Titus 3:8: This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly; that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
And then it was Thursday! Yes Friends, another heaven-sent day loaded with new mercies and blessings for God’s people is in the offing! Wow! What a most magnanimous and merciful God we serve! There’s none other like Him in the entire universe!
And all God’s people declared a mighty: ‘Glory Hallelujah! Praise His Holy Name, for He is indeed worthy to be praised!’ Yes my brethren, our great God Jehovah is most definitely worthy of all the thanks and praise we can give Him!
Unfortunately though, I don’t believe we give Him enough glory. We keep wanting and requiring from Him, but our giving to Him is sadly lacking. Please let’s start turning that around now nuh. If you think we get plenty blessings now, you wouldn’t believe what’s in store, if we truly give Him the reverence and praise He deserves.
And since my hand is feeling fairly good, much better than I expected, I’ll give Him one big, ‘Thank You Lord for looking after me! I knew you wouldn’t do anything to stop me from spreading your Word, because that’s what you’ve anointed me to do. It’s not the greatest, but I can get the job done, that’s the important thing, with Your help of course. Amen.’
And now without further ado, let’s turn to our Bit. ‘This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly; that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.’
As promised my people, it’s the same as yesterday. But instead of putting forth our affirmations, as we did yesterday, today we’ll look at those Bruh Paul was referring to in his missive to Titus.
And in this chapter dealing with Christian citizenship, he strongly advises Titus to: ‘Put them in mind to be subject to principalities (rulers) and powers (authorities), to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work. To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers (not contentious), but gentle, showing all meekness unto all men.’ (Titus 3:1-2)
Yes my people, those are just some of the things we should do as true believers in Jesus Christ! We ought to obey authority, because it originates from God Himself. In fact we should always be ready to do whatever good work is requested of us. Neither should we be gossipmongers, or given to strife and contentiousness, but be kind and LOVING to all, just as Jesus, our leader was in His earthly sojourn.
It’s not easy to live like that in this fallen, sinful world, but as believers, it’s our duty to attain to that lifestyle. And as we all know, our gracious God won’t ask us to do something without giving us the necessary tools to accomplish it. So we just have to be steadfast and press ahead towards the mark, the calling of Christ.
Then Bruh Paul continues, giving us the basis of our Christian ethic. ‘For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.’ (Titus 3:3)
Wow Friends! Can you imagine living like that? But that’s exactly how we were living until the Lord had compassion on us. ‘But after that the kindness and LOVE of God our Saviour toward man appeared.’ (Titus 3:4)
And all God’s people gave a heartfelt shout of ‘Praise the Lord for His kindness to the undeserving children of men!’
Yes my brethren, the Lord God Jehovah really and truly deserves our eternal thanks and praise, as we said at the beginning. But for some unknown reason(s) we seem to be very reluctant to do so, or do it very grudgingly, as though we were entitled to God’s grace and mercy, or we’re doing something great for God by giving Him the little thanks we offer.
But make no mistake Friends, it’s we, you and I, who are receiving the goodness and LOVING-kindness that we’re not entitled to, and neither are we receiving our just deserts for our sinful behaviour. So please let’s get off our high horse and stop thinking that we’re doing God a favour by worshipping and serving Him. Let’s get the right perspective; it’s Him that’s doing us the favours we don’t deserve!
For as Bruh Paul so rightly continues to inform Titus: ‘Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed (poured out) on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace (declared righteous), we should be made heirs according to the hope (the strong confidence) of eternal life.’ (Titus 3:5-7)
Ah mih breddren, yuh see what the kindness and LOVE of God did for us! Hn! Before Christ’s sacrifice of LOVE, we were hateful and sinful, but through the shedding of His blood and God’s awesome mercy, we were cleansed, made whole, redeemed, sanctified, made right with God, so much so that we became rightful heirs of God with Christ.
And Friends, to end, I want to drive home the point that it was not by any good works of ours, that we were and are saved, as Bruh Paul points out, but by the LOVE, the Mercy, the Kindness, the Compassion and the Forgiving Nature of a most magnanimous, magnificent and omnipotent God, who created us and did not want to see His most wonderful creation end up in death and damnation with the foolish, fallen angel, the prince of darkness, Lucifer.
Please let’s get that straight, for until we do, we’ll never give God the true honour and glory He deserves. Much LOVE!
…before we can truly LOVE Jesus…we must truly understand what He did for us…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 17 June 2013 Psalm 116:9
17 Jun 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a blaze of glory, a brand new life, affirmations, aura of love, blessings and mercies, broken promises, Christ is risen, christian heritage, compassion, cup of salvation, faithful promise, fakes, Father's Day, fellow believers, glorious kingdom, God's faithfulness, hangovers, holy spirit, humble servants, hypocrites, I believed, I have spoken, invincible, jobs, joy in heaven, lies, living by faith, Monday Battle Hymn, one body of Christ, petty grievances, Praise the Lord, proper perspective, rejuvenation of spirit, sacrifice of thanksgiving, sacrificial death, selfless act, sinful souls, steadfast faith, sure conquerors, the goodness of God, the land of the living, throes of death, walk before God, weary souls, wicked taunts
Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 June 2013 1 John 4:8
09 Jun 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a little bit of LOVE, allegiance, Alpha and Omega, anger, best thing, charity begins at home, Christ's Church, christianity, compassion, crux of the matter, decency, Emmanuel, entertaining angels, escalation of ongoing wars, evils of the world, exceeding abundantly, forgiveness, God is LOVE, greed, hatred, high priest, hypocrites, Jesus Christ, let your light shine, LOVE, LOVE in action, LOVE one another, LOVE Revolution, mercy, praise and thanksgiving, pride, prince of peace, propitiation for our sins, right heart, rumours of wars, sacrifical blood, sacrifice, salt of the earth, show Love, sppression, standards of excellence, strife, substantial change, suppression, the world's going to the dogs, thoughtfulness, treat strangers decently, true christianity, undeniable truth, walk the talk
1 John 4:8. He that LOVETH not knoweth not God; for God is LOVE!
Oh Friends, family, neighbours and enemies, this is Sunday, the day when many of us go to church to worship God! But that doesn’t seem to be helping us nuh, because our world is still going to the dogs, and very quickly too.
