Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 September 2009 Isaiah 44:22‏

13 Sep 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Isaiah 44:22     I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
 
Oh my wonderful Friends in Christ, on this beautiful Sunday September morn, that’s something we should be truly grateful for and show it by giving ecstatic thanks and everlasting praise! As the Good Book declares: ‘Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.’ (Isa.44:23) Yes my people, such was the monumental cleansing task our God promised that the prophet was moved to tell the inanimate objects of the universe to cry out in joy to their Creator. And Friends, so should we too, cause it was a masterful plan the Lord devised so that we weren’t lost to the enemy for all time. Yes Friends, the Lord’s our Redeemer! He promised to redeem Israel: ‘Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.’ (Isa.44:21) Wow! What a wonderful promise my people! We are the descendants of Jacob and Israel, which means He formed us too; we are His servants, and He shall not forget us. Oh give much praise and thanks to His Holy Name my brethren, for there’s none like Him! Furthermore, He says: ‘I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions.’ And all God’s people joyfully sang; ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ What a relief to know that our sins have been blotted out. That brings to mind the old days of ink and blotting paper. Only the ole fogies though would know about that. Those were the days when a piece of blotting paper was sometimes more valuable that gold, cause it could suck up the excess ink from the writings of our fountain or common pens, and make our work look fairly presentable. Also, when we spilled the ink on the paper, the blotting paper would absorb it without leaving a mess; like the paper towel companies now proclaim of their products. Sadly though people, all those things have gone the way of the dodo bird; extinct. Remember when a Parker fountain pen was to die for? You’d protect it with your life, if you were lucky enough to own one. Unfortunately, nowadays everything is the computer, the computer. Chuh! It annoys me. Children can no longer physically write, cause penmanship isn’t taught any more, and neither can they write proper English since everything is shortened or amended to fit the technology. This week I saw a headline in the newspaper: ‘Back to School: No more pencils, lots more fun.’ Steups! What happens when the computer breaks down eh? The whole world comes to a sudden stop and everybody immediately begins griping because they can’t do anything since their entire lives are now built around a man-made machine, loaded with flaws, which other men break into quite easily and further disrupt their lives. Yet we still sing the praises of a paper-less society and the realm of virtual reality. That’s why this generation has such a poor grasp of real reality; they have been so brainwashed with the virtual type that only takes one simple error to make it meaningless and useless. That’s why the saying, garbage in, garbage out, was coined. The computer has no sense of it’s own, only what we programme into it, and therefore escalates or increases our mistakes. Anyway, enough of my rant on the unwise, almost total dependability on the computer that we’re building for ourselves. (smile) Now where was I before you all got me off track? Hn, hn! Oh yes, we were talking about God blotting out our horrendous sins, just throwing a cloud, like a blanket over them, and obliterating them. Gone! And as He said earlier on; ‘I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.’ (Isa.43:25) Oh my Friends, how can we not LOVE, worship, adore and revere such a merciful, forgiving Being eh? But note people, He didn’t do it just for us, because we didn’t deserve it, but for His own sake. As He later instructed Ezekiel: ‘Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; I do this not for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, saith the Lord God, when I shall be sanctified (hallowed) in you before their eyes.’ (Eze.36:22-23) Oh Friends, how angry and disappointed our God must have been by our continual transgressions amongst the unbelievers, making a mockery of all He stood for. But true to His promise, with His awesome might, power and perspicacity, He was able to rectify the two wrongs, our sinfulness and the regretful tarnishing of His Holy Name with one fell stroke; sacrificing the life of His only Son Jesus Christ, cleansing us, and also reclaiming the glory of His Name. Oh mih people, I’ve run out of time and paper, so we’ll just have to continue this fascinating conversation tomorrow. (smile) Till then, our God willing, let’s promise ourselves to sincerely do our part nuh, which is to LOVE our God, and LIVE by His Word. Much LOVE!…oh what a Friend we have in Jesus…our hopes and sins to bear…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 September 2009 Psalm 139:23-24‏

12 Sep 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 139:23-24     Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
 
