Today’s Scrip-Bit 8 February 2013 Psalm 121:8

08 Feb 2013 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 121:8.     The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Oh Friends, it’s Friday – Carnival Friday to boot!. So you can imagine the joyful shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God is Friday!’ that are being let loose in places like Rio, New Orleans, The French West Indies, and T&T, where the party is now getting into full swing. Mama Mia! But unfortunately we in the Great White North, in particular Southern Ontario and the North  Eastern U.S. are expecting to be battered by a terrible snowstorm this Carnival Friday. It’s supposed to be a two-pronged storm; one coming from Texas and the other from Alberta, meeting and greeting in our territory. Ah Lord eh! What I wouldn’t give to be in T&T now! But I guess that’s why we have dreams. (smile) It’s already totally white outside, and they’re saying that’s just the start of something big moving through the area during the morning rush hour. So please be very careful my brethren, if you have occasion to go out. If you don’t have to, don’t go. This is one time I fervently hope that the weather forecasters are wrong. Anyway, with all that in mind, let’s chant our Friday Chant, with even more enthusiasm and prayerfulness than usual. As one vocal body 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.’ That should settle down those who have to drive in the stupid snow, allay their fears some, and put the assurance of God in their hearts. And for those in the party places, remember to go easy on the bacchanal, cause that’s when you tend to fall out of the frying pan and into the fire. Don’t forget our wise reminder: Drunk or sober, mind yuh business. Now turning to our Bit, which is rather appropriate for the weather we have outside: ‘The Lord shall preserve (keep) thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.’ Yes my people, that’s the unequivocal promise of our mighty and LOVING God to those who put their sincere trust in Him, to those who surrender their entire beings to His godly care! As the Psalm titled, God’s sustaining power, so emphatically declares before our Bit: ‘My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved (slip): he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is thy keeper (protector): the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve (keep) thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.’ (Ps.121:2-7) Oh Friends, none of the other supposed gods can promise anything even close to that, and keep it too! So why do we still insist on doubting our Creator, Controller, LOVING Father and Provider eh? From since the days of old, when Moses told the Israelites about the blessings of obedience, these were instilled in our consciousness. ‘Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shall thou be when thou goest out. The Lord shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten (defeated) before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.’ (Deut.28:6-7) My oh my! What wonderful promises my people! It couldn’t get any better than that! Consequently, I just can’t understand how we ignore those amazing promises to our own hurt and demise. And Cousin Sol, in his great wisdom, enthusiastically declares: ‘He keepeth the paths of judgement (guards the paths of justice), and preserveth the way of his saints.’ (Prov.2:8) We are those saints Friends! That means the Lord looks out for us wherever we go, and in whatever we do. Meanwhile, hear how Hannah, Samuel’s mother, proclaims it in her song of praise and joy, after the Lord struck down her barrenness and opened up her womb with fruit. ‘He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn (strength) of his anointed.’ (1 Sam.2:9-10) What strong words of encouragement my brethren! Our God is so strong and purposeful to those who LOVE Him and walk in his ways! And we’ll end with one more wise saying of Cousin Sol; one that all of us should know and diligently adhere to. ‘In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct (make smooth or straight) thy paths.’ (Prov.3:6) Yes Friends, when we give our lives to Jesus, then He leads and guides us in the proper direction we should go, through His Holy Spirit that dwells within us. So please, today, let’s all consider if we have done that, and if we’re therefore walking the straight and narrow path that Jesus walks. If not, then let’s get right on it, and turn our lives over to the ONLY ONE who is able to save us from sinful death and eternal separation from Almighty God. That, my people, is the wisdom of the ages. Much LOVE!…we can only walk this earth safely…if we’re protected by the…LOVE and care of Jesus…

 

 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 January 2013 2 Chronicles 24:20

03 Jan 2013 Leave a comment

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

2 Chronicles 24:20.    And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the Lord, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the Lord, he hath also forsaken you.
 
