SCRIP-BITS

 Colossians 1:11.     Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.
 
Oh Friends, sorry this is so late, but it seems that the Good Lord had more important things for the ole fella to undergo, than simply writing a Bit. In the biblical vernacular I believe it’s called patience and longsuffering. Oh mih people,the last 30 hours have been horrendous; what with the pain, the nausea, the stomach cramps and the chills, plus all the other stuff associated with those things. It certainly changed my outlook on this recovery programme, for I was neither physically nor mentally capable of writing anything sensible, coherent and cohesive. Not even sure I’m able now, (smile) but we’ve got to give it a try, and with trust and faith in the Lord we will succeed. But isn’t life strange? I’m talking about Queen Liz celebrating our Bubba Barrack over in London Town, while wicked tornadoes are tearing apart his homeland. I guess it’s North America’s time now Friends to suffer some serious natural disasters. We’ve been comparatively spared while all other parts of the world were bearing the full brunt. Now it’s our time: Think of the serious flooding and brush fires in the western part of the continent, plus the numerous tornadoes in the U.S. Midwest, and the flooding in Quebec. And the hurricane season or the hot summer weather hasn’t even begun. We might just be in for a long, rough time Friends, that’s why we have to pay serious attention to our Bit: ‘Strenthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.’ So this verse might not just apply to us as individuals, but also as a total society. We therefore need to pray that all of us, both individually and as a people, as Bruh Paul told the Ephesians: ‘That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.’ (Eph.3:16) Yes  my brethren, in these rough and perilous times, we all need the Father’s strength provided by His Holy Spirit to make it through. Without it we are lost and rudderless; like the wind blowing where it doesn’t know, like a ship in a storm with no helmsman. But the Good news Friends, is that we have the perfect helmsman in Jesus! Once we sign up to His system, and He comes on board to pilot our ship, then we have no worries, though we encounter numerous storms and high seas, for Jesus will guide us safely through them all. Ah mih people, life on earth is no easy matter, but foolishly too many of us make it even harder than it should be, and in closing, I’ll recommend that we take these words of Bruh Paul to the Ephesians very seriously. ‘Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles (wicked schemes) of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world (age), against spiritual wickedness in high places.’ (Eph.6:10-12) And that’s the gospel truth my Friends! So until tomorrow, our God in favour, please stay in close touch with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, for that’s where our salvation lies. Much LOVE!…God is our source of comfort…and our guiding light…never forget it..
 

Ecclesiastes 7:1.    A GOOD name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
 
Well hello there all you beautiful Friends in Christ! A new day has dawned and with it new stuff: mercies and blessings from God; heartache and deceit from man. But it is possible to overcome the evil from man by dwelling on the goodness of God. That’s why He gives us a brand new start every day; so we can wash away yesterday’s tears and heartaches with the richness of His daily blessings. We therefore cannot give up because yesterday’s problems seemed insurmountable. God in His eternal wisdom and mercy will cause us to reach even higher today, and look at yesterday’s difficulties as mere stepping-stones to bringing the dreams He’s placed in our hearts to fruition. And speaking of dreams, here’s an appropriate quote from my ‘P.S. I LOVE YOU’ poster. It simply says that ‘dreams come true for those who work while they dream.’ Now that’s the way to bring dreams to reality! Of plans, they say; plan your plan, then work your plan. The same goes for dreams; dream your dreams, then work towards them. You can’t just keep dreaming indefinitely and hope that one day those dreams will just come true like magic. No people, there needs to be a lot of elbow grease also applied. But please remember that in all we do, especially if it’s on Jesus’ behalf, then we must also try our best not to get our name, or Jesus’ sullied in the doing. That means living up to our Bit: ‘A GOOD name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.’ Yesterday we dealt with the first part; re the importance of integrity and character in our earthly walk. Today, let’s look at the second half: ‘and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.’ Now I’m not sure I agree with that statement, although it’s true that once you die, the troubles of this world no longer affect you. But here is the Preacher’s (writer’s) justification for that statement. ‘So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side (at the hand) of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter. Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not yet seen the evil work that is done under the sun.’ (Eccl.4:1-3) The author tends to think that oppression is so rampant in his world, and it certainly is in ours, that the oppressed would be better off dead. But isn’t that a rather short-sighted approach? What about all the good days we enjoy here on planet earth, don’t they count for something? Possibly not in the minds of those who are continually oppressed. Then what about hope; the fabulous cliché that while there’s life there’s hope; hope that Jesus will end the oppression in due course? I know it’s not easy to dwell in hope, while living in physical despair. But it is possible if we use Jesus as our strength and guiding light. Grandpa Job was one of those who bewailed the day of their birth when calamity befell him. He wished to be ‘as infants which never saw the light. There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary (wearied of strength) be at rest. There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.’ (Job 3:16-18) Oh Friends, there are compelling arguments to be made for either side, but how many of us truly would prefer to have never been born eh? How many of us would really prefer never to have seen the beauty of a sunny day, a starry, moonlit night, to hear birds singing, to see the beautiful flora and fauna created by God for our enjoyment, to see, touch, embrace and cheerfully encounter and LOVE other humans…and the list goes on? We in the West with our privileged and fairly safe societies might consider it great to have been born, but for those who have only known oppression, hunger, poverty, strife and violence from the day of their birth, they might surely have a different perspective. The long and short of the matter though, is that once we’re born, there’s not much we can do about it. It’s a fait accompli. We just have to carry on as best we can, play the hand that has been dealt us, and hope that through God’s grace and our sterling efforts, we’ll come out on the winning side. So please Friends, let’s not bewail our physical birth, over which we had no control, but rather wholeheartedly embrace Jesus in our spiritual rebirth, which is ours to control. Much LOVE!…our first birth (physical) might leave much to be desired…but our second…our spiritual awakening in Christ…is to die for…because it brings salvation and eternal life…
 

Ecclesiastes 7:1.    A GOOD name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
 
Oh Friends, I’d intended to have this Bit out on my normal schedule, but as they say, the best laid plans of mice and men usually go astray. Chuh! I got up earlier, had something to eat, then began experiencing some nausea, so I went back to lie down and promptly fell asleep. Anyway, it’s day five into my recovery from the rahtid prostate cancer surgery, and though it hasn’t been all that easy, it hasn’t really been as difficult as I expected, and I can now say with great confidence: ‘I’m getting better! Yes, I’m getting better. Thank God, I’m getting better!’ Yes Friends, it’s the Lord’s hand of blessing that’s been upon me all along. And though He didn’t grant me the miracle healing I’d believed and hoped for, He did make my slippery paths safer and more secure than they could have been. Thank Him for being such a wise, merciful, forgiving and wonderful God! And all God’s people said a heartfelt ‘Amen!’ Now moving on to problems of greater magnitude than mine. It seems we’re likely to have a replay of last year’s drama with volcanic ash from another one of Iceland’s active volcanoes disrupting air travel over the U.K. and Ireland, though not on such a large scale as the last time. The swirling ash is expected to reach the U.K. today. Ah mih breddren, when will our natural disasters end eh? Or even ease up a bit? It just seems that in recent times we’re constantly being inundated and bombarded by everything except the kitchen sink. (smile) Be it earthquakes, fires, floods, famine, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, and whatever else there is. And that’s only the natural type. When you include the manmade stuff like wars, violence, economic disaster and physical oppression, we move up to a whole new level of devastation. But regardless of what happens my people, we all have to stand strong in the faith and strength of Almighty God, trusting that since He is the great I AM, in control of everything, that He knows what He’s doing. If we don’t do that, then our troubles will drag us under without much effort. And through it all, believers are expected to live up to the words of our Bit: ‘A GOOD name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.’ Yes Friends, while on earth, we’re supposed to live in such a manner that our names are spoken with respect, with good reference, with acknowledgement of our godly character. The writer of Ecclesiastes, like his counterpart in Proverbs, is here holding up, venerating a life that’s lived with wisdom and goodness. Thus Cousin Sol’s words from Proverbs 22:1: ‘A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and LOVING favour rather than silver and gold.’ That’s for sure my people! A good reputation is better than earthly riches any day! Cousin Sol also puts it this way: ‘The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: and a good report maketh the bones fat (healthy).’ (Prov.15:30) I believe that it was Willie Shakespeare who also said something along the lines of, he who steals my purse steals trash, but he who steals my good name, steals my life. That’s not the exact quote, but it’s close, and shows the true importance of one’s good name in one’s society. Stealing my money is nowhere near as important as sullying my character and integrity. We have a good example of that right now in our society, where the big thing is identity theft, not merely money stealing. And our Saviour Jesus insists that His followers have a good reputation, because if our reputation is spotty and untrustworthy, we certainly can’t do His work, which is totally based on trust and integrity. So Friends, in conclusion, if we seriously desire to do God’s work here on earth, then it’s of the utmost importance that we build a good name for ourselves, a good reputation, one worthy of Jesus. More on the other half of our Bit tomorrow, God in favour. Till then, please walk wisely and safely under His protective wings, in LOVE, peace and harmony with each other, so we can successfully promulgate His righteous kingdom. Much LOVE!…what’s in a name…everything…when you’re working for Jesus…
 

1 Peter 5:8.    Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.
 
Oh Friends, it’s Monday! The trumpets are sounding the call to battle! Time for us to rise and shine and greet the new day with an attitude of thankfulness and LOVE, then put on all the accoutrements of battle because we’ll soon be off into the evil, ungodly world to join the fray against a fierce, deceitful, unforgiving enemy. And to get us spiritually motivated, let’s proudly sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn; sing it with great gusto! 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!’ Yes my people, the adrenalin’s flowing now, our spirits are bursting with energy and vitality, tugging at the bit, wanting to go out and get involved in the workweek activities. (smile) So I’m exaggerating a tad. But we do need to get ourselves ready in proper godly fashion before we head out the door and join the fray. If we’re not well prepared and protected, then we’ve lost before we’ve even begun. Understand one thing Friends; Beelzebub and his evil cronies are always well prepared. They don’t leave anything to chance, so if you’re not also well prepared, then you stand no chance of winning any battle in which you may become involved. And sadly, not being well prepared to fight is one of the biggest mistakes we Christians make. Too many of us tend to take this whole battle stuff against the forces of evil and darkness as a joke. But believe me Friends, the enemy is indeed systematically plotting the demise of Christianity, and our not taking it seriously enough is only playing right into their hands. Do you think the removal of prayer and God from our schools and public places just happened by chance? No my people, it’s all part of a well designed strategy and plan, and our lukewarm response to stuff like that just has the enemy laughing all the way to the proverbial bank. So please take the whole battle stuff seriously because our very existence depends on it. And for those of us who are fortunate to live in this wonderful country of Canada, and are today celebrating Victoria Day, in honour of the British Monarch, Queen Victoria (1819-1901) who ruled for almost 64 years and oversaw a rebirth of British industry, artistic temperament and political empire building, let’s also be careful in how, why and where we celebrate, for it’s much easier to bring us down when we’re celebrating and not paying close attention to our behaviour. So please my brethren, I implore us all to take the words of our Bit very seriously, cause if we don’t, then crapaud will surely smoke we pipe. So therefore Friends, let’s all try to ‘Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in (experienced by) your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish (confirm) strengthen, settle you.’ (1 Pet.5:8-10) Yes Friends, believers all over the world face temptations and trials where the enemy tries to get us to move away from Almighty God and join his evil group. But if we stand strong and steadfast in the Lord, He will eventually strengthen us and make a way for us to resist Lucifer’s evil machinations. Therefore my people, let’s continually give thanks and praises to our great God, while asking for strength to resist the devil’s evil entreaties. ‘To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.’ (1 Pet.5:11) Much Love!…stand up, stand up for Jesus…the trumpet sounds obey…till every foe is vanquished…and Christ is Lord indeed…

Daniel 11: 32(b).    But the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits (take action).
 
