Today’s Scrip-Bit   10 July 2022 Deuteronomy 33:27a.

10 Jul 2022 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Deuteronomy 33:27a.       The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms:

Another marvellous day on God’s great earth my people! The breath of life is strong and vibrant within us, and the Lord God Jehovah is on His heavenly throne running things for our eventual benefit, thus the glorious celebrations all around the world this Sunday morning! And all God’s people, said a loud, proud and grateful ‘Praise the Lord!’ 

Yes friends, Sunday is the Lord’s Day, and He has earmarked it for plenty praise and worship from His people. That’s why every time Sunday comes around our hearts are filled with joy as we eagerly gather to fellowship with other believers and give Him the praise, honour and glory He so richly deserves. 

And today we’re going to open the proceedings with one of the greatest hymns ever written for obtaining God’s grace and merry, His fatherly comfort in times of solace. It’s aptly titled, ‘Leaning On the Everlasting Arms.’ And there’s definitely no better place in this whole universe to lean for comfort and encouragement than on the everlasting arms of Christ Jesus! 

The website Godtube tells us that the song was written in the late 19th century by Anthony J. Showalter and Elisha Hoffman. It stemmed from letters Showalter had received from two of his former pupils informing him that their wives had died and they were seeking consolation. In replying to their letters, he was struck by the words of Moses from Deuteronomy 33:27, as he blessed the tribes of Israel. He said:  ‘The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.’ 

Apparently that led to his further thinking that they would be good words on which to base a hymn of solace and comfort, so he engaged the services of Hoffman to help him. And thus was born this tremendous, popular and heartlet hymn, which we’ll now proceed to sing in a soulful, mid-tempo version. 

And while are singing it, the website Hymnary.org challenges us to ‘contemplate what it means to find refuge in our heavenly Father’s arms in times of fear and trial, and to allow His joy and peace to replace our loneliness and anxiety.’ Excellent advice for our Sunday morning worship my faithful brethren! So let’s open our hearts and mouths and offer up sincere sacrifices of praise to our heavenly Father, who is indeed our eternal refuge in times of trial. 

And we sing: ‘What a fellowship, what a joy divine, leaning on the everlasting arms; what a blessedness, what a peace is mine, leaning on the everlasting arms. (Refrain: Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.) O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim’s way, leaning on the everlasting arms; O how bright the path grows from day to day, leaning on the everlasting arms. [Refrain]

What have I to dread, what have I to fear, leaning on the everlasting arms? I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, leaning on the everlasting arms. (Refrain) Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms, Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms; leaning on the everlasting arms…leaning on the everlasting arms of Jesus… oh how good it is to be, leaning on the everlasting arms of Christ my Saviour….’ 

Oh my fellow saints, I’m sure we’ll all agree that it is indeed good to lean on the everlasting arms of Christ our Saviour! No if’s ands and buts about that! If we must lean somewhere for solace and comfort, then that’s the ideal place to lean! And the simple words of the short verses are so beautiful and true: ‘What a fellowship, what a joy divine…what a blessedness, what a peace is mine…O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim’s way; O how bright the path grows from day to day…What have I to dread, what have I to fear…I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, leaning on the everlasting arms.’ 

Wow! Every sentiment there conveys the gospel truth! And it’s not like Moses alone described the Lord as our refuge, although he did it again in the opening verse of the only psalm he ever wrote, Psalm 90, where he declares: ‘Lord thou hast been our dwelling place (refuge) in all generations.’ (Ps.. 90:1) 

Then in Psalm 142, subtitled ‘Thou art my refuge,’ when Bruh David could find no human solace he writes: ‘I cried unto thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living. Attend (give heed) unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I. Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about (surround me); for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.’ (Ps. 142:5-7) And that’s exactly how the Lord deals with us when we sincerely call upon Him for help! It must be a sincere plea, not just some wishy-washy cry. 

And the author of Psalm 91, aptly subtitled ‘God is a refuge and fortress,’ puts it this way. ‘He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, he is my refuge and my fortress: my God: in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler (bird trapper), and from the noisesome (perilous, deadly) pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust (take refuge): his truth shall be thy shield and buckler (small shield). 

Thou shalt not be afraid for (of) the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth (lays waste) at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh (near) thee. Only with thine eye shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.’ (Ps. 91:1-8) 

Yes friends, that’s the kind of trust and belief we ought to have in our great God. And as we go about our business today and every day, please let’s make it a habit to take a moment and ‘contemplate what it means to find refuge in our heavenly Father’s arms in times of fear and trial, and to allow His joy and peace to replace our loneliness and anxiety.’ Loneliness and anxiety that so many of us are experiencing in these very troubling times. That is wisdom to the nth degree. Much LOVE!

… Christ’s powerful and everlasting arms…were made explicitly for us to lean on…

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Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 July 2016 Psalm 142:1.

