical size. I’ve forgotten the exact figures quoted by people who studied the situation, but it required several miles of space between the waters for some two million Israelites, plus all their animals and household belongings to cross in one night. Now Friends, if you had personally experienced such a miracle, would you have ever had any further doubts in the amazing power, strength and LOVING-kindness of the God of your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? I’d hope not. But unfortunately the Israelites were so fickle and faithless that they complained all the way to the Promised Land, even though the Lord miraculously led them by a pillar of fire at nights, and a cloud by day and also provided food (manna) and water for them along the way. Then when they finally arrived at the border of the Promised Land, they were too scared to go over the Jordan and fight for it, as the Lord instructed. They listened to ten of the twelve spies they sent to reconnoitre the land, who claimed that though the land was fruitful and prosperous, the inhabitants were too big for them to conquer. That’s why they wondered in the wilderness for forty years until all of the generation that had left Israel had died. ONLY Joshua and Caleb, the two spies who voted to go in and fight, ever set foot on the Promised Land. Even poor Moses, after so much struggle with the Israelites, was only allowed to see it from a far off hill, because of his disobeying God’s order to talk to the rock and not strike it at the waters of Meribah-kadesh. (Num. 20:11-13) Ah mih people, such is the negative effect of fear. Please, let’s not allow it to conquer us. Much LOVE!…the only thing that conquers fear…FAITH IN ALMIGHTY GOD…
Today’s Scrip-Bit October 28 2012 Deuteronomy 31:6
28 Oct 2012 Leave a comment
in Inspirational Living Tags: anxiety, be strong and courageous, beautiful believers, daily blessings, faithfulness, fear, fear not nor be dismayed, meditation, omnipotent god, overcome challenges, tension, the BIBLE, tragedy, trials, tribulations, unbreakable promise of God
Deuteronomy 31:6. Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Oh Friends, a blessed Sunday morning to all you beautiful believers in Christ Jesus! I hope we all gave Him thanks for so kindly allowing us to experience another day on Planet Earth, for that’s His due. I also hope that we’re primed and ready to receive His daily blessings and to walk worthy of Him on this October day, regardless of the weather or our personal circumstances. But despite all the promises, blessings and assurances of our omnipotent God, a major portion of the world’s population is still living in dreadful fear because of the numerous negative problems we face. Tragedy and chaos abound all over; from wars to rumours of wars, oppression and suppression of all types, serious economic trials and setbacks, worldwide religious contention, plus natural, man-made and God-sent disasters, to name a little of the calamity that’s currently driving us to fear, death and destruction. Yes Friends, our world is now being run over and ruled by negative influences which unfortunately creates a lot of fear, tension and anxiety. And sadly, a lot of believers are caught up in that negative cycle. But though we need to be realistic about what’s happening in and around us, we don’t have to be overwhelmed or totally overcome by circumstances in general, or our particular problems, because we have the unbreakable promise of the Most High God Jehovah that He will look after those who accept His sovereignty through belief in His Most Wonderful Son Jesus. From way back when He adopted the children of Israel as His chosen people, He assured them with promises of strength, provision and faithfulness, if they would serve and worship Him with clean hearts and right spirits. Our Bit is one such promise reiterated by Moses to his people, just before his death. ‘Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’ Oh my brethren, what greater assurance can we ask for eh? But how Moses must have sorrowed in his heart, knowing the people’s penchant for fear and fickleness. And right after our Bit: ‘Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.’ (Deut.31:7-8) Ah mih people, what encouragement and assurance Moses tried to give young Joshua as he passed the baton of leadership to him. But Joshua must have understood all that because he had been Moses’ second in command and no doubt had seen the great things the Lord had done. However, our God is so kind and considerate that after Moses died, He called Joshua aside and had a heart to heart chat with him, promising: ‘There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so will I be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance (you shall give as a possession) the land which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper (have success or act wisely) withersoever thou goest.’ (Josh.1:5-7) Wow! What powerful promises my brethren! But the Lord constantly warns Joshua to be strong and courageous; twice in the last two verses, and again in verse 9: ‘Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.’ Oh my brethren, since neither our God or His dictates change, that means those powerful words of assurance are also part and parcel of our spiritual heritage, therefore we should also be strong and of a good courage, and not afraid nor dismayed, because our God goes with us wherever we go. So why are we still so fearful these days eh? Granted life is difficult, but if the Creator and Ruler of the universe tells us to have faith and courage in Him, and we’ve seen His faithfulness over the ages, why do we still falter and fear instead of standing strong and courageous as He instructs? Is it because our faith isn’t as strong as it should be and/or we’re just wallowing in self-pity, because it’s so much easier to hold our heads and wail, ‘Woe is me?’ I suspect though, that the real reason why we’re so scared of life and what it entails nowadays, is because we’re not following another of the direct commands that the Lord gave Joshua the day He anointed him leader. ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of (shall constantly be in) thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then shalt thou make thy way prosperous, and then shalt thou have good success.’ (Josh.1:8) Oh my people, it’s right there in black and white: obey the Lord and you’ll have success wherever you go. But we don’t do that, yet we still expect to be successful. That’s not how God’s universe works my brethren. Now hear some appropriate words on the subject from the scholars. ‘The Lord’s charge to Joshua is repeated from Deut.31:6-7, 23). The divine call is not only for manly courage but for a courageous faith centred in the word of God. (cf. 1 Chr.22:11-13; 28:20; Ps.27:13-14; 31;23-24) As the psalmist would later point out, true success comes from meditating deeply on God’s Word. (cf. Ps.1:2-3; 119:72, 97, 147, 148) Paul likewise encourages all believers to “quit you like men, be strong” (1 Cor.16:13) Oh Friends, I know that these are particularly rough and tough times, but that’s exactly why we need to get in agreement with God’s Word, so that we can be reassured of His faithful promises in our times of need. So please look up the scriptures noted above that they may help us to avoid the fear that’s so prevalent all over the world right now. Remember that Jesus said, though we’ll have trials and tribulation, we should not be afraid, but instead be of good cheer, because He has already overcome the world. (John 16:33) Well true believers, true followers of Christ, let’s take that advice and put it into action nuh! For then, and only then will be truly walking our faith. Much LOVE!…who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?… (1 John 5:5)
Today’s Scrip-Bit 26 October 2012 Jude 3
26 Oct 2012 Leave a comment
in Inspirational Living Tags: blasphemy, Christmas Carols, deception, destruction, exploitation, faith, false prophets, falsehood, fellowship, Friday chant, heresy, Jesus Christ, meditation, Parang, prayer, salvation, sensibilities in Jesus, TGIF! Thank God is Friday, truth, weekend
