Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 September 2009 Isaiah 40:13‏

03 Sep 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Isaiah 40:13     Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counselor hath taught him?
 
Oh Friends, our God is a most wonderful Being! Please have no doubts about that. I say it with such conviction because when I came down to my office to write the Bit just now, I was somewhat under the weather, my allergies are acting up, and since I’d been out all evening, I never had the time to look for a Bit. So here I am, looking from pillar to post, finding several interesting topics, but not possessing the mental wherewithal to tackle them. Finally, after about fifteen fruitless minutes, I sat back in frustration and lamented: ‘Lord, I don’t know what to write about nuh, but I have to write something. So please show me something that I can get my head around.’ Now my Bible was open at Genesis, for I’d been contemplating writing something about Bruh Joseph, but doubted I’d do it justice, so after pleading for guidance, I just arbitrarily lifted up a portion of the Good Book and turned it over. Lo and behold, it opened to Isaiah 40, where verse 13 caught my eye, and a li’l thrill of joy echoed in my grateful heart and brought to my mouth, the words, ‘Thanks Lord.’ Yes Friends, in times of need, our faithful and trustworthy God does answer the cry of those who believe in Him. I can’t give any better testimony than that. Now I’m wide awake and mentally capable of accomplishing my task. But enough about the messenger, let’s get to the message. And the question for today my people is a very weighty and important one, namely: ‘Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counselor hath taught him?’ It’s a very good question mih Friends, but it has a very simple answer; No One! Yes my people, nobody taught our God anything, for He is the very Beginning of Everything. There was nothing before Him, and nothing will be after Him. When Moses asked God His name at the burning bush what was the answer? ‘And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: …Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you…The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.’ (Ex.3:14-15) Wow, mih people! Imagine Moses’ trepidation and astonishment nuh, after having the audacity to ask His Name, he got that jolting response; ‘I AM THAT I AM.’ But what does it all mean? According to scholarly thought, ‘The significance of the name of God, I AM THAT I AM, constitutes the idea that the ‘I AM’ reveals God as the Being who is absolutely self-existent, and who Himself, possesses essential life and permanent existence.’ That means our God is the only being in the universe that doesn’t owe His existence to Creation. He is entirely independent of that circumstance. And as John heard in his vision: ‘I am 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) Praise His Most Holy and Mighty Name my people! That means Isaiah’s questions though seriously posed, were entirely redundant. ‘With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgement, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?…To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him?’ (Isa.40:14,18) The answer to them all is, NOBODY! That’s because our God is independent of the Creation miracle, doesn’t owe His existence to it, like everyone and everything else does. Per the scholars; ‘The only limits to God’s freedom are in His own nature and attributes. He is unlimited in His existence. Because His existence relates to His nature rather than His will, God will exist forever. He who exists by reason of His nature rather than His volition must have existed – and must continue to exist – forever.’ And all God’s people joyfully raised their united voices in praise: ‘Glory Hallelujah, to Him that was the first and will be the last!’ Ah Friends, the scholars’ explanations are just a tad too deep for the ordinary man. In any case, it’s not worth trying to figure out our God; asking all the things that we ask of our fellow man, like where He came from and what He looks like, since we’ll never come up with answers that satisfy our simple minds. Let’s just acknowledge that HE IS! Remember, that’s what faith is all about! And we have enough proof of His reality, of His living presence, through His Holy Word and all the explainable and unexplainable things that have happened, are happening, and will happen in our world, and also in our personal lives. Let’s not forget that His ways and thoughts are also higher than ours. Ours is not to wonder or reason why, just to follow His lead, and when He says jump, to jump as high as we can. We know He’ll never forsake or lead us astray cause He’s promised it, and He faithfully keeps all His promises. Oh Friends, we are so lucky, so blessed to have such an awesome and wonderful God, who takes time to cherish and console each of His children. All we have to do is follow some simple rules and rest in His care, comfort and concern. All our doubts, fears, problems, whatever, we can carry to Him without fear of rejection. He is ready, waiting, willing and most able to handle them. So basically we shouldn’t worry or fret over anything, neither food, clothing, money or shelter, for as Jesus said in Matthew 6:25-34, our God knows all our wants and needs, and if He looks after the birds, He’ll certainly look after us, who are way more important. ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.’ (Mat.6:33) That’s how big, kind-hearted, and caring our God is my Friends. Our only concern should be to worship and revere Him, not contend with His beginnings or ending. As Bruh Paul wisely put it. ‘For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.’  (Rom.11:36) Much LOVE mih people!…from whence He came, or whither He goes…we need not know…just that He is ever present …
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 September 2009 1 Corinthians 6:19‏

