Psalm 7:1. O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me.
Oh Friends, another day has dawned, somewhat cloudy, but filled with promises of bright sunshine, as well as the Lord’s daily new mercies and blessings. However, for whatever reason, many of us don’t seem to feel, to experience that sunshine in our lives, our souls are devoid of God’s light. It’s like the quote attributed to Steve Martin: ‘A day without sunshine is like, you know, night.’ Yes Friends, many of us have hearts and souls that are dark and dismal like the night, although the Lord God Jehovah is offering us a chance of eternity, a chance to put brilliant sunshine in our lives through His Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Now why are our souls and lives still dark like night eh, with such glorious promises available? Is it because we haven’t put our full trust in God, haven’t completely surrendered our souls, our lives to Him? That would surely create darkness in our beings. And the only answer to that sad state of affairs my people, is to completely surrender our souls and lives to Almighty God! We need to say like Bruh David does in our Bit: ‘O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me.’ The problem here though Friends, is that we don’t only have to say those words, but we also have to sincerely mean them. Oh Friends, without that absolute trust our lives will be even more confused and topsy-turvy than they already are. Psalm 7 is a prayer for deliverance, a song that Bruh David wrote when he heard of the death of his rebellious son, Absalom, from whom he was then running. And he continues in the second verse: ‘Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it (tearing me) in pieces, while there is none to deliver.’ (Ps.7:2) Oh my people, the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the ONLY ONE who can save us from persecution, who can deliver us from the evil arms of our enemies! That’s why in all his troubles, with all his sins, Bruh David kept on crying out to the God of his fathers. For example, in Psalm 31, where he sadly exclaims: ‘For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised (schemed) to take away my life. But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God. My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies sake.’ (Ps.31:13-16) Yes my people, our numbered days are all set in the Lord’s hands. He is our creator and can do with us as He pleases, but He’s a good God and wants to shower us with mercy and blessings as well as justice and truth. However, He can’t do it unless and until we come to Him with trusting hearts and surrendered souls. If we want to taste of His goodness and LOVING-kindness, which includes delivering us from the wrath and persecution of our enemies, we must bare our souls to Him. And because Bruh David never tried to whitewash his sins, we can understand why God had such compassion and mercy on him. Listen to these words, as he continues to lay bare his soul. ‘O Lord my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands; If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy); Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah.’ (Ps.7:3-5) Oh Friends, Bruh David was strong enough and contrite enough to open his heart to the Lord and accept any punishment for his wrongdoing. Are we strong and contrite enough to do that? We need to be, because that’s the only way our God operates. Being open and above board is our only hope of forgiveness, for the Lord will search our hearts before making up His mind on whether to help us or not. So it pays to be truthful, admit our wrongdoings, and not try to hide anything from God. Hn, hn! As though we can ever do that, although some of us still foolishly try. My people, our God operates on one simple, infallible, unassailable principle; that of unblemished, unvarnished, unrestrained trust and truth! Consequently, in our dealings with Him, He expects the same from us. Regardless of how terrible our sins might be, there’s no need to be afraid, for He’s promised that all who sincerely trust in Him, through His Son Jesus, and come and lay bare their souls with openness and honesty, will be forgiven, cared for till eternity. Wow! What a magnificent and magnanimous God we serve my brethren! It just boggles my imagination every time I consider how wonderful He is to us, His rebellious, sinful children! So why do we still insist on not coming to Him? And when we do approach His throne of grace and mercy, of not coming clean with Him? Oh people, our God is such a great and ever-LOVING God, that the biggest mistake we can ever make is not fully trusting Him and going to Him for all our needs, both in good times and in bad. He’s very broken-hearted when we don’t come to Him. So please, let’s stop breaking His heart by staying away, and instead bring Him the joy He so longs for and richly deserves by sincerely trusting and taking all our troubles to Him. It’s the ONLY wise approach available to the human animal. And if we don’t do it, then we’re foolishly denying ourselves His great benefits of truth, justice, mercy and forgiveness. Please let that not be numbered amongst our numerous faults. Much LOVE!…in times of prosperity…take it to the Lord in prayer…in times of trouble…take it to the Lord in prayer…at all times…take it to the Lord in prayer… P.S. It’s late because I’m a night owl and still can’t get the hang of this early waking up business. (smile)
Today’s Scrip-Bit 17 August 2011 Psalm 7:1
17 Aug 2011 Leave a comment
Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 August 2011 Jeremiah 29:13
16 Aug 2011 Leave a comment
