Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 February 2008 Ecclesiastes 3:20

19 Feb 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Ecclesiastes 3:20    All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
                                                           Eulogy for Amy Brown
Once there were six, now only one’s left. Ah Friends, it’s a bittersweet day, so don’t expect much coherent thought since I’m writing this from my heart, not my head. Amy Brown, the last of my five surrogate mothers passed away unexpectedly on Sunday evening. Only my biological mother, Molly, is left now. I guess it’s fitting that she was both the first and the last. Yes, I’ve been truly blessed by having six, strong, faithful, loving and caring West Indian women to mother and mentor me at various times in my life. Times when I desperately needed, LOVE, guidance, food and shelter. Did I hear you say Divine Intervention? Oh people for sure! It seems that Aunt Ames, as I fondly called her, succumbed to a heart attack when that was not her main problem. But thankfully she won’t be racked by any more pain. I’m truly disappointed that I did not get to see her before she passed on. Just last week, over the phone, she promised to hold on until July, when I planned to visit J.A. However, when your number is called up yonder, you’ve got to go, and I’m sure that right now she’s being ushered into our Heavenly Father’s presence with a blaze of horns, harps and angels voicing sweet heavenly music, and He’s saying, ‘Welcome, my true and faithful servant!’ and giving her a big hug and a kiss on both cheeks. I can vouch for her goodness, because forty one years ago, she took, no, welcomed me into her home; a down on his luck nineteen year old from distant Tobago, attending the University of the West Indies campus on Mona, in Kingston, J.A. She didn’t know me from Adam. I was just an acquaintance of her daughter on the campus; not even her boyfriend. I don’t remember how it actually happened, I just know that this slim, medium height, wiry, feisty, passionate, hard working, brown skinned woman and her husband, Uncle Aub’s welcomed me into their home, with four young daughters to boot, no questions asked. She then took me under her wing and treated me like the son she never had. Don’t worry Aunt Ames, you know I’ve always considered myself your son, and I’ll grieve as such. How can I not, when you provided me with food and shelter in possibly the hardest period of my life, not to mention the occasional dressing down when I stepped out of line. I always remember that time when I complained about my mother not sending me any money, and you retorted with a how can she send you what she doesn’t have. That unselfish, understanding attitude when I had nothing to contribute, said a whole lot to me. I know Uncle Aub’s going to miss you a whole heap because you’ve been his guiding light during most of his ninety something years. He says he’s feeling empty without you already. Oh Aunt Ames, so many of us foreign students enjoyed your hospitality while at U.W.I. that I’m sure there are many wet eyes around the world today, you know mine are. But we are spiritual beings existing in a physical body, and death is just a stage in our long journey, signalling the end of the physical aspect. Then we continue in our spiritual form to meet our Creator. Aunt Ames, the ole fella will never forget you. I will be forever grateful, because you were one of the persons who set me on the right path, taught me the right way to live through your example of loving kindness. And I’ll forever cherish those moments we shared, especially those spent out on the front porch in friendly reasoning. Sorry I could not be there to attend your send off to glory, but you know you’ll never be erased from my heart. I’ll always talk about your loving kindness to me and so many others, and one day, not too soon though (smile) we’ll meet again in Paradise. Till then… Happy Journey Home, Aunt Ames. Much Much LOVE! …Death should not be a mournful dirge…but rather a celebration of life lived to the full… overflowing with loving kindness…and yours certainly was…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 February 2008 Psalm 120:1‏

18 Feb 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 120:1    In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me!
 
