Oh Friends, it’s the weekend; meaning fun, fete and fellowship! (smile) Yeh, that’s the ideal situation, but many of us will still be burdened with backed up home chores and getting stuff ready for next week. But like it or not, that’s the general way our society has evolved; work five days, get two off. Praise the Lord! Why? Because many of our ancestors were forced to work harder and longer hours without any guaranteed time off. However, amidst all the worldly confusion, please make some time to be wherever two or three are gathered together and have the Lord’s Word flow in and over you, so that it can rejuvenate your tired mind, body and soul. It’s the best way to get through the crazy work week because it strengthens and reenergizes you. And in the mean time, in between time, ‘If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.’ I guess that proverb can be applied to all humans, for at some time in our lives we have all done foolish and wicked things for the purpose of exalting ourselves. But please remember my people that the only one we should be exalting and lifting up is the Most High God Jehovah. We should be thinking like Bruh David rightly proclaimed: ‘O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.’ (Ps.34:3) We don’t go around exalting ourselves, especially if it involves iniquity, as it usually does. And Jesus’ words on the subject were very straightforward. ‘For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased (humbled); and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.’ (Luke 14:11) Now, if we’re true followers of Jesus, then we should abide by His dictates. And as Bruh Paul also advised: ‘Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. (Phil.2:3) In this respect, he even said of himself: ‘And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.’ (2 Cor.12:7) Yes Friends, exalting ourselves should not be numbered amongst our deeds, but it should work like Peter outlined. ‘For God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.’ (1Pet.5:5-7) However my people, being human and thus inflicted from the womb with sin genes, it’s not always easy for us to forego the earthly pleasure of exalting our selves, or thinking evil thoughts. Neither is it always easy to make amends for our ungodly actions. Then what ought we to do? If we have acted wickedly or foolishly and there is no getting away from it, oftimes the best solution is just to keep silent, just shut up, for pressing the matter will only bring us more grief and strife. Remember the tongue is small but ‘talawa’, hot like pepper, and can cause endless confusion. And if there’s one thing we don’t need in our already stressful lives is more stress, anger, resentment and strife, if it can be avoided. Remember too, Bruh David’s plea in his prayer for self understanding: ‘And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in thee. Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish. I was dumb (mute), I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it.’ (Ps.39:7-9) The Lord caused him to keep silent so he did not make a fool of himself amongst fools. Oh Friends, many times we are desperately in need of such divine help, but don’t always receive it because we not properly tuned in to God’s wavelength. Note also, when Job defended his integrity against his friends’ strident condemnation, he rebuked them, saying: ‘Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace (keep silent)! And it should be your wisdom.’ (Job 13:5) In other words, shut up and listen to me now, and you’ll be considered wise. Why? ‘For even a fool, when he holdeth his peace is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.’ (Prov. 17:28) Yes my brethren, there are many occasions when we’d be better served by laying our hands upon our mouths, shutting up and staying quiet, but egged on by foolish pride and anger, we don’t, and just end up making the situation worse. Oh mih people, how many times have we all sat back later on and wished to God that we had just kept our so and so mouths shut eh? Numerous times! But once we’ve said it, we can’t take it back. So we’ve got to learn that prevention is better than cure and make a serious effort to practise it, else we’ll just keep putting our foot in our mouths and paying the price for it. And what better way to end today’s message than with Job’s apology to God, after he’d been humbled. ‘Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once I have spoken; but I will not answer: yea twice; but I will proceed no further.’ (Job 40:4-5) Friends, that’s excellent advice that we all should heed, but it means staying in tune with the Lord, for only He can guide us on the true path to victory. So let’s promise ourselves to slow down, talk less and listen more. It’s the only way to truly reduce the number of unnecessary incendiary incidents that our unholy tongues spark. Much LOVE!…silence is golden, golden…but our eyes can’t see…
SCRIP-BITS 