2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
And isn’t that the gospel truth my wonderful Friends in Christ? Sorrow for the things of the world brings us nothing but conflict, envy, jealousy, pain and heartache, and if we allow it to go on long enough, eventual death. Now, if you don’t believe me, then listen to Sol whose credentials are much better than mine. ‘Heaviness in the heart of man, maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.’ (Prov.12:25) He’s basically saying that negative emotions like anxiety cause depression. The joy of one’s spirit diminishes or just disappears. However, a good word, a word of encouragement uplifts, perks up our spirits. And that’s a fact of which we all have experience. Sol was so sure of it that he said it a couple of different ways: ‘A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken…All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.’ (Prov.15:13,15) He also said it thus: ‘A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.’ (Prov.17:22) Isaiah echoed those same sentiments. ‘The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary…’ (Isa.50:4) Yes Friends, the Lord enlightened Isaiah so that he could encourage and uplift a weary soul in difficult times. We should also seek that enlightenment because it’s very important for us to be able to encourage each other, especially in the rough times, like now, which many of us are finding hard to handle. That’s also the reason for fellowship in church, prayer meetings and other Christian gatherings; the uplifting of the spirit, keeping it at a high level. We know that we should not let the problems of the world get us down, though it’s easier said than done. But my people, we need to keep a strong, joyous heart so that we can fulfill our God-given tasks. When we get despondent or depressed, we lose the initiative to forge ahead with our Christian endeavour. Why do you think the enemy is always trying to fill us with doubts and dismay? So that we can lose our joy. He knows that’s the weakest link in our chain, and once he steals our joy, we’re done for; we’re like putty in his hands. But Friends, regardless of what happens in our lives, we should never allow our joy to be stolen, cause as Nehemiah so accurately stated, ‘For the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ (Neh.8:10) Praise His Holy Name people! And please, let’s keep that thought front and centre in our minds, for once we have that joy in the Lord, we are exceedingly strong and the enemy can’t lead us astray. But since we’re born and bred sinners, at some stage of our lives, Lucifer will manage to lure us off the straight and narrow path. However mih people, it’s vitally important that as soon as we realize we’ve veered from the true way, we repent and head back in the right direction. ‘For godly sorrow worketh to salvation not to be repented of (regretted).’ Yes Friends that’s what repentance is for; to lead us to salvation, and we should never regret it. When we’re truly sorry, we must go to God and confess our sins and ask for forgiveness, then try not to commit them again. And we have the basis for that right from Jesus’ mouth. ‘They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’ (Luke 5:31-32) John the Baptist told the Pharisees and Sadducees after he baptized them: ‘Bring forth therefore fruits meet for (worthy of ) repentance.’ (Mat.3:8) Because once we’ve repented of our sin, we ought to go out and do better. And we have two instances where men of great faith stepped off that narrow path, but once they realized their errors, went right to the source of all mercy. Let’s start with Bruh David, when he schemed to get Uriah killed, so he could have his wife Bathsheba. But once the prophet Nathan confronted him with his evil deed, Bruh David immediately confessed and sought forgiveness. ‘And David said unto Nathan; I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.’ (2 Sam.12:13-14) So though Bruh David was forgiven, he did pay for his evil deed through the death of his first-born son by Bathsheba. The second example of Christian faltering is one that we all know quite well; that very unfortunate time when the Rock, the foundation of Christ’s Church, Peter, denied knowing Him. Hn! Jesus had warned Peter about the denial, but the big, burly, brash fisher of men thoroughly rejected the idea, though he should have known better, having been with Jesus so long and having seen all of His prophecies come true. However, after the incident, after the cock crowed, ‘Peter remembered the words of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out and wept bitterly.’ (Mat.27:75) Oh mih Friends, if the foundation of Christ’s Church denied Him and was later forgiven, then so too shall we, if we go to Jesus and sincerely say we’re sorry. For as Peter and the other Apostles declared before the Jewish council; ‘Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.’ (Acts 5:31) Ah mih people, it’s a rough, sinful world we live in, but please remember that Jesus died for us, relieved and cleansed us of our burden of sins. So all we have to do now is believe that He is truly Our Saviour and live by His rules, and we’ll be all right, our salvation is assured. In closing, let’s listen to some encouraging and reassuring words from Bruh David. ‘Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass (surround) him about. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.’ (Ps.32:10-11) And we all sang; ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ Much LOVE!…let not the world’s sorrow steal your joy…turn to Jesus… because His outstretched hand…is always waiting there to help…
