Joel 2:28. And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my sprit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.
Oh Friends, would you believe that it’s only after I came to transfer the handwritten Bit to the computer that I remembered today was Friday. I was so lost in my own doings that I did not hear you all crying out in relief: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ Please accept my humble apologies. (smile) Now let’s do as we ought and chant our Friday Chant. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’ And I hope we all sincerely prayed that, with vim and vigour too. (smile) Now here is how I originally intended to begin the Bit. Oh Friends, I hope you all enjoyed yesterday’s Sermon from the Basement, because I enjoyed writing it. And to show how our God does move mysteriously, a friend e-mailed me saying that she had been dreaming big dreams for herself and her family, but was filled with doubts re the wisdom and possible futility in doing so. However, when she read the Bit, she immediately felt positive and reassured. Praise the Lord for that mih people! And please don’t think that because I’m writing all this scriptural stuff that I’m this great guru or fountainhead of wisdom, for I am not. In fact, God is doing a work in me by having me write this Bit. I’m learning as I go along too. Remember my first reaction to God’s suggestion to write it was my lack of biblical knowledge. But knowledge can only be gained by diligently pursuing it, and thus the Lord has kept me pursuing knowledge of Him and His wonderful ways over the last three and half years. I have matured and improved, but am still a long way off from being as good as I can be. Friends, we’re all works in progress in God’s eyes. The important thing is not to beat ourselves up, consider ourselves unworthy, or lose hope and faith when we don’t measure up to what we think are God’s standards. Don’t forget that the Lord knows us better than we even know ourselves. He knows what we’re capable of. He knows that we’re frail, weak humans, for He’s the one who made us. However, His LOVE for us is so strong, that He’s willing to overlook our failures once our hearts and motives are right and we’re sincerely trying to walk the path He’s laid out for us. Oh Friends, I’m chuckling, because I don’t know where all the above came from, or where it’s going, but I know for sure that the Bit will end up being fine because the Lord’s hand is moving on my behalf. Would you believe I haven’t even opened the Good Book yet to check on a Bit, though I have something in mind. I just sat down here, asked for guidance, pulled the paper towards me and began writing. And between you and me, I just LOVE writing these Bits that just seemingly come up out of the blue, because then I really get the feeling that the Lord is trying to say something to me. What? I don’t always know, but there’s a definite impression that the Spirit’s about and moving in ways I can’t truly fathom. But since I claim to have surrendered my soul, my will and my mind to God, then I have to be willing to be led by His Spirit. Oh my people, I know a lot of believers still can’t understand or fathom the Spirit element in our lives, but believe me, it’s REAL! I can tell you that from first hand experience. Without the help of the Spirit, the Holy Ghost, the Guide, the Comforter, whatever you choose to call Him, I could not have successfully accomplished the writing of this Bit. Sometimes I’m totally lost and dumbfounded, or struggling, not knowing which way to turn, but as you can see, everyday I manage to come up with something sensible that lauds and magnifies our great and wonderful God. Praise Him people! That Bit yesterday is a perfect example of how the Spirit works in us: three separate ideas on three separate occasions just came together and gelled as one in my mind. Now that certainly wasn’t just my brilliance, but something greater than me, working in me. So my brethren, please don’t listen to the many naysayers about the reality of the Spirit and its role in our lives. Every believer has Christ’s Spirit living in them, the problem is for us to sit down and consider His workings, to take time out to listen and understand, then obey His dictates. So if you feel that still, small voice within you trying to converse, to strike up a conversation, please sit still and listen. If we don’t, or can’t connect with Him, it’s surely our fault, for once we’re true believers, I can guarantee that He’s abiding within us, within the very heart of our beings, and don’t let anybody tell you differently. This is not a set of mumbo jumbo, as some seem to think. It’s as real as you and I are! He’s sent to help us see life and do it the way the Father desires. And if we truly believe and have the heart’s desire to follow Jesus, to pattern our lifestyle after His, then His Spirit will surely show us how to do it. And when we put it all into practice, what happens? Obviously something beautiful! ‘And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.’ Yes my people, that’s when the Lord generously pours out His Holy Spirit, His blessings and mercies on us, and we become peaceful, LOVING and prosperous. The Spirit obviously wanted me to highlight Him and the very important part He plays in our everyday lives. And I sincerely hope that I’ve done it well enough so those of you, who never took Him seriously before, will do so now, because if you don’t, you’ll never be able to walk fully in the Lord. Oh Friends, all kinds of thoughts continually batter at our minds for attention, but it’s essential we ensure that they line up with God’s Word before we embrace them. Remember we’re fighting a spiritual battle, and the first place Beelzebub attacks us is in our minds, in our thoughts, for that’s where everything begins. And the Holy Spirit is extremely helpful in assisting us to sift our thoughts, to sift the wheat from the chaff. Oh my people, if you hear Him calling today, please don’t ignore it, because it might just be a wake up call that’s very important to your life and your well-being. So until tomorrow, God in favour, please walk safely under His protective wings. Much LOVE!…we can only walk this earth successfully…with the Spirit of Jesus leading and guiding us…
SCRIP-BITS 