Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 May 2010 Genesis 30:13‏

23 May 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Genesis 30:13     And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher.

 

Please Friends, ‘Don’t worry. Be happy!’ Many of you will remember that li’l ditty made famous some years ago by the now deceased Bobby McFerrin. Many turned up their noses in disgust when it made number one on the music charts, because in their highfalutin, pretentious belief it was too trite, simple and clichéd. But in reality the music charts today contain so much garbage, it’s not funny. Anyway Friends, though things may be trite, simple and clichéd, nonetheless they are very often true, and that’s what we should always be seeking after; the truth. And our current, whiny, angry, resentful, miserable, unhappy world would be a whole lot better off if we’d simply adopt the saying. The problem though is that what accounts for happiness is different for everyone. And here’s a quote from George du Marier that excellently describes that phenomenon. ‘Happiness is like time and space – we make and measure it ourselves; it is as fancy, as big, as little, as you please; just a thing of contrasts and comparisons.’ Yes my people, that’s why the man with a million dollars can be unhappy, while the pauper trills with happiness. We all set our own standards of happiness, and each one can be different, but still capable of bringing immeasurable happiness to each individual. I’m tending to liken happiness to the song that says the Promised Land is not a physical place, but a state of mind. The same way happiness depends on our state of mind, what we consider it to be. It can be the same for many, yet different for everyone. That brings us to our Bit. Hn! I had to chuckle when I re-read the account of Jacob’s life as a sort of indentured servant to his father-in-law Laban. It would make a great soap opera with all the elements of drama; deceit, infidelity, bigamy, greed, distrust, resentment, envy, anger, and whatever else your li’l ole heart desires. It’s got it all! And there we go with our presumptuous selves thinking that we invented the soap opera! (smile) Anyhow, the gist of the story is that Jacob worked for Laban for seven years, with the promise that he would then be allowed to marry Laban’s younger daughter, Rachel, whom he LOVED. But when the time comes, Laban outsmarts Jacob and he ends up marrying Leah, the older daughter instead. Leah wasn’t bad looking, but apparently Rachel was beautiful and more importantly, Jacob LOVED her. As expected, Laban, the perpetrator of the ruse, had the perfect excuse: ‘It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the first born: Fulfill her week, we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.’ (Gen.30:26-27) So Jacob, finding himself between a rock and a hard place, spent the customary week feasting and partying, then he married Rachel and spent another seven years serving Laban. Wow! As the scholars point out, Jacob accepts both wives without seeking God’s direction in the matter. And characteristically, he was deceived the same way he deceived his brother Esau to get their father, Isaac’s blessing. (Gen.27) ‘The deceiver had been out-deceived at last!’ What goes around, certainly does come around, boomerang style! Mr. Hotstuff Jacob then had not only two wives at the same time, but also two sisters as wives, not always the wisest move, and compounded it by glaringly showing his preference for Rachel. And we all know that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned! So from the very start, the sisters tried to outdo each other with all the by-products of greed, enmity, envy and the host of negative stuff that crops up in that kind of situation. The negative seeds of drama and unhappiness were sown from the word go. And Friends, as I keep reminding us, the Lord is the best dramatist ever. Hear this next verse. ‘And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated (UNLOVED), he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren.’ (Gen.30:31) Now isn’t that fertile soil for much confusion, especially in a society that prized children, while the barren was despised? Ah mih people, the Spirit is at work here yes. I never intended to get so deep into the story, that’s why I spoke about the gist of it earlier on, but now the Spirit’s showing me that to do it justice, I have to go deeper. And since the Spirit is wisdom personified, and I pride myself on my obedience, I have no choice. (smile) So let’s take it straight from the Good Book. ‘And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben (See, a Son): for she said, Surely the Lord hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will LOVE me. And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the Lord hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon (Heard). And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined (become attached) unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi (Attached). And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the Lord: therefore she called his name Judah (Praise); and left (stopped) bearing.’ (Gen.30:32-35) Ah Friends, haven’t we all seen that kind of thing, even possibly been involved in it too? However, like Leah, we have to stop writing here for today. Come tomorrow though, God willing, we’ll continue this juicy tale. And who says the Good Book isn’t a worthy read eh? Even if you take out the religious aspects, no other book ever written can match it for story telling. It has all the essentials of the craft, and in abundance too. Whatever ideas man has come up with over the years, the Good Book already has them. That’s why it’s still considered the BEST BOOK ever written. But what else would you expect from a great God like ours eh? Much LOVE!…to obtain wisdom and knowledge…don’t watch the tube…read the Good Book..

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 22 May 2010 Matthew 14:27‏

22 May 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Matthew 14:27     But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

 

Well it’s the weekend again Friends, so don’t forget fellowship in your short downtime of fun and frolic. I know that’s very easy to do, but if we want to grow in Christ, we need to congregate with others; we can’t do it just by ourselves, in a sort of vacuum. Now yesterday we saw how fear can strangle us, while suppressing it and emboldening ourselves with courage allows us to do even supernatural feats, such as walking on water, like Peter. But note, as soon as his fear returned and surpassed the intensity of his courage, he lost that ability, causing him to start sinking and fearfully calling out to Jesus to save him, which He did. And we also heard Jesus’ light rebuke: ‘O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?’ (Mat.14:31) And right there is the crux of the whole problem people; the question of faith, which is closer to being the opposite of fear than courage, for it is faith that gives us the courage to overcome fear and all our obstacles in life. Peter’s faith was strong when he first stepped out of the boat, so he was enabled, but as soon as the reality of the situation really hit him, his faith quickly dissipated and his enormous fear returned, so he lost that ability. And so it usually is with us all in our many walks of life. When we staunchly believe, embrace a strong faith in Jesus, we are empowered to do many things. But likewise, when our faith is at low ebb, we find it difficult to accomplish any thing worthwhile, because we simply don’t believe we can do it, there isn’t that essence of reassurance within us that’s only placed there by strong, unwavering faith. And the next two verses of scripture paint an interesting picture. ‘And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.’ (Mat.14:32-33)  The difference here is that the disciples believed and worshipped Jesus after, or because they saw Him walking on the water, and the strong winds immediately ceased after He entered the boat. I guess that’s faith in the sense that seeing is believing; once you see, then you believe. But according to Bruh Paul true ‘faith is the substance (realization) of things hoped for, the evidence (conviction) of things not seen.’ (Heb.11:1) If we have to see something before we believe it, then that’s not true faith. ‘For we walk by faith, not by sight.’ (2 Cor.5:7) So one could argue that the disciples on the storm tossed sea didn’t abound in true faith, for it was only after they saw Jesus do things that an ordinary man couldn’t do (walk on water, still the wind) that they truly believed He was the Messiah. However, here is a true testimony of real faith. It deals with Bruh Paul, who had no dealings with Christ while he was on earth, but turned out to be one of the most faithful believers. After he’d been arrested in Jerusalem and brought before the Jewish Council, soldiers had to take him away to safety in a nearby castle for the crowd was ready to lynch him. ‘And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul, for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.’ (Acts 22:11) Now there was nothing for Bruh Paul to see, he just had to go on his gut feeling; the faith built up in him during his time of service to the Lord, and all the eventful situations that the Lord had safely guided him through. Then what happens? A young man overhears that a group of more than forty dissidents were plotting to lynch him when they took him back to the council and he warns Bruh Paul and the soldiers and other arrangements are made. (Acts 23:12-22) Again on Bruh Paul’s voyage to Rome, the ship encounters a terrible storm and it seems that they would all perish, but after a bout of fasting and prayer, he confronts the others on board, and says: ‘And now I exhort (urge) you to be of good cheer (take heart): for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night, the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.’ (Acts 27:22-25) Now that’s what you call faith my Friends! Bruh Paul believed that he would end up alive in Rome, regardless of the adversity along the way. My people, can we dial up that unwavering kind of faith when we’re faced with adversity? We should…well possibly not as much as Bruh Paul, because he was in a class all by himself, but we should surely be able to call up enough to stand strong in tough times, by remembering all the Lord’s done for us in the past, what He’s now doing and all His awesome promises for the future. If we can’t do that my people, then our faith isn’t serving us well, for that’s one of its most important purposes. It’s therefore necessary for us to build up our stock of faith if we want to endure as true believers, because it’s out faith that really makes us strong in times of tribulation. In fact we’re only as strong as our faith. The stronger it is, the better we can bear tribulation. The catch 22 situation though is that faith is built on the back of adversity; it needs adversity to strengthen it. However, don’t worry, as Jesus said; ‘Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.’ But we need to keep reading and meditating on His Word, talking to Him and storing His promises deep in our souls, so that when the trials do come, as they surely will, Jesus will be well entrenched in us, and we can calmly reassure ourselves and others: ‘Don’t be afraid; Jesus is here and he will certainly help us.’ Oh Friends, that’s the kind of mountain moving faith we need to aspire to, if we’re going to be successful in this ungodly, evil world. So let’s start seriously building it nuh! Much LOVE!  …only faith can conquer fear…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 May 2010 Matthew 14:27‏

21 May 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Matthew 14:27     But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
 
Oh Friends, it was another beautiful day in my neck of the woods; not too hot, not too cold, too bright or cloudy, just perfect. I’m certainly praying for many more like it this summer. But regardless of the weather, or anything else in our lives, we’ve got to keep keeping on, keep persevering. We can’t afford to let fear of the known or unknown prevent us from moving forward both in our everyday family lives, our careers, plus maturing in our Christian walk and thereby furthering the kingdom of Jesus. I read an interesting quote today that deals with fear. It says: ‘Stripped of all their masquerades, the fears of men are quite identical: the fear of loneliness, rejection, inferiority, unmanageable anger, illness and death.’ Joshua Loth Liebman is credited with those words of wisdom and truth. Yes my people, we all have some deep, indwelling fear about something or another, but those mentioned above are some common ones. However Friends, if we live in constant fear, then we’re not truly living. We’ll be paralysed, just barely existing, hanging on by a thread, for to truly live life is to get up and go out and do things, run risks, not foolish ones, be a productive part of society, make a positive difference. In other words, we need courage. Now courage is not necessarily lack of fear, or even its opposite, but simply that ability to rise above our fear and do what we have to do, even with that fear still gnawing at our insides. And my people, I’m here to tell you that the best way to do that, to accomplish the goal of offsetting fear with courage, is by believing and following in the footsteps of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. And we have a great example of conquering fear when the disciples were caught in a storm out at sea, in the wee hours of the morning. But fortunately, as I keep reminding us, our Saviour looks after His own. ‘And in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.’ (Mat.14:25-26) Ah friends, that just highlights our natural fearful nature, for though the disciples had been hanging out with Jesus for some time, and saw Him perform numerous miracles, deep down they still couldn’t truly believe or fathom His Messianic power. But as always, the Saviour was calm and in total control of the situation. And His reaction to their fearful cry? ‘But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.’ Wow mih people! Jesus sure knows how to handle those ‘unhandleable’, uncontrollable situations! And my brethren, it’s the same thing He is saying to each of us today, to His followers who are stymied by some kind of fear: ‘My people, be of good courage. It is I, your Lord and Saviour, who gave His life as an innocent sacrifice for your sins, so don’t be afraid. I am here with you. And as I promised, I will never leave nor forsake you, I will be with you always, until the end of time.’ And the entire multitude of God’s people joyfully shouted: ‘Praise the Lord! Thank you Jesus!’ Yes Friends, that’s the decided intention of Jesus’ heart to all of us. He wants to help us safely tread this crazy, ungodly earth like giants in our spirit, without fear of Lucifer and his evil cohorts, just moving right along in the courage and guidance of His Holy Spirit that he sent to dwell in every believer’s heart, soul and mind for that express purpose. Hn, hn, hn! Bruh Paul must be smiling at that sentence, and saying, ‘Yeah, my kinda sentence!’ And if we continue with the example of the disciples in the storm and Jesus walking towards them, we’ll see exactly what I’m talking about. After Jesus stilled their fear, what happened? ‘And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.’ (Mat.14:28) Now that was Peter suppressing his fear and boosting his courage. ‘And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.’ (Mat.14:19) And all God’s people echoed a mighty: ‘Hallelujah!’ Yes mih breddren, because Peter believed the Lord’s command, that he could do what He said, thereby causing his courage to rise above his fear, he too was able to walk on the water. Unfortunately, the courage only superseded the fear for a short while. ‘But when he saw the wind boisterous (violent), he was afraid: and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.’ (Mat.14:30) And that my people is what happens to us many times along the topsy-turvy path of life. We get up the gumption, the courage to attempt the seemingly impossible, but in the midst of it all, that innate fear suddenly rises up again and strangles our courage. And what’s our automatic reaction? We cry out to the Lord for help! ‘And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?’ (Mat.14:31) And an even more grateful and raucous shout went up to heaven. ‘Oh praise His Holy name! Worthy is the Lamb that died for us!’ Why? Oh Friends, because it’s the same way that Jesus immediately stretches out His hand to us when we call on Him in times of trouble, when we’re about to go under and in desperation cry out to Him to save us. NEVER FORGET THAT! And Jesus amuses me with His little snide remark to His big, burly sidekick about his lack of faith and his doubt. That also applies to us today my people. It’s not humanly possible to rise above or control every troubling situation we face, but if we continually invoke the Lord’s help, we will do very well, come out victorious over most of our problems. And God willing, we’ll continue this topic tomorrow. Till then, Much LOVE!…when the storms of life blow strong…don’t worry…take courage…call out to Jesus for help…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 May 2010 Mark 6:4‏

20 May 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Mark 6:4     But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
 
Oh Friends, it’s been the best day so far! I went out in shirtsleeves, had to roll down my car windows, because it was actually hot in there. Is that a portent of good things to come for this summer? I certainly hope so, for I can’t handle too much of this in between, uncertain weather. Unfortunately, Jesus’ homecoming wasn’t so hot. After traipsing around the country preaching and healing, Jesus finally arrives back at His hometown of Nazareth with His disciples in tow. Wonder of wonders! On the Sabbath day, He gets up in the synagogue and begins to teach. What’s the reaction? ‘And many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Judah, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.’ (Mark 6:2-3) Ah mih people, what a sad state of affairs when your own doesn’t receive you kindly. Instead of being proud that one of their own local lads had moved up in the world, so to speak, they were offended by him. Hn! Because He had grown up an ordinary lad in an ordinary household in an ordinary town, the great learning he now expounded, and the great works He did seemed to be above His local, ordinary status. In simple terms, they just could not believe or accept that one of them could rise to such lofty heights. And isn’t that a common tale all over the globe? When the local person comes back home a hero or celebrity, many of the townsfolk usually look askance at them with doubt and disbelief at their accomplishments. But as always, Jesus rose above the situation, simply informing them that ‘A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin (family), and in his own house.’ Now that’s the gospel truth mih people! A lot of famous, high profile personalities aren’t considered important, or as important by their own town’s people, friends and families. That can possibly be explained by a number of reasons. The first is jealousy, especially if you’re from a real dirt poor or ostracized family and are now hobnobbing with the rich and famous. Many will still look down on you, judging you from your old status, not willing to accept and appreciate how far you’ve come. There is also the matter of familiarity, which they say breeds contempt. Now it doesn’t always do that, but it does rub off some of the shine from our golden public glow or image. If your family and friends first knew you as an ordinary, down to earth person, and when you come home you behave the same way, it’s hard for them to get caught up in your public persona. If, on the other hand, you’ve acquired new airs and graces, then they will also ignore you and possibly tear you down a peg or two. We find that kind of thing a lot amongst the children of famous, powerful people, where they don’t look upon their parents as anything special, just parents, old fashioned too, while the rest of the world is beating a path to their door, singing their praises and keeping them in the spotlight. I’ve experienced this firsthand. Over the years I’ve been involved in a few things that have raised my profile a little in the community, no real celebrity stuff, but just different and unusual to some of my children’s friends, who, because of that, taught I was cool and important. Hn! But my wonderful children just shrugged their shoulders and waved off their friends admiration with a nonchalant; ‘Oh that’s just daddy doing his thing.’ What I was doing was no big deal to them because they were accustomed to it. And I’m sure they’ll react the same way when the Bit and all the other things I have planned make a big splash around the world. (smile) Now that’s with the Lord’s help obviously. And though I’m a background person by nature, I always seem to end up in the spotlight. I guess that’s just the Lord’s doing too. I can handle my work being famous, but would rather avoid the celebrity nonsense attached, although to some extent, one does come with the other. Anyway Friends, it’s sad, but generally true that those we expect to derive the most pleasure from our successes are often less than impressed, and not overly thrilled either. I’m sure although Jesus rationalized the situation, He was rather disappointed that His own did not receive Him with open, welcoming arms, but took offence to His godly gifts and teaching. And not surprisingly, from that unbelief in Nazareth arose direct negative consequences. Why? Because Jesus didn’t do much constructive work in the area. ‘And he could there do no mighty work, save (except) that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.’ (Mark 6:5) Imagine that nuh. In yuh own hometown you do the least work. And it’s not because Jesus lost His ability to perform miracles, but per the scholars; ‘But rather he finds contempt and hardness of heart, which are the antithesis of receptivity and faith. Under such circumstances, further disclosure of God’s presence in His Messiah is denied.’ Yes mih people, it’s just a sad fact of life, but it still shook up Jesus some. Mark says: ‘And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages teaching.’  ( Mark 6:6) The resistance to Jesus in His own area was truly amazing, but also tragic, for they were denied the bounty of His teaching and good works, all because they were so hard hearted and reluctant to receive one of their own who had risen above His ordinary circumstances. The other villages round about benefitted because they were at least willing to listen and consider His wonderful words. Oh Friends, please let’s not be like that. We don’t have to grovel and fall all over our hometown people that have made good, but we must show some appreciation for their success, since that never comes without some hard work, pain and suffering. Instead of hard heartedness, let’s show some LOVE and understanding, as Jesus would have us do. Much LOVE!…And blessed is he…whosoever shall not be offended in me…(Mat.11:16) 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 May 2010 Acts 26:16‏

19 May 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Acts 26:16     But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee.
 
Oh Friends, it’s supposed to be another beautiful day in my area, but whether it’s fair or foul weather in our area, we all still have to get up and get on with the program designed for our lives. Like the mailman, we can’t let rain, sleet or snow prevent us from being what the Lord has called us to do and be. Yes, it’s not always enjoyable or easy, but it must be done. And I have the perfect quote for that risky situation. It’s attributed to the French writer, (Angela) Anais Nin (1903-77) and it says: ‘And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.’ Now isn’t that the living truth mih people? Many times during the course of our lives, it’s easier to step up to a new level, or step out to something greater because staying where we are, like a bud on a stem, gets to be too tight, restrictive and strenuous, keeping us in too close quarters when what we really need is more freedom to expand and show forth our wares. It’s similar to when the bud finally opens, blossoms into a beautiful flower, or a caterpillar breaks through its worm-like confines and contrary to all expectations, emerges a beautiful butterfly. Even so, at times we humans need to break out of our seemingly safe but tight and uncomfortable quarters and showcase our God given abilities and talents to an ungodly, disbelieving world. And Today’s Bit highlights just such a time in Bruh Paul’s life. Friends, they are the words Jesus spoke to Bruh Paul after striking him down on the journey to Damascus. What a bam-bam that must have been! Imagine a group of you quietly walking down the road to Damascus and all of a sudden a bright light appears, one ‘above the brightness of the sun,’ and knocks you all down to the ground. Then while lying there in a sort of subconscious mode, you hear this voice talking to you in your own language, accusing you of persecution. ‘Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks (goads, spiked sticks).’ (Acts 26:14)And when you ask the person’s identity, you’re told" ‘I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. (Acts 26:15) Imagine the consternation nuh, both our own and Bruh Paul’s! Can you picture Bruh Paul lying on the ground blind, the flower of Jewish society, wealthy and well educated, pompously going around punishing and persecuting members of this new sect that was throwing up dogma contrary to the old Jewish belief system, now stricken by that same Being, whose name and followers he’s trying to eradicate. I’m sure if you’d asked Bruh Paul five minutes before about the possibility of such an incident occurring, he would have laughed you to scorn since it ran counter to all his beliefs. Consider the jumbled, confused state his mind must have been in. Then to make matters worse, that authoritative voice confidently directs him: ‘But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear (reveal) unto thee.’ Wow! He was changed from being a persecutor to a minister and witness in the twinkling of an eye. Oh Friends, that’s one of the many varied and mysterious ways our God works. Sometimes it’s an eye-catching, dramatic moment, while at others it can be a long, drawn out, secret process. I can vouch for His mysterious workings, re my writing this Scrip-Bit, though in my case it was a quiet suggestion, then stronger nudges as I kept doubting His wisdom while finding excuses why I couldn’t do it. And why the differences in approach to Bruh Paul and I? I guess I wasn’t a threat to Him, wasn’t deliberately trying to turn others away from Him, while Bruh Paul was a very active and successful enemy agent. The Lord didn’t need to do anything dramatic to get my attention cause I was already a believer, just in a sort of dormant mode, but Bruh Paul with all his opposing notions needed a real shock to knock his socks off, something scary, an out of this world type of experience to bring him to the truth. And that’s exactly what the Lord did. And from the very beginning mih people, Bruh Paul earned and deserves plenty kudos, for he never once questioned, wavered from or doubted the voice and its instructions. That was his moment of change, of  transfiguration, when he blossomed from a tightly closed bud to a beautiful opened flower, from a creepy crawling caterpillar to a soaring, spectacular butterfly. And to further show how Bruh Paul was full of manly parts, had plenty belly and backbone, consider his twin dilemmas; first, the Lord planned to incorporate him into the same group that he so avidly disliked and persecuted. Just think about the fear and distrust that would breed nuh. But hear the worse part: ‘Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee; To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto the power of God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified (set apart) by faith that is in me.’ (Acts 29:17-18) Friends can you imagine how hard it must have been for a young, wealthy, well educated scion of a prominent Jewish family to go and dwell amongst and preach to the Gentiles, after having persecuted his own people for holding those same unconventional beliefs that he was now mouthing. But the magic of Bruh Paul is that whatever he believed in, he did zealously. And from the first moment Jesus chose him to be His witness, he never doubted or turned back. Instead he went on to be the star performer of early Christianity, explaining its doctrine in his many writings, many of them from jail, starting churches and spreading the Word all over the then known world, faithfully suffering endless persecution in Christ’s name without complaining. What can I say Friends? It’s just another example of when the Lord calls us to do His will, we ought not to doubt and dilly-dally. He won’t call us unless it’s necessary and we can do it. Most importantly, He will always help and guide us in doing whatever it is to further His kingdom and glorify His Holy Name. It might not be anything big and dramatic like Bruh Paul’s conversion, or even like my writing the Bit, but even if it’s the smallest, simplest request that won’t have all that much impact, please remember that God’s plans are all perfectly dovetailed, fit together perfectly, without need for cement or nails, so if He asks, then it is necessary. And the best response is to immediately ask, ‘How high do you want me to jump Lord?’   (smile) That will surely put a smile on the Lord’s face, for it shows we’re ready to blossom and heavenly rewards will be doled out and stored in our name. Much LOVE!…when the Lord calls…all that matters is our obedience… 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 May 2010 Psalm 138:8‏

18 May 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 138:8     The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth forever: forsake not the work of thine own hands.
 
Oh Friends, I sincerely hope you all got back into the rat race work week well armoured and gave Lucifer a good run for his money, both in fending off his rude, crude and evil advances, as well as doing the right things so that the Father’s kingdom was furthered and His Holy Name glorified. But if you didn’t do too well, don’t worry or beat yourself up and feel guilty. Once you tried and your heart was in the right place, the Father will understand. He’s that kind of God; understanding and non judgemental, especially when He sees us sincerely putting our best foot forward, and He’s always there hovering over us, making sure we’re safe. So let’s just go out there again and face the evil hordes and do our best. That’s all He asks. Now here comes that other man of great faith, Bruh Paul, as he concurs with Bruh David’s words that ‘The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me.’ He tells the Philippians that he’s been thankfully praying for them from the start of their relationship with Jesus: ‘Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform (complete) it until the day of Jesus Christ.’ (Phil.1:6) Yes Friends, he is convinced that God will continue the work of grace He began in the Philippians when they accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. And He definitely won’t stop before Jesus returns, for there was a purpose behind His saving grace; to bring them all to the likeness of His Son. Therefore He won’t stop or abandon that project until it’s realized. My people, it’s the same with us today: the Lord has an individual purpose and plan for each of our lives, but in the big picture, He desires that all believers attain as closely as possible to the attributes of Jesus, the perfect Son. And as Jesus told those who asked how they could go about working the works of God: ‘This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.’ (John 6:29) That’s it in a nutshell Friends; our task is to believe in Jesus and follow in His footsteps as best we can. But as I keep saying, that’s not an easy task, especially with the enemy always trying his best to get us off track. However, if we’re sincere and persevere, we can do very well. Remember too, with the Lord’s help nothing is too hard or impossible. And when times get rough, as they do every so often, and it looks like the Lord’s not with us, we can cry out to Him: ‘forsake not the work of thine own hands,’ like Bruh David and other men of much faith occasionally did. Job’s a good example. In bewailing his condition, he cried out: ‘Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine (look favourably) upon the counsel of the wicked?…Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about; yet thou dost destroy me.’ (Job 10:3,8) Strong words Friends, but Job’s circumstances were also very devastating and we usually don’t mind so much if adversity comes when we’re doing wrong, but when we’re doing right…boy, that sure hurts the soul and gets us to wondering what’s really happening with the Lord. On a slightly different note, the psalmist declared: ‘Thy hands have fashioned me: give me understanding that I may learn thy commandments.’ (Ps.119:73) And Bruh David acknowledges: ‘I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right (very) well. My substance (frame) was not hid from thee when I was made in secret, and curiously (skilfully) wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.’ (Ps.139:14-15) So Friends, those men knew that the Lord made them, but sometimes their adversity, like ours, was so great they had to cry out in frustration, for it seemed their Creator was also their destroyer. But that’s all it ever is my people, seems. Appearances can be very deceiving. Why would the Lord want to destroy us when we are all the work of His hands eh? He is the potter and we are the clay. He made us in His own image, so we’re a reflection of Him, just like our children are reflections of us. And the same way we find it very difficult to forsake our offspring, the Lord also has a difficult time rejecting us. Remember what He told Joshua? ‘As I was with Moses, so will I be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’ (Josh.1:5) There we have it brethren, right from the Lord Himself. Once we stand strong in Him, He will do the same with us. And Jesus faithfully promised His disciples: ‘ lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.’ (Mat.28:20) My people, I strongly suggest that we write those two bits of scripture indelibly in our hearts, souls and minds, so that when adversity strikes, we won’t be tempted to think that Our God and Saviour are in the process of forsaking us, because that’s one thing they’ve promised NEVER to do. If necessary, let’s write them down and keep them where we can always see them. That way, those promises will eventually take root in our beings, and our lives will blossom as the roots spread and grow. Much LOVE!…stand by God…and he will stand by you…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 17 May 2010 Psalm 138:8‏

17 May 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 138:8     The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

 

Oh Friends, it‘s Monday morning! Wish I wasn’t the bearer of such sad tidings, but you knowingly signed up for war when you joined Christ’s multinational army of Christians. (smile)  So put on your spiritual armour, mount your charger, your trusty steed, and be off to the work week battle with Beelzebub and his evil cronies. Hn, hn! But don’t worry mih people, for once you’re ensconced within the protective cocoon of our God’s armour, you’ll be safe, the enemy won’t be able to touch you. How do I know that? Because Bruh David declared it in this psalm of thanksgiving when he said: ‘In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strenghtnedest me (made me bold) with strength in my soul. All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord, when they hear the words of thy mouth. Yea, they shall sing in (of) the ways of the Lord: for great is the glory of the Lord.’ (Ps.138:3-5) And since the Lord’s promises are faithful and forever, it means that every generation that reveres Him is likewise assured of, guaranteed His protection till the end of time. That’s why my people, we can all draw such strength and courage from His Word and the omnipotence that backs it up. And it all leads Bruh David to further declare: ‘Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.’ (Ps.138:7) And all God’s people said: ‘Wow!’ (Words of Wisdom) Yes Friends, that’s what strong confidence, trust and faith in the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob allows us to boldly declare. And as the writer of Hebrews notes: ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb.11:6) But as we also noted yesterday, such great faith has to be earned through much adversity, for faith is like erecting a building; you begin with the most solid foundation possible, then you add other levels, one at a time, first ensuring that the foundation has settled and will not shift, for that will determine how strong your building will eventually be. That’s why Jesus spoke of building His church on solid rock, not shifting sand, for he knew that the top could only be as strong as the bottom that held it up. But we’ve got to begin somewhere in our faith building process, so the Lord devised this wonderful plan that allowed the experiences of some people of great faith to be recorded for posterity as a guide and support system for those coming after. Men and women who had suffered much trials and tribulation, but had remained faithful, steadfast and true, fighting mightily under God’s bold banner and had eventually achieved great victory. So my brethren, when we read the stories of these brave, bold, faithful people, we need to know that they’re true, and have been recorded for a specific purpose; to lead and guide us, to show us the power and faithfulness of our God, so that we too can build our faith on a solid foundation, not on weak, shaky ground. Thus, when Bruh David proclaims: ‘The Lord will perfect (complete) that which concerneth me,’ he’s talking from, hard, personal experience, having been through, both literal and figurative wars with God as his guide and emerging victorious. Those experiences also lead him to make the positive declaration that ‘thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever.’ All of this positivism was built up over time from numerous experiences, like when he fled from Saul and hid in the cave in the wilderness, and reassured himself in a prayer of deliverance: ‘I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me. He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up (hounds me). Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.’ (Ps.57:2-3) Ah Friends, that’s powerful stuff, and it’s one of the things that fascinate me with Bruh David; his great ability to constantly reassure himself in the faithfulness of his God, both in the good times and in the bad. Oh mih people, if we learn nothing else from Bruh David’s life, please let’s learn of, and aspire to emulate his constant communication with the Lord. To me, that’s his greatest legacy. We see it from the time he’s first introduced, when Samuel anoints him king as a young stripling, then in his battle with Goliath, and all his run ins with Saul, even refusing to kill Saul when he had the chance, because it wasn’t his place to kill the Lord’s anointed, right through to his adultery with Bathsheba, arranging her husband Nathan’s death, and the resultant family problems he suffered. Nobody went through more ups and downs than Bruh David. He certainly lived a full life, one of both sinner and saint, with the attendant suffering and prosperity, but never did he ever turn away from the Lord, such was his undying LOVE, trust, respect and reverence for the God of his fathers. My people, let’s try and emulate that faith nuh. It’s no easy task, but it will certainly do us all a whole heap of good. God willing, we’ll continue this tomorrow. Till then, let’s LOVE our God, LIVE our Faith and SPREAD His Word. Much LOVE!…for the best results in life…seek God continually…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 May 2010 Job 13:15‏

16 May 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Job 13:15     Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

 