23 Jul 2016 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Psalm 142:1.     I cried unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication.

O glory be friends! Another blessed and wonderful day of working for Jesus is upon us! Hn! Without a doubt, He is the best employer there is! Working for Him is so stimulating, eye-opening and ofttimes miraculous, plus His rewards are to die for; salvation and everlasting life in His company! Wow! Nothing could be better than that my people. 

Oh I know tests, trials and tribulation will often beset us in this sinful world, but when we have the Holy Spirit of Jesus dwelling within us, we can withstand anything that comes against us. That’s His promise, and we all know that He is ever-faithful where promises are concerned. So what say you that we give the foolish, defeated devil a run for his money today eh?

Let’s just glory in the name of Jesus and do His will with diligence and sincerity. There’s nothing that gets Lucifer madder than having people truly live for and talk about Jesus. So let’s talk up a Jesus storm today friends, and rile Lucifer for a change, instead of him always trying to rile us. (smile) 

Now here are this week’s two quotes from our friend Anselm, who always aspires to inspire us. The first one is plain, simple and straightforward. ‘Health is your greatest material asset; if you’re healthy, you are rich.’ And that my brethren is indisputable truth, especially in this sickly society of ours today! 

One would think that in our supposed advanced society, sickness would not be as prevalent as it is, but unfortunately it is, and all of us would be wise to carefully guard and look after our health. But sadly it’s not that easy to do with the busy society we live in, plus all the junk food we’re eating, with all the untested chemicals that are being put in even the simplest things nowadays. 

Just try reading the label of one of your favourite snacks nuh, you’ll be amazed at the amount of stuff that’s in it, most of them you’ve never even heard about before. But they need something to keep it fresh and long-lasting, while making it look enticing. So please friends, let’s pay careful attention to our health, especially that giant killer stress, which doesn’t play favourites, and will knock you down with the same intensity whether you sixteen or sixty. 

And the opposite of that is also true; we have too many couch potatoes and inactive screen watchers. And sadly that lifestyle begins from young, so what will they turn out to be as adults eh? Anyway, they say that a word of warning to the wise is sufficient. You have been warned… so please be wise. (smile)  

And the second of Anselm’s quotes tells us: ‘Never discuss your problems with someone incapable of contributing to the solution because those who never succeed themselves are always first to tell you how.’ 

Now there is also truth in that my people. Everybody and their brother have good advice to give. Meanwhile some of them can’t even spell the word. That’s why so many people are being led astray in today’s supposedly wise, but really fraudulent and deceitful world. 

And my Christian brethren, please pay special attention to that, because the first person we’re to go to for advice is our Creator and heavenly Father, not the last, after everybody else have led us down the garden path. Then if God so desires, He will lead you to another human being for help. 

So there are two things for us to ponder today; the state of our health, and the quality of our advisers. And then ask God to help us improve them. You know He’ll never refuse our sincere requests, once they fall into line with His will. 

And we have a wonderful testimony of that from Psalm 142- Thou art my refuge – a contemplation of Bruh David, when he was hiding in the cave from his enemies, who wanted to take his life. Listen to our Bit. ‘I cried unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication.’ 

Yes friends, as I keep saying Bruh David knew on which side his bread was buttered. Most of the time he sought the Lord’s help and guidance; the main exception being his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba.  But nonetheless, the Lord heard him and kept his pursuers from harming him. 

And Bruh David continues: ‘I poured out my complaint before him; I showed (declared) before him my trouble. When my spirit was overwhelmed (fainted) within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily (secretly) laid a snare for me. I looked on my right hand, and beheld, there was no man that would know (acknowledge) me. 

I cried unto thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refugee and my portion in the land of the living. Attend unto (give heed to) my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I. Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about (surround me); for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.’ (Ps.142:2-7) 

Ah friends, can you imagine the magnitude of Bruh David’s situation. There he was, the anointed king of Israel, running and hiding like a common criminal. But he never allowed his faith in the God of his fathers to waiver. His pride and ego did not prevent him from crying out for help to his heavenly Father. 

Likewise my fellow believers, in times of trouble, we should never let pride and/or ego prevent us from crying out to Almighty God for help! It’s the wisest thing we can do, for our wonderful God never turns away a sincere plea for help.  And please note the last verse. Bruh David believes that God will save him, and promises to offer thanksgiving when it occurs. 

Oh friends, today we need to take a page from Bruh David’s book and cry out to God! With a sincere heart, let’s lay all our troubles, fears and worries before Him, so that He can release our souls from the bondage that Lucifer’s trying to keep it in. There’s no greater wisdom that that my fellow believers in Jesus Christ! Much LOVE!

…it’s not wise to put your trust in fallen, finite man…but in the risen, infinite Being called Jesus…