Oh Friends, I came to write the Bit just now, with no intro in mind. But as usual, the Lord, in His awesome LOVING-kindness pointed me to one. I went to straighten out a picture on my cluttered desk and inadvertently disturbed some other stuff, amongst them a couple of the sayings we find in the Chinese fortune cookies. And while replacing them, this particular one, struck me as being rather relevant to today. It simply says: ‘All that we are arises with our thoughts.’ And that’s ever so true my people, because our thoughts are what guide and propel our actions. That means bad or evil thoughts will lead to similar actions, while good, wholesome thoughts will bring good, wholesome actions. And that’s exactly what we’re trying to do at the beginning of this New Year via our Bit; change our concentration from being uppermost on Lucifer and the mindless things of the world, to Jesus and the awesome, soul-inspiring things of heaven. ‘And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the Lord, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the Lord, he hath also forsaken you.’ The Bit is quite plain and to the point Friends. The people of Israel had turned from the God of their fathers, who had given them prosperity, to worshipping idols. And it’s obvious if you worship idols, or any other supposed god beside He of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, you will not prosper. Moses said that to the Israelites, long, long ago. ‘And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress (overstep) the commandment of the Lord? but it shall not prosper (succeed). Go not up, for the Lord is not among you; that ye be not smitten before (defeated by) your enemies. For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the Lord, therefore the Lord will not be with you.’ (Num.14:41-43) But they didn’t listen to Moses, rebelliously went out to battle, and were totally slaughtered. The same thing happened with our Bit. The king Joash had been saved as a baby by his sister Jeho-shabeath from the wicked queen Athaliah, who usurped the throne after her son Ahaziah’s death, killing all the royal heirs. Now, Jeho-shabeath was the wife of Jehoiada the priest, and they hid Joash in the temple for six years, while Athaliah reigned wickedly over the land. (2 Chr.22) In the fullness of time though, through Jehoiada’s influence and cunning, the people rebelled against Athaliah, slew her and made Joash king at the age of 7. ‘And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest.’ (2 Chr.24:20) However, after Jehoiada died at age 130, Joash listened to the fawning princes of the land who came and made obeisance to him. ‘And they left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served groves (wooden images) and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.’ (2 Chr.24:18) But our God LOVES us so much that He just doesn’t give up on us. ‘Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the Lord; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.’ (2 Chr.24:19) Oh Friends, that’s the same thing that’s happening in our crazy, confused, misguided world today! The Lord’s sending His messengers to us to tell us repent and come back to Him, else our lives will be devastated. But just like the Israelites of old, we’re not listening. We still insist on going about our own disobedient, rebellious way, instead of doing God’s will. What do you think will be the eventual out come eh? Listen to this. When the Holy Spirit came upon Zechariah and he testified against his people, they conspired against him, and stoned him on the orders of Joash, the king. Joash conveniently forgot the goodness of Zechariah’s father, Jehoiada, who raised him like his own son. But remember Friends, our God says that revenge is His, and he will repay in due time. (Deut.32:35) Consequently, at the end of that year, the Syrian army invaded Judah and Jerusalem, killed the princes, left Joash badly wounded, and sent an abundance of spoil back to Damascus. (2 Chr.24:23) Now please listen carefully to this next verse Friends. ‘For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the Lord delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers. So they executed judgement against Joash.’ (2 Chr.24:24) Yuh see mih people, the Lord rights all wrongs in His own way and time! And believe me, right now He is righting some of our wrongs with the devastating changes and problems we’re facing. That’s why I’m urging us to repent and turn back to Jehovah God this year of 2013. It’s imperative that we do so Friends, because I believe this will be a watershed, make or break year. Hear how Cousin Sol tells it in Proverbs. ‘He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.’ (Prov.28:13) It couldn’t be any plainer than that mih breddren. Life is tough all around and none of the schemes or solutions of men are working because the problems are too big and complex for our puny minds to even conceive, much less solve. And if we can’t solve our problems, then the only logical and wise move is to turn to Jehovah God, the Creator, Controller and Provider of the universe. And we’ll end with this appropriate piece of scripture, a warning from the prophet Azariah. Please pay close attention to it, because it’s exactly what’s happening right now. ‘And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded. And he went out to meet (before) Asa, (the king) and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law. But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them. And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations (turmoil) were upon all the inhabitants of the countries. And nation was destroyed of (by) nation, and city of city: for God did vex (trouble) them with all adversity. Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.’ (2 Chr.15:1-7) That’s the Word of the Lord Friends; we shall either live by it, or die without it. Much LOVE!…he who does not obey…will certainly pay…that’s the Lord’s decree from day one…and it hasn’t changed…neither will it ever…
 
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 6 October 2012 Romans 8:32

06 Oct 2012 Leave a comment

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

Romans 8:32.     He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things.
 
