SCRIP-BITS

Romans 12:3.     For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.  
 
Oh Friends, it’s Friday! Yes, that joyful day that heralds the upcoming weekend. And for once the majority of workers are on the same page, expressing the sentiment ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ Some will use the time off to party, others to just laze around, while some unlucky ones will have to catch up on the housework they ignored during the rigorous workweek. But one thing is certain, regardless of how the weekend is used, we’ll all complain that it’s way too short. However, as believers, we have our Friday Chant that helps to put everything in its proper perspective. So let’s chant nuh. ‘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, with the help of Almighty God, the weekend will do wonders for our minds, souls and bodies, so that come Monday we’ll be fighting fit and ready to battle once again. But in all of that we have to be very careful of our attitudes, in terms of our Bit: ‘For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.’ Bruh Paul was here writing to the Roman Church re the service of LOVE for all. The basic story here is that we ought not to get too ‘hoighty toighty,’ too swell headed over our gifts from God, neither should we become too humble, having no pride at all in our abilities and gifts. It’s a fine balancing act to do it properly, but do it we must, for Christ’s Church is based on a solid combination of both pride and humility. Now if we break down our Bit, what do we find? In the opening words, Bruh Paul talks about the grace given to him, which obviously came from the Almighty, but still caused some confusion between him and the apostles in Jerusalem. The latter doubted his authority to preach the gospel, and also having knowledge of his earlier persecution of believers, didn’t help matters either. However, fourteen years after visiting Jerusalem, Bruh Paul was led by the Spirit to go back there, accompanied by Barnabas and Titus. While there he conferred privately with the senior apostles re the gospel he was preaching to the Gentiles. Obviously there were some who negated his teaching, and the contentious matter of circumcision also came up. But Bruh Paul paid them no heed, since they added nothing to him or his ministry. (Gal.2:1-6) In the end though common sense won out: ‘But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; For he that wrought effectually (worked effectively) in Peter to apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty (worked effectively) in me toward the Gentiles: And when James, Cephas (Peter), and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen (Gentiles), and they unto the circumcision. Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward (eager) to do.’ (Gal.2:7-10) Oh Friends, yuh see the confusion that can be caused in Christ’s Church when pride and ego get the better of us. Although Bruh Paul was doing great work amongst the Gentiles, some of the Jerusalem elders still argued about circumcision for believers, as well as disputing his authority, possibly thinking that his status was inferior because he had not personally walked with Jesus, as some of them had. But you don’t have to actually walk with Jesus on earth to be granted His grace, else none of us today would have it. And it’s a sad commentary on Christ’s Church, that a lot of that petty nonsense and stupid bickering still goes on today, causing it to break up into even smaller divisions than we already have. Christ’s Church is supposed to be one whole, viable, spiritual body, not many small, contentious groups. Oh Friends, please remember Jesus’ wise words: ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.’ (Matt.12:25) So as true followers of Christ, let’s try and cut down the divisions nuh, and start rebuilding the connections for a healthy Church. That’s the only way it will survive against the enemy’s planned and vicious onslaught. More tomorrow on this subject, our God in favour. Till then, please walk safely with Him. Much LOVE!…divide and conquer…the enemy’s successful modus operandi against Christ’s Church…time to stop it…

