Come on friends, let’s play! It’s Saturday, and that means it’s play time! Yeh, that used to be true, but not so much again. Our world has changed up so much in the last few months, that most of us wouldn’t recognize it if we truly saw it. (smile) But it’s still our world; it’s all we have, so let’s make as good a time as we can out of it nuh! Our great God didn’t make us to be wimpy, fearful individuals, but strong, bright, courageous and adventurous persons, who are able to take the bad with the good and handle both situations with aplomb under His watchful power!
Wow! Like the ole fella in fine fettle this Saturday morning. (smile) Ah just hope he’ll still be in fine fettle when it comes to deciphering the quotes that our friend Anselm sent us this past week, as he aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. So let’s check out the first quote nuh: ‘Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is.’ And is that ever a most useful quote for these perilous, unprecedented and uncertain times in which we’re currently living!
Yeh friends, in this pandemic and strife filled time, we cannot afford to gripe and complain about what we don’t have, our normal course of affairs, but instead we need to be thankful for what we do have and make do, be contented with it. Remember these oh so important words of Bruh Paul to the Philippians, when they sent him a financial gift. ‘Not that I speak in respect of want (in regard of need): for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.’ (Phill. 4:11)
Oh my people, that is something we need to learn so badly in these controversial times; be contented with what we have. But please note it is a learned behaviour. It doesn’t just happen automatically. We have to consciously apply ourselves to learning it. So let’s start doing so today, right now nuh. Consequently, I believe that this next quote is rather appropriate. ‘Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.’
And isn’t that living truth? We ought to be grateful to those who make us happy because they are the ones who cause us to rise up and do productive stuff. And I like how the quote puts it: ‘charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.’ Friends, without that kind of people in our lives, we would be simply lost and adrift in an uncaring world. And it puts me in mind of Jesus’ historic comment: ‘I am the true (genuine) vine, and my Father is the husbandman (vinedresser, gardener). (John 15:1)
Isn’t that wonderful. Jesus is the vine to which we need to stay attached, and the Lord God Jehovah is the charming gardener who makes our souls blossom with all Hie wonderful blessings and gardening skills. I LOVE it! (smile) And this next quote fits quite nicely with the first two. ‘One man may hit the mark, another blunder; but heed not these distinctions. Only from the alliance of the one, working with and through the other, are great things born.’ Now that’s certainly gospel truth right there mih bredrin! No man is an island!
And though we may do great things separately, we can always do greater things together. Yuh see how Christ created His church – like a human body with many different parts, but all forming together as one. Hear Bruh Paul to the church at Rome. ‘For as we have many members (parts) in one body, and all members (parts) have not the same office (function): So we being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us…’ (Rom. 12:4-6a).
Yes my people, our Creator gave us different individual gifts because He wanted us to work together, be one, like the Holy Trinity that we serve and worship. It’s ONE deity, divided into three parts, each part having a different function, and if the parts don’t function in sync with each other then the whole body won’t function properly. And that’s why Christ’s church is not functioning properly here on earth, we, the believers in Christ, are not working together, but against each other, as unto the world, with greed and power and pride dominating our activities.
But hear this next quote nuh: ‘Power is not revealed by striking hard or often, but by striking true.’ And if you don’t believe that, then yuh don’t know nothing about real power! The fearful, or the tyrannical think they need to strike hard and often at whatever displeases them, but the person who truly knows about power, strikes at the right place and at the right time. That’s why so many people grab power and lose it just as quickly, because they don’t know how to handle it. Just like most of those who win the lottery and are broke in no time flat. They don’t know how to truly handle money!
And that leads us to this last quote. ‘I believe that if one always looked at the skies, one would end up with wings.’ Now in reality, that might not be true, but as a believer in Jesus Christ, there is much substance to it. When we look to the heavens, where Christ is seated, having defeated the devil in His earthly sojourn, we come to realize how blessed and triumphant we truly are. Why?
Because Bruh Paul says it in spades. ‘But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great LOVE wherewith he LOVED us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us (made us alive) together with Christ, (by grace ye are (have been) saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through (in) Christ Jesus.’ (Eph. 2:4-7)
Oh precious people of God, how can you ever beat that eh? God has not only raised up Christ to sit in heavenly places, but will do the same for us who believe and sincerely worship Him! That’s why it’s oh so important to keep our eyes on heaven, since it’s our home, the place where our real treasure, our indestructible, incorruptible treasure is stored, and we’re just pilgrims passing through here on earth, working to bring others to Christ. Much LOVE!
…for where your treasure is…there will your heart be also… (Mat.6:21)
P.S. Oh friends, I have to testify today yes. Every Saturday when I look at the quotes, there’s a li’l trepidation as I wonder how I’m ever going to pull them together to make some sense. And I usually do, with the Lord’s help obviously. But sometimes there’s a struggle to pull it off. Today however, the usual trepidation was there, but the faithfulness of God, His awesome grace seemed to be even more prevalent than normal.
Why do I say so? Because today’s Bit came together ever so smoothly, one thing led right into another, even the scriptures came up sort of automatically, and I did not have to pull out my hair, (smile) to put the words and thoughts together. I hope it all makes sense though. (smile) So, under those wonderful circumstances, how can I not sincerely serve and worship the Lord eh, and give Him much thanks and praise for His faithfulness? Much LOVE!
SCRIP-BITS 