Today’s Scrip-Bit 31 May 2009 Proverbs 31:26‏

31 May 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Proverbs 31:26   She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
 
Oh my beautiful Friends in Christ, the word today is ‘Kindness.’ Yes, it’s the simple word that if really put into action, would create such an abundance of hope and happiness in our world that our God would bubble over with joy. But right now it’s sadly lacking in our daily dealings with each other, thus causing much of the tension and strife on planet earth. And the sad part is it doesn’t have to be a big, or go far out of our way kindness to have a noticeable impact, just basic decency in our everyday lives, treating each other the way we want to be treated. We’re talking about actions like a kind word, a genuine smile, a nod of the head in acknowledgement, a sincere thanks or sorry, holding a door open, letting the other person go before you in the checkout line, a hug, a heartfelt ‘morning neighbour,’ a blown kiss across a crowded room, a handshake, helping a disabled or older person, visiting the sick and lonely, a phone call just to say, hi, how yuh doing. Oh my people, that’s basically what Jesus meant when He talked about LOVING your neighbour. He didn’t mean that you have to LOVE all man-kind with that deep feeling, cause it’s just impossible, given the nature of the human animal, but it does mean we can show basic good manners and decency to all. Although the word manners and what it entails doesn’t seem to exist in our society any more. But the writer of Today’s Bit knew its importance when he claimed that a virtuous woman ‘openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness.’ She is both wise and kind. That’s because wisdom shows us the dire need for kindness. Many of the old fogies will remember this quote of William Penn that was drilled into us as children, but sadly we have not done the same with our offspring. ‘I expect to pass through life but once. If, therefore, there can be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow human being, let me do it now.’ Amen my people! That’s what Jesus desires of us; simple kindness NOW. He wants us to stop talking, to stop making idle promises to do, and instead do it right here and now, cause we just revel in procrastination. Oh Friends, as we said recently, one of the things that come not back is the lost opportunity, so let’s the make the most of those that come our way nuh. And kindness is like a boomerang; it always comes back to you in some way. It’s the same what you sow, you reap theory. My people, if we want to grow, to mature in the faith, become more like Christ, then we have to make it a habit of grabbing each opportunity that comes along and doing something constructive with it. Note that whenever an opportunity arose, Jesus dealt with it in a positive manner, right then and there. We should try to do likewise. And it doesn’t necessarily require great effort on our part; just simple LOVE will do. Whatever brings a smile to a sad face, lessens the pain of a hurting heart, or quiets the worms in a hungry stomach, those are the things Jesus wants us to concentrate on. The things that help us all live everyday life a little easier. A good example is two evenings ago, I decided to go for a walk around the block, but by the time I was ready, the sunny skies had turned to dark, ominous clouds and the rain began drizzling. But I just felt like a refreshing walk in the rain, plus a letter had been mistakenly delivered to my address because of the same house number. Now I could have easily thrown it back in the mailbox, but as I was passing right by the house, I decided to just drop it off instead. Wonder of wonders Friends, soon after delivering the letter to the slim, medium height, white gentleman, about my age, the rain really came down. So we stood on his porch talking for a bit, me obstinately refusing a ride back home. Next thing we’re sitting down on the porch. He invited me inside, but I declined, claiming I had stuff to go home and do. But it was two hours later I finally left, after we two old geezers had righted all the wrongs in the world. (smile) I still don’t know his name, and I doubt he knows mine, but we now know that we’re kindred spirits, because I did a small kindness. Now if we can do big deeds of kindness, then that’s wonderful, but we have to start with the little things, and those right in our own backyard, with our immediate friends, families and neighbours. It makes no sense going across town to do it, when it’s badly needed right at home. And it doesn’t always entail actually doing good, for sometimes simply cutting out the negative makes a great improvement. You’d be surprised how cutting out the gossiping, the petty hurts, jealousy and resentment can improve your life as well as others by lessening the strife and tension. Oh Friends, like one one cocoa fills a basket, and the pennies add up to dollars, so do all these little things add up and eventually improve our lives. Yuh know people, we constantly talk about God’s LOVING-kindness, but what about ours eh? As believers, others should be talking about our LOVING-kindness too. Are they? Oh Friends, remember that Jesus was a simple, down to earth man, who cared about the sick and suffering, the unfortunate and unhappy, the oppressed and suppressed. Those were the ones to whom He naturally gravitated. And we all know there’s an inordinate amount of sickness, suffering, unhappiness, oppression and suppression in our world, so we need to desperately ramp up our kindness meter and actively, consciously, reach out and help our unfortunate brothers and sisters in Christ. So Friends, I implore, beg, plead, beseech and exhort us to get up off our comfortable derrières and do some act of kindness today, NOW. Let’s warm the cockles of Jesus’ heart by showing the world what Christian LOVING-KINDNESS is really all about nuh. Much LOVE!…reach out and touch someone…today…make our world a better place…in Jesus’ name…Amen!
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 May 2009 Ezekiel 34:31‏

30 May 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Ezekiel 34:31    And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God.
 
