Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 February 2019 John 16:33.

John 16:33.   ​These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
 

Aye friends, I thought Saturday was a day for sleeping in? Then how come I’m not still in bed eh? I woke up around six and thought, no, this is way too early to get up. But the Lord or the enemy seem to have different ideas, so I rolled around in the bed until six thirty, finally realizing that I’d lost the fight to go back to sleep. But them’s the breaks! Just means that you will get the Bit a li’l earlier. (smile) 

And since today is Saturday, let’s get to some of our friend Anselm’s quotes of the week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. Here is the first one: ‘A calm mind brings inner strength and self-confidence, so that’s very important for good health.’ You can’t dispute that friends! Calmness of mind is ever so important for making wise decisions as well as boosting health; physical, emotional and mental! 

But then to get that on a regular basis you need to be a follower of Jesus, who is the ONLY person able to give you true peace and stability on a sustained basis. Hear His awesome promise: ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) You can’t beat that my faithful brethren! 

And then we have: ‘With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.’ More awesome truth my brethren! But again, the rightness of the strength and thoughts depends on our relationship with Jesus, for as the Good Book notes; Because of His great faithfulness, His mercies, His LOVING-kindness, His compassions are new every morning!  (Lam.3:22-23) So if we’re not in a strong relationship with Jesus, those early morning, every day new strength and thoughts might not be so good. 

Then there is this interesting quote: ‘I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.’ And technically speaking, I suppose that’s usually true, but let me tell you people, if the Lord is in that wind, and wants you to go to a particular place, you can adjust your sails as much as you want, but the only place you’ll end up is where the Lord wants you to. 

That I can tell you from personal experience, and I’m sure many of you have experienced the same thing! In the long run, it’s all about where the Lord wants us. 

And our friend Anselm threw in the Serenity Prayer for good measure this week: ‘God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.’ And friends, in this turbulent and unsettled world, do we ever need to prayer that pray every day…sometimes several times a day… if we wish to retain our sanity and make good, godly decisions. 

And the last quote says: ‘Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.’ And that’s the gospel truth!

Winning doesn’t provide strength, it only makes one lazier than normal, and content to sit on one’s rear end without any get up and go. You get like Rome and all those other big, splendiferous countries that fell to ruin because they became too fat and flaccid from always winning. 

The truth is that constant winning eventually ruins you instead of making you stronger. However, when you struggle, when you fight hardships mano a mano, then you develop strength! It’s just like lifting weights; you can’t develop muscles without constant weightlifting. 

Likewise, you can’t develop real inner strength without going through hardship and struggles. 

And we all know that this evil, ungodly world ruled by the evil enemy certainly is filled with much hardship and struggle, so you will have trials and tribulation cropping up from time to time. 

However friends, when you walk with Jesus, which is also not an easy thing to do in this world, He will help and guide you through those suffocating and troublesome times. He’ll be like your weight trainer; always beside you, offering encouragement and wise advice, even helping you lift the heavy weights that you find difficult lifting on your own! 

Wow! What a wonderful friend and helpmate is our Jesus! There’s NO other like Him in ALL the universe! Give Him much deserved thanks and praise my people! 

And Jesus said it in no uncertain terms: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ 

Ah friends, I know that will be difficult for us to do, but if we believe in Jesus and His promises, then we can do it. Jesus didn’t take an easy step on this earth, and He never promised that it would be all sunshine and roses for us either. But He did say that if we stuck with Him, He will bring us out safely. 

Now listen to these tough but encouraging words from Bruh Paul to the church at Corinth. ‘We are troubled (hard pressed) on every side, yet not distressed (crushed); we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken, cast (struck) down, but not destroyed: Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.’ (2 Cor.4:8-10) 

Yes my people, even though we suffer much tribulation, we WILL NOT give up, because we have the ultimate promise of Jesus, that if we live and die with Him, we will indeed be resurrected to eternal life, like He was! And you can’t beat that promise in this universe! Much LOVE!

…when troubles come…the wise thing to do…ask Jesus to help you handle them…He’ll NEVER refuse your sincere plea…

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 February 2019 John 17:17.

John 17:17.   ​Sanctify them (set them apart) through thy truth: thy word is truth.
 

Can you believe it friends, it’s the first day of February already! Wow! The days are certainly slipping by quite quickly. It seems like just last week we were celebrating New Years, now Valentine’s Day is already upon us. (smile) And the iron grip of the deep freeze has been loosened a little, it’s only minus 18 in my neck of the woods today! Glory Be! 

And by Sunday we are promised temps just around freezing, even some rain. Hn, hn! What a weather cycle! But as I keep saying, we sincere believers in Jesus have all the parts to handle whatever comes against us, through His ever glorious strengthening! Give Him thanks and praise my people! 

