Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 July 2012 Isaiah 1:18

21 Jul 2012 Leave a comment

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

Isaiah 1:18.Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Oh Friends, yesterday was as beautiful a summer’s day as you can get; not too hot, just the right temp, low to mid twenties, with a brisk, cool breeze blowing to keep things right. But alas, still no rain. Ah well, what we going to do eh? The Lord God Almighty in His eternal wisdom will send the rain when He sees fit. In the meantime, we just have to grin and bear it, just keep on doing the right things, those we know that will make Him happy. And one of those things is sitting and talking, reasoning with Him on a consistent basis. As Isaiah says in our Bit on the Lord’s behalf: ‘Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.’ What a wonderful, ever-LOVING and caring God we serve my people! A Deity who wants us to come to Him with all our problems, to repent of our sins, so that we can be made righteous and whole. Wow! And here’s how the situation will play out: ‘If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.’ (Is.1:19-20) A plain and simple declaration Friends! Comply, and you’ll prosper; rebel, and you shall be destroyed! And isn’t that what’s unfortunately happening in our world today my brethren? We’ve rebelled; rejected and removed the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob from most of our lives. So what else do we expect eh, but sorrow, hardship and eventual destruction? Remember the basic premise of the Lord’s words don’t change, so if they were relevant in Isaiah’s time, they’re still relevant today. Now here’s some background on the scripture from the scholars. ‘The prophet’s appeal to come and reason together reveals God’s gracious invitation to all men. It literally means to be “reasonable” by repenting and turning to God. Their sin is described as scarlet and red like crimson, referring to their blood guiltiness before God. The term crimson also means “worm,” referring to the colourfast red dye of the scarlet worm. The eradication of this stain turns it snowy white and is symbolic of the life-changing grace of God, which delivers men from the guilt and condemnation of sin. Thus the prophet reminds his readers that God stands ready to cleanse and forgive all who will turn to Him.’ How is that for a wonderful opportunity to get into God’s good graces eh people? And we definitely need that opportunity, for as Bruh Paul said to the Romans: ‘For all have sinned, and come (fallen) short of the glory of God.’ (Rom.3:23) That means we all need God’s cleansing and healing. And the Lord spells this out later on when declaring that He’s the ONLY Redeemer: ‘I, even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. Put me in remembrance: let us plead (contend) together: declare thou (thy case), that thou mayest be justified. Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers (mediators) have transgressed against me. Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.’ (Is.43:25-28) Does that sound familiar Friends? It should, because that’s exactly what we’re doing now; transgressing against the Lord. That’s why we’re suffering so much disaster and calamity under the weight of His curse. Now here’s a good example of how to react when we transgress. In Psalm 51, Bruh David’s prayer for cleansing, after he’d fooled around with Bathsheba, he sorrowfully declares: ‘Behold, I was shapen (brought forth) in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts; and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right (steadfast) spirit within me.’ (Ps.51:5-10) Yes Friends, it’s oftimes that kind of urgency and humility that we need to bring to the Lord, so that He can cleanse and heal us of whatever pathetic wrong we’ve done. I really don’t know what’s so difficult to fathom about the situation nuh. The Creator and Controller of the universe and all therein says to obey His laws and you’ll prosper. If you don’t, then you’ll suffer and be destroyed. We haven’t obeyed His laws, therefore we’re suffering and being slowly destroyed. However, in His LOVING-kindness, He’s left an opening for us to be restored to a right relationship with Him, through repentance and belief in His Son, Jesus Christ. So what’s the problem eh Friends? Why are we so stubborn and foolish, that we won’t even give God a try and see if He’s for real? But instead we prefer to remain fixated on Beelzebub and his worthless earthly things and evil doings. Please remember Jesus’ words my brethren: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness: and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt.6:33) Oh my fellow believers in Christ, those are the words of wisdom we need to ponder today and see how we shape up when they are applied to our particular situation. Then let’s take the necessary action to do whatever it takes, so that we can be right with our heavenly Father. That’s wisdom at its highest level. Much LOVE!…who truly LOVES you…and is willing to take the time to talk to you…ONLY the Lord God Jehovah…cause He’s special…ONE of a kind…
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 July 2012 Proverbs 19:1

20 Jul 2012 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 19:1.    Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

