Hebrews 8:1. Now of those things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have a high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.
It’s Friday Friends, but a Friday with a difference! For while some of you are shouting a mere ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday! Others are cavorting and declaring: ‘TGICF! Thank God it’s Carnival Friday!’ Yes mih people, it’s the time of the season for the big bash in T&T. That means many of you not going to work today, cause if yuh not already into the bacchanalian proceedings, then yuh surely priming and primping yuhself, getting ready. That however doesn’t detract from the need to chant our Friday Chant, for many of us still have to go out and labour, and not because yuh partying hearty down there in T&T and several other places around the Western world, means that you have to forget about God during the partying. You can certainly party and still keep God first place in your mind and soul. So here goes, loud and clear: ‘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.’ And having chanted that in all sincerity, we now have to do our part and come to Christ in all aspects of our lives, for He’s the only one who can really impact our lives for better and truly set us free from the bondage of sin. Why? Because He’s Christ, our High Priest, the one who sacrificed His life for us, and now sits at the right hand of the Father, pleading on our behalf. Our Bit says it thus: ‘Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum (main point): We have such a high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.’ Yes Friends, Jesus is doing His best for us, no doubt about that. But we have to help Him out by being better followers, more obedient to God’s law, more LOVING and kind to our fellow man. In talking of Christ’s faithfulness and His superior ministry, the writer of Hebrews declares: ‘Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession (confession), Christ Jesus; who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.’ (Heb.3:1-2) Jesus here is regarded as the Apostle and High Priest of the Christian faith, of more authority and worthy of more glory than Moses, who ‘was faithful in all his house, as a servant…But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.’ (Heb.3:5-6) Now it’s obvious that the Son has more authority and assets than the servant, so if we’re part of Jesus’ house, then we have to show proper respect and reverence, and hold on to His promise of a better future through salvation and eternal life when He comes again. Meanwhile, in talking about the new life in Christ, Bruh Paul tells the Colossians: ‘If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection (mind) on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.’ (Col.3:1-40) And a loud cheer rises up from all God’s people, as each one sees themselves hobnobbing with Jesus at His Second Coming. (smile) Yes my brethren, we all expect to be hanging out with Jesus in the new heaven, but we need to be very careful, because He promised to turn away some who weren’t really truthful in their hearts. ‘Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils (demons)? and in thy name have done many wonderful works (miracles)? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.’ (Matt.7:21-23) Yes Friends, it can be a rather tight rope we walk if our hearts are not truly right. Remember Jesus also said: ‘But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.’ (Matt.19:30) Our rewards will also depend on our behaviour, our obedience to His will down here on earth. So though simply believing can get us into heaven, it won’t bring all the glory that we expect, we still have to sow good seed down here, with a true and right heart, to earn big rewards. Much LOVE!…honesty with Christ…it’s the best policy we can ever adopt…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 March 2011 Hebrews 8:1
04 Mar 2011 Leave a comment
Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 March 2011 Hebrews 8:1
03 Mar 2011 Leave a comment
Hebrews 8:1. Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such a high priest, who is set at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.
Oh Friends, oh Friends, hear the good news this beautiful Thursday morning nuh! Is a brand new day, we still alive, kicking and communicating, our Good Lord still pouring down abundant showers of blessings on us, including grace, mercy, forgiveness, kindness, and above all LOVE! And that ain’t all nuh, because the gospel of Jesus Christ that promises salvation and eternal life to all those who believe and obey it, still going strong after two thousand years, in spite of numerous efforts by Lucifer and his evil cohorts to discredit it, even to eradicate it. But Friends, learn one thing; you can’t eradicate or kill truth, for it’s the only thing that we can really stand on that will truly set us free, especially the awesome truth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And all God’s people rose up with one accord in the giving of praise and thanks, shouting: ‘Glory Hallelujah. Blessed is the Lamb who is most worthy to be worshipped and glorified!’ Yes mih people, that’s the kind of day that’s opening up before us. So let’s appreciate it and live the kind of life we’ve promised our heavenly Father to live; one of reverence, obedience, humility and servant hood. Wow! The ole fella certainly on a roll this morning mih breddren! (smile) The Spirit just has the adrenalin flowing. The hand can’t write as fast as the brain is thinking. But that’s the kind of reassurance, of encouragement, we need each and every day to boost and keep us steadfast and focused in this ungodly, evil and turbulent world, so we can successfully be in it, but not of it. And Friends, I do hope that we begin each day of our earthly lives by floating a simple prayer up to heaven, asking for guidance and safety in our daily tasks. It’s very important that we start every day on the right foot, that means in touch with God, otherwise Lucifer will try to seep into our souls from the moment we awaken. So to set the day right, we need to plead to heaven as soon as we become conscious, even before we