Oh Friends, the ole fella just got home about 7 p.m. I thought I was going to be released this morning, but apparently the doctors got called to some emergency surgery, so I didn’t see them until the afternoon, and then it took me an hour and a half to get home because the powers that be chose to close the Gardiner, the main highway, for the Victoria Day long weekend. How smart eh? And it was a beautiful day, so you know that everybody was out and about. Well this morning about 6 o’clock I had a catharsis of sorts. While trying to get up from the hospital bed by myself, I realized that I just wasn’t up to it. Every time I tried to get up, I got halfway then fell back. I eventually called the nurses for help, and though it was promised, none was forthcoming. Ah Friends, lying across the narrow bed, half on, half off, the ole fella suddenly felt tired; tired of all the pain I’ve suffered over the past year. First with my knees, then with the prostate surgery, then not being able to get any help, with my feet dangling over the side, the sobs unexpectedly burst out and had me crying out to the Lord, that I was tired of the pain, and asking when it was going to end. Strangely enough, just then I remembered the Buju Banton song ‘Battered and Bruised’ Hn! That only made it worse. I remembered it a couple times, and every time the sobbing intensified. And as I am typing this now, the tears are filling my eyes. Now there wasn’t much actual tears, or as we would say, not much ‘eyes water,’ but the sobs were wracking and heart wrenching. I guess I was just at a very low emotional and physical point because I haven’t cried in ages. Sometimes I’ve wanted to, but no tears would come. This time though, they came unbidden. What I’m to make of it all, I don’t know for sure, but as I said yesterday, the whole experience has certainly taught me a valuable lesson; a lesson of how much our Saviour, Jesus, really suffered on our behalf, and that our suffering here on planet earth is really inconsequential when compared to His. With that in mind, I found this quote on pain by Harold Kushner, the American born rabbi laureate of Temple Israel in Natick Massachusetts, which says: ‘Pain is part of being alive, and we need to learn that. Pain does not last forever, nor is it necessarily unbearable, and we need to be taught that.’ That’s gospel my people! Pain is a part of the human existence, and the sooner we realize that and learn to deal wisely with it, the better off we will be. It’s not easy, but if we put our hand in the hand of the Lord, He will bring us through it successfully. And He did bring me through it successfully this morning, for after all my sobbing and pleading, He strengthened me, and I eventually got up by myself. But unfortunately, just like most things in life, coping with pain is a learning process, which we must undergo to overcome it. We all try to bypass it, because no one really wants to experience pain unless they have some sadistic tendencies. And I can assure you that I’m not one of them. Anyway Friends, the important thing is that the cancerous part of my body has been successfully removed. Now comes the hard part; the recuperation. (smile) And it doesn’t seem to have spread to any other area, which brings a loud, grateful and heartfelt ‘Thank you Lord!’ I’m home now and hope the recuperation process won’t be too difficult. In conclusion, I want to say a big thank you to all those who floated up a few words on my behalf. It’s obvious that the Good Lord heard them and reacted positively. I don’t know what He has in store for me now, but whatever it is, I sure hope it’s not of the painful variety, for I am truly tired of physical pain. I need a rest from it. (smile) So till we talk again tomorrow, God in favour, please keep the faith and turn to the Lord first in all things, with whatever problems that come your way, because He’s the best problem fixer there is. And per our Bit, let’s hope that all of us will be strong and do exploits for out God. Much LOVE!…those who put their trust in Jesus…will NEVER be disappointed… P.S. The Bits might be a bit late until I catch myself and get back on track.
 

Psalm 54:2.    Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.

