Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 December 2014 Matthew 6:24

01 Dec 2014 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Matthew 6:24. No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and LOVE the other; or else he will hold to (be loyal to) the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (riches).

And once again we’ve come full circle to that blessed day called Monday! Oh what a joy!
 
No Friends, I’m not crazy. We might as well put a positive spin on things, especially since we can’t control nor change them, otherwise we’ll just drown ourselves in a cesspool of negativity. Being positive and proactive will at least allow us to get through the ordeal that Monday is for some of us, without too many fears and tears.
 
We have to get up and go out and labour, so we might as well do ourselves a favour by doing it with a positive mindset. The grumbling and complaining won’t help it anyway, just get us more anxious and frustrated.
 
So let’s get to our anthem right away nuh, let’s blast out our Monday Morning Battle Hymn on this cold, clear Monday, now known as Cyber Monday, targeting on-line sales. And I won’t even touch that one this morning, (smile) I’ve heard enough about Black Friday. As far as I’m concerned, Cyber Monday can go where it belongs, straight down to Hades, taking Black Friday with it! The consumerism is just getting to be a bit much.
 
So let’s come out with guns blazing as we burst into song. All together as one 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!’
 
Wonderful Friends, that was wonderful! Both heaven and earth were singing along with us. That ought to get us rocking and a rolling now, so that we can handle anything that comes against us.
 
And life is so full of surprises and miracles, what do you think I saw as soon as I turned on my computer? Hn, hn! A big sign advertising Cyber Monday! Ah Lord eh! I just had to laugh. What else could I do?
 
Enough of that though, let’s get to our Bit, which addresses that conundrum of consumerism versus Almighty God. ‘No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and LOVE the other; or else he will hold to (be loyal to) the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (riches).
 
And have you noticed Friends, that this Bit came up just in time for all the sales and bargains nonsense? I guess the Lord was trying to tell us something; you can’t take such pleasure in material things and worship me at the same time.
 
And James addresses that question, quite simply and straightforwardly: ‘Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that friendship of (with) the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be (wants to be) a friend of the world, is the enemy (makes himself the enemy) of God.’ (James 4:4)
 
And the scholars explain that quite succinctly. ‘4:4. As Israel was a spiritual adulteress, unfaithful to God, so the church is a spiritual adulteress when she is the unfaithful bride of Christ (cf. Hos.2:5, 19-20, Matt.12:39). One cannot be both a LOVER of God and a LOVER of the world.’
 
And that’s exactly what we’ve been trying to say all along my brethren!
 
And we’ll end with these oh so important words of John on the subject, that of First LOVE. ‘I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
 
LOVE not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man LOVE the world, the LOVE of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.’ (1 John 2:14-17) That’s all gospel truth my people!
 
Now hear some explanations from the scholars. ‘2:12-14. John addresses different groups and assures them of their steadfastness in the true faith, contrary to many of those with whom this letter must deal. Little children, fathers, young men, and so on, may refer to actual age groups. Or it may have reference to spiritual maturity or level of responsibility in the fellowship, for example, to new Christians being ‘children.’
 
‘2:15. LOVE not the world is a command implying that action now in progress must cease: “Stop LOVING the world!” There is, of course, one sense in which Christians should LOVE the world, since God Himself did and does (John 3:16). But in the sense of pledging personal loyalty and devotion of one’s whole being and means, Christians are to “LOVE” God first and foremost (Deut. 6:5; Mark 12:30.’
 
‘2:16. World for John signifies the evil desire and sin so much a part of human existence. Temptation: Though all people are tempted differently according to their individual weaknesses, temptations follow patterns. They appeal to three fundamental areas of life: (1) the lust of the flesh (physical desires). (2) The lust of the eyes (personal desires); and (3) the pride of life (self interests).
 
Illustration: When Satan caused the fall of the race, he appealed to each of those areas of weakness Gen.3:6). He also appealed to them when he tempted Christ (Matt.4:1-11), who defied Satan’s temptations by relying on the authority of the Scriptures.
 
Application: The Christian today should also depend on the Scriptures to defeat temptation. (First Reference, Gen.3:1-6; Primary Reference, 1 John 2:15-17; cf. Rom.5:12.)  
 
Oh Friends, for our own sakes, please lets take all of that stuff seriously nuh, else we’ll just get caught up in the pollution and ungodliness of the world, which will eventually cause us much heartache and pain. Much LOVE!
 
