Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 December 2009 Jeremiah 9:3‏

04 Dec 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Jeremiah 9:3     And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the Lord.
 
A cheerful good morning, my worthy Friends in Christ! I hope we’re all in good spirits and have given thanks for the awesome blessing of witnessing another beautiful sunrise. I also hope that we’ve dressed in our full suit of armour so we can be protected when we join the fray. And believe me people, it’s a terrible war in which we’re involved, where the cronies of the evil one are trying to run roughshod over the righteous, which we can’t allow to happen. Once upon a time, a man’s word was his honour, but that time has long since past, and Today’s Bit reads as though Jeremiah was talking about our world today. ‘And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth.’ What a shame Friends! That’s even more gospel today than in Jerry’s time! Sadly, in our modern society, there are very few people and things you can trust or believe, since the society itself is built on a foundation of lies, half-truths and deception. From the leaders, right down to the lowly beggar on the street, we’re all enmeshed in a web of duplicity and deceit. Bruh David said it thus: ‘Hide me from the secret council of the wicked; from the insurrection (tumult) of the workers of iniquity: Who whet (sharpen) their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words: That they may shoot in secret at the perfect (blameless): suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily (secretly); they say, Who shall see them. (Ps 64:3-6) Yes my people, that’s the kind of society we’re living in, where the wicked make secret plans to destroy the righteous, figuring that nobody will see them. But we know differently, for the Lord God Almighty sees every move of every person and knows their innermost secrets and they will eventually pay for their evil. And sadly, the politicians are possibly the biggest perpetrators of this particular crime, for they’ve made it a habit, a trait to say whatever it takes to get elected, and then continue to deceive so they can stay in power. I’m sure a survey of whether the populace believed their leaders would turn up with a resounding NO! Only a naive few would say yes. And it doesn’t speak very well of our society if we don’t believe our leaders, the very people we’ve put in power to run our affairs. That’s why the statement you get the kind of government you deserve is so true. But the politicos are not the only ones caught up in the lying game; the businessmen, the advertising industry, they run close behind, for the very manner in which their businesses are structured encourages scams, half truths and outright fraud. The advertising industry is built entirely on falsehood, on claims that the majority of products certainly don’t meet. Then the prices advertised often are different when you go to purchase the products, either because they’ve advertised the least worthwhile model, which doesn’t meet your requirements, so you’ll pay more for an upgrade, or there are all sorts of other expenses they conveniently forgot to mention. Take buying a car. Hn! You can safely add almost a quarter of the quoted base price before you drive it off the lot. Things like taxes, freight and a whole lot of other stuff are never usually mentioned until you go to buy, or they’re mentioned in such fine print that most people won’t pay any attention to. But Friends, it’s in the fine print where most of the deception takes place, which has become a standard in all the contracts we sign in everyday life. The person drawing it up embeds all sorts of clauses to their benefit in such legalese and fine print that it often requires a magnifying glass and a lawyer to read and decipher it. And the new marketing schemes where persons go door to door or phone you are riddled with these cunning and crafty ploys, that you never discover until something goes wrong, then they want to charge you an arm and a leg to get out of the contract. It’s unfortunate that we live in this capitalistic system that’s set up to extract the most for the least. And they call it fair. Hn! How can it be fair eh, when the bankers, financial analysts and the money men have schemes to wring the most out of the least worthy products? Look at how they recently fooled the whole world, packaging worthless stuff and selling it for a fortune. But Friends, that’s what happens when we’ve been brainwashed into always thinking about a deal, a bargain; basically getting something good for much less than it’s worth. Nobody wants to pay a fair price for a decent product, that’s why we’re always haggling over prices, but still paying so much for inferior quality stuff that’s not made to last, with warranties that don’t hold up. Oh Friends, our society is just one big commercial operation now. Everything takes second place to commerce. Even the universities are changing the focus of their curriculum, slanting them to what business needs, what crass commercialism decrees. Oh my people, we’re out of time and space, so we’ll have to continue this topic tomorrow. However let’s get one thing straight. Our world is messed up, and we can’t get away from it. Jesus said we have to live in, but not be a part of it. That’s easier said than done with all the enticements the enemy constantly waves in front of us. That’s why it’s imperative for believers to read and study the Word, to stick together, fellowship, encourage and help each other so we don’t get caught up and carried away by the things of the world, that’s so easy to do. Remember, our job is to bring the ungodly to God, not for us to become ungodly. But we can’t do that without Jesus, His Word and His Spirit. So let’s make a concerted effort to stand strong and faithful, to not be taken in by the evil wiles of the enemy, but rather work towards depleting his band of evil doers, converting them to doers of good; in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. Much LOVE!…if it doesn’t jive with the Word…then it’s not true…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 December 2009 Psalm 98:1‏

03 Dec 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 98:1     O Sing unto the Lord a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.
 
