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… 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 July 2009 Acts 28:15.‏

06 Jul 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Acts 28:15     And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as the Appii Forum, and The Three Taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.
 
Oh Friends, on this bright Monday morn, many of us are singing the Monday morning blues, especially after the Independence weekend in the U.S, dreading the drudgery of another work week. But just remember the Lord is still in control, the same way He was long ago, when Bruh Paul set out from Jerusalem bound for Rome. And if you have Jesus buried deep in your heart and soul, then, like He watched over Bruh Paul, He’ll also watch over you. And Friends, we’re now in the home stretch of that journey. After Bruh Paul’s exhortation to his fellow passengers to eat and be of good cheer, they did so, all two hundred and sixty six souls. And having satisfied themselves, they further lightened the ship by throwing out the wheat. At daybreak they saw a bay and a beachhead of land close by, and though they didn’t recognize it, it looked promising. So they upped anchor, committed themselves to the seas, hoisted the mainsail and steered a course, as best they could, towards the inlet. Between the high seas and the bay, they ran the ship aground. Unfortunately the bow became stuck, while the stern was broken up by the violent waves, causing the soldiers to consider killing the prisoners so that none could escape and swim to shore. But Friends, a guardian angel is always present in the difficult times of believers. This time it was Julius, the centurion. ‘But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land: And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.’ (Acts 27:43-44) All thanks to God, my people, for remember Bruh Paul had promised in the Lord’s name that none would lose their lives. So how would it look if some died eh? But again, through his courage, feistiness and faith, our God was glorified. And that wasn’t the end of God’s glorification mih people! In fact it intensified after that. When they hit dry land, they realized that they’d run aground on the island of Melita, modern day Malta. ‘And the barbarous people showed us no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us everyone, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.’ (Acts 28:2) Yes Friends, barbarians welcoming so many total strangers in the rain and cold. Doesn’t that sound strange? But here’s the piece de resitance: when Bruh Paul gathers some wood to put on the fire, ‘there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.’ (Acts 28:3) The natives began murmuring amongst themselves that he must surely be a murderer, and though he escaped the sea, justice was nevertheless being served. But lo and behold, Bruh Paul simply shook off the venomous snake into the fire, with no ill effects, though the natives fully expected him to bloat up or just die. ‘But after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.’ (Acts 28:6) Not a god, but a faithful servant of the Most High God Jehovah! And it really endears me to our God when He keeps His promises; and not in a small way either, but always in a manner that glorifies Him. He’d already promised that Bruh Paul would reach Rome safely, though not how, when or after what trials. But as we saw, He made a way for him to overcome each trial and also open the eyes of unbelievers. And wouldn’t you know that the estate of the chief official on the island, the Magistrate, was close by to where they landed. His name was Publius; ‘who received us, and lodged us three days courteously. And it came to pass that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux (dysentery): to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him. So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island came, and were healed. Who also honoured us with many honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary.’ (Acts 28:7-10) Now isn’t that our great God moving in mysterious but practical ways? Note, the scholars claim since two different words were used for healing in verses 8 & 9, Luke, the physician did the general healing, and Bruh Paul only healed Publius’ father. But please remember Friends, that however lowly our estate, social standing or work, it’s still possible to do stuff that glorifies our Heavenly Father. God considers offering a thirsty man a sip of water, or a hungry man a morsel of bread as honouring our beliefs and glorifying him. So don’t think you have to move mountains or do great works to honour the Lord. Moving molehills are also important in the wide scheme of things. The shipwrecked travellers spent three months on Malta, then departed on another ship of Alexandrian registry that had wintered there. From thence it was clear sailing; to Syracuse, for three days, then circling around to Rhegium, then to Puteoli, where they found brethren with whom they spent seven days, then onwards to Rome, where the brethren heard about them and came as far as the Appii Forum and The Three Taverns to greet them. That simple act of appreciation and brotherhood caused Bruh Paul to give much thanks and boosted his courage, for even those of great faith also need encouragement. Bruh Paul’s favour in God’s sight continued at Rome, for instead of being housed with the other prisoners, he was allowed to live by himself with a soldier to guard him. Three days later he called the elders together and explained the situation to them. They hadn’t heard anything about it, but desired to hear his views on Christianity, since only negative opinions were being aired. So one day they came to his house, ‘to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. (Acts 28:23-24) All was fine until he said; ‘Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.’ (Acts 28:23-24) And just like the Jerusalem Jews, they listened quietly until Bruh Paul mentioned the gospel being preached to the Gentiles. Then they all got up and left with great dispute amongst themselves. That didn’t stop Bruh Paul’s ministry, but set the pattern for the Church to become a Gentile entity. He rented a house in Rome and lived there for two years; ‘Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concerned the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no man forbidding him.’  (Acts 28:31) And so ends one part of the saga that was Bruh Paul’s life. Friends, very few of us will ever be tested so strenuously for our belief in Christ, but I sincerely hope that when tested, we’d use this small portion of Bruh Paul’s walk for Jesus as encouragement to stand steadfast and strong and withstand whatever trials we face, for it’s certainly an awesome testimony that includes many negatives, but also courage, a deep faith in Christ, and above all, an enormous desire to spread the Word and glorify God. That’s my sincere wish for all of us this day. I hope you all appreciated the journey we took with Bruh Paul the last few days. I certainly did. It definitely opened my eyes to what being a true believer means, and what we sometimes must endure in Jesus’ Name. Much LOVE!…true faith is…belief, trust, surrender, patience, perseverance, courage…and then some more of them all…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 July 2009 Acts 28:15‏

05 Jul 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Acts 28:15     And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum, and The Three Taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.
 