Jude 3. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Oh Friends, it’s Friday! The day we all LOVE to see come around, because it heralds the weekend; two days of no labouring for Massa. But you know what’s already happening in T&T? Christmas Carols and Parang (local folk music with a Spanish influence) are already being played on the T&T radio stations. Wow! I was somewhat surprised to hear them being aired so early, 2 months before Christmas. And I haven’t heard any up here as yet. But as we all know, Christmas is a big time in the Twin Island Republic, especially in this 50th year of Independence. So you can imagine how the Parang sides are already lined up with their quatros (a small, guitar like instrument) to go out to sing and celebrate the wonderful birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! And today, everybody’s singing to quatro accompaniment: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday! Work done for the week! Is my time now! Thank God is Friday!’ But Friends, to get the proper perspective for the weekend, we need to tone down the rhetoric and party time some, and ramp up the influence of Jesus. So let’s do that by chanting our Friday Chant nuh, with much spirit and enthusiasm. As one now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’ Yes mih people, the weekend isn’t for partying alone, it’s also a time to renew and refresh our sensibilities in Jesus, especially with fellowship on whatever day you celebrate the Sabbath. That’s one way to adhere to the advice of our Bit: ‘Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.’ When we renew our acquaintance with Christ, through study, prayer, meditation and fellowship, it enables us to better understand what we’re all about in Him, and thus to stand up stronger for the TRUTH of our FAITH. And some of you probably get a little miffed because I keep harping on TRUTH and standing strong in the FAITH, but Friends, there’s a very good reason for that, namely the falsehood, prevarication and all the other anomalies that are so prevalent in Christ’s church today, in all aspects of its being; from clergy to congregation, to doctrine and practices. And unless we know the TRUTH and stand up strong to protect it, then Christ’s church will eventually become even more divisive than it is now, and of even less positive repute. And that’s something I’m sure none of us want to happen, but it will unless WE ALL get actively involved in building and strengthening it. Now let’s get into some serious scripture on the subject, Listen to Peter, as he wisely warns of false prophets and teachers: ‘But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily (secretly) shall bring in damnable (destructive) heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious (destructive) ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of (blasphemed). And through covetousness shall they with feigned (deceptive) words make merchandise of (exploit) you: whose judgement now of a long time lingereth not (has not been idle), and their damnation (destruction) slumbereth not.’ (2 Pet.2:1-3) Yes Friends, it happened back then and it’s happening now too, more widespread, with even greater fervour because of the ease of communication, and numerous lost, anxious humans looking for, seeking some kind of healing balm for their emotional and spiritual wounds. Now we’ll end with some observations from the scholars on those verses. ‘The opposite of true revelation is the message of false prophets and false teachers who deceive God’s flock and bring in damnable heresies. These heresies (unorthodox teachings) include an open denial of Christ Himself. Denying the Lord that bought them indicates that Christ’s atonement potentially extends to all men, including those false teachers who reject Him. Therefore they will experience destruction because they themselves will be deceived by their own teaching and continue to reject the way of truth.’ Oh Friends, please take all this seriously, because it concerns each and every believer, and the TRUTH or falsehood we allow into our lives. Much LOVE!…beware of sweet-tongued teachers and preachers…for those with the gift of gab…can lead even the most faithful astray… P.S. It’s a good thing that I don’t have a sweet tongue or the gift of gab. (smile)
Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 October 2012 Jude 3
24 Oct 2012 Leave a comment
in Inspirational Living Tags: abundant life, blessed Christians, confidence, encouragement, enjoy life, enthusiasm, everlasting life, faith, false doctrine, false liberty, false teachers, fight for our faith, flaunt God's will, God's faithfulness, God's Sovereignty, immorality, passion, run the race of glory, salvation, sinister purposes
Jude 3. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints.
