Today’s Scrip-Bit 4 February 2008 Numbers 11:1-2‏

04 Feb 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Numbers 11:1-2    And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord: and the Lord heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the Lord burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp. And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the Lord, the fire was quenched.
 
Oh Friends, yuh see what happens when we don’t appreciate God’s blessings? The ungratefulness the Israelites displayed was shocking. Their God had just brought them out of centuries of bondage in Egypt; parted the Red Sea for them to escape their pursuers; was leading them through the wilderness to the Promised Land while feeding them with manna from Heaven. Granted, it was a rough journey. But was slavery in Egypt preferable or better? Friends, that elusive dream, Freedom, bears a very high price. We magnify it to utopian status and lust after it, but very few are willing to pay the price, oftimes death. Like the Israelites, we complain about our better than average circumstances.  See how the Lord responded? Their ungratefulness kindled His anger so much, that it turned into a blazing fire that killed many of them. And their reaction? They cried unto Moses, who prayed unto the Lord, who, in His great mercy, quenched the fire. But did they learn? No! They listened to the mixed people amongst them and complained again about the manna. ‘But our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all beside this manna, before our eyes.’ (Vs.6) So it wasn’t the greatest tasting food, but it nourished their bodies, and only required them to go out every night when the dew fell, collect it, crush it and bake cakes. However, they wanted flesh, and woefully reminisced about the food in Egypt; the fish, melons, cucumbers, leeks, onions and garlic. Again we turn to the hefty price of freedom. Was bondage in Egypt worth the food there? Certainly not! But their memories were short, and their faith fickle. Guess they expected to leave slavery and enter the Promised Land without any hardship, have it handed to them on a silver platter. Unfortunately Friends, it doesn’t work like that. Freedom, and the good things that go with it, have to be earned, the hard way. And sadly, today we are exhibiting the same ungrateful attitude the Israelites did. We moan and groan about the trivial inconveniences we suffer, conveniently forgetting the important things the Most High has done for us. We also forget the millions of people around the world with circumstances significantly worse than ours; the millions who live in constant darkness, have no food or water, no clothing, no shelter, are unjustly imprisoned, persecuted, or made to flee their homes because of strife and warfare. Like the Israelites, our only concern is ourselves. Friends, that is not a godly attitude. Notice what the Lord did to those selfish, ungrateful people; He burnt them with fire. Please, let us learn from their example and strive to live less selfishly, and be thankful for the abundance that we do have, so that the Lord’s anger will not be kindled against us. Much LOVE!…learn this…true freedom is never cheap… nor easy…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 February 2008 Numbers 6:24-26‏

03 Feb 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Numbers 6:24-26     The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee. The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
 
Directions from the Lord, to Moses, to pass on to Aaron and his sons. That’s how He wanted the priests to bless the children of Israel, and it’s been passed down through the ages to us. Why did the Lord instruct Moses thus? Because He wanted blessings to be an important part of His children’s lives. The Dictionary defines blessings as a declaration, invocation or bestowal of divine favour; a gift of God. It’s something that makes us happy; gives us a fortunate feeling; enriches our spiritual wellbeing. Our Heavenly Father desires us to live that way. However, receiving blessings entails being obedient to His will. Notice how He withholds them when we are disobedient? Today’s Bit is a simple but powerful and all encompassing blessing: May the Lord shower you with His divine favour and keep you safe; May He smile on you and be generous to you in all your endeavours; May He instil His Holy Spirit in your soul and bring you peace. It covers all bases. But Friends, it’s not priests alone who can or should offer blessings. It behoves all of us to bless each other, including ourselves, and also the Most High, who obviously comes first. When we do that we’re wishing good things on the recipients. It’s also crucial that blessings be spoken, even quietly. There’s something about the spoken word that invokes power. Remember, our God spoke the world and all therein into existence. He simply said, ‘Let there be light’ and light came instantly. Even if the person you want to bless is far away, it’s still a good idea to speak it out. Just tell the Lord who its for, He’ll find them and deliver the blessings (smile). It’s important that we think and speak good, positive thoughts about ourselves and others, because positive thoughts and words draw other positives to them, while the negative stuff,  like curses, impact negatively. A factor the Lord built into the universe, for us to utilize in all facets of our lives. So Friends, let’s try and start each day on a positive note nuh. Give Thanks and Praise to the Most High for causing us to see another day. Bless Him for being such a wonderful Father, then ask Him to bless us in our daily walk, and also guide us to the person(s) He wants us to bless during our walk. We can’t bless and curse at the same time. So let’s give up the latter and concentrate on speaking blessings instead. We’ll see such significant changes in everybody’s outlook. Much LOVE!…remember…a blessing’s not a blessing…until it’s spoken… so…may the Lord bless us and keep us safe…till we meet again…Amen!