Oh Friends, it’s Friday, and the drought continues! Though people are still excitedly trilling, ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ the parched land is definitely not so thrilled. Now something has to be wrong with my area yes, because yesterday was much cooler than the past many days, it was also very cloudy, and at least three times that I know of, a few drops of rain fell. And when I say a few drops, I really mean a few. Hn! It happened to me a couple times while I was out driving yesterday evening, and neither time did I have to even make one pass of my wiper blades, the drops of blessing were so few. Ah Lord eh! But for all that Friends, we must still be excited and passionate about serving the Lord, for we know that He works out all things for good to those whom He calls and who LOVE, worship and serve Him sincerely. (Rom.8:28) Yes mih people, the Lord God Jehovah, creator of heaven, earth and all therein, is still on His lofty throne controlling all things in His universe, at a height of intelligence that we can never meet or even comprehend. That’s why He’s given us faith, hope, LOVE and all the promises; so we can believe in Him and be assured of His unconditional care and concern for us. So with all that in mind, let’s forget about the world and chant our Friday Chant, so that we can bring the excitement of Friday and the weekend into proper perspective. Now, as one sweet, heavenly voice, (smile) let’s chant! ‘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 having put the weekend in its right perspective, let’s see if we can’t do the same with what our Bit talks about nuh: ‘Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.’ Wow mih breddren! Isn’t that a remark of awesome truth? It sure is! Why? Because that word ‘integrity’ is a must have trait, one that must exist in all followers of Jesus! We can’t truly be followers of Jesus until or unless we’re also people of high, outstanding integrity. And what does integrity mean? The dictionary talks about ‘uprightness as evidenced in character and actions.’ So it’s basically about things like honesty, dependability, trustworthiness, goodness, morality, truthfulness and virtue. All the positive things that make the Lord look down on us with favour. It speaks of a person with a reliable image, whose character we can trust. Unfortunately that’s another trait, like wisdom, that’s disappeared from our modern society. Nowadays we can’t even trust our preachers, the supposed men of God, for too many of them are mere charlatans and crooks. And why is our world, its economy, relationships within and between nations, as well as relationships within and between religions in such a mess eh? Because the people whom we trusted to take of it lacked, and still lack sufficient integrity to do so properly. They were instead impelled by personal aggrandizement, greed and all the evils associated with the followers of Beelzebub. So Friends, it’s truly much better to be poor and of good character and integrity than it is to be rich, a fool and a crook. Cousin Sol says it thus later on: ‘Blessed is the poor that walketh in his uprightness (integrity), than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.’ (Prov.28:6) So though you’re rich and have no integrity – which sadly a lot of rich people don’t have because their gains have come by ill gotten means – you’re still a jerk and a fool, and of no use in God’s kingdom, except as an example of what not to be. Yes Friends, unless we diligently seek and aspire to have a character like Jesus, one that’s honest, reliable and trustworthy, we’re fooling ourselves about working for the kingdom. Now we all can’t be perfect, but we certainly have to try hard. That’s why Jesus lambasted the Pharisees in Matthew 23. Jesus really ripped them apart because they put on a good outward show, but inside they were, totally selfish, greedy and evil. And because Jesus saw through them and wanted to clip their wings, they tried so desperately to run Him out of town. They were supposed to be the righteous, the leaders of the society, but unfortunately lacked the integrity to do the job aright. So my brethren, if our leaders, priests, and those in high places lack the necessary integrity and character, as is being so blatantly showcased and revealed nowadays, how can we expect to have a godly, truthful, or even prosperous society eh? Oh Friends, I keep reminding us of this absolute truth: our society and world cannot improve unless we have leaders and other people in high positions with exemplary character and integrity. And sadly that’s not going to happen unless and until we believers get up off our fat fannies and do something serious about it. We’re very good at griping and complaining, but it’s time for us to stand up and be counted, become people of true integrity and try to rebuild our fallen society with people of that same bent. And it’s got to start with each one of us, then move on to our friends, families and neighbourhoods. Only then will we have a serious chance of regaining control of God’s universe from Lucifer and his evil cohorts. That’s the thought for us to ponder today Friends. And please ponder it seriously, for our actions now, will later on affect the livelihood of our children’s children. Till we meet again, God willing, please walk with Him in peace, LOVE and integrity. Much LOVE!…take care of your character…and your reputation will take of itself…true words of wisdom my people…

 

