SCRIP-BITS

1 Timothy 2:1.    I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men.
 
Oh Friends, ah see all yuh coming down the road this Friday morning, chipping and waving like is Carnival Monday, and all yuh singing, ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday!’ (smile) But unfortunately yuh still have ten days to go before that time of revelry, of total bacchanal. Such though is the crazy effect that the coming of the weekend has on us. However, before we get too far into the party mode, leh we chant we Friday chant nuh. That will help us to put everything into its proper perspective. So chanting, loud and clear: ‘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 Friends, now that we come back down to earth, please remember that weekends are made for more than just partying and hanging out, but also for getting involved in fellowship. And that fits in very well with our Bit: ‘I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men.’ Yes mih people, in this section, Bruh Paul is giving his protégé Timothy wise advice and guidance on prayer. Now that advice was so good, that it still holds true for us all today, two thousand years later. The first thing, the most important act that Christians should address themselves to is prayer. It’s to hold a pre-eminent place in the church and all its proceedings, as well as in our individuals lives, because it’s our basic method of communicating with the Most High God Jehovah, our wonderful Creator, heavenly Father and sole Provider. It’s obvious that if we want and/or expect to receive His parental guidance and blessings of earthly provision, especially in these rough and troubled times, then we must have plenty communication with Him. It’s just like there must be a lot of communication between our children and us, if they require or expect to receive our parental guidance and earthly benefits. Now Bruh Paul identifies four kinds of prayers in our Bit. Let’s get some basic definitions on them. And according to the scholars, they are as follows: prayers of supplication; those precise requests made to meet specific needs. Like when we ask the Lord for a new car or house to replace our old, broken down ones. (smile) Then there are just ‘prayers,’ used in a general sense to include things like confession, adoration, etc. The third kind of prayer Bruh Paul isolates are prayers of intercession, which we all know about. That’s when we offer prayers for others, which hopefully all of us do on regular basis. That reminds me, we have been amiss in not praying for those people in Christchurch, New Zealand, who recently experienced that devastating earthquake, and also for the millions of oppressed and suppressed in the Mid-East, who are now engaged in life endangered protests for long overdue relief from dictatorial and tyrannical rule. Please pray for them all, that their areas, and consequently our whole world, will not deteriorate any further. And the fourth type of prayer is the ‘giving of thanks,’ where we give our great God thanks and praise. Now that’s another aspect of our prayer lives which should be in constant motion, for remember that our entire being; all that we are, all that we have, and all that we hope to be, depends entirely on the Lord, re His mercy, forgiveness, blessings, kindness, unconditional LOVE, salvation and eternal life. Oh Friends, that’s it for today. I know we all have short attention spans in these modern times, so I’m not going to give us too much to digest all at once. (smile) Tomorrow, with God on our side, we’ll continue our discussion on prayer. Till then, please pray that the Lord gives us a sense of calm and peace in our souls, with provision suited to our needs, and guides us safely on this our rugged earthly journey. Much LOVE!…heaven’s switchboard is open 24/7…and there are never any busy signals…so there’s no reason for any break in our communication…with our just and faithful God…

