Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 March 2017 1 John 1:9.

1 John 1:9.   If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Welcome to another bright, sunshiny day friends in the early spring of 2017! It just doesn’t feel quite like spring, with a minus something temperature. 

But that doesn’t truly matter once we’re alive and enjoying another day of new mercies and blessings specially prepared for this day by our magnanimous, merciful and magnificent God! 

Yeh friends, we can handle anything once we are under the umbrella of God’s grace and mercy! Please remember that and let it be a signpost, a guideline, a lighthouse, or whatever you choose to call it, to our earthly journey. 

Once we’re in sync with our heavenly Father there is absolutely nothing to fear! 

As Bruh David so wisely and assuredly puts it in Psalm 27: ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?’ (Ps.27:1). 

And the big and bold answer to those questions my faithful, believing brethren is ABSOLUTELY NOBODY! 

So let’s not be afraid of all the nonsense that’s currently happening in world; be concerned yes, but not afraid, for the Lord our God is with us wherever we go. But by the same token, we also have to be with Him, for Him to guide and guard and keep us safe from all harm. 

That brings us to our Bit. ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ 

Yes my people, it also behooves us to clean up our act, otherwise we can’t walk sincerely with God. We have to make continual and constant confession of our sins, so that we can be forgiven and cleansed of them by our heavenly Father. 

If we don’t, then our souls will be clogged and bogged down with unrighteousness and we won’t have good communication with the Father. Now listen to some scripture that corroborates our contention. 

First up is Cousin Sol from Proverbs, where he authoritatively declares: ‘He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.’ (Prov.28:13) 

Please notice though mih breddren, that we don’t only need to confess our sins, but also forsake them, give them up. And that’s usually the difficult part, but try we must, for God doesn’t look at our outward actions, or listen to our talk, but looks deep down into the secret places of our hearts to discern our true motives. 

And if you think that’s not true, just listen to how the Lord trapped Bruh David in his adulterous sin with Bathsheba. He sent the prophet Nathan to him with a nansi story about some traveler visiting a rich man, and the rich man, instead of taking one of his endless flocks to feed the traveller, he took the pet lamb of a poor man and fed the visitor. (2 Sam.12:1-4) 

Now Bruh David got all hot and bothered over this tale and declared to Nathan: ‘As the Lord liveth, that man that hath done this thing shall surely die (deserves to die). And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.’ (2 Sam.12:5-6) 

And the scholars add an interesting note to those verses. ‘12:5-7. How easy it is to see the sins of others without applying the scriptural standards to ourselves (cf. Matt.7:3-5). David called for the full weight of the law to be applied (cf. Ex.22:1).’ 

And that’s no lie my brethren, we all do it. But was Bruh David in for one of the biggest surprises of his life. 

‘And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; and I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things (much more). 

Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. 

Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. 

Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil (adversity) against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.’ (2 Sam.12:7-12) 

Ah friends, yuh see, we can’t do evil in secret and expect the Lord not to notice it. And the scholars tell us: ’12:10-11. These judgements came to pass literally in the sins of his (David’s) own household (ch.13), the rebellion of his own son Absalom (ch.15), and the civil war that followed (chs.16-20). David was never to fully know rest again.’ 

Yeh mih people, our God doesn’t make empty promises, and He sees ALL, and knows ALL, so it’s no use trying to run and/or hide from Him. Now let’s go home invoking our Thursday Blessings. And remember, a blessing is not a blessing until it’s been spoken over someone or something. 

In unison now: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! 

I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! 

I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and everyday! Amen!’ 

Now let’s go out and put it all into action my fellow believers! Much LOVE!

…sin will forever clog our hearts…and keep us from God…until we truly repent of it…

P.S. I know it’s late and long, but it’s ever so good! (smile) Much LOVE!

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 March 2017 Psalm 95:6.

Psalm 95:6.   O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.

Ah well mih people, it’s another beautiful day in paradise… 

And some of you look at me as though I’m crazy. Paradise, you ask? Can this world ever be paradise? Why not eh? It was once before, why can’t it be so again eh? 

For our information friends, with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ at the helm anywhere can be paradise! In fact wherever He is, it’s paradise! And the mere fact that He dwells within us, makes our souls paradise. 

What does paradise mean eh? In this context, simply joy and peace and contentment at a level that keeps away anxiety, stress, resentment, anger and all the many other negative emotions that are currently blanketing our world. 

It’s the peace that passes all understanding, the joy that comes from the Lord’s strength, and the ability to go through trials and tribulations without batting an eyelash. (smile) 

Oh we do feel the pain and other negative stuff, but it does not affect us the way it does unbelievers. We know that our wonderful God will bring us out safely, and better off too, on the other side. 

That’s what we have over unbelievers; the knowledge that our magnificent and magnanimous God is working everything out for out good. And once we surrender our souls to Him, place our sincere trust in Him, we can ride out any storm, for He is always there to lead and guide us. 

But therein lies the rub; mankind does not easily trust and surrender, especially to an invisible, non-physical Being. And even some of those who do submit to Almighty God, don’t submit everything, they keep some stuff back for them to control. 

But friends, our God does not delight in halfway or partway measures. He wants it ALL or NOTHING at all! And unfortunately too many of us refuse to give it all up to Him. Some have even gone as far as to challenge the existence of God. 

As Bruh David claims in Psalms 14 and 53 – The foolishness of men. ‘The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God…’ (Ps.14, 53:1) 

But friends, I’m here to tell us an entirely different story. I’m here to invite us to do as our Bit says: ‘O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.’  

My brethren, that is one of the best invitations you can ever receive! No wonder Bruh David solemnly declared in Psalm 122: ‘I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.’ (Ps.122:1) 

And why is it so great and important to bow down and worship Almighty God eh? Listen up closely: ‘For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand (under His care).’ (Ps.95:7a) 

What better reason can there be eh friends? The Most High God Jehovah is our Maker, Our God, Our Controller and our Provider. So whom else should we pay allegiance to eh? NO ONE! That is if we are wise. 

And the psalmist continues with these words of wisdom. ‘Today if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation (rebellion), and as in the day of temptation (trial, testing) in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted (tried) me, proved me, and saw my work.’ (Ps.95:7b-9) 

Yeh friends, the Israelites tested and tried the Lord’s patience in the wilderness after He had so graciously and mercifully brought them out of four hundred years of bondage in Egypt. 

And as the psalmist continues: ‘Forty years long was I grieved (I was disgusted) with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err (go astray) in their heart, and they have not known my ways: Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.’ (Ps.95:10-11) 

Oh my people there is no better example of rebellion against Almighty God and the consequences that follow than the Israelites journey through the wilderness! Because they refused to obey His commandments they wandered for forty years until all those who had come out of Egypt died. None of them entered the Promised Land except Joshua and Caleb. 

So friends, regardless of what mankind says, there is a God, a mighty One too! And if we don’t obey His dictates, we are going to pay some serious consequences, just like the Israelites. 

So with those wise words of warning, let’s go home declaring our Thursday Blessings. And please remember that a blessing is not a blessing until it has been spoken over someone. 

In full voice now: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! 

I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! 

I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and everyday! Amen!’ 

Now if you believe it all, let’s go out and bless others! Much LOVE!

…if Jesus calls today…please answer respectfully…and listen wisely…