changing the world | SCRIP-BITS

Jeremiah 13:15. Hear ye, and give ear, be not proud: for the Lord hath spoken.

Welcome to Tuesday friends! Last night the rain washed away all the muck from Monday, so we’re starting off with a nice, clean, fresh, sunny Tuesday morning. Wow! Isn’t it great to be alive, despite all the problems we have in our world? It surely is, because we believers don’t have to worry too much about changing the world, since we can’t. And anyway, we have the Lord God Jehovah, the Creator and Controller of ALL things sitting on His heavenly throne holding the reins and manoeuvring everything to suit His holy purpose and working them out for the good of those who LOVE and obey Him. Glory be!

And the Good Book opened this morning on an interesting scripture, and I believe a very appropriate one for our time. Hear the prophet Jeremiah to his people Israel, in the third of a trio of warnings he gave them. ‘Hear ye, and give ear, be not proud: for the Lord hath spoken. Give glory to the Lord your God, before he cause darkness and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness. But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock is carried away captive.’ (Jer. 13:15-17)

And carried away captive they were, because of their stubborn pride! Now friends, if we are truthful with ourselves, we will admit that we have been very disobedient and blasphemous and derogatory towards the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, whom we claimed to be our God in earlier times. But with the supposed advancement of knowledge and science and the great trove of modern inventions, we’ve gotten proud, like the Israelites did in their good times, and have thus believed our own lies; that it’s through our own strength and great wisdom that our society has improved so mightily.

But my people, that’s nothing but a lie and the wisdom of fools, for unless the Lord gives us the increase, we won’t get any. And that false and foolish pride has driven us away from worshipping and depending on Almighty God, and are more focussed on removing Him from our society than embracing Him. But then we all know that one of the things the Lord hates the most is pride, because it means we don’t need Him, and our God hates not being needed by His supposedly greatest creation.

So what else can we expect but the series of problems, sickness and strife that we’re currently experiencing eh? Oh yes, the Lord is LOVING and long-suffering and all that, but He won’t let us get away with indolent and wilful disobedience for ever. Unfortunately my brethren, there is very little, or no light whatsoever in us these days, that’s why we’re currently stumbling upon the hills of darkness with all the cataclysmic stuff that’s concurrently happening in our world.

Don’t know if there’s ever been a time when so much disaster and misfortune has happened all at once, on so many different fronts. And the sad part is that we don’t seem to be fixing or correcting any of them. In fact, with each passing day, the disasters seem to be getting worse, the strife increasing, the divisions and dissension widening, while the hate, anger, resentment, fear and panic increase. And Isaiah also shouts out an interesting and appropriate warning for these times. ‘Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth in Mount Zion.’ (Is. 8:18)

Yes, we and our children are supposed to be bright lights and signs to the heathen. But listen to this next verse. ‘And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits (are mediums), and unto wizards that peep (whisper), and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead (should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?’ (Is. 8:19) And sadly that’s what a lot of us are doing these days; seeking evil spirits and mediums, witches and wizards, obeahmen and the like, instead of seeking the ONE and ONLY True Living God!

Does it make sense to seek wisdom and guidance from the dead, from man-made idols and other foolish stuff? It certainly doesn’t! But ‘in times of distress people often turn to witchcraft instead of God. And Isaiah warns Israel not to turn spiritism, but to the law and testimony of God.’ But nonetheless, in this supposed age of enlightenment, it’s surprising how much evil and spiritual worship is still taking place.

And Isaiah continues: ‘To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them (they have no dawn). And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead (hard pressed) and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves (be enraged), and curse their king and their God, and look upward. And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish (gloom); and they shall be driven to darkness.’ (Is. 8:20-22)

Oh my people, isn’t that exactly what’s happening to us in these ungodly times? There’s gloom and famine, natural and man-made disasters, sickness and every evil thing proliferating over and through our world. And sadly, the ONE thing we need more than anything else: God; filled with His godliness, is getting scarcer and scarcer in our godless, idol worshipping society. So what else can we expect but darkness eh? But as Jesus liked to say: ‘He who hath ears to hear, let him hear.’ (Matt. 11:15; Mark 4:9, 23; Luke 8:8, 14:35)

Oh precious saints of Christ, this life is only about ONE thing; believing in, and faithfully serving the ONE and ONLY True God; Yahweh, Jehovah, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! And if wilfully refuse to do that, then we will suffer serious consequences. It’s as simple as that!

