Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 October 2008 1 John 1:1‏

09 Oct 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

1 John 1:1     That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the Word of life.
 
Yes my Friends, it’s another day in the life of this crazy, distressed, violent, evil world, but thankfully, we have the means, the faith to withstand all it brings against us. And where do we get that means, that faith? Obviously from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! And how do we know that He’s real, that He once lived here on earth as a man, and now exists within the hearts of all who believe on Him, as a guiding, protecting Spirit? Because honest, godly men who lived and shared life experiences with Him, wrote about it. Moreover, John, who’s writing we’re featuring today, was supposedly Jesus’ favourite, so he had no cause to lie or stretch, slant, or exaggerate the truth. Now this is John’s testimony to Christ. ‘That which was from the beginning…" And what’s that? ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.’ (John 1:1) Yes mih people, there was always, is now, and will be forever, only One True God, and His Word was at the start of everything. God spoke the world into existence. ‘And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.’ (Gen.1:3) Light came at some 186,000 miles per second. That was eons ago. And Friends, the good news is that it’s still coming today, and at that very same speed. Let’s bless His Holy Name and shout: ‘Glory Hallelujah!’ Yuh know what too? ‘All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.’ (John 1:3) Amen! Of that my people there is no doubt. And John continues his testimony; ‘which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes.’ Friends, he heard and saw Jesus. Wow! That’s more good news! And the Apostle Luke corroborates his statements. ‘Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration (narrative) of those things which are most surely believed among us, Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things (accurately followed) from the very first, to write unto thee, in order (an orderly account), most excellent Theophilus. That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.’ (Luke 1:1-5) There we have it Friends, Luke’s purpose; to supplement, to strengthen Theophilus’ knowledge of the basis of Christian certainty. As he says, other people are already writing down what happened and he’s using his knowledge of other writings, plus the eyewitness testimony of people he knows to write his text. And he feels competent to do this because he has a good understanding of both the historical data and its theological significance. So Friends, it’s not something that only one person, or a handful of people have witnessed. And as per his hearing and seeing, John writes with emphasis: ‘And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.’ (John 1:14) What’s he saying there? That the Word, God, became flesh, became a man, and lived amongst us here on earth, and he witnessed all the glorious things He did, which were all full of grace and truth. Jesus himself said it, more than once too. ‘Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in (abide by) my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ (John 8:31-32) Truth was certainly Jesus’ stronghold. ‘I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.’ (John 14:6) And again, when Pilate asked, ‘Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest (rightly) that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?’ (John 18:37-38) Now that’s a good question. Friends, when we talk about truth here with Christ, it’s not so much the difference between true and false, but more in the sense of something that’s genuine or real, as contrasted with the unreal. So Jesus’ truth is the real, genuine article, the truth that everything else should be built on to ensure honesty and godliness. As for grace, John declares: ‘For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.’ (John 1:17) There was grace before Jesus came, but not in the intense nor widespread manner, the largesse that Jesus brought it. And what is grace? Oh Friends, grace is the unmerited favour of our wonderful, merciful, LOVING God towards us sinners, given to us for our salvation. It’s only by His generosity that we can get salvation. Meaning that it’s nothing we can earn, buy, steal or anything within our own power to achieve, but only to accept as a free, undeserved gift from our Heavenly Father. And for that most generous gift Lord, we, your humble servants, all raise our voices in thanks, praise and eternal gratitude, saying; ‘Hallelujah! All Praise and Glory be to your Holy Name! Amen!’ Oh Friends, as believers we’re so lucky, that at times I have to pinch myself to make sure that I’m real and all the good things our God has done are true. (smile) Till tomorrow, when we’ll continue with John’s testimony…Much LOVE!…a believers road is rugged…but his joy is supreme… 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 October 2009 Zechariah 7:11‏

08 Oct 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Zechariah 7:11     But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.
 
Oh Friends, oh Friends, almost from the day of creation mankind has been disobedient to God’s law. Today’s Bit is just one declaration in a long, long line of disobedience. Zechariah had just instructed the people, on God’s orders: ‘Execute true judgement (justice), and show mercy (LOVING kindness) and compassions every man to his brother: And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine (plan) evil against his brother in your heart.’ (Zech.7:9-10) Oh mih people, how many times have we heard those directives eh? Too numerous to count! We’ve been hearing them from the beginning of time because those are the basic rules on which our faith is based. It’s what Jesus was born, lived by example, preached and died for: For justice, mercy, compassion, and LOVE towards each other; to help the poor, the widows, the orphans and the strangers in our midst. But foolishly, Israel disobeyed. ‘They refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder (gave a rebellious or stubborn shoulder) and stopped their ears (made their ears heavy), that they would not hear.’ How sad mih breddren. And that wasn’t the first time they’d been disobedient either. And each time they were punished. We’ll just quote one instance here though; after Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and took them away captive. Now Nehemiah is trying to right it all with God, so that they can go back and rebuild Jerusalem. ‘Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations. Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed (oppressed) them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies. But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver (rescue) them according to thy mercies. And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly (acted presumptuously), and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgements, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.’ (Neh.9:26-29) Oh people it’s obvious something was seriously wrong with the Israelites, else they wouldn’t have made it a cycle of disobeying, suffering, crying out for mercy, only to fall back into the same ungodly mess. But we should be the last ones to pass judgement cause we have their mistakes as prominent and poignant examples and reminders of what not to do, but yet have committed the same foolish disobedience. So now we’re in the throes, and note it’s only early throes, of paying for our sins, and as we’re wont to do when payback time comes; everybody holding deh head and bawling, ‘Woe is me!’ But then it’s too late Friends. Remember the ole people’s words; ‘prevention better than cure.’ But no one pays attention to that nowadays, not in religion or any other walk of life. Look at the Pharmaceutical Industry; spending billions to find cures for illnesses and diseases that wouldn’t exist if we lived a better, more stringent life. The ole people also declared; ‘when yuh doh hear, yuh going to feel.’ And we all know that’s gospel, yet we ignore it at our own peril. We must think that the Lord’s joking cause we behaving just like the Israelites when Jeremiah warned them about keeping the Sabbath. ‘But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff (were stubborn) that they might not hear, nor receive instruction.’ (Jer.17:   23) And it’s not like they didn’t know that disobedience would bring punishment. Moses warned them early on about serving other gods that would bring down the Lord’s wrath. (Deut.29:25-27) Solomon said the same thing: ‘Because they forsook the Lord their God…and have taken hold on other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the Lord brought upon them all this evil.’ (1 Kin.9:9) Again with Jeremiah, when the people asked why such evil had befallen them, the Lord instructed him: ‘Thou shalt say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me…and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law. And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk everyone after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me.’ (Jer.16:11-12) And sadly Friends, that’s the truth. We have done worse than our fathers. Our ungodliness has reached limits they could never have even imagined. And from the way things look, our children seem intent on taking it to a higher level. But people we can’t allow that to happen. It’s already a lot of our fault why they are ungodly, and we’re already seeing signs of dire punishment. We don’t want to be remembered as the generation that let the world slip into terrible ungodliness now, do we? Certainly not! So please, let’s make some serious efforts to turn this thing around, starting at home, with those closest to us. We can’t brow beat them with it now, it’s sorta late for that, but through LOVING-kindness, encouragement and a lifestyle of good example we can at least stop the rot. Oh Friends, the future generations are too important for us to just cede them to Lucifer without making a godly stand. Let’s stand strong for them nuh. Much LOVE!…living by godly example…is the only way to make a real difference…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 October 2009 Psalm 126:5‏

07 Oct 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 126:5     They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
 
Oh Friends, thankfully, I’ve learned my lesson, for when I was directed to the Psalms tonight, I didn’t query it one bit. (smile) There was never any doubt that I could exhaust the Word. Hn! Instead I embraced it with joy, cause I LOVE to write about the Psalms; they’re so beautiful, so poetic, and use the language in such exquisite fashion. Moreover, they’re so all embracing, containing a wealth of knowledge on all topics and problems, such that every human emotion is covered. If, for some reason, you were only allowed one Book of the Bible, then the Psalms would be the best choice, cause they would sustain you through any situation, adverse or otherwise. But enough of singing the praises of the Psalms, we all know the riches they offer. It’s time to look at a particular one; # 126. It basically deals with the Lord turning around Israel’s problems from foreign powers on one occasion: ‘When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion (brought back those of the captivity), we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them. The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.’ (vs.1-3) But Friends, isn’t that what our God’s about? Doing great things for us in the sight of the heathen to glorify His Holy Name. And we are always glad when He takes us out of dangerous and/or difficult situations. But somehow that gladness seems to lead us to complacency, which in turn causes us to deviate from His dictates and get into more trouble again. This seems to be the Israelites’ plight as they plead; ‘Turn again our captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south. (vs.4) They are imploring the Lord to bring back those that were taken captive. Then comes Today’s Bit. ‘They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.’ Oh my people, that’s a basic tenet of our faith from day one. Those who suffer in the Lord’s name will be well rewarded. Isaiah reminded Israel of that fact after they had done wickedly and were punished through captivity and exile. ‘And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.’ (Isa.35:10) He considered that idea so important that in Chapter 51:11, where the faithful are called to exhibit courage, he repeats it. And in Chapter 61, titled, ‘Good tidings of salvation to Zion,’ Isaiah promises on the Lord’s behalf: ‘For your shame ye shall have double (honour); and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in the land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.’ (Isa.61:7) Then he ends that chapter with another powerful promise: ‘For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.’ (Isa.61:11) Oh Friends, those are promises of our true and faithful God, and if we’re sincere believers we won’t doubt any of them. Unfortunately though, it’s not always easy to stand in faith, for whatever reason, when we’re sowing in tears. At those times joy is usually the furthest thing from our minds. And that’s when the enemy comes on strong too, for he knows that our troubled minds are then fertile soil for his seeds of doubt. But my people, we need to dismiss the enemy’s negativity as quickly as possible by encouraging ourselves in the Lord, and proclaiming instead positive words and thoughts like; ‘He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.’ (Ps.126:6) That brings to mind the old hymn; ‘We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.’ Gospel truth my Friends! Then there’s Bruh Paul’s reminder: ‘And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.’ (Gal.6:9) And to top it all off my people, let’s remember the words of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. ‘And ye shall be hated by all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.’ (Mat.10:22) And don’t forget this Beatitude either. ‘Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ (Mat.5:10) So let’s try not to worry about the crop of tears and sorrows we’re currently sowing, but rather, let’s look to the future, let’s envision the Lord’s faithful promises. Stop seeing all the times we’ve watered the hard ground with our tears of sorrow, and sowed seed that seemed dead, let’s picture instead a bountiful harvest of joy being reaped through our steadfast faith. For such is the majesty and magnanimity of our God to those who are faithful. Much LOVE!…sowing seed is hard work…but if we endure…the Lord will prosper us in exceeding abundance…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 October 2009 Psalm 107:22‏

