1 Corinthians 1:22. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom.
Oh Friends, as it was ordained from the very beginning of time, yesterday has passed away into history, the future, tomorrow, has not yet arrived, but thankfully, the gift of today, the present time is here! And all God’s people said a loud and delightful ‘Praise the Lord!’ So please, let’s use today wisely, because that’s all we have. As the psalmist so rightly declared: ‘This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!’ (Ps.118:24) And the people shouted a loud and thankful ‘Amen!’ Yes Friends, today is all we have, so let’s concentrate fully on it nuh. Yesterday’s done gone, and as Jesus said, tomorrow will take care of itself. (Matt.6:34) And I have an interesting quote to share, one that’s attributed to Dr. Samuel Shoemaker, a prominent American churchman. He proudly declares: ‘Religion can never be the answer to human problems. All of the religions of the world are inadequate. Christ alone is the answer. Christ alone understands. Christ alone forgives. Christ alone eliminates your guilt. Christ alone saves and then assures you that you are God’s child and the most wonderful person possible! Christ alone fills the human heart with LOVE – joy – peace – self-confidence. No wonder a genuine Christian LOVES himself.’ And if that isn’t the undeniable truth, my Friends, then I don’t know what is! For Jesus is indeed our everything; our be all and end all. In Him we find our purpose, our strength, our joy, and help to bear our sorrow. He is truly the very lifeblood of our lives. And I’m so sorry for those of us humans who don’t know, realize and recognize Him for what He is, because they’re missing such an incredible, interesting journey as a pilgrim following in Christ’s footsteps. As I keep saying my people, working for Jesus is often very difficult, but I can guarantee you, from personal experience, that it’s mightily interesting, much more interesting and lasting than anything the world has to offer. And oh my brethren, the rewards…the rewards are just to die for! (smile) The faithful promise of salvation and eternal life with Jesus in the hereafter, are way way more interesting and worthwhile than anything this evil, sinful, ungodly world has to offer. And what I don’t understand about human nature is that they’re willing to try every little nonsense, like diets and other fads that the greedy, deceitful world puts out, wasting time, effort and money on them, but they’re not prepared to spend one moment with Jesus. Jesus, whose manifesto is plainly stated in the Good Book, and has been proven to be undeniably true down through the ages. In addition, Jesus is the most generous and faithful leader there’s ever been, or will ever be! So why do people refuse to get to know Him? Why at the name of Jesus do so many people become angry, fearful and refuse to listen to what He has to say? Why eh? No other name in history has ever provoked such a reaction, and still does to this day. There must obviously be great power in the name of Jesus, else why would people react to it so fearfully, so violently and so negatively. There’s no such reaction to other names like Satan, Allah, Buddha, and the multiple other supposed gods and idols humans worship. Our wonderful Lord and Saviour certainly strikes fear in the heart of the heathen. But to those of us who truly know Him, it’s only LOVE, tenderness, mercy, forgiveness, compassion and those kinds of positive emotions that He conjures up in our hearts, minds, souls and bodies. That’s because those are the attributes for which He is truly renowned. Peace, LOVE and Good Cheer was, is, and always will be His mantra! So why people get so confused and discombobulated over His name certainly boggles my mind. Instead of running to His always opened and inviting arms, they run away instead. How foolish! And I can personally testify to the ‘wonderfulness’ of Jesus! Our vocabulary is so inadequate, I can’t find a better or more appropriate word to describe Him. Anyway, I was testifying – testifying that this very morning, I came down here, not feeling too hot, or knowing what I was going to write, except for Dr. Shoemaker’s quote, but before I could even sit down and contemplate the situation, He engineered the thoughts in my mind and brought them to fruition in the words you’re reading. To tell the truth, I haven’t even had a chance to open the Good Book yet and look for a Bit. So why would I ever turn away from, and denigrate such a kind, thoughtful, gentle and generous leader eh? Not on yuh life, mih breddren! It simply doesn’t make sense, and it’s being proven everyday, especially in these fearful and troubled times. Just look at the nonsense yesterday, with the bombs exploding in and around the Boston Marathon. Ah Lord eh! Followers of Jesus would never do such a thing! Oh Friends, let’s tell the world nuh, let’s show them their dreadful mistake in not embracing Jesus and all the wonderful stuff He has to offer! They quickly embrace all the man made nonsense, but shy away from the One, True, Faithful Helper, Comforter, Friend, Guide and Saviour that’s available to us. They’ve tried everything else and failed. Let’s convince them that it’s time to try Jesus. I’m sure that once they’ve sincerely tried Him, and seen what He’s really all about, the blessings, mercy, forgiveness, the overall LOVING-kindness, so generously bolstered by the wonders of salvation and eternal life, they’ll never go back to worshipping the other non-gods they once worshipped. However Friends, the one big impediment to getting that done, lies with us, His followers. We don’t sincerely live the life that Jesus wants us to live, we’re too often hypocritical, which obviously turns off the non-believer. We talk a good talk, but fail miserably in walking that talk. Just look at all the divisions and petty dissension that permeates the church of Jesus. How could that ever draw unbelievers to Him eh? Oh my brethren, for Jesus’ sake, as well as ours and our children’s, let’s seriously try and improve the image we hold amongst the heathen nuh. Remember, it’s Jesus’ name and image we’re hurting and bringing shame and negative press to, which then holds back the progress of His earthly church and glorious, righteous kingdom, which we’re supposed to be promoting. Remember we’re His ambassadors. But we’re certainly not doing our ambassadorial job to the best of our ability, not to the standard of excellence that Jesus expects. So how can we expect His Name, His Word and His Church to prosper eh? Ah mih people, how sad it is that we’re not doing a better job for Jesus. And I just got a divine zeppo (smile) to stop here and look for a Bit, as time and space are running out. So soon come. Oh Friends, I found it, I found it! I found and appropriate Bit – in exactly three minutes! It’s so amazing that when the Lord gives you a task, He also enables you to perform it! Glory Hallelujah! Now here’s our Bit for today: ‘For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom.’ And that still holds true for a lot of people today. However, as Bruh Paul so wisely continues to the Corinthians: ‘But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling bloc, and unto the Greeks foolishness: But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.’ (1 Cor.1:23-25) That says it all in spades my brethren! Please embrace Jesus in wisdom and in truth, for He’s the ONLY ANSWER! Much LOVE!…but as for me and mine…we’ll certainly follow Jesus…regardless of what it takes…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 April 2013 1 Corinthians 1:22
