Today’s Scrip-Bit 15 June 2013 Luke 24:49

15 Jun 2013 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Luke 24:49:    And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
 
‘Standing, standing, standing on the promises of God! Yes, we’re standing, standing, standing on the promises of God!’
 
Oh Friends, those are such mightily important words in the lives of believers, for they play a role like nothing else does. That’s because in taking such a confident stand, we’re placing our faith and utmost trust in the promises of our God and Creator to control each and every aspect of our lives, surrendering our will to His holy and infinitely wiser one. And that says a whole lot about our level of faith and maturity in Jesus.
 
And I’ll certainly grab hold of this opportune opportunity, (smile) to remind us of some of God’s promises in the anonymous poem I shared not too long ago. I believe we need to hear it again, and thus reawaken and/ or rejuvenate our spirits.
 
Titled ‘God’s Promise’ the poem declares: ‘I will not fear – God is always with me. I will not doubt – God is always in control. I will not despair – God is always good. I will not falter – God is always watching. I will not fail – God is always victorious!’
 
And that’s all awesome truth Friends! And it all began when Adam and Eve had that glorious chance to live in paradise, but blew it because they figured God wouldn’t stand on His promise to kick them out if they disobeyed Him and ate of the tree of good and evil. But He did, and yet still, to this very day, we still don’t take Him seriously when He promises us stuff.
 
The beauty of it all though is that God also keeps His promises of good things and thoughts towards us.  Listen to Cousin Sol confirm this on the day the Ark of the Covenant was taken into the spanking new temple he’d built in God’s honour.
 
‘Blessed be the Lord, that hath given rest (peace) unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.’ (1 Kin.8:56)
 
Yes my people, not a single one of God’s promises to Moses and the children of Israel failed to come through, whether they were for good or bad! And since our God or His Word doesn’t change, all those promises, both for good and bad, are still in effect up to this very day.
 
And I can assure us that we’re feeling the effects of some of the bad ones, because we have gone astray from God, just like Israel did so many times and paid a significant price every time.
 
Oh Friends, we have to realize that the Word of God is the awesome, indelible, undeniable, everlasting truth! He doesn’t talk just because He can, or likes to, as so many of us do. And furthermore, He means exactly what He says; if you follow my will, I’ll bless you. But if you don’t, then I’ll cause you to be cursed.
 
It’s simple and straight to the point. One line of action will bring providential results, while the opposite will cause serious problems. And isn’t that the same way we raise our children? So since we’re the Father’s children, all His dictates and directives are appropriate.
 
But enough tongue lashing, (smile) today I want to focus on one particular promise, and a major one too, which stems from our Bit. ‘And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.’ That was Jesus again promising to send the Holy Spirit upon His disciples, just prior to His ascension.
 
Now the Father had also made that fact known long before Jesus ever came to earth. Hear God’s promise through Isaiah that His Spirit would come upon Israel: ”Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant, and thou Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
 
For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring. And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.’ (Is.44:2-4)
 
The prophet Joel also had some foresight re the eventual universal outpouring of God’s Spirit, when he declared: ‘And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the (men) servants and upon the handmaids (maid servants) in those days will I pour out my spirit.’ (Joel 2:28-29)
 
So my brethren, Jesus ‘ promise to send the Spirit after His ascension was not something that He had just planned, but it was the Father’s intention from the very beginning. And we see it being refreshed and renewed in every age, until it finally comes to pass on the Day of Pentecost, fifty days after Jesus ascended. 
 
Listen, as it’s so beautifully and emotionally described in the Good Book. ‘And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord (purpose, mind) in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
 
And there appeared unto them cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ (Acts 2:1-4) 
 
And that finally fulfilled the promises that were made way back when, enabling each new believer to have God’s Holy Spirit dwell in them, leading and guiding them as Jesus desires.
 
Oh Friends, all of you know about the Day of Pentecost and its unusual happenings, but I’m trying here to get us to focus on the idea of  promises coming through; like that awesome one at Pentecost, but even more so on the promises of our heavenly Father that are still coming true.
 
It’s very important that we notice the fulfilment of His promises in our lives, because that’s where, when and how we truly build faith and trust in Him. So today I’m simply asking us to believe in the promises of God and actively seek them out in our lives. They’re happening all around us every day, but we’re either too busy, blind or foolish to notice them.
 
Please, let’s turn that attitude around nuh, because it’s all to our benefit, not God’s. And it does show a high level of wisdom and trust when we can stand boldly, confidently and faithfully on His promises. Much LOVE!
 
…if we can trust in the fickle promises of fickle man…why not the faithful ones of Almighty God…creator of the world and all therein…
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 24 May 2013 Psalm 49:20.

24 May 2013 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Psalm 49:20:    Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.
 
