Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 June 2009 Proverbs 14:20‏

27 Jun 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Proverbs 14:20     The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.
 
And isn’t that the gospel truth my Friends! On this last instalment on Friends and Friendships, we touching on the significance of wealth and prosperity in their formation. Wherever we go in this world, second-class treatment, or even lower, is meted out to the poor and destitute. Even their own poor neighbours look down on them. As Sol later declares: ‘All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? He pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him.’ (Prov.19:7) We see that all the time. The friends of the poor desert them very easily. Regardless of how much they beg them to stay, they still abandon them without much guilt or concern for their welfare. Meanwhile, we’ll sell our souls, and those of our families too, to become bosom pals with the possessors of material wealth. ‘Many will entreat the favour of a prince: and every man is a friend that giveth gifts.’ (Prov.19:7) Now that’s in direct contrast to what happens with the supposed friends of the poor. We gladly run to those who seem to have power, and consider those who dole out material gifts as friends. Even when the wealthy are known crooks and scoundrels, there’s always a line up to get into their good graces. I guess that’s a sad reflection on the priority we place on material wealth. But remember my people, material wealth brings problems of its own, not the least being a sudden glut of friends and hangers on. When you have material wealth and/or power, everybody wants to be your friend then. Just take a look at the bloated entourages that some of these celebrities travel with, where most either do very little or nothing at all. But as soon as the money well dries up, so do the good time friends. Ask people like M.C. Hammer about it. When he was riding high, a coterie of friends and well-wishers were always present. But as soon as he became bankrupt, they all fled faster than the speed of light, avidly in search of the next good time gig. Oh Friends, hear these ever-true words of the vintage song: ‘Everybody LOVES a winner. But when you lose, you lose alone.’ And I’m sure we’ve all had personal experiences with that principle. In the good, heady times, you’re a star, with an enthralling entourage, but when your bubble bursts and and everything turns sour, you’re usually the only one left sucking the lemons. What did Bruh David say when he was suffering? ‘My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.’ (Ps.38:11) Even his close friends and family distanced themselves during his time of ‘sufferation.’ Yes my people, that’s the nature of the human animal; always hanging around when the wine, women and song are flowing, but ne’er to be found when it’s all been consumed; friends only in fair weather, never in foul. That’s why we’ve been warning us to be wary and very careful before we consider people friends, especially if our star is in the ascendancy, for there’s nothing that draws evil hearted people like the bright lights. Just like moths flock to a light and do a death dance around it, so too these no-good parasites hone in on material wealth, suck it dry, then depart just as quickly. And Sol has words for that situation too. ‘A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.’ (Prov.18:24) Trust Sol to have an answer for everything eh. (smile) But he’s telling the awful truth! If you have many friends, then you must be friendly to them all. But in so doing, as the scholars translate it, ‘A man of many friends comes to ruin.’ You’re constantly giving to the crowd around you, but not enough is coming back to refill the coffers. That will inevitably lead to a serious downhill slide. And remember mih people, you’ll be sliding down that messy slope all by your lonesome, for the once staunch supporters would all have left at the first signs of difficulty, just like rats are the first to abandon a sinking ship. It is therefore advisable not to spread yourself too thin with many superficial relationships. Better to stick to a few tried and trusted friends, who don’t only want you for the material benefits you can offer, but who have a genuine care and concern for your well-being, and are more than willing to help in times of need. And in these sad economic times, we even have to be more careful, for what little we have has already been devalued, and more people are seeking an easy mark; looking to hitch their wagon to someone who seems well positioned to help them ride out the rough times, or who they can outright defraud and make a killing. It’s not an easy world we live in my Friends, and it’s possibly going to get worse before it improves, so we have to be very careful with whom we associate, and whom we let into our inner circle. I sure hope these Bits on Friends and Friendships have given us some insight into the true reality of the situation, cause a lot of what’s termed reality these days is not really real, but simulated reality. We can now manipulate so many things, that one is never sure what’s for real. So for our own good, please, lets play our cards close to our chests and don’t be fooled by the glad handing, the false smiles and effusive compliments that the iniquity workers use to get into our good graces, only to do us evil. Much LOVE!…remember…the smaller our circle of friends…the better off we’ll be…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 26 June 2009 Proverbs 27:17‏

26 Jun 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Proverbs 27:17      Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
 
