John 3:27. John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
Oh mih Friends, it’s another day in the life! And I know that many of us live the same bland, same old, uneventful lives from day to day, but if we truly believe in Almighty God, then though the events might seem the same – home, work, home – the spiritual undercurrent and happenings will definitely be different. Everyday we’ll be faced with different spiritual challenges.
And getting logical, (smile) how can each day be truly be the same eh, when we’re getting new mercies, blessings, forgiveness and opportunities from heaven above? Our God is so wonderful that He threads the needle of each day with a different colour thread, so that our lives will all seem to be beautiful reflections of His rainbow. (smile)
And to add some encouragement to all of that, because that’s what we try to do here at the Bit, here is this interesting quote. I might have shared it before, but if I did, it’s certainly worthy of sharing again. It comes from the German writer, Jean Paul Richter (1763-1825).
It says: ‘Flowers never emit so sweet and strong a fragrance as before a storm. When a storm approaches thee, be as fragrant as a sweet smelling flower.’
Ah mih people, those are certainly wise and encouraging words, but not always easy to live by in this mish-mash world. But whoever said that living on this ungodly earth was meant to be easy eh? We’ll all endure times of storm and times of peace and calm, we just have to hope and pray that the latter will greatly outweigh the former.
And regardless of what comes against us, we can only face it as a sweet smelling flower with the help of Jehovah God!
And with that indisputable fact, we’ll segue smoothly into our new Bit. ‘John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.’
Now Friends, that is the truth of all truths! And we’ll prove it with some scriptures in a minute. But first let’s get some background on the subject.
John gave that answer to his disciples when they came and told him: ‘Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.’ (John 3:26)
Then after our Bit, John continued: ‘Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.’ (John 3:28-30)
John’s ministry and that of Jesus ran concurrently for a short period. And as Jesus’ was increasing, John’s was decreasing. This however didn’t bother John, because He knew that was God’s plan. John’s ministry didn’t really end until he was imprisoned and then beheaded.
And with that bit of background, let’s check out some supporting scriptures, beginning with Bruh Paul’s exhortation to the church at Rome, re the service of LOVE to all.
‘So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one (individually) members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith. Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity (liberality); he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.’ (Rom.12:5-8)
Yes mih breddren, we have all been endowed with different gifts for different purposes, but they all come from the same source, the same eternal fountainhead; the Most High God, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! And we are all supposed to use those gifts, whatever they may be, in doing God’s holy will; being the salt of the earth and the light of the world, not hiding our lights or abusing and abandoning God’s gifts.
And as Bruh Paul continues to the Roman church: ‘Let LOVE be without dissimulation (hypocrisy). Abhor that which is evil; cleave (cling) to that which is good.’ (Rom.12:9)
Now that, my people, is the greatest thing a believer can ever do!
And as the scholars advise: ‘The Christian’s conduct in the local church toward fellow believers is to be a volitional caring for others, (exercised through one’s will), LOVING faithfully in spite of the response received. The LOVE is to be genuine and unfeigned.’
Unfortunately though, that doesn’t happen in our churches today as much as it ought to. Some of the bitterest fights and most hypocritical actions are currently consuming our churches, that’s why the body of Christ is so divided, disjointed and much weaker than it should be.
And since I’m so concerned about our short attention span, (smile) we’ll end with one more scripture. Don’t want you all to blame the length of the Bit for your not reading it. Hn, hn! But we all know that’s one of our favourite complaints today for anything that takes a few minutes to comprehend.
And this last scripture is from Bruh Paul to the Corinthians, trying to make them understand that Christians ought to be co-workers, not simply individual labourers. Remember there was some confusion as to whom the Corinthians should follow, Bruh Paul or Apollos?
Well he straightaway tells them: ‘Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.’ (1 Cor.3:5-7)
And on that note of gospel truth, my Friends, we’ll close today. Let’s hope that the words we’ve read will reach deep down into our hearts, minds and souls and take root, and thus make a sincere difference to the way we treat each other, especially those of the Christian faith, for it’s all about togetherness and LOVE.
