Matthew 5:6. Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Ah mih people, one more day has been added to our years on earth…!
And all God’s children loudly and gratefully declared: ‘Thank You most gracious Lord, for allowing us to see another beautiful day here on planet earth! Please guide and bless us, so that we can walk worthy of You. We LOVE You and praise your Holy Name! Amen!’
Well Friends, if we’re so thankful, then let’s put our money where our mouth is nuh, by ramping up that project we began yesterday, of trying to change the world. Remember we said we’d take it one day at a time, so that means we have to continue doing it today too, and every day that we draw breath in this world.
And just so that you’ll remember what we’re talking about, here’s Johnny Reid, in his Kenny Roger’s sounding voice, to remind us.
‘Today I’m gonna try and change the world. I’m gonna take it one day at a time. I’ve made my resolution, opened up my eyes. Today I’m gonna try and change the world.’
That’s just the chorus, now here’s the second verse… and it’s not the same as the first. (smile)
‘I’m gonna make sure my children know right from wrong. Never turn my back on those in need. Always gonna try to see myself through another’s eyes. Today I’m gonna try and change the world… Chorus.’
Yes my brethren, some more ways in which we can try changing the world every day that we’re alive!
And Friends, those things might seem simple, but they are ever so important, for they are the very things we need to deal with if we’re going to change this god-forsaken, ungodly world in which we live.
We’re talking about things like making sure our children know right from wrong… Steups! Many parents don’t even know that, so how are they going to teach it eh, even if they could find the time?
And then ordinary things like not turning our backs on those in need… Chuh! That’s now a mainstay of our society, for too many of us do it too often. That’s where the servant part, the servant mentality of Jesus comes in. But how many of us supposed Christians want to be servants eh?
Not a whole lot, for in spite of Jesus’ command to the contrary, we still prefer to be served rather than serve, because the name implies a derogatory situation, and being served makes us look important in the hypocritical eyes of the world. But Friends, in Jesus’ eyes, that makes us look real foolish, faithless and spineless.
And before critically and oftimes harshly judging others, many who are less fortunate than us, let’s first try and put ourselves in their place nuh, and see how we’d like others to see us, if the situations were reversed. We so get off on judging others these days, even though we don’t know them from Adam, or have a clue about their circumstances. That’s certainly a big part of why our world is in such a disastrous mess.
However my people, we can’t make any of those worthwhile changes unless we have the words of our Bit buried deep in our hearts, souls and minds. ‘Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.’
Yeh Friends, it’s another Beatitude from Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount. It seems like we’re dealing with Beatitudes this meeting, so though we’ve done this one already, some 17 months ago, it’s useful to do it again, because every so often we need reminders. (smile) And I’m sure there’ll be new and different stuff than the last time.
Now here’s what the scholars’ have to say about our Bit: ‘5:6. These future possessors of the earth are its presently installed rightful heirs, and even now they hunger and thirst after righteousness. They experience a deep desire for personal righteousness, which in itself is a proof of their spiritual rebirth.
Those who are poor and empty in their own spiritual poverty recognize the depth of their need, and they hunger and thirst for that which only God can give them. They shall be filled (Gr. chortazo) refers to a complete satisfaction. The Psalmist proclaimed: “He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.” (Ps.107:9)’
And that’s indisputable truth, as many of us can testify to! The problem though is to recognize the dearth, or lack of spiritual depth and then sincerely try to fill it. That means coming to God in humility and hunger of soul, so that He can generously and mercifully fill up that empty space that’s keeping us back from truly enjoying all He has to offer.
Remember Jesus’ promise: ‘The thief cometh not, but for (except) to steal, and to kill, and to destroy; I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.’ (John 10:10)
That simply shows my people, that we can’t have abundant life, unless Jesus dwells in us abundantly. Let’s ponder on and consider all these things today, then take them all to God in prayer to help us fix whatever needs fixing. That’s wisdom from on high… therefore of the highest order! Much LOVE!
