Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 May 2014 Jeremiah 5:23

Jeremiah 5:23.  But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone (departed).

Well hello there mih Lovelies! (smile) How goes it with us this beautiful morning in the exotic spring of 2014, where we’re continuing the wonderful celebration of the Easter Season?

Oh yes Friends, it’s still the Easter Season until Pentecost!

So please don’t forget just yet, that miraculous and marvellous hat trick of Death, Resurrection and Ascension that our magnificent Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ recently scored! A hat trick like that only comes along once in a lifetime, so please, let’s keep it close to our hearts, ever-present in minds and souls.

And the word for today my brethren is ‘SURRENDER!’ Wow! What an exciting word! (smile)

That leads us then to this most important question – have we truly and completely surrendered our hearts, souls, bodies, minds, souls and lives to Jesus?

And I know that all of us will quickly jump up and shout and astounding ‘Yes!’ But Friends, the operative words in that last sentence were ‘truly’ and ‘completely.’

Yes, most of us have surrendered most of ourselves to Christ, but unfortunately we still have some little compartments or cubicles deep within, that we still keep separate from God. We don’t allow Him to enter what we shall call our personal holy of holies.

But that’s not right, nor wise, my people, because it keeps God from doing lots of good things in our lives. Please remember, that with Jesus, it’s either ALL or nothing at all! He can’t only control 99.999 percent of our lives and make it work properly. He needs the full 100 percent, all the time!

So please, today, let’s carefully and seriously investigate ourselves and see if we have truly and completely surrendered our ALL to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ nuh. And if we haven’t, then let’s do it pronto; like yesterday, (smile) so that Jesus can get on with the great work(s) He has planned for us.

And having said all of that, let’s see how it marries up with our Bit. ‘But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone (departed).’

Oh my people, that was ever so true of Judah back then, and is it also ever so true of us in these modern times! It’s like if Jeremiah was in our midst writing about us. How sad!

When yuh talk about spiritual and civil corruption, our world is generating and experiencing it in living colour, to such an inordinate extent, that it’s breeding total degradation. I don’t know if that sentence makes sense, but I’m sure you got the serious negativity of its intent.

Now hear the also ever so relevant scripture that comes directly before our Bit. ‘Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish (proclaim) it in Judah, saying, Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:

Fear ye not me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves (to and fro), yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?’ (Jer.5:20-22)

Oh my people, my people, it’s the very same thing that our patient and long-suffering God is saying to us today in these perilous and oh so sinful times! And unfortunately, the answer we seem to be giving is exactly like that of olden Judah. No, we don’t fear the Lord, our Creator and Controller, and neither do we really care.

In fact, I believe that we’re even more brazen and boldfaced than Judah. Nowadays, sitting on the false and easily destroyed wealth of our human intelligence and technology, we so foolishly believe that we’re invincible! Steups! Ah Lord eh!

Oh Friends, what ever happened to that trust and faith we used to have in Almighty God eh? I used to wonder how the Israelites could have turned from God after all those wonderful things He’d done for them. But sadly, now I’m seeing personally how God can disappear from a society, once the evil pagan instruments and powers get a foothold in it.

And now my brethren, having declared our utter sinfulness, we need to consider the solution to it. And the same way it was given to Judah, it’s being given to us.

‘Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, we will not walk therein.’

Oh my people, please, please, unlike Judah, let’s declare instead nuh, in these oh so ungodly times: ‘And we said, we WILL WALK THEREIN!’ That’s the wisdom for the ages my brethren, and the only way we will escape total destruction!

And hopefully, to give us a little more incite into the situation, and thus encouragement to walk upright, let’s hear the scholars’ remarks on that verse. ‘6:16. The people’s stubborn refusal to walk in the traditional ways of true righteousness is often mentioned by Jeremiah (12:16; 18:15; 23:12; 31:21).

Moving in their own paths and following their own way could lead only to Judah’s destruction (cf. Prov. 14:12). The contrast of the way of righteousness and life with the way of the ungodly and death is often made in the Scriptures (e.g., Ps. 1; Matt.7:13-14).

Oh my people, please check out those scriptures and see how tenuous a hold we have on this earthly life nuh, especially if we don’t walk the straight and narrow path that leads to our Creator. We’re supposed to be the smartest creation of God, please, let’s prove it nuh. Much LOVE!

…the Scriptures don’t lie…he who continually disobeys God’s Word…will eventually pay a hefty price for that disobedience… 

P.S. Ah mih people, it was brought to my attention by my first born that yesterday, instead of saying that the singing of our Monday Morning Battle Hymn ‘wasn’t’ up to scratch, I mistakenly wrote ‘was.’

