Bits and Pieces – 200th Edition – July 21, 2024

It seems incredible that we have reached the 200th edition of ‘Bits and Pieces.’ We started on March 4, 2020, to help us get over the Covid pandemic and, apart for a gap last year when I was ill, have continued to the present day.

It appears that quite a few people enjoy, and are helped, by the brief messages every Sunday. As long as health permits, we hope to continue into the future.

The world, in general, and North America in particular, was shocked at the attempted assassination of Donald Trump last Saturday. He was speaking at a political rally in Pennsylvania when a bullet from a high-powered rifle nicked the top of his right ear. The shot, fired from about 200 yards away, was incredibly accurate. Had it been one quarter of an inch to the right, Donald Trump would have been a dead man.

We have to believe that God intervened providentially to save him from death. Whatever the purpose is, we must leave to Almighty God. We hope that he will consider the severity of this attack and think seriously about his relationship with the Lord. Let us pray to that end.

Much is said about revival in North America today, but sadly most, if not all, falls short of a genuine spiritual awakening. Churches sometimes advertise, “Revival starts tomorrow” but man cannot dictate to God, or organize the Holy Ghost according to his special meetings.

It is true that, at times, the individual believer will be aware of the quickening influences of the Holy Spirit. It is also true that special evangelistic or teaching meetings will often be blessed by a special awareness of God’s presence.

Revival, however, is when God intervenes in the life of a church or community in such a way that there is an overpowering awareness of the presence of God. Believers are brought into a state of burning love and zeal for God, and the ungodly are stricken with such a sense of sin that, unrestrained, they cry to God for mercy.

If we could trace every genuine revival to its primary source, we would find a group of earnest believers praying for God’s intervention. Canada needs revival. Will you join us in prayer for this land? “Oh, for the flood on a thirsty land! Oh, for a mighty revival!”

Of Hezekiah it was said, “He did it with all his heart and prospered.” [2 Chron. 31:21]. This is no unusual occurrence; it is the general rule of the moral universe that those men prosper who do their work with all their hearts, while those are almost certain to fail who go about their labour half-heartedly.

God does not give harvests to idle men except harvests of thistles, nor is He pleased to send wealth to those who will not dig in the field to find its hid treasure.

If you would prosper in your work for Jesus, let it be heart work, and let it be done with all your heart. Who are the most useful people in the Christian church? Those who do what they undertake for God with all their hearts.

Whole-heartedness shows itself in perseverance; there may be failure at first, but the earnest worker will say, “It is the Lord’s work, and it must be done; my Lord has bidden me to do it, and in His strength I will accomplish it.”

Remember the earnestness of Jesus! Think what heart-work was His! He could say, “The zeal of Thine house hath eaten Me up.” When He sweat great drops of blood, it was no light burden He had to cany upon those blessed shoulders, and when He poured out His heart, it was no weak effort He was making for the salvation of His people. Was Jesus in earnest, and are we lukewarm? [Author unknown].