Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 January 2008 Ezekiel 34: 15-16‏

11 Jan 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Ezekiel  34:15-16    I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and strong: I will feed them with judgement.
 
What a kind and loving Father! It seems His heart is always with the poor and suffering; the underdog. In Ezekiel 34, He’s telling the prophet to cry out and prophesy against the rulers of Israel, because they were being greedy, keeping the fat of the land for themselves, not sharing it with the struggling multitude, like good shepherds should. ‘Should not the shepherd feed the flock?’ He testily enquires. Friends, the same thing is happening today all over out turbulent, turmoil filled world, A few have a lot, while a lot have little. And it makes me wonder about the wisdom of our rulers. Don’t they realize that at some stage, oppressed people, either give up and die without a fight, or with nothing left to lose, they rise up and attack their oppressors, and then everybody loses? It’s currently happening in so many different parts of the world, and has happened so often throughout history, that you’d think rulers would learn and allow their flocks to acquire a greater proportion of the land’s bounty, so they could live comfortably and not be too jealous of the shepherd’s wealth. The few will still have more than the many, but the distribution would not be as inequitable and cause less contention. But I guess, as the man says, power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. It’s just something inherent in that vehicle termed power, that negatively affects our brain and better judgement. But fear not People! The Most High is in our corner, and the wicked shall not prosper long. Our Heavenly Shepherd says that He will feed His flock and cause them to lie down in comfort. That’s us Friends! The Lord promises to look after us; to find the lost, return the exiled, rebuild the broken and heal the sick. After that, He’ll deal with the down-pressors; they’ll pay the price for their evil deeds. What an awesome promise from a faithful Patriarch! How can we not revere and worship Him eh? Oh People! The world’s in turmoil. Why? We don’t know, and possibly couldn’t comprehend anyway. But please, be absolutely sure of two facts: The Lord Jehovah is still in control. And He is looking  over us with loving kindness, like a truly good shepherd does His flock. And in His own time and manner He will straighten out everything. Much LOVE!…no need to fear… our God is here…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 January 2008 Acts 15: 39-41‏

10 Jan 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Acts 15:39-41    And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus. And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.
 
Oh People! Why must there always be contention to split us apart eh? And sadly, the disagreement is usually over small, unimportant things. Today’s Bit exposes disunity in the early days of the church, a disunity that has continued unabated to this day. The first problem was whether the Gentiles (non Jews) could receive the Holy Spirit, which they did after Peter spoke to them at Cornelius’ house. Then it was the matter of circumcision. Must they undergo it to be true believers? This was finally settled at a meeting in Jerusalem between the Apostles and the Elders. The answer was No! Once they followed the ten commandments, they were okay. So they wrote letters outlining this and sent Paul, Barnabas, Silas and Judas Barsabas to the Gentiles at Antioch, Syria and Cilicia, informing them of this doctrinal breakthrough. Now, after a wonderful reception in Antioch and a few days of good ministry, Paul tells Barnabas it’s time to go and visit the other churches at which they had preached, to see how they were doing. Barnabas agrees, but the bone of contention is whom to take with them. Barnabas wants John Mark. Hn! No way! says Paul. Apparently John Mark had left them in the lurch earlier on at Pamphylia. The Bit says, ‘the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other.’ That indicates a big argument. But Friends, was that really necessary? Was it such a weighty matter that it should cause a split between them? I don’t think so. But obviously they did. So Barnabas took John Mark and went to Cyprus, while Paul took Silas to Syria and Cilicia. And it’s been the story of the church ever since. From the problems with the early Popes in the Roman Catholic set, to Henry V111’s breaking away and proclaiming the Anglican set, to the Reformation with Martin Luther and others splitting it even further, to today, where problems of homosexuality, female and married priests tend to splinter it yet again. It’s surprising that all of this contention could spring from the same, single root; from the birth, work, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He must sometimes shakes His head in sad amazement. Friends, I don’t know the answers or solutions to the problems that we feel beset us. I just know that the strife and turmoil, both within the small denominations and the larger Ecclesiastical movement is unhealthy and causing unnecessary harm. How can we expect non-believers to accept our faith in J.C when they see us fighting so foolishly amongst ourselves eh? For all our sakes, and those of future generations too, we’ve got to reduce both the tension and contention. That’s the only way we can ever hope to really accomplish our mission; spreading the sincere LOVE and Word of our Heavenly Father. Much LOVE!…consider this eternal truth…there’s only ONE GOD…!

