spoil our witness | SCRIP-BITS

Hebrews 12:2a. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher (originator and perfector) of our faith;

Another Monday’s on the agenda friends, but I know that we can and will handle it with the quiet aplomb and efficiency that we’ve learned from the masterful example of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Nothing that came against Him fazed Him, He just took it in stride. Not even the excessive cruelty He faced on our behalf, caused Him to lose sight of His heavenly Father’s goal; accomplishing the amazing and revolutionary feat of earning freedom from sin’s abject slavery for a bunch of ungrateful sinners.

And that’s how He expects us, His followers, ambassadors and agents on this evil and ungodly earth to behave. Now He doesn’t expect perfection either, because He knows we’re not perfect and will never be until He comes to take us home and changes us, but nonetheless He expects us to always put our best foot forward. As the late Uncle Charles (Dr. Charles Stanley) used to say: ‘Look your best, do your best and be your best!’

That says it all my people. For as the author of Hebrews so vividly explains it: ‘Wherefore seeing (since) we also are compassed about with (surrounded by) so great a cloud of witnesses (those heroes of the faith that went before us), let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset (ensnare) us, and let us run with patience (perseverance) the race that is set before us,

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher (originator and perfector) of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction (hostility) of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds (become discouraged.’ (Heb. 12:1-3)

Yes friends, that’s the example we’re supposed to follow. As disciples of Jesus we’re expected to live up to a high standard; so high, that when the unbelievers see us in action, they’ll hold their heads in awesome wonder and want what we have that makes us so joyful, peaceful, LOVING and calm. (smile) So as this new Monday rolls around, and we go out to do the same banal, every day, ofttimes boring tasks, let’s hold our heads high and get on with His business without any complaining, resentment and negative vibes to spoil our witness.

All the time, remembering Jesus’ strong admonitions: ‘Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour (flavour), wherewith (by what) shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle (lamp), and put it under a bushel (basket), but on a candlestick (lampstand); and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt. 5:13-16)

Of course my fellow saints, that’s the kind of strong witness expected of us true and faithful believers of Christ especially in these rather ungodly and sinful times! However, unfortunately, we don’t seem to be doing such a great job of witnessing for Christ, otherwise the devil would not have such a stranglehold on the affairs of the world and Christians would be filled with much more faith, LOVE and joy, not with the fear and anxiety that so many of us now project.

But let’s remember this other admonition from Bruh Paul before we foolishly throw in the towel and give up in the face of the enemies evil strategies. That’s one of the reasons Bruh Paul wrote these telling words to Timothy: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound (disciplined) mind.’ (2 Tim. 1:7)

Now that’s a most important scripture for us to remember today, as we step out into the world, clothed in God’s armour to continue the fight for Jesus’ righteous and just army. And to help us do that, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, seeking help in this time of dire need.

Altogether: ‘Our Father, who art in heaven, we, Your humble servants, praise Your Holy Name and thank You this Monday morning for life and strong faith in Christ, despite the mass confusion in our world. Heavenly Father, You are the ONLY ONE with the power to solve our many problems.

Yes, we have all sinned and seriously disobeyed Your Word, but You are a merciful, forgiving and gracious God, who has faithfully promised to hear and answer our prayers when we humble ourselves, pray, and sincerely seek Your face. So, we come to You now, with sincere repentance in our hearts, pleading for wise guidance and direction to alleviate our problems.

Oh Father, please ease the pain of the many suffering from negative situations, show them Your awesome grace and mercy. And faithfully keep Your promise to prosper us if we turn from our evil ways. Show this evil world that You are indeed Jehovah Rapha; the God who heals! We pray this in the holy and blessed name of Your Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen! And again, we say: Amen!’

And all of that simply means; to get divine aid, we must improve our godly behaviour! So let’s get out there and do it today nuh! Much LOVE!

…all Jesus expects of His followers…is a good, faithful day’s work…everyday…

Hear our podcast at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/randy-obrien

Proverbs 14:23. In all labour there is profit: but the talk (idle chatter) of the lips tendeth only to penury (poverty).

Yeh friends, it’s white and beautiful out there, but please don’t be fooled by that beauty, because it’s a deceitful beauty, worse than the hissing forked tongue of a viper! At least you can see and/or hear the viper, but one never knows what the snow has hidden underneath that beautiful appearance.

So after all the white stuff that fell yesterday, please be careful on the roads this morning, because it’s definitely going to be a mess out there. The commute to work will be even longer and more dangerous than normal, so, if possible, please leave home earlier than usual, and be wary of the other drivers on the road.

Now, to get some much needed adrenaline flowing through our body this cold and snowy Monday morning, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, which always works wonders on us.

With plenty gusto 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! That surely lifts our spirits. But be careful now, don’t let that rush of adrenaline make us go overboard, become too self-confident and screw up on the other side of the ledger. (smile) Oh yes, we are indeed capable of moving swiftly from one end of the spectrum to the other with a burst of adrenaline; from being slothful and lethargic, to being swift and overconfident.

That brings us to an interesting, but ever so true Bit, taken from the wise words of Cousin Sol.‘ In all labour there is profit: but the talk (idle chatter) of the lips tendeth only to penury (poverty).’ There is no doubt whatsoever my people, about the truth and wisdom in those few words.

And there is no better example of it than our current society. I doubt that there has ever been an age of man’s evolution where there has been so little enthusiasm for work and so much idle chatter like there is right now. And we can lay it all at the feet of modern technology.

We certainly have the ability to communicate better and faster, but the meat of the meal, the underlying substance of what we have to communicate has not improved or increased in like manner. We now talk more nonsense than we talked before, and too many of us just talk for talk sake.

But an interesting side to all of that, another sad fall out from our increased power of communication, is that we might communicate more through technological devices, but we don’t actually talk to each other as much as we should. I’m sure you’ve seen a group of supposed friends, at say a restaurant together, but nobody is talking to nobody, because they are all busy doing whatever on their latest model of communication technology.

I’ve even seen LOVERS, more engrossed in their tablet or I-phones than in their supposed LOVED one. Now that just boggles my imagination. Have things changed since my time? Am I missing something? I remember in my time, your full concentration would be on your LOVED one. You didn’t want to take your eyes off of them. You listened intently to every word they said. Steups! Now they don’t even seem to talk to each other.

Ah mih people, NO talk is just as bad as TOO MUCH talk! It could even be worse, since you won’t even know what the other person is thinking. And please don’t tell me about communicating through the technological devices when you’re in the same space as the other person.

And another anomaly that has arisen from this communication revolution is that what began as having a mobile phone, so you could talk anytime and anywhere, has now morphed into having a technological device to use for sending messages. Many people don’t even use the phone aspect of the device any more.

Ah Lord eh! But who am I to fight it eh? All I know is that I won’t let it control me like it does so many of us. And we’ll end today with another interesting take on our Bit from Cousin Sol. ‘A fool uttereth all his mind (vents all his feelings): but a wise man keepeth it in (holds it back) till afterward.’ (Prov.29:11)

Please friends, as we go out today, to do the Lord’s work, let’s ask Him to help us to be wise and not be foolish, and thus spoil our witness for Him. Much LOVE!

…there’s a fine balance between…what we talk…and how much we talk…

SCRIP-BITS

Believers Must Use Jesus as Their Example for Godly Living!

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 February 2018 Proverbs 14:23.

Pages

Categories

Archives