Part One. Not so random thoughts on Ephesians 4:7-8 Can I just say that the message of the Bible is not tame? It is wilder and more wonderful than most of us dare to imagine. Meek and mild men are always seeking to soften it. Case in point? The multilayered message of Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus. One might begin to tease apart the manifold layers of timeless truth by employing prepositions: What I mean to do by drawing attention to “God for you” is to highlight the ultimate plan/cosmic warfare aspect of the epistle. Paul strives to do much more than create a cozy little life for the Ephesian believers; He means to draw them into the eternal plan and overarching purpose of God. That purpose and plan are playing out right now as a hyper-galactic spiritual battle that stretches from one corner of creation to the other—but finds its focus on the earth.
Insights
Living by Faith book by Rev. Dr. Gerry Gallimore – 168 pages of unbelievable experiences, explained only by the fact that Rev. Dr. Gerry Gallimore lived by faith. Born in the backwoods of Jamaica, and born out of wedlock, Gerry Gallimore had limited schooling. He gave his life to the Lord at an early age and this Living by Faith book recounts the globe-trotting and sometimes daring journey God took him on, including visits to the White House. God’s miraculous hand in the life, times, and journey of Gerry Gallimore. “Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what He has done for me.†– Psalm 66:16 In 1968 Gerry Gallimore left a well-paying job in the pharmaceutical industry, one that allowed him to purchase a new home and Mercedes Benz as a young adult – to accept the call of God and moved into full-time… read more
Gist: Clarifying a very popular view about the topic Article 13 (from my latest book, A Controversial Clergyman) It is too widespread a confusion for me to leave it unchallenged. I am talking about the claim that belief is inferior to knowledge (without more, as lawyers would say). Michael Abrahams’ column in the Gleaner yesterday (July 9, 2018) betrayed this confusion and I had to deal with it in passing in a public forum at UTECH in 2001 involving Dr. Leahcim Semaj and Mutabaruka. Every statement purporting to be fact or true is a belief. Indeed, if you call to mind the basic moods in English language sentences, then if it is not a question (interrogative mood), a command (imperative mood), a wish (subjunctive mood), then it is in the indicative mood (an assertion, claiming something). Every such assertion or claim qualifies as a belief, but since some beliefs are quite… read more
Check out the new book, A Controversial Clergyman, by Rev. Dr. Clinton Chisholm. Now available on Amazon.com. A Controversial Clergyman showcases, provocative Newspaper Articles to Foster Critical Thinking on Social, Societal, Legal, Church and Public Speaking Matters. Promoting Critical Thinking Everywhere In the Caribbean, no commentator or journalist arrives at the level of sophistication represented by Clinton Chisholm. His evaluations of things theological, political and cultural, stand leagues above average fare. Those outside the Caribbean would learn much reading him. His new book is simply “must†reading for anyone who wishes to think seriously about contemporary issues in light of classical values. John Warwick Montgomery, Ph.D., D.Th©ol., LL.D. Professor Emeritus of Law and Humanities, University of Bedfordshire, England Gain experience in critical thinking from the Caribbean’s finest apologist, Rev. Dr. Clinton A. Chisholm. who is at his provocative best in A Controversial Clergyman. This book has 33 of his best… read more
The more popular claims of borrowing or influence between Christianity and the mysteries pertain to the birth/death/resurrection of Jesus Christ. What were the mystery religions? The mystery religions (contrary to George James’ book Stolen Legacy: Greek Philosophy is Stolen Egyptian Philosophy) were really Hellenistic religions, called ‘mystery’ because they involved secret ceremonies that were thought to bring their initiates some special benefits. They were more or less based on the annual vegetation cycle of life (spring) and death (fall). Each religion originated from different areas. From Mesopotamia—Tammuz or Dumuzi (the Sumerian version); from Egypt—the cult of Isis and Osiris (later called Serapis); from Greece—the cults of Demeter and Dionysus which later developed into the Eleusinian and Orphic mystery religions; from Phrygia in Asia Minor—the cult of Cybele and Attis; from Syria/Palestine—the cult of Adonis and from Persia (modern Iran)—the cult of Mithra (twin brother of the Zoroastrian god Ahura Mazda). Before responding… read more
