Proverbs 22:15. Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
Oh Friends, it’s another blessed day in the life, and somewhere around the world the weather is beautiful with the birds singing and the sun shining brightly in a sky blue firmament. Unfortunately I’m not describing my neck of the woods in the cold, dark, dreary northern climes. But what to do? Not much. That’s life, and we just have to grin and bear it and march on resolutely, while remembering all the wonderful promises of our wonderful God; of never leaving or forsaking us, and always being around to protect us. And having set that scene, I want to share a passage from a booklet I was reading earlier on. It’s titled, ‘The Incredible Power of Grace – When God’s Assurance Becomes Your Own,’ written by Roland R. Hegstad. In it, he writes that in the early stages of his ministry, he judged his usefulness by the amount of people he could convince of church doctrine. However, the Lord eventually opened his eyes to the fact that all his talk was nothing but “sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.:” ‘God showed me that doctrine means nothing unless we have experienced a spiritual “resurrection” through the new birth. Choosing the right day of rest means nothing unless we are resting in Him. Knowing about righteousness by faith means nothing if we are not exercising faith through LOVING service.’ Yes Friends, that’s all so true! And until many more of us learn those things and put them into practice, our ministries will never progress as they should. Now here’s an interesting prayer that he now claims to pray. ‘Great Master, touch me with Thy skillful hand; Let not the music that is in me die! Great Sculptor, hew and polish me; nor let, Hidden and lost, Thy form within me lie! Spare not the stroke! Do with me as thou wilt! Let there be naught unfinished, broken, marred; Complete Thy purpose that I may become Thy perfect image, Thou my God and Lord.’ – Horatius Bonar. That brings us to our Bit. ‘Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.’ The scholars explain that thus: ‘Corporal punishment is necessary for children due to inherent foolishness.’ Now I know that this is a rather controversial and touchy subject in our modern world, but let’s set one parameter straight; correction or corporal punishment does not have to be abusive. And I speak of this from personal experience. Sometimes, not all the time, when I did wrong my mother punished me with a few strokes of a strap or a belt, and if I said she was abusive, I would be lying. And you better believe that fear of, or rather wisdom re that punishment, made me toe the line to a greater extent than I would probably have, if I knew that I could get away with gross disobedience. And you know what, even some of my friends who received worse punishment than me back then, turned out quite all right. Obviously we can overdo it, but that’s not what the Word is talking about. It’s talking about LOVING punishment, like what the Lord does with us. The Good Book states quite clearly: ‘My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of (detest) his correction: For whom the Lord LOVETH he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.’ (Prov.3:11-12) And the writer of Hebrews concurs with all that by repeating it in Chapter 12:5-7, and by further stating: ‘Now no chastening (discipline) for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised (trained) thereby.’ (Heb.12:11) Oh my people, that’s why it’s so important for us to teach the children the Word as soon as possible. As Cousin Sol says earlier in the chapter: ‘Train up a child in the way he should go: and (even) when he is old, he will not depart from it.’ (Prov.22:6) Now hear the explanation from the scholars. ‘Train up a child refers to the total process of moulding a child’s life. The word ‘train (chanak)’ comes from the root word meaning to ‘put into the mouth’ and implies the idea of conditioning the palate. Thus parental training should help children develop a taste for the things of God. The biblical pattern of effective parental training emphasizes a balance of instruction and discipline (cf. Eph.6:1-4). The ideal parent is to be neither overly authoritarian nor overly permissive. Rather, he must balance LOVE and discipline so as not to ‘provoke’ his child to rebellion. When he is old means simply, ‘when he is grown up,’ or a mature adult. It does not refer to his elderly years. The verse stresses the simple principle that education in the home forms the man throughout his lifetime.’ And isn’t that the gospel truth my brethren! As the old people use to say, ‘charity begins at home.’ Yes Friends, whatever we learn at home is what we’re going to take out into the world. So it’s obvious that if we want our children to take good things out into the world, it’s imperative that we teach them good things at home. What they learn in school and church is supposed to be simply supplementary to what they learn at home. And nowadays it’s even worse since they’ve taken God out of the schools, while church attendance for children has unfortunately fallen off dramatically. I particularly look out for the younger generation in the church services I watch on T.V. and regrettably, in too many of them I see a large majority of older folks, which leaves me shaking my head and lamenting as to who will continue the work of Jesus when this generation is gone. Anyway Friends, that’s enough stuff for us to ponder on today. We’ll continue this interesting though controversial topic tomorrow, God willing. Till then, please let’s place a premium on raising our children right nuh, by teaching them the Word as soon as possible. It’s the only way for them to truly appreciate life. Much LOVE!…spare the rod…spoil the child… disciplined LOVE…is the answer…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 January 2013 Proverbs 22:15
06 Jan 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: charity begins at home, clanging cymbal, corporal punishment, discipline, disobedience, exercising faith, foolishness, fruit of righteousness, heart of a child, LOVING service, parental training, power of grace, promises of God, righteousness by faith, sounding brass, spiritual resurrection, the rod of correction
Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 January 2013 Deuteronomy 28:2
05 Jan 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: blessed, choose life, commandments, contentment, curses and blessings, harmony, Jesus Christ, LOVE, lowly job, peace, praise and thanks, Promised Land, prosperity, sacrifical death, stromy passion, trust in the Lord, wonderful god, wonderful news
Deuteronomy 28:2. And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.