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 January 2008 Proverbs 8:18-19‏

09 Jan 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Proverbs 8: 18-19    Riches and honour are with me: yea, durable riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
 
Words from the Wisest One, Friends, Solomon. Words filled with truth and understanding. Wealth and fame can be easily achieved in this crazy world of ours. That’s why so many people make and lose several fortunes in their short lifetimes. There are also those who’ve being lifted up, placed on pedestals, given celebrity status and fawned over. However, when some Achilles heel is discovered shortly thereafter, they are toppled from their high places, with obvious relish, their name and business summarily dragged through the mud, all their past glory forgotten. A current example of that is Britney Spears. A few years ago she was a Pop Princess, a media darling, selling millions of albums around the world. Then something happened. Who really knows what? And suddenly everything changed. Her whole life suffered a terrible melt down. Now she’s become the whipping girl of the media, a pariah, a social outcast. And instead of offering help, we mercilessly track her every move, chronicle it and ridicule her. For what? Something that we helped to build. Giving them fame and fortune at too young an age, without the necessary tools to handle it properly. Meanwhile the greedy media trumpets the supposedly glamorous lives they live, and we lap it up greedily in our boring, humdrum, everyday existence. If we did not subscribe to this cult of the celebrity nonsense, the media would never be hounding them for any sliver of gossip to satisfy our sadistic hunger. Hn! And now that Britney’s teenaged sister is pregnant out of wedlock…Mama yo! The Spears name is mud twice over, with all the hypocrites jumping up to judge them. But Friends, please note, that lasting wealth and recognition cannot be made overnight or through some world power. As Solomon puts it, ‘durable riches and righteousness’ can only be obtained through association with the Most High God, Jehovah. ‘Riches and honour are with me,’  He truthfully declares. The benefits we receive from our association with Him, things like peace, LOVE, mercy, understanding, forgiveness and eternal salvation are far better than gold and silver, even the finest there is. So why are we so hooked on the disposable, easy come, easy go riches of this material world eh? Please, let’s try and change our focus. Let’s turn our sights to the ‘durable riches and righteousness’ only to be found by following our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Much LOVE! …remember…man’s riches never last long…but God’s… His lasts forever…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 January 2008 Acts 10: 34-35‏

08 Jan 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Acts 10: 34-35    Then Peter opened his mouth and said, Of a truth, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons. But in every nation, he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
 
Friends, another awesome truth about our God. He doesn’t care who you are or where you’re from. Your nationality and race are unimportant. Once you revere Him and do His will, then He enfolds you in His warm, loving arms and calls you, ‘My precious child.’  He certainly chose a long, roundabout manner to teach Peter this powerful truth though. But that’s His style; unique and unpredictable. He could have simply said, ‘Look Peter, I don’t care about a person’s background, once you believe in Me and do what I ask, you’re mine.’  But no, He had to lay out a convoluted plot, with lot’s of intrigue and suspense, like a good thriller writer. I think He just revels in the suspense and drama. In fact, the first lesson in any Writing Course, should be looking through the Bible to see how the Most High constructs His scenes. All the essential elements are there; perfect stage setting, foreshadowing, beautiful flowing language, and obviously lots of suspense and drama, of which He’s a master, all building nicely to a climactic ending. For this lesson, He had Peter hungry on a roof top, fall into a trance and see a vision about all sorts of animals, then instruct him to get up and kill and eat, with Peter proudly claiming that he’s never eaten anything common or unclean, and God declaring that what He’d cleansed, Peter shouldn’t call unclean. And He did that three times before poor Peter woke up all confused. But talk about timing! Hn! That’s His forte. And while Peter was all ‘confuffled’ on the roof, the Lord kindly informed him that three men were at the front door seeking him, quite true, that he should get up and go with them, without any doubts, because he had sent them. Those men had been sent to Joppa, from Caesarea, by one Cornelius, an army commander of a group called the Italian band. Cornelius, though not a Jew, was a devout follower, always praying and doing good works. Around this same time, he also saw a vision of an Angel coming to him and calling his name. Scared, he asked what was happening? God told him that he was being honoured for his prayers and good works, and that he should send the men to Joppa to get Simon. Gave him his surname, Peter, and address, a house by the seaside, owned by another Simon, a tanner. To make a long story short (smile) two days later, Peter and a few Joppa brethren ended up at Cornelius’ house. Cornelius met him at the gate and fell at his feet in worship. But Peter pulled him upright, saying that he was a man just like him. When they entered the house many people were gathered there to meet and greet and hear him. Taken aback, Peter reminded his host that it was unlawful for Jews to keep company with other nationalities, but God had shown him not to call anybody common or unclean, so even without knowing why, he came when called. Then Cornelius gave him, his side of the story. Suddenly Peter understood, and made that dramatic utterance in Today’s Bit; ‘God is no respecter of persons.’  What a story Friends! Only our powerful, magnificent God, with a touch of humour, irony and drama in His soul, could have concocted such a moving tale. Please, let’s remember it, and don’t be too proud and self righteous, thinking that the faith has only been appointed to people like us. Much LOVE!…believe and follow…the only requirements to be a child of God…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 January 2008 Daniel 11:32‏

