Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 June 2020 Revelation 21:4.

Revelation 21:4.    And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
 

Welcome to Friday friends; the end of another week filled with much talk about Covid-19 and no seeming relief from its deadly clutches, as well as street protests and demonstrations and confusion and conflict in public places and amongst public servants. And it doesn’t seem as though we’ll get any relief from that soon either. And isn’t it strange and somehow prophetic that both these conditions could rise up worldwide at the same time? 

And I still maintain that the Lord God Almighty, Creator and Ruler of this awesome universe is trying to tell us something significant, but as always we’re refusing to listen, to pay serious attention to His warnings. Remember Jesus’ advice: ‘He who has ears to hear, let him hear.’ And if we refuse to hear, then we’ll feel! There’s no doubt about that. Anyway, be all that as it may, (smile) let’s hear what the ordinary workingman has to say for himself nuh. 

‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday! Thank God for the weekend and a couple of days rest from the slave master hard labour and all the confusion in the world! Is it never going to end? Chuh man! They still can’t find no answer for this Coronavirus business and with all the protests and rioting and people gathering in big crowds, ignoring the physical distancing warning, this Covid-19 thing doh look as it going away any time soon nuh. In fact it might just get worse, because we still doh know how to handle it properly, and people still catching it and dying from it all around the world. 

But what is wrong with we eh? And look at how this racism thing just suddenly blow up in we face because of one stupid, well four stupid men eh… Steups! Common sense ought to tell yuh that yuh can’t do them things in front of everybody, especially when everybody have cameras on their cell phones and quick to take pictures of everything. And that just shows the police and them getting too big for them britches, when they could do that sort of thing in broad daylight and blatantly ignore warnings from the people they supposed to be protecting. It so entrenched, and they so accustomed to getting away with it, they doh care no longer. 

But thank the Lord, that every dog have he day, one day one day congotay, and we all going to get we just and rightful comeuppance in time, because time longer than twine. Ah not able nuh. Nobody doh listen to people like me. So ah just going to go home and enjoy mih weekend with mih family and give thanks to God for all I have yes! Can’t do no more than that nuh.’ 

Ah mih people, we all can surely identify with the workingman because most of us don’t have any real say in the crises that are currently surrounding us, and that’s just why the racism thing is rearing its ugly head. The powers that be are so short-sighted that they can’t see that their system of holding down people can’t last forever, and the downtrodden and mistreated will eventually rise up and want what is rightfully theirs. It’s been this way ever since history began; the have’s refusing to share with the have-nots…until they revolt. 

We talk about history repeating itself, but we still don’t pay significant attention to it, otherwise the disturbances in our streets worldwide would not be happening now. But it’s jut a symbol of foolish greed and lust for power, highlighting man’s inhumanity to man. And it doesn’t seem as if it’s ever going to end until Jesus returns with the new heaven and the new earth and sets up His eternal kingdom. ‘And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.’ 

But until then friends, we need to keep up our good work and pray; pray like there’s no tomorrow, for who knows if there’ll be one, or what it will look like!  So let’s cry out to our great and merciful God nuh, let’s chant up a storm; a storm of peace, LOVE and understanding through our Friday Chant. 

All together now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. It’s been pretty rough…some of it from work, as many of us are now back to work in varied ways, but most of our anxiety still comes from all the confusion and havoc that the Covid-19 virus still causing. We not accustomed to that Lord, and it really telling on us. And now, on top of all that, we have riots and protests to put up with. Oh Lord, yuh know we can’t handle it on our own and desperately need Your help. Yes, heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat both the virus and the unrest in our streets. 

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give the governments and those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the sure and wise guidance to handle the situation properly, with the least amount of loss to life and property as possible. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe, so that we can avoid any more serious setbacks. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to also bring a lot of backsliders back to your fold, show them the error of their ways. 