Isaiah 40:31.    But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
 
Oh Friends, it’s good news! Four out of five groundhogs (woodchucks) apparently did not see their shadows today, which means winter will soon be over. Praise the Lord! Ah mih breddren, it sure is nice to have hope, but the truth is that winter usually lasts for the same length of time every year, though the ends may be a little colder or warmer. But it’s good to have a bit of folklore in the midst of the freezing, depressing cold to boost your spirits and give you the energy and enthusiasm to keep keeping on despite the mind-numbing temps. All we can really do is wait patiently for it to end, like we have to do for many things, especially God’s Word. Our Bit is quite decisive on that point: ‘But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.’ Words of Wisdom mih people! Now yesterday we touched on scriptures that dealt with the waiting, today we’ll look at some that deal with the renewing of strength, the mounting up with wings like eagles, the running and not being weary, the walking and not fainting. Let’s begin with some enthusiastic and inspiring words from Bruh David. In Psalm 37, the true state of the wicked, he boldly declares: ‘The steps of a good man are ordered (established) by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.’ (Ps.37:23-24) Then in Psalm 103, where he’s offering thanks for the Lord’s generous mercy, he confidently intones: ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits…. Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagles.’ (Ps.103:2,5) Yes Friends, it’s the strength of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that holds us up, that keeps us from falling, though we may stumble. And when we simply can’t go anymore, it’s our God who carries us on His strong shoulders, that’s why sometimes there is only one set of footprints in the sandy paths of our journey. And if we wait patiently on Him, He will definitely renew our strength, uplift our bodies and souls from the depths of exhaustion and the mire of depression. As Bruh Paul in his famous discourse to the Corinthians on living by faith proclaims: ‘But we have this treasure in earthen vessels (humanity in its weakness), that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 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; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body… For which cause we faint not (do not lose heart); but though our outward man perish (is perishing), yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.’ (2 Cor.7-10,16-17) Oh mih people, what a wonderful God we serve! Despite all those trials and tribulations, once we wait on the Lord, stand strong in faith, they will not defeat us. As Isaiah loudly proclaims: ‘Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint (weak); and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.’ (Is.40:28-29) Oh Friends, the many problems we face in this world tend to beat us down, and if we allow them to, they certainly will. However, as believers we are fortunate to have a strong and noble choice; namely to accept the Lord’s faithful promises and to wait on His timing to fulfill them. And if we do that sincerely, then this cruel, evil, selfish, greedy, oppressive world will NEVER beat us down. Oh, it will always keep trying, but once we stand fast in God’s trust, grace and mercy, we shall ALWAYS overcome. So remember to be strong and find your faith and endurance in the Word when adversity comes, as it surely will. Much LOVE!…in the world ye shall have tribulation…but be of good cheer…I have overcome the world… (John 16:33)

Isaiah 40:31.    But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
 
Oh Friends, January is over! Praise the Lord! One less month of this sordid, disgusting winter to go! But chuh! February seems intent on coming in like the proverbial lion, for we’re supposed to have another wretched snowstorm today and tomorrow, with much accumulation of the white stuff. The traffic, normally horrendous, will be even worse, and no doubt the numerous accidents will factor into the rise in auto insurance rates next year. And by the way, you U.S. Friends, please note that contrary to popular opinion, this storm, and all the others we’ve had so far, have sadly begun in the U.S, then wended their destructive way up north, not vice versa. And having gotten our facts straight (smile) let’s hear an interesting quote from the one and only Mother Teresa. She is supposed to have said that ‘We can do no great things…only small things with great LOVE.’ Far be it from me to question her wisdom, but I’ll say that whatever we do, big, small or in-between, we ought to do it with great LOVE, for that’s Jesus’ nature, and as His followers, we ought to have the same feelings and attitudes just oozing out of our pores. (smile) So you say that’s not easy to do in the kind of world we live in, with the evil, selfish, ungodly people that surround us. So what? Jesus did it! And though we don’t have all the godly and saintly parts that He had, if we’re truthful, we’ll agree that there’s lot’s of room for improvement. And strange as it might seem, our Bit, a scripture that every Christian knows, or ought to know, does have a lot to do with those godly and LOVING character traits we desire to establish. ‘But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ Wow! What a true and moving testimony that is my people! But unfortunately, like so much of the godly straight and narrow way, it’s so difficult to truly put into practice, especially with the current ‘want it now, if not yesterday,’ mindset that exists in our society. And I’m chuckling here mih breddren, because the Spirit is coaxing me into sharing a little personal testimony. Ah well, what can I do but obey! The truth is that I have a couple of important decisions to make in my personal life in the next few weeks, and my spirit is calm and peaceful about them, but a couple of my confidantes are busy trying to get me to make those decisions, sooner rather than later, and sometimes the pressure annoys me. Now don’t get me wrong, I am concerned about them, and have been talking to the Lord about them, though with no definitive answers as yet, but when my old, arthritic knees begin to seriously ache and the basic aspects of my life like walking, bending, sitting, standing and sleeping reach frustrating proportions, I just put aside everything else. However, in the last few days I’ve been drawn to reading some material on waiting on the Lord. And as He would have it, tonight, just before looking for a Bit, I picked up the January issue of the In Touch monthly magazine and began reading the articles. Now I do this in a zigzag way. I read the devotions everyday with my mother, but then, at the end of the month, I begin reading the articles at the front. And lo and behold, what does Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) talk about in January…obviously waiting on the Lord. As usual I had to chuckle, for when I can’t fathom what the Lord’s trying to tell me, I ask Him to read and spell for me; that’s break it down into the simplest terms, show me exactly what He means or wants, so that even a fool could understand. Well if this isn’t one of those cases where He is reading and spelling for me, I don’t know what is, for the signs couldn’t be any clearer than for me to wait on Him. Therefore the Bit was also a no-brainer. But mih people, waiting on the Lord, as most of you know, is one of the hardest things to learn, if not the hardest. And waiting patiently, as we ought to, is even harder. Now please note that waiting, and waiting patiently doesn’t mean that we just sit down with our arms folded and wait for the Lord to do His thing. No sir! In every situation that calls for waiting, there is stuff that we’re supposed to do while waiting, be it praying, meditating, learning and/or straightening up things that need doing before the big day comes. So waiting is never an idle, lazy time, but one where we still diligently do the small, sort of insignificant stuff to prepare ourselves for God’s decisive action. And note too, that the waiting must also be of an expectant kind; meaning waiting expectantly, with faith, that God will lead us to the right decision, and on time too. The timing though should not be a problem, because I can confidently tell you from long, hard experience, even before I was so spiritually involved, that He’s NEVER LATE. Oh Friends, the number of times the Lord’s shown up in the nick of time for me are too numerous to count. But that’s enough for today. There’s much more to come, our God in favour. So please remember to include the Lord in all your activities and decisions. Prayerfully ask His advice on everything, big, small and otherwise, then wait patiently, with expectant hope for His sure and correct answer. Much LOVE!…all the days of my appointed time (hard service)…will I wait…till my change come… (Job 14:14) And I just tuned in to Wack 90.1 to hear some gospel and what blasted out at me, but ‘God is LOVE…God is LOVE…God so LOVED the world that He gave His only Son, He laid down his life for you and me…Please remember that…God is LOVE…so hold on tight…doh let go…Much LOVE!
 