Bonjour mes amis! (smile) That’s supposed to be the French equivalent of ‘Good morning my Friends.’ And though in my area it was a wet, rainy night, and the day has begun cloudy and damp, it is definitely a good morning! First of all because we’re alive and kicking, with the breath of life from God flowing generously and graciously through our bodies. Then, most importantly, we have Jesus as our Lord and Saviour! Wow! So how could it be anything but a good morning eh my people? And I have a li’l something to share that helps make life even better. I don’t think I’ve shared it before, and it seems like something I’ve rustled up myself. It’s not earth shattering, but certainly enlightening and helpful. It says: ‘The Gospel is the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ and His offer of Salvation, through His Birth, Death, Burial and Resurrection, to be received by Faith!’ And without a doubt Friends, that’s indeed GOOD NEWS! In fact it’s the BEST NEWS available here on earth! And it blends in beautifully with our Bit: ‘He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things.’ That’s just simple logic and common sense my brethren. For if the Lord sacrificed the life of His ONLY Son Jesus for us, which is the greatest sacrifice that was ever made, why wouldn’t He give us the lesser things we need to live a righteous earthly life eh? No reason why not! And the verse that precedes our Bit, which we all know and like to quote conveniently, certainly enhances it. ‘What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?’ (Rom.8:31) And the emphatic answer to that question my Friends, is a big NOBODY! I think we can best explain our Bit by turning to Romans 5, where Bruh Paul talks about the results of justification. Beginning in verse 6, he rightfully declares: ‘For when we were yet without strength, in due time (at the right time), Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet peradventure (perhaps) for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his (demonstrates his own) LOVE toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now (having been) justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being (having been) reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement (reconciliation).’ (Rom.5:6-11) Yes Friends, if while we were still abominable sinners, and thus enemies of the holy, righteous and just God, He allowed His Son to be sacrificed for us, then all things; joy, reconciliation, salvation, etc. etc. are now and forever more ours, if we believe in Jesus as Lord and Saviour. And the scholars add this colour commentary on our Bit. ‘For us all: This does not teach or necessitate limited atonement (the view that Christ died only for the elect), for Christ died for all the sins of all the world (2 Cor.5:19). His death is effective unto salvation, however, only for those who call upon the name of the Lord. (Rom.10:13,17).’ Yes my brethren, contrary to some opinions, Christ didn’t die for the elect few, but paid the price for ALL sin, for ALL time, for ANY INDIVIDUAL who acknowledges Him as the WAY, the TRUTH, the LIFE, and the LIGHT, and thus the ONLY MEANS by which Salvation can be had! And earlier on in Romans 4, where Bruh Paul talks about the promise realized through faith, and says of Abraham: ‘He staggered (wavered) not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong (strengthened) in the faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded (convinced) that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for (because of) our offenses, and was raised again for (because of) our justification.’ (Rom.4:20-25) Here’s the scholar’s commentary: ‘But for us also: The principle of justification valid for Abraham is valid for all believers. Raised again for our justification: Because Jesus was raised from the dead we know that His sacrifice on Calvary was accepted in God’s sight and Jesus’ righteousness is available to all.’ Yes Friends, ALL that Jesus did, is available to ALL who call on the Father through His Holy, glorious name. That’s what is so great about Christianity; it’s an all inclusive body, not exclusive like some other faiths. And all you need to do is to call on Jesus’ name in sincere repentance and receive salvation through the free gift of God’s wonderful grace! How can anything be better than that on this troubled planet earth eh? So my people, I implore us to remember our wonderful heritage as Christians, and the awesome price Jesus paid for our redemption. Consequently let’s do our best to use it wisely, and spread His Word as He commissioned us, (Matt.28:19-20) because it will be our great loss if we don’t. Much LOVE!…Christians should use the power of Christ to build His church…as He desires…not to tear it down…as some are doing…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 7 September 2012 Psalm 89:15

07 Sep 2012 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 89:15.    Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance. 
 
‘Friday, Friday! Oh how we LOVE that day! Friday, Friday! The weekend’s on its way!’ Yes Friends, it’s Friday, and we’re all exuberantly declaring: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ You know, even the weak and tired find strength to be exuberant on Fridays. Hn! And no other day of the week creates such excitement. The strange part though is that Friday itself, doesn’t do all that much, we still have to go to work, but it’s a joyful harbinger of the weekend and certainly ratchets up our expectation and enthusiasm for those two short days off. But remember though that we can’t afford to get too carried away by the freedom of the weekend. Like all else in our walk of faith, we have to handle it in and with the right perspective. And to help us do that, let’s chant our Friday Chant with much verve and enthusiasm. As usual let’s give the angels something to talk about, and bring a big, bright, proud smile to Jesus’ face and His heart, letting Him know that we truly LOVE and glorify the Father and Him, in this our song of praise. All together 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.’ Yes Friends, now we can go ahead and make plans for the weekend, knowing that we’re doing so from a wise and stable foundation. And I just LOVE it too that our Bit talks about making music to God. Listen as Ethan the Ezrahite declares the power of God’s blessing in his contemplation, titled, God’s sure promises to Bruh David. ‘Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.’ And that’s the living truth my brethren! From the earliest days, music has always been and essential and intrinsic part of worshipping our wonderful God. When we make music to and for God, our spirits are rejuvenated, we see Him in the true and brilliant light that emanates from Him, and consequently, to our great benefit, we walk in that light. Now hear how Ethan continues after our Bit: ‘In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn (our strength) shall be exalted. For the Lord is our defense (our shield); and the Holy One of Israel is our king.’ (Ps.89:16-18) What awesome words of wisdom and truth my people! Now Friends, this musical appreciation doesn’t look as though it was dreamed up by man, but was a direct command of the Lord. Numbers 10 describes it.  ‘And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. (Num.10:2) Blowing on both trumpets simultaneously would be a sign for all to assemble at the door of the tabernacle. When only one trumpet was blown, that would be a sign for the princes, leaders of the tribes to gather round Moses. (Num.10:3-4) ‘And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance (statute) for ever throughout your generations. And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets, and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies. Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn (appointed) days, and in the beginning of your months, ye shall blow with your trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the Lord your God.’ (Num.10:8-10) Yes mih people, our God is high on His music! Note too that when the end time arrives, we’ll also be singing and making music in heaven, worshipping and glorifying the Lamb that was slain for us, and the Father who gave Him up through a heart that abounded with LOVE for us, His sinful creation. Listen to how John saw it in Revelations. ‘And he (the Lamb) came and took the book (of life) out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts (living creatures) and four and twenty elders fell down before the lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials (bowls) full of odours (incense), which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred (tribe) and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.’ (Rev.5:7-10) Oh mih people, it won’t just be partying in heaven, or on the new earth, but you better believe music will still play a vital role in our worship of the Everlasting Trinity. So let’s get accustomed to it from now nuh, with much singing and praising! (smile) Much LOVE!…to LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Him…is to sing His praises…night and day…   P.S. I want to say Happy Birthday to my mother Molly. She would have been 86 years young today. If they celebrate birthdays in heaven, where she is, I’m sure they’re celebrating with her. And if they don’t, I’m sure they’re still singing up a storm of thanks and praise. (smile) Much LOVE! 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 3 August 2012 Proverbs 13:12

03 Aug 2012 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 13:12.     Hope deferred maketh the heart sick, but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.
 
Oh Friends, it’s Friday! Caribana Friday to boot! So you can imagine the numerous ‘TGIF’s!’ and ‘Thank God it’s Friday!’ that are reverberating around this wonderful city of Toronto. In fact, T.O has been hopping with Caribana fever for the past week. And the fever will only get hotter and sweatier (smile) as the days progress. Even the ole fella’s enthusiasm has risen a few notches, just knowing that my Auntie Anne and Uncle John will be in town from New York for the celebrations. Mamacita! Hope to play a mas with them tonight in the Pan Competition at Lamport Stadium. And since my Uncle John is an ole pan man from back in the days of Highlanders with their high pan, when plenty people ridiculed them, it’ll be interesting to hear his take on the quality of the pan up here. I remember liking Highlanders from day one, and every time I’d go down the Bay in Scarborough, I’d play their famous single ‘Let every valley be exalted’ on the jukebox in Scobie’s parlour. And I’ve lived to see the day when high pan is now the norm, rather than the exception. Just goes to show what hope and faith in your God-given desires can accomplish. The leaders of Highlanders could have just allowed it to die as so many people were against it. But they didn’t. I guess that’s the way we humans are; we resist change, resist getting out of our comfort zone, even if it’s for the better, because change is usually disruptive and disconcerting. However, on a personal level, it seems like the Good Lord might be putting a spoke in my wheel, or perchance issuing a warning, since my knees have been pain free all week, until last night when one of them began hurting. Hn! And if that continues, then there’s no way I’m going to the Caribana Parade on Saturday. But Friends, the good news is that our God’s a great, good-hearted, LOVING and healing God, and if He wants me to go, He can heal me in time to do so. Praise the Lord! That’s what Christianity is all about Friends; a strong hope, trust and faith in our Lord God Jehovah, Creator and Controller of the universe! Now to get a proper perspective on this celebratory weekend, let’s chant our Friday Chant in loud voice and most excellent enthusiasm. Thought I’d forgotten it nuh. (smile) As one divine choir 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.’ Yes mih people, celebrate, but remember to mind yuh p’s and q’s, and also don’t forget, as Granny says, that drunk or sober to mind yuh business, because we don’t want to give the enemy even one iota of space to invade our souls. And as you can see from our Bit: ‘Hope deferred maketh the heart sick, but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life,’ that we’re going to stick with the topic of Hope today, because it’s such an integral and vital part of our belief system and too many believers, for one reason or another are either losing hope completely or experiencing a sad lessening of it. And when the seed of hope doesn’t flourish in us Friends, it also means our trust and faith in God, as well as His joy are decreasing too, because they are all intertwined. And that’s never a good thing. Living for Jesus is not a one and done thing, but like plants and babies, our growth is a continuous process, where we move from strength to strength. It’s like going to school too, where we can’t move up to a higher grade until we pass the tests of the lower one. As Bruh Paul says, we first need to drink spiritual milk, before we can eat solid spiritual food. (Heb.5:11-14)  And HOPE is the emotion that fuels all our spiritual endeavours. It’s like the gas that a car needs before it can run. Hope makes believers run. So let’s go home now with some scriptures that impart hope to our hopeful souls. And we’ll begin with words from a contemplation of Bruh David, where he’s seeking preservation and blessing. ‘I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest (dwell securely) in hope.’ (Ps.16:8-9) Yes Friends, if we set the Lord before us in all our doings, as our be all and end all, both our spirit and our flesh will experience oodles of hope. Then the author of Psalm 119 say is thus: ‘Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope.’ (Ps.119:116) Oh my people, we’ll never be ashamed of our hope if it’s centred in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour! Meanwhile this verse on hope from Zechariah just thrills me. Talking about Zion’s future king, he solemnly proclaims: ‘Turn you to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope: even today do I declare that I will render (restore) double unto thee.’ (Zech.9:12) Oh Friends, I certainly hope that we all belong to that august group, ‘the prisoners of hope.’ For as I said yesterday, we’re lost and done like dinner without it. And finally Jeremiah, in his Lamentations, truthfully declares: ‘It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.’ (Lam.3:26) Please my brethren, let’s follow that sage advice of Jeremiah nuh, so that our lives will be greatly enriched with all the good things of God; hope, faith, trust, surrender, forgiveness, mercy, unconditional LOVE, salvation and eternal life. This I pray on the precious blood of Jesus spilled for us at Calvary! Amen. Much LOVE my people!…to hope…to hope…and yet to hope…that is the way of the true believer…

 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 1 August 2012 Proverbs 9:9

01 Aug 2012 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 9:9.    Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

Oh Friends, can you believe it’s August 1st already? Wow! This year of 2012 is more than half done. The summer is almost done too, since by Labour Day, in early September, those chilly autumn winds will begin to blow and the trees will go into winter hibernation mode, losing their leaves and looking like the naked ‘undead.’ (smile) And do you remember that at the start of the year we all sincerely promised that our first and foremost new year resolution would be to increase our passion and faith in Christ, then use that heightened maturity to also increase our efforts in His service; namely by going around doing good and helping others as He did on His earthly sojourn? The question now Friends, is have we kept that resolution? Can we truthfully say that on each day of our earthly pilgrimage this year, we’ve aspired to do good and help others? Or have we just gone along with the prevalent laissez-faire, shrug your shoulders, so what attitude of present day Christianity? I certainly hope it’s the former, otherwise we’re in deep trouble with the Lord. For if we made a vow to God to improve our efforts on His behalf and haven’t done so, then we’ll have to come up with some excellent reason(s) why not. Please remember these wise words of advice form the Preacher: ‘When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer (delay) not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.’ (Eccl.5:4-5) Oh my people, that’s one of the things seriously wrong with our world today. Our word has no meaning, no sincerity, no trustworthiness. We make promises quite easily and quickly, for the wrong reasons too, then we turn around and break them just as easily and quickly, with little or no regret. Please note though, that our God doesn’t play that game. If He promises something, He delivers, and He expects the same from us. So let us each consider what promises we’ve made in the last little while, both to God and man, and try and keep them, or if it’s too late to do so, at least sincerely apologize for our shortcoming. That’s what our Bit is saying: ‘Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.’ Yes Friends, I’m giving us wise people (smile) good advice from the Good Book to keep our promises, and I know that we’ll all become wiser because we’re all going to heed that most excellent advice. And since we’re also just people, walking righteously with the Lord, then we will remember that teaching and also improve our mental faculties. Ah mih breddren, I wish it was as simple and easy as it sounds. But working for Jesus is never easy or simple, because we’re still too tuned in to the mores of the world, and thus many of us get led astray by unfortunate circumstance and evil people. Remember yesterday we noted that our world was suffering from a hot of bad decisions based on wrong advice from supposed experts? Now how could so many learned people be wrong eh? It’s quite simple Friends. They were not complying with the foundational rules of the universe as set out by our Creator in His all-inclusive Guide to a Good World, His Book of Eternal Wisdom, the Bible! And if you start out with the wrong premise, building your foundation on soft, sandy soil, what else can you expect but disaster when the storm rages? Oh Friends, the Lord God created us and gave us the Bible, the truth of His Word to live by, admonishing us to live by it or suffer disastrous consequences. Let’s look at a few of those scriptures that so carefully and caringly warn us. ‘And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress (overstep) the commandment of the Lord? but it shall not prosper (succeed).’ (Num.14:41) Yes my brethren, that’s simple and straightforward: If you disobey the Lord’s command, your venture will not succeed. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand it. Neither do the following scriptures. Re the blessings of obedience, Moses told the Israelites: ‘And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.’ (Deut.28:2) And it goes on to list eleven (11) verses of blessings. Now listen to the consequences of disobedience, many of which we’re currently suffering: ‘But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto (obey) the voice of the Lord thy God, to (carefully) observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curse shall come upon thee, and overtake thee.’ (Deut.28:15) The difference here Friends is that it then goes on to list fifty three (53) verses of curses! So you do the math and tell me which avenue is fraught with more hardship eh. And what completely amazes me is that there’s plenty proof, from the Israelites right back to our present time that indeed show that wisdom in serving the Lord leads to prosperity, while disobedience leads to death and destruction. But man is so full of his stupid self that he feels he can control and outdo His Maker. Hn! It’s just like the robots we’re now building to do all sorts of stuff to make our lives easier. One day they too will want to take over the running of the show from us. Oh Friends, let’s be wise and learn nuh, and aspire to only accept good advice, like what we’ll close with. ‘Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper (have success or act wisely) whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of (shall be constantly in) thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh.1:7-8) Oh my people, there’s nothing else to say, for that’s the best advice we can ever receive…straight from God to Joshua. Let’s be wise and heed it nuh. That’s the only way our world will improve. Much LOVE!…he who has ears to hear…let him hear…and in the hearing…hopefully he’ll also get wisdom to understand…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 29 July 2012 Acts 5:29