Today’s Scrip-Bit 2 February 2008 Psalm 116:1-3‏

02 Feb 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Psalm 116:1-3    I LOVE the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
 
Yes Friends, that’s Bruh David showing his attitude of gratitude, something we should all remember and follow. It was not the only reason he loved the Lord, but the Most High had been so responsive to his requests, that he would have been real foolish to think otherwise or seek help elsewhere. Bruh David knew on which side his bread was buttered. Friends, do we? It’s very easy to ask or pray for things, and having gotten them, forget the source of our good fortune. Bruh David did not. Regardless of what wrong he did, at his lowest low, or highest high, he never forgot whose strong hand guarded and guided him. ‘I LOVE the Lord, because He hath heard my voice and my supplications,’ he unashamedly declared. Oh People, are we as strong and unashamed in our praise? In olden times, our forefathers began their supplications by reminding God of His past mercy. That served a two fold purpose; to thank Him for earlier favours and also encourage themselves, that He would help them again. All of us have things to be thankful for. Many times the Most High has lovingly pulled us up out of the mire. Do we remember them? Do we thank Him with a sincere heart? Do we shout it out loud? Do we genuinely acknowledge His mercy and loving kindness? Friends, if our Heavenly Father has been good to us, then those are the things we ought to do. We’ve got to let others see and know that He’s working valiantly in our lives. That’s the best testimony we can give. Communicating His positive activity in our lives will lead others to believe that He can also do it for them. Please Friends, let’s not hide our light under a bushel, but let it shine before men, as Jesus asked, so when they see what’s happening in our lives, they’ll glorify our Heavenly Father. The Gospel is not a stagnant exercise about inanimate objects. It’s about real human lives: how to live it; how to handle it’s joys and sorrows, it’s pleasures and pain. It’s about helping us lead better, more enlightened lives, therefore it must be proactive, energetic, constantly moving and evolving. It’s got to be passionate and exciting to stand any chance of this or any other generation accepting it and running with its torch blazing into the future. So Friends, let’s try and up the ante nuh! Let’s increase our passion and excitement for the Word, so when others hear and see us in action, they’ll know that we’re very serious about our beliefs and our Faith. Like Bruh David, let’s shout out loud and proud, ‘Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon Him as long as I live.’ Much LOVE!…remember…the best way to share the gospel…use our individual lives as examples…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 February 2008 Isaiah 25:8-9‏

01 Feb 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Isaiah 25:8-9    He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he shall save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
 
All Praise and Thanks to the Most High God! ‘He will swallow up death in victory!’ That’s Isaiah’s far reaching prophecy, made long before Jesus interceded on our behalf. And he claims, ‘the Lord hath spoken it.’  Isaiah also knew enough about our God’s extraordinary mercy and loving kindness to realize that He would not allow us to suffer in sin for ever, even though we deserve to. No parent likes to see their children suffer, regardless of the circumstances, including our Heavenly Father, whose heart is bigger than we can ever know or imagine. He was obviously planning our redemption and salvation from that fateful day in the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve broke His heart with the first act of disobedience, having listened to the wily enemy. Sadly, we’re still doing it today. But our God, who has a different time frame to us, is never in a hurry. He also sets His plans in motion when it suits Him, not us. Plans that are usually rather complicated; a good example being the fact that since our fall from grace, He’s been sending prophets to warn us about our the price to pay for our disobedience. But do you think we’ve listened. No sir! Except when He’s chosen to allow some sort of punishment to befall us. Only until things get better, then we revert to our evil ways. But He’s such a wonderful God, His heart and His LOVE for us is so strong, that He could not bring Himself to leave us wallowing in sin for ever.  He overruled His head and instead worked from His heart. That’s why Isaiah could say with such certainty, ‘and the Lord will wipe away tears from off all faces, and the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off all the earth.’ Oh Friends, how much more can we ask eh? He even sent His only Son, Jesus to die for us. Don’t you think it’s time we showed some gratitude by being more obedient to His will? LOVE Him and our neighbours. That’s all He asks. It’s not that hard. He’s even provided help; the Holy Spirit. So let’s up our obedience quotient nuh, so we won’t be perjuring our souls when ‘it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He shall save us: this is the Lord, we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.’ Much LOVE!…remember…salvation is free…but you’ve got to accept it…the sooner the better…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 31 January 2008 Deuteronomy 20:2-4‏

31 Jan 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Deuteronomy 20:2-4     And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people, And shall say unto them, Hear O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: Let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them. For the Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
 
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! For He’s a Mighty God! Our strength in time of need! Yes Friends, it’s certainly something to give thanks for. Every day we get up and go out into the world, it’s a battle. The enemy endeavours to have us bow down to him and reject the Most High. It’s a ploy we should not fall for. Neither do we need to be afraid. As Moses told the Israelites, whenever you go out to fight, let the priests boost your spirits. The same thing applies to us today Friends. Each day, before we go out to face the world, we’ve got to remind ourselves of whom we’re living for; the One and Only, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. And as such, we’ve got to boost our faith, lift our spirits with those same thoughts and words that Moses suggested. ‘Let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them. For the Lord your God is He that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’ Yes People, everyday, before we step out that door, we’ve got to put on that armour, that breastplate, that protection of God from our enemies. Thus clothed with that superb reinforcement, spectacularly insulated against the forces of evil, we can then step out boldly and join the battle, for we know that with Him as our guard and guide, no evil can prevail against us. But Friends, it requires a serious commitment to actively do it every single day. Start each day afresh. Throw off what happened yesterday, and don’t worry about tomorrow, that will take care of itself. Believe that every day’s a new day, and God’s mercy is new and fresh every morning. Fortify yourself with words like, ‘This is the day the Lord hath made. I shall rejoice and be glad in it.’  ‘The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?’ Speak them out loud. That’s the kind of stuff that will enhance our power and energy, straighten and strengthen our backbones, make us hold our heads high, chests out and shoulders back. In other words, make us self assured and fearless, ready to take on all comers. So let’s all put a little pep, a little swagger, some bounce in our stride, stir up our spirit, and get out there and meet the enemy head on. The best method of defence is attack, so don’t wait for him to come to you, take the battle to him. He won’t be expecting your frontal assault. And, armed with the knowledge that our Mighty God is always right there fighting alongside us, Friends, our victory is assured. Much LOVE!…remember…the battle is not yours…it’s the LORD’S…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 30 January 2008 Leviticus 16:10&22‏

30 Jan 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Leviticus 16:10 & 22    But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
 
That’s the Old Testament way of atoning for sins. The priest took two goats and cast lots on them: one for the Lord, the other for the scapegoat. The Lord’s goat was sacrificed for a sin offering, however, the other one was presented live before Him. Then, later on, the priest would lay both hands on the goat’s head and confess over it, all the iniquities and transgressions of the people, laying them all on the poor goat’s head, before sending it away with a strong man, to be exiled to some uninhabited place, taking their sins with it. That’s the scapegoat story; an innocent replacement, bearing someone else’s wrong. But like the Lord got tired of that method. And who wouldn’t, since it was surely played out innumerable times, judging by the Israelites sinful nature. Imagine if we were still doing that! Hn! We wouldn’t have enough goats. So the Most High decided to do it once and for all. But who or what was sufficiently holy and righteous and willing to pay such a high price? Sadly, the only being who met all the criteria was His Son, His only Son, Jesus. So, obviously with a heavy heart, yuh know how we parents feel about only children, the Lord reluctantly gave Jesus the job to be the once and for all time scapegoat for our sins. But instead of just been banished to some uninhabited wilderness, Jesus suffered a horrible, excruciating death, nailed to a wooden cross. We’re such sinful beings, that only an agonizing death could wipe the slate clean. Imagine how Jesus must have felt when His Father proposed the idea. Flabbergasted, for sure. But, being an obedient Son, He became human, and although sinless, suffered an inhumane death to pay for our sins. Unfortunately, using an unblemished scapegoat was the only way to erase them for ever. Oh Friends, consider J.C’s sacrifice nuh, and how we are repaying it? With more ugly sin: by refusing to acknowledge the debt He paid for us with His innocent life; disobeying His will; even trying to have His name and courageous acts removed from our daily lives. How tragic and ungrateful we are. But yuh know, come Judgement Day, when everything crash, we’re boldfaced enough to expect Him to help and forgive us, even though we ignored Him in rosy times. But Friends, it won’t be that simple. Rejecting Him now, will bring only anguish and sorrow later. So please, let’s all accept His mercy and forgiveness now nuh, and try our very best to walk in obedience to His sovereign will. At the end, we will all be so much better off for it. Much LOVE!…a word to the wise…is usually sufficient…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 29 January 2008 Amos 5:8-9‏