02 Sep 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

1 Corinthians 6:19     What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
 
Yes Friends, it was another beautiful summer’s day in my area! I sincerely hope it was in yours too, and that many of the Lord’s new mercies and blessings flowed down on you and yours, making your life somewhat easier and more interesting than if you were devoid of that rich spiritual force. Wow! Bruh Paul surely would have been proud of that sentence. (smile) Anyway, here’s an interesting quote on spirituality, by Israel Salanter Lipkin. ‘Spirituality is like a bird: if you hold on to it tightly, it chokes, and if you hold it loosely, it escapes.’ It makes sense. If we hold on to our spirituality too tightly, in this case our Christian faith, and are rewarded with all we ask for or seek, then that faith will become weak, because as we’ve always said, faith is hoping, expecting without seeing, not knowing if, how, when or where. But if we get everything we expect and hope for, then we become like robots, without feeling, or like spoiled brats, who get all their hearts desires but appreciate nothing. However, if we assume the opposite view, where we never get anything we expect, then that kills our faith. What good is hoping, expecting or waiting for something you know you’ll never receive eh? Therefore, it seems best that our spirituality should be of the balanced kind, where we expect the Lord to help us in times of need, but we must also do our best to provide for ourselves. Remember, we are partners in this with the Lord; we have our part to play, and He has His. We know He will never shirk His responsibility, so it’s left up to us, the lazy, naturally sinful man to pull our weight, if we want to see positive results. So what’s our part, you ask, and how do we accomplish it? First off, we’ve got to acknowledge Bruh Paul’s words. ‘What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?’ Don’t forget Friends that we are two beings; a carnal, fleshly being, namely our physical bodies, and also a spiritual being which inhabits that physical body for our earthly life. That spiritual entity is of God; a replica of His invisible, omnipotent, omniscient presence through which He communicates with us. And it doesn’t belong to us, nor is it there for our purposes, that’s why we have limited control over it. Hear Bruh Paul explain it to the Roman Church; ‘For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.’ (Rom.14:7-8)  End of story. But since we are God’s property in whatever state we are, we have certain responsibilities, which caused Bruh Paul to admonish the Corinthians in the early part of his letter: ‘Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.’ (1 Cor.3:16) Here he’s referring to the local church, not the individual believers. But who makes up, or constitutes the church? Individual believers. So, by extension, we all have that Spirit in us that’s a sanctuary for our Holy God, and we are each responsible individually, as well as collectively, to ensure that that temple is not destroyed, desecrated or defiled in any manner. And that happens when we veer towards the lusts of the flesh, rather than to those of the spirit. On that topic, Bruh Paul had some strong words of advice for the Corinthians in his second letter. ‘Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.’ (2 Cor.6:14-16) Yes Friends, as believers we ought to be in the world, but not of the world, so that we can bring unbelievers to Christ. This though puts a great strain on the steadfastness of our faith, for it means living amongst all the glitz, glamour and evil lusts of the flesh that Lucifer advances, but still living a Holy life, reflecting God’s nature. That means staying away from actions, influences or persons that will contaminate us, or lead us astray. It’s not an easy feat to accomplish my Friends, especially if we’re spiritually immature as the Corinthian Church was, when Bruh Paul wrote them. However, like he said to them: ‘But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.’ (1 Cor.15:57-58) Yes my people, spiritual victory is possible over the carnal flesh if we work with the guiding, helpful Spirit of Jesus that indwells us all. That’s our part that Bruh Paul spelled out, and if we do it, then Christ will certainly do His. Much LOVE!…anything in the body that’s not godly…defiles God’s holy temple… 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 September 2009 John 17:2‏

01 Sep 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

John 17:2     As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
 
Oh Friends, can you believe it’s September already and schools will be opened next week? But it was another beautiful summer’s day in Southern Ontario! A tad cool in some places, but overall warm enough to be considered summer weather, though how much longer it will last, is anybody’s guess. However, today, while driving by a little country church, I spotted what seemed to be an interesting announcement on their bulletin board at the front of the property. At first I only had a brief glance at it and wasn’t sure of what I’d seen, just knew that it was something interesting. I therefore stopped and reversed about twenty yards through the four-way intersection I’d just come through so that I could read it properly. And it simply said: ‘Life. Your only chance. Eternity. The Payback.’ I chuckled at its simplicity, but was astounded by the great truth, the eventful message it proclaimed.   Life is indeed our only chance my people to get ready for the big payback; eternity. I didn’t even bother to write it down, so seared was it in my memory. But would you believe that when time came to write the Bit, I contemplated all sorts of other stuff before really considering those poignant words? Our Lord though moves in mysterious ways and finally guided me to the words of His Son that He desired me to write on. Now the scholars claim that Chapter 17 of John is the real ‘Lord’s Prayer,’ and is often referred to as the High Priestly Prayer of Christ, because He first prays for Himself, then His own – the twelve disciples, (vs.6) and all who will believe. (vs.20) They’re saying that what we consider the Lord’s Prayer is just a guideline Jesus gave for our use, but here we actually have Him praying a long, sincere prayer to the Father. This is no guideline, it’s for real. And Jesus begins by saying; ‘Father, the hour has come; glorify thy Son, that thy son also may glorify thee.’   (John 17:1) He knew the time for the wonder of wonders to occur was nigh. The time when He would be glorified; the time for which He’d been born; to which His whole life had been building; the dramatic climax; the rather moving and eventful conclusion of His work on earth; His glorification through His sacrificial death on the cross, His miraculous resurrection, and His exaltation by ascending into glory, back to the Father from whence He came. With all of that in mind, let’s look at Today’s Bit. Having acknowledged that the climactic moments in His life were nigh, Jesus continued: ‘As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.’ This wasn’t an aimless boast my Friends, for John the Baptist testified this of Jesus early on. ‘The Father LOVETH the son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.’ (John 3:35-36) Later, Jesus Himself proclaimed it. ‘All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. for I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. and this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.’ (John 6:37-39) Further on in His prayer, He again talks about the ones the Father gave Him, the disciples. ‘I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.’ (John 17:6) Then He goes on to pray for them. ‘I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in this world, but these are in the world; and I come to thee, Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.’ (John 17:9-11) Oh Friends, that’s why Today’s Bit is so important, it clearly points out, explains, that eternal life could only be attained, or could only be made possible and available to mortal man through the glorification of the Son. If Jesus didn’t die, rise again and ascend to heaven, there’d be no way for us to dwell with Him eternally. Note too, how He was very conscious of praying for His disciples, the ones whom the Father had given Him, those who had stuck with Him through thick and thin, the ones He’d leave behind to build His Church. Ah mih people, that’s the kind of person our Saviour Jesus is! He’s always there for those who believe in Him, those who walk and talk with Him through all the good, bad, happy, sad, hard and easy times of their lives, just like the disciples did during His earthly sojourn. I know life’s rough my brethren, but look at all Jesus did for us: He gave up His innocent life so that we could be cleansed from our deadly sins; then rose from the dead so that we could also be resurrected; then He ascended into glory so that all who believed on His Name would have the same opportunity. Now isn’t that a whole lot to be grateful and thankful for and to joyfully shout; ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ for? Yes it is my Friends, cause if Jesus had not done what He did, when our physical bodies died, our spirits would possibly have just wandered lost and confused with the prince of darkness through all eternity. Therefore, let’s give Him thanks, honour and glory for sacrificing Himself so that we could spend a pleasant, pleasurable life with Him throughout eternity. Let’s follow Him, let’s walk in His footsteps. It’s precious little to ask, considering His tremendous sacrifice on our behalf. Much LOVE! …remember…life is your only chance…to earn the great payback…eternity with Jesus…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 31 August 2009 Malachi 3:6‏

