Today’s Scrip-Bit 29 December 2009 Acts 8:20‏

29 Dec 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Acts 8:20     But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. 
 
Oh Friends, it’s one day less of the Christmas season and one day closer to that big, annual bash of Old Year’s. Yeah, I know in the northern climes it’s called New Year’s Eve, but in the good old, southern Caribbean tradition, I prefer Old Year’s. ( smile) Although today was a holiday for many, the stores were open and did a brisk business; money and sales were certainly in vogue for another day. When and where will it end eh? That brings us to our Bit, where Peter and John were offered money for the power to lay hands on people and give them the Holy Ghost. Poor Simon the sorcerer, of a city in Samaria; he really had no clue of what the Spirit was all about. Now yesterday we looked at a couple of examples where money or some inducement was offered for God’s free gift, free blessing, but turned down. Today we’ll talk of another. One day, while king Belshazzar and the Babylonian court partied in the palace using the golden and silver vessels brought from the temple in Jerusalem by the king’s father Nebuchadnezzar; ‘In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candle-stick (opposite the lamp stand) upon the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.’ (Dan.5:5) Obviously the king became afraid and called for all his astrologers, soothsayers and wise men, but none could interpret the words. However, the queen remembered Daniel interpreting dreams for Nebuchadnezzar, and eventually he was called to interpret the words on the wall. Here’s the king’s offer: ‘now if thou canst read the writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom. Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet will I read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.’ (Dan.5:16-17) Yes Friends, Daniel did not need the king’s gifts to interpret God’s words. His services were freely offered because our God doesn’t have to indulge in menial trading and bartering for His blessings. And the words of Jesus, our Lord, Leader and Saviour clearly verify that. ‘Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.’ (Mat.10:8) If Jesus says so, then it’s so, my people. Whatever we’ve received freely, we should also give freely, not charge or expect remuneration for it, though in many cases in our corrupt world that’s exactly what happens; men of God are charging or expecting gifts in return for blessings they have freely received. Now that’s not right my people, for as Peter continued admonishing Simon: ‘Thou hast neither part nor lot (portion) in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of (poisoned by) bitterness, and in the bond (bound by) iniquity.’ (Acts 8:21-23) Oh Friends, that’s what it’s all about; a right heart. Even when we’re doing good deeds, the Lord also expects us to have the right motives, not just doing them to get rewards. We should remember that in all we do, motive counts for everything with our God. Unfortunately it doesn’t say if Simon really changed, but he did plead with Peter: ‘Pray ye the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.’ (Acts 8:24) But at least he seemed headed in the right direction. And that’s very important too my people, because we all make mistakes and our God will be more forgiving if He sees that we’re truly trying to do the right thing for the right reasons. But if the Holy Spirit can’t be bought with money or gifts, then how can we receive it? Peter answered that question on the Day of Pentecost, when they, the apostles, received the Spirit of Jesus in a mighty rush of wind and ‘cloven tongues like as of fire.’ (Acts 2:3) He told the crowd: ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.’ (Acts 2:38-39) Yes my people, that’s the ONLY way to receive the Spirit of Jesus; through sincere repentance, baptism and acceptance of Him as your Lord and Saviour. It’s easy, simple and FREE to ALL; Jews and Gentiles alike, and promised to all generations. No money or gifts are necessary; just proffer a right and repentant heart. Let’s remember that and be wary of those who try to make us pay for what they’ve freely received. Much LOVE!…for the LOVE of money…is the ROOT of all evil…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 December 2009 Acts 8:20‏

28 Dec 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Acts 8:20     But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
 