Please forgive the ole fella for that typo, though I’m sure you all understood what I meant. Thanks too for pointing that out mih big D. Just goes to show how human the ole fella is. (smile) Much LOVE!

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 February 2014 2 Chronicles 15:1.

2 Chronicles 15:1.     And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded.
 
And then it was Friday… Carnival Friday to boot! So you can imagine the huge amount of joyful and raucous shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday!’ that are going up to heaven. It’s getting so deafening that the Lord has to put in earplugs to safeguard His hearing. (smile)
 
And if most of those shouts were truly godly grateful, it wouldn’t be so bad, but the fact of the matter is that most of them are simply mouthed platitudes for us to go and enjoy the earthly and sinful pleasures involved in the carnival bacchanal. You can imagine the highly ‘partyfied’ state of Rio, New Orleans and T&T!
 
But Friends, at no other time is Granny’s warning more important than at Carnival time, because we know it’s so easy to fall into the pleasurable traps of the enemy. So please, I beg of you all, this weekend especially, to remember that drunk or sober, you are expected to mind your business.
 
And be exceedingly careful of that brown girl in the bottle… or whatever colour girl she might be, for all of them are very capable and very likely to lead us down dark and dangerous paths, if we imbibe too much. We tend to get very loose and irresponsible then, and can suffer serious, life changing effects and situations through that irresponsibility.
 
And to help us guard against our natural irresponsible tendencies, let’s chant our Friday Chant in all seriousness. As one loud 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.’
 
Yes mih people, this weekend, more than ever, we need to take our Friday Chant very seriously because it can prevent us from making some silly but very serious mistakes. And the ole fella’s talking from personal experience here, not hear say! (smile)
 
Now let’s turn to our Bit: ‘And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded’
 
Yeh Friends, in olden times the Lord’s Spirit wasn’t dwelling in every believer as it is now, after the coming of Jesus and Pentecost. Back then the Lord empowered certain individuals for a particular purpose when He needed them.
 
And yesterday we saw a time when Israel was real idolatrous and ungodly and the Lord, in exasperation, left them to their own devices. (Judg. 2:16-23) Just as He’s currently leaving us to our own ungodly and disobedient devices, and we’re suffering the pangs of rebellion in a very catastrophic world. 
 
So the Lord left the pagan nations around Israel to test their determination and sincerity to walk in obedience to His commandments. (Judg. 3:1-4)
 
The Good Book describes it thus: ‘And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites: And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
 
And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and forgat the Lord their God, and served Baalim (Baals, name or symbol of Canaanite gods) and the groves (Asherahs, names and symbols of Canaanite goddesses.’ (Judg.3:5-7)
 
The scholars tell us that ‘the groves were the detestable sacred trees or poles used in Canaanite worship centres as symbols of life and fertility. These were sacred to the worship of the Canaanite fertility goddess Asherah. Moses had warned against their use and given instructions to Israel to destroy them when they entered the land of Canaan (cf. Ex.34:13; Deut.7:5; 12:3; 16:21-22).
 
Unfortunately the use of such poles would prove to be a continuing fascination for Israel and a source of deepening apostasy. (cf. 2 Kin.17:9-11).’
 
Oh mih breddren, that’s exactly what we are doing today; intermarrying and associating with the heathen in a big way. But even worse, instead of bringing them to belief in the ONE, TRUE GOD of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, we’re embracing their paganism.
 
Don’t you think that will anger our God now, just as it angered Him back in the disobedient days of Israel? It surely will! And here’s how he dealt with Israel.
 
‘Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim eight years.’ (Judg.3:8)
 
What else did they expect eh? And that warning goes for us today too Friends! But fortunately for the Israelites and us, our God is very merciful and forgiving.
 
‘And when the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother.
 
And the spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the Lord delivered Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushan-rishathaim. And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died.’ (Judg.3:9-11)
 
Oh my fellow believes, how I hope and pray that the Lord would raise up someone like Othniel today in out dire time of need, so that he or she could defeat the pagan powers that are controlling us, albeit through our disobedience, and give our land some godly peace and rest from the continuous struggles and strife that’s been plaguing it for oh too long. Please pray for God to positively address the situation very soon.
 
Remember though, that godly assistance WILL NOT COME WITHOUT SINCERE CONVICTION AND REPENTANCE! So if we want to see godly improvement in our world any time soon, then we need to start working RIGHT NOW, to seriously bring conviction and repentance to it.
 
