Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 November 2012 John 3:36

08 Nov 2012 Leave a comment

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

John 3:36.    He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
 
Oh Friends, the ole fella’s in somewhat of a sad state this cold, autumn morning because I heard about a real tragic situation last night, one that could have been prevented if some of the participants had acted as true Christian adults. Apparently the whole situation developed because of anger, resentment and a desire for revenge. But Friends, as the large black letters on a white background of paper, taped to the side of my filing cabinet so rightly says: ‘Anger slays the simple – And Resentment kills the fool.’ And that’s gospel my people! Consequently, that’s why Bruh Paul so fervently warns: ‘Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place (an opportunity) to the devil.’ (Eph.4:26-27) Our anger should not go to bed with us. We ought to get rid of it as quickly as possible, because holding on to it causes us to make wrong decisions, which gives Lucifer all kinds of opportunities to invade our souls and lay his evil eggs therein. These eggs can then stay and hatch into resentment and bitterness that just sours our souls and drives us away from the peaceful, LOVING arms of Almighty God. And that’s something we don’t ever want to do. I just hope and pray, that our kind and merciful God can comfort those involved in this unfortunate tragedy, in their time of grief and heartache. And that’s not all Friends, we have plenty more praying to do, for more natural disasters have struck on this side of the world. An earthquake of 6.3 magnitude occurred off Vancouver Island on Canada’s West Coast a couple days ago. Shocks were felt fairly far away, but thankfully no sizeable damage seems to have happened. But in Guatemala, an earthquake of 7.4 magnitude occurred yesterday, killing some 48 people so far. Then to make a bad situation even worse, it seems like a nor’easter storm blew over New York and New Jersey yesterday, bringing strong winds, rain and wet snow. That just plunged many people back into darkness and misery after Sandy’s terrible onslaught last week. Ah Friends, our God certainly seems to be telling us something. And that something might just be involved with our Bit: ‘He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.’ Yes my people, He’s warning us to heed His call to conviction and repentance. This seems to be the only avenue left open to us, since we’ve tried everything else that we can in our own power, and it’s just not working. Yesterday we saw where Jesus solemnly declared that he had come to earth to save those who would believe in Him, and that those who didn’t believe were already condemned to eternal separation from the Father. He also stated that mankind LOVED darkness because their deeds were evil, and did not want those deeds exposed to the light that He brought. (John 3:16-21) And that’s the living truth my brethren! It couldn’t be any simpler Friends; you either believe in Jesus and live in the light, or don’t , and perish in the darkness. Now listen to Jesus again on the subject. ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.’ (John 6:47-51) Oh my people, the Creator of the universe is still in control of His creation, and ALWAYS will be. So why are we so adamant and insistent on rebelling against His dictates eh, especially when we have no real power to control our own lives or circumstances? Look at Hurricane Sandy and all the other natural disasters that seem to be happening one after the other, we have no power whatsoever to stop or control any of them. And yet we foolishly refuse to bow to the great I AM. Oh my brethren, all these disasters are meant to be wake up calls for us, and we’re ignoring them at our own peril. No wonder John declares at the end of our Bit, that those who don’t believe in Jesus shall not see eternal life, but the wrath of God will fall upon them. Now hear Bruh Paul tell it to the church at Rome. ‘For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold (suppress) the truth in unrighteousness. Because that which may be known of God is manifest (evident) in (among) them; for God hath shown it unto them.’ (Rom.1:18-19) Yes Friends, God has shown it to us, but we obstinately refuse to believe and follow it. Listen to the scholars on that scripture. ‘In order to express His nature (holiness, truth and justice), God must punish sin. Since sin personally offends God, no one should be surprised that sin makes God angry. To deny His anger is to reject the necessity of Christ’s reconciling work on the cross. God’s wrath is revealed both in nature and in the Scriptures. Illustration: The rage that today is vented against sin will someday be completely unleashed in hell against those who refuse to accept the satisfaction (propitiation) that Christ made on the cross for sin. Application: Since this propitiation by Christ suffices for the whole world, there is no reason anyone should spend eternity in hell unless he voluntarily rejects God’s truth. (First Ref. Gen.49:7; Primary Ref; Rom.1:18: cf. John 14:2)’ That tells the tale like it truly is my Friends. Now it’s up to us, individually, to either accept or reject it. Note though, the repercussions of either avenue. The smart money would be on accepting it. Much LOVE!…he who refuses to hear…shall surely feel…and feel plenty too…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 November 2012 John 3:36