…oh to be meek and humble…hungry and thirsty for righteousness…so that our eyes can be opened…and cause us to make a sincere resolution…to try and change the world today…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 October 2013 Matthew 5:6
24 Oct 2013 Leave a comment
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Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 September 2013 Psalm 42:2
03 Sep 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a dry and thirsty land, a longing for God, appear before God, back to work, christianity, commandments, common sense, control of the universe, deer pants for the brooks, depressing news, dr robert h schuller, ever-LOVING God, extol, four seasons, freedom, frivolity, fun, get aquainted with God, God alone can satisfy our thirst, God satisfies the thirsty soul, Hour of Power, improve our standing, intense longing for God, Jesus Christ, joy, Lord God Jehovah, LOVE, man's fault, meditate on God's words, my flesh longs for God, my soul pants for God, my soul's thirsty for God, northern climes, partition in our souls, partition reserved for God, peace, permeate our being, planet earth, polluting the atmosphere, ponder God's work, positive stuff, power, Prayer for Success, pressure, religion, running from enemies, sad state of our world, school, schools reopen, scriptures, shedding of leaves, sojourn in the wilderness, spirituality, spring summer autumn, summer, the living God, thou art my God, trees turning brown, true peace, truly find God, undeniable fact, vacation, wealth, what I am, what I do, wisdom, work, work of God, zenith
Psalm 42:2. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?
Well mih Friends, all the summer frivolity is now ended in the north country! That’s so sad! (smile) Schools will reopen today, and many adults who have been on vacation will also go back to work, having closed up the cottages for another year.
And though the summer wasn’t as hot and sunny as it usually is, it’s way, way better than what we’re about to receive. Would you believe that it’s only the third day of September and trees are already turning brown and shedding their leaves?
Ah Lord eh! But that’s what we bargained for when we decided to live in the northern climes. The Lord promised us four general seasons, spring, summer, autumn and fall, but He didn’t say exactly how long they’d be, or what temps we’d have on what days.
All that we have are man’s approximation. So if the leaves begin falling at the start of September rather than at the end, around the 22nd, when we audaciously declare that autumn begins, then that’s our problem.
The Lord God Jehovah is still in control of His universe, although I believe that the divergence between what should be and what actually happens is basically man’s fault, due to his polluting the atmosphere and thus setting the finely tuned work of God awry.
And having given us that somewhat depressing news (smile), here is some positive, uplifting stuff. It’s a Prayer for Success from Gramps Schuller (Dr. Robert H. Schuller) from his Hour of Power Devotional. I don’t know if I’ve shared it before, but even if I have, it’s certainly worth sharing again.
So let’s pray together for success this Tuesday morning, when our lives will get busier and change from much fun and freedom to much school and work.
As one voice now: ‘As I become a success with your help, Lord, let me never forget that what I am is more important than what I do. Faith stimulates success. Hope sustains success. LOVE sanctifies success. So I cannot and I dare not succeed without your power, peace, and pressure in my life, Jesus Christ. Amen.’
And again my true believers in Christ, we say a loud and lusty, ‘Amen!’
Now all of that just fits nicely with our Bit: ‘My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?’
Now that’s certainly a good question my people! And it’s certainly how we ought to feel! A longing for God, just dying to get acquainted with Him and His ways should permeate our very being.
Please note how the psalmist begins the psalm. ‘As the hart panteth after (the deer longs for) the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.’ (Ps.42:1)
Oh Friends, do we pant after God, do we have that intense longing for our Creator as Psalm 42 is superscripted? And do we say, as the author of Psalm 119 says: ‘I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.’ (Ps.119:131)
I surely do hope so, although from the physical evidence reflected by the sad state of our world, it’s obvious that enough of us feel that way, otherwise planet earth would be in much better shape.
But let’s look now at some scriptures that also extol the longing for God, starting with Psalm 63, God satisfies the thirsty soul, penned by Bruh David during his sojourn in the wilderness of Judah, while running from his enemies.
‘O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;’ (Ps.63:1)
Yes Friends, whenever we find ourselves in a dry and thirsty situation, be it physical, spiritual or emotional, the correct place and first person to run to is our ever-LOVING God, for He ALONE can satisfy our thirst!
Meanwhile, Psalm 84, a psalm of the sons of Korah, confidently proclaims: ‘How amiable are thy tabernacles (lovely are thy dwellings), O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.’ (Ps.84:1-2)
Oh Friends, I couldn’t put it any better or simpler! To be a longing for God is just how and why we were created!
That’s why none of us are ever fully satisfied with the mere wealth and things of the world, regardless of how much we have, but can be satisfied with little or nothing, if we truly find God.
We never find true peace, wealth and joy until that little space, that small partition in our souls that God reserved for Himself, has been filled with a sincere longing for the Almighty.
And that’s an undeniable fact my people! Check out all the rich and famous and powerful, and you’ll find very few are truly happy, unless that part of their souls reserved for God is filled with Him.
