SCRIP-BITS

Oh Friends, it’s Monday, Carnival Monday in particular! And by the time you all read this, the bacchanal on the roads of T&T will already be in full swing, with the participants inebriated by the enthusiasm of Ole Mas, the Bomb Competition and whatever else. (smile) If you are in the festival, please be careful. As the old people said, ‘drunk or sober, mind yuh business.’ And for us unlucky ones who have to go out and labour for another whole week, let’s not get jealous, but simply accept that the Lord has other good things in mind for us. Many of us will think it unfair, since no work will be done in T&T this week, oh correction, possibly since last week. (smile) Let’s be happy for those who can enjoy it, wishing and praying for their safety. Now let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, for we still need to go out and labour in a hostile world. Altogether 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 incredible 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!’ That was good Friends. Now it’s time to walk that talk! And while we’re at it, think about our Bit: ‘And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers (experts in the law) and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?’ We’ve already seen over the last two days how Jesus ripped into the Jewish leaders for their self-righteous pride and hypocrisy, plus their adding so much man made stuff to the Mosaic Law that it was impossible for the people to obey it all. It was okay to help an animal in distress on the Sabbath, but not a human, while the priests baked bread and offered sacrifices that needed much work, which Jesus considered a double standard; a generous interpretation for the ruling class, but a totally restrictive one for the ruled. I guess it’s no different to how many of our laws are interpreted and enforced today; mercifully for the rich and powerful, but stringent and restrictive for the poor and lowly. And how can we not LOVE Jesus eh, with Him fighting for our basic rights of truth and justice? Today we’ll look at another Sabbath Day run in Jesus had with the Pharisees. This one happened right after the cornfield episode, where He coolly informed them: ‘For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.’ (Matt.12:8) I’m sure that didn’t sit well with them. Then He left and went to the synagogue. ‘And behold there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? That they might accuse Him.’ (Matt.12:10) Ah Friends, those hypocrites were only looking for a chance to trap Jesus, they weren’t really interested in the merits or otherwise of the Sabbath. But again, they foolishly reckoned without Jesus’ wisdom. ‘And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.’ (Matt.12:11-12) End of story mih people! It is lawful to do good on any day, including the Sabbath. And just to rub it in: ‘Then saith he (Jesus) to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.’ (Matt.12:13) And all God’s people shouted: ‘Glory Hallelujah! Most worthy is our Saviour Jesus to be praised!’ But the hypocrites reacted differently: ‘Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council (took counsel) against him, how they might destroy him.’ (Matt.12:14) Ah mih Friends, that’s the fearful and insecure nature we exhibit when we rule the roost unfairly and unjustly. And the sad fact is that Jesus wasn’t trying so much to destroy their good thing, but just to show them their inconsistencies and hypocrisy. Truly righteous men would at least have seriously considered His suggestions, and seeing some sense in them, even lightened the yoke on the people, but not those self-righteous fools. The same thing is happening in the Middle East now. The people are tired of the oppressive and poverty stricken way of life they’ve been forced to live for so long by selfish, foolish bigots. Oh Friends, when are we going to learn that you can only oppress an animal, beast or human, for so long, before it rises up and retaliates? I sure hope all the petty and wannabe dictators in the West wise up sooner than later, else their turn will eventually come. Please wake up my fellow believers and realize that this evil, ungodly world is not going to give us anything to improve our plight, we have to fight for it, tooth and nail, in Jesus name. Amen! Much LOVE mih breddren!…man’s inhumanity to man…will continue to make countless thousands mourn…until Jesus comes again…