Stimulus & Response Revisited – It seems that a few who read my letter to the editor about the Yellow Pages issue thought, like Mr. Robert Dalley, that I was dismissing the power of stimuli. On the contrary, I just wanted to focus on response because it is too often neglected perhaps because it broaches the awkward notion of responsibility for whom I am and for what I do. I had no clue then as a 17-year old boy about the practical difference between admiring and lusting I am too old to be unaware of the stimulating power of a good looking female body, even dressed normally, whether live, in a movie or in a photo. In fact I still recall the pangs of remorse I felt when, as a Christian for only a few months (in 1967) I lusted at a prostitute while on my way to a Convention at Jarrett Park in… read more
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. - Galatians 6:2 See others humbly. Your response to another’s fall reveals your own walk, whether it is spiritual or not. Pride will make it impossible for you to help the fallen, but humility will bring blessing to you and to them. – W. W. Wiersbe
addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,  giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, – Ephesians 5:19-20 Verses 15 – 18 speaks about what we should not do as followers of Christ who should be growing in his way and in the Spirit. Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, – Ephesians 5:15-18 Then we follow Him (Jesus) to the banqueting hall and learn to walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26) and be joyful, thankful, and submissive to one another. – W. W. Weirsbe Lessons for New Converts and… read more
If you have a problem with the front cover of your copy of the current Jamaican yellow pages directory (dance hall scene) why not just flip it over to the back cover (ska/rocksteady scene) or better still just tear off the front cover. This is a simple solution to a simple problem in my view. The cover is almost literally a flat (two-dimensional) cardboard photo and that disturbs or turns on some of us? Give me a break. Now, though I am trained in music and philosophy and have been a Christian for 49 years I would not venture to do any kind of research at a live dance hall session because I personally could not “plead the blood of Jesus†fervently enough to keep all sections of my anatomy calm. Even then my possible response to the visual stimuli in that setting would be essentially saying much more about… read more
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. For by me your days will be multiplied, and years will be added to your life.- Proverbs 9:10-11 Wisdom multiplies days (Proverbs 9:11) Those who abuse their bodies with sin usually cut their lives short, but when you follow wisdom, you can add years to your life – and life to your years! God gives a fullness of experience to those who obey Him. – W.W. Weirsbe
The Bible is probably the only ancient text that any Mike, Mary or Marcia waxes warm about despite stark ignorance of the book’s actual texts and historical contexts (plural). The lay critic may be very educated but (s)he and even most Christians need to understand how to read an ancient text from a different linguistic and cultural milieu than ours. I illustrate the need with the issue of slavery in the Bible, an issue I had to deal with in a Barbados newspaper years ago in response to a learned critic there. Said critic charged that “Slavery is justified in both principle and practice throughout the Old and New Testament.†Most of us learned in English literature class the basic point that a text must be read in light of its context. What contextual cues do we need to bear in mind to read the Bible responsibly? Well for starters we need to… read more
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”………2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV TODAY’S WORD: Everyone loves to receive something new. When you become a believer in Jesus, you not only receive something new, you become something new. You are a brand new creation! Your eternal being, the spirit on the inside of you, is recreated in Christ. The old is gone, the new is here! The Bible also talks about working out our salvation. That means you have to retrain your body and mind to act, think, speak and live according to the new spirit within you instead of turning to the old habits you used to have. Don’t ever get stuck in a rut thinking, “I’ll never change…that’s just the way I am.†No, the Bible says that the Spirit of God helps us in our weakness. He… read more
Joy in His Presence TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”……Psalm 16:11, NIV TODAY’S WORD: God promises that joy is found in His presence, and if you’ve accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then His presence lives inside of you. That means you are full of joy! Joy manifests when you focus your mind and heart on the Father and begin to praise Him. It doesn’t matter where you are or what’s going on around you, you can access the joy that’s inside of you at anytime, day or night. Know this: God wants you to experience His supernatural joy and peace at all times. That’s why He chose to live inside of you and give you an endless supply. Don’t waste another minute feeling overburdened and discouraged. Let… read more