Much LOVE, my fellow believers!
…LOVE is the strong cord that’s supposed to bind Christ’s body together…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 September 2013 John 3:27
19 Sep 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a day in the life, abhor evil, Apollos, bear witness, beautiful reflections, beheaded, bind, bitter fights, bland, blessings, bridegroom, calm, caring, cheerfulness, Christ, Christian faith, Christian's conduct, christianity, cleave, cling to good, co-workers, Corinthians, decrease, different colour thread, diligence, disjointed, dissimulation, divided, encouragement, endowed, exhortation, faith, fellow believers, forgiveness, fountainhead, fragrance, friend, fulfilled, genuine, gifts, giving, God's Holy Will, God's plan, grace, hearts, help of God, hope and pray, hypocrisy, hypocritical actions, imprisoned, increase, indisputable fact, jean paul richter, joy, labourers, liberally, light of the world, local church, LOVE, members, mercies, mercy, minds, ministry, mish-mash world, Most High God, ONE body in Christ, opportunities from heaven, Paul, peace, planted, prophecy, prophesy, purposes, rainbow, reflections, rejoice, religion, ruling, salt of the earth, same old, scriptures, segue, short attention span, souls, source, spiritual challenges, spiritual undercurrent, spirituality, storm, strong cord, sweet smelling flower, take root, teaching, Togetherness, truth, uneventful, unfeigned, ungodly earth, watered, weak, wise words, wonderful god
Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 July 2013 Matthew 13:22
18 Jul 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a positive idea, altruistic service, among thorns, assuage earthly lusts, bears fruit, beware of what you ask for, by grace are ye saved, cares of the world, children of disobedience, children of wrath, choke the word, common sense, controlled speech, deceitfulness, deceitfulness of riches, deserting God's army, desires of the flesh, diligence, dr robert schuller, evil, faith, foolish pride, godliness, good ground, grace, hears the word, hot and humid day, Hour of Power, living for Jesus, loved the world, Lucifer's wicked ways, lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, mind of a believer, new creations, passion, positive manner, pure religion, rich in mercy, separation from the world, sins, smart money, summer time, the world's spell, trespasses, truth, understanding, ungodly world, walking in God's will, win souls, wisdom
Matthew 13:22. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
Oh Friends, it’s ‘Summer time! And the living is easy…’ Well not for those who don’t have A/C or a cool basement to inhabit these last few days. For it was another hot, humid day in my neighbourhood, except that there was a decent breeze during the day. But as soon as the sun disappeared, the wind did the same.
Sitting on my porch, late last night, I had to strain to see any movement in the leaves on the trees. And again, even the insects refused to come out of their cool lairs to play in the dark, as is their wont. (smile)
Today seems like it will be more of the same. We’ve been calling for summer all along, and now that we have it, we’re not too thrilled. That reminds us of the old saying; beware of what you ask for, because when you get it, it might not be all you expected.
But let’s get right to our Bit, because there’s plenty stuff to share. ‘He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care (cares) of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.’
Ah Friends, how sad it is when we allow the cares of the world to choke our godliness and make us unfruitful! But here’s this little prayer, or poem, from Dr. Robert Schuller’s Hour of Power Devotional, which puts our shortcomings in the right perspective.
It’s titled, ‘My Walk,’ and goes thus: ‘O God, I’m inspired. For you have just impressed this truth into my mind: The most powerful force in the world is a positive idea in the mind of a believer who is walking in your will! I now reach forth my life and say, “God, put my life into the centre of your will.” Amen.’
Now Friends, that’s how we should be walking with our God, in a positive manner, passionately doing His will!
And as Jesus adds in the last verse of the parable on the sower. ‘But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth (produces), some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.’ (Matt.13:23)
Yes my people, that’s how we ought to be; hearing the Word, understanding it, then using it to successfully bring forth fruit, win souls, get others interested in living for Jesus!
However, too many of us still keep resisting Him, paying more attention to the things of the evil, ungodly world, things that sadly only raise up the lusts of our flesh and the lusts of our eyes, and cause us to walk in foolish pride.