31 Aug 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Malachi 3:6     For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
 
Ah my Friends, it seems that our short, sweet summer weather is over, for the nightly temperatures now hover in the low to mid teens on the Celsius scale. That’s sort of cool for this time of year, but then, the entire season that’s passed for summer was uncommonly cool and rainy. I don’t think that bodes well for the future, since we’ve also seen a lot of strange, unusual weather patterns in various parts of the world. Is climate change occurring because of global warming, caused or accelerated by all the pollutants we’re spewing into the atmosphere, in conjunction with the sad, slow destruction of the protective ozone layer? Whatever it is, if it continues, it will surely bring serious and probably catastrophic changes to the earth, its weather system and our lives. As somebody once said; the only sure thing in this world is change. But then too, today I read an interesting quote by India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru that led me to write on change. He says, ‘The basic fact of today is the tremendous pace of change in human life.’ And he was quite right for back when he said that, some three or four decades ago, a lot of new stuff was happening. But can you imagine his amazement, and possible consternation, if he was alive today to see the horrific pace of change in the last twenty, or even ten years. The seemingly overnight growth in science and technology, but also the immensely faster pace of life in all societies, which has led to stress, that ever-stalking silent killer being the chief assistant to the grim reaper. And dare we add to the list the heightened state of ‘war-readiness’ of the whole world; the numerous inter and intra nation conflicts? What about the escalating crime, violence and greed, the haunting prospect of terrorism, and the constant blanket of fear that we all now live under? Ah my Friends, I believe that people like Nehru, Ghandi, and even Mother Theresa, who only died a few years ago would be amazed at the great strides we’ve made in science, technology and the art of war, but very disappointed at the way we’ve used those tools; either for personal aggrandizement or national superiority, while the plight of man himself has become even more inhumane and degrading. All the wonderful advances we’ve made certainly have not been transferred to the betterment of mankind. We all know it, see it, and feel it. But thankfully my people, there is one redeeming factor in it all. What’s that, you eagerly ask? It’s simple and so obvious Friends…Sorry, it couldn’t be, else the world would not be in the sad state of flux and unrest in which it is now enveloped. For those who don’t know, that one and only redeeming factor is our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who does not change, but stands steadfast, strong, faithful and true for all time. Yes my brethren, in all the changes, the uncertainty, the disillusionment and disappointment, the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is unchangeable; steady like a rock on which to take refuge from the rising tide; like a lighthouse shining through a dark and foggy night; a shoulder to cry on when you’re sad, lonely and hurting; a helping hand when you’re stumbling; and a strong back to carry you when you’re too weary to walk anymore. Oh my Friends, what a safe and secure institution He is! And He said it Himself, many many moons ago. ‘For I am the Lord, I change not: therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.’ And all God’s people shouted in ecstatic thanksgiving: ‘We praise and bless your Holy Name O thou Most High God Jehovah!’ Yes my people, if He wasn’t such an unchangeable, faithful and LOVING God, we’d have been wiped off the earth long ago for our continual evil deeds. But over the years some of the sons of men recognized this constancy and faithfulness of the One True God and paid Him respectful homage. Jeremiah declared in his Lamentations: ‘This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.’  (Lam.3:21-25)  Bruh David also noted His unchanging compassion. ‘But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.’ (Ps.78:38) As to His basic unchanging nature, Isaiah stated it loud and clear: ‘Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am he.’ (Isa.41:4) And so did Bruh David: ‘Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish but thou shalt endure; yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment…But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.’ (Ps.102:25-27) Obviously Bruh Paul had his say on the subject; ‘Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.’ (Heb.13: 8). And let’s end with someone who personally walked with the Saviour; James. ‘Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, (variation) neither shadow of turning.’ (James 1:17) So you see my Friends, because of the lightning fast pace at which our world is changing, we all need something constant to hold on to, to guide our ever quickening, unfathomable and confusing lives, and the only real constant in this world is the Trinity: the Father, with His Son our Saviour, Lord and Advocate sitting at His right hand, and His Holy Spirit that dwells within us when we believe in Him. That’s the unmoveable Rock of our Faith! So let’s not be frightened or dismayed by all the many changes happening around us. Let’s look to the Rock and we’ll be safe. Much LOVE!…in this desert of a world, there’s only one oasis…Jesus Christ…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 August 2009 Proverbs 12:11‏