29 Jan 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Amos 5:8-9    Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth. The Lord is his name. That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress.
 
Friends, we live in a world that has gone crazy with lust for money, material things and the supposed good life that money buys. Lust for power is overwhelming; the number of dictators and egomaniacs has sky-rocketed. Immorality is rampant. Sin is treated in a cavalier manner. There’s a constant and concerted cry to relegate God to has been status. Greed, violence and strife are more popular than peace, LOVE, and sharing. The enemy appears to be in ascendance right now, just like he was in Amos’ time in Israel. He’s simply working on a larger scale now; a greater number of targets, plus more tools of evil and destruction. But people, that doesn’t mean he will win the war; a few battles along the way, yes, but definitely not the war. However, for that to occur, We, the Army of Truth, must stand strong and not falter. And the only way to do that, is as Bruh Amos said so long ago; ‘Seek Him!’  Reach out to the ONE who made the heavens with all it’s bright, shining stars. The ONE who turns day to night and darkness to light. The mighty ONE that causes the waters of the sea to overcome the earth. Yes Friends, in order to defeat the enemy, we’ve got to call on the help of that mighty Being who controls the earth. As Bruh Amos declared: ‘The Lord is His Name!’ All powerful is He. With His help, the spoiled, the defeated, the weak, the beaten down, both in body and spirit, are boosted, strengthened, even to the point that they are able to rise up and attack the fortress of the strong. So don’t lose hope people, even though the enemy bombards us with pretty enticements from his big bag of tricks. We can, and shall overcome. But only if we seek the Most High, then put our trust and lives in His hand. Without Him, we’re powerless. With Him, hn! All things are possible! Bruh Amos said it out loud and clear in verse 4: ‘For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live.’  Much LOVE  My Friends!…and steadfastly believe…that good will always overcome evil…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 28 January 2008 Matthew 28:18-20‏

28 Jan 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Matthew 28:18-20    And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying. All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
 
Those were Jesus’ last instructions to His disciples. The Father gave Him free rein over everything, in reward for sacrificing His life, and He desired the disciples to go out and disseminate the Good News about the redemption of our sins, through His Birth, Death, Resurrection and Ascension. That was to be their life’s work. If they did not spread the Word, then no one would know about it and His sacrifice would have been in vain. That’s why He specifically instructed them to teach all nations, baptizing in the name of the Holy Trinity. Note that Jesus also specified Baptism, so He must have considered it important. It’s like a sign that says ‘Welcome!’; an initiation rite into the following of Jesus, the official coming of the Holy Spirit into our souls. Now Friends, two thousand years later, that directive also applies to us. The calling of all believers is to go out and teach and spread the Faith. Are we doing it? To some extent, but not as much as we can or should, else there would not be as much strife and turmoil in our world. We can’t all be Ministers or Missionaries, concentrating mainly on teaching the word, but all of us in our own way can certainly play a part by living the kind of life that reflects the teachings of Jesus. Remember, He wants us to not only spread the Word, but more importantly, LIVE it. There’s no better testimony than the example our life sets. Yes People, we are required to make a difference in the world, wherever we are, and with whatever we have. The Most High knows what we have and what we can do, so don’t worry about not being able to make large financial contributions, or volunteer a lot of time to worthy causes. All of us have somebody in close proximity who needs some kind of help that we can provide. Jesus told His disciples to teach people to observe all the things He had taught them; things like kindness, forgiveness, patience, perseverance, and above all, LOVE for God and one’s neighbours, from which everything else naturally flows. Friends, that’s also our mandate. Are we fulfilling it? Only God and each individual knows. But if we consider ourselves serious followers of J.C, then it’s very important that we do what He expects of us. So let’s all make a concerted effort; let’s go out there and teach, help, baptize, do whatever  we can to spread His word, so that when He returns, the WHOLE WORLD would have heard it, and joyfully accepted Him as their Lord and Saviour. And Friends, there’s no need to fear, because His last promise was, ‘lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ Much LOVE!…remember…to truly be like Jesus…we must always be ready…to lend a helping hand…

Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 January 2008 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4‏

27 Jan 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

2 Thessalonians 1:3-4    We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all, toward each other, aboundeth; So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God, for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure.
 
Oh Friends, I am no Paul, not by a long shot, but it sure would be gratifying to earn the right to say those words. Obviously, I thank God for all of you who read the Bit: for those who read it reluctantly; yuh know, just because it’s there; as well as for you faithful few, who can’t wait to get up in the mornings and rush to your computers to see what words of wisdom I’ve dispensed for that day. Of course I’m laughing as I write this, but I do hope that at some time, something in some Bit, does reach out and talk to each one of you: That in some small way, it gives you some kind of encouragement, brings a chuckle to your soul or a smile to your sad face, brightens your day, shines a ray of light on your darkened path, but somehow helps you to bear whatever  heavy load you’re carrying. That’s why the Most High lead me, or rather pushed me to do this. And He would be exceedingly pleased, if my few words, hn! helps to keep your faith strong, and even better, if it helped it to grow. Wow! But this passage touched me most today; ‘and the charity  of every one of you all toward each other, aboundeth;’ Yes People, it would be so wonderful to truthfully say that we are increasing in LOVE for, and fellowship with our neighbours. Nothing warms the cockles of God’s heart and brings a beautiful smile to His face like when His children live in true harmony. Friends, it’s something we should all strive for. Sometimes I think I’m mentally challenged (now don’t all say yeah!) but I simply can’t understand how people can not only live, but thrive in continuous strife and confusion, when it’s so much easier and sweeter to live in LOVE. Sorry, but I will stay mentally challenged. That’s why crazy people are considered happy; they laugh a lot and we, supposedly sane ones, don’t. Anyway, enough rambling. At least I’m like Bruh Paul in that respect; love to ramble. But seriously though, it would be great if at the end of our journey, we all felt fulfilled and fairly satisfied with our efforts to enhance and advance God’s Church, having endured with much patience and strong faith, the necessary trials and tribulations. And Friends, we can certainly do it, if we’ll only curtail our selfish desires and work together with each other… and with God. Much LOVE!…remember…it takes two hands…to clap…the same with success…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 26 January 2008 Romans 8:35-37‏

26 Jan 2008 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living

Romans 8:35-37    Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ? Shall tribulation , or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
 
Trust Bruh Paul to be gung ho and upbeat even in rough times. He’s reassuring the early Christians in Rome, letting them know that there’s nothing, no, not a single negative happening that can break the bond between Christ and us. Once we accept Him as Lord and Saviour, that bond, that connection is unbreakable. It’s the strongest bond in all the world.  He loved us so much that He died for us. What can be stronger than that eh? As Bruh Paul asks, ‘who shall separate us from the love of Christ?’ and he goes on to list negative stuff, like persecution, famine and sword. Not even death, he claims will do it. At that time, rampant persecution of Christians existed, as Paul knew, since he’d been one of the chief culprits before his conversion. That’s why he could say ‘we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ In fact, all through the Church’s History, Christians have been persecuted simply for their belief in Jesus Christ. Today it’s not as bad, although the persecution still exists in some places, but despite it all, the Christian Faith has survived two thousand years. It’s been spread all over the world, as J.C asked, and is currently flourishing, reaching even more people through the new technology, like television and the internet. Bruh Paul only had two avenues to spread the Gospel, mostly word of mouth and a little written material, since that is where it all began, but he was so secure in his faith in Christ, that he could discount all the bad possibilities, even the very real fear of death. Friends, today, we don’t have to hide and whisper about our faith, as our early brothers did. We have the most freedom of any age to shout and proclaim Jesus. That’s why we’ve all got to get out there and do our part. Our world’s in crisis and desperately needs to hear about the LOVE and redemption of Jesus.  There’s nothing to be afraid of. Bruh Paul said that in spite of all the negativity, ‘in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him who loved us.’ And that’s the living truth my Friends! We can overcome any situation, conquer anything that comes against us, through the LOVE of Jesus Christ. As always, Much LOVE!…remember…with J.C on our side…there’s nothing to fear…

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