07 Nov 2012 Leave a comment

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

John 3:36.    He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
 
Oh Friends, it’s all over now, bar the shouting! Barack Obama has been re-elected as President of the U.S.A, and I believe he was indeed the better of the two candidates. However my people, the next step will be the most important in this era of U.S. politics, meaning unless there is some UNITY, some give and take, some compromise on either side of the two major parties, the U.S. will continue to slide into the abyss of poverty and disenchantment, where they are now headed. The staunch holding on to party ideology is nothing but a selfish, egotistical, ploy for political power, and helps the country in no manner whatsoever, but drags it down, and makes it a laughingstock of the rest of the world. Everybody claims to have God and the country’s best interest at heart, but that’s only empty rhetoric, when the two sides of the government, one controlled by either party, would rather see the country embarrassed, and the government brought to its knees because of their intransigence over budget cuts and deficits. And who ran up the deficit through unnecessary wars and tax breaks to the undeserving wealthy? The last Republican President! He took eight years to make a mess of the country, but then they expected Obama to fix it in four, especially when hindered by the economic depression caused by the unrelenting greed and crookedness of that same wealthy elite. Ah Lord eh! Anyway Friends, as we’ve already decided, this is a time of prayer, not only for the U.S and its leaders, but also for the whole world. So let’s pray diligently that all leaders, as well as citizens, will wake up and realize that our world is spinning out of control, and that only repentance and a return to sincerely worshipping and serving the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will bring any reprieve. And the fact that over the last forty or so years America has become one of the most sinful, if not the most sinful nation on the planet doesn’t help matters, because as we keep saying, as America goes, so does most of the world. To be honest, the whole Western world has moved so far away from the God of their ancestors, that we’re now being likened to Sodom and Gomorrah, the twin cities of evil in the Old Testament, which the Lord finally destroyed with brimstone and fire when He could no longer stand their evil abominations. When will we understand eh Friends, that the Lord will give us a leash to do as we please for only so long, and if we insist on constant disobedience and rebellion, He’s going to pull that leash tight and call us to account? And our Bit clearly reminds us of that. ‘He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.’ It doesn’t take a rocket scientist mentality to understand that my people. And the sad part is that we’ve had so many examples over the course of history, from the Israelites of old, to all the modern Western colonial powers, who began as godly societies, but once they got big and prosperous by the hand of the Lord, perished by that same hand, when they later got too big for their breeches, figuring that it was their own power that allowed them to rise to the top. But somehow or other, every nation that finds themselves in that predicament always thinks that they are the exception to the rule. Unfortunately Friends, there are no exceptions, and we still won’t learn that. As the old people would say, like what ever Lucifer gave us to rub, we ate instead, then became disoriented and foolish. But anyway my brethren, please listen to the truth of the matter from Jesus Himself. ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that (the) light is come into the world, and men LOVED darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth (practices) evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved (exposed). But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.’ (John 3:16-21) That says it all Friends! And you can’t dispute that right now our world revels in darkness and the things that relate to it. Just look at the movies, books and video games that are currently being favoured, too many of them are based on darkness and the evil stuff that flows from it. Meanwhile, the things to do with LIGHT, LOVE and GOD, have all been placed on the back burner or being slowly but methodically phased out and/ orerased. That certainly does not say or do very much for us re being godly nations. My people, I can only encourage us to pray sincerely for the strength and determination, the faith and LOVE of God to powerfully rise up in us believers, that we might go out into the world and make a big and positive difference. Otherwise…crapaud soon smoke we pipe. Much LOVE!…only when good intentions…are turned into positive action…are they of any true value…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 November 2012 2 Peter 3:9

06 Nov 2012 Leave a comment

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

2 Peter 3:9.    The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness: but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Oh Friends, it’s Tuesday November 6 2012! At last that fateful day has arrived; Presidential Election Day in the U.S of A! Ah mih people, whatever the result, it will go down as a most memorable day in the annals of history, cause this election will set America, once more on the path to glory, or it will continue on the ruinous path that it has been pursuing for the past two decades. No matter which side wins, and both sides claim to have God as their guide, America will see substantial changes. And the destruction recently unleashed by Hurricane Sandy on its most populous area, only deepens the confusion, and thus the ramifications per the election. My Scrip-Bit Friends, I urge us to pray that this election turns out to be in the best interest of the U.S. since unfortunately, as the U.S. goes, so goes the rest of the world to a great extent. Remember too Friends, that this is a time of prayer, for our world is in such disastrous shape that it’s only true, heartfelt prayer that can help us to climb out of the morass in which we’re currently mired. So let’s pray sincerely for our world and encourage as many others as possible to do the same. This is where the fomenting of our LOVE Revolution is so important my brethren. And to our U.S Friends in particular, please, I implore you; first to go out today and vote, but then before you actually cast that ballot, sincerely ask the Lord to guide you, to give you the wisdom and understanding you need to make the right decision in your voting. Remember, as James says, the Lord gives wisdom to ALL who ask in faith, without wavering. (James 1:5-8) Now let’s turn to our Bit. ‘The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness: but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.’ And all I’m going to do today my people is feed us with some scriptures relating to the different parts of our Bit, which I’ve been planning to do since day one, but have been guided to other stuff. Now, re the promises of God and salvation being nigh, listen to Bruh Paul’s entreaty to the Roman church, as he advises them to walk in LOVE. ‘LOVE worketh no ill (does no harm) to his neighbour: therefore LOVE is the fulfilling of the law. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we (first) believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.’ (Rom.13:10-12) Yes my brethren, everyday brings us one day closer to salvation and to the judgement of the world, so we need to be both watchful and diligent in doing God’s work. Now hear the scholar’s explain some of that scripture. ‘Sleep means insensitivity to the demands of Christ on the Christian’s life. Now is our salvation nearer: The coming of Christ to deliver us from this sinful world grows nearer every day. The night is the time while Christ is out of the world, and the world has been delivered into the control of the prince of the power of the air (Eph.2:2). The day is a reference to the time when Christ will return and establish His reign of righteousness.’ And turning to long-suffering, hear Bruh David tell it like it is from Psalm 86, Teach me thy way O Lord. ‘O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies (mobs) of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them. But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.’ (Ps.86:14-15) Oh my brethren, no true believer can have any argument with those statements, for they are indeed living truth! Now listen to Isaiah on the subject. ‘And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgement (justice): blessed are all they that wait for him.’ (Is.30:18) There again Friends, that’s truth in its entirety! And I just saw this note from the scholars, which seems useful. ‘Because God is gracious and has been willing to wait for His people to return to Him, He will certainly bless those who wait for him. “Waiting” is a confident and dependent trust in God.’ And all God’s people declared a rousing ‘Hallelujah!’ And as regards His children perishing, hear Ezekiel on the matter. ‘Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?’ (Ezek.33:11) Yes my people, our God wants nobody to perish, that’s why He’s being so patient and long-suffering with us. But remember that all patience runs out at some time or other, and since we don’t know when the Lord’s will run out, we need to get ourselves together RIGHT NOW, and live in righteousness, so that whenever the TIME comes, we’ll be prepared. Now hear Bruh Paul to the Romans, re repentance, where he talks about judging others is to condemn ourselves. ‘And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgement of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?’ (Rom.2:3-4) That’s oh so true my people! And we’ll let Jesus have the final say, since he’s the authority on the subject. This scripture is brought up when the mother of the disciples James and John asks Jesus to elevate her boys, to let one sit on either side of Him in His kingdom. (Matt.20:20-22) Obviously Jesus could not grant that request because it was not in His power to do so. Then He ends with these memorable words. ‘And whosoever will be chief (first) among you, let him be your servant (slave): Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto (served), but to minister (serve), and to give his life a ransom for many.’ (Matt.20:27-28) Please my fellow believers in Jesus, let’s take those words to heart nuh, and then put them into action, for that’s basically Jesus’ motto right there, and only as we follow it, will His church here on earth be successful. Much LOVE!…to serve…and not to be served…should be the modus operandi of ALL CHRISTIANS…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 November 2012 2 Peter 3:9