Oh my Friends, it’s another glorious day of life, so chant some thanks and praise! New blessings and mercies are flowing down on us from the Almighty, just as promised. And regardless of what befalls us, let’s not forget that he is still in control, which means there is yet much hope for victory in our undertakings. Wow! Bruh Paul would surely be proud of that sentence. (smile) Today’s Bit is the opening verse of a psalm titled, ‘Praise to God for His salvation,’ referring to His coming reign on earth. Now, though we’re exceedingly grateful for salvation and the promise of His coming to live with us, there are numerous other things to be thankful for in our earthly lives. And the Psalmist rightly declares: ‘O Sing unto the Lord a new song.’ Why? ‘For he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.’ Yes my people, we should sing songs of praise and thanksgiving every day to our Creator and Great Provider for all the wonderful things He’s done for us. And if the song can be new every day, so much the better. In Psalm 33 the writer also declares: ‘Sing unto him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise (shout of joy. For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth. He LOVETH righteousness and judgement (justice): the earth is full of the goodness (LOVING-kindness) of the Lord.’ (Ps.33:3-5) Oh Friends, the Lord’s sterling character is grandly displayed in His everlasting LOVE of truth, righteousness, justice and kindness. Isn’t that more than enough cause to sing songs of praise and thanks to Him? It surely is! The prophet Isaiah thought so, and put forth his heartening call for song too. ‘Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein: the isles (coastlands), and the inhabitants thereof. Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory unto the Lord, and declare his praise in the islands.’ (Isa.42:10-12) What a stirring call to praise, to glorify God! And my brethren it’s what we’re called to do. As believers in the immortal God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, our mouths and voices should be raised, as often as possible, in praise and thanks to our merciful, LOVING God. And I’d like to say it should be continuous, but that’s not reality, for we can’t go around simply singing and mouthing praises, else they’ll quickly come and take us away in a straight jacket. (smile) But we must surely do it as often as we can. If not from our lips, certainly from our hearts, for remember that’s where the Lord looks for corroboration for anything that comes out of our mouths, and if it’s not written there, then He knows we’re just faking. And believe me Friends, faking before the Lord isn’t only stupid, but also one of the worse things we can ever do. Just like faking in real life detracts from human trust, so too it detracts from God’s faith in us, and certainly doesn’t encourage Him to work on our behalf. As Moses says in his song: ‘Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods (mighty ones)? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them. Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.’   (Ex. 15:11-13) What a wonder that was my people; the parting of the Red Sea, the Israelites walking on dry land  betwixt the two mighty walls of water, then the rejoining and the swallowing up of the mighty Egyptian army, while the Lord leads His chosen people through the wilderness, guided by fire and cloud. ‘In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.’ (Ps.78:14) Wow! What a most magnificent God we serve! One to whom none other can compare! In the annals of man there’s never been factual evidence of any other supposed gods doing miraculous works like our God; the Most High God Jehovah. It lead Asaph, the psalmist, to joyfully declare: ‘Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary (holiness): who is so great a God as our God? Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy strength among the people. Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.’ (Ps.77:13-15) Yes my Friends, we worship the ONE and ONLY TRUE God, who is omnipotent, omniscient and omni-present. There is none other like Him in existence, for it’s He who created the world and all therein, therefore he is exceedingly worthy to receive out constant thanks and praise in song. But sadly my people, gratitude is something that our society has recently discarded, dumped by the wayside to adopt the ingratitude that’s ingrained in Lucifer’s evil model. However, as true believers, let’s not follow their ungrateful attitude. It’s our bounden duty to give thanks and praise to Almighty God. Please, I implore us, let’s perform our duty with excellence, with flying colours, so that the Lord God, our Father in heaven will be enormously glorified and wear a permanent smile on His kind, LOVING, merciful, forgiving countenance. There’s no better gift we can give Him. Much LOVE!…to know, know, know Him…is to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Him…just to see Him smile…makes my life worthwhile…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 December 2009 Matthew 10:22‏

02 Dec 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Matthew 10:22     And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
 
Well hello my dear Friends! It’s a new day, and it surely feels good to be alive! So please give the Lord some thanks and praise for that. Or as 3 Canal says: ‘Chant a chant and welcome the morning.’ (smile) Today’s Bit comes from a section of the gospel where Jesus warns His disciples that following Him meant sure persecution. Driving into Toronto yesterday, I saw a sign flashing on a billboard that said, ‘Get rid of your nightmares by remembering your dreams.’ That sounds like good advice, for whether they’re talking about real nightmares during sleep, or just waking problems, concentrating on your dreams will certainly drive away some of the negative emotions besetting you. When you remember all those big, positive dreams you had, or still do, where you were going to change the world, make a significant difference, right some wrongs, whatever, it does get the adrenaline flowing and takes your mind off the negative stuff. It might also come in useful when handling persecution for your beliefs. Note that Jesus did not hide or deny the fact that His followers would suffer simply by identifying with Him. ‘And ye shall be hated by all men for my name’ sake.’ That’s being totally up front and straightforward. Earlier on He told the twelve; ‘Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless (innocent) as doves.’ (Mat.10:16) Now that’s certainly asking a lot. Yes, people, Jesus does expect plenty from us, excellence at all times, though being wise and innocent amongst a group of wild, savage, snarling, bloodthirsty wolves is a bit much. But Friends, since nothing has changed in Jesus’ teaching over that period of time, though the wolf pack has certainly become larger, hungrier and more bloodthirsty, it means that we, His current followers also need to adhere to that warning while obeying the principle. Sorry, but I prefer harmless to innocent, cause innocent conjures up images of naivety. And we definitely don’t want to go out in today’s world naive, else we’ll be eaten alive in no time flat. So we’ll use harmless, which sounds more plausible. Anyway, after that, Jesus made a statement of supreme importance: ‘But beware of man.’ It was true then, and possibly more so now, and is indeed a sad commentary on our society. For as Jesus reasoned, His followers would be betrayed, beaten, intimidated, falsely accused and taken before all kinds of authority to try and destroy His Church. (Mat.10:17-18) And so said, so done. Through the intervening years, up to this day, believers have been persecuted, oftimes for simply believing. In the western, supposedly Christian society, we’re fairly free to worship, though recently we’ve experienced some setbacks. But my people, in many other societies around the world, just the very mention of the name Jesus, or Christianity, is liable to have you imprisoned, even executed. Now that’s totally unacceptable two thousand years later. Oh Friends, we have to stop that kind of persecution, at least reduce it substantially, by diligently helping those believers out in the field, and the pockets of Christian resistance and assurance in those countries that are hostile to the Word and won’t allow Christ to be preached openly. It wasn’t easy in Jesus’ time, neither is it today. But fortunately my brethren, Jesus was prepared for it all. Listen to His stellar advice: ‘But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.’ (Mat.10:19-20) Oh praise His Holy Name people! Yes Friends, our Saviour, like the savvy leader He is, already had a plan worked out; namely the Holy Spirit would advise His followers how to behave and what to say when they were falsely accused. What a giant; our Saviour! And an honest one too. He never lied or pretended that His followers would have smooth sailing, but rather candidly informed them that suffering would abound if they preached in His Name. Now how many other supposed deities have been that honest eh? None that I know of. Another sad consequence that Christ warned would pursue His followers was dissension amongst families. ‘And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.’ (Mat.10:21) Ah mih people, it happened, and is still happening. We all know of families that have been destroyed by opposing beliefs. It’s not a nice situation, but one we have to deal with. However people, Jesus wasn’t moving clueless, remember we said He had a plan. And here’s the best part of it, the saving grace; though we are persecuted for believing in Him: ‘he that endureth to the end shall be saved.’ And all God’s people joyously sang: ‘Glory Hallelujah! Worthy is the Lamb to be praised!’ Yes Friends, even though there seems to be no way out of our problems, when we listen to Jesus and obey His instructions, He opens a way for us. Jesus promises, that those who persevere to the very end, in spite of all the trials and tribulations, will be saved. And remember, He is faithful that promised, so there’s nothing to worry about. Oh, the scholars also bring up a good point here. It doesn’t mean that if we don’t persevere salvation will be lost, but rather those who are truly saved will have the parts and will indeed endure to the end. That means we can’t give up my people. We’ve got to keep on keeping on, to grow and mature in the faith like children becoming adults. There’s still a lot of work to be done before Jesus returns. So let’s get diligent and be persevering. And the best way to do that is by listening to that guiding Spirit within us and studying the Good Book, so we can fully LOVE our God; LIVE our Faith; and SPREAD His Word. Much LOVE!…Christian persecution will only cease…when the whole world’s converted…so let’s work diligently towards that fateful day…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 December 2009 Isaiah 52:13‏

