SCRIP-BITS

Psalm 89:48.     What man is he that liveth, and shall not see (experience) death? Shall he deliver his soul from the hand (power) of the grave?   Selah.
 
Oh Friends, when will it end eh? When will we learn that those who live by the gun, die by the gun? The U.S. is so proud of its gun culture, that in some states people legally walk around with guns plainly showing in their waist bands, and it’s easy as pie to buy firearms down there. Unfortunately, another massacre, this time of 20 elementary school children and some 8 adults took place at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut yesterday. It seems like the 20 year old shooter first took his mother’s life at her home, then did his evil deed at the school, including his own life. Oh people, what does it say about our society when it’s the youth, the young people who are committing such atrocities? Not a hell of a lot! We obviously are not raising them right. And yet the criminal, but very powerful gun lobby in the U.S spends millions of dollars every year to keep gun control off the law books, rationalizing it with their right to bear arms. Steups! This past year they even sent representatives and money to lobby the Canadian Government when those fools were intent on repealing the Gun Registry law, despite the call of all law enforcement agencies and the majority of citizens for it to stay in force. But with the Conservative majority in Parliament, that law is now history. Even the data, the Feds want to destroy. And with their culture being the biggest U.S. export, the lax gun laws down there are obviously contributing to our gun problems up here, where smuggled guns are now fairly cheap and easily obtained, where in this past year we’ve seen several daylight shootings in public places, with no apparent fear of, or respect for the law. And again it’s mostly young people committing these crimes. I don’t understand the Feds up here nuh; they claim to be coming down harder on gun crimes, but are killing legislation that helps to keep the guns somewhat in check. It seems that it’s only when the families and friends of the gun manufacturers, the gun dealers, gun enthusiasts and greedy, spineless politicians are gunned down by some disturbed person that we’ll wake up and realize the stupidity of it all. Anyway, on a less fearful note, but still on the subject of death, here’s a quote I planned to share even before I heard about the terrible tragedy in Connecticut. The quote is attributed to American socialist philosopher, Corliss Lamont (1902-1995), and says: ‘The wise man looks at death with honesty, dignity and calm, recognizing that the tragedy it brings is inherent in the great gift of life.’ Oh Friends, the statement makes sense, because we all know that one day we will meet our Maker, but nonetheless death is a subject we still can’t handle and try our best to ignore. Believers in Jesus Christ though should not fear death, because it’s after this earthly demise that the real good life and living begins, in the company of the Holy Trinity for eternity. No wonder Bruh Paul, given a choice would have opted for being with Christ in the spirit, rather than on earth in the flesh. And as our Bit says: ‘What man is he that liveth, and shall not see (experience) death? Shall he deliver his soul from the hand (power) of the grave?  Selah.’ The answers Friends are NONE and NO! Nowlet’s look at some scriptures re death, that inspire us and give us hope. The psalmist in Psalm 116, Praise for deliverance from death, says it thus: ‘Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.’ (Ps.116:15) And every believer knows that to be the undeniable truth! Meanwhile Isaiah staunchly proclaims: ‘He (God) will swallow up death in victory (forever); and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.’ (Is.25:8-9) Gospel truth Friends, pure gospel truth made real in the person of Jesus! ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation (judgement); but is passed from death into life.’ (John 5:24) And all of that led Bruh Paul to make his famous pronouncement, quoting Isaiah 25:8 and Hosea 13:14. ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?’ (1 Cor.15:54-55) Then we come to the final times in Revelation, where Jesus having overcome death, and speaking from His spot of power at the right hand of the Father, tells John: ‘Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and death.’ (Rev.1:17-18) And all God’s children breathed a sigh of relief and intoned a heartfelt; ‘Thank You Jesus!’ Then in His message to the church at Smyrna, Jesus says to them: ‘Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried (tested); and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches: He that overcometh shall not be hurt by the second death.’ (Rev.2:10-11) And that second death is the eternal punishment, separation, when Lucifer and his cohorts are cast into the lake of fire. (Rev.21:3-4) That means if you aren’t saved, you’ll suffer eternal separation from Jesus, a thought too terrible to even contemplate. Then Friends, shall the great day come, when the New Jerusalem, the New Earth is brought into being, and with it, this wonderful news. ‘And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.’ (Rev.21:3-4) Oh my brethren, it can’t get any better than that, but to enjoy it you must be saved, with your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. So please turn to Jesus today, RIGHT NOW, unless you want to be cast into the lake of fire at the final judgement. Jesus gave up too much for us to act so cowardly and foolishly. Much LOVE!…in death with Jesus…there’s life for ever…Glory Hallelujah…