A most passionate and joyful ‘top o’ the morn’ to all you faithful Friends and believers out there in Scrip-Bit Land! Yuh know that we Christians are the luckiest people in the entire world? Of course! That’s because we have an all-powerful God, who LOVES and cares for us and enriches us with new blessings everyday! And all God’s people sent a rousing ‘Praise the Lord!’ up to heaven. However my people, all the mercy, LOVE, blessings, forgiveness, compassion etc. are of no use unless we enjoy the earthly life that’s set before us, the race we were put here to run. Remember Jesus said that He came that we might have an abundant life. (John 10:10) So what’s the purpose of having abundance if you’re not enjoying it eh? None whatsoever my brethren! And I want to share an appropriate quote from the renowned German Reformed Theologian, Jurgen Moltman (1926-) which declares: ‘The more passionately we LOVE life, the more intensely we experience the joy of life.’ And that’s an undeniable truth Friends! When we choose to live life on its own terms, rather than our short-sighted, selfish ones, we experience and enthusiasm and passion that’s incomparable. Then we can enjoy the highs and lows of life without too much worry or anxiety, knowing that both are essential parts of life, and that the lows are only temporary setbacks. And if you’re a practicing Christian, then you can appreciate that fact even more, because we have the promise of our omnipotent, faithful God that He will work everything out for our good, and never leave nor forsake us, if we stick close to Him. We certainly can’t ask for more encouragement and confidence than that! However Friends, too many of us believers are still going around sad, despondent and worried, like ‘poor me ones’ without home or a future. Oh my people, Christians ought to be enthusiastic and passionate about life! In fact the MOST enthusiastic and passionate people on the face of God’s great earth should be Christians, since we have Jesus, our Lord and Saviour providing salvation, the Holy Spirit dwelling within us as a help-meet here on earth, and the Father to whom we’ve been reconciled through Jesus’ precious blood, thus forgiven and looking forward to everlasting life with the Holy Triumvirate. Now if that doesn’t make us ecstatic, causing us to just jump and shout it out loud, I don’t know what will. Oh fellow believers, I am trying to encourage us to be more enthusiastic and passionate about life in general and our faith in particular. But unfortunately, I suspect that my words are falling on deaf ears, because deep down we still don’t truly believe what we should. We hear it, and think we believe it, but putting it into serious action is another story, because we’re still running scared of the big, bad world and all its evil. And when we turn to our Bit, we find Jude also encouraging us to stand up passionately and earnestly for our wonderful, exceptional FAITH in Christ Jesus. ‘Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once (for all time) delivered to the saints.’ Now yesterday we promised to find out why Jude wrote that missive to his friends and fellow believers. And he clearly spells it out in the verse after our Bit: ‘For there are certain men crept in unawares (unnoticed), who were before of old ordained to (long ago marked out for) this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness (licentiousness), and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (Jude 4) Ah mih people, that was a sad fact back then, and it’s an even bigger and sadder one today! But let’s hear the scholar’s opinion on that verse before we go any further. ‘Before of old ordained is probably not speaking of predestination in the sense of God deciding in advance that he would condemn these men and so seeing to it that they sinned. Rather Jude recognizes that Scripture often predicts the demise and judgement of any who flaunt God’s will. The men in question are wrongly assuming that grace means “no moral laws.” They thus effectively deny the sovereignty and eternal moral lordship of both the Father and the Son.’ And unfortunately Friends, today’s world is sadly beset with those false teachers and preachers, who unnoticed, are deceptively infiltrating Christ’s church and teaching stuff that’s not gospel truth. In this instance, they’re taking the liberty afforded us by the grace of God to cause His people to sin, to ignore His dictates, claiming or insinuating that it’s okay to go further than is really true. Yes my people, in this supposed modern and enlightened age, there are numerous people, groups, cults etc. who are going around spreading either completely false doctrine, or doctrine with a convenient spin on it to make it profitable for their own evil, sinister purposes. That’s why it’s so important for us to constantly talk, to communicate with each other about the TRUTH OF OUR FAITH. Without that constant communication, we’ll be left wide open for all sorts of false people and false info to invade our souls. And that’s definitely an unwelcome position. More on this tomorrow, if the Good Lord sees fit. Till then, please, let’s diligently LOVE our God, LIVE our Faith, and SPREAD His Word. Much LOVE!…believers beware…for evil doesn’t only lurk in dark corners…but also in wide open, bright places…and comes in all sorts of guises…like wolves in sheep’s clothing…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 October 2012 Jude 3
23 Oct 2012 Leave a comment
in Inspirational Living Tags: Black Leaders, bravery, confidence, fight for one's faith, humility, leadership skills, Lincoln Alexander, LOVE, stand up and fight, visible minorities, West Indian parents
Jude 3. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints.
