Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 March 2012 Matthew 20:16‏

05 Mar 2012 Leave a comment

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

Matthew 20:16.    So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

Oh Friends, another bright and beautiful Monday Morning is upon us, so let’s be up and at ‘em! Hn, hn! No, I haven’t been doing anything to distort my perspective of reality. (smile) The true reality is that all God’s days are bright and beautiful! Sometimes not physically, (only -14C now) but always spiritually, since He clothes them all in new mercies and blessings. Thus I’m luxuriating in the grace of God that has miraculously enabled me to see another day on this amazing planet earth, which sadly we are doing our level best to destroy – doing a very good job of it too. But fellow believers, please remember that it’s our God-given duty to stop the iniquity workers from destroying God’s handiwork, whether it be earth, sky, man or beast. To therefore boost our spirits and bring out the holy warrior in us, let’s sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn with mucho gusto. On three now; one, two, three: ‘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!’ Hopefully Friends, that got your adrenalin a pumping and you’re now rearing to battle in Jesus’ Name. Now let’s check out our Bit: ‘So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many are called but few are chosen.’ And isn’t that the gospel truth! Not only in the spiritual realm which Jesus was referring to, but in so many walks of earthly life; namely cattle-calls (auditions), job interviews, sports teams etc, where many people show up for a handful of positions, and where being amongst the first doesn’t guarantee you anything. The same goes for the heavenly kingdom Friends. Jesus spoke those words after relating the parable of the vineyard workers, where the last ones hired got the same pay as the first, but the first figured that was wrong because they had put in more hours of work. This caused the vineyard owner to rebuke them, saying: ‘Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny (in wages)? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?’ (Matt.20:13-15) He reminded them that he’d paid them the amount agreed on, and it was his prerogative to do as he pleased with what was his. Then Jesus declared our Bit. It’s going to be the same way in heaven my brethren. Not because you were a believer first means you’re going to automatically be blessed more than the last ones on board, for the Lord offers us all equal blessings, the same way He LOVES us all equally. You might get more if you banked more heavenly rewards from here on earth. But by the same token a latecomer could also bank more rewards if you were simply sitting down here on your laurels, while he was busy doing God’s work. Friends, that was Jesus’ way of warning us against jealousy and impure motives in serving Him. Sadly though, His church is full of jealousy, petty rivalries and divisions. Obviously we didn’t get the message, thus allowing Lucifer to make a mockery of Christ’s church. And my people, Christ said those same words at least two other times. The first time was back in Matthew 19, where he told the rich young ruler to go and sell his possessions and come and follow Him, if wanted to receive salvation. The young man went away sad and despondent because he had much earthly possessions, which led Jesus to make the statement re it being easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eyes that for a rich man to enter heaven. Then in the last two verses He further clarifies the situation re when He comes again in glory: ‘And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.’ (Matt.19:29-30) Oh Friends, the sacrifices we make in Jesus’ name here on earth are ever so important, and then we’ve got to do them with a right heart and good motive, otherwise we’re liable to lose out on the blessings He’s stockpiled for us. Then in Matthew 22, Jesus talks about the parable of the marriage feast, where the invited guests disdain his invitation, so people off the street are invited. This one unfortunate however isn’t dressed in wedding attire, and when the king asks him why, he can’t answer. ‘Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, For many are called, but few are chosen.’ (Matt.22:13-14) Now we’ll let the scholars explain the parable. ‘The bidden guests are the people of Israel, whereas those in the highways are the Gentiles. Both bad and good (vs.10) refer to the moral and immoral sinners who alike need God’s gracious invitation. The man without the wedding garment came to the feast but disregarded the propriety of the king’s provision, since such garments were normally supplied by the host. The reference seems to be to the ‘robe of righteousness,’ which we must receive from the Lord in order to attend the marriage feast. Casting the unclad guest into outer darkness symbolizes the eternal judgement of the lost.’ With that explanation in mind Friends, I implore us to take hold of all that our gracious God has provided for us, and to do all that He asks, so that we don’t end up like the unprepared, improperly dressed guest and suffer the negative outcome. Much LOVE!…living amongst the damned in purgatory with Lucifer, is true hell…so be wise now…change your evil ways while there’s yet time…that you may live forever in heaven…with Jesus…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 March 2012 Psalm 119:89‏

04 Mar 2012 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living Tags: , , ,

Psalm 119:89.     For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.

