Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 April 2010 Numbers 13:20‏

23 Apr 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Numbers 13:20     And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. and be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.
 
And now Friends, what wait we for? The coming again in glory of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Why? Because He promised to return and receive us to Himself? And why is that so important? Ah mih people, because the precious blood of the Innocent Lamb, the Son of God, was shed on Calvary Hill as an eternal sacrifice on our behalf. Consequently, our awful sins were washed away and our sinful souls redeemed to a right relationship with the Holy Father. Because our Saviour Christ rose from the dead that first Easter morn, we who believe in Him, will do likewise. And because He ascended into the heavens and sits at the right hand of the One who is Infinitely Everything, seeking our interests, we believers here on earth can have immense hope of a bright tomorrow. Oh Friends, it’s so much more than we deserve, can ask for, or even imagine. But it all carries a serious responsibility to live in Peace, LOVE and fellowship with each other. That’s awfully hard to do though in a cruel, violent, evil, blood thirsty world, where the majority are unbelievers. That’s why it requires great strength of purpose, faith, hope and courage to make it in this ungodly world as a believer in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And what were Bruh David’s memorable words on the subject? ‘I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.’ (Ps.27:13) And so will we my people, if we don’t expect to see God’s goodness here on earth. Therefore, he continues: ‘Wait (in faith) on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps.27:14) Truthful words, if there ever were any! Mih breddren, we’ve got to learn to wait on the Lord with faith and courage. Obviously those Israelites that came out of Egypt never learned that lesson, for their reaction to their leaders’ entreaty not to rebel against their God was abominable: ‘But all the congregation bade stone them with stones.’ (Num.14:10) Can you believe it people? It’s certainly mind boggling that their reaction would be so ignorant and violent towards their own leaders, while towards the enemy they were scared wimps. And yuh know Friends, if anybody had real reason to believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, it was this group of people. The God of their fathers had promised to take them out of slavery in Egypt and lead them safely to a land of abundance, which He did. But they must have expected everything to be a bed of roses, with no hardship or responsibility whatsoever on their part. From their violent reaction, they must have thought they’d just walk on to the land and enjoy its bounty with no adversarial challenges. But Friends, please understand that our God doesn’t operate in that manner. He will give us all the good desires of our hearts, but He expects in return, at least some obedience and gratitude. He’s not a feel good God, who gives you whatever you want, no questions asked or responsibility implied. Unfortunately, many of us believers today also seem to have that incorrect attitude; a ‘wanty, wanty, gimme, gimme’ state of mind. And if we don’t get what we want, when we want it, we get discouraged, displeased and angry with God, and do all sorts of nonsense, just like the Israelites. Friends, we’ve got to get one thing straight. God LOVES us oodles, but He doesn’t really need us nuh. We have little to offer Him besides a little praise and thanks, which we often offer grudgingly anyway, without a real truthful heart. The real truth of the matter is that we DESPERATELY NEED God. We need His LOVE, forgiveness, mercy, grace, protection, guidance, salvation and eternal life, otherwise we’re hell bound, damnation and eternal darkness is our lot. So please, let’s get our priorities straight nuh, let’s truly realize and recognize who is the BOSS; the Lord God Almighty, and who are the dependent ones; we mortals, born in sin and sorrow. And now that we’ve set the record straight, let’s look at the Lord’s reaction to the rebellion, the disgusting behaviour of His chosen people. ‘And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel. And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke (despise) me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the (miraculous) signs which I have showed among them? I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.’ (Num.14:10-12) Oh Friends, yuh see, it’s not only my mind that their irrational behaviour boggled, but also the Lord’s. After all He’d done for them, all the signs and promises He’d fulfilled, He too couldn’t believe their behaviour. And it’s so sad, for from the beginning of time, even until now, no other group of humans have had the honour to witness and personally experience so much of God’s omnipotence, magnanimity, LOVE, guidance and protection in their everyday lives as that one. And yet their negative, disobedient reaction when called on for a little courage. Hn! What more could the Lord do eh? Not much. But just like when our children disobey and act up, we get angry and seek to lay down the law, God got tired and fed up with the petty, grumbling, fearful ways of the Israelites and was prepared to destroy them and start all over again. Oh mih people, don’t you think He’s probably fed up with our world too, and probably also considering our destruction because of our overwhelming ungodliness? Judging from the stories in the Good Book, it’s highly likely. The Lord is patient and long suffering, but even He has a breaking point. So just in case He’s planning something, it’s better to be safe than sorry. For who knows whether the recent spate of natural disasters, wars, economic breakdown, famine and sickness aren’t warnings? Let’s give up our wishy-washy, gimme, gimme, ungodly behaviour and stand strong in His name. Perhaps that might soften His wrath towards us. Oh Friends, I firmly believe that a new, right and godly attitude by the majority of the world could only help our cause in the eyes and heart of our wonderful, LOVING, merciful and forgiving God. Let’s try it and see nuh. We have nothing to lose, and so much to gain. More tomorrow, God willing. Till then, stand strong, consciously LOVE your God, LIVE your Faith, and SPREAD His Word. Much LOVE!…it is no secret…what God can do…what he’s done for others…He’ll do for you…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 22 April 2010 Numbers 13:20‏

22 Apr 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Numbers 13:20     And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.
 
