A Gentle Reminder, that Without More LOVE in Our World, It is Doomed to Destruction!

John 13:35.        By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.

And then it’s Friday! Thank God for that! Although the day is going to be sunny, but much cooler than the last few, we’re still excited to welcome the weekend!  For the concerns and frustrations of this past work week will fade away over the weekend like they never existed, and we’ll begin afresh next Monday. How true that is my people. There are always concerns and frustrations to deal with in this crazy and ever more chaotic world.

But with Jesus as the main attraction in our lives, we don’t have to be overly concerned with them, or be concerned to the point of worry, for He has promised that no weapon formed against us will prosper, and that we will bring every evil and lying tongue to judgement. (Is. 54:17) That means we are under divine protection., for as the prophet Isaiah also writes on God’s behalf: ‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.’ (Is. 41:10)

Yes friends, we’re commanded not to be afraid, because our great God is active in our everyday lives. There’s assurance that we are not alone. We have divine assistance, which provides comfort, strength and unwavering support. That means in any personal struggles or crises, we must remember that we’re not alone, that God is fighting alongside us, for us, and we can therefore take comfort in His awesome presence. And let’s hope those faithful, divine promises distill any fears or worries that me might currently have, because that’s what they were given for.

And remember one of Jesus’ most spoken phrases was ‘Do not fear.’ So, if we’re true believers in Jesus, then we ought to abide by His commands. As He says in John’s gospel: ‘If ye LOVE me, keep my commandments.’ (John 14:15) And one of His most important commands was this: ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13:34-35)

Oh my people, I’m sure it breaks Christ’s heart when He sees how terribly we follow that commandment! For we certainly do not treat each other with the LOVE that’s expected of us. There’s so much dissension and petty differences in the lives of individual believers, as well as the church as a whole, that we definitely could not say we’re LOVING each other the way Christ LOVED us. Not even close!

No wonder there’s so much strife within Christianity, as well as the world, because that most godly attribute, LOVE, is sadly missing. And where there’s no LOVE, there can be no peace, joy or comfort. And the sad fact is that we all claim to be searching for peace and joy, but how can we find those when we refuse to have LOVE, for God, ourselves, and for each other.

Remember the great commandments? Jesus stated them thus to the arrogant lawyer who tried to tie Him up with foolish questions. ‘Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and prophets.’ (Matt. 22:37-40)

So you see my fellow believers, everything in this world hangs on one thing, that’s LOVE! LOVE for God, ourselves and our neighbours. Without that divine attribute first and foremost in our individual lives, the Church, and the world in general, there’s no hope whatsoever of us ever attaining joy, peace and minds free from worry. That means all the foolishness that’s being tried and proposed in the world for joy and peace are simply talk, or rather a waste of time, for there’s NO LOVE between those of us trying to make peace. Everybody’s up in arms over some real or imagined slight or ill treatment, but no one’s willing to forgive and forget those real or imagined affronts.

So, we’ll apparently continue going down the wide and winding road that Satan has laid out for us, rather than the straight and narrow one that Jesus has initiated. But one thing’s for sure; we won’t lose hope! No sir! So, with that most miraculous and provocative thought in heart, mind, body and soul, let’s go to the throne of grace through our Friday Chant, seeking divine aid for whatever ails us.

Altogether: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough…  because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times.

We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’

Now, let’s not fool ourselves by thinking that because we’ve prayed sincerely, that divine aid will be quickly showered down upon us. Not at all! And why is that, you ask? Because our witness for Christ is not good enough, and until we make some serious improvements to it, no divine aid will be forthcoming. We need to do our part before the Lord does His. Much LOVE!

…it’s impossible to understand…why so many hearts and souls…made from, and for LOVE…refuse to LOVE…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   3 July 2023 Psalm 133:1.

Psalm 133:1.       Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

Yes, my fellow Canadians, it’s Monday, and the Canada Day celebrations continue apace, as we acknowledge the many blessings we have to be thankful for, especially since the afternoon sun has now replaced the early morning rain. That means many of us in this God-blessed country won’t be working today, but getting paid for it. So please, let’s not overdo the celebrating, and instead apply a modicum of circumspection, a sense of responsibility to the situation. (smile) 

Remember, it’s not all wine and roses, for although our country is comparatively a paradise to many others, we do have many serious problems that we need to pay serious attention to, if we don’t want them to blow up in our faces and cause a sad downgrade in this beautiful country of Canada. And today we’re going to have a look at Psalm 133, some very precious and wise words of Bruh David that currently have exceptional relevance to both our country, our world and our faith. 