Jeremiah 29:13. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Oh Friends, it’s a beautiful Tuesday morning in my neck of the woods, but for some reason, known only to God Himself, my ying and yang refused to get in sync this morning, (smile) that’s why the Bit’s late. But yuh know what? We’re not giving up! NEVER! We’ll continue fighting right down to our last breath! That’s how believers must operate if we’re to be successful in this crazy, confused, violent greedy, ungodly world. And here’s a prayer to help us persevere, from ‘The Pursuit of God,’ By A.W. Tozer, from the chapter titled ‘The Speaking Voice,’ where the author puts forth a very convincing theory that our God is alive, is very vocal, and talks to us all the time, but we don’t hear Him because we’re just not listening. ‘Lord, teach me to listen. The times are noisy and my ears are weary with the thousand raucous sounds which continuously assault them. Give me the spirit of the boy Samuel when he said to Thee, “Speak, for thy servant heareth.” Let me hear Thee speaking in my heart. Let me get used to the sound of thy voice, that its tones may be familiar when the sounds of earth die away and the only sound will be the music of Thy speaking voice. Amen.’ Yes Friends, we’ll never hear God talking to us unless we keep quiet and listen for and to Him, amongst all the noise that’s prevalent in our world. And that’s where our Bit comes in: ‘And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all our heart.’ Fellow believers, it is necessary, a key part of the Christian journey, to keep seeking and searching for God. Our God is like most good things in life, which we don’t find until we consciously and diligently seek them out. Now hear the conditions for restoration and blessing that God laid down through Moses, for His rebellious and disobedient people, the Israelites. ‘And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath driven thee, And shalt return unto the Lord thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; That then the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity (bring you back from captivity), and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, wither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee.’ (Deut.30:1-3) Oh my people, the Lord couldn’t speak any plainer than that! Before compassion and forgiveness are granted, we have to do our part; seek Him, repent and confess our abominable sins, then live obediently to His law. And that prescription for rebellion and disobedience has not changed since it was first decreed. So in our current time, where dalliance with the evil and ungodly is prevalent, we too need to turn back to the Lord; repent, confess and live righteous lives, else out world will deteriorate until it simply falls apart or self-destructs. And please note Friends, this return to God cannot just be surface deep, an exterior façade without any interior substance, but it must be done through the fullness of our hearts, with right motives, since that’s where the Lord looks before He decides on our blessings and punishments. As out Bit says, we shall find the Lord: ‘when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ Listen to these words of advice that Bruh David gave to Cousin Sol, possibly the best advice a father ever gave to a child. ‘Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God; arise therefore and build ye the sanctuary of the Lord God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the Lord.’ (1 Chron.22:19) Ah mih breddren, how many of us have given that wise advice to our children eh, substituting our lives and bodies for the physical sanctuary to be built in honour of our great and magnificent God? Obviously not enough, else our world would not be in such a sinful mess. Oh Friends, in these ungodly, destructive times, I implore us to band together, as Jesus desires, into one, unified Church, and to do all that we can to change the direction which our world is currently focused on, down the evil path, so that the word of the Lord, as spoken in Jeremiah, can be fulfilled. ‘And I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.’ (Jer.24:7) It’s the only way to stave off divine destruction Friends. Much LOVE!…hard ears pickney…always pay a hard price…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 August 2011 Jeremiah 29:13
15 Aug 2011 Leave a comment
Jeremiah 29:13. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Oh Friends, it’s Monday! Yes Monday, the day we’re slowly learning to LOVE. (smile) Okay, so I’m a tad mental, for why would anyone in their right mind LOVE Mondays, when it means leaving the comfortable confines of our homes to go out and labour in the rough, evil world with all its inherent difficulties? But my people, we should LOVE Mondays for two reasons. First, it gives us the important opportunity to go out and make a living, so we can keep those comfortable homes. Secondly, it expands our horizons, giving us a wider area to work in God’s name and spread His infallible Word. And though our minds might dispute those reasons, our hearts know that they are true. So to help us go out with the right attitude this morning, let’s joyfully sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. All together now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together. We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’ Oh my brethren, I sure hope that jumped started our engines, and we’re now firing on all cylinders, just bursting with enthusiasm and energy to go out into the world and accomplish the Lord’s desires. Now let’s turn to our Bit, and see what scriptural justification we can find for it, since yesterday’s writing was basically from my heart: ‘And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ And that’s so true Friends! To find justification though, we won’t