Aye Friends is Friday! The weekend cometh! The ole fella is alive, but just barely kicking. I read the obits and didn’t see my name or picture, so I just sang, ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ That means I have at least one more day on Mother Earth to enjoy some more of our God’s great mercies that He sends out new every morning. And I’m so thankful, grateful and happy. I’m also seeing you all dancing down the road, joyfully singing: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday, Thank God it’s Friday!’ So, since it looks like all of us grateful to be alive, let’s chant our Friday Chant then, to the tune of’ ‘I Feel Pretty.’ All together now: ‘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 mih people the ole fella sitting down here in the Toronto General Hospital, by the big plate glass window looking out on Hospital Row: Princess Margaret Cancer Hospital directly opposite; Mount
Sinai to the south of that and Sick Kids, the world renowned children’s hospital to the south of TGH. I’ve just finished having breakfast, or what passes for that in the royal suite (smile), a private room, quiet and far from the madding crowd. My boss lady Evelyn (nurse) has already gotten me up and had me walk around the corridor. Oh Friends, I can’t complain about the treatment, because it’s been royal all the way. I guess the Good Lord has been putting it in their hearts to bless me. To which I exclaim: ‘Thank you Lord!’. I can laugh and talk now, but last night when the pain hit me, it was a different story. Now usually I pride myself on being able to handle pain, but mih breddren, when this one hit me, all I could do was moan and groan. Although I was full of pain killers, that mattered not, the bladder cramping just overrode it all. In the midst of all that though, the two nurses on duty, Sue and Millie, took great care of me. I sincerely ask the Lord to bless them for that. Sorry the Bit is so late, but my big daughter in her security conscious self, locked up my bag with my Bible and computer in the hospital cupboard, then we couldn’t get it opened until later. That’s probably the Lord moving in His usual mysterious way, because I doubt I would have been able to write anything sensible early in the morning. I don’t even know what time it is now, since it appears that someone took or stole the clock out of the room. That’s not important though cause I don’t have anywhere to go except right here. Ah mih people, unfortunately I didn’t get my miracle healing because the prostate was still cancer-riddled. But Friends, if there is anything I’ve learned from this experience is that I’ve come to truly recognize Jesus’ sacrifice, the enormous price He paid for our sins on Calvary Hill. Oh Friends, if my pain was so terrible, despite all the modern conveniences and pain killers, then can you imagine that of Jesus on the old wooden cross? I simply had a clean, surgical cut in my abdomen, but He had nails in His hands and feet, a spear wound in His side, and a crown of thorns on His head, after enduring wicked taunting and flagellation. Note, He had none of the conveniences I had, yet He never complained or cried out in pain like I did. And that wasn’t His spiritual body being abused and tortured, but His earthly frame, so can you imagine the cruel pain He endured for me and you to be able to get salvation and eternal life. Oh my people, I don’t know if that was the Lord’s purpose in putting me through this drama, but I have certainly gained a whole lot more respect for Jesus from this experience. Take it from me Friends, our Saviour was the greatest person to ever tread this earth, and He is still alive and kicking today – much more so than me (smile) – and is also expecting all of us who call themselves believers, to rise up and work, sacrifice, help and spread the gospel to the farthest ends of the earth. After all He’s done for us, that’s precious little for Him to ask of us. So please my people, sincerely accept Him in your hearts, obey His wishes and let Him guide you on this earthly journey, and He’ll take you on the wildest ride, a ride you never imagined possible. Till we talk again tomorrow, God in favour, walk with Jesus, and be happy. Much LOVE!…without Jesus…we’re nothing at all…

Psalm 62:1-2.    Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.
 
