Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 January 2012 Matthew 22:39‏

11 Jan 2012 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living Tags: , , ,

Matthew 22:39.    And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself.

Oh Friends, it’s a new day, and all’s well! Okay, so I might be a tad crazy for saying that, (smile) but if we look closely and truthfully at many of what we consider problems, we’ll find that they are mere hiccups with which we can either live comfortably, or handle in our stride with God. We’ve become such a soft, whining, petty society that now we complain loudly about things we wouldn’t have even mentioned a decade ago. However, in trying to get this LOVE Revolution train on a fast, safe and positive track, I found a quote that’s very appropriate for the next step. Yesterday we spoke about God’s LOVE for us and ours for Him. The next step for us to master is found in this quote from David G. Jones: ‘In LOVING myself I gain the power of identity that is necessary before LOVE for others is possible.’ Friends, I find that to be very truthful. We can’t truly LOVE someone else until we’re capable of LOVING ourselves. And LOVING ourselves doesn’t mean a selfish, narcissistic fixation on oneself, but appreciating our good points – and we all have some – while not allowing the bad ones to make us feel unworthy. I believe that the LOVE of self that exists today is the more selfish, chest pounding, egotistic actions that’s so encouraged, rather than the I’m comfortable in my skin, in who I am, in whom the Lord made me to be. Now learning to LOVE ourselves is no easy task, especially if we’re not living up to our expectations. However, that doesn’t mean we’re unworthy or unLOVABLE. We need to accept ourselves, offer ourselves the same kind of breaks, care, kindness and acceptance that we offer others. That’s why Jesus broke down the commandments to two: LOVE thy God, ‘And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself.’ How can we LOVE our neighbours in the spirit that Jesus advocates if we don’t first LOVE ourselves eh? Oh my people, it all boils down to the old adage; ‘do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’ That’s the practical reality of LOVING your neighbour as yourself. You ought to treat your neighbour the way you’d like him/her to treat you. And it doesn’t mean being all goody goody and syrupy, but just being decent to others. Unfortunately though, it seems like a lot of us in this current world don’t like ourselves, judging from the terrible way we treat others. And that stems from the high level of selfishness that permeates our society. In many minds, it’s okay to treat others like garbage, but Lord forbid anybody treating us the same way. Remember the T&T saying; ‘do so ent like so.’ Sadly, this state of mind is very prevalent amongst the wealthy and those in power. Ah Friends, it’s time we start taking the way we treat others seriously, for what goes around comes around. As the Good Book makes a habit of saying from Genesis to Revelation; ‘whatever you sow you’ll reap.’ And that’s gospel! Oh my people, we can’t expect to mount a LOVE Revolution, a return to the God of our fathers, unless we show the practical side of LOVE: feeding the hungry, tending to the sick, helping the widows and orphans, caring for the poor. That’s the true test of Christianity! I’ll remind us again that Christianity is an action movement! Jesus went around mostly DOING good everyday, not simply talking it, like we tend to do nowadays. That’s what LOVING your neighbour as yourself means; wanting them to be as comfortable as you are. Oh Friends, there’s far too much poverty, starvation, sickness, greed and oppression in our world to ever say that we’re keeping the second great commandment. And it’s not a new commandment either, because way back in the wilderness, the Lord told Moses to inform the Israelites: ‘but thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.’ (Lev.19:18b) So Jesus was just reiterating the centuries old directive of His Father. And Bruh Paul, in talking to the Roman church about walking in LOVE, had this to say. ‘Owe no man anything, but to LOVE one another: for he that LOVETH another hath fulfilled the law. For this Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill (murder), Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended (summed up) in this saying, namely, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself. LOVE worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore LOVE is the fulfilling of the law.’ (Rom.13: 8-10) Ah mih breddren, I don’t know what else to say to get us to accept ourselves with all our frailties, and be as good to ourselves as we are to others. It’s a veritable conundrum: we need to LOVE others like we LOVE ourselves, but far too often we don’t really LOVE ourselves the way we ought to. And until we do, our world can’t really get on the right track, so let’s ponder these things nuh, look deeply at the relationship we have with ourselves and then try to bring it into line with what we know our God desires for us. I sure hope this all makes sense. But if it doesn’t, then I hope you all are wise enough to pick sense from nonsense. (smile) Much LOVE!…until the engine of the LOVE Train is firing on all cylinders…the LOVE Revolution won’t be as effective as it ought…  

Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 January 2012 Proverbs 10:12‏

10 Jan 2012 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living Tags: , , , ,

Proverbs 10:12.    Hatred stirreth up strifes: but LOVE covereth all sins.

share it withOh Friends, oh Friends, can you feel the joy, the hope, the excitement, the enthusiasm and expectations of this new day? Wow! What a great God we serve and worship, no doubt about it! Everyday He just replenishes us with manna, with mercy, and most of all with His continuous, never ending unconditional LOVE! And after reading an uplifting poem yesterday in Dr. Robert Schuller’s Hours of Power Daily Devotional, I just knew I had to share it with you. So please read, enjoy, believe and secret it in your hearts and souls. It’s titled: GOD LOVES ME! Thank you, Lord, for this holy sentence, this good news, this happy report, this exciting thought, this graceful truth, this fantastic lesson. God LOVES me! Even when I’m at my worst – God LOVES me. Even when my faith is dim – God LOVES me anyway! It’s incomprehensible and fantastic! Thank you, Father. Amen. Yes mih people, that’s the greatest gift of all from our most wonderful heavenly Father: His undying LOVE, regardless of our reaction to it! Please remember that always, and act on it positively in all circumstances, for it’s the basis of all things which emanate from the Most High God Jehovah. And since we were starting with a word on LOVE, I figured we’d just dedicate this Bit to the greatest of all emotions, the very essence of our God’s being, so I went looking for a suitable Bit and found this one: ‘Hatred stirreth up strifes: but LOVE covereth all sins.’ Now that’s one of the most truthful and provocative statements ever made my brethren! I’m sure if each one of us looks back in our lives, we can all find instances of the truth in it. So many times people do us bad stuff and we get angry and want to retaliate, but somehow when the power of LOVE takes control of our emotions, we find all the anger and desire for retribution vanishes, and we simply want to make peace and let go of all the negatives brought on by the initial action. And the good thing about that LOVE flowing into us Friends, is that it not only makes us feel better mentally and emotionally, but also physically! Why is that? Because that’s the way the Lord planned it! And I’m chuckling here because the Lord’s been so good to me this morning, showing His great LOVE, for as I’m writing this, I’m also listening to some sweet, rocking Soca in the background from Wack 90.1 FM in T&T – the good kind, not the nonsense that passes for Soca nowadays. Yes Friends, this is truly a special day, because when I’m writing the Bit I usually seek peace and quiet, thus keeping the distractions to a minimum. But today, before I began writing, I was listening to some uplifting gospel music on Wack, and at six o’clock their time, they segued into some hot, thumping Soca, and it just felt good in my spirit, and my pen never stopped flowing, so I just continued. But I turned it off when I came to put it on the computer, not wanting to push my luck too much. (smile) Oh mih breddren, our God never ceases to amaze me! Everyday, some little thing happens in my life that causes me to turn my eyes to Him, and I just have to chuckle and say ‘Thank you Lord.’ Now it’s not always something that I want or even like, but the important thing is that I see His hand moving in it, which reminds me that He is always moving in my life, for good, sometimes ever so subtly, that I don’t realize it. But without a doubt, His LOVE is always around me. Now that’s something we ought to bring more powerfully and constantly in to our lives my people! Our God LOVES us and only wants the best for us, and is always with us, even though we might not feel it or see it. That’s what our eyes of faith are for! And one of the best ways to stay tuned to the Lord’s LOVE is by looking closely at the things, especially the small ones, that happen in our lives everyday, because everyday He does something in our lives that shows and proves His LOVE for us. And what better way to end this LOVE Bit than with some of the attributes of LOVE from the greatest chapter in the Good Book, the LOVE Chapter; 1 Corinthians 13: ‘Charity (LOVE) suffereth long, and is kind; LOVE envieth not; LOVE vaunteth not (does not brag on) itself; is not puffed up (arrogant), Doth not behave itself unseemly (rudely), seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil (keeps no accounts of evil); Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.’ (1 Cor.13:4-7) Yes mih people, those are just some of the wonderful attributes of the world’s greatest emotion, and therefore of our God, since He is the epitome of LOVE! Now since we are followers of Jesus, then it’s incumbent on us to be also practitioners of LOVE. So I implore us to learn these attributes, write them indelibly in our hearts and souls, then put them into action! For how can we have a LOVE Revolution without LOVE eh? And as the song on the radio is saying ‘Keep pressing on.’ Yes Friends, in this year of 2012, let’s keep pressing on in Jesus’ Name. Amen. Much LOVE!…only as there is LOVE in our hearts and souls…will there be peace in our lives and in our world…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 January 2012 John 16:1‏

09 Jan 2012 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living Tags: , , , , ,

John 16:1.    These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended (made to stumble).

Oh Friends, it’s Monday, time to rise and shine and be about your Father’s business! The holiday season is ended, the extended partying is done now! Time to return to the rough and tumble world of reality, which means getting up and going out to labour. It’s a rough life, but it’s the only one we have, therefore let’s make the best of it. And to help us do that, to put some passion in our souls and fire in our bellies, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with great gusto. As one now:  ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together. We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’ Yes my people, that ought to get us moving, ready to battle the evil out there!  Now please note carefully Jesus’ words in our Bit. ‘These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended (made to stumble).’ It was a warning to His disciples of the persecution to come for those who believed in Him. Having just told them of the hatred of the world: ‘If ye were of the world, the world would LOVE his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.’ (John 15:19) And it still hates us even till today Friends, and will continue to do so until we convert it all to Christ. And all God’s people said a loud and expectant ‘Hallelujah! Amen!’ Then after our Bit, Jesus continues His warning: ‘They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.’ (John 16:2-3) And that prophecy was fulfilled by Bruh Paul’s initial cruelty towards believers, beginning with the martyrdom of Stephen. (Acts 8:54-60) Ah mih people, the Christian life is not an easy one, especially living in such an evil world as this current incarnation. But lived right, with the Spirit of God leading and guiding us, following Jesus can be a wonderful, exciting and incredible journey! And that’s the crux of the whole situation Friends; the way we approach the Christian life. We first have to see it as an ongoing process, with many ruts and bumps along the way, mere annoyances, (smile) while remembering that we already have all the tools and promises through the Holy Spirit and the Word, to do a good job.  It’s just left for us to take them to heart and act on them diligently, enthusiastically, and urgently, all the time seeking excellence in Jesus’ Name. Now let’s hearken back to Jesus words when the disciples of John the Baptist came to ask if he was the Messiah. He ends with: ‘And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me (made to stumble because of me).’ (Matt.11:6) Yes my brethren, if we stand faithful and strong through our trials and tribulations caused by believing in Jesus, we will definitely be richly blessed. Not always in this earthly life, but for sure in the one to come. And what better way to end than with those promises from Jesus’ own lips. We know them as the Beatitudes: ‘Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.’ (Matt.5:10-12) The definitive words on the subject Friends! So let’s grab a hold of them, and doh leggo, no, doh ever leggo, come what may! That’s wisdom at its zenith! Much LOVE!…the only way for believers to live successful lives…is by steadfastly holding on to the promises of God, found in His Word…and the guidance of His Spirit, found in their souls…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 January 2012 Psalm 62:5

08 Jan 2012 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living Tags: , , ,

Psalm 62:5.    My soul, (silently) wait thou only upon God: for my expectation (hope) is from him.

