Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 March 2008 Mark 15:27-28‏

21 Mar 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Mark 15:27-28   And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And he was numbered amongst the transgressors.

Wow! What a day that first Good Friday must have been. The biggest lie ever perpetrated; Jesus a sinner. Deceit and politicking at its very best, between the Jewish elite and Pilate, the Roman governor. Criminals set free, the innocent crucified. Why do we call it Good Friday then, when so much wrong was committed?  Because it was on that day the greatest gift ever, was given to mankind: Jesus, the Son of God, died for our sins on a cross in Golgotha, a rocky hillside, aptly named, place of the skull, bringing the unique and exceptional gift of everlasting salvation to God’s children. The Lord must have been tired of the plethora of transgressions and all the individuals trying to sacrifice and atone for them and decided to end it once and for all. However, to put His plan into action, He needed a scapegoat that was pure and sinless. Sadly, the only person who qualified was His one and only Son, Jesus. Imagine the Lord’s heartache nuh, to sacrifice His only son for our greedy, selfish sins. Just more proof of His great LOVE for us. Not many of us would sacrifice our only son for some ungrateful people. Even the night before, in the garden of Gethsemane, when Jesus prayed with a heavy heart, that He be spared the ordeal, the Lord steeled His heart and refused. They both knew that they had to see the plan through, that’s why Jesus ended the prayer with, ‘nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.’ Matt.26: 39. And later on, after Judas’ betrayal, when the soldiers came to arrest Him, He told His disciples not to resist, because the scripture had to be fulfilled. And like lots of scripture was fulfilled that day: Isaiah 53, talks about Jesus’ basic demise. ‘But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. Vs.5. While the last part of Verse 12 authenticates Today’s Bit; ‘because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors, and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.’ John 19:24 talks about them casting lots for Jesus’ clothes to fulfill a scripture from Psalm 22:18: ‘They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.’ John 19:28-29 notes that when Jesus realized that everything was set to fulfill the scriptures, He cried out for thirst, and they gave Him vinegar to drink, after which He died. That was foretold in Psalm 69:21: ‘They gave me also gall for my meat: and in my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink.’ And there’s more. John 19:36 mentions, ‘A bone of him shall not be broken,’ which refers to Psalm 34:20. ‘He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.’ While Verse 37 adds, ‘they shall look on him whom they pierced.’  A prophecy of Zechariah 12:10. ‘…and they shall look upon me, whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him; as one that is in bitterness for his first born. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem…’ Yes Friends, there was great mourning in Jerusalem that first Good Friday, truly an extraordinary day. The Lord had spent a long time setting it up. We know He likes elaborate productions that pose mind-bending puzzles and with the darkness from noon to three o’clock, the earthquake and the rending of the temple’s veil and everybody playing their part admirably, it was certainly a momentous occasion. Possibly the most momentous in the annals of man, after the Creation, since it provided man with a second chance, to be born again through the Saviour, sin free. So even though it was a day filled with grief and sadness, the outcome was wonderful and miraculous. That’s just God’s way to bring joy from sadness. And we should show our thanks and appreciation by living for Jesus and continually praising Him for His awe inspiring, selfless sacrifice that brought us out of deathly darkness into ever living light. Much LOVE…when trivial complaints we seek to mutter…let’s first consider Jesus’ sacrifice…before those trivial complaints we utter…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 March 2008 Colossians 3:23-25‏

20 Mar 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Colossians 3:23-25    And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men. Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of inheritance; for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done, and there is no respect of persons.
 