Obviously one day a week is just not sufficient for us to pour out praise and thanksgiving, for every day there’s more talk about the escalation of ongoing wars and rumours of new wars starting up. There’s plenty of strife, anger, hatred, greed, pride, persecution, suppression, oppression and all the other negative things – but NO LOVE!
And that’s just unacceptable my people. Our world needs a LOVE Revolution in the worst way! My brethren we need one bad, bad, bad – and right now too! And the sad part is that it won’t take much LOVE to straighten out most of the problems nuh. But unfortunately we can’t seem to find any true LOVE at all.
Remember what B.J. Thomas says in his song? ‘A little bit of LOVE is better than no LOVE at all.’ So all we’re looking for to start us out on the right foot Friends is just a l’il bit o’ LOVE. And we’d be surprised at the substantial change that just a l’il LOVE would make. But for some reason we can’t seem to get around to that, however we do seem to find the time and effort to revel in the inappropriate evils of the world.
Oh my people, yuh see what our Bit says: ‘He that LOVETH not knoweth not God; for God is LOVE!’ And that’s the undeniable truth!
So if, as we claim, we believe in God, then we ought to have LOVE for God and also for each other. And not only have LOVE, but more importantly SHOW it! My family will tell you that one thing I’ve always tried to drill into their heads is that you just can’t talk LOVE, you have to SHOW it, because just talking it does no good to the hearer, they need to feel it too, for true Christianity is simply LOVE in action.
That’s why unbelievers view us as a bunch of hypocrites, because we only talk the talk, but don’t walk it. Just look at how Jesus showed His LOVE for us nuh; by selflessly sacrificing His sinless life for our sinful ones.
The Good Book describes it thus: ‘In this was manifested the LOVE of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is LOVE, not that we LOVED God, but that he LOVED us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.’ (1 John 4:9-10)
And if that’s not real true LOVE Friends, then I don’t know what is.
And hear this next verse nuh mih people. ‘Beloved, if God so LOVED us, we ought to LOVE one another.’ (1 John 4:11) And therein lies the crux of the matter my brethren. Too many of us out there in the world, in the body of Christ’s church claim to LOVE, but sadly, we don’t show it.
And here’s what the scripture says about that: ‘If a man say, I LOVE God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that LOVETH not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he LOVE God, whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who LOVETH God LOVE his brother also.’ (1 John 4:20-21)
And yuh know what my people, Jesus isn’t asking us to die for anybody, although that could be a very LOVING and Christian thing to do. All He’s asking of us is a l’il thoughtfulness, a l’il caring, a l’il decency, a l’il compassion, a l’il mercy and a l’il forgiveness, which, when all put together, equals a L’IL LOVE!
Oh my fellow believers, what’s so hard about that eh? And it doesn’t even have to be anybody outside, although it’s good to treat strangers decently, for unawares we might just be entertaining angels. (Heb.13:2) But we can begin right in our own family, for as the old people were won’t to say, ‘Charity begins at home.’
And that is the gospel truth! For if you can’t LOVE the people closest to you, how can you LOVE somebody you don’t know anything about, although it’s quite possible in true Christianity.
So my brethren, what do you all have to say about all that eh? Are we going to do this LOVE Revolution thing?
I vote very vociferously that we should, because it’s a perfect win-win situation. We have absolutely nothing to lose, and absolutely everything to gain. So come on nuh, please join with me, starting today, in fact RIGHT NOW, let’s pledge our LOVE and allegiance to the LOVE Revolution in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, Prince of Peace, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Alpha and Omega, our Emmanuel, our Advocate, and don’t forget our High Priest… Wow!
So let me put it to you this way then mih people; if a man with all those awesome and amazing titles – and I’m sure I’ve left out some – gives up His innocent life for your evil one, then plays all those rather important roles in your life, why wouldn’t you want to associate with Him eh? Especially if when you associate with Him from a right and decent heart and motive, He will lift you up, exalt you more that you can ever expect or imagine. The Bible terms it: ‘unto him that can do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.’ (Eph.3:20)
Oh Mama Mia! How could I not want to be a part of all that nuh! No way José! I want to get in on the ground floor of that LOVE Revolution, because it’s the BEST THING this world has to offer!
So let’s say this pledge together nuh Friends. ‘Oh Jesus, today I pledge my allegiance to You and Your LOVE Revolution! I promise to do my very best to work towards the high standards of excellence you seek for those who desire to join your movement. Please help us to fulfil all your desire. We pray this in Your Name and on Your sacrificial blood. Amen.’
So we’re all official members of the LOVE Rev. Club now people! (smile) Therefore, let’s go out into the world and let our light shine, be the salt of the earth, show them what real LOVE is all about, what Jesus is truly about, by helping and serving those in need. For that was Jesus’ purpose here on earth; to serve, not to be served. And we’d do Him proud by continuing in that same humble and righteous vein.
So let’s glorify Him by both walking and talking the Christian talk. And all God’s people cried a loud ‘Amen!’ Much, much LOVE mih breddren!
…if God is LOVE…and shows LOVE…then God’s children should be LOVE…and show LOVE too…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 June 2013 Psalm 61:3
01 Jun 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: arms of Almighty God, calming influence, Christ-like, christianity, compassion, Daily Bread Devotional, desires, eternal life, fears, foregivenss, fruits of the Spirit, goals, God exists, God of my rock, hypocrites, just my imagination, knowing God, lead me to the rock, LOVE, meditate on God's Word, mercy, my refuge, my Saviour, New Year's resolution, patience, perception, Pharisees, problems, psalm 61, shelter, Song of Deliverance, spirituality, strong tower, stronghold, talking to God, the righteous run to God, times of trouble, tribulations, trust in God, wisdom
Psalm 61:3. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.
