Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 June 2015 Psalm 103:8

28 Jun 2015 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Psalm 103:8. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous (abounding) in mercy (LOVING-kindness).

Well Friends, welcome to a wet and windy Sunday morning in my area of the universe! In fact it’s been wet and windy since yesterday around noon, and will probably remain the same until sometime tomorrow morning. 

So much heavenly blessing is expected that flood warnings have been issued to the low lying areas and those around rivers and creeks. Let’s hope that no serious damage occurs, although it’s always good to be prepared, just in case. However, a little water from heaven should not stop most of us from going to church this morning, though we are always ready to use it as an excuse.

I wonder how we would feel if when we cry out to God for help, He says: “Sorry I can’t offer any help right now nuh because the rain’s falling, or the snow is coming down in a blizzard, and in any case I’m just too busy, lazy or tired to help you right now. Check me back later, I might be able to do something then.’

No doubt we’d all be up in arms, criticizing God, but we feel it’s quite okay for us to make simple-minded excuses to stay away from His sanctuary and miss giving Him the praise, thanks and worship that are His due, as well as fail to receive the spiritual upliftment and encouragement that comes from believers in Jesus fellowshipping together.

Remember Friends, what’s good for the goose is also good for the gander. (smile) We can’t ignore God, then get annoyed and upset if He ignores us. But it’s a marvellous and wonderful thing that we don’t have that kind of God; one with a tit-for-tat personality and attitude, where whatever you mete out to Him, He has to necessarily meet back the same thing to you.

On the contrary my brethren, we have such a forgiving God, that it makes me sit and ponder in awe of His majesty and righteousness. Listen to how Bruh David describes our awesome God in our Bit that comes from Psalm 103 – Thanksgiving for God’s mercy. ‘The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous (abounding) in mercy (LOVING-kindness).’

Wow mih people! Can that be said of any other supposed deity? Obviously not! Because none other than the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are real, true and living gods. And nobody would know that better than Bruh David since he was a constant recipient of God’s LOVING-kindness despite his many wrongdoings.

Now hear how he continues after our Bit. ‘He will not always chide (strive): neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy (LOVING-kindness) toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame (understands our constitution); he remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more (not remember it). But the mercy (LOVING-kindness) of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;’ (Ps.103:9-17)

Oh my brethren, how can we not LOVE and revere such a wonderful Deity eh? We’d certainly be very foolish not to do so! He isn’t always chiding us for our mistakes, and His anger doesn’t last for very long. Most importantly, He has not given us our just desserts for the abominable sins we have committed. If He did, none of us would be alive to tell the tale, that’s for sure, since we have all sinned and come short of His glory. (Rom.3:23)

And even better yet, all those abominable transgressions have been removed from us as far as the east is from the west. He even treats those of us who worship and reverence Him like a father. He also knows our fragility, because He’s the one who created us from the dust of the earth and made our days comparatively as short as the flowers and grass that bloom in the fields.

Now why wouldn’t I be glad and rejoice and give thanks and gratefully appreciate all that eh? Hn! Unfortunately though, a lot of us, way too many, don’t believe it, neither do we appreciate God’s goodness to the sinful children of men. How sad and foolish my people.

It is indeed a very unwise move we are making, for we are playing with the eternal destiny of our souls, which could lead to death, damnation and everlasting separation from God. And as I keep reminding us, that is the worst fate that can ever befall a human being.  

Now listen to those same sentiments expressed by the Lord Himself, when He passed before Moses on Mt. Sinai, the second time he went up there to receive the Ten Commandments.

‘And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him (Moses) there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,

Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.’ (Ex.34:5-7)

Ah Friends, those were the words of the Lord God Jehovah Himself! And nothing much has changed since then. He is still the same faithful, forgiving, merciful, ever-LOVING, gracious, wise, compassionate and understanding God that He has always been.

Consequently, I urge us all to smarten up, to get our acts together and sincerely and reverently worship, praise, give thanks and glorify the Holy One of Israel; the ONLY TRUE AND LIVING GOD! For that is the ultimate in wisdom! Much LOVE!

…only fools run from the presence… and therefore the blessings of Jehovah God…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 August 2014 Deuteronomy 33:27

09 Aug 2014 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Deuteronomy 33:27.  The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.