Oh Friends, it’s Friday! And the loudest shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ comes from the workers in the U.S, where they are celebrating Memorial Day weekend, in honour of the fallen soldiers, the valiant brethren who gave their lives to protect our freedom.
 
Those of us in Canada and other parts of the British Commonwealth where Victoria Day was celebrated last Monday, are also happier than usual, because this was a short work week.
  
But Friends, please be aware of all the evil, ungodly stuff we can get into with too much free time on our hands. So let’s all remember Granny’s wise warning: ‘Sonny Boy, drunk or sober, mind yuh business.’
 
And let’s all be careful of how, where and with whom we celebrate, for it takes only the smallest niche for Lucifer to wangle his evil way into our lives. And to help us develop the right approach, and keep everything in its proper perspective, let’s chant our Friday Chant.
 
As one voice now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through another week of work! It hasn’t been easy, but with your generous help, I made it through. Now, please help me to get sufficient fun, fellowship, rest and relaxation in these two short days off, so that I can be renewed and refreshed in soul, body and mind, to go back out and do it all over again next week, furthering your glorious kingdom with each step I take. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.’
 
And with that matter settled, let’s turn to our Bit: ‘Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.’
 
And that’s the God awesome truth, my people! Men that are granted a lot, wealth, power and position, and don’t understand the laws of the Most High God Jehovah, are just like the brainless beasts that just live and die and return to the dust from whence they came.
 
The Psalm is aptly titled, ‘Trust in God, not wealth.’ Another awesome truth!
 
Per the scholars, the psalm, like the Book of Proverbs, stands out ‘with its bold contrast between the destinies of the wicked and righteous. It addresses and age old question: the prosperity of the wicked. The psalmist lived in a day when many evil men were boasting of their wealth (vv.5-6).
 
The psalm was therefore written to enable God’s people to rise above the ungodly drive for riches. There is first an invitation to listen (vv.1-4): the poet calls on all men because the psalm has a universal application. Second, he demonstrates how woefully inadequate riches are (vv.5-12): on the day of one’s death they cannot redeem (vv.6,7).
 
Finally the divergent destinies of the wicked and the righteous are vividly stated (vv.13-20): the wicked man has no hope beyond this life (v.14), but the righteous man will be resurrected to eternal life (v.15)’ 
 
Oh Friends, all those aspects of life that were true back then, are still true today, and unfortunately we still don’t understand them. Why do I say that? Because the wicked still boast of their riches, and we’re still jealous of them.
 
And we still tend to put wealth and the drive to attain it before the search for the kingdom of God, which Jesus so adamantly warned us to do. ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’ (Matt.6:33)
 
Yes my people, if we seek God first, then all we need will be forthcoming from our heavenly Father. Now that can also include the same, but more lasting wealth that the wicked accumulate by wicked ways. So wealth is not only possible through wicked means, for there are many wealthy Christians, who obtained it through the auspices of God.
 
And we’re also reminded that once this earthly life is over, the wicked doesn’t have a chance in hell of seeing heaven, despite all of their earthly riches. However, the righteous man will see resurrection through Jesus and have eternal life with Him.
 
So what’s your choice Friends? The wickedness and evil of this world that lead to death and damnation, or the righteousness of Jesus Christ, which brings salvation and eternal life?
 
Each of us has to choose the path we’ll follow. No one else can choose it for us. They can certainly advise us on it, as I’m doing now, but in the long run it all boils down to individual choice.
 
Ah my people, let’s sincerely hope that we all choose Jesus, because that’s the wise choice, for who wants to exist with Lucifer and all his evil cohorts in darkness, death and damnation, when we can enjoy a rich and righteous life with Jesus for all eternity.
 
And all God’s people said a loud and hearty: ‘Praise the Lord! Amen!’
 
Now I do have more to say on this topic, but adding the remainder will make the Bit too long, so we’ll close here for today, keeping it short and sweet. You know I never like to pressure us with too much information all at once, what with our short attention spans and busy lives. (smile)
 
So more on this tomorrow, God in favour. Till then my Friends and fellow believers in Jesus, please, let’s walk safely, firmly ensconced and protected under the broad and mighty wings of our omnipotent and ever-LOVING God, doing His will and thus furthering His glorious kingdom. Remember, that’s our earthly mandate. Much LOVE!
 
…you’ve tried the rest…now try the BEST…Jesus…I guarantee, you’ll never regret it… 
 
  

Today’s Scrip-Bit 16 May 2013 Psalm 40:6

16 May 2013 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Psalm 40:6.    Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire: mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
 
And the choir sang: ‘One more morning, One more day. Filled with blessings and mercies new. One more morning, One more day. The Lord’s opened the windows of heaven, and sent us grace, through forgiveness; sufficient for One more morning, One more day.’ Oh Friends, are we ready to receive the steady showers of grace, mercy, blessings and forgiveness that our wonderful God is preparing to rain down on us today? I surely hope so. Because, if we’re not, then we’ll be missing something very special in our lives, something only believers can experience and receive. And therein lies the rub; the reception of God’s goodness. Many of us know and talk about it, but don’t really receive it. And that part is solely up to us. It’s just like if someone offers us something physical. If we don’t accept and receive it, we’ll never have it. It’s the same principle with God’s LOVING-kindness, only this time it’s spiritual and not physical offerings, but you still have to actually receive it in and by faith. A good example is when we ask for forgiveness, the Lord grants it, but until we acknowledge it ourselves, and actually feel forgiven, the forgiveness is wasted. So it’s essential that each and everyday, we brace ourselves to sincerely receive God’s grace, mercy and blessings through our faith and the help of the Holy Spirit that indwells us. That will enable us to get on and stay on the path to righteousness. I pray this in Jesus’ Name. And all God’s people gave a mighty shout of ‘Praise the Lord! Amen!’ And in passing, I’d like to say that the weatherman actually got it right yesterday, because by mid-morning the sun had come our bright and sparkling, though the wind played a hard and fast tune all day. Hurrah for the weatherman! (smile) When he screws up, we let him know, so in all fairness we should applaud him when he gets it right. And he says it’s going to be hot and sunny again today. Let’s hope he can get it right two days straight. And now turning to our Bit: ‘ Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire: mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.’ Words of awesome truth my brethren! Sacrificing things or animals doesn’t cut it with our God. As we saw yesterday, it’s our penitent and contrite hearts and minds that He’s interested in. Today, we’ll continue to highlight scriptures that deal with this fact. Listen to the prophet Amos on God’s behalf, in a call to repentance. ‘I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell (savour) in your solemn (sacred) assemblies. Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols (stringed instruments). But let judgement (justice) run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.’ (Amos 5:21-24) That’s surely telling us eh!  The scholars explain that scripture thus. ‘I hate, I despise your feast days:  Religious activity without heart reality is repugnant to God. God-ordained forms of worship and religious expression without heart reality become only nauseating, empty formalism: and they anger rather than appease God.’ Truth in spades my people! And if we read Hebrews 10:1-18, we’ll find the subject discussed in greater detail, where we see Jesus, the unblemished Lamb of God, being the once and for all time atonement for sin. Hear the Good Book: ‘But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.’ (Heb.10:3-4) And that’s the honest truth! Under the Old Covenant, sacrifices for the remission of sins had to be made every year. But God, in His infinite wisdom did away with that under the New Covenant, where Christ atoned for the sins of ALL mankind for ALL time. We surely are wonderfully blessed, my fellow believers! There’s no other faith but Christianity where forgiveness of sins can be had by contrite repentance and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. What a kind and caring God we worship! So I can’t understand why we’re so bent on removing Him from our society. He is the One who created us, cares for us, causes us to get health, wealth, peace, wisdom and understanding. And have you noticed that since we embarked on the erroneous task of removing God from our lives, that we’ve had much less of all those things mentioned above. Everything has gone into a deathlike tailspin because God is the One who causes all of that to happen, and if we’re not dealing consistently and truthfully with Him, then He’ll obviously stop blessing us. Now let’s end with another very informative and telling scripture. This from the prophet Micah, re the requirement of the Lord. ‘Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body (my own child) for the sin of my soul? He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to LOVE mercy (LOVING-kindness), and to walk humbly with thy God.’ (Mic.6:6-8) That says it all Friends! So today, let’s ponder our individual situations and see how we shape up per those requirements, then ask the Lord to help us rectify whatever is wrong in that respect. That’s truly wisdom of the highest order. Much LOVE!…he who has ears to hear…let him hear…or else he’ll pay an exorbitant price for his disobedience…
 
    
 
   

Today’s Scrip-Bit 13 May 2013 Psalm 138:6

13 May 2013 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Psalm 138:6.     Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.