Ah Friends, the Christmas festivities are slowly winding down. Boxing Day is over, and so are the many sales it spawned. I understand people were lined up outside stores from before six a.m. At one mall it took over an hour to find a parking spot. Steups! What is wrong with us eh? We have become such slaves to commercialism it isn’t funny. And the sad part is that many of the items we rush, push and jostle each other to purchase really aren’t that much cheaper. And if they happen to be, when you add the time and energy you waste waiting and enduring the hostile crowds, the few dollars you save aren’t really worth the harassment; at least to me. But that’s the mentality that exists in our society today; it’s all about the money. It does seem though, as our Bit suggests, that the money can buy all things philosophy also existed in ancient Israel, albeit on a lesser scale. Now the story here is that after Bruh Paul, then known as Saul, encouraged the stoning death of Stephen, ‘he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and hailing (dragging off) men and women committed them to prison. Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word.’ (Acts 8:3-4). Oh Bruh Paul! What a monster he was before the Lord struck him down! In a sense though, his persecuting the early Church actually helped spread the Word, for when they ran from him, they preached the gospel wherever they went. This led to Philip going down to a city in Samaria and having a successful tour, preaching, healing and converting many. However, in that city lived a man named Simon, a sorcerer (magician) who held the people captive with his unethical practices, proclaiming that he was someone of worth. Now he had done this for such a long time that they all believed; ‘This man is a great power of God,’ and held him in high esteem. (Acts 8:9-11) But when the people heard Philip preach the gospel, they believed and were baptized, including the sorcerer Simon. ‘And when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered (was amazed), beholding the miracles and signs that were done.’ (Acts 8:13) But his celebrity days were numbered, for when the apostles back in Jerusalem heard that Samaria was bubbling with excitement over the gospel, they sent John and Peter to further spread the good news. When those two arrived in the city, they prayed that the people would receive the Holy Spirit, cause they hadn’t as yet. They’d only been baptized in the name of Jesus. ‘Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.’ (Acts 8:17) Simon must have been rendered speechless or simply exclaimed a mighty ‘Wow!’ ‘And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whosoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.’ (Acts 8:18-19) And that’s when Peter lit into him with Today’s Bit, proclaiming; ‘Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.’ My Friends, that’s gospel! It can’t be bought because it’s a gift of God, though there are many examples of people trying to buy or barter it, all unsuccessfully of course. Let’s look at a few. The first one that comes to mind is the Syrian captain, Naaman, healed of leprosy by Elisha telling him to go and wash in the Jordan seven times. He then offers Elisha gifts. ‘Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore I pray thee, take a blessing (gift) of thy servant. But he (Elisha) said, As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it, but he refused.’ (2 Kings 5:15-16) And we all know what finally happened: Elisha’s greedy servant, Gehazi, ran behind Naaman and lied, saying that Elisha had a change of heart, and now wanted some money and clothes for two sons of prophets that had just come to him. In his euphoria at being healed of the leprosy Naaman gave him more than he asked for. But when Gehazi returned to Elisha and was asked where he’d been, he lied again and said nowhere. But Elisha being a true man of God, knew his lies and gravely declared: ‘The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.’ (2 Kings 5:27) Oh Friends, it doesn’t pay to lie to God or His people, or be greedy and go behind the backs of others and accept gifts for services or blessings that were freely given. Isaiah was even more forceful and adamant about God’s blessings in a free offer of mercy to all. ‘Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness (abundance).’ (Isa.55:1-2) Yes my people, the blessings of God are FREE! They are offered to all and sundry who believe. There’s no need for money or gifts to be passed or offered so they can be procured. The only requirement is to accept Him into your hearts and keep Him securely dwelling there. Oh my Friends, sadly, time and space have run out today, but there’s much more to say on this topic, so we will continue it tomorrow; God willing of course. Till then, let’s truly seek God and His free blessings, without which our lives will be lost forever. Much LOVE!…oh the promise is free…the gift is free…only believe…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 December 2009 Proverbs 13:15‏

27 Dec 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Proverbs 13:15     Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.
 
Oh Friends, it’s the Lord’s Day, so ‘chant a chant, and give thanks for the morning!’ Offer up some thanks and praise for being granted the supreme privilege of seeing another day cause it’s so good to be alive. Don’t you just feel marvellous and exhilarating when you open your still sleepy eyes in the morning and see the bright sunlight shining through your window and hear the birds chirping their early morning praise? Yes, that’s what they’re doing; giving thanks and praise for another glorious day of being alive. And so too should you lucky ones who see the sun and hear the bird’s choir everyday. For us in the northern climes that won’t happen for another few months, but that should not prevent us from also giving much thanks, just for being alive. And I have an interesting quote to share, which gives great advice to us all. ‘Never let life’s hardships disturb you. After all, no one can avoid problems, not even saints or sages.’ Wise words, gospel my people, reputedly said by one Nichiren Daishonen. We should not let the difficulties of life disturb or overwhelm us, since it’s inevitable that all humans will face problems on planet earth, even men of great faith and wisdom. And I have to laugh, because I’m having a difficulty, a hardship right now, trying to decide which of five scriptures to use for Today’s Bit. Yes, I’ve begun writing although I’m not sure what I’m writing on. But that’s just my faith showing through cause I know that the Sprit will eventually lead me in the right direction. Now all five scriptures seem applicable, but none really jump out at me, saying; ‘I’m the one!’  So, following the advice given above, I won’t sweat it. I’ll just pick one and write on it. Hn! And which one did I choose? As so often happens, I chose the first one I came across. Don’t you just hate that? After going through lots of stuff, you end up using the first one. Chuh! Anyway, the Bit says: ‘Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.’ The problem though is that not only transgressors have it hard, but so too do believers. Although Jesus said; ‘For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light;’ (Mat.11:30) He also declared: ‘And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.’ (Mat.10:22) And also: ‘Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all those things will they do unto you, for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.’ (John 15:20-21) Yes Friends, believers will have it hard in this world simply because they are believers, and the unfaithful will also find it difficult, because that’s just the way life operates. However, whereas the transgressors have no recourse, the first part of the Bit gives hope and great expectation to believers. ‘Good understanding giveth favour.’ Now that’s an awesome truth believers should all hold dear. And what does it mean? Let’s check out Cousin Sol’s exhortations to obedience: ‘My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments. For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy (LOVING kindness) and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding (high esteem) in the sight of God and man.’ (Prov.3:1-4) There you have it Friends; the whole story on good understanding and favour. It all comes from following the Lord’s precepts. So, though life may be difficult for all, and sometimes more so for us believers, if we persevere in the faith, trusting Christ and surrendering our whole lives to Him, obeying His will and living as He desires, then we’ll certainly be blessed with His mercy, wisdom and understanding in our time of need. So don’t give up. Muddle and putter through, but NEVER, NEVER  give up, for with Jesus as our guide and leader, there’s always a bright light at the end of any tunnel of darkness, and all sadness and troubles only last for a while anyway. Then, at the very end, the transgressors will be cast out into eternal darkness with much weeping and gnashing of teeth. However my Friends, for those who sincerely endure and persevere in the faith, there will be great exultation. Everything will joyously morph into one huge celebration; eternal life with Christ! Wow! So let’s encourage ourselves and each other, to do our duty: LOVE our God; LIVE our Faith, and SPREAD His Word. Much LOVE!…when the going get’s rough…believers get going…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 26 December 2009 John 8:58‏

