Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 February 2017 Ephesians 6:11.

Ephesians 6:11.   Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (evil schemes) of the devil.

Oh my beautiful fellow believers, please accept my heartfelt apologies, but it was just one of those days! 

Ah Lord eh! I had to go into the big city of T.O. for an early doctor’s appointment, and after handling the traffic and waiting for the doctors and waiting for unscheduled blood tests, I did not get back home until minutes to one. 

Obviously by then the ole bod was tired and crying out for rest and I did not get up until minutes to five. And it was only after about half an hour that it struck me that I had not yet written the Bit. 

The good thing about it all though is that we did make some headway in the medical realm today. At least the major problems have been sorted out under one team, and hopefully no more running from pillar to post. 

Enough about my woes though, let’s get straight to our Bit. ‘Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (evil schemes) of the devil.’ 

And I’m chuckling here friends, because I must have had it on today, otherwise I would not have been able to successfully handle the slings and arrows that were thrown against me, especially in the patience realm. (smile) 

All praise and thanks be to our great and wonderful God! 

Now yesterday we had stopped where Bruh Paul was talking about ‘spiritual (hosts of) wickedness in high places,’ so let’s continue with his admonishment from there. ‘Wherefore take unto you (take up) the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.’ (Eph.6:13) 

Now this is a very important verse in the whole scenario, so let’s look at what the scholars have to say about it. ‘6:13. Wherefore means “because of this,” that is, because we face such a formidable foe, we must avail ourselves of God’s provision lest the enemy destroy our Christian witness and ministry. 

The evil day refers to the periodic demonic onslaughts and Satanic assaults. Having done all includes both dressing oneself in God’s armour and resisting Satan. Having done all these, be ready, for the Devil will attack again and again.’ 

Yes friends, as a beautiful Christian soul the enemy will NOT stop attacking you, and the only way to resist Him is by being dressed in the total armour of God. 

Fellow believers, I can’t stress how important this aspect of our Christian walk is, for without God’s protective armour we don’t stand a chance against the enemy, or as they would say, a snowball’s chance in hell! 

So please, please, I’m imploring us to take this very seriously, especially with the crazy state of our world, which is apparently getting crazier everyday under the leadership of President Trump. 

Ah mih people, I don’t even pay much attention to his antics these days, but we have to be concerned because everything he does seems to just cause more strife, anger, resentment, fear and anxiety around the globe. 

As I said a few days ago, the Lord must have put him there to wake us up from our dreadful complacency. That’s why this message about putting on God’s total armour is so important at this particular period in time when the elements of evil are rising even higher than they were before. 

I won’t belabour the situation, but I’ll just remind us that we are Christ’s ambassadors down here on earth. He is depending on us to conduct His affairs with righteousness and justice, but we can’t do that until we wake up and get serious about His LOVE Revolution, and stop all the aimless talking and instead take some positive action. 

The enemy should never be where he’s at right now, and wouldn’t have been there without our lack of interest and complacency where we allowed him to remove things like prayer and the Ten Commandments from our schools, and put God on the back burner in most other parts of what was once a mostly godly scene. 

But it’s not too late to wrestle it all back from him if we COME TOGETHER and seriously start pushing back, let him know that we’ve finally woken up and now mean business. Yes friends, it’s time to start pushing back, if we ever hope to win this earthly battle for Jesus! 

Now let’s go home declaring our Thursday Blessings. Yuh see, we have so much good stuff in our arsenal, if we would only use them. The Lord’s already given us everything we need to battle the enemy and win, we only have to take them and put them to full use. 

Chuh man! What’s wrong with us eh? We’re letting the good earthly life spoil us. So let’s bless ourselves. And remember that a blessing isn’t a blessing until it’s been spoken over someone. 

All together now:  ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! 

I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! 

I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and everyday! Amen!’ 

What more can we ask than all that eh mih people? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! So let’s go out and bless others now nuh. Much LOVE!

…as true soldiers of Christ…we must first be dressed in battle gear…then stand up and fight bravely…right to the very end…

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 January 2014 Romans 13:10

Romans 13:10.   LOVE worketh no ill (does no harm) to his neighbour: therefore LOVE is the fulfilling of the law.
 
Aye mih breddren, life’s certainly a blast yes! For the first time in about ten days, I actually ventured out of my safe, warm cocoon yesterday, and faced the ugly reality that is the outside world. It’s the longest I’ve ever been cooped up in a house that I can remember.
 
At least when I had prostate cancer surgery a few years back, it was summer, and I could sit outside on either the front porch or the back deck. In any case though, I never really felt cooped up this past week because for most of it I was sick and the weather was terrible. And it seems that quite a few people did the same thing, for the same reasons.
 
Anyway, would you believe I did a marathon session out there yesterday! Wow! Bruh Paul would have been proud of how I ran that race! (smile) I left home, went up the street to a nearby Walmart, then went all the way down to the other end of the city, to the banker, the barber, the grocer and the doctor.
 
