SCRIP-BITS

James 4:10.     Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
 
Oh Friends, what’s happening with our world eh? If it’s not internal strife, or strife between nations, then it’s natural disasters trying to destroy us. The U.S. is finally feeling the brunt of some of them. Sadly, after Irene wreaked havoc on the east coast a week ago, Tropical Storm Lee, did the same this weekend in some of the Southern states, like Georgia and Mississippi with its flooding and terrible tornadoes. Then we have Katia priming herself in the Atlantic, to make landfall, who knows where. Oh my people, it’s obvious that some of the calamity befalling us is directly connected to the sinful, ungodly, idolatrous society we’ve become. Our LOVING and merciful God is trying to warn us of the deadly consequences of continuing this wicked way of life, to which we’re apparently fully committed. And it won’t get any better until we smarten up and make some serious changes. We’re already living in fear of terrorist threats and subversion, adding fear of natural disasters to that will certainly be overwhelming and lower the quality of our lives even further. But are we paying attention to these things and considering the interconnection between them; between our lifestyle and the desires of our God? I don’t think that many of us are doing so. But my brethren we definitely need to do so, because our lives won’t improve until we realize that we can’t help ourselves, especially in those areas, despite what the world says. Only the Lord God Jehovah can offer true and serious assistance there. And until we fully comprehend the seriousness of our situation, humble ourselves before the Lord, repent and return to the godly lifestyle of our fathers, we’ll find ourselves continually bombarded by calamity, both from human and natural sources. That brings us to our Bit: ‘Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.’ Oh Friends, our Bit does not only refer to the humility of individuals, but also of societies, of nations, of our entire world! This proud, independent, rebellious, we can do it all in our own strength, without any help from God attitude that’s currently in vogue is totally false, and consequently it’s leading us down the sorry road to certain destruction. Why is that fact so difficult for us to accept eh, despite the numerous examples throughout history? Do the flimsy, flashy, fickle pleasures and creature comforts of the world have such a stranglehold on us that we can’t see what’s happening? Or are we like the saying goes; none so blind as those who refuse to see? Oh my people, the Lord in His LOVING-kindness is issuing warning after warning that he’s fast losing patience with us. Our wickedness has become so abominable, that as a just and righteous God, He has to act, to render some sort of judgement against us. Obviously He doesn’t want to destroy us, His most beautiful creation, made in His very image, but we’re not giving Him any choice through the evil, disobedient lifestyle we’re living. Listen to James, as he tells it like it was back then, and also like it is right now. ‘Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of (with) the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will (wants to) be a friend of the world is the (makes himself an) enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy (yearns jealously)? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh (near) to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded.’ (James 4:4-8) Oh my brethren, if we want our society to continue, and to prosper, we have to let go of the worldly desires that permeate our souls and our thinking. That means drawing away from the evil forces that are currently pulling our strings, and drawing closer to the kind, LOVING, forgiving, merciful God of our fathers, who caused them to prosper in their obedience and faithfulness to Him. Friends, it is a difficult task, but obviously not an impossible one, with Jesus on our side. But we first need to get serious about doing it, then seriously and diligently turn to Almighty God for His help, otherwise our society as we know it, will keep deteriorating until it destroys itself, or is destroyed. We have two choices; to stay on this path to certain destruction, or the one to life. As Moses put it to the Israelites so long ago, Friends, I’m putting it to us today: ‘I call heaven and earth to record (as witnesses) this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.’ (Deut. 30:19) Please my people, I implore us, let’s choose life nuh, so that our children and our world can survive. It’s the only wise and sensible decision. And I pray that we make it, in Jesus’ name. Amen. Much LOVE!…serve the enemy…and you’ll die…serve God…and eternal life will be yours…