Now for those of us who understand that and are trying to live up to it, let’s go home declaring (steups!) our Tuesday Mantra, (didn’t forget it this week) (smile) letting the whole world know who and whose we are. 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!’

Now we need to go out and share that strong and true friendship and LOVE of Jesus with those who don’t know or pay sufficient attention to Him. Much LOVE!

…the best way to live life…obey God…and leave all the consequences to Him… (Uncle Charles: Dr. Charles Stanley)

Psalm 5:3. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

Oh Friends, it’s Monday: Monday 20 January 2014! The year that the Lord God Jehovah will make a mighty impact on this planet Earth, that He created! Fellow believers, this year we’re going to receive such a wake up call that we’ll be unable to avoid the Lord’s call to arms.

You’ll notice that since 2014 stepped in the strife around the world and the natural disasters have escalated. And believe me Friends, if we, the ones appointed by Jesus to take the good news of His saving and redeeming gospel all over the world, don’t do it, then we’ll see even worse strife and disasters, many of the latter man-made.

Oh my people, the talk about wars and rumours of wars is no longer prophetic, for it’s been currently fulfilled, with serious strife in more places than those where some semblance of peace reigns. So mih breddren, if we truly want our children to live to see a brighter day, then WE have to seriously step up to the plate and do some serious proselytizing, since it’s only by spreading the Word around the globe, that LOVE, peace, equal rights and justice will ever find a true foothold.

Oh my people, it’s high time we stop the mickey-mouse stuff we’ve been fooling ourselves with and get down to brass tacks, because the enemy; the powers of evil, Lucifer and his evil cohorts, have stepped up their programme of evil devastation and destruction. That means we have to take even bigger steps than them, if we even want to catch up, much less to pass them.

Friends, this is not just my feeling, but it’s right there out in front of us for all and sundry to see. But please remember that there’s none so blind as those who refuse to see. And sadly, a great many believers are either too taken up with the things of the world, or are foolishly hiding their heads in the sand like the ostrich, hoping that the evil tendencies will disappear on their own.

But Friends, I have news for us; that’s a fallacy, a very foolish one too! If we try to run and hide from the situation, it will only get worse, and eventually catch up to us and engulf us in its evil claws. So please, let’s stop trying to side step the problems nuh, for we’re only doing ourselves irreparable harm.

Oh Friends, this is the day of the awakening! This is the day that God’s people must rise up and take the fight to the enemy! And as our Bit so wisely advises, the best way to do that, is to begin the day in prayer, in serious communication with the Most High. ‘My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.’

So now my people, as we always do on a Monday morning, let’s look up, and raise our voices, direct our prayer, our Monday Morning Battle Hymn to our wonderful Creator, Provider and Protector. As one harmonious, blessed union, let’s pray.

‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.

We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.

But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.

Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’

And with that adrenalin now pumping through our veins my brethren, let’s go out into the evil world that surrounds us, this first day of the work week, and make a serious and worthwhile difference in Jesus’ name nuh. I don’t like to keep harping on it, but it’s only through our strong, indefatigable and sustained efforts, RIGHT NOW, that our grandchildren will inherit a half-decent world.

Remember how we recently talked about changing the world, one day at a time? Well now it’s become imperative that we do so!

Now let’s get into the last scripture in this series of messages on the importance of prayer in a believer’s life. It comes from the epistle of James, recognized as Jesus’ earthly half brother. One of those who, in the early days chastised Him and didn’t believe, but who later came to see the light, as I’d like us to do.

And in talking about patience in affliction, James boldly proclaims: ‘Is any among you afflicted (suffering)? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

Confess your faults (trespasses) one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual (effective) fervent (supplication) prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are (with a nature like ours), and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth (land) by the space of (for) three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.’ (James 5:13-18)

Oh Friends, I can’t say it better than that! I can only hope and pray that this Monday morning, we will all go out and stand up steadfast and strong for Jesus. In His Holy name, we pray. And all God’s people gave a loud and rousing shout of ‘So be it! Amen!’ Much LOVE my brothers and sisters in Christ!

…only as the church of Christ comes together…and fights a serious and unified fight…will it ever be victorious…otherwise the enemy will keep on dividing and conquering us…

SCRIP-BITS

Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 January 2014 Psalm 5:3

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