Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 June 2017 John 10:11.

John 10:11.    I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 

Oh my people, when I got up and looked outside a li’l while ago, the day seemed so beautiful that I simply had to go outside and say a sparkling ‘Good Morning’ to the Lord and give Him some thanks and praise for causing me to see such another wonderful day! 

Ah, the sun is shining brightly, playing off the green leaves as the flowers in the Duchess’ garden bloom and give off a beautiful sexy aroma, which causes the birds and the bees to helplessly gather around them, so that nature can further be procreated. (smile)

What a wise and wonderful God we serve my brethren! Please give Him some rightfully deserved thanks for allowing us to enjoy His nature walk today; so many others did not awake to that blessing. 

And since it’s Friday, you know the workingman is declaring at every spare moment: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday yes! Mama Yo! Freedom time soon come! Time to dance and sing…and do every li’l thing that I can’t do without the slave driver constantly watching over mih shoulder! Dust in yuh eye massa! Dust in yuh eye! Thank God for Fridays and the weekends oui!’ 

Ah friends, the sentiments are indeed touching and true, but the reaction is somewhat extreme. As Christians, we need to be more disciplined and controlled than that. Our Leader, Jesus Christ expects us to show the way in propriety and excellence, and taking it to the max will certainly not be considered such. 

Our Friday Chant better displays and reflects the behaviour needed. So let’s chant it nuh with sincerity and a strong sense of purpose. In unison 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!’ 

Yeh friends, that’s a much more appropriate way to approach and handle the weekend! We need to be always somewhat circumspect, so that we don’t give the enemy any leeway in our lives. For once he gets in, it’s like hell, like pulling teeth to get him out. But if our faith is strong, we need not be too concerned about the enemy, for he has already been defeated. 

Listen to out Bit: ‘I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.’  

And that is exactly what the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ did: He gave His sinless life for us, so that we don’t have to be afraid of the toothless devil Beelzebub. Glory to God my people! Jesus took all of our sins on His powerful shoulders and wiped our sin slate clean as a whistle, white as snow! How can we not be everlastingly thankful eh? 

Christianity is the only faith that offers such a simple but powerful release from sin: ONLY BELIEVE, it says! Yes friends, if we sincerely believe in the Good Shepherd, He will lighten our burdens and cause us to have salvation and eternal life with the Father. 

Hear him, as He extols His purpose after our Bit. ‘But he that is a hireling (hired man), and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is a hireling, and careth not for the sheep.’ (John 10:12-13) 

And that’s ever so true my people, as all of us have had cause and occasion to run away from situations and from stuff because we simply were hired personnel and didn’t feel that emotionally attached to whatever was happening. 

But our Lord and Saviour is certainly not like that. He sincerely and genuinely declares further: ‘I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and are known of mine.’ (John 10:14) 

Friends, do we know our shepherd? He knows us, but the most important question is do we truly know Him? If we don’t, then crapaud smoke we pipe! 

And the Good Shepherd further states: ‘As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold (flock), and one shepherd.’ (John 10:15-16) 

Oh friends, do you realize that the Good Shepherd was there referring to us, the Gentiles, the heathens, the non-Jews? Yes, He’s such a wonderful shepherd that He wants to include everybody in His kind and LOVING fold!  

No wonder he could continue: ‘Therefore doth my Father LOVE me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself; I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I receive of my Father.’ (John 10:16-17) 

Please notice friends, how important the Father was in the life of Jesus, His Son, and likewise He should also be very prominent, in fact first and foremost in our lives too, because EVERYTHING begins and ends with Him! 

Please notice too that Jesus shows His deity by having the awesome power to give up His earthly life and take it up again! Wow! Nobody took it from Him; He gave it up for us because the Father in His great LOVE, asked Him to, so that we poor sinful wretches could be saved. 

Please remember that my brethren and be suitably grateful and thankful and unified in the ONE flock of the Good Shepherd. That’s wisdom of everlasting proportions! Much LOVE!

…there are shepherds…and there are shepherds…and then there’s JESUS…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 September 2016 Colossians 3:17.

Colossians 3:17.   And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

And a most enthusiastic ‘Good morning’ to you my friends and family in Jesus Christ! 

It is indeed a good morning, meaning that we are alive and kicking, and regardless of our feelings and circumstances, we don’t have to let them control us because we are the blessed children of the Most High God Jehovah, the Creator of the universe and all therein, and He looks after each one of us in His own unique fashion. Glory to God! 

And I just had to share this poem from our One Year Book of Bible Promises, with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin because it is so appropriate for most of us. It’s titled ‘Commonplace Days.’ 

Read with me. ‘Lord of my commonplace days Forgive me for foolishly waiting for “divine inspiration” Before moving in on the tasks Personally assigned to me. Hopefully I am learning To face with greater determination The day-by-day drudgery The trite, mundane tasks The pushing-pulling glamourless duties. 

Lord, even when I think I’m getting no place Keep me pushing on and on With purpose and direction. Grab my heart and quiet me When I begin to whine and whimper. Despite the daily drain I think I see it more clearly now: It is only when I begin to do That you begin to bless.’ 

Ah mih people, it’s all so true! It certainly reflects the lives of most of us; the daily drudgery and same old, same old glamourless tasks by which we make our living. But please don’t allow it get us down, because it’s simply the way life is. Everyday can’t be exciting and glamorous, for too much of that will eventually get boring and mundane too. 

So please don’t be fooled by the celebrity worship that’s currently in vogue, because even the true celebrities, not the hangers’ on, have to bow down and work hard at sometime or other if they want to keep their celebrity status intact. 

Remember friends, they are people just like us, only with a little more money, power and privilege. And besides, what passes for glamour today is only an outward show, often used to give a false impression. 

Now today is Wednesday, so let’s turn to our Wednesday Wail and wail it with sincerity, enthusiasm and a strong sense of purpose. 

Wailing: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. 

My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

Ah mih people, every Wednesday that declaration truly wakes me up! It has me being sincerely thankful for the breath of life that’s flowing through my body, and reminds me of what is truly important; keeping my hands to the plough and looking forward to the wonderful future that Jesus has planned for His followers. 

And I sure hope you all feel the same way too, otherwise you’d be missing out on the most wonderful times in your lives which come from living for and with Jesus. 

All glory be to our wonderful Lord and Saviour who sacrificed His sinless lives for us! And all God’s people declared a loud and grateful ‘Amen!’ 

That brings us to our Bit, which is also the Bible Promise for our poem above. ‘And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.’ 

Oh friends, that’s the summation of Bruh Paul’s advice to the Colossians as he talked to them about Christian virtues. And believe me, we couldn’t get any better advice than that for living this earthly life. 

And the scholars tell us: ‘3:17. The beneficial influence produced by the indwelling word of Christ is not only to affect public and private worship (v.16), but it is also to control all areas of a Christian’s life.’ 

Yeh friends, what’s the purpose of God’s word and Spirit indwelling us, if they don’t control our lives eh? None whatsoever! 

And I’m going to spoon feed you all today (smile). Here is verse 16, as mentioned above. ‘Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.’ (Col.3:16) 

Ah mih breddren, I only wish that we could truly do that on a much wider scale than is currently been done, for then our world would definitely be a much better place. 

And the scholars have this to say about that verse. ‘3:16. When believers are forbearing (v.13), and LOVING (v.14) toward one another, when peace reigns among God’s people (v.15), then the church is fertile soil for the blessings produced by the word of Christ.’ 

But sadly, the church in its current state is not very fertile soil because we are not as forbearing, LOVING, and as peaceful with each other as we ought to be. There’s just way too much disunity, dissension and strife in the church. 

That’s why I’m imploring us today to improve, to lift up the qualities that are needed in us, and consequently Christ’s church, so that we can be the true believers, the godly ambassadors that we’re supposed to be, for that is the wisdom of heaven. Much LOVE!

…only when Christians dwell together in true unity…is Christ’s church truly blessed…

 

 

  

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 June 2016 Matthew 5:16.‏‏

Matthew 5:16.   Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Oh my people, the great universe of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is unfolding as it should! Yes Friends, our magnificent God, Creator and Provider is sitting on His heavenly throne running things! Glory Be! 

And we, His most wonderful creation have been blessed to see another beautiful day on planet earth. Wow! You can’t beat that my friends. But now, the problem is what should our response be to such a bountiful blessing eh? 

Let me frame an interesting little scenario here. First of all Gramps Schuller (Robert H Schuller) tells us from his Hour of Power Devotional to ‘draw close to Him (Jesus Christ). Catch His spirit and you will never be the same again. Let Jesus Christ redesign your self-image. 

Tomorrow morning try this prayer by Richard Grubb. “Good morning Christ. I LOVE You! What are you up to today? I want to be part of it! Thank you, God. Amen!” 

Ah friends, it’s indeed a simple but interesting and powerful prayer, in that it aligns us with Jesus Christ as soon as we awaken, gets us sincerely and securely hooked up with Him, our Guide and Leader right off the bat! That way we have less chance of going astray pretty early in the day. 

Then sister Joyce (Joyce Meyer) from her devotional ‘Starting Your Day Right’ tells us: ‘Another key to starting your day right is not to dread things. Don’t lie in bed dreading the whole day before you even get up. Dread is a close relative to the spirit of fear. When dread enters, joy leaves. 

Dread sets you up for misery, because by choosing to dread, you decide that you cannot enjoy what you must do today. Be excited when you face new tests. Close the door to the mindset of dread. 

Decide early to enjoy every challenge that faces you today, knowing that God will be with you to make your path straight and to prosper everything you set out to do.’ 

What great advice my brethren! Oh my people, we need to immediately get in contact with Jesus when we get up, and don’t allow the spirit of fear to enter our lives and spoil our day before we even get moving. 

And to help us do that, Bubba Joel (Joel Osteen) tells us from his devotional ‘Thirty Thoughts for Victorious Living:’ “God has commanded that we live in victory. That means no matter what you are going through, no matter how dark it looks, you can be encouraged that the darkness has to give way to light. Defeat has to give way to victory! 

But in order to open that door to victory, we must continually do what the psalmist did and constantly praise His name. Don’t go around talking about your problems: go around talking about your God! Don’t go around speaking words of defeat and failure; speak words of faith and victory! 