Oh Friends, it’s been another beautiful spring day in my area, I hope it’s been likewise in yours. Here’s an interesting quote I gleaned from a comic strip in the newspaper. Isn’t it amazing how the comic section often comes up with some very good ideas? This is from the strip called ‘Mutts.’ It shows a small white dog with large black ears sitting on a blue background, simulating outside, looking wonderingly at towering green hills in the distance. And the wording, attributed to Skip Whitcomb, is: ‘Outdoors is where the great mystery lies, so going into nature should be a searching and humbling experience like going to church.’ Now isn’t that true? God’s handiwork in nature is so spectacular, so wonderful and mystifying that we’ve got to sit in awe at its beauty, and be humble before its majesty, knowing that regardless of how technologically empowered and astute we are, we can never produce anything as grand and intricate, yet so simple and awe inspiring. It’s the same kind of feeling we ought to get when we enter a church, the great cathedrals with their beautiful physical characteristics, as well as the small, one room, dilapidated structures. Why? Because it’s been designated as the house of our God, and wherever our God is, we ought to be holy and humble, seeking His face, time and guidance. Now that really could be anywhere, but since we’ve set aside a special place as His Home, then we should feel reverence and humility anytime we enter therein. Just like we treat earthly royalty with the same obeisance, whether in a palace or the ghetto, so should we treat our God, who’s even more powerful and deserving than earthly monarchs. But how many of us really get that, searching, expectant feeling, laced with humility when we enter a church eh? I hope we all do. But before I get carried away with that, (smile) let’s get on with our Bit, on the topic of courage. Yesterday we ended where the cowardly Israelites were seriously considering returning to Egypt. How stupid! No manly parts there at all Friends. But luckily people like Moses and Aaron had some, else the story would be quite different. And the best way to describe what happens next is simply to quote the Good Book. ‘Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces (prostrated themselves) before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel. And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent (tore) their clothes. And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it to us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us (food for our consumption): their defense (protection) is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.’ (Num.14:5-9) Wow! But Friends, can you imagine at that stage, after all they’d been through with God guiding and looking after them, they still needed Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb to be so vociferous and entreating. That should have been a no brainer. It just shows that the people weren’t truly into their God, didn’t really have the faith required to follow Him, but were merely all talk and no walk. Now does that ring a bell mih people? It should. It should bring to mind our similar situation today, where we too talk a good faith, but walking it is an entirely different story. Do our religious leaders also have to pamper and beseech us, like Moses and them did to the Israelites, to get us to show a true faith and belief in the Lord our God? Do they have to continually natter at us so that we’ll live that faith we talk about so much?  Please remember my brethren that Christianity is not merely a talk show, but much more an action drama! The talk part is just the entree, the aperitif to the volatile, rambunctious action to come. But that takes true faith backed by courage and belief in the Lord’s promises. Not all of us have had miracles occur in our lives, but we all have experienced the Lord’s blessings and spiritual power in some form or fashion, so why are we now doubtful of the Lord’s ability to help us eh? If He’s done it before, and we’re still living in faith, why won’t He do it again? It gives the impression that the Lord’s not a living, breathing Being, still doing what He’s done from day one. Like the Israelites, we’re afraid to stand up to the enemy, because they’re so big and powerful. Now wouldn’t you say that totally negates the fact that our God is so omnipotent, all knowing, and all everything else? We claim that in church, and possibly in private prayers, but when the time comes to acknowledge it in the open, we get scared and shut up. How then can God’s kingdom prosper if we, His trusted followers refuse to stand up for it? Friends, I have a sinking feeling, and I hope to God it’s wrong, but with the way believers are acting, or not acting today, it seems that Christianity will be totally watered down and of no real importance come the next generation, that the powers of darkness and evil will have even greater sway than they do now. Oh mih people, I’m begging, pleading, imploring, whatever it takes, let’s not allow that to happen. Let’s not do like the Israelites at the gates of the Promised Land, let’s not allow fear to conquer our faith. I’m sure we don’t want to be known as the generation that allowed the ungodly to supplant the righteous for lack of faith and courage. But Friends, that’s exactly what will happen if we don’t wake up NOW, draw the necessary courage from our faith and start to retake the world for Jesus’ sake. More tomorrow, God willing. Till then, may the Lord bless and keep you and give you His peace. Much LOVE!…the believer’s duty…to stand strong in faith…and live it with courage…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 April 2010 Numbers 13:20‏

21 Apr 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Numbers 13:20     And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.
 
