Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 October 2008 Jeremiah 7:23‏

21 Oct 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Jeremiah 23:7    But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well with you.
 
Oh Friends, that seems a simple enough instruction, so why aren’t we following it? In Jeremiah’s time, the land of Judah was in a sad state; evil was rampant; oppression, stealing, lying, murder, adultery, false swearing, and the temple of the Lord made a mockery, where they spoke glowingly of Him, but elsewhere burnt incense to Baal and worshipped other gods. ‘Is this house, which is called by name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the Lord.’ (vs.11)  Too much ungodly stuff was going on, both inside and outside of the church. That’s why the prophet called them to repentance. ‘Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.’ (vs.3) Oh people, look around us, it’s the same sad, abominable state in which we’re living. It’s possibly worse, because we have much more scope and talent for abominable behaviour. The Lord spoke to them about their evil ways, ‘but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not.’ (vs.13) He’s been calling to us for the longest time too friends, but just like back in Judah, the good times of evil were rocking and rolling too much for us to pay attention. ‘Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.’ (vs.20) Oh Friends, it seems our time of reckoning is now. Just this past week the fires were burning out of control in the Los Angeles area, one of the most ungodly places on the earth. It possibly got it’s name from the angel of evil. Nobody started them. All over the world, discontented, unhappy people are looting and shooting, burning, causing chaos and destruction. The world is haunted by fear and violence. Where once oases proliferated, it’s now desert, and the people are famished. Man’s oppression of man has never been this bad in supposed times of peace. Even the smallest unit of society, the family is experiencing increased tension and woe. Where only a year ago, the world was riding high on a blanket of false economic hope, now that illusion has been rudely shattered, because that’s all it was, a mere illusion, sleight of hand and mirrors – read greed and fraud – and the entire world has been mercilessly brought to its knees in economic turmoil. Friends, that’s the price we pay for buying into the falsehood of a global village. It’s only global for the wealthy; the ones who can easily move their money to wherever they can make the most profit, without a care for the unfortunate left behind. We’re so closely tied together now, that when one falls, all fall. Oh people, please look around you and see the downward spiral we’re currently enveloped in. We’ve placed our faith and trust in fallible, mortal man, rather than the infallible, immortal God, and our leaders have lied to us, lead us astray, along wrong and evil paths. It’s a common theme in man’s history. When are we going to learn eh? Friends we’re now in a dire situation, but there’s still hope. ‘Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine.’ (Ex.19:5) That’s true people! The earth is the Lords, and if we repent and once more turn to Him in obedience, He’ll be only too willing and happy to forgive. Friends, He’s our only hope in these dreadful times, man can’t help us. But we’ve got to hurry, before His anger crests, and He causes ‘to cease from the cities…and the streets…the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness…for the land shall be desolate.’ (vs.34) Remember, He keeps His promises. Much LOVE!…the Lord’s motto…obedience…obedience…obedience…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 October 2008 1 Thessalonians 4:7‏

20 Oct 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

1 Thessalonians 4:7    For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
 
That, my Friends, is the undisputed truth! God did not call us to be impure, but to lead a holy life. Are we doing that to the best of our ability? Only the Lord really knows, for we may be able to fool others, and even ourselves, but never the Lord. So if we’re showing purity to the world, but on the inside we have something else, then it’s all for naught. Oh Friends, the Lord does not expect us to be perfect, for He knows our sinful condition better than us. But He does expect us to try. And long before Bruh Paul’s appeal for purity to the Thessalonians, the Lord demanded it. ‘For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and be holy; for I am holy.’ (Lev.11:44) Friends, that was under the Old Covenant, and though Jesus’ coming made a New Covenant, it only dispensed with the ritual, we still need holiness in our lives, for the Lord our God is unchanging; He’s still holy. We all know the things Bruh Paul’s talking about: ‘For this is the will of God, even by your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication.’ (vs.3) ‘Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God. That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.’  (vs.5-6) And Bruh Paul later expands on that: ‘In flaming fire taking vengeance of them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ (2 Thes.1:8)  So we should not engage in ungodly acts like sexual immorality, the passions of lust, taking advantage of our fellow man. ‘For God hath not called us to uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy spirit.’   (vs.7-8) Jesus said it first. ‘He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.’ (Luke 10:16) That means people, when we despise or reject each other, we’re also despising and rejecting God, for we can’t claim to LOVE God and despise our brother at the same time. Even from olden times God gave us His Holy Spirit: ‘After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts…And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them…’ (Jer.31:33-34) Bruh Paul concurs: ‘Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.’ (1 Cor.2:12) One of those is brotherly LOVE, so He didn’t need to write to them about that, ‘for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.’ (vs.9) ‘But we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; And that ye study to be quiet, and do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.’  (vs.10-12) Oh Friends, we suffer the same ills today, and that very prescription also applies to us: We too have the Holy Spirit within us, that teaches us the things of God, but we surely need to increase our LOVE for each other, aspire to live quieter lives, get rid of all the hustle and bustle and resultant stress and mind our own business. As 3 Canal says, ‘if you don’t have a business, then yuh better find a business and stop minding other people’s business.’ (smile) We also need to do more constructive work, we’ve become too much of a leisure oriented society, which only leads us to laziness and eventual decline. And most importantly, we ought to deal honestly with all men, regardless of race, colour or creed. Friends, only in that manner will we live the holy lives God has called us to live, and for which He’ll bless us abundantly. Much LOVE!…walk holy Mt Zion children…walk holy…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 October 2008 Jeremiah 3:18‏

19 Oct 2008 1 Comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Jeremiah 3:18    In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.
 
Oh Friends, oh Friends, the actions of our magnificent God, never cease to amaze me! Today, while watching some hockey, I decided to play some music too, so I turned on my C.D player. The disc that began playing was titled, ‘The Very Best of Dobie Grey.’ Some of you might remember him; a Black American R&B singer who had hits like ‘Drift Away’ and ‘The In Crowd’ in the 70’s or 80’s. This music has to be at least twenty or more years old, and I’ve played it often enough, but today Friends, my attention was suddenly drawn to this particular song. The first time I listened to the lyrics, I was mystified and wondered , ‘How come I never heard this before?’ And after three listens, I finally got the message. All I could say then was, ‘Thank you Lord for Today’s Bit.’ Now though, I had to find the scripture to fit it. But I should have known better than to be overly concerned, ‘oh ye of little faith’ (smile) for when I read the scripture for my Mother later on, there it was, all neatly wrapped in Jeremiah 3:18. There’s nothing that grabs the ole fella’s heart like a beautiful, well orchestrated piece of music, surrounding positive, meaningful words. Oh children, you know how the ole fella gets when he hears a sweet piece of soul music! But enough of my gushing people, just listen to these words, sung in a strong, heart rending voice by Dobie Grey, accompanied by a full orchestra, and a choir singing soulful harmony in the background. The song ‘s called ‘Streets of Fire.’ Enjoy! ‘Have you heard the song of silence, filling up the night? Have you watched the flames of anger burn? Something isn’t right. But you and I can stop the madness. Doesn’t matter who’s to blame. No. Together we can change, Streets of fire, to peaceful roads. Cease all the violence, let the healing waters flow. The veil of hatred can be lifted from our eyes, when the mighty gates of LOVE open wide. Well in the heartless feud and violence, oh the many stand to lose. We can rise above indifference, or all stand accused. Faith can move mountains, but the faithful must be strong, along the way, as we journey on, Streets of fire, to peaceful roads. Cease all the violence, let the healing waters flow. The veil of hatred, can be lifted from our eyes, when the mighty gates of LOVE open wide. There will always be someone, who just won’t agree. But your LOVE and my LOVE, can take us down, these Streets of fire, to peaceful roads. Why can’t we cease all the violence, and let the healing waters flow? The veil of hatred can be lifted from our eyes, O when the mighty gates of LOVE open wide…when the mighty gates of LOVE open wide. Streets of fire…to peaceful roads…Streets of fire…to peaceful roads.’ Yes Friends, it’s disconcerting that words written so long ago, are still so applicable and relevant today. Nothing much has changed. We’re still fighting each other, for no good reason; The veil of hatred hasn’t been lifted, we only talk peace, but never do much to make it happen, cause war and hatred are more profitable. Whatever happened to that promise, ‘In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together…’ When will brother stop killing brother? The Lord won’t just wave a wand and make it disappear. We have to wake up and do it ourselves. When will we realize that in the continuous violence and blood letting no one wins? Oh Friends, let’s take these words to heart nuh. We have to stop the madness, cease the senseless, stupid violence. Lift that veil of hatred, not only from our eyes but even more importantly from our children’s. You’ll notice that racial and religious tensions are increasing, not decreasing. Oh Friends, we’ll never inherit that bountiful land the Lord’s promised us, until we walk together down those streets of fire, allowing the healing waters to flow down them, till they’re quenched, and we open those mighty gates of LOVE that lead to peaceful roads. Let’s do it for our children’s sake nuh…and soon too. Much LOVE!…we can do it…if we really try…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 October 2008 Titus 1:16‏