2 Chronicles 20:20.    And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
 
Oh Friends, let me apologize for giving you some wrong info yesterday. The name of that song about get your motor running and get out on the highway is ‘Born to be Wild,’ by Steppenwolf, who are also Canadian, and not the Guess Who. I know it won’t matter to many of you, but I hate giving out wrong info. So if I do, please let me know so I can correct it. Thanks Old Rob. Now let’s see what our Bit has to offer today. So far the people have prayed to the Lord, and received His response, which was to go out to meet the enemy the next day, but not to worry for they wouldn’t have to fight; ‘for the battle is not yours, but God’s.’ (2 Chron.20:15) What a relief that must have been eh Friends! So they did as instructed. ‘And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever. And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another.’ (2 Chron.20:20-23) Yes Friends, confusion reigned amongst their enemies, and instead of fighting Judah, they fought amongst themselves. Our God sure is marvellous! But the important thing is that the people believed and trusted God to do as He said He would. Without that show of faith the Lord would not have worked on their behalf. And note too that the Lord only went into action when the people began to sing and praise Him. Oh my people, praise and thanksgiving are two of the greatest gifts we can ever offer the Lord. There’s nothing He revels in more than genuine appreciation and gratitude. The battle amongst the former allies was so fierce that there were no survivors. Wow! And the spoil, the unearned plunder was so plentiful that it took Jehoshaphat and his people three whole days to gather it. (2 Chron.20:24-25) And who says the Lord doesn’t bless obedience eh! On the fourth day, they assembled in a valley that’s still called Berachah (Blessing), for there they blessed the Lord. Then they returned to Jerusalem with joy, Jehoshaphat leading the way: ‘for the Lord had made them to rejoice over their enemies.’ (2 Chron.20:27) Yes mih breddren, when we call on the Lord sincerely for help, listen for His answer, then follow His directions in faith, we come out victorious. Praise His Holy Name! ‘And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries (stringed instruments) and harps and trumpets unto the house of the Lord. And the fear of God (awesome reverence) was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they heard that the Lord fought against the enemies of Israel. So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest round about.’ (2 Chron.20:28-30) What a wonderful story Friends. But none of it would have happened if Jehoshaphat and the people had not believed and acted on that belief in faith. The belief Friends, the trust and the faith are the most important parts of our walk with God. We can do nothing without a deep-seated, abiding trust. And as the author of Hebrews so nicely puts it: ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb.11:6) So please, let’s work diligently on improving, constantly upgrading our faith motors, so that we can hit that highway of life, revving at top speed, thereby bringing victory to our lives and immense glory to our God. Much LOVE!…the moral of the story…if you don’t truly believe…you won’t succeed…

2 Chronicles 20:20.    And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
 
Oh Friends, here’s an idea guaranteed to get our motors running this Wednesday morning and get us out on the highway of life looking for adventure in the Lord’s name. (smile) Those sentiments come from a song whose title I don’t remember, but it was done by great Canadian band, The Guess Who. And the idea that’s guaranteed to get us moving is: ‘To get more out of life, give more of yourself.’ And that’s an undeniable fact my brethren! It’s taken from my cardboard poster titled, ‘P.S. I LOVE YOU.’ It’s like Sister Joyce (Joyce Meyer) is wont to say; you can’t expect changes in your life, if you keep doing the same thing every day. Change can only come when the initial movement is different. Unfortunately though, the hardest thing for humans to do is change. That’s due to many reasons, but the biggest is fear, fear of the unknown, of what will happen when we change. However Friends, as believers in the One True God Jehovah, we should not be afraid of change, because we are solidly grounded and rooted in trust and faith in Him. We might not like the unknown, but we shouldn’t fear it. And the easiest way to get rid of that fear is to immerse ourselves in His Word. Oh my people, there’s nothing like God’s Holy Word to strengthen, brighten and excite a human spirit. And our Bit is a perfect example of the Word and our God to quell fear. ‘And as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.’ Now that’s the difficult part in handling the word; belief. But like most things in life, we have to practice it, before we can master it. And our story continues from yesterday, where several nations joined forces to invade Judah, but king Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah did the right thing; prayed to God, acknowledged His superiority and their weakness, and pleaded for help. Now this is where faith, belief, and trust in the Almighty picks up and begins to work. While they are all standing in the temple yard, the spirit of the Lord comes upon Jahaziel, a Levite: ‘And he said, Hearken ye all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid or dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff (ascent) of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook (wadi or stream-bed), before the wilderness of Jeruel. Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set (position) yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah, and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you. And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshipping the Lord. And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high.’ (2 Chron.20:15-19) Oh Friends, paraphrasing that piece of scripture would have denied our God His much deserved praise and also denied us its full and true meaning. By the way, the Spirit agreed with me on that point. (smile) Now that’s the second part of our story, of the equation, if you like. Yesterday we saw Judah praying and appealing for God’s help. Today we’ve seen God’s answer and His directions for their conduct in the matter. Ah mih people, I can’t help but be amazed by the many parts and aspects to our God: a powerful warrior King who fights our battles for us, but also a unique Deity whose basic state is one of unconditional LOVE, encompassed by grace, mercy, forgiveness and kindness, with a faithful promise of salvation and eternal life. Wow! It sounds too good to be true! However Friends, this is possibly the only thing in the universe that doesn’t adhere to the cliché: ‘if it sounds too good to be true, then it is.’ Oh my people, the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is for real! His Word proves it, and if you’d only sincerely surrender your life to Him, He will prove it to you personally, like He’s already done to millions. But that’s enough Holy food for us to digest today though Friends. Tomorrow, our God in favour, more of His glorious Word and deeds. Till then, please surrender your soul, put your whole trust, faith and belief in Him. It’s the wisest decision you’ll ever make on this earthly journey. And in return, He’ll surely get your motor running, and take you on the road to adventures you’ve never even dreamed possible. Such is the power and magnanimity of our God! Much LOVE!…it’s all a matter of faith and trust…sincere surrender and belief…for the battle is the Lord’s…

