economic times | SCRIP-BITS

Romans 12:2. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Welcome to a bright and beautiful brand new day in God’s miraculous universe my people! There has never been another day like it… and will never be another like it either!

That’s because our God makes each day new and fresh every morning, no left overs from yesterday, providing it with new mercies, forgiveness, LOVE, grace, strength, confidence… in fact all the things we need to see it through successfully.

As Jesus would say, giving us our daily bread, lacking nothing to live a joyful life and do His will. What a wonderful God we serve and worship my brethren!

But friends, before we can enjoy all those things that our Lord and Saviour wants us to enjoy, as well as do His will successfully, we have to do ONE thing first – what our Bit says: ‘And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.’

That’s the invaluable key to opening the vault of God’s storehouse! We have to begin thinking like God thinks and not like the world thinks. And why is that you ask?

Because as James prognosticates: ‘Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of (with) the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will (wants to) be a friend of the world is (makes himself the enemy of God).’ (James 4:4)

In other words friends, in plain and simple language, one cannot LOVE God and the world at the same time! But that doesn’t stop some of us from trying though by trying to balance on the proverbial fence. (smile)

But as Jesus so rightly proclaimed: ‘No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and LOVE the other; or else he will hold to (be loyal) to the one, and despise the other. Ye CANNOT serve God and mammon (riches of the world).’ (Matt.5:24)

And as the scholars explain: ‘6:24. This kind of spiritual double vision causes one to believe he can serve two masters. Total loyalty to God cannot be divided between Him and loyalty to one’s material possessions. A master (Gr. kurios) is a lord or an owner. That God claims total lordship over His own is obvious in this passage.

Therefore, Jesus rightly proclaimed; Ye cannot serve God and mammon. The term mammon is derived from the Aramaic term for possessions or wealth. Jesus is not condemning money or possessions in and of themselves, but the improper attitude of enslavement toward wealth.’

But with the increasingly rough economic times, where people are desperately trying to make two ends meet, a lot of believers are focused on their wealth and possession situation, rather than their situation with God. It’s also difficult to focus on God when the world is constantly bombarding us with its supposedly glorious stuff.

However friends, again, we have to remember the faithful words and promise of Jesus: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt.6:33) As believers, those words should always be uppermost in our minds. And if they are, then we WILL be able to focus on God and blot out the world and all its superficial riches.

As Cousin Sol so wisely advises us in Proverbs: ‘Labour not to be rich (do not overwork): cease from (because of) thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not (will you cause your eyes to fly on it, and it is not)? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.’ (Prov.23:4-5)

Gospel truth my brethren, gospel truth! For stories abound of the many who were wealthy and famous one day, then the next they were poorer than a church mouse! (smile) And it does say something about our society and our faith when poverty is equated with the lot of a mouse in the church.

The church mouse should really be the richest of the lot – that is, if all God’s people were giving as generously to His church as they should. The sad reality though is that a lot of churches are struggling because God’s people aren’t giving like He desires; tithing and making His house a storeroom of plenty to share with the numerous unfortunates in our prosperous society.

Anyway my people, enough badgering for today. (smile) But I do hope that what we’ve said does make a strong impression on all of us believers, and helps us to live successfully under God’s safe umbrella in this evil and sinful world. Now let’s go home declaring our Tuesday Mantra, telling the world who and whose we are.

In sincerity and truth now: ‘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 corollary to that is, let’s now go out and share the undying and eternal LOVE of Jesus with others who desperately need it. Much LOVE!

…it all begins…and ends…in the mind…

P.S. Sorry for the lateness of the Bit, but I just got tied up in some unforeseen affairs of life. (smile) But better late than never! Much LOVE!

John 6:29. Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

It is Monday Friends… and all over the world people are excited, joyful, enthusiastic and everlastingly grateful that they have jobs to go to on this fateful last day of June 2014!

But yuh know what, we can also say: It is Monday Friends… and all over the world lots of people are sad, in despair, fearful, crying, and even dying because they don’t have jobs to go to on this fateful last day of June 2014!

And paradoxically, both statements would be true! Unfortunately though, I do believe that in these very trying and challenging economic times the latter statement and/or situation contains the greater the number of people.

So my brethren, if you are one of those lucky ones in the minority, one with a job this Monday morning, then I’d strongly suggest you put some cheer in your heart, a smile on your face and get a move on, instead of pouting and childishly complaining, of being miserable and downcast because you have to go and do a little labouring, so that you can eat bread.

Chuh! Remember Bruh Paul’s words to the Thessalonians on the subject: ‘For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.’ (2 Thess.3:10)

Oh Friends, it’s a good thing that we don’t rigidly enforce that command nuh, else many more people would be starving than currently are! However, since we are only mere mortals, and complaining is a part of our natural heritage, (smile) let’s get some much needed encouragement from our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. Let’s sing it with a zest and a zeal that will move the forces of heaven!

As one beautiful sounding, harmonious 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!’

Oh Friends, that was most excellent! Jesus was proud of us! Now let’s see if we can keep Him proud concerning the terms of our Bit. ‘Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.’

Remember yesterday we saw where the crowd was following Jesus looking for physical food, but He was more interested in giving them spiritual food, and told them so. After which they enquired what they had to do to perform the works of God, and Jesus replied with our Bit.

And still in a quandary, after receiving His answer, ‘They said therefore unto him, what sign showest thou (will you perform) then, that we may see, and believe thee? What dost thou work? Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.’ (John 6:30-35)

Oh my people, what beautiful words of encouragement, wisdom and truth! Only our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, the Master Teacher, could have uttered them so movingly, so touching to the heart!

Now I’m not sure if the people who heard Him live on that day, really understood what He was talking about, but we do. And since we are His representatives here on earth, it is our bounden duty, our responsibility to get out into the evil, ungodly world and let the unbelievers know what is what.

So today, as we venture out into the wide and wicked world, to begin a new week of work, let’s remember to give Jesus some air time; let people know by our words, who He is and what He’s done for us, and will also do for them if they accept Him. And then, by our actions, let them see how He expects us to behave.

Friends, that’s all Jesus really expects from us. And it’s not hard to do, if we truly believe and want to be His true disciples. So let’s get on with it nuh! Much LOVE!

…today I’m going to try and change the world…just one moment at a time…by letting Jesus work through me…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 June 2014 John 6:29

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