Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 September 2009 2 Samuel 23:1‏

25 Sep 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

2 Samuel 23:1    Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and sweet psalmist of Israel said.
 
Oh Friends in Christ, I certainly hope that when we opened our eyes this morning and realized that we were still here, alive and kicking, we raised our eyes to heaven and directed a prayer of thanks upwards, as Bruh David pledged to do. (Ps.5:3) Or if we lifted up our eyes to the hills and wondered where our help would come from, that we answered with confidence and courage; ‘My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.’ (Ps.   121:2) It sorta took me by surprise to read about Bruh David’s last words since he wrote so many, mostly beautiful, emotional ones, all in praise and glory, or pleas for help to the God of his fathers. That’s why the Lord appreciated him so much and called him a man after his own heart. And the truth is, I actually had a Bit dealing with some of his last words, but when I began writing I suddenly found myself writing about the way the author describes him in vs.1, so I eventually had to change the Bit to vs.1. And who says the Lord doesn’t move in mysterious ways eh? (smile) I truly like the way the writer deals with the subject. ‘Now these be the last words of David.’ Having said his last words were coming up, he then aptly describes him, his major attributes and accomplishments in a few words. ‘David the son of Jesse said,’ There he tells us his father’s name, which in the olden days was rather important. People were known and judged by their ancestors and their lineage. Jesus was of Bruh David’s lineage. Then he continues; ‘and the man who was raised up on high.’ This obviously means that something good and/or great took place in his life. We know it did, and the Lord never let Him forget it either. He reminded Bruh David of his lowly beginnings and of his unlikely ascension to power when He brokered the everlasting covenant with him. These were the Lord’s instructions to the prophet Nathan: ‘Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people Israel. And I was with thee withersoever thou wentest, and have cast off all thine enemies out of thy sight and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men in the earth.’  (2 Sam.7:8-9) Oh my people, that’s one of our God’s favourite habits; to raise up the lowly, the unlikely, to great power to thwart the earthly wisdom of men. And it’s certainly a credit to Bruh David’s integrity that he never forgot his humble beginnings or who raised him up to such majestic heights. Let’s not any of us forget that most important lesson if we ever happen to be elevated to positions of power, because there’s a tendency in men to believe that it’s their own mighty arm and mind that catapults them to lofty heights. Friends, nothing could be further from the truth. It’s always the hand of the Most High God Jehovah that lifts us up. And He greatly detests and despises those who glorify themselves when they should be glorifying Him. Another description of Bruh David is, ‘the anointed of the God of Jacob.’ Remember when the Lord sent Samuel to Jesse’s house to anoint the next king of Israel? All his sons were there except Bruh David, who was out minding the sheep, cause nobody considered him kingly material. But Friends, little did they know that the Lord was training him out in the wilderness; to hunt, to shoot with his catapult, to fight off the wild animals, to just sit quietly and think, to day-dream and communicate with Him. In actual fact the Lord was building Bruh David’s character all the time he was with the sheep, cause great leaders must have strong, well-defined characters. And I chuckle every time the Lord does something that confuses the wisdom of men; like how Samuel had seven of Jesse’s sons pass before him, and the Lord said no to each one. Poor Samuel must have been totally perplexed. He must have stammered to himself and the Lord: ‘Buh…but Lord what’s happening here? You specifically said to anoint one of Jesse’s sons, but now you’ve turned them all down.’ Don’t know if the Lord answered, but Sam eventually asked Jesse if those were all his sons, and when Jesse said no, there was one more out with the sheep, he ordered them to go and get him. Friends, can you imagine the scene when Bruh David came in? Hn! The Good Book says: ‘Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look at, (a strong, good looking youngster). And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward.’ (1 Sam.16:12-13) Can you picture the father and his siblings; how their jaws must have dropped and their mouths opened in amazement and disbelief when they realized that the least amongst them would one day be first? And again it speaks oodles for Bruh David’s character and integrity that unexpectedly given advance warning of his eventual rise to power, while he was waiting, and he waited very patiently too, he never became arrogant, selfish, greedy or none of the negative things that power usually does to men. He remained the humble, down to earth man all his life. That’s why the people and the Lord LOVED him so much. He never exhibited no setta airs and graces, even when he became king. I always laugh when I remember how his wife Michal, Saul’s daughter castigated him for dancing in the street half naked, like a commoner, with the common people, when he brought the ark up to Jerusalem.’ (2 Sam.6: 12-23) It reminds me of some of my wife’s remarks whenever I partied heartily. (smile) But Bruh David put Michal in her place by replying; ‘It was before the Lord, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel: therefore will I play before the Lord.’ Amen mih brother! He never boasted concerning his slaying of Goliath or of his many valiant victories in battle. The Good Book says: ‘And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of the people, and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.’ (1 Sam.18:5) The people admired him so much that when Saul and him came back victorious from fighting; ‘that the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of music. And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.’ (1 Sam.18:6-7) That got Saul’s jealousy surging, and from then he plotted to kill Bruh David. But Saul forgot that he was the Lord’s anointed, and whom the Lord anoints, no man can destroy. But when Bruh David had the opportunity to kill Saul, he refused. ‘The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.’ (1 Sam. 24:6) That’s the major difference between Bruh David and Saul; the former had respect unto the Lord, while the latter didn’t. Oh Friends, like we run out of time and space. But all yuh know that anything’s possible when the ole fella writing on Bruh David. But tomorrow we’ll continue, for there’s still lots to say about Bruh David. Till then, let’s LOVE our God and LIVE our Faith, with the excitement, intensity and integrity that Bruh David did. Much LOVE!…to build character…one must undergo hardship…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 September 2009 Psalm 10:1‏

24 Sep 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 10:1    Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? Why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?
 
