Proverbs 1:5. A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto (inquire of) wise counsels.
Prologue: Yes, we late, but that is okay, because the ole fella soul’s fired up! Yes! A friend, no doubt through the Lord’s mysterious movement, just sent me a remix of an old time chutney soca song, one of my favourites, in Gospel fashion…and people it was so sweet, I just had to listen to it a couple times, although we was done late, before I could start writing the Bit. So just bear with the ole fella nuh, put up li’l bit with his foibles and idiosyncrasies. (smile) So here we go:
Well Labour Day done now mih people! That means all the summer holidays and them finish too. It’s only the business of the cold weather months to look forward to now. And talking about that, the other day I read somewhere about where somebody was asking this rather interesting question: Are there going to be any Halloween celebrations this year? Well that’s a mighty good question!
And although the answer should be a most decisive ‘NO!’ with the serious virus problem we have, I’d venture to say that yuh going to see foolish parents either venture out in the dark night with their children, or send them out to beg for candy and other sweet treats, then forbid them to eat it, and they hide and eat it anyway. The whole blooming witch tinged; devil-oriented thing should be banned in the first place! It’s just a dentist’s dream! They salivate about future work when they hear talk about Halloween!
What a foolish and double-minded society we are eh! We keep drumming in the poor children’s ears the negativity involved in eating a lot of sugary stuff, then spend a setta money to dress them up in goblin and other dark world costumes and then send them out in the night to beg for sweet stuff. Hn! And they vex to boot if you don’t have none to give them! Steups!
Yeh friends, just like yesterday, where it apparently had people out on the Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, New York, playing mas… or rather playing the…the yuh know what – the rear end! Yes, in the same New York where the Corona virus itself was just recently making mas amongst the population! Ah Lord eh! And just so it going to have people going out for Halloween. Ah wonder though if they going to have on masks like some of the people on the Parkway yesterday eh?
But then ah wonder too, if them flimsy mask could withstand the heat and the sweat and the jumping up and shoving and pulling for any length of time, especially in a big crowd of people jam up close together with everybody shouting and singing? Remember it only takes one mask to drop down, one person to talk or exhale, and one person to inhale for the virus to run every which way but gone!
Like they recently had some wedding in Maine, in the U.S, and like somebody who had the virus was there, everybody was mask-less most likely, and they eventually traced that it spread to some six or seven other places just from that one wedding. It included a nursing home, a jail, even the pastor who officiated at the wedding, fool that he was, caught it and took it back to his own congregation. What a crazy world we live in eh Doctor Jack!
But what the ole fella know eh? Not a blooming thing! He just like to bat him gums and talk… (smile) So leh we stop him from talking now nuh, and just hear the truth, and nothing but the truth – the Word of the Lord! And though ah chuckling here friends, this whole thing is serious business, but we, with we carnival and free for all mentality not taking it seriously at all. We not seeing how easy it is for the virus to spread and that all the places who escaped it early on because of the quick lockdown, now getting it when they open back up too fast and don’t obey the safety practices.
Chuh! We more concerned about we freedom of choice, we constitutional rights and all them rights we supposedly have…but not caring enough about the most fundamental one – the right to end in the grave if we not wise. Please, please, my fellow saints in Christ, let us remember the wise words of Cousin Sol nuh. ‘Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to (place on) thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.’ (Prov. 4:7-9)
And remember where wisdom comes from? James tells us: ‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (without reproach). But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering (without doubting). For he that wavereth (doubts) is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.’ (James 1:5-6) So to obtain wisdom we have to go to God in absolute trust and faith.
But here’s this interesting explanation from the scholars. ‘1:5. This verse is not a blanket promise of wisdom for any situation. In the context of life’s trials, it probably speaks of the believer being granted (1) wisdom as to the reason for his trials and (2) wisdom to endure them.’ But anyhow yuh take it friends, wisdom is of God! You can’t get it unless you have some sincere interaction with Him.
And as Cousin Sol reiterates: ‘A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto (inquire of) wise counsels.’ (Prov. 1:5) Yes, wisdom begins with an attitude that is willing to hear, and then learn from what one hears. And it all begins with God: hearing His Word and being obedient to it.
As the psalmist so wisely advises in Psalm 2 – Why do the heathen rage – ‘Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear (reverence) and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son ( an act of homage and submission), lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.’ (Ps. 2:10-12)
And right there is where I believe we have fallen down my brethren: the majority of us haven’t served the Lord; haven’t submitted ourselves completely to Him and paid Him the homage He’s due, thus He’s angry. So the number one answer to our problems is to reverse that unwise decision and come before Him with sincere homage and thanksgiving. And for those of us who are trying to walk that straight and narrow road that leads to Christ and eternal life, let’s go home now declaring (yeahhh!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know who and whose we are.
In strong and sincere voice: ‘In God’s eyes, 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!’
So what we waiting for eh? Let’s start sharing that marvellous LOVE and friendship right now nuh! Much LOVE!
…man’s supposed wisdom leads us astray…but true wisdom from God…shows us the right way…
SCRIP-BITS 
Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 September 2016 Psalm 37:21.
