Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 May 2016 Ephesians 6:11‏

Ephesians 6:11.   Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (schemes) of the devil.

Oh friends, oh friends, my sincerest apologies for the lateness of the Bit, but it’s just been one of those days. Hn! One of those days when my body rebelled, refused to get up before it was good and ready. 
 
Believe me, I had no idea that the ole bod was so tired nuh, since I didn’t do anything tiring yesterday, and the celebrations didn’t cause me to get to bed any later than usual. I guess though that it was just a residual tiredness from my earlier activities. 
 
Anyway, though I’m still physically groggy, when I went outside just now and experienced the wondrous beauty of the day – like a perfect summer’s day – my spirit was overwhelmed with joy. It made me feel truly glad to be alive. 
 
And consequently, it brought to mind one of my favourite songs that I heard yesterday. It’s an easy lover’s rock reggae riddim that I’ve shared before, but as they say, these gems are never too tiring or old to be heard again and again, because they lend great inspiration to our souls. 
 
It’s a song titled ‘I’ve got a joy,’ sung by a lady named Mounia Sahara. Please sing this very inspirational chorus with me. ‘I’ve got a joy deep down inside, that makes me want to shout, how good God is to me! Yes, I’ve got this joy deep down inside that makes we want to shout how good God is to me!’ 
 
And isn’t that the awesome truth my brethren! All Christians ought to feel that way because our wonderful God has indeed been exceedingly good to us all! 
 
Yuh know, Christians ought to be the happiest people in the world because of all that we have; God’s unconditional LOVE, mercy, grace and forgiveness, plus salvation and eternal life paid for by the sacrificial death of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! 
 
But unfortunately we are some of the most miserable and unhappy people on planet earth. Steups! Ah Lord eh, when are we going to learn to practice what we preach eh? 
 
Anyhow, it’s a beautiful Tuesday, God is still on His heavenly throne, and still in control of His world! So let’s sing our Tuesday Mantra with true sincerity, strong faith and total belief. 
 
All together now: ‘I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world.  Amen.’ 
 
Oh isn’t that just wonderful my fellow believers? It surely is! What can be better than being a beloved child of God and a friend of Jesus eh? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! 
 
And we certainly don’t have to worry about what the world says about us or how it defines us, because greater is He that’s in us – the Holy Spirit of Jesus – than he that’s in the world – the foolish, fallen angel Lucifer. (1 John 4:4) 
 
And to help us prove that, let’s turn to our Bit, that remarkable verse of scripture, which so rightfully declares: ‘Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (schemes) of the devil.’ 
 
And that my people, is indisputable truth! When we are wearing the whole armour of God, we are invincible! Glory to God! And please note that it requires the whole armour, all of it, not bits and pieces. 
 
And before we get to what that armour consists of, I’m going to repeat a couple verses from yesterday because there are some interesting and important explanations from the scholars that I did not get to share. 
 
After our Bit, Bruh Paul declares: ‘For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world (age), against (hosts of) spiritual wickedness in high places. 
 
Wherefore take unto you (take up, put on) the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.’ (Eph.6:12-13) 
 
Now here are the scholars’ explanations of those verses. ‘6:12. Wrestle, used of hand-to-hand combat, emphasizes the personal and individual nature of spiritual warfare waged against each local church and Christian. 
 
Flesh and blood refers to humanity. Such is not the church’s adversary. Instead she opposes principalities (rulers), powers (authorities), rulers (world-rulers), spiritual wickedness (wicked spiritual beings), that is, fallen angels, demons, and Lucifer himself.’ 
 
Yes friends, a lot of powerful spiritual enemies are lined up against us. And per ‘6:13. Wherefore means “because of this,” that is, because we face such a formidable foe, we must avail ourselves of God’s provision lest the enemy destroy our Christian witness and ministry. 
 
The evil day refers to the periodic demonic onslaughts and Satanic assaults. Having done all includes both dressing oneself in God’s armour and resisting Satan. Having done all these, be ready, for the Devil will attack again.’ 
 
And that’s no lie friends! The evil powers of darkness will continue to come at us, time after time, wave upon wave, trying to gain serious entry to our souls. 
 
However, once we are clothed in God’s protective spiritual armour, and our minds are focused on God, rather than the world, those evil spirits won’t be able to harm us. And on that upbeat note, we’ll close today. (smile) 
 
Now let’s put on that spiritual armour of God and walk strong, tall and proud, caring, compassionate and LOVING, about God’s great earth, because that’s what He expects of us. Much LOVE!
 