26 Dec 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

John 8:58     Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
 
Christmas day is over Friends! That’s it for another year. It wasn’t the white Christmas in my area, that many dream of and yearn for, but it was wet. Rain’s been pouring all day. Can’t say the same for those folks in the U.S Midwest though. The white stuff sure has been flying down there. But regardless of the prevailing weather, I sure hope you all had a wonderful day with friends and family, didn’t overdo the partying, and found some time to ponder on Jesus and His importance to the celebration. However, it’s now Boxing Day! The day for which a lot of people have very anxiously and excitedly waited; the day of dramatic sales, bargains and long lines to return stuff. By the time many of you read this, the crowds would have already descended on the malls and stores with a furor and frenzy worthy of wild beasts, such is the shopping savagery now embedded in our society. But all I can say is, better them than me yes. (smile) I won’t be facing a mall or a store before next week when the madness has settled down some. Anyway, Today’s Bit finds Jesus talking to some Jews who seemed to believe in Him, but after hearing His words, they had serious doubts. ‘If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth will make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?’ (John 8:31-33) And that’s how the whole shebang started. The Jews weren’t thrilled with Jesus’ words, and He continued to annoy them. ‘Verily, verily I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.’ (John 8:34-40) And the argument went back and forth, with Jesus igniting the flame, as He liked to do. At one stage they called Him a Samaritan with a devil, which Jesus refuted and further stirred up the argument by telling them: ‘Verily, verily I say unto you. If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil (demon). Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. Art thou greater than our father Abraham which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?’ (John 8:51-53) Ah Friends, that’s what everybody wanted to know; who was this man going around saying all these contrary sounding things? And you can feel the annoyance rising amongst the Jews. Sadly, Jesus’ words did nothing to calm the rising storm, when He finally told them: ‘Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?’ (John 8:56-57) As usual, Jesus spoke in such riddles that it sometimes confused His listeners, and some of His claims made them real angry. And this next verse is one of those. ‘Jesus saith unto them, Verily, verily I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.’ Hn, hn! Well that brought it to the boiling point. ‘Then they took up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.’ (John 8:59) What a man; our Jesus! The problem was that some of His teachings conflicted with those of the Old Testament, the old Abrahamic covenant that His listeners had been taught for generations. That’s why when Jesus came with His new ideas, His new covenant, they found some of His comments very contentious and at times even blasphemous. But we know that Jesus had no cause to lie or to inflate His position. He was of the Father, and was only doing the Father’s bidding. He’d also been around long before Abraham, as Micah acknowledges. ‘But thou Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.’ (Mic.5:2) Yes Friends, Jesus has been in existence since day one, and will be until eternity, as evidenced by the powerful words of Revelation: ‘I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.’ (Rev.1:8) And that’s an important fact for all believers to wrap their minds securely around; that Jesus being God, existed long before He became man and walked this earth. And likewise, He’ll be around long after man’s final demise. Oh my Friends, please understand that Jesus is real, not a fake; a living Spirit that dwells on the inside of those who believe in Him, and if we keep His words, then they’ll set us free from the hellfire and damnation promised to those who continue to dwell in sin, without any effort at righteousness. Please, let’s not be numbered amongst the latter group. Much LOVE!… yesterday…today…forever… that’s our Saviour’s lifeline…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 December 2009 Matthew 1:21‏

25 Dec 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Matthew 1:21     And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
 
