Psalm 28:1 Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock: be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.
Oh Friends, I’m chuckling because we never really dealt with the substance of the Bit yesterday. We used it just to highlight the Spirit’s concern about our behaviour, to light a fire under us, to implore us to stop being silent and unconcerned about the numerous atrocities taking place in our world. I hope it did stir up a few sparks, and that today we’re more vocal, energized and emboldened to stand up for what we claim to believe in; namely truth, rights, freedom, justice and Jesus. And if we’re not, then we’ve no one to blame but ourselves for what ever befalls us. That brings us to the Bit, which is taken from one of Bruh David’s many prayers for God’s help. He certainly didn’t lead an easy life, but he still seems to have enjoyed it; singing and dancing before the Lord his God, writing songs and prayers based on his topsy-turvy life, that we now enjoy and use to find comfort and solace in times of need. Here, he forthrightly declares: ‘Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock.’ Bruh David stood firm on that point; the Lord was his rock, the strong foundation on which his life was built, on which he based all his movements. Oh Friends, do we also consider the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob our rock? I surely hope so, because everyone needs something, or someone strong, immovable and guaranteed to be there in times of need. And here’s the thrill of it all; there’s no one or nothing that fits that bill better than the Most High God Jehovah, the ONE and ONLY, TRUE, LIVING GOD! That’s the first premise we need to understand in the development of our spiritual being: the Lord is the strong foundation on whom we can cast all our cares and concerns. Then Bruh David makes an interesting statement: ‘be not silent to me.’ Why? Because he’s in physical and /or emotional difficulty and has turned to the Lord, his rock for help. Now how is he going to get that help if the Lord, his rock does not respond? That’s just a natural part of communication between living beings. When we ask questions or plead for help, we expect to get a response, hopefully good, especially when it comes to our sovereign Lord and God. But the problem here mih people, is how often do we talk to or communicate with the Most High? Is it constantly, about everything, or is it only when we’re desperate we run to Him for help? If it’s the latter, then don’t expect Him to run quickly to give you answers. But sadly, that’s what many of us do; only talk to God when we’re in a bind. Bruh David though was different; he tried to live right and was constantly communicating with his God, that’s why he could expect answers, all be it not right away. In Psalm 35, another prayer for rescue from his enemies, he anxiously declares: ‘This thou hast seen, O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me. Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgement (vindication), even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.’ (Ps.35:22-23) Bruh David certainly seemed anxious there. I have to laugh at his audacity, telling the Lord to stir up Himself. But Friends that’s the close relationship Bruh David had with the Lord. When you’re in such a relationship, you have a little more leeway to say certain things. Again, in Psalm 39; this one a prayer for self-understanding, he mouths: ‘Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.’ (Ps.39:12) Oh my people, isn’t it interesting that when we cry out to God for help, we expect Him to answer right away, if not before? But when we’re supposed to do His bidding, we tend to take our own sweet time, putting all the world’s concerns before it. Asaph, another psalmist, cried the same thing in Psalm 83, a prayer for the destruction of Israel’s enemies. ‘Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.’ (Ps.83:1) And why are we in such a hurry to have God answer our cries eh? According to Bruh David: ‘lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.’ And isn’t that gospel mih people! If the Lord doesn’t answer our pleas and prayers, our enemies will defeat us, our problems will overcome us, and we’ll end up wallowing in the mire of self-pity, shame, poverty, sickness and all the things we’re afraid of, even unto death. Now what that does that tell us? That we definitely need to stay close to, and in touch with the Lord at all times, because we never know when we’ll need help, and He’s the only true source of help when men and the affairs of this world confront us. Crying out to God was not just an individual thing, but a part of the society’s make up, for the sons of Korah also wrote the same stuff. ‘O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee: Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear (listen to) unto my cry; For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave. I am counted with them that go down into the pit (are dying): I am as a man that hath no strength.’ (Ps.88:1-4) And there’s no doubt my Friends that many of us feel the same way today, with the state of upheaval and confusion that’s got our world in a vice like grip. However, the point I’m trying to make is that it’s okay to cry out to the Lord in times of trouble and need, but those should not be the only times we communicate with Him, otherwise He will just ignore our pleas. Too many of us enjoy the lusts of the world in our hearts, ignoring the Father until push comes to shove, then we run crying, falling on our knees, begging for help. But just think of your own reaction when certain people blatantly ignore you, don’t consider you important in the normal run of things, but in times of trouble, quickly seek your help. What’s your reaction in those cases? Do you rush to help them? I doubt it, though as a believer you ought to. (smile) You either refuse to help or take your own sweet time, while muttering under your breath: ‘Steups! Is only now deh know me eh; when deh big shot friend gone an’ leave them holding the dirty end of the stick. Ah Lord eh!’ a sad sigh and a shake of the head accompanying the last words. Well Friends, though our God is much more magnanimous than us, He still feels hurt and excluded when we constantly ignore Him, then come running for help when things go wrong. So, for our individual good, and also the betterment of our world, please, let’s try and keep in constant contact with our God nuh. The lines to Him are open 24/7, and you’ll never get a busy tone or an answering machine, but always a living, breathing, gentle, understanding being. Much LOVE!…pray without ceasing…it’s the only way…