05 Nov 2012 Leave a comment

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

2 Peter 3:9.    The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
 
Oh Friends, it’s Monday…! And all true believers in Jesus lustily declared, ‘Thank You Lord!’ Okay, so by the world’s standards I’m missing a few screws by being glad to see Mondays roll around. But Friends, in Jesus’ domain, we are called to welcome every day, to see each one as a blessing, especially Mondays, because it gives us more opportunities to get out into the wicked, godless world and help bring the heathen hordes to repentance. Remember that’s our main purpose here on earth, re the Great Commission. (Matt.28:19-20) So to whine and complain and feel hard done by just because we have to go out and labour on Mondays, is plain un-Jesus-like. Now let’s see if we can’t become more Jesus-like by singing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with lots of vim and vigour. As one earthly based, but heavenly sounding choir 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!’ That was beautiful my people! Lots of clapping and calls for an encore in heaven. (smile) And now that the adrenalin’s running, let’s get out there and make a difference for Jesus! But why the rush you ask, since our Bit clearly states that: ‘The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.’ Ah Friends, please understand that at some stage even the Lord’s patience will run out and He will set the mighty conflagration He’s promised in motion. And the problem is that none of us know when that will be, it could be today, tomorrow, or even another two thousand years from now. When yuh see, even Jesus didn’t know, you must understand how close to His chest the Father’s playing that card. ‘But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels in heaven, but my Father only.’ (Matt.24:36) And Peter solemnly warns in the verse after our Bit: ‘But the day of the Lord will come as a thief (robber) in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that were therein shall be burned up.’ (2 Pet.3:10) Oh my people, I’m sure that none of us want to be involved in that fervent heat nuh! That means we have to be in a state of constant readiness; working righteousness in true faith, filled with hungry hope and great expectations, fully relying on the awesome promises of God. As Peter continues: ‘Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation (conduct) and godliness, Looking for and hasting (hastening) unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless.’ (2 Pet.3:11-14) Now isn’t that something to look forward to Friends? Most definitely! And we’ll end with some clarification from the scholars, re that scripture. ‘The day of the Lord here refers to the return of Christ in judgement, not the Rapture, since this day results in final apocalyptic judgement. The heavens that shall pass away with a great noise are the atmospheric heavens. The elements shall melt with fervent heat certainly could refer to a nuclear holocaust. Thus Peter urges his readers to look beyond this present world to the new heavens and a new earth characterized by righteousness.’ Oh Friends, the only way to avoid that fervent heat is by getting in with Jesus as soon as possible, meaning RIGHT NOW, because we don’t know when we’ll give up the mantle of this earthly life, and once we do that, there’s no going back and changing our minds. So please, let’s all sit down today and seriously contemplate our personal situations, vis a vie Jesus and our eternal salvation. It’s the MOST IMPORTANT matter on earth for us to consider. Much LOVE!…to be with Jesus till eternity…or not to be with Jesus…that is the question…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 November 2012 2 Peter 3:9