07 Jan 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Daniel 11:32    And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits.
 
Yes Friends, more encouraging words to help us along the straight and narrow path we’ve chosen to tread. This time from Daniel, that visionary of the Jewish people, who rose to prominence in the Babylonian Empire through the machinations of the Most High, so that he could be a light to his people. Wow! What a mouthful! (smile). Anyway, in Chapter 11, Daniel is being informed by an Angel, of the turmoil to befall the Babylonians through the Medes and Persians. This one King though, having suffered a humiliating defeat in battle would return to his people with much anger against the Holy Covenant, and would join forces with those who did not abide by it. He would further corrupt them through flattery.  Friends beware! Flattery; pretty words and empty promises was a powerful tool then, it’s even more powerful now, and it’s very easy to fall under its enticing spell. That’s what our modern advertising, public relations and con-artist industries are based on; flattery. If you buy this or that, or join so and so, what wonders it will do for you; make you pretty, fashionable, rich, will elevate you to greater performances or higher levels or whatever. And sadly, although we know that most of it is false, it’s rubbish, so great is our either our greed or desire to conform, to move, or appear to move amongst the in-crowd, the fashionable, the movers and shakers, we fall for the lies and purchase the useless commodities, give our hard earned money to scam artists or join some dubious, unholy group. Luckily though, the Angel went on to explain to Daniel, ‘but the people that know their God, shall be strong and do exploits.’ Praise the Lord my Friends! That’s us, he’s talking about; the people who know their God. We are strong. We won’t fall for the flimsy, chocolate covered, brass plated inducements and enticements that the enemy proclaims is solid gold. We know better than that..hn! hopefully (smile)  But we’ve still got to be very careful because the enemy is very crafty and can dream up stuff that appears good and wholesome, but is actually deceiving and worthless. So let’s take our time and check things out properly before we rush into them, since hype is now in ascendance over substance, and the technical wizardry now available, can make a lump of coal appear to be a nugget of gold. Let’s be strong and do endearing, worthwhile exploits, and not cause the enemy’s wiles to induce us into breaking the Covenants, neither the old one God made with Abraham, or the new one Jesus made with us. Much LOVE!…remember…all that glitters is not gold…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 January 2008 Hebrews 6: 10-12‏

06 Jan 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Hebrews 6: 10-12    For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end. That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
 
That’s a veritable truth Friends! Our God will never, and I repeat, never, forget the work we do in His name. He is too just and faithful for that. Bruh Paul was a master encourager, and in Today’s Bit we find him doing  just that; encouraging the Hebrews to continue doing their good works to those in need, to continue their LABOUR of LOVE. I think it’s a rather appropriate term for our walk of faith, because it’s not an easy walk, it’s full of pitfalls, sorrow and disappointment, but we do it in the name of LOVE:  LOVE for the Father, who first LOVED us, and requires us to LOVE others the same way. Paul further recommends that believers be very diligent, hard working individuals, not slothful and lazy, having hope, lots of it, right to the very end of our days. Easy to say, but much harder to do, since not many of us possess Paul’s proselytizing zeal and fervour, and moreover, today, there are many, many more attractive distractions than in Paul’s time. However, he does suggest that we can possibly lead fruitful lives by following others who lived that way; finding role models whose lives were staunchly and steadfastly based on the cornerstones of Christianity; Hope, that begets Faith, which in turn builds Patience, that enables us to wait for the wonderful things promised by our faithful Father for those who do His will. Friends, I know it’s difficult nowadays to find believers who genuinely fulfil those requirements, so I’m throwing out a question, an idea, a suggestion, call it what you will; why don’t we become role models for others eh? Ponder that nuh. It makes sense. If we can’t find any to follow, then let’s become those whom others can follow. The Lord will surely bless us for our faithfulness. Much LOVE!…when the roll is called up yonder…let’s be numbered amongst the faithful guides nuh…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 January 2008 Lamentations 3:24-26‏

05 Jan 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Lamentations 3:24-26    The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I have hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.
 
