Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 November 2017 Psalm 36:7.

Psalm 36:7.   How excellent (precious) is thy LOVING-kindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

And yes, it’s cloudy, it might even rain, but you know that doesn’t detract in the least from the light and LOVE in our Christian hearts deposited there by our Leader, our Friend, our Brother, our Lord and Saviour, our Advocate, our Redeemer, Jesus Christ! 

Oh what a mighty man is our Jesus! He just had to be with the many hats He wears in our lives. So how could we do anything but LOVE Him eh? It would be most unworthy and ungrateful of us, especially in this Thanksgiving time. 

That brings us to our Saturday feature, Anselm’s Quotes; quotes from a brother who sincerely aspires to lead us to a better tomorrow. And the first one addresses what we were just talking about. ‘Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.’ 

Oh friends, there’s no better way of living this life than with an attitude of gratitude and thanksgiving, for that’s the way God expects us to live. And doing so, just energizes our Spirits and allows more favourable things to keep happening. 

The second quote declares that ‘Winners make a habit of manufacturing their own positive expectations in advance of the event.’ And if you truly expect to win, then you had better have the optimism and winning picture in your mind’s eye, otherwise the winning might not come to pass. 

That’s because a large part of winning is mental, of seeing yourself in the winners’ circle. And what’s the point of doing something if you don’t expect to be successful at it eh? None whatsoever! 

And this last quote says it all. If what you are doing is not moving you towards your goals, then it’s moving you away from your goals.’ Simple logic friends. (smile) Your actions and efforts can only carry you one way, hopefully in the direction you desire. 

But yuh know people, the wisest and best way to achieve any kind of success in this life is by following the gospel truth words of Bruh David in our Bit. ‘How excellent (precious) is thy LOVING-kindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.’ 

And why wouldn’t we do that if God is our Creator and Provider eh? Because we’re too full of ourselves, possess too much pride and arrogance, foolishly believing that our success has been wrought solely by our hands. Hogwash! Heifer dust! NOTHING is ever done without God’s help or hindrance! 

And the psalmist truthfully declares it in his opening remarks of Psalm 92 – Praises for the Lord’s goodness. ‘It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High: To show forth (declare) thy LOVING-kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, 

Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery (lute or lyre), upon the harp with a solemn (harmonious or melodic) sound. For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the work of thy hands.’ (Ps.92:1-4) 

Yeh friends, it’s ONLY through the work of God’s hands in the background that mankind can ever be successful! Please, let’s remember that and give Him the kind of praise and thanksgiving, glory and gratitude that He deserves nuh. For if He doesn’t get the exaltation He believes He deserves, He is just liable to leave us to do it all on our own, and the wise ones know that we can’t do much of anything on our own. 

And Bruh David knew that, that’s why when he was suffering in the wilderness, running from Saul and his many enemies, he could write in Psalm 63 – God satisfies the thirsting soul. ‘Because thy LOVING-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. 

My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow (the best) and fatness (abundance); and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.’ (Ps.63: 3-7) 

Ah mih people, if a man on the run from murderous enemies in a dry and thirsty land can sing the praises of our God so loudly and marvelously, then there must be lots of truth to his words, since his situation is definitely not a joyful or pleasant one. 

So what’s it to be eh friends? Shall we follow the Lord, or shall we follow our own animal instincts? It’s an individual choice we all have to make, and make soon too, because once Christ returns, it will be too late. 

But yuh know what, as Joshua said so long ago, when he put the same question to the Israelites; ‘but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’ (Josh.24:15d) 

Yes friends, I have yet to see any good reason to do otherwise. Hope you feel the same way too, for that is wisdom of eternal proportions! Much LOVE!

…to sincerely follow Jehovah God…should be a no-brainer…if one believes His holy word…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 December 2014 Hebrews 4:12

Hebrews 4:12.  For the Word of God is quick (living, alive), and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of (able to judge) the thoughts and intents (intentions) of the heart.

Aye mih breddren in Christ! Warm greetings to all and sundry this glorious Saturday morning before Christmas, before the birth of our wonderful Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! 
 
Yeh Friends, it’s just another five days before the most celebrated birth in all of human kind! I hope you all are excited and enthused about the occasion, because if that miraculous incarnate birth had not taken place, then there’d be no cross, no atonement for sins, no reconciliation with God, nor the saving grace of salvation and eternal life.
 