Yes Friends, I couldn’t just walk away from the beautiful, inspirational Psalm 139 without using another Bit from it. (smile) And these verses today are soul searching ones which had Bruh David crying out to his God for answers to some serious questions that only the Lord could answer. But before we get into that, here are some more interesting words attributed to Renier Giustina Michiel: ‘The world improves people according to the disposition they bring to it.’ And that’s an awesome truth we all should be aware of my brethren! Whatever attitude or disposition we take into or show the world, it will just accentuate it. For example, if we go out with a sour attitude, rest assured that it’s not going to become sweet, but rather more sour. We all know the type who seem as though sucking lemons is their past time; always negative, griping, grumbling, complaining and expecting the worse. But if we face the world with an open, positive, strong, expecting the best attitude, it surely tends to get better, though we also have this other extreme personality; the one that’s just too sweet and treacly. Both extremes turn us off because life is neither all sour nor all sweet, but more a middle way, hopefully leaning towards the sweet, positive side. And Friends, everyday before we go out to face the big, wide, fearful, confusing, violent, back stabbing world, we need to check our inner self to see what’s happening in there, to ensure that we have the right attitude or disposition that will enable us to handle whatever comes our way, in a manner that will please the Lord. That’s what Bruh David was basically doing when he cried out; ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me and know my thoughts.’ He wanted the Lord to do only what He could do; look deep inside him, read his heart, check out his anxious thoughts. To do like we do nowadays with our computers; use a virus scan to search for any unwanted, dangerous or detrimental bugs that would prevent them from working properly. Job expressed the same sentiment: ‘Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps? If I have walked with vanity, (falsehood) or if my foot hath hasted to deceive; Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know my integrity.’ (Job 31:4-6) Yes my people, Job is very concerned about his integrity, as we should be about ours. He felt that he was walking worthy of the Lord, and only asked that a well-balanced scale be used to judge him. Friends, do we feel the same way; that we’re walking worthy of the Lord, or at least trying to do that? I hope we do, because it’s the number one point on which we’re judged, both by society and our God. A Christian needs to ensure that his or her integrity is up to scratch, above board. It follows from the saying; ‘look after your character and your reputation will look after itself.’ My people, is our character worthwhile? Have we cried out to the Lord, as the Psalmist; ‘Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.’ (Ps.26:2) We need to do that every so often my people, to ensure that we’re walking in step with, and on the same path as Jesus. ‘And see if there be any wicked way in me.’ Don’t worry my Friends, if Jesus discovers any wicked or unwanted ways in you when He does that internal scan, He’ll find a way to let you know. And then, provided you’re really interested in improving your Christian ethic and walk, you can plead; ‘and lead me in the way everlasting.’ Bruh David pleaded for this several times. In Psalm 5, a prayer for protection, he cried out: ‘ Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face. For their is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.’ (Ps.5:8-9) Oh Friends, we all know people of that ilk, for we haven’t changed since Bruh David’s time, possibly become worse. That’s why we need to cry out to God once in a while for guidance and direction, to be able to avoid the integrity killing traps the enemy continually sets up for us. Bruh David wasn’t ashamed to do it, even though he was a powerful earthly king. The important thing is that he knew his shortcomings, also who could fix them, and wasn’t afraid or bashful to cry out for help. My people, in this stressful, wicked world of ours, none of us can lay claim to not being unnerved at some time or other, therefore we need to make it a habit to regularly call on our God to do a virus scan within us, and weed out any destructive, wicked or detrimental thoughts, desires or attitudes we may be harbouring. There’s no need to be ashamed or afraid to ask with a sincere and penitent heart: ‘Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name’s sake: for thy righteousness sake, bring my soul out of trouble.’ (Ps.143:10-11) And Friends, if He reads our hearts and sees we’re serious, then He’ll certainly grant our pleas. Much LOVE!…a heart that’s sincere and true…is what the Lord’s seeking…in me and you…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 September 2009 Psalm 139:7‏

11 Sep 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 139:7    Whither shall I flee from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
 
Ah my Friends and fellow followers of Christ, there’s a very good purpose and interesting reason why I chose a Bit from Psalm 139 today. However, it took me almost fifteen minutes to decide which verse to use. Verse 7 was always the most appropriate for today’s purpose, but since I’d used it already, I was wary of doing so again. Only when I checked the archives and saw that it was way back in January of 2008, that I decided to use it. In the big scheme of things it doesn’t really matter cause it’s all the Lord’s Word, but the ole fella’s a bit picky and likes to use something new each day, keep yuh on yuh toes, (smile) unless it can’t be helped, like today. And why was Psalm 139 so important? Remember, yesterday we talked about my friend who was so angry and disillusioned that she couldn’t read the Good Book, but I eventually got her to promise to open it and stare at Luke 23. Well I spoke to her today, and she did keep her promise. Unbeknownst to me, she knew what Luke 23 dealt with, but faithfully read it, while quietly cursing me, (smile) because she couldn’t see how it would help her. But Friends, our God, our Heavenly Father, our Creator, is such a powerful and wonderful Being that He misses nothing. According to my Friend, a bizarre thing happened while she was reading and stewing. She can’t explain it, but like the Good Book jumped out of her hands, and because it was an old one she’d had from childhood, she was afraid that if it fell to the ground, numerous pages would shake loose from the old binding. So she made a desperate, successful lunge to prevent that mishap from occurring. Wonder of wonders though, on regaining her composure, she discovered that the Good Book was now opened at Psalm 139. She proceeded to read it; at first still with a heart full of anger, but the more she read, the calmer she became, until most of the negative emotions had disappeared. Today she was able to laugh and talk with me, well on the way to recovering her former spiritual health. She was even spiritual enough to claim that it was most likely the hand of God that made the Good Book fall, then open at Psalm 139. And all God’s people sang: ‘Glory Hallelujah! Praise His Holy Name, for one of His children was sick, but now He hath made her whole! Amen!’ Oh my Friends, such is the might, the majesty and the caring heart of our God! He knows when we’re not right, and always finds a way to correct it. He caused me to dial the wrong number yesterday, then had me LOVINGLY, but adamantly talk her into picking up the Good Book, then He did the rest. If I hadn’t made that call yesterday, who knows what state she might have been in today eh? But through our Lord’s care, concern and machinations, she’s back on the path to glory today. Thank you, most LOVING Father! Oh Friends, the Spirit just decreed that the rest of the Bit will be taken up with some of the magnificent words and thoughts of Bruh David from Psalm 139. And who am I to say the spirit nay eh? (smile) Oh mih people, the Psalm’s so beautiful that the scholars term it one of the grandest in the entire Psalter. They also consider it one of the richest in theology, combining an exposition of the greatness of God’s character with the reality of human experience. Even the title is awe-inspiring: ‘The Everlasting Presence and Power of God!’ Yes my people, that says it all. Now let’s set the stage: Imagine Bruh David nuh, after the Lord has brought peace to his affairs, sitting quietly, in a meditative state of mind, someplace with no disturbances, so that he could concentrate at his leisure, on the wondrous works of his God. And since He’s a man of music, he possibly has a dulcimer, harp or some other musical instrument resting in his lap, quietly plucking away, while he intones these beautiful words to his Creator: ‘O Lord, thou hast searched me and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising; thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compasseth (comprehendeth) my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset (hedged) me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there; If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.’ (Ps.139:1-10) Oh mih people, those expressive words are chock-full of, crammed with truth and reason! Our God knows us inside and out; knows our every thought, word and feeling before we even express them, and closely follows our every footstep. We can’t run nor hide from Him, like my friend was trying to do, because His radar is on night and day, and we’re always, yes we’re constantly showing on His screen. Not a single move of ours escapes Him; be it night or day, in heaven or hell. Like a hound dog, He’s always hot on our trail, and try as we might, we can never shake or lose Him. And that’s such a refreshing, uplifting and encouraging situation my Friends, that we need to grasp it tightly and write it safely in our innermost parts, so that when the enemy comes slyly creeping, or like a roaring bully, we’ll be ever ready, with the unerring power of God’s Spirit to command him; ‘Get thee behind me Lucifer!’ Much LOVE Friends!…the Lord sees all…knows all…and will rectify all our problems……….according to His timetable…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 September 2009 Luke 23: 34‏