With those two things permeating our society, we CAN NEVER GO WRONG! Why? Because that’s the wisdom of heaven! Much LOVE!
 
…in sinful and ungodly times…the proven formula for redress…is sincerely turning back to serving and worshipping Jehovah God…
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 December 2013 Isaiah 33:22

Isaiah 33:22.    For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king, he will save us.
 
Oh Friends, on this gloomy Monday morning, the eve of Christmas Eve, my area is still suffering from the ravages of the rain, freezing rain and ice storm. The storms themselves have abated, but the damage is there to be cleaned up now.
 
We’re talking about the emotional and physical pain of the populace, the numerous accidents, vehicular and human, the many trees that have fallen or lost sizeable portions of their limbs from the weight of the ice, the neighbourhoods that are still without power, the lanes and minor roads that are still ice covered or are slushy, making it very hazardous and unpredictable.
 
Yesterday morning I salted my drive way, and half an hour later when I came out to go to church, it seemed as though I’d never put down any salt at all, because it was covered with a clear sheet of ice. And later, on my way from church, I stopped to buy some more salt, and would you believe I couldn’t put them in the trunk of my car, because the ice wouldn’t allow the trunk to stay opened.
 
Mama Mia! You really can’t imagine the damage an ice storm can do, until you experience it. But believe me, it possibly does more damage, or is potentially more dangerous than just the normal snow. I remember one in Montreal some years ago, and couldn’t believe the serious damage it did. But now I believe! (smile)
 
A big, beautiful tree in my neighbour’s backyard is now a shadow of its former self, having lost about two thirds of its limbs, while a big one in my front yard has lost several branches, and has another sizeable branch dangerously hanging over the road. I will most likely have to find and pay someone to cut it down.  
 
And the sad part is that we’re not quite sure what kind of weather to expect in the next few days, except that it will be cold and wintry. But nuh must! It’s winter in the northern climes! (smile) Anyway Friends, regardless of our circumstances this Monday morning, be they good, bad or indifferent, we need to get up and be about our heavenly Father’s business.
 
And to help us do that, to alleviate the blues, the tiredness and the foot dragging, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with grateful hearts, thankful that we’re still alive and full of the joy of our wonderful God.
 
In close harmony now, let’s sing: ‘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!’
 
And we can all feel the adrenalin flowing now my brethren! Our hope, faith and strength are on the increase, because our God is a most excellent Deity, He answers sincere prayer. Remember Friends, that our God is our EVERYTHING; OUR END ALL AND BE ALL! 

As our Bit puts it: ‘For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king, he will save us.’ And that my fellow believers is possibly the truest of all truths that exist in this universe.
 
Now let’s corroborate our Bit with pertinent scriptures, taking each aspect of God’s majesty separately. Don’t know how much we’ll accomplish today because there’s lots of scripture to share, but let’s begin with the Lord being our JUDGE. In Acts 10, we find Peter preaching to the Gentiles, after the apostles had received the gift and power of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
 
And having told them about Jesus; His crucifixion, resurrection and ascension (Acts 10:34-41), he then informs them of Jesus’ command. ‘And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of (the) quick and (the) dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission (forgiveness) of sins.’ (Acts 10: 42-43)
 
Oh Friends, we obviously can’t argue with Peter, because he walked with Jesus, was one of His inner circle of disciples, and saw and heard all that happened. Therefore we need to take what he says very seriously, and adjust our lives so that we can meet the Judge without too much anxiety.
 
And I like the scholars’ comment on that passage. ’10:36-43. Peter’s preaching presents in clear fashion the gospel: how Christ lived and died, was raised from the dead, and how He did this sacrificially and vicariously for our sins.’ 
 
And right there we have the answer my brethren! Because Jesus sacrificed His sinless life for our sins, the Father made Him JUDGE over all His creation, both living and dead. Please let that sink deep into our consciousness my people, because it’s ever so important in our earthly walk of faith. Much LOVE!
 
…and the heavens shall declare his righteousness…for God is judge himself…  Selah  (Ps.50:6)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 May 2013 Acts 2:4

Acts 2:4.    And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
 
Oh Friends, it’s Monday! And I receive two different reactions to that news: An irritable ‘Chuh! Steups!’ from those who had to get up and go to work. While those with the day off in honour of Queen Victoria, exhaled a grateful sigh of relief, turned off their alarms, rolled over and uttered an enthusiastic, ‘Thank You Lord!’

But what can I say eh Friends? Them’s the breaks. You win some, you lose some, but it will all work out for our good in the end, as our wonderful God has so faithfully promised. (Rom.8:28) Anyway, in solidarity with those who have to venture out to the battlefield of work today, let’s all sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, to help them go out there safely, brimming with confidence and energy.