And we’ll end with some true and stellar words of Bruh David, when he was again beset by enemies. ‘I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse (ponder) on the work of thy hands. I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.’ (Ps.143:5-6)
Yes my brethren, let’s muse, let’s ponder on that today nuh! Let’s see how we personally shape up on the matter of longing for, of panting after God. Then let’s make and take the necessary actions to improve our standing in so important a matter. For that’s undeniably wisdom and common sense at their zeniths! Much LOVE!
…if there’s NO longing in our souls for God…then there’s NO God in our souls…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 August 2013 Acts 9:16
10 Aug 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: action, adversity, beaten with rods, believers in Jesus Christ, boasts, burn with indignation, Christ's gospel, Christian faith, Christians, cold, Damascus, deep concern, don't quit, dreary life, faith, false brethren, fastings, fear, fires of adversity, fortitude, going through tough times, good news, great things, holy spirit, hunger and thirst, infirmities, journeys, labours, laid it on the line, magnaimous God, mature in Christ, nakedness, never give up, passion, perils, planet earth, preaching Christ crucified, prisons, protective umbrella of Christ, religion, robbers, rough situations, same old, saviour jesus christ, seed of Abraham, shame, shipwreck, sleeplessness, small deed for Christ, stagnant riddim, steadfast and true, steadfast faith, stoned, stripes, stumble, suffer in my name, synopsis, tests, theology, times of trial, toil, victorious, weariness, when the going gets tough, wilderness, world's standard
Acts 9:16. For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.
Oh Friends, oh Friends, it’s another day in the same old, same old dreary life on planet earth. Yes, for many of us life just moves along in the same old stagnant riddim that’s become the world’s standard.
But my people, here’s the good news! As believers in Jesus Christ, we Christians have the ability to rise above the daily drudgery and mediocrity and make each day something special!
And why is that? Because we have the Holy Spirit of our great and wonderful God dwelling right inside of us. Wow! And to make things even better, if we sincerely follow His lead and guidance, very seldom will two days be the same, for everyday will be an interestingly different one!
Now note I didn’t say easy or necessarily pleasant, but I can personally vouch that every day spent under the protective umbrella of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is different and also interesting. And since the Lord wants us to be come more like Jesus with every passing day, that means there will be tests and trials of various types and intensities, because like gold and silver, we can only be refined by passing through the fires of adversity.
But also remember that the Lord has promised to safely bring us out of whatever He allows us to go through. And the fact of the matter is that when we go through those times of trial, we usually come out of them much stronger than before. So there’s no need for fear, shame or bewailing our rough and tough situations.
Just remember it’s all a test, and if we stand up strong, steadfast and true, the Lord will eventually reward us. And we all know that there’s no bigger or more generous rewarder than our magnanimous God, just look at Job.
Now all of that just leads us up to our Bit: ‘For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.’
Yeh mih breddren, we talk about going through tough times, but how many of us, if any, have faced, or will ever face the adversity that Bruh Paul went through to spread the Christian faith eh? Yet we make such a big fuss if we’re asked to put ourselves out of the way to do some small deed for Christ.
Now it certainly seems like everywhere Bruh Paul went he stirred up trouble by preaching Christ crucified. After he got out of prison in Philippi, He went to Thessalonica, Berea and Athens, where they had to spirit him out of each town because the townspeople took exception to his zealous, confident preaching. (Acts 17)
Anyway, we don’t have time to go through all the things Bruh Paul suffered in Christ’s name, so we’ll just give a synopsis in his own words. In writing to the Corinthians, he didn’t want to boast, but some false teachers were doing just that, so to show that he had the parts and had been through the fire, he laid it on the line for them.
‘Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I. Are they ministers of Christ (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save (less) one.
Thrice I was beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness (toil), in watchings (sleeplessness) often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
Beside those (other) things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of (deep concern for) all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended (made to stumble, and I burn not (do not burn with indignation)? If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities (my weaknesses).
The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: and through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.’ (2 Cor.11:22-33)
Ah mih people, very few of us, if any, would have survived, lived to tell the tale of even a quarter of what Bruh Paul went through in his passion and action to spread the good news of Christ’s gospel. But please remember that it was the power of God’s Spirit working in him that allowed him to come out victorious.
Likewise Friends, in our current lives, whatever we come up against that needs fortitude and steadfast faith, it’s God’s Spirit that will enable us to bear up under the strain. So let’s not be too quick to give up when adversity strikes… In fact we can never give up, never quit, since those terms don’t exist in the believers’ vocabulary.
So please remember the adage; when the going gets tough, the tough, that’s we believers get going. Therefore please stand strong in Jesus my people! Much LOVE!