Bruh Paul pointed this out to Timothy when he told him: ‘Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me: For Demas hath forsaken me, having LOVED, this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.’ (2 Tim.4:9-10)
Yeh mih people, Demas fell under the world’s spell and deserted Bruh Paul. And unfortunately that sort of thing is still happening today; believers are still deserting God’s army to assuage their earthly lusts in the wicked ways of Lucifer.
Meanwhile, listen to Bruh Paul as he tells the Ephesians about grace and faith. ‘And you hath he quickened (made alive), who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Among whom also we all had our conversation (conducted ourselves) in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great LOVE wherewith he LOVED us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us (made us alive) together with Christ, (by grace ye are (have been) saved.’) (Eph.2:1-5)
Yes Friends, all of us, like the Ephesians were once following the tendencies, values, pursuits and deeds of this evil world, until God sent Jesus to save us, and we became new creatures, new creations in Christ. Unfortunately though, too many of us are still following the world’s vision and values, foolishly reluctant to give them up and fully embrace Christ.
But listen to James talk about hearing and doing the Word nuh. ‘If any man among you seem to be (thinks he is) religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain (useless). Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.’ (James 2:26-27)
That says it all Friends!
But here are a few words from the scholars on those verses. ‘In verses 22-25 James has rebuked mere listening – by the hearer who does not do. In verses 26 and 27 he rebukes mere doing – by the doer who leaves his inner life unchanged. James offers not a formal definition but three key aspects of pure religion: controlled speech, altruistic service, and separation from the world.’
Now my brethren, it’s up to us to choose whom we will follow, the world, or Jesus. I’d suggest you make that decision right now, because time is running out, and decide to follow Jesus, for that’s where the smart money, the wisdom and common sense lies. Much LOVE!
…as for me and mine…we will definitely follow Jesus…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 June 2013 Proverbs 4:26
07 Jun 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a just and righteous God, absolutely essential, austerity, bad government, belt-tightening attitude, breeding ground, captures the heart, captures the mind, consider your path, deceit, deceitful mouth, diligence, don't turn to the right or to the left, fellowship, Freedom Day, Friday chant, generous help, glorious kingdom, God faithfully promised, God's righteous kingdom, guiding light, heart, hold on to our faith, human-rights, jobless, jobs, lies, look straight ahead, lucky minority, mind, mire of greed, negative atmosphere, peace, perverse lips, productive society, refeshed in soul, remuneration, rest and relaxation, rightful entitlement, rush hour traffic, short attention spans, spirituality, successful society, sufficient fun, TGIF!, Thank God it's Friday, thanks and praise, the benefits of work, the weekend, wisdom, work ethic, worldwide dilemma, worsening economy
Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 November 2012 Proverbs 16:32
03 Nov 2012 Leave a comment
in Inspirational Living Tags: anger, bitterness, clamour, diligence, God's in control, impatience, malice, now for now, petty stuff, road rage, self-control, self-discipline, technological advances
Proverbs 16:32. He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
Oh Friends, oh Friends, yesterday we saw the sun in our area for the first time in several days! Wow! Now it wasn’t a big, bright, powerful, burning orb, but it produced enough light and glare that I had to put on my sunglasses, which had been languishing in my car for I don’t know how long. And though the wind and rain had also stopped, the ground was still soaking wet from all the heavenly moisture that fell upon it this past week. Now where was all that moisture when we so badly needed it in the hot, dry summer eh? Anyway, since we keep proclaiming that Jehovah God is still in control of the universe He created, and since His mental prowess is also much greater than ours, we have to accept that He knows what He’s doing, just grin and bear it, and say ‘Thank You Lord.’ However, that is something a lot of us believers are not able to do, especially in this now for now society in which we currently live, where the technological advances have brought us to expect everything immediately, if not sooner. Do you see how we behave when we have to wait, or line up for anything? Look at how we behave in the supermarkets or the gas stations, if we find the person in front of us is, in our opinion, taking too long? The same thing happens on the road when we dipsy doodle in and out of traffic, or cut somebody off, just to get one car length ahead. The one that takes the cake though is how we behave when we’ve been waiting for a parking spot for a few minutes, then someone else suddenly comes up and drives right into it. Hn! That sort of action has become so commonplace now, that we even had to coin a term for it; road rage. Oh my brethren, our society has become so soft and spoilt that the minute, or rather the second we don’t get our way, we’re much more liable to explode in anger with all sorts of deleted expletives fouling the atmosphere, than we would done even ten years ago. But Friends, our Bit tells it differently, tells it the way it ought to be. ‘He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.’ And that’s the living truth my people! When we learn to control our angry emotions and outbursts, then we’re better than the mighty men of valour and also the conquerors of cities. Now isn’t that something? Yes my people, when we control ourselves we display an essential attribute that is sadly lacking these days, thanks in part also to the busyness of our society. I know it’s sometimes difficult to do with so many people working two and three jobs just to make ends meet. Then we definitely don’t have a waiting mode. But Friends that impatience and tendency to always be in a hurry leads to all sorts of negative stuff like anger, that produces verbal abuse, which can very easily lead to simple assaults, that then turn into out and out violence. Oh my brethren, it cannot be overstated that we all need to slow down, take some time to think seriously about our irrational behaviour that’s now at an all time high. Cousin Sol, the wisest man ever, knew what he was talking about when he wrote: ‘He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit (impulsive, short tempered) exalteth folly.’ (Prov.14:29) And isn’t that the awesome truth Friends! Besides making us seem wise and understanding, being slow to anger also helps us live longer, since our blood pressure and heart rates aren’t flaring up all the time with adrenalin surges. It also stops us from making a lot of wrong and painful decisions, which we often make in anger mode. That’s why the mind people caution us not to make hasty, angry decisions, because our topsy turvy emotions will blind us to what’s wise and right. I’m sure all of us can look back on times when we made decisions in anger mode, then lived to regret them. And the sad part is that many of those decisions made when we’re angry cannot be turned around once made, so we often live to rue the day we made them. No wonder James declares: ‘Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not (does not produce) the righteousness of God.’ (James 2:19-20) Now that’s wisdom at its zenith my people! And the scholars have this to say: ‘Trials require silence and patience because talk inflames anger, and anger inflames talk. Anger also distracts from listening to God.’ There’s no disputing that! But unfortunately the only way to develop that kind of wisdom is first to slow down, stop letting the make believe busyness of modern life get us all worked up, because then we are liable to easily blow a gasket over petty, trifling, immaterial stuff and get ourselves in unwanted trouble. Listen to Cousin Sol again on the subject. ‘The discretion of a man deferreth his anger (makes him slow to anger); and it is his glory to pass over (overlook) a transgression.’ (Prov.19:11) That’s gospel Friends! We’re living in such an angry world today that negative things life strife, hatred and resentment are much more prevalent than positive stuff like Peace and LOVE, which make for a much better life. And we’ll let Bruh Paul take us home with some of the best words ever penned on the subject, as he wisely advises the fledgling church at Ephesus. ‘Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.’ (Eph.4:31-32) I can’t say it any better Friends. I can only advise us to sit and seriously ponder Bruh Paul’s words as they pertain to us individually, then diligently, in prayer, and in conjunction with our most wonderful God, work towards acquiring that peace of spirit and mind which is even more valuable than the ability of the mighty to conquer cities. Much LOVE!…anger and strife…eventually lead to death and destruction…but peace and LOVING-kindness…gently usher us along the path to salvation and eternal life…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 22 October 2012 Jude 3
22 Oct 2012 Leave a comment
in Inspirational Living Tags: common faith, confidence, contend for the faith, diligence, fight the good fight, joy of the lord, Jude, LOVE, mercy, Monday Battle Hymn, Monday Monday, peace, renewed vitality and enthusiasm, sure conquerors, taunts, wiles
