Romans 10:17. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Oh Friends, oh Friends, what does the ole fella have to say today eh? Not much nuh. Hn,hn! And I can hear my children and some others saying a prayerful, ‘Thank you Lord.’ (smile) But it’s a new year people, and I’m sincerely trying to improve my listening to talking ratio, both to God and man. So what’s your area of improvement for 2012 eh? Don’t tell me none, for unless you’re Jesus Christ, we all have areas that need improvement, and I sure hope that everyone is doing their level best to attack some backward area of their lives with much verve and gusto and Jesus’ help. Listen my brethren, we need to continually do that sort of thing if we truly desire to improve our LOVE walk and our Christ-like image. Remember 2012 is a very important year, a year where all mankind, but especially believers, have to come up large, if we’re going to turn the world around with a LOVE Revolution – the only way it can be turned around. And I’m going to try my best to remind us of that all year round. Oh Friends, if we truly want to be better, to look and act more like Christ, then it means putting out a whole lot of effort, being diligent, sacrificing things that we like, spending more time with God in prayer, reading the Good Book and other enlightening stuff. And above all, staying the course, standing strong and steady in real faith. For it’s only when backbone, belly, perseverance and stick-to-itiveness are present that success comes. At the end we should be able to say like Bruh Paul: ‘I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course (race), I have kept the faith.’ (2 Tim.4:7) It’s not easy to do, but we can surely do it with God’s help. And Friends, I can talk about that because we’re now into the sixth calendar year (1907) since the Lord suggested the Scrip-Bit idea, and I laughed at Him, because I felt my knowledge of the Bible was insufficient to do it. But the good news is that He never gave up on me, and as you can see, the Bit is a now a far cry from when it first began. Obviously I wasn’t able to do it, and still can’t, without the Lord’s assistance and guidance. So I know whereof I speak when I say that all things are possible when we partner and persevere with Jehovah God. This means it’s very possible, not to mention worthwhile, for us to turn from our wicked, sinful ways and become more obedient to the Lord if we truly desire it. And my people, that’s exactly what I’m pleading for us to do today, for the Lord God Jehovah is the ONLY ONE who can help us in this time of dire need. Our world is a total mess in all aspects. We all know that, so I won’t even bother to mention them. And a large part of the world’s dysfunction is because we have turned away from God. Now it’s sad to note that it wasn’t just a mere straying, but a planned and intentional removal of God from our society, and thus from our daily lives. But Friends, we desperately need God in our daily lives and in our society in general. So while we’re still alive – though nobody knows for how long – if we want to leave a better world for our descendants, let’s use the hope and faith that’s available to fix it RIGHT NOW. Later will be too late, cause there’ll be nothing left to fix, if we continue in this destructive mode. Now I might sound like a broken record, but my brethren oftimes we need to hear something over and over again before it truly takes root in our hearts and minds. Like the old adage says: ‘practice makes perfect.’ The same principle applies here: We can only turn back to, or stand strong with God, if we keep hearing the truth of His Word and practicing it. That’s where our Bit comes in: ‘So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.’ And I’ll let the scholars explain it more competently: ‘The reference is to the oral communication of the gospel. (The word translated ‘report ‘ in v.16 is translated ‘hearing’ here.) Notice that it is not faith in what is heard, but faith that comes about by what is heard. This is what Paul meant in Rom.1:16 when he said the gospel ‘is the power of God unto salvation.’ Saving faith is not man doing his part in response to God’s having done His part (synergism). Saving faith can come about only through the gospel. Salvation is God’s work alone (monergism). This also shows that there is no other way to be saved but by the explicit gospel of Christ.’ And all God’s people made a joyful noise unto the Lord. ‘Praise be to thee Oh Christ!’ So Friends, to stay centred in Christ and mature in our Christian walk, we need to continually hear the explicit gospel of Christ. Nothing else can do it for us. Therefore, let’s write that indelibly and very deep in our hearts, souls and minds so that we can use it in time of need. Much LOVE!…believers…it’s time to rise up valiantly in faith…and spread God’s kingdom…far and wide… P.S. Hn! Is a good thing I didn’t have much to say eh. (smile)
SCRIP-BITS 