Oh Friends, ‘Do you want to know what is on the mind of God? Then look at Jesus! Do you want to know the will of God? Then Look at Jesus! Do you want to know what is in the heart of God? Then look at Jesus! Jesus is the exact revelation of what is on the mind and in the heart and in the will of God!’ Those are words of awesome truth from my current favourite book, ‘My Jesus is …Everything,’ by Anne Graham Lotz. She breaks down her topics so simply and nicely that I’m being led to share several of them with you. Yes my people, if you want to know anything about the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, LOVING, faithful, kind, merciful, forgiving God we worship, then all you have to do is look at Jesus! For He was and is the earthly incarnation of the Most High God Jehovah! Only because He came to earth in a body like ours and lived amongst us, do we have some true semblance of what our God is really like. Until that time, though God communicated with us through His prophets, no one had ever seen Him in living colour. And such is the human mind that it tends to believe only what it sees, stuff in the physical realm. However with Jesus’ coming, our spiritual dealings with God were now also made manifest in the flesh, and thus more understandable. It also gave greater meaning to the words of the psalmist in our Bit and the two verses that follow: ‘For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled (stands firm) in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth (endures). They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for they are all thy servants.’ (Ps.119:89-91) Without a doubt Friends, the heavens and earth work for the Lord and operate on the solid foundation of His Word! In Ethan the Ezrahite’s contemplation on God’s sure promises to Bruh David, he solemnly declares: ‘I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, Mercy (LOVING-kindness) shall be built up for ever; thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.’ (Ps.89:1-2) Meanwhile, Isaiah gives it a more earthy feeling: ‘The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.’ And that’s the undeniable truth my brethren! The Lord’s Word is the solid, immovable, unchangeable rock upon which we can totally build our lives; both earthly and heavenly, without fear of ever being misled, misguided or deceived. And if you don’t believe me, then listen to Jesus: ‘Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.’ (Matt.24:35) We couldn’t ask for it any plainer or simpler than that Friends. And that’s one of the things I admire about Jesus and His teaching; He never gets into any long discourse or diatribe, but breaks it down as simply and plainly as possible, so that even the dumbest of us can understand, (smile) except in some of the parables where He intentionally tries to confuse His listeners. Then we have Peter’s words on the subject, where he calls for Christian dedication: ‘Being born again, not of corruptible (perishable) seed, but of incorruptible (imperishable), by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away. But the (spoken) Word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.’ (1 Pet.1:23-25) Yes Friends, strong, and true words from one who walked with Jesus! In verses 24 and 25, he even quotes Isaiah’s words on the subject, keeping that connection between the Old and New testaments that Jesus Himself forged. Now here’s the last word on the topic from the scholars: ‘Being born again (lit. having been born again) refers to all believers having been regenerated by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God, which communicates His offer of salvation to mankind. Thus, our salvation rests, from the human perspective, upon our willing reception of that offer.’ Oh my brethren, have we willing received that free offer of salvation and eternal life from Jesus? I sure hope so. And if we have, then let’s go out and tell the many others who haven’t even heard about it, so that they too can hear the Word, believe it, and humbly bow before the cross of Christ, accepting Him as their ever-LOVING Lord and Saviour, for that’s what we’ve been called to do. Much LOVE!…our great commission…Go ye therefore, and teach all nations…baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost…Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you… (Matt.28:19-20)

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 March 2012 Psalm 18:20

03 Mar 2012 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 18:20.  The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