Today”s Scrip-Bit 19 July 2012 Ecclesiastes 2:13

19 Jul 2012 Leave a comment

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

Ecclesiastes 2:13.    Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
 
Oh Friends, our God was indeed merciful to us today, allowing us to see another beautiful day on Planet Earth! Please give Him some thanks and praise for that. I know that some of us might think we’d be better off dead because of the horrible times we’re currently undergoing, but that’s a fallacy, a lie of Lucifer. Remember at one stage of his life, Bruh Paul badly desired to be with the Lord, but eventually realized that he still had tasks on earth to perform, so he had to continue doing his earthly time. (Phil.1:21-26) The same goes for us Friends. The Lord would not have allowed all we’re going through without a definite purpose, a sure-fire plan to raise us up higher at some stage of our lives. So let’s remember that when we’re going through the fires of life, that’s when we’re growing in faith and stature in God’s eyes. And the less we whine and complain about it, the better off we’ll be. Let’s be like the proverbial seed that’s planted in good, but dark and lonely ground. Let’s endure our troubles without too much hullabaloo, while like the seed, we’re going through that dark period of our lives. Remember the Lord faithfully promised that He’d never leave nor forsake us. (Heb.13:5) So if we endure faithfully like the seed, one day we’ll burst out of the darkness into the light and live prosperously and righteously in the sight of the Lord. It’s not easy, but it’s certainly doable with God’s help. And since faith only grows through adversity, we must suffer some adversity in this life, if we want to be true followers of Jesus. And if we stand strong and do what’s right, then eventually we’ll be able to say like Cousin Sol says in our Bit: ‘Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.’ And that’s the living truth my people! Have you ever noticed how it takes a whole lot of darkness to cover up light, but just a little light to expose a whole lot of darkness? That’s because light is so much stronger and penetrating than darkness. That’s why wise people are attracted to the Light that’s Jesus, rather than the horrible darkness that’s Beelzebub. And as we were saying yesterday, there was no one better positioned at the time than Cousin Sol to do the research on the purpose of life, for he had both the earthly attributes of time and money, and the divine wisdom of God. So whatever he thought of or desired, he went after it. But sadly at the end of his experimentation and research, he concluded that ‘all was vanity (futility) and vexation of spirit (a grasping for the wind), and there was no profit under the sun.’ (Eccl.2:11) Yes Friends, killing ourselves to amass earthly possessions, or to enjoy earthly pleasures doesn’t profit us at all. It turned Sol off so much that he declares: ‘Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity (futility) and vexation of spirit (a grasping for the wind). Yea, I hated all my labour under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity. Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took (toiled) under the sun. For there is a man whose labour is in (with) wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity (with skill); yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion (heritage). This also is vanity and a great evil.’ (Eccl.2:17-21) Ah mih people, we see that happening everyday, more and more in our society, where people work hard for their money then leave it to a bunch of slackers, or else the situation ends up in the courts and the lawyers get most of it. So what’s Cousin Sol’s final conclusion then on it all? He says: ‘There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God. For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto (have enjoyment), more than I? For God giveth to a man that (who) is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail to gather and heap up (the task of gathering and collecting), that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.’ (Eccl.2:24-26). True words of wisdom Friends! And we’ll end with a brief explanation of that passage from the scholars. ‘This passage is the first of seven that give one of the solutions to life’s problems: enjoy life and work as God’s gifts. When a man toils in his own strength, he is bound to suffer pain and grief. The answer then is for him to enjoy his work by receiving it as a gift of God. Elsewhere, work is said to be part of God’s curse on man (Gen.3:17-19), but it can become the sphere of God’s blessing. To eat and drink, used five times in the book, must be understood in a good sense. Solomon always counsels the fear of God, and the concept is used in the Old Testament in a good sense (Deut.14:26; 1 Kin.4:20).’ So Friends, let’s remember that ALL things are vetted by God, and He’s given us work and the opportunity to enjoy the pleasures of the earth, once we do so in consort with Him and His will. So let’s search diligently for wisdom, so that we can operate wisely before our God nuh. Much LOVE!…wisdom is good with an inheritance…and by it there is profit…to them that see the sun…  (Eccl.7:11)
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 July 2012 Ecclesiastes 2:13

18 Jul 2012 Leave a comment

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

Ecclesiastes 2:13.    Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.
 
Oh Friends, yesterday was certainly one of, if not the hottest day of the year in my area. You could feel the heat just bore through you, as you stepped outside. Even the strong breeze, which is usually cool, was as hot as Hades. (smile) However, later in the evening, around 8 p.m, the Duchess and I went for a walk down the boulevard, and it was still steamy. I did my usual 1/4 mile, but she made the whole tour of the area. I guess she’s younger and stronger than me. Hn, Hn! But I don’t really care nuh people. I’m just glad that I can walk even that distance, cause last year this time, what with my prostate cancer and knee problems, I could barely make it across the street to the mail box without falling over. So I’m giving some big, hearty and grateful thanks and praise to the Lord for that small mercy. Shortly after we came back though, the thunder and lighting began, and around 9.30, a few drops of rain fell. I heard it on my window upstairs and rushed down to see what it looked like. By the time I got outside though it had already petered out. The part of the road covered by and overhanging tree in my front yard wasn’t even wet. Just goes to show how little rain really fell. I couldn’t even stay outside long because the lightning was in action again, and I remembered the folks who got struck by it a couple days before in the East End. Now that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. But seriously though Friends, what’s happening with our young people today eh, what’s going on in their minds? Two nights ago in Scarborough, the eastern hub of Greater Toronto, at an area barbecue, with roughly two hundred people in attendance, apparently two young fools took out their ‘make me feel like a big man toys’ and began shooting wildly at each other in the midst of the gathering, eventually killing two innocent people and injuring at least a dozen or more. A couple weeks earlier, one bright (read darm foolish) young man, in broad daylight, opened fire on another two in the Eaton’s Centre, the big downtown mall in the heart of Toronto. Two young people died from that attack, which was apparently in retaliation for the attacked having knifed up the attacker some time before, leaving him half dead in the streets of T.O. Now I can certainly understand the retaliation factor involved there, but what floors me is the foolish brazenness of these young punks, doing the nonsense in broad daylight amongst a group of innocent bystanders. They apparently don’t give two deleted expletives about the rest of the society, and if that’s true, then it’s a very sad thing. There’s already been a fair amount of gunplay in the area already this year, supposedly activated by turf wars between gangs. So when and how is it going to play out and end eh? Oh Friends, if that’s the sort of young people we’re raising, with no respect for society and/or human life, can you imagine the kind of Wild West scenes that are eventually going to take place? The police are already thinking that there will be some sort of retaliation over this incident. I guess none of the young people ever saw the Jack Lord western movie of long ago, I forgot the name, where one participant made an incredibly wise remark that went something like this: ‘If you live by the gun, you’ll die by the gun. Ecclesiastes 1:2.’ The scripture reference might be wrong Friends, but the statement is surely correct! And sadly this sort of scene is taking place all over the world. Granted it took Cousin Sol a fair amount of time to do all his experimentation and research into the way of and reason for man’s life, before he came to the realization that our Bit describes: ‘Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.’ Yes my people, wisdom will excel over folly any and every time! Unfortunately though, wisdom seems to be a very scarce commodity, and daily becoming scarcer in our modern society. Why is that eh? Are we too busy being selfish, greedy, ungodly, lustful and too taken up with the things of the world, that we hold human life so cheaply? I don’t know the answers nuh mih breddren, but I do know that our Bit is right, and so is the continuation of Cousin Sol’s results in his research. ‘The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event (death) happeneth to them all.’ (Eccl.2:14) Now that realization shook up Cousin Sol and made him a bit mental, wondering what was the purpose of life if both the fool and the wise man both died the same way and were eventually forgotten. Oh Friends, time and space are against us, and since I don’t want any complaints about the Bit being too long, I guess you’ll simply have to tune in tomorrow, God in favour, for the continuation of this saga. (smile) Till then, please walk in peace, LOVE and wisdom with God. Much LOVE!…a foolish son is a grief to his father…and bitterness to her that bare him… (Prov.17:25) P.S. Sorry it’s a tad late, but it seems I was too exhausted from my physical activities yesterday to get up any sooner. (smile) Much LOVE!
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 17 July 2012 Proverbs 24:28