10 Sep 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Luke 23:34     Then said Jesus, Father forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment and cast lots.
 
Ah Friends, after being on a high yesterday, the Good Lord has brought me back down to earth, thankfully though, not with a resounding thud, but easily enough that my rear end wasn’t hurt. (smile) But He also showed me the other side of life, through a dear Friend who’s experiencing some family problems she just can’t seem to handle. But that’s for later. First, let me share a prayer that we all know, think and believe we should practice, but never, or very seldom do. It’s the Serenity Prayer. ‘God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.’ Oh my people, that’s the answer to life’s problems right there in a nutshell! We all claim to know it, but still try to do it on our own strength. And it also has to do with an important part of my story, my harrowing experience yesterday, (smile) that I forgot to mention. When I am finished writing the Bit, I watch one of my taped religious programmes. Yesterday morning it happened to be a Joyce Meyer show where she was interviewing a medical doctor, Dr. Don Colbert, an expert on stress. Apparently he gleaned his expertise the hard way, through personal experience. As a young medic, he felt the world was his to conquer, so he began putting too much stuff on his plate, which led to a heavy workload, poor eating and sleeping habits and finally a series of fairly serious illnesses. Luckily for him, he discovered before it was too late that most of his problems stemmed from his anxiety about life, from the stress he put on himself. The illnesses were the body’s way of responding, negatively of course, to the stress. And he points out that 75 to 90 percent of our illnesses are stress related, basically rooted in the stress and anxiety factor of our lives. That means, if we root out the stress, then we’ll root out most of the sickness in our society. Dr. Don says he eventually, though painfully brought the stress under control by right living and the Word. My point Friends, is that if the Lord hadn’t caused me to hear that message on stress yesterday, before I went out, I’m not so sure I would have responded so calmly in that annoying traffic jam. It’s just another example of Him giving us the tools to do or pass the tests He instigates. It’s also another way of showing that the Word is the best thing for us to store in our hearts and minds, cause we never know when it’s going to come in handy in real life. So please my people, let’s make it a serious habit, never to leave home without the Word. Now getting back to my friend. This evening I went to call one friend, but pushed the speed dial button for another one. On realizing my mistake, I decided to talk to her anyway and see how she was doing, cause I knew she had family problems. Unfortunately, she wasn’t doing very well. One thing led to another, until she mentioned reading a novel but at the end of each page couldn’t remember what she’d read. So I asked her if she’d read the Good Book. Friends, to put it mildly, I was most surprised at her response. Now she’s a good, mature believer, but from down the phone line, I gather that she reacted to my enquiry like when a venomous reptile lashes out at us; an automatic recoil. After a few quiet but emotional seconds, she stammered that that was the one book she couldn’t go near, because it just made her more angry and confused. To make a long story short, I pleaded with her, coaxed her to take it up and read it. But all to no avail. I could hear her tears in her answers and it really saddened me because she’s usually a strong emotional person. I even quoted her the Serenity Prayer. That only made her angrier, claiming that it was her mother’s favourite prayer, but she went through a miserable time before her death. This lady is well educated, and was a success in her field of endeavour before she retired. She has all the tools, knows all the rules, but just can’t seem to cope with the unfair and unfortunate things happening in her family. She knows she’s done her best. That the rest will have to be left to the other members of her family and God. She’s crying out for peace in her life, and knows that it’s only herself and the Good Book that can bring it to her soul, but somehow she can’t make that first step. However, as the Lord possibly planned it, during our conversation she mentioned that a copy of the Good Book was close by, close enough to touch. So I jumped on that and asked her to reach out and lay her hand on it. I was most surprised by her hesitation. But she eventually did place her hand on it. Then I asked her to open it. Just open it at some arbitrary place, as I sometimes do when I can’t find a Bit to write on. Surprisingly, there was again some hesitation. But she did comply a couple seconds later. And to my surprise, she called out that it had opened to Luke Chapter 23. I then asked if she could read it, but she claimed that the light was too dim. So I told her to pick it up and go to a lighted room where she could read it. Again, much to my surprise, I had a hard time convincing her to do it. I quoted Comrade Confucius theory that the longest journey begins with the first step, and she had already taken two; picked it up and opened it. In the long run, I finally got her to promise that she’d take it up, go to a well-lit place, open it at Luke 23 and stare at it. She wasn’t prepared to do more than that. I was quite satisfied with that though, because I knew that if she got that far, the Lord would do the rest. Ah mih Friends, it just goes to show that however mature and strong in the faith we are, that there’s something, we all have an Achilles heel, that sufficient tempting and cajoling from the enemy will make us not want to deal with the Word. And that’s why Friends and fellow believers, I now believe that my pushing the wrong speed dial button wasn’t just a mistake, but the direct hand of God, sending me to her, to try and uplift and encourage her, although she, in her misery, thought differently. Oh my people, what can I say? This life has become so topsy-turvy and confusing that all of us at times experience doubt, frustration and unbelief; times when we don’t want to hear the Word. But sadly, that’s the time when we most need it. I certainly hope my friend kept her promise and opened the Good Book at Luke 23. I know she’ll tell me truthfully. But yuh know too, is only later on I realized that my Bible must have also been close at hand since I’d just finished reading some prayers for my mother. But it never even occurred to me to open it and check what Luke 23 said. I can only believe that the Good Lord didn’t want me to do it, wanted her to read it for herself. And Friends, once again the Lord’s proven His foresight, for Luke 23 deals with the time Jesus was being shuttled back and forth between Pilate and Herod, mocked and abused then finally led away to Golgotha to be crucified. And some of His last words were: ‘Father forgive them; for they know not what they do.’ (Luke 23:34) I guess the Lord wanted her to read for herself how Jesus reacted forgivingly to His unfair and unfortunate trials and tribulations, hoping that she would take comfort and solace from it, and eventually do likewise. I certainly hoped it turned out that way, because my brethren when we don’t forgive, the person we hurt most is ourselves. Hn, hn, hn! I’m chuckling because I now have to go and look for a bit to serve this writing. (smile) But that’s what happens when the Spirit brings an overpowering topic to the table. And I have no doubts the Good Lord will guide me to the most appropriate one. So, till we meet again my Friends, if our God so desires: Much LOVE!…the Word, the Word…oh my people, the Word…in times of desperation… it’s always the first thing we should turn to…and not the last…like we tend to do…it’s the only thing that can bring us true peace of mind…  P.S. I opened the Good Book thinking to look first at Luke 23 for a Bit. But before I even got there, the Spirit decreed it in my mind.
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 September 2009 Luke 17:5‏

