Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 July 2009 Ecclesiastes 5:18‏

16 Jul 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Ecclesiastes 5:18     Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.
 
Mornin’ mih Neighbs! How all yuh doing eh? I certainly hope these few words of mine, (smile) reach oonoo in good physical health, a peaceful frame of mind, and a great joy in your hearts and souls because of your overwhelming LOVE for Almighty God, which translates into health, wealth and prosperity. Hn! Does that make sense? But you all know what I mean, and it does serve as a good jumping off point for Today’s Bit. Now, per the scholars, there is disagreement over the authorship of Ecclesiastes; whether it was Solomon or some unknown person. Most people tend to lean towards Sol’s authorship, as I do, for who else was wise, wealthy and had free time enough to conduct such extensive research and come up with the truisms that fill the Book. As far as I know, only Sol had all the parts to do it. But regardless of who wrote it, it’s still a bountiful well of wisdom pertaining to man’s life and purpose on this earth. First, we are reminded that we came forth naked and will return the same way, taking nothing of our labour with us. (vs.15) That is certainly a rough circumstance to endure, for ‘what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?’ (vs.16) None really my Friends. Working one’s whole life and not being able to take any of your material possessions or accomplishments with you is definitely a bummer. Makes you want to ask why do it then? Especially when one suffers many setbacks, sorrows and sickness in compiling the fruit of one’s labour. (vs.17) The first thing to accept and write deep in our consciousness my people, is that wealth is a very poor foundation on which to build our lives as it is easily lost, but requires much hard work to accumulate. The second principle to learn is that all our human efforts are vanity, in vain, unless vetted, blessed by God. Sol declares this in Psalm 127. ‘Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.’ (Ps.127:1-2) So my people, unless the Lord is involved in our activities, we basically labour in vain. Then what’s the purpose of labouring, if without God you fail, and with God, you can’t take anything with you? Understand Friends, when Jesus’ kingdom is proclaimed, we won’t need any of the stuff we now labour for. All our needs will be amply met then, and whatever we work for now, with God’s blessing, is for us to enjoy in this life. And enjoy doesn’t mean to live a wastrel’s life of excess and indiscipline, but to savour it like good food or fine wine, and to use it wisely in furthering the Word and work of Christ. Remember, we’re only stewards, safe-keepers of our earthly belongings. Oh Friends, Sol, in his heyday, decided to undertake some research into the purpose of life and ventured into a world filled with pleasure. But he was ultimately disappointed. ‘Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and behold all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.’ (Eccl. 2:11) Yes my people, seeking fulfillment through pleasure is futile and like grasping at the wind. But sadly, many of us, thousands of years later, still try to find our raison d’être in pleasure. And Sol’s conclusion? ‘Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life which God giveth him.’ Hallelujah! That’s one conclusion; it’s fitting for one to enjoy the benefits of one’s labour on this earth. And Bruh Paul concurs with Sol’s reasoning. ‘Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.’ (1 Tim.6:17) Then Sol ends; ‘for it is his portion.’ Yes my brethren, the profit of our labour is our heritage, our entitlement. As the Teacher pointed out earlier: ‘There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.’ (Eccl.2:24) And there’s the crux of the matter my people: It’s all from the hand of God. Unless we work and enjoy our life as a gift of God, for the purpose of serving and glorifying Him, our lives will be miserable, futile and aimless. It is the strong foundation of God in our lives that makes whatever we accomplish or accumulate worthwhile. Otherwise it’s all in vain. And the moral of the story? Enjoyment is a gift of God, and we must use our short earthly life spans as motivation to live it to the fullest. That’s God’s desire for us. As Jesus said: ‘I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.’ (John 10:10) Yes Friends, our earthly purpose is to work, enjoy and share whatever we have, living to spread God’s Word and do His will, because all that we have or accomplish, comes as a direct blessing from Him. Let’s take this message to heart nuh, and stop complaining about what we don’t have, instead enjoy what we do have, and share it with the less fortunate, while constantly giving thanks and praise to the Most High God Jehovah, for His wonderful mercy, kindness and forgiveness to the sinful children of men. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen! Much LOVE mih people!…for all we are or have…depends entirely on Him…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 July 2009 Isaiah 1:16-17‏

15 Jul 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Isaiah 1:16-17     Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil. Learn to do well; seek judgement, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
 
Oh Friends, it was another beautiful day in Paradise, but our God wasn’t happy. Why? His major handiwork, the creation of which He’s most proud, the children of men, were still being wicked and idolatrous, listening to the fallen angel Lucifer, being duped by his lies and glittering but not golden promises of fleshly lusts and oodles of material wealth that rots and is of no use in the after life. Wow! Bruh Paul would surely be proud of that sentence. (smile) It’s amazing that Isaiah’s call to Israel for repentance from their sinful ways, eons ago, still rings true, and is even more applicable today. Sin is so rampant now that the Old Testament prophets would hold their heads and bawl. If they thought ancient Israel was bad, they couldn’t conceive of the evil that pervades and permeates modern Babylon. Oh my people, when are we going to learn eh, that the wages of sin is death? We have so many other fallen societies to learn from, but like each of them, we feel we’re special and nothing bad will happen to us. But Friends, let’s take a moment and look back at just the last decade and see how life on our planet has gotten worse. Contemplate the sudden torrent of natural disasters, the increase in wars and rumours of war, including the rebirth of the cold war, the increase in violence within nations, the rise of racial tension and hatred again, the violent suppression of minorities and dissent in general, the breakdown of society’s backbone unit, the family, the angst, resentment and distrust between parents, between parents and children and between siblings. All of this has led to a complete breakdown of Christian values and general morality. Hn! I almost forgot to mention our current disaster; the economic meltdown that’s shaken the world systems like not even two world wars could do. The negative effects of greed, manipulation and lies will eventually get you if you practice them long enough. And we certainly did. The secular state is winning the battle, for God has been easily and quietly removed from our schools and public places. Neither does He exist much in the homes where so many families are disjointed and dysfunctional. The Church has become powerless, rudderless and full of dissension, with more parts breaking away each day over petty, selfish stuff. And without a strong, unified Church, we can never hope to defeat the forces of evil, who are quite unified. Oh Friends, the Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has had it with us. ‘And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.’ (Isa.1:15) Yes my people, there’s no doubting that last accusation, our hands are certainly full of blood, of our brother’s blood. In the last century alone, we’ve possibly spilled more blood than in the rest of man’s history combined. That’s definitely not a nice statistic to behold. Violence and bloodshed have become so commonplace today that it hardly affects our children cause that’s all they know. And those are the things now considered newsworthy. Anything that deals with LOVE is laughed at, scorned and thought sappy. But people, LOVE is the only thing that can save our crumbling world. Like Ike did back then, it’s time for us to make our own resounding, vociferous call for repentance and a return to a much more godly lifestyle. It’s our only hope of, or for redemption. As Ike boldly declared on God’s behalf, so should we: ‘Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil.’ Now this is not a mere ritual washing. It’s not even something we can do for ourselves. It means accepting the cleansing of our hearts by the Lord when we truly repent and turn from our evil ways. Jeremiah   pleaded the same thing. ‘O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?’ (Jer.4:14) Now that’s a very good question mih breddren. How long shall we allow wicked thoughts to destroy us, to keep us from the cleansing, wholesome power of the Most High God Jehovah? We’ve already been commanded to cut out the evil, and instead; ‘Learn to do well; seek judgement, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.’ Those are the things we should be concentrating on as believers; doing good to all and sundry, ensuring that justice is upheld, relieving the oppressed as well as reproving the oppressor, vindicating and defending the orphans, and pleading for mercy for the widows, who in many societies are treated like outcasts. Oh mih people, I don’t know what else to say or do. Many of us don’t like the lifestyle that currently prevails in our world, but are we doing anything concrete to change it? I doubt it. But it won’t ever change for the better until we get up and start taking positive, productive action to enable that change. Chuh! All yuh make me sound like a stuck record, repeating the same thing over and over. Christianity is not a passive system. It is action oriented. Jesus talked plenty, but He walked every word He spoke. And that’s how we should be my people. If we want to work on His behalf, then we need to get into action; put on the full protective armour of His Holiness and engage the enemy face to face. They can’t defeat us if we’re fully clothed in God’s armour. Many of us though are still fearful. We talk a great Christian talk, but we’re scared to walk it. Come on now Friends, that’s demeaning Jesus’ name. And walking our talk doesn’t necessarily mean being a missionary or a martyr. Remember charity, LOVE, begins at home. And there’s lots of work to be done right in our own homes and neighbourhoods. It’s the responsibility of every believer to make things better; spread the Word and live it in their everyday walk. And if each of us took that responsibility seriously… Oh, what a wonderful world this would be! It’s pure common sense mih people. Yuh lives not going to improve unless you do something yuhself to improve them. Judging from the way things going now, deh liable to get a whole lot worse. So I beg, and plead, and implore, and whatever other words synonymous with them, please let us take the bull by the horns and do something serious, positive and productive nuh. If not for our sakes, but for our children and future generations. Bruh Paul says it perfectly. ‘Let LOVE be without dissimulation. (hypocrisy) Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.’ (Rom.12:9) Oh Friends, is that so hard to do? Not if we really want to make changes. Much LOVE!…if God is LOVE…then we can only be of God…if we are of LOVE too..

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 July 2009 Hebrews 10:35-36‏

14 Jul 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

OH  HAPPY  DAY!

Hebrews 10:35-36     Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
 
Oh Friends, Oh Friends, it is indeed a Happy Day! The Good Lord finally saw fit to bless the ole fella with winning a horse race today. Wow! It’s been almost two years since I last won. So please join me in an exuberant shout of praise and thanks to the Most High God Jehovah. All together now: ‘Thank you Lord! Thank you! We praise and glorify your Holy Name! Thank you! Amen! And would you believe that on the way home I heard the song, ”Oh Happy Day!’ That’s what gave me the idea to title the Bit the same. Just another li’l bit of God’s working nuh. ‘Oh Happy Day!’ Yes mih breddren, the ole fella’s sure in a thankful mood, but let me tell all yuh, it wasn’t easy nuh. No dream the Lord puts in our heart is ever easy because He planned it that nothing worthwhile is ever easy. And sometimes if you’re trying to be a serious believer, it’s even worse, cause then He includes various obstacles and growing pains to test and mature us. I can attest to that from personal experience. Two years ago I had a decent racing season; my best yet. In light of that, I expected it to improve last year since I had more horses, and of better quality too. Hn! But last year turned out to be my worst ever. One misfortune after another befell the operation. It was rather disappointing, but I swallowed my pride and surrendered all to Him, saying, ‘Your will be done Lord, not mine.’ Well 2009 began with high hopes again. I now predicted that this would be my best year yet. Hn! Unfortunately things I had no control over again stepped in and muddied the waters. But I kept keeping on, knowing that some day my number would play, if the Lord meant for me to be in the Horse Racing business. Now it’s been almost a dozen years since He unexpectedly opened a way for me to get involved, so it seems fairly certain I was meant to be there. But Friends, though I LOVE my four legged children with a passion, like many things, it all boils down to dollars and cents. If you can’t pay your way at the racetrack, then you have to move on. This particular horse that won today, War Rebel, was on the verge of doing that cause he’d run a dozen times without winning, even with several good opportunities to do so. He just wasn’t making enough money to pay his expenses since he runs in cheap races. The ole fella is only minnow in a shark-infested pool, but hopes one day, with the Lord’s help of course, to match the sharks pound for pound. So Rebel was on a short leash; two or three more races and no decent return, he was history. But as I keep saying Friends, our God is such a masterful God, especially when it comes to timing. Of that I can testify with expert authority. The Lord knew we needed some dinero, but even more importantly we needed a bligh, some encouragement, a little light at the end of the tunnel, because the disappointments were increasing without any real signs of improvement. And this wasn’t so much about me, but my trainer, Wendy Wonder Woman Wolff. She’s so dedicated to the horses and works so hard with them that it breaks my heart to see her disappointed time after time. Note one thing though Friends, despite all the setbacks, we still kept on believing that this would be our best year yet. And lo and behold, today the Lord smiled down on us with a win. Aye Cousin Frankie, you’d have been real proud of yuh Cousin Rebel, the way he won with authority, wire to wire, though the longest shot on the board. So my people, that’s my testimony for today. (smile) And it just goes to prove what Bruh Paul’s been saying all along; ‘Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.’ Don’t lose hope because of unexpected setbacks. If the Lord sanctioned your project, then it will succeed, but only if you stick with it through thick and thin, talking to the Lord all the time, seeking His guidance and His will. Jesus endorsed that action when He declared: ‘Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.’   (Mat.5:12) What we need most of all though is patience that translates into endurance. Bruh Paul puts it wisely. ‘For ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.’ Another strategy that Jesus himself endorsed when He said: ‘In your patience possess ye your souls.’ (Luke 21:19) Yes my Friends, patience with endurance; the waiting but still fighting game is sure a hard one to play, but it’s the only way to grow and mature in Jesus. Bruh Paul again hit the nail on the head in directing the Colossians thus: ‘And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily unto the Lord, and not unto men. Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance; for ye serve the Lord Christ. (Col.3:23-24) And that’s an indisputable fact my brethren: we serve the omnipotent God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who faithfully keeps His promise that all who work in His Holy Name shall be rewarded. Friends, we all have this race of life to run, and we can run it in only two ways; with or without Jesus. I seriously implore us though to take Bruh Paul’s advice and run it WITH Jesus. ‘Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.’ (Heb.12:1-2) Yes my people, that’s how we have to live this life. Whatever dreams God has put in your heart, keep pursuing them in Jesus’ name. Don’t give up. It’s imperative that at the end of our mortal days we are able to say with pride of accomplishment, like Bruh Paul: ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.’ (2 Tim.4:7) Just keep keeping on my Friends. Today I’m riding high, and though tomorrow I may suffer a setback, I know that it only takes an ounce of God’s favour to turn everything around and make it right. So just keep on believing and persevering and it will all turn out positively in the end. Remember, the race is not for the swift, but the sure of foot. Much LOVE!…never give up…never give up…keep believing…in yourself… and in Jesus…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 July 2009 Psalm 143:10‏

13 Jul 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 143:10      Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me in the land of uprightness.
 