16 Apr 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: ambassadors of Christ, Christ, Comforter, compassion, delightful praise, embrace Jesus, eternal life, forgiveness, friend, Good Book, good cheer, Greeks, Guide, guilt, Helper, incredilbe journey, Jesus our everything, Jesus the only answer, Jews, lifeblood, Lord, LOVE, manifesto. the power of Jesus' name, mercy, peace, pilgrim, rejoice and be glad, religion, require a sign, rewards, salvation, saviour, seek wisdom, tenderness, today, tomorrow, undeniable truth, understanding, ungodly world
Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 April 2013 1 Corinthians 1:29
14 Apr 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: absolute truth, abuse, bless, boasting, cockles of our hearts, comfort, conflict of interest, despised, feeble minds, flesh, generous God, Gethsemane, glory, heartbroken, heavenly hosts, insignificant things, just deserts, legal concept, loving god, put to shame, redemption, revitalizing grace, ridicule, righteousness., sacrifice, sacrificial lamb, sanctification, save lost souls, sense of justice, sinful nature, sinless soul, spiritual discernment, spirituality, tragic stage, unblemished sacrifice, ungodly behaviour, unworthy sinners, walk hand in hand, wisdom
1 Corinthians 1:29. That no flesh should glory in his presence.
Oh Friends, once again a beautiful day is dawning and the many parcels of mercies and blessings are being prepared by the heavenly hosts for distribution down here on earth, as they do on a daily basis. How lucky – no, lucky is not the right word. How privileged we are to worship such a kind, LOVING and generous Deity! Who, instead of giving us our just deserts for our sinful nature, capital punishment, gives us mercy. And on top of that, He then gives us more of what we don’t deserve; His wonderful, refreshing, revitalizing grace. Mama Mia! That ought to just warm the cockles of our hearts to the extent that it causes us to cry out in pure unadulterated joy: ‘Oh thank You Lord! Thank You for Your mercy and grace! Thank You for LOVING us so much, that You broke Your own heart by sacrificing your only Son Jesus to save us from death and eternal damnation! We LOVE You Lord with all our heart, and promise to sincerely serve You until eternity! Amen.’ Yes Friends, that’s the kind of emotion God’s goodness ought to stir up in our hearts, minds and souls. And talking about God sacrificing His only Son Jesus for us, a bunch of unworthy sinners, reminds me of something I had planned to share before this, but either forgot, or the Lord didn’t deem it suitable until now. And I’m talking about the hour I spent alone in the candle-lit church on Holy Thursday night pondering the actions of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. At one point during that fateful hour, it suddenly occurred to me that we were all so worried and heartbroken over Jesus demise and the terror that ran through His disciples and followers at His trial and eventual crucifixion, that we’ve conveniently forgotten the most heartbroken of all the players on that tragic stage – God, the Father. Remember He’s a living being, and if we’re made in His image, then He must have feelings like us too. So put yourself in His place: You have sinful, unfaithful creations that you don’t want to lose, but because of your sense of justice and righteousness, you just can’t wipe clean their sinful slate, for you have already decreed that the wages of sin is death. You find yourself in a conflict of interest with your holy, righteous self, between the proverbial rock and a hard place. The only way to save the lost souls and justify your sense of justice, is to find a sacrifice worthy enough to pay the price. Unfortunately it has to be an unblemished, sinless soul. And the only one fitting that characteristic beside yourself, is your only Son, Jesus. Can you imagine how the Lord must have agonized over the situation? I don’t know if I could have willingly sacrificed my beautiful, obedient son for a bunch of ungrateful jerks nuh. Ponder that situation for a moment nuh people. But I guess that’s why He is God; His thoughts, ways and actions are much higher than ours, absolutely incomprehensible to our small, feeble minds. Just imagine how the Father mush have felt, having to lay the excessive weight of sin on Jesus’ innocent shoulders, then create the separation necessary between them, the first ever in all their days together, so that His awesome, mind boggling plan could come to fruition. And Jesus only increased His heartache by obediently going along with the plan. Ah mih people, we really and truly do serve a most excellent and incomparable God yes! And then to make matters worse, after suffering so much heartache so that we could get a second chance, we become even more sinful and disobedient, heaping abuse, doubt and ridicule on the Sacrificial Lamb and all He stands for. Oh Friends, I know that I would have been very upset by that ungodly behaviour and prone to revoking everything. But fortunately our God is a much bigger Being than that, with a heart of solid gold, so He perseveres with us. We just don’t understand, are unable to comprehend His ways, His motivation for doing what He does. No wonder the Good Book tells us: ‘But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound (put to shame) the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound (put to shame) the things which are mighty; And base (insignificant) things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought (nothing) things that are:’ (1 Cor.1:27-28) Yes Friends, we see that eccentricity of God all through the Good Book, and right down through the ages, even till today. And I’m a perfect example of that. (smile) The people whom God chooses to do His work are the most unlikely ones, the ones whom the world would never choose. Why is that eh? Our Bit gives us the answer: ‘That no flesh should glory in his presence.’ Words of absolute truth and wisdom on God’s part my brethren! Man would not be able to indulge in one of his favourite pastimes – boasting! And Bruh Paul continues: ‘But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us (became for us) wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.’ (1 Cor.1:30-31) What amazing wisdom and glorious truth, my fellow believers in Jesus Christ! Now here’s some enlightenment on that last scripture from the scholars. ‘Of him (because of the Father’s work) are ye in (intimate with) Christ Jesus: Paul concludes that all the riches of salvation exist in Christ Jesus. All that the Corinthian believers are, they owe to Him. Thus it is not in oneself, or in party alignment, or in supposed human ability that any believer ought to glory. Paul tabulates the qualities that belong to the believer in Christ. Wisdom is not merely the acquisition of intellectual skills but the gaining of spiritual discernment based on the wisdom of God as demonstrated in the cross. Righteousness is a legal concept and has in mind the righteousness that is applied to the believer’s account the moment he believes. (Rom.5) Sanctification has already been mentioned in verse 2, “sanctified in Christ Jesus” This contemplates the work of Christ “in” the believer, as opposed to that which He does “for” the believer in justification. Redemption underlies all the above. Christ’s redemptive work opened the way for God to extend His grace to sinful man and to pour out upon him such benefits as wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification.’ And on that note of enlightenment, we’ll end this session. We have enough to ponder on for today. Selah. More on this topic tomorrow, God in favour. Till then Friends, let’s walk hand in hand with the Lord, so that He might continue to bless, comfort and keep us safe. Much LOVE!…if we truly appreciate the magnitude of God’s LOVE for us…then we’ll have no problem accepting His Son Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour…and gladly walk the path He desires us to walk…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 April 2013 Matthew 6:24
13 Apr 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: allegiance, beauty of God, can't serve two masters, commandments, constantly seek God, do not please men, don't give up, don't worry about tomorrow, eternal life, eternal separation, food in abundance, generous mercy, glory, God will never leave us, good foundation, good works, grace, hate, haughty, idols, lilies of the field, LOVE, low ebb, loyalty, lust of the flesh, material possessions, material things, perseverance, please God, pride, righteousness., salvation, seek the kingdom of God, serve God, serve mammon, splendour, trust, uncertain riches, woe is me
Matthew 6:24. No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and LOVE the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Oh Friends, the ole fella’s struggling this morning, and I just don’t know why. Nothing’s particularly wrong in my life, but for some strange, unknown reason my spirit’s been at a low ebb. I obviously asked the Lord to bring me unto myself and unto Him, but it took a while to happen. My search for a Bit lasted over half an hour. That’s much longer than it usually takes. The important thing though is I didn’t give up and go, ‘woe is me.’ I kept persevering because deep down I knew that that too would pass, the Lord would eventually pull me up out of whatever mire in which I was wallowing. That’s the beauty of our God, my brethren! Though He may allow us to wallow for a while, to suit His own mysterious, superior purposes, He will NEVER leave us to do so forever, once we sincerely seek Him. And I guess that’s why Jesus kept telling His listeners to stop worrying about what they should eat and drink and wear, using examples of the birds and flowers, which don’t sow or toil, but due to the Lord’s generous mercy and grace have food in abundance, and turn out to be very beautiful. Even Cousin Sol in all his splendour and glory wasn’t as beautiful as the lilies of the field. (Matt.6:25-29) In other words, we shouldn’t be overly concerned or anxious about material things, especially those of us who don’t have a lot. Don’t stop seeking God in order to acquire material possessions. Instead, Jesus offers this advice. ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow (do not worry about tomorrow): for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble) thereof.’ (Matt.6:33-34) Yes my people, when we seek the Lord sincerely and conscientiously, all our material needs will be met. The scholars have this to say: ‘This portion of the Sermon on the Mount is summarized by the statement seek ye first the kingdom of God. The disciples who have pledged their allegiance to the King must continue seeking the kingdom and its righteousness. The present imperative form of the verb (Gr. Zeteo) indicates a continual or constant seeking. The contrast between the spiritual and the material is again emphasized. The believer is to seek first the righteousness that is characteristic of God’s kingdom, and then all these things (material things) shall be added to him. When our priority is spiritual, God will take care of the material, for where God guides, He provides. We need not even worry about tomorrow, for sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. This means that each day has its own troubles and challenges to be responsibly handled, without worrying about the hypothetical problems that could arise tomorrow.’ And it’s rather interesting to see that all of that came about because of our Bit. ‘No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and LOVE the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.’ That’s so logical that even a blind man can see the truth in it! (smile) I like how the scholars explain it. ‘This kind of spiritual double vision causes one to believe he can serve two masters. Totally loyalty to God cannot be divided between Him and loyalty to one’s material possessions. A master (Gr. Kurios) is a lord or an owner. That God claims total lordship over His own is obvious in this passage. Therefore, Jesus rightly proclaimed, Ye cannot serve God and mammon. The term mammon is derived from the Aramaic term for possessions of wealth. Jesus is not condemning money or possessions in and of themselves, but the improper attitude of enslavement toward wealth.’ And that my people is the unfortunate bane of our existence in today’s society! We worship wealth and material possessions, treasure them and in of themselves, not as mere tools, not simply as what they can do for us. Right there we’re contravening the first commandment: ‘Thou shalt have no other gods before me.’ (Ex.20:3) And that’s not very wise my brethren, because earthly possessions are just that; they rot, are stolen and eaten away by insects, and when you die, they stay right here on earth. You don’t take a single thing with you. So why give them such prominence in our lives eh? Granted, they are important, but seeking and worshipping Almighty God is even more important, because in the first place, it’s He who causes us to get earthly wealth, and secondly also provides us with the two most important things, salvation and eternal life through Jesus Christ, when we give up this earthly body. Now let’s look at a few scriptures that support our Bit. Bruh Paul told the Galatians in no uncertain terms: ‘For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.’ (Gal.1:10) You can’t please men and please Christ too. Then he tells Timothy: ‘Charge (command) them that are rich in this world (present age), that they be not highminded (haughty), nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute (give), willing to communicate (share); Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life.’ (1 Tim.6:17-19) So Friends, being rich is not a problem, it’s what we do with our riches. The scholars correctly explain that ‘Salvation is not purchased by the giving of money, but generosity demonstrates the reality of one’s faith. Since the believer trusts God and not money, he gives. This giving shows where his heart is and that he views his wealth in light of eternity.’ Meanwhile James adamantly declares: ‘Ye adulterers and adulteresses know ye not that the friendship of (with) the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy (makes himself the enemy) of God.’ (James 4:4) And finally from John: ‘LOVE not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man LOVE the world, the LOVE of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.’ (1 John 2:15-17) Oh Friends, truer words were never spoken! It’s now up to us as individuals to believe or disbelieve those facts and act accordingly. I would definitely advise us to play it safe and believe, for disbelief will doom your soul to eternal separation from Jehovah God, the worse fate that can befall a man. Much LOVE!…anything that keeps or takes us away from God…is an idol…and thus sinful…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 April 2013 Proverbs 17:22
12 Apr 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a merry heart, a word in season, anxious, be of good cheer, broken spirit, eternal life, fearful, fellowship, freezing rain, Friday chant, fun, generous help, glorious kingdom, godly guidance, holy spirit, ice storm, joy, kind words, laughter, LOVE, medicinal properties, medicine, mirror image of Jesus, pity party, positive difference, relaxation, rest, revitalizing powers, salvation, sorrow of the heart, strengthen our spirits, TGIF! Thank God it's Friday!, tired, walk in wisdom, weary, wintry weather
Proverbs 17:22. A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
Oh Friends, it’s Friday! However, the shouts of ‘TGIF!’ and ‘Thank God it’s Friday!’ won’t be plentiful in the Greater Toronto Area this morning because there was supposed to be freezing rain and an ice storm happening last night. It was bad from yesterday evening when I went out and almost tripped on my back step from the ice that had deceptively accumulated there. And that’s the scary part, where everything looks normal, but you only find out it’s not when you step on it. Right now it’s raining in my neck of the woods, and every so often I can hear the wind kicking up outside in a mad frenzy, causing the still naked trees to do it’s deathly dance. So Friends, please be careful on the roads this morning as the wintry weather seems to be lasting longer than expected. And to help calm, quiet and strengthen our spirits with some godly guidance, let’s chant our Friday Chant with a whole lotta oompah nuh. As one voice 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.’ That brings us to our Bit: ‘A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.’ Oh my brethren, there’s so much truth and wisdom in those few words, that if more of mankind heard and heeded them, our world would not be quite the sad and sorrowful place it is. Too many of us walk around with long, drawn, sour faces and countenances as though our best friend had just died. But Friends, it’s gospel truth that a cheerful heart has medicinal properties. I’m sure you’ve heard about the revitalizing powers of laughter; it’s the cheapest and most easily administered remedy for whatever ails us. If you don’t believe me, try it our some time soon, preferably today. Just notice the positive difference that some laughter and merriment brings to your spirit. That’s because a cheerful heart makes its own song and gives your spirit a fresh outlook on whatever ails you. Cousin Sol says it in so many ways and places. In Proverbs 12, he declares: ‘Heaviness (anxiety) in the heart of man maketh it stoop (causes depression): but a good word maketh it glad.’ (Prov.12:25) And according to the scholars: ‘A good word is a kind word that cheers the heart.’ Then in chapter 15, he unequivocally states: ‘A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance (face): but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.’ (Prov.15:13) And isn’t that the undeniable truth my people? It sure is! Just look at how we feel when our hearts are heavy with sadness and sorrow. We feel lost, uninspired, unable to get much of anything done, our spirits plummet to the depths of despair. Most of the time we just want to wallow in our sorrow and pity party. But let something or someone come along and put a little cheer in our hearts and a smile on our faces, and the tenor of our spirit immediately changes. We begin to feel bright and bubbly again, willing and able to get on with life, even though our basic circumstances haven’t changed, just our outlook. Cousin Sol continues in chapter 15 to declare that: ‘All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.’ (Prov.15:15) Wow! I like that! When our hearts are joyful, it’s like we’re continually feasting. And I sure do like my victuals! (smile) Now listen to Isaiah’s take on the subject, as he talks of the suffering of the Lord’s servant – Jesus. ‘The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.’ (Is.50:4) Oh my people, our God does the same with us every morning; gives us a good word to speak to someone who’s weary and tired, so that we might lift their sagging spirits! Are we using that power? I sure hope so, because our world is so broken and sad these days, that there are too many of us wandering around with low spirits that tend to dry up our bones, both literally and figuratively. And that’s not only true among the heathen, but also amongst believers, who should be the most joyous people on God’s earth, since we have Jesus and all the good, no great and wonderful stuff He’s provided for us. Salvation and eternal life are the greatest things to happen to mankind since the discovery of sliced bread! (smile) That means we ought to be joyful and full of beans. But for some unknown reason, some believers think that laughter is not fit and proper in a Christian setting. How wrong they are my brethren! Jesus didn’t sacrifice His holy, sinless life so that His followers could go around looking sad and sorrowful. Remember His most encouraging words: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) Oh fellow believers, that means though life will be sometimes pretty difficult, with numerous challenges, we can overcome them all with God’s help, through His Holy Spirit that dwells within us. Jesus has already paid all our sin-debts, so there’s no reason to worry or be fearful and anxious, continually sad and miserable over our earthly circumstances. Remember the wonderful home that’s waiting in heaven for us, so just be happy! As the old people would say, ‘learn to grin and bear it.’ Therefore Friends, please let’s make a serious and conscious decision today, to cut out most of the blues in our spirits, in our lives, because Jesus has commanded us to do so, and it will also liven up our lives, make us feel much better; physically, mentally and emotionally. And like Isaiah says, let’s also seriously consider adding a word of cheer to the weary, tired and downtrodden who cross our paths today and everyday nuh. It’s all a part of our Christian walk. So let’s walk in wisdom today with cheerful hearts, spreading joy and LOVE wherever we go. Then we’ll truly be the mirror images of Jesus that our God wants us to be. Much LOVE!…a sad countenance doesn’t change or improve our circumstances…but a merry heart certainly can…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 April 2013 Psalm 46:10
11 Apr 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: abomination, be still, Bless His Holy Name, courage, divine help, esteem, exalted, faith, glory hallelujah, glory of God's majesty, God of Abraham, gospel truth, heathen, hope, I am God, I am the vine, mysterious machinations, new blessings, new mercies, one and only true God, our refuge and strength, pilgrim's life, planet earth, Praise the Lord, promises fulfilled, psalm 46, rejoice and be glad in it, reverence, strength, the day the Lord has made, the haughty brought low, the proud humbled, undeniable truth, we will not fear, works of the Lord, write indelibly
Psalm 46:12. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Oh Friends, another day is dawning beautifully in many parts of God’s wonderful universe, and many new blessings and mercies are being made ready for distribution to God’s people down here on planet Earth! Wow! And just the thought of all that wonderful, divine, heavenly help drives God’s children to boldly declare: ‘Thank You Lord, thank You! You are so LOVING and generous to the undeserving children of men. We praise You and bless Your Holy Name, and promise to serve and worship You forever. Amen.’ Yes my people, this is indeed the day that our Lord God has made for us to enjoy, therefore let us rejoice and be exceedingly glad in it, for there’s no deity like the one we bow down to! That’s why the psalmist could confidently proclaim in our Bit: ‘Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.’ And that’s no lie Friends! The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob whom we worship, is the ONE AND ONLY TRUE GOD IN ALL THE UNIVERSE! As the first few verses of the psalm declare: ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present (abundantly available) help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst (heart) of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.’ (Ps,46:1-3) Oh my fellow believers in Christ, those are very strong, reassuring words, based on God’s actual help to the Israelites, not simply the unrealized hopes and dreams of a troubled, enslaved people. Therefore, they are words that we should also hold on to, write indelibly in our hearts, minds and souls to give us the strength, faith and courage to live this difficult, but oh so interesting pilgrim’s life down here on Mother Earth. And even more importantly, through the Lord’s mysterious machinations, His Holy Name will eventually be exalted amongst the unbelievers. We obviously have a major part to play in that exaltation, but without God’s help we’re basically powerless to do much of anything. For as Jesus said: ‘I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:5) Words of undeniable truth my Friends! And though the heathen seems to be in control of the earth right now, there’s no doubt that in the Lord’s time, that evil and unworthy scenario will change. Listen as the psalmist continues: ‘There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles (dwelling places) of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved (shaken): God shall help her, and that right early (at the break of dawn). The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.’ (Ps.46:4-7) And that’s the gospel truth my brethren! And it encouraged all God’s people to declare a loud and grateful; ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ Oh Friends, it’s so sad that so many of God’s human creation don’t know and don’t worship Him, for He is truly a most magnificent Deity! And the psalmist continues raving about his God: ‘Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in fire.’ (Ps.46:8-9) Yes my people, all of that is indeed possible with our God! And in His time, it will surely come to pass. As Isaiah prophesied, re the day of the Lord: ‘The lofty (proud) looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon everyone that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low.’ (Is.2:11-12) So please don’t join the ranks of the heathen, the unbeliever, the evil enemy, for as Isaiah continues: ‘And the loftiness (pride) of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. And the idols he shall utterly abolish. And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear (from the terror) of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth (to make the earth tremble).’ (Is.2:17-19) Oh my brethren, on that fateful day, when the Lord decides to pronounce judgement on the sinful earth, there will be no escape for the heathen! And the scholars provide an interesting note. ‘The unshakeable confidence with which the psalm leaves the believer prompted Martin Luther, (the Protestant leader) to pen one of the great hymns of all time, ‘A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.’ Ah mih breddren, that bit of info should just boost our strength, faith, hope, trust, esteem, reverence and LOVE for our most worthy God! If the psalm was powerful enough to move the fiery Martin Luther a few centuries ago, when things were much rougher than now, then it certainly ought to move us too. And we’ll end with some wise words of Cousin Sol on the subject. ‘The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil (doom). Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged (atonement is provided for iniquity): and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.’ (Prov.16:4-6) Oh Friends, those verses cover it all; from the beginning to the end, so please take serious note of them, so that in that fateful day, you will not be numbered amongst the proud, haughty, evil heathen. That’s the ultimate in wisdom! Much LOVE!…it starts with a promise from Jehovah God…that leads to hope, faith, trust and surrender…then ends in the promise being fulfilled…becoming reality…for the Lord God is faithful…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 April 2013 Daniel 9:19
