SCRIP-BITS

John 14:28.    Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye LOVED me, ye would rejoice, because I said I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
 
It’s a beautiful morning! Oh yes Friends, it is indeed a gem of a day! Maybe not particularly in our physical, economic or health environments, but for certain sure in our spiritual domain. For once again God has granted us the awesome privilege of seeing another day filled with new blessings and mercies. Oh what a most magnanimous and magnificent Deity we serve; the One and Only True God, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! Give Him much thanks and praise my brethren. And all God’s people lifted their hands, heads, hearts, eyes and minds heavenward and joyfully proclaimed: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Alpha and Omega, Creator, Provider, Father and Friend, we LOVE you dearly and give grateful thanks for your many blessings showered upon us, a lot undeserved. Above all, we offer untold thanks for your great sacrifice of LOVE, sending your Only Son Jesus to die on the cross to save our sinful souls. For that, and every other good thing that you’ve so generously bestowed on us, we sincerely praise and humbly bless your Holy Name. Amen! And now Friends, hang tight, I’ve got to go and find a Bit. (smile) Yes, on the way down to my study to write the Bit, the Spirit planted that beautiful morning idea in my brain, and I decided to see how it would play out on paper first. And that’s how it’s played out! So soon come! Oh Friends, I’m back…in two minutes. Yes, that’s all it took for me to find a Bit. I opened the Good Book at John 14 & 15, and the first words I read were: ‘Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye LOVED me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.’ Another amazement factor my Friends! And who says God isn’t good eh? I sure hope He continues to bless me by providing a Bit so easily every day. (smile) But the Spirit just gave me an aside: ‘I wouldn’t count on that nuh mih son.’  And I won’t, because I know that in this life there comes both good and bad, easy and hard, and we must learn to also accept the bad and hard with a right spirit, confidently working them through with God’s help. Now, as the pastor likes to ask: ‘Is anybody getting any help from this, this morning?’ I certainly hope so, because the Spirit has the ole fella on a roll this beautiful morning. (smile) Ah Friends, some of you might think there’s too much levity in it, but that’s one of the serious downfalls of us Christians; we don’t levitate our spirits, rejoice in Christ enough. If we’re so happy in Jesus, then it ought to show in our normal, everyday behaviour. Our Lord and Saviour always went around with a kind and pleasant demeanour, while here on earth, so why do so many of us go around with long, drawn, sour faces and dispositions eh, and supposedly being humble by dragging ourselves as it were, in the dirt, to show our humility? I’m sorry mih people, but that approach is really fleshly pride, and a sin against Holy God, for He wants us to be joyful and prosperous, going around with praise and thanksgiving, blessing and LOVING others, the same way he blesses and loves us…that’s unconditionally. And you certainly can’t do those things if you’re lost in a negative mindset. Listen to Jesus’ command to His disciples in the verse before our Bit. ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) Yes mih people, there’s no need to be worried or afraid, because we have Jesus’ peace deeply ingrained in us. And if we’re not worried and afraid, and have peace, then we should be happy and rejoice. It’s only logical. So Friends, let’s promise ourselves to go around as if we really and truly have the peace, joy, hope and LOVE of Jesus in us nuh. Otherwise we’re making a mockery of His teaching, His sacrifice on the cross and our faith. Nobody has life easy all the time, be ye rich and powerful or poor and lowly, Jesus certainly didn’t. But if we adopt a pleasant attitude, even in the rough times, we’ll be surprised at how comparatively easy and unruffled we’d get through those tough occasions. Yes mih breddren, it’s all in the attitude, the demeanour, the presence we bring to life, that makes the difference between it being pleasant, or at least tolerable, and not darm hard and intolerable. That’s why some people just seem to sail through life, while others struggle, complain and mourn in the same basic circumstances. Oh Friends, I surely hope I’m making an impact on us this morning, in terms of the attitude we espouse in this life, in our daily walk with Jesus, in being obedient to His Father’s will. We all know it’s not an easy row to hoe, but if we truly have Jesus in our hearts, then life should be a blast! Well you know what I mean. Although I see no reason why, with Jesus deeply rooted in our souls, life can’t be a blast…and also a hoot! (smile) So please, I implore us to go out into the evil, ungodly world with joy in our hearts and a youthful spring in our steps, so that the unbelievers and naysayers will become jealous, and eventually come pleading for that joy, hope and LOVE we have in Jesus. Much LOVE mih people!…if Jesus is in our hearts…then a  peaceful joy…should be radiating from our lives…   P.S. I think I’ve got to go back to ABC class, kiddie-garter, to learn to spell ‘Friends’ yes, because that’s about only the second time I’ve spelt it right all night. (smile) Much LOVE!