Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 March 2010 John 19:11‏

23 Mar 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

John 19:11     Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that hath delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.
 
Oh Friends, it’s a rainy spring morning. One of those frustrating times when the ole fella struggled to find a Bit. As always, I asked for guidance, but it just took long to come. I checked out several Bits, but none seemed to work for me. I even made a start on one, but flamed out right at the beginning. Steups! Was that the Lord perhaps trying my patience? Ah Lord eh! But you know what Friends, then I subconsciously went looking for words of Jesus, and eventually found some I hadn’t already used and that I could wrap my head around. It certainly proves the theory, when in doubt or despair, turn to Jesus. (smile) And Today’s Bit is Jesus answering Pilate’s out of order question. ‘Speakest thou unto me? knowest thou not that I have power (authority) to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?’ (John 19:10) But little did Pilate know to whom he was addressing such indignant and presumptuous questions, else he would have fallen down on his knees right there and pleaded to Jesus for forgiveness. Anytime I read Jesus’ repartee to some questions, I just have to laugh, because He uses words so powerfully, yet not destructively. Jesus had the ability to put you down without making you feel totally stupid. You knew that you’d lost the war of words, but you didn’t feel the need to attack Him. Most of the time those he bested in arguments just walked away, though not thrilled. And it was the same with Pilate, when Jesus answered; ‘Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that hath delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.’ All truth, which we shall investigate shortly, but I just want to note here Pilate’s reaction to Jesus’ words. ‘And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him.’ (John 19:12) Pilate wasn’t that dumb. He understood what Jesus meant, that it was His accusers who were the real bad guys. He therefore tried to extricate himself from the uncomfortable situation, especially when he realized there was no real or substantive evidence against Jesus and the Jews were just trying to railroad Him. But the Jews were so intent on getting their way that they threatened Pilate himself. ‘If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.’ (John 19:12) Oh Friends, you see the depths of dishonesty and guile to which we can sink to get our own way? The Jews hated Caesar for the oppressive mantle he laid on them, but such was their intense dislike and fear of Jesus, that they were willing to enlist Caesar’s name to get rid of Him. But let’s get back to Jesus statement that Pilate could have no authority over Him unless it came from the Father. That’s gospel truth mih people! Since our God controls everything, we can only do stuff if He allows it. John the Baptist acknowledged this when his disciples complained that Jesus was baptizing and drawing away John’s crowds. ‘John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.’ (John 3:27) And how can we resist the fiery words of Bruh Paul when he declares that we should honour authority. ‘Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers (governing authorities). For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of (appointed by) God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation (judgement). (Rom.13:1-2) It’s also interesting to note Jesus’ speech, as reported by Luke, to the captains and chief priests who came with a mob to get Him at Gethsemane. ‘Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves? When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.’ (Luke 22:52-53) All the time He was teaching and preaching in the temple, in the daylight, they had ample opportunity to lay hold on Him, but didn’t, because it was not the appointed time. Jesus concurs with that after entering Jerusalem and certain Greeks who also came for the Passover feast asked to see Him. ‘Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause (purpose) came I unto this hour.’ (John 12:27) Yes my people, the chief priests and captains were only able to arrest Jesus that night in the Garden of Gethsemane because it was time for that part of the Father’s plan to be put into effect. Look at all the other times they tried to lay hold of Him, unsuccessfully. Even when he healed on the Sabbath and tongue lashed them in the temple, they couldn’t apprehend Him. ‘Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.’ (John 7:30)  It’s plain to see then Friends, that Jesus’ sojourn here on earth, and all His unfortunate, unjust predicaments were not mere happenstance, but all part of a major plan that the Most High God Jehovah had put in place to recover and restore His lost, sinful, disobedient children to their rightful place; under His safe, comforting wings. Because He LOVED us so much, He wanted us to come back to Him, but since He was also a just and righteous God, He had to find a way for it to be just and right too. In the end, He had to sacrifice His only Son Jesus, because only a sinless sacrifice could bear our multitude of sins, and Jesus was the only sinless, unblemished character in existence, besides the Father. How shall we then repay that most significant sacrifice of LOVE eh Friends? We can never really repay it, but we can be eternally grateful by showing requited LOVE, thanks, glory, obedience and praise. And that’s all our God wants anyway. Much LOVE!…let’s make our God happy…by LOVING Him…being obedient…and spreading His Holy Word…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 22 March 2010 Titus 3:4‏

22 Mar 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Titus 3:4     But after that the kindness and LOVE of God our Saviour toward man appeared.

