Awright mih people, it’s Monday once again! But we NOT singing NO Blues today! Instead we’re hitting the road dressed in our complete suit of spiritual armour, ready, willing and able to battle the denizens of iniquity to the death, if necessary! Hn, hn! Like the ole fella in fine fettle this morning Friends. But seriously though, that’s the way we’ve got to be on those mornings when we have to go out and face the evil world that surrounds us, otherwise we’d be toast in no time at all. And like we’ve been saying for the last two days, and will reiterate again today; we can only do that successfully by putting our complete and total trust in the Lord God Jehovah, surrendering our will to Him, and allowing Him to guide our lives along the path(s) that He desires and thinks suitable, for He’s omnipotent, omniscient and ever present. Wow! What better personage is there for us to let guide out mortal earthly lives eh mih people? NONE whatsoever! How could there ever be, when the Lord’s our Creator, and also the most powerful Being in the universe? And when we surrender our all to him, place our lives totally in His control, what happens? As Isaiah, that great man of God said: ‘Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on (sustained by) thee: because he trusteth in thee.’ And all the Lord’s people loudly mouthed: ‘Oh Praise the Lord God, for His great kindness and tender mercies towards us!’ Yes Friends, when we lean and depend on the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for all our needs, He fills our souls with a peace that far exceeds human comprehension and understanding. Some of you must be wondering how I could be talking about that awesome state of peace for three days and not mention the real McCoy; the Prince of Peace. But have no fear mih people, there’s method to the ole fella’s madness: I was just saving the best for last. (smile) As Isaiah so astutely put it: ‘For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.’ (Is.9:6) That’s our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ he’s talking about, centuries before He actually came to earth. But there was also another prophesy, much closer to His coming; that of Zechariah, John the Baptist’s father, who, filled with the Holy Ghost, declared at John’s birth: ‘And thou, child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways. To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission (forgiveness) of their sins. Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring (the Messiah) from on high hath visited us. To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.’ (Luke 1:76-79) Now we know those prophesies were eventually fulfilled, but here’s some further corroboration from Bruh Paul: ‘But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes (once) were far off are made right by the blood of Christ. For he (he himself) is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition (division) between us.’ (Eph.2:13-14) Yes people, Jesus broke down all barriers and partitions between Jews and Gentiles, believers and heathens when He came to earth, preached, lived, and died in support of the good news of His Gospel of peace and goodwill to all mankind. Now let’s hear some words on peace from Jesus. And we’ll open with those memorable words when He promised to send the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither be ye afraid.’ (John 14:27) We see there Friends that Jesus’ peace is not the same as that of the world. The peace that the world offers can easily be taken away, but not that of Jesus. Once we believe steadfastly in Him, His peace will be conferred on us forever. Now to further show how important the principle of peace was to our Lord and Saviour, listen to these words of His. When He sent out the seventy disciples to gather converts, (Luke 10) He told them: ‘Go your ways: behold I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip (bag), nor shoes (sandals): and salute (greet) no man by the way (along the road). And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace is there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.’ (Luke 10:3-7) Yes Friends, the first greeting on entering a home was to be one of peace. And if it was well received, then they should sojourn there. Then in John 20:19, when He first appears to the disciples, after His resurrection, His first words were also the uplifting greeting that He’d taught them. ‘Peace be unto you.’ And after they’d milled around Him and seen His scars, and were joyous at His presence, Jesus said to them again: ‘Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.’ (John 20:21) This all shows that peace was a basic ingredient in Jesus’ ministry, and so should it also be in ours. Now let’s end with one more of Jesus’ statements on peace, when He was trying to wrap up things with the disciples before His arrest and crucifixion. He ended it thus: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) Friends, those words also apply to us today. So let’s take them to heart and do what Jesus says; be of good cheer, and go out and overcome the world just as He did, with His help obviously. Much LOVE!…the two essentials…cornerstones…building blocks of Christianity…PEACE & LOVE…
SCRIP-BITS 