30 Aug 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Proverbs 12:11     He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.
 
And a hearty good morning to you my wonderful Friends in Christ! It’s time for us to rise and shine and go about the Lord’s business with a heart overflowing with mercy, kindness, gentleness, forgiveness, compassion and understanding, all embodied in His Spirit of LOVE. I sincerely hope that we have all successfully tilled our land, dirtied our hands, and been blessed with the fruits of our labour. Isn’t that what the sage, Solomon said? ‘He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.’ And if it’s one thing Sol doesn’t do is lie. Later in life, he might have lost his way and not taken his own advice, which we all do, hence the saying, ‘do as I say, but not as I do,’ but he never told untruths. Yesterday we looked at the first half of the proverb; the wise and sensible path, to day we’ll consider the part where instead of doing our job and tilling our soil, we hang out with and follow the wrong kind of people. And Sol thought this proverb so important that he repeated it in a later chapter, in a slightly different form. ‘He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.’ (Prov.28:19) Yes my Friends, in one you’re ‘void of understanding,’ and in the other you’ll ‘have poverty enough.’ What does he mean by those statements? It is basically a comparison between wisdom and foolishness. He that works diligently will be well rewarded, but he that stands around and gabs, is lazy, does worthless things is devoid of heart. That’s apparently the literal translation of the Greek word termed understanding. We can also say it just the way it’s written; if we follow those who are vain, conceited, controlled by vanity and unnatural adoration for themselves and their own pursuits, we are certainly lacking in understanding. That’s putting it nicely. The truth of the matter is that we are downright fools, for those kinds of people have nothing useful to offer us, only the meaningless acclaim and trinkets of the evil world. And for sure my people, there’s nothing that brings one to poverty, to one’s knees, like hanging out with and following lazy, aimless, slothful folk. Sol also likens it to committing adultery. ‘But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.’ (Prov.6:32-33) Remember my brethren, it is ‘Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work. But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work.’ (Ex.20:9-10) It’s not thou shalt work one day and rest six. This means that we’re supposed to be productive members of society,  working diligently and contributing something useful to it, not just be hangers on and parasites, merely sucking out its lifeblood like leeches, and not adding anything worthwhile. And here is more good advice from Sol on the subject of diligence versus sloth. ‘LOVE not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.’ (Prov.20:13) We all know people like that, who just like to sleep and laze about. But they generally come to nothing, meet some sad end. But those who are up and about and doing, generally fare better. It’s like retirement; after numerous years of constant work, one day we suddenly stop, replace work with sitting around the house doing nothing constructive. What happens? After a while the body atrophies, the mind becomes dull and the spirit withers through lack of use, leaving us a mere shell of our former selves. It’s trite but true; if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it. Life runs the same way my Friends. That’s why they caution us to have some hobby or something constructive to do when we retire. We need to be up and about, being productive, especially if we consider ourselves followers of Christ. Please note that Jesus was always moving around, preaching, teaching, healing, admonishing, whatever. And He must have been one fit dude for He apparently walked everywhere He went, except when He triumphantly entered Jerusalem riding a donkey on that first Palm Sunday. He even walked on the water. (smile) So my Friends, as believers we can’t afford to be, or be seen as anything less than diligent, enthusiastic, passionate people in whatever we do. Associating with vain, lazy, slothful, unproductive persons who take pleasure in excessive sleep and useless baubles should definitely not be attributed to us. If we want to be real, true Christians, both inside and out, then it’s absolutely necessary that we get down and dirty and do the Lord’s work and not be afraid to sully our nice, soft, manicured hands. As Bruh Paul so rightly declared to the Ephesians. ‘See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.’ (Eph.5:15-17) Friends, I couldn’t have said it any better. So please heed that advice. And till we meet again, remember to LOVE your God, and LIVE your Faith. Much LOVE!…show me your friends…and I’ll tell you who you are…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 29 August 2009 Proverbs 12:11‏

29 Aug 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Proverbs 12:11     He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.
 
And how goes it with you today my Friends and fellow believers in Christ? I hope these few words of mine, (smile) find you all in fine fettle; just eager and rearing to go about the Lord’s business; ready to embrace life with passion, enthusiasm and hard work. For as Sol says, ‘He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread.’ That’s the gospel truth mih people! If we work hard, we’re rewarded with plenty. As the Lord decreed on Adam and Eve and their progeny: ‘In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread; till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.’ (Gen.3:19) Yes Friends, the good, easy to come by fruit of the Garden of Eden was a thing of the past. Because of our forefather’s sin, man was forever destined to toil to make a living. Now, to a certain extent that is good, for if we had everything handed to us on a silver platter, we’d be even lazier, more sinful, and less godly. Working for a living gives us something constructive to do with our lives, and the more diligent worker usually gets the bigger and better rewards. So there is some incentive to get up off our rear ends, although we’ve spoiled this generation into thinking that everything comes easily and it’s their right to have all the glitzy, useless things the greedy robber barons dangle so invitingly before them. Through our misconception of making life easy for them, we’ve unwittingly thrown them into the jaws of Beelzebub’s wolves, sadly having them hunger and thirst after the fleshly lusts of the world. But Friends, as I’ve pointed out before, mankind is an animal that doesn’t seem to appreciate anything unless they work hard or suffer for it. That brings me to a quote I read today by Charles Lamb. It’s short, but ever so meaningful. ‘Pain is life – the sharper, the more evidence of life.’ That strikes me as being very true, for we all experience pain in this life, whether it be physical, emotional, mental or spiritual, it’s an integral part of our existence. The interesting thing about pain though, is the different reactions it brings out in different people. We all have different levels, varying thresholds of pain, and its effects are more or less pronounced simply by the way we handle it. Like hard work, pain makes us appreciate life for what it really is. And just like some people can handle hard work, likewise, some can handle pain. It makes some stronger, while others falter and eventually capitulate to it. But my people, we can’t afford to let hard work or pain weaken our resolve to do the Lord’s bidding. They are both undeniable and important aspects of life, which have been imposed on us for a good reason. Now it’s our job, as believers, to overcome them, and we can do that by calling on the Spirit of Christ within us for help in those painful moments or times of hard toil. And we all know the popular slogan, ‘No pain, no gain,’ which is generally true. We’ll never achieve above average levels in anything, even laziness and iniquity, without expending some extra effort. But it applies more so to us believers, for to follow and work for Christ is to seek excellence in all we do. However my Friends, a malaise of laziness, apathy and a hunger for easy, high class living is currently sweeping our world, and driving more of us to evil, ungodly, illegal activities. Note the amount of fraudulent actions being perpetrated on innocent victims by supposedly financial gurus and trustworthy guardians, all in the name of blatant high living. Conspicuous consumption is their motto; expensive cars, yachts, houses, women and other high end playthings consume their ill-gotten gain. Meanwhile, many of the people they defraud have worked real hard for their money, expecting to have sufficient bread to last their lifetimes, but instead, many are penniless and in pain. Ah mih breddren, some of those unfortunate people will, with the help of the Most High God Jehovah, rise above the pain and disappointment, strengthened, and able to move on, to yet lead some sort of productive life in their later years. Sadly though, others will just wither and die under the strain. Meanwhile, of the crooks who absconded with their hard earned funds, a few will pay for their crime, but most will either receive a mere slap on the wrist, or through guile and ingenuity and friends in high places, use the system to get away scot free. Yes my Friends, it’s an evil, wicked, greedy, violent world we live in, but we must not allow that threat of ungodliness to kill or maim our great Christian spirit and passion for life. Remember, as followers of Christ, it’s our bounden duty to live in the world, but not be part of it, which means we have to stand strong in the faith, spread the Word, work hard, bear whatever pain comes our way, give of ourselves to others, so that we can successfully build Christ’s Church on this earth, so when He returns, it will be a thriving, worldwide entity. And no, I haven’t forgotten about the second half of the proverb. We’ll tackle that tomorrow, God willing. There’s a lot to write about that too. Till then; Much LOVE!…to eat…one should work…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 August 2009 Isaiah 14:27.‏

28 Aug 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Isaiah 14:27     For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?
 
Morning mih Neighbs! Hope all yuh up bright and early, full of vim and vigour to face this beautiful day that the Most High has so generously granted us. We can’t waste it yuh know, for that magnanimous God of ours has provided brand new mercies and blessings for us to enjoy today, also strength and guidance that will enable us to overcome the enemy and do His will. ‘For the Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand.’ (Isa.14:24) And that’s an undisputable fact my people, for although this particular reference was to destroying Assyria, whatever the Lord thinks and says, does come to pass. Yes Friends, we’re back talking about the strength and purpose of our God, cause yesterday I ran out of time and space but not examples of His power and forthrightness. As Isaiah asks; ‘For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?’ Like we emphasized yesterday, nobody, but nobody can reverse or thwart the Lord’s intentions, decrees or plans. And Solomon, the wisest of men, agrees. ‘There are many devices (plans) in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand.’ (Prov.19:21) Yes my brethren, it will always be God’s decision or plan that will occur in a believer’s life. And as Sol later testifies: ‘There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the Lord. The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety (deliverance) is of the Lord.’ (Prov.21:30-31) That’s just how it is, the way the Lord planned it my people. We do have the right and the freedom to makes plans and choices, but in the long run it’s the Lord we have to depend on for our safety, success and deliverance. Just as Bruh Paul humbly and wisely declared; ‘I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.’ (1 Cor.3:6) That’s a fact of every endeavour in our lives my Friends; regardless of what part we play, it’s always the Lord who’s going to provide any increase. It will stand us in very good stead to remember that when we make our grandiose plans for success and victory. Now don’t get me wrong, we need to think big and think success, but most importantly we need to think God too; meaning, find a way to include Him in those plans, else they’ll seldom come to fruition. And if they do, they’ll never last long; just like the seed that falls on stony ground and springs up quickly, but because the earth was too shallow and the roots could not attain any depth to gain a stronghold, they wither and die as soon as the sun comes up and strikes them. Friends, that’s the disastrous ending of all our plans that don’t place God at the forefront. And sometimes even when we put Him first, our plans still fail because He did not agree with them; they weren’t in His plans for us. But that should not stop us from dreaming big dreams with the Most High leading the way. We definitely should not be like Nebuchadnezzar though, who foolishly glorified himself saying: ‘Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power and for the honour of my majesty?’ (Dan.4:30) Hn! But before he could even finish glorifying himself the Lord decreed that he would go crazy and eat grass like a wild animal. However, at the end of seven years, he regained his sanity and apparently much wisdom while living like an animal, for he then acknowledged the Lord God. ‘And at the end of the days, I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation. And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?’ (Dan.4:34-35) Ah mih Friends, because of Neb’s overwhelming pride and mistaken power, he was forced to learn the hard way that the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is the only true God in the universe. Yes my people, please let us learn and also acknowledge that He is El Supremo! And He makes no bones about it, ensures that everyone knows who’s the Boss. ‘Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have showed, (proclaimed) when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God. Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let (reverse) it.’ (Isa.43:10-13) There you have it Friends, directly from the Lord through the mouth of His dynamic servant Isaiah. Who are we then to say Him nay eh? Much LOVE!…until we learn…it’s Jehovah who directs our lives…we’ll forever flounder in the mire…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 August 2009 Isaiah 14:27‏

27 Aug 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Isaiah 14:27     For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?
 
Well hello there, all you beautiful Friends of mine in Christ! Blessings and prosperity be unto you and yours this wonderful day that our God has made! Let us therefore rejoice and be glad in it. ‘For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it?’ Nobody, my people! No one can change or reverse what the Lord has decreed. Likewise, ‘his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?’ Not one single soul, my brethren! Neither a million souls! Not even the whole population of the earth! No one that has ever been, or will ever be, can move the mighty, steadfast hand of our God. It’s like arm wrestling; the Lord’s the perennial champion! And there are so many instances in the Good Book acknowledging this fact, that we must look at a few. Let’s begin with king Jehoshaphat praying for deliverance when the Moabites and their allies invaded Judah. ‘And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court. And said, O Lord God of our fathers, art thou not God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?’ (2 Chron.20:5-6) And the Lord promised them victory through the Spirit that came upon Jahaziel, Zechariah’s son. ‘Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.’ (2 Chron.20:17) Next morning, before they went out, Jehoshaphat stood before the crowd and said, ‘Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye   prosper.’ (2 Chron.20:20) Oh my Friends, those same words apply to us, even to this very day. We need to believe in our God and those who bring us His Holy Word, so that we can be established, set a base for the prosperity that comes afterwards. On that fateful morning, the people went out before the army singing; ‘Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever. And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.’ (2 Chron.20:22) Yes Friends, the Lord caused a quarrel and confusion to reign between Judah’s enemies, so that they slew each other instead of Judah. Oh praise the Lord, my people! He hath purposed it, and stretched out His hand to do it. Who was going to stop Him eh? As Job says; ‘Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? Who will say unto him, what doest thou?’ (Job 9:12) Nobody in their right senses mih breddren. Later on, Job again admits the Lord’s supremacy. ‘But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? And what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.’ (Job 23:13) Yes my people, it’s all well and good to have powerful nations and people on earth, but let’s never forget who is the mightiest of the mighty: the One who created it all, the Almighty Lord Jehovah! For, ‘In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.’ (Gen.1:1) Oh my brethren, if you remember nothing else, please remember those words, they are the first words written in the Holy Book; Genesis Chapter 1,Verse 1. And as such, are the foundation words of that mighty manuscript. From them, everything else was born, is begotten and flows, since nothing happens without God first creating the heavenly firmament and the earth. Logically then, it follows that the One who created it all, should be the most powerful. Even one of the highest angels, Lucifer, who should have known better, learned that lesson the hard way when he tried to stage a coup against the Most High God Jehovah, and was kicked out of heaven for his stupidity. Oh Friends, let’s be wiser than Beelzebub and his followers nuh. Let’s take wise counsel from those who have had the uplifting experience of following the Lord, of worshipping, of serving, of revering Him and also of bathing in His rewarding glow. Hear Bruh David’s take on the subject. ‘By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as a heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices (plans) of the people of none effect. The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.’  (Ps.33:6-12) And all God’s people said a loud, long, LOVING, Amen! Ah mih Friends, I implore us to write those thoughts indelibly in our hearts, so that they cannot be erased, and will therefore allow us to enjoy the benefits they bring to those who believe them. Much LOVE!…the moral of the story…the Lord of creation…is…was…and will always be the mightiest…remember that…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 26 August 2009 Psalm 37:40‏

26 Aug 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 37:40     And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.
 