Quit worrying and start worshipping! Start praising and thanking God, and expect things to change in your favour. God will take you places that you’ve never even dreamed of, and you’ll start experiencing the victories that He’s commanded to be yours!” 

Yes my fellow believers, the only way we can truly benefit from God’s mercies and blessings is by staying positive, expecting success and victory in whatever we do, provided it is aligned with God’s Word. 

Ah friends, I wasn’t expecting this little combo to be so long when I dreamt it up, or more correctly was led by the Holy Spirit to put it together. But that’s how it turned out. 

Now I sincerely hope that that combination of things to do at the start of each new day and during it, will inspire us to come up higher, to get with God right from the very beginning and stay with Him all day long, so that He can successfully lead and guide us along paths of righteousness. 

And again, to help us through our earthly pilgrimage this Wednesday morning, the first day of June, let’s declare our Wednesday Wail with sincerity, truth and lots of passion. 

As one now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! 

I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And is it ever so wonderful that all we’ve said today, when put into action, will certainly help us obey the command of Jesus in our Bit. ‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ 

Yes precious people, the only way we can truly obey that command is by staying in contact with Christ from the beginning of our day, right to the very end, when we put our heads on our pillows to sleep, after thanking Him for bringing us safely through the day, and asking for a blessed and restful night’s sleep, so that we can awaken next day to do LOVE all over again with Him. 

And on that excellent note we’ll close for today, because the rest of stuff I had envisioned sharing will make it too long. And I always have in mind our short mind spans. (smile) 

So please my fellow believers, let’s go out today and make Jesus proud of us nuh, by shining our light in this dark world, being the salt of the earth, adding godly flavour to it, and doing good works so that our heavenly Father can be deservedly glorified. Much LOVE!

…oh what a thrill and a joy it is…to do LOVE with Christ…each and every blessed day…Glory to God…!

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 May 2015 James 4:8‏‏

James 4:8.     Draw nigh (near) to God, and he will draw nigh (near) to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded. 

And then it was Saturday; a supposedly rainy day. But who knows eh? We’ve been promised some showers of blessing for the longest while, but we haven’t seen hide nor hair of heavenly water for at least two, possibly three weeks in my area. It’s been cloudy at times, but not even rain-clouding dark, and the strong winds we’ve recently been having have blown those wispy rain clouds away. (smile)

They remind me of the story of Elijah when he prayed for rain in Israel. On the seventh time Elijah’s servant went to see if any rain was in the offing per Elijah’s prayers, he came back and reported: ‘Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand.’ (1 Kin.18:44)

That was the beginning of an abundance of rain for Israel, but no such luck for us. Anyway, it’s still pretty early in the morning to despair, for with our God’s omnipotent powers anything can happen at any time,  in the blink of an eye.

But here’s an interesting general prayer that we can say every morning when we arise. It’s attributed to Norman Grubb (1895-1993), a British Christian missionary, writer and theological teacher. Please pray with me. ‘Good morning, Christ. I LOVE you! What are you up to today? I want to be a part of it! Thank you, God. Amen!’

Now my people, isn’t that simple and straight to the point? It certainly is. And it does help to get you connected with the Father as soon as you get up, before any evil and negative thoughts can enter your still fragile and not wide awake mind and spoil your day. And that’s all it takes Friends, something short and to the point to get us running on the correct spiritual track.

But before we can get to that, we first have to put into operation the words of our Bit, where we’re born again and can have that kind of ongoing relationship with Almighty God. ‘Draw nigh (near) to God, and he will draw nigh (near) to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded.’

Yes my people, it’s of the utmost importance that we have a close personal relationship with the Father, through the Son, Jesus Christ, while being indwelt by the Holy Spirit. And we can only do that by repenting of our sins, cleansing our hearts and turning over a new leaf, becoming a new creation in Christ.

Now listen to how Peter deals with the matter. ‘Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned (sincere) LOVE of the brethren, see that ye LOVE one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible (perishable) seed, but of incorruptible (imperishable), by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

For all flesh is as grass, and the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the (spoken) word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.’ (1 Pet.1:22-25)

Yes Friends, Peter is there repeating the words of Isaiah 40:6-8, where  mankind is likened to the grass that sprouts up bright and fresh in the morning, but soon withers and dies, especially when the hot sun beats down on it. And that’s the absolute truth!

But unlike that short-lived grass, the word of our Creator lives for ever, through the gospel being preached throughout the earth; the good news of his Son Jesus Christ, who was sacrificed for us on Calvary’s cross, then rose again in glory and ascended to heaven, where He now sits on the right hand of the Father, advocating for us.

Wow! What an omnipotent, but magnanimous God we serve and worship my brethren! It just can’t get any better than that, though a lot of us seem to think otherwise. But as I keep saying Friends, refusing to accept God’s grace and mercy and His free offer of salvation through Jesus Christ, which ultimately leads to eternal life, is the wisdom of a fool. And there surely are a lot of fools in this evil and ungodly world.

Anyway, enough of my carping, or proselytizing (smile), whichever one catches your fancy, and listen instead to an explanation by the scholars on the topic at hand. ‘1:23. Being born again (lit., “having been born again”) refers to all believers having been regenerated by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God, which communicates His offer of salvation to mankind. Thus our salvation rests, from the human perspective, upon OUR willing reception of that offer.’