…where there’s no adversity…a believer will not grow and mature in Christ…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 August 2013 Philippians 4:13
06 Aug 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: affirmation day, appreciative crowd, awe, believe, believe in Jesus, biblical affirmations, blessings, bright future, calypso monarch, Calypso showcase, courage, dog eat dog world, ears have not heard, evil, eyes haven't seen, faith, faithfulness, fend off Lucifer, gospel truth, government you deserve, Harbourfront, He is faithful that promised, heart-warming, holy spirit, hope, I can do all things, if god is for us, Jekyll and Hyde, Jesus Christ, laughingstock, LOVE, loving kindness, Macoumere Fifi, magnanimous god, mercies, people perish, personal fiefdom, pilgrim's journey, planet earth, power struggles, prophetic vision, reassurance, religion, restraints, reverence, rewarder, shenanigans, spirituality, strength, theology, things God hath prepared, things of the world, through Christ who strengthens me, times of trouble, Toronto's mayor, truth, who can be against us, wisdom, without wavering, write indelibly
Philippians 4:13. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me!
Oh Friends, the ole fella actually went out yesterday afternoon. Wow! Strange things do happen at times yes! (smile) My young daughter came and picked me up in her fancy SUV and took me down to a Calypso showcase of local talent at Harbourfront, a multiple events place on the Toronto Waterfront.
Oh, it felt so good to be chauffeured for a change, and in style to boot, instead of always being the chauffeur. Some of you might be able to appreciate and understand the feeling, as you’re in the same boat. But it’s nice to be able to gaze around and see the myriad of things that you don’t, or shouldn’t see when you’re driving.
Anyway, I missed the first half of the show, but what I experienced was excellent and it had a good and appreciative crowd. The backing band, Ossie Gurley, was nice and tight, but as it should be, the reigning Calypso Monarch of Canada, Macoumere Fifi, stole the show with her rendition of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, a caricature of the Mayor of Toronto, Rob Ford, and his brother Doug, who seems to be the de facto Mayor, as he cleans up, or tries to clean up his brother’s mistakes.
They behave as though Toronto is their personal fiefdom, but sadly have become a laughingstock around the world because of their unwise shenanigans, and consequently the city has suffered a serious decrease in believability.
But as they say, you get the government you deserve, and where there’s no prophetic vision, the people perish, because they cast off all restraints and do their own thing. And that is exactly what’s happening in the good city of Toronto today. The leaders are behaving like buffoons, being more divisive and argumentative and involved in power struggles, rather than doing the jobs they were elected to do.
Anyway, we’ll pray for them and leave them in God’s hand, because only He can change the hearts and minds of those He created. And furthermore, He’s decreed that today be a day of Biblical Affirmations; pieces of scripture that we can write indelibly in our hearts and souls that will help us fend off Lucifer when he attacks us, or just generally in times of trouble.
Remember we had affirmation day a few weeks ago. Now we’ll run through some more scriptures that are useful to keep us strong and steadfast in faith. And we’ll begin with our Bit, which generally correlates all our endeavours. ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me!’
Now Friends, that is undeniable truth! That’s simply because it is the power of Jesus Christ, His Holy Spirit working in us that enables us to handle all and sundry situations, regardless of what they might be. Without that power of Christ’s Spirit enabling us, we wouldn’t last very long in this evil, dog eat dog world.
And listen to these words of ultimate wisdom from Cousin Sol nuh. ‘Commit thy works (roll on the Lord thy works), and thy thoughts shall be established.’ (Prov.16:3) Now there’s no doubting the substantial truth in that verse my brethren.
And what about this reassuring verse from Jeremiah eh? ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope).’ (Jer.29:11)
Oh Friends, from that we ought to draw immense assurance, because the Lord has spelled out His plans for us, plans which are full of hope and a bright future.
Next up is this powerful verse from Hebrews. ‘Let us hold fast the profession (confession) of our faith (hope) without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)’ (Heb.10:23) Ah mih breddren, how can that not calm our souls re the Lord’s faithfulness eh!
And we also need to hear this other verse from Hebrews, which deals with our faith and faithfulness. ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb.11:6)
And that my people, is the gospel truth of all gospel truths! For if we don’t have faith and believe that God is who He says He is and does what He says, then we’ll be shut out of the Lord’s mercies, blessings and LOVING-kindness.