As a young lad, I remember my mother doing good to people who had wronged her, and in my youthful concern, I would try to talk her out of it, even rebuke her. But she would just wave it off and say that she was doing it for me. I couldn’t understand it then, but I do now. She was simply trying to live the Lord’s word, and establish some savings in heaven that I could later draw down on. And believe me Friends, I’ve drawn a lot on her heavenly account over the years, possibly still doing it now. (smile) That’s why I can understand where Bruh Paul is coming from when he says, ‘Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.’ Yes people, all our doings, even though they may benefit other humans now, should be treated as being done for God. This helps us keep our hearts and minds focused on Him, and will hopefully lead us to consider if He’ll approve our deeds, before we do them. Bruh Paul also clearly states that we should perform our activities with enthusiasm, ‘do it heartily’ not begrudgingly. That’s important, since it’s our hearts the Lord reads; the motives behind the deeds. Good deeds are fine, but are even better with good motives behind them. And when our motives are good, a natural enthusiasm emanates from our soul, that keeps us on a perpetual cycle of good deeds with good motives. (smile) Okay, I know that’s pushing it a bit, but the point is, that even when we are called on to do things we find distasteful, we should tell ourselves it’s for the Lord and behave that way. You’ll be surprised at how much of the distastefulness disappears when we adopt that attitude. Remember too, that when we act for God, we’re also storing up savings in heaven for ourselves and our families. ‘Knowing that of the Lord, ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance; for ye serve the Lord Christ.’ Yes Friends, whenever we serve the Lord, we lay up rewards; some we receive in this life, the others in the hereafter. But don’t forget now, that there’s another side to the coin. Bruh Paul didn’t. He said in plain terms, that those who do wrong, will pay the price. It doesn’t matter who you are, of high or low estate, the Lord doesn’t care. He is no respecter of persons or their positions; whoever does wrong, pays; simple. There you have it Friends; both sides now. The choice is ours. Let’s hope we all choose to live heartily unto the Most High God, Jehovah. Much LOVE!…it’s so much easier…not to mention rewarding…to do right…rather than wrong…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 March 2008 Acts 16:30-34‏

19 Mar 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Acts 16:30-34    And he brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. 
 
Yes! One more victory for Christ!  My Friends, the Most High God brings us to Him in many different ways. Paul and Silas were preaching in Philippi, when a woman possessed with a spirit of divination began following them around, crying out that they were servants of God, who showed the way to salvation. Well, after several days of that, Paul felt sorry for her and cast out the spirit, much to the dislike of the people she worked for as a soothsayer, since it meant they lost income. So they rigged up a case against Paul and Silas for preaching unlawful customs, had them arrested, beaten and jailed. The jailer, aware of the commotion they’d caused, put them into the deepest, safest part of the prison and shackled their feet to the walls. But only their physical bodies had been broken, the Spirit of the Lord remained strong in them, and at midnight, they prayed and sang songs of praise unto God, that the other prisoners heard. In response, the Lord created an earthquake, one so strong that it shook the prison to it’s very foundation, throwing open all the doors, and loosing the shackles on all the prisoners. Imagine the jailer’s consternation nuh, when he woke up and saw all the prison doors open. He drew his sword to kill himself when Paul stopped him, shouting reassurance that everybody was still there. Having satisisfied himself that Paul spoke the truth, he fell down before them and asked what he needed to do to be saved. Then he took Paul and Silas to his house, cleansed their wounds, and with his whole house, received Christ that night. Praise the Lord! What a story Friends! The Lord could have found an easier way to bring the jailer and his family to Him, but it would not have had the same impact. This way, it became a defining moment in the lives of the jailer, his family, and the other prisoners, a night they would never forget, and talk about with awe for the rest of their mortal lives. I’m sure some of the other prisoners were also led to the Lord that night. We all have memorable moments like that, not necessarily a conversion to Christ, but instances that stand out like a beacon in a foggy mist, that we treasure and talk about all the time. And the moral of the story is? It doesn’t matter who you are, where you are, what job you do, whether you’re big or small, lowly or of great esteem, whatever the circumstances, remember my Friends, that the Lord can, and will, always find a way to use you to bring unbelievers to Him and glory to His name. Praise His Holy Name! Amen! And as always, in parting, Much LOVE!…there’s none so lowly…or circumstance so bizarre…that the Lord can’t use for His glory…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 March 2008 Psalm 15‏

18 Mar 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 15: A Psalm of David.    Lord who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh truth in his heart. He that backbiteth  not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.  
 