…the world should not be our idol…Jehovah God should reign first and foremost in our hearts… 
 
P.S. It’s somewhat long (smile) but very instructional and applicable to our lifestyles today. Much LOVE!

 

– 

 

 

 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 29 November 2014 Matthew 6:24

29 Nov 2014 1 Comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Matthew 6:24. No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and LOVE the other; or else he will hold to (be loyal to) the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (riches).
 

Well Friends, the craziness and stupidity of Black Friday is over! 
 
Chuh! What a mind boggling event! It’s ever so sad to see the video footage of the enormous crowds, normally sane people, behaving like wild animals, like leggo-beasts, rushing, pushing, shoving and screaming like banshees, with their big boxes of supposed bargains.
 
I got so tired of hearing about Black Friday on the car radio yesterday, that at one point I just turned it off. Wonder what they’re going to call this Saturday eh? Remember cyber Monday soon come. Steups!
 
Ah Lord eh Friends, we’re just being turned into nothing but a consumer society by the powers that be! It’s all about buying and selling and padding the bottom line and the pockets of the already rich merchants and power brokers!
 
And sadly, we’re falling for it. We refuse to heed God’s call, although He has much better stuff to offer, but we run like cheetahs when Lucifer’s evil, greedy minions call. That’s not right my people. Many of us, when we go to church, find it difficult to put a decent offering in the collection plate, always focusing on what we can and cannot afford to give God.
 
But when coming to the sales of worldly goods, like yesterday, affordability quickly flies out the window, and we put it all on plastic without a qualm. Well I have a little secret to share with you – God takes plastic too yuh know! (smile)
 
But seriously Friends, our behaviour in these supposed modern and enlightened times has become so churlish, petty and selfish that it’s embarrassing sometimes to call ourselves human beings, God’s greatest creation.
 
I’m sure our heavenly Father must have agonized over our behaviour yesterday, even to the point of questioning His wisdom in creating us, because we seem to be foolishly drifting further and further away from Him, instead of wisely drawing closer to Him, seeking His everlasting LOVE, care and guidance.
 
For in the memorable words of Moses to the Israelites, when he commissioned Joshua as his successor: ‘And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.’ (Deut.31:8)
 
Yes Friends, it is Almighty God, our Creator, Provider and Caretaker who goes before us to smoothen out our paths, the same One whom we are so rudely and unwisely ignoring these days.
 
And I can just imagine, when the bills arrive for those of us who did the big shopping yesterday on the strength of plastic, the first words we’re going to cry our are: ‘Oh God!’ Then we’ll run to Him asking for help to pay them.
 
But He was nowhere in our thoughts when we gorging ourselves on the flimsy, soon destroyed, material things of the world. And we fully expect God to help us too! Hn!
 
Oh my people, please read, mark and inwardly digest these important words of our Bit, words that our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ proclaimed some two thousand years ago. ‘No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and LOVE the other; or else he will hold to (be loyal to) the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (riches).’
 
Now that’s both logical reasoning and gospel truth!
 
And the scholars offer an excellent explanation of that verse: ‘6:24. This kind of spiritual double vision causes one to believe he can serve two masters. Total loyalty to God cannot be divided between Him and loyalty towards one’s material possessions. A master (Gr. kurios) is a lord or an owner.
 
That God claims total lordship over His own is obvious in this passage. Therefore, Jesus rightly proclaimed, Ye cannot serve God and mammon. The term ‘mammon’ is derived from the Aramaic term for possessions or wealth. Jesus is not condemning money or possessions in and of themselves, but the improper attitude of enslavement toward wealth.’
 
Yeh mih breddren, nothing’s wrong with having wealth and material possessions per se, but when we make them our priority, and put God somewhere down the totem pole, then we’re being foolish and worshipping them as idols.
 
Remember too that it’s our great God who causes us to get wealth, (Deut.8:18) and He’s also a very jealous Deity, wanting us to serve and worship nothing, or no one else but Him. That’s His first commandment: ‘Thou shalt have no other gods before me.’ (Ex.20:3)
 
Oh Friends, let’s wake up and smell the roses, or the coffee, or whatever it is that’s going to bring us to our senses nuh, bring us back to the reality that we cannot serve the things of this world and Jehovah God at the same time. One has to take precedent and priority over the other, and the smart money is on the Creator of the universe!
 
