Psalm 73:28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.
Oh my fine Friends in J.A. I empathize with you on the sweltering thirty something degrees heat you’ve been recently experiencing, while up here in the north country we’re barely breaking a sweat, with the temperature mainly in the balmy low twenties. Now yuh see, if oonoo would only draw closer to God, that wouldn’t happen. (smile) Anyway, it’s imperative that the whole world draws closer to God, for as the Psalmist, Asaph declares; ‘For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.’ (Ps.73: 27) That’s an indisputable fact my people! We’ve seen it happen throughout history and it’s still happening today. We just refuse to learn that eventually destruction will be wrought on all the followers of Beelzebub. The Psalm is about Asaph not comprehending the mystery of prosperous wickedness. ‘For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked…They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them like a garment. Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.’ (vs.3,5-9) Yes Friends, it does seem that the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer. But believe me, that’s a fool’s paradise. ‘And they say, How doth God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High? Behold, these are the ungodly who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.’ (vs.11-12) But that’s only for a while my Friends, even though it may seem a lifetime. The wicked will eventually get their comeuppance, of this we can be sure, cause the Lord promised it, and we know He doesn’t make idle promises. But this prosperity of the wicked was troubling and perplexing poor Asaph, just like it still does many of us today. ‘For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning…when I thought to know this, it was too painful for me.’ (vs.14,16) He had trouble understanding how the wicked could be so prosperous. ‘Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.’ (vs.17) Oh my people, it’s not until Asaph went into the house of God that he understood the destruction that would eventually befall the wicked. In like manner we need to stay tuned to God, so we can understand and not be taken in by the false promises of Lucifer and his evil cronies, re the lust for things material and fleshly. Basically it’s not wrong to acquire material possessions, but when the desire to possess them is so strong that it leads us to do evil, to be disobedient to God’s will to get them, then we’re treading on troubled ground. As many of us are, Asaph was drawn to the prosperity, but once he got in tune with God, he realized his mistake. ‘So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was a beast before thee.’ (vs.22) We are no different Friends, but let’s sincerely hope, like Asaph we too can say: ‘Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.’ (vs.23-24) Yes people it’s of the utmost importance that we establish parameters in our lives; boundaries outside of which we don’t venture. And we can only do that by staying focused on the Lord. Each of us needs to have a personal rapport with God, to test that relationship, to get direction for our lives, so we can handle anomalies like the prosperity with which the wicked seem to be favoured. In that respect, we need to say like the Psalmist: ‘Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.’ (vs.25-26) Oh Friends, that’s a mantra that should be solidly embedded in the hearts, minds and souls of all believers! In short; God is all we need! However, the only way to manage that properly is by doing as Asaph said: ‘But it is good for me to draw near to God:’ Bruh Paul advocated the same thing: ‘Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.’ (Heb.10:22) James said it too, but more forcefully: ‘Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded.’ (James 4:8) Then like Asaph, let us all say: ‘I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.’ Bruh David echoes that sentiment in Psalm 116 when He offers praise for deliverance from death. ‘I believed, therefore I have spoken.’ (Ps.116:10) That means we need to declare God’s words and works publicly my Friends, not behind closed doors or quietly, but from the mountain tops and wherever our voices will carry and be heard. And Bruh Paul, knowing his scripture, said; ‘We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe and therefore speak.’ (2 Cor.4:13) He quotes Bruh David, then adds his two cents worth. My people, may we also be able to add our penny’s worth and truthfully say the same: I believe, therefore I will speak. It’s essential that we don’t keep our wonderful belief to ourselves but declare our glorious faith in Jesus worldwide. Till next time then, God willing, let’s LOVE our God, and LIVE our Faith! It’s what we’re called on to do. Much LOVE!…all that glitters isn’t gold…so be careful for what you sell your soul…
Oh my fine Friends in J.A. I empathize with you on the sweltering thirty something degrees heat you’ve been recently experiencing, while up here in the north country we’re barely breaking a sweat, with the temperature mainly in the balmy low twenties. Now yuh see, if oonoo would only draw closer to God, that wouldn’t happen. (smile) Anyway, it’s imperative that the whole world draws closer to God, for as the Psalmist, Asaph declares; ‘For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.’ (Ps.73: 27) That’s an indisputable fact my people! We’ve seen it happen throughout history and it’s still happening today. We just refuse to learn that eventually destruction will be wrought on all the followers of Beelzebub. The Psalm is about Asaph not comprehending the mystery of prosperous wickedness. ‘For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked…They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them like a garment. Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish. They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily. They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth.’ (vs.3,5-9) Yes Friends, it does seem that the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer. But believe me, that’s a fool’s paradise. ‘And they say, How doth God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High? Behold, these are the ungodly who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.’ (vs.11-12) But that’s only for a while my Friends, even though it may seem a lifetime. The wicked will eventually get their comeuppance, of this we can be sure, cause the Lord promised it, and we know He doesn’t make idle promises. But this prosperity of the wicked was troubling and perplexing poor Asaph, just like it still does many of us today. ‘For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning…when I thought to know this, it was too painful for me.’ (vs.14,16) He had trouble understanding how the wicked could be so prosperous. ‘Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.’ (vs.17) Oh my people, it’s not until Asaph went into the house of God that he understood the destruction that would eventually befall the wicked. In like manner we need to stay tuned to God, so we can understand and not be taken in by the false promises of Lucifer and his evil cronies, re the lust for things material and fleshly. Basically it’s not wrong to acquire material possessions, but when the desire to possess them is so strong that it leads us to do evil, to be disobedient to God’s will to get them, then we’re treading on troubled ground. As many of us are, Asaph was drawn to the prosperity, but once he got in tune with God, he realized his mistake. ‘So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was a beast before thee.’ (vs.22) We are no different Friends, but let’s sincerely hope, like Asaph we too can say: ‘Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.’ (vs.23-24) Yes people it’s of the utmost importance that we establish parameters in our lives; boundaries outside of which we don’t venture. And we can only do that by staying focused on the Lord. Each of us needs to have a personal rapport with God, to test that relationship, to get direction for our lives, so we can handle anomalies like the prosperity with which the wicked seem to be favoured. In that respect, we need to say like the Psalmist: ‘Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.’ (vs.25-26) Oh Friends, that’s a mantra that should be solidly embedded in the hearts, minds and souls of all believers! In short; God is all we need! However, the only way to manage that properly is by doing as Asaph said: ‘But it is good for me to draw near to God:’ Bruh Paul advocated the same thing: ‘Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.’ (Heb.10:22) James said it too, but more forcefully: ‘Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded.’ (James 4:8) Then like Asaph, let us all say: ‘I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.’ Bruh David echoes that sentiment in Psalm 116 when He offers praise for deliverance from death. ‘I believed, therefore I have spoken.’ (Ps.116:10) That means we need to declare God’s words and works publicly my Friends, not behind closed doors or quietly, but from the mountain tops and wherever our voices will carry and be heard. And Bruh Paul, knowing his scripture, said; ‘We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe and therefore speak.’ (2 Cor.4:13) He quotes Bruh David, then adds his two cents worth. My people, may we also be able to add our penny’s worth and truthfully say the same: I believe, therefore I will speak. It’s essential that we don’t keep our wonderful belief to ourselves but declare our glorious faith in Jesus worldwide. Till next time then, God willing, let’s LOVE our God, and LIVE our Faith! It’s what we’re called on to do. Much LOVE!…all that glitters isn’t gold…so be careful for what you sell your soul…
SCRIP-BITS 