Oh Friends, I have some wonderful news to share with you this morning! I want to tell you that, ‘I, I am blessed. Yes, I’m saying that I, I am blessed. I want to tell the world, that I. I am blessed! Oh mih people, we out here in Western society are so blessed, we have so much to be thankful for, and yet we don’t appreciate it. We’re always complaining about what we don’t have and never seem to stop wanting more, even when we can’t use what we already have. But Friends, if you have a roof over your head, clothes on your back, food on your table, a job to go to, no matter how lowly and humble – remember Jesus was a lowly carpenter – and your children are healthy, then you can join me and sing: ‘I, I am blessed. Tell the world that I, I am blessed. Let’s tell the world, that we, we are blessed!’ Oh my brethren, the followers of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ are the most blessed people in the whole wide world! Please let’s act like it nuh. What could be better than the sure promise of LOVE and peace, harmony and contentment, salvation, eternal life and joy in heaven, where there will be no more tears, no more pain and no more sorrow eh? My people, we have such a lot to be thankful for here on earth; 90 percent of the world has so much less than us. And we have so much to look forward to when Jesus comes again. Let us therefore give much praise and thanks and glory everlasting to our great and wonderful God, who LOVES us with such a stormy passion, that He even sent His One Son, Jesus, to die a horrible sacrificial death on our behalf, so that we could be reconciled, be reunited with Him. That’s the greatest blessing ever! So let’s sing again, and really mean it. ‘Oh we, we are blessed. Let’s tell the world that believers, followers of Jesus are blessed.’ Oh Friends, I don’t even know who sings the song, but I’ve heard on the radio a few times. It’s a nice l’il reggae ditty that just resounds with so much truth, that I couldn’t help but sing the chorus. And today, the Lord just made it erupt in my soul and share it with you. So for whatever it’s worth, let’s sing again nuh, let’s give thanks and praise to the Most High, the Father of LOVE and all wonderful things: ‘Oh I, I am blessed. Yes we, we are blessed. Let’s tell the world that God’s children are blessed!’ And there’s absolutely no doubt about that my breddren, as is clearly stated in our Bit, which falls under the blessings of obedience. ‘And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.’ My fellow believers, from the very beginning, the Lord promised to bless us if we followed His dictates. That’s the just, kind, righteous and thoughtful God that He is. Hear how Moses put it to the Israelites at the outset of their journey through the wilderness, en route to the Promised Land. ‘And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all the nations of the earth.’ (Deut.28:1) Now here are some of the blessings the Lord promised for obedience to His Will. ‘Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shall thou be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body (offspring), and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine (cattle), and the flocks of thy sheep. Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store (kneading bowl). Blessed shall thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shall thou be when thou goest out.’ (Deut.28:3-6) Oh Friends, how could there be any better promise than that eh? No way! The scholars even say that those three verses contain six blessings that extend to every sphere of life. So why wouldn’t we follow the Lord’s Word eh, if such goodness and mercy is going to follow us when we’re obedient to it. And is not like we haven’t seen it in action. It worked for the Israelites and for numerous nations over the ages. But somehow or other when we get fat and prosperous by following the Lord, some weird thing creeps into our minds and souls that then tends to turn us away from Him. I believe we get a bit too big for our britches, thinking that all the prosperity was our doing, when in fact it had everything to do with God’s goodness to obedient followers. So what happens then? When we get too proud and arrogant for our own good, the Lord simply takes away His goodness and mercy and allows us to do it our way, which eventually ends up in a fiasco every time. Note our present situation. A couple decades aback, when we were obedient and prosperous the little gnat from Lucifer invaded our minds and told us that it was all our doing. And fools that we were, we believed him and removed Jehovah God from the prominent position He once held in our society to an also ran role. Now look at the sorry state we’re in. Ah mih people, I don’t know what to say or do to get us to see the light nuh. And what I find interesting is that in this chapter the section on blessings only runs from verses 1-14, but that on curses for disobedience runs from verses 15-68. Wow! Doesn’t that tell us something Friends? I’d strongly suggest that we read Deuteronomy Chapter 28 a few times, just to get it indelibly imprinted on our minds, that disobedience is both foolish and way way more disastrous than obedience to the Creator’s Will. In closing Friends, I ask that we listen to these oh so truthful words of the psalmist: ‘It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.’ (Ps.118:8-9) Now my people, please, please let’s write them in our hearts, minds and souls so that we can obey God and be blessed. That’s wisdom at its highest height! Much LOVE!…I have set before you…life and death…blessing and cursing…therefore choose life…that both thou and thy seed may live… (Deut.30:19)
Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 January 2013 Romans 8:8
04 Jan 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: almighty god, closer walk with Jesus, Creator, Friday chant, gospel truth, heavenly Father, kingdom of god, lifeline of Jesus, new person in Christ, New Year's resolution, pleasing God, reconciliation, TGIF!, Thank God it's Friday, things of the flesh, things of the Spirit, walk with jesus, walking in the flesh, walking in the Spirit
Romans 8:8. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Oh Friends, can you believe it is already the 4th day of this new year 2013? Brother! It’s already flying fast! That means we cannot afford to diddle daddle and procrastinate, if we truly want to seek a closer walk with Jesus, as our New Year’s resolution states. And wonder of wonders, today is also Friday… And a whooping shout of joy, accompanied by exclamations of ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday!’ rises up to heaven on high. In particular from those who had partied heartily over the holidays and were still suffering the after effects, but had to go to work a few days this week. Yes Friends, the partying is always nice, but not always so the consequences. And that’s exactly what we’re trying to prevent, to curtail this year; the sad, devastating consequences of not walking with Jesus. Oh my people, that is definitely the height of foolishness because not walking in step with Jesus will only bring us pain and shame, death and eternal separation from our Heavenly Father, our Creator. And as I keep reminding us, that’s the worst possible scenario that could ever happen to a creation of Almighty God. So please take this message to heart, and even if you don’t believe me, still try it, since your current actions are all leading to dead ends and heartaches. Humour me and give Jesus a try. I guarantee you’ll never go back to Lucifer and your old ways, because when you turn to Jesus and sincerely accept Him as your Lord and Saviour, you become an entirely new person. You think differently, believe differently, feel better – physically, mentally and emotionally, your eyes are opened to things and subjects you never even knew or dreamed existed. Mama Mia! That’s how wonderful and marvellous a change Jesus brings into your life, when you decide to seriously follow Him. And Friends, I’m not talking about this merely from hearsay, but from personal experience. Now hear how Bruh Paul explains it to the Corinthians. ‘Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (creation)” old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given us the ministry of reconciliation.’ (2 Cor.5:17-18) And that’s the gospel truth my brethren! We no longer live in the lusts of the flesh, but by the Holy Spirit of Christ that then indwells us. And please pay particular note to what our Bit states: ‘So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.’ And why is that you ask? ‘For they that are after the flesh, do mind (set their minds on) the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.’ (Rom.8:5-7) Yes Friends, if we’re hooked up to the lifeline of Jesus, that means we’re living in the kingdom of heaven, that’s spiritually, joyfully looking forward to the day of His return, not according to the laws of the flesh and man, meaning simply for today, with material possessions being our mainstay. Remember again, that Jesus said, if we seek first God’s kingdom, then all our material needs will be met. (Matt.6:33) So there’s absolutely no reason to fear or worry about our earthly necessities if we put God’s will as our first priority. And what does embracing Christ and walking faithfully with Him through His indwelling Spirit do? Hear Bruh Paul tell it to the Roman church. ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for (on account of) sin, condemned sin in the flesh. That the righteousness (righteous requirement) of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.’ (Rom.8:1-4) Yes my people, as the scholars declare: ‘There is nothing inherently wrong with the law. (But) the presence of sin renders the believer powerless to do what the law demands.’ That’s all undeniable truth Friends! So please, let’s get spiritual, or more spiritual with Jesus this year nuh. You’ve already seen some of the wonderful benefits that momentous decision and daring action provides. And since today is Friday, and the work week’s done, let’s perk up even more, because that gives us rest from toil, as well as more time to spend with Jesus and His Holy Spirit. And believe me people, there’s nothing better than that on this evil, ungodly earth! However, since we still need to keep everything in the right perspective, let’s chant our Friday Chant with much pomp and pleasure. Thought I’d forgotten eh? (smile) Now, as one powerful, sweet set of chanters, let’s chant: ‘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.’ Enjoy the weekend Friends, but remember to eschew the lusts of the flesh, and allow the wonderful Spirit of Christ that dwells in us, to lead and guide us to victory in His Holy Name. Much LOVE!…walking with Christ…both in our hearts and minds…makes our earthly journey…more wonderful with each passing day…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 January 2013 2 Chronicles 24:20
02 Jan 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: body of Christ, civil tongues, closer walk with God, commandments, differences, dissensions, doctrines, evil spirits, fellowship, glorify God, God's righteous kingdom, goodwill, heartfelt plea, New Year's resolutions, pleas, pleasant demeanour, positive change, power hungry, prosperity, religion, sacrifice, transgressions, true heart of Christ, unity
2 Chronicles 24:20. And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the Lord, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the Lord, he hath also forsaken you.
Oh Friends, it’s day 2 of 2013, and for many of us the common grind and daily task begins again today. But can I plead one heartfelt plea with us? Please, as this Christmas and New Year seasons wind down, please let us not go back to the crude, rude, unmannerly, resentful, disgusting way we’ve been treating each other in the past year. It’s just not becoming of us, my people. For once in our life, let’s allow the goodwill and fellowship of the season to continue right through the New Year nuh. We don’t have to hug and kiss, or even like everybody we come into contact with, but we can surely have a more civil tongue in our heads and more pleasant demeanour. That doesn’t cost us anything, but it shows the true heart of Christ. As I said yesterday, there’s only one New Year’s resolution our entire world needs to make, and that’s to purpose a closer walk with Jesus! And being kind and considerate to our fellow humans is the first step in that direction. As the great philosopher Plato reputedly said eons ago; ‘The beginning is the most important part of the work.’ And that’s no lie Friends! I can attest to that just in writing the Bit everyday. The biggest hurdle is to get started. But once I do, everything comes together smoothly. And I’m sure most of you can also attest to the universal fact that making the first move in anything, always takes the most effort and courage. The Chinese Proverb puts it this way: ‘The longest journey begins with the first step.’ That’s also undeniable truth! So if we really want to have a closer walk with Jesus this year, it means we have to begin at the beginning, for though it’s the hardest part of the process, it’s also the most important. For to accomplish anything, we have to begin somewhere, sometime. Now does that get me any marks as a philosopher? (smile) From the lukewarm response, I’d guess not. But it’s the truth anyway. Now turning to our Bit: ‘And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the Lord, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the Lord, he hath also forsaken you.’ Oh Friends, I believe this will be the most important Bit of this year 2013, because it’s where we take stock of ourselves and those connected to us, of our individual society and of our world. It’s when we seriously try to turn the tables on the evil spirits and people who are currently controlling our lives and our world and ruining them. And what amazes, as well as disturbs me, is that the answer to all our problems is so easy, it’s right before our very eyes; turning back to having a true and sincere faith in Almighty God and having Him play significant roles in our individual lives and our societies. But for some unexplainable reason we seem afraid and/or reluctant to do it. But I do know it’s the right thing for us to do. It’s the only action that will get us out of the sad state we’re currently mired in. But unfortunately, right now, most of us seem to be listening to a different tune from Lucifer and his evil cronies, and thus they are now holding sway. Believe me though, my brethren, if only we, the church, the body of Christ could get back to working AS ONE, instead of fighting each other, we’d eat up, defeat the enemy in no time at all. But it’s the foolish divisions among Christ’s people that allow Beelzebub’s minions to rule the roost. The enemy is successfully using the old divide and conquer tactic on us. But unless and until the mostly petty and unimportant dissensions and differences are seriously addressed and worked out between Christ’s people, His church will not attain any real victory here on earth. But the devil’s in the details; reducing things like power struggles, streamlining doctrines, etc. etc. It’s always the selfish, power hungry, have to be right attitudes that spoil the show. And sadly, that’s not the attitude championed by Christ. It’s time Friends, for us to put up, or simply shut up. It’s time for Christ’s church to come together, to form a cohesive group, preaching what Christ preached, not what we want to preach or hear. If this doesn’t happen very soon, the church is just going to get more fractured and lose what little authority and acceptance it has left. And it’s only true believers, those who are willing to make the sacrifice, like Jesus did, who will affect or cause positive change in the evil doings of our world. But until we work together as ONE, that will never happen. Oh please, my fellow brethren in Christ, I’m appealing, pleading, begging, whatever action it takes, for us to get real serious about our faith, to get together and fight for it, otherwise we’re going to eventually lose it. Just look at some of the other faiths nuh, who though they worship dead and incompetent gods, their great belief, courage and zeal has them fighting tooth and nail to promote their unrighteous cause. Meanwhile, we, the Christians, who supposedly worship the ONE and ONLY TRUE GOD, fight amongst ourselves, sit on our laurels, seeking individual fame and glory, and refuse to make the effort to seriously come together and make a concerted effort to win the world for Christ, as He so humbly asked us to do. Oh Friends, I’m chuckling here, because this is one of those times when I was led to just get on our case about our dissensions and divisions, our inactivity, our hypocrisy, and all the wrong and bad things in the church, as we know it. Ah Lord eh! When will we learn my people, when will we wake up to the reality that life’s passing us by, and that our efforts are both lacklustre and insufficient? I don’t know if my pleas will make any difference to anything, but Friends, somebody’s got to cry out for unity between Christ’s people and His church, or else we’ll all just keep on going down to hell in the hand basket of petty divisions, of evil and worldly lusts we’ve chosen to put ourselves into. In closing, I just hope and pray that the Lord will take us to task this notable year of 2013, and put it in our hearts to truly be an example of righteousness to the unbelievers, as well as the believers, because they too need proper examples to help them guide their lives on the right path. But Friends, most of that can, or will never happen unless we start to truly LOVE our God, truly LIVE our Christian Faith, and truly SPREAD the WORD of God, as we ought to. Much LOVE!…may the good Lord convict our hearts and minds…at the start of this New Year…RIGHT NOW…to walk ever closer to Him…and thus increase and glorify His righteous kingdom…Amen…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 January 2013 2 Chronicles 24:20
01 Jan 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: 2013, closer walk with God, commandments, faithful promises, forgiveness, forsaken God, gospel truth, Happy New Year, heady times, heartfelt greetings, LOVE, loving kindness, mercy, never give up, New Year resolutions, New Year's Day, prosperity, Spirit of God, transgressions, victory, wisdom, words of wisdom, worldly things, worldy idols
2 Chronicles 24:20. And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the Lord, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the Lord, he hath also forsaken you.
