Ecclesiastes 10:12 The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.
Oh Friends, oh Friends, the Lord certainly put the ole fella through the ringer this morning. I just couldn’t find a Bit to get my head around. And though I knew that I would eventually find or be led to one, I was getting a tad anxious with time running out and me still lost in no-Bit land. (smile) Obviously, I cried out for help, but as I keep reminding us, help didn’t come until the Lord was good and ready; in His own time, not mine. Ah Friends, that just brings up the important point, that even when we are doing good things for God, we still need to wait on Him, because everything in our world moves on His time frame, not ours. It also helps to keep us humble and down to earth, remembering that whatever good deed we’re doing is not about us, but about our God, for too often we tend to get caught up in our importance in the work, rather than God’s. And when I was finally led to a Bit I could handle, I had to laugh, note a respectful laugh, not a derisive one, because it seemed so…simple. Simple is not the proper word, but it’s the best I can do right now since I’m hurrying to write this to get it out on time. There I go again! I’m trying to operate on my schedule, not the Lord’s, and Friends, that only gets us in trouble, which in a way ties in with our Bit, because when we’re not wise and wait on the Lord, we usually end up like the fool, in the mire. Now mih people, words are our greatest and most used tool of communication, and believe me, they can make or break us; as an individual, a family, a nation, or even our entire world. Words are what have led to most of the wars in our world. That means they are very, very important. We’ve got to be rather careful about what we say, and to whom, especially in these foolish times of overdone political correctness. Yes Friends, I consider most of this current political correctness as dumb, unnecessary stuff. Granted, at one stage in our evolution we weren’t very perceptive or considerate of the way certain words and terms affected others, but unfortunately, now we’ve taken it too far; like the proverbial pendulum, we’ve swung from one end right over to the other. Why is it that so often in life we can’t find a happy medium, or mid point, but must always swing from side to side eh? I thought life was supposed to be a continuum; you go along a path, wide or narrow, crooked, or straight, until you find a wise, comfortable spot, then you stop there. But like I’m mistaken, for nowadays we just seem to swing, like Tarzan, from one side of the problem right to the other, then back again, with no happy medium point. Anyway mih people, any way you cut it up, a wise man will do the wise thing, and a fool, the foolish. Like the author of Ecclesiastes says: ‘The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.’ And we all know that to be gospel mih breddren, because all of us have put our feet in our mouths at one time or another and proven ourselves more foolish than wise. That’s why it’s ever so important to take our time before speaking and choose our words very carefully. As you can see from the very talkative society that we’ve recently evolved into, with all the tweeting and twittering nonsense, people are getting themselves into more trouble with their words than ever before. The technology is worldwide, and so is Big Brother, so we never know who is listening to what we say. Now this is borne out so well by the following verse that I had to include it. ‘Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.’ (Eccl.10:20) Yes Friends, carelessly spoken words have a way of getting back to, or being discovered by those in authority. However, despite all the political correctness or incorrectness my people, a believer’s words should always be gracious, pleasing, agreeable, benevolent and courteous, not condescending, indulgent or sarcastic. And the best example of that is of course our Lord and Saviour Jesus, particularly on that day He taught in His hometown of Nazareth. After He’d read the scripture pertaining to Him, (Luke 4:18-19) the Good Book declares: ‘And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth…’ (Luke 4:22) Yes Friends, wherever our Saviour went, and to whom ever He spoke, His words were always gracious, even when they contained disapproval. And even so should our words be acknowledged, by both believers and unbelievers. It’s not easy, especially with all the anger, confusion, bitterness, resentment and divisions that currently hold our world in a vice-like grip, but nonetheless, as true followers of Christ, we must always endeavour to come across as kind and gracious. But sadly, that’s where so many of us get caught out; we pretend to be what we’re not. And yuh know my brethren that it’s our hearts the Lord looks at and judges, not merely our words. So for many of us, our first priority ought to be to develop a truly kind and gracious heart, then we won’t have to worry as much about what we say. Remember Jesus’ warning: ‘Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.’ (Mat.15:11) And we’ll end with a little reminder of it all from the wisest of men, Cousin Sol: ‘The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness (perversity).’ (Prov.10:32) Let’s write that in our hearts and souls my Friends in Jesus, it will save us much pain and heartache. Till tomorrow then, when, God willing, we’ll deal with the foolish side of the equation. In the meantime, may we all walk in peace, with many blessings bestowed on us from the Father. Much LOVE! …our words… though basically wind…can often hurt or do more harm…than physical blows…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 August 2010 Ecclesiastes 10:12
25 Aug 2010 Leave a comment
Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 August 2010 Proverbs 28:13
24 Aug 2010 Leave a comment
And all God’s people joyfully shouted: ‘Thank you Lord!’ and joyously rushed to confess their sins. Hn! Oh Friends, if that were only true eh! But unfortunately we do more hiding of our iniquity than confessing, which is a fool’s wisdom, as though the Lord doesn’t already know all that we do, and all that’s in our sinful souls and hearts. And in any case, this isn’t for the Lord’s benefit, but solely for ours. Haven’t we read or heard Cousin Sol’s very instructive words? ‘He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.’ So mih people, why don’t we confess and forsake our sins that we can receive mercy and prosper eh? Who knows? I certainly don’t, though I can offer a few suggestions. The first is obvious: If you’re not a Christian, then you have no use for forgiveness of sins. Then the saddest and most foolish is that we don’t really believe deep down in our hearts and souls, although we say so, that God can, or will forgive our sins, which are numerous, not to mention the rather heinous ones. But that’s a sad fallacy my people. We can commit no sins, grave or plentiful enough, that the Lord isn’t willing to forgive, if we come sincerely humble and penitent, asking for mercy and forgiveness. Another possibility could be that we like committing the sin(s) so much, that we know asking for forgiveness will be downright mockery since we intend to commit it, or them, over and over again. We figure that asking forgiveness, then continuously doing them is worse than not asking forgiveness at all. In our warped way of thinking, the Lord will have less to hold against us. Oh the mind games that men play with themselves eh! The way we confuse and ‘confuffle’ ourselves with Lucifer’s generous help is truly amazing! My Friends, hiding our sin only increases our stress and fear levels, and forces us to live in darkness, confusion and unhappiness. Haven’t you noticed that when you get something that’s worrying you off your chest, whatever it is, that you feel better, lighter, your soul feels relieved and unburdened? Well I can certainly vouch for that, for over the years I’ve found that when I keep some negative thing inside, it only irritates me more, increasing my anger and tension. But as soon as I’ve confronted the problem, brought it out into the open, then wonder of wonders, I feel totally relieved! The others involved might not feel that way, but I do. Gimme a big smile there mih children! My family might smile now, but on the occasions when I awoke them at some ungodly hour and released my frustration and exasperation, they surely didn’t smile then. So mih breddren, if a simple ironing out of some misunderstanding can bring so much peace and relief in human relationships, just imagine what the unburdening of your soul to your merciful, forgiving and ever LOVING heavenly Father will do. Now hear these words of Amy Michelle Pitzele that highlight our topic very nicely. Amy was nine when she wrote them. ‘So never let a cloudy day ruin your sunshine, for even if you can’t see it, the sunshine is still there, inside of you, ready to shine, when you will let it.’ Oh Friends, what truly unbelievable wisdom can come forth from the mouths of babes and sucklings at times! Bruh David pointed it out. (Ps.8:2) And Jesus reiterated it. (Mat.21:16) And this is a perfect instance of that truth, for the sins in our lives are like the dark clouds that hide the sun from our sight. That doesn’t mean the sun isn’t up there shining brightly in the noonday sky, it’s only hidden from us by a thick layer of dark clouds. However, once the clouds are blown away by the refreshing wind, voila! The sun is revealed in all its glorious splendour! Oh Friends, it’s the same with the sin in our souls; once we confess them to our heavenly Father, all the layers of dark clouds, which consist of fear, doubt, insecurity etc. are all driven away by the Father’s mercy and forgiveness. But remember too, as we said yesterday, we also have to accept that mercy and forgiveness, and stop feeling guilty, or else the whole exercise will be fruitless. But enough of my theorizing. (smile) Let’s hear now from Bruh David on the blessedness of forgiveness, a topic he knew very well. ‘Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not (does not charge his account with) iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile (deceit).’ (Ps.32:1-2) And a loud ‘Amen!’ went up from the congregation. Now here’s the opposite side of the coin; when we don’t ask forgiveness and our souls are not released from their sins. ‘When I kept silence, my bones waxed (grew) old through my roaring (groaning) all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture (vitality) is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.’ (Ps.32:3-4) Ah mih people! Yuh see the difference? Like night and day, when our souls are relieved of the terrible stress and tension that our sins place on them. So Friends, here’s what we going to do: like the sensible, wise believers we all are, we’re going to sincerely confess our sins to Almighty God, and ask for His mercy and pardon, so that we can drive the sinful darkness out of our souls and replace it with the brilliant, godly light that’s Jesus. Then, like Bruh David, we’ll be able to proudly proclaim: ‘I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.’ (Ps.32:5) Yes Friends, that’s wisdom at its finest! Let’s remember that and keep renewing the light in our souls every day. It will bring great pleasure to our God. Much LOVE!…hiding sin leads to deathly darkness…while true confession erodes that darkness…paving the way to eternal light and life…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 August 2010 Psalm 51:10
23 Aug 2010 Leave a comment
Oh yes Friends, it’s Monday morning and we’re all excited, chomping at the bit to get out there and engage Beelzebub and his bully boys in spiritual warfare! Wow! We’ve had a good rest and amazing fellowship this weekend, and now we’re dressed in our full suit of spiritual armour, fully restored and re-energized with a new and stronger commitment to go out into the sinful, ungodly world we inhabit and save many souls for Christ! And all God’s people joyfully chorused: ‘Glory Hallelujah! All thanks and praise to the Lamb who selflessly sacrificed His innocent life for us!’ Ah mih people, if all of that was actually true eh. What a feather that would be in the Lord’s cap! Some of it is true though, and we’re hoping and believing with steadfast faith that as time goes by, we’ll get a full house of believers all singing the Monday Morning Battle Song of LOVE. (smile) And Friends, the wonderful thing is that’s what our Bit today is beseeching our God to do: ‘Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.’ We’re asking Him to cleanse our hearts of all the nefarious, sinful designs and desires that constantly flow through it and rejuvenate our spirit, so that we can LOVE Him more dearly and deeply. But before we get into that, here’s a little something, a truism, from Ralph Waldo Emerson. ‘Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.’ And that’s the living truth mih breddren! In fact it doesn’t only apply to peace, but to anything at all you ask for or are offered. If you don’t accept what you ask for or what’s offered, then you’ll never have it. The Lord could bless you with the world of peace, mercy, LOVE, forgiveness and what have you, but if you don’t receive it, accept it with the right heart, then the Lord’s gesture will be worthless. The same goes for our Bit my people. We can beg and beseech Him all we want for a clean heart and right spirit, but in the long run the onus is on us to accept His offer. It’s just like the worldly law of offer and acceptance; we can make all the offers we want, but until that offer is formally accepted, there’s no deal, no consummation of the matter. Psalm 51 is Bruh David’s prayer for cleansing after the prophet Nathan draped him up over his murderous and adulterous affair with Bathsheba. Bruh David could have pleaded for cleansing till he was blue in the face, but it would have been to no avail until and unless he accepted it. That’s the difference between the mature and immature believer; the former knows that asking is useless if we’re not willing to receive. The same thing goes for Bruh David’s other pleas: ‘Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin…Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free (generous) spirit.’ (Ps.51:2,11-12) Now those are all things that we too need to ask of the Lord because we are sinners by nature and don’t normally gravitate to good works, which He expects of us. Hence Bruh Paul’s statement to the Ephesians: ‘For we are his workmanship (creation), created in Christ Jesus unto (for) good works, which God hath before ordained (prepared) that we should walk in them.’ (Eph.2:10) But please note carefully Friends, that contrary to popular opinion, good works do not merit or bring salvation. That comes only through the free grace of God, when we’re spiritually reborn in Christ, and His motto, His modus operandi is doing good works. Hear it from Bruh Paul himself: ‘For by grace are ye saved (you have been saved) through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.’ (Eph.2:8-9) So it logically follows my brethren, that if we are followers of Jesus, then we are expected to do good works since that’s what He’s all about. However, since we’re inherently sinful, every so often, especially when we know we’ve done wrong, we need to ask the Lord to cleanse and heal us, like Bruh David did, so we can get back on the path of righteousness that true believers are expected to walk. And we’ll end today with some strong words, directions and warnings from the Lord to Israel, when they complained that His ways were unfair. (Ezek.18:29) These words were conveyed to Israel by the prophet Ezekiel: ‘Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord God. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.’ (Ezek.18:30-32) Oh Friends, the Lord stated long ago that He got no pleasure from seeing His children, His most precious creation cast into eternal death and damnation with that fool Lucifer. And He still feels the same way. So please, I implore us, let’s clean up our acts, our hearts, souls, bodies and minds, so that we may live forever in the most blessed and holy presence of our Lord Jesus Christ and His Heavenly Father. It’s the smart thing to do. Much LOVE!…there’s nothing as hard for mankind to accept…as wise and prayerful advice…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 22 August 2010 Psalm 104:13
22 Aug 2010 Leave a comment
Oh Friends, at last the drought is over! At long last, our God saw it fit to grace my area with showers of blessings, and thankfully, the thirst of the parched land has now been quenched. Praise the Lord! And in His everlasting wisdom, it did not start with a sudden deluge, but first with a gentle sprinkling, then later, the downpour was unleashed. That’s because He knows the earth’s mechanism is like a human’s: when you’re dehydrated, it’s advisable to take small sips of liquid often, not big mouthfuls all at once, else you’ll cause further complications. Oh my brethren, how wonderful are the works of nature, fashioned and created by the Lord God Jehovah! My people, have you ever sat down, stood up, or lain down and admired the beauty of God’s handiwork, and how He preserves them? Many of us have certainly been touched at some stage in our lives by the wonders in general, or a particular wonder of nature. I know I have, and sometimes when I’m driving through a particularly beautiful area of natural, or even man-made vegetation, I’m annoyed that I have to keep my eyes on the road and can’t enjoy the lush creations of God and man to the fullest. And it’s rather sad that so many humans have no time for Mother Nature, don’t appreciate her at all. They obviously don’t realize that they’re missing out on the best part of God’s plans for us. Why do you think He placed us in such beautiful surroundings eh? For us to enjoy them; to feast our eyes, in fact all of our senses, on His marvellous handiwork; to enrich our spirits and our lives; to bring peace and quiet to the tumultuous, stressful and confusing emotions that churn within us in these rat-race days. Oh Friends, haven’t you ever noticed that when you gaze on a truly eye-catching piece of nature; a fiery sunset, a glorious full moon or a titillating bank of colourful flowers, how your soul is just suddenly overcome by a feeling of joy, your stress just evaporates and a peaceful calm takes over your body and soul, causing songs of praise and contentment to rise from deep within your joyous heart and escape through open lips that tremble with awe? That’s God’s purpose for putting us in such close contact with the natural beauty of our surroundings! Note where He first placed our fore parents, Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden, so that they could use the senses with which he imbued them, to admire and enjoy the rest of His creations. But like so many of us today, they didn’t understand or appreciate the finer things that the Most High has provided for His most precious creation. And where did Jesus go to release the pain and anguish in His soul before His crucifixion? It was in the Garden of Gethsemane that He sweated blood, contemplating the agonizing death he was about to face. Yes mih people, our Saviour chose a place of peace and quiet, of natural beauty to pray and beseech His Father in the time of His greatest desperation and need. So I don’t understand how we, in our foolish wisdom can’t appreciate and enjoy the Lord’s goodness in nature. Our ancestors surely appreciated it more than us, possibly because in their agrarian based society they depended so much on nature for their livelihood, and surely because they were not as caught up in the artificial busyness of modern day living as we are. That’s why the psalmist in his paean to God’s creation and subsequent preservation of nature could joyfully declare: ‘He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works. He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb (vegetation) for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth. And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.’ (Ps.104:13-15) And again in Psalm 147, titled ‘Great is our God and of great power,’ the psalmist proclaims with abundant joy: ‘Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry. He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of man. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy (LOVING kindness) Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem: praise thy God, O Zion.’ (Ps.147:7-12) Now hear Jeremiah: ‘When he uttereth his voice, there is the multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.’ (Jer.10:13) Yes Friends, the Lord created nature for us to use and enjoy, not abuse and desecrate. This brings back a memory of forty something years ago. As a young boy growing up in God’s Little Acre, Tobago, (smile) I would often go down to the nearby Botanical Gardens in Scarborough, not to steal their Julie mangoes children, (smile) but to sit on the steps of the empty band shell at the top of a hill and admire the beauty of nature all around me in the Gardens, and the sea in the distance in lower Scarborough. I can’t remember if it’s there I first heard an old R&B song by a U.S girl group, The Toys. I think that was their name. I don’t remember the song’s title or all of the words either, but whenever I hear it now, nostalgic thoughts of those days come to mind. And the song began: ‘How gentle is the rain, that falls softly on the meadow…’ Then something about birds flying high above, singing songs of LOVE, or words to that effect. Also; ‘See there beyond the hill, the … colours of the rainbow …some magic from above made this day, just for us to fall in LOVE,’ And isn’t that the God awesome truth Friends! The Lord God Jehovah made this day, and everyday, for His precious creation to fall in LOVE: with ourselves, with each other, and our beautiful surroundings. So let’s go out and do just that nuh; fall in LOVE! Life would be so much more interesting and enjoyable if we did as the Father asked. Much LOVE!…LOVE…it’s the only thing that will cure what ails us…and our sinful, ungodly world…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 August 2010 Job 3:20
21 Aug 2010 Leave a comment
Job 3:20 Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul?