Oh beautiful Friends in Christ, who’ve opened their sleepy eyes to greet another glorious sunrise, may the peace, mercy and blessings of the Most High God Jehovah fill our hearts, souls and minds so that we can perform His work in an excellent manner today. Before we get into the Bit though, let me say that I was guided by the Spirit to it. I had no idea what I was going to write on, so as I am wont to do in those cases, I just opened the Good Book. Today it opened to the Palms, and after scrutinizing those offered, Psalm 10 seemed to be the one preferred. But then I had trouble figuring out which verse to use, there were so many suitable ones. I eventually decided, when in doubt, begin at the beginning. So here we are, having noted the disgusting, sinful, violent, immoral state of our world, concernedly turning to the Lord to ask why? ‘Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? Why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?’ No doubt Bruh David’s world was also in a sad, sinful state when he penned Psalm 10: A Prayer for the overthrow of the wicked. I doubt he received an answer, since it’s basically not God’s policy to answer those argumentative questions of why, where, when and how. In fact He doesn’t really have to explain anything to us at all cause He’s the Creator and Supreme ruler of the universe. Remember too, His thoughts and plans are higher than we can comprehend or imagine, so even if He explained them, we’d possibly still be lost. Nevertheless, He expects His followers to be concerned about evil and sin, especially when rampant in their surroundings. And there’s no doubt that’s the case in today’s world. But He’s also a kind, merciful and ever-LOVING God, who wants to be personally involved in our lives. He therefore expects us to walk and talk to Him, even to cry out in anguish when times are exceedingly rough, like now. And my people, I believe we have very good grounds to cry out to our Heavenly Father, for we are undergoing the very same situation that Bruh David so vividly described back then. ‘The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor.’ (Ps.10:2) Of that there’s no doubt my Friends! The poor have always suffered at the hands of the wicked and wealthy, but never at this escalated level, and in the midst of so much wealth and plenty. And please note mih breddren, the poor are no longer only the destitute and poverty stricken, but that designation is now also assignable to what we term the lower middle class, because in relative terms, they are now poor. They too are having trouble to make ends meet, though many are working at more than one job, and that includes both husband and wife. Imagine two people working at four jobs and still can’t take care of the basic necessities of a modern day family. That certainly doesn’t give those coming behind us much hope for the future. Then the education system is turning out more graduates than ever before, with less jobs available. So in many cases they either take jobs for which they are over qualified, or simply have no job at all. Homelessness is also on the increase, thanks in part to the job situation. No wonder food banks, soup kitchens and shelters are now very prevalent in such an affluent society. Institutions set up during the war years and Great Depression to temporarily help the less fortunate, are today, unfortunately back in vogue. And to make matters worse, everyday they’re crying out for more donations, because so many people are being forced to use their services. I remember when using a food bank or a shelter was a source of great shame. Hn! Now it’s a matter of necessity. You’ve got to throw that foolish pride out the window cause pride won’t fill your children’s empty stomachs or put a roof over their heads. Oh Friends, I didn’t mean to go on like this, but you know when the Spirit convicts me, I’m helpless to do otherwise. And when I see the amount of injustice and oppression that’s currently overwhelming our world, it just breaks my heart, because most of it is unnecessary. If the haves can just give up a little of their mostly ill-gotten gains, it would go a long way to alleviate the tenuous situation. But that seems like a pipe dream. And sadly, in all this ‘sufferation’… yes Friends, suffering is too mild a term… in all this ‘sufferation’ the wicked are still taking home oodles of dollars from failed or downsized businesses. Everybody’s concerned with cutting costs, not increasing productivity, and the easiest way to cut costs is to lay off workers. Yet, without jobs, the greedy merchants still expect them to buy their shoddy, over priced goods. You can never explain to me why the C.E.O. takes home three to four hundred times more than the floor worker. Or why he’s paid millions of dollars to leave after running the company into the ground, but then the laid off worker, through no fault of his own, has to fight tooth and nail to get a pittance of severance pay. Ah Lord eh! But like the old people would say;  ‘Advantage never done nuh!’ Now there’s this Russian oligarch abut to take possession of a one billion dollar yacht that apparently has laser technology to prevent pictures being taken of the floating palace from up close. Hn! And the bankers are still plotting and clamouring for their illicit bonuses! Don’t they have a conscience? It surely wouldn’t seem so. No wonder Bruh David beseeched the Lord to ‘let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.’ (Ps.10:2) Yes Friends, he was asking, and so are we today, that the evildoers be caught up in the very plots, snares and other evil devices that they have concocted to ensnare the righteous. Let them eat dirt, like they’re forcing the righteous to do. I’d like to say that this occurred with the recent economic misfortune, but again, it’s the poor that are suffering, for the rich are still rich and still living an extravagant lifestyle, while the poor are sure poorer, and now can’t even afford the poor lifestyle they knew. Ah my Friends, I don’t know when it will end, if ever, for Jesus said the poor are always with us. But my people, the Lord has faithfully promised to help us, His faithful followers, so all we can do is our best; stay true to the faith and surrender ourselves to Him, while crying out for justice and mercy. It’s certainly not an easy row we hoe, but never doubt that if we persevere in faith, eventually, we’ll find the hands of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ resting on ours, helping us to lift our heavy hoe, then smoothly bringing it down to make the next mark perfectly. Much LOVE!…when we cry out for the wicked to face justice…make sure we’re not numbered amongst them…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 September 2009 Psalm 138:1‏

23 Sep 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 138:1     I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
 