Aye Friends, who says the Lord’s not in control eh? Listen to this for coincidence. The Lord knew that I was going to continue talking about courage today, so last night when I went to visit my mother, I found her watching an old movie. She didn’t know the name, but said it was about Peter and the early Christians. I got there just about the time a Christian woman was tied to a stake in the middle of the arena, and a big, burly man sort of roamed free, until a wild bull was let loose in the arena. The idea was if the man killed the bull with his bare hands, the woman would be set free, if not, the bull would gore her to death. What savagery we humans consider entertainment eh? Anyway, at the end of the movie, I discovered its name, ‘Quo Vadis’ (wither goest thou). Only the ole fogies would remember this 1951 picture by Mervyn Le Roy and Sam Zimbalist in blazing Technicolor. It starred Robert Taylor as a Roman army commander, Deborah Kerr as his LOVE interest, and the always crazy-looking Peter Ustinov as Nero. The story is that Nero blames the early Christians for the burning of Rome, captures them and condemns them to be slaughtered in the arena, all in an afternoon’s fun, just like we go today to watch football or any game in the stadiums and hear the blood lust cries. Life really hasn’t changed that much, we just pretend to be classier. The Roman commander who is in LOVE with the Christian girl is forced to watch beside Nero as her bodyguard fights the bull. It’s a powerful, moving scene as the fellow fights the bull. At one point when things look dim, the commander is shown in Nero’s box, mouthing ‘Christ give him strength!’ And what do you think happens? Yes mih people, Christ gives him strength and he kills the bull, then the entire crowd rises and cheers and along with those in his box, gives Nero the thumbs up signal. But the ole crazy, after a moment’s hesitation, cruelly gives the thumbs down sign. Obviously pandemonium breaks loose, but the commander and his troops jump into the arena and save the day. I know it’s only a movie, a combination of facts and fiction, but Friends, we all know how the early believers were ruthlessly hunted down and savagely persecuted, however, if it wasn’t for their phenomenal courage, which no doubt came from the strength of their belief, we wouldn’t know anything about the Bible today. And the sad fact is that throughout all the ensuing generations, ours has been the least persecuted, yet we have the dubious honour of complaining the most and having the least amount of courage, doing the least to further God’s kingdom, with the most opportunity. Why is that eh? I guess persecution and hard times must have a way of bringing out the best in the human spirit and character. And it all comes right back to really appreciating things when you work hard or suffer much for them, although that doesn’t seem to apply to the Israelites at the banks of the Jordan. They had experienced all sorts of hardship, but with the help and guidance of the God of their fathers, had finally made it to the gates of the land the Lord had promised their forefather Abraham, way back when. Yet they were also too scared when it came to standing up and fighting for what the Lord had promised them. I guess, like us, they expected that whatever the Lord promised would conveniently fall in their laps, like the manna from heaven, which they disliked, but which kept their lives and limbs together through the long, rough wilderness trek. Oh Friends, today we’re so soft and molly-coddled that it’s a shame! We expect everything to be handed to us on a silver platter. That old faithful, the work ethic, has disappeared, and not only from the younger generation, but from the old one too. Everybody expects a hand out, or just want an easy job, doing basically nothing, taking no responsibility, but getting a big salary. Hn! It’s become so ridiculous, that I’ve seen people trying to get out of doing their job, which ends up being harder, than if they’d done the job in the first place. They’re willing to waste a lot of time and energy getting out of doing something that actually requires less of both. That’s the basic nature of our society today. And don’t fool yuh fat Friends, we believers are very much a part of that group who whine and complain, cheat and steal from our employers. So don’t go pretending with a holier than thou attitude that it’s only the unbelievers who are guilty of such low-life actions. But getting back to the Bit. The Israelites listened to the ten scaredy-cats, not the two brave lions, Joshua and Caleb. And we’ll just let the Good Book take us home today, showing how the Israelites rebelled against the Lord. ‘And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel murmured (grumbled) against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! and wherefore hath the Lord brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword (be killed in battle), that out wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.’ (Num.14:1-4) Ah Lord eh! Isn’t that wild, crazy, stupid and ungrateful? After going through so much trial and tribulation in Egypt and along the way, just when they were about to reach their Nirvana, they balked, ran scared and wanted to return to bondage in Egypt. Ah sorry yes Friends, after all that ‘sufferation’, no way was I going back. I would take mih chances going forward, cause I know the devil I’ve left behind, and he wasn’t nice. Besides, if the Good Lord was truly in my heart, then I’d know I could rest on His promises. Oh mih people, it’s imperative that we ramp up out courage, our gumption, belly and backbone in these trying times because the enemy is currently holding sway, and yuh better believe he won’t give it up without a serious fight. So if we really want to work for Jesus, further His kingdom and bring His wonderful tenets of Peace and LOVE to this evil, misguided world, then we have to be strong and get a move on NOW, not sometime later, for time’s not waiting on us. The enemy is slowly eating away at our Church, which he’s bent on destroying, like the Romans and others did in the early days. Oh Friends, I beg of us to seriously consider what the early Christians suffered, but yet NEVER GAVE UP. Let’s uphold our part of the bargain and do the same nuh. More tomorrow, God willing. Till then, Much LOVE!…stand up, stand up for Jesus…the trumpet call obey…till every foe is vanquished…and Christ is Lord indeed…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 April 2010 Numbers 13:20‏

20 Apr 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Numbers 13:20     And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.
 