Oh my wonderful Friends, wonders never cease! It’s been almost a month since I’ve written anything on Bruh David! How did that happen eh? I suspect the Lord’s mysterious hand. (smile) But lo and behold, today the ole fella is in his element cause he’s dealing with the touching, heartfelt words of Bruh David. Nobody bares their soul, opens up their innermost being to their God, Creator, King and Sustainer like him. And I guess that’s what draws me to him so much, for when that powerful soul-searching is added to his masterful use of words, even the hardest heart can’t help but be moved. Ah mih people, as I write this I can’t help but chuckle, contemplating my attempts to sing Bruh David’s praises. But you all already know that he’s my favourite Bible writer and anytime I write on him, I’m liable to go overboard. How can one really go overboard though when faced with such beautiful verse as opens Psalm 143, titled, ‘Teach me thy will.’ In keeping with the olden tradition, it opens with glorious praise: ‘Hear my prayer, O Lord, give ear to my supplications: in thy faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness. And enter not into judgement with thy servant: for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.’ (Ps.143:1-2) And all God’s people said, ‘Wow!’ Oh Friends, those words just sing out to the Most High, acknowledging His omnipotence, but also His mercy and faithfulness to those who sincerely seek and serve Him. Nobody does a prayer opening better than Bruh David. He certainly knew how to get the Lord’s attention from the get go. Then, one would go on to state the problem. Here Bruh David is befuddled by his enemies, of which he seemed to have many. ‘For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead. Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.’ (vs. 3-4) What a heart-rending admission mih people! How many of us are confident enough to cry out to God so openly, so unashamedly? Not too many, including me. Although I’ve reached a stage of maturity where I better understand and appreciate what life and God are all about, though I’ve put my sincere faith and trust in Him, and cry out in times of trouble, I still can’t reach the anguished depths Bruh David reached. Perhaps that’s because I’ve never had to face the many life-threatening situations that he did. Who knows? And still in the tradition of his fathers, he acknowledges God’s help in past times of trouble. ‘I remember the days of old. I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.’ (vs.5) And he finishes laying the groundwork for his requests by declaring: ‘I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.’ Then, and only then, does he present the desires of his heart. ‘Hear me speedily, O lord, my spirit faileth…Cause me to hear thy LOVING-kindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust…Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.’ (vs.7-9) Friends, the important thing about Bruh David is that he knew the ultimate source of help and how to access it. ‘Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God.’ We can’t worship and serve a deity unless we know what they stand for and expect. He also expresses the same sentiments in Psalm 25. ‘Show me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all day long.’ (Ps.25:4-5) Oh my brethren, those are sentiments we should all be expressing if we are followers of Christ! As I like to say, Bruh David surely knew on which side his bread was buttered, and so should we. And in the midst of pleading for something, he’s still praising; ‘ thy spirit is good.’ That ties in perfectly with Jerusalem’s restoration in Nehemiah’s time when the priests and Levites confessed Israel’s sins before the Lord. ‘Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.’ (Neh.9:20) Yes friends, the Lord’s Spirit is certainly good; in fact to die for. It dwells within the hearts and souls of all believers, to lead and guide us though this crazy, confused earthly life. That indwelling Spirit is our main source of communication with our God. We pray, He answers through the Spirit. That means we have to listen closely and quietly for those answers, for the Lord isn’t given to shouting. Then Bruh David pleads for direction: ‘lead me into the land of uprightness.’ That’s a place where we all need to be led my people! It’s a place where we stand strong in faith and trust, in total surrender, obedient to the Lord’s dictates; spreading the Word, while living it, walking as Jesus desires us to walk, winning lost souls for Him, gaining dominion over Lucifer and his evil cohorts, ensuring, as Jesus wants, that not one single, solitary soul is lost in purgatory. Oh Friends, I can’t help repeating, Christianity is not a dormant or passive belief system. It’s an action packed set of guidelines that we must actively pursue if we are ever to make solid inroads into the wicked ways of our world. Bruh David shows us how to access the energy and encouragement, how to get the necessary resources required to do the job. Now it’s left to us to move into action, following Jesus’ example, who never rested on His laurels, but was always on the move. We need to swing into bold, passionate action, both as individuals and together as fellow believers, if we hope to be successful in our quest for lost souls, salvation and eternal life. Let’s stop neglecting the Lord, instead let’s pour out our hearts to Him, certain that if we so do, He will guide us safely, in all goodness and mercy, just like He did Bruh David. Much LOVE!… reach out to Almighty God for sustenance…then stand up strong…invincible…for Jesus…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 July 2009 Daniel 5:20‏

12 Jul 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Daniel 5:20      But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him.
 
Mornin’ Neighbuhs! Another beautiful day is in the offing. Hope it’s not like yesterday, interspersed with slashing rain, strong winds and some terrible thunder. Instead of the usual intermittent strikes of Thor’s mighty hammer, it was long, loud, thunderous claps all together. Some prideful fool must have gotten the Lord’s dander up. (smile) Who knows eh? But as promised, we’ll continue talking about selfish pride. Yesterday we saw the Lord’s reaction to Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar’s unholy pride, and how He dealt with them. Today, let’s begin with Isaiah’s vision of Satan’s fall from grace. ‘How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms. That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?’ (Isa.14:12-17) Isaiah uses Lucifer as the real power behind the pagan kings. And in this concocted version of Satan’s fall, he mirrors the same thing happening to them. As per the scholars, ‘Lucifer’ is the Latin term for the morning star, and Isaiah’s prophecy decrees that just like the morning star quickly disappears before the rising sun, in like manner, Satan, the angel of light, will be banished to eternal darkness when the Son of God comes. Oh my people, just like Satan tried to rise above God and was cut down to size, the same misfortune will befall his followers. And we don’t have to look far to find explicit examples of evil intentions and false pride being routinely dashed to the ground, for our God is no respecter of persons. Just look around at our current world, where both actual and wannabe dictators abound. The powers that be are greedy, oppressive and full of themselves. They pay no attention to God but try to wipe out all pockets of resistance, including Christianity. They believe that with all the wealth and power at their disposal, they are invincible, and entitled to do whatever they so desire. At some stage though, they are all rudely jolted out of their imagined omnipotence. And it’s usually because of one little seed called selfish pride that begins as an acorn, but when well fed and watered, grows into a mighty oak. Oh my people, when we allow false pride and self-importance to get out of hand, we usually end up taking a very devastating fall. We end up like Humpty Dumpty of nursery rhyme fame, who sat on the wall and had a great fall, and sadly, nobody could put poor Humpty back together again. And Friends, that doesn’t apply only to despotic rulers, but to every living soul, regardless of socio-economic standing, for in us all is an inherent, though sometimes dormant feeling, that we’re better than the rest. And although it may at times be true, we can’t allow it to get the better of us, we need to keep that pride under strict control. Pride is a treacherous feeling that we have to fight against our entire lives, for it crops up unexpectedly in so many different ways, forms and times. The lowly man is certainly not exempt from the sin of pride though we’re using powerful monarchs here as examples. And so after Belshazzar and his cronies finished drinking from God’s holy vessels, ‘and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.’ (Dan.5:4-6) Yes my Friends, that’s how swift our God’s reaction can be! And in Belshazzar’s frightened, trembling state he cried out for his astrologers and wise men to come and interpret the vision, offering material possessions and political office in return. But obviously none of them could do it since they were not in tune with the message’s sender; the Most High God Jehovah. And isn’t it strange that it was the queen, his mother or grandmother, since his wives were partying too, who came in and told them about Daniel. That’s the Lord’s hand at work mih people; all part of His master plan. And we saw how Daniel came in, refused the king’s rewards, then told him about Nebuchadnezzar’s audacity in glorifying himself and not God. ‘And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this. But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou and thy lords, and thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know; and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified.’ (Dan.5:22-23) Yes people, in this modern, materialistic age, the adoration of inanimate objects and of worldly possessions are placed above the reverence of God. Please remember the first commandment: Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God, and Him only shall thou serve and worship. It’s a sin of which many of us are guilty. Then Daniel continued: ‘And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.’ (Dan.5:25-28) Please remember too mih breddren, we shall all pay for our wrongs; from the highest to the lowest, in God’s good time. ‘In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Mede took the kingdom; being about threescore and two years old.’ (Dan.5:30-31) Oh Friends, please, don’t let us be weighed in God’s balances and found wanting nuh. I implore us to glorify the Most High God Jehovah and not men, else we’ll eventually pay a very steep price for that dumb move. Much LOVE!…he who hath ears to hear…..let him hear… he who hath ears to hear…let him hear…he who hath ears to hear…let him hear…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 July 2009 Daniel 5:20‏

11 Jul 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Daniel 5:20      But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him.
 
Oh Friends, those are the solemn words of Daniel to king Belshazzar, when called upon to interpret his dream. The occasion was after a bacchanalian splurge where the king and his courtiers drank from the golden and silver vessels brought to Babylon from the temple in Jerusalem. In other words, Lucifer’s minions feted with the Lord’s holy vessels. How unbecoming! In response to that unwise undertaking, the Lord sent a message to Belshazzar that no one in the kingdom could decipher. Enter Daniel, mouthing Today’s Bit, which refers to the king’s late father, Nebuchadnezzar. And Friends, though the statement was made ages ago, it is still applicable today, possibly more so with the ascendancy of wholesale depravity and the resultant decline in godliness. But before we get into that, let’s hear what Daniel said two verses earlier. ‘O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory and honour.’ (Dan.5:18) My people, please note that the operative words here are ‘the most high God gave…’ It’s oh so important for us to realize and keep uppermost in our hearts and minds that whatever blessings are bestowed on us, whether they be material possessions, or political power, or even simple peace of mind, they all come from one and the same source; the Most High God Jehovah. For some reason we tend to forget this when times are good. Neither do we seem to learn from the mistakes of others, foolishly believing that the same things won’t happen to us. I don’t know what makes us think we’re so different, that if we do the same wrongs as others, we won’t receive an approximate punishment. Nebuchadnezzar was all-powerful, did what he wanted and got away with most of it. ‘But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was disposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory away.’ Yes Friends, when he began believing his own press, when his pride rose on high and he became mean-spirited and started saying stuff like; ‘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) That’s when the Lord acted. Oh people selfish, egotistical pride is possibly the worse sin we can commit before our God, and one He simply will not tolerate. We must acknowledge His mercy and kindness in all that we do or acquire. In this case; ‘While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee: And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen; and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar.’ (Dan.4: 31-33) Oh Friends, that’s how swift the justice of our God can be when we provoke Him to wrath! By the time the words were out of Neb’s mouth, the Lord found him guilty and pronounced a severe sentence that was carried out immediately. Neb is not the only example of a great ruler suffering for his egotistical pride. When the Israelites were in bondage in Egypt and Pharaoh refused to let them go, the Lord dealt with him the same way. The plagues and pestilence that befell Egypt were all because of Pharaoh’s foolish pride and hardened heart; thinking that he was mightier than the God of Abraham. As the Lord said to him through Moses: ‘And in very deed for this case have I raised thee up, for to show in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all earth.’ (Ex.9:16) Friends, I don’t know why we insist on fighting against the Lord when we can never win, for He’s our Creator and also the Provider of everything we have. Egypt was racked with disaster through Pharaoh’s pride; Nebuchadnezzar went crazy and lived like a wild animal for seven years. Oh people, the Spirit just directed me to let Neb tell his own story. So here goes. ‘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 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? At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counselors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the king of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgement: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.’ (Dan.4:34-37) Yes Friends, the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, especially from those who walk in selfish pride. Please, let’s not be numbered amongst that lot, for it’s a very foolish path to tread. And ah have to laugh yes, cause our God ties you up when you least expect it. Why do I say that? Because I intended to complete this in one Bit, but obviously He had other ideas and flooded me with info. I never intend to write all of Neb’s words either, but He decreed it. And I can’t complain cause it’s just what we were talking about; pride, thinking that we know better than God. If He says to do it in more than one Bit, who am I to argue eh? (smile) I am just the messenger. So tomorrow, the Good Lord willing, more on pride. Till then, Much LOVE!…remember…pride goes before a fall…pride goes before a fall…  
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 July 2009 Romans 15:1‏

10 Jul 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Romans 15:1    We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
 
Ah my beautiful Friends in Christ, it was another perfect day in T.O. The ole fella enjoyed it by attending the premiere of the 2009 Caribbean Tales Film Fest running at the U of T William Doo Auditorium this weekend, July 9-12. It’s the fourth annual staging of the event and it gets better every time. This year features a panorama of documentaries and full films from all over the Caribbean by artists of Caribbean birth or descent, so for those who live in the area it would be a most worthwhile event to attend, especially if you’re of West Indian heritage, a glorious chance to catch up on yuh roots. The feature film today was ‘Carmen and Geoffrey,’ the story of Carmen de Lavallade and Geoffrey Holder, who with Alvin Ailey brought a new meaning to American Dance from the 50’s onwards. Geoffrey is the younger brother of the famous, talented, T & T Holder Brothers, the elder one being Boscoe, who also made his mark internationally. It was a beautiful film that perfectly exemplifies the principles of Today’s Bit: two people, strong and talented in their own right, but wise and generous enough to help each other carry their burden. It’s a story of LOVE, friendship, camaraderie, shared and unshared interests and successes with total loyalty; standing behind each other and enjoying the other’s success without any negative feelings. Oh Friends, let me apologize profusely for a typo I made yesterday, saying it was Job instead of Jacob’s family that went down to Egypt as strangers. And the sad part is that I wrote Jacob on the rough draft, but followed one of my bad habits of not paying enough attention to the draft when I come to copy it. And I read it at least twice before I sent it out. Just goes to show that the ole fella isn’t perfect, and needs help. (smile) As Bruh Paul says, ‘We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.’  So would some of you strong believers please come and share my infirmities? I have plenty. (smile) But it’s the truth Friends; we need to help each other. It’s the basic premise of our faith. Earlier on Bruh Paul declares; ‘Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputings.’ (Rom.14:1) Don’t be contentious over trivial matters; receive them kindly, agreeing to disagree on things or practices that don’t call the faith into question. The strong believer is morally and ethically obligated to help the weaker in things that bother him or he doesn’t understand. ‘Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.’ (Gal.6:1-2) So for those believers who have transgressed the Christian walk in whatever manner, it’s the responsibility of those walking firmly in the spirit, to make all effort to bring them back to the tried and true path. This we should do with all patience and selflessness, foregoing our freedom, putting up with our brother’s problems, ‘not to please ourselves,’ but our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the perfect example of the strong upholding the weak, by how He took the burden of our sins unto Himself. Oh mih people, remember sayings like, ‘it takes one hand to wash the other; two hands to clap, and two to tango?’ Well that’s exactly what Bruh Paul is trying to breed in us; the spirit of helping others not as strong or as able as us, in whatever aspect of Christian living they are deficient. And in so doing, we’re not to lord it over them either. Don’t assume the ‘I’m better than you posture because I’m helping you’ that so many believers adopt when they help the less able. Remember Friends to leave the egos outside cause it’s not about us; it’s all about working for Jesus, doing the things He requires of us. We’re to make no account of ourselves for we’re just bit players. Jesus’ name is the one up there on the marquee in big, bold letters and bright lights. Selflessness is often the first and biggest hurdle many believers need to overcome since it’s just a natural instinct when you’re doing good to feel good about yourself, and nothing’s wrong with that once we keep it under control and not let it go to our heads. Oh Friends, the operative words in the Christian faith are ‘help in action.’ That’s our stated purpose, not plenty talk and little or no action as is our wont. And it’s only fitting that we end with an exhortation from Bruh Paul on the matter. ‘Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.’  (1 Thes.5:14) Oh my people, that’s our calling right there! It’s what Jesus did, and what we’re supposed to do. So let’s do it nuh. Let’s replace our selfish egos with selflessness and help each other. Let’s be like Jesus, who made no account of Himself, although He was of divine heritage, and became a servant on earth. It’s the only way our faith will survive, remain strong, rise above all the problems we encounter and still be viable when Jesus returns. Much LOVE!…a chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 July 2009 Hebrews 13:2‏

09 Jul 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Hebrews 13:2      Be nor forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
 
Ah Friends, what a beautiful day we were blessed with today! Give thanks and praise to the Almighty! It was one of those perfect, well-balanced days, and the ole fella luxuriated in it. Hn! That’s a tad exaggerated, but I did enjoy the sunshine, fresh air and the cool, unseasonable breeze and temperature. Later on in the week though it’s expected to be hot, but like Job says, you can’t expect only good from God and no bad. Now my intention yesterday was to combine Hebrews 13:1-2 into one Bit, but when I got into the brotherly LOVE scene, I was sweetly surprised by how much there was to write on it, so I had to leave verse 2 for today. And people, this is a very important aspect of our Christian Faith, where Bruh Paul reminds us; ‘Be not forgetful to entertain strangers.’ Good treatment of strangers has been one of our God’s directives from the time Israel was released from bondage in Egypt. In the laws concerning human relations, He decreed; ‘Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.’ (Ex;22:21) In other words; know yuh history, remember it and live by it; remember where yuh coming from and how yuh got there. When the famine struck Jacob and his family, Egypt welcomed them with opened arms, though they knew them not. Later on the Lord again cautioned them on the treatment of strangers. ‘Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.’ (Ex.23:9) Once more reminding them of their sojourn as strangers in Egypt. Bruh David also mentions it in Psalm 146, which deals with the Blessedness of trusting God. ‘The Lord preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and the widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.’ (Ps.   146:9) Yes my Friends, our God is certainly big on the treatment of strangers, widows and orphans. I remember being somewhat surprised, amused and moved when I discovered how important the Lord considered those groups of people. But now, having matured, both in life and Christian fellowship, I can understand His reasoning. It’s simple really: unfortunately, they oftimes have nobody to look out for them in their usually rough situations, and since the Lord cares for us all and wants to be merciful to all, He must make provision for those viewed as outsiders. And Friends, I can personally vouch for the benefits of that divine instruction, for I’ve been a stranger in many parts of this world, sometimes in serious situations, and not once can I say that I was terribly treated. In fact, I was often treated like royalty; another bit of exaggeration. But it does work, and that means Jesus will honour several people because of their good treatment to me, a stranger. Remember now, one of the conditions of brotherly LOVE that He laid down yesterday was: ‘For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in.’ (Mat.25:35) So my people, we need to be kind to strangers, but with a be careful proviso, because of the many crooks and schemers willing to take advantage of your good nature and hospitality in this current age. But by the same token, while there can be problems in entertaining strangers, there can also be large rewards, as Bruh Paul declares; ‘For thereby some have entertained angels unawares.’ And the perfect example of that is the story of Abraham sitting outside his tent door, saw three men approaching and he ran to greet them, simultaneously offering food and rest. Lo and behold, it was the preincarnate Christ (Yahweh) and two angels come to tell him that Sarah would eventually bear him a son. (Gen.18:1-15) Shortly thereafter, ‘there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground. And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you into your servant’s house, and tarry all night and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.’ (Gen.19:1-2) Lot didn’t know these men from Adam, but he just felt the need to entertain them. ‘And he pressed upon them greatly: and they turned in unto his house; and he made them a feast.’ (Gen.19:3) I doubt nowadays we’d be so insistent to perfect strangers, but unbeknown to Lot, those same men were sent to save his life. And he didn’t only feed them, but also protected them from a mob that surrounded his house, wanting him to bring them out. But Lot refused. He even offered his two virgin daughters to the mob instead. The mob wanted the men though, and as they moved to break down Lot’s door, the men inside opened the door and quickly pulled Lot inside and shut it, then they ‘smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves to find the door.’ (Gen.19:11) Then they told Lot of the impending destruction of Sodom, so that he was able to flee with his family the next morning before Sodom was destroyed. That’s how our great God works my people! You walk in righteousness, look after strangers, widows and orphans, He makes your path straight and your way prosperous. Many of us older geezers will have experienced practical examples in entertaining strangers through our parents, in the simpler days, before big city living, fear and self-centredness got the better of us, where now we don’t even know our neighbours. But back then strangers were always  welcomed, and always got the best of everything. Sadly, that has turned right around now, to where the stranger is often neglected and gets the worse of everything.  But Friends, let’s try and return to the earlier sort of mentality nuh, where strangers were appreciated. We have to be careful, but we also need to follow Jesus’ instructions and do His work, if we consider ourselves true believers. Much LOVE!…be kind one to another…it’s the only way LOVE…and Jesus…can spread…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 July 2009 Hebrews 13:1‏

08 Jul 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Hebrews 13:1       Let brotherly LOVE continue.
 
Yes my Friends, on this beautiful summer’s day, our doing that would be ever so pleasing to our God! That shows His care and concern for others through us. Jesus proclaimed that there were two basic commandments: LOVE God, and your neighbour as yourself. If we are intent on fulfilling Today’s Bit, then we’ll be fulfilling both commands, for we can’t truly LOVE God if we hate our neighbour; likewise we won’t really LOVE our neighbour unless there’s great adoration in our hearts for God. The two principles are inextricably tied together under one banner; reverence and service to God. Bruh Paul adamantly states; ‘Let brotherly LOVE continue.’ And so we should. But what does it mean, what does it entail in a practical application? Well Bruh Paul expounds, expands and explains it in Romans 12: ‘Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly LOVE; in honour preferring one another. Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer. Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; If he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.’ (Rom.12:10-21) Wow! Oh Friends, that’s what brotherly LOVE is all about! I never intended to copy it all, but I couldn’t decide what to leave out, how to paraphrase it and still have it make sense. It is such a comprehensive list too, with nothing left out. The Spirit agreed and said, just include it all. (smile) So from here on in mih people, we have no excuses for not knowing or fulfilling that brotherly LOVE, a most important part of our Christian heritage. It’s one of the chief principles of Jesus’ philosophy, and a major goal in His earthly ministry; getting us to sincerely care for and help each other. As He said in the parable of the talents: ‘When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, than shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. And before him shall be gathered all the nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.’ (Mat.25:31-36) Quoting all that was just the leading of the Spirit again. (smile) But my people, it’s very important that we fully realize, understand and comprehend what Jesus is saying here. He’s talking about the same principle of brotherly LOVE, but shown in action though, not mere talk. He then explains  about the righteous asking when and where they did all that for Him: ‘Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren; ye have done it unto me.’ (Mat.25:40) That means, any time we do a kindness for a fellow human, it’s considered doing it to Jesus too. And that’s how He wants us, His followers, to live our earthly lives; caring for and helping each other; doing it for the great LOVE of Him that we bear in our hearts. ‘Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me ye cursed, into the everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.’ (Mat.25:41) Why? Because when they saw Him hungry, thirsty, sick, naked, a stranger, in prison, they never lifted a hand to help Him. And when they ask when they saw Him needy and never ministered to Him? ‘Inasmuch as ye did it not to the least of one of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into eternal life.’ (Mat.25:45-46) Oh my people, it’s so simple! Awright, so I’m somewhat simple and naive. (smile) But why is it so difficult for us to treat each other decently eh? That’s possibly the biggest problem in our world today; what with the violence, the greed, oppression and suppression that we’re heaping on each other. And a lot of it is done in the name of some god or religion. Obviously not the One True God Jehovah or the Christian religion, for, as we can see, those things are against the basic principles of Jesus and His Heavenly Father. Oh Friends, I implore us, let’s start treating each other better nuh. It could make this rough life so much easier, happier and interesting. Let’s do a good deed, or say a kind word to someone in need. Let’s begin right now; right in our own backyard, with our friends, families, neighbours, co-workers, fellow worshippers, and whatever strangers we may come into contact with, for who knows we might be entertaining angels unawares. And there’s plenty room for improvement right where we are since much of the ill treatment meted out is within those same boundaries. Friends, to be a true Christian, we need to show brotherly LOVE. It’s what this world is about: living the Word; being a good example of its principles and precepts. Talk is simply not enough, action is also imperative! I don’t know what else to say. You have the words of both Bruh Paul and Jesus before you. Now it’s up to each of us to make a conscious decision to live in brotherly LOVE, or not. I beg us, let’s listen to Jesus’ and obey His wish. It’s the path of true wisdom since in the end, He’ll be both the judge and jury whom we’ll stand before. And if we listen to Him, when He comes adjudging in all His glory, we’ll end up on His right hand with the sheep, bound for glory, and not on the left with the goats, bound for death and eternal damnation. Much LOVE!…what a wonderful world this could be…if we all practiced brotherly LOVE…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 July 2009 1 Peter 1:15-16‏