go back far, just to Leviticus, (smile) when Moses was spelling out the penalties for disobedience to the Israelites. He’s already told them that their land would be destroyed and they’d be taken captive to their enemy’s territory, where they would pine away in theirs and their father’s iniquity. However, ‘If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; And that I have also walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land. The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her Sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of their punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgements, and because their soul abhorred my statutes. And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the Lord their God. But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the Land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am the Lord.’ (Lev.26:40-45) Yes Friends, the Lord spoke it then, and He’s certainly speaking it now. There’s no denying that we have despised His judgements and our souls have abhorred His statutes, for we’ve removed Him from our lives to bow down and worship man made idols, thus our punishment; all the confusion and disasters that’s raining down on our evil world. But fortunately our God is such a kind hearted Deity that He always leaves a door open for us to come back to Him, like the prodigal son in Jesus’ parable. (Luke 15:11-32) That’s why He’s known as the God of second chances! No other supposed god offers their followers a second chance, only ours, my people. Let us therefore be wise and accept His offer nuh, for he’s the ONLY ONE in all creation, who can help us clean up the mess we’ve made of His world. More on this tomorrow, our God in favour. Till then, please seek Him seriously, because that’s the only way you’ll find Him. Much LOVE!…the believer’s duty…to diligently search…to find…and never to turn back…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 August 2011 Jeremiah 29:13
14 Aug 2011 Leave a comment
Jeremiah 29:13. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Oh Friends, I’m not sure what I’m going to write on as yet, but I’ve been reading this interesting book, ‘The Pursuit of God’ by A.W. Tozer, and for some reason, my spirit’s been led to begin today with the prayer at the end of the chapter on ‘Apprehending (truly knowing and experiencing) God.’ So here it is: ‘O God, quicken to life every power within me, that I may lay hold on eternal things. Open my eyes that I may see; give me acute spiritual perception; enable me to taste Thee and know that Thou art good. Make heaven more real to me than any earthly thing has ever been. Amen.’ Ah my people, I think it’s a powerful prayer, and very appropriate to today, where many believers only have God in their minds, have a mental image of God as being some nebulous Being in the background of their lives, with no true experience of the living Deity that is always around, seeking to come into our hearts and lives in a much more meaningful way. The prayer causes us to want to focus on eternal things, as we ought to, rather than the earthly stuff that still holds most of our attention. Oh Friends, I get the feeling that believers these days have only a superficial knowledge of God. Christianity has become too much of a feel good, surface movement, lacking the deeper searching and seeking for God. In other words, we all have some idea of God, but how many of us have really experienced Him personally in our everyday lives? How many of us really seek to know Him deeply, in Spirit and in truth, and delve into His Word with that intent? Too many of us view God as some ephemeral, ghost-like personage, existing on the edge of our sub-conscious. But He’s real Friends! He’s a living, breathing, working God; existing in us, with us and around us, waiting to fully come to us. But we have to invite Him in, make a conscious decision to truly want to know Him, then be willing to put out the necessary time and energy to receive Him, to be receptive to His advances, for He’s always there, gently knocking on the door of our hearts. The only real difference between the saint and the ordinary believer is that the former has a greater hunger and thirst for God, and is/was willing to devote the time and energy to satisfy it. My brethren, that is the kind of Christianity we need today on a very broad scale, if we’re to make any real difference in our world, and bring it back to some form of godliness, from the worldwide ungodly phase it’s currently going through. All believers must be willing to get into the saintly groove and work diligently towards truly knowing Jesus. It’s the only way we can offer meaningful testimonies, testimonies of true substance that will significantly impact the lives of the ungodly, as well as other believers. So unless we have some true, godly, life experience to share, telling others to just believe and have faith, won’t do them much good. But to gain that true, godly, life experience, to grow in maturity, we must first diligently seek and follow after God. There’s just no getting away from the fact that to know God, to become mature and versed in His ways, is like improving in any other activity; we have to practice continuously. And in God’s case, we need to do it with total trust, surrender and obedience. And that’s where I believe too many of us believers fall down. We simply are not prepared to spend the time and expend the energy needed to truly know and experience God. It means giving up a lot of stuff, oftimes family and friends too. But it’s no different than giving up stuff to focus on our careers or other activities that are near and dear to our hearts. We can only win, or achieve lofty heights in any endeavour, when all our emphasis is geared towards that particular endeavour. The same steadfast focus is also necessary in our lives when it comes to seriously knowing God. Oh Friends, this is where I was lead today, and I sincerely hope it makes sense and impacts our hearts, minds and souls, enough to make us want to know God better and do the things required to achieve that most worthwhile purpose. And we’ll end with the words of our Bit, which I had a hard time deciding on. They are God’s words, His promise, on the subject, as declared by the prophet Jeremiah: ‘And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.’ Please my people, let’s seek Him, let’s search for Him with all our heart, so that we can mature as children of God, and bring great glory to His Name, as He desires. Much LOVE!…seek and ye shall find…knock and it shall be opened…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 August 2011 Psalm 136:1
13 Aug 2011 Leave a comment
Psalm 136:1 O Give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Oh Friends, I’d been struggling to find a Bit for a little while, when the Lord took pity on me and led me to Psalm 136, titled, ‘Praise for the Lord’s past and present blessings.’ ‘Thank you Lord!’ And was I ever surprised on reading it to discover that each of its 26 verses, ends with the refrain, ‘for his mercy endureth forever.’ I don’t think I’ve ever noticed this psalm before. I know the scriptures it talks about, but not the psalm itself. Anyway, as its title indicates, it deals with the good things that the Lord had done over the years, and was still doing for Israel. It’s a call to praise the Lord, while showing cause why we should. Consequently, the psalmist heartily proclaims in our Bit: ‘O Give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.’ And that’s an undisputable truth Friends! The writer of Psalm 106 also calls on us to ‘Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Who can utter (express) the mighty acts of the Lord? Who can show forth all his praise?’ (Ps.106:1-2) Well the author of Psalm 136 aspires to do just that, as he goes on to describe the Lord as ‘The God of gods: The Lord of lords: To him who alone doeth great wonders: To him that by wisdom made the heavens: To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: To him that made great lights: The sun to rule by day: The moon and stars to rule by night.’ (Ps.136:2-9) Now just imagine a powerful, sweet voiced soloist singing those sentiments, then being answered after every verse by a bubbling, enthusiastic congregation, in full voice themselves: ‘for his mercy endureth for ever.’ Oh Friends, what an outpouring of joy that would cause in heaven! That would only cause His mercy to increase. And believe me people, the Lord’s mercy does endure forever. Throughout the Good Book, from Genesis to Revelation, it’s continually stated and shown. It refers to God’s great and loyal LOVE for those He calls His people. He’s made a covenant, a pact, a contract with us, and it’s of the utmost importance to Him to keep it, so that He can prove his faithfulness and loyalty to those who serve and worship Him. And having described God’s general supremacy, the psalmist then turns his attention to specific things the Lord’s done for His people Israel: ‘To him that smote Egypt in their first-born: And brought out Israel from among them: With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm (outstretched arm, mighty power): To him which divided the Red Sea into parts: And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea: To him which led his people through the wilderness: And slew famous kings: Sihon king of the Amorites: And Og the King of Bashan: And gave their land for a heritage: Who remembered us in our low estate (lowly state): And hath redeemed us from our enemies: Who giveth food to all flesh: O give thanks unto the God of heaven:’ And all the people proudly echo: ‘for his mercy endureth for ever.’ (Ps.136:10-26) Yes Friends, by the time the congregation sings that last refrain, there would be much dancing and singing in heaven too! That’s what praising our God does. It’s contagious. It has that multiplier effect; whoever hears it just naturally joins in, which is the reaction we’d like to accomplish worldwide, per our Great Commission. (Matt.28:19-20) Unfortunately though, we’re not quite there yet, but we’re getting there, slowly but surely. The forces of good are getting their act together and stepping out to engage Lucifer and his evil cronies, fully clad in their spiritual armour, with their shield of faith out front to deflect the enemy’s fiery darts, while that great spiritual weapon, the sword of the Good Book, brings all who encounter it to their knees before Almighty God. Wow! What a bright and enduring picture my brethren, one we should all be focused on bringing to fruition! And we’ll end with a beautiful verse of scripture, as promised by the Lord, re Judah’s revival. ‘The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the Lord of hosts: for the Lord is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord, For I will cause to return the captivity of the land (the captives of the land to return), as at the first, saith the Lord.’ (Jer.33:11) Yes my people, the sacrifice of praise is still most welcome in the ears of our God, so let’s take it to the next level nuh. Let’s get so contagious with praise and thanks, that those who hear us won’t have any option but to join in and further the kingdom! Much LOVE!…Praise Him, praise Him…Glory Hallelujah…He is LOVE…He is LOVE…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 August 2011 Psalm 97:7
12 Aug 2011 Leave a comment
Psalm 97:7. Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.
