Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 December 2020 Daniel 6:16b.

Daniel 6:16b.     ​Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.

Well it’s Tuesday already… And yes, all day, cause time’s not waiting on me, as the duchess likes to say when I complain about how the days going by so fast. (smile) But it will soon be Christmas; that idyllic time of year when we celebrate our Saviour’s birth. Wonder what it’s going to be like this year eh, with the pandemic and the many other problems our society is currently facing? 

And yuh know what? I don’t think it’s going to be much different nuh, because people are still running helter-skelter to do Christmas shopping and what not. You’d never believe that we’re under a lockdown. No wonder the Covid-19 is not getting better and we’re setting new records every day. And with the upcoming promise of a vaccine on the horizon, people seem to be taking advantage of that news and disobeying the medical authorities even more. 

One more thing, don’t think that a vaccine is going to solve our problems nuh. I tend to believe it’s going to cause even more problems, what with all the negative info that’s floating around about it being Satan’s way of marking and controlling us, and the hordes of people who already are refusing to take it! It’s going to be a big bam-bam! And those who take it will rail against those who haven’t, and vice-versa, with all kinds of name calling and possible violence involved. 

But friends, please, let’s recall these momentous words of the pagan king Darius to Daniel when he threw him in the lion’s den. ‘Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.’ (Dan. 6:16b) Ah friends, if a pagan king could be so encouraging under those dire circumstances, why can’t we be likewise encouraging to each other eh, and faithfully keep serving the Lord God Jehovah eh? 

We know, or at least ought to know of His might, majesty, and power! Notwithstanding His most generous and compassionate grace and mercy to those who LOVE and faithfully serve Him. So why are we in such a negative state, if we claim to know that ‘all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to his purpose?’ (Rom. 8:28) 

It’s all about testing us and maturing our faith my people. Just like He tested Israel’s faith and wanting to mature them when they left Egypt by leading them the long way around, instead of the eleven-day journey it would normally take through the Philistine land: ‘for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent (change their minds) when they see war, and they return to Egypt.’ (Ex. 13:17) 

And we see how they behaved so disobediently in the wilderness despite all of God’s goodness, because they were by nature a stubborn, stiff-necked, hard-ears people. That’s why it took them forty long years to reach the Promised Land. The Lord just led them round in circles until all those who had come out of Egypt had died, except Caleb and Joshua. How many times did they threaten Moses to go back to Egypt eh, in spite of the harsh life of slavery they had lived there? 

Oh friends, the Lord has given us such a wonderful life nowadays, why aren’t we thankful and obedient to Him eh? Why can’t we say faithfully, and sincerely claim like Bruh David did eh? ‘I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.’ (Ps. 27:13) 

Yes mih people, life is so good when yuh worshipping and praising the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! So why the great disobedience, the turning away in droves, the mocking and blasphemy and lack of LOVE amongst us eh? Why the rampant evil, resentment, greed, and godlessness in our society eh? Why are we allowing the prince of darkness to cover our eyes so that we cannot see the light that radiates the goodness and LOVING-kindness of the Lord our God in the earth eh? 

Why are we worshipping so many different idols and gods who have absolutely no power eh, who are dead like doorknobs, and refuse to worship the One and ONLY living God Jehovah eh? I recently saw a commentary where the commentator says that we have turned away from God, and being the gentleman He is, He has stepped back and allowed us to be ruled by Satan, as we so greatly seem to desire, and what we are now witnessing and experiencing is simply the evil one’s authority and hegemony over our world. 

And if that’s true, then I don’t like it one bit, and you shouldn’t either! But either way my brethren, we ought to know that our God won’t leave nor forsake us, for He’s so promised, and He’s faithful to keep ALL of His promises. So for those of us who consider ourselves true believers in Christ Jesus, then we need to stand up strong and steadfast and adamantly resist the devil and his evil ministrations. 

We ought to be mature enough in our faith to know that whatever is happening in our world right now is not the end, for God is still in control despite how it looks, and He’s promised us victory through Christ Jesus. That means we have to put on His spiritual armour and with prayer and thanksgiving, fight the good fight, show the world that we are indeed mighty conquerors through Christ who died for us, that we are the head and not the tail, and we know for certain that the Lord will provide all our needs according to his riches in glory by our Lord and Saviour. 

That’s why these words of Peter ring so true in these turbulent and troubled times: ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. 

Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in (being experienced by) your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish (confirm), strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.’ (1 Pet. 5:6-11) That’s the basic answer to this life my brethren. 

So now, for those of us who are sincerely trying to live it, let’s go home declaring (ah Lord eh!) our Tuesday Mantra, letting the whole world know who and whose we are. In strong voice, with sincere hearts: ‘In God’s eyes, 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!’ 