So let’s give our most magnificent and magnanimous God a great big shout of thanks and praise for sending His only Son Jesus Christ to be our sacrificial Lamb, and consequently, our Leader, our Lord and Saviour, our Prince of Peace and our Immanuel!
 
And all God’s people declared a grateful, enthusiastic and resounding chorus of: ‘Thank You Father God! Thank You, Thank You, Thank You! Thank You ever so much for Jesus, and all that He stands for! Help us to remember and greatly appreciate the reason for the season of Christmas; the birth of Your only Son!
 
And please keep on granting us your blessed mercy and grace each and every day, so that we can keep on honouring Your Holy Name and glorifying You to all the ends of the earth! This we pray in Jesus’ name! Glory Hallelujah to the newborn King, the newborn Son of God! Amen!’
 
Oh mih people, I don’t know if you all realize how heartwarming and gratifying writing those simple words of thanks and praise to Almighty God can be nuh! True joy, LOVE and reverence reverberate in my heart and soul like a plucked stringed instrument, because I know that our great God delights in our praise and worship!
 
There’s nothing that warms the cockles of His heart like our sincere and delightful acknowledgement of His awesome power, His majestic presence and His most endearing personality!
 
Consequently, I couldn’t pass up this opportunity to share this beautiful and most appropriate poem from the One Year Book of Bible Promises called ‘The Book of All Books.’
 
Please pray it with me now: ‘Lord, I am overwhelmed As I read Your living Word. What power, what pungency I find within its pages. It stirs me, burns within me It challenges me, invigorates me And often disturbs me. When I obey its commands The results are what You claim: Darkness becomes light Crooked places become straight
 
The more I seek, the more I find. Within its pages, God I see beyond mere philosophy I see beyond a neat package of ethics. I crash head-on with a living Person The One who makes all things new. No other book can claim as much.’
 
Wow mih people! Wow! That’s all I can say to such resounding truth! There’s definitely NO ONE like our magnificent, magnanimous and merciful God! We don’t even have the words in our vocabulary to do justice to His description. And in truth, how could there ever be another One, another Deity of such magnitude eh? Now that might just be the only impossible feat in all the world!
 
And the promise on which that poem was based is also our Bit for today. ‘For the Word of God is quick (living, alive), and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of (able to judge) the thoughts and intents (intentions) of the heart.
 
Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in (hidden from) his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do (must give account).’ (Heb.4:12-13)
 
Yes Friends, Bruh Paul is making some mighty statements there! And I believe that the Book of Hebrews had to be written by Bruh Paul, or someone eerily similar to him, for there are two many of his trademarks therein. But that’s another sermon for another day. (smile)
 
Right now, let’s address ourselves to some explanations. And the scholars offer us a lot. ‘4:12-13. For the word of God: The reason given for one’s careful scrutiny of his life involves the reality that God is intently scrutinizing it. His word is quick (living).
 
This word is first in the Greek and is the emphasis. God’s Word is not old or archaic; it is alive. It is not inept or inactive; it is powerful (active). It reaches into the inner secrets of man’s mind to discern even his thoughts and intents. Likewise, God’s eye sees man as though he were naked, unable to hide behind excuse or pretense.’
 
Then, re the Immaterial Part of Man, they offer: ‘4:12. The writer here draws an interesting parallel between the joints and the marrow, which have different functions, yet both are part of a human’s bone structure. Thoughts and intents are also two distinct activities, yet both are activities of the mind.
 
And while the soul and spirit are distinct in function, both have an immaterial character. When considering the nature of humanity, we must realize a person is a two-part being, that is, with body and soul. But in activity or function the body, soul, and spirit of a person each has a different function.
 
Paul desired that his converts’ “whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thess.5:23). (First Reference, Gen.2:7; Primary Reference, 1 Thess.5:23;cf, Prov.4:23).’
 
Oh my brethren, please let all of that percolate in our souls, bodies and minds today and thus bring us to a better understanding of God’s Word. Please let it encourage us, build our faith and raise our level of maturity in Christ. This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
 
And please excuse the lateness of the Bit, the ole fella was tired and somewhat under the weather, so I decided to sleep in some this morning. But as they say; better late than never. (smile) Much LOVE my beloved brethren in Christ Jesus!
 
…until you truly know and adore Jesus…your joy and peace will be severely limited…