06 Oct 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 107:22     And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
 
Oh Friends, our Lord is truly something else yes! About forty minutes ago, since I had nothing particular in mind to write about, I asked for His direction. I soon got the idea that rejoicing was the order of the day. And that was fine with me, for recently we’ve been delving into too much negative stuff; a change would be good. However,   there are so many passages on ‘rejoice’ and ‘rejoicing’ in the Good Book that I spent at least half an hour poring over them, purposely staying away from the Psalms. Why? I just felt like I was using them too often and had possibly exhausted all the rejoicing in them. But nothing else I looked at felt right, so I finally turned to them. When I read; ‘And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing,’ I immediately felt a li’l burst of joy in my heart and knew that was the right verse for Today’s Bit. But then I had to check to make sure I hadn’t used it already, cause it sounded too good to have been bypassed. But I should have known better than to doubt the Spirit’s leading. And I was also rather arrogant to think that I could ever exhaust the Word eh. (smile) For that I sincerely apologize Lord, and ask for your forgiveness. Forgiveness granted and accepted. So let’s move on. Ah mih people, there’s so much dread and drudgery in our world today that rejoicing and giving thanks seem to be things of the past. But Psalm 107 is a song of praise and thanks; in part stating various troubles that the Lord rescued His people from, also alluding to Israel’s journey out of Egypt to the Promised Land, having anointed them as His Chosen People, for which they ought to be eternally grateful. The Psalm is titled, ‘God’s wonderful works to the children of men, and is set up like a song with verses that spell out the problems, then a chorus, though this one seems to have two choruses. It obviously begins with a call for thanks and praise. ‘O Give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.’ (vs.1) Then it goes on to list the first set of problems: Israel’s been lost in the wilderness and scattered all over with no place to call their own. ‘Hungy and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.’ (vs.5) Now Friends, what ought we to do in times of desolation and distress? Cry out to Almighty God! And that’s what they did. ‘Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.’ (vs.6) Yes Friends, that’s our great, marvellous and merciful God! That verse is one of the two choruses. So please remember, whenever we cry out to Him in sincere, heartfelt anguish, He will not only hear our cry, but also answer our pleas with mercy, justice and LOVE. ‘And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.’ (vs.7) That’s why the Psalmist in his wisdom declares: ‘Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness (LOVING-kindness), and for his wonderful works to the children of men!’ (vs.8) And why not my people? We ought to be thankful to anyone who helps us, and when it’s our God, even more so. Now that’s the other chorus. ‘For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.’ (vs.9) The choruses appear after each affliction is mentioned. Those who rebelled and were bound in chains in prison. ‘Therefore he brought down their heart with labour: they fell down, and there was none to help.’ (vs.12) Yes my brethren, that’s what happens when we rebel against the Lord and His dictates; we’re brought low with none to offer us help. But there again when in distress, even by our own doing, what’s the right thing? ‘They cried out unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men.’ (vs.13-15) And so it goes my Friends, until the Psalmist declares, ‘Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.’ And what are ‘the sacrifices of thanksgiving?’ Leviticus Chap.7 talks about sacrifices in detail, we’ll just quote verse 12. ‘If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanks-giving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried.’ Meanwhile, Psalm 50:14-15 says: ‘Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the Most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.’ Not to be outdone, Bruh Paul declares; ‘By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks (confessing) to his name. But to do good and to communicate (share) forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.’ (Heb.13:15-16) So we see Friends, there are all sorts of things we can do that are considered sacrifices of thanksgiving. But in conjunction with thanks we must also ‘declare his works with rejoicing.’ That’s joyful singing my people. As Bruh David said: ‘I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praises to thy name, O thou Most High…Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.’ (Ps.9:2,11) Yes Friends, regardless of what’s happening in our lives, as followers of Jesus, we must give Him the praise and glory to which He’s entitled. Whatever we have, be it little or much, has been graciously provided through His efforts, so we need to be thankful. And yuh know what, it’s strange, but whenever we’re down and sorrowful, even if the cause of our dismay is not solved, just raising our voices, or even humming a prayer of thanks does wonderful things to our souls and spirit. I can attest to that, for many a time I’ve been sad, sometimes for no good reason, but then I begin singing a song of praise, and pretty soon I’m feeling better, my spirits are lifted. So my people, it augurs well for us to give thanks and praise, for whatever reason, even for just being alive. Let’s make it a habit to thank our Creator, cause He’s done a lot for us in the past, He’s doing much now, and He most definitely has good things planned for us in the future. Till tomorrow then…Much LOVE!…voices raised in praise…are the sweetest sounds to God’s ear…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 5 October 2009 Proverbs 28:5‏

05 Oct 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Proverbs 28:5     Evil men understand not judgement: but they that seek the Lord understand all things.
 
