Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 May 2018 Psalm 91:2.

Psalm 91:2.    I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Aye friends, sorry the Bit’s somewhat late, but the ole fella’s definitely not in great shape this morning. I got up late and not feeling too hot either. But here we are, with the help of the Good Lord journeying on like a good pilgrim (smile). 

And it’s Friday, so you know the workingman is in his essence, shouting out loud to all and sundry: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday at last! The weekend…the weekend…it here finally! So let the party begin; eating and drinking and whatever catches your fancy! Massa had he time all week; is our time now, so live it up to the max! Thank God for Friday and weekends yes, otherwise our lives wouldn’t be worth the proverbial plugged nickel!’ 

And wouldn’t the enemy like us to take that advice. Just to let it all hang out and do whatever our lustful flesh dictates. Hn! But as followers of Jesus, we’re smarter than that. We know that we need to keep everything in perspective and don’t go overboard on anything, because that would just be inviting the enemy to enter our lives and get some kind of toehold. 

So we’ve set up boundaries and barriers to enable us to stay within the protected areas. That’s why our Friday Chant is not as explosive as the workingman’s song. Let’s declare it now nuh, with sincere enthusiasm and a strong sense of purpose. 

‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen!’ 

Yeh friends, as believers, we need to keep ourselves in good functioning mode, keep on top of stuff, so that we can work the works of Jesus at a moment’s notice. We do need to be refreshed and renewed, but never to lose sight of our earthly purpose. 

And to help us do that, here is this refreshing and reassuring verse of scripture enshrined as Today’s Bit. ‘I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.’ 

Oh friends, oh friends, what a position of trust, faith and total surrender! It’s the best decision we can make in this life as per our security! Listen as the psalmist continues the security features of God’s network. 

‘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; 

Not 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 night thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.’ (Ps.91:4-8) 

Yeh mih people, that’s the kind of security that our God provides. Now that doesn’t mean we will never see any kind of adversity, absolutely not! But it does mean that we will not live this live as fearful namby-pambys, and whenever adversity comes, we will be able to bear up under it with the Lord’s help, because He has faithfully promised to work everything out eventually for our good. 

And that’s the reassurance we have in His awesome word. No other faith or religion even promises anything like that, much less are able to deliver it like the Lord can. Give glory to His precious and holy name my people! For He is the one who made us, who saved us, and still LOVES us despite our undeserving nature! 

What a mighty God we serve and worship! Give Him thanks and praise all day long, for what He’s done, is doing, and has faithfully promised to do for us in the future! How can we not sincerely LOVE and adore Him eh people? I can’t understand why we are trying so hard to get Him out of our lives and our society when He is the ONLY ONE who can save us from hellfire and damnation. 

If we had our wits about us, we’d be running instead full steam ahead to His open, waiting LOVING arms, because He is indeed our fortress, our refuge and our God! 

Oh my brethren, let’s wake up and smell whatever we need to smell before it’s too late nuh! Jesus is coming back some time soon, when, we’re not sure, but like a thief in the night He can come at any time. And the sad part is that when He comes, all bets are over. There will be no more time for changing our minds and we’ll just end up unfortunately on the outside looking in. 

And I’ve said it often enough, that will be the worst place for a human to be, come the time of Jesus. So let’s get wise and be prepared nuh, that we will be ready for whenever He comes, even if it’s today. That’s wisdom at its greatest height. Much LOVE!

…the only thing that really matters…we’re prepared when Jesus comes…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 November 2017 Psalm 84:11.

Psalm 84:11.   For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Ah friends, thankfully my area did not get the heavy precipitation of snow that some other areas apparently received overnight. There is a smattering of the white stuff here and there in disparate patches on the ground, but nothing to be concerned about. 

We did get lots of rain and brutal winds though. You could hear the wind howling outside and rattling stuff. Hopefully it didn’t do any serious damage to any buildings. 

The cold of morning, which seems bright and quiet enough, obviously did not stop the workingman from getting out on the street and lustily declaring his weekend anthem. ‘TGIF! Thank the Lord Friday come! The weekend finally here! What a time it going to be, with all sorts of riotous goings ons. 

Mama Yo! Is party fuh so! Party and more party! As the song says: ‘Party, party, party!’ Yeh mih breddren, we have to thank the Lord for Fridays and weekends oui, otherwise the slave driver would kill we with work everyday!’ 

And as always, there is some truth to the workingman’s song. It’s just that he is carried away by his exuberance. (smile) No doubt many of us Christians might feel the same way, but we know that we can’t just let it all hang, out otherwise we’re going to get in trouble with the enemy. 

That’s why our Friday Chant differs from that of the ordinary workingman. We set some boundaries and restrictions to our leggo beast tendencies, (smile) so that the evil, always lurking enemy cannot get a foothold in our business. And believe me, it’s very easy to go overboard and allow him in, when you are tired after a difficult week of work. 

So let’s declare our anthem with as much gusto and purpose as the workingman declared his nuh. As one now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. 

Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’ 

Ah mih fellow saints of Jesus, that’s how we operate! We try to stay within the lanes of common sense as the values and directives of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ dictates. And when we call upon our great God for help, He helps us to stay within those parameters which are dear to His will. 

As our Bit so explicitly and graciously declares: ‘For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.’ 

Now yesterday we saw what Isaiah and Revelations had to say about the Lord being our sun. Hear now how Malachi puts it as he talks about the coming day of the Lord. ‘But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall (grow fat like stall fed calves) 

And ye shall tread (trample) down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts. Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgements.’ (Mal.4:2-4) 

Yeh friends, another great promise of our awesome God, but we also need to remember to live by His statutes and His law. It’s not going to happen regardless of our behaviour. 

Now hear this most significant promise of the Lord to Abram. ‘After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and they exceeding great reward.’ (Gen.15:10 ) 

And the scholars have this to say re that verse. ‘15”1. Thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward: This chapter introduces the Abrahamic covenant by which God promises him an heir and eventual descendants who will one day possess the land of Canaan. 

The word “shield” is translated in other passages as “believed.” Thus, God is the object of Abram’s faith and thereby the source of his confidence. The promise of reward is especially significant in view of the fact that Abram had just refused a reward from the king of Sodom (Gen.14:21-24). God Himself would be Abram’s true reward (cf. Ps.127:3).’ 

And we all know that God fulfilled that promise to Abram in magnificent and miraculous fashion! Just ponder it for a moment nuh; having a child around a hundred years old… That’s only possible with our omnipotent God, He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! 

So let’s cling with genuine faith to the many promises He’s made in His word, as we live in His will, for He who has promised is faithful to deliver. Much LOVE!

…Lo…children are a heritage of the Lord…and the fruit of the womb…is his reward… (Ps.127:3).