So let’s go and do just that nuh! Much LOVE!

…life is all about LOVE…through Christ Jesus… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 July 2019 Daniel 6:16b.

Daniel 6:16b.    ​Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.
 

Yes friends, we late! That’s because I was up at around 3 a.m, sitting out on my porch, doing my usual communicating thing with God and nature, then I had a li’l fight with my computer again…But that’s all in the past now, especially since it’s Friday and everybody is happy that the weekend is here at last…none more so than the ordinary workingman, as he joyfully exclaims: 

‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday, and the weekend finally here! Mama Yo! Two days of rest from the slave master work! In the summertime to boot! That’s the best time ever! Can go around half-naked, enjoy the sunshine and hot weather, get a tan…do almost anything I want to do, with li’l or no restrictions. 

There’s no better time than a weekend in the summer…and also in the summer of my days! Yeah! I’m strong, healthy and have a fairly good life! I’m not rich, but I’m not poor either. And it’s not easy all the time, but I do my best. That’s all I can do! So this weekend is going to be a blast! Have a couple parties to go to. The wife and I going to step out for a change. 

Yeh, with her busy with the children at home and working part time, and I busy five days a week, as well as the odd overtime shift at the slave master’s job, we don’t have much alone time together. But brother, we certainly going to fix that this weekend. That’s why we have to thank God for Fridays and weekends oui!’ 

And yuh know friends, that’s the unfortunate state of many a household in our supposedly prosperous society. Too many parents don’t have the necessary time to spend together because they are so busy working and trying to make a decent life for their children to enjoy. And do the children appreciate it? Well that’s an entirely different can of worms! 

But what yuh going to do eh? That’s the way our society is currently set up. Many of us are even lucky to have part time jobs. And the wicked and greedy slave masters are taking advantage of the part time situation that their friendly governments are allowing to happen, with no benefits or surety of jobs. Just wait by the phone until we call. And if we call and you don’t answer…then crapaud smoke yuh pipe! 

Chuh! It’s sad and disgusting, but we seem to be reverting to the bad, old days, when the slave master held all the marbles and could dish them out how he wanted and to whom he wanted. Equity and fairness and social responsibility seems to have gone bye bye in this new world – read greedy, selfish, ungodly, and only interested in the first person singular. 

But thankfully, we Christians are different…Not as much as we ought to be though, for we are allowing the evil and selfishness of the world to invade our space and bring us more like them, instead of us invading their space and bringing them more Christ-like. We just have to keep praying and hoping, and doing the best we can, with God’s help of course! So let’s chant our Friday Chant nuh, which isn’t as worldly and rambunctious as the workingman’s, but does serve our Christ-like purpose. 

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!’ 

Oh, it doesn’t go as far out on the limb, as the workingman’s, but it keeps us in check, keep us on our toes, so that the enemy doesn’t get an easy and convenient toehold in our souls. And that’s our main purpose – to keep God in, and the evil one out! And yuh know my people, the best way to do that is to continually serve our heavenly Father. 

When I opened the Good Book this morning it opened at this wonderful verse in Daniel, as he was thrown into the lion’s den. ‘Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.’ What amazing words of encouragement from a pagan king! But the Lord put them there. 

The king knew that Daniel had been a faithful servant to him, the kings before him, and of the Lord, ever since He had been brought captive to Babylon, and he had heard of and experienced enough of God’s wonders and mercy through Daniel’s prophecy and general Christ-like behaviour to know that there was a God in heaven, who could do mighty things. 

And who hadn’t heard of the three Hebrew boys, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego brought out of the flaming fire with not even the smell of smoke clinging to them. So expecting the Lord to work a miracle on Daniel’s behalf was something he could comprehend. And when the Lord did act on Daniel’s behalf and saved him from the mouth of the lions, hear these astounding words that the king wrote to all his constituents. 

‘Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth. ‘Peace be multiplied unto you. (shades of Bruh Paul) I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men (must) tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and steadfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power (paws) of the lions.’ (Dan.16:25-27)

Oh friends, I know that most of us won’t make a splash as big as Daniel did, but I know that we can make a bigger splash than we are currently making. Let’s remember that it’s all for Jesus nuh. Our lives are supposed to bring others closer to Him, not drive them away, as so many of us are currently doing. Please, for all of our sakes, let’s truly live the life that Jesus intends for us to live nuh! We all know what we’re supposed to do, so let’s buckle down and do it…in Jesus’ name. Much LOVE!

…there’s no better way to serve Jesus…than letting our lives speak for Him…