Ah Friends, May has quietly segued into June. Wow! I don’t know if it’s just my perception, but to me the months of this year are going by rather quickly. Anyway, even if it’s just my imagination, it’s time once again to check up on our sole New Year’s Resolution; drawing closer to Jesus.
Have we advanced any, daily becoming more like Him, showing greater LOVE, patience, mercy, forgiveness, wisdom, compassion, and all the other fruits of the Spirit that we’re supposed to bear and share? I sure hope so.
But as I reason, if we’re truly serious about becoming more Christ-like, then it’s much easier to check our progress every month and make the necessary corrections, than doing so on a yearly basis. So please, let’s take some quiet time, today or tomorrow, and review our progress. We’ll be amazed at what we’ll find.
Now I know that some of you read the Daily Bread Devotional, but I wonder how many read the last page of the May offering? Not that dated May 31, but the page after that. Well whether you did or not, I’d like to share some awesome wisdom that’s printed there, some that we should all thoroughly consider, accept and believe.
They claim that knowing whether God exists is important, but that actually knowing God is even more important. And I wholeheartedly agree. They quote a rather interesting passage by the theologian, J.I Packer.
‘What were we made for? To know God. What aim should we have in life? To know God. What is the eternal life that Jesus gives? To know God. What in man gives God most pleasure? Knowledge of Himself.’
Yes Friends, all that we are, have and were meant to be, begins and ends with knowing God; the One who created us and provides for us, both here on earth and in heaven. And our Bit today highlights the great importance of truly knowing God.
Psalm 61, from which it’s taken is sub-titled, ‘Lead me to a rock that is higher than I.’ And that’s exactly what our God is, my brethren; a rock that is much higher, more secure and much more powerful than us!
And Bruh David appropriately begins it: ‘Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.’ (Ps.61:1-2)
Yes Friends, in his time of trouble Bruh David runs to that powerful, secure and calming influence; the ever open and waiting arms of Almighty God! And I can testify that there’s no better place to run when the enemy approaches. Now why is that?
Bruh David gives us the reason in our Bit: ‘For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.’
There’s method to Bruh David’s madness Friends, and also to mine. (smile) From earlier experiences he knows that God will protect him in times of tribulation. In other words, he knows God. Their relationship is such that he can call on Him at any time, in regards to any matter, and He will hear and answer Him.
Consequently, he can unhesitatingly proclaim: ‘I will abide in thy tabernacle (tent) for ever: I will trust in the covert (shelter) of thy wings. Selah. For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.’ (Ps.61:4-5)
Oh my brethren, do we know God so well, that we can sincerely say those things? I surely hope so, because if we don’t, then crapaud smoke we pipe, things really bad with us. Remember, as we said earlier on, our whole existence is about knowing God. But that can only happen when we constantly seek Him, consistently read and meditate on His Word, and converse with Him in prayer.
And note, prayer is simply talking to God, opening our hearts to Him, telling Him our problems, our goals, desires and fears, and asking for His potent and wise help in becoming like His wonderful Son Jesus Christ. He doesn’t need all the ceremony; the bowing and scraping and prostrating ourselves, for outward show doesn’t matter to Him. What matters most to God is the state of our hearts, spirits and motives, whether we’re sincere or not.
So please let’s not behave like the hypocrite Pharisees and them, whom Jesus detested for their outward show and self-righteous acts. Our God wants us to come to Him humbly, but confidently, and lay all our cards on the table, not holding back anything, for it’s not a poker game, where we have to hide our true feelings.
And Cousin Sol backs that up admirably with this scripture from Proverbs 18. ‘The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe (set on high).’ (Prov.18:10)
Yes Friends, as the scholars explain: ‘The righteous find protection in the Lord.’ And that’s the gospel truth!
Now let’s end with some more powerful words from Bruh David on the subject. This comes from his Song of Deliverance, when the Lord finally gave him rest from all his enemies, including Saul. The Song is found in 2 Samuel 22, Psalm 18 is the edited version.
Listen closely: ‘And he said, The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; The God of my rock: in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn (strength) of my salvation, my high tower (stronghold), and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence. I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.’ (2 Sam.22:2-4)
Oh my people, such is the confidence that our God builds in us when we consistently walk with Him! And anyone who doesn’t want that confidence in a rock and refuge that’s higher than them, then something’s seriously wrong.
All I know is that I’m going to seek Him and His kingdom first and foremost, put all my eggs in His safe basket, because I am sure of His LOVE, STRENGTH, MERCY, FORGIVENESS AND PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE!
And I encourage you to do the same, because it is truly wisdom at its highest level. Much LOVE!
…as for me and mine…we’ll follow Jesus…even to the ends of the universe…no doubt about it…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 April 2013 Psalm 97:11
25 Apr 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: alone with God, blessings, compassion, complaining, faithful promises, fear, fellow believers, gladness, glorious day, good life, goodness and mercy, gracious, grateful, grateful praise, jehovah god, Jesus Christ, let your light shine, light, light of the world, light shining, loving kindness, new mercies, peace, petty stuff, Praise the Lord, prayer, showered down, steadfast, thanks and praise, the light's that Jesus, the righteous, the true light, the upright in heart, wonderful god
Psalm 97:11. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.