09 Sep 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Luke 7:5     And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
 
Oh Friends, oh Friends, oh Friends, I just can’t stop singing the praises of our most wonderful God and offering much heartfelt thanks! Why? Because he stepped into the breach today, (Tuesday) and solved a very pressing problem I had. Praise His Holy Name! If it hadn’t been solved then, I would have had to implement some stopgap measures today, (Wednesday) which would have eased the short-term woes in some respects, but possibly damaged the long run situation. Anyway, the Good Lord provided an eleventh hour solution that seems better than anything I could have come up with on my own, or as they say, ‘dreamed or imagined.’  The problem’s been simmering for the last few weeks, and I knew deep down that it would eventually be resolved satisfactorily, but there were some serious time constraints that I couldn’t overcome. However, the Lord, in His awesome power could, and most generously and mercifully did overcome them for me. Give Him much thanks and praise people! So Friends, I can testify that faith isn’t just a lot of hot air and idle talk by a bunch of fanatics, but is a truthful, wholesome method of getting ordinary, as well as extraordinary things accomplished in this crazy world. The sad part though, is that I have a couple of other problems I’ve been asking Him to help me solve, but on those He just ignores me, sometimes barely alleviating the pressure so that I can bear it, but generally leaving me with the status quo, not directing me whether to give up on them, or simply work harder. But yuh know mih people, with this other problem apparently solved to everyone’s satisfaction, I can handle the others without too many headaches because I know that it’s only a matter of time before they come to a head, and then He’ll guide me to a successful solution. Praise the Lord! And Friends, you all would have been so proud of the ole fella since the Lord didn’t make it easy, for as I was en route to try and resolve the problem, I got caught in a horrific traffic jam along the busy 401 Highway. It took me over an hour and a half, from about 3.40 p.m to 5.15 to travel from Dufferin to Leslie Streets, a journey that would normally take less than ten minutes. Surprisingly, the ole fella never lost his cool, didn’t let the stop and start traffic stress him out, even when vehicles in the centre and supposedly slow lanes were moving faster than the fast lane that I was in. I just turned on my A/C, punched up some Tabanca tunes on the jukebox and sang along, constantly reminding myself that it was just a test. Hn! And what a test it was. Some of the slow tunes were even moving faster than the traffic. When I finally got to the Leslie Street exit, all the traffic in the express lanes was being herded on to the narrow shoulder as the four lanes of the highway were covered in what seemed to be glass particles. It looked as though a truck parked on the opposite shoulder, loaded with glass panels had dropped one or more on the busy highway just at the start of the evening rush hour. Yes Friends, the ole fella passed the test! Wow! Give our great God some thanks and praise for that since I couldn’t have done it without His help! And if yuh think the Lord doesn’t move in mysterious ways, then check this out. On my way back home, I punched up my jukebox, (smile) C.D player, and would you believe that the first tune to come blaring out at me was ‘Amazing Grace,’ my favourite version to boot, done in reggae style by an old time steelband from the Bahamas. His Grace is truly amazing my people. Never doubt it. And now that I’ve written all that, given my testimony for today, I’ve got to go and find a Bit to head it up. Yes, (smile) I’ve written the body before finding the Bit, because this once, I knew exactly what I intended to write. And I know the Good Lord will help me find one since I’m trying to follow His dictates. Oh, I forgot, there was another test on the way home, another traffic jam. I almost failed this one though, because it was after 9 o’clock at night and by then I was somewhat tired from being on the road for so long. But again, I reminded myself that it was a test, so I plucked up the faith and strength from deep down and kept my cool. This one though was much shorter, only about fifteen minutes. God is Good! That’s for sure Friends, cause if that last jam had been much longer, I might just have lost my cool. Ah, what a day! A good one though. I passed two of the Lord’s tests with flying colours and He solved my most pressing problem. Remember Friends, timing is everything, and our God excels at that. Oh, our God; the Master Timer! I hope this recital of my harrowing experience (smile) brings a smile to all your faces and a chuckle to your hearts, lightening whatever loads you’re bearing, but also offering some encouragement that regardless of what the naysayers think, anything is possible when you trust, obey and depend on the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, for He is the One True God, the Creator of our beautiful universe, our Guide, Protector and Provider. So please, let’s keep on believing, keep on LOVING our God and LIVING our Faith. Till tomorrow then, God willing:Much LOVE!...nothing bolsters the Word…like personal testimony… P.S. I looked at a few verses for the Bit, but from the moment I laid eyes on this one, I knew it was the right verse.   
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 September 2009 Romans 8:32‏

08 Sep 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Romans 8:32    He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
 
Well hello there, my most adorable Friends in Christ Jesus! I hope this blessed day brings oodles of blessings to us all. Unfortunately though, we know that some will face tribulation, it’s just the way of life. However, for those, we pray that the Good Lord will mercifully imbue and inspire them with the faith, strength and courage necessary to stand steadfast and strong in the face of those untimely trials and eventually overcome them. This we pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen. And people, there’s no reason why He shouldn’t do that since He’s promised it on many occasions in His Word. And if we ‘re sure of nothing else, we’re absolutely, positively sure that our God is a stickler for His Word. Hallelujah! Today’s Bit verifies and strengthens that premise. ‘He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?’ Now I think that’s a question not even worth considering, much less asking. Why? Because the Scriptures say that ‘God so LOVED the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life?’ (John 3:16) Now, I’m sorry, but I’m not willing to sacrifice any of my children. Or let’s just say that I haven’t yet reached that level of mature faith. (smile) However, if our God was so magnanimous to sacrifice His only Son, possibly the hardest thing one can ask of a parent, and all for a bunch of unworthy sinners, why then wouldn’t He give us all the other comparatively trivial and less important things that go to make up our earthly lives, especially if we obey His dictates and believe in His Son? There’s no reason at all Friends. As Bruh Paul says: ‘For when we were yet without strength, in due time, (at the right time) Christ died for the ungodly…But God commendeth (demonstrated) his LOVE toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.'(Rom.5:6,8) Why make that most heartbreaking of sacrifices, if we’re going to be refused the smaller things we need to enjoy, appreciate or wisely use the benefits of the sacrifice? The earthly example that first comes to mind Friends is our breaking our backs working to send our children to school, then turning around and denying them the things like pen, paper, books, etc. that they need to get the education we so badly desire for them. Why make the big sacrifice, then withhold the lesser things needed to make the sacrifice worthwhile? In the verse before the Bit, Bruh Paul actually puts it quite simply and effectively. ‘What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who then can be against us?’ (Rom.8:31) Nobody, my people, nobody! There’s no one or nothing in the universe that can stand against us if the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is in our corner. Please remember that my breddren! Write it deep in our hearts souls and minds, that the Creator of the Universe and all therein is our Guide, Provider and Protector! And it’s not new either. Long before Jesus came along, Moses told the Israelites the same thing. ‘When thou goest out to battle…and seest…a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy God is with thee…and when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people…Hear O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them. For the Lord your God is he that goeth with you to fight for you against your enemies to save you.’ (Deut,20:1-4) Oh Friends, nothing in that promise has changed over the years, though in this modern society, every day seems like a battle royal. Before we even leave our homes to go out and labour, in fact before we even get out of bed, the evil enemy, Lucifer and his cohorts begin rising up to assail us with their evil thoughts and schemes. But my people, just like Moses told the Israelites, I’m telling us that we need not fear the enemy’s onslaught if we are well grounded in the Word and the sacrificial blood of Christ, for Jesus has successfully rebuked Lucifer and overcome the world, and all those who put their sincere trust and faith in Him have the awesome power to do the same through His Spirit that indwells all believers. The important thing my Friends is to trust, to believe, to have faith, and continually work on them, for remember, faith is not static, neither is our Christian belief; they are action oriented, and if we’re not constantly working on enhancing them, then we’ll fall behind, backslide and not be able to resist the subtle wiles of the evil one as we should. It comes right back to, ‘if you don’t use it, you lose it.’ It’s like the muscles we build when we consistently exercise; the moment we stop or become inconsistent, those muscles lose their strength, tone and good looks and become flabby. It’s the same with our faith Friends. Though we don’t want it tried too often or too hard, if it’s not tried, then it’s useless, it won’t grow or develop to maturity, which is what our Lord Jesus desires. Anyway my people, it’s extremely important that we strongly believe if the Lord gave His Son Jesus as a sacrifice for our sins, then there’s every reason He’ll give us whatever else we need to live a godly life in this ungodly world. That’s Lesson 1 in Faith 101. And we need to pass that test before we can move on to Lesson 2. I know they’re not easy. And don’t think that because I’m writing all this scriptural stuff that I have it down pat and just easily wing my way through it. On the contrary Friends, I have it just as difficult, if not more so, because I’m not only called on to write it, but also to practice what I preach, and we know that’s not always easy. So please, don’t get the mistaken impression that I’m this man of such exceeding faith, for like you, I’m learning too. My faith is also being tested to see if I can make the grade. So you all have to work with me here. (smile) Oh, and pray for me too, that I’ll do justice to what I write about the Word, LOVE our God, and LIVE Our Faith. In closing, please remember that He ‘Who was delivered (sacrificed) for our offenses, was raised again for our justification.’ (Rom.4:25) Yes Friends, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ died for us, and was raised again, justifying that His death paid the enormous penalty for our sins, therefore we are all entitled to seek His righteousness. Much LOVE!…to achieve, or appreciate the best… sometimes we need to suffer the worst…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 September 2009 Nehemiah 9:33‏

07 Sep 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Nehemiah 9:33    Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought against us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly.
 
Well Friends, it’s Labour Day, the end of the summer holidays; children go back to school and parents back to work, the lucky few who still have jobs. It certainly won’t be a day of celebration like it used to be with the loss of so many millions of jobs. Sadly, Labour Day also tells us that the freedom of summer is over and fall winds will soon start a blowing. And believe me, some real cold winds will be blowing over many unfortunate families this winter; those who’ve either lost their jobs or their life’s savings in the current financial and economic collapse. But overall, we still need to ‘Lie down and listen to the crab grass grow, the faucet leak, and learn to leave them so.’ That’s Marya Mannes advice. And she does make sense, because with all the hustle and bustle of modern day society we tend to want to do everything at once, though we know it’s impossible. We need to learn to take our time, take everything in stride; do the things we can, and not allow the others to stress us out. In many cases those others are relatively unimportant anyway. We have to learn to prioritize our lives though the world seems intent on making us all type A personalities; driven, always on the go. But Friends that attitude only leads to unnecessary stress, strain, sickness and disappointment. Then one thing inevitably leads to another: that busyness doesn’t allow us time for God, sometimes even for those who truly want to honour and praise Him. That’s another ruse that the enemy uses to distract us from God. But my people, just as we make time for all the worldly distractions, we have to make time to slow down and smell the roses; take a deep inhalation of their wonderful, God-given fragrance, then let it slowly permeate our senses and entire beings. And most important of all; WE HAVE TO MAKE TIME FOR ALMIGHTY GOD! That is our bounden duty as believers, as followers of Christ. And not only time Friends, but QUALITY time. The Israelites suffered needlessly because they forgot their God, the mighty One who had single handed brought them out of Egyptian bondage, fed them supernaturally with manna and water in the wilderness, led them by a pillar of smoke by day and a pillar of fire by night. ‘But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments. And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst amongst them.’ (Neh.9:16-17) Ah my people, does that sound familiar? If we’re truthful, the answer would be a resounding, ‘yes!’ We have foolishly done the same things the Israelites did; forsaken the Lord our God, who caused us to prosper when we were obedient to His law. We listened to the lies and false teachings of Beelzebub and his evil lieutenants, and stupidly believed that all we’d achieved was through the work of our own hands. Unfortunately, we allowed the enemy to make us forget Bruh Paul’s word of wisdom: ‘I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.’ (1 Cor.3:6) That’s the gospel truth Friends! And until we acknowledge that and begin acting it out, then we’ll be forever blighted and entrenched in ‘sufferation.’ Until we confess our wrongs and shortcomings like the priests and Levites finally did, we’ll be cast down like evildoers. We have to admit; ‘Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us: for thou hast done right, (faithfully) but we have done wickedly.’ There are no doubts about that mih people. We have exceeded the Israelites in sinfulness and evil. We’ve brought it to a level that the Israelites could never even dream or imagine. That’s why we’re paying such a terrible price of confusion and conflict right now. As Daniel said: ‘Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the Lord our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.’ (Dan.9:14) Ah my people, I wish I knew the magic words or actions that would be certain to turn us back to our God, for we’ll keep falling further and further from grace if we don’t. As the Psalmist bewailed: ‘We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.’ (Ps.106:6) By the way, that Psalm is titled, ‘Israel sins against God’s LOVE.’ What shame and disgrace my people that we have not learned, but done the same unwise thing. We either conveniently forgot, or blatantly ignored the fact that, ‘Righteous art thou, O Lord, and upright are thy judgements. Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful.’ (Ps.119: 137-138) And like we’ve also forgotten that there’s a most serious price to be paid for disobedience to God: ‘And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous unto eternal life.’ (Mat.25:46) Those are Jesus’ words Friends, and He puts it nicely, not mentioning the hell fire, death, eternal wandering and damnation. Oh my people, all I can say is let’s learn from our mistakes. It’s not too late. If we sincerely want to be eased of the heavy, burdensome yoke that we now bear, there’s only one way to do it; cry out to God! So, like the Psalmist did, let’s all cry out with sincere hearts: ‘Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord.’ (Ps.106:47-48) And having cried out for redemption my people, let’s now go out and ardently, diligently, do what’s required of us nuh: LOVE our God, and LIVE our Faith. Much LOVE!…the price of sin is eternal death…but of faithfulness…everlasting life…choose wisely…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 September 2009 Psalm 9:10‏

06 Sep 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 9:10     And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.
 
Oh my beautiful Friends, it’s another new day, with new mercies, new blessings, new beginnings and new endings! Praise the Lord! Everyday our lives dance like a yo-yo, up and down, and sometimes sideways too. (smile) And unfortunately, that’s the way our faith behaves too. It ebbs and flows with the prevailing circumstances that surround us at any particular time. One minute it’s positive and vibrant, the next foggy and clouded with doubt. But as Havelock Ellis is reputed to have said; ‘No faith is our own that we have not arduously won.’ And that’s so true. Whatever faith we have has been attained one step at a time, through rigorous and oftimes difficult circumstances. However, that’s the only way faith can be built; by experiencing stuff that tries us, that tests our very mettle, our belief and trust in an unseen, Spiritual Being we call God. But luckily for us, there’s one thing in this ever changing, ever mutating, chameleon-like world that remains constant and unchanged; the steadfast faithfulness of the very Being we term God. He remains forever constant and true, and it’s why Bruh David could adamantly declare; ‘And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.’ Yes my people, there is no one, dead or alive, who can truthfully say that they sought the Lord with a sincere heart and He turned them away, or did not respond to their pleas. That’s just the kind of God we revere and worship; one of truth, mercy, justice, LOVE, forgiveness and an awesome power to back it all up! Those are all such intrinsic parts of His nature that in Psalm 91, the hallmark of security writings, titled, ‘God is a refuge and fortress,’ it led the Psalmist to proclaim of our God: ‘Because he hath set his LOVE upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.’ (Ps.91:14-16) And what did God’s people do? They shouted in unison, ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ and acknowledged Him in song. Yes friends, it’s all a matter of trust. And so many successful men have put their trust in the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that we’d be foolish not to follow suit. Moses advised the Israelites early on in their travels that even though they become ungodly, they can turn back to Him in obedience; ‘For the Lord thy God is a merciful God; he will not forsake thee neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.’ (Deut. 4:31) And possibly the most famous promise of them all; that of the Lord to Joshua on his becoming leader of the Israelites. ‘There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so will I be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.’ (Josh.1:5) But as always Friends, there is a part for us to play; obedience to His law. ‘Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.’ (Josh.1:7) The same goes for us today my people. If we trust in the Lord and obey His dictates, He’ll preserve us from harm and cause us to prosper wherever we go. But if we don’t, then we’re fair game for Lucifer and his army of infidels. And if your heart is still hard, like Pharaoh’s was, then listen to Isaiah when he talks about the Lord, the Only Redeemer. ‘When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle (scorch) upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour.’  (Isa.43:2-3) Ah mih people, there’s been a living example of everything in that passage. The Israelites crossed the Red Sea on dry land, then did the same across the River Jordan, while Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego were placed in a furnace seven times hotter than usual and came out alive, with not a scorch on them, not even smelling of smoke. So there we have our faithful God fulfilling some of His more unfathomable by man promises, to those who came to Him in faith. And we all know that kind of faith isn’t easy to come by; but with diligent study of the Word, and regular fellowship with other believers, we can all upgrade our faith, one step, one day at a time. Oh Friends, there’s no other supposed deity that has made, or can deign to make the promises our Lord and keep them. And though we all have problems, some we can handle and others we can’t, just remember what Jesus said: ‘These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33) So we’ve only got to put our trust in Him and He’ll help us overcome them. And in closing, here are some special words from a special person who epitomized the word faith in modern times. ‘I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a LOVE letter to the world.’ Yes Friends, those are the words of Mother Teresa. Yesterday was the anniversary of her death in 1997. The Lord led me to a little blurb in the newspaper so that I could share it with you in His letter of LOVE, from my much smaller pencil. Much LOVE! Let’s LOVE our God…and LIVE our Faith…there’s no better way…than to trust and obey…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 September 2009 Lamentations 2:19‏

05 Sep 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Lamentations 2:19     Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street.
 
Oh my Friends, today I was led to the Lamentations of Jeremiah. I don’t know if it’s because the Lord is doing, or planning to do to us what he did to Judah in the days of their total ungodliness, where violence and destruction reigned, hunger and poverty ran rampant, sickness and disease were a constant scourge, the prophets couldn’t prophesy, or the priests preach because the Word of the Lord was absent from their hearts and mouths. But it just seems that basically the same state of affairs exists in our world today, where ungodliness is ruling the roost, while all sorts of negative, apocalyptic things are happening; the same violence and wars, unusual natural disasters, overwhelming poverty and hunger in the midst of plenty, mothers crying for their dying children, Christians still being persecuted for their beliefs, no recognizable prophets and numerous priests preaching falsehood, etc. etc. The list of negative stuff can be as long as we choose. However mih people, the blood letting and all the other unfortunate happenings won’t stop unless, and until, we turn back to the God from whom we so foolishly and unwisely walked away from in this last generation, and continue to do today. We need to tear down all the altars and destroy all the idols to the evil one that we’ve taken to worshipping; get rid of the worldly lusts of the flesh that we’ve allowed to rule our lives. Oh my people, to have any hope of deliverance, we desperately and sincerely need to repent of the ungodly behaviour that’s become our ruling passion rather than the exception. It’s absolutely necessary for us to stop the evil, the wickedness that’s attacking the very heart and nature of mankind. Until we do that, we’re just going to keep plummeting faster and faster to an unfortunate date with a destiny of destruction, chaos, lamentation, weeping and gnashing of teeth, with Lucifer being the evil, incompetent, inefficient, useless leader. Oh Friends, we must prevent this disastrous occurrence! And the only way to do that is by waking up from our sinful slumber and finding again that awesome, faithful, forgiving, unconditionally LOVING, merciful God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And we do that by repenting of our folly. He’s a merciful God; He’ll forgive, but we must come to Him NOW. As Jeremiah says; ‘Arise, cry out in the night.’ And I say, in the day time too. We need to do like Bruh David. ‘I cried with my whole heart; hear me O Lord: I will keep thy statutes. I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies. I prevented (rose before) the dawning of the morning, and cried (for help). I hoped in thy word.’ (Ps.119:145-147) But Friends, we’ve got to be sincere, for remember the Lord doesn’t only hear our words, but sees and reads our hearts. That’s what He uses to assess our situations. So if we make those promises, we must be very serious about keeping them and not backsliding like we’ve done. Oh Friends, I can’t help but like Jerry’s next bit of advice: ‘In the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord.’ Yes mih breddren, we’ve got to get on our knees, prostrate ourselves and just let all the hurt, pain and regret flow sincerely from our broken hearts and saddened souls. We need to do whatever it takes to convince Him that we’re serious and it’s not just a passing fad or fancy. We have to recapture that intense longing for God. We’ve got to reach the point where we can truthfully declare, like the Psalmist: ‘As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?’  (Ps.42:1-3) Yes my people, it’s that sort of intense desire we must develop if we hope to make things right with our God. Then, as Bruh David strongly advocates, we must ‘Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.’ (Ps.62:8) Oh Friends, HE is the ONLY refuge! Consequently, ‘lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street.’ Oh my brethren, our children not only faint for lack of food, but they are also being needlessly, wickedly gunned down, stabbed with Beelzebub’s sword, cruelly murdered in the streets. Anger and violence have come to rule their hearts. Isaiah said it well: ‘Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of the fury of the Lord, the rebuke of thy God.’ (Isa.51:20) And all God’s people said a sad, heartrending, ‘Amen,’ because it’s the truth. Oh Friends, there’s no doubt that we’re being rebuked by the Most High God Jehovah for turning away from Him. Now, if we are as wise as we claim, having seen the light of Jesus, shining through the darkness of the enemy, let’s do the right thing, the smart thing nuh; cry out to Him in sincere repentance and change our wicked ways; once again begin to live a life becoming of Him and upholding His statutes as we earlier promised, but sadly, foolishly reneged on. Much LOVE mih people!…to the foolish…the world is his oyster…but the wise know…that it’s God who creates the pearls…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 September 2009 2 Corinthians 12:9‏