Oh Friends, it’s official; in these northern climes, summer is over and autumn has begun. And though the day was cloudy and humid, more summer than fall weather, we’re not going to complain. Today, let’s just be thankful that we’re alive and healthy enough to get around and enjoy whatever kind of weather the Good Lord brings our way. So instead of contemplating the cold, the snow and ice of which autumn is a harbinger, we’ll concentrate on enjoying the lovely gold’s, browns, reds, russets and all the in-between colours that the fall weather brings. It’s really a beautiful season, one that we should enjoy and appreciate more than we do. However, once we see the leaves changing colour and eventually falling, all we can think of is winter’s coming. So what? It comes every year and we get through it. And it does have its good points…just don’t ask me what. (smile) All I know is that we should be thankful for every day that we’re alive, that we don’t wake up and see our name and picture in the obits, and consequently are required to live it to the best of our ability, doing God’s work, regardless of the weather. So Friends, let’s join Bruh David and sing in loud, tuneful harmony: ‘I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.’ And so it should be my people. It’s our bounden duty to give continual thanks and praise to our wonderful Creator for whatever we have, wherever we go. As Bruh David boldly declared: ‘I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings and will not be ashamed.’ (Ps.119:46) Yes my brethren, we should be glad, proud an enthusiastic to sing the praises of the Most High God Jehovah before all and sundry, from every roof and mountain top, without fear or shame. Unlike the few members of the Jewish elite, as we saw a couple days ago, who privately believed, but did not publicly acknowledge our Saviour because they were scared of the Pharisees’ threat to expel anyone who did so from the synagogue. Instead Friends, we must be bold and unafraid to sing His praises to all who would listen, even to those who don’t want to hear. And to prove we have the manly parts, (smile) let’s sing it out loud right now. ‘I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.’ (Ps.138:2) That’s exactly why the Lord deserves our thanks and praise; cause He’s a LOVING, caring, kind, generous, faithful and true God! And then, ‘In the day when I cried, thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.’ (Ps.138:3) Oh Friends, yuh see what happens when we continually give our Heavenly Father praise, then cry out to Him in anguish? He answers us by strengthening our souls, making us bold and fearless, so that we can face up to our problems like a staunch soldier, a true believer, and overcome said problems instead of them overcoming us. Now Bruh David begins Psalm 138 by talking about individual praise, but like the confident, faithful believer, knowing the value of spreading the Word, he’s also expecting, working towards universal praise. And he exults expectantly…sorry friends, not expectantly, but with a profound sense of  confidence and certainty. ‘All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord, when they hear the words of thy mouth. Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord: for great is the glory of the Lord.’ (Ps.138:4-5) Yes my people, Bruh David had no doubts whatsoever, that once the kings of the earth heard God’s Word, they’d also loudly sing His praises, because the Lord’s a great God, and His glory is most excellent. That’s also how we ought to feel and behave; so proud of our Christian heritage that we’re continually giving thanks and singing the praises of our Mighty God. But remember Friends, this must not just be mouth work, which some of us are so good at, but our words must also be backed up by the actions of our hands and hearts. That means our hearts have to be right with God and we have to help others. We can’t play the hypocrite and expect to succeed, for hypocrites are quickly discerned by the unbeliever, and simply hardens his heart and causes him to look upon all believers with scorn and contempt. Remember too, ‘Though the Lord be high yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.’ (Ps.138:6) So though you may fool some people with your pretentious Christian behaviour, you’ll never fool the Lord, for He knows exactly what’s happening in your heart and mind and greatly despises the proud, the haughty, know-it-all, better than everybody else, crowd pleasers. So Friends, whatever we do in the Lord’s name, let’s do it with heartfelt enthusiasm, but also with truth and humility, for the Lord expects His people to be truthful and humble. Yuh see where He placed His only Son Jesus, in a lowly carpenter’s family. He could have put Him anywhere, but chose the poor and humble above the rich and proud. Let that be a lesson to us my Friends; regardless of how high we rise and wealthy we become, we must ensure that our feet stay firmly planted on the ground, and our souls filled with humility and caring, just like Jesus. Till tomorrow then; Much LOVE!…our goal today…to loudly sing our Saviour’s praises…with a right and humble heart… 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 22 September 2009 Micah 7:2‏

22 Sep 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Micah 7:2     The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.
 
