Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 February 2010 John 1:17‏

12 Feb 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

John 1:17     For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
 
Oh my Friends, another bright, sun shiny day (though cold and windy here) has been born out of the darkness, and the servants of the Most High God Jehovah need to be up and about their Master’s business. Give Him thanks and praise for all that He’s done for you, and pray for continued safe and steadfast guidance as you trod this weary earth, seeking to do His will. Yesterday, we saw how the basic law of God was given to Moses, but with Jesus’ coming, His death and resurrection brought other things into play, into greater focus. Things like grace, truth, salvation and eternal life took on a new meaning, a new vitality. Jesus offered us a New Covenant, underwritten by His cleansing blood and sacrificial death. We also noted that grace was the undeserved favour of God by which we are able to receive salvation. The people of Jesus’ time had problems juxtaposing the Law of Moses and Jesus’ covenant. We have no such conflict, for though the basic law still stands, as what we should and should not do, everything else is new, based on Jesus. He is the focus for all believers, our raison d’être, our sole reason to be. Whenever we talk about God, we automatically include Jesus, cause as He explicitly says: ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’ (John 14:6) So we can never enter the Father’s presence without first going through His Son, our Lord and Saviour, our Advocate and Spiritual Advisor. Oh Friends, the great thing about Jesus’ coming is that the law, read works, no longer mattered where salvation was concerned. Before Him it was considered that things like good works and piety were needed for salvation. But our Saviour’s death changed all that, because it meant He paid for our sins, and all we now needed for salvation was to believe in Him, be born again, have a spiritual rebirth, and receive God’s free gift of grace. Sin would no longer hold us in bondage because Jesus’ death had washed away the sins of all believers. Wow! What a blessed day! As Bruh Paul so eloquently puts it: ‘For as by one man (Adam’s) disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one (Jesus) shall many be made righteous.’ (Rom.5:19) Oh Friends, it all boils down to God’s free gift of unmerited grace and favour. Hear Bruh Paul again: ‘Moreover the law entered that the offense (sin) might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign, through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.’ (Rom.5: 20-21) Yes my people, the law that encouraged and fomented sin, that led to death, was being replaced by an abundance of grace through Jesus that would lead to salvation and eternal life. Christians are able to break out of sin’s stranglehold because we live under the law of the Spirit, grace, not that of the flesh and the world. And as Jesus said to His disciples, re the hatred of the world and their persecution. ‘If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not sin: but now they have no cloak (excuse) for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.’ (John 15:22-24) My brethren, that says a whole lot. If Jesus had not come and done all he did, we’d be none the wiser. However, once He came and made everything known, accomplished His purpose, our eyes are supposed to be wide open, and we see everything clearly. There are now no excuses for our ungodly behaviour and actions. Sin has been brought out in the open for all and sundry to see, and grace has been offered for all and sundry to accept. Let’s not be foolish and continue revelling in sin, but come to the wise conclusion that the grace of our God, through Jesus Christ, is more important than anything this fleshly, lustful world has to offer. And how do we know all of that is true? Why simple! Jesus said it. And do we take His word for it? Sure! Why? Because as we already noted, He’s the way, the truth and the life. Everything moves around Him. He also told those Jews that believed on Him: ‘If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.’ (John 8:31-32) Glory Hallelujah Friends! What else do we need eh? And for all of us who truly LOVE, revere and follow Jesus, the truth is made known to us through the working of His Holy Spirit in us. ‘But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.’ (John 15:26) Glory be, mih people! Those were Jesus’ words to His disciples, and we know what happened on that first day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit inflamed them with tongues. So how can we doubt His word eh? But just in case your heart’s still hard with unbelief and doubt, then Listen to His answer when Pilate asked Him: ‘Art thou a king? Jesus answered, Thou sayest (rightly) that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice.’ (John 18:37) Matter fix mih Friends! If in your hearts, minds and souls you either know the truth or seek it, then you’ll hear the Saviour’s voice calling softly, LOVINGLY and reassuringly, ‘poor sinner come home.’ If you don’t believe, are not tuned in to the truth, then I’m sorry to hear that, and sincerely hope that something happens to change your mind and heart before it’s too late. For when the last whistle, of that last train blows, and it slowly chugs out of the station, headed for glory, those not aboard will be cast into dark exile for ever. Please don’t allow this to happen to you and yours. Make the right decision NOW; be wise and accept Christ as the way, the truth and the life, so you can receive His free gift of abundant grace that leads to salvation and eternal life. Oh Friends, it’s the ONLY WAY! Much LOVE!…it’s the only sure bet…so my money, my life, and all that I am, are on Jesus…TO WIN…!

Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 February 2010 John 1:17‏

11 Feb 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

John 1:17     For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
 
Oh mih Friends, it’s one of those February mornings with just a smattering of snow on the ground, but nowhere close to what Washington D.C. and the U.S. East Coast are experiencing. Please say a prayer for them, because many parts of the affected area are not accustomed to such snowy conditions. Up here though, it’s still cold and damp with a chill wind blowing through whatever you choose to put on. To me, February and March are the worse winter months because of the cold wind that seems to blow continuously, while the bright sunshine fools you into subconsciously thinking heat. But Friends, wherever we are, whatever the physical conditions of Mother Nature, cold, hot, snowy or otherwise, let us raise a prayer of thanks to Almighty God for enabling us to enjoy one more day on planet earth. And though it turns out to be a rough day, once we’re walking with the Lord in our hearts, minds and souls, we’re assured that He will give us the grace and the power to handle whatever comes along. On that note people, let’s look at our Bit. It’s simple but full of wisdom, truth and light. ‘For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus.’ So true mih breddren! The law, meaning the basic law of God; the rules and regulations His people should live by, were handed to Moses, written by God on two tablets of stone, which we refer to as the Ten Commandments. We all know them, or should. Whether we practice them is another story, though, as believers, we should to the best of our ability. And just supposing, now we only supposing eh, (smile) that you don’t know them, or are in doubt, just to refresh your memory, read them in Exodus Chapter 20. ‘And God spake all these words saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.’ (Ex.20:1-3) Yes Friends, that’s the first and most important law; the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob shall be the only deity you worship and bow down to. All the other laws, though important, are subservient to that one, because our God is very jealous and protective of His sovereignty. Now we’ve had those laws; thou shalt not kill steal, covet, commit adultery, worship idols etc, for ages, but obviously haven’t followed them as closely as we ought, for some of the supposedly most godly societies have proven to be the biggest warmongers, crooks, idolaters and adulterers over the years. Our God was terribly unhappy with the situation, but He’d already wiped us out once before, through the Flood, then raised us up again through Noah’s progeny and nothing changed. That sinful bent, naturally inherited from our forefathers, soon raised its ugly head again. Fed up with our animal sacrifices and insincerity, the Lord decided to fix the situation once and for all. He’d send His innocent, sinless Son, Jesus, to die for us, to pay our sin debt in full and wash away all our atrocities. No more sacrifices were needed, because Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice, and with Him came grace and truth. Now grace was also evident in the Old Testament, but not like when Jesus came. We read there: ‘But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.’ (Gen.6:8) Also when Moses went back up Mt.Sinai the second time, to replace the first stone tablets that had been broken, ‘The Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.’ (Ex.34:6) Yes, grace was available before Jesus came, but mostly to those of great faith. However, with the coming of Jesus…Wow Friends! Jesus brought grace in real and true abundance! As John concurs: ‘And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.’ (John 1:16) The ‘fullness’ part refers to John 1:14, which says; ‘And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth.’ And per the scholars ‘grace for grace’ means ‘grace heaped on grace.’ Thank you Jesus! Sorry Friends, I guess we should define what we mean by grace. It’s basically God’s favour bestowed upon us, undeserved of course, for our salvation. Without that grace, salvation is, and would be impossible. And if you don’t believe me, then listen to Bruh Paul’s exposition on the subject. ‘For by grace are ye (you have been) saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship (creation), created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.’ (Eph.2:8-10) Yes my Friends, it’s not by works, but through the grace of God that we are in Christ Jesus. Our spiritual rebirth through Jesus, enables us to do good works in His name. We’ve been morally upgraded for that express purpose, since as we all know, only good works flow from Jesus. The scholars believe that Bruh Paul’s thinking was that believers were given a spiritual life to do good works, so consequently there could be no good works before conversion that would merit salvation. In other words; good works follow, not precede salvation. Oh Friends, like we’ll have to continue this tomorrow yes, God willing, of course. I have more to say, but won’t make it too long, bearing in mind our short attention spans. (smile) But yuh know mih people, sometimes I just have to chuckle in wonder and awe at the way the Spirit guides me in finding and writing these Bits. If I ever had doubts before, now I know for a fact that there is a Spirit that exists within us, to aid and abet us. Without the Spirit’s truly wonderful help, I certainly couldn’t do what I’m doing. So please, I implore you, do not downgrade or disown that Spirit of our Saviour in your own lives, for it’s of immeasurable and incalculable importance to you as a true believer and follower of Jesus. Working with it, we can do all things, while without it, we’re rendered totally helpless. Much LOVE!…only as we have received God’s GRACE…can we receive SALVATION…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 February 2010 Micah 4:12‏

10 Feb 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Micah 4:12     But they know not the thoughts of the Lord, neither understand they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the floor.
 
Ah Friends, the days they are moving along as our Lord God appointed them, and with each passing day we grow a little older, but also a little closer to Him. Let’s join in a short prayer of thanks and great expectations. ‘Oh Lord, thank you for allowing me to see a new day. I know that your thoughts towards me are for good and not evil. Please guide me safely through this day and all the others you permit me to see, then receive me in glory when my earthly days are done. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.’ Oh my people, Today’s Bit comes from a part of scripture where the prophet Micah saw Jerusalem and Israel restored to their former glory after Babylon and all their enemies were destroyed; ‘and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever.’ (Mic.4:7) But until then, there will be much travail and sorrow, even exile to Babylon with much hardship and suffering there. But ‘there shalt thou be delivered; there the Lord shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies.’ (Mic.4:10)  Friends, I’m here equating our current situation to that of the people in Micah’s time cause there are many similarities, since we’re now living in what’s called the ‘New Babylon.’ That day Micah spoke of came on a small scale for both Israel and us; namely Babylon’s destruction, Israel’s release from captivity and Jerusalem rebuilt. For us it came when Jesus died on the cross, taking our sins upon His innocent soul so that we could be made right with our heavenly Father. However, there’s a bigger day still to come, cause Micah was looking at the end times, when our God will come in all His splendour and glory, defeat the ungodly nations, the New Babylon, and set up His righteous kingdom. But right now we are going through that time of travail and sorrow, like the Israelites in Old Babylon for it’s obvious from the warlike state of our world that many are trying to destroy God’s people. ‘Now also many nations are gathered against thee (Zion), that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion.’ (Mic.4:) That in no way meant the old-timers, nor us today, any good, for we know that Lucifer and his lowly, evil minions are out there frantically and fanatically trying to destroy the main body of believers, Christ’s Church, as well as individual believers. In the ungodly countries there’s physical persecution and destruction of places of worship, while in those that claim to be godly, they bad talk the Church to non-believers and entice believers to back slide, to turn away from the One True God Jehovah through promises of pretty but flimsy, useless trinkets, money and power. ‘But they know not the thoughts of the Lord, neither understand they his counsel.’ Yes Friends, the heathen has no idea of our God’s thinking. ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.’ (Isa.55:8-9) So though we know of and about our God, the miniscule human mind can never really comprehend His complete sovereignty, omniscience and omnipotence. We’re like mere ants compared to God in His greatness. ‘For he shall gather them as sheaves into the floor (to the threshing floor)’ Yes my people, that’s how the Lord will handle our enemies; gather them like sheaves of wheat on a threshing floor, then thresh them, beat them, as we do the sheaves of wheat to remove the grain.’ They won’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell! That’s why Micah encouraged his people, and I’m encouraging us now to; ‘Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people(s): and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.’ (Mic.4:13) Yes my Friends, that’s what we, the Lord’s people need to do; be strong, rise up and take back what is ours, reclaim our rightful heritage, reclaim the society on God’s behalf. I know that believers are currently going through some rough times, but I want to remind us of all the promises our God has made to those who follow Him sincerely, and that we need to hold on to them as tightly as possible, especially in these trying times. It won’t always be easy, but if we place our complete trust and faith in Him and surrender our whole beings, then He will enable us to bear whatever burdens or trials that may come our way, then receive us to glory in the end. As Micah says: ‘But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in (on) the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills, and people (peoples) shall flow unto it.’ (Mic.4:1) Oh my people, what a wonderful time that will be, with nations coming from all over the world to Zion, to learn of the Lord; ‘and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths,’ (Mic.4:2) He’ll also judge many nations and rebuke them, ‘and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks (knives): nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore…For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever.’ (Mic.4:3,5) All I can say to that Friends, is ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ I can’t wait for that glorious day to come, so let’s keep on living in faith and hope, and trust in the faithful promises of our God. That’s the only way to live this earthly life. Much LOVE!…remember…He who promised is faithful…and no seed of the righteous will ever beg bread…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 February 2010 Psalm 149:4‏