Oh mih Friends, what a most wonderful God we serve and worship! Yes, just put all the superlatives before, after and around His Holy Name. Why am I so ecstatic? Because once again He came through for me! Remember in yesterday’s Bit I spoke about needing funds to fix my garage door and buy a new washing machine? Well, just before I began writing the Bit, I picked up some mail from the post-box, but since my head was so filled with ideas for the Bit, and a cursory look showed nothing important in the mail, I ignored it until afterwards. But when I did open it mih people, lo and behold, besides some bills and charities beseeching me for assistance, one piece from the Horsemen’s Assoc. contained a bonus cheque for that race my horse won way back in mid July, plus a sales credit for an upcoming sale. Wow! And all God’s people sang; ‘Glory Hallelujah! How mighty and faithful is our God!’ Oh Friends, I hadn’t even realized that money was forthcoming, but like I said, and will keep on saying, Our God’s timing is perfect, impeccable, beyond reproach. He will always show up before the last chip falls or the last nail is nailed in our coffins. So though it’s easier said than done, please have some faith mih breddren! And that’s my testimony for today. Oh no! Ah lie yes! The Lord threw me for another loop today. One horse I have in training chose today to get hurt. Meanwhile, her brother, the winner, ran again today, and looked like a winner early on, but wouldn’t you know he eventually faded to last due to an injury he sustained in the race. Steups! But as ole Job says, the Lord gives and the Lord takes. There are good times and then bad, and one never knows what the next step or moment will bring, but one has to learn to take the bitter with the sweet, cause that’s what faith is all about. I was obviously disappointed, but reasoned that just as the Lord caused those funds to show up when I badly needed them, then the same way He’s going to provide some relief from the horse problems. I certainly don’t know how, why, when or where, but I know that it’s a test, perhaps a crucial one, and if I stand strong and true and rely on Him to meet my needs, then eventually He’ll bring me out on top. And though, so far, this year isn’t great, I’m still believing that it will turn out to be my best ever in the horse business. Oh Friends, that’s the kind of thinking we need to embrace, else we’ll certainly stumble and fall, because the Lord has promised to help and deliver us out of our problems if we only trust Him. And as Bruh David says in Psalm 22; that cry of anguish and song of praise: ‘Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted and thou didst deliver them. They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee and were not confounded. (ashamed) (Ps.22:4-5) Oh my Friends, that element of trust is the basis, the very foundation of faith. It’s certainly an elusive, hard to find and even harder to keep element, that’s why we need to constantly work at it. Everyday Beelzebub and his lackeys put obstacles in our way, and our God is also continually testing us, so it’s imperative, absolutely necessary for us to put plenty effort into staying steadfast and true. Now hear one of the best examples of faith we can ever imagine. It’s when Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon made a golden idol and decreed that all his subjects should bow down and worship it when the music played. However, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, three Jewish young men serving in the king’s court refused to submit to the king’s decree. This raised the king’s ire and he angrily threatened them: ‘but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you of my hands?’ (Dan.3:15) Ah Friends, Neb didn’t really know, nor could he comprehend the majesty and supreme power of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But the three young men could, and they answered with strong, sure words. ‘If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.’  (Dan.3:17-8) Now mih breddren, that’s what you call trust and faith! Threatened with death in a fiery furnace, but still refusing to bow down to a man made god, which seems simple and easy enough. It wouldn’t mean they believed, but were simply bowing to save their lives. But no my people, those three youngsters had the faith of the Living God so deeply ingrained in them, that they refused to even give meaningless obeisance to the idol to save their lives. Wow! And we all know how Neb in his rage, heated up the furnace seven times hotter than normal, so hot that it burned up the men who threw them in, but the young men came out unscathed, not even smelling of smoke. All praise and glory be to the Most High God Jehovah! Yes my Friends, it’s faith like that the Lord wants to see grow in us. Daniel too had that extraordinary faith. When he refused to do as the king ordered, he was thrown into a den of lions. But what happened? ‘So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.’ (Dan.6:23) All glory be to God, my people! Yes my brethren, that’s how His Supreme Majesty, Infinitely Everything operates; the greater your faith, the greater the works He will do in your life. And Jesus said it to the two blind men He healed. ‘According to your faith be it unto you.’ (Mat.9:29) So Friends, if we’re hoping for big things, then of necessity we must have big faith. And though it’s difficult to build and keep faith in this wicked, ungodly world, it’s an essential part of our Christian Charter, the only way we’ll ever have success and overcome the evil enemy in this life. And with that thought, here’s a closing ‘Prayer For Success’ from Dr. Robert Schuller. ‘As I become a success with your help, Lord, let me never forget that what I am is more important than what I do. Faith stimulates success. Hope sustains success. LOVE sanctifies success. So I cannot and I dare not succeed without your power, peace, and pressure in my life, Jesus Christ. Amen.’ Let’s burn those thoughts into our hearts, souls and minds mih people, and go forth to victory waving the flag of Christ. Much LOVE!…hope, faith, LOVE…the three ingredients necessary for success…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 August 2009 Psalm 37:40‏

25 Aug 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 37:40     And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.
 