29 Jul 2012 Leave a comment

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

Acts 5:29.     Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

Oh Friends, another glorious morn is preparing to come up over the distant horizon. Soon the Sun will be blazing forth in all its glory and majesty, just like the SON will do when He returns. In the meanwhile though, His true followers must reflect His light in a world so badly affected by the darkness that is evil. Jesus said: ‘Ye are the light of the world…Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt.5:14,16) Therefore, in this evil world, Christians are to shine like a bright beacon on a hill in a dark, stormy night, so that weary travellers will be safely guided in their long, dangerous, earthly journey and finally end up at a place of rest, comfort, caring and peace. A place called the everlasting, ever-LOVING arms of Jesus. Yes Friends, we believers ought to be perceived by the unbelievers as guiding lights in a dark, destructive and wicked world! And here’s a quote by the famous Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) that wisely and rightly endorses Jesus’ contention. ‘Life is not a “brief candle.” It is a splendid torch that I want to make burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.’ Gospel truth Friends, gospel truth! I guess we can compare it to the passing of the torch in the Olympic Games, the current edition of which is now taking place in England. Many of you must have seen the lavish opening ceremonies two days ago. I never planned to watch it, but the Lord in His mysterious ways had me do so. I had taped a football game and when I went to watch it, lo and behold the opening ceremony of the games jumped out at me. Obviously I was a bit perturbed, figuring that the football game had been bypassed for the ceremony, so I watched it. Now it was indeed a good show, but after writing the Bit that day about all the hunger, poverty, pain and the many other negatives in our world crying out for money, I was somewhat angered by it all. But we’ll leave that alone, for all the big, expensive, waste of time festivals that only enrich the already rich, don’t sit well with me. Anyway, the billion dollar question (a million is too small now) is how do we begin to shine that light of Jesus, so that we can pass that bright torch to future generations? Well, we’ve got to start with the principle laid out in our Bit: ‘Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.’ Yes mih people, all our good intentions are of no use until we actually begin obeying God’s sound principles and not the selfish, greedy, evil ones of man. We saw how the apostles put the Jewish council in their place when they told them to stop preaching Christ. Another excellent example of that is Daniel and his friends. When the Jewish teens were brought to Babylon and enrolled in a training programme to convert them to the Chaldean image, the young men refused to eat food offered up to idols or pray to the heathen gods. The Good Book tells us: ‘But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat (delicacies), nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.’ (Dan.1:8) Oh my people, how many of us today have the parts to stand up to the world’s evil and refuse to bow to their wickedness and idolatrous ways? Not sufficient of us I believe, otherwise our world wouldn’t be in such a sad state. But here’s what happens when we do. ‘Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender LOVE (sympathy) with the prince of the eunuchs.’ (Dan.1:9) Yes Friends, when we’re prepared to stand up faithful and strong for God, He will help us in whatever we’re going through. Remember that promise to never leave or forsake us. (Heb.13:5) Daniel and his friends chose to eat vegetables and drink water rather than the idol offered food of the king, and they ended up looking better than all the others in the programme. The Good Book also declares: ‘As for these four children (young men), God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning (literature) and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.’ (Dan.1:17) Praise the Lord Friends! He blessed the young men so that they were the fairest and brightest amongst the lot, and could therefore go forth into the heathen world and proclaim His glory. We know how three of the four were thrown into the fire and came out untouched, not even smelling of smoke. They had previously told king Nebuchadnezzar about their God saving them from the fire. ‘But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.’ (Dan.3:18) Oh mih bredden, it certainly took plenty B, B, and B, (balls, belly and backbone) for those young men to talk like that to an absolute monarch, one who could do whatever he desired with them. Likewise Daniel, when the jealous leaders plotted to have him thrown into the lion’s den for continuing to pray to his God despite the king’s decree. Daniel just kept right on believing in, following and praying to the God of his fathers. (Dan.6:10) And when he was finally thrown into the lion’s den, the Lord shut the lions mouth and he came out completely unharmed. (Dan.6:14-23) Oh Friends, such is the power of our omnipotent God! Remember that nothing is impossible for Him, and if we faithfully worship and obey Him, He will work wonders in our lives. Note how He used Daniel over some sixty years to bring three heathen kings to their knees and acknowledge His supremacy. ‘Then king Darius wrote unto all the people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men (must) tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and steadfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He deilvereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power (paw) of the lions.’ (Dan.6:25-27) And all God’s people raised a mighty shout of ‘Amen!’ to heaven. Much LOVE my people!…when we stand up for Jesus…He will also stand up for us…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 29 March 2012 Leviticus 19:18‏

29 Mar 2012 Leave a comment

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

Leviticus 19:18.     Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.
 

Hi there mih people! How goes it? I hope it all goes well with you. And if by chance it doesn’t, then I certainly hope that you are resting safe and secure in the LOVING arms of Jesus, giving ALL your problems to Him, while taking up His easy yoke and light burden, for that’s why He sacrificed His holy, innocent life on our behalf. He redeemed our sins so that we could live a decent, comfortable, prosperous life here on earth. But by the same token, we also have a very important part to play in making His words come true. And today Friends, you’re not going to hear much from me, cause I’m going to jam us with scripture. And I can hear some of you in the background saying, ‘Thank you Lord.’ (smile) Today we’re going to invest in scripture that pertains to the second most important command of our God, which we are not obeying, and which is causing a myriad of serious problems in our world. And it all begins with our Bit: ‘Thou shalt not avenge (take vengeance), nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.’ Yesterday we looked at scripture that pertained to the first part, vengeance, today we’ll look at some that deal with the second half; LOVING our neighbours as ourselves. But first, here’s a scripture on vengeance that I just discovered and felt compelled to share. It’s from Proverbs, wise words of Cousin Sol. ‘Say not thou, I will recompense (repay) evil; but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee.’ (Prov.20:22) Please remember that Friends: REVENGE is the Lord’s job, not ours. We have to wait patiently and let Him do His thing on our behalf in His own, good time. Now moving on to the second part of our Bit: ‘thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself.’ Oh Friends, when I consider how we disobey that command, I just have to bow my head in shame and ask the Lord to be merciful unto us, because our lack of decency towards each other is the major source of most of our problems. We will never like everybody, but it’s our God-given responsibility, as Christians, to treat each other decently; be kind, merciful and forgiving. Remember Jesus said that whatever we sow we shall eventually reap. And my people, that’s exactly what’s happening in our world today; we’re reaping the evil fruits of the evil seeds we’ve sown. Can you imagine what a truly wonderful world this would be if we just treated each other the way we’d like to be treated? Oh mih breddren, there’d be such joy in heaven and also here on earth! But we’ve become so selfish and greedy that we expect others to treat us well, even though we treat them like garbage. Anyway, enough of me, let’s get to the scriptures I promised before time and space runs out. And we’ll start with Jesus during the famous Sermon on the Mount, where He proclaimed: ‘Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, LOVE your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully (spitefully) use you, and persecute you. That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven; for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye LOVE them which LOVE you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans (tax collectors) the same? And if ye salute (greet) your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.’ (Matt.5:43-48) Oh Friends, that’s the bedrock of Jesus’ philosophy; do good regardless of the circumstances. And I did not plan to quote all of that, but the Spirit said to do it, so therefore being the obedient son I am, I did. (smile) Then later on in Matthew 19, when the rich, young ruler asks Jesus about gaining eternal life, He quotes him the Ten Commandments, amongst them being: ‘Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself.’ (Matt.19:19) Again, when some smart aleck lawyer tries to give Jesus a run for His money and asks about how to inherit eternal life, Jesus asked him what was written in the law? The lawyer replied: ‘Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he (Jesus) said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.’ (Luke 10:27-28) But like most lawyers, thinking they’re so smart, he tries to one-up Jesus by asking who was his neighbour. This led Jesus to tell them the parable of the Good Samaritan. And right there Friends, we have what’s wrong with our world. The priest and Levite, supposed holy and righteous men of his own culture were too busy and selfish to look after the injured man. But the Samaritan, a veritable enemy, had the Love, mercy and kindness to stop and look after him. Oh my brethren, that’s the kind of world Jesus wants us to build! As He said earlier, LOVE thine enemies, that way they’ll see the real Christian Spirit of Jesus in us. Think back to the Bit a few days ago where we spoke of the Anglican minister with the two Muslim workers, working in harmony to help all and sundry, regardless of race or creed. That’s what LOVING our neighbours as ourselves truly is. And for all of our sakes, let’s try to do more of that nuh Friends, so that out heavenly Father will smile down on us. It’s definitely in our own best interest. Much LOVE!…it can’t be said too often… you reap what you sow…so sow good seed…that you may reap good fruit…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 March 2012 Romans 15:5

20 Mar 2012 Leave a comment

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

Romans 15:5.     Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus.