2 Chronicles 20:20.    And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
 
Oh Friends, the ole fella’s shaking it sorta rough this morning! Yuh know, one of those days when the mind and body refuse to function with the strength and precision you require. Those of you in your autumn/winter years will understand what I’m talking about. (smile) But being a blessed child of the Most High God Jehovah, I’m not worried, for that too shall soon pass, what with the new grace, mercy and blessings of our heavenly Father available today. Yes Friends, thanks be to God, these old bones shall once again wax supple and strong. Hallelujah! Friends, yuh gotta believe, else things gonna be real bad with yuh. And strangely enough, that’s the basic criteria, the initial requirement of Christianity; only believe. I don’t know if the Lord did that intentionally, to tout the great strength of purpose that He’s placed in our hearts, minds and souls, but when we believe in Him, we can sure move mountains. Now I don’t know where all of this is leading to, but I promise that it won’t be as long as yesterday’s epistle. That was an aberration, where I simply got caught up in the excitement of the moment and ran with all the goodies that the Spirit was feeding me, completely disregarding the parameter of length. And be proud of the ole fella Friends, for when I wrote that intro I didn’t have a Bit, but since it centred around belief, I sought out one that dealt with it, so that the Most Holy Spirit would not again have cause to embar-rass me like yesterday. (smile) And it is indeed a mighty Bit. ‘And as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.’  And that’s the living truth my people! Now on this particular occasion several nations joined together to invade Judah. And what was Judah’s reaction? The right one! ‘And (king) Jehoshaphat feared and set himself (his face) to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the Lord: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.’ (2 Chron.20:3-4) Wow! They all turned to the Lord God of their fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for help. Oh Friends, how I wish that something like that could happen today. Imagine if all believers turned out in droves, a worldwide movement akin to the popular uprisings currently going on in the Arab nations, and sincerely petitioned the Lord for help in these troubled times. What a force to be reckoned with that would be eh! But unfortunately we must get back to reality. (sigh) Anyway, just as a good and righteous leader ought to, Jehoshaphat stood up amongst the people in the temple yard: ‘And said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdom of the heathen (nations)? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?’ (2 Chron.20:6) That’s how it should be in the lives of all believers my brethren. In times of difficulty or impending doom, our God should always be the first place we seek help and refuge. And Jehoshaphat used the age-old formula; at the beginning of his entreaty, magnifying God’s power, then relating what He’d done for them and also promised to do, then ending with an acknowledgement of their weakness. ‘O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.’ (2 Chron.20:12) Yes Friends, when going to God for help, it’s always wise to admit His power and dominion and our impotence and weakness. Anyway, in keeping with my promise to be short-winded, though it’s hard, (smile) we’ll end here today. There’s so much more to this story that we might spend at least two more days on it. And that just shows mih Friends, how the ole fella has matured. Thank the Lord! Before I would possibly have tried to cram it all into one, thereby giving us too much to digest at one sitting. But through the Lord’s wisdom, and under His maturing hand, I’ve learned the better way. Praise His Holy Name! Now mih people, let’s go out into the evil, ungodly world and walk worthy of Him. Much LOVE!…only believe…all things are possible…only believe…
 

Proverbs 1:5.    A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.

Oh Friends, it’s Monday morning, and I’m having trouble finding a Bit. Hn! However, I’ve been reading a book, ‘Hidden Treasures – abundant living in the riches of proverbs,’ by Gloria Copeland, where she goes through each chapter of Proverbs and highlights the salient points. Now at the end of each chapter she also gives some thoughts on the subject; ‘Wisdom for Today,’ which seem very useful. Here are the ones from the first chapter. (1) Honour God in every choice or decision you make today. (2) Make the quality decision, ‘Whether it seems easy or difficult, I will do what the Word says.’ (3) Tell the Lord today, ‘Show me where I am wrong. Reveal to me the things I need to know.’ Oh Friends, I sincerely believe that if we follow those three simple steps of wisdom today, our lives, and the lives of those that come into contact with us, will benefit greatly. Now let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with verve and enthusiasm. ‘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 let’s go out and put that into action my people! A word of warning though to those in my neck of the woods, please be careful on the roads because they will be in terrible shape with the recent snowfall, though it won’t be as bad as normal since it’s a Public Holiday, Family Day, in our lovely Province of Ontario. And as for a Bit, I just got a zeppo. Our God is so good it’s unbelievable. He just had the Spirit reason with me: In time of need, to whom do you look? Obviously to the Lord God Almighty, was my immediate answer. And since you’ve been talking about wisdom, wouldn’t it be wise to find a Bit dealing with that? Of course! And where do you go to find wisdom? To God’s Word, the Good Book. And where in it is wisdom best laid out? In Proverbs. Elementary my dear Watson! (smile) So I went to Proverbs, the God inspired words of Cousin Sol, to the very beginning, and found it just waiting there for me to come a looking. ‘A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto (acquire) wise counsels.’ And if that isn’t the gospel truth my brethren, I don’t know what is! But why do we need wisdom eh? Because wisdom gives us the basic skill(s) for successful living. But to live a truly successful life also entails living a godly life. That means obeying and following the dictates of Jehovah God, our Creator and heavenly Father. And we can only know and understand His requirements by reading, studying and meditating on His Holy Word, found in the Good Book. And as Cousin Sol states later on: ‘The fear (awesome reverence) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy (One) is understanding.’  (Prov.9:10) That’s why he describes the purpose of Proverbs as: ‘To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive (understand or discern) the words of understanding.’ (Prov.1:2) Here, the scholars determine that ‘Instruction’ refers to the moral discipline of our lives, and ‘Understanding’ as the capability to discern; as between good and bad, true and false, important and unimportant. And Cousin Sol continues as to the purpose of Proverbs: ‘To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgement, and equity.’ (Prov.1:3) The scholars claim that ‘Wisdom’ in this context, is a different Hebrew word than that used in verse 1, which means things like ‘wise behaviour,’ ‘wise dealing, or ‘good sense,’ what we’d probably term common sense. Meanwhile ‘Justice’ pertains to righteousness, or conforming to God’s law, and ‘Judgement’ to right behaviour in those who interpret the legal aspects of the law; judge’s verdicts etc. ‘Equity’ then deals with the fairness of our dealings with each other. And the last basic purpose is: ‘To give subtilty (understanding or discernment) to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.’ (Prov.1:3) The scholars contend that ‘The simple,’ are easily influenced, naïve young people, while ‘Knowledge’ implies the grasping of true reality, (not the virtual kind of which we have such a good grasp today) which includes some experience of God, and ‘Discretion,’ refers to the ability to conceive and carry out the correct plans or duties in any given situation. And that Friends, is how Cousin Sol saw and describes his purpose in penning Proverbs. In a nutshell, its simply pointing us in the right direction, to the godly path, the straight and narrow way that leads to salvation and everlasting life. Hopefully my people, we’ll all glean and/or gain something today from those simple but powerful words of truth. Now let’s close with some more wise words of Cousin Sol, where he reiterates our Bit in a slightly different manner. ‘Give instruction to a wise man, and he will yet be wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.’ (Prov.9:9) And all God’s people said a hearty ‘Amen!’ as they went out to attain wisdom and achieve understanding. Much LOVE, fellow Friends in Christ!…and they were not able to resist…the wisdom and the spirit…by which he (Stephen) spake… (Acts 6:10)

John 14:28.    Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye LOVED me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

John 14:28.    Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye LOVED me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
 