Oh Friends, finally a little precipitation fell today. For a while there I thought we would have to resurrect Elijah and get him to pray for some rain. (smile) The dry, sunny days are nice, but too much of anything eventually causes negative effects. The lack of rain was starting to turn the grass brown, the earth dry and hard, the brush like kindling, a perfect invitation for brush fires. However, as we all know, the Lord is still in His heaven, still in control, but totally unhappy because Micah’s words of so long ago have come back to haunt us. ‘The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.’ Ah Friends, what an awful shame that those words are again ringing true today! And the sad part is that the situation seems to be getting worse. Like Israel back then, our moral sins are becoming ever more plentiful and intensified. What with the recent economic collapse, which is still taking its toll on the ordinary man, though the governments try to convince us that we’ve hit rock-bottom. Nonsense! Try telling that to the ordinary folk who are still losing their long time jobs that they thought were secure, and still seeing their hard earned savings disappear on account of greedy, white collared fraud artists, who very seldom receive the punishment they justly deserve. Instead, they either receive a slap on the wrist, or are bailed out under the same old rules, with no new accountability put in place, so they can continue the sorrowful, greedy, criminal cycle. Like Isaiah said when he condemned Israel’s idolatry: ‘The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth (takes) it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come (presence of evil). He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.’  (Isa.57:1-2) Yes my Friends, those who seek after righteousness, shall have rest and peace. But with the sorry state of our world right now, it’s difficult for citizens to remain righteous and upstanding, faithful and loyal when they’ve been so badly betrayed, have lost their jobs, houses, and lots of their earthly possessions, with little or no money coming in to feed and clothe their families. And though the rulers talk a good talk, no real positive opportunities are appearing on the horizon for these unfortunate people. It was bad enough before all the fraud came to light and the meltdown occurred. Can you imagine what it’s become since then? Hn! And sadly, it’s spread so much and so fast, because the greed and corruption existed so far and wide, that it’s now acquired pandemic status, flourishing planet-wide, so that Micah’s statement; ‘there is none upright among men,’ can be almost taken at face value, taken literally, for the percentage of righteous folk in our world today is negligible when compared to those of unrighteous standing. And the next part can also be taken literally: ‘they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.’ Note the increase in robberies, both violent and otherwise. Crime in general, but especially that perpetrated with guns, is also rising, as the society becomes more lawless, partly because of the serious poverty, oppression and suppression in many countries. It’s easier to pick out the nations with relative peace, than those in conflict. And even in those with relative peace, violence and conflict are simmering just below the surface. Habakkuk said it like this. ‘They take up all of them with the angle, (a hook) they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: (dragnet) therefore they rejoice and are glad.’ (Hab.1: 15) Oh my people, what are we coming to eh? Is there none willing to stand up against the greedy oppressors? Listen to Micah further expose the unrighteous. ‘That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, (successfully) the prince asketh, (asks for gifts) and the judge asketh for a reward; (bribe) and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous (evil) desire: so they wrap it up. (scheme together) The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge.’ (Mic.7:3-4) Ah Friends, that doesn’t speak very highly of our rulers and leaders. And this is no idle supposition, we all know that it’s going on, and very blatantly too, since those in power don’t seem to care, consider themselves untouchable and unaccountable. But tell them Friends, that’s a false sense of confidence and security, for the God of justice is ever watchful, and to remember that time longer than twine, for ‘the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation (punishment) cometh; now shall be their perplexity.’ (Mic.7:4) That’s a fact people; the wicked shall pay. It’s only a matter of time, until the Most High God Jehovah calls them to account. Ah my brethren, the wicked are so foolish, it’s pathetic. Hear Micah again. ‘The heads thereof judge for reward, (bribe) and the priests thereof teach for hire, (pay) and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean on the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil (no harm) can come upon us.’ (Mic.3:11) Wow! Isn’t the brazen foolishness of the oppressor, of the unrighteous, just mind-boggling? Don’t they learn from history that all unrighteous eventually are felled by their own samurai, wielding their own swords? I guess not, else they would not continue the tradition. Anyway, Isaiah bewailed his nation’s iniquity thus: ‘Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters (wellsprings) of Judah, which swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness. (Isa.48:1) Meanwhile, Jeremiah puts it more succinctly and to the point. ‘Behold, ye trust in lying words that cannot profit.’ (Jer.7:8) Oh Friends, I know that the times are ‘ruff an tuff,’ that ‘sufferation’ is plentiful, and temptation abounds in even greater quantity than normal, but please, I implore us, let’s not go the way of the unrighteous, of the wicked and greedy, for eventually they shall all pay a stiff price for their wrongs. As sincere followers of Jesus, let’s try and bear up under the strain, under the intense pressure that many of us are under. Let’s take everything to God in prayer; let’s lean on the mighty Spirit of Christ that dwells within us. It will be a difficult task, but remember, with God working in us, nothing’s impossible, and if He’s for us, nothing or no one can come against us, especially when we are clothed in His protective armour, because we are conquerors in His Name. So let’s all stand steadfast and strong, cause great will be our rewards if we do. Much LOVE!…it’s in times like these…that true believers must show their mettle…through faith, trust, prayer, total surrender and fellowship..
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 September 2009 John 12:37‏

21 Sep 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

John 12:37     But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him.
 
