SCRIP-BITS

Psalm 100:3.    Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
 
Oh Friends, another balmy summer’s day has dawned in my area! And wonder of wonders, I’m alive to see it and to enjoy the new blessings that come with it! Therefore let me say a grateful, humble and enthusiastic, ‘Thank you Lord!’ Yes Friends, it’s imperative that we give the Lord thanks for His goodness everyday we awaken, regardless of our individual circumstances, for just being alive is a most wonderful gift, a true blessing. Psalm 100 is a psalm of praise, a call to praise the Lord, and as the first two verses so appropriately declare: ‘Make a joyful noise (shout joyfully) unto the Lord, all ye lands (all the earth). Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.’ (Ps.100:1-2) Now that’s the way we ought to praise our omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God! And our Bit gives the reason, the evidence for such gushing sentiments. ‘Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.’ Wow! What better reason can there be to serve and praise our God! We must first admit though that the Lord is God; the Almighty Being, the Highest of the High, that there’s no one above Him, in neither might, stature, splendour or any other category devised by man. Neither can He be pigeonholed by our simple definitions, for He is much greater than our lowly minds can comprehend. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.’ (Is.55:9) Then we need to understand and gratefully acknowledge that the Lord is our Creator: ‘it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves.’ Oh Friends, that alone is great cause for us to worship and serve Him obediently. He made us with tender, LOVING care. It was a highly planned and orchestrated affair, not just some wishy-washy scheme that suddenly came to His mind. As the scriptures confirm and joyfully proclaim: ‘For thou hast possessed my reins (formed my inward parts): thou hast covered (weaved) me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right (very) well.’ (Ps.139:13-14) Yes my people, we need to understand that we were all made from a heart of great LOVE. Thus we are entitled to be proud of our royal heritage. But please be careful, don’t let that pride run away with us, so we get too big for our breeches, else the Lord will topple us from our man-made heights, abase and humble us before His mighty throne. It’s very important that we always remember who’s the boss; the Creator, not the created. Now let’s look at a couple of other scriptures that speak to the situation. Job, in bewailing his calamity, woefully declared: ‘Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine (look favourably) upon the counsel of the wicked?…Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.’ (Job 10:3,8) Though Job’s situation was terrible, he had no doubts or illusions about his Creator. Then we turn to Psalm 119:73, which leaves no doubt either as to man’s Creator. ‘Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.’ And we’ll give the final word to Bruh Paul: ‘For we are his workmanship (creation), created in Christ Jesus unto (for) good works, which God hath before ordained (prepared) that we should walk in them.’ (Eph.2:10) There we have it Friends, indisputable evidence re our Creator and creation. And the most wonderful part of it all is that though we have been rebellious and disobedient to our Creator’s will, from way back when, He has not, and has promised never to leave or forsake us. So great is His LOVE for us, His greatest creation, that he offered up His only Son, Jesus, as a pure and living sacrifice for our abominable misdeeds. How can we then not be everlastingly thankful and show it by requiting His LOVE with our own, by faithfully serving, worshipping and praising Him with each breath we take? That’s the only response that can be considered worthy of us in light of God’s saving grace and mercy. So please, let’s go out into the evil world and show that we are truly His proud, obedient children, by LOVING Him, LIVING our Faith, and SPREADING His Word. More on this topic tomorrow, God in favour. Till then, please walk safely under the protection of His mighty wings. Much LOVE!…to know, know, know Him…is to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Him…
 