Mama Mia! In truth though, it wasn’t as bad as it sounds, because the last four places were in close proximity to each other, about two blocks separated them all. So I got up my gumption and bravely walked through the snow, ice and slush that covered the sidewalks and parking lots.
 
And wonder of wonders, in NONE of those four places did I have to wait, for all of them were sparsely populated! As soon as I walked into everyone, I was immediately served. I had to laugh at my good fortune, because as most of you know those four places usually call for a fair amount of waiting.
 
But then I realized that it was our wonderful God pouring out His abundant grace and favour on me, since I wasn’t in the best of shape
, and it was still windy and cold. Obviously I let Him know that I was very thankful. The only place I had a short wait was at the Pharmacy later on where I went to get some antibiotics that the medic prescribed.
 
That’s why Friends, today, like Gramps Schuller (Robert H. Schuller) I can certainly attest to and loudly proclaim that ‘GOD LOVES ME!’ And also say along with His prayer from His Hour of Power Devotional.
 
‘Thank you, Lord, for this holy sentence, this good news, this happy report, this exciting thought, this graceful truth, this fantastic lesson. GOD LOVES ME! Even when I’m at my worst — GOD LOVES ME. Even when my faith is dim — GOD LOVES ME ANYWAY! It’s incomprehensible and fantastic! Thank you, Father. Amen.’
 
Ah mih people, I keep reminding us that walking with Jesus is not a bed of roses, but betwixt and between the tests and temptations, there are indeed wonderful, refreshing, rejuvenating, interesting and eye-opening experiences. The only problem now is that I have to go to the dentist today for some root canal work. Let’s see how that will play out. (smile)
 
But enough of my petty problems, let’s turn to our Bit, which deals with LOVE, something that our troubled world so badly needs but unfortunately is sadly lacking.
 
As the old song so truthfully stated back then, and is even more appropriate now, in these sad days of strife and the preponderance of negative emotions: ‘What the world needs now, is LOVE, SWEET LOVE. That’s the only thing, there’s just too little of…’
 
And oh my brethren, is that ever so true! LOVE comes from our God, and is what makes our world go round, or function properly, but right now we’re stuck between a rock and a hard place because we’re so SHORT of LOVE.
 
We claim to know about God’s LOVE for us, but what we seem unable to fathom and put into place is OUR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER. And a long while back, Bruh Paul put it to the Romans this way in our Bit: ‘LOVE worketh no ill (does no harm) to his neighbour: therefore LOVE is the fulfilling of the law.’
 
Now that’s the awesome truth Friends! For even before Bruh Paul’s comment, Jesus Himself commanded His disciples, and therefore us, and all His true followers: ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13:34-35)
 
Oh my fellow believers, Jesus was talking there about revolutionizing the world through LOVE! It was the beginning of the LOVE Revolution, which each generation of believers is supposed to carry on, but which, unfortunately we’re not doing, since we’re not showing LOVE to each other.
 
Remember it’s through our showing of LOVE to each other that the world will know that we’re disciples of Jesus. And since we’re not doing it, that means we’re not His true disciples.
 
No wonder the unbeliever, the heathens and many others laugh and scoff at us, and consider us hypocrites because they quite plainly see our ‘UNLOVING’ attitudes and behaviour towards each other and the world in general.
 
That’s why I keep reminding us that LOVE is an ACTION WORD! We simply can’t talk it and expect it to happen. LOVE only takes place when we DO SOMETHING TO SHOW IT! 
 
Consequently, Bruh Paul, who saw the need for LOTS OF LOVE in the evil, ungodly world, penned one of the most beautiful chapters of the Bible; re the WAY OF LOVE. And we’ll close by quoting a few appropriate verses from it, just to remind us what TRUE LOVE is all about.
 
And we’re not talking about ‘Eros’ or romantic LOVE, but ‘agape’, the spiritual LOVE that flows from God, and is supposed to be so jubilantly and vibrantly working in us through the Holy Spirit that indwells us.
 
So please listen up Friends, neighbours, heathens, whoever you are, for only these things will ever right our wrong-sided world.
 
‘Charity (LOVE) suffereth long, and is kind; charity (LOVE) envieth not; charity (LOVE) vaunteth not (does not brag on) itself, is not puffed up (arrogant), Doth not behave itself unseemly (rudely), seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil (keeps no accounts of evil);
 
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity (LOVE) never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail (cease): whether there be tongues, they shall cease, whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.’ (1 Cor.13:4-8)
 
And that’s the God-awesome truth my people! Therefore, let’s ponder all these things today nuh, and with God’s ever-present, never-ending help, make the necessary changes in our attitudes and behaviour, so that we can leave this world a much better place for our children. That’s the only wisdom there is! Much LOVE!
 