Welcome my Friends! The Good Lord was kind enough to grant us the privilege, the blessing of seeing another beautiful day unfurl, heralded by a glorious sunrise, truly depicting His awesome majesty and immense power. For that, we all offer Him much heartfelt praise and thanks, since I doubt that any of us are ready to go to the home He’s prepared for us elsewhere. Of course, if He calls, we’ll go. But given a choice, we’ll certainly opt for some more time here on earth because most of us believe we have not yet accomplished anything worthwhile, and desire to leave worthy deeds or accomplishments for others to remember us by. As Susan Edmonstone Ferrier says; ‘The natural wish of every human being, the weakest as well as the wisest, seems to be, to leave some memorial of themselves to posterity.’ And that’s very true. We all want to perpetuate our names, so we aspire to excellence in different avenues of life and work, hoping that something will stand out above the others. And though it’s a noble ideal, unfortunately Friends, most of those outstanding achievements will only end up as footnotes of our lives, not showing who we really were, or what values we truly possessed. In order to make a real impact, we need to live each day as fully as we can in the eyes of those near and dear to us. We need to laugh and cry; LOVE and lose; feel hurt and pain, as well as joy and gladness; show empathy and sympathy, strength and weakness, and above all, an undying LOVE for and belief in Jesus. That’s how Jesus lived. That was His modus operandi. He did miracles and other supernatural stuff, but that wasn’t Him. He didn’t want to be defined by His other-worldly acts, but by the very human acts of LOVING, caring, suffering, kindness, humility, gentleness, forgiveness and selfless teaching. Those were the things He wanted to be known for; acts of humanity that His followers could emulate after He was gone, not primarily as a miracle worker. This brings us to the Bit: ‘But though he had done many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him.’ That’s because, as we saw yesterday, the Lord blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, just as He did with Pharaoh. Jesus pointed out the same thing when the disciples asked why He spoke to the crowd in parables. ‘Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries (hidden truths) of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given…Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing, see not; and hearing, hear not, neither do they understand.’ (Mat.13:11,13) Then Jesus went on to quote Isaiah’s prophecy, (Mat.13:14-15) before telling the disciples. ‘But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear and have not heard them.’ (Mat. 13: 16-17) So it was obviously the Lord’s plan all along for Jesus not to be accepted as we saw yesterday. But there’s also a sub-plot that intrigues me; the Pharisees’ fear of Jesus. ‘Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council and said, what do we do? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.’ (John 1:47-48) Ah my people, you can see how fear of losing our treasured status and position can make us lose our perspective and drive us to do very sinful and oftimes foolish things. The Pharisees were scared that if the people believed on Jesus they would lose their elite status. But their high priest, Caiaphas, had his wits about him and rebuked them; ‘Ye know nothing at all. Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.’ Caiaphas ‘prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation…Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.’ (John 11:49-51,53) Oh Friends, isn’t it amazing how everybody wanted to kill Jesus: the Sadducees for political reasons, and the Pharisees for theological ones. Meanwhile, all Jesus wanted to do was save their sinful souls from eternal death and damnation. But their enmity was an essential part of God’s plan; plan B, I guess we can call it, a precautionary measure, just in case the people’s hearts weren’t hardened enough and they miraculously believed. (smile) It was imperative that Jesus died, else we would not have gained all the good things we now have. Now there’s one last passage I want to bring up in this regard, because it still pertains very much to us today. ‘Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him: but because of the Pharisees they did not confess (publicly acknowledge) him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue. For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.’ (John 12:42-43) The Pharisees had threatened to put anyone who publicly acknowledged Jesus out of the synagogue. ‘Howbeit no man spoke openly of him for fear of the Jews.’ (John 7:13) It was so bad that after Jesus healed the man born blind by rubbing moist clay on his eyes then telling him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam, the parents were afraid to admit that Jesus had healed him. So when the Pharisees asked if he was born blind how comes he now sees, they said; ‘We know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall answer for himself.’ (John 9:21) And sadly my Friends, there are still too many people like that in our world today. They claim to believe, but only in private. In public they never acknowledge or stand up for Jesus, because they are afraid or ashamed of what others might say or do; possibly ridicule, make fun of them or even take some more drastic action. To too many of us, the acceptance of our fellow man, what they think of us, is way more important than what the God of heaven, our Creator, Provider and Protector does. My people, this should not be so. Jesus suffered untold humiliation and contempt and a horrible, unfair death on our behalf. It’s precious little to ask that we at least have the parts to stand up and publicly acknowledge Him if we consider ourselves believers. Remember, ‘Whoseover denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.’ (1 John 2:23) So Friends, let’s aspire to do our part nuh; BELIEVE on Him, LOVE Him, and LIVE for Him. That’s all He asks of us. Much LOVE!…to know, know, know Him…is to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Him…every day…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 September 2009 John 12:37‏

20 Sep 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

John 12:37      But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him.
 
And isn’t that the living truth my Friends? Jesus did numerous miracles amongst the people, yet, in comparison to the number who witnessed them, only a small percentage actually believed that He was the Messiah. How sad. But there were very good reasons for it. Before we get into them though, let me do some stage setting. Today’s Bit comes right after yesterday’s, where Jesus spoke about walking in darkness and light, believing in the light while they had it, and being children of light. After that He went into seclusion. Now yesterday, when I first read the verses which follow that scene, I found them rather interesting and intriguing and couldn’t help but write on them today. The Bit states; ‘But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him.’ And since I said there were good reasons for that seemingly unnatural state of affairs, let’s look at them. Verse 38 gives us some indication of why disbelief was so rampant. ‘That the saying of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? And to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?’ (John 12:38) This all goes back to Isaiah’s magnificent and dynamic prophecy of Jesus’ coming, in particular from Isaiah 53:1, where the prophet states that the Messiah’s message will be rejected. And if we read the rest of the chapter we’ll see many things he mentioned that came through. For example; He has no stately form or splendour, ‘there is no beauty (in His appearance) that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows. Yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of (struck down by) God and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised (crushed) for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes (blows that cut in) we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.’  (Isa.53:2-6) That’s only a sampling Friends. You can read the other six verses and see for yourself. But we can see that this resistance to Jesus was also prophesied long before the event occurred. Why? Obviously it was all a part of the Lord’s grand scheme. ‘Therefore they could not believe, because that Isaiah said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; That they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Isaiah when he saw his glory, and spake of him.’ (John 12:39-41) Ike said that stuff right at the start of his commission, when God asked whom He should send with His missive to the people, and Ike volunteered. ‘Then said I, Here I am; send me.’ (Isa.6:8) And the words that John later quoted are found right after that in verses 9-10. As a writer, what intrigues me most about the scriptures is the way that they are so tied together and interwoven. You can find stuff in Genesis relating to Revelation and vice versa. Valuable insights are also provided between many other books. I’m amazed at how it just reads like one story, though it was written over many centuries by many different people. But Friends, it’s the story of our God; His interaction with us, as told by His prophets and spokespeople. And the stories are so vivid and cohesive, though put forth by various persons over a long period of time because they all came from the very same source; the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We can certainly see that Jesus’ coming was no fluke, neither was the rejection and all the other negative stuff. Look at it from this perspective: If the people had believed and been converted, what would have happened? There would have been no crucifixion, resurrection and ascension and consequently no blanket payment for sins and eternal life. We’d probably not have the opportunity for a right relationship with the Father that we now have. We’d also most likely still be held accountable for all our sins, with no advocate to plead for us. The whole scene might just have remained like it was in the Old Testament with the severe Judaic Laws, scapegoats, animal sacrifices and burnt offerings etc. But luckily for us my people, and most thankfully too, the Good Lord in His immense wisdom and uncanny foresight saw the greater picture. He did not lose sight of the forest for the trees, but took one giant step so all mankind could be free. Ah my Friends, time and type have run out on me, but there’s still a lot more to say on this topic. I haven’t gotten to the real meat on the bone as yet, (smile) so I guess we’ll just have to continue this discourse tomorrow. Till then, if our All-knowing, All-seeing Father in heaven decides that we should meet again: Much LOVE!…and in the category for the best planned and thought out book…the most original story…the most controversial events…the best do it yourself tome…the one that offers the greatest life changing and life saving advice…the winner is…THE GOOD BOOK…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 September 2009 John 12:35‏