open our eyes, so that we’ll get the jump on that ole crook Lucifer. And to make matters even better mih people, we have the greatest advocate, the greatest lawyer that ever stood before a court, our heavenly High Priest, Jesus Christ! He’s always on the ball, always advocating, always pleading to the Father on our behalf. And today I’m just going to put forth some scripture that deals with His role as High Priest, Advocate and Intercessor. The Spirit claims it’s important that we understand the crucial role He plays in our lives, up there in heaven at the Father’s right hand. And the first passage is one that highlights His understanding of our trials and tribulations because He also suffered them down here on earth. ‘Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made (he had to be made) like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation (propitiation) for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour (aid, help) them that are tempted.’ (Heb.2:17-18) Yes Friends, that was a crucial fact. Since Jesus was tempted like us, while on earth, He can therefore understand and empathize with our earthly dilemmas. It’s ever so important for an advocate, priest or leader to have a genuine understanding and appreciation for what their charges are undergoing, else they won’t be able to give of their best. And Jesus is the most wonderful example of that. Ah Friends, I’m chuckling here because I have several passages to put forward, but they’re all long, so I’m trying to find the shortest, which will allow us to stay at our desired length. Here it is. Words of wisdom from Bruh David, taken from his song, ‘The Lord gives dominion to the King.’ And that He truly did my brethren. ‘The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool…The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent (relent), Thou art a priest for ever, after (according to) the order of Melchizedek.’ (Ps.110:1,4) Yes my people, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ was long ago destined to be Advocate and High Priest in the Father’s plans. And since we’re His faithful followers, then we ought to behave as such; that’s acknowledging His power, grace and LOVE, while living in excellence and obedience, the same way He lived, and still lives in obedience to His Father. From day one, Jesus has always been the perfect example. Let’s see if we can’t take a page from His book nuh Friends. More on this topic tomorrow, our God willing. Till then, I implore us to ardently LOVE our God, genuinely LIVE our Faith, and faithfully SPREAD His Word. That’s the mark of a true believer. Much LOVE!…the only way our advocate can help us…is if we talk to Him…often…and truthfully…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 March 2011 Hebrews 8:1
02 Mar 2011 Leave a comment
Hebrews 8:1. Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such a high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.
Oh Friends, it’s a brand new day, we’re alive and communicating! Thank the Lord! Isn’t He great my people? He sure is! I was a tad leery of using this Bit today, but the Spirit convinced me when He lead me to some quotes of Bill Crosby, in particular this one: ‘Human beings are the only creatures that allow their children to come back home.’ We’ll all chuckle at that, but it’s the truth, and after contemplating our Bit in that light: ‘Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum (main point): We have such a high priest, who is set at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens:’ I realized that the heavenly Father allowed, no, directed His Son Jesus Christ to return home to heaven after He’d completed His duties here on earth. And in grateful appreciation of the wonderful job He’d done, the Father welcomed Him home with great pomp and glory and gave Him the top job available; that of running the kingdom, with every knee bowing to His Holy Name both in heaven and on earth! Wow! What a homecoming! So children coming back home is not always a bad thing, though it’s often fraught with inconvenience and tension as the children, now adults, want to do their own thing, while the parents still insist on treating them like children. But doh worry my offspring, you all are welcome to ‘cotch’ with the ole fella anytime, not for too long though. (smile) Now let’s see what the author of Hebrews is trying to say here. And I don’t see why there’s so much fuss about the authorship, for I’m convinced that Bruh Paul, or some clone of his, wrote it. It sounds too much like him; what with the sometimes highfalutin language, the generally high level of education displayed, and great knowledge of the scriptures. In the long run though, I guess who wrote it, isn’t as important as what they wrote. In our Bit, the writer claims that the main point he’s been making in his discourse is that Jesus Christ is our High Priest, our Advocate and Intercessor, who sits at God the Father’s right hand. ‘A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.’ (Heb.8:2) Now Friends, it’s very important we note that distinction: the Church headed by Jesus, was founded, established by God, and not mortal, sinful man. That means it’s all pervasive; its roots go deep and wide, its canopy reaches to high heaven, while its length and breadth encompasses the entire universe. For if God is its creator, then it must needs envelop His whole creation. Unlike churches organized by man, where lots of negative situations exist, causing dissension and divisions, this Church headed by Jesus is solid and can’t be breached, with no possibility of dissension and divisions, because our High Priest won’t stand for it. He knows the enemy’s style is to divide and conquer, therefore the slightest break in ranks will give the evil opponent a chance to slip in, then create mischief and havoc amongst His people. But unfortunately Lucifer and his evil cronies have violated the earthly Church of Christ, because of our less than stellar godliness, righteousness and obedience to God’s Word. Friends, the Word doesn’t change, the Triune Godhead doesn’t change either, it’s only humans, what we believe and how we act, who change. So if anything is wrong with Christ’s