 Greetings mih beautiful Friends in Christ! It’s Monday, that dreaded day for so many. But please, don’t you worry and don’t you fret, just be sure that you’re suitably attired in your complete spiritual armour, give the Lord some thanks and praise, ask for guidance, then go out there with heads held high, shoulders thrown back and bravely engage the enemy in battle to the death. Remember the Most High God Jehovah is your protector, and once He’s on your side, nothing or no one can harm you. ‘And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?’ (1 Pet.3:13) Now let’s play some riddle I this, riddle I that. (smile) In what part of the world can you have snow flurries at mid morning, then by the afternoon have temps reach around 8 degrees with bright, beautiful sunshine? Only in Canada! What a unique, eccentric, but beautiful land! That’s why we all LOVE it so much and everybody wants to come and enjoy its God–given delights. It’s the same way our God LOVED us when we were worthless, disobedient, undeserving sinners. In Chapter 3 of Titus, Bruh Paul deals with Christian citizenship, and in our particular section today, he enlightens Titus on the basis of the Christian ethic. ‘For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.’ (Titus 3:3) Bruh Paul would sure be surprised to see us still living that way, in fact worse, for now it’s spread on a broader, worldwide stage. I doubt if you had asked him to envision life two thousand years after Christ he would have predicted the evil, ungodly, demonic, envious, hateful, violent, inhumane societies that now populate our world. Certainly not ‘after that the kindness and LOVE of God our Saviour toward man appeared.’ His faith, trust and zeal would not have allowed him to picture such a sinful age as ours. He would expect most men by this time to have gladly and gratefully received God’s LOVE. ‘For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.’ (Titus 2:11-12) Yes my people, God’s saving grace brought universal salvation through the unlimited atonement of Christ; His death, resurrection and ascension. But obviously a great many of us have still not chosen to avail ourselves of that free, wonderful and redeeming gift. ‘Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed (poured out) on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.’ (Titus 3:5-6) Oh mih breddren, who in their right mind would not accept such a moving, and emotionally satisfying gift eh? Who would refuse that wonderful, cleansing, free gift of regeneration that needed no righteous works on their part, just acceptance of God’s mercy? Regeneration in basic terms is simply being born again. That’s how Jesus termed it in His chat with Nicodemus. (John 3:3-7) It’s the part that the Holy Spirit plays in our call to salvation. The Holy Spirit creates a new nature in those who come to faith in Jesus. It washes us clean of all our old lustful, sinful ungodly nature and replaces it with one able to do the will of God. I like how the scholars liken the Holy Spirit to a workman in the regeneration process, citing His basic instrument as the Bible, which He uses as a multi-purpose tool: as a hammer for judging sin (Jer.23:29), also as a mirror that reveals sin (James 1:23), then it changes to a sword that defeats the evil Lucifer (Heb.4:12), and once more, chameleon-like, it changes and becomes a lamp that guides believers. (Ps.119:105) Oh Friends, what thought, planning, energy and selfless, unconditional LOVE our God put into our salvation, into bringing us back to a right relationship with Him! How can we refuse it eh, especially after we read the next verse in Bruh Paul’s missive to Titus? ‘That being justified (declared righteous) by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.’ (Titus 3:7) Oh mih people, we don’t have to do anything but believe in Jesus and live by faith and we’re made righteous. All our sins are washed away, our souls cleansed and we become heirs with Christ in eternal life. Wow! There’s no better offer than that anywhere mih Friends, and we’d be very foolish not to accept it. But please note carefully, this salvation is free, but it’s not a free ride, you don’t just pass go and head straight to heaven. Like everything else in God’s world, we have certain responsibilities when we become new people in Christ. We need to accept and obey His rules, cooperate with the Holy Spirit and grow to maturity in God, just like children do in normal life. Friends, it’s no easy feat, but the beauty of it is that God helps us along every step of the way, whether it be rough and rugged or smooth and flat. As they say in legal circles, it’s an open and shut case, it merits no arguments. Jesus is the way, the truth, the light and also the life. I urge you to accept Him into your hearts; the sooner the better. Much LOVE!…oh what a wonderful, earth shattering experience…knowing Jesus brings to our lives…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 March 2010 1 Timothy 6:20‏

21 Mar 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

1 Timothy 6:20     O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called.

 Oh Friends, spring has sprung! But with nary a spot of sunshine, just dark clouds and temps nowhere close to those earlier on in the week. Now they’re forecasting possible snow flurries and rain for the next couple days. Hn! Only in Canada, you say! Yes, we are certainly unique. (smile)  Anyway, as I keep saying, we can’t let the vagaries of the weather cause us grief. In fact, nothing at all should cause us grief since our Lord and Saviour Jesus is constantly advocating on our behalf before the Father, the ultimate judge and controller of everything. So let’s just settle ourselves, stand strong, steadfast and true, with backs and bellies of ramrod steel, and proceed to do like Bruh Paul advised Timothy. ‘O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings (empty talk), and oppositions (contradictions of knowledge) of science falsely so called.’ Yes my people, that must be the first order of business in our Christian walk; to keep that knowledge of truth, of Christ and His gospel, which Bruh Paul imparted to Timothy, and by extension, all believers. Friends, believers are to be strongholds of truth; like banks with strong iron vaults, like Fort Knox, guarding the truth of the gospel, the good news, in our hearts, minds and souls. However, at the same time we are not to hoard it, just keep it for and to ourselves, but rather ensure that it’s noised abroad so that others will hear it, believe and also acknowledge it as truth. Now to safeguard and spread anything simultaneously is no easy task mih breddren. But as Bruh Paul also encouraged Timmy: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God.’ (2 Tim.1:6-7) Yes my people, the things we’re called on to endure as believers are oftimes difficult and fraught with struggles, suffering and disappointment. But understand this, whatever our God asks of us, He’s either already given us the power to do it, or will give it to us when we tackle the task. Our God’s not stupid or ignorant. Why would He ask or expect us to do something when He knows, even better than us, that we don’t have the wherewithal to accomplish it eh? Oh Friends, please remember that Christianity is not merely a religion, but a FAITH BASED set of principles and beliefs, solidly anchored in the Word of our God, His all encompassing power and actions, as well as those of His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. So it’s not some fly by night, man made set up, but sure spiritual principles of FAITH that have been proven to be true, not only in the lives of those recorded in the Good Book, but also in the lives of many current believers. That’s why they’ve lasted from the beginning of time till now, and yet some of us still refuse or are reluctant to believe. Why eh, mih people? It’s the only sensible truth going. And the corolloary to that is if we do our part, teach and live those enduring, life enhancing prinicples to those who come after us, and they repeat the cycle, then they’ll last till the end of time. Now since Bruh Paul did suffer much for the gospel’s sake, he could tell Timmy with great authority: ‘For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed : for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against (until) that day.’ (2 Tim.1:12) He was very sure of what and in whom he believed, and that the assurances given to him would be eventually fulfilled. Friends, if we consider ourselves serious, faithful followers of Christ, then even so should we be fully committed to doing His work under any and all circumstances. That’s what followers do; follow their leader. And not like silly, brainwashed, unlearned sheep, but well educated, understanding, responsible disciples, with a mind of their own, who have heard, seen and therefore believed the good news and truth of Christ’s gospel. For as Bruh Paul informed Titus: ‘This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.’ (Tit.1:13-14) And so it is my Friends. That’s why we also have to avoid ‘profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called.’ We cannot afford to be involved in vain, talk devoid of truth that preaches heresy: ‘Which some professing have erred concerning the faith.’ That’s because when we get into those heretical conversations we lose sight of the truth and stray from the Word. And what better way to end than with wise ad vice from Bruh Paul? ‘Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and LOVE which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.’ (2 Tim.1:13-14) My Friends, I sincerely implore us to take those words to heart, so that we can put them into practice. And may the saving grace of our God be with us this day and forever more. Amen. Much LOVE!…grasp the truth tightly…and guard it with all diligence…for the truth shall set you free…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 March 2010 Mark 6:3‏

20 Mar 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Mark 6:3     And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

 Oh Friends, it’s the weekend; Sabbath time! Time for rest, renewal and worship. Hope the weekend weather is as nice as the rest of the week was. But who knows anymore with the current varied and abnormal weather patterns? I guess though it’s like everything else; change comes to all, at some time or other, with one exception Friends; our God, who’s the same yesterday, today and forever. He never changes. That reminds me of a quote I read yesterday, where the former C.E. O. of General Motors, Charles Erwin Wilson, told the U.S. Senate during hearings in 1953; ‘For years I thought what was good for our country was good for General Motors, and vice versa.’ And back then it was probably true, but that too has now changed, though G.M. still has, or had a sizeable effect on the U.S. until the last financial meltdown. Who would ever have thought that G.M. would plummet to such depths eh? But that’s what happens to companies if they rest on their laurels for too long, and don’t change, innovate and/or adapt to the prevailing situations. The same goes for humans. We tend to get stale and uninteresting if we don’t move on some with the times. That doesn’t mean you have to adopt everything that comes along, but we have to be knowledgeable about what’s happening around us. And there are always some changes we can embrace, which will enhance our lives and the lives of those around us. Today’s Bit provides an interesting scenario between Jesus and His disciples. ‘And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert (deserted) place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.’ Jesus recognized that they all needed a break, what with the mass of people constantly following them and demanding their attention. They were trying to do too much for too long. That leads to burn out and break downs. So ‘they departed to a desert place by ship privately (by themselves).’ (Mark 6:32) Ah Friends, rest and relaxation are very important parts of our lives. If machines of steel need cleaning and refurbishing every so often, what about the mere flesh and bones of our comparatively soft, fragile body? We too need refurbishing every so often. And that’s why the Lord decreed the Sabbath. ‘And on the seventh day, God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.’ (Gen.2:2-3) So my people, if our great God can rest one day in seven, why can’t we mere mortals?  Now when we don’t rest or take proper care of ourselves, we fall victims to all sorts of sickness and diseases, mostly stemming from our stressed out hearts, bodies and minds. The human body, like most other things works very well up to a certain point, then without renewal, diminishing returns set in, where we achieve much less for greater effort. But our world is in such poor shape, in such turmoil and uncertainty, that we are forced to work more or longer than we should just to survive, to make ends meet. Anger, fear and doubt that are also prevalent in our world, only serve to further unnerve our already stressed out systems. Consequently it’s become even more important now that we get away from the rat race for a short while, at least one day a week, to chill out and renew our vitality, so that we can hop back on the merry go round, fresh, eager and able. Friends, if we don’t take the occasional break, including vacations, from the current madness that’s our world, that madness will surely be transferred to us, and we’ll either end up in a straitjacket full of mood altering drugs, or in a pine box. The choice is ours. And though we have the Holy Trinity to LOVE and guide us, we still depend too much on our own efforts, often becoming quite neurotic, worrying and fretting over simple, unimportant things, or things we can’t control. Oh Friends, our two most important duties are to look after ourselves physically and spiritually. We have to find time, like Jesus and the Father did, to get away from it all, to relax and rejuvenate ourselves physically. That brings to mind the passage from Song of Solomon, where the dark skinned lover claims; ‘they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.’ (Song 1:6) Sadly, many of us fall prey to situations like that where we look after everybody but ourselves. Friends, that’s not a healthy situation either. We have to look out for number one, that’s us, because if we’re of no use to ourselves, then we’ll not be of any use to others either. And in the spiritual realm, the same principle applies my people. If we don’t rest in and renew our fellowship with God, then we’ll eventually become spiritual burn outs. And there’s a great passage of scripture that helps us to remember that. It’s termed the Great Invitation. Listen to Jesus offer it. ‘Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’ (Mat.11:28-30) Oh my people, please accept Jesus’ unconditional offer. I guarantee it’s the best decision you’ll ever make, for in Him you will indeed find the hope and rest from all your worries and burdens that He’s promised. Much LOVE!…to live good…rest, relax and refresh…both body and soul…on a regular basis…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 March 2010 Acts 8:2‏

