Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 January 2019 Matthew 7:14.

Matthew 7:14.  ​ Because strait (how narrow) is the gate, and narrow (confined or difficult) is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
 
Wow…and more Wow! What a lot of thanks and praise is floating up to heaven today because it’s Friday, and the impending weekend that will give our tired souls and bodies a break from the daily grind and common task, after the first full week of work in this new year of 2019! No more traffic jams and crowds of people for two whole, big days…that is unless we want it. Glory be! 

Ah friends, our bodies and minds are not as strong and able as they use to be even one generation ago. That’s because we’ve become accustomed to an easy style of living in our technologically advanced society that doesn’t require a whole lot of hard, physical work. Not like back in the days when agriculture was king and technology was just coming into its own. 

Now technology is indeed useful, if we use it to our advantage. But unfortunately these days we’re allowing technology to use us, run our lives, do almost everything besides discharge our bodily secretions. And soon it might even be able to do that too! (smile) 

Seriously though friends, technology is killing our society at the same time it is providing us with some interesting perks. We’re thinking less and doing less for ourselves, and if we continue this way, our minds and bodies will eventually atrophy, lose their effectiveness, shrivel up and become vegetative because of lack of use. 

Please notice that every great society in our history began to fail and fall the day they became overly prosperous. That’s because too much prosperity leads to laziness, and therefore lack of productivity and ingenuity, which keep a society growing. 

Now tell me, how did I get on this track eh? (smile) Some days I just don’t know nuh…although it makes sense. However, it’s Friday, and everybody is waiting to hear the workingman sing his song. And though he’s tired, he still finds the energy to belt it out: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday…and the weekend looming large! Brother, what a week that was! Ah can’t remember when last ah work five full days in a row nuh. But that is surely slavery yes! 

Why should a man have to work five straight days out of seven eh, especially with we big technological society now eh? Whatever happen to the four-day workweek that they promise we eh? It nowhere in sight! Steups! Should have known that the capitalist slave master doh keep promises. But anyway, the weekend here and ah have time to rest some…but also to party some! Hn, hn! Can’t let the whole weekend go by and doh party…that is a sin before God! Thank God for Fridays and weekends yes!’  

Ah mih people, even in the midst of tiredness, Bacchus, the god of bacchanal, still raises his ugly head. That’s how our society has been programmed. But thankfully not all of us though. We believers know the value of rest and of play, and when to indulge in either, that’s why our Friday Chant is not as extreme as the workingman’s song. So let’s chant it now with much verve and chutzpah nuh. (smile) 

As one: ‘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!’ 

We seriously give thanks and praise to God, not the flippant attitude that the workingman displays, and we stay on track most of the time, or at least try to, while the workingman goes running hither, thither and yon, without any sense of direction.

That’s why our august Leader, Jesus Christ warned: ‘Enter ye in at the strait (narrow) gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait (how narrow) is the gate, and narrow (confined or difficult) is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.’ (Matt.7:13-14) 

Yes friends, the way to hell and damnation is broad, wide and easy to find. But the path that leads to salvation and eternal life is narrow and hard to find. And why is that eh? Because it all goes through Jesus; both the gate and the way! As He so emphatically said unto his doubting disciple, Thomas: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’ (John 14:6) 

Yeh mih people, there are only two options in this life, the wide destructive path that Satan offers, or the straight and narrow one that leads through Jesus to our heavenly Father. The billion-dollar question is, which path will each of us take? I implore us to take the latter that goes through Jesus! Yes it is the more difficult path, but ultimately it is indeed the more beneficial. Much LOVE!

…two paths to eternity…the one to heaven…and the one to hell…which one will you choose…hopefully…the former… 

P.S. Ah friends, the enemy is alive and well, and can come at us from any direction at any time. Would you believe that just as I was going to type in Jesus’ directive to Thomas, I paused to take a sip of water, and darkness suddenly filled the room? Just for a second though. So I had to reboot and wait for everything to come back. It’s a good thing that I’ve learned from earlier mistakes and save stuff as I go along. So please be on your p’s and q’s! Much LOVE!