So please, let’s stop allowing the powers of darkness and evil of this world to cause us to run around in circles, like chickens with our heads cut off, doing their unwise bidding, and instead wisely concentrate on the One who has amazing stuff to offer, for free too; stuff like peace, LOVE, joy, mercy, grace, forgiveness, salvation and eternal life!
 
Wow! Now can any bank, credit card company or businessman offer you those things? Absolutely not! They’re only interested in taking what little material possessions and wealth you have to increase their pile.
 
But the Lord God Jehovah is a lavish giver, not a taker! So let’s get smart nuh and truly follow Him, for that’s the apex of wisdom. Much LOVE!
 
…our God doesn’t play halves…with Him…it’s either ALL…or nothing at all…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 November 2014 James 1:14

28 Nov 2014 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

James 1:14.   But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust (desire), and enticed.
 

And at last it was Friday…! And all the people joyfully shouted: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday; Black Friday!’

‘But wait nuh mih breddren, what Friday is this eh, Black Friday?’ you ask with a confused frown. ‘But it’s not the 13th…’

‘Oh no, not the old mythical Friday the 13th, but the new Black Friday; the excessive shopping day after the U.S Thanksgiving celebrations.’

‘Ah Lord eh!’ you shake your head in disbelief.

Yes my people, it’s another day of supposed sales and bargains that only breeds greed, anguish, resentment and all sorts of ungodly attitudes and actions, where we line up in the cold and dark, hours before stores open, then rush like spooked deer through the doors to buy stuff that we don’t really need, and very often cannot afford.

But the evil and greedy business people have found, or rather created, another day to lure us into their businesses to spend money we don’t have. And now, unfortunately, it’s a trend that’s going worldwide. In Canada businesses are doing their own thing too to try and stop the enormous amount of cross border shopping.

One business even had something it called ‘Red Thursday.’ Steups! And next Monday is now being called cyber Monday, where on-line shopping is the name of the game. And then they will put on the Christmas blitz. We are being constantly bombarded with advertising for all sorts of bargains, which are usually fraudulent.

Oh Friends, why don’t we rush down to God’s house like that eh, where everything is free? And instead of giving away, wasting our hard earned or non-existent money on physical stuff that rots and is easily destroyed, we receive LOVE, joy, peace, mercy, grace, forgiveness, salvation and eternal life; things that cannot be bought with money!

And sadly, even if they advertised church services like they do these supposed sales, very few of us would show up, and even fewer would have the enthusiasm, drive and patience to wait for hours in discomfort until the doors opened.

But we can only try to avoid people falling prisoner to the lure of sales and cheap bargains. And one of the tools we use is our Friday Chant. So let’s chant it nuh, with the same enthusiasm and energy we have for the sales we’ll head out to later in the day. (smile)

As one voice now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’

Ah mih people, I can only hope and pray that we use a little common sense and wisdom and don’t get in foolishly over our heads in whatever we do today. No doubt many of us will hold our heads and bawl when we realize the mistakes we’ve made. But that’s the price we have to pay when we don’t think before we act, neither do we take everything to God in prayer and wisely ask for His divine guidance and help.

That brings us to these most appropriate words of James. ‘Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried (have been proved), he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that LOVE him.

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.’ (James 1:12-13)

And all of that is gospel truth Friends, as are the words of our Bit which follows them. ‘But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust (desire), and enticed.’

And that is exactly what’s happening to us with these sales! The business people are pandering to our natural fleshly lust for material things, and through psychological ploys are enticing us to come and buy what we don’t need or can afford.

And as James continues: ‘Then when lust (desire) hath conceived, it bringeth forth (gives birth to) sin: and sin, when it is finished (full grown), bringeth forth death.’ (James 1:15) Indisputable truth my brethren!

And James ends with a solemn warning, as well as words of consolation and encouragement. ‘Do not err (be deceived) my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness (variation), neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firtsfruits of his creatures.’ (James 1:16-18)

And the scholars offer these words of explanation: ‘1:17. Three great principles are presented: (1) God is the Father, or Creator, of the heavenly bodies. (2) As their Creator, He is certainly more stable than they. With God there is not even the slightest change; He is immutable. (3) God is only good – and always good.

This third principle relates verse 17 to the preceding context. It answers the implication of verse 13 that God may sometimes tempt man to evil. Though God tries the saints (John 6:6; Heb.11:17), He never tries with evil intent so as to tempt them.’