19 Mar 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Acts 8:2     And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
 
Oh Friends, it is a day of Lamentation. A day for mankind to hold deh heads and bawl at the sad, grave sin of man’s atrocious inhumanity to his fellow man. And not by my choice, but by the Lord’s design. As I’ve noted before, sometimes when I go to bed He fills my mind and spirit with certain ideas that I eventually have to get up and write down, else I won’t be able to sleep. Yesterday morning was one such occasion. Chuh! But I’ve learned from hard experience not to sweat or fight it, just get up and write it down, else the thoughts and ideas just dawdle around in my brain and disturb my rest. And when I looked for a verse to suit my directives, I obviously found a suitable one, re the stoning of the apostle Stephen, under the direction of Bruh Paul, when he was still Saul of Tarsus, deadly foe of believers. Oh my people, if you’ve never read Stephen’s story, then please do so in Acts 7, cause it’s loaded with insights into scripture and the workings of our God. In his defence to the council of elders, Stephen begins from the time of Abraham and works his way right through to Jesus, accusing them of idolatry and murder. ‘Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before (foretold) of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: Who have received the law by the disposition (direction) of angels, and have not kept it’ (Acts 7:52-53) Yes Friends, the Jewish people, like many of us, could not accept the truth, it made them furious; ‘they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.’ (Acts 7:54-56) This brings to mind Bruh Paul’s conversion, when he was struck down by a bright burst of light and he talked with Jesus. Unfortunately those words of Stephen was the straw that broke the camel’s back. The people couldn’t take it any longer, so ‘they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord. And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.’ (Acts 7:57-58) Ah mih breddren, Bruh Paul was a real monster in his early days. No wonder Jesus had to ask him: ‘Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?’ (Acts 9:4) But Friends, fortunately for us, those early believers were made of sterner stuff than we of this soft, mollycoddled generation, else we would never have received the Word. ‘And they stoned Stephen, (as he was) calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.’ (Acts 7:59-60) My people, my people, how many of us could face such an awful death, with such peace and forgiveness eh, especially in these times of easy living? Not many. Oh Friends, it is indeed a day of Lamentation, for can anyone explain why there’s so much ‘sufferation’ in a world of so much plenty. Yes Friends, we can no longer call it mere suffering, it’s gotten too widespread and intense. Why everyday a new theatre of war opens, or a new natural disaster occurs, when the old wars have not ended, or the old disasters cleaned up? Why is our supposedly rich and prosperous world constantly besieged by financial troubles? Why when some inane celebrity’s Achilles heel is exposed, it makes the headlines and the world pounds them mercilessly? Why are our politicians so full of empty political rhetoric, substance less drivel, but no good intentions? Can someone tell me why in these supposed enlightened times women and children are still terribly abused? Why is there everlasting poverty, untold crime and violence, fear and doubt? Why do some brainwashed, uneducated fools blow themselves up, kill and main indiscriminately, but are considered martyrs? Why are our leaders more interested in greed and corruption rather than good governance of the people and their welfare? Why are warmongers and those who profit from death and destruction allowed to lobby and agitate to keep wars going? Why is gang violence escalating, and the use of the gun become so prevalent, especially amongst our youth? Why do drugs and drink play such a large part not only in our economy, but in our society as a whole? Why is immorality now ignored, even cheered on, while values and standards are daily falling, and we’re fast becoming a technologically superior, but otherwise dumb society? Why is the work ethic disappearing, along with jobs, homes and families? Yes mih people, it is a sure sad state of affairs; our world, so full of hate, anger, violence, oppression, suppression and senseless killing, when all the religions and their supposed gods for the most part preach Peace and LOVE. Why eh? Why? I certainly don’t know, and oftimes in my naivety, I have a hard time picturing it. But Friends, I guess the only place to find the answers to those many troubling questions is in heaven, at the footstool of the Most High God Jehovah since He’s running things. And I’ve asked Him. But He’s not answering, at least not those types of questions. It must be all a trial of our faith. He simply wants us to believe, trust and surrender our entire lives to Him. And besides doing our little bit to make our world a better place, there’s not much we can do as individuals. But together Friends, together as a group of strong, faithful and steadfast believers, we can surely make a difference, right some of the atrocious wrongs that are currently sabotaging our world. And while doing that, let’s try to say, like Stephen; ‘Lord, lay not this sin to their charge,’ in a true spirit of forgiveness. Oh Friends, there’s much to lament in our world, but there’s also much to give thanks and praise for. Let’s not forget the lamentable things, but for all our sakes, please concentrate on the good ones, and faithfully forge ahead, looking always to the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Much LOVE!…Father…forgive them…for they know not what they do…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 March 2010 2 Samuel 7:22‏

18 Mar 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

2 Samuel 7:22     Wherefore art thou great, O Lord: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
 
Oh Friends, it’s been another beautiful almost summer’s day, and another one is in the offing. But consider me an unbeliever in this warmth sweepstakes, for I simply can’t believe that we’ll go through the whole month of March, not only without snow, but such constant warm daytime temps. Spring is officially due to start on Saturday, the 20th, let’s see what kind of weather we’ll get then. Don’t be too surprised if we get the real March weather then. (smile) But however it goes, all we can say is that the Lord Jehovah is still in control of everything and He knows what He’s doing, though it might seem outlandish to us mere mortals. On that note, let’s direct some praise and thanks to heaven nuh, in gratitude for seeing another day, and being secure in the promises of the Father. ‘Oh Father, we know that at this very moment You are looking down at us from heaven, and making sure that we’re safe and secure, while showering us with blessings, grace, mercy and forgiveness. For all this we give You eternal thanks, we praise You, and bless Your Holy Name, through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our LOVING Lord and Saviour. Amen.’ Yes Friends, there is authenticity to the words of Bruh David: ‘Wherefore art thou great, O Lord: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.’ My brethren, the last two days we’ve been hearing other people’s opinions of our God, today we’ll hear a few of His own declarations re His omnipotence and glory. Through Moses, He says: ‘See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.’ (Deut. 32:39-40) Wow! Strong, powerful words mih people, from a strong, powerful and confident God. Now listen to the Most High through the mouth of that great prophet Isaiah. ‘Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am he.’ (Is.41:4) Hear Him from Isaiah’s mouth again. ‘Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour.’ (Is. 43:10-11) Oh Friends, who else but our omnipotent, majestic and glorious God could make such daring, definitive, powerful, pronouncements and declarations eh? Nobody! Now here’s the piece de resistance, the mighty proclamation that we all know, by way of the beloved disciple, John. ‘I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.’ (Rev.1:8) Yes my people, our God was the first in existence, and He will be the last, for He created all things and people and consequently has total rule and control over His entire creation. Now Friends, Bruh David talks about ‘all that we have heard with our ears,’ but he never heard half as much as us, yet he sincerely believed and tried to LIVE his Faith. So why can’t we believe, and LIVE our Faith too, having heard much more than him? He heard about the Lord saying to Moses: ‘Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might show these my signs before him: and that thou mayest tell in the ear of thy son, and of thy son’s son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the Lord.’  (Ex.10:1-2) Yes mih breddren, those were direct instructions to Moses that the people should pass down the mighty acts of the Lord from generation to generation, for there’s no better advertisement than word of mouth. Are we following that godly directive? It certainly doesn’t seem so, because far too many of the current and upcoming generations have turned away, and are turning away from worshipping the Most High God Jehovah. And that’s a very sad state of affairs mih people, for we are sinking deeper and deeper into a state of violence, ungodliness, and evil, right at a time we should be turning in droves to God. Why? Because it’s in tempestuous, troubled and uncertain times, like we’re now undergoing, that we most need the strength, security, comfort and courage that only the Lord can provide. Oh Friends, only the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob can help us now. Only He can allay our fears and guide us through the despair and darkness that’s hovering over us like a black cloud of doom. Let’s turn to Him with repentance and soul-searching nuh. And most important of all, let’s tell our children and their children about Him, so that future generations will be able to proudly say, like the Psalmist: ‘We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.’ (Ps.44:1) Much LOVE!…the only requirements…LOVE our God…LIVE our Faith…SPREAD His Word…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 17 March 2010 2 Samuel 7:22‏