01 Dec 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Isaiah 52:13     Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high
 
Oh my beautiful Friends in Christ, as the old people would say: ‘wonders never cease, but daily they increase!’ And what wonder did I behold? Well, yesterday morning I was watching a college football game between Florida and Florida State, the Gators vs. the Seminoles, one of the great college ball rivalries. Anyway, as the Gators were en route to a rout of the ‘Noles, led by their most excellent quarterback, Tim Tebow, the announcers began talking about his life. It seems he’s a sincere Christian young man who handles the media circus with grace and total aplomb, and two or three times, they quoted the scriptures from Hebrews, apparently used by Tebow in his football dealings. One of the passages was Hebrews 12:1. about running with patience the race set before us. I was certainly taken aback by it. Imagine an announcer on a CBS station quoting scripture doing a ball game. Hn! What a bam bam! Praise the Lord! Although there are many other serious Christian athletes, that was mentioned only because of Tebow’s high profile in both football and Christian ministry. But Friends I’ll take it any way I can get it. But from all I’ve read and heard about him, the youngster seems to be an excellent example of servant-hood a` la Jesus; for that’s how Isaiah prophesied of Him. ‘Behold my servant…’ Yes Friends, that was Jesus’ role on earth; servant – to do His Father’s bidding, which was to suffer, to pay the consequences of our abominable sins. And note, Jesus never made anything of Himself; He always spoke of and deferred to the Father. ‘The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.’ (John 5:19) And He further clarifies His relationship to the Father. ‘I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgement is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.’ (John 5:30) As the Lord’s servant, His vicarious suffering; meaning delegated, done for  another, was terrible. He was despised, rejected, smitten of God and man, afflicted, bruised for our iniquities, wounded for our transgressions, chastised for our peace, yet by His stripes we are healed. Oh Friends, please turn to Isaiah 53:4-9 and read all the stuff Jesus suffered as the Lord’s servant on our behalf. But our God is so great, that out of all that unfair, unjust suffering, Jesus came out victorious. The Lord declared: ‘Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors: and he bare the sin of many; and made intercessions for the transgressors.’ (Isa.53:12) My people, these things were prophesied centuries before Jesus actually came to earth, and they’ve all been fulfilled. Yet the naysayers have the gall to doubt the Bible and dispute that it’s the GREATEST Book ever! That’s total madness mih people! And as our Bit states: ‘Behold, my servant shall deal prudently (prosper), he shall be exalted and extolled (lifted up), and be very high.’ And so He was, my Friends! The Lord made Him ruler over all, so that every knee would bow and every tongue confess to Him and call Him Lord. Another of Isaiah’s prophecies fulfilled. (Isa.45:23) He’s become our Lord and Saviour, Our Advocate and the only way that man can come to salvation and the Father. ‘And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.’ (1 John 2:1-2) Now isn’t that exalting and extolling! But mih people, ah know some of you wondering what all of that has to do with us? Well everything; everything mih breddren! And Jesus spelled it out for us; ‘but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat (the table), or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.’ (Luke 22:26-27) Oh my people, to be a follower of Jesus means to be willing to serve others with a willing, caring and humble heart, and be prepared to suffer for our beliefs, for His name’s sake. We can’t call ourselves believers if we’re not willing to put on the lowly mantle of servant-hood as our Saviour did. And that doesn’t mean in a lowly, servile fashion, but with a proud, uplifting attitude. The early Christians called themselves servants of God and of Jesus. Therein they showed their willingness to completely depend upon God and obey His Word fully. ‘James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren count it all joy, when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.’ (James 1:1-3) That’s how James greets his readers, along with the solid advice that whenever trials beset them, they should consider it joyous, cause it tests their faith and increases their patience, their maturity in Christ. Oh Friends, the same holds true for all believers today. If we’re a follower of Jesus, then we should follow His example of suffering, by obeying the Word, even when it doesn’t seem right, fair or just. It’s the only way to grow and mature in our faith. And as I keep reminding us, true Christianity is not an easy row to hoe, but if we’re serious, with Jesus’ help, through the guidance and direction of His Holy Spirit that indwells us, we too can come out victorious from our trials and tribulations, just like He did. A believer’s life might be hard, but remember mih people, our God is GOOD. Much LOVE!…come follow, follow…follow Jesus…the truest servant ever…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 November 2009 Mark 1:14-15‏