Well a good Sunday morning mih Neighb’s, wherever you are in God’s great but troubled world! And if today is when you celebrate the Sabbath, I implore you to get out and fellowship with others; raise your voices in thanks and praise, in gratitude for the unconditional LOVE, mercy and forgiveness He’s bestowed upon us. Selah! Even if it’s only two or three gathered together in His Name, Jesus has faithfully promised His Holy Spirit will be there. So let’s be sure we put aside that one day a week to rest, pay special attention to Him, and not let the cares of the world drive us crazy. Bruh Paul seemed rather adept at that, for little appeared to ever fluster him. Now some time after his case was heard by King Agrippa, they loaded him and some other prisoners on a ship under the safeguard of Julius, a centurion, and set sail along the coast of Asia; eventual destination Rome. With Bruh Paul was Luke, the writer of Acts, and ‘one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica.’ The second day out, they landed at Sidon, where the centurion was nice enough to let Bruh Paul leave the ship and visit friends. Afterwards they continued the journey, staying close to the coast of Cyprus because of contrary winds. Then at Lycia, they found a ship of Alexandria headed for Italy and embarked on it. But progress was real slow cause of light winds. ‘Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, and said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and the ship but also of our lives.’ (Acts 27:9-10) But the centurion believed the captain and owner of the ship, who obviously said that everything would be fine. It was now late Sept, early Oct, as per Bruh Paul’s mention of the fast, referring to the Day of Atonement. (Lev.23:27-32) That meant winter was fast approaching, but the harbour they were then in wasn’t suitable for wintering, so they decided to try and reach Phoenix, a safe harbour in Crete and winter there. ‘And when the south wind blew softly,’ they set sail for Phoenix, staying close the coast of Crete. ‘But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind called Euroclydon.’ (Acts 27:14) A southeast wind that stirs up waves. And Bruh Paul’s prophetic words began to come true. They couldn’t control the ship, so fearing running aground, they took down the sails and let the wind drive it. The second day they threw out stuff to lighten the ship. The third day they ditched the ships tackle. ‘And when neither sun nor stars in many day appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was taken away.’ (Acts 27:20) That’s when Bruh Paul rose to the occasion: ‘But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. (disaster) And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar, and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.’ (Acts 27:21-26) Oh Friends, how can you not LOVE Bruh Paul eh? In the midst of the raging storm he gets up and through the power of the Holy Spirit assures them that nobody would die, they merely lose the ship and be cast upon some island. Hn! Wish I had Bruh Paul with me a few years ago, instead of some drunken friends, when we got caught at night in the middle of a storm on Lake Ontario. But on night fourteen the storm had not abated, the ship was still been tossed about. At midnight though, the sailors thought they were near land, and after twice checking the depth found it to be fifteen fathoms. But fearing they’d run aground in the dark, they threw out four anchors over the stern, ostensibly waiting for daybreak. But then they went up to the front and pretended to be letting down anchors there too, but it was really the life boat they let down, intending to jump ship and leave the passengers stranded. But again they reckoned without Bruh Paul. He recognized the ruse and said to the centurion and the soldiers; ‘Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved. Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.’ (Acts 27:31-32) Ah Friends, when I was first introduced to Bruh Paul, I considered him an upstart, a boastful, educated loudmouth. But the more I learn about him, the greater my respect grows. With that in mind, I’ll just let him take us home today, for he is indeed worthy to be respected and praised. ‘And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken nothing. Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you. And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat. Then they were all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.’ (Acts 27:33-36) Oh Friends, one must admire Bruh Paul’s confidence and courage under fire! Oh that we could be blessed with even a small amount of that real faith, trust and surrender that he exhibited! We’d move mountains in our day! Now, unlike him, I can’t guarantee that not a single hair will be lost from your heads, but I can assure us that if we stand steadfast and strong, be of good cheer and invoke the Holy Spirit of Christ in any trials we’re currently undergoing, the Most High God Jehovah will keep His promise and bring us safely through it all. I pray this in Jesus’ Name. Amen! Much LOVE my People!…put your faith to the test…stand strong…and see the salvation of the Lord…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 July 2009 Acts 28:15‏

04 Jul 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

HAPPY  4TH OF  JULY  U.S.A

Acts 28:15    And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum and The Three Taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.