17 Mar 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

2 Samuel 7:22     Wherefore thou art great, O Lord God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God besides thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
 
Ah Friends, it’s not spring nuh, but summer, for yesterday the sun shone brightly with some heat, and people were out and about jacketless, in tank tops and short shorts. Hn! It doesn’t take long for the summer fever to begin. The same kind of weather is predicted for today. Praise the Most High God for His goodness to the children of men! Now the weather changes might surprise us some, but they won’t completely astound us, for we know that ANYTHING is possible with our God, and whatever happens here on earth is in His ultimate control, and there is a reason for it, though our intellect can’t comprehend it. And how do we know this? Because down through the ages, great men of faith have lived and seen it. Some of us in this generation have also experienced the Lord’s greatness in our lives. So there is a lot of proof to substantiate Bruh David’s contention. ‘Wherefore thou art great, O Lord God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God besides thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.’ And that my Friends is the ultimate truth! So without further ado, let’s hear from some others of great faith who believed it. The prophet Jeremiah declared: ‘Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord; thou art great, and thy name is great in might. Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain (it is fitting): forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee. But they are altogether brutish (dull-hearted) and foolish: the stock (wooden idol) is a doctrine of vanities (a worthless teaching). But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.’ (Jer.10:6-8,10) With all the stuff, good and bad, miraculous and commonplace, that happened in Jerry’s life, he certainly had no doubts that the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was the ONE TRUE GOD. Oh mih people, Bruh David deserves another bligh since he’s written so extensively on the subject, and from personal experience too. Hear him when he asks for guidance in Psalm 86. ‘Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works. All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.’ (Ps.86: 8-10) And all God’s people proudly sang: "Glory Hallelujah! Praise His Holy Name, for there is none other like unto Him!’ Yes Friends, I can testify to that because so many things have happened in my life that can only be explained through the mighty and magnanimous Spirit of Almighty God. I’m sure many of you can also testify to the same thing, but Moses was possibly the man who came closest to God, in terms of seeing and talking to Him and experiencing His omnipotence, so he is a very creditable source. Listen to parts of his song acknowledging the Lord’s greatness. ‘The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him a habitation (praise him); my father’s God, and I will exalt him. The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his name…Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy…Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods (the mighty ones)? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.’ (Ex.15:2-3, 6, 11-12) Oh my people, the only thing greater than our God’s handling of the exodus of His chosen people from bondage in Egypt is the coming of His Son Jesus, and His incredible feats. So if you believe that the Israelites exodus was true, how can you not believe that the Deity who planned and managed it is the GREATEST eh? Let’s get a little more insight from Moses. He’s talking to the Israelites re his asking the Lord to let him go over the Jordan to the Promised Land. ‘And I besought the Lord at that time saying, O Lord God, thou hast begun to show thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might? I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon.’ (Deut.3:23-25) Unfortunately the Lord refused Moses’ request because of the Israelites disobedience, and instead took him up a high hill, Pisgah, and let him view it from afar. But we can see that Moses had finally recognized the real greatness of our God. And what astonishes me is that it wasn’t Moses alone who experienced the Lord’s mighty presence, but also the whole nation of Israel. As he told them: ‘Unto thee it was showed that thou mightest know that the Lord he is God; there is none else beside him. Out of the heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he showed thee his great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire.’ (Deut.4:35-37) Then Friends, how could they fall into such disobedience eh? Anyway my people, that’s history; a lesson for us to learn from, so that we don’t do likewise. Therefore, let’s acknowledge that our God is the GREATEST and pay Him the homage He richly deserves by being reverent and obedient. Till tomorrow, our God willing, more on this topic. Much LOVE!…In the beginning…God created…the heaven and the earth…before that…there was nothing…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 March 2010 2 Samuel 7:22‏

16 Mar 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

2 Samuel 7:22     Wherefore thou art great, O Lord God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
 
Oh Friends, it’s a new morning; a spring morning apparently, for Sunday when I came home from church I heard some birds singing and saw them frolicking in a tree which had already begun to produce buds. I sincerely hoped that neither buds nor tree, nor man, would be fooled by Mother Nature, but the weatherman has bravely forecasted daytime temps in the low teens all this week. So I am hopeful. Strange things do happen in this world yes; spring at the beginning of March. Hn! However, since it’s a new day, then the Most High God Jehovah has new things in store for us; new mercies, blessings and forgiveness. But before we can receive them, we have to acknowledge His presence, His majesty, His power, give Him thanks and praise for what He’s already done for us, as well as the wonderful things He has on the drawing board. And speaking of drawing boards, a wise man by the name of Lewis K. Bendele, had his to say: ‘A man without a plan for the day is lost before he starts.’ And is that ever so true mih people! If you don’t know where you’re going, don’t have a direction and purpose for your day, then you’re most likely to end up lost and in trouble. You’ll be like a rudderless ship, adrift on the high seas. If the sea is calm, you’ll be going nowhere; and if it’s stormy, then you can end up on the rocks, in Timbuktu, anywhere. That’s why it’s smart to begin your day with a plan, a plan that must have God as its bedrock, as its foundation, so that you don’t stray from the plan, for even the best laid plans of mice and men can go astray if the Lord is not included in them. Then you’ll be left wide open to all the wicked wiles of the always lurking, evil enemy. Friends, I’m here laughing because I’d planned to give you this big spiel about not hearing much from me today, just scripture to prove our Bit, but my well laid plans have already gone astray. The good thing though, is that they were laid with God in mind, and it’s the Lord’s Spirit that took me on a slight detour. (smile) Anyway, from here on in I’ll try to say as little as possible, just try to prove to you from the Word, what Bruh David said when the Lord established His covenant with him. ‘Wherefore thou art great, O Lord God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God besides thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.’ And that my people is the gospel, living and eternal truth! There is only ONE GOD; the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In Moses’ exhortation to Israel after he received the second copy of the ten Commandments, he declares: ‘For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward (the great God, mighty and awesome who shows no partiality, nor takes a bribe)…Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave (hold fast), and swear by his name. He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible (awesome) things, which thine eyes have seen. Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons; and now the Lord thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude.’ (Deut.10:17, 20-22) What a powerful bit of scripture Friends! Now hear Bruh David again in his Psalm of Thanksgiving: ‘Sing unto the Lord, all the earth; show forth from day to day his salvation. Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations. For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: he is also to be feared above all gods (held in reverential awe). For all the gods of the people are idols (worthless things): but the Lord made the heavens. Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place.’ (1 Chron.16:23-27) Heartfelt words my people, from a man that suffered it all, but never lost faith or hope in his God, bared his very soul before Him, and was considered a man after God’s heart. And then the wisest of men, Cousin Sol, humbly acknowledged when he prepared to build the Lord’s temple: ‘And the house which I build is (will be) great: for great is our God above all gods. But who is able to build him a house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him a house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?’ (2 Chron.2:5-6) Yes my people, more acknowledgement of our God’s greatness from another man of great faith who experienced all that this earthly life had to offer, who through the God of his fathers was made wealthy and wise; in fact the wealthiest and wisest man ever. His words and opinions must therefore be taken seriously. Ah Friends, we’ve run out of space and time, but not of God’s Word, so we’ll continue this topic tomorrow, God willing of course. And I can’t see why He won’t be, since we are only aspiring to LOVE our God, LIVE our Faith and SPREAD His Word. Till then, Much LOVE!…there’s only ONE TRUE GOD…the ONE who made the universe and all therein…The Most High God Jehovah…so worship Him…in honour and truth…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 March 2010 Psalm 112:5‏

15 Mar 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 112:5     A good man showeth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion.
 
Oh Friends, it’s Monday morning, therefore to arms, to arms! Clothe yourself in your full suit of spiritual armour before leaving the house so that you can avail yourself of all the protection the Almighty God provides in our daily confrontation with the enemy. As the ad for whatever says, ‘don’t dare leave home without it.’ And just in case you’re wondering, the wind and rain that recently plagued us have both abated, but who knows what will happen next? Only the Lord in His high heaven. That’s why it pays to stay in His good graces. And as the Psalmist rightfully declares: ‘Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed. Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever.’ (Ps.112:1-3) Now who wouldn’t want that kind of life on this earth eh? But the only way to get and keep it with a clean conscience is to associate continually with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. You can acquire material wealth though Lucifer’s wicked, greedy, violent and unfair means, but as they say, ‘easy come, easy go,’ and you’ll be forever worried and fearful about losing it. However, on the Lord’s plan you won’t have to fret or worry about losing it, for you acquired it legally and righteously, therefore peace will always reign in your soul. My brethren that’s one of the many benefits to be gained by associating with the Lord God Jehovah, rather than with His fallen lieutenant, Lucifer. With the Lord your soul is always peaceful and calm because you know you’re doing the right thing, but with Beelzebub your whole being is always in a confused frenzy, worried about something going wrong to divest you of your earthly wealth and/or health. Even when things go wrong in the Lord’s path, you know that He will eventually make them right for ‘We know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.’ (Rom.8:28)  So when walking with the Lord, there is absolutely no need to worry about anything, since He’s promised to bring us out safely, though not necessarily unscathed, from all situations. That’s why ‘A good man showeth favour and lendeth.’ He has nothing to fear so he can afford to be gracious and lend. Bruh David concurs in Psalm 37. ‘The steps of a good man are ordered (established) by the Lord….He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.’ (Ps.37:23, 26) And if you don’t believe the Psalmists, then listen to Jesus. ‘But LOVE ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.’ (Luke 6:35-36) That my Friends, as we would say, is straight from the horses mouth, not hearsay, but directly from our Lord and Saviour which makes it gospel to all believers. And there’s also another side to the good man; he’ll not only be gracious and merciful, ‘he will guide his affairs with discretion (justice) That’s obvious, a good man will always work at being just, but I want to deal with the true meaning of the word ‘discretion.’ It’s like a lost or forgotten word in today’s indiscriminate society, where we do and say whatever we feel to anybody without much thought to the consequences. Just check out all the scandal and trouble info sources like twitter, facebook and the internet are causing. People just put things online foolishly, and when they get in trouble, they blame others. Yes Friends, thoughtlessness, indiscretion and blaming everybody but ourselves are hall marks of our current society. In this age of almost instant, worldwide communication we should be playing important stuff much closer to our vest than ever. But then, in Lucifer’s world, notoriety makes you more appealing to many, and sometimes takes you right to the top of the heap. How sad. And we’ll close with two bits of advice on the subject from none other than Bruh Paul. The first is: ‘See then that ye walk circumspectly (carefully), not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess (dissipation); but be filled with the Spirit.’ (Eph.5:15-18) And the second is like unto it. ‘Walk in wisdom toward them that are without (outside) redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.’ (Col.4:5-6) Ah my people, I don’t know what else to say to convince you all to walk the righteous, just, LOVING path of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. So I’ll just leave it up to the Lord now to work in your hearts, souls and minds, to either bring you to the faith, or if you’re already there, to keep you strong and steadfast in it. I promise you, you won’t find a better road to trod. Much LOVE!…the Lord’s way…it’s the only wise way…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 March 2010 Zephaniah 1:14‏

