SCRIP-BITS

John 3:3.    Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
 
Oh Friends, there are a couple things making me angry, which I need to get off my chest. These are things that I can’t do much about personally, or if I try, my answer will for sure be politically incorrect and possibly not compute with God’s Word either. The first is the recent spate of attacks and bombings of Christian churches and gatherings in Muslim countries, for no other reason than they are non-Muslim. The government authorities there do nothing about it, in fact, very often condone it. So too do our supposed Christian governments by not even raising a great outcry and threatening some kind of retaliation. Instead we allow these heathens to come to our supposed Christian countries where the everyday living is much better than in their home countries, to set up, build and spread their faith with no harassment, with impunity really, while repressing our own Christian heritage so they don’t feel awkward or embarrassed. Steups! Heifer Dust! Can’t we see and understand that their long-term goal is to repress and eradicate all faiths but their own, at any cost, in any manner? The next thing is the recent shooting rampage in the U.S. How can you have a gun culture enshrined in your Constitution, and where many ordinary people are now openly carrying exposed side arms in their normal day to day routines, like the days of the Wild West, and not expect that kind of thing to happen eh? And the sad part is that nobody is talking about limiting the availability of firearms. Instead the arms merchants are dancing with glee as the gun lobby and all its enthusiasts further spread the gospel of the gun. But they need to realize that: ‘He who lives by the gun, dies by the gun!’ Awright, I’ve gotten them off my chest, let’s move on to our New Year’s pondering for today, which so happens to pertain to me and my angry views listed above. (smile) ‘This year I will keep the storms in perspective. Struggles are going to come but Jesus has promised to be there in the midst of the struggles. I will remember that as I walk with God, God will walk with me.’ Oh Friends, that’s so true and important if we want to live not only a stress and anxiety free life, but also a godly one. Let’s think on it and try to put our lives in proper perspective nuh, never forgetting though, that our greatest need on this earth is to be born again in Christ, so that we may live with Him in eternity. Thus we should never be too tired of hearing this Bit: ‘Verily, verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Oh my people, those are some of the most, if not the most important words Jesus spoke on this earth because our very future depends on them, not only here on earth, but also in the afterlife. Now listen to what Bruh Paul said to Titus on the subject. ‘For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and LOVE of God our Saviour toward man appeared. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed (poured out) on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour. That being justified (declared righteous) by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.’ (Titus 3:3-7) Oh my brethren, what a blessing the Lord showered on us with His grace and mercy through Jesus Christ! Such that all His people rose up and joyfully shouted: ‘Thanks be to God the Father, Jesus our Saviour, and the Holy Spirit, who are all worthy to be praised!’ And they truly are Friends, for the Father sent His one Son to earth as a sacrificial lamb to redeem us, then Jesus sent His Holy Spirit to wash us clean. It’s the Holy Spirit which does that ‘washing of regeneration’ in us, that produces the new life, the born again sensation of salvation in the believer. Now here’s a quote from the scholars on the topic. ‘Regeneration is the work of God, through the Holy Spirit, of placing in one who has faith a new nature, capable of doing God’s will. The Holy Spirit is the agent or divine workman of this regeneration. His instrument is the Bible, which is likened to a hammer that judges sin (Jer.23:29), a mirror that reveals sin (James 1:23), a sword that defeats Satan (Heb.4:12), and a lamp that guides the believers (Ps.119:105). That means we’re instantly born again when we trust and receive Christ as our Saviour. Wow! What great news, my Friends, and what an awesome feeling it produces! Now it’s our job to go out into the evil, corrupt world and tell the many lost, unfortunate souls of that joy that being born again in Jesus brings to our lives, both earthly and heavenly. And we’ll close this born again topic with some words of John: ‘Whosoever is born of God does not commit (practice) sin, for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.’ (1 John 3:9) He’s obviously not talking about us not sinning at all, which is impossible, but that our normal actions, our habitual practices will show to whom we truly defer, God or Mammon. And if we defer to God, then we will conform to the creation that He desires. So Friends, let’s all go out and do our best to further the kingdom nuh, as Jesus asked us to do. And while doing that, please walk safely with Him under His huge, protective umbrella of faith. Much LOVE!…remember…to see God’s face…we must be born…not once…but twice…of flesh…and most importantly…in the Spirit of Jesus…