SCRIP-BITS

Psalm 107:8.    Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men.
 
Oh Friends, sorry that this is a tad late, but it’s just been one of those days when the vicissitudes of life simply overwhelmed me. (smile) Anyway, another glorious day is in the offing for all those who LOVE and serve the Most High God Jehovah. So with humble hearts and minds, let’s gratefully offer up a prayer of thanks and praise. ‘Dear Lord, You are so good to me! And I thank you sincerely for the many blessings You send me! I’m very glad to have You in my life day in and day out – whatever I do and wherever I go! You are the One who always does what is best for my happiness.’ And all God’s people said a loud, heart-filled ‘Amen!’ because that’s the gospel truth my brethren! Now that prayer you just read was taken from a pamphlet I found in my mother’s Bible, prepared by the Life Study Fellowship in Noroton, Connecticut, sometime in 2004. And it’s amusing, but very gratifying that every time I open her Bible, I come upon some interesting tidbit of prayer or scripture, which gives me a better insight into her spiritual character. Let’s hope that when we all pass on to the golden fields in the sky, that our children can also open our Bibles and find spiritual gems that helped define us. And as usual, our great and most wonderful God, in His mysterious wisdom has chosen to use that prayer with a rather appropriate Bit. ‘Oh that the men would praise the Lord for his goodness (LOVING-kindness), and for his wonderful works to the children of men!’ Oh Friends, how can we ever make known the utmost importance of those words to mankind eh? The psalmist thought it so important that he used that verse four times, yes mih people, four times in the same psalm. (vs. 8,15,21,31) Oh my breddren, our steadfast refusal to praise and thank the Lord in sufficient numbers for His goodness to us, is one of the major reasons why our world is in such an appalling state, it’s filled with so much horrible negativity. The children of men simply are not praising and glorifying our God, our Maker, Provider and Protector enough. As usual, the little success we’ve made in the arts, science and technology has gone to our heads, and with the gleeful aid of the enemy, is fooling us into thinking that we’ve done it all in our own strength, thereby sadly invoking the prophecy declared by Moses ages ago. ‘Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgements, and his statutes, which I command thee this day. Lest when thou hast eaten and art full (satisfied), and hast built goodly (beautiful) houses, and dwelt therein; And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and gold is multiplied (increased), and all that thou hast is multiplied; Then thine heart be lifted up (becomes proud), and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove (test) thee, to do thee good at thy latter end; And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish (confirm) his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God.’ (Deut.8:11-20) Nuff said Friends! That’s the Good Book talking, showing us where we’ve taken the wrong path, and are thus suffering the repercussions for our many grave and deadly sins. It could not be put any plainer and simpler than that, and it is my sincere desire that we all seriously take those words to heart, truly meditate on them, learn the worthy lessons they teach, then share them with others, so that they too can turn from their wicked ways and remember that our Lord God Jehovah is the One who made us and keeps us going. Much LOVE!…to turn away from our Provider…is utter stupidity…and surely shows how prideful and arrogant we’ve become…

Isaiah 44:6.    Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.
 
Oh Friends, the Lord God Jehovah, in His infinite wisdom, has allowed us to see another beautiful day here on planet earth. All praise, thanks, and glory be unto Him! Yes Friends, He has a purpose for allowing that, so please, let’s figure out that purpose, then pursue it relentlessly. And we can only do that by consistently reading His Word and talking to Him in truth, faith and LOVE. Now here’s an interesting quote attributed to Kenneth Blanchard, American author, management expert and motivational speaker, which simply says: ‘The best way to teach people is by telling a story.’ And there certainly is a whole bundle of truth wrapped up in that short statement my brethren! For that’s the way the greatest teacher who ever lived, taught. Jesus’ main teaching tool was the parable; stories created around the truths He wanted to impart to His listeners. So it stands to reason that if Jesus used story telling as a major tool in His ministry, then there must be great worth in the practice. Ponder that for a while. (smile) But yuh know what Friends, everything in this world, good, bad and indifferent, comes right back down to our Bit. ‘Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.’ And though we’ve said it numerous times before, it’s certainly worth saying again, because many people still don’t get it. The Lord God Jehovah is the ONE and ONLY GOD in existence! Why can’t mankind get that through their thick heads eh, and stop running behind all the useless, foolish, inanimate idols and things we adore and worship today? Isaiah declared it earlier on when talking about the restoration of Israel: ‘Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am he.’ (Is.41:4) Then, re the Lord, our only redeemer, he says: ‘I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have showed (proclaimed), when there was no strange (foreign) god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God. Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let (reverse) it?’ (Is.43:11-13) Yes Friends, the prophets have been saying that for thousands of years, and even though there’s plenty irrefutable evidence, mankind still refuses to take it to heart and believe it, especially in these exceedingly wicked, sinful, ungodly times. It’s certainly strange and paradoxical that in our most enlightened time, when our mental faculties are at their zenith, the highest level ever, our true wisdom, re faith in God Almighty, is at the nadir, the lowest level. How sad Friends. That’s essentially why our world is in such confusion and turmoil. We’re trying to do everything in our own strength, without the help of our Creator and God, which is totally foolish and futile. Now listen to what the scholars say about our Bit, and hopefully you’ll see the big, beautiful picture. (smile) ‘In verse 6, the prophet emphasizes the oneness of God by stating that ‘beside me there is no God.’ Yet, at the same time, the prophet distinguishes between ‘the Lord the King of Israel’ and ‘his redeemer the Lord of hosts. The personal name Yahweh is used of both the King and His Redeemer, the one referring to God the Father and the other referring to God the Son.’ Oh my people, isn’t it a blessed thing to have and worship such a mighty Deity, one who is at the same time ONE, but also THREE, when we include the Holy Spirit, which dwells within us to teach and guide us in the ways of our magnificent God the Father, and His most august Son, Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, the Prince of Peace, Mr. Wonderful, All-Wise Counsellor, Sacrificial Lamb, Holy Redeemer, etc. etc? Hn, hn, hn! So I went overboard there just a little, but nonetheless, it’s all true. And I can see Bruh Paul up in heaven chuckling at that involved sentence, so reminiscent of some of his. Anyway mih breddren, the long and short of the story is that the Lord God Jehovah, Yahweh, Infinitely Everything, is the ONLY God in existence, no ifs, ands and buts about it. And in closing, listen to what Jesus said to John in Revelation. ‘And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last. I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell (hades) and of death. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be (take place) hereafter.’ (Rev.1:17-19) Oh Friends, if you’re still filled with doubt, I’m truly sorry for you, but all I can do now is commend you to Jesus, asking, for your sakes, that He come into your hearts and show you the truth. Much LOVE!…if we don’t know and LOVE Jesus…then our future is one of eternal death and damnation…

Isaiah 44:6.     Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

Psalm 84:4.    Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee.

Psalm 84:4.     Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.
 
Oh Friends, this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it! By the way, it’s also Friday… ‘Oh jeezanages!’ is the surprised reaction. ‘Yuh really mean to say is Friday already?’ Yes. ‘Well then, leh we sing the chorus nuh. TGIF! Thank God is Friday! TGIF! Thank God is Friday.’ And the resident riddim section kicks up in a scintillating riddim. Well Friends, since we have the riddim section going full tilt, we might as well chant our Friday Chant too, to get us in the proper frame of mind for the weekend. Altogether now, in one, loud, proud, harmonious voice: ‘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 now that we’ve been reminded of the proper uses for the weekend, let’s also remember that today is a special day in more respects than one. First of all, it’s the eleventh day of the eleventh month in the year twenty eleven (11/11/2011). That kind of thing doesn’t happen very often, and please don’t get caught up in any old wives tales you hear about it. I’m sure we’ll come up with all sorts of nonsense. More importantly, today is also Remembrance Day in the British Commonwealth and Veterans Day in the U.S. It’s the day we remember all those brave souls who gave their lives in the great wars, so that we could live in the semi-freedom that we now have. And I say semi-freedom since many of those hard fought freedoms have now been eroded because of the supposed terrorist activity. We’re gradually inching towards a police state as more freedoms are being curtailed one by one, with the greedy, wicked, powerful elite using fear tactics to empower themselves and their cronies even further. Anyway, enough of the world and its sinful doings, let’s hear a word from our God. And the psalmist passionately declares in our Bit today: ‘Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will still be praising thee. Selah.’ And that’s a sure fact my people! All those who dwell in and around God’s house will surely be blessed! According to the scholars, Psalm 84 expresses the rejoicing of a pilgrim who finally arrives at the temple in Jerusalem. That means it’s a good and necessary thing for all of us to make our way to the Lord’s house, as often as possible, hopefully at least once a week, so we can get a special dose of His mercy and LOVING-kindness. There’s just something about God’s house that gives it a serene, peaceful atmosphere, where we also can find peace and contentment, release our fears, worries and anxieties, and feel His Holy Spirit just fill us up with hope, faith and LOVE. Yes my people, being around the Lord’s house is always beneficial to us, in some form and fashion. Now you don’t have to go to His house to experience Him, but when you do, there’s always an exceptional feeling that permeates the place; one of awe, reverence and oneness with Him. Hear how Bruh David puts it: ‘Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.’ (Ps.65:4) Yes Friends, our God has LOVINGLY chosen us as His people, so let’s go to His house this weekend to meet and greet each other, as well as to honour Him with praise and worship, and be honoured in return with His peace and abundant blessings that overtake us when we come before Him under those circumstances. It’s the wise and honourable thing to do. Much LOVE!…wherever His people are gathered together in His Name…be it only two or three…the Lord’s present…and He blesses them… P.S. Smile and give thanks mih people, the Bit’s short and sweet today. Hn, hn, hn! Much LOVE!
 

