Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 May 2008 2 Chronicles 15:1-2, 4‏

16 May 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

2.Chronicles 15:1-2,4    And the spirit of God came upon Azariah, the son of Oded. And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; the Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel and sought him, he was found of them.
 
Yes my Friends, there’s much truth to those words. Ever since Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit and knew right from wrong, we’ve had freedom of choice and the Lord has refused to meddle in our affairs, unless we invited Him to. In Deut.15, before the Israelites crossed over the Jordan into the promised land, Moses sternly warned them against disobeying God’s principles. They were God’s chosen people, so they needed to set a good example, and going astray would result in serious penalties. But they  never heeded the warning, and lapsed into disobedience several times over the years, and during those godless times the country was continually racked by misfortune, ‘..for God troubled them with every adversity.’ 2 Chron.15:5. After the death of Solomon, Israel fell into one of those godless times. The Egyptians invaded them, there was war between factions supporting Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, and Jeroboam, Nebat’s son, on account of Rehoboam’s’s evil ways and his ruthless suppression of the people. Finally, Abijah, Rehoboam’s ‘s son, became king of Judah and destroyed Jeroboam. But things really did not get better until Abijah died and his son, Asa, took over. For ‘Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God.’ 2 Chron.14:2. He removed most of the altars and high places of the pagan gods, and instructed the people to return to the God of their fathers and observe His laws. And they prospered in peace, as Asa said, ‘..because we have sought the Lord our God; we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side.’ (14:7) Ah Friends, why do we always have to learn the hard way eh? Then the Ethiopians invaded them, a million strong. And Asa cried out to the Lord for help, and He helped them rout the Ethiopians. Today’s Bit took place when Asa returned from defeating the Ethiopians. The Lord knew that Asa’s spirit needed strengthening, like we all do at some time, so He sent Azeriah out to greet and encourage him. ‘But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be well rewarded.’ (15:7) And Asa took courage from those words and finally eradicated all the abominations of the pagan gods from Judah, and the people rejoiced and swore an oath to seek the Lord continually. Friends, we are no better than the Israelites of old. We do the same things: turn away from God because we think His rules are too stringent, and the enemy’s are lax. But it’s all fool’s gold my people. The Lord is mightier than the forces of evil and has higher standards, which He will gladly help us attain. So why rebuff Him, then suffer serious consequences eh? That’s not wise. Remember, this life is based on standards, and those consistently with the highest, usually win the prize. And Friends, here we’re talking about the biggest prize ever; eternal salvation. Let’s not lose it because of irresponsibility and inattention to God’s word nuh. Much LOVE!…he who hears not…shall always feel…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 May 2008 1 Samuel 16:21-23‏

15 May 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

1 Samuel 16:21-23    And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly, and he became his armour bearer. And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, let David I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight. And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
 
Just one more instance of our Lord’s mysterious workings. Who else could have conjured up such heart stopping drama, filled with so much intrigue, deceit and all the other things that make a good tale? The scene opens with the elders of of Israel asking Samuel for a king, cause his sons, whom he had appointed judges in his stead were all steeped in corruption. This hurt Samuel, but he took the Lord’s advice and anointed them a King: Saul, the tall handsome son of Kish, the Benjamite, ‘…and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he…’ 1Sam.9:2. Hn! Could that be the same Saul? Now Saul is sent on a wild goose chase looking for his father’s lost donkeys, where he meets Samuel on a feast day, how appropriate, and Samuel anoints him. Note that when Saul hears the news, he declares himself unworthy. ‘…A Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of the families.’ 1 Sam.9:21. Shows how power can cause drastic changes. Contrast that with his authoritarian behaviour later on. Anyway, Saul was officially appointed king of Israel, at Mizpeh. They even had to go and bring him out of hiding. And Saul did good for a while, then he disobeyed the Lord, and poor Samuel, who loved Saul, was sent to anoint another king. He had to use subterfuge to get to Bruh David’s family, claiming sacrificial duties, for Saul would have killed him if he knew his true purpose. Seven of Jesse’s sons were bypassed. Then Bruh David was brought in and became the anointed one, much to the surprise of his family. Note how the Lord chose unlikely men, as He is wont to do, to be the first kings of Israel. With Bruh David’s anointing, I guess everybody was wondering how he would become king, with Saul still going strong, and his son Jonathan, a warrior in his own right still alive. But Friends, they were reckoning without the greatest creative writer ever: our God. And the drama unfurls. ‘But the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him:’  1Sam.16:14. Wow! The plot thickens, when Saul’s servants see he’s in rough shape and prescribe music for his illness. Saul agrees. He must have known that ‘where there’s music, there can be no evil,’ (Cervantes) And as luck would have it, one of Saul’s servants knew this son of Jesse ‘…that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the Lord is with him.’ That description should have warned Saul. But he sent for Bruh David: ‘And he loved him greatly, and he became his armour bearer.’ He even asked Jesse for permission to keep him, ‘…for he hath found favour in my sight.’ And whenever the evil spirit came upon Saul, Bruh David plucked his harp ever so sweetly; ‘So Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed form him.’ Ah Friends, who was to know that such a touching relationship would end so tragically? But it’s the Lord’s way. He’ll willingly raise us up, but if we don’t measure up, He’ll take us right back down without batting an eyelash. So the ball’s in our court. Be obedient, or we’ll end up like Saul. Much LOVE!…remember…the Lord giveth…and the Lord taketh…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 May 2008 Matthew 24:21‏

