be thankful | SCRIP-BITS

1 Corinthians 3:11. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Well Friends, the wheel of life has spun again and ended up on Friday. And obviously the workers of the world are going to greet it with opened arms and glorious shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the wonderful weekend is upon us! Oh thank our great God that at last it’s Friday and massa work soon done for a couple days!’

Yeh mih people, I know that many of us just live to see Friday come around to get out of work, but that’s not the right way to live this earthly and potentially wonderful life.

And today some of you are concerned because it’s Friday the 13^th, which is recognized in some circles as a Black Friday. Steups! But that’s utter nonsense my brethren, so please pay no attention to it!

Nothing untoward is going to happen just because a Friday falls on the thirteenth of the month. And even if there were some truth to it, the mighty power of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ would be more than sufficient to blast it away.

So let’s just put all those Anansi stories and old wives tales out of our minds and chant our Friday Chant to give us the right perspective on the situation.

As one glorious chanter 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, that’s more like how we ought to view this Friday and the weekend that follows; with God and rest as our priorities. And today is definitely the last day for this Bit. (smile) ‘For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.’

Words of unalterable truth my people! For everything in this world is based and built on Jesus, the rock of all ages! And nothing prospers for long unless it is founded on Him!

So let’s listen to Peter as he talks about Christ, the living stone. ‘To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed (rejected) indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively (living) stones, are (being) built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect (chosen), precious: And he that believeth on him shall not be confounded (put to shame).

Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed (rejected), the same is made the head of the corner (the chief corner stone).

And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at word being disobedient (being disobedient to the word): whereunto also they were appointed.

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people (God’s own special people): that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.’ (1 Pet.2:4-10)

Oh Friends, what a wonderful thing Jesus did by sacrificing His sinless life for us on the cross at Calvary! Look at the number of benefits that have come forth from it nuh! How can we not be thankful and lead praiseworthy, obedient and thankful lives eh!

Now here are some valuable explanations from the scholars. ‘2:4-8. Are built up is the main verb in this section. The choice of the word shows that the building is not haphazard, but is according to an intelligent plan brought to reality by a Master Craftsman, which sets forth the fact of our integration into the body of Christ (v5).

The overall design is a spiritual house, which describes the nature of the body of Christ, that is, a house in which God dwells. The material used to build the house is figuratively presented as lively (living) stones.

Christ is also described as a living stone (lit. “a worked stone” or “a precious stone that is living”). Disallowed by Israel but acceptable (Gr. eklekton entimon, lit, “elect and precious”) to God.’

‘2:9-10. The priesthood of the believer and his unique relationship to God are described by the terms a chosen generation… a royal priesthood… a holy nation. Thus, the New Testament church stands in a unique relationship to God as did Old Testament Israel.’

Oh Friends what a unique and privileged set of people we are, with direct access to God, but also a responsibility to be obedient to His Will. That’s the birthright of every Christian! So please, I implore us to use those tools of our birthright with proper reverence, diligence and respect.

Let’s praise His Holy Name, do His earthly work by helping, LOVING and giving of our substance to others and praying for each other. That in a nutshell is what Jesus calls us to do my people. So let’s get out there and do it nuh, wisely and diligently! Much LOVE!

…to be a part of Jesus’ body…His church…is the greatest thing that can happen to a human being…

P.S. Ah Friends, you definitely can’t gripe today about the Bit being long. (smile) Much LOVE!

Deuteronomy 26:11. And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the Lord thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house, thou, and the Levite (priest), and the stranger that is among you.

HAPPY U. S. THANKSGIVING DAY!

Well a Happy Thanksgiving Day to all our Friends and families south of the border! Today is the big day in the U.S. Possibly the most celebrated holiday on their calendar, where friends and families come together to give thanks for whatever they have it, be it much or little.

The sad part though is that too many have too little and too few have too much. But whatever we do have Friends, we need to be thankful for it.

As our Bit says, from the instructions of offering of our first fruits to the Lord: ‘And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the Lord thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house, thou, and the Levite (priest), and the stranger that is among you.’ Please note that it includes EVERYBODY; even ‘the stranger that is among you.’

And I just LOVE the scripture from Nehemiah, after Ezra and the priests had read and explained the Law of Moses, which most of the people had never heard before, and they wept after hearing it.

‘Then he (Nehemiah) said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto the Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’ (Neh.8:10)

What I LOVE about that scripture are the inspired words; ‘and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared.’ Oh my fellow believers, that is supposed to be a big part of the Thanksgiving Holiday, or for that matter, ALL holidays! We need to learn to share with those who have less than us, because it is a Biblical instruction.

Note this verse, when the Israelites came out of Egypt, and were being told about certain feasts and how to cook the food and where to eat it.

‘And thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the Lord thy God hath chosen to place his name there.’ (Deut.16:11)

EVERYBODY was supposed to be included! But unfortunately as the years rolled along and we became more selfish and greedy people, we have tended to forget about those the Lord takes special interest in; the poor, the widows and the orphans.

The same message is sent in Esther, after the Jews defeated Haman and their enemies in Babylon, and instituted the Feast of Purim. Mordecai instructed them to keep the feast; ‘As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies, and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from mourning into a good day (holiday): that they should make them days of feasting and joy, and of sending portions (presents) one to another, and gifts to the poor.’ (Esth.9:22)

But sadly, these days the poor are generally forgotten. Thanksgiving has become another big commercial day. It’s all about sales and money. As soon as Thanksgiving dinner is over, we now rush over to the stores to eagerly await Black Friday, when stuff is supposedly marked down tremendously.

Yes Friends, some stuff might be marked down, but others might also be marked up, because the merchants know that once you’re in the store for one cheap item, you’re more than likely to buy much more at higher mark-ups.

And the wild animal, leggo beast behaviour on display at these sales is truly disgusting. Many of us don’t even really need the stuff we line up for and rush and push to buy. But just because it’s on sale, we decide we must have it. That’s the kind of mentality the merchants have developed in us. Ah Lord eh!

And talking about the leggo beast behaviour, one woman claims she saw two other women fighting in a store over one object, while the security people stood around looking at them, no doubt in astonishment. Each woman had a hold on one end of the object, pulling and pushing and tugging and shouting angrily at each other.

And do you know what that must have object was? An electric toothbrush. Steups!

And then after Black Friday comes Cyber Monday, another big sales day. Chuh! It’s all about merchandising these days!

Now even the Canadian merchants are getting involved in the nonsense as a way of stopping Canadians form going south to spend their money. Unfortunately, I don’t know how much good that is going to do nuh, because they say that even with the travel time and expense, the exchange rate and the border hassles, it’s still worthwhile to go south and shop on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Ah Lord eh!

Anyway Friends, enough of my whatever you choose to call it. I just hope that in all our business we remember the true purpose behind the holiday, and do give thanks to Almighty God for all that’s He’s done for us and provided us with.

Let’s also remember to share with the less fortunate, because that’s what Jesus is all about, and if we’re to be His true followers, we need to display the same empathy.

And we’ll end with some wise words from Cousin Sol on the topic. ‘I know that there is no good in them (nothing better for them), but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.’ (Eccl.3:12-13)

And that my brethren is gospel truth! So please let’s act accordingly and thus give Jesus a good Thanksgiving present. It’s heartfelt wisdom. Much LOVE!

…I’m giving thanks…for all I’ve got…I’m giving thanks…whether or not…I’m giving thanks…for the life in me…I’m giving thanks now… (From the song ‘Giving Thanks’ by Beres Hammond)

SCRIP-BITS

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 March 2015 1 Corinthians 3:11‏‏‏‏‏

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