Oh Friends, I can’t seem to come up with a bright or witty intro this morning, (smile) but I’m going to do even better by sharing some words of enormous truth and wisdom that someone else wrote. I found both quotes on the fly leaves of my mother’s Bible, so I don’t know where she got them from or who said them, but whoever said them undoubtedly knew what they were saying. The first quote says: ‘The Bible is God’s Word to us. Still fresh through all the ages. And if we read it, we will find God’s wisdom on its pages!’ And isn’t that the gospel truth my Friends? God’s Word though written many centuries ago is still as fresh and applicable today as back then, because neither our God nor His Word ever changes. Selah. And the second quote says: ‘One truth from the Bible is worth more than all the wisdom of man!’ There’s more gospel truth my brethren! Since the Lord’s thoughts and ways are so much higher than ours, it follows that even one truth from His Word is more valuable than all of man’s wisdom combined. That’s how powerful the Word of our God is! Consequently, Bruh David, who tried his best to adhere to God’s law and truth, after he was delivered from his enemies, especially Saul, he could therefore truthfully say in our Bit and beyond: ‘The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all his judgements were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me. I was also upright before (with) him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity. Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.’ (Ps.18:20-24)  Yes Friends, when we consciously and diligently try to obey the Lord, He eventually rewards us by lifting our weighty burden from our shoulders and giving us peace. One of those instances where Bruh David restrained himself before the Lord was when he had opportunity to kill Saul at the cave in the wilderness of Engedi, when he came hunting him like a wild animal. In spite of his associates’ encouragement to kill Saul, he refused, saying: ‘The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.’ (1 Sam.24:6) As Saul left, Bruh David called out to him and made obeisance to him, pleading his innocence. (1 Sam.24:8-15) When Saul realized his error, he said: ‘Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice and wept. And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. And thou hast showed this day how thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the Lord had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not. For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away (get away safely)? Wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that thou hadst done unto me this day. And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.’ (1 Sam.24:16-20) Oh my people, we are considered victorious in the Lord’s sight not only by overcoming our enemies, but oftimes more by showing them mercy in the Lord’s name, by dashing down their pride and arrogance and humbling them before Him. So remember that not every conquest calls for the physical destruction of the enemy, sometimes just destroying his lustful pride will win more kudos from the Lord, especially if the enemy worships Him thereafter. And we’ll end with an appropriate scripture from Job, where his friend Elihu reasons with him, re God calls men to repent. ‘’If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter (a mediator), one among a thousand, to show unto man his uprightness; Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom (an atonement). His flesh shall be fresher than (young as) a child’s: he shall return to the days of his youth: he shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him (delight in him): and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render (restore) unto man his righteousness.’ (Job 33:23-26) Oh Friends, it all comes right back to God’s universal law of what ever we sow, the same we shall reap. So please let’s make it a habit to sow good seed in the Lord’s sight, so that in His time, we might be suitably rewarded. Much LOVE!…if we sow in righteousness…then in righteousness shall we reap…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 March 2012 Matthew 18:11‏

02 Mar 2012 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living Tags: , , , ,

Matthew 18:11.    For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.
 
Oh my fellow believers in Christ, it’s Friday! Yes, the weekend’s here at last. But uncharacteristically the shouts of ‘TGIG! Thank God is Friday! aren’t as loud and lusty as usual because we seem to be adding a little more decorum to our Lenten behaviour. (smile) It reminds me of the days when you couldn’t hear a calypso on the radio in T&T – the land of carnival and calypso – during the entire Lenten season, except on St. Patrick’s Day, because they were thought to be too immoral and sinful, inappropriate music for that particular period. Granted some might have been, but the whole genre suffered because of a few. And isn’t that the way life seems to move; where because of a few miscreants, a whole body is negatively labelled and punished? Anyway, we’ve got Jesus – our be all and end all – so there’s no need to worry. With that security in mind, let’s then chant our Friday Chant to get us set for the weekend. In one loud, persuasive voice now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’ Yes mih people, what a joy it is to believe in a God who LOVED us so much that He sent His only Son to save us worthless beings! Our Bit states it plainly and simply: ‘For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.’ Now it wasn’t Jesus alone who declared this saving grace of His, for Isaiah prophesied it way back when: ‘Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (God with us).’ (Is.7:14) The angel of the Lord also appeared in a dream to Joseph, Mary’s betrothed, while he was wrestling with the problem of a pregnant fiancée, telling him: ‘And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus (Saviour): for he shall save his people from their sins.’ (Matt.1:21) This was done so that Isaiah’s prophecy above could be fulfilled. Now Jesus wasn’t bashful about saying it either for it was the truth and He wanted to make sure that people really understood why He had left His comfortable home in heaven to come to hell on earth. Listen to Him expound on the subject: ‘For God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on 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.’ (John 3:16-17) And all God’s people raised their heads, eyes, hearts and hands to heaven and uttered a grateful, ‘Thank you Father God for sending your Son Jesus to redeem us from our sins! We LOVE you, and bless and praise your Holy Name!’ What would we have done without Jesus eh Friends? As the ancients would say, ‘crapaud would surely smoke we pipe,’ our eternal lives would certainly be in great jeopardy, having to spend eternity in Hades with Lucifer. Oh what a horrible thought! But thank the Lord there’s Jesus, ever on the lookout for the lost, hurting, sick and oppressed. And He shows this so plainly in Luke 15 where He tells the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son, where the shepherd, the coin’s owner and the father of the lost son diligently seek for what they’d lost. And when they’d found it, they rejoiced with their friends and neighbours. It’s only fitting to end with Jesus’ words after each parable: ‘I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just (upright) persons, which need no repentance… Likewise I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth…It was meet (right) that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.’ (Luke 15:7,10,32) Oh Friends, are we on the lookout for the poor, hungry, sick and suffering too? If not, then we’re not following in Jesus’ footsteps. So let’s get a right perspective and change it all, so that we can truly deserve to be called Christians – followers of Christ. Much LOVE!…you’re not a true follower…unless you truly follow your leader…


Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 March 2012 Matthew 18:11

01 Mar 2012 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living Tags: ,

 Matthew 18:11. For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

Oh Friends, it’s March 1st! Wow! That means spring will be here in another three weeks, and the cold weather will be minimized. Thank the Lord! Hn! But don’t bet on that nuh, because we haven’t had what you’d call a real winter this year. It’s been up and down; cold temps with some snow for a couple days, then warmer temps with rain for a few more days. Oh Friends, there’s no doubt that for whatever reason, and through whosever’s doings, the earth’s climate is changing, for while North America has been fairly snow free, Europe and Asia have been bitten by severe cold spells and tons of snow, conditions that haven’t been experienced in ages. Even the mighty Danube river has been frozen solidly in several places, causing untold damage and hardship. But Friends, I have the answer for all our earthly problems: His name is Jesus! Now listen to this synopsis of His persona and powers from Anne Graham Lotz’s book, ‘My Jesus is…Everything.’ ‘No means of measure can define His limitless LOVE… No far-seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply… No barrier can hinder Him from pouring out His blessings… He forgives and He forgets. He creates and He cleanses. He restores and He rebuilds. He heals and He helps. He reconciles and He redeems. He Comforts and He carries. He lifts and He LOVES. He is the God of the second chance, the fat chance, the slim chance, the no chance. My Jesus is…Everything!’ Please note Friends, that it’s the same title, but a different poem from the one I shared last week. There are several like that in the book and I will try to share one each week. And if you believe the stuff above about Jesus, then you’ll surely understand when He declares in our Bit: ‘For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.’ And all God’s people declared a loud and grateful, ‘Thank you Lord Jesus!’ That’s because there are so many lost souls still on planet earth. And if you’ll look back at the poem above, you’ll notice that it does dovetail nicely with our Bit, for everything it says points to the lost and hopeless, like we once were. Yes my brethren, salvation and eternal life were not meant as a privilege for a select few, but for all the inhabitants of earth. Note too how Jesus rebuked His disciples after a particular Samaritan village was inhospitable to their party, because they saw that Jesus was intent on eventually going to Jerusalem. ‘And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elijah did? (see 2 Kin.1:10,12) But he turned and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.’ (Luke 9:54-56) Yes my Friends, unlike Lucifer, who is a resolute destroyer, our Jesus is a builder and Saviour! He’s genuinely concerned about the lost, the sick, the suffering, the hurting, the fearful and the oppressed; all those writhing under unfavourable circumstances and conditions. And since we’re His followers, it means that we should also be concerned about the same things and people. Now I wasn’t planning to include this piece from the My Jesus is…Everything book, but I read it just before I began writing the Bit and it seems so appropriate concerning what we just said. Hear the author asking of herself: ‘I wonder how many opportunities to meet the needs of others God has given me when I was: too self-absorbed, too self-centred, too self-conscious, too self-defensive, too self-pitying, too self-protecting, to notice. Who would be helped, who would have his or her needs met, if we just opened our eyes and really saw those around us?’ Ah my people, fellow believers in Christ, that poem provides us with an excellent opportunity to sit and contemplate and evaluate our Christ-like acts! Are we truly mirroring Jesus, or are we simply mouthing words and not paying serious attention to the lost and needy, as we ought to, with acts of LOVE? That’s our ‘ponderation’ for today Friends. And I’m being very serious, because everyday of our lives brings opportunities for us to behave like Jesus, but sadly, too many times we either don’t see them, or like the priest and the Levite, we pass by on the other side, which is totally unacceptable from followers of Christ. So please let’s evaluate ourselves and make the necessary changes, so that we can bring glory to God and further His righteous kingdom. Much LOVE!…if you’re not doing the deeds of a Good Samaritan…then you’re not truly following Jesus…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 29 February 2012 Psalm 66:18‏

29 Feb 2012 Leave a comment

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

 Psalm 66:18.   If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.
 