Yuh see Friends, it all depends on us willingly receiving God’s wonderful offer, that’s why I capitalized and highlighted ‘our’ above. The Lord has done His part by putting the offer of salvation through Jesus Christ on the table, so like any contract that is worthless unless there’s offer and acceptance, we now have the opportunity to accept or reject God’s offer.

However Friends, in this case, rejection of the Lord’s offer will bring disastrous and calamitous consequences, namely eternal separation from Him, and eventual death and damnation. So as far as I can see, with my limited human reasoning powers, accepting God’s offer is the wise thing to do.

I’m therefore urging us to do so as quickly as possible, if possible right now, because the time for Jesus’ return is imminent, and once He returns in majestic splendour and awesome might, that offer will be taken off the table…forever. So please take my wise advice and seriously get involved with Jesus. It will be the best decision you’ve ever made. I guarantee it! Much LOVE!

…to be separated from Christ…for all eternity…is the biggest mistake  a man can make…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 April 2014 Psalm 66:19

 Psalm 66:19.    But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.
 
 
Good morning, good morning! Yes Friends, we’re wishing you a good morning and a wonderful day on God’s great earth!
 
And although life might not be all that we want or expect, it sure beats anything else that we currently know. So let’s put aside the fear, the worry, the anxiety, the anger, resentment or whatever other negative thing is troubling our tender souls.
 
Remember that God is always working on, in and for us, trying to make us better people, more Christ-like in character and that includes all sorts of testing, trials, tribulations and being passed through the fire so that we can be refined and brought to the state that He’s prepared for us. 
 
Wow! What a speech! (smile) But it’s all true. So this Saturday morning, regardless of whatever is wrong, let’s not get down on ourselves. Let’s not lose confidence in Almighty God, who LOVED us so much that He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for us on the cross at Calvary, so that we could be brought back into His ever-loving fold, reconciled to Him.
 
That, my Friends, is the greatest gift that mankind has ever been given, and it’s set to all play out in the coming week, Holy Week, beginning with Christ’s crucifixion and ending in a blaze of glory with His resurrection!
 
And all God’s people gave a joyful shout of ‘Praise be to Almighty God, the giver of all good things to His chosen people!’
 
So let’s not hang our heads down like Tom Dooley and cry, (smile) – the old Everly Brothers song of the same name – but let’s lift up our heads and hearts proudly, with confidence, faith and trust in our faithful leader and Saviour Jesus Christ because that’s why He sacrificed His sinless life for our sinful ones. If we just give in to the negative forces and circumstances around us, then we’ll be doing Him a great disservice, making a mockery of His sacrificial death.
 
Right now is possibly the best time of year to be a Christian, just before Easter, when Jesus turned the whole world upside down with His wondrous doings! It’s a real confidence builder and booster! So sit up, look up, put a smile in your heart and on your face, and take pride in being a child of the ONE and ONLY TRUE GOD, Creator of the universe and all therein!
 
And in this calamitous and ungodly world, we need to get even closer to God than we currently are. That means going to Him in prayer, the most effective way of communicating with Him. And it still surprises me that many Christians don’t truly believe or understand the power of prayer! That’s why, as I said a couple of days ago, so many supposed Christians still lead sub-par lives. That’s why we have been inspired to write these messages on the positive power of prayer.
 
And our Bit is a wonderful example of the workings of prayer in a Christian’s life. The psalmist showed no doubt or hesitation when he declared: ‘But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.’
 
Yes my brethren, God does hear and answer our sincere prayers! And today we’ll share one unbroken passage of scripture which encapsulates all that prayer is and does.
 
Listen to James enunciate on the benefits of prayer. ‘Is any among you afflicted (suffering)? let him pray. Is any merry (cheerful) let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
 
And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, (the prayer produced by that faith will heal), and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults (trespasses) one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual (effective) fervent prayer (supplication) of a righteous man availeth much.
 
Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are (with a nature like ours), and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth (land) by the space of (for) three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.’ (James 5:13-18)
 
What a testimony for prayer my people! And I’ll add my own small testimony here. Before I began writing the Bit, I was feeling lousy both emotionally and physically, and knew I couldn’t write the Bit in that condition, so I read some uplifting stuff and floated some prayers up to heaven asking for strength and guidance to write a good Bit.
 
And Friends, though I expected a positive response, I was truly surprised when I began writing and everything just flowed like water from a fountain – a heavenly fountain that is. I didn’t even need to do a rough draft, as I do most of the time.
 
Now that couldn’t have been just my natural powers. And though I’m still feeling the effects of the cold, Friends, I’m here, and very happy to tell you, that all is now well with my soul! (smile) Please believe in prayer, for it does work wonders in a believer’s life! Much LOVE!
 
…to pray…to pray…and yet to pray…that is the only way…
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 April 2014 Psalm 145:10

 
Psalm 145:10.        All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee.

Well a pleasant Good Morning to all you beautiful people out there in Scrip-Bit Land! And it’s not a too bad morning in my neck of the woods; somewhat damp, because we’ve finally had some preferred precipitation – rain, not snow – and the temps promise to be truly spring-like.
 