Oh thank you Lord, thank you! All honour and glory and praise be unto you Most High God! Well, I’ve done a complete turn around, because I got a message today from the Father, that gave a little insight into the reasons for my rough walk this past week. We won’t get into the specifics, but apparently it wasn’t punishment, since I hadn’t done anything to really deserve that. It was just His way of shaping and moulding me a bit closer to the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ, Our Saviour. Oh joyous and blessed day! Today I’m laughing both inside and out. However, He warned me not to get too complacent or full of myself, because He wasn’t quite finished. I was still a work in progress, which means there’s more cutting and trimming in the offing, so I could better fit the mould. I guess it’s like when you plant stuff, you’ve got to continually prune it, so that it can grow straight and strong. Who says our God isn’t a wonderful Father eh, and an excellent horticulturist too! (smile) But seriously Friends, this proves that although the Lord doesn’t dance to our tune, He does listen and answer our pleas, only in His own way and time. He does fiddle with our minds though, because earlier today, while lying in bed, ‘between sleep and wake’ I found the thoughts for the opening of Today’s Bit seeping into my mind. Chuh! I tried to brush them aside, arguing that people didn’t want to hear about my problems. But He was persistent, reasoning that ‘Yesterday you told them how I mistreated you, even though you were doing the right thing, and wasn’t even man enought to explain why. Well it’s only fair to let them know that today I finally gave you an answer.’  I could not rebut that logic. So here it is. And when it came time to choose a Bit, I obviously went straight to Bruh David. I wanted something to do with thanks and praise, but the Lord had other ideas. There’s a bookmark at the last part of Psalm 119, that I’m currently reading for my mother, whose eyesight is failing, so the Bible naturally opened there, and, much to my surprise, the appropriate words, underlined in red, were staring at me. ‘In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me.’ Yes Friends, He does listen. You’ll seldom get an immediate answer, unless it’s an emergency, so, having posed your question with confidence and reverence, you’ve then got to wait and listen attentively, for you never know when and how He’ll answer. Much LOVE!…when talking to God… patient listening is of the utmost importance…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 17 February 2008 Psalm 119:71‏

17 Feb 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 119: 71    It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes.
 
Ahh Lord! What a merry chase you’ve led the ole fella this week. I don’t understand why, but I know that in your infinite wisdom, there’s a meaningful purpose my mortal mind can’t comprehend, so I’ll continue to give you the thanks and praise you richly deserve. Yes Friends. Talk about a guava season! Hn,hn! I’m laughing, but only on the outside. Marshall’s Law claims that anything that can go wrong, will do so. Well this past week, things that can’t go wrong, went wrong. Even when I did them perfectly, they still went wrong. Finally, today, in utter frustration, I threw up my hands and cried out, ‘Why Lord? What’s the purpose? I don’t understand. I believe I’m doing your bidding. But all the results coming back negative!’ This was no medical case where negative results are considered good, but the real trials of life that require, that need positive results. Well I did not get an answer to my pleas, and when the time came to choose a Bit, the frustration kept bubbling up in me. So, as I tend to do these days, when in doubt, turn to Bruh Dave’s words. And … Hallelujah! After scanning a few passages, this one line just jumped out at me. ‘It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes.’ Hn! That seemed to be the answer, though I think I’ve had enough affliction to know the statutes backwards and forwards. But apparently the Most High disagrees. And whom am I to argue with Him eh? In any case, when I became a believer, I agreed to abide by His will, which isn’t always easy. But we also know that if we walk in faith, that this too will pass, that regardless of what happens, nothing, no weapon shall succeed against us, no enemy shall prevail, because we’re all conquerors through Him that LOVED and died for us. Friends, our God’s a winner! No doubt about that, but sometimes I’m not thrilled at His mysterious movements. I’m still not sure what He’s trying to tell me. It could be a reaction to my naively asking for strength, wisdom and patience, without realizing that those things are only acquired through trials and tribulations. Or that I should know and experience whereof I speak, and possibly practice what I preach. I try to do that, but I’m only human, thus frail and fallible. Or, since I wrote about chastening yesterday, He’s trying to prove whether I can accept it gracefully, so He can legitimately call me His son. Or even all of the above. Well I have some good news for Him. I’m going to bear it gracefully. It won’t be easy, but since I know He never gives us more than we can handle, I’ll bear up under the strain, with His help of course. So Friends, keep on smiling and walking in faith, because it’s His will that counts, not ours. And anyway, this too shall pass. Much LOVE! …remember…life has two sides…we must learn to take the bad with the good…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 February 2008 Hebrews 12:5-7‏

16 Feb 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Hebrews 12:5-7    And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children. My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as sons, for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
 