09 Feb 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 149:4     For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.
 
Oh Friends, it’s another new day, and though we may have the same old problems from yesterday, today brings new hope that we’ll find a way to solve them. Let’s thank our heavenly Father for blessing us with life and giving us the glorious opportunity to enjoy the wonders of His creation, for at least one more day, cause without Him, we are nothing. Then let’s consider these words of John Greenleaf Whittier: ‘Of all the sad words of tongue or pen, The saddest are these: It might have been.’  Oh my people, those words are so full of truth and wisdom! The sad part is that all of us know it, but we still refuse to do the things that won’t make them necessary. It happens all the time; we procrastinate until it’s too late. For example in telling some one we LOVE them, or we’re sorry, then they suddenly die, move away, or are no longer interested in our friendship because of our insensitive attitude and/or behaviour. It can also be a job or some such thing that we keep putting off, until it either blows up in our face, or we lose a wonderful opportunity and suffer serious loss. Friends, the word is called procrastination; putting off until oftimes it’s too late, then we bury ourselves in self-pity and mumble; ‘If I’d only known.’ That reminds me of an old, but quite appropriate saying; ‘Too late, too late shall be the cry, When Jesus Christ of Nazareth passes by.’ That’s a sad truth mih people, for we never know what’s going to happen when, therefore we should always aspire to do what we ought, when we ought, so that if unforeseen circumstances intervene, we won’t be caught with our pants down, (smile) then walk around wallowing in regrets. And don’t be fooled, it’s a more common problem that we want to admit, and it’s causing serious problems in all aspects of our society; church, home, school, government, and business because we’ve all grown so accustomed to the easy life, shirking responsibility and blaming others for our problems, that it’s hard to accept our culpability, even though it’s staring us in the face. Right now I can think of a couple of things that I’ve been putting off for God alone knows how long, and I have no one to blame but my self. Thankfully they’re not that serious to cause me serious grief or pain, but they have caused some unnecessary inconvenience. Oh my people, I’m imploring us to follow the old people’s advice and not put off for tomorrow what we can do today, since in the long run it always causes us needless pain, neither is it a wise way to live, especially as believers. For as the Psalmist says: ‘The Lord taketh pleasure in his people:’ But how or why would He do that, if His people are not doing what they ought to? Remember, we are the Lord’s creation. He made us for His enjoyment; a living being with whom He could communicate and lavish His untold blessings upon. His major purposes are to LOVE and provide for us. Hear some of Bruh David’s words on the subject. ‘Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.’ (Ps.35:27) Oh Friends, there are so many scriptures that talk of God wanting to bless and prosper His people that we can only quote two. The first is Bruh Paul’s adaptation of Isaiah 64:4. ‘But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that LOVE him.’ (1 Cor.2:9) Yes my people, we can’t even imagine what our God has prepared for us who LOVE Him, because it’s above our comprehension. So why don’t we LOVE Him eh? Then there’s Nehemiah, who in his efforts to rebuild Jerusalem declared: ‘And the king granted me according to the good hand of my God upon me.’ (Neh.2:8) The king of Babylon gave him almost everything he asked for to get the project going. That wasn’t just by chance, but because his God worked on the heart of the king. And later on, when his enemies mocked and scoffed at him for his seemingly inadequate efforts, what was his response? ‘The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build.’ (Neh.2:20) And build they did because their God prospered them. Oh Friends, Jeremiah said it perfectly. ‘For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil (calamity), to give you an expected end (a future and a hope) (Jer.29:11) So why won’t we do as He asks, when all He has in mind for us is good and not evil? Who knows? Possibly because of our inherently sinful, rebellious attitude, and the glitz and glamour of the world’s flimsy baubles, bangles and bright shining things which draw us to them with false promises. Now we perhaps prefer those things, as opposed to what the second part of our Bit says: ‘he will beautify the meek (humble) with salvation.’ Praise Him for His goodness yes my people! Let the foolish follow Beelzebub, but the wise will worship the Lord. And Psalm 132:16 echoes the sentiment of God beautifying the meek (us) with salvation. ‘I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.’ Are we shouting Friends? Then we have another famous passage of Isaiah that upholds them all. ‘To appoint (console) unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.’ (Isa.61:3) Oh my people, what’s it about God’s good plans for us that we don’t understand eh? He’s been saying from day one that all He wants is to LOVE, cherish and prosper us. However, if we don’t abide by His rules and regulations He won’t. And that’s only natural since he who pays the piper has the right to call the tune. And it’s not like we don’t see many glaring examples of prosperity for obedience and destruction for disobedience and rebellion throughout history. Yet we still choose to follow the ungodly path and suffer. Ah Lord eh! Do we have a death wish or something? Please people, let’s start turning it around before it’s too late nuh. Please, enough procrastination. Let’s understand and gladly accept the wonderful promises of our Most Merciful God and do as He requires, so that He can prosper our children and us forever. It’s the only wise solution to our numerous problems. Much LOVE!…God calls us to righteousness…so that He can prosper us…and be glorified…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 February 2010 Psalm 40:1‏

