Today’s Scrip-Bit 22 January 2015 Psalm 3:8

Psalm 3:8.     Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people.   Selah.

Aye mih people, is Thursday morning, another chilly one, and the ole fella fighting this cold tooth and nail! (smile) We going down to the wire with it, we not giving up! It’s a fight to the death!

 
Oh I know that it has to run its course, but while it’s doing its thing, I’m also doing my own, trying not to let it make me feel too terrible, because you know that nothing in this world makes you feel as miserable as a simple fresh cold.
 
Ah Lord eh! We can put man on the moon and voyage out to Venus and Mars, but we can’t cure a simple cold! Steups! But I guess them’s the breaks! And believe me, it was difficult to get up this morning, although I wasn’t sleeping. But a certain malaise in my spirit just said lie down and rest. (smile)
 
And I did for a short while. But knowing that the Bit had to go out, I eventually forced myself out of the bed. And I believe I have the right medication for whatever is ailing us this morning, in the words of The One Year Book of Promises, with writings from Ruth Harms Calkin.
 
This passage is titled ‘God’s Promises,’ and it says: ‘With increasing joy I am discovering that God’s promises do not suddenly disappear when our courage fails and our fears become overwhelming. Feeling or no feeling, when God gives a promise that speaks directly to our need, it stands firm regardless of negative circumstances.
 
There may be times of questioning, and we may not understand God’s timing, but His promise remains certain during our deepest trial. If we consistently rely on His immutable Word, we can disregard the darkness.
 
Oswald Chambers says, “Are you in the dark right now regarding your circumstances? Then listen, and God will give you a very precious message for someone else when you are in the light.” God waits for us to trust Him when trusting seems the most difficult thing to do.’
 
Ah Friends, the cruel, evil and ungodly world that we’re currently living in, is certainly making it hard for us to trust God and rely on His promises. But if we want to succeed, we have to truly stand in faith on His word, even though we may seem completely surrounded by darkness.
 
And as the Bible promise for that passage so truthfully declares: ‘Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience (endurance, perseverance), that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.’ (Heb.10:35-36)
 
Yes mih breddren, the one thing we CAN’T DO, is GIVE UP! And it’s when life seems the darkest that we need to hold on to God’s promises the strongest. For as the saying goes; the darkest hour is the one just before the dawn. And that’s no lie! We experience the roughest times just before we experience our breakthrough.
 
So please, let’s hang in there with Jehovah God, for He knows what He’s doing. His thoughts and ways are so much higher than ours that we don’t, and can’t always understand what He’s about. In His omnipotence He created us, and still controls the universe, and sincerely promised that all His plans for us were all for good, for peace, with hope for a bright future. (Jer.29:11)
 
And as our Bit so wisely and rightly declares: ‘Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: thy blessing is upon thy people.   Selah.’ And of that my people, there is absolutely no doubt! That’s why so many people of great faith in the Bible declared it.
 
Now let’s look at a few more of those scripture passages that declare salvation comes from God, as we’ve been doing for the last few days. And we’ll begin with words of Bruh David, who called out to God so often and so seriously in his writings. Listen to how he begins Psalm 35 – A prayer for rescue from enemies.
 
‘Plead my cause (contend for me), O Lord, with them that strive (contend) with me: fight against them that fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler (a small shield), and stand up for mine help.
 
Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me (stop those who pursue me): say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.’ (Ps.35:1-3)
 
And we all know the turbulent and tumultuous life that Bruh David lived, but he never forgot or gave up on the God of his fathers, who faithfully saved him from his enemies whenever he cried out for help.
 
Now hear the author of Hebrews, whom I can’t help but think is Bruh Paul, with all the similarities of speech and mannerisms.
 
‘Though he (Jesus) were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. Called of God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.’ (Heb.5:8-10)
 
And isn’t that the gospel truth Friends! Jesus died, rose from the grave and ascended into heaven so that we could have eternal salvation! Without those wonderful, selfless acts of His, there would be no general salvation. Many of us would stay lost and unsaved.
 
So let’s give Him a big shout of praise and thanks for saving our sinful souls from eternal separation from Almighty God, the worst fate that can befall a human being.
 
And all God’s people declared a loud and heartfelt: ‘Thank You Jesus! Thank You ever so much for sacrificing Your holy, sinless life on the cross, so that Your shed blood, precious as it was, could pay for, atone for our abominable sins. We praise You, bless and glorify Your holy name! Amen.’
 
And now Friends, we’ll end with this well known verse from Psalm 42 – An intense longing for God – a contemplation from the sons of Korah.
 
And it simply says: ‘Why art thou cast (bowed) down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise Him for the help of his countenance (presence).’ (Ps.42:5)
 
Yes my people, I implore us to keep hoping in God, though our souls might not feel like doing it, for regardless of what anyone else says, only from Him is true salvation and eternal life possible. Much LOVE!
 
…to EVERY problem in our lives…Jesus IS the answer…

 

 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 29 August 2013 John 13:35

John 13:35   By this shall men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another. 
 