Oh fellow believers in Jesus Christ, another wonderful day of life is in the offing! What with new mercies and blessings being showered down on the people of Jehovah God, and the faithful promises He’s made us, there’s no reason why every day couldn’t be a glorious day. And all God’s people said a loud and grateful, ‘Praise the Lord!’ Yes Friends, I think we should do a lot more praising and a lot less complaining than we do, simply because we have it so good, compared to most of the world. However, we’ve gotten so comfortable and accustomed to the good life, that if we break a fingernail, we cry out in pain and complain. The Lord expects us to put up with the simple stuff though. Just look at what Jesus bore without complaining eh. Now that should make us feel bad when we complain about minor, petty stuff. So please let’s stop with the endless complaining when we have it so good. Instead, let’s give more praise and thanks for all the goodness and mercy our wonderful God has showered, is showering, and will shower down on us. And on that note, I’ll ask, have you given Him thanks and praise as yet, for allowing you to see another new day? Well that’s the first thing we ought to do when we arise each morning, for the Lord delights in the thanks and praise of those who benefit from His largesse and LOVING-kindness. That’s why our Bit today so wisely declares: ‘Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.’ And that’s an undeniable fact Friends! When our hearts are right, we shine with the glory of God, like Moses when he came down from Mt. Sinai bearing the two stone tablets that held the Ten Commandments. His face shone so brightly that Aaron and the people were afraid to come close and look upon him, and he put on a veil to talk to them. (Ex.34:27-35) And according to the scholars: ‘From that time onward the veil became part of his ordinary dress. Only two occasions were exceptions. (1) When he was alone with God, and (2) when he had a message for the people from God.’ It’s also interesting to note that when Job’s friends lambasted him, they too referred to his life bearing light if he repented and sought righteousness. Listen to Zophar. ‘For then thou shalt lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be steadfast, and shall not fear: because thou shalt forget thy misery and remember it as waters that pass away; and thine age (life) shall be clearer (brighter) than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.’ (Job.11:15-17) Now hear Eliphaz. ‘Acquaint now thyself with him (God), and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee. Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows. Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.’ (Job 22:21, 27-28) Yes my brethren, light is indeed a big part of the Christian’s walk with God. It was important in the Old Testament and Jesus made it even more so. He spoke a lot about light and darkness. Remember that all important statement He made about us? ‘Ye are the light of the world.’ (Matt.5:14a) He was also characterized as the light shining in the darkness of this evil world. John referred to Him as ‘the True Light.’ (John 1:9) Jesus also portrayed Himself as light; ‘that true light is come into the world.’ (John 3:19) ‘Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light.’ (John 12:35-36) So there’s no denying that light is closely associated with belief in Jesus. All God’s dealings are done in light and not darkness, because He has nothing to hide, plus the light is a refreshing change from the darkness of evil where underhanded deeds are done and hidden from the light of truth. Therefore all God’s children affairs should also be done in, or be able to withstand the light, exposed to the truth, for only lies, rebellion and deceit need the cover of darkness. For as Cousin Sol so wisely points out. ‘But the path of the just is as the shining (bright) light, that shineth more and more (ever brighter) unto the perfect day.’ (Prov.4:18) So all in all Friends, we need light in both the metaphorical and physical worlds, for without either, we can’t find our way in the darkness, making us very liable to stumble and fall in both situations. Consequently, our words and deeds should be above board, capable of setting worthy examples for both the believer and unbeliever to follow. As the psalmist so rightly declares in Psalm 112 – Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. ‘Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.’ (Ps.112:4) Oh my brethren, as followers of Jesus, and therefore children of light, please let’s go out today and in all our endeavours, endeavour to be gracious, righteous and full of compassion, so that we may further the righteous and glorious kingdom of God, as we are expected to do. That’s the epitome of wisdom! Much LOVE!…don’t hide your light under a bushel…set it at the top of the hill…so that all the world can see…and be gloriously reflected in that light…the light that’s Jesus…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 April 2013 1 Corinthians 1:22
16 Apr 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: ambassadors of Christ, Christ, Comforter, compassion, delightful praise, embrace Jesus, eternal life, forgiveness, friend, Good Book, good cheer, Greeks, Guide, guilt, Helper, incredilbe journey, Jesus our everything, Jesus the only answer, Jews, lifeblood, Lord, LOVE, manifesto. the power of Jesus' name, mercy, peace, pilgrim, rejoice and be glad, religion, require a sign, rewards, salvation, saviour, seek wisdom, tenderness, today, tomorrow, undeniable truth, understanding, ungodly world