Ah mih Friends, that word courage is a ‘helluva’ thing yes! It’s been the undoing, as well as the making of many living organisms. Per the dictionary, it means being brave, bold or fearless, having nerve or pluck, standing up for your beliefs, and in the vernacular, having manly parts, gumption or belly and backbone. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to come by, and invariably involves taking risks, stepping out of our comfort zone, against odds that are not always in our favour. However, to become true, mature believers, we need to have lots of it, especially in these trying and troubling times. Luckily for us though, we have the epitome of courage, Jesus, as our Lord, Saviour and Leader, so anytime we’re in need of it, all we have to do is look to Him. Oh I know that simply looking to Him won’t immediately instil the courage of lions in us, but we can start by reflecting on His awesome courage to undertake the awful job the Father allotted Him. When we read and meditate on His predicament, if we’re sincere, some of it will obviously rub off on us, then we can begin building our own personal brand of courage. And today I read a quote that not only got me on to this track of courage, but also seems very helpful in building it. It’s attributed to Mignon McLaughlin (1913-1983) an American journalist and author, apparently famous for her numerous noteworthy quotes, including this one. ‘The only courage that matters is the kind that gets you from one moment to the next.’ And that’s a very helpful way to look at it. You don’t always need to have a ton of it at once, but just enough for each situation that warrants it. Just getting up and getting started every day calls for courage, but not as much as if you were face to face with an animal, including the human variety, that threatened your life. Then you’d need oodles of it. So the easiest way to build our desperately needed courage is to take it one step at a time, one day at a time. Hopefully, by the time of real danger, we’d have built up a sufficient reservoir from which to draw on. And that’s where our Bit comes in. The Lord commanded Moses: ‘Send thou men, that they may search (spy out) the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.’ (Num.13:2) So Moses picked twelve leaders, one from each tribe and assigned them the dangerous task of going into the unknown Promised Land to gather pertinent info on the inhabitants. ‘And see the land, what it is (what it’s like); and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strongholds; And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean (fertile or barren), whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.’ (Num. 13:18-20) Now mih Friends, that calls for a ton of courage, because you’re going into a totally unknown place and situation, certainly dangerous, if not lethal. And all your leader, Moses can tell you is ‘be strong and of a good courage’ Hn! Furthermore, he expects you to bring back fruit to show what the land possesses. I doubt if any of the twelve were thrilled with the dangerous assignment, and from the results, it seems their reservoir of courage was also sadly lacking. That’s why on their return, ten of them said, ‘surely, it (the land) floweth with milk and honey, and this is the fruit of it. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak (giants) there.’ (Num.13:27-28) Then they listed the names of other powerful inhabitants. Fortunately for us all Friends, two of those twelve, Joshua and Caleb, chose to differ. ‘And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him, said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we…it is a land that eateth up (devours) the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature.’ (Num.13:30-32) Right there mih people is an excellent example of the courage believers need to have. The twelve men walked through the same land, saw basically the same things and people, but ten lacked the necessary courage to stand on the promise of their God, who had brought them out of bondage in Egypt to give them that land of abundance, of milk and honey. Jesus hadn’t arrived on the scene yet, so Joshua and Caleb must have derived their courage, bravery, boldness, gumption from another source. Yes Friends, from the Lord God Jehovah, the God of their Fathers. They’d seen, felt and strongly believed in the power and promise of the Lord, so their hearts were filled with courage. It didn’t mean they weren’t afraid, for we all are when undertaking large or dangerous tasks, but the positive emotions in their souls and hearts, backed by their faith in their God, gave them the strength to overcome their fear. Remember Friends, courage is not the absence of fear, but the ability to overcome it. And in our troubled world today, we all need lots of courage to overcome the large amount of fear and negative emotion circulating throughout it, caused and noised abroad by Lucifer and his evil cohorts. And aren’t we lucky mih people! We have Jesus as an example and leader to boost our courage. The Israelites of old didn’t have Him, though I think they were better off, for they actually lived, saw and experienced the greatness of their God in their daily lives; from having Pharaoh release them, to crossing the Red Sea on dry land, then leading them through the wilderness by a cloud of smoke and pillar of fire, providing them with manna and finally bringing them safely to the banks of the Jordan, where they could see the promised Land. All they had to do was get up off their lazy, fearful fannies and go in and take it. If your God could do so much to bring you to that point, why wouldn’t He then ably assist you to conquer it eh? Sadly Friends, that’s the same attitude too many of us believers exhibit today. We talk a big talk about our God, but when it comes to obeying Him, we chicken out. That’s so unworthy of us mih breddren, and very demeaning and unappreciative to our Saviour Jesus, after all the hell He went through on our behalf. And we not done with this topic yet Friends, because it’s a big stumbling block in the Church today. So we’ll continue it tomorrow, God willing of course. Till then, pluck up nuh mih people, pluck up nuh. Much LOVE!…our words are important…but even more so are our actions…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 April 2010 Isaiah 1:31‏

19 Apr 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Isaiah 1:31      And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.

 

Ah Friends, what’s next eh? When will our earthly calamities cease? In the last couple weeks we’ve had Greece in turmoil over its debt problem, which is affecting the whole world because of the tightly connected global economy. Then there was the unfortunate plane crash with all of Poland’s top political and military leaders perishing in a suspicious coincidence on their way to commemorate a mass killing of Poles by the Russians in World War 1. The Catholic Church is in a brouhaha over widespread sexual abuse by its priests, and there’s political upheaval in the Republic of Kyrgyzstan, already a source of contention between Russia and the U.S, not to mention the 6.9 magnitude in China and the mine disasters in the U.S and China, while Turkey and Armenia are waging a war of words, whether Armenians killed some 90 years ago was genocide or casualties of war. Not to be outdone, South Africa weighs in with racist propaganda over the killing of a white supremacist leader by two black men, as well as a hot debate on an upcoming report of a commission that apparently found Israel guilty of wartime atrocities against Gaza in their last engagement. The contention there is that the Jewish chair of the commission was being traitorous to his people and it’s felt that he should be prevented from attending the Bar Mitzvah of his grandson. Ah Lord eh! But topping it all is the second eruption in the past month of an Icelandic volcano that has lain dormant for the past 200 hundred years, and is now spreading dangerous ash all over Northern Europe, disrupting everything. And that’s only what I know about, but when added to our numerous ongoing problems, it’s hard not to consider our world being in a rather precarious, negative, tumultuous state. The sad part is that most of the man made problems could be amicably worked out if the parties involved would only use a little common sense and realize that continuing the negative situations is only getting us deeper in animosity, hatred and destruction. Man’s foolish sense of pride just has a way of overriding his common sense. My people, when will we ever learn that wars don’t solve or decide anything? It’s at the peace talks afterwards where all the important decisions are made. Yet we refuse to follow the way of peace, of Christ, and continue to wage war at the drop of a hat. No wonder Isaiah said; ‘the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed.’ (Isa.1:28) And I guess the Lord planned Armageddon because He knew our lusts for war and hatred of peace, the type of kingdom His Son, Jesus, will initiate at His second coming. ‘And the strong shall be as tow (tinder), and the maker of it (the work of it) as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.’ Yes my people, in those days the powerful and sinful shall be dry like easily inflamed material and their evil actions and devices like a spark that will ignite them and burn them all in an unquenchable fire. Ezekiel said the same thing: ‘The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie (with the) uncircumcised, slain by the sword.’ (Ezek.32:21) And Isaiah ends his prophecy with this graphic picture. ‘And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.’ (Isa.66:23-24) Yes Friends, that’s what the righteous have to look forward to. And I definitely want to be a looker, not a ‘lookee’ (smile) And if you don’t believe those two old time prophets, then perhaps you’ll believe John the Baptist. ‘I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. Whose (winnowing) fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his (threshing) floor, and gather his wheat into the garner (barn), but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.’ (Mat.3:11-12) And if John the Baptist doesn’t stir your conscience either, hear the real McCoy, Jesus. ‘And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched.’ (Mark 9:43) Oh mih people, I implore us to take all those words of death and damnation seriously, because according to the scholars, the word Jesus used to describe it comes from the Greek ‘gehenna’ which ‘is associated with fire, punishment, the undying worm, the gnashing of teeth and eternity without God. All of the language stressing the repulsiveness of hell is a description of gehenna. The Scriptures incompletely describe gehanna, because such a place is psychologically impossible to comprehend. Thus the existence of this place, where the unsaved will consciously suffer for eternity without God, ought to stir every Christian to win souls.’ And all God’s people said, ‘Amen!’ Oh Friends, if you also read Mat.5:22 and Luke 16:19-31, you’d see that Jesus spoke often and seriously of eternal punishment. In fact the scholars claim that every use of gehenna in the Bible, except one, came from Jesus. So my brethren, it’s not something we should take lightly. And though it’s up to every individual to make that choice, it’s also the responsibility of believers to convince others of the rightness and seriousness of our purpose. So let’s get out there and do our jobs nuh. Much LOVE! …as a betting man…I’d pick Jesus…EVERY TIME…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 April 2010 Philippians 4:11‏

