Today’s Scrip-Bit   24 November 2022 Psalm 103:2.

24 Nov 2022 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 103:2.       Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:  

                       HAPPY THANKSGIVING  U.S. OF A !         

And a Happy Thanksgiving Day to our friends, families and neighbours in the U.S. of A! Today’s their biggest holiday, with monumental celebrations all over the country. Let’s hope that you all have good weather and abundant joy, with peace and good cheer, and that much thanks is truly given where it belongs, to Almighty God, the Keeper and Provider of all your good things. And on this foggy Thursday morning, as the month of November and the unforgettable year of 2022 draw to a close, I believe it will be extremely wise and beneficial to ALL of us to remember who gives us life, health and wealth; Jehovah God! 

And on this Thanksgiving Day, there’s no better scripture for us to delve into and write indelibly in our hearts, bodies and souls than Psalm 103 – Thanksgiving for God’s mercy. So please read with me, these awesome words of Bruh David as he opened his heart to the Lord so long ago. ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with LOVING-kindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.’ (Ps. 103:1-5) 

Yes friends, all that we have, all that we are and do, is based on the Lord’s mercy and LOVING-kindness. Everything that we will put into our mouths today, the clothes we wear, the rooves over our heads, and EVERYTHING else in our lives belong to and comes from Almighty God. Unfortunately though, too many of us don’t know and/or appreciate that fact, thus we are not very thankful, and thus our lives are not as joyful and abundant as they could be. 

Why do you think there’s so much strife, anger, greed, resentment, hatred, poverty and sickness in our world, despite the highest level of technology, education, medical achievements and other worthwhile inventions we’ve ever attained? Because we have not acknowledged the sovereignty and supremacy of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and shown gratefulness for all He’s done for us poor sinners and frail humans. 

Now let’s continue reading those marvellous words of Bruh David from Psalm 103, where he further informs us of God’s goodness and mercy. ‘The Lord executeth righteousness and judgement for all that are oppressed. He made known his way unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous (abounding) in mercy (LOVING-kindness). 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.’ (Ps. 103: 6-14) 

Oh my people, if many more of us would only realize that fact; that we are dust, created, molded from the dust of the earth by the hands of God, who then breathed His Spirit of life into us. It means we’re not the strong, solid God-like entity we believe we are but, frail and fragile creations who insist on fooling themselves. Please note we have no control over the length and breadth of our lives. Despite all the earthly wealth and power we possess, they can’t save us when the Grim Reaper comes a calling; one moment we’re here, then the next we’re not. That ought to teach us a very important lesson, but sadly it doesn’t, and we keep on seeking and searching for what we’ll never find, at least without God’s help. 

And Bruh David hits the nail on the head when he continues: ‘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 (shall 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; To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.’  (Ps. 103:14-18) 

That says it in spades my brethren! The Lord created us for His pleasure and fellowship, and the rewards to those that remember and do His commandments are exceedingly abundant. He casts away our sins, and even gave the life of His Son, Jesus Christ to pay for them. That shows how much He cares for us. So why are we so reluctant to return that LOVE and reverence eh? Because we are stubborn, foolish and hard-headed! 

The li’l free-will He gave us has gone to our heads and made us believe that we’re the greatest thing since sliced bread, when in fact, we’re nothing without Him, like a flower in the field that grows up proud and strong in the early morning dew, but then fades and dies when the hot midday sun hits it. When are we going to learn eh, that most of our troubles stem from resisting the call and the power of Almighty God? 

I don’t know, because we’re now bent on removing Him completely from our society, which is a total joke and simply shows how much our brains are addled and the enemy has successfully fooled us. Yes friends, Satan knows that He’s lost the war; in fact he never had a chance from the beginning, but he knows our weakness and keeps pounding away at it. You have to give him and A for perseverance in the face of such total defeat. If only we could be as persevering on the Lord’s behalf. 

Anyway, let’s hope that during these Thanksgiving Day celebrations, many of us will take a moment to ponder the true reasons for our thanks and gratitude and wake up to the fact that God is indeed Lord, and the devil is a defeated foe. And to help us do His work down here on earth, the Lord has generously bestowed numerous blessings, which we call our Thursday Blessings. But they have to be declared out loud to activate them. So, let’s do that right now nuh. 

As one strong and sincere voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! 

I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’ 

And if we truly believe that, then we must now go out and use those blessings to teach others about Christ and help them to come to know and LOVE Him like we do! Much LOVE!

…it’s good to give thanks…but before doing so…one must know…to whom thanks is truly owed… 

Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZJ       

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 13 May 2014 Psalm 106:48

13 May 2014 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 106:48.   Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. (Hallelujah) Praise ye the Lord.’ 

