SCRIP-BITS

Isaiah 54:10.    For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.
 
Oh Friends, is Friday! One of the best Fridays in the year too; Caribana Friday! Mama Yo! So you can imagine how the ‘TGIF’s’ and the ‘Thank God is Friday’s’ ringing out loud and plentiful, because is time for Mas in Toronto Town! The biggest and best festival after the real McCoy in T&T! Only problem though is that the ole fella not involved…Chuh! Steups! But look at mih crosses nuh people, after thirty something years of not missing a Caribana Parade, the ole fella just stop going out on the avenue on Caribana Saturday because the ole knees can’t handle the constant jamming. After one time is really two yes! It doh even seem like I’m going to the Panorama tonight. I must be really getting old and cold yes! (smile) Anyway Friends, let’s chant our Friday Chant to get us set for this long weekend in T.O. ‘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.’ And for all you party animals out there, please remember Granny’s words of wisdom when we were young and going out to party: ‘Now boys, drunk or sober, all yuh mind all yuh business…yuh hear…’ And we’d obediently reply: ‘Yes Granny.’ Oh Friends, who says that long ago West Indian life wasn’t the best eh? It was often hard, some of us never had much, but we always found time to enjoy it, and everybody was more like family. Hn! Not like today, when family doh mean a thing. When supposed family living like cat and dog, always in strife. Where nobody doh trust nobody, nor LOVE nobody! Yes mih breddren, is peace, trust and LOVE that we world missing. In other words we missing God in our society. That is why it in such a terrible state. But thankfully the antidote for that is found right there in our Bit: ‘For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.’ Oh my people, how could we ever wander away from such a wonderful promise eh? Our forefathers built their lives and country on it, but we in our foolish wisdom thought we didn’t need God because we’re now such an advanced society. But Friends, please remember this truth; where God isn’t involved, the builder builds in vain. And that’s exactly what’s happened in our world; we’ve turfed God out of it, and now it’s crashing, going to hell in a hand basket, and we’re all nervously wringing our hands, wondering what we going to do and crying out in despair ‘Oh Lord’ and “Dear God’, but just with our mouths and not with our hearts. But while there’s life, there’s yet hope my people. Hear these encouraging words from Isaiah, calling the faithful to have courage: ‘Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax (grow) old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished (broken). Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.’ (Is.51:6-8) Oh Friends, if we’re truly those people who have God’s law in our hearts, then we should not be afraid, but rather we should be excited and working hard to build God’s kingdom, to reverse the trend from leaving God to returning to Him. Remember that’s the great commission Jesus gave us in Matthew 28: ‘Go ye therefore, and teach (make disciples of) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.’ (Matt.28:19-20) And all God’s people shouted a loud ‘Amen!’ Well Friends, let’s go out and fulfill our calling nuh. The world has never needed the LOVE, forgiveness, mercy and kindness of our God as it does today, and it won’t get it unless we make it happen. That’s for sure! More on this tomorrow, God willing. Till then, let’s do as we ought; LOVE our God with all our hearts, souls, minds and bodies, and our neighbours as ourselves! Much LOVE!…standing…standing…standing on the promises of God…