earthly church, then it must be our fault. Riddle me this nuh: Why has our world gone from relative godliness to overwhelming ungodliness in a couple of generations? It’s not the fault of the Father, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit, but ours. The problem lies with our refusal to closely follow Jesus’ plan, set out in the gospel He preached, and instead to be enamoured of and ensnared by Lucifer’s evil follies and glittering baubles. That’s why Jesus is so busy up there in heaven advocating on our behalf. He really shouldn’t be half as busy, but our disobedience is so plentiful that it keeps Him on His toes. It’s a good thing that He’s a true and faithful advocate yes, else many of us would be doing hard time with Lucifer. Oh Friends, the contention and negativity that exists amongst Christ’s supposed followers here on earth is sadly harming His Church, and the only way to correct it is for believers to come together under one banner, one umbrella of FAITH, LOVE, and a godly LIFE. Until that happens, Christ’s Church, our world and all its institutions will languish and suffer negative repercussions. And I’m sure that’s not the kind of heritage we want to bequeath to our descendants. So please, let us each try and do better nuh, it’s our children’s souls we’re fighting for. And we’ll end with some appropriate words of Bruh David: ‘Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for (among) men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them. Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.’ (Ps.68:18-19) Oh my people, please, let’s take those truthful words to heart and turn our lives around nuh, so that they will bring greater glory to God. It’s all He asks of us. Much LOVE!…to reap true glory…we must sow…true righteousness…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 March 2011 1 Timothy 2:1
01 Mar 2011 Leave a comment
1 Timothy 2:1. I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men.
Oh Friends, it’s March, and the lion of winter has come in fairly quietly, with just a bit of cold, no snow or stormy winds…well not yet. But we believers, though we complain some, we don’t let that sort of thing worry us because it’s all part of nature, and there’s nothing we can do about it anyway. However, here is something that we can all do, which will benefit us tremendously: ‘Seek the wisdom of the ages, but look at the world through the eyes of a child.’ That’s taken from the March calendar of Covenant House, the fine organization that helps homeless teens in Toronto, and is attributed to Ron Wild. It’s a wise quote, for though we’re to seek and gain the wisdom of the world and of God, the essence of heaven can only be seen through the unquestioning child-like faith and trust that children display. Jesus specified this when He admonished the disciples for preventing some children to come to Him for blessing. ‘Suffer (allow the) little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.’ (Mat.19:14) In that same vein, to avoid the confusion, resentment, hate, anger and violence that surrounds our everyday lives from seeping into our souls, we also need to look at the world through those same child-like eyes. If we don’t, the world and all its problems will surely drive us bonkers, or more bonkers, since some of us are already off our rockers. (smile) But enough of all this crazy talk, let’s check out our Bit. ‘I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men.’ Over the last few days we’ve been looking at the different types of prayers Bruh Paul set forth for Timothy, and the reasons why he thought prayers should be offered ‘for all men.’ The first reason was for those in authority, so we could enjoy peace all around us. (1 Tim.2:2) The second was because it pleases God very much. (1 Tim.2:3) And the third reason, which we’ll explore today, is. ‘Who will (desires to) have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.’ (1 Tim.2:4) Yes Friends, such prayers enable salvation to be wrought in our lives, for God wants all His children to be saved. And He makes this quite clear, not once, but twice in the same passage of Ezekiel. ‘Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?… For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.’ (Ezek.18:23,32) So mih people, though our God won’t put up with our sinful shenanigans, deep down, His utmost desire is for every single soul He created to be saved. And He’s already done His part; providing salvation and eternal life through Jesus. It’s now left up to us to accept those wonderful free gifts, if we desire the best for our immortal souls. And steadfast prayer is one way by which we can accomplish that. As for all men attaining to the knowledge of truth? That’s simple. Listen to Jesus as He lifts His eyes to heaven and prays for his people. ‘Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power (authority) over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.’ (John 17:1-3) Now that’s the living and eternal truth my brethren! And here is Bruh Paul’s corollary to Jesus’ statement. ‘For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time…I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.’ (1 Tim.2:5-6,8) So Friends, the synopsis is that prayer is very valuable in each and every area of our lives. Without it, we’d be like a rudderless ship, adrift on a stormy sea, being tossed to and fro, without any guidance and direction. But when prayer is a major part of our lives…Wow! It means there’s a helmsman at the wheel of our lives, Our God, who brings peace, stability and calm to all our relationships: first of all, that with Him, that with ourselves, then those with our fellow men. Oh my Friends, we can’t ask for a more valuable tool. So if we truly desire real peace and calm in our lives, and in our world, both the first and last step is prayer. Let’s make some serious efforts to improve our prayer lives then nuh mih people, because both our turbulent world and us desperately need it. Much LOVE!…and he spake a parable unto them…to this end…that men ought always to pray…and not to faint (lose heart)… (Luke 18:1)
Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 February 2011 1 Timothy 2:1