Now hear these words of Bruh Paul to the Corinthians, based on Is.64:4 and 65:17. ‘But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that LOVE Him.’ (1 Cor.2:9)
Wow! Oh my fellow believers yuh hear that? We can’t begin to understand or even imagine what our mighty, magnanimous and LOVING God has prepared for those who LOVE and serve Him with reverence and awe!
And we’ll end with this most appropriate scripture from Romans: ‘What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?’ (Rom.8:31)
And the answer to that question my Friends is a loud, defiant and definite ‘NOBODY!’
Now my people, let’s ponder those scriptures and write them in our hearts, so that in the day and time of need, we can raise them up and find the strength, wisdom, faith, assurance and courage to stand tall and walk proudly on this our pilgrim’s journey here on planet earth.
For that my brethren is the absolute wisdom of and for these perilous times! Much LOVE!
…to believe in Jesus…is certainly more assuring and heart-warming…than believing in the things of the world…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 29 June 2013 Psalm 86:11
29 Jun 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: a doubter is unstable, ask God, awesome presence, blessed, communication with God, conscious decision, cousin james, do thy will, don't doubt, earnestly petitions, eternal truth, fellow believers, forgiveness, gracious God, great desire, guidance, heavenly Father, help and succour, holy spirit, home to heaven, knowledge, land of the upright, lead me, loving kindness, Lucifer, meditaion, mercy, mercy and grace, Mother Earth, path of thy commandments, planet earth, practice makes perfect, psalm 86, reverential awe, right motives, right state of heart, seeds of evil, seeds of evil and corruption, sincere surrender, singleness of heart, strong trust, teach me, thanks and praise, the commandments of God, the fountainhead of all wisdom, The God of my salvation, thy spirit is good, true believer, truth, understanding, walk in truth, wisdom and understanding
Psalm 86:11. Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
Well Friends and fellow believers, we have been mightily blessed to see another glorious day on Planet Earth! Wow! I surely hope that we have all given our most gracious God some thanks and praise for that wonderful opportunity, because He deserves it for looking down on us with mercy and grace.
And though life on earth can be very trying at times, I doubt very many of us are ready to go home to heaven right now. I know I don’t want to, because I have so many things that the Lord has put in my heart still to do down here. And He could have easily taken us home during the night, but His not doing so means that He still has plans for us down here on Mother Earth.
So why don’t we talk to Him eh, and find out what He expects of us today? That’s the best way to know what’s what! And it’s usually best to communicate with our heavenly Father as soon as we awaken, so that we can begin the day on the right foot in His awesome presence, with the guiding of His Holy Spirit. That way Lucifer won’t stand a chance in hell to get to us early and sow his seeds of evil and corruption.
That’s what was so great about Bruh David; from his youth, he was always talking to the Lord, asking Him for His guidance, meditating on His words, wanting to learn His ways. Our Bit today exemplifies that great desire for wisdom and understanding as to the Lord’s ways and will. ‘Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart (give me singleness of heart) to fear (have reverential awe for) thy name.’
Ah Friends, how many of us try to dig, to delve so deeply into God’s ways and will eh? Not nearly enough! But if we want to learn more about God, then that’s the only way to go; right to the source, the fountainhead of all wisdom, truth, knowledge and understanding, to the One who created everything and everyone that exists, or has ever existed.
And what does Cousin James say about seeking wisdom? ‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (without reproach); and it shall be given to him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering (not doubting). For he that wavereth (doubts) is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.’ (James 1:5-8)
And that’s gospel Friends, eternal truth! But we have to be serious, really searching for wisdom and truth, and not be wishy-washy and unstable, because the Lord won’t help us then. Now let’s look at some scriptures where Bruh David entreats the Lord to teach him His ways and statutes.
Listen to him in Psalm 25, A prayer for guidance and protection. ‘Show me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all day.’ (Ps.25:4-5)
Then in Psalm 27, the Lord is my light and my salvation, he earnestly petitions his God: ‘Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain (smooth) path, because of mine enemies.’ (Ps.27:11)
And yet again, this time in Psalm 143, Teach me to do thy will, he plaintively cries out to God for wisdom and understanding re His Word and His will. ‘Cause me to hear thy LOVING-kindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk, for I lift up my soul unto thee…. Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.’ (Ps.143:8, 10)
No wonder Bruh David was so fortunate! He didn’t have an easy life, from being a shepherd as a boy, to king of Israel, and much of it was not his fault. But even when he was at fault, he was wise enough to cry out to the God of his forefathers for mercy and forgiveness, and the Lord usually granted him his wish, because He knew the generally right state of his heart.