14 Mar 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Zephaniah 1:14     The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.
 
And the month of March said: ‘I can’t give you snow or freezing winds, but I can surely give you blustery winds and rain; lots of them.’ And so it did. Yes Friends, it’s been raining for two days now, and yesterday the wind blew something fierce. Since we laughed March to scorn for its kindness in giving us plenty sunshine and balmy temps, it retaliated as best it could in this era of global warming with high winds and plenty rain. Oh my people, it’s the same way the Israelites scorning of and ingratitude to Almighty God caused Zephaniah and the other prophets to declare that there’d come a day when the Lord’s anger and vengeance would be unleashed on His chosen people, who’d become ungodly. ‘The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly (hurries), even the voice (noise) of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.’  And what kind of a day will it be? ‘That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation (devastation), a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness. A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced (fortified) cities, and against the high towers. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung (refuse). Neither their silver or gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance (end) of all them that dwell in the land.’ (Zeph.1:15-18) Oh mih breddren, you don’t need me to read and spell for you because what can happen when the Lord’s anger is unleashed against the ungodly is all there in simple terms. No earthly wealth or power will save us. The land will turn red from the blood that’s shed, and the carrion eaters will have a field day with many corpses. And sadly, that kind of society which existed back then in Israel, now exists in our time. I don’t want to be a harbinger of bad tidings, of doom and gloom, but the facts speak for themselves in the Word of the Lord. He will eventually punish those wicked, ungodly societies that exalt Lucifer and not Him. It’s also something we’ve seen happen regularly down through the ages. The societies that got prosperous off the Lord’s goodness and mercy, then turned fat, lazy and idolatrous, all suffered serious setbacks and catastrophes, through natural disasters and disease, attacks from other nations, even internal implosions, like civil war and revolution. The important point Friends, is that they all paid a severe price for deserting the Lord. They forgot who brought them to the dance. And it seems that we’re doing the same thing, headed in the same direction as those other societies. Now that we’ve become wealthy and powerful, in our pride and arrogance we believe that we did it through our own might and power, conveniently forgetting all the Lord’s done for us. But that’s a very wrong attitude Friends, because it’s God, and God alone, who allows us to prosper. As He told Joshua in no uncertain terms: ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh.1:8) Oh mih people, what part of that don’t we understand eh? The same principle applies to us too since our great God doesn’t change. Please note that when we followed the edicts of the Good Book we were very prosperous and successful, but now that we’ve outgrown it, or so we figure, our prosperity and success have hit the skids and we’re sliding downhill fast. If we don’t repent and pull up our socks soon, then we’re liable to slide all the way into the dark abyss of oblivion or be conquered by some other more powerful society. It might therefore be necessary to do like Joel said: ‘Blow ye the trumpet in Zion and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand.’ (Joel 2:1) Oh Friends, I don’t know how close at hand that day of the Lord’s wrath is, but I’m sure that if we continue our ungodly slide into evil, idolatry, excessive immorality and all the other things we revel in that our God despises, then ONE DAY WE WILL PAY FOR IT. As Jesus said so long ago: ‘If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.’ (Mark 4:23) My brethren, all I can do is remind us of what the Good Book says, and encourage us to walk the path it prescribes, but in the long run, each individual has to make a personal choice, then live with it for better or for worse. Let’s hope, for our children and society’s sake, we all choose the option for better. Much LOVE!…you can’t expect good results from evil doings…can’t plant corn and reap peas…
 

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