10 Apr 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a sound mind, action, ardent supplications, atonement for sin, Christian persecution, divine wisdom, dreadful oppression, early rain, fear, fearful times, fearful worship, founding fathers, free world, good night's sleep, Holy Name of Jesus, Jerusalem, Lord forgive, Lord hear, LOVE, power, pray for the suffering, prosperity, protective umbrella, religious strife, repression, retribution, selfless sacrifice, spirit of fear, unity of Christians, worship God, worship openly
Daniel 9:19. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.
Oh Friends, the ole fella’s up bright and early this wet, Wednesday spring morning! That’s because I went to bed early last night and caught up on some of the rest I’d been missing. There’s nothing like a good night’s sleep to rejuvenate both body the body and mind. And like we’re finally getting the early rain to prepare the ground for planting, as the past two evenings the rain has fallen mightily in my area. It’s about time too, we’ve seen enough of that white stuff. And talking about that, the snow this year has been rather resilient, for though we’ve had several warm days in the last little while, yesterday morning there was still a few mounds of the stuff lurking around. But thank the Lord that threat is now over for a few months, though the rain reminds me of the leak in my laundry room. And to make matters worse, I understand that my maintenance person is now frolicking in the warm, sunny, colourful, twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. But not to worry, the Lord will look after me, as He’s been doing all along. That brings us to our Bit: ‘O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do (listen and act); defer (delay) not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.’ Oh Friends, that was a part of Daniel’s prayer for his people Israel, when they were in captivity in Babylon. God’s city of Jerusalem was a mess, destroyed by Israel’s enemies. Unfortunately today it’s still a mess, this time though with mostly religious strife. It’s a prayer that all Christians should still be praying in these evil, troubled and fearful times, because Christians all over the world are still being horribly persecuted and subjected to dreadful oppression; physically, mentally and emotionally. In many places they can’t worship openly, can’t even say the Holy Name of Jesus out loud, but in very soft whispers, for fear of terrible retribution by the ruling enemy. That is just so sad my brethren, and even if we can’t do anything about their physical circumstances, we can always, should and must pray for those who are suffering simply because they believe in Jesus Christ. Now that kind of persecution is indeed terrible, but to some extent our behaviour in the supposed free world, where we can worship openly, is even worse, because we are steadily allowing the evil powers to erode all the gains that Jesus and His church have made in our society over the last few hundred years. The founding fathers must be turning over in their graves, completely horrified at the sad state of the church today, and the overall evil, immoral, greedy, selfish society in which we now live. It’s basically the same thing they ran away from in old Europe; the harsh repression of the powers that be, and the inability to worship their God in peace and dignity. Unfortunately Friends, we are going right back to that kind of society, and unless we believers get up and actively stop it, the pendulum will eventually swing right back to those harsh times of fearful worship and repression. Oh my fellow believers in Christ, we simply CANNOT allow that to happen! Jesus sacrificed His holy, sinless life so that we could be free, free to worship Him in peace and LOVE. So please let’s step up to the plate nuh, let’s stand strong in His awesome might and power and reject, reverse the evil, ungodly trend that’s threatening to take over the world and cause the downfall and eventual demise of Christ’s church. That must NEVER happen my brethren! Please remember the powerful, reassuring words of Bruh Paul to Timothy: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound mind.’ (2 Tim.1:7) That means there’s no need to be afraid of the enemy. They can’t do us anything for worshipping Christ. We have to take the bull by the horns and take back what’s rightfully ours through Christ Jesus. Oh my brethren, if we don’t unite soon and quickly move as one to secure Christ’s church, it will eventually be lost in the dust of history. Now that would definitely be a waste of Jesus’ selfless sacrifice. Do we want to have that sin on our conscience my people? Absolutely not! Well then, let’s get up off our fat, lazy, comfortable rear ends and fight for our rights to worship in peace and have our society back under the protective and prosperous umbrella of Jehovah God! It doesn’t take great wisdom to see that the downhill slope we’re quickly sliding down and the numerous disasters we’re currently experiencing are all a part of our turning away from our Creator. And it’s all well and good to make ardent supplications like Daniel in our Bit and Asaph in the following scripture. ‘Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, purge away (make atonement for) our sins, for thy name’s sake. Wherefore should the heathen say, where is their God? Let him be known among the heathen in our sight by the revenging (avenging) of the blood of thy servants which is shed.’ (Ps.79:9-10) Oh Friends, the Lord’s already made atonement for our sins through the sacrifice of Jesus’ life, and He was also much better known to the heathen even fifty years ago, than He is now. So whose fault is it that our society is going to the dogs, without the support of Almighty God eh? Certainly not His, but ours! Oh Friends, the long and short of the story is that we’re in a partnership with God, and if we do our part, He will do His. He’s faithfully promised never to leave or forsake us, but by the same token we’ve got to seek Him. He’s not going to come looking for us. So let’s rise up do our thing nuh, fight the enemy tooth and nail, so we can bring the many lost souls out there to Christ, and thus ensure the resounding victory and success of Jesus’ LOVE Revolution. That my Friends, is one of our major purposes here on God’s great earth. So if we truly desire to make Jesus’ church a success here on earth, then please, let’s all get serious and diligently do our parts nuh. That’s divine wisdom for an earthly life! Much LOVE!…all the talk in the world…won’t get Christians anywhere…much more action is badly needed…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 April 2013 Psalm 5:12