Jude 3. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Aye Friends, mercy, peace and LOVE be unto you this chilly, autumn, Monday morning, or whatever the weather is like in your area. The fact of the matter is that it’s time to go out and labour once again. And since our spirits are usually lethargic and full of rebellion on Monday mornings, we need to uplift them, so that we can fight a good fight in Jesus’ name, in the evil, ungodly world that constantly tries to batter and bully us and steal our joy. But since the JOY of the Lord is our strength (Neh.8:10) we certainly can’t afford to have that stolen. Therefore, in order to boost our tired, unenthusiastic, ebbing spirits, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn in strong voice with sincere hearts. As one big, harmonious earthly choir now: ‘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!’ Wow mih people! That was wonderful; definitely energetic and exhilarating! All the heavenly host stood with mouth-opened awe, then gave a rousing ovation of ‘Hallelujah!’ at the end. Now let’s carry that strong, enthusiastic, faithful, battle hardened attitude out into Lucifer’s domain, and let him and all his wicked cohorts sit up and take notice nuh. But please note, we can’t just run on adrenalin alone, we also have to be ‘wiswise’ (use wisdom), as we live in accordance with our Bit. ‘Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once (for all time) delivered unto the saints.’ Ah Friends, it’s what I’m also trying to get us to do, don’t know with how much success though. (smile) Jude here, is reputed to be Jesus’ half brother. ‘Is this not the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?’ (Matt.13:55) In Greek, Jude is really Judas, but it’s translated as Jude to avoid confusion with Judas Iscariot. And it’s interesting as one scholar notes, that instead of being a name dropper and saying he was Jesus’ brother, Jude instead opens his missive as ‘Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James…’ (Jude 1) He shows real humility. But I have to laugh at the mysterious ways in which our God certainly moves, re how Jesus’ family rejected Him when He walked on earth with them, but afterwards that same family, in particular James and Jude found the faith and had successful ministries. Just like Jesus said, two verses later, when the crowd in His hometown were offended by His Messianic claims. ‘A prophet is not without honour, save (except) in his own country, and in his own house.’ (Matt.13:57) And that’s the gospel truth my brethren! But getting back to our Bit, here’s the scholar’s general take on it. ‘Beloved indicates the close relationship between Jude and his readers. Jude was evidently planning to write a less urgent doctrinal letter but was forced by developments to pen this earnest exhortation. Jude conceives of Christian faith as having a definite, unchanging and unchangeable content.’ One scholar believes that Jude had intended to write about ‘common salvation,’ it’s joys and benefits, but was steered by the Holy Spirit towards the more pressing problem of believers diligently fighting to protect and further their faith. And that’s quite possible and very plausible, as I have received such change of direction many times over the years. And by the way, ‘common salvation’ doesn’t mean it’s common in a derogatory or negative sense, but rather that it was meant as a gift that could be received by everybody. As Bruh Paul greets Titus: ‘Titus, mine own (my true) son after (in our) common faith:’ (Titus.1:4a) Ah Friends, I sure hope that the Bit makes sense because I have so much information I want to share, but since you’re all wise believers, I know you’ll be able to fathom it all. (smile) Now let’s end with a similar exhortation from Bruh Paul to the Philippians. ‘Only let your conversation (conduct) be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or also be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel; And in nothing (no way) terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token (a proof) of perdition (destruction), but to you of salvation, and that of God.’ (Phil.1:27-28) Yes Friends, that’s the only way to go! More on this tomorrow, provided we’re still alive and kicking. Till then, may God bless and keep us, so that we can walk worthy of Him. Much LOVE!…a true believer’s earthly walk must show confidence…since he’s assured of salvation…through Jesus Christ…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 June 2012 2 Chronicles 32:7
12 Jun 2012 Leave a comment
in Inspirational Living Tags: be not afraid or dismayed, be strong and courageous, believe in God, diligence, don't quit, faithfullness, God's largesse and mercy, Mountain Moving Prayer, pray for deliverance, problems, prosperity, the battle is God's