Oh Friends, you know how every so often I joke about not seeing our names in the obits, well today while glancing through them I got a bit of a shock. No it wasn’t my own name (smile), but a picture of a long time acquaintance; a fellow by the name of Lance Ingleton, a proud product of Sherwood Forest in Portland, Jamaica. We first met sometime back in the eighties when I had a radio programme on a local radio station, and he was a Reggae promoter. Personally, I’d consider him the best that’s passed through Toronto; in the sense that he was the most gentlemanly and whatever he promised he usually came through with. He was a big part of why Toronto saw so many Reggae name acts in the mid-eighties and early nineties. I would advertise his shows and give away tickets on my programme, thus the strong acquaintanceship. We’d lost contact since I got out of the entertainment business, but I saw him two summers ago (2008) one night at a Reggae Concert at the Phoenix, can’t remember the artist, and he was still the same pleasant, gentlemanly person with his boyish, good-looking charm. He mentioned that he’d been sick for a while, but was then doing well. It sure surprised me when I saw that he’d passed away this past week, and only in his mid-fifties. Obviously, whatever was wrong, finally got the better of him. Thanks a lot Lance for causing us all to see the artists you promoted and hear their wonderful music. Toronto and all who enjoyed it, owe you a big debt of thanks, and I certainly hope that when the story of Reggae in T.O is told, your name will get the prominent mention it certainly deserves. No doubt you’re up there already promoting artists like Bruh Bob, Peter Tosh and the Crown Prince, Dennis Brown, cause although your education was in a different field, I know music was your passion. By now Friends you’ve probably guessed that I was quite impressed by Lance’s honesty and integrity, cause that’s all I ever got from him, unlike many of the other promoters, who would promise big names, or tickets to give away, or some other grandiose scheme, but never come through with them. Many are the nights I went to concerts expecting to see certain big draw acts that never materialised. Later on, you’d hear they knew nothing about coming to T.O. The promoters just used their names to sell tickets. But that was the general attitude back then, with a lot of unscrupulous people only out to make a quick buck off the unsuspecting public. I guess it hasn’t changed much in other walks of life since then either, has it? Greed and getting as much as you can for as little as possible is still the order of the day. However, I believe there was a subtle difference then; we at least covered our greed and wickedness with a touch, a veneer of humanity. Nowadays though, even that’s gone. It’s strictly a no-holds-barred situation. And that’s why Sol’s long ago statement is still so relevant today. ‘Evil men understand not judgement: but they that seek the Lord understand all things.’ And isn’t that the truth mih people! The perpetrators of evil certainly have no inkling of justice and it’s workings, otherwise they’d never commit the atrocities they do. The Psalmist puts it so nicely. ‘O Lord how great are thy works! And thy thoughts are very deep. A brutish (senseless) man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this. When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever. But thou, Lord, art most high for evermore.’ (Ps.92:5-8) And all God’s people declared a loud, joyful, ‘Amen!’ Yes Friends, unfortunately the wicked don’t understand that at some stage in their existence, either here on earth or in the spiritual realm, they’ll pay for their wickedness, but pay they will. ‘But they that seek the Lord understand all things.’ And Friends, it’s not so much that we understand everything, but more importantly, we know where to find understanding. As Bruh David so rightly declared: ‘Wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.’ Because ‘Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.’ (Ps.119:9,142) And that’s a fact! All believers, and even some sensible non-believers know it. (smile) What did Asaph say? ‘So foolish was I, and ignorant! I was as a beast before thee. Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden (held) me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.’ (Ps.73:22-24) Yes my people, there’s absolutely no doubt about that. The Lord will protect and guide us wherever we go, in whatever situation we find ourselves. So please, let us take Sol’s advice. ‘They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.’ (Prov.28:4) Yes mih breddren, it’s essential that we contend with and fight valiantly against the wicked, because their evil tentacles are spreading too far, too fast and too high in our world. For ‘Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness (integrity), than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.’ (Prov.28:6) Another bit of gospel truth Friends! And what better way to end Today’s Bit, or any Bit for that matter, than with the words of our Lord and Saviour. Remember when Jesus prayed to the Father on the disciples’ behalf? ‘I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them (set them apart) through thy truth: thy word is truth.’ (John 17:14-17) And that from the Master’s lips my people, so there’s no doubting its veracity. So Friends, I implore us, let’s aspire to live in truth, by diligently and whole-heartedly LOVING our God, SPREADING His Word and LIVING our Faith. Till tomorrow then, God willing…Much LOVE!…in our search for truth…the ultimate authority is…The GOOD BOOK…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 October 2009 Psalm 13:1‏

04 Oct 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 13:1     How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me?
 
Oh Friends, that’s a question all believers have asked at one time or another in their walk of faith, when everything in their lives seems to be going wrong, when one trial crops up before the previous one is solved, and/or trials just seemingly continue in a never ending stream. All the great men of faith had moments of doubt and insecurity. In Job’s time of misfortune, when he is trying to understand why such catastrophic tribulation had suddenly befallen him, and defending his integrity, he prayerfully declared: ‘How many are mine iniquities and sins? Make me to know my transgression and my sin. Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?’  (Job 13:23-24)  Even the great Elijah ran scared from Jezebel when she promised revenge, after he killed four hundred and fifty of Baal’s prophets by the brook Kishon. ‘Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as one of them by tomorrow about this time. And when he saw that, he arose and went (ran) for his life, and came to Beer-sheba which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper (broom) tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life: for I am not better than my fathers.’ (1 Kings 19:2-4) Ah Friends, we all feel tired, weary and faint in this crazy life, but it’s not reason enough to give up. All we need to do is call out to our God for help and sustenance, and He will most certainly comfort and refresh us, just like he did with Elijah, who was touched by an angel while he slept under the juniper and advised to: ‘Arise and eat;’ And when he arose, food was under the tree. So he ate, then went back to sleep. And the angel woke him a second time: ‘Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat (food) forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.’ (1 Kings 19:5-8) And there we know he hid in a cave and the Lord asked him what he was doing there and he replied that he was scared because he was the only prophet of the Lord left. And 1 Kings 19:11-18 describes how the Lord caused a violent wind, an earthquake and a fire to pass by him, then in a still small voice, finally convinced him to go back home. Oh my people, Jeremiah was also faced with constant hostility in his walk of faith, even a death plot. ‘But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices (schemes) against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living that his name be no more remembered.’ (Jer.11:19) Oh Friends, when we decide to walk with Jesus, we must be prepared for the great likelihood of suffering for His sake. Later on, poor Jerry had more cause for personal lament; his sorry lot in life and his loneliness. ‘Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife, and a man of contention to the whole earth. I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent me on usury; yet every one of them doth curse me….. Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar and as waters that fail?’ (Jer.15:10,18) Strong language indeed to his God, but his pain was also very real. In both cases though, our understanding Lord offered him comforting replies. ‘The Lord said, Verily it shall be well with thy remnant; verily will I cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction…Therefore thus saith the lord, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not unto them. And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brazen (fortified bronze) wall; and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee to save and deliver thee saith the Lord. And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.’ (Jer.15:11,19-21) And then we have Bruh David pleading in Psalm 13: ‘How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death. Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.’ (Ps.13:1-4) Even Jesus felt some trepidation when He knew that His time was at hand. In the Garden of Gethsemane He said to Peter, James and John: ‘My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here and watch with me.’ Then He went off by Himself and prayed, ‘O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.’ Then He goes and finds the trio sleeping and says to Peter: ‘Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’ (Mat.26:38,39,41) And right there’s the crux of the matter my people; a willing spirit but weak flesh. Our God didn’t design us to stand alone when the pressures of the world invade our beings. He designed us to walk in consort with Him. That’s why we can’t handle too much adversity on our own. Bruh David understood this principle, that’s why he confidently ended Psalm 13 thus: ‘But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.’ (Ps.13:5-6) Yes my Friends, when we feel unable to handle the hard times, our best bet is to cry out to our LOVING Heavenly Father for mercy, and we will undoubtedly receive a favourable response. As Uncle Charles, Charles Stanley likes to say; ‘Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.’ That’s excellent advice my people. Please, let’s heed it. Much LOVE!…there’s no shame in crying out to God for help… at anytime…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 October 2009 Zephaniah 1:4‏

04 Oct 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Zephaniah 1:4     The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry bitterly.
 
Oh Friends, before we get into the sad stuff, let’s hear some good news nuh; part of a poem by Grace Noll. ‘God wrote his loveliest poem on the day he made the first tall, poplar tree, And set it high upon a pale-gold hill, For all the world to see.’ Now isn’t that lovely? It’s a celebration of the autumn season, which, if we take time to notice, is so beautiful with its numerous variety of colours and chameleon-like changes. Unfortunately though, too many of us are so busy with worldly concerns – the evil concerns too – to even notice the beauty of God’s creation. That’s why the prophet Zephaniah called down God’s anger on his people. They were living in such an ungodly state, when they were supposed to be the chosen, the special people of the Most High God Jehovah. ‘The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth (hurries) greatly, even the voice (noise) of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry bitterly.’ This particular wrathful visitation by our God was the impending Babylonian invasion of Judah and the destruction of Jerusalem. The prophecy was fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem in 586 B.C, killed king Zedekiah’s sons, then blinded him and took him as a captive to Babylon. Now Friends, I’m no prophet, so this is not a prophecy, it’s just a logical conclusion drawn from the promises of our God. The Lord detests ungodly societies, and over the years He has, as the Bible and other historical documents attest, regularly destroyed those nations that have gone overboard and turned from worshipping Him. And the ravages undergone by these societies have not been pretty. Well, looking at the highly ungodly state of our current world, if the Lord is still in His heaven, in control of things, which we all believe He is, then it’s certain that at some time in the future we shall experience that great day. And we’re not necessarily talking about the final judgement, although that could be the next great fiasco in our world. Zephaniah says it ‘hasteth greatly,’ meaning it’s coming quickly. The noise of that day is onrushing my people, and when it arrives, the mighty and powerful shall weep terrible tears of destruction and heartache; much weeping and gnashing of teeth will prevail. For ‘That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness (devastation) and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness. A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced (fortified) cities, and against the high towers.’ (Zeph.1:15-16) Yes Friends, it will surely be a sad say for we know that nothing or no one can withstand the Lord’s wrath. He made everything and is therefore entitled to destroy it all, if He so desires. Now Jeremiah referred to the great day in a kinder way. ‘Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.’ (Jer.30:7) He’s referring to the period of Israel’s great tribulation. But note, at the end he holds out hope. Yes my people, there is hope. Once there’s life, there’s always hope in our good, kind, merciful, fair, forgiving and LOVING God. But only the godly will be saved. ‘But they shall serve the Lord, their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them. Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the Lord; neither be thou dismayed O Israel… For I am with thee saith the Lord to save thee: though I make a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure (justice), and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.’ (Jer.30:9-11) So the Lord’s people will be saved, though not unpunished since we have all dabbled in some sort of ungodliness. The problem today Friends is the intensity of the evil and the widespread hold its tentacles have in all corners of the globe. In the world’s history, I don’t think there’s ever been a more sinful period. And do we honestly believe the Lord is just going to sit back and allow it go unpunished? Certainly not! Who knows if much of the world’s current misfortune isn’t already the target of the Lord’s wrath? There are so many abnormal happenings in abnormal places, with famine, conflicts and natural disasters. And have you noticed that oases are turning to deserts, but not the other way around? And we have to consider who controls nature; The Lord God Jehovah, so He may already have begun His day of devastation. Remember too, that a day in the Lord’s eyes is like a thousand years, and He LOVES to give us time to extricate ourselves from our ungodly situations. We can never complain that we don’t get warnings or sufficient time to rectify our mistakes. The long and short of the story my people is that we cannot afford to be complacent. We are a very sinful, ungodly world, and at some stage the wrath of God will fall on us. ‘For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide (endure) it?’ (Jer.2:11) No one my people! However there’s still time to change our wicked ways. We begin by following Joel’s prescription; issuing a serious call to repentance and fasting. ‘Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning. And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.’ (Joel 2:12-13) Yes Friends, that’s the only way we can escape the horrific retribution that will befall us if we continue our sinful atrocities in the eyes of the Most High God Jehovah. So let’s ‘Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify (consecrate) a fast, call a solemn (sacred) assembly:…Let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?’ (Joel 2:15,17) Please Friends, let’s all sincerely try not to reach that most undesirable state. Much LOVE!….continual sin always brings very serious repercussions…only sincere repentance will abate God’s wrath…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 October 2009 Job 28:12‏

02 Oct 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Job 28:12     But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?

Oh Friends, the days are getting cold in the northern climes now. I had to turn on the heat last night. The days of walking around half-naked are done for another six months. (smile) But that shouldn’t stop us from doing God’s work and pursuing His everlasting kingdom. And today we’re asking those age old questions; ‘But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?’ Those are questions that man’s been asking from the beginning of time. In Job 28, which the scholars claim is one of the most beautiful poems on wisdom found in the Good Book, Job describes the hard work man undergoes to extract the ore of precious metals and jewels from the earth. So he knows where earthly riches come from and how to acquire them, but he’s stumped on the where and how of wisdom and understanding. Meanwhile, the preacher claims that ‘Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.’ (Eccl.7:19) But shortly thereafter he says; ‘All this I have proved (tested) by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me. That which is far off and exceeding deep, who can find it out? I applied my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness.’ (Eccl.7:23-25) And what was the result of his far-flung search? Unfortunately, ‘Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.’ (Eccl.7:28) How sad Friends, that he couldn’t find a wise man or woman amongst a thousand. So what did he find? ‘Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.’ (Eccl.7:29) Yes my people, the Lord made us to be upstanding, but because of our innate wickedness, we’ve sought all kinds of evil schemes. As Bruh Paul said of the wicked becoming idol worshippers: ‘Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.’ (Rom.1:22) And that’s so true of our world today. So many of us who consider ourselves wise, are really fools dressed in the outward apparel of what we call wisdom. So how, where and when can we find these elusive elements called wisdom and understanding eh? And like we really need to find them yes Friends, since they seem to be essential aspects to providing happiness. Sol, that most worthy sage, touts them very highly. He unabashedly declares: ‘Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.’ (Prov.3:13) So where can we find them then? Job claims; ‘Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the living. The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not in me.’ (Job 28:13-14) And Sol agrees. ‘For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies; and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is everyone that retaineth her (holds her fast). (Prov.3:14-18) Wow mih people! If both Sol and Job value wisdom and understanding so highly, why aren’t more of us diligently seeking them eh? Anything that’s worth more than silver, gold and precious stones, which also controls our length of days with one hand, and wealth and glory with the other, is most definitely something we should all be hungering for and travelling far and wide to acquire. But sadly, it seems that not many of us take the time to seek real wisdom and understanding. We just lazily latch on to what Lucifer and his moron cohorts deem to be wisdom and understanding. But if the evil geniuses were so wise, would our world be in such a terrible state?  Certainly not! That’s because the wisdom of man and the world is really evil foolishness. And now we’ll answer the questions: ‘But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding?’ Oh my people, real wisdom and understanding are of God! Wisdom and understanding are God’s gifts to those who ardently seek Him and fervently do His will. Here’s Sol’s momentous declaration: ‘The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth: by understanding hath he established the heavens.’ (Prov.3:19) And Friends, after the Most High God Jehovah had finished founding the universe on wisdom and understanding, He turned to man, His most wonderful creation; ‘And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.’   (Job 28:28). Yes Friends those are the answers to our billion dollar questions. And we’ll close with some further important words on the subject from Sol. ‘My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion: So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace (favour) to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. Be not afraid of sudden fear (terror), neither of the desolation of the wicked (trouble from), when it cometh. For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken (caught). (Prov.3:21-26) Oh Friends, let’s promise ourselves to faithfully follow that invaluable advice, for with it…chuh! we are unbeatable. Much LOVE! …for the LOVE revolution to succeed…we need…above all else… much wisdom and understanding…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 October 2009 Luke 12:33‏