Oh my fabulous Friends in Christ, congrats are in order! I looked through the obits this morning and I didn’t see any of our names, that means we’re still alive and kicking! Praise the Lord! But unfortunately there was one name I knew; Lincoln Alexander, who died last Friday at the ripe old age of 90. And who was Lincoln Alexander, you ask? Well let’s see where to start? I guess the beginning is as good a place as any. He was born in 1922 in downtown Toronto of West Indian parents, in a time when racism was still rife in the country. However Lincoln Alexander grew up to be, not only one of the FIRST BLACK lawyers in the city, but also the FIRST BLACK Member of Canada’s Parliament, the FIRST BLACK Cabinet Minster in the Canadian Government, and finally, the FIRST BLACK Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Ontario. Wow! Imagine a poor BLACK man of West Indian parentage accomplishing all that in those racist times nuh! It seems like he was always chocked full of confidence, but like many truly confident people was still able to be very humble and approachable. I remember when he first became Lieutenant Governor, a lot of folks weren’t happy, but by the end of his term, many of the same ones were pleased with the way he handled himself in the mainly ceremonial post. I don’t know why, in this supposed modern day and age, when BLACK people are very prominent and successful in all walks of life, all over the world, the white populace still gets all up in arms over a BLACK leader. Take for example Barack Obama in the U.S. It doesn’t matter one iota that his mother’s family was and is white, the race card is still being strenuously played. It seems that a dollop of the tar brush is powerful enough to overcome any other colours. Before Obama, they had a fool who ruled for eight years, ran the country right into the ground. But his lack of brainpower and leadership skills didn’t matter because he was white. Then they’re all getting on Obama’s case because he didn’t fix all the wrongdoing in four years, especially with no meaningful cooperation from the other side. Chuh! Anyway, I want to end the comment on Lincoln Alexander with a statement from the current Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, David Onley, as posted in the Toronto Star newspaper “When racism was endemic in Canadian society, he broke through barriers that treated visible minorities as second-class citizens, strangers in their own land.’ And that’s the gospel truth Friends! Onley knows something about discrimination, because he has some physical movement problems and operates from a wheelchair. That was also a sticking point for some people when he was appointed to the post. Anyhow Linc -as he liked to be called- rest in peace my brother. You have been a shining beacon of light to ALL people in this dark world, and for that Jesus will reward you abundantly in the next life. And now, turning to our Bit: ‘Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once (for all time) delivered to the saints.’ I guess you can say Lincoln Alexander did that in his own way. He stood up for his rights and what he believed in, and didn’t let his racist enemies beat him down and give up the fight for a right and good life. Oh Friends, it’s the same way we believers need to stand up strong and fight for our belief in Jesus, because there’s a whole evil world out there trying to put Him down, make Him of no consequence. And sadly, through our less than sterling resistance, they have succeeded in curtailing His importance, position, and power in many aspects of our society and our lives. And if we don’t get serious and truly ramp up our fight against the powerful evildoers, Christ’s church will eventually be decimated and of no use. Now that’s something all of us claim we don’t want to happen, but it won’t be prevented by us merely sitting on our comfortable fat fannies and not putting up strong resistance, and fighting back too. Anyway, what I really wanted to talk about today, is why Jude thought it so very important to write to his friends and fellow believers about earnestly contending for their faith. However, because of time and space constraints, I’ll leave it for tomorrow, when hopefully I won’t have to eulogize anyone else, especially one of our Scrip-Bit family. And we’ll end with an appropriate exhortation on the subject from Bruh Paul to the church at Corinth. ‘Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men (be brave), be strong. Let all your things be done with charity (LOVE).’ (1 Cor.16:13-14) And that’s as it should be my brethren! So let’s relight that fire, that flame of passion we once had for our faith nuh, and rise up in Jesus’ name, like the sure conquerors that we are and fight to the death for what we believe in. That’s the way true believers operate. Much LOVE!…if it’s not worth dying for…then it’s not worth fighting for…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 22 October 2012 Jude 3
