SCRIP-BITS

Ah Friends, it’s just another beautiful day in paradise! Some of you are no doubt shaking your heads wondering if I’m losing it. No mih people, I’m not losing it, not yet anyway. My logic is just that every day we awaken, it’s like awakening to paradise, because we’ve been granted at least one more day to enjoy the pleasures and joys of Mother Earth, guided by the Holy spirit, while Jesus is up in heaven, seated at the Father’s right hand, talking to Him on our behalf. What could be more paradisiacal than that eh? (smile) Oh Friends, I think that deserves a big shout of appreciation to the Most High God Jehovah. All together now: ‘Dear Father, we, your humble and grateful servants, thank you for all you’ve done, are doing, and plan to do for us. You’re such a  kind, caring, LOVING and generous God, that our hearts, minds and souls just overflow with true LOVE for you. Please continue to guide us with your Spirit and keep us strong in your Word. Help us to live a life worthy of You, a life that will reflect your glory and will make others want to know and joyfully reach out for you, the way we do. We pray this in Jesus’ Name. Amen!’ And all God’s people said: ‘Yesss!’ Oh, isn’t it great to be alive mih people! I know our world is full of problems; it’s evil, ungodly, war-like and a whole lot of other negative things, but it doesn’t do us any good to dwell on them, especially if we can’t change them. We of course have to see and recognize them for what they are, but under no circumstance are we to allow them to steal our joy, make us sad, and lose that grace of God that empowers us. Remember, Beelzebub’s first line of attack is towards our joy in the Lord. If he can negate that any at all, then he’s winning. And I’m not that naive to think or expect us to never get sad, frustrated, depressed or angry, but it must never be for an extended period of time. As Bruh Paul advises: ‘Let not the sun go down upon your wrath.’ (Eph.4:26) Yes Friends, we’re always to try and regain our calm, our equilibrium before we go to bed. The world is too much of a crazy, zigzag, topsy-turvy place for us to be on a continual high. However, let’s aspire to keep the lows to a bare minimum nuh. And on a point of interest, it’s only when you’ve been low, that you can truly appreciate the highs of life. Oh mih breddren, our God is certainly a GREAT GOD yes! And don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. Here’s why I’m saying that. The past two days have been a tad hectic, and I haven’t gotten much sleep. Even what little I got was constantly being disturbed. So just now when I came down to my study to get started, I was yawning and feeling tired and not up to writing much of anything. However, I knew that I had to write something, and something sensible too, so I asked the good Lord to invigorate me, to give me the necessary strength and understanding to write something worthy of His Name. And would you believe people, I opened the Good Book, found the Bit, wrote it at the top of the page, and voila, the pen just kept writing, thoughts and words flowed like water. And now, hn! I don’t even remember being tired and miserable. And yuh know what Friends, it’s in those little scenarios that I truly detect the hand of the Most High, and sometimes they build my faith more than the big miracles. But that’s what the Spirit is there for; not only to help in the big, important things, but also in the small, not so important but very necessary aspects of our lives. And it certainly amazes me that we can have those small, intimate, successful moments with our God and yet doubt Him. Oh Friends, I’m sure I’m not the only one who has these eye-openers, because I’m not that special, but if you don’t occasionally have them, then it means you’re not communicating properly with the Lord, something’s wrong somewhere. So please check it out and try to right it before too long, for He talks and works with all those who sincerely seek Him, regardless of our faults or mistakes. Ah have to laugh yes people, because this seems like one of those times when the Spirit decides to take me for a little jaunt off the beaten track. I came ready to talk about Bruh Paul and the virtues Christians ought to possess, but the Spirit seems to have other ideas. Today must have been slated as one of random thoughts and ideas, no deep scriptural arguments or treatises, simply a day of sharing experiences, with my little unexpected, but very welcome testimony as the highlight. And my Friends, those days are necessary every so often, for though the Good Book is there to lead and guide us, we can’t always be into the heavy stuff. Remember examples work more forcibly on the mind than precepts. Wow! Never thought I’d remember that quote from a book I did in High School, eons ago. It’s called The something of Joseph Andrews. I can’t remember the full title of the book though (smile) Oh Friends, I Binged it. Google is so passé. And here’s the true quote. By the way, the title is simply Joseph Andrews, a rollicking, bawdy satire of a chap who journeys across the English countryside a couple centuries ago, and the author is Henry Fielding. The book begins thus: ‘It is a trite but true observation, that examples work more forcibly on the mind than precepts; and if this be just in what is odious and blameable, it is more strongly so in what is amiable and praiseworthy.’ Gospel mih people! And shades of Bruh Paul too. Anyway, it’s good to quote scripture and show how certain things affected those within its pages, but Friends, as Fielding says, there’s nothing that works as well as a concrete example of how that same principle worked or works in our lives today. Others will find it much more relevant if they can see or hear it working in this current age. That means, as much as possible, we’re to cheer and encourage others by sharing anecdotes and stories of how the Bible’s principles are working in our lives. That’s especially important when trying to bring unbelievers to Christ. They will always be more receptive to current examples than from those of olden times. Remember, the Good Book is our guide for and through life, but without current, personal testimony, its value is diminished. We can’t just base everything on what’s gone before, there must be current testimony to validate its powerful, unchangeable, faithful and steadfast truth. That’s all she wrote today mih people! Guess we’ll have to leave Bruh Paul for tomorrow, God willing of course. Till then, Much LOVE!…each generation must amass… their own tried and true testimony…of the Bible’s truths…to make it meaningful to the next…