1 Corinthians 1:22. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom.
Oh Friends, as it was ordained from the very beginning of time, yesterday has passed away into history, the future, tomorrow, has not yet arrived, but thankfully, the gift of today, the present time is here! And all God’s people said a loud and delightful ‘Praise the Lord!’ So please, let’s use today wisely, because that’s all we have. As the psalmist so rightly declared: ‘This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!’ (Ps.118:24) And the people shouted a loud and thankful ‘Amen!’ Yes Friends, today is all we have, so let’s concentrate fully on it nuh. Yesterday’s done gone, and as Jesus said, tomorrow will take care of itself. (Matt.6:34) And I have an interesting quote to share, one that’s attributed to Dr. Samuel Shoemaker, a prominent American churchman. He proudly declares: ‘Religion can never be the answer to human problems. All of the religions of the world are inadequate. Christ alone is the answer. Christ alone understands. Christ alone forgives. Christ alone eliminates your guilt. Christ alone saves and then assures you that you are God’s child and the most wonderful person possible! Christ alone fills the human heart with LOVE – joy – peace – self-confidence. No wonder a genuine Christian LOVES himself.’ And if that isn’t the undeniable truth, my Friends, then I don’t know what is! For Jesus is indeed our everything; our be all and end all. In Him we find our purpose, our strength, our joy, and help to bear our sorrow. He is truly the very lifeblood of our lives. And I’m so sorry for those of us humans who don’t know, realize and recognize Him for what He is, because they’re missing such an incredible, interesting journey as a pilgrim following in Christ’s footsteps. As I keep saying my people, working for Jesus is often very difficult, but I can guarantee you, from personal experience, that it’s mightily interesting, much more interesting and lasting than anything the world has to offer. And oh my brethren, the rewards…the rewards are just to die for! (smile) The faithful promise of salvation and eternal life with Jesus in the hereafter, are way way more interesting and worthwhile than anything this evil, sinful, ungodly world has to offer. And what I don’t understand about human nature is that they’re willing to try every little nonsense, like diets and other fads that the greedy, deceitful world puts out, wasting time, effort and money on them, but they’re not prepared to spend one moment with Jesus. Jesus, whose manifesto is plainly stated in the Good Book, and has been proven to be undeniably true down through the ages. In addition, Jesus is the most generous and faithful leader there’s ever been, or will ever be! So why do people refuse to get to know Him? Why at the name of Jesus do so many people become angry, fearful and refuse to listen to what He has to say? Why eh? No other name in history has ever provoked such a reaction, and still does to this day. There must obviously be great power in the name of Jesus, else why would people react to it so fearfully, so violently and so negatively. There’s no such reaction to other names like Satan, Allah, Buddha, and the multiple other supposed gods and idols humans worship. Our wonderful Lord and Saviour certainly strikes fear in the heart of the heathen. But to those of us who truly know Him, it’s only LOVE, tenderness, mercy, forgiveness, compassion and those kinds of positive emotions that He conjures up in our hearts, minds, souls and bodies. That’s because those are the attributes for which He is truly renowned. Peace, LOVE and Good Cheer was, is, and always will be His mantra! So why people get so confused and discombobulated over His name certainly boggles my mind. Instead of running to His always opened and inviting arms, they run away instead. How foolish! And I can personally testify to the ‘wonderfulness’ of Jesus! Our vocabulary is so inadequate, I can’t find a better or more appropriate word to describe Him. Anyway, I was testifying – testifying that this very morning, I came down here, not feeling too hot, or knowing what I was going to write, except for Dr. Shoemaker’s quote, but before I could even sit down and contemplate the situation, He engineered the thoughts in my mind and brought them to fruition in the words you’re reading. To tell the truth, I haven’t even had a chance to open the Good Book yet and look for a Bit. So why would I ever turn away from, and denigrate such a kind, thoughtful, gentle and generous leader eh? Not on yuh life, mih breddren! It simply doesn’t make sense, and it’s being proven everyday, especially in these fearful and troubled times. Just look at the nonsense yesterday, with the bombs exploding in and around the Boston Marathon. Ah Lord eh! Followers of Jesus would never do such a thing! Oh Friends, let’s tell the world nuh, let’s show them their dreadful mistake in not embracing Jesus and all the wonderful stuff He has to offer! They quickly embrace all the man made nonsense, but shy away from the One, True, Faithful Helper, Comforter, Friend, Guide and Saviour that’s available to us. They’ve tried everything else and failed. Let’s convince them that it’s time to try Jesus. I’m sure that once they’ve sincerely tried Him, and seen what He’s really all about, the blessings, mercy, forgiveness, the overall LOVING-kindness, so generously bolstered by the wonders of salvation and eternal life, they’ll never go back to worshipping the other non-gods they once worshipped. However Friends, the one big impediment to getting that done, lies with us, His followers. We don’t sincerely live the life that Jesus wants us to live, we’re too often hypocritical, which obviously turns off the non-believer. We talk a good talk, but fail miserably in walking that talk. Just look at all the divisions and petty dissension that permeates the church of Jesus. How could that ever draw unbelievers to Him eh? Oh my brethren, for Jesus’ sake, as well as ours and our children’s, let’s seriously try and improve the image we hold amongst the heathen nuh. Remember, it’s Jesus’ name and image we’re hurting and bringing shame and negative press to, which then holds back the progress of His earthly church and glorious, righteous kingdom, which we’re supposed to be promoting. Remember we’re His ambassadors. But we’re certainly not doing our ambassadorial job to the best of our ability, not to the standard of excellence that Jesus expects. So how can we expect His Name, His Word and His Church to prosper eh? Ah mih people, how sad it is that we’re not doing a better job for Jesus. And I just got a divine zeppo (smile) to stop here and look for a Bit, as time and space are running out. So soon come. Oh Friends, I found it, I found it! I found and appropriate Bit – in exactly three minutes! It’s so amazing that when the Lord gives you a task, He also enables you to perform it! Glory Hallelujah! Now here’s our Bit for today: ‘For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom.’ And that still holds true for a lot of people today. However, as Bruh Paul so wisely continues to the Corinthians: ‘But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling bloc, and unto the Greeks foolishness: But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.’ (1 Cor.1:23-25) That says it all in spades my brethren! Please embrace Jesus in wisdom and in truth, for He’s the ONLY ANSWER! Much LOVE!…but as for me and mine…we’ll certainly follow Jesus…regardless of what it takes…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 April 2013 Matthew 22:21
08 Apr 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: aura of love, body of Christ, church harmony, compassion, confidence, Creator of the universe, disunity of churches, enthusiasm, eternal truth, forgiveness, glorious kingdom, glory hallelujah, God's children, holy spirit, humble servants, Jesus Christ, jobs, LOVE, mercy, Monday Morning Battle Hymn, praise, raging sea, rejuvenation of spirit, renewed vitality, risen Lord, sacrifice, saviour jesus, steadfast faith, storms, temple of God, thanksgiving, the anchor holds, the things of Caesar, the things of God
Matthew 22:21. They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.