08 Feb 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 40:1     I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
 
Friends, it’s Monday morning! Battle stations all! Gird up thyself with your spiritual armour and get ready to renew the workweek hostilities with the enemy! But only after having offered some thanks for the great privilege of seeing a new day, some praise for the Lord’s goodness and mercy, and reverently asking for guidance all through our waking hours, are we really ready, can we set out to do battle. Then all during those hectic hours, let’s remember to keep our focus on our God, so that He can sustain us with His Holy Spirit. It sounds like a lot to ask, but once that routine becomes habitual, we’ll do it without even thinking. But please make sure it does not become just a rote exercise, but a sincere, heartfelt communication. Ah my people, there are three very important habits we need to develop when dealing and communicating with the Lord. The first is learning to talk to Him whenever we’re awake. That’s hard in the busy, bustling world in which we live, but can be done if we set our minds to it. We just need to do it consciously at first, until it becomes habit forming. That one I’ve mastered. The second habit we need to acquire is even more difficult; that’s listening to Him for His answers and opinions. This communication is supposed to be a two way street, so we can’t do all the talking. Just like we learn to listen to other humans, staying silent while they’re talking, it’s the same with our God. We can’t truly listen to Him if we keep babbling all the time. That habit I’m not too bad at. I don’t always understand what He’s trying to say, but at least I’m developing the listening attitude. Now the third habit is possibly the most important, but I find it the most difficult; that’s after our communication, waiting patiently for Him to do His thing. And right now I think He has me in serious school with that one. (smile) That’s because I like to get things done instead of fiddle fuddling and having them linger on. But that’s not always the Lord’s preference, and at those times we just have to humble ourselves like Bruh David says and wait. ‘I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.’ And I know that many of us believers have that problem, especially in this now for now world we live in. However, if we claim to be believers, and want to mature as such, then we just have to hunker down and wait patiently. All of the truly faithful learned that lesson, sometimes the hard way, so let’s look at a few scriptures that talk about waiting on our God. Let’s go all the way back to Jacob on his death bed, prophesying re the future of his sons. Halfway through he exclaims: ‘I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord.’ (Gen.49:18) Jacob’s early life was not truly God centred, but once he changed from being a fraudulent scoundrel, he knew deep down that the Lord would bless him and eventually receive him in glory if he did his best and waited quietly and patiently. Bruh David voiced this principle more than anyone else. In Psalm 25, a prayer for guidance and protection, he says: ‘Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.’ (Ps.25:5) He reiterates the importance of waiting again in Psalm 37: ‘Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass.’ (Ps.37:7) Isaiah’s voice was also heard crying out on the subject. ‘And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.’ (Is.25:9) Jeremiah said his piece too in Lamentations. ‘The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.’ (Lam.3:25-26) And it wouldn’t be right not to quote Bruh Paul, who says; ‘For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.’ (Gal.5:5) Jesus also commanded the disciples, ‘that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.’ (Acts.1:4-5) And we all know what transpired on that first Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit burst in to the room on the assembled disciples, like ‘a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ (Acts 2:2-4)  Wow! Yes my people, that’s the amazing kind of thing that can happen to us when we wait patiently on the Lord. And I’ve left the best and two most famous quotes on waiting for last. That of Isaiah: ‘But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ (Isa.40:31) And we all know Bruh David’s great advice from Psalm 27 titled the Lord is my light and my salvation: ‘Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps.27:14) Ah my Friends, truer words were never spoken. So with all that wise advice from those people of great faith, who are we to doubt eh? Let us just concentrate on improving our communication skills with the Lord; talk and listen continually, and learn to wait till He’s ready to perform His miracles in our lives. Much LOVE!…patience is only acquired through experience…through waiting patiently…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 February 2010 Psalm 40:1‏

07 Feb 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 40:1     I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
 