30 Nov 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Mark 1:14-15     Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
 
Battle stations Friends! The enemy cometh! Now that your batteries have been recharged, it’s time to get back into the fray and fight to the death! And remember, NO prisoners, it’s strictly conviction and repentance! (smile) Yes my people, it’s Monday morning, no singing the blues from too much partying. The weekend was meant for rest and recuperation, prayer and fellowship, and a general rejuvenation of one’s spirit, not wild, riotous living. Notice how every so often Jesus went off, either by Himself or with the disciples for some R and R. And if He needed it, so do we. The problem is finding a balance that gives optimal time to all three essential pursuits; fighting, fun and rejuvenation. And we desperately need to do that if we’re going to be successful in this world and in Jesus’ army. As promised, we’ll continue looking at the start of Jesus’ earthly ministry. So how did He do it? By building on John’s foundation: ‘John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission (forgiveness) of sins.’ (Mark 1:4) And John said; ‘Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ (Mat.3:2) Jesus said the same thing, but more decisively and authoritatively, for He was THE PROMISED ONE. John had already set the stage by also declaring: ‘I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I…he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.’ (Mat.3:11) In His own pronouncement, Jesus emphasized the impending, soon come factor. ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.’ The kingdom of God is near, there’s no time to waste. God, through His generous grace, is preparing to do something very intense and important in man’s life. ‘The time is fulfilled,’ refers to Daniel’s prophecy: ‘Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks…’ (Dan.9:25) And per the scholars’ calculation, where a week equals seven years, dating from the decree of the Babylonian king Artaxerxes to Nehemiah in 444 or 445 B.C, the prophecy works out properly. Again we have solid proof of the Good Book’s divine inspiration. Praise the Lord! And Bruh Paul surely has an opinion on the subject. To Titus, he states: ‘In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour.’ (Tit.1:2-3) In short, God, who cannot lie, had planned all this from the beginning, and imparted His Word to the people, when He saw fit, through prophets and preachers. And now that the promised Messiah had finally arrived, after centuries of waiting, the people were doubtful, for they had been expecting more of a warrior king, than an itinerant preacher to be their Saviour. Then Jesus tells them they need to repent, turn from their sinful ways to the righteousness of God. It certainly struck a sour note amongst many, especially the elite, who considered themselves holier than holy, but in actual fact were living according to the sinful laws of man, with fraud, hypocrisy, suppression of the poor and outward show their real masters. So they obviously had a problem with Jesus’ ministry since it would spoil their lucrative and self-important existence under Roman domination. And not only did Jesus stress outward repentance and righteousness, but also, and even more importantly, inner cleanliness, from one’s heart. And Friends, as we’ve often emphasized, the true state of our heart is what really matters, both to God and man, for God reads our heart, not just listens to our lips. And if our hearts are not right, then God will ignore our pleas and supplications. Likewise, regardless of all the outward show we put on, like the Pharisee’s of old, without a truly right heart, we’ll never be able to really treat our fellow man the way we ought. That’s because the rightness of our hearts produces a care and concern for God and man that a false heart can never match and will ultimately betray its true colours. Along with repentance and righteousness also came the need to believe in, to trust in Jesus and His message. So when Jesus comes up and begins to castigate the Jewish elite and show mercy, forgiveness and LOVE to the poor, sick and downtrodden, it obviously created enmity and lead the powerbrokers to seek His demise. Ah my people, it’s therefore not surprising, with Lucifer and his cronies in a predominant position in our world, that the same things are happening today. But thankfully the solution to the problem is still the same: Belief and trust in Jesus and His message. A turning from sin to righteousness, for it’s the only way we’ll ever see God’s face. And living a life of shining example, spreading the gospel, turning sinners, through conviction and repentance to righteousness is the job earmarked by our Saviour for us, His followers on this earth. Now Friends, it’s imperative that we get a move on, for every day the kingdom of God gets closer and remember, the Lord doesn’t want to lose even one of His children to Lucifer. So let’s seriously hunker down and do the job. Much LOVE!…to truly LOVE Jesus…is to do His bidding…with a right heart…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 29 November 2009 Mark 1:14-15‏

29 Nov 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Mark 1:14-15   Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
 
Well my awesome Friends in Christ, it’s the weekend; time for weekly fellowship and spiritual renewal! So let’s get to our churches, temples, sanctuaries or whatever we call the physical place where we congregate to worship the Most High God Jehovah, and do so with much praise and thanksgiving! The Lord set the example when He laboured for six days creating the earth, then rested on the seventh. Who are we to differ from that eh? All of our major functioning parts need a rest after a busy week of labour; for those who labour that is. (smile) And it doesn’t really matter which day we choose, once we give Him a regular day every week. Anyway, today we’re looking at the start of Jesus’ earthly ministry, when He actually began going around preaching. And like it all came to a head after John the Baptist was imprisoned. I guess it was all a part of the Lord’s master plan: John was the messenger, heralding the coming of the kingdom of heaven, personified by Jesus, and once he’d made contact with Him, baptized and acknowledged His Messianic attributes, it was time for John to exit centre stage and give Jesus His time in the spotlight. And isn’t it strange that Jesus left His home town of Nazareth and moved to Galilee, the area around Capernaum to begin His ministry? Well not really nuh, for this was done so that the scriptures could be fulfilled; in particular the prophecy of Isaiah 9:1-2. ‘The land of Zebulun, and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up (has dawned).’ (Mat.4:15-16) Oh my people, I just LOVE it when the scriptures align so clearly. It just gives greater, more concrete proof of God’s inspiration and divine guidance in its writing, simultaneously boosting and strengthening one’s belief in the Word. I doubt there is any other document in existence that can show such intertwining over hundreds of years. Let’s all give some thanks and praise to our wonderful God, for the guidance and directions He’s so generously and astutely provided us over the ages. And all God’s people joyously shouted: ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ Yes Friends, Jesus finally hit the road after John’s sad demise. And as I heard Uncle Charles, Charles Stanley, point out recently, it took Jesus thirty years to really get His thing going, and only for three years. But look at its awesome effect; the many marvellous moments, plus the widespread change and upheaval in such a short time period. So if you have a dream, and you’re there chomping at the bit to get it going, but nothing’s happening, have some patience. You know the Lord moves differently to us, on a higher plane. He sees the entire plan, but we only see our little area. And here I’m preaching to myself too, for there are dreams He’s placed in my heart that are not coming through. They have all been born in some form and fashion but seem to be currently incubated, and none have reached the threshold of excellence as yet. Writing was amongst them, but certainly not a scripture based Bit. The Lord blindsided me with that one, though it’s turned out to be pleasant blindside. But I’m not giving up hope, not despairing, and neither should you, for with the Lord’s omnipotence, He can cause anything to happen in the blink of an eye. If He says it will happen, then it will, only in His time. Remember, He’s the Master of Timing. And Jesus’ ministry is a perfect example of that. From being a relative nobody for thirty years, His fame suddenly spread like wildfire as He ‘went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria…And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis (the Ten Cities) and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from beyond Jordan.’ (Mat.4:23-25) Wow! And note mih people, Jesus did most of His travelling by foot, with the occasional boat and donkey, not by expensive vehicular transportation as so many of our modern-day preachers. And He covered a fairly wide area too, so He really worked hard in those three years. And what was this gospel of the kingdom of God that He was preaching? Basically that a time of change was imminent. A time when the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob would create a major movement, an important juncture in their lives. It meant more fulfilling of early prophecy. Remember centuries of prophetic silence had passed in Israel, where no one had come forward to say anything of note, to update none of the previous stuff. Then all of a sudden along comes John the Baptist, crazy John, and he breaks the long prophetic silence with a loud uproar, stirring up the people with his proclamation to prepare a path for the Lord. ‘The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.’ (John 1:7-9) Then Jesus shows up while John is still active and further stirs up the nation by proclaiming that He’s the Light of which John spoke. What a momentous time that must have been my Friends. It was certainly one of the most important periods in the annals of man, so important that two thousand years later it still holds millions spellbound and causes enormous controversy by its audacity, bravery, simplicity, complexity and truth all rolled into one. Oh my people, I’m chuckling, for it’s one of those times that the Spirit led me down a totally unexpected path. But I enjoy them, cause those are the times when I really write from my heart. Consequently, we’ll have to continue this tomorrow, as there’s a lot more to say, but space and time have run out. So until tomorrow, God willing, Much LOVE!…and remember to…LOVE your God…LIVE your FAITH… and SPREAD His Word…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 November 2009 Job 10:1‏

28 Nov 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Job 10:1     My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
 