18 Oct 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Titus 1:16    They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
 
And isn’t that the awful truth Friends?  Bruh Paul’s writing to one of his young protégés, Titus about the church at Crete, which had already been established, but undergoing internal problems, needing proper organization for it to function effectively. This Bruh Paul attempts to do in his letter. He explains the qualifications of elders and bishops. ‘A bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate.’ (vs.7-8) Yes Friends, leaders in Christ’s church need high spiritual qualifications. We can’t be hypocritical; preaching one thing and practicing another. And Bruh Paul forcefully points that out to Titus. ‘For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.’ (vs.10-11) Oh Friends, it hasn’t changed that much these days. Money still brings out the worst in us. We still have church leaders who preach and practice two entirely different things, thereby bringing the church into sad disrepute, turning off genuine believers, and making possible believers leery and wary about committing themselves. Bruh Paul was warning especially about false teachers like the Jews who were trying to impose teachings of circumcision on the Crete Christians, saying they needed it to be saved. Nonsense! Bruh Paul strongly advised; ‘Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith.’ (vs.13) People, we need to do the same today; rebuke those who preach and/or practice false doctrine, and suitably educate those that have come under their evil spell. And Bruh Paul hit the nail on the head when he declared, ‘They profess that they know God.’ But remember Jesus said; ‘Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.’ (Mat.7:20-21) Yes people, we truly know others by their works, by their behaviour, more than by their words. Jesus even went on to say at the end, many of those who claim to have prophesied, healed and done wonderful works in his name, ‘And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.’ (Mat.7:23) So although many of our church leaders, and us, ‘profess to know God, but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient.’ And wickedness in the church is really rampant to day. In all religions. Too many are subverting its good and honourable intentions, and a lot of it is hushed and covered up, but we all know victims of ungodly behaviour by those whom we look up to. John stated: ‘He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandment is a liar, and the truth is not in him…He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.’ (1 John 2:4,6) Too many of us though Friends, don’t live by that rule. We end up more like Bruh Paul wrote to his other protégé, Timothy. ‘Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.’ (2 Tim.3:4-5) Yes Friends, from such we should turn away, for they are, ‘Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.’ (2.Tim.3:7) How sad that they turn out to be also ‘unto every good work reprobate.’ Yes, their good works are disqualified. ‘And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.’ (Acts 1:28) And you can read all those reprobate things in vs.29-32.  Oh Friends, please be careful that we don’t fall into that trap of false godliness, else our worthwhile lives and deeds would have all been wasted. Much LOVE!…practice what you preach…as Jesus did.

Today’s Scrip-Bit 17 October 2008 Hebrews 12:14‏

17 Oct 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Hebrews 12:14    Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.
 