Oh Friends, I’m chuckling because we never really dealt with the substance of the Bit yesterday. We used it just to highlight the Spirit’s concern about our behaviour, to light a fire under us, to implore us to stop being silent and unconcerned about the numerous atrocities taking place in our world. I hope it did stir up a few sparks, and that today we’re more vocal, energized and emboldened to stand up for what we claim to believe in; namely truth, rights, freedom, justice and Jesus. And if we’re not, then we’ve no one to blame but ourselves for what ever befalls us. That brings us to the Bit, which is taken from one of Bruh David’s many prayers for God’s help. He certainly didn’t lead an easy life, but he still seems to have enjoyed it; singing and dancing before the Lord his God, writing songs and prayers based on his topsy-turvy life, that we now enjoy and use to find comfort and solace in times of need. Here, he forthrightly declares: ‘Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock.’ Bruh David stood firm on that point; the Lord was his rock, the strong foundation on which his life was built, on which he based all his movements. Oh Friends, do we also consider the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob our rock? I surely hope so, because everyone needs something, or someone strong, immovable and guaranteed to be there in times of need. And here’s the thrill of it all; there’s no one or nothing that fits that bill better than the Most High God Jehovah, the ONE and ONLY, TRUE, LIVING GOD! That’s the first premise we need to understand in the development of our spiritual being: the Lord is the strong foundation on whom we can cast all our cares and concerns. Then Bruh David makes an interesting statement: ‘be not silent to me.’ Why? Because he’s in physical and /or emotional difficulty and has turned to the Lord, his rock for help. Now how is he going to get that help if the Lord, his rock does not respond? That’s just a natural part of communication between living beings. When we ask questions or plead for help, we expect to get a response, hopefully good, especially when it comes to our sovereign Lord and God. But the problem here mih people, is how often do we talk to or communicate with the Most High? Is it constantly, about everything, or is it only when we’re desperate we run to Him for help? If it’s the latter, then don’t expect Him to run quickly to give you answers. But sadly, that’s what many of us do; only talk to God when we’re in a bind. Bruh David though was different; he tried to live right and was constantly communicating with his God, that’s why he could expect answers, all be it not right away. In Psalm 35, another prayer for rescue from his enemies, he anxiously declares: ‘This thou hast seen, O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me. Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgement (vindication), even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.’ (Ps.35:22-23) Bruh David certainly seemed anxious there. I have to laugh at his audacity, telling the Lord to stir up Himself. But Friends that’s the close relationship Bruh David had with the Lord. When you’re in such a relationship, you have a little more leeway to say certain things. Again, in Psalm 39; this one a prayer for self-understanding, he mouths: ‘Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.’ (Ps.39:12) Oh my people, isn’t it interesting that when we cry out to God for help, we expect Him to answer right away, if not before? But when we’re supposed to do His bidding, we tend to take our own sweet time, putting all the world’s concerns before it. Asaph, another psalmist, cried the same thing in Psalm 83, a prayer for the destruction of Israel’s enemies. ‘Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.’ (Ps.83:1) And why are we in such a hurry to have God answer our cries eh? According to Bruh David: ‘lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.’ And isn’t that gospel mih people! If the Lord doesn’t answer our pleas and prayers, our enemies will defeat us, our problems will overcome us, and we’ll end up wallowing in the mire of self-pity, shame, poverty, sickness and all the things we’re afraid of, even unto death. Now what that does that tell us? That we definitely need to stay close to, and in touch with the Lord at all times, because we never know when we’ll need help, and He’s the only true source of help when men and the affairs of this world confront us. Crying out to God was not just an individual thing, but a part of the society’s make up, for the sons of Korah also wrote the same stuff. ‘O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee: Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear (listen to) unto my cry; For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave. I am counted with them that go down into the pit (are dying): I am as a man that hath no strength.’ (Ps.88:1-4) And there’s no doubt my Friends that many of us feel the same way today, with the state of upheaval and confusion that’s got our world in a vice like grip. However, the point I’m trying to make is that it’s okay to cry out to the Lord in times of trouble and need, but those should not be the only times we communicate with Him, otherwise He will just ignore our pleas. Too many of us enjoy the lusts of the world in our hearts, ignoring the Father until push comes to shove, then we run crying, falling on our knees, begging for help. But just think of your own reaction when certain people blatantly ignore you, don’t consider you important in the normal run of things, but in times of trouble, quickly seek your help. What’s your reaction in those cases? Do you rush to help them? I doubt it, though as a believer you ought to. (smile) You either refuse to help or take your own sweet time, while muttering under your breath: ‘Steups! Is only now deh know me eh; when deh big shot friend gone an’ leave them holding the dirty end of the stick. Ah Lord eh!’ a sad sigh and a shake of the head accompanying the last words. Well Friends, though our God is much more magnanimous than us, He still feels hurt and excluded when we constantly ignore Him, then come running for help when things go wrong. So, for our individual good, and also the betterment of our world, please, let’s try and keep in constant contact with our God nuh. The lines to Him are open 24/7, and you’ll never get a busy tone or an answering machine, but always a living, breathing, gentle, understanding being. Much LOVE!…pray without ceasing…it’s the only way…
SCRIP-BITS 