17 Jul 2012 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 24:28.    Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.
 
Oh Friends, the hot times they continue! It’s supposed to be up to something like 35 today in my area, but with showers though. Hn! Showers eh! I’ll believe them when I see them. And talking about showers, yesterday I left out the length of time that the few scattered showers fell in my area. It was less than ten minutes. However, it seems that the City of Toronto itself, as well as its eastern environs had oodles of rain in a very short time period. So much that it caused power outages and flooding in several areas, and some people even got injured by lightning strikes. Let’s pray that they are okay. So while I was belly-aching about the little rain in my area on the western side of Toronto, those folks in the centre and on the other side were complaining about too much all at once. Anyway, here’s something, or rather someone, whom we can all be thankful for. It’s from the chorus of a Caribbean Gospel song I heard on Wack 90.1 FM yesterday morning, during their Gospel Time, between 4 and 6 a.m. Monday to Friday. If you LOVE West Indian Gospel, and to me it’s the BEST – so what if I’m biased about many things West Indian eh – (smile) then tune into Wack 90.1 on your computers in the early morning hours. I guarantee that you will get a wonderful treat of beautiful West Indian Gospel. And the chorus of the song I’m talking about says: ‘Thank God for Jesus! Thank God for Jesus! Thank God for Jesus – Everyday! Thank God for Jesus! He is my Saviour! He is the Truth! He is the Light! He is the Way!’ And all God’s people raised a loud shout of ‘Hallelujah! Amen!’ to heaven. Those are truly words of wisdom and truth mih breddren! And it segues in quite nicely to our Bit: ‘Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.’ Yes Friends, as followers of Jesus, the truth should be on our lips, emanate from our mouths at all times. And not only should it come out of our mouths, but also from our hearts. In fact, if there isn’t truth in our hearts, then how will it come from our lips eh? Remember Jesus’ words to the multitude re things that defile: ‘Hear, and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.’ (Matt.15:10-11) So my brethren, let’s work faithfully and diligently at getting truth rather than lies and evil into our souls and minds nuh, because only if we first put it in, can we later get it to come out. Then we have these fateful words of Bruh Paul to the Ephesians, re the new life in Christ: ‘But ye have not so learned Christ. If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation (conduct) the old man, which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts; And be ye renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.’ (Eph.4:21-25) Ah mih people, if we’re truly born again in Christ, then truth should be the only thing that comes out of us, because that’s what Christ is all about! Now listen to the Lord thy God, from way back when, speaking through the prophet Zechariah, re things that must be done when the promised restoration of Jerusalem occurs. ‘For thus saith the Lord of hosts; As I thought (determined) to punish you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath…and I repented not (would not relent): So again have I thought (determined) in these days to do well unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not. These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgements of (for) truth and peace in your gates. And let none of you imagine (think) evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and LOVE no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord.’ (Zech.8:14-17) Yes Friends, it’s all there, plain and simple in black and white. And by the way, that’s where Bruh Paul got his words to the Ephesians from, re speaking truth to one’s neighbour. So it’s obvious that things like outright lies, false accusations, slander and blasphemy should not be numbered amongst the traits of a true believer. And the Lord knows that it’s difficult to always stay on the straight and narrow path when such a conglomeration of evil and ungodliness surrounds us, where lies, gossip, half-truths and other erroneous messages proliferate, and can easily lead us astray. But as with everything else in our Christian walk my people, we need to make a conscious and diligent effort to remove the ungodly things from our lives, obviously with the help of the Lord. If we come to Him with transparent hearts and lay all our cards before Him, He will enable us to bear our burdens and resist the evil that’s tempting us. Oh Friends that’s the wise and ONLY way we’ll ever be able to resist and/or avoid some of the many problems that will surely invade our earthly lives! So till we meet again tomorrow, God willing, please go in Peace, Harmony and LOVE, to serve and bless our great and wonderful God! Much LOVE!…when problems bring us to our knees…run to the Lord…and with a sincere heart say…Father, help me please…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 July 2012 Psalm 102:15

16 Jul 2012 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 102:15.     So the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.

Oh Friends, our God is truly something else yes!  Remember yesterday I implored us to pray for rain to quench the parched earth? Well shortly after I sent out the Bit, I went outside and saw a hazy darkness hovering over the land. My passion rose immediately, and I went ‘Wow!’ I thought that it was surely a quick working of our prayers, even though some of us had not even yet read the Bit. However, a couple of hours later, not a drop of blessing had fallen and the sun was out big and bright and hot. Hn! Yeh, though our God is great and all that, in reality, it was a just little too good to be true. But hang on, in mid-afternoon, the skies again became dark, this time with Thor pounding some on his anvil with his hammer. Then around 5.30, wonder of wonders, the welcome noise of raindrops hitting my window began. It was one of those sounds that makes your heart lurch in thanksgiving, and brings a tear of gratitude to your eyes. However that feeling of thanksgiving and gratitude were short-lived, just like the rain, for in less than minutes, after a couple of scattered showers it was all over, and the mighty sun came shining through again. Chuh! I don’t know if the showers of blessing even made a dent in the parched land. It’s like when you’re dying of thirst and all you can get is a mere mouthful of water. That got me to wondering if enough righteous people didn’t pray, or that we just don’t have sufficient righteous people in the first place? (smile) But as the old people would advise, let’s just be thankful for small mercies. At least it rained some. And now after all that preamble, and possibly having said nothing therein, (smile) let’s get down to brass tacks nuh. It’s Monday my Friends, and many of us are singing the Monday Morning Blues because we have to get up and go out to make a living after a lazy weekend. But please remember people that we’re true followers of Jesus, and though He never took an easy step in His earthly life, He always went out with LOVE and joy in His heart and a big, beautiful smile on His face, because he knew that He had to go out and do the Father’s work, regardless of His feelings or opinions. The same applies to us Friends. We’re not going eat or have a roof over our heads unless we go out and labour. And in the course of that labouring, we’re also required to show our LOVE for God and our neighbour, as well as LIVE our Faith, and SPREAD the good news of Christ’s gospel. That means we have to be strong, faithful, diligent, fortitudinous, persevering and NEVER GIVE UP people! Oh my brethren, I know that living for Jesus is a tough row to hoe, but that’s just the way it is. Jesus doesn’t deal in mediocrity. He’s always in pursuit of excellence. So let’s chase away those vapid Monday Morning Blues and instead put on our spiritual armour, sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, then head out into the evil, ungodly world and win some souls for Christ. All together now Friends, in one loud, enthusiastic, meaningful voice: ‘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 now that Jesus is pulsating in our very souls Friends, let me go and find a suitable Bit, because this is one of those times where the Spirit just gave me a starting thought, then allowed me free rein to run with it. And you all know how I like that. (smile) Oh Friends, I’m back in less than two minutes! Our God is so good to me eh! The Good Book was already opened at Psalm 102, so I decided to peruse it, and voila there was our Bit! ‘So the heathen (nations, gentiles) shall fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.’ Now isn’t that exactly what we’re called to do my brethren; bring the Word of our God, His omnipotence, glory, mercy, forgiveness and LOVING-kindness to unbelievers?  Remember Jesus’ last command to the disciples was to spread the gospel to all the world, (Matt.28:19-20) and since we’re now the current disciples, that’s become our duty. Now listen to these wise words of Cousin Sol when he dedicated the temple. ‘Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name’s sake; (For they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched out arm;) when he shall come and pray toward this house; Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy name.’ (1 Kin.8:41-43) Yes mih people, our duty is to go out into the highways and byways, wherever there are unsaved people and bring them to a knowledge of Jesus, of the Holy Spirit, and of the Father, so that the name of the Holy Trinity will become a household name in all the world and our wonderful Three In One God glorified. Please, let’s go out this Monday Morning full of vim and vigour, with hearts filled with a burning passion for Jesus, so that we can increase our efforts to do our bounden duty and bring untold glory to God’s kingdom. Much LOVE!…oh what joy there is in heaven…when even one sinner repents…and today there’ll be lots of joy up yonder…because many sinners shall repent…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 July 2012 Psalm 102:1-2

15 Jul 2012 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 102:1-2.    Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee. Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.
 
Oh Friends, the heat wave in the northern climes rides on, with another beautiful, hot summer’s day in the offing! And that’s good in one respect, because we’re glad to see and experience the sunshine in these few, short summer months. But too much of any one thing is not good. And our God knew that when He created the universe. That’s why He synced and balanced everything. Unfortunately though, right now our world is badly out of sync, out of balance and the overriding factor is lack of rain. The ground is parched, the crops are drying up, which means increased prices for basic foodstuff, in an already devastated economy. Animals are becoming dehydrated, weak and faint, that includes some human ones too. (smile) The brush is dry like tinder, a veritable magnet for the smallest flame, to unleash forest fires like what we recently saw in Colorado. Oh Friends, we badly need some rain, so please pray that the Lord will soon, if not before, send us some veritable showers of blessings, both up here in Canada and the U.S. Otherwise crapaud soon smoke we pipe! That’s why we couldn’t find a better Bit today than the opening verses of Psalm 102; the psalmist’s cry in distress. ‘Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee. Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.’ It’s what we all should be praying right now my brethren in these dire times! As the caption at the top of the Psalm describes it: ‘A prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord.’ And it’s a sad truth Friends, that we’re currently very afflicted and also very overwhelmed by our affliction. We’ve got to do like Bruh David and boldly declare: ‘Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I; For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in thy tabernacle (tent) for ever: I will trust in the covert (shelter) of thy wings.  Selah.’ (Ps.61:1-4) Yes Friends, it’s those kinds of strong, faithful, but yet humble and needy prayers we need to send up to heaven these days of so many serious, unexpected disasters and calamities! If we claim to believers in Jesus, then it’s Jesus we ought to be looking to for succour and relief. We shouldn’t get all worried, bitter and sad about the stuff that’s happening to us, but we have to turn to our heavenly Father and ask for sustenance, because that’s what Jesus ordered us to do. ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.’ (Matt.7:7-8) But then as James says, oftimes we ask and do not receive, because we ‘ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts (pleasures). (James 4:3) And that’s the awful truth my people! We usually ask for worldly, pleasure seeking stuff, and sometimes that’s fine, but our prayers must be more than just asking. They must also be accompanied by confession, adoration, thanksgiving and fellowship with other believers. It must be an all-encompassing lifestyle my brethren. Only then will the Lord look on us with compassion and mercy. So Friends, in this ungodly, evil and calamitous time, prayer is an essential, extremely important tool in the believer’s arsenal. So let’s all we believers turn to it in true sincerity, with due diligence nuh. Let’s ask the Lord to bless us, help us through these rough days, as we praise and worship His holy name and try to live according to His will. As Bruh David cried out: ‘But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Lord, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation. Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters. Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me. Hear me, O Lord; for thy LOVING-kindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies. And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily (quickly).’ (Ps.69:13-17) Yes mih breddren, I’ll say it again, it’s that kind of strong, sincere prayer we need to float up to heaven. Remember James says that ‘The effectual (effective) fervent prayer (supplication) of a righteous man availeth much. Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are (with a nature like ours), and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth (land) by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.’ (James 5:16-18) Oh Friends, there are enough righteous still in our ungodly world, that if we all prayed earnestly and fervently, the Lord will look down upon us with mercy, both for rain and some of the other troubles we’re currently experiencing. Ah mih people, it’s time to put our prayer powers to work, both for ourselves and the whole world, because it’s only the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Joseph who can help us now. And that’s the gospel truth! Much LOVE!…and he spake a parable unto the to this end…that men ought always to pray…and not to faint (lose heart)… (Luke 18:1)

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 July 2012 Proverbs 16:3

14 Jul 2012 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 16:3.    Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.
 
And the beat goes on; hot, muggy and dry! Yes Friends, that’s how the summer of 2012 is shaping up to be. And it’s playing havoc with the crops, starting to drive up food prices. The weather system in our world has certainly gone awry, with more abnormal happenings every day. Why is that eh? Could it be that our constant polluting of the atmosphere has finally reached a stage where all the chemical garbage we spew into it is beginning to take effect, with significant abnormalities, now becoming the norm? No doubt about it! Global warming and our unwise environmental actions do play a part in the vagaries of today’s weather patterns. How much of a part our foolish actions play, I don’t know, because there’s also another side to the equation; the divine hand of God. God’s hand is undoubtedly involved in the many abnormal natural disasters we’ve been facing all over the globe for the last few years. But are we heeding any of these warnings? Sadly not. It’s amazing how people will agree that the weather systems are indeed changing, having recently become more volatile and unexpected, but fail to agree on why, and what to do about them. Friends, I humbly submit that the first two things we need to do to bring about some positive change is to stop putting so much poisonous stuff in the atmosphere, and then return to a God-centred lifestyle. Or as our Bit so wisely states: ‘Commit (roll off) thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.’ Isn’t that how the Israelites were first established? Isn’t that how many of the world’s great nations, including the now backsliding U.S.A. were founded; on the worthy principles of Almighty God? So why have we turned away from God eh, more intent on removing Him completely from our society, than at any time in history? How did Lucifer and his evil cohorts become so powerful, while God is becoming a lesser presence every day? Unfortunately my people, I have no answers for those serious questions, but the reality of God slowly drifting out of our society, in favour of Lucifer’s fleshly and worldly norms is a sad and agonizing fact. The important thing though my brethren, is that we believers in and followers of Jesus, are the ones who have to stand up and be counted, be the main force in turning this ungodly, unpalatable situation around. Just think about the foul, inhospitable, erratic world our grandchildren will inhabit if we continue down this foolish, evil, ungodly path we seem so intent on travelling. We need to start thinking with our hearts and not our heads. That’s called LOVE, Friends! And the first action we need to take to enable us to put serious LOVE into play, is recommitting ourselves and our works to the Most High God, as our Bit advises. Bruh David says it loud and clear in Psalm 55, a cry against deceitful friends. ‘Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee; he shall never suffer (permit) the righteous to be moved (shaken).’ (Ps.55:22) That’s truth at its finest my people! And Jesus, when talking about one master, made it absolutely clear that His heavenly Father should be that one: ‘Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for (do not worry about) your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not life more than meat (food), and the body than raiment (clothing)?…But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow (do not worry about tomorrow): for the morrow shall take thought for the things of it self. Sufficient unto the day is the evil (trouble) thereof.’ (Matt.6:25, 33-34) Ah mih breddren, why is that so difficult for us to accept eh, when there are so many historical precedents, beginning with Abraham’s journey from his homeland, to Israel’s escape from bondage in Egypt, to the founding of the U.S by the Pilgrim Fathers, it’s dramatic rise to power and prominence, and now it’s catastrophic fall from grace, because God is no longer the uppermost factor in its hallowed halls, schools and homes. What did Cousin Sol say about that situation? ‘Where there is no (prophetic) vision (or revelation), the people perish (cast off restraint): but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.’  (Prov.29:18)  And that’s the living truth Friends, as is being borne out by the devastating calamities being suffered by a world that’s irrationally and bombastically turned away from the ONE and ONLY TRUE God. Oh my people, I’m just a lowly scribe, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure out where we’ve gone wrong, and unfortunately are continuing to go wrong. Now here’s Peter’s prescription for a successful transformation: ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.’ (1 Pet.5:6-7) Oh Friends, truer words were never spoken! But the long and short of the story is that where the divine laws of the Living God are not subscribed and conformed to by the majority of  of its citizens, that society will soon decline and decay from lack of divine guidance and blessings, as well as the imposition of divine punishment. History has proven that many times over! So I don’t know what else to say to get us to smarten up and get faithfully and diligently driving that great engine of LOVE in the LOVE Revolution, for it’s only through that great and wonderful emotion of God that we stand a chance. Much LOVE!…he who has ears to hear…let him hear…for the warning is loud and clear…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 July 2012Proverbs 16:3.

13 Jul 2012 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 16:3.    Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.
 
Oh Friends, it’s going to be another hot summer’s day, perhaps even hotter than yesterday! But who cares eh? It’s Friday, the start of a summer weekend, and everybody’s greeting each other with shouts of ‘TGIF!’ They are thanking God that it’s Friday and their week of back-breaking labour is almost over. So since it’s Friday, and summer too, then shouldn’t we be having some ‘Hot fun in the summertime?’ Those who can, yes. But Friends, what’s happening with the great numbers around the world, and right here in own backyards, who can’t have any fun in the summertime because of sickness, no jobs, no homes, no money, no food, no clothing? Hn! The question now my people is, what are we doing, or going to do to truly help them? And I’m not referring to the cheap talk that so many of us believers are so good at. Remember that Jesus’ day, while He sojourned here on earth consisted of going about healing, helping and doing good. Now since we’re supposed to be His staunch and avid followers, shouldn’t our ministry, our daily walk of expectant faith and hungry hope reflect the same things? For sure! Oh my people, please, I implore us to step up to the plate and do a little better than we’re currently doing. Too many of our brothers and sisters in Christ are suffering in this world of plenty. And I know that there’s room in all of us to expand our good deeds. If we all just anted up even one iota more, it would make such a noticeable difference. So let’s do it nuh and provide some joy in heaven. They’re hungry up there for some good results from us down here. I pray that this day, we’ll all stand up and be counted, and thus reduce the suffering in our calamity stricken world, in Jesus’ name. Amen. Sadly, some of you might even be concerned that today is Friday the 13th, Black Friday. But please drive that nonsense away from your thoughts, for it does not become who you are, a true believer in Jesus Christ. Anyway, here’s the best antidote for the Black Friday Blues, our own Good Friday Chant. So let’s chant those blues away with much enthusiasm and purpose! All together now: ‘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.’ Yes Friends, that should put our weekend into proper perspective, and have us, truly following our Bit: ‘Commit thy works unto the Lord (roll on the Lord thy works), and thy thoughts shall be established.’ That’s a gospel truth, if there ever was one my brethren! If we commit all that we do to our LOVING, omnipotent God, then our thoughts will certainly flourish like an oasis in the desert. He will cause all sorts of great imaginations to pour into out finite, mortal minds, enabling us to do greater things than we can ever ask or imagine. That’s because our works are hooked up to God’s powerful system. On the other hand my Friends, if we don’t run our desires by the Lord first, most, if not all of them will fail or have unsatisfactory endings. For it is only when the Lord Jehovah is involved in our dealings, that we are truly energized with divine wisdom, understanding and blessing. Bruh David says it with such simplicity and truth in Psalm 37, the true state of the wicked, that we’ll let him take us home today. ‘Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on his faithfulness). Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit (roll off) thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement (justice) as the noonday. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (it only causes harm). For evildoers shall be cut off (destroyed: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.’ (Ps.37:3-9) Yes Friends, it’s al stated right there; a perfect prescription for earthly living. Everything in our lives ought to begin and end with the Lord, for He is our Creator, Provider, Protector and Sustainer. We need nothing or no one else but Him. But we must first trust, surrender and commit our path of life to His divine guidance, before He works miracles in our lives. Now may the God of heaven bless and keep us safe. May He give us his peace, from this day forth and for ever more. Amen. Much, much LOVE, mih people!…when the thoughts of our hearts and minds… first go through the approval of God…then He will shower us with His eternal LOVE and glory…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 July 2012 Galatians 6:7

12 Jul 2012 Leave a comment

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

Galatians 6:7.    Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Oh Friends, another beautiful morn is in the offing, heralding another beautiful summer’s day. It might turn out to be a tad hot, but that’s okay because we’re still alive and full of vim and vigour. In any case, hot is always better than cold, at least in my estimation. However it turns out though, please rise and shine now and greet our Maker! Let’s give Him much thanks and praise for getting us safely through another dark, tempestuous night filled with all sorts of evil spirits. Then let’s give Him further thanks for all the numerous goodies He has planned for us today. ‘Oh Father in heaven, we your humble, unworthy children, thank You for all that You’ve done for us in the past, all that You are going to do today, and all You have planned for our glorious future. You are the ONLY ONE capable of leading and often carrying us through the raging storms of life we occasionally encounter. For all Your LOVING-kindness and mercy towards us, Your rebellious children, we gladly and gratefully praise You and glorify Your Holy Name. We pray this on the holy blood of Jesus, shed for us at Calvary. Amen!’ And my people, it’s very important that we say those words with the utmost sincerity from the very depths of our souls, for the Lord doesn’t just accept whatever comes out of our mouths, but first checks our hearts to see if there’s truth stored there. Thus we ought to take the warning of our Bit very seriously. ‘Be not deceived; God is not mocked (outwitted, outfoxed): for whatsoever a man soweth (does, practices), that shall he also reap.’ Ah Friends, we know that’s the undeniable truth of God’s system, yet we still agonize over sowing any kind of seeds at all. Why eh? That’s definitely not a wise move Friends. So to help us understand the gravity of the matter, here are a few quotes from people who saw the light, telling words that hopefully will also help us to see it. Let’s begin with the well known evangelist, Billy Graham. He’s reputedly said that ‘God has given us two hands – one to receive with and the other to give with. We are not cisterns made for hoarding. We are channels made for sharing,’ Now that’s certainly an eternal truth Friends! Then Fred P Corson, (1896-1985) another holy man, American Bishop of the Methodist Church, rightly declares: ‘Generosity is a matter of the heart and not of the pocketbook.’ And those truthful words my people are admirably backed up by these definitive words of wisdom from author Richard Braunstein: ‘It is possible to give without LOVING, but it is impossible to LOVE without giving.’ Wow! What inspiring words! Gospel truths all my brethren! Let’s hope that those words, in concert with the scriptures we’re about to share, will move us mightily and bring us to the great realization that sowing seeds, especially good ones, is the umbilical cord that binds us all to our Maker, through which, either rich or inferior nutrients flow. Now let’s look at some scriptures that prove our point. First up is Bruh David’s encouragement to Cousin Sol to build God’s temple. ‘And thou, Solomon my son. know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. Take heed now; for the Lord hath chosen thee to build a house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.’ (1 Chr.28:9-10) Then we have Cousin Sol’s own words: ‘If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth (weighs) the heart consider it? And he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? And shall not he render to every man according to his works?’ (Prov.24:12) He surely shall Friends! Now listen to Jesus, as He declares everlasting truth: ‘For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.’ (Matt.16:26-27) Meanwhile, Bruh Paul let’s the Corinthians know, in no uncertain terms: ‘I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.’ (1 Cor.3:6-8) It couldn’t be any plainer than that Friends! And we’ll end with some excellent advice of Bruh Paul to the Galatians, but which is also very relevant to us today. ‘And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not (do not lose heart). As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.’ (Gal.6:9-10) That’s our ‘ponderation’ for today Friends! Both Bruh Paul and Jesus would be appalled at how Christians treat each other in these end times. So let’s think on it and try to improve it nuh, thereby sowing worthwhile seeds that will eventually bring worthwhile rewards. Much LOVE!…for believers to sow real seeds of victory…we have to truly take up our cross and follow Jesus…it’s the only way…
 

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