Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 May 2012 Acts 10: 38

14 May 2012 Leave a comment

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

Acts 10:38.     How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Well the party’s over my Friends. Time to call it a day! Yes Friends, my Jamdown vacation is done today! Chuh! What a pity! But that’s where the old saying learn to take a little and live long, comes in. I would have preferred a longer vacation, but I’ll take a week in J.A anytime. Unfortunately my people, it’s also Monday, and your mini vacation of two days is also over, time to go back out and labour for the man. Another Monday when we need to rise up in faith and actively pursue our earthly duty of winning souls for Christ. And as always, to help us in that aspect, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with plenty vim and vigour. As one mighty voice 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!’ Now that should get the adrenalin going, give us a jump start, invigorate us sufficiently to go out and battle the forces of evil in Jesus’ name! Ah mih people, by tomorrow, I too will be back to the common task and daily grind, but as I sit here, for the last time on the balcony of the little mansion in Mo Bay, drinking in the sights and sounds of the lush garden in Coral Gardens, committing them to memory, my mind ran back through my movements this past week in J.A, and for some reason, centred on the thought of Jesus going about doing good, hence our Bit. ‘ How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.’ It sort of put my week here in perspective, where I’d get up everyday, sometimes with no definite plan but to write the Bit, then go out and meet people, spread some peace and LOVE, some joy and  kindness, bring a smile or a burst of laughter to someone else’s hurting soul. And I think I did that fairly well this week. The ole fella was in his essence this week mih children! (smile) Thank the Lord for the power of His Spirit that coursed through me, helping me to bring a little sunshine in some other people’s lives! And yuh know mih breddren, the holiday ended with a bang, for yesterday was the best day: Church with some beautiful people in the morning, who truly showed me the Christian way; them write mih Bit; then later in the afternoon a spell on the beach at Doctor’s Cave with the Duchess; then a gathering of the clan in the evening. And was that ever wonderful mih Friends! Backfoot! The jokes, the camaraderie, the food and general good time was certainly exhilarating, and showed how families ought to live with each other. As they say, the family that plays together, stays together. And that’s the gospel truth mih people! That was certainly the highlight of my trip. It warmed the cockles of my heart to see family getting along so well together. No fussing and fighting and all the other nonsense, which is so much a part of family life nowadays. Then later in the evening, the Duchess, a male cousin and I headed into town, had a couple of ‘Days at the Beach,’ (smile) I likes it! We listened to some music and I put back on whatever pounds I’d lost with a big piece of cheesecake and a couple scoops of ice cream. It sure went down well! Then on the way home we had some ‘pan chicken’. All in all it was wonderful! I couldn’t ask for a better time! Anyway Friends, I need to go and catch a last dip in the salt, so we’ll end appropriately with a scripture pertaining to Jesus going about His Father’s business. ‘And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of (every) sickness and all manner of (every) disease among the people.’ (Matt.4:23) Now that’s the way we, His followers ought to be too – just going about our Father’s business, with a right heart and clean spirit, just letting the Holy Spirit guide us, doing good, helping whomever, whenever and wherever we can in a peaceful and LOVING manner, just as our Lord, and Saviour Jesus did. Till tomorrow then, when I’ll be writing once again from the north country, God willing obviously, please take care mih people, and go safely with the wonderful God of our eternal salvation. Much LOVE!…our earthly duty…to simply be a vessel…a channel of God’s LOVE and peace…to show it in action every day of our lives…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 May 2012 Psalm 113:9

13 May 2012 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 113:9.    He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.

 HAPPY  MOTHER’S  DAY!

Yes Friends, in this troubled year of 2012, we should all be praising the Lord for His goodness and mercy toward us! And on this most significant Mother’s Day of my life, I want to wish all you mothers out there on God’s great earth a happy Mother’s Day! Most of you definitely deserve it. And this Mother’s Day is significant to me because it’s the first one I’m experiencing without my biological mother. Oh Mols sugar, the ole fella misses you today, and the tears are welling up in my eyes as I write this, remembering all the good times we spent together. But I know that you are in a much better place now, no more pain and suffering, and you know all I ever wanted was your happiness, for like so many mothers, especially the single ones, you never took an easy step in your life, but it never made you bitter or resentful. Instead, you were always full of joy and good cheer. You also showed me by example how to live a good Christian life. And for that I’ll forever be grateful ‘M’. Sorry about that short break Friends, but the tears began flowing uncontrollably for a moment. It’s strange, for though I miss my mother, and still talk to her every day, I haven’t cried over her in months. I guess the many good Mother’s Day memories just stirred up the dormant emotions. But enough of my sentimentality, let’s get on with writing the Bit. (smile) Ah Friends, mothers are the most important people in our lives. They physically carry us in their wombs for nine months, then experience excruciating pain to birth us, then spend the best years of their lives nurturing and guiding us. Wow! What towers of strength! They are also the ones who usually form our character by their teaching and everyday example. Chuh! Stop it nuh tears! They want to flow again as I remember the excellent teaching and example my mother Molly set me. Unfortunately it was only late in life, after hearing some horrendous stories about other mothers, that I realized she was amongst the best mothers in the world. Oh my brethren, I have so many examples of her unconditional LOVE and wise guidance, some of which I never took, and afterwards paid a hefty price. She was never loud and ignorant with me, but I could always tell when she was displeased, and in my time, I sure felt the rod, in my case, the strap of correction, which undoubtedly made me a better person today. The Good Book says God is LOVE, and it seems that He put a greater portion in mothers then in fathers, for they are usually the catalyst, the binding thread that keeps families together. Where there are strong, LOVING mothers, there are strong, LOVING families! Some believe that because Eve was the originator of sin, the Lord placed the arduous task of child bearing and rearing on her and her fellow women. But even if that’s so, He also gave her the parts to bear her earthly burden, just as He does for each of us. (1 Cor.10:13) The sad part of the story though is that just as mothers can be good examples, they can also be bad ones, and I want to share a couple scriptures about mothers that caught my attention. The first one is about Deborah, the prophetess, who once judged Israel. In her time she brought peace and security to Israel after she and Barak defeated their enemies. And in her joyful song of praise, she astutely declares: ‘The inhabitants of the villages ceased (village life ceased), they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.’ (Judg.5:7) No better description of nurturing and guidance beside ‘MOTHER’ can be found in any language. Now let’s introduce our Bit for today: ‘He maketh (causes) the barren (childless) woman to keep house (dwell in a home), and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.’ There is indeed method to our God’s seeming madness my people! Look at all the supposed barren women, from Sarah onward, who through faith, prayer and trust in Almighty God, eventually became wonderful mothers. One of the best examples of that is Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel. She cried out to God in her barren state, and promised to dedicate any offspring to the Lord. The Lord in His LOVING-kindness blessed her with Samuel, and she kept her vow and gave Him to be the Lord’s servant at an early age. (1 Sam:2) Unfortunately though, we also have mothers like Athaliah, whose son, Ahaziah, ruled Judah for a time. Hear how the Good Book refers to her: ‘He (Ahaziah) also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counselor to do wickedly.’ (2 Chr.22:3) How sad it is when a mother can actively encourage her children to do evil. But that’s the nature of the beast; some are good and some are bad. Let’s just hope that overall, we get more good apples than rotten ones. Oh Friends, on this Mother’s Day, please, let’s all honour and show LOVE to our Mothers, in spite of their shortcomings, for they are human just like the rest of us, and thus liable to make mistakes. And  anyway that’s a God-given commandment, not a mere suggestion of mine. ‘Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.’ (Ex.20:12) So regardless of how or what our parents turn out to be, it’s our bounden duty to honour, LOVE, and cherish them! My Friends, let’s seriously and actively live that commandment  from today onward nuh. Much LOVE!…a mother’s job…is to be the bedrock…the backbone of the family…  P.S. Sorry this is so late Friends, but I went to church and it took about two and a half hours, which I’m not accustomed to. But it was indeed time well spent, the congregation was very welcoming, and I enjoyed the refreshing sense of worship in a West Indian congregation that I haven’t experienced in a long while. Took me back to my boyhood days in Tobago. Much LOVE!

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 May 2012 Psalm 71:22

12 May 2012 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 71:22.  I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.

Oh Friends, once again I’m writing to you in Jesus’ name from the little mansion in Mo Bay, after a successful and exhilarating trip to Kingston yesterday, where I renewed old acquaintances and reminisced on times gone by. And yuh know it’s strange, but I can feel a significant difference between the two mansions. Although it was nice and peaceful in Jack’s Hill, I could still feel the throbbing, the hustle and bustle vibe of the big city, while in Mo Bay, there’s a greater sense of peace and calm, a more countrified, easy going atmosphere. And as I sit on the balcony here, looking out over the lush garden below, sipping some coffee, a sense of what it must have been like in that first garden, Eden, comes over me. The birds are singing sweet, comely praises to their Maker, the leaves are rustling quietly in the cool, gentle breeze that washes over both them and me… Oh Friends, it’s just a quiet tranquil scene; one that eminently lends itself to thanks and praise! So let’s bring in our totally appropriate Bit nuh. ‘I will also praise thee with the psaltery (lute, lyre) even thy truth (faithfulness), O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.’ For sure mih people, for sure! Thanks and praise to Almighty God is a continual must, for He created us to glorify Him! Hear the psalmist corroborate that: ‘Praise ye the Lord (sing Hallelujah): for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely (beautiful).’ (Ps.147:1) That’s undoubtedly the living truth Friends! For the Lord faithfully looks after the sheep of His pasture. And all God’s children gave a joyful, mighty shout: ‘Oh thank you Father God!’ Now let’s turn for a spell to the last part of our Bit; ‘O thou Holy One of Israel.’ The psalmist knows exactly to whom He’s offering pleas and praise, the God of His fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Unfortunately though, most of today’s world don’t have a clue about Him, or even if they do, they ungraciously shunt Him aside for the fleshly lusts and pleasure of this sinful, ungodly world. As Isaiah said to Judah: ‘Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.’ (2 Kin.19:22) Oh Friends, sadly, that’s ever so true! Beelzebub is in control today, just like he was back in Isaiah’s time. ‘Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib (manger or feed trough): but Israel doth not know (understand), my people doth not consider. Ah sinful nation, a people laden (weighed down) with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away (turned) backward.’ (Is.1:2-4) Ah mih breddren, how sad it is to see what our once wonderful world has now come to! And unless we stop this free fall in to sin and ungodliness, we going to fall all the way down to Hades to spend eternity with Lucifer. And believe me, the fleshly lusts and pleasures that we running down now, won’t be down there. There’ll be no pleasures, just eternal ‘sufferation’! All the fun and joy will be in heaven! Glory Hallelujah! So Friends, it’s up to each individual to make  a conscious choice for eternity; enjoy the pleasures of the world now, and eternal death and damnation in Hades after. Or suffer the pangs of evil now, overcoming them through the help of a faithful Lord and Saviour, Jesus, then living with Him in eternal splendour and glory afterwards! Wow! What a wonderful scene to look forward to! So my brethren, I’m imploring us to make the wise choice; Jesus. Please, please, don’t be penny wise and pound foolish, choose Jesus, the only sensible choice! Now let’s end as we began; on a joyous note of thanks and praise. ‘Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely (beautiful) for the upright. Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. Sing unto him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise (joyful shout). For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth,’ (Ps.33:1-4) And all God’s people said a loud, praiseworthy, ‘Amen!’ Much, Much LOVE mih people!…as for me and mine…there’s no doubt…we will follow Jesus…right to the ends of the earth…  

Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 May 2012 Psalm 71:22

11 May 2012 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 71:22.   I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.

Oh Friends, it’s Friday and plenty of you are trilling: ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday! TGIF! Thank God is Friday!’ But here’s a better mantra, one I overhead yesterday afternoon while waiting in the supermarket parking lot for the Duchess and the Lady of the Manor. I didn’t see the lads involved because they were hidden by a wall behind me, but their voices came through loud and clear, and from the timbre, they had to be between five and ten years old. The loudest one was saying to the other: ‘Mi nyar give up! Mi cyan give up!’ I smiled to myself when I heard that, thinking; ‘Son, you don’t know what words of wisdom you’re speaking nuh!’ Yes my people, never give up should be the motto of Jesus’ followers! How can we be intimately associated with the most powerful Being in the universe, the Creator of all things bright and beautiful and talk about giving up eh? Not at all Friends! The two things just don’t go together, especially after Jesus so selflessly sacrificed His sinless, holy life so that we could be redeemed and reconciled to the Father. Chuh! We can’t even think about giving up, much less talk about it. And to help us stay strong and devoted, let’s chant out Friday Chant. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’Ah Friends, most of you are overjoyed at the two days off coming up, but I’m not so happy though, because Friday means my holiday is almost over. Anyway don’t worry for I’m still making memories, and today I’m writing from a little mansion in Jack’s Hill, looking out over the sprawling city of Kingston, having travelled by the Knutsford Express Bus this morning. It’s certainly good to have well to do Friends in each area eh! (smile) And the Lord’s been so good to me  this past week in J.A that I’d be rather ungrateful to complain. I might be many things, but ungrateful is certainly not one of them, thus the choice of our Bit for today: ‘I will also praise thee with the psaltery (lute or lyre), even thy truth (faithfulness), O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.’ Yuh know my brethren, we don’t give our wonderful God as much thanks as He really deserves. We quick to cry out to Him in times of trouble, but thanks and praise don’t seem to figure into our lives as much as they ought to. Who you think enables us to have good times eh? It’s the Lord God Jehovah! But when life is good we’re too busy with the things of the world to bother with God. And that’s totally wrong my brethren, for when trouble comes and you call out to God, He’ll ignore you, just like you ignore Him. And I’m sure you don’t want that to happen, so please pay attention to the Lord when times are good as well as when they’re bad, cause it’s all in your best interest. Remember a couple days ago we were saying that we need to commune with the Father especially in the rough times; we need to praise and thank Him for sending the troubles, which inevitably strengthen us and continue the makeover of our character into the likeness of Jesus. Now here’s what our attitude should be like at all times. The psalmist 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; upon the harp with a solemn (harmonious, melodious) sound. For thou Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.’ (Ps.92:1-4) And all God’s people joyfully shouted: ‘Praise the Lord for His goodness to men! Amen!’ Yes mih people, until we’re giving continual thanks and praise to our God, living in a state of being where those two things come automatically and continuously, we’re not LOVING our God to the fullest of our abilities! Well that’s about it for today Friends. Time to go and see some old, familiar Kingston sights and people, relive some old memories. Talk to you tomorrow then, if the good Lord’s in favour. Much LOVE!…to truly be a follower of Jesus…LOVING our God…LIVING our Faith…and SPREADING the Word…must take priority in our earthly pilgrimage…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 May 2012 Psalm 23:2

10 May 2012 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 23:2.     He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters.

Oh Friends, from the balcony of the little mansion in Mo Bay, I write these words to you in the peace and LOVE of Jesus Christ! Praise His Holy Name! Yeh, it’s another beautiful day in Mo Bay, with the leaves of the trees swaying in the gentle breeze, with birds singing sweet praises, dogs barking and human voices rising to be lost in the atmosphere. My only regret is that it’s already Thursday; the week’s almost over. Wishing now that I’d taken at least two weeks off instead of one. But them’s the breaks! Got to be thankful for small mercies, cause it could have just as easily been no time at all. And the ole fella’s still giving thanks, still pinching myself to make sure it’s real! Oh mih breddren, the Lord’s been so good to me this week that there’s only one Bit suited to declare it: ‘ He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters.’ The Lord truly has been my shepherd, for I have lacked nothing. Wherever I’ve gone, people have been happy to see me, even those who don’t know me, and have all treated me right royally. What more can I ask eh? NOTHING! Like Ezekiel conveyed the Lord’s promise to Israel: ‘I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat (rich) pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God.’ (Ezek.34:14-15) The Lord sure has fed, and is still feeding me, in a rich green pasture here this week Friends, on the hillside of Mo Bay, and I am lying down in peace and comfort. I know that the problems of the world have not passed away, but I’m not watching any news or reading any papers this week, just letting it all go by without much personal involvement. I’m still praying and hoping for the best for one and all, but I’m certainly not allowing it to affect my soul. As it were, I’m just lying down in the pastures of green, resting my spirit beside the still, peaceful waters, letting my soul just concentrate and rejoice in the goodness of the God of my salvation! It’s a time out to rejuvenate the spirit, cause next week I’ll be back to the daily task and constant grind. My people, I’d strongly suggest that every so often we get away from the world and all its nonsense, just relax and fill our souls and minds with the wonder of our God. Just allow Him to come into us to cleanse and heal our stressed bodies and souls; revitalize them with His sure presence and power. We need time off from the troubles of daily life, so we can get refreshed and be able to adequately handle them again. We’re just like any mechanical device; every so often we need tuning up too, since the pressures and demands of our daily lives in the evermore confused and troubled world will eventually drain us of our godly power, if we don’t take the time to seriously address it. And Friends, it’s not like I’m not peaceful and strong back in the north country, but here I’m experiencing a different, higher level of peace, where the stress and strain of daily living are not as great, and personally I don’t have any serious decisions to make; except when and what to eat, when to sleep, when to go to beach etc. (smile) By the way, Sunset Beach (that’s the poor man’s beach) was nice yesterday evening, fully reflecting its name, as a beautiful sunset took place while I was there for a dip. In my realm, when you just want a dip, you go to Sunset. When you want a day at the beach, you go to Doctor’s Cave. Anyway, enough of my ramblings, let’s end by looking all the way forward to that final time when Jesus shall lead us to green pastures, beside still beautiful waters for eternity. ‘They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed (shepherd) them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears (every tear) from their eyes.’ (Rev.7.16-17) Oh Friends, that’s an everlasting, faithful promise! Let’s keep it in our vision; look towards its eventuality, and therefore set our compass, our life’s course in that direction. It’s the only way of living that’s wise and sensible! Much LOVE!…to live for Christ…is the wisdom of the ages…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 May 2012 Psalm 69:30

09 May 2012 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 69:30.  I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.

