Today’s Scrip-Bit 14 May 2018 Proverbs 3:31.

14 May 2018 Leave a comment

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

Proverbs 3:31.    Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.

Well friends, it’s such a glorious Monday morning that we should have no problem getting up and going out to meet the new work week. Hn!  And I hear some of you sourly say, ‘Yeh, no problem eh? Well talk for yourself yes, but I have a problem every week getting up on a Monday morning.’ And I’ll reply ‘that’s because you don’t plan your weekends properly.’ 

Anyhow, for whatever ails us this Monday morning, we have the sure antidote for it; our Monday Morning Battle Hymn, so let’s sing it with much gusto nuh, so that it can uplift our souls and spirits. 

As one now: ‘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!’ 

And now that the adrenaline is coursing through our veins, we should be able to ramp up our efforts on behalf of Jesus without a problem. (smile) And today we have an interesting Bit from the wisdom of Cousin Sol. ‘Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.’ 

Yeh friends, it’s something we’ve been continually warned against throughout the Good Book, but also something we need to be continually reminded of, because the pull of the oppressor and his wicked ways are so strong on our naturally sinful souls. 

And for our benefit, Cousin Sol continues: ‘For the forward (perverse person) is abomination to the Lord: but his secret (secret council) is with the righteous.’ (Prov.3:32) And isn’t that the gospel truth my fellow believers! And if you think Cousin Sol’s words are not strong enough for you, then listen to Bruh David’s on the subject; words that we know and quote, and yet still don’t follow enough. 

‘Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.’ (Ps.37:1) How often have those words been preached to us eh friends, yet we keep on doing exactly what they warn us not to do. 

Oh, I know the world and its evil doings are powerful, and though the Holy Spirit that dwells within us is stronger than the world, it’s not going to override our desires. It’s our job to heed the guidance of the Lord’s Spirit if we want to do His will. 

That’s why Bruh David advises: ‘Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on his faithfulness). Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement (justice) as the noonday.’ (Ps.37:3-6) 

And friends, if Bruh David’s words don’t grab you, then listen to these of Asaph, the psalmist, who almost fell into the trap. ‘Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean (pure) heart. But as for me, my feet were almost gone (I had almost stumbled); my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.’ (Ps.73:1-3) 

Ah mih people, we all know it’s hard to see the wicked prosper and some of the righteous suffer unfairly. But please, please, I implore us not to fall for the lies of the world, because as the Good Book says, the wicked will eventually be destroyed and the righteous shall take over their wealth. 

So in closing, let’s be further reminded by the encouraging words of Bruh David. ‘Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices (schemes) to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil (it only causes harm). For evil doers shall be cut off (destroyed): but those that wait on the Lord shall inherit the earth.’ (Ps.37:7-9) 

Please, let’s bury those words in our hearts and souls, so that we can remember them and put them into action when the evil one comes against us. Much LOVE!

…the wicked have sold their souls for earthly riches…the righteous have sold theirs for heavenly glory… 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 10 October 2013 John 13:34

10 Oct 2013 Leave a comment

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

John 13:34.    A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another.
 
Oh Friends, oh Friends, I’m here to tell you a few wonderful things this beautiful autumn morn! First off, that God LOVES you unconditionally, and that He will give you everything your heart desires, provided it lines up with His will. I’m here to also let you know that you are indeed heading in the right direction by being a sincere follower of Jesus Christ.
 
Wow! What a rush that brings! (smile) And following as a direct consequence of all that, the action of God is now flowing through you in a pattern of success! Therefore, please make it a habit to be happy; practice LOVE, practice being peaceful, because no one, or nothing ever becomes successful or succeeds without much practice. And thus ends the sermon for today! (smile)
 
Ah mih people, life is hard enough without us making it even harder by having sour, miserable, fearful and anxious attitudes. We need to laugh and be comfortable in our own skin, look at ourselves in the mirror and like what we see, not in a narcissistic manner, for we truly can’t like other humans until we like the one that looks back at us in the mirror. It’s just a natural fact of life. If we dislike ourselves, we’ll simply dislike a whole lot of other people, for dislike will come more naturally to us than like.
 
