SCRIP-BITS

Psalm 51:1.    Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy LOVING-kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
 
Aye Friends, is Friday! The day that produces much rejoicing all around the world, for it signals the end of a rough workweek. And like all good ‘rejoicers’ (smile) we too greet the day with cries of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ But we also realize that the weekend is not just a time for fun and frolic, we still need to be on our p’s and q’s, keeping God’s desires first place in our hearts, bodies and minds, for the enemy doesn’t take even one single second off, he’s always on the prowl. Thus, unlike the unbeliever, we continue to ask God for serious guidance during our time off work. And we do this partly through our Friday Chant. So let’s chant nuh people! Let’s chant our Friday Chant like we truly mean it. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’ That was most excellent mih breddren! Now we can concentrate on our work, do a job worthy of Jesus’ name, without worrying about any possible weekend woes. Meanwhile, per our Bit, we’re also calling on the Lord for serious spiritual cleansing. ‘Have mercy upon me O God, according to thy LOVING-kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.’ This psalm was of particular relevance to Bruh David, cause it was written after the prophet Nathan draped him up over his ungodly alliance with Bathsheba. Bruh David finally realized the error of his ways, and as he was wont to do when convicted of wrong, he sincerely repented and turned to the Lord, pleading for cleansing from his wrongdoing. And so should we all my people, because we all have certain wrongs that stand out like beacons in our lives, where we know that we’ve done wrong, but oftimes refuse to acknowledge them. We might not need to acknowledge them to other men, but Friends, we do need to acknowledge them to ourselves and to Almighty God, who has the power to cleanse us of the abominations that clog our souls. And if you don’t believe me, then listen to Isaiah, speaking on the Lord’s behalf, re, the Lord is the only Redeemer. ‘I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.’ (Is.43:25) And again in chapter 44, the Lord declares through Isaiah: ‘I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.’ (Is.44:22) And for that my brethren we ought to be so thankful that Isaiah commanded: ‘Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.’ (Is.44:23) And all God’s people declared a grateful, ‘Thank you Lord!’ So yes Friends, it is possible to have our transgressions blotted out, if we repent and ask the Lord for forgiveness. But we must come to Him on bended knees, with a truly repentant heart, also truly desiring to be cleansed, and wanting to live a more righteous life. Remember, with our God, all things are possible, but we always need to do our part to make them happen. And where erasing sin is concerned, the Lord took the first and most important step by sending His only Son, Jesus, to earth, to die, to shed His precious blood on the cross to pay for our sins; a wholesale payment for all time. Now the ball is in our court my people. We need to do as Peter appealed to the Jews in the early days of the Church. ‘Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you.’ (Acts 3:19-20) Oh my people, our souls are not cleansed by magic, but by working and cooperating with Almighty God. And remember too, that it’s us, not God, who need the cleansing, so it’s to our obvious benefit to lay hold on all that’s been provided to make that possible. As Bruh Paul told the Colossians: ‘And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened (made alive) together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us (certificate of death with its decrees), which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.’ (Col.2:13-14) Yes Friends, Jesus paid the price for our sins, now we have to receive Him into our lives, then honour Him with the way we live, so that scripture can be fulfilled. Much LOVE!…repent…for the time is nigh…