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, it’s a trite but true saying that when yuh doh hear, yuh feel. And believe me, the ole fella’s feeling this Caribana Saturday morning, or to be politically correct, on this Scotia Bank Caribbean Carnival Saturday. Steups! The foolishness of men eh! Through litigation, the new group running the festival is prevented from officially calling it Caribana because that name rightfully belongs to the old group. But regardless of what the courts and the litigants say, Toronto Mas will always be known as Caribana. End of story! And if yuh wondering why the ole fella feeling this morning, and running late too, is because ah take mih fresh self and went to the Pan Alive competition in Lamport Stadium last night. And though the music was good, the evening was spoiled by having to sit and bake in the hot sun on the hard benches for an hour before the show began. Advertised for a seven o’clock start, the show didn’t begin until eight. And when ah talk about baking in the hot sun Friends, ah really mean it. In all the years I’ve been going to the Pan Competition, I’ve never experienced a sun so high in the sky. This was about a three o’clock sun at seven in the evening. One fellow selling umbrellas must have made a killing. And though I had one in my car, nobody was willing to walk back to the car to get it. My friend’s wife eventually succumbed though and bought one of the small, overpriced umbrellas. But like all things done in God’s name and time, it all turned out for good, because I was in the company of a friend up from New York, whom I hadn’t seen since early High School days in Tobago. Now that’s approximately…no, not approximately nuh, but is definitely at least fifty years ago. Wow! When yuh start talking in terms of not seeing people for a half century, it means yuh really getting on in age yes! (smile) Chuh! Age is only a meaningless number used to confuse us! Anyway, we rediscovered each other about a year ago, through some mutual friends, and when he called and said he was coming to T.O. for the weekend, I just knew that I had to connect with him. And it was a good reunion too, simple, but heartfelt, once again showing me the goodness of our God, as our Bit so LOVINGLY and assuredly promises: ‘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.’ What an awesome promise my people! What a great and LOVING God we serve and worship! It’s just so sad that more people can’t come to the realization that He’s wonderful and serve Him too. Can you imagine if all the world LOVED and obediently served the Most High God Jehovah? What a truly wonderful world it would be! But unfortunately a greater proportion of the earth’s billions serve and worship a plethora of dead, inanimate gods and idols, while renouncing and harshly criticising the ONE and ONLY TRUE, LIVING God; He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Oh my brethren, I find it so inconceivable and unfathomable that many believers don’t stand on the sure promises of God, especially this one in our Bit. How can we say we believe when we don’t act positively on words like these eh? If a powerful, but fallible human came and told us that his kindness and bond of peace would never be broken or revoked, we’d most likely accept him at his word, but when the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, infallible God says that, we refuse to believe Him, take it with a grain of salt (doubtfully). But that’s not true wisdom Friends. Remember our God is a merciful Deity. He takes delight and pleasure in being merciful to those who serve Him with true hearts. And there’s no better example in all the Good Book than Bruh David, who committed all sorts of wrong, but always sought the Lord, and was adjudged to be His friend and a man after His own heart. How can that be, if our God doesn’t truly live up to His promises? Now hear how Bruh David explains it in some of his last words on earth. ‘The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow (will he not make it increase).’ (2 Sam.23:2-5) Yes Friends, Bruh David plainly admits that though his house was not the way the Lord desired it, yet He was still merciful and gracious enough to promise to make it last forever. That means He’ll surely do the same for us, my people, if we stand strong and steadfast on His promises and diligently further His Holy Kingdom. Please, I encourage us today to contemplate what we’re basing our goals, our lives and our salvation on. And if it’s not on Jesus and the Word of Almighty God, then please, please make it so, because He’s truly the truth, the life and the only way to salvation. More on this tomorrow, God in favour. And we’ll close with a personal testimony. I was able to climb the steps at Lamport Stadium last night, two or three times without much difficulty, and without any physical aids, since I’d forgotten my cane in the car. Why? Because I stood on the Lord’s promise to help me in time of need, and He did so, by infusing His strength into my weakness, my weak knees, so that I could testify, noise abroad His genuine concern and goodness to the children of men. Oh Friends, let’s wake up and sincerely LOVE and serve our God nuh, for He’s so great, merciful, kind and LOVING, that there are no words to truly do Him justice! Much LOVE!…true believers have hearts just bursting with LOVE for…appreciation and gratitude to…Almighty God…