04 Nov 2012 Leave a comment

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

2 Peter 3:9.      The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
 
Oh Friends, it’s that time again; Daylight Savings Time has ended. We’ve gotten back the hour we lost in March. I had to look that up, because I thought it was in June we switched over. Hn! Didn’t realize we’ve been on it so long now. And who knows if it really makes any positive difference to our lives, but the powers that be, the money men, seem to think so. To me, it only means that my old, but dear to my heart watch is now carrying the correct time. (smile) That’s because two or three years ago, the cap from the stem broke off, so I couldn’t adjust the time, and a watchmaker in his wisdom told me it wasn’t worth fixing since it would cost more than the watch was worth. So I just left it that way and mentally adjusted the time difference during Daylight Saving Time. And it’s been working pretty well. Consequently the two or three other watches I have sit and languish for long periods of time, because they’re (a) too fanciful for my taste, and (b) this one I’m wearing looks just as good in the fields as in the wedding party, and (c) I’ve grown accustomed to it. In any case I don’t use it that much to tell time since I can’t see it properly without my glasses, (smile) and there is usually a big clock in most places I go. And talking about time helps us to smoothly segue into our Bit: ‘The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.’ Ah Friends, Peter is here referring to Jesus’ Second Coming, and is encouraging us to basically keep on living in hope because our God isn’t slack or unreliable, as many of us are, regarding our promises. If the Lord makes an unconditional promise, as He has, re Jesus coming again, then He WILL fulfill it. The reason that Peter puts forth here, for it taking as long as it has, is that our ever-LOVING heavenly Father doesn’t want anyone to perish in the fire next time, cause He sincerely wishes for ALL His creation to come to salvation and thus escape the incendiary conflagration that’s going to end this age on earth. And why is Peter telling us this? ‘That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers (mockers), walking after (according to) their own lusts, And saying, where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep (died), all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of (forget), that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against (until) the day of judgement and perdition (destruction) of ungodly men.’ (2 Pet.3:2-7) Now hear the scholars with a more concise explanation than I can give. ‘Peter further warns that in the last days of the church age, scoffers will ridicule the promise of Christ’s second coming. He further states that arguments based on supposedly unchanging processes since creation fail to recall the severity of the flood of water upon the earth. Just as God once destroyed the world by water, so it is now reserved unto fire until the day of judgement. See the description of fiery judgements in Revelation 17-19.’ Peter then goes on to inform us in the verse before our Bit: ‘But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.’ (2 Pet/3:8) That means time to the Lord is almost immaterial; a thousand years to Him is like one day to us. The psalmist says it thus: ‘For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.’ (Ps.90:40) He makes it even shorter, like a night watch, about three or four hours. Now my beautiful Scrip-Bit Friends, let’s look at a scripture that tells us a whole lot about God’s promises and His timing concerning them. It’s from Habakkuk, talking about the just shall live by his faith, where the Lord summarily instructs him: ‘Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables (on tablets), that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.’ (Hab.2:2-3) Here’s how the scholars explain that: ‘Write the vision…upon tables refers to the common practice of writing public notices with such large characters on the clay tablets that someone running by could easily read them. If the notice was a warning it would also cause the reader to run quickly to prepare for what was coming. An appointed time indicates a specific future fulfillment of Habakkuk’s prophecy of the fall of Babylon. See Daniel 5:30-31.’ Yes mih people, though God’s promises may take a while to be fulfilled, they WILL come to pass. It took many centuries before God’s promise to make Abraham the father of many nations came true. It also took several centuries after Isaiah prophesied about the first coming of Jesus before it happened. So the two thousand years since Jesus left earth is only like two days in God’s time. But be assured my brethren, it WILL happen, when God judges the time to be right. So in the meanwhile, please let’s live by faith, and patiently wait for it to happen nuh. Much LOVE!…the Son will definitely come again…but as to when…only the Father knows….so be ever ready…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 November 2012 Proverbs 16:32

03 Nov 2012 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 16:32.    He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
 