So please read with me. ‘Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment (oil) upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts (edge) of his garments. As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for ever more.’ (Pl.133:1-3) 

Now that my fellow believers says it all! People living together in harmony are blessed, just like when they are anointed with oil, as Aaron when anointed high priest by Moses. (Ex. 32:22-33) Living in unity is also described by Bruh David as the precious dew that descended upon Mt. Zion where the Lord commanded his blessings for life ever after.  Unfortunately though, instead of moving, or working towards unity, our world and our Christian faith are moving away from it, making resentment, anger and petty differences split us apart. 

Now that’s no way to live! What kind of life can we have if we’re always in disagreement and have unnecessary drama in our lives? We certainly can’t live the abundant live that Christ died for us to have! And sadly, in my many years on God’s great earth I’ve never seen it so divided; nation against nation, as well as serious discontent within numerous nations that’s causing civil wars all around the globe. Not to mention the terrible disunity and disagreement to be found in the lowest but most important level of society, the family. Then there’s the dividing asunder that’s happening within Christ’s church over selfish and petty differences. 

Whatever happened to Jesus’ commandment eh? ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another: as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another. By this shall all men know you are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13:34-35) Apparently that has all been thrown through the window, but yet we expect the church to survive and prosper. That’s impossible, for when the Pharisees heard that Jesus was casting out demons, and claimed that He was casting them out through Satan’s power., (Matt. 12:24) Jesus begged to differ. 

And in His awesome wisdom pointed out to them. ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation: and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand. And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself: how shall then his kingdom stand?’ (Matt. 12:25-26) It obviously cannot stand! And that’s why the church is falling apart, suffering so much doubt and division, that the subsequent disenchantment is bringing worldwide apostasy, turning many away from the faith. Consequently, we believers are not living the unified life Christ expects of us, nor doing the work He so badly desires of us. 

The author of Hebrews also gave us these simple but amazing words of wisdom pertaining to unity. ‘Let brotherly LOVE continue.’ (Heb. 13:1) Short, sweet, and to the point my people! And we have one of the best examples of that right at the beginning of our faith, where Abram (later Abraham) and his nephew Lot’s herdsmen were having difficulties living together; ‘And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen, for we be brethren.’ (Gen. 13:8) 

Wow! What simple common sense, for strife offers nothing positive, only negative consequences! But how often do we find that kind of wisdom and common sense being exhibited nowadays eh? Not very often, for in our current society, every problem, no matter how simple and easily resolved, has to become contentious or we’re not happy. 

And I like the scholars’ simple but beautiful explanation of the Psalm 133. They say: ‘This psalm is all about the preciousness of family unity. Its blessedness is exclaimed (vs.1) and explained (vs. 2-3). It sanctifies (vs. 2) and solidifies (vs.3)’ What more can we say eh? Not a whole lot, except to reassert the great importance in unity, in godly harmony, whether it be in the lowly family, or betwixt the biggest and most powerful nations. Only in unity and harmony can mankind truly thrive and prosper, and that’s a lesson we’ve got to desperately learn within Christ’s church, and learn it asap, if we ever hope to turn our evil and ungodly world around. 

Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, with sincere and heartfelt pleas for mercy and grace to guide us in these trying times. As one voice: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. 

Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems. Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems. 

Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’ 

And if we truly desire to see divine help, then we will truly turn from our evil ways and aspire to live in harmony with each other. Much LOVE!

…how can two walk together…unless they are agreed… (Amos 3:3) 

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   2 May 2023 James 2:8.

James 2:8.      If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well.

And isn’t it strange that on this Tuesday morning the second of May 2023, after celebrating Labour’s victories over the establishment down through the ages, that we’re still embroiled in one of the biggest labour battles and strikes, in Canada, that between the Federal Government and it’s hundred thousand plus public employees, a strike now moving into its second week. It’s affecting all the stuff that the Federal Government is responsible for, like visas and passports, food inspection, and even income tax. 

And by the way, yesterday was the last day for submitting your 2022 income tax filing without being hit with the onerous interest that the Revenue department charges on late filings. Hn! What a joke! Filing tax returns without anybody to deal with them! But the high possibility of earning interest from the government’s poorer base must not be negated. NO! And believe me, it is the poorest classes that do pay the majority of the Income Tax, since the government employees are either afraid to touch the rich and powerful, or that class has a phalanx of lawyers at the ready to dispute any tax arguments, and thus avoid paying their fair share. 

And, in a way, I’m glad that the Tax department people are feeling the heat now, because they are the worst people to deal with, for they don’t give an inch, are always eager to get their pound of flesh from the ones least able to pay it. They are worse than the bad-mouthed moneylenders. I can tell from hard experience that as soon as you can’t pay their exorbitant demands, they are quick to threaten to garnishee your wages and sell your house for the few dollars you supposedly owe them. 