Ah Friends, the Lord certainly blessed me today, re finding a Bit. I didn’t have to search, beg nor beseech Him. I simply opened the Good Book at a bookmark I had inadvertently left in it yesterday, and having now become accustomed to the Lord’s mysterious and miraculous ways, I checked out the situation on those pages, and there it was. I’ve learned over the years to check wherever I first open that invaluable tome, because on many occasions whatever He’s desired me to write on, has been right there. Hopefully that will make me a man of substantial faith like Job. (smile) But Friends, though Job’s widely known as the father of patience, I believe this passage portrays him more as a very faithful man. Here, he’s defending his integrity, after telling his fair-weather friends to shut up and let him talk. (13:5) It’s the same ones who so strongly condemned him as being a big closet sinner, because in their self-righteous thinking, that was the only reason why he would suffer so much adversity so quickly. Job however, thought very differently, and said so: ‘Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.’ Think about it nuh Friends; although God threatens to, or indeed kills Job, he will still trust Him and remain faithful. Wow! We very seldom find that happening between man and man. But that’s a monumental statement of faith. The scholars say it ‘expresses the unquenchable faith of one who lives by faith, not by sight.’ And it surely does, for even though it seems that God has turned against him, allowing all the sudden adversity, in spite of his apparent righteousness, Job insists that he’ll keep on keeping on, forever trusting in the God of his fathers. Now my people, this brings us to the rather enormous question of the day; our reaction under similar circumstances? Hn! Would we be big enough, faithful enough to utter words of that ilk, and not only say them, but truly mean them in our hearts? When the Lord searches our innermost parts, will He find them written there in scarlet, or will they be mere words mouthed to appease men and appear faithful? Oh my people, I certainly hope that the answer for all of us will be a brave, bold and resounding YES! But we’ll never know for sure until that sad, eventful day arrives, because we can say all sorts of stuff now, and make all kinds of great and faithful promises, but when the day of disaster and adversity really strikes, it’s usually a different story. Let’s keep our fingers crossed, pray and hope that the Lord doesn’t choose such dramatic measures to prove our faithfulness. Job’s faith there also brings to mind Bruh David’s famous proclamation. ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.’ (Ps.23:4) Definitely brave and trusting sentiments mih breddren, but not very easy to come by. Only through great testing and uncompromising deliverance from much tribulation, can we ever acquire such a high level of faith and trust. It’s like Cousin Sol says: ‘The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope (refuge) in his death.’ (Prov.14:32) Yes Friends, unlike the wicked who have nothing but eternal damnation to look forward to when their physical bodies give out, we, the righteous, have a much brighter future in store; the grace of God that brings salvation and eternal life through the sacrificial efforts of our wonderful and glorious Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! And all God’s people joyously sang: ‘Glory Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Worthy is the Lamb that was slain for us!’ This world certainly has nothing better to offer, because all its supposed pleasures are fleeting. And in the second part of the Bit, Job sticks to his guns: ‘But I will maintain mine own ways before him.’ Yes, he was willing to defend his actions before God and not before men. And as he told his friends later on: ‘God forbid, that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.’ (Job 27:5) He’s telling them, far be it from me to say you’re right, and as long as I live I will maintain my integrity before God. It’s the same manner of answer he gave his wife when she was ready to give up and questioned: ‘Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God and die.’ (Job 2:9) But Job wisely recognized that both good and bad happen in concert with God’s will, and we can’t expect it to rain peaches and cream all the time. Awright, for the devil’s advocates, we can expect it, but it simply won’t happen. (smile) Oh Friends, that’s another important question facing us today; in these rough and cruel times, with all sorts of adversity affecting all levels of people, will we retain our integrity when it befalls us, or will we take the advice of Job’s wife; curse God and give up on Him completely? My people, I’d strongly advise that come what may, we never go that route, since it’s fraught with even more pitfalls and adversity. It won’t be easy, for the enemy will be constantly in our ears, beguiling us to throw over the Lord. But if we faithfully stick to our guns, and in those times of adversity, really and truly cry out to the Lord God for help, and like Job, sin not, don’t get angry and curse Him, then He will faithfully acknowledge us in His own time. I know His time always seems a bit tardy, but I guarantee, from personal experience, that it’s never too late. And here’s a rather appropriate scripture to end today’s message. ‘He also shall be my salvation: for a hypocrite shall not come before him.’ (Job 13:16) Bravo Job! Friends, please let’s do likewise and put nobody before our Lord, God, King and Creator. He must always be NUMBER ONE! Much LOVE!…life isn’t always fair…but our God is always good…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 May 2010 Proverbs 30:32‏

15 May 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Proverbs 30:32     If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.

 

Oh Friends, it’s the weekend; meaning fun, fete and fellowship! (smile) Yeh, that’s the ideal situation, but many of us will still be burdened with backed up home chores and getting stuff ready for next week. But like it or not, that’s the general way our society has evolved; work five days, get two off. Praise the Lord! Why? Because many of our ancestors were forced to work harder and longer hours without any guaranteed time off. However, amidst all the worldly confusion, please make some time to be wherever two or three are gathered together and have the Lord’s Word flow in and over you, so that it can rejuvenate your tired mind, body and soul. It’s the best way to get through the crazy work week because it strengthens and reenergizes you. And in the mean time, in between time, ‘If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.’ I guess that proverb can be applied to all humans, for at some time in our lives we have all done foolish and wicked things for the purpose of exalting ourselves. But please remember my people that the only one we should be exalting and lifting up is the Most High God Jehovah. We should be thinking like Bruh David rightly proclaimed: ‘O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.’ (Ps.34:3) We don’t go around exalting ourselves, especially if it involves iniquity, as it usually does. And Jesus’ words on the subject were very straightforward. ‘For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased (humbled); and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.’ (Luke 14:11) Now, if we’re true followers of Jesus, then we should abide by His dictates. And as Bruh Paul also advised: ‘Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. (Phil.2:3) In this respect, he even said of himself: ‘And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.’ (2 Cor.12:7) Yes Friends, exalting ourselves should not be numbered amongst our deeds, but it should work like Peter outlined. ‘For God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you.’ (1Pet.5:5-7) However my people, being human and thus inflicted from the womb with sin genes, it’s not always easy for us to forego the earthly pleasure of exalting our selves, or thinking evil thoughts. Neither is it always easy to make amends for our ungodly actions. Then what ought we to do? If we have acted wickedly or foolishly and there is no getting away from it, oftimes the best solution is just to keep silent, just shut up, for pressing the matter will only bring us more grief and strife. Remember the tongue is small but ‘talawa’, hot like pepper, and can cause endless confusion. And if there’s one thing we don’t need in our already stressful lives is more stress, anger, resentment and strife, if it can be avoided. Remember too, Bruh David’s plea in his prayer for self understanding: ‘And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in thee. Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach of the foolish. I was dumb (mute), I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it.’ (Ps.39:7-9) The Lord caused him to keep silent so he did not make a fool of himself amongst fools. Oh Friends, many times we are desperately in need of such divine help, but don’t always receive it because we not properly tuned in to God’s wavelength. Note also, when Job defended his integrity against his friends’ strident condemnation, he rebuked them, saying: ‘Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace (keep silent)! And it should be your wisdom.’ (Job 13:5) In other words, shut up and listen to me now, and you’ll be considered wise. Why? ‘For even a fool, when he holdeth his peace is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.’ (Prov. 17:28) Yes my brethren, there are many occasions when we’d be better served by laying our hands upon our mouths, shutting up and staying quiet, but egged on by foolish pride and anger, we don’t, and just end up making the situation worse. Oh mih people, how many times have we all sat back later on and wished to God that we had just kept our so and so mouths shut eh? Numerous times! But once we’ve said it, we can’t take it back. So we’ve got to learn that prevention is better than cure and make a serious effort to practise it, else we’ll just keep putting our foot in our mouths and paying the price for it. And what better way to end today’s message than with Job’s apology to God, after he’d been humbled. ‘Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once I have spoken; but I will not answer: yea twice; but I will proceed no further.’ (Job 40:4-5) Friends, that’s excellent advice that we all should heed, but it means staying in tune with the Lord, for only He can guide us on the true path to victory. So let’s promise ourselves to slow down, talk less and listen more. It’s the only way to truly reduce the number of unnecessary incendiary incidents that our unholy tongues spark. Much LOVE!…silence is golden, golden…but our eyes can’t see…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 May 2010 Proverbs 30:32‏

14 May 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Proverbs 30:32     If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.
 
