lift up your voice | SCRIP-BITS

Psalm 121:2. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

Well friends, it’s Sunday, the day we gather to fellowship, praise and worship our wonderful God! Now the rains of the last two days have cast a dreary spell over our area, and they are still falling intermittently and sporadically, but that is no excuse for us not to attend church today. (smile)

Oh, I know the words, ‘it’s raining, so I can’t go to church this morning,’ are right on the tips of our tongues waiting to fall out. But let’s leave them there nuh, and go to church if we are otherwise able. I can guarantee that the blessings, comfort, courage and assurance you will get from fellowshipping in the Lord’s sanctuary will greatly outweigh the few negative aspects a li’l rain might cause. (smile)

So let’s open this morning’s praise and worship with this old but majestic hymn written by St. Francis of Assisi, who just happens to be the patron saint of my church. (smile) Let’s raise our voices to high heaven in a beautiful sacrifice of praise, as we sing: ‘All creatures of our God and King, lift up your voice and with us sing: alleluia, alleluia! O burning sun with golden beam, and shining moon with silver gleam, O praise him, O praise him, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

O rushing wind so wild and strong, white clouds that sail in heaven along, alleluia, alleluia! New rising dawn in praise rejoice; you lights of evening find a voice: O praise him, O praise him, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! Cool flowing water, pure and clear, make music for your Lord to hear: alleluia, alleluia! Fierce fire, so masterful and bright, providing us with warmth and light. O praise him, O praise him, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Earth ever fertile, day by day bring forth your blessings on our way; alleluia, alleluia! All flowers and fruits that you grow, let there his glory also show; O praise him, O praise him, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! All you who are of tender heart, forgiving others, take your part; alleluia, alleluia! All you who pain and sorrow bear, praise God and on him cast your care; O praise him, O praise him, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Let all things their Creator bless, and worship him in humbleness, alleluia, alleluia! Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son, and praise the Spirit, Three in One: O praise him, O praise him, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!’

Ah mih people, our great God is certainly deserving of all the praise and alleluias that that hymn declares! And I know that delicious sacrifice of praise just put you in the mood to listen now to God’s encouraging and reassuring words found in the Good Book. (smile) So let’s get on with our Bit. ‘My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.’

Wow friends! What a bold but totally true declaration! If you are a true believer in Jesus Christ, then that’s where ALL your help will come from! Some of it may be siphoned through other people, places and things, but the source, the fountainhead, WILL ALWAYS be God Almighty, the Creator and Controller of both heaven and earth!

And why is that you ask? Because ALL things, both in heaven and on earth belong to Him, and NOTHING happens in either place without His allowing it. Now let’s hear some words of scripture that corroborate our contention. Listen to Bruh David from Psalm 124 – Praise for deliverance from enemies – as he eschews God’s goodness and greatness.

‘If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say; If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us: Then they had swallowed us up quick (alive), when their wrath was kindled against us: Then the waters had (would have) overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over (swept over) our soul.

Then the proud waters had gone over (would have swept over) our soul. Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers (bird trappers): the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.’ (Ps.124:1-8)

Oh friends, please let’s always remember that nuh; our help is in God! Now let’s close with these memorable words of assurance and comfort from the author of Hebrews. ‘Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession (confession of faith).

For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched (sympathize) with the feeling of our infirmities (our weaknesses); but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.’ (Heb.4:14-16)

What powerful words of comfort and confidence my people! And the scholars tell us: ‘4:16. Only Christianity provides such boldness for sinful men before a holy God, and that boldness is possible only because of our High Priest. The figure of a throne suggests a place of authority and provision. It is the place to obtain God’s grace when it is especially needed.’

What more can I say to encourage us to embrace Jesus eh my brethren? It’s all up to you now. So please use wisdom and common sense to make the proper decision. Much LOVE!

…the wisdom of Christianity speaks for itself…since no other faith can offer what it does…

Psalm 100:4. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Well friends, another Day of the Lord, Sunday, is upon us, which means it’s time to gather in the sanctuary, even though the snow is falling, (smile) and rejoice and give thanks and praise for the past week, and ask for blessings and guidance and strength for the one to come.

So let’s offer up some sacrifices of praise with our lips to our heavenly Father nuh, let Him know that we truly appreciate his wonderful grace and mercy bestowed anew, each and every day. Let’s raise our voices high by singing this favourite hymn, ‘All Creatures of our God and King.’

In perfect harmony now: ‘All creatures of our God and King Lift up your voice and with us sing, Alleluia! Alleluia! Thou burning sun with golden beam, Thou silver moon with softer gleam! (Refrain)

(O praise Him! O praise Him! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!) Thou rushing wind that art so strong Ye clouds that sail in Heaven along, O praise Him! Alleluia! Thou rising moon, in praise rejoice, Ye lights of evening, find a voice! (Refrain:)

Thou flowing water, pure and clear, Make music for thy Lord to hear, O praise Him! Alleluia! Thou fire so masterful and bright, That givest man both warmth and light. (Refrain)

Dear mother earth, who day by day Unfoldest blessings on our way, O praise Him! Alleluia! The flowers and fruits that in thee grow, Let them His glory also show. (Refrain)

And all ye men of tender heart, Forgiving others, take your part, O sing ye! Alleluia! Ye who long pain and sorrow bear, Praise God and on Him cast your care! (Refrain)

And thou most kind and gentle Death, Waiting to hush our latest breath, O praise Him! Alleluia! Thou leadest home the child of God, And Christ our Lord the way hath trod. (Refrain)

Let all things their Creator bless, And worship Him in humbleness, O praise Him! Alleluia! Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son, And praise the Spirit, Three in One! (Refrain) O praise Him! O praise Him! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!’

Oh my fellow believers that was wonderful! And that’s exactly what ought to go on on ALL the earth, ALL the time – God’s creations giving Him thanks and praise for His everlasting goodness and mercy!

And that segues very smoothly into our Bit for today. ‘Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.’

And why should we do that eh? ‘For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.’ (Ps.110:5)

Ah mih people, we couldn’t want a better reason than that to give our omnipotent, omniscient, omni-present, magnanimous and magnificent God praise and thanks!

Unfortunately though, most of the world today has either forgotten, never known, or don’t want to know His heavenly Majesty, their Creator, Provider, and the One who causes them to open their eyes each morning and breathe His breath of life. What a sad state of affairs!

But we believers will stand up and face the music, give Him His due deserts of exaltation and glory! We will fight the enemy, mano-a mano, and we will be victorious, in Jesus’ Name!

How can we not be victorious if Jesus is fighting with us eh? For as the Good Book assures us: ‘What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?’ (Rom.8:31)

And the overwhelming answer to that my people is ‘NOBODY!’ For NOBODY can stand against our triumphant God!

Now listen to the psalmist from Psalm 66, as he declares the great works of our mighty God, and corroborates our Bit. ‘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.

I will go into thy house, with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows (promised deeds), Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble. I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams: I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah.’ (Ps.66:12-16)

Yes friends, those verses should be familiar as we read them recently when talking about keeping promises. Today though we look at them in the light of giving God thanks and praise for His succour in times of trouble. That’s the beauty of His Word: the same stuff can be used for different aspects of life!

Now let’s take a moment, as the psalmist suggested, and ponder all that we’ve said today, and see how it reflects in our personal lives, and vow, yes vow, to improve them, for it’s only in that way can we ever truly improve our walk of faith. Much LOVE!

…believers must step up to the plate…if Jesus’ LOVE Revolution is to be victorious…

SCRIP-BITS

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 May 2017 Psalm 121:2.

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 February 2017 Psalm 100:4.

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