Oh Friends, this leap year seems to be just leaping along on us. Imagine it’s already the leap day of February, when we just finished singing Auld Lang Syne! (smile) But seriously though, 2012 is really moving along at a fast clip. That means there’s no time for us to waste in being about our heavenly Father’s business. And here are five ways to stay securely and sincerely connected to Him. They are the Life Study Fellowship’s Five Golden Rules To Live By. I recently discovered them on a card in one of my mother’s devotionals, and though dated 1989, they are still excellent rules by which to pattern our lives. 1. Be Thankful Always! 2. Be Giving Always! 3. Be Forgiving Always! 4. Be Self-Helpful Always! 5. Be Faith-full Always! Oh my people, those are very simple, yet very powerful rules, and if each human being would only live by them, what a wonderful world this will be! Okay, so I’m dreaming some when I consider it possible for humans to live in Peace and LOVE, but that’s what dream are made of and for; to attain things which in the natural seem out of our reach, but are certainly doable with God’s help. And remember too, that it’s always better to dream big, rather than small, to give God a chance to show His real power and glory. Oh my brethren in Christ, I implore each of us now to dream this big dream; that our world will soon be stabilized, with the bitter strife and confusion gone, so that both our children and ourselves can live out our days in Peace and LOVE, for that’s the way the Lord desires it! Consequently, to achieve this humongous goal, we have to work diligently and wisely, successfully combining those five golden rules above into our everyday lives, cause as our Bit so rightly says: ‘If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.’ Yes Friends, those are words of absolute wisdom and truth. It’s highly illogical for a Holy and Righteous God to answer the prayer of a terribly unholy and unrighteous person. The two just don’t go together. How can the Lord genuinely answer us when He sees the iniquity and serious wrongdoing we have hidden in our hearts eh?  And remember He sees it, because it’s our hearts and not our outward actions that He monitors for right motive and sincerity before answering our prayers. So no wonder some of our prayers don’t get answered, since many a time we come to Him in prayer with evil purposes and intentions lurking in the depths of our souls. My Friends, we do need to seriously clean up our act, for our faith walk will not move ahead unless we approach the throne of grace with a right heart and clean spirit. Obviously the Lord doesn’t expect us to be perfect, since we’re imperfect beings, but He does expect us to be much better than our current state. Now let’s listen to some scriptures that corroborate our Bit. And we’ll begin with Job talking about the hypocrite’s hopelessness. And we all behave hypocritically at some time or other, so don’t get self-righteous and think that it doesn’t apply to us. (smile) ‘For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him? Will he delight himself in the Almighty? Will he always call upon God?’ (Job 27:8-10) The answer to all those questions is a definite NO! Now hear Cousin Sol’s take on the subject: ‘The Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.’ (Prov.15:29) And also: ‘He that turneth away his ear from the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.’ (Prov.28:9) Certainly no mincing of words there my people! Meanwhile John says it thus: ‘Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.’ (John 9:31) Note the important proviso there Friends; not only do we have to worship God, but we also need to do His will. And James wisely declares: ‘Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.’ (James 4:3) Now why would the Lord grant us stuff when our intentions are to use it in evil, fleshly pleasures eh? And Isaiah will take us home with words from his call for repentance in Israel: ‘And when ye spread forth your hands (pray), I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgement (justice), relieve the oppressed (reprove the oppressor), judge (vindicate, defend) the fatherless, plead for the widow.’ (Is.1:15-17) Oh my people, those standards are just as important today as they were back in Isaiah’s day. And it’s full time that we rise up and meet them instead of holding on to Lucifer’s evil, lowly ones. It’s high time we meet the Lord’s call for cleansing, for without it, all our prayers are exercises in futility. So today let’s sit and sincerely search our hearts, minds and souls for any sinister and evil doings that lurk therein, and then sincerely ask the Lord to cleanse us of them. It’s the only wise approach for us to take in these troubled times. Much LOVE!…until we reach out in sincere repentance…the evil that taints us…will keep us from God…and God from us…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 February 2012 Jeremiah 3:25‏

28 Feb 2012 Leave a comment

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

Jeremiah 3:25.    We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the Lord our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God.
 
