Isaiah 35:3 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.
Oh my Friends, it’s April Fool’s Day, but we’re not fooling. In these troublesome times we are all certainly in need of that blessing, to uplift our weak hands and strengthen our feeble knees, from the lowest to the highest, the richest to the poorest, for when times are rough, we all become more fearful and concerned than when they are good, in spite of our position in society or the quantity of our material possessions. Whew! Shades of Bruh Paul eh? (smile) But the truth nonetheless! Yes my people, it’s rough out there, and it seems to be getting rougher every day. Apparently we have not hit rock bottom as yet, BUT in Chap.35, Isaiah is prophesying of Israel’s return to Zion; when prosperity returns after the great destruction and tribulation. It’s a message of HOPE for the future. I am also trying to instil that message of HOPE into all of us during these dire times. And as Isaiah confidently declares; ‘Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you.’ (Isa.35:4) And all God’s people sang; ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ That’s a HOPE and a TRUTH we need to confidently believe right now, my people. As all the supposed strong building blocks of our society are crumbling right before our amazed eyes, we need something of strength, purpose, insight and truth more than ever to hold on to, to reassure us that all is not lost, that there is HOPE for a better tomorrow, a brighter future. And the only thing my Friends, the only thing that does it, has done it throughout the ages, and will continue to do it in the future, right till eternity, is the solid, fateful, faithful Word of Almighty God, the Creator and Giver of all things and people. Job rightly said that the Lord gives and also takes, but we must learn to realize that whatever His reason(s) for taking, like now, that those times will pass, because He said so, and He will once again be generous to those He LOVES unconditionally. But we need to stand strong and keep the faith; don’t give up as soon as things look dark and murky. I have to chuckle because poor Job was so misunderstood by his friends, that although they meant him well and made some good general points, not too many of them really applied to Job. Hear one of these instances, when Eliphaz rebukes him. ‘Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees. But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest, it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled. Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?’ (Job 4:3-6) What did he take Job for, an automaton? If a man loses his family and his possessions in the blink of an eye without any overt reason, he must feel grief and trepidation. However my people, in these tremulous times of much doubt and fear, strife and greed, darkness and sorrow, please, I implore us, let’s not lose our Faith, our Confidence, our HOPE and the Uprightness of our ways, for it’s those very things, if we grasp them firmly and hold on tightly, that will see us through these dark and desperate times. If it’s one thing mankind has in abundance is that incredible power to bounce back from his misfortune, and to keep on bouncing back, but that’s only when he has a solid foundation under him. And we all know that the most solid foundation to build on in this violent, deceitful world is none other than the powerful Word of the Most High God Jehovah, that’s ever so steadfast and unchanging. It’s the surest way to strengthen our sinking, despondent hands and hearts, and to make firm our weakened knees, belly and backbone. And as Bruh Paul both admonishes and encourages us; ‘Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees. And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.’ (Heb.12:12-14) Yes my Friends, that’s how we need to operate at all times, but especially in the rough ones. Though things may not look good, we still have to walk the straight and narrow path with care, looking straight ahead, lest we trip and dislocate some joint of our weak and fevered body. We also need to keep peace as a top priority in our lives, righteousness too, for as the man says, without it, we don’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell of seeing God. And since we all desperately want to see the Father, then, ‘let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.’ (Heb.12:1-2) Oh my people, if Jesus could endure such suffering, shame and misery on our behalf, why can’t we put up with a little inconvenience and hard times eh? We won’t be killed, and it’s definitely not the end of the world, so let’s stand strong, let’s actually show that faith we profess, show it in action, and run that glorious marathon of life with a firm belief and patience in our merciful God, confidently knowing, that if we so do, at the end, Jesus will reward us with a cheerful greeting; ‘Welcome, thou good and faithful servant!’ and allot us a favoured space on the right hand of His throne. Much LOVE!…stand strong my people…now is not the time to panic…but to stand strong…