Oh Friends, I can’t answer Job’s questions, but I do know that our God is a great and merciful Deity. Before I began writing this Bit, I had a nap to sort of rest my mind and spirit, and what do you think happened? I woke up singing ‘Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me…’ I obviously chuckled at that state of affairs, though not aware of what that meant either, since I had not gone to sleep worried or perturbed. However my brethren, I’m going to assume that the Lord in His eternal wisdom, realized that I was a bit short on grace to write this Bit, and blessed me with some, so that I could rise up energetic and enthusiastic and write powerful words in His Name. Words so powerful that they’d cause others to read, study, and inwardly digest His Word, then come to repentance, salvation and eternal life thereafter. Oh Friends, that’s my prayer; that whoever reads these words will have a new perspective on life, and will develop such an affinity for Jesus that it will turn their entire lives around, and cause them to strongly desire to be mirror images of our Lord and Saviour. I pray this in Jesus’ Name. And all God’s people responded with a loud, united, ‘Amen!’ And now, in keeping with the theme of our Bit, I have a short quote to share from Agnes Repplier, who makes a simple but stunning observation about life. ‘Life is so full of miseries, minor and major…’ Now isn’t that the living truth mih people! We are constantly bombarded by problems in this life, both large and small. Sometimes it seems there’s no end to it, for as soon as we solve one, another raises its ugly head. But Friends, that just shows why we desperately need Jesus in our lives, because He’s the only one, acting on the will of the Father, who has the wherewithal to both calm and guide us through our earthly struggles, or just banish or solve any problems completely. And this is the reaction we’ve been seeing from the three men, Job, Hezekiah and Jeremiah, who we’ve been recently studying. All of them suffered serious misfortune and/or illness while trying to live righteously, and though they were somewhat incensed and angry at the unfairness of their situation, and complained bitterly to God, none of them ever gave up on or turned against Him. And remember Friends, this was long before Jesus came to earth and preached the good news gospel, meaning that there was immense darkness in the world at that time, people weren’t as cognizant of the truth of spiritual life. That just attests to the real faith and trust that God instils in the hearts and souls of true believers. As Job proudly proclaimed: ‘Though he slay me, yet will I trust him…He also shall be my salvation: for a hypocrite shall not come before him.’ (Job 13:15-16) Oh mih people, it’s only when we possess real strong faith that we can make such statements, especially in the face of serious adversity! It’s the kind of faith that all believers ought to endeavour to achieve. But enough of my rambling. (smile) Yesterday we saw how the lives of two of these men of faith, Job and Hezekiah, turned out after their tribulation and showing of absolute trust and faith in the Lord God Jehovah. Job’s losses, property and family, were returned two fold, and he lived to a ripe old age, even seeing the fourth generation of his progeny. Meanwhile, Hezekiah was granted another fifteen years of earthly life, and was shown such an awesome sign to authenticate that promise; where the sun moved back, reversed its path, ten degrees on the sun dial. Wow Friends! What a truly magnificent and omnipotent God we serve and worship! Although I’ve read about a lot of stuff He’s done, and even personally experienced some, I’m still surprised and mesmerized whenever I consider His awesome works. Now here’s another awesome instance of His faithfulness. Remember Jeremiah was imprisoned for prophesying that Babylon would capture Jerusalem? Well when that prophecy was fulfilled, and the king of Babylon, Nebuchadrezzar, besieged, captured and burnt Jerusalem, King Zedekiah was blinded, bound in chains and taken captive to Babylon, while his sons and princes were killed. But what of Jeremiah’s fate? Hn! ‘Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard, saying, Take him, and look well to (look after) him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even (just) as he shall say unto thee. So Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard sent,…and all the king of Babylon’s princes (chief officers); Even they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and committed him unto Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, that he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the people.’ (Jer.39:11-14) Yes Friends, each man eventually did rise from their misfortune, also coming out better, stronger, more faithful and courageous for it all. That’s how the Lord often uses His people; to prove His promises and to test the levels of their stamina and faith. So the moral of the story is that when things seem pretty dark and falling apart, we ought not to fall apart ourselves, but rather turn to our Creator with greater fervour, with humility and praise, raising the level of our faith, knowing that deep down, the seeds of faith sown when we were born again are still there, germinating and sprouting, and in the Lord’s time will burst out of darkness into the light, bringing peace, an unworldly peace to our souls, that only the Spirit of God can provide. Ah my people, life’s not easy; never was, and never will be, but remember that our God is good and faithful, and when we release our entire will to Him, and stand strong in our faith, then He is liable to do wonders in our lives, more than we can ever ask or imagine. But it’s essential that despite all our whining and complaining, we don’t lose faith…NEVER EVER! So stand strong Friends! The Lord has never turned away or forsaken anyone who has sincerely called on His Holy Name, and has promised He NEVER WILL! Remember that! Much LOVE!…Amazing grace…how sweet the sound…that saved a wretch like me…I once was lost…but now am found…was blind…but now I see…twas grace that taught my heart to fear…and grace my fears relieved…how precious did that grace appear…the hour I first believed…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 August 2010 Job 3:20
20 Aug 2010 Leave a comment
