Galatians 5:1. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Oh Friends, can you believe it’s already September 1st! Wasn’t it just the other day, couple weeks ago, that we were talking about the beginning of August and Caribana? Now it’s suddenly September and Labour Day! That means eight months of 2012 have already gone by, like a flash in the pan, and the million dollar question faces us squarely in our hearts. Have we improved our faith walk, has it moved appreciatively along the continuum of maturity? Have we kept that New Year’s promise to increase our passion and LOVE for Jesus? I certainly hope so, otherwise, you know how our God feels about broken promises. (Eccl.5:4-5) In any case, we only have four months to catch up to that promise, for soon it will be October, Canadian Thanksgiving, then November, American Thanksgiving, then December and Christmas, and another New Year. So please, let’s try and not be found wanting in our promises, neither to God or man, when that New Year rolls around. And our Bit is one of those scriptures that both warns and encourages us of the need for unity and sincere fellowship amongst believers and freedom in Christ, if we truly want to establish a strong and serious faith walk. ‘Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.’ Now yesterday we ended on the note of there being too much disagreement and too many divisions in Christ’s church, from the local right up to the international level. And we saw some of that in the early days of the church, when certain Christian Jews who had lived under the old Mosaic Law, declared that one couldn’t be saved apart from the Law, especially as it related to the ritual of circumcision. This thoroughly disrupted the young church, until the first council at Jerusalem, (Acts 15) when Peter got up and declared to the disputing councillors: ‘Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us. And put no difference (made no distinction) between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt (test) ye God, to put (by putting) a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even (in the same manner) as they. Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience (listened) to Barnabas and Paul declaring what (how many) miracles and wonders God had wrought (worked) among the Gentiles by them.’ (Acts 15:7-12) Yes Friends, it wasn’t all sunshine and roses in the early church, but unlike us, they were just beginning and feeling their way through new rules and regulations. And with Jesus gone back to heaven, and people jousting for power, it was expected that problems would occur. Hear the scholars’ thoughts on the matter. ‘The primary speakers at this conference, often called the Jerusalem council, were Peter, Paul, Barnabas and James. Peter begins by relating how God had clearly saved Cornelius and the other Gentiles with him apart from any works of the Law (vv.7-9). In fact Peter acknowledges that not only do the Gentiles not need to become like the Jews to be saved, but conversely we, the Jews, need to saved as they, the Gentiles (v.11). The works of the Law for salvation will not even aid a Jew.’ However my people, two thousand years later, when we now have all the rules and regulations, all the benefits of gospel in one Book, the Bible, containing all the thoughts, desires and promises of God enshrined there, why are we still quarrelling with each other over mostly petty stuff eh? The law of man will never enable us to achieve salvation, only the grace of God through belief in His sacrificed and risen Son Jesus can do that. So let’s stop the foolish quarrelling amongst ourselves nuh, which only gives unbelievers ammunition to belittle Christ’s church. Instead we should be out there in the evil, ungodly world, working as ONE, living a life of true faith, and trying to bring others to the Truth of Christ. And we’ll conclude with the definitive words of Jesus on the subject. Oh how I like it when we can end with Jesus’ pronouncement on a topic. Here He is denouncing the scribes and Pharisees. ‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat (of authority): All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do: but do not ye after (according to) their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne (hard to bear), and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men…And LOVE the uppermost rooms (of honour, chief place) at feasts, and the chief (best) seats in the synagogues. And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master (Leader, Teacher); even Christ; and all ye are brethren.’ (Matt.23:2-8) Oh Friends, does that remind you of any people you know in the church today? It shouldn’t, but I’m sure it does. So let’s be careful whom and what we listen to, and follow the Holy Spirit of Jesus, so that we don’t get entangled in the slave like tentacles and mentality of the Law again. Much LOVE!…be wary of those who say one thing…but do something else…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 September 2012 Galatians 5:1
01 Sep 2012 Leave a comment
in Inspirational Living Tags: believers, bondage, Christian fellowship, freedom, Labour Day, Law, liberty, Pharisees, sribes
Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 August 2012 Galatians 5:1
30 Aug 2012 Leave a comment
in Inspirational Living Tags: blasphemy, calamity, circumcision, controversial, disasters, fellowship, freedom, God's Word, imprisonment, Jesus, knees bow, persecution, revenge, salvation, slaves