Oh Friends, the day of our T.A.P. (temporary absence pass) is here! Yes, it is Friday, and the powers that be, in their worldly wisdom have begrudgingly granted us two big days off from our weekly labour. Wow! How generous they are eh! (smile) This modern day life is so busy, the pace so hectic, that two days off pass like nothing, especially when we have to straighten up our own private affairs that we couldn’t find time for during the workweek. However my people, two days off are two days off, and we’re exceedingly thankful, because many on our planet don’t even get one day off. That’s why on Fridays we shout ‘T.G.I.F! Thank God it’s Friday!’ In addition to what we have going for us in the world, we also have the Holy Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ operating inside of us, which means we have the best of both worlds, so there’s no need to be worried or overly concerned, for once we walk in obedience, the Lord will look after us. And we also have our Friday Chant to uplift us, so let’s chant it loudly, with such joy and pride that the heathen will hear us and think we’re crazy. But when they see our powerful, positive reaction, they’ll come running to us, to get some of that same action. (smile) 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 Friends, now that we’ve put a smile on our faces and some joy in our hearts, let’s show the world how wonderful Jesus’ people truly are. And turning to our Bit, which we really did nothing with yesterday, let’s break it down. They are very meaningful words that our Lord Jesus spoke to His disciples, getting them ready for when He left them. ‘Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye LOVED me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.’ Now that first sentence, about going away and coming again, is actually the third time He’s mentioned that fact to them during the course of that conversation. At the beginning of Chapter 14, He tells them: ‘Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions (dwellings): if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.’ (John 14:1-4) But they really didn’t, for good, ole Doubting Thomas, had to ask about it. And after explaining that He was the only way to the Father, and if they’d known Him, they’d also know the Father, Phillip piped up and asked Him to show them the Father. And Jesus being the patient teacher, painstakingly explained it to them. (John 14:5-14) Then He promised to send them the Comforter, who would be His Spirit, (John 14:16-18) with the further proviso: ‘I will not leave you comfortless (orphans): I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.’ (John 14:18-20) Oh mih breddren, yuh see the glorious promises Jesus made to His disciples, and by extension, to all who believe in Him, which happily includes us. Unfortunately though, the disciples were an uneducated group, who though they hung out with Jesus for almost three years, still did not understand or fathom the depths of what He was really all about. And we shouldn’t blame or judge them, because many of us today, who are much more educated and enlightened about the scriptures, still can’t truly grasp the mighty platform that is Jesus. No wonder He chided them in the next sentence, and would most likely chide us today too. ‘If ye LOVED me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father:’ And Jesus is right, although I believe it’s more that they didn’t understand, couldn’t comprehend the weighty stuff He’d shared, rather than a lack of LOVE. And the Spirit just gave me the perfect example. It’s like all of us who have come or gone ‘a foreign’ or just left home for greener pastures, to better ourselves, improve our situations, with the promise to go back and get those we’ve left behind. And though when we’re leaving, there is some sadness, deep down in the hearts of those being left behind, a hope of a better tomorrow rises and fills them with the joy of that future expectation. That’s what Jesus was talking about and it’s exactly how we ought to feel today. Oh Friends, we should be filled with a sense of rejoicing because Jesus is building a better place for us when we depart this mortal coil. Salvation and Eternal Life are the greatest things for us believers to look forward to! So as Bruh Paul advised the Philippians, I’m saying to us all: ‘Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.’ (Phil.4:4) Yes mih people, rejoicing should be our middle name, because the Most High God Jehovah, that omnipotent Being, is our Creator, Friend, Father and Provider, who generously bestows mercy, LOVE, forgiveness, kindness and all good things upon us. So what’s there to be sad and miserable about eh? Jesus says to ‘Rejoice!’ So let’s go forth and do just that! More on this topic tomorrow, our God willing. Till then, walk safely with Him…and remember to REJOICE! Much LOVE!…when our God is great, LOVING, and kind…there’s no reason for us…to be sad, worried, and of a doubtful mind…
 

John 14:28.    Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye LOVED me, ye would rejoice, because I said I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
 
