Today’s Scrip-Bit   11 February 2024   2 Corinthians 3:5

2 Corinthians 3:5.        Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.

Welcome to another Sunday of LOVE, fellowship and worship in the Lord’s sanctuary, my fellow believers! It’s so good when we get together and share the joy of the Lord, and all the many good things He’s promised us in His Word. Promises that He will NEVER renege on, because He’s an ever-faithful God. And as Jesus said: ‘For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.’ (Matt. 18:20). And yuh know friends, if Jesus is with us, then great joy, LOVE and peace will be continuously flowing, because that’s what He is all about. 

So, let’s respond to His goodness and LOVING-kindness with sincere worship from the depths of our hearts, as we acknowledge in this marvellous and very truthful song, written by the husband-and-wife duo of Joyce and Colbert Croft and titled ‘I Can’t Even Walk Without You Holding My Hand.’ Therefore, let’s offer up sweet sacrifices of praise in a heartfelt, soulful version of the song, a la Jessy Dixon in the Gaither Homecoming Festival. 

Singing. ‘I thought, that number one, would surely be me. I thought I could be what I wanted to be. I thought I could build on life’s sinking sand. But now I can’t even walk, without you holding my hand. I thought that I, could do a lot on my own, I thought, I could make it in this big world, all alone. I thought, thought of myself as a mighty, mighty, mighty big man, But Lord I can’t even walk, without you holding my hand. Oh Lord, I can’t even walk, without you holding my hand, 

For the mountain, is too high, and the valley, is too wide, It’s down on my knees, that’s where I learned how to stand, Because I can’t even walk, without you holding my hand. I can’t even walk, without you holding my hand. Glory to God! And I think I’ll make Jesus my all and all. And if I’m in trouble, on that powerful name, I’ll call. And if I didn’t trust Him, I’d be less of a man ‘Cause Lord I can’t even walk without you holding my hand. Ohh Lord, I can’t even walk, without you holding my hand, For the mountain is too high, and the valley is too wide, 

It’s down on my knees, I learned how to stand, I learned how to pray, Because I can’t even walk, without you holding my hand. I can’t even walk, without you holding my hand. Lord I’m lost without you. I don’t even know my way back home Lord unless you lead me. Yes my Saviour, I can’t even walk without you holding my hand. Thank you for teaching me that through your Word…I can’t even walk without, without holding your hand…Yes Lord, I can’t even walk without you holding my hand…’ 

Wonderful worship my people! And I’m sure it was much appreciated in heaven. And you know it’s oh so true that we can’t walk safely and securely unless Jesus holds our hand, for when we become born again, we’re like little children just learning to walk on the straight and narrow path, and if Jesus doesn’t hold our hands until we learn the way and can stand somewhat strong on our own, then we’ll surely falter, stumble and fall. But yet, so many of us still believe that we’re so big and strong and don’t need anyone’s help, and can walk this road of life alone, but that’s a fallacy, for in this rough and tumble world we always need help. 

But foolishly we go off and build our lives on sinking sand, despite Jesus’ strong warning that anyone who doesn’t build on Him, the Rock, is building on sinking sand, and when the storms of life come they will be washed away. (Matt. 7:24:27) That’s why Cousin Sol also said in Ecclesiastes that two are better than one, because they can help each other if they fall and keep one another warm, something that a lone person cannot do. Ah friends, in these evil and ungodly times, we need all the help we can get, especially the help of Jesus. 

And He said it very clearly too. ‘I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing,’ (John 15:5) Oh my people, it couldn’t be put any plainer than that. If you don’t have Jesus and His Holy Spirit dwelling in you, your efforts to live this life successfully will be thwarted at every step. And furthermore, as Jesus continues: ‘If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.’ (John 15:6) 

So you see friends, if you don’t have Jesus securely holding your hand, then you are cast off like a dead branch and burned in the fires of hell. And Bruh Paul, in his second letter to the church at Corinth, said it thus: ‘Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.’ (2 Cor, 3:5) That means we cannot think that we are more than we are, because we are merely frail, fallible human beings with a short lifespan and whatever big works we do, they are all in the Lord’s grace and strength. 

Bruh Paul explains that to the Corinthians in his first letter. ‘For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet (worthy) to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.’ (! Cor. 15:9-10) 

Yes, my fellow believers, Bruh Paul didn’t start out so good, being a persecutor of the church. But once Jesus got Him in grip, he was the hardest worker of all the apostles, and all the tragedies he suffered and all the great work he did could only have been done though God’s grace. And no one knew that better than him. And as Sister Joyce (Joyce Meyer) likes to say, ‘It’s not where or how you begin, but where and how you end up that’s most important.’ And that’s the indisputable truth! So please, this Sunday morning let’s remember that and make every effort to end with Jesus in heaven, for that’s our Promised Land. Much LOVE!