Jeremiah 7:26.    Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.
 
Oh Friends, last night a wicked windstorm passed through my area just before midnight. Just wind alone, no rain, lightning or thunder. You should have seen the trees, even the leafless ones, dancing crazily in the strong wind, while their fallen leaves were whipped around, cyclone style. Now who or what brought that on? Only God in His wisdom knows. But here’s some wisdom that we ought to know and follow. It’s a quote from my ‘I LOVE YOU’ Poster, which says: ‘Carrying a grudge is like a run in a stocking – it can only get worse. Forgiveness is the answer.’ Oh Friends, who ever wrote that certainly knew what they were talking about! It is an awful truth that the longer a grudge is held, the worse it gets, until finally bitterness and it’s negative cohorts permeate the entire soul, heart, body and mind. It’s also true that forgiveness is the only antidote to grudges and its ilk. Turning to our Bit: ‘Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened (stiffened) their neck: they did worse than their fathers.’ Oh my people, unfortunately that’s another awful truth! For this generation has disobeyed God way more than our fathers ever did. And if we leave it as is, without valiantly trying to improve it, to turn it around, the next generation will be even more ungodly and sinful than us. That’s certainly not a nice legacy to leave our offspring. As the Lord said to Jeremiah, re Israel’s broken covenant: ‘For I earnestly protested (exhorted) unto your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and protesting (exhorting), saying, Obey my voice. Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked everyone in the imagination (stubbornness) of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did them not.’ (Jer.11:7-8) Does that sound familiar my people? It should, for sadly that stern denunciation also applies to us today, even more than then, since we’ve become even more individualistic, idolatrous and stubborn. Talking about stubborn and stiffnecked, listen to how Nehemiah puts it in his prayer when the Israelites were preparing to rebuild Jerusalem and belatedly decided to repent and turn back to the God of their fathers. (Neh.9:1-15) The Lord had magnanimously given them succour in the wilderness, only to have them complain and rebel. ‘But they and our fathers dealt proudly (acted presumptuously, insolently), and hardened (stiffened) their necks, and hearkened not to (did not heed) thy commandments. And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.’ (Neh.9:16-17) Now that’s true forgiveness Friends! If the Lord had kept that grudge in His heart, His anger would have been great and most likely he would have totally destroyed His chosen people, thus bringing all His well-laid plans to naught. Ah mih breddren, these are indeed crucial and critical times in the annals of man, possibly the closest we’ve come to annihilation, what with our wonderful weapons of mass destruction, and the evil, ungodly spirit that currently holds our world in a tight, vice-like grip. It hearkens back to the Lord’s warning to Jeremiah, re signs of Israel’s coming captivity. (Jer.16:1-9) ‘And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt show this people all these words, and they shall say unto thee, wherefore hath the Lord pronounced all this great evil (disaster) against us? or what is our iniquity? or what is our sin that we have committed against the Lord our God? Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the Lord, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law. And you have done worse then your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination (stubbornness) of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me. Therefore will I cast you out of this land into a land that ye know not, neither ye nor your fathers; and there shall ye serve other gods day and night; where I will not show you favour.’ (Jer.16:10-13) Oh my people, we are guilty of the very same offences. The only difference is that we most likely won’t be sent into captivity, we’ll be totally destroyed, annihilated, if we continue down the God forsaken path we’re currently treading. Please note one thing, our God doesn’t make idle threats, and though He often forgives, stubborn, prideful disobedience will eventually be punished. You can bet your bottom dollar on that! So please, let’s smarten up and change our evil ways before it’s too late nuh, so that these words of utter damnation from Jesus won’t apply to our generation. ‘Wherefore ye be witnesses unto (against) yourselves, that ye are the children (sons) of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure (of guilt) of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation (brood or offspring) of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?’ (Matt.23:31-33) Oh Friends, a word to the wise is sufficient. Much LOVE!…if you don’t hear…you’ll certainly feel…
 