Oh Friends, it’s Sabbath time again. Wow! It comes around so quickly; that time for meeting, greeting, praising, fellowship and spiritual renewal. Today I saw a calendar that showcased a dark blue, tinted picture of a narrow river with a bunch of rapids and a small waterfall flowing through a gorge of massive rock. Sitting on the other side, on the edge of a cliff is a lone human, dressed in coat etc. to withstand the spray and cold coming from the rapidly moving water. Gnarled branches of aged trees overhang the river. It’s a beautiful scene which gives the impression of being that way since time began, undisturbed by man or beast. The lone human is just sitting there in contemplative mode, elbows resting on his knees, taking it all in. Below the picture, simply stated in large capitals is the word ‘PURPOSE’, and under that is a reputed quote of Mahatma Ghandi: ‘There is more to life than increasing speed.’ And isn’t that gospel mih people! But you can’t say that to this particular generation, for more than at any other time in man’s history we’re focused on speed. Our motto seems to be faster and smaller. Everyday brings a new technological device that’s faster, and oftimes smaller, than its predecessor. So we now expect all our equipment to transmit information in the blink of an eye, getting impatient and angry if we have to wait a few seconds, forgetting that it’s still basically a mechanical device controlled by coded words and numbers that must take time to move information from one place to another. This impatience plus the psychological ploys of the manufacturers and advertising agencies cause us to replace perfectly good equipment for stuff that’s faster and handier, but often not as technologically sound or error free. In all the haste to get the stuff to market to beat the analysts’ projections and upgrade profits, lots of shortcuts are taken, resulting in improperly tested devices and software. As the old adage goes; ‘more haste, less speed.’ And right now our entire life is built around speed, and not necessarily efficient speed. This Scrip-Bit is a perfect example of our very short attention spans. Some people claim it’s too long, when it only takes about five minutes to read. However, if I sent them five e-mails that took a minute each, their complaints would decrease. We’ve grown so accustomed to the ten or fifteen seconds sound bytes that anything much longer gets us confused and irritable. A new illness has even been invented to deal with it; Attention Disorder Deficiency Syndrome. Sadly though, it’s the children who suffer the most since from infancy they’ve been bombarded with quick images and messages, plus all the new video and computer games highlight speed. It’s obvious then that they will grow up expecting everything to happen quickly, and if it doesn’t, they get irritable and throw tantrums and are subsequently diagnosed with ADS and given all sorts of unnecessary, mood altering and harmful drugs. Just think back to our youth, few of us really had short attention spans because we were taught to pay attention and punished if we didn’t do it reasonably well. But Friends, this rushing and insistence on speed only increases our stress levels, unnecessarily inviting all the havoc it can bring to our lives. We need to be more often like the lone human in the picture, in a contemplative frame of mind. Though the water is rushing along, his mind is taking its time. And contrary to what I might have intimated at the start, time doesn’t go along at different speeds, but at the same speed all the time. (smile) It’s our misperception that makes it feel so. To be truly successful in this life and live to a ripe old age like Methuselah, we need to do like Bruh David says in the Bit. ‘I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.’ Oh Friends, that’s what life is all about; making our supplications to Almighty God, then waiting patiently for Him to do whatever we desire. They call patience a virtue because it’s hard to come by, especially in these times of dire speed, but those who acquire it have a much better chance of mastering the intricacies of life, for everything takes time, even our new toys that operate in nano seconds or even smaller bits. Like Bruh Paul says: ‘But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience (perseverance) wait (eagerly) for it.’ (Rom.8:25) Yes my people, whatever we need, want, expect or hope for must be patiently but eagerly awaited, while we keep pressing on. We always have a part to play, and once we’ve done it, then we must learn to wait on the Most High God Jehovah to do His part in His time. Beseeching and pleading won’t make Him move any quicker because sometimes that’s the exact lesson, patience, He’s trying to teach us, trying to see if we really believe all the things we tell others about Him. And I can testify to that from personal experience ever since I began writing the Bit. Remember, He’s the Master and we the servants. We have to do His will, not the other way around, as some of us believe and behave. If we meet His goal, His expectations, then He’ll treat us the way Bruh David says: ‘He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings (steps). And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.’ (Ps.40:2-3) And that Friends, is our PURPOSE in this life: to LOVE our God, LIVE our Faith and SPREAD His Word, so that others may trust, believe in and glorify Him. More tomorrow on this topic, God willing. Till then, slow down, smell the flowers, enjoy a baby’s gurgle and an old-timer’s memories, admire the heavens in all their god-given splendour, and wait patiently on our God. He will do all He’s promised. Much LOVE!…too much speed kills…but patience endures forever…
 

Today”s Scrip-Bit 6 February 2009 John 9:39‏

06 Feb 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

John 9:39     And Jesus said, For judgement I am come into this world, that they which see not might see: and they which see might be made blind.
 