And all God’s people in the northern climes gave a joyous shout of ‘Praise the Lord! At long last this horrible winter seems to be over!’
 
Yes Friends, it seems like spring has finally sprung, and we’ve been promised temps in the 5-10 range for the next few days. Hopefully the weather people will keep their promise.
 
Anyway, in our preamble today, I want to mention a useful example of the negativity of gossip. And I don’t need to remind us that gossip is extremely big business in today’s wicked, ungodly world. Many people make their living off of gossip; notably the supposed entertainment and talk shows, as well as the tabloids.
 
The sad part is that they wouldn’t exist if we didn’t encourage the process by avidly watching and listening to them and buying the scandal sheets. Our lives seem to be so lacking that we have to have a daily fix of what the supposed celebrities are doing. And the fact of the matter is that their lives aren’t half as glamorous as they are made out to be.
 
However, the example for the day, deals more with office or small group gossip, not that the big ones are really any different. And the example comes from the comic strip ‘Between Friends.’
 
One co-worker passes by another in the corridor, her cell-phone is to her ear and she appears to be sniffling. The lady who notices that tells a male co-worker. ‘Judy just left the office – she looked upset.’
 
The male co-worker tells another female co-worker. ‘Judy just left the office – she was bawling.’
 
That female co-worker then tells a male co-worker. ‘Judy just left the office in hysterics.’
 
And that male co-worker finally gets back to the original co-worker with the news. ‘They had to call security to remove Judy from the office. She was out of control.’
 
Ah Friends, you see how gossip can escalate and blow things out of proportion! This time Judy might just have been having a case of allergies or something quite simple, but by the time the news passes through three people, she was out of control and had to be removed by security.
 
And unfortunately that kind of thing happens everyday in many avenues of life, and has the power to cause unknown problems. Please, let’s try and stop the idle gossip that too many of us engage in on a normal basis nuh. It’s true that the tongue is a fire and hard to control, (James 3:3-12) but we need to do it, else it can, and will get us in serious trouble.
 
As believers in Jesus Christ, we should be more in tune with our Bit: ‘All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee.’
 
Yes my people, like God’s works, we should be more interested in praising and blessing Him, rather than being involved in the unfounded rumours and hearsay so prevalent today.
 
We should be doing as Bruh David declares in this psalm of praise: ‘ They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations. The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.
 
The eyes of all wait upon thee (look expectantly to you); and thou givest them their meat (food) in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfieth the desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy (gracious) in all his works.’ (Ps. 145:11-17)
 
Now my brethren, that’s more like how we should be talking. All of God’s other creations show respect for God, even the lowliest of them all. They don’t have a finite mind to know Him, but they instinctively know where their largesse comes from and appreciate it. But not so man, who is supposed to be the showcase of God’s creativity.
 
Instead we curse and blaspheme His holy name, whine and complain that He’s not doing this or that for us. That shouldn’t be so my people, for we are the greatest benefactors of God’s LOVING-kindness. 
 
And in the immortal words of Bruh David from Psalm 19; the creation and covenants of God: ‘The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament (expanse of heaven) showeth his handiwork (the work of his hands). Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth (reveals) knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard.
 
Their line (measuring line) is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle (tent) for the sun. Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth (rising) is from the end of heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.’ (Ps.19:1-6)
 
Yuh see mih people how God’s work in the heavens and elsewhere in nature glorifies Him! That’s how we, His greatest creation should also glorify Him! We talk a whole lot, but our actions don’t reflect our talk, meanwhile the actions of the lesser creations do reflect the greatness of God to a magnitude we can’t even begin to comprehend.
 
Therefore Friends, it’s imperative that we do a much better job when it comes to praising and glorifying and magnifying our Creator. We shower much praise on men when they do stuff we think is great and worthwhile even when it’s not, so why can’t we give the Creator of the universe and all therein the same, even more deserved recognition eh? That only shows our lack of true appreciation for all His goodness and mercy towards us.
 
Please my fellow believers, let’s concentrate on building up our wonderful God nuh, instead of trying to tear Him down, as a lot of us are doing. That’s certainly wisdom of the highest order! Much LOVE!
 
…how can we call ourselves true believers in the Creator…when we don’t truly appreciate or magnify His creations… 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 April 2014 Psalm 145: 20

Psalm 145:20.   The Lord preserveth all them that LOVE him: but all the wicked he will destroy.
 
Well a hearty good morning to all you Scrip-Bit family members this first glorious morning in April! Wow!
 
And I’m not trying to make April fools of us all. (smile) But we have indeed been blessed to see another marvellous day in God’s great universe! Now isn’t that something special? It surely is!
 
Therefore, let’s give our heavenly Father some thanks and praise for that nuh. Let’s lift our heads, hearts, hands and eyes heavenward and sincerely say: ‘Heavenly Father, thank You for this new day! We know that You are going to shower us with new mercies and blessings, more than we can ever ask for or imagine.
 
Please help us to appreciate them and share them with others less fortunate, because that’s what You desire of us. And in that way, we can walk in the big footsteps of Your BELOVED Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ! We pray this in His Holy Name, and give you all the glory! Amen!’
 