Oh Friends, today’s a big day in the ole fella’s life, but more on that later. However, a few minutes ago while going through some recent jottings, I came upon some words that seemed very appropriate for this particular Bit. I don’t remember when or why they were written down. I’m not even sure if they’re my own words, but I’m sure they can help us all. They deal with Fear. ‘Fear is provoked by worried thoughts. We worry because we’re afraid we’re not going to get what we need. I refuse to live in worry. I am going to have peace.’ Yes my people, fear and worry are the sworn enemies of peace. But how do we successfully keep them at bay in this crazy, violent, greedy, ungodly world? Only ONE WAY Friends; through trust, faith and surrender to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! And He certainly blessed me just now. As always, I prayed for guidance in finding a Bit, then opened the Good Book right at Psalms 60 to 63. The first one my eyes fell on was Psalm 62. I read the first verse and declared: ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ Go ahead and laugh mih people, but sometimes the hardest part of this exercise is finding a Bit, and nobody’s happier than me, when I find one easily. Anyway, let’s check out the immortal words of Bruh David in our Bit: ‘Truly my soul waiteth (waits silently) upon God: from him cometh my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defense (strong tower); I shall not be greatly moved (shaken).’ And all God’s people shouted: ‘Praise the Lord! For He is indeed worthy to be praised!’ Now that’s the gospel truth my brethren, for there is none like our God, who created the universe and all therein! And as Bruh David reminds us in Psalm 33, where he praises the Lord for His wonderful creation: ‘Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.’ (Ps.33:20-22) That’s more truth my people, for as we hope in God, so does He bless and have mercy on us. Enough beating about the bush though Friends, time to get to the point. Earlier on I said that this was a rather important day in my life, and it surely is. By the time many of you read this, I would have already been sliced and diced by the surgeon’s scalpel to remove a cancerous prostate. It was originally scheduled for 8 a.m, but has now been rescheduled for two p.m. What can I say eh? Not much; just dem’s the breaks – then grin and bear it. The Lord moves in His mysterious ways, His wonders to perform, and we are expected to follow wherever He leads, knowing that whatever He allows in our lives will ultimately work out to our benefit. Now in the beginning I’d been putting my trust in the medical personnel and facilities and not even considering God’s powers. But one morning I got a zeppo saying to believe for a miracle. And I had to laugh, because you know we preach always turning to God first, and though I did, the thought of a healing miracle never occurred to me. From then though I’ve been an avid believer in one. And as I later discovered, it would be the ideal win, win situation. I wouldn’t have to go through the pain and discomfort of surgery, and to my mind, there’s no greater way to glorify our God than through a powerful miracle in these ungodly times. But unfortunately, like in Jesus’ case, though I’m not of such sacrificial value, the Lord seems to have other plans. So, like a dutiful lamb, I’m going to the slaughter. But hang on there people, cause I’m believing for a miracle right to the very end! (smile) And I warned the surgeon last week, not to be surprised if he opens me up and finds a nice, clean, pretty, non-cancerous prostate. Obviously he chuckled. But Friends, our God can be so contrary at times, that I wouldn’t put it past Him to do that. And until I wake up and learn that they removed my prostate because it was still cancerous, I’m going to keep on believing for a miracle. (smile) Oh Friends, regardless of the outcome, please stand steadfast and strong in faith, and offer up a few words that the ole fella comes out of it successfully. Don’t worry, I’m fine. I’ve never been more peaceful and calm in my entire life. I left all the worrying up to my family, and only told a couple people who needed to know because of our business dealings. I found it much better that way; less people to worry and ask me questions. I didn’t even tell my ole mother until two days ago, knowing that she would have worried herself to death. Two days worrying for her is much better than four months. To tell the truth my brethren, the cancerous prostate has been the least of my problems since I knew it was not going to kill me in the short term, and I felt no ill effects from it, merely the hassle of tests and doctor’s visits. My major problem was, and still is, my arthritic knees which have been killing me all during this time. Anyway Friends, that’s it for today. Till we talk again tomorrow, God in favour, remember to LOVE Your God, LIVE Your Faith, and SPREAD His Word. Much LOVE!…I believe in miracles…cause Jesus does them…and I’m His follower… (smile)
 

Revelation 3:1.    And unto the angel (messenger) of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
 