All together 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!’
 
And a word of warning to those who are not going to work; please don’t get too smug and reckless in any celebrations today, because the enemy never takes even one minute off. He’s always on the prowl for ways to cause our downfall. So please remember Granny’s advice: ‘Sonny boy, drunk or sober, mind yuh business.’
 
And here are the answers to the Bible questions I posed yesterday. Re the most frequently mentioned woman, between Eve, Sarah, the Virgin Mary and Rachel? That’s Sarah! And as to the most frequently mentioned man other than Jesus, between Bruh David, Moses, Abraham and Bruh Paul? The winner, hands down was Bruh David! (smile)
 
Now let’s look at our Bit. ‘And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.’
 
And what I want to do today, is offer some enlightenment, some information on the workings of the Holy Spirit. The scholars have provided me with so much info, in different places and contexts, let’s see if I can pull it together and make a coherent whole, so that even the newest believer can get a decent understanding of that miraculous force and power that indwells him.
 
Now there are two basic acts or parts to the Holy Spirit; baptism and then the filling and regeneration. Baptism occurs when a person receives Christ as Lord and Saviour. As per the scholars: ‘that’s the act by which Jesus, through the Spirit, at conversion brings the believer into relation with Himself and makes the believer part of God’s people, the church.’
 
We can attest to that from John telling the Pharisees and Sadducees who enquired about his baptism: ‘I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.’ (Matt.3:11)
 
The scholars further explain that ‘John’s baptism in water was not Christian baptism. The death and resurrection of Christ had not yet occurred in order to be depicted by this baptism. John’s baptism was similar to the Old Testament offerings (washings) that symbolized a cleansing of personal repentance on the part of the believer. Notice that Jesus submitted to this baptism to “fulfill all righteousness.” (v 15)’
 
That’s when Jesus came to John to be baptized. ‘But John forbade him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer (allow) it to be so now: for thus it becometh us (is fitting for us) to fulfill all righteousness. Then he (John) suffered (allowed) him.’ Matt.3:14-15)
 
The scholars then explain Jesus’ baptism by John thus: ‘By identifying Himself with those He came to redeem, Jesus inaugurated His public ministry as the Messiah. In regard to the Jewish religious observances, such as synagogue worship, attendance at feasts, and payment of the temple tax, Jesus always met the duties of a faithful Jew.’
 
So although, He came to provide a New Covenant, a new way of life, He always met the requisites of the Old, once it did not contradict or contravene His moral requirements.  
 
And we’ll look at one more passage of scripture that deals with the baptism of the Holy Ghost. That’s when Peter is rebuked by the Jewish Christians for hobnobbing with the Gentiles at Cornelius the centurion’s house. (Acts 10)
 
In his defence, Peter states: ‘And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. (Pentecost) Then remembered I the word of the Lord how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.  Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?’ (Acts 11:15-17)
 
And that’s a very good question my Friends. Who are we, mere mortals, that we should try to withstand the Living God, Creator of the universe and all therein?
 
Enough for today though. Let’s now read, mark and inwardly digest all that we’ve heard today, and come back for more tomorrow, God in favour of course. Because it’s ever so important that we learn as much as possible about that mighty power that lives and works in us, the Holy Spirit. Much LOVE!
 
…in His infinite wisdom…the Father marks us as His…by putting His wondrous Spirit in us…to lead and guide us in all truth…
 
 

 

 

 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 May 2013 Acts 2:1

Acts 2:1.     And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord (purpose or mind) in one place.
 
