SCRIP-BITS

Oh Friends, it’s Monday! Yes Monday, the day we’re slowly learning to LOVE. (smile) Okay, so I’m a tad mental, for why would anyone in their right mind LOVE Mondays, when it means leaving the comfortable confines of our homes to go out and labour in the rough, evil world with all its inherent difficulties? But my people, we should LOVE Mondays for two reasons. First, it gives us the important opportunity to go out and make a living, so we can keep those comfortable homes. Secondly, it expands our horizons, giving us a wider area to work in God’s name and spread His infallible Word. And though our minds might dispute those reasons, our hearts know that they are true. So to help us go out with the right attitude this morning, let’s joyfully sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. All together 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!’ Oh my brethren, I sure hope that jumped started our engines, and we’re now firing on all cylinders, just bursting with enthusiasm and energy to go out into the world and accomplish the Lord’s desires. Now let’s turn to our Bit, and see what scriptural justification we can find for it, since yesterday’s writing was basically from my heart: ‘And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ And that’s so true Friends! To find justification though, we won’t go back far, just to Leviticus, (smile) when Moses was spelling out the penalties for disobedience to the Israelites. He’s already told them that their land would be destroyed and they’d be taken captive to their enemy’s territory, where they would pine away in theirs and their father’s iniquity. However, ‘If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; And that I have also walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land. The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her Sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of their punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgements, and because their soul abhorred my statutes.  And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the Lord their God. But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the Land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am the Lord.’ (Lev.26:40-45) Yes Friends, the Lord spoke it then, and He’s certainly speaking it now. There’s no denying that we have despised His judgements and our souls have abhorred His statutes, for we’ve removed Him from our lives to bow down and worship man made idols, thus our punishment; all the confusion and disasters that’s raining down on our evil world. But fortunately our God is such a kind hearted Deity that He always leaves a door open for us to come back to Him, like the prodigal son in Jesus’ parable. (Luke 15:11-32) That’s why He’s known as the God of second chances! No other supposed god offers their followers a second chance, only ours, my people. Let us therefore be wise and accept His offer nuh, for he’s the ONLY ONE in all creation, who can help us clean up the mess we’ve made of His world. More on this tomorrow, our God in favour. Till then, please seek Him seriously, because that’s the only way you’ll find Him. Much LOVE!…the believer’s duty…to diligently search…to find…and never to turn back…