Oh Friends, it’s Wednesday and the rain continues to fall. It’s been falling since Saturday. Thankfully though, these showers of blessings are not always mighty downpours, but they are steady. I don’t remember when last the sun actually peeped out from behind the clouds. But again, as believers, we need to believe that the Lord’s still in control and there’s a good reason in His overall plan for whatever is happening. So we’ll just have to grin and bear it in faith. And as Frances Hutcheson (1694-1746) the Scottish born professor of moral philosophy at Glasgow U, reputedly said: ‘Wisdon denotes the pursuing of the best ends by the best means.’ Now that’s certainly true my people! It means we have to choose the best life has to offer us right now. However, for believers, the best always comes from choosing God and His way. That’s why we have to listen to Him when He denounces the spiritual death of the Sardis Church, which is totally analogous to our current times. Perhaps a brief history of the city of Sardis might help our understanding of the situation. Per the scholars, Sardis was one of seven cities within the Roman province of Asia in Western Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Situated at the busy crossroads between several cities, it was also once the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia, and was renowned for its gold and wealth during the reign of Croesus. It successfully withstood the Greek invasion, but in the sixth century B.C. the Persian king, Cyrus, finally overran the city and it never regained its earlier prominence. By the time of Roman rule, it only possessed the name of its former greatness. During the rule of Tiberius Caesar (A.D. 17) it was destroyed by an earthquake, but then rebuilt by the Emperor. It seems that this indebtedness prompted emperor worship in Sardis, and most likely also prompted compromise by the church. Today, a small village named Sart, lies near the site. So Friends, judging from that brief history lesson, it’s easy to see why the church at Sardis was singled out thus: ‘I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art (but you are) dead.’ Interestingly too, the scholars claim that the name Sardis means ‘Escaping,’ something we all do so well today. So just as the city was living on its past glory, the church there was also living in the past. It was ‘now virtually dead in spirit and works, and representative of dead orthodoxy.’ Ah mih people, doesn’t that sound a lot like the churches and communities we have today? A lot of the churches and believers are living on past glory, resting on the laurels of yesteryear, not making any new, positive and godly memories for tomorrow. How sad! But fortunately for us today, there’s an antidote for the strong anti-God disease that threatens us. Obviously it comes from Jesus; the same one recommended to the Sardis church. ‘Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect (complete) before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief (robber), and thou shalt not know at what hour I will come upon thee.’ (Rev.3:2-3) Oh my brethren, our great God is the God of second chances. He’s given us an opportunity here to get out of the lazy doldrums and general apathy towards Almighty God that many of our churches and the world in general are currently undergoing. Please, for all our sakes, let’s be wise and accept it, because it’s the best means to the best ends. Otherwise we’re very liable to falter seriously like Sardis. Then the Lord will come suddenly, without warning, and we won’t be ready, will be found wanting. Now that’s certainly not a nice thought to contemplate! So let’s wake up and live for Christ nuh, the way we are meant to. That’s our only hope in this ungodly, and possibly God-forsaken world. Much LOVE!…He that hath an ear…let him hear…what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
 

Revelation 3:15.    I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
 
Oh Friends, let me apologize for an error in yesterday’s Bit, where I said that forest fires were wreaking havoc in Manitoba. It’s actually in the Province of Alberta that the fires are raging through lack of rain; something like 115 of them, with 36 out of control. Forty percent of the town of Slave Lake has been destroyed by fire. Meanwhile Manitoba and the other Western Provinces are battling floods from too much rain. And all I can say to that contrary, untenable heartbreaking situation is: ‘What’s next eh Lord?’ Sadly there’s not much we can do except pray for those unfortunate people and send them whatever physical and monetary support we can. It’s all in the Lord’s hands, and we have to believe that He knows what He’s doing, which is an essential part of our faith. Anyway, please excuse the ole fella for that error, cause he’s only human, thus liable to err. (smile) Now here’s a quote from my ‘P.S. I LOVE YOU’ poster. It simply says: ‘If you’re doing your best, you won’t have time to worry about failure.’ And that’s the living truth my people! If we’re all putting our best foot forward, then we won’t even have time to contemplate failure and its negative derivatives, much less worry about them. That’s why one of the major secrets to success is to always do your best, especially if you’re a believer, because that’s what Jesus expects from us at all times. And right there I think is where we believers always falter. We might give it our best at work or at home, but when it comes to the church, the family of Christ, we too often seem lax, half-hearted and lukewarm; nowhere near as enthusiastic as when we’re partying or involved in any other non-church stuff. But really Friends, it’s in coming together as God’s family that we should be the most exuberant and enthusiastic since one of our major purposes here on earth is to spread the gospel of Christ, which you can’t do successfully unless you’re truly excited and enthusiastic about it. In fact you can’t do anything successfully without a huge amount of enthusiasm and exuberance. So why aren’t we showing that in our walk with Christ eh? Instead, we tend to think that Church and its matters should always be couched in a sort of quiet, sedate, low enthusiasm, background style. However my brethren, because of its ultimate importance, it should be the opposite. Obviously not a rah-rah style, unfocused affair, but certainly an excited, exuberant, enthusiastic, sincere and properly guided operation, because we’re talking about the ONE and ONLY Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, who gave His sinless life for us as a sacrifice, so that we could be reconciled and return to fellowship with Almighty God, and at the same time provided us with a wonderful opportunity for salvation and eternal life. Oh Friends, what’s better news, what deserves more enthusiasm and excitement than that eh? Absolutely nothing! To win hearts for Christ we must be well organized and sincerely display a large amount of LOVE, joy and affection, else we’re wasting our time and doing Christ and His Church much injustice. And having said all that, it’s no surprise that our Bit, Jesus’ message to the church at Laodicea, in John’s revelation was: ‘I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would (wish) thou wert (were) cold or hot.’ Yes mih people we can’t be lukewarm, fence sitters. We have to be either hot or cold, not simply somewhere in the middle. The story behind this statement, per the scholars is that ‘the hot waters of nearby Hierapolis were known for their medicinal qualities, whereas Colossae was known for its cold, pure water. But Laodicea was forced to receive water by aqueduct from other areas. By the time it arrived at Laodicea it was lukewarm and provoked nausea.’ Nobody would be happy drinking that stuff, so it’s thus also understandable why Jesus further declared: ‘So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew (spit or vomit) thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods (have become wealthy), and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.’ (Rev. 3:16-17) Yes Friends, that’s the very same attitude that exists today, both in the church and the outside world. We lack a vital enthusiasm for Jesus, for the things of God, of heaven and eternity, while foolishly placing the unworthy, expendable things of Beelzebub on high pedestals. Remember the words of C.S. Lewis, that anything which is not eternal, is eternally useless. But luckily our Saviour is such a LOVING and gracious Deity, that He’s also provided a way out for us. Please listen very closely to His advice: ‘I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire (refined), that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment (garments), that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear (may not be revealed); and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.’ (Rev.3:18) Ah mih people, there’s nothing I can add to that, because it says it all. But we’ll conclude with a quote from the scholars explaining the situation back then. ‘Laodicea was famous for its wealth, its bankers, its medical school, its popular eyesalve, and its textile industry. Christ says that spiritually the people of the church are poor, blind, and naked. True wealth is found only in God’s grace. This church had no spiritual value (gold), virtue (white raiment), or vision (eyesalve). He urges the Laodiceans to repent of their lack of genuine faith and of spiritual understanding.’ Oh Friends, I’m sure Jesus is sending that very same message to us today because of the evil, ungodly state of our world and the lack of true enthusiasm and faith in many churches. I implore us therefore to do as He says; repent and seriously turn to Him. It’s the only answer for our embattled world. Much LOVE!…as many as I LOVE…I rebuke and chasten…be zealous therefore…and repent… (Rev.3:19)