Oh yes Friends! More powerful encouraging words from Jeremiah’s soulful Lamentations. A continuation from yesterday, where he belatedly discerned that God is in everything, He controls all, directs every aspect of our lives. And having come to that enlightening conclusion, Bruh Jerry felt uplifted, bold and confident enough to say, ‘The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore will I have hope in Him.’  That’s the way it should also be with us, my people. We should be bold and confident in the Faith. Note too, that it was not just a mental discernment that Jeremiah had, but more a spiritual awakening; ‘saith my soul.’ he claims. That meant he felt it deep down in the very depths of his being, where the Holy Spirit operates. It’s also how we need to feel it Friends. That’s where and how, the hope, the great expectations, the power to keep walking by faith is born. As the ole people say, ‘yuh got to feel it like a fire burning in yuh belly!’ (smile) But that’s the gospel truth. Only when something really moves us, are we able to truly rise above our calamities. That fire enables us to dig deep down for whatever resources we need to successfully climb the steep, slippery rungs of the treacherous, unsteady, manipulative ladder of life. Hn,hn hn! The ‘floweriness’ of that last sentence brought forth a chuckle since it was totally unexpected, just came out of the blue. But that’s exactly what I’m talking about; when you’re really moved, you’re empowered to do marvellous things. And it’s why Jeremiah was able to switch from bemoaning his travails to praising his God in one simple moment. His spirit was renewed, which lead him to acknowledge that our God is kind and loving to those who not only wait on Him, but also search diligently for Him. We must want Him in our hearts and lives so badly that we sincerely go looking for Him. That’s when His joy in us is really kindled. It let’s Him know that we are truly serious. And so, through the movement of the spirit, Jeremiah came to a most excellent conclusion. ‘It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.’  Friends, truer words were never spoken. Consequently, I’m pleading with us to seriously try and follow Jeremiah’s directive, so that the Most High will look favourably upon us. Much LOVE!…remember…there’s still work to be done…while we’re hoping and quietly waiting…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 January 2008 Lamentations 3:21-23‏

04 Jan 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Lamentations 3:21-23    This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
 
Oh Friends, those verses say so much about our God! Apparently Jerusalem and its people were going through some tough times and Jeremiah was lamenting the suffering brought on by the Lord’s anger, and His harsh punishment. But halfway through his plaintive tale, Jeremiah pulled himself up. Remembering all the affliction, the wormwood and gall which humbled his soul, he realized, in a moment of spiritual awareness, that it could have been worse, and right away the tenor of his words changed. ‘Therefore have I hope,’ he attests. ‘It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not!’  Oh praise the Lord people and thank Him for that merciful attitude!  Even when He’s angry with us, He’s still the loving Father and shows compassion when we possibly don’t deserve it. And Jeremiah doesn’t stop there. He maintains that God’s compassion is renewed every morning. Wow! That means everyday He comes up with new mercy. What an awesome God! Who wouldn’t want to be associated with a noble, forgiving Being like that eh? Then Jeremiah adds the crowning touch; ‘great is thy faithfulness.’  Oh yes Friends, that’s one thing we can surely count on; the faithfulness of our God. He always keeps His word, on that we can rely. So even though we may be lamenting our sorrows amid rough times, like Jeremiah, we’ve also got to realize that things could always be worse, and it’s only through the mercy and compassion of the Most High that they aren’t. At the same time, on the other side of the coin, this gives us hope. If it could be worse, that means it could also be better. And with the compassion of our Heavenly Father beginning anew each day, anything is possible. Friends, this is an excellent reason for us to take heart, hold our heads up high, and keep on keeping on in the walk of faith and singing ‘Everyday’s a new day…’ Much LOVE!…remember…once there’s life…there’s hope…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 January 2008 Hosea 8:7‏

03 Jan 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Hosea 8:7    For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal; if so be it yield, the stranger shall swallow it up.
 