…as Christians in an evil world…God’s protection is ALWAYS necessary…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 April 2012 Isaiah 40:8

Isaiah 40:8.    The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever.

Oh Friends, the war between good and evil is intensifying! And unfortunately the enemy has recently won an intense skirmish. It seems that a Public School Board in Northern Ontario is planning to ban the Bible from the Public Schools in that jurisdiction. What a sad and crying shame! And it seems that this is being done on the strength of a complaint from one parent, which I find really hard to believe. But these days anything seems possible in our society. So because one parent doesn’t want their child or children to come into contact with the Good Book, the powers that be are choosing to remove them from the whole Public School system in that area. How anal and foolish that we’re bowing to all sorts of nonsense in what’s supposed to be a democratic Christian country. How does that parent think they even got the right to voice their displeasure in the first place? Because of the Christian humanity and democracy! In many other countries they wouldn’t even be able to open their mouths and complain, much less have their complaint actioned. Oh Friends, when are we going to learn that all these acts of simply acquiescing to those of other faiths, or no faith at all, is gradually tearing away the fabric of our Christian society, and openly inviting Lucifer to come in and do his evil deeds? It now means that because of one selfish, misguided parent, hundreds of other children won’t have the benefit of the Bible at school, and the Gideon’s, who have been distributing them freely, won’t have numerous places to spread the Word. The taxes of the parents of all the children now bereft of the Good Book pay for the school too, so shouldn’t they have some sort of say? And I thought this was supposed to be a democracy, where the voice of the majority carries? But our country is no longer a democracy, or the meaning of the word has changed to the voice of the minority carries, because that’s what’s happening so much today. Oh my people, it’s time we took a real and serious stand about the Christian things that our supposed Christian leaders are removing from our society because a few who can’t make it in their, impoverished, dictatorial countries come here and are clamouring for the systems they left behind. Do you think we can do that in any of those countries? Certainly not! We can’t even think about Christ, much less talk about Him! Friends, if we want western society to remain democratic and Christian, then we have to stop giving in and kowtowing to these minority views. If you can’t accept that the society was built on those principles, then leave. That’s not to say we can’t be somewhat accommodating, but certainly not by killing our culture and entrenching theirs. Ah mih breddren, yuh know that one thing we Christians are very good at is talking a big talk, but then there’s never any, or not sufficient action to back up our big talk. And it’s quickly coming to the point where if we’re not going to put up, then we should just shut up and let our supposed Christian but fearful, backboneless leaders and administrators give the country away, dismantle our rich heritage and culture. Now here’s a poem from the Hour of Power Devotional by Robert H Schuller. It’s titled; ‘God Needs Us!’ And isn’t that the gospel truth my brethren! God needs us now more than at any time in the Church’s history, possibly with the exception of its very beginning. And here’s why He so badly and desperately needs us: ‘Christ has no hands but our hands to do His work today. He has no feet but our feet to lead us on the way. He has no tongues but our tongues to tell us how He died. He has no help but our help to bring us to His side.’ That means Friends that we’re God’s hands, feet, tongues and help in this evil world, and if we don’t seriously promulgate His Church, stand and fight determinedly against the enemy who’s trying to destroy His magnificent edifice, then we’re not His true followers. Fellow believers, if we want our children’s children to be still enjoying this culture of freedom and Christianity in their time, then we have to make our voices heard TODAY, RIGHT NOW, before any more of our Christian heritage is further eroded. And don’t for one moment fool yourself into thinking that it won’t happen if we keep quiet, for Beelzebub already has his evil plans drawn up and waiting for the perfect time and opportunity. You have already seen how they’ve taken prayer out of our schools and public places, while allowing other faiths to use the schools for their prayer time in the middle of the afternoon. So if we don’t get on our horses and ride, it’s only a matter of time before we become a minor part of our society. The decision is ours now. Please, pretty please, let’s make some wise ones nuh, and not be found wanting at the end of the day. I’m sure none of us want to a part of the generation that lost Christendom to the infidel. Got to go and find a suitable Bit now, since all of that came from the heart. (smile)  And after much searching, I believe I’ve found the most appropriate one. For as Isaiah proclaims so assuredly: ‘The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever.’ And that’s the living truth my people, so let’s never forget it and act accordingly! Much LOVE!…a word to the wise is sufficient…he who has ears to hear…let him hear….stand up, stand up for Jesus…the trumpet call obey…till every foe is vanquished…and Christ is Lord indeed…