Oh Friends, the weather in my area the last few days has been wet and chilly. The damp kind that gets into your bones and makes all the old arthritic joints ache like mad. However, the good news is that the weekend will be bright, hot and sunny. Oh, what did I just hear you say? ‘Praise the Lord for His everlasting goodness to the undeserving children of men!’ Ah Friends, that’s so true! And just like the weather, our individual lives are filled with both good and bad days, both having an important part to play, though we might only appreciate the good ones. Therefore, this Chinese Proverb should stand us all in good stead: ‘Every day cannot be a feast of lanterns.’ And that’s gospel mih people! Everyday can’t be the same. There will be good and bad, boring and exciting. As Job told his doubting wife: ‘What? shall we receive (accept) good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil (accept calamity)?’ (Job 2:10) Certainly not! The important point to note though is that each day, regardless of its quality, we’re growing, maturing, learning more about life, and hopefully learning from our errors and adversity. Mistakes like those described by our Bit. ‘If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up (exalting) thyself, or if thou hast thought (devised) evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.’ Oh Friends, I believe the Lord wants me to share some personal testimony here. Although I have thought about doing it, I never planned to do it now. But the Sprit just said; ‘Do it now. Now is the right time.’ So like the obedient person I am, (smile) here it is. This past Easter season, on Holy Thursday night, I went to my church around midnight to spend some time in quiet prayer, watching like the disciples did in the garden of Gethsemane. Yes, unlike them, I watched, not slept. (smile) Anyway, the church was dimly lit by candles, with a few people coming and going every hour or so. And mih people, that saying that an empty church has more room for God is certainly true. Just go into an empty church sometime and you’ll see what I mean. There’s a sort of eerie silence, and you’ll feel the peace that exists therein, the serene feeling of God surrounding you. Ah Friends, it sure does wonders for the hurting, troubled soul. I’d surely suggest it for those moments when we can’t make head or tail of our lives and just want a quiet place to relax and get our thoughts and selves together. But getting back to my testimony. When I left the church, I asked myself what I had accomplished, what benefit had I derived from the quiet hour I’d spent in the semi-darkened church, how had the Lord enlightened me? And you won’t believe the answer I got. It was simply: ‘Shut up and listen!’ Yes mih people, that’s what came to my mind. Hn, hn, hn! Obviously I burst out laughing, not so much at the sentiment itself, since like many of us, I do have a tendency to talk more than listen, but at how it was conveyed. Since then I’ve tried to do exactly that; talk less and listen more. But that wasn’t the whole message, as I discovered a couple weeks later while watching Uncle Charles, Charles Stanley on an In Touch telecast. The message that day was Listening To God. And Uncle Charles had barely gotten into the message when I burst out laughing again, because then I realized what the Lord was really trying to say: ‘Shut up and listen to ME!’ Ah Friends, it certainly was a mini-revelation, for I believed that I listened to Him fairly well, but He obviously thought differently. And yuh know what mih people, in the last few weeks I’ve noticed that a strange kind of peace has flooded my soul as I try doing like He said. Misfortune, disappointment and adversity still happen, but now they get to me even less than before. People still say and do negative things, but they wash over me with less anguish. I don’t know if my skin has just gotten thicker, but I’m certainly more relaxed in the face of adversity. And though I usually handle adversity well, I think I’m doing it even better now. Oh Friends, we all know that those words: ‘Shut up and listen,’ can be applied to many of us believers, especially in a society that’s become even more talkative with the evolution of all the communication gadgets out there. We just yap continuously; on the cell phones and computers, texting, tweeting, and all the other ‘ings’ out there. Constant talking is good for the business people because it makes them money, but certainly not for God or us. And sadly, most of what we talk about is insignificant stuff that does absolutely nothing to help our growth. In fact it just lowers our already low standards. As I said yesterday, we’ve become a society of scandal, gossip and rumour mongers. Friends, I don’t care who you are, or what lofty position you hold, there’s only so much sensible stuff that we can talk about, and since so many of us lead simple, humdrum lives, we don’t have much business of our own to talk about, so therefore we talk about other people’s business. But mih people, I think it would serve us all better if we’d accept 3 Canal’s advice: ‘Find yuh own business, and stop minding other people’s!’ That’s a perfect motto for our world today, for so many of us are caught up in other people’s business; their problems, their mistakes, their good and bad fortune, but mostly the bad, since we now take a macabre delight in seeing others fall, that we don’t have time to pay attention to our own that’s slowly going down the drain. Ah Friends, I have to laugh again at how the Spirit led me to give this testimony. But if that’s what the Lord deemed necessary for today’s message, then whom am I to say Him nay? And who says He doesn’t move in mysterious ways eh? ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts.’ (Zech.4:6) And He certainly has a wonderful feel for the dramatic. But seriously my brethren, it would do us all a lot of good if we talked less and listened more, both to each other and to our most LOVING, caring and generous God. Our individual lives and our world would definitely benefit from that. So let’s try it nuh: Shut up and Listen! Much LOVE!…the Lord gave us two ears… and only one mouth…so we can listen more than we talk..
 

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