Oh Friends, a few days ago I listened to two sermons on the T.V. One pastor I usually watch, the other, I just happened to tune in by chance, or through the Spirit’s guidance. But what struck me is that both of them were preaching on faith, and more to the point, the expectancy aspect of our faith. It’s clear that both pastors feel that believers have faith, and pray in faith, but lack the final piece of the puzzle; the expectation, the expectancy that God will answer their prayers. And after thinking about it, I came to the same conclusion, for if we look around, include ourselves, we’ll see a whole lot of supposedly faithful, praying, but yet unhappy Christians, because their prayers are not being answered. Why is that eh? Possibly because we’re not doing as James says: ‘But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering (not doubting). For he that wavereth (doubts) is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.’ (James 1:6-8) Yes Friends, we have to ask in sure faith, not doubting, then expect to receive it. Granted, Jesus said: ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.’ (Matt.7:7) But He was also more specific later on: ‘And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, BELIEVING, ye shall receive it.’ (Matt.21:22) And that seems to be the fly in the Christian ointment my people; that word ‘BELIEVING.’ We have to believe that we’ll get what we ask for, provided it aligns with God’s Word and Will, because if we don’t see us receiving our prayer requests through our eyes of faith, then both our faith and prayers are worthless. As Bruh Paul said to the Romans: ‘For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience (perseverance) (eagerly) wait for it.’ (Rom.8:24-25) And the operative words there my brethren are ‘patience and eagerly.’ We have to wait patiently, keep persevering, until the Lord judges that the time is right to grant our requests. But we also have to wait with enthusiasm and eagerness, like children looking forward to gifts on Christmas Day, with great anticipation and hearts full of joy. That’s how true believers are expected to behave, not the joyless, cynical, unenthusiastic plodders that so many of us have become. No my people, our God wants us to be bold and brave, exuding confidence, full of joy and anticipation while waiting on Him! That’s why I’m targeting 2012 for an overwhelming increase in passion, fire, joy, peace, contentment and unconditional LOVE in the Christian movement, starting with our Scrip-Bit Family. I want us to get that reformation going in our hearts and souls, and then spread it around the world, hopefully like wildfire. (smile) Seriously though Friends, 2012 has to be a year of epiphany, of understanding, of enlightenment, of new beginnings, of arousal, of urgency in our Christian walk, otherwise we’ll just keep falling behind the 8 ball, and the enemy will continue to be predominant. Is that what we want? Is that the way we intend to repay Jesus for His enormous sacrifice on our behalf? I certainly hope not. Then let’s get that fire and passion burning in our bellies and go out there and do Jesus’ work nuh! The long and short of the story my brethren is that the iniquity workers are just a happier bunch of people than we supposed believers, though we have so much more promised to us by our great and wonderful God. They seem to enjoy their work more than we do, and until that changes, believers will always be bottom feeders. That means Jesus’ selfless sacrifice is being wasted. What a shame mih bredden! But let’s see if I can stir us up, rekindle some of that fire and passion, with some words of encouragement, promise and urgency from Bruh David, beginning with our Bit: ‘My soul, (silently) wait thou only upon God: for my expectation (hope) is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defense; I shall not be moved (shaken). In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.’ (Ps.62:5-8) Oh Friends, with such wonderful promises filling our spirits, how can we not be cheerful, upbeat, enthusiastic and overjoyed in serving our God eh? And all God’s people joyfully shouted: ‘Glory Hallelujah! Great and most worthy to be praised is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!’ And on that joyous, praiseworthy note my people, let’s go out into the evil world and work diligently, faithfully and expectantly in Jesus’ name nuh. That’s all He asks of us; precious little compared to what he’s done for us. Much LOVE!…and the annals of history will show…that 2012…marked the start of the 2nd Reformation…the resurgence of Christianity…of Christ…as the world’s spiritual Leader…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 January 2012 Philippians 1:6‏

07 Jan 2012 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living Tags: , , , , ,

Philippians 1:6.    Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Oh Friends, can you believe we’re already one week into 2012? Wow! Time sure flies when you’re having fun! (smile) I do hope though that all of us are awash with the joy of the Lord, both in our bodies and souls, so that we can do His work with enthusiasm, determination and excellence, because our Saviour Jesus Christ expects higher than average standards from His followers. Now before we get into Today’s Bit, let me share some thoughts of the scholars on the word ‘sanctification.’ You’ll understand why later. ‘The word sanctification means ‘‘to be set apart.’’ The Holy Spirit is attempting to make the believer holy (set apart) and spiritual (reflecting the character of God). This is being accomplished in three phases. First, the believer is forgiven and set apart to God at his conversion (positional sanctification). Second, the believer is constantly being set apart from sin when he utilizes the means of grace (e.g. the Word and prayer) in his life (progressive sanctification). Third, complete sanctification begins at death, or at the Rapture, and is completed when the believer’s spirit is reunited with his resurrection body. We Christians should recognize that God uses all things to accomplish His purpose of making us like Jesus; therefore we should cooperate with the Holy Spirit.’ Yes Friends, God’s purpose for all His adopted children is to become like His perfect only Son, Jesus: holy, sanctified. It’s a lifelong process. When we become believers, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us and moulds us on our earthly journey into the likeness of Christ. Obviously we can never be perfect like Him, because He’s God, but we’re all expected to try. As Jesus so eloquently says when asked: ‘What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.’ (John 6:28-29) Please remember my people, that everything revolves around us becoming like Jesus. And it’s all borne out in Bruh Paul’s contention to the Roman church: ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren.’ (Rom.8:28-29) Thus he could confidently say in our Bit to the new believers at Philippi: ‘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.’  And that’s gospel Friends! The work of grace begun in each believer at conversion or acceptance of Christ as Lord and Saviour will not stop until the day Jesus returns in glory to found His new eternal kingdom. And why should it eh, when the sole intention of the grace deposited in us by the Holy Spirit is to remake us in Christ’s image? Therefore Friends and fellow believers, it’s up to us, both as individuals and in fellowship with each other, to faithfully accept the grace flowing from the Holy Spirit and work diligently with it to enhance our Christ-like image. Every so often, with the Holy Spirit’s assistance, we should check to see if we can distinguish any Christ-like improvements to our image. Now if we’re truly maturing as Christians, then hopefully every time we check, we should be able to pick out something in our character, our behaviour that has brought us closer to the likeness of Christ. Obviously this is not something we can or should do everyday, but more like every few months, thus allowing enough time for whatever improvements are made to securely sink in and truly become a part of us. Oh Friends, this constant working of grace in us through the Holy Spirit is what guarantees us eternal security in our great, wonderful and LOVING God! His purpose in refining us in this rough and tough kiln of earthly life has always been to see us as shining lights in the nature of Jesus.  And we can all rest assured that He will never stop working on and in us until the job’s done to His standard of excellence. So now it’s entirely up to us to work with the Spirit or not. But just remember that if we don’t, we’ll be jeopardizing our souls and our eternal future. That’s how important this subject is. So please pay particular attention to it. Much Love!…the fool says in his heart…there is no God…but the wise man knows that’s pure foolishness…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 January 2012 Psalm 149:6‏

