SCRIP-BITS

Oh Friends, it’s Monday; the first working day of 2011! A lucky few will remain at home enjoying the last of the season because the holiday again fell on the weekend, but most working stiffs will have to wearily get up and get out to face the working world for yet another year. Thus it is very necessary for us to rise up strong and victoriously sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. All together now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together. We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’ Yes mih people! And some of us had more than two days off, so we should be more than ready to go out and engage the foe in a fight to the death. Now Friends, in keeping with our resolution that 2011 will be a better year than 2010, let’s write it deep in our hearts, souls and minds, then let’s look steadfastly to that outcome with all the faith we can muster, for it won’t happen unless we see it through the eyes of faith. Remember, our winning ticket is that faith, that ultimate belief that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ will eventually overcome that evil fool Beelzebub. As somebody once said, they’d read the Good Book, read how it ends in Revelation, with Jesus as the majestic winner, so we need not worry about the end result, just resist the frustrations and temptations of the evil one until that time. Wow! And Friends, knowing that it ends in our favour, ought to give us a healthy jumpstart in our walk of faith with Jesus. That brings us to our Bit: ‘But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.’ Oh people, that’s possibly the greatest promise in the Old Testament… no, in the entire Good Book, since the New Testament is basically a fulfillment of the latter half of that promise. Our God promised the disobedient remnant of the captive children of Israel that one day, when they had learned their lesson and returned to righteousness in His Name, they would return to the land of their fathers and He would do a great thing. As he said to Jeremiah: ‘Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him (enslave them).’ (Jer.30:7-8) And all God’s people shouted in unison: ‘Praise the Lord, for He is worthy to be praised!’ And isn’t that the gospel truth mih breddren! For in the midst of Israel’s trouble, their captivity, He promised to restore the Promised Land to them, and to break the yoke of slavery and bondage that their enemies had over them. And Friends, He did just that: Ezra, Nehemiah and others returned from captivity in Babylon during the Persian reign, and began rebuilding Jerusalem, obviously with the Lord’s intervention, that’s why Cyrus, the Persian king was so generous. Hear him: ‘Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him a house (temple) at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? His God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem.’ (Ezra 1:2-3) Now why would a heathen king make such a highly dramatic proclamation if the Lord had not moved his heart eh, the same way he hardened Pharaoh’s heart when they were in bondage in Egypt? Oh Friends, what a great God we worship! A God who makes promises long before they are to happen, then steadfastly keeps them at the appointed right time. All I can say to that is Wow! And on that note of wonder, we’ll end today, hopefully with God’s grace to continue it tomorrow, for there’s a lot of scripture yet to be written in our hearts. Yes mih people, the Spirit was at His adrenalin sparking best today! (smile) So till we meet again, please go safely with the Most High God Jehovah as your guide, protector and provider. Much LOVE!…our God is a good God…just wait patiently on Him…and He will show you His goodness and mercy…that’s not hearsay…but my personal testimony this Christmas season…