28 Feb 2011 Leave a comment
1 Timothy 2:1. I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men.
Oh Friends, February is dead and gone! Thank the Lord! Unfortunately though, there’s still March to endure with its cold, uncomfortable, depressing winter weather. But I have a gem of a quote for us. It’s from the novel ‘Four Fires,’ by the South African born, Australian raised, Bryce Courtenay. The same mate who wrote ‘Power of One’ and some other wonderful books, the best of which is still ‘Tandia,’ mih young D. (smile) Anyhow, in this novel, this bloke is writing about a lecture on jungle warfare he received in the Australian army. ‘There are four natural reactions to fear. You either freeze, or faint, or run away or become irrationally aggressive….If we all reacted in one of these four ways, it would be a disaster…So, to overcome your instinct to react in one of these ways, we practise ‘contact drills’. We practise them and practise them until they take over from our natural instincts, and replace them with a planned action. It’s the contact drill that allows us to react in such a way that we are ready to take on the enemy and defeat him.’ Oh mih people, when I read that, it struck me right away that it’s a perfect way to describe the workings of our Christian faith. We can do any of those four things when the enemy attacks, but none of them really help. However, if we practise those ‘contact drills’, which for us are reading, studying, meditating on and being obedient to God’s Word, when Lucifer comes against us, we’re so well versed in and focused on it, that we’re not afraid to stand up to him, and ten times out of ten repel him. Remember Friends, we’re involved in real warfare, and though it’s mostly spiritual, the same tactics used in the physical kind can also apply. So let’s keep that idea at the forefront of our minds nuh, and daily practise those contact drills with the Word, so that the enemy won’t have us responding in the wrong manner when they attack. Hopefully this will also give us some added inspiration this Monday morning and help to drive away those depressing blues that so many of us get when we have to go back out to work. Now let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with great fanfare. (smile) ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together. We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’ And having sung that so spiritedly, let’s venture out courageously into the evil workaday world and engage and vanquish that wicked fool Beelzebub and his evil minions. Ah Friends, I had intended to finish with this Bit today, but the Holy Spirit, as He occasionally does, threw an unexpected spanner into the works with the contact drill stuff, and as there’s still much to say, I‘m hesitant, not wanting to make it too long and indigestible. Hn, hn! The Spirit just threw me a bad eye and said: ‘Chuh! Forget about length and just write the Word yes man! Them short attention span people that the world producing nowadays, like to talk about God this and God that, but when coming to reading His Word, they can’t find time to read it. They too busy, and only want ten second bites, if not shorter. But when yuh send them the stupid, immoral, ungodly, racist, sexist jokes, they not too busy to read those though.’ Ah mih Friends, yuh see the stuff I have to put up with on all yuh behalf. (smile) And though the Holy Spirit is right, I won’t get into all the stuff I wanted to get into, because it will really be too long. Sending long bites to short bites people will only defeat the purpose. Tomorrow though, our God in favour, I’ll bombard us with the Word that I had planned for today. Yes people, we’ll keep practicing our contact drills, for that’s what the Bit is all about; keeping us focused and filled with the Word, so that we can engage the enemy in a planned and measured way, defeat them, and take them all prisoners for Christ. Praise the Lord! In the meanwhile, you also have to practice your contact drills on your own time, for the enemy never let’s up: ‘So be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.’ (1 Pet.5:8) Therefore we must always be prepared. Much LOVE!…the victorious soldier is the one…who’s always on guard…who’s always prepared…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 February 2011 1 Timothy 2:1