Well hello there my fine Friends in Christ! Unfortunately, this Thursday morning at the end of August, in the summer of the year 2013, the ole fella has nothing to say…
 
And immediately a great cry of joy rose up to heaven. ‘Wow! Is that really possible? But thank the Lord for it anyway!’ (smile)
 
Yes Friends, some of you will consider that rather fortunate, but as I keep reminding us, we can do any and all things with the help of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. So please remember this is not my word I’m writing about, but the Lord’s, so my not having anything personal to say is of no account, for the Lord’s Spirit will lead and guide me to what HE wants me to say.
 
Got all yuh eh! (smile) Oh Friends, life is so short, we need to have some occasional fun in it. And remember yesterday we spoke about mixing and matching the daily ingredients of life at our disposal? Well everyday we should endeavour to put useful ingredients like joy, peace and LOVE in the mix, because those things will benefit us the most in this already rough and trouble-filled life. No sense in making it harder than it already is.
 
But again, unfortunately that’s what a lot of us do to ourselves and consequently to those around us. We interject things like hate, resentment and other evil doings into our souls, which eventually flow from us to others. Now with stuff like that seething and raging in our spirits, how can we enjoy life eh? No way Jose!
 
Jesus says in our Bit that we ought to live in and by LOVE. ‘By this shall men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ 
 
But sadly, for one reason or another, we seem to find that difficult to do on a regular, constant and sustained basis. But it’s that regularity and sustainability that truly makes it LOVE!
 
And furthermore, it’s even sadder when the place that LOVE should be the most evident and palpable, in the family, the smallest and most important unit of our society, that’s where it’s least evident these days.
 
Oh my brethren, too many families live in turmoil and hate, dissension and disunity, as well as emotional distance and separation in this information age!
 
And if the LOVE doesn’t begin at home, where it ought to, where else will it crop up eh? If all we take from home is resentment and bitterness, how will we find joy and LOVE? Obviously we’ll end up looking for them in all the wrong places, like so many of us are doing today, and thus find ourselves in even deeper, unfathomable, negative waters.
 
Now the LOVE that Jesus is talking about here is not the romantic, hugging and kissing thing, but what the Greeks term ‘agape.’ That’s simply being decent with and showing concern for others, helping and serving one another, forgiving each other’s faults, but also trying to live a righteous life, so that there won’t be too many faults to forgive.
 
Oh my brethren, if we could just treat each other with a little more civility and a modicum of appreciation, you wouldn’t believe the great difference and positive change that would bring about in our much too troubled and tumultuous world.
 
And here’s an interesting, but also very practical quote from St.Therese, the patron Saint of the Little Flower Society. She declares, that ‘To live by LOVE is to go through life sowing peace and joy in hearts.’
 
Oh Friends, that’s as gospel truth as we can get outside of the gospel! (smile) And that’s exactly what showing and living in LOVE should bring forth; joy and peace in your heart, as well as those with whom you interact. If we’re not providing things like joy and peace and righteousness in our hearts and those with whom we come into contact, then we’re NOT living in LOVE, and we’re not being true disciples of Christ!
 
That’s the long and short of the story my brethren. There’s no getting around it. Anything that truly bears the name of LOVE, MUST HAVE attributes like peace, joy, understanding, help, service and understanding emanating from its work! And if those essential elements are missing, then it’s NOT TRUE LOVE! 
 
And now that we’ve understood the essence of LOVE, let’s look at some scriptures that fortify that reasoning… sorry, that fortify those eternal truths. (smile)
 
Hear Bruh Paul as he encourages the Roman church to walk in LOVE. ‘LOVE worketh no ill (does no harm) to his neighbour: therefore LOVE is the fulfilling of the law.’ (Rom.13:10)
 
More gospel truth my brethren! For true LOVE doesn’t have wrong, harmful or evil intents and thoughts in its bosom or spirit.
 
And yuh know what Friends? I think we’ll end here for today, because I just looked at my notes and the rest of stuff I’d planned to say would definitely make it too long. And I don’t want to turn us off, since we have these busy schedules and short attention spans, and we also have to get in our own Bible Study time.
 
Now mih people, I surely hope that you’re doing your own reading of the Word and not just relying on the Bit. For how else would you know if I’m simply talking lies, nonsense, or the gospel truth eh?
 
So as I’ve being saying from day one, reading the Bit is great, because it gets you thinking, activates your mind, but in the long run it’s still only a catalyst for turning your mind to God. Therefore, it is still ESSENTIAL THAT EACH AND EVERY BELIEVER, READS HIS OR HER BIBLE, PREFERABLY EVERY DAY!
 
And Friends that is indeed the height of wisdom and the very kernel of everlasting truth!
 
Some of you must be wishing now that I had something to say at the beginning eh? (smile) But Friends, I’m just giving it to you as it should be. So until tomorrow, our great God in favour, please, let’s walk in lockstep with Jesus as best we can nuh, and that means walking in LOVE! Much LOVE!
 
…the song’s not wrong…for LOVE is truly…what makes the world go round