Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 November 2009 Hosea 6:3‏

18 Nov 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Hosea 6:3     Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain of the earth.
 
Well my Friends in Christ, we’ve been blessed with another opportune day on earth, so let’s use it wisely, which means honouring and glorifying the Most High God Jehovah, our Creator, LOVING Father and oh so generous Provider. And how do we do that? Let’s see. I read an interesting Yiddish Proverb today: ‘The people plan, and God laughs.’ Now I guess that’s true some of the time. God might laugh at some of our simple-minded, farfetched schemes that have a snowball’s chance in hell of coming through, but more often I believe He shakes his head in disappointment at our plans, many which don’t include Him, or outright disobey His Word. So the first thing we need to do, in everything we do, is include God. Yes my people, we need to include God in ALL our plans and schemes, whether they be large or small, simple, or complex, to be done today or as a long-term strategy. His earnest desire is to be involved in every aspect of our lives, and until we do that, we won’t be in full compliance of His rules, neither will we have the full benefit of His omnipotence and omniscience, and all the blessings He wants to bestow on us. Now Today’s Bit is a part of Israel’s reply to God’s admonishment. He’d seen their insincere repentance and said: ‘I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge (confess) their offense, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early (diligently). (Hos.5:15) In light of that, the prophet Hosea leads them in a prayer of repentance: ‘Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and will bind us up. After two days he will revive us: in the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight.’ (Hos.6:1-2) Oh Heavenly Salvation! Of course this will happen under God’s new covenant with Israel; the coming of Christ, where His laws won’t be written in stone, but in their hearts, their inward parts. (Jer.31:31-34) ‘Then we shall know, if we follow on to know the Lord:’ Yes my people, the only way to know the workings of our God is to continually pursue knowledge of and about Him. In fact it’s only through constant dedication and pursuit that we can increase our knowledge of anything at all. So pursuing and studying information on our God will obviously help us to grow and mature in His Word and also keep us in a right relationship with Him. As Isaiah declares: ‘And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.’ (Isa.54:13) And all God’s people shouted in unison: ‘Glory Hallelujah! For what a day that will be mih breddren when all our children have good, substantial knowledge of their God, which enables them to live in peace. But that won’t happen overnight, or through miraculous works, but only through our teaching them diligently and constantly and living what we teach, showing godly example. That’s the only way for them to truly know or learn about their God. Therein they’ll learn that ‘his going forth is prepared as the morning;’ meaning He’s established, solid, sure, secure, faithful, and will always be there. Just like every morning comes along, regardless of what happens in the world, so will our God be ever present. And some of Bruh David’s last words beautifully address the subject. ‘And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.’ (2 Sam.23:4) Yes my Friends, that’s how our children will visualize our God when they truly get to know Him: like an early morning sunrise in a cloudless sky, or the grass, springing up clean and clear after the rain. That’s our God my people; a bright, shining, clear, clean, strong and majestic deity! ‘And he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.’ Oh Friends, what a blessing that will be! The Lord will no longer treat us harshly, because we’ve sincerely repented, come to a good knowledge of Him and also doing His will. Sol puts it this way in one of only two psalms he wrote. ‘He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.’ (Ps.72:6) In another sense it means He will bring prosperity to the nation(s) that serve, worship and glorify Him. And when Job told how his earlier prosperity caused people to listen to him diligently, to hang on his every word, he described it thus: ‘And they waited for me as the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter (spring) rain.’ (Job 29:23) In an agricultural based society, like Israel of old, rain in the springtime was like gold, cause it ensured proper growth of their crops and livestock, and later on an abundant harvest. That’s why all these old-timers used rain so often as an analogy for God, prosperity and anything good. Nowadays that hasn’t changed, for we still pray for just sufficient rain, not floods, at the right time, to ensure a good harvest so that our communities will prosper. Even so we won’t receive it in the abundance we want, need or desire unless we read, learn, study, obey and live by, in and through the Lord our God. For it is Him who causes us to be prosperous and satisfied, as well as to be poor, needy and not prosperous. And since we’re undoubtedly in a period of great ungodliness, where the Lord is turning a blind eye to our afflictions, and since we know too that it’s only when we dwell in His presence that we prosper, I implore us to do as Hosea implored Israel: ‘Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up…and he shall come unto us as the rain…’ It’s the only wise thing to do my Friends, given our present ungodly state and the trials and tribulations we’re currently experiencing. It’s a plan that our God surely won’t laugh at, but instead make every effort to help us fulfill. Much LOVE! …to know, know, know Him…is to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Him…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 17 November 2009 2 Chronicles 26:16‏

17 Nov 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

2 Chronicles 26:16     But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense.
 
Oh Friends, another bright, beautiful day is in the offing! And wonder of wonders; it’s laden with the mercies of our most generous God! So let’s get ourselves together, obviously dressed in our spiritual armour, and get out there and fan the flames of repentance amongst the unbelievers. I know that yesterday most of us did a decent job of it, but today’s a different day, a new day, and new things are expected of us. As Louise Heath Leber rightfully declares: ‘There is always room for improvement you know- it’s the biggest room in the house.’ Yes my people, that’s the living truth. Although we’re generally doing okay, we can always do better. Hn, hn! And I can vouch for that, since on many of my report cards in high school, the principal’s standard opinion was: ‘Lazy boy. Can do better.’ Ah Friends, those were the youthful days of partying and liming. Back then books were of secondary importance. But now we’re adults in the Lord’s employ, we therefore need to promise our God, and ourselves that every day we’ll try to improve in some area. Of course criticism will come against us, but hopefully it will be mostly of the constructive variety, for which we’ll develop a listening attitude, then decide what’s best for us. Pray that we also make much better decisions than Uzziah did in his might, power and authority: ‘for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the altar of incense.’ Now what was Uzziah thinking eh? He very well knew that it was the priest’s duty to burn incense, their holy preserve, granted to them by the Lord. (Num.3) The only redeeming reasoning is that he probably lost his marbles, had a crazy spell. But even when Azariah, the chief priest and eighty other brave priests went in to the temple and accosted Uzziah, he didn’t listen. ‘And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the Lord, but to the priests, the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord.’ (2 Chron.26:8) Deep down Uzziah knew that he was wrong, but because of his kingly status and his absolute authority therein, his anger came to the front. Oh Friends, that’s what happens when we allow Lucifer to pump his bellows on the negative aspects of pride, arrogance, might and sovereign power that occur naturally in our sinful hearts. We are then unable to resist the temptation to retaliate in a hostile, negative manner. ‘Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the Lord, from beside the incense altar.’ (2 Chron.26:19) Yes my people, our God dislikes such displays of pride and arrogance, especially when we should know better, and His displeasure will be shown in ways that we in turn dislike. Right there in front of everybody, because of his unreasonable and uncalled for anger, the Lord turned Uzziah unto a leper. Wow! Oh Friends, yuh see, our God doh make skylark nuh! And those are the things that happen when we get too big for our breeches and try to laud it over others. ‘And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they trust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted (hurried) also to go out, because the Lord had smitten him.’ Yes mih people, the Lord does move in mysterious and miraculous ways. Uzziah didn’t want to listen when God’s representatives spoke to him, although he was clearly and knowingly about to do wrong, so God himself intervened. The same thing happens to us when we don’t listen Friends. The Lord will make us pay a price, and oftimes it’s a very expensive one. It brings to mind, Samuel and Saul, when Samuel told him to wait in Gilgal for seven days then he would come and offer the burnt offering to the Lord. But Saul was impatient and ordered the sacrifice made. And as luck would have it, Samuel shows up just then. He berates Saul: ‘Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the Lord have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee.’ (1 Sam.13:13-14) That says it all Friends; when we don’t obey, we pay. Saul was the first king of Israel, but through his disobedience, lost the throne to Bruh David’s line. Bruh David himself did wrong and lost some of it too. So it’s imperative that we listen, pay attention and obey the dictates of the Lord, especially when He lifts us up to heights of glory and power. Then we have to be even more careful of how we behave, for all eyes are on us. Remember, it wasn’t so much that Bruh David did wrong with Bathsheba that annoyed the Lord, although that was a great stain on his character, but more that it gave His enemies a chance to laugh at and blaspheme His Holy Name, and that’s one thing He certainly won’t tolerate. (2 Sam.12:14) So what happened to Uzziah? The very same thing that happened to all lepers in early Jewish society. ‘And Uzziah the king was a leper until the day of his death, and dwelt in a several (isolated) house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the Lord: and Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.’ (2 Chron.26:21) Yes Friends, the Lord gives, gives generously too; more than we can ask or imagine, and lifts us to lofty positions of power. But He also takes it away when we abuse our God given blessings and privileges. Let’s remember that please, or else we’ll end up like many others, paying a steep price for our ungodly attitude and behaviour. Much LOVE!…if yuh doh hear…some time…some day…yuh surely going to feel…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 November 2009 2 Chronicles 26:16

16 Nov 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Chronicles 26:16     But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God, and went into the temple of the Lord to burn incense, upon the altar of incense.
 
Oh Friends, it’s Monday, the renewal of serious and widespread hostilities with the forces of evil, so put on all your spiritual battle gear and let’s get out there and fight to the death on behalf of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! However my people, let’s try our very best not to become like Uzziah. The story goes that he was made king of Judah at sixteen, after the death of his father Amaziah. He reigned for fifty two years in Jerusalem. ‘And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah did. And he sought God in the days of Zechariah who had understandings in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him to prosper.’ (2 Chron.26:4-5) Two notes here Friends. In 2 Kings 14:21 and 15:1-7, Uzziah is called Azariah. Secondly, the Zechariah mentioned above is not the one who wrote the prophecy of Zechariah. It seems there were some twenty eight other men in the Old Testament by that name. Now Uzziah’s famous deeds and prosperity are recorded in 2 Chronicles Chapter 26:6-15. He broke down the walls of his enemies and built cities. The Lord helped him against the Philistines and the Arabians. The Ammonites paid him tribute (taxes) and his name was well known all over, even in Egypt; ‘for he strengthened himself exceedingly.’ (v.8) He built towers in Jerusalem and in the desert, had plenty cattle and many farms; ‘for he LOVED husbandry.’ (v.10) He had a great army; more than three hundred thousand fighting men, over whom were two thousand six hundred brave captains. Their weapons were plentiful and state of the art. Uzziah also installed on the walls of Jerusalem, smart weapons to shoot stones and arrows at invaders. ‘And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.’ (v.15) But therein lies the rub, the problem my people. Why is it eh, when we become strong, prosperous, powerful, or simply attain any elevation in any aspect of society, we conveniently forget what brought us to that exalted state? Uzziah was no different to many of us today. ‘But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the Lord his God…’ It seems that for some completely unreasonable reason, we begin to believe that it was our strength alone that got us to our high point. As the scholars wisely note, pride and spiritual defeat very often go together. We have a perfect example in the Song of Moses, re Jeshurun: ‘But Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.’ (Deut. 32:15) What utter madness my Friends! I don’t understand how we can ever forget the God who causes us to prosper. It’s like we say; ‘remember who brought you to the dance.’ And it’s not that we don’t have many warnings about that kind of ingratitude. Moses warned the children of Israel several times, telling them to be very careful and wary that when they became prosperous; ‘Then thine heart be lifted up (becomes proud), and thou forget the Lord thy God which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage…And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.’ (Deut.8:14,17) Oh Friends, our current society is not only ungrateful to our God; note how after we became prosperous, we began removing Him from our lives, but that ungrateful attitude has become ingrained in the very nature of the society. Now, ungratefulness and its stable mate selfishness, reign supreme; from parents to children, friends, family, coworkers, even hurting strangers who are helped, have adopted an ungrateful attitude. We have become such ingrates that the number one question or expectation is usually, what have you done for me lately? It essentially implies that whatever help you received earlier is long past and gone and doesn’t matter anymore. It’s only what you’ve done for me very recently that matters. But Friends that’s ever so far from the truth, as we’ll find out when we continue Uzziah’s story tomorrow. Till then, please, I implore us, let’s keep the words of Moses closely cloistered in our hearts, cause they will eventually serve and stand us in very good stead. ‘But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.’ (Deut. 8:18) Much LOVE my beautiful people!…think not too highly of thyself…for pride gleefully preys on the proud…brings him to his very knees…when he least expects it…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 November 2009 Luke 10:42‏

15 Nov 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Luke 10:42     But one thing is needful; and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
 
Bonjour, mes Amis merveilleux in Christ! Yes the ole fella gone français (smile). It’s the end of another week, time for all believers to renew their spiritual beings. And what better way to do that than at the feet  of the Master, as Mary did? None really. We all know the story of Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus, who, when Jesus visited them in Bethany, a couple miles away from Jerusalem, Martha busied herself in the kitchen preparing a meal for her guests, while Mary ensconced herself at Jesus’ feet, listening to Him teach. Obviously Martha was somewhat miffed at doing all the work with Martha just lolling by. And since Jesus was a much-valued friend and guest, Martha must have been preparing a big spread, with all the attendant work. This led Martha to complain to Jesus: ‘Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.’ (Luke 10:40) But instead poor Martha was rebuked. I’m sure she was surprised, though knowing Jesus’ nature, it was surely gentle. ‘And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful (worried) and troubled about many things. But one thing is needful; and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.’ Oh Friends, we’ve all had that kind of situation to deal with, where we’re busy trying to rustle up food for our hungry visitors, but instead of helping us, a household member is in the gathering talking and laughing. We usually view it as selfishness and/or laziness on the other person’s part, and it certainly raises our ire. But Jesus had a different take on the subject. Now the scholars claim that Jesus’ words can be taken in one of two ways. The first is He was telling Martha not to worry with any elaborate preparations for the meal, something simple would do, something she could prepare without Mary’s help. On the other hand, which I think is more likely, Jesus is saying that the one essential thing is spiritual nourishment, the nourishment that Mary craved. Jesus was perhaps also implying that Martha herself should leave the housework for a spell and come and listen to Him, concentrate on the more important matters at hand. I believe that Jesus was referring to the latter way because in Capernaum, having walked across the Sea of Galilee at night, the crowd was mystified and asked how He’d gotten there, since they’d never seen Him take a boat. Jesus rebuked them too, saying that they weren’t really interested in Him for the miracles, but because they saw Him multiply the food, and as hunger was rampant, they would follow wherever He went in the hope of getting food.  However, He cautioned them: ‘Labour not for the meat (food) which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.’ (John 6:27) The same goes for us my people. We should not be like Martha, impatient and overly concerned with the unimportant things of this world, but rather be like Mary, filled with spiritual desire, seeking wisdom and understanding, discernment re the things of heaven. Remember Jesus also rebuked Lucifer when he tempted Him in the wilderness to turn stone into bread, quoting Moses to the children of Israel. (Deut.8:3) ‘It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.’ (Mat.4:4) So though we do need earthly food to provide nourishment for our physical bodies, what we need more than anything else is the spiritual food of the Word of God to satisfy and replenish the hunger and longings of our spiritual beings. Jesus made that very clear in all of His teaching. The Father and His Word are to be the most important thing in a man’s life. And even before Jesus came, that man after God’s heart, Bruh David, proudly and eloquently declared the same thing when he penned that moving psalm, ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation.’ He put it thus: ‘One thing have I desired of the Lord, that I will seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty (delightfulness) of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me upon a rock. And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.’ (Ps.27:4-6) Ah my Friends, that’s how our lives should be lived: Seeking the Lord and His beauty, dwelling in His LOVING-kindness, under the umbrella of His protection, while continually singing songs of praise and thanksgiving, living a life that will glorify His Holy Name. It’s the ONLY right way to live. So let’s live it nuh. Much LOVE!…the Word…the Word…it’s all in…and about the Word…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 November 2009 Jeremiah 9:23‏

14 Nov 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Jeremiah 9:23     Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches.
 
And a hearty good morning to you, my wonderful Friends in Christ! I wish all you upstanding believers a joyful day, filled with many godly blessings. But we have to be very careful how we go about the day, in regards to the Bit, for there are many wise Christians, many mighty men of faith and also many rich followers of Jesus. Having those excellent attributes doesn’t mean we can’t also be good, faithful and steadfast believers. They don’t automatically exclude us from Christ’s flock as some people seem to think. However, we need to be always on the lookout for how we use these extraordinary blessings that the Lord has bestowed on us. And that’s the first thing to remember; that they were all gained through the Father’s goodwill, not obtained solely on our own strength. Therefore we should never boast or give ourselves kudos or airs and graces because of the kindness the Most High God Jehovah has showered on us. It’s a privilege and an honour, to be used only in spreading His Word and glorifying Him. And without a doubt, Jeremiah’s words of long ago certainly resound very loudly in today’s selfish, acquisitive, boastful society, where accumulation of worldly treasure is of paramount interest and importance. But Friends, I urge us to remember and follow the Lord’s advice: ‘Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom.’ That’s the first directive, which we all know is not followed. Instead, the opposite is widely practised by all the so called experts, gurus, consultants et al, who populate every area of life today. Many of them beat their chests and blow their own horns in self-praise. But if they’re so wise and wonderful, why is the world now in such an ungodly mess? They obviously never learned from Sol, who said: ‘I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil (cruel) net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them. This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me.’ (Eccl.9:11-13) Yes my people, despite all our wisdom, none of us knows what’s going to happen to us, or when, so there’s no sense in boasting or glorying in the little wisdom we possess. Just like all the other living things, we can be here today and gone tomorrow. And the same goes for the strong man, whether it be actual physical strength or power over others; ‘neither let the mighty man glory in his might.’ The psalmist certainly got it right when he said: ‘There is no king saved by the multitude of a host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.’ (Ps.33:16) Physically strong men are cut down everyday by puny geeks in more ways than one. And so are men of strong political or military power. They never last forever because they put too much faith in their powerful political allies or military strength. But Bruh David beat Goliath with a simple sling shot, and many powerful armies and political hotshots have been decimated by much lesser forces and men. And as the angel said to Zechariah: ‘Not by might, nor by power, but my spirit saith the Lord of hosts.’ (Zech.4:6) Might and power are of no use without the presence of the Lord’s Spirit my people. But the last directive is the one that causes the biggest problem: ‘let not the rich man glory in his riches.’ Oh Friends, as we’ve already noted, the accumulation of earthly wealth is possibly the number one driving force in our world. Many of our crimes; robbery, murder, deception, fraud and other negative behaviour can be traced right back to that. But as Psalm 49 clearly states: ‘They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him…For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.’ (Ps.49:6-7,17) That’s gospel my people, so I don’t see why we expend as much energy, for so long, sometimes our entire lives, to build earthly wealth when it causes innumerable problems on earth and we can’t take it with us when we die. We need to acknowledge, like Bruh David did: ‘Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.’ (1 Chron.29:11-12) And Friends, if we choose not to listen to Bruh David, because he was only a man like us, then perchance we’ll listen to our God. ‘But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise LOVING-kindness, judgement (justice), and righteousness in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.’ (Jer.9:24) Oh my brethren, let’s transform ourselves, raise our level of godliness from the fickle, faithless followers we’ve become and regain the wisdom, which teaches that true wisdom comes from the Lord Himself; from following the dictates of His Word, living in LOVE, justice and righteousness. Till next time, Much LOVE!…knowledge of God…is man’s glory…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 November 2009 Psalm 33:12‏

13 Nov 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 33:12      Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.
 
Oh Friends, I can’t believe how warm and sunny it’s been in my neck of the woods the last few days! People have been taking advantage of it, walking around half naked as though it’s the height of summer. But I think all that’s over now. The leaves have fallen and the serious, wet, damp, miserable weather is about to set in before it turns real cold and that lovely white stuff begins to fly. (smile) And the seasonal changes do seem to provide a good explanation for Today’s Bit. ‘Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord;’ conjures up vivid images of summer time; fun and frolic. When a nation has the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob at its core, guiding and directing its heartstrings, then blessings flow freely. When we seriously and consistently worship, serve and glorify the One True God, then a nation’s healthy, everything runs smoothly, our land prospers in His strong, LOVING embrace as we dwell safely under the panoply of His assured protection. Now that’s what we had some years ago. But as we begin to move away from Him, arrogantly and foolishly believing in our own strength and wisdom, then the good life begins to slip away. Summer starts turning to fall; things get scarce, the land becomes dry and unproductive, jobs are lost, confusion, disillusion, disagreement and a host of negative behaviour rears its ugly head. That’s what we suffered last year. And now we’re in the winter of our discontent. Everything’s looking stark naked and dead, with little hope in the nation. And though the puny politicians and greedy business people try to put a bright spin on things, saying that the worst is over now, that’s only a farce. Yes, the banks are making big money again and insist on paying the crooks that caused the original problem big bonuses, despite the fact that many people are still losing their jobs, homes and very livelihood. Oh my Friends, there’s still no real hope in sight for the ordinary man who depends on a simple job to earn a living. And though the leaders have blown a lot of taxpayers money propping up an inefficient, crooked system, very little of the dribble down effect that they so boldly trumpeted when they doled it out has really reached the man in the street. The system is still the same; no meaningful rules and regulations have been imposed on the heartless, greedy Wall Street con artists. So even if it seems like spring is around the corner, it’s just a sleight of hand and mouth, cause we have not learned anything from our disaster, just gone right back to the same old ways. And since you can only reap what you sow, if your basic economic model is built on a weak, fraudulent system that really produces nothing but useless paper, then eventually the whole house of cards will crumble again, when it becomes too heavy for its porous foundation. My people, when a nation is blessed because the Lord is their God, that’s one thing, but when that nation is also ‘the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance,’ then their behaviour becomes even more important. Now serving God, normally bears a large responsibility, but being His special people involves even greater accountability. Then the Lord expects excellence, perfection in human terms, a wholesome and worthwhile example to others, behaviour that glorifies Him and makes them greatly desire to be numbered amongst His wonderful flock. Now such was the predicament of Israel. The Lord heard their mournful, plaintive cry, took pity, had mercy on them and rescued them from bondage in Egypt: ‘I bare (sustained) you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar (special) treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine.’ (Ex.19: 4-5) Yes, the Lord treasured and favoured them above all else, but that same specially chosen status laid a lot of responsibility on their shoulders, having to live by His rules and regulations and set a good example for others. And as noted throughout the Old Testament, when they lived by the Lord’s commands, they prospered, and when they didn’t, they suffered greatly. Friends, it’s just like we feel our children are special, and always expect better behaviour, a higher sense of purpose and responsibility from them than from others. It was no different between the Lord and Israel. My people, if you are special in anything, then more is always expected of you. And though our God is kind, gentle, LOVING and merciful, He has above average expectations for those in His fold. And since the coming of Jesus, all believers, all followers are now special and chosen, and as such have to live up to the standards of Jesus. Many are trying, but sadly not enough, that’s why we have slipped back to a world of ungodliness. We have turned away from God, not obeyed the rules He gave us, which were really rules for our own protection, so we wouldn’t turn to other gods and have to pay the price. But unfortunately that’s exactly how we’ve allowed the world to bring us, and we are now paying the price, a rather steep one to boot. Enough of me though. Let’s go home with the words of Moses that puts the whole thing in its proper perspective. ‘The Lord did not set his LOVE upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any other people; for ye were the fewest of all people. But because the Lord LOVED you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen (slavery) from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that LOVE Him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to (delay with him) that hateth him, he will repay him to his face. Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgements, which I command thee this day, to do them.’ (Deut.7:7-11) Oh my people, I hope that serves as a refresher and a wake up call, to remind us of our special privileges, but also of our special responsibilities. If we ever want to see good days again, we need to make fulfilling them the highest priority in our lives. Much LOVE!…to him that much is given…much is also required…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 November 2009 Psalm 33:12‏

12 Nov 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 33:12     Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.
 
Oh my faithful Friends in Christ, Today’s Bit should be an eye-opener for all the nations of the world. But sadly, it won’t be, because we’re all too busy pursuing the busyness of the world to pay attention to the Word of the God who created us and has so much goodness and LOVE, just bursting from His heart ready and willing to give us. How do I know this? Because it’s right there, spelt out in His Word, in plain, straightforward language for all and sundry to see. ‘Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.’ Hn! What’s there not to understand eh? How could it be any simpler? If you worship, serve and adore the One True God Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, then your nation will be blessed. And the opposite is understood: If you don’t serve and worship the Most High God Jehovah, then your nation will not be blessed. It’s as simple as that my people. And the good thing is that the Lord doesn’t even have to choose the nation as His special people for it to be blessed, any ole nation can just decide to serve and worship the Lord and be faithful and glorify Him and they will be blessed. So why then aren’t all the nations of the world running to serve and worship Him? Your guess is as good as mine. Kowtowing to Beelzebub obviously isn’t doing any good. Look at the mess his cronies have the world mired in. All I know Friends, is that if we follow the logic in the Bit, then it’s quite plain to see why our nations in the west have been undergoing such a rough, humiliating time. When we were serving the Lord; when He was in our schools and our public places, and it wasn’t impoliticly correct to talk about Him at work and wherever we were, when it didn’t terribly disturb others of other faiths, our nations prospered. And even though reference to Him is still on the money, ‘In God we trust,’ it doesn’t mean a thing to most people. Many of them don’t even know that it’s there. And my people, if we continue this ungodly downward spiral, some over zealous, mislead fool will eventually raise a hue and cry to have it removed. We still swear on the Bible, but that doesn’t mean much to most people either. It’s just something they have to do to get matters expedited. In any case, what good is swearing on it if you don’t believe in, or live by it? Friends, it’s obvious that once we took prayer and praise out of our schools and public places, and consequently out of much of our lives, that the moral fibre of our nations began deteriorating. And once that happens, everything else will begin to fall apart too because it’s the ethics, the morality, the integrity, the character of a nation and it’s people that makes or breaks them, that determines their prosperity or failure. If they are weak in any of those areas then it will show in their overall performance and behaviour. It doesn’t take a wise man to see that. History is littered with nations who became powerful on the strength of God’s arm, then in foolish pride and arrogance cast Him off. What happened to them? They were either conquered by other nations riding on the Lord’s strength, or they simply deteriorated to minor roles because of their ungodliness. We’re supposed to learn from history, but we’re such a proud, ignorant lot, who simply feel that what happened to others won’t happen to us. But Friends, if we make the same dumb mistakes like them, why won’t it? And I don’t have to tell you we’re paying for those mistakes right now because you’re seeing and experiencing it for yourselves. When our faith and trust in our fellow man has been severely abused, when greed, selfishness and sticking it to the next person become the prevailing mantra, as it is now, then what can we expect but a failing, deteriorating society, for as we said yesterday, our entire society runs on some form of faith and trust. Oh my people, I don’t know what else to say or do. Sometimes I feel like a lone voice crying in the wilderness that nobody hears. (smile) All of us know the problem, as well as the solution, but not enough of us are ready, willing and able to stand up and take the bull by the horns and say enough of this nonsense. If you don’t like what we’ve built here, then go somewhere else. But the puny, parts-less politicians and greedy business people only have eyes for immediate dollars and cents. They don’t think of the future. It’s like the man with the goose that laid a golden egg each day, but in his hurried greed he couldn’t wait for one egg a day, so he killed the goose, then had nothing. Oh Friends, that’s what we’ve done, and are still doing, by moving away from a godly society to a godless one. God was providing us with blessings one day at a time, but we believed Lucifer’s lies that he could give us it all at once. Remember, if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything. And that’s exactly what happened to us. We were not prepared to stand up and make a big fuss over God being removed from our lives, so now we’re suffering the consequences, just being a wishy-washy nation with no sure foundation, no scruples, nothing that provides good direction, or invites character building, integrity, belly and backbone. We’re now wimpy, whiners, in what’s becoming a free-for all society that respects nothing, holds nothing sacred, where everybody does their own thing, looks after their own selfish interests and don’t give two hoots about anybody else. And we all know that doesn’t work. It only leads to an iconoclastic, violent and destructive society, which we’re already well on the way to becoming. Friends, it’s urgent that we return to worshipping and serving the most High God Jehovah on a much wider basis if we want to see serious improvement and stability in our society. It’s the only way. But time has run out, so we’ll continue this tomorrow. Till then, please, let’s put some extra energy and effort into LOVING our God, SPREADING His Word and truly LIVING our Faith. Much LOVE!…to see a bright tomorrow…we must find God TODAY…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 November 2009 Matthew 21:21‏

11 Nov 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Matthew 21:21     Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
 
Oh Friends, it’s supposed to be another beautiful Indian summer’s day in this part of the northern climes. And why do we believe that? Because we have faith, trust in our weather forecasters. (smile) They’re not always right, since weather forecasting is an inexact science, but they try their best, and that’s all we can ask. Faith and trust are what we live by, what our world runs on. From flipping a switch and expecting light, turning on your tap and expecting clear, clean water to come pouring out, turning on your radio, your t.v and expecting sound and picture to fill the air, going out to your car and expecting it to start on the first try, then driving to your job, which you expect to still be there. Unfortunately, sometimes the machinery malfunctions and we’re left in the lurch, but generally speaking our everyday lives function well. Why? Because all these things we expect to happen and take for granted are built on trust and faith. We’ve done them over and over again and know deep down that unless some unforeseen circumstance occurs, they will function as we expect. Friends, it’s the same way Jesus expects us to have faith and trust in Him. He obviously doesn’t want us to take Him for granted in the negative sense of just using Him for our selfish desires, but in the positive, meaning that whatever happens in our lives, whenever we need Him, He’ll always be there. Oh people, in His hands we’re safer than with All State, because that’s run by untrustworthy, unfaithful men, not by a faithful, ever present, ever ready to help deity like Christ. Hn! I was just reading over what I’d written to see if it made sense and noticed that I used the word ‘expect’ several times in connection with faith, and there’s a reason for it. Faith is based on our expectation of what’s going to happen. Since Bruh Paul says ‘we walk by faith and not sight,’ (2 Cor.5:7) then if we don’t see something, we have to have high expectations that it will materialize. Expectancy is the foundation of faith. And the author of Hebrews marvellously elucidates and expounds on the subject in Chapter 11. It’s a chapter that all believers should bookmark in their Bibles and turn to whenever they need a boost of faith; cause faith in Christ is what keeps us encouraged and keeping on through all the joy and sorrow, heartache and pain of this life. It’s what makes us believe that no negative situation will last forever, it too shall pass; the sun will shine on our parade sooner or later, if we just hang tight. And when our parade hits a roadblock, as it will at some stage, we won’t worry because we trust in the Risen Lord, who will clear those impediments and have us motoring along again smoothly. Oh Friends, I just LOVE writing these Bits where I’m just guided and carried away by the Spirit, that my pen can’t keep up to my mind. And I have to chuckle because I intended to insert a quote from Hebrews 11 earlier on, but the Spirit led me along otherwise. Anyway, here it is. It’s a sort of nutshell explanation of the relationship between sight, expectancy and faith. ‘Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.’ (Heb.11:1) And that’s gospel mih breddren! It not only defines it, but also shows you what it can and does do. For faith is the realization of things we hope for, things we have not seen, but feel strongly about, have a strong conviction that they will happen. It gives us substance, something to hold on to, as well as evidence, proof that keeps us believing and trusting. That’s why Jesus told His disciples: ‘If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.’ That’s also why the writer of Hebrews specified: ‘But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.’ (Heb.11:6) Throughout that glorious chapter, the author mentions people of great faith who served the Lord. ‘By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain (his character)…By faith Enoch was translated (so) that he should not see death…By faith Noah being warned of things not seen as yet, moved with fear (reverence), prepared an ark to the saving of his house…By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive as an inheritance, obeyed, and he went out not knowing whither he went (where he was going)… (Heb.11:4,5,7,8) Those are only a few of the faithful mentioned in Hebrews 11. The author also talks about Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Sarah and Moses. ‘These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded (assured) of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.’ (Heb.11:13) Oh my people, we are all strangers and pilgrims here, and like those faithful servants of old we’re seeking ‘a better country, that is a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.’ (Heb.11:16) And how do we know this? Through faith; faith in God, in Jesus and the Holy Spirit that leads and guides us. But let’s end with one proviso my Friends. It’s a word of warning from Bruh Paul. ‘And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.’ (1 Cor.13:2) Yes my people, though we have all the faith in the world and can move mountains, if we don’t have LOVE, then we’re nothing, for LOVE is, was, and will always be the greatest. Much LOVE!…And now abideth…faith…hope…and charity…these three…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 November 2009 Matthew 21:21‏

10 Nov 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Matthew 21:21     Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. 
 
Oh Friends these are some of the most important and meaningful words that our Saviour spoke when He walked this earth two thousand years ago. Why? Because of the nature of faith; what it stands for, and how it operates. The dictionary defines it as ‘reliance on, trust in, belief founded on authority.’ That’s the basic, everyday definition. Then it goes on to talk about Theological faith; which is ‘belief in religious doctrines, especially such as affects character and conduct, spiritual apprehension of divine truth apart from proof; a system of religious belief, like Christianity and Jewry.’ Oh Friends, it all comes right down to trust and belief, whether there’s proof or not of whatever you have faith in. Whether it’s secular or theological, faith engenders a very strong feeling of trust. Now hear this powerful quote on the subject: ‘Faith is a living and unshakeable confidence, a belief in the grace of God so assured that a man would die a thousand deaths for it.’ Wow! Yes my people, that’s real faith, real trust, real belief. It’s so certain, resolute and strong, free from doubt, immovable, steadfast and unchanging that a man would die many times on its behalf. Those words are attributed to Martin Luther, the German monk, one of the men who stood strong in their faith during the days of the Reformation, when the Protestant Church was born. It’s reputed that he set the ball rolling on October 31, 1517, when he nailed his 95 Theses to the Castle Church door in Wittenberg, Germany. In those days religion was the very basis of society. The Catholic Church was the arbiter of all, and ruled with an iron fist. But Martin refused to put up with the Church’s oppression and hypocrisy. He decided to base his faith on the Bible itself, not what the church taught, and stood up to them. To that end, he translated the Bible into German. That gave other reformers the idea and courage to translate the Bible into their own languages. And as the Good Lord would have it, the inventing of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg finally made the Good Book available to all people, not just a handful of churchmen and nobles. Now that’s the kind of faith Jesus was talking about my Friends when He rebuked the disciples in Today’s Bit. It’s also the kind of faith we need to really and truly serve Jesus. The disciples obviously lacked it at that point in time, for when Jesus hungrily passed by the fig tree in the morning and saw only leaves on it, at a season when there should have been some fruit, He cursed it. ‘Let no fruit grow on thee henceforth for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!’ (Mat.21:19-20) Although they’d spent much time with Jesus and saw all His miracles, they still didn’t get it. There was also the time He rebuked them after they asked why they couldn’t cast out a demon from an epileptic man. ‘Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.’ (Mat.17:20-21) Oh my people, Jesus says that even a small amount of faith in Him, like that of a tiny mustard seed, will enable us to do great things. The mustard seed is indeed small, however, with time, proper nurturing and belief, it produces stuff many times its original size. The same goes for us, but the starting point is always sure trust and strong belief in Him, cause it’s only through Him that we are able to do anything at all. In other words; ‘If ye have faith, and doubt not.’ Oh my Friends, those last two words are also very important in our Christian belief system, in fact in anything we attempt to do. Doubt will cause unbelief and fear, which will render our efforts useless. Note what James says: ‘A double- minded man is unstable in all his ways.’ (James 1:8) And later on he advises and admonishes: ‘Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded.’ (James 4:8) Yes my brethren, as believers, we can’t afford to waver or be unstable. We need to purge the fear, uncertainty and doubt from our minds and souls. And the only way to do that is to draw near to God, sincerely seek Him, for if we do that we’ll surely find Him. He’s just waiting for us to come to Him in faith. And as Bruh Paul says; ‘We walk by faith, not by sight.’ (2 Cor.5:7) We’ve never seen Jesus, but others did, and spread His Words as He commanded them. And we trust that they were telling the truth. Bruh Paul never saw Jesus in the flesh either, but he certainly felt His power when His awesome light on the road to Damascus blinded him. He was  subsequently converted and went on to become the most vocal and outspoken of those spreading the gospel. Martin Luther also didn’t see Jesus in the flesh, but he was willing to give his life for Him. Oh Friends, time and space are against us, so we’ll continue this tomorrow. But let me leave us with some fitting words of promise and encouragement from our Saviour. He said them to Thomas, who only believed that He’d risen from the dead after he touched His wounds. ‘Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.’ (John 20:29) Please my Friends, please let us live our lives so we can be counted amongst that blessed group. Much LOVE!…faith can move mountains…only believe…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 November 2009 Jeremiah 23:32‏

09 Nov 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Jeremiah 23:32     Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness: yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit these people at all, saith the Lord.
 
Oh Friends, it’s Monday morning! Banish those blues, get dressed in your godly armour and step out strong to battle the evil forces of Beelzebub to victory! As promised, we’ll continue talking about false prophets and teachers that continually crop up over the ages to lead God’s people astray. We saw yesterday that during Jeremiah’s time, one of their false teachings was for the Israelites not to serve the king of Babylon, though the Lord specifically commanded it. ‘For they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and ye should perish.’ (Jer.27:10) That was the Lord’s declaration against those supposedly serving His purpose. My people, sadly, not much has changed from then to now, except in terms of greater numbers, for many of those to whom we look for godly direction are really charlatans, doing the same things today as those in Jerry’s time; they ’cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness (recklessness).’ Now here’s Zephaniah’s take on the subject. ‘Her prophets are light (insolent) and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted (profaned) the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law. The just Lord is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgement (justice) to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.’ (Zep.3:4-5) And isn’t that the living truth my Friends? The wicked and unjust have no shame or scruples whatsoever! Meanwhile Hosea says: ‘The days of visitation (punishment) are come, the days of recompense are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad (insane), for the multitude (greatness) of thine iniquity, and the great hatred (enmity) (Hos.9:7) Yes mih breddren, the same can be said of too many of those who currently profess to be godly leaders. Too many of them are bathed in sin, selfish pride, greed, anger and resentment. Consequently, the churches, or the flocks they lead are getting inappropriate advice and information, leading them to make wrong, ungodly decisions. Unfortunately my people, it’s not easy these days to know whom to trust. A whole host of spiritual bodies have sprung up during the last half century, possibly more than in the first nineteen hundred and sixty years of the church’s existence, and they all claim to be doing God’s work, showing the way, the truth and the light. And Friends, many are doing admirable work, really taking the Word seriously and leading their followers aright. Hn! But it’s the false ones, those who are only in it for themselves, for their own private enhancement, that are causing the problem. And sadly there are too many of them. But the Lord declared; ‘yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all…’ Oh Friends, even one false prophet is too much. Just like one bad apple can spoil a whole basket, one false prophet can cause too many people to go astray. And nowadays, ministry, like almost everything else has become big business, and anywhere business is prevalent, so too are evil, crooks and scamps. Just check out all the nattily dressed preachers, with their expensive jewellery, cars, houses and lifestyles, while most of their people are struggling to make ends meet. My people, I’m not advocating poor ministers of God, for Jesus said that He came for us to have abundant life, but certainly not the great division we see in some instances. Then, when the scandal erupts, it’s the poor people who suffer. It’s always the majority, usually the innocent ones who suffer the most, bear the brunt of most disasters, while the real perpetrators oftimes get away scot-free. And in this instance we surely haven’t profited because, ‘Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit.’ (Jer.7:8) We listened to all the ‘know-it-alls’ who were just crooks and parasites, ungodly doers of the enemy’s will, who made us turn away from the One True God and lust after the world’s filthy lucre. And what did it profit us eh? Nothing: just damnation and destruction! Jeremiah puts it so well: ‘Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish (false and deceptive) things for thee: and they have not discovered (uncovered) thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens (false and misleading prophecies) and causes of banishment.’ (Lam.2:14) Oh Friends, our world is so full of falsehood and deceit that one hardly knows where to turn to hear the truth, or whom to trust. Conspiracy theories, both real and imagined, abound like never before. That’s why it’s so important for each of us to intimately know our God and what He stands for, so we can tell the thief from the shepherd. And the only way to do that my people is to immerse ourselves in the Good Book, that fount of everlasting knowledge, wisdom and truth. If we don’t have a strong knowledge of it ourselves and rely too heavily on others to guide us, then it’s very easy for us to be lead astray. And we certainly don’t want or desire that outcome. So please, I implore us, let’s study the Good Book every chance we get, so that we can be more aware of the truth and be able to glean more of it from amongst the numerous lies and deceit that’s currently enveloping our world. Much LOVE!…the truth shall set us free…find it in the Good Book…

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