Oh Friends, it’s another beautiful summer’s day, (smile) and we’re alive and kicking! Glory Hallelujah! Though this is officially the first day of spring, it’s really been like summer this past week, and looks to continue. Our wonderful God, in His great LOVE and mercy, has granted us another day on planet! And all God’s people declared in a loud and grateful voice: ‘Thank you God!’ And let’s not only mouth that thanks, but also show it in action by going out into the evil and ungodly world in which we now live and doing stuff that fits into God’s will. Let’s be obedient, LOVING, kind, generous, merciful, and forgiving – all the things that God is; for to be truly considered His followers, we must also have those attributes and then put them into action. As I keep reminding us, Christianity is an action based movement. All talk and no action is a waste of Jesus’ time. Now here are some of the things Jesus does in a little more detail, from Anne Graham Lotz’s book, My Jesus is…Everything: ‘MY JESUS – He supplies strength to the weary. He increases power to the faint. He offers escape to the tempted. He sympathizes with the hurting. He saves the hopeless. He shields the helpless. He sustains the homeless. He gives purpose to the aimless. He gives reason to the meaningless. He gives fulfillment to our emptiness. He gives light in the darkness. He gives comfort in our loneliness. He gives fruit in our barrenness. He gives heaven to the hopeless. He gives life to the lifeless! MY JESUS…is EVERYTHING!’ Oh Friends, isn’t that the gospel truth of all gospel truths! Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ is truly EVERYTHING we can ever need or desire! That’s why I can\t understand how we can turn away from Him. But something is obviously wrong somewhere, for too many of us are still behaving like lost sheep, with no shepherd or master. Bruh Paul obviously knew our penchant for stubbornness and waywardness, and thus pleaded with us in our Bit: ‘Now the God of patience and consolation (comfort) grant you to be like-minded one to another according to Christ Jesus.’ But I’m sure he’s groaning mightily and turning over in his grave right now, having seen how badly we’ve strayed from his plea. Oh my brethren, I don’t believe that any organization, large or small is as divided and divisive as Christ’s Church. It’s a sad but unfortunately true commentary. And the hurtful part is that it’s mostly small-minded, selfish, unimportant stuff that’s separating us. And though we can’t expect to agree on everything, the body of Christ should NEVER be as divided and confrontational as it is, pervading the entire organization, from top to bottom, from local to international. Then it’s also between different religions, who all profess to have Christ as their leader. Nor is Christianity the only faith that has these problems. All the other major faiths also have a lot of infighting. No wonder our world is in such a sorry state. What a dreadful waste, what crying shame! Bruh Paul knew how important unity was for the church’s survival, thus his saying it to several churches. To the Romans, he earlier said: ‘Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not (do not set your mind on) high things, but condescend to men of low estate (associate with the humble). Be not wise in your own conceits (estimation).’ (Rom.12:16) Meanwhile, in exhorting the Philippians to steadfastness, he pleads: ‘Only let your conversation (conduct) be as it becometh (be worthy of) the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.’ (Phil.1:27) Then in Chapter 2, he again implores: ‘Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same LOVE, being of one accord, of one mind.’ (Phil.2:2) And in 2nd Corinthians, his conclusion and benediction, he pleads with heartfelt fervour: ‘Finally brethren, farewell. Be perfect (complete), be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of LOVE and peace shall be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints salute (greet) you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the LOVE of God, and the communion (fellowship) of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.’ (2 Cor.13:11-14) And that Friends is my wish and prayer for us all today! In closing, please remember that though coming together will not happen overnight, it certainly depends on each believer coming to the serious realization that without unity, the Church of Christ is doomed! And the sooner we reconcile with each other, the sooner our LOVE Revolution will succeed. Much LOVE!…working together is the only way to success…
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 9 March 2012 Psalm 78:32‏

09 Mar 2012 Leave a comment

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

Psalm 78:32.   For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.
 
Oh my blessed Friends in Christ, it’s Friday! The end of the workweek is here! And all God’s people declared a lusty shout of  ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ Whatever tiredness prevailed in their souls, bodies and minds from the week’s struggles was lifted with the thought of the weekend of rest, of fellowship and the praising of God in like-minded company. And to bring all the weekend entails into proper perspective, let’s chant our Friday Chant with godly power. In unison 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.’ Yeh mih people, sometimes the weekend seems busier than the workweek, because we have so much private stuff to do, so that we can get time to go and labour. But instead of worrying too much about the prerogatives of this world, let’s concentrate on those of Jesus and our heavenly home, so that we won’t end up like the Israelites in our Bit: ‘For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.’ It really boggles my imagination when I think about the ungratefulness, lack of faith and trust that permeated the Israelite culture. After the Lord heard their crying about the woeful conditions of their slavery in Egypt, and showed His awesome power by all the plagues He unleashed on Egypt, but not on them. Then when Pharaoh finally allowed them to leave, He found a way for them to leave with a lot of Egypt’s earthly treasure. Furthermore, the Lord parted the Red Sea so that they could get away from the pursuing Egyptian army, then destroyed their pursuers. He kept them away from war by not passing them through the land of the Philistines, led them by a pillar of cloud in the day, and by a pillar of fire in the night. And yet they complained about bitter water and no food. So the Lord took care of those in His miraculous ways. But yuh think that meant anything to them. No sir! Neither did they give thanks when He led them to the oasis at Elim. But when they came out of the wilderness of Sin and pitched camp in Rephidim, where there was no water, they quickly got on Moses’ case though. ‘And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? And Moses cried unto the Lord saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me (to death). And the Lord said unto Moses; Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest (struck) the river, take in thine hand, and go. Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb, and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the name of the place Massah (Tempted), and Meribah (Contention), because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted (tested) the Lord, saying, Is the Lord among us, or not?’ (Ex.17:3-7) Oh Friends, it’s the same way we have behaved in this last generation; questioning both the presence of God and His goodness to us, after he’d made our way to flourish and prosper when our fathers paid Him His deserved obeisance. Like Israel, we have forgotten where our manna and daily bread come from. ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of (be constantly in) thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.’ (Josh.1:8) Yes my people, that’s where the success of an individual, a society, a nation and a world comes from! And that’s why our society has stopped flourishing and is quickly heading downhill, like a snowball hurrying down to Hades, which is where we’ll end up if we don’t change our evil ways and return to the Lord God who created us, protects and provides for us. It’s not rocket science people, just pure and simple common sense. But I forgot that doesn’t exist in our society again. Please let’s get it back, so that our society, our nation and world will survive, not in iniquity, but in righteousness and prosperity. Much LOVE!…only a fool…or a madman…knowingly spoils his own life…
 

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