Oh Friends, oh Friends, yesterday we saw the sun in our area for the first time in several days! Wow! Now it wasn’t a big, bright, powerful, burning orb, but it produced enough light and glare that I had to put on my sunglasses, which had been languishing in my car for I don’t know how long. And though the wind and rain had also stopped, the ground was still soaking wet from all the heavenly moisture that fell upon it this past week. Now where was all that moisture when we so badly needed it in the hot, dry summer eh? Anyway, since we keep proclaiming that Jehovah God is still in control of the universe He created, and since His mental prowess is also much greater than ours, we have to accept that He knows what He’s doing, just grin and bear it, and say ‘Thank You Lord.’ However, that is something a lot of us believers are not able to do, especially in this now for now society in which we currently live, where the technological advances have brought us to expect everything immediately, if not sooner. Do you see how we behave when we have to wait, or line up for anything? Look at how we behave in the supermarkets or the gas stations, if we find the person in front of us is, in our opinion, taking too long? The same thing happens on the road when we dipsy doodle in and out of traffic, or cut somebody off, just to get one car length ahead. The one that takes the cake though is how we behave when we’ve been waiting for a parking spot for a few minutes, then someone else suddenly comes up and drives right into it. Hn! That sort of action has become so commonplace now, that we even had to coin a term for it; road rage. Oh my brethren, our society has become so soft and spoilt that the minute, or rather the second we don’t get our way, we’re much more liable to explode in anger with all sorts of deleted expletives fouling the atmosphere, than we would done even ten years ago. But Friends, our Bit tells it differently, tells it the way it ought to be. ‘He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.’ And that’s the living truth my people! When we learn to control our angry emotions and outbursts, then we’re better than the mighty men of valour and also the conquerors of cities. Now isn’t that something? Yes my people, when we control ourselves we display an essential attribute that is sadly lacking these days, thanks in part also to the busyness of our society. I know it’s sometimes difficult to do with so many people working two and three jobs just to make ends meet. Then we definitely don’t have a waiting mode. But Friends that impatience and tendency to always be in a hurry leads to all sorts of negative stuff like anger, that produces verbal abuse, which can very easily lead to simple assaults, that then turn into out and out violence. Oh my brethren, it cannot be overstated that we all need to slow down, take some time to think seriously about our irrational behaviour that’s now at an all time high. Cousin Sol, the wisest man ever, knew what he was talking about when he wrote: ‘He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit (impulsive, short tempered) exalteth folly.’ (Prov.14:29) And isn’t that the awesome truth Friends! Besides making us seem wise and understanding, being slow to anger also helps us live longer, since our blood pressure and heart rates aren’t flaring up all the time with adrenalin surges. It also stops us from making a lot of wrong and painful decisions, which we often make in anger mode. That’s why the mind people caution us not to make hasty, angry decisions, because our topsy turvy emotions will blind us to what’s wise and right. I’m sure all of us can look back on times when we made decisions in anger mode, then lived to regret them. And the sad part is that many of those decisions made when we’re angry cannot be turned around once made, so we often live to rue the day we made them. No wonder James declares: ‘Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not (does not produce) the righteousness of God.’ (James 2:19-20) Now that’s wisdom at its zenith my people! And the scholars have this to say: ‘Trials require silence and patience because talk inflames anger, and anger inflames talk. Anger also distracts from listening to God.’ There’s no disputing that! But unfortunately the only way to develop that kind of wisdom is first to slow down, stop letting the make believe busyness of modern life get us all worked up, because then we are liable to easily blow a gasket over  petty, trifling, immaterial stuff and get ourselves in unwanted trouble. Listen to Cousin Sol again on the subject. ‘The discretion of a man deferreth his anger (makes him slow to anger); and it is his glory to pass over (overlook) a transgression.’ (Prov.19:11) That’s gospel Friends! We’re living in such an angry world today that negative things life strife, hatred and resentment are much more prevalent than positive stuff like Peace and LOVE, which make for a much better life. And we’ll let Bruh Paul take us home with some of the best words ever penned on the subject, as he wisely advises the fledgling church at Ephesus. ‘Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.’ (Eph.4:31-32) I can’t say it any better Friends. I can only advise us to sit and seriously ponder Bruh Paul’s words as they pertain to us individually, then diligently, in prayer, and in conjunction with our most wonderful God, work towards acquiring that peace of spirit and mind which is even more valuable than the ability of the mighty to conquer cities. Much LOVE!…anger and strife…eventually lead to death and destruction…but peace and LOVING-kindness…gently usher us along the path to salvation and eternal life…
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 November 2012 1 Peter 2:9

02 Nov 2012 Leave a comment

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

1 Peter 2:9.    But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
 
Oh Friends, it’s Friday, but unfortunately many of us in North America and the Caribbean are not as jolly as we usually are on a Friday. There are very few shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ and even the few that we’re hearing lack the usual joy and expectant hope that the weekend usually brings. And we can lay it all at the feet of super-storm Sandy, which has seriously ravaged us over the past week. Millions of people are seriously hurting, both physically and emotionally, without food and light. Some have no water, while others have too much, from the resultant flooding. Oh Friends, this is a very disastrous time in which man’s humanity to man needs to be shown, must take first place. So please, let’s concentrate on helping those in dire need now, and most importantly, let’s pray diligently for them. Remember the Lord heareth the prayer of the righteous (Prov.15:29), and also, as we saw yesterday, intercessory prayers are one of our major responsibilities. So let’s get seriously praying nuh Friends and fellow believers. This is also an excellent opportunity for all nations to come together in prayer to Almighty God. We need to use it as a wake up call, an opportune time for nations to repent and return to diligently worshipping and serving the Most High God Jehovah, Creator and Controller of us all. It’s time to return to His caring and LOVING confines, for who knows if He specifically designed Sandy as a means of drawing us closer to Him, since it’s mostly in times of dire need that many of us run to Him seeking His powerful help and fatherly mercy. Yes my brethren, it’s the opportune time to reinvigorate the LOVE Revolution we’ve been trying to forge without much success. But as everything to do with true (agape) LOVE, it must first start with believers. Why? Because God is LOVE, and we are His LOVING subjects. And as our Bit so rightly reminds us: ‘But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar (his own special) people; that ye should show forth (proclaim) the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.’ Yes Friends, as representatives of Christ here on earth, we need to be at the forefront of helping, giving, caring, sharing and LOVING, because that’s what Jesus is about. And though it’s never easy to walk in Jesus’ footsteps, as His loyal followers we have to at least attempt to do so. With that in mind, let’s boost our spirits some and remind ourselves of the true purpose of the weekend, by chanting our Friday Chant. As one 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.’ Ah my brethren, hopefully that gets us to stop for a moment and ponder our personal goals and directions in Jesus this weekend. Now let’s continue looking at some scripture that validates our Bit. Yesterday we looked at two passages from Isaiah, today we’ll continue with another from Chapter 42, re the Lord’s servant coming to glorify Him. ‘And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things (places) straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.’ (Is.42:16) Oh Friends, every time I read about God’s awesome promises, it makes me shake my head in wonder at our lukewarm acceptance of them, or our complete disbelief. No wonder our lives and our world are so messed up. Now hear this scripture from Acts, where Bruh Paul testifies of his conversion on the road to Damascus to king Agrippa. While lying flat on his back, having been blinded by a burst of heavenly light, Jesus informs him. ‘But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear (reveal) unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I now send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan into God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith in me.’ (Acts 26:16-18) There we go Friends, from the very beginning, God’s purpose was definitely to take us out of the darkness of sin, by introducing us to the light found in His Son Jesus. Now why can’t we understand that and live by it eh? I really don’t know nuh. And we’ll end with some more energizing words from Bruh Paul, from his message to the Corinthians, re God’s power in the ministry. ‘For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.’ (2 Cor.4:5-6) What an awesome and caring kindness on God’s part my people! Now let’s go and do our part by seriously and diligently living for Jesus. That’s the least we can do, after all the selfless sacrifices He’s made for us. Much LOVE!…to truly know Jesus…is to LOVE Him…and greatly desire to live your life for Him…
 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 November 2012 1 Peter 2:9

01 Nov 2012 Leave a comment

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

1 Peter 2:9.    But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
 
Oh Friends, it’s already the first day of November! Can you believe that? Soon it will be December, then January 2013! Wow! 2012 has sure passed quickly, and it’s time again to check on the resolutions we made at the start, to see if we really and truly kept them. I sure hope though that we kept the ones where we vowed to increase our LOVE for Jesus, thus becoming more like Him, as well as being more passionate in doing His work here on earth. Remember the Lord doesn’t take very kindly to broken promises. So we have two months left to ramp up that Christian faith in our hearts, and put it into serious action. And why do we need to do that? Because as our Bit explains, we are God’s own people. ‘But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar (his own special) people; that ye should show forth (proclaim) the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.’ Yes Friends, we have been chosen by God, through Jesus Christ to do His work, to be ambassadors on His behalf, to bring others to the knowledge of His TRUTH and LIGHT, out of the plague of darkness and sin. This New Testament Church of Christ, to which all believers belong, has a unique and special relationship with God, having been chosen to represent Him, like Israel did in the Old Testament. Now here’s some scholarly info on the Priesthood of believers. ‘Every believer has the privilege and responsibility of direct access to God. Illustration: In the Old Testament, the family of Aaron was designated as a priesthood to God. In the New Testament that priesthood becomes the birthright of every Christian. Like their Old Testament counterparts, believer-priests have the privilege of access to God. Application: With privilege comes a twofold responsibility – sacrifice and intercessory prayer. The sacrifices of the believer are his body (Rom.12:1-2), his praise to God (Heb.13:15), his substance (Rom.12:13), and his service (Heb.13:6) The Christian ought also to pray on behalf of others. (Col.4:12). (First Reference, Job 42:10) Primary Reference, 1 Pet.2:9; cf. 1 Cor.9:19)’ Please check out those scriptures Friends, for they will certainly enhance our understanding about our duties as a chosen people of God. But it’s also important that we note, as Peter continues after our Bit: ‘Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.’ (1 Pet.2:10) And all God’s people gave a mighty shout of ‘Thank You Jesus!’ Yes Friends, before Jesus came, Gentiles had no real relationship with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, were not accounted as His people, only the Jewish nation. However, through God’s great LOVE and Jesus’ selfless sacrifice on the cross at Calvary, ALL peoples were given the opportunity to become truly associated with the Most High God Jehovah in a personal relationship. Mama Mia! What a great God we serve and worship Friends! For remember, it was nothing that we did or deserved, but the LOVING-kindness and grace of God that brought us out of darkness into the light. So we have no reason whatsoever to boast or beat our chests in self-satisfied pride. Don’t ever forget that it was through God’s undeserved mercy that we were made righteous and reconciled to Him, and not through our own efforts. We need to remember that, because we’re behaving just like the Israelites did on numerous occasions; when they got prosperous, they forgot who brought them to the dance, who allowed them to become prosperous. Yes my brethren, we’re seeing a lot of false pride and idol worship in our society right now, that’s why it’s so ungodly, so messed up and on the brink of destruction. Anyway, let’s look at some scriptures that validate our Bit. And we’ll start off way back when with Isaiah’s prophecy, re the Birth of the Prince of Peace. In strength and in truth, he dutifully proclaimed; ‘The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.’ (Is.9:2) Hallelujah! That’s us mih breddren! Can you imagine what we’d be like if Jesus had not come and shone His magnificent, majestic light on us? Hn! I refuse to even consider the negative ramifications of that! And we’ll continue with some more of Isaiah’s prophecy, for he was the prophet entrusted with the most info on the Messiah’s coming. In this section, he’s talking about the servant of the Lord, Jesus, coming to glorify the Lord. ‘I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.’ (Is.42:6-7) According to the scholars; ‘The ministry of the Messiah is described in verse 6 as a covenant to the Jews and a light to the Gentiles. It therefore foreshadows the twofold purpose of Christ’s ministry to both the Jews and the Gentiles.’ And that prophecy was borne out by the words of Jesus. ‘For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.’ (Matt.18:11) Yes my people that was Jesus’ intent, and now He has passed the baton to us, to continue that work; saving lost souls in His Name. Please, let’s live our lives so that we may do justice to that great purpose of Jesus, thereby saving many from eternal separation from our Heavenly Father. More on this tomorrow, God in favour. Till then, let’s walk in the light, as the children of light that we’re supposed to be nuh. Much LOVE!…remember…we’re in partnership with God…therefore we need to do our part…
 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 31 October 2012 Deuteronomy 31:6