So too my people, even unto this day, if we keep looking to God for wisdom and guidance with a strong trust and sincere surrender, He will grant them to us. We just have to have the right motives, because He doesn’t just listen to our tearful words, but bases His decisions on the state of our hearts.
Now it’s very obvious that we can’t handle the ruggedness of life here on earth by ourselves, and what better place to seek help and succour than at the footstool, the throne of our Creator? There’s no place better my brethren!
And we’ll end with a few verses of scripture that are famous in regards seeking wisdom and understanding, taken from Psalm 119. ‘Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statues; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.’ (Ps.119:33-35)
Yes Friends, the commandments of our God ought to be our delight! But they’ll never be unless and until we get serious about them and make a conscious decision to seek and follow them with all our heart, body and soul. Therein lies the faith and strength of a true believer. Much LOVE!
…to truly know God…one must have…deep and constant communication with Him…as they say…practice makes perfect…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 April 2013 Psalm 46:10
11 Apr 2013 Leave a comment
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: abomination, be still, Bless His Holy Name, courage, divine help, esteem, exalted, faith, glory hallelujah, glory of God's majesty, God of Abraham, gospel truth, heathen, hope, I am God, I am the vine, mysterious machinations, new blessings, new mercies, one and only true God, our refuge and strength, pilgrim's life, planet earth, Praise the Lord, promises fulfilled, psalm 46, rejoice and be glad in it, reverence, strength, the day the Lord has made, the haughty brought low, the proud humbled, undeniable truth, we will not fear, works of the Lord, write indelibly
Psalm 46:12. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Oh Friends, another day is dawning beautifully in many parts of God’s wonderful universe, and many new blessings and mercies are being made ready for distribution to God’s people down here on planet Earth! Wow! And just the thought of all that wonderful, divine, heavenly help drives God’s children to boldly declare: ‘Thank You Lord, thank You! You are so LOVING and generous to the undeserving children of men. We praise You and bless Your Holy Name, and promise to serve and worship You forever. Amen.’ Yes my people, this is indeed the day that our Lord God has made for us to enjoy, therefore let us rejoice and be exceedingly glad in it, for there’s no deity like the one we bow down to! That’s why the psalmist could confidently proclaim in our Bit: ‘Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.’ And that’s no lie Friends! The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob whom we worship, is the ONE AND ONLY TRUE GOD IN ALL THE UNIVERSE! As the first few verses of the psalm declare: ‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present (abundantly available) help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst (heart) of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.’ (Ps,46:1-3) Oh my fellow believers in Christ, those are very strong, reassuring words, based on God’s actual help to the Israelites, not simply the unrealized hopes and dreams of a troubled, enslaved people. Therefore, they are words that we should also hold on to, write indelibly in our hearts, minds and souls to give us the strength, faith and courage to live this difficult, but oh so interesting pilgrim’s life down here on Mother Earth. And even more importantly, through the Lord’s mysterious machinations, His Holy Name will eventually be exalted amongst the unbelievers. We obviously have a major part to play in that exaltation, but without God’s help we’re basically powerless to do much of anything. For as Jesus said: ‘I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:5) Words of undeniable truth my Friends! And though the heathen seems to be in control of the earth right now, there’s no doubt that in the Lord’s time, that evil and unworthy scenario will change. Listen as the psalmist continues: ‘There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles (dwelling places) of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved (shaken): God shall help her, and that right early (at the break of dawn). The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.’ (Ps.46:4-7) And that’s the gospel truth my brethren! And it encouraged all God’s people to declare a loud and grateful; ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ Oh Friends, it’s so sad that so many of God’s human creation don’t know and don’t worship Him, for He is truly a most magnificent Deity! And the psalmist continues raving about his God: ‘Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in fire.’ (Ps.46:8-9) Yes my people, all of that is indeed possible with our God! And in His time, it will surely come to pass. As Isaiah prophesied, re the day of the Lord: ‘The lofty (proud) looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon everyone that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low.’ (Is.2:11-12) So please don’t join the ranks of the heathen, the unbeliever, the evil enemy, for as Isaiah continues: ‘And the loftiness (pride) of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. And the idols he shall utterly abolish. And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear (from the terror) of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth (to make the earth tremble).’ (Is.2:17-19) Oh my brethren, on that fateful day, when the Lord decides to pronounce judgement on the sinful earth, there will be no escape for the heathen! And the scholars provide an interesting note. ‘The unshakeable confidence with which the psalm leaves the believer prompted Martin Luther, (the Protestant leader) to pen one of the great hymns of all time, ‘A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.’ Ah mih breddren, that bit of info should just boost our strength, faith, hope, trust, esteem, reverence and LOVE for our most worthy God! If the psalm was powerful enough to move the fiery Martin Luther a few centuries ago, when things were much rougher than now, then it certainly ought to move us too. And we’ll end with some wise words of Cousin Sol on the subject. ‘The Lord hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil (doom). Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged (atonement is provided for iniquity): and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.’ (Prov.16:4-6) Oh Friends, those verses cover it all; from the beginning to the end, so please take serious note of them, so that in that fateful day, you will not be numbered amongst the proud, haughty, evil heathen. That’s the ultimate in wisdom! Much LOVE!…it starts with a promise from Jehovah God…that leads to hope, faith, trust and surrender…then ends in the promise being fulfilled…becoming reality…for the Lord God is faithful…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 April 2012 Proverbs 1:7
19 Apr 2012 Leave a comment
in Inspirational Living Tags: awe, boldness, confidence, fear the Lord, God's goodness, humilty, planet earth, respect, reverence, serve the Lord, understanding, wisdom
Proverbs 1:7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom.
