SCRIP-BITS

Oh Friends, it’s Easter Monday and the partying, the physical celebrations for most of us are sadly over. But thank the Lord, the spiritual joy bubbling within us will last forever! Yes Friends, Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection on this Easter weekend two thousand years ago, set the stage for salvation and eternal life forever, fulfilling the promise He made in John 16:22, that once He’d done His thing, no man would be ever able to take away our joy. So let’s hang on to that joy as we go out today to begin another work week in our wicked, ungodly world. And as usual, to help us bear the strain of that exercise, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, in the best voice we can muster, since many of us are still feeling the after effects of excessive weekend celebrations. (smile) All together now, and please let it come from deep within our hearts and souls. ‘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!’ Now that wasn’t too bad for a bunch of tired, partied out people. (smile) Anyway, our Bit today hails from the words of Agur (Agar), the stated author of Proverbs 30. Now, per the scholars, nothing is known about Agur, but it’s likely that he was one of the international sages or scholars of Cousin Sol’s day. And he must have been truly wise, for those words would sound very wonderful to our God if all believers today were to sincerely believe and pray them to Him. ‘Two things have I required (requested) of thee; deny me them not (deprive me not of them) before I die: Remove far from me vanity (falsehood) and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient (you prescribe) for me.’ Ah mih people, just cutting out the negatives from our lives like lies, deceit and foolish pride and simply living a comfortable, consistent life of integrity and godly character would do so much to eliminate much of the nonsense that currently has our world in a stranglehold. Just imagine if all of our riches were thrown into a big bowl, then distributed to the world’s inhabitants in sufficient quantity for all to be comfortable and contented. Wow! What an awesome world this would be, minus the widespread poverty, oppression and hunger! Okay, so I’m dreaming out loud, because once mankind retains its current nature, there will always be greedy and discontented folks to screw up a good thing. Note Agur’s prescience too, for his words, ‘feed me with food convenient for me,’ are harbingers of Jesus’ own statement in the Lord’s Prayer; ‘Give us this day our daily bread.’ (Matt.6:11) And judging from the reason for his request, Agur was indeed wise. Knowing man’s basic unreliable nature, he continues: ‘Lest I be full (rich), and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain (profane the name of my God).’ (Prov.30:9)  Forgetting the Lord in times of prosperity was indeed one of the things Moses constantly warned the Israelites about (Deut.8:11-20) but they still did it, several times, and were punished several times. Sadly my people, the same affliction has struck us today. In our heady prosperity, which we wrongly attributed to our own power, we’ve turned away from the Lord and are now worshipping fleshly lusts and the idols of our own making. No wonder so many catastrophes have recently befallen, and are still befalling our wicked world. Remember, the Lord’s Word never changes. So if eons ago, He promised retribution for disobedience, it means that promise still stands today. And if it takes eons for Jesus to return, the promise will stand even till then. Oh Friends, unfortunately our world has bowed to Lucifer and become a greedy, ‘gravalicious, wanty-wanty, gimme-gimme’ society, never satisfied with how ever much we have. Please, let’s change that attitude and begin seeking a comfortable and consistent sufficiency, which will help the less fortunate to also rise to a comfortable position, because there’s way too much poverty, hunger, homelessness and nakedness in a world of so much prosperity. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen. Much LOVE!…only as we equitably share the world’s resources…will the dire hunger, poverty and suffering that now exists, diminish…

HAPPY EASTER SUNDAY!