Oh Friends, life can certainly be harsh and unfair at times. And though we have a natural right to be angry and show some negative emotion under those circumstances, it doesn’t mean we should always use it. Why? The truth of the matter is that those negative emotions don’t usually improve the situation, but more often aggravate and make it worse. And I have a quote to share which attests to that. For some reason I keep thinking that I’ve used it before, but never had the time to check. However, even if I did, it’s good enough and important enough to be used again. In fact it’s something we should be continually reminded of. The quote is: ‘Bitterness imprisons life; LOVE releases it.’ Those are true and rather appropriate words of Henry Emerson Fosdick. As we said, there are times when we’re entitled to get angry, but Bruh Paul warned: ‘Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath. Neither give place to the devil.’ (Eph.4:26-27) So we need to get rid of our anger before we go to bed, and don’t do anything that will give Lucifer pleasure. A serious problem crops up when we don’t follow Bruh Paul’s advice and we keep that anger seething in our soul, until it foments, like yeast and alcohol, then it morphs into bitterness. And that my Friends is one of the worse situations in which we can ever find ourselves, because that bitterness, like acid in a plastic container, will just eat away, continually erode our soul until it drives us stark crazy. We’ll live a turmoil filled life; always sour, impatient, miserable and unhappy, both on the inside and outside. And don’t think you can hide it, for it comes out in our external behaviour. It even makes us more ugly; always wearing a frown or a scowl, while our friends, families and associates try to stay clear of us and our negative behaviour. Please remember my brethren that Jesus said it’s not what goes into a man that defiles him, but what comes out of his mouth, that comes from his heart. (Mat.15:17-20) That means whatever is in our hearts will show up in our speech and our behaviour. So if you’re bitter, then you certainly won’t have peace. According to Henry, your life will be imprisoned by the negativity surrounding you. Now our man Job, in light of all the calamity that suddenly befell him, while living a fairly righteous life, had good cause to be angry. The many years of hard work and raising a family were erased in one fell swoop. He had every right to bewail his situation. ‘My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself (give free course to my complaint). Not surprisingly, Job is’nt the only man of great faith to get weary of life and request death. Elijah, after killing all the prophets of Baal was afraid of Jezebel’s death threat and went off to the wilderness and asked to die. ‘It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.’ (I Kings 19:4) But the Lord did not grant his request, just made him rest and eat, then talked with him about his problems. And when Elijah was refreshed in body and renewed in confidence, the Lord gave him more tasks to perform. The same thing happened to Jonah. After he stopped being afraid and finally spread the Lord’s message in Nineveh, he became angry at God’s graciousness to save the city and declared. ‘Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.’ (Jon.4:3) But the Lord didn’t grant his request either, but sat and reasoned with him. Job in his anguish also remonstrates with God, claiming; ‘My soul chooseth strangling, and death, rather than my life. I loathe it; I would not live always: let me alone; for my days are vanity (a breath or vapour) (Job 7:15-16) Read Job 7 Friends and see all the complaints he throws at God. ‘Therefore I will not refrain (restrain) my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.’ (Job 7:11) And he did. Ah my people, it’s hard when it seems like the weight of the whole world has fallen on us, especially when we’re trying to live right. And it’s normal for the human soul to get sad, tired angry and weary, but we must not, NEVER let the negativity take up residence in our souls. We never know what the Lord has planned for us. Sometimes all we need is rest, a respite from the all the confusion around us. And as Henry says, only LOVE will release us from the imprisonment of negativity. And where do we get the best, most beneficial and healing LOVE? From the Most High God Jehovah. And as the hymn advises, when we’re troubled, ‘Take it to the Lord in prayer.’ Yes my people, that’s the only sensible solution. Like Job, Jonah, Elijah and many others did, pour out all your sorrows, troubles and anger to Him. He will understand. He wants us to come to Him with any and all problems. Like a good parent, He’s there to help us with anything at any time. Sometimes we too become sad and bewildered by what’s happening around us, and if we take our troubles to the Lord, He will consider them and find a way to make us right, for he doesn’t want any of us to depart this life before we have achieved the goals, the dreams He’s put in our hearts. Just like all those people of great faith poured out their problems to the Lord and He refreshed and renewed their spirit, then sent them to continue His work with a new vigour, the Lord will do the same with us Friends if we genuinely bewail our troubles to Him. If the negative aspects of life drive us crazy, be assured, be comforted that He will hear our pleas and answer them in the best manner possible. Remember that every thing works together for good to those who LOVE and sincerely seek Him. So let’s try and avoid the negative build up in our souls which will seriously inhibit our ability to work for Jesus. But by the same token, if it does happen, don’t be afraid to cry out to the Lord. Much LOVE!…so the Lord blessed the latter end of Job…more than the beginning.
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 November 2009 Hosea 13:4‏

27 Nov 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Hosea 13:4     Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.
 
Oh Friends, the feasting and partying are over now in the U.S.A, and the Black Friday shopping nonsense has begun. I do hope some thanks was given to the Most High God Jehovah, though I’m sure the amount given was insufficient. And sadly, it seems in Canada we’ve now copied the scheme, running a watered down version with lower prices in some stores, to hopefully keep more of us from running south for supposed bargains. But that’s so sad. It reminds us of when Israel was in full vogue. As Hosea says: ‘He is a merchant (Canaanite) the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress.’ (Hos.12:7) Yes Friends, Israel was just like the Canaanite, more interested in money and commerce than their God; just like we are today. The Good Book declares: ‘And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding (skill), all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice (offer human sacrifice) kiss (worship with kisses) the calves (idols).’ (Hosea 13:2) Under Ahab the nation worshipped Baal and consequently died a spiritual death, which also resulted in political decline. Oh my brethren, doesn’t that sound familiar? When we had the Lord involved in all aspects of our lives, our societies prospered. However, once we began taking Him out of our lives, to please others, and made money and it’s negative connotations more important, then our nations began dying spiritually and losing political influence. Recently I read that one of Sarah Palin’s father’s beefs against the Obama Administration is that the world no longer fears America. And why should they fear a spiritually dead and decaying nation eh? But fortunately Friends, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who created and watches over us, still LOVES us unconditionally, regardless of our many faults. To that end, He has offered us salvation if we turn from worshipping Lucifer and his man-made idols. He plainly states: ‘O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.’ (Hos.13:9) Oh mih people, how much clearer can He get eh? Then He spells out His manifesto. ‘I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all the cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes? I gave thee a king in mine anger, took him away in my wrath.’ (Hos.13:10-11) Friends, please listen up. We certainly don’t want the wrath of God to fall on us. Yuh see how the little that we’ve already experienced, cause we to hold we head and bawl! And that’s just a sampling. Can you imagine if He unleashes the full fury of His wrath on us? Hn! We’d be blown away, wiped off the face of the earth immediately. And it’s going to eventually happen if we continue to disobey His statutes and follow the evil, corrupt Babylonian system. The Lord refers to Israel as an unwise son. (vs.13) The same can be said of us my people. We’re surely lacking in wisdom when it comes to living a sensible life that will provide rewards in heaven, rather than on earth. Remember, all the things we’re rushing to buy will deteriorate and rot just like our physical bodies. None of them will be of any use to us then. We’ll only be left with our spiritual lives, which, if they aren’t carefully nurtured and cherished during our earthly days, then they’ll be no good later on either. So if we follow Lucifer, at the end we’ll have no physical possessions, no physical body and a no good spirit. Like any living organism, our spirits need care, comfort, guidance and education for them to grow and thrive. And we can only achieve this by obeying the Lord, not placing our trust in money and the worthless things of this world. Friends, what’s wrong with us eh? The Lord had to remind Israel of their long standing relationship and subliminally, what He’d done for them. ‘Yet I am the Lord thy God, from the Land of Egypt..’ Yes, He was El Numero Uno from way back in time, when He rescued them from bondage in Egypt. He’s reminding us of that fact too my brethren. Then comes the frightful warning: ‘and thou shalt know no god but me.’ Friends, the Lord has been saying that to mankind since day one, but we seem to think He’s joking and keep turning to other false deities. And what’s the consequence of that disobedience? Hard times, plus the eventual decay and destruction of our societies. What does it take for us to understand that the Lord won’t allow us to worship any other gods for long? The other supposed gods can do nothing for us, cause they’re all false, inanimate man-made objects. But the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is a powerful, living deity; the ONLY LIVING GOD! And He clearly spells it out: ‘for there is no saviour beside me.’ Though the Lord God of their fathers had brought Israel out of slavery and given them a land filled with milk and honey, they chose to put their trust in other nations and in their own strength. And such unwise deeds only caused them grief. Friends, it’s the same thing we’re doing today, and we all can see the grief it’s causing. Our countries were founded on a Christian God and the ethic of the Good Book. What’s happened for us to so quickly move away from the Lord and His statutes? Oh my people, please, let’s wake up and smell the burning, the rot, the decay and destruction that’s poisoning our society. If we want to turn it around, it’s to the Lord we must look, cause He’s the only one capable of redeeming us. He declared it to Isaiah too. ‘I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour.’ (Isa.43:11) And listen to this reasoning and promise: ‘who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the Lord? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.’ (Isa.45:21-22) Friends, hear the power and the confidence with which those words are spoken! How can we ever doubt them? Only at our eternal peril. Much LOVE!…he who has ears to hear…let him hear…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 26 November 2009 Ephesians 5:20‏