06 Jan 2012 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living Tags: , , , , ,

Psalm 149:6.    Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand.
 
Yes mih Friends, once again it’s Friday, the start of the weekend! And ah know that the remnants of the Christmas and New Years sprit still bubbling in many of you, though for some it’s simply morphing into a Carnival sprit (smile), so there’s still plenty of enthusiasm still around to shout ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday!’ But as always, we need to curtail some of those weekend activities, so we don’t go overboard and get embarrassed by falling into the enemy’s clutches. Therefore, to help us keep the weekend in proper perspective, let’s chant our Friday Chant. All together now, with the same enthusiasm and vocal might that we shouted ‘TGIF!’ ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’ And now that we have the weekend on a tight rein – hn – let’s look a little further ahead; to the whole year of 2012. In so doing, let’s give plenty thanks that 2012 IS a year of accomplishment, healing and renewal for us individually, as well as for our violent, strife-torn, confused, ungodly, oppressive, greedy, sinful world. We’re seeing this through the eyes of faith my brethren, knowing that as a united group, God’s people will make a big and positive difference right here on earth this year. Oh Friends, if our world gets any worse than it is, then we’ll be in such dire straits that recovery may be impossible, for right now we’re just teetering on the brink of destruction. That’s why 2012 is the watershed year, a year of awakening, where old things become new, broken relationships are fixed, where commonsense and wisdom come to the fore and thus improve the selfish, antagonistic atmosphere currently prevailing. Oh Friends, 2012 just has to be a big year for us. I feel it in my bones that this year is special, and special in a good way too. And how could it not be eh, when believers are getting together instead of separating, renewing their faith and trust in Christ, fully surrendering their all to Him, and battling Beelzebub and his evil cronies with a renewed intensity, fanned by the blazing flames finally rekindled in our bellies. (smile) I might be smiling Friends, but this is serious business. Saving our world for our children, for posterity, is no laughing matter. In the last two decades we’ve allowed Jesus’ kingdom to go downhill, but unfortunately most of us only have one more decade here on earth in which to build it back up, and make it progress even further. That means we have to work extraordinarily hard to redo the twenty years damage in only ten. Consequently, from here on in, we all have our work cut out for us. But we know that with Jesus on our side, anything is possible. And to help us reinvigorate the kingdom, our Bit is invaluable. ‘Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand.’ Yes Friends, it’s a dual purpose job; uplifting the righteous and simultaneously fighting the wicked. And we definitely need the former if we’re to be successful at the latter. We can’t win any battles without the sounds of praise and worship in both our individual and collective lives. Oh my people, I don’t know if I’m successfully imparting the urgency that I feel, but believe me, our world is facing a very grave time. We’re at a significant crossroads, and the wrong move(s) can send us all plummeting into further strife and confusion, from which we may never recover. That’s why it’s so important that believers put on the full armour of God (Eph.6:11-20) and get out there and seriously fight the enemy, with the Sword of the Spirit, the mighty weapon that cuts deeply to bring about conviction and repentance. ‘For the word of God is quick (living), and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of (able to judge) the thoughts and intents (intentions) of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in (hidden from) his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do (must give account). (Heb.4:12-13) Oh my people, that’s how powerful the Word is, and as believers we have to use it in our earthly fight, for in the end we shall all be held accountable. And I’m sure that none of us wants to get a thumbs down sign from Jesus when we’re called to account. So mih breddren, let’s get up off our fat fannies and do the job we’ve signed up to do nuh, otherwise the consequences might be catastrophic!  Much LOVE!…to be told on the day of reckoning…well done good and faithful servant…we first have to stand strong and tall in Jesus’ name…down here on earth…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 January 2012 John 6:27‏

05 Jan 2012 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living Tags: , , , ,

John 6:27.    Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
 
Oh Friends, do you feel all the mercies and blessings that are flowing down on you from heaven right now, on this wonderful new day of 2012? I sure hope so, because they are flowing down, but we need to gather them, like the Israelites gathered manna every morning in the wilderness. Then we need to hold them close to our hearts all day long, and also use them wisely, helping others being a chief feature of that wise use. And without further ado, let’s get right into our Bit, for there’s much scripture to be scripted. (smile) We’ll look at the last part of the Bit for the final time today; ‘for him hath God the Father sealed.’ Now some people don’t like it when I stay too long on one topic, but if that’s where the Spirit’s guiding me, there’s not much I can do, as it is in this case. Our God apparently wants to get some scriptures out to us, and I’m only the conduit. So turn to Acts 2, if you will, where Peter addresses the crowd at Pentecost, beginning at verse 17. Here he quotes Joel 2:28-32; re the Lord pouring out His Spirit upon all flesh, with sons and daughters prophesying, young men seeing visions, old men dreaming dreams, wonders on earth and in heaven, the sun turning to darkness and the moon to blood, before the great day of the Lord arrives, and whosoever shall call on the Lord’s name will be saved. (Acts 2:17-21) Then Peter, in his most powerful speech ever declares to the crowd: ‘Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of (attested by) God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked (lawless) hands have crucified and slain. Whom God hath raised up, having loosed (destroyed) the pains (birth pangs) of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of (held by) it. For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face; For he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved (shaken): Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell (Hades), neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance (in thy presence). (Ps.16:8-11) Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you, of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre (tomb) is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; he seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, Both Lord and Christ.’ (Acts.2:22-36) Oh Friends, I didn’t plan on quoting all of that, but I couldn’t find a way to shorten it and yet explain it properly. And finally, more of Peter, when talking about his stories been grounded in the truth: ‘For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy (the prophetic word made more sure); whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts. Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation (origin). For the prophecy came not in old (any) time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.’ (2 Pet.1:16-21) So yuh see mih people, this whole plan of Jesus coming to earth in human form to sacrifice Himself for our sins, through the shedding of His precious blood, allowing us to be reconciled to the Father was established from time immemorial. So let’s get with the program nuh, take heed; stop doubting, start believing and acting on that belief. It’s what Jesus desires of us. Much LOVE!…only believe…all things are possible…in Jesus…only believe…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 January 2012 John 6:27‏