Luke 15:2.    And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

Luke 15:2.    And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

Luke 15:2.    And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

Luke 9:50.    And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.
 
Oh Friends, the weekend is upon us once again, and I can hear the joy and frivolity in our voices as we enthuse and exclaim: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ That means it’s time for our Friday chant. So let’s chant, 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.’ And having chanted that prayer, our spirits should be revitalized and able to help us to keep on soaring like the eagles we are in Jesus. Turning to our Bit, which is one of those events that’s not recorded in the gospels of Matthew or John, but are found in Luke and Mark. It stems from a statement by John: ‘Master, we saw one casting out devils (demons) in thy name; and we forbade him, because he followeth not with us. And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.’ (Luke 9:49-50) Ah mih people, Jesus was fond of these little sayings and knew their benefits. Someone casting out demons had to be working with the Holy Spirit, for as He said when talking about a house divided being unable to stand: ‘And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.’ (Matt.12:26-28) So technically speaking, if you’re not obviously rooting for the enemy, then you’re on safe ground. Likewise, He said a little later on in Matthew: ‘He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.’ (Matt.12:30) Contrary to some opinions, the scholars point out that those two verses don’t contradict each other, because they address different situations. In the context of Matthew 12:30, where it boils down to a critical point of accepting or rejecting Jesus, not being for Him amounts to opposing Him, as Jesus declares in John: ‘He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.’ (John 3:18) However, if we’re referring to someone trying to work in Christ’s name, but perhaps with limited knowledge of Him, there’s no need to put out or quench that latent fire. And a good example of that is the early days of Apollos’ ministry: ‘This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently (accurately) the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.’ (Acts 18:25) His knowledge was limited to John’s teaching, but instead of shutting him up, Aquila and Priscilla realized his potential and took him under their wing ‘and expounded (explained) unto him the way of God more perfectly (accurately).’ (Acts.18:26) And we know afterwards Apollos went on to do great work in Christ’s Name. So hopefully there’ll be no more controversy over those two passages. And we’ll end with a perusal of Mark’s version of the incident because he gives it much more airtime than Luke. John’s statement is the same: ‘But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly (soon afterward) speak evil of me. for he that is not against us is on our part (side). For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.’ (Mark 9:39:41) Therefore Friends, before we criticize or legitimize situations like those we looked at today, we must first check out the underlying circumstances very carefully, for depending on their context, they could fall into either category, and we certainly don’t want to make poor choices by legitimizing the wrong one, and criticizing the right one. If you know what I mean? (smile) Let’s think on those things today Friends, see if we know of any persons who could fit into either category. And if by chance we do know anyone, consider also if there’s anything we can do to help them. This will surely assist in our understanding of the Lord’s Word. Till we meet again tomorrow, our God in favour, please walk in peace and safety with Him. Much LOVE!…shortcomings are only a problem…if we don’t believe in Christ…and are also rooting against Him…  P.S. As the song on the radio is saying, remember to: ‘Start your day with LOVE, for God is LOVE. And LOVE is stronger than war. LOVE will destroy every foe. LOVE will make your good times last. LOVE will heal our past. So give LOVE today…and everyday… Give LOVE today…and everyday…
 

