John 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth fruit.
Oh Friends, the first week of January is finished already! Wow! It certainly has flown by quickly. Just a few days ago we were partying, celebrating New Year’s, now we’re stuck in the old, everyday bump and grind once again. I’m glad it’s passing so quickly though, hopefully it will get rid of the cold, nasty winter weather sooner rather than later. Brrr! And hope is what our quote today deals with. ‘All human wisdom is summed up in two words: wait and hope.’ Those are the reputed words of Alexandre Dumas, (1802-1870) the prolific 19th century author, playwright, and historian. He’s the author of such prominent works like The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo and The Man in the Iron Mask, and obviously knew something about life cause his statement is true. And it was just borne out by my own words, hoping that the winter passes quickly. I’m hoping that it does, but all I can do is wait and see. In reality that quote sort of enters into every facet of our lives, for almost everything we do is a matter of wait and see and hope. It’s the same principle that Jesus expounds in Today’s Bit. ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn (grain) of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth (remains) alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth fruit.’ Yes Friends, no seeds can bear fruit unless they’re first planted in dark, soggy ground, unless they’re buried, shut in a place of darkness. It’s strange, and rather unique, the way God planned it; that a seed must be in darkness to germinate, to be able to reproduce itself and fruit. Logically speaking, one would expect the seed to need lots of light to go through the reproduction cycle, but our God, in His eternal and everlasting wisdom decreed it differently. The seed needs to die first, before it can be born again as a new tree, bearing new fruit. And oh my people, the same principle applies to us believers. We cannot become true believers unless we die first; die to ourselves, our selfishness and to the lusts, frailties and many temptations of this evil world. To truly receive Christ, we must be born again, become a new person spiritually, get rid of all the old habits associated with Beelzebub and his evil ways. Then a new respect for both God and man flourishes within us. Being born again is like the seed buried in the cold, dark earth, where we first exist in cold, evil darkness following the enemy. But when Jesus comes into our lives, when the seed of the gospel is planted in us, that old enemy is buried forever. However, like the seed that sprouts strong roots in the darkness of the earth and which eventually bursts forth into the light, as a new entity, through God’s awesome inbuilt power, we too are granted the power to rise from the throes of death through Jesus’ Holy Spirit. Friends, when we bury Lucifer and his wickedness, a new, strong motivating force develops within us and a new man arises from the ashes. That same principle also applies to the resurrection of our spiritual beings after our physical death. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus was so brilliant and focused in His thinking that he could tie all three things together with one simple example that the agrarian society of His day could understand. They all knew that new seed and fruit could only be had by planting seed, but now He also points out that a true believer, like a seed, must first die to themselves and be reborn before they can receive salvation and enter into His fold. The same goes for eternal life: we can’t receive it until we die a physical death. Then through the wonderful and astonishing power of Christ, we are able to rise again spiritually and pass into everlasting life with Him. Oh Friends, I don’t know if I’m doing a good job explaining this, so let’s defer right now to a better explainer, Bruh Paul, as he discourses on the spiritual body. ‘But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened (made alive) except it die. And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare (mere) grain, it may chance (perhaps) of wheat, or of some other grain: But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.’ (1 Cor.15:35-38) Yes Friends, all God’s creations have their own special bodies; humans, fishes, animals, star, sun, moon, earth etc. as well as different glory as Bruh Paul goes on to explain; (vs.39-41) ‘So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption (a perishable state); it is raised in incorruption (imperishable) It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.’ (1 Cor.15:42-44) Yes Friends, that’s the miracle of the dead seed sown in the dark earth and also the miracle of Jesus’ Spirit sown in our evil sinful souls. Let’s contemplate on those miracles and honour our God and Saviour for their many mercies and blessings that we don’t deserve and can never repay. Much LOVE!…from the darkness of the earth and soul…comes glorious rebirth…through Jesus…
Oh Friends, the first week of January is finished already! Wow! It certainly has flown by quickly. Just a few days ago we were partying, celebrating New Year’s, now we’re stuck in the old, everyday bump and grind once again. I’m glad it’s passing so quickly though, hopefully it will get rid of the cold, nasty winter weather sooner rather than later. Brrr! And hope is what our quote today deals with. ‘All human wisdom is summed up in two words: wait and hope.’ Those are the reputed words of Alexandre Dumas, (1802-1870) the prolific 19th century author, playwright, and historian. He’s the author of such prominent works like The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo and The Man in the Iron Mask, and obviously knew something about life cause his statement is true. And it was just borne out by my own words, hoping that the winter passes quickly. I’m hoping that it does, but all I can do is wait and see. In reality that quote sort of enters into every facet of our lives, for almost everything we do is a matter of wait and see and hope. It’s the same principle that Jesus expounds in Today’s Bit. ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn (grain) of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth (remains) alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth fruit.’ Yes Friends, no seeds can bear fruit unless they’re first planted in dark, soggy ground, unless they’re buried, shut in a place of darkness. It’s strange, and rather unique, the way God planned it; that a seed must be in darkness to germinate, to be able to reproduce itself and fruit. Logically speaking, one would expect the seed to need lots of light to go through the reproduction cycle, but our God, in His eternal and everlasting wisdom decreed it differently. The seed needs to die first, before it can be born again as a new tree, bearing new fruit. And oh my people, the same principle applies to us believers. We cannot become true believers unless we die first; die to ourselves, our selfishness and to the lusts, frailties and many temptations of this evil world. To truly receive Christ, we must be born again, become a new person spiritually, get rid of all the old habits associated with Beelzebub and his evil ways. Then a new respect for both God and man flourishes within us. Being born again is like the seed buried in the cold, dark earth, where we first exist in cold, evil darkness following the enemy. But when Jesus comes into our lives, when the seed of the gospel is planted in us, that old enemy is buried forever. However, like the seed that sprouts strong roots in the darkness of the earth and which eventually bursts forth into the light, as a new entity, through God’s awesome inbuilt power, we too are granted the power to rise from the throes of death through Jesus’ Holy Spirit. Friends, when we bury Lucifer and his wickedness, a new, strong motivating force develops within us and a new man arises from the ashes. That same principle also applies to the resurrection of our spiritual beings after our physical death. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus was so brilliant and focused in His thinking that he could tie all three things together with one simple example that the agrarian society of His day could understand. They all knew that new seed and fruit could only be had by planting seed, but now He also points out that a true believer, like a seed, must first die to themselves and be reborn before they can receive salvation and enter into His fold. The same goes for eternal life: we can’t receive it until we die a physical death. Then through the wonderful and astonishing power of Christ, we are able to rise again spiritually and pass into everlasting life with Him. Oh Friends, I don’t know if I’m doing a good job explaining this, so let’s defer right now to a better explainer, Bruh Paul, as he discourses on the spiritual body. ‘But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened (made alive) except it die. And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare (mere) grain, it may chance (perhaps) of wheat, or of some other grain: But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.’ (1 Cor.15:35-38) Yes Friends, all God’s creations have their own special bodies; humans, fishes, animals, star, sun, moon, earth etc. as well as different glory as Bruh Paul goes on to explain; (vs.39-41) ‘So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption (a perishable state); it is raised in incorruption (imperishable) It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.’ (1 Cor.15:42-44) Yes Friends, that’s the miracle of the dead seed sown in the dark earth and also the miracle of Jesus’ Spirit sown in our evil sinful souls. Let’s contemplate on those miracles and honour our God and Saviour for their many mercies and blessings that we don’t deserve and can never repay. Much LOVE!…from the darkness of the earth and soul…comes glorious rebirth…through Jesus…
SCRIP-BITS 