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 October 2017 Psalm 89:15.

Psalm 89:15.   Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.

Ah mih people, the enemy is alive and well this Tuesday morning yes, and he’s in a foul mood too because of all the thanks and praise we offered up to our heavenly Father over this Thanksgiving weekend. 

Hear mih story: Some 45 minutes ago I came down to the kitchen to make a cup of java on my way down to write the Bit. Having made the coffee, I saw that there was some leftover food on the stove, so I decided to do a good deed and put it into the fridge. 

With that thought in mind, I opened the fridge and went to pick up a bottle of wine that was blocking some available space. Next thing yuh know, the wine flowing all over the duchess’ white tile floor with glass splinters near and far. Steups! 

I obviously wasn’t thrilled, and surprisingly no foul language emanated out of my mouth. I don’t know if that’s because my big daughter was in the kitchen with me. (smile) Anyway, I dutifully cleaned it up, breaking a sweat much earlier than I ever intended, and writing the Bit much later than planned. 

But it’s all good, the Lord is in His high heaven controlling things, and the enemy is still wearily traipsing to and fro across the land having little success in his evil endeavors. Glory to God! 

And since we’re running late, let’s go directly to our Bit. ‘Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.’  

Those my friends are ever-truthful words from Psalm 89 – God’s sure promises to David. This Maschil (contemplation) of Ethan the Ezrahite wrestles with God’s faithfulness to His promises, as Israel was going through some rough times. 

But we now know that our great God is ever-faithful and will NEVER renege on any of His promises. He won’t make the promise if He doesn’t intend to keep it. And the first section of the psalm, (vs.1-38) from which our Bit is taken, does indeed recount the goodness and mercy, strength and faithfulness of the Lord. 

Now listen to how it continues after our Bit. ‘In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn (strength) shall be exalted. For the Lord is our defense (Our shield belongs to the Lord); and the Holy One of Israel is our king.’ (Ps.89:16-18) 

And that my brethren was true back then for all those who believed, and still is true today for all who believe! Yeh friends, that’s why there was such joyful sounds and celebration over the past Thanksgiving weekend; because as believers, we’re walking in the light of God’s awesome presence. 

His light is shining all around us, and as we obey His commands, He allows us to become prosperous and exalted amongst the nations of the world. And as the psalmist proclaims earlier on: ‘For who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord?’ (Ps.89:6) 

And the obvious answer to those two questions is simply NO ONE! How could there be eh, when it is the Lord God Almighty who made the universe and all therein? How could the made be greater than the Maker? Impossible! 

That’s why the psalmist continues his proclamation: ‘God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had (held) in reverence of all them that are about him.’(Ps.89:7)  And that’s exactly how it ought to be! 

But strangely enough, many of us fear man, the made, but don’t fear God, the Maker of man. We have it the wrong way friends. And Cousin Sol puts it directly to us in Ecclesiastes. ‘For in the multitude of dreams and many words, there are also divers vanities (futility abounds): but fear thou God.’ (Eccl.5:7) 

And if you want it plainer than that, then listen to Jesus as He instructs His disciples. ‘And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both body and soul in hell.’ (Matt.10:28) 

Oh my people, mankind can only kill our physical bodies but not our spiritual beings, so there is no reason to be deathly afraid of him. However, the Lord God Jehovah who made us, can kill both body and spirit and have us cast into Hades with Beelzebub. So in light of that, tell me now, of whom then shall we be afraid eh? 

That’s a question we all have to answer individually friends. But as for me, I am definitely going to fear the Lord, both in reverence, reverential awe, and in His potential power to cast me to spiritual death in Hades. Let’s hope we all make that wise decision. 

And in closing, let’s declare our Tuesday Mantra, proudly letting all the world know, who and whose we are. With true sincerity and strength of purpose: ‘I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus and share His LOVE with the world.  Amen!’ 

Now let’s go out and do as we vowed, joyfully share that LOVE with all we meet. Much LOVE!

…to LOVE God…and to fear Him…are essential elements of a believer’s life…