Let’s say ‘Glory Hallelujah’ and ‘Amen’ to that my Friends! Why? Cause it’s the most wonderful group to belong to in this whole wide world! Oh how excited that scripture makes me! I was looking at some other stuff on the same page, but every time my eyes beheld it, it energized me. Finally I got the message that it was meant to be Today’s Bit. Oh people, you have to excuse the ole fella, for in his advanced age, it does take a little longer to read these signs and signals. (smile) But the important thing is that I do get them eventually. And what better gift can we ask than being men in God’s flock eh? None really my brethren! But please remember, it’s all a gift. It’s nothing that we did, or could ever do to earn it. It’s just the goodness and mercy of our ever-LOVING God that blesses us with being numbered amongst His people. We only need to believe what He says, and live obedient to His rules. As Bruh David declares in Psalm 100: ‘Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.’ Hallelujah! ‘Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him and bless his name.’ Praise His Holy Name my people! ‘For the Lord is good: his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth for all generations.’ (Ps.100:3-5) Selah! Oh my Friends, if those few words of Bruh David don’t touch your heart, and just fill it full of joy, praise, thanksgiving, LOVE, peace and all the other good emotions, then I don’t know what will. It’s certainly a moving testimony to our God, but also puts forth things we should make habit forming; entering His gates with thanks, his courts with praise, just being thankful to Him, and blessing His Holy Name. It’s that attitude of gratitude we’re always talking about, which sadly, a lot of us believers either don’t have, or don’t display. But Friends, how can we not have or display a thankful attitude when our main purpose is to praise, worship and revere Him, then spread His Word? So if we’re not being properly grateful, can we call ourselves true believers? I don’t think so. After becoming a believer, our first task is to be sincerely thankful for what the Lord and His Son Jesus, our Saviour, has done for us poor, undeserving sinners. Now let’s turn back to Ezekiel, Chap.34, which begins with the Lord instructing Zeke to prophesy against the shepherds, the leaders of Israel. ‘Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! Should not the shepherd feed the flocks? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe ye with wool, ye kill them that are fed: (fatlings) but ye feed not the flock.’ (Ezek.34:2-3) What does that indictment say of those leaders Friends? That they’re no good, only in it for themselves, have no real interest in the flock they’re supposed to lead, guide and care for. What did Jesus say? ‘I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.’ (John 10:11) Now that’s how a shepherd should behave my people; protecting his sheep, even if it means losing his life on their behalf. But did any of Israel’s leaders, or do our own today, really give a hoot about the people placed under their leadership? No sir! They were, and are more concerned with consuming the sheep, rather than nurturing them. We see it all over the world Friends, where the leaders think they rule in their own right, and not as servants of the people. And we the people, like the proverbial lambs led quietly to the slaughter, let them get away with that disgusting attitude. Nowadays the political forum is no longer about the people, but about the politicians and their parties, about being re-elected and staying in power. Isn’t it strange that we claim not to trust them, yet we believe their empty, hypocritical promises come election time? I guess right now they’re even more distrusted than lawyers, (keep quiet daughter) and that’s saying a lot. But my people, I exhort you, hn, a favourite word of Bruh Paul, I exhort you to remember that our God Jehovah is still on the throne, and once He is there, there is always hope. Moreover, He’s declared: ‘Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves anymore; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.’ (Ezek.34:10) Oh happy day my people! Then hear this astonishing promise of our wonderful, magnanimous God: ‘I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and strong; I will feed them with judgement.’ (Ezek.34:15-16) Beware, you fat and strong, for justice is forthcoming! Oh Friends, under what other ruler can we find such heartening and encouraging promises eh? None, my people, none! So I again exhort us to put our sincere trust and faith in the Lord and His Son, Jesus, who did what a shepherd should do for his sheep; die to protect them. No other wannabe shepherd has ever done that, only Jesus Christ! He walked His talk and died that ugly, unjust, innocent death for us on Calvary. Even though we didn’t deserve it, He redeemed out lost, sinful souls, and made us right with the Father. There can be no greater gift than that my Friends. So let’s give much heartfelt thanks and praise, let’s bless His Holy name forever, for He is indeed the One and Only, the True Good Shepherd, and we’re unbelievably fortunate, blessed and grateful to be in is flock. Much LOVE!….only in Jesus’ flock….are the sheep…. safe, secure, assured of salvation and eternal life…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 29 May 2009 Psalm 80:1‏

29 May 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 80:1    Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubim, shine forth.
 
Oh glorious Friends of mine, it’s another rainy day! More blessings? Hopefully! But too much of anything is good for nothing. Just like rain can water the land and make it fruitful, too much can cause flooding and great disaster. And talking about flooding, I read an article in Thursday’s Toronto Star that just sickened me. In a certain city park, there’s a play structure that features the story of Noah and the Ark. It talks about the 40 days and nights of rain, with pictures of animals in male-female pairings. Now Friends, this structure has apparently been in the park between ten and fifteen years. Now one fool has complained to the city officials: ‘It bothered me, this religious story is in our public park. I’ve noticed that people have scratched out (the word) ‘God’ in them. So this has probably bothered some other people as well. We’re supposed to be the most multicultural city in the world, and it doesn’t seem terribly inclusive.’ Oh Friends, I had to shake my head in disbelief. But it doesn’t stop there. Some chairwoman from some group of friends of the park agrees that the equipment should be yanked. But she also notes that only people with young children are liable to notice it, as well as the length of time between its installation and the original complaint; some ten years or more. But the worst part of the story is that the City Councillor responsible for the area also agrees, cause it goes against the city’s general policy of inclusiveness. Well blow me down! Is taking God out of our lives, out of a supposedly Christian culture inclusive? Hn! They must have changed the meaning of the word recently. He also mouths about ‘Toronto’s motto is Diversity is our strength.’ Doesn’t he realize that anything too diverse can never be strong? That’s why the city is going to hell in a hand basket. The fools running it are trying to please everybody but God. They haven’t realized that the much- ballyhooed idea of multiculturalism is just that. It doesn’t work. It just creates little enclaves of immigrants bringing their own traditions and cultures and expecting to live exactly how they did back where they came from. No, they expect to live better, because many are running from disgusting situations, but want to keep all their old traditions. That’s why the Sikhs come here and want to walk around with their supposedly ceremonial swords and daggers, but let Babylon catch a little black boy with a pocket-knife nuh. He done get lock up for a dangerous or prohibited weapon. The turbaned people come and don’t want to wear hard hats on construction sites, or helmets on motorcycles, but still want to sue when they get injured. The Sri-Lankans just come here, bringing their ugly ethnic, civil war, but they thought it right to disrupt the city for several days recently. Now where did they get the right to breach my freedom of movement eh? Everybody fleeing from some war torn or impoverished country comes here and wants it their way, or to obliterate the Christian traditions on which the country was founded. And what’s the Christian response? Nothing! We just let them erase or eradicate our God from our country. But getting back to the foolish councillor. Although he doesn’t think that a religious artefact should be in public display, he doesn’t want to take it down until it’s worn out, which could be another ten years. Hurrah! Hallelujah! On top of that there are budget constraints and nobody is calling for them to be removed immediately. In other words, petty politics and the almighty dollar rule again, because they couldn’t take it out and not replace it, votes would be lost. He also claims that the city’s new policy only came into being after the structure was erected, but something like that would never be put in place today, because it’s inappropriate. Oh my people, please explain to me how God can be inappropriate in a supposedly godly country eh? The sad thing is, if we Christians go to the original countries of these complainers, we couldn’t even open our mouths and whisper ‘God’, much less complain about their religious artefacts. In some, if you even try to talk about Christianity you’re immediately rubbed out. Oh Canada, Oh Canada! What will become of you eh? Oh Friends, the melting pot idea that the U.S. supports isn’t perfect, but it’s certainly better suited to good relations than the multicultural nonsense we claim to embrace. At least with the melting pot, theoretically you bring something and add it to the communal pot, so at the end of the day, you can truly say, this is a reflection of all of us. But when we bring culture and tradition and keep them separate, which multiculturalism tends to do, paying little or no regard to that of the host nation, it only creates tension and eventually strife. Just look at Toronto now, with all the separate cultures in their separate neighbour-hoods. Oh Friends, diversity is an admirable ideal, but like everything else, too much of it is no good, it just causes too much friction. Everybody wants their way, but the pie can only be split in so many ways, so no one ends up satisfied, and right there the flames of dissension are lit. Oh my people, please remember that if you stand for nothing, you’ll fall for anything. Please, let’s stand up for our God and our country, and don’t let them demean Him any further. Don’t they realize that it’s because we’ve moved away from God, that our world is in such turmoil? And yuh know, it’s the same ones who don’t want God displayed in public, but where else yuh going to display Him eh, when hard times hit, they are the first to cry out, Oh God!’ for help. Friends, excuse the ole fella’s outburst, but the symbolism of the article and all it stands for just riled me up. I hope it riled you all up too, cause, as believers, we have to stand strong and don’t let them destroy all aspects of God in our lives. They’ve already taken Him out of the schools, the courts, the legislature and many homes. But we have to start turning this thing around NOW, later might just be too late, when there’s no trace of God left in the public domain. Like Asaph, we pilgrims got to cry out; ‘Turn us again O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.’ (Ps.80:3) Much LOVE!…stand up…stand up for Jesus…the trumpet call obey…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 May 2009 1 Samuel 16:7‏

28 May 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

1 Samuel 16:7    But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.
 
Oh my wonderful, fellowshipping Friends in Christ, it’s a rainy spring day! But don’t worry, it’s just our Lord Jehovah pouring His blessings on the earth so that it can be fruitful for us, like He had Samuel pour the anointing oil on Bruh David; ‘and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward.’ (1 Sam.16:13)  Our God sure doesn’t think like us, and Today’s Bit certainly highlights that. When the Lord rejected Saul as king, He called on a dejected, disappointed Samuel. I like how the Lord confronts him: ‘How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing that I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons. And Samuel said, How can I go? If Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the Lord said, Take a heifer with thee, and say I am come to sacrifice to the Lord. and call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shalt do: and thou shall anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.’   (1 Sam.16:1-3) Oh Friends, a glorious example of the Lord providing the tools to do His work, making a way, when there seems to be no safe way! The situation seems contradictory though, for Samuel was scared of Saul, but the people of Bethlehem were afraid of Samuel, for when he got there; ‘the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ (1 Sam.16:4-5) So Samuel invited them all, including Jesse and his sons, to sanctify themselves and come to the sacrifice. Then the confusion begins. When Samuel, saw Jesse’s son, Eliab, he said, ‘surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.’ (1 Sam. 16:6) I guess Eliab had the stature; the strapping build, the looks and confidence that men think a king should have. But the Lord wagged His finger and said, no Sam, not that one, while gently scolding him: ‘Look not on his countenance, or the height of his stature; because I have refused him.’ That’s the big difference between God and us, my people; we take pleasure in, and judge by outward show and conformation; but not so our God. As Bruh David was later to write: ‘He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of man. The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.’  (Ps.147:10-11) As I keep saying   Friends; ‘for the Lord seeth not as man seeth.’ And isn’t that the sad truth, which gets us into so much trouble? ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.’ (Isa.55:8-9) That’s why He is God and we are mere mortals. ‘For man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.’  Unfortunately, judging by what we see on the outside, and not the real truth on the inside, can make substantial and significant differences in the outcome of a situation. Bruh Paul questioned the Corinthians. ‘Do ye look on things after the outward appearance?’ (2 Cor.10:7) And Jesus, after He had healed on the Sabbath, and they wanted to kill him, wisely advised: ‘Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgement.’ (John 7:24) And that should stick a pin in most of us my people, since that’s our style; we judge by what we see on the outside, what others want us to see. Granted it’s difficult to know people’s real mind set, or what’s truly in their hearts, but that just means we should not be as quick to judge, or accept others, as we tend to do, for usually we never have all the facts, or even the important ones. Our news media is famous for that, and these days they seem to fashion our thinking. But Friends, our thinking should be fashioned by the Good Book, not the unrighteous ways of men. That’s why all of Jesse’s sons, those considered worthwhile by man, passed before Samuel, but the Lord rejected every one. So Samuel had to ask if those were all his children. Jesse replied that the youngest was out in the field keeping the sheep. Yuh see mih people! Nobody even considered Bruh David worthy, because he was young and possibly a day-dreamer and didn’t look like what we would consider king material. But the Lord saw differently, and when Bruh David was brought in to Samuel’s presence, the Good Book declares; ‘Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to.’ (1 Sam.16:12) But isn’t that at least partial king material; rosy cheeks, good looking, and he must have been strong and wiry from being out in the wild with the sheep? The important thing here Friends, is that when Bruh David walked in, there was no hesitation on the Lord’s part. He must have smiled at last, stabbed the air with His right hand, and said a glorious, ‘Yes! That’s my man!’ And He immediately instructed Samuel; ‘Arise, anoint him: for this is he.’ (1 Sam.16:12) That’s because people, the Lord saw what no human could see, what was sincerely beating in his heart: A true LOVE for the Lord! As Sol said in his great prayer when he dedicated the temple: ‘Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men.’ (1 Kng.8:39) Oh Friends, having a right heart is possibly the most important part of our walk with Jesus. For if we call ourselves believers and don’t have that, then we’re just a bunch of ole hypocrites, only fooling ourselves and those around us, but certainly not God. And eventually we’ll pay for it. So let’s all look to our hearts and make them right nuh, so when the Lord looks down on us, He’ll unleash a big smile, and won’t hesitate to anoint us. Much LOVE!…oh, a heart that’s right…a heart that’s right…that’s the heralding call of Jesus… 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 May 2009 Romans 13:11‏

27 May 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Romans 13:11    And that knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
 
Oh my Friends, those words are so true, cause every passing day brings Christ’s return and our salvation ever closer to fruition. Many of us were taught about the three things that come not back; the spoken word, the something something, and the lost opportunity. Excuse the ole fella Friends, he’s having a senior’s moment, (smile) can’t think of the third thing. But anyway, I was going to add a fourth, salvation, until I realized that’s also a lost opportunity, for once we die, salvation is no longer possible, and none of us knows when that moment will be, so it’s best we seize the opportunity RIGHT NOW. Remember the other saying; ‘Time waits on no one?’ That’s true too. So we’ve got to use the short time allotted to us wisely. Hear this quote from Lord Chesterfield: ‘Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no laziness, no procrastination, never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.’ Amen! Invaluable words of advice my people! Bruh Paul figured his people were wasting time in ungodly pursuits, just like we are, that’s why he’s saying; ‘it is high time to awake out of sleep.’ We’re letting the lusts of the world rule our lives, and only getting more worried, bitter and frustrated. But that’s a natural consequence when we completely remove God from, or lessen Him in our lives. Oh my people, we need to; ‘Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.’ (1 Cor.15:34) Trust Bruh Paul to tell it like he sees it. But Friends, our problem is not so much that we don’t have the knowledge of God, but rather that we don’t have enough, and a little knowledge is a bad thing. Also, for whatever reason, we’re not prepared to spend the time acquiring that knowledge. Like everything else, it takes time and effort, and it’s portrayed as a dark, dreary and boring undertaking, certainly not as bright, shiny and enticing as the enticements of the world. But my people, we need to seriously ask ourselves what it is we really want. Is it the deteriorating, rusting baubles of this false, fickle and evil world, or the tried and true, stable, everlasting rewards that are only available when we abide by Christ’s rules? That’s the first thing we’ve got to decide. I strongly suggest that we decide in favour of seriously following Christ, cause though the earthly journey might be a bit rough and bumpy, life in the hereafter will be much more pleasant. Why? Because anyone following the lusts of the evil one will be thrown out into everlasting darkness, come the judgement day. And remember, that’s the last straw; after that there’s nothing. And Jesus certainly doesn’t want anybody being condemned to eternal death with that scallywag Lucifer, so it’s time to say like those other people of great faith; ‘As for me and mine, we’ll follow the Lord.’ Time’s a running out. The fateful day is drawing closer. As Bruh Paul right fully declares; ‘The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.’ (Rom.13:12) That’s the gospel truth Friends! Every passing minute brings Jesus’ return closer, and we can’t afford to be found wanting when He shows up. So we should, ‘have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.’  (Eph.5:11-12) Yes my people, it’s high time we eradicate the powers of evil and darkness. Yuh see what they’ve brought our world to with their egotistic dependence on the stupidity of man and Beelzebub. Yes Friends, Beelzebub is stupid in the sense that only a fool would try to overthrow the Lord of Creation. But otherwise he’s certainly cunning and wily like a fox, and the only way we can defeat him is to, ‘Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.’ (Eph.6:11-12) Oh my people, we’ve all seen and experienced the unfortunate results of that amongst our friends, families and neighbours, and it’s not a pretty sight. And with time running out, it’s imperative that we ‘walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.’ (Rom.13:13-14) Ah my Friends, if we want to see our confused and depraved world turned around, then we have to give up the debauchery, the resentment, hate, anger and all the evil ways we have. Come out of the darkness into the light, by studying the Word, fellowshipping with other believers and keeping each other strong. This doesn’t mean we can’t have fun and make merry, but with godly circumspection and moderation. The false, substance-less things of the world should not rule our lives. The WORD of Almighty God should do that! Much LOVE!…don’t be caught moaning…time, oh time…where have you gone…then it will be too late… Oh Friends, I just remembered the third thing that doesn’t come back; the shot arrow. Yuh see God is good; the Master of timing. Now oonoo can’t laugh at the ole fella’s senior moment. (smile)
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 26 May 2009 Jeremiah 3:22‏

26 May 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Jeremiah 3:22    Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God.
 
Oh Friends, the ole fella’s in a bind as to how to start the Bit in a spunky, upbeat mood, so we’ll just have to settle for a dour, dreary beginning. ‘Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the Lord.’ (Jer.3:20) Oh my people, I believe we are guilty of the same sin. We have disobeyed the Lord and gone astray, worshipping false idols created by men in their ignorant wisdom. That’s why our recent calamities have befallen us, and we are now bemoaning our sin of desertion, as we pay the price.  For ‘A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the Lord their God.’ (Jer.3:21) But my Friends, the good thing is we’ve finally recognized the error of our ways, finally accepted our truant behaviour for what it was, and hopefully are ready to make amends for it. And luckily for us, the arms of our LOVING, merciful and forgiving God are always opened wide to accept those who come to Him in sincere prayer. Thus, like the prophet Jeremiah did with Israel, I’m advising us to; ‘Return ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings.’ And what does backsliding mean? The scholars say it can mean two things: Failure of a people, like Israel, to keep their covenant with God; being rebellious and arrogant, wanting to do their own thing. Or the failure of a people to grow spiritually in accord with God’s enlightenment. I beg to offer that we are guilty on both counts. We have both erred from keeping our covenant with Jesus, being a stubborn, egotistic, know-it-all people. Neither did the remnant that stayed faithful, grow spiritually or mature in the faith. We just let it slide, gave in to the stronger voices of the enemy, basically just paying lip service and not putting up a vigorous offence or defence of the faith. That’s why the enemy was able to take so much of God out of the society. But now my Friends, the chickens have come home to roost and we are faced with dire recession. However, I’m sure we’ll rebound, in a leaner, meaner way, as we penitently come back to the Father. For as Jeremiah prayerfully acknowledges; ‘Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God.’ And isn’t that a most wonderful truth my people, for which we should all shout; ‘Hallelujah! Praise His Holy Name!’  For ‘Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel.’ (Jer.3:23) Oh my brethren, truer words were never spoken! Salvation is only available from the Most High God Jehovah! And unless we believe that, and until we store it deep down in the very depths of our hearts, souls and minds, we’ll always have problems, in particular with backsliding, with wanting to do things our way instead of God’s. Oh Friends, I’m chuckling over what I’m about to write, and I hope you take it the right way. It’s just that the scholars claim in these verses of scripture, that though Jeremiah has to declare God’s judgment, he so longs for his people’s repentance and return to a right standing with their God, that in his vision, he joins with them in confession and contrition. They claim that here Jerry gives us a lesson in ‘speaking the truth in LOVE,’ (Eph.4:15) and in feeling concern. Now I’m no prophet, but I surely long for the day when we’ll all be returned to our right place in God’s favour, and I need to add my own confession and contrition, for I too have sinned and come very short of God’s glory. But one doesn’t need to be a prophet to speak the truth in LOVE, or feel genuine concern, which I am doing right here and now. I don’t know about Jerry, but my life is certainly not as good as it can be and anything I say here you can believe, for whatever happens to our world greatly affects me too. My job is to encourage us, to keep us strong, energized, motivated, steadfast and true in the faith. I surely hope I’m doing that. But I’ve been granted one bit of prophecy, (smile) namely, that our lives will improve in direct proportion to our return, with an unconditional acceptance of Almighty God. In other words, when the majority of us are living in peace and LOVE with each other and obeying God’s commands, then our society will become truly prosperous again. Hn, hn! But ah have to laugh again yes, for that’s no real prophecy, cause any fool fool believer with little knowledge of the scriptures could figure that out. Anyway, for all our sakes my people, let’s try and speed it up nuh. ‘Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.’  (Hos.6:1) Our wonderful God is just waiting with bated breath and wide opened arms for us to come back to Him, so that He can bind and heals us my Friends. Please, my people, let’s not disappoint Him. Much LOVE!…to every thing there’s season… this is the season for LOVE…and for GOD…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 May 2009 Psalm 22:1‏

25 May 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 22:1    My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
 
Oh my Friends, that sure is a mournful plea; one which all of us have uttered at some time. It’s a cry of heartbreaking anguish, indicating a terrible feeling of loneliness and abandonment. It occurs when we’re futilely struggling against gigantic odds, with no signs of help, of the favour God promises to His diligent followers. Bruh David apparently found himself in a rather serious predicament; beset by enemies before and behind, and it sure looks as though he had lots of them. In this situation he was lost, unsure of how to proceed against the might of his foes. To make matters worse, no assistance appeared to be forthcoming from the God of his fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, whom he’d worshipped his entire life. Wow! A man of such great and steadfast faith, going unattended by his God! Can you imagine how he must have felt totally forsaken? ‘O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.’ (vs.2) Ah my people, what can I say eh? It’s all part of God’s great plan, which we obviously won’t understand because it’s above our comprehension, but also because it involves pain, heartache and suffering, things we’re not very good at undergoing. And it’s significant that that’s the same cry of anguish and forsakenness that Jesus uttered in the last moments of His life on the cross. ‘And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ (Mat.27:46) The only difference here Friends, is that Jesus’ plea is tinged with a touch of victory, for He knew that once He died, He’d have won the battle for our sinful souls: He’d successfully paid for our sins. But His anguished cry was nonetheless real, in keeping with His human embodiment; that of a tortured soul, for His Father, as Supreme Judge and Jury, had to actually forsake Him, so that He could die the death that would restore us to right standing with Almighty God. And Friends, though at times our problems overwhelm us, and the Lord seems indifferent to our urgent supplications, those are the very times we should definitely not give up, but hold strong and steadfast to our faith and the promises of our ever LOVING, ever Merciful, ever Forgiving God. As Bruh David contends: ‘Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.’ (Ps.22:4-5) The same should be said of us my people by future generations. I know it’s difficult to keep keeping on when everything just seems to be simultaneously tumbling down on us, especially in these recessionary days, where the news is almost always bad and disheartening. But let me remind us that when our Saviour, Jesus, trod this earth, He never took and easy step. From the day He was reputed to be gestating in His unmarried mother’s womb, till today, two thousand years after He died, rose and ascended back to His Heavenly Father, all for our sinful sakes, His Holy Name has been blasphemed and tarnished with every imaginable slur and negative comment. But what was, is and will always be His reaction? ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ (Luke 23:34) Granted, we’re not as holy and strong as Him, but our stated goal is to become more like Him. So, when the hard times do strike, we need to dig down deep, keep calling, keep crying out, keep pleading for that heavenly strength to stay a faithful and steadfast course. And it will be granted eventually. Just don’t doubt. I know that’s easier said than done, but remember when we chose to follow Jesus, we knew, or should have been told, that it was going to be a rough and rocky road to travel, but with the Lord’s help, if we stood strong, we’d make it to our eventual destination with Jesus and be well rewarded. ‘I go to prepare a home for you…So that where I am, ye may be also.’ Oh Friends, in these uncertain times, it’s absolutely necessary to encourage ourselves and others in our God, else we’ll fall apart like the host of the unbelievers are doing. Just keep sticking to your God, like white on rice. (smile) Do your part as best you can, but keep calling on Him, reminding Him of His promises. ‘When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord will I seek.’ Therefore, ‘Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.’ (Ps.27:8-9) We can’t afford to give up my people, cause we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world, and if the salt loses its flavour and the light turns to darkness, then all hope is lost and we have let Jesus down. It’s therefore good for us to proclaim: ‘I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.’ So, ‘Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait I say on the Lord.’ (Ps.27:13-14) Yes my Friends, all we can do is our best, then cry out for help and believe that it will come, even though it’s just in the nick of time, then wait patiently for it to arrive. I know that’s hard, but it will. Much LOVE!…keep strong my people…work and pray…believe and wait…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 May 2009 Proverbs 3:13‏

24 May 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Proverbs 3:13    Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
 
‘Oh happy day! Oh happy day! When Jesus washed…Oh when Jesus washed…When he washed, all my sins away!’ Oh Friends that stands as the happiest day in a believer’s life! And if you don’t agree now, just wait until you’re ushered through those portals of LOVE in Zion, on the fateful day our Lord and Saviour comes to take His followers Home, and you notice that several of your friends and neighbours aren’t there with you. Then you’ll realize what a blessed day it was when Jesus came into our lives. Oh my people, what’s happiness eh? We talk about it so much, spend most, if not all of our earthly lives searching for it. But what’s it really all about? I’ll share a quote from one, George du Marier. ‘Happiness is like time and space – we make and measure it ourselves; it is as fancy, as big, as little, as you please; just a thing of contrasts and comparisons.’ Oh Friends, it’s one of our ultimate goals, but basically it’s all a relative state of mind, and depends on each individual, not on others. Nobody or nothing can make you happy if you don’t want to be happy. Neither can anyone or anything make you unhappy if you sincerely choose not to be unhappy. That’s why a man can have a surfeit of health, wealth and all the earth’s choice things, and still be a miserable, unhappy wretch, while another can be beggarly and destitute, but still take pleasure from seeing the sun rise every morning and hearing the birds greet him with a heart full of joyful song. That’s why Sol, from all his research concludes that, ‘Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.’ When one has wisdom and understanding, it means a plethora of opportunity lies before you. You know about life and how to live it as successfully as we can. ‘For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared to her.’ (Prov.3:14-15) Oh Friends, yuh hear that! Wisdom and understanding is better than all we hold precious in this lustful, evil world. It is more valuable than gold, silver, rubies, and even all the things our hearts desire. And if we read Job 28, it talks about Mother Nature and all the things that happen on our earth without any apparent help or guidance and asks; ‘But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?’ That’s an exceedingly good question my Friends. ‘Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.’ (Job 28:12-13) That’s also a true statement. So where and how do we acquire those invaluable things, wisdom and understanding, that Sol so highly recommends? Ah my people, from only one source; wisdom is a gift of God. ‘God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof. For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven…Then did he see it, (wisdom) and declare it; he prepared it, yea, and stretched it out. And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.’ (Job 28:23-24, 27-28) Oh my people, there’s the answer we’ve been searching for; wisdom is found in acknowledging the supremacy and awesome Deity that’s our God. So that’s the source of our happiness. Sol agrees, and even goes further: ”The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.’ (Prov.1:7) And isn’t that the unfortunate truth Friends! Many of us hate to learn anything cause it takes effort on our part. Just look at the number of young people who refuse to go to school, preferring to hang out idly on the street corners and eventually get in trouble. Then there are those who show up at school but don’t learn anything because learning means putting out something from within, and the human animal hates to put out. But my people, ‘Wisdom crieth out: she uttereth her voice in the streets…in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, How long ye simple (naive) ones, will ye love simplicity? (naïveté) and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?’ (Prov.1:20-22) Ah mih breddren, it certainly is sad that so many of us have ignored the Word of the Lord, that gives wisdom and understanding, and therefore happiness, and had to humbled by our current troubles, before we sat down and really took notice of what’s happening around us and why. But remember, while there is life, there is always hope, and wisdom never gives up, it is still calling out to us, urgently imploring us to, ‘Turn you at my reproof: behold I will pour out my spirit unto you; I will make known my words unto you.’ (Prov. 1:23) Yes my people, the opportunity is still there for us to be happy, to embrace the Lord, His Word and all He stands for: Wisdom, Understanding, Peace, LOVE, Mercy, Forgiveness, et al. So please, let’s embrace it today nuh, for tomorrow might just be too late. Let’s give ourselves a chance at that true happiness which we all so eagerly seek, and which can only be found in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Much LOVE!…wisdom and understanding can bring…happiness, gold and silver…but gold and silver can’t bring…wisdom, understanding and happiness…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 May 2009 Isaiah 43:19‏

23 May 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Isaiah 43:19    Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
 
Oh Friends, isn’t that a magnificent promise from the Most High? Just like He gives us a new day every 24 hours, He will heal and renew our lives, even bring us out better than before this catastrophe so suddenly overwhelmed, deflated and discouraged us. This is exactly what happened when Israel was punished for its sin. The Lord, our one and only true Redeemer, lifted them up again. And He shall do the same for us if we acknowledge His Lordship, put away our evil deeds and obey Him. As He advises: ‘Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.’ (Isa.43:18) Yes my Friends, those things of old will pass away, all the confusion, controversy and contention will be left behind and a new day will dawn with a better and brighter future. Why? Because the Lord promises it. ‘Behold, I will do a new thing;’ He boldly proclaims. And have you ever known our God to renege on a promise? No! Never! As He declares earlier on: ‘I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. Behold the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.’ (Isa.42:8-9) Yes my people, that’s our God; omnipotent, omniscient, straightforward and true! This is one of those instances where He’s telling us of good tidings before they happen. Even our fellow man expects our current situation to improve, for one prognosticator was saying today, that though it will not be an easy climb out of the mire in which we’re now suspended, eventually we will get out, with new opportunities, new, greener, energy saving tools, technology, jobs and household equipment. If a man of the world can believe that, then as followers of Christ we ought to have that faith, that solid belief system, that if we’re obedient and faithful, the Lord will eventually make things right. Just like John was told in his visions in exile on Patmos: ‘And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.’ (Rev.21:5) And we expect nothing less from our Lord. So when He proudly proclaims; ‘Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it?’ we’ve got to sit up and take notice, pay close attention, for our God doesn’t make idle promises; whatever He says, He does. ‘I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. ‘ Wow! And for any doubting Thomas’s there’s plenty proof of Him doing just that when He led the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt. Oh Friends, the Lord fed them with quail and manna when they had no food in the desert. (Ex.16:12-30) He also had Moses strike his rod against a rock and bring forth water for them, and led them safely through the ‘great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions….’  (Deut.8:15) So it’s nothing difficult or impossible for Him to do. The basic problem lies with us. The Israelites, though warned by Moses, forgot who brought them out of slavery into a land of milk and honey. ‘And thou say in thine heart, MY power and the might of MINE hand hath gotten me this wealth.’  (Deut.8:17) It’s the same thing we did Friends: forgot who caused us to be prosperous and successful. After awhile we began believing our own press. It was our doing alone. But to our great dismay, we soon discovered otherwise. ‘But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other Gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.’ (Deut.8:18-19) Oh my people, we forgot and/or ignored that most important warning, much to our detriment. Luckily for us though, we didn’t perish, but were merely brought to our knees, to be humbled, until we accept our subservient role to the Most High God Jehovah. Oh Friends, if we hope to survive this present catastrophe, we need to become like the people of Nineveh, who, when Jonah finally got around to warning them of the Lord’s displeasure, repented. As their king decreed: ‘But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not. And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said he would do unto them; and he did it not.’ (Jon.3:8-10) Yes my people, our God will certainly do the same for us. We don’t need the sackcloth, but we definitely do need to change our evil, violent ways, and humble ourselves before Almighty God, if we want Him to do that new thing in our lives. Much LOVE!…humility…not pride…is the way to God’s heart…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 22 May 2009 Psalm 50:6‏

22 May 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 50:6    And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah
 
And a fine Friday morning to you my Friends in Christ! May the Good Lord shine His divine light on us today and fill our lives with many blessings. Selah! But note, all those blessings aren’t meant for us to keep, to hoard as greedy misers, but to share with others, to pass on to those less fortunate and more needy. Our God delights in us when we share. But if we don’t, then judgement shall be pronounced on us at His appointed time. ‘And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.’ Yes my people, our God is also our judge. To us He is ‘Infinitely Everything.’  And though He can be extremely merciful, He’s not afraid to pass rather harsh judgement. To open Psalm 50, Asaph, the psalmist, acknowledges His awesome power. ‘The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined. Our God shall come and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.’ (Ps.50:1-4) Ah Friends, what a mighty and magnificent God we worship: powerful, perfect in all things, fiery and tempestuous; but also LOVING, merciful, forgiving and kind. The psalm serves as a serious warning to us re the Lord coming to judge His people. It reminds us of the overwhelming need to respect His statutes and obey His commandments; to refrain from hypocrisy and false religious rituals; the self-serving work of men, not God. We must not do like the Jewish leaders in Jesus’ time, who were all about formal rituals and outward show, but lacked real spiritual substance. Sadly though my people, a lot of that is still happening today. Many of us just go through the motions; regular church going; serving on numerous committees; always in the limelight, having everyone think we’re so wonderful because we appear to walk our talk. But Friends, much of it is all outward show, for deep down inside we’re really bitter, resentful, envious and frustrated. Our inner and outer beings bear no resemblance whatsoever. Then there are many of us who are just blatantly wicked, unashamedly in cohorts with the enemy, who reject God, resent Him, while casting aspersions  and heaping abuse on His Holy Name. Ah Friends, what an unwise decision, for they too shall be judged when the Lord comes in all His flaming glory. The burning question though my people, the one we need to answer NOW, before the Lord comes to judge, is which side of the great divide will we be on? Shall we be with the faithful and righteous, or the wicked and profane? We’re all sinners, so we’ll all end up before Him, it’s just a matter of where we end up, which all depends on the choices we make NOW, my people. I strongly suggest that we all sit down and seriously consider our options, cause there’s no turning back, no chance to say I’m sorry, once the Lord enters the courtroom in His flaming robes, strikes His mighty gavel and calls the court to order. What will be our reaction when He sits on the bench and proclaims: ‘Hear O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God.’ (Ps.50:7) Oh Friends, it can either be a very sad or fairly good day when our Lord testifies against us. But again, it all depends on the choices we make NOW! That day can be any time; today, tomorrow or whenever, but come it will, and we must make a serious decision before our physical bodies return to the dust from whence they came. The Lord doesn’t need sacrifices or anything worldly from us, since it’s all His. As He says: ‘If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fullness thereof.’ (Ps.50:12) Listen carefully to what our God requires of us Friends. ‘Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the Most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble. I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.’ (Ps.50:14-15) Oh praise His Holy Name my people! And His ears should be burning now with all the trouble we have. (smile) That’s the side we want to be on Friends; with those giving thanks, paying their vows, calling upon Him in rough times and glorifying Him. Not with the wicked, who ‘hatest instruction, and casteth my words behind thee. When thou sawest a thief, thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers. Thou givest thy mouths to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son.’ (Ps.50:17-20) Ah my people, we certainly don’t want to be numbered amongst that lot, for they will receive harsh punishment. And for those of you who remember the old Rude Boy song, ‘Judge Dread’ by Prince Buster, how the rude boys and them begin to weep and moan when he start handing down hundred and five hundred year sentences. Well Friends, that will be like ‘kiddie garter’ when the Lord rules in His courtroom. It won’t be a countable number of years, but eternity, everlasting darkness. As He says: ‘Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God.’ (Ps.50:22-23) Oh Friends, it’s the choice of each individual, so I implore us to make the right choice and glorify God, so on that day we can partake of His Glorious Salvation. Much LOVE!..he who has ears to hear..let him hear..

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