Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.
Oh Friends, it’s the Eve of the Eve of the New Year. We’re getting closer to that long awaited, euphoric moment of ringing out the Old Year and ringing in the New, with all our life-changing resolutions. But does it really make a difference, does anything really change, do we keep those resolutions, and if so, how many? I humbly offer that nothing really changes except the date on the calendar. It’s merely a contrived moment of euphoria, a time to party to excess, to make us feel good about ourselves and provide a window of self-delusion whereby we can make all sorts of promises, which deep down, we know we’ll never keep. Some of us do sincerely embrace the resolutions and really try to keep them, but generally speaking, our New Year’s promises can be compared to Jesus’ parable of the sower, where the seed is dispersed over different types of ground, with limited success, for only a few fall on good ground and actually live long enough to bear fruit. It’s the same with our resolutions; only a minute amount ever comes to fruition. Okay, so I’m raining on your New Year’s parade. (smile) Well, not really, I’m just trying to point out the foolhardiness of the situation, for come the 2nd of January, we’ll all go right back to the rude, crude, obnoxious, aggressive, resentful behaviour we displayed before the Christmas season began. I guess the only way to change that and keep our friendly Christmas spirit is to celebrate Christmas all year round. (smile) Then we might eventually become truly friendlier and more concerned about each other and lose much of the hypocrisy that pervades the season of Christ’s birth. Now, how different is the New Year’s hullabaloo to the changes put forth in our Bit. Bruh Paul, in expounding on grace and faith, joyously declares: ‘And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins.’ Praise God! And that’s a fact we cannot dispute people. Why? Because before Jesus came and died for us, we were dead; dead in the sense that we were completely wrapped up in evil and wickedness, the greed, violence, the lust for power and the material, non-enduring things of this world. In other words we were fully ensconced in the enemy’s camp. As Bruh Paul puts it: ‘Where in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air (Lucifer), the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. Among whom also we all had our conversation (conducted ourselves) in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.’ (Eph.2:2-3) It’s the same thing he said to the Colossians: ‘And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven your trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances (certificate of debt with its decrees) that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.’ (Col.2:13-14) Oh shout some praises to Jesus’ name mih people for nailing that death warrant of our sin to His cross, thereby eliminating it forever! Ah Friends, we were certainly in a bad way back then. But the Lord God, whose LOVE for us was, and still is, so great, sent His ONLY Son, Jesus, to die for us, to pay for our sins, so that we could be set free from an unholy bondage to Beelzebub, if we so desired. Note, there’s still the element of choice, but because of Jesus’ death we now have the opportunity to be quickened, made alive again, reborn. ‘But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great LOVE wherewith he LOVED us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.’ (Eph.2:4-5) Wow! What a most wonderful God! Yes my people, it’s only by the gift of the GRACE of God, which flows from His vast, never-ending store of unconditional LOVE, that we can exult today in righteousness with the faithful promise of salvation and eternal life. It all stems from God’s divine power. ‘And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.’ (Eph.1:19-20) Yes Friends, that quickening, that rebirth of our souls and spirits was all accomplished through the divine might, power, brilliant planning and execution of said plans by the Most High God Jehovah. Without His undying affection for us, the carefully crafted work of His hands, we’d still be in bondage to the evil one. So, since we’re reborn, and have the unexpected opportunity to live a new life in Christ, let’s ensure; ‘That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight (trickery) of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. But speaking the truth in LOVE, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.’ (Eph.4:14-15) Oh Friends, I can’t put it any better than that. I can only encourage us to do our bounden duty, which is to LOVE our God, LIVE our Faith, and SPREAD His Word. Much LOVE!…Jesus died so we could be free…but we must first… desire to be free…then actively seek that freedom…
Oh Friends, it’s the Eve of the Eve of the New Year. We’re getting closer to that long awaited, euphoric moment of ringing out the Old Year and ringing in the New, with all our life-changing resolutions. But does it really make a difference, does anything really change, do we keep those resolutions, and if so, how many? I humbly offer that nothing really changes except the date on the calendar. It’s merely a contrived moment of euphoria, a time to party to excess, to make us feel good about ourselves and provide a window of self-delusion whereby we can make all sorts of promises, which deep down, we know we’ll never keep. Some of us do sincerely embrace the resolutions and really try to keep them, but generally speaking, our New Year’s promises can be compared to Jesus’ parable of the sower, where the seed is dispersed over different types of ground, with limited success, for only a few fall on good ground and actually live long enough to bear fruit. It’s the same with our resolutions; only a minute amount ever comes to fruition. Okay, so I’m raining on your New Year’s parade. (smile) Well, not really, I’m just trying to point out the foolhardiness of the situation, for come the 2nd of January, we’ll all go right back to the rude, crude, obnoxious, aggressive, resentful behaviour we displayed before the Christmas season began. I guess the only way to change that and keep our friendly Christmas spirit is to celebrate Christmas all year round. (smile) Then we might eventually become truly friendlier and more concerned about each other and lose much of the hypocrisy that pervades the season of Christ’s birth. Now, how different is the New Year’s hullabaloo to the changes put forth in our Bit. Bruh Paul, in expounding on grace and faith, joyously declares: ‘And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins.’ Praise God! And that’s a fact we cannot dispute people. Why? Because before Jesus came and died for us, we were dead; dead in the sense that we were completely wrapped up in evil and wickedness, the greed, violence, the lust for power and the material, non-enduring things of this world. In other words we were fully ensconced in the enemy’s camp. As Bruh Paul puts it: ‘Where in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air (Lucifer), the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. Among whom also we all had our conversation (conducted ourselves) in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.’ (Eph.2:2-3) It’s the same thing he said to the Colossians: ‘And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven your trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances (certificate of debt with its decrees) that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.’ (Col.2:13-14) Oh shout some praises to Jesus’ name mih people for nailing that death warrant of our sin to His cross, thereby eliminating it forever! Ah Friends, we were certainly in a bad way back then. But the Lord God, whose LOVE for us was, and still is, so great, sent His ONLY Son, Jesus, to die for us, to pay for our sins, so that we could be set free from an unholy bondage to Beelzebub, if we so desired. Note, there’s still the element of choice, but because of Jesus’ death we now have the opportunity to be quickened, made alive again, reborn. ‘But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great LOVE wherewith he LOVED us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.’ (Eph.2:4-5) Wow! What a most wonderful God! Yes my people, it’s only by the gift of the GRACE of God, which flows from His vast, never-ending store of unconditional LOVE, that we can exult today in righteousness with the faithful promise of salvation and eternal life. It all stems from God’s divine power. ‘And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.’ (Eph.1:19-20) Yes Friends, that quickening, that rebirth of our souls and spirits was all accomplished through the divine might, power, brilliant planning and execution of said plans by the Most High God Jehovah. Without His undying affection for us, the carefully crafted work of His hands, we’d still be in bondage to the evil one. So, since we’re reborn, and have the unexpected opportunity to live a new life in Christ, let’s ensure; ‘That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight (trickery) of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. But speaking the truth in LOVE, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.’ (Eph.4:14-15) Oh Friends, I can’t put it any better than that. I can only encourage us to do our bounden duty, which is to LOVE our God, LIVE our Faith, and SPREAD His Word. Much LOVE!…Jesus died so we could be free…but we must first… desire to be free…then actively seek that freedom…
SCRIP-BITS 