Well a good Saturday morning to you and yours, my Scrip-Bit Friends and family! Hope this message reaches you all in good health, wealth and prosperity. (smile) It’s supposed to be a glorious summer’s day in my neck of the woods, let’s hope it’s the same in yours.

 But yuh know what, even if the weather’s not the greatest, neither is our health or finances, it’s imperative my people that we look on the positive side of the ledger. There are a whole lot of things that we need to be thankful for, especially Jesus, salvation and eternal life. Not to mention the daily blessings and mercies that our magnanimous God showers down on us.

 So although things might appear to be somewhat on the rough side, the reality is that we, in this Western Society are living much better than 80 or 90 percent of the world. Most of us have food, water, clothing and shelter at our beck and call, not so many many of our fellow earthlings. So please let’s learn to count our blessings instead of our problems.

 Our God Jehovah is a great God, and if we obediently and consistently hang out with Him, He will eventually alleviate our problems and bring us out in better shape on the other side, as He has so faithfully promised. (Rom.8:28)

 Now listen to this interesting but supposed anonymous quote on habits,  I heard Sister Joyce (Joyce Meyer) talk about recently. It says: ‘Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. watch your habits, for they become your character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.’

And isn’t that the living truth my people, for everything we do has meaning and importance in our lives, sometimes good, sometimes bad! So if we want to have a good destiny, then we need to follow the path that brings goodness. Likewise, if we desire an evil outcome, then the wide and winding road will do that. All  of that simply means we have to carefully watch what we think, say and do, since they will all eventually forge together and make us who we are.  

Now let’s take a gender at our Bit; some of Moses’ last words, as he blessed the tribes of Israel. ‘The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.’

And that is exactly what the Lord said to the Israelites when He told them to go in and capture the Promised Land. But they were afraid to cross over the Jordan and take what had been promised to them, thus they wandered for forty years in the desert, till all those who had come out of Egypt had died. That is what happens Friends, when we don’t obey the dictates of our God, especially when we’ve constantly been the recipients of His favour in past times.

Anyway, what I really want to talk about in this message is not Israel’s or our disobedience, but the fact that our God is indeed a refuge, and as His children, we abide under the safety of His outstretched everlasting arms.

Like chickens who flock under their mother’s wings for protection in times of danger, and also simply for LOVE, caring and comfort, so too we are called to flock under the mighty wings of our omnipotent and LOVING God for those same things. Yes my brethren, that’s how wonderful, fatherly and motherly God treats His children… those who wisely come to Him for succour.

Now let’s check out some scripture on the subject. And what better place to begin than with the only Psalm written by Moses and the oldest one in the Psalter. He begins it thus: ‘Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place (refuge) in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed (gave birth to) the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God. Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men. For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.’ (Ps.90:1-4) 

Oh Friends, what a mighty but ever-LOVING, caring, considerate and comforting God we serve!

How did Bruh Paul refer to Him? ‘Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble (tribulation), by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.’ (2 Cor.1:3-4)

Oh my fellow believers what an assuring piece of scripture that is! God comforts us, so that we can comfort others. Wow! And people still find it hard to believe in Him. Ah Lord eh! How stubborn and hard-headed can we be to refuse God’s blessings and mercies?

Now listen to the psalmist as he unequivocally declares in Psalm 91: ‘He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, he is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.’ (Ps.91:1-2)

Then later on he continues: ‘Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation (dwelling place); There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he  shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear (lift) thee up in their hands, lest thou dash (strike) thy foot against a stone.

Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder (cobra); the young lion and the dragon (serpent) shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath set his LOVE upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life (length of days) will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.’ (Ps. 91:9-16)

Oh Friends, that says it all! How much more do we expect from God eh? This not a mickey-mouse operation He’s running, but something very serious. So for all those who are quick to find fault, whine and complain, I say go ahead and deal with Lucifer and his evil minions, but as for me and mine, we shall follow the Lord! And that’s wisdom for all ages my brethren! Much LOVE!

…to dwell under God’s wings…is to dwell in a place of peace and LOVE…HEAVEN ON EARTH… 

 

 
 
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 July 2013 Psalm 90:14

10 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Psalm 90:14.    O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
 
And then it was Wednesday Friends, hopefully a day of very little or no rain, so that the earth and all other things can dry out and return to some semblance of normalcy. Thankfully the rain wasn’t too bad yesterday, mostly drizzle and dark, cloudy skies, giving the flood waters some time to drain off.
 