And one more thing, let’s stop wishing that we were other people, for God made us to be who we are, not somebody else. Forget the material wealth, the physical good looks, the powerful positions, or the celebrity status that they may have. Their material and physical attributes won’t last forever.
 
And believe me, if you knew the real truth about their lives, how they got what they have, and the messy situations in which they’re embroiled, you won’t give up your bland and simple but godly life. Plus they all have fears, anxieties and problems like you, they just hide them better behind their public facades. 
 
Yes my people, we cannot be kind to, or LOVE others until we are kind to and LOVE ourselves, wherever and whatever we are. That’s what Jesus is saying in our Bit. ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye LOVE one another; as I have LOVED you, that ye also LOVE one another.’
 
He’s asking that we follow His example; just the way He LOVED us, we ought to LOVE each other. And as He so wisely continues: ‘By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have LOVE one to another.’ (John 13:35)
 
Ah Friends, that logic follows so logically, (smile) like the day follows the night, and vice versa. Jesus’ manifesto is LOVE! That’s what He came to earth to spread; the LOVE of our heavenly Father. He came to begin a serious LOVE Revolution, one that would revolutionize the entire world!
 
And as His followers, He expects us to continue building that LOVE Revolution, so that others will know we’re part and parcel of His world movement. But it’s obvious my brethren that we’re falling far short of Jesus’ expectations, because true or real LOVE is one of the hardest, if not the hardest thing to find in this wicked, deceitful, ungodly world.
 
And we’re not talking about romantic LOVE here, but a simple caring for each other, kindness to make sure that we all at least have the basic necessities of life. But Friends, we’re very very far from that utopian position, for too many are suffering from terrible want and abject poverty, while too few have too much, enough to last them several lifetimes, but they selfishly refuse to share with their unfortunate brethren in this life.
 
How sad eh! And that definitely doesn’t fall under Jesus’ directions. Remember too, when the Pharisees, in trying to entangle Jesus in His own words… What fools they were eh, how can mere mortals tangle up God! And sadly they’re plenty like them still around today.
 
Anyway, one of them, a lawyer – had to be – (smile) figuring he was so bright, asked Jesus which was the greatest commandment? ‘
 
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt LOVE the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’ (Matt.22:37-40)
 
There we have it again Friends: It’s all about LOVE, about sharing and caring and being kind to each other. First we LOVE the Lord God Jehovah, then we LOVE ourselves, and then we LOVE our neighbours as ourselves. But how can we LOVE our neighbours if we don’t LOVE ourselves? It’s not possible.
 
And unfortunately that’s what we’re seeing, that is the prevalent attitude in our world today. There’s a complete lack of real LOVE for self, but a selfishness that’s so great it cannot be measured. LOVING ourselves doesn’t mean being proud, arrogant and selfish, but strong, confident, caring, giving and faithful, walking in the footsteps of Jesus.
 
And we’ll end with some strong words from Bruh Paul to the Thessalonians, regarding his appeal for purity. ‘For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth (rejects), despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.
 
But as touching (concerning) brotherly LOVE ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to LOVE one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more.’ (1 Thess.4:7-10)
 
Yes Friends, the Thessalonians were getting the message of LOVE for each other and putting it into action, but Bruh Paul just wanted them to increase that action, spread it further and further. Now that’s exactly what we need to do today too my people!
 
We claim to LOVE God, but hate our brothers. As John so aptly puts it, that makes us liars: ‘for he that LOVETH not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he LOVE God whom he hath not seen?’ (1 John 4:20b) That says it all my fellow believers!
 
So today, let’s turn back to God and live in true LOVE nuh. Let’s put aside all the foolish things that lead us away from God and true fellowship with each other. Our world is in serious decline because it’s sadly lacking in true LOVE. And the only way we can advance Jesus’ LOVE Revolution is by spreading LOVE, not the negative emotions that are currently predominating.
 
So let’s take off our blinkers, put on our 20/20 eyes of faith and get out into this wicked world and sow some, no lotsa LOVE, as Jesus desires of us. Remember, we reap what we sow. You can’t plant corn and expect to reap peas. Much LOVE!
 