19 Sep 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

John 12:35    Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
 
Those are very true words my Friends, spoken by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ after His triumphant entry into Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday. Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem to worship at the feast of the Passover tell Philip they want to meet Jesus. Philip tells Andrew, then they both go and tell Jesus. And what’s His response? ‘The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.’ (John 12:23) He knew that both His suffering and glory were imminent and began talking to the crowd about seeds having to die before they could bear fruit; and those who like the life of this world shall lose it, while those who hate it shall keep it eternally; and if any man serves Him, he must follow where He leads, and who ever does so will be honoured by the Father. Jesus also acknowledges that His spirit is troubled by the upcoming events, but He couldn’t very well ask the Father for a reprieve since to suffer, die, rise and ascend were the express purposes for which He came to earth. Then He asked the Father to glorify His name, and a voice from heaven did so. Some of the people said it was thunder, others said an angel spoke to Him. Jesus though told them that the voice came for their sake not His, so that they might remember and believe when the things He spoke about happened. (John 12:24-32) But the people were confused by His words, and said to Him: ‘We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?’ (John 12:34) The people, many with little or no education, were suffering from information overload; stuff coming at them from all sides, supposedly on the same topic, the Messiah, but none of it meshing. The Old Testament law taught them one thing, now Jesus was telling them something entirely different, which sounded outlandish and rather far out. That’s because the Messiah was originally touted as a great warrior king who would come and free them physically from their oppressors. No one expected a lowly carpenter’s son to be their saviour, and at that only a spiritual saviour, not one to improve their physical plight. Understandably, with the rough times they were suffering, the people were more concerned with their physical plight than the spiritual, just like many of us are today. But Friends, we now know better. We know that our spiritual life is every bit as, if not more important than our earthly lives. Sadly though, many of us are still confused about Jesus, and the information overload in this Information Age doesn’t help matters either. It’s at that point Jesus told them; ‘Yet a little while is the light with you.’ Many didn’t understand that Jesus was the light John the Baptist was sent to bear witness of. ‘That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him; and the world knew him not.’ (John 1:9-10) So true. Earlier on Jesus had told them; ‘Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me. Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.’ (John 7:33-34) The Jews took to wondering where He would go so that they couldn’t find Him, if it was amongst the Gentiles. Then He ‘confuffled’ them even more by saying; ‘I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.’ (John 8:12) Now, on this Palm Sunday, with His crucifixion upcoming, He’s telling them that the light was only with them for a short time, so they should ‘Walk while ye have light, lest darkness come upon you.’ Now we all know that’s very true. It only makes sense to walk when we have light in the physical sense. But Jesus’ listeners didn’t understand that he was referring to light in the spiritual realm: To walk with Him; with His Spirit and His teaching leading their lives. As Bruh Paul said to the Ephesians: ‘For ye were sometimes (once) darkness,but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.’ (Eph.5:8) And Friends, that’s exactly what we need to do in these dark, evil, ungodly times: all God’s children need to walk in the light, have the light of Jesus’ Spirit shining brightly, in, through and out of us, so that the ungodly will see that we are indeed different, special, and want what we have. We can only make others believe by our constant and steadfast behaviour, which should be a total reflection of Jesus. For ‘He that walketh in darkness knoweth not wither he goeth.’ More truth my people. When we walk in darkness, whether physical or spiritual, we lose our way, our sense of direction, then trip, stumble and fall. That’s what happens when we walk with Lucifer, the prince of darkness. He doesn’t know where he’s going, so how can he lead us successfully. It’s like Jesus said, the blind leading the blind. But Jesus is the light, who cares for us all. He ends up this bit of teaching by telling the people: ‘While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be children of light.’ (John 12:36) Of course not too many of those people back then understood or believed. But Friends today we know better, with the Spirit of Jesus, that light, coming to dwell in all believers. The problem though is that until we believe and accept Him as our Lord and Saviour, that light doesn’t shine in us, which means we’re still walking in darkness. And sadly, my Friends, there are still too many people today, who don’t know Jesus and consequently are still walking with Beelzebub in darkness, tripping, stumbling and falling, and doing untold damage to their eternal lives. That’s why our world is such an evil, violent place, and it’s our duty to convince as many as possible that Jesus is indeed the way, the truth and the light, that he only has our best interests at heart, and until they too accept Him and get that brilliant light of His Spirit shining in them, they’ll continue walking fooled and blindfolded by the enemy until they fall into the abyss of eternal death and damnation. And Friends, please let them know that walking with Jesus doesn’t only pertain to their spiritual lives in the hereafter, but also enhances their physical lives in the here and now, because when we walk with the light of Jesus guiding us, instead of leading lives of evil, greed and violence, we live lives of LOVE. Walking with Jesus makes our lives better all around. So let’s continue doing our duty diligently; LOVING our God, SPREADING His Word and LIVING our Faith with the light of Jesus brilliantly shining forth. Much LOVE!…walking with Jesus…is like walking with your best friend…in a beautiful park…on a sunny day…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 September 2009 1 Peter 4:14‏