…on Jesus Christ…the solid Rock I stand…for all else is sinking sand…

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ                  

Today’s Scrip-Bit   22 October 2023 John 15:5b.

John 15:5b. for without me ye can do nothing.

Come Sunday morning, me and my friends, are going to church to worship the Lord, to sing His praises, strengthen our faith and renew our spirits. As these words of the Sons of Korah from Psalm 84 so beautifully describe the situation. ‘How amiable are thy tabernacles (how lovely are they dwellings), O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will still be praising thee. Selah.’ (Ps. 84:1-4) 

Yes mih bredrin, believers ought to be longing for the presence of our God, and ofttimes, the best place to find Him is in His house. Even the brainless birds, the sparrow and the swallow know that the Lord’s house is a safe and wonderful place to build their nests and take care of their young. So what’s with us eh, that we don’t want to go to the Lords’ house come Sunday mornings? Like everything else the Lord ‘s done, is doing and will do is chiefly for our benefit, so let’s stop being reluctant and foolish to seek His face and His awesome presence nuh, because it’s only for our good. Sermon done mih people! (smile) 

Now for the good part, that’s the celebrations, we’ll begin by singing that soulful but oh so true Christian song, ‘I can’t even walk without You holding my hand,’ written by Joyce and Colbert Croft and first released by the U. S. group The Kingsmen in 1975, and since then recorded umpteen times by other artists in several different styles. Today, however, we’re going to do a truly soulful, mid-tempo version, a la Miss Shirley Caesar, the First Lady of Gospel Music. So let’s put some deep, heartfelt feeling in the music as we offer up our sacrifice of praise this Sunday morning. 

Singing: ‘I thought that number one, would surely be me. I thought I could be what I wanted to be. I thought I could build on life’s sinking sand. But now, I can’t even walk, without you holding my hand. I thought that I, could do a lot on my own, I thought, I could make it in this big, big world, all alone. I thought, thought of myself as a mighty, mighty, mighty big man, But Lord I can’t even walk, without you holding my hand. 

Oh Lord, I can’t even walk, without you holding my hand, For the mountains are too high, and the valleys’ too wide, It’s down on my knees, that’s where I learned how to stand, Because I can’t even walk, without you holding my hand. I can’t even walk, without you holding my hand. Glory to God! And I thank God that I made Jesus my all and all. And if I’m in trouble, on that powerful name, I’ll call. And if I didn’t trust Him, I’d be ever so much less of a man, Cause Lord I can’t even walk without you holding my hand. 

Ohh Lord, I can’t even walk, without you holding my hand, For the mountains are too high, and the valleys’ too wide, It’s down on my knees, I learned how to stand, It’s there I learned how to pray, Because I can’t even walk, without you holding my hand. I can’t even walk, without you holding my hand. Lord I’m lost without you. I don’t even know my way back home Lord unless you lead me. Yes my Saviour, I can’t even walk without you holding my hand. Thank you for teaching me that through your Word…I can’t even walk without, without holding your hand…Yes Lord, I can’t even walk without you holding my hand…’ 

And if that isn’t the blessed truth my fellow believers, then I don’t know what is! For without Almighty God we’re nothing. And it’s not me saying so nuh, but Jesus Christ, when He unequivocally proclaims: ‘I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:5) 

What a mighty, but oh so true statement my people! Without the power of our Triune God, we are incapable of most things. That’s why it’s so important to have Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, for it’s through His death on the cross, the shedding of His sinless blood and His amazing resurrection that our lives have been saved from eternal death and damnation! That’s also why Bruh Paul wrote to the church at Corinth: ‘Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God.’ (2 Cor. 3:5) 

And the sooner many of us in this selfish, opinionated, intolerant, think-we-know-it-all, supposedly brilliant society come to recognize that truth, the better off we and our world will be. And furthermore, as Bruh Paul wrote in his first letter to the Corinthian church: ‘For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet (worthy) to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God, I am what I am: and the grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.’ (1 Cor. 15:9-10) 

More wonderful truth my brethren! It is the grace of God that enables us to do anything at all….even to the very breath we draw. If He takes His grace away then we shrivel up and die. As St. Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower (1873-1897) so wisely and famously said over a hundred years ago: ‘Everything is grace!’ And as one writer puts it: ‘Grace is simply God’s intimate powerful presence . Grace is not something, but Someone! I AM, I AM with you! Always!’ 