It’s also a good opportunity to introduce a whole new flock, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion because of the way we, your faithful believers, handle the situation. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic and the unrest as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And having said all of that, we must now behave like faithful believers ought to behave in such situations. Christian folks, it’s time for us to rise up and show the world how true believers behave, like Jesus! Much LOVE!

…we can’t just talk the talk…we must also walk that talk…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 July 2014 Psalm 150:6

Psalm 150:6.      Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye (sing Hallelijah to) the Lord.

Oh my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, it’s another beautiful Monday morning on God’s wonderful planet earth! And would you believe there was no hemming and hawing, complaining, ‘steupsing’ or ‘chuhing’ from the penny section. (smile) Glory Hallelujah Friends, like we’re finally maturing in our walk of faith. And it’s high time too.
 
So please give our great God much thanks and praise for bringing us through the long and lonely, dark and dreary night, into the bright, scintillating, friendly, uplifting and LOVING light of His Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!
 
And all God’s children joyfully shouted: ‘Praise the Lord! Bless His holy name! Hallelujah! Amen… So let it be!’
 
Yes my fellow believers, that’s the kind of praise and adoration we ought to bring to our merciful and blessed Creator each and every day, because it just fills His heart with joy, knowing that His most precious creation adores and gratefully acknowledges His LOVING-kindness!  
 
As we said yesterday, it’s passion my brethren… passion for the ONE TRUE God; He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! Now let’s continue showing that passion, that verve and fervour, enthusiasm and excitement for Jesus, as we boldly and loudly sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn! Let’s light a fire, an inferno, on earth as well as in heaven with our exaltation! (smile)
 
On the count of three…one, two, three: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together.
 
We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies.
 
But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle.
 
Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’  
 
Most excellent my people, most excellent! Both heaven and earth were moved!
 
Now let’s turn to our Bit that exhorts us to praise our heavenly Father: ‘Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye (sing Hallelujah to) the Lord.’
 
Oh my people, that is such an awesome truth because our God is so wonderful to His creation that He deserves unlimited praise!
 
Now hear how the psalmist writes it- and as pieces of music have written at the top to designate speed and mood, like allegro, fandango, andante etc. this psalm has written at the top – with much passion.
 
So let’s do it like ordained. ‘Praise ye, (sing Hallelujah to) the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power (his mighty firmament). Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet (cornet): praise him with the psaltery (lute or lyre) and harp.
 
Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high-sounding cymbals. Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye (sing Hallelujah to) the Lord.’ (Ps. 150:1-6)
 
Ah Friends, what beautiful and passionate expressions of praise!
 
And we’ll end with a most fitting acknowledgment from the scholars. ‘Psalm 150. The first psalm contains only six verses and speaks of the man who is blessed. The last psalm (150) also contains six verses but speaks of the God who is praised. No more fitting conclusion to the book could have been written.
 
While the other four books of the Psalms end with a brief verse or two of doxology, ‘a short expression of praise sung during Christian worship) Psalm 150 in its entirety forms the doxology to consummate the fifth book. As the final song of praise, it appropriately answers four key questions about praise.
 
(1) Where should God be praised? Everywhere, from His sanctuary on earth to His heavenly creation (v.1). (2) Why should God be praised? For His powerful deeds on behalf of men and for His inherent greatness (v.2). (3) How should God be praised? With every suitable instrument man can offer with his God-given creativity and artistry (vv.3-5). (4) Who should praise God? Everything that breathes. (v.6).
 
Though every verse of the psalm is cast in the form of a call to praise, the hymn is certainly prophetic of a day when every creature will in fact bow in praise to the Almighty God (Phil.2:11; Rev.5:8-14).’
 
Oh Friends, as the scholars say, the perfect way to end the Psalms! Please read those reference verses my brethren, for they are very interesting and important to our understanding of what the scholars have written above, and also to our understanding of scripture in general.
 
Now let’s go out and have a blessed day, walking in faith, LOVE and truth with Christ, in a most passionate manner, for that’s the wisdom of heaven! Much LOVE!
 
…there’s nothing that works miracles in a human soul… like praising and glorifying God…