SCRIP-BITS

Proverbs 17:14.    The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.
 
Oh Friends, it’s another beautiful day in God’s kingdom! Hallelujah! We’re alive and kicking! All praise and thanks be to God! Sadly though our world is too full of Beelzebub’s main weapon; strife. Everywhere we turn on God’s great earth it’s either existing in abnormal proportions, or the seeds for it’s birth have already been sown. But here are some wise words concerning it from Gloria Copeland’s book, ‘Hidden Treasures,’ re abundant living in the riches of proverbs. ‘In order to walk in God’s wisdom and keep the door of your life closed to the devil, you must diligently guard against strife and seek diligently to LOVE others.’ Yes my people, LOVE is the only antidote for strife! And I like how our Bit characterizes strife: ‘The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.’ Such words of wisdom mih Friends! Strife begins so easily; like turning on your tap, first slowly, in a trickle, then the flow grows ever bigger and faster. That’s how strife operates. Even like a dripping faucet. The drip starts out small, but note, those drips never get smaller, always bigger. I believe the Amplified Bible refers to it as a crack in a dam. It’s the same principle of starting out small. And that’s the awful truth about strife my brethren; it usually starts out small, but quickly increases if left unchecked. That’s why our Bit says we ought to ‘leave off contention, before it be meddled with.’ We need to nip it in the bud, stop the contention before the quarrel begins. It’s the only way to conquer strife my Friends, for as these two verses of the Good Book concur, strife is the devil’s own handiwork. ‘He LOVETH transgression that LOVETH strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction. He that hath a froward (deceitful or crooked) heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief (evil).’ (Prov.17:19-20) Lucifer’s followers delight in creating strife, for it kills whatever peace and LOVE that exists in a particular situation, and that’s their life’s goal. But we believers have to listen very closely to Proverbs 10:12, and diligently put it to work in all aspects of our lives. ‘Hatred stirreth up strifes: but LOVE covereth all sins.’ And isn’t that the way it truly is! As James so rightly puts it: ‘For where envying and strife is (where self seeking exists), there is confusion and every evil work.’ (James 3:16) And Bruh Paul warned the Corinthians: ‘For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions (dissensions), are ye not carnal (fleshly) and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?’ (1 Cor.3:3-4) Yes Friends, we certainly are being carnal, of this world, when we exhibit things like greed, lust and envy, which always bring strife, much to Lucifer’s delight, but our Lord’s displeasure. However my people, there is a way to guard against that persistent enemy called strife, for just as Cousin Sol tells us about the disease, he also gives us the remedy. ‘The discretion of a man deferreth his anger (makes him slow to anger); and it is his glory to pass over (overlook) a transgression.’ (Prov.19:11) Or as James says: ‘Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not (does not produce) the righteousness of God.’ (James 1:19-20) And Bruh Paul told the Ephesians: ‘Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.’ (Eph.4:31-32) Oh Friends, there’s only one thing left to be said; make sure you keep strife out of your family and your home, for that seems to be the easiest place for it to start. And as Cousin Sol says right at the beginning of Chapter 17: ‘Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than a house full of sacrifices (sacrificial meals or feasting) with strife.’ (Prov.17:1) And as the old people were wont to say: ‘Charity (LOVE) begins at home,’ and that’s the first place we’ve got to stop strife from taking root. So let’s all seriously consider the strife in our lives, and with the help of God’s Word and His awesome LOVE remove it, so that both our individual lives and our world will experience some much needed peace. Much LOVE!…unfortunately…strife in our lives and hearts…blocks the flow of communication…with our wonderful God…