And isn’t that the gospel truth my wonderful Friends in Christ? Sorrow for the things of the world brings us nothing but conflict, envy, jealousy, pain and heartache, and if we allow it to go on long enough, eventual death. Now, if you don’t believe me, then listen to Sol whose credentials are much better than mine. ‘Heaviness in the heart of man, maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.’ (Prov.12:25) He’s basically saying that negative emotions like anxiety cause depression. The joy of one’s spirit diminishes or just disappears. However, a good word, a word of encouragement uplifts, perks up our spirits. And that’s a fact of which we all have experience. Sol was so sure of it that he said it a couple of different ways: ‘A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken…All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.’ (Prov.15:13,15) He also said it thus: ‘A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.’ (Prov.17:22) Isaiah echoed those same sentiments. ‘The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary…’ (Isa.50:4) Yes Friends, the Lord enlightened Isaiah so that he could encourage and uplift a weary soul in difficult times. We should also seek that enlightenment because it’s very important for us to be able to encourage each other, especially in the rough times, like now, which many of us are finding hard to handle. That’s also the reason for fellowship in church, prayer meetings and other Christian gatherings; the uplifting of the spirit, keeping it at a high level. We know that we should not let the problems of the world get us down, though it’s easier said than done. But my people, we need to keep a strong, joyous heart so that we can fulfill our God-given tasks. When we get despondent or depressed, we lose the initiative to forge ahead with our Christian endeavour. Why do you think the enemy is always trying to fill us with doubts and dismay? So that we can lose our joy. He knows that’s the weakest link in our chain, and once he steals our joy, we’re done for; we’re like putty in his hands. But Friends, regardless of what happens in our lives, we should never allow our joy to be stolen, cause as Nehemiah so accurately stated, ‘For the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ (Neh.8:10) Praise His Holy Name people! And please, let’s keep that thought front and centre in our minds, for once we have that joy in the Lord, we are exceedingly strong and the enemy can’t lead us astray. But since we’re born and bred sinners, at some stage of our lives, Lucifer will manage to lure us off the straight and narrow path. However mih people, it’s vitally important that as soon as we realize we’ve veered from the true way, we repent and head back in the right direction. ‘For godly sorrow worketh to salvation not to be repented of (regretted).’ Yes Friends that’s what repentance is for; to lead us to salvation, and we should never regret it. When we’re truly sorry, we must go to God and confess our sins and ask for forgiveness, then try not to commit them again. And we have the basis for that right from Jesus’ mouth. ‘They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’ (Luke 5:31-32) John the Baptist told the Pharisees and Sadducees after he baptized them: ‘Bring forth therefore fruits meet for (worthy of ) repentance.’ (Mat.3:8) Because once we’ve repented of our sin, we ought to go out and do better. And we have two instances where men of great faith stepped off that narrow path, but once they realized their errors, went right to the source of all mercy. Let’s start with Bruh David, when he schemed to get Uriah killed, so he could have his wife Bathsheba. But once the prophet Nathan confronted him with his evil deed, Bruh David immediately confessed and sought forgiveness. ‘And David said unto Nathan; I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.’ (2 Sam.12:13-14) So though Bruh David was forgiven, he did pay for his evil deed through the death of his first-born son by Bathsheba. The second example of Christian faltering is one that we all know quite well; that very unfortunate time when the Rock, the foundation of Christ’s Church, Peter, denied knowing Him. Hn! Jesus had warned Peter about the denial, but the big, burly, brash fisher of men thoroughly rejected the idea, though he should have known better, having been with Jesus so long and having seen all of His prophecies come true. However, after the incident, after the cock crowed, ‘Peter remembered the words of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out and wept bitterly.’ (Mat.27:75) Oh mih Friends, if the foundation of Christ’s Church denied Him and was later forgiven, then so too shall we, if we go to Jesus and sincerely say we’re sorry. For as Peter and the other Apostles declared before the Jewish council; ‘Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.’ (Acts 5:31) Ah mih people, it’s a rough, sinful world we live in, but please remember that Jesus died for us, relieved and cleansed us of our burden of sins. So all we have to do now is believe that He is truly Our Saviour and live by His rules, and we’ll be all right, our salvation is assured. In closing, let’s listen to some encouraging and reassuring words from Bruh David. ‘Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass (surround) him about. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.’ (Ps.32:10-11) And we all sang; ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ Much LOVE!…let not the world’s sorrow steal your joy…turn to Jesus… because His outstretched hand…is always waiting there to help…
SCRIP-BITS 