But what else is new eh? Nothing! For as Cousin Sol says so wisely in Ecclesiastes: ‘The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is nothing new under the sun.’ (Eccl. 1:9) Yes friends, the more powerful has always taken from the less powerful, and that’s the way it will be until Jesus returns and sets up His Millennial kingdom. No wonder this saying unfortunately exists and is gospel truth. ‘Man’s inhumanity to man, makes countless thousands mourn.’ 

None of God’s other creations behave in such a warlike and greedy manner towards each other as human beings do. And would you believe that we are supposedly God’s greatest creation! But I beg to differ, for in reality, we’ve become lower than the supposedly lowest with the inhumane and ungodly manner in which we react to each other. Why do you think the Father sent Jesus to die on the cross for us eh? So that our heinous sins could be forgiven and we could have a new start. 

And Jesus pleaded with all His heart to us, when He said: ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13:34-35) But have we taken Him seriously and tried to do His will. No way! Even supposed believers are amongst the most inhumane and ungodly in these evil and ungodly times! 

Now, to tell the truth, Jesus’ command there was not really new nuh, because as far back as Leviticus, Moses warned the wandering Israelite’s of God’s desire: ‘Thou shalt not avenge (take vengeance), nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.’ (Lev. 18:19) But we’d been doing the opposite thing for so long that Jesus realized that they had to be a new way for us to show others that we belong to Him, thus His commandment to LOVE each other, following His example of unconditional LOVE for us. 

And all through the Bible, the Good Library, that theme of LOVE for each other has been repeated time after time, because it’s the greatest attribute of our Triune God, and thus ought to be one that we show in spades. Please listen to a few of the verses we’re talking about nuh.  Bruh Paul wrote this to the church at Ephesus. ‘Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in LOVE, as Christ also hath LOVED us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour (aroma).’ (Eph. 5:1-2) 

Oh my people, Jesus gave His sinless life as a LOVING sacrifice for us. How can we do anything less than follow the example that He set us eh? Meanwhile to the Thessalonians, Bruh Paul wrote: ‘For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth (rejects), despiseth (rejects) not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit. But as touching (concerning) brotherly LOVE ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to LOVE one another.’ (1 Thess. 4:7-9) 

What else can I say eh friends? It’s God who teaches us to LOVE each other, and if we don’t listen to Him, whom then are we going to listen to? And James, Jesus’ brother, adds his two cents worth, when he writes to the believers. ‘Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich (to be rich) in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that LOVE him? 

But ye have despised (dishonoured) the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgement seats (into the courts)? Do they not blaspheme that worthy (noble) name by the which ye are called? If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well. But if ye have respect (show partiality) to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced (convicted) of the law as transgressors.’ (James 2:5-9) 

Yes my brethren, the royal law is to LOVE another as thyself, and we’re doing well, only if we are fulfilling it. And Peter rightly and wisely exhorts us: ‘Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned (sincere) LOVE of the brethren, see that ye LOVE one another with a pure heart fervently. Being born again not of corruptible (perishable) seed, but of incorruptible (imperishable), by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.’ (1 Pet. 1:22-23) 

And last but not least, John tells us in his first epistle: ‘He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that LOVETH his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of (no cause for) stumbling in him.’ (1 John 2:9-10) Ah mih people, what’s so difficult to understand in all those scriptures eh? The main purpose for us being on this earth is LOVE! God first LOVED us, and He expects and deeply desires that we would LOVE Him back, as well as to LOVE ourselves and our neighbours. That’s the ONLY way that our world will flourish the way He intended it to. 

And, for whatever it’s worth, the outcome is all in our hands now my brethren! So, for those who are doing our best to follow that royal law, lets’ go home declaring (awright!!!) our Tuesday Mantra letting all and sundry know to whom we belong, lock, stock and barrel. As one strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with my immediate neighbours, as well as with the whole wide world! Glory be!’ 

Now let’s go out and share that amazing LOVE and friendship of Christ with others, so that they too can come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…why is it so much easier for humans…to hate each other…than to LOVE each other… 

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Today’s Scrip-Bit   5 January 2023 Hebrews 10:23.

Hebrews 10:23.        Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Well, although my computer tells me it’s going to be above freezing again, and partly sunny, I have my doubts, because the day’s opened wet and cloudy and ugly. It’s been constant rain for the last couple of days. Makes you want to sing that old ditty; ‘Rain, rain, go away, and come back some other day.’ But you know what, although the last few days have been dark and ugly, once we have Jesus dwelling in us, everything seems beautiful! That’s the awesome reaction His presence gives us. We can just go about singing and dancing and giving thanks and praise despite our prevailing circumstances. 