18 Apr 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Philippians 4:11     Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

 

Ahoy there me mates on the good ship Scrip-Bit! How goes it on the unpredictable seas of life? I hope you all are in fine fettle, moving along smoothly on calm waters, under a fair wind, our Good Lord having blessed you abundantly, even more than you can ask or imagine, for that’s His modus operandi with those who LOVE, serve and revere Him. (smile) So I’m not a comedian, but here are some words reputedly spoken by a great one, Charlie Chaplin, holding forth on the subject of life, astutely claiming that ‘Life can be wonderful if you’re not afraid of it. All it takes is courage, imagination…and a little dough.’ And though it sounds comedic, coming from a comedian, it is the absolute truth my Friends! I know many people would be quick to dispute that, claiming that life is anything but wonderful. Why? Because they’re looking at it the wrong way. For even in the deepest, darkest hour of despair, it is possible to see the beauty of life if we come at it with the right attitude. As Charlie says, the first thing is not to be afraid of it, try and take it in stride, don’t let it overwhelm you, for life can be very advantageous, and if it discovers it can beat you down, it surely will. Yes mih people, life is a bully boy, so we have to stand up strong to it, and also use some of our God given imagination against it; fight back, take preventative measures, wrangle with it like a cowboy wrangles with a bucking bronco or stirred up steer, wrestle with life the way Jacob wrestled with the angel, refusing to let him go until he blessed him. (Gen.32:24-32) And of course money helps, but only to a certain extent, just look at the many unhappy folks with money, and the many happy ones without it. But that doesn’t deter plenty of us from preferring the money and unhappiness to the poverty and happiness. The important thing though my brethren, is that we simply cannot afford to be passive where life is concerned, we need to actively live it. You know the saying life is meant for living? Well that’s gospel, and it’s right there where many of us falter. We err by shying away from life, by making excuses, saying if only this, or if only that, instead of getting actively involved in all that it encompasses. Unfortunately Friends, we can’t live life on ifs’ or excuses, we have to wake up and face the hard, cold reality, even as we envision the possibilities. That’s why Bruh Paul declared: ‘Not that I speak in respect of want (in regard of need): for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.’ He had learned the valuable lesson of life that teaches us to be spiritually comfortable regardless of our outward state. And this world would be such a better place if the many of us who constantly clamour for more and better would learn that lesson. That’s because much of our turmoil is caused by overwhelming greed (gravaliciousness) where we’re never satisfied with our state, be it a lot or a little. As Bruh Paul warned Timothy: ‘Perverse disputings of men (useless wranglings) of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness (godliness is a means of gain) from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment (clothing) let us therewith be content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful (harmful) lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition (ruin and destruction). For the LOVE of money is the root of all (kinds of) evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many arrows.’ (1Tim.6:5-10) Oh mih people, truer words were never spoken, for some of us have had that sad experience, or know of someone who has, where we’ve run down money only to find ourselves led astray by the evil lusts of the world and not living the faith. Oh Friends, if only we’d learn to be contented with what we have at the moment, we’d be much less unhappy. Now that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t strive to  improve our daily lives, but it should not be our end all and be all, our sole focus. Our correct end all and be all is our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and it’s on Him our focus should be concentrated. When we live to serve Him, He first provides the necessities of life and then the exceedingly abundant blessings. But we have to do our part; be in the world, but not of it, die to the lusts of the flesh, don’t pant hungrily after worldly things, for that disrupts our equilibrium and throws us out of sync with the Saviour. And the most fitting end for Today’s Bit is with Bruh Paul’s famous words. ‘I know both how to be abased (live humbly), and I know how to abound (live in prosperity): everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.’ (Phil.4:12-13) Oh Friends, that says it all. It’s now up to us to put it into practice. Much LOVE!…he that hath ears to hear…let him hear..

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 17 April 2010 Proverbs 26:27‏

17 Apr 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Proverbs 26:27     Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return unto him.