Yes Friends, when we start out on the right foot, giving the Father His deserved thanks and praise, our path for the day usually runs a little smoother. Or if not, then we have the parts, the strength, faith and courage to handle whatever comes against us.
 
Now here’s a fitting corollary to all of that, a quote from Ed Howe – couldn’t figure out which one, because there are so many. Anyway, I believe I’ve shared this quote some time ago, but it’s one of those things that we need to be constantly reminded of in this crazed and troubled world.
 
And Ed says: ‘If you don’t learn to laugh at trouble, you won’t have anything to laugh at when you grow old.’
 
And that’s as true a saying as you can get Friends! For laughter is not only a free medicine, it’s also the best one we can employ in ALL our circumstances. That doesn’t mean we don’t take life, or the things in it seriously, but that we don’t get too overwhelmed by our problems.
 
The truth is, when we get too worked up over our problems, we lose the energy and focus necessary to handle them. So let’s lighten up, loosen up nuh! Life might be rough, but if you’re a true believer in Jesus, then you’ll know, with everlasting certainty, that in God’s own time and way, He will help you solve the problem(s). Not always how or when you want, but surely better than you could have done on your own.
 
And as our Bit proclaims with such wisdom and certainty: ‘The Lord preserveth all them that LOVE him: but all the wicked he will destroy.’
 
And that’s the unvarnished, indisputable truth, my brethren! So please believe it; let it sink right down into the very depths of our souls, to give us the strength and encouragement we so badly need in these troubled times.
 
For as Bruh David says just before our Bit, in this psalm; the Lord is gracious: ‘The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy (gracious) in all his works. The Lord is nigh (near) unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear (reverence) him: he will also hear their cry, and will save them.’ (Ps.145:17-19)
 
And that’s more unvarnished, indisputable truth my fellow believers, as many of you can attest and testify to!
 
That’s the great thing about our wonderful God; He never leaves his faithful followers in the lurch! Thank You Lord for that faithfulness! Though, as we’ve said earlier, He might not solve the problems how and when we want them, His awesome and powerful hand of grace, mercy and forgiveness is always there working on our behalf!
 
What more can we ask eh? Nothing really, my people! 
 
And since we already know the Lord’s faithfulness, it now behoves us to believe it, and then return that faithfulness, so that we can engender a win-win situation and relationship with our mighty Creator.
 
Oh my brethren, believe me, there’s nothing better than having a win-win relationship with Almighty God! Mama Mia! It sure is beautiful!
 
Now, please note that I haven’t even bothered touching on the situation of the wicked, because that will just muddy the waters, invite negativity, stuff that we can well do without. Suffice it to say, the Lord will destroy the wicked in His own way and time.
 
Let’s concentrate on the positives here, and do as Bruh David so sincerely declares in Psalm 31; titled ‘In thee O Lord, do I put my trust.’
 
And what better personage is there to put our trust in, eh people? NONE WHATSOEVER!
 
Now hear Bruh David’s outstanding proclamation: ‘O LOVE the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth (fully repays) the proud doer. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.’ (Ps.31:23-24)
 
There’s no more to say Friends! So please, let’s accept that heavenly wisdom, that gospel truth, so that we can bring some much needed peace, LOVE and joy to our anxious and burdened hearts, souls, bodies and minds, and above all, to our evil, ungodly and troubled world. Much LOVE!
 
…unless we sincerely believe in something…preferably Jesus Christ…then we’ll fall easily for anything…
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 February 2014 Luke 19:10

Luke 19:10.    For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
 
Well a good Sunday morning to all you Friends and fellow believers out there in Christendom! It is the Lord’s Day, so please let’s treat it as such; with reverence and awe, with praise and thanksgiving, with worship and fellowship. 
 
Let’s get out and fellowship with those of like persuasion… and even with those of a different persuasion, for once Jesus is the focus of our attention, we simply cannot go wrong. Remember He specifically said that wherever two or three are gathered in His Name, that He would certainly grace us with His wonderful presence. (Matt.18:20)
 
And if by chance, or design, you can’t get out to fellowship with other believers and hear the Word, then turn on your television set and tune in to one of the many Christian programmes where  the Word is boldly preached and listen to it attentively. Because to know the Word, you must hear it, and how can you hear it without a preacher? (Rom.10:14-15) For as Bruh Paul proudly proclaims: ‘So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.’ (Rom.10:17) 
 
And just supposing you don’t have a T.V… Well then get out your Bible and read it aloud to yourself, for there’s plenty of power in the spoken Word. Note that God SPOKE the world and all therein into existence. It wasn’t any abracadabra, simi-dimi stuff. The important thing though my brethren, is that the Word of God comes into contact with your very soul, on this, His day.
 
That brings us to our Bit: ‘For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.’
 
And all God’s children gave out a loud and joyous shout of “Glory Hallelujah! All praise to the Lord for His goodness to us undeserving sinners.’ And well we should all be grateful and offer the sacrifice of praise my brethren, for without Jesus coming to search for and save us, we’d still be lost.
 
And I like how the scholars explain it. ’19:10. The words, seek, save, and lost all appear elsewhere in Scripture in a shepherd context. This verse may be taken as a kernel statement of the central theme of Luke. Jesus is the compassionate, searching Herdsman who seeks to save those who can by no means save themselves.’
 