Oh Friends, the ole fella’s brain just full and running over with thoughts and ideas for Today’s Bit. It’s way earlier than I usually begin writing it, but so many things are floating around the ole noggin that I just had to do it now, otherwise it would have driven me crazy, and not allow me to concentrate properly on anything else. I guess the Good Lord decided now’s the time, and yuh humble servant could only acquiesce to His desire. (smile) And yes, we’re still on Psalm 37; possibly the last day, but only the Father knows. Yes my people, He’s the only one that knows the how, what, where, when and why of everything. One faithful reader wrote asking me re yesterday’s Bit; How long do we have to wait in faith to see God’s hand? I had to reply, truthfully, I don’t know. It all depends on Him; His purpose and reason behind the things He does or allows to happen. What I do know, can personally vouch for, is His perfect, impeccable timing. He will always appear before the hammer or the guillotine blade falls. But that’s where the strength, the maturity of the Christian believer comes in. We can also be sure that our God is always around us; healing, nurturing, comforting, testing, watching over, helping. His presence is always present. (smile) Note too that He’s always testing us; life is one long test, either to just grow and mature our faith, or to see if we’re ready for promotion. That means we’ve got to be faithful and true in small things, else He’ll never move us up to higher circumstances. As the Good Book says Friends, His thoughts and ways are so much higher than ours, that even if He shared them with us, we wouldn’t be able to comprehend them. That’s why we just have to trust His greater wisdom and go on blind faith. But really mih people, there’s nothing blind about our faith in the Most High God Jehovah nuh! We have His Holy Word, which spells out answers to almost every situation we’ll ever encounter. We have the many promises He’s made over the eons and faithfully kept. Then there’s His great, endearing and unconditional LOVE for us that He showed in such spectacular fashion by sending His One and Only Son Jesus to be a sacrifice for us, so that He could be justified in cleansing and forgiving our sins. That was necessary because He’s also a God imbued with a strong sense of right doing and fair justice. We also have the powerful, potent testimony of numerous other believers. And last of all, possibly the most important aspect, is our own, individual, personal testimony that buoys us and helps us to corroborate the facts, the truth, of our Christian belief. So in actual fact Friends, our faith in the Lord is certainly not blind, there are lots of factors to uphold it. However, it does call for a high level of trust and acceptance, for regardless of our economic and social status, we all, at some time or another, are faced with situations that call for us to simply surrender our lives to Him. Let me give you a personal testimony: Yesterday morning, I drove out of my garage and went to church. I returned an hour later only to find my garage door broken. It was fine just an hour before. Imagine my disgust! Now today, I discovered that I might need a new washing machine. Further annoyance, since both things cost money that I had not budgeted for. But the undisputed fact is that I have to repair or replace them, and although I don’t know where I’ll get the money from, I’m sure that this situation will be rectified with the help of the Most High God Jehovah, because I’m putting my trust, my FAITH in Him, to keep His promise: ‘The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.’ (Ps.34:22) Ah mih Friends, is not an easy life this nuh! But the good thing about being a true, steadfast and faithful believer, is that we can still take joy and pleasure from it because deep down we know that the Lord will always come through for us. He might not come when we want Him to, but He’ll surely be there when we NEED Him, or as the song says, ‘before the last teardrop falls.’ Yes Friends, I can stake my life on His perfect timing for he’s proven it to me so often, and still is. If I never acquire any other testimony, I can go to my grave proclaiming that. Oh mih breddren, all of us face problems of varying sizes and degrees in this troubled world, and the only common thread that links them all is that thin, but ever so strong, dynamic, efficacious, invincible line of FAITH, which assures us of solving those problems. We won’t always solve them to our satisfaction, but enough to enable us to move on to the next one. Remember, as Job says, we can’t always expect good and no bad. However, if we remain faithful and true, we can always expect, rely on, declare and proclaim that our Heavenly Father and His mighty hand will always be there whenever we need help, whenever we cry out to Him in earthly despair. In closing, let me leave us with an uplifting, inspiring quote from Dr. Robert Schuller. He says; ‘Believe in success. What do we mean by Success? Success is building self-esteem in yourself and others through sacrificial service to God and to your fellow human beings. You may accumulate riches, fame and honours, but unless you achieve tremendous self-esteem in the process, all that the world calls success becomes ashes in your hands. The secret of success is to find a need and fill it.’ And that’s the gospel truth my people! Hn, hn! I have to chuckle yes Friends, because I’m not sure if this is what I’d planned to write. But it’s where the Spirit led me. And I do enjoy writing these Bits that just come sincerely from my heart and soul. I sure hope it brings some encouragement, strength, guidance and direction to all our lives. Till tomorrow then, God willing: Much LOVE!…building Faith is no easy task…but with our innate strength…the encouragement of fellow believers…and God’s providence…it can be done…so let’s do it nuh…
 

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