It’s Christmas Day Friends! Hallelujah! The big day’s finally here. Wow! Let’s mark the momentous occasion with song. ‘Hark the herald angels sing. Glory to the new born King. Peace on earth and mercy mild. God and sinners reconciled. Joyful all ye nations rise. Join the triumph of the skies. With angelic hosts proclaim. Christ is born in Bethlehem. Hark the herald angels sing. Glory to the new born King.’ Yes my Friends, that’s how it was one beautiful, starry, moonlit night two thousand years ago, when Christ, our Redeemer was born. A long awaited prophecy of immense proportions came through that night. Around 734 B.C Isaiah warns the ungodly king of Judah, Ahaz, not to form an alliance with Assyria, but to trust the Lord to protect them from their enemies. Ahaz refuses to listen, so the Lord tells him to ask for a sign. Surprisingly, Ahaz piously refuses to tempt the Lord. (Isa.7:10-12) Then Isaiah, on the Lord’s behalf declares: ‘Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.’ (Isa.7:13-15) Yes my people, the Lord took it upon Himself to give them a sign of hope, that a child, a Branch of David’s line would one day rise up and save his people. But before that happened Israel and Judah would be invaded, humiliated, cut down and brought to their knees. (Isa.7:16-25) However Friends, some seven centuries later, on this day, that prophecy came through. Praise God! It took a long time, but remember a thousand days in God’s sight is like one day in ours. That is what makes the Good Book and the Word it contains so remarkable. Just imagine nuh, a lowly prophet in an agrarian society talking about a virgin birth almost three thousand years ago Hn! We can do that now, but it still needs some human manipulation. The conception of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ though, had no human interference whatsoever. What a mighty God is our Lord! And if that sign wasn’t sufficient, Isaiah further declared: ‘For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.’ (Isa.9:6-7) And all God’s people sang ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ Now Isaiah couldn’t make such big, daring, outlandish predictions without some prescient knowledge, some spiritual insight eh? Friends, that just shows the truth and power of our God and His Word. Finally Immanuel came. God came to us, for Immanuel means, ‘God with us.’ And He not only came in a contrary and unusual manner, but also to places of no renown; Bethlehem and Nazareth. Mary was engaged to Joseph, but found herself with child. What a bam bam that must have been! Not married but pregnant, giving poor Joseph nightmares. But people, our God never does a half-baked job. And while Joseph was contemplating his next move an angel of the Lord appeared and assured him of Mary’s loyalty and new found favour with God, and that he should marry her; ‘for that which is conceived of her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.’ Amen mih people! Joseph wisely heeded the angel’s words. And a new beginning began! As the carol says: ‘Peace on earth and mercy mild. God and sinners reconciled.’ That’s exactly what the virgin birth set in motion. The Prince of Peace came to earth to bring us His peace, pay for our sins and thus reconcile us with His Father, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy, and the angel’s words to Joseph: ‘for he shall save his people from their sins.’ And our God has a sense of occasion. Look at the night He chose, designed to send His only Son to us; a clear, beautiful night; the heavens alight with stars, possibly a full moon too, and the angel choir just singing out rich, sweet, heavenly music. No wonder the poor shepherds in the fields watching their flocks were somewhat scared. It was a night like no other they had ever witnessed, and only made scarier when the angels informed them of the Saviour’s birth nearby. The Lord even brought three kings from far away to pay obeisance to His Son. They came bearing gifts of frankincense and myrrh, valuable commodities in those days. But where our God outdid Himself was having His Son born in a lowly manger. He could have put Him anywhere, but He chose a poor carpenter and his young fiancé, from a poor part of town. That’s because He came first to help the poor, the sick, the suffering, the lost, the lonely, those without hope. He came to bring hope, peace and a future to a world that was overrun by sin and headed for eternal darkness. But He, being Mr. Wonderful, Counselor, The Prince of Peace, The everlasting Father and The mighty God, would fix it all. And He did Friends, by giving His innocent life to pay for our sins, so that we could once more have a right relationship with the Father, through a new covenant, a new promise, that if we believed and trusted in Him, He would set us free from our sins and receive us at the end of our earthly days to live in eternal light and glory with Him and His Father. ‘Glory Hallelujah! Nothing can beat that mih breddren! And that’s why we celebrate His birth today, cause it was the first real sign of the hope of a better way long promised. The word Jesus means Saviour, so when John the Baptist saw Jesus walking towards him by the Jordan river, he could right proudly say: ‘Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.’ (John 1:29) My Friends, while we’re celebrating today, let’s not forget the real reason for the celebration: the birth of Jesus, a harbinger of a new way of life, which we now enjoy solely because of Him. So let’s recognize, praise and rejoice in His Holy Name. Amen! Much LOVE!…Christ’s birth…stirs joy in the hearts of believers…joy of a better life to come…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 December 2009 Malachi 3:15‏

24 Dec 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Malachi 3:15     And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
 
It’s Christmas Eve Friends; the day before the biggest celebration in our world! And all over the planet craziness will abound with last minute preparations for celebrating the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Let’s not get too caught up though in the secular aspect of the event and forget the spiritual and most meaningful part of the whole situation; the fact that it heralded the start of a new and exciting relationship of man with His Creator. Our society already resembles that of ancient Israel when they stopped worshipping the God of their fathers. ‘Your words have been stout (harsh) against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee? Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully (as mourners) before the Lord of hosts.’ (Mal.3:13-14) Friends, those were the words of our God to His people back then. Sadly, He is saying the same thing to us now, for that’s the kind of behaviour we’ve adopted. Only a small minority seek to serve the Lord. The vast majority bow to Beelzebub and his evil, negative undertakings because they believe through him they can acquire more earthly power and possessions. But that’s not true. It only seems that way because Lucifer is quick and eager to satisfy our lustful desires of the flesh so he can put his mark on us, beat his chest in boastful pride and gleefully declare: ‘One more for me; one less for God.’ However, in reality, the Most High God Jehovah is able to bless us with more material possessions, if He desires, since He’s much more powerful than Lucifer. But that’s not our God’s style. He doesn’t want us running after the destructive things of the world, but the constructive things of heaven. So obviously when we go to Him with those worldly and lustful passions, He’s going to turn us down, cause it’s not in our best interests. Therefore, the weak of heart, timid of spirit and lustful of eye hook up with Lucifer to acquire the earthly treasures that they so greatly desire and feel they can’t do without. Oh my people, it’s reached such a ridiculous stage now, that as Malachi states; ‘now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up.’ Yes Friends, our once godly society has dropped to such an evil, immoral, sinful, violent, greedy level that we consider those proud, arrogant, ungodly people blessed, by nature of their wealth and power. The workers of iniquity are raised up, exalted in their iniquity. How sad my people. But that’s nothing new. It is inevitable when a society moves away from the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Under those circumstances, it’s only natural for evil, wickedness and negative behaviour to become glorified. Way back in time, the Psalmist Asaph also experienced the same kind of problem. He almost fell into the enemy’s trap. ‘But as for me, my feet were almost gone (stumbled); my steps had well-nigh slipped. For I was envious of the foolish (boastful), when I saw the prosperity of the wicked…Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper (always at ease) in the world; they increase in riches.’ (Ps.73:2-3,12) Oh my people, I beg of us, please, please don’t be envious of the evildoers, for though they seem to prosper now, they’ll eventually get their comeuppance when the Lord is ready. I know all the baubles, bangles and bright, shining things are beautiful to look at and very enticing, but as true believers we have to resist that temptation to worldly possessions and stick with the plan laid out by our all-wise, omniscient and most competent leader Jesus. Friends…Yeah! Got one right at last! (smile) It’s at a point now where ‘they that tempt God are even delivered.’ Yes, those who go a step further and bad-talk, mock and belittle our God are now allowed to do it freely, and are even encouraged by the enemy. But my brethren, please remember the words of Psalm 95: ‘O come let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation (rebellion), and as in the day of temptation (trial, testing) in the wilderness: When your father’s tempted (tried) me, and saw my work.’ (Ps.95:6-9) Now that’s the correct attitude to adopt, my wise  people, not the foolish, ugly, hard heartedness of the enemy. As I’ve said before, if Lucifer was so smart, he’d still be the chief angel in heaven. Whoever tries to topple, to oust the God who made the universe and all therein, gets and A+++ for stupidity. So let’s do the wise thing nuh, don’t look to the wicked and their prosperity for true  guidance or right direction. It’s both sad and unfortunate that many have already sold their souls to the keeper of eternal darkness and damnation. But rather, in wisdom, let’s look to Jesus, His Word, and His Spirit for true guidance and right direction, which, at the end time, will see our souls revel in light and eternal life. Much LOVE!…in all things…Jesus is more than enough…for He is the Way, the Truth and the Life…trust Him and live…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 December 2009 1 John 5:1‏

23 Dec 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

1 John 5:1     Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and everyone that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
 
Oh Friends, that most memorable day is drawing nigh! The day the greatest miracle ever was performed; that’s two thousand odd years ago, when the Lord put His awesome plan into motion to bring His lost, disobedient, sinful children back into His everlasting, ever-LOVING fold. Just two more days to that day we call Christmas, and the joyous celebration of the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And Friends this ties in nicely to our Bit where John is proclaiming; ‘Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and everyone that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.’ I know it sounds somewhat confusing, but when broken down into its basic elements, we discover that John’s making several important statements in those few words, my people. The first part of the statement has to do with belief; the belief that ‘Jesus is the Christ.’ Now this is of utmost importance to our faith. In fact it’s the bedrock, the very foundation on which our Christian faith is built; that Jesus is indeed the Christ, the Messiah, the innocent One who atoned for our sins and sits at the right hand of the Father doing due diligence for us. John makes several adamant, inflexible statements re our belief in Jesus. Let’s check out a few. ‘Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.’ (1 John 2:22-23) That sounds fairly logical. If the Father and the Son are One, like two peas in a pod, then if you deny any one of them, most likely you’ll also deny the other. Then, in talking about trying the spirits, John vociferously declares: ‘Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try (test) the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.’ (1 John 4:1-3) And that’s the living truth Friends! The purveyors of the antichrist movement are rampant in our society today, and we need to be very careful of what we believe, and whom we believe it from. John is adamant and unrelenting in his belief that if the Spirit doesn’t acknowledge that Jesus is God, or of the triune Godhead, then it’s false and should be cast aside. And finally, he declares that ‘Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.’ (1 John 4:15) So my Friends, the first thing our faith calls for is the strong, unrelenting belief that Jesus is Christ, the Messiah, and anyone who says otherwise is a liar and antichrist, and doesn’t truly have God in him, because only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God, truly have God in them. It’s an unbroken circle my people: believe that Jesus is Christ, then you have God in you. And to have God in you, you must believe in Jesus. You can’t have one without the other. And when you sincerely believe that Jesus is the Christ, then you’re born of God. ‘But as many as received him, to them gave he the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.’ (John 1:12-13) Yes Friends, all those who receive and believe in Christ, are born again; not of flesh and blood, but of God, of the Spirit of God. Then we become new people in Christ. Our lives change for the better. We move up to a higher level, a more spiritual plane. We’re not as concerned with the things of the world, of the flesh, but of the Spirit and of heaven. The last part of John’s statement is also significant re our faith; ‘and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.’ When he says ‘begat,’ he means a father. In this particular case, God. And ‘begotten of him’ is the child of the father, here meaning Jesus. The point he’s making is that generally, if we care for a father or parent, then we’ll most often also care for their children too. So in effect, if we truly LOVE God, then we’ll also LOVE His Son Jesus, and pay Him due respect. That makes sense, doesn’t it my people? And, per the scholars, there could also be another twist to John’s statement. ‘Begotten of him’ could also refer to us, the children of God, those born again through accepting Christ and His Holy Spirit. Then it means that to truly LOVE God, we also have to LOVE all His other born again children. Which certainly makes a lot of sense. For remember Friends, God is LOVE, and LOVE is of God. They’re inseparable. Again, you can’t have one without the other. And the complete cycle my people is: Belief that Jesus is the Christ, also the Son of God, gives us rebirth on a spiritual level, and brings the eternal emotion of God, LOVE, into our hearts and souls, and causes us to LOVE Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Father, our neighbours and ourselves. If that cycle doesn’t operate within us, then we’re not true believers, not sons of God, but antichrist. So let’s do some diligent soul-searching asap, and quickly reconnect the cycle if it’s broken. Much LOVE!… may the circle be unbroken…in the sweet bye and bye…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 22 December 2009 Psalm 102:26‏

22 Dec 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 102:26     They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed.
 
Okay Friends, it seems like I’ll keep my promise and dig right into the Bit today, as the Spirit doesn’t appear to be leading me down any other path. And, fortunately, or unfortunately, you might not hear much of my opinion today, (smile) cause this Bit concerns some real powerful scriptures of powerful men of faith. Let’s begin by saying that the author of this Psalm is anonymous. It’s titled, ‘A cry in distress: A prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the Lord.’ The psalmist cries out: ‘Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee. Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.’ (Ps.102:1-2) That’s nothing strange or new, since it’s the way we all want the Lord to handle our problems. Then the author goes on to list his woes. (vs.3-11) But after that, his spirit is reinvigorated and he begins to glorify his God instead. ‘But thou O Lord, shall endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.’ (vs.12) The verse of immediate concern though is; ‘Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.’ (vs.25) That my Friends is the subject of the Bit; the changing nature, the destruction of the heavens and the earth by the Lord God in His chosen time. ‘They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax (grow) old like a garment; as a vesture (cloak, garment) shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed.’ It’s a significant piece of scripture people because it not only magnifies the Lord’s longevity, but also His awesome power. He made the earth and the heaven, and like a garment, they will grow old, but just as simply and easily as we change our clothes, the Lord will change the heavens and the earth. The psalmist statement is sure, with no doubt implied. Even more importantly, it ties in to some significant prophecy re the eventual end of the world as we know it, to which several men of great faith have also testified. Let’s start with that man of outstanding vision, Isaiah. In talking about the Lord’s wrath on the nations, he declares: ‘And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all the host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree. For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold it shall come down upon Idumea (Edom), an upon the people of my curse, to judgement.’ (Isa.34:4-5) Later on, in saying that the faithful are called to courage, Isaiah is even more graphic. ‘Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.’ (Isa.51:6) But note Friends, though the heavens and earth are destroyed in whatever manner, the righteousness of the Lord shall endure for ever, and so shall all those who embrace Him in faith and trust, surrendering themselves to His good and faithful will. And if you don’t believe Isaiah, then listen to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus. ‘Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the angels of heaven, but my Father only…Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come…Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh.’ (Mat.24:35-36,42,44) Oh my people, how much plainer, more explicit can our Saviour be eh? Not much at all. I therefore implore us to get ready, set our houses in order RIGHT NOW, for anything is possible at anytime, and we definitely don’t want to be caught napping if the big moment suddenly comes in our time. Meanwhile, the apostle John, in his visions in exile on the island of Patmos claims: ‘And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.’ (Rev.20:11) Friends, another man of great faith testifying to the ultimate destruction of the heavens and the earth as we know them. I like John’s way of putting it though; ‘from whose face the heaven and earth fled away, and there was no place found for them.’ He doesn’t paint all the fearful drama of fire and brimstone. Then there’s Peter, who corroborates it all. He’s talking first about the great flood. ‘Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against (until) the day of judgement and perdition (destruction) of ungodly men.’ (2 Pet.3:6-7) He follows that up with: ‘But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God.’ (2 Pet.3:10-12) That says it all my people. At the last day, which can be anytime, our world will disappear, but the righteous will be saved. So we should be always prepared; trusting, believing, living in righteousness and LOVE. Once you’ve heard the Word my Friends, there’s no excuse for missing that last train to glory, so please get a move on. Don’t you hear the whistle blowing and the wheels a clanking down the track?  Much LOVE!…NOW…is the right time…to start planning for eternity…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 December 2009 Psalm 102:26‏