14 May 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Matthew 24:21    For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
 
Jesus was referring to the very last days, but if it’s to be worse than now, then I certainly don’t want to be around for it. In the past week two more disasters of cataclysmic proportions struck our already troubled world: Cyclone Nargis hit Burma, then a powerful earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale, hit the densely populated province of Sichuan in China. Both disasters have shocked an unbelieving world; as in astonished and surprised, as well as lack of belief in God. Both have also left inestimable damage, thousands dead and missing in their wake And it’s interesting to note that the two countries have recently been in the glare of the world spotlight for other reasons. Burma, for the oppressive military regime that has kept the country tightly controlled under it’s dictatorship for many years, with most living in poverty, for keeping the democratically elected leader under house arrest and having used excessive measures in the past year, to suppress peaceful demonstrations by a group of monks that eventually turned country wide. Then China, with it’s sudden rise to world power, becoming the new ad, the new pin up, for materialism, creating a veneer of openness, but underneath, still a tightly controlled, rigid, centralized society. And in the rush to become world class, greed, inefficiency and downright lies have taken hold of the country, leading to shoddy, tainted goods produced under dangerous, unsanitary, inhumane conditions. China has also been beset by political unrest in it’s outer regions, with problems intensifying as the Beijing Olympics draws near. It should not have been granted to them, because they were simply not ready to put on such a big show, and has now become the source of many of their problems. But that’s another story of the greed and evil permeating our troubled world. And like America before them, China now has it hands in every part of the world, seeking raw material to run their juggernaut, but causing conflict wherever they go. And Friends, whoever said that man’s inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn, was quite right, for even with the disaster in Burma, the ruling military junta are still reluctant to allow international help into the country. Like their stranglehold on power is more important than their people’s relief. It’s sad too, that the first boat taking in supplies sank before it got there. Like they learned nothing from the Tsunami of 2004 that rolled through the area. Burma did not bear the brunt of that, but it was sufficiently hit to send signals for early warning systems and emergency procedures to be put in place. But none of that was done, so now that they’ve been savagely hit, everything’s a mess. Ah Friends, is the Lord sending a message by allowing such sudden devastation to two countries infiltrated by evil? Who knows? The world is already beset by so much strife and tribulation that our only hope lies in the Lord; through prayer, obedience and greater respect for each other. Please, let’s work toward increasing them nuh. Much LOVE!…as our prayers go…so go we..
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 May 2008 Psalm 37:1-3‏

13 May 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 37:1-3    Fret not thyself because of evil doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like grass, and wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
 
Yes Friends and neighbours, more wise, encouraging words from Bruh David. But what’s fretting eh? I recently read it being compared to a food blender. Our innards resemble food tumbling around in a blender, being crushed and mushed, when we’re worried and fretful; just one big jumble of confusion. We lose our peace, become nervous wrecks; fearful, unsure, insecure, unable to make sensible decisions. And why do we Fret? For lots of reasons; some beyond our control, which do create cause for genuine concern. But, using the blender analogy, being too worried or fretful over anything, only turns us into a bundle of helpless, useless nerves, unable to fix anything. However Friends, there are two areas in which we have total control, but oftimes neglect to reign in; jealousy and greed. That’s why Bruh David warns us: ‘Fret not thyself because of evil doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.’ We see others who appear to be always having fun, living the life, with lots of material wealth and possessions, and doing nowhere near the amount of work such a lifestyle requires. But you’re in the trenches every day, trying to make bread by the sweat of thy brow, and can barely make ends meet, even with two salaries. And though this will obviously cause us some discomfort, we’re not supposed to give in to it, since we don’t know what others are really doing to afford their lifestyles. As the words Charlie Rich immortalized in song, so eloquently explain, ‘No one knows what goes on behind closed doors.’ Everyday we hear or read of a supposedly respectable person or family been involved in some disreputable, illegal, immoral or downright evil activity. No people, it’s never worth building the good life on a platform of wrong and evil. That’s like building a castle on sand; it will soon crumble for lack of a strong, solid foundation. ‘For they shall soon be cut down like grass, and wither as the green herb.’ Hn,hn! We who live in the promised land will be very familiar with the grass analogy, where it’s almost a crime to have your lawn grass too high. Ahh! I just shuddered with disgust on realizing that that stupid season is now upon us; the season of lawn mowers incessantly chugging away at all hours of the day. Chuh! But I guess that’s one of the crosses we have to bear, if we want well manicured lawns. Even when it disrupts your quiet prayer time, Bruh David says we’ve got to ‘Trust in the Lord, and do good;’ although you just want to go outside and throttle your neighbour. (smile) Friends, as I keep stressing, living an obedient, faith filled life is not easy, especially when we see great prosperity amongst others who aren’t. Please don’t envy them. They might have sold their soul to the enemy, and a few earthly trinkets that rot, are certainly not worth losing our promise of eternal salvation. So let the wicked do their thing, and we’ll  do ours; ‘Trust in the Lord, and do good, so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.’ Much LOVE!…standing faithfully on the promises of God…always brings the right kind of victory…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 May 2008 Jeremiah 24:6-7‏

12 May 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Jeremiah 24: 6-7    For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up. And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.
 
Our God’s a very thoughtful, caring, merciful, forgiving Being. Sometimes though His actions seem eccentric and back to front. Guess that’s because His ways are different to and higher than ours. Take Today’s Bit: The people He promised to look upon for good, are those He caused to be taken captive to Babylon, while Zedekiah, king of Judah, his cohorts and the rest of Jerusalem, would either be scattered far and wide, cursed forever, or consumed by the sword, famine and pestilence and eradicated from the promised land.. Most of us would have done it the other way; keep the ones we intend to save, and let the ones marked for destruction be taken captive. But that’s why He’s God. Unlike us, He lays very intricate plans that aren’t always what they seem to be, and usually take oodles of time to come to fruition. The people taken away captive must have bemoaned their fate, but in fact, they were the lucky ones. Later, the Lord showed Jeremiah two baskets of figs, one ripe and edible, the other rotten, and said; ‘Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place unto the land of the Chaldeans for their good.’ Wow! The Lord actually meant it for their good, though I doubt any would have accepted that reasoning at the time, since logically, being taken away from your home as a captive can never be considered a good thing. But that’s the way the Lord operates; what others might mean for our harm, He causes to turn out for our good. And we need to understand this principle so that when evil, wrong or unlucky things happen to us, we don’t look upon them as being the end of the world, and weep and moan the ‘why me’ song. Why would He bring evil against us if we’re sincerely trying to be faithful and obedient eh, especially since He’s said  that the thoughts He has towards us are for good and not evil? (Jer.29:11) So even if circumstances look real bleak Friends, that’s no reason to lose faith or give up on God. Rather, that’s the time to shore it up, raise your hopes and strengthen your  belief mechanism. Clichés like, the darkest hour is the one before the dawn, and every dark cloud has a silver lining have stood the test of time because they’re true. Friends, God always has a good reason for whatever He allows in our lives. We’ve just got to trust Him. It’s not always easy, but always beneficial. So please take heart and remember there’s no problem so overwhelming that the Lord can’t solve. No pain so acute that He can’t quell. And no situation; none whatsoever, where He’s not with us, for He’s promised never to leave or forsake us once we stay obedient to His Word. Much LOVE!…when we stand strong during adversity…we’ll encourage others to do likewise…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 May 2008 Isaiah 66:13‏

11 May 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Isaiah 66:13.    As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.                                                                                                           HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!
Oh People, from that fateful day in the Garden of Eden when sin was born, through disobedience, the female of the species has borne the brunt of the unenviable task of reproduction. ‘Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shall bring forth children…’ Gen.3:16. But as always, when the Lord punishes us, He also provides the wherewithal to withstand it. And so it was with Eve and her female offspring; God gave them the backbone and belly to handle the painful and oftimes fatal duty of child bearing and rearing. And over the ages, Mothers have come to be recognized as a cradle of comfort, from birth to grave. Whenever comfort is needed, it’s generally taken as being the mother’s job. Her maternal instincts just seem to make her better suited for that endeavour. That’s why God compared His help, ‘As to one whom his mother comforteth.’ The Mother is the greatest source of human comfort. It’s the Mother who carries them in her womb, and who suckles them on her sore, tired breasts. It’s also the Mother’s responsibility to nurture and teach them in their formative years. The foundation of our education; discipline, responsibility, et al, is learned on our Mother’s knee or in the cradling comfort of her warm, tender arms. Her wisdom is often more wise (smile) than a man’s, owing to her unique position in the family and society as a whole. Everyday she’s forced to deal with more difficult and diverse problems than most men. The saying that a Mother’s work is never done, is quite true. She’s expected to be a Mother, Wife, Lover, Friend, Medic, Psychic, all wrapped in one, dispensing whatever, when the need arises. And now, in a society where one salary can’t feed a family, two can’t either, to whom do we turn for help, yet again? Mother. She’s now got to be a breadwinner also. And it’s rather sad that Mothers are not appreciated as highly as they should be. We tend to take them for granted. But Friends, the strange and wonderful thing is that most Mother’s do their thing without any thought of personal glory. They know it’s basically a thankless task, but they still persevere, hoping that their offspring will somehow turn out better and brighter than them. I heard it all the time. ‘I’m not doing this for me, but for you.’ And I had a single Mother who worked several jobs, long before that was the norm, yet I never heard her complain one day. So People, today we officially celebrate Mother’s Day, which took much struggle to accomplish, some fifty years ago, but it shouldn’t just be one day, but everyday, we show our deepest LOVE and sincere appreciation. They’re on the go everyday; long before daybreak, till long after sunset. They are the ones who keep most families running and together. So let’s be nice to them year round, even the ones who are failing. They are still our Mothers; they gave us birth, and that deserves respect. It’s so important, God made it one of the Ten Commandments. ‘Honour thy Father and thy Mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.’ Ex.20:12. And Proverbs, the Book of Wisdom, ends at Chap.31, with ‘The words of King Lemuel, the prophecy that his Mother taught him.’ And he goes on to sing the praises of a good woman, they’re too many to list here. so please read it. But we’ll close with the most appropriate: ‘Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.’ It’s long Friends, but our Mothers deserve it. Much LOVE!…the most thankless, but most fulfilling job…a Mother…

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 May 2008 Revelation 3:1-3‏

10 May 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Revelation 3:1-3    …I know thy works, that thou hast a name, and thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die, for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
 
In his vision re the last days, that’s what John was instructed to pen to the church in Sardis, and it seems rather applicable to us today. ‘I know thy works, that thou hast a name, and thou livest, and art dead.’  Sounds like many of us? We’re busy like bees, running hither, thither and yon, doing plenty stuff, a lot of which violates God’s principles, and in the process have acquired a solid reputation. We seem to be alive; saying and doing the right things; we appear to be a pillar of the society, but inside, deep down in our soul, we’re dead. We lack spiritual vigour and vitality, harbour too many ungodly thoughts and actions, where they cannot be seen by man. Not quite the total hypocrite, but far enough along the continuum to be warned: ‘Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die, for I have not found thy works perfect before God.’ None of our works will ever be perfect because of our sinful nature, but the Lord wants us to always set our sights in that direction, and aspire to come as close as possible to it. So we need to take inventory of ourselves Friends, see what’s wrong, what’s leading us to disobey God’s word and try and correct those negative things. ‘Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast and repent.’ It’s plain and straightforward. Remember the Word, how it came to you and you listened, but then let it fall by the wayside. Now though, please pay close attention to it, study it and repent of your evil ways. But ‘If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.’ Oh people, we certainly don’t want to be caught napping when Jesus returns; that spells eternal damnation. Vs.4 says: ‘Thou hast a few names…which have not defiled their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy.’ Yes Friends, that’s the status we’ve got to work towards; being worthy to walk in white with our Saviour. I’m pleading with us, to start taking account of ourselves right now, and make whatever changes are necessary to be amongst the chosen few, on that beautiful day, when the roll is called up yonder. Much LOVE!…he that hath an ear…let him hear what the Spirit saith…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 May 2008 Isaiah 52:7‏