09 Apr 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a man after God's heart, abundant favour, awesome truths, benefit of the doubt, bless the Lord, bless the righteous, burn the candle at both ends, disobedient, divine assurance, do unto others, faith, God's Holy Will, henry wadsworth longfellow, holy spirit, judge others, judgement, LOVE, mount up with eagles wings, outward behaviour, peace, rebel against God, rejoice, rest, run and not be weary, secret sorrow, shout for joy, steadfast, strong and true, surround with a shield, trust, walk and not faint, wisdom, wonderful creator
Psalm 5:12. For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.
Oh Friends, this is one of those mornings when the ole fella found it hard to rise and shine. That’s because I did some running around yesterday and didn’t get proper rest, so the ole body rebelled on me this morning. Hn, hn! That sort of reminds me of how we rebel against our wonderful Creator. I guess that ought to give me some inclination of how He feels when I’m disobedient. Don’t know when I’ll realize that I’m no longer a spring chicken nuh, that I’m not young, resilient and sprightly as I used to be, and can’t burn the proverbial candle at both ends, without eventually paying a price. (smile) Anyway, we’re up now, and with God’s help, ready to blast off for places unknown. And we’ll begin the lift-off with this quote from the famous American poet and educator, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882). ‘Believe me, every man has his secret sorrow, which the world knows not, and oftentimes we call a man cold when he is only sad.’ And that’s truth in spades, my people! We use outward behaviour to quickly judge others, and in many cases our judgements are completely wrong. The quandary though, is that most times the outward behaviour is all we have to go on. We either can’t, or don’t want to get to know the other person on a deeper level. The solution to that problem then is not to judge as much or as harshly as we like to do. Let’s give the other person the benefit of the doubt, just like we’d want them to do with us. As the basic principle of our faith decrees; do unto others as we’d like done unto us. Let’s try and follow that principle as closely as possible today nuh Friends, it’ll make life so much easier and much more pleasant for all concerned. And to help us do that, let’s also take this advice from Bruh David’s prayer for protection. It’s the verse before our Bit. ‘But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest (protect) them: let them also that LOVE thy name be joyful in thee.’ (Ps.5:11) Why should we do that, you ask? Our Bit gives us the answer. ‘For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass (surround) him as with a shield.’ And that my people, is one of the most awesome truths in this world! So much so, that all God’s children rose up with one accord and with a mighty shout, gratefully declared: ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul, for He is indeed mighty, and will look down with abundant favour on those who put their sincere trust and faith in Him!’ That’s for certain sure my brethren! And please remember that those words of our Bit didn’t come from any hearsay nuh, but from the personal experience of Bruh David, who was so tight with God, that he was called a man after God’s own heart. (1 Sam.13:14) Oh fellow followers of Christ, to me that is the greatest commendation a human can receive. And I think it’s what all believers should endeavour to be called. It’s not an easy task, but as with every other good thing, with the Lord’s help and our own diligence, we can certainly reach that level of excellence. Now let’s look at some scriptures that support our Bit. In Psalm 29, the voice of the Lord in the storm, Bruh David solemnly ends with this great statement of faith. ‘The Lord sitteth (sits enthroned) upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth (sits) for ever. The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.’ (Ps.29:10-11) More awesome truth Friends! And in Psalm 68, Bruh David again ends with another declaration of utmost faith. ‘O God, thou art terrible (awesome) out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.’ (Ps.68:35) Oh my fellow believers, it’s all these scriptures of divine assurance, faith and trust that we need to write deeply and indelibly in our hearts, minds and souls, so that we too can stand steadfast, strong and true in this evil world, empowered by them, through God’s Holy Spirit, to do His Holy Will! And we’ll end with one of the most famous passages of scripture, one that we all know, but as usual, don’t put enough trust and faith in, otherwise we wouldn’t be as anxious and fearful as so many of us are. That great man of God, the prophet Isaiah, assures us of the protection and strength of our omnipotent, omniscient and omni-present God. ‘Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint (weak); and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fail: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is.40:28-31) And all God’s children sent up a mighty shout to heaven. ‘Thank You Lord! You are most worthy to be praised! We truly LOVE You and bless Your Holy Name! Amen!’ Yes Friends, let’s go about the Lord’s business today with those powerful words of truth and assurance reverberating in our souls, so that we can stand strong and diligently pursue His Will in a most excellent manner. That’s certainly wisdom at its zenith! Much LOVE!…though God’s promises are tried and true…believers should never take them for granted…but always maintain a sense of awe…at the majesty and generosity of our great God…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 April 2013 Matthew 22:21
08 Apr 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: aura of love, body of Christ, church harmony, compassion, confidence, Creator of the universe, disunity of churches, enthusiasm, eternal truth, forgiveness, glorious kingdom, glory hallelujah, God's children, holy spirit, humble servants, Jesus Christ, jobs, LOVE, mercy, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, praise, raging sea, rejuvenation of spirit, renewed vitality, risen Lord, sacrifice, saviour jesus, steadfast faith, storms, temple of God, thanksgiving, the anchor holds, the things of Caesar, the things of God
Matthew 22:21. They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.