1 Corinthians 10:13.    There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
 
Oh Friends, who says life isn’t amazing and amusing eh? It sure is! Case in question: Yesterday afternoon when my nurse came to change the dressing on my prostate wound, I told her about the knee incident the previous day, and since we change the dressing in my bedroom, I decided to re-enact the scene for her. Hn! So I stand by the bedside, then take one step sideways to the left…and Whoa! My knee gives out again, I cry out in pain, and only prevent myself from falling by hastily grabbing on to the bed and nearby chair. Was I ever surprised by that recurring situation! The possibility had never even crossed my mind. Ah Lord eh! But yuh know who isn’t taking anymore sideways steps to the left, (smile) provided I can remember not to. And though I’m still hobbling around on painful knees, I’m chuckling as I write this because as I said yesterday, the only way to truly handle patience and longsuffering is with joyfulness. (Col.1:11) Yes Friends, many believers definitely need to laugh a little more than they now do, cause a cheerful heart makes its own song, and when we laugh, we reduce the pain, the pressure, the tension, the negative energy in ourselves, and then we can put that released energy to positive use. I know that’s hard to do at the best of times, and even harder on a continual basis, but practice makes perfect, and Jesus said, most reassuringly: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) So though we will certainly have problems in this world, if we follow Jesus, we can also have peace, and we should be of a cheerful spirit, because He has already overcome the world and there is nothing for us to fear. But I think there are more sour, surly believers around than non-believers. Too many of us seem to think that putting on a stiff upper lip and a serious, uptight demeanour is the badge of believers, but unfortunately it is not. The badge of believers is a peaceful, cheerful countenance, as Jesus says above. And then we have our Bit: ‘There hath no temptation taken (overtaken) you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear (endure) it.’ That’s another promise of great magnitude my people! We can’t avoid temptation, but if God promises to help us bear it, then why are we always so sour and miserable eh? Oh my brethren, until all believers consciously and faithfully adhere to these directives of Jesus and Bruh Paul, we’ll actually be disputing God’s faithfulness, being disobedient for not doing as he says. For if He’s nothing else, our God is most certainly faithful, as Bruh Paul joyfully declares: ‘God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.’ (1 Cor.1:9) Yeh people, there’s no doubt about the Lord’s faithfulness, and if He says that we won’t be tempted to a greater degree than we can handle, then it will be so. And even when we are tempted, He promises to help us bear the brunt of that temptation. So why do we still doubt His promises and live in fear and worry eh? Is it because our faith isn’t strong enough? Or are we simply not taking God as seriously as we should? Whatever the answer Friends, we definitely need to get ourselves standing much more firmly on the strong, secure and faithful promises of our God, especially in these difficult and troubled times. We all know that living a Christian life is not easy, but it’s because of those very promises that we can, and should live a better and more peaceful life than the unbeliever. Now here is another bit of encouraging scripture from Psalm 125, titled, ‘God surrounds His people.’ ‘As the mountains are round about (surround) Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for ever. For the rod of the wicked (the scepter of wickedness) shall not rest upon the lot of (the land allotted to) the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands (reach) unto iniquity.’ (Ps.125:2-3) Oh Friends, the operative word in a Christian’s life is ‘believe.’  That’s why we’re called believers. We need to believe what God has said more strongly than we currently do. We need to have immense faith in His Word. As the author of Hebrews so rightly puts it: ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb.11:6) Please Friends, let’s live that faith as we’re supposed to. Much LOVE!…if we stand on all God’s promises…we’ll never fall…for He is faithful…and will abide by them all…

