SCRIP-BITS

Well hello there you wonderful children of the Most High God Jehovah! I’m wishing you a bright and bountiful day as I acquaint you with the important fact that today is Friday. (smile) And immediately joyful shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday!’ rise up to heaven on high, bringing with it a most welcome sensation of peace and satisfaction that for two whole, big, long days, there will be no work to get up and go to in the outside world. Yes Friends, the weekend is upon us, which means we have to chant our Friday Chant. So as one faithful, hopeful, believing body now, let’s chant up a storm, even louder and more intense than the emotion we showed in rejoicing that it’s Friday. ‘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.’ Ah mih people, that is just to ensure that we don’t get too carried away by the freedom of the weekend, that we keep it in the right perspective and stay on the straight and narrow path, rather than rush off to the dangerous broad highway, that Lucifer tempts us to take. Freedom is great, but like everything else, a price has to be paid for it, in this case, one of spiritual responsibility. And as I turned my attention to our Bit, I realized that it is very appropriate, relative to what we were just saying. ‘When my spirit was overwhelmed (fainted) within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily (secretly) laid a snare for me.’  This comes from one of Bruh David’s contemplations, when he was hiding in a cave from his enemies, who were doggedly pursuing him. The scholars claim that cave could either be the one of Adullam (1 Sam.22:1-2) or that in Engedi (1 Sam.24:1-7) where he had opportunity to kill his major nemesis Saul, but rightly refused to lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. Now Friends, the first thing I want us to note in our Bit is Bruh David’s surety, the confidence with which he utters that first sentence. ‘When my spirit was overwhelmed (fainted) within me, then thou knewest my path.’ Yes my people, when our enemies come so forcefully against us, have us betwixt a rock and a hard place, and our spirits are so low that we’re liable to faint from the pressure, don’t worry, the Lord knows what we’re going through. This reminds us of the words of the psalmist, Asaph. ‘In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran (my hand was stretched out) in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed.  Selah.’ (Ps.77:2-3) Oh my brethren, ponder on that for a moment nuh. Yes, sometimes it does get pretty rough out there in the trenches of our evil world, especially when our enemies lay secret traps for us. And we often feel like Bruh David did: ‘I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know (acknowledge) me: refuge failed me: no man cared for my soul.’ (Ps.142:4) Now that’s a very disturbing and frightening situation Friends! But when we do feel like no one cares, that we have no place of refuge on this earth, please don’t give in to the despair, for though the children of men might be against us, always remember that our great God has us in His sights and under His protective umbrella. As Bruh Paul said centuries later: ‘What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?’ (Rom.8:31) And we all know the answer to that – NOBODY! However, Bruh David knew the underlying principle, since he had lived it for most of his life. Consequently, ‘I cried unto thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living. Attend (give heed) unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.’ (Ps.142:5-6) Oh my people, I am sure right now some of you are facing some real rough times and feel like Bruh David felt, so don’t be afraid or ashamed to also cry out to our LOVING, merciful God, like he did. That’s exactly what the Lord expects us to do in times of need. Yes my brethren, whenever our spirits are spiralling downwards, pressured by the trials and tribulations of this earthly life, it is certainly no disgrace to cry out to the Almighty, to the One who is stronger than us, for even Jesus did it in His times of sorrow. Like Bruh David, we can also plead: ‘Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about (surround me); for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.’ (Ps.142:7) And that Friends, we know is an undisputable fact! When we cry out to God in true faith and sincerity, He will lift us from the mire, deal bountifully with us and cause us to be surrounded by the righteous of the earth, because that will cause us to praise and glorify Him. And we all know that there’s nothing our heavenly Father likes more than us praising and glorifying Him with sincere hearts. In fact that’s one of the major reasons He created us. So please my people, whenever we’re being mercilessly pummelled by our enemies, as all of us are at sometime or other, let’s remember that the omnipotent Creator of this universe is our sure refuge, and let’s cry out in faith to Him, let Him hear our pain and desperation ringing out loud, so that He can take appropriate action and draw us closer to Him. Much LOVE!…when we’re drowning in the quicksand of life…and there’s no help from mortal man…look to heaven…the mighty spiritual hand of God will save us…He’s faithfully promised that…