Oh Friends, hear this eternal truth nuh, on this second Monday morning of Easter, from one of my favourite songs which I heard yesterday. It says: ‘The anchor holds, though my ship is battered. The anchor holds, though my sails are torn. I’m down on my knees, although I face the raging sea. And yet the anchor holds, in spite of the storm.’ Oh my people, when Jesus is the anchor of our lives, though we are battered and torn, we can still stand strong, even down on our knees, because Jesus has us securely anchored in His LOVE, mercy, forgiveness, compassion and strength. And all God’s children gave a mighty shout of joy: ‘Glory Hallelujah! All strength and power and majesty belong to our risen Lord and Saviour, Jesus!’ So my brethren, even though you don’t feel like getting up and going to work this Monday morning, please remember that Jesus is still with you in that storm of tiredness, laziness, or just plain uninterested and unmotivated mood. And if we turn to Him in sincere faith, then He will indeed anchor us, keep us steadfast and strong while we go through those storms, and help us safely work our way back to shore. Now let’s use our motivational tool, our Monday Morning Battle Hymn to get our motors running. As one loud, sweet, harmonious voice 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!’ Awright mih people! That was great! The Lord even gave Jesus a high-five for it, and the heavenly hosts cried out for an encore! Wow! We certainly look like we’re in a battling mood this Monday morning. So let’s get out there into the evil world and battle for Jesus, but also be careful to do what He advises in our Bit. ‘They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render (pay) therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.’ And today we’ll look at some scriptures dealing with the last part; ‘and give unto God the things that are God’s,’ focussing on the writings of Bruh Paul. We’ll begin with when the Corinthians were arguing amongst themselves as to whom they belonged; Bruh Paul, Apollos or Cephas, because they all had a hand in their teaching. Bruh Paul pulls them up, by telling them that Jesus is the only foundation. ‘For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.’ (1 Cor.3:11) Then he gets more explicit. ‘Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?’ (I Cor.3:16) The temple here does not mean the individual believers, but the local church. ‘Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come: all are yours. And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.’ (1 Cor.3:21-23) Hear the scholars: ‘For all things are yours: The one who belongs to Christ is a child of God, and his Father will do anything for him. The absurdity of their division over allegiances to any of these men is that God gave them “all” to the Corinthians.’ That means we belong to no one else but God. Unfortunately though, today there are still many who seem to hold allegiance to men in the church rather than to God, thus another reason for the disunity of the church. Meanwhile, in chapter 6, Bruh Paul berates them. ‘What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.’ (1 Cor.6:19-20) This time he’s telling them that their bodies are also temples of God, bought and paid for by the sacrificial blood of Christ on Calvary’s cross, and that fact should be of supreme importance to all men. Then in chapter 12, he puts it all together. ‘Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular (individually).’ (1 Cor.12:27) The scholars have this interesting explanation. ‘The church in the New Testament is called the “body of Christ,” and reflects the spiritual organism of the whole church on earth. When the local church is called the body of Christ, the spiritual aspect is emphasized. Illustration: As the church is considered to be the body, so individual members are seen as parts of the body. For any church to function properly, every member must do his or her part in a harmonious spirit of cooperation with the other members. Had the church at Corinth learned that lesson, many of their problems could have been solved. Application: When Christians disrupt the harmony of a church, they bring reproach on the body of Christ. (Matt.16:18; 1 Cor.12:27).’ Sadly Friends, all the negativity of the Corinthians back then, still applies to the modern church, thus making it very difficult for the body of Christ to move ahead and prosper. And finally, in pleading for separation from unbelievers, Bruh Paul tells the Corinthians in his second missive. ‘And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.’ (2 Cor.6:16) Yes Friends, though everything technically belongs to God, His biggest concerns are His earthly temples; the body of the church, and the bodies of the individuals who make up that church. So please, let’s not defile either, but offer them up with praise, sacrifice and thanksgiving, as becomes true followers of Christ. That’s wisdom for the ages. Much LOVE!… honouring God…is more important than honouring men…
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