Aye Friends, it’s New Year’s Day 2013! Wow! That calls for enthusiastic, heartfelt greetings. Happy New Year to all my Scrip-Bit Family! And please remember that 2013 will be an even better year for us than 2012 was. The Lord’s promised this, and we all know that He faithfully keeps all of His promises. I guess you also realized that the Bit would be late today, because like many of you, I did a bit of partying last night, celebrated New Year’s all around the world, right up to Calgary at 2 a.m. my time. The party was small, just family, but rousing and interesting. Made me believe the wisdom of staying home, cause when I got tired in the wee hours, I just went upstairs to my bed. And I admit that it was a bit difficult getting up this morning. When the Lord woke me up around 5 a.m. I pleaded, ‘No Lord, please, not yet!’ (smile) And in His wisdom and wonderful LOVING-kindness, He granted me another hour’s rest. Yuh see why I LOVE Him so! No doubt many of you are in the same boat, not in a rush to read my words of wisdom this first day of 2013, (smile) as I wasn’t in a rush to write them. But like the mail, the Bit must go out! Better late than never. Now turning to the problem of resolutions… yes, it has become a problem, because we rush to make them at the beginning of the year, often with good intentions, but a short while thereafter, we either forget them or intentionally discard them. That’s mainly because they are mostly worldly things. However Friends, you know there’s only one resolution we really need to make at the beginning of each year; and that’s just to promise that we’ll walk closer with Jesus. Now that encompasses everything! If we simply concentrate on walking closer with Christ, then everything else will fall into their rightful places. That’s why Jesus was so emphatic and adamant with those memorable words: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt.6:33) And that, my brethren, is the only strategy we really need to follow in this current, evil, ungodly age! That brings us to our first Bit of this New Year, one I consider rather appropriate for these undoubtedly wicked times. ‘And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the Lord, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the Lord, he hath also forsaken you.’ And that’s the gospel, gospel truth my people! If you’re honest with yourselves, you’ll realize that many of the woes and disasters that have recently befallen our individual societies, and our world in general, is because like the foolish, fickle Israelites of old, who were supposed to know better, we too have turned away from Jehovah God and taken to worshipping Lucifer and his evil, worldly desires. A few days ago, while doing my daily Bible reading, I came upon our Bit, and it struck me as being so relevant to our times that I wanted to rush and use it, but I was guided to hold it until today, a more significant occasion, where people were liable to pay more attention to it. And in one of His small, but nonetheless mysterious and miraculous movements, the Lord caused me to hear a song last night that fits in very appropriately with it. The title of the song is simply ‘Superior’ by an artist called Gentleman. And the chorus goes like this: ‘I know Jah LOVING is superior. Your devil complex inferior. Worshipping material. Bowing to your silver and gold.’ Oh my brethren, that is such an apt description of our current world, that I couldn’t let it go by unnoticed! Unfortunately though, I don’t know what to say or do to change that evil, unwise behaviour, since all my best words and actions seem to fall on deaf ears, so powerful is the current lure of Beelzebub and his worldly lust. But what makes us the champions that we truly are, my fellow believers, is that we don’t EVER give up. The victory has already been won; it’s just for us to keep on fighting tooth and nail to ensure that it stays that way. Oh my people, this year of 2013 gives us the great opportunity to make a brand new start, to seriously consider all the options available to us, and to wisely choose to follow Jesus, cause he’s the ONLY way to salvation and eternal life! I won’t badger us with much scripture today, because I know that even in the best of times we seem reluctant to read it, so you can imagine the resistance this New Year’s day, with all the celebrations going on. However, I will badger us to use logic and common sense, to just look around and see what’s really happening in our world, and remember, if you’re old enough, the bye gone days when our world leaned more towards righteousness and Jehovah God than the evil of Lucifer, and consequently it was also much more prosperous, merciful, LOVING, and forgiving. And if you’re too young to remember those heady times, then please read your Bible, ask your parents or older associates, and check out the history of your own country and the world over the last fifty years, and you’ll understand what I’m talking about. Anyway, enough for today. Please, let’s all give much thanks and praise to our heavenly Father for bringing us safely through another fateful year, and allowing us to see this new one, where we’ll all seriously endeavour to walk closer with Him. That’s my special wish and prayer for us this wonderful upcoming year of 2013! And all God’s people said a loud, grateful and enthusiastic ‘Praise the Lord! Amen.’ Yes Friends, 2013 will be a most memorable and victorious year, not only for believers, but also for our entire world. Please believe it, see it with your eyes of faith, so that with God’s help, we can bring it to reality. Much LOVE!…just a closer walk with thee…this year of 2013…blessed Jesus is my plea…walking ever closer to thee…let it be…dear Lord…please let it be…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 31 December 2012 Psalm 34:7
31 Dec 2012 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: absolute truth, angel of the Lord, aura of love, battle hymn, entusiasm, eternal life, fear not, holy spirit, humble servants, innocence, lies, Monday Morning, New Year's Eve, psalm 34, rejuvenation, renewed vitality, reverence God, righteousness., salvation, spiritual armour, taunts, the Lord's anointed, the prophet Elisha, wiles
Psalm 34:7. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
Today’s Scrip-Bit 29 December 2012 Psalm 135:5
29 Dec 2012 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: blessings, Creator, ends of the earth, exaltation, forgiveness, god the father, God's omnipotence, great god, holiness, Jesus Christ, living truth, loving kindness, man-made idols, mercy, miracles of God, mysteries of God, praise, priorities, respect, reverence, strong Provider, wonders, worship
Psalm 135:5. For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.
