SCRIP-BITS

Psalm 119:130.      The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
 
Oh Friends, are you a Saturday child, were you born on a Saturday? Then unfortunately, according to our nursery rhyme, you have to work hard for a living. (smile) But don’t feel badly, because most of mankind also have to work hard for a living. It’s all part and parcel of our  forefathers’ fall from grace. However, through the LOVING-kindness of our wonderful God, the sacrificed life of His Son, Jesus, and His Holy Spirit living in us, we’ve been granted some respite from the terrible drudgery and devastating troubles of this earthly life. And all God’s children gave a mighty shout of joy: ‘Oh thank You Father for sending Jesus to die on the cross to pay our sin debt in full! Thank You for giving us the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us in all righteousness! We praise and glorify Your Holy Name today and forever more!’ Yes Friends, we do serve and worship an awesome God! I don’t know when some of us will wake up and truly understand and believe that nuh. I sincerely hope that it won’t be too late for anyone. But it’s also comforting to know that once there’s breath flowing through our mortal coil, it’s NEVER too late, because the Most High is the God of second chances – even third, fourth and fifth. The problem though is that unless we read, understand and obey His dictates, we’re just wasting His time and ours. Why is that eh? Because as the psalmist so gloriously declares in our Bit: ‘The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.’  And isn’t that the undisputed truth, my fellow believers! For without God’s Word deeply embedded in our hearts and minds, we won’t be able to live the way He desires us to. Bruh David say it thus in Psalm 19, the creation and covenant of God. ‘The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.’ (Ps.19:8) Yes my people, when we read the scriptures, our hearts rejoice, our minds are enlightened, our eyes of faith are opened, causing us to develop discernment and focus. Now listen to how Cousin Sol, in his great wisdom, describes God’s Word in Proverbs. ‘For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life.’ (Prov.6:23) Oh Friends, the Lord’s dictates are ever so enlightening and guiding, because without them residing and resounding in our souls, we’d be totally lost in the utter darkness of this world, created by Lucifer and his evil minions! That’s why earlier on in this section warning against adultery, Cousin Sol says that we should not forsake the teachings of our parents, which should be the Word of God, but to ‘Bind them continually upon thine heart (and mind), and tie them about thy neck. When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.’ (Prov.6:21-22) Ah mih breddren, I couldn’t have said it any better! (smile) And what’s so great about God’s Word entering and taking up a sure reign in our souls is that it gives understanding even to the simple. That means Friends, you don’t have to be gifted with lots of natural intelligence to understand the word. Even a simpleton can, if he is prepared to read and meditate on it, for the Lord will gladly lead and guide him in his endeavour to learn and follow His dictates. And Bruh David verifies that by saying: ‘The law of the Lord is perfect, converting (restoring) the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.’ (Ps.19:7) Meanwhile, Cousin Sol describes one of the purposes of the Proverbs thus: ‘To give subtilty (prudence) to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.’ (Prov.1:4) The scholars explain that verse this way. ‘The simple are naive young people open to any influence, among the chief addressees in the book. Knowledge means the apprehension of reality, including an experiential knowledge of God. Discretion refers to the power of formulating and carrying out the right measures.’  That’s the beauty of learning God’s commands my people! They enable us to live as good and pure and righteous a life as we can on this sinful, ungodly earth. And we’ll let the psalmist take us home, as he praises the Lord for His care towards us. ‘The works of his hands are verity (truth) and judgement (justice); all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name. The fear of the Lord (an awe filled reverence toward the Lord) is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.’ (Ps.111:7-10) And all God’s people responded with a loud, thankful, ‘Hallelujah! Amen.’ We responded that way because it’s gospel truth Friends, which means that to restore some of the godliness our world has recently lost, we have to buckle down and seriously read the Word, so that we can understand it, and live the way it says we should. That’s the ultimate in wisdom my people! Therefore, let’s concentrate on becoming somewhat wiser than we are right now nuh. Much LOVE!…a true believer…must first know the Lord’s commands…then follow them as closely as possible…