Ah mih Friends, it’s been another hot, muggy day, with only a sparse amount of rain to cool the proceedings, but we’re still alive and plodding on, no, motoring on, for the servants of the Most High God Jehovah don’t plod, they motor, showing purpose and decisiveness in action that the Holy Spirit divines in the followers of His Son, our Lord and Saviour, the ONLY Superstar; Jesus Christ. Bless His Holy Name my people! Today we’re continuing with the subject of Friends and Friendships, and the Bit I was guided to choose is a powerful scripture that says a lot about it. More wisdom from Sol: ‘Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.’ Wow! What does that mean? In actuality, only something as hard or strong as metal can sharpen it, or cause it to change its shape, since it’s the hard play of one surface against the other that motivates the sharpening and changing process. Even when metal is heated we still need metal tools to shape it into whatever we desire. That translates to another fact; one object is giving unselfishly of itself to the other, honing it, making it better, improving it, and being glad to see the improvement. The same basic laws apply to humans and friendships. ‘So a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend,’ means that one friend will uplift the other, strengthen and encourage him, morally, intellectually, emotionally, financially, whatever the friend needs to improve their situation, not forgetting biblically, like I’m trying to do here. (smile) Let’s consider Jesus, when he was here on earth. Now mih people, there never was, is, or ever will be a stronger bit of iron than Him. Just look at how He took the lowliest, the least educated, the socially unattractive and sharpened them nuh; made them fishers of men. He didn’t just gather them together and treat them like a wild herd. No, He spent valuable time teaching them, both by words and example, so that they could go out and do His will. He unselfishly and tirelessly explained His philosophy over and over, although they never fully got it until after His ascension and the Holy Spirit filled their lives. And having told them everything He knew, Jesus stopped calling them servants, but instead called them Friends, because they had risen to a higher level of understanding and fellowship with Him. Ah my people, to be a true friend is to really test your mettle. It means being there in both the good and bad times, sometimes being the only one lending support, giving without expecting to receive, yet trusting that if the situation was reversed, others would do the same for you. It means taking risks on behalf of the other person, whatever risks that are necessary to solve the situation, sometimes even risking our lives. Now that’s not easy, so it entails having a great deal of faith and trust in that person, if you’re going to stick your neck out for them. That’s why Sol warns about standing surety for friends in Prov.6:1. Friendships also go through tests; of circumstances, places and times. Friends move away, their circumstances change, for better or worse, and all these things can impact significantly on a friendship. I have a few friends in different locations and circumstances whom I haven’t seen in years, and we only communicate occasionally, but whenever we do meet, it’s like we’ve been together every day, because a firm bond of friendship was originally formed, which was strong enough to stand the test of time and circumstances. And if anyone needs anything we think the other can provide, there’s no hesitation to get in touch and ask for help. That’s another important requirement of friendship; that neither party is afraid to ask for assistance, since they know that their friend will move heaven and earth to help them. That’s why Sol so strenuously declared that a true friend always shows LOVE and is always there in times of adversity. A great example of that is Ruth and her mother-in-law Naomi, after their men folk died and Naomi decided to return to her homeland. She told her two daughters-in-law to go back to their own people. Orpah did so, but ‘Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.’ (Ruth 1:16-17) Now that’s what you call true friendship and allegiance! And remember the two women were from totally different cultures, only had a son/husband in common. But Naomi must have shown Ruth something that kept her irresistibly by her side. She must surely have sharpened her countenance; lived a life that Ruth found to be a worthwhile example, so much so, that she wanted more of it, dreaded being separated from her. Oh my people, as believers that’s the kind of trust, faith, belief and dedication we need to bring out in others, especially those we consider friends….and if I spell friends wrong one more time, I’m going to mash up the computer. Would you believe that I’ve spelt it wrong more often than not? Chuh! But freind…Steups! Ah spell it wrong again. And even though friendship is not an easy role to play, to really live, to really make a difference in the lives of others, it’s a role that we must play. If we don’t have any strong friendships, then we’re sadly lacking in life and living. Note, we don’t need many, but we do need a few. Humans are social animals, not hard hearted isolationists, so there must be a few persons that we genuinely cherish, that we’re willing to go the last mile for, and know that they will return the favour without hesitation. That’s what Friends and Friendships are all about. So let’s steadfastly work on, and richly value our Friends and Friendships. More tomorrow, God willing. Till then, may God bless and nurture all our Friends and Friendships. Much LOVE!…a true friend…will always come running when you call…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 25 June 2009 Exodus 33:11‏

25 Jun 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Exodus 33:11     And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend:
 
Oh my friends, today was the ole fella’s Sabbath; he rested from his labours. (smile) Then I was guided to talk about the controversial topic of Friends and Friendship. There’s been so much said and written on it, that I doubt we’ll say it all in one session. But there’s no better place to start than with some of Jesus’ thoughts and words on the subject. ‘Greater LOVE hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do what I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known to you.’ (John 15: 13-15) From Jesus’ words we can conclude that a friend is a close, dear and special person, a confidant; one with whom we share our secrets and important information. To Jesus it was also someone who would obey His commands, do as He asked. The same goes for us ordinary humans. They don’t have to be yes people, in fact we don’t need yes men for our friends, but people who will tell us the truth, although it hurts. Then the greatest test of friendship is if one is willing to die for the other, like Jesus died for us. All of that entails a great responsibility, because to meet those objectives, one has to care and be concerned for the friend, also be willing to guard and protect their privacy and whatever information they’ve entrusted to you per the said friendship. Now here’s a very interesting quote from Paramahansa Yogananda: ‘There is a magnet in your heart that will attract true friends. That magnet is unselfishness, thinking of others first.’ That’s gospel! Friends and friendships do call for oodles of unselfishness, for as Sol rightly declares: ‘A friend LOVETH at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.’ (Prov 17:17) But by the same token, we’ve got to be very careful whom we admit to our inner circle and consider friends, for as Bruh David points out; ‘Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.’ (Ps.41:9) And that, my people, is one of the conundrums, the hard questions, the riddles in the friend and friendship stakes. A friend is one who knows your business, but because of that a friend is also the one who can hurt you the most. And take it from me people, there is nothing more hurtful than when a person you consider your friend betrays that trust and confidence you placed in them. And I talk from personal experience here, since I seem to easily but wrongly consider people friends, when in fact they are reprobates. That’s why I reiterate, be very careful and very selective of whom you share your confidences with, because your enemies can’t hurt you as badly as your friends, since they don’t have the powerful ammunition that your close relationships have. But the Lord is most certainly a good God and does repay your hurt, for though I doubt in my personal disappointments that I’ve ever prayed like Bruh David did; ‘But thou, O Lord, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite them.’ (Ps. 41:10) somehow or other I’ve always rebounded better off than the ones who abused my friendship. Thank you most sincerely, oh my God! Hn! I just can’t seem to grasp the adage that ‘all skin teeth, ain’t laugh.’ And when I recall my youth, it brings forth a few chuckles. Those days when my poor mother constantly warned me about friends, the so-called variety. She didn’t have a college education but she was well educated in the hard knocks school of life. I got a few lashes too for following friends against her advice. One of the first lessons we have to learn about friends and friendships is that the fewer we have the better. By definition though you cannot have too many friends, you can’t let too many people know your business or get too close to you, and a lot of whom we term friends are merely acquaintances. I like how Beres Hammond puts it in his song, ‘Giving Thanks.’ ‘Right here now, the friends I’m surrounded, are but few, glad I’m not crowded; just enough, just enough for me to concentrate.’ Perfect! We only need a few friends; enough that will give us room to breathe, and time to do our own thing, because true friendship can be rather time consuming. If you have too many, then you’re liable to spend too much time trying to satisfy them all and not enough on your own life. And the interesting thing is that friendships, by their very nature, are things, relationships that grow over, and last for long periods of time, regardless of the stress and strain placed on them. Now don’t fool yuhself mih people, friendships do undergo a lot of turmoil and uncertainty, especially if one person always has problems and expects the other to be always there, not only to help with the solution, but to fix the problem. There’s nothing that can erode a friendship like one person being overly dependent and continually seeking help without giving any in return. It’s strange how some friendships can be so simple, but strong and lasting, while others are always in conflict, one complaining about the other and vice versa. I dare say that the latter isn’t a true friendship, but more a dependent relationship. Friends have problems, but true friends work them out, whether it’s by having a knock down, drag our fight, or just agreeing to disagree, but in the long run they get over their differences, which in many cases are superficial. They hug, shake hands and apply Jesus’ cure all remedy; forgiveness. Makes me remember the friend who was supposed to visit me today. I guess she came and/or called, but since the ole fella was resting, he didn’t hear anything. She must have been annoyed, because she didn’t even leave a message on the phone. But that’s my Drama Queen #2. She’ll give me the business, and I’ll apologize profusely, but it won’t cause any rifts, cause we’ve been too much already to let a little thing like that come between us. Now that’s what you call a true friendship; one of the few I have. More tomorrow, God willing. Till then, Much LOVE!…the true test of friendship…the willingness to forgive each other… Oh Friends, I have to laugh yes. I just turned the page to read over what I’d written, only to discover that I don’t have a Bit as yet. There were plenty to choose from, but the passion and the fire to write was so strong that I couldn’t put it off to decide on a Bit. So lemme go and find one now nuh. Hn, hn, hn! Ah guess what deh say is true; the ole fella not crazy, just slightly brain dead. (smile)
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 June 2009 Romans 2:1‏