…if we’re not actively doing LOVE…then we’re not true disciples of Christ…as simple as that…  
 
P.S. Friends, the Bit’s long and late, but it’s what God put in my heart to write today. Much LOVE!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 October 2013 Ephesians 6:13

Ephesians 6:13.    Wherefore take unto you (take up) the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
 
Awright Friends, the Canadian Thanksgiving Party done now! It’s time to go back out and labour; to start clearing the land and planting more good seeds, so that, with God’s grace and mercy, we can reap another bumper harvest next year.
 
And all God’s people joyfully shouted: ‘Thank You Lord for this year’s bountiful harvest! Please give us the health, strength, perseverance and wisdom to sow good seeds on fertile soil, so that we can reap an even more bountiful harvest next year and further glorify Your glorious kingdom! This we pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen!’
 
Oh Friends, this morning my spirit is somewhat riled. Lucifer’s been getting to me through my printer. I put in a new ink cartridge, but it’s still telling me that the ink is low, and is printing stuff I can’t even make out. However, since the time for writing the Bit was imminent, I decided to leave the printer for later, when I had more time to fool with it. Please note that mih young D. (smile) 
 
And our God is so wonderful, that while going through some pieces of paper on which I have written possible stuff to share, I happened to come across this rather encouraging statement. I don’t know whether I’ve shared it before, or where I got it from, or who even said it – might even have been me (smile) – but it sure ‘deriled’ or ‘unriled’ my soul.
 
It says: ‘When a man or a woman has the conviction that he or she is doing the work God gave him or her to do, there’s a zeal and a courage in his or her soul that all the forces in this world cannot destroy.’
 
And that’s the God-awesome truth, my fellow believers, to which many of us can attest! For when we’re serious about doing God’s work, no power on this earth can stop us!
 
Right now I have to write God’s Bit, so I can’t allow Lucifer to mess with my mind, so to fight him off, I’ve put on all aspects of my spiritual armour, and now I’m ready for battle! Praise the Lord!
 
Ah Friends, I’m not joking. Most mornings before I begin writing the Bit, I ask the Lord to help me put on His spiritual armour, those fine accoutrements of spiritual battle… And He does. After that, I ‘m gung ho, and have the necessary resources to fight Lucifer to the death!
 
I’d strongly suggest that you all try it some time too. Go to Ephesians 6, and read from verses 10-20. But also write down the accoutrements of battle you need (vs.14-17) and keep it handy, so you can quickly refer to it in time of need. Better yet, learn it by heart!
 
And I think it’s much easier to learn if you start putting on your armour from the top. The helmet of salvation to guard your mind; the breastplate of righteousness to guard your inner man; the belt of truth so you can stay centred in the Word; the sandals of peace so you can go about in peace and tranquility; then take up that massive shield of faith to protect you from the fiery arrows of the enemy; and finally that magnificent sword of the Spirit, which brings man to his knees before Almighty God in conviction and repentance.
 
Wow Friends, what awesome battle gear! And would you believe that I don’t have a Bit as yet…
 
Ohhh! But I do now! Such is the mysterious and miraculous movement of our great God!
 
And out Bit so wisely and rightly says: ‘Wherefore take unto you (take up) the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.’
 
Now I believe we’ve used this scripture as a Bit before, but there’s nothing that says we can’t use it again, and as often as possible, especially when the time for it is ripe. And what I find most appealing about our Bit is the last portion: ‘and having done all, to stand.’
 
Yes my brethren, that’s what having on the spiritual armour of God allows us to do; to stand strong against the enemy.
 
Hear the scholars take on the Bit. ‘6:13. Wherefore means “because of this,” that is, because we face such a formidable foe, we must avail ourselves of God’s provision lest the enemy destroy our Christian witness and ministry.
 
The evil day refers to the periodic demonic onslaughts and Satanic assaults. Having done all includes both dressing oneself in God’s armour and resisting Satan. Having done all these, be ready, for the Devil will attack again and again.’
 
Oh my fellow believers, that is one other thing that we can be sure of in this life, beside death and taxes. No matter how we parry and trust the enemy away, ole Beelzebub will keep attacking us right up to the very second that the Lord calls us home.
 
Right at that very moment, the lying, deceitful one will show up and try to tear us away from God, telling us that there’s no heaven, etc. etc. So even at the last moment of earthly life, we have to be very careful to have on that spiritual armour.
 
Oh Friends, there’s so much more I’d like to share with you, but time and space are running out, so we’ll leave that for tomorrow, God willing of course. In any case, we already have enough spiritual food on our plates to read and digest today. 
 
Therefore my people, let’s ponder and meditate on it all, and plant it deep in our souls nuh, so that when the enemy attacks, we can face up to him with supreme confidence, and in God’s Great Name, boldly STAND! Much LOVE my brethren!
 
…no wise warrior goes into battle without good protective armour…