Oh Friends, oh Friends, our wonderful God does move in mysterious ways yes! Remember yesterday I opened by talking about what we were going to do? Well I completely forgot about my own plans. Hn, hn! And that was to attend the First Annual Pentecost Prayer Breakfast held by my church. Praise the Lord!  Now it wasn’t a large gathering, about forty or fifty people, but believe me Friends, there certainly was much joy in heaven as we celebrated. There was good music, so we sang and clapped and danced before the Lord, with spiritual joy, (smile) like Bruh David did when the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem. (2 Sam.6:14) We prayed, praised and worshipped, and last but not least, we enjoyed some good food. The food was as varied as the congregation, with North American staples like scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages and pancakes. And I’ve saved the best for last, the West Indian fare of Jamaican style calaloo, called ‘bajie’ in T&T, really spinach, ackee and saltfish, green bananas and fried plantain. And though the plantain wasn’t as ripe as I prefer it, fried plantain is fried plantain. (smile) Obviously all the other ancillary stuff was present, like tea, coffee, juice, fruit and cakes. We even had a multiple choice quiz to see how well we knew the Bible. Here are two of the questions. Which of the following is the most frequently mentioned woman in the Bible: Eve, Sarah, The Virgin May, or Rachel? And who is the most frequently mentioned man, after Jesus Himself in the Bible: Bruh David, Moses, Abraham or Bruh Paul? Ponder them. I’ll give you the answers tomorrow. Oh my fellow believers, a fine time was definitely had by all. The most important aspect though is that God’s people joyfully fellowshipped together in His house -a room off the main sanctuary- and hopefully, no, not hopefully, but surely the Holy Spirit moved some of us, touched some hearts, inspired us to come up higher, just like it moved the disciples two thousand years ago on that fateful Day of Pentecost. I don’t believe any of us went home speaking in tongues though, (smile) but the attitudes and the atmosphere were as close to true Christianity as we can get. Oh, if we could only have more of that, even a li’l more on a regular basis from God’s people, our world would certainly improve by leaps and bounds, and there would also be much more joy in heaven on a regular basis. But in my humble position, all I can do is natter in our ears, and try to set a good example myself, hoping that the Holy Spirit will then convict us and get us going along the right path, the straight and narrow one, at the end of which we shall come face to face with our heavenly Father and all the other saints who have gone home before us. Oh what a day of rejoicing that will be my brethren! But until then, we’ll just have to make do with what we have, which is still a lot. Much like that day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit first came to indwell the apostles and other believers on a permanent basis. Our Bit leads us in to that momentous occasion: ‘And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord (purpose or mind) in one place.’ And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:1-4) Ah mih people, that undoubtedly was a real moving experience! The atmosphere was certainly electric, with foreign born residents of Jerusalem hearing the apostles speak in their native languages. ‘And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans?’ (Acts 2:7) They were so amazed and ‘confuffled”, wondering what it all meant, even believing that the apostles were drunk. But Peter, fully strengthened by the Holy Spirit got up and preached his famous sermon to the gathered multitude, telling them that it was too early in the day for them to be drunk, but it was the beginning of the fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel. You can read Peter’s speech for yourselves. (Acts 2:17-36) And the Holy Spirit was so convincing through Peter’s words, that when the crowd heard it, ‘they were pricked in their (cut to the) heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission (forgiveness) of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord shall call.’ (Acts 2:37-39) Ah Friends, there certainly is enormous power in the Holy Spirit! And that Day of Pentecost was a perfect example, as the Good Book tells us: ‘Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.’ (Acts 2:41-42) Yes my brethren, three thousand souls received Christ on that awesome day and were saved. Glory Hallelujah! Now Friends,  it’s time for us to ponder, to search our hearts and see if we are making proper use of that powerful Holy Spirit that indwells us. Are we using it to improve our Christian walk of faith, our maturity? And just as importantly, are we using it, to the best of our ability, to bring others to a saving grace in Christ? Let’s try and ascertain true answers to those two questions today nuh, then ask God for help to improve in whatever area(s) we need to. Much LOVE!…the power of the Holy Spirit working in man….can do Christ-like things…move mountains, or people…let’s learn to use it to advance God’s kingdom…
 