01 Oct 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Luke 12:33     Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
 
Oh Friends, can you believe it’s October already? The days are moving by so quickly that we can’t afford to waste even a single one. We have to get up and get going about out Heavenly Father’s business, for none of us knows how much longer we have on this fickle earth. And don’t think about failure either, for as Elbert Hubbard says; ‘There is no failure except in no longer trying.’ And that’s the gospel truth my Friends. Whatever happens, we’ve always got to continue trying. If one thing doesn’t work, then find a new goal, perhaps a more realistic one, but till the day we die, we ought not to stop trying, to stop learning, to stop doing God’s will. And if it’s a dream God’s put in out hearts, then we know for certain sure it will come true. We just have to trust Him, and keep on working at it as best we can. When He’s ready, He’ll bring it to fruition. And what does Today’s Bit have to do with all that eh? Well let’s see. Jesus said to, ‘Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.’ The whole situation arose after a man in the crowd asked Jesus to mediate in a dispute with his brother over their earthly inheritance. And Jesus never fails to surprise, for He answers somewhat out of character: ‘Man who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.’ (Luke 12:14-15) That’s another gospel truth my people, which sadly too many of us refuse to accept, so we erroneously continue striving to accumulate earthly wealth. But then Jesus, in His inimitable style, told the parable of the rich man that was called home the same day he decided to build bigger and better storehouses for his rapidly increasing earthly wealth. God called him a fool for concentrating on his earthly possessions. And Jesus added; ‘So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.’ (Luke 12:21) Friends, this brings us to the world vision of success and failure: The world considers us successful when we amass much earthly possessions, or rise to powerful positions. And basically nothing is wrong with being wealthy or powerful, but it’s all in the way we look at them and use them. Wealth and power for their own sakes are a definite no-no in Jesus’ agenda. Granted, if we don’t have money, or the means of making some, then life can become rather difficult. But even on that score of care and anxiety, Jesus was adamant, saying; ‘Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat and the body more than raiment.’ (Luke 12:22-23) And so it is Friends. Although we need food to nourish our bodies and clothes to keep them warm, providing the necessities of life should not be the sole or entire focus of our lives. For as Jesus pointed out, the birds and the flowers neither sow nor spin, yet the birds eat and the flowers are more regally dressed than Solomon in all his finery. ‘If then God so clothe the grass, which is today in the field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?’ (Luke 12:28) He’s saying that we shouldn’t be worried about food and clothes, don’t be overly anxious about our day to day problems, cause our Father in heaven knows what we need and will provide them. ‘But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.’ (Luke 12:31-32) Oh what a heart-warming reassurance my people! ‘Fear not little flock;’ It’s so touching, so sentimental, that as true believers we have to take it to heart. If we do the Father’s work, then He’ll suitably compensate us. And isn’t that what any normal, caring father would do? So Jesus continues: ‘Sell that ye have and give alms;’ Now that might be a bit rough to do literally in today’s world, although believers in the early church did so to a certain extent. ‘And all that believed were together, and had all things common. And sold their possessions and goods, and parted (distributed) them to all men, as everyman had need.’ (Acts 2:44-45) See also Acts 4:31-37 for a fuller account of communal sharing. That worked for those believers, but when Jesus told the rich, young ruler who asked about attaining eternal life; ‘If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.’ (Mat.19:21) The poor fellow went away sad, because he was very wealthy. In today’s world though, everybody selling everything and living communally most likely won’t work. But the whole point of Jesus’ exhortation is about our focus; whether our earthly concerns are more important than our heavenly treasures. If we are true believers then we should be more concerned with storing up treasure in heaven than on earth. We need to remember though, that what we have on earth doesn’t really belong to us, we’re just stewards of God’s earthly goods, and we are duty bound to handle them wisely and also share with the less fortunate. ‘But rather give alms of such things as ye have;’ (Luke 11:41) Yes my people, in the long run it’s essential to ‘provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.’ Oh Friends, we can’t take the earthly treasure with us when we die, thieves can also steal it on earth, and eventually most of it will decay. But the treasures we store up in heaven are both secure and indestructible. As Bruh Paul told Timothy: ‘Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute (give), willing to communicate (share), Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.’ (1 Tim.6:17-19) Oh Friends, please, let’s all heed that most excellent advice. Much LOVE!…heaven’s banks pay the highest interest…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 September 2009 Proverbs 11:1‏

30 Sep 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Proverbs 11:1     A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight.
 