27 Feb 2011 Leave a comment
1 Timothy 2:1. I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men.
Ahoy there me mates! (smile) What’s new and exciting this Sunday morning? I hope many things are, and that the Lord’s keeping you busy in His work, while making your paths straight and prosperous, because that’s His promise if we are faithful and obedient to His Word. Ah Friends, the ole fella’s joshing to a certain extent, since I know from personal experience that life is never always wine, roses and song. In fact, most of us live bland, banal lives. But though they may not be chocked full of excitement, neither should they be monotonous and full of drudgery. The Lord created us to be champions, and if we aren’t being champions in our own little world, then something’s wrong with our modus operandi. And to fix it, we need to turn to the Lord in prayer and sincerely ask for His help and guidance. That’s the only way our lives will improve. As our Bit shows, Bruh Paul listed several types of prayers; ‘I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men.’ Then he lists three basic reasons why we should pray. We dealt with the first one yesterday; for people in authority, so that our nations can live in peace and prosperity. Now let’s look at his second reason for praying. It’s simple, but extremely important. ‘For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour.’ (1 Tim.2:3) Yes Friends, we should pray simply because our God takes pleasure in it. It’s our main form of communication with Him, and He likes us to keep up a constant flow of conversation, for us to keep Him up to date on all the happenings in our lives, be they big, small, good, bad, important or unimportant. Just imagine what would happen nuh people, if instead of all the foolish and inane stuff we communicate and the enormous time we waste on Facebook and other sites, tweeting, texting, talking, we spent even a small portion of that praying, or simply talking to God. Wow! What a prayerful, much more godly and peaceful world we’d enjoy! But no, our sinful flesh and the cunning ploys of the enemy calls us, like the siren’s song, to worship these ‘here today, gone tomorrow,’ man made idols, which though useful in some circumstances, are now being blatantly worshipped. Oh Friends, we even use violence, kill innocent children of God to get them. How sad eh. However, as Bruh Paul so aptly told the Roman church: ‘I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable (rational) service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.’ (Rom.12:1-2) Oh mih people, I know that Lucifer’s call is exceedingly strong, but if we truly desire to live for Christ, then we have to resist the evil wiles of that fallen angel. And the only way to do that is to immerse ourselves in the Word and in prayer, regular communication with our heavenly Father. When asking for punishment for the wicked and the strength to stay away from them, Bruh David fervently declared: ‘but I give myself unto prayer.’ (Ps.109:4) Meanwhile, the apostles, when the business of the church began to grow and they couldn’t handle all the duties, decided: ‘But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.’ (Acts 6:4) And Peter, in his advice on being good stewards of God’s grace, said: ‘But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.’ (1 Pet.4:7) So prayer is of the utmost importance if we seriously want to resist Lucifer, because being in the world, but not of it, depending solely on our own efforts, is extremely difficult, if not impossible. Oh Friends, just as Bruh Paul reminds Timothy in a later missive, when exhorting him to endurance, I also want to encourage us to stand strong in the Lord. ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of the Lord, nor of me, his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions (share with me the sufferings) of the gospel according to the power of God; Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before the world began. But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.’ (2 Tim.1:7-10) Yes my brethren, we all have those same attributes, and Christ has done the same things for us, but in these tremulous times we need to use our attributes, in conjunction with the Word, on a deeper and more extensive basis, so that the kingdom can be enlarged and the Most High God glorified, for that’s our God given purpose. More on this tomorrow, our God in favour. Till then, walk safely, and pray plenty. Much LOVE!…oh, how like sweet music to God’s ears…are the sincere supplications and petitions of His people…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 26 February 2011 1 Timothy 2:1
