Today’s Scrip-Bit 17 January 2013 Proverbs 1:10

17 Jan 2013 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Proverbs 1:10.      My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
 
Oh Friends, another day in our earthly pilgrimage is dawning, bright and beautiful in some physical locations, dark and dreary in others. But yuh know what; in all the hearts that know and LOVE Jesus, the day is dawning bright and beautiful with a sure promise of great things to come, regardless of the physical surroundings. Now today, I want to share a few quotes re virtual reality and the real reality, from this book I’ve been reading, ‘The Incredible Power of Grace – When God’s Assurance Becomes Your Own,’ by Roland R. Hegstad. Oh my brethren, in this modern age of almost instant communication, we’ve become so caught up in computers and all they represent, especially the chance to play in cyberspace and fantasize in what’s termed virtual reality. And as computers become more important, more invasive in our lives, unfortunately a by-product is that we tend to forget, lose sight or understand what is true reality. Author Hegstad advises that to truly understand what’s happening, we have to define our world in small frames of reference, like a photographer does when taking a picture. That frame can only hold so much information, but it’s invariably a true reflection of what’s there. He says: ‘In short, to define reality correctly, we must frame our world through the viewfinder of God’s Word – a viewfinder that reminds us that virtual reality is banishing face-to-face, heart-to-heart communication and friendship that God desires us to share.’ (Page 104) And isn’t that the REAL truth Friends? Virtual reality causes us to lose the reality of interacting with each other on a truly human, face to face basis. It’s become so silly and widespread now to see a group of supposed friends sitting together without any conversation between them, because they are all so busy texting or doing whatever on their communicating devices. Sometimes they can even be sitting together and texting each other rather than talking. How silly is that eh? And the sad part is that’s all most of our young people know and are accustomed to! Oh my people, I believe as author Hegstad does, that our world is quickly losing touch with the real reality and replacing it with the virtual stuff, which is not, and can never be the genuine article, but will always be a mere approximation. And do we want our lives to be ruled by mere approximations? I think not! So please, let’s not get so caught up in the cyberspace and the virtual realities of this world, that we lose sight of who and whose we are. As author Hegstad points out: ‘In God’s vision reality is something more than virtual: it’s a Person, a Person with nail-pierced hands: it’s adoption into the family of God, taking His name and becoming part of His own indestructible heredity.’ (Page 108) That therefore means, ‘Reality has a face! Reality is a person, the Lord Jesus Christ! And we are reality because we are created in His image. We are not just actors on a galaxy-sized Hollywood set. Here and now, we are God’s children. For the child of God, reality is never freedom from individuality, but freedom at last to be finally and fully oneself.’ (Page 114) And ‘When we lose touch with the reality that is Jesus Christ, we also lose self-identity – the concept of who we really are: here and now God’s son; here and now God’s daughter; here and now part of His own indestructible heredity; here and now LOVED beyond comprehension.’ (Page 106) Ah mih people, computers have their uses, as tools, but sadly, because of the world’s forceful push, we are allowing them to invade and control the very essence of our lives. In many ways, they are doing what our Bit so rightly advises against. ‘My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.’ Yes my brethren, this communication and information age is playing serious havoc with our lives. Granted, it gives us more opportunity to spread the Word, but by the same token it also provides more opportunity for us to be grossly mislead. And believe me, a lot of us are being seriously misled, duped and scammed by plenty of the stuff out there in the cyberspace and virtual reality worlds. We need to take much of it with plenty grains of salt. The most important thing in our lives is still, and will always be the WORD OF GOD! Now here’s a passage of scripture that describes God’s instruction to the Israelites, in terns of our Bit, re idolaters, way back when. ‘If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom (you cherish), or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou nor thy fathers; Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh (near) unto thee, or far off from thee, from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; Thou shalt not consent (yield) unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him. But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be the first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hand of all the people. And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die, because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more such wickedness as this is among you.’ (Deut.13:6-11) Oh Friends, it does seem a bit harsh, but it’s God’s Word and shows how serious He is about His supremacy and enticements to sin, especially worshipping idols and other so-called gods. So my people, in this mad rush to cyberspace and virtual reality, let’s not forget what is truly important in our lives – the WORD OF GOD – for if we do, we’ll certainly pay a hefty penalty for it – eternal separation from Almighty God. Much LOVE!…remember the first Commandment…Thou shalt have no other gods before me… (Ex.20:3) 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 January 2013 Proverbs 1:10

16 Jan 2013 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Proverbs 1:10.     My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

Aye mih Friends, have you seen or encountered any of the new mercies and blessings that our great and wonderful God has showered down on earth for this Wednesday? Well I have! And I want to tell you that they are terrific! Wow! I don’t know where our God finds those marvellous mercies and blessings to shower down on us everyday nuh, because everyday they just keep getting better and better. But I suppose that since He is God -omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent – then He can do anything. That means that the many earthlings who don’t believe in Him are not too bright, they don’t know what they’re missing. But fortunately, yes Friends, praise the Lord that we believers do! That’s why we sing and dance and praise and worship our Creator, the Lord God Jehovah, with such passion, such intensity. We know without a doubt, on which side our bread is buttered. That’s why Cousin Sol warns us in our Bit, right at the outset of his proverbial words of wisdom. ‘My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.’ Ah Friends, those words are few, but they pack a mighty wallop! They contain more wisdom than all the words and works of the evil world, for if we follow them, they will keep us from making very grave and serious mistakes, many of them irreparable and even life threatening. Hear how Cousin Sol continues and cements his argument for not walking knowingly with sinners. ‘If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for (to shed) blood, let us lurk privily (secretly) for the innocent without cause: Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: We shall find all precious substance (wealth), we shall fill our houses with spoil (plunder): Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse: My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain (keep) thy foot from their path: For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. Surely in vain (futility) the net is spread in the sight of any bird. And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily (secretly) for their own lives. So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.’ (Prov.1:11-19) Oh my brethren, truer words have never been spoken! For once we get involved with sinners and evildoers, we’ll eventually end up selling our souls to Beelzebub instead of Jesus. And believe me, the evil one has nothing really good or worthwhile to offer. His enticements may look bright and shiny in the sunlight, but in the dark of night their true cheapness and unworthiness comes out. It’s all a facade Friends, to catch us in his evil web, then confine us to eternal death with him. Now that’s certainly not a nice picture to imagine ourselves in. Jesus paints a much better and more realistic picture of heaven. And at least we’ve seen and heard what Jesus can do. Lucifer definitely can’t match His talents, so why walk with him eh? Anyway, hear how Bruh Paul puts it to the Ephesians, when talking about the ways of the believer. ‘And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove (expose) them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done in secret. But all things that are reproved (exposed) are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.’ (Eph.5:11-13) The scholars explain it this way. ‘Reprove is better translated “expose.” The believer’s duty is expressed here in two ways. Negatively, he is not to have any fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, that is, not to indulge in the sins of the unsaved. Positively, he is to “expose” (reprove) these sins, that is, bring them to light and show them for what they really are, so that the unbeliever may see their hideous nature and their terrible consequences. For tells why the Christian must expose the sins of the lost. If it is shameful even to discuss their iniquities in decent company (cf. v 3) how much worse is the committing of these sins. Hence we need to bring them to light.’ Ah mih people, a good and simple measuring stick for all that is, if the thoughts and actions before us can’t stand the light of day, but must remain secret, we should not be involved in them. Now listen to the psalmist Asaph’s take on the subject from Psalm 50, God is the judge – and is He ever! ‘But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? See thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers. Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself: but I will reprove (rebuke) thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation (conduct) aright will I show the salvation of God.’ (Ps.50:16-23) Oh Friends, that says it all! If we kow-tow with the wicked, then, like them, we’ll be eventually destroyed. However, if we live to praise and glorify our heavenly Father, then we will see His wonderful salvation that culminates in eternal life with Him. Now I ask you, which of those two options will you choose? Please ponder it seriously today, because we don’t know when Jesus will return, could even be today, and your eternal destiny depends on your individual choice, BEFORE He returns. Now may the good Lord shower you with wisdom, so that you’ll make the right choice. Much LOVE!…choose you this day…whom ye will serve…but as for me and my house…we will serve the Lord…  (Josh.24:15)
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 January 2013 Proverbs 1:10

15 Jan 2013 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Proverbs 1:10.     My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
 
Well a good Tuesday morning to all you beautiful people out there on Planet Earth! I’d first like to reassure us that the Lord God Jehovah is still in control of all things universal from His throne in the high heavens. And as always, He’s beginning this new day with new mercies and blessings for His BELOVED children. And all God’s children exclaimed a loud and grateful: “Praise the Lord! Amen!’ Yes Friends, our God is indeed great and worthy to be praised, so please let’s do it with this beautiful poem prayer from Dr. Robert H. Schuller’s Hour of Power Devotional. It’s simply titled: BEAUTY. ‘Thank you, Father, for filling the world with beauty. I thank you for the beauty of life, the beauty of LOVE, the beauty of children, and the beauty of old people. I thank you for the beauty of Christ and for the beauty of any life when Christ is invited through the Holy Spirit. Thank you, Father, that you have made my life beautiful too. Amen.’ Oh my people, whenever I come upon such interesting, energizing, encouraging words as those, I feel a sudden thrill, a compelling desire to share it with you. Why, you ask? Because it’s that kind of humble, but yet positive and confident prayer that we need in our prayer lives today. Remember Friends, prayer should be alive and bold. As the author of Hebrews advises: ‘Let us therefore come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.’ (Heb.4:16) Not in a sad, sorrowful, wishy-washy manner, though yet with humility and contrition. And I like the scholars’ comment on that verse. ‘Only Christianity provides such boldness for sinful men before a holy God, and that boldness is possible only because of our High Priest. The figure of a throne suggests a place of authority and provision. It is the place to obtain God’s grace when it is especially needed.’ Ah mih people, how with all that goodness, LOVE, mercy, forgiveness and compassion, could we not LOVE and revere Jesus and our heavenly Father eh? But enough of my ramblings, (smile) let’s get to our Bit, which today enshrines in it a very important warning and piece of advice from Cousin Sol. ‘My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.’ Oh my brethren, that’s a scripture passage all mankind ought to have constantly held up right before their very eyes, so that we don’t get in as much trouble as we do, straying from the straight and narrow path that Jesus desires us to follow. And all that basically means is that when evildoers come around encouraging us to do wrong, we should refuse their entreaties. The scholar’s have this to say about it. ‘The wise son rejects the invitation of criminals who promise wealth without work (v.13). The verse stresses the individual’s responsibility to avoid the tempter’s snare. (cf. James 1:14,15). And since I had intended to share those verses from James with you anyway, I’ll share them now. ‘But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust (desires), and enticed. Then when lust (desire) hath conceived, it bringeth forth (gives birth to) sin: and sin, when it is finished (full grown), bringeth forth death. Do not err (be deceived), my BELOVED brethren.’ (James 1:14-16) And that’s gospel truth people! ‘For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through (in) Jesus Christ our Lord.’ (Rom.6:23) There again Friends, we have every right to LOVE our Holy Trinity, because instead of giving us what we truly deserve for our abominations, death, they give us life, that is life forever, through grace, with all our sins having been paid for by the most wonderful Son and Saviour ever, Jesus Christ. Oh mih people, the ole fella’s on a roll this morning! (smile) And would you believe that when I began, the only thing I had to write was the poem, BEAUTY. That just goes to show how truly marvellous, faithful and helpful is our God, when we sincerely try to walk His pathway and do His bidding. As Bruh David so rightly says in his prayer for self-understanding. ‘And now Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in thee.’ (Ps.39:7) Yes, fellow believers, that’s the best, and should be the first place we to turn for help! And we’ll end with a wonderful example of not being enticed by sinners. We’re talking about Bruh Joseph with Potiphar’s wife. ‘And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes (longing eyes) upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me. But he refused, and said unto his master’s wife, Behold, my master wotteth (knows) not what is with me in the house (what is in the house, except through me), and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand: There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back anything from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?’ (Gen.39:7-9) Good question Friends? And please note, that Bruh Joseph, though he was concerned about breaking Potiphar’s trust, he was more concerned about sinning against his God. Unfortunately though, all his good efforts were in vain, as we know how Potiphar’s wife set him up, crying rape. And though Potiphar might have been somewhat leery of the accusation, he had no choice but to jail Bruh Joseph, which was all a part of God’s overall plan. But that just goes to show Friends, that even when we follow the tried and true path, the evildoers can still sometimes thwart us. And whenever that happens, sad and unfair as it may be, we still need to stay strong and faithful – possibly even more then –  because our God has promised that whatever comes against us, if we stand strong and true like Bruh Joseph, He will bring us through the fire, sometimes unscathed, but always stronger and more like Jesus character wise. And that’s my sermon, no, sorry, my lesson for today. (smile) More on this tomorrow, provided God’s in favour. Until then, let’s be careful not to fall into any enticements of the enemy, and if by chance we do, let’s quickly repent and turn to the Lord for help. Much LOVE!…be sober…be vigilant…because your adversary…the devil…as a roaring lion…walketh about…seeking whom he may destroy… (1 Pet.5:8) 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 January 2013 John 4:10

14 Jan 2013 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

John 4:10.    Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

‘Good morning neighbuh!’ the stocky, middle aged woman greets the younger woman across the fence, as they simultaneously open their front doors and step out on to their respective porches. ‘What’s so good about it eh?’ the younger woman replies in an irritated voice. ‘Oh, but look,’ the other woman enthusiastically answers, ‘the sun’s shining, the birds’ singing, you alive, and you have a steady job to go to.’ ‘So…’ the younger lady churlishly mouths. ‘So you should be happy,’ the neighbour answers.  ‘Steups! You doh know nuh woman,’ comes the reply. ‘Is Monday, and I’m just too tired to go to any blooming work this morning yes!’ Then with a thoughtful frown, she continues. ‘You wouldn’t by any chance want to get dressed and go and do this work for me…this work you so badly want?’ ‘Oh Miss Janice,’ the woman replies, a bit perturbed, ‘you know I couldn’t do your high class work, cause I don’t have your education and training.’ ‘Too bad yes,’ the young woman replies, as she turns on her heel and goes back inside to get ready to go to her high class job, leaving the older lady shaking her head in sad bewilderment, and asking,’ What happen to these young people nowadays eh?’  Oh Friends of mine, I sure hope none of you are to be found numbered amongst that miserable, unmannerly, unappreciative ungodly lot this morning, for it would certainly break Jesus’ heart. Anyway, to get over that surly, grouchy, Monday morning mood, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with much verve and gusto. Even fake it if you have to, cause as they say, if you fake it long enough you’ll end up doing it for real. Now as one trilling and thrilling earthly choir, (smile) let’s bombard the heavens with song. ‘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!’ Oh my brethren, I hope all that brought a chuckle, a bit of levity to your soul, raised your adrenalin level, but also encouraged you to get a move on. Now let’s get into our Bit: ‘Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.’ Ah Friends, trust Jesus to tie up the poor woman’s brain. Anyway, yesterday we talked about ‘the gift of God,’ in that passage, and discovered it to be God’s wonderful, unmerited, undeserved grace. Today, let’s check out ‘the living water’ scenario. And that basically means the Holy Spirit. That’s how it was sometimes referred to before Jesus finished His earthly work and returned to heaven. And we all know that the Holy Spirit wasn’t noised abroad to each and every believer before Pentecost, when the Apostles sitting in the upper room suddenly felt this rush as of a mighty wind from heaven. ‘And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ (Acts 2:3-4) But that doesn’t mean the Lord’s Spirit wasn’t involved with mankind before that. It came upon all the great leaders, prophets, and whomever the Lord singled out to do His bidding before Christ’s coming. Isaiah talks about it in Chapter 12, re thanksgiving for God’s mercies. ‘Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he has also become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.’ (Is.12:2-3) And Isaiah again refers to it in Chapter 44, the Spirit of God to be on Israel. ‘Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring. And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.’ (Is.44:3-4) Now here’s the definitive word on the subject from Jesus Himself, at the Feast of the Passover in Jerusalem. ‘In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly (heart) shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.’ (John 7:37-39) So there we have it Friends, plenty to ponder on this Monday morning as we journey out to continue our LOVE Walk with and for Jesus, in this evil, ungodly world. May He strengthen, and enable us with living water, keep us safe and peaceful, as we do His earthly bidding. Much LOVE!…living water…the Holy Spirit…can only be found at its true source…the fountainhead…Jesus…
 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 January 2013 John 4:10

13 Jan 2013 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

John 4:10.     Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it was that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

Well a good Sunday morning to all you beautiful believers out there in the Scrip-Bit family! And also to you who are joining us for the first time. I sincerely hope that it won’t be  for the last too, because what we’re trying to do here is lift people’s spirits, encourage them to live strong, powerful, meaningful lives here on this evil, ungodly earth, by focussing on the Word of God, His incomparable LOVE and peace, mercy and forgiveness, kindness and compassion! Wow Friends, what a cornucopia of blessings! And believe me, you can’t get all that wonderful stuff from any other source but Almighty God, through belief and trust in His marvellous Son, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ! Now yesterday I left us hanging re the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, because it would have run on way too long for our way too short attention spans, especially when it has do with the Creator of our universe. So let’s bring on our Bit, so that we can get rolling. ‘Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it was that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.’ Ah Friends, what a convoluted, confusing statement! No wonder the poor woman didn’t understand what Jesus was talking about. And yesterday I ended by asking if we knew what Jesus meant re ‘the gift of God’ and ‘living water’? Well let’s look first at ‘the gift of God’ by turning to Isaiah, when he talks about God’s suffering servant. ‘Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise (crush) him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail (distress) of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil (plunder) with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.’ (Is.53:10-12) Some powerful scripture that my people! But here is what it means per the scholars: ‘It pleased the lord to bruise (from daka’, “to crush) him refers to the same condition in verse 5 (wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities). Put him to grief reads “pierce” Him in the Dead Sea Scroll copy of the text. His seed refers to those who will come to believe in Him. An offering for sin (asham, ‘guilt offering’) involves the trespass offering described in Numbers 5:5-10. The phrase he shall prolong his days indicates that the Servant’s ministry will not end with His violent death, and certainly implies His resurrection. The pleasure of the Lord refers to God’s ultimate purposes which will be accomplished by the atoning death and resurrection of the Servant. The chapter ends with the glorification and exaltation of the Servant of the Lord. His intercession refers to His high priestly ministry, by which He makes intercession on the basis of His own substitutionary death.’ What a mouthful! But I do hope we understand it better than before. Yes Friends, way back in the Old Testament, centuries before Jesus was born, the Lord divulged His future plans to Isaiah, so that His people had something to hold on to, some assurance that all would be well eventually. If they trusted and had faith in Him, He would work everything out for their good in His own time. And that prophecy was fulfilled many years later by none other than Jesus, whom we know and LOVE and worship as our Lord, Master, Saviour, Prince of Peace, Mighty Counsellor, etc. etc. Now let’s turn to a passage in the New Testament re ‘the gift of God,’ from Bruh Paul, in his epistle to the Romans, re sin coming into the world through Adam and Eve and salvation through Christ. ‘But not as the offense, so also is the free gift (the free gift is not like the false step). For if through the offense of one (Adam) many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.’ (Rom.5:15) Oh Friends, what that basically means is that just like sin came into the world through Adam and was imputed to, covered all his descendants, just so Christ’s death and the salvation He brought is imputed to all believers, through the gift of God’s merciful and undeserving grace. Yes my brethren, that ‘gift of God’ is His wonderful grace, freely given to whomsoever chooses to believe in His Son Jesus Christ. Now isn’t that a most wonderful and superlative gift? It sure is! So please, let’s ponder some on grace today nuh. In fact let’s hunger for it, rise up and accept it in wisdom, faith and truth as we are supposed to. Only then will we realize the full extent of God’s LOVING-kindness and mercy. Much LOVE!…GRACE…the gift of God…with benefits unimaginable…free for the asking…and also free for the taking…
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 January 2013 John 4:10

12 Jan 2013 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

John 4:10.     Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
 
Oh Friends, the ole fella doesn’t have a catchy, tantalizing intro for us today as the edicts of writing dictate. But I have something even better: a free gift of living water in a land of broken dreams. I have Good News Friends, the best news ever! That the Creator of the universe came to earth as a man and dwelt amongst us here on earth for approximately thirty three years, during which time He taught us about our heavenly Father; what He expects of us. Then this God-man sacrificed Himself on a rugged wooden cross, so that we could be reconciled with the righteous and just God, from whom we’d been long estranged by the abomination termed sin, because of the disobedience of our first parents Adam and Eve. And my people, if that ain’t Good News, then I don’t know what is! Anyway, today we’re going to check out an interesting story between an earthly woman and this God who came to earth as flesh and took the name of Jesus: Salvation, Saviour. One day, as this Jesus journeys overland, note by foot (P2), from Judea to Galilee, He eschews the circuitous route usually taken by other Jews, and instead passes by the city of Sychar (old Shechem) which belonged to the Samaritans. Now the Samaritans were looked down on by the Jews because though originally Jews, they had been bastardized by intermarriage with the pagan tribes that inhabited the land when they originally conquered it. On this particular day, Jesus is tired from walking a long distance in the daytime heat, for though He is God, He has taken on all the attributes of man, except sin. So He sends His disciples to buy food and sits down near this well on a plot of land that the Jews’ forefather Jacob had given to his son Joseph, many generations back. (Gen.33:19; 48:22) Now while Jesus is sitting at the well, waiting for His disciples to return, this Samaritan woman from the nearby town comes to fill her pitcher at the well, whereupon Jesus asks her for a drink since He had no utensils to use for that task. Obviously the woman was shocked, and asked how come He, a Jew, asked her, a Samaritan for water, when the Jews looked down on the Samaritans as scum, and had no dealings with them whatsoever? That brings us to our Bit. ‘Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.’ Wow! Can you imagine the further shock the poor Samaritan woman must have experienced? Not only was a Jewish man actually having a civil conversation with her, but was also talking about giving her ‘living water’! Thus, ‘The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle (livestock)?’ (John 4:11-12) That was rather perceptive on the woman’s part, but she hadn’t really understood Jesus’ words. ‘Jesus answered and said unto her, Whomsoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well (fountain) of water springing up into everlasting life.’ (John 4:13-14) Mama Mia! Imagine that nuh people! Water that will cause you to never thirst again, that would instead keep bubbling up in you forever, like a fountain! Now, I believe if that scene took place today, the woman would laugh the man to scorn, consider him mad or simply a scam artiste, because we have so much intelligence, education and technological savvy at our fingertips, and the laws of nature says that sort of thing just is not possible. But note Friends, this woman two thousand years ago didn’t even bat an eyelash, didn’t miss a beat; ‘The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.’ (John 4:15) Ah mih people, despite all our supposed advances, we’ve become a very cynical society, and if something isn’t completely logical, or can be scientifically proven, we tend to ignore it, or look on it with scorn and distaste. But that woman back there was smart. She wasn’t sure what Jesus was offering, but what ever it was, she wanted it, at that time, primarily because she figured it would cut out the laborious task of coming to the well to fetch water.  But then Jesus unexpectedly changed the subject, telling her to go and bring her husband, to which she replied she had none. And when Jesus told her about her unusual lifestyle – five previous husbands, and a current common-law one, she realized that He was a prophet, otherwise He could not have known about her unconventional situation. (John 4:16-19) Oh Friends, I wonder if we know what Jesus was talking about, re ‘the gift of God, and living water’? I’d surely like to get into it now, but time and space have run out, and I don’t want to give us too much to ponder all at once.  So like all the drama and suspense shows we like to watch, I’ll just keep us dangling on a string till tomorrow, when I’ll reveal it all in living colour. (smile) Seriously though, the rest of stuff I want to talk about would just make the Bit way too long, and I’m very aware of our short attention spans. So till tomorrow, God in favour, please walk safely, and may He bless us and make His countenance to shine on us and give us His everlasting peace. Much LOVE!…not because something doesn’t sound logical…means it isn’t possible…through the eyes of faith…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 January 2013 Psalm 142:3

11 Jan 2013 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Psalm 142:3.     When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.

Well hello there you wonderful children of the Most High God Jehovah! I’m wishing you a bright and bountiful day as I acquaint you with the important fact that today is Friday. (smile) And immediately joyful shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday!’ rise up to heaven on high, bringing with it a most welcome sensation of peace and satisfaction that for two whole, big, long days, there will be no work to get up and go to in the outside world. Yes Friends, the weekend is upon us, which means we have to chant our Friday Chant. So as one faithful, hopeful, believing body now, let’s chant up a storm, even louder and more intense than the emotion we showed in rejoicing that it’s Friday. ‘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.’ Ah mih people, that is just to ensure that we don’t get too carried away by the freedom of the weekend, that we keep it in the right perspective and stay on the straight and narrow path, rather than rush off to the dangerous broad highway, that Lucifer tempts us to take. Freedom is great, but like everything else, a price has to be paid for it, in this case, one of spiritual responsibility. And as I turned my attention to our Bit, I realized that it is very appropriate, relative to what we were just saying. ‘When my spirit was overwhelmed (fainted) within me, then thou knewest my path. In the way wherein I walked have they privily (secretly) laid a snare for me.’  This comes from one of Bruh David’s contemplations, when he was hiding in a cave from his enemies, who were doggedly pursuing him. The scholars claim that cave could either be the one of Adullam (1 Sam.22:1-2) or that in Engedi (1 Sam.24:1-7) where he had opportunity to kill his major nemesis Saul, but rightly refused to lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. Now Friends, the first thing I want us to note in our Bit is Bruh David’s surety, the confidence with which he utters that first sentence. ‘When my spirit was overwhelmed (fainted) within me, then thou knewest my path.’ Yes my people, when our enemies come so forcefully against us, have us betwixt a rock and a hard place, and our spirits are so low that we’re liable to faint from the pressure, don’t worry, the Lord knows what we’re going through. This reminds us of the words of the psalmist, Asaph. ‘In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran (my hand was stretched out) in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed.  Selah.’ (Ps.77:2-3) Oh my brethren, ponder on that for a moment nuh. Yes, sometimes it does get pretty rough out there in the trenches of our evil world, especially when our enemies lay secret traps for us. And we often feel like Bruh David did: ‘I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know (acknowledge) me: refuge failed me: no man cared for my soul.’ (Ps.142:4) Now that’s a very disturbing and frightening situation Friends! But when we do feel like no one cares, that we have no place of refuge on this earth, please don’t give in to the despair, for though the children of men might be against us, always remember that our great God has us in His sights and under His protective umbrella. As Bruh Paul said centuries later: ‘What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?’ (Rom.8:31) And we all know the answer to that – NOBODY! However, Bruh David knew the underlying principle, since he had lived it for most of his life. Consequently, ‘I cried unto thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living. Attend (give heed) unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.’ (Ps.142:5-6) Oh my people, I am sure right now some of you are facing some real rough times and feel like Bruh David felt, so don’t be afraid or ashamed to also cry out to our LOVING, merciful God, like he did. That’s exactly what the Lord expects us to do in times of need. Yes my brethren, whenever our spirits are spiralling downwards, pressured by the trials and tribulations of this earthly life, it is certainly no disgrace to cry out to the Almighty, to the One who is stronger than us, for even Jesus did it in His times of sorrow. Like Bruh David, we can also plead: ‘Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about (surround me); for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.’ (Ps.142:7) And that Friends, we know is an undisputable fact! When we cry out to God in true faith and sincerity, He will lift us from the mire, deal bountifully with us and cause us to be surrounded by the righteous of the earth, because that will cause us to praise and glorify Him. And we all know that there’s nothing our heavenly Father likes more than us praising and glorifying Him with sincere hearts. In fact that’s one of the major reasons He created us. So please my people, whenever we’re being mercilessly pummelled by our enemies, as all of us are at sometime or other, let’s remember that the omnipotent Creator of this universe is our sure refuge, and let’s cry out in faith to Him, let Him hear our pain and desperation ringing out loud, so that He can take appropriate action and draw us closer to Him. Much LOVE!…when we’re drowning in the quicksand of life…and there’s no help from mortal man…look to heaven…the mighty spiritual hand of God will save us…He’s faithfully promised that…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 January 2013 Proverbs 27:2

10 Jan 2013 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Proverbs 27:2.     Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.

Oh Friends, this is the day the Lord has made, let us all rejoice and be glad in it nuh, as our Saviour Jesus Christ taught us! And all God’s children declared a loud and joyful: ‘All thanks and praise be to our heavenly Father, who created us, LOVES us unconditionally, and has prepared a resting place in heaven for us, after the trials and tribulations of this earth!’ Yes Friends, as believers we’re called to be truly grateful for all our great God has done, is doing, and will do for us. However, some of us, in our misguided attitudes, believe that we are masters of our own fate, and having done some extraordinary deed, and even sometimes nothing remarkable at all, insist on beating our chests in pride, arrogance and boastfulness. But my people that’s one of the worst things we can ever do, for our God despises the sin of pride and arrogance possibly more than anything else, because that makes Him unnecessary and unwanted in our lives. And the wise words of Cousin Sol in our Bit today, clearly warn us of that serious shortcoming. ‘Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.’ Ah my brethren, that’s a form of humility, which we as believers are expected to embrace, but unfortunately that word ‘humility’ and the resultant behaviour or attitude don’t hold much water in today’s society, where it’s about blowing our own horn, our own trumpet, boasting about our accomplishments and/or possessions. And as we all know, the Good Book is filled with passages that decry such behaviour, as one that doesn’t sit well in God’s sight. Let’s look at some of those scriptures, starting with Psalm 101, Bruh David talking about a commitment to holy living: ‘Whoso privily (secretly) slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off (destroy); him that hath a high look and a proud heart will not I suffer (endure).’ (Ps.101:5) Now let’s turn to Cousin Sol, for he mentions the abhorred attitude several times in Proverbs, and if he didn’t consider it important, I doubt he would have spoken about it so often. In this first passage, he comes around the subject from a different angle. ‘Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not on unto thine own understanding.’ (Prov.3:5) Now that’s where all the proud, arrogant and boastful fall down; they end up trusting in their own understanding. Then he talks about the seven deadly sins which are an abomination to the Lord. And you know what’s the first? ‘A proud look…’ (Prov.6:17) Yes Friends, a haughty look is certainly distasteful to our God! And in Proverbs 8; wisdom is everlasting, Cousin Sol declares: ‘The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy and the evil way, and the froward (perverse) mouth, do I hate.’ (Prov.8:13) Meanwhile, in Proverbs 16, he solemnly proclaims: ‘Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.’ (Prov.16:5) Oh Friends, that’s gospel truth without a doubt! And moving on to Proverbs 25, we hear him declare: ‘It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search (seek) their own glory is not glory.’ (Prov.25:27) And isn’t that a fact people! If we seek and declare our own glory, then it’s not real glory, for glory is something that is heaped on us by others, not by our own selves. The dictionary describes ‘glory’ as ‘exalted renown, honourable fame, special distinction, adoring praise and thanksgiving.’ Those are all things which can only be truly worthwhile when others give them to us. And if you don’t believe Bruh David and Cousin Sol, then listen to Isaiah. Here he speaks about the day of the Lord. ‘The lofty (proud) looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up, and he shall be brought low.’ (Is.2:11-12) Oh Friends, it couldn’t be any clearer than that! And we’ll close with another passage from Isaiah, re the woes pronounced on the faithless. ‘And the mean man (people) shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled. But the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgement, and God that is holy shall be sanctified (hallowed) in righteousness.’ (Is.5:15-16) Now my fellow believers, having heard the negative consequences of being filled with foolish pride, arrogance and boastful behaviour, I surely hope that we will tone down, if not completely disavow our own proud, arrogant and boastful attitudes, because NOTHING we do, comes from our own strength and wisdom, but is always enabled by that of our Creator, our omnipotent God and LOVING, merciful, forgiving Heavenly Father. So let’s take in front, before in front takes us nuh. (smile) That’s the wisdom of the ages. Much LOVE!…the world’s wisdom beats its chest and says…I am great…but heavenly wisdom teaches humility and declares…GOD is great…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 January 2013 Song of Solomon 2:4

09 Jan 2013 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Song of Solomon 2:4.     He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was LOVE!
 
Top o’ the morn Friends! Unfortunately my neck of the woods – dark, dreary and snowy – doesn’t engender enthusiasm to the physical sight and senses. In fact it’s rather depressing to keep seeing that sort of bleak, uninviting landscape everyday. However, when we look through our eyes of faith, we can plainly see calm, clear, blue waters gently breaking over golden brown, sandy sea shores, with a brilliant, hot sun reigning supreme in a cloudless blue sky. And why is that my people? Because of God’s LOVE for us! He puts that unnatural ability in our hearts through faith in His Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And from the moment I read this poem in Dr. Robert Schuller’s ‘Hour of Power Devotional earlier on, I just knew that I had to share it with you. And you’ll realize why, because it’s titled: ‘GOD LOVES ME!  Thank you, Lord, for this holy sentence, this good news, this happy report, this exciting thought, this graceful truth, this fantastic lesson: God LOVES me! Even when I’m at my worst – God LOVES me. Even when my faith is dim – God LOVES me anyway! It’s incomprehensible and fantastic! Thank you, Father: Amen.’ Oh Friends, one of the reasons I like Dr. Schuller’s writings is because they are always full of bright, and strong faith, with vibrant expectations of good things to come, using encouraging words and uplifting language! One of the serious problems with believers these days is that we’re too dreary and dead, lacking in real life, our enthusiasm doesn’t come out in our prayers and our every day lives the way it should. Too many of us still believe that to be a true Christian we must walk around cowed, with head bowed, shoulders limp and low, and a sad, ugly countenance. I guess that’s our erroneous definition of being humble. But Friends, I’m here to tell us that that’s a most blatant lie that Lucifer perpetrates to get us to lose our joy in Jesus. Remember that the joy of the Lord is our strength. (Neh.8:10) And if we lose it, then what do we have? Nothing! Please my brethren, with all the good things Jesus did for us; dying that ugly, horrible death on the cross to pay for our sins, being resurrected and ascending into heaven so that we can have salvation and eternal life, plus the wonderful promises of never forsaking us and always being with us through the wonderful aura of His Holy Spirit, Christians should be the happiest and most cheerful people in the universe. We should be laughing, enthusiastic and exuberant every minute of every day. Even when we’re asleep, there should be a beatific smile on our faces, because we’re dreaming of heaven and God and all the great things that await us there. Sadly though, too many of us allow the cares and concerns of this evil, ungodly world to drive us to doom and gloom. Remember Friends, Jesus said that in this world we’d surely find trials and tribulation, but since He’s already overcome it, we should therefore be filled with peace and good cheer and enjoy the benefits of His sacrifice. (John 16:33) Otherwise all His sacrifices would have been in vain. I know we can’t always go around grinning like Cheshire cats, but we certainly need to be more alive, enthusiastic, encouraging and expectant than a lot of us are. Oh Friends, the greatest thing in this world is LOVE! And LOVE brings joy! No wonder in our Bit, Cousin Sol describes the bride’s admiration of her groom with these choice and moving words of truth. ‘He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was LOVE!’ Aye people, that’s exactly what our Creator, the Lord God Jehovah has done for us! He brought us to the banqueting house of salvation and eternal life through the sacrificial death of His Son, Jesus Christ. For that we should be eternally grateful and joyful. Remember the Good Book says that ‘God is LOVE; and he that dwelleth (abides) in LOVE dwelleth (abides) in God, and God in him.’ (1 John 4:16) LOVE is the dominant characteristic of our God, and should therefore be also the dominant characteristic of the true believer. Now let’s hear some appropriate scripture on LOVE, it’s power and how it ought to cause us to live. And we’ll begin with Cousin Sol, from his Song. ‘Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for LOVE is strong as death; jealousy is cruel (severe) as the grave: the coals (flames) thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench LOVE, neither can the floods drown it: If a man would give all the substance (wealth) of his house for LOVE, it would utterly be contemned (despised). (Song 8:6-7) Yuh see that mih people? LOVE is as strong as death, you can’t drown it, nor buy it! Now listen to ole Jeremiah. When talking about the restoration of Israel, he boldly declares: ‘The Lord hath appeared of old (from afar) unto me, saying, Yea, I have LOVED thee with an everlasting LOVE: therefore with LOVING-kindness have I drawn thee.’ (Jer.31:3) Oh mih breddren, again we see the power of LOVE, and the Lord’s LOVING-kindness that He uses to envelop us, to wrap us in His LOVING embrace. Meanwhile, in talking about the Lord’s LOVE for faithless Israel, the prophet Hosea says of God: ‘I drew them with cords of a man (gentle cords), with bands of LOVE: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws (necks), and I laid meat unto them (stooped and fed them).’ (Hos.11:4) But foolishly they refused to be drawn to Him. Please my people, please don’t let us follow that foolish path of disobedience, cause there will only be severe punishment later on. Come to think of it, that’s what we’re facing right now; punishment for turning away from the God of our fathers and embracing the evil Lucifer and the worldly lusts of the flesh. Now hear Jesus, as He lambastes the hypocrite Pharisees: ‘But I know you, that ye have not the LOVE of God in you.’ (John 5:42) Yes Friends, if the LOVE of God is not in us, then we’re not His children. And we don’t have the space or time for one of the most profound writings on LOVE; 1 Corinthians 13, titled ‘The Way of LOVE,’ from the godly pen of Bruh Paul. But I ask us all to read it today, so that we can get a new or refreshed look and attitude towards the world’s most wonderful characteristic – LOVE. And you know that, whenever possible, we like to give Jesus the final, definitive word on the subject. ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13:34-35) Oh Friends, that says it all. Our Leader commands it, so please let’s go out and do it nuh. It will certainly enrich our souls more than we can ever imagine. Much LOVE!…and now abideth faith…hope…LOVE…these three…but the greatest of these is…LOVE… (1 Cor.13:13)
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 January 2013 2 Corinthians 1:2

08 Jan 2013 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

2 Corinthians 1:2.     Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
Aye Friends, whoever says that our God isn’t something else, doh really know Him nuh. Listen to this story: A couple days ago He worked a magic on me, a nice magic obviously, and now would you believe that He wants me to testify to it. Hn, hn! But you know, since I try to be obedient as much as possible, I am going to testify, though not simply out of obedience, but more so out of LOVE and gratitude for God’s awesome goodness, and as usual, He was just in time. Anyway, the story goes like this. That day I guess I was feeling somewhat tired and low down, plus the weather was sort of wet and damp, and to make matters worse, my old bones were acting up with the arthritis, so I was having a bit of a pity party, day dreaming about the wonderful weather in Tobago. And right at that momentous moment in time (smile) the duchess called me from downstairs to pick up the phone. And lo and behold, it was one of my sisters in Jamdown (Jamaica) calling to wish me a Happy New Year and also to tell me that my niece and nephew from Tobago had just had dinner with them. And I don’t have to tell you all what that caused – my joy was most thoroughly renewed! And who says that our God isn’t a real great God eh? Foolishness! Much thanks Sister Audrey! I’m sure she didn’t even know that she was then being used by the Most High to revitalize me. And some of you must be wondering how come I have sisters in J.A. But they must be my sisters since some forty years ago, when I was living there, their parents took me in when I had no place to go, and the family showered me with plenty, plenty LOVE, a true action of Jesus. Thanks so much Aunt Amy and Uncle Aubrey. I won’t even venture to think what would have become of me, if the LOVE of Jesus hadn’t penetrated your hearts and caused you to take me in. And as I keep saying Friends, we miss the best part of our God when we don’t see His wonderful actions in our daily lives. Ah sorry for you people who don’t look for Him in the everyday situations, and thus cannot appreciate what He does in the ordinary, day to day moments, but the Lord has done so much ordinary magic in my life that He’s made me a sure believer. Unfortunately, most of us keep looking for big miracles, which are obviously few and far between, when we should be looking for the small ones, which happen almost everyday. However, from today, RIGHT NOW, I want us all to look for and thus enjoy those smaller moments of magic, cause that’s when we truly come to know, appreciate and LOVE Him. I also want us to be serious about our New Year’s resolution to increase the level and intensity of our LOVE Walk with Jesus. That means being more committed in thought, word and action to the LOVE REVOLUTION we’re trying to foment. Oh Friends, I guarantee that if you all really tried to get closer to Jesus, you’d be amazed at the good changes that will start taking place in your lives. Then you’d start to believe more. In other words, you’d be growing in faith. And that’s the name of the game my people: believe… experience… more belief… more experience, at an even higher level… faith grows even stronger… with righteousness not bad at all… and you just keep growing until He’s ready to call you home. In fact, once you come to really know Jesus, you never stop growing because there’s such an awesome amount of stuff to learn about and from Him. And that Friends, is my testimony for this Tuesday morning, early in January, in this new year of 2013 with its promised watershed, unexpected, and most interesting happenings. Ah mih people, if we can’t find joy in the Lord, then something’s wrong. But here’s our Bit: ‘Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.’ And like Bruh Paul, I’d like to wish us all that this morning. That greeting came to be his signature at the beginning of almost all of his writings, beginning with that to the Romans. ‘To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.’ (Rom.1:7) The scholars explain that thus: ‘Called to be saints. This tells how they got to be saints, namely by way of God’s call (cf. 8:30). Grace is the typical Greek greeting, whereas peace is a traditional Hebrew greeting. Note Paul’s greeting in his other epistles, for this characteristic expression of Paul.’ And re our Bit, here is the scholar’s note. ‘Grace to you and peace: for Paul, grace always precedes peace. Peace is subsequent and comes because God’s grace has been received by faith. Nothing brings this peace as much as the undiluted gospel of God’s grace (cf. Eph.2:14; Phil.4:7; Col.1:20; 3:15). From: The single preposition ‘apo’ links the Father and the Son in an indissoluble union, thus pointing to the deity of Christ.’ And all God’s children declared a loud and grateful, ‘Praise the Lord!’ Now Friends, we’ll close with the words to the chorus of another li’l reggae ditty I recently heard that are most appropriate to our Bit today. It’s called ‘Beauty for Ashes, and is sung by Germaine Cowan. Please sing the chorus with me: ‘Beauty for ashes, In a shower of grace. Hope for tomorrow; It’s a bright and brand new day. He took away my sorrow. Put a smile on my face. Beauty for ashes, In a shower of grace.’ Isn’t that just plain beautiful and filled with so much gospel truth my brethren! Let’s ponder on those things today nuh, let’s consider the many instances where our wonderful God has taken our ashes and given us beauty in return. Let’s start looking for His glorious presence in our everyday lives, because that’s where He wants to be and is mostly to be found. Much LOVE!…And of his fullness…have all we received…and grace for grace…(graced heaped on grace)… (John 1:16) 
 
 

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