 

Well hello there all you beautiful people out there in Scrip-Bit Land! I certainly hope that these few words (smile) find us all in good health, wealth and state of mind. But even if we’re not physically, economically and mentally on top of the world, spiritually speaking, I’m sure we can all say in a loud, proud and thankful voice: ‘It is well with my soul!’ That’s because the main thing in this life is the state of our souls, our spiritual beings. It is essential that we keep them well fed and properly nourished, regardless of our shortcomings in other areas.  And today I want to share a quote from one of the great philosophers, Confucius. He maintained that ‘Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.’ And that’s no lie my people! It’s also the motto of our Christian faith; ‘NEVER GIVE UP!’ We’re only human, therefore prone to making mistakes, but for every mistake we make, there’s always something valuable to be learned from it, something that will help us the next time around. So every time you fall, don’t get discouraged and stay down, get back up and try again, for you never know if you’ll be blessed with success on the next attempt. Friends, in this life we’ve got to play the law of averages, which says, the more times you try, the greater your chances of success. That brings us to a crucial point, our Bit. ‘Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return unto him.’ And isn’t that the living truth Friends? The traps we lay for others usually entrap us instead. Bruh David said it of the wicked in his meditative song, Psalm 7: ‘Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief (trouble), and brought forth falsehood. He made (has dug) a pit, and digged it (dug it out), and is fallen into the ditch which he made. His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate (the crown of his own head). (Ps.7:14-16) He mentions it again in Psalm 9 where he offers praise for God’s justice. ‘The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken (caught). The Lord is known by the judgement which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.’ (Ps.9:15-16) And we find an excellent example of that whole process in the Book of Esther, where Haman, the king’s boastful, arrogant, corrupt right hand man is plotting to destroy the Jews in Babylon and hang Mordecai, their spokesman, but unfortunately it backfired on him. ‘So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai: Then was the king’s wrath pacified.’ (Esth.7:10) Ah Friends, that’s exactly what happens when we’re up to no good, when we forsake the path of righteousness for that of iniquity. Remember the Lord sees, hears, knows and controls all; consequently His strong sense of justice condemns and punishes us in our ill conceived evil dreams and schemes. Cousin Sol was so convinced of this principle that he said it again in a slightly different way. ‘Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have (inherit) good things in possession.’ (Prov. 28:10) It’s just a fact of life Friends that when we conceive evil in our hearts, the same evil often turns around and bites us in the butt. Just like the stone Sol talks about; when we try to roll it over someone unjustly or with malice, it has a habit of rolling right back on us. I guess you can call it the boomerang effect, where the evil and injustice we mete out to others eventually comes homing right back to us, upsetting our own applecart instead. And the moral of the story mih people? Simple: don’t plan evil deeds or do things that don’t conform to God’s will, for instead of hitting your intended target, they are liable to come back to hit and haunt you, making your life even more miserable than it was before. With all that in mind Friends, let us therefore consciously attempt to stay on the straight and narrow path. Our world is already in enough turmoil, we don’t need to add to it. If anything we should be trying to lessen the turmoil and tension. Remember if someone does us wrong, the Lord has promised to handle it. ‘To me belongeth vengeance and recompense; their foot shall slide in due time.’ (Deut.32:35) Furthermore, Bruh Paul declared: ‘And we know that all things work together for good to them that LOVE God, to them who are called according to his purpose.’ (Rom.8:28) So Friends, if we are called to His purpose, as all believers are, then there’s no need to be worried, vengeful or anything negative, for our God has promised to protect us, and He is faithful that has promised. No need to think evil in our hearts at all since it only disrupts our heavenly communication and thus causes us to lose out on the Father’s blessings. Please think seriously on these things mih people. Much LOVE! …spurn evil…and do good…it’s our Saviour’s edict…

 

 

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 April 2010 Proverbs 4:18‏

16 Apr 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Proverbs 4:18     But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
 
Oh Friends, it’s Friday, and I know that many of you are shouting in your souls, if not out loud; ‘TGIF!’ Yes, it’s time for some rest and relaxation after a hard and worrisome work week, but please don’t forget fellowship with the Father, for the weekend also brings up that all important time of the Sabbath; that time when believers get together to worship, praise and offer thanks to the Most High God Jehovah for all He’s done for us, especially sending His only son Jesus to die on the cross to redeem our sinful souls. And yuh know what Friends, every time we think about that magnanimous act of sacrifice, of LOVE, our hearts ought to be flooded with joy and a monumental outpouring of requited LOVE for both the Father and the Son, such that mere words could never express. Consequently, all those positive emotions pulsing in our souls ought to make us want to follow Jesus, to be just like Him, to choose the path of righteousness as opposed to that of evil, for as Cousin Sol rightly warns: ‘Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it (do not travel on it), turn from it, and pass away…The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.’ (Prov.4:14-15,19) Oh my people, that way just leads to eternal darkness and damnation! ‘But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.’ Now that’s the gospel truth mih people! Bruh David knew this, and in talking about the true state of the wicked, he could therefore declare: ‘The steps of a good man are ordered (established) by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.’ (Ps.37:23-25) Oh Friends, isn’t that just wonderful and inspiring news? When we stay on the just and righteous path, the Lord fulfills all our needs, and those of future generations too. And Isaiah agreed. ‘The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright dost weigh (make level) the path of the just.’ (Isa.26:7) And all God’s people said: ‘Thank you Lord!’ And I like how Sol compares our Bit to a day, or a light that gets brighter and brighter until it reaches perfection. And where is the brightest light and the only aura of perfection to be found? Only in one Being mih breddren; one spiritual Being that goes by, answers to the name of JESUS! ‘…at which every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess to God.’ (Rom.14:11) John said that he was sent, ‘to bear witness of the light, that all men through him might believe…That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.’ (John 1:7,9) Yes Friends, Jesus was that true light, so it’s obvious that the more we walk in his footsteps, the more we become like Him, the more we mature in our faith, the brighter the light will be on our path of righteousness. And Jesus in His earthly sojourn was always talking of the light, meaning His way, as opposed to darkness, which the enemy prefers. Listen to His exhortation. ‘Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel (basket), but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven.’ (Mat.5:14-16) Friends, that means we have to continually improve our brightness and also show it to a dark, unbelieving world, so that they too can see the light that’s Jesus and believe. It’s our bounden duty as believers, though I doubt we’re doing it to the best of our ability, else our world wouldn’t be so ungodly and in such turmoil. And Jesus acknowledged this after He explained the parable of the wheat and tares (Mat.13: 24-30) to His disciples. ‘Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.’ (Mat.13:43) Oh mih people, Jesus was all about light, and so should we. As John says: ‘This then is the message which we have heard about him, and we declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.’ (1 John 1:5) And how can we leave out Bruh Paul eh? (smile) ‘Do all things without murmurings (grumbling) and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless (innocent), the sons (children) of God, without rebuke (fault), in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation (generation), among whom ye shine as lights in the world.’ (Phil.2:14-15) Ah mih people, our life is so bright and beautiful when we have the Light of Jesus shining in us, so please, let’s continue consciously seeking it; ‘For if we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not (practice) the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin.’ (1 John 1:6-7) Friends, that says it all. It’s now up to us to put it into operation. So please, let’s get a move on nuh. Much LOVE!…though the path seems dark…if your heart is right…the Lord will surely light your way…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 April 2010 Psalm 28:1‏