26 Feb 2011 Leave a comment
1 Timothy 2:1. I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men.
Oh Friends in Christ, a happy Saturday to you all! Let’s begin with some words of Wisdom for Today from Gloria Copeland’s ‘Hidden Treasures; abundant living in the riches of proverbs.’ These are from the end of Chapter 2. ‘Direct your heart and mind towards God’s wisdom and knowledge. Expect to hear from God today; don’t miss him in the little things. Walk in discretion. Resist temptation as soon as it confronts you.’ They are indeed wise words my people, and if we follow them, then we’ll surely walk in God’s way, be at peace, and prosper. Now turning to our Bit. Yesterday we looked at Bruh Paul’s four basic types of prayer; ‘supplications, prayers (general), intercessions, and giving of thanks,’ and also defined them. Today we’ll see why He said that prayers should ‘be made for all men.’ There are three chief reasons, each of which he spells out in a later verse. The first reason is: ‘For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.’ (1 Tim.2:2) That means intercessory prayers for leaders and those in authority are necessary for Christians to lead a ‘quiet and peaceable’ or calm and tranquil life. Now here’s the scholars’ take on that particular subject. ‘The word quiet means ‘not troubled from without’; that is, intercessory prayer enables good government to ensure that its citizens are not troubled by enemies or forces outside its borders. Peaceable means ‘not troubled from within’; that is, the church’s prayer also aids competent government in maintaining law and order within its own borders.’ That certainly makes sense, for we all need our leaders to be empowered to keep our national enemies at bay, and also to provide stability and calm at home, without which no nation or group can prosper. And the scholars have put forward an interesting claim about the wording of that verse. ‘The translation ‘godliness and honesty’ is unfortunate, for the exercise of these virtues is not dependent upon good government; they can be cultivated even in poor political management and persecution. The text should read, ‘That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life with the utmost reverence and respect.’ This respect is for governmental authority. Respect can best be realized when rulers are competent and rightly discharging their duties. Otherwise, it is difficult to respect rulers when they are incompetent and unjust.’ And they do have a valid point, for it’s very hard to respect inefficient and unfair rulers, regardless of how much you try to honour God. And that’s exactly what’s showing out right now across the Arab world. Many of the people are devout, but they’ve lived under such tyrannical and despotic rule for so long, that they’ve reached the end of their rope, and are finally saying, enough is enough. Whatever God you worship, your faith will only allow you to live in poverty, want and oppression for so long. Eventually, that same faith will make you rise up and seek redress, seek a better way. Oh Friends, that’s elementary psychology! Keep a man down long enough, he’ll either just lie down and die, or with nothing left to lose, rise up and retaliate. That’s just how God made all His creatures; both man and beast. There’s this state of being cornered, with your back against the wall, with nowhere to go but forward, against your aggressor. At those times fear is joined by anger, frustration and a sense of it’s do or die anyway, so the natural instinct of self-preservation that God endowed all His creatures with, rises to the fore and gives us an hitherto unknown strength and fearlessness to confront our adversaries head on, to the death if needs be. So why can’t these foolish leaders who try to keep their fellow man in subjection and abominable poverty for long periods, while living in royal splendour themselves, understand that that state of affairs only lasts for a relatively short time? That brings to mind the Rasta breddren that taught me History in High School. He’d put his feet, encased in Clarke’s brogues, up on the desk, twiddle his sparse, wiry grey beard and philosophically intone: ‘What is History? History is a record of the past. And why do we learn History? So that we can understand the present.’ And I like to add; navigate the future. But it’s obvious that many of our leaders around the globe have no use for History, or foolishly think that they are different to the other fallen despots. How false! For if we keep making the same mistakes, then the same results will befall us. That’s why they say; History repeats itself. But despite the overflowing graveyard of vanquished despots, dictators and bullies, too many of us still foolishly think we’re so different, even invincible. It’s God’s law that we all meet our match, get our comeuppance sooner or later. So let’s be wise, LOVE Our God, SPREAD His Word and LIVE Our Faith! That’s the only way to ensure a peaceable and quiet life. More tomorrow on this subject, God willing. And a serious note of warning here Friends. It’s essential that we blitz our God with intercessory prayers for our leaders in the West, in the supposed democratic societies, for many of them are getting too big for their breeches, and taking on some dictatorial characteristics. And isn’t it interesting, remarkable really, that the people in the Mid-East who’ve been oppressed for so long, are now rising up for freedom, while we in the West are being slowly, but surely, turned into fearful and frightened societies, and de facto Police States by the cowardly murders, soberly called terrorism, by some of those same people. Much LOVE!…as the man said…power corrupts…and absolute power…corrupts absolutely…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 February 2011 1 Timothy 2:1