31 Oct 2012 Leave a comment

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

Deuteronomy 31:6.    Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail nor forsake thee.

Oh Friends, the negative saga of ‘Frankenstorm’ Sandy continues. Thankfully it’s been toned down some, but the unfortunate effects are still being felt all over Central and Eastern North America. Hopefully in a couple more days it will finally dissipate and leave us to recover and rebuild. Deaths and damage are still piling up, but that’s par for the course. And if we consider that it could have been worse, then we’ll have a sliver of daylight to hang on to. The Lord in His LOVING-kindness must have heard the prayers of many righteous and mitigated the disastrous effects that Sandy could have caused. Let’s hold on to that thought for good measure nuh. Now here’s a rather significant quote from Mayor Bloomberg as He assessed the damage wreaked by Sandy on the mighty City of New York. He rightly declares: ‘Nature is an awful lot more powerful than we are.’ And that’s an undeniable truth Friends! I only wish a whole lot more of us, especially those in positions of power would recognize that. And then, I ‘d like to ask Mr. Bloomberg and all the leaders of the nations, whom they think controls those powerful forces of nature? Oh my people, there’s ONLY ONE RIGHT answer to the question: ALMIGHTY GOD! The same ONE who created the universe and the very forces of nature. And yuh know Friends, until the majority of the world’s population wakes up and realizes that fact, then attempts to live in harmony with it, our world will be under constant attack, because our righteous and just God WILL NOT allow us to continue wallowing in the mire of sin, as we’re so effervescently and happily doing today. Last year we experienced Hurricane Irene who did billions of dollars worth of damage and caused many lives to be lost, but we never used that as a wake up call. Now we have Sandy, who first rose up from the South, then came North on an unfamiliar path to meet two other storms coming from other directions, to become the first storm of that kind we’ve ever experienced. And I ask Friends, will our response be any better than it was to Irene, or will we continue in the same, evil, sinful, ungodly manner as before? Ah mih people, I sure hope we use this as a wake up call, otherwise the next disaster might just be much worse. And did you notice Sandy’s timing; a week before the Presidential Elections in the U.S.? That’s going to cause even more confusion than there already was. But my faithful brethren, with all that negativity surrounding us, there’s still no need to fear, because our mighty, wise and ever-LOVING God is still in control of His universe. And He WILL definitely do as He promised long ago in our Bit, if we acknowledge and live by it. ‘Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail nor forsake thee.’ Now can you imagine the natural fear and despair that gripped a large portion of the Caribbean and North America before Sandy landed, and is still gripping us after this overwhelming catastrophe? Yes Friends, it’s only normal to fear what we don’t know and/or understand. However, true believers in Jesus Christ won’t allow any fear to stop their progress, because they have the awesome promises of Jehovah God to stand on. And as Sister Joyce ( Joyce Meyer) likes to say, even if we’re fearful, but it’s God’s command, then we should do it afraid. And that makes sense. But now let’s check out some scriptures on fear, that also give us the ONLY antidote for it, FAITH. We’ll begin with Isaiah, as he talks about the final restoration of Israel. ‘Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.’ (Is.41:10) And if that doesn’t lift your spirits, then listen to these true and stirring words of Bruh Paul to Timothy, words that we all know, but don’t seem to take very seriously. ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound mind.’ (2 Tim.1:7) And if that still doesn’t move you, let’s hear Peter, as he declares: ‘Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.’ (1 Pet.5:6-7) Yes Friends, our God does care greatly for us, otherwise He would not have sacrificed His ONLY Son Jesus for us, but we have to live according to His directives, for He’s the BOSS! Just like our earthly bosses will reprimand or fire us if we don’t do as they say, our God will reprimand and punish us if we’re not obedient to His dictates. And we’ll end with the last words Jesus said to His disciples as He gave them the Great Commission. ‘…and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt.28:20b) Oh my people, if you can’t believe and take comfort in the words of those men of great faith, and also in Jesus’ promise, then I don’t know what else to say, except may the Lord have mercy on you, and work a miracle in your soul, so that you can truly believe in His faithful promises, and sincerely act on them without fear, but rather – in FAITH. Much LOVE!…do be aware…and do care…but please, please don’t fear…or despair… P.S. Due to time and space constraints, I couldn’t include these scriptures, but please read them on your own, as they will be very valuable, re the fear aspect. (Is.43: 1-5; Phil.4:6-7) Much LOVE!
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 October 2012 Deuteronomy 31:6

30 Oct 2012 Leave a comment

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

Deuteronomy 31:6.     Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee nor forsake thee. 
 