Yes Friends, it’s Friday, and many of us are thanking the Lord for that! Hn! One of the few times we actually thank Him for something. But one note of caution, no two; let’s get some decent rest and participate in some fellowship with other believers so that our adrenalin level will be sky high come Monday morning. That way we can go out confidently amongst the iniquity workers and further the kingdom with a smile, instead of a frown on our beautiful, Jesus-imaging faces. (smile) Anyway, over the last couple of days we’ve been looking at the lives of those three great men of faith; Job, Hezekiah and Jeremiah, who suffered immense tribulation while pursuing a righteous life. We saw where they all bewailed and bemoaned their births, but never gave up on their God. We heard at the end yesterday from Job and Hezekiah, re their steadfast trust in the Lord. Now let’s hear from Jeremiah. While languishing in the dark, despicable dungeon, in the middle of his lament, he proudly proclaimed: ‘But the Lord is with me as a mighty terrible (awesome) one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten. But, O Lord of hosts, that triest (tests) the righteous, and seest the reins (mind) and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened (pled) my cause. Sing unto the Lord, praise ye the Lord: for he hath delivered the soul (life) of the poor from the hand of evildoers.’ (Jer.20:11-13) Yes my people, even in the dark depths of despair in the dungeon, the prophet did not turn from his faith and His God. And though many of us are not as dedicated as Jeremiah, and in such close contact with the Lord, it doesn’t matter, for not many of us have suffered his level of tribulation either. The long and short of the story though Friends, is that despite the worst disaster, trial, tribulation and problem we encounter, we ought not to give up on our God, lose faith and trust in Him. As believers, followers of Christ, it’s essential that regardless of what happens to us in this mortal life, we stand strong and steadfast in our trust and surrender to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Why? Because He knows all, sees all, controls all, and has us right where we’re supposed to be in His lifetime plan for us. It’s also important to note that all three men poured out their very souls to the Lord during their time of misfortune. They hid nothing from Him, let Him know just how they felt, but not in an arrogant, cursing manner. Friends, it’s okay to tell the Lord what’s truly in our hearts. Though He already knows it, He wants to hear it from us, to test our responses, to see if we are truthful. Remember, we can hide from others, even ourselves at times, but we can’t ever hide anything from our Creator, since He sees and knows all. Furthermore, He expects us to come crying to Him in times of hardship and trouble, so that this promise of His may be fulfilled: ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength (power) is made perfect in weakness.’ (2 Cor.12:9) Yes my people, it’s in our times of trouble, of weakness and ineptitude, that the strength and power of our God comes shining forth, brightens our darkness and furthers His kingdom. Now let’s see how it worked out in the lives of those three men. First up, Job. After being torn apart and ridiculed by his supposed friends, then challenging God -a no win situation- being humbled, and finally acknowledging the error of his ways, the Lord positively turned Job’s whole life around. ‘And the Lord turned (restored) the captivity (losses) of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before…So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. He had also seven sons and three daughters…After this lived Job a hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations. So Job died, being old and full of days.’ (Job 42:10,12-13,16-17) Ah mih people, we most certainly serve a just and righteous God. He promises that when we stand strong in His name during times of misfortune, He will bring us out of our troubles, and usually better off than before. Hezekiah had a rude awakening too, when Isaiah told him to set his house in order, his time was nigh. He broke down and wept bitter tears, crying out to the Lord, reminding Him of his sincere attempt to lead a righteous life. (Is.38:1-3) ‘Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah, saying, Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years. And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city. And this shall be a sign unto thee from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing that he hath spoken; Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees (on the sun dial), which is gone down (with the sun) in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, (on the dial) by which it was gone down.’ (Is.38:4-8) And all God’s people shouted, ‘Wow! What a great God we worship’ Oh Friends, only the mighty God who made the world, the sun and all therein, could make the sun reverse in its tracks! Unfortunately my people, time and space are against us, so we’ll close here for today. Tomorrow though, God willing, we’ll continue with the intriguing look into the active, passionate, God-fearing lives of these three men. Till then, let’s go out and try to be active, passionate and God-fearing like them nuh. It’s the only way to further the kingdom. Much LOVE!…doing…doing… done!…that’s the true believer’s cry…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 August 2010 Job 3:20
19 Aug 2010 Leave a comment
Ah mih Friends in Christ, who really knows the answers to those two questions posed by Job in our Bit eh? I guess only the Good Lord, our Creator, who still controls our world from His throne on high. Yesterday we saw how three men of great faith, Job, Jeremiah and Hezekiah, all suffered great misfortune and bore extremely bitter, complex feelings and emotions in their souls, and all bewailed the day of their birth. Job even cried out: ‘I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave. Are not my days few? Cease then, and let me be alone, that I may take comfort a little, Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness, and the shadow of death.’ (Job 10:19-21) And when Jeremiah was imprisoned for supposedly prophesying lies about Israel’s capture by Babylon, here’s how he lamented: ‘Oh Lord, thou hast deceived (induced) me, and I was deceived (persuaded): thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily (a laughingstock), every one mocketh me. For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil (plunder); because the word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me, and a derision daily. Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak anymore in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing (holding back), and I could not stay (endure). For I heard the defaming (mocking or slander) of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars (acquaintances) watched for my halting (stumbling), saying, Peradventure (perhaps) he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.’ (Jer.20:7-10) Now listen to Hezekiah’s words, concerning his termination, which he wrote after he was healed. (Is.38:4-8) ‘I said in the cutting off (middle) of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue (remainder) of my years. I said, I shall not see the Lord, even the Lord, in the land of the living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world. Mine age (my lifespan) is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd’s tent: I have cut off like a weaver my life: he will cut me off (from the loom) with pining sickness: from day even to night wilt thou make and end of me…Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me: What shall I say? He hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it: I shall go softly (walk carefully) all my years in the bitterness of my soul.’ (Is.38:10-12,14-15) Yes Friends, these mighty men of faith felt the sore weight of tribulation and were humanly overwhelmed by it. And Cousin Sol, who has an opinion on almost everything, describes it thus: ‘The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with (share) his joy.’ (Prov.14:10) Yeh mih people, regardless of how well intentioned others are, they can never really understand or fathom the hurt, pain and bitterness that exists in someone else’s heart, for that particular intensity of feeling can only be truly comprehended by the one who feels it. As the saying goes; ‘only he who feels it, knows it.’ However my brethren, those dark and dire times are seldom the end. Instead, they are often the beginning of something better, of a new life. And though all our great men of faith were brought to their knees by tribulation, they stood strong and steadfast in their faith. Let’s hear some of their redeeming words. Job answered his friends thus: ‘Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul (life) of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind (all flesh of man).’ (Job 12:9-10) Then he further contends: ‘Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation: for a hypocrite shall not come before him.’ (Job 12:15-16) Wow Friends! What powerful words of faith Job mustered even though his whole life was in shambles. And Hezekiah, after lamenting the early end of life that had seemed his portion, stood strong in the Lord at the end. ‘O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live? Behold, for (my own) peace I had great bitterness; but thou hast in LOVE to my soul delivered it from corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth. The Lord was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord.’ ( Is.38:16-20) Oh mih people! Hezekiah is certainly talking to us today too: for only the living, we believers, can indeed praise the Lord! The dead can’t do it. So let’s break out the musical instruments and sing our songs of LOVE and Praise, Hope, Joy and Heartache; whatever emotions or feelings that currently hold our hearts and souls prisoners, for whatever they are, the Lord High God Jehovah is in TOTAL control, and He’s waiting, ready, willing and able to help us in whatever state or stage of life we are. Oh Friends, time and space have again run out on us, but tomorrow, God willing, we’ll continue looking at the sad tribulation these men of faith suffered for their faith, but also at how they rebounded through the same great faith they possessed. Much Love!…let’s allow the lessons of other believers…to show us…both the fateful and faithful way…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 August 2010 Job 3:20
18 Aug 2010 Leave a comment
And the drought continues Friends, with nary a drop of blessing to quench the thirst of the parched land. I’ve never seen the little patch of grass in my backyard so dry. It’s brown like dirt now, cause a lot of the grass seems dead. But Anton Chekhov, (1860-1904) the Russian physician and writer, said something that helps to keep the dark clouds of doubt and fear at bay. ‘Let us learn to appreciate there will be times when the trees will be bare, and look forward to the time when we may pick ripe fruit.’ Oh Friends, that’s one of the most valuable lessons we can ever learn in this life! If we learn that there are good and bad times, times of plenty and times of paucity, then we’ll be able to bring some sense of balance to our topsy-turvy lives. Many of us lurch back and forth from good to bad times; it’s not a smooth continuum like we’d expect or desire, but more like a crazy pendulum. However, as believers, we have to learn to stay strong and handle the swings between adversity and good times with true, true faith, because that’s what it takes to deal with the harsh realities of this life, which unfortunately seem to be getting harsher instead of softer with each passing day. We’d expect that with all our modern inventions and advances in science and technology that we’d all be living on easy street, but sadly, in comparison to our wealth and knowledge today, more people are finding it harder to make ends meet. In my lifetime, and I’ve been around for a while, (smile) I’ve never seen such worldwide panic and disaster. I’ve never seen or heard of so many people losing their jobs and homes, nor the proliferation of food banks and soup kitchens in the wealthiest countries. Thus, it comes as no surprise that Job who suddenly lost all of his hard earned wealth and family, through no fault of his own, bemoaned the day of his birth. ‘Why died I not from the womb? Why did I not give up the ghost (expire, perish) when I came out of the belly? …For now should (would) I have lain still and been quiet, I should (would) have slept: then had I been at rest.’ (Job 3:11,13) That great prophet, Jeremiah, also suffered serious misfortune and calamity, (prison, beatings) while serving God, and he too cried out in agony. ‘Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed…Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour (toil) and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?’ (Jer.20:14,18) And here is King Hezekiah’s reaction when He was sick, and told by Isaiah: ‘Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, And said, Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect (loyal, whole) heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore (bitterly).’ (Is.38:1-3) Oh my people, it’s only human when faced with disasters, dangerous situations and/or serious problems to hold our heads and bawl and wish we were never born. And few of us have ever lost as much as Job in one fell swoop. But it doesn’t necessarily mean that life is over, or that it will be continually dark and desolate from that time onward. What I’m trying to do here today is point out that whenever things get bad, it’s all right to moan and weep and grieve for a time, but it’s definitely not all right to give up on ourselves and our God. And to prove that theory – sorry, it’s no longer a theory, but now a proven fact – we’ll take a glimpse into the lives of three men of great faith, who suffered serious setbacks, who whined and moaned and bewailed their very birth, but NEVER gave up on God. The first is Job, who candidly asks in our Bit: ‘Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul?’ Now that’s a very good question my brethren, one that we’ve all asked at one time or another, but could never get a satisfactory answer. And that’s possibly because there’s none. All those times when we’re sad and miserable and just want to be left alone in the darkness of our moods and souls, but some bright light, human or otherwise, always comes and intervenes in our misery and desire to be alone. Likewise, many times we just want to give up the ghost and depart this harsh, unfair life, but instead find ourselves tied even tighter to this mortal coil. None of us really understand it, and often, like Job, sadly declare: ‘ My soul is weary of (loathes) my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself (give free course to my complaint); I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; show me wherefore thou contendest with me. Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine (look favourably) upon the counsel of the wicked?’ (Job 10:1-3) Or we can say like Jeremiah in his Lamentations: ‘I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. He hath led me, and brought me into (made me walk in) darkness, but not into light. Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day…. He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old. He hath hedged me about (walled me in), that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy. Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.’ (Lam.3:1-3,6-8) Yes my people, many of us are trying to live righteously, but constantly find ourselves facing one disastrous situation after another. Please take solace in the fact that these men of great faith all tried to live righteously too, but in the Lord’s wisdom and His overall plans, they suffered great mishaps. They beseeched, complained and bewailed their birth, but most importantly NEVER GAVE UP. So it’s okay to cry out and weep and moan, but remember, it’s unchristian to ever give up. Tomorrow, God willing, we’ll continue this topic, and see God’s response to these men’s wailing and moaning. Till then, take care mih people. And may the good Lord bless and keep us all from harm’s way, and give us the strength and faith to face our current problems. Much LOVE!…when disaster strikes…weep and moan…but NEVER, EVER GIVE UP…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 17 August 2010 2 Corinthians 9:8
17 Aug 2010 Leave a comment
Oh Friends, I believe my little corner of the world is drought stricken! Everyday I talk to somebody who claims that rain recently fell in their area, but none’s fallen in mine for over a week now. You see the dark skies and hear some thunder in the distance, and a few drops of blessing, more like a tease, will sprinkle the earth, but not so much as to even call it a drizzle, and only for a few minutes. All around me the grass is dry, the earth’s thirsty, crying out for its parched throat to be quenched. Ohhh! But so far nothing. However, that doesn’t mean we’ve got to stop believing for rain, to give up on the Good Lord Almighty, because we know that in due time, His time, the earth will be well watered, watered until it’s satisfied. The same thing goes for life in general mih Friends; we can’t give up on it. Like William James (1842-1910) the pioneering American psychologist and philosopher says: ‘Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.’ And that’s quite true people! It’s a bit of a mind game, but it’s just like faith; we believe what we hope for; we don’t see it in actuality, but we see it in our minds, and that keeps our hopes up, helps us cope with the conundrum, the riddle, that’s life. But the most important part of that quote my brethren is the first line: ‘Be not afraid of life.’ It’s a motto we should all live by, for though life can often be very scary, we ought not to let it scare us. We can be concerned, perplexed, perturbed, even worried, but definitely not scared mih people. Why? Because life is like a human bully; operates on the fear of its adversaries. If it sees that it can scare and beat you down, believe me, it will. So we need to always face life with confidence; go bravely in the world. Note, I said brave, not stupid, (smile) for there’s a very thin line between bravery and stupidity. And once life realizes that it can’t beat you down, it will cut you some slack, though it will never stop trying to intimidate you. Now all of what I’ve just said should be easier for believers than non-believers. Why? Bruh Paul’s word in our Bit explains it very nicely. ‘And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.’ Ah Friends, we have to forgive Bruh Paul for his highfalutin, roundabout, confusing language, but that’s what too much education can sometimes do to us. Now don’t go chuckling, thinking that I’m guilty of that too, for I’m definitely not in Bruh Paul’s class. (smile) He’s only saying that our God is so great, so good, generous and magnanimous, that He has both the intention and the power to bless us with all we need, in every area and aspect of our lives, and will even give us extra, so that we can help others. And all God’s people gratefully raised their heads, hands, hearts, eyes and minds heavenward, proclaiming in unison: ‘All thanks and praise be to a most wonderful and glorious Lord God of heaven!’ Yes Friends, if we truly believe in the Lord, and act as that belief will have us, then our God will withhold nothing we truly need, and even provide more, so that we can meet the needs of others. Now note, we just don’t say: ‘Yes Lord, I believe,’ and manna and blessings come pouring down upon us. No mih breddren, we all have to show that faith in our daily lives, in the hard times and the good times, continuing steadfast and strong on whatever path the Spirit leads and guides us. Oh, but there’s also some fine print in that contract my Friends that we need to read carefully. Wrapped up in that program of sufficiency is our own willingness to give. It’s the life rule that states we reap what we sow, and also how much we sow. Cousin Sol puts it this way: ‘There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet (right) but it tendeth (leads) to poverty.’ (Prov.11:24) Yes my people, it’s indeed possible, through God’s power, to give away plenty, and yet increase your own holdings, while it’s also possible to hold on to the plenty you have and yet end up poor. Oh my brethren, please remember that most important life lesson nuh: that being generous can lead to prosperity, while hoarding, or being miserly can lead to poverty. As the psalmist says in Psalm 112, titled, ‘Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord.’ ‘He hath dispersed (distributed abroad), he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn (strength) shall be exalted with honour.’ (Ps.112:9) Now hear Jesus, our Lord and Saviour. ‘Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom (pocket). For with the same measure that ye mete (use, give) withal it shall be measured to you again.’ (Luke 6:38) And the moral of today’s story? That we, as believers in an omnipotent, omniscient, ever present God, should not be afraid of life. We should stand strong and face it squarely, because if we live our faith, then our generous, forgiving, merciful, ever-LOVING and eternal God will give us everything we need, and more, to successfully navigate this earthly life. And remember that all important codicil, the fine print: Give generously of all that you have…and with a right heart, proper motive too, because that’s where the Lord looks when He considers enlarging and blessing us. Here endeth the sermon for today. (smile) But seriously though Friends, our world is so filled with hunger, poverty, sickness and incalculable misery that it most certainly behoves us to do whatever we can, in anyway possible, to alleviate the widespread ‘sufferation.’ And it is indeed ‘sufferation’ now Friends, for we’ve long passed the mere suffering level. So please, let’s seriously consider raising our giving of time, talents, possessions and/or money to help the less fortunate, for great will be our rewards, possibly right here on earth, but for sure in heaven, if we do it in the true spirit of kindness, LOVE and humility. Much LOVE mih people!…to him who gives…much shall be given…while he who hoards…shall surely be impoverished…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 August 2010 Romans 13:8
16 Aug 2010 Leave a comment
Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to LOVE one another: for he that LOVETH another hath fulfilled the law.