Oh Friends, our kind, LOVING and omnipotent God is weaving ever more miracles, mercies, blessings and forgiveness into another wonderful day for us, His faithful children! And all His grateful children shouted a joyful song of thanks and praise: ‘Oh thank You most heavenly Father for creating, protecting and so generously providing for us. And we are especially grateful for the eternal gift of your wonderful Son, Jesus, as our Lord and Saviour! You are definitely the GREATEST!’ Yes my brethren, all those things are gospel truths; facts we cannot dispute. But unfortunately they don’t tell all of the truth, for our Bit tells us a completely different story: ‘We lie down in our shame, and our confusion (disgrace) covereth us: for we have sinned against the Lord our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God.’ Ah mih people, sadly, those are also words of indisputable truth. We can deny them all we want, but they vividly portray the very sinful and ungodly nature of our current world. I don’t have to spell out our iniquity- in fact I can’t, because it’s so plentiful and perverse, but we all know them, even willingly participate in and enjoy some of them. It brings to mind Ezra’s prayer of confession on behalf of Israel’s abominable sinful condition. ‘And at the evening sacrifice I arose from my heaviness (fasting); and having rent (torn) my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the Lord my God, And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and out trespass (guilt) is grown up into the heavens. Since the days of our fathers have we been in great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil (plunder), and to confusion of face (humiliation, shame of face), as it is this day.’ (Ezra 9:5-7) Oh Friends, how I wish there was someone like Ezra today, mighty enough in the sight of God to make such confession for us! However my people, our world is now too vast and diverse for any one person to take on that job, so of necessity, each one of us will have to implore our God on the matter. Confess our sins as a society, a nation, a world, then ask for mercy and forgiveness, a la Bruh David in Psalm 51, A prayer for cleansing: ‘Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy LOVING-kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified (found just) when thou speakest, and be clear (blameless) when thou judgest.’ (Ps.51:1-4) Yes Friends, until conviction and sincere repentance are made, we will continue to struggle and live in strife and confusion. Lemme ask a couple questions here. Why did Israel wander around in the wilderness for forty years when the Promised Land was about a three-month journey from Egypt? And why is our world currently enmeshed in such fear, hatred, anger and confusion? Oh Friends, the answer to both questions is simple and the same: because they, then, and we, now, have drastically disobeyed the voice of God. And our many troubles will only get worse if we pursue our present sinful, ungodly path. And the sad part is that there’s plenty precedence, both in the Good Book and History, about civilizations being destroyed because they disobeyed God. So why we seem to think that we’re different, I really don’t know. But hear what the Lord said to Israel through Jeremiah: ‘I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice. The wind shall eat up all thy pastors (rulers), and thy lovers shall go into captivity: surely then shalt thou be ashamed and confounded (humiliated) for all thy wickedness.’ (Jer.22:21-22) Oh my brethren, it’s the same thing the Lord’s saying to us today, and there’s no denying the shame and confusion that’s besetting our world. So why are we so stubborn and hard headed eh? At least let’s give God a try, since nothing else seems to be working, and we have nothing to lose but a whole lot to gain. My fellow believers, the ball’s solidly in our court. If we want to see improvements, then we’ll have to get seriously involved and bring it about, since the iniquity workers thrive on the strife and confusion. So for our children’s sake, let’s get cracking nuh. I won’t even mention future generations, cause there won’t be any, if we continue our diabolical, fiendish ways. Let’s allow the fire and passion of Jesus to invade our souls and spirits so that we can set the world aflame with our LOVE Revolution, for it’s only LOVE, the predominant essence of our great God, that will prevent us from completely sinking into the quicksand of sin. Much LOVE!…Christianity has survived two thousand years…let’s give it a fighting chance to survive two thousand more nuh…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 February 2012 Luke 1:46‏

28 Feb 2012 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Luke 1:46.       And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord.

Ah mih breddren, I’m sorry to be the bearer of sad tidings, but it’s Monday. Yes, the day we all love to hate is here. Isn’t it surprising how it seems to come around so quickly, much quicker than Fridays and the weekend? Anyway, instead of getting all worked up or sad and blue over it, let’s just put forth a valiant effort and sing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, as loudly and enthusiastically as we can. As one earthly 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 doesn’t that make you feel better able to deal with the evil, ungodly world waiting out there to pounce on you? Yeh Friends, it’s not an easy row we’ve chosen to hoe, for this Christian faith of ours not only demands a lot, but also expects excellent quality work too from its adherents. But don’t worry, once we keep in close, sincere contact with Jesus, He will safely see us through the problems we encounter on our earthly pilgrimage. Just look at people like Hannah, Elisabeth and Mary, who had bigger problems and uncertainties than most of us, but who sincerely went to God with them and were eventually rewarded for their faith. All of them mouthed such immortal words of faith that they’ve been enshrined in the Lord’s Word as excellent examples for us to follow. Then there’s Bruh David, who was possibly the human who most magnified and glorified the Lord throughout his life. Listen to his words re the Lord hears the righteous: ‘I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall be continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.‘ (Ps.34:1-3) Then there’s the prayer of the prophet Habakkuk, exalting the Lord’s guidance of His people out of Egypt, through the wilderness and finally into the Promised Land. And he ends by saying, though life may be pretty rough, ‘Yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hind’s (deer) feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.’ (Hab.3:18-19) Yes my people, that’s how we believers in these rough and dangerous modern times ought also to behave! Let’s remember that Christ has already won the victory, and we’ll participate in it if we stand steadfast and strong in faith with Him. And quite appropriately, we’ll let Mary’s moving Magnificat take us home this beautiful Monday morning. (smile) ‘And Mary said, My soul doth magnify (exalt, glorify, big up) the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate (lowly, humble state) of his handmaiden (maidservant): for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things: and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath showed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats (thrones) and exalted them of low degree (the lowly and humble). He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen (helped) his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.’ (Luke 1:46-55) Wonderful sentiments for us to ponder today Friends! Much LOVE!…give to Him who deserves glory and exaltation…His rightful glory and exaltation…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 26 February 2012 Luke 1:46.

