SCRIP-BITS

Mark 8:36.      For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 

Well friends, it’s Wednesday, the middle of the week, and I do hope that we’ve made some headway into being the difference maker that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ expects us to be. Yes, that’s why He’s placed us on the earth at this particular time, to make a difference in His name, to be the flavoursome salt and the bright, exciting light to the evil and depraved world that currently reigns. 

And though it’s a very rewarding and interesting task, it’s not always an easy one, because it sometimes calls for a lot of sacrifice on our part, giving up our will to ensure that His is forthcoming. And that issue of sacrifice is not something that Christ hid, but He said it very clearly and plainly. 

The Good Book tells us: ‘And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. 

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’ (Mark 8:34-38) 

And is this generation ever sinful and adulterous! So that means a lot is expected of us my fellow saints in Christ. But the basic thing is to live for and like Him, spread His gospel and not be ashamed of Him, because when he returns in all His glory, He will be ashamed of us and not recognize us as being amongst His followers. 

Unfortunately though, many of us supposed believers are indeed ashamed of Christ, and afraid of the very sinful and adulterous world in which we now live, so we only give lip service to His words and way of life. But as the scholars note per verse 38 above: ‘Jesus makes a very close connection between Himself and His Words.’ So we cannot separate one from the other as we like to do. 

The problem is that life is so good with us out here in the western world, with all the privileges and amenities we enjoy, that we don’t want anything at all to disturb it. We just want to keep moseying along in comfort, living the life of the rich and idle. But friends, life does not, never has, and never will run smoothly! It’s a series of ups and downs, and until we learn to take the good with the bad, and live accordingly, we will be forever destined to live unhappy and ungodly lives. 

Even Christ confirmed that life is full of trouble when He said: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) Now that’s a scripture that all of us know, but don’t truly take to heart, otherwise we wouldn’t be living the scared and anxious lives we’re living. Jesus has indeed conquered and overcome the world by His sacrificial death and resurrection, and only in and through Him can we ever have peace in this crazy, warlike world. 

That’s what He gives to us, when we truly accept Him as Lord and Saviour and try to live the way He desires of us. Oh, He knows that we will have hard times, for nobody had harder times than He did, and sometimes we will fail to do His will, but He is also very forgiving and expects us to get back up and continue the good fight in His name. He gives us the grace and power to do that, but we have to truly believe and surrender ourselves to His holy will. 

As the prophet Isaiah said so long ago: ‘He giveth power to the faint (weak), and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is. 40:29-31) 

Oh my people, what more can we ask eh? Especially those of us living in the religious freedom of the West, while many of our fellow believers are still living very persecuted lives in so many other countries of the world. Please take a moment to ponder the situation where you could not get up on a Sunday morning, put on your finery and traipse to church to gather and celebrate with other believers, because that would get you incarcerated and even killed. But you had to hide and meet secretly, and couldn’t even call the name of Jesus out loud, otherwise crapaud smoke yuh pipe! 

A lot of our fellow believers are living under those strenuous and unfair conditions, but they are still carrying the torch of Jesus alight, still fanning the flames of His gospel and way of life. Meanwhile, we ole hypocrites out here, who have the freedom to do so much for Jesus, live scared but comfortable, talk a good talk, but have no action to back it up. 

Oh friends, if we don’t smarten up and begin living right, when Jesus returns, He will have a whole lot of separating to do, between the sheep and the goats. And sadly, many of us will find ourselves on the left hand, with the goats, and not on the right hand, with the sheep. And if you don’t know that scripture, then it’s high time you became very familiar with it, found in Matthew 25:31-46. 

Anyway, for those of us who are doing our best to live for Christ, let’s go home declaring (awright!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting all and sundry know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. So, in a strong, joyful and sincere voice: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And lest we forget; if we endure to the very end, then that future will be even more glorious than we can ask or imagine! So let’s endeavor to endure nuh! It’s wisdom of the highest order! Much LOVE!

…living for Christ is not easy…but if we are serious…He generously gives us the grace and power to do it… 

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ8