Today’s Scrip-Bit 18 March 2009 Genesis 17:1‏

18 Mar 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Genesis 17:1    And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou blameless.
 
Yes my Friends, that was our God’s approach to Abram; straightforward and to the point. Yesterday we saw some of their earlier interaction; how Abram left his parents home in Haran and at 75, set out for parts unknown, all on the word of the Being he considered his Creator and his God. He was old, childless and not wealthy, but believed the promises God made of wealth, and much seed from his loins. Now, after the Lord showed him the promised land of Canaan, Abram kept going south, until a famine forced him into Egypt. But just before he got there, his imperfection showed up: He told Sarai to say that she was his sister, because she was a beautiful woman and he feared if they knew she was really his wife, they would kill him and take her. But like most deception, it caused problems. Sarai ended up in Pharaoh’s house, with Abram receiving a handsome dowry for her. But ‘the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife,’ (Gen.12:17)  Finally though, Pharaoh figured out the problem, called Abram and lambasted him for not telling the truth, that she was his wife and not his sister. Then he ran him out of Egypt. But I doubt this phased Abram too much, for the Good Book says after he came up from Egypt; ‘And Abram was very rich in cattle and silver and gold.’ (Gen.13:2) And his wealth increased, so much that the land wasn’t big enough for Lot and him and they separated. Lot went towards the cities of the plains and lived close to Sodom, while Abram stayed in the land of Canaan. Then the Lord told Abram to look in all directions, as far as he could see. ‘For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee. Then Abram removed his tent and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord.’ (Gen.13:15-18) Now sometime after that there was war amongst the nations of the plains, and to cut a long story short, Sodom and Gomorrah were pillaged and taken captive, Lot and his people included. But when Abram heard that, ‘he armed his trained servants, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.’ (Gen14:14) It shows how wealthy and powerful Abram had become. He split up his men and attacked the enemy surreptitiously during the night and recovered everything, including Lot and his people. However, when the king of Sodom offered him some of the spoil, he refused, saying that he would take nothing of the king, ‘lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich.’ (Gen.15:23) He only took food for his men, thus not obligating himself to the king of Sodom and demonstrating his total allegiance to the Lord. So the Lord had made Abram wealthy and powerful and had shown him the land he would give to his seed. But where was the seed? Despite all the promises, nothing was happening in that regard. So Sarai, thinking she would never bear Abram an heir, finally said to him; ‘Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.’ (Gen.16:2-3) And though my Friends, this was legal and customary in those times, that’s where the whole callaloo, the whole commesse began. For as the ole people rightly said, three is a crowd, and you can’t divide it evenly. ‘And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.’ (Gen.16:4) Well what else yuh expect eh? It’s simple human nature. The woman who conceives feels smug and contemptuous of the barren one, especially in a society that holds conception in such high esteem, and considers a barren womb a sign of some terrible sin. So now Hagar is pregnant and starting to throw words for Sarai, (smile) thinking that she’s better than her because of her ability to procreate. But what intrigues me is Sarai’s attitude in response to all this. It had been ten years since God had promised them an heir, but nothing had happened, so they took matters into their own hands. But when things didn’t work out right, Sarai wants to put the whole blame on poor Abram, and says to him; ‘My wrong be upon thee. I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee.’ (Gen.16:5) What did she expect him to do eh? She was the one who suggested he lie with Hagar. It seems she was the impatient one, who either didn’t believe or couldn’t wait on God’s timing of an heir, but then wants Abram to pay for Hagar’s impertinence. Oh my people, it’s a situation reminiscent of Adam and Eve; blaming someone else for our mistakes. Both of them were wrong. That’s another time Abram wasn’t perfect. His faith wasn’t as strong as it should have been. But that’s understandable. At 85 years of age, one can hardly be expected to believe that at some later date, one would sire children by a wife who had been barren even at the height of her childbearing years, much less in her old age. And the Lord had promised, ‘but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.’ (Gen.15:4) They must have thought they were helping the situation, since it had been ten barren years. But Friends, let that be a lesson to us. The Lord doesn’t need our help. If he requires us to do something, He’ll surely let us know. But if He simply promises, we must learn to just wait. And this was Abram’s downfall; although he believed, he couldn’t wait. Then when they took matters into their own hands, it soured everything, causing problems that are sadly reverberating to this day. We’ll continue Abram’s saga tomorrow. He is the father of faith and the father of our eternal covenant. It’s important that we know his tale. Till then; Much LOVE!…in our walk of faith…we must learn…to wait…to wait on God…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 17 March 2009 Genesis 17:1‏

17 Mar 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Genesis 17:1    And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me and be thou perfect.
 
Wow!  What a privilege it is my Friends, to be called upon by the Most High God Jehovah, especially at ninety- nine years old! You know the majority of us won’t even live to our allotted three score and ten, much less ninety- nine. But, for whatever reason, the Lord’s eye fell on Abram. And what did he require of him? ‘Walk before me and be thou perfect.’ The Lord was certainly asking a lot of poor ole Abram. At 99, who knows if he could still put one foot in front the other, (smile) and be perfect too? Hn! That’s just impossible for a human being, since our very nature renders us imperfect. The Lord obviously did not mean actual walking; rather He was referring to Abram’s behaviour. He wanted him to follow His rules and regulations for living, and be blameless in following them. As we just said though, it’s a tad difficult for humans to be blameless. The Lord surely saw something in Abram’s spirit that appealed to Him, and I doubt He expected him to be mistake free, but as we keep saying, He most definitely expected him to have a right heart; sincerely trying to be as perfect as humanly possible. And remember, the Lord knows the state of our livers better than anyone else, since it’s Him who made us and also saw our forefathers fall prey to sin. So how could He expect perfection from imperfection eh? However, the Lord decided that Abram was His man; from his loins He would raise up a special, a chosen people to set before the world as an example: a people who would worship and glorify Him. Thus He said to Abram, after introducing Himself: ‘And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.’ (vs.2) Ah my Friends, can you imagine that? You’re just sitting there quietly, in the winter of your years, waiting for the grim reaper to come and take you home, then suddenly, one day, this stranger shows up, says He’s Almighty God, and He wants you to follow Him blamelessly. Now if that didn’t get your attention, then the next part certainly would. This stranger also wants to make a binding agreement with you, and provide oodles of offspring. You’d certainly sit up and take notice; either run him out of town, or ask for more info. Well we know the Lord wasn’t really a stranger to Abram, they were already acquainted. I’m just trying to be somewhat dramatic. In truth, they were much more than merely acquainted, for it was the Lord who had called him to leave his family and migrate to a faraway land. ‘And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.’ (Gen.12:2) Now note, Abram was already seventy five years old when he got God’s call and migrated from Haran with his wife, Sarai and his nephew, Lot. They set out for an unknown land just on the Lord’s say so. And when he came to the land of Canaan, then inhabited by the Canaanites, ‘The Lord appeared unto Abram and said, Unto thy seed, will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who appeared unto him.’ (Gen.12:7) We can now begin to see why the Lord chose Abram for such a great honour: because of that mighty word, faith, though then it was more like a great trust. Abram trusted the Lord to keep His promise. Although he was old in earthly years, had no children, and in the natural really couldn’t see how the promises would be accomplished, he believed, and steadfastly followed the Lord’s direction. Another time when the Lord reiterated the promise of his seed being plentiful, He brought Abram out of his tent and told him, ‘Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.’ (Gen.15:5-6) Yes my people, that’s where it all began: One man, hearing the call of an invisible power deep in his heart, believing it to be genuine, and feeling it so strongly, that he packed up his family and worldly belongings and moved on to God alone knew where, even though there was nothing in his life right then to give him some semblance of hope. It’s not like him or his wife was still in childbearing age, or he had money and a powerful army behind him to conquer the land. No, he had nothing at all that could, in practical terms, portend such a great ending. All he had was a promise. And he believed the promise wholeheartedly, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Oh Friends, that’s how we’re also expected to believe and behave; except that we now call it faith; ‘the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.’ (Heb.11:1) ‘For we walk by faith, not by sight.’ (2 Cor.5:7) And I’ll let you into a little secret here. I wrote this Bit entirely on faith. I knew I was supposed to use that Bit of Scripture, but I didn’t have a clue what I was going to say, and the Good Lord did guide me to write something fairly sensible, once I’d taken the initial plunge of faith. And now I’ve become so full of myself, (smile) that I can say with great authority, we’ll continue this tomorrow, for there’s much more to be said. I invoke the obvious proviso though; if the Good Lord’s willing, cause it’s always up to Him. So until tomorrow my Friends, go safely, walk with the Most High God Jehovah, and like Abram, just trust and believe, have faith in whatever the Lord has promised you. Much LOVE!...there’s no need for sight…when you’re walking…hand in hand…with God…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 March 2009 Psalm 55:4‏

16 Mar 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 55:4    My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
 
Don’t you know it my Friends, the Lord is good and merciful to those who serve Him faithfully, and I try. Today, He mercifully came to my rescue again while I was searching for a Bit, but only finding frustration. And what both amuses and amazes me is the unexpected, out of the blue way He does it. Just around that time, I happened to talk to a friend who was having problems with his teeth. I jokingly asked him for something to write about, though he’s not a believer, and he growled about the pain in his mouth, and suddenly I began singing and old R & B song, ‘Pain, Pain, Pain…LOVE Pain…’ And voila, I knew pain was today’s topic! Thank you again Lord, for coming to the ole fella’s aid, in time of need. In Psalm 55, Bruh David’s crying out against deceitful friends. He begins with a petition of prayer: ‘Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication. Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise. Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me.’ (vs.1-3) Oh my people, we’ve all had supposed friends disappoint and deceive us. I’ve had my fair share over the years, though not to the severity Bruh David experienced. I don’t think any of them really wanted me dead, at least I hope not, but it sure is painful when you put your trust in others and they abuse it. We’ve got to be very careful whom we allow into our inner circle, especially these days with the enemy so aggressively noising abroad. My problem seems to be that I consider most people I deal with as friends, a feeling that’s obviously not reciprocated, and I can’t seem to learn what the ole people taught; ‘that all skin teeth is not laugh.,’ meaning that it’s not every time someone grins or laughs with you, it’s a genuine sign of affection. And if we’re not careful, we’ll very often end up like Bruh David, crying out to God for help, and claiming; ‘My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me. Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.’ (vs.4-5) That’s certainly not a good emotional state to be in my brethren. I have never reached such a low state, where the fear of death and other horrors overwhelmed me, but Friends, I have surely felt the sore pain in my heart. And let me tell you, it’s the most awful form of pain a human can experience. Physical pain is nothing compared to that of a broken, abused or betrayed heart. At least the physical pain can be alleviated with pain medication, and it will eventually heal, but there are no medicinal painkillers for a broken or hurting heart. And though time might eventually lessen the affliction, your heart will be forever scarred. Furthermore, if you’re not emotionally strong, it can literally drive you crazy, make you lose your sanity, and cause you to hurt yourself or others. And even if it doesn’t get that far, our mind is such a powerful organ, that if it’s a significant hurt, every so often we’ll remember it and reignite the pain. Then we might end up like Bruh David: ‘And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! For then would I fly away and be at rest. Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah.’ (vs.6-7) Ah my Friends, the mature ones that is, who can remember the Jamaican duo, the Blues Busters, who had a hit back when Adam was a boy, (smile) with a song, ‘Wings of a Dove,’ based on that verse. But if I remember correctly, another verse of that song says, ‘But since I have no wings, since I have no wings, I can’t fly, fly, fly…’ or words to that effect. Yes mih people, we don’t have no wings, so we can’t fly, neither can we run away from the pain of heartache. We have to live and mingle with others, which means getting hurt is always a possibility. And I know how Bruh David feels, when he says; ‘For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then could I have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then would I have hid my self from him. But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.’ (vs.12-14) Yes people, it does hurt so much more when those we consider trusted friends betray us. And I know many of you out there are hurting right now, from some betrayal or misfortune, and you’re either at a very low emotional ebb, or hopping mad and hungry for revenge, for the blood of your betrayers and wishing like Bruh David; ‘Let death seize upon them and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.’  (vs.15) But listen up my brethren, in your hurting state, there’s only one place to turn, that’s to God. Remember He said, it’s His job to repay any wrongs done to us. And though Bruh David felt the human need for revenge too, he wisely decided to turn to his God instead. ‘As for me, I will call upon God; and the Lord shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, I will pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.’ (vs.16-17) Yes my people, in times of pain, trouble, fear and anxiety, the only sure place of help and comfort is in the ever-LOVING arms of our God. ‘Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.’ (vs.22) That’s the gospel Friends, so please heed it. It has stood the test of time. And the Lord just reminded of another verse of that song, which says, ‘Since I have no wings, since I have no wings, I will sing, sing sing!’ What a beautiful idea my people. Let’s sing! Much LOVE! …the most effective balm…for hurting souls…Jehovah’s comforting embrace…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 March 2009 Proverbs 19:11‏

15 Mar 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Proverbs 19:11    The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is in his glory to pass over a transgression.
 

Ah my Friends, yuh think it easy? It’s not easy at all. Our Lord’s just on mih case, like white on rice. (smile) He seems to want me to write from personal experience a little too often for my liking. Guess He’s trying to teach me some lessons or something. For my sake I hope I learn them the first time around yes. Today I was thinking what to write about, then I got the message loud and clear. A petty, middle management public official refused to answer my page, figuring I wanted something he considered a waste of his time, when in fact I wanted something completely different. And the sad part is that when I caught up with him face to face and asked him about it, he had the boldfaced gall to tell me that’s why he never answered my call. Well children, you know the ole fella doesn’t get angry often, but when he does, it comes like a sudden bolt of lightning out of a clear blue sky. And this was definitely more than one bolt people. I gave that small-minded fool a good piece of my mind. To make matters worse, I even had the right to call him about what he thought I wanted. It’s these petty, low rung people, who either don’t get proper managerial training or feel they’re king of the walk since they’re in a position with a little power, that cause small problems to be blown way out of proportion. Someday, somebody is going to call about a serious problem and he won’t answer, then when all hell breaks loose, he’ll moan and whimper about his bad luck, instead of his bad attitude. Anyway, as I said, I got the message loud and clear, that I was supposed to write about anger management, although I’m not sure I’m really qualified to do so because these days I just can’t handle nonsense. But I have to laugh Friends, for our Lord is really something else yes. A few minutes ago while I’m hurrying to get this out on time, the computer suddenly says there’s a problem and it has to shut down. Imagine my consternation. But I told myself that there’s no rule that says I must send this out by a particular time, it’s just my preference. So I kept my peace and waited until it booted itself back up and did not get angry. Wow! Aren’t you proud of me? There goes the Lord again, testing, testing; always testing. But then again, in general, I don’t do too badly. I certainly don’t lose it often to the extent I did today. But Sol, in all his wisdom, did state that; ‘The discretion of a man deferreth his anger.’ In other words, his wisdom, his understanding of life and his association with the Most High God, makes him slow to anger. James seems to agree when he advises: ‘Wherefore my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.’ (James 1:19-20) Would you believe the stupid computer shut down on me again? Ah Lord eh! But I kept my peace, because I know it’s a test and I want to pass it. However my Friends, it’s not easy to bite one’s tongue and withhold your anger in the face of so much negative situations in our world these days. And I know there are many of Sol’s sayings that teach holding one’s anger. For example: ‘He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly.’ (Prov.14:16) ‘A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.’  (Prov.15:1-2) That’s certainly true, for if that public official had greeted me with a less antagonistic attitude, I would not have lost it like I did. There, I put the blame on him. (smile) What made me lose it too, is that we’ve dealt with each other before, and he knows that I don’t call him for frivolous stuff. Then there’s the admonition; ‘Be not hasty in thy spirit, to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools’ (Eccl.7:9) Meanwhile, the second part of the Bit says: ‘and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.’ That’s true too: It says much about a person big enough to overlook a wrong. That’s why Bruh Paul encourages us to ‘Let all bitterness, and wrath and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice:’ (Eph.4:31) But my brethren, there’s also a negative flip side to that coin, whereby if we internalize our anger too much, then it begins to eat away at our insides, our peace of mind and emotional balance. That’s why some behavioural experts believe it’s good every so often to get that anger, the negative emotions off our chests and thereby cleanse and refresh our spirits, for anything negative that’s stirred up too long will most certainly fester and rot, causing a rather unhealthy situation in the bearer. Like I’m fond of saying, those negative emotions are like acid in a plastic bottle; it only eats away the container. No, you can never hear that too often children. (smile) The important thing to remember my people is that we’re humans, mortals, thus fallible, but the Good Lord wants us to control our spirit, our emotions as much as we can. And if He sees that we’re sincerely trying, then He’ll be more than willing to forgive us. Remember, it’s all about the rightness of our hearts. So with those few words of wisdom, (smile) I’ll leave you to contemplate greater wisdom than mine: Sol and Bruh Paul’s ‘He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.’ (Prov.16:32) ‘And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.’ (Eph.4:32) Much LOVE my people!…bite yuh tongue…as often as yuh can…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 March 2009 Psalm 71:7‏

14 Mar 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 71:7    I am as a wonder to many: but thou art my strong refuge.
 
Oh my Friends, the young people an’ dem figure they know what life is all about, but tell dem for me deh lie. They don’t have a clue to real life cause you don’t really understand life until you have lived it, experienced its many ups and downs, ins and outs, twists and turns and all its other vagaries. That means you must have some years on your shoulders, but to the young that means you’re old and useless. They are wrong; it’s the exact opposite, since it’s only in your advanced years that you see life for what it really is, and appreciate it the most. As Frank Lloyd Wright declares; ‘The longer I live, the more beautiful life becomes.’ And that’s an indisputable fact my people. It’s in your maturity that all the missing pieces of life begin to fall into place, then you really understand all the strange and funny things that happened to you earlier on. As the Psalmist says; ‘I am as a wonder unto many.’ Psalm 71 is a prayer for help in old age, but even in his advanced years, he still elicits wonder in the eyes of many around him. Why? Because ‘thou art my refuge.’ Yes my Friends, it’s the Lord God Jehovah that keeps us going on strong. Look at Caleb; when he was 85, he claimed he was as strong and healthy as at 45, and asked the Lord for a new mountain to climb. As Isaiah declared: ‘Behold I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel, from the Lord of hosts which dwelleth in Zion.’ (Is.8:18) And since the Psalmist knew which side his bread was buttered on, he could afford to plead; ‘Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day. Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.’ (Ps.71:8-9) Oh my people, our most merciful and forgiving God will never do that, if we have been faithful and obedient to him all our lives. Remember, He rewards those who seek Him, and a long, healthy life is one of those rewards He hands out for bringing glory to His Holy Name. When it suits His purpose the Lord extends signs and wonders to mankind. For instance the fourth vision of Zechariah; that of Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, dressed in filthy clothes, with Satan standing close by to resist him. But the Lord vindicates Joshua, takes away his sin and dresses him in fine garments. ‘Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for behold I will bring forth my servant the Branch.’ (Zec.3:8) The scholars claim that the significance of Zechariah’s vision is though Israel was sinful, it did not stop the fulfillment of God’s program, while the inclusion of Joshua and the priests mean that the sanctity of the priesthood will be restored and once again play a significant role in God’s work when sin is permanently wiped out by the coming of the Branch, the Messiah, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. That was the greatest gift, the most glorious sign and wonder that God ever bestowed on man. But he was too busy and taken up with his selfish human lusts back then to really notice. And sadly Friends, the same situation exists today; we’re still too entranced by our selfish desires of the flesh, to pay much, if any attention to Jesus, who will one day return, not as a poor, itinerant preacher, but in great glory, as a Prince, upon a throne. Just more signs and wonders my brethren which the Lord has been showing from the beginning of time until this day, but which we unfortunately ignore, thus jeopardizing our chances of salvation and eternal life. But listen to the Psalmist, sitting in his rocking chair, with his adversaries just waiting to pounce because they figured his God had forsaken him. But the Psalmist knew better than that, cause he’d heard and believed the promise of never leaving or forsaking us, so he could emphatically declare: ‘But I will hope continually and will yet praise thee more and more. My mouth shall show forth thy righteousness and salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof. I will go in the strength of the Lord God: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only. O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have showed thy strength unto this generation and thy power to every one that is to come. Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high; who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!" (Ps.71:14-19) Oh my people, what powerful words of faith and inspiration! Will we be saying those things, wanting to teach and show the new generation the Lord’s awesome strength and His faithfulness? I certainly hope so, for that’s the only way one generation will really come to know the Lord; from the lips of those that have gone before. Let’s endeavour to do that nuh Friends, cause this generation is bordering on being lost and we need to reclaim them before they become totally lost. Much LOVE!…the best advertisement…word of mouth…so talk up Jesus…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 March 2009 Matthew 25:21‏

13 Mar 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Matthew 25:21    His Lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.
 
Well hello there my Friends, it’s another Friday 13, two in two months. The only other one is in November. But that’s not important, nothing to be afraid of, since it’s merely an old wives’ tale. (smile) What’s important, and what we need to be scared of is how Jesus will greet us on that big day. For all our sakes, I sincerely hope He greets us like the Bit says, ‘Welcome thou good and faithful servant,’ else crapaud smoke we pipe, meaning things will be real bad for us, if He doesn’t. Yesterday we talked about Hope, today we’ll consider Faithfulness. The dictionary defines faithful as someone loyal, constant, conscientious, trustworthy, accurate, or true believers. Now that’s how we can prove our faithfulness; by being true believers, and consequently acquiring all those other attributes too! And Jesus showed the necessity for loyal, trustworthy associates through the parable of the talents: A man of some means was about to undertake a long journey, but before he left, called his servants, gave one five talents, another two, and to another one; ‘to every man according to his several (own) ability, and straightaway took his journey.’ (Mat.25:15) Now look at how each servant used their talents. The one that got five used them to trade and made five more. The one with two did the same thing, ending up with four. ‘But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.’ (vs.18) So when the lord returned, after a long while, the servants showed how they’d used their talents. The one that received five, brought ten; ‘saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold I have gained beside them five talents more.’ (vs.20) And the lord’s reaction? He gushed: ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.’ The second servant presented two extra talents with his original two, and the lord told him the same thing. ‘Then he which hath received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strewed. And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.’ (vs.24-25) That unleashed the master’s anger. ‘Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not…Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (vs.26-30) Oh my people, that’s the fate that awaits us if at Jesus’ second coming he can’t greet us with a ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant.’ Then there’ll be much ‘weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ Now please understand what Jesus is saying here. He’s painting a big picture, emphasizing the need for us to be personally prepared and faithful until He returns. The talents aren’t necessarily money, but other skills too which have been distributed and apportioned according to our ability. So whatever skills, money or tasks we’ve been assigned, we have to use and perform to the best of our ability. The three servants weren’t expected to produce the same results, because they all had differing amounts, but they were all expected to be faithful, to perform their tasks with zeal and industry and enhance whatever was entrusted to them. The first two were successful, doubling their money. They remained faithful, did what was required of them, while the third was lazy, slothful and afraid of the master’s supposed greed, so he buried the money, didn’t make good use of it. The master felt the least he could have done was invest it with the financiers, so that it would earn interest. It seems the unfaithful servant misjudged the master’s character. He wasn’t really a hard man, he just wanted the servant to experience the joy of serving his fellow man. And that’s exactly what Jesus requires of us my Friends. He’s not a hard, merciless, greedy man, but a gentle, thoughtful caring, though strong Master, with excellent leadership qualities and great rewards for those who serve Him faithfully. Oh my people, I can’t impress upon us enough the importance of putting our god-given talents to faithful use. We all have different talents in varying amounts and been assigned various tasks. We all can’t be world-beaters, but we all can provide useful, faithful service with whatever we’ve been given. For in the long run, if we don’t fulfill our duties, what little we have will be taken away and given to those who already have plenty, because they are willing to use their abundance wisely. So please remember, it’s not how much, or what you have, but how wisely you use it. And I’ll leave us with a taste of the rewards for each course of action. ‘When the Son of man shall come in his glory…then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. And before him shall be gathered all the nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats. And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left. Then shall the king say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world…Then he shall say also unto them on the left, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels…And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.’ (vs.31-34, 41,46) Yes my people, that’s what we have to look forward to. So I urgently implore us to be true, faithful, loyal believers, especially in these tough times, so that when the role is called up yonder, we’ll be numbered amongst the sheep and not the goats. Much LOVE!..I know it’s long…but nothing that has to do with the salvation of your soul and eternal life…can ever be too long…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 12 March 2009 Psalm 31:24‏

12 Mar 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 31:24    Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.
 
Oh my Friends, we are indeed facing troubling and depressing times, with most of the news of the negative variety, giving the impression that we’re on a see-saw, hanging in the balance, one day we’re up, next day we’re down. But aye, you old fogeys like me out there, remember those youthful days of playing see-saw? Where you’d get a piece of board, put it over a stone or something to act as a fulcrum, then one person would carefully get on either side and away you’d go, singing as we rode up and down, ‘see-saw, marjorie daw…’ (smile) I don’t remember the rest, but one thing we had as children was lots of imagination and inventiveness. We couldn’t buy most of the stuff we wanted, so we found some means to make it ourselves; like box carts, skaters, tops and kites. Sadly though, this generation lacks, or has lost that creativity because everything’s been handed to them on a silver platter, and when things get rough, they have no experience of hard times to fall back on. That’s mostly the fault of us parents and the soft, now for now society we’ve developed. However my Friends, if it’s one thing the old fogeys had back in those olden days along with our ingenuity, was hope: Hope of a brighter tomorrow; hope that things would get better, and luckily for most of us, it did. But unfortunately times have again become trying and troublesome, possibly much more so than they’ve ever been for many of us. But we know that we’ve overcome rough times before, so why not again? How did our parents do it? Most, if not all, did it through first trusting in the Lord God Jehovah; then by helping each other, when and wherever they could, and being creative in their own situations. Working two jobs simultaneously is nothing new to me, my mother did it most of her working life. The problem now is not even being able to find one menial job, much less two. At one stage in my teenaged years my mother had no job at all, as she got fired over some triviality, and the union never lived up to its promise to seek redress. But yuh know what Friends, though it was somewhat rough, we survived. I never went hungry one day, still had a roof over my head and decent clothes to wear. And there was no welfare or unemployment to cushion the blow. So how did she do it? Through trust and faith in God, the generosity of friends and neighbours and her own ingenuity. Because she had lived right in the good times, others were willing to help in her time of need. I’ve had my own rough times too, should possibly have gone under long ago, but I’m still here, living decently, better than most of the billions of people in the world. Why? Again because of hope and trust and faith, and keeping keeping on, and trying to do the right thing in spite of numerous misfortunes and setbacks. What am I trying to say? That our current problems, though seemingly large, are not overwhelming or insurmountable. But the first thing we need to do is take stock of our spiritual lives. Sit down and sincerely determine our relationship with God. Then upgrade that relationship; take a leap of faith. Tell yourself that you will trust in your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ no matter what. If He was magnanimous enough to die for your sins, why would He let you suffer over little things like jobs, food, clothing and shelter. Friends, I guarantee that if you sincerely place your full trust in Him, He will not let you suffer want and deprivation now. So hope for the best, believe that things will get better, and do your part to accomplish that. Oh my people, if it’s one thing the human spirit has in great abundance is the ability to hope and believe; to bounce back from misfortune. The saying that while there’s life there’s hope is oh so true. Just like never say die until you’re dead. Once we’re alive and kicking anything can happen, anything is possible, remember we’re dealing with a God of the supernatural, who can come to our rescue anytime, anywhere, truly from out of the blue. Listen to this quote attributed to O.S. Marden. ‘The hopeful man sees success where others see failure, sunshine where others see shadows and storms.’ Yes my Friends, it’s largely a matter of perception; the old mind game of whether the glass is half full or half empty. It’s always better to consider the positive aspects, cause they say we become what we think on. And we all know that it’s tough times and disappointments that often cause us to hunker down and become creative, make good use of the few opportunities we have. Lots of the creatures of our easy life were created during hard times. Some creative mind decided they were tired with the difficult situation and set out to improve it. My brethren, I know that the road is long, it’s rough and rocky, full of pot holes (like ours in Ontario now) and sudden twists and turns, but there is hope if we stand strong, communicate sincerely and constantly with the Most High God Jehovah, meditate on His Word and keep doing the right thing. It won’t be easy. Life is never easy. And we don’t seem to appreciate it easy either. The important thing though my people is to not give up. Never give up on yourself or on your God! Encourage and help each other in whatever way we can. This is one of those times when the Lord’s eyes are trained on us, to see if we can all come together for the common good. Let’s not disappoint Him nuh. Let’s do like Bruh David says: ‘Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.’ And My Friends, that’s the gospel truth. So let’s all raise our level of HOPE, think positively, let’s give it our all, our very best, let’s seek excellence even in the darkest times, let’s believe it even when we can’t see it, for that’s the basis, the foundation of our faith. It’s time to concentrate on obedience to His will, then, ‘Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord.’ (Ps.27:14) Much LOVE my Friends!…and please remember…in hope…there’s strength…and in strength…a promising future…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 11 March 2009 Proverbs 29:2‏

11 Mar 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Proverbs 29:2    When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.
 
Oh my Friends, it seems nary a day passes that the Lord doesn’t show Himself in some aspect of my life. If I didn’t believe before, or was sceptical, that scepticism and unbelief have surely been thrown out the window now. And I guess you’re waiting with bated breath to hear what He did today eh? Well I’m just engaging in a li’l drama, trying for some dramatic effect, a la Alfie Hitchcock.’ (smile) But this is what happened; I just came down here to write the Bit. I had no idea what I was going to write about since I’d been too busy to check out anything earlier on. I wasn’t worried, for the Lord always comes through, but I certainly did not want to spend as much time as last night looking for one. Before I got down to business though, I decided to check my e-mail, and one message was a Prayer Calendar for Barrack Obama. Thanks Norm! I wondered what it was about, and was I surprised when I opened it and turned to the month of March, for right there was Today’s Bit. Thank you Lord! And we still don’t believe that our Lord moves in mysterious ways, is a great, good and helpful God! Well Friends, here I am ready, willing and able to put the lie to that negative thinking, thinking bordering on heresy. (smile) But come to think of it, I believe another Friend sent me that same calendar a little while back, and it must have gotten lost in all the busyness, or I just wasn’t supposed to pay it any attention until today. However, I’ve already advised us to pray constantly and sincerely for Barack, because right now he is our modern day Joshua. The whole world is anxiously looking to him for answers and guidance and leadership that will enable us to successfully cross over the Jordan and come out of our woeful times into one of peace and prosperity. But my people, it’s not Barack alone we need to pray for, but for all the leaders and rulers everywhere, that they may be strengthened, enlightened, and granted wisdom to rule wisely; that God will direct their hearts and footsteps in His will. For as Bruh Paul wrote to Timothy: ‘I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men. For all kings, and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour. Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.’ (1 Tim. 2:1-4) Yes my brethren, we need to pray for all those in prominent positions, that they make godly, truthful and right decisions, cause as Sol rightly said; ‘When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice…’ And that’s a proven fact. For as Sol also declared; ‘When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory…’ (Prov. 28:12) Yes, in righteous rejoicing, immense glory is given both to God and man, through constant fellowship, praise, worship and thanksgiving. And just to show how important is praying for our leaders, let’s go way back to the prophet Ezra, in the days of Darius, king of Babylon, who had them search the rolls of the kingdom for a decree of king Cyrus made long before, stating that the priests in Jerusalem, during the rebuilding of the temple were to be given victuals, ‘day by day without fail; That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and his sons.’ (Ezra 6:10) So Friends, it’s a long standing tradition, not something new we’re now trying to institute. And it’s not simply by chance, or their own efforts that when leaders are decent, godly men that the people rejoice and are prosperous. It’s because of their obedience to God. And we can trust Sol to cement that truth. ‘When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth…’ (Prov.11:10) However my people, there are two sides to every coin; ‘but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.’ And do they ever suffer and groan under oppressive conditions. We have a good example in Esther, when Haman tricked king Ahasuerus into signing a proclamation to destroy the Jews in and around Babylon. ‘And in every province, withersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.’ (Esth.4:3) Yes my Friends, sad times surely come upon us when the enemy rules. ‘But when the wicked rise, a man is hidden.’ (Prov.28:12) That’s the other side of the great glory coin; we hide, but will be sought out. We have all either seen or personally suffered oppression by wicked leaders. But take heart my Friends, nothing lasts forever, and if the righteous and faithful stand strong, the day of the wicked must come to an end. Trust Sol to declare it; ‘and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.’ (Prov. 11: 10) That’s the other side of the rejoicing coin. Yes my people, there is much shouting, clamouring and tears of joy when the wicked is defeated. But please remember it’s not easy, that the enemy can only be routed and sent packing if the righteous, and god-fearing don their righteous armour, get out on the battlefield and fight to the bitter end with the Lord’s weapons in their hands and mouths, safely ensconced in His protective armour. Oh my people, it’s time to mobilize the Lord’s army. Much LOVE!…prayer..wonderful communication with Almighty God…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 March 2007 Ezekiel 3:10‏

10 Mar 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Ezekiel 3:10    Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee, receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears.
 
Oh Friends, it’s been a rough beginning, for I’ve just spent a fair amount of time seeking a suitable Bit to illustrate the third part of the forgiveness principle that we’re to talk about today, and unfortunately could not find one that truly satisfied me. This passage from Ezekiel is a compromise. It’s either that I’m too finicky, seeking perfection, or I just don’t know what I’m doing. In either case, please overlook the ole fella’s shortcomings, if you consider them such. But wait nuh mih Friends, our God is at work here again! I just realized that to overlook my deficiency is a form of forgiveness, so that means you’ve got to forgive me cause I’m only human and thus imperfect. Hn, hn, hn! That’s why they say b.s baffles brains. Anyway, the last couple days we talked about God forgiving us, and we forgiving each other. But my people, all this talk of forgiveness means absolutely nothing unless we do the third part of the principle, that’s accepting it. Yes Friends, regardless of all the generous forgiveness of God and man, it does no good until we personally receive it. As the Lord said to Ezekiel: ‘Son of man, all my words that I shall speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears.’ The important part here my brethren is that we accept, we receive that forgiveness in our hearts and souls. And that’s where many believers flounder. They talk about God’s forgiveness, but they don’t actually accept it in their innermost beings, they just hear it with their ears. Consequently they walk around feeling guilty and depressed in spite of all their prayers of repentance and pleas for forgiveness. In that respect, we’re making a mockery of Jesus’ sacrificial death and God’s ingenious plan to provide mercy and forgiveness for our sins. To forgive basically means to let go, to absolve, to cleanse, to release from blame, shame and guilt. But just check out the great number of us who have not allowed our souls to be cleansed of guilt and shame for wrong doing that’s been both forgiven and forgotten long ago. Yes Friends, many of us have committed wrongs way back when, and the people we’ve wronged, either didn’t know they’d been wronged, or they forgiven us and forgotten the wrong, but we still bear that pain and guilt in our hearts. My people, that’s possibly the most important factor in all of the forgiveness talk; learning to forgive ourselves. If we don’t learn that, and remember forgiveness is a learned activity, it will all just be sham, a mouthing of meaningless words, and we’ll keep ourselves mired in a cesspool of guilt and pain when there’s absolutely no need for it. Oh, by the way, I might also need your forgiveness for aimlessly rambling or making mistakes because all of this is coming straight from the heart. But I’m not worried, cause I know that you all are such wonderful, god-fearing people steeped in the principle of forgiveness…Oh, I can already feel the LOVE and forgiveness coming through, and I accept it most graciously in the depths of my soul. (smile) I’m just trying to practice what I preach. But seriously though Friends, forgiveness is a huge element in our faith. It can either set us free or keep us unnecessarily tied up in chains of guilt, pain and shame, thereby causing us to lead a less than successful life. Life is rough enough as it is, we don’t need to make it any rougher on ourselves, so in our best interest we have to focus on the reception and acceptance of all and any forgiveness that comes our way. To end, let’s see if we can tie everything together in a brief overview. And I’m going to surprise those who think I can’t be brief. (smile) So here goes. Forgiveness means not exacting either punishment or redress for a wrong; pardoning, absolving, overlooking, exonerating. And that’s exactly what our most merciful, forgiving God has done for us; He’s pardoned, overlooked, exonerated our sins for ever, by sending His only Son Jesus, the only sinless Being available, to die on an old rugged cross and pay the hefty price His justice and righteousness required. That made Jesus our Lord, Saviour and Master, and He’s decreed that forgiveness is only available through repentance and belief in His Holy Name. But by the same token, since the Father was so generous to forgive us our wrongs through His death, He wants His followers to forgive each other, and in the same measure that we forgive, the Father will forgive us. The Lord’s scales must be finely balanced. However, all of the above is simply rhetoric and of no real value unless we actually receive that forgiveness in our hearts and allow our wrongs to be actually cleansed from our souls. Only then is forgiveness really beneficial. And my Friends, true forgiveness is so refreshing and cleansing! It gets rid of all the negative emotions that clog up our soul when we think we’ve been wronged. And though it might not have any effect on the ‘forgivee,’ believe me, it greatly affects and lightens the burden of the forgiver. In this one respect I guess it’s wise and okay to be selfish. So let’s all be selfish nuh! Let’s forgive each other like we crazy, for the benefits are overwhelming. But remember we have to also receive and accept that pardon, of both God and man, deep in our hearts and souls for us to feel, reap and enjoy those wonderful benefits. Much LOVE!…with plenty forgiveness… and plenty acceptance too…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 March 2009 Matthew 6:12‏

09 Mar 2009 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Matthew 6:12    And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
 
Well my Friends, it’s a new day, therefore God’s mercies have been renewed, including forgiveness of our sins. We spoke yesterday of God’s great compassion and His willingness to forgive our sins, but my people there are at least two other components to this major principle of forgiveness. Today we’ll deal with the second part; the spoke that Jesus put in our wheel when He taught His disciples how to pray. An important part of it dealt with forgiving; ‘And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.’ Yes my Friends, Jesus introduced a new wrinkle in the whole forgiveness scenario; that of forgiving others. Prior to that time, the Old Testament covenant dealt basically with God forgiving us, but when Jesus introduced His new covenant, He made forgiveness of each other an integral part of the agreement. He made us wise to the fact that forgiveness was not a one way, but very much a two way street. It didn’t only dwell in the Father, it also dwelt in us, and that we will be forgiven, just as much as we forgive. ‘For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.’ (Mat.6:14-15) And that makes a whole lotta sense my people, cause hopefully it will substantially reduce our selfish behaviour; wanting something from someone, but not willing to give the same thing to someone else. And remember, it takes two to tango, and one hand to wash the other. So we can’t really expect to receive God’s forgiveness without any strings attached, allowing us to be unforgiving to others while receiving His mercy. Our God doesn’t work like that. His world has been designed on an intricately balanced scale, and in every scene we have a part to play, and if we don’t, the whole scene falls apart, and to our detriment too. It’s the basic principle of God’s world, where if you don’t sow, you don’t reap, and whatever you sow, that’s what you’ll reap. You can’t plant peas and reap corn. It’s the same with giving and forgiving: You can’t get without giving, and the amount you receive is tied to the amount you give. And Jesus tied our forgiveness of each other’s faults to God’s forgiveness of ours to make us better understand and appreciate the magnitude of the Father’s mercy and His desire for justice. And if you don’t believe me, listen to Jesus. ‘Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive and ye shall be forgiven. Give, and it shall be given unto you: good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.’ (Luke 6:37-38) Yes my people, that’s Christianity in a nutshell: Do unto others as you want them to do to you. If we lived by that standard life would be so much better. Jesus took our forgiveness of each other to such lengths that when Peter asked if forgiving his brother seven time seven was sufficient, Jesus harrumphed on Peter. (smile) ‘I say not unto thee, until seven times seven: but until seventy times seven.’ (Mat.18:22) Yes my brethren, that’s how much importance our leader places on our forgiving each other. I guess He figures that we’re all sinners who do each other wrong, and if we can’t forgive other mortals, how can we expect the Most High God Jehovah, who’s way above our league, to forgive us. It’s like any hierarchy; you start at the bottom and work your way up as your skills improve. It’s the same with forgiveness, you’ve got to learn to forgive small and be forgiven small, before you move up the ladder. And have no doubts about it Friends, forgiveness is a learned behaviour which can only be developed through practice and hard earned experience. It’s certainly not an inherent part of man’s nature which leans more to the unforgiving, eye for eye, tooth for tooth philosophy. Jesus was so adamant about His followers being of a forgiving nature that He warned them: ‘Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him, and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.’ (Luke 17:3-4) Wow! That’s a bit much my people. But as I keep reminding us Jesus has high standards, and anyone wishing to be His true follower must also seek excellence in all aspects of their lives. Being His follower isn’t easy, but He’s always there ready to lend a helping hand through His indwelling Spirit in us. And remember, there’s no situation to which He leads us that He won’t provide a way out. And Friends, forgiveness is not rocket science, it’s just simple common sense and practicality, for if we forgive each other, even without God’s incentive, life becomes so much more pleasant and productive, cause it’s the unforgiving eye for eye, tooth for tooth revenge factor that has our world lathered right now in so much strife and violence. But let’s not forget either my people, that God said vengeance belonged to Him. He would repay the wrongs done to us. We are only to concern ourselves with forgiveness. That’s our priority. So please, let’s listen, let’s be obedient and forgive each other, much much more than we’re currently doing. In fact let’s start a forgiveness movement! (smile) It can only help to improve the terrible situation our world’s currently experiencing. Much LOVE!…to forgive…is to be obedient…and greatly improves our lives…
 

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