 Oh Friends, the partying will be plentiful in the ole U.S.of A. today. But let’s not forget the original cause for all that celebration; freedom from a colonial yoke. That appealing but dangerous idea of freedom, of independence, which drives men to do unbelievable acts of courage and bravery to acquire it. The Founding Fathers were fleeing religious persecution and the right to worship as they pleased, just like Bruh Paul fought for it in his time. We stopped yesterday when Festus replaced Felix. For two years Bruh Paul was held in limbo; out on bail, with a centurion supervisor. And the rigmarole continued under Festus, who went up to Jerusalem three days later where the Jewish elders took up the issue again, wanting him to bring Bruh Paul to Jerusalem, ostensibly to accuse him, but secretly planning to way-lay him en route. Festus refused though, telling them to come to Caesarea if they wanted to accuse Bruh Paul. After almost two weeks in Jerusalem, Festus returned to Caesarea, and heard Bruh Paul’s case the next day. The Good Book says; ‘the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.’ (Acts 25:7) They were so hungry for his head that they were willing to lay charges without any proof. And as expected, Bruh Paul stood strong in his innocence, replying; ‘Neither against the law of the Jews, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended anything at all.’ (Acts 25:8) But smart-man Festus, wishing to curry favour with the Jews, asked Bruh Paul if he was willing to transfer the case to Jerusalem. Bruh Paul wasn’t stupid, he knew his goose would certainly be cooked if he ventured back to Jerusalem. He answered Festus: ‘I stand at Caesar’s judgement seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest. For if I be an offender, or have committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.’ (Acts 25:10-11) Strong words my Friends, again showing Bruh Paul’s courage and conviction. If you spoke to a judge like that today, you’d be found guilty of contempt. Note how he says if he’s worthy of death, ‘I refuse not to die.’ Only someone with Bruh Paul’s strong faith could use such confident language under those life-determining circumstances. And then, knowing the law, he appeals to Caesar. Education my Friends, education; it will set you free. Festus, after conferring with the council, haughtily declared; ‘Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shall thou go.’ (Acts 25:12) But the merry go round wasn’t over, for some time later, King Agrippa and his sister Bernice, with whom he reputedly had an incestuous relationship, came to Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus, who eventually told them of Bruh Paul’s case. King Agrippa seemed intrigued by it and decided to hear the case. So the next day, with full pomp and pageantry Bruh Paul was brought before the king. Festus made the opening remarks, stating that in his opinion there was no evidence of a crime worthy of death, but since Bruh Paul had appealed to Caesar, he determined to send him to Rome, though he needed some charges to lay against him; ‘For it seemeth unreasonable to me to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.’ (Acts 25:27) Then Agrippa gave Bruh Paul the floor. And did he take it! First claiming he was happy to be before Agrippa, ‘especially because I know thee to be an expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews.’ (Acts 26:3) The kings were locally based and had more interaction with the various peoples under their rule than the Roman officials. Bruh Paul then explains to Agrippa that he was a Pharisee, the strictest sect of the Jewish religion. ‘And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers. Unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake King Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews. Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?’ (Acts 26:6-8) Why indeed my people? It’s one of the basic tenets of our faith. Then Bruh Paul goes on to explain his persecution of the early Church and his subsequent conversion on the road to Damascus. ‘I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision. But showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me. Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.’ (Acts 26:19-23) Oh Friends can’t you just imagine Bruh Paul at his oratorical best, speaking the Word and glorifying God? So good too that Festus loudly interrupted: ‘Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad. But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.’ (reason) (Acts 26:24-25) Then in gung ho mode, he claims that the king knew all about it for it was done openly, and asks, ‘King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.’ (Acts 26:27-29) Oh my Friends, such a wonderful testimony! It almost made Agrippa a convert. We all can’t be such great orators with such great testimony, but there are ways in which we can show our strong faith and tell what testimony we have. It’s all a matter of having that faith so deeply ingrained and entrenched in our hearts, minds and souls, that nothing or no one can displace it. A faith so strong that we’d be bold and brave enough to use any forum to spread it, proudly acknowledging Christ as our Lord and Saviour. And after such a moving testimony, they obviously found Bruh Paul not guilty. ‘This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds. Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar.’ (Acts 26:31-32) But Friends, our God is not stupid. He knew that if Bruh Paul was set free anywhere in that area the Jews would have found a way to kill him. The best way to keep him safe was in Roman hands. In any case He had much more glorifying of His name for Bruh Paul to do. Oh Friends, we’re not all meant to be martyrs, but certainly to be courageous and stand up for our beliefs. Let’s use Bruh Paul’s exceptional witness and courage as a guide for our own walk with Christ. It can only mature and strengthen our faith. Much LOVE!…examples speak much louder than mere words…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 July 2009 Acts 28:15‏

03 Jul 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Acts 28:15     And from thence, when the brethren heard of us they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum, and The Three Taverns: whom when Paul saw he thanked God, and took courage.
 
Oh Friends, it’s the midnight hour, and I’ve just come in from sitting on my front porch, eating a forbidden fruit; a Julie mango. (smile) This one was a tad over ripe, but I surely enjoyed the quiet refreshing breeze, gently gliding through the trees after the shower of rain. Ever noticed after the Lord washes the earth with His showers of blessing, how everything seems so nice and clean, so silent, temporarily relaxing before the cycle starts again? It’s just like us after a shower; the outside dirt’s washed off, but an air of cleanliness, a clean, relaxed, refreshing feeling is also bestowed on the inner man, giving us some respite from the drudgery of daily life. Bruh Paul didn’t have much respite though, for the day after he caused the commotion in the Jerusalem high council between the Sadducees and the Pharisees, a group of forty men bound themselves by oath neither to eat nor drink until they’d killed him. That conspiracy they shared with elders, advising them to drum up some reason to have Bruh Paul brought before them the next day, and they would do the dirty deed along the way. But Friends, when it’s not your time, nothing can touch you. And it certainly wasn’t Bruh Paul’s. As luck, more as the Lord would have it, Bruh Paul’s sister’s son, overheard them planning his uncle’s demise and went into the castle to tell him, and consequently the chief captain. In response, the captain, around 9.p.m, hustled Bruh Paul out of Jerusalem, bound for Caesarea and the custody of the governor Felix, with a bodyguard of two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen. Wow! A bodyguard fit for a king! But the captain was obviously taking no chances, especially with a Roman citizen. It’s interesting to note though, that in the captain’s letter to governor Felix, he says that he rescued Bruh Paul from the Jews, ‘having understood that he was a Roman.’ (Acts 23:27) A slight rearrangement of the truth, for he only found out Bruh Paul was a Roman citizen when he decided to flog him. But it served everybody’s purpose; Bruh Paul was delivered safely to Felix, and the captain got his pips for rescuing him. All the above can be found in Acts 23:12-35) Five days later, Ananias, the high priest and his cohorts came down to Caesarea to plead their case before Felix, bringing with them an orator named Tertullus, to act as prosecutor against Bruh Paul. I guess they realized that they themselves were no match for Bruh Paul’s oratorical skills. Well Tertullus said his piece, first praising Felix for his providence, though Felix was a greedy, cruel official, then accusing Bruh Paul: ‘For we have found this man a pestilent fellow and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.’ (Acts 24:5) Note Friends, the Jews termed the early believers ‘a sect of the Nazarenes,’ re Christ’s birthplace, Nazareth. They would never call them Christians, since it would lend credence to their contention that their leader was actually the Christ. Meaning, The Messiah, the longed awaited Saviour of the Jews had come, and unforgivably not been recognized by them as such. Anyway, Bruh Paul’s turn comes, he steps up to the plate, gives Felix his due, and refutes all the charges brought against him, then gets in his shot for God. You didn’t think he’d let such a golden opportunity to glorify God, go a begging now, did you? ‘But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets. And have hope towards God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men.’ (Acts 24:14-16) Felix was left in a quandary, without any supporting evidence, but rode the fence admirably, reserving judgement until the chief captain, Lysias could come down to Caesarea and give his testimony. The mean time, he put Bruh Paul under a kind of house arrest, with liberty and visitors, but under the supervision of a centurion. Now Felix himself knew of the faith, and a few days later, in his wife Drusilla’s company, ‘which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgement to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.’ (Acts 24:24-25) Ah mih people, can’t you just imagine Bruh Paul laying Jesus on poor Felix, so hot and heavy that he trembled? Possibly scared out of his wits, Felix sent him away claiming that he’d send for him when he had more time. Hogwash! The Good Book says he also had an ulterior motive; hoping that Bruh Paul would anti up some dinero for his freedom. Bruh Paul’s family obviously had some resources seeing they sent him to Jerusalem for such expensive schooling. Bruh Paul himself had also mentioned bringing money to the penurious Christians in Jerusalem from the other churches. (Acts 24:17) But Felix was thwarted in that respect, for though he communed often with Bruh Paul, no money ever passed hands, neither is it recorded that Felix was ever saved through Bruh Paul’s testimony. Two years passed without any resolution, then Festus succeeded Felix. Friends, please note Felix delaying his salvation, for a convenient time.  Oh my people, there’s no such thing! And if you, or anyone you know is putting forward that spurious claim, please believe yourself and tell them that they’re playing with serious fire, for we know not when our number will be called. Michael Jackson is the perfect example right now. Just like the parable Jesus told of the rich man who had so much earthly treasure and not enough storage space, so he grandly decides to tear down everything and build bigger. ‘And I will say to my soul, soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God.’ (Luke 12:19-21) Straight from the horse’s mouth Friends! So please, don’t put off accepting Jesus. The right moment is always NOW. For ‘God says; Behold NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation.’ (2 Cor.6: 2) My people, please take that seriously, for it’s gospel. You can be here today and gone tomorrow with no warning whatsoever. Much LOVE!..time might be longer than twine..but not necessarily yours..   

Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 July 2009 Acts 28:15‏

02 Jul 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Acts 28:15    And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum, and The Three Taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God and took courage.
 
Well my august Friends, Canada Day is over. I hope you all did not celebrate too heartily, and did get in some thanks and praise for all our Good Lord has done for us. The ole fella just chilled, caught up on his rest, since I’m not as young and energetic as Bruh Paul was when he faced the mob in Jerusalem. Anyway, the next morning, the captain, still anxious to learn why they wanted Bruh Paul’s death so badly, made arrangements for the Jewish High Council, the Sanhedrin, to meet, and brought Bruh Paul before them. And he, always excited by a forum to expound his beliefs, declared to them: ‘Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.’ (Acts 23:1) But the high priest, Ananias, ordered them to slap him in the mouth. That brought forth this undaunted reply from Bruh Paul. ‘God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?’ (Acts 23:3) He certainly had cojones to be calling the high priest white washed and accusing him of illegal judgement. And when asked; ‘Revilest thou God’s high priest?’ He claimed ignorance, ‘for it is written thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.’ (Acts 23:4-5) And so it is my people. ‘Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.’ (Ex.22:28) It’s a part of the human relations edicts that Moses gave to the Israelites. But we still do it, justifying it by saying that our rulers are either, inept, corrupt, oppressive or criminally inclined. The Preacher was quite clear on that point too. ‘Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.’ (Eccl.10:20) As we were constantly reminded; the walls have ears and the windows eyes. Peter railed against it too: ‘But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities,’ (2 Pet.2:10) It doesn’t stop us though. As soon as our rulers displease or disappoint us, we curse and belittle them. And what of Bruh Paul? He then exhibited his extraordinary potential in people psychology. The Good Book says; ‘But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question. And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.’ (Acts 23:6-8) Yes Friends, give Bruh Paul full marks for discerning that trump card and using it admirably. It’s a wonderful example of the divide and conquer principle. Now, as per the scholars, the Sadducees were a small, elite sect, made up of the priestly family. They were best known for what they denied; rejecting all aspects of the supernatural, such as miracles, angels and the resurrection. They also rejected all of the Old Testament except the five books of Moses, the Pentateuch. Their political bent was liberal, which enabled them to win the favour of Rome and so control the high priest’s office, appointed by Rome. The Pharisees by contrast, were of the common folk, and therefore had more sway over them. They accepted all of the Old Testament, including a lot of tradition, considered Oral Law, handed down from the time of Moses. They accepted the supernatural; miracles, angels and the resurrection. Bruh Paul’s family was truly a long time member of the Pharisees, so in this time of adversity, he wisely identifies himself with them, appealing for support in his belief in the Resurrection, thereby deflecting the anger and hostility of the council away from him, back to the council itself. What a brilliant bit of strategy and manoeuvring by Bruh Paul! ‘And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.’ (Acts 23:9) Things got so heated on the council floor that the captain, fearing they would tear Bruh Paul to pieces, sent his soldiers down there to take him out by force and return him to the castle. ‘And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.’ (Acts 23:11) Oh Friends, what a tumultuous, adventurous and faith filled life Bruh Paul lived! There seems to be very few calm, quiet moments in it. But I’m sure he would have gladly said, if asked about it: ‘It’s all for my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Nothing is ever too much for Him.’ So too my people, should we be framing our responses re our individual testimonies and ministries: ‘Doing it all in Jesus’ Name!’ I know it takes much time and effort, but once we consider ourselves believers, then it automatically becomes our job, our destiny. So please, let’s not shirk our duty. Let’s stand together strong and work real hard to help our Saviour bring the great unsaved mass to Him, cause he wants to lose none of them; not even a single one. More Bruh Paul tomorrow. Some of you might be well versed in these scriptures, but others are not. Those well versed can always use a refresher course anyway. (smile) So please bear with the ole fella, cause that’s where I’m guided. Much LOVE! …remember…. the longest journey begins with the first step…let’s take it for Christ nuh…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 July 2009 Acts 28:15‏

01 Jul 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

HAPPY CANADA DAY!

Acts 28:15     And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum and The Three Taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.

Ah mih Friends, we’ve been granted another day’s lease on life, so let’s be grateful and shout enthusiastically; ‘Thank you Lord for this day! We shall certainly be glad and rejoice in it! Amen.’ And we shall, despite the piles of garbage in T.O. due to the Public Workers strike and the many other problems we face. There’s also no better way to celebrate Canada Day than to be talking about courage, for that’s one thing our forefathers who began settling this rough and rugged, but rich and beautiful land some four hundred years ago possessed in great abundance, but which we’ve sadly lost as we’ve grown fat and soft in the pursuit of pleasure and the easy life. And we’re continuing to look at the principle of courage as particularly exemplified by Bruh Paul, who certainly showed plenty manly parts on his last trip from Jerusalem to Rome. We ended yesterday with the Roman soldiers about to take him up the steps of the castle, with the angry mob still following and shouting; ‘Away with him. (Acts 21:36) And what does Bruh Paul do? He stops and asks the captain to speak to those howling for his blood. ‘I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people. And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue…" (Acts 21:39-40) Yes my Friends, in spite of their blood lust, the frenzied mob became quiet when Bruh Paul turned to address them. And Bruh Paul was certainly nobody’s fool. He knew how to handle mobs, having created some in his time as a persecutor of the Church. When he spoke to them in Hebrew, their own language, they kept even quieter. Then the orator in Bruh Paul took over. He told them of his Jewish heritage: ‘a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.’ (Acts 22:3) Then he spoke of persecuting the Church, but was converted on his way to Damascus, being struck down and blinded by a bright light. How he was led to Damascus, where one Ananias, a well-respected Jew, healed him, and said, ‘The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.’ (Acts 22:14-15) But when he returned to Jerusalem, while praying in the temple, he fell into a trance and heard God telling him to leave Jerusalem because they wouldn’t receive his testimony there. He then told the Lord about the people there knowing of his persecution of the church, even his culpability in the stoning of Stephen. ‘And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee for hence unto the Gentiles.’ (Acts 22:21) Well mih Friends, up to then the crowd had remained silent, caught up in Bruh Paul’s persuasive narrative, but from the moment he mentioned God sending him to the Gentiles, their anger was stirred up again, while they shouted; ‘Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live. And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air.’ Acts 21:22-23) Now that was a serious but different kind of mob mentality than what we see today; casting off their clothes and throwing dust in the air. With that new uproar, the captain was even more intrigued about why the mob so badly wanted to lynch Bruh Paul, and told the soldiers to take him inside and beat the truth out of him. But they were no match for Bruh Paul, neither in courage or wisdom, for, ‘as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?’ (Acts 22:25) Now Bruh Paul surely knew the law. When the captain heard that, he came and asked him if he was Roman? ‘Yea. And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom: And Paul said, But I was free born.’ (Acts 22:27-28) Can you imagine the sudden fear factor? Those who were going to flog him, left immediately and the captain was scared caused he’d illegally restrained a freeborn Roman. Oh Friends, trust Bruh Paul to not only have courage, but also education and know- how to play the angles. But that’s what education does; it expands your horizons, giving you many more options. Now how many of us would beg our saviours to stop and let us talk to our pursuers? Or when about to be flogged, to use our knowledge of the law to scare off our abusers? We’d possibly be too scared to even talk. Bruh Paul’s mouth got him into trouble, but it also got him out. He didn’t seem to care, cause he was so into Jesus; like on a kamikaze mission for his Saviour. And though not many of us can have the same passion, zeal and self-denial in serving Christ, we can all look at Bruh Paul’s testimony with great pride, draw strength, courage and confidence from it, while trying to emulate it as much as possible. Whether or not you like Bruh Paul, you must admit that though he talked a lot, he also walked that talk. Can the same be said of us believers? Not as much as it should be. Oh Friends, if every believer walked and talked as they should, can you imagine the consternation we’d cause in Lucifer’s camp? And that is exactly what we need to reduce the violence and turmoil, while increasing the peace and LOVE in our teetering world. So I’m pleading with us today, to wake up, to start taking Jesus and the Word as seriously as we ought, and let the Holy Spirit strengthen and guide us. It worked for other ambassadors of the faith like Bruh Paul, and will for us too. Then we won’t be afraid to go out into the evil world and mix it up, scrap with the infidels of Lucifer, on behalf of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. That’s our life’s goal and job; bringing unbelievers to repentance and salvation in Jesus’ Name. More on Bruh Paul tomorrow, God willing. Enjoy the day, but don’t overdo. Much LOVE!…courage will open the door…to wisdom and peace of mind…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 June 2009 Acts 28:15‏

30 Jun 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Acts 28:15     And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum, and the Three Taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.
 
Oh Friends, it looks like another wet, windy day, but take heart, the Lord is in control and knows what He’s doing. From the moment I saw this quote today, I knew I had to share it with you, it’s so encouraging. It’s attributed to one Robert Nathan. ‘Give thanks for sorrow that teaches you pity; for pain that teaches you courage – and give exceeding thanks for the mystery which remains a mystery still – the veil that hides you from the infinite, which makes it possible for you to believe in what you cannot see.’ And that my Friends is called FAITH! However, the word for today is COURAGE. As the Devotional, One More Day, from which I got the quote says; ‘We cannot run away from our problems.’ But unfortunately many of us try to do just that. The old adage, you can run but not hide is totally true, for wherever you go, problems will seek you out and find you too. By the same token, ‘We can’t always be courageous, but fear is dispelled by our inner strength, by our trust that we will overcome problems and do as well as possible.’ This leads us back to faith, to strong belief in something and a willingness to stand up for it, which brings us to Bruh Paul and his staunch stand in Caesarea, where everyone warned him not to go up to Jerusalem. This prophet from Judea, Agabus, came down to them, ‘took Paul’s girdle, (belt) bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ (Acts21:11) After hearing this, his people pleaded with him even more strenuously not to go to Jerusalem. But Bruh Paul, being Bruh Paul, answered them: ‘What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.’ (Acts 21:13-14) Exactly mih people, the will of the Lord was for Him to go up there. But Bruh Paul was really something else though. He only knew one way to go; all out. Whether it was persecuting the early Church, or working tirelessly on its behalf afterwards, he did all with zeal and enthusiasm. He didn’t shy away from the problems he encountered, and turned out to be a real crusader for Christ. Oh, I know we can’t all be as zealous, brave and courageous like him, but I’m sure we can all do better than we’re currently doing, and we don’t have half the problems he had. So he went up to Jerusalem, gave his testimony, re converting unbelievers, was acclaimed, but was also accused ‘that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses; saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs.’ (Acts 21:21) Now to orthodox Jews that’s a serious crime. But Bruh Paul was brave and bad, and so filled with the Holy Spirit that he wouldn’t back down from any confrontation. I daresay he even purposely stirred up some himself. Now according to the scholars, his principle of life among Jews was one of accommodation; meaning he became a Jew amongst them, once the principle of grace was not at stake. (1 Cor.9:19-22) That’s why he accepted the advice of his brethren to purify himself, so he could show that he wasn’t hostile towards the Law of Moses, or those who observed it. (Acts 21:23-25) So, after purifying himself for the required seven days, he went into the temple, and as expected, all hell broke loose. The Asian Jews stirred up the people, ‘and laid hands on him. Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man, that teacheth all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple, and hath polluted this holy place.’ (Acts 21:27-28) That last charge was only supposition because they had seen him hanging out with an Ephesian called Trophimus and assumed that he had taken him into the temple. And we all know how a crowd behaves when it’s stirred up, especially about something they consider sacred and holy. The people ran into the temple and dragged Bruh Paul out, planning to kill him. But Friends, it wasn’t yet his time. The Roman soldiers heard about it and rescued him, for news of a lynch mob with a victim spreads like wildfire. I like how the writer of Acts puts it: ‘And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar…and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul.’ (Acts 21:31-32) Trust Bruh Paul with his fiery nature to stir it up wherever he went. And I can just imagine him fighting back, for with such a feisty spirit, I refuse to believe he would just accept the abuse meekly, although, for Jesus, who knows what he would do. It was such a riotous situation that after the soldiers bound Bruh Paul, they couldn’t ascertain who he was or what he’d done for the mob to attack him. So they ordered that he be taken to the nearby castle in the fortress Antonia. But even then the mob wouldn’t let up, the soldiers had to carry him up the stairs. (Acts 21:33-35) Oh Friends, I guess that was just another ordinary day in Bruh Paul’s life, so committed was he in serving his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Sadly though, not many of us are even half as committed, and we don’t have to face any of the contentions or physical abuse he faced. But then too, the only way unbelievers will really come to Christ is if they see us totally committed, fighting for what we claim to believe, ready and willing, if needs be, to die for it. Oh my people, our world is currently in such turmoil that it’s only the peaceful, LOVING philosophy of Jesus can save it from self-destruction. And we are the ones entrusted with that awesome task. So let’s get to it seriously nuh. Every minute, hour or day we procrastinate, makes it that much harder and more doubtful that our progeny and our world will survive much longer. Tomorrow, God willing, we’ll continue with Bruh Paul’s eventful journey to Rome. Much LOVE!…we are the catalysts…the ones entrusted to calm the raging storm…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 29 June 2009 Deuteronomy 10:12‏

29 Jun 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Deuteronomy 10:12     And now Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to LOVE him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul.
 
Yes my Friends, I thought I was done with that Bit, but the Lord in His infinite wisdom decided there was more to say on His requirements for the way we live our earthly lives. And who am I to say Him nay; to disagree or disobey. But disobedience nonetheless, is possibly the biggest problem He has with us. It’s obvious that we’re born with an inherent spirit of rebellion, cause from birth our natural bent is to do what we’re not supposed to. Now to counteract that natural phenomenon, Moses tried valiantly to instil in his people a continual reverence for the Lord God Jehovah, their creator, provider and protector. Their main duty was to LOVE and serve Him, but they had other ideas. Centuries later, Jesus acknowledged the same thing when a Pharisee lawyer tried to trick Him by asking what was the greatest commandment. Jesus had a ready answer: ‘Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it; Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ Mat.22:37-40) As usual, the elite hypocrites reckoned without Jesus’ extensive knowledge of Old Testament Law. He merely paraphrased Deut. 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18; breaking them down to first, a responsibility to God, and then a responsibility to man. It’s so sad people that Jesus showed the Jewish ruling class His knowledge, His healing power, His authority over demons and other unholy spirits, but yet they refused to take Him seriously. Maybe it was because He harangued them about their hypocritical ways, for being men pleasers, for paying more attention to the laws and opinions of men than to those of God. Some of it must have rang true, and they realized they had to get rid of Him before He spoilt their easy, comfortable way of living. Two thousand years later though Friends, nothing has changed. The majority of us still live in rebellion and disobedience to the Most High God Jehovah. I guess the law of God conflicts with the fleshly lusts of men, and the latter appears to be winning, strongly aided and abetted by Lucifer’s wicked wiles and lies. But the only reason Moses gives for our obedience to God is simple and sensible; ‘for thy good.’ I would consider that rather wise since the earth and all in it belongs to the Lord, and it so happened that He took a liking to our forefathers and chose their progeny to bless above all other peoples. ‘Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.’ (Deut.10:13-16) Oh my Friends, it’s the same reasoning I’m putting forward to us today. The earth is the Lord’s, and reverencing and obeying Him is to our benefit. Remember He needs nothing from us but our obeisance, but all our needs flow directly from Him. It’s a simple formula of self-preservation, and those who purposely diverge from or ignore it will eventually suffer serious consequences. Many of us don’t take sin seriously, but the wages of sin are truly death, for our God, if nothing else, exalts His sense of justice and righteousness, so much so that He had Jesus pay for our sins. Don’t fool yuh fat Friends, all will have to answer for their wrong when the big day comes. That’s why I’m urging us, just like Moses did to the Israelites, to circumcise the foreskins of our hearts, and stop being stubborn, stiffnecked and rebellious. Circumcising out hearts only means removing the covering from them that blocks the incoming flow of God’s Spirit; those hearts of stone. The same goes for our ears: Let’s remove whatever is preventing the Word from penetrating our minds. Also our lips, which speak incoherently, like we have ‘tie-tongue.’ Hn! Long time I haven’t heard that expression. But my people, those are actions we badly need to take; remove whatever is hindering us from absorbing the things of God in our minds, bodies and souls. And as Bruh Paul wrote to Timothy: ‘Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.’ (1 Tim.1:5) And all it means is that the basic goal of God’s commandments is an expression of LOVE, which pours out of a pure and sincere heart, from a clear conscience and genuine faith. Now that’s not so hard to do, is it my people? And it’s imperative that we do it now, for we don’t know when the roll will be called up yonder. Michael Jackson’s sudden demise at the tender age of 50, is a perfect example. It seems he had it all, and was diligently on the comeback trail. But unfortunately the Most High God had other plans. And His plans always take precedence. We can only hope that Michael made peace with His Maker before he was called home. The same goes for us my Friends. And I have to laugh cause our Lord has such a sense of timing and humour that He couldn’t resist giving me a sign. A sudden spike in the power just occurred; all the lights went out and the computer crashed. Luckily though I was still doing my rough draft by long hand. Oh mih people, I don’t know what else to say or do but to keep on imploring us to come to Jesus, and regardless of the difficulties, to stay with Him, live and die in His Name, for that’s the only way we’ll thwart eternal darkness and death and instead receive salvation and everlasting life. Much LOVE!…open your lives…and let God in…it’s the wisest move you can make…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 June 2009 Deuteronomy 10:12‏

28 Jun 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Deuteronomy 10:12     And now Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to LOVE Him, and to serve the Lord with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
 
Oh Friends, it’s another beautiful morning, courtesy of our merciful God, so let’s all raise our heads, hearts and hands and say in loud unison: ‘Thank you Lord! Amen!’ And the ole fella also had an astonishing revelation today! Have you ever wondered what the forbidden fruit was; that awesome eye opening, mind uplifting fruit that the Lord commanded our forefathers not to eat? Well this afternoon mih people, while eating one on my front porch, I suddenly had this marvellous eye opening and mind uplifting. It was a Julie Mango! Wow! And it wasn’t even one of exceptional quality, just a force-ripe export. But even that was good enough to get my senses swirling. Yes my people, there’s no fruit that satisfies all the requirements of the senses like a Julie! It smells good; oh what a beautiful aroma a ripe Julie gives off! It’s sweet tasting; juicy and succulent…and all that yellow juice just running down your hands and mouths…Oh it’s heavenly! And no other fruit looks as rich, both inside and out like a ripe Julie in its golden autumn colours! It certainly has all the desirable attributes of taste, smell and sight, what with its heart shaped design. I can now see why Eve, and then Adam, had a hard time refusing it on its own merits, much less with Lucifer’s encouragement. Oh my Friends, many of you might never have seen or tasted a Julie mango, especially a good one. Ah, my mouth just waters as my mind conjures up those scenes of fifty years ago, when, after Sunday School in the afternoon, we fine Christian lads would go down to the Botanical Gardens and steal them. Well we wouldn’t really steal them, just stand under the trees, out of sight of prying eyes and have our fill. Next day though, you’d pay for it from the nether end. (smile) Just goes to show that too much of anything is bad for you, and disobedience to God, in this case pilfering, does not sit well with the Father. You enjoy the sin, then you pay for it. And the Israelites, like many of us today, learned that the hard way. Moses was only gone up the mountain for forty days, and what did they do? They lost faith and talked Aaron into building a molten calf to worship. Moses was so angry when he came down and saw it, that he threw the two tablets of stone bearing the Lord’s do(s) and don’ts on the ground and broke them, then had to fall on his knees and beg the Lord to forgive them. (Deut.9) Oh my people, our Saviour Jesus died so we could get a fresh start, be reinstated in God’s good graces, but only in rough times do we acquiesce to His rules, and said acquiescence lasts only until prosperity returns. This is one of those rough times. We’ve encountered rather stormy seas, but still most of us don’t, or won’t understand that our problems stem directly from prolonged disobedience to Almighty God, and in many hearts, a burning desire to be rid of Him. Likewise, the only salve for our wounds is a return to His rule, with sincere repentance and a total surrender to His awesome majesty and power. But until the majority of nations realize that, our world will be in a state of constant turmoil. And as I keep saying, His yoke is not that onerous. Granted it’s not as eye catching and flesh pleasing as what Lucifer offers, but if we consistently obey Him, He will provide every bit as good, if not better than the evil one. As Moses declared when he exhorted Israel: ‘What doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to LOVE Him, and to serve the Lord with all thy heart and with all thy soul.’ Is that so difficult mih people? Not if you genuinely LOVE the Lord and desire to follow Him. How many times did Moses tell the Israelites the same thing; that our job is to LOVE and serve Him? Read Deut.6. Many years later, Micah said it to them again: ‘He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to LOVE mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?’  (Mic.6:8) What’s so hard mih people in doing good eh; in being just and merciful and submitting ourselves humbly to His will? It doesn’t seem that much to ask, especially when He’s our Creator, Father, Provider, and more powerful than us in every respect. It’s silly of us to try to fight Him and do things our way, because we only lose in the end. The problem too is that there aren’t enough believers to make a substantial difference in the world. And Friends, that’s where we few come in. We’re supposed to live a life that sets a good example on His behalf, and to spread His Word to all and sundry. Only by increasing the number of genuine believers living by His rules, will we overcome the evil generated by Lucifer and his cohorts. That’s our job, but we seem to be failing at it, for Lucifer and his people are still controlling the world, possibly even getting stronger. But Friends, for our world to be saved from self-destruction, we believers have to seriously improve our efforts. Note, almost every day a new arena of conflict is opening up, and none of the old ones are really ending. So what does that say? Godliness is certainly not increasing. The secular apparatus is still holding sway. Oh mih people, if you won’t listen to me, I hope you’ll listen to Moses. ‘Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee. And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the Lord: that it may be well with thee…’ (Deut.6:17-18) Nuff said mih Friends. Remember, you can only lead a horse to water, you can’t make it drink. Much LOVE!…wuh happen…we is deaf ears pickney…
 

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