1 Corinthians 10:13.   There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
 
Oh Friends, let me apologize for the Bit being so late, but the ole fella’s a mess this bright sunny, summer Tuesday morning. As the old folks would say, when it isn’t one thing, it’s another, and what ent meet you, ent pass you. The situation developed yesterday afternoon while standing at my bedside, preparing to lie down. For some unremembered reason though, I took a sideways step to my left, and the next thing I knew I was crying out in pain while my left knee buckled below me. Luckily, I was able to hold on to the bed and a nearby chair and did not hit the ground. I don’t remember stumbling. In fact there was nothing at my bedside to stumble over. It just seems as though my surgically repaired left knee simply gave out on me. But that was the beginning of a mini-hell, which continues as I write these words. The pain was wonderful… And can you see my big, cheery smile? Hn, hn! I can laugh a little now, but yesterday when the excruciating pain hit, and continued, despite the ice packs and pain killers, I certainly wasn’t laughing. It reduced me to lying in bed, or hobbling around with a cane, or holding on to stuff, occasionally crying out in pain when I made a bad step. And obviously the right knee, having to compensate for the left, has begun to act up more than normal. Ah Lord eh! You should have seen me putting out the garbage a short time ago. While hobbling down the driveway with the recycling box, I stumbled and cried out in pain. This fellow walking his dog on the other side of the road quickly spun around to see what was happening. Then check me out shortly thereafter, coming down the basement steps to my study, trusty cane in one hand, refreshing cup of coffee in the other, bracing myself against the walls, taking one step at a time. Hn! What a sorry sight! And to make matters worse, I sit down at my desk, and this reminder that I have stuck up there quietly greets me. ‘Our task is to take hold of God’s grace, to endure our afflictions with patience, without growing weary. In time He will perfect, establish, strengthen and settle us. We must wait on the Lord and be of good courage.’ Oh Friends, the ole fella’s trying, but yuh know sometimes the spirit’s willing, but the flesh is sort of weak…especially when there seems to be no good reason for the adversity. And I have to chuckle here, as I remember writing yesterday about withstanding tests of the Lord, about standing strong and steadfast through them, so we can eventually receive the victor’s crown. Then too, I remember that awesome scripture from Colossians: ‘Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.’ (Col.1:11) Yes my people, that’s how believers ought to handle their adversity. But please note the most important words in that sentence are the last two; ‘with joyfulness.’ That’s because you can’t truly handle patience and longsuffering any other way. It’s the joyfulness that allows you to handle it with some amount of peace and calm. So take a valuable lesson from my experience Friends; anything you write or talk about in the Lord’s name, sooner or later, He’s going to test you on it, to see if you can practice what you preach. I’m trying my best, asking the Lord for His help in handling the adversity. And believe me, He does help. He might not take away the pain or the problem, but He does make a way for me to bear it. And that’s all He’s promised, as our Bit so encouragingly states: ‘There hath no temptation taken (overtaken) you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear (endure) it.’ Yes my brethren, no temptations come against us that’s not common to all humans. We all experience the ‘wily wiles’ of the enemy in some form and fashion, but through the faithfulness of our God, we won’t be tempted above the intensity or level that we can bare. He knows our temptation tolerance level and won’t allow it to go above that level because then we’ll succumb to it, which He obviously doesn’t want us to do. But by the same token, He will not necessarily allow us to totally escape from it. He simply guarantees to bring us through it without more ‘sufferation’ than we can handle, or as the scholars say: ‘He will enable us to land intact on the other side.’ That’s a whole lot more than we deserve. Oh Friends, time and space are against us, so we’ll continue this topic tomorrow, God willing. Till then, let’s ponder the scriptures we’ve spoken of, apply them to our lives, and stand strong in the face of temptation, with God’s help. Much LOVE!…in this evil world temptations abound…but with God’s help…we can fight them off…every single one…
 

Proverbs 17:3.    The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts.

Proverbs 17:3.    The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the Lord trieth the hearts.

Hebrews 13:1.     Let brotherly LOVE continue.