Oh my Friends, it’s April Fool’s Day, but we’re not fooling. In these troublesome times we are all certainly in need of that blessing, to uplift our weak hands and strengthen our feeble knees, from the lowest to the highest, the richest to the poorest, for when times are rough, we all become more fearful and concerned than when they are good, in spite of our position in society or the quantity of our material possessions. Whew! Shades of Bruh Paul eh? (smile) But the truth nonetheless! Yes my people, it’s rough out there, and it seems to be getting rougher every day. Apparently we have not hit rock bottom as yet, BUT in Chap.35, Isaiah is prophesying of Israel’s return to Zion; when prosperity returns after the great destruction and tribulation. It’s a message of HOPE for the future. I am also trying to instil that message of HOPE into all of us during these dire times. And as Isaiah confidently declares; ‘Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you.’ (Isa.35:4) And all God’s people sang; ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ That’s a HOPE and a TRUTH we need to confidently believe right now, my people. As all the supposed strong building blocks of our society are crumbling right before our amazed eyes, we need something of strength, purpose, insight and truth more than ever to hold on to, to reassure us that all is not lost, that there is HOPE for a better tomorrow, a brighter future. And the only thing my Friends, the only thing that does it, has done it throughout the ages, and will continue to do it in the future, right till eternity, is the solid, fateful, faithful Word of Almighty God, the Creator and Giver of all things and people. Job rightly said that the Lord gives and also takes, but we must learn to realize that whatever His reason(s) for taking, like now, that those times will pass, because He said so, and He will once again be generous to those He LOVES unconditionally. But we need to stand strong and keep the faith; don’t give up as soon as things look dark and murky. I have to chuckle because poor Job was so misunderstood by his friends, that although they meant him well and made some good general points, not too many of them really applied to Job. Hear one of these instances, when Eliphaz rebukes him. ‘Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees. But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest, it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled. Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?’ (Job 4:3-6) What did he take Job for, an automaton? If a man loses his family and his possessions in the blink of an eye without any overt reason, he must feel grief and trepidation. However my people, in these tremulous times of much doubt and fear, strife and greed, darkness and sorrow, please, I implore us, let’s not lose our Faith, our Confidence, our HOPE and the Uprightness of our ways, for it’s those very things, if we grasp them firmly and hold on tightly, that will see us through these dark and desperate times. If it’s one thing mankind has in abundance is that incredible power to bounce back from his misfortune, and to keep on bouncing back, but that’s only when he has a solid foundation under him. And we all know that the most solid foundation to build on in this violent, deceitful world is none other than the powerful Word of the Most High God Jehovah, that’s ever so steadfast and unchanging. It’s the surest way to strengthen our sinking, despondent hands and hearts, and to make firm our weakened knees, belly and backbone. And as Bruh Paul both admonishes and encourages us; ‘Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees. And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.’ (Heb.12:12-14) Yes my Friends, that’s how we need to operate at all times, but especially in the rough ones. Though things may not look good, we still have to walk the straight and narrow path with care, looking straight ahead, lest we trip and dislocate some joint of our weak and fevered body. We also need to keep peace as a top priority in our lives, righteousness too, for as the man says, without it, we don’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell of seeing God. And since we all desperately want to see the Father, then, ‘let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.’ (Heb.12:1-2) Oh my people, if Jesus could endure such suffering, shame and misery on our behalf, why can’t we put up with a little inconvenience and hard times eh? We won’t be killed, and it’s definitely not the end of the world, so let’s stand strong, let’s actually show that faith we profess, show it in action, and run that glorious marathon of life with a firm belief and patience in our merciful God, confidently knowing, that if we so do, at the end, Jesus will reward us with a cheerful greeting; ‘Welcome, thou good and faithful servant!’ and allot us a favoured space on the right hand of His throne. Much LOVE!…stand strong my people…now is not the time to panic…but to stand strong…
SCRIP-BITS 