Oh mih people, it’s Monday morning! So let’s be up and at ‘em, all dressed in our spiritual armour, ready to go out and give the iniquity workers heck this new work week, on behalf of our ever-LOVING God. It’s amusing, but I was talking to my young daughter last night and she complained about the weekend being so short, only two days. And in my fatherly wisdom, (smile) I pointed out that it’s called the weekend, and not the week or anything else, because it’s just that, the end of the week, and consequently it’s short. I don’t think that explanation made much difference to her dislike of Mondays, or will to anyone else’s, but there’s not much we can do about it since that’s the way our society is set up. That means we have to grin and bear it, plus, as I keep saying, get sufficient rest and fellowship in those two days, so that come Monday morning, we’ll be refreshed and rejuvenated. Unfortunately though, many of us are even more tired on Mondays than Fridays, and greet the new workweek cranky and singing the Blues. Remember Friends, moderation in all things is the key to successful living, and if we don’t follow that wisdom, then we’ll have to pay the piper at some time, hence the rise of what we so graciously call the Monday Morning Blues, where everybody is tired, miserable and bleary-eyed. I don’t know if a survey has ever been done on the amount of work that gets done on a Monday versus a Friday, but I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that it’s less, although technically and logically speaking, it should bring out the best in us because we’ve been off for two, whole, big days. (smile) Anyway my brethren, let’s see what Bruh Paul means when he says: ‘Owe no man any thing, but to LOVE one another: for he that LOVETH another hath fulfilled the law.’ He’s definitely not talking about our monetary or fiscal policy, where we shouldn’t purchase stuff on credit, but only use cash, although that’s a very good idea. Our economies would certainly not be in such a dreadful state now, if we had practised it earlier on. Bruh Paul’s referring to our social responsibility to each other. That we should not act in any manner towards our fellow man that would cause us to owe him any other debt but LOVE. We should basically follow the Ten Commandments; ‘and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended (summed up) in this saying, namely, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself.’ (Rom.13:9) That’s nothing new Friends since Moses said it to the Israelites way back in the wilderness. (Lev.19:18) And Jesus reiterated it, in fact boiling the ten commandments down to 2: ‘Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ (Mat.22:37-40) Oh my people, that’s why our lives should be filled with LOVE! And also why Bruh Paul could say; ‘for he that LOVETH another hath fulfilled the law.’ And as he further explains: ‘LOVE worketh no ill (does no harm) to his neighbour: therefore LOVE is the fulfilling of the law.’ (Rom.13:10) When we walk in LOVE, we generally don’t break the laws of the land, neither those of our God. We’re kind, decent, gentle and understanding to each other, victoriously increasing our Christ-like image, which is God’s basic desire for us. Consequently, our lives are filled with joy and peace, which is also God’s desire for His sinful children. And as the scholars so rightly point out, if we owe no man anything but LOVE, then we are actually performing the righteous acts that the law could only lead us to, or show us, but not make us do. So having the law of LOVE is good, but in and of itself, it’s worthless, unless we believers actually do what it says. Now this brings us right back to our favourite topic; all talk and no walk. Yes my Friends, LOVE is an action word! All the talking in the world is useless without the accompanying action. And we all know that our world is in such a dreadful state because there’s a terrible absence of LOVE in it. Cousin Sol summed it up this way long ago: ‘Hatred stirreth up strifes: but LOVE covereth all sins.’ (Prov.10:12) And that’s the gospel truth mih people! If we’d only be just a little kinder, more considerate and understanding towards each other, our world would be such a beautiful place that it would bring tears of joy to the Lord’s eyes. And we can surely be more LOVING despite our differences, many of which are petty and superficial. Oh my Friends, I’m asking, imploring us, for the good of all mankind, especially our children and their progeny, let’s make a serious effort to walk in LOVE nuh. Why is that so hard to do eh? Remember, if we followers of Christ don’t do it, no one else will, because Lucifer’s cronies like the current situation that only breeds hate, heartache, grief and destruction. And we’d better do it soon too, for the powers of evil are quickly tearing our world apart. Much LOVE!…as believers…we can pay the Lord no better complement…than walking in true LOVE with each other…
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