22 Oct 2012 Leave a comment
in Inspirational Living Tags: common faith, confidence, contend for the faith, diligence, fight the good fight, joy of the lord, Jude, LOVE, mercy, Monday Battle Hymn, Monday Monday, peace, renewed vitality and enthusiasm, sure conquerors, taunts, wiles
Jude 3. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Aye Friends, mercy, peace and LOVE be unto you this chilly, autumn, Monday morning, or whatever the weather is like in your area. The fact of the matter is that it’s time to go out and labour once again. And since our spirits are usually lethargic and full of rebellion on Monday mornings, we need to uplift them, so that we can fight a good fight in Jesus’ name, in the evil, ungodly world that constantly tries to batter and bully us and steal our joy. But since the JOY of the Lord is our strength (Neh.8:10) we certainly can’t afford to have that stolen. Therefore, in order to boost our tired, unenthusiastic, ebbing spirits, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn in strong voice with sincere hearts. As one big, harmonious earthly choir now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together. We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’ Wow mih people! That was wonderful; definitely energetic and exhilarating! All the heavenly host stood with mouth-opened awe, then gave a rousing ovation of ‘Hallelujah!’ at the end. Now let’s carry that strong, enthusiastic, faithful, battle hardened attitude out into Lucifer’s domain, and let him and all his wicked cohorts sit up and take notice nuh. But please note, we can’t just run on adrenalin alone, we also have to be ‘wiswise’ (use wisdom), as we live in accordance with our Bit. ‘Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once (for all time) delivered unto the saints.’ Ah Friends, it’s what I’m also trying to get us to do, don’t know with how much success though. (smile) Jude here, is reputed to be Jesus’ half brother. ‘Is this not the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?’ (Matt.13:55) In Greek, Jude is really Judas, but it’s translated as Jude to avoid confusion with Judas Iscariot. And it’s interesting as one scholar notes, that instead of being a name dropper and saying he was Jesus’ brother, Jude instead opens his missive as ‘Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James…’ (Jude 1) He shows real humility. But I have to laugh at the mysterious ways in which our God certainly moves, re how Jesus’ family rejected Him when He walked on earth with them, but afterwards that same family, in particular James and Jude found the faith and had successful ministries. Just like Jesus said, two verses later, when the crowd in His hometown were offended by His Messianic claims. ‘A prophet is not without honour, save (except) in his own country, and in his own house.’ (Matt.13:57) And that’s the gospel truth my brethren! But getting back to our Bit, here’s the scholar’s general take on it. ‘Beloved indicates the close relationship between Jude and his readers. Jude was evidently planning to write a less urgent doctrinal letter but was forced by developments to pen this earnest exhortation. Jude conceives of Christian faith as having a definite, unchanging and unchangeable content.’ One scholar believes that Jude had intended to write about ‘common salvation,’ it’s joys and benefits, but was steered by the Holy Spirit towards the more pressing problem of believers diligently fighting to protect and further their faith. And that’s quite possible and very plausible, as I have received such change of direction many times over the years. And by the way, ‘common salvation’ doesn’t mean it’s common in a derogatory or negative sense, but rather that it was meant as a gift that could be received by everybody. As Bruh Paul greets Titus: ‘Titus, mine own (my true) son after (in our) common faith:’ (Titus.1:4a) Ah Friends, I sure hope that the Bit makes sense because I have so much information I want to share, but since you’re all wise believers, I know you’ll be able to fathom it all. (smile) Now let’s end with a similar exhortation from Bruh Paul to the Philippians. ‘Only let your conversation (conduct) be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or also be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel; And in nothing (no way) terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token (a proof) of perdition (destruction), but to you of salvation, and that of God.’ (Phil.1:27-28) Yes Friends, that’s the only way to go! More on this tomorrow, provided we’re still alive and kicking. Till then, may God bless and keep us, so that we can walk worthy of Him. Much LOVE!…a true believer’s earthly walk must show confidence…since he’s assured of salvation…through Jesus Christ…