Awright, so that might be laying it on a bit too thick, (smile) we do have concerns, and every day is not a walk in the park, but when we hold on tightly to Jesus, we do have peace, our hearts are lightened and our souls gush with joy, simply because He’s with us. The One who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, The Lord of Lords and King of Kings, Mighty Warrior, Wonderful Counsellor, The Prince of Peace, who’s kingdom shall never end. The One who’s name is above every other, that all knees must bow to and acknowledge God’s glory in and through Him! 

Wow! Can One body really be all those wonderful things? Oh Yes! Our Jesus can…and He is, because He is the Son of God, our Lord and Saviour: the One who sacrificed His sinless life for us on the cross of Calvary, so that our sins could be forgiven, and we be reconciled to God the Father. The One who’s blood flowed from His side, His hands, His feet and washed our sins clean, washed them white as snow. How could He not be our ALL in ALL eh? Especially now that He’s also our High Priest and heavenly Intercessor, sitting at the right hand of the Father pleading our cases, being able to empathize with our earthly problems because He too experienced them while here on earth. 

That’s possibly one of the greatest reasons why we can place our trust in Jesus; He understands from personal experience! As the author of Hebrews puts it so elegantly: ‘Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into (through) the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched (sympathize) with the feeling of our infirmities (our weaknesses); but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.’ (Heb. 4:14-16) 

Oh my fellow believers, that says it all! Or, you might say it puts the icing on the cake! (smile) For there’s no better place to seek help than in one who’s already experienced our kind of problems. When we are sick, we go a doctor; to build a house, to a carpenter; to fix our teeth, to a dentist, to help us with prayer, to a pastor, because they are more informed and experienced in those fields. We won’t go to a pastor to help us build our house, or a carpenter to help us when we’re sick. 

However, the beauty of Jesus is that He’s experienced in EVERYTHING! That’s why He should always be the FIRST ONE we go to when we encounter problems, and not the last, like so many of us supposed believers do. He might send us to other mortals for help, but His ear, through sincere prayer, should be the first one to hear of our predicament, or our praise and thanksgiving. And yuh know what amuses, surprises but mostly saddens me, is that we talk so much about Jesus and all the marvellous things He is, has done and can do, but we don’t truly believe them, otherwise we’d revere and worship Him so much more, place every trust in Him, surrender our lives to Him without a doubt in our souls. 

It’s all a lot of blarney, deceptive and misleading talk, because we don’t live out our faith, we don’t hold fast to our profession (confession) of faith like the author of Hebrews advised in that passage above. But that holding fast to our faith is the most important thing we possess, for without our faith we are lost, lost in the darkness and doubt of this evil and ungodly world 

And the author of Hebrews revisits the problem in greater detail later on in his writings, where he admonishes: ‘Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke (stir up) unto LOVE and to good works. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.’ (Heb. 10:23-25) 

And believe me my brethren, that day is fast approaching, the signs are there, and can, or rather, will come upon us like a thief in the night, unexpectedly, so we had better be ready. And that can only happen if we get serious about our faith in Christ Jesus and do the things we know we ought to do; like prayer, praise, thanksgiving, assembling with each other in holy fellowship, encouraging each other, and above all, LOVING each other like Jesus LOVED us. 

And that’s not merely my admonishment, but His. His own words were: ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13:34-35) The question now my fellow saints is whether or not the world, the unbeliever recognizes us as disciples of Christ? And the general consensus is NO! Because we do not LOVE each other as Jesus LOVED us! 

Can we call what’s happening in Christ’s church LOVE? All the petty bickering, backbiting, resentment, cliques, false teaching, divisions and scandalous behaviour that’s corrupted it, is not LOVE by any stretch of the imagination. His satanic majesty is overjoyed when he looks at the church and sees it so weak and ineffective. He knows then that he has divided and conquered it. But not forever, if we faithful are willing to get serious, to rise up, put on God’s armour and fight tooth and nail to save it. 

And please don’t say we can’t, for remember with Jesus in and with us, everything is possible; we just have to believe and live out that belief. And our God is so wonderful and generous that He’s bestowed many powerful blessings on us, blessings we don’t deserve but are needed to fight the good fight. We call them our Thursday Blessings. So let’s activate them now by sincerely declaring (yesss!!!) them. 

Altogether now: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

Now, having activated those blessings, let’s go out and use them nuh, put them to work, as the Lord desires, as we fight the good fight in Jesus’ name! Much LOVE!

…2023 must be the year Christ’s church…like the phoenix…triumphantly rises from its ashes…and once again…makes a worthwhile difference… 

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