26 Feb 2012 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living Tags: , , , ,

Luke 1:46.    And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord.

Oh Friends, the dawn’s breaking on a new day, bringing with it the bright light of the sun rising majestically over the distant horizon, just like the brilliant light of the Son came to earth two millennia ago and totally lit up the spiritual darkness of our souls. Yes Friends, that’s our Jesus! But He’s also much more than that. Listen to this declaration of His attributes from the book, ‘My Jesus is Everything,’ by Anne Graham Lotz. ‘He is enduringly strong. He is entirely sincere. He is eternally steadfast. He is immortally gracious. He is imperially powerful. He is impartially merciful. He is the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizons of the globe. He is God’s Son. He is the sinner’s Saviour. He is the captive’s Ransom. He is the breath of Life. He is the centrepiece of civilization. He stands in the solitude of Himself. He is august and He is unique. He is unparalleled and He is unprecedented. He is undisputed and undefiled. He is unsurpassed and He is unshakable. He is the lofty idea in philosophy. He is the highest personality in psychology. He is the supreme subject in literature. He is the unavoidable problem in higher criticism. He is the fundamental doctrine of theology. He is the Cornerstone, the Capstone, and the stumbling Stone of all religion. He is the miracle of the ages. My Jesus is…Everything!’ And that’s an indisputable fact my people. Is there any God to compare to Him? Absolutely not! No wonder Mary had no problem in being His earthly mother! Who wouldn’t want to bear such a wonderful specimen eh? And for such a privilege she was indeed grateful as she shows when she declares in our Bit: ‘My soul doth magnify the Lord.’ Oh my people, when our most kind and LOVING God looks upon us personally with heart-felt compassion or great favour, it ought to move our souls to soaring heights, especially in terms of being thankful.  Here’s an excellent example of what we’re talking about. Hannah was a barren wife, scorned by all and sundry; ‘And she was in bitterness of soul (great anguish), and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore (a lot).’ (1 Sam.1:10) Hannah also promised the Lord that if He granted her a son, she would dedicate him to the Lord’s service. And the Lord being the gracious Deity that He is, granted Hannah’s wish in the form of the prophet Samuel, whom she apprenticed to Eli the chief priest at an early age, thus keeping her promise. But listen to the outpouring of praise and gratitude that emanated from her soul in song:‘And Hannah prayed and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn (strength) is exalted in the Lord; my mouth is enlarged over (smiles at) mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none besides thee: neither is there any rock like our God. Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy (arrogance) come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.’ (1 Sam.2:1-4) Yes my brethren, that was the kind of joy that sprang up in her soul, and all she could think of was magnifying, glorifying, lifting up and exalting the Lord God Jehovah who had so graciously granted her heart-felt plea for a son. Please read the rest of her song in 1 Sam.2:5-11. Now the interesting and important question here Friends, is whether we praise and glorify the Lord when He grants our prayer requests, or is just generous to us, and do we keep any promises we make when we ask His favour? Though they may seem insignificant, they are in fact two very important aspects of our walk with God, for as the Preacher tells us, re keeping promises: ‘When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer (delay) not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than thou shouldest vow and not pay.’ (Eccl.5:4-5) And re God’s glory, He says through Isaiah: ‘I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.’(Is.42:8) And that shouldn’t surprise us, for He unequivocally stated the same thing when He gave the Israelites the Ten Commandments. (Ex.20:1-8) So my people, two of the worst mistakes we can ever make in dealing with our God, is firstly not keeping our promise(s) to Him; and secondly, not giving Him His rightful glory. Unfortunately though, I believe that many of us, fine believers that we are (smile) make those two mistakes much more often than necessary, that’s why a lot of our prayers and requests go unanswered and/or awry. Anyway Friends, that’s enough for us to think on today. We’ll continue this topic tomorrow, if we’re alive and kicking. Till then, let’s faithfully LOVE and magnify our God, proudly LIVE our Faith, while diligently and joyfully SPREADING His Word to all the world as He asked. Much LOVE!…give to the rightful owners…what belongs to them…or as the old people would say…give Jim his gym boots…and Jack his jacket… (smile)

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 February 2012 Luke 1:46‏

25 Feb 2012 Leave a comment

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

 Luke 1:46.    And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord.