Matthew 19:17.    And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
 
Ah Friends, here is the Bit I planned to write yesterday, that is before I was strong-armed, railroaded by the Holy Spirit. (smile) But that’s an occupational hazard when you’re working closely with Him. Anyway, let’s begin with a priceless quote from Benjamin Franklin. ‘Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbours, and let each new year find you a better man.’ Definitely good words to live by Friends! Just like those of our Saviour when the rich, young man came asking him: ‘Good Master (teacher) what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?’ (Matt.19:16) And I like how Jesus stopped him in his tracks by saying: ‘Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is God:’ And that’s the living truth my people! Only our God is really good through and through. Several of His prophets said it, amongst them Jeremiah, when prophesying on Judah’s revitalization: ‘Praise the Lord of hosts: for the Lord is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: ‘ (Jer.33:11) The prophet Nahum also declared the Lord’s goodness. ‘The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.’ (Nah.1:7) The important thing to note here Friends is Jesus’ humility. Although He was a part of the triune Godhead, He made no account of Himself here on earth, but shunted all the glory, goodness and praise to the Father, as a faithful and righteous Son is wont to do. And that’s the kind of attitude we believers ought to have in our dealings with others; one of humility, of not making too much of ourselves. Although we may be better off, say in terms of education, economic wealth and political power, we must not let those earthly concerns colour our work for Jesus, since whatever advantages we do have are blessings from the Lord to enable us to do His work. We have obviously invested time, effort and materials, but it’s God who truly gave the increase. In these modern times though, it’s a sad fact that humility is a forgotten word and tendency. The in-thing is to beat one’s chest, blow our horn and egotistically declare: ‘Look at me! Look where I’ve come from; from extreme poverty to immense wealth, power and fame!’ Now it’s all well and good to feel proud of our achievements, but certainly not to the extent that you lord it over others, for you’ve got to remember that if the Father had not blessed your endeavours, you’d be a have-not just like those you despise and look down on. So, first having shown His humility, Jesus then answers the man’s question: ‘what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?’ This implies that he possibly thought some good deed would bring him that benefit, which we now know is impossible. And Jesus answers him: ‘but if thou wilt (want to) enter into life, keep the commandments.’ The fellow asks which ones, and Jesus tells him about not committing, murder, adultery, stealing and lying, while honouring his parents and LOVING his neighbour as himself. To which he replied: ‘All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt (want to) be perfect, go and sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.’ (Matt.19:20-22) Oh Friends, have you ever noticed that though Jesus’ answers are always kindly, they often have a stinging whiplash too? Jesus did not really want the young man to go and sell his possessions and give the money away, He was just pointing out that keeping the outward duties of the commandments is not enough. His great desire to hold on to his immense wealth showed his selfishness, he cared much more about himself than his neighbours, and also cared far more about his possessions than he did God. And so it often is with us when the Lord instructs us to give up certain things, but we walk away with a sorrowful heart because those things are more important to us than the Father’s will. We ought to know by now that the Lord never asks us to do anything that’s not for our eventual benefit. However Friends, please note, per the scholars, that that bit of scripture is there just to show the seriousness of true discipleship, and certainly doesn’t mean that the average man must sell his earthly possessions to be considered a true Christian. We have to realize my brethren that following Christ consists of not only an outward obedience, but also an inner, spiritual undertaking, and neglect of either aspect is disobedience. So please, let’s avail ourselves of some quiet time and ponder whether we are doing both, as we ought to. That’s today’s assignment. Much LOVE!…our bodies are the temple of God…and they contain His Holy Spirit…so both are important to Him…

Matthew 19:17,    And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life; keep the commandments.
 
