SCRIP-BITS

Psalm 26:1.    Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide.
 
Well people, it’s Friday once again… And the mighty shouts of joy ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday! The weekend’s here at last! Glory Hallelujah!’ suddenly rings out loud and clear across the land. Awright Friends, I know we’re excited because that means no more getting up early, ‘fore day morning,’ no seemingly endless traffic jams to suffer through, both morning and evening, and no obnoxious, ungodly co-workers and supervisors for two, whole, big, glorious days. Wow! But let’s not get too carried away because we still need to keep those days, everyday, in proper perspective. And to help us do that, let’s chant our Friday Chant: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’ Yes my brethren, it’s not all fun and games over the weekend. We still need to live good and righteous lives during those two days of respite from official work, renewing our physical, spiritual, emotional and mental strengths so that we can be bright and fresh on Monday morning to begin the whole boring cycle over again. It often seems like slavery, a constant drudgery that brooks no change, with no end. But Friends, for all believers, there is a light at the end of the tunnel; heaven with Jesus, LOVINGLY made possible by God’s grace because Jesus made the eternal sacrifice, shed His precious blood on the cross at Calvary, and paid for our sins in full. And all God’s people gratefully declared: ‘Thank you Jesus! You are the best!’ And that’s the gospel truth Friends! Jesus is the best leader we can ever have. He’s also our Friend, Brother, Counsellor, Prince of Peace, and everything else we’ll ever need. When you talk about one-stop shopping, Jesus is the irrefutable, undisputed champion! With Him running our lives, we need nothing or no one else. Once we give Him free rein, He will show us a life that will boggle our imaginations. It won’t be easy, not a life of leisure and excess, for there will be many obstacles in our path, but I can guarantee that it will certainly be interesting and very worthwhile. That’s why Bruh David, despite all his problems, gave himself entirely to the God of his fathers, and would boldly declare in our Bit: ‘(Judge (vindicate) me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall nor slide (slip).’ He knew that walking faithfully with God would be tough, but would eventually bring joy untold. That’s why he could also declare in Psalm 7, a prayer for deliverance: ‘The Lord shall judge the people: judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.’ (Ps.7:8) And Friends, when he makes these claims of innocence and faithfulness, they aren’t words of pride or boasts, but simple matters of fact. When we’re falsely accused, we must protest our innocence, especially when we know that we’ve been trying our best to walk faithfully with the Lord. It brings to mind the story of King Hezekiah being sick unto death, and Isaiah coming to tell him the Lord said to put his house in order for his time was drawing nigh. Hezekiah’s response was to turn his face to the wall and pray: ‘I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore (bitterly).’ (2 Kin.20:3) And wouldn’t you know that before Isaiah could leave the king’s court, the Lord sent him back to Hezekiah with this message: ‘Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord.’ (2 Kin.20:5) The Lord also promised him fifteen more years of life, as well as deliverance from the king of Assyria. But like most of us, Hezekiah wasn’t satisfied, he wanted a sign that Isaiah’s words would really come true. He asked that the sun’s shadow be turned back ten degrees. And in one of the greatest miracles of all time, Isaiah cried out to the Lord, and He turned the sun’s shadow back ten degrees. (2 Kin.20:6-11) Ah mih people, only the great God who created the universe and all therein can do such wonders! No wonder we worship and adore Him! A fact boldly proclaimed by Bruh David in Psalm 13: ‘But I have trusted in thy mercy (LOVING-kindness); my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.’ (Ps.13:5-6) And that’s no lie my brethren! When we trust in the Lord’s goodness and mercy, He deals bountifully with us. So please, let’s go out today, and everyday, trusting in Him, so that He can deal bountifully with us all the time. That’s true common sense and wisdom, my people! Much LOVE!…Christians must endeavour to have clean hearts…so that they can be opened to the Lord without fear…