SCRIP-BITS

Proverbs 10:12.    Hatred stirreth up strifes: but LOVE covereth all sins.

Aye Friends, today we’re going to open with some quotes from Grandma, taken from the Family Circus in the Weekend Funnies. And those of us who do read the funnies – incidentally the best part of the newspaper – will also realize that it often reflects truth and real life in a way that no other platform does.

Listen to some of Gran’s truths. ‘Whenever you find a stumbling block, use it for a stepping stone; Into each life some rain must fall; Each day is a gift from God, So it’s only polite to send Him a Thank-You prayer.’

Wow! What folk wisdom Friends; all bristling with truth. We call them clichés, to which we tend to have negative, derogatory feelings, but the fact is that they tend to be true, and I guess that’s what bugs us about them. However, in accordance with Gran’s wishes, since we’ve been gifted by God with today – a brand new day- let’s be polite and send Him a Thank-You prayer nuh. Let’s voice our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with lots of gusto.

All together 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!’

Ah shucks mih people, that wasn’t so wonderful nuh! Too many hoarse and gravelly voices from the weekend partying. (smile) But our God is such a wonderful God, He will accept our efforts since they came straight from our hearts.

Now what we have to do, since we’re up and about and flowing over with adrenalin (smile) is to get out into the wicked world and show our true godly colours, so that others can see them and want what we have. That’s the best way to bring people to Christ; by personal example. And the Number One godly quality we need to display in our dealings with others my brethren, is that of LOVE!

As Cousin Sol so wisely reminds us in our Bit: ‘Hatred stirreth up strifes: but LOVE covereth all sins.’

And isn’t that a beautiful truth! It just shows the mighty power of LOVE! It’s an awesome quality that originates and emanates from the Creator of the universe Himself. And John, in describing God’s undying, everlasting LOVE, tells us in his first epistle.

‘In this was manifested the LOVE of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is LOVE, not that we LOVED God, but that he LOVED us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.’ (1 John 4:9-10)

And all God’s redeemed children shouted a loud and grateful, ‘Thank You Lord! Thank You for sending Jesus to be the atonement for our sins! We LOVE You and praise and glorify Your Holy Name!’

And Cousin Sol further tells us in Proverbs 17: ‘He that covereth a transgression seeketh LOVE: but he that repeateth a matter separateth very (the best of) friends.’ (Prov.17:9) And that is ever so true my people. Gossipmongers are amongst the worse people in our society; untrustworthy and just like to run their mouths.

And this explosion of social media is making that aspect of our lives even worse. People are posting all sorts of inappropriate information on these social platforms, whether true or not, to the detriment of others, even their close friends and families and themselves. And that certainly doesn’t fall under the umbrella of the godly, helpful and protective quality of LOVE!

And we’ll close with these appropriate words from Bruh Paul to the Ephesians, which quite nicely address that untenable situation above. ‘Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake (in Christ) hath forgiven you.’ (Eph.4:29-32)

And that my Friends, is how true followers of God ought to behave! So let’s go out today and behave thus nuh, so that we can be counted amongst the righteous, the true children of God. That’s what Jesus desires of us. Much LOVE!

…and now abideth… faith, hope, LOVE…these three…but the greatest of these is…LOVE… (1 Cor.13:13)