15 Apr 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 28:1     Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock: be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.
 
Oh Friends, I’m chuckling because we never really dealt with the substance of the Bit yesterday. We used it just to highlight the Spirit’s concern about our behaviour, to light a fire under us, to implore us to stop being silent and unconcerned about the numerous atrocities taking place in our world. I hope it did stir up a few sparks, and that today we’re more vocal, energized and emboldened to stand up for what we claim to believe in; namely truth, rights, freedom, justice and Jesus. And if we’re not, then we’ve no one to blame but ourselves for what ever befalls us. That brings us to the Bit, which is taken from one of Bruh David’s many prayers for God’s help. He certainly didn’t lead an easy life, but he still seems to have enjoyed it; singing and dancing before the Lord his God, writing songs and prayers based on his topsy-turvy life, that we now enjoy and use to find comfort and solace in times of need. Here, he forthrightly declares: ‘Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock.’ Bruh David stood firm on that point; the Lord was his rock, the strong foundation on which his life was built, on which he based all his movements. Oh Friends, do we also consider the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob our rock? I surely hope so, because everyone needs something, or someone strong, immovable and guaranteed to be there in times of need. And here’s the thrill of it all; there’s no one or nothing that fits that bill better than the Most High God Jehovah, the ONE and ONLY, TRUE, LIVING GOD! That’s the first premise we need to understand in the development of our spiritual being: the Lord is the strong foundation on whom we can cast all our cares and concerns. Then Bruh David makes an interesting statement: ‘be not silent to me.’ Why? Because he’s in physical and /or emotional difficulty and has turned to the Lord, his rock for help. Now how is he going to get that help if the Lord, his rock does not respond? That’s just a natural part of communication between living beings. When we ask questions or plead for help, we expect to get a response, hopefully good, especially when it comes to our sovereign Lord and God. But the problem here mih people, is how often do we talk to or communicate with the Most High? Is it constantly, about everything, or is it only when we’re desperate we run to Him for help? If it’s the latter, then don’t expect Him to run quickly to give you answers. But sadly, that’s what many of us do; only talk to God when we’re in a bind. Bruh David though was different; he tried to live right and was constantly communicating with his God, that’s why he could expect answers, all be it not right away. In Psalm 35, another prayer for rescue from his enemies, he anxiously declares: ‘This thou hast seen, O Lord: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me. Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgement (vindication), even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.’ (Ps.35:22-23) Bruh David certainly seemed anxious there. I have to laugh at his audacity, telling the Lord to stir up Himself. But Friends that’s the close relationship Bruh David had with the Lord. When you’re in such a relationship, you have a little more leeway to say certain things. Again, in Psalm 39; this one a prayer for self-understanding, he mouths: ‘Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.’ (Ps.39:12) Oh my people, isn’t it interesting that when we cry out to God for help, we expect Him to answer right away, if not before? But when we’re supposed to do His bidding, we tend to take our own sweet time, putting all the world’s concerns before it. Asaph, another psalmist, cried the same thing in Psalm 83, a prayer for the destruction of Israel’s enemies. ‘Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.’ (Ps.83:1) And why are we in such a hurry to have God answer our cries eh? According to Bruh David: ‘lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.’ And isn’t that gospel mih people! If the Lord doesn’t answer our pleas and prayers, our enemies will defeat us, our problems will overcome us, and we’ll end up wallowing in the mire of self-pity, shame, poverty, sickness and all the things we’re afraid of, even unto death. Now what that does that tell us? That we definitely need to stay close to, and in touch with the Lord at all times, because we never know when we’ll need help, and He’s the only true source of help when men and the affairs of this world confront us. Crying out to God was not just an individual thing, but a part of the society’s make up, for the sons of Korah also wrote the same stuff. ‘O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee: Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear (listen to) unto my cry; For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave. I am counted with them that go down into the pit (are dying): I am as a man that hath no strength.’ (Ps.88:1-4) And there’s no doubt my Friends that many of us feel the same way today, with the state of upheaval and confusion that’s got our world in a vice like grip. However, the point I’m trying to make is that it’s okay to cry out to the Lord in times of trouble and need, but those should not be the only times we communicate with Him, otherwise He will just ignore our pleas. Too many of us enjoy the lusts of the world in our hearts, ignoring the Father until push comes to shove, then we run crying, falling on our knees, begging for help. But just think of your own reaction when certain people blatantly ignore you, don’t consider you important in the normal run of things, but in times of trouble, quickly seek your help. What’s your reaction in those cases? Do you rush to help them? I doubt it, though as a believer you ought to. (smile) You either refuse to help or take your own sweet time, while muttering under your breath: ‘Steups! Is only now deh know me eh; when deh big shot friend gone an’ leave them holding the dirty end of the stick. Ah Lord eh!’ a sad sigh and a shake of the head accompanying the last words. Well Friends, though our God is much more magnanimous than us, He still feels hurt and excluded when we constantly ignore Him, then come running for help when things go wrong. So, for our individual good, and also the betterment of our world, please, let’s try and keep in constant contact with our God nuh. The lines to Him are open 24/7, and you’ll never get a busy tone or an answering machine, but always a living, breathing, gentle, understanding being. Much LOVE!…pray without ceasing…it’s the only way…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 April 2010 Psalm 28:1‏

14 Apr 2010 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 28:1     Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.
 
Oh Friends, yesterday we noted that the negative actions and emotions of crime, greed, violence, selfishness and bloodshed are undoubtedly increasing in our world, and the only way to curb it is by the Christian minority standing up, saying and doing something positive and constructive. Now today, the Lord led me to a quote in the newspaper by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, which addresses the problem quite appropriately. Dr. King reputedly said: ‘Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.’ And isn’t that the awful truth mih people? It is indeed the beginning of the end when we keep quiet about important things, either through fear or simple ‘doh care.’ It’s related to if we don’t stand for something, we’ll fall for any and everything. But mih Friends, that’s not supposed to be the Christian way. Jesus didn’t die such a horrible death for us to just sit on our laurels and do nothing. He stood for something, vocalized it, then stood strong for what He valued by dying on the cross, so that all who wanted to follow Him in the better way, would freely have that opportunity. The disciples, the early churchgoers and many through the years also paid a hefty price for our religious freedom, through resentment, vilification and persecution, even unto death. But they all stood strong once they understood what Jesus had in mind, and the Holy Ghost was bestowed upon them. Dr. King was one of those who died for the cause, speaking out against evil and injustice, trying to make a difference in a peaceful manner. I’m sure if He came back now and saw the sorry state of our affairs, the way the Church has been rent asunder by the evil forces of Lucifer, he would be very disappointed. It’s only what, 42 years, (April 4.1968) since he was cowardly gunned down by the iniquity workers in his fight for peace, freedom and justice. And sadly, since then we have not made any real inroads into the halls of power and justice. In fact we’ve lost a lot of what was so hard fought for by those before us. Dr. King surely wouldn’t recognize our ungodly world today. No doubt he’d bow his head in sad disappointment and shed tears of unimaginable sorrow, at the way we’ve allowed the ungodly to divide not only the church, but also society as a whole, and then conquer it bit by bit. It’s like the fear that the cowardly criminals etched in all our hearts by one dastardly deed in America. It only took one scary situation, one arrow straight at the heart of the free world, and the seed of fear was sown. After that they could have lain low forever, because we’ve run scared and are now trying to set up so much security that it’s become a joke, a sad one at that. It also conveniently gave our governments the excuse to turn our societies into police states. It truly ushered in the real era of Big Brother, with video cameras all over the place, heightened police and army presence and powers, plus ever more bureaucracy and consequently red tape, although there was already too much, partly why that heinous crime was successfully enacted. Just look at the nonsense, the rigmarole you’ve got to go through to get on a plane now. That is if you’re not prevented from doing so by an incomplete, inefficient, secretly compiled no-fly list, with no reasons or explanations forthcoming either. And the worst part is that those hired to do this dirty, secretive work often don’t seem to have any common sense, or aren’t given any leeway by their bosses to use their own initiative, because most of them go strictly by the book, even though the individual situation doesn’t warrant it. So Friends, welcome to Big Brother’s world, thanks to the cowardly terrorists. But then we were faced with a double whammy, for Big Brother wasn’t satisfied with just taking away our freedom of movement, civil and political rights, but began infringing on our religious rights too. And like the dumb sheep being led to slaughter, we didn’t raise sufficient of a hue and cry to make them afraid and back off, but basically remained silent. And that was the beginning of the end. Afterwards though, we angrily claimed that they’d taken away our rights. But Friends, please realize that the wealthy, powerful, greedy, money hungry, lustful rulers will take away everything, if you let them. You have to fight them tooth and nail for everything you want or are entitled to. Remember we’re working against the powers of darkness that rule in the top echelons of most societies, and they only know about gimme, gimme, not about sharing. If they could take us back to living like we did in feudal times, or even slavery, they would. Ah mih people, today is one of those days when the Spirit lit a fire in me and sent me down this unplanned path. But I guess He had good reason, possibly wanted to get on our cases, to tell us to stop being so silent and accepting of whatever is thrown at us, especially when we know it’s not right, is against God’s will. Oh Friends, everyday we hear of more dissension and heartache in our troubled world and too many of us are content to just sit idly by and don’t say or do anything. But the Christian way mih people is to fight for the truth, rights, freedom and justice that Jesus and so many others died for, not to let the bully boys frighten us into being docile and accepting. Just imagine our predicament nuh, if all those who gave up their lives for us to have the benefits we now do, had just sat back, stayed silent and gone with the flow. Oh Friends, it’s incumbent on us, our moral, religious and societal duty to stand up and speak in the name of justice, freedom and Jesus! Please, I’m pleading with us to do better than we’re currently doing, else one day, either us or our children will wake up and find we’ve lost everything and are wallowing and drowning in the mire of the pit. Much LOVE!…him that hath ears…let him hear…

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