Yes my fellow saints, for our own benefit, let’s acknowledge that we are the recipients of God ‘s amazing and awesome grace, and without it, we can’t do anything, our lives aren’t worth the proverbial plugged nickel! Much LOVE!

…it’s obvious that our Creator…controls our lives… 

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ        

Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 November 2020 Ephesians 2:8.

Ephesians 2:8.     ​For by grace are ye (you have been) saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God (the expression of His goodness toward the undeserving).

Come Tuesday – another nice summery day, just like Monday! Oh yes, that would indeed be wonderful my people! That’s why we need to give much thanks to Almighty God for all the blessings He’s continually bestowing on us. As the psalmist so rightly says: ‘This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.‘ (Ps. 118:23-24) 

Wow! What awesome words of wisdom and truth! And don’t forget what our Lord and Saviour Jesus said on the subject. ‘The thief cometh not, but for (except) to steal and destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.’ (John 10:10) 

Mama Mia! If that isn’t a direct directive (smile) of our Lord’s to enjoy and be thankful for this earthly life, then I don’t know what is nuh! In addition to salvation and eternal life when our frail and fragile bodies wear out and return to the dust from which they came, He also desires us to enjoy and prosper and succeed in this earthly life. Oh, He certainly knows that it will not always be wine and song, because like us, He experienced trials and tribulations too. As the Good Book proclaims: ‘For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched (sympathize) with the feeling of our infirmities (our weaknesses); but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.’ (Heb. 4:15) 

Yes my brethren, Jesus experienced all the problems that we experience down here on this evil and ungodly earth, but never did you see Him miserable and downcast, regardless of the circumstances He faced. Just look at how brutally they treated Him in His own home town of Nazareth nuh. I like how the website waynestiles.com puts it. ‘When Jesus returned to His hometown of Nazareth, He found a warm welcome at the synagogue—that is, until He preached. The young carpenter claimed to have fulfilled the messianic prophecy He had just read from Isaiah 61:1–2 (Luke 4:16-30). 

The hearers took offense that the local-yokel Jesus would dare to be remarkable. After all, wasn’t He the guy who built their dining tables? The townspeople were so enraged that they took Jesus to the edge of the Nazareth Ridge and wanted to fling Him off into the Jezreel Valley. But He passed through their midst and departed. You think that made for awkward subsequent holiday gatherings?’ 

Yes friends, Jesus always exuded a good attitude, which He also expects His followers to exemplify. No, it’s not easy, and He promised us that it wouldn’t be, but with His help we could make it. ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) And if we’re finding it difficult of be of good cheer, then we can always go to our understanding and sympathetic High Priest, who will empathize with us and enable us to have good cheer. 

Hear the author of Hebrews on the topic nuh. ‘Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.’ (Heb. 4:16) Brother! Mercy and grace are the two great attributes the Lord uses in our everyday lives. Mercy is not receiving what we ought to, for example punishment for some disobedient act. Many of us know about that from our youth when our parents mercifully did not punish us for some verboten behaviour. 

While grace…ohhh…grace is so marvellous, that there are no words to truly explain it. It’s basically God’s favour; the wonderful things He does for us that we do not deserve. Even salvation is through grace. The Good Book puts it thus: ‘For by grace are ye (you have been) saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God (the expression of His goodness toward the undeserving). Not of works, lest any man should boast.’ (Eph. 2:8-9) So grace is the basis of our salvation, the unmerited favour of God. 

The scholars offer this acrostic of grace. ‘God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.’ And isn’t that the gospel truth, for it’s only through the expense of Christ’s life on the cross at Calvary did we receive salvation and the marvellous promise of eternal life! 

And hear this li’l tidbit from the great English Baptist Preacher, Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) affectionately known as ‘The Prince of Preachers.’ On the subject of ‘By Grace Ye Are Saved,’ he apparently wrote: ‘It is by the grace of God that ungodly men are preserved from instant death. The sharp axe of justice would soon fell the barren tree if the interceding voice of Jesus did not cry, “Spare him yet a little.” And isn’t that the indisputable truth! Were it not for Jesus, the sharp axe of justice would certainly have fallen on sinful, disobedient, ungodly man long ago. 

And yuh know friends, there’s only ONE real reason for all of that mercy and grace yes; God’s unconditional, irrational, indisputable, undying LOVE for us, His sinful and disobedient creation. Hear the Good Book: ‘But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great LOVE wherewith he LOVED us.’ (Eph. 2:4) And Jesus verified it, like only He could. ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ (John 3:16) And that says it all my precious saints of Christ! 