2 Chronicles 32:7. Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him.
Oh Friends, it’s another new day with new mercies, blessings and also problems. But what we need to fully realize is that problems don’t last forever. We either solve them with God’s help, or they just fritter away through God’s largesse and mercy. The problem though is, (smile) we need a general way in which to handle these problems when they crop up. And a good way to help us do just that is in this Mountain Mover’s Prayer by Dr. Robert Schuller. We’ve shared it before, but like all things which can help us walk the straight and narrow, it’s worth repeating, especially in these times when our world is in such a topsy-turvy, frenzied state. So here goes: ‘Lord, when I face a mountain, do not let me quit. Give me the strength to keep on striving until I climb over, find a pass through, or tunnel underneath. And if my best efforts fail, give me the patience to stay, and the perception to see the possibilities of turning my mountain into a gold mine with your help. Amen.’ There’s the problem-solving attitude we need my people! And in conjunction with our Bit, how can the enemy beat us down eh? ‘Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him.’ Yes Friends, it’s time, or rather it’s imperative that now, when the last days are possibly nigh, that God’s people stand up strong and courageous, faithfully relying on His promises, promises that were all faithfully fulfilled in times past, and will be once again, if and when we rise up as one, one voice, one body, one church of Christ and look to the infallible Jehovah God to help us and fight our battles rather than to fallible, deceitful man. And to prove my point, here’s an example of our God fighting Israel’s battles. Yesterday it was against the Assyrians and their king Sennacherib in the time of King Hezekiah’s reign. Today it’s when Moab came to war against Israel in the time of King Jehoshaphat. When the king heard the news of the approaching army, what was his first act? He prayed for deliverance. ‘And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself (his face) to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.’ (2 Chr.20:3) Oh Friends, seeking our God should always be our first act in all things, especially times of trouble, and not the last, as so many of us do. And all Judah came together to hear the king pray to the Lord and add their pleas too. (2 Chr.20:4-13) Then, as our Lord so often does in such cases, He sent His Spirit upon one Jahaziel, right there in the middle of the gathering. ‘And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid or dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff (ascent) of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook (wadi or stream bed) before the wilderness of Jeruel. Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set (position) yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them; for the Lord will be with you.’ (2 Chr.20:15-17) Ah mih people, our God is such a good and great God! He hears and answers when we cry out to Him with clean hearts and right motives! And please note Judah’s reaction to this awesome promise of their God. ‘And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshipping the Lord. And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high.’ (2 Chr. 20: 18-19) Oh mih breddren, that’s the way we need to praise and worship Almighty God today for all the mercies and blessings which He bestows on us every single day. They might not be as big and awesome as fighting a physical battle for us, but without His help we’d be unable to do much of anything. Now here’s the miraculous ending: ‘And they rose early in the morning and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever. And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah, and they were smitten (defeated)’ (2 Chr.20:20-22) Yes Friends, those supposed invaders ended up fighting amongst themselves and destroyed each other. So that when Judah came upon the battlefield, all they saw were dead bodies. None had escaped. And here’s the crowning glory; the spoil from the battle was so much that it took Judah three days to gather it all. And who says our God isn’t a wonderful and upright God eh! Oh my people, just like Judah back then, we in our own troubled times, need to faithfully and diligently walk with the Lord, praise and worship Him because that is our duty, and when we do our duty, He prospers us and keeps us safe from harm. The message is still the same today, as it was way back then. So let’s do what we ought to nuh; be strong, courageous and not fear, for then are we truly invincible and sure conquerors. Much LOVE!…what does the Lord desire of us…praise, thanks, worship, glory, courage and strong faith…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 April 2012 Proverbs 19:15
10 Apr 2012 Leave a comment
in Inspirational Living Tags: circles, deprivation, diligence, holding hands, hunger, laziness, olive branch, poisoned dart, poverty, reality, sharing, slotfulness, want, work
Proverbs 19:15. Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.