26 Nov 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

HAPPY  U.S. THANKSGIVING.

Ephesians 5:20   Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  
 
Well Friends, another one of those days termed Thanksgiving Day has rolled around in the good, ole U.S. of A. But with the vast diversity of people, faiths and beliefs, is it really a day when the Most High God Jehovah is given thanks? Or has it become, like so many other supposed Christian reverential days, just another secular occasion to eat, drink and be merry? It doesn’t follow logically to have a ruthless campaign to remove God from your society, then celebrate a day of thanksgiving to that same deity. So what’s the celebration really all about now eh? It does seem to be somewhat of a misnomer now, doesn’t it? The founding fathers would surely be aghast and dumfounded to see the sinful, ungodly, evil state their beloved U.S. of A has become, when their prime goal was to build a nation based on the solid foundation of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Anyway Friends, mine is not to judge, just to point out certain irregularities and contradictions. But why should that surprise me eh, when I’ve always said that Mao should have visited the States before writing ‘On Contradiction’ because it is the land of contradiction, where the best and the worst of everything, and all shades in between, exist. I got this quote from the comic strip section of the newspaper, about the only place one gets a little good news these days. (smile) It’s from the strip titled ‘Mutts.’ To one side it says: ‘God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say ‘thank you?’ And on the other side it shows a pup resting contentedly on the bed, on the blanket above his master, saying a big ‘THANK YOU!’ The quote is attributed to one William A. Ward. But it’s certainly an interesting and intriguing question. My people, in the last twenty four hours, have we even taken a moment to give thanks to the one who created, and still looks after and provides for us? And I don’t mean just a quick, fly by moment, but a serious one where you actually stopped whatever you were doing, took a deep breath and concentrated your thoughts on the One True God Jehovah. I certainly hope so, and hope you did it more than once too. In fact we should be doing it as Bruh Paul says: ‘Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ That means being in a state of continuous thanksgiving. Our whole lives should reflect it, not merely a quick moment here or there. If we are true believers, then the Lord our God is the most important thing in our lives, and our focus should always be on Him, doing nothing without first consulting Him, then saying a heartfelt thanks for His guidance. Oh Friends, a believer’s life should be lived as Bruh David declares: ‘I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall be continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.’ (Ps.34:1-3) That, my people, is how we ought to live. The importance of giving continuous thanks to our Lord cannot be over estimated, for remember He is the one who allows us to draw a living breath, along with whatever health and happiness we achieve. He also guides us through rough times, holding our hands and carrying us on His powerful shoulders when we falter under the pressures of life. The food we eat, the beautiful sights and sounds of nature we enjoy, they all come from His LOVING, caring, merciful hand. So don’t you think He deserves more than a little thanks and praise for that? I’m sure you do, but we get so caught up in the busyness of everyday life, thinking that we have to do so many things, that it’s hard to make time for our God. But please remember my brethren, we don’t have to force and strain to do everything in our own strength. The Lord is there to help us. It’s simply a matter of leaning on Him, more than on our own measly human strength. And when we do that, then we’ll stop scurrying around like chickens with our heads cut off and have the time to give Him the proper thanks. Unfortunately though, our world has moved away from the kind, caring, nurturing place it once was, and has become rough and tumble, harsh and selfish, survival of the fittest, with little or no thought given to others. That type of society is obviously not conducive to giving thanks of any kind. Just notice the rude, unmannerly behaviour of our young people. And sadly of many adults too, who were brought up differently, but have now adopted the new disgraceful, disgusting fashion. Oh Friends, can’t we see that in almost every area of our lives, Lucifer and his cohorts already have, or are becoming more predominant? It’s a scary truth, but the truth nonetheless, and they will continue to rule the roost unless we believers take a strong stand and retaliate. But we can only do this as a cohesive unit. And that’s the sad part, for right now Christians seem to be more intent and concerned with fighting each other, separating, rather than coming together. Oh mih people, God’s chosen, we can’t allow Beelzebub and his buddies to get a firmer grasp on the society than they already have. It’s our duty as followers of Christ to stop them. But we’ll never do anything worthwhile until we stop being scared and unite. Then we need to draft a positive plan and see it through, instead of just batting our gums, which we’re so good at. You know the Christian faith is the one that does the most talking but the least walking. And I want us to remember one important thing; that charity begins at home. It’s wonderful to go to other parts of the world and spread the Word, but you also have to take care of your home base, which right now is being seriously bombarded and threatened by the enemy. You can’t help anyone, until you can help yourself. Friends, our western society is being invaded by the heathen, the infidel, and if we don’t do something soon, it will be eventually taken over. Our society will be changed dramatically, with way less freedom and much more oppression and suppression than now. It’s up to us, followers of Jesus to mount a serious campaign to stop the heathen and restore our godly society. But it all hinges on our awareness and our desire to do so. Just take a moment and consider how your freedom to worship your God, in your land, has been compromised in the last few years, because it supposedly infringed on the rights of newcomers of a different faith.  And Friends, it cannot change until we recognize the need for continually walking with and ‘Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.’  Oh my people, time is of the essence, so let’s get moving nuh! Much LOVE!…stand up, stand up for Jesus…the trumpet sounds…obey…till every foe is vanquished…and Christ is Lord indeed…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 November 2009 Proverbs 15:24‏

