SCRIP-BITS

Proverbs 29:25.    The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.
 
Glad tidings mih people, it’s Friday! Consequently many of us are high-fiving each other and joyfully mouthing ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ But please remember that it’s not all peaches and cream on the weekend, for we often have to straighten out stuff from the past week and also plan for the upcoming one. However, our Friday Chant is here to boost us, to get us into the groove for the weekend. So let’s all chant with one accord. ‘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 the only way to make that come true is by patterning our lives after our Bit: ‘The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe (secure, exalted).’ Yes Friends, our lives can never blossom the way they ought to unless we place our entire trust in the Lord God Almighty, and not be overly afraid of what man can do to us. Granted, they may kill the body, but never the soul! Now we’ve seen Abraham make two disastrous mistakes because of his fear of powerful men by saying that Sarah, his wife, was his sister. Here is the basis for his declaration, as told to King Abimelech: ‘And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. And it came to pass when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt show unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.’ (Gen.20:12-13) Yes, Sarah was indeed Abraham’s sister on his father’s side, but also his wife, which took preference in the Lord’s eyes. And so it is that today many of us still practice those half-truths and prevarications, according to which part of the story best fits our particular purpose. But my brethren, just like in Abraham’s case, those in-between declarations usually come back to haunt to us, boomerang back in a negative manner. So please, let’s be on the up and up nuh, for if we insist on doing such actions, the Lord won’t always bail us out. And besides, if our faith and trust in God is strong and steadfast, then there’s no need to play those foolish and often dangerous games. Oh Friends, one of the most important things we can ever do in this life is to learn from the mistakes of others, especially our parents. I use to drum that into my children’s head, hopefully they’ve learnt it. Unfortunately though, Abraham’s son, Isaac, did not learn from his father’s errors, for when another famine hit his land, the Lord told him not to go down to Egypt, and he also went to live in Gerar. ‘And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon (beautiful).’ (Gen.26:7) Can you believe it people? He did the same nonsense like his father! But as the old people always said, ‘whatever is done in darkness will eventually come to light.’ And so it did, although Isaac apparently got away with it longer than his father. Hear the Good Book: ‘And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with (caressing) Rebekah his wife. And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety (obviously) she is thy wife: and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for (on account of) her.’ (Gen.26:8-9) Ah Lord eh! Isaac used the same foolish reasoning as his father, although they both supposedly espoused this great faith and trust in the Lord God Almighty. Now Friends, please don’t laugh or judge either of them harshly. In the first place, they didn’t have all the knowledge, resources, wisdom and wonders of God that we have today. They were just getting set in the faith, so therefore the fear of powerful men was still understandably strong. Moreover, today, when we know all about God and His wonderful attributes, we still bow and scrape, lie and tell half-truths to powerful men because of what they can do to us. And it’s a very serious matter Friends, for as I said yesterday, if we don’t practice the faith we preach, then that faith is useless. It all goes right back to walking our talk, which unfortunately we’re not very good at. Oh my people, living our faith is the best thing Christians can ever do, and likewise, not living it, is the worst mistake a believer can make. Too often we make claims in God’s name, then don’t live up to them in our own lives. Please, I implore us to cease and desist from that ungodly, untrustworthy kind of behaviour, for we might not be as lucky as Abraham and Isaac. More on this tomorrow, God in favour. Till then, go safely with God. Much LOVE!…our basic responsibility here on earth, is to…LOVE our God…SPREAD His Word…LIVE our Faith… P.S. Oh Friends, my favourite gospel soca just came on on Wack 90.1. ‘Try Jesus!’ A nice piece of synco-soca. ‘ Try Jesus…He’s always around. Try Jesus…He’ll never let you down. Try Jesus…He’s such a wonderful Friend. Try Jesus…Well I know your heart He can mend. Try Jesus…He’s always there for you. Try Jesus…He’ll always see you through. Try Jesus…I know I’ll never regret it. Cause Jesus never failed me yet. Try Jesus…Yes Friends…Please Try Jesus…You won’t regret it…Try Jesus…’ Much LOVE!