24 Jun 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Romans 2:1     Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
 
Oh Friends, thankfully the last two days are over. I’ve been longing for summer, but now that it’s here, I don’t know if I can handle the heat. After rushing around in the early morning to purchase stuff for my mother, then waiting a couple hours while my car tire and A/C were repaired, I headed across the top of the city around noon to drop off my mother’s things. I couldn’t believe the traffic both ways on the six, sometimes eight lane highways, and it was still some four hours to the official rush hour. At one point it took me almost half an hour to cover a distance that takes about six or seven minutes normally, and there didn’t seem to be any unusual obstructions. How some people do this rush hour commute twice a day, five days a week, is beyond me. Anyway Lord, I pray that you won’t have me repeat the last two days for a while. I’ll rather take annoyances like the fly in my coffee just now, here at home. (smile) But Friends, seriously, I think the biggest complaint against Christians lies in Today’s Bit, where we unashamedly judge and criticize others for doing the same things we do. We don’t have to look far to find examples either. The same crowded highways I was just talking about is full of them. We see others make unsafe, improper lane changes, drive while talking on their cells, weave in and out dangerously, and we mentally, sometimes vocally give them a blast, or a finger. But when you really consider the situation, we all do things on the road we’re not supposed to do. And that’s just a simple example. If we look truthfully at our own lives, we’ll find a lot more serious stuff that conforms to the Bit. We complain when people gossip or bad mouth us, without considering the things we say about others. That’s why Bruh Paul has to chastise us, all we self-righteous moralists: ‘Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same thing.’ Yes Friends, there’s no excuse for that type of behaviour in believers. We automatically condemn ourselves, once we start criticizing others for things we also do. Possibly the best example of that in the Good Book is of Bruh David; the scheme he cooked up when he took Uriah’s wife Bathsheba, then sent him out to the front lines to die in battle. (2 Sam.11) And I just have to chuckle at our Lord’s style; the way He addressed that situation, by sending the prophet Nathan to confront Bruh David with a parable about a rich man with much sheep, taking the one ewe lamb, much cherished by a poor man and his family, to kill and cook for his visitor. Oh brother! Bruh David got angry and indignant, saying to Nathan; ‘As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this shall surely die: And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had not pity.’ (2 Sam.12:5-6) Imagine Bruh David’s consternation though, when Nathan said to him; ‘Thou art the man.’ (2 Sam.12:7) Then he listed all the good things that the Lord had done for Bruh David, yet he went and did the evil. Furthermore, Nathan also spelled out the punishment that was forthcoming: ‘Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me… Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house…’ (2 Sam.12:10-11) And for the rest of Bruh David’s days, he was beset by serious problems within his family. Yuh see mih people, it doesn’t pay to judge, and in particular, not too quickly or harshly. We can’t let all wrong doing go unpunished or uncriticized, but we have to be very careful that we’re not caught up in the same thing. Jesus said it quite clearly: ‘Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.’  Then he talked about the hypocrites that want to pull the mote from their brother’s eyes, when they have a big beam blocking their own vision. (Mat.7:1-5) Yes Friends, we’re all first class hypocrites in that respect, cause we all do it. Oh Friends, I just LOVE how Jesus operated! In this case, we talking about the woman brought before him caught in the act of adultery. And Jesus’ reaction? ‘He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.’ When He stood up and saw her alone, he asked; ‘Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go and sin no more.’ (John 8:7-11) Isn’t He wonderful Friends? The consummate judge and mediator! That’s the aspiration we believers should have, not the quick to criticize and lambaste personality we now show so much of. I wonder though what happened to the man that she was found with? The man was possibly judged sin free because it was a highly patriarchal society. And sadly, that still happens today in many societies like that. It’s always the woman’s fault, even when she’s brutally gang raped. But as Bruh Paul so sagely asks; ‘And thinkest thou this, O man that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgement of God?’ Certainly not! ‘Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil… for there is no respect of persons with God.’ (Rom.2:3,9,11) Oh Friends, let’s try and curb our hypocritical, judgemental behaviour nuh, for it’s one of the big things that turns people away from our wonderful Christian Faith. Much LOVE!…do so…ain’t like so…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 23 June 2009 Psalm 78:6‏

23 Jun 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 78:6    That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children.
 