Galatians 5:1. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Oh Friends, our world’s a mess; man-made disasters as well as God sent calamity. You name it, and we’re suffering it. And on a more personal level, millions of Christians are still suffering persecution in numerous places, simply because they believe in Christ, talk about Him and try to live by His Word and His will. One extreme example of that is the Christian teenaged girl recently imprisoned in Pakistan for supposedly burning some pages of a holy book. Now you cannot get a straight story about her age, what she actually burnt, or how it all came about, cause all they have left is ashes, but the Muslim people are all up in arms calling for her death, due to some vague and unenlightened blasphemy law that’s only being used and abused to satisfy personal agendas, and vendettas, especially against Christians. Hundreds of believers had to flee their homes as the Muslim mobs cried out for vengeance. And there’s no justice to be had for God’s people! Ah Friends, it’s not fair, but unfortunately it’s part of being a believer in some places. But remember though, that the name of Jesus is the most powerful and controversial name on all the earth. It’s the name to which all knees shall eventually bow and all voices make confession to. So there will always be those who want to engage in some kind of controversy over it. However, here is the true insight on the matter: ‘The action of God is flowing through us, through all believers in a pattern of success right now!’ Yes my people, regardless of our troubles, the Lord’s blessing us all today with a strength of purpose that will inevitably bring success. Jesus had it and was able to overcome His problems and so will we. But that success doesn’t just come without any effort on our part. We need to be strong and keep living by faith to see that success. That’s why our Bit encourages, exhorts and admonishes us to: ‘Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.’ Words of impeccable wisdom that all believers ought to live by! Here’s what the scholars have to say about it. ‘The verse can be rendered: “For freedom Christ freed us. Therefore stand fast and do not again be subject to a yoke of bondage.” The “freedom” in view is freedom from the law, here called “a yoke of bondage.” Paul wants the Galatians to “stand fast,” that is retain their spiritual freedom.’ Likewise my brethren, believers in these turbulent times need to stand fast in their faith, retain the spiritual freedom that Christ died to give us, and not to become slaves to the law again. And Bruh Paul uses as an example the Jewish law of circumcision, which at the time was causing much friction between the Jewish and Gentile believers. He says that circumcision will not provide any special benefits, or bring you any closer to Christ, but it will enslave you to the law. It’s an external ritual or symbol, showing that you accept the law, and therefore are dependent on man’s legality to provide salvation, rather than on God’s grace. But by the same token, being uncircumcised doesn’t profit you anything either. ‘For we through the Spirit (eagerly) wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by LOVE.’ (Gal.5:5-6) So whether we’re circumcised or not, we’ll not benefit spiritually from that physical state. Thus, if we try to be justified by the law, we will not have the favour, the grace of God that Jesus died for us to have. But through faith, instilled in and kept working in us by the Holy Spirit, believers can, and do find justification, and hope for the salvation promised by Jesus, in and through His sacrificial death. As the scholars declare: ‘Faith is man’s response to God who LOVES him, and this divine LOVE that produces human faith results in his justification.’ So my brethren, please let us not become too entangled with man’s law, which will only yoke us in slavery once again. Now listen to Bruh Paul’s exhortation to steadfastness to the church at Philippi: ‘Only let your conversation (conduct) be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel; And in nothing (no way) terrified by your adversaries: which is to them and evident token (a proof) of perdition (destruction), but to you of salvation, and that of God. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.’ (Phil.1:27-29) And the scholar’s give us a good explanation on the meaning of fellowship to believers. ‘Fellowship, one of the keys to spiritual growth, occurs when Christians share their walk with God in an atmosphere of LOVE and respect. Fellowship occurs when everyone communicates in LOVE with other believers, and the whole assembly becomes strengthened as a result. Sometimes fellowship requires confessing our faults (James 5:16) as we strive to develop a unity of spirit and mind. Those who work to hinder the fellowship of the brethren practice a sin that is hated by God (Prov. 6:19) Illustration: The church at Philippi was particularly noted for its spirit of fellowship, but Paul’s warning to two women in the church reminds how we must constantly work to maintain fellowship (4:1-3). Application: Fellowship is so vital that we cannot live for God by ourselves. As we develop deeper relationships with others, we should remember that we come to resemble those with whom we fellowship. (Matt.18:19). Now, sadly, true fellowship is something that’s missing from Christ’s church today. I’ll rephrase that, because there is some. Let’s say it’s not as strong and united as it ought to be, otherwise there wouldn’t be all the divisions and divisiveness found in Christ’s body. Friends, please realize that only in unity is there strength, and we believers are fighting an uphill battle against the spiritual forces of evil and bondage, so it’s absolutely necessary that we stick together if we want to be successful. And today, let’s pray for all those who are suffering disaster, or being unfairly persecuted. Let’s send up plenty prayers to heaven, for the Lord to assuage some of our problems down here on earth. Much LOVE!…if the Lord hears the prayer of one righteous person…won’t He pay more attention to the prayers of plenty righteous people…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 July 2012 Psalm 115:1
05 Jul 2012 Leave a comment
in Inspirational Living Tags: clamour for freedom, freedom, furnace of affliction, glorify the Lord, independence, natural disasters, surrender to God, the price of freedom, ultimate wisdom, utopian imaginings
Psalm 115:1. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy and for thy truth’s sake.
Oh Friends, it’s another new day! Glory be! And it’s also going to be another hot one, though possibly not as hot as yesterday, or as hot as tomorrow is forecasted to be. But as usual, we believers have cause to celebrate each new day since our ever-LOVING and merciful God does new and blessed stuff every day. Now I don’t have a Bit as yet, but the Spirit has put this idea of freedom and independence in my mind, so I’ll just run with it. (smile) Yesterday was the 4th of July, Independence Day celebrations in the U.S, but I wonder what kind of celebrations they really had with the country currently suffering so much affliction; terrible natural disasters on the East Coast and in Colorado, a stinging heat wave traversing all North America, plus the unfortunate economic distress that so many are suffering in the still richest country in the world. I’m sure it was not as huge and worldly as it usually is, but much more subdued and prayerful. For how can you be overly happy when so many don’t have light, food and water, or even a place to live, as so many down there are unfortunately experiencing? Even the capital, Washington D.C. is suffering from the recent storms. Then there are many other nations who are soon going to be celebrating their independence, like Jamaica and T&T, fifty years in the making. How have all these supposed free nations done in their independence though? Most of them haven’t done too well at all. So what’s the big deal about it eh? Most of the nations have only exchanged a colonial power as their master for one of the global banks or big money organizations, who rape these countries worse than the old colonial masters did. Yet we all still clamour for freedom, for independence! But sadly none of us ever become truly free, for we’re always responsible for, or to, something or someone else. So though on paper we’re free to make our own determinations, they certainly cannot be made in isolation, especially in this age of the global village. Oh Friends, the price of supposed freedom is exorbitant, both in economics and personal freedom of movement, as we can see from the economic disaster that’s facing our world today, and the many graves all around the world, with more being added every day, and still nobody’s free, freedom remains as elusive as ever. Man searches, begs, fights, dies, does so many things to try and attain freedom, but cannot, because it’s basically a figment of our imagination. Let me share a quote from the In Touch Magazine, July edition, from the Devotional Section, which says: ‘It may sound like a paradox, but true freedom isn’t about independence. The spiritually maturing believer is one who grows increasingly dependent on God.’ And that’s the living truth my people! Because the more mature we become in Christ, the more dependent we are on Him. Reality steps in and shows us that maturity doesn’t mean breaking free from Him, but rather accepting His easy yoke and light burden more and more with each passing day, for that’s the only way to truly know and learn about Him. Friends, it’s all well and good to be free, but from what, and how do we sustain that freedom? It’s very difficult and oftimes impossible, because though you may have freedom in one sense, you soon discover that you’re inextricably tied to something else. The Spirit though says it’s time for me to shut up about freedom and find a Bit. (smile) I do hope though that the ideas I threw out, give us some stuff to seriously think about, because the clamour for freedom and independence is becoming louder every day. And the Spirit is so wonderful, it hooked me up with an appropriate Bit, right where the Good Book was opened all along, from Psalm 115, re Trust in God, not in idols. More gospel truth Friends! ‘Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy (LOVING-kindness) and for thy truth’s sake.’ Yes mih people, the glory is not for us, for we don’t have anything to be glorified about. But the Lord’s name, His LOVING-kindness and truth are indeed worthy of glorification, for He’s the Creator, Controller, Protector and Provider of our universe! And we all know that He’s very jealous of His name; doesn’t want it trodden down or used inappropriately. No wonder when He rebukes Israel’s unfaithfulness, He declares through His messenger Isaiah: ‘For my name’s sake will I defer (delay) mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain (restrain) for thee, that I cut (destroy) thee not off. Behold, I have refined thee, but not with (as) silver; I have chosen (tested) thee in the furnace of affliction. For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted (profaned)? and I will not give my glory unto another. Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last. Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned (stretched out) the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.’ (Is.48:9-13) Wow! What a truly mighty God we serve my people! Yes, the Lord God Jehovah, He is the ultimate Being! And though we can get some sort of independence and freedom from man and his organizations, freedom and independence from Almighty God is neither wise, nor even possible. Why? Because He can get on your case and make your life miserable, as he’s doing to so many who are trying to turn away from Him these days. On the other hand, the wise man will instead surrender His life, his God-given freedom of choice to God and allow Him to run his life, because He’s so much stronger and wiser. Please Friends, let’s show the ultimate in wisdom today nuh, by totally surrendering our freedom to God, so He can improve our lives. It’s the most sensible path to take, the one least fraught with potholes, high hills, winding curves and dangerous gullies. Much LOVE!…total freedom and independence are merely the utopian imaginings of man…for in reality…they do not exist… P.S. It’s somewhat long, but thought provoking. (smile)
SCRIP-BITS 