Oh Friends, hear this eternal truth nuh, on this second Monday morning of Easter, from one of my favourite songs which I heard yesterday. It says: ‘The anchor holds, though my ship is battered. The anchor holds, though my sails are torn. I’m down on my knees, although I face the raging sea. And yet the anchor holds, in spite of the storm.’ Oh my people, when Jesus is the anchor of our lives, though we are battered and torn, we can still stand strong, even down on our knees, because Jesus has us securely anchored in His LOVE, mercy, forgiveness, compassion and strength. And all God’s children gave a mighty shout of joy: ‘Glory Hallelujah! All strength and power and majesty belong to our risen Lord and Saviour, Jesus!’ So my brethren, even though you don’t feel like getting up and going to work this Monday morning, please remember that Jesus is still with you in that storm of tiredness, laziness, or just plain uninterested and unmotivated mood. And if we turn to Him in sincere faith, then He will indeed anchor us, keep us steadfast and strong while we go through those storms, and help us safely work our way back to shore. Now let’s use our motivational tool, our Monday Morning Battle Hymn to get our motors running. As one loud, sweet, harmonious voice now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together. We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’ Awright mih people! That was great! The Lord even gave Jesus a high-five for it, and the heavenly hosts cried out for an encore! Wow! We certainly look like we’re in a battling mood this Monday morning. So let’s get out there into the evil world and battle for Jesus, but also be careful to do what He advises in our Bit. ‘They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render (pay) therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.’ And today we’ll look at some scriptures dealing with the last part; ‘and give unto God the things that are God’s,’ focussing on the writings of Bruh Paul. We’ll begin with when the Corinthians were arguing amongst themselves as to whom they belonged; Bruh Paul, Apollos or Cephas, because they all had a hand in their teaching. Bruh Paul pulls them up, by telling them that Jesus is the only foundation. ‘For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.’ (1 Cor.3:11) Then he gets more explicit. ‘Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?’ (I Cor.3:16) The temple here does not mean the individual believers, but the local church. ‘Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come: all are yours. And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.’ (1 Cor.3:21-23) Hear the scholars: ‘For all things are yours: The one who belongs to Christ is a child of God, and his Father will do anything for him. The absurdity of their division over allegiances to any of these men is that God gave them “all” to the Corinthians.’ That means we belong to no one else but God. Unfortunately though, today there are still many who seem to hold allegiance to men in the church rather than to God, thus another reason for the disunity of the church. Meanwhile, in chapter 6, Bruh Paul berates them. ‘What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.’ (1 Cor.6:19-20) This time he’s telling them that their bodies are also temples of God, bought and paid for by the sacrificial blood of Christ on Calvary’s cross, and that fact should be of supreme importance to all men. Then in chapter 12, he puts it all together. ‘Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular (individually).’ (1 Cor.12:27) The scholars have this interesting explanation. ‘The church in the New Testament is called the “body of Christ,” and reflects the spiritual organism of the whole church on earth. When the local church is called the body of Christ, the spiritual aspect is emphasized. Illustration: As the church is considered to be the body, so individual members are seen as parts of the body. For any church to function properly, every member must do his or her part in a harmonious spirit of cooperation with the other members. Had the church at Corinth learned that lesson, many of their problems could have been solved. Application: When Christians disrupt the harmony of a church, they bring reproach on the body of Christ. (Matt.16:18; 1 Cor.12:27).’ Sadly Friends, all the negativity of the Corinthians back then, still applies to the modern church, thus making it very difficult for the body of Christ to move ahead and prosper. And finally, in pleading for separation from unbelievers, Bruh Paul tells the Corinthians in his second missive. ‘And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.’ (2 Cor.6:16) Yes Friends, though everything technically belongs to God, His biggest concerns are His earthly temples; the body of the church, and the bodies of the individuals who make up that church. So please, let’s not defile either, but offer them up with praise, sacrifice and thanksgiving, as becomes true followers of Christ. That’s wisdom for the ages. Much LOVE!… honouring God…is more important than honouring men…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 March 2013 Job 16:1-2
03 Mar 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: afflictions, anger, bodies and souls, christianity, comfort, comforters, compassion, condemnation, consolation, dictates, dire need, direction, dust, empathy, gentleness, God's guidance, grief, guidelines, hearts minds, judgement, lambastes, LOVE, LOVING_kindness, positive effect, provoke, rebuke, relieve, reproach, resentment, seek God early, spirituality, straight and narrow path, strife, sufferation, tribulation
Job 16:1-2. Then Job answered and said, I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.