Psalm 19:10.    More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
 
Ah Friends, I guess I was either mislead, or I read the weather symbols wrong yesterday when I declared it would be another beautiful day, because it certainly was not. It was cloudy, overcast and drizzly, though warm. And today promises to be more of the same. Right now it’s fairly foggy outside. That just goes to show how careful we have to be when reading, watching or trying to decipher and interpret stuff, because there’s so much false information and purveyors of false information out there in our wicked, ungodly world. Please be never too busy to ponder and contemplate for yourself, whatever your eyes and ears communicate to your heart and mind. Anyway, here’s a quote attributed to Thomas Alva Edison, (1847-1931) the prolific inventor, of amongst other things, the phonograph and the incandescent light bulb by which I’m now writing this sermon (smile). Edison claims that ‘Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.’ And that’s gospel my brethren! Many are the times we give up when we’re ever so close to being successful. It brings to mind the cliché, that the darkest hour is the one just before the dawn. Usually our worst and most difficult moments are those just before the answers burst through in a riotous brilliance of sunlight. (smile) Now Tommy Edison could certainly testify to that because he apparently made hundreds of attempts to perfect the light bulb before he was successful. The same goes for Henry Ford, the father of the motorcar, as we know it. He was totally ridiculed about his invention, I believe even Edison ignored him, but he had the last laugh because he had a dream, a desire placed in his heart from God and he knew that to be successful he had to persevere in faith. The same goes for us Friends. That means we can’t give up on whatever God ‘s placed in our hearts. Neither can we give up on the LOVE Revolution He’s called us to foment, to get our world back on track. We just have to hang on to the faith and courage we get from God’s Word. Why? Because as Bruh David declares in our Bit: ‘More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the (drippings of the) honeycomb.’ Wow! What a definitive statement! But it’s the awesome truth Friends! Hear how he leads up to that fact. ‘The law of the Lord is perfect, converting (restoring) the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear (reverence) of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.’ (Ps.19:7-9) Yes Friends, all those who LOVE the Lord, know and faithfully believe those things. Then Bruh David continues: ‘Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.’ (Ps.19:11)Of a truth my brethren, the Lord’s law, testimony, statutes, commandments and judgements are all precious and desirable, much more so than earthly wealth. It’s even sweeter than honey to the believer’s heart, plus it gives us good guidance on how to live this life, then it also brings us great rewards from a faithful and magnanimous God.. What could be better than that eh people? Nothing really! Now listen to some testimony on that indisputable truth from some other men of great faith. The psalmist wrote in Psalm 119: ‘It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.’ (Ps.119:71-72) Later on he again declares the supremacy of God’s Word: ‘It is time for thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void thy law (regarded it as void). Therefore I LOVE thy commandments above gold; yea above fine gold. Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.’ (Ps.119:126-128) And finally, from the wisest man ever, Cousin Sol, when he proclaims that wisdom is everlasting: ‘All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward (crooked) or perverse in them. They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies: and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.’ (Prov.8:8-11) Yes Friends, if Cousin Sol says it’s so, then it is so. For wisdom and understanding comes from knowing and following the Lord’s law. Therefore, let us, as true believers in, and followers of Jesus, do our very best to adhere to that law nuh, so that we might truly live in wisdom and understanding and get the most benefit from all our wonderful God has to offer. Much LOVE!…the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge…but fools despise wisdom and instruction… (Prov.1:7)
 

Jeremiah 42:21.    And now I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God, nor any thing for the which he hath sent me unto you.
 