Ah Friends, welcome to another day in the life! One filled with plenty blessings, mercy and forgiveness from our heavenly Father, Creator and strong Provider. For His undeniable LOVING-kindness to us undeserving children of men, we ought therefore to be very thankful, and in return show Him the utmost honour, reverence, respect and worship He so richly deserves. But on the other hand, being the true ingrates that we are, too many of us expect to experience and bask in that LOVING-kindness, but refuse to give Him the glory that’s rightfully His. That’s a very unwise move though Friends, because the Lord is greater than the useless idols to which so many of us bow down. Our Bit puts it quite succinctly and truthfully: ‘For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.’ And that’s the living truth Friends! How do we know that? Listen to the next two verses. ‘Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in the earth, in the seas, and all deep places. He causeth the vapours (water vapour) to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his treasuries.’ (Ps.135:6-7) Yes my brethren, the entire universe is the work of His hands and His imagination. Like a potter creating pottery from scratch, He created the universe, doing whatever He pleased with His creation. So how then can any of these other supposed gods be stronger and greater than Him eh? NO WAY! And today we’re going to get into some scriptures that justify our contention…sorry, it’s not a contention, but a definite fact. We’re going to begin with Moses, a man who certainly experienced God’s greatness in his life; what with forcing Pharaoh to set the Israelites free, then parting the Red Sea for them to cross over on dry land, while swallowing up the Egyptian army, then leading a bunch of miserable, ungrateful people, their animals and their belongings through the wilderness to the Promised Land of Canaan, promised many years before to their father Abraham. Moses could therefore rightly state in his song: ‘Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods (mighty ones)? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?’ (Ex.15:11) And the definitive answer to all those questions my Friends is, ABSOLUTELY NOBODY! None of the other supposed deities can hold a match to the candle of our God; the ONE TRUE GOD; He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! And later on, when Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought Moses’ wife and two sons to meet him in the wilderness and heard about the wonders the Lord had done on behalf of His people Israel, he too was forced to concede: ‘Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt (behaved) proudly he was above them.’ (Ex.18:11) Even Cousin Sol, when he was planning to build God’s temple, he was so overwhelmed by the magnitude of his task and the awesome power of God, that he declared in wonder: ”And the house which I build is (will be) great: for great is our God above all gods.’ (2 Chr.2:5) And my people, those men not only heard about the great God of Israel, but more importantly they experienced His greatness personally. So there is absolutely no reason to doubt them. And I daresay the lives of many of us modern day believers are also filled with the mystical, miraculous works of God. So why then do we still doubt Him eh? I guess because we’re just naturally fickle and fainthearted, wanting everything easy and now for now. But sorry Friends, that’s not how our God operates. We need to do His will first, and in His time, He will reward us. Remember, He’s the Creator, and He runs the show, not us, the created. And now, turning to Psalm 95, listen to the psalmist declare the Lord’s omnipotence. ‘Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise (shout joyfully) unto him, with psalms (songs). For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand (possession) are the deep places of the earth: the strength (heights) of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.’ (Ps.95:2-5) Meanwhile, in Psalm 96, the writer confidently proclaims: ‘Declare his glory among the heathen (Gentiles), his wonders among all people. For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens. Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.’ (Ps.96:2-6) And in Psalm 97, we read: ‘For thou Lord, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.’ (Ps.97:9) And last but not least, hear Bruh Paul’s proclamation on the subject. ‘For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we (live) by him.’ (1 Cor.8:5-6) And that my brethren is the gospel truth! So today, please, let’s rethink our priorities, and give praise and thanks where praise and thanks are due – to Almighty God! That’s true wisdom. Much LOVE!…no other supposed deity…has the power of the Lord God Jehovah…for they are mere idols…creations of man…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 December 2012 Proverbs 9:4