Oh Friends, another today is here! The question is how will we use it? Will we use it wisely, or unwisely? For all our sakes, I certainly hope we use it wisely, otherwise we’d be placing our selves, both our earthly and eternal lives, in serious jeopardy. And what does using today wisely mean, or entail eh? It simply means giving our hearts, minds, bodies and souls to God! Turning to Him for guidance and direction, each and every day of our lives, while attempting to walk the straight and narrow path that comply with His guidelines and dictates. So basically, using the day wisely, means allowing God to direct our footsteps. And the best way to do that is by seeking Him early in the morning, as soon as we get up, possibly before we even open our eyes, just be conscious that we’re awake. That gives the evil fool Lucifer less time to gang up on us and cause us to deviate from the straight and narrow before we’ve even begun the day. As the ole people would say, ‘take in front, before in front takes you.’ And you know it’s always best to read the directions on a package before using its contents, as well as know where you’re going before setting out on your journey. The same applies to starting our day. So Friends, let’s try and make it a habit of starting our day with God, as soon as possible after arising nuh. I guarantee that our days will turn out much better that way. Now turning to our Bit: ‘Then Job answered and said, I have heard many such things: miserable (troublesome) comforters are ye all.’ Oh my brethren, what a story is Job’s later life! He’s living as righteous and faithful as he can, then all of a sudden, for no apparent reason, he loses everything; his family, his health and his wealth. Unknown to Job, the Lord’s using him as a righteous example to Lucifer. And Job stays the course fairly well, obviously unhappy and confused, but not blaming or cursing God. But then, some days later, three of his buddies, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, who heard of his ‘sufferation’, show up together ‘to mourn with him and to comfort him.’ (Job 2:11) From what the Good Book says, Job must have been a real mess, because when his friends first saw him, they didn’t recognize him; ‘they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle (each tore off his robe), and sprinkled dust on their heads toward heaven. So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.’ (Job 2:12-13) Now that was real brotherly of them, and maybe they should just have kept their silence throughout their stay, because after that each one of them lambastes Job about why such a terrible disaster had befallen him. They all figure he’s committed some horrible sin, for which God has punished him. But Job knows that there’s no such horrible sin in his life. No wonder he’s astounded at the way his supposed friends lash out at him. Early on, he reproaches them by saying. ‘To him that is afflicted (despairing) pity (kindness) should be showed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty. My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away.’ (Job 6:14-15) Not only did Job’s friends berate him unfairly, his close relations had also forsaken him in his time of dire need. But that’s how it usually goes, although it’s not supposed to. Those who are suffering should be shown compassion and empathy, not dragged roughly across the coals, even though they may done something to bring the disaster on themselves. All that does is add to their afflictions and their sorrows. Then after our Bit, before complaining about God’s dealings with him, Job again rebukes his friends. ‘Shall vain (empty) words have an end? Or what emboldeneth (provokes) thee that thou answerest? I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul’s stead. I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head at you. But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of (comfort from) my lips should assuage (relieve) your grief.’ (Job 16:3-5) Now that’s the way it should be my brethren! Whatever we do, or say, should have a positive effect on those who are sorrowful, not increase their sorrow, as Job’s friends did to him with their harsh, unfeeling words. That’s like the unfair snap judgements many of us make in this unfair and judgemental world. We’re quick to jump down the throats of others and criticize them from mere outward appearances, without having any knowledge of the true situation. Remember Jesus said; ‘Judge (condemn) not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgement (condemnation) ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete (use), it shall be measured to you again.’ (Matt.7:1-2) That means we should not be condemning others, judging their inner motives, especially on prejudiced information, neither use ourselves as a standard for the judgement, because it’s by that same standard we’ll be judged. Obviously Job’s friends didn’t follow those rules. Anyway my fellow believers, I believe we’ve got the general picture here, and since time and space are running out on us, let’s end with some wise words of Bruh Paul to the Corinthians, on the topic of comfort that we all know, or should know, but don’t practice sufficiently. ‘Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.’ (2 Cor.1:3-4) Bruh Paul is talking about his afflictions, and how God comforts him, so that he can comfort others. Now that’s how it also ought to be with us, my people! So as of today, let’s try to show a truer Christian side to our criticism and judgement nuh. Don’t condemn, and if we need to correct, let’s do it with gentleness and kindness, in LOVE, as Jesus does, and would have us do. Much LOVE!…the beauty of correcting or comforting with LOVING-KINDNESS…is that it greatly reduces the possibility of anger, strife and resentment…and greatly increases the chances of true comfort and consolation…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 November 2012 1 Timothy 6:10
15 Nov 2012 Leave a comment
in Inspirational Living Tags: antidotes, compassion, corruption, covetousness, deceit, easy yoke, forgivness, fraud, grace, greed, hypocrisy, Jesus, light burden, material possessions, mercy, money, repentance, sorrows, straight and narrow way, ungodly activities
1 Timothy 6:10. For the LOVE of money is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Oh Friends, a beautiful Thursday morning is dawning out there! Praise the Lord! But according to the old nursery rhyme which we seem to be following this week, (smile) Thursday’s child has a far way to go. Unfortunately there is some truth to that, and not only for children born on a Thursday, but for all of us, regardless on what day of the week we were born. Our earthly journey can indeed be long in number of years, but thankfully, believers in Jesus have the wherewithal to withstand whatever comes against them in this life. And though Bruh Paul’s truthful declaration: ‘For all have sinned, and come (fallen) short of the glory of God;’ (Rom.3:23) involves us in ungodly activities, we, as followers of Jesus, also have the antidotes for that kind of behaviour. True repentance of sin that brings God’s generous forgiveness, with His mercy, grace and compassion, all help to lighten our heavy earthly loads. Not forgetting Jesus’ invitation for all who are heavy laden to come to Him and take His yoke, which is easy, and His burden which is light. (Matt.11:28-30) And to cap it all off, we also have the Holy Spirit that dwells within each believer, to give us wise and safe guidance and counsel along the straight and narrow way that we’re supposed to walk. Oh Friends, that’s why believers are called blessed! What with the new gifts our heavenly Father pours out on us each and every day, there’s no way for anybody to experience a better life on this earth than a true Christian. Unfortunately though, too many of us have repudiated the notion of God, or simply don’t believe in Him, and have chosen instead to go our own way, following the wide and winding path of this evil world. Consequently, we’ve lost all sight of and faith in God, foolishly turning to worldly idols like that spoken of in our Bit. ‘For the LOVE of money is the root of all (kinds of) evil; which while some coveted after (in their greediness), they have erred (strayed) from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.’ Oh my people, truer words have never been spoken! We just have to look at the mad rush nowadays to get money, either to hoard it, or to purchase material possessions. Money now seems to be the very lifeblood of our society and our world, and is thus causing a lot of evil stuff, a lot of grief and heartache. Fraud and corruption are possibly the biggest crimes going now, especially with the Internet spreading its dreaded tentacles far and wide. Almost everyday I get some e-mail about somebody wanting me to help them move oodles of money from somewhere to somewhere else, and if I, like a fool accept those grandiose promises from people I don’t know, I will only end up losing what little I have. But obviously some people are accepting them, otherwise they wouldn’t be persisting with the schemes. That just goes to show how greedy some of us are. Corruption is also rampant all over our world, from the highest position, right down to the lowest. Why? Because regardless of how much we have, we all still crave money, and/or the things that can be bought with it. But I’m here to remind us Friends, that money, or whatever it can buy is not the most important thing in our world. Serving and worshipping Almighty God with all our hearts, minds, bodies and souls is the NUMBER 1 commandment! Not running down money and earthly possessions. And until we begin seriously following that first commandment, our lives and our world will continue to be an ungodly mess. Sadly, money has been the source of negative actions from long ago, and today we’ll look at a perfect example found in the Good Book. During the early days of the church, the brethren lived a somewhat communal lifestyle, with everybody pooling their resources and sharing it as was necessary. However in Acts 5, we have the story of a husband and wife team, Ananias and Sapphira, who sold a plot of land but kept back a part of the money, lying that what they offered, was what they had sold it for. But the Lord revealed Ananias’ deceit to Peter, who then reprimanded him. ‘Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? While it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power (control)? why has thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost (breathed his last): and great fear came on all them that heard these things.’ (Acts 5:3-5) Then some three hours later, the wife, Sapphira shows up, and not knowing that her husband had died, also lied to Peter about the money. ‘Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt (test) the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway (instantly) at his feet, and yielded up the ghost (breathed her last): and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.’ (Acts 5:9-11) Oh Friends, maybe that is what we need to happen today to wake us up from our greedy, lying state of mind! Ananias and Sapphira were not compelled to give all they had, because it was voluntary giving, but the hypocrisy caused their downfall. Besides that, they were lying to God, through His church, to which they belonged. Luckily for us, the Lord doesn’t often strike us dead when we play the hypocrite. That’s enough for us to ponder today my people. And please, please, let’s all be wise and consider our individual feelings and behaviour towards money nuh, because both our earthly lives and salvation depend on us having the right attitude towards it. Much LOVE! …money…money…money…REMEMBER…it’s NOT #1
Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 November 2012 Psalm 4:3
13 Nov 2012 Leave a comment
in Inspirational Living Tags: abject poverty, blessings, Christ's Second Coming, compassion, eschew evil, falsehood, fear, freedom to worship, full of grace, good life, LOVE Revolution, oppression, peace, power of prayer, set apart, suppression, sure foundation of God, the Lord hears, The Lord is good, the LOVE of Jesus, trust, Tuesday's child, vanity
Psalm 4:3. But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him.
And then it was Tuesday! What did the old nursery rhyme say? ‘Monday’s child is fair of face. Tuesdays child is full of grace.’ But that’s not the whole truth; EVERY DAY, we believers are full of grace! Yes Friends, a wonderful day is in the offing for many of us because we believe in the Birth, Crucifixion and Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and consequently we’ll bask in the warmth, the peace and the glow of His many blessings. Unfortunately though, a lot of His followers around the world can’t do that for one reason or another; physical and mental oppression, and suppression which create a lack of freedom to worship, abject poverty and sickness, plus misfortunes from natural and man-made disasters, that ultimately breed a terrible fear in their souls. However my people, we Christians have the greatest, the most potent tool in this world; the power of prayer! So let’s use it nuh. Let’s keep praying, both for those who are not as fortunate as us, as well as ourselves. Let’s pray diligently that whatever is preventing them from enjoying the good life that Jesus died for all His followers to have, will soon be removed, that their eyes will be opened, and their hearts, minds and souls filled with the LOVE, the grace, and compassion of Jesus, which surpasses all human understanding. Oh my brethren, that power of prayer has been with us from day one, that’s why Bruh David could staunchly proclaim in our Bit, taken from his evening prayer of trust in God: ‘But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him.’ Now that’s an undeniable fact Friends! As Bruh Paul tells Timothy: ‘Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.’ (2 Tim.2:19) And on that point of foregoing wrongdoing, listen to what Bruh David says in the verse before our Bit. ‘O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? How long will ye LOVE vanity (worthlessness), and seek after leasing (falsehood)? Selah.’ (Ps.4:2) Yes my people, let’s take a moment and ponder that question nuh, for it’s possibly the most important question that can be asked in our sinful, ungodly world today. Ah Friends, when are we truly going to depart from iniquity, eschew evil, and all the abominations of this confused, troubled world eh? When are we going to repent and turn back to seriously worshipping the God of our salvation, so that He can bless us and make us to prosper once more? The LOVE Revolution is making some progress, but definitely not enough, or as quickly as needed, because of Lucifer’s wicked input and stranglehold on this lustful world. However my people, as everyday brings us closer to Christ’s Second Coming in all His glory, it’s also becoming more urgent everyday for us to cause unbelievers to come to Him for salvation. Strong and serious ongoing action is necessary, as well as strong, serious, diligent prayers. We need to cry out to the Father, my brethren, for grace, strength and mercy to do His will, somewhat like how Bruh David cries out to begin Psalm 4. ‘Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged (relieved) me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me (be gracious to me), and hear my prayer.’ (Ps.4:1) And don’t ever be afraid or ashamed to cry out to the Father my people, because He welcomes it, since it acknowledges that we can’t help ourselves. And believe me, once our hearts are right, He WILL hear and answer our prayers. Not always how or when we want, but that’s the beauty of trusting Him; accepting that His wisdom is greater than ours, therefore He knows what is best for us. And as Bruh Paul reminds us in Rom.8:31, whatever He does, will turn out to be for our ultimate good, regardless of what happens in between. That’s one of the ways in which the Lord tests our faith Friends! Therefore: ‘Stand (tremble) in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.’ (Ps.4:4) Words of absolute wisdom my brethren! And we’ll close with some more encouraging words on the subject from the prophet Nahum, who, in talking about God’s majesty in mercy and judgement, strongly proclaims: ‘The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. But with an overrunning (overflowing) flood he will make an utter end of the (wicked) place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.’ (Nah.1:7-8) That my people, is the gospel truth, so please believe it and live accordingly, for your very salvation and life everlasting depends on it. Much LOVE!…to pray…to pray…and yet to pray some more…it’s all a part of the true believer’s lifestyle…
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