Ah mih Friends, the summer’s begun with three strikes and an out for the ole fella. Strike 1: After putting off a blood test for over a month, I finally fasted the 12 hours, showed up at the lab at 4 p.m, only to be told, no go, cause that particular test required a further session 2 hours later, and they closed at 5. Whoopi dee! Strike 2: In the heat of the moment, hn, I discovered that the A/C in my car wasn’t working. Strike 3: Later, when the evening cooled down and I was ready to go and visit my mother, I was kindly greeted by a flat tire. It was too late to get it fixed, and I didn’t trust the spare. So I said thank you Lord, after muttering some unprintables, and kept my peace, cause for whatever reason, He obviously didn’t want me going out. But enough of my sad story, the problem here again is our children’s poor knowledge of God. Today’s Bit comes from one of Asaph’s contemplative writings, where he declares; ‘I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: which we have heard and known and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, showing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children.’ (Ps 78:2-5) Yes my people, once again we’re told that it’s the parents’ responsibility to teach the children about the Lord. Why? ‘That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children. That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.’ (Ps.78:6-7) What can be clearer than that eh Friends? The only way the Word will survive is if it is passed down from generation to generation. So far though, sadly, I believe that our parental generation has done the worse job of all, for the proportion of kids and young adults today who have no inkling of God is extremely high, way too high mih breddren. Granted that many of us were forced to go to church and Sunday school, but if that’s what it takes to get the Word into you, then so be it. I never wanted to go, but I went, sometimes I even had fun, and it eventually served me in good stead. And I’m sure that this entire generation of parents, if they’re honest with themselves would admit the same thing, cause Friends, as I keep reiterating, the Word is the only true foundation on which this earthly life can be built. Anything else is sinking sand and a waste of time. That’s why our children are so lost, confounded, gullible and so easily led astray. And to make matters worse, they have many more things to lead them astray than we had, and much less information and education to resist or fend them off. In that respect, we’ve done our children a very great injustice; not giving them the proper tools to handle the rigours and challenges of this life. In the first place we haven’t taught them obedience and respect like we’re supposed to. A foundation commandment that the Lord laid down was; ‘Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.’ (Ex.20:12) How many children or young adults do that these days eh? Not too many. Why? Because we never taught it to them properly, or if we did, never insisted they obeyed. Some of the language I’ve heard children use to their parents, including f… off, I would never even think it, much less actually say it to my parents, not because I am, or was afraid of the repercussions, but because I was taught to respect my parents, my elders and those in authority. Oh Friends, I know it seems like I’m coming down hard on our parenting efforts, but it’s true, we haven’t done such a great job, else so many youngsters would not be so enamoured of Lucifer’s glitzy, bawdy, cheap, useless playthings, or his sinful, evil habits, or at least they would be making the choice from one of knowledge rather than ignorance. My wife and I often disagreed on some of the things I told my children, but I believe that knowledge truly gives power. The more you know of the world’s wicked ways and catastrophic twists and turns, the better you’ll be able to handle it, to decipher right from wrong and good from bad. That’s necessary at an early age, for Lucifer and his evil agents are targeting children from an earlier age too, making it even more important that we get the Word, that solid foundation, into them asap. Listen to Sol’s wisdom: ‘Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it from him.’ (Prov.22:15) And that’s oh so true my Friends! Children are naturally drawn to dangerous and foolish stuff, and it’s our job to guide and direct them, not abuse, as some of you might gather from Sol’s words. Oh mih people, in this crazy, wicked world, the only true guide for good parenting, in fact for good living, is the everlasting, ever-living, ever-true Word of the Most High God Jehovah! And if we don’t build our lives, and those of our progeny on it, then we’ll not truly live, but merely exist, drifting from one mistake to another, from one unsatisfactory relationship to another. Don’t fool yourselves, but living the life of the rich and famous, which seems to be the in thing now, is fraught with more problems than anything else. It’s mere drifting and existing, because it has no substance, just fleshly good times and lustful pleasure, which at the end of the day gets us nowhere, producing nothing of worth. Yes, it satisfies our flesh. But what about our soul? What about out spiritual satisfaction? Isn’t that important too? Bet yuh bottom dollar it is! And more important than the satisfaction of the flesh too, for the flesh dies, but the spirit lives on eternally, either in Heaven with Jesus, or in Hades with Lucifer. So it’s an individual choice. But we can’t make a sensible choice until, or unless we know both sides of the story. Sadly, that’s what’s happened to this generation; they only know Lucifer’s side, know it too well. On that note, hear Bruh Paul’s advice to his protégé Timothy. ‘But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them. And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Jesus Christ.’ (2 Tim.3:14-15) Oh mih people, that’s it in a nutshell right there! Timothy learned the Word from his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. (2 Tim.1:5) That’s why he was able to make wise and right choices. And Bruh Paul strongly advises him to continue living by the Word. So should we my friends, cause it’s the only true way. But we desperately need to teach it to our offspring if we want it to last. So that ‘The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.’ (Ps.102:28) Much LOVE my people!…the best guide book…the Holy Bible…please read and study it carefully…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 22 June 2009 Colossians 3:21‏

22 Jun 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Colossians 3:21      Fathers provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.
 