Ah Friends, another chapter in our calamitous times is being written, thanks to ‘Frankenstorm’ Sandy. She’s had a hand in at least ten deaths in the U.S. and one so far in Canada, where in Toronto yesterday, a Staples sign blew down in the 60 kilometres per hour winds and struck her. What a sad way to go. Meanwhile Sandy came ashore in New Jersey yesterday, lashing the Eastern U.S. coast with merciless winds and rain. Millions of people are without power now, and flooding is escalating. And the sad part is that though Sandy has been downgraded to a Tropical Storm, she’s not done yet. To put it nicely, we still have a couple days of inclement weather left. Now can you imagine if Sandy had retained its hurricane status? The whole Eastern coast of North America is being lashed with powerful winds and much rain, snow is even predicted in some areas. That would just put the icing, both literally and figuratively on the cake. Thankfully, so far in my area it’s been mostly gusting wind since yesterday afternoon, though still at a level we can handle, and hopefully it won’t reach epic proportions. The wind seems to have been blowing away some of the rain. I went out on my porch around 4.30 a.m. and surprisingly found my Toronto Star newspaper out there as usual, though they had warned that it might be late because of the weather. But Friends, while we on the East Coast of the continent have been perplexed and perturbed by Sandy, the residents on the northern part of the West Coast have been worried about a 7.7 magnitude earthquake that took place some 40 kilometres off the coast of British Columbia on Saturday. A tsunami warning had been issued, but thankfully nothing came of it, except bickering and confusion in B.C. where it’s claimed the U.S. warning came a whole half an hour before the Canadian, although they knew about the earthquake and its possible repercussions at the same time as the U.S. Obviously the Provincial Government and its agencies claim that they acted responsibly, while the local governments and the people who would have been targeted by the tsunami, claim otherwise. Oh mih people, what’s happening to us eh? In these supposedly modern and revolutionary times, when we can do all sorts of technological wonders, we still can’t get together rationally and solve common problems. As someone told me last night, the Lord’s sending us a message, but we’re not listening. And that could certainly be gospel Friends! Times have become so fearful that many are afraid to walk the roads even in broad daylight, because evil is no longer hiding under the cover of darkness, but has become so emboldened that it’s operating openly in the light now. However my brethren, there’s ONE, and ONLY ONE antidote for Fear, that’s FAITH! FAITH IN ALMIGHTY GOD! As our Bit so encouragingly and appropriately declares: ‘Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee nor forsake thee.’ What part of that don’t we understand eh Friends? If we truly believe in the all-powerful, faithful God we profess to worship, then we should calmly accept such an awesome promise, and consequently there shouldn’t be any fear in our souls, for the Lord has proven His power and faithfulness time and time again. I guess the problem is that a majority of the population don’t believe in the Most High God Jehovah, and those who do, don’t have sufficient faith to stand the rigours of these troubled times. So without further ado, let’s check out some scriptures, re handling fear with faith building. And we’ll begin with Moses reminding the Israelites of their sad, fearful behaviour on their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land. ‘Then I said unto you, Dread not, neither be afraid of them. The Lord your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes; And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the Lord thy God bare (carried) thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came unto this place. Yet in this thing ye did not believe the Lord your God.’ (Deut.1:29-32) Oh Friends, that’s certainly a telling reproach against the Israelites! The Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt is possibly the greatest exhibition of our God’s great powers, His unending LOVE, and also His powerful anger at continual sin and disobedience. That’s shown in the wandering of Israel for forty years in the desert, culminating with the death of all but Caleb and Joshua of the old generation that came out of Egypt. If anybody in this entire world should have believed in Almighty God, it should have been them, having seen the mighty works He did on their behalf. But obviously they did not, and sadly today we are doing the same thing my people; living in fear, when we have God’s awesome promises to stand faithfully and secure on. We talk up a storm about God, but don’t reflect that talk in our actions, that’s why we’re still so fearful. Now listen to Bruh David’s advice to cousin Sol, when he handed over the throne of Israel to him. ‘Only the Lord give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the Lord thy God. Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfill the statutes and judgements which the Lord charged (commanded) Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.’ (1 Chr.22:12-13) Oh Friends what absolutely wise words from a father to a son, especially from one who actually lived the words he spoke, under the calming umbrella of God’s faithfulness. And when Cousin Sol followed them, he became the greatest, wisest and richest king that ever lived! However, in his old age, when he strayed from his father’s words and rebelled against the Lord God of his fathers for the heathen gods of his wives, he lost God’s favour. It’s ever so simple and true Friends: stay faithful to God, and He will stay faithful to you, and under those circumstances, there’s no reason to be overwhelmed by fear. Please, let’s write that indelibly in our hearts, minds and spirits, so that we can continuously recall it, and thus not live in fear. Much LOVE!…we say again…the ONLY thing to conquer fear…is TRUE FAITH in Jehovah God…
 

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