04 Jan 2012 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living Tags: , , , ,

John 6:27.    Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
 
Ah Friends, the bland, routine days of life are slowly returning after an exciting, enthusiastic Christmas season. And oh how we adore the excitement and such! But please realize that life for the most part revolves around the same old, same old. There are many more bland, boring and humdrum days than lively, exciting ones, therefore we need to learn to accept the former with peace and contentment, otherwise our lives will be filled with constant boredom and dissatisfaction. I know it’s not easy to get up every day and generally speaking, do the same thing. Unfortunately though, that’s what life is all about, and possibly why the Lord chose to bless us each and every day with new mercies and blessings. Now that’s something special to look forward to, isn’t it! So let’s try and develop a joy for every day that there’s breath in our bodies, because we know that living in full surrender to Christ will bring new, unpredictable stuff each new day, stuff that will work together for our good, because that’s what He’s promised. (Rom.8:28) And also remember that the joy of the Lord is our strength. (Neh. 8:10) So when we’re joyful in the Lord we’re strong, able to move mountains. Conversely, anytime we lose that joy, we become weak and anaemic, unable to deal with the vagaries of life. And the easiest and best way to stay full of joy in the Lord is by living a life dedicated to the things of heaven, as Jesus wisely advises in our Bit. ‘Labour not for the meat (food) which perisheth, but for that meat (food) which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.’ And today we’ll continue looking at the last part of the Bit: ‘for him hath God the Father sealed,’ talking about the scriptures’ foretelling of Jesus’ coming and His overwhelming acceptance by the Father. Yesterday we looked at Isaiah’s prophecy, (Is.42:1-4); Jesus’ baptism, (Matt.3:16-17) and the Transfiguration (Mark 9:2-8). Let’s begin with some daring words of Jesus on the subject. He was talking at the time about the Son’s relationship with the Father, and re John’s witness of him. ‘But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light (lamp): and ye were willing for a season (time) to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape (form). And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. (You) Search the scriptures: for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And (but) ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. I receive not honour from men.’ (John 5:34-41) What a powerful testimony Friends! Hope it stirred us up, relit, reenergized that fire smouldering in our bellies! It’s that kind of uplifting, encouraging stuff we need to read everyday my people, so that we can stay focused on Christ and do the things He requires of us. Remember that’s what we promised ourselves to do this year of 2012; rededicate ourselves and our lives to Jesus, so that we can harness His omnipotence, as well as His humility, caring, kindness, mercy, forgiveness and unconditional LOVE, and thus live the optimum life possible as a believer and a true Christian. I’ll end here today Friends, because the other scriptures I want to share will make the Bit a tad long, and I know how you all can’t stand anything long pertaining to God. (smile) So until tomorrow, when we’ll have new mercies and blessings to enjoy, please walk safely with God. Much LOVE!…to LOVE your God…LIVE your Faith…and SPREAD His Word…that’s a believer’s motto…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 January 2012 John 6:27‏

03 Jan 2012 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living Tags: , , , ,

John 6:27.    Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
 
Ah Friends, we’re already three days into the new year, time certainly does move fast, and the festivities of the Christmas season are winding down, but hopefully not the spiritual reawakening that we’ve experienced during that period. Please, I beg of us to keep that fire for Jesus burning brightly in our souls and bodies. That enthusiasm will give us the wherewithal, the belly, the backbone to stand strong and steadfast in His Name, working diligently to further His glorious kingdom. Remember, that’s our earthly reason for being, and only as we are strong, faithful and persevering will Jesus’ work be done successfully. And that can only happen if we adhere to His advice in our Bit. ‘Labour not for the meat (food) which perisheth, but for that meat (food) which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.’  Now my intention yesterday was to talk about the last part of our Bit: ‘for him hath the God the Father sealed,’ but it was usurped by the fire this time. (smile) Today though, there’s nothing to disrupt the plan, so let’s plough on straight ahead, as Jesus did, and desires us to do. And what do those words mean, ‘for him hath God the Father sealed?’  Basically it involves the foretelling of Jesus’ coming, with the Father acknowledging Him as his own Son, shining His approval on, and His confidence in Him, knowing that Jesus would not shirk His responsibilities and do a good job, and finally setting Him on high before the world. Now there are plenty scriptures which signify this, so let’s get into some of them right away, starting with words from Psalm 2, why do the heathen rage? ‘Yet have I set (installed) my King upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree (of the Lord): The Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen (Gentiles) for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.’ (Ps.2:6-8) Prophetically that refers to Bruh David and his line, in particular Jesus, who as a descendant of Bruh David also faced stiff opposition in His earthly ministry. Then hear these most appropriate words from Isaiah 42, titled, ‘the Lord’s servant.’ ‘Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect (chosen one), in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgement (justice) to the Gentiles. He shall not cry (out), nor lift up (raise his voice), nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking (dimly burning) flax shall he not quench (extinguish): he shall bring forth judgement unto (justice for) truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgement (justice) in the earth: and the isles (coastlands) shall wait for his law.’ (Is.42:1-4) Yes my people, you can see that from way back, the Lord sent messages to us about the coming of His Wonderful Son. That plan has been in the works from day one and every word of it came to pass some two thousand years ago with the birth of Jesus and His earthly ministry. Now hear this acknowledgement in Jesus’ time, when John baptized Him in the Jordan. ‘And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: and lo a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ (Matt.3:16-17) Wow Friends! That must have been a rather special moment down by the old Jordan, with the Spirit alighting on Jesus and the voice from heaven confirming His divinity. Now let’s end with another stunning moment; the transfiguration, where Jesus takes Peter, James and John, his inner circle, up to a mountain, ‘and he was transfigured before them. And his raiment (clothing) became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller (launderer) on earth can white (whiten) them. And there appeared unto them Elijah with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. For he wist (knew) not what to say, for they were sore (greatly) afraid. And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save (except) Jesus only with themselves.’ (Mark 9:2-8) Oh my people, our God gave us so many instances of what He was planning, but we were too blind, too taken up with our own selfish, petty lives to pay much attention to it. But luckily now, we have it all laid out before us in spades, we don’t have to decipher it, so please let’s accept it, let’s grab hold of it and take it to heart so that we can profit from all the good things that our most wonderful God has planned and prepared for us since the beginning of time. That’s the only way to fully enjoy this earthly life, and enjoy it we should, since it’s one of the reasons Jesus died on that old rugged cross. Much LOVE!…to know, know, know Him…is to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Him…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 January 2012 John 6:27‏

02 Jan 2012 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living Tags: , , ,

John 6:27.     Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

Oh Friends, our God is a great and most wonderful Deity, but sometimes He exhibits a weird sense of humour, so please be careful for what you ask, because you’re liable to get it, though not necessarily the way you asked for or expected it. In yesterday’s Bit I asked for a rekindled fire in believers for 2012, meaning a spiritual rebirth. But what do you think happened? Before the Bit was forty-five minutes old, the Lord gave me real fire! Hn! Now picture this scene: It’s 8.30 am, at the early morning church service. There are just four of us at the time; the interim priest, the female lay reader, her husband and I. The lay reader’s lighting some advent candles on a stand down to the right of the altar, complaining that the wick on the lighter isn’t working properly, so I get up from the second row of front chairs to go over and take a look. Suddenly, the wreath below the candles accidentally catches on fire. I run into the corridor to get some water from the nearby fountain, only to realize when I get there that I don’t have a container to catch the water. So see me, like a fool, with a half handful of water turning to go back inside. Hn! Hn! I can laugh now, but then it wasn’t so funny, for when I turned around I saw the priest, a medium height, strong, wiry Kenyan, running out with the wooden stand on which the wreath was now blazing. The lay reader calls out for me to open the front doors. So off I run, oblivious of my wonky knees. Now there are two sets of double doors at the church’s main entrance. I get to the inside ones, open a half of that, then while holding that open, I reach forward to open a half of the outer set and stand there stretched out flat, trying to hold both doors open simultaneously. Somewhere in that operation I bounce my nose on a hard surface, and that begins to pain. Meanwhile Fr. Stephen has come up behind me with the wreath raging, trying to manoeuvre it between the narrow openings. But as he squeezes by me, I can feel the heat of the flames hot on my back. It’s surprising that neither his robes nor my sweater got ignited, given the small spaces and our close proximity to the flames. That was the Lord’s hand obviously! Anyway, Fr. Stephen gets the stand and everything outside safely, then the lay reader’s husband wisely comes out with a fire extinguisher and puts out the blaze, because it’s still going strong even lying on the ground at the front of the church. Later on we discover that the wreath was chained to the stand, so trying to take it off as Fr. Stephen apparently tried to do, was useless. And though the place was filled with smoke afterwards, we left the doors open and the service continued, showing that not even fire can stop God’s time. Glory Hallelujah! As Fr. Stephen said later on, we could either look at the situation as the proverbial glass being half empty; bewailing our circumstance, and sadly thinking that if the fire had spread to the carpeted floor, all hell would have broken loose. Or we could consider the glass as being half full, and give much thanks and glory to the Lord for looking after us and bringing us safely through what could have been a potentially very dangerous situation. We obviously chose to look at the glass as being half full. But Friends, believe me, if the heat from that comparatively small fire felt so terrible against my clothed back, I certainly don’t want to be around for the fire next time. (smile) I now have a pretty red welt down the left side of my nose to add to the scars on the right side. Anyway, today’s Monday, and not all of us are lucky to have it off. In this 24/7 society of ours, somebody’s got to work to keep it running smoothly, so let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn in loud, exuberant tones, truly feeling it in our hearts and souls. All together now: ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together. We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’  And with that burst of adrenaline from the Holy Spirit coursing through our beings, let’s go out and join the battle with the workers of iniquity, praising God and seeing victory thorough our eyes of faith.’ Much LOVE!…to do as Jesus desires…is the believer’s raison d’être…

 

Previous Older Entries Next Newer Entries