Oh Friends, a nice, cool breeze is blowing in over the hills this Tuesday morning as I sit on the balcony of the little mansion in Mo Bay to write to you. I’m admiring the lush garden down below me, while sipping a concoction of sorrel and pineapple. Now don’t get any ideas, there’s no alcohol in it. (smile) It’s simply a cold, refreshing drink. However, I did hit the daily double yesterday; a nice physical day at the beach with the Duchess at Doctor’s Cave, then later in the night, at a restaurant in the city, I revived it with an exotic cocktail also called ‘a day at the beach.’ And was it ever delicious! Just the thing to round off the day! Oh, sorry, I forgot about the wonderful goat-belly soup that I had in between! I know some of you are wrinkling up your faces in disgust, but that’s your misfortune. I came here to get strong and healthy and that’s the kind of food that performs that function. Consequently, I had to change my first choice of a Bit today, because it was too sad and beggy-beggy; (smile) a cry of distress. And right now I’m certainly not in distress. After all my good fortune, blessings and mercy, with being granted another sunny day on God’s wonderful, bountiful earth being the most exciting and enthralling, I had to give praise and thanks, thus our much more appropriate Bit: ‘I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.’ That’s for sure Friends! The Lord’s praise has continually been in my mouth since I hit the goodly shores of J.A. But overall, His children ought to give Him much more praise and thanks, and magnify His glorious Name much more than we normally do. We shouldn’t only praise Him when things are going well, but also in the rough times. I recently read a book where the author insists that praising God for the misfortunes in our lives, enables Him to work faithfully and turn those situations around. In other words, instead of griping when trials and troubles come our way, we should thank and praise Him for allowing them into our lives. Yes my people, whatever the situation, good or bad, praise and thanks is always the best way to handle it. It shows that we have the utmost faith and confidence in our God to make all things right, if it suits His purpose. It’s time we stop the everlasting whining and complaining about our mostly petty troubles, and instead just keep on doing God’s bidding and being thankful. Being thankful also has an added psychological effect, in that when we concentrate on giving thanks, we tend to forget or ignore our problems. The mind just concentrates on the good aspects of our lives, of which there are many. Like Bruh David in Psalm 13, where he begins by crying out and asking the Lord how long He’ll forget him and hide His face (Ps.13:1) but ends up: ‘But I have trusted in thy mercy (LOVING-kindness); my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.’ (Ps.13:5-6) Yes Friends, we tend to forget all the good things the Lord’s already done for us when new troubles come upon us. We ought not to though, for if we truly believe that our God is faithful and powerful, can do all things, then why should we think that He’s forgotten us? We should be claiming, like Bruh David: ‘The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.’ (Ps.28:7) I have to chuckle yes people, because the two psalms of Bruh David I’ve quoted here, all begin with crying out for help and mercy, but both end up with praising, glorifying and admitting trust and faith in God’s power and LOVING-kindness. And that’s how it should be with us my brethren; when we cry out for help, it should always be with confidence and trust that it will be given, which ought to lead to the eventual giving of thanks for the sure coming of relief. And Bruh David does it again in Psalm 69, a cry of distress, from which our Bit is taken; he begins by bemoaning his unfortunate plight, but ends up with praise and thanksgiving. Because: ‘This shall also please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs. The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God. For the Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners. Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.’ (Ps.69: 31-34) Please mih people, let’s make it our priority today to adopt that praise and thanksgiving attitude, regardless of what comes against us nuh. It will endear us to the Father and thus give Him more reason to cherish and bless us. Much LOVE!…the lips of all God’s creatures…should be constantly, continually dripping with His praise, thanksgiving and glory…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 May 2012 John 15:4