It’s a beautiful morning! Oh yes Friends, it is indeed a gem of a day! Maybe not particularly in our physical, economic or health environments, but for certain sure in our spiritual domain. For once again God has granted us the awesome privilege of seeing another day filled with new blessings and mercies. Oh what a most magnanimous and magnificent Deity we serve; the One and Only True God, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! Give Him much thanks and praise my brethren. And all God’s people lifted their hands, heads, hearts, eyes and minds heavenward and joyfully proclaimed: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Alpha and Omega, Creator, Provider, Father and Friend, we LOVE you dearly and give grateful thanks for your many blessings showered upon us, a lot undeserved. Above all, we offer untold thanks for your great sacrifice of LOVE, sending your Only Son Jesus to die on the cross to save our sinful souls. For that, and every other good thing that you’ve so generously bestowed on us, we sincerely praise and humbly bless your Holy Name. Amen! And now Friends, hang tight, I’ve got to go and find a Bit. (smile) Yes, on the way down to my study to write the Bit, the Spirit planted that beautiful morning idea in my brain, and I decided to see how it would play out on paper first. And that’s how it’s played out! So soon come! Oh Friends, I’m back…in two minutes. Yes, that’s all it took for me to find a Bit. I opened the Good Book at John 14 & 15, and the first words I read were: ‘Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye LOVED me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.’ Another amazement factor my Friends! And who says God isn’t good eh? I sure hope He continues to bless me by providing a Bit so easily every day. (smile) But the Spirit just gave me an aside: ‘I wouldn’t count on that nuh mih son.’  And I won’t, because I know that in this life there comes both good and bad, easy and hard, and we must learn to also accept the bad and hard with a right spirit, confidently working them through with God’s help. Now, as the pastor likes to ask: ‘Is anybody getting any help from this, this morning?’ I certainly hope so, because the Spirit has the ole fella on a roll this beautiful morning. (smile) Ah Friends, some of you might think there’s too much levity in it, but that’s one of the serious downfalls of us Christians; we don’t levitate our spirits, rejoice in Christ enough. If we’re so happy in Jesus, then it ought to show in our normal, everyday behaviour. Our Lord and Saviour always went around with a kind and pleasant demeanour, while here on earth, so why do so many of us go around with long, drawn, sour faces and dispositions eh, and supposedly being humble by dragging ourselves as it were, in the dirt, to show our humility? I’m sorry mih people, but that approach is really fleshly pride, and a sin against Holy God, for He wants us to be joyful and prosperous, going around with praise and thanksgiving, blessing and LOVING others, the same way he blesses and loves us…that’s unconditionally. And you certainly can’t do those things if you’re lost in a negative mindset. Listen to Jesus’ command to His disciples in the verse before our Bit. ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) Yes mih people, there’s no need to be worried or afraid, because we have Jesus’ peace deeply ingrained in us. And if we’re not worried and afraid, and have peace, then we should be happy and rejoice. It’s only logical. So Friends, let’s promise ourselves to go around as if we really and truly have the peace, joy, hope and LOVE of Jesus in us nuh. Otherwise we’re making a mockery of His teaching, His sacrifice on the cross and our faith. Nobody has life easy all the time, be ye rich and powerful or poor and lowly, Jesus certainly didn’t. But if we adopt a pleasant attitude, even in the rough times, we’ll be surprised at how comparatively easy and unruffled we’d get through those tough occasions. Yes mih breddren, it’s all in the attitude, the demeanour, the presence we bring to life, that makes the difference between it being pleasant, or at least tolerable, and not darm hard and intolerable. That’s why some people just seem to sail through life, while others struggle, complain and mourn in the same basic circumstances. Oh Friends, I surely hope I’m making an impact on us this morning, in terms of the attitude we espouse in this life, in our daily walk with Jesus, in being obedient to His Father’s will. We all know it’s not an easy row to hoe, but if we truly have Jesus in our hearts, then life should be a blast! Well you know what I mean. Although I see no reason why, with Jesus deeply rooted in our souls, life can’t be a blast…and also a hoot! (smile) So please, I implore us to go out into the evil, ungodly world with joy in our hearts and a youthful spring in our steps, so that the unbelievers and naysayers will become jealous, and eventually come pleading for that joy, hope and LOVE we have in Jesus. Much LOVE mih people!…if Jesus is in our hearts…then a  peaceful joy…should be radiating from our lives…   P.S. I think I’ve got to go back to ABC class, kiddie-garter, to learn to spell ‘Friends’ yes, because that’s about only the second time I’ve spelt it right all night. (smile) Much LOVE!
 

Isaiah 40:1.    Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.
 
