SCRIP-BITS

Psalm 105:4. Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.

So another day has opened bright and sunshiny in the spring vein, with temps above the freezing mark, though there’s a bit of an edge to the March winds on this last Wednesday in the month. But we’ll take it as we catch our second wind for this work week, and say the Lord be praised for the upcoming spring and Easter seasons, where we see so much renewal, rebirth and resurrection in our lives, both physically and spiritually. 

That’s the joy that this time of year provides; the supposed dead flora, that’s really only been hibernating during the winter months, bursts out in beautiful, new, green life, while our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, having been crucified on Good Friday, rises triumphantly on Easter Sunday to prove that He’s conquered hell, death and the grave. Glory be my fellow believers! We couldn’t ask for a better situation and time than that to come out of the winter blahs. (smile) 

That’s why these marvellous words of Psalm 105 should always be in our memories and quick to reach the tips of our tongues. ‘O Give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works. glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgements of his mouth. O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen. he is the Lord our God: his judgements are in all the earth.’ (Ps. 105:1-7) 

Yes friends, the Lord God Jehovah is indeed our God and is indeed worthy of our praise and honour! There’s no doubt about that, after all the things He’s done for mankind! That’s why we ought to give Him much thanks and call on Him all the time, while spreading the good news of His wonderful works, in particular the gospel of Jesus all around the world. And singing psalms and other holy songs to Him is a no brainer, because He rejoices in our worship and praise. That’s one of the reasons why he created us in the first place, so we could have a good relationship and we could praise and worship Him. 

But unfortunately, sin raised its ugly head and caused a severing of that relationship until Jesus came and died in our place so that it could be restored. And that was the work of God; His desire to be reconciled to us. We had nothing to do with it. So that’s another reason why we should be ever so thankful to the Lord, worship Him with an undying LOVE, and let others know of His wonderful deeds towards the underserving children of men. And I LOVE this verse that says: ‘Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.’ (Ps. 105:4) 

Sadly however, that’s not something a lot of us are currently doing. Many people instead are turning away from God, and those of us who remain and claim to believe are only paying lip service, not truly searching and seeking for God, otherwise our lives would not be as miserable and disastrous as so many of them are. Please note these words that the Lord, through the prophet Jeremiah, conveyed to the Israelites during their captivity in Babylon. 

‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you and expected end (a future and a hope). Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me. and I will hearken unto (listen to) you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ (Jer. 29:11-13) 

Yuh see that mih people! Even though the Lord allowed them to be carried into captivity for their disobedience, He still had their welfare at heart, and encouraged them to seek Him with all their hearts, that’s sincerely. And it’s the same thing He’s saying to us today. Call on me, seek me sincerely, and I will answer you. Many of us though are not calling on the Lord God Jehovah, and for those of us who are, our prayers are not sincere, they don’t come from the bottom of our hearts, but are mostly lip service. As James says: ‘Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.’ (James 4:3) 

But please, let’s remember these words of Jesus that sets everything in the right perspective. ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt. 6:33) That my fellow saints is the definitive word of the gospel: seek God and His righteousness above all else! And if you’re not doing that, your life will be more miserable and disastrous than it ought to be. That’s because when you seek God sincerely, then He overwhelms you with blessings of all different varieties; physical, emotional and spiritual. 

As they say, then you don’t have to chase the blessings, they chase you. Wow! What can be better than that eh, blessings running you down? Nothing! But we have to do like Jesus said, seek the Lord first, and then everything will fall in to place. Let’s not forget what Jesus also said was the first and great commandment: ‘Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ (Matt. 22:37-40) 

Yes mih bredrin, it’s all based on the power of LOVE; of sincere LOVE! That’s why the psalmist could confidently say in Psalm 91: ‘Because he hath set his LOVE upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honour him. With long life (length of days) will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.’ (Ps. 91:14-16) 

Oh friends, that’s how the Lord treats us when we sincerely seek Him and do our best to live according to His holy will. And for those of us who are currently trying to do just that, let’s go home declaring (yesss!!!) our Wednesday Wail, letting the whole world know of our wonderful position in Christ Jesus. 

Altogether now: ‘Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: I’m so glad to be alive on this Wednesday! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday: Thank God the breath of life is still flowing through me on this Wednesday! I am halfway home. My hands are fixed securely on the plough, and I’m not turning back. I’m not looking back at the past, not focusing on what has gone before. But my eyes are fixed straight ahead; straight ahead to a glorious future with Jesus. Glory Hallelujah!’ 

And having said all of that, it now behooves us to keep on seeking His heavenly kingdom and doing the things that warms the cockles of His heart! Much LOVE!

…now there are these three…hope, faith and LOVE…but the greatest of them is LOVE… 

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