08 May 2012 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

John 15:4.  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

Surprise! Surprise! Oh Friends, from a little mansion in Mo Bay, I’m writing these words for you! That’s just a little play on the old Reggae song ‘From a little cottage in Negril.’ Yes Friends, the ole fella’s in Mo Bay, Xayamaca; the Land of Wood and Water; Rivers and Springs! Believe it people, it’s true; the ole fella’s in Jamdown! Wow! I have to pinch myself to make sure it’s true! (smile) Let’s back up a bit here though and talk about the Arawak Indian name for Jamaica, ‘Xayamaca.’ Tell me nuh, how many of the young people today know that that was the Amerindian name for their country and what it means? Do they still teach stuff like that in school? I sure hope so, else we’d just keep on losing our rich heritage and culture of the West Indies, until all is lost and forgotten. That would surely be a sad day! Anyway, I’m not here to gripe and complain, but to lay back, relax and enjoy the sea, sand, sun and rum. I’ve already gotten the first three, the last will come later, I hope. (smile) Yeh Friends, I touched down in Mo Bay yesterday afternoon, and believe me, the change in everything has certainly been refreshing! Yuh know I’ve been saying I’ll check out the sunshine when the time’s right? Well I could have come before, but I just never had peace in my soul, re the timing. But now the timing’s right, because it is the Lord’s! Remember on Holy Thursday night, during the Gethsemane watch, He told me to abide in him – with patience, so I was just trying to do that. And finally I was rewarded with this trip, that by the way, just fell into my lap, without me doing anything, IN HIS TIME! That’s the important thing Friends; it was God’s timing not mine. Unlike the fiasco of last year when I went to California and rushed impatiently to the beach, then lost my wedding ring in the cold, rough water, then also got lost physically trying to get back home. That obviously wasn’t His timing. Sorry that this is so late, but yesterday was somewhat hectic and my Jamaican family told me that I was on vacation, so I should just relax and not rush myself. (smile) And yuh better believe Doctor’s Cave beach was nice yesterday afternoon! I just revelled in the beautiful blue salt water! From the first dip I could feel a marked difference in both my body and soul. And as I sit here now on the quiet balcony of the little mansion, looking out at the abundance of colourful flora, including all kinds of fruit trees, my soul’s at peace, and my body’s feeling healthy. The arthritic woes  have taken a back seat. Thank the Lord! And late last night, after all the ‘confuffleation’, I was sitting on the balcony conversing with my Maker, listening to the crickets and other insects singing loud praises to Him. Yuh know they’re so loud, it’s hard to hear anything else, and they carry on all night, sounding like and earthly angelic choir. And while they were singing His praises, I was giving my utmost thanks! That’s all I could do, for no words could truly convey the heartfelt feeling that ran through me. And I’m still giving plenty thanks now! (smile) Ah mih people, it’s certainly refreshing; the change in pace, the scenery, the atmosphere, everything is just so much more conducive to good health and long life. And when I went looking for a suitable Bit to convey this abide in me principle, wonder of wonders, I found this obvious and most appropriate one! ‘Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.’ And that’s the living truth Friends! If we abide in Jesus, do what He asks and wait patiently on Him to make the necessary moves, we will bear much fruit, and much good fruit at that. Now it’s not always easy to abide in patience, because the world has a very different outlook on life to Jesus. But as believers, we’re called to stand strong and steadfast in faith against the world and wait for Jesus’ timing. And I can tell you from personal experience, that if we adhere to that basic principle, we will be very successful in whatever we do! It’s a very simple but mountain moving principle my breddren. But we’ve been so conditioned and spoiled by the upsurge in technology, which gives us almost everything now for now, that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to wait on the Lord. But listen to these wise words of advice from Bruh Paul to the Colossians: ‘If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled (steadfast), and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister.’ (Col.1:23) Yes my brethren, our only hope of survival and success is to stay grounded and rooted in the faith so selflessly bestowed on us by Christ Jesus! Hope and faith in the Word is the only thing that will bring us joy and peace in this crazy, confused and troubled world. So please, let’s seriously endeavour to get the Word into us, then faithfully live it nuh. Only then will we bear an abundance of good fruit. Much LOVE!…the Word…the Word…that’s where man’s salvation…both earthly and heavenly lies…  P.S. The Bit might be somewhat disjointed, but that’s basically from my enthusiasm in being in J.A. And the Bits from here this week might be a bit irregular because of my unscripted, unplanned, fall as they wish movements. (smile) But don’t worry, you will get them…eventually. Much LOVE!  