Trust Bruh Dave to ask some insightful question, then provide answers that appear easy, but in the harsh glare of real life, are fairly difficult. In Psalm 15, he’s talking about qualifications for a church worker, but in the light of Jesus teaching, I feel they are qualities we should all have to consider ourselves true followers of Christ. Bruh Dave starts out by saying it needs someone whose walk is upright, who is righteous and has truth in his heart. Now shouldn’t that apply to all of us? Of course! We all need to uphold high standards of personal purity and integrity. That’s just Jesus’ way. Neither should a person be a backbiter with his tongue. Hn! Oh Friends, how many times are many of us guilty of that eh? Say one thing to a person’s face, then something else behind their back. Too often. And we know we shouldn’t do it, yet we persist. Then Bruh Dave talks about doing evil to our neighbours, and ranting and raving against them. We also know we shouldn’t do those things. Jesus said we should do evil to no one, but should love our enemies and neighbours as our selves. True, that’s not always easy, especially with some of the aggressive and ignorant enemies and neighbours some of us have. But it’s a standard to which we should all aspire, as good, practising Christians. The next qualification, condemning or despising a coarse, vulgar, disgusting  person, while honouring those who fear the Lord needs a little reworking, I think. Remember, Bruh Dave lived long before Jesus, and the Old Testament system had a harsher, black or white, no shades of grey approach. But Jesus came with a softer, more loving, less exclusive approach. He came to save sinners, so caring only about God fearing persons wasn’t good enough for Him. We shouldn’t praise or encourage them, but find some way to make them change their ways, to bring them into the fold. Guess He believed that you caught more flies with honey than vinegar, and we must not be too judgemental of so called wrongdoers, since all of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and all have some kind of beam in our eyes. (smile) A further requirement is to stand by our word, our promise, not try to welch or weasel out, even though it causes us pain. Neither should we lend money at exorbitant rates, or take financial advantage of those who don’t fully understand the complexity of transactions in which they are involved. Yes Friends, it’s a long list, with high standards, but that’s what our Leader, Jesus, demands of us. And as Bruh Dave so eloquently put it, ‘He that doeth these things shall never be moved.’ Oh People, let’s aim to be amongst the unmoveable ones nuh. We can do it if we try. Much LOVE!…no calling can be successful…unless it aspires to lofty goals…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 17 March 2008 Matthew 16:24-26‏

17 Mar 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Matthew 16:24-26    Then Jesus saith unto his disciples, if any man desireth to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
 
The uneducated, lower socio-economic group that Jesus called His disciples, must have been shocked to hear those words. He’d recently told them of His impending trials at the hands of the Jewish elite, His awful death, and His resurrection on the third day. That definitely knocked them for six! Though His main man, Peter, took Him aside and rebuked Him, insisting that those things would never happen. Jesus, in turn, tore a strip off His church’s foundation stone, calling him a disgrace, who was more interested in the things of man, than those pertaining to God. Then he laid Today’s Bit on them. Conditions that still hold true for us today people, because Jesus never changes; He’s the same yesterday, today and forever. The first thing we’ve got to learn is to deny ourselves, become unselfish, selfless, put ourselves last. Not an easy thing to do at any time. Then we’ve got to take up our cross and follow Him. Whew! What an initiation! Jesus wasn’t just only referring to the physical suffering, but also to a mental, emotional and psychological load, that anyone choosing the lifestyle He championed, would probably face. Since it varied from the norm, it would be frowned upon, considered eccentric, even heretical and dangerous to the state. Jesus always said that following Him was not easy. Imagine a potential leader saying to His adherents, if you want to save your life, you’ll lose it, but if you lose it for my sake, you’ll find it. Hn! Most of us would run away. And though it must have confused and scared the disciples, they had seen and been through enough with Jesus to have developed a fair amount of faith and trust in Him. They knew His integrity; had heard His teaching, witnessed His miracles, His concern for the sick and poor, His contempt for the oppressive hypocrites of the upper echelons, and His acceptance of them as friends, rather than servants. But Jesus wasn’t finished confounding them. He began talking about souls. What profit one gained from having the whole world, but losing one’s soul? How valuable was a man’s soul? What would he give in exchange for it? Friends, Jesus wasn’t just theorizing, He was serious. A person’s soul, their innermost being, is their most important asset. We are spiritual being in a physical body, and it’s the spirit, the soul, that lives on after the body dies. So it’s a major decision for us, as to where we spend eternity; with the enemy, or with Jesus? The enemy offers fleshly lusts and material possessions now, and purgatory later on. Jesus asks us to not make worldly possessions our main goal, but rather to store up heavenly treasure for the hereafter. The physical body only lasts a short time, while the spirit lasts forever. So Friends, where are you going to put your trust? As for me and mine, we’ll put ours in the Most High God, Jehovah! Much LOVE!…it’s smarter to put your eternity savings… in the Lord’s bank…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 March 2008 Zechariah 9:9‏