25 Feb 2011 Leave a comment
1 Timothy 2:1. I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men.
Oh Friends, ah see all yuh coming down the road this Friday morning, chipping and waving like is Carnival Monday, and all yuh singing, ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday!’ (smile) But unfortunately yuh still have ten days to go before that time of revelry, of total bacchanal. Such though is the crazy effect that the coming of the weekend has on us. However, before we get too far into the party mode, leh we chant we Friday chant nuh. That will help us to put everything into its proper perspective. So chanting, loud and clear: ‘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, now that we come back down to earth, please remember that weekends are made for more than just partying and hanging out, but also for getting involved in fellowship. And that fits in very well with our Bit: ‘I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men.’ Yes mih people, in this section, Bruh Paul is giving his protégé Timothy wise advice and guidance on prayer. Now that advice was so good, that it still holds true for us all today, two thousand years later. The first thing, the most important act that Christians should address themselves to is prayer. It’s to hold a pre-eminent place in the church and all its proceedings, as well as in our individuals lives, because it’s our basic method of communicating with the Most High God Jehovah, our wonderful Creator, heavenly Father and sole Provider. It’s obvious that if we want and/or expect to receive His parental guidance and blessings of earthly provision, especially in these rough and troubled times, then we must have plenty communication with Him. It’s just like there must be a lot of communication between our children and us, if they require or expect to receive our parental guidance and earthly benefits. Now Bruh Paul identifies four kinds of prayers in our Bit. Let’s get some basic definitions on them. And according to the scholars, they are as follows: prayers of supplication; those precise requests made to meet specific needs. Like when we ask the Lord for a new car or house to replace our old, broken down ones. (smile) Then there are just ‘prayers,’ used in a general sense to include things like confession, adoration, etc. The third kind of prayer Bruh Paul isolates are prayers of intercession, which we all know about. That’s when we offer prayers for others, which hopefully all of us do on regular basis. That reminds me, we have been amiss in not praying for those people in Christchurch, New Zealand, who recently experienced that devastating earthquake, and also for the millions of oppressed and suppressed in the Mid-East, who are now engaged in life endangered protests for long overdue relief from dictatorial and tyrannical rule. Please pray for them all, that their areas, and consequently our whole world, will not deteriorate any further. And the fourth type of prayer is the ‘giving of thanks,’ where we give our great God thanks and praise. Now that’s another aspect of our prayer lives which should be in constant motion, for remember that our entire being; all that we are, all that we have, and all that we hope to be, depends entirely on the Lord, re His mercy, forgiveness, blessings, kindness, unconditional LOVE, salvation and eternal life. Oh Friends, that’s it for today. I know we all have short attention spans in these modern times, so I’m not going to give us too much to digest all at once. (smile) Tomorrow, with God on our side, we’ll continue our discussion on prayer. Till then, please pray that the Lord gives us a sense of calm and peace in our souls, with provision suited to our needs, and guides us safely on this our rugged earthly journey. Much LOVE!…heaven’s switchboard is open 24/7…and there are never any busy signals…so there’s no reason for any break in our communication…with our just and faithful God…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 February 2011 2 Chronicles 20:20
24 Feb 2011 Leave a comment
2 Chronicles 20:20. And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
Oh Friends, let me apologize for giving you some wrong info yesterday. The name of that song about get your motor running and get out on the highway is ‘Born to be Wild,’ by Steppenwolf, who are also Canadian, and not the Guess Who. I know it won’t matter to many of you, but I hate giving out wrong info. So if I do, please let me know so I can correct it. Thanks Old Rob. Now let’s see what our Bit has to offer today. So far the people have prayed to the Lord, and received His response, which was to go out to meet the enemy the next day, but not to worry for they wouldn’t have to fight; ‘for the battle is not yours, but God’s.’ (2 Chron.20:15) What a relief that must have been eh Friends! So they did as instructed. ‘And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever. And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.’ (2 Chron.20:20-23) Yes Friends, confusion reigned amongst their enemies, and instead of fighting Judah, they fought amongst themselves. Our God sure is marvellous! But the important thing is that the people believed and trusted God to do as He said He would. Without that show of faith the Lord would not have worked on their behalf. And note too that the Lord only went into action when the people began to sing and praise Him. Oh my people, praise and thanksgiving are two of the greatest gifts we can ever offer the Lord. There’s nothing He revels in more than genuine appreciation and gratitude. The battle amongst the former allies was so fierce that there were no survivors. Wow! And the spoil, the unearned plunder was so plentiful that it took Jehoshaphat and his people three whole days to gather it. (2 Chron.20:24-25) And who says the Lord doesn’t bless obedience eh! On the fourth day, they assembled in a valley that’s still called Berachah (Blessing), for there they blessed the Lord. Then they returned to Jerusalem with joy, Jehoshaphat leading the way: ‘for the Lord had made them to rejoice over their enemies.’ (2 Chron.20:27) Yes mih breddren, when we call on the Lord sincerely for help, listen for His answer, then follow His directions in faith, we come out victorious. Praise His Holy Name! ‘And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries (stringed instruments) and harps and trumpets unto the house of the Lord. And the fear of God (awesome reverence) was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they heard that the Lord fought against the enemies of Israel. So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about.’ (2 Chron.20:28-30) What a wonderful story Friends. But none of it would have happened if Jehoshaphat and the people had not believed and acted on that belief in faith. The belief Friends, the trust and the faith are the most important parts of our walk with God. We can do nothing without a deep-seated, abiding trust. And as the author of Hebrews so nicely puts it: ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb.11:6) So please, let’s work diligently on improving, constantly upgrading our faith motors, so that we can hit that highway of life, revving at top speed, thereby bringing victory to our lives and immense glory to our God. Much LOVE!…the moral of the story…if you don’t truly believe…you won’t succeed…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 February 2011 2 Chronicles 20:20
23 Feb 2011 Leave a comment
2 Chronicles 20:20. And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
Oh Friends, here’s an idea guaranteed to get our motors running this Wednesday morning and get us out on the highway of life looking for adventure in the Lord’s name. (smile) Those sentiments come from a song whose title I don’t remember, but it was done by great Canadian band, The Guess Who. And the idea that’s guaranteed to get us moving is: ‘To get more out of life, give more of yourself.’ And that’s an undeniable fact my brethren! It’s taken from my cardboard poster titled, ‘P.S. I LOVE YOU.’ It’s like Sister Joyce (Joyce Meyer) is wont to say; you can’t expect changes in your life, if you keep doing the same thing every day. Change can only come when the initial movement is different. Unfortunately though, the hardest thing for humans to do is change. That’s due to many reasons, but the biggest is fear, fear of the unknown, of what will happen when we change. However Friends, as believers in the One True God Jehovah, we should not be afraid of change, because we are solidly grounded and rooted in trust and faith in Him. We might not like the unknown, but we shouldn’t fear it. And the easiest way to get rid of that fear is to immerse ourselves in His Word. Oh my people, there’s nothing like God’s Holy Word to strengthen, brighten and excite a human spirit. And our Bit is a perfect example of the Word and our God to quell fear. ‘And as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.’ Now that’s the difficult part in handling the word; belief. But like most things in life, we have to practice it, before we can master it. And our story continues from yesterday, where several nations joined forces to invade Judah, but king Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah did the right thing; prayed to God, acknowledged His superiority and their weakness, and pleaded for help. Now this is where faith, belief, and trust in the Almighty picks up and begins to work. While they are all standing in the temple yard, the spirit of the Lord comes upon Jahaziel, a Levite: ‘And he said, Hearken ye all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid or dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff (ascent) of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook (wadi or stream-bed), before the wilderness of Jeruel. Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set (position) yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah, and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you. And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshipping the Lord. And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high.’ (2 Chron.20:15-19) Oh Friends, paraphrasing that piece of scripture would have denied our God His much deserved praise and also denied us its full and true meaning. By the way, the Spirit agreed with me on that point. (smile) Now that’s the second part of our story, of the equation, if you like. Yesterday we saw Judah praying and appealing for God’s help. Today we’ve seen God’s answer and His directions for their conduct in the matter. Ah mih people, I can’t help but be amazed by the many parts and aspects to our God: a powerful warrior King who fights our battles for us, but also a unique Deity whose basic state is one of unconditional LOVE, encompassed by grace, mercy, forgiveness and kindness, with a faithful promise of salvation and eternal life. Wow! It sounds too good to be true! However Friends, this is possibly the only thing in the universe that doesn’t adhere to the cliché: ‘if it sounds too good to be true, then it is.’ Oh my people, the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is for real! His Word proves it, and if you’d only sincerely surrender your life to Him, He will prove it to you personally, like He’s already done to millions. But that’s enough Holy food for us to digest today though Friends. Tomorrow, our God in favour, more of His glorious Word and deeds. Till then, please surrender your soul, put your whole trust, faith and belief in Him. It’s the wisest decision you’ll ever make on this earthly journey. And in return, He’ll surely get your motor running, and take you on the road to adventures you’ve never even dreamed possible. Such is the power and magnanimity of our God! Much LOVE!…it’s all a matter of faith and trust…sincere surrender and belief…for the battle is the Lord’s…