07 Jul 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

1 Peter 1:15-16     But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation. Because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy.
 
Oh Friends, it’s the first day in almost a week that I haven’t had to search for a Bit and all it entails. It was all laid out for me in Bruh Paul’s journey from Jerusalem to Rome, so I’ve become lazy and spoiled, forgetting how hard it is sometimes to find a suitable Bit. But the Lord in His abundant mercy and compassion showed me favour and quickly led me to this one. He apparently wants us to concentrate on one of His most important attributes today; that of being Holy. Now what does Holy mean? The dictionary defines it thus: consecrated, sacred, morally and spiritually perfect, belonging to, commissioned by, devoted to God, and of high moral excellence. Wow! It’s surely a lot. And we can add a few more synonyms like, blessed, hallowed and unprofaned. But that’s enough to give us a good idea of what Holy means. And my stubborn, rebellious people, please note that is not merely a request of Peter’s, but a command of our God. As the second part of the Bit says; ‘Be ye holy, for I am holy.’ The Lord commanded this of the Israelites from the time He brought them out of bondage in Egypt. ‘For I am the Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy’ (Lev.11:44) That’s when He spoke to them about clean and unclean animals. Then again, concerning laws of holiness and justice, He told   Moses; ‘Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy.’ (Lev.19: 2) And yet again, re the holiness of priests: ‘Thou shalt sanctify him therefore, (set him apart) for he offereth the bread of thy God: he shall be holy unto thee: for I the Lord, which sanctify you, am holy.’ (Lev.21:8) So we can see people that from the very beginning this holy attribute was very important to our God, and he expects His followers to adhere to it. ‘But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.’ That simply means being obedient to God in all your conduct. Let your daily conduct be shaped and shined by the word of God, by His laws and decrees. The Israelites lived up to it for a while, but abandoned the idea when life became prosperous. Unfortunately so did we. In the last half-century we’ve moved from a somewhat puritanical society to an almost godless one. As our material wealth, technical and scientific knowledge increased, our holiness and obedience to the things of God decreased. Until sadly, today the word Holy or anything that relates to it is ridiculed and considered of no importance. Lucifer has succeeded in getting us to disband, discourage and reject anything that even faintly smacks of being holy. Holiness is no longer sought after. Anything sacred, sorry, nothing is now considered sacred. And if you try to talk about being morally and spiritually inclined, you’re made a laughingstock. Oh mih people, so far have we turned away from God, that our young people have little or no notion of things holy, sacred, godly or spiritual. The term morals doesn’t exist in their thinking. To them it’s all about the here and now, the enjoyment, the experience of this particular moment; ‘show me the beef.’  If they can’t see it, they won’t or can’t believe it. Now it’s our job to raise and keep our children focused on their Creator, and it’s obvious we’ve failed in that respect. Yes we made life easy for them, a noble ideal, but we made it too easy, now they expect everything easily. And look how everything crash now, cause too many of us chose to follow the unholy Beelzebub, rather than the holy God, Jehovah. Ah mih Friends, it’s not an easy row we hoe, but where there’s a will, there’s always a way. First though, we must sincerely and desperately want to turn it around, and we all know there’s only one sure foundation on which we can successfully build our lives and our society; on the solid, permanent, immovable cornerstone that’s our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. But to do that we parents, we adults have to relinquish the material, lustful ways of the flesh that we too have sadly adopted, and turn back to the holy, moral and spiritual ways of Jesus. Live by example, while still talking to our children about changing their materialistic outlook on life, plus praying with and for them. It’s not too late to redeem our children and ourselves, but that’s the only way we’ll dig ourselves out of the big pit in which we’re currently wallowing. As Bruh Paul exhorts: ‘Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.’ (2 Cor.7:1) Yes my people, if our world just expended half the energy on God that we do on materialism and the cult of the celebrity nonsense, we wouldn’t be in this mess. On that note, let’s hope that Michael Jackson’s Memorial tribute today doesn’t turn into a fiasco as we’ve gone so crazy with our narcissistic affair. Until we drastically reduce this selfish LOVE for ourselves and place it where it should be, on God, our lives will continue to be unfulfilled. Oh Friends, let’s wake up and smell the roses nuh. Let’s inform others, spread the word, that Jesus Christ is the only way; whether it’s to be successful and happy here on earth, or to receive salvation and eternal life later on. Much LOVE!…and please remember…holiness is not a curse…but a cure… 
 

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