21 Dec 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 102:26     They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed.
 
Oh Friends, another Monday morning has arrived, and a terrible one too, in that there are only four more shopping days till Christmas. Steups! That means the workers of iniquity will be out in full force, enticing us to buy what we can’t afford or really need, then the pushing and shoving in the malls and stores, plus the road rage from the traffic jams in the parking lots and highways, resulting in many negative situations, all disputing and negating what is supposed to be a season of peace, goodwill and good cheer in joyful celebration of the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Now if you add to that, the extremely bad weather along the East coast of North America on the past weekend, the next few days certainly don’t lend themselves to much goodwill and good cheer. However, there’s not much we can do about that kind of negativity since it’s an aggressive, violent and selfish society in which we live. But as believers, we sure can monitor our own behaviour and not get caught up in the frantic last minute rush. It’s absolutely necessary to put on your full suit of spiritual armour before venturing forth to shop in this crazy time. Anyway, there’s a quote I want to share, re change. It’s attributed to Prince Phillip. ‘Change does not change tradition. It strengthens it. Change is a challenge and an opportunity not a threat.’ Now I don’t totally agree with Phil, for in some cases change does change or kill tradition. And what’s the first one that comes to mind? Hn! The crass kind of commercialism that now surrounds the major holidays, whereby many people have weakly bowed to the enemy and thrown out the traditional reasons for and manner of celebrating them. That means many young people have no clue as to their history of traditions, of what went on before their time. And as the adage says, ‘if you don’t know from whence you’ve come, you won’t know whither you’re going. To the young people, celebrations like Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving are basically times to eat, drink, be merry and spend lots of money on inane, mostly useless or unnecessary gifts. In that way I think it does change tradition, for the real meaning of the celebrations are lost in the change. Using the same logic, change, at times does pose a threat, especially change of a negative variety, but overall it does provide challenges and opportunities to improve in a positive manner. Oh mih people, lemme tell all yuh about one little change that occurred today nuh, that actually bore out the truth of Prince Phillip’s words. And it happened in church too. I practiced what I preached! Glory Hallelujah! Now, I go to the early morning service at 8.30, that has none of the traditional bells and whistles, just a plain Eucharist, with no singing and stuff, unlike the main one at 10.30. That early service, which is more convenient for me, averages about a dozen people. Today though, we began with two. A third person came in a few minutes later. This created a serious change in my seating plans too, for while I’m usually at the back, today I was up front, not wholly comfortable to say the least. I’m like an old cowboy; I like my back to the door, to see what’s happening in the whole picture. Oh, there was also one other significant factor; I was the only male. The other four participants, including the priest and altar person were all female. That wasn’t a change for me though, because from my earliest days, I’ve always been the lone male amongst a household of women. Hn! Now I guess that explains many things eh. (smile) Anyway, during the peace greeting, I mentioned to Rev. Ann that I liked the small congregation, because it felt more intimate. Well then, says she, we can make it even more intimate if we all gathered around the altar during the lead in to the Eucharist. And that’s what we did: five of us, four women and one man on the raised dais, surrounding the altar, celebrating the Eucharist. Wow! I personally enjoyed it due to the more intimate setting, where you’re closer to the action, like she was preaching to me personally, unlike the sort of impersonal atmosphere where several people are spread throughout the church. It raises thoughts of my days as an acolyte back in the large, old Anglican Church many moons ago, in Scarborough, Tobago, when I was an integral part of the action. It also brings to mind the saying that an empty, silent church has more room for God. It certainly did seem so on Sunday morning. Remember too, that Jesus said wherever two or three were gathered in His name, He would be there. Well, with only five people in the church, He was there, and with definitely much more room than normal to envelope us with His mercy and LOVING-kindness. (smile) Now that small change, I certainly consider no threat to tradition since the congregation is seldom that sparse for it to become habitual. It was nonetheless a pleasant challenge and an opportunity to do something different, while staying within the parameters of tradition. In that sense it also strengthened the traditional way of celebrating the Eucharist. Ah Friends, that’s my testimony for today. And having said that, it doesn’t make sense to get into the heart of the Bit now, cause time and space are at a minimum. But we have talked about change, which was our theme for today, and if the Good Lord is willing, then tomorrow we’ll attempt to dissect it and come up with a meaning we can all understand, provided the Spirit doesn’t lead me in a different direction. (smile) Enjoy this short Bit. Hn, hn! Till then, Much LOVE!…please remember…that JESUS…not commercialism…is the reason for the season…and conduct ourselves and our affairs appropriately…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 December 2009 Proverbs 15:24‏