But hear this interesting scenario nuh. Yesterday morning, after writing the Bit, I got myself together and went down to the hospital to have the stitches removed from my trigger finger surgery. I got there around nine thirty, traffic being stop and go most of the way.
 
But lo and behold, when I entered the appropriate section of the hospital, the waiting room was empty, that’s highly unusual, and the place looked a little dark and foreboding. The truth of the tale though is that the hospital had no power, just a little emergency lighting. There were no doctors or support staff, just a few nurses.
 
So see me there getting antsy, figuring that I had put myself out to travel all that distance in bad traffic to boot, then not have the stitches removed. But Friends, please remember that our God is a good and wonderful God, and He’ll never leave you in the lurch.
 
The nurses eventually took pity on me and carried me to a room with a big plate glass window, that provided enough light shining from the outside, so that they could see to remove the stitches. I obviously thanked them a great deal, and fifteen minutes after I arrived, I was winging my way back home.
 
Ah Lord eh Friends, when it’s not one thing in this life, it’s always another! But when we remain steadfast in God’s LOVE, He always finds a profitable way out for us.
 
And who knew this better than Moses, who wrote Psalm 90,’ From everlasting to everlasting thou art God,’ from which our Bit is taken: ‘O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.’
 
Yes my people, we certainly do need God’s mercy, if we’re to have true gladness and joy here on earth. Before we get into the Bit though, here’s some valuable info from the scholars on the origin and purpose of Psalm 90.
 
‘This psalm is the only one written by Moses and thus the oldest in the Psalter. From verses 7-12 we may judge that it was written at the end of the 38 years of wandering in the wilderness. It is a prayer for the new generation of Israelites who will enter the Promised Land.’
 
I guess Moses was on the verge of dying, and knowing his people’s penchant for turning away from God, he aspired to leave them something to keep them focused.
 
Now about our Bit. It’s a verse of the last part of the psalm, where Moses petitions God to give the Israelites one more chance to do His work; that is going in and capturing the Promised Land.
 
He begins the petition thus: ‘Who knoweth the power of thine anger? Even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom (gain a heart of wisdom). Return, O Lord, how long? And let it repent thee concerning (have compassion on) thy servants.’ (Ps.90:11-13)
 
Yes my people, today, more than ever, we need to get wisdom and understanding, since our world has become unbelievably evil and ungodly. And if we’re ever to enjoy some good times here on earth, we also need the Lord’s mercy and compassion like never before, with all the strife and negative stuff that currently surrounds us.
 
And Moses wasn’t the only one to recognize the great need of God’s mercy and compassion for the people. Bruh David for one, declared it on several occasions. Hear him in Psalm 36, ‘The steadfast LOVE of God.’
 
‘How excellent (precious) is thy LOVING-kindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness (fullness) of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.’ (Ps.36:7-9)
 
Oh my brethren, truer words were never spoken! That’s a most excellent description of our omnipotent and magnanimous God! 
 
And we’ll end with these words of Bruh David from Psalm 65, ‘God is powerful in nature,’ because I’m being very mindful of the length of the Bit today. (smile)
 
Here, he again confidently declares: ‘O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away (provide atonement). Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.’ (Ps.65:2-4)
 
Yes my brethren, all the goodness and mercy in our lives depend solely on the bountifulness and the magnanimity of the Lord God Jehovah! As we keep His Word and do His Will, so shall we experience His mercy and LOVING-kindness. No wonder our world is in such sad shape.
 
So today, I implore us to renew our efforts to walk worthy of our Creator and heavenly Father, so that we may once again be blessed and satisfied with His mercy, and thus rejoice and be glad during the rest of our days.
 
That my Friends, is not only the height of wisdom, but pure and unadulterated common sense, neither of which seem to be very prevalent in our world today, hence its continual degradation. 
 
But as true believers, we’ve been given the task and all the tools to turn it all around. So let’s get to it nuh, let’s get some godly action going, action that enhances and enables the LOVE Revolution of Jesus! Much LOVE!
 
…without God deeply involved in man’s life…his days will always be unfruitful…as he’ll be always encamped in the wilderness of life…
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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