Those words surely bring back some painful memories of chastening at our parents hands. I got mine from my mother. At the time, most of us considered it unnecessary and/or unfair. But as Bruh Paul points out, it was necessary since we’d either forgotten, or simply chose to disobey our parents rules. The same thing goes for our Heavenly Father: When we disobey His rules, we set ourselves up for punishment. However, Bruh Paul advises that we should not curl up in a ball and whimper and moan when He rebukes or punishes us for our disobedience. Remember, we thought we were punished because our parents didn’t like us. But they thought differently; it was because they cared about us, they tried to keep us on the straight and narrow. And after the punishment wore off , we usually realized it was deserved, though we would not admit it in public (smile) There were also times when we deserved it, but got off scot free. Friends, it’s just like that with our God. We call Him, Father, and He considers us His children. So there is a parental relationship between Him and us. And what does such a relationship entail? LOVE, nurturing and guidance, from the parent to the child, because the young are usually not developed enough to handle life on their own. From there it progresses logically: Our Father in Heaven gave us rules to live by. If we disobey, then, in His Infinite Wisdom, He’ll mete out the required punishment. Usually it’s not as much as we deserve, and sometimes He even let’s us off scot free like our earthly parents, because He’s a merciful and forgiving Father. He does all of this for us because He LOVES us, and doesn’t want to see us go down the sinful road to eternal damnation, but rather walk the path of LOVE, that leads to Him and His Son Jesus; the path to everlasting salvation. That’s why Bruh Paul said, ‘For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth.’ And the same way our earthly fathers acknowledged us as sons, if we took our just desserts like a man, that’s exactly how the Most High operates. As Bruh Paul declares, ‘If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as sons, for what son is he, whom the father chasteneth not?’ Good question my Friends. I guess it’s called tough LOVE nowadays, but in my time it was simply, ‘if yuh doh hear, yuh feel’ That says it all. Much LOVE! …remember…if you can’t do the time..then don’t do the crime…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 February 2008 Joshua 1:5-7‏

15 Feb 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Joshua 1:5-7    There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so will I be with thee: I will not fail thee nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I swore unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
 
What a huge responsibility the Lord gave Joshua after Moses death, elevating him to the leadership position over the Israelites. I don’t know if Joshua really wanted the job, since he was there when Moses discovered, much to his chagrin, that the Israelites were a very intractable people; without patience or tolerance. They wanted what they wanted now, but, weren’t prepared to pay the price. A major problem that’s also besetting our society. That’s why the Lord had them wandering in the wilderness for forty years. But now that a new generation had grown up outside of Egypt, without the slavery mentality, He decided that they were ready to go in and possess the land He promised their fathers. Note, none of those fathers ever saw it. I believe it’s only two people, Joshua and Caleb, who came out of Egypt that ever saw it. Although it seemed an overwhelming task, I’m sure Joshua knew that the Lord never gives us more than we can bear, and also provides the tools to do the job He desires. And so He did. Listen to the awesome promise He made Joshua: That for the rest of his life, nobody would ever confront him successfully; and just as He was with Moses, He would be with him, Joshua; neither would He fail nor forsake him. Wow! And all He asked of Joshua was to be strong and very courageous. Poor Joshua would certainly need to be, if he was going to lead the Israelites and divide the land amongst the twelve tribes. We all know what happens when land is divided; the ugly side of the human animal really comes out. Joshua also needed immense tenacity and perseverance to ensure the people kept the laws Moses gave them. The Most High gave him explicit instructions on that matter: ‘Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left.’ Failure to follow the Lord’s dictates had been one of the Israelites problems, just as it is with us today. But God’s reason to Joshua for ensuring obedience was ‘that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.’ Yes Friends, regardless of what the world says, it’s only by being obedient to the Father that true, lasting success is ever achieved. That’s an undisputable fact. And though it’s not an easy task, we are assured of the same promise that the Most High made to Joshua: ‘As I was with Moses, so will I be with thee: I will not fail thee or forsake thee.’ Gospel truth! ‘Only be thou strong and very courageous.’ A matter in which He also helps, if He sees that we’re sincerely trying. So Friends, let’s take the Lord at His word nuh, let’s be strong and courageous, be obedient, that we can go out and battle the enemy successfully. Much LOVE!…walking in His will takes courage…but once we set out in faith…He steps in to help…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 February 2008 Ruth 4:14-15‏

14 Feb 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Ruth 4:14-15     And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.
 