‘1:18. All the redeemed are God’s firstfruits in that they are the first step in God’s redemption of all creation (Rom.8:18-23).’

So Friends. Let’s go out this Black Friday morning filled with the Spirit of God that will lead us to make wise decisions, even in the midst of plenty psychological bombardment and enticement. That’s the mark of a true believer! Much LOVE!

…though God doesn’t tempt us…He does allow us to undergo trials to test our mettle…but in His LOVING-kindness, He also helps us to handle them…O what a wonderful God we serve and worship…

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 December 2013 1 John 1:9

02 Dec 2013 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

1 John 1:9.    If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
 
Oh Friends, it’s Monday…Cyber Monday! So jump and shout and get on your computers and start shopping on-line, as the greedy merchants would have you do! Shop until you drop!
 
Ah Lord eh! I hope you all realize though that I’m only being sarcastic, facetious and any other terms that are synonymous with those two. Steups! I have to shake my head in both wonder and disgust, for everyday we’re encouraged to buy more stuff.
 
And we come up with such foolish names; Black Friday, Cyber Monday, etc. And the sad part is that they are all consolidated around some important holiday, which tends to suck the life and true meaning out of the holiday, so that it soon becomes a mere opportunity to spend what we don’t have, and buy what we often don’t need, thereby enriching the already rich.
 
But please remember Friends, that there’s an immortal and righteous God in heaven looking down on us mere mortals, who will eventually judge us on our earthly behaviour. So please let’s be wary, and don’t fall into the snares and traps of the ungodly world. For we’re only supposed to be IN the world, not OF it.
 
Anyhow, enough sermonizing from me, (smile) let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with much gusto, so that we can get energized to go out and face the evil world, and be strong enough to repel them.
 
As one loud clarion call 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!’
 
Yes mih people, that ought to get our adrenalin flowing and give us the wherewithal to join the fray on Jesus’ behalf!
 
But just in case we unexpectedly falter and succumb to worldly temptations, it’s very important to know that relief is possible by following the guidelines of our Bit. ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’
 
Now Friends, isn’t that a real powerful and heart-warming incentive to believe in Jehovah God? It surely is! For there’s no other supposed deity who displays such LOVING-kindness, and the ONLY ONE, who can do what He did, cause He’s alive and kicking, while all the others are dead and of no use. 
 
We talk about His faithfulness, justice and forgiveness, all truthful facts. Bruh Paul hit the nail on the head when he declared: ‘For all have sinned and come (fallen) short of the glory of God.’ (Rom.3:23)  Sadly though my brethren, that sinful disposition has been bred into our very nature down through the ages.
 
The scholars reinforce this by saying: ‘3:23. For all have sinned: The human need and the divine provision are alike applied universally. Come short of the glory of God: Man can exceed his own standards but never, left to himself, can he attain to God’s standard of righteousness.’
 
And that’s gospel truth people! However my fellow believers, please listen carefully to what our wonderful God has done for us nuh. ‘Being justified freely (without any cost) by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.’ (Rom.3:24)
 
Now doesn’t that just make your hearts sing with joy my brethren? It surely ought to. And after listening to how the scholars explain it, I surely hope it does.
 
‘3:24. Being justified (Gr. dikaioumenoi) indicates being declared righteous. It signifies the believer’s judicial standing before God. Freely: There is no just cause in man to warrant justification. By his grace: Unmerited favour is bestowed through the redemption (release on payment of ransom). Christ’s death is the ransom. The sinner is released on the basis of the ransom having being paid.’
 
Yes Friends, we only have that marvellous, soul-saving opportunity to be set free from sin, because of the monumental ransom that Jesus paid. Without Jesus’ sacrificial gift of His sinless life, we would have been held in bondage to sin forever, with absolutely NO hope of escape.
 
But thanks to Jesus’ selflessness, we now have that opportunity to tell the lying, deceitful Lucifer, ‘Bye bye,’ and instead move on to live with Jesus through salvation, in eternal life. What a glorious God we serve and worship! Let’s keep that first and foremost in out thoughts please my fellow believers.
 
And all God’s people gave a mighty shout of ‘Thank You heavenly Father for sending Jesus to die for us. And thank You Jesus for being obedient to the Father even unto death, when You didn’t have to. We praise and glorify Your Holy Name and bow to You as our Lord and Saviour. Amen!’
 
Much much LOVE, my fellow believers in Christ!
 