Yes my Friends, though Father’s Day is officially over, in reality a father’s work is never done. In fact, no parent’s work is ever done, for once you’ve brought a child into this evil world, you have a responsibility to nurture and guide them even when you depart this world and go to dwell with God. Then it’s your duty to look over them as a guardian angel. My children weren’t thrilled when I told them that my job was to raise them as close to perfection as possible, and I didn’t think I was doing such a good job. In my old age though children, I must admit I’m doing a little better. (smile) Now according to Bruh Paul’s directive; ‘Fathers provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged,’ I don’t think what I told them should have angered or discouraged them for most of the time it was the truth. And if you’re honest children, you’ll agree. (smile) Though they might have been better than others, their standards were still too low. And remember Friends, what elevates one thing, one person, one family, one society above another is basically their standards. High standards generally means better quality, and if we want to truly follow Jesus, then we must aspire to high standards in all areas of our lives, for our Saviour’s watchword is ‘excellence.’ Now though Bruh Paul advises that we shouldn’t get our children angry for fear of discouraging them, there’s also the need to tell them like it is, and don’t whitewash the problem to appease their poor li’l souls. And Friends, that’s a major problem in our society today: Parents are afraid to stand up to their children, especially single mothers. The sad part is that the girl children are just as bad as the boys in this over permissive society. My mother was a single parent, working two jobs, long before that was the norm, but when she said jump, yuh think I could ask why? No! I had to ask, how high? Now she wasn’t abusive, not even overly strict, but she brought me up to understand responsibility, and when she laid down the law, that was the law. She was providing for my every need, she was paying the piper, so she had the right to call the tune. But nowadays we’ve given our children so much leeway that they are abusing it. As I said yesterday, a simple no to a minor request is liable to get our children up in arms. Then if you slap them for disobeying, they jump on the phone and call the cops, the same cell phone you bought and are paying for. The cops come and lock you up for child abuse. But we wonder why we have such a disobedient, disrespectful, violent society. Hn! And I’ve seen this happen to my Friends. My children though were warned from the very beginning; the day I hit you for some wrong, and you call the cops, then yuh better let the cops find somewhere else for you to live yes. And I meant it. Luckily for all of us, they never got much spanking cause they didn’t deserve it. But when you do, you should get it. The old adage; spare the rod and spoil the child is oh so true. Sol, that wisest of men, even said it long ago. ‘He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that LOVETH him, chasteneth him betimes.’ (Prov.13:24) And if our God, who LOVES us so deeply, chastens us, it’s quite in order, moreover our duty to chasten our children when necessary. Oh Friends, this permissive society, where the children rule the parents just doesn’t sit well with me. And it’s happening more each day. Even the grandparents who were strict with their children, are allowing their grand kids to get away with the proverbial murder. Remember a child displays what it learns, even at a young age, and if it’s allowed to be undisciplined and throw tantrums from the very start, what can you expect but an undisciplined, tantrum-throwing adult. You still can’t plant corn and expect to reap peas. As parents we have to take the bull by the horns, teach our children to be responsible, then demand it from them. Let them know in no uncertain terms that they will pay for their wrongs. The sad part is that this has now become a worldwide phenomenon, basically because we’ve gotten away from God, or whatever deity you worship, because I believe that all of them, in their pure forms, teach the same basic ideas of peace and LOVE. We’ve stopped teaching those basic principles to our children, and more importantly, stopped leading lives that reflect God’s position. In the verse right before Today’s Bit, Bruh Paul advises; ‘Children obey your parents in all things: for this is pleasing unto the Lord.’ (Col.3:20) But my people, if the children don’t know the Lord, that won’t mean anything to them. And that’s our fault. But they certainly do know Lucifer, who advertises to them the selfish mantra, I can do whatever I want; it’s my life and my right. Now that’s another failing on our part; giving the children the impression that they are born with all sorts of rights. Hn! They have no clue of how their ancestors suffered, fought and died to get the freedom we now have, and which the wealthy and evil are trying to claw back everyday. They have no idea about slavery, upon which the West was built; or feudalism upon which Europe advanced, nor any of the other suppressive and oppressive systems that mankind has laid upon each other’s neck. Ah Friends, we do them a serious injustice by not educating them on those things, so they can realize that life is not a lark, and good living only comes from productive labour and a disciplined life. Even if you want to be a successful crook you have to work darm hard at it. That’s why so many of them are in jail today. They are fooled by the supposed easy gangster life that’s now so prevalent, but crime only pays for the few who are smart and work harder than the others. If you think it’s an easy life, then you either end up in jail, or the grave at a tender age. Oh Friends, I sincerely hope that what I’ve written here makes sense and will help us to do better, because I feel believe that overall, we haven’t done a good job in raising our children in a godly atmosphere. We haven’t even come close to God’s opinion of Abraham: ‘For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgement.’ (Gen.18:19) And that’s a sad reflection on us. But it’s not too late, cause God is still on the throne, and if we’re serious about bringing them back to Him, we can, not through anger or displeasure, but more through TOUGH LOVE, like the Lord does with us. And please remember, it’s our job, not anybody else’s to raise them as close to perfection as possible. More tomorrow, God willing. Much LOVE!…don’t spare the rod…else you’ll spoil the child…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 21 June 2009 Ephesians 6:4‏

21 Jun 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

HAPPY  FATHER’S  DAY!

