something else | SCRIP-BITS

Colossians 3:17. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

So we come to Thursday…another strange and confusing day in the life! The plane from Joburg landed in Paris around minutes to six. When I finally got off, the fellow pushed me straight through to the Security Section…and brother were they something else; the most invasive security check I’ve ever been through, worse than even the U.S. And that says something! After taking off your belt and shoes and emptying your pockets, plus all your electronic equipment, which was then passed through the scanner, they still did a random check of your stuff, opening them and swabbing them. This necessitated waiting for the swab result, and with only one person doing the random check most of the time, there was always a line up at both ends.

I got my bag without any problems, but the tray with my other stuff had to wait in line to be randomly checked and swabbed. We eventually got through there and the fellow pushing me headed for the gate area where I would be boarding the flight to Toronto at 1.50 p.m. I had heard about some day use rooms at the airport, but no one we asked knew anything about them. We finally asked one fellow who said that they were at a hotel outside of the airport, but that would mean having to go through security again. Well no way was I doing that, so the wheelchair fellow left me at gate 43 sometime shortly after 7 a.m.

Obviously I was not a happy camper, but I had no other options available right then, so I just calmed myself, walked down the corridor, bought something to eat, then came back and began to write the Bit where I ran out of battery charge, when the Lord directed me to a Nigerian brother sitting there who had a plug that fitted the French stuff and I finished writing the Bit. After that I chatted with the Nigerian fellow and his friend for a bit, I read from my I-pad, played some games on it, bought some more food, slept sitting up, all to kill time until the plane was ready.

In between there I spoke to some of the attendants about getting a wheelchair to take me down the ramp to the plane, but they said I was not listed for one. Ah Lord eh, the same old nonsense! Finally I just decided to walk down the two flights of somewhat steep ramps when the disabled were boarding. However, when I got to my seat at the back of the plane, and went to take out my I-pad and pointer to use during the flight, there was no I-pad or red and white plastic bag with the pointer and some pencils. So see me hurrying back up the two flights of ramps in my ‘limpy’ style. I looked all around the area, but no I-pad was to be found. One attendant even went and checked with the Lost and Found, but they had not received anything either.

So I simply limped back down the ramp, somewhat disappointed, but unable to do anything about it. And during the first couple hours of the flight, I moped some about the loss of the I-Pad, even considered if the Nigerian fellow or his friend had picked it up. But better thoughts soon came and said that they wouldn’t have. Eventually though, some where in the back end of the flight, one of the stewards asked me if I had heard about my lost I-pad. I said no. Then he told me that it had been found and handed in at the Lost and Found at the airport. I was overjoyed, but then had to face the problem of getting it back. Now I understand that I have to file some Lost and Found report online with the airline, but I haven’t gotten around to doing that as yet; too busy and tired. (smile)

And if you think my rear end hurting was bad on the flight from Joburg to Paris, the one from Paris to Toronto was even worse, what with all the sitting down on fairly hard chairs all morning in the airport. And sometimes I wanted to get up, but couldn’t because we were flying through turbulence and everyone had to stay seated with their seat belts fastened. It was a real nightmare. But the Lord, in His wonderful way brought me through it. Some seven hours after leaving Paris, we landed at Toronto Pearson Airport. And another set of horrors began; this time with the wheelchair people.

For your info, Toronto has the WORST wheelchair service in the world! Even T&T and Jamaica have better service. They never have enough people or chairs to handle the situation. This time seven of us, all over 70, were left waiting in a corner in some God forsaken part of the airport, three of us standing, for about half an hour, without anyone coming to help us or tell us anything, and anyone who passed by in their golf cart didn’t know anything because they didn’t work in the wheelchair department. Hn!

An older man finally decided to sit on the ground. And would you believe that right in front of us was a whole setta wheelchairs parked up. I got mad then and went and pulled out two, one for a lady and myself, as the man on the floor said he was comfortable there. But then he got fed up with waiting and decided to walk with his daughter. Finally, one fellow came and took down a couple of people, then a lady showed up and took another two of us down. After that it was easy sailing. I got my baggage, found my booked limo, thanks for the indulgence my young D, (smile) and made my way home.

Oh, was it ever nice to be back home! So thus ended my whirlwind trip to Europe and Mother Africa. It was somewhat rough and tiring, but oh so enjoyable. And the duchess, who had arrived a couple of hours before me, with her generous though tired self, had brought bread and made soup. She didn’t even know when I got in, but I wolfed down some of the grub, then joined her in bed, never so pleased to be back in mih own yard and mih own bed!

Consequently the obvious Bit for today would be one involved with the giving of thanks to the One who took me and brought me safely back. As Bruh Paul said the Colossians: ‘And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.’ That means, as the scholars explain: ‘3:17. The beneficial influence produced by the indwelling word of Christ is not only to affect public and private worship (v.s.16), but it is also to control all areas of a Christian’s life.

