Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 September 2015 Proverbs 21:22

Proverbs 21:22.   A wise man scaleth (climbs over the walls of) the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence (trusted stronghold) thereof.

Oh Friends, mea culpa, mea culpa, mea culpa, mea culpa! 

Yes, on this first day of September, there are four things I want to apologize for. The first is not having the right date at the top of the Bit yesterday; instead of the 31st, I had the 30th. Although I don’t know how many of you noticed it. (smile) But that’s what comes from laziness and copying and pasting and not paying proper attention. 

The second is for not mentioning Jamaica’s Independence Day on August 6, which celebrated 53 years of freedom from her colonial rulers. The third thing is not celebrating T&T’s Independence Day yesterday, the 31st, also marking 53 years of independence from Mother England. 

I always write about Canada and the U.S Independence Day, but I forget or choose not to write about my two home countries…countries that nurtured me and made me who I am.  Chuh! That’s definitely not good enough. And lastly, I forgot to celebrate the fourth anniversary of my beloved mother Molly going to be with Lord on August 31 2011. 

Now that one I need some special forgiveness for. But yuh know what Friends? I have no doubt that that is forthcoming, for the ole girl knows that my heart is right, it’s just that my brain is getting a li’l old and foggy. (smile) And it’s not like I have completely forgotten about her, because I visited her just this past week, and we had a good chat, about what’s happening now and all the old times we spent together, both the good and the bad. And believe me, they were indeed some rough times that people don’t know about. 

Yeh Mols baby, I myself didn’t understand some of those hard times back then, not until I became a parent myself, and I’m sincerely sorry for any problems I caused through my not understanding. And I know that because of your LOVING and generous nature, you’ll say that’s okay, you didn’t expect me to understand such things at such a young age. 

Anyway, I know that you are now resting and enjoying your heavenly days with the Saviour, as you so richly deserve. I know that you and your grandmother Di (Diana Rampersad) are chatting away everyday. (smile) Although it was definitely a shock earlier on this year, to hear that Di had departed this earth so unexpectedly, and at such a young age too. But I guess that was the Lord’s decision, and who can argue with it eh? Nobody! 

So you two, please enjoy yourselves and do whatever it is you do heaven (smile), while we slog it out down here on Mother Earth, until the Lord calls us to join you all. 

Now for all of us still down here in heaven on earth, here’s a simple prayer that says so much. It’s being used by the congregation of Shepherd’s Grove, the church in Southern California from which the Hour Of Power broadcasts are done, now conducted by Cousin Bobby (Robert Schuller III) Gramps Schuller’s grandson. 

Please pray with me. ‘I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the beloved of God, that’s who I am. No one can take that from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus, and share his LOVE with the world. Amen.’ 

Yes my brethren, we are indeed the beloved of God, Almighty God’s wonderful children, so we ought to have nothing to worry about, especially where our identification is concerned. We are not distinguished by what we do, where we live, or any other worldly determination. First and foremost we are the sons and daughters of the Creator! Matter fixed! 

That brings us to our Bit; certainly an interesting statement from Cousin Sol. ‘A wise man scaleth (climbs over the walls of) the city of the mighty, and casteth down the strength of the confidence (trusted stronghold) thereof.’ And when we reason it out Friends, we see that it’s absolutely true. 

The scholars declare it as: ‘21:22. Wisdom is mightier than brute strength.’ 

And isn’t that the God-awesome truth? It surely is! Brains are far more useful than brawn, as the old saying goes. Brawn can be uppermost for a while, but in the long run it’s the brain that scales the walls of the mighty. Just look at the brilliant example in how the Israelites captured the supposedly impregnable city of Jericho. 

They simply marched around it once a day, in total silence, for six days, with seven priests bearing before the Ark of the Covenant seven trumpets of ram’s horns. And on the seventh day they marched around it seven times, with the priests blowing on their trumpets. And when they made a long blast the people shouted a loud shout, and eventually the walls of Jericho tumbled down and the Israelites simply went in and took it over. (Josh. 6:1-27)

Granted that was basically through God’s machinations, but the moral of the story is that brute force would not have brought down the walls of Jericho, but brains, wise council did. And even today my brethren, it is wisdom for us to come before God with every problem and ask for His wise guidance, before we do anything at all. 

As Cousin Sol further tells us: ‘A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength. For by wise counsel. Thou shalt make thy war (wage your own war): and in the multitude of counselors there is safety.’ (Prov.24:5-6) 

Yes Friends, wisdom, or rather in the pursuit of wisdom, lies the answer to a myriad of our problems. And where does this wonderful thing termed wisdom come from? 

James tells us: ‘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 him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering (without doubting). For he that wavereth (doubts) is like wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.’ (James 1:5-6) 

So my fellow believers, today, please let’s turn to the Lord God Jehovah for guidance and direction in ALL that we do, but with a sincere faith and trust that He will acknowledge our requests. Much LOVE!

…blessed is he that has a combination of brains and brawn…but if only one is granted…brains will surely win the day…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 April 2015 Psalm 139:7‏

Psalm 139:7Whither shall (where can) I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall (where can) I flee from thy presence?  