Happy Valentines Day Friends! To celebrate this day, I wanted a story of real love, and after some thought, the Most High led me to Ruth. It tells how a Jewish family, Naomi, her husband Elimelech and their two sons moved  to the land of the Moabites during a famine in Bethlehem, where the sons married Moab women. However, within ten years, the three males died, leaving three widows. Now in that intensely patriarchal society a widow’s life was extremely rough, especially if she had no men folk to turn to. So, having neither kit nor kin in a strange land, Naomi decided to return to her own people, and Ruth, in spite of Naomi’s protestations, decided to go with her, while her other daughter in law, Orpah, stayed at home. However, they were so poor when they returned to Bethlehem, that Ruth had to go out in the fields behind the harvesters of the barley crop and collect whatever dropped from them. But little did they know that the Good Lord was already on the case. He led Ruth to the fields of Boaz, a wealthy relative of Naomi’s husband. And the rest is history. Boaz saw Ruth, was smitten, and through Naomi’s skilful handling of the situation, the couple eventually got married and Ruth bore a son. The women were so happy for Naomi, that they blessed the Lord who had at last given her a close male relative, who would be famous and look after her in her old age. But what touches me most, is their saying that Ruth’s LOVE for her was better than seven sons. Imagine that nuh; in that male dominated society, women saying that a woman’s LOVE for another was better than seven male children. It must have been a real strong, unselfish LOVE. But strangely, the female neighbours said, ‘There’s a son born to Naomi,’ not Ruth, ‘and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.’ Oh thank you so much Ruth sugar! If it wasn’t for your perseverance, your love and kindness to Naomi, we would never have those wonderful, inspirational words of Bruh David to turn to in times of need. Yuh see people, how our God himself, delights in a good LOVE story with plenty drama. He could just as easily have caused Boaz to marry one of his own, but no, he decided that Israel’s greatest, statesman, warrior King, writer and musician would be a descendant of a poor Moabitess, a woman from an entirely different culture. I was taken aback this evening, when I realized that Ruth was Bruh David’s great grandmother. I guess that’s why Ruth is one of only two Books in the Bible that bears a woman’s name. The other is Esther. Anyway Friends, although our modern world is going to be more taken up with the commercialism of the day; how much money was spent on chocolates, flowers etc. let’s try and focus more on the LOVE aspect nuh. It’s a chance for us to spread some real LOVE: ‘agape’; the kind that Ruth bore her mother in law. Hn! But how many daughters in law would react that way today eh? Not too many. As always, Much LOVE! …it’s a day for celebrating LOVE…so let’s do it in a manner our God would appreciate…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 February 2008 Psalm 146: 1-2 & 5‏

13 Feb 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 146:1,2,5.    Praise ye the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul. While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God.
 
All Thanks and Praise be to the Most High God; Our Creator, Judge and Saviour! Yes my Friends, it’s only meet and right that we give our Heavenly Father the honour and glory that’s His rightful due. It’s one of those days when the ole fella’s soul was simply hungry and crying out for some hope, joy and inspiration. And when I feel that way, I naturally turn to Bruh David and his powerful, self effacing, enlightening writings in the Book of Psalms. I wish all of us could be so enamoured of Bruh David’s words, cause then we’d all be walking and talking more with the Lord. He was constantly in touch with God, whether it be crying, pleading, extolling, rejoicing, praising or thanking Him. He’s my favourite Bible writer because his writings cover the whole gamut of emotions. You can find something in his work to satisfy any feeling or situation. As I keep saying, Bruh David certainly knew on which side his bread was buttered; on the Lord’s side. That’s why he could confidently declare; ‘Praise the Lord, O my soul. While I live I will praise the Lord: I will sing praises to my God while I have any being.’  Friends, our bread is also buttered on the Lord’s side, and the sooner we realize that fact and act on it, the better off we’ll be. We need to acquire that strength, confidence and wisdom, the faith and belief to comfortably delight ourselves in our God, so like Bruh Dave, we can joyfully shout up to the high heavens and far across the blessed earth, our thanks, praise and everlasting loyalty to Him. That’s what we need to live successfully in the Lord people; that joy and passion for His Word to come alive in us, to keep bubbling in our souls, so that we don’t even need to consciously think about anything that comes against us, we just react automatically in His direction. Bruh David seems to have mastered that attitude. His life was no bed of roses, but through all of his ups and downs, his good deeds and his evil ones, his anointing and his fall from grace, he kept his focus on his God, and at the end, could claim from hard experience: ‘Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God.’ Oh Friends, my wish is that someday soon, we, meaning all of God’s children, created in His own wonderful image, will have that joyful, praise worthy attitude to our ever loving and merciful Father in Heaven. Amen! As always people, plenty, plenty LOVE! …it’s the greatest and most fruitful emotion…so let’s spread it far and wide nuh…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 February 2008 Deuteronomy 6:4-7‏

