SCRIP-BITS

Well top o’ the morn to all you beautiful believers in Christ! I sure hope this missive – more like an epistle – (smile) finds you all in good health and close relationship with Almighty God, for that’s the most important relationship we can ever cultivate. And having said that, here’s another prayer I found in the flyleaves of my mother’s Bible. It says: ‘Lord, help me to see my hidden sins. Those secret wrongs that lock (lurk) within. I will confess them all to thee. Transparent I will always be.’ Ah mih people, we all have sins hidden deep inside us, some that we don’t even know about, but they invariably affect our relationship with God, and often with man too. But as the prayer states, we need to ask God to help us discover them, then quickly confess them, because anything less than total transparency with the Father, negatively affects our relationship with Him, which we certainly don’t want to happen. So let’s get on that right away, that our conscience can be clear and unblemished before the Lord. And turning to our Bit: ‘Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, had lifted up his heel against (has betrayed) me.’ Now that’s a real awful truth, which many of us can attest to! Yuh know brethren, there’s nothing worse than the betrayal of a friend, someone whom you trusted with your innermost secrets. And sadly, those are the very ones who betray us in most cases. It’s logical though for that kind of person to betray us, since those who don’t know us have little or nothing to betray us with. It still hurts badly though. No Doubt Bruh David had several betrayals, given his position and lifestyle, but the first one that comes to mind is that of his counselor, Ahithophel. ‘And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.’ (2 Sam.15:12) Can you imagine how it feels Friends, for one of your trusted advisers to join with your son in rebellion against you?  It’s like when Lucifer, the head angel, foolishly plotted to overthrow God. God must have been hurt by it. Lucifer was then banished to ingloriously walk the earth and suffer the rigours of Hades. Meanwhile Bruh David fled from Jerusalem because the people were in favour of Absalom. And as he lamented in Psalm 55, A cry against deceitful Friends: ‘For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne (bear) it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide (companion), and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company (in the throng of people).’ (Ps.55:12-14) Yes Friends, it really destroys you when someone you ate and drank and went to church with betrays you. But that seems to have been the lot of some men of great faith. Job, for instance, also was betrayed.  Not only did God allow Lucifer to totally humble him, bring him one step removed from death, but his friends and family turned against him too. His learned buddies, Zophar, Eliphaz, and Bildad, even claimed that his hidden sins caused his calamity. Job says it thus: ‘’He (God) hath put my brethren (removed my brothers) far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily (completely) estranged from me. My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar (close) friends have forgotten me. They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight…All my inward (close) friends abhorred me: and they whom I LOVED are turned against me.’ (Job 19:13-15,19) Yes mih people, it’s so true that when we’re riding high, everyone’s our friend, but when calamity comes, hn, we end up alone. Those same ones that enjoyed our largesse in the good times, then turn around and kick us in our time of need. What a selfish ingrate man is! That’s why, especially in these seriously troubled times, when fraud is possibly the most popular crime, we have to be extremely careful whom we associate with, or let into our confidence and inner circle, for even close family are betraying and defrauding each other these days. Oh Friends, there’s only ONE person who’s really worthy of our complete trust; that’s Jesus, our Lord and Saviour! After sacrificing His sinless life for us, what reason would He have to betray us eh? None whatsoever, my fellow believers! So let’s turn to Him nuh, in all seriousness, and sincerely ask for His help before we make any important decisions, decisions that could affect our entire lives, either negatively or positively. That my Friends, is true wisdom! More on this tomorrow, if we’re alive, for it’s a rather important topic. Much LOVE!…to trust, or not to trust…that’s the question…ask Jesus…before making a decision…