20 Dec 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Proverbs 15:24     The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.
 
Oh Friends, our God is a winner yes! Yuh know, the last few weeks I’ve been encouraging us to really observe and celebrate the Sabbath with worship and fellowship, well some Sundays I mihself  don’t feel like going to church, but the Lord works on me and makes me feel guilty. In effect, He’s asking how I can encourage others to go to church and not do the same? Then I would be like the hypocrite Pharisees and them. So I force myself to go, even though I don’t feel like it since we’re not suppose to live by our emotions and feelings, but by what is right. One Sunday I didn’t go, and would you believe I felt guilty and miserable all day. (smile) It’s the old adage of  ‘do as I say, but not as I do.’ Like so many of us, who give good advice, but don’t heed it ourselves. Now here is one bit of wisdom I want us all to heed.  ‘The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.’ Those are Cousin Sol’s words, so there must be some truth to them.’ What does he mean? In the first place, it means that in all our endeavours we should always seek to rise up higher, aspire to standards of excellence, because that’s what our leader Jesus desires of us. In all our doings we must look for the right and understanding way, otherwise we’re not following Jesus. We will make mistakes occasionally because we’re human, and therefore not perfect, but the important thing is to be always searching for the uplifting, meaningful way; the manner in which Jesus would have handled the situation. Then, as Bruh Paul declares to the Philippians: ‘For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.’ (Phil.3:20-21) Bruh Paul had just told them to follow his example in their Christian walk and to be careful not to follow ‘the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is their destruction (eternal punishment), whose god is their belly (surrendering to their sensual desires of greed, gluttony, immorality etc.), and whose glory is in their shame (a shameful reputation), who mind earthly things (more concerned with earthly than heavenly things). (Phil.3:17-19) Yes friends, we the followers of Christ are citizens of heaven, and thus it’s to heavenly things we must look and aspire, not the matters of this sinful world. Look to Jesus the author of our faith, who, when He returns shall change, transform us, both in body and soul, inside and out, to be a perfect replica of Himself, through the same power by which God is able to subdue and control everything. So, in the traditional manner of seeing heaven above and hell beneath, all believers, the wise of the earth, ought to look heavenwards, for only good, wholesome, godly things flow from there. In this manner, we ‘may depart from hell beneath.’ My people, looking at life from an earthly perspective lowers our expectations and aspirations, doesn’t inspire us to excel. We fall into the trap of being like the majority, lost sheep, caught up in mediocrity, for that is what Lucifer wants and encourages; dumb, dumber, dumbest. He just wants you to go with the ordinary flow, and not think for yourself. That’s why his domain is pictured as hot and disgusting, of eternal darkness and damnation; no peace, no joy, no LOVE, mercy or forgiveness, for Lucifer is indeed a hard taskmaster. Meanwhile, Jesus’ yoke is easy, and His domain, heaven, is the exact opposite of Lucifer’s hell. Whether they’re real places or not mih Friends, I’m surely aiming and aspiring to go wherever Jesus is, because I know that HE is REAL. And besides, as Cousin Sol also said: ‘A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident (arrogant, self-confident). (Prov.14:16) Yes my people, this is one time I’m encouraging us to do just as I say; follow Jesus’ way cause it’s the right one. Whoever doesn’t, is either a madman or a fool, and I don’t want us to be either. Oh Friends, just for argument sake, even if all the things we believe in turn out to be untrue, then we’ve certainly led a decent, peaceful, LOVING life here on earth, the way it’s supposed to be lived. However, if it’s all true, and you don’t adhere to Jesus’ will here on earth, then Lucifer will be your master forever. I don’t know about you, but I definitely don’t want that to happen to me. However, we all must make our individual choices. I’m pleading with us, let’s make the wise and sensible choice; place your bets on a winner, Jesus; someone who’s already shown His great LOVE for us by giving His innocent life as a ransom for our terrible sins. Rest assured it will be to your great benefit, ending in salvation and eternal life with the Saviour. Much LOVE!…in life and death…there’s no need to hedge…cause Jesus is the sure winner…
 

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