Oh Friends, it seems like the gods in heaven were real angry earlier on this morning. Thor opened his window and was really pounding away on his drums with a vengeance (thunder)! I haven’t heard him that loud and ominous for a while now. 

Meanwhile who ever is in charge of electricity, of light, wasn’t too thrilled with life either because they were shooting wild and dangerous bolts of lightning all over the place. And somebody left a water source open and heaven overflowed, with all the excess water falling ponderously to earth. 

On earth too, things weren’t all that copacetic, because I got up when all that cacophony was happening, feeling okay, I must point out; in fact well rested. But unwisely I decided to lie down and enjoy the riddims of nature, for there’s nothing like lying under the covers when the thunder is roaring, the lightning flashing and the rain pouring down! 

Obviously I fell asleep again, but when I woke up this time, about an hour later, was I ever feeling lousy. My back’s aching, I’m groggy like I haven’t slept in ages, and I’m moving around like an old, dotish man. (smile) I guess that’s what happens when the Lord awakens you to do His bidding, but you choose to ignore Him. 

Yes Friends, as we keep preaching…  sorry, teaching, we ignore God and His directives at our peril. But He’s such a wonderful Deity that once we sincerely ask for forgiveness, He’s only too pleased and willing to grant it. But then, just as importantly, we have to learn to accept that forgiveness and move on with our lives, like I’m doing here writing the Bit. 

We shouldn’t stay and wallow in the guilt, as too many of us tend to do after we’ve been forgiven. We all know the scripture that says ask and you shall receive (Matt.7:7), and we’re very versed and experienced in the asking, (smile) but when it comes to the receiving, a lot of us stand flatfooted and lost. 

But my people, like everything else in our Christian way of life, it’s all a matter of FAITH, of BELIEF! We believe that God made us and LOVES us and provides for us, and that Jesus died for us, was raised from the dead and ascended to heaven, where He now advocates on our behalf. 

Now none of us have personally experienced that stuff, as the song asks, ‘Were you there when they crucified my Lord?’ And the answer is an emphatic No! We weren’t there in person, but through the witness, the testimony of others who were there, we accept and believe it through positive faith, that those things actually happened. 

Likewise Friends, we have to accept ALL the trappings of Christianity by FAITH! We can’t accept some and refute or waiver on others. And if you don’t know where all of this is leading to, well neither do I. (smile) I guess it’s one of those mornings when I’m just rambling along in my aching, groggy state. 

However, I have NO doubt whatsoever, that by the time I’m done, there will be some semblance of sense in the Bit. That’s because the Lord, through His Holy Spirit, will not allow me to write pure nonsense in His Name. Glory Hallelujah! 

That’s why my brethren, we can speak the words of our Bit today, though written many moons ago, with the same conviction that the psalmist had when Israel sinned against God’s LOVE. ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. (Hallelujah) Praise ye the Lord.’ 

Our God is indeed a mighty, powerful and awesome God! But with all of that, He is ever yet merciful and magnanimous to His sinful children. Listen to the psalmist proclaim it: ‘Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy (LOVING-kindness), and with him is plenteous (abundant) redemption. And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.’ (Ps.130:7-8) 

Now hear Luke corroborate those statements. ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up a horn of salvation (Mighty Deliverer) for us in the house of his servant David.’ (Luke 1:68-69) 

And in closing, let’s listen to the Lord’s servant, Bruh David, as he spells it out in spades, in living colour, from Psalm 103, Thanksgiving for God’s mercy. 

‘Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with LOVING-kindness and tender mercies: Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things: so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 

The Lord executeth righteousness and judgement for all that are oppressed. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious; slow to anger, and plenteous (abounding) in mercy (LOVING-kindness). 

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 (reverence) him. For he knoweth  (understands) our frame; 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 (shall not remember it). But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear (reverence) him, and his righteousness unto the children’s children; 

To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them. The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all…. Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.’ (Ps.103:2-19, 22) 

Ah mih people, what a wonderful God we serve and worship eh! There is NO OTHER supposed deity like Him! That’s why we ought to be exceedingly thankful and grateful and give Him plenty, plenty, plenty, praise and thanks and glory! 

For if you’ll notice, WE DON’T DESERVE ANY OF THOSE WONDERFUL THINGS HE’S SO LOVINGLY PROVIDED FOR US! 

So today, please, let’s get our act together, remember His commandments and do them, so that He will be even more merciful towards us. That’s wisdom from everlasting to everlasting. Much LOVE!

…he who has ears to hear…let him hear…or else he will pay a terrible price…for his disobedience…