Hebrews 10:23: Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
And then it was Thursday. Just one more day to go till freedom Friday, my brethren! So please hang in there, put on your spiritual armour that will allow you to fearlessly engage the enemy in battle, and let the Lord God Jehovah be your guide.
Now I don’t know what’s happening with the birds, but I don’t hear them singing their sweet morning praise. Maybe they sensed the cold, rainy weather that’s supposed to be on tap for the next few days and opted to stay somewhere safe and warm.
But that should in no way affect our thanks and praise, which we’re supposed to give under any and all circumstances. So let’s give a li’l thanks and praise nuh mih people.
‘Oh heavenly Father, we come before You this morning in praise and thanksgiving, for all the blessings and mercies that you’ve given us in the past. We humbly acknowledge all the good things you’re going to do for us today, and all the other todays that we may live.
We ask you to guide and strengthen us that we may walk faithfully with you, and thus be worthy to be called your children, your people. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.’
And now that we’ve floated some sincere, heart-felt thanks and praise up to heaven, let’s look at our Bit. ‘Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)’
Unfortunately for some of you, it’s the same Bit as the last two days, but it contains two very important principles that we should all know and write indelibly in our souls: First, we should hold on strong to our faith, our hope in Jesus Christ, and secondly that our God is ever-faithful, and will keep each and everyone of His promises.
And for this last day on this Bit – I see smiles and hear cheers from some people – I want to bring to our attention some scriptures that reassure us of God’s faithfulness. And there’s no better place to begin than with Bruh Paul’s excellent advice to the Corinthians in his first missive to them.
‘Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken (overtaken) you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.’ (1 Cor.10:12-13)
Yes Friends, there’s absolutely no doubt about that! The Lord won’t necessarily keep temptation away from us, but He’ll NEVER allow us to bear more than we can handle!
And I’m not talking from hearsay, but from personal experience. And this is even long before I ever got caught up in the gospel as I am now. Looking back on some of the challenges I faced, I can now see God’s hand at work, leading, guiding and strengthening me, and eventually bringing me out safely, despite my less than stellar obedience.
But that’s just the kind of merciful and magnanimous God He is!
Then we have more assurances from Bruh Paul, this time in his letter to the Philippians. ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform (complete) it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ (Phil.1:6)
There again Friends, the Lord will continue to shower His awesome grace on believers right up to the very day Jesus returns! He will not start something in you and not finish it. So once we’re being as obedient and sincere as we can, there’s no reason to fear that our God will unceremoniously leave us in the lurch.
And in 2 Thessalonians, Bruh Paul once again utters assurances of God’s faithfulness. ‘But the Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep you from evil (the evil one). And we have confidence in the Lord touching (concerning) you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.’ (2 Thess.3:3-4)
And we’ll end with some words from Jesus, as we LOVE to do whenever possible. This happens while He’s teaching at Capernaum, after He admonishes the people re their seeking Him because He fed them earlier on, not because they wanted to hear the Word. (John 6:1-27)
‘Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.’ (John 6:28-29)
Oh my fellow believers in Christ, that wraps it all up in a nutshell, in one simple statement! Everything you’re seeing is the work of God, and it’s happening because God wants us to believe in His messenger, Jesus Christ.
Yes Friends, that’s the simplest but most overwhelming message of the Good Book: believe on Jesus, whom God sent to enlighten and to save us!
Unfortunately though, too many of us are not doing that. Consequently, our world and our lives are in a troubled mess, proverbially going to hell in a hand-basket.
And the ONLY way to turn that around is for us to bring our lives and our world back to that simple mission statement; believing in Jesus. For that my brethren, is the ultimate in wisdom and simple common sense!
Let’s therefore seriously begin doing that as of today nuh my people. You won’t believe the wonderful changes it will make, both in our individual lives and that of our troubled and misguided world. Much LOVE!
…belief in Jesus Christ is optional…but it is the ONLY sensible option…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 March 2013 2 Peter 2:8
19 Mar 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: afflictions, belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, broken heart, christianity, condemned, crushed spirit, ever-LOVING God, God's will, good over evil, gospel truth, helmet of salvation, Jesus, judgement day, LOVE, neck of the woods, new mercies, punishment, rainy morning, sandals of peace, shield of faith, shout of joy, showers of blessings, snowy night, solid protection, spiritual armour, strength of God, sword of the Spirit, temptation, The Lord our Redeemer, the Tribulation
2 Peter 2:8. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished.
Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 October 2012 Psalm 39:1
12 Oct 2012 Leave a comment
in Inspirational Living Tags: criminal purposes, fellowship, fraud, Friday chant, God's glorious kingdom, mass communication, relaxation, restrain our tongues, self-awareness, temptation, TGIF!