Oh Friends, it’s Friday! However, not as many voices as per usual are shouting, ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ That’s because of the great fear and uncertainty that’s running through our topsy-turvy world right now. But fortunately, as believers, we don’t have to give into that fear and anxiety, for we have Jesus always walking beside us, and He’s promised never to leave or forsake us. Wow! What a promise my people! One in which we can take much comfort and embrace with joy. And here’s a quote attributed to Frank Lane that’s rather appropriate to our current world dilemma. It says: ‘If you want to see the sunshine, you have to weather the storm.’ And that’s gospel Friends! You’ll never see the sunshine if you perish in the storm. So let’s all put our best foot forward and hang on tightly to Jesus, because He’s the best anchor in any storm whatsoever! And to help us do that, let’s chant our Friday Chant: ‘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.’ Yes my people, only through the good mercies and tender, LOVING-kindness of our God can we ever hope to weather the storms of life. That’s why the psalmist loudly proclaims in our Bit: ‘Confounded be all they that (let all those be put to shame who) serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.’ And don’t be worried Friends, all those who worship graven images, idols and false gods, will be put to shame in the Lord’s own time. He made this very clear when He handed down the Ten Commandments. It’s the first and most important one, the only one with a long explanation. Listen to the Lord tell it as it is: ‘I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to (worship) them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me. And showing mercy unto thousands of them that LOVE me, and keep my commandments.’ (Ex.20:2-6) Yes mih breddren, that says it all! God left no room for doubt. He is the ONLY TRUE GOD, and the ONLY ONE we must serve and worship. And if we do otherwise, as most of our world is doing, we will pay a severe price, just as our world is paying now. I don’t know what it is with man, but when it comes to Jehovah God, he just seems to have a natural rebellion in him, although it’s been proven time and time again, that it’s a very unwise strategy. Oh Friends, it’s simple common sense; if the Lord created the world and all therein, then He must be the ONE we look to for help in fixing it. But foolishly, mankind, with his little itsy-bitsy knowledge, has puffed up his chest and buffed his ego into thinking that he rules the roost and can do it without God’s help. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! That’s the only comment possible on that mental attitude. My people, please, I implore us to stop being silly, thinking that we can do anything worthwhile on our own, for we can’t. It’s only with the powerful help of Almighty God that man is able to accomplish anything worthwhile in this world. So please, let’s do like our Bit says: ‘worship him, all ye gods.’ Why? ‘For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.’ (Ps.97:9) And that’s the unfailing truth of the whole matter Friends! Much LOVE!…rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous…and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness (holy name)… (Ps.97:12)
Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 August 2011 Psalm 29:2
11 Aug 2011 Leave a comment
Psalm 29:2. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
Oh Friends, it’s time for a break from all the complexities and horrors of life, so today I’m endeavouring to talk only about good things. And all God’s people shouted: ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ (smile) And we can begin by giving thanks that we’re alive and kicking, with a roof over our heads, clothes on our backs, food on the table and a job to go to that provides us with money for the necessities of life, all courtesy of our magnanimous God. So let’s offer therefore, a loud and grateful ‘Thank you Lord, for all the mercies and blessings you’re bestowing on us this wonderful day! We praise you, and bless your Holy Name!’ And in keeping with that attitude, here’s a quote attributed to Luther Burbank, the American Botanist: ‘Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul.’ And isn’t that the living truth Friends! Flowers make us feel so much better, just by seeing and smelling them. They bring a warmth and appreciation for Mother Nature to our souls, where before we had a cold, disgusting feeling. And why do they work that magic on us? Because they are one of God’s many gifts to us, bringing beauty, romance and a certain light heartedness to our troubled spirits. That’s what nature is all about; to open the windows of our souls, our eyes, and calm the raging beast therein. Our God doesn’t do anything without a purpose. He knew that we would have moments of loneliness, of heartache and pain and thus imbued his nature creations with a beauty and serenity that would calm and refresh our hurting hearts. That’s why we ought to do as Bruh David says in our Bit: ‘Give (Ascribe) unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty (majesty) of holiness.’ Yes Friends, for all the Lord has done for us, is currently doing, and will do in the future, He certainly deserves our never ending praise, worship and the glorification of His Holy Name! And remember this too my brethren, our God never tires of our reverence and service, praise and thanks, because that’s exactly why He created us; to serve and fellowship with Him. What a wonderful Creator! Now hear how our God relishes our praise. Back when several nations got together to invade Judah, King Jehoshaphat prayed for the Lord’s intervention, because he knew he couldn’t defeat the combined armies. (2 Chr.20:1-12) The Lord sent this message through His Spirit to a young man named Jahaziel, telling them not to worry: ‘Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.’ (2 Chr.20:15) They wouldn’t even have to fight: ‘Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set (position) yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.’ (2 Chr.20:17) And they all fell down and worshipped the Lord. Next day, they arose and did as God told them. As they were going out, ‘Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth forever. And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.’ (2 Chr.20:20-22) Yes Friends, while the people sang praises to God, He confused their enemies so that they killed off each other and Judah enjoyed great spoil without having to lift a finger, just their voices in prayer and praise. (2 Chr.20:23-25) Ah mih people, our God does move in mysterious ways, but praise and worship will always touch His heart, for that is what He enjoys and deserves. That means praise and worship ought to be a big part of our lives, for it doesn’t only please God, but it also strengthens us and makes us joyful. So if you want to be strong and joyful…Praise the Lord! And we’ll close with a few verses from Psalm 96, a call to praise God: ‘O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth. Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; show forth (proclaim the good news of) his salvation from day to day…Give (ascribe) unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear (tremble) before him all the earth.’ (Ps.96:1-2,7-9) Yes my people, our great God is certainly worthy to have all the accolades we offer Him, so let’s keep offering them nuh, with grateful hearts and loud voices. Much LOVE!…God’s face lights up with sunshine…and His heart jumps for joy…when His earthly children praise and worship Him…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 August 2011 1 Corinthians 15:57
10 Aug 2011 Leave a comment
1 Corinthians 15:57. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Oh Friends, it’s just been another normal day in our world, with riots still bubbling in Britain, and the worldwide economic crisis ongoing, but also with new tensions raising their ugly heads in places like South Africa, where a white supremacist leader was apparently bludgeoned to death in his bed by his farm workers. Meanwhile in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, the Redshirts, the people’s movement, and the government are squaring off again with demonstrations and angry words, unlike North and South Korea where shells were actually fired by both sides, and in Kyrgyzstan, where the city of Osh was burned to the ground following racial disturbances. Then good ole boy Canada, ordered all the Libyan diplomats out of the country, ostensibly closing the Libyan Embassy. And we haven’t even mentioned the volatile Middle East, where the Syrian gov’t seems intent on putting down the uprising by force. When and how is it all going to end eh Friends? None of these problems will go away easily. Instead, they all seem poised to escalate and further complicate matters. And the sad part is that there’s no real common denominator to all the tensions. They vary from outright racism to economic dysfunction, religious differences, internal political rivalries and bitter dislike and discord between nations. That means there’s no one common solution, but a host of problems to each be solved on their own. Unfortunately though, in our new global village, problems tend to spread much quicker than solutions. So what’s a believer, a Christian, a follower of Christ supposed to do amidst all this confusion and turmoil in our world? Simply stand strong and steadfast in faith my people! It’s not easy to keep your wits about you when others around you are losing theirs, but if we truly believe, then we’ll acknowledge the greater power that’s God in our lives, and don’t give into fear and worry, since our Bit assures us of victory. ‘But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ And that’s the gospel truth Friends! Christ’s victory over sin and death allows us to live in fearful situations in faith, without fear. As Bruh Paul reassures us in the verse after our Bit: ‘Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain (futile) in the Lord.’ (1 Cor.15:58) Yes my brethren, despite all the turmoil around us, believers are expected to continue doing God’s work, for if we don’t faint, and /or give up, we will be richly rewarded later on. It’s the age old struggle between the flesh and the Spirit, regarding which Bruh Paul concludes to the Roman church: ‘I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.’ (Rom.7:25) Oh my people, in these tumultuous times, believers are called to show what they’re really made of. Are we truly believing and standing triumphant in Christ, per the gospel? ‘Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth (leads) us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour (fragrance) of his knowledge by us in every place.’ (2 Cor.2:14) Wherever we are, are we triumphantly walking in peace and LOVE and spreading the Word? The apostle John puts it this way: ‘For whatsoever (whosoever) is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?’ (1 John 5:4-5) Oh my people, by faith in Jesus, who’s already overcome the world, we too can overcome it! And finally, listen to these verses from the Book of Revelation, concerning the new heaven and new earth: ‘And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.’ (Rev.21:3-4) Yes Friends, eventually this old, beaten up earth will be destroyed, and a new one installed with Jesus as Lord and Master. Then all negative stuff will cease to exist. So please, let’s hang in there with Christ, truly exercise our faith, which has been given to us expressly for difficult times like these, knowing that whatsoever we do in God’s name, with a right heart and motive, won’t be in vain. Much LOVE!…anyone can have great faith in good times…but it’s the turbulent times that distinguish the sheep from the goats…the true believer from the false…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 August 2011 1 Corinthians 15:57
09 Aug 2011 Leave a comment
1 Corinthians 15:57. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Oh Friends, welcome to what has become another normal day on planet earth. A day of more job losses and stock markets falling, through worldwide economic uncertainty; of riots in London for the third day; of drought and famine in the Horn of Mother Africa; of ongoing unrest, oppression and confrontation in the Middle East; of natural disasters everywhere; of people living in constant fear, and of the wicked and idolatrous ruling the sinking planet. Ah Lord eh! I know it’s not a pretty picture of God’s wonderful creation, and though most of us can’t do anything about it on a large scale, we certainly can make a godly difference on the small scale. That’s in our own backyards; our families, our workplaces and our communities in general. Those are the places where the changes have to start, if we’re ever going to turn this world around with the LOVE Revolution it so desperately needs. Yes Friends, we believers are the saviours of the world. There’s no one else but believers who can bring an evil, ungodly world back from the brink of destruction, to the forgiveness, LOVE, and overwhelming mercy of Jehovah God. As we saw yesterday, it’s stated right there in our Great Commission. (Matt.28:19-20) But before we can fulfill that, we ourselves need to be convinced of the power of Christ, of His Holy Spirit working in us, to do the job. Then we have to become truly serious and desirous of doing it, putting our whole hearts, souls, bodies and minds into it, otherwise our efforts won’t be successful. Oh my brethren, unfortunately, this is the make or break era of Christianity and of our world. If we don’t step up NOW, and do something constructive to prevent the constant decline, then our world, with its myriad of problems, will certainly go to hell in a hand basket. This is no time for niceties, but for the unvarnished truth to be laid bare, be told as it is. We can all see the declining pattern, where we all have to work harder than ever before just make ends meet, where the evil rich are getting rich while the godly poor are getting poorer, where the confrontations within and between nations are getting more prevalent and violent. Thanks to revolutionary technology and free movement of capital (read greed), our world’s become such a small global village that negative effects are now felt much quicker and over a much wider spectrum than before. And it’s only going to intensify as things get worse. Ah mih people, it’s a mighty task, but as children of the Most High God, heirs with Jesus of God’s kingdom, WE CAN DO IT! We can make this world a much better place to Live and LOVE if we seriously try. However, we have to do it soon, time is of the essence. At the rate we’re spiralling downwards, who knows when some insane person will push that button of mass destruction to start the beginning of the end. But as I said before, believers must truly believe their calling and then earnestly decide to do it. And this reclamation project can only truly begin by all true followers of Christ really coming together and ending the petty squabbles, the selfish, jealous, envious divisions and dissensions that have driven the church apart. Obviously, we’ll never eliminate all of our differences, but unless we have a much more cohesive structure, a much closer alliance of believers than we do now, it won’t work, because Beelzebub and his evil cohorts will just keep dividing and conquering us. But luckily for us Friends, we are all well equipped to handle whatever we need to, for as Bruh Paul assured the Roman church: ‘Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that LOVED us.’ (Rom.8:37) And even more importantly, as he told Timothy: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions (share with me in the sufferings) of the gospel according to the power of God.’ (2 Tim.1:7-8) Yes Friends, that applies to all of us. We have all we need, everything it takes to do the job we’re called to do. Victory is assured if we get our act together and step out in unity! And remember, it’s not of our doing, rather, as our Bit truthfully declares: ‘But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’ Oh my people, what’s it going to take for us to truly get up off our comfortable rear ends and work seriously for Christ eh? Do we have to hit rock bottom first, to be actually drowning before we get serious? I sincerely hope not. Jesus isn’t asking too much of us; just to LOVE our God, LIVE our Faith and SPREAD His Word. That’s not so hard to do if we truly believe. So let’s get serious nuh, cause Lucifer and his boys are already ruling the roost, and we can’t topple them if we’re merely luke warm and wishy-washy. More on this tomorrow, God in favour. Till then, please think seriously about what you can do to help in restoring our godly world, and walk safely in the LOVE and peace of God. Much LOVE!…in the words of the old rock steady song…yuh trying to conquer me…but you never will conquer me…cause Jesus is my Master…my Lord and Saviour…so you not going to conquer me…you never will conquer me… no you not going to conquer I…never, never will conquer I…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 August 2011 Galatians 5:16
08 Aug 2011 Leave a comment
Galatians 5:16. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
Oh Friends, it’s Monday; that beautiful first day of the work week where all our stress just bubbles over, after two glorious days off. (smile) Yes, I know it’s difficult returning to the common grind and daily task, but we don’t have much choice, so we might as well grin and bear it. Or as Bruh Paul wrote to the Colossians: ‘Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness.’ (Col.1:11) Yes Friends, we have to put up with some things in this world, and unfortunately, work is one of them. So to help ease the pain, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn without further ado: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together. We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’ Now let’s all go out into the world and do as our Bit instructs: ‘This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.’ And that’s the true basis of Christianity in a nutshell Friends; not to be led by the lusts of our flesh and the world’s cheap, gaudy, flimsy baubles, but by the Spirit of Christ, in all that we do. Obviously we will do wrong some times, but hopefully as we grow and mature in the faith, our wrong doings will diminish. Now let’s hear some pertinent scripture on the topic. Bruh David said it this way: ‘Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great (much) transgression. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength (rock), and my redeemer.’ (Ps.19:13-14) Meanwhile, Bruh Paul, in talking about freedom from sin’s power, told the Roman church: ‘Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield (present) ye your members as instruments (weapons) of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield (present) yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments (weapons) of righteousness unto God.’ (Rom.6:12-13) And finally, the psalmist pleaded: ‘Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto (as thy custom is toward) those that LOVE thy name. Order (Direct) my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Deliver (Redeem) me from the oppression of man: so I will keep thy precepts. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes. Rivers of water (tears) run down mine eyes, because they (men) keep not thy law.’ (Ps.119:132-136) Yes my people, it’s all about following God’s law, walking in the Spirit, and not in the flesh. And we can only do that successfully when we read, know, understand and put His statutes into action, since our faith is action based. Just keeping that valuable knowledge to ourselves won’t do us much good, we need to spread it abroad, re our great Commission. ‘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 unto the end of the world.’ (Matt.28:19-20) And if by chance, you don’t know what the works of the flesh and the fruits of the Spirit are, check out Galatians 5:19-23, where Bruh Paul lists them. Then having read them, please follow the last two verses of that Chapter: ‘If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Because the Spirit gave us new life at conversion, we ought to stay in step with its leadings and promptings all our lives). Let us not be desirous of vain glory (deceitful), provoking one another, envying one another.’ (Gal.5:25-26) And that concludes the two-part sermon of Walking in the Spirit. (smile) Please, my brethren, let’s go forth and do it as best we can. Much LOVE!…walking in and with the Spirit…is the best way to counteract the enemy…