Ephesians 6:4     And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

 Well a happy Father’s Day to all you wonderful, God abiding fathers out there. Yes my Friends, another day for celebrating the patriarch of the family is here. Sadly though, that unit of society called the family has seriously waned in its authoritativeness and responsibility. Once upon a time it was the most important aspect of our society, after God that is, with a father at its helm. The father figure was symbolic of discipline, breadwinning and godliness, though the mother usually did most of the latter. However, with the tragic decline of godliness in our world, and the ups and downs of our economic system, that symbolic relationship has also deteriorated, to the stage where an abnormally high percentage of children are growing up without fathers, or fathers who set very poor examples. Too many mothers have to play the dual role of mother and father, and though most sincerely try, it’s just not the same without the presence of a strong, sensible, god-fearing father. Let’s stop for a moment and make one thing very clear my people: the most important section of our society are the children, for they are the next generation, the ones who will carry on our legacy, whatever that may be. Children learn what they see, possibly more than what they are taught. So you can’t teach one thing, then do something else, cause in most cases they will react to and copy your behaviour more than your words. The saying do as I say, not as I do, doesn’t always work. That means we have to practice what we preach. So what’s Bruh Paul saying when he exhorts us; ‘ye fathers provoke not your children to wrath.’ He’s saying that fathers ought not to do things which can cause serious negative reactions in our children, although with the awful state of our society, that can be a simple no to a simple request. However, he’s talking more about things like unfairness, cruelty, severe anger, ridicule, oppression and abuse of authority. Many of us fathers are guilty of the last one, wrongly thinking that because we’re the head we can do as we please. We have both a moral and law based responsibility to protect and nurture, not to abuse. That brings us to the second part of Bruh Paul’s statement; ‘bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.’ We’re to raise them on the teachings of the Lord, with the help of the Lord. That has been built into the faith from day one, when the Lord commanded Moses to instruct His people Israel: ‘And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart. And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.’ (Deut.6:6-7) My people, we were specifically commanded to diligently teach our children God’s law; diligently, not wishy-washy, and to practice it ourselves so that they could see and emulate us. It was even considered so important that Moses reiterated it again in Deut.11:18-20) But unfortunately, too few of us pay heed to that nowadays, in a society where God has been relegated to little more than a figure head, somebody we run to and cry for help in desperate times. Consequently, a whole host of children and young people, raised with and without fathers, are lost, sadly taken in and deceived by the evil, lustful, fleshly wiles of Lucifer and his gaudy, pretty looking, but useless baubles. With little or no ‘broughtupcy,’ they’ve become selfish, egotistic, indolent, without manners, some don’t even know the word, no respect for authority, for themselves or for others. Note too the predominance of gangs in the modern society, which experts claim is a result of a lack of proper nurturing and guidance at home. Now there’s some credence to that, but Sol’s words also ring true: ‘Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.’ (Prov.22:6) I’m sure most of us heard that when we were growing up and that’s greatly responsible for why we’re believers today. If we train our children in a righteous, godly manner from the very beginning, most times they will end up on the right path. Even when they succumb to Lucifer’s lies and enticements, they usually turn back to God on realizing their mistake. Oh Friends, as I keep saying, the foundation is always the most important part of any building, whether it’s of lives or a physical structure, meaning that we need to give our children a solid foundation in Christ right at the start of their lives. From the very first day, read the Word to them, pray over them, sing hymns, psalms and spiritual songs to them. They might not understand it all, but I can assure you that through an osmosis-like reaction, it will seep into their subconscious, making it much easier later on to lead and guide them aright. This might not be a happy Father’s Day Bit nuh, cause I’m still seeing too many fatherless and unsupported fatherless children. What can we expect from an economically deprived fatherless child eh? Mostly negative reactions to society. So all you young men out there who foolishly consider yourselves studs, God’s gift to women, and go around impregnating the naive, irresponsible women with the wrong idea of what it really means to be a woman, please stop and take stock of yourselves. Think about the children you’re siring and what will become of them. They will probably turn out even worse than you, especially with the rough economic times we’re currently facing. And for those of you who can afford to support your children but don’t, please, I beg you, please start supporting them. You have no idea how crucial economic support is to their well-being. I’m tired seeing men who haven’t provided a cent of support to their children, beat their chest and boast about their progeny, when against the odds, they grow up successfully. Oh my people, please remember, the children of today are the adults of tomorrow, and their behaviour will be determined by our teachings and the examples we’ve set them. And right now Friends, the outlook doesn’t seem very encouraging, and we only have ourselves to blame. But we’ll have to continue this tomorrow, because it’s a pet peeve of mine, and there’s also more scripture to quote. Oh be quiet mih children! (smile) They’ve heard me spew on it often enough, but I can’t overestimate the importance of raising our children right, for if we don’t, our world will be an even, bleaker, more evil and violent place than it is now. Till tomorrow then, God willing. Much LOVE!…to help them find their way…teach the children to pray…right from the first day…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 June 2009 Matthew 6:14‏

20 Jun 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Matthew 6:14       For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you.
 
Oh Friends, morning has broken once again, just like that first morn. The birds, the bees and all God’s creatures are excited, cause it means another God-given day filled with LOVE, peace and happiness is before us. Okay, so I’m losing some of my marbles, but I have to be optimistic when I keep saying and believing that while there is life on this planet, the possibility of hope exists for those positive emotions of peace, LOVE and togetherness to someday blossom in the souls of men.  And if you think otherwise, then please forgive me for believing it. Now that serves as a good jumping off point for the final definition of Uncle Charles’ (Charles Stanley) that I want to share with you. We’ve already talked about Anger and Unforgiveness. This is the big one; Forgiveness, that many of you will dislike, but if you want to be a true follower of Christ, then you’ll just have to embrace it, no ifs ands and buts. Now, per Uncle Charles, ‘Forgiveness is giving up resentment against someone, and our right to get even no matter what has been done to us. It is the surrendering of my right to hurt you back.’ What? Surrendering my right to revenge, no matter what’s been done to me? You must be crazy! No, I’m not. It’s what Jesus meant when He replied to Peter’s question about whether forgiving seven times was enough. ‘I say not unto thee, until seven times: but until seventy times seven.’ (Mat.18:21-22) What’s 70 times 7? 490! So we should be willing to forgive someone up to at least 490 times. Wow! So you see Friends how strongly Jesus felt about the principle of forgiveness. It’s the foundation of the Christian Faith. The Father forgives us through sacrificing His Son, because He LOVES us deeply. The Son comes to earth and teaches us of His Father’s abiding, unconditional LOVE, and if we want to be in the Father’s good graces, we have to LOVE and forgive each other too. Now doesn’t that sound logical? If the Lord wanted us to live like Lucifer and his heathen cronies, He wouldn’t have sacrificed Jesus’ innocent life. But because He desired what was best for us, He made Him pay the expensive price for our freedom from the bondage of sin. And now we expect to go back and live the same old way; and eye for an eye, tooth for tooth nonsense. Oh mih people, that gets us nowhere! It angers God and only brings negativity and senseless destruction into our lives. Just look at the conflict in the Middle East. It’s been going on in some form before Jesus’ time, and there still doesn’t seem much hope for a decent resolution any time soon. And would you believe they are all descendants of our father Abraham, from Ishmael and Isaac. But such an intense hatred and anger has flourished over the years with unceasing violence, causing nothing but useless bloodshed and destruction, that now selfish pride doesn’t allow them to forgive each other. And it will never end until some sort of forgiveness is forged. Oh my people, Jesus didn’t die so we can destroy each other over what are usually petty grievances and jealousies. To be a true follower of Christ we must be big enough to let everything go. To give up the right to get even, in spite of how hurtful the wrong done to us might be. And note Friends, it has to be more than just a superficial forgiveness, for Jesus specified in Mat.18:35 that the Father won’t forgive us, ‘if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.’ The important part of that sentence is ‘from your hearts.’ That means it must be true, it must be real. Yes my people, I know that our fellow man is more steeped in negative things like hatred, anger, violence and greed, than peace, LOVE and the many fruits of righteousness, which is the main cause of our world being so fractured, in constant turmoil and conflict. But to change it we’ve got to start somewhere, and Jesus decided long ago that His followers would be the ones to turn the violent, negative outlook of the world into a positive, peaceful vibe. I know it’s not always easy to turn the other cheek when we’re hurt, but it’s something we have to learn to do. Thankfully I can say that forgiveness has never been a big problem with me. I get angry, curse and carry on, which seems to help by getting the venom out of my soul. Oh, let me knock some wood here yes, be thankful that I haven’t been as sorely tested as many others have. Ah Friends, I know at times forgiveness can be exceedingly difficult, seemingly impossible, but remember with God’s help, anything is possible. It will take time, patience, prayer, fellowship, encouragement, and above all your willingness, your overwhelming desire to please Christ. And remember too, we are the biggest beneficiary of forgiveness. It frees us from the negative emotions that only make an already hard life, harder. Listen to Bruh Paul mih people, and ‘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.’ (Rom.12:17-18) Oh Friends, that’s some of the best advice we’ll ever get, so let’s heed it nuh. Let’s get on the forgiveness train with Jesus, our conductor, who laid the tracks we’re rolling on, by being the first to forgive so many. Let’s give up the senseless anger, greed and jealousy that only create a serious brouhaha in our souls. Unforgiveness is not worth the hefty price it demands. Forgiveness demands a hefty price too, surrendering our rights, but remember God says He will repay any wrong done to us, in His own way and time. And as a believer, there’s no reason to doubt Him. And as always, the best way to start is small, and in your own backyard; charity begins at home. So let’s get on the forgiveness train, ask Jesus to help, and start forgiving small, right where we are, amongst our friends, families and neighbours. We’ll be surprised at how much better, how much lighter our souls will feel. We’ll be happier; the world will be a happier place, and Jesus will be happier too. So let’s do it nuh; let’s learn to FORGIVE! Much LOVE! … ….remember…to err is human…to forgive is divine…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 19 June 2009 Matthew 6:14‏

19 Jun 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Matthew 6:14      For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
 
Yes my Friends, on this beautiful, almost summer’s day, we’re continuing with the defining principle of Forgiveness in the Christian walk of faith. In response to yesterday’s Bit, one reader wrote asking if I didn’t find forgiveness tiring? I replied that it might be, but in the long run, in the overall scheme of things, it’s always in the forgiver’s best interest. Note, the ‘forgivee’ might not even know that you’re holding a grudge or some other negative emotion against them, and if they do know, they might not even care. So whom are you hurting if you choose not to forgive and keep all that negative emotion boiling and roiling in your soul? Please Friends, let’s remember one important thing here; when we forgive, we’re not always doing the other party a favour, sometimes yes, but in every case of forgiveness we’re doing ourselves a big favour, a great service, one of self preservation, escape from emotional dysfunction. We acknowledge that it’s not always easy, and it sometimes takes a while, but the sooner we embark on that journey of forgiveness, the better off we’ll be. This brings us to the second definition of Uncle Charles (Charles Stanley) that I want to share with you. It’s Unforgiveness. Uncle Charles says it ‘is a wilful refusal to give up one’s resentment and the right to get even, based on the wrongful thought that somebody needs to pay.’ Oh my people, that is such a stupid, ignorant, selfish, unwise move! Why? It’s not only unwise in the realm of common sense, but more so in terms of Christian ethic. The worse belief we can ever hold is that someone always has to pay for a wrong. In theory it’s fine, but in actual practice it’s not always wise. Remember too, the Lord said that vengeance is His, and He will repay. (Rom.12:19) That brings us to one of Jesus’ many informative parables. Oh Friends, don’t you just LOVE the way Jesus taught? He always had a story or an example to further explain the principle He was teaching. This is the parable of Unforgiveness: re the servant who couldn’t repay his master a debt of ten thousand talents. But when the master ordered him, his family and all his possessions sold so that the money could be recouped, the servant fell down and begged for patience and time to repay. The master not only had compassion on him, but also forgave the entire debt. That’s certainly the kind of thing Jesus expects from us. Not necessarily to forgive the entire debt, but at least to have some empathy and patience, giving others a reasonable chance to repay their debts. But my people, what happened soon afterwards was despicable, and unfortunately, is too often reminiscent of our own behaviour. That servant came from his master’s presence and saw a fellow servant who owed him only a hundred pence, peanuts to what he owed the master. His reaction? He grabbed his debtor by the throat and demanded immediate payment. But when, like him, the second servant begged for time and patience, his reaction was to have him thrown in jail until he could repay. Oh Friends, does that behaviour sound familiar? I hope not. On a sidebar here though, it’s always ‘confuffled’ me, how in the old days they threw you into debtor’s prison until you paid your debt. Now how can you repay a debt if you’re in jail not earning anything eh? To my mind, if you’re outside, you stand a much better chance of earning money to repay it. But thankfully we’ve moved away from that crude, impractical attitude. However, getting back to the unforgiving servant. When his fellow servants saw how he treated his debtor, they went and told the master, who angrily blasted him. ‘O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Should not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due to him.’ And the moral of the story? Jesus put it thus: ‘So likewise shall my heavenly father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.’ Oh Friends, I can’t add anything to that. Jesus said it all, and the whole story can be found in Matthew 18:21-35. Please read it and inwardly digest what Jesus is saying: If we don’t forgive, we will not be forgiven. It’s as simple as that. Oh mih breddren, the hypocrisy that we revel in, of asking for forgiveness, then not offering the same to others is going to cause us pain and grief later on. Not only when we come to stand before Jesus on that judgement day, but it’s going to ricochet and boomerang on us right here on planet earth if we live long enough. For as another trite but true cliché points out: what goes around, comes around. And that’s the gospel truth Friends! So please, I’m imploring us to give up the habit of unforgiveness, to eliminate that hard bitter, selfish, unforgiving feeling from our hearts, souls and minds, cause it doesn’t reflect Christ or His principles, and it’s also very harmful to our physical and emotional well-being. Tomorrow, God willing, we’ll deal with the next definition. You’ll adore it. (smile) Till then, God Bless. And as always; Much LOVE!...unforgiveness…it’s the tool of Lucifer…not of Christ…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 June 2009 Matthew 6:14‏