So for those of us who sincerely believe, and also try to be diligent and excellent followers of Christ, wisely accepting God’s LOVE, grace and mercy, let’s go home now declaring (yeahhh!) our Tuesday Mantra, boldly and confidently proclaiming to the whole world, who and whose we are! 

All together now, in strong voice with sincere hearts! ‘In God’s eyes, I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world. Amen!’ 

And the natural consequence of that pledge is for us to keep on trusting Jesus and generously share His awesome LOVE with others! Much LOVE!

…without God’s grace and mercy…His LOVE would have been just an ordinary word… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 April 2015 Philippians 4:13‏

Philippians 4:13.   I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Aye Friends, can you believe that on this Thursday morning, the 23rd day of April, that there is a sprinkling of that much detested and dreaded white stuff on the cars and lawns outside? Mama Mia!

Snow at the end of April! Now it’s not much, but just the very idea that snow can be had in late April is ridiculous…and distressing too, especially after the beautiful summerish weather we had just over a week ago, with everybody gearing up for the continuance of such balmy times.

But the reality is that this past week has been cold and blowsy, with daytime temps not even reaching double digits. And in these days of climate change; of abnormal weather and temps at abnormal times, anything is possible. And like all the other stuff that we can’t change, we just have to grin and bear it bravely. (smile)

But on a more serious note Friends, last night on the late edition of the news, they featured a story that intrigued me; ironically, it both saddened and uplifted me, gave me hope. The story was about people seeking happiness. Hn!

Apparently there are now many groups of people around the world getting together to seek ways to be happy. That news saddened me because they are looking for the wrong thing in all the wrong places!

And what I mean by that is people are seeking happiness, which is merely a fleeting, ephemeral feeling that comes around once in a while through fortuitous circumstances, but it never lasts long. Happiness is an up and down situation, like a yo-yo, it revs up, then it revs down.

What they should actually be seeking is JOY, the long term, constant level, always present, upper echelon cousin of happiness. (smile) And sadly, not once did I hear any of those interviewed, or one supposed expert, talk about finding happiness where it is truly to be found, that’s in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

To be technical though, Jesus doesn’t simply provide happiness, a feel good feeling, but He brings JOY, or a constant well-being to His followers.

So in the first place, those seekers of happiness ought to be searching for joy, not happiness. And in the second, they ought to be seeking it in, from and through Jesus Christ, the ONLY person who can truly provide that essential aspect of earthly life.

And the story brought hope to my heart because it showed another avenue, another field that’s open, one that’s just ripe for proselytizing by us faithful Christians. What a wonderful opportunity it gives us my brethren for talking about Jesus and showing those misguided folks the right way and place to find true JOY!

And as Jesus so rightly said a long time ago: ‘The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.’ (Matt.9:37-38)

Oh Friends, we are the labourers of our time, and it is thus our bounden duty to get out there and gladly and joyfully reap the harvest of the lost and unsaved in Jesus’ name!

And we know we can do it, if we set our hearts, minds and souls to the task, because of our Bit, which assures, which guarantees that: ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.’

Glory be to our wonderful God my brethren for that assurance, that faithful promise! Yes my people, anything that falls under God’s will, He will enable us to do, if we so desire.

And as Bruh Paul wisely said in his first letter to the church at Corinth. ‘But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.’ (1 Cor.15:10)

Yes Friends, though Bruh Paul was possibly the hardest working missionary, harvester of souls, it was still only through God’s grace that he was successful. Let’s not forget that in our own labours, for whatever we do, regardless of how hard and diligent we work, true success will only come from God’s grace bestowed on us.

And on that poignant note we’ll end today’s message my people. There’s enough in there for us to ponder on, and I certainly don’t want to abuse our short attention spans by giving us too much food to assimilate and digest all at once. (smile)

Ah mih people, in these hard and trying times I know that it is difficult to keep our focus on Jesus and His kingdom, but if we truly want to see eternity, to spend eternal life with Him, we have to make the effort to live the way He desires.

And the wonderful thing about it all is that if our hearts and motives are true and pure, our magnificent and magnanimous God WILL enable us to do it. Let’s NEVER forget that promise! Let’s write it indelibly in our hearts and souls so that we can readily access it in our time of need! Much LOVE!

…what does our God desire of us…to truly LOVE Him…sincerely LIVE our Faith…and to diligently SPREAD His Word…