Oh Friends, another day has dawned in this long, cold winter weather that’s trying to kill both my body and my spirit! But I have a zeppo, a message for it from Almighty God that it will kill neither, because the Lord’s working on my behalf both physically and spiritually. He’s faithfully promised that whenever I am weak or stumbling He will strengthen and uphold me with His righteous right hand. And the awesome thing about that promise is that it’s not meant only for me, but for everyone who believes and puts their trust in His Son and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Wow! What a mighty promise! And all God’s people rose up in joyful gratitude and with one accord loudly declared: ‘Blessed is the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! Worthy is His glorious name to be praised!’ Yes, it certainly is. So Friends, whatever is bothering you today, threatening to do you harm, to steal your joy, peace and faith in God, please don’t let it. Put up a STOP sign, a roadblock with the faithful promises of your God, the ONE and ONLY TRUE Deity that exists. He created the universe and all therein and still controls everything that happens in it. So though some of His actions seem counterproductive and even unfair, we won’t be overly concerned because we know He’s operating on a much higher level than our puny human minds can ever imagine or comprehend. He also says in His Word that everything He does will eventually work out for good to those who LOVE and obey Him. And though our lives may be turned topsy-turvy at times, of this one thing we’re very sure and confident; He LOVES us, and that LOVE comes with no strings attached either. Why are we so sure of this fact? Because He sent His only Son Jesus, to die as a sacrifice for us, on an old wooden cross, on a crusty hill overlooking an inhospitable gully. Yes my brethren, the Lord’s Son, Jesus, for our sake, died one of the most despicable, horrible, humiliating and painful deaths possible. Now why would an omnipotent Deity do such an outlandish thing for unworthy, sinful, idolatrous, disobedient, blasphemous souls like us eh, unless he possessed a real great affection for the children of men? And why shouldn’t He feel affection for us since He was the one who made us in the first place? It’s just like we experience with our earthly children, whom we raise as best we can, but some turn out to be real bad seeds and drift off into a totally disgusting lifestyle. Their behaviour obviously saddens us and breaks our hearts, like our disobedience does to God, but if they do change their lifestyle and come back home to us, most of the time we embrace them with open arms, because they are still our children and deep down we still LOVE them.  Oh mih people, it’s the same thing with our God, except for one major, one critical difference; He welcomes back each and every repentant ALL the time. He never stops LOVING us or turns us away, the way we do some of our really good for nothing children. And that’s why He’s such a great God and Father. He is personified by the most amazing and powerful emotion in existence; LOVE. That’s why we say God is LOVE, and LOVE is of God, and that LOVE makes the world go round! Unfortunately though, a major proportion of our society don’t see it that way, and that ungodly reaction ends up causing the many problems that disrupt, destroy, demean and dehumanize our wonderful world. But there are two important thing for believers to remember; first that God is in control – always was, and always will be, and while there’s life, there’s always hope. Jesus died to give us salvation and eternal life and also that we might enjoy this earthly life more abundantly. So why aren’t we doing that eh? Too many of us are living scared, confused, fearful, miserable lives, which simply negates Jesus’ efforts. Please remember that life is a journey, not a destination. We already know that our destination, heaven, will be great, but our heavenly Father also wants us to enjoy the earthly trip to His heavenly home. If we don’t, then we’re not true believers and not showing the LOVE, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, mercy, etc. that our Saviour Jesus showed, and said we should show. He expects His followers to live up to a high standard of excellence in all their doings. Oh Friends, we all know that it’s not easy to live up to Jesus’ expectations in this cruel, evil, corrupt and destructive world, but it’s certainly possible if we trust, have faith, believe and surrender our lives to Infinitely Everything. He’s shown us again and again that doing so brings unimaginable benefits, and though interspersed with the rough times, those benefits make the rough times seem like child’s play. And I guess you all are wondering what this Bit is all about eh? Well I wondered too after I wrote the first few lines and then it just took on a life of its own. Obviously I chuckled along the way, but my guess is that the Spirit wanted us to have a general overview of our faith and life’s goals under Jesus’ direction, highlighting the significant aspects that empower, exhort and educate believers, enabling them to stand strong and steadfast, just like the Rock upon which our faith is built; Jesus. Oh Friends, I certainly hope I’ve done that, and these words will help to increase our strength, courage, faith and trust in the One True God of our universe. And for those who think I’ve written nonsense, please remember that the wise man is the one who can pick sense from nonsense. (smile) Just couldn’t resist the temptation to include that. Anyway mih people, we’ll continue this Bit tomorrow, our God in favour. Till then, please walk safely ensconced in the sure embrace of His ever-LOVING arms. Much LOVE!…there is none good but one…that is God…