Favor for Your Future TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: “…his favor lasts a lifetime…”…..Psalm 30:5, NIV TODAY’S WORD: Did you know that God has already released good things into your future? His favor covers your lifetime! When God laid out the plan for your life, He lined up the right people, the right circumstances and the right breaks. In your future, He’s already released favor, supernatural opportunities and divine connections. The good breaks you need have already been preordained to come across your path. If you will stay in faith and go out each day and be a person of excellence, you’ll have times where it’s as if you just stumbled into God’s blessings. You’ll look back and think, “How did I get to where I am? I’m not the most qualified, but I got the promotion. I didn’t deserve that break, but someone went out of their way to help me.†What… read more
This One Thing TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: “…I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.” Philippians 3:13, NLT TODAY’S WORD: Are you focused on forgetting the past? Many people don’t fully understand what that means. They wonder, “How can I forget something that’s happened to me?” But one definition of the word forget is to “disregard intentionally or to overlook.” What this verse is saying is that you have to choose to disregard your past so that it doesn’t keep you from moving forward. That means the good and the bad. Even our past victories can sometimes keep us from rising higher. If we don’t let go of the old, we’ll never be able to embrace the new. It doesn’t matter what’s happened in your history, it’s time to forget what lies behind. Make the choice today to look forward. Trust that God has… read more
The Gift of Today TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”……..Psalm 90:12, KJV TODAY’S WORD: Sometimes our days can be so full and busy that we forget how fragile our time on earth really is. It can be so easy to allow little things to creep in and steal our peace and joy. Maybe something didn’t go your way, or someone said something upsetting. Even traffic can cause us to get our focus off if we let it. But, we have to remember that each day is a gift. If we choose to focus on what’s wrong, we’ll miss out on the beauty that each day has to offer. Don’t let the precious moments of life pass you by. Don’t wait for holidays and birthdays to show people that you care. Remember, each day is unique and irreplaceable, a gift… read more
Stay Connected TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit…” – .John 15:5, NKJV TODAY’S WORD: Do you need more power and strength in your life today? When you are connected to the Father through Jesus, you are connected to your life source. Just as a branch is sustained by the vine it’s attached to, we are sustained by being attached to Him. If you think about how fruit grows, it doesn’t just happen over night; it takes time and the right conditions. In the same way, the spiritual fruit in your own life develops over time, too. You might be tempted to get discouraged if you aren’t seeing “fruit†as quickly as you’d like, but be encouraged today! If you’ll keep your heart humble before the Lord and stay connected to Him through prayer and… read more
Free for All TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: “…God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.”……….Acts 10:34-35, NIV TODAY’S WORD: Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom! God’s freedom is free for everyone! It doesn’t matter what your nationality or heritage is, or who your family is. It doesn’t matter how much money you have or don’t have. God wants you free from everything that would hold you back from your relationship with Him! God wants to pour out His abundant blessing on all who honor Him and do what is right. In fact, the Bible says in Galatians that in Christ, there is no Jew or Greek or even male or female. That means God’s not judging you based on physical conditions. He’s looking at your heart. He’s looking at the gifts He’s placed inside of you…. read more