09 May 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Isaiah 52:7    How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
 
‘Awake, awake, put on thy strength O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall come no more unto thee, the uncircumcised and the unclean.’ That’s how Isaiah starts Chap.52, where he tells the Israelites that the Lord will deliver them from captivity and invaders. ‘Shake thyself from the dust, arise and sit down.. loose thyself from the bands of thy neck.’ He’s trying to awaken them from the spiritual stupor they’d fallen into over the long years of enslavement and destruction of Jerusalem, although it was through their own disobedience. We’re in the same situation today Friends; experiencing a spiritual decline from all the adversity we’re facing, having moved so far away from God. But hope’s alive people: if we turn back to the ONE that created us, still LOVES us, and promised never to forsake us, if we dwell with Him. However Friends, it’s not always easy to recapture, or keep alive the faith that suffers much adversity. That’s where encouragement comes in. As Isaiah says, ‘How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace.’ We’ve all experienced that fear dissipation and adrenaline rush  when someone shows up in peace with good news. And that’s the kind of thing we need more in our world today; people spreading peace and good news, especially the good news of Salvation that Jesus bought us through His death. Only today I was listening to a song ‘A Word of Encouragement’ by the Reggae Artist, President Brown that’s so right for our unhealthy, unholy situation, that I’ll let him speak. ‘Unity is strength, and sometimes your brother needs some encouragement. Each one, teach one. Each one, help the other. Just a word of encouragement could make your little sister don’t give up on life…could make another brother don’t commit suicide. LOVE is stronger than pride. If you see yuh brother fall, don’t laugh, help to pick him up…Don’t you ever sit down pon side and cast judgement. No man’s an island. No one stands alone. Good words are sweeter than even honeycomb.’ It’s the truth Friends! We all know it, but through fear, apathy, or some other negative reason, we don’t practice it enough. Just a word of encouragement. We’ve all experienced it’s positive reactions: a smile brightens a sad face; drooping shoulders stand tall; and words trip glibly off the tongue. Oh Friends, in these troubling times we need more encouragement than ever, so that we can stand strong in the faith and fight the enemy, who’s always on the lookout for the weak brethren. Let’s keep spreading good news about good things to all, reminding the faithful of Salvation and enlightening the unbeliever. Oh People, we’ve got to get to the mountain top and shout it loud, ‘Oh Zion, Thy God reigneth! Turn to Him and Live! Much LOVE!…just a word of encouragement…it’s never a bad idea…and it’s oftimes enough…just a word of encouragement…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 May 2008 Proverbs 23:6-8‏

08 May 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Proverbs 23:6-8    Eat thou not bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats. For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. Eat and drink saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. The morsel which thou hast eaten shall thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
 
