Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 July 2010 2 Timothy 1:7‏

21 Jul 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

2 Timothy 1:7     For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound mind.
 
Oh Friends, oh Friends, our God is a great God! Please never dispute or forget that! The latest example is this: I found a quote on fear that I wanted to share and began searching the index of the Good Book for a suitable Bit; and there were many, both as a noun and as a verb, so it took me some time to go through them. Now time was running out for me to start writing, and though several seemed promising, none really hit the spot, and being a stubborn, hardnosed fool – now all of you don’t smile and agree- I was adamant that I wouldn’t quit until I found the right one. Deep in my heart I knew that it would speak to me when I saw it. Finally I got to 2 Timothy…and voila, there it was! But there was one problem; though it wasn’t highlighted, meaning I hadn’t used it before, it seemed too familiar, so I checked my records, and unfortunately it showed that I’d already used it. But that stubborn streak drove me to check further, where I saw that it was used way back in December of 2008, a year and a half ago. And I went Whoopee! That was long enough for it to be used again. Anyway Friends, this verse is one of the most important in the entire Bible, so it can never be repeated too often. It’s possibly the most encouraging and edifying verse Bruh Paul ever wrote, because it focuses on the basic aspect of our faith, the emotion that keeps us solidly grounded, that keeps us trusting in and holding on to the will and power of Almighty God. And having written such a long intro, (smile) here at last is the quote. It’s from John Kennedy, the former U.S President assassinated in Dallas, Texas in 1963. He says that ‘We should not let our fears hold us back from pursuing our hopes.’ Now isn’t that an awesome truth mih people! But unfortunately it’s something too many of us allow to happen. We let our fears keep us back from pursuing our hopes and dreams by either using false reasoning or other people’s negative talk to make us feel that we can’t accomplish those goals and dreams the Lord’s placed in our hearts. Truthfully though, as some astute person once said, there’s nothing to fear, but fear itself. But what’s fear, this dreaded, unpalatable emotion we’re talking about? The dictionary defines it as ‘a painful emotion caused by impending danger or evil; a state of alarm; a state of dread, of anxiety for one’s safety.’ And Friends, all of these are genuine possibilities, but the problem is that many of us live in a state of CONSTANT fear. We are afraid of almost everything. Sadly, what ever shows up on our mental radar or in our hearts, produces immediate fear, which results in us fearing to do anything at all. Now that’s what we have to fight against my brethren. That’s what Bruh Paul is talking about in this exhortation of endurance. ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound mind.’ Wow! What a neat scripture! However my people, it’s that element, that spirit of fear that the heathen, the criminal element amongst us, in association with many of our governments are trying to force on us, to inculcate into our tired, misfortune filled lives. And sadly, too many of us are buying into the lie. In the last decade or so, the world has been consumed with threats of doom and abundant fear mongering. But my Friends, I’m here to remind us today that the true followers of Jesus Christ do not have to live in fear. In fact, we are definitely not supposed to live fear-filled lives. Why? Because to quote again those immortal words of Bruh Paul!’ For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound mind.’ Oh mih people, please make sure to etch those words deep in your hearts, minds and souls, because they are the lifeblood of the believer. They are words that give purpose and meaning to our lives, to our faith, belief and trust in the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and in His Son Jesus, and also in the Holy Spirit, the guiding light and enabling power that dwells within us and keeps us keeping on. Bruh Paul put it thus to the Romans: ‘For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.’ (Rom.8:14-15) Yes my people, our God is definitely not in the fear business. And if you don’t believe me or Bruh Paul, then listen to the words of the Master Himself on fear. Our Lord and Saviour, Prince of Peace, High Counsellor and Advocate, Jesus Christ said them to His disciples, and consequently to us too. ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ (John 14:27) Oh Friends, what a promise! A promise that all of us can safely and faithfully accept in these wicked, ungodly and fearful times. And mih people, I certainly hope that what I’ve written here today makes sense, because the Word has the ole fella on such a natural high, yes it’s natural (smile) that the pen can’t write fast enough to keep up with the mind. And if it doesn’t make sense, then hopefully, you all are wise enough to pick sense from nonsense. (smile) So till next time, the Lord willing of course, when we’ll continue this topic, Much LOVE! …fear is a normal human emotion… but the LOVE of God conquers it…EVERY TIME…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 July 2010 Jeremiah 32:27‏

20 Jul 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Jeremiah 32:27     Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?
 
Yes Friends, today we’re going to look at that verse from Jeremiah again, because it highlights two very notable and significant aspects of our God; He is the God of all flesh, and nothing’s too hard for Him to do. Now in concert with our God’s mysterious, contrary, unique and eccentric ways, yesterday, I chose to do the last part first. (smile) So today we’ll look at the first part: ‘Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh.’ And that’s the living truth my people! Believers shouldn’t have to be reminded of that most significant fact, but it’s strange how so many of us do indeed forget it. And not only is the Lord the God of all flesh, but of everything that exists in the universe, because He is its creator. He spoke the world into existence then bowed Himself to the earth, the dry land He’d made and LOVINGLY moulded man from its dirt, then gently blew the breath of life into us. And all God’s people joyfully shouted: ‘Thank you Lord for making us in your Holy image, and being so good to us, though we are totally undeserving of your awesome mercy!’ Oh Friends, judging by our rebellious, disobedient lifestyle, we are truly undeserving of the Lord’s awesome grace and mercy. But thankfully, He’s such a patient, long-suffering and LOVING Deity, giving us plenty of time to right our wrongful lifestyle, to embrace His easy yoke, His righteous way of living. In that action though Friends, there is also enough rope to hang our selves. We can look at it from two angles. The first is that He gives us so much time to turn our lives around, that we get complacent and don’t do it, always thinking we’ll do it tomorrow. Then suddenly, without any warning, we’re pulled up short, there are no more tomorrows, our earthly lives are over and we face eternity with Beelzebub. On the other hand, we can see that we’ve been given ample warning, through sickness or some death sentence. We know that our time is short, yet we ignore the warning until it’s too late and we again end up with Beelzebub for company throughout eternity. Oh mih people, the safest way is to consider that our time is very short, so let’s turn to Him right NOW, because this might just be the last sunrise we ever see. We might not even see today’s sunset. And as the old people would say, better safe than sorry. But enough of my rambling, let’s look at some scripture that says it better than me. (smile) And our first example is when Moses and Aaron faced the rebellion of Korah. (Num.16) At one stage, Korah gathered all the people against them at the door of the tabernacle, but the Lord in His righteous anger said to Moses and Aaron: ‘Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment. And they fell upon their faces and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?’ (Num.16:21-22) Yes my Friends, Moses and Aaron prostrated themselves before the Lord and invoked His Holy title: ‘O God, the God of the Spirits of all flesh.’ And if we look at it closely, we’ll see that that’s what our God really is; the God of our spirits, since our flesh is terminal while our spirits are eternal. We are truly spirits, merely existing for an instant of time in a fleshly body. Later on, when God led Moses up to Mount Abarim, to show him the Promised Land and sadly inform him that he wouldn’t set foot there, Moses used the same term: ‘Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation.’ (Num.27:16) So Friends, the term is nothing new. The Old Testament people knew it better than we do. Like it was popular in Job’s time too. Here are three instances from his Book. The first is during his retort to his friends’ spurious, unfounded accusations. He acknowledges the Lord’s omnipotence: ‘In whose hand is the soul (life) of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind (all flesh of man)?’ (Job 12:10) Again, when he talks about his truthfulness, he proudly proclaims: ‘All the while (as long as) my breath is in me, and the spirit (breath) of God is in my nostrils; My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.’ (Job 27:3-4) And the last example in Job comes from his friend, Elihu, when he tries to reason with Job. ‘The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.’ (Job 33:4) Now that’s the gospel truth mih breddren! God the Spirit made us; both in flesh and spirit, and gave us life from His breath. So why don’t we appreciate that rather important and significant fact more than we do eh, and consequently pay Him the proper homage, respect and reverence He’s due? And we’re not even talking about all the other things He’s done for us, just that act of creation alone. Ah mih people, I don’t know why. Can it be possibly because He’s a Spirit, not a physical entity that we tend to ignore Him in an evil, ungodly world that’s focused more on inanimate, physical objects, things we can see and touch? Oh Friends, all I can say is that we’re making a big mistake if we follow the world’s lust for physical possessions and objects. And we’ll end today, rather appropriately, with a verse from the New Testament, where the writer of Hebrews is talking about God’s discipline and very wisely asks this million dollar question: ‘Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence (respect): shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?’ (Heb.12:9) My personal answer is a resounding YES! But it’s a question that each individual has to answer for his or her self. Lets sincerely hope and pray that all God’s creation will also answer it with an exuberant, heartfelt YES! More time, and Much LOVE, mih people!…as for me and mine…we’ll honour and revere…the God of the spirits of all flesh…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 July 2010 Jeremiah 32:27‏

19 Jul 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Jeremiah 32:27     Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?
 
Oh Friends, I know that you all know it’s Monday, and you’re not too thrilled because it means going back to work and all the hardship and inconvenience contained therein. But there is a good side to it all; you’ll make a few dollars to help keep life and limb together, and if you’re all dressed up in your spiritual armour, then you’ll have the wherewithal to repel Lucifer’s evil attacks. And for that gracious benefit, we can all declare: ‘Praise the Lord! For His grace and mercy endures forever!’ Here’s a quote from St. Therese of Lisieux, the Saint of the Society of the Little Flower. She reputedly said: ‘I will spend my heaven doing good on earth…I will let fall a shower of roses.’ But Friends, my question is why wait till we get to heaven to do good on earth? Let’s distribute that shower of roses NOW! If there’s ever been a time when our world very badly needs to see, hear of and also experience good deeds, it’s NOW! In spite of all the plenty, the humongous abundance of our world, the majority are still suffering; can’t get sufficient food, clean water, medical care, accommodation and jobs. When so few have so much and so many so little, it only breeds negativity and negative situations. Our world today desperately needs hope through good deeds, and we believers, we followers of the Good Shepherd ought to be at the forefront of that movement. If we’re not, then we’re false, pseudo Christians, full of talk and bluster, but empty of the real Christian Spirit Jesus died to initiate. And that’s my rant for today. Oh my people, I was I was going to put a smile at the end of the last sentence, but decided not to, because our world is in such a dire negative state, that it’s nothing to smile about. I guess the sad condition of our world is closely akin to that of Jeremiah’s Israel, when iniquity and ungodliness ruled the roost. A time when poor Jerry was bruised and battered, both literally and figuratively by his fellow Jews because he rebuked them for their ungodliness. He was even imprisoned by King Hezekiah when the Babylonians laid siege to Jerusalem and he prophesied that Jerusalem would fall and its people, including the king, would be taken captive to Babylon. But Friends, the promises, the power and actions of our God are so overwhelming that they befuddle the ordinary mind. While in prison, the Lord spoke to Jerry about buying his cousin Hanameel’s property, and would you believe, Hanameel did show up to sell it to him. He bought it, then gave the deed to Baruch to put in an earthen vessel that would last a long time. He did that as a symbolic action or gesture of the Lord’s promise: ‘For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Houses and fields, and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land.’ (Jer.32:15) Our Bit comes at the end of the section when Jerry thinks about what happened earlier; when he contemplates the Lord’s power and faithfulness in His promises. He had had some doubts, but the Lord challenged him: ‘Behold, I am the Lord; the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?’ Oh my people, it’s the same way our God challenges us every day. If, as we claim, He is the great Creator, Provider, Guide and Protector, then we should have no doubts whatsoever about Him being able to do anything that He puts in our hearts and minds. Right from the very start, when he approached Abraham and Sarah and promised them a child in their old age, which they doubted, He declared: ‘Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.’ (Gen.18:14) And we all know that He fulfilled that promise, blessing them with Isaac. And what did He tell Moses when He instructed him in the appointment of judges for Israel? ‘Ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgement is God’s: and the cause (case) that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.’ (Deut.1:17) Yes my people, that command still stands. Anything we find too difficult for us to do, we need to take it straight to God. Why? Because Jeremiah said it in his prayer: ‘Ah Lord God! Behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee.’ (Jer.32:17) And whenever possible Friends, we like to end on an authoritative word from Jesus. After disappointing a rich, young ruler; re the way to get eternal life, telling him to go and sell all his possessions then take up his cross and follow Him, the ruler went away sad because he was quite wealthy. Jesus then made the profound statement that it was easier for a camel to pass through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter heaven. This shocked all His listeners and had them wondering who could be saved. But in His usual unflappable manner, Jesus simple replied: ‘With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.’ (Mark 10:27) And that my Friends is the gospel truth! Please remember that; let’s write it deep in our souls, hearts and minds for it’s one of the foundation pillars of our faith. We worship an omnipotent God who can do ANYTHING. A God to whom NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE! So when times get rough and everything seems difficult, let’s not worry and complain too much, for we’ll always be able to stand strong and steadfast in faith, knowing that with our God, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. Much LOVE!…all things are possible…only believe…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 July 2010 Psalm 57:1‏

18 Jul 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 57:1    Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.

Greetings my faithful Friends in Christ, divinely chosen to awaken to another beautiful day on God’s great earth! For that generosity, let’s offer Him some praise and grateful thanks nuh. ‘Oh Father in heaven, we your unworthy children gratefully thank you for the privilege and honour of experiencing one more brilliant sunrise, and hopefully one more glorious, colourful sunset on this formidable planet earth, which you designed, created and still control. We sincerely praise you and humbly ask that you continue to safely guide and protect us, and fulfill our every need. We pray this in the holy name of your Son Jesus. Amen!’ Oh my Friends in Christ, what extremely lucky people we are to have such a merciful and LOVING Deity looking after us! Those who don’t know and trust Him don’t know what they’re missing; they have no idea of the bountiful and abundant life that they’re passing up. But as I keep saying, Bruh David surely knew which side his bread was buttered on. That’s why he composed this Michtam, this contemplation on his problematic life. The Lord had anointed him king from since his youth, but it didn’t seem as though that would ever happen, for all he seemed to do was run from his many enemies. He’d just escaped from the Philistines in Gath, having run there from Saul, now he’s ensconced in some caves, hiding from Saul again. (1 Sam.22:1) Psalm 57 is a Prayer for Deliverance from his enemies. And because of his absolute faith and trust in the God of his fathers, he was able to cry out in despair at his current problems, but with a heart full of hope: ‘Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.’ And Friends, if we think we have calamities now…Hn! They are a joke to what Bruh David suffered. But the beauty of the whole thing my people, is that when problems beset us, we too can cry out in despair to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. If we sincerely trust and believe in Him, then we can also cry out for mercy and hide under the shadow of His wings. Resting under God’s wings seems to have been a popular term in the Old Testament. Boaz said it to Ruth when he showed her favour in the wheat field. ‘The Lord recompense (repay) thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.’ (Ruth 2:12) Originally, Ruth wasn’t a believer, but a Moabitess who moved to Judah with her mother-in-law Naomi, after all their men folk died. But the Lord must have stirred something deep in her soul, for unlike her sister-in-law, who returned to her own people, Ruth followed Naomi to her Israelite relatives. And Friends, we all know how that story ends up: Ruth became Bruh David’s great grandmother, thus one of Jesus’ fore parents. And who says the Lord doesn’t have well laid plans eh? He made His only Son a descendant of a Jew and a Gentile, so that He could have the proper credentials to bring them together as one, under the umbrella of His Church. Wow! But getting back to the shadow of God’s wings. It certainly appears to be one of Bruh David’s favourite terms and places, for he uses it several times. We’ll just quote a couple here. In Psalm 17; A prayer for protection against oppressors, he fervently pleads: ‘Keep me as the apple (pupil) of the eye; hide me under the shadow of thy wings, From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about (surround me).’ (Ps.17:8-9) Meanwhile, in Psalm 63; God satisfies the thirsting soul, where he was adrift in the wilderness of Judah, he ardently declares: ‘Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.’ (Ps.63:7) Oh my brethren, there’s absolutely no better, safer, more secure, happier, more joyful, more peaceful and more fulfilling place to dwell than under those almighty wings of the Lord God Jehovah! Whatever problems or calamities we’re going through, that’s the proper place to be, to wait them out, for we know that this too shall pass eventually. And if you don’t believe Bruh David and me, then listen to Isaiah. ‘Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.’ (Is.26:20) Yes my people, when we accept the Lord as our God, our shield and protective covering, then can we cry out with all authority and surety, like Bruh David did: ‘I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me. He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up (snap at or hound me). Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.’ (Ps.57:2-3) And all God’s people shouted: ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ Oh Friends, there are way too many hurting people in this world who don’t know our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ not His heavenly Father, and who are unsuccessfully searching for peace, solace and an end to their problems through man made solutions, when it’s only the Holy Trinity who can help and save them for any long lasting period of time. Let’s rev up our efforts and go out into the evil, violent world full of unfortunates and try and bring them under God’s everlasting wings of LOVE nuh. That’s what our Leader Jesus desires of us. So let’s show ourselves to be His true followers and get a move on with it. He’s depending on us to bring all the unbelievers to Him. And we certainly don’t want to disappoint Jesus now, do we? Much LOVE!…under His wings will I rest…will I take refuge…until all my calamities be past…and even after that…will I yet abide under His wings…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 17 July 2010 Romans 1:8‏

17 Jul 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Romans 1:8     First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

 

‘And to all you beloved of God, out there in Scrip-Bit land, whatever your physical location, surely called to be saints; Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus.’ Oh Friends, that’s my reworked version of Bruh Paul’s standard greeting to the various churches, and it just shows the great mind he possessed since the scholars claim that ‘grace’ was the usual Greek greeting, whereas ‘peace’ was the traditional Hebrew salutation. Most likely Bruh Paul combined them to appeal to both sets of people. And as promised, we will continue looking at some of his greetings to the various churches. Usually, after his opening remarks, he would  offer thanks and prayer, in an effort to encourage them, to lift up their faith, and/or keep it strong. Let’s look at two examples, beginning with the Ephesians, in a prayer for knowledge and understanding. ‘Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and LOVE unto all saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set (seated) him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world (age), but also in that which is to come. And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.’ (Eph.1:15-23) That’s Bruh Paul at his most fervent, trying to explain Jesus’ authority; how he came by it and what it means to believers. Meanwhile, to the Philippians, he wrote re thanksgiving and prayer; ‘I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform (complete) it until the day of Jesus Christ. Even as it is meet (right) to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds (chains), and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers (sharers) of my grace. For God is my record (witness) how greatly I long after you all in the bowels (affection) of Jesus Christ. And this I pray, that your LOVE may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement (discernment); That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.’ (Phil.1:3-11) Oh Friends, how can you not LOVE Bruh Paul eh! His language might be a bit highfalutin but he certainly knew how to stir up a believer. He might also have had a special place in his heart for the Philippians because from the very start of their conversion they shared their all, both financially and in spreading the gospel with him. Lydia opened her house to him and his associates, (Acts 16:14-15) and later on her home became a church, (Acts 16:40) while the jailer who found Christ after the earthquake wrecked the prison, fed them and looked after their injuries (Acts 16:19-34). The Philippians were also one of the first to help him financially, sending him money in Thessalonica (4:16), Corinth (2 Cor.11:9), and at Rome (4:14-18) And the purpose of all this you ask? Nothing spectacular my Friends, but simply to educate, exhort, uplift, and edify fellow believers, especially those who were fairly new to the faith. Oh my people, I’m sure all of us are very aware of the fact that Christianity is a hard road to follow -what with LOVING your enemies, turning the other cheek and giving generously of your time, talents and money – and when the problems, the vicissitudes of life come against us, every believer, mature or babe in the woods, needs those things to keep them strong and well grounded in the faith. Remember our faith is a spiritual and mental thing, not physical, so it’s not something we can easily manipulate. And furthermore, we need to keep working at it all the time to strengthen it, just the way we do our muscles with physical exercise, and our brains with studying. It’s not something that just comes easily Friends, so one of the most important things we can do is to encourage and lift up a fellow believer. We can never get too much encouragement because Lucifer never stops trying to steal our peace and joy, which is only found in being faithful and steadfast in the Lord God Jehovah, surrendering our will to Him and letting Him guide us safely on this earthly journey. Ah mih people, I certainly hope this little glimpse into Bruh Paul’s mind set will have a positive effect on us all, in the way we react to believers, as well as unbelievers, for our God’s character is based on caring for all and sundry, based on LOVE, that wonderful and most powerful emotion in the universe. So let’s get out there and practice it nuh; let’s put that LOVE Revolution we’ve been talking about in high gear nuh, for that’s the only thing that will bring back our evil-filled world from the brink of disaster where it’s currently poised. Remember LOVE conquers all. Much LOVE!…it’s time for all believers to rise up and seriously…LOVE our God…LIVE our Faith…and SPREAD His Word…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 July 2010 Romans 1:8‏

16 Jul 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Romans 1:8     First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
 
Oh Friends, it’s Friday, and I know some of us are constantly thinking, if not mouthing, ‘TGIF, TGIF!’ We can’t wait to get home from the week’s work and begin to party. But please don’t go overboard with the fun stuff, remember the rest and fellowship parts too, cause they are also essential aspects of your weekend rejuvenation. You cannot be fit enough to face Beelzebub and his cronies on Monday if you don’t get enough physical rest and spiritual reinvigoration. And now that I’ve said that, let me apologize for something I should have done long ago; that’s thank the Lord for all of you faithful Scrip-Bit readers, plus those who get it, but don’t read it and are too ashamed to tell me to take them off the list. However, I’m also thankful for that, because with the way our Lord moves, one day some of them might just be driven to read it and discover a new and superior aspect of life; that of sincerely serving the Lord Jesus Christ. I’m sorry if I took you all for granted. It surely wasn’t intentional, but I guess between my excitement of researching, writing and getting the Bit out at a reasonable time, while also involved in other things, I just never paid that part sufficient attention. Anyway, as our God is wont to do at times, He pulls us up, wakes us up to certain realities of life that we’ve either been ignoring or over indulging in. Oh Friends, today He brought me to the realization that I’ve never properly thanked you all for participating in this most worthwhile endeavour that I’m endeavouring to do in His Name. (smile) And He did this by drawing my attention to Bruh Paul’s greeting to the Roman church: ‘First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all.’ I was then led to his epistles to the other churches, subsequently noting that as soon as possible in all of them, he gave thanks to God for those faithfully being a part of the Church of Jesus Christ. Now to show how our God does move in mysterious ways, once I decided on the Bit, my intention was to simply show Bruh Paul’s thankful attitude for and to each group of believers spread far and wide. I never planned on apologizing for my dereliction of duty. Truthfully mih people, it never even crossed my mind, but as I began writing the Bit, the Spirit just seemed to slip it, more like sneak it into my consciousness, obviously causing me to chuckle, hence my long overdue apology. But don’t worry Friends, there is some redeeming grace yet in the ole fella. I might not say thank you on paper, but I surely do pray for you all every day, even those who receive the Bit but don’t read it. And I have to laugh here, because those who get it but don’t read it, probably won’t be aware of my apology, or of my praying for them, though I can safely bet that at least one of those non-readers, through the Lord’s power and His mysterious workings will choose to read Today’s Bit, chuckle at the coincidence, then begin taking the Lord more seriously. Wow! What a marvellous and mysterious God we serve eh mih people! Let’s give Him some thanks and praise nuh. And all God’s people joyfully sang, ‘Praise Him, Praise Him, Glory Hallelujah, He is LOVE! Yes, He is LOVE! Hn, hn! The Holy Spirit surely is something else too yes! I wasn’t planning to ramble on so either, but to give you some examples of Bruh Paul’s greetings to the other churches. So enough of me now. Let’s get to the words of a more worthy brother; one of the most divinely inspired, gifted and guided men of faith. Now all his letters begin in a general format, where he identifies himself then blesses and bestows the Lord’s grace on them. Here is his intro to the Corinthians: ‘Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always on your behalf (concerning you), for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: So that ye come behind (fall short) in no gift; waiting for the coming (revelation) of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.’ (1 Cor.1:1-9) Oh Friends, I’m chuckling again because I didn’t plan on writing all those verses, but after reading it, I couldn’t find any natural cut off point until I came to the end of that section. Everything he says there just seemed to be part and parcel of the whole greeting and therefore important enough for me to convey to you. And the Holy Spirit seems to agree, cause He did not raise any red flags. (smile) However, that has just brought us to the end of our rope for today, so we’ll most likely continue in the same vein tomorrow; God willing of course. No more apologies though, (smile) just Bruh Paul’s words. Till then, may the Lord bless us all, and also keep us strong in body, mind and soul, so that we can walk worthily in the footsteps of His Son Jesus Christ. We pray this in Jesus’ Name. Amen. Much LOVE mih people!…it’s right and proper for us to give thanks to God…for all things…for all people…and in all situations…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 July 2010 Isaiah 30:2‏

15 Jul 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Isaiah 30:2     That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt.
 
Oh Friends, yesterday I wanted to add this verse at the end of the Bit as a colour commentary of the Lord, but the Spirit vetoed it. And now we know why. He wanted us to continue talking about the constant rebellion and disobedience to God; in this particular case that of Israel, but in general, all of us not asking His opinion before making decisions. The first verse already spells out the confusion and contention to befall those who don’t take counsel of the Lord, then try to hide it under Lucifer’s cover, not His Spirit, so that they can just keep adding sin to sin. Now He continues to talk specifically about those ‘That walk to go down into Egypt,’ because they feel Egypt is strong and mighty and can help them against their enemies. But Friends, the Lord nips that idea right in the bud, for in Chapter 31 He solemnly declares: ‘Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay (rely) on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord! Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil (disaster), and will not call back (retract) his words; but will arise against the house of evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity. Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen (helped) shall fall down, and they all shall fail (perish) together.’ (Is.31:1-3) My people we cannot ask for a more explicit explanation and warning than that. He spells it out loud and clear, and since His Word doesn’t change, it means that even till today we’re living under the same warning. And what really seems to hurt the Lord in these situations is our utter lack of consideration and respect, the boldfaced disdain we show for Him and His advice, especially when we’re His chosen people, or claim to be believers, followers of His Son Jesus. It’s the common thread in all the statements: ‘and have not asked at my mouth (asked my advice).’ Yes mih people, if we don’t ask the Lord’s advice, He gets a bit perturbed, to say the least. (smile) Here’s another good example of where Israel failed to consult the Lord. We’re talking about the Gibeonites treachery; (Josh. 9) pretending to be from a distant land, come to make a peace treaty with Israel because they’d heard of their God’s might and power. But they were really neighbours. The Good Book tells it thus: ‘And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord. And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league (covenant, treaty) with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.’ (Josh.9:14-15) Israel’s failure to seek divine guidance before making that treaty put them between a rock and a hard place. Because of the solemn oath of peace that Joshua and the elders swore, they were forced to keep the treaty, even though it caused them no end of trouble later on. The same thing would happen to the Israelites when they decided to trust their safety to Pharaoh and not the God of their fathers. And He spells it out for them. That’s the beauty of our God, my Friends; He doesn’t leave anything to conjecture, He tells us exactly what His intentions are. ‘Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion (humiliation)…For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still. Now go, write it before them in a table (on a tablet), and note it in a book (on a scroll), that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever.’ (Is.30:3,7-8) Yuh see mih breddren; it is written in the Good Book to warn us forever and ever, not to trust in men, machines nor animals, but in the Lord God Jehovah! Oh Friends, I don’t see why it’s so hard to understand the Lord’s position nuh since it’s basically similar to ours with our earthly children. All the things we don’t like our children doing, are the same the Lord doesn’t want us to do. Although I guess there are some things some parents allow or encourage their children to do that doesn’t sit well with the Lord. And that’s where the parting of ways comes about. But here’s another simple rule of thumb Friends; if we don’t like what our children or others are doing to us, then the Lord doesn’t like us doing it to Him either. And if we’re decent earthly parents, that should serve us in good stead in most of our dealings with our heavenly Father. And that Friends, is the short but sweet lesson for today! (smile) Much LOVE!…as children of the Most High God…we ought to be obedient to His will…else we’ll surely suffer the consequences…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 July 2010 Isaiah 30:1‏

14 Jul 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Isaiah 30:1     Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin.
 
Oh Friends, it’s another beautiful day in paradise! Wow! And if we haven’t seen our names in the morning obits, then let’s all join in glorious praise of our magnificent and magnanimous God nuh. All together now: ‘Praise Him, Praise Him, Glory Hallelujah; He is LOVE, Yes, He is LOVE!’ Now Friends, answer me this conundrum, this riddle I this: If our God is LOVE and all those other great things we talk about, why do we try to run and/or hide from Him, plus revel in disobedience eh? Yesterday we reasoned that the Lord was the ultimate judge of the world, with power to both lift up and abase, but in spite of that we still refuse to acknowledge and obey Him. Today’s Bit is a perfect example of what we’re talking about. The Lord had brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and led them to the Promised Land. At first they were appreciative and obedient, but when they waxed prosperous, instead of becoming wealthy and wise, they became wealthy and complacent, foolishly believing that it was their own strength and wisdom that made them so. Oh my people, today we are also guilty of that sin of complacency and foolish pride. Too many of us get swell headed when we begin moving up in the world. We foolishly affect all sorts of airs and graces, believing that it’s all our own doing. But Friends, nothing could be further from the truth. Nothing in this life is done totally on our own strength; the Lord God Jehovah always has a hand in it, either to cause or allow it, for whatever purpose He desires. And until we sow that fact deep in our hearts, we’ll always have problems with the Lord. In the 30th Chapter of Isaiah, titled, ‘The futility of relying on Egypt,’ the people of Judah are considering making an alliance with Egypt against the Assyrians, without first talking to God about it. What a mistake that mih breddren! Why? Because nothing irks or hurts our God as when we do stuff, make decisions, especially important ones, without Him in the picture. That’s why He instructs Isaiah thus: ‘Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me.’ Just like we feel left out when our close earthly companions or families make important decisions without involving us, the same way the Lord feels slighted and unimportant when we leave Him out of our decision-making. Isaiah continues the Lord’s statement: ‘and that cover with a covering (devise plans, weave a web), but not of my spirit.’ Hn! Oh my brethren, we are being spiritually suicidal when we devise plans without the cover, the protection of the Lord’s Spirit. We are setting up both the plans and ourselves to fail right from the very beginning, because the Lord is a jealous God and wants to be an active participant in all our doings. Why is that so hard for us to understand eh? Now, due to our sinful, disobedient nature, we’re not always going to accept the Spirit’s advice, but we should never be guilty of not first consulting the Lord God Jehovah. As Isaiah says earlier on: ‘Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us" and who knoweth us?’ (Is.29:15) Oh Friends, that’s the height of stupidity! Man might not see you, but the Lord certainly will, for He is omniscient; sees everything, everywhere. So you can’t run nor hide from the Lord, and as the old people said, anything done in darkness eventually comes to light. And I’m sure that all of us have examples of that in our lives. Sometimes the things are small and unimportant, so they don’t create much of a problem, but the more serious ones can surely wreak havoc in our lives when they do come to light. Now that’s also one of the reasons Jesus gave for coming to earth. ‘I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.’ (John 12:46) Oh my people, please realize that darkness is Beelzebub’s cover. He uses it to do his evil deeds. But out Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is a beacon and a bastion of light. He has no need to hide under cover of darkness, for all His doings are open and above board. ‘And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended (apprehended) it not.’ (John 1:5) Yuh see Friends, light is stronger than darkness; darkness cannot stop light from flowing into it. And the lesson, or rule of thumb we can draw from that is, whenever we are doing something that needs to be hidden, or we’re tempted to hide it, then generally speaking we’re doing wrong, and we should stop and consult the Lord before going further. When we try to do things in darkness and without consulting the Lord, we’re doing like He said of the Israelites: ‘that they may add sin to sin.’ Like Moses warned the Israelites, re obedience, when they made the covenant with the Lord in the land of Moab. If anyone turns away from the Lord and serves other gods: ‘And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination (stubbornness) of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst. Then the Lord will not spare him, but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke (burn) against that man, and al the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven.’ (Deut.29:19-20) My brethren, please learn that we cannot have peace in our souls if we’re walking with stubbornness, rebellion and disobedience in our hearts. We’re only fooling ourselves if we think so. Why? Because peace only comes from walking in obedience to God’s will. Please remember that, otherwise we’ll be in for a real rough life. Much LOVE!…unless we walk with God…our souls will be dry, wretched and fruitless…
 

Today’s Scrip- Bit 13 July 2010 Psalm 75:7‏

13 Jul 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 75:7     But God is the judge: he putteth one down, and setteth up another.
 
Oh Friends, Today’s Bit will be short and sweet! And all God’s people shouted: ‘Glory Hallelujah!’  It will also contain, perhaps the most important lesson we need to learn as human beings; that the Lord God Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is El Numero Uno! Yes Friends, He is Number ONE! No ifs ands and buts about that. But before we get into it, here’s a quote that perfectly exemplifies out theme. It’s attributed to Roger Ascham, (1515-1568) an English scholar and writer, also tutor to Queen Elizabeth I, and says: ‘It is costly wisdom that is bought by experience.’ And mih people, that’s the living truth! There are many ways to obtain wisdom, but unfortunately the most expensive is paying the price through personal experience. As I’ve told my children from day one, the best way to learn is from the mistakes of others. We have all been designated to make some mistakes, but why make more than has been allotted to us eh? There’s a lesson to be learned from every mistake, but many of us don’t learn it and just keep on making the same ones over and over, very often with disastrous results. So it’s essential we try to learn not only from our own errors, but also from those of others. Believe me Friends, all the possible mistakes have already been made. As Cousin Sol says, there’s nothing new under the sun. Whatever we do now, somebody has already done and paid the price. So why do it again since the price doesn’t usually get cheaper, but more expensive with each redoing? But that’s the hard headedness of man; the stubborn, rebellious nature that dictates; ‘I want to see for myself.’ Hn! And sadly Friends, the biggest mistake man has been making from the beginning of time is ignoring the Lord God Jehovah; considering Him of little or no account, taking Him lightly, disregarding Him as a soft touch, easily bamboozled, easily conned. I really don’t know why, for there’s absolutely no wisdom in that approach, and no reason whatsoever to do it. In fact the exact opposite is true. We ought to be taking the Most High God very seriously from all the examples we have of His might, power, glory and anger. Adam and Eve didn’t listen, and consequently paid a horrific price, which we’re still paying even today. The Israelites, God’s specially chosen people, didn’t listen either, not once, but several times, and they too paid a high price; wandering in the wilderness for forty long years, and also being in captivity and slavery on several occasions. And the Good Book isn’t the only place we can find examples of foolish decisions, but man’s history is literally riddled with them, that’s why there’s been so much dissension, wars and all the other negatives throughout that time. But the real head shaker is that despite all the disastrous examples there are of ignoring God or taking Him too lightly, so many of us still do it. Oh my people, if we don’t understand and/or appreciate anything else in this earthly life, please, I beg of us, please understand this one thing, which the psalmist Asaph put so succinctly many years ago. ‘But God is the judge.’ Friends, that’s the most important thing for us to understand and acknowledge. Asaph was so sure of this fact that earlier on in another psalm titled ‘God is the judge,’ he emphatically says: ‘And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.’ (Ps.50:6) Oh my people, why is that so hard to understand and accept eh? Now in the next part of the Bit the psalmist explains his statement: ‘he putteth down one, and setteth up another.’ That says it all right there Friends! If He has the power to raise up as well as to humble, why do we insist on treating Him like a nonentity eh? When we go before our earthly judges we behave ourselves, treat them with courtesy and respect, beg, plead and grovel for mercy because they have power over our earthly lives. But the Mighty One, who has overall control of our physical and spiritual lives, we conveniently ignore, until we find ourselves in trouble. My brethren, I know I promised that this will be short and sweet, but right now the Spirit’s guiding me to the Song of Hannah to prove the point. Please listen closely to Hannah’s words when the Lord changed her barren state and gave her a son, Samuel. ‘My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn (strength) is exalted in the Lord; my mouth is enlarged (smiles) over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none besides thee: neither is there any rock like our God…The Lord killeth and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up…The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.’ (1 Sam.2:1-2,6-7,10) Oh Friends, if that doesn’t wake us up to the reality of God’s omnipotence, then I don’t know what will. Please, mih people let’s take Him seriously, for He is our be all and end all. If we depart this life without doing so, then to put it mildly; crapaud smoke we pipe. We’ll be lost in eternal death and damnation, keeping Lucifer company forever. Now is that wisdom? Not on yuh life! Well let’s show the world some wisdom then nuh. Much LOVE!…he who hath ears to hear…let him hear…for when you don’t hear…you always feel…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 July 2010 1 Corinthians 15:10‏

12 Jul 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

1 Corinthians 15:10     But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

 

Oh Friends, we finally got the thunder storm promised so long ago. And it seems that the showers of blessing were so powerful and plentiful that motorists had to pull over and park till it stopped. I didn’t see that, but I surely heard Thor’s hammer violently pounding away in the heavens. And isn’t our God amazing in how one minute the sky is black with clouds and water is pouring noisily down from heaven, then next minute there are bright blue skies and brilliant sunshine, with no trace of the violent storm? Wow! But here’s something that’s not amazing or amusing; it’s Monday morning! Time to rise and shine and hit the road like Jack! Steups! And I hear many of us griping, singing the Monday morning blues. But it’s not really that bad my people. Once we’ve put on our full spiritual armour, we’ll be fine, able to handle anything that Beelzebub throws at us. For with that armour we’re protected by the grace of God, which no being, living or inanimate can thwart. Just remember that. And as promised we’ll continue looking at Bruh Paul’s statement to the Corinthians. ‘But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.’ Yesterday we defined ‘grace’ as God’s unmerited favour and heard what Bruh Paul told the Romans in regard to his mission to the Gentiles. Now hear how he imparted it to the Ephesians. ‘Wherefore I was made (became) a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual (effective) working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.’ (Eph.3:7-9) Yes Friends, Bruh Paul couldn’t have become a minister of the gospel without the grace of God, especially since he was the church’s biggest persecutor. He definitely needed the enabling, enervating grace of our Lord God to rise to that position. Yesterday we also considered that the same grace is granted to each believer to pursue his assigned task, and unlike Bruh Paul, many of us have either squandered or not satisfactorily used that grace, that undeserved favour bestowed on us to do God’s work, which is partly why the church in particular, and the world in general are in such a sad state of disrepair and disrepute. We also asked that each believer should take personal inventory of how we are using and/or abusing God’s grace and try to do better. Now we’ll look at the second half of Bruh Paul’s statement, starting with; ‘but I laboured more abundantly than they all.’ That my brethren, we all know is gospel, for nobody’s done as much or suffered as much as Bruh Paul in the furtherance of God’s Word and the building of His church. The work of all the apostles and big names who walked with Jesus pales in comparison to Bruh Paul’s labours. His missionary journeys are legendary, so is the physical, emotional and mental suffering he endured as a result of his zeal in preaching the gospel; beatings, shipwrecks, stoning, etc. You name it, he suffered it. It’s spelled out in more detail in 2 Cor.11:21-33. And the great thing about Bruh Paul is that he took such joy in the Lord and the gospel, that much of what we read today as part of the New Testament was written by him while in prison, there again showing the mysterious and contrary ways in which our God operates. And those jails were nothing like we have today, but were more like dark, damp dungeons where you were often shackled to the wall and didn’t have much room to move around. But there too, by God’s grace Bruh Paul had ample time and space to sit and think, ponder and meditate and write what the Lord was speaking to his heart. And he ends the statement by admitting that, ‘yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.’ Oh Friends, how true that is! Bruh Paul could certainly not have done and endured all he did without the hand of God present. There were just too many trials and tribulations for one mortal being to undergo without divine help; too much luck and coincidence in his spreading the gospel, beginning with his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus and ending with his beheading in Rome. But as he told the Philippians; ‘For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his (according to) his good pleasure.’ (Phil.2:13) Yes my people, it’s God who’s working in us, and though we’re not called on to perform the superhuman deeds of Bruh Paul, Jesus does expect us to use our God-given grace much better than we are currently doing. Remember we’re His ambassadors here on earth, so others will look to us for help and guidance in His Name, therefore we ought to be sterling examples of what it means to be a believer, a Christian, a follower of Christ. And with the considerable contention and dissension in the church, we obviously aren’t doing such a good job for Christ, though we are filled with His undeserved grace. Oh my people, what is it going to take for us to wake up and realize that the enemy, the heathen, the iniquity worker is currently winning the war, while we argue and fight among ourselves? Nobody can make us do anything, each individual has to feel the call in their heart to not only get up and proclaim God’s word, but also use the grace we’ve been granted to live it and spread it all over God’s great earth. Remember Friends, that’s the mandate given to us by our Leader, Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. ‘All power (authority) is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach (make disciples of) all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.’ (Mat.28:18-20) Oh Friends, Christ’s grace, power, authority and Spirit are always with us. Let’s use them wisely and without delay in what He’s asked of us, for time’s fast running out. Much LOVE!…amazing grace…how sweet the sound…that saved a wretch like me…twas grace that taught my heart to fear…and grace my fears relieved…how precious did that grace appear…the hour I first believed…

 

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