Now since today is Friday, let’s hear what the workingman has to say for himself nuh. And as always, he has plenty to say: ‘TGIF! Thank the Lord is Friday oui! But Brother! This past week been cold suh! It seems as though every time I step outside it want to freeze off my li’l nutsies! (smile)

But in this country yuh know yuh can’t stay home from work because it cold, else yuh get fired…and believe me, the slave driver at my place was just itching to fire somebody this week who claim that they was sick, when is the cold have them fraid to come out to work! 

But thank the Lord, the devil man didn’t get a chance to fire anybody, because everybody come out this week…and we was punctual too! Almost give the man a heart attack when he couldn’t fire nobody or deduct money because yuh late! But is the weekend time now, we time off, and time to party…

And believe me not even this cold weather going to stop we from enjoying we self! Yuh don’t have to go outside to enjoy yuhself. So we’ll be living it up large inside, this weekend. Thank the Lord for Fridays and weekends yes mih people!’ 

Ah friends, the workingman is truly something else yes; he lays it all on the line, does whatever he feels inclined to do; loses himself in the bacchanalian manner of life without a care in the world. However, as followers of Christ, we cannot afford to be that free and easy. We have borders and boundaries to protect us from the constant attacks of the enemy. Thus our Friday Chant is different to the workingman’s song. Chant it with me now nuh, in strong voice with sincere hearts. 

‘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 friends, ours is a more sanctified, set apart lifestyle, since we don’t want the devil messing with our minds and lives. Remember where Jesus prayed for the disciples, and ultimately for us? ‘They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them (set them apart) through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 

And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word. That they all may be one; as thou, Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.’ (John 17:16-21) 

Ah friends, yuh see how Jesus was right on the ball? He didn’t want us to be a part of the world, but knew that we could only bring the world to Him if we went to it. And He asked that we be sanctified, separated from the world by the Truth, God’s Word which is totally true! And just like the Father sent Jesus to earth to preach the gospel and bring sinners to the truth, Jesus has sent those who believe in Him out to do the same thing. 

Our purpose, the mission of Christ’s church is the same as His mission. And please note Christ’s prayerful plea, that we should ALL be one in spirit and purpose, for without spiritual unity our mission would fail miserably. Oh friends, sanctification of Christ’s people is oh so important if we want to do Christ’s work properly! 

Hear how Bruh Paul greets the church at Corinth: ‘Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.’ (1 Cor.1:2-3) 

Ah mih people, we cannot be sanctified in Christ unless we have a right relationship with Almighty God. Hear how Jude puts it: ‘Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified (set apart) by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: Mercy unto you, and peace, and LOVE, be multiplied.’ (Jude 1:1-2) 

And the scholars offer these explanations of those verses: ‘1: Sanctified and preserved are in the perfect tense: Christians are once and continually “set apart” and “kept.” They are kept for the return of Christ (see v.21).’ ‘2. Believers who have sought God’s mercy also receive peace (“inner assurance” and “stability”) and LOVE.’ Now doesn’t it make sense to be sanctified and seek God’s mercy? It certainly does! 

Ah friends, there are many other scriptures throughout the Good Book that deal with sanctification. I’d advise us to take some time and look them up, because sanctification is very important in the life of a true believer. Much LOVE!

…believers can only be sanctified…through the work of the Holy Spirit…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 September 2017 Isaiah 40:31.

Isaiah 40:31.   But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Ah friends, it’s Friday already! Can you believe it? And not only that, it’s also the first day of September! Glory Be! The days sure are passing rather quickly. Labour Day is here, meaning it’s back to school, and also that the cold weather is just around the corner. Hn! 

But we should not be too surprised, or it should not make much of a difference because it has not been a really hot summer. The important thing here though is that this is the last long weekend of the summer. Cottage season will soon be over, and thus the workingman is chanting up a real storm today. 

‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday! The weekend is here…the Labour Day weekend to boot! That’s when we celebrate all our fallen and hard-done by comrades over the years, where massa take real advantage on him! 

Them days he even had to work the weekend…for the same measly pay. But through plenty blood, sweat and tears we manage to wrestle two days off from massa evil soul, and a few pennies more in pay. 

That’s why this weekend we going to laugh and play, dance and sing and make merry, behave like leggo beast, in remembrance of them real rough days earlier on! Thank God for Fridays and the weekends yes!’ 

Oh my people, it’s important to remember those who have gone before us and weathered the awful stormy times when the ordinary workingman had no rights and was treated rather harshly by the powers that be. 

But as sincere Christians, we should not be behaving like leggo beasts, because that only gives the enemy openings into our spirits to lay the eggs of his evil attributes, like deceit and lies and a host of other sinful properties. We need to be extra careful how we conduct ourselves in all situations. 