…you can only reap LOVE and its wonderful benefits…when you first sow LOVE…
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Today’s Scrip-Bit 20 November 2012 Genesis 9:13

20 Nov 2012 Leave a comment

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

Genesis 9:13.    I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
Surprise! Surprise Friends! The ole fella’s in sweet Tobago! Glory Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Yes mih breddren, the Duchess and I are on Crusoe’s Isle, God’s Little Acre, Paradise on Earth! Wow! I still can’t believe it. That’s why the Bit is a bit late. I didn’t get here till after 8 a.m this morning, after leaving Toronto at 10 p.m last night, and then I had to catch my bearings. So, from a cosy cottage by Store Bay, I’m writing these words of LOVE to you. Yes Friends, after thirty long years of exile in the cold North Country, the Good Lord has finally granted me favour to return to the land of my birth. And they say you can’t go home again. But that’s a lie, for my navel string is buried in this land, so it will always be home regardless of how long I stay away. Home might look physically different, but the folks of Tobago are still the same as I discovered as soon as I got off the plane this morning. They’re still the same kind, LOVING, gentle and friendly people I grew up with. They haven’t changed, because that’s the way we’re raised from birth. As Lord Nelson said in his song about Tobagonians long ago: ‘All ah we is one family!’ And that’s the undeniable truth Friends. Ah my brethren, at long last I’m in the land of sea, sand, sun and rum! So far though I’ve only experienced the sun – going up to 27 Celsius today – but I saw Store Bay, my favourite beach in all the world, earlier on when I went to get some breakfast of fry bake and saltfish, washed down with some cold, tasty mauby. Store Bay is very commercialized now, but the beach is still golden brown sand, and the water is still a beautiful sky blue, so it should feel the same. And I’ve learned my lesson, I didn’t rush to the beach right away, like I did in L.A. last year and lost my wedding ring. Hn, Hn! And the second honeymoon got off to a great start. (smile) When the Duchess reads this, she’s going to chew me out, about what second honeymoon. But as I keep saying, while there’s life, there’s always hope. And I do hope you all noticed our Bit today: ‘I do set my bow (rainbow) in the cloud, and it shall be for a token (sign) of a covenant between me and the earth.’ Believe me Friends, it’s very relevant, because a few minutes after the plane took off from Trinidad, bound for Tobago, a beautiful rainbow appeared in the sky on my side of the plane, and it followed us all the way to Tobago, some fifteen minutes later. I don’t know about you all, but I took that as a good and positive sign, since the Lord continued saying to Noah after our Bit: ‘And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow (rainbow) shall be seen in the cloud: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow (rainbow) shall be in the cloud: and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. And the Lord said unto Noah, This is the token (sign) of the covenant, which I have established between me and all the flesh that is upon the earth.’ (Gen.9:14-17) After all of that, plus some excellent treatment I received from T.O. to Tobago, by all and sundry, how I could think anything else but God was giving me a good sign eh? And it’s not like I couldn’t come to Tobago before, I’ve been to Barbados, and to Jamaica at least three times since I was last here. However, something just kept holding me back, saying that the time wasn’t right, and I decided to be patient and wait on the Lord for His timing, and this Tobago trip actually fell into my lap without me even really asking for or thinking about it. And here we are, finally in Paradise. One other thing of note happened this morning; while sitting in Piarco Airport waiting for my flight to Tobago, a gentleman came up to me and said he remembered me from way back when, going to Bishop’s High School, though he at the time went to a different Secondary School. That’s some fifty years ago! I still can’t believe my ears when I talk about stuff that happened a half century ago.Time really does fly yes! Coincidentally, his name was also Randolph. Our God sure does move in mysterious ways! Ah Friends, the ole fella’s wired from lack of sleep and too much coffee, plus my conscience bothered me about not writing the Bit, so since I couldn’t sleep, I just got up and wrote it. Now because I don’t have a set itinerary, just playing it by ear, I can’t guarantee that the Bit will be early as usual, but you’ll certainly get it, the Good Lord willing. Just be happy for the old fella and pray that the Lord blesses him with a good, no, a great second honeymoon in Tobago, as He did with the first one some forty one years ago. Going to go and check out the sea and sand shortly. Much LOVE!…wait patiently on the Lord…and He WILL…eventually bring the desires of your heart to pass…  P.S. As I was just editing the Bit, a balck rooster just went by and gave me aloud, friendly cockadoodle-do greeting. (smile)