Oh Friends, morning has broken, just like that first morning many many moons ago! Likewise, blessings, mercies and manna are pouring forth from heaven, just like that first day back in Eden! Can we see and appreciate all that the Lord is doing for us? Do we with grateful heart appreciate it and give Him praise, thanks, honour and glory? I sure hope so for all our sakes. Unfortunately though, a large proportion of earth’s population don’t know, and/or don’t recognize and accept the Lord God Jehovah as the Creator of the universe. Consequently, He’s not intimately involved in their lives. That only makes them fretful and frustrated, jealous and envious, angry and resentful, bitter and filled with hatred towards mankind. All these negative emotions have led to the tangled and troubled mess that has befallen our world. Oh Friends, it’s only when the majority of the world knows and accepts the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as the ONE TRUE GOD, with His Son Jesus, as their Lord and Saviour, and His Holy Spirit as Guide, Comforter and Teacher, will our world ever know peace. And that’s the true believer’s calling, our great commission; to spread the Word to the whole world. (Matt.28:19-20) But sadly, too many a believer behaves like the heathen, though the Spirit is supposed to live in them. There is no passion, no excitement in their reading of the Word, or in their faith walk. That brings us to our Bit: ‘And Mary said, My soul doth magnify (exalt, glorify, big up) the Lord.’ Note I used some of the new fangled slang there (big up), although I don’t like it, but that’s because I want the younger folks to get the real meaning, the true gist of the word ‘magnify’ and most likely they might not understand ‘exalt’or ‘glorify’ either.  But Friends, those words play a very crucial and significant aspect in our faith and not enough of us really use them when connecting with our God. How many of us can truly stand up and boast about magnifying the Lord eh? Certainly not enough! And just consider the unnatural circumstances under which Mary made that awesome and immortal statement. She had recently been told by the Angel Gabriel that she would become a mother without knowing a man, and also that her cousin Elisabeth, hitherto barren, was now with child (John the Baptist): ‘For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid (maidservant) of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.’(Luke 1:37-38) Oh my people, how would we have reacted under those circumstances eh? Would we have had enough faith, like Mary, to say? ‘Okay Lord, whatever’s your will.’ Or would we be so scared and confused that we’d become emotionally distraught? That’s where faith, walking by it, really comes in Friends. Mary was just a simple, young, country girl, but the Lord saw  the strong seeds of faith that were growing in her soul.  Now, soon after hearing all this exciting but scary and unconventional news from Gabriel, Mary goes to visit her cousin Liz. And what happens? As soon as Liz hears Mary’s greeting, John the Baptist leaps in her womb ‘and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost.’ (Luke 1:41) Oh my brethren, our God is the original Master Dramatist!  Nobody can frame a scene like Him! Sometime before that He’d made John’s father, Zechariah dumb, because he didn’t believe that his wife would not only bear a son, but a prophet, the harbinger of the Messiah. Now when the two women come together, He ramps up the drama by having John jump for joy in Liz’s womb, and also opening her eyes to Mary’s significant role through the presence of the Holy Spirit. So much so that Liz waxes poetic and prophetic: ‘And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence (why) is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that (who) believed: for (that) there shall be a performance (fulfillment) of those things which were told her from the Lord.’ (Luke 1:42-45) And that’s when Mary declared those first words of the wonderful song of praise we know today as the Magnificat! ‘My soul doth magnify the Lord.’ Oh Friends, it seems like I also got so caught up in the drama and excitement of the Lord’s miraculous and mysterious workings that I completely lost count of time and space. That’s what happens when the Spirit stirs you up. (smile) I haven’t even used one of the scriptures that I’d planned to. So like we’ll have to continue this drama tomorrow, provided of course that God’s breath of life still flows through our bodies. Till then, please let’s stay steadfast and strong under the umbrella of God’s mighty protection, and ponder the true state of our faith, contemplating how we would react to a situation like Elisabeth’s and Mary’s. Much LOVE!…the Lord made us to glorify, magnify, exalt and big Him up…so let’s put some more effort into doing that nuh…  Selah.

 

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