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 May 2012 Isaiah 40:28

07 May 2012 Leave a comment

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

Isaiah40:28.    Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

And it was Monday! Yes Friends, it’s Monday, a glorious day when all the worker bees come back out to labour. (smile) However, please remember that we’re no longer slaves to the world, but the eminent children of the Most High God Jehovah, and as such are worthy of respect and deference. So please, let’s hold our heads up high as we go out to work today, and don’t consider ourselves working for earthly, mortal man, but for our heavenly Father, to bring His righteous and godly kingdom to fruition. This will ease some of the difficulty and pain we suffer during the work day. And to help us do that, let’s come before the Father with confidence and proper humility and sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn as loudly, enthusiastically and sincerely as we can. As one voice 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!’ Now that ought to set us on the right track Friends! So let’s turn to our Bit, one of the most encouraging pieces of scripture found in the Good Book: ‘Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.’ That’s an undeniable fact my people! The words, tired and faint don’t exist in our God’s vocabulary. Instead He rejuvenates the faint and weary, giving them strength to carry on. We saw a perfect example of that yesterday in that my ebbed spirit was soon lifted up when I cried out for help and also persevered in my task. Now today I want us to look at some scriptures that pertain to the last part of our Bit: ‘there is no searching of his understanding.’ That’s also an undeniable fact my fellow believers! Try as we can, none of us mortals can unlock the secrets, the wisdom and understanding of our omnipotent Creator, because He is immortal, with ways and thoughts much higher than ours. (Is.55:8-9) From that we can rightly discern that we’re like in kindergarten, while the Lord already has His doctorate. That’s how far superior His intelligence is to ours. So it’s not surprising when Psalm 147, solemnly proclaims: ‘Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite (innumerable).’ (Ps.147:5) And trust the Preacher to hit the nail on the head: ‘As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit (wind), nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.’ (Eccl.11:5)  And that my brethren is a gospel truth, if ever there was one! Meanwhile the prophet Nahum dispenses this bit of wisdom: ‘The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked; the Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet…The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies. (Nah.1:3,7-8) More gospel truth mih breddren! And we’ll end with wise words from Bruh Paul: ‘O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been His counselor? Or who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed (repaid) unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.’ (Rom.11:33-36) Oh Friends, none of those statements are open to argument, for they are all the unadulterated, unalterable truth! And we also see Bruh Paul’s brilliance with words, where in verses 34-35, he combines the words of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Job to further his argument. Oh that all believers could be so wise and learned in the scriptures! But that will come eventually my people as we read, study and meditate on the infallible Word of our God. Now that’s our task for today. Please carry it out without any murmuring or complaints, for it’s in our best interest to do so. Much LOVE!…can the clay tell the potter what to make…or how to make it…likewise we can’t tell our Creator what to do…or how to do it…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 May 2012 Isaiah 40:28

06 May 2012 Leave a comment

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

Isaiah 40:28.     Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

Ah Friends, the ole fella’s feeling a bit down in the dumps this morning. Yuh know sometimes yuh just feel blah; yuh get the blahs. (smile) Well that’s my unfortunate position today. Why? I really don’t know, because there’s no good reason for me to be feeling less than enthusiastic. I guess my spirit is a tad tired from the constant merry-go-round that’s life. Obviously I asked the Lord to boost my spirit, to rejuvenate me so that I could write something worthy of His Name. Therefore it wasn’t so strange or surprising that in my search for a Bit, I was guided to this particular scripture verse. ‘Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.’ Yes Friends, I have heard, and I do know that the Lord our God, Creator of this vast, diverse, beautiful universe and all therein doesn’t faint or get tired, and there’s no understanding of His great wisdom, power, mercy, forgiveness and LOVE by mere mortals like myself. That’s why in my time of need I turned to Him without hesitation. And He has boosted my spirit, has rejuvenated my enthusiasm that was faltering, for I’m once again in fighting mode. Praise Him my brethren! Oh Friends, I’m chuckling here now as I write, but some twenty minutes ago, I certainly wasn’t chuckling. Instead I was dreading having to write the Bit in that blah state of mind. But our God is such a wonderful God, uplifting and comforting those who believe and trust in Him! As Isaiah so eloquently and truthfully continues: ‘He giveth power to the faint (weak), and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Is.40:29-31) And I can testify right now Friends, that that’s the gospel truth, because he just did it for me! Give Him some thanks and praise! So it is for real when I keep saying that we must turn to the Lord, especially in the rough and tough times, for the fortitude and strength to renew our faith and keep us keeping on. Our world is so filled today with all kinds of faith breaking and energy sapping stuff, that being only human, frail and fragile, at some time or other we will get tired and frustrated by the energy and focus required for successful living. But fortunately my brethren, when either or both our physical and spiritual energy ebb to low tide, that’s the time we need to use our faith by turning to Almighty God for help and succour. It won’t always come easily, or right away, or even the way you want and expect it, but rest assured, it will come, and in a way that’s best for you. My ‘blahness’ today is a good example of that. I asked for a boosting of my spiritual energy, but it wasn’t just simply boosted, or even the way I expected it. It came through my act of faith. I knew I had to write the Bit, regardless of how I felt, so I went seeking one, and through the Spirit’s guidance, I was led to one that rejuvenated me. I could easily have moaned and groaned and pleaded without getting up off my fanny and doing my part and most likely nothing would have happened, or it would have taken much longer. But because I persevered some, in spite of my less than enthusiastic feelings, the Lord worked more quickly on my behalf. That’s one of the secrets to unlocking God’s mercy; doing what we need to do, in spite of how we feel! When we persevere regardless, in due time the Lord will bring our feelings around to line up with whatever we’re doing. Ah friends, I don’t know what else to say nuh, except that I’m quite bright and bubbly now! Praise the Lord for His goodness to the undeserving children of men! I guess He figured that I needed to provide some testimony today; some faith strengthening act of true reality, that I could pass along which would uplift and encourage others. And I sure hope that my little episode does provide some encouragement to you my fellow believers, for we all need encouragement at some time or another. But whatever the reason Friends, let me encourage and exhort us to stand strong in our God, for He has the most wonderful action going on in this crazy, troubled world. And if we stay close to and faithful to Him, we’ll never lack for nurture or anything else in our earthly pilgrimage. That’s the living truth….and don’t you forget it! Much LOVE!…our God…He is the GREATEST THING…before…since…and after sliced bread…(smile)