18 Sep 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

1 Peter 4:14     If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
 
Oh Friends, it was another beautiful summer day, minus the trying heat, and one more is forecasted for tomorrow. The Lord is certainly smiling down on us with this wonderful weather in mid-September. And we’ll take it without grumbling, cause the next movement will bring harsh, cold winds roaring across the land and the pretty white stuff drifting down to make life even more miserable than it already is. However, like the good pioneer stock from which we’re descended, we’ll handle it with great aplomb. (smile) Yes we will, for believers are the type of people James Corbett is talking about when he encourages others to, ‘Fight one more round. When your feet are so tired you have to shuffle back to the centre of the ring, fight one more round.’ Yes, my people, though it’s a boxing analogy, it’s oh so appropriate to our Christian lives and endeavours. It falls into the same category as the quote yesterday; though ‘made weak by time and faith, but strong in will, to strive, to seek, to find and not to yield.’ They both point out the necessity of trying just one more time, of never giving up, of having hope once there’s breath in our bodies, of having the utmost faith when we call ourselves believers and followers of Jesus Christ. That’s the mark of a true believer, what sets us apart from the ungodly; that unquenchable faith, that undying belief, the total trust and surrender to the promises of the Most High God Jehovah. Friends, the wonderful, exciting news is that ‘sufferation’ doesn’t quench our Christian fire and fervour! And why is that? Because, ‘If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth on you.’ Praise His Holy Name, my people! To unbelievers that might sound strange, crazy, or even foolish, but to us who know Jesus, it’s simply what our Saviour is about, and how He expects us to react to the hardships of this ungodly world; with joy, with rejoicing. Peter said it best earlier on. ‘Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you. But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.’ (1 Pet.4:12-13) If we suffer in Christ’s name today, we’ll be entitled to enjoy the benefits He’ll provide when He returns in all His splendour and glory, as King and everlasting Lord. Just as it was the nature of Jesus to bear untold burdens and be sacrificed, so must the Spirit of His followers be strong and steadfast to bear the trials and tribulations we will suffer in this ungodly world. When we suffer the slings and arrows of this world without too much complaining and grumbling, God’s Spirit and glory will keep us safe, strong and true; ‘on their part he is evil spoken of, (blasphemed) but on your part he is glorified.’ Yes Friends, the person who does us wrong because we stand up for our beliefs is considered guilty of blasphemy against God, while in His sight, we are glorifying Him. And there’s nothing better we can do on this earth my Friends, than glorify our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! That’s the ultimate purpose of every believer. Oh my people, with every thought that flows through our minds, with every step we take, and with every beat of our sinful hearts, glorification of the Lord should always be uppermost in our consciousness. That’s our raison d’etre: to LOVE and SERVE Him! And now Friends, per the Spirit’s instructions, let’s listen to Peter, re the example of Christ’s suffering. ‘Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward (harsh). For this is thankworthy (commendable), if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow in his steps. Who did no sin, neither was guile (deceit) found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.’ (1 Pet.2:18-23) Wow! What a hard act to follow. But follow it we must my people. We’re to withstand our calamity like true soldiers and also pursue Jesus’ desires and instructions. ‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Mat.5:16) Those are our orders my brethren, so please, like dutiful followers, let’s carry them out with vim, vigour, great enthusiasm and plenty rejoicing. Much LOVE!…a believers motto…though buffeted…to stand strong, to fight…to look to Jesus…and never…never to surrender…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 17 September 2009 1 Peter 4:14‏

17 Sep 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

1 Peter 4:14     If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth on you: on their part is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
 
Oh Friends, the weather has just been glorious these last few days, all bright, sparkling sunshine with not even a hint of precipitation, but I couldn’t believe that we’ve already passed the midway point of September. Didn’t it just start the other day? (smile) The days are certainly rollicking along, and so is the ole fella. (smile) And today, in my readings, I found a beautiful quote that epitomizes the attributes of a believer; a sure follower of Christ. It comes from the poem ‘Ulysses’ by the renowned British poet, Alfred Lord Tennyson. All the old fogies will remember this particular passage because it was drilled into us during our early schooldays. And it says: ‘Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will to strive, to seek, to find and not to yield.’ Oh mih people, doesn’t that sound just like us, isn’t it a perfect description of a follower of Christ; a Christian? It sure does! It’s what we Christians are about! As Bruh Paul proudly declares: ‘We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.’ (2 Cor.4:8-10) When I saw the quote, I just knew I had to share it with you. But then I had to find a Bit to match it. And surely, as the Lord would have it, I found the perfect scripture in Peter’s writings. ‘If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye;’ Wow! That sure says a whole lot about us Friends! For if we’re insulted or abused for Christ’s sake, then we are blessed. A perfect example of that is the imprisonment of the apostles in Jerusalem. They were tried, beaten and then set free with the express command to stop preaching in Jesus’ name. But what happened? Luke tells us in the Book of Acts: ‘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) And all God’s people boldly sang: ‘Glory Hallelujah! All thanks and praise to the Lamb, for He is indeed worthy to be praised!’ Oh Friends, the ole fella’s chuckling because he’s so excited about this Bit. The thoughts are coming faster than my pen can write. The Spirit’s really working in me this morning, with everything coming together smoothly. We might even have to continue this tomorrow. It’s sad though that I can’t write all the Bits as easily as this one. But there again, that brings up our tenacity and strength of purpose; ‘strong in will to strive, to seek, to find and not to yield.’ Oh mih breddren, those are certainly the distinguishing hallmarks of a true follower of Christ. For remember what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount as He put forth the Beatitudes. ‘Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.’ (Mat.5:11-12) Yes my people, that’s the attitude our Lord, Saviour, Master and Leader brought to the show, and it’s our bounden duty to follow suit. Oh Friends, even if we don’t have anything else, a true Christian must at least possess belly and backbone, because it’s what keeps us going, especially when we feel, abused and downtrodden, like we’re fighting a losing battle. Just remember though that whatsoever happens, we’re to continue the struggle, continue to fight, and never, never, never give up. Christ suffered too much on our behalf for us to give up as easily as some of us are wont to do. As we keep reminding, the Christian life is not an easy one, and anybody who says differently is no Christian. How can it be easy with all the forgiveness, righteousness and the many other good deeds we need to do and the wrongs we’re supposed to bear with great fortitude eh? Jesus said that we’d suffer trials and tribulation just for talking about Him. But oh my wonderful Friends in Jesus, there’s no better life than when we live for Him. Yes, we might suffer lots of reproaches and experience plenty hard times on this earth, but just remember to keep focussing on those rewards that we’re piling up in heaven, when we do His will down here. That’s the important point. The earthly rewards are nice, if we get them, but they will all rust and crumble at some time, while the rewards we store in heaven…oh my people, those will never tarnish or crumble. So let’s just keep on keeping on, like the good, strong, true and stalwart soldiers of Christ that we are. Let’s arm ourselves with all the accoutrements, all the armour the Lord provides, then step out enthusiastic and strong and engage the evil enemy, fight the good fight, show him that the forces of darkness and wickedness are no match for, can never defeat those of goodness and light. The latter shall always prevail! Oh Friends, I sure hope this Bit lights a fire in all our souls, as the Spirit desires, and gives us all renewed strength, courage, power and confidence to face the enemy when we step out to do God’s will today. Much LOVE!…stand up, stand up for Jesus…the trumpet call obey…till every foe is vanquished…and Christ is Lord indeed… To be continued.
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 September 2009 1 Kings 8:58‏