16 Mar 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Zechariah 9:9    Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion: shout O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly. and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
 
Oh People, what a triumphal entrance Jesus made into Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday two thousand years ago! An entrance prophesized by Zechariah and Isaiah (62:11) hundreds of years before. Note that when Jesus got to the outskirts of Jerusalem, He sent two disciples to a nearby village to fetch a donkey, telling them exactly where to find it and what to say if questioned. He knew the prophecy had to be fulfilled. Matthew says it best: ‘And they brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.’ Matt. 21:7-11. Wow! Jesus activities afterwards are also interesting. He went into the temple and drove out the merchants and bankers; berating them for turning His house of prayer into a den of thieves. Then He healed the lame and blind. But when  the priests and elders beheld the wonderful things He did, and bemoaned the fact that the children were in the temple crying and saying, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’ Jesus quietly shut them up with one of His barbed retorts. ‘Yea: have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings, thou hast perfected praise?’ Matt. 21:16. Then He left them, with their tongues hanging down (smile) and went out of the city to Bethany. Oh Friends, what a giant of a man was our Lord and Saviour Jesus! One minute He’s fulfilling prophecy, entering Jerusalem on His mighty steed, like the conquering Lion of Judah, then angrily clearing the bums out of the temple, then compassionately healing the sick, before putting the hypocrite priests and elders in their place and leaving the city. What a day’s work! It just shows His strength of purpose, His determination to do His Father’s work. I’m sure He would have loved to bask in the adulation, but there was work to be done. In any case, He knew that the adoration would soon change to hate and disgust when they realised that His Kingdom was a spiritual entity, He wasn’t a military conqueror, so there would be no physical respite from their oppression. I know we can never reach Jesus level of mental strength and stamina, yet there’s still a high human level we’re capable of achieving. But are we seriously aspiring to it? Please Friends, let’s endeavour to raise our level of consciousness nuh, and thereby raise our standards for Jesus. Much LOVE!…as Jesus diligently performed His Father’s work…so should we…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 March 2008 Amos 5: 4,14-15‏

15 Mar 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Amos 5: 4,14-15     For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel; Seek ye me, and ye shall live. Seek good and not evil, that ye may live: and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgement in the gate: it may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.
 
Yesterday in Amos 4, the Lord was bent on destroying Israel. Today in Chapter 5, He is giving them a second chance, once more showing His magnanimity; His merciful, forgiving nature. ‘Seek ye me, and ye shall live.’ That must have been very encouraging to the Israelites. He’s telling them to reject their sinful ways of idolatry, oppression of the poor, corruption, drunken revelry and such other things that He abhors. ‘Seek good and not evil, that ye may live.’ Friends, that statement also holds true for us today. We’ve become so attuned to and comfortable with evil, that sometimes it leaves us unmoved, and that’s not right. If we want the Most High God to be with us, we’ve got to be constantly aware of the evil around us, and do our best to forsake it, cause it only drags us down, destroys communication with God and draws us out of His loving fold. ‘Hate the evil, and LOVE the good.’ That’s the Lord’s edict. How many of us are seriously doing that today eh Friends? Only each individual and God really know. But it’s essential people, if we want to remain in God’s good grace and enjoy His wonderful blessings and benefits. ‘Establish judgement in the gate,’ is another of His directives. That means be righteous, honest and  true; stop oppressing the poor and needy. Let your laws be just and equitable, which hope fully will lead to right decisions. If those conditions are satisfied, then ‘it may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.’ It’s the same message He’s sending us today, my Friends. Note that He was so angry and fed up with His chosen that He did not make a definitive promise, but simply states, ‘it may be.’ I believe He’s reached that same stage of ‘fedupness’ with us, and if we don’t smarten up soon, we’ll feel the brunt of His anger, and ‘wailing shall be in the streets.’ Now that was a solemn promise, not a simple maybe. We don’t need to experience His wrath, we have enough other problems to deal with right now, so please, let’s do as He says nuh: ‘Seek ye me…Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you…’ Much LOVE!…the loving kindness of God…is much more desirable… than His displeasure…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 March 2008 Amos 4:11-12‏