Ah Friends, two very important people in my life have died in the last two days. Yesterday it was Jesus, the day before it was Gramps Schuller – Robert H Schuller (1926-2015), the visionary who melded Christianity with the Positive Thinking of Norman Vincent Peale.

 
Gramps Schuller was the man who began a church in Orange County in California in a drive in theatre, where he would preach from the rooftop of the snack bar, while his wife Arvella played the organ.  Then he went on to build a drive in church, and then the fabulous glass based Crystal Cathedral. How could you build a glass cathedral in California, with all it’s eartquakes and seismic faults, unless you had great vision and strong, positive faith in Almighty God?
 
I was introduced to him some years ago by my mother, via the Hour of Power programme on television, and I believe of all the ministers I’ve listened to He impressed me the most, both by what he said and how he said it. He was always enthusiastic and positive, and I know some people criticized him for that. But what’s wrong with having a positive outlook in Christianity eh?
 
What did Jesus preach about?  Believing in God, but you can’t truly believe in anything with a negative mind set. Jesus never went around sour and miserable and negative as a lot of Christians think they should.
 
And here is Gramps Schuller’s ‘Possibility Thinker’s Creed,’ or what some refer to as ‘The Mountain Mover’s Prayer.’  ‘Lord, when I face a mountain, do not let me quit. Give me the strength to keep on striving until I climb over, find a pass through, or tunnel underneath. And if my best efforts fail, give me the patience to stay and the perception to see the possibilities of turning my mountain into a gold mine with your help. Amen.’ 
 
Now tell me what’s wrong with that eh Friends? Not a single thing! It’s certainly the attitude we supposed Christians ought to adopt, instead of the lackadaisical, give up easily mentality that so many of us have. And I can still remember Gramps Schuller some years ago reading these verses from Psalm 139, including our Bit. The way he delivered them was very expressive, and oh so powerful:
 
‘Whither shall (where can) I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall (where can) I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there, If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.’ (Ps.139:7-10)
 
Oh Friends, that’s obviously gospel truth, but Gramps Schuller made you feel it. I don’t know about anybody else nuh, but as far as I am concerned the Hour of Power was the BEST programme on the tube when it originated from the Crystal cathedral! I say that because it was a beautiful visual production, and you got a wonderful blend of everything; religion and church, interviews with interesting people, and by far the BEST music. The Hour of Power Choir is still my favourite.
 
It’s sad though that in 2011 the Crystal Cathedral had to be sold into bankruptcy because of a large debt, family feuds and other internal wrangling. It just goes to show that even in the best, or most religious families, there can be serious problems. And who do you think bought the Crystal Cathedral and renamed it Christ Cathedral? The Catholic Church of Orange County California.
 
Anyway, the Hour of Power Programme is still on the tube, but comes from a smaller, ex-Catholic church, called Shepherd’s Grove. It is run by Gramps Schuller’s grandson, Bobby. It doesn’t make such a big splash, as it did in the Crystal Cathedral, but it’s still amongst the best and most wholesome viewing on the tube.
 
Dr. Schuller was also a prodigious writer, penning some 50 books, with at least five of them best-sellers on the New York Times list. He apparently passed away in a nursing home from esophageal cancer that struck him in 2013. Regular readers of the Bit know that I hold him in high esteem and often feature some of his stuff from the Hour of Power Devotional.
 
Here is a passage from yesterday’s journal. It’s titled ‘Winter’s Cold,’ and it says: ‘I never fail to remind new Christians who join our church that there are seasons in the spiritual life. For most people the beginning of the Christian life is a spring time experience. The icy sea of doubt is broken; a new life springs from a cold heart. No wonder people describe it by saying, “I’ve been born again!” This is the springtime season of the soul.
 
When the Christian matures through the disciplines, there is growth, sometimes painful, in exposure to the summer sun and wind, and finally the ripening of the fruit. The harvest season arrives and you offer to God the fruit of a life of service. And, strangely, it is after a period of fruitful service that the winter time comes.’
 
Ah Friends, how true that is, especially in Dr. Schuller’s life. After a long life of service to God and many successful seasons of harvesting good fruit, the winter of his discontent set in, through illness, family and financial problems. May he rest in peace with his God.
 
And we’ll end today with a scripture from Jeremiah that certainly validates our Bit and the verses that accompany it. The Lord’s talking about false prophets, and asks these questions? ‘Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.’ (Jer.23:23-24)
 
Oh Friends, our God is certainly a faithful, hands on, always right here by our sides God, not some fly-by-night, never present deity. And if we believe that He’s omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, then there’s no place in His universe that we can ever successfully hide from him.
 
Some of us foolishly try to do that though, but eventually, hopefully sooner rather than later, they will find that hiding from our God is simply impossible, and will instead run to His outstretched arms and enjoy the comfort and LOVE that’s waiting there for whosoever wants to embrace it.
 
That’s basic common sense and a touch of godly wisdom thrown in for good measure! (smile) Much LOVE my brethren on this Easter Saturday morning!
 
 …just one more day…just one more day…so please wait patiently for it…with eager expectation…for it will come…the promise will come…it will not tarry…