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Ecclesiastes 7:20. For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

Oh what a glorious Monday morn, mih people! Please rise and greet it with enthusiasm and wonder, the same way our great God did when He made it and us!

Remember what God said when He made the universe? ‘It is good!’ So why should we dispute His statement eh? Therefore, let us put all our problems behind us, or rather in God’s capable and powerful hands.

And as Uncle Charles, (Charles Stanley) is wont to say: ‘just obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.’ Wonderful advice mih breddren!

And to do that, this Monday morning we have to get up with a good attitude, prepared to meet the new workweek head on with strength, faith and a sense of purpose. But since we know that’s not always easy, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with all the gusto we can muster, to jump start our spirit motors.

As one sweet, harmonious, earthly choir my brethren, let’s show the heavenly hosts that we can warble just as sweetly as them. (smile)

‘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!’

Ohhhh! That was most excellent my people! All heaven, including Jesus and the Father, gave us a standing O, and shouted for an encore! Mamma Mia!

That means we’re ready to go out into the ungodly world and battle the evil powers into submission, with Jesus going, both before and behind us.

Now that doesn’t mean we have to be rude, prideful and/or arrogant, but rather mind our p’s and q’s very carefully, because of our Bit. ‘For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.’

Yes Friends, we’re already sinful by nature, we cannot afford to further put ourselves in the Father’s bad books. Now yesterday we looked at some scriptures which supported our Bit, today we’ll look at some more.

And here’s how Bruh David puts it in both Psalm 14 and 53, titled the foolishness of men. And oh, that’s surely plentiful my fellow believers!

Excuse the pause there Friends, I was trying to see which Psalm to use. They do convey the same message, but with slightly different words in some parts. And after seeking the Lord’s guidance, I chose Psalm 14, because it’s simpler, and more straightforward. Psalm 53 has more flowery language. (smile)

‘The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside (astray), they are all together become filthy (corrupt): there is none that doeth good, no, not one.’ (Ps.14:1-3)

Yes my fellow believers, we’re all guilty of sin. But the sad part is that sin is no longer such a big deal, a big negative to do in our society! Ah Lord eh! How very foolish and unwise is that attitude, my people!

And why do you think our world is in such a bad and sorry shape eh? It’s because of our monumental sins! The Father doesn’t even have to do much to punish us, because in our very sinful state, we are continually destroying ourselves and all the good things and people around us.

As Cousin Sol so wisely asks in Proverbs: ‘Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?’ (Prov.20:9)

NOBODY! Not a single human being can truthfully say that my Friends!

So what are we going to do about it eh? Remember Bruh Paul’s famous statement to the Romans? ‘For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through (in) Jesus Christ our Lord.’ (Rom.6:23)

Oh mih fellow believers, what an awesome God we serve! For right in that one monumental statement, we have both the problem and its solution! And all God’s people gave a joyful shout of: ‘Glory be to our most wonderful heavenly Father!’

Yes mih people, JESUS CHRIST IS THE ONLY SOLUTION, THE PROPITIATION, THE ONE AND ONLY REMEDY FOR OUR SINS!

It’s of the utmost importance that we know, believe and remember that fact, because it is one of, if not the most crucial and critical facts on this planet earth, that’s why I put it in bold capitals. If we don’t take it to heart NOW, then we’ll find ourselves in a rather untenable and horrific position later on.

The scholars have wisely acknowledged this: ‘6:23. The penalty of sin is death, both spiritual and physical. The moment Adam sinned, he died spiritually, in that sense, everyone is born dead in sin (Eph.2:1). Physical death, described as the separation of the body and spirit (James 2:26), is the ultimate result of sin (cf. Gen 3).

People who die in their sin (in an unsaved state) will have to face a “second death” portrayed as a “lake of fire” (Rev. 20:15) Application: The only escape from this second death is to receive the gift of eternal life in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. (First Ref. Gen.3:14-24); Primary Ref. Rom.6; cf. Rom.8:3).’

And that, my people, is the greatest piece of wisdom any human being can ever attain unto! Much LOVE!

…LOVING Jesus…and being LOVED by Him…is the most wonderful experience man can ever aspire to…

Matthew 5:12. Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Oh Friends, oh Friends, a good Monday morning to all you beautiful believers in the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, our wonderful Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, our Emmanuel – God with us, our Prince of Peace, our heavenly Advocate and so much more!