16 Sep 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

1 Kings 8:58     That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgements, which he commanded our fathers.
 
Oh my most esteemed Friends in Christ, today we’ll continue to look at walking with the Lord. As we said yesterday, it’s not a mere suggestion, but a vital command to all believers. We can’t call ourselves true believers unless we’re trying our very best to walk a path worthy of the Most High God Jehovah. And we noted too, that from the very beginning, all God’s associations with man carried specific instructions on how to behave. From Adam not eating of the forbidden fruit, right down to the giving of the Ten Commandments. But why is walking in God’s law so important? In the first place it’s God’s will for us. He is our Leader, and that’s what leaders do; map a path for their followers. Secondly, it’s for our protection, so that we don’t get lost, confused and caught up in the mockery, idol worship and lusts of the world and go astray. Friends, the Lord knows better than us the evil ways and wiles of the enemy, that’s why He wants us to always walk close to Him. He knows that without Him there to protect us, we’re easy, willing prey for Lucifer and his henchmen. Bruh David understood this when he cried out; ‘Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes: and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.’  (Ps.119:33-36) Walking with the Lord is not easy my people, as we can see from Bruh David’s passionate plea, but it’s doable, if we set our hearts and minds to it. And it’s no joke to the Lord. He takes it very seriously. Listen to His command to Jeremiah re the punishment of Judah for their sinful rebellion. ‘Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh. For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices: But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination (stubbornness) of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.’ (Jer.7:21-24) And the Lord was quite right. He never told them anything about burnt offerings and sacrifices in the Ten Commandments. However, He wasn’t minimizing or trivializing the Old Testament sacrifices, but drawing attention to the absolute necessity of believers to live an obedient life, totally devoted to God. And throughout the Good Book, we read that religious observances without spiritual involvement are meaningless. It’s like us being always in Church and talking up a storm about God in public, but in private, enjoying, luxuriating in the fleshly lusts of the enemy. The two don’t mix or jive at all my people. And what price did Judah pay? ‘Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate.’ (Jer.7:34) Ah my Friends, we have to pay close attention to those words, because our land, in fact the whole world is becoming a more desolate place daily. Where once lush breadbaskets existed, now drought and famine and pestilence rule. Mirth and gladness are increasingly scarce with the fear and tension of the economic catastrophe, the real or imagined terrorist threat, the increased gang violence, where now we’re not even safe in our homes. A man’s home is no longer his castle, with a surrounding moat and drawbridge, because the enemy violates them through the latest crime tactic aptly labelled ‘home invasion,’ thereby robbing us of that safety factor. Nowadays it’s not even wise to open your door to strangers. And in spite of all the sophisticated, high-tech gadgetry; alarms, video cameras, cell phones etc. people are being assaulted and killed in ever increasing frequency. This only proves the adage that whatever man makes, man will find a way to break or overcome. My Friends, that’s why we need to walk ever so closely on the path of life with our God, who’s also our Guide and Protector. He’s the only one both willing and able to protect us from harm, from the lure of the evil one. Micah put it in a nutshell: ‘He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?’ (Mic.6:8) But really Friends, ONE commandment covers it all; ‘And this is LOVE, that we walk after (according to) his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.’ (2 John 6) And that’s the gospel truth my brethren! If we walk in LOVE, then we’ll be in full obedience to God’s will, for ‘LOVE worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore Love is the fulfilling of the law.’ (Rom.13:10) So Friends, it’s essential that we concentrate on our LOVE walk, if we desire to walk with God and enjoy His many blessings. Any other kind of walk is useless and will only bring further calamity to our already messed up lives. So let’s continue to LOVE our God and faithfully LIVE His Word. Much LOVE!…though our LOVE walk is sometimes hard…if we pray for help…help, the Father will provide…

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