SCRIP-BITS

Matthew 19:17,    And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life; keep the commandments.
 
Oh Friends, another day has dawned in this long, cold winter weather that’s trying to kill both my body and my spirit! But I have a zeppo, a message for it from Almighty God that it will kill neither, because the Lord’s working on my behalf both physically and spiritually. He’s faithfully promised that whenever I am weak or stumbling He will strengthen and uphold me with His righteous right hand. And the awesome thing about that promise is that it’s not meant only for me, but for everyone who believes and puts their trust in His Son and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Wow! What a mighty promise! And all God’s people rose up in joyful gratitude and with one accord loudly declared: ‘Blessed is the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! Worthy is His glorious name to be praised!’ Yes, it certainly is. So Friends, whatever is bothering you today, threatening to do you harm, to steal your joy, peace and faith in God, please don’t let it. Put up a STOP sign, a roadblock with the faithful promises of your God, the ONE and ONLY TRUE Deity that exists. He created the universe and all therein and still controls everything that happens in it. So though some of His actions seem counterproductive and even unfair, we won’t be overly concerned because we know He’s operating on a much higher level than our puny human minds can ever imagine or comprehend. He also says in His Word that everything He does will eventually work out for good to those who LOVE and obey Him. And though our lives may be turned topsy-turvy at times, of this one thing we’re very sure and confident; He LOVES us, and that LOVE comes with no strings attached either. Why are we so sure of this fact? Because He sent His only Son Jesus, to die as a sacrifice for us, on an old wooden cross, on a crusty hill overlooking an inhospitable gully. Yes my brethren, the Lord’s Son, Jesus, for our sake, died one of the most despicable, horrible, humiliating and painful deaths possible. Now why would an omnipotent Deity do such an outlandish thing for unworthy, sinful, idolatrous, disobedient, blasphemous souls like us eh, unless he possessed a real great affection for the children of men? And why shouldn’t He feel affection for us since He was the one who made us in the first place? It’s just like we experience with our earthly children, whom we raise as best we can, but some turn out to be real bad seeds and drift off into a totally disgusting lifestyle. Their behaviour obviously saddens us and breaks our hearts, like our disobedience does to God, but if they do change their lifestyle and come back home to us, most of the time we embrace them with open arms, because they are still our children and deep down we still LOVE them.  Oh mih people, it’s the same thing with our God, except for one major, one critical difference; He welcomes back each and every repentant ALL the time. He never stops LOVING us or turns us away, the way we do some of our really good for nothing children. And that’s why He’s such a great God and Father. He is personified by the most amazing and powerful emotion in existence; LOVE. That’s why we say God is LOVE, and LOVE is of God, and that LOVE makes the world go round! Unfortunately though, a major proportion of our society don’t see it that way, and that ungodly reaction ends up causing the many problems that disrupt, destroy, demean and dehumanize our wonderful world. But there are two important thing for believers to remember; first that God is in control – always was, and always will be, and while there’s life, there’s always hope. Jesus died to give us salvation and eternal life and also that we might enjoy this earthly life more abundantly. So why aren’t we doing that eh? Too many of us are living scared, confused, fearful, miserable lives, which simply negates Jesus’ efforts. Please remember that life is a journey, not a destination. We already know that our destination, heaven, will be great, but our heavenly Father also wants us to enjoy the earthly trip to His heavenly home. If we don’t, then we’re not true believers and not showing the LOVE, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, mercy, etc. that our Saviour Jesus showed, and said we should show. He expects His followers to live up to a high standard of excellence in all their doings. Oh Friends, we all know that it’s not easy to live up to Jesus’ expectations in this cruel, evil, corrupt and destructive world, but it’s certainly possible if we trust, have faith, believe and surrender our lives to Infinitely Everything. He’s shown us again and again that doing so brings unimaginable benefits, and though interspersed with the rough times, those benefits make the rough times seem like child’s play. And I guess you all are wondering what this Bit is all about eh? Well I wondered too after I wrote the first few lines and then it just took on a life of its own. Obviously I chuckled along the way, but my guess is that the Spirit wanted us to have a general overview of our faith and life’s goals under Jesus’ direction, highlighting the significant aspects that empower, exhort and educate believers, enabling them to stand strong and steadfast, just like the Rock upon which our faith is built; Jesus. Oh Friends, I certainly hope I’ve done that, and these words will help to increase our strength, courage, faith and trust in the One True God of our universe. And for those who think I’ve written nonsense, please remember that the wise man is the one who can pick sense from nonsense. (smile) Just couldn’t resist the temptation to include that. Anyway mih people, we’ll continue this Bit tomorrow, our God in favour. Till then, please walk safely ensconced in the sure embrace of His ever-LOVING arms. Much LOVE!…there is none good but one…that is God…