25 Nov 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Proverbs 15:24     The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.
 
Morning’ Neighbuhs! May the good Lord bless you and yours and keep all yuh safe in whatever endeavour(s) you undertake in His Name today. I have a simple but rather important quote to share. Henrik Ibsen asks: ‘What’s a man’s first duty? The answer is brief: To be himself.’ That’s quite true my Friends. First and foremost we have to be whom God made us to be. We shouldn’t try to be other people, as is so popular today. Don’t you think if God wanted us all to be exactly alike, He would have made us that way? But in His eternal wisdom, He saw that some spicy variety would be best suited to the ordinary, mundane lives we’d live, so He made us all with different individual attributes. This means that no two people are exactly the same, and it’s our personal duty to find out His purpose for us and adjust our lives to suit. One thing I’m sure He wants us all to be is wise. That simply means gathering as many pertinent facts as we can on whatever topic, then making good, sensible decisions. And in Today’s Bit, Cousin Sol declares that; ‘The way of life is above to the wise,’ meaning it leads upward. Now that can, and should be taken in two ways. The first is that we should always be trying to improve ourselves and our lives, being upwardly mobile in terms of education, jobs, church work, Bible study etc. This however should not be looked upon with such hunger and thirst that it makes us strive greedily, addictively and in an ungodly manner. It should just be a normal progression, whereby whatever we do should improve our lives not detract from them. The next aspect of an upward looking life is more like a physical look towards the sky, heavenwards, to our God. In that sense our hearts, minds and souls should be trained on and tuned in to the uplifting things of God, as opposed to the evil, self-serving ambitions of Lucifer. As Bruh Paul so eloquently says: ‘For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.’ (Phil.3: 20) In broad terms, we’re not citizens of earth but of heaven, and should therefore consider heavenly things first. And why not, since our God LOVED us so much, ‘That even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together (made us alive) with Christ (by grace ye are saved) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.’ (Eph.2:5-6) And all God’s people sang in loud unison: ‘Glory Hallelujah! Our God is indeed a LOVING God, most worthy to be praised!’ Yes my people, our God is all that, and lots more. But we have to individually make the wise decision to come to Him. It’s the biggest and most important decision we’ll ever make in our earthly lives. And the wise, as Sol says, will look above to Him, so ‘that he may depart from hell beneath.’ And in this scenario, the life on earth is considered hell, referring to the depths of despair, destruction and negativity that’s possible down here. ‘A wise man feareth and departs from evil: but the fool rageth, and is (self) confident.’ (Prov.14:16) Yes Friends, that’s what earthly thinking does to us. It brings out the bloodlust, the baser animal instincts, like greed, violence, hatred and anger. However, when we consider heavenly things, the things of the earth hardly disturb or worry us. Instead of hungering after the fleshly lusts and idolatry of the world, we hunger and thirst for righteousness. That’s why Bruh Paul warned the Colossians: ‘If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.’ (Col.3:1-2) Sadly though my people, the worldly part of us is taking over; the things of the earth are unfortunately becoming more important than those of heaven. Christ must surely be shaking His head in sad wonder. It’s so bad that the big news this week is Black Friday. That’s the day after the U.S Thanksgiving, when all the merchants lower their prices, and the populace rampage like a herd of demon-filled swine to get into the stores to buy supposedly cheap stuff. And though Christmas is still a month away, there’s constant speculation on the economics of the shopping season, for that’s what it has become; a season of crass commercialism. The birth of our Lord and Saviour has either been completely removed from the equation, or insignificantly relegated to the background, to the point that it’s now considered politically incorrect to wish a Merry Christmas, or any such greeting that contains a reference to Jesus. What a crying shame! Friends, it should not be like that. He’s our Saviour, our Redeemer, and it’s our responsibility to see that Christ is put back in Christmas. So please, let’s do the wise thing; do our shopping, but not like raging mad bulls, trampling others to save a dollar or a minute on some worthless earthly thing, and while we’re doing that, wish everyone we meet a very Merry Christmas. If they don’t like it tough. This Christmas season let’s talk about Christ, talk about Him plenty; of His earthly birth and the great meaning it has in our Christian lives, heralding the unconditional LOVE of our God for us, to save us from our sins, to wash us clean and make us whole. Praise the Lord! Please don’t be distracted by the fancy baubles of the earth or listen to Lucifer’s politically incorrect nonsense, but look to the things above. Your eternal soul depends on it. Much LOVE!…remember…CHRIST… He’s the reason for CHRISTMAS… 
 

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