14 Mar 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Amos 4:11-12    I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet ye have not returned unto me saith the Lord. Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.
 
What a frightening thought Friends! ‘Prepare to meet thy God,’ who’s in an angry mood. But it didn’t seem to bother the Israelites much. I know I keep harping on them, but the Bible is basically their history. They were supposed to be God’s chosen people, but somehow kept falling by the wayside. They provide the perfect example of how not to live in God’s sight. Today’s Bit is the end of a litany of punishment the Lord meted out to them over the years. He concludes with, ‘yet ye have not returned unto me.’ He wrecked their high life for oppressing the poor and needy, destroyed their dwellings and their animals. He watched them go a whoring after other Gods up to Bethel and Gilgal, while offering sacrifices every morning and tithes every three years. ‘I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet ye have not returned unto me…’ T&T people will know about ‘clean teeth’, the branch of a particular tree used for cleaning teeth, forgot it’s name now. However, continuing with the woes of Israel:  He withheld rain for three months before the harvest, from some cities, while allowing it to fall in others. The crops that had no rain, withered from the drought, while those with rain prospered. Even when the drought stricken people went to the prosperous cities for water, they weren’t satisfied, they couldn’t get enough, ‘yet ye have not returned unto me.’ He smote them with blasting and mildew, and when their fruit trees and vineyards were laden, He caused the palmerworm to devour them. ‘Yet ye have not returned unto me.’ He sent pestilence amongst them, like He’d done in Egypt. Their young men were slain, their horses taken away, the stench in their camps was disgusting.  He overthrew some of them like He’d done with Sodom and Gomorrah, with fire and brimstone, then plucked them out of the disastrous situation.’Ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet ye have not returned unto me.’ What a stubborn and hard hearted people! To suffer such misfortune and continue their disobedience. Hn! Unfortunately though, our lives seem to be following a similar pattern. All sorts of disasters are happening in our world, both natural and man made, but are we trying to figure out why?  Is it the hand of God? The hand of the enemy? Who knows? But when there’s so much drought and famine in the midst of plenty; so much strife and turmoil when so many are crying out for peace; widespread poverty and destitution in the midst of so much wealth; so much wickedness and evil in a world that’s reputedly calling for loving kindness, Friends, something must be wrong somewhere. No one has the definitive answer to our problems, but for us, believers, in times of trials and tribulation, there’s only one place to find an answer, one deity to turn to, our God, the Most High Jehovah. He knows all and controls all. So Friends, today, I’m imploring us not to follow the Israelites example. Instead, let’s learn from their mistakes, so that down the road, our children would be proud to acknowledge, that when adversity overtook us, without hesitation, we turned unto the Lord. Much LOVE!…even blind men see the light…whilst fools refuse to…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 March 2008 Judges 10:13-16‏

13 Mar 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Judges 10:13-16      Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods, wherefore I will deliver you no more. Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.
 