If we intend to follow Jesus, my Friends, then that should be our ultimate goal. We need to make every effort to live in peace and be holy. Bruh Paul in Chap. 12 of Hebrews is talking about running the race set before us, with patience, ‘Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of God.’ (Heb.12:2) In other words, we should use Jesus as an example of one who underwent much tribulation, but never gave up, remained in obedience with God, even though He was chastened for our sakes. God will also chasten us when we err, and he quotes Prov.3:11-12 which talks about not despising the correction of the Lord, and not getting tired of His correction, for whom He LOVES, He corrects, just like an earthly father. But some of us get tired, both of the correction and the discipline we have to follow because they never seem to produce any immediate benefits; ‘nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.’ (Heb.12:11) And that’s the crux of the matter Friends. It all boils down to the strength of our belief system, of our faith. For to walk with Jesus we have to display enormous amounts of faith, and faith naturally encompasses sacrifice. He expects us to believe it, believe Him, and do as He asks, before we’re rewarded sometime in the future. It’s not an easy task, for by nature, we believe what we see, but in Jesus’ philosophy, we’ll see it, when we believe it. That goes back to Bruh Paul’s famous words on Hope. If you see it, why hope for it? ‘But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.’ (Rom.8:25)  He warns us against disobedience; ‘wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees. And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way: but let it rather be healed.’ (Heb.12:12-13) Yes people, some of us runners in the race to glory have become so tired, that we’re stooped and dragging, and we need spiritual strength to straighten us up again. Now we ought to help each other in this respect, but that’s only possible up to a certain point. Each of us must pull ourselves up, straighten our own paths, and avoid obstacles that will spiritually weaken us. We all know our individual problems, and it’s basically up to us to work on them, for nobody can help us if we don’t want to be helped. That’s why Bruh Paul instructs us to ‘follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.’ It’s as simple as that Friends; if we don’t place peace and holiness at the top of our agenda, then ‘crapaud smoke we pipe.’ We won’t see God. Bruh David said it long ago: ‘Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace and pursue it.’ (Ps.34:14) Jesus expanded on it. ‘Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.’ (Mat.5:8-9) So there you have it people; from Bruh David, Bruh Paul and Jesus. What more do we need to put it into action eh? But note, this peace, is not be earned by letting others take advantage of us, or compromising our faith. No way! None of those three listed above ever allowed anybody to ride roughshod over them, or compromised their faith for it, and neither should we. We’ve got to stand up strong for our rights and our beliefs. But by the same token, we should not go out of our way to cause strife or animosity. It’s a fine balance, but with the Holy Spirit of Jesus working within us, we can certainly accomplish it. So let’s get on the peace and holiness train Friends, and chug along joyfully in Jesus’ Name. Much LOVE!…peaceful, righteous people…followers of Christ…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 October 2008 1 Peter 5:6‏

16 Oct 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

1 Peter 5:6    Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you.
 
Yes Friends, it’s of the utmost importance that we humble ourselves before the Creator of the Universe. Just as we pay homage to earthly kings, simply because of the power they wield, then so too should we bow, pay even more respect and homage to the Most High since He’s a much more powerful entity, whose awesome might and creativity no earthly monarch can ever match. But there’s an even better reason for humbling ourselves before Almighty God. Peter provides it. ‘Casting all your cares upon him; for he careth for you.’ (vs.7) And isn’t that the gospel truth people? The Lord cares for us so much that He sent His only begotten Son, sinless and innocent, to die for us, that our sins could be washed away through the shedding of His blood. Now if that isn’t the epitome of caring, I don’t know what is. And possibly the greatest lesson we can learn from Jesus is that of humility, for as Bruh Paul so rightly declares: ‘Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.’ (Phil.2:6-8) Wow Friends! That’s the most awesome example of humility ever! But because of that unselfishness, the Most High God ‘hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow…And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.’ (Phil2:9-11) Yes Friends, that’s the modus operandi of our God; you humble yourself and obey His will, and He rewards you handsomely. Look at Joseph; through all his unfair trials and tribulations, he made no account of himself, he kept his focus steadfastly on God, and gave Him the praise and credit for all his brilliant schemes. And the Lord made him the second highest person in a foreign land, and every knee in Egypt beside Pharaoh’s bowed to him. A Hebrew slave the P.M of Egypt. Imagine that nuh! Why Friends? ‘For God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace unto the humble.’ (1 Pet.5:5)  That’s why the saying ‘Pride goes before a fall,’ has become a cliché’ it’s the truth. Enough of me though. Let some mighty men of God tell you of His LOVE for humility and the humble. ‘To set upon high, those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety.’ (Job 5:11) Even Job’s supposed friend, Eliphaz, got in on the act. ‘When men are cast down; then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.’ (Job 22:29) Bruh David said this: ‘He raiseth the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill.’ (Ps.113:7) Solomon wrote thus: ‘Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly.’ (Prov.3:34) That’s the origin of Peter’s quote, and James said it too. (Jam.4:6)  And Isaiah ‘s take on it: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.’ (Isa.57:15) It would be incomplete without a word from the Master of Humility, Jesus. ‘Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.’ (Mat.11:29) Oh Friends, what better invitation can we desire eh? But let’s note one important thing people: Being humble doesn’t mean going around despondent and downcast. It’s the exact opposite; you stand tall and walk proud, not arrogant, proud to be a follower of Christ. It’s your spirit that’s humble, and that only means being unselfish, willing to serve, thinking about others first, rather than I and me. Christians ought to be the proudest people on the planet, because we have the awesome, invincible Spirit of God dwelling in us, but we use it first to help others and not ourselves. So let’s go forth with humility, serving others in Christ’s name. Much LOVE!…if Christ could serve…so can we…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 October 2008 Matthew 10:32‏

15 Oct 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Matthew 10:32     Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
 
Oh Friends, I know them, and so do you; the closet Christians! Yes people, there are some of us, even one is too many, who only practice Christianity behind closed doors. They spiel a lot in private, or amongst their Christian associates, but when it comes time to come out of the closet and face the music, taking it to the streets in public, they’re either nowhere to be found, or go into their silent routine. When a call comes for all Christians to raise their hands or stand up and be counted, they won’t be numbered amongst those saying, ‘Yeah! I am a follower of Jesus!’ Oh people, as one scholar claims, ‘confess me’ means ‘Acknowledge that you belong to me.’ For it’s a practical impossibility to be a disciple in secret, except in those societies where it’s prohibited, and open admittance leads to unnecessary persecution. Jesus specifically states, ‘confess me before men.’ That means if we want to be His followers, then we should be proud and brave enough to stand up in public and admit it. Chapter 10 of Matthew is where Jesus chooses His disciples, and He’s laying down the ground rules for them; telling them about the rough ride they’ll face if they witness in His Name, but also the great rewards that will be theirs at the end. It must have taken a lot of faith and bravery on the part of those uneducated men to accept the terms of Jesus, especially since He did not have much earthly goods to offer as enticement. But even before Jesus came, Bruh David was man enough to say; ‘I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.’  (Ps.119:46) Oh Friends, we don’t have to march down the street with a big, ‘I am a Christian’ sign on our chests and backs. Although, come to think of it, that might just be an interesting experiment (smile) But if asked, we must be proud and brave enough to shout out ‘Yes!’ or bravely acknowledge it in whatever form or fashion is appropriate. But acknowledge it before men, we must, if we’re serious about following Christ. If we do that, then Jesus promises to also confess us before His Father in heaven. Luke puts it this way: ‘Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God.’ (Luke 12:8) Wow people! Wouldn’t it be wonderful to see Jesus get up before the whole congregation of heaven and hear him call out your name as a good and faithful servant? It’s possibly the best reward we can achieve. By the same token, Jesus said, ‘But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.’ (Mat.10:33) Now Friends, that wouldn’t be a very nice thing to have happen to us, is it? How will we feel, if we approach Jesus at the pearly gates, and He says, ‘Get thee behind me satan!’ Shocked at that rebuke, we’ll blurt out some inane response. But then Jesus will remind us of the many times we denied His Name, didn’t acknowledge Him before men as being the prime mover and shaker in our lives. We’ll try to argue, but it’ll be too late then Friends. We’ll just have to bow our heads in shame and walk away forlorn, to eternal damnation. ‘But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.’ (Luke 12:9) Oh Friends, please don’t let that happen to us. And we’re not talking of one, single denial here, like Peter, but a constant, lifelong resistance to acknowledge Christ. That obviously bars us from ever being a true follower. And as I keep saying, Christianity is more a verb than a noun; it does something; it’s an action statement. So Friends, please, be proud to confess him, let people know to whom we belong and what we stand for, by getting out there and acting, doing something worthwhile in the Holy Name of Jesus. That’s a Christian’s job! Much LOVE!…stand up, stand up for Jesus…the trumpet calls obey…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 October 2008 Romans 8:5‏

14 Oct 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Romans 8:5    For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
 
That does sound logical eh Friends? But ‘The party’s over my friends, it’s time to call it a day.’ Yes, Thanksgiving Day is over now people. And it sure was a beautiful day; filled with fun and frolic, where we indulged in more than our fair share of fleshly lusts. (smile) But we need to get serious again, and concentrate on walking in the Spirit. For as Bruh Paul rightly says, if we live by the sinful nature of the flesh, we’ll do the sinful things that that nature desires and encourages. But if we live in accordance with the nature of the Spirit, we’ll have our minds set on things the spirit desires and encourages. Jesus made that very clear when He said you had to be born again to enter heaven, and Nicodemus naively asked if a man could enter his mother’s womb again. ‘Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.’ (John 3:5-6) There it is Friends; in black and white, and a nutshell! So when we decide to follow Jesus, we’ve got to be born again of water and the Spirit; baptized, then live by the Spirit; by Jesus’ rules, yield ourselves and our lives to His control. ‘For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.’ (Rom.8:6) We can’t afford to live our lives dominated by our sinful nature, all the things the enemy aggressively advertises and supports. ‘Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings and such like.’ (Gal.5:19-21) Wow! It sure is a long list, and it’s obvious Friends, that if we let those things guide our lives, we’ll come to certain death and destruction and end up with the enemy, suffering eternal damnation in Hades. But if we live a life based on the Spirit of Jesus, we’ll share a triumphant and everlasting life of glory with Him in Heaven. And how do we go about living this life of the Spirit? Bruh Paul spells that out too: ‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.’ (Gal.5:22-23) Yes people, that’s the fruit of the Spirit! That’s what it takes to live by the Spirit! They are all beautiful attributes in theory, but oftimes very difficult to put into practice, especially when you’re surrounded by iniquity workers, intent on making you succumb to the sinful nature of the flesh. Note, Bruh Paul points out that there’s no law against the fruit of the Spirit, insinuating, as we well know, the numerous laws, both moral and legal against many of the fleshly lusts we so zealously hunger for and pant after. But once we’ve decided to follow Christ, we’ve got to put away, refrain from those sinful appetites. I repeat: It’s not always easy, but we’ve got to do it. Bruh Paul puts it thus: ‘And they that are Christ’s, have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.’ (Gal.5:24) Yes Friends, we have to kill those fleshly passions, ‘that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.’ (Rom.6:6) We were born sinners, and will always sin, but the important thing is we don’t serve it, we’re not slaves to sin, it doesn’t control our lives; Jesus does. ‘So, ‘If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.’ (Gal.5:25-26) That’s how Jesus wants us to live, Friends. So let’s do it nuh! Much LOVE!…walking like Jesus isn’t easy…but I’m sure gonna try…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 October 2008 Psalm 26:7‏

13 Oct 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 26:7    That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY CANADA!

Yes Friends, it’s the day we’ve chosen in this beautiful, bountiful land of Canada to proclaim our appreciation with a loud voice of thanksgiving to our merciful, ever-loving God; to sing His praises and declare to all the world, the wonderful works He’s done in our lives. So Happy Thanksgiving Day to all you Friends in the abundant but soon to be cold Northland. We’re still the best big country to live in. Yeah! And it’s going to be a lovely summer’s day too! Yuh see how the Lord favours us; blessing us with a summer’s day in mid October. (smile) But we’ll have forgotten that in another month though and begun to whine about the cold, so let’s give thanks and celebrate God’s goodness today, with our Friends, Families and Neighbours. But let’s not set aside just one day to give thanks. It should be an everyday occurrence. Remember God’s mercies are new each morning. Each sunrise He restores and refreshes us with strength and courage anew, so that we can ably face the problems we encounter on this, our earthly pilgrimage. For that we should offer Him heartfelt thanks each time we open our eyes and witness that the darkness of night has turned to the bright light of day, and we’re able to function with some degree of normalcy. Oh people, just as the Most High God blesses us and renews our tired spirit daily, so ought we to thank Him daily. Allow me to make a small suggestion: Starting today; each morning when we awaken, before getting out of bed, before we start rushing around madly with the day’s activities, let’s take a moment, recall a few things we’re thankful for and thank the Lord for them. We’ll be surprised at how much better, smoother, our days will go, if we begin them with some sense of appreciation; rather than just jumping out of bed and moving into a frenzied gear right away. It might mean getting up five minutes earlier, but trust me, it’ll be worth it. Friends, at nights too, let’s do the same thing nuh. As we prepare for bed, or lie there, after all the flurry is over, possibly recalling our day’s activities, spare a moment, think of something or things, they don’t have to be all that important, but you’re still thankful for them because they’ve made your life easier in some respect, and just say, ‘Thank you Lord.’ He’ll know what you’re talking about. You’ll be amazed at how such a simple act will relax you, make falling asleep much easier and also provide more restful sleep. Just one more thing people. Hn! I’m hearing the grumbling. ‘But that so hard.’ No it’s not. Like everything else it takes practice, and the first step is usually the hardest, but since all of us, in some form and fashion give some thanks at some stage of each day, at least I hope so, we already have a springboard to work from. What we’re trying to develop is a consistent spirit of thankfulness; an attitude of gratitude. Believe me, when you say a sincere thanks to anybody, for anything, it makes both of you feel better. So all throughout the day too, whenever anything good happens, stop for a moment and whisper a quick ‘Thank you.’ Even when things don’t go your way, still say ‘Thanks,’ for if He’s guiding you, and said no, that means whatever it was, wasn’t right for you. So you’re thanking Him there for not allowing you to make a mistake. You know, eventually, He’ll bless you with something that’s not only right, but better. Oh Friends, it’s all part of developing our trust and faith in the promises of our Lord to walk with and look after us on this earthly journey. And we can’t truthfully do that without showing our appreciation and thankfulness for His help. Oh, before I forget, this should in no way detract from our normal activities with the Lord. (smile) It’s just a small addition to our normal routine that will increase our peace and joy. Much LOVE! …oh give thanks people…sing His praises continually…for the Lord’s a good God…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 October 2008 Jeremiah 2:11‏

12 Oct 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Jeremiah 2:11    Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
 
Truer words were never spoken Friends! We are living proof that History repeats itself, for Western civilization, which was built on the basic tenet of Christianity, has done an amazing, almost 360 degrees turn around. Like the Israelites of old, we’re putting God further and further behind us. Nowadays, too many people are afraid, ashamed, or whatever to even acknowledge the possible existence of a Supreme Being, who rules the universe, much less to admit that He’s an important part of their lives. I don’t know if we’re afraid of being ridiculed or what, but when I was growing up, Christians were a proud, positive group. You might not agree with their thinking or lifestyle, but they sure stood up for themselves. Today, we seem rather fearful and easily brow beaten, letting the iniquity workers ride roughshod over us. Oh Friends, Jesus might not have condoned violence, but He certainly never allowed anybody to ride roughshod over Him. Why are we allowing the enemy to denigrate and slowly eradicate our godly traditions eh? ‘For all people will walk everyone in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.’ (Mic.4:5) Whatever happened to that eh people? Why have we stopped walking in the name of the Lord? Why has the acquisition of material possessions and the approval of fallible man become more important to us than the will of God? The Lord himself is confused, that’s why He’s asking today, just like He did long ago,’ Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods?’ It must seem like that to Him, since our society is doing their best to get rid of Him. Bruh David said; ‘Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.’ (Ps.115:4) They have all the body parts of men, but are lifeless. ‘They that make them are like unto them; so is everyone that trusteth in them.’ (Ps.115:8) That’s simple logic people: If you trust in lifeless, inanimate objects, then you’ll soon become the same. Isaiah elaborated: ‘And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of man’s hands, wood and stone: therefore have they destroyed them.’  (Is.37:19) Oh people, the Lord’s really puzzled by our backsliding, by our unexplainable stupidity; ‘but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.’ Of course Friends! How can it profit us to turn from a powerful, loving, living, generous Being to lifeless, inanimate objects made with our hands? Bruh David declared: ‘They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image. Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass. They forgat God, their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt.’ (Ps.106:19-21) The Lord wanted to destroy Israel then, ‘had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath.’ (Ps.106:23) Oh Friends, who’s standing in the breach for us today? There seems to be no mortal influential enough to intercede for us. Especially since the Lord in His perplexity warned: ‘Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord. For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.’ (Jer.2:12-13) Oh Friends, what a sad commentary on us from our God. But all’s not lost yet. There might not be a mortal intercessor, but there’s an immortal one; Jesus, who shed His Holy blood for us. But He won’t intercede for us unless we reconnect to His Father. So Friends, I beg of us, please, let’s do like our forefathers did when they came to their senses and burn the worthless, useless, lifeless gods we’re currently worshipping; like money, greed, power, material possessions etc. which aren’t profiting us, and return to the One and Only, True, Living God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The fountain of living waters, who’s loving, gracious, merciful, forgiving and generous, and only has our best interests at heart. It’s the only sensible way. Much LOVE!…wisdom…wisdom…wisdom…seek thee it continuously…
 

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