Ah Friends, unfortunately it’s Monday once again, and the Mother’s Day celebrations are over for another year. Sadly, they were marred somewhat in my area by cloud, rain and strong winds. I understand that we had hailstones too, and some places further north even had snow. So much for the blossoming summer weather. Chuh! Hopefully though, not too many of us are suffering this morning from the aftermath of those celebrations, (smile) and won’t get up feeling worse than is customary on a Monday morning. I know celebrations are wonderful, but when we overdo it, the price we pay later on is simply not worth it. Anyway, life goes on, whether we’re feeling up to it or not. The good thing though is that we worship a healing, caring and LOVING God, who’s only too willing to fix us when we’re hurting and/or broken. And one way He does that is by hearing our cries for help, our prayers, and granting them. So on this rough Monday morning, let’s cry out to Him for help and sustenance by singing our Monday Morning Battle Hymn. Now, in whatever voice you can manage, croaking or otherwise (smile) but with a sincere and true heart, let’s sing. ‘Oh Lord God Almighty, Creator of the universe and all therein! We, your humble servants, praise your Holy Name and thank you that this Monday morning we have jobs to go to; jobs we don’t like, jobs that are unfair, difficult and even dangerous, but which serve a useful purpose here on earth; keeping lives and families together. We also thank you Father for the renewed vitality and enthusiasm you’ve wrought in our weary souls over the last two days. It’s that rejuvenation of Spirit which allows us now to sally forth with confidence into the evil, ungodly world that surrounds us, to begin a new week of work, constantly buffeted and bombarded by the enemy’s wicked taunts, wiles and lies. But heavenly Father, we’re not afraid, for we know we’re invincible, sure conquerors, once we’re wearing your powerful, protective spiritual armour. We surrender our all to you, and humbly ask that you let your incredible aura of LOVE, the Holy Spirit, lead and guide all your servants as we go out to meet the enemy in battle. Fill us with steadfast faith, so that we can make worthwhile inroads into the enemy’s ranks, and thereby further your glorious kingdom. We pray this in the Holy Name of your Son, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. AMEN!’ Oh Friends, that wasn’t very powerful. Truthfully, it might be better termed pitiful. But that’s the whole idea about crying out for help. If you’re strong and able, then you don’t need help. And if it’s one thing our God LOVES to do, is to help the weak and pitiful. Our Bit declares that quite plainly. ‘Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto (He regards) the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.’ Yes my brethren, it’s the same Bit from two days ago. I wasn’t finished with it, but Mother’s Day forced me to put it aside till today. And if you remember, we ended that day with Jesus quoting Hosea 6:6, to the hypocrite Pharisees, re the Lord desiring mercy, faithfulness and not sacrifice from His followers, when they complained to the disciples about His eating with sinners and tax collectors. And as Bruh Paul told the Corinthians: ”For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than man.’ (1 Cor.1:22-25) Words of awesome truth my people! Remember too, that Jesus Himself dealt more with the sick and suffering, the outcasts and those from the lower rungs of society. As He said: ‘For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.’ (Matt.18:11) And unfortunately, those at the bottom of society’s totem pole, are usually the lost ones, who need healing and saving more than those higher up. However we put it though Friends, our God is undoubtedly a champion of the small, oppressed man. Cousin Sol wisely tells us: ‘Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly (weak, humble) (Prov.3:34) And Isaiah solemnly declares, re condemnation of Israel’s idolatry: ‘For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.’ (Is.57:15) Yes my people, it is always the Lord’s will to help those who are downtrodden, oppressed, fallen on hard times and any other negative situations that may affect their lives! But we have to call on Him in humility and true repentance. That’s the key to His mercy and forgiveness. Please, let’s remember that and act accordingly today. Our lives will be all the better for it. Much LOVE!…come unto me…all ye that labour and heavy laden…and I will give you rest…for my yoke is easy…and my burden is light… (Matt.11:28, 30)
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 May 2013 Proverbs 18:12

08 May 2013 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Proverbs 18:12.     Before destruction the heart of man is haughty; and before honour is humility.
 