Scientific Problems for Atheists ‘Village atheists’ and the more educated ones need to read and properly digest the contents of Antony Flew’s last book. The late world renowned British Philosopher and ‘most notorious atheist’ Antony Flew in his last book gave details of the thinking that led him to abandon atheism. The book published in 2008 was titled There is a God. One of the three cardinal issues that made Flew abandon atheism was a critical event which he said could not at all be explained from a naturalistic or materialistic base but which made sense if you invoke God. Drawing on the work of fellow philosopher David Conway, Flew raises the first of three challenges to Darwinian naturalism. He says, “The first challenge is to produce a materialistic explanation for ‘the very first emergence of living matter from non-living matter. In being alive, living matter possesses a teleological [purpose-driven]… read more
The shocking death by suicide of comedic actor Robin William has catalyzed some thoughts I am still musing about, the unexpressed grief that some people go through. We all need to be more sensitive, discerning even, but even then we would miss some still. Can you wrap your brain around the level of grief Williams was experiencing that would prompt him to take his own life? Imagine the trauma of losing a pregnancy or several pregnancies through miscarriage when none of your friends even know that you are or were ever pregnant. Compound this, in a Church you are a single woman but become pregnant after ‘tiefing a likkle piece’ (=engaging in premarital sex) and suffer a similar fate. Who could you dare ask for prayer support let alone empathy? Silent grief. Then consider having been raped or seduced by someone whom you trust and respect and whose reputation would… read more
This evening I was driving home from work and listening to the Joy 1250 radio station. There was a Christian program hosting Joni Eareckson Tada, a Christian lady who in 1967–at the age of 17 years old–became quadriplegic due to a diving accident. She said something that encouraged me to share with you my experience of God’s faithfulness in answering prayers. She said that prior to the accident she prayed that God would deepen her relationship with Him, but that she did not expect it to happen this way—she wasn’t thinking ‘paralysis’! But God used her paralysis to answer her prayer and she is so much closer to Him today than she ever could. Ten years ago I prayed a simple sincere prayer. I asked God, “Lord, I want to experience the love You have for mankind. I don’t want to only experience Your love for me but I also… read more
Any statement about causation or origin which uses the word chance is worthless, philosophically. The academic credentials or prestige of the person making such a statement is unimportant, the statement is still worthless. Take for example the basic belief held by most Astronomers and atheists prior to Vesto Slipher’s expanding universe discovery in 1913, “the Universe simply exploded into being, by chance, at the big bang and thus there’s no need for any God.†Or ponder the words of the Nobel scientist Jacques Monod in his book Chance and Necessity, “…chance alone is at the source of every innovation, of all creation in the biosphere. Pure chance, absolutely free but blind, at the very root of the stupendous edifice of evolution…†(page 112) Let me alert you to the fact that though we tend to use the word ‘chance’ loosely, chance is not a substance or entity that can… read more
A popular view among many people today is that all truth is relative; no truth is objective. By objective is meant true by means independent of the person asserting any truth-claim. For example, if someone says, “Fish is my favorite meat†that statement would be true relative to the experience of the speaker. In contrast, if someone should say, “All living things have encoded biological information in their DNA†that statement would not be relative to the speaker’s perception for it would be true regardless of who made the statement. Objective truth then, is truth beyond mere opinion. It is truth verifiable and undeniable as fact by rational beings other than the one making the claim. Strangely then, despite so much talk about living in an Age of Science & Technology that is remarkable, the belief is so common that ‘all truth is relative’. Indeed, this notion prevails not only… read more
What is it about a new year that prompts us to make resolutions? What grounds  justifies this annual pastime beyond empty traditionalism and wishful thinking? Just think about it, what really makes the last day of 2013 drastically different from the 1st day of 2014 to warrant resolutions? Try making sense of the difference between any two successive days beyond our conventional name change and day-related routines without mumbling “well, aahm, you see, I, I, my, my…†The future is uncertain and puzzling and each of us is largely unpredictable in terms of behavior. Desire is not the same as ability to perform so what’s the real value of new year’s resolution as opposed to any other day’s resolutions? One thing I would hope we all resolve to do for life is to think about issues more critically, that is to apply the basic principles of logic in any argument… read more