03 Sep 2016 Leave a comment
by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a figment of our imagination, a good man, after one time is two, Anselm, at the mercy of, Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, children of God, Christians, common sense, consciences, cruel and unjust punishment, deceit, deceitful times, discretion, do good, do not repay, drunk or sober, Eastern Parkway, followers of Jesus, forgiveness, fraudulent, generous, gracious, Granny's wisdom, greedy, guide his affairs, hands slapped, he is kind to the unthanksful, indisputable truth, Jesus, labour day weekend, lend, lends, Love your enemies, merciful, mercy, mince words, mind yuh business, our duty, peace, perpetrate fraud, piddling things, prioritize our efforts, put it into action, reward, righteousness endures for ever, rocket science, show mercy, shows favour, sorry comment, strife, talk to your enemies, tattooed to your heart, the Big Apple, the children of the Highest, the evil, the righteous, the righteous show mercy and give, the wicked borrow, want to make peace, with the help of God, you reap what you sow, your reward shall be great
Psalm 37:21. The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again (does not repay): but the righteous showeth mercy and giveth.
Well friends and neighbours, it’s Saturday; Labour Day Saturday to boot! You know I didn’t even remember that this was the long, Labour Day weekend. That just goes to show how things and times have changed. As my Auntie Anne told me the other night when we were talking on the phone; ‘After one time is two yes nephew!’
And that’s ever so true. I never used to miss a Labour Day in the Big Apple. And my Auntie thought I was calling to say that I was coming down this weekend, because that’s how it would happen. I would say that I wasn’t coming, then last minute I’d call and say, I’m on my way. But unfortunately, that’s no longer in vogue. I can’t even handle the walking in Toronto’s Caribana street parade, much less that on the Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn.
And besides, the parades and them not as good as they were; the mas and the music are of inferior quality compared to earlier times. That brings to mind my last Labour Day in New York, I believe it was in 2007. My Auntie Anne and I had to park miles from the parade because there were no parking spots to be had close by, and then walk to the Parkway. Hn!
The walk there in the afternoon hot sun was bad enough, but walking back later in the evening after the parade ended…Steups! That was murder; cruel and unusual punishment! (smile) Anyway, with the help of the Good Lord we made it back in one piece, but certainly aching in the joints and body.
However, before I forget, let me dispense Granny’s wisdom, for it’s on occasions such as this, that it’s ultra-important. ‘Sonny Boy, a beg yuh please…when yuh go out there… drunk or sober…please mind yuh business, because is times like these, when the devil is most likely to pounce unsuspecting…!’ Oh my people, this Labour Day weekend, as you celebrate, please don’t leave home without that critical piece of advice tattooed to your heart, mind and soul!
And now, since it seems to have become a Saturday routine, let’s check out a couple of quotes from our friend Anselm, who always aspires to inspire us for a better tomorrow. The first quote says: ‘If you want to make peace, you don’t talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies.’
Now that’s not rocket science, but strictly common sense, for you and your friends should always be at peace. Unfortunately though in today’s strife –filled world, not too many enemies are seriously and sincerely talking to each other, consequently peace is mostly a figment of our imagination.
And the second quote from Anselm tells us that: ‘Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.’ That’s also not rocket science but simply common sense. In this crazy and busy world of ours, where so many things call for our attention, we must prioritize our efforts and plans on those things which are more important to the successful running of our lives.
However, too many of us tend to get tied up in the small, unimportant things and thus make our lives harder than necessary. Time is of the essence my brethren, so we need to use it wisely, don’t waste it by getting too involved in the piddling things of life. (smile)
That brings us to our Bit, some interesting words of Bruh David from Psalm 37 – The true state of the wicked. ‘The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again (does not repay): but the righteous showeth mercy and giveth.’
And isn’t that indisputable truth my brethren? Of course it is! And it’s indeed a sad and sorry comment on the state of our society, especially in these fraudulent, greedy and deceitful times, when consciences seem to have disappeared, where honour and truthful dealings have apparently been turfed out, and we lie and deceive with impunity.
White collar crime has certainly been on the rise in the last decade or so and seems to be getting worse with each passing day. And the sad part is that many of the people who have been defrauded by the wicked, don’t ever see a penny of their money again and are basically left to suffer while the defrauder merely has his hands slapped. But that’s our modern-day society for you!
Meanwhile the righteous, of which there are never enough, are the ones who show mercy and give to those in need. And so it should be friends, if we’re to be true followers of Jesus. Christians ought to be amongst the most merciful and generous, although I’m not so sure that we are, for we perpetrate a lot of fraud and deceit on one another too.
But nonetheless, let’s check out a few scriptures that encourage us to be merciful and generous. From Psalm 112 – Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord – come these two beautiful verses. ‘A good man showeth favour (is gracious), and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion… He (a good man) hath dispersed (distributed abroad), he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn (strength) shall be exalted with honour.’ (Ps.112:5, 9)
Yes my people, that’s how a true believer in Christ ought to behave. But how many of us really behave that way eh? I’d venture to say, certainly not enough, otherwise the hunger, poverty, sickness, and other negative things that are currently engulfing our world would not be half as bad.
Now let’s end with some words from Jesus Himself. ‘But LOVE ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again (in return); and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.’ (Luke 6:35-36)
Aye friends, Jesus didn’t mince any words there, He spelled it out as simply and straightforwardly as possible. Now it’s our duty to go out and put all that He said there into action, if we want to be true children of God. Much LOVE!
…he who wants mercy and forgiveness…must also mete out mercy and forgiveness…for what you sow…is what you will reap…