Oh Friends, the days are nicely morphing into each other; warm and sunny, with temps in the high teens and low twenties. It’s about time too! The only problem though is that we haven’t seen any rain for at least a week now. Let’s hope that’s not a harbinger of things to come for the summer. But anyway, as believers in Jesus Christ, whatever comes our way, we’re expected to stand steadfast in faith and bear it with His help through the Holy Spirit. And talking about faith, here’s an interesting quote attributed to Robert Veninga, a U.S. Lutheran Church minister. He says that ‘Faith has a powerful effect in helping people recover a sense of balance, tranquility and hope.’ And that’s an awesome truth my people! But it’s oftimes funny how it works. Usually we might be all faith filled, then some totally unexpected tragedy or disaster occurs in our lives, a la Job, and suddenly we begin to question why such a misfortune happened when we were so righteous. Then we begin to question God, and consequently, unlike Job, our faith level falls and we’re not as sure and assured as we were before the tragedy. But yuh know what Friends? Though reading now at a rather low and precarious level, it’s that same basic faith and trust in an omnipotent and merciful God that gets us through the dilemma, that keeps us hanging on, sometimes even by a mere thread, and eventually restores our trust in God, usually at a higher level too. That’s because once we’ve settled down, accepted our fate, and gone through the fire, we come out stronger, energized, with a more flame resistant mind and spirit. It’s simply the way our Lord works. Negative circumstances have a way of making us stand strong and believe. So whatever rough times you’re going through right now, with your faith hanging in the balance or slowly ebbing away, please don’t give up, don’t throw in the towel. I encourage you to stay with it, even though it seems overwhelming. Remember that our faithful God has promised that whatever He brings us to, or allows to come upon us, He will bring us through it, and will work all things out for the good of those who truly LOVE Him and are called to do His will. (Rom.8:28) That brings us to our Bit, which is a horse of an entirely different colour. (smile) Long time I haven’t heard or used that term. But our Bit today is definitely enlightening. ‘Before destruction the heart of man is haughty; and before honour is humility.’ Now aren’t those gospel truths my brethren? They surely are! But unfortunately our world today is thoroughly consumed with haughtiness and selfish pride, a sin the Lord despises more than most, because it makes Him entirely of no account in our lives. But it’s definitely a fact that when we’re riding high in this ungodly, evil world, we usually have more than a touch of pride and invincibility about us. Even the least proud and haughty amongst us, do feel an increase in their own strength and independence. But as Cousin Sol so wisely points out, and practical experience in life confirms, it’s usually when we’re riding high, with the least respect and dependence on God, that disaster befalls us. You seldom see the man on the low rungs of the totem pole falling any further. But it’s those at the very top, the ones who have no time or use for God, and foolishly figure that it’s their own strength and wisdom that got them to the top, who fall like a weighted stone from the height of their worldly pinnacles. And it usually doesn’t take long either. One day they’re on the top of the heap, revelling in their wealth and power, then next day, sadly, without any warning or empathy, they’re consigned to the garbage heap of life. And as I keep telling my children, be very careful what methods you use to get to the top, and how you behave when you get there, because those same methods will be used to bring you down. There will always be jealous, dissatisfied people who are only too glad and willing to help you fall. As Cousin Sol so aptly puts it: ‘Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.’ (Prov.16:18) The second half of our Bit is also bathed in truth; ‘and before honour is humility.’ And we talking about real honour here Friends, that which comes through the mysterious machinations of Almighty God, not the nonsense, the trumped up pride, the world refers to as honour. Please be aware of one thing my people, the Lord will not lift us up unless we are humble and respectful to Him. As I said earlier, pride and haughtiness keeps Him out of our lives, but humility and reverence endears him to us. Jesus said it quite plainly very early in His ministry, in the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount. ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ (Matt.5:3) The scholars describe the ‘poor in spirit are the opposite of the proud or haughty in spirit. They have been humbled by the grace of God and have acknowledged their sin and therefore their dependence on God to save them.’ Then Jesus declared: ‘Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.’ (Matt.5:5) The scholars say that ‘refers again to those who have been humbled before God and will not only inherit the blessedness of heaven, but also will ultimately share in the kingdom of God on earth.’ So Friends, why do we follow the foolish ways of the world eh, when we ought to know better? Even before Jesus came along, Cousin Sol wisely warned us: ‘The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.’ (Prov.15:33) Oh my fellow believers, there is no doubt as to the truth of those statements, and it’s basically why our world is filled with so much confusion and turmoil. Too many of us lack the wisdom to reverence God, while too many of us also have the foolish propensity that leans toward pride, haughtiness and self-dependence. Oh Friends, please let’s wake up and realize that we didn’t make or create ourselves, and as the vicissitudes of life so clearly show us everyday, we don’t control the tempo and circumstance of our lives either. That is all done by the One who created us, Almighty God. So please wake up and smell the roses and remember: ‘The fear (reverential awe) of the Lord is the (principal) beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.’ (Prov.1:7) Much LOVE!…one cannot be proud, haughty and irreverent towards God…and expect to prosper for long in this earthly life…
 
 
  
 
   

Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 May 2013 Psalm 18:2

01 May 2013 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Psalm 18:2.     The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler (shield), and the horn (strength) of my salvation, and my high tower (stronghold).
 
‘May day, May Day, May Day, May Day…!’ That was the shout my Friends, from an announcer in the city of Buffalo, some years back when the winning goal in a hockey game was scored by a player named Brad May. It’s one of the celebrated calls in hockey and serves as a fitting opening for today’s Bit on this first of May. Some of us old fogeys might also remember the opening days of May when we’d dance the Maypole at the annual May fairs. But I guess all those simple, enjoyable things in life have now gone the way of the dodo. Please remember too my people that May 1st is also an important day in the annals of the Labour Movement, when marches and other celebrations took place to celebrate the awakening and upliftment of the working class from the tyranny of those who owned the means of production. Unfortunately, like many things having to do with Labour, those May 1st celebrations have been relegated to the minor leagues now, but as a group, we have to be very careful because the greedy owners of industry are trying to push us back to the bad old days when Labour was woefully exploited and oppressed. And if we give them the chance, they will do just that, because they have no social conscience, and will make even healthier profits by cutting the benefits and wages of the ordinary working man … that is those who have a job, or can get one. The owners of industry don’t give a hoot about the poor, ordinary people who slave for them in their sweatshops. Just witness the disaster last week in Bangladesh, where a structurally unsound building that housed several garment factories collapsed with thousands of poorly paid, exploited workers inside. And it’s not like the owners didn’t know that the building was unsound, they just didn’t care enough to stop the operations, and therefore their enormous profits to try and fix it. And that’s the prevailing attitude these days, not only in the more impoverished countries, but also in the supposed first world nations. Why do you think all this work has been outsourced in the first place? To bolster the bottom line. The cheapness mentality that has recently invaded our society is partly to blame for the sweatshops and other disturbing actions. No longer do we expect to pay a decent price for a decently produced product. Now we expect a good product for next to nothing. That doesn’t ever happen Friends! We seem to have forgotten the old adage, attributed to Confucius: ‘Good thing no cheap, and cheap thing no good.’ Undeniable truth my people! Nowadays even some of the expensive things are no good, so what do we expect from the cheap ones eh? Have you noticed that all the rage these days in downsizing is to either cut the working man’s wage and give him more to do, or lay him off, though his wages are a pittance compared to that of the high and mighty C.E.O, whose remuneration keeps escalating, though the companies they run, keep losing enormous sums of money? The truth is, if they’d fire some of the useless, bloated, top echelon, they’d have enough money to pay the poor man a decent wage, one that he can live on, for now, even those who work several jobs, still have to use food banks and kitchens to make ends meet. What a crying shame Friends! It just speaks of the cruel inequality of resources that are becoming more unequal every day. The rich are getting richer, and the poor, poorer every day! But unfortunately, the social aspect doesn’t ever enter the equation, just the bottom line and the top echelon salary structure are all that matters. Fortunately though, the poor man has a powerful advocate, someone who truly cares about him and will consistently and continually fight on his behalf. Here’s how Bruh David describes Him in our Bit, taken from a Psalm of Thanksgiving for deliverance, when he was delivered from the hands of his enemies. ‘The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler (shield), and the horn (strength) of my salvation, and my high tower (stronghold).’ And that’s the God awesome truth, my brethren! The Lord God Jehovah is the ONLY ONE who will fight for us tooth and nail, the ONLY ONE who will never leave nor forsake us, the ONLY ONE to whom we can take all out troubles to and be assured that we’ll get a fair hearing, and some action on our oppressed behalf. Oh Friends, are we seeing the Lord in the same manner, the same light that Bruh David saw Him? I surely hope so, because if we’re not, then things will surely turn sour and disastrous for us. And we can see it happening throughout the world now, with God either absent from the hearts of a majority of the population, or He’s being made a mockery of by the surging and prevalent evildoers. Oh my brethren, we can’t allow this ungodly trend to continue, else Christ’s church will eventually be destroyed. It’s already been held in low esteem by many, the next step will be total extinction, if we don’t fight back with all the tools and weapons available to us. And where do we find the wherewithal to fight back? From our great God obviously! Bruh David spells it out again for us in Psalm 28 – A prayer for God’s help. ‘The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.’ (Ps.28:7) Oh my people, he believed that and based his whole life on it, and though it wasn’t an easy life, it turned out to be a rather successful one. We’re still talking about him and reading his words thousands of years later. The same way, my brethren, if we base our lives on the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, we too can be successful in this earthly life. As I keep saying, it won’t be easy, but it will always be interesting. Remember, Jesus never took an easy step in this world, so if we’re going to emulate His character and lifestyle, then most likely our journey won’t be a bed of roses either. But yuh see how the Father lifted Him up for His obedience and faithfulness to His purpose, so that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He’s the mighty One, the Lord of all! Well Friends, it’s the same way the Father will lift us up and reward us for our persistence, faith, trust and surrender to Him. And eventually, we’ll al be able to say, like Bruh David: ‘But I have trusted in thy mercy (LOVING-kindness); my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.’ (Ps.13:5-6) Yes my fellow believers, that’s the wise and sensible attitude we need to adopt today, if we want to be successful in this our pilgrim’s journey down here on planet earth! Much LOVE!…only in Christ Jesus…can man be assured of…truth…equal rights…and justice…
 
  
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 March 2013 Daniel 11:32

27 Mar 2013 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Daniel 11:32.     And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits.

Oh Friends, at last, at long last, we had a day yesterday akin to, that bore some resemblance to spring! Now it was still a tad nippy with a noticeable wind blowing, but you could feel the difference in the atmosphere. I can’t think of a suitable analogy at the moment, but it’s like one of those things you can’t exactly put your hands or mind on, however you just know, you can feel the difference in your spirit. The sunshine was decent, people were walking around in shirtsleeves, and there was even water running in the drains from the thawing of the snow. Wow! And all God’s people in the northern climes gave out a joyous shout of, ‘Glory Hallelujah! Spring is here at last! Thank You Lord!’ Yeh mih people, rejuvenation of the earth up north is just around the corner; wet earth, green grass, blooming flowers, budding green leaves, singing birds, buzzing bees, lots of flora and fauna, all for real. And isn’t it wonderful that it’s all happening just when our souls and spirits are also being rejuvenated by a sacrificed Christ, who will winter in the grave for three days, from this Friday, Good Friday, then is going to rise majestically, like spring time, on this Sunday, Easter Sunday, to proclaim new life for the faithful for all eternity? It sure is! Oh Friends, I get so emotional when I think about it all, that I just have to keep reminding us of the wonderful and ever-LOVING God that we serve and worship. What other supposed deity has ever come close to the standards of our Holy Trinity eh? NONE my brethren, NONE! And NONE will ever come close, because our Godhead is the ONE AND ONLY TRUE GOD IN EXISTENCE! And all God’s children sang out loud and clear: ‘Praise the Lord, for He is indeed a wonderful God, worthy to be served and praised!’ And in this Holy Week of 2013 Friends, we need to buckle down, to get real serious about the work Christ has called us to do. As our Bit so rightly declares: ‘And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt (pollute) by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits (take action).’ That comes from Daniel’s prophecy, re the scholars: ‘an amazing summary of about two hundred years of the history of the wars between Egypt and Syria that took place during the fourth through the second centuries B.C, All of these prophecies, however, were written by Daniel in the sixth century B.C.’ That’s at least a couple hundred years before the wars actually begun, solidifying the Good Book and its contents as a vehicle, a testimony of awesome truth! However Friends, we are also experiencing hard and troubled times, Life’s not getting any easier, in fact it’s getting more difficult day by day as we trundle along in our evil, ungodly ways. And it’s getting even shorter for those of us moving up the ladder of age. That means, if we want to leave a mark in this world, to make a difference as is required of us, then my brethren, we have to get serious and get our action going NOW! Tomorrow will be too late! The believers in Christ have to transform themselves into followers, meaning DO as Christ desires, not merely talk about it. Oh Friends, I don’t know how to truly galvanize us Christians to action nuh, but I know that we do need to become much more action oriented than we currently are. We need to begin seriously fighting back against the evil powers, both physical and spiritual, that are currently controlling our world. I know that saying it and doing it are two different things, and the doing is much harder. But then we need to remember that we’re indwelt by the Holy Spirit of the Most High God Jehovah, Creator of the universe and all therein, which means that we have the most powerful force in the universe right in our own backyard, so to speak. And don’t forget the scripture that so rightly and reassuringly tells us that ‘greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.’ (1 John 4:4b) And that’s gospel truth Friends: Jesus is indeed greater than Beelzebub! So we have no real excuse for our tardiness or inaction in moving the LOVE Revolution along, because the scripture also tells us: ‘For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of LOVE, and of a sound mind.’ (2 Tim.1:7) So what are we waiting for to rise up and take back what rightfully belongs to our God eh my people? It only needs our willingness now to do it. Obviously it won’t be easy, because Lucifer and his evil cronies won’t give up their ill-gotten gains without a serious fight. But as I’ve just pointed out, we have all the tools to take it away, we just need to unite, be of the same mind, have one true purpose. And unfortunately, until we seriously make a move towards Christian unity, Lucifer and his buddies will remain enthroned, continuing the successful strategy of dividing and conquering us. Oh my brethren, today I’m calling on all true believers in Christ to become followers, to unite as He desires us to do, then to get some serious action going, so we can ignite a flame over the whole world and thus ensure the success of the LOVE Revolution that our God requires us to instigate and WIN! And what better time to do it than this Easter Season, the most important time in the history of our Church, when Christ defeated death, Lucifer and the grave, and rose to glory, taking us with Him. Oh my people, Jesus requires us now to step up to the plate and fight a strong, steadfast and faithful fight, like He did in His time here on earth, and is now doing on our behalf in heaven. Please, let’s not disappoint Him and allow all His sacrifice to go to waste. I pray that today we’ll all hear this message, ponder it sincerely in our hearts, minds and souls, then rise up as one and retake our Father’s inheritance. In Jesus’ Name, I pray. Much LOVE!…true unity, real LOVE and much action…are the necessary ingredients…for the success of Jesus’ LOVE Revolution…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 27 September 2012 Ephesian 6:12

27 Sep 2012 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Inspirational Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ephesians 6:12.     For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 
 