Oh Friends, we’re going to begin this Easter Tuesday with a situation that ought to be a reality, but unfortunately is not. However, that’s what dreams, hope, faith and Jesus are there for; to convert unreal situations, bring them to light, life and reality. I’m referring to a very poignant quote from my ‘P.S. I LOVE YOU’ Poster, which declares in all sincerity: ‘The people on our planet are not standing in a line in single file. Look closely. Everyone is really standing in a circle holding hands. Whatever you give to the person standing next to you, it eventually comes back to you.’ Ah mih people, that’s the way it ought to be, but right now we’re surely not standing in a circle, and definitely not holding hands. How sad! This selfish generation is all about gathering for itself, forgetting others. In fact the very thought of sharing is absent from too many minds in our world. And all some of us are interested in holding out is a poisoned dart rather than an olive branch. Consequently, we have a rather messed up and troubled planet which is divided into roughly three work groups: those who work all the time – the supposed ‘A’ nature; those who seek a balance between work and play; and those who do very little or nothing. And with the poor economic times we’re currently experiencing, the last group is just getting bigger, not always through their own fault, but often through their inability to find work. Even the most diligent human, after a long, unsuccessful search for work loses that diligence and is primed for laziness and indifference. Our Bit today addresses those of the latter group. ‘Slothfulness (Laziness) casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.’ And isn’t that the awful truth! Laziness leads to all kinds of bad situations. Listen to Cousin Sol expound on that, in his warning against idleness and falsehood. ‘Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide (leader), overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat (food) in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep (lie down), O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that traveleth (a prowler), and thy want (need) as an armed man.’ (Prov.6:6-11) Now here’s the scholars’ explanation of that: ‘The sluggard is the habitually lazy person. He is admonished to learn two important lessons from the ant: (1) the ant has no guide, overseer, or ruler (v.7) meaning that the ant does not need a taskmaster standing over it to make it work; it is a self-starter. (2) The ant is wise enough to prepare for predictable circumstances (v.8). Two questions about sleep are posed to the sluggard (v.9). His answer is given in verse 10: ‘Just a little bit more sleep!’ The result of such laziness is dire poverty, which will come as suddenly and decisively as a robber (v.11).’ Cousin Sol hit the nail right on the head there Friends, for slothfulness, laziness and their derivatives are definitely too prevalent in our society, especially amongst the younger generation, whom we spoiled by raising them in a pampered environment. Now they believe the world owes them a living, and a very good one at that. Poor children, suffering for their parents misguided thinking; that they shouldn’t have to work hard or suffer much want and need. But Friends, it’s those very things; hard work, want and need, that drive the human animal to get up and do productive stuff. When you lack or need nothing, there’s no incentive or need for you to do anything. And as our Bit says: ‘an idle soul shall suffer hunger.’ Now therein lies an absolute truth! Hear Cousin Sol on the contrast between the wise and the foolish: ‘He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack (negligent) hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.’ (Prov.10:4) A lazy person will never rise to great heights in any profession, even that of laziness, because to be really lazy takes hard work. (smile) But it’s true. Try it, and you’ll see. Some days I just want to laze around, and because I’m somewhat diligent, I have to force myself, work seriously at being lazy. Listen to another of Cousin Sol’s sayings on the topic: ‘The soul of the sluggard (lazy) desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat (rich).’ (Prov.13:4) And here’s the same thing put a different way: ‘The thoughts (plans) of the diligent tend (lead) only to plenteousness; but of every one that is hasty only to want (surely to poverty).’ (Prov.21:5) Oh my brethren, the prevalence of laziness, sloppiness and overall deteriorating standards are helping to downgrade our society. I know that plenty can’t find work, but there’s also a core group that delights in doing nothing, just living off whatever and whomever is available. That’s the group we need to target if we hope to turn things around. And we’ll end with some wise advice from Bruh Paul to the Thessalonians: ‘For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.’ (2 Thess.3:10-12) Though it might be a bit harsh for those who truly seek but can’t find work, for the constant slacker it should be a rule of law, it’s the only way to get them up and doing something constructive. Much LOVE!…let’s make the dream a reality…everybody standing in a circle…holding hands…sharing peace, LOVE, harmony…and Jesus…
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