SCRIP-BITS

Obadiah 3.    The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?
 
Oh Friends, like I warned, March refuses to go out with merely a whimper, so yesterday it snowed all day. How long it’s going to last though is anyone’s guess, for there are a few inches on the ground. Anyway, here’s an interesting quote that addresses the situation. It’s for all the play-it-safe among us, taken from my ‘P.S. I LOVE YOU’ poster. It says: ‘Don’t be afraid to go out on a limb. That’s where the fruit is.’ And that’s the living truth Friends! On the majority of fruit trees the fruit is usually found out at the end of the branches, and the best fruit the furthest out. That means to get the best ones we have to put ourselves at some risk, by going out to the edge of the branch. The same principle exists in human lives. We never get the best by simply playing it safe. If we want to advance in any area of life, we must be prepared to step out of our comfort zone, to run some risks to achieve our goal(s). It’s just like you can’t really learn to swim in shallow water because there’s no danger, no incentive or compulsion to learn. But if like me, many years ago, you choose to jump off a rock out in the deep, then for sure, you’ll learn to swim very quickly. (smile) That principle also applies to working to further Christ’s kingdom. Whenever we step out to do something good and possibly big for our God, evil stuff will surely come against us. However, with God’s help, if we stand steadfast and resolute, we will overcome those tough, stressful situations and bear good fruit. But if we just play it safe in Christ’s work, we’ll never really rise above the ordinary and mediocre. It’s a simple fact Friends; the more risk, the greater the possibility of large rewards. Remember though, we are obligated to go wisely, to safely negotiate that thin red line between wisdom and stupidity. It’s like our Bit says: ‘The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?’ The prophet Obadiah was here warning the Edomites, Esau’s descendants, who lived in sin in their mountainous surroundings. They figured that they were safe from intruders because their place of abode was so high and difficult to scale. But they were in for a rude awakening, as Jeremiah also warned them. ‘Thy terribleness (fierceness) hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill: though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the Lord. Also Edom shall be a desolation (an astonishment): everyone that goeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss at all the plagues thereof.’ (Jer.49:16-17) Oh my brethren, unfortunately the same sort of prideful, high-minded behaviour runs rampant today. The rich and famous and powerful seek to build their homes in the hills and canyons, far from the madding crowd, with walls and guards in their gated communities, ostensibly to protect them from uninvited guests and/or intruders. But that doesn’t always help, for we know that anything a man builds or locks up, with sufficient time, another man can always gain entry. And it’s not so much their building on the mountains that irritates our God, but it’s their motives; the boastful, show-off, I’m better than you attitude because I can afford to live in the hills, in my big house, on my expansive estate. And we know, many of us from personal experience, that our God detests that attitude more than anything else, because it leaves no room for Him. That’s why Jeremiah prophesied: ‘Concerning Edom, thus saith the Lord of hosts; Is wisdom no more in Teman? is council perished from the prudent? is their wisdom vanished? Flee ye, turn back, dwell deep (in the depths), O inhabitants of Dedan (neighbouring desert dwellers); for I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him, the time that I will visit (punish) him…For, lo, I will make thee small among the heathen (nations), and despised among men.’ (Jer.49:7-8,15) Yes Friends, when wisdom and prudence take leave of us, to be replaced by worldly lusts like pride and vanity, then we’re treading on sinking sand, for at some stage, our God in His eternal wisdom will take notice and do something about it. The Edomites were supposedly known for their wise teachers (Obad. 6,9) but apparently, just like us, they got swell-headed and too big for their breeches, so the Lord had no choice but to bring them back down to earth in a way they could understand. That also goes for us my people. If we get too high and mighty, for whatever reason, in whatever walk of life, and stop depending on the Lord, He will eventually bring us to heel. So please, let’s not get too full of ourselves, or place too much importance in our earthly wealth and power, or do anything that causes us to lose focus on our God. Remember, He’s a jealous God and does not take kindly to us placing anything or anyone above Him. And if you don’t believe me, listen to Obadiah’s next words to Edom. ‘Though thou exalt thyself as (high as) the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord.’ (Obad. 4) And that’s gospel my people! So stop letting Lucifer foolishly massage our egos and lead us to suffer the Lord’s displeasure. Much LOVE!…a word to the wise is sufficient…