Oh Friends, it’s a beautiful morning, so let’s be up and at them, pursuing the Lord’s objectives! (smile) You know that saying that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder? Well it’s true, but let me share with you Ralph Waldo Emerson’s version. ‘Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not.’ And you can’t disagree, for though our world accentuates outward beauty, and outward beauty varies in different societies, unless we have that inner glow, that sense of appreciation, nothing in the world will ever seem beautiful to us. We all know someone who’s so Scrooge-like when it comes to beauty; nothing at all appears beautiful to them, and that’s because their inner being is dark and downright ugly, so everything seems the same way in their sight. But when we have that inner appreciation, that inner sense of worth and value, for ourselves, for others and for the many beautiful things in our world, then that sense of awe and wonder will permeate all our doings and bring us a deeper sense of fulfillment and contentment, which will also draw others to us, to share their visions of beauty. Hn, hn! I hope this all makes sense, but I saw the quote and realized it had everything to do with our walk of faith: if we don’t have what our Christian faith teaches inside of us, then we’ll walk the world searching in vain for peace, LOVE, joy and all the other good things our faith should bring us. And being deceptive certainly isn’t one of them, especially not in weights and measures, today’s topic. Now wise Sol claims that ‘A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight.’ That simply means the Lord   thoroughly dislikes deceptive practices and/or dishonesty when it comes to weights and measures. He wants it to be a perfect pound or whatever the seller claims. And we all expect to get the right weight claimed in our purchases, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much the Lord stressed that point to His people from the very beginning. In the laws of Holiness and Justice, He says: ‘Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgement, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure. Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, (20.8 quarts) and a just hin, (1 gallon) shall ye have: I am the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt. Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgements, and do them: I am the Lord.’ (Lev.19:35-37) Yes my Friends, the Lord wasn’t talking just for talk sake. He fully expected them to give just weights and measures, to have well balanced scales and measuring apparatus. And if He’s a God of justice, then that shouldn’t surprise us. But how often is that followed in our society today eh? As little as our merchants can get away with. Hence the term ‘Buyer Beware!’ That’s because nowadays we no longer know what we’re really buying; too often it’s a pig in a poke. There are very few scales in the modern supermarket, so you can’t even check the weights of the products if you so desire. We have to take the manufacture’s word for it. Hn! And in the few cases where there are scales, they aren’t properly maintained, so they’re most likely unbalanced, so you’ll still get stiffed. But why should a buyer have to be so careful, to read even down to the last line of fine print, which usually needs a magnifying glass to read it properly? Because our sellers, deep down have that sense of greed, of getting all they can, of milking every situation to the last drop. Nobody sets an honest price for anything now. They also try to shirk as much responsibility as they can, by making shoddy goods that don’t live up to their claims, then blame the buyer for improper handling of what is really an inferior product. And sadly mih people, those two principles; milking it for all it’s worth, and shirking responsibility, now permeate our entire world. That certainly wasn’t our Lord’s intention when He reiterated in the laws of Human Relations: ‘Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers (differing) weights, a great and a small. Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small. But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have; that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the Lord thy God.’ (Deut.25:13-15) Oh my people, how much clearer can He put it eh? Unfortunately though the majority of the world doesn’t follow it. Instead, they attest to Lucifer’s credo; ‘get as much as you can for as little as possible.’ That’s the basic motto of the capitalist system that’s ruling the world and taking it to hell in a hand basket. So we really can’t expect anything but dishonest people and policies pushing inferior products falsely rated as superior. And with the Advertising Sector there to bloat up and glorify worthless things, most of us don’t stand a chance of knowing what is really what. As an e-mail I received tonight claims, dried bugs and beetles are being used in many of our food products to add colour to them. But what’s the colouring additive called? Carmine or some such fanciful name that will not caused raised eyebrows. And the government departments overseeing our food production know about it, but sadly haven’t made the manufacturers say exactly from what these products are derived. More corruption in high places! And then we wonder why cancer and all the other modern illnesses are so rampant in such a highly developed technological and medical world. We can perform all sorts of medical miracles, except cure cancer. But how can we when we put all sorts of abnormal, improperly tested things in the food we eat and the air we breathe, and then in the medicines that we use to treat the illnesses, which in the first place are derived from the poorly tested, more than likely carcinogen related stuff. The only important thing these days Friends is the bottom line; as much profit as quickly as possible, and to hell with the consequences. All I can say my people is to beware, be careful of what we buy, eat or drink. Don’t get paranoid, but pay close attention to all your purchases. We can’t get away from it all, but hopefully we’ll bypass some. And please remember that ‘Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the Lord.’ (Prov.20:10) Much LOVE my people!…a dishonest world…bears paying close attention to…
 

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