Ah my Friends, the Lord giveth, but He also taketh. By now most of you know He called Ralston Milton (Rex) Nettleford home a few days ago. Dr, Nettleford, of Jamaican birth, was one of the few persons of Caribbean heritage we can truly call a Renaissance man. His accolades and achievements cover the entire spectrum; from arts, to politics, labour, social causes and academia. He was a Rhodes Scholar, a spirited dancer, having founded the National Dance Theatre Company of Jamaica, a tireless worker, friend of, professor and one time Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies. He was in Washington D.C. to raise funds for the University when his death occurred via a heart attack, a few hours from his 77th birthday. I first met him as a professor and tutor in the mid to late 1960’s on the University campus in Mona, Jamaica. There I was fortunate to be taught by a young group of bright West Indian nationals with names like Rodney, Girvan, McIntyre and Nettleford. They led the charge to change our colonial mentality and dependence on the mother countries, and energized us to begin thinking that we could do it for ourselves as a region. Dr. Nettleford was certainly a class act; always well dressed and well spoken. The last time I saw him was a few years ago here in Toronto when the U.W.I Alumni Assoc. presented him with an award for his considerable services to the University. He must have been in his late sixties then, but still looked trim and fit as when he taught me thirty odd years earlier, and no doubt could still dance up a storm. I would like to send our condolences to his family and friends from our Scrip-Bit family, for we certainly owe some of what I am to his teaching. We should endeavour to never let his legacy die, for he was a man of many parts, and we’ll certainly miss his wit, intelligence, vitality and social conscience. Having risen from a poor, country background to the heights of the known world, he never forgot his roots. And in keeping with Today’s Bit, he was certainly a man of vision, always with an eye to the future. Now when Jesus said, ‘For judgement I am come into this world,’ it wasn’t as a destroyer but as a saviour. ‘For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.’ (John 3:17) And He said it again later on. ‘And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world but to save the world.’ (John 12:47) Oh Friends, it’s so important that we understand and remember that whatever happened to, with, through or by Jesus, His sole purpose for coming to earth was to save us ungodly sinners. That the blind would be given sight, enabling them to behold the Creator of the Universe; the Most High God Jehovah, while those who refused to acknowledge Him would suffer the sad consequences eventually. But here the plot thickens my people, for the same Jesus that came to save us is also the One who’s going to judge us at a later day, so we’ll have no excuses when He asks why we didn’t believe His words when He first came. ‘For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgement unto the Son…And hath given him authority to execute judgement also, because he is the Son of man.’ (John 5:22,27) So there we have it Friends, come the last days, Jesus will be judge, jury and executioner, having already been the bearer of good tidings and incomparable deeds of LOVE, mercy and forgiveness. I really don’t know why it’s so hard for us to believe in Him when His words and the facts, as He points them out, all agree. Why can’t we be like the blind man He gave sight to eh? He experienced a miracle in his life, and being only blind not stupid, he knew that only a true man of God could do such a thing and thus had no problem believing that Jesus was indeed the Son of God. But we, so glorious in our education and wisdom, though we have miracles, not necessarily big ones like receiving sight, but many small ones throughout our lives, still find it difficult to believe. Why? Because we hold the world and all it offers more important and knowledgeable, in higher esteem than we do the Word of God. How sad it is my people that because of the blinding blinkers the world and its evil rulers put on us, we can’t see the true nature of our existence. Oh Friends, let’s wake up and smell the roses nuh! ‘Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.’ (Mat.13:13) That’s how Jesus explained His habit of speaking in parables. Then He continued the blind figure of speech by saying to His disciples, re the Pharisees: ‘Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.’ (Mat.15:14) My people, I implore us not to fall into that sad trap of being blind and being led by blind leaders, else we’ll end up in a terrible state. And don’t you like how Jesus could put down the hypocrite Pharisees? Some of them heard when He spoke Today’s Bit to the man he healed and were bold faced enough to ask if they were blind too. ‘Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.’ (John 9:41)Yes Friends, they mistakenly figured they knew it all. Please, let’s not fall into that trap, for ONLY our heavenly Father knows it all. Be humble, but vibrant in spirit, listen to Jesus and follow Him. That’s the best prescription for success in this life. Much LOVE!…be wise…accept Jesus now… as your Saviour…before you meet Him later…as prosecutor, judge, jury and executioner…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 February 2010 John 9:39‏

05 Feb 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

John 9:39     And Jesus said, For judgement I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
 
Oh Friends, let’s open our hearts, souls and minds to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ on this new morn and invite Him to accompany us again, as we journey through another day of earthly life. He is the best companion we can ever have on any journey. Please thank Him for being there with us yesterday, and ask Him to guide us safely and righteously in all that we do today, that we may be worthy of being called a Christian, His follower. Now Jesus spoke Today’s Bit as a result of foolish hard heartedness and stubborn pride on the part of the Pharisees. Jesus had healed a man born blind by putting clay on his eyes then instructed him to ‘Go wash in the pool of Siloam.’ (John 9:7) The fellow did this without any contention and received his sight. But the know-it-all Pharisees refused to believe that it was so simple. They even called his parents who admitted he was born blind, but had no idea how he received sight, and told them ‘he is of age; ask him; he shall speak for himself.’ (John 9:21) The parents gave that reply because the Jews had already threatened to put anyone who confessed Christ, out of the synagogue. The Pharisees refused to let it go and called him again, ‘and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.’ (John 9:24) The fellow replied that he didn’t know if Jesus was a sinner or not, all he knew was that He had given him sight. But the Pharisees persisted, asking him again what Jesus had done. And like Jesus didn’t only give him sight, but also some gumption, cause he mouthed off to the Pharisees, saying he’d already told them once and they didn’t believe him, why should he tell them again, and if they too wanted to be Jesus’ disciples. Obviously that riled them and they reviled him, saying that they were Moses’ disciples, because they knew that God spake to Moses, but they didn’t know where Jesus came from. Oh Friends, the man’s reply is a thing of beauty. It could only have come from the Most High Himself. ‘Why here is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.’ (John 9:30-33) Oh my people, that is the living truth! It was obvious that Jesus could not have done any miracles if He was such a raging sinner as the Pharisees proclaimed. But they were like so many of us today; ‘none so blind as those who refuse to see.’ Everybody knew the fellow was born blind, not stupid, but they still refused to accept his explanation, because it would have shown them up as the hypocrites and men pleasers that they were. Unfortunately the same stuff happens daily with us. We see things happening in our lives, which could only have one explanation, the work of God, but because of our innate pride and stubbornness, we refuse to accept it as such, since it would mean doing or putting aside things in our lives that don’t gel with God’s plans. And the Pharisees showed their haughty ignorance by telling the man: ‘Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.’ (John 9:34) Ah mih people, we behave the same way when we don’t want to recognize or accept a truth that will change our lives and/or our thinking on long held misconceptions. And the story shows that Jesus didn’t do stuff then forget about it, but always had the pulse of the situation. When He heard that the guy had been kicked out of the temple, He sought him out, and having found him, asked; ‘Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.’ (John 9:35-38) Wow Friends! That was so simple and so touching! Jesus gave the man sight, then told him He was the Son of God, and he believed. How could it be any other way eh? But the Pharisees, and us too, with all our fancy learning, customs and otherwise couldn’t accept it as being that simple. Friends, if we check out the Good Book, we’ll see that our God doesn’t usually make a big hoopla of His doings; they’re usually done in a simple, down to earth manner. And the best place to find or look for God is in the simple things and actions of life. After the man believed, then Jesus told him: ‘For judgement I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.’ Oh my people, seeing here not only refers to the actual act of visualizing with one’s eyes, but also seeing through the eyes of faith with our hearts, minds and souls. And oftimes, that seeing is the most important, for many things in life cannot be explained through normal human sight or logic, but instead need a strong, deep Christian faith to make them even seem possible. That ‘s the ideal to which we should all aspire: to a faith so strong, so powerful, unbendable and unbreakable, that when all the evil forces come against us, showing logical, man made reasons why we’re wrong, or should accept certain things which go against God’s will, then we’ll be able to rebuke them and say like Jesus did in His time of agony in the Garden of Gethsemane; ‘nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.’ (Mat.26:39). Yes Friends, we need to always bow to the Lord’s will, even if it may cause us pain and sorrow. More tomorrow on this Bit; if it’s the Lord’s will of course. Till then, Much LOVE!…for we walk by faith…not by sight…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 February 2010 Proverbs 20:1‏