12 Feb 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Deuteronomy 6:4-7    Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one God. And thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart. And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shall talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
 
Oh Friends, we who claim to be followers of the Most High God, are we following the dictates of Moses?  Though he said them many moons ago, Jesus reiterated them, which means they’re still our abiding standard. But how many of us professed believers actually sit and consider what our God is really like eh; His power and majesty, His mercy and loving kindness? Going one step further; how many of us really and truly LOVE Him with all our heart, all our soul and all our might? No doubt all of us will take great umbrage and consider my questions impertinent, (smile) and unequivocally insist that we do. For all our sakes, I hope it’s true. But as the ole people say, ‘is two people yuh can’t fool; yuhself and God.’ And do we bear these words deeply in our hearts; that means live by them? Not good enough, judging by our topsy turvy lives and the conflicted state of our world. But the most important question though People, is, are we teaching our children to LOVE the Lord? Note, I did not even say diligently, as Moses commanded, just simply teaching. If we’re honest with ourselves, I think we’ll grade ourselves with a big ‘F’, cause we are sadly deficient in that area. Granted, it’s difficult to get today’s youth  interested in God, when they’ve been constantly bombarded with the world’s hype and glitz from a tender age. But we’re to blame, since we use the t.v as a cheap, convenient baby sitter, without checking to see what’s been directed into their simple, impressionable minds. Then when they throw tantrums for the nonsensical things the greedy, manipulative advertisers and manufactures claim they must have, we give in and buy them, even when we can’t afford it. Just check out the ugly shoes and clothes, the quickly outdated technology  that cost so much, but peer pressure says they must have to be trendy. I don’t think it’s right to force God down their throats, but it’s not right either to give in to their every whim and fancy, especially with their short attention spans. We’ve got to draw the line somewhere. Let them know that there are good things in the world, but the best things come from knowing God. We have to instil the word, plant the seed in them from the moment they are born, and keep watering and lovingly tending it as it grows. We’ve got to teach them to pray from young, and let them hear us pray too. They must also hear us talking reverently about God when we’re sitting alone at home or with friends; lying down, getting up, or just aimlessly wandering around. Hopefully, as they mature, the Word will act as a balancing fulcrum and keep them level headed. There must also be discipline, not too rigid, and standards at high levels, not the dumbness and anything goes attitude currently prevalent, since prosperity is tightly linked to discipline and high standards. But Friends, that discipline and those standards must start with us. Another old saying goes, ‘monkey see, monkey do.’ And that’s exactly what happens. Our children usually follow our example, and if we push the do as I say, not as I do message too much, then it’s likely to backfire, they’ll consider us hypocrites, which we all are to some extent. But by the same token, you’ve got to put your foot down on some things; it’s either my way or the highway. In general though, we should try to teach by example. Hn, hn! I did not plan this slant to the Bit, but that’s where our Wise and Wonderful God, who moves in mysterious ways, guided me. And whom am I, a poor, sinful mortal, to argue with Him eh? Much LOVE!…remember the best way… preach the right things…like J.C…then joyfully practice them…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 February 2008 Matthew 5: 43-46‏

11 Feb 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Matthew 5:43-46.    Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, LOVE  your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye LOVE  them which LOVE you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans do the same?
 