We surely can’t my brethren! Now today I want to share some scriptures where Jesus states His avowed purpose in coming to earth. And He does it several times, in several different ways.
 
Let’s begin with when He talks about lost sheep. ‘For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.’ (Matt.18:11) Then He goes on to explain about a shepherd having an hundred sheep, but one gets lost and he leaves the ninety-nine and goes searching long and hard for the ONE LOST SHEEP, and rejoices greatly when he finds it.  (Matt.18:12-13) ‘Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.’ (Matt.18:14)
 
Oh Friends, yuh see the great importance the Lord attaches to even ONE LOST SINNER! Consequently, if there had only been one single sinner in the entire world, the Father would still have sent Jesus to save him.
 
Now let’s turn to a time after Jesus had eaten with a publican (tax collector) called Levi. (Luke 5:27-29) The scribes and Pharisees are questioning Jesus as to: ‘Why do ye eat and drink with publicans (tax collectors) and sinners? (Luke 5:30) That’s because the Pharisees thought it was beneath them, defiling to have business dealings with tax collectors like Levi, much less to eat with them.
 
‘And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole (healthy) need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’ (Luke 5:31-32)
 
As the scholars explain: ‘5:32. Jesus is of course not dealing with the question of whether there are in fact righteous people who need no repentance. By ‘righteous’ He refers to the Pharisees, who thought they were righteous, and thus felt they had no need to repent. They were truly self-righteous.’ 
 
In any case, if you came to save sinners, then you obviously need to hang out with them, otherwise how would you teach and testify and bring them to repentance eh?
 
And we’ll close with this instance where Jesus is headed for Jerusalem, but while passing through Samaria is rejected by the people there. At this perceived slight, James and John want to call down fire and brimstone on the heads of the Samaritans. (Luke 9:51-54)
 
‘But he (Jesus) turned and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.’ (Luke 9:55-56)
 
Ah mih breddren, that’s enough stuff for us to ponder today, to meditate on and write indelibly in our hearts. Please, let’s allow the Word of God to dwell richly in our souls, for ‘it is the power of God unto salvation.’ (Rom.1:16) 
 
And here’s a parting blessing I got from my church in Tobago.  ‘Go now in Peace – Never be Afraid. God will go with you each hour of every day. Go now in faith steadfast and strong and true. Know He will guide you in all you do. Go now in LOVE, and show you believe. Reach out to others, so all the world can see. God will be there watching from above. Go now in Peace, in Faith and in LOVE.’ Much LOVE, my fellow believers!
 
…once you know Jesus…you can’t help but LOVE and glorify and exalt Him…
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 November 2013 Psalm 46:9

Psalm 46:9.    He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.
 
Well a good Tuesday morning to all you beautiful and constant readers of Scrip-Bits! It shows that you do have some faith and trust in me to keep reading what I write. Or it might even be that you have sufficient faith and trust in Almighty God to cause me to write something worthwhile reading. (smile)
 
Whatever your reason though, I sincerely thank you for staying the course with me, since I can’t do it without your readership and encouragement.
 
Anyway, I thought we’d begin today with this prayer I recently got from a Bible Study Class at my church. Some of you might know it, but as always, good prayer is never redundant or too old to read and pray again.
 
So together let’s invoke this prayer, titled, ‘Come Holy Spirit.’ And it says: ‘Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful and kindle in us the fire of your LOVE. Send forth your Spirit, and we shall be created. And you shall renew the face of the earth.
 
O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit, we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.’
 
Yes Friends, it’s a most worthwhile prayer, since it’s God’s Holy Spirit which works in us, leading and guiding us in the pathways of righteousness!
 
And right now we truly need to pray that the Lord sends His Holy Spirit amongst the disaster stricken people of the Philippines, where the recent typhoon Haiyan devastated some parts of the country. The loss of life is claimed to be in the thousands, and the destruction is exceedingly great.
 
Like the prayer above says, the face of the earth there definitely needs renewing. So please, let’s pray that the Lord will inspire them with a spirit of resilience and renewed faith to rebuild and keep on trusting Him, for He is indeed ever-faithful to those who sincerely follow Him.
 
And let’s help in any other way we can; food, clothing, money etc. because you never know, one day we might also be in an unfortunate situation, needing the help of others.
 
Now it’s time for our Bit: ‘He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.’
 
Yes my people, in these troubled times of war, rumours of war and endless strife all over God’s earth, it is a good time to see what the scriptures say about war. Yesterday we were only able to define our Bit as words of divine truth, today however, we’ll look at some scripture that supports the psalmist’s contentions.
 
And if you didn’t believe that our Bit was, is, and will always be words of divine truth, then listen to these words of Asaph, from Psalm 76, the victorious God.
 
He opens the psalm with this powerful proclamation: ‘In Judah is God known: his name is great in Israel. In Salem (Jerusalem) also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion. There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and the battle.  Selah. (Ps.76:1-3) 
 
Ah Friends, more words of glorious godly truth! But just in case you still don’t believe, then hear these words of that great man of God, Isaiah, re the day of the Lord.
 
‘And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks (pruning knives): nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.’ (Is.2:4)
 
And all God’s people declared a loud and thankful: ‘GLORY HALLELUJAH! NO MORE WAR!
 
Oh mih breddren, mih breddren, that must get to the very depths of your consciousness and convince you! But just in case it didn’t, please listen to John from Revelation, re the new earth and the new heaven.
 
‘And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.’ (Rev. 21:3-4)
 
Oh Friends, what a mighty promise from our Mighty God! Just imagine that nuh; no more negative things in all the earth, which means no more war, just peace and LOVE! Mama Mia! I can’t wait for that day people!
 
Hopefully my enthusiasm is catching, (smile) but just in case you’re still not convinced of the truth of all you’ve read and heard, then Friends, all I can say is that I’m truly sorry for you, and sincerely hope that the Lord touches your heart at some stage before you go to meet Him.
 
And for all you who truly believe, please, let’s keep on believing and trusting in our great God, and move from strength to strength, as we keep on keeping on, building and furthering His glorious kingdom, and glorifying His Most Holy Name! Much LOVE!
 
…if we don’t believe the Bible…God’s Holy Word…what’s the point in believing in God at all eh…  
 
P.S. It’s nice and short today, so smile and enjoy it.  Selah.
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   

Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 October 2012 Romans 8:32

Romans 8:32.     He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things.
 
Bonjour mes amis! (smile) That’s supposed to be the French equivalent of ‘Good morning my Friends.’ And though in my area it was a wet, rainy night, and the day has begun cloudy and damp, it is definitely a good morning! First of all because we’re alive and kicking, with the breath of life from God flowing generously and graciously through our bodies. Then, most importantly, we have Jesus as our Lord and Saviour! Wow! So how could it be anything but a good morning eh my people? And I have a li’l something to share that helps make life even better. I don’t think I’ve shared it before, and it seems like something I’ve rustled up myself. It’s not earth shattering, but certainly enlightening and helpful. It says: ‘The Gospel is the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ and His offer of Salvation, through His Birth, Death, Burial and Resurrection, to be received by Faith!’ And without a doubt Friends, that’s indeed GOOD NEWS! In fact it’s the BEST NEWS available here on earth! And it blends in beautifully with our Bit: ‘He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things.’ That’s just simple logic and common sense my brethren. For if the Lord sacrificed the life of His ONLY Son Jesus for us, which is the greatest sacrifice that was ever made, why wouldn’t He give us the lesser things we need to live a righteous earthly life eh? No reason why not! And the verse that precedes our Bit, which we all know and like to quote conveniently, certainly enhances it. ‘What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?’ (Rom.8:31) And the emphatic answer to that question my Friends, is a big NOBODY! I think we can best explain our Bit by turning to Romans 5, where Bruh Paul talks about the results of justification. Beginning in verse 6, he rightfully declares: ‘For when we were yet without strength, in due time (at the right time), Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet peradventure (perhaps) for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his (demonstrates his own) LOVE toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now (having been) justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being (having been) reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement (reconciliation).’ (Rom.5:6-11) Yes Friends, if while we were still abominable sinners, and thus enemies of the holy, righteous and just God, He allowed His Son to be sacrificed for us, then all things; joy, reconciliation, salvation, etc. etc. are now and forever more ours, if we believe in Jesus as Lord and Saviour. And the scholars add this colour commentary on our Bit. ‘For us all: This does not teach or necessitate limited atonement (the view that Christ died only for the elect), for Christ died for all the sins of all the world (2 Cor.5:19). His death is effective unto salvation, however, only for those who call upon the name of the Lord. (Rom.10:13,17).’ Yes my brethren, contrary to some opinions, Christ didn’t die for the elect few, but paid the price for ALL sin, for ALL time, for ANY INDIVIDUAL who acknowledges Him as the WAY, the TRUTH, the LIFE, and the LIGHT, and thus the ONLY MEANS by which Salvation can be had! And earlier on in Romans 4, where Bruh Paul talks about the promise realized through faith, and says of Abraham: ‘He staggered (wavered) not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong (strengthened) in the faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded (convinced) that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for (because of) our offenses, and was raised again for (because of) our justification.’ (Rom.4:20-25) Here’s the scholar’s commentary: ‘But for us also: The principle of justification valid for Abraham is valid for all believers. Raised again for our justification: Because Jesus was raised from the dead we know that His sacrifice on Calvary was accepted in God’s sight and Jesus’ righteousness is available to all.’ Yes Friends, ALL that Jesus did, is available to ALL who call on the Father through His Holy, glorious name. That’s what is so great about Christianity; it’s an all inclusive body, not exclusive like some other faiths. And all you need to do is to call on Jesus’ name in sincere repentance and receive salvation through the free gift of God’s wonderful grace! How can anything be better than that on this troubled planet earth eh? So my people, I implore us to remember our wonderful heritage as Christians, and the awesome price Jesus paid for our redemption. Consequently let’s do our best to use it wisely, and spread His Word as He commissioned us, (Matt.28:19-20) because it will be our great loss if we don’t. Much LOVE!…Christians should use the power of Christ to build His church…as He desires…not to tear it down…as some are doing…