SCRIP-BITS

Oh Friends, it’s a beautiful Sunday morning! The birds are singing joyful songs of praise, the air is fresh with the clean breath of spring, we are alive and kicking, and most important of all, our omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God is securely enthroned in His high heaven controlling everything, with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ seated at His right hand advocating and interceding for us, while the Holy Spirit works within us here on earth. Wow! And all God’s people gratefully declared: ‘All praise, honour, thanks and glory be to the Holy Trinity, that guides us with such deep LOVE and understanding!’ And now my people, if we belong to a Christian denomination that celebrates the Sabbath on Sunday, then it’s time to get moving, to get to church, so you can worship, praise, honour and glorify God in fellowship with other believers. And if you can’t make it to church for whatever reason, then turn on your television or your radio to a good church broadcast, or simply pick up the Good Book and spend some more time than normal with God. Remember, He says that at least one day a week, He expects us to get together to make it a holy day in His honour. And Friends, it truly doesn’t matter what day we celebrate the Sabbath on, once we celebrate it. Some of you might beg to disagree, but that’s the sort of thing which causes unnecessary dissension and divisions between believers and allows Beelzebub to infiltrate Christ’s church, to divide and conquer. That’s why Jesus and the Pharisees couldn’t get along either, because they were too fixated on what they considered the law and were sadly lacking in the compassion that Jesus wanted to see. And do you really think that the Lord’s up there in heaven wringing His hands in worry or concern over which day we choose to get together and fellowship in His name? I truly doubt it. I believe He’s much more concerned that we do get together and fellowship on the most convenient day, the one that would bring most of us out. Anyway, turning to our Bit: ‘He brought me forth also into a large (broad) place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.’ Oh my brethren, how many of us can make that statement in all sincerity eh? In my estimation, not sufficient. Each believer ought to be able to say that with genuine feeling and belief, for if we’re truly walking with the Lord, then that’s what He will do for us. Bruh David declared those words in thanksgiving for deliverance, after the Lord had given him rest from his many enemies. ‘He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. They prevented (confronted) me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay (support).’ (Ps.18:17-18) Yes my people, the Lord God Jehovah is a sure, faithful and strong support for all those who believe and trust in Him, and are willing to surrender their entire lives to His guidance. And though Bruh David committed some awful sins, yet he never lost focus of God, he kept honouring, worshipping and calling out to Him for guidance and direction. That’s why God looked upon him with such favour. Listen to him in Psalm 4; an evening prayer of trust in God. ‘Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged (relieved) me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me (be gracious to me), and hear my prayer.’ (Ps.4:1) And again in Psalm 31, trusting in the Lord, he soulfully proclaims. ‘I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy; for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities (troubles); And hast not shut me up (given me over) into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room (wide place).’ (Ps.31:7-8) Then in Psalm 118, he joyfully declares: ‘Let them now that fear the Lord say, that his mercy (LOVING-kindness) endureth for ever. I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large (broad) place. The Lord is on my side, I will not fear: what can man do unto me?’ (Ps.118:4-6) Ah mih people, it’s very unlikely that any of us will ever have to contend with the hardships that Bruh David encountered and endured, but in spite of all his problems, he remained steadfastly focused on the God of his fathers. Consequently he earned the trust and title of a man after God’s heart. Oh Friends, I implore us today, to stay focused on God, to begin seriously working towards that designation, because it speaks of the real closeness, the same basic vision between us and our God. Nothing can ever bring us closer to Him than that. Much LOVE!…I have been young, and now am old…yet have I not seen…the righteous forsaken…nor his seed begging bread… (Ps.37:25)