20 Nov 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: a sign of the covenant, Crusoe's Isle, desires of your heart, glory hallelujah, God's everlasting covenant, honeymoon, Praise the Lord, rainbow, Store Bay, sweet Tobago, wait patiently
Genesis 9:13. I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
Surprise! Surprise Friends! The ole fella’s in sweet Tobago! Glory Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Yes mih breddren, the Duchess and I are on Crusoe’s Isle, God’s Little Acre, Paradise on Earth! Wow! I still can’t believe it. That’s why the Bit is a bit late. I didn’t get here till after 8 a.m this morning, after leaving Toronto at 10 p.m last night, and then I had to catch my bearings. So, from a cosy cottage by Store Bay, I’m writing these words of LOVE to you. Yes Friends, after thirty long years of exile in the cold North Country, the Good Lord has finally granted me favour to return to the land of my birth. And they say you can’t go home again. But that’s a lie, for my navel string is buried in this land, so it will always be home regardless of how long I stay away. Home might look physically different, but the folks of Tobago are still the same as I discovered as soon as I got off the plane this morning. They’re still the same kind, LOVING, gentle and friendly people I grew up with. They haven’t changed, because that’s the way we’re raised from birth. As Lord Nelson said in his song about Tobagonians long ago: ‘All ah we is one family!’ And that’s the undeniable truth Friends. Ah my brethren, at long last I’m in the land of sea, sand, sun and rum! So far though I’ve only experienced the sun – going up to 27 Celsius today – but I saw Store Bay, my favourite beach in all the world, earlier on when I went to get some breakfast of fry bake and saltfish, washed down with some cold, tasty mauby. Store Bay is very commercialized now, but the beach is still golden brown sand, and the water is still a beautiful sky blue, so it should feel the same. And I’ve learned my lesson, I didn’t rush to the beach right away, like I did in L.A. last year and lost my wedding ring. Hn, Hn! And the second honeymoon got off to a great start. (smile) When the Duchess reads this, she’s going to chew me out, about what second honeymoon. But as I keep saying, while there’s life, there’s always hope. And I do hope you all noticed our Bit today: ‘I do set my bow (rainbow) in the cloud, and it shall be for a token (sign) of a covenant between me and the earth.’ Believe me Friends, it’s very relevant, because a few minutes after the plane took off from Trinidad, bound for Tobago, a beautiful rainbow appeared in the sky on my side of the plane, and it followed us all the way to Tobago, some fifteen minutes later. I don’t know about you all, but I took that as a good and positive sign, since the Lord continued saying to Noah after our Bit: ‘And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow (rainbow) shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow (rainbow) shall be in the cloud: and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. And the Lord said unto Noah, This is the token (sign) of the covenant, which I have established between me and all the flesh that is upon the earth.’ (Gen.9:14-17) After all of that, plus some excellent treatment I received from T.O. to Tobago, by all and sundry, how I could think anything else but God was giving me a good sign eh? And it’s not like I couldn’t come to Tobago before, I’ve been to Barbados, and to Jamaica at least three times since I was last here. However, something just kept holding me back, saying that the time wasn’t right, and I decided to be patient and wait on the Lord for His timing, and this Tobago trip actually fell into my lap without me even really asking for or thinking about it. And here we are, finally in Paradise. One other thing of note happened this morning; while sitting in Piarco Airport waiting for my flight to Tobago, a gentleman came up to me and said he remembered me from way back when, going to Bishop’s High School, though he at the time went to a different Secondary School. That’s some fifty years ago! I still can’t believe my ears when I talk about stuff that happened a half century ago.Time really does fly yes! Coincidentally, his name was also Randolph. Our God sure does move in mysterious ways! Ah Friends, the ole fella’s wired from lack of sleep and too much coffee, plus my conscience bothered me about not writing the Bit, so since I couldn’t sleep, I just got up and wrote it. Now because I don’t have a set itinerary, just playing it by ear, I can’t guarantee that the Bit will be early as usual, but you’ll certainly get it, the Good Lord willing. Just be happy for the old fella and pray that the Lord blesses him with a good, no, a great second honeymoon in Tobago, as He did with the first one some forty one years ago. Going to go and check out the sea and sand shortly. Much LOVE!…wait patiently on the Lord…and He WILL…eventually bring the desires of your heart to pass… P.S. As I was just editing the Bit, a balck rooster just went by and gave me aloud, friendly cockadoodle-do greeting. (smile)
19 Nov 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: aura of love, further God's kingdom, God's Word, great confidence, happiness, holy spirit, humble servants, lies, Monday Battle Hymn, Monday Morning, right perspective, sure conquerors, tested and true, wiles, work
Psalm 18:30. As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
‘Mornin’ neighbuh!’ A bright and breezy tone. ‘Mornin’…’ Sour and surly. ‘Is a nice morning eh…’ ‘Steups! What so nice about it eh? Is Monday morning, that means I have to get up and go to the stupid government work!’ ‘So?” ‘Ah Lord eh! Ah don’t know what wrong with you nuh woman. You always so bright and bubbly on a Monday.’ ”That’s because the Holy Spirit of Jesus is living in me, and He makes me happy EVERY morning!’ ‘Well good for you and Jesus yes! I wish all yuh the best of luck in all yuh happiness.’ ‘Thank you neighbuh. Jesus and me wish you the best of luck too.’ ‘Steups! Jesus, Jesus…that is all she could talk about yes, especially on a Monday morning, when a body have to get up out of bed so early to go and labour for a pittance. Steups!’ Ah Friends, I hope you all see the difference in attitudes caused by the difference in perspectives. Followers of Jesus should always have the bright positive approach, regardless of what day it is, because we know that with the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, EVERY day is a GOOD day. Trouble is, not all of us believers actually feel that way, and some days, particularly on Mondays, we fall into a blue funk, and need a spark, a boost to get up and get a move on. So with one voice, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn to get the adrenalin flowing nuh. 