04 Feb 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Proverbs 20:1     Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
 
It’s a glorious day Friends! The Lord is out and about overseeing His marvellous creation, and luckily we’re alive to tell of it. Give Him some thanks and praise and bless His Holy Name for all His wonderful works on our behalf! And today we’ll touch on a subject that’s sure to cause some controversy and disagreement; that of imbibing alcoholic beverages. Sol says that ‘Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.’ And he’s quite right. Wine is looked upon as a ‘mocker’ because it deceives those who partake of it, while strong drink is intoxicating and arouses brawling, and neither action would be considered wise living. But Friends there are many other things that we like and claim to be okay but they also deceive us and arouse our brawling instincts. And I don’t know of anywhere in the Good Book where it explicitly says that the consumption of alcoholic beverages is sinful or definitely prohibited for a follower of Christ. In fact Bruh Paul recommended that Timothy should ‘Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities (frequent sicknesses).’ (1 Tim.5:23) And it’s been scientifically proven that certain alcoholic beverages in small quantities can be medicinally helpful. Jesus also turned water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana.’ (John 2:1-10) If it was wrong, He certainly wouldn’t have done it. And I’m sure that on neither occasion were they speaking of what we today call non-alcoholic wine. All the scriptures I can find on the subject speak of excessive imbibing. Bruh Paul told the Ephesians: ‘And be not drunk with wine wherein is excess (dissipation); but be filled with the Spirit.’ (Eph.5:18) Meanwhile Peter exhorts us to not live in the flesh, but the will of God. ‘For the time past of our life may suffice us (is enough) to have wrought (done) the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine (drunkenness) revellings, banquetings (drinking parties), and abominable idolatries. Wherefore they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot (dissipation), speaking evil of you.’ (1 Pet.3:3-4) Hn, hn! I have to chuckle because I know that applies to many believers who lived a riotous life of excess before finding Christ, only to have their old party buddies bad talk them when they refuse to continue their former life style. Thankfully mine was not one of dissipation. Although I did participate in some of those things mentioned above, it was very seldom to excess. I luckily learned the way of moderation at an early age. As Bruh Paul told the Philippians: ‘Let your moderation be known unto all men.’ (Phil.4:5) And we see from Peter’s talk that what he’s against is basic excessiveness, for anything done to the extreme is bad. Now I’m not advocating the consumption or none consumption of alcoholic beverages. I’m just trying to show how we can go overboard at times with our own man made laws and customs. I myself have an occasional drink, not as much as before, but even then it was never a lot, and I will continue to do so. If anyone considers it sinful, disgusting or whatever, too bad yes. Let them cast the first stone. The problem with alcoholic beverages is control and to know your limits, because it can cause your perception of reality to be seriously altered. But the same can be said for many medicines handed out willy-nilly since they react differently on different people. Some people like alcohol and some don’t. But if you like it or desire to take the occasional drink, make sure you don’t imbibe more than you can handle or control, because everyone’s capacity is different. Some might be able to imbibe a fair amount without it affecting them, while others just smell the cork and get woozy. (smile) And we have a good example of excess from olden times in Noah. ‘And Noah began to be a husbandman (farmer), and he planted a vineyard. And he drank of the wine, and was drunken: and he was uncovered within his tent.’ (Gen.9:20-21) It so happened that Ham, one of his sons saw him naked and went out and told his brothers Shem and Japheth. Now they went into the tent faces backwards and covered their father, without seeing his nakedness. ‘And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.’ (Gen.9:24) And Noah laid a curse on Ham’s children, Canaan. But according to the scholars, though a lot has been said about Ham seeing Noah naked, it doesn’t seem as if anything untoward, sexual or otherwise took place. What displeases me about the incident is that Noah got up on his high horse and cursed Ham’s descendants, but never considered his own misdemeanour of being a drunken father. And that same attitude has filtered down through the ages till today we blame everybody else but ourselves for our problems. We also blame a lot of stuff on alcohol and illegal drugs without knowing the real or true facts. It’s just a convenient whipping post. Not that they don’t cause problems, but they certainly don’t cause all the accidents or the crime. I’m not even sure that they cause the majority. Have we ever done a proper study of how many people are just so tired and stressed out that they fall asleep behind the wheel? Or why there seems to be so much more abuse within families? Drugs or alcohol can’t cause them all, especially in these times of abnormal stress and anxiety. All I’m saying here Friends is that we can’t blame the litany of our problems on a miniscule number of things. Our society is much too large and complex for that. However, we’ll end with a serious warning from Sol on the topic of wine. And does he ever describe it right! You can tell he was a connoisseur. (smile) ‘Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour (sparkles) in the cup, when it moveth itself aright (goes smoothly). At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like and adder (viper).’ (Prov.23:31-32)Those are very true words Friends. So if you can’t handle it: LEAVE IT ALONE! And if you can, be very careful of how much you imbibe, try and let it be as little as possible, cause it can seriously disturb your perception of reality. In truth though, in these crazy, ungodly times, a whole lot of other things are disturbing our perception of reality, without our brains being muddled with alcohol. You have to be careful of everything these days, even the food you eat, cause it’s loaded with stuff that is cancer causing to make it look nice or stay fresh longer. Much LOVE!…if in doubt on anything…talk to God first…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 February 2010 James 1:2‏

03 Feb 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

James 1:2     My Brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.
 
