SCRIP-BITS

 John 5:24.   Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation (judgement); but is passed from death into life.

Well well my faithful believers in Jesus Christ, we’ve been blessed once again to see the start of a new week!

And all God’s people declared a loud and grateful ‘Praise the Lord!’ 

But my brethren, we can, and we will do better than that this Sunday morning, the Lord’s Day. Let’s offer up the sacrifice of praise and worship and thanksgiving from our lips, as we sing the old but still beautiful and soulful song, ‘I believe.’ 

With heartfelt sincerity and true belief, let’s sing. ‘I believe for every drop of rain that falls  A flower grows  I believe that somewhere in the darkest night  A candle glows  I believe for everyone that goes astray  Someone will come to show the way  I believe  I believe  I believe above the storm the smallest prayer  Will still be heard  I believe that someone in the great somewhere  Hears every word  

Every time I hear a newborn baby cry  Or touch a leaf  Or see the sky  Then I know why I believe  Every time I hear a newborn baby cry  Or touch a leaf  Or see the sky Then I know why I believe  (Why I believe).’ 

Ah friends, that touched a sore spot in my soul! Hope it did in yours too. It just goes to show how the small and simple things of creation can play a big part in our spiritual lives. 

Now the story goes that ‘I believe’ was commissioned in 1953 by a lady named Jane Froman, who was troubled by the Korean War so soon after World War 2. She asked these four guys, Ervin Drake, Irvin Graham, Jimmy Shirl and Al Stillman to compose a song that would offer hope and faith to the populace. And it certainly does! 

Froman seems to have introduced it on her T V. programme, and it became the first hit song ever introduced on the tube. It’s been recorded numerous times by different artists and consequently, over the ensuing years, has become both a popular and religious standard.  

And since it has touched a sore spot in our souls, I believe that it has made us very receptive to God’s word this Sunday morning, as we go to church to hear it preached, and praise Him in fellowship with other believers. 

Oh my people, we all need to get our weekly fix of fellowship and worship, which leaves us refreshed and uplifted, encouraged and strong, ready to face another week of fighting in the trenches. Without that fix friends, we won’t be able to withstand the trials and tribulations that will come against us. 

So please, let’s not deny ourselves that most necessary washing and cleansing and rejuvenating that occurs when we fellowship in the Lord’s sanctuary on a Sunday morning. In other words, please, let’s get up and get out to church! It’s the best thing we can do, the best gift we can give ourselves today. End of sermon. (smile) 

That brings us to our Bit: ‘ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation (judgement); but is passed from death into life.’ Yeh friends, it all turns on that simple but beautiful, life changing and life-giving word ‘belief!’ 

Here Jesus is talking to the Pharisees about the Son’s relationship to the Father, after they desired to kill Him because He healed a sick man on the Sabbath.  It’s so simple; if we hear His word and believe in the Father who sent Him, then we’ll face no judgement and embrace everlasting life. Wow! What a wonderful opportunity! 

But the foolish, self-righteous Pharisees refused to believe. And there are a lot of people like them to day still, who in spite of all the proof available, still refuse to believe. But that’s their hard luck! You can’t make anyone believe, even when they are in possession of all the facts. 

Now let’s look at a couple of other Scriptures where Jesus placed the all-important emphasis on belief. And we all know the famous lines following these two verses, where Jesus was talking to Nicodemus. 

‘And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’ (John 3:14-16) 

There again my people, in two consecutive verses Jesus reiterates the power of, the necessity for belief. And He’s still saying it today! But in this evil and ungodly world people are not paying attention to His word. We still are following the foolishness of Lucifer. 

Steups! What a pity! Life could be so wonderful if we’d all, or at least a majority of us would truly believe in Jesus. But I guess them’s the breaks. We all reap what we sow. And if we don’t sow belief in Jesus, then I guess we won’t reap eternal life. 

And we’ll close with these immortal words of Jesus to Martha, after her brother Lazarus had died. ‘Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead (may die), yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?’ (John 11:25-26)  

Ah friends, Jesus was again signifying there His power to give eternal life! And what was Martha’s reply? ‘She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.’ (John 11:27)  

Yes precious people of God, Martha was smart, she believed! Now what about us eh, do we believe too? And I mean truly believe, not merely paying lip service. I sincerely hope that we do, because it will mean the difference between enjoying eternal life in Christ’s presence, or everlasting death with Beelzebub!

Personally, I don’t think there’s any doubt about the wise and sensible choice. Hope you recognize and make it too. Much LOVE!

…as for me and mine…we WILL believe in Jesus…