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 May 2012 Psalm 41:9

05 May 2012 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 41:9.       Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

Well hello there mih LOVELIES! How goes it on this bright, beautiful, bounteous day, so LOVINGLY created for our enjoyment by our heavenly Father? I sure hope it goes well with all of us believers in Christ Jesus. But just in case all’s not going too well, I want to remind us not to fall apart, not to give up, because we have an Advocate with the Father, namely Jesus, to plead our case. So whatever’s wrong, let’s stand strong in faith, do our best, while looking to Him for guidance and help. Remember He either personally experienced or saw the stuff we’re going through, during His sojourn here on earth in human form. So He knows and understands the human problems and frailties from both sides now; as God, as well as man. That brings us to our Bit: ‘Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against (has betrayed) me. ‘ And amongst those human problems that Jesus faced and experienced was the most hurtful one of betrayal by a close friend. In fact several people close to Him betrayed Him. So although He was the Son of God, He wasn’t immune to human disappointment. And though He knew beforehand what the script called for, since He had a hand in writing it, those betrayals still inflicted hurt, pain and disappointment on His human sensibilities, like it does on ours. Over the last couple days we’ve discussed the betrayals of Bruh David, Job and Jeremiah, today we’ll look at some Jesus suffered. Now we said that Jesus knew the betrayals would come and after washing the disciples’ feet, Jesus told them about it. ‘I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. Now I tell you before it come, that when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.’ (John 13:18-19) Jesus quoted our Bit there, knowing that many who had been with Him during the good times would desert Him, when things got rough, but it had to happen to fulfill the scripture. After that ‘he was troubled in sprit, and testified and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.’ (John 13:21) Obviously all the disciples wanted to know who it was. Then Simon Peter looked at John, who was leaning back against Jesus, and motioned him to ask about the betrayer. ‘Jesus answered, He it is to whom I shall give a sop (piece of bread), when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.’ (John 13:26-27) The scholars state that during Jesus’ time, a host would often distinguish an honoured guest by giving him a choice morsel dipped in the sauce and placing it on his tongue. And according to the rest of that passage, (John 13:28-30) it seems only John and Judas heard or understood Jesus last words to Judas. Then Judas went out and plotted with the chief priests to betray Him for thirty pieces of silver. (Matt.26:14-16) And that night in Gethsemane, Judas showed up with soldiers of the chief priests and a lynching mob, just as Jesus was telling the three who had gone apart to pray with Him: ‘Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.’ (Matt.26:46) And Judas was so boldfaced, that after telling the soldiers; ‘Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he, hold him fast (seize him) (Matt.26:48) he approached Jesus and said: ‘Hail, master; and kissed him.’ (Matt.26:49) That possibly began the since oft used scheme of betrayal with a kiss.  But notice Jesus’ cool and somewhat sarcastic response: ‘Friend, wherefore art thou come?’ (Matt.26:50) Yes people, though Jesus was well aware of the betrayal, He still called Judas ‘friend.’ What a wonderful man Jesus was!  And still is! And will always be wonderful! Oh Friends, we don’t have time to talk about how most of the disciples forsook Jesus and fled, when He was arrested (Matt.26:56) or when  Peter betrayed Jesus by denying three times that he knew Him. (John 18:15-27)  But no doubt those things hurt Jesus a lot, even though he knew beforehand that they’d happen, for betrayals always hurt regardless of how or when we know of them. Anyway, we’ll end with some very wise words of Micah when he spoke of the moral sin of Israel, which, compared to ours today, is like a small lake to the ocean, so terrible is the immorality in our society. ‘Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide (companion): keep (guard) the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house.’ (Mic.7:5-6) And far too often that is the gospel truth my people! Let us try to undo that nuh, cause if we don’t, we’ll just continue on the downward slide to destruction, to Hades and Lucifer, a rather unpleasant thought. Much LOVE!…therefore I will look unto the Lord…I will wait for the God of my salvation…my God will hear me… (Mic.7:7)

 

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