O People, what a horrible thing to envision! But the Israelites brought that on themselves by turning away from the Lord, although he showed them His awesome power and made them wonderful promises, if only they kept His covenant. I guess they either could not comprehend such a majestic, invisible Being, and/or their greed and impatience would not allow them to wait on His appointed time. We all know that His time frame is entirely different to ours, and one of His big concerns is that we wait patiently for Him. But apparently those folks of olden time could not do it. They wanted to see and touch their gods, so they made themselves calves and whatever out of molten gold and brass and worshipped them. They intermarried with unbelievers, which the Lord had distinctly told them not to do, because it would cause confusion, diluting their heritage and turning their hearts away from Him. So said, so done! Paganism increased. They wanted Kings and Princes; and did so without God’s approval, and paid the price. In fact, they seem to have done everything the Lord, through Moses and the Prophets, told them not to do. And then they wondered why the Lord’s anger was kindled against them? Sadly Friends, it looks like we’re heading down that same road of disobedience. Our greed, impatience, great lust for material things and personal glory, intermarriage with unbelievers, are all seeds of the wind we’re sowing, which at least blows one way at a time. However, if we keep going in that direction, what else can we expect but to reap the whirlwind; a turbulent wind that blows every which way and causes continuous turmoil. That is what happens when we stray from the Lord, when we get too big for our britches and feel we no longer need Him. Oh Friends, History is strewn with people who figured they’d outgrown God, only to discover to their everlasting detriment that we cannot outgrow Him. He is a staple in our lives. Without Him we’re nothing. I don’t understand it, but if we accept the premise that our God is the Creator and Controller of the Universe, who can do anything, and wants us to live a certain way, then why would we turn our backs on Him eh? That seems to be a rather unwise decision, but one, too many of us are still choosing to make. It’s always sad when the Lord is displeased with His children, but when He promises to wreak havoc on us, Hn! Then Friends, we’ve got to sit up and take notice. And we’ll all agree that there’s definitely too much strife and turmoil in our current world. And we seem to be adding to it everyday. Maybe He’s sending us a message, who knows? But to be on the safe side, let’s just lovingly embrace Him and live the way He wants us to live nuh. It might be a bit difficult, but right now, it’s the best decision, and will bear abundant harvest in the long run.  Much  LOVE! …remember… those who stray…usually pay…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 January 2008 Psalm 103:2-5‏

02 Jan 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 103:2-5    Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
 
No problem in finding a Bit today people. Went straight to the Psalms, and there it was. Bruh David at his most brilliant and encouraging. Almost every line of Psalm 103 is underlined in my Bible, three different colours too. Never realized before that it was so potent. And the four verses of Today’s Bit are amongst the most powerful; a poignant reminder of God’s overwhelming importance in our lives. As usual, Bruh David begins with praise and thanks: ‘Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.’ We’ve got to give Him His due respect and homage before anything else, and also be mindful to offer thanks for what He’s already done for us. Then Bruh David goes on to list some of the benefits that accrue to us through our association with the Most High. Note, I said, some of the benefits. It would take too much time and space to try to list them all. And Bruh Dave is smart enough to begin with the most important benefit; Forgiveness of all our sins! Wow! That benefit alone is priceless! But He’s also our doctor; binds our wounds, heals our broken bones, makes well our minds, bodies and souls. Oh my! The Most High is also our bodyguard; keeps us safe from all harm, protects us from the wicked machinations of the vulture-like, ever circling enemy. And while He’s keeping us safe, He’s simultaneously doling out LOVE, empathy, understanding, strength and fortitude; physical, mental and emotional well being, not to mention the sweet tasting, savoury, mouth watering, finger licking good, life renewing  food He provides for our physical needs. Oh brother! It must be West Indian victuals, since that is the sweetest food in the whole wide world! And it’s so charged with His life force, so nourishing, that Bruh David claims it renews our youth like the eagle’s; makes us young and strong. Yuh see, I wasn’t lying, because is only West Indian food could do that (smile) Oh Friends, what a majestic God we worship! How can we be so inept and brain dead to forego all those wonderful benefits eh? All of us would give our eye teeth (smile) to have benefits like that on our nine to five jobs. So why won’t we accept His? And all it takes is to walk obediently to His will. True, that’s not exactly a Sunday stroll in the park, but all we need to do it is already built in to us, through those same benefits and the ever near, always ready assistance of His Holy Spirit. So Friends, please, let’s take full advantage of all the Most High has to offer in this new and wonderful year of 2008. Let’s show Him our appreciation by showering Him with thanks and praise and walking obediently in His will. Much LOVE!…remember the ole adage…if yuh doh use it…yuh lose it…

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