Oh People, it’s indeed an arduous task our leader, Jesus Christ has set us. An unnatural task for the human animal. ‘LOVE  your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;’ I can hear the long, low groan of disbelief, amazement and anger, all wrapped in one, that new believers emit on first hearing those words. It happens to a lot of old believers too, when faced with circumstances that require such action. The natural tendency then is for the mind to revolt against the heart. But Friends, that’s exactly what makes our Christian Faith different. That’s why Jesus sacrificed Himself; to make a difference; to initiate change. And the foundation, the bedrock of Christ’s philosophy is LOVE! If we seriously want to follow Him, then we’ve got to practice that trait, because loving only those who LOVE us has no reward, since even the biggest sinners and avid unbelievers do that too. Jesus said that showing LOVE to our enemies, makes us real children of our Heavenly Father. We all know that at times it’s much harder to LOVE than hate, but Friends, hate is such a wasteful, negative emotion that adds nothing constructive to our lives, just destroys relationships between individuals and societies that then leads to full scale war. And that unleashing of hate and destruction is happening right now like never before, with more dangerous weapons than ever. Although the papers this week had a picture of rival tribes in Kenya lining up to fight with bows and arrows. Oh Friends, our world has never needed practiced LOVE more than it does today. Valentines Day is this week, which means consumerism and the talk of LOVE will flourish. But how much real LOVE will that generate, or how long will it last eh? Not too long, is my guess. What we really need people is a LOVE Revival! A groundswell of real LOVE and appreciation for others, just rising up and taking over our hearts, our lives and our world. Okay, I know it sounds like an impossible dream. But isn’t that what dreams are about; thinking big, shooting for the extraordinary? And remember, with our God, nothing’s impossible. So Friends, let’s start a LOVE Revival Movement nuh, something like we had in the sixties; (smile) though not based on drugs and free sex, but on the words and lifestyle of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Let’s get serious people. If we’re to turn the tide, and rescue our world from imminent conflagration, we desperately need Much Much More LOVE! …note…the law of averages dictates…that if more people talk LOVE…more will actually walk LOVE…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 February 2008 Jeremiah 21-22‏

10 Feb 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Jeremiah 5:21-22    Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears and hear not: Fear ye not me? saith the Lord; will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof  toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?
 
I’m amazed at how often the Israelites, supposedly the Lord’s people rejected Him, and the number of times He punished, but never totally destroyed them, always leaving a way for them to return. And return they did. They really had to be His anointed children, cause no other father would put up with their constant betrayal, then the weeping and wailing on their prodigal return. That ungrateful behaviour must have broken His heart several times over, but it just goes to show how magnanimous He is; highlights His never ending patience, mercy and loving kindness: A totally awesome God! Today’s Bit heralds one of those times when He’s meeting out punishment. As usual, the Israelites had strayed and the Lord was allowing another nation to conquer them. He instructs Jeremiah to use these words. ‘Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears and hear not.’ A rather accurate description, won’t you say? How could they have such a good thing going with the One and Only, True, Most High God and blow it over trivial man made idols and fleshly lusts eh? But Friends, let’s not get too cocky and self assured, because those words aptly apply to us today too. We are blowing our God bestowed opportunities the same way, on inane trivialities. Why? The next question the Lord posed through Jeremiah says it all. ‘Fear ye not me?’ Won’t you tremble at my presence, even though it’s I who set the sand as a boundary for the sea, that it will never overcome? Obviously the answer then was no. The same as it seems to be today. But People, judging by the hefty price the Israelites paid, it’s not a very wise decision. And compared to their rough, nomadic existence, we have it rather easy. And above all, we have JESUS! Those Israelites never had Him. We have the Lord’s only Son, who died to redeem our sins. And all we need to do to receive salvation is believe in Him. It’s the most valuable gift ever given…and it’s free, gratis and for nothing! But are we smart enough to accept it? It doesn’t seem so. Then I’ll ask the same question Jeremiah did: Aren’t we afraid of the Lord? And this is the real physical fear, not reverence or respect. Don’t we tremble and quake in our boots when we consider all the unbelievable and seemingly impossible acts He’s performed over the centuries? And what’s our reaction when we especially consider the mighty juggernaut He’s promised to unleash come Armageddon Time eh? Oh Friends, I beg of us, please listen and pay attention. Let’s use our eyes and ears wisely. Our God does not make idle, empty promises. So please, let’s not give future generations the opportunity to say about us, what we’re saying about those disobedient Israelites. Much LOVE!… please remember…that our earthly pleasures and treasures… pale before those that await us in Heaven…
 

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