Oh Friends, our God has certainly come out to keep my amazement in Him full and functional! Why, you ask? Because there’s been another amazement factor! I came down just now to write the Bit, feeling somewhat tired and unenthused, with a couple things on my mind that I can’t seem to resolve. So I sat there in contemplation, trying to bring my thoughts to the task. After a few moments my eyes were drawn to a note I have stuck on the desk in front of me. I’ve already shared it with you, but it’s certainly worth sharing again. It says: ‘Our task is to take hold of God’s grace, to endure our afflictions with patience without growing weary. In time, He will ‘perfect, establish, strengthen and settle us.’ We must ‘wait on the Lord’ and ‘be of good courage.’ Oh Friends, after reading that, you know my spirits were lifted, and I turned to the Good Book with some enthusiasm. And as the Lord would have it, I opened it at Isaiah 40, which is superscripted ‘Comfort through trust in the Lord.’ Hn, hn! And that customary chuckle that rises up from my soul whenever the Lord amazes me, did rise up. But how could it not, when I read: ‘Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.’ Ah mih breddren, the Lord does move in mysterious ways! For when Isaiah wrote those words, he was looking beyond the imminent captivity of Judah by her enemies. He foresaw a day of salvation when the Lord’s favour and mercy would be abundantly bestowed on them. I am also here to encourage us, to say that whatever our problems and sorrows might be now, there is a good future awaiting us if we stand strong and steadfast in the Lord. It might take what we consider a long time to come to fruition, but be sure that it will come, once we stay faithful and trust in Almighty God. Be consoled by the scripture: ‘Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; for he is faithful that promised.’ (Heb.10:23) And if that isn’t sufficient, then read Hebrews 11, that great chapter on faith, which points out how many of our fellow believers suffered, waited over long periods of time for God’s promises to be fulfilled, but never wavered in their belief. I believe that’s exactly what the Lord’s calling us to do today; wait patiently on Him, in faith. Unfortunately that’s not always easy to do, but it’s all part of our makeover to be like Jesus. And we can certainly do it, with the aid of the Holy Spirit, if we hunker down, determine in our hearts, minds and souls to please and serve Almighty God, come what may. Now according to the scholars, if we break down our Bit, there’s more to it than just what the words say. For example, ‘Comfort ye,’  (nachamu) means both ‘repent’ and ‘console.’ This implies that true repentance must be enacted before divine consolation is gained. And the words, ‘my people’ (‘ami) refers to those who are in a covenant relationship with God. The logical deduction Friends is that all believers, we who are in a covenant relationship with Jehovah God, need to repent, bare our souls to Him, before we can really receive His consolation. The onus is on us to remain faithful in the relationship. That means my people, as individuals, as small groups, as churches, villages, towns, cities and nations, we need to repent and confess before Almighty God, so that He can heal us, and also our world, both of which so desperately need healing. Isaiah wasn’t talking to individuals per se, but to the whole nation of Judah, which had gone astray from God and would receive His just judgement. But along with the justice also came the eventual pardon. We have to do likewise today, for the supposedly godly nations have all gone astray, and we’re now in a time of much tribulation on account of our disobedience. As Hosea declares: ‘For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk (the stalk has no bud): the bud shall yield no meal (it shall never produce meal): if so be it yield (if it should produce), the strangers (aliens) shall swallow it up.’ (Hos.8:7) Yes Friends, we have indeed sown many winds of iniquity, and are currently reaping the painful fruit in a whirlwind of death and destruction. However, our God would not have promised comfort if there was no hope for us in our disobedience. So let’s listen to His words, through the prophet Joel, for the second time in the past week, and do as He desires nuh. ‘Therefore also now saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: And rend (tear) your heart, and not your garments, and turn (return) unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of evil (relents from doing harm).’ (Joel 2:12-13) Oh my people, please, let’s show some wisdom and allow those words to be our comfort and saving grace nuh, as we stay steadfast and true to Almighty God. Much LOVE!…repent… for the kingdom of God…is nearer than we think…

Isaiah 51:1.    Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.
 
Oh my wonderful Friends in Christ, I hope we’re all in fine fettle this Tuesday after Valentine’s Day, and that we did our part yesterday to increase the outpouring of LOVE in our badly famished world. But even more importantly, I implore us to try and keep up that level of affection we showed to all God’s children yesterday. I know we can’t be at the top of our game every day, but we can certainly be so on most days. And that’s all Jesus really asks of us; to give it our best all the time. Now I heard somebody say recently that regardless of how old or mature we are in the faith, we should never lose the ability to be amazed by God’s doings. And that’s true Friends. We need to continually see God through child-like faith, with stars in our eyes and wonder on our minds, without doubt or distrust, so that we can keep appreciating His goodness and mercy in our lives. It’s only then that our hearts can truly be moved by His wondrous Spirit. That brings me to today’s amazement factor. As I was cleaning up some paperwork on my desk before writing the Bit, I came upon a newsletter put out by Gary Sullivan, a Real Estate Agent in my area, whom I’ve mentioned before. The good thing about Gary’s newsletter is that it has all sorts of good, useful ideas and quotes, more stuff than houses for sale. Anyway, this issue has a short piece on Wilma Rudolph, the famous Black American athlete of the 1960’s, with a couple of very interesting quotes. However, before making a firm decision to use them I decided to find a Bit first. As usual, I opened the Good Book, asking the Lord to guide me to a Bit. Lo and behold, I opened it to Isaiah 51, which is superscripted, ‘The faithful are called to courage.’ A chuckle naturally rose from my soul because Wilma Rudolph’s life was one of exceptional faith and courage. So choosing the first verse of that chapter was a no-brainer. And I obviously said a grateful, ‘Thank you Lord,’ for it’s not always so easy to find a Bit. That’s the kind of stuff I mean when I say we should keep being amazed by God’s doings; small incidents that don’t shake the earth, but do help tremendously in our lives. The big stuff will always amaze us, but it’s the appreciation of the small things that will keep our hearts young and joyful in the Lord. Oh Friends, as Isaiah called his people to courage back then, so am I calling all true believers to have faith and courage today, to stand strong and steadfast in the Lord, no matter what trials and tribulations come our way. ‘Hearken to me, ye that follow after (pursue) righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.’ Yes mih people, all of us who pursue righteousness, who put our trust and faith in Jesus Christ, we need to steadfastly look to Him, the rock, the tower of strength from which we were made and from whence comes our power. Remember, God made us in His own image, so we already have the seeds of some of His features, like trust, strength and faith planted in us. Now we have to nurture those seeds so that they may grow bountifully in our lives. But unfortunately too many of us pay more attention to the hole in which we’re in, our negative circumstances, rather than focusing on Christ, the strong tower. Remember Friends, that Jesus is the only one who can truly lift us up out of any mire in which we’re stranded. And Wilma Rudolph’s story is a glowing example of that rising from the mire of adversity through faith and courage…and hard work. We always tend to forget the hard work, but that’s very necessary too. As a grown woman and successful athlete, she staunchly declared: ‘Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion. The potential for greatness lives within each of us.’ And that my brethren is gospel truth! Hear her story: Born prematurely in 1940, 4 1/2 pounds, to a poor backwoods family in Tennessee, 20th of 22 children, she suffered all sorts of illnesses at a young age, including scarlet fever, pneumonia and then the clincher, polio. That meant she had to wear leg braces. The doctors claimed she’d never walk again, but in God’s sphere, never doesn’t exist. And so, in His overall plan, she was gifted with a mother of great faith, who told her that she could do whatever she wanted, and that she would walk again. Thankfully, she believed her mother and not the doctors, and at 9 took off her braces, and by 12 was walking normally. Obviously it wasn’t easy, but that’s the strength of the human spirit, especially when it’s surrounded and supported by others of faith and trust. The rest is history: a basketball star in high school, a top class sprinter in university, a bronze medal winner on the U.S relay team in the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. Then four years later, at the Rome Olympics in 1960, the crowning glory: three gold medals; the 100 and 200 metres races, and the anchor of the 4 x 100 relay team, thus becoming the first female runner to win three gold medals at the same Olympic Games. Wow! And all God’s people declared with joyful tears: ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ Yes Friends, things that look impossible when we look to man or Lucifer, become possible when we look to God, our sure rock and strong tower. So let’s promise ourselves, today, RIGHT NOW, that we’ll stop letting Lucifer and his evil cohorts lead us down the garden path to ruin. Instead, we’ll look up to Jesus, who only desires to raise us heavenward. And we’ll end with one more quote from Wilma Rudolph, a telling one too: ‘Believe me, the reward is not so great without the struggle.’ That my people is also gospel, because we don’t appreciate our good fortune half as much if we don’t struggle for it. So let’s keep the power to dream alive and kicking nuh! Much LOVE!…to overcome…you must look up…at Jesus…