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!’ Yes Friends, now that our engine is purring smoothly, in perfect sync with that of the Holy Spirit that’s guiding us, let’s go out into the ungodly world with plenty vim and vigour and wage serious battle against Beelzebub and his evil cohorts nuh. And to help us stay in that Jesus groove, let’s use our Bit as a catalyst, a ‘strengthener’ to help us remember our earthly purpose – to help bring lost souls to the Saviour. ‘As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried (proven): he is a buckler (shield) to all those that trust in him.’ Awesome words of wisdom and truth my people! Now yesterday we looked at some scripture that verified the first half of our Bit, today we’ll look at some that verify the second half. ‘…the word of the Lord is tried (proven): he is a buckler (shield) to all those that trust in him.’ And we don’t have very far to go to find corroboration of those facts, for in Psalm 12, Bruh David proudly proclaims: ‘The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.’ (Ps.12:6) Ah mih breddren, how many things of the earth can we purify in fire seven times and have them remain, unbroken, unvarnished, vibrant and ever-resilient eh? Not many. But the Lord’s Word can certainly stand that rigorous test. Then in Psalm 17, a prayer for protection against oppressors, Bruh David invokes the Lord to ‘Show thy marvellous LOVING-kindness, O thou that savest (delivers) by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.’ (Ps.17:6) Meanwhile, in Proverbs 30, Agur also declares with great confidence: ‘Every word of God is pure (tried and found pure): he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.’ (Prov.30:5-6) Oh my brethren, please note that last verse very carefully. We’re not to add our two cents worth to God’s Word, as has become very prevalent nowadays, where we slant the Word to suit our own selfish purposes. And going back to the Psalms, we have the psalmist declaring in 119:140: ‘Thy word is very pure (refined or tried): therefore thy servant LOVETH it.’ How can we not LOVE the Word if it’s so pure, true and wise eh Friends? Now let’s close with some more encouraging words of truth and wisdom. ‘For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.’ (Ps.84:11-12) And all God’s people exulted with a loud ‘Praise the Lord! Amen! And it really couldn’t be put any better than that Friends, so let’s grab hold of it all and diligently run the earthly race of glory laid out for us. It will be most worthwhile in the end. Much LOVE!…everything hinges on the WORD…it created the universe…controls it…and will eventually destroy it…in God’s perfect time…
18 Nov 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: Bank of Heaven, be of good cheer, deliverance, faithfulness of God, giving thanks to god, God's marvellous works, God's perfect way, God's truth, God- the Rock, iniquity, Jesus- the Light, Sunday's child, tribulation
Psalm 18:30. As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
And then finally, there’s Sunday’s child: ‘But the child who is born on the Sabbath Day, is bonny and blythe and gay.’ Caution: ‘gay’ here refers to ‘jolly and happy’, its original meaning not the new meaning ‘homosexual.’ And considering those wonderful traits that a child born on Sunday is alleged to have, all of us would greatly desire to be born on that special day. But take heart Friends, those attributes are available to all who believe in and diligently follow Jesus Christ; the TRUTH,the LIFE, the LIGHT, and the ONLY WAY to Almighty God! And a loud, grateful, ‘Hallelujah! Amen,’ rose up from God’s people to His throne in heaven on high. Please remember my brethren, Jesus’ consoling words to His disciples, and therefore to us also: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) That means we can all be ‘bonny and blythe and gay’ because Jesus says so. And like a hand fits a glove, our Bit fits neatly right here, verifying the truth and trustworthiness of Jesus’ words. ‘As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried (proven): he is a buckler (shield) to all those that trust in him.’ Wow! What words of faith! And there’s nary a doubt about any of those statements Friends, because the man who made them, Bruh David, lived his life by them, and was rightly classed as Israel’s greatest king. Cousin Sol might have been wiser and richer, but he wasn’t made of sterner stuff like Bruh David was. Cousin Sol never had to battle serious enemies from his boyhood right through to death, like his father. And our Bit is appropriately taken from one of Bruh David’s most emotional psalms, where he’s giving thanks to God for deliverance from all his enemies, especially the most dreaded and determined one, King Saul. Oh Friends, Bruh David had his human frailties like all of us, but the important thing is that throughout his tempestuous life, through all his trials and tribulations, he never stopped seeking and believing in the omnipotence and faithfulness of the God of his fathers. And whenever he was caught napping, he turned to the Lord, as soon as possible, with heartfelt repentance. That’s why the prophet Samuel could say of Bruh David to Saul, when he lost the kingship of Israel. ‘The Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart.’ (1 Sam.13:14) Now let’s look at some scripture that verify the statements in our Bit. And the fist statement is: ‘As for God, his way is perfect.’ The first verification comes from Moses, the third and fourth verses of his Song in praise of Almighty God. ‘Because I will publish (proclaim) the name of the Lord: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgement: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.’ (Deut.32:3-4) Oh Friends, oh Friends, you couldn’t want a better verifier than Moses, who truly experienced the greatness of God when leading the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land! Now it was certainly a most difficult task leading some two million rebellious, cantankerous Jews through a desert-like land, and poor Moses bore the brunt of God’s anger against the Israelites. But in showcasing the Lord’s awesome power, faithfulness and trust, he also performed astonishing miracles in His Name. Thus his words must carry a lot of weight re the attributes of our God. And here’s what Bruh David says in Psalm 145, his psalm of praise, re the Lord’s graciousness. ‘The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy (gracious) in all his works. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.’ (Ps.145:17-18) That’s gospel my people! But just in case you don’t believe the earthly throng, then listen to what John saw happening in heaven. ‘And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? For thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgements are made manifest.’ (Rev.15:2-4) Oh my brethren, there’s nothing left to be said. The heavenly host are singing and praising our wonderful God on high, verifying His perfection and trustworthiness, and so should we down here on earth. Remember how Jesus taught us to pray? ‘…thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven…’ (Matt.6:10) Let’s put that into real action nuh my people, for it will not only boost our earthly walk of faith, but also increase our rewards in the unbreakable Bank of Heaven. (smile) More on this topic tomorrow, provided the Lord’s willing. Till then, please trust Him and walk in His blessed protection. Much LOVE!…if the Lord isn’t perfect…then He’s liable to make mistakes…and thus prove to be unreliable…therefore not worthy to be called God…
17 Nov 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: devastating troubles, drudgery, enlightened minds, fall from grace, hope, Jesus, justice, loving kindness, obedience, opened eyes of faith, read and understand the Word, rejoicing hearts, righteousness., Saturday's child, serve and worship, sin debt, The God of second chances, the Holy Spirit, truth, work for a living
Psalm 119:130. The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
Oh Friends, are you a Saturday child, were you born on a Saturday? Then unfortunately, according to our nursery rhyme, you have to work hard for a living. (smile) But don’t feel badly, because most of mankind also have to work hard for a living. It’s all part and parcel of our forefathers’ fall from grace. However, through the LOVING-kindness of our wonderful God, the sacrificed life of His Son, Jesus, and His Holy Spirit living in us, we’ve been granted some respite from the terrible drudgery and devastating troubles of this earthly life. And all God’s children gave a mighty shout of joy: ‘Oh thank You Father for sending Jesus to die on the cross to pay our sin debt in full! Thank You for giving us the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us in all righteousness! We praise and glorify Your Holy Name today and forever more!’ Yes Friends, we do serve and worship an awesome God! I don’t know when some of us will wake up and truly understand and believe that nuh. I sincerely hope that it won’t be too late for anyone. But it’s also comforting to know that once there’s breath flowing through our mortal coil, it’s NEVER too late, because the Most High is the God of second chances – even third, fourth and fifth. The problem though is that unless we read, understand and obey His dictates, we’re just wasting His time and ours. Why is that eh? Because as the psalmist so gloriously declares in our Bit: ‘The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.’ And isn’t that the undisputed truth, my fellow believers! For without God’s Word deeply embedded in our hearts and minds, we won’t be able to live the way He desires us to. Bruh David say it thus in Psalm 19, the creation and covenant of God. ‘The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.’ (Ps.19:8) Yes my people, when we read the scriptures, our hearts rejoice, our minds are enlightened, our eyes of faith are opened, causing us to develop discernment and focus. Now listen to how Cousin Sol, in his great wisdom, describes God’s Word in Proverbs. ‘For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life.’ (Prov.6:23) Oh Friends, the Lord’s dictates are ever so enlightening and guiding, because without them residing and resounding in our souls, we’d be totally lost in the utter darkness of this world, created by Lucifer and his evil minions! That’s why earlier on in this section warning against adultery, Cousin Sol says that we should not forsake the teachings of our parents, which should be the Word of God, but to ‘Bind them continually upon thine heart (and mind), and tie them about thy neck. When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.’ (Prov.6:21-22) Ah mih breddren, I couldn’t have said it any better! (smile) And what’s so great about God’s Word entering and taking up a sure reign in our souls is that it gives understanding even to the simple. That means Friends, you don’t have to be gifted with lots of natural intelligence to understand the word. Even a simpleton can, if he is prepared to read and meditate on it, for the Lord will gladly lead and guide him in his endeavour to learn and follow His dictates. And Bruh David verifies that by saying: ‘The law of the Lord is perfect, converting (restoring) the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.’ (Ps.19:7) Meanwhile, Cousin Sol describes one of the purposes of the Proverbs thus: ‘To give subtilty (prudence) to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.’ (Prov.1:4) The scholars explain that verse this way. ‘The simple are naive young people open to any influence, among the chief addressees in the book. Knowledge means the apprehension of reality, including an experiential knowledge of God. Discretion refers to the power of formulating and carrying out the right measures.’ That’s the beauty of learning God’s commands my people! They enable us to live as good and pure and righteous a life as we can on this sinful, ungodly earth. And we’ll let the psalmist take us home, as he praises the Lord for His care towards us. ‘The works of his hands are verity (truth) and judgement (justice); all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name. The fear of the Lord (an awe filled reverence toward the Lord) is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.’ (Ps.111:7-10) And all God’s people responded with a loud, thankful, ‘Hallelujah! Amen.’ We responded that way because it’s gospel truth Friends, which means that to restore some of the godliness our world has recently lost, we have to buckle down and seriously read the Word, so that we can understand it, and live the way it says we should. That’s the ultimate in wisdom my people! Therefore, let’s concentrate on becoming somewhat wiser than we are right now nuh. Much LOVE!…a true believer…must first know the Lord’s commands…then follow them as closely as possible…
16 Nov 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: baptized, bitterness, eternal life, fellowship, Friday chant, holy spirit, living truth, LOVE, LOVE of Money, many sorrows, outward show, prayerful heart, relaxation, salvation, suffering, Thank God it's Friday, the importance of prayer, unity in Christ's church
1 Timothy 6:10. For the LOVE of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Oh Friends, it’s Friday, the day we’ve all been anxiously waiting for! And according to our old nursery rhyme, Friday’s child is LOVING and giving! Now that’s the truth of not only those born on a Friday, but even more so of all Jesus’ followers. And in light of all the recent disasters, Sandy et al, the tone of Friday celebrations has been lowered somewhat. Not as many people are joyfully shouting ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ And those who are, their joy is a tad subdued, because they know or can appreciate the feelings of those undergoing the sad ‘sufferation’ that’s gripping so many parts of our world. Now that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the life the Lord’s provided for us, but out of our plenty, we have to share with the less fortunate, and even more importantly pray for them. Ah mih people, if ever there was a time that mankind desperately needed prayer, IT’S NOW! As we said a couple days ago, prayer is the most potent weapon we have. So please, please, let’s get on our knees, or whatever position best suits us, and offer up, serious, diligent, heartfelt prayers for our world and any individuals we know that are really experiencing an unusually rough time. Oh my brethren, we need prayers so rich in honesty, compassion, mercy and righteousness that the Lord has no other option but to grant them, to help His hurting children down here. That’s one of the great benefits and privileges of being a believer. Now let’s chant our Friday Chant as loudly as we can, but also with a truly prayerful heart. As one exceptional choir 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’s to set the tone for the weekend; not too high or low, but with a heart full of joy, understanding and LOVE. That brings us to our Bit, hopefully the last message based on it. (smile) Don’t blame me, I’m only the messenger. I had planned to write one message on it, but obviously the Good Lord in His infinite wisdom thought we needed more on one of the topics that is driving our world into the ground, and its people into the evil arms of Lucifer. Bruh Paul was ever so right when he warned Timothy that: ‘For the LOVE of money is the root of all (kinds of) evil: which while some coveted after (in their greediness), they have erred (strayed) from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.’ And we all know that’s the living truth, though many of us don’t have the parts to admit it. Today though, I want to share one more gospel story about money and the serious problems it can cause. This story happens in Acts 8, when Philip (the evangelist, not the apostle) went down to Samaria and preached Christ to them. However, the great joy that followed Philip’s preaching seriously cut into the business of one Simon ‘which beforetime in the same city used sorcery (practiced magic), and bewitched (astonished) the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one. To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.’ (Acts 8:9-10) As unlikely as it seems, Simon became a believer, and hung out with Philip, being amazed at the miracles and signs that were happening in the Christian community. Finally, when the brethren at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had become a hot bed of repentance, they sent Peter and John, ‘Who when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.’ (Acts 8:15-16) The scholars describe the situation thus: ‘The ministry of Peter and John must be understood in the light of the unique historical situation. As at Pentecost, God is initiating a new work – the beginning of the church amongst a distinct ethnic group. The Samaritans were Jews of mixed blood whom the other Jews despised. At Pentecost, no human instrument was involved in the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Here God delays the outpouring until after the arrival of Peter and the laying on of his hands. Thus the Jerusalem church and the Samaritan church are united into one work, one body. Without Peter’s involvement, this work may not have been accepted by some Jews. Thus schism was avoided from the start.’ Chuh! If we could heal some of the serious schism we now have in Christ’s church eh! Anyway, to continue the story: ‘Then laid they (Peter, John) their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot (portion) in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of (poisoned by) bitterness, and in the bond of (bound by) iniquity. Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.’ (Acts.8:17-24) Ah Friends, once again money raised its ugly head, causing Simon to think he could buy the power of the Holy Spirit with man made wealth. And the scholars have a very good word on that. ‘Simon the sorcerer made an outward profession of faith (v.13), but his response demonstrates his lack of spiritual life. Early Christian writings substantiate this fact. Simon, like Elisha’s servant, Gehazi, (2 Kin. 5:20-27) sought to use God’s miraculous gift for his own benefit.’ And don’t laugh or criticize Friends, because today many of us still believe we can buy anything with money, which is a complete fallacy. So please, in closing, let’s stop making money our number one priority nuh. Let’s write it indelibly in our hearts and minds, that though money is important, it is definitely not as important as worshipping and serving Almighty God. It NEVER WAS, and NEVER WILL BE! Much LOVE!…money can buy many things…but not the MOST important…LOVE…Salvation…and Eternal Life…
15 Nov 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: antidotes, compassion, corruption, covetousness, deceit, easy yoke, forgivness, fraud, grace, greed, hypocrisy, Jesus, light burden, material possessions, mercy, money, repentance, sorrows, straight and narrow way, ungodly activities
1 Timothy 6:10. For the LOVE of money is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Oh Friends, a beautiful Thursday morning is dawning out there! Praise the Lord! But according to the old nursery rhyme which we seem to be following this week, (smile) Thursday’s child has a far way to go. Unfortunately there is some truth to that, and not only for children born on a Thursday, but for all of us, regardless on what day of the week we were born. Our earthly journey can indeed be long in number of years, but thankfully, believers in Jesus have the wherewithal to withstand whatever comes against them in this life. And though Bruh Paul’s truthful declaration: ‘For all have sinned, and come (fallen) short of the glory of God;’ (Rom.3:23) involves us in ungodly activities, we, as followers of Jesus, also have the antidotes for that kind of behaviour. True repentance of sin that brings God’s generous forgiveness, with His mercy, grace and compassion, all help to lighten our heavy earthly loads. Not forgetting Jesus’ invitation for all who are heavy laden to come to Him and take His yoke, which is easy, and His burden which is light. (Matt.11:28-30) And to cap it all off, we also have the Holy Spirit that dwells within each believer, to give us wise and safe guidance and counsel along the straight and narrow way that we’re supposed to walk. Oh Friends, that’s why believers are called blessed! What with the new gifts our heavenly Father pours out on us each and every day, there’s no way for anybody to experience a better life on this earth than a true Christian. Unfortunately though, too many of us have repudiated the notion of God, or simply don’t believe in Him, and have chosen instead to go our own way, following the wide and winding path of this evil world. Consequently, we’ve lost all sight of and faith in God, foolishly turning to worldly idols like that spoken of in our Bit. ‘For the LOVE of money is the root of all (kinds of) evil; which while some coveted after (in their greediness), they have erred (strayed) from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.’ Oh my people, truer words have never been spoken! We just have to look at the mad rush nowadays to get money, either to hoard it, or to purchase material possessions. Money now seems to be the very lifeblood of our society and our world, and is thus causing a lot of evil stuff, a lot of grief and heartache. Fraud and corruption are possibly the biggest crimes going now, especially with the Internet spreading its dreaded tentacles far and wide. Almost everyday I get some e-mail about somebody wanting me to help them move oodles of money from somewhere to somewhere else, and if I, like a fool accept those grandiose promises from people I don’t know, I will only end up losing what little I have. But obviously some people are accepting them, otherwise they wouldn’t be persisting with the schemes. That just goes to show how greedy some of us are. Corruption is also rampant all over our world, from the highest position, right down to the lowest. Why? Because regardless of how much we have, we all still crave money, and/or the things that can be bought with it. But I’m here to remind us Friends, that money, or whatever it can buy is not the most important thing in our world. Serving and worshipping Almighty God with all our hearts, minds, bodies and souls is the NUMBER 1 commandment! Not running down money and earthly possessions. And until we begin seriously following that first commandment, our lives and our world will continue to be an ungodly mess. Sadly, money has been the source of negative actions from long ago, and today we’ll look at a perfect example found in the Good Book. During the early days of the church, the brethren lived a somewhat communal lifestyle, with everybody pooling their resources and sharing it as was necessary. However in Acts 5, we have the story of a husband and wife team, Ananias and Sapphira, who sold a plot of land but kept back a part of the money, lying that what they offered, was what they had sold it for. But the Lord revealed Ananias’ deceit to Peter, who then reprimanded him. ‘Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? While it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power (control)? why has thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost (breathed his last): and great fear came on all them that heard these things.’ (Acts 5:3-5) Then some three hours later, the wife, Sapphira shows up, and not knowing that her husband had died, also lied to Peter about the money. ‘Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt (test) the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. Then fell she down straightway (instantly) at his feet, and yielded up the ghost (breathed her last): and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.’ (Acts 5:9-11) Oh Friends, maybe that is what we need to happen today to wake us up from our greedy, lying state of mind! Ananias and Sapphira were not compelled to give all they had, because it was voluntary giving, but the hypocrisy caused their downfall. Besides that, they were lying to God, through His church, to which they belonged. Luckily for us, the Lord doesn’t often strike us dead when we play the hypocrite. That’s enough for us to ponder today my people. And please, please, let’s all be wise and consider our individual feelings and behaviour towards money nuh, because both our earthly lives and salvation depend on us having the right attitude towards it. Much LOVE! …money…money…money…REMEMBER…it’s NOT #1
14 Nov 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: contentment, destruction, earthly pilgrimage, greed, harmony, Holy Spirit of Jesus, labour of LOVE, LOVE of Money, material possessions, negative problems, positive mental attitude, root of all evil, ruin, self-discipline, stray from the faith, true wealth, wisdom, woe
1 Timothy 6:10. For the LOVE of money is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Oh Friends, it’s Wednesday, and according to the old nursery rhyme, Wednesday’s child is full of woe! Now the dictionary describes woe as affliction, bitter grief, distress and calamity. And though there could be a tad of truth to the rhyme, generally speaking, once we have the Holy Spirit of Jesus living in us, leading and guiding us on this earthly pilgrimage, woe is something we don’t often experience. Of course we’ll have rough times, but constant, serious, negative problems are not usually associated with God’s children. So please, let’s not dwell on the negative aspects of our lives. Instead, let’s dwell on these 12 Aspects of True Wealth that come from my ‘Off the Wall’ topics. These 12 aspects of true wealth are posted in my young daughter’s larger than normal, multicoloured writing on the right hand wall of my study, right in my sight line, but as with many of the other things posted there I hardly notice them. I’m sure I look at them sometimes and they don’t even register on my mental screen. Like so many other things that have been in our lives for a long period of time, they tend to become invisible. Anyway, here are those 12 Aspects of True Wealth: (1) A positive mental attitude. (2) Sound physical health. (3) Harmony in human relationships. (4) Freedom from fear. (5) Hope of future achievement. (6) The capacity for applied faith. (7) Willingness to share one’s blessings with others. (8) To be engaged in a labour of LOVE – like writing the Scrip-Bit has become to me. (9) An open mind on all subjects to all people. (10) Complete self-discipline. (11) Wisdom with which to understand people. (12) Financial Security. Ah Friends, what a wonderful set of aspirations! But let’s note that the first 11 aspects basically comprise the tenets of our Christian faith, and secondly, that the money matter is placed LAST. Yes my people, money is not the most important aspect of our lives, as so many of us are being led to believe in this money-hungry, ‘gravalicious’ world. If we have the first eleven, the money will come. Let’s remember that and stop running down money and worshipping it more than the God who created it and us. Remember, as our Bit so rightly states: ‘For the LOVE of money is the root of all (kinds of) evil; which while some coveted after (in their greediness), they have erred (strayed) from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.’ And that is most definitely the gospel truth my people! Now money is not the only source of evil, but it’s certainly a most important one. And sadly, too many of us are letting the getting of money, its dogged pursuit, become our end all and be all. Now Friends, that isn’t a very wise idea at all, since it generally leads to greed and avarice taking over our souls, consequently causing us to forsake Almighty God in the mad rush for earthly wealth. And please note what Bruh Paul says before our Bit: ‘For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment (clothing) let us therewith be content. But they that will be (desire to be) rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful (harmful) lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition (ruin and destruction).’ (1 Tim.6:7-9) Oh Friends, there’s no disputing those facts, but though we know them deep down inside, yet we still insist on letting the pursuit of money be our overwhelming goal. But as the scholars so appropriately point out, we must not believe ‘that material possessions have no place in the Christian’s life. By the figure of speech food and raiment stand for all of life’s basic necessities. These are all the believer needs, and having these he can be content.’ Our problem is that we desire to have too many material possessions, more than we can ever need or use, which is the way the world sees it, and which isn’t the way true believers ought to see it. And to prove my point, listen to the wisest man ever, Cousin Sol, on the subject. ‘For wisdom is a defense (a protective shade), and money is a defense: but the excellency (advantage) of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.’ (Eccl.7:12) Yes Friends, money is important, we all need it, and it can be an advantage when we have it, but the advantage of knowledge over money is that it improves our entire life, the way that money can’t. Look at all those who have money and yet are still miserable and unhappy. Oh, I know many of you will take the money and the unhappiness, but if you first have wisdom, you can always make money, but having money doesn’t necessarily bring or mean that you have wisdom. Just look at the numerous fools that have made several fortunes and lost them each time. Wisdom not only helps you to make money, but more importantly, it also guides and enables you to keep it. That’s enough for us to ponder on today Friends. So please, let’s worship the Lord God Jehovah and not money or material possession, that’s the zenith of wisdom. Much LOVE!…if you can buy it with money…then you can’t take it to heaven with you…
13 Nov 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: abject poverty, blessings, Christ's Second Coming, compassion, eschew evil, falsehood, fear, freedom to worship, full of grace, good life, LOVE Revolution, oppression, peace, power of prayer, set apart, suppression, sure foundation of God, the Lord hears, The Lord is good, the LOVE of Jesus, trust, Tuesday's child, vanity
Psalm 4:3. But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him.
And then it was Tuesday! What did the old nursery rhyme say? ‘Monday’s child is fair of face. Tuesdays child is full of grace.’ But that’s not the whole truth; EVERY DAY, we believers are full of grace! Yes Friends, a wonderful day is in the offing for many of us because we believe in the Birth, Crucifixion and Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and consequently we’ll bask in the warmth, the peace and the glow of His many blessings. Unfortunately though, a lot of His followers around the world can’t do that for one reason or another; physical and mental oppression, and suppression which create a lack of freedom to worship, abject poverty and sickness, plus misfortunes from natural and man-made disasters, that ultimately breed a terrible fear in their souls. However my people, we Christians have the greatest, the most potent tool in this world; the power of prayer! So let’s use it nuh. Let’s keep praying, both for those who are not as fortunate as us, as well as ourselves. Let’s pray diligently that whatever is preventing them from enjoying the good life that Jesus died for all His followers to have, will soon be removed, that their eyes will be opened, and their hearts, minds and souls filled with the LOVE, the grace, and compassion of Jesus, which surpasses all human understanding. Oh my brethren, that power of prayer has been with us from day one, that’s why Bruh David could staunchly proclaim in our Bit, taken from his evening prayer of trust in God: ‘But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the Lord will hear when I call unto him.’ Now that’s an undeniable fact Friends! As Bruh Paul tells Timothy: ‘Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.’ (2 Tim.2:19) And on that point of foregoing wrongdoing, listen to what Bruh David says in the verse before our Bit. ‘O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? How long will ye LOVE vanity (worthlessness), and seek after leasing (falsehood)? Selah.’ (Ps.4:2) Yes my people, let’s take a moment and ponder that question nuh, for it’s possibly the most important question that can be asked in our sinful, ungodly world today. Ah Friends, when are we truly going to depart from iniquity, eschew evil, and all the abominations of this confused, troubled world eh? When are we going to repent and turn back to seriously worshipping the God of our salvation, so that He can bless us and make us to prosper once more? The LOVE Revolution is making some progress, but definitely not enough, or as quickly as needed, because of Lucifer’s wicked input and stranglehold on this lustful world. However my people, as everyday brings us closer to Christ’s Second Coming in all His glory, it’s also becoming more urgent everyday for us to cause unbelievers to come to Him for salvation. Strong and serious ongoing action is necessary, as well as strong, serious, diligent prayers. We need to cry out to the Father, my brethren, for grace, strength and mercy to do His will, somewhat like how Bruh David cries out to begin Psalm 4. ‘Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged (relieved) me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me (be gracious to me), and hear my prayer.’ (Ps.4:1) And don’t ever be afraid or ashamed to cry out to the Father my people, because He welcomes it, since it acknowledges that we can’t help ourselves. And believe me, once our hearts are right, He WILL hear and answer our prayers. Not always how or when we want, but that’s the beauty of trusting Him; accepting that His wisdom is greater than ours, therefore He knows what is best for us. And as Bruh Paul reminds us in Rom.8:31, whatever He does, will turn out to be for our ultimate good, regardless of what happens in between. That’s one of the ways in which the Lord tests our faith Friends! Therefore: ‘Stand (tremble) in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.’ (Ps.4:4) Words of absolute wisdom my brethren! And we’ll close with some more encouraging words on the subject from the prophet Nahum, who, in talking about God’s majesty in mercy and judgement, strongly proclaims: ‘The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. But with an overrunning (overflowing) flood he will make an utter end of the (wicked) place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.’ (Nah.1:7-8) That my people, is the gospel truth, so please believe it and live accordingly, for your very salvation and life everlasting depends on it. Much LOVE!…to pray…to pray…and yet to pray some more…it’s all a part of the true believer’s lifestyle…
12 Nov 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: can't have good without bad, complaining, Cross of Jesus, desensitization, evil machinations, eye teeth, God on our side, graoning, holy spirit, indifference, Jesus Christ, knight in shining armour, moaning, Monday Morning, natural laziness, rejuvenation of spirit, renewed vitality, whining, wicked taunts, wiles and lies, wrath
Psalm 124:1. If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say;
Oh Friends, it’s Monday, that glorious day that begins our work week! Oh please stop the foolish moaning and groaning! Yuh know how many billions of people around the world would give their eye teeth to have what we have! Hn! hn! Haven’t heard that one in a while. Yes mih people, it’s time we cut out this bad habit of complaining and feeling blue every Monday morning. We all want the benefits, but not the hassles of going to work. Remember what Job told his wife when she advised him to curse God and die? He wisely informed her that we can’t expect to receive only good and no bad, because that’s just the way the universe is set up. (Job 2:9-10) And furthermore, that’s definitely not Jesus’ style! He knew His earthly purpose and took it seriously, getting up early every morning to talk quietly with the Father, to get strength and encouragement before hitting the dusty road to heal, teach and generally do good. Now if we’re truly Jesus’ followers, then that should also be our modus operandi, instead of the whining and complaining, that’s possibly caused by too much partying on the weekends, plus a natural laziness that’s recently been bred into our dissolute culture. By the way, today is certainly a glorious day for some of us who don’t have to go to work because Remembrance Day, yesterday, fell on a Sunday, which means we get Monday off for the holiday. And many of God’s people joyfully cried out: ‘Praise the Lord!’ (smile) But unfortunately many of us still have to go out and labour today, so to help and encourage them, let’s all sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn in loud voice, with strong conviction. 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!’ Ah mih friends, that was wonderful! Actually, the ones who aren’t going to work sang more lustily than those that have to go. (smile) But that’s the nature of the beast! Anyway, with that boost to our spirits Friends, please let’s go out there and battle mightily for Jesus. For as our Bit so rightly says: ‘If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, now may Israel say;’ It’s all about praise and deliverance from enemies my brethren. And who knows more about that than Bruh David eh? That’s why he could continue: ‘If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us: Then they had swallowed us up quick (alive) when their wrath was kindled against us: Then the waters had (would have) overwhelmed us, the streams had gone (swept over) our soul: Then the proud waters had gone over (would have swept over) our soul.’ (Ps.124:2-5) Ah Friends, those are the same things our forefathers were able to say because they had the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as their stalwart knight in shining armour, fighting their battle for them. But our generation has become so proud and full of itself, beating its puny chest in false self-sufficiency, foolishly believing that we have no use for God. Oh my brethren, that is such a fallacy, such a foolish notion, as is being proven everyday by the degeneration of the supposedly Christian nations of the world. But we either refuse to see it, as the saying goes, there’s none so blind as he who refuses to see, or Lucifer’s evil machinations have simply blinded us, made us desensitized and thus indifferent to the sinful, ungodly lives we’re now not only living, but even worse, craving to live. However, Bruh David was so encouraged by the valiant help of the God of his fathers, that he further enthused: ‘Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as prey to their teeth. Our soul is escaped, as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers (bird trappers): the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.’ (Ps.124:6-8) And all God’s people declared a mighty ‘Glory Hallelujah! Praise be His Holy Name!’ And that’s the gospel truth my people! The psalmist in thanksgiving for the Lord’s salvation even went as far as to proudly declare: ‘The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?’ (Ps.118:6)And the truthful answer to that Friends, is a big, fat NOTHING! Thus Bruh Paul could also boldly declare to the church at Rome: ‘What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?’ (Rom.8:31) And the answer to that my brethren is one single word ‘NOBODY!’ Please then Friends, I’m imploring us, just like Bruh David and Bruh Paul did so valiantly, let’s rise up in faith and with the help of our omnipotent God, powerfully fight the evil spiritual forces that are trying to conquer us and lead us to everlasting death. But we can only do that when we truly and sincerely surrender our souls and put our unending trust in the ONE and ONLY TRUE GOD of the universe – the Lord of Hosts is His Name. Much LOVE!…onward Christian soldiers…marching as to war…with the CROSS OF JESUS…going on before…
11 Nov 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: blood, crying shame, human-rights, hypocritical government, pain, poor health care, Remembrance Day, sweat, tears, transfiguration, Veterans Day, war
Matthew 3:17. And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Well Friends, it’s another day in the life. Most of us have awakened to greet it, but some have not. And they might even be the lucky ones, having escaped the agonizing bondage, the blood, sweat, tears and pain that come with this earthly life. Now for those of you who don’t know, or don’t remember, today is Remembrance Day in Canada and the British Commonwealth, and Veterans Day in the U.S, where we celebrate the lives and achievements of those who fought and died in the great wars that our countries have been involved in over the years. And it should be a great day of recognition, but sadly all the pomp and splendour belies the disgusting manner in which the families of the dead veterans and those still alive today are treated in North America. They receive miserly pensions, poor health care, lack of jobs and no real respect. The Federal Government in Canada is even trying to claw back money from those veterans who manage to make a few pennies on the side to augment the li’l pittance the unfeeling, hypocritical gov’t gives them. But every Remembrance and Veterans Day we chug out the hyperbole and hypocrisy about those who fought to protect our freedom and way of life. The reality of the situation though is an entirely different thing, with so many vets and families suffering from all sorts of physical, emotional and mental illness. The gov’ts, like many Christians, talk a fine talk, but sadly lack true action. It’s a crying shame Friends, the way we treat those who put their lives on the line so that we can live the evil, greedy, ungodly lifestyle we’re so bent on living in these confused and troubled times. And since the elimination of the draft, it’s been mainly the children of the lower classes who’ve enlisted to fight our battles. The children of the rich and powerful are actively protected from that. No wonder it’s the lower classes that suffer the buffeting and fall out from wars. Anyway, that’s my two cents worth on the facade of respectability we try to put on to the world for our fallen and battered heroes. Let’s hope the gov’ts soon wake up to the reality of the dreadful situations most veterans and their families are mired in, and greatly improve the overall situation with more action and less talk. That finally brings us to our Bit: ‘And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ Now Friends, that’s the perfect situation of matching talk to action and vice versa! Our heavenly Father desired to save us from the hellfire and damnation of purgatory, but instead of just wishing and hoping, He sacrificed His sinless Son to give us victory over the grave and death. What an awesome and most magnificent Deity we serve and worship my brethren! Please don’t ever forget it, as no greater sacrifice has ever been, or will ever be made throughout all the ages of the universe. And today I just want to share some scripture where the Father did indeed let us earthlings know how proud He was of Jesus. We obviously have that occasion in our Bit when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, as we discussed yesterday. Then there’s the time when accompanied by Peter, James and John, the inner circle of the disciples, Jesus went up into the mountains: ‘And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment (clothes) was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses, and Elijah talking with Him.’ (Matt.17:2-3) Now according to the scholars; ‘The verb (Gr. metamorphoo) indicates a transformation of essential form, proceeding from within. See Romans 12:2 and 2 Corinthians 3:18, where it is used of the spiritual transformation of the believer’s new nature. The witness of Peter in 2 Peter 1:17-18 verifies the testimony that this was a real experience, not a vision.’ And as usual, Peter, always bold and provocative, tells Jesus: ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah. While he yet spake, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.’ (Matt.17:4-5) Oh Friends, can you imagine the disciples’ reaction! The Good Book describes it thus: ‘And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore (greatly) afraid. (Matt.17:6) Even in these modern times with all the technological innovations, we would have been scared to death too my people. Jesus had to come and touch them and say; ‘Arise, and be not afraid.’ (Matt.17:7) And to make matters worse, when they got up, they saw nobody but Jesus there with them. (Matt.17:8) Who says our God doesn’t move in mysterious and often scary ways eh? Now the next time the Father spoke up for Jesus was around the feast of the Passover in Jerusalem, when some Greek Jews attending the feast, decided that they wanted to meet Jesus, and so communicated to his disciples. Then Jesus began telling them that His time was near, and about dying to self and following Him. (John 12:20-26) Then He announced: ‘Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause (purpose) came I unto this hour. Father glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.’ (John 12:27-28) Yes Friends, the Father again declared His support for the Son. And blind and deaf as we are to many spiritual things, some of the listeners said it thundered, while others claimed an angel spoke to Him. But Jesus told them: ‘This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes, Now is the judgement of this world: now shall the prince (ruler) of this world (Satan) be cast out.’ (John 12: 30-31) The scholars explain. ‘Now means at the Crucifixion, not when he (Satan) is bound before the Millennium, or when he is cast into the lake of fire. Shall…be: because the Cross was still a future event.’ Then Jesus continued: ‘And I, if I be lifted up (crucified) from the earth, will draw all men unto me.’ (John 12:32) Oh my people, Jesus was lifted up, but the pertinent question now is will we be amongst those whom He draws unto Him? I certainly hope so. Please, let’s ponder that today, and make sure the answer is an emphatic ‘YES!’ for it’s the best option available to mankind. Much LOVE!…can Jesus look down on you…and say that He’s well pleased…that should be every believer’s goal…
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