Oh Friends, oh Friends, the ole fella’s extremely bright and bubbly this morning! Wow! I can’t even wait to write the Bit, my enthusiasm level is so high. Don’t ask me why I’m so enthusiastic this early in the morning, because nothing in particular happened over the past twenty four hours to excite me this much. I can only guess, that like Bruh David, my efforts to encourage myself in the Lord are working. (1 Sam.30:6) And all I can say is: ‘Praise be to the Lord our God, who never rejects those who seek him with sincere hearts!’ Now here is a chorus from a song by Ras Shiloh that I heard yesterday and found it rather appropriate to our current world situation. Ras Shiloh melodiously chants: ‘Give a little LOVE. Show a little LOVE. Live in righteousness. Give a little LOVE. Show a little LOVE. That’s what the world needs today.’ And isn’t that the God awesome truth my people! LOVE given and shared is about the only thing that will tone down the raging fires of hate, anger, greed, violence, cruelty, oppression and suppression that are terrorizing our wonderful world today! And undoubtedly that giving and showing of LOVE needs to start with us Christians, because the evildoers are not interested in the beautiful emotion of LOVE. However, LOVE is the mainstay of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, that’s why He sacrificed His, Holy, sinless life for us. If the Godhead that we worship didn’t LOVE us so much, none of that would ever have happened. So it’s our responsibility to keep that LOVE going…and remember, with no conditions attached – unconditionally. That’s a very important part of the whole equation my brethren. It’s our bounden duty to rise up and further the LOVE Revolution that Jesus started. And here’s the best way to begin doing so. It comes from the title of another song, one by Mavado, simply titled, ‘HOPE and PRAY.’ Yes Friends, before we can achieve anything worthwhile, we first have to engage in those two actions; HOPE and PRAY. For without HOPE we won’t last very long in, or be very attentive to any activity in which we’re involved. And without PRAYER… Oh Friends, I don’t need to tell us that without SINCERE PRAYER to our heavenly Father, most, if not all of our activities will get bogged down in failure. That means we need to first have HOPE for our families and ourselves, our neighbours, our nations and our world. Then we have to PRAY SINCERELY for the Lord to bless us and move the LOVE, mercy, forgiveness, truth, wisdom and understanding that He’s already sown in our souls, in a faithful and positive manner, so that we can make serious inroads into the evil that currently has our world in its vice-like grip. It means that we ‘be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.’ (Eph.6:10) Unfortunately though my brethren, the wickedness of Lucifer has spread all over, upstairs, downstairs and sideways, like the tentacles of an octopus. That’s why our Bit warns us so strongly about the fight we’re in. ‘For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world (age), against spiritual (hosts of) wickedness in high places.’ It’s obvious that a lot of the evil that’s permeating our world must be in the high echelons, otherwise it wouldn’t be as pervasive and powerful as it is. Many of us would be surprised to know of the great amount of demon worship that happens in high places. It brings to mind the high places in the Old Testament where the Israelites in their rebellious times worshiped foreign gods. The only difference now is that we’re doing it much more secretively. That’s why Bruh Paul says we need to ‘Put on the whole armour of God, that we may be able to stand against the wiles (evil schemes) of the devil.’ (Eph.6:11) And the armour of God, as Bruh Paul declares in Eph.6:13-18, consists of; the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the sandals of peace, the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, the Good Book. Oh Friends, unless we’re fully dressed in that spiritual armour, we’ll have an exceedingly hard time fighting the evil demons that are trying to take over our world. So please, everyday we awaken, let’s first dress ourselves in that armour. Even if we’re not leaving home, it’s still important to put it on, because we never know how, when and where Lucifer and his evil minions will strike. They can attack us right in our own homes. And we’ll end with some interesting and important words on the subject from the scholars. ‘Several activities in the Bible may involve demons. Sometimes they cause physical disease or mental suffering. However, not all mental disorders are demonic in origin. Demons also tempt people into immoral practices. They originate and propagate false doctrines taught by heretical religious groups (1 Tim.4:1). The Bible also teaches that some people were possessed by demons (Mark 1:23). Although demons are committed to do evil, God will use them to accomplish His plan during the end of the age (Rev.16:14) Illustrations: Demons are also objects of worship in various occult practices forbidden by God. These include divination (an illegitimate means of determining the will of God), necromancy (efforts to communicate and interrogate the dead), magic (using formulas and incantations), sorcery (perhaps the nonmedical use of drugs), witchcraft, and astrology (Deut.18:10-12) Application: When the Ephesian Christians who were “dabbling” in the occult repented, there was a great revival in that place. No Christian can ever justify his participation in demonic activities. (Ex.7:11; Eph.6:12; Heb.1:4) There you have it Friends. No participation in demonic activities. Rather fight them to the death in our spiritual armour. Please pay serious attention to this message, because if we’re not prepared, Lucifer will breach our souls and cause us much heartache. Much LOVE!…if you’re not properly attired for battle…then you’ve lost before you’ve even begun…  P.S. Please read the scriptural references provided by the scholars. They are authentic and will give us greater understanding of the subject. Much LOVE!
 

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