…only the true Creator of the universe…could have done what He did…to save our sinful souls…
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 November 2013 Deuteronomy 26:11

28 Nov 2013 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Deuteronomy 26:11.    And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the Lord thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house, thou, and the Levite (priest), and the stranger that is among you.
 
                                                   HAPPY  U. S. THANKSGIVING  DAY!
 
Well a Happy Thanksgiving Day to all our Friends and families south of the border! Today is the big day in the U.S. Possibly the most celebrated holiday on their calendar, where friends and families come together to give thanks for whatever they have it, be it much or little.
 
The sad part though is that too many have too little and too few have too much. But whatever we do have Friends, we need to be thankful for it.
 
As our Bit says, from the instructions of offering of our first fruits to the Lord: ‘And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the Lord thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house, thou, and the Levite (priest), and the stranger that is among you.’ Please note that it includes EVERYBODY; even ‘the stranger that is among you.’ 
 
And I just LOVE the scripture from Nehemiah, after Ezra and the priests had read and explained the Law of Moses, which most of the people had never heard before, and they wept after hearing it.
 
‘Then he (Nehemiah) said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto the Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ (Neh.8:10)
 
What I LOVE about that scripture are the inspired words; ‘and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared.’ Oh my fellow believers, that is supposed to be a big part of the Thanksgiving Holiday, or for that matter, ALL holidays! We need to learn to share with those who have less than us, because it is a Biblical instruction.
 
Note this verse, when the Israelites came out of Egypt, and were being told about certain feasts and how to cook the food and where to eat it.
 
‘And thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the Lord thy God hath chosen to place his name there.’ (Deut.16:11)
 
EVERYBODY was supposed to be included! But unfortunately as the years rolled along and we became more selfish and greedy people, we have tended to forget about those the Lord takes special interest in; the poor, the widows and the orphans.
 
The same message is sent in Esther, after the Jews defeated Haman and their enemies in Babylon, and instituted the Feast of Purim. Mordecai instructed them to keep the feast; ‘As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day (holiday): that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions (presents) one to another, and gifts to the poor.’ (Esth.9:22)
 
But sadly, these days the poor are generally forgotten. Thanksgiving has become another big commercial day. It’s all about sales and money. As soon as Thanksgiving dinner is over, we now rush over to the stores to eagerly await Black Friday, when stuff is supposedly marked down tremendously.
 
Yes Friends, some stuff might be marked down, but others might also be marked up, because the merchants know that once you’re in the store for one cheap item, you’re more than likely to buy much more at higher mark-ups.
 
And the wild animal, leggo beast behaviour on display at these sales is truly disgusting. Many of us don’t even really need the stuff we line up for and rush and push to buy. But just because it’s on sale, we decide we must have it. That’s the kind of mentality the merchants have developed in us. Ah Lord eh!
 
And talking about the leggo beast behaviour, one woman claims she saw two other women fighting in a store over one object, while the security people stood around looking at them, no doubt in astonishment. Each woman had a hold on one end of the object, pulling and pushing and tugging and shouting angrily at each other.
 
And do you know what that must have object was? An electric toothbrush. Steups! 
 
And then after Black Friday comes Cyber Monday, another big sales day. Chuh! It’s all about merchandising these days!
 
Now even the Canadian merchants are getting involved in the nonsense as a way of stopping Canadians form going south to spend their money. Unfortunately, I don’t know how much good that is going to do nuh, because they say that even with the travel time and expense, the exchange rate and the border hassles, it’s still worthwhile to go south and shop on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Ah Lord eh!
 
Anyway Friends, enough of my whatever you choose to call it. I just hope that in all our business we remember the true purpose behind the holiday, and do give thanks to Almighty God for all that’s He’s done for us and provided us with.
 
Let’s also remember to share with the less fortunate, because that’s what Jesus is all about, and if we’re to be His true followers, we need to display the same empathy.
 
And we’ll end with some wise words from Cousin Sol on the topic. ‘I know that there is no good in them (nothing better for them), but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.’ (Eccl.3:12-13)
 
And that my brethren is gospel truth! So please let’s act accordingly and thus give Jesus a good Thanksgiving present. It’s heartfelt wisdom. Much LOVE!
 
…I’m giving thanks…for all I’ve got…I’m giving thanks…whether or not…I’m giving thanks…for the life in me…I’m giving thanks now…  (From the song ‘Giving Thanks’ by Beres Hammond)
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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