04 Sep 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

2 Corinthians 12:9     And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
 
Ah my beautiful Friends, this is a significant aspect of scripture, re the testing of our faith, and in particular how Bruh Paul handled his weaknesses. But before we get into all the whys and wherefores, let’s hear a quote that shows what the end result of all our actions should be. ‘My message is peace of mind, not curing cancer, blindness, or paraplegia… Anyone who is willing to work at it can achieve it.’ That’s attributed to one Bernie S. Siegel, and he preaches the gospel truth there. The end product, the goal of all our doings should be peace of mind, my Friends. That means coming to terms with all that’s right, wrong or indifferent in our lives. Bruh Paul finally got it when he realized that the thorn in his flesh, whatever it was, was God’s way of keeping him from exalting himself, from boasting of his many and varied accomplishments. And it’s three times he asked the Lord to remove his affliction. (2 Cor.12:7-8) To which the Lord replied: ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Exactly my people! The Lord’s strength, His almighty power is shown in our frailties, our weaknesses. When we are too weak to perform our tasks, He steps in and lends us His awesome strength to complete them. It’s a resounding testimony to His grace and faithfulness, allowing others to see us operating successfully under great stress and strain through His generous help, thereby adding to the glorification of His Holy Name. Nobody knows what Bruh Paul’s ‘thorn in the flesh, messenger of satan,’ was, though the scholars claim that a strong argument could be made for eye problems, ophthalmia. However, using the scriptures they quote as possible proof, I disagree. (Acts 13:9; 23:1. Galatians 4:14-15; 6:11) You can check them for yourselves and see what you think. Among some of the other views put forward are; temptation from Lucifer, opposition from his adversaries, some intense bodily pain, a recurring physical affliction, such as the eye problems, even some form of mental or psychological disturbance. Hn! But whatever it was, it caused him pain, and possibly embarrassment. And we all know a thing or two about thorns in the flesh, especially the old codgers, like me. I have so many that I can’t even count them, and after hearing God’s response to Bruh Paul, I certainly don’t ask Him to take them away, afraid He’ll tell me the same thing. (smile) But He does ease them up occasionally. The important thing though my Friends, is that we don’t allow whatever physical, mental or emotional drawbacks we face, to prevent us from doing the Lord’s work, the plans that He’s put in our hearts. As you can see, it never stopped Bruh Paul. As he says; ‘Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.’ That follows on from what he said in the previous chapter. ‘If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.’ (2 Cor.11:30) Apparently some of the Corinthians were downplaying his efforts and achievements as an apostle, so he was enumerating some the many hardships and trials he’d been through for the gospel’s sake, but he was only willing to boast about his weaknesses. As he declares later on: ‘I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.’ (2 Cor.12:11) He’s not really boasting, just stating the fact that though he suffered a lot for the gospel’s sake, he was not properly appreciated, and held in much lower esteem that some of the other apostles. Likewise my people, instead of boasting of our great accomplishments, which in any case come through our Lord’s grace and magnanimous favour, we ought to be more concerned with our weaknesses; those areas in which we can’t do much on our own, but desperately need God’s help to set them right. As Bruh Paul goes on to say; ‘Therefore I take pleasures in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.’ (2 Cor. 12:10) And all God’s people said a rousing, ‘Amen!’ That’s an indisputable fact mih breddren! When we undergo negative situations, but persevere to the end, through our faith and the stalwart Spirit of Christ operating in us, then we are really showing our innermost strength, our belly and backbone. The negativity could be physical, mental or emotional, but such that we don’t have the strength to fight it on our own. That’s when we need to call on the Lord, to dig down deep in our souls and find the wherewithal to stand strong. As Peter says ‘If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.’ (1 Pet.4:14) Oh so true my people! When we suffer insults and negative actions in Jesus’ name, then we should be thrilled because God’s Spirit rests on us; He is proud of us for standing strong on His behalf. The perpetrator of the negative action won’t be looked upon kindly, but by being steadfast and true, we’ll be glorifying Jesus’ Name. And Friends, there’s no better act that we can perform. So my people, though we have all sorts of aches, pains and thorns, not only in the flesh, but also in the mind and soul, let’s try to rise above them, use them to bolster our faith and thereby glorify our wonderful God, whose strength is made perfect in our weakness. That’s the only way we’ll ever achieve peace of mind. Much LOVE!...though trials persist…and tribulations abound…yet in my God…will I find strength to persevere and overcome…
 

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