Psalm 39:1. I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.
Ah Friends, you don’t know how many of us have been dying to see this day, this day called Friday! Some of us have been focused on it since leaving home on Monday morning to go to work. So much so, that by lunchtime on Monday, we’re asking, ‘Isn’t it Friday yet?’ And you wouldn’t believe the note of disbelief in our voices, that Friday could be taking so long to come. (smile) But that’s how much we seem to value Fridays. Well Friends, I come bearing good tidings, today is Friday. At last Friday has arrived. And all the worker bees joyfully declare: ‘Yeah! TGIF! Thank God is Friday yes!’ So to celebrate the universal looking-forward to the day before a short freedom from the drudgery of the workplace, let’s joyfully and enthusiastically chant our Friday Chant. As one beautiful 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.’ And now that we’ve straightened out our focus and perspective for the weekend, let’s have a gander at our Bit: ‘I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep (restrain) my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.’ And sadly, that’s something we all need to try and accomplish, especially in these times of so much easy and quick communication. The technology is encouraging us to talk a lot more than we should, and behold, the wicked are often the providers and controllers of the technology we use to communicate in this accelerated age of mass communication. Now what does that mean to the believer? In terms of our Bit, it means first of all that we shouldn’t become too deeply involved with, or totally entrenched in the social media apparatus, because they all have built in features to grab your private information and spread it to whomsoever they will, often for a price. So when we put too much of our private information out there, it’s scary to think of the places it could end up and the dishonest uses it could be put to. This social media set up is being used for a lot of fraudulent and criminal purposes. But then, if you can’t resist the temptation of the social media juggernaut, then please, I implore you again, be very careful what you say or write, because as we see everyday, somebody is getting in trouble for the info they shared. It’s also a matter of simple logic Friends; the more we say or write, the more opportunities we have to say or write the wrong thing. Remember what James says about the tongue? ‘Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold how great a matter (forest) a little fire kindleth (sets on fire). And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue (set) among our members (bodily parts), that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature (existence); and it is set on fire of hell.’ (James 3:5-6) Yes Friends, that’s the living truth, for our tongues have either directly or indirectly caused the majority of the problems in our world today. And in these times of plenty written communication, the tongue is now also wagging the finger when it writes. The sad part is that most of us don’t have much of real importance to say. Or if we do, it can often be communicated in seconds. So why keep on eh? Because we have been conditioned to think that the social media stuff is so great, the greatest thing since sliced bread, and if you’re not totally involved in it, then you’re outside the mainstream of society. Ah mih people, the evil, ungodly followers of Lucifer are just pulling our strings like a puppet, and we are allowing them to do so. Our Bit comes from a psalm of Bruh David, where he’s praying for self-understanding, and I’d like to suggest that we should all be searching for that, instead of just thoughtlessly expatiating in the new medium. It’s time for us to look inside ourselves to see what’s wrong in there, rather than outside, where there’s a lot of heartache and trouble to be found. Bruh David continues after our Bit: ‘I was dumb (mute) with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred. My heart was hot within me; while I was musing (meditating) the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue, Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.’ (Ps.39:2-4) Yes Friends, it’s to our God we should be turning, not the evil stuff that’s sprouting up all over our world, nicely called the social media. Don’t get me wrong, it has it’s useful purposes, but too many of us are being too easily caught up in its all consuming web of lies and deceit. That’s enough for us to ponder today. More on the subject tomorrow if the Lord sees it fit to give us life. Till then, please, let’s keep our talking and writing to a minimum, so that we stand less chance of getting in trouble, and if we have a problem, please, let’s look to our Great God first. That’s as it ought to be. Much LOVE!…words of wisdom…stop…listen…and think…before talking or writing… P.S. I sure hope I did that. (smile) Much LOVE!
Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 October 2012 Matthew 17:23
10 Oct 2012 Leave a comment
in Inspirational Living Tags: anger, born again, carnal minds, crucified the flesh, dark night, exploitation, fruit of the Spirit, hate, hunger, innocent lambs, ministering, negative emotions, temptation, thanks and praise, the things of God, the things of man
Matthew 17:23. But he turned and said to Peter, Get thee behind me Satan: thou art an offense unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
Oh Friends, we have successfully racked up another night in our earthly lives, and are beginning another day time journey, one that will hopefully end with another night of peaceful rest. Let’s hope all of us make it through with God’s LOVING-kindness and grace. Remember though, we must first start out with thanks and praise to Almighty God for bringing us safely through the dark night and ask Him to lead us aright this eventful day, for without His powerful protection, we’re like innocent lambs to the slaughter before Beelzebub’s evil machinations. And ‘From Off My Wall,’ which I just passed by, stood up for a moment and looked at what I had up there, comes this breakdown of one of Beelzebub’s most useful and powerful weapons; the emotion of HATE. And the little note on my wall breaks it down thus: HATE: Hunger, Anger, Tension, Exploitation. And isn’t that the living truth my people? Hate is made up of all those negative emotions and tendencies, and unfortunately too many of us get caught up in the individual items, as well as the overall emotion, because we either refuse to keep our eyes of faith focused on Christ, or we simply don’t believe in Him as our Lord, Saviour, Director and Guide of our earthly journey. That’s how it was with the disciples when Jesus told them of His impending death. Big Simon Peter rebuked Jesus, telling Him that would never happen, if he had any say in the matter. But Jesus in turn rebuked Peter with the memorable words of our Bit: ‘Get thee behind me Satan: thou art an offense unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.’ Peter’s quick reaction shows that Jesus’ teaching was foreign to the disciples. They didn’t expect Him to suffer and die such a cruel, inhumane death, and Peter, especially, believed that he would stand up and physically fight for Jesus. But the Master’s plan was different and He rebuked Peter just like He did when Lucifer tried to tempt Him in the wilderness after His forty days of fasting. And Jesus’ rough response to Peter, means He probably considered Peter’s words as more temptation to avoid His destiny with the cross. Oh Friends, please realize that Lucifer is not totally foolish, for it’s when we are at our weakest, at the ebb of our emotions, that he usually comes a-calling. But we all know that after fasting, Jesus still had enough strength to turn Lucifer away, telling him in no uncertain terms after the third attempt: ‘Get thee hence (away with you) Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.’ (Matt.4:10) And we have a touching, heart-warming, reaffirming of God’s grace after that. ‘Then the devil leaveth him alone, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.’ (Matt.4:11) Isn’t that wonderful, my brethren? It’s the same way the Holy Spirit and angels help us to overcome Lucifer and his evil taunts, then heal any wounds inflicted during the process. Now why did Jesus tell Peter that he was an ‘offense,’ a snare or a trap to Him? ‘…For thou savourest not (are not mindful of) the things that be of God, but those that be of men.’ Oh my people, if ever there was an indictment that could cover us all, that would surely be it. We don’t think of, meditate on, consider or accept the things of God nearly as much as we do the things of man. We mostly look at things from man’s point of view and not enough from God’s. And that’s why Lucifer is able to have so much sway in our earthly affairs. Bruh Paul clearly states it in Romans 8, when talking about life in the Spirit. ‘For they that are after the flesh do mind (set their minds on) the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that be in the flesh cannot please God.’ (Rom.8:5-8) That’s eternal truth my people! True believers deal more with the Spirit than with the flesh. Jesus said it thus to Nicodemus: ‘That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.’ (John 3:6) And in 1 Corinthians, Bruh Paul explains to them the spiritual body: ‘And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last man Adam was made a quickening (life-giving) spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural: and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy (made of dust): the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.’ (1 Cor.15:45-49) Yes Friends, when we’re born again in Jesus, we need to give up the things of the flesh and live for those of the Spirit. And we’ll end with Bruh Paul’s famous words on the fruit of the Spirit, just to remind us of some of the things we’re supposed to be involved in. ‘But the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness (kindness), goodness (faithfulness), faith, Meekness, temperance (self-control): against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections (its passions) and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory (conceited), provoking one another, envying one another.’ (Gal.5:22-26) Oh my people, we couldn’t get any wiser words this morning! So please, let’s check out our personal situations as they pertain to truly walking in the Spirit, and where necessary, raise our levels of producing spiritual fruit, for it’s the wisdom of the ages. Much LOVE!…when the fruit of the Spirit is in full bloom…then Lucifer’s sugar-coated entreaties fall on deaf ears…
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