And for the weekend, our Friday Chant offers a much better alternative to the workingman’s song. Let’s declare it now nuh, with suitable sincerity and enthusiasm. 

‘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, wherever we are, and whatever we’re doing, we should always have Jesus in the forefront of our thoughts and hearts, for it is only through His intercession, the working of His Holy Spirit in us, that we can truly handle the enemy and all his wiles and lies. 

After a long week of work, both our bodies and souls get tired and need refreshing if we’re to handle the upcoming week with any degree of alertness and success. That’s why our Bit is such a powerful and motivating piece of scripture.  

‘But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ 

Waiting on God and being on the same page with Him is essential for our very well–being my brethren! If we’re not in sync with Him then our lives will be wishy-washy and we’ll be drifting hither, thither and yon, rudderless, and also without a pilot. 

Now that’s definitely not a good way to live this life. We need some stability and direction and a knowledgeable guide to help us navigate the perilous waters of this earthly journey. And there’s no one as qualified for the job as the One who created us in the first place. 

Listen to how Bruh David puts it in Psalm 103 –Thanksgiving for God’s mercy. ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 

Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with LOVING-kindness and tender mercies: Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.’ (Ps.103:2-5) 

How wonderful is that eh friends? Who else looks after us like our Creator eh? NOBODY!  Because NOBODY cares for us like He does! So if we’re not wise enough to surrender our souls to Him, and place our complete trust in His all-knowing hands and ever-LOVING heart, then we’ve nobody to blame but ourselves. 

Hear some more of Bruh David’s words from Psalm 103. ‘The Lord executeth righteousness and judgement for all that are oppressed. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous (abounding) in mercy (LOVING-kindness). 

He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy (LOVING-kindness) toward them that fear him. 

As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame (understands our constitution); he remebereth that we are dust.’ (Ps.103:6-14) 

Oh my people, what else can we truthfully expect from our great God eh? Nothing really, because He gives us all that we need when we walk in tandem with Him. 

So if we’re not having our needs fulfilled, then it possibly means that we’re not walking hand in hand with our heavenly father, and only we, as individuals, with His help of course, can fix that. Much LOVE!

…walking in step with Christ is simple common sense…since He created and controls us…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 May 2017 Psalm 127:1.

Psalm 127:1.   Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep (guards) the city, the watchman waketh (stays awake) but in vain.

And it was mid-afternoon…and the rains came… And then it was morning…and the rains are still coming… 

Yes friends, showers of blessings have been inundating us for the last 15 or 16 hours! And they are still coming down…thankfully not the pouring down kind, but more a steady drizzle. Hn! 

And as the Lord would have it, the ole fella has to go into Toronto for some tests today. Chuh! But I can’t afford to miss today’s appointment, because I postponed them over a month ago, on the day that our area had its last serious snowfall. 

And just to make life even more difficult, the two main exit ramps to the city off the southern highway have been broken down to build something supposedly new and better. It was bad enough before, but now you can imagine the horrendous traffic situation to get into downtown Toronto. 

And to add to the mix, the hospital I’m going to, have shut down at least a quarter of their underground parking spots for some repair work. The other day I had to drive around the area twice before I could find an empty spot. 

But yuh know what, the ole fella will just leave a little earlier, and with Jesus as my travelling companion, and fail-safe guide, we’ll just mosey into T.O as calmly as ever. With Jesus riding shotgun in my chariot, I know we’ll get there safely, on time, and everything will be all right! Praise His Holy Name! 

And along the way, we’ll certainly hear the workingman joyfully declaring: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday oui! The weekend is ours to do as we please! And though it raining cats and dogs, that’s not going to stop us from partying hearty over the next couple of days! Yuh better believe we should all thank God for Fridays and the weekends!’ 

As usual, an interesting take on things, but not a very good one. Our Friday Chant makes a much wiser declaration, so let’s declare it now nuh. ‘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.’ 

Now that makes much more sense, by giving us a modicum of circumspection and a level playing field to work with. And that brings us to today’s rather interesting and oh so appropriate Bit.

‘Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep (guards) the city, the watchman waketh (stays awake) but in vain.’  

And I daresay that there’s a lot of truth in that statement, judging by the serious expanse of, and concern with security in our society during the last two decades, but nonetheless the massive explosion of all kinds of fraud and treachery. Who’s guarding the guard eh? 

Ah mih people, I don’t know when we will wake up and fully and truly realize that only in godliness and righteousness will our society ever have some stability and safety. Only when the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is our true protector will our way of life be stable and strong. 

Now hear some scripture from Psalm 121 –God’s sustaining power, which tells it like it surely is. ‘I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills (mountains), from when cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved (slip): he that keepeth thee will not slumber. 

Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper (protector): the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. 

The Lord shall preserve (keep) thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.’ (Ps.121:1-8) 

Yes my brethren, that’s what the Lord does for those who are obedient to his law and live faithfully and righteously in His name! 

As our Bit says, without Him working on our behalf, all our efforts are in vain. And until we sincerely realize that and repent and return to faithfully serving Almighty God as a just and true society, our lives will continue to be in everlasting turmoil. 

Ah mih people, like the psalmist, when he looked up at his mountains and wondered where his help to fight them would come from, so can we look at the mountains in our lives, and confidently declare: ‘My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.’ 

And that’s indisputable, gospel truth my brethren! So let’s stand strong and steadfast on it nuh, as wisdom and faith in God dictates. Much LOVE!

…to whom shall we cry out for help…not Ghostbusters…but to the Lord God Almighty…

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 26 September 2014 Proverbs 10:29

Proverbs 10:29.     The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

Well… ‘The party’s over my friends. It’s time to call it a day…’
 
Yeh mih people, the party with my brother and his wife is unfortunately over. Steups! They moved on last evening, obviously after another eventful and satisfying day, to spend some time with other friends in a different part of the province.
 
Are they ever so blessed, getting to spend great times with different people in different areas! Certainly an interesting kind of nomadic holiday experience! (smile) That unfortunately means I’ve gone back to my staid, simple, hum drum life. (smile)
 
But I’m not complaining nuh, because I was blessed with a totally unexpected and wonderful experience over the last few days!
 
I guess the good Lord saw that the ole fella needed a bit of cheering up, of enlightenment, and/or a little reward for sincerely trying to walk in His Will, and sent my brother and his wife to inject some new life in my somewhat banal existence. Hn, hn! As the old people would say, after one time is two yes!
 
And it’s now time to get back to the same old, same old daily routine. But that’s what life is really all about yes my brethren; daily routine. Everyday cannot be totally different and be chocked full of excitement.
 
And that is what the world cannot seem to understand, that’s why we’re always seeking and searching for excitement, oftimes in all the wrong places. But what we really need to learn, is how to take pleasure and comfort from our daily, often bland and unexciting routine.
 
And believe me, there is joy, pleasure and comfort in knowing that our days will be generally the same, without a lot of topsy turvy, unpredictable stuff to drive us crazy. The world’s driving us crazy enough as it is with its unpredictability. We now need some stabilty and predictability. (smile)
 
And speaking of that Friends, yuh know today is Friday…?
 
And suddenly the joyous shouts ring out: ‘Oh Lord, I completely forgot that yes! TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday…and the weekend looms big and bright and beautiful! No work…and plenty play. Thank you ever so much Lord that it’s Friday!’
 
Now hold down here a minute mih breddren. Please don’t get too carried away with the worldly thoughts of the weekend, you have to get your God involved there too. As Jeeves would say, just a modicum of circumspection please. (smile)
 
And to help us do that, let’s chant our Friday chant, so that we can bring the weekend into a better and brighter perspective. As one chanter 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.’
 
Now that’s more like how we should view and approach the weekend.
 
And finally, turning to our Bit, we gratefully and proudly proclaim the wise and encouraging words of Cousin Sol. ‘The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.’
 
No doubt about that my brethren! All those who seek to walk uprightly, to walk obedient to God’s Will, will surely be blessed with His strength, because that’s just a natural consequence of walking in His Will. The opposite of that is also true: those who seek to do evil, to walk outside of His Will, will be eventually destroyed. It’s as simple as that.
 
Unfortunately though Friends, the majority of mankind doesn’t seem to believe that overwhelming truth, and continue to foolishly walk, in fact relish in walking contrary to God’s Will.
 
Now let’s look at some other scriptures that try to drive home that point. And right in Psalm 1, we have the psalmist stating quite simply and straightforwardly: ‘Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in judgement, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.’ (Ps.1:5-6)
 
Meanwhile, the prophet Nahum boldly declares: ‘The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. But with an overrunning (overwhelming) flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.’ (Nah.1:7-8)
 
How much more do we need to hear and see eh Friends, before we change from our wicked ways?
 
And we’ll end with this daring, but ever so true proclamation from Bruh Paul to Timothy. ‘Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.’ (2 Tim.2:19)
 
Ah mih people, that’s the best advice we can receive on this Friday morning, another beautiful summer’s day in late September!
 
So please, let’s take it to heart nuh, let’s show our great wisdom by doing our best to abstain from iniquity and walk in God’s Will, so that we can receive His wonderful blessings instead of His curses and eventual destruction. For that’s truly wisdom of the highest order! Much LOVE!
 
…as Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) is wont to say…the best way to live this earthly life…is simply to obey God…and leave all the consequences to Him…indisputable truth…