18 Jun 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Matthew 6:14       For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
 
Greetings my beautiful Friends in Christ! Today seems like another one with showers of blessings, but that’s all for the good since Mother earth is starving for nourishment. Our God though, never ceases to amaze me. He’s not only a Master Timer, but also a Master Strategist. Yesterday, I planned to write a Bit on Forgiveness, but was sidetracked to the verse from Amos. Later on I discovered why. The tape of Uncle Charles’ sermon, (Charles Stanley) that I decided to watch, dealt with the same topic, and he had a few definitions that I thought were important enough to share. I don’t have the time, space or knowledge to break it down as detailed as he did, but I’ll pull it together in my own way. Oh one other important thing, I didn’t have to search for the Bit scripture either, I got it right from the sermon too. The oft unnoticed, but quite significant verse that Jesus spoke after He’d given the disciples a generic plan for praying, which we call the Lord’s Prayer. Note, His first words after detailing the prayer were: ‘For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.’ (Mat.6:14-15) Oh my people, those are some of the most important words Jesus ever spoke. They are the basic foundation for the Christian faith. If you can’t or refuse to forgive, then you shouldn’t be calling yourself a Christian; a follower of Christ. To show its overriding importance, Jesus not only includes it in His prayer to the Father; ‘And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.’ (Mat.6:12) But He also points it out to them right after, and some of His last words before he died on the cross were: ‘Father, forgive them: for they know not what they do.’ (Luke 23:34) Yes my Friends, forgiveness was possibly the biggest principle, the chief cornerstone of Jesus’ teaching. Oh, and how can I forget that it was His Father’s overwhelming desire to have us cleansed and forgiven of our sins that led Him to sacrifice His only Son, Jesus. That means if we’re to follow in Jesus’ footsteps, forgiveness must be an exceedingly large part of our nature and our walk. You can’t consider yourself a true Christian unless you’re willing to forgive. It’s not always easy, but we must pursue it for Jesus’ sake. Let’s turn to the definitions I promised. The first is Anger: Uncle Charles describes it as; ‘A strong feeling of intense displeasure, hostility or indignation as a result of a real or imagined threat, insult, frustration or injustice towards yourself or others important to you.’ I think it’s an excellent definition that seems to cover all the bases. We get angry, hostile or displeased when we feel wronged, be it true or false. Now what are we supposed to do with this anger? I don’t remember exactly how Uncle Charles classified them, but I’ll call them good and bad anger. The good kind being when it drives us to get up off our fannies and do something positive, while the bad kind is where the anger just remains in our souls, stays there and seethes, ferments like yeast in alcohol and finally turns to bitterness. Then we go around with a constantly sour, angry, scowling, bitter attitude, upset with everybody and everything. But oh mih people, that’s the worse thing we can ever allow to happen to us! It’s like acid in the plastic bottle that I’m always talking about. It might not do the other person anything, unless you get violent and attack them physically or verbally, but it’s certainly going to have a very negative and disastrous effect on you; eating away the container, you, just like the acid does to the plastic bottle. That negativity only steals your joy and Christian attitude, making your life a real hell here on earth. It does nothing to advance your maturity in Christ. On the contrary it can quite easily lead you to backslide. Remember what the Lord said about backsliders? All their righteousness shall be for nought. ‘All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.’ (Eze.18:24) But when the wicked forsakes evil and turns to right living; ‘All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.’ (Eze.18:22) And Friends, there’s nothing that causes us to do wrong like anger, especially the bad kind. Remember it’s one of the enemy’s tricks, to get us upset and cause us to behave in an unchristian like manner. That means, if we’re going to live a successful life for Christ, then we desperately need to control our anger; Lucifer’s negative tool. It’s not easy, especially now that our world is going through a tough time that’s causing all the negative emotions to be very predominant. We, as followers of Christ, have the difficult task to harness and channel them in good, positive, productive ways. Ah mih breddren, it’s a rough and rocky road we have chosen to travel. But the rewards mih people…Oh the rewards are fabulous! Salvation and Eternal Life with the Holy Triumvirate! Wow! What could be better? NOTHING!  Hn! I thought one Bit would suffice, obviously not, so, God willing, we’ll continue it tomorrow. Till then Friends, let’s try to keep a tight rein on our anger so it doesn’t cause us to backslide. Much LOVE!…the first step to forgiveness… reducing and channelling anger…

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