 
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 January 2013 John 4:10

John 4:10.    Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

‘Good morning neighbuh!’ the stocky, middle aged woman greets the younger woman across the fence, as they simultaneously open their front doors and step out on to their respective porches. ‘What’s so good about it eh?’ the younger woman replies in an irritated voice. ‘Oh, but look,’ the other woman enthusiastically answers, ‘the sun’s shining, the birds’ singing, you alive, and you have a steady job to go to.’ ‘So…’ the younger lady churlishly mouths. ‘So you should be happy,’ the neighbour answers.  ‘Steups! You doh know nuh woman,’ comes the reply. ‘Is Monday, and I’m just too tired to go to any blooming work this morning yes!’ Then with a thoughtful frown, she continues. ‘You wouldn’t by any chance want to get dressed and go and do this work for me…this work you so badly want?’ ‘Oh Miss Janice,’ the woman replies, a bit perturbed, ‘you know I couldn’t do your high class work, cause I don’t have your education and training.’ ‘Too bad yes,’ the young woman replies, as she turns on her heel and goes back inside to get ready to go to her high class job, leaving the older lady shaking her head in sad bewilderment, and asking,’ What happen to these young people nowadays eh?’  Oh Friends of mine, I sure hope none of you are to be found numbered amongst that miserable, unmannerly, unappreciative ungodly lot this morning, for it would certainly break Jesus’ heart. Anyway, to get over that surly, grouchy, Monday morning mood, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with much verve and gusto. Even fake it if you have to, cause as they say, if you fake it long enough you’ll end up doing it for real. Now as one trilling and thrilling earthly choir, (smile) let’s bombard the heavens with song. ‘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!’ Oh my brethren, I hope all that brought a chuckle, a bit of levity to your soul, raised your adrenalin level, but also encouraged you to get a move on. Now let’s get into our Bit: ‘Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.’ Ah Friends, trust Jesus to tie up the poor woman’s brain. Anyway, yesterday we talked about ‘the gift of God,’ in that passage, and discovered it to be God’s wonderful, unmerited, undeserved grace. Today, let’s check out ‘the living water’ scenario. And that basically means the Holy Spirit. That’s how it was sometimes referred to before Jesus finished His earthly work and returned to heaven. And we all know that the Holy Spirit wasn’t noised abroad to each and every believer before Pentecost, when the Apostles sitting in the upper room suddenly felt this rush as of a mighty wind from heaven. ‘And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ (Acts 2:3-4) But that doesn’t mean the Lord’s Spirit wasn’t involved with mankind before that. It came upon all the great leaders, prophets, and whomever the Lord singled out to do His bidding before Christ’s coming. Isaiah talks about it in Chapter 12, re thanksgiving for God’s mercies. ‘Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he has also become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.’ (Is.12:2-3) And Isaiah again refers to it in Chapter 44, the Spirit of God to be on Israel. ‘Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring. And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.’ (Is.44:3-4) Now here’s the definitive word on the subject from Jesus Himself, at the Feast of the Passover in Jerusalem. ‘In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly (heart) shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.’ (John 7:37-39) So there we have it Friends, plenty to ponder on this Monday morning as we journey out to continue our LOVE Walk with and for Jesus, in this evil, ungodly world. May He strengthen, and enable us with living water, keep us safe and peaceful, as we do His earthly bidding. Much LOVE!…living water…the Holy Spirit…can only be found at its true source…the fountainhead…Jesus…
 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 May 2012 Acts 1:5

Acts 1:5.    For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
 
Oh Friends, it’s a new day and we’re still alive and kicking! Wow! Praise the Lord! Now here’s an interesting prayer to start our days, taken from Dr. Robert H Schuller’s Daily Devotional, attributed to Norman Grub (1895-1993) an American missionary, statesman, writer and theological teacher. It says: ‘Good morning Christ. I LOVE You! What are you up to today? I want to be part of it! Thank You God. Amen!’ Isn’t that nice Friends; simple and straightforward? For sure! I believe that’s the kind of prayer the Lord truly appreciates, because though it’s so short and simple, it still fulfills all the necessities. It glorifies Him with LOVE; is humble, yet confident, and displays a whole lot of enthusiasm and preparedness to do whatever Jesus desires. Oh my people, are we displaying those properties in our prayers to our ever-LOVING God? I sure hope so. Now let’s continue looking at the wonderful workings of the Holy Spirit, beginning with the heart warming promise of Jesus in our Bit: ‘For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.’ And even more compelling and heart warming was the fulfillment of that promise on the Day of Pentecost! Now today, I want to share two Old Testament examples of the Spirit being used on particular individuals, and also a couple more instances where the Lord promised it. And the first of those instances of the Holy Spirit on man that we want to share comes from the very important prophet Isaiah. In Chapter 61, where he’s bringing good tidings of salvation to Zion, he confidently declares: ‘The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek (poor); he hath sent me to bind up (heal) the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.’ (Is.61:1) And the Spirit of God obviously had to be on him, especially in those olden times, for him to do such mighty deeds! Now hear Ezekiel after the Lord commissioned him to be a prophet: ‘So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat (anger) of my spirit; but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me.’ (Ezek. 3:14) But nuh must Friends! The Lord’s hand is strong upon all whom His Spirit indwells! Ezekiel, like Jeremiah, had a hard time accepting God’s commission, but as always, the Lord’s will prevailed. Please my people, when the Lord comes a calling on us to perform some particular work in His Holy Name, please, let’s not fight it, for we will only cause ourselves unnecessary trouble, grief and heartache, since the Lord will eventually prevail. And I can testify to that from personal experience, for when He approached me about writing the Bit, like Sara, I laughed. But here I am some six years later, writing it with pleasure. Yes Friends, when the Lord says jump, it’s best to ask right away, how high Lord? That’s because the longer you delay and complain, the higher you’ll eventually have to jump. Now here are two more instances from the Old Testament where the Lord promised to send His Spirit upon His people. Yesterday we heard from Joel (Joel 2:28-29) today, let’s listen first to Isaiah declare that the Spirit of God would be in Israel: ‘Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.’ (Is.44:2-4) Then Ezekiel proudly proclaims in his promise of restoration and renewal of Israel: ‘And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you (them); and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh: That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances (judgements), and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.’ (Ezek.11:19-20) Ah Friends, yuh see how our wise and mighty God works! Each prophet that arose in Israel, though they brought some sad tidings, they always brought that faithful and everlasting promise of rebirth, of restoration, reconciliation and salvation from the God of their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And note too, how it all dovetailed smoothly and was fulfilled by the coming of Jesus. That was God’s plan from day one! So in light of all those promises and their fulfillment in the earthly pilgrimage and person of Jesus, how can we ever doubt the authenticity and truth of the Good Book eh? Oh Friends, I’ll leave us to ponder that today, and also strongly advise us to get in touch, in close relationship with the Holy Spirit of Christ which indwells us, for He’s there to lead and guide us. However, since He’s not the pushy, aggressive type, if we don’t consciously seek Him out and ask for His wise and godly advice, then follow it, we’ll surely get lost on the highway to hell, taunted by, and falling for Lucifer’s evil wiles and lies. And we definitely don’t want that to happen! So please cozy up to the Holy Spirit today. It’s wisdom at it’s finest. Much LOVE! …we cannot stay on the straight and narrow path…without the Holy Spirit’s help…  P.S. The Bit was late, partially because my young daughter called me on the phone this morning and had me gabbing instead of writing. (smile) 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 29 May 2012 Acts 1:5