Oh mih people, it’s a new day and we haven’t read our names in the obits, so that means we’re still alive and kicking! All praise and thanks be to God Almighty! Yes Friends, the Lord in His mercy saw it fit to gift us with another beautiful day on Planet Earth, filled with His goodness and blessings, so let’s enjoy it with a right heart and clean spirit as He desires nuh. By the way, I got my eaves trough fixed, now I’m praying for rain again to see how the new set up works. Hope when it does come I don’t have to pray for it to stop. (smile) Anyway, let’s get into our Bit without further ado. ‘The fear (reverential awe) of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.’ Yesterday we heard from Dr. Samuel Shoemaker, re the only viable example to follow and bow down to is Jesus Christ – gospel truth – and from the scholars, who informed us that the fear of the Lord is the controlling principle in seeking wisdom – more gospel truth. Today we’ll get into some scriptures that corroborate our Bit. I’ve found so many, that I doubt we’ll get all in today. And to start, we’ll go all the way back to Moses’ exhortation to Israel. ‘ And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to LOVE him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul. To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good (benefit or welfare).’ (Deut.10:12-13) Please note Friends, that the first requirement is to fear the Lord. Yes my brethren, in any dealings with Jehovah God, the first and foremost provision is always to respect and revere Him. Admit His omnipotence and humble your spirit in His sight. Without that attitude all your prayers and pleadings will be in vain, for there’s nothing the Lord despises as foolish and arrogant pride. That doesn’t mean we’ve got to come to Him dragging in the dust, because through Jesus, ‘In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of (in) him.’ (Eph.3:12) And also because Jesus our high priest experienced temptations, but was 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.4:16) So we can go confidently to the Lord, but not arrogantly. Then we need to serve and LOVE Him with every part of our being. And how do we do this? By acquiring, knowledge, wisdom and understanding, which all come from having a healthy respect and adoration for the Lord. Yuh see Friends, it’s an unbroken circle. You can’t LOVE the Lord and serve Him as you ought to, unless you’ve gained the wisdom and understanding it requires. But then you can’t get those last two requirements unless, or until, you develop a reverential awe and respect for Him. And that’s why so many of us are faltering today; we want to get the wisdom and understanding without acknowledging the Lord’s superiority. Unfortunately Friends, we can’t have the benefits without first paying our humble respects. And please note the end of Moses’ statement: ‘for thy good?’ That’s because all the things the Lord requires of us are not for His good, but for ours. And if we don’t do them, we are the ones who’ll suffer, not Him. And right now our world is a very good reflection of that, for all the societies, regardless of colour, creed or race are struggling mightily, suffering one calamity after the other. Why? It’s simply because we have turned away from God, turfed Him out, and trying to do our own thing, based on Lucifer’s evil principles. We have chosen to forget Jesus’ words: ‘for without me ye can do nothing.’ (John 15:5) Oh my people, please realize that Lucifer knows God’s power better than us because he was once the first angel, but foolishly tried to overthrow the Father. So he knows exactly what’s happening, and he’s looking for others to keep him company in his long and lonely journey in hellfire, that’s why he assaults us with all his wiles and lies. Look at how our world is sinking in the bloody mire because we’ve accepted his wicked schemes to gain earthly power and wealth. This brings us to a rather apt and poignant scripture from Job, when he talks of wisdom being a gift from God. ‘And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding. (Job 28:28) That’s the truth in spades my brethren! Wisdom comes from dealing faithfully with God, and that wisdom will teach us to refute evil, because we’ll only spoil the good thing we have going with the Father, if we engage in the evil deeds of Lucifer. And spoiling our good thing with our Creator can never be characterized as wisdom. That’s why those who choose to follow Lucifer are considered fools. So Friends, since we all want to be considered wise and understanding, we therefore have to overthrow Lucifer, relegate him to the dump heap, and bring back Jehovah God into our hearts, souls, minds, bodies and societies. It’s the only way our children’s children will ever live to see a glorious morn of peace and LOVE in our currently much troubled, wicked and calamitous world. Much LOVE!…the attributes of evil…eternal death and destruction…the attributes of wisdom…salvation and eternal life…so which will you choose…
Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 January 2012 Mark 4:40
18 Jan 2012 Leave a comment
in Inspirational Living Tags: beautiful planet, manner of man, planet earth, sea peace, son of god, wind and the sea
Mark 4:40. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
Oh people, I’ve just finished reading the obits and I didn’t find any of our names or pictures listed there, which means we’ve been granted yet another day on beautiful planet earth. Thank the Lord! So please, I implore us to use this day wisely since we don’t know how many more, if any, we will be granted. And using it wisely simply means in the service of the Lord; facing some problem(s) with plenty faith, righting some wrong, and/or helping someone in need. Before tackling each situation we encounter today, let’s first ask ourselves: now what would Jesus do if He was in my shoes? Hopefully we’ll come up with the right answer, then apply it with faith and confidence. In these turbulent times Friends, it’s only Jesus sanctioned answers or solutions that will make a true and lasting difference. But Friends, we have to believe this first, before it will ever work. Look at our Bit: ‘And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?’ Jesus, having been asleep in the stern of a boat when a storm arose, was summarily awakened by His scared to death disciples, saying: ‘Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.’ (Mark 4:38-39) That’s when He questioned their faith in our Bit. Now after that, the Good Book says: ‘And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this (who can this be), that even the wind and the sea obey him.’ (Mark 4:41) And these were men who had been with Jesus for some time and had seen Him do all sorts of miracles, but still did not have that deep faith to believe that He was truly the Son of God and could do all things. But my people, it’s only when we truly believe and trust in Jesus that He works in our lives. Listen to the Good Book again: ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb.11:6) That’s why, per the scholars, Jesus in His travels continually questioned His hearers faith, so He could spur them to greater trust. We have a perfect example of that when Jesus calls Peter out of the boat to walk on the water towards Him. In the beginning, Peter’s faith was sky high, so he walked confidently, but shortly thereafter, when he experienced the wind’s velocity, he panicked, and the level of his faith dropped like a heavy stone in water, and he began sinking, fearfully crying out: ‘Lord save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.’ (Matt.14:30-33) Unfortunately Friends, we are the same way, though we shouldn’t be. Our Faith is constantly being tried and tested and we’re always afraid until the Lord shows up and helps us. But there shouldn’t be that fear if we sincerely believe and trust in Jesus to make our rough paths smooth and our winding roads straight. It’s only human to have some genuine concern, but the deep fear that so many of us have just facing everyday life should not exist in a true believer. God has helped us on numerous occasions in the past, so if we are still believing in Him, why then the fear that He might do otherwise? Oh Friends, I know that our world is going through some turbulent and tremulous times, which are unfortunately being reflected in our personal lives, consequently we don’t know whom or what to trust, because everybody and everything seems to be letting us down. But take heart. If you’re a believer, ask yourself if Jesus has ever let you down? I’m sure the answer will be no. That therefore means you can put your faith and trust in Him with no reservations whatsoever. Simply keep reading His word, standing steadfastly on His promises and doing His Will, and He will most definitely see you through whatever hardships you’re now facing. And if you’re not a believer, but hard times are also overwhelming you, then take a leap of faith, put your trust in Jesus today, you have nothing to lose and so much to gain. Believe me, He will stand up for you. He won’t necessarily wipe away all your problems, because He’s not there to cater to all our whims and fancies, but for sure He’ll enable you to bear them with a lighter heart and greater peace of mind, and eventually bring you through them safely. That’s His promise. Trust Jesus today Friends, like you’ve never trusted Him before. It’s the wisest thing you’ll ever do. Much LOVE!…who stilled the gusting wind…who calmed the angry sea…who shed His blood on Calvary…for a poor sinner like me…JESUS…my Saviour…my Comforter…and my Friend…
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