SCRIP-BITS

I guess that only God and the powers that be understand it. The normal, run of the mill man certainly doesn’t. He just knows that twice a year it confuses his life. Now because of that, many of us will be late for work or other important appointments, including church, since we either didn’t know or didn’t remember that the clocks were going forward one hour this morning.

Hopefully though, not many of us will miss the glorious opportunity for worship, fellowship, praise and thanksgiving to Almighty God, and in return get His strength, wisdom and confidence to face this wicked world for another week.  And today I’m excited to share this good, no wonderful news about Christianity, from Gramp’s Schuller’s (Dr. Robert H. Schuller) Hour of Power Devotional. Now it’s something we all know, or should know, but we need to be reminded of it every so often.

Listen up: ‘Christianity is a religion based on mercy. It is rooted in forgiveness. Of all the religions in the world, Christianity is the only belief system that accepts grace as its source of salvation. Every other religion is based on good works – work hard enough or be good enough and you will earn your salvation, your heaven, your Nirvana. Christianity alone says, “You can’t do it. No one is perfect. We all make mistakes. We all suffer from guilt and shame. We are all victims.

But Jesus died on the cross with these final words: ‘Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do.’ (Luke 23:34) He has risen again. He has paid for my sins. He has paid for yours. The gift of salvation is free – no strings attached.”

Ah mih people, in light of all of that, how could I choose to be other than a Christian eh, a believer in Jesus Christ? It is certainly the best belief system in the world; spiritually, psychologically, philosophically and any other ‘ally’ you choose to bring up! (smile) It definitely beats all other belief systems in the way humans ought to live and interact with each other, and with their God.

So why are we so reluctant to embrace it eh? I really don’t know nuh. I just know that the wise people will accept and embrace it with joyful hearts, minds and souls, because that’s what it is designed to do. That’s why Bruh Paul proclaims in our Bit to the church at Corinth: ‘For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.’

And that’s indisputable, gospel truth my brethren! Jesus was the foundation for all mankind from day one!  

The prophet Isaiah warned Jerusalem thus: ‘Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.’ (Is.28:16)

Yes Friends, the Lord promised that foundation stone a long, long time before Jesus came to fulfill it. Meanwhile, in Psalm 118 – Thanksgiving for the Lord’s salvation, the psalmist said it this way: ‘I will praise thee: for thou hast heard (answered) me, and art become my salvation.

The stone which the builders refused (rejected) is become the head stone of the corner (chief cornerstone). This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.’ (Ps.118:21-24)

Oh Friends, in light of Jesus’ sacrifice, of God’s wonderful grace, of offering salvation freely, that is what we need to do each and every day; rejoice and be glad that we are alive and kicking and have heaven and eternal life with Jesus to look forward to, no matter what happens here on earth. Does any other belief system have that ensconced in their promises? Obviously not! So why aren’t we more joyful than we are eh?

I think it just shows that we are not very true, but merely half-hearted believers. No other religion has the wonderful and fulfilled promises that ours does, but yet they rejoice in theirs more than we do in ours. Maybe it’s because we are like the church at Laodicea, to whom Jesus sent this message.

‘And unto the angel (messenger) of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen,  the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God (Christ); I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would (wish) thou wert (were) cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew (spit, vomit) thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods (have become wealthy), and have need of nothing: and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.’ (Rev.3:14-17)

Yes Friends, Laodicea was famous for its wealth, but that did not translate into a genuine and strong faith. Likewise our faith today is somewhat compromised by our wealth and freedom, which lead us to not trust and have as much faith in Jesus as we ought to.

Please, I implore us to get really serious about Jesus, so that those words to the Laodiceans no longer are applicable to us, for if we continue in our less than genuine faith, Jesus is liable to spit us out, eject us from His church. And that my brethren is the last thing we can afford to have happen to us. So let’s ponder it all and come to the wise conclusion to raise our faith in Jesus nuh, which is wisdom to the nth degree. Much LOVE!

…He that hath and ear…let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches…