28 Nov 2012
by randyobrien50
in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living
Tags: beautiful day, cold weather, consummate wisdom, deception, eccentric, fear of God, Jesus' sacrificial death, kingdom of god, light of jesus, Lucifer's lies, Messiah, Paradise, rain, rewards of salvation, righteousness., the straight and narrow, wake up, walk the talk
Ephesians 5:14. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
Oh Friends, oh Friends, another beautiful day is unfurling in Paradise! (smile) I hope the weather forecasters are wrong about the next couple days though, because they predict some more rain. Ah chuh! Yesterday wasn’t so beautiful at all, with a kind of intermittent rain falling all day; hard for a little while, then tapering off to a drizzle, then stopping, with even the sun coming out bright and hot, fooling you into thinking that it was finally over. But that was very deceptive, just like Beelzebub and his worldly lusts, for lo and behold, without any warning, it would suddenly pour down again. And if it was cooling the land, it wouldn’t be too bad, however it only increased the humidity, making you feel sweaty and miserable. I’ll take that any day though over the cold and snow. Now we won’t even go there, because next week this time, I’ll be fighting up with the cold weather back in the North County, longing for the hot, rainy, sunny days of sweet Tobago. Anyway, yesterday I went to into the metropolis of Scarborough to meet my old school buddy, James Joel Telemaque Phillip Prince Albert Jack. Hn,hn! That’s certainly a mouthful, but I believe it’s only the first two are his real names. I’ve heard that though from since ABC (Kindergarten), some sixty years ago, so that now it’s just ingrained into my consciousness. And I have to laugh, because from day one Telemaque was eccentric, and now in his golden years, he’s become even more so. But he’s still bright and endearing. I also visited some other school chums out in the posh Bacolet area. Actually spent most of the afternoon there, safely ensconced in middle class luxury during the rainy spells. Now don’t get me wrong, my friends might live good, but they worked hard for what they have, and are true, down to earth believers. Their house had to be big too, in order to safely comfort their six children. So I am just being foolish, to tease them when they read it. Then, by the time I got home, after 7 p.m, another couple arrived to take us out to dinner. So it was indeed a busy day. Good thing I got in my dip in Store Bay before I went out. Enough though about my inconsequential activities, time to visit our Bit, which is the same as yesterday, because it’s a rather important topic, exhorting believers to really wake up and do the things we’re supposed to do, not simply talk about them, then go and do the worldly things that totally contradict them. ‘Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.’ Ah mih people, it’s mind boggling that we’re labouring in such dreary darkness these days, when we should be enjoying the wonderful light of Jesus, that He sacrificed His sinless life for us to have, and which we talk so much about. Unfortunately, too many Christians are only mouthing the tenets of our faith, but are really practicing the ways of the world; seeking personal fame, power and glory, along with money and material possessions. Now those things are important to a certain extent, but they’re not be worshipped, to be idolized, as we’re currently doing. Remember Jesus purposely advised us: ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt.6:33) And if you truly believe in Jesus, then you’ll do as He says. Too many of us though claim to believe, but are not truly living by faith as we should, and instead are foolishly running down the things of the world, causing ourselves untold stress and trouble, when we could be enjoying the peace of Christ that Jesus promises, and surely delivers, when we keep Him FIRST in our lives. That brings us back to Bruh Paul’s warning to the Ephesians, continuing from where we left off yesterday. ‘Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.’ (Eph.5:17) Yes my brethren, since these days are so evil, believers have to show consummate wisdom at all times, truly desiring to know the Lord’s will, and not being led down the garden path by the forces of iniquity, that are constantly trying to get us off God’s straight and narrow way. Now here’s another bit of enlightening and encouraging scripture on the topic from the prophet Malachi. ‘But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness (Messiah) arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall (grow fat like stall-fed calves).’ (Mal.4:2) Oh Friends, that’s another prophecy that was also fulfilled by Jesus’ coming, so how can we not believe and have faith in the Good Book and its guiding light, its true path to salvation eh? Anyway, we’ll end with some ways that Bruh Paul advised the Ephesians to conduct their lives, so that they could stay on the straight and narrow path that leads to salvation and eternal life. ‘And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess (dissipation); but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.’ (Eph.5:18-21) Oh my people, that’s invaluable advice which all believers should follow, if we truly desire to be of service to our most wonderful, LOVING, kind, generous, merciful and forgiving God! Please, pretty please mih bredden, let’s try and put those things into our lives nuh, starting today, RIGHT NOW, so that we can be all numbered amongst the truly righteous and faithful of the earth. That is wisdom at its zenith! Much LOVE!…if we truly want to experience the great rewards and benefits of salvation…it’s time we wake up…and take our God seriously…both in words and deeds…
27 Nov 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: awake, darkness, evil, faith, faithful efforts of believers, fight, fun, Gentiles, God's work, happy medium, hymn of praise, light of Christ, LOVE, make a difference, New Testament, Old Testament, opportunities, Paradise, prophecies, Redeem the time, relaxation, rest, spiritual enlightenment, teachings, time flies, walking carefully, walking foolishly, Word of God
Ephesians 5:14. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
Ah Friends, I can’t believe that I’ve already been in Paradise for a whole week! Time sure does fly when you’re having fun! I can’t say that I had much fun though yesterday, because all I did was write, eat, sleep, talk on the phone, read, eat and sleep again. But that’s good, for sometimes the body does need a day of rest and relaxation. However, too much of that is just as bad as too little. We need to find a happy medium, so we can both rest and rejuvenate our bodies and minds, but also be up and doing God’s work. As our Bit today warns: ‘Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.’ Yes Friends, we’re still on the very important topic of getting out of the Lucifer induced darkness to the brilliant, salvation filled light of Christ. Hear the scholars on our Bit: ‘Since exposing sin is beneficial, God invites the unbeliever (thou that sleepest) to turn from his sin (arise from the dead), with the promise that he will be granted the spiritual enlightenment and help needed (Christ shall give thee light). And is that ever so true! The enemy just delights in keeping us in darkness, so that we can’t see and rejoice in the glorious light of Jesus. But Friends, we need to fight, with all our might, that evil, cloud-like darkness that wants to keep us in subjugation to Beelzebub and his wicked cronies. And though many of us consider the Old Testament to be like its name; old, out of date, and of no use, that’s a terrible fallacy. It’s there to be an important example to us, a reminder of how it used to be. Both Jesus and Bruh Paul quoted the Old Testament extensively. And in today’s Bit, Bruh Paul is referring to Isaiah’s hymn of praise, where he confidently declares: ‘Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.’ (Is.26:19) Bruh Paul was also quoting from Isaiah’s future glory of Zion. ‘Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.’ (Is.60:1-3) And according to the scholars: ‘Isaiah foresees a time when Israel will arise out of her darkness and shine with God’s glory. Then the Gentiles shall come to her light. Thus the sons of strangers described in this chapter will come to Jerusalem to worship the Lord.’ And my people we’ve lived to see that prophecy come to pass with Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection! Yes Friends, we cannot ignore the teachings and prophecies of the Old Testament, but must use it in conjunction with the New Testament, for if you don’t know where you’ve been, or are coming from, you cannot plot a good and wise path for your future. And the Old Testament gives us the rich history of our faith, which in these days we desperately need to build on and keep going. Wherefore, Bruh Paul challenged the Ephesians to; ‘See then that ye walk circumspectly (carefully), not as fools, but as wise.’ (Eph.5:15) Unfortunately though my brethren, too many of us are not walking circumspectly these days, but walking as certain fools, ignoring the rich Word of God, to foolishly embrace the worldly pleasures that Lucifer is tempting us with. However our need to walk carefully is becoming more important every day, especially with the recent explosion of the communications media and the ease with which every Tom, Dick and Harry can put forth their own biased, false and conniving views. We can be so easily led astray in these modern times it’s not funny, but sadly, many of us are not taking the situation as seriously as it warrants. Fellow believers, I’m imploring us to wake up and smell the roses, see the destruction and disgrace that both the spiritual and physical forces of evil are planning and perpetrating upon our faith and those who embrace it. No wonder Bruh Paul continued by cautioning the Ephesians: ‘Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.’ (Eph.5:16) And I like what the scholars say about that verse: ‘Redeeming the time (or, “making the most of every opportunity”): Contextually, the specific opportunity in view is that of exposing the sins of the lost and being a witness to them. Because the days are evil assigns a reason to seize each opportunity. It is because the sins being committed these days are so evil.’ Oh my people, that’s pure, pure gospel truth! These are some of, if not the most wicked and evil days in the entire history of mankind. In times gone by, we were rough and barbaric and didn’t know any better. Hn! But now…now when we’re claiming to be civilized, we’re even more brutal and evil than before, if that’s at all possible. We just do it in a more underhanded, subtle manner. We’ve turned evil into both an art and a science, a field that too many are desirous of studying and becoming very accomplished in. Friends, oh Friends, it’s only through the strong, diligent, faithful and continuing efforts of believers that this world will ever see any positive changes. So if we truly desire to see it improve, if we truly desire a better world for our children and theirs, then let’s work together in the name of Jesus nuh, with each one of us, really trying to make some small difference in our own way, beginning in our own neighbourhood. That’s the only way any positive changes will ever come about. Much LOVE!…it’s time for ALL true believers…to stop the fruitless talking…and instead step up to the plate…and make a worthwhile, even though small difference…
26 Nov 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: battle hymn, children of darkness, children of light, darkness, healing, humble servants, light, LOVE, Monday Morning, moral purity, new creations, peace, renewed vitality, right direction, spiritual armour, strength, sure conqueror, Togetherness, work
Ephesians 5:8. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.
Oh Friends, another Monday has dawned sunny and bright on God’s Little Acre! Praise the Lord! And as He would have it, I’m sitting here on the porch of my cottage in Store Bay, enjoying the cool breeze that’s blowing across the compound, writing encouraging words of LOVE, Peace and Togetherness to you. Oh, I can feel your pain (smile) as you get up to go and labour this Monday morning after a hectic weekend – Thanksgiving in the U. S. and the Grey Cup in Canada. And I can imagine the mess that Toronto must be in seeing that the hometown Argonauts won the 100th edition of our famous game! But don’t worry about anything Friends, for our great God has everything under control, and He has the ‘rightest’ remedy for whatever ails you; just turn to Him, asking in all sincerity for healing, strength and courage to do His will today. And we’ll help and encourage each other by singing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, harmoniously and with as much energy as we can muster. 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 mih people, that should get us going in the right direction, with more energy than we previously had! And please remember that going out to earn an honest living, is one of the many ways in which we can please and glorify our wonderful God and further His righteous kingdom. That’s why in leading up to our Bit, Bruh Paul expounds to the Ephesians on what a believer ought not to do. (Eph.5:1-7) Then in our Bit, he reminds them of what they had become: ‘For ye were sometimes (once) darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.’ That’s the absolute truth my brethren! If we’ve been converted from children of darkness to children of light by accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, then we have to give up the things of darkness and concentrate on the things of light. As the song by Germaine Cowan so rightly says, since I’ve rearranged my life to suit Christ; ‘The things I used to do, I do them no more. The places I used to go, I go there no more.’ And that’s exactly as it ought to be Friends! For all old things have passed away, and we’ve become brand new creations in Christ. Now here are some scholarly observations on the subject. ‘Darkness indicates that the readers used to be spiritually unenlightened, and accompanying this ignorance was immorality with its resultant guilt and misery. Light denotes that the recipients are now to be religiously informed. Their knowledge of the truth is attended by moral purity and happiness.’ And after our Bit, Bruh Paul continues: ‘(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.’ (Eph.5:9-10) And the scholars here direct that; ‘Because of constant temptations and solicitations to evil, believers must always be proving or discerning what is and what is not acceptable unto the Lord.’ Yes Friends, it’s a constant battle we wage against the powerful forces of darkness, so we have to be constantly on the lookout to do God’s acceptable will, and not that of Beelzebub. Then Bruh Paul continues his warning: ‘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 of them in secret.’ (Eph.5:11-12) And here’s what the scholars have to say about those two verses. ‘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 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.’ Then on verse 12, they explain: ‘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 the worse is the committing of these sins. Hence, the need to bring them to light.’ Ah my people, there are indeed some real atrocious deeds been perpetrated by the evildoers in these wicked and troubled times. ‘But all things that are reproved (exposed) are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.’ (Eph.5:13-14) Yes fellow believers, we need to diligently root out sin from our lives and the lives of those around us where possible. And as the ole people would say, ‘whatever is done in darkness will eventually come to light.’ And that’s the gospel truth! And even better, the gospel of Christ will bring us out of the darkness into the light, for that’s its basic purpose. So mih breddren, let’s seriously ponder our deeds today nuh, and see where we’re falling behind, giving into the things of darkness, then uproot them with the light of Christ’s gospel, so that we stay true to our faith and calling. It’s not easy, but with God’s generous help, we can surely do it. Much LOVE!…only by storing the truth and light of the gospel in our hearts…can we reject and expose the darkness and evil of Lucifer…
26 Nov 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: complete trust, faith, hurricane flora, LOVE, LOVING presence of God, old school chums, praise, rain, righteousness., Sing praises to the Lord, surrender, truth
Jeremiah 20:13. Sing unto the Lord, praise ye the Lord: for he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evil doers.
Ah Friends, please accept my humble apologies for the Bit being this late, but it’s due to circumstances beyond my control. (smile) I got up this morning to go to church all the way in Scarborough for 7.30 and never got back home until late in the afternoon. It’s the first time I’ve been to this newly built St. Andrews Anglican church since 1972, for my father’s funeral. It’s nice in the modern way, and has a newish sheen to it, but to me it lacks the praise and worship ambience, the cathedral feel, with stained glass windows etc. that the old one had. It was over a hundred years old when it got blown down by Hurricane Flora in 1963. Oh, I met Harry in church. He seems to be feeling better, and thanks you all for your prayers. Obviously after church I had to talk to some people I haven’t seen for forty odd years. Then we went around visiting a couple of other old school chums. And in between all of that the rain just kept intruding. It would rain for a while, then stop, then start again. At one point in church, it was falling so hard that you couldn’t hear the minister. Yesterday afternoon when it began to fall, it fell with an intensity that I haven’t heard in a long while. But it didn’t interrupt my birthday celebrations, which wasn’t anything big anyway; just a couple of family members eating, talking and listening to music on my porch, watching and enjoying the falling rain. I was happy, since I didn’t feel like dressing up and going out in the inclement weather. The only drawback was that I didn’t get my daily dip in Store Bay, doesn’t seem like I’ll get it today either. But that’s okay, because I know it’s right next door, so I can go anytime I want. So as far as I’m concerned, I had a good 65th birthday, being surrounded by family, in the LOVING presence of Almighty God. It couldn’t get any better! That’s why I can agree with Jeremiah when he staunchly declares in our Bit: ‘ Sing unto the Lord, praise ye the Lord: for he hath delivered the soul (life) of the poor from the hand of evil doers.’ And that’s the truth Friends! Our God is very concerned about the souls of the poor, downtrodden and oppressed. Granted, sometimes it doesn’t seem so in the reality of the real world, but make no mistake, He does care for all His children very much. Listen to Bruh David tell it: ‘And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: It shall rejoice in his salvation. All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth (plunders) him.’ (Ps.35:9-10) The only problem Friends, is that there are so many who are not strong enough to resist being plundered by their enemies. And too many of them refuse to put their trust in the Lord God of Hosts, the mightiest General in the universe. But how can He help us, if we don’t put our complete trust in Him eh? We can’t be half and half, or sitting on the fence like too many of us choose to do. The only way the Lord can fight on our behalf is when we totally surrender our pitiful lives to Him. And in Psalm 109, a prayer for punishment of the wicked, Bruh David again proclaims his undying faith and trust in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. ‘Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice, Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame; and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle. I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude. For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn (judge) his soul.’ (Ps.109:28-31) Ah my people, I know it’s difficult to put our complete trust in a spiritual Being we can’t see. But that’s the whole idea of faith; believing and trusting in a non-mortal power, that we can’t see or touch. And if the mortals that we can see and touch are not willing to take care of us, but rather take pleasure in using and abusing us, where else are you going to turn, but to a higher spiritual Being, who has over the ages proven Himself to be strong, faithful and trustworthy. Take it from me Friends, it’s worth taking the plunge and putting your whole life in the protective arms of the Lord God Jehovah! I can personally vouch for that life changing strategy, for since I’ve done it, my life has become much better. Now it doesn’t mean you won’t have problems and adversity, but then you won’t be always worried and fearful, because you’ll have the peace and comfort that God will handle it, and also work it all out for the best. And we’ll end with some more encouraging words from the psalmist. This comes from Psalm 111, titled, ‘Praise the Lord for His care.’ And that’s something we ought to do more often and with much more intensity. ‘Praise ye the Lord (shout Hallelujah). I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation. The works of the Lord are great, sought out of (studied by) all them that have pleasure therein. His work is honourable and glorious; and his righteousness endureth for ever.’ (Ps.111:1-3) And that’s the awesome truth Friends! So please, let’s get ourselves together and concentrate seriously on the great God we serve and worship nuh. You will not, no never regret it. Much LOVE!…Praise Him, praise Him…for He is LOVE…He is LOVE…
24 Nov 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: beautiful Tobago, covenant, crooks, footsteps of faith, glory hallelujah, God's LOVE, good times, Happy Birthday, humility, Jacob, land of my birth, men of faith, Moses, spiritual sensitivity, tough times, true believer, worthiness
1 Chronicles 17:16. And David the king came and sat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?
‘Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday dear Randy! Happy Birthday to you!’ Oh Friends, today is the ole fella’s 65th birthday! Glory Hallelujah! And does our God ever move in mysterious ways, for the last birthday I spent in T&T was my 25th, that’s 40 years ago. Wow! And I couldn’t think of a better place to spend my 65th than in beautiful Tobago, the land of my birth. ‘Thank You Lord! You are so wonderful to me, that I don’t know what else to say.’ Yes my brethren, I can only follow in the footsteps of great men of faith, like Bruh David in our Bit, who when the Lord made the covenant with him, was so overwhelmed, that he could do as the Good Book declares: ‘And David the king came and sat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto (this far)?’ Now obviously I’m not in Bruh David’s class re the strength of his relationship with the Lord, but I’m trying. And as the scholars so rightly explain of verses 16-27, which we all should read: ‘David again shows himself to be a man of spiritual sensitivity, who was always ready to go to God in prayer, thanksgiving, and praise.’Ah Friends, that’s the hallmark of a true believer: one who’s always ready to humble him/herself before their Maker, regardless of the circumstances. The fact of the matter is that God LOVES ALL His children, but sadly, His children don’t reciprocate that LOVE enough. We’re quick to come to Him when times are tough, when we need something, but in the good times, too many of us forget Him. Bruh David’s actions here are also recounted in 2 Samuel 7; and the words similar to our Bit, in verse 18. But let’s look at two other instances where men of great faith wondered about their worthiness to receive God’s favour and do His work. The first one deals with Jacob, when he was about to reconnect with his brother Esau, years after he’d stolen his birthright. (Gen.27) ‘And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies (LOVING-kindness), and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands (companies).’ (Gen.32:9-10) As we all know, Jacob was an ole crook, a fraud and con artist of the highest order, before the Lord called him to do His bidding. Even in this meeting with his brother Esau, he set up two separate groups of his people, so that if Esau came in foul mood to exact vengeance, one group would be able to escape. But that’s the Lord’s style. He usually calls the most unworthy in man’s eyes to do His work. We see that quite clearly in Moses’ case, an exiled murderer called to lead the Lord’s people to freedom. So when God called him at the burning bush to send him to talk to Pharaoh, his response was one of unworthiness. ‘And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token (sign) unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God on this mountain.’ (Ex.3:11-12) And after that, nobody did any greater work than Moses to glorify God, until Jesus came. Ah Friends, though most of us in the natural feel unworthy to do God’s work, be sure that He knows what He’s doing. And as He told Moses; ‘Certainly I will be with thee…’ the same way He will be with you, for He never gives you a job to do without the requisite tools and His invaluable help. I can vouch for that from personal experienced, for when He floated this Scrip-Bit idea, I laughed and told Him I couldn’t do it because I didn’t know enough scripture. But over the years, He’s certainly shown Himself faithful and has helped me everyday, to grow and to write the Bit. I could never have accomplished the little I’ve done so far in His Name, without His help. Yesterday was a perfect example of that. I went into the mighty metropolis of Scarborough, (smile) to get my Birth Certificate authenticated, so I can renew my T&T Passport, cause I’m not ever giving up my T&T citizenship. Anyway, this was around noon with the temp at 34 C, and I suspect that was in the shade. However, as I entered Scarborough, I found myself in a traffic jam, of all things. But through God’s great mercy, I managed to extricate myself from it and ended up at Fort King George, overlooking the town. Ah my brethren, the old fort not only provided protection from invaders in olden times, and has now been restored to some of its original splendour, but it also provides possibly the best scenic view in all of Tobago; that of Scarborough and its environs, surrounded by the lovely blue waters in the bay. Then I visited a friend and a family member, whom I hadn’t seen in many years, before going back down town to the Birth Certificate place. Within ten minutes of getting there, I walked out with a new electronically generated one, but had to wait an hour and a half to get an affidavit signed. Then down the hill to the bay road, with more Friday afternoon traffic. Chuh! I guess all over the world Friday afternoons create real traffic problems. By the time we got home, it was almost dark, and the Duchess and I were too tired to walk to Store Bay, so we drove. And don’t worry, I gave my thanks floating cross-like on my back, but this time there was no half moon to be seen in the darkened sky, but instead showers of blessing began falling on my face. Just like playing mas in rain provides a different dimension, so does bathing in the sea in the rain bring a different dimension to the experience. The rain didn’t last long, but it was certainly enough to energize and renew our spirits, so that we could go and hang out later on in Lambeau, with the two wise men, drinking a li’l tequila, to ease the arthritis. (smile) So how can I ever complain eh Friends, when I’ve never done any great works in the Lord’s name, and yet He’s blessing me abundantly? By the way, please pray for one of our Scrip-Bit family, my schooldays chum Harry, who seems to be having some serious heart problems and suffered some complications yesterday. I spoke to him earlier on today, and he was doing better. But a little prayer never hurts, and often helps. That’s it for today Friends. Hopes it makes sense, but as I keep saying, true believers know how to pick sense from nonsense. (smile) Should have been finished long ago, but I’ve had more diversions than normal sitting out here on the porch of my cosy cottage in Store Bay. But since Today is my birthday, I am inclined to be generous. Much LOVE!…three things the Lord LOVES…and expects from His children…sincere prayer, unselfish good deeds, and genuine thanks… P.S. God just moved in one of His mysterious ways and had my half brother, Haymer, whom I haven’t seen in almost forty years, show up at my cosy cottage. Even more reason to give plenty thanks. Much LOVE!
23 Nov 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: animalistic behaviour, Black Friday, callaloo, commercial culture, curry crab, evil doings, Friday chant, giving thanks, God's kingdom, heartache, pain, perish, rejoicing, righteous, suffering, TGIF!, undeniable truth, wicked, wreaking havoc
Proverbs 11:10. When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.
Oh Friends, it’s Friday! The Friday that’s now becoming known as ‘Black Friday’, the day after the U.S. Thanksgiving. As usual, the U.S is busy exporting its very commercial culture, and sadly it’s now wreaking havoc in Canada. It’s forcing the local merchants to get into the nonsense too, having sales the same day, trying to match U.S. prices, to stop Canadians form cross border shopping, which takes a lot of money out of our economy. And as usual, it’s moving from the sublime to the ridiculous! What began a few years ago as early Friday morning shopping, has now morphed into late Thursday night shopping. That means you can’t even enjoy your Thanksgiving Day in peace, but have to rush through it, so you can get to the store and line up hours before it opens. And you wouldn’t like to see the wild, animalistic behaviour we put down; rushing and shoving and behaving real foolish. Ah Lord eh! Instead of mankind becoming more sensible and god-like with all the advances and amenities with which we’re blessed, we’re becoming dumber, more stupid and very evil minded. Oh fellow believers, please, let’s pray that this stupid, ignorant, evil behaviour that’s now clouding our world doesn’t go to its logical end – self-destruction – but someday soon we’ll come to our senses and, once and for all time, repudiate Lucifer and his evil doings, and find the God of our fathers once again. Anyway, some people are still joyfully shouting ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ Therefore let’s chant our Friday Chant to enable us to put the weekend in its proper perspective. As one vociferous, but harmonious 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 mih people, that should cause us to tone down the weekend some, bring a modicum of circumspection to our activities. And the ole fella’s still giving plenty thanks, as I continue to write from the porch of my cosy cottage in Store Bay. I didn’t do much yesterday; slept out most of the day. I guess the body was really tired from the steady spate of activities since Monday. But I did get a dip in the salt after the sun set, and again, while floating in cross-like fashion, and looking up at the half moon, gave heartfelt thanks to our wonderful God for all His marvellous blessings. Oh Friends, I could really get addicted to that habit yes! (smile) And to raise the excitement, I bought some curry crab and dumpling with some T&T callaloo thrown in at a food booth at the Bay. Oh my people, was it ever tasty! The ‘nana’ (gravy from the curry crab) tasted like manna from heaven, just like I remembered it! Then late at night, while flipping through the channels on the t.v. I came across the movie ‘Jesus of Nazareth’; an old Franco Zeferrelli production that hooked me. I hadn’t heard the Word for a few days, and regardless of how much you read it for yourself, hearing it takes you to another dimension, so to speak. It was so moving that at times it brought unbidden tears to my eyes. Surprisingly too, it’s the first movie I’ve watched in ages. Consider it then, another of our God’s mysterious movements. And what does all of that have to do with our Bit? Frankly Friends, I don’t know, because I don’t have a Bit as yet. But soon come, going to seek one now. Oh mih breddren, I’m back, less than two minute later! What a faithful God we serve and worship Friends! And as our Bit declares: ‘When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.’ Now that’s undeniable truth! We don’t have to look very far to see it. In whatever country, province, city, town or village you’re reading this, I know you can connect to it through personal experience. That brings up the rather important question of why are the righteous allowing the wicked to run so much of our world, and consequently causing so much pain, suffering and heartache? One would think that we’d get rid of them as quickly as possible. But unfortunately, the reality is totally different. And not because Lucifer has power over this world of darkness, we should allow his evil minions to rule over us. Through Jesus, who has conquered death, the grave and hell, with His sacrificial death and resurrection, we have the awesome power to run Beelzebub and his wicked cronies out of town. But we’re either too lazy, too comfortable in our prosperous lifestyle, or simply too timid and afraid to do so. Listen to Cousin Sol again on the subject. ‘When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden (will be sought after).’ (Prov.28:12) Oh Friends, we all know the truth in that statement, yet we allow the wicked to rise in power over us. Oh my brethren, it’s time to change that state of affairs in our world. It’s time to implement righteous rule, so that our world can derive positive benefits. As Cousin Sol further declares: ‘When the righteous are in authority (increased), the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn (groan, suffer).’ (Prov.29:2) And we all know that people all over the world are moaning and groaning, suffering, in great misery, because the wicked are ruling. Please Friends, let’s do something to change it nuh. Remember that with our God, all things are possible, but we have to get up off our fat fannies and do our part too. The Lord’s not going to do it all for us. So please, today, let’s ponder the level of our involvement in making a better and more godly world, and do our best to improve our involvement, if it’s only by a small amount, for without our strong stand of faith, all will eventually be lost, and we definitely don’t want to disappoint Jesus, to break His gentle heart anymore than we’re already doing, by letting that happen. Much LOVE!…we can only stand up for Jesus…by faithfully obeying the trumpet’s call…
22 Nov 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: complaining, cosy cottage, give thanks always, heartfelt prayers, home, LOVE of God, memories, nature, offer up prayer, power outtage, Store Bay, sweet Tobago, Thanksgiving Day
Psalm 92:1. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING U. S. OF A!
Oh Friends, once again, from the porch of my cosy cottage at Store Bay, I’m writing these words of LOVE and thanks! And they couldn’t be more appropriate than on this Thanksgiving Day of 2012, being celebrated in the U.S. It will be pretty rough on the folks who are still suffering from the ravages of Hurricane Sandy, but America didn’t become the greatest nation ever by overmuch complaining and whining, but by being strong in the Lord when times got rough, and by sharing their bounty with the less fortunate. Let’s hope that that sort of godliness shows up in full force today, and that nobody suffers too much. In light of all that Friends, please offer up some heartfelt prayers for those unfortunate people today. But even with all the tragedy and disaster, there is still much to give thanks for; especially life, for wherever there is breath stirring in a body, then hope and expectation of godly blessing can also abound there. And talking about being thankful, I certainly have a lot to be thankful for. I guess I can start by being thankful for just my very presence in sweet Tobago, the land of my birth, from which I’ve been exiled for almost thirty years. Then yesterday, after writing the Bit, I went to a christening. It wasn’t a big do; just about a dozen of us having lunch at one of the swanky hotels on the island. I don’t even remember the name, Magdalena, or something like that, but the most important thing is the food was most excellent West Indian fare! It’s good to see the big hotels serving local food and not the imported European and North American nonsense. After that I was taken on a scenic tour of Scarborough and its environs. Brother, the city (smile) has changed up so much that I passed a couple of areas where I lived and couldn’t even recognize them! But that’s to be expected with the passing of time. What hasn’t changed though is the ‘White House.’ Ah Friends, that was the scene of many memorable memories during my High School days. Harry, the owner, and I sat down on the back steps looking out at the lush valley and hillside that rose from it, with the steel towers and masts of the island’s communications system rising high in the distant sky. We obviously recalled the numerous occasions on which we sat there in our young, unencumbered days. Yes people, we did have some fun times in the ‘White House’, drinking, smoking cigarettes and playing cards, when we should have been studying. That’s why it’s ever so important to make good memories that you can later look back on with a smile or a chuckle, and not a frown or anger. For as the man so rightly says in the song: ‘Memories don’t leave like people do. They always stay with you.’ And who wants ugly or hurting memories eh! Now after touring the big city of Scarborough (smile) I got home about dusk, then went for a dip in Store Bay. And was it ever beautiful! The sun had just gone down, leaving a few golden flecks of colour in the white clouds on the distant horizon. Meanwhile, in the bay itself, a number of boats of varying sizes and styles were quietly anchored off shore, and the lights of the hotel pavilions on both sides sprinkled the area. There weren’t many people on the beach or in the calm water, so it was pretty quiet. The best part though is that soon after I got in the water, I lay floating on my back, in a cross-like position, looked up to the heavens, where a half moon was shining and gave thanks for the multitude of blessings that the Lord was showering down on me. Oh mih people, that was such a beautiful, peaceful, calming experience! An excellent memory to contemplate on later in life. But here comes the horror show. I went to bed early, about 9 p.m, because I was tired. Sometime during the night, I got up to go to the bathroom, but lo and behold when I finally found the light switch and flicked it on, the place remained in total darkness. Steups! After looking around for a few moments, I then realized that the power had gone, for even the street lights were out too. Can you imagine how my bladder was bursting, while trying to find my way in the dark! However, through the Lord’s kindness and mercy, I got through the ordeal without any accidents. But I couldn’t sleep after that. At one stage, wanting to know the time, I got up and fiddled my way to the living room to get my cell phone. It said 2.40. There was nothing else to do but lie back down and try to fall asleep, which I did. Then some time later, I got up again, swung my legs off the bed and reached for my cell phone, but just then the lights came back on. I obviously sent up a most grateful ‘Thank You Lord!’ It was then about 4.40, so instead of going back to bed, I got up and made some java, came outside on the porch, listened to the dogs barking, the roosters crowing, and the birds singing their songs of thanks and praise to their heavenly creator. Oh Friends, it’s a crying shame that those supposed dumb animals are continuously giving thanks and praise to God, while we, His supposed most blessed and important creation, find it so difficult, and even worse, give the little we do, in such a begrudging manner, as though the Lord is lucky and should be thankful for our pittance of thanks. That’s absolutely wrong my brethren. It should be as our Bit so rightly declares: ‘It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High: To show forth (declare) thy LOVING-kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery (lute or lyre); and upon the harp with a solemn (harmonious or melodic) sound. For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the work of thy hands.’ (Ps.92:1-4) That’s as it should be Friends! And we’ll close with one more reminder that thanksgiving is ever so important. ‘Praise ye the Lord (shout Hallelujah): for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely (beautiful).’ (Ps.147:1) Gospel truth if there was ever any! And that’s my spiel for today Friends! I hope it brings a smile to your face and the LOVE of God ever deeper into your hearts and minds, thus enabling you to stand strong in the Lord, giving plenty thanks for all that you are and have. I pray this in Jesus’ Name. Amen. Much LOVE, my people!…believers should give thanks…at ALL TIMES…be the times…good, bad or indifferent…
21 Nov 2012
by randyobrien50
in Inspirational Living
Tags: colour scheme, colourful flora, flood, God's covenant, God's creations, God's little Acre, God's LOVE, government, man's responsibility, Noah, obedience, pillars of fire, rainbow, rebellion, religion, singing God's praises, spirituality, therapeutic remedy, tower of Babel
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.
Morning Friends! From the porch of my cosy cottage at Store Bay, in the cool morning air, surrounded by an abundance of colourful flora, I write these words of peace, LOVE and good health. Oh my people, you wouldn’t know what joy it is to be awakened in the early morning hours by cocks-a-crowing, birds-a-singing, and dogs-a-barking! And though at times the noise can be a bit disconcerting, especially when you’re not ready to get up, it sure is preferable to waking up in a cold, dark environment with none of God’s creations sweetly singing His praises. And since my sojourn on God’s Little Acre is short, I have to enjoy it to the fullest. Yesterday, after writing the Bit, I walked out to Store Bay, yes it’s only a five minute walk from my cosy cottage, and had a nice dip in its calm, beautiful azure blue, highly regenerative waters. Yes Friends, without a doubt, the best therapeutic remedy for any and all aches and pains is good, ole sea water! God’s considerate provision for His people! After that I went shopping for some groceries, and are they ever expensive, in terms of T&T dollars. Later in the evening I hung out with a couple of old fogeys like myself, reminiscing about some of the colourful and eccentric characters who lived in the capital, Scarborough, during our youth. And believe me, there were quite a few colourful characters hanging around our town back then. And the beauty of it all, is that though their physical appearance, emotional stability and economic situation were at the bottom of the totem pole, their brain power was amazing. Some of the wisdom that would pour out of their souls was truly astounding. It’s reputed that a couple of them had been teachers fallen on hard times, and their vocabulary certainly attested to that possibility. Ah Friends, luckily for us the Lord woke me at a reasonable time this morning, so that I can write the Bit early o’clock, because later on in the day, I have a christening to attend, and it’s very doubtful if I’ll be in any fit shape to write anything sensible after that. (smile) So here goes. Our Bit is the same as yesterday: ‘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.’ Now just before our Bit, the Lord spoke these memorable and most important words to Noah after the flood receded. ‘And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the token (sign) of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations.’ (Gen. 9:11-12) And that token, that sign, as our Bit declares, was a rainbow in the sky. And the scholars say this in their footnote: ‘This covenant involved the dispensation of human government, with humanity governing itself. Man was responsible to govern the world for God. The governing covenant of this era was the Noahic covenant (v 11). Under it, man’s relationship to the earth and to the order of nature was confirmed (vv 2-11), human government was established, and God promised never again to use a universal flood to judge the world (vv 11-17). The failure of man under this dispensation culminated in the building of the tower of Babel and resulted in the judgement of the confusion of tongues. (cf. 11:1-3,7).’ So what else is new eh? Man’s failure to keep our covenants with God down through the ages has been causing us pain and discomfort from day one with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. And even after God’s unfathomable grace that allowed Jesus to pay our sin debt in full, we still can’t get it through our thick skulls that obedience to Almighty God is the only way to live a good, peaceful, LOVING and prosperous life on this mish mash earth. Anyway, Friends, I’m not getting in to any haranguing about our foolish pride and rebellion today. (smile) Rather, I’m just going to share some scriptures that indicate how important a rainbow still is in our relationship with our Creator. And the first scripture comes from the prophet Ezekiel, where he declares his vision of God’s glory. ‘As the appearance of the bow (rainbow) that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.’ (Ezek.1:28) That goes to show the lack of words to really describe God’s glory, but He, in His infinite wisdom, gives us some indication of the brightness of His glory in the rainbow with its wondrous colour scheme. Then we’ll jump all the way to the end times, where John tells us about what he saw around God’s throne in the heavens. ‘And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine (sardis) stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight (appearance) like unto an emerald.’ (Rev.4:3) Oh Friends, the gems and the rainbow show God’s glory, and reminds us that it will always be an integral part of the reflection of His awesome, colour, light and beauty! And further on in Revelation, when John talks of the angel and the little book, he begins the chapter thus: ‘And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire.’ (Rev.10:1) Yes my brethren, even in the painful times to come, the rainbow will still be involved in the activities of Almighty God! So please, whenever we see a rainbow, which is not too often, let’s stand and admire it, and contemplate the awesome power of our wonderful God, who created such beautiful imagery to show His amazing LOVE and care for mankind; His most precious creation. And a minute ago, the same black rooster that gave me a raucous cockadoodle-do greeting yesterday afternoon, was on the other side of the fence, pecking at the ground and clucking in a low tone. Then he came in to the yard and strutted across the lawn, as though he owned it, with his bright red plumage above his beak standing proud in the early morning sunshine. Now what can be better than that eh Friends? Only heaven! Much LOVE!…is it plane…is it a bird…NO…it’s a rainbow…
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…
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