This principle has been pounded into most of our heads from infancy; watch whom you associate or play with, because they’ll lead you astray. And isn’t that the truth! ‘Show me yuh friends, and I’ll tell you who you are,’ is what the old folks said. I’ve had my fair share of pain for associating with the wrong crowd. But then it’s hard not to, since the wrong crowd always seems to be the most interesting, the ones having the most fun. Solomon’s telling us not to accept bread, or anything else for that matter, from a greedy, miserly person; ‘him that hath an evil eye.’ Neither should we let our hearts be filled with desire for his delicacies or baubles, cause he’s only displaying them to tempt our lustful flesh and draw us under his wicked spell. ‘Eat and drink saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.’ It’s only a deceitful plot to turn us from God. Sol makes a powerful statement when he says, ‘For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.’ Yes Friends, that’s gospel, and applies to all of us. The emotion that dominates our heart, our true colours, is the one we’ll most avidly express. You can’t be consumed by evil and show good, or vice versa. Shades of the skinny person that brings plenty fattening food to the party, encourages everyone to stuff themselves, but they barely touch a morsel. Sol continues the food metaphor by saying whatever you eat from such a person, you’ll regurgitate, ‘and lose thy sweet words.’ For sure! We usually regret our dealings with evil people, causing our spirits to plummet, leaving that sour, bilious taste associated with vomit. Oh Friends, it’s a tight rope we’ve got to walk, since it’s our duty to bring the wicked to Christ, but we can’t do that unless there’s some meaningful communication with them. So we always have to be on our p’s and q’s, and concentrate on influencing them for good, more than they do us for evil. Brings to mind Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20. God won him a big war, and peace reigned in Judah. He walked in the ways of Asa, his father, doing right in the Lord’s sight. (Vs.30,32) But later on, he teamed up ‘with Ahaziah, king of Israel, who did very wickedly.’ (Vs.35) How sad. They planned to form a navy like Solomon, to go to Tharshish and bring back ‘baubles, bangles and bright shining things.’ But yuh know what? The Lord nipped that scheme in the bud; the ships were damaged before they even left port. Why? ‘Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the Lord hath broken thy works,’ is the prophecy Jehoshaphat received from Eliezer. (Vs37) Yes Friends, we’ve got to be very careful about entering alliances with workers of iniquity. But through faith, constant prayer and obedience to the guiding of the Holy Spirit within us, we can successfully manoeuvre through the minefields of life. The Lord will allow us to daintily tiptoe through the tulips, crazily scattered around us. (smile) Much LOVE!…when in contact with evil doers…we must ensure that our influence reigns supreme…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 May 2008 Psalm 147:1,3,5-7‏

07 May 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 147:1,3,5-7    Praise ye the Lord, for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely. He healeth the broken of heart, and bindeth up their wounds. Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. The Lord lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground. Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God.
 
Yes People, it’s only right that we should sing praises unto the Most High, not only because it is pleasant and comely, but even more to acknowledge His goodness to us, to show our heartfelt gratitude for all that’s He’s done, is doing and will do. After yesterday’s doom and gloom, I figured we needed something a bit more encouraging and uplifting. That made me smile, cause I knew it meant using Bruh David’s words. But Friends, the enemy is so devious and full of skulduggery, that when the time came, I completely forgot about Bruh David, imagine that nuh, and went searching elsewhere, obviously in vain. Then the Spirit finally nudged me, and I remembered. That time was not wasted though, since it involved scanning the Good Book, which can never be considered a waste of time. However, it shows that even with the best intentions, and knowing exactly what you want to do, the enemy is still powerful enough to infiltrate our minds and souls and cause us to drift away from doing the right thing. That’s why Friends, we’ve got to stick as close to the Lord as possible. It’s the only way to overcome the evil machinations of the enemy. It’s why Bruh David was wont to sing and praise his God consistently, because it got the Spirit within him moving in the right direction. And so should we Friends sing, ‘Great is our Lord, and of great power; his understanding is infinite.’ Wow! I like that last part; ‘his understanding is infinite.’ Meaning, He might not like what I do, but He’ll understand where I’m coming from. And that’s possibly the most beneficial aspect of any relationship; understanding; knowing that you can bare your heart and soul without fear of righteous indignation or condemnation. There’s always a price to pay for wrong doing, but it’s much easier to admit when you know you’ll get a fair hearing. And our Lord is just and fair. He’s also kind, compassionate and a marvellous medic. ‘He healeth the broken of heart, and bindeth up their wounds.’ His power is so awesome that Bruh David claims, ‘The Lord lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.’ Now isn’t that encouraging Friends; having a God who’ll cast down your enemies and lift you up when you’re weak, afraid, lost and can’t help yourself? Doesn’t it just make you want to ‘Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God?’ I sure hope so. And from personal experience, I know it works. I’m always humming or singing, annoyingly to some, but they all ask how come I’m always so happy. The truth is, I’m not always as happy as I sound, but singing and giving thanks, helps to dispel the sadness in my soul, and eventually lifts my spirit again. Ignore the naysayers, try it. It’ll do wonders for your soul. Much LOVE!…there’s nothing that lifts the spirit…like giving thanks and praise…
 

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