Oh Friends, another beautiful fall day is expected in my area! For this pleasure, we can all say a grateful ‘Thank You Lord!’ It’s been a delightful autumn so far; much more sunshine and temps in the teens than cold winds and rain. But like all earthly things, it’s not going to last forever, so let’s be thankful and enjoy it now, because as soon as the first snow flies, we’ll all be moaning and groaning. (smile) And today I have a quote to share from the Covenant House Calendar, attributed to George Bernard Shaw, the noted Irish playwright (1856-1950). He claims that ‘Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.’ I guess as a playwright, which means creating plays, that would be his natural feeling, but I tend to think it’s more like half and half. In the sense that in our early years we’re young and inexperienced and we’re constantly seeking direction, plus the excitement and whatever else life has to offer. We’re looking for answers to questions we sometimes don’t even know. This could prove to be quite confusing and frustrating. However, by the time we reach adulthood, hopefully we’ve seen enough of life to know how it operates, and above all, we’ve found God’s purpose for our lives. Oh Friends, that is definitely the most important thing for us to seek and find! Now it’s not always an easy task, and we don’t always find it at an early age, but if with patience we persevere, we’ll find it, God will guide us to it eventually. And once we’ve found God’s purpose for us, then the creating seriously begins! Regardless of God’s earthly purpose, we must try to create ourselves in the image that God desires, that of Jesus. Note that there are two separate actions involved here, purpose and desire. All the purposes, (read careers and the like) may differ and vary substantially, since it takes all types to make the world go round, but the desire is always the same; to remake us in the perfect image of Christ. Our Bit though highlights the problem between finding and creating ourselves. ‘And now I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not obeyed the voice of the Lord your God, nor any thing for the which he hath sent me unto you.’ Now what’s wrong with this picture eh? The Israelites, in one of their many times of trouble, had asked Jeremiah to pray to the Lord for guidance. They wanted to flee to Egypt to escape their enemies, but the Lord’s message said stay put. If they did as He asked, He would build them up and not tear them down. (Jer.32:7-12) Unfortunately, God’s will conflicted with the Israelites’ plans. And though we righteously proclaim that we trust God and want to know His will, when we receive it and it differs from ours, we get right royally upset. This is what happened to the Israelites, and unfortunately it’s also happening to us today. God’s will is for us to turn to and stay close to Him, but we seem to prefer the licentiousness of Lucifer, the ruler of darkness. As the scholars so rightly claim, much too often believers ask to hear only what pleases them. That is borne out by Bruh Paul’s charge to Timothy. ‘For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.’ (2 Tim.4:3-4) Consequently, these believers pray on false grounds, as James notes: ‘Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts (pleasures).’ (James 4:3) And isn’t that the living truth Friends! This happens because we foolishly and selfishly expect God to merely validate whatever we desire. But my people that’s never going to happen, unless our desires fall into line with God’s plans. Again sadly, on an even greater scale than in Jeremiah’s time, that is a source of much worry, contention and disbelief in this confused society of ours. A majority of the world is trumpeting Lucifer’s unfortunate rise to glory, therefore many of us, falsely believing it, pray to God to give us the earthly trappings of wealth and power so that we can use it to enjoy the fleshly lusts that Lucifer promotes. But please remember Friends, the most important thing to our God, is the state of our hearts, our motives. If those aren’t right, don’t truly reflect God’s Word and Will, then all our prayers are doomed to failure. Now nothing is wrong with having the trappings of wealth and power, many Christians have them, but they must be earned through right motives and doing God’s will, not merely for the purpose of enjoying the fleshly pleasures they can provide. Remember too that no one can out give God. Just look at Cousin Sol, who asked for wisdom and understanding and became the poster boy for the Lord’s generosity even to this day. And we’ll close to day with some words on the futility of relying on anyone or anything else other than Jehovah God. Hear Isaiah tell it like it is: ‘Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering (devise plans, weave a web), but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin.’ (Is.30:1) Oh Friends, please, let’s allow God to be the supreme ruler and arbiter in our lives. It’s the only way to live wisely in this our earthly pilgrimage. Much LOVE!…now unto him…that is able to do exceeding abundantly…above all that we ask or think…according to the power that worketh in us…unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus…throughout all ages…world without end…Amen… (Eph.3:20-21)
 

Psalm 18:32.     It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.

Psalm 85:4.    Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease.