Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 August 2010 Job 3:20‏

21 Aug 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Job 3:20       Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul?

 

Oh Friends, I can’t answer Job’s questions, but I do know that our God is a great and merciful Deity. Before I began writing this Bit, I had a nap to sort of rest my mind and spirit, and what do you think happened? I woke up singing ‘Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me…’ I obviously chuckled at that state of affairs, though not aware of what that meant either, since I had not gone to sleep worried or perturbed. However my brethren, I’m going to assume that the Lord in His eternal wisdom, realized that I was a bit short on grace to write this Bit, and blessed me with some, so that I could rise up energetic and enthusiastic and write powerful words in His Name. Words so powerful that they’d cause others to read, study, and inwardly digest His Word, then come to repentance, salvation and eternal life thereafter. Oh Friends, that’s my prayer; that whoever reads these words will have a new perspective on life, and will develop such an affinity for Jesus that it will turn their entire lives around, and cause them to strongly desire to be mirror images of our Lord and Saviour. I pray this in Jesus’ Name. And all God’s people responded with a loud, united, ‘Amen!’ And now, in keeping with the theme of our Bit, I have a short quote to share from Agnes Repplier, who makes a simple but stunning observation about life. ‘Life is so full of miseries, minor and major…’ Now isn’t that the living truth mih people! We are constantly bombarded by problems in this life, both large and small. Sometimes it seems there’s no end to it, for as soon as we solve one, another raises its ugly head. But Friends, that just shows why we desperately need Jesus in our lives, because He’s the only one, acting on the will of the Father, who has the wherewithal to both calm and guide us through our earthly struggles, or just banish or solve any problems completely. And this is the reaction we’ve been seeing from the three men, Job, Hezekiah and Jeremiah, who we’ve been recently studying. All of them suffered serious misfortune and/or illness while trying to live righteously, and though they were somewhat incensed and angry at the unfairness of their situation, and complained bitterly to God, none of them ever gave up on or turned against Him. And remember Friends, this was long before Jesus came to earth and preached the good news gospel, meaning that there was immense darkness in the world at that time, people weren’t as cognizant of the truth of spiritual life. That just attests to the real faith and trust that God instils in the hearts and souls of true believers. As Job proudly proclaimed: ‘Though he slay me, yet will I trust him…He also shall be my salvation: for a hypocrite shall not come before him.’ (Job 13:15-16) Oh mih people, it’s only when we possess real strong faith that we can make such statements, especially in the face of serious adversity! It’s the kind of faith that all believers ought to endeavour to achieve. But enough of my rambling. (smile) Yesterday we saw how the lives of two of these men of faith, Job and Hezekiah, turned out after their tribulation and showing of absolute trust and faith in the Lord God Jehovah. Job’s losses, property and family, were returned two fold, and he lived to a ripe old age, even seeing the fourth generation of his progeny. Meanwhile, Hezekiah was granted another fifteen years of earthly life, and was shown such an awesome sign to authenticate that promise; where the sun moved back, reversed its path, ten degrees on the sun dial. Wow Friends! What a truly magnificent and omnipotent God we serve and worship! Although I’ve read about a lot of stuff He’s done, and even personally experienced some, I’m still surprised and mesmerized whenever I consider His awesome works. Now here’s another awesome instance of His faithfulness. Remember Jeremiah was imprisoned for prophesying that Babylon would capture Jerusalem? Well when that prophecy was fulfilled, and the king of Babylon, Nebuchadrezzar, besieged, captured and burnt Jerusalem, King Zedekiah was blinded, bound in chains and taken captive to Babylon, while his sons and princes were killed. But what of Jeremiah’s fate? Hn! ‘Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard, saying, Take him, and look well to (look after) him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even (just) as he shall say unto thee. So Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard sent,…and all the king of Babylon’s princes (chief officers); Even they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and committed him unto Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, that he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the people.’ (Jer.39:11-14) Yes Friends, each man eventually did rise from their misfortune, also coming out better, stronger, more faithful and courageous for it all. That’s how the Lord often uses His people; to prove His promises and to test the levels of their stamina and faith. So the moral of the story is that when things seem pretty dark and falling apart, we ought not to fall apart ourselves, but rather turn to our Creator with greater fervour, with humility and praise, raising the level of our faith, knowing that deep down, the seeds of faith sown when we were born again are still there, germinating and sprouting, and in the Lord’s time will burst out of darkness into the light, bringing peace, an unworldly peace to our souls, that only the Spirit of God can provide. Ah my people, life’s not easy; never was, and never will be, but remember that our God is good and faithful, and when we release our entire will to Him, and stand strong in our faith, then He is liable to do wonders in our lives, more than we can ever ask or imagine. But it’s essential that despite all our whining and complaining, we don’t lose faith…NEVER EVER! So stand strong Friends! The Lord has never turned away or forsaken anyone who has sincerely called on His Holy Name, and has promised He NEVER WILL! Remember that! Much LOVE!…Amazing grace…how sweet the sound…that saved a wretch like me…I once was lost…but now am found…was blind…but now I see…twas grace that taught my heart to fear…and grace my fears relieved…how precious did that grace appear…the hour I first believed…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 August 2010 Job 3:20‏

20 Aug 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Job 3:20     Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul?
 
Yes Friends, it’s Friday, and many of us are thanking the Lord for that! Hn! One of the few times we actually thank Him for something. But one note of caution, no two; let’s get some decent rest and participate in some fellowship with other believers so that our adrenalin level will be sky high come Monday morning. That way we can go out confidently amongst the iniquity workers and further the kingdom with a smile, instead of a frown on our beautiful, Jesus-imaging faces. (smile) Anyway, over the last couple of days we’ve been looking at the lives of those three great men of faith; Job, Hezekiah and Jeremiah, who suffered immense tribulation while pursuing a righteous life. We saw where they all bewailed and bemoaned their births, but never gave up on their God. We heard at the end yesterday from Job and Hezekiah, re their steadfast trust in the Lord. Now let’s hear from Jeremiah. While languishing in the dark, despicable dungeon, in the middle of his lament, he proudly proclaimed: ‘But the Lord is with me as a mighty terrible (awesome) one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten. But, O Lord of hosts, that triest (tests) the righteous, and seest the reins (mind) and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened (pled) my cause. Sing unto the Lord, praise ye the Lord: for he hath delivered the soul (life) of the poor from the hand of evildoers.’ (Jer.20:11-13) Yes my people, even in the dark depths of despair in the dungeon, the prophet did not turn from his faith and His God. And though many of us are not as dedicated as Jeremiah, and in such close contact with the Lord, it doesn’t matter, for not many of us have suffered his level of tribulation either. The long and short of the story though Friends, is that despite the worst disaster, trial, tribulation and problem we encounter, we ought not to give up on our God, lose faith and trust in Him. As believers, followers of Christ, it’s essential that regardless of what happens to us in this mortal life, we stand strong and steadfast in our trust and surrender to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Why? Because He knows all, sees all, controls all, and has us right where we’re supposed to be in His lifetime plan for us. It’s also important to note that all three men poured out their very souls to the Lord during their time of misfortune. They hid nothing from Him, let Him know just how they felt, but not in an arrogant, cursing manner. Friends, it’s okay to tell the Lord what’s truly in our hearts. Though He already knows it, He wants to hear it from us, to test our responses, to see if we are truthful. Remember, we can hide from others, even ourselves at times, but we can’t ever hide anything from our Creator, since He sees and knows all. Furthermore, He expects us to come crying to Him in times of hardship and trouble, so that this promise of His may be fulfilled: ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength (power) is made perfect in weakness.’ (2 Cor.12:9) Yes my people, it’s in our times of trouble, of weakness and ineptitude, that the strength and power of our God comes shining forth, brightens our darkness and furthers His kingdom. Now let’s see how it worked out in the lives of those three men. First up, Job. After being torn apart and ridiculed by his supposed friends, then challenging God -a no win situation- being humbled, and finally acknowledging the error of his ways, the Lord positively turned Job’s whole life around. ‘And the Lord turned (restored) the captivity (losses) of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before…So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. He had also seven sons and three daughters…After this lived Job a hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations. So Job died, being old and full of days.’ (Job 42:10,12-13,16-17) Ah mih people, we most certainly serve a just and righteous God. He promises that when we stand strong in His name during times of misfortune, He will bring us out of our troubles, and usually better off than before. Hezekiah had a rude awakening too, when Isaiah told him to set his house in order, his time was nigh. He broke down and wept bitter tears, crying out to the Lord, reminding Him of his sincere attempt to lead a righteous life. (Is.38:1-3) ‘Then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah, saying, Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years. And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city. And this shall be a sign unto thee from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing that he hath spoken; Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees (on the sun dial), which is gone down (with the sun) in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, (on the dial) by which it was gone down.’  (Is.38:4-8) And all God’s people shouted, ‘Wow! What a great God we worship’ Oh Friends, only the mighty God who made the world, the sun and all therein, could make the sun reverse in its tracks! Unfortunately my people, time and space are against us, so we’ll close here for today. Tomorrow though, God willing, we’ll continue with the intriguing look into the active, passionate, God-fearing lives of these three men. Till then, let’s go out and try to be active, passionate and God-fearing like them nuh. It’s the only way to further the kingdom. Much LOVE!…doing…doing… done!…that’s the true believer’s cry…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 August 2010 Job 3:20‏

19 Aug 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Job 3:20     Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul?
 
Ah mih Friends in Christ, who really knows the answers to those two questions posed by Job in our Bit eh? I guess only the Good Lord, our Creator, who still controls our world from His throne on high. Yesterday we saw how three men of great faith, Job, Jeremiah and Hezekiah, all suffered great misfortune and bore extremely bitter, complex feelings and emotions in their souls, and all bewailed the day of their birth. Job even cried out: ‘I should have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from the womb to the grave. Are not my days few? Cease then, and let me be alone, that I may take comfort a little, Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness, and the shadow of death.’ (Job 10:19-21) And when Jeremiah was imprisoned for supposedly prophesying lies about Israel’s capture by Babylon, here’s how he lamented: ‘Oh Lord, thou hast deceived (induced) me, and I was deceived (persuaded): thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily (a laughingstock), every one mocketh me. For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil (plunder); because the word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me, and a derision daily. Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak anymore in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing (holding back), and I could not stay (endure). For I heard the defaming (mocking or slander) of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars (acquaintances) watched for my halting (stumbling), saying, Peradventure (perhaps) he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.’ (Jer.20:7-10) Now listen to Hezekiah’s words, concerning his termination, which he wrote after he was healed. (Is.38:4-8) ‘I said in the cutting off (middle) of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue (remainder) of my years. I said, I shall not see the Lord, even the Lord, in the land of the living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world. Mine age (my lifespan) is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd’s tent: I have cut off like a weaver my life: he will cut me off (from the loom) with pining sickness: from day even to night wilt thou make and end of me…Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me: What shall I say? He hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it: I shall go softly (walk carefully) all my years in the bitterness of my soul.’ (Is.38:10-12,14-15) Yes Friends, these mighty men of faith felt the sore weight of tribulation and were humanly overwhelmed by it. And Cousin Sol, who has an opinion on almost everything, describes it thus: ‘The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with (share) his joy.’ (Prov.14:10) Yeh mih people, regardless of how well intentioned others are, they can never really understand or fathom the hurt, pain and bitterness that exists in someone else’s heart, for that particular intensity of feeling can only be truly comprehended by the one who feels it. As the saying goes; ‘only he who feels it, knows it.’ However my brethren, those dark and dire times are seldom the end. Instead, they are often the beginning of something better, of a new life. And though all our great men of faith were brought to their knees by tribulation, they stood strong and steadfast in their faith. Let’s hear some of their redeeming words. Job answered his friends thus: ‘Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul (life) of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind (all flesh of man).’ (Job 12:9-10) Then he further contends: ‘Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation: for a hypocrite shall not come before him.’ (Job 12:15-16) Wow Friends! What powerful words of faith Job mustered even though his whole life was in shambles. And Hezekiah, after lamenting the early end of life that had seemed his portion, stood strong in the Lord at the end. ‘O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live? Behold, for (my own) peace I had great bitterness; but thou hast in LOVE to my soul delivered it from corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth. The Lord was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord.’ ( Is.38:16-20) Oh mih people! Hezekiah is certainly talking to us today too: for only the living, we believers, can indeed praise the Lord! The dead can’t do it. So let’s break out the musical instruments and sing our songs of LOVE and Praise, Hope, Joy and Heartache; whatever emotions or feelings that currently hold our hearts and souls prisoners, for whatever they are, the Lord High God Jehovah is in TOTAL control, and He’s waiting, ready, willing and able to help us in whatever state or stage of life we are. Oh Friends, time and space have again run out on us, but tomorrow, God willing, we’ll continue looking at the sad tribulation these men of faith suffered for their faith, but also at how they rebounded through the same great faith they possessed. Much Love!…let’s allow the lessons of other believers…to show us…both the fateful and faithful way…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 August 2010 Job 3:20‏

18 Aug 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Job 3:20     Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul?
 
And the drought continues Friends, with nary a drop of blessing to quench the thirst of the parched land. I’ve never seen the little patch of grass in my backyard so dry. It’s brown like dirt now, cause a lot of the grass seems dead. But Anton Chekhov, (1860-1904) the Russian physician and writer, said something that helps to keep the dark clouds of doubt and fear at bay. ‘Let us learn to appreciate there will be times when the trees will be bare, and look forward to the time when we may pick ripe fruit.’ Oh Friends, that’s one of the most valuable lessons we can ever learn in this life! If we learn that there are good and bad times, times of plenty and times of paucity, then we’ll be able to bring some sense of balance to our topsy-turvy lives. Many of us lurch back and forth from good to bad times; it’s not a smooth continuum like we’d expect or desire, but more like a crazy pendulum. However, as believers, we have to learn to stay strong and handle the swings between adversity and good times with true, true faith, because that’s what it takes to deal with the harsh realities of this life, which unfortunately seem to be getting harsher instead of softer with each passing day. We’d expect that with all our modern inventions and advances in science and technology that we’d all be living on easy street, but sadly, in comparison to our wealth and knowledge today, more people are finding it harder to make ends meet. In my lifetime, and I’ve been around for a while, (smile) I’ve never seen such worldwide panic and disaster. I’ve never seen or heard of so many people losing their jobs and homes, nor the proliferation of food banks and soup kitchens in the wealthiest countries. Thus, it comes as no surprise that Job who suddenly lost all of his hard earned wealth and family, through no fault of his own, bemoaned the day of his birth. ‘Why died I not from the womb? Why did I not give up the ghost (expire, perish) when I came out of the belly? …For now should (would) I have lain still and been quiet, I should (would) have slept: then had I been at rest.’ (Job 3:11,13) That great prophet, Jeremiah, also suffered serious misfortune and calamity, (prison, beatings) while serving God, and he too cried out in agony. ‘Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed…Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour (toil) and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?’ (Jer.20:14,18) And here is King Hezekiah’s reaction when He was sick, and told by Isaiah: ‘Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the Lord, And said, Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect (loyal, whole) heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore (bitterly).’ (Is.38:1-3) Oh my people, it’s only human when faced with disasters, dangerous situations and/or serious problems to hold our heads and bawl and wish we were never born. And few of us have ever lost as much as Job in one fell swoop. But it doesn’t necessarily mean that life is over, or that it will be continually dark and desolate from that time onward. What I’m trying to do here today is point out that whenever things get bad, it’s all right to moan and weep and grieve for a time, but it’s definitely not all right to give up on ourselves and our God. And to prove that theory – sorry, it’s no longer a theory, but now a proven fact – we’ll take a glimpse into the lives of three men of great faith, who suffered serious setbacks, who whined and moaned and bewailed their very birth, but NEVER gave up on God. The first is Job, who candidly asks in our Bit: ‘Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul?’ Now that’s a very good question my brethren, one that we’ve all asked at one time or another, but could never get a satisfactory answer. And that’s possibly because there’s none. All those times when we’re sad and miserable and just want to be left alone in the darkness of our moods and souls, but some bright light, human or otherwise, always comes and intervenes in our misery and desire to be alone. Likewise, many times we just want to give up the ghost and depart this harsh, unfair life, but instead find ourselves tied even tighter to this mortal coil. None of us really understand it, and often, like Job, sadly declare: ‘ My soul is weary of (loathes) my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself (give free course to my complaint); I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; show me wherefore thou contendest with me. Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine (look favourably) upon the counsel of the wicked?’ (Job 10:1-3) Or we can say like Jeremiah in his Lamentations: ‘I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath. He hath led me, and brought me into (made me walk in) darkness, but not into light. Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all the day…. He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old. He hath hedged me about (walled me in), that I cannot get out: he hath made my chain heavy. Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.’ (Lam.3:1-3,6-8) Yes my people, many of us are trying to live righteously, but constantly find ourselves facing one disastrous situation after another. Please take solace in the fact that these men of great faith all tried to live righteously too, but in the Lord’s wisdom and His overall plans, they suffered great mishaps. They beseeched, complained and bewailed their birth, but most importantly NEVER GAVE UP. So it’s okay to cry out and weep and moan, but remember, it’s unchristian to ever give up. Tomorrow, God willing, we’ll continue this topic, and see God’s response to these men’s wailing and moaning. Till then, take care mih people. And may the good Lord bless and keep us all from harm’s way, and give us the strength and faith to face our current problems. Much LOVE!…when disaster strikes…weep and moan…but NEVER, EVER GIVE UP…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 17 August 2010 2 Corinthians 9:8‏

17 Aug 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

2 Corinthians 9:8     And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.
 
Oh Friends, I believe my little corner of the world is drought stricken! Everyday I talk to somebody who claims that rain recently fell in their area, but none’s fallen in mine for over a week now. You see the dark skies and hear some thunder in the distance, and a few drops of blessing, more like a tease, will sprinkle the earth, but not so much as to even call it a drizzle, and only for a few minutes. All around me the grass is dry, the earth’s thirsty, crying out for its parched throat to be quenched. Ohhh! But so far nothing. However, that doesn’t mean we’ve got to stop believing for rain, to give up on the Good Lord Almighty, because we know that in due time, His time, the earth will be well watered, watered until it’s satisfied. The same thing goes for life in general mih Friends; we can’t give up on it. Like William James (1842-1910) the pioneering American psychologist and philosopher says: ‘Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.’ And that’s quite true people! It’s a bit of a mind game, but it’s just like faith; we believe what we hope for; we don’t see it in actuality, but we see it in our minds, and that keeps our hopes up, helps us cope with the conundrum, the riddle, that’s life. But the most important part of that quote my brethren is the first line: ‘Be not afraid of life.’ It’s a motto we should all live by, for though life can often be very scary, we ought not to let it scare us. We can be concerned, perplexed, perturbed, even worried, but definitely not scared mih people. Why? Because life is like a human bully; operates on the fear of its adversaries. If it sees that it can scare and beat you down, believe me, it will. So we need to always face life with confidence; go bravely in the world. Note, I said brave, not stupid, (smile) for there’s a very thin line between bravery and stupidity. And once life realizes that it can’t beat you down, it will cut you some slack, though it will never stop trying to intimidate you. Now all of what I’ve just said should be easier for believers than non-believers. Why? Bruh Paul’s word in our Bit explains it very nicely. ‘And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.’ Ah Friends, we have to forgive Bruh Paul for his highfalutin, roundabout, confusing language, but that’s what too much education can sometimes do to us. Now don’t go chuckling, thinking that I’m guilty of that too, for I’m definitely not in Bruh Paul’s class. (smile) He’s only saying that our God is so great, so good, generous and magnanimous, that He has both the intention and the power to bless us with all we need, in every area and aspect of our lives, and will even give us extra, so that we can help others. And all God’s people gratefully raised their heads, hands, hearts, eyes and minds heavenward, proclaiming in unison: ‘All thanks and praise be to a most wonderful and glorious Lord God of heaven!’ Yes Friends, if we truly believe in the Lord, and act as that belief will have us, then our God will withhold nothing we truly need, and even provide more, so that we can meet the needs of others. Now note, we just don’t say: ‘Yes Lord, I believe,’ and manna and blessings come pouring down upon us. No mih breddren, we all have to show that faith in our daily lives, in the hard times and the good times, continuing steadfast and strong on whatever path the Spirit leads and guides us. Oh, but there’s also some fine print in that contract my Friends that we need to read carefully. Wrapped up in that program of sufficiency is our own willingness to give. It’s the life rule that states we reap what we sow, and also how much we sow. Cousin Sol puts it this way: ‘There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet (right) but it tendeth (leads) to poverty.’ (Prov.11:24) Yes my people, it’s indeed possible, through God’s power, to give away plenty, and yet increase your own holdings, while it’s also possible to hold on to the plenty you have and yet end up poor. Oh my brethren, please remember that most important life lesson nuh: that being generous can lead to prosperity, while hoarding, or being miserly can lead to poverty. As the psalmist says in Psalm 112, titled, ‘Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord.’ ‘He hath dispersed (distributed abroad), he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn (strength) shall be exalted with honour.’ (Ps.112:9) Now hear Jesus, our Lord and Saviour. ‘Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom (pocket). For with the same measure that ye mete (use, give) withal it shall be measured to you again.’ (Luke 6:38) And the moral of today’s story? That we, as believers in an omnipotent, omniscient, ever present God, should not be afraid of life. We should stand strong and face it squarely, because if we live our faith, then our generous, forgiving, merciful, ever-LOVING and eternal God will give us everything we need, and more, to successfully navigate this earthly life. And remember that all important codicil, the fine print: Give generously of all that you have…and with a right heart, proper motive too, because that’s where the Lord looks when He considers enlarging and blessing us. Here endeth the sermon for today. (smile) But seriously though Friends, our world is so filled with hunger, poverty, sickness and incalculable misery that it most certainly behoves us to do whatever we can, in anyway possible, to alleviate the widespread ‘sufferation.’ And it is indeed ‘sufferation’ now Friends, for we’ve long passed the mere suffering level. So please, let’s seriously consider raising our giving of time, talents, possessions and/or money to help the less fortunate, for great will be our rewards, possibly right here on earth, but for sure in heaven, if we do it in the true spirit of kindness, LOVE and humility. Much LOVE mih people!…to him who gives…much shall be given…while he who hoards…shall surely be impoverished…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 August 2010 Romans 13:8‏

16 Aug 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Romans 13:8      Owe no man any thing, but to LOVE one another: for he that LOVETH another hath fulfilled the law.

 

Oh mih people, it’s Monday morning! So let’s be up and at ‘em, all dressed in our spiritual armour, ready to go out and give the iniquity workers heck this new work week, on behalf of our ever-LOVING God. It’s amusing, but I was talking to my young daughter last night and she complained about the weekend being so short, only two days. And in my fatherly wisdom, (smile) I pointed out that it’s called the weekend, and not the week or anything else, because it’s just that, the end of the week, and consequently it’s short. I don’t think that explanation made much difference to her dislike of Mondays, or will to anyone else’s, but there’s not much we can do about it since that’s the way our society is set up. That means we have to grin and bear it, plus, as I keep saying, get sufficient rest and fellowship in those two days, so that come Monday morning, we’ll be refreshed and rejuvenated. Unfortunately though, many of us are even more tired on Mondays than Fridays, and greet the new workweek cranky and singing the Blues. Remember Friends, moderation in all things is the key to successful living, and if we don’t follow that wisdom, then we’ll have to pay the piper at some time, hence the rise of what we so graciously call the Monday Morning Blues, where everybody is tired, miserable and bleary-eyed. I don’t know if a survey has ever been done on the amount of work that gets done on a Monday versus a Friday, but I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that it’s less, although technically and logically speaking, it should bring out the best in us because we’ve been off for two, whole, big days. (smile) Anyway my brethren, let’s see what Bruh Paul means when he says: ‘Owe no man any thing, but to LOVE one another: for he that LOVETH another hath fulfilled the law.’ He’s definitely not talking about our monetary or fiscal policy, where we shouldn’t purchase stuff on credit, but only use cash, although that’s a very good idea. Our economies would certainly not be in such a dreadful state now, if we had practised it earlier on. Bruh Paul’s referring to our social responsibility to each other. That we should not act in any manner towards our fellow man that would cause us to owe him any other debt but LOVE. We should basically follow the Ten Commandments; ‘and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended (summed up) in this saying, namely, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself.’ (Rom.13:9) That’s nothing new Friends since Moses said it to the Israelites way back in the wilderness. (Lev.19:18) And Jesus reiterated it, in fact boiling the ten commandments down to 2: ‘Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ (Mat.22:37-40) Oh my people, that’s why our lives should be filled with LOVE! And also why Bruh Paul could say; ‘for he that LOVETH another hath fulfilled the law.’ And as he further explains: ‘LOVE worketh no ill (does no harm) to his neighbour: therefore LOVE is the fulfilling of the law.’ (Rom.13:10) When we walk in LOVE, we generally don’t break the laws of the land, neither those of our God. We’re kind, decent, gentle and understanding to each other, victoriously increasing our Christ-like image, which is God’s basic desire for us. Consequently, our lives are filled with joy and peace, which is also God’s desire for His sinful children. And as the scholars so rightly point out, if we owe no man anything but LOVE, then we are actually performing the righteous acts that the law could only lead us to, or show us, but not make us do. So having the law of LOVE is good, but in and of itself, it’s worthless, unless we believers actually do what it says. Now this brings us right back to our favourite topic; all talk and no walk. Yes my Friends, LOVE is an action word! All the talking in the world is useless without the accompanying action. And we all know that our world is in such a dreadful state because there’s a terrible absence of LOVE in it. Cousin Sol summed it up this way long ago: ‘Hatred stirreth up strifes: but LOVE covereth all sins.’ (Prov.10:12) And that’s the gospel truth mih people! If we’d only be just a little kinder, more considerate and understanding towards each other, our world would be such a beautiful place that it would bring tears of joy to the Lord’s eyes. And we can surely be more LOVING despite our differences, many of which are petty and superficial. Oh my Friends, I’m asking, imploring us, for the good of all mankind, especially our children and their progeny, let’s make a serious effort to walk in LOVE nuh. Why is that so hard to do eh? Remember, if we followers of Christ don’t do it, no one else will, because Lucifer’s cronies like the current situation that only breeds hate, heartache, grief and destruction. And we’d better do it soon too, for the powers of evil are quickly tearing our world apart. Much LOVE!…as believers…we can pay the Lord no better complement…than walking in true LOVE with each other…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 August 2010 Romans 15:13‏

15 Aug 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Romans 15:13     Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

 

Oh Friends, oh Friends, oh Friends! (smile) Yes people, that’s how the Holy Spirit directed me to begin this Bit, when, unable to come up with a suitable intro of my own, I asked for guidance. Why? I don’t know, and I try not to question the Spirit’s advice too often. Besides, it certainly gave me what I asked for; a unique intro. And not only that, I was led to Today’s Bit while reading an article that mentioned the scriptural address of a verse on how God uses His power to fill us with joy, hope and peace. It sounded interesting, so I checked it out, and the rest is history. Once I read it, I knew that it was slated for today. My guess is that the Spirit is feeling underused, slighted, unappreciated, of little or no account, because we so-called believers do not use it as much, or in the way we should, and that’s why it has guided me to write on its purpose and usefulness, both yesterday and today. And I have a quote from Franklin D. Roosevelt, (1882-1945) the 32nd U.S. President, which addresses the subject very appropriately. ‘Physical strength can never permanently withstand the impact of spiritual force.’ Now isn’t that the living truth my wonderful Friends in Christ? We know and acknowledge that because it’s solidly embedded in our Christian faith! Physical strength can thwart its spiritual counterpart for a spell, but undoubtedly, as time goes by, the latter will always rise up and overhaul the former and emerge victorious! Why is that my brethren? The answer is simple: our God ordained it thus! Remember, before Jesus ascended up to heaven, He told the disciples not to leave Jerusalem, ‘but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.’ (Acts 1:4-5) They then asked if at that time he would make Israel great again with His kingdom. But Jesus replied: ‘It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power (authority). But ye shall receive power, after that (when) the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.’ (Acts 1:7-8) And we know how bizarre it was on that first Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles: ‘And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ (Acts 2:2-4) So my brethren, the coming of the Holy Spirit wasn’t a joke, some Mickey-mouse escapade or fairy tale, but a strong, true, powerful, miraculous act of the Lord God Jehovah, directly moving in and affecting the souls of mortal man. And the beauty of it all Friends, is that even today, once you’ve accepted Christ as your Lord and Saviour, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within each believer, to guide and direct your life as desired by the Master. Consequently Bruh Paul made the statement contained in our Bit: ‘Now the God of hope fill you with joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.’ Why? Because that’s the Spirit’s job! And here’s a perfect explanation by the scholars. ‘The power of the Holy Ghost is the means by which unity will be accomplished as the Holy Spirit enables the strong and weak brothers to see the other’s positions and refuse to let their differences mar the unity that they have in Christ. This is true spiritual freedom and maturity.’ Oh Friends, if we could only achieve that unity of purpose eh, instead of the great disunity that our differences are currently causing. And I’m only talking about Christ’s Church here, not the whole world. Yes my people, our whole lives are wrapped up in the Spirit of Christ. Everything true believers do is dependent on that still, small voice working in our souls to guide us on the straight and narrow path that Jesus desires His followers to walk. And Bruh Paul clearly states it earlier on. ‘For the kingdom of God is not meat (food) and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.’ (Rom.14:17) However my brethren, we’ll close with one precautionary note from our Leader. Remember when Jesus sent out the seventy disciples to preach and win souls? (Luke 10:1-16) Well they returned all joyous and full of themselves, telling Jesus: ‘Lord, even the devils (demons) are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power (authority) to tread (trample) on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.’ (Luke 10:17-20) Oh Friends, it’s great to know that the Spirit empowers us to control, to reverse Lucifer’s evil dealings, however, that should not be our greatest joy, but, per our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, our most resounding and heartfelt pleasure should be the fact that our names are indelibly written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. And all God’s people proudly proclaimed: ‘Glory Hallelujah! All praise and thanks to the Lamb, for He is worthy to be praised!’ Please don’t forget that my people, and let’s live it out in our everyday lives, as we try to walk worthy of our Saviour. Much LOVE!…without the Holy Spirit in our lives…we are disabled…handicapped…powerless…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 August 2010 1 Timothy 1:17‏

14 Aug 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

1 Timothy 1:17     Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Oh Friends, remember it’s the weekend and that calls for some fellowship amongst the fun, frolic and rest. In fact it’s the most important aspect of them all, for if we don’t make a physical connection with other believers, and together, a spiritual connection with our Creator, then our souls will not be rejuvenated, refreshed and strengthened to go out and face Lucifer and his numerous workers of evil, come Monday morning. So please, let’s make sure we fellowship with other believers this weekend, and every weekend where humanly possible. Let’s find the time, or better yet make time, at least one day a week, to give thanks and praise, ask for mercy and forgiveness in a group of believers, so that we can bring honour and glory to our God. Wow! What a perfect lead in to our Bit the Holy Spirit just gave me there! Oh Friends, despite some small, mysterious happening every day I write the Bit, I’m still surprised when it happens, and can’t get over the Spirit’s helpful, encouraging power. Sometimes it’s just helping me to remember a name, or pointing me to a useful bit of scripture, and also sending me back to read something I’d written, only to find that I’d made a significant mistake. Yes my people, there’s absolutely no doubting of the Holy Spirit’s solid working in our lives, for as Zechariah purposefully declared: ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.’ (Zech.4:6) And that statement is gospel truth mih breddren! However, it doesn’t just happen by chance; we have to repent and believe, then welcome that Spirit into our hearts, souls and minds, and then allow it to lead us. Friends, it cannot be just a sometime thing either, but entails total surrender to its leadership. And I have to laugh here, because that’s another thing the Spirit does; it leads me along paths that I never planned to follow, but which turn out to be very useful. This is one such time, for I never intended to run a dialogue, or rather a monologue (smile) on the ways, works and benefits of the Spirit. I simply wanted to point out its helpfulness in giving me an easy segue into the Bit, but then it led me further on, and we still haven’t gotten to the Bit. But Friends, I also just realized why, and I’ll share it in a moment. First though, let’s state our Bit; one we’ve been working on for the past few days; one that says a whole lot of wonderful things about our gracious and generous God. ‘Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.’ Ah mih people, doesn’t it just warm the cockles of your hearts, making them sing with joy and hope, when you hear our God described in such unique, exotic, superlative terms?  It certainly ought to, since there’s no other God but Him, and it’s those amazing attributes; ‘the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God,’ which we’ve already dealt with, that actually makes Him worthy of the name God, and therefore worthy of ‘honour and glory for ever and ever,’ which we’ll deal with today. And Friends, that’s exactly why the Spirit led me where it did; so that I could get current, first hand experience of the Lord’s awesome spiritual powers and personally testify to it, thereby showering Him with the honour and glory His Holy Name so richly deserves. Oh my brethren, all of us have cause to be immensely grateful to the Lord, but unfortunately we don’t give Him the many accolades which rightfully belong to Him, and sadly that poor individual attitude morphs into a collective that doesn’t do it either. Yuh think, if we believers stood up staunchly and steadfastly and praised our God with the praise, reverence, respect, and honour truly due to Him, that our world would have slipped, and still be slipping, into the abyss of ungodliness? No way Jose! Look how Lucifer’s followers use every opportunity to laud and magnify his evil name and actions! They walk their talk. We should be doing the same for the Lord God Jehovah; even magnifying Him higher, since He is much higher than Lucifer. Just like us, Lucifer can’t do anything unless the Lord allows it. But Friends, we’re sadly lacking in the enthusiasm and lifestyle that is supposed to honour and glorify the Lord’s name. Some of us are even ashamed to talk about Him, while too many of us talk a good talk, but don’t back it up with the godly walk, which makes us all look like fools and hypocrites. That, my people, is totally unacceptable, if we claim to be serious followers of Jesus. Past generations did their part; kept the Lord’s name to the forefront through all sorts of struggles and persecutions, just like the Chinese Christians are doing right now; standing up to the godless Communist powers, to be able to freely worship the ONE, TRUE God  of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, in whom they believe. Oh Friends, we need to fervently pray for them, asking the Lord to give them the necessary wherewithal to stand strong, because they are making a major difference along an entirely new frontier. On the other hand, we over here have gotten lazy and complacent with our freedom to worship. We in the West definitely have to do a better job in honouring and glorifying our God, providing we truly consider Him as mighty and magnificent as Bruh Paul says. And I’ll only quote one passage of scripture that gives an excellent example of how to do it. Yes Friends, it’s Bruh David’s famous thanksgiving and prayer. ‘Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. (1 Chr.29:10-13) Ah mih people, if we truly desire to bring the honour and glory to God’s name, that He so richly deserves, then we’ve got to break out of our complacency, break into action, go out into the world and justify our words. That’s the only way to accomplish such a worthwhile deed. Much LOVE!…the time for talk is past…now it’s time for serious action…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 August 2010 1 Timothy 1:17‏

13 Aug 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

1 Timothy 1:17     Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
 
Oh Friends, it’s Friday, Friday the 13th to boot! Are you worried and shaken up by the negative connotation that combination of day and date has come to symbolize in our society? Please don’t be. Just be your normal safe, secure, Christian self and say instead: ‘Thank God it’s Friday; the end of my workweek, the start of my weekend! It’s also the day the Lord has made, and I shall rejoice and be glad in it, regardless of what comes against me!’ Yes mih people, we can’t afford to let those simpleton, negative influences influence our already concerned hearts souls and minds, with further untrue, unimportant stuff. If we believe in the goodness and mercy of our heavenly Father, then we simply believe in Him; end of story. There’s no room for doubts concerning certain days. He’s not going to make some good and some bad just because they happen to fall in a certain way or time. That’s why Bruh Paul could laud Him with this brilliant description. ‘Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.’ We’ve already looked at ‘the King eternal, immortal, invisible’ attributes. Today we’ll check out ‘the only wise God,’ appellation. And Friends, that’s indeed a big plaudit Bruh Paul’s giving our heavenly Father; ‘the only wise God.’ Wow! It means that amongst the oodles of gods that proliferate on planet earth, the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the only wise one. It certainly doesn’t say much for the many other supposed ones. But if He is the ONE and ONLY TRUE God, then it follows logically that He will be the only wise One. And Job, in acknowledging God’s justice, reverently offers these words in support of that contention. Sorry Friends, it’s not a contention, but a fact. (smile) ‘He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?’ (Job 9:4) The answer to Job’s question is NO ONE, my people! Nobody has ever deigned to fight against the Lord God Jehovah and prospered. Not from the days of Adam, not now, and neither till the end of time will that happen. Elihu, Job’s friend, also sings the praises of God’s wisdom when he talks about Him being just. ‘Behold God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.’ (Job 36:5) Oh my brethren, the ancients were much more in tune with God, in all aspects of His Being, because in their hardworking, agrarian society they depended on Him much more than we do for their daily bread. Today we have so much man made stuff that its’ very easy to go for days on end without even once considering the Creator of the universe. Friends, that’s definitely a foolish move, but it is possible. And that’s also one of the reasons why God is disappearing so much and so quickly from our society; we don’t have to depend on Him as much for our actual livelihood. That doesn’t mean He’s not there and still in control. Please remember that mih breddren and act in wise accordance. That brings us to the passage on wisdom, where Bruh Paul is talking to the Corinthians against divisions. ‘Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer (debater) of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching (the message preached) to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness. But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling brethren (consider), how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound (put to shame) the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us (became for us) wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.’ (1 Cor.1:20-27; 29-30) Oh Friends, I didn’t plan on quoting all that, but there was no way to cut it down without losing the very essence of Bruh Paul’s meaning. And you can see how our wise God confounds us by using foolishness to topple wisdom, and weakness to topple strength. But those who believe have seen the truth and acknowledged it; that Jesus Christ is Lord of all, made so through the Father’s strength and wisdom. Oh my people, there’s no doubt whatsoever from all the available evidence, that our God is ‘the only wise God.’ And we’ll close with the words of two men of faith, who experienced it fully. First up is Bruh Paul, who ends his epistle to the Romans thus: ‘To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.’ (Rom.16:27) And now Jude, Jesus’ half brother, who, like some of his other siblings, apparently saw the light after Jesus departed this earthly life and eventually went on to spread His Word. ‘To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.’ (Jude 25) And all God’s people joyfully sang: ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ Yes Friends, let’s take strength and wisdom from all that we’ve said today, and go out there into the midst of the ungodly world and give Beelzebub and his evil cronies hell, while walking strong, steadfast and worthy in Jesus’ name. Amen. Much LOVE!…be not wise in your own eyes…fear the Lord…and depart from evil… (Prov.3:7)

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 August 2010 1 Timothy 1:17‏

12 Aug 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

1 Timothy 1:17      Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
 
Oh Friends, a couple days ago we celebrated in Canada the 50th anniversary of the Bill of Rights, proposed and fought for by our 13th Prime Minister, John Diefenbaker, but unfortunately there was no fanfare over it. Why? I don’t know. Possibly because it’s status has been since downgraded to 2nd place by our Charter of Rights. But Friends, this is where it all began, and every country in our world needs to have these freedoms entrenched in their society, else it will perish under autocratic regimes. Now many countries do, but just like here, Big Brother is fast encroaching on those freedoms, using the fear of terrorism as a ruse to interfere with and exert control over our everyday lives. Now is a good time to listen to Mr. Diefenbaker’s words, as he outlined his duty in the summer of 1960, and see how they stack up against today’s reality, 50 years later. ‘I am a Canadian, a free Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship God in my own way, free to stand for what I think is right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, free to choose those who shall govern my country. This is the heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for my self and all mankind.’ Indeed, strong, powerful, moving and well intentioned words my people! But are they true today? I’ll leave that as an individual decision re whatever country we live in. Now let’s turn to our Bit, detailing the powerful and intriguing attributes of our God. ‘Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen’ We’ve already looked at ‘the King eternal, immortal,’ aspects. Today we’ll tackle the ‘invisible’ quality, which we got a glimpse of yesterday in the immortality scene, (1 Tim.6:16) where Bruh Paul talks about our immortal God who dwells in light that no one can approach; ‘whom no man hath seen, nor can see.’ Why? Because He’s invisible. He’s a Spirit, with no fleshly body, except for that short space of time when Jesus made earth His home. And the writer of Hebrews paints a faithful picture of Moses, who on becoming a man, revoked all his princely privileges and power as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter: ‘By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.’ (Heb.11:27) That must have taken real great faith on Moses’ part, to reject all the finer things and privileges he had grown up with and was entitled to, and incur the inevitable wrath of Pharaoh, to follow an invisible Deity. But Friends, the important thing is that Deity was the God of his real fathers, and he had the Spirit of said Deity bubbling and dwelling in him, talking to him and leading him along certain paths. We all know how hard it is to reject the utterances of the Holy Spirit when it seriously captures the imaginations of our hearts. That’s where the strong faith of the believer is born and controlled. I strongly suspect too that Moses motive wasn’t only exceeding faith, but he knew deep down that the wrath of the God of his fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob would be greater than that of Pharaoh, if he did not heed His call. And if we look at Bruh Paul’s writing on the guilt of mankind in Romans 1, he says: ‘For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and God-head (divine nature); so that they are without excuse.’ (Rom.1:20) Yes Friends, though our God is invisible to human eyes, we can certainly see and understand all that He’s done in the world from the very day of creation. Psalm 19 brings this is all out quite nicely, where Bruh David extols God’s creation and His covenants. ‘The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament (the expanse of heaven) showeth his handiwork (the work of his hands) Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth (reveals) knowledge. There is no speech or language, where their voice is not heard.’ (Ps.19:1-3) Oh my people, one of the reasons why the Lord is our God is because He’s invisible but shows His handiwork to man very visibly. He wouldn’t be worthy of the name God, if He was just invisible like so many other so-called gods, with no reality based works or creations to prove His powerful and divine nature. And finally, hear Bruh Paul when talking to the Colossians on the pre-eminence of Christ. ‘In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of (first in rank over) every creature.’ (Col.1:14-15) Jesus is, was and always will be the incarnation, the flesh and blood reality of the mighty, LOVING, merciful, forgiving, King eternal, immortal and invisible God we serve and worship my Friends! ‘For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in (on) earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities (rulers), or powers (authorities): all things were created by him, and for him.’ (Col.1:16) That says it all my brethren! Our God created the universe and all therein for His use and purpose. Let’s remember that and don’t get too big for our breeches, thinking that we have a power and authority that we don’t have. It’s only through our total reliance on the Lord God Jehovah, that we’re enabled to do what we do, and have what we have. Let’s never forget that, and consequently pay Him the homage and deference that he truly deserves. Till tomorrow then, God willing of course, when we’ll continue looking at the wonderful, potent and glorious attributes of our God. Much LOVE!…all who come to Him…must believe…by faith…not by sight…that He truly is…

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