So friends, since this is Thursday, let’s give thanks for our many Blessings nuh. In strong voice with sincere hearts: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’

Now let us go out and share those blessings with others, as Christ intends for us to do nuh. Much LOVE!

…in everything…give thanks…for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus…concerning you… (1 Thess.5:18)

Matthew 28:19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.

Ah friends, I don’t know who decided that we need eight hours of sleep per night nuh, but it obviously does not apply to me. Why am I saying that? Because last night, after a busy day, I decided to go to bed fairly early, around 11 p.m and get a good night’s rest.

But lo and behold, when I got up at 6 this morning, my ole back was a mess. I was stepping around gingerly, like an old man. (smile) I had to go and find my back brace and put it on, something I have not done in ages.

The sad part is that I know I can’t lie in bed for such long periods, but it never reverberated in my brain, (smile) until I got up. This getting old is something else yes!

But yuh know what? If that is my biggest problem for today, then I’m certainly giving much thanks, since it’s something I can handle. Anyway, let’s get the day started with our Tuesday Mantra, to renew our faith and trust.

As one 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!’

Yes friends, we have it all! Glory Hallelujah! We are LOVED unconditionally by Almighty God, the Creator and Controller of the universe, and we have a most wonderful friendship with His Son, Jesus Christ, who selflessly laid down His sinless life to pay for our abominable sins.

Wow! It couldn’t get any better than that nuh mih people! And all we have to do is to share His LOVE with the rest of the world; tell them about His wonderful gospel, the faithful promise of salvation and eternal life, if they make Him their Lord and Saviour too.

But unfortunately, that isn’t as easy to do as it sounds, because we get a lot of resistance, resentment and lack of interest from the masses, who, under the evil influence of the prince of darkness, are more into the flimsy, worthless things of the world, rather than the everlasting things of God.

That doesn’t mean we have to stop trying. In fact it ought to make us try harder, as we follow Jesus’ directive in our Bit, what is known as the Great Commission. ‘Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.’

Ah mih people, proselytizing, evangelizing, converting and baptizing are to be our earthly tasks. And we need to take them seriously, though not to the point that we make a nuisance or a fool of ourselves.

And here is a very important scripture that directly relates to Jesus’ directive. Before our Bit Jesus said to His disciples: ‘All power (authority) is given unto me in heaven and in earth.’ (Matt.28:18) That means Christ indeed had the authority to give the order that He then gave.

Now our Bit was only the first part of the Great Commission, hear the rest of it. ‘Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always(s), even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt.28:20)

Yuh see my fellow believers, even when Jesus gives us a task to do, He doesn’t leave us all alone to do it. He promises to be always with us, and we all know that He is ever faithful to keep His promises.

So why aren’t we doing better than we are eh? Why are people leaving the church in droves and walking to the beat of the world eh? I don’t know. What I do know is that we’re not doing such a bang up job for Jesus, and we definitely need to come up higher.

Now listen to some interesting info from the scholars on the subject. ’28:18-20. The Great Commission brings the first Gospel to its grand finale. Christianity is not represented here as the mere reverential devotion of disappointed men who honour their martyred leader.

Here is a far different scene. The triumphant, living Lord sends forth His ambassadors to proclaim His gospel throughout all the world. The Great Commission is not just an order but a pronouncement of victory (mundus regium Christi) by the risen Saviour through His disciples.

All power or authority (Gr. exousia) is now in the hands of Christ, in heaven and on the earth. On the basis of that authority and power the Christian disciple is to carry out the Great Commission of the church.

Go ye, though a participle, conveys the force of a command: “Go.” In other words the idea expressed is that you must go and make disciples. Teach all nations can be translated “disciple all nations.” Thus the converting influence of the gospel is indicated here.

The “all nations” clearly indicates that the commission to the church is a worldwide one, encompassing the entire missionary effort. The church is not to be merely “missionary-minded.” The church is the vehicle of Christ’s mission to the world.’

Ah friends, the scholars really give it to us there! From what they say, Christ’s church is not doing as well or as much as it should, else we’d be having more converts than backsliders.

Anyhow, the church, though one body, is made up of many individuals, and it all begins with each of us. So today, please let’s take a serious look at how the Great Commission is being enacted in our own lives; if we are doing our best to enforce it.

And as always, whatever answer we come up with, let’s turn to our heavenly Father and ask Him to help us do better, because we can always do better. And He never refuses a sincere plea for help. Much LOVE!

…discipleship means living our lives as Christ’s ambassador…and a worthy one at that…

SCRIP-BITS

Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 September 2019 Colossians 3:17.

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