Oh Friends, oh Friends, it’s Easter Sunday morning! The stone has been rolled aside! The tomb is empty! The grave clothes lie neatly piled to one side! What’s happened? He is risen! Yes! Jesus Christ, the Son of God is risen this Easter Sunday morning, thus guaranteeing us salvation and eternal life! And all God’s people boldly and enthusiastically chorused: ‘Glory Glory Hallelujah! Glory Glory Hallelujah! Glory Glory Hallelujah! Jesus Christ is risen today!’ Ah Friends what a most wonderful day this is. It should be one of the happiest days in a believer’s life, because it’s the day Jesus finally fulfilled all the promises in the scripture, showing what a gracious, faithful and ever-LOVING God we serve and worship! Now since Jesus had been hurriedly entombed just before the start of the Sabbath, His body had not received the traditional anointing of Jewish burial tradition. So early on the morning following the Sabbath, a group of Jesus’ female followers went to the sepulchre with the spices and ointments to anoint Him, only troubled by getting past the big stone that guarded the tomb’s entrance? But much to their surprise, they found the stone rolled away. And their surprise further increased on discovering that the tomb was empty. But while they stood outside the tomb, worried and perplexed, two men in shining garments (angels) came up and asked the scared women: ‘Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words. And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest…And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they believed not.’ (Luke 23:5-9,11) Ah Friends, what else is new eh? Why do we all have such a hard time believing both Jesus’ words and movements? It’s not like He didn’t tell them what was going to happen, more than once too. Finally though, John and Peter ran to the tomb. John apparently got there first, but possibly scared, only looked in, while big, brave Peter, on arrival, went straight in. He saw the burial clothes at one side of the tomb, and the face cloth that had wrapped Jesus’ head neatly folded elsewhere. John eventually went in, took it all in and believed. ‘For as yet they knew not (didn’t understand) the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.’ (John 20:9)  And what was John and Peter’s response afterwards? ‘Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.’ (John 20:10) It’s obvious that Jesus’ followers were confused and scared, not knowing what to believe. And to a certain extent we can’t blame them, for they were simple, uneducated folk dealing with heavenly matters. And even now with all our hindsight and heightened intelligence, we still find it difficult to believe, so we have to cut the early believers some slack. Our Bit though clearly speaks to the problems that would ensue. ‘Verily, verily I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned to joy.’ Well my people, for the past two days we’ve been weeping, lamenting and very sorrowful, while the world rejoiced at the death of our supposed Saviour and Messiah. But today it’s an entirely different story! Today our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is risen from the dead! He’s defeated death and the grave, rising in a new form to bring eternal life to all who believe on Him! Because He rose from the dead, then ascended up to heaven, so too believers are ensured that they will also rise and enjoy eternal life with Christ and the Father. And as Jesus promised at the end of our Bit: ‘but your sorrow shall be turned to joy.’ Oh Friends, this Easter Sunday with Jesus’ triumphant resurrection, that’s exactly what’s happened. All the weeping and gnashing of teeth we endured for the last two days have been forgotten, because it’s a New Day! Our Saviour is alive! Glory Hallelujah! And since we all know the Easter story, I won’t get into it in any further detail. We’ll close though with another awesome promise of Jesus: ‘And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.’ (John 16:22) Oh my people, today is that day! So please let our hearts rejoice in Jesus’ resurrection, because no one can ever take away the joy that Jesus brought us when He paid for our sins with His death and established eternal life with His resurrection. So let’s celebrate the glorious victory, giving plenty, plenty thanks, and go out now with joyful praise: ‘Glory Glory Hallelujah! Glory Glory Hallelujah! Glory Glory Hallelujah! Worthy is the Lamb that was slain! But is risen in righteous glory today!’ Much LOVE mih people!…only the sinless Son of God…could have caused such a righteous commotion amongst mankind two thousand years ago…and is still causing it today…

Oh Friends, Good Friday is over. Jesus is dead, lies in a tomb, secured by a large stone at the opening, with Roman soldiers guarding it. Many of His followers are scattered near and far, having found to be missing in action at His crucifixion, especially the hitherto macho men. Others are locked up tight in their dwellings in Jerusalem, fearful, disheartened, and somewhat angry too, feeling that Jesus disloyally deserted them after they had faithfully followed Him for so long. But anyone who really knew, or knows Jesus, would not believe that for even one single moment. The truth my Friends, is that Jesus’ death was a victory, a victory of great proportions! In fact it was the greatest victory that’s ever been won in any battle since the beginning of time! His precious blood has been shed, meaning the hefty sacrificial price for our multitudinous and disgusting sins has been paid for, for all eternity. And all God’s people declared a loud, thankful: ‘Amen!’ Yes my brethren, Jesus had successfully borne the burden of our sins, like Atlas bearing the world on his shoulders, and had acquitted Himself most valiantly. And all God’s people cried out: ‘Oh thank you Jesus! You are the best!’ And He most certainly is my fellow believers! But unfortunately His task was no Sunday afternoon stroll in the park, for crucifixion is probably the worse form of death ever conjured up by mankind. And Jesus’ was exceptionally tortuous. But even as the lifeblood drained from His human from, He knew that He’d won, and found the strength to cry out: ‘It is finished:’ (John 19:30) He was there referring to the successful conclusion of His earthly task; a worthy triumph over Lucifer and the curse of sin. This brings to mind His prayers for His disciples in John 17, which the scholars call the real ‘Lord’s Prayer,’ for this was when Jesus actually prayed to the Father on the disciples’ behalf. What we consider the ‘Lord’s Prayer’ today, (Matt.6:9-13) is merely a basic plan that Jesus gave us on which to base our own prayers. But personally: ‘These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power (authority) over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.’ (John 17:1-4) Yes my people, as of Good Friday evening, our Lord and Saviour Jesus had accomplished the onerous, distasteful, but very necessary sacrificial task, so that we sinners could be reconciled to the Father. And all God’s people shouted: ‘Hallelujah! It is done! Salvation’s been achieved! Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!’ With that done, there was nothing left for Jesus in this earthly realm, so He uttered our Bit: ‘Father, into thy hands I commend my Sprit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost (breathed His last).’ Now I believe when Luke talks of Jesus crying with a loud voice, he is referring to John’s ‘It is finished,’ statement, because that’s the only way the two gospels could co-exist in perfect harmony, since Luke doesn’t actually mention, ‘It is finished,’ and John doesn’t record Jesus commending His Spirit to the Father, just he simply gave up the ghost after that. But anyway, isn’t it more than mere coincidence that the words Jesus uttered before dying are very similar to those of Bruh David’s in Psalm 31? ‘Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.’ (Ps.31:5) And Jesus was so potent and unpredictable that even in His last moments His power was undeniable. Hear Mark tell it: ‘And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain (torn in two) from the top to the bottom. And when the centurion which stood over against (opposite) him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.’ (Mark15:37-39) Ah mih Friends, if a Roman soldier could believe Jesus’ divinity, although it was only at the last moment, why couldn’t His people eh, and for that matter, why can’t we today? But take heart my people, for though yesterday was indeed a very rough day, and today we’re filled with doubt, fear and uncertainty, please hang in, for the Lord God Jehovah is still in control, and the best is yet to come. Much LOVE!…sacrificing one’s life for another…that’s the ultimate form of LOVE…

Oh Friends, it’s Monday! And I hear a loud groan. Monday of Holy Week! And I hear an even louder groan of dismay. Why? Because it means going back out to work, and also plenty church, prayers, fasting etc, leading up to Good Friday, then Easter Sunday. Remember those three-hour services on Good Friday afternoon? Steups! How we hated them as children! But my brethren, this should really be an exciting week for believers because it’s the most important week in the Christian calendar, for Jesus was crucified on Good Friday, paying the ultimate sacrifice for our sins with His holy innocent life so that we can now have salvation and reconciliation with God. Then He rose from the dead on Easter Sunday, thereby triumphing over death, which enables us to enjoy eternal life with the Father. ‘O Death, where is thy sting? O Grave, where is thy victory?’ (1 Cor.15:55) That’s Bruh Paul paraphrasing Hosea 13:14. And all God’s people shouted a joyous, resounding: ‘Glory Hallelujah! Thank you Jesus!’  Yes Friends, without this week, there’d be no salvation or eternal life. So let’s be thankful and faithful. And on the point of faithfulness, from the moment I read these words earlier on tonight, I knew I had to share them with you because they impacted me greatly. They’re the overview of Chapter 27, The Faithfulness of the Wise, from Gloria Copeland’s Book, ‘Hidden Treasures, abundant living in the riches of proverbs.’ And it says: ‘Faithfulness is the force issuing out of your spirit that causes you to increase and abound in the blessings of God.’ Truly words of wisdom my people! Now go back and read it again, for it’s the living truth, having great impact on every area of our lives. First with relationships; be it at home with family and friends, at work, with supervisors and co-workers and even with strangers. And it also plays a huge role in our spiritual, mental, physical and emotional behaviour. How a Christian reacts in each and every situation, depends on their faithfulness to the Lord and His Word. Granted our maturity in the faith is important in this respect, but generally speaking, the more mature and faithful we are, the godlier we’ll respond to the situations and relationships in our lives. And it follows logically that the godlier we behave, the more the Lord will bless us. As Proverbs 28:20 says: ‘A faithful man shall abound with blessings…’ That’s why Bruh David could be anguished in the first part of Psalm 22, then move smoothly to praise in the second half, as our Bit so truthfully declares: ‘The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the Lord that seek him: your heart shall live forever.’ Yes Friends, those of humble heart and righteous ways will of conviction praise and seek the Lord, and be of a joyful soul. And Bruh David felt it so deeply that he repeated it in Psalm 37; the true state of the wicked: ‘For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider (look diligently for) his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.’ (Ps.37:10-11) And if you didn’t believe Bruh David, then listen to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus, with the definitive statement on that topic, taken from His Sermon on the Mount; in fact the third Beatitude, and using the same basic words. ‘Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.’ (Matt.5:5)  As always, Jesus is simple and straightforward. So my people, if we are meek, humble, righteous and faithful, then we will abound in blessings! Now let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn – thought I’d forgotten eh (smile) – so that we’ll be prepped and poised to go out and put it to Lucifer and his evil cronies. With much enthusiasm now, let’s sing: ‘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!’ Stand strong in the Lord my people! Much LOVE!…great is thy faithfulness…Oh Lord…great is thy faithfulness…and so should ours be…

Oh Friends, oh Friends, the ole fella’s in rough shape! I think they call it writer’s block. (smile) Unfortunately it’s been one of those days when I just couldn’t find a Bit. I searched for over half an hour, but could not find anything that spoke to me, or that I could get my mind around. Then, as the time for writing was fast fading, with no concrete results, in frustration, I cried out to the Lord, asking why He had forsaken me, in this my time of need? And what do you think happened? My mind immediately turned to men of faith who had voiced that same complaint in difficult times. Obviously I chuckled at the answer and its quickness, then went joyously seeking a Bit on forsaking, and found the perfect one in Bruh David’s cry of anguish and song of praise. ‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring (groaning)?’ Oh my people, sometimes in our troubles, when we can’t find answers, or do anything right, it does seem as though our God has forsaken us. But remember this: our God will NEVER, and I repeat, NEVER, really forsake or abandon us, regardless of how critical and desperate our situation. Why would He, when one of the first promises He made to His chosen people, Israel, through Moses, was: ‘(For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.’ (Deut.4:31) And before Moses died, when he commissioned Joshua as Israel’s new leader, he repeated it to Joshua, twice in three verses: ‘Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee…And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.’ (Deut.31:6,8) Then after Moses died, The Lord personally promised Joshua: ‘There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’ (Josh.1:5) The question then is Friends, why would the Lord go to all that trouble to make those non-forsaking promises, if He didn’t intend to keep them eh, especially knowing that in His godly position, He could not afford to renege on any promises to His people? And even when He’s allowed us to suffer hardships for our disobedience, He’s never far away. Listen to Him talk through Isaiah re His everlasting LOVE for His people: ‘For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting (LOVING) kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.’  (Is.54:7-8) Remember too, the same Bruh David who is crying out in our Bit as having been forsaken, he is the same one who wrote these words of glorious faith: ‘I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed (descendants) begging bread.’ He is ever (always) merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.’(Ps.37:25-26) And as Bruh Paul declared to the Corinthians re living our lives by faith: ‘We are troubled (hard pressed) on every side, yet not distressed (crushed); we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast (struck) down, but not destroyed.’ (2 Cor.4:8-9) And we all know the most famous cry in history about being forsaken is Jesus’. ‘And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’  (Matt.27:46) But put yourself in His position. Though He was the Son of God, holy and innocent, He had been given a human body to offer up as a sacrifice for mankind’s sins. That means He felt all the same emotions and pains that we feel. Remember too, how He was very sorrowful in the Garden of Gethsemane and prayed to the Father to ‘let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.’ (Matt.26:39) So think about, imagine the tortuous pain that racked His body as it hung on that rough and rugged wooden cross in the noonday heat of the arid land. How would any of us have responded eh? It would have driven lesser men stark raving mad before they even came close to dying. But no, our Saviour Jesus endured it stoically, knowing that it was His Father’s will and He was doing only what He could do. In His atonement for our sins, He was accursed of God, as the bearer of our sins. Per the scholars: ‘He cried with a loud voice, as a shout of triumph, and yielded up His Spirit. In other words, having borne the wrath of God’s judgement against sin, He knew he had triumphed over Satan and the curse of sin.’ Oh Friends, our Christian faith is not easy to live in this primarily ungodly and evil world, so there are times when trials will beset us and we’ll feel forsaken. But never fear, our God will NEVER forsake us! Having gone to all that trouble to save us, why would He turn around and do something so unwise and unfaithful? And there are two things we definitely know about our God; He is wise and absolutely faithful. So hang in there. He will ALWAYS see us through. I’m talking from personal experience here. Much LOVE!…Lo…I am with you alway…even unto the end of the world… (Matt.28:20)