How many times did the Lord bail out the Israelites eh people? Too numerous to mention! But He  named some: the Egyptians, the Amorites, the Ammonites, the Philistines, the Zidonians, the Amalekites, the Maonites, ‘did oppress you; and ye cried unto me, and I delivered you out of their hand.’ (vs.12) And yet, after every time, they turned against Him and went back to the useless man made gods. This time He read them the riot act in Today’s Bit. Oh Friends, many of us are doing the same thing today. We cry to the Lord for help, then after He helps us, we conveniently forget Him and turn once again to our wicked, selfish ways, until the next time tribulation taunts us. That’s neither right nor sensible people, because one day the Most High is going to tell us the same thing He told those ungrateful Israelites. ‘Shove off nuh! I’m tired helping you. Go and let whomever you chose over me, help you.’ It’s interesting, though sad, that the Israelites really had the gumption, the ‘bold face’ each time to run back to the Lord in repentance. The Book of Judges documents the many times the Lord saved their bacon, from the time they left Egypt, especially after the death of Joshua, when a new generation arose that did not know the Lord and worshipped the gods of their neighbours. Obviously this provoked the Lord to anger, and He allowed their enemies to conquer them. Chapter 2:16 says, ‘Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges which delivered them out of the hand that spoiled them.’ And though the Lord imparted strength and wisdom to the judges, the people still did not listen. It appears that we’re doing likewise today. There are many god inspired people out there trying to keep us on the straight and true path to God, but we seem intent on taking the wide, rambling one towards the enemy. How long, oh Friends, before the Lord gets tired with our ‘wishy washy’ ways and turn us away when we cry to Him? How long eh? Hn! But our God is something else yes! When the Israelites repented, put away the strange gods and began serving the Lord again, Verse 16 says, ‘and His soul was grieved for the misery of the Israelites.’ Imagine that nuh! After all their ‘boldfaced’ disobedience, the Lord still felt sorry for them. What a magnanimous God we worship Friends! But that doesn’t mean we can take advantage of His merciful nature for ever. It’s got to stop sometime. So I’m asking us to be safe rather than sorry. Unlike the Israelites, let’s stay faithful and obedient all the time nuh. He’s the most powerful Being in existence, very merciful and forgiving too, why risk His anger and wrath eh? Let’s be sensible, and do the right thing. Much LOVE!…it’s wiser…and less traumatic…to learn from the mistakes of others…than from your own…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 March 2008 Hebrews 13:7-9‏

12 Mar 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Hebrews 13:7-9    Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today and forever. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace, not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
 
It is most comforting and encouraging to have a leader, Lord and Saviour like Jesus Christ, who is constant and never changing; ‘the same yesterday, today and forever.’ Bruh Paul’s telling the Hebrews to remember to listen to the elders of the church, those who introduced them to the word of God, and to follow their faith, paying particular attention to the end, the outcome of their talk and conduct. Their words and actions must agree with the fact that Jesus is a never changing Being. His philosophy and way of life stays the same. He’s steadfast and reliable; not a shady, chameleon-like character. That’s why Paul warned them to be careful about different doctrines, including some strange ones. People were going around then preaching different things; some with Christ, some without, and others, a combination. But in Paul’s view, if they did not teach the never changing nature of Christ, His rock strong, steadfastness and reliability, they were to be ignored. Friends, the same thing’s happening today. There are all sorts of people out there purporting to preach the Word of God, but obviously they are not preaching the same thing, otherwise there would not be as much divisiveness amongst religions nor amongst individual churches. One would think that if everybody was on the same basic wavelength, there would be more cohesiveness, cooperation, understanding, LOVE and forgiveness between God’s People, since that’s what His Word teaches. But obviously the wavelengths are different. Right now the Church is in a heated debate about same sex marriage. The Anglican’s have split over it. The Catholics are still under siege for the widespread sexual impropriety of their  priests, plus the use of old Latin terminology in their Mass, the right of women on the altar, the celibacy of clergy. Everyone has a serious complaint. And everyone claims their opinion is the right one. So who knows? There are logical grounds for many of the arguments, but in the final analysis, one has to follow one’s heart and the Bible. I guess that’s why Paul said it’s a good thing that the heart is sanctified through grace, and not all the other man made niceties that some have used to no avail. What we’ve got to remember Friends, is that regardless of whom we listen or follow on earth, on the Day of Reckoning, we will all have to answer individually to the Most High Judge. Excuses or ignorance won’t cut it then. The Lord’s going to say, ‘I gave you a heart full of grace, My Holy Spirit and a Book of Rules. Those were more than enough.’ Much LOVE!…be careful Friends…the enemy’s lurking everywhere…in many, different guises…

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