28 Dec 2012 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: discretion, don't fear getting old, faith walk, forsake foolishness, Friday chant, God's glorious kingdom, healthy, henry wadsworth longfellow, knowledge, opportunities, rest and relaxation, TGIF!, Thank God it's Friday, the simple, understanding, wealthy and wise lifestyle, wisdom, wise advice
Proverbs 9:4. Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,
Well Friends, and all you party people, it’s Friday! And a loud, joyous shout of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ rises to heaven. And to make matters even better, though for some worse, it’s the Friday before the long New Year’s Eve weekend. So you can imagine the party preparations that are currently been made. Mama Yo! Everybody will be going out on Monday night in their Sunday best, their evening finery to celebrate the birth of a New Year. But all I have to say is remember, drunk or sober, mind yuh business. (smile) I know some of you are tired hearing me say it, but it’s essential that we do remember to be careful about whatever we do, especially when we’re partying, cause that’s when our level of attention to spiritual matters is pretty low, and it’s very easy then to give the enemy a chance to break through our defences. Anyway, let’s chant our Friday Chant, to help us put the weekend into its proper perspective. All together now, sweetly and sincerely: ‘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 Friends, that’s how we have to handle the weekend. Now here’s a quote from the famous American poet and educator Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) that’s particularly for us old fogies, but which, if the young people reading this are smart, will also take to heart. It simply states: ‘For age is opportunity no less Than youth itself, though in another dress, And as evening twilight fades away the sky is filled with stars, invisible day.’ Ah mih old Friends, there’s no fear in getting old, because it’s a time of maturity and wisdom. So please don’t let the age thing get you so down that you become afraid of life and refuse to keep on living a healthy, wealthy and wise lifestyle. Opportunities still abound for us old folks. As Henry so nicely puts it, those opportunities are only now dressed in clothes of a different fashion. That brings us to our Bit, an invitation from Wisdom: ‘Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth (lacks) understanding, she saith to him, Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled (mixed). Forsake the foolish (foolishness), and live; and go in the way of understanding.’ (Prov.9:4-6) Oh mih breddren, in this evil, ungodly age, many more of us need to turn away from the lustful world of the flesh and heed wisdom’s call to come in unto her and partake of her generous table, forsaking the foolishness of this world, for that of godliness and spiritual understanding. Let’s hope that in the upcoming year of 2013 many more of us will take that wise advice, for without it we’ll be even more lost and stupid than we already are. Therefore it’s not surprising that throughout the Good Book, readers are strongly advised about the wisdom of the simple, the unlearned to seek and gain understanding in spiritual matters. Let’s look at a few of those scriptures. In Psalm 19; the creation and covenants of God, Bruh David confidently proclaims: ‘The law of the Lord is perfect, converting (restoring) the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.’ (Ps.19:7) And in Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, the psalmist again confidently declares: ‘The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.’ (Ps.119:130) Meanwhile, in Proverbs 1, in outlining its purpose, Cousin Sol boldly tells us that one of the reasons is ‘To give subtilty (prudence) to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.’ (Prov.1:4) And the scholars break down that verse thus: ‘The simple are naive young people open to any influence, among the chief addressees in the book. Knowledge means the apprehension of reality, including an experiential knowledge of God. Discretion refers to the power of formulating and carrying out right measures.’ Yes my brethren, unfortunately, all of us are simple to some degree, some more so than others. That means we all need to look to God’s Word for enlightenment, wisdom and the proper way to live this earthly life, so that it will all eventually rebound to the glory of our heavenly Father. Remember that glorifying God is also a major part of our earthly tenure, and we can’t do that until we know what He wants, requires, likes and dislikes. So today I’m asking us to ponder on this important fact; are we learning more about God everyday and thus constantly growing in the character of Jesus? And if so, are we putting that knowledge, that wisdom, that understanding we’re daily gleaning into the normal routine of our lives, so that our faith walk with Jesus is daily improving? I really hope so Friends, for that’s truly wisdom at its finest. Much LOVE!…to improve our faith walk…we need to daily learn more about God…then Jesus-like…put it into practice…
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