Oh Friends, the Holy Spirit guided me to begin Today’s Bit with a short prayer. So please join me. ‘Thank you Lord for bringing us safely through another dark and gloomy night into a day filled with the brilliant sunshine of your LOVE and glory. For this we give you eternal praise, and humbly ask that you lead and guide us safely. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.’ Now let me share a quote from Marcus Aurelius. He says: ‘Snow endures but for a season, and joy comes with the morning.’ And he’s quite right, but I don’t know how many people will be joyful this morning when they discover the snowy, slippery condition of the roads, added to the already confusing mass of metal, fibre-glass and humans heading for the concrete jungles to slave for a comparative pittance. But hopefully the believers involved will not be too distraught cause it’s hard to be joyful when you’re crawling along in a traffic jam on slippery, snow covered roads on a dark, cloudy morning, with some fools trying to rush as though it was good weather. All I can say is: ‘Thank you Lord that I don’t have to go out there and face those cruel elements this morning!’ (smile) Anyway, re Marcus’ quote, true believers with some maturity know that no trial or problem lasts forever. Though some may last quite a while, they all will eventually be resolved. For everything there’s a reason and a season. Sol puts it nicely. ‘To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.’ (Eccl.3:1) Friends, that’s the will of God, and until we learn to accept it, we’ll be plagued by unnecessary worry and fear. Now don’t get me wrong, life consists of many problems, right from birth until death, and many of them will bring us to our knees, but if we develop that great faith and trust in the Supreme Being, Infinitely Everything, He will always give us the strength to hang in and see them through. He never said He will solve them all, or even those He solves, to our satisfaction. But as Bruh David rightly says in Psalm 29, titled The voice of the Lord in the storm: ‘The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.’ (Ps.29:11) And James opens his epistle on Christian living talking about the trials and tribulations of life. Oh my people, it’s very important that we pay serious attention to James’ philosophy because it’s the only way we’ll ever live a successful life. Now what’s his prescription? ‘My brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.’ I know that sounds like nonsense, for who really wants to consider the various trials and problems we encounter as joyous eh? But here’s a good example, and it shows that James wasn’t talking from hearsay but personal experience. When the apostles were arraigned before the council of elders in Jerusalem for preaching in Jesus’ Name, they were beaten and commanded not to talk about Him. But what was their response? ‘And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.’ (Acts 5:41-42) Wow! So you see Friends, the apostles did practice what they preached. Nobody’s saying it’s easy, for life in general isn’t easy, and neither is the believer’s, as Jesus promised, but as His followers, we do have that internal strength, that fortitude given to us by the Holy Spirit. And the verse after our Bit explains James’ thinking. ‘Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.’ (James 1:3) Hn! I see many faces screwed up and etched with annoyance. But Friends, it’s the gospel truth. The Bible doesn’t lie. The testing of our faith does produce patience. However that word patience and all it entails are sadly being pushed from our consciousness, for we have now become an unholy mob only interested in instant gratification. We want everything now for now, and therein lies the cause of many of our problems, especially the recent economic meltdown. When impatience rides on the back of greed and envy, the only possible result is heart and gut wrenching woe. Once upon a time we saved for stuff. But nowadays we just put it on plastic, read credit, then struggle and complain to pay it off with the usurious interest attached. However James continues: ‘But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire (complete), wanting (lacking) nothing.’ (James 1:4) Yes Friends, our first response and natural instinct when trouble comes a calling is to run from it. Then when we discover that we can neither run nor hide from it, we get angry and bitter. But my people that should not be the believer’s attitude, for God uses adversity to mature us, and we’ll never mature spiritually if we allow our problems to either beat us down or embitter us. The only way we’ll ever grow in the faith is by using God’s strength and facilities to overcome our problems, to gain victory from the jaws of defeat and trouble. Because, as the scholars claim, the believers whom God has the most use for, are those He has bruised the most. And that’s no lie. Look at all the esteemed people in the Good Book, many of them went through some very rough times, but were mightily used by the Lord. And to name a few; there’s Moses, Job, Isaiah, Elijah, my three Bruhs, Joseph, David and Paul. Not to mention the prime example, the most wronged, pained and humiliated of all; our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He couldn’t do anything for us unless He suffered the ultimate humiliation; terrible ‘sufferation’ and eventually death on a cross between two criminals, to pay for our sins. So Friends, when we’re beset by problems, please, let us not try to run or hide from them, but rather meet them head on, cause we never know the whats, whys and wherefores behind them. God might be trying to do some work in us, preparing us for promotion, and if we get bitter or weary and give up, then we’ll never know what He had planned for us. We all know it’s not easy, but as James advises: ‘If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (without reproach); and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering, (not doubting). For he that wavereth (doubts) is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.’ (James 1:5-6) Yes Friends, the best way to handle trials is by asking our God for the wisdom to understand them, and the strength, fortitude and guidance to endure them. Much LOVE!…when troubles come…the only place to turn…is to God…
 

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