And all God’s children gave a mighty shout of joy: ‘All praise and power and thanks be to Jesus Christ, the innocent Lamb who was slain as atonement for our transgressions!’ Yeh mih people, what a close Friend and Brother our Saviour is to all!

And just to show how powerful and cohesive a force He is, listen to this story as reported in Sunday’s edition of the Toronto Star Newspaper. The medium sized headlines boldly declare: ‘Amid Syria’s civil war, giant figure of Jesus rises!’ Then in smaller letters: ‘Factions call truce while statue erected on mountain.’ Aye Mama!

The long and short of the story though people, is that in spite of the savage and cruel civil war going on in Syria, all three factions involved, apparently let up so that a 12 metres (approx. 39 ft.) tall statue of Jesus, standing on a base that makes it approximately 32 metres (approx. 105 ft.) high, could be erected on a mountaintop overlooking a pilgrim’s route in olden times, from Constantinople to Jerusalem.

The paper says it took eight years to be completed and was erected on October 14, 2013. And why erect a statue of Jesus in such war-filled times? One church leader was quoted as saying, ‘Because Jesus would have it done.’ And that’s a most appropriate answer. If Jesus wants it done, then it WILL be done!

And that Friends, brings us right back to our Bit: ‘Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.’

The Christians in Syria are facing persecution from all sides of the war, yet in their strong faith, they’ve found the time, energy, belly, backbone and fortitude to erect a statue of their Lord and Saviour. That surely deserves shout of ‘Glory Hallelujah!’

Would we have done that our here during such perilous times? I doubt it very much. But that just goes to show the kind of faith we need to acquire before we can truly call ourselves real followers of Christ.

Now that doesn’t mean our efforts aren’t worthwhile, but compared to some of those believers living in heathen lands, we’re merely ‘kindergarters,’ still drinking milk, while they are eating solid food, not simply talking the talk, but walking their walk at a much higher level than us. (Heb.511-14; 1 Pet.2:2)

Oh Friends, that’s a state or stage of maturity which ALL of us in the Western world ought to aspire to! And I hope you have noticed that I’m not haranguing us today about our usual poor Monday morning attitude. (smile)

Anyway, having seen what our fellow believers, are capable of in the midst of war, with Jesus obviously on their side, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with exceptional fervour and thankfulness, so that we too can go out today and engage the enemy in serious battle. And please remember to put on your spiritual armour before you engage Lucifer and his evil minions.

Now let’s raise heaven’s roof with our sweet, melodic voices as we belt out our song of praise and worship. ‘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 mih people, mih people, that was magnificent, mucho magnifico! (smile) But with Jesus as our conductor, how else could it be eh? Wow!

The Father even gave us a standing ‘O’ (ovation), while vigorously clapping and shouting out, ‘Encore, encore!’ Unfortunately though, we have to disappoint Him because we have to go out and fight our earthly battles to glorify His precious Name.

And finally, let’s hear the scripture that I couldn’t get in yesterday. It deals with the second half of our Bit: ‘for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.’

Listen to the apostle Stephen speak these memorable words at his trial before the Jewish Council, after which he was stoned to death, martyred through the evil machinations of Bruh Paul, in his earlier incarnation as Saul of Tarsus, the feared Christian hunter.

‘Ye stiffnecked (stubborn) and uncircumcised in heart and ears (impenitent), ye do always resist the Holy Ghost; as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before (foretold) of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: Who have received the law by the disposition (direction) of angels, and have not kept it.’ (Acts 7:51-53)

And sadly Friends, thousands of years later, we’re still stubborn and unrepentant, still killing God’s people, and still not keeping His law. However, in the long run, we shall ALL have to answer for our actions, so please, let’s instead concentrate on being contrite, repentant and following the law of our heavenly Father, so that we don’t have to bow our heads in as much shame, anguish and regret, when He finally calls us to account.

That my people, is the epitome of wisdom! Much LOVE!

…why jeopardize our salvation and eternal life with Jesus…by letting the evil, deceitful Lucifer into our lives eh…that’s a fool’s wisdom…

SCRIP-BITS

Today’s Scrip-Bit 31 March 2014 Ecclesiastes 7:20

Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 November 2013 Matthew 5:12

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