Psalm 16:8.    I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
 
Oh Friends, all yuh hearing the worldwide refrain ringing out? ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday! TGIF! Thank God is Friday!’ Yes, that day we all so anxiously await each week is here: the day when we’re released from the bondage of work for a big TWO days. Wow! However in the wonderful northern climes this Friday July first 2011, we’re celebrating Canada Day; one hundred and forty four years of existence. Right on Canada! And to all my fellow Canadians I wish you a most happy and joyful Canada Day! And not to be outdone, on Monday, our neighbours to the south, the U.S. will be celebrating their big 4th of July bash. That means North America will be awash with good times this weekend. But please remember people, as the old folks would say, ‘drunk or sober, mind yuh business.’ And that’s gospel! In whatever state of sobriety you are, it’s absolutely necessary to pay attention to what’s happening around you, for that trouble maker Lucifer only needs a little opening to jump in there and cause mischief. Anyway, let’s chant our Friday Chant, because whether we’re home partying or out at work, we still need it. So with the riddim jamming loud and sweet, let’s 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.’ Now that prayer sure ties in nicely with our Bit: ‘I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.’ It’s taken from one of Bruh David’s many contemplations, where he’s seeking preservation and blessing, and he set’s the mood and tone right from the first verse. ‘Preserve (watch over) me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.’ (Ps.16:1) Yes Friends, a believer’s first and most important objective is to put their whole trust in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Without that crucial move, we’re short-changing ourselves because the Father only acknowledges those who truly trust Him, dealing positively with them like beloved children. No wonder, having put his sincere trust in the God of his fathers; the ONE and ONLY TRUE GOD, Bruh David could make such a confident proclamation in our Bit. Placing the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God Jehovah as his trusted guide and safe-keeper, allowed him to stand strong and face the world with courage. And why not, since his bodyguard was, still is, and will always be, the Creator and Controller of the universe? Oh my people, in the same way, when we put our trust in the Lord, surrender our lives to Him, make Him the foremost aspect, the main focus of our earthly journey, then we too will be able to stand strong and courageous against the world’s many negative developments. Now it’s not easy, and merely saying the words doesn’t make it so. But when we truly hunker down and take it all to heart, we’ll surely see a difference, find a big improvement in our lives. As Bruh David goes on to confidently say: ‘Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest (dwell securely) in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (the abode of the dead); neither wilt thou suffer (allow) thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.’ (Ps.16:9-11) Oh Friends, that says it all! And we know that if Bruh David says it’s so, then it is so, because he was a prophet, a friend of God and a man after His own heart. Wow! Now that’s the challenge thrown out to all of us today! Please, let’s accept it, let’s embrace it wholeheartedly, so we can become more like Jesus and thus further His kingdom more fervently and rapidly, because time is of the essence. Much LOVE!…you sure are in the safest of hands…when the Lord Jehovah is your guide and protector… 
 

Job 23:10.     But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. 
 
Oh Friends, isn’t wonderful when you talk to someone you haven’t spoken to in ages, only to discover that they also have a strong faith in God and an earnest desire to serve Him, like you do? It sure is! Yesterday I called an old friend to offer my condolences on the unfortunate and sudden passing of one of his children, and you wouldn’t believe the enthusiasm we both expressed in living for God. It was certainly a revealing and refreshing moment for me. Now here’s a quote from Robert Nathan that gives us some good insight into living this earthly life. ‘Give thanks for sorrow that teaches you pity; for pain that teaches you courage – and give exceeding thanks for the mystery which remains a mystery still – the veil that hides you from the infinite, which makes it possible for you to believe in what you cannot see.’ Those are true words my people! We can’t always run away from problems, or be always courageous either, but whatever fear we feel, we’ve got to handle it with inner strength, which means entrusting it to our heavenly Father, invoking the power of the Holy Spirit, because strengthening us is one of His many purposes. That brings us to our Bit, where poor Job, beset by calamity and fickle friends, proudly proclaims: ‘But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.’ Oh Friends, what a stirring moment it would be in heaven, if most believers could say that with authority and true sincerity! Anyway, yesterday we looked at scriptures on the first part of our Bit: ‘But he knoweth the way that I take.’ Today, let’s check out some on the second part: ‘when he hath tried me, I shall come forth like gold.’ First up are some words from Bruh David in a prayer for protection against oppressors. ‘Thou hast proved (tested) mine heart; thou hast visited me (searched me out) in the night; thou hast tried (examined) me, and shalt find nothing (evil): I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.’ (Ps.17:3) What confidence my brethren! Bruh David really had it going on with the Father! Now listen to these heartfelt words of the psalmist in talking of the great works of God: ‘For thou, O God, hast proved (tested) us: thou hast tried (refined) us, as silver is tried (refined). Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy (an abundant) place.’ (Ps.66:10-12) Wow Friends! Those truly are encouraging sentiments! Please believe them, for they are true, and let’s write them indelibly in our hearts, because they are words for all believers to live by. And finally words from James, who puts it this way: ‘Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried (has been proven), he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that LOVE Him.’ (James 1:12) Yes mih people, trial and testing are an integral part of our earthly journey with Jehovah God, for that’s what brings us more like Jesus. It certainly isn’t an easy row to hoe, but as men of faith have proven, witnessed and testified down through the ages, if we totally trust and surrender our lives to the Lord’s will, though He tests us harshly and constantly, He will eventually bring us out safely and we’ll be much the better for it. That’s His promise. Please believe it, for then your perspective on this earthly life will be greatly enhanced. Much LOVE!…placing our lives entirely in the Father’s hands…that’s the wisest decision we can ever make… P.S. There certainly can be no complaints about the Bit’s length today. (smile) Much LOVE!
 