Acts 1:5.     For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
 
Oh Friends, the ole fella’s a bit messed up this morning, both in body and mind, but thankfully all’s well with my basic soul! (smile) My messed up self was caused by having to go into Toronto yesterday on one of the hottest days on record, thirty some degrees. And sadly, my once beloved T.O. is daily becoming a true example of a concrete jungle. All over the city humongous towers of concrete and steel are rising up, to capture the condo market, which doesn’t seem to be slowing down, at exorbitant prices too. The poor already find it difficult to live in the crowded city, soon it will be impossible. This only makes for even more traffic jams, which I unfortunately got caught in on my way home. But you would have been proud of me; I kept my cool, although my right knee and ankle began aching from all the stop and go, brake and gas pedal movement, I listened to some tunes and finally got home about seventy five minutes after I hit the highway, which normally would only have taken about thirty minutes. Then last night my sleep wasn’t the greatest, and this morning my sinuses are acting up some. But all praise to the Good Lord Jehovah and the amazing power of His Holy Spirit, I’m still excited about the Word and the awesome workings of that Spirit which we’ll continue to talk about today! Let’s hope I can put some meaningful stuff together. But then why not, since one of the jobs of the Spirit is to lead and guide the Lord’s people in all activities. So Holy Spirit, I humbly ask You now to move in my lowly spirit, enlighten and enable me to write encouraging truth, so that all who read it will be encouraged in the faith and trust of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen! And what better way to start off than by sharing the wonderful promise of Christ enshrined in our Bit: ‘For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.’ And we saw that promise faithfully fulfilled on the miraculous Day of Pentecost, some fifty days after Jesus spoke it! Now since the Holy Spirit is like the worker bee in the Trinity, it’s very important that we understand what it’s all about, so I’ll attempt to give us a brief history and explanation of its workings. And the best way to begin seems to be by an explanation of how the Spirit worked before Pentecost. Hear the scholars: ‘Before Pentecost the Holy Spirit’s work had been (1) from without (‘Spirit came upon’); (2) temporary; and (3) exceptional. After Pentecost the Spirit’s work is (1) from within (He indwells – John 7:37-39; 14:17; 1 Cor. 6:19; 1 John 3:24; 4:13); (2) permanent (Rom. 8:9); and (3) normal, involving all (1 Cor.12:12) Under the Old (Mosaic) Covenant, God’s work with Israel had been external, but under the New Covenant, it is internal (Ezek. 36:26-27; Heb.8:9-10) All that simply means Friends, that before Pentecost not everybody was infused with the Holy Spirit. One either had to be exceptionally godly, like the prophets, or chosen to perform some specific task(s) which called for spiritual power. Please read all those scriptures given by the scholars, so that you can become better acquainted with the Spirit’s workings. However, after Pentecost, the Spirit was endowed upon every individual believer in Christ. It then became a universal adjunct to all followers, infusing each and everyone with Christ’s Spirit as He had promised. That brings us to a part of Peter’s great speech on Pentecost, where he quotes the prophet Joel, who prophetically promised the eventual outpouring on all believers. ‘And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the (men) servants and upon the handmaids (maid servants) in those days will I pour out my spirit.’ (Joel 2:28-29) And as all the promises of God, that one was faithfully fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost! Oh Friends, I just can’t help reminding us of what a generous and LOVING God we serve and worship! And all God’s people cried with a joyful voice: ‘Praise the Lord God of Israel, for His wonderful dealings with the undeserving children of men!’ And we’ll close with another prophetic promise re the Holy Spirit. This one from John the Baptist: ‘I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.’ (Matt.3:11) Yes mih people, let’s get excited about Jesus, let the passion for Him burn brightly in our daily lives through the workings of His Spirit, so that others can see Him just shining out of us and come to know and LOVE Him as we do. That’s our bounden duty. More on this tomorrow, if we’re alive and kicking. Till then please, let’s get and keep in touch with the Holy Spirit and let Him lead and guide us as He is supposed to. Much LOVE!…through His Holy Spirit…is Christ manifested in our lives…   P.S. Better late than never, and hope it makes sense. (smile)  
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 May 2012 Acts 1:5

Acts 1:5.   For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
Oh Friends, it’s Monday, that faithful day when we serfs have to go back out into the evil, cruel, ungodly world and labour for massa! Luckily though, not for all those in the U.S of A, where they are celebrating Memorial Day, supposedly in honour of those who died in the service of their country. That’s good and honourable, but in the meanwhile, why are those who are still alive, the veterans, especially the lame and maimed ones, celebrated on Veterans Day, suffering so much eh? Why do so many of them lack jobs, proper health care, proper pensions, while plenty families of those same heroes who died for the cause are also suffering so much want and deprivation? And the same thing is happening up here in good, upstanding Canada; the veterans are being shafted left, right and centre. Oh what a rotten and disgusting society we’ve become, with the seniors who built these countries on their sweat and blood, and the veterans who fought to protect our way of life, being systematically and callously cast aside by the greedy, uncaring, unscrupulous, corrupt politicians and warmongers! There should be a law entailing that in any war, the families and friends of the politicos and warmongers are the first to be sent to the front lines. That would soon stop the many useless, wasteful wars. However, that’s a debate for another time and place. Right now, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn to put us into the right frame of mind to go out and labour. All together now, with much verve and panache: (smile) ‘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!’ And now that we’re suitably energized by the Holy Spirit, let me apologize for a shortcoming yesterday. Unfortunately, it was only after I’d sent out the Bit, I realized that it was the Day of Pentecost, one of the most important days in the Christian Heritage, that awesome and memorable day, fifty days after Christ’s Resurrection, when the Holy Spirit was sent to dwell in individual believers. And though we didn’t mention Pentecost specifically, we did talk about the wonderful, gentle, kind and hardworking Holy Sprit that was introduced on that day. That brings us to our Bit; the fateful words of Jesus: ‘For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.’ And as all God’s promises, it was faithfully fulfilled some fifty days later at Pentecost. Wow! And as I keep saying, there’s no better scriptwriter, producer or director than our marvellous God. Just check out the scene He devised and orchestrated for the original coming of His Holy Spirit as a universal Helpmeet to all believers. The Good Book describes it thus: ‘And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they (the disciples) were all with one accord (purpose or mind) in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak in tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad (sound occurred), the multitude came together, and were confounded (confused), because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue (language or dialect), wherein we were born?’ (Acts 2:1-8) The answer’s simple Friends: through the awesome power of the Holy Spirit! But can you imagine the noisy, raucous reaction to hearing those uneducated, low social class Galileans speaking in so many different languages. Some even said that the disciples were drunk, until Peter stood up and explained, preached one of the most memorable sermons in the annals of Christianity, which we don’t have time or space for, but which you can and should read in Acts 2:14-47. Oh Friends, the ole fella’s excited! There’s so much stuff I want to share with you about the Holy Spirit, but not today. Can’t wait for tomorrow’s Bit! I might just get confused with so much info though. (smile) Anyway, that’s enough for today, and the homework is to ponder the operation of the Holy Spirit in our individual lives, whether we’re letting it lead and guide us along the right paths. And if not, why not? Till we talk again down here on earth, if the Lord so desires, please walk under the guidance and leadership of the ever true and faithful Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ. Much LOVE!…oh where He leads me I will follow…the Spirit’s guidance will I always heed…cause He’s been sent…to fulfill my every need…
 

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