Ah mih Friends, it’s Monday again. Chuh! That means the party over, is back to the common grind and daily task of labouring for the man to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table. But please mih people, let’s make sure that before we set out, we’re fully clothed in the spiritual armour of the Most High God Jehovah, so that we can be protected from the enemy’s evil plans and designs on us. If we’re so clothed, then all his wicked, deceitful, amorous advances will be readily repelled. I know it gets tiring to hear that warning all the time, but it’s necessary because Lucifer is always on the prowl for weakness, and all he needs is one little chink in our armour to take us to the cleaners. So please, let’s not give him any opportunity to do that; wear your armour at all times. Anyway, here’s a pleasant thought to carry in our hearts today. It’s attributed to Yoshida Kenko, and says: ‘Blossoms are scattered by the wind and the wind cares nothing, but the blossoms of the heart no wind can touch.’ Wow Friends! That’s both beautiful and true! Whatever good thing of God that exists in our hearts, cannot be touched by the wind, or anything else. Our Bit today resonates with the same positive, sincere confidence. ‘Thou art near, O Lord; and all thy commandments are truth.’ My people, our God isn’t only near, but He’s living within us, guiding and protecting us through the might and power of His awesome Spirit. What can be better than that eh mih breddren? Nothing! He’s the only Deity that lives within His followers. That He desires to dwell within us just shows the premium value He places on our association with Him. And unlike all the other deities, He’s a living, breathing Being, not an inanimate object. But remember Friends, you have to consciously invite and accept Him into your heart. He will not violate your privacy and freedom of choice. But Friends, when you do make that wise and wonderful decision, the wisest you can ever make, what peace and calm suddenly flows through your soul, accompanied by a renewed faith, trust and assurance in life! Now all your cares and problems don’t just fade away into space, as some of us believe, but you acquire the strength and confidence to deal with them, the ability to come up over them, the sure knowledge that they will not put you under, that you will fight them tooth and nail, to death if need be. That’s the kind of empowerment the Spirit of Christ brings to us my people! Oh Friends, the Psalmist unequivocally voiced this later on. ‘Great peace have they which LOVE thy law: and nothing shall offend them (causes them to stumble). (Ps.119:165) And the mighty prophet Isaiah, when talking about the suffering of the Lord’s servant, a prophecy of Christ, verily proclaimed: ‘For the Lord God will help me: therefore shall I not be confounded (disgraced): therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? Let us stand together: who is mine adversary (master of my judgement)? Let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? Lo, they all shall wax (grow) old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up. Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay (rely) upon his God.’ (Isa.50:7-10) Yes my brethren, though we who put our trust in the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob may have difficult lives, once we stand steadfast and strong in His Name and Word, we shall never be defeated. As Bruh Paul victoriously proclaims: ‘What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of (bring a charge against) God’s elect? It is God that justifieth (declares righteous). (Rom.8:31-33) Oh Friends, who knows more about God’s law and his promises than Bruh David? He possibly experienced them personally more than any other soul that ever lived. So he knows what he’s talking about when he declares in Psalm 145, a Psalm of Praise: ‘I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable (beyond our understanding).’ (Ps.145:1-3) Yes mih people, there we have three great men of faith, extolling the greatness of our God, not through hearsay, but by personal experience. Are we going to believe them, and act on their words and experiences? I certainly hope so. But for good measure, something extra, as ‘langniappe’ and ‘broughta’ (smile) we’ll close with more assurances from Bruh David. ‘The Lord is righteous in all his ways; and holy (gracious) in all his works. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them. The Lord preserveth all them that LOVE him: but all the wicked will he destroy. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord; and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.’ (Ps.145:17-21) And all God’s people joyfully sung: ‘Praise Him, Praise him, Glory Hallelujah, He is LOVE, He is LOVE!’ Oh Friends, let’s take those wonderful words of inspiration, bury them deep in out hearts, souls and minds, then go out there and cut a wide swath through the enemy’s lines, furthering the kingdom, in Jesus’ Name! Amen! Much Love!…as for me and mine…we will follow the Lord…
SCRIP-BITS 