Job 23:10.    But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
 
Oh Friends, do you ever feel like you’re on a never ending treadmill of pain, heartache, grief, sorrow and suffering, with only a few small windows of joy in between? Well that’s what life is often about. And in many cases there’s nothing we can do to change it. But luckily for us believers, we have Jesus to hold on to, to help and guide us through both the pleasant and unpleasant facets of life. It’s not easy being righteous in this evil, ungodly world, for sometimes when we’re trying our best, that’s when troubles befall us like rain. In anguish, we cry out to God, but He doesn’t answer, doesn’t seem to be there in our time of great need. So we feel lost and abandoned. But Friends, that’s the furthest thing from the truth, for God has promised to be with us always, (Matt.28:20) and also to never leave or forsake us. (Heb.13:5). And we all know that He faithfully keeps all His promises. So when we’re seeking Him and can’t find Him, then it’s possibly because of our sin, or He’s testing us. And if we’ve been fairly righteous, then it shouldn’t be our sin. We have a perfect example of that kind of dilemma in Job. He felt that he was doing a decent Job in obeying God’s will, and he was, but Lucifer talked the Lord into testing him, and during his time of calamity, he cried out to God, searched diligently for Him, but to no avail. As he says: ‘Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him. On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him, he hideth himself on the right hand (turns to the right), that I cannot see him.’ (Job 23:8-9) Yes my people, there’s nothing more disheartening than sincerely seeking God but being unable to find Him. However, as true believers, we’re inbred with His Holy Spirit, there for our help, guidance and protection. That Spirit never leaves or abandons us, instead it helps us to hang on, boosts our faith in Almighty God when things get rough. Thus in those times when we feel alone and abandoned, we ought to invoke the power of the Spirit, then rise up and say like Job does in our Bit: ‘But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.’ Yes my brethren, though Job’s friends felt that his life was riddled with hidden sin, that’s why such terrible calamity befell him, Job felt totally different. He knew that he sincerely tried to maintain a righteous attitude towards God, and felt sure that no terrible sins would be found if the Lord tested him in the fires of refinement. He would come out strong and shiny like gold. Now is that the way we feel today? It’s how we ought to. But unless we’re truly tying to live a righteous life, we won’t be able to say it with any sincerity, and since God reads our hearts, unless it’s reflected there, our words will be in vain. Now our Bit can be divided into two parts, the first being: ‘But he knoweth the way that I take:’ And that’s an undeniable fact Friends! The Lord knows all our comings and goings, nothing about us is hid from Him. So let’s check out a couple of scriptures that highlight that aspect of our Bit. In the very first Psalm, ‘Blessed are the righteous,’ the psalmist proudly declares: ‘For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.’ (Ps.1:6) Then in Psalm 139, talking of the everlasting presence and power of God, Bruh David offers these immortal words: ‘O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising; thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compasseth (comprehendeth) my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.’ (Ps.139:1-4) Yes my people, our God knows all about us since He created us and planned our lives, and He will never abandon us, though sometimes He hides His face from us, we can’t feel His presence. ‘Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.’ (Is.45:15) But usually those are times of testing; He’s trying to find out how sincere we are about LOVING, trusting and surrendering ourselves to Him. So in those lonely, troubled times Friends, please take heart, stand steadfast and strong, knowing that our God will never leave or forsake us, in fact, when we can’t go on any more, then He will carry us. I can tell you from personal experience that He’s a most wonderful God, so please don’t ever loose faith and trust in Him. We’ll continue this Bit tomorrow, God willing. Till then, please walk safely in His LOVING grace. Much LOVE!…when in the sands of our troubled times…only one set of footprints we see…that’s when our LOVING God carried us…